Written Answers of 30 April 2002

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Sentence Review
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Solicitor-General how many applications he has received in the last 12 months via(a) the CPS, (b) members of the public and (c) hon. Members for the review of unduly lenient sentences; and how many in each category have (i) been rejected as out of time, (ii) been reviewed resulting in referral to the CPS, (iii) been reviewed resulting in referral to the courts and (iv) resulted in increased sentences. [51992]

  The Solicitor-General
  The Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General have the power (under sections 35 and 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1998) to refer a sentence for certain categories of offences to the Court of Appeal for review, if it appears to be not merely lenient but unduly so.

  The law requires a reference to be lodged with the Court of Appeal within 28 days of the date of sentence. This period cannot be extended.

  During the last year (from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002) the Crown Prosecution Service sent 191 cases to the Law Officers for a review of the sentence as an unduly lenient sentence.

  In addition the Law Officers received similar applications in 17 cases from members of the public, and a further five cases from Members of Parliament. The Law Officers have also received three ULS referral cases from HM Customs and Excise.

  In all, during the relevant period, the Law Officers have received applications for a referral in 216 cases.

  Two (out of the 17) cases referred by members of the public were received beyond the 28-day time limit for referral and therefore could not be considered for a reference to the Court of Appeal.

  Of the 216 cases sent to the Law Officers, 110 were referred by the Law Officers to the Court of Appeal for a review of the sentence.

  According to our records, of these, to date, the Court of Appeal has heard 49 cases. Of the 49 cases heard, the results known to date indicate that the Court of Appeal granted leave in 45 cases and found the sentence to be unduly lenient in 44 cases. Despite concluding that a sentence is unduly lenient, the Court of Appeal can, in the circumstances of a particular case, apply its discretion and decide not to increase the sentence. In eight of the cases the Court of Appeal, applying its discretion decided not to increase the sentence. However it increased the sentence in 36 cases.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  Free School Meals
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will rank each constituency in England by the percentage of school children eligible for free school meals. [51288]

  John Healey
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Litigation
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many cases(a) her Department and (b) its agencies have defended in (i) industrial tribunals and (ii) the courts in each year since 1997; how many were concluded in their favour; and what the total cost to his Department of litigation was in each year. [41115]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Department for Education and Skills (DfES), and its predecessor the Department for Education and Employment and the Employment Service, defended the following Employment Tribunals in the years from 1997:

  Cases

  Concluded in Department's favour

  1997

  3

  2

  1998

  4

  4

  1999

  1

  1

  2000

  —

  —

  2001

  —

  —

  2002

  —

  —

  The total cost to the Department of defending Employment Tribunal cases each year is not available.

  The DfES has no agencies.

  Relocation
  Annabelle Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to relocate executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies under the remit of her Department to Scotland. [47949]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: This Department does not have any executive agencies. It has twelve non-executive non-departmental public bodies, one of which, the Student Loans Company, is located in Scotland. There are no plans to relocate any others.

  Individual Learning Accounts
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the ILA providers against whom complaints which remain unresolved were(a) received by Capita and (b) passed to her Department, showing the number of complaints. [49880]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 15 April 2002]: Capita notified the Department of some 8,600 complaints relating to non-compliance with the ILA programme rules and ILA accounts being accessed without the ILA account holder's consent. Following a data cleansing exercise some 1,400 complaints have been removed relating to complaints cleared, correction of duplicate complaints

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  received by, for example, telephone and letter and correction of other anomalies. The remaining 7,200 unresolved complaints relate to 658 registered learning providers. It is not possible to list the 656 Individual Learning Account (ILA) providers as this information is treated as commercially sensitive.

  The revised total complaints figure is some 17,100.

  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what responsibility her Department had to put the learndirect database into a form in which it could be used to accredit ILA providers; and when, and what, action has been taken to give effect to that responsibility. [49881]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 15 April 2002]: The learndirect database holds details of over 500,000 learning opportunities. The intention is to work towards a comprehensive coverage of all UK learning opportunities. To have their course included on the database providers simply apply via the learndirect website. There is no charge for this service. Inclusion on the database does not imply endorsement, quality assurance or accreditation of providers or their provision and there are no plans to change this approach.

  ILA providers were encouraged to list their courses on the learning opportunities website to ensure that Individual Learning Account holders could get information and advice about the learning that was available through learndirect. However, this did not constitute an ILA accreditation process. Full integration of the ILA and learndirect databases was not pursued because of the technical difficulties surrounding data incompatibility.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money was claimed in total for individual learning account payments of more than £200 in the period from September 2000 to 20 October 2000; how many claims for ILAs in that period were for amounts(a) less than £200, (b) in the range £201 to £500, (c) in the range £501 to £1,000 and (d) above £1,000; how many providers submitted individual claims for more than £1,000; and if she will make a statement. [51960]

  John Healey
  Between September 2000 and 20 October 2000, Individual Learning Account discounts totalling £18,389,766.66 were paid to learning providers who had claimed a discount of more than £200 for a single account holder. A further breakdown is provided that, in addition, includes the number of payments made to learning providers who had claimed a discount of less than £200 for a single account holder.

  Range

  Number of learning episodes

  Less than £200

  30,590

  £200 to £500

  1,390

  £501 to £1,000

  2,300

  More than £1,000

  6,558

  During the same period 164 learning providers submitted at least one claim of more than £1,000 for a single account holder.
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  Following 20 October 2000 a number of appeals made in relation to the introduction of the cap on the per cent. discount were upheld. As a result, a further £3,459,209 was paid to learning providers.

  Asylum Seekers (Education)
  Jonathan Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the availability of appropriate teaching staff in the proposed accommodation centres. [52101]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  No such assessment has yet been made as the sites of the proposed accommodation centres have not been decided by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

  Rural Bus Routes
  Mr. Liddell-Grainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will examine the case for subsidising councils to fund rural bus routes to schools and to help families furthest from schools. [50922]

  John Healey
  I am aware of the increasing costs for home to school transport faced by councils in rural areas. We are considering these costs in working up a new local education authority funding system which will be introduced in 2003–04.

  Pay Gap
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress the Government have made in closing the pay gap between teachers in schools and colleges. [51303]

  Mr. Timms
  Teachers in maintained schools are subject to national school teachers' pay and conditions. Further education sector colleges are run by independent corporations established under the Further Education and Higher Education Act 1992 and there is no national pay structure in place. Colleges are free to establish pay scales that meet their needs and can be agreed with their staff. This Government have acknowledged the historic funding gap between schools and FE and we have pledged to bring up levels of funding and ensure upward convergence over time. The Teaching Pay Initiative (TPI) budget is £311 million over the period 2001–04. This is to reward excellent teaching and is over and above any general pay rise. The additional investment we are making in the FE sector through normal core funding will also make an important contribution.

  Education Act
  Julie Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which children are excluded from the exercise of a local authority's functions under section 14 of the Education Act 1996. [51800]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: Section 14 of the Education Act 1996 (the 1996 Act) sets out the duty of the local education authority (LEA) to provide sufficient primary and secondary schools for its area. Schools must be sufficient in number, character and equipment to provide education for all pupils, suitable to their age, ability and aptitude and the different periods for which they may remain at school, including appropriate practical instruction and training.
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  Section 14 does not impose any duty in respect of children under five. It allows an LEA to provide education for people over compulsory school age and under 19, including those from other areas.

  In exercising its functions under section 14, an LEA must have regard to the need to provide primary and secondary education in different schools, the need to secure special educational provision for pupils with special educational needs, and the expediency of securing boarding provision where necessary.

  The duty is general and does not give rise to a specific duty for an individual child or for a class of children.

  None of the LEA's duties under the 1996 Act applies in respect of any person who is in custody because of a court order or an order of recall made by the Secretary of State.

  Further Education (Incomplete Courses)
  Mr. David
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of further education college students failed to complete their courses in the last two years. [52280]

  John Healey
  17 per cent. in both 1999–2000 and 1998–99.

  Students may take more than one qualification and complete a proportion of them, so the completion rate is calculated on the basis of qualifications. The figures relate to qualifications due for completion in these years in further education colleges in England.

  PFI/PPPs
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if she will make a statement on the criteria that were used to decide on the recent allocations of PFI/PPP to local authorities; [52325]

  (2) what bids were received from Gloucestershire local education authority for access to PFI/PPP funds in the recent round; and what discussions took place between her officials and local authority officers as a result, including debriefing on the bid. [52326]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: The Department issued guidance to all local education authorities on 31 July 2001 setting out the criteria against which all bids for capital allocations, including PFI credits, would be assessed. Paragraph 2.5.12 of that guidance sets out in some detail the specific criteria for PH bids.

  Gloucestershire local education authority submitted a bid for PFI funding in the recent round to replace three secondary schools. A meeting has been arranged between local authority officers and a senior official from the Schools Private Finance Team on 26 April 2002, at which debriefing on the unsuccessful bid will be given.

  School Funding
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills by what means she will ensure that the additional payments to primary and secondary schools, referred to in the Chancellor's Budget, reach the schools. [52363]
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  John Healey
  All the direct funding for schools of which the Chancellor gave examples in his recent Budget speech goes to schools. It is for schools themselves to decide how this money is used within the context of standard guidance.

  The Chancellor announced additional capital funding of £85 million for schools and colleges in England in 2002–03, which will be delivered to schools as an additional allocation of the existing New Deal for Schools devolved formula capital programme. This money is allocated by formula with a fixed amount per school plus a fixed amount per pupil. It is channelled through local education authorities, which must allocate it to schools using the standard national formula, and may not retain any part of the grant. Schools can hold this grant in their own suitable bank accounts, on request.

  The Chancellor also included school standards grant in his examples of what typical schools will receive in 2002–03. This recurrent funding is again passported to schools through local education authorities, which must pass on 100 per cent. of the grant. Schools can use this grant for their priorities to improve educational attainment.

  Salaries
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent on salaries in schools in England in 2001–02. [52514]

  Mr. Timms
  The total teachers' pay bill for the financial year 2001–02 was £13,585 million and covered 421,300 qualified and unqualified full-time equivalent teachers in maintained schools in England. My Department does not record the cost of salaries of non-teaching staff in schools.

  Mr. Hurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average annual salary is for(a) a newly qualified teacher in mainstream secondary schools in England and (b) a newly qualified lecturer in colleges and further education in England. [52586]

  Mr. Timms
  In the financial year 2001–02 the average pay of newly qualified teachers in maintained secondary schools in England and Wales was estimated to be £17,480.

  The Department does not collect data on average pay of new entrants to lecturing in Further Education colleges in England and Wales.

  Compensation Awards
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what has been the total amount of compensation awards against schools and colleges in each of the past five years. [52527]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Department does not collect central records of compensation claims against schools and colleges.

  Teacher Training
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher training places have been available in each of the past 10 years. [52524]
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  Mr. Timms
  The number of available places on courses of initial teacher training (ITT) at institutions in England is shown in the table.

  Number of available places to ITT in England, 1992–93 to 2001–02.

  Academic year

  Number of available places

  1992–93

  24,370

  1993–94

  27,905

  1994–95

  29,590

  1995–96

  29,115

  1996–97

  30,400

  1997–98

  30,550

  1998–99

  30,600

  1999–2000

  28,610

  2000–01

  29,715

  2001–02

  29,890

  Source: DfES

  The figures do not include places available through employment-based teacher training schemes.

  Sixth Forms and Colleges
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment her Department has made of the value to teachers(a) in further education colleges and (b) in schools with sixth forms of this year's pay proposals. [52563]

  Mr. Timms
  Sixth form teachers in schools have received a pay award of 3.5 per cent. with effect from 1 April, together with a new allowance of £33 in respect of the cost of the fee payable to the General Teaching Councils for England or Wales. Teachers below the maximum of the main pay scale may also receive assimilation increases when the scale is shortened from nine to six points on 1 September. The 2002–03 pay negotiations between the Association of Colleges and representative further education unions started on 16 April and are currently ongoing. I am unable to make an assessment of the value to further education teachers and lecturers at this time.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on teacher morale in(a) further education colleges and (b) schools with sixth forms. [52567]

  Mr. Timms
  We are taking action together with the School Teachers' Review Body and the school teacher employers and unions to address the problem of teacher workload; and pay for a good experienced classroom teacher who has passed the performance threshold has increased by nearly 30 per cent. since 1997. We take very seriously the need to raise the status and morale of the teaching profession. The assessment of further education staff morale is a matter for further education colleges, as independent employers, to address in consultation with the relevant unions, just as the terms and conditions for staff are a matter for colleges to determine in discussion with relevant unions. We acknowledge that colleges need help to ensure that they have the right arrangements to recruit, reward and retain excellent teachers. Over the period 2001–04, significant extra resources amounting to an additional £311 million have been made available to the further education sector to reward high calibre staff through our Teaching Pay Initiative.
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  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate her Department has made of the average number of hours per week worked by teachers in(a) further education colleges and (b) schools with sixth forms over the last 12 months. [52568]

  John Healey
  Information about hours worked is collected for the School Teachers Review Body by the Office for Manpower Economics. The latest information relates to March 2000. It showed average weekly hours as follows:

  Average weekly hours

  Head teachers

  60.8

  Deputy head teachers

  58.6

  Heads of department

  52.9

  Other teachers

  51.3

  These figures are based on diaries kept by teachers in a survey undertaken during a typical term-time week. Averages have not been estimated over 12 months, i.e. including school holidays.

  Comparable information is not available for teachers in further education.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of average class sizes in(a) further education colleges and (b) schools with sixth forms. [52569]

  John Healey
  In January 2001 in maintained secondary schools the average class sizes for National Curriculum Year Groups 12 and 13, for classes taught by one teacher, were 11.9 and 9.4 respectively.

  Information on class sizes in FE colleges is not available.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on(a) pay scales for teachers and (b) the allocation of funds per A-level student in (i) further education colleges and (ii) secondary schools with sixth forms. [52571]

  Mr. Timms
  Pay scales for schools teachers have increased by 3.5 per cent. with effect from 1 April, and a new allowance of £33 created in respect of the cost of the fee payable to the General Teaching Councils for England or Wales. The main pay scale now has nine points from £16,599 to £25,713. This will reduce to six points from £17,595 to £25,713 with effect from 1 September. The upper pay scale for post-threshold teachers has five points from £27,861 to £32,217. The pay spine for advanced skills teachers runs from £28,917 to £46,131. The pay spine for the leadership group runs from £30,531 to £85,671. Further education sector colleges are run by independent corporations established under the Further Education and Higher Education Act 1992 and there is no national pay structure in place. Colleges are free to establish pay scales that meet their needs and can be agreed with their staff. We continue to encourage employers and unions to work together to ensure that further education staff receive reasonable pay given the substantial extra funding that has been made available for the further education sector.

  The figures for school and college funding have not been calculated on the same basis and cannot therefore be used to make comparisons. The further education unit

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  funding figure includes total public funding allocated for further education, while the schools' figure does not. It is based only on delegated funds and excludes other funding the school receives centrally from LEAs which impacts on post-16 students. The latest estimate of the average delegated funding per sixth form student in schools per year in England for 2001–02 is £3,330. The total funding per full-time equivalent student in further education sector colleges per year in England for 2001–02 is estimated to be £3,660.

  Press Subscriptions
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if she will list the newspapers subscribed to(a) Monday to Saturday and (b) on Sunday by her Department, stating for each subscription (i) the number of copies taken, and (ii) the annual cost; [52817]

  (2) if she will list the magazines and periodicals subscribed to by her Department, stating for each subscription the (a) number of copies taken and (b) annual cost. [52818]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Digital Equipment
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many digital radios are owned by her Department for use in departmental buildings from which Ministers work; and what the(a) cost and (b) date of purchase of each radio was. [52850]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: The information requested could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Productivity Growth
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what performance indicators and targets she has established by which to assess her Department's contribution to the Government's objective of raising the UK's sustainable rate of productivity growth. [52933]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Education and Skills policy is central to achieving the Government's objective of raising the UK's sustainable rate of productivity growth. The Department's objectives and targets have a crucial role to play in achieving this.

  The DTI UK Competitiveness Indicators Report suggests that economic performance has been held back by poor basic skills and a shortage of intermediate-level qualifications. Our targets to raise the proportion of 19-year-olds achieving level 2 and level 3 qualifications will help to address this.

  By 2010, it is forecast that 80 per cent. of new jobs will be in higher level occupations, which are the ones graduates are most likely to fill. This illustrates the importance of our target to increase participation in higher education to 50 per cent. of 18 to 30-year-olds by 2010.

  Isolating the effect of education and skills policy on productivity is not straightforward, but productivity is strongly linked to earnings. We are committed to reducing
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  the number of adults who have poor literacy or numeracy skills by 750,000 by 2004. The returns to better numeracy skills are estimated to be between 6 per cent. and 10 per cent. of earnings, and the returns to better literacy skills up to 6 per cent.

  In addition, there are significant social returns to post-compulsory academic and vocational qualifications. For example, the social rates of return to A levels and first degrees are estimated to be in the range of 14–21 per cent. and 8–10 per cent. respectively.

  Further Education (Achievement)
  Mr. David
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of students in further education achieved the qualification for which they were studying in the last two years. [53060]

  John Healey
  Achievement rates for Further Education colleges in England are defined as the number of qualifications achieved as a proportion of the number of completed qualifications. The achievement rate in 1999–2000 was 73 per cent. of completed qualifications and the figure for 1998–99 was 71 per cent. Individual learners may be taking more than one qualification.

