Written Answers of 24 April 2002

PRIME MINISTER

  Departmental Functions
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the functions of his Department that have been(a) market tested and (b) outsourced in each of the last five years, specifying the (i) money saving and (ii) percentage saving in each case. [43000]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on Tuesday 23 April 2002,Official Report, column 201W.

  Corporate Social Responsibility
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will instruct the Performance and Innovation Unit to investigate the need for legislation on corporate social responsibility. [50081]

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is responsible for corporate social responsibility. She will be issuing a report in mid-May 2002 'Business in Society' which will report on developments in corporate and social responsibility in the UK.

  The Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) have already considered the international aspects of corporate social responsibility in the "Rights of Exchange" report of September 2000. This is available on the PIU website (www.piu.gov.uk).

  As stated in my answer to the hon. Member for Halton (Mr. Derek Twigg) on 3 July 2001, Official Report, column 93W, I have also asked the PIU to undertake a project to review the legal and regulatory framework for charities and the wider voluntary and community sector and bring forward proposals for reform. This includes some consideration of issues of corporate social responsibility.

DEFENCE

  Queen Mother Funeral
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of the funeral of HM the Queen Mother; and which Departments contributed. [50685]

  Mr. Ingram
  The information requested is not readily available. I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Saville Inquiry
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action has been taken regarding those responsible for the release of the names of soldiers involved in the events of 30 January 1972 in Londonderry. [52042]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Bloody Sunday inquiry is independent of Government and any action it has taken is a matter for the inquiry itself. However, we understand that procedures have been reviewed and significant improvements made.

  So far as the two inadvertent disclosures by the team of lawyers representing the majority of soldiers are concerned, an official was reprimanded and a barrister apologised to the Tribunal.

  The breach of security that occurred at the Treasury Solicitor's Department is the subject of a formal internal investigation, which is still being actively pursued.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether additional costs have been incurred in providing security to the former soldiers whose names were improperly released into the public domain by the Saville Inquiry. [52043]

  Ingram
  The provision of security advice and additional protective measures where appropriate would of course incur costs. I am withholding details of these costs in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much public funding has been provided to the legal representatives of his Department, HM armed forces and other individuals appearing at the Saville Inquiry, broken down by each(a) barrister, (b) firm of solicitors and (c) other body involved. [48695]

  Mr. Ingram
  The payments made to the legal representatives appearing at the Saville Inquiry on behalf of the Ministry of Defence or HM armed forces are set out in the table. The figures include fees, expenses and VAT (where that is paid). The first date shows when the first payment was made, which may have been some months after the recipient was first instructed by the Ministry of Defence. The second date shows the payments made as at the end of February 2002. There are four teams representing the soldiers (necessary due to the existence of conflicts of interest between various individuals) and one representing the MOD.
  255W

  Period covered

  Payments made(£)

  from

  To

  Senior Counsel representing MOD

  Ian Burnett

  173,508.67

  August 1998

  January 2002

  Hon. Philip Havers

  7,138.13

  May 2000

  January 2001

  Senior Counsel representing HM armed forces

  Peter Clarke

  425,874.22

  January 2001

  February 2002

  Gerard Elias

  747,171.82

  July 2000

  February 2002

  Edwin Glasgow

  2,155,288.49

  December 1998

  February 2002

  Jeremy Gompertz

  611.00

  September 1999

  September 1999

  Sir Allan Green

  693,733.48

  March 1999

  February 2002

  Rosamund Horwood-Smart

  18,352.03

  January 2002

  January 2002

  Sir Sydney Kentridge

  52,875.00

  October 1999

  October 1999

  Edmund Lawson

  693,127.75

  August 1999

  December 2001

  David Lloyd Jones1

  639,571.81

  December 1998

  February 2002

  Anna Worrall

  100,456.55

  January 2000

  July 2000

  Junior Counsel representing MOD

  David Barr

  9,014.94

  January 1999

  July 1999

  William Hoskins

  43,849.60

  August 1999

  January 2002

  Junior Counsel representing HM armed forces

  Gaby Bonham Carter

  24,608.91

  October 2000

  April 2001

  Michael Bools

  649,447.65

  December 1998

  February 2002

  David Bradly

  542,648.90

  March 1999

  February 2002

  Jonathan Crow

  793.13

  January 2002

  January 2002

  Huw Davies

  83,998.13

  April 2001

  February 2002

  Nicholas Griffin

  653,366.13

  February 1999

  February 2002

  Sam Grodzinski

  1,877.07

  March 2000

  March 200

  Michael Hick

  253,895.01

  February 1999

  April 2001

  Jonathan Hough

  4,487.99

  June 2001

  June 2001

  Alexander Hugh Milne

  16,212.32

  January 2002

  January 2002

  Andrew Hurst

  231,185.13

  April 1999

  April 2001

  Ian Leist

  323,165.03

  November 2000

  February 2002

  Alan May

  299,009.28

  March 1999

  June 2001

  Kristian Mills

  35,382.15

  October 2000

  December 2001

  Nicholas Moss

  343,904.66

  January 2000

  February 2002

  Stephen Requena

  19,837.21

  January 2002

  January 2002

  Thomas Quinton

  47,421.89

  June 2001

  February 2002

  Solicitors representing MOD

  Treasury solicitor

  24,301.66

  July 1998

  February 2002

  Solicitors representing HM armed forces

  Devonshires

  1,352,264.34

  July 1998

  January 2002

  Jacqueline Duff

  89,635.60

  March 1999

  February 2002

  Kingsley Napley

  887,685.89

  January 1999

  February 2002

  Payne Hicks Beach2

  1,859,985.30

  October 1998

  February 2002

  Treasury solicitor

  1,696,330.79

  April 1998

  February 2002

  1 Became a QC April 1999

  2 Includes air fares and car hire costs incurred by some counsel

  Ministerial Travel
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times Ministers in his Department have travelled abroad at taxpayers' expense since March 2001; what countries they visited; and what the total cost of each visit was. [47116]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 11 April 2002, Official Report, column 552W, by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister.

  Live Ammunition
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the overseas training areas in which the Ministry of Defence uses live ammunition; and if he will make a statement; [49994]

  (2) if he will list the countries in which British forces have used live ammunition in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002; and if he will make a statement. [49995]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 16 April 2002]: The overseas training areas used currently by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are as follows.

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  Training area

  Country

  Royal Navy

  Brohavalet

  Norway

  Belle Isle

  France

  All French sea ranges in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean

  —

  Gibraltar exercise areas in the Mediterranean

  —

  Cape Teulada

  Sardinia

  Bellowes Rock

  South Africa

  Daymaniyat

  Oman

  Pula Aur

  Singapore

  Beacroft

  Australia

  Barking Sands

  USA

  Point Mugu

  USA

  San Clemente

  USA

  Virginia Capes exercise areas (VACAPES)

  USA

  Atlantic Fleet weapon training facility (AFWTF)

  USA

  7 Hills

  Belize

  Second Creek

  Falklands Islands

  Royal Air Force

  Garvie Island

  UK

  China Lake

  USA

  Point Mugu

  USA

  Nellis

  USA

  Barry Goldwater

  USA

  Udairi

  Kuwait

  Raz

  Oman

  In terms of those facilities used by the Army, I refer the hon. Member to the letter I wrote to the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Caton) on 7 August last yearD/Min(AF)/AI PQ0186M/01/Y refers. A copy is in the Library of the House.In addition to those countries whose

  Exercise name

  Dates

  Training undertaken

  MONOPRIX 01

  10 April 2001

  Infantry Company Group training exercise incorporating dry and live firing in both arid and jungle locations. Live firing occurred at Mpala Farm and Archer's Post—both of which are live firing ranges.

  16 May 2001

  SHARP POINT 01

  10 April 2001

  Medical Squadron exercise providing primary health and veterinary care to the Kenyan community.

  16 May 2001

  PINEAPPLE 01

  10 April 2001

  Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Clearance operation of the training areas used by British Forces for Live Firing in Kenya.

  16 May 2001

  GRAND PRIX 3/01

  25 October 2001

  Infantry Battlegroup training exercise incorporating dry and live firing in both arid and jungle locations. Live firing occurred at Mpala Farm and Archer's Post—both of which are live firing ranges.

  6 December 2001

  CRABAPPLE 01

  25 October 2001

  Troop level Royal Engineer construction exercise.

  6 December 2001

  GRAND PRIX 1/02

  5 January 2002

  As GRAND PRIX 3/01

  23 February 2002

  OAKAPPLE 02

  5 January 2002

  Squadron level Royal Engineer construction exercise.

  7 April 2002

  GRAND PRIX 2/02

  26 February 2002

  As GRAND PRIX 3/01

  7 April 2002

  258W
  training areas we use currently, British forces have also deployed, either on operations, on exercise, or as garrison troops to the following countries:

  Afghanistan

  Australia

  Bahrain

  Brunei

  Cyprus

  Congo

  East Timor

  Greece

  Iraq

  Jamaica

  Kuwait

  Mozambique

  New Zealand

  Nepal

  Pakistan

  Rwanda

  Sierra Leone

  United Kingdom.

  This does not include information relating to UK Special Forces deployments as it is the long-standing policy of successive Governments not to comment on them.

  To establish whether or not live ammunition was used during each individual deployment would incur disproportionate cost.

  Army Training (Kenya)
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will(a) list the dates of British Army training exercises in Kenya during the past 12 months and (b) make a statement on the training undertaken during each of these deployments. [49308]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 16 April 2002]: Details of British Army training exercises that have taken place in Kenya during the past 12 months are as follows:
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  Exercise name

  Dates

  Training undertaken

  MONOPRIX 02

  7 April 2002

  As MONOPRIX 01

  16 May 2002

  SHARP POINT 02

  7 April 2002

  As SHARP POINT 01

  16 May 2002

  PINEAPPLE 02

  7 April 2002

  As PINEAPPLE 01

  16 May 2002

  Roll On/Roll Off Vessels
  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects to sign the contract with AWSR Shipping Ltd. for the provision of roll on/roll off ferries under the PFI; [50884]

  (2) what assumption was made by his Department regarding (a) the provision of financial guarantees and
  (b) the ability of the preferred bidder to sign contracts by a specified date for the roll on/roll off ferries; [50886]

  (3) what representations were made to his Department by (a) the Scottish Office, (b) the Scottish Executive, (c) the Northern Ireland Office and (d) One NE prior to the awarding of the roll on/roll off contracts; [50894]

  (4) what the evaluation criteria were in the selection of the preferred bidder for the roll on/roll offs; [50890]

  (5) what are the reasons for the delay in completion of the contract with AWSR for the roll on/roll off ferries. [50885]

  Dr. Moonie
  Bids were assessed against the criteria of best value for money, having regard to price, delivery and quality. Tenderers were required to produce financial evidence of guarantees or other financing arrangements that underwrote their ability to sign a contract in a timely manner. Government Departments and regional and industrial bodies with a legitimate interest in the strategic sealift service competition were consulted at all stages. The complexity of the transaction has extended the negotiations but all major questions have been resolved and we foresee no significant obstacle to early signature.

  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects to transfer to AWSR Ltd. responsibilities for the two roll-on, roll-offs being built by Harland and Wolff; [50892]

  (2) what period of notice will be given to the supplier of the roll-on roll-offs for the use of each of them; [50893]

  (3) whether the Government's assumption from AWSR Ltd. of responsibility for purchase of the two roll-on roll-offs being built by Harland and Wolff counts towards the PSBR. [50891]

  Dr. Moonie
  On completion of the two ships being built by Harland and Wolff, due this financial year, AWSR will reimburse the Ministry of Defence and assume ownership. The overall effect on the Government's finances is therefore neutral. The period of notice for the six ships forming the strategic sealift service will be:260W

  Ships

  Notice

  1

  5 days

  3

  10 days

  1

  20 days

  1

  30 days

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Department's contract for Ro-Ro ferries has been signed; and if he will make a statement. [51134]

  Dr. Moonie
  We foresee no significant obstacles to early signature. Negotiation of the terms of a 20-year service has inevitably been complex and changes in the commercial shipping environment since the events of 11 September 2001 have had to be factored in. We have, however, at the same time, been able to take advantage of policies developed in recent years as set out in "British Shipping Charting a New Course" and elsewhere.

  Private Gray
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what duties Private Gray was deployed in on(a) 16 September 2001 and (b) 17 September 2001; who his immediate superior officer was on that night; and if he will make a statement; [51157]

  (2) what happened to the weapon and ammunition of Private Gray following his death on 17 September 2001 at Deep Cut Camp; and if he will make a statement; [51165]

  (3) when Private Gray commenced duty at Deep Cut Army Camp on 16 September 2001; what his schedule of duty was (a) that and (b) the next day; and if he will make a statement; [51153]

  (4) what time was Private Gray's body removed from the site of Deep Cut Camp on 17 September 2001; by whom it was removed; to where it was removed; and if he will make a statement; [51161]

  (5) what record there is of a civilian staying the night at the officers' mess of Deep Cut Camp over the night of 16 and 17 of September 2001; if he will identify this person; who authorised his entry into the camp and his overnight stay in the officers' mess; and if he will make a statement; [51169]

  (6) what ammunition was found to be missing from Private Gray following his death on 17 September 2001; and if he will make a statement; [51151]

  (7) what record there is of Private Gray's routine on the evening of the 16 September 2001; when the last time was he logged out on guard duty; when the last time was he logged back in from guard duty having completed a patrol; and if he will make a statement; [51159]
  261W
  (8) what time the body of Private Gray was discovered in Deep Cut Camp; where it was discovered; by whom; and if he will make a statement; [51163]

  (9) how many rounds of ammunition Private Gray was issued with before going on duty; how many rounds were found in his weapon or on his person following his death on 17 September 2001; and if he will make a statement; [51150]

  (10) if he will make a statement on the incident late on the evening of 16 September 2001 close to the officers mess at Deep Cut Camp involving Private Geoff Gray; and what other personnel were involved; [51158]

  (11) what the location was of the incident that led to the death of Private Geoff Gray in September 2001 within the Deep Cut Army Camp; where the death took place; and if he will make a statement; [51154]

  (12) what the calibre was of the bullets that killed Private Geoff Gray; what search was made to recover the bullets; who conducted the search; if the bullets were recovered; and if he will make a statement; [51170]

  (13) what procedures were followed at the start and finish of a round of guard duty at Deep Cut Army Camp on the evening of 16 and the morning of 17 and 18 September 2001; and if he will make a statement; [51152]

  (14) what logs were kept of the round of guard duty of Private Gray on the evening of the 16 and the morning of the 17 September 2001 at Deep Cut Camp: who was responsible for the accuracy of the logs; and if he will make a statement; [51160]

  (15) how many (a) entry and (b) exit wounds were found on Private Gray's body; where they were; and if he will make a statement; [51156]

  (16) at what time shots were first heard on the night of
  16 and 17 of September 2001; by whom and where; if reports of these shots were logged; and if he will make a statement. [51164]

  Dr. Moonie
  These questions collectively concern the circumstances surrounding the death of Private Geoff Gray at the Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut, on 17 September 2001. Some of the information requested has already been placed in the public domain in the form of witness evidence given at the coroner's inquest into the death of Private Gray, which was held on 19 March 2002. However, jurisdiction for the investigation into this incident was retained by the Surrey Police who will be briefing the family of Private Gray shortly on the circumstances surrounding his death. It would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to comment further at this stage. The evidence will also be considered by an internal Army Board of Inquiry, which will convene on 25 April 2002. The inquiry is likely to take some time. The next of kin will, as a matter of courtesy, be afforded a copy of the final report in due course.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there was an MOD inquiry into the death of Private Geoff Gray in September 2001 at Deep Cut Army Camp; and if he will make a statement. [51155]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Army Board of Inquiry into the death of Private Geoff Gray will convene on 25 April 2002. The purpose of a Board of Inquiry is to establish the facts and ascertain whether any shortcomings in service 262W
  equipment or procedures caused or contributed to the incident leading to a death and, if necessary, make recommendations to prevent a recurrence. Although this is normally an internal investigation and not open to members of the public or the media, the next of kin are afforded a copy of the completed Board of Inquiry report as a matter of courtesy (subject to any minimum security/disclosure requirements). The inquiry is likely to take some time and I cannot, at this stage, say when the board will make its final report.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on(a) the cause of death, (b) the circumstances and (c) the coroner's verdict on the death of Private Geoff Gray in September 2001 at the Deep Cut Army Camp; and if he will make a statement. [51149]

  Dr. Moonie
  Private Geoff Gray, Royal Logistic Corps, died from gunshot wounds to the head while on guard duty at the Princess Royal Barracks, Deep Cut, on 17 September 2001. The coroner's inquest was held on 19 March 2002 and recorded an open verdict. Jurisdiction for the investigation into this incident remains with the Surrey police who will be briefing the family of Private Gray shortly on the circumstances surrounding his death. It would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to comment further at this stage.

  Sea Harriers
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 12 April 2002, Official Report, column 823W, on Sea Harriers, if he will estimate the value of savings that will be made as a result of the withdrawal of Sea Harrier force in each year until 2012. [51764]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 16 April 2002, Official Report, columns 823–24W.

  5 Squadron
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what savings will be made from the standing down of 5 Squadron. [49762]

  Mr. Ingram
  The down declaration of 5 Squadron in October 2004 was assumed in the 1999 Eurofighter Force Planning Assumptions and was part of a series of measures related to the introduction of Eurofighter. The Squadron's down declaration was designed to release manpower and other resources to allow the build up of Eurofighter squadrons to begin. As such, 'savings' arising from the down declaration of 5 Squadron will be offset elsewhere in the Defence programme. The decision to down declare 5 Squadron early, by January 2003, was taken to produce a more effective and efficient Tornado F3 capability pending the arrival into RAF service of the Eurofighter. Its aircraft and most of the Squadron's personnel are being redistributed among the other Tornado F3 squadrons. However, savings of approximately £2 million over two years are expected.

  Unexploded Ordnance (Kenya)
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in the last five years
  263W
  personnel specialised in the clearance of unexploded ordnance have been deployed to Kenya in the aftermath of British Army training exercises there. [48932]

  Mr. Ingram
  A squadron from 33 Engineer Regiment has deployed to Kenya five times in the last five years. This annual exercise, in support of the Kenyan Authorities, to clear unexploded ordnance from areas used by the British Army in Kenya is under way now. In addition, every infantry exercise—wherever it takes place—deploys with personnel trained in the clearance of unexploded ordnance.

  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) people and (b) animals have been killed as a result of unexploded ordnance left following British Army training exercises in (i) Kenya and (ii) other foreign countries in the last five years. [48933]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Ministry of Defence's records indicate that no people have been killed as a result of ordnance left behind following British Army training exercises overseas. While any deaths of animals may be reported locally, the MOD does not hold records of such incidents centrally and they could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what(a) types and (b) amounts of ordnance have been used during each British Army training deployment to Kenya during the past 12 months. [49304]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 16 April 2002]: The Ministry of Defence does not yet have a complete record of all the ammunition used during the past 12 months. I will write to the hon. Member when these details are available and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the safety arrangements are for British Army training exercises in Kenya, with regard to protecting civilians from unexploded ordnance; [49309]

  (2) what arrangements are in place to clear up ordnance left unexploded following British Army training exercises in Kenya. [49305]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 16 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on 18 July 2001, Official Report, columns 400–02.

  Army Training
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the countries in which the British Army train on land which is also used for grazing. [49259]

  Mr. Ingram
  The British Army trains in many countries including the USA, Canada, Kenya, Botswana, Malaysia, Oman, Australia and New Zealand and across much of Europe. It is quite possible that many of the areas on which we train are also used for grazing, however this information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the terms of the agreement between the UK and Kenyan Governments under which British Army troops are regularly deployed to Kenya for training purposes. [49307]
  264W
  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 16 April 2002]: British Army deployments to Kenya are carried out under the terms of the memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of the United Kingdom and Kenya, which was renewed on 19 December 2001. The terms are confidential between ourselves and the Kenyans, and I am therefore withholding the information requested under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Air-to-surface Weapon
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement in progress in introducing a new intermediate-range air-to-surface weapon system for RAF strike aircraft. [50005]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: The capability to attack surface targets at intermediate range (35 to 100 nautical miles from the delivery platform) from RAF strike aircraft has been given the title SPEAR (Selective Precision Effects At Range). Studies into how the SPEAR capability might be best achieved are still ongoing. However, work to date has indicated that one single system may not be the most cost-effective solution, as the required effects of SPEAR will vary according to the various scenarios and target types against which it is used. The capability may, therefore, need to be realised through improvements to weapons to enter service in the short to medium term, as well as the introduction of a new system (or systems). Time scales for the delivery of the capability will depend upon which solution is chosen.

  Aircraft Carriers
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to place the order for two British aircraft carriers. [51133]

  Dr. Moonie
  We currently plan to award a contract for the build of two new Future Carriers for the Royal Navy in 2004.

  Missile Development
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's involvement is in research and development of a successor system to the Harpoon missile. [50784]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: There are currently no plans to replace the Harpoon missile, which it is planned will remain in service with air and surface units for some considerable time. The Ministry of Defence is not therefore undertaking research and development for a successor system.

  A project to enhance the Anti Surface Warfare offensive capability of the Royal Navy's surface ships is currently in the concept stage; as part of this a minor study has been undertaken to assess the performance of improvements to the existing Harpoon missile, which could form a potential solution should the requirement be confirmed.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the future air-to-surface guided weapon; and which Royal Navy helicopters will be equipped with this weapon when it becomes operational. [50782]
  265W
  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The Future Air-to-Surface Guided Weapon (FASGW) programme is early in its concept stage. The programme aims to provide the core offensive anti-surface warfare capability currently delivered by the Sea Skua missile carried by Royal Navy Lynx helicopters. On current planning assumptions, when FASGW enters service it will be carried by the Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft.

  HMS York (Sea RAM Trial)
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the trials of Sea RAM with HMS York; and what plans he has to procure the weapon system. [50783]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The Sea RAM trial on HMS York was completed in September 2001. Although the equipment was returned earlier than anticipated, the majority of the trial objectives were achieved. The data gathered will be used to inform equipment capability decisions and to feed into other research and studies.

  We have no immediate plans to procure the system, but it will be considered along with other options for a potential enhancement to our close-in defensive capability.

  Type 675 Jammer
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to procure a successor system to the type 675 jammer, to be fitted to type 45 and other future warships. [50788]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The type 675 jammer was taken out of service some years ago and we have no plans at present to fit a successor system to our future warships, though we continue to research jamming technologies.

  Delegated Legislation
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Pensions Appeal Tribunals (Posthumous Appeals) Amendment Order 2001; and if he will make a statement. [51393]

  Dr. Moonie
  Posthumous appeals allow the representative of a deceased ex-serviceman or woman to continue an appeal against a decision to reject their claim to a war disablement pension lodged before their death or to appeal against a decision to reject such a claim which is received after their death.

  The Pensions Appeal Tribunals (Posthumous Appeals) Amendment Order 2001 was a consequence of extending time limits on war pension appeals from 9 April 2001. The 2001 amendment to the Pensions Appeal Tribunals (Posthumous Appeals) Order 1980 ensures, for parity, that similar time limits are applied to posthumous appeals.

  Cost effectiveness was not a consideration.

  Depleted Uranium
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the UK and its allies in Northern Iraq have used depleted uranium weapons. [51638]
  266W
  Dr. Moonie
  United Kingdom forces did not use depleted uranium (DU) munitions in Northern Iraq during the Gulf War. They were deployed as part of a humanitarian relief operation and were therefore not equipped with Challenger battle tanks. The United Kingdom's allies are also not believed to have used DU in Northern Iraq during the war.

  Allied forces are not using DU munitions in the policing of the Northern No Fly Zone.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of British Armed Forces' Personnel who have been exposed to depleted uranium. [50540]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Royal Society reports on "The Health Hazards of Depleted Uranium Munitions" consider three levels of exposure to depleted uranium (DU):

  Level I—exposures to personnel in a vehicle that is struck by a DU penetrator, or to personnel entering a struck vehicle immediately, typically to assist injured comrades.

  Level II—exposures following combat, typically to personnel working in or on contaminated vehicles to carry out repairs.

  Level III—all other exposures, for example, being downwind of an impact or fire involving DU, or brief entry into contaminated vehicle.

  No British troops who served in the Gulf or Balkans would have featured in the Level I scenario, or the worst case estimate for the Level II scenario, that is, personnel exposed to DU for about 100 hours.

  Some duties undertaken by British troops in the Gulf could potentially have put them in scenarios representative of the Royal Society's Level II average estimate of 10 hours exposure to DU. However, the Royal Society's prediction of excess deaths from lung cancer and leukaemia, resulting from such Level II exposures, is very low (0.25 and 0.0007 per 10,000 respectively by the age of 75). This would not be detectable above the general risk of dying from cancer over a normal lifetime.

  It is possible that some veterans might have experienced Level III exposures during the Gulf and Balkans conflicts and aftermaths.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Social Exclusion (Wales)
  Mrs. Betty Williams
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales about social exclusion. [49349]

  Mrs. Roche
  My right hon. Friend and I have not had any discussions with the First Secretary recently regarding social exclusion.

  The Social Exclusion Unit, which covers England only, maintains regular official level contact with each of the devolved Administrations.
  267W
  The Welsh Assembly's work in this area complements national Government policies aimed at tackling poverty and deprivation across the UK.

  Housing Benefit (Lone Parents)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what assessment he has made of the Better Regulation Task Force's report, "Housing Benefit: a Case Study of Lone Parents". [49350]

  Mr. Leslie
  The Better Regulation Task Force is an independent body advising Government on regulation issues, supported by a secretariat in the Cabinet Office. Ministers responded positively and in full to their helpful report on housing benefit and lone parents.

  Child Poverty
  Mr. Francois
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what assessment the Social Exclusion Unit has made of the number of children living in poverty in Great Britain. [49351]

  The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
  Our assessment shows that between 1979 and 1997 the number of children living in poverty trebled, a trend that was totally unacceptable.

  That trend has now been reversed. Whatever measure you use, the number of people and the number of children living in poverty is now coming down. We are now well on the way to meeting our targets of reducing child poverty by a quarter by 2004 and eradicating child poverty within a generation.

  Biosecurity
  Mr. Heath
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State if he will make a statement on the co-ordination of the response of Government Departments to potential external threats to biosecurity. [49352]

  Mr. Leslie
  The response to threats of biological attack on the United Kingdom involves a number of Government Departments, including the Department of Health, the Home Office and the Security Services. The Cabinet Office Civil Contingencies Secretariat works closely with all Departments to ensure the Government response is properly co-ordinated.

  Emergency Planning Review
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State when he expects the Government to report on the findings of the emergency planning review and seek to implement its recommendations. [49353]

  Mr. Leslie
  As 1 told the House on 8 February 2002,Official Report, column 1230W, the results of the emergency planning review consultation have been placed in the Library. Preparatory work is now under way with a view to introducing new legislation on dealing with civil contingencies when parliamentary time allows.

  Castle Awards
  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State how many firms have applied for a Castle Award to signify an equal pay policy. [49355]
  268W
  Mrs. Roche
  The Castle Awards were launched on 8 March. During the first month of its launch no formal applications were made but we have received 420 requests for Castle Award applications and there have been 1,011 hits on the Castle Award web pages.

  Government Grants
  Andrew Selous
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what steps the social exclusion unit is taking to ensure people in poverty in more affluent districts have equal access to Government grants for which local authorities can bid. [49356]

  The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
  The Government's approach is to tackle poverty and social exclusion wherever they are found—through delivering high quality public services to everyone.

  We have set targets for minimum levels of performance to focus effort on making improvements where outcomes are worst. Examples include a target for 25 per cent. of pupils in every school to achieve five A*-C GCSEs by 2006; and a target for a 25 per cent. reduction in burglary rates by 2005, with no area having a rate three times the national average.

  Business Regulation
  Barbara Follett
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what steps his Department is taking to reduce the regulatory burden on business. [49357]

  Mr. Leslie
  The Government are committed to better regulation. This means legislating only where necessary, doing so in a light touch way, and reducing regulatory burdens wherever possible.

  The Government published their regulatory reform action plan in February. It contains 167 measures that will benefit business.

  Electronic Services
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what has been the percentage increase in take-up of online transactions with Government Departments in the last 12 months. [49358]

  Mr. Leslie
  Latest ONS figures show that in October 2001, 3.84 million citizens had used the internet to use or access Government services.

  Over half of all central Government services that can be delivered electronically are now e-enabled and around a quarter of those are for services other than providing information. Take-up has been significant. For example, more than 75,000 individuals submitted last year's self-assessment returns over the internet; over 1 million checks of potential employees for child care positions have been carried out via the internet; and NHS Direct receives approximately I million hits a week.

  Welfare to Work (Transport)
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State if he will make a statement on the social exclusion unit's study into the role of transport in welfare-to-work policies. [49359]
  269W
  The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, on 13 March 2002,Official Report, column 1068W.

  Civil Service Secondments (Disclosure)
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what guidance he has given to Ministers on the public disclosure of business secondees to the civil service. [49360]

  Mr. Leslie
  I have not issued any guidance to Ministers. However, Sir Richard Wilson, in agreement with permanent secretaries, decided that guidance should be issued to all Departments on the disclosure of business secondments to the civil service. As a result, the Cabinet Office Interchange Unit has issued guidance to all Departments stating that they should meet all requests for disclosure of information, except in circumstances where there is a "public interest" objection to the disclosure, or where it would not be in accordance with the terms of the Data Protection Act, particularly Schedule 2.

  Public Service Managers
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what steps he is taking to improve the performance of managers of public services. [49361]

  Mr. Leslie
  New performance management systems are being introduced into the civil service which are competency based, focused on improving performance and rewarding achievement.

  The Office of Public Services Reform is examining existing skills and incentives in the public sector and has projects under way focusing on improving skills such as project management.

  Special Advisers
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what plans he has to implement the Government's commitment to the regulation by Parliament of the number and role of special advisers. [49362]

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State pursuant to his answer of 13 March 2002,Official Report, column 879, on the civil service, what plans he has for a cap in the number of special advisers. [49363]

  The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
  I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to the answer provided earlier today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael).

  Regional Economic Policy
  Adam Price
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State if he will make a statement on his involvement in the Government's review of regional economic policy. [49364]

  The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
  The Government set out their approach to regional economic policy in the joint HMT/DTI document "Productivity in the UK 3—The Regional Dimension",270W
  published in November 2001. In addition, the Government's economic policies are continually reviewed through pre-Budget reports, Budgets and spending reviews.

  Civil Service Act
  Mr. Lyons
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what progress has been made on a new Civil Service Act. [49365]

  Mr. Leslie
  The Government are committed to introducing civil service legislation and to maintaining an impartial civil service. Any legislative programme will be announced in the normal way.

  Domestic Violence
  Jim Knight
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State if he will make a statement on the Cabinet Office's recent forum on the economic cost of domestic violence. [49366]

  Mrs. Roche
  We suspect that the economic cost of domestic violence to our public services and to our communities is vast. We want to understand the true scale of these costs nationally and recently I hosted a roundtable to begin research on this issue.

  At this roundtable, I brought together a wide range of interested parties. This included experts from the field of domestic violence, representatives from across our public services including health, social services, the police and the Crown Prosecution Service as well as the TUC and the Director General of the CBI.

  We are now in the process of commissioning this research. It is envisaged that we will undertake a comprehensive economic audit of the costs incurred as a result of domestic violence by public services, agencies and private business.

  Equal Opportunities Commission
  Julie Morgan
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what plans there are to increase the budget of the Equal Opportunities Commission. [49367]

  Mrs. Roche
  The EOC's budget of £7.005 million for 2002–03 was transferred from the DFES to the Cabinet Office.

  Any increase will be subject to discussions with the Treasury in the context of the Spending Review—the outcome of which is not yet known.

  Public Bodies (Regional Representation)
  Syd Rapson
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State how he intends to ensure representation of all regions on the boards of national public bodies. [49368]

  Mr. Leslie
  The key principle in making appointments to all public bodies remains appointment on merit. The opportunity to serve on a public body should be available to all, regardless of disability, age, ethnicity, gender, geographic or social background. And that is why the Government wants to make sure that, as part of our emphasis on increasing diversity, applicants for all appointments are encouraged from all parts of the United
  271W
  Kingdom. In line with this, the Cabinet Office is running a series of regional seminars for women interested in serving on a public body.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what recent meetings he has had in connection with the world summit on sustainable development. [49369]

  The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
  Over the last two months I have met the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the King and Prime Minister of Bahrain, the Amir of Qatar, the President of Brazil, the Vice President of the United States of America, and the Deputy Prime Ministers of Singapore and Canada. I have also had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others to help prepare the UK's position for WSSD.

  Better Regulation Task Force
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State if he will make a statement on the work of the better regulation Task Force. [49370]

  The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
  The Task Force is carrying out reviews of employment law; local delivery of central policy; higher education; and science and technology. Its new Chairman, David Arculus, is consulting stakeholders about the Task Force's next work programme and will make an announcement in the summer.

  Equal Opportunities
  Lawrie Quinn
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what progress has been made on the Cabinet Office consultation document, "Towards Equality and Diversity". [49371]

  Mrs. Roche
  The consultation document "Towards Equality and Diversity" sets out the Government's proposals to implement the EC employment and race directives. The 15-week consultation period, which closed at the end of March, resulted in a high response rate from a range of stakeholders including small businesses, large employers, unions, interest groups and individuals.

  Ministers are currently considering the responses. The results of the consultation, and fuller proposals, including draft legislation to outlaw discrimination at work on grounds of sexual orientation and religion, will be published in the autumn.

  Ministerial Code of Conduct
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State what recent assessment he has made of the guidance given under the Ministerial Code of Conduct relating to the use of facilities provided by overseas Governments. [49372]

  The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
  Ministers' visits overseas will continue to be handled in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers.

  Rural Communities
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the co-ordination of policy for rural communities. [49273]

  Alun Michael
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is responsible for the co-ordination of policy for rural communities, assisted by myself and by the Department. My right hon. Friend chairs the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Rural Renewal, which addresses issues relevant to rural people that cut across departmental boundaries, and I am also a member of that Committee. The Countryside Agency is the Government's statutory adviser on rural and countryside issues, and in particular was asked to report publicly on the "rural-proofing" of the full range of Government policies; their first annual report was published on 11 April and a copy is available in the Library of the House. The Government's rural policies were set out in the White Paper "Our countryside: the future", published in November 2000; an update on progress was included in "England's Rural Future", which I published in December 2001.

  Government and Crown Interests (Insurance)
  Alistair Burt
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Cabinet Office last reviewed the insurance arrangements for Government and Crown interests. [49354)

  Mr. Leslie
  Policy on insurance for central Government bodies is kept under review by HM Treasury. The most recent change, relating to insurance for wider market activities, was made in 2000.

  Timber
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the certificates showing that the timber used in the refurbishment of 22 Whitehall came from certified sustainably-managed sources. [50006]

  The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms Walley) by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, on 19 April 2002,Official Report, column 1251W.

  My Department is currently, with Balfour Beatty, undertaking a full investigation and will report back to the House.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Seed Imports
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what commitments the Government have made on spot checks for the adventitious presence of GM varieties in seed imports; and if these commitments have been fulfilled. [288]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 25 June 2001]: In May 2000 the Government announced a package of measures relating to seed purity. One of these measures was the checking of seed imports. Between that date and 31 March 2001, the Central Science Laboratory carried out 38 audits

  273W
  of seed companies. From 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 it carried out 45 such audits. These audits have monitored the precautions that seed companies have taken as regards the adventitious presence of GM events in seeds.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason she has not answered the Question from the hon. Member for Buckingham tabled on 8 November 2001 regarding the cost to the public purse arising from the name change of her Department (ref. 14449). [32043]

  Mr. Morley
  The delay in responding to the PQ is regretted. It was the consequence of a very heavy workload and limited staff resources at that time in the particular DEFRA unit responsible for providing answers to questions in this area of activity.

  Moorland Ponies
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department and its predecessor have introduced to(a) prohibit overbreeding and (b) improve the welfare of moorland ponies. [48744]

  Mr. Morley
  The State Veterinary Service has worked with and advised the various local regulatory authorities which are responsible. The Authorities are mainly commoners' associations, acting under local powers. The current review of the law on common land could have implications in relation to the control and care of moorland ponies.

  Energy Crops
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures the Government are introducing to encourage the production of energy crops. [50453]

  Mr. Morley
  The Government have welcomed the publication of the energy review by the performance and innovation unit, which draws attention to the key role of renewable energy sources, including energy crops, in moving to a low carbon economy. The Government plan a public consultation on the key recommendations of the report leading to a White Paper in the autumn. This Department has allocated support of £29 million to solid biomass crops through the energy crops scheme, part of the England Rural Development Programme. The Renewables Obligation permits the co-firing of energy crops with fossil fuels. Working with other Departments we are putting in place further schemes with funding of £70 million which will develop markets for biomass, including purpose grown energy crops and material from forests, in heat, combined heat and power and electricity generation. We are also working closely with the Countryside Agency which has launched the Community Renewables Initiative to help local communities develop renewable energy projects. In the Budget my right hon. Friend the Chancellor confirmed the new duty rate for biodiesel set at 20p per litre below the rate for ultra low sulphur diesel. The Government are considering carefully the recommendation of the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food that duty on biofuels should be reduced to the rates applied to other clean fuels.

  Fish Stocks
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government have done since 1997 to preserve and manage fish stocks in UK and European waters. [51235]

  Mr. Morley
  The Government have been at the forefront in working with the European Commission and the other member states, as well as Norway, to develop stock recovery plans for the North sea, west of Scotland and Irish sea cod and for northern hake. And we have consistently argued, in EU and international negotiations on fisheries management, for outcomes which respect scientific advice, follow the precautionary principle and aim to ensure a sustainable future for the fishing industry.

  Forests
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the use of forests as sink holes for carbon dioxide; and what measures have been taken since 1997 to increase the size of forests. [51238]

  Mr. Morley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 15 January 2002,Official Report, column 275W. The measures I outlined in that answer have resulted in over 70,000 hectares of new woodland being planted in the UK in the four years to March 2001.

  Bovine Tuberculosis
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what further measures she plans to implement to combat bovine tuberculosis in England and Wales. [51378]

  Mr. Morley
  Resources are currently being targeted at the backlog of tuberculosis tests in cattle, following suspension of routine testing during the foot and mouth outbreak. Those herds which have been identified as posing the greatest risk are being prioritised on the basis of a veterinary risk assessment.

  Land Acquisitions (Stamp Duty)
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has made to HM Treasury in support of the abolition of stamp duty on land acquisitions. [51459]

  Mr. Morley
  Discussions on tax issues take place between Ministers on a routine basis. Final decisions on all taxation matters rest with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  Farm Allowances
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with HM Treasury about allowing farmers to benefit from(a) 100 per cent. capital allowances for plant and machinery and (b) 25 per cent. allowance for buildings. [51458]

  Mr. Morley
  Tax issues feature regularly in discussions between Ministers. As with all tax matters, decisions on the level of capital allowances rest with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  Agriculture Council
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the matters relating to(a) agriculture, (b) fisheries and (c) other subjects that are to be discussed at the forthcoming meeting of the Agriculture Council on
  22 April. [51456]

  Mr. Morley
  The following items were on the Agriculture Council agenda for the meeting on 22 April:Equal opportunities in rural areas
  European Union Veterinary Fund
  BSE
  Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the animal-health requirements applicable to non-commercial movement of pet animals
  Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on additives for use in animal nutrition
  Young farmers: issues and prospects (AOB item requested by the Italian delegation)
  Argentina: Trade measures against Greek canned peaches (AOB item requested by the Greek delegation)

  List of "A" items
  Negotiation of guaranteed prices applicable in the 2001–02 to 2005–06 delivery periods to cane sugar originating in the ACP States referred to in Protocol 3 of Annex V to the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement and in India
  Adoption of a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on undesirable substances in animal feed
  Adoption of the Council Decision on the signing, on behalf of the European Community, and provisional application of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters concerning the extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Revolutionary People's Republic of Guinea on fishing off the Guinean coast for the period 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002
  Adoption of the Council Decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters concerning the provisional application of the Protocol defining for the period 18 January 2002 to 17 January 2005 the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for by the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Seychelles on fishing off the coast of Seychelles
  Adoption of a Council Decision authorising the Kingdom of Spain to extend until 7 March 2003 the Agreement on mutual fishery relations with the Republic of South Africa
  Adoption of a Council Decision authorising the Portuguese Republic to extend until 9 April 2003 the Agreement on mutual fishery relations with the Republic of South Africa
  Adoption of the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 685–2001 in order to provide for the distribution among member states of authorisations received pursuant to the Agreement between the European Community and Romania establishing certain conditions for the carriage of goods by road and the promotion of combined transport

  Relations with Algeria
  Negotiation of a Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the EC and its Member States, of the one part, and the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, of the other part
  Approval of the outcome of the negotiations and decision to sign

  Relations with Lebanon
  Negotiations for a Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the EC and its member states and Lebanon, an Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the EC and
  276W
  Lebanon, and an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters concerning cooperation in the tight against terrorism between the EU and Lebanon
  Approval of the outcome of the negotiations and decision on signing

  Relations with the Associated CCEE
  Participation in the Fiscalis programme
  Decision concerning Lithuania

  Relations with the Associated CCEE
  Participation in the Fiscalis programme
  Decision concerning Hungary

  Relations with the Associated CCEE
  Participation in Community programmes
  Decision concerning Lithuania

  European Economic Area
  Draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee amending Annex XX (Environment) to the EEA Agreement

  European Economic Area
  Draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee amending Annex XX (Environment) to the
  EEA Agreement

  European Economic Area
  Proposal for a Decision of the EEA Joint Committee amending Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms

  European Economic Area
  Draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee amending Annex XVIII (Health and safety at work, labour law and equal treatment for men and women) to the EEA Agreement

  Anti-dumping
  Proposal for a Council Regulation terminating the anti-dumping procedure concerning imports of preoxodisulphates originating in the People's Republic of China
  Anti-dumping
  Proposal for a Council Regulation confirming the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on imports of cotton-type bed linen originating in India by Regulation (EC) No 2398–97, as amended and suspended by Regulation (EC) No 1644/2001
  Draft Council Common Position extending Common Position 96/635/CFSP on Burma/Myanmar
  Appointment of a grade AI official at the General Secretariat of the Council.

  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether a Scottish Executive Minister will he a member of the UK delegation to the forthcoming Agriculture European Union Council of Ministers meeting on 26 April; and what information is being provided by her Department to enable effective pre-council scrutiny by the European Committee of the Scottish Parliament. [51727]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: The Scottish Executive Minister for Environment and Rural Development attended the EU Agriculture Council meeting on 22 April. There is no meeting of the Council planned for 26 April. It is the responsibility of the European Committee of the Scottish Parliament to scrutinise the Scottish Executive's involvement in preparations for EU Council meetings. These arrangements are a matter for the Committee and the Scottish Executive. The Department provides information to Scottish Executive officials as part of that process.

  Flood Defences
  Mr. Hurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total expenditure on sea wall defences in England and Wales was in each year from 1990 to 2001. [50983]

  Mr. Morley
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Hurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many miles of sea wall were repaired in the county of Essex in each year from 1990 to 2001. [50984]

  Mr. Morley
  Information is only readily available for works undertaken by the Environment Agency; local authorities and other owners of defences may also have undertaken works. I understand that the agency undertook repairs on 22 kilometres of sea walls in Essex in each of the years in question and also undertook capital improvements as follows:

  Kilometres

  Frontage improved

  1990–91

  0.3

  1991–92

  6.5

  1992–93

  0.8

  1993–94

  11.0

  1994–95

  11.0

  1995–96

  12.5

  1996–97

  11.5

  1997–98

  1.5

  1998–99

  2.3

  1999–2000

  3.5

  John Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what studies are being made by(a) the Environment Agency, and (b) other organisations commissioned by her, in respect of estimating the likely increases in the height of tidal crests above the continental shelf of western Europe and the seas surrounding the United Kingdom; and what consequential adjustments will be made in the time-height ratios used as a basis for improving flood defences around the United Kingdom. [52060]

  Mr. Morley
  The Department and the Environment Agency (EA) manage a joint programme of research and development on flood management. Recent studies have been carried out by the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory and HR Wallingford, both leading institutions in coastal and tidal research. In this context their conclusions are that the current recommendations of the Department which suggest an allowance of between 4 and 6 mm per year of relative sea level rise (depending on location) are a prudent response to current predictions of climate change.

  Ongoing work is considering new climate change scenarios and preliminary indications are that this will broadly confirm the earlier conclusions.

  Illegal Meat Imports
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions for importing illegal meat have been carried out under hygiene regulations in each of the last five years. [45384]
  278W
  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 25 March 2002]: There have been no prosecutions for illegal meat imports under the hygiene regulations. There have so far been two bushmeat prosecutions in the UK. The first of these, in early 2001, found the defendant not guilty of CITES offences but guilty of failing to comply with the animal health controls on entry to the EU. The second prosecution in June 2001, found two defendants guilty of CITES offences and they both received four-month prison sentences.

  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's calculations are of the tonnage of illegal meat imported to the UK in each of the last three years. [50450]

  Mr. Morley
  Records for the last three years are not held centrally. We are notified of seizures of illegal imports by the Port Health Authorities, LACORS (was LACOTS) and Customs. Since April 2001, we have been notified of seizures amounting to around 51 tonnes of animal products and some plants, of which approximately 34 tonnes relates to consignments which contained more than one type of produce. A more detailed breakdown of these mixed consignments is not held centrally. The weight of meat only consignments seized in this period is about 894 kilos.

  As announced in our Action Plan of 28 March, we are undertaking a risk assessment to determine the possibility of meat, infected with an exotic disease, entering the country undetected and then threatening the health of our livestock.

  Foot and Mouth
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received concerning the necessity of United Kingdom pig producers insuring against consequential losses caused by foot and mouth and swine fever. [51759]

  Mr. Morley
  The pig sector is represented on the animal disease insurance working group which my officials are leading. The group has met on 6 March and 9 April and is meeting again on 8 May.

  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answers of 16 April about slaughter on contiguous premises refs 47603 and 47604, if she will provide the tables of figures on which the graphs were based. [51755]

  Mr. Morley
  Pursuant to my answer of 16 April 2002,Official Report, column 887W, following is the table of figures on which the graphs showing time taken to slaughter on contiguous premises were based.
  279W

  Contiguous premises—time taken to slaughter

  Slaughtered within

  Owner report date

  Total IPs

  48 hours

  72 hours

  96 hours

  Greater than 96 hours

  of which greater than 120

  2001

  19 February to 25 February

  4

  0

  0

  1

  3

  3

  26 February to 4 March

  17

  0

  1

  1

  15

  9

  5 March to 11 March

  15

  0

  0

  0

  15

  15

  12 March to 18 march

  63

  0

  3

  5

  55

  48

  19 March to 25 March

  188

  2

  8

  7

  171

  150

  26 March to 1 April

  430

  7

  30

  46

  347

  258

  2 April to 8 April

  436

  9

  42

  64

  321

  220

  9 April to 15 April

  369

  9

  44

  89

  227

  104

  16 April to 22 April

  159

  5

  42

  47

  65

  24

  23 April to 29 April

  89

  5

  27

  29

  28

  13

  30 April to 6 May

  64

  4

  20

  16

  24

  5

  7 May to 13 May

  99

  6

  23

  29

  41

  18

  14 May to 20 May

  64

  2

  15

  17

  30

  2

  21 May to 27 May

  74

  4

  30

  22

  18

  5

  28 May to 3 June

  109

  4

  37

  43

  25

  7

  4 June to 10 June

  91

  1

  33

  35

  22

  4

  11 June to 17 June

  86

  6

  41

  26

  13

  1

  18 June to 24 June

  56

  6

  21

  19

  10

  4

  25 June to 1 July

  62

  4

  35

  14

  9

  7

  2 July to 8 July

  67

  7

  33

  20

  7

  6

  9 July to 15 July

  61

  5

  33

  12

  11

  3

  16 July to 22 July

  44

  7

  25

  4

  8

  5

  23 July to 29 July

  31

  9

  16

  4

  2

  1

  30 July to 5 August

  48

  3

  23

  14

  8

  3

  6 August to 12 August

  54

  10

  26

  11

  7

  3

  13 August to 19 August

  38

  7

  24

  6

  1

  0

  20 August to 26 August

  30

  3

  17

  10

  0

  0

  0

  27 August to 2 September

  46

  0

  20

  16

  10

  6

  3 September to 9 September

  35

  5

  16

  9

  5

  3

  10 September to 16 September

  13

  2

  8

  2

  1

  0

  17 September to 23 September

  17

  2

  15

  0

  0

  0

  24 September to 30 September

  7

  3

  2

  2

  0

  0

  Grand total

  2,966

  137

  710

  620

  1,499

  927

  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answers of 17 April about slaughter on infected premises, refs 47602 and 47605, if she will provide the tables of figures on which the graphs were based. [51756]

  Infected premises—time taken to slaughter

  Owner report date

  Total IPs

  24 hours

  48 hours

  72 hours

  >72 hours

  of which >96

  19 February to 25 February 2001

  10

  0

  3

  4

  3

  1

  26 February to 4 March 2001

  49

  1

  13

  10

  25

  18

  5 March to 11 March 2001

  84

  11

  20

  17

  36

  20

  12 March to 18 March 2001

  146

  16

  50

  42

  38

  19

  19 March to 25 March 2001

  236

  28

  78

  82

  48

  15

  26 March to 1 April 2001

  226

  57

  109

  47

  13

  6

  2 April to 8 April 2001

  170

  64

  93

  10

  3

  1

  9 April to 15 April 2001

  110

  49

  51

  7

  3

  1

  16 April to 22 April 2001

  73

  37

  32

  3

  1

  1

  23 April to 29 April 2001

  37

  18

  14

  5

  0

  0

  30 April to 6 May 2001

  28

  14

  13

  0

  1

  1

  7 May to 13 May 2001

  19

  14

  4

  1

  0

  0

  14 May to 20 May 2001

  16

  8

  8

  0

  0

  0

  21 May to 27 May 2001

  20

  8

  11

  1

  0

  0

  28 May to 3 June 2001

  25

  17

  7

  0

  1

  1

  4 June to 10 June 2001

  13

  8

  5

  0

  0

  0

  11 June to 17 June 2001

  20

  16

  3

  1

  0

  0

  18 June to 24 June 2001

  13

  7

  3

  1

  2

  2

  25 June to 1 July 2001

  13

  9

  4

  0

  0

  0

  2 July to 8 July 2001

  16

  10

  6

  0

  0

  0

  9 July to 15 July 2001

  11

  9

  1

  0

  1

  1

  16 July to 22 July 2001

  13

  12

  0

  0

  1

  0

  23 July to 29 July 2001

  15

  12

  2

  0

  1

  1

  30 July to 5 August 2001

  20

  9

  7

  3

  1

  1

  6 August to 12 August 2001

  9

  7

  2

  0

  0

  0

  13 August to 19 August 2001

  11

  9

  2

  0

  0

  0

  280W
  Mr. Morley
  Pursuant to his reply, 17 April 2002,Official Report, c. 931W, set out as follows in the table of figures on which the graphs showing time taken to slaughter on infected premises were based.
  281W

  Infected premises—time taken to slaughter

  Owner report date

  Total IPs

  24 hours

  48 hours

  72 hours

  >72 hours

  of which >96

  20 August to 26 August 2001

  10

  7

  3

  0

  0

  0

  27 August to 2 September 2001

  10

  4

  4

  2

  0

  0

  3 September to 9 September 2001

  10

  6

  3

  1

  0

  0

  10 September to 16 September 2001

  5

  3

  2

  0

  0

  0

  17 September to 23 September 2001

  3

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  24 September to 1 October 2001

  3

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Grand total

  1,444

  474

  555

  237

  178

  89

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

  Social Housing
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what proportion of social housing in west Wiltshire has been allocated to people from outside the district in each year since 1995; [51499]

  (2) what proportion of social housing was allocated to people from outside the district or unitary authority area in each of the English district and unitary authorities in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [51500]

  Ms Keeble
  A summary of the latest available information, for 2000–01 has been placed in the Libraries of the House, along with equivalent information in respect of West Wiltshire DC since 1995–96.

  Housing Study Transfers
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much residual debt by local authorities has been written off to enable housing study transfers to take place. [51461]

  Ms Keeble
  Payments totalling £277 million have been made to date to write off the residual housing debt of local authorities transferring their housing stock to registered social landlords.

  Terning Wheel Site
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on what grounds he is seeking leave to appeal against the High Court's decision in the case of the planning application of the Terning Wheel site, near Gatwick. [52121]

  Ms Keeble
  This matter relates to the case of Hammond and Beasley v. SSTLR. Judgment was given on 21 February to quash the Secretary of State's decision letter of 14 August 2001 to refuse planning permission for the use of sites at Cophall Farm and the Terning Wheel as off-airport parking.

  The Secretary of State has been granted permission to appeal on the following grounds:
  whether the Secretary of State has failed to have proper regard to all material considerations;
  whether he has given adequate reasons for his decision; and
  whether he gave proper consideration as to whether the grant of planning permission would set a precedent for future similar applications.

  Supplementary Credit Approvals
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list, by year, the additional supplementary credit approvals given to local authorities for exceptional needs since 1997. [51655]

  Dr. Whitehead
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: The amounts of additional supplementary credit approval (SCA) given to local authorities for the relevant years are listed in the table.

  £000

  SCA

  1997–98

  20,000

  1998–99

  1,300

  1999–2000

  700

  2000–01

  20,500

  2001–02

  120,000

  1 Represents current estimate.

  Council Tax
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the factors underlying the changes in the level of council tax in recent years. [49817]

  Dr. Whitehead
  We have not made a comprehensive assessment of factors underlying the changes in the level of council tax in recent years.

  The limited analysis that we have carried out of the increases for 2002–03 suggests that there is a link between council tax rises and electoral cycles. This appears to be especially true for county councils, where elections were held last year and this year's average increase is higher than for other types of authority that provide similar services.

  Comprehensive Performance Assessments
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what legislative changes will be required as part of the introduction of comprehensive performance assessments. [52063]

  Mr. Byers
  No legislative changes are required to permit the introduction of comprehensive performance assessment. This assessment process brings together information assembled from inspection reports, plan assessments and other central Government scrutiny processes empowered under existing legislation. I will however be seeking powers in the proposed Local Government Bill to facilitate attaching the freedoms, flexibilities and other consequences described in the Local
  283W
  Government White Paper, "Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services", to the judgments made by the Audit Commission.

  PowerShift Programme
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make it his policy to offer direct grants under the PowerShift Programme. [51975]

  Mr. Jamieson
  At the moment, the prospective purchaser of a cleaner fuel vehicle applies to the Energy Saving Trust for a PowerShift grant before buying the vehicle or having their existing vehicle converted. This ensures that the conversion is on the PowerShift Register of clean, safe conversions, and safeguards against fraud. When the grant is confirmed, the applicant buys or converts the vehicle. The garage or converter provides a certificate, and the applicant claims the grant.

  The trust have also introduced a new block grant scheme, under which the vehicle manufacturers can deduct the appropriate PowerShift grant from the list price or rental cost of the vehicle. This alternative means that the purchaser is not involved in applying for PowerShift grants.

  Vehicle Emissions
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with car manufacturers on reducing carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles. [51612]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Government fully support the voluntary agreements between the European Commission and European, Japanese and Korean car manufacturers to reduce the average carbon dioxide emissions from new passenger cars by 25 per cent. on 1995 levels by 2008–09. The UK played a leading role in the development of these agreements and continues to discuss progress regularly with manufacturers.