  Qualifications
  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made in achieving national targets for Level 2 qualifications. [53088]

  John Healey
  We have already achieved our target for 2002 for 50 per cent. of pupils to achieve five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C (or equivalent). On current trends the target of 85 per cent. of 19-year- olds achieving a Level 2 qualification by 2002, set in 1998 with advice from the National Advisory Council for Education and Training Targets, is unlikely to be reached. We are working closely with the Learning and Skills Council to ensure maximum progress is being made by implementing specific local and innovative approaches to improving level 2 attainment. The Government are introducing a range of new initiatives which will increase participation in learning and attainment by young people post 16 including Education Maintenance Allowances, Connexions and the reforms to the 14–19 curriculum published in the Green Paper (14–19—Extending Opportunities; Raising Standards) though these will not impact by 2002.

  Jobcentre Plus
  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of Jobcentre Plus's capacity to support her Department's policies to improve adult literacy and numeracy skills; and what steps she is taking in conjunction with the Department for Work and Pensions to increase the number of referrals from Jobcentre Plus to providers of basic learning skills. [53092]

  John Healey
  The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is working with us to implement "Skills for Life": our national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills. DWP has developed and increased Jobcentre Plus's capacity to do this, including, from April 2001, national screening for basic skills need of jobseekers and those on voluntary New Deals at the six month stage of unemployment. The impact of these
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  changes is now being evaluated. In addition, we are examining the early results of six pilots, testing the effect of new approaches to improving the basic skills of those on jobseeker's allowance, which ran from September 2001 to March 2002. These measures, together with the continued training of Jobcentre Plus staff, will ensure that the number of referrals from Jobcentre Plus to providers of basic learning skills will continue to increase and that by working effectively across Government, we can together achieve our target of 750,000 adults with better basic skills by 2004.

  Sector Skills Development Agency
  Jeff Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects to announce the location for the Sector Skills Development Agency. [53337]

  John Healey
  I announced on 25 April that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has chosen the Callflex business park in the Dearne valley, south Yorkshire as the location for the Sector Skills Development Agency. The business park is a new office development in the Dearne valley enterprise zone that was developed as part of the Dearne valley regeneration strategy, in the wake of coal mine closures in the 1980s.

  Solar Panels
  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what buildings owned by her Department have solar panels installed. [53497]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Buildings owned by my Department have no solar panels installed.

  Teachers
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many supply teachers are working in each local education authority area; and what percentage supply teachers comprise of the total number of teachers in each case; [53664]

  (2) pursuant to the publication of Teachers in Service and Teacher Vacancies, January 2002 (Provisional), if she will provide a breakdown by local education authority of each of the 12 tables. [53670]

  Mr. Timms
  The information requested is not yet available for every local education authority.

  Information on teachers and vacancies by local education authority will be published in the Teachers in England statistical volume in December 2002.

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers have passed through the performance threshold, expressed as(a) a total and (b) a percentage of these eligible to do so. [53666]

  Mr. Timms
  About 194,000 maintained sector teachers in England were assessed as meeting the threshold standards in the first (2000) round of assessment. This is equivalent to about three quarters of those estimated to have been eligible to apply. The outcomes of the second (2001) round are still being analysed.
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  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers in each local education authority were teaching a subject for which they had no relevant subject qualifications on the date of the 2002 Teacher Census; and what percentage this was of the total number of teachers in post in that LEA area. [53668]

  Mr. Timms
  The information requested was not collected in the 2002 Teacher Census. It will be collected at national level as part of the Secondary Schools Curriculum and Staffing Survey. Preparations for the next survey are in hand.

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if she will provide a breakdown, by country of origin, of teachers in maintained schools in England without qualified teacher status and not on routes to QTS, giving the number of teachers from each country; [53669]

  (2) how many teachers without qualified teacher status in maintained schools in England came from (a) outside and (b) within the European economic area. [53671]

  Mr. Timms
  Information is not collected on country of origin of teachers.

  Maintained Schools
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will place(a) documents, (b) circulars, (c) questionnaires and (d) consultation papers which DfEE or DES have circulated to maintained schools in the last five years in the Library. [53672]

  Mr. Timms
  The Department already places all legal documents and key policy documents in the Library, but not ephemeral items such as questionnaires. The Library has a full list of titles sent to schools following an answer given to the hon. Member for Ashford (Mr. Green) on 6 March 2002.

  Electronic copies of all communications sent to schools since September 2001 are on the Internet at http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/Mailing, and most documents sent in the two years before then on the DIES website: http://www.dfes.gov.uk.

  Apprenticeships
  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many modern apprenticeships were completed in the last 12 months, broken down by local learning and skill council area. [53091]

  John Healey
  The latest available information about numbers starting, and in-learning, on modern apprenticeships was published in a statistical first release, SFR 03/2002, on 22 March 2002. Numbers of completions by local learning and skills councils are not available.

  Teacher Vacancies
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant(a) deputy head teacher, (b) head teacher and (c) teacher posts existed in (i) primary schools, (ii) secondary schools and (iii) special schools in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority. [47505]
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  Mr. Timms:
  [pursuant to his reply, 10 April 2002, c. 217W] The published figures were incorrect in that the figures for head teacher and classroom teacher vacancies in special schools were transposed for the years 1997 to 2000. The revised answer and tables have been placed in the Libraries.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Solar Panels
  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Government buildings owned by his Department in the United Kingdom have solar panels installed. [51191]

  Mr. MacShane
  At present there are no solar panels installed on any of the buildings managed by the FCO in the United Kingdom. However their use is being investigated with other measures to reduce carbon emissions, as part of the FCO's energy strategy.

  Iraq
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the action taken by the Iraqi Government via the International Court against the UK for the use of depleted uranium by the UK forces in Southern Iraq. [51637]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The Government are not aware of any legal case brought by Iraq against the UK for the use of depleted uranium during the Gulf War.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Iraqi Government concerning the attempted assassination of Dr. Baham Salih. [51636]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  None. It is not clear who was responsible for the assassination attempt on Dr. Barham Salih.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the stability of the(a) PUK and (b) KDP in Northern Iraq. [51635]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) have had de facto control of the three northern Iraqi governorates since the Iraqi administration withdrew in October 1991. There are no indications of instability within either of these two political parties. In recent years there has been increasing cooperation between the PUK and KDP, particularly in dealing with humanitarian issues such as the implementation of the "oil for food" programme and the return of internally displaced people to their home towns.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has collated about the attack sites and the weapons used by the Iraqi Government on northern Iraq. [51572]

  Dr. Moonie
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 26 April 2002, Official Report, column 486W.

  Burma
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Burma about the persecution of Christians. [51757]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Respect for human rights, including freedom of religion, is a central part of UK and EU policy towards Burma. It is a consistent theme in all our activity, both bilaterally and in multilateral fora.

  The EU is currently working on a resolution on human rights in Burma at the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. As in previous years, it will cover instances of infringements and abuses of the right to practice religion freely.

  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage the Government of Burma to improve their human rights record. [53601]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Respect for the rule of law is the only long-term guarantee for human rights in Burma. That is why we have been pressing so consistently for the return of constitutional rule in Burma. In the meantime, we continue to work with EU colleagues and through the United Nations to focus attention on Burma's human rights record. On 25 April the UN Commission on Human Rights adopted an EU sponsored resolution on the human rights situation in Burma.

  Afghanistan
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the establishment of a human rights commission in Afghanistan; and if he will name those appointed to the commission and their terms of reference. [51462]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Four standing working groups were established at the Afghan National Workshop on Human Rights held in Kabul on 9 March. These working groups will take forward the human rights provisions of the Bonn agreement, including the establishment of the independent Human Rights Commission, the investigation and monitoring of human rights abuses, and the provision of human rights education.

  The UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan will continue to support the Interim Authority and the Human Rights Commission in their work. According to the UN Secretary General, a senior Human Rights Co-ordinator in the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General will serve as the principal contact for the independent Human Rights Commission. Staff, including Afghan nationals, will be equipped to perform the human rights aspects of their work, including the integration of rights-based and gender-sensitive approaches in the mission's relief and reconstruction activities.

  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements have been put in place to ensure women's participation in the regional ballot of the emergency loya jirga, which began on 15 April. [51464]
  647W
  Mr. Bradshaw
  On 31 March, the Special Commission for Convening the Emergency Loya Jirga announced the criteria for the selection of delegates for the Loya Jirga, including the arrangements for selection of candidates by regional ballot. These include a quota of seats reserved for women (100 out of the 1,051 seats being decided by regional ballot). A further 60 seats will be reserved for women out of the quotas reserved for members of the Interim Authority, refugees, members of civil society, internally displaced persons and professionals. This will give a total allocation of 160 out of 1,450 seats.

  The Loya Jirga process has received wide publicity in Afghanistan via radio and print media. The commission, whose 21 members include three women, are also travelling to the regions to explain the process and to encourage women to take part.

  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what part women will play in the new police force and national army being established in Afghanistan. [51463]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Reform of the security sector will he crucial in establishing security across Afghanistan. The process is at an early stage. While Afghan women are not members of the recently established First Battalion of the Afghan National Guard (trained by ISAF), we hope that Afghan women will play an important role in the security sector, including in the police, the judiciary and the armed forces.

  Tanzania
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the explanatory statement in the case of Mrs. L. Odedra, a constituent, was dispatched from Dar-es-Salaam Ref: ECR/419/00 104792. [51523]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  It is not our practice to disclose details of individual entry clearance cases in a public forum. I will write to my hon. Friend about this case in the next few days.

  Middle East
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from hon. Members concerning the situation in the middle east. [51553]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have received representations in recent weeks from many hon. Members on the situation in the middle east. 35 Members spoke in the debate on the middle east on 16 April alone. All expressed concern about the perilous situation in the region, and a desire to see a just and lasting political settlement between the parties.

  Criminal Damage
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last four years. [44845]
  648W
  Mr. MacShane
  It is not possible to provide figures for the cost of criminal damage to FCO buildings in each of the last four years for the following reasons:(a) Repairs to buildings following such incidents are funded from many different sources among them local budgets, command budgets, estates budgets and occasionally from Estate Strategy Unit's (SSU) budget. They would be in most cases identified as routine maintenance charges, rather than specifically connected to an incident of criminal damage in the accounts.
  (b) Many posts do not report minor incidents of criminal damage, but simply get on with the job of repair required, funding them from their local budget. Centrally held records within SSU are, therefore, only indicative of reported incidents, and do not accurately reflect the true picture.
  (c) Records of damage caused by criminal activity to HQ buildings in the UK are kept, but logged only as an incident in the normal incident logs. To identify the cost involved, after the fact, would involve trawling through all the incident logs, then checking jobs logged to the Facilities Management Helpdesk during the same period and finally comparing any related jobs with invoices, presented by the relevant service provider, from the same period. This is a highly labour intensive process, far in excess of the cost where it becomes disproportionate to the answer.

  Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when consulate officials last met(a) Mr. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and (b) members of his family; and if he will make a statement on recent developments in this case. [51795]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  We have sought information on Mr. Sheikh's detention, and are awaiting a response from the Pakistani authorities. If Mr. Sheikh is a dual UK/Pakistani national, the Pakistani authorities are not obliged to give us consular access or information. Mr. Sheikh's family have not made contact with our consular officials, although they are welcome to do so in either Pakistan or London.

  The case is currently before a Pakistani court and is still sub judice.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 15 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Tanveer Bibi. [51791]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  I wrote to my right hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Gorton, on 16 April.

  Ascension Island
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received about democratic rights for those living on Ascension Island: and if he will make a statement. [52059]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  A petition on taxation without representation was received by the FCO on 23 March. A response, indicating that there would be full consultation with the residents of Ascension Island over the form of democratic representation to be introduced, was sent by officials on 26 March.
  649W
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to introduce a democratically elected Government for those living on Ascension Island; and if he will make a statement. [52096]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The Overseas Territories Constitutional Adviser visited Ascension in October last year. A summary of his recommendations appeared in the island's newspaper on 7 March. A further consultation document was issued by the Governor at a public meeting on 10 April. This outlined two options: a county/district model of government, or an Advisory Island Council with provision for regular consultation with St. Helena representatives on areas of mutual interest. We hope that a decision on the form of democratic representation, based on the preferred choice of the residents of Ascension Island, will be taken shortly.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account he will take of British public opinion before reaching decisions on the future of Gibraltar. [52151]

  Peter Hain
  As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in the House on 18 March 2002,Official Report, column 29, it is manifestly in the interests of the people of Britain, Spain and Gibraltar to find a proper modus vivendi for the future. We have repeatedly made clear that it would be for the people of Gibraltar to decide in a referendum whether any proposals that emerge from the current Brussels Process talks should be implemented.

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the heads of agreement reached between the UK and Spain on the issue of Gibraltar. [52594]

  Peter Hain
  No agreement has been reached with Spain. Talks under the Brussels Process are continuing. Our aim remains, if possible, to reach agreement by the summer. As I said in the House on 16 April 2002,Official Report, column 452, over the past months, the Government have kept Parliament fully informed. We will continue to do so.

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on(a) the terms of reference and (b) the outcome of the meeting which took place on 23 April in Madrid between the Foreign Secretary, the Minister for Europe and representatives of the Spanish Government regarding the future status of Gibraltar. [53123]

  Peter Hain
  [holding answer 29 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) on 24 April 2002, Official Report, columns 294–95W, regarding the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial meeting held in Valencia on 22 and 23 April.

  Mrs. Humble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will visit Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement. [54008]

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he or his Ministers will next meet the Spanish Foreign Minister to discuss Gibraltar. [53239]
  650W
  Mr. Straw
  I will visit Gibraltar on 3 May. Talks with the Spanish Government under the Brussels Process are continuing. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe will be meeting his Spanish counterpart in London on 2 May.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when he or his Ministers last met the Spanish Foreign Minister and his Ministers to discuss Gibraltar; where this meeting took place; how much advance notice was given of it; what was discussed; and what conclusions were reached; [53241]

  (2) whether he estimates that he and his Spanish counterpart will meet their target of concluding a comprehensive agreement before the summer, as stated in paragraph 56 of the Barcelona Conclusions, in relation to shared sovereignty with Spain over Gibraltar. [53240]

  Mr. Straw
  I refer the right hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) on 24 April 2002,Official Report, column 295–96W.

  Colombia
  Jeremy Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding the UK(a) bilaterally and (b) through the European Union, (i) has contributed in the last five years and (ii) plans to contribute to (A) Plan Colombia and (B) the Andean Regional Initiative. [53674]

  Mr. MacShane
  The UK has not contributed to either Plan Colombia or the Andean Regional Initiative, either bilaterally or through the European Union. There are no plans to do so.

  Jeremy Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what training the UK has(a) provided in the last five years and (b) plans to provide for Colombia's (i) customs officers, (ii) anti-narcotics police and (iii) other law enforcement personnel; and if he will make a statement. [53673]

  Mr. MacShane
  Colombia remains the world's principal source of cocaine. Its Government is committed to tackling the illicit drugs trade and the problems of crime and violence with which it is linked. We support the Colombian Government's commitment to tackling these areas and continue to provide assistance where we can.

  The British Government has provided a range of training to the Colombian Anti-Narcotics police, the Colombian Customs Department as well as other law enforcement personnel over the last five years. We have also provided funding for a Colombian NGO to train the police in areas such as community relations, conflict resolution and peace strategies.

  Wine
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much(a) UK produced wine and (b) wine produced by the rest of the world, broken down by value and volume, UK embassies world wide have provided in the last year. [R] [52613]
  651W
  Mr. MacShane
  Our Posts overseas are not required to keep such information and it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much(a) UK produced wine and (b) wine produced by the rest of the world, broken down by value and volume, Government hospitality departments have provided in the last 12 months. [R] [52611]

  Mr. MacShane
  Government Hospitality Section of Conference and Visits Group provides hospitality services to all Government departments. In the financial year 2001–02 Government Hospitality used approximately 1,100 bottles of English and Welsh wines at a cost of around £4,600.

  During the same period Government Hospitality used approximately 6,850 bottles of wine from other countries. It is not possible to give a meaningful breakdown by value of these wines.