  Transport (Herefordshire)
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what changes the Budget of 17 April will make to the transport system in Herefordshire. [51654]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Chancellor's Budget statement included a number of fiscal and other measures relating to road vehicles and fuels. An assessment of the impact of these on the transport system in Herefordshire has not been carried out.

  Multi-modal Studies
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what budget he holds to implement the recommendations of the Midman Multi-Modal Study. [51470]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Ten Year Plan provides the funding for transport investment up to 2010, including schemes which are approved following a Multi-modal Study.
  284W
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much his Department and its predecessors have spent on(a) multi-modal studies and related research and consultancy fees and (b) infrastructure charging studies and related research and consultancy fees since May 1997. [52089]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: Expenditure on (a) Multi-modal Studies and related research and consultancy fees is £21,581,883 and on (b) infrastructure charging and related research and consultancy fees is £7,665,000.

  School Transport
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made as to the reasons for parents(a) choosing to take their children to school by car and (b) sending them on public transport. [51248]

  Mr. Byers
  Research commissioned by my Department and other organisations has shown that the main reasons for driving children to/from school are security and safety, time, children's preference, linked school and work journeys, habit and cost.

  Trans-European Transport Network
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the projects in the UK that have received funding from the EU trans-European transport network budget in each of the last five years, giving(a) the amount of funding given, (b) the nature of the project, (c) its expected start and completion dates and (d) the total cost of the project. [51198]

  Mr. Byers
  Tables providing the information requested for UK projects that have received transport trans-European network funding over the past five years have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The start and completion dates and total project costs given are those last provided to the Department by the project sponsors. All financial information is provided in euros and it is not possible to give equivalent sterling figures because of exchange rate fluctuations over the five year period.

  Railtrack
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on what date his Department informed Network Rail that it was willing to provide £300 million of support to enable it to bid for Railtrack's assets. [49869]

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, (1) pursuant to his oral statement of 25 March 2002,Official Report, columns 582–83, what the date is beyond which £300 million grant will not be available if early exit from administration is not achieved; [48214]

  (2) if he will break down the £300 million self-financing savings resulting from an early exit from administration for Railtrack plc; [47987]

  (3) if he will set out the basis for calculating the £300 million savings achievable as a result of an early exit from administration; [48226]
  285W
  (4) pursuant to his oral statement of 25 March 2002, Official Report, column 581, what the last date is for Railtrack's exit from administration which meets the criteria for early exit in administration eligibility for a grant of £300 million. [48213]

  Mr. Jamieson
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: The Department informed Network Rail, during the week before Network Rail made its bid to Railtrack Group plc on 25 March, that it was potentially willing to offer a £300 million grant on the basis of Network Rail's proposal.

  The grant offer is conditional upon Network Rail securing an earlier exit from administration than would otherwise have been the case and reflects the benefits available from this earlier exit.

  Financial support of a type similar to that negotiated by Network Rail could be available to other bidders. The Government and the SRA are willing to discuss proposals advanced by any serious bidder for Railtrack plc. The guidelines issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 31 October 2001, Official Report, columns 669–71W, make clear that any proposal should address the basis, extent and nature of support that will be required from Government. Any support would be subject to negotiation and agreement. No other detailed proposals have been received.

  The grant offer reflects the potential savings that can be delivered through an earlier exit from administration. This includes an earlier delivery of efficiency improvements; earlier improvements in network performance; avoiding any delay to the major projects identified in the SRA's Strategic Plan and an earlier end to the Government advisory costs associated with the administration.

  In addition, the Network Rail hid itself offers an early implementation of a company limited by guarantee structure. This structure offers a greater alignment of the operation of the network with the wider public interest, a potentially more efficient financing structure through debt finance company and a company that re-invests surpluses back into the railway network rather than distributing them as shareholder dividends.

  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if he will place in the Library written communications received by the Government from the European Commission related to the decision to allow state aid support to Railtrack in administration; [50767]

  (2) if the Government submitted a restructuring plan to the European Commission for Railtrack in accordance with paragraph 31, section 3.2.2 of the Community guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (1999/c 288/02); [50771]

  (3) if his Department received a copy of a letter sent by the European Commission to the UK permanent representative to the EU setting out the terms on which permission for state aid had been granted for Railtrack in administration; [50765]

  (4) when the Government will submit a report under the requirements of paragraph 46 of the Community guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (1999/c 288/02); [50772]
  286W
  (5) if his Department received a copy of the decision made by the European Commission over the application made for state aid support to Railtrack in administration. [50766]

  Mr. Jamieson
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The Secretary of State has received a copy of the decision of the European Commission setting out the terms on which state aid had been granted for Railtrack in administration for the period to 30 September 2002.

  The decision of the Commission contains material that is commercially confidential. In accordance with the procedures of the Commission, the Secretary of State has made a reasoned request for the exclusion of material that should not be disclosed to third parties from the text that is published by the Commission. The Secretary of State will arrange for a copy of the decision to approve state aid granted to Railtrack plc (in administration) to be placed in the Library of both Houses of Parliament as soon as it has been published by the Commission.

  The decision of the Commission requires the Department to submit a restructuring or liquidation plan or proof that the Government guaranteed loans to Railtrack have been reimbursed and the Government guarantee has been terminated by 19 August 2002. The Government will take appropriate action to satisfy this requirement in due course.

  Rail Investment
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how those private investment companies making the investments will be compensated before the completed infrastructure is put back into the network nationally under special purpose vehicles. [R] [49029]

  Mr. Jamieson
  This would depend on the details of the contract entered into.

  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information is available to(a) train operators, (b) rolling stockleasing companies and (c) investors in infrastructure concerning individual rail projects under the 10-year transport plan to encourage private investment. [R] [49027]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The 10-Year Plan for Transport and the SRA Strategic Plan provide a broad statement on the opportunities and support available from the Government and the SRA to encourage further private sector investment in the industry. The SRA is developing a framework for Special Purpose Vehicles that will help to provide certainty and clarity in the delivery of significant infrastructure investments. The SRA will not go to the market in relation to individual projects until a proper tender is ready, and that comes downstream in the process, not at the front.

  In addition, investment will be delivered through the franchising process, with information made available to potential bidders in accordance with the nature and timescale of individual franchises.

  Rail Safety
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions at what intervals train crew and other safety critical railway
  287W
  workers have to attend a safety briefing; and what records railway companies are required to keep about such briefings. [52068]

  Mr. Jamieson
  This information is not readily available. Railway companies are required to set out their arrangements for communicating information in a detailed safety case, which must be formally accepted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). HSE seeks compliance with health and safety duties through inspection and enforcement activities of HM Railway Inspectorate.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what policies and targets to reduce the number of fatal accidents and major injuries to railway workers the Health and Safety Executive has set. [52066]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does not itself set specific safety targets but it encourages the rail industry to do so. However, HSE is pursuing a number of initiatives aimed at reducing railway staff injuries, including initiatives aimed at reducing the exposure of trackside workers to the risk of being struck by a train. The Health and Safety Commission will shortly publish a strategy for improving health and safety on the railways. This identifies a number of key areas for improvement on which the HSE will focus in its contacts with employers, including trackside worker safety. HSE encourages the setting of health and safety targets in the railway industry. The Railway Group Safety Plan for 2001–02 sets out a number of detailed targets, including targets for reducing risks to railway staff working on Railtrack's infrastructure.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2002,Official Report, column 571W, on rail safety, which organisation is responsible for auditing whether railway employers keep adequate records of assessments for safety critical work; and on how many occasions in the last five years someone without a personal track safety certificate has been found to be working on safety critical work. [52041]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) seeks to secure compliance with health and safety duties, including those in the Railways (Safety Critical Work) Regulations 1994, through the inspection and enforcement activities of HM Railway Inspectorate.

  The HSE does not hold this information. Railtrack conducts random checks of personal track safety certificates. These show that about 2 per cent. of certificates are expired or are otherwise invalid.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2002,Official Report, column 1169W, on railway worker fatalities, what records Railway Safety Ltd. holds on the number of accidents affecting (a) employees and (b) contractors; and whether it intends to collect this information separately for employees and contractors in future. [52040]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Railway Safety holds records for all fatalities on railway infrastructure. The Safety Management Information System (SMIS) is a national database available to all Railway Group members, which 288W
  provides detail on the number of accidents affecting employees, contractors, passengers and members of the public. This information is also provided in the Railway Group safety performance report, which is produced by Railway Safety on a quarterly basis and is available on their website at www. railwaysafety.org.uk. The statistics relating to accidents affecting employees and contractors are collected separately and will continue to be in the future.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what categories of railway workers have to possess(a) a safety critical work identification card, and (b) a personal track safety card; (c) how frequently railway workers have to re-apply for these cards; (d) what skills, experience and training they have to possess to qualify for these cards; (e) which organisations are permitted to issue them; and (f) how many railway workers possess each type of card. [52067]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has advised the following:(a) and (b) All railway staff undertaking safety critical work (as defined by the Railway (Safety Critical Work) Regulations 1994) are required to carry a means of identification. This includes drivers, guards, signallers and trackside workers.
  (c) Railway workers have to re-apply for cards every two years.
  (d) and (e) Cards are issued by National Competency Control Agency (NCCA), following confirmation from training providers that the applicant has successfully completed the appropriate training course. No other skills or qualifications are needed to qualify for personal track safety (PTS) certification.
  (f) Railtrack have reported to HSE that, as of 18 February 2002, there were 118,975 PTS card holders.

  Rail Freight
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many freight trains of each freight operating company(a) arrived late by (i) more than five minutes and (ii) more than 10 minutes and (b) were cancelled (1) in each month from January 2000 to April 2002 and (2) in each year for which data are available since 1990. [50911]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Punctuality of freight services is a contractual matter between Railtrack and the individual freight operators.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how(a) delays and (b) cancellations of freight train services are measured; and if he will make a statement. [50910]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Delays and cancellations of both passenger and freight trains are measured by Railtrack through their industry-approved train operating systems.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions who the winner was of the Strategic Rail Authority's freight innovation competition; by when the winning scheme was required to be operational; what progress has been made to date with the winning scheme; and if he will make a statement. [50907]

  Mr. Jamieson
  There were three winning schemes in the Authority's Rail Logistics Competition: Blue Circle Industries, Exel, and MinimodalTM. The three projects were awarded prizes on the basis of agreed outputs, the

  289W
  type and timing of which differed for all three. The schemes are all being delivered to the agreed times and specifications.

  Strategic Rail Authority
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the total fees to he paid to the Strategic Rail Authority in respect of the work they are undertaking evaluating proposals from Central Railway. [51821]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Strategic Rail Authority are not receiving any payment relating to this review.

  Railways
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what the basis is for his conclusion on the savings from advancing the end of railway administration in terms of the(a) months advanced, (b) cost per month of administration and (c) cost of savings forgone through administration; [47119]

  (2) what savings on the railways he estimates are not achievable as a result of railway administration. [47120]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given today to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Christopher Chope) [Ref 48214].

  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many passenger miles on the rail network are hauled by(a) diesel trains and (b) electric trains. [49710]

  Mr. Byers
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many rail breaks per million there were for Railtrack in each of the last six years; and how many of these resulted from gauge corner cracking. [50658]

  Mr. Byers
  I understand from the Office of the Rail Regulator that the total numbers of reported broken rails in the last six years were:

  Number

  1996–97

  709

  1997–98

  755

  1998–99

  952

  1999–2000

  919

  2000–01

  706

  2001–02

  1550

  1 Estimate according to data to end of period 12.

  Rail Electrification
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the prospects for electrification of the Waterloo to Exeter railway via Salisbury; and if he will make a statement. [50852]

  Mr. Jamieson
  None. In cases where clear practical advantages or environmental benefits exist, and value for money can be demonstrated, electrification may be considered.

  North-south Rail Link
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what discussions he has had with(a) representatives of the Strategic Rail Authority, (b) the Scottish Executive Minister for Transport and (c) others, regarding the SRA's decision not to run the 190 mph north-south rail link to Scotland; [51275]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the impact of the SRA's decision not to run the 190 mph north-south rail link to Scotland on (a) the plans to increase the capacity of Scotland's railways, (b) the target Glasgow to London journey time of less than four hours and (c) the Government's 10-year transport plan. [51277]

  Mr. Jamieson
  No such decisions has been taken by the Strategic Rail Authority.

  London Underground
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 26 March 2002,Official Report, columns 952–53W, on London Underground, who will make the decision on further revision to safety cases; and who determined the requirement for previous safety cases. [51453]

  Mr. Jamieson
  As the duty holder under the Railway (Safety Case) Regulations 2000 (as amended), London Underground is responsible for revising its railway safety case. Where a revision would make an accepted safety case "materially different", the duty holder is required to submit the proposed revision to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for assessment and consideration for acceptance. Guidance is set out in HSE's publication "Railway (Safety Case) Regulations 2000 including 2001 Amendments—Guidance on Regulations".

  Decisions on previous safety cases were a matter for London Underground and the HSE.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what powers he has to require London Underground(a) in the public sector and (b) under the control of the Mayor and Transport for London to deliver the promised improvements to (i) rolling stock, (ii) signalling equipment, (iii) track and (iv) stations of the Metropolitan line within budget and on time. [51263]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Under the proposals for the modernisation of London Underground three contracts for maintenance and investment work would be awarded to private sector infrastructure companies. The contracts set clear requirements for improvements to be achieved by specific dates, with significant financial penalties for any delay. In order to meet their contractual obligations the infrastructure companies would have to deliver improvements to rolling stock, signalling, track and stations on all lines, including the Metropolitan line. The infrastructure companies would also take the risk of any cost overruns that result from their own inefficient or uneconomic behaviour.

  The contractual obligations would be set out in legally binding contracts between London Underground and the infrastructure companies.
  291W
  Provided a final decision is taken to proceed with the modernisation plans, it is the Secretary of State's intention to transfer London Underground to Transport for London once contracts are in place.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what powers he has to require London Underground(a) in the public sector and (b) under the control of the Mayor and Transport for London to keep particular stations open and particular services running. [51262]

  Mr. Jamieson
  In relation to(a) London Underground is currently a nationalised industry, in the public sector. When it transfers to the control of Transport for London it will remain in the public sector. The Secretary of State's current powers in relation to London Underground are largely set out in the London Regional Transport Act 1984. These include a power (section 32) to give directions of a general nature, but not to require particular services to be run.

  In relation to (b), the Mayor has a general duty (section 141 of the Greater London Authority Act 2000) to promote and encourage safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport facilities and services to, from and within Greater London, and is required to publish a transport strategy setting out his proposals. The Secretary of State has powers (section 143) to issue directions to revise that transport strategy if it is inconsistent with national transport policy and that inconsistency is detrimental to any area outside Greater London.

  Currently the Secretary of State's consent is needed under the Railways Act 1993's Alternative Closure Procedure for the withdrawal of all underground services from a station. After the underground has come under the control of Transport for London the Mayor's consent will

  Date

  Accident type

  Vessel name(s)

  Vessel category

  Goods

  14 April 1992

  Contact

  Sea Service

  Offshore supply

  Fuel oil

  30 August 1992

  Grounding

  Thalmeyster Mogutov

  Fishing vessel

  Diesel oil

  5 January 1993

  Machinery

  Braer

  Tanker

  Crude and fuel and gas oil

  2 March 1993

  Flooding

  Charlynne II

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  28 April 1993

  Grounding

  Freja Svea

  Tanker

  Fuel and residual crude oil

  30 August 1993

  Grounding

  Kandalaksha

  Merchant vessel

  Diesel and gas oil

  2 November 1993

  Capsize

  Gilsea

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel and hydraulic oil

  9 November 1993

  Grounding

  Lunohods 1

  Fishing vessel

  Diesel and gas oil

  17 November 1993

  Grounding

  Borodinskoye Polye

  Fishing vessel

  Oil

  1 February 1994

  Flooding

  Paragon

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  16 February 1994

  Grounding

  Cam Vedette

  Fast rescue craft

  Oil

  29 July 1994

  Flooding

  Gladnes

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  8 September 1994

  Grounding

  Blackheath

  Tanker

  Oil

  30 September 1994

  Grounding

  Watchful

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  31 October 1994

  Grounding

  Pionersk

  Fishing vessel

  Gas and lubricating and fuel oil

  24 November 1994

  Flooding

  Chrisande

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  24 January 1995

  Grounding

  Mystique

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  24 January 1995

  Flooding

  Emulous II

  Fishing vessel

  Oil

  28 January 1995

  Grounding

  Regent Bird

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  8 March 1995

  Contact

  United Trader

  Merchant vessel

  Oil

  6 April 1995

  Grounding

  Flying Childers

  Merchant vessel

  Fuel oil

  28 June 1995

  Grounding

  Adenia 11

  Fishing vessel

  Gas oil

  31 July 1995

  Flooding

  Elesis

  Fishing vessel

  Oil

  19 October 1995

  Grounding

  Solan

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  20 October 1995

  Grounding

  Golf Star

  Bulk carrier

  Fuel oil

  3 November 1995

  Flooding

  Defiant

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  21 December 1995

  Hull failure

  Alandria Wave

  Tanker

  Lubricating and crude oil

  1 January 1996

  Fire and grounding

  Inconnu

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  15 February 1996

  Grounding

  Sea Empress

  Tanker

  Crude and fuel oil

  7 March 1996

  Collision

  Geopotes 14/Naomi E

  Dredger/tug

  Lubricating oil

  29 October 1996

  Contact

  Asian Reefer

  Cargo

  Fuel oil

  11 November 1996

  Capsize

  Bever

  Tug

  Fuel oil

  292W
  replace the Secretary of State's, but, in respect of services outside Greater London, will be subject to appeal to the Secretary of State (section 203–204 of the GLA Act and Schedule 5 of the Railways Act 1993).

  Maritime Safety
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent assessments his Department have made of safety provisions in the merchant shipping industry relating to tire hazards. [51958]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The identification and assessment of fire hazards is an integral part of the formal safety assessment procedure, which is currently under way for a variety of ship types. The formal safety assessment approach plays increasing importance in the making of rules and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has formulated "Guidelines for Formal safety assessment for use in the IMO Rule Making Process". A risk assessment study related to domestic passenger ships is currently nearing completion.

  More generally, revised regulations for fire protection and extinction (SOLAS chapter II-2) will enter into force internationally on 1 July 2002.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the shipping accidents in UK waters in the last 10 years that have resulted in the exposure to the environment of dangerous or hazardous goods. [51247]

  Mr. Byers
  Complete data are currently available up to the end of 2000. The following table shows reported incidents of pollution of more than two tonnes of material as a result of accidents to commercially operating vessels within the UK's 12 mile territorial limit.
  293W

  Date

  Accident type

  Vessel name(s)

  Vessel category

  Goods

  3 January 1997

  Fires and explosions

  Tove Knutsen

  Tanker

  Oil

  26 January 1997

  Flooding

  Margaret Ann

  Fishing vessel

  Oil

  28 February 1997

  Flooding

  Cordale

  Barge

  Gas oil

  26 March 1997

  Grounding

  Cita

  Cargo

  Fuel oil

  30 August 1997

  Grounding

  Aquarius

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  2 October 1997

  Grounding

  Damari

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  24 October 1997

  Grounding

  Madalia

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  26 October 1997

  Grounding

  Alison Kay

  Fishing vessel

  Oil

  19 November 197

  Grounding

  Green Lily

  Merchant vessel

  Fuel and gas oil

  29 November 1997

  Grounding

  Kelly Marina

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  16 February 1998

  Flooding

  Ternacia

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel, lubricating and engine oil

  13 October 1998

  Grounding

  Arco Arun

  Merchant vessel

  Fuel oil

  13 October 1998

  Capsize

  Catrina

  Fishing vessel

  Fuel oil

  23 March 1999

  Collision

  Samson/Nohic

  Barge/fishing vessel

  Gas oil

  28 May 1999

  Contact

  Rix Merlin

  Tanker

  Gas oil

  7 November 1999

  Contact

  Dole America

  Cargo

  Lubrication and gas oil

  1 March 2000

  Machinery

  Boy Leslie

  Fishing vessel

  Diesel oil

  29 November 2000

  Grounding

  Dolphin

  Other commercial

  Diesel oil

  13 December 2000

  Grounding

  Lagik

  Cargo

  Diesel oil

  20 December 2000

  Machinery

  Randgrid

  Tanker

  Crude oil

  Deep-sea Port Traffic
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of deep-sea port traffic, expressed in containers per annum, had the UK as a final destination in the last 12 months. [51185]

  Mr. Byers
  The information is not available in the form requested.

PRIVY COUNCIL

  Data Protection
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the President of the Council, pursuant to his oral reply on 21 March 2002, Official Report, column 441, what has been the outcome of his inquiries relating to the effect of the Data Protection Act 1998 on hospital chaplaincies. [51229]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  Under the Data Protection Act 1998 details of a person's religious beliefs are classed as sensitive personal data. Where a patient is incapable of providing consent, perhaps through serious or terminal illness, it is possible for hospital staff to disclose religious affiliation, as this may in the circumstances be in the best interests of the patient. Where the patient is capable of giving consent, it is open to the hospital authorities to seek their agreement to disclose their religious beliefs to the hospital chaplain. The Department of Health is currently considering the need to issue guidance on this matter.

  Pension Sharing
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the President of the Council what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Pension Sharing (Excepted Schemes) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement. [51394]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  The Pension Sharing (Excepted Schemes) Order 2001 exempts from the pension sharing legislation the holders of the three Great Offices of State. This is in accordance with the provisions of section 27(3)294W
  of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999. The order does not impose costs on third parties so no assessment of the cost-effectiveness seems appropriate.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Mr. Bustani
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is in relation to the demand of the USA for the removal of Mr. Bustani from his position as Head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. [52156]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The United Kingdom's policy has been determined by the overriding need to ensure the long-term viability and effectiveness of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). It was clear that the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had lost the confidence of a significant number of the organisation's executive council. For this reason we concluded that the interests of the OPCW and the CWC would be best served if the Director-General were to be replaced by someone who could enjoy the full confidence of all states parties to the convention. The United Kingdom delegation to the Special Conference of States Parties, which convened on 21 April, was guided by this position. The matter came to a vote at the Special Conference on 22 April. The outcome was 48 votes in support of the termination of the Director-General's appointment, with seven votes against and 43 abstentions. The Director-General's appointment was therefore terminated with immediate effect.

  Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Meeting
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial meeting in Valencia on 22 and 23 April. [52881]

  Peter Hain
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I represented the UK at the fifth Ministerial Conference of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership process in Valencia. The meeting took place against a backdrop of high tension in the region. In these
  295W
  circumstances the presence of representatives of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and most neighbouring states was in itself a significant achievement. Ministers discussed the middle east peace process, noting their deep concern at the current situation, the serious threat it posed to regional security and the risk of a grave humanitarian crisis. My right hon. Friend held bilateral discussions with the Foreign Ministers of Israel and Egypt and with Nabil Sha'ath of the Palestinian Authority.

  The conference adopted, by consensus, an action plan including a number of initiatives to give renewed impetus to the Euro-Med process. The Government particularly welcome the action plan to promote an effective dialogue on culture and civilisation.

  My right hon. Friend and I took the opportunity of the Valencia Ministerial to have bilateral meetings. My right hon. Friend discussed the situation in the Great Lakes region with his French and Belgian counterparts. I discussed the state of play in the Cyprus negotiations with Foreign Minister Cassoulides.

  We also had bilateral meetings with our Spanish counterparts in which we took forward our discussions on Gibraltar. I also discussed Gibraltar with my Spanish counterpart in Madrid on 18 April.

  Our objectives remain to preserve Gibraltar's way of life, establish greater self-government, deliver lasting practical benefits and a stronger economy, and secure a lasting agreement on sovereignty so that Gibraltarians can enjoy security for their way of life. Negotiations continue. Our aim remains, if possible, to reach agreement by the summer.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Asbestos-related Diseases
  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) victims and (b) relations of victims of asbestos-related diseases have (i) successfully sued their former employers and (ii) were refused compensation in the last 10 years. [34808]

  Mr. Wilson
  This information is not held by Government Departments.

  Performance Targets
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the target has been in each of the last five years for efficiency savings as a percentage of total running costs for each of the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible; and if the target was met. [49646]

  Ms Hewitt
  Details of the performance against key targets by the Department's executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are published in the annual reports and annual accounts of individual NDPBs. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

  EU Energy Tax
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had at EU level on the proposed EU energy tax; and if she will make a statement. [50444]
  296W
  Mr. Wilson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Paymaster General on 22 April 2002,Official Report, column 94W.

  Research Council
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 18 March 2002,Official Report, column 86W, on the Research Council, what the Government's policy was on the Commission's proposed action plan for biotechnology and life sciences in Europe. [50994]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government's position on the European Commission's Communication "Life Sciences and Biotechnology—A strategy for Europe" (COM(2002)27 final) was explained in Explanatory Memorandum 6415–02, which was placed in the Libraries of the House on 20 March 2002.

  Business Volunteer Mentoring Association
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many businesses(a) from the Buckingham constituency and (b) in total have received mentoring support from the Business Volunteer Mentoring Association in each year since its inception; [51387]

  (2) how many volunteers (a) in total and (b) from the Buckingham constituency have signed up to the Business Volunteer Mentoring Association in each year since its inception; and how much funding her Department has provided to the association. [51386]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Since its inception in January 2000, the numbers of volunteers signed up to the Business Volunteer Mentoring Association were approximately 750 in 2000 and a further 250 in 2001 with approximately 2,350 and 3,550 clients receiving mentoring support in those years respectively. Approaching £2 million has currently been provided in support of the association. Information on a constituency basis is not available, however in 2000 and 2001, 11 and three volunteers respectively signed up from the Buckinghamshire area. Client information on an area basis can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Solar Panels
  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Government buildings owned by her Department have solar panels installed. [51196]

  Ms Hewitt
  My Department has investigated installing solar panels on its HQ building at 1 Victoria Street but this did not prove to be cost-effective. Another of its buildings in Wandsworth may be better suited to solar panels and this will be thoroughly examined when the roof to this building is renewed in the next year or two.

  The Insolvency Service will be installing 20kWp of PV laminates in the atrium at its HQ building in Bloomsbury, part funded (45 per cent.) by a grant from the Large Scale Building Integrated Photo-Voltaic Field Trial. Installation is expected to be completed before the end of this calendar year. Companies House are also investigating using solar thermal systems to meet their hot water requirements.
  297W
  The Department also supports renewable electricity through sourcing 33 per cent. of supplies to its London HQ estate from green generation.

  Coal Health Compensation Scheme
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many full and final offers were made as part of the Coal Health Compensation Scheme for respiratory disease for each region and nation in the UK for the first three months of 2002. [51539]

  Mr. Wilson
  The numbers of full and final offers, including denials and negative offers, for respiratory disease broken down by region for the first three months of 2002 are as follows:

  Full and final offers

  January

  February

  March

  Wales

  South Wales

  679

  656

  996

  Other

  13

  24

  27

  Total

  692

  680

  1,023

  Scotland

  164

  190

  218

  England

  Nottinghamshire

  206

  241

  300

  Yorkshire

  839

  1,028

  1,087

  North East

  252

  471

  476

  North West

  149

  186

  204

  Midlands

  233

  285

  384

  South

  68

  108

  95

  Other

  7

  8

  16

  Total

  2,610

  3,197

  3,803

  Mobile Licences
  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has for entering into a vendor financing deal with third generation mobile licence holders; and if she will make a statement. [51768]

  Mr. Alexander
  Vendor financing is a commercial matter for the companies themselves, not Government.

  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the names of the successful bidders and amounts bid in the auction of third generation mobile licences were; and if she will make a statement. [51766]

  Mr. Alexander
  The successful bidders in the 3G Auction and the amounts bid in the final round were announced by press notice on 27 April 2000 as:

  £

  Bidder

  Amount bid

  TIW UMTS (UK) Limited1

  4,384,700,000

  Vodafone Limited

  5,964,000,000

  BT(3G) Limited

  4,030,100,000

  Orie2One Personal Communications Limited

  4,003,600,000

  Orange 3G Limited

  4,095,000,000

  1 Now named Hutchison 3G (UK) Limited

  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money was raised by the auction of third generation mobile licences; and if she will make a statement. [51765]
  298W
  Mr. Alexander
  The total raised by the auction of third generation mobile licences amounted to £22,477,400,000.

  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what form payment for the third generation mobile licences will take; what instalments are still to be paid; what the schedules for those instalments are; and if she will make a statement. [51767]

  Mr. Alexander
  Payment for each of the licence fees set by the 3G Auction of April 2000 were made in full before the issue of the operational licences.

  Alternative Fuels
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what discussions her Department has had in the last 12 months with industry relating to the further development of the supply infrastructure for LPG. [51968]

  (2) what recent discussions her Department has had with the transport industry relating to the conversion of vehicles to alternative fuels. [51967]

  Mr. Wilson
  New sites are opening at a rate of more than one per day, with 1,106 sites as at 26 March 2002. The Boost initiative is specifically aimed at increasing product demand in areas where infrastructure needs to be developed further.

  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she is having with oil companies over targets set for energy production involving renewable energy; and which oil companies have been involved in the discussions. [51957]

  Mr. Wilson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I meet a number of companies with interests in renewable energy, including companies from the oil and gas sector, in the course of our duties.

  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans her Department has to review the effects of the Renewables Obligation on the renewable energy industry. [51969]

  Mr. Wilson
  Ofgem have undertaken to monitor the implementation of the Renewables Obligation, and will produce an annual, publicly available, report on compliance. The first such report will cover the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003.

  The Department will also be carefully monitoring developments and we plan to conduct a substantive review of progress made in 2006-07. That report will also be publicly available.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what(a) regulations and (b) requirements to make returns have been removed from business since 1997. [51480]

  Ms Hewitt
  Recotds relating to repealed regulations and requirements to make returns that have been removed from business are not held centrally.
  299W
  Our continued aim is to identify and bring forward proposals to reduce the regulatory burden on business. The Regulatory Reform Action Plan sets out our key current initiatives. It represents a good beginning, but the Government will continue working to reduce the overall impact of regulations on business.

  Manufacturing Exports
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures have been taken since 1997 to assist manufacturers in exporting. [51481]

  Ms Hewitt
  Trade Partners UK, a joint DTI and FCO operation, was created in 2000 to strengthen the provision of support to exporters, including manufacturers. It provides a range of information, advice and support to potential and existing exporters.

  In November 2001 we launched "Trade Partners UK—Your Passport to Export Success", a new assessment and skills-based package for new and inexperienced exporters to provide them with the training, planning and ongoing support they need to succeed overseas.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason she has not sent a substantive answer to the letter of 18 February from the hon. Member for Yeovil, regarding the activities of the Radiocommunications Agency; and if she will make a statement. [51178]

  Mr. Alexander
  I sent a substantive reply to the hon. Member on 18 April.

  British Coal Workers
  Paddy Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many equal value claims from former female British Coal canteen workers and cleaners have been met; at what total cost; and what the(a) highest, (b) lowest and (c) average individual settlement is. [51805]

  Mr. Wilson
  To date we have made 1,370 payments the total cost of which is around £ll million. The highest settlement is £40,000 and the minimum settlement is £3,000, with the average settlement being around £10,000.

  Complaints
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints were registered against her Department and its predecessor departments in(a) 1990 to 1996 and (b) 1997 to 2002; how many are current; and what proportion were (i) taken up and (ii) upheld by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in those periods. [51225]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 19 April 2002]: Information concerning the number of complaints received by the Department is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Department and its Agencies have published complaints procedures that are available to the public either from headquarters offices or from the respective websites. The Departments' complaints procedure can be found at http://www2.dti.gov.uk/ complaints/default.htm
  300W
  In respect of the number of complaints taken up and upheld by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Parliamentary Ombudsman) I refer the hon. Member to the information contained in the Parliamentary Ombudsman's annual reports covering the periods specified. Copies of the annual reports specified are available in the Library of the House and for annual reports from 1997–98 on the Parliamentary Ombudsman's website at: www.ombudsman.org.uk/pca/document/part01/ index.htm.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  Individual Learning Accounts
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will, subject to the agreement of Capita and following the deletion of commercially confidential information, place a copy of the contract for the delivery of individual learning accounts in the Library. [37273]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 26 February 2002]: I have placed a copy of the contract between the Department and Capita Business Services Ltd. in the Library. Commercially confidential information has been removed from the version available to Members.

  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills at what target groups the ILA scheme was aimed; and what steps were taken by her Department to ensure the scheme assisted those target groups. [49882]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 15 April 2002]: Anyone aged 19 or over was able to open an individual learning account. Within the universal offer ILAs were targeted toward four key groups—young people aged 19–30 with few or no skills or qualifications, women returning to the labour market, the self-employed and non-teaching school staff. An advertising campaign between October and December 2000 concentrated on two of these groups—young people aged 19–30 with few or no qualifications and women returning to the labour market. The campaign used local and commercial radio and was supported by national and regional newspapers.

  In addition, further steps were taken to ensure the programme reached those in the target groups. The Department targeted self-employed/owner mangers through the small firm learning account (SFLA) pilot project. Over 200 small businesses actively participated in the pilot and 1,242 employees opened an ILA. From January 2001, the Department funded five ILA community projects in Liverpool, Sheffield, Kent and London and 3,279 accounts were opened. These projects placed particular emphasis on targeting hard to reach groups and the pilots were successful in engaging black and ethnic minority groups and people with no existing qualifications. The Department also worked with the TUC to engage groups of learners that were traditionally hard to reach through the Union Learning Fund and Learning Representatives. 79 per cent. of TUC ILA users were from priority groups, least likely to participate in learning.

  School Broadband Networking
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been allocated for the broadband networking of schools; which schools are involved: and what individual allocation has been made for each of those schools. [49850]

  Mr. Timms
  Funding for broadband connections to schools is administered through the Standards Fund. For 2001–02, this was set at £42 million and for 2002–03 it will be £70 million.

  Money from the fund is allocated to LEAs based on a formula. This formula takes account of the number of schools in the LEA and includes a sparsity weighting to recognise increased costs for rural areas. The funding is then pooled for spending by the Regional Broadband Consortia—the bodies tasked with planning and implementing broadband connections across England.

  The target for August 2002 is to have 20 per cent. of schools in England connected to broadband, including all secondary schools, at a minimum of 2 megabits per second. Targets for August 2003 are being agreed and we hope to announce these soon. The types of school to be connected include: primary, secondary, nursery, and special schools.

  Information and Communication Technologies (Training)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what efforts the Department has made at EU level to raise the level of investment in new information and communication technologies training. [51233]

  John Healey
  The Department for Education and Skills has overall responsibility, working in conjunction with the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, for the implementation of the SOCRATES, LEONARDO da VINCI and YOUTH programmes, which focus respectively on EU cooperation in the areas of education, vocational training and youth. The UK ensured that, in the negotiation of the current generation of these programmes which began in 2000, increased importance was given to the acquisition of information and communication technology (ICT) skills, which is an important element in each of them.

  Prior to the 2001 election, the then Department for Education and Employment was also responsible for the European Social Fund. Activities supported by ESF include training to improve information and communication technology skills.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures the Department has taken since 1997 to increase the availability of training for workers in the use of new information and communication technologies. [51231]

  John Healey
  The Department has introduced an extensive range of measures that provide opportunities for training in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT).
  302W
  These include:
  The development of the learndirect service—providing over 400,000 learning opportunities in ICT during 2001–02
  Over 2,600 UK online centres providing community access to ICT, to help people take the first step to learning about computers and the internet
  Individual learning accounts—it is estimated that ILAs provided support for around 1.2 million ICT courses
  Key skills training—which ensures that all publicly funded vocational courses, such as modern apprenticeships, include a mandatory ICT element.

  These examples are in addition to the large number of ICT courses provided by further education colleges and adult education centres funded through the learning and skills councils, and a wide range of opportunities for job seekers to gain and improve their ICT skills through New Deal.

  The Department has also introduced reforms to the national curriculum in England—all pupils, from age 5–16, are taught ICT, either as a separate subject or through other subjects—ensuring that the work force of the future is properly equipped for the demands of the 21st century.

  Playing Fields
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what procedures she has in place to monitor the extent to which the proceeds of sale from the disposal of school playing fields are being used for sport and education. [51917]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 requires local authorities to obtain the consent of the Secretary of State before disposing of school playing fields.

  Applications to dispose of school playing fields are assessed against the following criteria:
  (a) schools' needs: that playing field provision and curriculum requirements at the school making the disposal, and at other schools in the local area, will be met;
  (b) community needs: that community use of a school's playing fields is taken into account, with alternative facilities made available if necessary;
  (c) finance: that any sale proceeds are reinvested to provide new or improved sports facilities at schools, or are used to help to raise standards by providing better educational facilities.

  Only those applications that meet the criteria, including the finance criterion, are approved. Since July 2001, all applications have been scrutinised by the independent School Playing Fields Advisory Panel to make sure that they comply with the published criteria. The panel comprises representatives from the National Playing Fields Association, the Central Council of Physical Recreation, the education organisation Learning through Landscapes, the National Association of Head Teachers and the Local Government Association.

  Millennium Volunteers Projects
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which Millennium Volunteers projects are based in(a) Buckingham constituency and (b) Buckinghamshire; and what is (i) the nature of the

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  project, (ii) the date of establishment, (iii) the funding received and (iv) the level of participation in each case. 151390]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  (a) There are no Millennium Volunteers projects based in the town of Buckingham.

  (b) There are two Millennium Volunteers projects based in the county of Buckinghamshire—Aylesbury Youth Action and Milton Keynes borough council.

  Aylesbury Youth Action

  (i) This project is based within the Queens Park Arts Centre in Aylesbury. The project works with disabled young people, preparing a talking newspaper, and helping the elderly with shopping, gardening, etc.

  (ii) The project began on 1 December 1999, and the current contract runs until 30 November 2002.

  (iii) As of March 2002, 181 young people have signed up with MV at this project.

  Wycombe Youth Action

  (i) This project is based in High Wycombe, and is in the process of forming an internet cafe. This will provide a meeting place, attracting young people by offering a secure environment where they can talk to their peers and the MV workers. The project works mainly with the local schools and colleges. The project targets the minority communities among the affluent majority, including young Asian women, young single mothers, and young unemployed men.

  (ii) The project began on I October 2000, and the current contract runs until 30 September 2003.

  (iii) As of March 2002, 264 young people have signed up with MV at this project.

  (iv) The total agreed funding for the two projects is £406,750.

  City Academy
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 10 April 2002,Official Report, column 136W, on the City Academy, Newcastle, if she will state the dates of the discussions with potential sponsors of City Academy; and if she will list the potential sponsors. [52117]

  Mr. Timms
  I would refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 10 April. I am not in a position to comment on discussions which may have taken place between local authorities and potential City Academy sponsors, and would reiterate that my Department has received no formal approach regarding a City Academy in the city of Newcastle area.

  Vocational Qualifications (Financial Support)
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action her Department is taking to provide financial support to low paid families whose children take vocational qualifications when they leave school. [51302]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  There are two principal sources of support for young people taking vocational qualifications in schools or colleges, both administered by DfES. Further Education Learner Support Funds help students aged 16–19 who are from low income families or who face a particular financial difficulty. Payments are made to eligible students in school 6th forms and FE colleges for course related costs, including transport, child care, residential and hardship funding. In 2002–03, the Department increased overall discretionary support funding for young people in FE to £54 million, an
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  increase of £10 million since 2000–01. It is not possible to say how much of this funding was received by young people studying for vocational qualifications.

  In addition to the Learner Support Fund, the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is also available to young people in full-time further education in 56 pilot areas in England. In 2001–02, around £100 million will have been spent in the 56 pilot areas, with anticipated spend for 2002–03 of £156 million. Again, it is not possible to say how much of this funding was received by young people taking vocational courses.

  For young people in work-based training, which does not attract a wage, we provide support through the Minimum Training Allowance (MTA). The MTA is currently worth at least £40 per week, although the local Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs) who administer MTA are able to pay higher local rates. In addition to weekly payments, local LSCs are also able to assist young people on MTA in difficult financial circumstances by giving additional help towards costs such as transport and the purchase of learning equipment etc.

  In all these cases, payment is made directly to the young person, with the exception of some of the EMA pilots where the option of payment to a parent or guardian is being trialed.

  Support for families is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Inland Revenue. Child benefit and any child allowances paid with other benefits and tax credits are paid to families with children under 16, or to families with children over 16 but under 19 who are continuing in full-time non-advanced further education. The new child tax credit, to be introduced in April 2003, continues that practice.

  Voluntary Sector (Funding)
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire of 25 January 2002,Official Report, columns 1185–86W, on Government funding of the voluntary sector, if she will list the grant schemes and other mechanisms by which (a) her Department and (b) the Basic Skills Agency distributes funding to voluntary sector organisations. [51408]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  [holding answer 19 April 2002]: The information requested is as follows. This includes relevant grant schemes and policy and research programmes which involve the distribution of funds to the voluntary sector.
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  (a) Funding programmes under which payments were made to voluntary organisations by the Department for Education and Skills, financial year 2000–01.

  Active Engagement Policy

  Anne Frank Education Pack

  Baseline Survey of Parents Demand for Childcare-Extra Analysis

  British Social Attitudes Survey (BSAS): 1999–2002

  Career Service Initial Training

  Child Safety Week

  Community Champions Fund

  Community Links

  Connexions

  Development of Citizenship Education Resources

  Disability: attitudes and experiences.

  Drug Education Forum—Core and other funding

  Early Years and Childcare Small Grants programme

  Education and Prevention Team—Core funding

  Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS)

  European Social Fund

  Excellence and Access Project (Personal Finance in Schools)

  Family Support Policy

  Fourth and Fifth Annual Surveys of Parents of Three and Four-year-olds

  Grant under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968

  Improving the take-up of free school meals (FSM)

  Improving the Training Market

  Independent/State School Partnerships Grant Scheme

  Learning Partnerships

  Millennium Volunteers

  Music for Youth

  National Adult Learning Survey (NALS) 2001

  National Children's Bureau—Core funding

  National Health Education Group—Core funding

  National Mentoring Network

  National Reading Campaign

  National Voluntary Youth Organisations Grant Scheme

  Neighbourhood Support Fund

  On Track

  Outward secondments (financial value of)

  Personal Adviser Training

  Partners for Study Support

  Playing for Success

  Quality Standards Project

  Repeat of "Parents' Demand for Childcare" survey

  School Governor Training and Development

  School Sport Coordinators

  School Business Links

  Special Educational Needs Small Programmes Fund

  Sex Education Forum—core and other funding

  Social Inclusion Pupil Support Grant (SIPS)

  Study of Movement from Playgroups to Reception Classes

  Summer Activities For 16-Year-Olds Pilot

  Sure Start

  Volunteer Reading Help

  Youth Cohort Study (YCS)—Interview and postal survey of 17 and 19-year-olds.

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  (b) Funding programmes under which payments were made to voluntary organisations by the Basic Skills Agency, financial year 2000–01.

  Financial literacy and basic skills

  Community Based Education for Speakers of Other Languages (CBESOL)

  Family Programmes

  National Voluntary Organisations Partnership Programme.

  Asylum Seekers (Education)
  Jonathan Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions she has had with Ministers in the Home Office on the proposals to remove refugee children from the application of sections 13 and 14 of the Education Act 1996; and if she will make a statement. [52102]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The proposal to remove children from the application of sections 13 and 14 of the Education Act 1996 applies only to the children of asylum seekers who will be educated in-house in accommodation centres. All other children, including refugees, will continue to be educated in schools maintained by local education authorities. This proposal has been prepared in close consultation with the Home Office.

  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether accommodation centres which provide education for asylum seekers will have a statutory obligation to have an anti-bullying policy. [51662]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: There will not be a statutory obligation for accommodation centres which provide education for asylum seekers to have an anti-bullying policy. Matters such as anti-bullying and the discipline of the children attending the education provision in the accommodation centres may be provided in the agreement between the Home Secretary and the contractor. However, the education that will be provided for these children will mirror what they would get in schools.

  School Discipline
  Mr. Liddell-Grainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to increase the powers of teachers to deal with discipline in schools. [50923]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Following a public consultation, in March this year the Secretary of State announced plans to extend the availability of Parenting Orders to cover cases of non-criminal misbehaviour by pupils resulting in exclusions from school. We understand that the Home Office will issue a Criminal Justice White Paper in the late spring 2002 which will refer to the plans to extend Parenting Orders, probably by means of a Criminal Justice Bill in due course. Parenting Orders normally require parents to attend counselling or guidance sessions to help them cope better with their child's challenging behaviour and take more responsibility for that behaviour.

  The Department has already made clear that when necessary Headteachers can permanently exclude pupils responsible for serious disruption, violence or a threat of violence. We recently consulted on a revision to part of Circular 10–99 'Social Inclusion: Pupil Support'. This stated that the Secretary of State would not normally

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  expect to see pupils excluded permanently for persistent defiant behaviour—which includes bullying, violence or sexual misconduct—reinstated at appeal.

  Dyslexia
  Mr. Liddell-Grainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the future use of dyslexia teachers in schools; and if she will review the funding of dyslexia teaching. [50921]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  It is important that teachers are properly prepared for the range of special educational needs (SEN) they will encounter in schools. As part of their initial training, all student teachers must show that they understand their responsibilities under the SEN Code of Practice, and know how to seek advice. These skills are reinforced and developed during induction, when teachers have to demonstrate that they can plan effectively to meet the needs of pupils with SEN.

  Opportunities for continuing professional development for teachers in post are supported under the training component of the SEN category of the Department's Standards Fund, which provides grant aid to local education authorities and schools. £91 million of supported expenditure is available for SEN in 2002–03. Training in dyslexia is specifically mentioned in the guidance for the category and this can range from awareness raising sessions to more in-depth specialist training. Grant support has also been made available to voluntary organisations and higher education training providers to create new training opportunities.

  Responsibility for ensuring that appropriate provision exists for children with SEN rests with the school and LEA. More than £23 billion is available annually for the education of pupils, including children with SEN. Over £1 billion of this is used by LEAs to provide additional support for children with SEN, including transport. When allocating budgets to schools in 2001–02, LEAs also identified over £1.9 billion as allocated to SEN. However, it is for individual schools to decide how they spend this funding taking account of their statutory duties towards children with SEN.

  Maintained Schools
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many maintained schools have outside toilet facilities. [52086]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: The Department does not collect information on the number of toilet facilities in schools.

  In 1998–99, the Department had a £35 million programme for the construction of internal toilet facilities so that it would be unnecessary for any children to have to use lavatories accessible only from outside. 450 projects were supported through the programme which should have addressed the issue, although it was down to individual Local Education Authorities to identify needs and apply for a grant. Also, many schools would have retained toilets adjacent to playing fields, and in some cases to serve temporary classrooms.

  School Terms
  Valerie Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the powers of contractors are to fix school terms and holidays under the provisions of the Contracting Out (Local Education Authority Functions) (England) Order 2002. [52554]

  Mr. Timms
  Further to my comments during the Standing Committee's consideration of the draft Contracting Out (Local Education Authority Functions) (England) Order 2002 (official report of the Eighth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation, 5 March 2002, column 23) it would be possible under the Order for a contractor to determine the dates when school terms and holidays are to begin and to end. I should clarify that the contractor could, depending on the terms of the contract with an LEA, determine to move from a three term year to a different arrangement, where such decisions lie with the LEA. In the case of foundation, foundation special and voluntary-aided schools, responsibility lies with the governing body. We believe that LEAs will want to ensure that clear arrangements about such decisions are contained in any relevant contract. We would expect there to be wide consultation and, if any change is to be made, that ample notice would be given so that parents, teachers and others can plan accordingly.

  Apprentices
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what support has been given since 1997 to assist businesses in taking on apprentices. [51483]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Government has contributed substantial financial support for Modern Apprenticeships (MAs), which provide craft, technological and business skills. Between 1997 and 2002 over £3.7 billion has been allocated to Government-supported work-based learning, of which it is estimated that in excess of £1 billion has been used to support MAs since 1997. As a result of this investment, the number of young people on MAs has risen from 75,000 in 1997 to over 220,000 today. We are investing an additional £180 million over three years 2001–04 to support and further develop MAs, a clear sign of the importance we attach to their role in raising skills levels in the workplace, and in offering young people high quality vocational and work-related options for post-16 learning. The Government and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) recently agreed a target of over a quarter of young people between the age of 16 and 21 entering MAs by 2004.

  In addition to direct funding of MAs, we assist businesses in other ways. For example, the LSC has a major role in raising skills levels and is active in improving employers' awareness of MAs. National Training Organisations (NTOs) have played an important role in developing apprenticeship frameworks to meet employer needs in their sector and promoting entry by young people; new Sector Skills Councils, supported by the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) and the LSC, will provide an even stronger focus for employers to lead the development of apprenticeships linked to skills and productivity priorities and sector needs. Careers services and Connexions Partnerships work with young

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  people to raise awareness of the apprenticeship route. The DTI small business service is also looking at ways to assist small businesses who want to employ MAs.

  Creationism
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 10 April 2002,Official Report, column 155W, if she will publish the guidelines she issues to support teachers regarding the teaching of creationism within the science curriculum; and if she will make a statement. [51925]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  There are no published guidelines for the teaching of creationism within the science curriculum.

  Accommodation Centres (Teachers)
  Jonathan Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of qualified teachers who will be required to teach in accommodation centres(a) during the pilots, (b) in five years' time and (c) in 10 years' time. [52109]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The teacher supply implications of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department's initiative will be negligible at the trial stage. Any longer-term supply needs will depend on the results of the trial and will be considered at the appropriate time.

  Special Educational Needs (St. Helens)
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment her Department has made of the reasons underlying the percentage of pupils in St. Helens with statements of special educational needs. [50009]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The decision about how to provide for a child who has special educational needs (SEN) must be taken locally in the light of all the circumstances. Under the Education Act 1996, each local education authority (LEA) is under a duty to identify and make suitable provision for children's SEN and where necessary to make a statement. A statutory assessment can also be requested by parents who have the right to be involved with all the relevant professionals in decisions about meeting their child's needs.

  In 2000 (latest figures available) the overall level of children with statements in St. Helens LEA was 4.6 per cent. compared to the national rate of 3 per cent. The authority has set targets to reduce the number of statements it maintains and figures for January 2002 will be available later this year.

  Teacher Numbers
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people applied for post graduate certificates in education courses in(a) mathematics, (b) English, (c) science subjects and (d) language subjects in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000, (iii) 2001 and (iv) 2002 in (1) St. Helens, (2) Liverpool, (3) Merseyside, (4) Manchester, (5) the North-West, (6) the South-East and (7) England. [50008]

  Mr. Timms
  Application figures for regions, either for domicile information of applicants or for numbers of applications made to resident institutions, are not collected centrally.
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  Final application figures to PGCE courses for entry years 1999–2000 to 2001–02 are shown in the table. The figures are for England and Wales.

  End of year application figures to PGCE courses in England and Wales

  Entry Year

  Subject

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  Mathematics

  1,690

  1,776

  2,031

  English (excluding drama)

  2,610

  2,752

  3,398

  Science

  3,450

  3,728

  4,093

  Modern Languages

  2,307

  2,763

  2,761

  Notes:

  1. The figures are for applications as recorded on the GTTR applications database.

  2. Modern languages include Welsh.

  Source:

  Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR)

  Final figures for England only are available only for 2001–02 entry: 1,917 for mathematics, 3,208 for English (excluding drama), 3,822 for science and 2,562 for modern languages.

  Source:

  Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR)

  Applications for entry for 2002–03 are still being accepted. As of 22 March 2002, the number of applications made in England was: 842 for mathematics, 2,327 for English (excluding drama), 1,781 for science and 1,224 for modern languages.

  Source:

  Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR)

  Engineering
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of female engineering graduates with(a) first degrees and (b) higher degrees gained employment directly related to their field of study upon graduation in (i) 2001, (ii) 1996, (iii) 1991 and (iv) 1986. [43584]

  Margaret Hodge
  [holding answer 19 March 2002]: The latest available information is shown in the table. Figures for graduates in 2001 will be available in June 2002.

  First destinations of female graduates1 from engineering and technology courses

  Year of graduation and level of course

  Total graduates with known destination

  Of which, percentage employed in engineering2 occupations

  1986

  Universities3:

  Higher degrees

  169

  12

  First degrees

  593

  39

  Polytechnics3:

  First degrees

  264

  30

  1991

  Universities3:

  Higher degrees

  229

  16

  First degrees

  929

  27

  Polytechnics3:

  First degrees

  300

  23

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  First destinations of female graduates1 from engineering and technology courses

  Year of graduation and level of course

  Total graduates with known destination

  Of which, percentage employed in engineering2 occupations

  1996

  All HE institutions3:

  Higher degrees

  568

  28

  First degrees

  2,466

  24

  2000

  All HE institutions3:

  Higher degrees

  514

  31

  First degrees

  2,007

  21

  1 Home and overseas students. Full-time and sandwich courses only.

  2 Based on the employment position of the graduate six months after graduation. In 1994–95 the occupational classifications were revised, so in 1986 and 1991 the figures cover those employed in engineering and allied industries, building, civil engineering and architecture, and in 1996 and 2000 they cover those employed in occupations classed as engineering and technology.

  3 Prior to 1994–95, separate surveys were conducted and published by the USR (covering higher degree and first degree graduates from institutions in the UK funded by the Universities Funding Council), and the DfES (covering first degree graduates from the former polytechnics in England and Wales); as from 1994–95, HESA collected and published data for all graduates in all HE institutions in the UK.

  Source:

  First Destination surveys conducted by the Universities Statistical Record (USR), the DfES, and the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

  Dates (Guidance)
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has given local education authorities about the use of the terms CE and BCE instead of AD and BC; and if she will make a statement. [51593]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: The national curriculum for history clearly states that "pupils should be taught to use dates and vocabulary relating to the passing of time, including ancient, modern, BC, AD, century and decade", and I would expect all local education authorities to be familiar with this statutory requirement. The terms CE (Common Era) and BCE (Before Common Era) are not used in the national curriculum, but schools are free to use them in addition to, but not as a replacement for, the traditional Christian dating system of BC and AD. There are no plans to change the existing statutory requirements.

  National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the increased costs for(a) schools and (b) local education authorities as a consequence of increased employers' national insurance contributions proposed in the 2002 Budget. [51946]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: The estimated costs of the proposed increase in national insurance contributions will be in the region of £180 million in 2003–04 for staff employed by English local education authorities of which about £150 million
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  will be attributable to teachers and other staff employed at schools. This cost will be considered alongside other priorities and pressures in the 2002 Spending Review.

  Departmental Report
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the 2002 Departmental Report will be published. [49593]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The 2002 Departmental Report will be published this spring.

  Gender Pay Gap
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the extent of the gender pay gap among staff in her Department. [41003]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Department is committed to review its pay system by April 2003 and will prepare an action plan to close any equal pay gaps. This is in line with the Government's commitment for all Departments and agencies.

  Rail Journeys (Staff)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make it her policy that rail journeys undertaken by staff in her Department should ordinarily be on standard class tickets. [40432]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Section 8 of the Civil Service Management Code, Paragraph 8.2.1 requires Departments and agencies to ensure that staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel in the circumstances, taking into account any management benefit or the needs of staff with disabilities.

  Departmental guidance reinforces the need for staff to use the most efficient and economic means of travel commensurate with meeting their operational needs. Staff are encouraged to use public transport rather than cars in accordance with the Government's policy on "Green Transport".