  Council of the European Union
  Mrs. Humble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for May; and if he will list the major European Union events for the period between 31 May and October. [54007]

  Peter Hain
  The information is as follows:

  May 2002

  7 May—ECOFIN—Brussels

  1. Adoption of the Agenda

  2. Approval of the list of "A" items

  Month

  Venue

  Event

  June

  3

  Brussels

  Employment and Social Affairs Council

  3

  Brussels

  Eurogroup (Evening)

  4

  Luxembourg

  ECOFIN

  6-8

  Brussels

  Foreign Affairs Council (ASEM Ministers)

  6-7

  Brussels

  Convention on the Future of Europe—Plenary Session

  6–7

  Brussels

  Industry and Energy Council

  10–11

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  10–11

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  11

  Brussels

  Fisheries Council

  13–14

  Brussels

  Justice and Home Affairs Council

  17–18

  Brussels

  Transport and Telecoms Council

  17–18

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  21–22

  Seville

  European Council

  24

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council (Evening)

  24–25

  Brussels

  Convention on the Future of Europe—Plenary Session

  24–25

  Brussels

  Environment Council

  25

  Luxembourg

  ECOFIN

  26

  Brussels

  Health Council

  July

  6

  Copenhagen

  ASEM Ministers for Finance

  11–12

  Brussels

  Convention on the Future of Europe—Plenary Session

  12

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  12–13

  Kolding

  Meeting of Employment and Social Policy Ministers (Informal)

  15–16

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  19

  Brussels

  Budget Meeting

  19–21

  Århus

  Environment Ministers meeting (Informal)

  22–23

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  652W

  3 Broad economic policy guidelines Commission recommendation

  4. Directives and reports in the financial services area

  Market Abuse

  Political agreement

  Financial holdings

  Political agreement

  5. (poss.) Taxation of energy Council conclusions

  6. Preliminary draft Community budget for 2003

  7. (poss.) Recasting of the Financial Regulation

  8. Other business

  2—Washington—EU/US Summit

  3–4—Brussels—Tourism Council (Ministerial Informal)

  6—Brussels—Eurogroup (Evening)

  8—Toledo—EU/Canada Summit

  13—Brussels—General Affairs Council and Defence Ministers Meeting

  17–18—Madrid—EU/Latin America and Caribbean Summit

  21—Brussels—Internal Market, Consumers and Tourism Council

  23—Brussels—Culture and Audio-visual Council

  23–24—Brussels—Convention on the Future of Europe—Plenary Session

  24–26—Palma de Mallorca—Environment Council (Ministerial Informal)

  27–28—Brussels—Agriculture Council

  30–Brussels—Development Council

  30—Brussels—Education and Youth Council

  31–1—Brussels—Transport Council (Ministerial Informal)

  The following are the principal events in the EU between 1 June and October 2002 (certain relevant events are also included: the list is based on the information available at the date of issue).
  653W

  Month

  Venue

  Event

  August

  31–1

  Elsinore

  Gymnich (Ministerial Informal)

  September

  6

  Brussels

  ASEM Economic Ministers Meeting

  6–8

  Copenhagen

  ECOFIN (Ministerial Informal)

  8–10

  Nyborg

  Agriculture Council (Ministerial Informal)

  12–13

  Copenhagen

  Justice and Home Affairs Council (Ministerial Informal)

  22–23

  Copenhagen

  ASEM Meeting

  23–24

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  26

  Brussels

  Internal Market, Consumer Affairs and Tourism Council

  27

  Tent

  ACP-EU Ministers Meeting

  30

  Brussels

  Research Council

  30–1

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  October

  3–4

  Brussels

  Transport and Telecommunications Council

  8

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  8

  Brussels

  Employment and Social Policy Council

  14

  Brussels

  Fisheries Council

  14–15

  Brussels

  Justice and Home Affairs, and Civil Protection Council

  15–16

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  17

  Brussels

  Environment Council

  18–19

  Aalborg

  Internal Market, Consumer Affairs and Industry Meeting (Ministerial Informal)

  21–22

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  24–25

  Brussels

  European Council

  US Co-operation (International Appointments)
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the US Government with regard to appointments to international bodies with specific reference to(a) the control of chemical weapons and (b) global warming. [52320]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary had a discussion with the US Secretary of State Colin Powell on the position of the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) at the end of March. There have been further discussions at official level on the matter.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs discussed the chairmanship of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) earlier this month in Washington. Since then the subject has been discussed on further occasions at official level with members of the US Administration.

  Bhutan
  Andy King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received concerning the treatment of Christians in Bhutan; and if he will make a statement. [53074]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  We have received occasional NGO reports suggesting mistreatment of Christians in Bhutan, and have expressed our concern to the Bhutanese Government that the right to choose, declare, and practice one's religion should be respected.

  Chechnya
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations 654W
  he has made to the Russian authorities to register officially displaced Chechen persons in the republics neighbouring Chechnya. [53056]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  We have not made any recent representations to the Russian Government about this issue. The main focus of our dialogue has been the human rights situation in Chechnya. However, the UK has supported a Council of Europe project aimed at speeding up the registration process and the issue of identity cards to Chechen internally displaced persons.

  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made and to whom for an independent international inquiry into violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Chechnya. [53055]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The UK has not called for an international inquiry into allegations of human rights violations in Chechnya. Instead, we have, with our EU partners, pressed the Russian Government to establish, in accordance with recognised international standards, a national, broad-based and independent commission of inquiry to investigate alleged violations of human rights and breaches of international humanitarian law committed in the republic. We last raised this in mid-April at the 58th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.

  Digital Equipment
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many digital radios are owned by his Department for use in departmental buildings from which Ministers work; and what the(a) cost and (b) date of purchase of each radio was. [52857]
  655W
  Mr. MacShane
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We do not maintain central records of different types of radio receiver.

  Chemical Weapons
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has collated on the US Government's compliance with its obligations under the chemical weapons convention. [52056]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The United States is a state party to the chemical weapons convention. We have no reason to believe that it is not fully compliant with its obligations.

  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will support the efforts of the US Government to remove the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; and if he will make a statement. [52054]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Joan Ruddock) on 24 April 2002,Official Report, column 294W.

  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to encourage the UN Security Council to back OPCW's bid to persuade the Iraqi Government to sign the chemical weapons convention. [52055]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  United Nations Security Council Resolution 1284 mandated the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) to inspect, monitor and, if necessary, destroy Iraq's chemical and biological weapons and its ballistic missile systems. The first priority must be to ensure that UNMOVIC has access to Iraq to carry out its mandate and to uphold the authority of the United Nations.

  The UK fully supports OPCW's efforts to achieve universal ratification of the chemical weapons convention. Iraq could, of course, ratify CWC tomorrow, but this should not in any way undermine UNMOVIC's mandate.

WALES

  Department Contracts
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the 30 largest contracts awarded by his Department from(a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999, (c) May 1999 to April 2000, (d) May 2000 to April 2001 and (e) May 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the values of the contracts and the companies with which the contracts were placed. [43680]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I refer to the answer I gave the hon. Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart) on 6 March 2002.Official Report, columns 365–66W.

  Better Quality Services Initiative
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the services of his Department have not been reviewed under the better quality services initiative; and when they will be reviewed. [50310]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The better quality services programme was launched in 1998 as a means of delivering continuous improvements in the quality and effectiveness of Government activities and services. My Department was established on 1 July 1999 and has always sought to secure best value in contracts for services and will continue to do so.

  Recruitment
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many net additional staff his Department has recruited in each month since June 2001 at(a) executive officer and (b) administrative level. [52439]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Since June 2001 this Department has taken on one additional staff member in November 2001 at executive officer level.

  Public-Private Partnerships
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the difference was between the price offered in reaching preferred bidder stage and the final contract price for PPP contracts let by his Department in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [45681]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  [holding answer 25 April 2002]: My Department has entered no PPP contracts since it was created in July 1999.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the difference was between the price offered in reaching preferred bidder stage and the final contract price for the five largest PFI contracts let by his Department in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [45683]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  [holding answer 25 March 2002]: My Department has entered no PFI contracts since it was created in July 1999.

  Energy Costs
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last 10 years. [42452]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  My Department came into existence only on 1 July 1999. Its headquarters building is heated by the Whitehall Standby Distribution Service which, in the interests of efficiency, serves a number of buildings around Whitehall from a common source.

  Railways
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has made representations to the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, regarding the full devolution of powers for the railways to the National Assembly for Wales. [32227]
  657W
  Mr. Touhig
  Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales nor myself have made any such representations. Current UK Government policy is that railway powers should remain a reserved matter, particularly since the majority of the main rail routes start or end in England.

PRIME MINISTER

  MOD Pensions
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Inverness West (Mr. Kennedy), about MoD pensions, if he will make a statement on the letters the MoD have sent to MoD pensioners about arrangements for collecting their pensions in post offices; and how many such letters have been sent. [53079]

  The Prime Minister
  Letters were sent to some 6,700 recipients of occupational pensions from the armed forces in December last year informing them about revised arrangements, to be introduced from April 2002, for those who collected their pensions at Post. Offices. The revised arrangements offer a more secure system of payment, and are most cost-effective. Pensioners may continue to draw cash at Post Offices subject to having an account with the following banks—The Alliance and Leicester, Barclays, Cahoot, Lloyds TSB, Smile or the Co-Operative Bank. These new arrangements apply to armed forces occupational pensions and not to state pensions.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Coin-in, Coin-out Machines
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the value of transactions through coin-in, coin-out machines in(a) licensed and (b) unlicensed premises. [52402]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Department itself has made no such assessment. However, information provided separately by Business in Sport and Leisure (BISL) and the British Amusement Catering Trades Association (BACTA) suggests that the total gross yield to legitimate operators of gaming machines is within the range of £1.3 billion to £1.5 billion per year; while the British Beer and Pub Association have estimated that the annual contribution to the pub economy from gaming machines is in the region of £0.5 billion to £0.6 billion.

  Lottery
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what progress she has made in the review of the procedures for reviewing the Lottery licence at the end of the prescribed licence period; [53004]

  (2) what progress she has made with the review of the procedure for the allocation of the Lottery licence. [53449]
  658W
  Mr. Caborn
  It is our intention to publish, before the summer recess, a consultation document inviting comments on options for changes to the current arrangements for licensing and regulating the National Lottery.

  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will provide a breakdown of amounts(a) allocated and (b) retained by each of the bodies allocating Lottery money in each of the last 12 months. [52985]

  Mr. Caborn
  This information is not readily available. I will, however, write to the hon. Member as soon as it has been collated, placing copies of my letter in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Political Donations
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if Ministers in her Department are informed of donations to political parties made by any(a) individuals, (b) companies and (c) organisations (i) before and (ii) after a meeting with them. [52882]

  Mr. Caborn
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: Ministers deal with the issues raised in meetings on their own merits and on a case by case basis. Ministers may be made aware of donations to political parties only if it is relevant to the matter being discussed and no central records are kept.

  Cultural Property
  Joyce Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Government will accede to the UNESCO 1970 convention on the means of prohibiting and preventing the illicit import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property. [53820]

  Dr. Howells
  I am very please to announce that the convention has today been published as Command Paper 5500 and laid together with an explanatory memorandum. We hope to achieve our aim of acceding to the convention by July.

  Voluntary Service
  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the new award for voluntary service by groups in the community. [53821]

  Tessa Jowell
  The Queen's Golden Jubilee Award (for voluntary service by groups in the community) is announced today. This new, annual award is for groups and teams in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, rather than for individuals. The award will be given in recognition of outstanding voluntary activity that enhances and improves the quality of life and opportunity for others in the community. Groups must be nominated for consideration, for example by beneficiaries of their work, members of the public, representatives of public bodies, or other voluntary groups. Initial selection will be by local panels in the devolved Administrations and Government regions, with final selection being done centrally by the Queen's Golden Jubilee Award Committee. The award illustrates the importance the Queen places on community and voluntary service by dedicated and committed teams and groups, and provides
  659W
  an opportunity for communities to nominate and celebrate the invaluable contribution they make. Up to 200 awards will be given each year and the first ones will be announced on 2 June 2003. I have placed details in the Libraries of both Houses and will be writing to all hon. Members later this week enclosing further information.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Policing Arrangements
  Mr. Tom Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans have been made for the review of Northern Ireland's policing arrangements that arose from the discussions at Weston Park; and when legislation will be introduced. [54009]

  Dr. John Reid
  Following discussions at Weston Park last year, the Government committed itself to a review of policing involving the Oversight Commissioner.

  We intend to introduce legislation as soon as practicable thereafter to amend or clarify certain provisions as set out in the implementation plan, to reflect more fully the Patten recommendations.

  Tom Constantine, the Oversight Commissioner, will, under his terms of reference, review and report on the progress made in implementing Patten on the basis of experience during the first year of the board's operation. The Government will draw on his detailed reports in implementing its stated objectives.

  Her Majesty's inspector of constabulary, Dan Crompton, will conduct his annual inspection of the PSNI during the summer. He will study the impact of the new arrangements on police effectiveness and will look at the security situation. He will report to me by the end of October.

  Where detailed administrative or legislative issues arise, my hon. Friend the Minister of State, as Minister with responsibility for policing, will be the main point of contact. She will take submissions from interested parties and invite the political parties to meetings.

  Independent Commissioner for Detained Terrorist Suspects
  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to publish the ninth annual report of the Independent Commissioner for Detained Terrorist Suspects. [53944]

  Dr. John Reid
  I have today arranged for copies of Dr. Bill Norris' annual report for 2001 to be placed in the Library of both Houses.

  I welcome Dr. Norris' report and I will consider it carefully. I will respond as soon as possible.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many terrorist-related incidents, excluding murder, have taken place in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 10 April 1998 for which no person has been convicted; and if he will list each of them. [44326]
  660W
  Jane Kennedy
  The information is unable to be provided in the format requested. A table listing the number of shootings and bombing incidents and deaths as a result of the security situation since 1969 to 10 April 1998 has been placed in the Library. These cannot be linked to any subsequent charge or conviction. Statistics on paramilitary style attacks are only available from 1973.

  Scheduled Offences
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been convicted in Northern Ireland of scheduled offences committed before 10 April 1998 between(a)11 April 1998 to 31 December 1998, (b) 1 January 1999 to 31 December 1999, (c) 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2000, (d) 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001 and (e) 1 January 2002 to present. [44328]

  Jane Kennedy
  There were 114 convictions for scheduled offences between 11 April 1998 and 31 December 1998, which had been committed before 10 April 1998. Statistics for subsequent years cannot be provided as the data on scheduled offences are unreliable. A new database is currently being developed for courts and criminal records data since 1999. This development work has been required due to a change in the way in which the PSNI collect and store this information. It is unlikely that this system will be available for use before early summer 2002.

  Compensation Agency
  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will announce a decision on the future of the Compensation Agency. [53946]

  Dr. John Reid
  I have agreed that the executive agency status of the Compensation Agency should be continued until 31 March 2004. My decision follows the completion of Stage 1 of a quinquennial review which examined the past performance of the agency and the other organisational arrangements available for the administration of compensation schemes. Stage 2 of the review will look at ways of improving the delivery of services.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Departmental Communications
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs if she will list(a) consultation papers, (b) circulars and (c) forms issued to farmers by her Department in the past 12 months. [37532]

  Margaret Beckett
  As DEFRA was created in June 2001, twelve months have not elapsed yet. The Department lists its print production work using sequential alphanumeric job number/s. To transcribe and list these by title would incur a disproportionate cost.

  Our records show that since DEFRA was set up;

  (a) 38 consultation papers were issued.

  (b) 418 items categorised as circulars/information literature documents were produced.

  (c) 225 forms targeted at farmers and ancillary organisations were produced.

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  Foot and Mouth
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what was the average level of compensation paid to farmers for(a) sheep, (b) cattle, (c) pigs and (d) other animals during the foot and mouth outbreak in (i) the UK, (ii) France, (iii) Ireland and (iv) the Netherlands; and if she will make a statement. [48558]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: The information is as follows.
  (i) The average level of compensation paid to farmers for sheep, cattle, pigs and other animals during the foot and mouth outbreak in the UK is as follows:

  Type of livestock

  Average level of payment per animal (£)

  Sheep

  137.43

  Cattle

  970.88

  Pigs

  76.11

  Others

  454.93

  (ii) The average level of compensation paid to farmers for cattle in the Netherlands was £471 per animal. No other information for France, Ireland or the Netherlands is readily available.

  Voluntary Environmental Groups
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received from voluntary environmental groups concerning the availability of insurance cover. [51987]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: At a recent meeting in Allendale my right hon. Friend the Minister for Rural Affairs discussed with a representative from the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) the availability of public liability cover. BTCV have also discussed the issue with my officials, and wrote to me on 17 April providing further information. We are considering whether there is any need for the Government to intervene, and shall respond shortly.

  Voluntary Service Councils
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to support the development of voluntary service councils in rural areas. [51986]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: My Department does not support Councils for Voluntary Service directly. We provide support via the Countryside Agency to the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (£90,000 for the 2001–01 financial year), and to Rural Community Councils (£2.984 million, plus staff costs for a community development worker in each county, for the same year). Rural Community Councils work closely with Councils for Voluntary Service in their area; indeed some operate as Councils for Voluntary Service. The National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service receives funding through the Active Communities Unit at the Home Office.

  We are exploring ways to strengthen the capacity of the voluntary and community sectors in rural areas. In particular the Cross-Cutting Review of the Role of the Voluntary Sector in Delivery of Public Services, as part
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  of the current Spending Review, is examining the way in which the Government work with the voluntary sector, in urban as well as rural areas.

  Energy Crops
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she is taking to encourage the planting of energy crops; and if she will make a statement. [51990]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: My Department has allocated support of £29 million to solid biomass crops through the Energy Crops Scheme, part of the England Rural Development Programme. Working with other Departments we are putting in place 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. The Renewables Obligation permits the co-firing of energy crops with fossil fuels. In the Budget my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, confirmed the new duty rate for biodiesel set at 20 pence 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. The Government have also 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.

  Fly Tipping
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to increase the penalties for fly tipping. [51993]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: The penalties available for those convicted of fly tipping are severe. For non-special waste, the maximum penalty for conviction in Crown Court is an unlimited fine and/or up to two years imprisonment. For special waste, the maximum prison sentence is increased to five years. There are no plans to raise these penalties further.

  In March 2000, the Sentencing Advisory Panel advised the Court of Appeal to issue a sentencing guideline on environmental offences, including flytipping. The court of Appeal has not yet issued such a guideline. In September 2000, the Magistrates' Association issued new Sentencing Guidelines for offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, including flytipping. The Government are now considering whether further awareness raising activities, in partnership with regulators would be helpful.

  Contaminated Land
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what
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  arrangements she has made for the contaminated land exposure assessment and guidance to be made available to local authorities. [51985]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: The Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA) Model and associated guidance reports are available to local authorities, and any other interested parties, in hard copy from the Environment Agency Research & Development Dissemination Centre at Swindon. They are also available on the Department's website.

  Recycled Ash
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the health implications of using recycled ash in building materials. [18546]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 27 November 2001]: We have no evidence that the use of recycled incinerator bottom ash (IBA) in building materials is a significant source of human exposure to any substance, but we are undertaking research in order to make further quantitative estimates of exposures by this route.

  As regards exposure to dioxins, latest industry figures for IBA going into the construction industry indicate dioxin levels of less than 25ng/kg I-TEQ (1999 AEAT figures for normal urban soils in the UK show a mean of 28ng/kg I-TEQ). There is limited information available on the levels that may be found in other construction materials, and there are no recommended acceptable levels. However we are awaiting the results of independent research into the health and environmental implications of using IBA in construction (including roads and the manufacture of building blocks). Initial indications are that exposure to dioxins from roads constructed with material incorporating IBA is negligible.