  Performance Targets
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the target has been in each of the last five years for efficiency savings as a percentage of total running costs for each of the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible; and if the target was met. [49645]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Chapter 2 of Treasury's Guidance "Non-Departmental Public Bodies: Annual Reports and Accounts Guidance" requires executive NDPBs to provide, as part of their annual reports, information about the performance and efficiency targets agreed with their sponsor Departments and performance against those targets. The information is to be given for the current year and the four previous years. All of the Department for Education and Skills executive NDPBs, which are: Adult Learning Inspectorate; British Educational Communications and Technology Agency; Construction Industry Training Board; Engineering Construction Industry Training Board; Higher Education Funding Council for England; Investors in People UK; Learning
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  and Skills Council; National College for School Leadership; Qualifications and Curriculum Authority; Student Loans Company; and Teacher Training Agency, annual reports are available in the House Library. As the Construction Industry Training Board and Engineering Construction Industry Training Board are self funding we do not set them efficiency targets, however, the boards set themselves efficiency targets, the details and progress towards which are available in their annual reports. Our tribunal NDPBs are also self funding, so we set neither Special Educational Needs Tribunal nor Registered Inspectors Appeals Tribunal efficiency targets. The SENT annual reports are available in the House Library and RIAT has no permanent staff and has only met once since it was registered in 1992 so setting efficiency targets and producing annual reports seems inappropriate.

  Age Discrimination
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her Department's policy is towards age discrimination. [42566]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Department for Education and Skills has taken steps to integrate age into all their equal opportunities policies and is committed to eliminating unfair discrimination on the basis of age. Action on diversity has and will continue to tackle any negative attitudes towards older staff particularly through the training and development of managers and through the monitoring of recruitment, selection and appraisal statistics.

  We have now implemented recommendations of the Performance and Innovation Unit Report "Winning the Generation Game". As part of the Department's flexible age retirement arrangements we allow all staff, outside the senior civil service, the option to choose when they retire from 60–65 subject to normal fitness and efficiency rules. In addition, all our vacancy opportunities, internal and external secondments and rewards are open to people of all ages and we actively monitor them to ensure there is no adverse impact.

WALES

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many quangos have been established in Wales in each year since 1997; and what the cost of each of them was in 2001–02. [48622]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Since 1 July 1999, I have established no non-departmental public bodies. Prior to that date, my predecessor established the Welsh Committee for Professional Development of Pharmacy. He also wound up a number of quangos.

  Sponsorship of the Welsh Committee for Professional Development of Pharmacy has subsequently transferred to the National Assembly for Wales. Its costs in 2001–02 are therefore a matter for the Assembly.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Correspondence
  Mrs. Betty Williams
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when she will reply to the question from the hon. Member for Conwy of 14 February (ref 37628). [51396]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  I apologise to the hon. Member for not replying to her question of the 14 February; I regret that this was due to an administrative oversight. However, I do refer her to the answers I have given on several occasions, and most recently to the hon. Member for Slough (Fiona Mactaggart) on 12 April 2002,Official Report, column 647W. QinetiQ Ltd. is continuing to work on the technical enhancements for the 1901 Census online. These enhancements are intended to make the site sufficiently robust to permit general internet access, and are being done with a sense of urgency. The most important consideration is to ensure that the service is re-launched successfully. In the first instance, the service will be reintroduced at the designated service centres throughout the country as part of a rigorous testing process. It will then be re-launched on the internet as soon as practicable thereafter, subject to satisfactory completion of this process.

  Theft
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what new measures her Department took in 2001–02 to protect its property from theft or damage. [47243]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to him on 5 February 2002,Official Report, column 907W. As detailed in that response the Lord Chancellor's Department has a wide range of security measures in place to protect its property from theft or damage.

  However during this period the Department has continued to take forward its programme of work to achieve compliance with BS7799, the British Standard for Information Security Management. This programme of work will provide quality assurance of the Department's existing security practices and introduce improvements where these are found to be necessary. Current initiatives include extensive use of risk assessment, a programme of security education and awareness for staff and reviews of physical security arrangements.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Crime (Belfast)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many mobile phone related crimes were reported in Belfast from March 2001 to March 2002. [49901]

  Jane Kennedy
  Unfortunately data for mobile phone related crimes are not available at the moment. PSNI collection of crime data is undergoing development work which will allow such offences to be identified in future.
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  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of(a) theft, (b) robbery and (c) shoplifting in Belfast city centre were reported over the period March 2001 to March 2002. [49899]

  Jane Kennedy
  Unfortunately statistics for the period January to March 2002 are not yet available. The figures for the incidents of(a) theft, (b) robbery and
  (c) shoplifting reported in Belfast city centre for the period April 2001 to December 2001 are as follows:

  April 2001 to December 2001

  Offence type

  Number of incidents reported

  Theft

  2,676

  Robbery

  158

  Shoplifting

  834

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on recent action in Belfast to implement strategies in place in UK city centres on combating crime, with special reference to theft in Belfast city centre. [49898]

  Jane Kennedy
  The police service of Northern Ireland have a number of on-going and new crime prevention initiatives specifically aimed at reducing thefts in Belfast city centre which reflect best practice procedures in comparable UK cities. Most of these initiatives involve close partnerships with Belfast city centre management along with other agencies. They include:

  Radio link
  100 retailers in the city centre area have direct radio links to the police and there are plans to introduce similar systems in other parts of the city. This scheme is supplemented by retail theft training which provides staff with a training package on, among other things, theft reduction strategies and powers of arrest.

  Mobile phone theft
  There is an on-going initiative to educate the public to mark their mobile phones with postcode and house number.

  Thumbs-up
  This is a new initiative to be launched in May with the aim of reducing credit card/cheque fraud.

  Local police continue to provide crime prevention surveys and advice. A recent prevention campaign targeted computer theft through leaflet distribution and press releases. Vehicle theft is being addressed through targeted campaigns such as the 'Look, Lock and Leave' initiative where advice signs will be erected in every car park in the city centre.

  Mobile Phone Offences
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of those arrested for offences related to mobile phones from March 2001 to March 2002 were aged(a) under 18, (b) between 18 to 25 and (c) over 25 years. [49900]

  Jane Kennedy
  Unfortunately arrest figures for offences related to mobile phones are not available at the moment. PSNI collection of crime data is undergoing development work which will allow such offences to be identified in future.

  Northern Ireland Prison Service
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what support he has given to the establishment of a Prison Service Trust to assist the families of those who have served with the Northern Ireland Prison Service. [45968]

  Jane Kennedy
  I recognise the contribution that those in the Northern Ireland Prison Service have made during difficult times and I welcome the establishment of a Prison Service Trust.

  I believe that the groups which have the greatest needs are dependent family members of murdered officers and officers who have died in service and officers who have retired due to ill health.

  I have agreed to provide funding of £600,000 over a three-year period to assist in the work of the trust. Additionally I am providing the trust with accommodation, services and office equipment.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  European City of Culture
  Kevin Brennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will announce the composition of the panel to choose the European City of Culture 2008. [51252]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: It is expected that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will announce the panel chair shortly, followed by the panel members in May.

  Community Fund
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much and what proportion of available moneys the Community Fund has allocated to black and ethnic minority organisations; what evidence he has collated on measures that the Community Fund has taken to promote(a) sustainability and (b) capacity building in the black and ethnic minority voluntary sector. [51783]

  Mr. Caborn
  Since its establishment in 1995, 11 per cent. of the Community Fund's grants have gone to the black and minority ethnic (BME) voluntary sector. During the financial year 2000–01, Community Fund made 1,183 grants to projects benefiting BME groups. This represents 12.1 per cent. of their total allocation. Of these, 47 grants, worth £8.6 million were made to projects designed to help capacity building in the BME voluntary sector.

  The Community Fund's Strategic Plan for 2002–07 highlights the BME community as one of their priority beneficiary groups and includes revised funding policies which will encourage greater sustainability.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Departmental Report
  Mrs. Humble
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she plans to publish her Department's 2002 departmental report. [52868]

  Clare Short
  DFID's departmental report for 2002 is being published today. It provides an overview of my Department's achievements during the past year. It shows how we are placing poverty reduction strategies at the heart of the development process and supporting developing countries in their efforts to address poverty. It also describes how we have responded to challenges such as events in Afghanistan.

  During the past year important steps have been made to improve the effectiveness of the international system. Developing countries seized the opportunities presented at Doha to secure favourable commitments on issues such as agriculture and building developing countries' capacity to negotiate on trade issues. The recent UN conference on Financing for Development led to commitments by the European Union and the United States which will increase development assistance by $12 billion a year by 2006.

  The report also shows the progress made against the targets in our 1998 and 2000 public service agreements which cover 1999–2000 to 2001–02 and 2001–02 to 2003–04 respectively, and our plans for allocating resources during 2002–03 to 2003–04.

  Iraq
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the recent research which has been commissioned by her Department in connection with aid projects for Iraq. [51639]

  Clare Short
  It is a regular part of my Department's work to evaluate the impact of country programmes on an on-going basis. This includes the bilateral humanitarian programme for Iraq.

  Malawi
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid is being given to Malawi; and if she will make a statement. [51643]

  Clare Short
  My Department has allocated £70 million in the 2002–03 financial year, making DFID the largest donor in Malawi. Assistance is concentrated on rural livelihoods, health, education and governance. There has been a substantial shortfall in the country's 2002 maize harvest due to unusually heavy rains and flooding last year. Since January, DFID has provided £4.6 million in food relief for distribution through local nongovernmental organisations. We are helping Government with preparation of a medium term food security strategy and stand ready to provide more direct food aid when April/May harvest figures are clarified.

  Afghanistan
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on progress in ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches hospitals in Afghanistan. [51723]
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  Clare Short
  Despite three years of drought and 23 years of conflict, basic health facilities, including hospitals and clinics, continue to operate in Afghanistan with the support of the humanitarian community. The improving security in recent months has facilitated the delivery of increasing quantities of medical relief items into Afghanistan and their distribution to areas of the greatest need. This has included the recent vaccination of around 6 million Afghan children against polio, and the rehabilitation of health facilities through quick impact projects funded by my Department.

  While immediate humanitarian needs remain a priority, the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) has laid the foundations for a stronger health care system through the drafting of a National Development Framework, including a policy for reconstruction of the health sector, in partnership with the United Nations and assistance community. This focuses on equitable access to health care and will involve the construction of around 1,000 new health facilities around the country in coming months and years.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General what the total external spending by her Department was on public-private partnership consultants in each of the last four years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by her Department over this period; and if she will make a statement. [43202]

  The Solicitor-General
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 January 2002,Official Report, column 347W.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General how many private finance initiative projects have been subject to refinancing after the contracts have been signed; and what has been the financial effect in each case. [50559]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: None.

  Creche Facilities
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General what creche facilities are provided by her Department; and at what cost. [44852]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 25 March 2002]: None of the Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible provides creche facilities.

  Public Service Agreements
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General (1) what recent assessment she has made of whether the PSA target to increase the proportion of undisputed invoices paid in accordance with terms of 30 days from 96 per cent. to 100 per cent. by March will be met; [47816]
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  (2) what recent assessment she has made of whether the PSA target to increase the proportion of undisputed supplier invoices paid in accordance with terms of 30 days to 100 per cent. by 2001–02 will be met. [47890]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answers 10 April 2002]: Information about progress on PSA targets will be published in the Law Officers' 2002 departmental report.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General (1) what recent assessment she has made of whether the PSA target to reduce accommodation costs per head in real terms by 10 per cent. by March will be met; [47885]

  (2) what recent assessment she has made of whether the PSA target to increase by March from 88 per cent. to 97 per cent. the proportion of complaints replied to within 10 working days of receipt will be met; [47814]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Information about progress on PSA targets will be published in the Law Officers' 2002 departmental report.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General, what recent assessment she has made of whether the PSA target to increase the Serious Fraud Office caseload to 77 cases by March will be met. [47886]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 9 April 2002]: Information about progress on PSA targets will be published in the Law Officers' 2002 departmental report.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General what recent assessment she has made of whether the PSA target to reduce the average time from accepting a case and completing investigations to 17.5 months and to reduce the average length of the prosecution stage between transfer/committal and verdict to 16 months by 31 March will be met. [47887]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 9 April 2002]: Information about progress on PSA targets will be published in the Department's 2002 departmental report.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General what recent assessment she has made of whether the PSA target to improve sickness absence by 30 per cent. by 2003 will be met. [47884]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Information about progress on PSA targets will be published in the Law Officers' 2002 departmental report.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General how many staff were involved in each of the last three years in preparing draft answers to written parliamentary questions. [49156]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: The Attorney-General and I answer parliamentary questions on behalf of all Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible. Large numbers of staff from each of those Departments may, over any period of time, be involved in providing the information on which an answer is based. The information requested would require an examination of all questions answered in the last three years and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General if she will take steps to improve the response time to parliamentary questions. [47720]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: In its response to the Public Administration Select Committee's Second Report of Session 2000–01 on Ministerial Accountability and Parliamentary Questions, the Government made clear their commitment to providing prompt and accurate answers to parliamentary questions.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General what the cost was to her Department of answering written parliamentary questions in 2001; and how that cost was calculated. [49114]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons, on 17 April 2002, Official Report, column 929W.

  Sunset Clauses
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General which Bills introduced by her Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses; and what plans she has for the future use of such clauses. [49630]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: In the last five years this Department has introduced two Bills—which became the Law Officers Act 1997 and the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate Act 2000. Neither contained sunset clauses. I have no plans for the future use of sunset clauses.

  Underspend
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General what the(a) capital and (b) revenue underspend in her Department is expected to be in the financial year 2001–02. [47812]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Information on the Department's forecast Departmental Expenditure Limit outturn for 2001–02 are published in the tables produced in the Budget and spring documents.

  Part-time Employees
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General how many and what proportion of the staff of her Department are part-time employees. [47168]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr. Christopher Leslie) on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 50W.

  Staff Pay
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General what have been the total salary costs of each of the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible in each of the last five years. [50556]

  The Solicitor-General
  The Attorney-General is not responsible for any non-departmental bodies.

  Overtime Payments
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General what her policy is on overtime payments for staff in her Department. [49123]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: In the Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible, the general policy is to avoid the need to ask staff to work overtime. Where overtime is necessary, staff below the senior civil service, in overtime grades, are entitled to receive payment, or time off in lieu, or both, for work carried out in addition to weekly conditioned hours.

  Staff in the senior civil service are not entitled to receive payment for overtime.

  Better Quality Services Initiative
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Solicitor-General which of the services of her Department have not been reviewed under the Better Quality Services Initiative; and when they will be reviewed. [50318]

  The Solicitor-General
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The CPSS has given a commitment in its current strategic plan to review 60 per cent. of its services by 2004. This target is still on course to be achieved. The CPS has recently undergone a period of significant organizational change and, in the light of this change, is currently evaluating its future approach to the Better Quality Services Initiative.

  The legal services provided by the Treasury Solicitor's Department Agency have not been subject to review under the Better Quality Services Initiative. They were, however, subject to an executive agency Quinquennial Review during 2001 which looked at how those services could be better delivered. The main recommendations of the Review were accepted by the Attorney General and are now being implemented.

  The Serious Fraud Office does not provide services to the public within the terms of the Better Quality Services Initiative. However, it does actively manage its business processes and continually seeks to deliver efficiency gains across all its outputs. As an example, last year the office undertook a fundamental review of pay and reward structures and introduced pay progression and fluid grading.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act
  Mr. Challen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. [52556]

  Mr. Blunkett
  Eleven people have so far been detained using powers in Part IV of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. Eight were detained in December 2001, one in February 2002, and two yesterday.

  Of the total detained, two have voluntarily left the United Kingdom; the other nine remain in detention.

  Electronic Tagging
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders have been released from prison with electronic tags in(a) Wales and (b) Lancashire; and how many of these went on to commit further crime while wearing the electronic tag in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001. [45791]

  Beverley Hughes
  Since the home detention curfew scheme started on 28 January 1999, the number of offenders successfully placed onto the scheme to an address in(a) Wales is 1,549 in 2000 and 1,528 in 2001 and in (b) Lancashire is 521 in 2000 and 447 in 2001.

  The data on offenders who have been reported as either cautioned, convicted or are awaiting prosecution for an offence while they were subject to the scheme is collated centrally and to break this information down into regions or counties would incur disproportionate cost.

  Victim Support
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the victim support scheme in Weston-Super-Mare. [47760]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The Home Office does not directly inspect individual victim support schemes. Under the terms of the annual Home Office grant to victim support, each local scheme is normally reviewed by Victim Support's National Office on a three-year cycle. The last such review of the Weston-Super-Mare scheme was undertaken in January 2000.

  Indecent Publications
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure children do not have access to indecent publications. [49690]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The Government are particularly concerned that the young and more vulnerable members of society should be protected from potentially harmful material.

  The general law underpins this approach. The Obscene Publications Act 1959 is the principal control on broadcast and published works, including material published via the internet, and makes it a criminal offence to publish any article which, in the view of the court, tends to "deprave and corrupt" those who are likely to read, see or hear it. In addition, under the Indecent Displays (Controls) Act 1981 it is an offence to display any indecent material in a public place or where it can be seen from a public place. In addition, where a publication does not fall under these controls, most newsagents abide by a voluntary code of practice, placing pornographic magazines on the top shelves and refusing to sell them to young people under 18.

  The internet, while offering many positive opportunities to children, presents a particular challenge in this area and the Government established a Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet in March 2001 with representatives from the internet industry, child welfare

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  organisations, the police, the Government, the main opposition parties and others. The objectives of the task force include:
  scoping new legislative measures specifically to tackle "grooming" of children by paedophiles online (and offline);
  developing effective safeguards for children using the Internet and improved mechanisms for reporting online crimes and concerns about activity online; and
  raising awareness of adults and children of how to surf the net and use chat rooms safely.

  The Government also support the development of robust and effective rating and filtering tools which can help parents to control their children's access to material on the net. We recently welcomed the launch of the Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA)'s free filtering software as a significant step forward in this area.

  Sex Offenders
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in the UK that accept and detain sex offenders. [49831]

  Beverley Hughes
  In general, all prisons in England and Wales accept and detain such offenders. The following prisons do not routinely accept such offenders: Blantyre House, Gartree, Kirkham, Latchmere House and Long Lartin.

  Sex offenders will be accepted at Leyhill and North Sea Camp at the Governor's specific discretion.

  Transsexual Women (Rape)
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the number of transsexual women who have been raped vaginally in each of the last five years; and in what way charges against the perpetrator may differ from the same crime committed against other women. [49777]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  There are no statistics available relating to the number of victims of vaginal rape who were transsexuals.

  Under existing sex offences legislation, rape is an offence perpetrated by a man against a man or a woman. It consists of non-consensual penetration of the vagina or anus. There has been at least one case where a court has held that penile penetration of a surgically reconstructed vagina does constitute rape, but the current law on rape is not clear on this point. Alternative charge could be indecent assault. The Government are currently considering a proposal made within the context of the Sex Offences Review, that the offence of rape should include surgically reconstructed male or female genitalia. This would make clear in statute what is currently a matter for judicial interpretation.

  Prisons
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what recent assessment has been made of the treatment of elderly long-term prisoners suffering long-term illness; what assessment has been made of the risk of suicide among these prisoners; and if he will make a statement; [48673]
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  (2) how many prisoners serving sentences of over 15 years and who are over 60 years of age suffer senile dementia; what proportion are men; and if he will make a statement. [48674]

  Beverley Hughes
  Information is not available in the form requested. A study of 203 male prisoners aged 60 and over in 15 prisons in England and Wales (about one-fifth of that total population) conducted in 1999–2000, reported that one per cent. had a clinical diagnosis of dementia. All prisons and their local national health service (NHS) partners were asked jointly to complete prison health needs assessments by March 2001, with the implementation of improvements to health care provision, based on individual prison health plans, following from April 2002.

  Copies of the Department of Health's "National Service Framework for Older People" were issued to all Prison Service establishments in England in April 2001. The NSF proposes a move towards a single assessment process for older people's often wide range of health and social care needs. The accompanying Prison Service instruction advised governors that assessment of older prisoners should be comprehensive to ensure that they receive properly integrated, needs-based services both in prison and on release into the wider community. It required governors to develop their working relationships with local health services, social services and housing agencies in order to ensure that prisoners with continuing health and social needs get full access to all the services they need.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in adult prisons in each of the last five years were previously(a) children in care, (b) children in foster care and (c) adopted children. [51080]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: No data are held centrally on the upbringing of persons in prisons in England and Wales. However, according to the Criminality Survey 2000, 31 per cent. of the sentenced male prison population (excluding sex offenders) had been taken into local authority care as a child.

  In 1997, a survey was carried out by the Office for National Statistics, called "Psychiatric Morbidity Among Prisoners in England and Wales". A sample of around 1,200 male remand, 1,200 male sentenced, and 800 female prisoners were interviewed. 33 per cent. of the males on remand and 26 per cent. of the males under sentence had been taken into local authority care as a child. 29 per cent. of the females on remand and 25 per cent. of the females under sentence had also been taken into local authority care as a child.

  According to the National Prison Survey 1991, when interviews were conducted with around 4,000 sentenced and remand prisoners (juveniles and immigration detainees were excluded):
  "more than a quarter of prisoners (26 per cent) said they had at some point before the age of 16 been taken into Local Authority care. As many as 38 per cent. of prisoners under 21 reported that they had had such an experience".

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reviews of prison inmates' privileges and facilities have taken place in the last 12 months. [51145]
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  Beverley Hughes
  All prisons operate a local scheme of incentives and earned privileges based upon a national framework. National policy requires that all establishments review and evaluate their own schemes annually. A central review of the national framework for the incentives and earned privileges is due to begin later this year.

  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision is made to house young people leaving prison who are not able to return to the family home; and if he will make a statement. [49982]

  Beverley Hughes
  The Government are committed to ensuring the effective resettlement of prisoners so as to reduce re-offending and protect the public. We know that prisoners are less likely to re-offend if they have stable accommodation to go to on release.

  Juveniles sentenced to a detention and training order are supervised on release by multi-agency youth offending teams, which can include housing specialists as well as social workers, probation officers and others. The teams work with local authority social services departments, which have accommodation responsibilities for juveniles under the Children Act 1989, and voluntary organisations to help secure accommodation for those unable to return to the family home.

  18 to 20-year-olds sentenced to custody are supervised on release by the National Probation Service. The service liaises with local authorities, housing associations, landlords and voluntary organisations to try to ensure the housing needs of released prisoners are met. Approved hostels can provide accommodation for those at higher risk of re-offending.

  The Homelessness Act 2002 contains provision to prevent the blanket exclusion by local authorities of released prisoners from social housing. A draft order has been published under the Housing Act 1996 which would extend homelessness priority needs groups to include those vulnerable as a result of a period within an institution, including prison. Further impetus to improve housing arrangements for young people leaving custody is likely to be given by the Social Exclusion Unit's current study on reducing re-offending by released prisoners, which will report later this year.

  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what offending behaviour programmes are available in each of the prisons holding juveniles; and what the programmes involve. [49975]

  Beverley Hughes
  Individually tailored programmes are run in all juvenile establishments according to the requirements of the young people held there. This means that a range of programmes are used by establishments to ensure that all individuals have the opportunity to address their offending behaviour. Programmes will be drawn from those accredited by the Joint Accreditation Panel, those being developed with a view to accreditation, those being developed in conjunction with the Youth Justice Board and those which are developed locally by the establishment to address specific needs.

  The Motivate Offenders to Rethink Everything (MORE) programme is an accredited programme that has been piloted with juveniles at Castington, Lancaster Farms and Wetherby young offender institutions. Staff in
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  the majority of the other establishments that hold juveniles have been trained in the delivery of this programme and it is in the process of being rolled out to the rest of the juvenile estate. MORE is a motivational enhancement programme, which encourages young people to rethink the motivations behind their thoughts and actions.

  Enhanced Thinking Skills (ETS) is a 21 session cognitive-skills programme. This is an accredited programme which was developed on the basis that offenders may have poor thinking skills, which can adversely affect their ability to solve inter-personal problems and lead to an increased likelihood of offending. The programme aims to develop an individuals thinking skills. This programme is currently being delivered to juveniles in Brinsford, Lancaster Farms, Onley, Stoke Heath, Thorn Cross and Werrington young offender institutions.

  The Reasoning and Reacting programme (R and Ra) is a cognitive-skills programme specifically designed to meet the needs of juvenile offenders by encouraging them to consider the consequences of their behaviour and to think about the impact such behaviour may have on other people. This programme has recently been piloted at Huntercombe young offender institution although it is not being offered there at present.

  The Reasoning and Rehabilitation (R and R) programme is a 38 session cognitive skills programme. This is an accredited programme which is similar to ETS and the R and Ra. It is currently being delivered with juveniles at Wetherby young offender institution.

  The programme Stop-Think-Act-Reflect (STAR) is currently being piloted at Feltham young offender institution and is being funded by the Youth Justice Board. This is a cognitive behaviour programme designed to address specific criminogenic factors which modelling has shown to produce delinquent outcomes.

  Each establishment that holds juveniles also has a range of locally developed programmes that complement the programmes listed above and ensure that all areas of offending behaviour can be addressed. There are an extremely large number of these programmes, specifically designed by each establishment to address identified needs of the young people in their care. These include specific programmes to address alcohol education, anger control, drug use and illegal driving. The available programmes at any particular establishment are dependent on current need, which may change.

  Some of the establishments which hold juveniles also, on a different part of the site, hold young offenders. Because of this there are some offending behaviour programmes available in these establishments that are not delivered to juveniles.

  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisoners in UK prisons under 35 years old have also served time in young offenders prison. [49970]

  Beverley Hughes
  No information is collected centrally on where people served previous sentences. Information relating to prisoners in Scotland and Northern
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  Ireland is the responsibility of the Scottish Executive and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young people sent to prison in 2001 aged under 18 were held more than(a) 50 miles from home and (b) 100 miles from home. [49983]

  Beverley Hughes
  In 2001 8,900 under 18-year-olds were received into prison and young offender institutions. Of these: 3,500 were held over 50 miles, but less than 100 miles from their home area; and 700 were held over 100 miles from their home area.

  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons do not allow lay prison visitors access; and if he will make a statement. [49978]

  Beverley Hughes
  Admission to a Prison Service establishment is at the discretion of the governor of the prison concerned. Prison Service policy guidelines stipulate that, where appropriate, governors should operate an official prison visiting scheme, but information regarding which establishments operate such a scheme is not held centrally.

  Probation Officers
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation officers there have been in(a) Lancashire and (b) the north-west, in each year since 1997. [50636]

  Beverley Hughes
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Probation officers in post by area1

  December

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  Cheshire

  96

  106

  114

  104

  122

  Cumbria

  65

  62

  69

  71

  68

  Greater Manchester

  488

  472

  487

  492

  469

  Lancashire

  219

  215

  244

  252

  271

  Merseyside

  276

  278

  286

  291

  285

  North-west region

  1,144

  1,133

  1,200

  1,210

  1,215

  1 Whole-time equivalent. Includes senior probation officers, senior practitioners, temporary and trainee officers.

  Vehicle Clamping
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what controls exist to regulate the maximum amount that can be charged by private individuals and companies in respect of fines applied(a) for vehicles clamped on private property and (b) for the daily holding of those vehicles. [50002]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 19 April 2002, Official Report, column 1254W.

  Northallerton Remand Centre
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when an announcement will be made on the long-term future of Northallerton Remand Centre. [50690]
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  Beverley Hughes
  Subject to population pressures and any unforeseen changes in the composition of the general prison population, the long-term objective for Northallerton Remand Centre and Young Offender Institution is for it to hold short-term sentenced adult prisoners.

  Human Rights Act
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for reviewing the compatibility of the Official Secrets Acts with the Human Rights Act 1998; and if he will make a statement. [50918]

  Mr. Blunkett
  Reviewing legislation in the light of Human Rights Act is a continuous process. In its judgment of 21 March 2002 in the case of R v Shayler, the House of Lords held that sections 1(1) and 4(1) and (3) of the Official Secret Act 1989 are compatible with Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

  Halliday Report
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's response to the Halliday report on sentencing. [49939]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  Responses to the public consultation exercise on John Halliday's report, "Making Punishments Work", were published on 4 February 2002. The Government are currently considering the recommendations in the light of those responses; its position on the report will be included in a White Paper which will be published this year.

  Detention and Training Orders
  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detention and training orders were imposed in each month in 2001, broken down by age and length of order. [49969]

  Beverley Hughes
  Detailed statistics on court proceedings and sentencing for 2001 is not yet available. The annual command paper, "Criminal statistics, England and Wales 2001", will be published by December 2002.

  Wildlife Crime
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to issue guidance to magistrates dealing with wildlife crime; and if he will make a statement. [51268]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The Government are currently looking at the scope for a new set of sentencing guidelines under the auspices of a statutory body. The aim would be to build up a set of guidelines that would eventually embrace all types of offending, including wildlife offences, which would be easily accessible and command the respect of the judiciary, practitioners and the wider public. They will also help the courts in achieving greater consistency in sentencing thereby increasing public confidence in the criminal justice system.

  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to increase the maximum sentence for illegal dealing in wildlife; and if he will make a statement. [51381]
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  Mr. Keith Bradley
  There are currently no plans to increase the maximum sentence for illegal dealing in wildlife. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) are, however, about to begin reviewing the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 (COTES). This will consider whether the maximum penalties for wildlife trade offences remain appropriate.

  Endangered Species
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what penalties exist for(a) buying and (b) selling (i) ivory and (ii) tiger products. [51242]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The buying and selling of ivory and tiger products is an offence under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 (COTES). The maximum penalty on summary conviction is a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (£5,000) and/or three months imprisonment. The maximum penalty on conviction on indictment is a fine and/or two years imprisonment.

  Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information has been supplied by British security services to(a) the Indonesian Government, (b) the Australian Government, (c) the New Zealand Government and (d) the Portuguese Government concerning the deaths of Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters. [51246]

  Mr. Blunkett
  It has been the long-standing policy of successive Governments not to comment on operational activity of the Security Service and this principle applies in this instance.

  Coroners (North-East)
  Vera Baird
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time has been between deaths and inquests in Cleveland in the last 12 months; what assessment he has made of the reasons for unusual delays; and what the average time was in the other coroners' areas in the north-east. [51211]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 19 April 2002]: I understand from figures supplied by the Teesside coroner that the average time between a reported death and an inquest in his district in 2001 was about 34 weeks. Calculated on the same basis, the national average is about 18 and a half weeks, with a similar average time interval in the north-east.

  Many variable factors affect the timing of an inquest. The Teesside coroner attributes delays in his area to a lack of coroners' officers. Additional officers have recently been supplied by the Cleveland police.

  Court Duty
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the number of occasions police were dismissed from court duty on the day of a hearing in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what proposals he has to reduce this. [43693]
  330W
  Mr. Keith Bradley
  [holding answer 15 March 2002]: Figures are not available. However, central guidance was issued to all criminal justice areas in 2001 asking that courts list cases with due consideration to police officers' availability. The police and Crown Prosecution Service are also working with others in the criminal justice system to ensure that cases are prepared, and witnesses appropriately called, to enable cases to proceed as smoothly as possible when they reach court.

  Parole
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) to what extent a prisoner's insistence of innocence is taken into account when deciding whether to grant parole; [48651]

  (2) on how many occasions he has rejected the advice given by the Parole Board to grant parole to a prisoner who has maintained his innocence since 1995. [48652]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: Denial of guilt is not of itself a bar to the release of prisoners from custody. The assessment of the prisoner's current level of risk is the pre-eminent factor in determining whether he/she may be granted parole. Although denial makes it harder to conduct a risk assessment, it should still be possible to make one, taking into account, among other things, the prisoner's attitudes and behaviour during sentence. The Prison Service has to assume that the prisoner was rightly convicted. Prisoners who maintain their innocence are advised to contact the independent Criminal Cases Review Commission who are responsible for investigating alleged miscarriages of justice.

  Information on the reasons why a Parole Board recommendation has been rejected by the Secretary of State is not collated centrally and would incur disproportionate cost. Since 1998, the Secretary of State has not rejected any recommendation for release on parole licence.

  Home Detention Curfew
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners eligible for Home Detention Curfew are in prison; and if he will list the reasons for this. [48657]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: During March 2002 the number of prisoners eligible for consideration under the Home Detention Curfew scheme (HDC) was 5,033, of whom 1,433 were released under the scheme. Therefore, 3,600 remained in custody. There are a number of reasons why those prisoners were not released on curfew:
  1. about one fifth of prisoners 'opt out' of the scheme and choose not to be considered for HDC for personal reasons;
  2. on examination of prisoners' files it may have been found that they were statutorily excluded from HDC because they were prisoners who have been previously returned to prison under section 40/116 of the Criminal Justice Act/Powers of Criminal Courts (sentencing) Act 2000;
  3. they may not have had suitable accommodation arranged on their release. This includes accommodation where it is not possible to install the monitoring equipment due to insurmountable technical difficulties;

  331W
  4. a small number of prisoners serving very short sentences may not have been released due to the lack of time to process their case; and
  5. the prisoner may not have passed the risk assessment for release on HDC carried out by prison and probation staff.

  Prison Service Colleges
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recruited prison officers have been trained by the Prison Service colleges during the last 12 months. [51143]

  Beverley Hughes
  In total, 598 prison officers started the prison officer entry-level training course during 2001–02. This figure includes the 363 new entrants to the Prison Service during 2001–02, some new entrants recruited before 1 April 2001, and some existing staff, mainly from the operational support grade, who were regraded as officers.

  Prison Officers
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is being taken to provide housing accommodation for prison officers working at London prisons. [50879]

  Beverley Hughes
  The Prison Service is working with Bush Housing Association Limited to identify what resources can be used to help staff in areas with high housing costs. It is also considering ways in which it can work with other public services to achieve this.

  In January 2002 the Prison Service increased the rates of local pay allowance for staff working in London and the home counties. Staff at inner London prisons now receive £3,500 and those at Belmarsh and Latchmere House prisons receive £2,300.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many trained prison officers have resigned from the prison service in each of the last three years. [50880]

  Beverley Hughes
  The information is contained in the table. Only staff who were in post for more than 12 months have been included. The figures include all prison officer grades—officers, senior officers and principal officers.

  Prison officer grade resignations

  1999–2000

  183

  2000–01

  295

  2001–02

  506

  Prison Service
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) governing governors and (b) governor grades of prison establishments in England and Wales are from an ethnic minority group; [50632]

  (2) what proportion of staff in the Prison Service are from an ethnic minority group. [50631]
  332W
  Beverley Hughes
  As at 31 March 2002 in publicly managed prison establishments, one governing governor and 21 out of 920 senior operational managers, formerly known as governor grades, were recorded as being from minority ethnic groups. 58 staff have declined to state their ethnicity and data are unavailable on a further three. In privately managed prison establishments no directors, and two out of 85 senior operational staff, were recorded as being from minority ethnic groups.

  Race Equality Employment Target is one of the Prison Service's key performance indicators and targets for 2001–02. The target proportion of staff from a minority ethnic group to be achieved in publicly managed prison establishments by April 2002 is 4.1 per cent. The service is updating its personnel records with the introduction of the 2001 census of new ethnicity classifications. Provisional figures at the end of March 2002 suggest that the proportion of staff from a minority ethnic group is 4.9 per cent. In privately managed prison establishments the proportion of staff from a minority ethnic group is 2.8 per cent.

  Life Prisoners
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many life prisoners have served their sentences but are yet to be released. [48648]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: Life sentence prisoners are required to serve a minimum period in custody to satisfy the requirements of retribution and deterrence; this is known as the tariff. After the tariff period has been served a life sentence prisoner may be considered for release on life licence but release will only be allowed if the prisoner is judged no longer to be a risk to the public. Prisoners released on life licence are liable to be recalled for the rest of their lives.

  On 31 March 2002, a total of 5,060 life sentence prisoners were held in custody. Of these, approximately 1,500 had reached or exceeded their tariff expiry date.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many lifers who maintain their innocence are denied access to education facilities. [48656]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: I would not expect any prisoner serving a life sentence to be denied access to education facilities or the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge because they maintain their innocence.

  If my hon. Friend has a particular case which he would like to write to me about, I will ensure that it is followed up.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what statistics are kept on the number of life prisoners yet to be released who are claiming they are innocent of the crime for which they have been imprisoned; [48649]

  (2) how many life prisoners who (a) maintain their innocence and (b) who admit their guilt have been granted parole on their first hearing in each year since 1995; [48653]

  (3) what the average number of prison moves has been for (a) a lifer and (b) a lifer who maintains his innocence in the last five years. [48655]
  333W
  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: This information is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost. New guidance for prison and probation staff on how to handle the cases of life sentence prisoners who deny their guilt was recently issued in a revised version of Chapter 7 of the "Lifer Manual (Prison Service Order 4700)". I have arranged for a copy of this to be placed in the Library.

TREASURY

  Fraud (Oil)
  Mrs. Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a summary of responses to the consultations, and a regulatory impact assessment, in relation to the measures announced in the Budget to tackle oil fraud. [52555]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Government have today published a paper summarising responses to the consultations and setting out the regulatory impact assessment in relation to these measures. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses, alongside copies of responses to the consultations.

  Green Fuel Challenge
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the second round of bids for the Green Fuel Challenge announced in the Budget will be launched; and if he will make a statement. [52395]

  Mr. Boateng
  I am today launching the second round of the Green Fuel Challenge pilot project exercise, inviting bids for pilots involving practical alternative transport fuels. I have arranged for the detailed criteria and guidance to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Customs and Excise
  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average number of stop checks made, per day, by Her Majesty's Customs officers, to search for illegal imports at(a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick, (c) Stansted and (d) Luton airports was in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [51772]

  Mr. Boateng
  It is not Custom's Law Enforcement policy to disclose information on levels of Customs checks at specific locations.

  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many kilograms of illegal meat products have been found as a result of stop checks by Her Majesty's Customs officers at(a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick, (c) Stansted and (d) Luton airports in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [51773]

  Mr. Boateng
  Central records of Customs seizures of meat and meat products are available only from 2000. Records for calendar years 2000 and 2001 are as follows:

  Kgs

  2000

  2001 1

  Heathrow

  1,590

  5,462

  Gatwick

  347

  2,070

  Stansted

  2

  67

  334W

  Kgs

  2000

  2001 1

  Luton

  0

  101

  1 In 2001 in addition to the weights shown there were also a total of 60 seizures (Heathrow 49, Gatwick 17, Stansted two, Luton one) where the quantity was not recorded by weight.

  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is done with illegal meat products once they have been confiscated by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise officers; and if he will make a statement. [51770]

  Mr. Boateng
  Meat and meat products seized by Customs are disposed of through arrangements made by the local or port health authority.

  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average number of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise officers working, per day, at(a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick, (c) Stansted and (d) Luton airports was in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [51769]

  Mr. Boateng
  It is not Customs Law Enforcement policy to disclose information on operational deployments of staff at specific locations.

  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to place amnesty bins at airport departure and arrivals halls to give passengers an opportunity to dump illegal meat products prior to going through the Customs check point; and if he will make a statement. [51774]

  Mr. Boateng
  The question of amnesty bins at airport departure and arrival halls raises issues of security, health and safety. My officials are working with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), who lead the overall programme on illegal meat imports, on measures to deal with illicit meat inadvertently imported by passengers.

  Contraband
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of lorries and containers were randomly searched by Customs for contraband such as beer in 2001; and what assessment he has made of the outcome of those searches. [50044]

  Mr. Boateng
  Customs selections of freight for examination are made on the basis of intelligence—using either regularly updated profiles or specific (target-related) information. Where a freight scanner is based at the port concerned, consignments are scanned before a physical examination is considered.

  Customs do not make random selections of freight for scanning or physical examination.

  Correspondence
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter of 10 July 2001 from the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald, concerning a constituent and the effect of VAT on domestic heating oil bills. [51524]

  Mr. Boateng
  I replied to the right hon. Lady on 5 September 2001.

  Business Taxation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reductions in taxation on business there have been since 1997. [51484]

  Dawn Primarolo
  All changes to the tax system are included in the relevant Financial Statement and Budget report, which is available in the Library of the House.

  Budget 2002 takes further steps to build a corporate tax regime which recognises the realities of the modern business environment and competes with the best in the world. Reductions in business tax include cutting the main rate of corporation tax from 33 per cent. to 30 per cent., the introduction of a 10 per cent. starting rate, which has now been cut to zero, and the introduction of an R&D tax credit.

  Climate Change Levy
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the climate change levy brings to the Exchequer; and who is exempt from the levy. [49681]

  Mr. Boateng
  A forecast of revenue from the climate change levy in 2001–02 and 2002–03 was published in the pre-Budget report in November 2001. A new forecast was published in the Financial Statement and Budget report on 17 April.

  The climate change levy is designed to encourage the non-domestic sector to become more energy efficient. Full details of the exemptions are available in the Library and on Customs and Excise's website at http:// www.hmce.gov.uk. In addition partial exemption is given to businesses who enter into negotiated energy efficient climate change agreements with the Government.

  Following Budget 2002 the Government are exempting two further sources of energy generation from the CCL in view of their environmental benefits:
  electricity from combined heat and power (CHP) plants sold via licensed electricity suppliers; and
  electricity from coal mine methane (CMM) sold via licensed electricity suppliers.

  Road User Charge
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the consultation on the proposed road user charge for lorries will(a) start and (b) finish. [52366]

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when the further details of the lorry road user charges referred to on page 135 of Budget 2002 will be published; from where these details will be available; and what further process of consultation he intends to undertake; [52387]

  (2) if he will list the reasons why the lorry road user charge referred to on page 135 of Budget 2002 is aimed to he introduced in 2005 or 2006; and if he will make a statement. [52379]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Government are today publishing a document on their proposals for the lorry road user charge, 'Modernising the taxation of the haulage industry—progress report one'. Copies of this document have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses today.
  336W
  The document outlines why the Government have chosen to introduce a distance based rather than time based lorry road user charge, some preliminary thoughts about the nature of the charge and the key next steps. It follows a period of consultation, involving the haulage industry, other business groups and environmental organisations, based on the Government's consultation document, 'Modernising the taxation of the haulage industry—a consultation document', published in November 2001. The Government will continue to ensure that stakeholders are involved in the development of the lorry road user charge.

  Tax Credits
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase the take-up of working families tax credit; and if he will make a statement about take-up targets and measures for the proposed(a) integrated child credit and (b) working tax credit. [48641]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 15 April 2002]: The number of working families with children benefiting from WFTC continues to increase. At November 2001 nearly 1.3 million families with children were benefiting from the working families' tax credit, over 450,000 more families than benefited from family credit at its peak. The child tax credit and working tax credit will be introduced from April 2003 and around six million families are expected to benefit from one or both of the new tax credits.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the rate of take-up for each of the tax credits available in(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02; and if he will estimate the (i) numbers and (ii) values of unclaimed tax credits. [52128]

  Dawn Primarolo
  No reliable estimate of the take-up of the working families tax credit can be attempted until the Family Resources Survey for 2001–02 is analysed.

  The children's tax credit (CTC) started in 2001–02. Many claims for the 2001–02 CTC will be made after the end of that year, including via self-assessment, and so no estimate of the take-up rate is available.

  Benefit Take-up
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the case load and take-up estimates and assumptions referred to in footnotes 2, 3 and 4 of Table 4.4 on page 79 of the Budget Red Book. [51721]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Column 2 of Table 4.4 of the Budget 2002 report is based on the levels of housing benefit and council tax benefit take-up in 1997–98, which came from an analysis of the 1 per cent. sample of the Housing Benefit Management Information System, and on actual case load numbers for those receiving family credit in 1997–98.

  Columns 3 and 4 of this table are based on the levels of housing benefit and council tax benefit take-up in 1999–2000 and on projected case load numbers for those receiving working families tax credit or disabled persons tax credit in 2002–03 and new tax credits in 2003–04, respectively.

  North Sea Oil Projects
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the oil industry about the taxation of North sea oil projects. [52364]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Ministers and civil servants have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals as part of the process of policy development and analysis. As with previous Administrations it is not this Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and Guidance for Civil Servants: Contacts with Lobbyists.

  Tax Concessions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has assessed on the impact of tax concessions to non-domiciled British residents on the level of(a) inward investment and (b) employment in the United Kingdom; and if he will place copies of the research findings in the Library. [52233]

  Dawn Primarolo
  We announced on 17 April as part of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement that we are reviewing the residence and domicile rules as they affect tax liabilities of individuals. I refer to Chapter 5 of the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report 2002, paragraph 5.83.

  Company Vans
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken by the Treasury to review the tax treatment of the private use of vans provided by employers; and if he will make a statement. [52390]

  Mr. Boateng
  As announced in the Budget, the Government will review the tax treatment of the private use of vans provided by employers. The review will take into account environmental benefits, fairness and modern working practices.

  Education Resources (Coalfield Areas)
  Adam Price
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he plans to increase financial resources available for education in the coalfields in the local authority finance review. [51556]

  Mr. Timms
  I have been asked to reply.

  As part of the review of local authority finance we are working up proposals for a reformed system of LEA funding for introduction in 2003–04. Our aim is to create a fairer formula that reflects fairly, on the basis of up-to-date evidence, the needs of authorities in different parts of the country.

  Railtrack
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice his Department has received from potential bidders for Railtrack about the amount of time likely to be required to end the administration. [49956]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Member to my answer given to him on 22 April 2002, Official Report, column 52W.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Compensation Recovery Unit
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will list for each financial year since April 1998 the amount of money recouped by the Compensation Recovery Unit; [44989]

  (2) if he will list for each financial year since April 1998 the number of claims notified to the Compensation Recovery Unit; [44990]

  (3) what estimates he has of the benefits likely to be recouped by the Compensation Recovery Unit for each of the next five financial years; [44991]

  (4) how much has been recouped by the Compensation Recovery Unit in each financial year since April 1998; [52129]

  (5) how many claims have been notified to the Compensation Recovery Unit in each financial year since April 1998; [52130]

  (6) if he will estimate how much will be recouped by the Compensation Recovery Unit in each of the next three financial years. [52131]

  Maria Eagle
  [holding answer 21 March 2002]: The available information is in the tables.

  Money recovered and claims notified to the compensation recovery unit

  Financial year

  Amount recovered (£)

  Claims notified to the compensation recovery unit

  1998–99

  201,468,600.60

  572,847

  1999–2000

  227,783,938.13

  660,686

  2000–01

  273,394,645.64

  612,120

  2001–02

  237,391,302.16

  688,691

  Notes:

  1. The amounts include national health service charges recovered on behalf of the Department of Health.

  2. Recoveries made in a given financial year may not relate directly to claims notified during the same period because of time lapses in settling claims.

  Source:

  Figures are taken from the Compensation Recovery Unit's Management Information Statistics.

  Forecast compensation recoveries

  year

  Estimate of benefit recovered (£ millions)

  2002–03

  265

  2003–04

  275

  340W
  Notes:

  1. The figures are consistent with the expenditure totals for social security published in the pre-Budget report, September 2001 which published figures up to 2003–04. Expenditure figures for years up to 2005–06 will be available at the conclusion of the spending review in the summer of 2002.

  2. Figures are rounded to the nearest £5 million.

  3. The forecast amounts refer only to recoveries of social security benefits and do not include recoveries of national health service charges.

  Source:

  DWP Analytical Directorate.

  Single Room Rent
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what information he collates on shortfalls for claimants whose rent is higher than local reference rent or single room rent; [41485]

  (2) to what extent rent officers have increased the level of the single room rent by district since July 2001; [41484]

  (3) how many localities there have been since 1997 in local reference rent terms, broken down by (a) region, (b) district and (c) constituency; [41486]

  (4) what research he has commissioned to evaluate the easing of single room rent restrictions; and how he is monitoring its impact. [41490]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The Department plans to commission a project to examine the effect of the changes to the single room rent regulations later this year. This will be a joint study with the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions. We expect to begin work on the specification for the study in the early summer.

  In addition, we are gathering information on the single room rent as part of a wider project examining the options for simplification of housing benefit in the private rent sector. The results of this project are expected to be available during the summer.

  Information on the extent to which rent officers have increased the level of the single room rent by district is not available. However, recent research by the Rent Service shows that the average single room rent for England increased from £52.87 per week to £54.18 per week between July 2001 and March 2002. Equivalent figures for Wales show an increase from £35.66 to £37.98 and for Scotland, from £40.94 to £42.18.

  Information on shortfalls where a person's rent is higher than the local reference rent or single room rent is not available.

  Localities are influenced by residential property markets which are fluid and can change rapidly in different parts of the country at different times. Information is not, therefore, collected centrally on the number of localities.

  Child Support
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when his Department will introduce the new child support system for(a) new and (b) existing cases. [51289]
  341W
  Malcolm Wicks
  I refer my hon. Friend to the Statement made to this House by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 20 March 2002,Official Report, columns 315–16.

  Minimum Income
  Andy King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will require his Department to amend its standard answer to letters inquiring about the Government's attitude to the introduction of minimum income standards in the UK. [20608]

  Mr. McCartney
  We treat each letter individually and answer as we feel is most appropriate.

  Delegated Legislation
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the New Deal (Lone Parents) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50755]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security Amendment (Students and Income-Related Benefits) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50747]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Disability Discrimination (Providers of Services) (Adjustment of Premises) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50739]

  (4) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Welfare Reform and Pensions (Persons Abroad: Benefits for Widows and Widowers) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50759]

  (5) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security (Loss of Benefit) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50751]

  (6) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security Amendment (Capital Disregards) (No. 2) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50743]

  (7) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Children (Leaving Care) Social Security Benefits Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50735]

  (8) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security (Incapacity) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50731]

  (9) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Income-Recorded Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (Electoral Changes) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50761]

  (10) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security Fraud 2001 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50745]
  342W
  (11) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security Fraud Act 2001 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50737]

  (12) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (Commencement No. 12) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50716]

  (13) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Income Support (General) (Standard Interest Rate Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50757]

  (14) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50749]

  (15) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Income Support (General) and Jobseeker's Allowance Amendment Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50741]

  (16) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Amendment Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50733]

  (17) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security (Medical Evidence) and Statutory Maternity Pay (Medical Evidence) (Amendment) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50762]

  (18) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Occupational Pensions (Revaluation) Order 2001: and if he will make a statement; [50754]

  (19) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Discretionary Housing Payments (Grants) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50746]

  (20) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security (Notification of Change of Circumstances) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50738]

  (21) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Employment Zones (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50760]

  (22) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security Amendment (Residential Care and Nursing Homes) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50752]

  (23) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50744]

  (24) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50748]
  343W
  (25) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 (Commencement No. 10) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50758]

  (26) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security Act 1998 (Commencement No. 13) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50750]

  (27) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Amendment) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50742]

  (28) what assessment he has made of the cost -effectiveness of the Social Security Amendment (Volunteers) Regulation 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50730]

  (29) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Fund Cold Weather Payments (General) Amendment Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50740]

  (30) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security Amendment (Personal Allowances for Children and Young Persons) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50732]

  (31) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 (Commencement No. 9) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50729]

  (32) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security (Jobcentre Plus Interviews) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50736]

  (33) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Income Support (General) (Standard Interest Rate Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement; [50753]

  (34) what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Social Security (Literacy etc. Skills Training Pilot) Regulations 2001; and if he will make a statement. [50756]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  We keep these matters under review, but we are satisfied that they are cost-effective.

  Backdated Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many men aged between 60 and 65 years were eligible to claim backdated winter fuel payments by the deadline of 30 March 2001 for backdated applications. [51609]

  Mr. McCartney
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: There are no time limits for claims which cover the past years 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000 and successful claims continue to be paid. 30 March 2001 was the deadline for winter 2000–01 claims only.

  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of those eligible men aged 60 to 65 years made a successful claim for backdated winter fuel payments in the last three years. [51608]
  344W
  Mr. McCartney
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: The information is not available in the format requested. There are no time limits for claims covering the winters 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000 and, to date, over 1 million payments have been issued in respect of one or more of these years. It is up to the individual to choose whether to claim.

  Disability Discrimination Act
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions who has responsibility for(a) enforcing regulations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1999 and (b) ensuring that pubs are aware of their duties under it. [51174]

  Maria Eagle
  [holding answer 19 April 2002]: The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) has responsibility for enforcement action by means of a formal investigation where it has reason to believe that a person has committed or is committing an unlawful act under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act DDA, and any regulations made under it. It can also help individual disabled people secure their rights by, in some circumstances, providing legal assistance. The DRC also has responsibilities to provide information and advice to service providers, including pubs, about their obligations under the DDA and guidance on good practice. It prepares statutory codes of practice, runs a Helpline and undertakes general awareness raising initiatives. These activities complement the media campaigns run by the Government to raise awareness of the DDA.

  Hospitalisation (Benefit Downrating)
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many carers have lost their invalid care allowance because the adult they care for has lost their disability living allowance or attendance allowance as a consequence of hospitalisation; [51569]

  (2) how many parents caring for a disabled child have lost their invalid care allowance because their child has lost disability living allowance as a consequence of hospitalisation. [51568]

  Maria Eagle
  The information requested is not available. Data collected on the reason for termination of Invalid Care Allowance entitlement does not distinguish between loss of Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance for hospitalisation and for other reasons.

  Pensions
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if old-age pensions are paid by bank transfer in advance or in arrears; and what estimate he has made of the extra cost that would be incurred in beginning pensionable benefits on the relevant birthday rather than on the subsequent payday. [50676]

  Mr. McCartney
  People who opt to have their retirement pension paid into their bank account are normally paid four weeks in arrears. From 2003, payment directly into bank accounts will become the normal method of paying benefits and pensions. We will be enhancing our computer systems to make payments of retirement pension available in advance and on a weekly basis.
  345W
  If payment were made for part weeks at the start of a claim only, and there was no recovery of overpaid benefit at the end of a claim, we estimate that this would incur a cost of up to £20 million per annum.

  Smart Card Technology
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the use of smart card technology in his Department and in the areas for which it is responsible; and what discussions he has had with private companies about the use of smart card technology within his Department. [50481]

  Mr. McCartney
  [holding answer 16 April 2002]: Smart card technology is currently being used within the Department for Work and Pensions for security and access control as part of a project to modernise the Department's IT infrastructure. The project is currently part way through implementation, and all offices should be on stream by the end of 2002. Competitive tenders were sought for the supply of the Smart Card technology. Schlumberger, GemPlus and Giesecke and Devrient submitted proposals and the contract was awarded to GemPlus.

  The Department continues to monitor developments in Smart Card technology and will consider it as appropriate for business needs in the future.

  Fit for Work Scheme
  Miss Begg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he plans to(a) re-introduce the Fit for Work scheme operated by the Department for Employment and (b) establish an alternative scheme to recognise companies who make life better for disabled people. [48756]

  Maria Eagle
  Although the Fit for Work scheme was initially successful, it gradually became less effective at promoting employers' awareness of disabled people's potential in the workforce and was ended in 1991.

  There are no plans to reintroduce the scheme as it has been replaced by the two ticks disability symbol initiative which was launched in 1990 to foster employers' commitment to good practice in employing disabled people. This scheme is administered by the Jobcentre Plus Disability Service, which maintains a database of employers using the symbol, who currently number around 5,000. The Disability Service updates the database with information from Disability Employment Advisers and compiles the National List of Disability Symbol Users, which gives details of all symbol users and the town or city in which they are located. All symbol users have signed a declaration agreeing that this information can be included on the list. Copies of the list are available to members of the public from their local Disability Employment Adviser.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the cost was to his Department of answering written parliamentary questions in 2001; and how that cost was calculated; [49096]

  (2) how many staff were involved in each of the last three years in preparing draft answers to written parliamentary questions. [49138]
  346W
  Mr. McCartney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons gave on 17 April 2002,Official Report, column 929W.