  The Environment Agency is currently carrying out a full investigation into the destination of ash from incinerators, the environmental implications of its use and what steps may be needed in the light of these findings. The results of the investigation will be made public and any necessary action will be taken.

  Rio Earth Summit (Implementation)
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken by the Government since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to(a) set goals on environmental protection and (b) improve eco-efficiency and resource productivity relating to biodiversity issues; and what these (i) goals and (ii) improvements have been. [44340]

  Mr. Meacher
  Biodiversity: The UK Action Plan, was published in 1994 as the UK Government's strategy for implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity, signed at Rio as part of the Earth Summit in 1992. S74 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 placed a duty on Ministers and Government Departments to have regard to the purpose of conserving biological diversity in accordance with the Convention. 436 action plans have been published for individual priority species and habitat types. Each of the Action Plans contains goals and targets for the conservation, enhancement and sustainable management of these habitats and species within their eco-systems in the UK. A report, "Sustaining the variety 664W
  of life: 5 years of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan" was published by the UK Biodiversity Group in March 2001, and shows the progress that has been made. The 1994 UK Action Plan is in the House libraries and other relevant documentation and the March 2001 report can be found on www.ukbap.org.uk

  Plastic Bags
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what plans the Government have to introduce a levy on plastic shopping bags; [51601]

  (2) what recent steps her Department has taken to promote the (a) environmental and (b) economic advantages of re-using plastic bags to consumers and businesses. [51588]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: I am aware that the Irish Government have recently introduced a levy on plastic shopping bags. I have asked officials for a full assessment of the effects of this measure on litter and waste reduction and on consumer behaviour.

  Meanwhile, measures imposed under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 (as amended) include cost incentives both to reduce the amount of packaging handled and to re-use packaging as far as possible.

  In addition, the Envirowise programme has undertaken a number of initiatives aimed at companies in the retail sector to encourage resource minimization and re-use.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if radioactive technetium is stored in the Sellafield B30 nuclear waste storage facility. [51963]

  Margaret Beckett
  The B30 facility at Sellafield was commissioned in the 1960s for interim storage of spent Magnox fuel in water-filled concrete ponds and the subsequent removal of cladding from the fuel prior to it being reprocessed. The facility no longer undertakes these operations and is now undergoing post-operational clean out. However, several hundred tonnes of spent fuel remain in the B30 storage ponds. The spent fuel contains a range of fission products including technetium-99.

  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on the Sellafield MOX plant since the decision to endorse the go-ahead for the Sellafield MOX plant. [15574]

  Margaret Beckett
  Since the decision on 3 October that MOX manufacture was "justified", my Department has received approximately 70 oral or written representations from hon. Members or others in the UK, and from Governments or others abroad, seeking information or expressing concerns about the implications of the decision. This compares with around 7,000 responses to our final consultation on MOX held in July-August 2001.

  Home Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of pensioners in each region are eligible for HEES Plus, within the Warm Front programme; and how many HEES Plus grants have been made in each social services local authority area since the commencement of the scheme. [42955]

  Mr. Meacher
  At the time of the announcement of the New Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) it was estimated around 3.7 million households in England were eligible for New HEES Plus.

  In total, 172,102 HEES Plus Grants were awarded between June 2000 and the end of March 2002.

  The information requested could not be provided in the format requested without incurring disproportionate costs. I have previously written to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) and placed data in the Library of the House in respect of grants awarded under the scheme, by postcode, from June 2000 to March 2001.

  Composting
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps have been taken by her Department to assess the risk of contamination from raw waste meat in composting; and if she will make a statement. [52389]

  Mr. Meacher
  DEFRA has commissioned an assessment to determine the risks to public, animal and plant health from the land spreading of kitchen/catering wastes after treatment by composting or in a biogas plant and to compare these with the risks from other disposal routes. This work should be completed in May and the results will be made public thereafter. A subsequent stage of the project will assess the risks from such treatment of slaughterhouse waste and other low-risk animal by-products.

  Air Quality
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to improve air quality standards; and what levels of emissions were recorded(a) in the Teesside region and (b) on average in England at the latest date for which figures are available. [52460]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Government's policies on air quality standards and objectives are set out in the air quality strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, published in January 2000. We consulted in September 2001 on proposals to tighten our policy objectives for three pollutants (carbon monoxide, benzene and particulate matter) and to introduce for the first time a policy objective for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

  The National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (available at www.aeat.co.uk/netcen/airqual) records UK emissions to air of all key pollutants. 1999 is the latest year for which comprehensive data for both the UK and Teesside are available. Nationally, emissions of most air pollutants fell significantly between 1990 and 1999, as table 1 shows.
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  Table 1: National emissions

  Pollutant>

  Emissions in 1990 (kilotonnes)

  Emissions in 1999 (kilotonnes)

  Percentage reduction

  Sulphur dioxide

  3754

  1187

  68

  Oxides of nitrogen

  2760

  1605

  42

  Particles (PM 10)

  305

  186

  39

  Carbon monoxide

  7160

  4760

  34

  Lead

  2.831

  0.55

  81

  Benzene

  54.42

  29.69

  45

  1,3 butadiene

  13.31

  6.17

  54

  Table 2 gives a summary of the emissions of key pollutions in Teeside in 1999.

  Table 2: Emissions in Teesside

  Pollutant

  Emissions in Teesside in 1999 (kilotonnes)

  Percentage of national total

  Sulphur dioxide

  36.997

  3.1

  Oxides of nitrogen

  39.639

  2.5

  Particles (PM 10)

  4.969

  2.7

  Carbon monoxide

  185.805

  3.9

  Lead

  0.018

  3.3

  Benzene

  0.657

  2.2

  1,3 butadiene

  0.231

  3.7

  Information on air quality levels in Teesside and the rest of the country is also available at www.aeat.co.uk/netcen/airqual. This information is updated on an hourly basis. Figures for the year 2001 show that across the country as a whole the average number of days of moderate or poor air quality recorded by individual monitoring stations in urban areas of the UK was 21 days. This total has declined steadily over the last decade as measures to deliver cleaner air have started to take effect.

  There are four automatic air quality monitoring sites in Teesside affiliated to the national air quality monitoring network. These are at Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar and Middlesbrough. The average number of days of moderate or poor air quality recorded in 2001 at each of these four sites was 16 days. This figure is lower than the national average.

  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she plans to increase the number of air quality monitoring stations in the Teesside region. [52459]

  Mr. Meacher
  There are currently four automatic and 11 non-automatic air quality monitoring stations in the Teesside region. These are part of the UK air quality monitoring networks. In addition, a non-automatic benzene monitor has recently been installed in Middlesbrough as part of the UK non-automatic hydrocarbon monitoring network. There are currently no plans to increase the number of automatic monitoring stations in the region. I am not aware of any plans to further increase the number of non-automatic stations in the region, which are the responsibility of local authorities.

  Correspondence
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for West Derbyshire
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  dated 18 March and 18 June concerning Mr. A. Tabbenor of Youlgrave in Derbyshire and his suckler cow premium. [7351]

  Mr. Morley
  A response was sent to the hon. Member's letters on 10 February 2002.

  I am sorry that the hon. Member's parliamentary question tabled in October was not answered when the response was sent.

  Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the boundary definition for areas of outstanding natural beauty was last reviewed; what plans she has to review the boundaries; and what plans the Government have to create further areas of outstanding natural beauty. [52239]

  Alun Michael
  The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 empowers the Countryside Agency to designate an area in England as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) for the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the area.

  Boundaries for AONBs are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The last boundary variation was made to Dedham Vale AONB on 19 September 1991. Establishing AONBs, and varying their boundaries, is the responsibility of the Countryside Agency. They have no plans to create any new AONBs or to vary the boundaries of any of the existing ones, except in so far as a National Park in the South Downs might replace two AONBs.

  Boundary reviews are very time consuming and expensive: So the Countryside Agency believes it is better to focus resources on managing existing AONBs, and maximising the opportunities offered by the new Countryside and Rights of Way Act, rather than pursuing minor variations. I support this view.

  Meat Imports (Argentina)
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tonnes of meat were imported into the UK from Argentina during 2001. [51558]

  Mr. Morley
  The table shows the volume of meat imported into the United Kingdom from Argentina during 2001.

  Tonnes

  Beef

  2,276

  Beef preparations1

  9,595

  Sheep meat

  240

  Other meat and offal

  572

  Total

  12,683

  Mainly corned beef

  Note:

  The importation of fresh meat and offal of the bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine species and other biungulates (including game) into the United Kingdom from Argentina was banned from 14 March 2001 until 1 February 2002.

  Wildfowl
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures 668W
  her Department undertakes to control the population of wildfowl within London; and which species it monitors. [52258]

  Mr. Meacher
  All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which implements the EC wild birds directive in Great Britain. Some species of wildfowl and waterfowl are listed under schedule 2 part I of the Act and can be killed or taken during the open season. Outside the open season birds, their eggs and nests can be controlled only under a licence issued by DEFRA where specific criteria are met.

  The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), which is jointly funded by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust monitors all species of non-breeding waterbirds in the UK. Greater London has a number of sites which support non-breeding waterbirds at levels of international and/or national significance.

  Canada Geese
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment her Department has made of the population of Canada geese within London. [52260]

  Mr. Meacher
  Although the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), which is jointly funded by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, monitors the non-breeding population of Canada geese no attempt to calculate the numbers present at all sites in the London area has been made.

  Fruit Growers
  Hugh Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how negotiations are progressing over the implementation of the environmental impact assessment regulations as they affect top fruit growers. [52596]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: DEFRA has not received any requests to enter into negotiations about the implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Uncultivated Land and Semi-natural Areas) Regulations 2001 as they affect top fruit growers.

  I have written to you to explain how orchards will be treated under the regulations, in response to the concerns raised in the hon. Gentleman's letter of 25 February 2002.

  Departmental Website
  Hywel Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) when the application form for(a) the licence for the movement of sheep and goats for export, (b) the individual movement licence for the export of sheep and goats, (c) the licence to gather animals and (d) sole occupancy authority will be available in Welsh from the Government website; [52618]
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  (2) when the information and guidance notes on (a) the cleansing and disinfection of commercial vehicles, (b) sole occupancy authority, (c) animal gatherings-veterinary compliance visit report and (d) animal gatherings-veterinary licensing visit report will be available in Welsh from the Government website. [52619]

  Mr. Morley
  Arrangements are in hand to make the application forms for licences to move sheep and goats available in Welsh from the website of the National Assembly for Wales. We expect these documents will be available in May 2002. The other documents referred to will be available in Welsh as soon as possible.

  Hywel Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she plans to make it possible to download AMLS licences in Welsh from her Department's website; and if she will make a statement. [52617]

  Mr. Morley
  There are no plans to make it possible to download AMLS licences in Welsh from the DEFRA website. Welsh licences contain references applicable to the animal health legislation for Wales and are not valid for movements from premises in England. However there are links from the DEFRA website to the National Assembly for Wales' website which should enable Welsh licences to be downloaded, once they are on that website.

  Heathrow
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what recent discussions she has had with BAA regarding the prevention of water pollution from water draining from the proposed new terminal at Heathrow; [49018]

  (2) what recent discussions she has had with the Environment Agency regarding the cleanliness of water in the three holding reservoirs draining Heathrow airport; and when tests were last carried out: [49019]

  (3) what recent discussions she has had regarding the adequacy of the Mayfield Farm reedbed system to clean water draining from Heathrow airport. [49017]

  Mr. Meacher
  No recent discussions have been held. Surface water drainage and pollution control measures were considered at the Terminal 5 public inquiry and in the Inspector's report. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions' decision to approve the development of Terminal 5 and his reasons were set out in full in his decision letter of 20 November 2001.

  The Environment Agency, as environmental regulator, will consider detailed plans for drainage from the site, including the holding reservoirs and capacity at Mayfield Farm sewage treatment works, when they are submitted by the British Airports Authority to the London borough of Hillingdon in due course. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's decision letter required that:
  "Development pursuant to this permission shall not begin on any part of the site until a scheme for the disposal of surface water has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority in respect of that part."
  The condition specifies certain aspects to be included in the scheme, including the disposal of run-off contaminated by substances used for de-icing.

  Marine Stewardship Report
  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she intends to publish the Marine Stewardship report; and if she will make a statement. [53919]

  Margaret Beckett
  Tomorrow I will publish the first Marine Stewardship Report-Safeguarding Our Seas: A Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Development of our Marine Environment.

  The report sets out our vision for the marine environment—clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas. It is underpinned by the principles of sustainable development, integrated management, the conservation of biological diversity, robust science, the precautionary principle and stakeholder involvement.

  It outlines how we are adopting an ecosystem-based approach to marine management to better integrate marine protection objectives with sustainable social and economic goals. It covers the broad spectrum of policies that affect the marine environment. As well as describing past achievements and progress made, it contains new ideas and initiatives to turn our vision into reality.

  Our initiatives will improve marine conservation. We will undertake our proposed regional seas pilot scheme in the Irish Sea as the next stage of our review of Marine Nature Conservation. The report also commits us to consult later this year on the regulations to extend the Habitats and Birds Directives out to limit of jurisdiction of UK waters. It also contains a commitment to explore with other countries the case for, and feasibility of, marine protected areas on the high seas.

  The report announces our intention to review the regulations that affect development in coastal waters with a view to simplifying the regulatory system and protecting the marine environment. It also includes initiatives to explore the role of spatial planning for our seas at the regional level and provide a focal point to build on existing seabed mapping.

  In addition, Safeguarding Our Seas commits us to review current arrangements for marine scientific research to ensure that we have the proper science base to deliver our vision. It underlines our commitment to develop our framework for environmental monitoring and that we will produce an integrated assessment of our seas by 2004.

  The report emphasises the importance of involving stakeholders in making the decisions that affect them. It announces that we will hold a joint conference of the English, Scottish and Welsh coastal fora, together with stakeholders from Northern Ireland, on how to implement the EC Recommendation on Integrated Coastal Zone Management.

  Some policy matters covered in the report are the responsibility of the devolved Administrations. The Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales were integral to the preparation of the report. The Northern Ireland Executive has monitored progress of the report and will consider the implications for Northern Ireland.
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  The report is a valuable first step in turning our vision into reality. I will place copies of the report in the Library of the House. It will also be available at: www.defra.gov.uk/environmentimarine/.

  Sustainable Development
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government(a) has taken and (b) plans to take to co-operate with developing countries on developing policies and processes for combating poverty and promoting sustainable development. [44359]

  Clare Short
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government are committed to working in partnership with developing countries with large numbers of poor people to tackle poverty and promote sustainable development. It is essential that developing countries lead the process of reform and poverty reduction. My Department is seeking to focus the efforts of all international development agencies on supporting the development and implementation of nationally owned and led poverty reduction strategies.

  My Department also continues to work internationally to promote a more favourable environment for sustainable poverty reduction in developing countries. At both the World Trade Organisation Conference in Doha and the UN Financing for Development Conference in Monterey, agreement was reached on the nature of the partnership between developed and developing countries. Developing countries have committed to actions on good governance and the creation of a domestic enabling environment. Developed countries have committed to support these efforts with action on aid volume, aid effectiveness, building capacity, investment and competition. We are contributing to preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in August to help ensure better understanding of the links between poverty reduction and globalisation, and more effective management of environmental resources.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

  Engagements
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 26 March 2002,Official Report, column 982W, if he will publish an itemised list of his engagements since 8 October 2001. [49887]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 15 April 2002]: In addition to meetings relating to departmental, Cabinet and Cabinet Committee and parliamentary business, I have undertaken the following engagements:

  16 October
  Attend the European Council of Transport Ministers in Luxembourg.

  19 October
  Visit to Cambridge to discuss a range of departmental issues with representatives of regional interests.
  Visit to Atherstone, Warwickshire to discuss a range of departmental issues with representatives of regional interests.
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  25 October
  Attend British Chamber of Commerce dinner to discuss transport and planning.

  26 October
  Visit to Exeter to discuss a range of departmental issues with representatives of the regional Assembly and local government.

  30 October
  Visit in London to discuss a range of departmental issues with representatives of local government in London.
  Visit in London to discuss with representatives from the south-east departmental issues.

  31 October
  Visit to Lewisham to discuss action needed to tackle the problem of abandoned cars.

  2 November
  Meeting to discuss regeneration and transport needs in Leigh and Wigan with local MPs, representatives of local authorities and business interests.

  5 November
  Speech to Foreign Press Association in London.

  6 November
  Address CBI conference, Birmingham.

  9 November
  Visit to Leeds to discuss a range of departmental issues with representatives of the regional Assembly and local government.
  Visit to Tyneside to discuss a range of departmental issues with representatives of the regional Assembly and local government.
  Received presentation and had discussions with the north-east Assembly in Newcastle on their proposals for regional government.

  15 November
  Dinner with train operating companies.

  16 November
  Visit to Derby to discuss a range of departmental issues with representatives of interests in the east midlands.
  Visit to Stretford to discuss a range of departmental issues with representatives of the north-west region.

  20 November
  Discussion on urban renewal at dinner organised by English partnerships with institutional investors.

  3 December
  Opening of Lemington Bridge in Newcastle.

  5 December
  Speech at Rail Passenger Council's conference.

  6 December
  Officially commence work on the extension of East London Line.

  11 December
  Attend Paddington Survivors Group Rail Summit.

  14 December
  Speech at UNISON conference on public services.

  18 January
  Speech to Local Government Association conference.

  23 January
  Speech at conference organised by Rail Magazine, London.

  6 February
  Speech to parliamentary Press Gallery.

  8 February
  Inspect improvement works to the London underground.

  27 February
  Presentations and speech at the AA awards dinner.
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  13 March
  Visit to Camden Housing Development and Alexander House Hostel.