  Overtime Payments
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on overtime payments for staff in his Department. [49126]

  Mr. McCartney
  Staff who work excess hours are compensated for the excess hours of duty by either time off in lieu or paid overtime. Management decide which method of compensation is appropriate.

  Housing Benefit
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 12 March 2002,Official Report, column 957W, on housing benefit, what information his Department holds on the numbers of housing benefit claimants who have had their entitlement restricted as a result of (a) local reference rent determinations and (b) single room rent determinations. [45834]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The number of housing benefit recipients nationally who have had their entitlement restricted as a result of local reference rent (LRR) determinations and single room rent (SRR) determinations is collected in both the annual 1 per cent. sample and the quarterly 100 per cent. case load counts. This information is published in the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Annual Summary Statistics and the Quarterly Summary Statistics, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many special advisers there were in his Department; and what their salaries were in each of the last five years. [46945]

  Mr. McCartney
  [holding answer 9 April 2002]: At 9 April 2002 three special advisers were in post in the Department. On special adviser salaries I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 11W.

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Bacon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the handling of the claim by Mr. Douglas Gowan, a constituent, for disability living allowance by his Department's Disability Benefits Centre in Wembley; and what internal inquiries have been made into his case. [46411]

  Maria Eagle
  [holding answer 26 March 2002]: I have written privately to the hon. Member.

  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families are in receipt of disabled children premium for two or more children in(a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland; and in how many families an enhanced disability premium is in payment for one or more of the children. [47985]

  Maria Eagle
  The information is not available.
  347W
  Social Security matters in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people who will be affected by the changes to the eligibility criteria for the payment of the lower rate mobility component of disability living allowance, as laid down in S.I., 2002, No. 648; and if he will make a statement. [48911]

  Maria Eagle
  The provisions of S.I. 2002 No. 648 (The Social Security (Disability Living Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations 2002) now form part of the qualifying conditions for the lower rate mobility component of disability living allowance. They potentially affect any claims for the component which are based on fear or anxiety experienced when walking out of doors without guidance or supervision from another person on unfamiliar routes. About 200 people who are known to have qualified for the component as a result of the Tribunal of Social Security Commissioners decision R(D)4/2001, which gave rise to the need for the regulations, may well be affected, but this will depend on the individual circumstances of each claim. As explained in Command Paper 5469 published at the same time as the Regulations, longer-term estimates of people affected can only he made in very general terms.

  Asylum Seekers
  Sir Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the additional funding required for social services if an asylum seekers centre were to be established at Throckmorton airfield. [48724]

  Mr. Hutton
  I have been asked to reply.

  Proposals for trial accommodation centres for asylum seekers include primary health care facilities on site, to be funded by the Home Office. As yet, no assessment has been made in respect of any additional health or social care needs. The Department and the Home Office are working closely on these matters.

HEALTH

  Telecommunications Masts
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library all guidance sent to local authorities in respect of the Stewart report recommendations on a cautionary approach to planning and adoption of ICNIRP guidelines. [51606]

  Ms Keeble
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: I have been asked to reply.

  On 22 August 2001 we significantly strengthened the planning arrangements for telecommunications development and introduced two sets of regulations and a revised Planning Policy Guidance Note 8, 'Telecommunications' (PPG8).

  The revised PPG8 takes account of the conclusions of the Stewart report and provides advice about taking account of health considerations in making planning
  348W
  decisions about telecommunications development. Copies were placed in the House Libraries at the time of its publication.

  Health Checks (Over-75s)
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of over-75s have undergone health checks in each year since their introduction. [42088]

  Jacqui Smith
  This information is not held centrally. General practitioners who work under the national framework for general medical services are required to offer an annual health check to each of their patients who is aged at least 75. The requirement on general practitioners working under the locally managed framework of personal medical services is more flexible. In neither case, however, are data on patient take-up collected.

  Edgware Hospital
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of waiting times at Edgware UTC walk-in centre; and if he will make a statement. [45822]

  Mr. Hutton
  Waiting time data for walk-in centres is collected through the NHS Clinical Assessment System.

  Work is currently under way to pilot a new reporting system. Data on waiting times at Edgware walk-in centre, and other walk-in centres across the country, will be available shortly.

  Hospital Security
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent(a) in 1996–97, (b) in 1997–98, (c) in 1998–99, (d) in 1999–2000, (e) in 2000–01 and (f) in 2001–02 to the present date on hospital security, broken down by regional health authority. [46289]

  Ms Blears
  Regional health authorities were replaced by regional offices of the NHS executive in April 1996 with the reorganisation of the NHS.

  Collection and analysis of the data on hospital security costs began in 2000, when NHS Estates took over responsibility for facilities management services. Data for the two years available is as follows, broken down by regional offices of the Department of Health:

  Region

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  Northern and Yorkshire

  5,245,462

  5,177,717

  Trent

  2,690,584

  5,704,167

  West Midlands

  2,826,861

  2,485,001

  North West

  5,189,960

  5,767,996

  Eastern

  2,290,679

  1,165,665

  London

  11,855,540

  10,362,916

  South East

  5,797,606

  5,047,260

  South West

  1,814,340

  2,004,762

  Doctors' Premises
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many family doctors' premises have had completed refurbishments since the publication of the NHS National Plan. [47017]
  349W
  Mr. Hutton
  The latest information as at 31 December 2001 indicates that 640 general practitioner premises have been refurbished with a further 276 new or replaced.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for linear accelerators for the Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative. [49513]

  Ms Blears
  The business case justifying the individual schemes estimating the net savings in present value terms (ie all future costs and benefits discounted to their present values) compared with publicly funding the scheme is shown in the table.

  Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust

  Net present costs of PSC v. PFI option

  PFI (£000)

  4,500

  Public (£000)

  5,100

  Savings in net present value terms (£000)

  600

  Percentage difference

  13.3

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the residences for Poole Hospital NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative. [49508]

  Ms Blears
  The business case justifying the individual schemes estimating the net savings in present value terms (ie all future costs and benefits discounted to their present values) compared with publicly funding the scheme is shown in the table.

  Poole Hospitals NHS Trust

  Net present costs of PSC v. PFI option

  PFI (£000)

  1,577

  Public (£000)

  1,761

  Savings in net present value terms (£000)

  184

  Percentage difference

  11.6

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Patient Administration System for Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative. [49546]

  Ms Blears
  The business case justifying the individual schemes estimating the net savings in present value terms (ie all future costs and benefits discounted to their present values) compared with publicly funding the scheme is shown in the table.

  Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust

  Net present costs of PSC v. PFI option

  PFI (£000)

  2,900

  Public (£000)

  3,400

  Savings in net present value terms (£000)

  500

  350W

  Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust

  Net present costs of PSC v. PFI option

  Percentage difference

  17.2

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit for the North Bristol NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative. [49520]

  Ms Blears
  The business case justifying the individual schemes estimating the net savings in present value terms (ie all future costs and benefits discounted to their present values) compared with publicly funding the scheme is shown in the table.

  North Bristol NHS Trust Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit

  Net present costs of PSC v. PFI option

  PFI (£000)

  94

  Public (£000)

  232

  Savings in net present value terms (£000)

  138

  Percentage difference

  147

  Mental Health
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the standard of care provided by clinics offering electric shock therapy for mental illness; what arrangements are in place to monitor and inspect these clinics and this practice; and if he will make a statement. [48867]

  Jacqui Smith
  Health professionals and mental health services managers are expected to ensure that electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) is administered to patients in accordance with the guidance issued by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

  In September 1998, the Chief Medical Officer and the President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists wrote to the chief executives of national health service trusts, consultant psychiatrists indicating the need to consider and improve standards of ECT administration in relation to ongoing developments in clinical governance.

  The college has a special committee on ECT and in 1995 it published detailed guidance entitled, "The ECT Handbook—The Second Report of the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Special Committee on ECT". This is an important source of practical guidance for health professionals, mental health services managers and patients and includes sections on clinical guidelines; the use and administration of ECT; anaesthesia in ECT; the staffing and layout of ECT suites; matters relating to the law and consent. The appendices include, for example, nursing guidelines in relation to ECT and check lists for good practice in the provision of ECT services. The college is aware of the need to update this guidance and hopes to publish a revised handbook by the end of this year.

  The college has established plans to set up an ECT accreditation service and is initially planning to conduct some pilot visits. Currently the college undertakes regular

  351W
  accreditation visits for senior house officer (SHO) training schemes and ECT services are examined to some extent (because some SHOs seeking accreditation may administer ECT). The college's visiting accreditation teams reserve the right not to accredit that part of a particular training scheme if, for example, there is inadequate training and supervision of SHOs.

  The Mental Health Act Commission (MHAC) was set up to help safeguard the interests of all people detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. As part of its work in visiting detained patients MHAC commissioners routinely check on standards of ECT administration.

  As part of its ongoing programme of clinical governance reviews the Commission for Health Improvement carries out observations on services provided in hospitals of which ECT is a key area.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of current mental health promotion and early intervention services for children and adolescents. [47436]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: The promotion of children's mental health and the prevention of mental ill-health in childhood are central to many Government programmes.

  Average daily number of available and occupied beds in mental illness—short stay/secure wards, London regional office area, 2000–01, 1996–97 and 1991–92

  Mental illness

  Children1

  Elderly1

  Secure unit2

  Other ages1

  Total acute mental illness beds

  2000–01

  Available beds

  76

  1,045

  565

  3,198

  4,884

  Occupied beds

  57

  906

  525

  3,103

  4,591

  Percentage occupancy

  76.1

  86.7

  93.0

  97.0

  94.0

  1996–97

  Available beds

  50

  1,030

  458

  3,006

  4,544

  Occupied beds

  35

  882

  431

  2,835

  4,183

  Percentage occupancy

  69.6

  85.7

  94.2

  94.3

  92.1

  1991–92

  Available beds

  78

  837

  150

  3,068

  4,133

  1 Short stay

  2 Other ages

  Note:

  Percentages may not match exactly due to rounding

  Source:

  KH03—Bed availability and occupancy

  We are improving and modernising community mental health services to relieve the pressure on in-patient beds. The NHS Plan contained a commitment to create 335 crisis resolution teams, 50 early intervention teams and a further 50 assertive outreach teams by 2004, so that patients can benefit from these alternatives to in-patient care.

  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the people detained at 31 March 2001 under the Mental Health Act 1983 in private nursing homes were funded by the national health service. [49774]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Department does not collect information on how patients, detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 in private nursing homes, are funded.
  352W
  The mental health national service framework has set mental health promotion as its first standard. The Department's mental health project team has recently published an "update" on this standard in which examples of good practice in the promotion of mental health of children and young people at school are described.

  The team is also involved in work to promote children's mental health within early years and school settings, including collaboration with the Department for Education and Skills on further initiatives to help schools promote mental health.

  To assist future policy development the Department commissioned a research project on the provision of children's mental health care within primary care. A report of the project has been received and arrangements for publication are being made by the research team.

  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute psychiatric beds there(a) were in London in (i) 1992 and (ii) 1997 and (b) are; and what the occupancy rate mental health wards in the capital (1) were in (X) 1992 and (Y) 1997 and (2) are. [48863]

  Jacqui Smith
  Information on beds in wards designated as mental illness short stay/secure is given in the table.

  NHS (Adverse Incidents)
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the system piloted for reporting, analysing and learning from adverse incidents in the NHS. [49775]

  Ms Blears
  The piloting phase of the national system for reporting, analysing and learning from adverse incidents, which is being run by the National Patient Safety Agency, concluded at the end of March 2002. An evaluation report of the pilots was presented to the National Patient Safety Agency Board at its public meeting on 10 April, and a report on the implementation programme across the wider national health service will be presented to the Board meeting in May 2002.
  353W
  Copies of the pilot evaluation report as contained in the Board meeting papers of 10 April will be placed in the Library. The report will also be available on the National Patient Safety Agency website at: www.npsa.org.uk.

  Drugs Expenditure
  Dr. Evan Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total drugs bill was in cash terms for the(a) hospital and community health service and (b) family health service for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [48921]

  Ms Blears
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Total NHS spending on drugs (England only)

  £ million

  Year

  Family health services (FHS)

  Cash out-turn Hospital and community health services (HCHS)

  Total

  1991–92

  2,317

  591

  2,908

  1992–93

  2,641

  643

  3,284

  1993–94

  2,951

  710

  3,661

  1994–95

  3,230

  764

  3,994

  1995–96

  3,498

  874

  4,372

  1996–97

  3,774

  961

  4,735

  1997–98

  4,085

  1,088

  5,173

  1998–99

  4,339

  1,211

  5,550

  1999–2000

  4,833

  1,369

  6,202

  2000–01

  5,161

  1,530

  6,691

  Note:

  The figures for FHS cash out-turn are net of pharmaceutical price regulation scheme (PPRS) receipts.

  Dental Amalgam
  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what precautions his Department recommends in order to protect dentists and their employees from exposure to mercury during the placement or removal of dental amalgam fillings. [48834]

  Ms Blears
  Dentists are required to work within health and safety legislation and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations regarding all aspects of their practice, including the handling of mercury and dental amalgam. The British Dental Association also issues guidance on this topic.

  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require dentists to advise patients of the potential toxicity of dental amalgam. [48833]

  Ms Blears
  The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) reviewed the safety of dental amalgam fillings in 1997 and concluded that their use was free from systemic toxicity and did not pose a risk. As a precautionary measure, COT advised dentists that it may be prudent to avoid, where clinically reasonable, the placement or removal of amalgam fillings during pregnancy. This guidance to dentists remains current.

  Dental Services
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government's target figure is for the number of(a) GPs and (b) NHS dentists per thousand population; and what the number for the Bolton, South-East parliamentary constituency is. [50594]

  Jacqui Smith
  There is no Government target for the number of general practitioners (GPs) per thousand population. The number of GPs per thousand at 30 September 2001 is shown in the table for England and also for Wigan and Bolton health authority. Information is not available by constituency.

  The GP work force envelope for Greater Manchester strategic health authority, which includes Bolton South East primary care group, is an increase of 180 GPs between 1999 and 2004.

  The target is a floor not a ceiling. The guidance on filling GP vacancy issued on 13 March 2002 stated new PCTs below the existing average of 53.2 GPs per 100,000, like Bolton South East, should look to increase GP numbers by at least 6 per cent. or to at least the projected average of 55.7 GPs per 100,000. This would mean Bolton South East should look to recruit at least three and up to 20 GPs by 2004.

  There is no Government target for the number of NHS dentists per thousand population. The number of NHS dentists per thousand population at 30 September 2001 is shown in the table for England and also for Wigan and Bolton health authority area. Information is not available by constituency.

  The data includes dentists working in the General Dental Service (GDS), Personal Dental Service (PDS), Community and Hospital Dental Service (CHDS) and salaried dentists in the GDS. Dentists working solely in private dentistry are not covered in these figures.

  All practitioners1 per 1,000 population; England and Wigan and Bolton health authority as at 30 September 2001

  headcount

  England

  Wigan and Bolton

  All practitioners1

  31,835

  308

  of which:

  NHS Plan GPs2

  28,802

  293

  of which:

  Unrestricted principals and equivalents (UPEs)

  27,843

  282

  Population

  50,186,985

  577,707

  Practitioners per 1,000 population

  0.63

  0.53

  NHS Plan GPs per 1,000 population

  0.57

  0.51

  UPEs per 1,000 population

  0.55

  0.49

  1 All practitioners comprises: (GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs collectively known as UPEs) Restricted Principals; Assistants; GP Registrars; Salaried Doctors (paragraph 52 SFA), PMS, Other and GP Retainers.

  2 NHS Plan GPs are defined as Total Practitioners excluding GP Registrars and GP Retainers.

  Source:

  Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

  Population date: ONS (1998 based) projected population estimates.
  355W

  Number of NHS dentists1,2 per 1,000 population3; England and Wigan and Bolton health authority at 30 September 2001

  headcount

  England

  Wigan and Bolton

  Number of dentists1

  22,439

  210

  Number of dentists1,2 per 1,000 population3

  0.45

  0.36

  1 Includes dentists working in the general dental service, personal dental service, community and hospital dental services and salaried dentists in the GDS.

  2 Some dentists work in more than one dental service. Dentists will be counted in each service apart from dentists working in both the PDS and GDS.

  3 ONS 2000 mid-year population estimates based on the 1991 census.

  Dental Records
  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what appraisal his Department has made of the efficiency of the dental records system; and what plans there are to improve it. [50638]

  Ms Blears
  All dental practitioners have an ethical and professional responsibility to keep comprehensive, accurate and up to date dental records for their patients. While the Department provides appropriate record cards for use by dental practitioners, it does not dictate the format in which dentists should keep their records. This is a matter for the individuals concerned.

  Where claims are made for payment under national health service arrangements, the Dental Practice Board carries out random checks to monitor and follow up as appropriate, the accuracy of individual claims and records

  The Department is committed to working with the profession and other stakeholders to improve the system and reduce bureaucracy wherever possible.

  Child Tooth Decay
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts/groups have met the national target for tooth decay in children. [50605]

  Ms Blears
  There are two national targets for tooth decay in children aged five years.

  (a) A reduction in the average number of decayed, missing or filled teeth (dmft) to 1.0 teeth by the year 2003.

  (b) An increase in the proportion of children with no caries experience to 70 per cent. by the year 2003.

  The British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry carries out a survey on dental caries experience of five-year-old children every two years. The latest survey is for 1999–2000.

  The health authorities in England who have met either or both of the national targets for the year 2003 by 1999–2000 is shown in the table.

  Information is not available by primary care trust or primary care groups.
  356W

  Health authorities already meeting tooth decay targets for 2003 by 1999–2000

  Health authority

  Target 1 Average number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (dmft more than 1.0)

  Target 2 Percentage of children with no caries experience

  Solihull

  0.58

  77.2

  Dudley

  0.59

  78.3

  Kingston and Richmond

  0.66

  78.8

  Warwickshire

  0.70

  74.0

  Worcestershire

  0.71

  76.4

  South Staffordshire

  0.72

  73.6

  Lincolnshire

  0.74

  75.2

  West Kent

  0.78

  70.5

  Bromley

  0.78

  75.5

  Walsall

  0.81

  72.5

  North and Mid Hampshire

  0.83

  74.6

  North Essex

  0.84

  72.5

  Suffolk

  0.87

  71.4

  Sandwell1

  0.89

  66.0

  Croydon

  0.90

  72.3

  East Surrey

  0.91

  71.5

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove

  0.91

  74.1

  Buckinghamshire

  0.92

  73.9

  South Essex

  0.92

  71.1

  Dorset

  0.95

  72.4

  Birmingham1

  0.97

  68.4

  Coventry1

  0.97

  68.7

  East Kent

  0.98

  71.8

  1 Health authority has met target 1 but not met target 2.

  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are to combat child tooth decay in the West Hull Primary Care Trust area. [50606]

  Jacqui Smith
  Starting from May 2002, every baby in the East Riding and Hull area will receive a baby dental pack at their seven to nine month health assessment. Two "Sure Start" pilots in the West Hull area will also benefit from the brushing for life scheme. This Government initiative aims to improve oral health of children under five years. Free toothbrushes and toothpaste will be given to children at their eight month and 18 month general health development check.

  Asylum Accommodation Centre (Throckmorton)
  Sir Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the additional funding required for health services if an asylum seekers centre were to be established at Throckmorton airfield. [48726]

  Mr. Hutton
  Proposals for trial accommodation centres for asylum seekers include primary health care facilities on site, to be funded by the Home Office. As yet, no assessment has been made in respect of any additional health or social care needs. The Department and the Home Office are working closely on these matters.

  Epilepsy
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what surgical treatment is made available to epilepsy sufferers in(a) the New Forest, (b) Southampton and South West Hampshire and (c) Dorset; and if he will make a statement. [48738]

  Jacqui Smith
  Information on the location of local services is not collected centrally.
  357W
  In February 2001 the Government announced a national service framework for long-term health conditions. The framework will ensure health and social services work together in all parts of the country to provide the right level of care and treatment for people with long-term health conditions such as epilepsy. The framework is due to be implemented from 2005. In the interim, the Government have asked the Modernisation Agency to advise on the redesign of the pattern of care for people with epilepsy.

  Prazosin
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the availability of Prazosin through pharmacies. [49323]

  Ms Blears
  We have not received any representations on the availability of Prazosin through pharmacies. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) has drawn up a list of therapeutic categories of medicines which might be possible candidates for pharmacy availability. This list includes Prazosin, particularly for use in benign prostatic hyperplasia, following initial doctor diagnosis. Any application for pharmacy availability of Prazosin would be assessed by the Medicines Control Agency, expert committee advice would be sought, followed by a period of public consultation before a decision was made.

  Hearing Impairment
  Jon Trickett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation he has made of the pilot programmes for the modernisation of the hearing-impaired service utilising digital hearing aids; and what plans he has to(a) continue with the pilots and (b) roll out the programme throughout the NHS. [49726]

  Jacqui Smith
  The pilots are being evaluated by the Institute of Hearing Research, who will complete their evaluation in December 2002. The existing pilot sites are continuing to participate and I announced on 10 April 2002,Official Report, columns 465W-66W, the names of those sites who would be joining the project in the financial year 2002–03.

  We are now in the process of identifying further sites to receive training and equipment to enable them to join the project after April 2003. The Royal National Institute for Deaf People will be contacting all those sites not yet involved in the project and encouraging those with an interest to have discussions with their health community and put forward a bid.

  Jon Trickett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health trusts have announced an intention to withdraw from the pilot programme for hearing-impaired patients, citing funding uncertainty; and what his assessment is of the abortive expenditure incurred. [49731]

  Jacqui Smith
  No trusts have announced any intention to withdraw from the modernised hearing aid services project.

  Carers
  Vernon Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the number of carers; and if he will make a statement; [49919]
  358W
  (2) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of support available to carers; and if he will make a statement; [49920]

  (3) what recent assessment he has made of the number of children acting as carers; and if he will make a statement; [49917]

  (4) what support is available to young people acting as carers; and if he will make a statement. [49918]

  Jacqui Smith
  The most recent estimates currently available of the number of carers, including young carers, are contained in the report on Informal Carers by the Office for National Statistics published in 1995. A copy of the report is available in the Library. Further data were collected in the 2000 General Household Survey whose results are currently being collated by ONS. I understand that their report is likely to be available shortly. A question to aid the identification of carers was included in the 2001 census.

  Under section 17 of the Children Act social services departments can provide support and advice to young carers. We have prioritised services for young carers through the £885 million Quality Protects programme and the National Strategy for Carers.

  The carers grant is £85 million this year and it will increase to £100 million in 2003–04 to ensure that more carers are able to receive breaks. We are consulting with external stakeholders on the Carers and Disabled Children (Vouchers) Regulations to be implemented this year. This will give local authorities power to issue vouchers for short term breaks. We are also revising the Hospital Discharge Workbook which gives guidance to the national health service, social services and other agencies on hospital discharge procedures. Improvements in GP computer systems completed at the end of March 2002 means that all GPs are able to record as part of patient record details whether a person is a carer. They are encouraged to do so in order to facilitate the process of sign-posting carers to relevant services. My hon. Friend may also find it useful to note the information about the support available to carers that I referred to in the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) on 9 July 2001, Official Report, columns 342–44W.

  Photodynamic Therapy
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he plans to meet patient representatives of senior ophthalmologists to discuss the implications of preliminary NICE guidance on the use of photodynamic therapy to treat age-related macular degeneration; [49937]

  (2) what guidance he intends to issue to health authorities regarding patients currently being treated on the NHS with photodynamic therapy; and if he will make a statement; [49936]

  (3) what assessment his Department has made of the preliminary NICE guidance on the use of photodynamic therapy to detect age-related macular degeneration, and if he will make a statement. [49935]

  Ms Blears
  The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently conducting an appraisal of photodynamic therapy for age-related macular degeneration.
  359W
  NICE have published for consultation the initial thoughts of the independent appraisal committee. This consultation document is available on the NICE website (www.nice.org.uk) and provides organisations representing patients, professions and manufacturers with the opportunity to comment. The closing date for comments is 30 April 2002.

  As it is possible that the document issued for consultation may change, it would be inappropriate for the Department to comment until their final guidance has been published. Guidance will be issued to the national health service when NICE have concluded their appraisal.

  In the meantime, we have asked NHS bodies to continue with local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies where guidance from NICE is not available at the time the technology first became available. These arrangements should involve an assessment of all relevant factors including the available evidence on effect.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people living in the Greater London area are on hospital waiting lists. [50590]

  Mr. Hutton
  The latest published waiting list figures for London residents are as follows:

  In-patients (February 2002): 139,424

  Out-patients waiting 13 weeks or more (December 2001): 61,826.

  Hospital Waiting Times
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting 13 weeks or more for an out-patient appointment in Hull and the East Riding in each of the last three quarters. [50613]

  Jacqui Smith
  At the end of the third quarter of 2001–02, there were 4,275 East Riding and Hull residents with a general practitioner written referral who had not yet been seen for a first out-patient appointment, and who had waited 13 weeks or over. The corresponding figures for the end of the second quarter of 2001–02 and the end of the first quarter of 2001–02 are 4,579 and 4,355 respectively.

  Fluoride
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are to fluoridate drinking water in(a) the East Riding of Yorkshire and (b) Hull. [50608]

  Jacqui Smith
  There are no plans to fluoridate drinking water in the East Riding of Yorkshire and Hull.

  Ambulance Services
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the average time is for an ambulance to reach an emergency after the initial 999 call is made in the East Riding of Yorkshire over the last available period; [50621]

  (2) on how many occasions ambulances have been called to an emergency in the East Riding of Yorkshire since 1 January 2001. [50620]
  360W
  Jacqui Smith
  Information about emergency calls to the ambulance service is not available specifically for the East Riding of Yorkshire. Information about the number of emergency calls and the proportion of emergency calls resulting in an ambulance arriving at the scene of the reported incident within the Government's target response times for Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, is contained in the Department of Health Statistical Bulletin, Ambulance Services, England 2000–01.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for further reviews of ambulance services in the South East. [51989]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: None. As announced on 15 January 2002, strategic health authorities, together with their primary care trusts, will review the position of their local ambulance services and will make recommendations to the director of health and social care in the south, by September 2002.

  Cancer
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of lung cancer were initially misdiagnosed in Hull and the East Riding since 1 January 2000. [50615]

  Jacqui Smith
  The information requested is not collected centrally or locally.

  NHS Direct
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what call statistics have been collated for the east riding NHS Direct call centre in Willerby for the last 12 months. [50603]

  Jacqui Smith
  In the last 12 months (April 2001 to March 2002), NHS Direct Tees, east and north Yorkshire has handled 217,500 calls. For the corresponding time period in the previous 12 months (April 2000 to March 2001), NHS Direct Tees, east and north Yorkshire handled 54,000 calls. This represents a 301 per cent. increase in call volumes.

  Accident and Emergency Services
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients were seen by a doctor or consultant within one hour of their arrival at accident and emergency in Hull and the east riding in(a) 2002 to the latest available date and (b) each of the last three years. [50611]

  Jacqui Smith
  Between 2 May 2001 and 31 March 2002, there were 86,924 new attendances recorded in the accident and emergency department of Hull Royal infirmary. Included in this figure are 4,044 records where waiting time information is not available. Of the remainder, 356,259 (42 per cent.) were seen by a doctor within an hour of arrival.

  Prior to May 2001, the accident and emergency department of Hull Royal infirmary relied upon a basic information system that did not calculate the waiting times in the form requested.

  Doctors
  Mr. Ruffley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average number of doctors is per 100 beds in NHS hospitals in England and Wales. [50586]

  Mr. Hutton
  The figures in the table are for the year 2000. This is the latest year for which the beds data are available.