  18 March
  Speech to the National Coalfields conference, York.

  25 March
  Speech on planning, transport and other issues at the CBI president's dinner.

  28 March
  Visit to Belsize fire station, London.

  12 April
  Speech on regeneration and regional issues at the Core Cities Summit in Manchester.

  12 April
  Visit to Birkenhead to inspect work in progress on new ferry terminal and the regeneration of the riverside area.

  19 April
  Meeting with West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority at Birmingham to discuss regional transport issues.

  23 April
  Dinner with Regional Development Agency chairs to discuss a wide range of departmental issues.

  Building Projects
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the building projects under construction; and what coolant will be used for the building services water chilling system for such projects. [52048]

  Dr. Whitehead
  The Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions currently has no significant building projects under construction. Wherever possible, building projects will be planned to avoid or minimise the use of air-conditioning. Where the need for air-conditioning and associated water chilling systems cannot be eliminated, the use of coolants that contribute to climate change will be avoided wherever this is safe, cost effective and technically feasible to do so.

  2004 GLA Elections
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards a freepost mailshot to London electors during the 2004 GLA elections. [52064]

  Mr. Byers
  The Greater London Returning Officer has recently consulted on a range of issues relating to the 2004 GLA elections including the delivery of election addresses. We are awaiting his recommendations.

  Infrastructure Charging Research
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what infrastructure charging research work his Department is funding. [52090]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: No such work has been commissioned by my Department. The former Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions, commissioned the following work which is ongoing:

  Demonstration of Interoperable charging and telematics Systems (jointly with Leeds City Council and Highways Agency);

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  Dynamic Freight Analysis;

  Economic geography of congestion charging;

  Trade-off between practical and optimal cordon congestion charging;

  Charging Appraisal Frameworks;

  Scheme Design and User Acceptance;

  Measuring social—spatial inclusion and exclusion in charging infrastructures.

  Fares Policy Review
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the Strategic Rail Authority will report to his Department on its review of fares policy; and if he will make a statement. [52386]

  Mr. Jamieson
  No firm date has yet been decided by the Strategic Rail Authority.

  Network Railcards
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he has met the Association of Train Operating Companies since 7 June 2001 to discuss ATOC's proposals for changes to network railcards; if he will publish the minutes and list the actions arising from these meetings; and if he will make a statement. [52385]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and analysis. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and Guidance for Civil Servants: Contacts with Lobbyists. Some of these discussions take place on a confidential basis, and in order to preserve confidentiality, it is not the normal practice of Governments to release details of specific meetings with private individuals or companies.

  Vehicle Fuels
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proportion of vehicles registered to households in(a) Dumfries and Galloway, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK are (i) diesel engined, (ii) petrol engined and (iii) powered by other means. [52904]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The proportion of currently licensed vehicles registered to keepers with addresses in the Dumfries and Galloway unitary authority, Scotland and the United Kingdom powered by diesel, petrol or other means is shown in the table. The information for Great Britain is as at 30 September 2001; the information for Northern Ireland included in the United Kingdom total is as at 31 December 2001. The data include vehicles registered to companies and other entities as well as to individuals.

  Proportion of vehicles by propulsion method

  Percentage

  Area

  Diesel

  Petrol

  Other

  Dumfries and Galloway unitary authority

  32.7

  67.2

  0.1

  Scotland

  23.6

  76.3

  0.1

  United Kingdom

  21.9

  78.0

  0.1

  Merchant Fleet
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the size of the UK registered merchant fleet was in each of the last five years. [52906]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The size of the fleet in both numbers of ships and tonnage is given in the following table.

  UK registered fleet (all vessels)

  UK registered fleet (trading vessels)1

  As at 31 December

  Number of ships

  Gross tonnage (Thousand gt)

  Number of ships

  Gross tonnage (Thousand gt)

  1996

  1,506

  4,437

  381

  3,291

  1997

  1,498

  3,961

  369

  2,822

  1998

  1,498

  4,389

  378

  3,081

  1999

  1,456

  4,603

  379

  3,200

  2000

  1,518

  5,971

  417

  4,579

  2001

  1,527

  6,280

  427

  5,035

  1 'Trading' vessels are those which carry cargo or passengers for commercial purposes. The remainder of the fleet consists of vessels which are deemed to be 'non-trading'. Examples of non-trading vessels are dredgers and trawlers, but vessels which were constructed for 'trading' purposes can also come into this category, if they have been converted to a non-trading use, e.g. storage or a floating restaurant.

  Rail Safety
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) how many road barriers have been erected to increase safety and prevent road vehicles falling onto railway lines since the Selby crash; [52455]

  (2) what recent measures have been taken to ensure adequate protection and fencing at intersections between roads and railways. [52456]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Following the road/rail accident last year at Great Heck, near Selby, two working groups were set up, both of which published their reports on 25 February 2002. The Minister for Transport has accepted all 19 recommendations in the two reports and commended to highway authorities and rail infrastructure authorities the risk assessment framework prepared by the CSS (formerly County Surveyors Society) and Railtrack.

  The highway authorities and rail infrastructure authorities are working closely together and are examining the relevant sites on their networks to consider what, if any, mitigation measures might be appropriate to help prevent the incursion of vehicles on to the railway. Details of measures taken where roads meet, cross or run close to railways is not held centrally.

  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many road to rail accidents have been recorded in each year since 1997. [52458]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Information held by the Health and Safety Executive on the number of incidents each year since 1997 where road vehicles have encroached on to railway lines is contained in the table.

  Incidents of road vehicles obstructing the line not at a level crossing

  Total

  1997–98

  23

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  Incidents of road vehicles obstructing the line not at a level crossing

  Total

  1998–99

  33

  1999–2000

  28

  2000–01

  31

  Health and Safety Executive
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trasport, Local Government and the Regions what technical support contracts were awarded by the Health and Safety Executive between 1 January and 31 December 1998. [53071]

  Dr. Whitehead
  The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Construction Industry
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many self-certification schemes are in operation relating to the construction industry; and what the cost is of joining each scheme. [53001]

  Dr. Whitehead
  Five schemes are operating self-certification under the Building Regulations in England and Wales. These are for installers registered with the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI); the Oil Firing Registration. Scheme run by the Oil Firing Technical Association for the Petroleum Industry (OFTEC); the Registration Scheme for Companies involved in the Installation and Maintenance of Domestic Solid Fuel Fired Equipment run by HETAS Ltd.; the Approved Contractor Person Scheme (Building Regulations) run by the Institute of Plumbing; and the Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme run by FENSA Ltd.

  We understand the costs for joining each scheme are as follows:
  For an installer registered with CORGI the joining fee is £189, with an annual membership fee of £170 included in the first year's costs. Where the registered installer is a company, they can register additional employees at £49 per annum.
  For OFTEC the annual fee is £36 for an individual, and £20 for a company, payable five years in advance. An individual must be employed by an OFTEC registered firm.
  For HETAS the first year's fee is £150 for a firm followed by and annual membership fee of £100. For an individual the fee is £25 per annum. An individual must be employed by a HETAS registered firm.
  For the Institute of Plumbing we understand that there will be no separate charge for membership of the Approved Contractor Person Scheme, but it will be necessary to be a member of the Institute of Plumbing (IoP). There is an IoP joining fee of £30 and an annual membership fee of £50.50.
  For the Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme all firms are required to pay a standard registration fee of £100, in addition to the vetting fee of £200. The vetting fee is not required, however, if the firm has already been vetted by another body which has standards comparable to FENSA. There is also an annual membership charge of £50 included in the first year's costs. Registered firms are required to purchase Approved Documents L1 and N which provide details on how to comply with the Building Regulations.
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  These costs are exclusive of VAT. There will be additional associated fees for training and assessment for CORGI, HETAS and OFTEC and in some cases the IoP.

  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what criteria the Government used to determine who should he consulted regarding the Building (Amendment) Regulations 2002. [53002]

  Dr. Whitehead
  The criteria used were the same as normally followed when introducing a new initiative under the Building Regulations. There was an initial consultation with the Building Regulations Advisory Committee (BRAC), followed by two extensive written consultations with interested representative bodies. This was followed up by further consultation with BRAC, including the creation of a separate BRAC working party. There was final consultation on the detailed regulations with BRAC along with requests for comments from the schemes involved and individual experts.

  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions who will he responsible for policing the self-certification schemes introduced by the Building (Amendment) Regulations 2002. [53000]

  Dr. Whitehead
  The scheme operators will be responsible for maintaining the standards necessary for their members to self-certify their work. Working with the scheme operators my Department will monitor the extent to which standards have been maintained and improved as a result of the self-certification initiative.

  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how the self-certification schemes introduced by the Building (Amendment) Regulations 2002 will operate in connection with the existing quality mark scheme. [53005]

  Dr. Whitehead
  In the consultation document 'Taking Forward Self-Certification Under the Building Regulations' we noted that the first stage of self-certification would develop a body of experience which it might be able to apply more widely when other bodies join. It was also noted that this process would "allow synergies to develop with the quality mark initiative …". We have started this process. In relation to the Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme (FENSA), quality mark members are eligible for a discount on initial membership, and further discussions are currently taking place between the Department of Trade and Industry and FENSA over how the two schemes can work more closely together over the coming months. We will also be working with the other schemes during this first stage to see how they can work more closely with the quality mark initiative.

  Vehicle Numbers
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many cars are registered on UK roads. [52981]

  Mr. Jamieson
  At the end of September 2001, 24,980,000 cars were registered to keepers in Great Britain. The latest figures for Northern Ireland relate to the end of December 2001, when the number of registered cars was 657,000.

  Network Rail
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether his Department has formally applied for state aid approval for Network Rail. [53220]

  Mr. Jamieson
  No. If the Network Rail bid is successful, any state aid to be provided to the company would be notified as and when appropriate.

  Alternative Road Fuels
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his policy is on the creation of a nationwide distribution network for liquid hydrogen for use in cars. [53219]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The discussion draft of the Government's "Powering Future Vehicles" strategy for supporting the shift to low-carbon vehicles and fuels identified the Government's important role in supporting the development of new fuel infrastructures, as the need and demand for them arose. Hydrogen looks likely to be a key component in the long-term shift to low-carbon transport. The Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Budget announced that the Government intended both to exempt hydrogen from fuel duty for a period to encourage its further development and early take-up, and also to provide enhanced capital allowances for installing hydrogen fuel infrastructure. Additionally, the Government is already providing financial support for the pilot trials of hydrogen fuel cell buses to be carried out next year by Transport for London, including the hydrogen refuelling station to support the initiative.

  Humber Bridge
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions for what reasons the carriageway repair work being carried out on the Humber Bridge is not being carried out on a 24-hour basis. [52969]

  Mr. Spellar
  After consultation with the local environmental health department, the Humber Bridge Board has decided to limit repair work to regular working hours during the week in order to reduce noise levels for local residents and in order to reduce repair costs. Resurfacing repairs should be completed by September 2002.

  Peak District National Park
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) which organisations were consulted on the decision to change the policy on mineral working in the Peak District National Park in the Regional Planning Guidance for the east midlands (RPG8); [52603]

  (2) if he will define the exceptional circumstance set out in MPG6 for permission for mineral working as it applies to the Peak district; [52605]

  (3) if he will list the criteria against which decisions to permit mineral working in the Peak district will be taken; [52604]
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  (4) on what date it was decided that the policy on mineral working in the Peak district national park set out in the Regional Planning Guidance for the east midlands (RPG8) should be changed; and when the public consultation period on the Regional Planning Guidance closed. [52602]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: Regional Planning Guidance for the east midlands was published on 24 January 2002, following consultation that ended on 15 June 2001. The final wording was intended to be more concise than earlier versions but did not change national planning policy guidance as it applies to mineral development in the Peak district. Thus paragraphs 70 and 71 of Minerals Planning Guidance Note 6 advise that major developments should not take place in national parks, such as the Peak district, save in exceptional circumstances. All minerals applications must be subject to the most rigorous examination, and should be demonstrated to be in the public interest before being allowed to proceed. The factors to be taken into account in considering minerals applications in such areas include:

  a) the need for the development in terms of national considerations of mineral supply; and the impact of permitting the development, or refusing it, on the local economy;

  b) whether alternative supplies can be made available at reasonable cost; and the scope for meeting the need in some other way;

  c) any detrimental effect of the proposals on the environment and landscape and the extent to which that should be moderated; and

  d) in the case of extensions to existing quarries, the extent to which the proposal would achieve an enhancement to the local landscape.

  Minerals policies in the RPG for the east midlands should be read within that context.

  Community Transport Groups
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 April 2002,Official Report, column 137, on community transport, by what means community transport groups in south Gloucestershire will have access to the longer term funding to which he referred. [52595]

  Ms Keeble
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said in his answer, we will carefully consider the general point of how far the benefits of three-year spending programmes can be extended to those bodies involved in community transport provision. More specifically, the position on funding for the south Gloucestershire projects currently supported under the Rural Bus Challenge scheme was described in my answers of Monday 4 February 2002, Official Report, column 743W, and Tuesday 29 January 2002, Official Report, column 202W.

  Council Housing
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the practice of local authorities writing off debts accrued by tenants in council-owned homes. [53102]

  Ms Keeble
  The Code of Accounting Practice applicable to local authorities requires them to write off debts known to be uncollectable. They are also required 680W
  to make financial provision for the proportion of current debts which in due course are likely to turn out to be uncollectable.

  Each local authority will, in addition, have procedures set out in their own financial regulations requiring proper authorisation for write offs.

  Local authorities are obliged to obtain best value in carrying out their housing management functions. Performance, including that on rent collection, is reported annually to the public in an authority's best value performance plan.

  Motorway Restrictions
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much of the A43 between the M40 and the MI is expected to be(a) wholly and (b) partially open by the weekend of 5 to 7 July; and if he will make a statement on action being taken to accelerate the works. [52255]

  Mr. Jamieson
  [holding answer 29 April 2002]: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Tim Boswell, dated 30 April 2002:
  I have been asked by the Transport Minister, David Jamieson, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the A43 between the M40 and the M1.
  To help traffic during the British Grand Prix weekend on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July, at least two lanes of the new Silverstone Bypass between the A413 junction and Dadford Road (the main access to the Circuit) will be available for access by coaches and official race traffic to and from the north.
  In addition, we aim to use existing A43 through Silverstone, to Towcester Bypass, as a one-way system as we did last year, making four lanes between the A413 junction and Dadford Road available to traffic to and from the north.
  The new Whitfield Turn and Brackley Hatch section is not sufficiently advanced to be used so we intend to make the existing A43 at Syresham and Pimlico one-way to ensure two-lane access to and from the Circuit from the south on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July.
  Traffic not intending to travel to the Grand Prix will be advised by signs, including the variable message signs on the motorway network, to use alternative routes. Traffic using the A43 between Brackley and Towcester, and not going to and from the Grand Prix, will be diverted.
  The improved A43 between the M40 and B4031 Barley Mow Roundabout will be operating as a two-lane dual carriageway. Junction 10 on the M40 should still be operating in its present form.
  Overall, there should be at least two lanes between MI and M40 available for traffic going to and from the Grand Prix.
  The existing lengths of dual carriageway between M I (Junction 15A) and the Abthorpe Road roundabout at Towcester and from the Barley Mow roundabout, around Brackley Bypass to Whitfield Turn are unaffected and will operate in their normal way.
  Ministers consider it important to support the Grand Prix as a showcase for an important UK industry whose success reflects positively on the UK. The Agency, the race organisers, the police and the contractor have successfully adopted a partnered approach to developing an accelerated programme to complete and use as much of the scheme as is required to allow a successful event.

  Public Service Agreements
  Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions for what
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  reason district councils are not directly involved in local public service agreements; and what plans he has to extend them to district councils in the future. [53638]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Dr. Whitehead), to the hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole (Mrs. Brooke) on 29 April 2002,Official Report, column 557W.

  Disabled Access
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many stations have been refurbished to ensure full disabled persons' access to railway platforms; and how many more are planned for completion by the end of 2002. [53258]

  Mr. Jamieson
  [holding answer 29 April 2002]: The information is not held centrally. However, the Strategic Rail Authority has recently written to all train operating companies requiring them to review their disabled peoples protection policies (DPPPs). As part of the review, operators will be required to identify the work that needs to be done at their stations to meet the standards of the authority's Code of Practice "Train and Station Services for Disabled Passengers". Following the review a programme of works to improve facilities for disabled passengers will be developed, part funded by the authority.

  Solar Panels
  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what buildings owned by his Department have solar panels installed. [53494]

  Dr. Whitehead
  Temple Quay House (Bristol) has a solar panel, which is used to power an atrium display.

  E-Government
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the progress made by local government in the field of e-government. [53423]

  Dr. Whitehead
  All local authorities in England except one have demonstrated their commitment to e-government by preparing and submitting Implementing Electronic Government statements. These statements show how the local authority expects to implement local e-government to achieve the 2005 target and the progress made to date.

  An assessment by local authorities in July 2001 showed that, on average, 29 per cent. of services were available electronically at that time. This was expected to rise to 45 per cent. by March 2003, 73 per cent. by March 2004 and 100 per cent. by the end of 2005. New information on the electronic availability of local services will be available later this year.

  Road Safety
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received on the implications for road safety of the sale on the open market of the speed trap detector device, Snooper S5; and if he will make a statement. [53457]
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  Mr. Jamieson
  The device in question is but one of a range of speed enforcement detection devices currently available in the UK. Successive Governments had believed such devices were banned under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949, but a court ruling in 1998 found this was not the case. My Department have consulted on proposals to introduce secondary legislation to ban the use of these devices in motor vehicles, and is considering how to proceed.

  Health and Safety (Computers)
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will take steps to amend the Health and Safety (Display Equipment) Regulations 1992 No. 2792 to ensure that the positioning of a computer monitor screen is at eye level when a user is sitting upright in front of it. [53302]

  Dr. Whitehead
  No. The minimum requirement for work stations, as set out in the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, already require that display screens should suit the needs of the operator or user.

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which NDPBs in(a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland are accountable to the Government. [52509]

  Mr. Leslie
  I have been asked to reply.

  All public bodies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are accountable, through their sponsoring Departments, to the relevant Minister, and therefore to Government. An index of public bodies is available in the Cabinet Office publication, 'Public Bodies 2001', a copy of which is held in the Library, and which is available on the internet.

  Devolved public bodies and their public appointments are the responsibility of the devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales. The Northern Ireland Office retains responsibility for a number of public bodies post devolution.

SCOTLAND

  Dungavel Detention Centre
  Annabelle Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions she has had with the Home Office concerning Dungavel detention centre. [51350]

  Mr. Foulkes
  I have regular discussions with Home Office Ministers on a range of issue. The operation of Dungavel detention centre was considered at a recent meeting.

  Scottish Parliament
  Pete Wishart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she will publish the results of her consultation on the size of the Scottish Parliament. [51351]
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  Mrs. Liddell
  The consultation period closed on 29 March. Over 230 responses were received from organisations and individuals from across Scotland. I will publish my conclusions in due course.

  Asbestosis Victims
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she last met the insurance industry to review progress in paying compensation to asbestosis victims in Scotland. [51352]

  John Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in securing the payment of compensation to asbestosis victims in Scotland. [51364]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I had a meeting on 24 April with the Association of British Insurers, the Chester Street scheme administrators, Iron Trades Management Services (ITMS), the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, Thompsons and Eversheds. This was a further meeting to discuss the handling of claims against Chester Street Insurance Ltd.

  This was a productive meeting. ITMS produced statistics showing the progress of claims since I chaired a previous meeting on Chester Street on 6 March. These figures showed that, at the end of February, 10.6 per cent. of settled claims against insolvent policyholders had been paid. By 19 April, 40.7 per cent. of these claims had been paid.

  The meeting agreed that a service standard would be laid down covering claims against Chester Street where the original policyholder is insolvent. Under this service standard, acceptance documents will be sent to claimants' lawyers within 20 working days of a claim being agreed. Once claimants' lawyers return the acceptance documents, cheques will be released within five working days.

  Payments totalling over £3 million have now been made by the Association of British Insurers and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, who are the two bodies responsible for organising payments of claims where the policyholder is insolvent.

  I am determined to ensure that agreed claims against Chester Street are paid as quickly as possible. I will continue to monitor progress very carefully.

  Drug Dealers
  Mr. MacDougall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the action being taken to seize the assets of major drug dealers in Scotland. [51353]

  Mr. Foulkes
  In the year from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002, 32 confiscation orders relating to the proceeds of drugs were secured in Scottish courts. The value of these orders totalled over £530,000.

  Regeneration
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether she has recently visited Glasgow to examine economic regeneration. [51354]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have visited a number of projects which contribute to the city's economic regeneration.

  Manufacturing
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the performance of the manufacturing sector of the Scottish economy. [51355]

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on prospects for manufacturing industry in Scotland. [51365]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) on 30 April 2002,Official Report, column 791.

  Post Offices
  Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on the future of post office services in Scotland. [51356]

  Mr. Foulkes
  I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of matters. In addition, I have recently had meetings with the General Secretary of the Communication Workers' Union, executives from Consignia and the Chief Executive of PostComm, the industry regulator, to discuss Post Office services in Scotland.

  Poverty
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues and others on the impact of health spending on strategies for alleviating poverty. [51358]

  Mr. Foulkes
  My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with UK Ministers and Scottish Ministers on a wide range of issues. Expenditure on the NHS in Scotland, however, is a devolved matter.

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment she has made about the impact of the Budget upon child poverty in Scotland. [51363]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The Budget showed our continued determination to tackle child poverty. Around 450,000 families in Scotland will benefit from the introduction of the new working tax credit and the new child tax credit in 2003. The children's allowance in income support and job seeker's allowance will increase by £3.50 a week from October 2002, benefiting around 113,000 workless families in Scotland. We have also announced improvements to the new deal for lone parents, which has already benefited almost 15,000 people in Scotland.

  The Department for Work and Pensions has also recently issued a consultation paper on "Measuring Child Poverty", to seek views on the best way of monitoring long-term progress.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action is being taken against employers in Scotland who are failing to pay the national minimum wage. [51359]
  685W
  Mrs. Liddell
  The Inland Revenue has two specialist teams, one based in Aberdeen, the other in East Kilbride, who are responsible for enforcing the national minimum wage in Scotland. In the period April 2001—March 2002 over 500 investigations have been conducted, recovering £322,068 in wage arrears for Scottish workers. The Government have also run national publicity campaigns to raise awareness and the Inland Revenue regularly hold information seminars.

  Defence Industry
  Mr. Roy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions she has had with the Ministry of Defence about jobs in Scotland which are(a) directly and (b) indirectly related to the defence industry. [51360]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have had a number of recent discussions with my right. hon. Friend the Secretary of State on defence-related matters. Defence expenditure on equipment is estimated to support 6,000 jobs in Scottish businesses directly and a further 10,800 jobs indirectly.

  Disability Rights Commission
  Miss Begg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action she is taking to promote the work of the Disability Rights Commission in Scotland. [51361]

  Mr. Foulkes
  I took part in a number of events last year publicising the role of the Disability Rights Commission in Scotland, including a seminar for Scottish MPs. In February, I held a reception in Edinburgh celebrating the commission's work which my hon. Friend the Minister for Disabled People co-hosted.

  Small and Medium Enterprises
  Rosemary McKenna
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make an assessment of the impact of the Budget on SMEs in Scotland. [51362]

  Mrs. Liddell
  My right hon. Friend's Budget statement announced a package of reforms to the business tax system which will benefit small and medium-sized enterprises and provide longer-term economic stability and a competitive business environment. The simplification of the VAT regime will be of benefit to 107,000 small businesses in Scotland. The small firms rate of corporation tax will be reduced from 20 per cent. to 19 per cent., benefiting some 33,000 small firms in Scotland and some will now pay no tax at all on the first £10,000 of their profits. Small businesses in Scotland with turnover up to £150,000 will also benefit from the removal of automatic VAT penalties.

  Future of Europe
  David Cairns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps she is taking to ensure Scotland's interests are represented in the debate on the future of Europe. [51366]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Government wish to encourage a wide ranging public debate on the Future of Europe in advance of the Inter-Governmental Conference in 2004. I will continue to contribute to that debate. For example, on 15 April I spoke at a Spanish Government seminar in Segovia on the Future of Europe.
  686W
  I am also a member of the Cabinet Committee on European Policy and the Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe), as well as the Ministerial Committee on European Co-ordination (MINECOR). The Scottish Executive participates directly in the latter two committees. The Government are committed to involving and consulting the devolved administrations in line with the terms of the Concordat on the Coordination of EU Policy Issues.

  NHS (Border Areas)
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she last met ministerial colleagues in the Department of Health and Health Ministers from the devolved Administration to discuss NHS provision in border areas. [51367]

  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she last met ministerial colleagues in the Department of Health and Health Ministers from the Scottish Executive to discuss NHS provision in border areas. [51368]

  Mr. Foulkes
  My right hon. Friend and I have regular meetings with UK Ministers and Scottish Ministers on a wide range of issues. The most recent meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on Health took place on 22 October: my hon. Friend the Advocate General for Scotland represented the Scotland Office. The NHS in Scotland is a devolved matter.

  Rural Economy
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she will next visit Galloway and Upper Nithsdale to discuss the rural economy with representatives from the farming industry. [51369]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I visited Dumfries on two occasions last year to discuss the local rural economy. I have at present no plans to visit Galloway and Upper Nithsdale.

  Mr. Francois
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions she has had with rural businesses in Scotland regarding the aggregate tax. [51370]

  Mr. Foulkes
  I met with the British Aggregates Association on 21 January to discuss issues relating to the aggregates tax and rural business in Scotland.

  Scottish Interests
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what steps she is taking to represent Scottish interests to the Treasury in setting net borrowing attributable to Scotland; [46353]

  (2) what steps she is taking to represent Scottish interests to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Budget negotiations; [46354]

  (3) what steps she has taken to represent Scottish interests to the Treasury in agreeing levels of services and their associated expenditures for Scottish residents; [46350]

  (4) what steps she is taking to in represent Scottish interests to the Treasury in agreeing levels of tax on Scottish residents and enterprises; [46351]
  687W
  (5) what steps she is taking to represent Scottish interests to the Treasury on the Comprehensive Spending Review. [46352]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have regular discussions with Treasury Ministers on a wide range of issues affecting Scotland.

  Textile Industry
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions she has had about support for the textile industry in Scotland since 11 September. [53235]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I work closely with colleagues in the Department for Trade and Industry to ensure that the national strategy for the UK textile and clothing industry and DTI's support for British designers is implemented in Scotland. I also work closely with Scottish Executive Ministers in the delivery of their three-year strategy for Scottish textiles.

  I am delighted that Johnstons of Elgin have recently won a Queen's Award for Enterprise. This demonstrates what can be achieved in overseas markets with innovative and well-designed products. My aim is that all of our textile industry can achieve that kind of success.

  Foot and Mouth
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive about the setting up of a public inquiry into the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease. [51357]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bridgwater (Mr. Liddell-Grainger) on 14 March 2002,Official Report, column 1207W.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

  Devolution
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Advocate-General what devolution issues she has considered in respect of the Land Reform Bill and the European convention on human rights. [51315]

  The Advocate-General for Scotland
  The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill completed stage 1 in the Scottish Parliament on 20 March. This means that the general principles of the Bill were approved. I examine all Bills of the Scottish Parliament as they progress and when a Bill is passed I decide whether to refer it to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. My consideration of this Bill will cover a variety of matters, including its human rights aspects.

  Legislation
  Mr. Joyce
  To ask the Advocate-General which Scottish Parliament Bills she has assessed since June 2001. [51314]

  The Advocate-General for Scotland
  My powers under the Scotland Act allow me to refer a Bill, or a provision of it, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council for a decision as to the Bill's competence. Since June 2001 I have assessed 19 Bills passed by the Scottish 688W
  Parliament. Those Bills have included important legislation concerning community care and health; housing; the International Criminal Court and the water industry. I have arranged for a complete list to be placed in the Library.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Members' Cars
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the President of the Council what proposals he has to discourage hon. Members from bringing their private vehicles into central London. [51338]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  Traffic in London is the responsibility of the Mayor of London. I agree that we should all do our best to reduce vehicle usage in central London. Members have travel warrants and bicycle allowances to encourage us to leave our cars at home. I am sure my right hon. Friend would be interested in any suggestions the hon. Member has.

PRIVY COUNCIL

  Public Information
  Julie Morgan
  To ask the President of the Council what proposals he plans to put before the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons for improving the system of public information relating to proceedings in the House. [51341]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  Much is already happening. Work is in hand on a redesign of the parliamentary website, and an experiment in web casting proceedings in the House and its Committees is underway. The new visitor cafeteria and interpretation centre is scheduled to open on Tuesday 14 May.

  My right hon. Friend will keep this work under review, and make further proposals as necessary.

  Select Committees
  Andrew Bennett
  To ask the President of the Council what steps he is taking to take forward reform of Select Committees; and if he will make a statement. [51342]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House.

  Welsh Bills
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the President of the Council what plans he has to bring forward proposals to provide more opportunities and mechanisms for the debate of Bills relating exclusively to Wales. [51343]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  Standing Orders already provide a variety of mechanisms for debating Bills relating exclusively to Wales, and this Government will continue to bring forward such Bills.

  People's Peers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Council when the House of Lords Appointments Commission is to take its roadshow around the country to solicit applications from aspiring people's peers. [51340]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  I understand that the Commission has yet to finalise plans for its forthcoming programme of regional visits.

  Modernisation
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Council if he will make a statement on his proposals for reform of the sitting times of the House and the parliamentary calendar. [51332]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  The Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons is currently considering the proposals contained in my memorandum of December 2001. (HC 440).

  I would like to see changes to our sitting patterns which would fit in better with the needs of modern life, and increase the House's ability to hold the Government to account.

  Carry-over Bills
  Mr. Bryant
  To ask the President of the Council if he will make a statement on his proposals for carrying over Bills from one Session to another. [51345]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  My right hon. Friend's proposals are contained in his memorandum to the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons published in December 2001 as HC440.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

  Child Care Facilities
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will make a statement on the progress being made to improve child care facilities on the parliamentary estate. [51344]

  Mr. Kirkwood
  The House of Commons Commission is committed to family-friendly employment policies, and provides child care vouchers for staff with young children and a subsidised summer holiday play scheme. The Director of Finance and Administration has recently commissioned a consultancy study of options for child care in the parliamentary estate and in the Westminster area. I understand that the results of the study are expected in May.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Guardians Ad Litem
  Mr. Bryant
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what evaluation her Department has made of the effectiveness of the recent reforms of the guardians ad litem. [51324]
  690W
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The functions of the guardians ad litem and reporting officers, the Family Court Welfare Service and the Children's Divisions of the Official Solicitor were combined to form the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in April 2001.

  CAFCASS is subject to independent inspection by HM Magistrates Court Service Inspectorate (MCSI). Its first report was published on 19 March and a copy has been placed in the Library.

  Citizenship
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps the Department is taking to involve magistrates in promoting citizenship initiatives for young people. [51327]

  Mr. Wills
  The Department, over many years, has funded the outreach work of the Magistrates Association, which grew out of its schools project. Last year we provided just over £50,000 for this work. In addition my Department contributes £20,000 towards the cost of the annual Magistrates Court Mock Trial Competition, which is organised by the Citizenship Foundation in conjunction with the Magistrates Association.

  Judges' Lodgings
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement about the current cost of judges' lodgings. [51328]

  Mr. Wills
  The hon. Member will be aware that the Lord Chancellor has decided that any changes to the means of accommodating High Court Judges while on circuit will only take place in the context of relevant recommendations of Lord Justice Auld's report. Consultation on the report has closed and Ministers are currently considering the comments received prior to publication of a White Paper.

  In the meantime, administrative improvements in the existing lodgings' network are being implemented.

  Family Support Services
  Julie Morgan
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans she has for CAFCASS to provide a bilingual service in Wales. [51329]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  CAFCASS plan to appoint a Welsh language officer in Wales this year, to provide translation services and support implementation of CAFCASS's diversity strategy in Wales and their Welsh Language Scheme.

  Police Time
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the results of co-operation between the courts and the police to ensure efficient use of police time during court hearings. [51330]

  Mr. Wills
  Co-operation on this aspect of inter-agency work takes place in a number of ways. HM Magistrates Courts Service Inspectorate, jointly with the Inspectorates for the police and Crown Prosecution Service, are
  691W
  undertaking a joint thematic inspection of listing. Fieldwork has commenced and their report is expected in the autumn.

  Sir David O'Dowd is chairing the Reducing Bureaucracy Task Force that has been set up to identify and reduce bureaucratic burdens in the criminal justice system and in particular on police officers. This includes work on the role of the courts. Fieldwork through this task force has commenced and a final report is due in July. There is close co-operation between the Inspectorates and the work being done by the O'Dowd task force.

  In 2001, the national Trials Issues Group issued guidance to all criminal justice areas, pointing out the huge cost implications of calling officers to court on their rest days, or at the end of a late turn of duty, etc. The advice raised awareness of the cost and manpower implications of court listings and it is hoped that the good practice advice contained therein has led to further improvements. At a local level, there is on-going consideration in relation to the efficient use of all court users' time through local Trials Issues Group meetings and the Area Criminal Justice Strategy Committees.

  The Crown court are currently running the Xhibit pilot project in Chelmsford which is look to use IT better to inform parties to a case on how the case is progressing. This includes sending electronic messages from the courtroom to pagers and mobile phones and means that witnesses do not have to wait in the court building to give evidence but can be contacted as and when needed. Although not specifically targeted at police officers, it allows the officers to remain in their station (if it is relatively close to the court building) and carry on with other duties while they are waiting.

  In relation to "cracked and ineffective" trials in the Crown court, a study commenced in Manchester on 16 April in conjunction with other agencies and is looking at the best ways to avoid unnecessary attendance at court by the parties and their witnesses. In the magistrates courts, a new data collection exercise commenced in April 2002, which will consider the reasons for "cracked and ineffective" trials and this will also impact upon police officers' role in court.

  QCs
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what recent discussions she has had with the Law Society concerning the procedures for appointing QCs. [51319]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has had no recent discussions with the Law Society about the procedures for appointing Queen's Counsel.

  Better Quality Services Initiatives
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the services of his Department have not been reviewed under the Better Quality Services Initiative; and when they will be reviewed. 1503091

  Mr. Wills
  The Better Quality Services programme was launched in 1998 and adopted by the Cabinet Office in the Modernising Government White Paper of 1999 as 692W
  a means of delivering continuous improvements in the quality and effectiveness of Government activities and services. It requires all Departments to review every activity and service over a five-year period starting in October 1999. The scheme covers all activities in Departments, Agencies and Executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies.

  The Lord Chancellor's Department's wide ranging programme of policy, service and organisational reviews forms the basis of its BQS programme and provides comprehensive coverage of functions. The review of activities and services started in 1999. A major part of this programme is the Quinquennial Review of the Court Service. The Review has just been completed and will be published shortly.

  There are a number of office service and supply activities that are due to be reviewed within the next couple of years before the current contracts expire. This will complete the Department's current BQS programme.