  Average number of hospital medical staff per 100 beds in England, as at 30 September 2000

  Numbers

  Staff

  65,370

  Average daily available beds 2000–01

  186,090

  Doctors per 100 beds1

  35.1

  1 Calculation based on unrounded figures

  Sources:

  Department of Health medical and dental work force census; Department of Health form KHO3

  The number of hospital medical staff increased by 9 per cent. between 1997 and 2000 and by a further 3.8 per cent. between 2000 and 2001.

  Heroin
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the cost effectiveness of the drug naltrexone as a means of rehabilitating heroin addicts. [50628]

  Ms Blears
  No assessment has been made of the cost effectiveness of naltrexone in the rehabilitation of heroin addicts. Any potential future analysis would be carried out by the National Treatment Agency (NTA). This would most likely be made in consultation with the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). Naltrexone (as described in the British National Formulary) is given as an 'adjunct' to prevent relapse so that cost-effectiveness would need to address the context of use. In general terms there is little evidence on how long naltrexone should be used to remain effective in rehabilitation so adequate data on cost-effectiveness for this indication is unlikely to be available at present.

  National Security
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will implement a transparent process for the tender of supplies required for national security. [50895]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Government have decided that details of its medical countermeasures for response to any possible biological or chemical attack, and any tendering process for these, should not be put in the public domain, as this is information that could be useful to terrorists.

  The tender for the supply of medical countermeasures, including vaccination, for response to any possible biological attack, fall outside the usual open competitive tendering process. There are specific exemptions from the usual process allowed for on the grounds of protection of the interests of national security.

  There are no plans to change this approach.

  South-eastern Ambulance Services
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many executives and managers have left each of the south eastern ambulance services in(a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000 and (d) 2001. [50707]

  Ms Blears
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Surrey Ambulance Service
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he plans to make an announcement on the future of Surrey Ambulance Service. [50704]

  Ms Blears
  No.

  Children (Leaving Care)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 (Commencement No. 2 and Consequential Provisions) Order 2001; and if he will make a statement. [50734]

  Jacqui Smith
  Costs associated with regulatory proposals are considered at the policy development stage. A regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is completed for regulatory proposals unless there are no or negligible costs, and sets out the impact, in terms of costs, benefits and risks of the proposed regulation which could affect businesses, charities or the voluntary sector. RIAs are available from the Library.

  We have yet to have a full year's operation of the Children (Leaving Care) Act, as it was introduced in October 2001. In addition, we have commissioned an evaluation on costs and outcomes for care leavers from the University of York, which will report early in 2004.

  Miss P. Brown
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter dated 5 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Miss P. Brown. [51424]

  Mr. Hutton
  A reply was sent on 23 April.

  Pneumococcal Disease
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on the trials on the vaccine's suitability for the immunisation of all children under 2 against pneumococcal disease will be available. [51926]

  Yvette Cooper
  Trials to investigate how pneumococcal conjugate vaccines could be incorporated into the UK infant immunisation schedule are in progress and will be completed late this year. These studies are assessing the compatibility of giving pneumococcal conjugate vaccines at the same time as other paediatric vaccines, including meningococcal C conjugate vaccine, and whether three doses in infancy plus a booster is necessary.

  Studies to document the full burden of morbidity attributable to pneumococcal disease in UK children are also in progress together with cost effectiveness analyses.
  363W
  The studies will then be reviewed by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) which will make recommendations to the Government based on its conclusions.

  Folic Acid
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on folic acid dietary supplementation. [42165]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 11 March 2002]: The Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy issued advice on folic acid in relation to the prevention of neural tube defects in 1992.

  Women who are trying to conceive or who are likely to become pregnant, are advised to take a daily 400 micrograms supplement of folic acid until the twelfth week of pregnancy. In addition, all women who may become pregnant are advised to increase their daily intake of folic acid by eating more folate-rich foods and foods fortified with folic acid—especially breads and breakfast cereals.

  To prevent the recurrence of a neural tube defect, folic acid supplements at a daily dose of five milligrams (5000 micrograms) are advised and this can be reduced to four milligrams, if this dose becomes available.

  Primary Care Centres
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many one stop primary care centres there are in England. [46201]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 25 March 2002]: Data on the creation of primary care one stop centres have been collected since the publication of the NHS Plan.

  As at 31 December, 68 one stop centres were in place in England. It is expected that this will increase to 102 by 31 March 2002.

  Care Homes
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which care homes in the East Riding of Yorkshire do not comply with the new National Care Standards Regulations. [50617]

  Jacqui Smith
  The degree to which individual care homes conform to the national standards cannot be quantified in detail at the moment. It is for the National Care Standards Commission to decide in the particular circumstances of each individual home whether the home conforms to the standards necessary to meet the assessed needs of its residents.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people likely to require(a) residential care and (b) nursing care in a nursing home in (i) 2005, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2015 and (iv) 2020. [50692]

  Jacqui Smith
  The personal social services research unit (PSSRU) at the London School of Economics was commissioned by the Department to make projections of 364W
  future demand for residential and nursing home care for older people. The latest PSSRU projections are:

  Residential care

  Nursing home care

  2000

  240,000

  135,000

  2005

  245,000

  138,300

  2010

  256,400

  145,000

  2020

  292,300

  167,600

  These projections take account of demographic pressures but assume no change in patterns of care. The pressures may change as a result of government policies. The PSSRU model does not currently make projections for 2015.

  Further information on these projections and the model on which they are based can be found in the recent report by the PSSRU on "Demand for Long Term Care for Older People in England", published in Health Statistics Quarterly 12, winter 2001, a copy of which is in the Library.

  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by local authority the cost of administering the registration of care homes in the last 12 months. [41374]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 11 March 2002]: Details of the costs of administering the registration of care homes are not available centrally. The table shows gross expenditure by each local authority in England, on all registration and inspection activity (including expenditure on the regulatory function for children under eight, which has now transferred to Ofsted) for 2000–01, which is the latest financial year for which data are available.

  £000

  Local authority

  Gross expenditure1

  Barking and Dagenham

  212

  Barnet

  568

  Barnsley

  0

  Bath and north-east Somerset UA

  380

  Bedfordshire

  889

  Bexley

  382

  Birmingham

  785

  Blackburn with Darwen UA

  278

  Blackpool UA

  401

  Bolton

  323

  Bournemouth UA

  261

  Bracknell Forest UA

  77

  Bradford

  623

  Brent

  360

  Brighton and Hove UA

  359

  Bristol UA

  729

  Bromley

  827

  Buckinghamshire

  382

  Bury

  348

  Calderdale

  240

  Cambridgeshire

  245

  Camden

  603

  Cheshire

  1,143

  City of London

  0

  Cornwall

  417

  Coventry

  719

  Croydon

  656

  Cumbria

  975

  Darlington UA

  112

  Derby UA

  362

  Derbyshire

  898

  Devon

  1,405

  365W

  £000

  Local authority

  Gross expenditure1

  Doncaster

  229

  Dorset

  645

  Dudley

  444

  Durham

  771

  Ealing

  279

  East Riding of Yorkshire UA

  314

  East Sussex

  1,189

  Enfield

  659

  Essex

  1,754

  Gateshead

  457

  Gloucestershire

  365

  Greenwich

  630

  Hackney

  481

  Halton UA

  235

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  515

  Hampshire

  1,995

  Haringey

  535

  Harrow

  468

  Hartlepool UA

  118

  Havering

  455

  Herefordshire UA

  237

  Hertfordshire

  857

  Hillingdon

  836

  Hounslow

  278

  Isle of Wight UA

  348

  Isles of Scilly

  2—

  Islington

  165

  Kensington and Chelsea

  134

  Kent

  2,433

  Kingston upon Hull UA

  330

  Kingston upon Thames

  492

  Kirklees

  271

  Knowsley

  187

  Lambeth

  562

  Lancashire

  2,375

  Leeds

  328

  Leicester UA

  633

  Leicestershire

  944

  Lewisham

  407

  Lincolnshire

  1,116

  Liverpool

  775

  Luton UA

  384

  Manchester

  548

  Medway Towns UA

  392

  Merton

  460

  Middlesbrough UA

  207

  Milton Keynes UA

  918

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  261

  Newham

  616

  Norfolk

  1,465

  North-east Lincolnshire UA

  158

  North Lincolnshire UA

  161

  North Somerset UA

  306

  North Tyneside

  489

  North Yorkshire

  573

  Northamptonshire

  1,181

  Northumberland

  654

  Nottingham UA

  246

  Nottinghamshire

  1,031

  Oldham

  420

  Oxfordshire

  793

  Peterborough UA

  79

  Plymouth UA

  411

  Poole UA

  48

  Portsmouth UA

  0

  Reading UA

  98

  Redbridge

  755

  Redcar and Cleveland UA

  23

  Richmond upon Thames

  288

  Rochdale

  549

  Rotherham

  214

  Rutland UA

  62

  366W

  £000

  Local authority

  Gross expenditure1

  Salford

  471

  Sandwell

  225

  Sefton

  695

  Sheffield

  484

  Shropshire

  456

  Slough UA

  41

  Solihull

  337

  Somerset

  0

  South Gloucestershire UA

  468

  South Tyneside

  381

  Southampton UA

  91

  Southend UA

  308

  Southwark

  545

  St. Helens

  238

  Staffordshire

  1,151

  Stockport

  118

  Stockton on Tees UA

  24

  Stoke on Trent UA

  342

  Suffolk

  1,069

  Sunderland

  397

  Surrey

  714

  Sutton

  436

  Swindon UA

  80

  Tameside

  379

  Telford and Wrekin UA

  240

  Thurrock UA

  98

  Torbay UA

  137

  Tower Hamlets

  417

  Trafford

  428

  Wakefield

  522

  Walsall

  279

  Waltham Forest

  432

  Wandsworth

  520

  Warrington UA

  215

  Warwickshire

  380

  West Berkshire UA

  128

  West Sussex

  1,482

  Westminster

  204

  Wigan

  189

  Wiltshire

  436

  Windsor and Maidenhead UA

  74

  Wirral

  800

  Wokingham UA

  81

  Wolverhampton

  157

  Worcestershire

  608

  York UA

  89

  England Total

  73,364

  1 Registration and inspection

  2 Data not available

  Source:

  Form PSS EX1

  Delayed Discharge
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds have been provided by his Department for(a) research into the extent of hospital delayed discharge resulting from elderly patients unable to be discharged because their home does not provide a warm and healthy living environment and (b) practical improvement programmes to ensure that elderly people discharged from hospital can return to a healthy and comfortable home. [45637]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 26 March 2002]: The Department is not funding any specific research of this nature.
  367W
  The Department has awarded a total of nearly £1 million over the three years 2001–02 to 2003–04 to Age Concern (England), Help the Aged, and the British Red Cross Society. This is being used to develop local intermediate care projects, which provide practical help through volunteers to ensure that older people's own homes are safe and comfortable, in order to prevent hospital admission or to facilitate discharge from hospital. The Home Office Active Community Unit has matched this funding.

  A number of Health Action Zones have funded systems to enable health professionals to refer patients suffering from the effects of cold housing, including patients to be discharged from hospital, for help with heating and insulation. In August 2001, the Department of Health funded publication by National Energy Action of "Affordable Warmth and Health Action Zones, a Good Practice Guide", which describes these projects.

  The Department funds the 'Keep Warm, Keep Well' campaign each winter. In the winter of 2001–02, this involved distribution of over 2.3 million leaflets, information packs for healthcare professionals, and a national telephone advice line to enable eligible older people and other groups to claim grants for insulation and heating and benefits.

  Performance Targets
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the PSA target for everyone with suspected cancer to be able to see a specialist within two weeks of his or her GP determining the need to do so was met by the required date of 2000. [47298]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: The two week outpatient waiting time standard was introduced for all urgent cases of suspected cancer during 2000. Central monitoring of performance against the standard began on the 1 January 2001. In the first quarter monitoring (January—March 2001) 93.5 per cent. of people urgently referred with suspected cancer were seen within two weeks. The latest data (October—December 2001) shows that 95.1 per cent. of people urgently referred with suspected cancer were seen within two weeks.

  User Consultation
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new steps her Department took in 2001–02 to consult the users of its services about their wishes and expectations; and if he will publish the findings. [47313]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Data to monitor the Public Service Agreement (PSA) target to reduce the death rate from cancer amongst people aged under 75 years are obtained from mortality data published by the Office for National Statistics. Data are for England.

  This PSA target is the target published in 2000 in the NHS Plan and previously in 1999 in the White Paper `Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation' for a 20 per cent. reduction against a baseline of the average age standardised mortality rate for the three years 1995–96–97.
  368W
  The trend data are as follows:

  Three-year average age standardized

  Period

  Mortality rate per 100,000 population

  1995–96–97

  139.72

  1996–97–98

  136.99

  1997–98–99

  133.43

  1998–99–2000

  130.86

  Sun Protection Creams
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures will be taken to promote the use of sun protection creams over the summer. [46755]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Information about the use of sun protection creams will be available from the normal routes as well as through NHS Direct. We launched on 14 March a new Department of Health website www.doh.gov.uk/sunsafe providing sun safety advice. We are also collaborating with other key stakeholders this year in ensuring that a range of sun safety advice is publicly available. For example, the Department-funded National Radiological Protection Board has recently launched the "Sunsense" posters describing the use of sunscreens.

  Experts recommend:

  Using a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more

  applying sunscreen wherever your skin is exposed to sunlight

  apply half an hour before exposure and re-apply every couple of hours

  if swimming or sweating, apply more often.

  Meningitis
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure people over the age of 55 are aware of the risks posed by meningitis. [47532]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: We have not made specific provision of information of meningitis for adults over the age of 55. Information is provided on meningitis in infants and children, students and adults less than 24 years.

  Information is also provided for adults and children travelling especially on the Hajj and other pilgrimages.

  Women's Organisations (Consultation)
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the women's organisations which were consulted over proposed legislation by his Department in(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 sessions; and if their responses have been published. [48013]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: The Department is committed to consultation with women's organisations on a wide range of issues, including those where legislation may result. However, this information is not collected centrally.

  NHS Contracts
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the contracts signed with non-NHS suppliers for the provision of health care services in(a) 2000 and (b) 2001. [50801]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The Department does not hold details of all contracts signed by national health service organisations with non-NHS suppliers for the provision of health care services. These contracts are local matters for primary care trusts and NHS trusts.

  NHS Consultants (Private Work)
  Dr. Richard Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the advantages of withdrawing from NHS consultants with whole time NHS contracts the option of undertaking limited amounts of private work under his review of the consultants' contract. [51266]

  Mr. Hutton
  We made clear in the NHS Plan that consideration had been given to buying out the bulk of private practice nationally. Analysis suggested this would probably cost at least £700 million and would be unlikely to work in practice. The Government therefore proposed that for an initial period, perhaps seven years, all newly appointed consultants would be restricted from undertaking similar work outside the NHS. After this

  Number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England for atypical antipsychotics, other antipsychotics and all antipsychotics, 2001

  Prescription items (thousand)

  Health authority in which item was dispenced

  Atypical antipsychotics

  Other antipsychotics

  All antipsychotics

  Avon

  35.2

  57.5

  92.7

  Barking and Havering

  13.6

  15.9

  29.5

  Barnet, Enfield and Haringey

  37.3

  36.4

  73.6

  Barnsley

  6.7

  14.4

  21.1

  Bedfordshire

  19.2

  22.7

  42.0

  Berkshire

  25.3

  32.6

  58.0

  Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich

  19.9

  24.9

  44.7

  Birmingham

  40.4

  63.9

  104.3

  Bradford

  19.6

  31.8

  51.4

  Brent and Harrow

  18.5

  18.1

  36.6

  Bromley

  2.1

  3.0

  5.1

  Buckinghamshire

  21.5

  27.2

  48.7

  Bury and Rochdale

  16.1

  34.6

  50.7

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  25.5

  32.3

  57.8

  Cambridgeshire

  24.8

  36.5

  61.3

  Camden and Islington

  16.1

  20.7

  36.8

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  14.7

  34.7

  49.4

  County Durham and Darlington

  21.1

  45.1

  66.2

  Coventry

  19.0

  15.4

  34.4

  Croydon

  15.8

  15.9

  31.7

  Doncaster

  6.8

  20.7

  27.6

  Dorset

  22.2

  42.2

  64.5

  Dudley

  6.8

  22.6

  29.4

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  24.7

  32.6

  57.3

  East Kent

  25.7

  32.8

  58.5

  East Lancashire

  21.7

  39.4

  61.1

  East London and the City

  26.0

  28.6

  54.6

  East Riding and Hull

  21.5

  36.4

  57.9

  East Surrey

  10.7

  19.8

  30.4

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove

  34.1

  49.1

  83.2

  Gateshead and South Tyneside

  13.7

  23.7

  37.4

  Gloucestershire

  14.6

  33.1

  47.8

  Herefordshire

  3.3

  10.9

  14.2

  Hertfordshire

  36.6

  40.4

  77.0

  Hillingdon

  6.1

  8.9

  15.1

  Isle of Wight Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  28.5

  39.9

  68.4

  370W
  initial period the right to undertake private practice would depend on fulfilling job plans and NHS service requirements. The concept of a maximum part-time contract would be abolished. The relationship between NHS work and private practice remains under discussion as part of the negotiations on a new consultant contract.

  "NHS Plan News"
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 11 March 2002,Official Report, column 847–48W, on "NHS Plan News", of the copies of "NHS Plan News" distributed, how many were returned for recycling. [47544]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 22 April 2002 at columns 108–09W.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) atypical and (b) traditional prescription items were dispensed in the community in England in 2001; and how many prescription items were dispensed in total, broken down by health authority. [50059]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 16 April 2002]: Information about the prescribing of antipsychotic medication is shown in the table.
  371W

  Number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England for atypical antipsychotics, other antipsychotics and all antipsychotics, 2001

  Prescription items (thousand)

  Health authority in which item was dispenced

  Atypical antipsychotics

  Other antipsychotics

  All antipsychotics

  Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster

  16.1

  11.4

  27.5

  Kingston and Richmond

  13.9

  11.6

  25.5

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  32.8

  31.9

  64.6

  Leeds

  36.2

  48.6

  84.8

  Leicestershire

  26.5

  48.3

  74.8

  Lincolnshire

  18.9

  45.6

  64.5

  Liverpool

  28.3

  35.9

  64.2

  Manchester

  28.0

  43.1

  71.1

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  26.1

  26.2

  52.3

  Morecambe Bay

  14.8

  25.5

  40.3

  Newcastle and North Tyneside

  34.6

  29.8

  64.4

  Norfolk

  26.8

  70.2

  97.1

  North and East Devon

  19.8

  30.0

  49.8

  North and Mid Hampshire

  21.5

  23.6

  45.1

  North Cheshire

  9.0

  27.2

  36.2

  North Cumbria

  14.1

  18.9

  33.0

  North Derbyshire

  9.2

  27.0

  36.2

  North Essex

  30.7

  44.5

  75.2

  North Nottinghamshire

  8.7

  24.3

  32.9

  North Staffordshire

  14.0

  30.5

  44.6

  North Yorkshire

  20.4

  40.8

  61.2

  Northamptonshire

  17.1

  31.9

  49.0

  Northumberland

  11.7

  17.1

  28.8

  Nottingham

  5.7

  38.8

  44.6

  North West Lancashire

  24.3

  36.3

  60.7

  Oxfordshire

  23.4

  21.4

  44.8

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  18.1

  17.2

  35.2

  Rotherham

  12.4

  24.4

  36.7

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  26.8

  30.5

  57.3

  Salford and Trafford

  21.9

  45.6

  67.5

  Sandwell

  6.9

  19.2

  26.1

  Sefton

  16.8

  25.7

  42.5

  Sheffield

  12.0

  34.6

  46.6

  Shropshire

  12.8

  24.8

  37.6

  Solihull

  6.1

  8.2

  14.3

  Somerset

  15.6

  22.9

  38.5

  South and West Devon

  28.2

  44.7

  73.0

  South Cheshire

  27.9

  37.8

  65.6

  South Essex

  23.5

  28.5

  52.0

  South Humber

  9.2

  22.9

  32.0

  South Lancashire

  11.8

  14.7

  26.5

  South Staffordshire

  16.8

  30.1

  46.9

  Southern Derbyshire

  11.6

  35.9

  47.5

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  18.8

  28.3

  47.1

  Stockport

  14.5

  34.0

  48.5

  Suffolk

  20.9

  39.5

  60.4

  Sunderland

  11.0

  12.9

  24.0

  Tees

  19.4

  38.4

  57.8

  Wakefield

  15.6

  20.7

  36.3

  Walsall

  8.8

  19.6

  28.4

  Warwickshire

  19.6

  25.1

  44.7

  West Kent

  34.1

  43.4

  77.6

  West Pennine

  15.5

  31.2

  46.7

  West Surrey

  19.7

  25.8

  45.5

  West Sussex

  25.6

  47.0

  72.6

  Wigan and Bolton

  26.5

  34.8

  61.3

  Wiltshire

  23.6

  30.1

  53.7

  Wirral

  20.6

  25.9

  46.5

  Wolverhampton

  7.5

  16.5

  24.0

  Worcestershire

  13.5

  29.8

  43.2

  England

  1,842.0

  2,876.0

  4,718.0

  Notes:

  1.The prescription information was obtained from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community, ie by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors.

  2. Antipsychotics are those drugs defined in the British National Formulary (BNF) paragraph 4.2.1, "Antipsychotic drugs". The atypical antipsychotics within BNF 4.2.1 are amisulpride, clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone and zotepine.
  372W

  Treatment Data
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health by which procedures he collects activity information disaggregated by(a) private hospitals, (b) private beds in NHS hospitals and (c) NHS hospitals. [50062]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 16 April 2002]: The Department collects hospital activity information by several mechanisms, including Hospital Episodes Statistics and the Service and Financial Framework Return.

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) provide information on in-patient care delivered by national health service hospitals in England and are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts. The HES database includes information about the treatment of private patients in NHS hospitals. Information from HES may be downloaded free of charge from www.doh.gov.uk/hes.

  The Service and Financial Framework Return (SaFFR) is the mechanism for monitoring the delivery of all NHS targets in the NHS Plan and the NHS Plan Implementation Programme. Data are collected quarterly from primary care trusts and include data on all NHS-funded activity, whether or not it takes place in NHS hospitals.

  Some elements within the SaFFR ask for information that distinguishes activity carried out within the NHS from activity commissioned from non-NHS organisations. However, no information is collected solely in relation to activity in private hospitals (as distinct from other independent provider organisations). The Department has also carried out a survey of NHS health authorities and trusts on the acute elective activity they commissioned from the independent sector last year, and will make available key results shortly.

  The Department does not collect information about activity in private hospitals for private patients.

  Wheelchairs
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he collates into delays in prescription of electrically powered indoor-outdoor wheelchairs; and what service standards are set centrally in this area. [48819]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: We do not collect details centrally, of the length of time it takes to receive an EPIOC (electrically powered indoor-outdoor) wheelchair once it is assessed to be appropriate.

  We do not set service standards centrally; these are a matter for local services.

  The Department is embarking on work, in partnership with the Modernisation Agency and Wheelchair Services themselves, aimed at improving services generally and spreading best practice across the country.

  Brain Injury
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence his Department collates on the cost-effectiveness of rehabilitation following(a) stroke and (b) head injury among persons of working age. [48811]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: We do not collate information centrally on the cost-effectiveness of rehabilitation following stroke or head injury among
  374W
  persons of working age. Getting people back to functional independence following an accident or illness however, is a priority for the national health service. This recovery process will include access to rehabilitation services.

  We are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Health and Safety Executive on job retention and rehabilitation pilots to test different health and employment strategies to help people with long term sickness or disability to remain in their jobs. They will start in late summer 2002 and run for two years. Job retention advisers will act early to assist those who have been forced to give up work through prolonged illness or disability to retain their skills and links with employers.

  NCSC Projects
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the(a) NCSC IS infrastructure, (b) NCSC Registration and Inspection Package, (c) NCSC Finance Package and (d) NCSC pay and personnel system have been completed on time; and what the final costs of each project are. [50070]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 17 April 2002]: The design and testing stages of the information systems infrastructure project completed on time. The roll out of the information systems infrastructure to each office has been under way since July 2001. A total of 69 offices have been fully rolled out with a further 11 due to complete by July. Final costs are not available, as the project has not completed but are not expected to exceed the £19.6 million budget for the project.

  The registration and inspection system project is expected to complete in June 2002 as scheduled. However the system is now available for initial processing of applications and the start of training. The final costs are not available as the project has not completed but are not expected to exceed the £4.5 million budget for the project.

  The finance information technology system was in place on 2 April 2002 as scheduled. Final cost for the project will be £1.4 million.

  The pay and personnel system is scheduled to be completed on time at a cost of £1.1 million.

  Acute Hospital Trusts
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers PCTs will have to determine service provision by acute hospital trusts. [50807]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: Primary care trusts (PCTs) have a legal duty to work in partnership to deliver the agreed objectives of a local health economy. With the shift in the balance of power to the frontline, PCTs (subject to legislation) will lead the development of a local health improvement and modernisation plan that will inform the development of local services. PCTs have a legal duty and freedom to secure the provision of locally relevant, high quality services for the populations they serve. By engaging front-line clinicians in decision making, PCTs will be in a position to ensure better informed commissioning agreements are reached with acute providers.

  Performance Measures
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the publicly available performance measures for(a) PCTs, (b) acute hospital trusts, (c) consultants and (d) departments within acute hospitals. [50793]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: In September 2001 for the first time, the Government published 'NHS Performance (`star') Ratings' for all acute trusts. The publication is available on the Department's website: http://www.doh.gov.uk/performanceratings. The ratings are formulated on the basis of performance over 2001–01 using a set of key targets supplemented by a balanced scorecard covering the areas of staff, clinical, and patient focus.

  In February this year, we published a third set of 'NHS Performance Indicators', and the first to include a full range of indicators for NHS hospital trusts. The publication is available on the Department's website: http://www.doh.gov.uk/nhsperformanceindicators/2002. The set of indicators chosen for publication was developed through a process of extensive public consultation that included the NHS and the Royal colleges.
  376W
  Our intention is for the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) to take over the publication of 'NHS Performance Indicators' and the 'NHS Performance Ratings', which for future will be brought together into one annual publication covering not just hospitals but all other types of NHS trust including primary care trusts.

  To date, we have not published information on the performance of individual departments within acute hospitals, or individual consultants.

  National Service Frameworks
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are to increase the number of national service frameworks. [50802]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The national service framework (NSF) programme currently includes frameworks for mental health (1999), coronary heart disease (2000), the national cancer plan (2000), older people (2001) and diabetes standards (2001). The diabetes NSF delivery strategy is due to be published in 2002 and work is in hand on NSFs for renal services, childrens' services and long term conditions. These frameworks amount to a significant programme of quality improvement across the national health service. We have no plans to amend the programme at present.

  Northern Ireland Courthouses: Guidance and Instructions in Ulster-Scots
  Northern Ireland Courthouses: Guidance and Instructions in Ulster-Scots
  Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill: Consultation
  Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill: Consultation
  Middle East
  Middle East
  Anglo Romanian Educational Trust: Schools Twinning Programme
  Anglo Romanian Educational Trust: Schools Twinning Programme
  Daw May Myint
  Daw May Myint
  Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference, 22 and 23 April
  Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference, 22 and 23 April
  Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001
  Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001
  Nuclear Weapons: Responsibility for movement in UK
  Nuclear Weapons: Responsibility for movement in UK
  Local Education Authorities: Absentee Rates
  Local Education Authorities: Absentee Rates
  Older People: Physical Activity
  Older People: Physical Activity
  Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Projected Consultant Shortage
  Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Projected Consultant Shortage
  Trade: Foot and Mouth Disease
  Trade: Foot and Mouth Disease
  Osborne House
  Osborne House
  Premium Bonds
  Premium Bonds
  Coal Mine Methane: Exemption from Climate Change Levy
  Coal Mine Methane: Exemption from Climate Change Levy
  Public Sector Working Days Lost
  Public Sector Working Days Lost