  Recruitment
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many net additional staff her Department has recruited in each month since June 2001 at(a) executive officer level and (b) administrative level. [52429]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The number of staff recruited by the Department are as follows:

  Recruitment since June 2001

  (a) Executive officer level staff

  Higher/senior executive officer level staff

  (b) Administrative level staff

  LCD HQ and associated offices

  june 2001

  1

  0

  0

  July 2001

  3

  1

  0

  August 2001

  1

  0

  0

  September 2001

  10

  2

  1

  October 2001

  1

  3

  11

  November 2001

  0

  2

  5

  December 2001

  0

  1

  7

  January 2002

  0

  0

  5

  February 2002

  0

  6

  3

  March 2002

  1

  9

  1

  The Court Service

  June 2001

  2

  0

  43

  July 2001

  3

  0

  37

  August 2001

  9

  2

  43

  September 2001

  15

  1

  69

  October2001

  20

  1

  77

  November 2001

  3

  1

  51

  December2001

  4

  0

  29

  January 2002

  4

  0

  100

  February 2002

  3

  1

  59

  March 2002

  2

  0

  43

  The Public Guardianship Office

  June 2001

  4

  0

  3

  July 2001

  1

  1

  1

  August 2001

  1

  0

  0

  September 2001

  1

  0

  0

  October 2001

  0

  7

  0

  November2001

  0

  0

  0

  December 2001

  1

  1

  0

  January 2002

  0

  1

  0

  February 2002

  3

  3

  1

  March 2002

  6

  2

  2

  It is not possible to determine how many of these are

  693W
  "net additional staff". Many of these recruits will be to replace staff who have left the Department, through resignation, retirement, transfer etc., and only a small proportion will be to fill new vacancies. A more accurate measure would be to compare the numbers of staff from one year to another, as shown in the annually published Civil Service Statistics, but even that would include transfers from other Government Departments as well as new recruits.

  Contact Centres
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what systems are in place to monitor the work of contact centres. [39369]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Child contact centres are run by the voluntary sector. Many contact centres are affiliated to other organisations, principally the National Association of Child Contact Centres (NACCC). The Lord Chancellor's Department is working with NACCC and other key organisations in this field, to develop national definitions of contact and more consistent and safer referral processes. The Department provided grant-in-aid funding during 2000–01 and 2001–02 to assist these organisations in developing their respective models of contact. The Government are also currently considering as a matter of priority the recent recommendations on contact centres made by the Children's Act Sub-Committee, of the Lord Chancellors Advisory Board on Family Law, in its report "Making Contact Work" published on 8 February 2002.

  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what training is given to staff running contact centres. [39370]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Child contact centres are run by the voluntary sector. Many contact centres are affiliated to and trained by other organisations, principally the National Association of Child Contact Centres (NACCC). The Lord Chancellor's Department is working with NACCC, and other key organisations in this field, to develop more consistent and safer referral processes which includes training of staff. The Department provide grant-in-aid funding during 2000–01 and 2001–02 to assist these organisations in developing their respective models of contact which included training packages. The Government are also currently considering as a matter of priority the recent recommendations on contact centres made by the Children's Act Sub-Committee, of the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Board on Family Law, in its report "Making Contact Work" published on 8 February 2002.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when she will reply to the questions from the hon. Member for Winchester of 26 February (refs 39369 and 39370). [52346]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  I apologise to the hon. Member for not replying to his questions of 26 February. I regret that this was due to an administrative oversight. I have answered both questions today.

  Autistic Spectrum Diisorders
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance is given 694W
  to (a) magistrates and (b) the judiciary about court proceedings involving people with autistic spectrum disorders as (i) witnesses and (ii) defendants. [51325]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB) which is an independent non-departmental public body. It is chaired by Lord Justice Waller.

  All judges are supplied on appointment with a copy of the Equal Treatment Bench Book, which contains guidance on different aspects of disability, including autism. The Equal Treatment Bench Book is also available to Magistrates through their Magistrates Courts' Committees.

  Smart Card Technology
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the use of smart card technology in the 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. [50478]

  Mr. Wills
  The Lord Chancellor's Department has not made extensive use of smart card technology to date. Future plans for the delivery of electronic services are set out in our e-Business Strategy (www.lcd.gov.uk/ebus/stratcont.htm). This is accompanied by a supporting technical strategy for Information and Communications Technology (www.courtservice.gov.uk/info/reps/ictstrategy.pdf) which is fully compliant with central standards laid down by the Office of the e-Envoy. Smart cards are one of a large number of technologies discussed in this document and it is within this framework that any future deployment of smart cards will be delivered.

  Performance Targets
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what new initiatives his Department has taken in 2001–02 to assist in achieving its Public Service Agreement targets. [47187]

  Mr. Wills
  Information about progress on PSA targets will be published in the Department's 2002 Departmental Report.

  Entertainment Costs
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) if he will list for each of the last five years the total amount of money spent by Ministers in his Department on food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for entertainment purposes; [47207]

  (2) how much was spent by departmental special advisers on food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for official entertainment purposes in each of the last five years. [46849]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  I have previously provided total entertainment expenditure figures for Ministers and Officials relating to the financial years from 1998–99 to 2000–01 and I refer

  695W
  the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Ribble Valley on 6 March 2002, Official Report, column 405W.

  User Consultation
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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. [47308]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Court Service has initiated a programme of regular customer satisfaction surveys of court and tribunal users. A press notice was released in April last year, giving details of the first findings. The second part of the survey was completed in November 2001 and the third is in progress: these results will be published in the summer of 2002. All magistrates' courts carry out two court user surveys a year. The results are published and can be found in the House Library.

  The Public Record Office and HM Land Registry conduct formal customer surveys each year. The Public Record Office conducted four customer satisfaction surveys of visitors to Kew and the Family Records Centre and achieved an average user satisfaction figure of 95.6 per cent. The highlights of the survey will be published in the Keeper's Report.

  The results from the Land Registry 2001 annual survey show that 99 per cent. of respondents were either "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the Registry's services. The results are published on the Land Registry website.

  In addition the Lord Chancellor's Department conducts a programme of research across its responsibilities which bear on service users and their wishes and expectations. The results are published. Details of the research programme are available from the Department's website.

  The Lord Chancellor's Department also issues consultation documents from time to time. These are published on the Department's website. In line with the Code of Practice on Written Consultation summaries of responses to consultation papers are published and are also available from the Department's website.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the target time will be in 2002–03 for(a) Ministers to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) officials in his Department to reply to letters received directly from members of the public. [44943]

  Mr. Wills
  The target times for(a) Ministers to reply to letters from hon. Members in the 2002 calendar year and (b) officials to reply to letters received direct from members of the public in 2002–03 business year will be as follows:

  All figures in working days

  (a) Letters from MPs

  (b) Letters from public

  Lord Chancellor's Department

  20

  15

  Court Service

  115

  15

  Public Guardianship Office

  115

  15

  Hon. Member Land Registry

  120

  5

  696W

  All figures in working days

  (a) Letters from MPs

  (b) Letters from public

  Public Record Office

  120

  10

  Northern Ireland Court Service

  120

  15

  1 Agency Chief Executives to Members of Parliament

  Public Service Agreements
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which public service agreement targets scheduled to be met in 2002 will not be achieved by the due date. [44812]

  Mr. Wills
  Information about progress on PSA targets will be published in the Department's 2002 Departmental Report.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for a Resource Accounting and Management Information System for the Lord Chancellor's Department by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative; [49662]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Probate Records Centre for the Lord Chancellor's Department by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative; [49669]

  (3) what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Local County Court Systems for the Lord Chancellor's Department by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative; [49661]

  (4) what estimate he has made of the total savings to public funds of the Private Finance Initiative contract for the Libra project for the Lord Chancellor's Department by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative. [49550]

  Mr. Wills
  Before the award of the contracts for the Resource Accounting and Management Information System (ARAMIS), the Local County Court Systems (LOCCS) and the Libra project the contract values were compared with public sector comparators and demonstrated value for money.

  Since the award of these contract additional work has been commissioned which was not included in the original comparison. It is not possible to produce a lifetime 'comparative' savings figure for these contracts because of work that has taken place since contract award. However, additional work commissioned under these contracts is subject to an evaluation process to ensure that value for money is achieved.

  Savings over the lifetime of the contract for the Probate Records Centre are estimated at £16.4 million.

  New Deal
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many people employed by the non-departmental public bodies for which she is
  697W
  responsible under the New Deal for Young People in each of the last four years have subsequently (a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseekers' allowance or other benefits. [49607]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Information on the New Deal programmes has never been collected centrally for non-departmental public bodies. Only one of our NDPBs, the Legal Services Commission, has employed people under the New Deal and they do not record data in a way that would enable an answer to be given to the exact question. However, one person was employed by their predecessor body, the Legal Aid Board, under the New Deal in October 1998 and subsequently became a permanent member of staff.

  Staff Pay
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the cost in 2001–02 was of the pay increase to staff in his Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible; and what the cost of the forthcoming increase will be in 2002–03. [50421]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The cost of the pay award for staff in the Lord Chancellor's Department, including its agencies and NDPBs, in 2001–02 was as follows:

  LCDHQ and associated offices—£.1,125,529.

  Court Service—£6,240,000

  Public Guardianship Office—£276,000.

  The Legal Services Commission—£792,000.

  The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) came into existence in April 2001 and pay was previously the responsibility of the services which preceded it.

  Proposals for pay in 2002–03 are still under consideration.

  Staff (Locally Elected Representatives)
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many members of staff at his Department are locally elected democratic representatives; and if he has a strategy for his Department to encourage members of staff to become locally elected democratic representatives. [44538]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Department actively supports staff members in undertaking voluntary public service by the provision of special leave with pay. For example, an elected member of a local authority, including Mayors in their Mayoral year and Chairpersons of Councils, are entitled to up to 18 days paid leave each year. However, we keep no central record of numbers.

  Information Disclosure
  Lawrie Quinn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the(a) amendment and (b) repeal under section 75 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 of legislation prohibiting the disclosure of information. [53819]
  698W
  Mr. Wills
  We have identified 155 items of primary legislation and 83 items of secondary legislation that contain provisions prohibiting the disclosure of information. We have also identified a further 62 items of primary legislation and 18 items of secondary legislation which contain provisions providing discretion to disclose information.

  We have identified 36 items of legislation to be repealed or amended under the provisions in section 75 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. 57 items of legislation have been identified which fulfil our international obligations. It will be necessary to retain these.

  A list of all the legislation identified will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Decisions on the repeal or amendment of legislation governing the disclosure of information relating to devolved matters in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive. The repeal or amendment of legislation within the devolved authority of the Northern Ireland Assembly will be a matter for consultation with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of the Northern Ireland Executive.

  Each item of legislation not already identified as a candidate for repeal or amendment and not fulfilling an international obligation is now being reviewed to determine whether it may be so repealed or amended in light of the provisions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000. A further update will he given in the annual report in November on implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

  Death Penalty
  Jean Corston
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department whether the UK intends to sign and ratify Protocol 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights, on the death penalty, when it is opened for signature. [54031]

  Mr. Wills
  Yes. The Government will sign Protocol 13 with a view to ratification when it is opened for signature at the next Council of Ministers meeting at Vilnius on 2 and 3 May. We will seek Parliament's approval under the Human Rights Act to add this Protocol to the Convention rights set out in that Act.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Children's Rights
  Vernon Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the UK reservation on the United Nations convention on the rights of the child; and if he will make a statement. [31155]

  Angela Eagle
  The United Kingdom ratified the United Nations convention on the rights of the child in 1991. The reservation in respect of article 22 in no way inhibits the discharge of our obligations under the convention. It is there to safeguard the right of the United Kingdom to determine its own immigration and nationality laws. We have carefully reviewed the reservation in the light of
  699W
  recent requests that it should be withdrawn. However, we are convinced that it remains necessary in the interests of maintaining an effective immigration control.

  Press Office
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost of running the Department's press office was in(a) 1996–97 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available. [46804]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: The total cost of running the Home Office press office in 1996–97 was £1,229,000. This does not include the cost of the then separate Prison Service Media Relations Unit, for which no detailed central records exist. The costs for the year 2001–02 were £2,415,606 including a cost of £358,399 for media relations for the Prison Service, now integrated into the Home Office press office.

  Staff numbers increased when a 'breaking news' press team was established in 2000. This was one of the recommendations from the independent external consultants who carried out a review of the structure and operation of the press office in 1999. One of the benefits has been that media calls to the press office, one of the busiest in Whitehall, are now being answered within four rings 90 per cent. of the time. Previously there were occasions when up to 40 per cent. of media calls were being 'lost'.

  Accountancy Contracts
  Annabelle Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the(a) number and (b) value of contracts awarded by his Department to (i) Arthur Andersen, (ii) Deloitte Touche, (ii) Ernst and Young, (iv) KPMG and (v) PricewaterhouseCoopers accountants in each year since 1997. [34989]

  Angela Eagle
  The available information on the number and value of contracts awarded by the Home Department to (i) Arthur Andersen, (ii) Deloitte and Touche, (iii) Ernst and Young, (iv) KPMG and (v) PricewaterhouseCoopers accountants in each year since 1997 is as follows:

  Company

  Number of contracts

  Value £

  1997–98

  Ernst and Young

  1

  10,665

  KPMG

  2

  178,756

  1998–99

  Ernst and Young

  1

  35,250

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  2

  70,440

  KPMG

  2

  178,973

  1999–2000

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  5

  7,119,027

  KPMG

  1

  25,000

  Ernst and Young

  2

  311,000

  Deloitte and Touche

  1

  130,000

  2000–01

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  3

  253,999

  Ernst and Young

  2

  1,166,913

  2001 to date

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  3

  128,855

  Deloitte and Touche

  1

  15,800

  Ernst and Young

  1

  429,000

  Note:
  700W
  The Home Office has not awarded any contracts to Andersen for the period in question.

  Contracts were awarded following civil service rules.

  Ministerial Travel
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [47103]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Since 1999 this Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library. The 1999 list contained information on all such visits undertaken from 2 May 1997 to 31 April 1999. Details for travel undertaken in the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the current financial year.

  All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Theft of Identity
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the change in incidences of theft of identity and his initiatives to tackle this crime. [47578]

  Mr. Denham
  The recorded crime statistics do not record specifically incidence of identity theft as this often forms part of another crime such as credit card fraud.

  However, it is generally acknowledged that the incidences of identity theft and identity fraud are rising. The Government estimate that the current cost of identity theft and fraud to the United Kingdom economy is at least £1.2 billion per annum, though it is difficult to isolate the cost of identity theft and fraud from the cost of other types of theft and fraud.

  Following an extensive study on identity fraud which has been led by officials in the Cabinet Office, the Home Office will co-ordinate the development and implementation of a work programme to counter identity theft and fraud and the private sector will be invited to participate. The Government will seek views on potential initiatives to counter identity fraud in a consultation paper. I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Knowsley, North and Sefton, East (Mr. Howarth) on 5 February 2002, Official Report, column 872W.

  Some of the potential initiatives on which the Government will be consulting will include:

  (i) strengthening the procedures for issuing current identity documents such as driving licences and passports;

  (ii) establishing a public sector database of known and suspected fraudsters against which applications for Government services could be cross-checked;

  (iii) making identity theft a specific offence in itself rather than relying on offences being committed after the identity has been stolen;

  701W

  (iv) establishing a database of stolen identity documents that can be checked when they are produced as forms of identification.

  Illegal Entrants
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal entrants were detained when entering the UK by truck through Dover in each quarter of 2001. [49933]

  Angela Eagle
  In 2001 the Immigration Service at Dover eastern docks detected and initially detained a total of 2,835 illegal entrants attempting to enter the United Kingdom concealed in vehicles, mainly lorries. By quarter, the figures for Dover in 2001 were 572 (January to March), 596 (April to June), 871 (July to September) and 796 (October to December).

  Solar Panels
  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what Government buildings owned by his Department have solar panels installed. [51188]

  Angela Eagle
  At present no Home Office buildings have solar panels installed. However, a pilot study to install solar water heaters at Her Majesty's Prison Prescoed is out to tender. If successful, consideration will be given to extending the use of solar water heaters to other prison establishments. A new unit at Her Majesty's Prison Askham Grange is also to include solar water heating panels.

  Mrs. Dayekh
  Mr. Malin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Woking dated 7 November 2001 and 9 January on the subject of Mrs. Dayekh on appeal (ref no VV 03010/2001). [50865]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: My right hon. and noble Friend Lord Rooker wrote to the hon. Member on 24 April 2002. I am sorry for the delay in replying.

  Mr. Mohamed
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the Department has not responded to the application for consideration of political asylum for Mr. Mohamed, an Iraqi national, port reference EDD/01/20967 and HO reference M1051379, which was submitted on 10 April 2001; and if he will make a statement. [51132]

  Angela Eagle
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 29 April 2002.

  Ms Yoko Sibthorp
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce his response to the outcome of the appeal by Ms Yoko Sibthorp for the right to remain permanently in the United Kingdom. [51426]

  Angela Eagle
  The appeal by Ms Yoko Sibthorp was allowed in a determination promulgated on 8 April 2002. The Secretary of State has decided not to challenge the 702W
  decision and the papers have now been passed to the relevant caseworking department for the necessary leave to be granted.

  Voluntary Sector Funding
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Mr. Selous) of 25 January 2002,Official Report, columns 1185–86W, on Government funding of the voluntary sector, what information is collated on the contributions made to the state funding of the voluntary sector by (a) central Government, (b) local government, (c) the European Union, (d) the National Lottery and (e) other state sources. [51406]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 19 April 2002]: Information on funding from all these sources is not routinely collated by Government.

  The most recent estimates available to the Home Office on funding to the voluntary sector, in the categories identified, are for 1999–2000 and are totals for the United Kingdom as follows:

  (a) Central government—£1,220,069,420

  (b) Local government—£1,611,387,000

  c European funds—£232,061,849

  (d) National Lottery—£1,118,315,366,

  (e) Other state sources—£878,400,000

  Note:

  Other state sources include health authorities and trusts, police and fire authorities.

  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding the Government have given to the(a) National Council for Voluntary Organisations, (b) Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, (c) Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, (d) Wales Council for Voluntary Action, (e) British Youth Council, (f) Charities Aid Foundation, (g) Community Action Network, (h) Community Development Foundation, (i) Charity Finance Directors Group, (j) National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service, (k) Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations and (l) Ethnic Minority Foundation in each of the last five years. [51218]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 19 April 2002]: Information on Government funding to these organisations is currently only available for 1998–and 1999–2000. Data for 2000–01 are in the process of being collected. Total Government funding is as follows:

  £

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  British Youth Council

  49,000

  52,277

  Charities Aid Foundation

  6,000

  1,608,000

  Charity Finance Directors Group

  0

  1—

  Community Action Network

  107,481

  45,000

  Community Development Foundation

  901,800

  13,829,916

  Council of Ethnic Minority

  0

  42,000

  Voluntary Section Organisations

  Ethnic Minority Foundation

  0

  1—

  National Association of Councils of Voluntary Service

  239,893

  342,003

  National Council of Voluntary Organisation

  1,037,887

  990,000

  Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action

  1—

  1—

  Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

  377,150

  3,199,199

  Wales Council for Voluntary Action

  768,564

  1,091,537

  1 No data

  Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the budget is for the OISC in 2002–03. [51519]

  Angela Eagle
  The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC's) budget has been provisionally agreed for the year 2002–03 as £3,462,466. This is subject to approval by my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State at the Home Office (Lord Rooker).

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints he has received concerning immigration advisers since the establishment of the OISC. [51521]

  Angela Eagle
  The Immigration and Nationality Directorate do not keep a central record of complaints received about immigration advisers. If any are received, the complainant is advised to contact the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) or other relevant authority.

  I understand that, as of 31 March 2002, the OISC had received or initiated 417 complaints about immigration advisers since their establishment.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the staffing arrangement is for the OISC. [51520]

  Angela Eagle
  Both the Immigration Services Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner are appointed by the Secretary of State. The Commissioner recruits his own staff and is currently authorised to employ a maximum of 55; the breakdown, with civil service equivalent grades shown, is as follows:

  Grade1

  Number of staff

  Senior Managers

  (SEO)

  7

  Dupty Managers

  (SEO)

  2

  Investigators

  (SEO)

  4

  Caseworkers

  (HEO)

  20

  Assistant Caseworkers

  (EO)

  3

  Support

  (HEO)

  8

  Support

  (EO)

  2

  Senior Secretary

  (SPS)

  1

  Admin Officers

  (AO)

  8

  Total

  55

  1 Civil service equivalent

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received from hon. Members concerning the work of the OISC. [51554]

  Angela Eagle
  Since 1 January 2002, three hon. Members have each written once to Home Office Ministers about the work of the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). In the same period, there have been two parliamentary questions on this subject.

  Experience Corps
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of each of the regional branches of the Experience Corps was. [51010]
  704W
  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: The Experience Corps is a single initiative and the Experience Corps Company has been allocated a total of £19.9 million for the period until 31 March 2004 to deliver said initiative.

  The Experience Corps Company is a private company limited by guarantee. It is obliged to produce and publish an annual report, which includes audited accounts, no later than 30 September of each financial year.

  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the shareholders of the Experience Corps; and what system of financial accountability is in place in relation to funds provided by his Department. [51012]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: The Experience Corps has no shareholders; it is a private company limited by guarantee.

  An appropriate system of financial accountability is in place, details of which are contained within the Financial Agreement. The Home Office and National Audit Office do have access to all relevant documents relating to the expenditure of the grant in aid.

  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place a copy of the Financial Agreement of September 2001 between the Home Department and the Experience Corps in the Library. [51009]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: Yes, I will place a copy of the Financial Agreement in the Library.

  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the budget for communications, publicity and advertising of the Experience Corps is. [51011]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: The grant in aid allocation to the Experience Corps Company for publicity, marketing and branding is £6 million.

  The Experience Corps Company is a private company limited by guarantee. It is obliged to produce and publish an annual report. which includes audited accounts, no later than 30 September of each financial year.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many public appointments he has made since 1 January; and if he will list the names and remuneration of those appointed. [51502]

  Angela Eagle
  The table lists 42 appointments and reappointments made by the Home Office to public bodies between 1 January 2002 and 31 March 2002.
  705W
  It is the practice not to publish the names of those appointed to the Board of Visitors in prison establishments in England and Wales because of concerns for their personal safety, but a total of 83 appointments and 428 re-appointments were made between 1 January 2002 and 31 March 2002.

  Public body/appointee

  Remuneration

  Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs

  Dr. Dima Abdulrahim

  Nil

  Lord Victor Adebowale

  Nil

  Mr. Norman Bettison1

  Nil

  Dr. Margaret Birtwhistle

  Nil

  Rev. Martin Blakeborough1

  Nil

  Dr. Cecilia Bottomley

  Nil

  Mr. Roy Boyjoonauth1

  Nil

  Ms Carmel Clancy

  Nil

  Professor Ilana Crome

  Nil

  Ms Robyn Doran

  Nil

  Mr. Robert Eschle

  Nil

  Professor Hugh Edmondson

  Nil

  Ms Viviene Evans1

  Nil

  Professor C. Robin Ganellin

  Nil

  Dr. Laurence Gruer1

  Nil

  Mr. Paul Hayes1

  Nil

  Mr. Andrew Hayman

  Nil

  Mr. Russell Hayton1

  Nil

  Mr. Peter Housden1

  Nil

  Mr. Roger Howard1

  Nil

  Mr. Alan Hunter1

  Nil

  His hon. Judge Trevor Joseph

  Nil

  Dame Judith Kilpatrick

  Nil

  Dr. John Marsden

  Nil

  Mr. Peter Martin

  Nil

  Professor David Nutt1

  Nil

  Mr. Richard Pates

  Nil

  Mr. Trevor Pearce

  Nil

  Mr. Arthur Preddy

  Nil

  Mrs. Kay Roberts1

  Nil

  Mrs. Patricia Roberts1

  Nil

  Dr. Roy Robertson1

  Nil

  Dr. Mary Rowlands

  Nil

  Mr. Hywel Sims

  Nil

  Dr. Polly Taylor

  Nil

  Ms Monique Tomlinson

  Nil

  Animal Procedures Committee

  Reverend Professor Michael Banner1

  £206 per day

  Community Development Foundation

  Mrs. Mavis Best1

  Nil

  Jagwant Singh Johal1

  Nil

  Peter Latchford1

  Nil

  Prof. Ruth Lister

  Nil

  Ms Avila Kilmurray1

  Nil

  1 Re-appointment

  Drug Abstinence Order
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug abstinence orders have been issued. [51471]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: Drug abstinence orders and drug abstinence requirements were made available to the courts covering the three pilot sites, Nottingham, Staffordshire and Hackney on 5 November 2001. As at 28 February 2002, seven drug abstinence orders and 85 drug abstinence requirements have been issued.
  706W

  Drug Policy (Brixton)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on progress made on the new drug policy in Brixton; [51615]

  (2) what plans he has to extend the drug scheme in Brixton to the rest of the country; [51614]

  (3) when he last met police representatives to discuss the drug policy in Brixton; and what was concluded. [51616]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  [holding answer 24 April 2002]: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has not met police representatives to discuss the drug policy in Brixton, but he has been following the progress of the Lambeth cannabis pilot very closely. I have met officers in Brixton additionally, officials from the Home Department meet regularly with representatives from the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Metropolitan police to discuss this and other issues.

  The Home Secretary recognises that it is important to address policing cannabis issues such as those raised by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report, so as not only to bring consistency to policing practice on the streets but also to make the most effective use of police time.

  I understand that the Metropolitan police are continuing their evaluation of the policy being operated in Lambeth to assess more accurately its precise impact. I further understand that the Metropolitan police have no plans to extend the operational pilot to other areas in advance of a full evaluation of all the issues being available.

  Henry Kissinger
  Jeremy Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from Spain concerning the visit of Henry Kissinger to the UK. [53675]

  Mr. Blunkett
  A letter of request from Spain for mutual legal assistance involving the evidence of Henry Kissinger was received in the Home Office on 19 April 2002. This request was refused on 22 April, since it did not comply with United Kingdom legislative requirements. No representations were received from Spanish authorities in this connection.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many induction, accommodation and removal centres for asylum seekers there are in(a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales; where they are; and how many people each of them holds. [46981]
  707W
  Angela Eagle
  Currently there is one induction centre in Dover. Generally speaking asylum seekers requiring accommodation will spend approximately one week in the induction centre before being dispersed. Other asylum seekers requesting either subsistence only support or who do not require support will spend between one and two days at the centre. We are proposing to open further induction centres over the coming months close to major ports such as Heathrow and Gatwick and a small number in the regions. There is no ceiling on the number who can be accommodated in an induction centre but typically there are between 200 and 500 in the centre at any one time.

  There are no accommodation centres at present but we intend to establish a number of these with a total capacity of 3,000 to accommodate a proportion of new asylum seekers from application through initial decision and any appeal. This will be taken forward on a trial basis. We have identified eight potential sites for accommodation centres. Six of these are in England, one in Scotland and one in Wales.

  They are located as follows:

  QinetiQ (the Defence Establishment Research Agency formerly (DERA)) Pershore, Worcestershire

  Royal Air Force (RAF) Hemswell, West Lindsey, Lincolnshire

  Sully Hospital, Cardiff

  Hooton Park, Ellesmere Port. Cardiff

  Land vacated by Ministry of Defence (MOD) Logistics, Bicester, Oxfordshire

  Air West Edinburgh (formerly RAF Tumhouse), Edinburgh

  RAF Newton, West Bridgeford, Nottinghamshire

  National Energy Site Killinghome, Grimsby, North Lincolnshire.

  The Government are committed to ensuring that the long-term mix of facilities for the support of asylum seekers and management of the asylum processes is based on evidence of what works. The operation of the trial accommodation centres will be thoroughly evaluated, taking account of a number of factors including costs, processing times, ease of access to integration programmes for those granted refugee status and the rate of returns in cases which are refused.

  The following removal centres are located in England and Scotland.

  Removal centers

  Location

  Total capacity1

  No of family beds

  Campstield

  Kidlington, Oxford

  184

  —

  Harmondsworth

  West Drayton, Middlesex

  550

  72

  Tinsley House

  Gatwick airport

  137

  14

  Dover2

  Dover, Kent

  316

  —

  Lindholme

  Doncaster

  112

  —

  Haslar

  Gosport, Hampshire

  160

  —

  Dungavel

  Strathaven, South Lanarkshire

  150

  54

  1 Including family beds

  2 From end April 2002

  708W
  The total detention capacity at immigration removal centres is 1,609. This figure excludes the 400 places at Oakington Reception Centre and the provision of detention places at Yarl's Wood Removal Centre that is currently unused.

  Julie Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how detained asylum seekers are informed of rights they have to apply for bail. [48281]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: The notice (IS91R) served on detainees to inform them of the reasons for their detention also contains details of their rights to apply for bail. The immigration officer serving the notice must sign this form to confirm that the detainee has been informed of these rights. If the detainee does not understand English, the immigration officer must ensure that the form's contents are interpreted.

  Vernon Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many families there were awaiting a final decision on their asylum application in each of the last six months. [51742]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: Information on the number of families awaiting a final decision on their asylum application is not readily available and would be obtained only by examination of individual case files to get information on the outcomes of initial decisions, of subsequent appeals to the Immigration Appellate Authority and to the Tribunal, which would incur disproportionate cost.

  An initial decision has been served for around two thirds of asylum applications from families received in April to September 2001 (the latest period for which such data are available).

  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the most recent Ofsted inspection of education provision in each(a) detention and (b) removal centre in England took place. [51661]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: There have been no inspections by Ofsted of the children's education provision at the two immigration removal centres which have such provision as neither Harmondsworth nor Dungavel have been operating long enough to warrant such an inspection.

  Vernon Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) separated children and (b) children in families arrived in the UK and made an asylum application in each of the last six months. [51743]
  709W
  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: The table shows the number of unaccompanied children under the age of 18 who have made an asylum application in the period March to August 2001, inclusive. August is the latest month for which data are available.

  Unaccompanied children1,2,3, aged 17 or under, applying for asylum to the United Kingdom, March to August 2001

  Month

  Total applications

  March

  281

  April

  216

  May

  281

  June

  331

  July

  305

  August

  471

  Total

  1,885

  1 Unaccompanied at the point of their arrival, and not known to be joining a close relative in the United Kingdom

  1 Figures exclude disputed age cases

  3 Provisional data

  Reliable information on the number of children who have applied for asylum in the United Kingdom, accompanied by an adult, is not readily available and could be obtained only by examination of individual case records and is, therefore, only available at disproportionate cost.

  Information on unaccompanied minors is published annually in the statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom", a copy of which is available in the Library and from the RDS website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

  Parole
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the outcome is of the review of parole and lifer processes announced by the right hon. Member for Brent South in February 2000. [53948]

  Beverley Hughes
  The report of the comprehensive review of parole and lifer processes was published today on the Prison Service website, www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk. A copy has also been placed in the Library. The report concluded that the Parole Board for England and Wales should continue to function as an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by Her Majesty's Prison Service. The report also recommended a series of improvements to the parole and lifer processes, consolidate and continue improvements over the last few years, which will now be taken forward.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the information-gathering powers contained in the Social Security Fraud Act 2001 will be brought into effect. [54010]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The Social Security Fraud Act contains important new powers for the Department and local authorities to get information from organisations such as banks and utility companies to help in the fight against benefit fraud. These new powers come into effect from today and a revised Code of Practice has been laid before Parliament.
  710W
  Further sections of the Fraud Act are also brought into effect from today. These include new powers for the Department and local authorities to offer financial penalties to benefit offenders, on behalf of each other, as an alternative to prosecution, rather than each having to offer a separate penalty as was previously the case; and for the Department and local authorities to offer financial penalties to employers who collude with their staff in the commission of benefit offences, again as an alternative to prosecution.

  These new measures should send out a strong message to all benefit cheats and would-be cheats, and those who collude with them, that we are on to them. From today, the odds on getting away with it have lengthened.

  Benefits
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) of 29 January 2002,Official Report, column 261W, how many households are estimated to be eligible for one or more of (a) pension credit, (b) housing benefit, (c) council tax benefit, (d) child tax credit, (e) working tax credit, (f) income support and (g) income-based jobseeker' s allowance. [50429]

  Mr. McCartney
  Estimates are not available on a household basis.

  Child Support
  Vernon Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the average time taken by the CSA Appeals Service to deal with appeals over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [45759]

  Maria Eagle
  This is a matter for Neil Ward, chief executive of the Appeals Service. He will write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Neil Ward to Mr. Vernon Coaker dated 19 April 2002:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what assessment he has made of the average time taken by the Appeals Service to deal with Child Support appeals over the last 12 months.
  The Appeals Service handles all appeals relating to Social Security, Child Support, Housing/Council Tax benefit, Vaccine damage and Compensation Recovery.
  The average waiting time over the 12 month period, ending February 2002, in respect of Child Support appeals was 18.2 weeks.
  The average waiting time over the 12 month period, ending February 2002, for all types of appeal, including Child Support, from date of receipt by the Appeals Service until first hearing, was 13.3 weeks. This is well within the Secretary of State's target of 14 weeks.
  Child Support appeals invariably incur longer waiting times due to their complicated nature compared to other appeals, i.e. Child Support appeals require more further evidence, and often have more Parties to the Proceedings attend, than other appeals.

  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what performance targets he has set for the Child Support Agency for 2002–03; and when he will publish business plans for the Child Support Agency, Child Benefit Centre and the Disability and Carers Service. [54011]
  711W
  Mr. Darling
  The targets I have set the Child Support Agency are given as follows:Further information on the Child Support Agency plans for 2002–03 is contained in their business plan, which has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.
  Business plans for the Child Benefit Centre and the Disability and Carers Directorate have also been published today and copies have been placed in the Library.

  Child Support Agency targets 2002–03

  Existing cases:
  Accuracy—accuracy on the last decision made for all assessments checked in the year to be correct to the nearest penny in at least 80 per cent. of cases.
  Case compliance—to collect child maintenance and arrears from 71 per cent. of non-resident parents with maintenance liability due to be paid through the agency's collection service.
  Cash compliance—to collect 68 per cent. of child maintenance and arrears due to be paid through the agency's collection service.

  New cases:
  When the new child support scheme is ready to be implemented I will set targets for new cases.

  Voluntary Sector Funding
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer to the Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous) of 25 January 2002,Official Report, columns 1185–86W, on Government funding of the voluntary sector, if he will list the grant schemes and other mechanisms by which his Department distributes funding to voluntary sector organisations. [51407]

  Mr. McCartney
  [holding answer 19 April 2002]: The voluntary sector is a key partner in the Departments efforts to help people back into work, particularly those facing the greatest disadvantages. Organisations in the voluntary sector receive funding under contract to the Department for delivering a range of our employment and training programmes, including for example elements of the New Deal. We also have key relationships with, and make grants to, the voluntary sector in: helping people with disabilities to live more independently in the community; providing mobility related assistance; and free help and advice to members of the public regarding their company, stakeholder or personal pension scheme.

  Pensions
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce proposals to require employees to pay into a joint insurance policy to underwrite employees pension schemes. [51372]

  Mr. McCartney
  We have no plans to introduce proposals requiring employers to contribute to a joint insurance policy to underwrite employees pension schemes. Compulsory mutual insurance to support the pension fund of an insolvent company was among the options considered when we consulted on the future of the minimum funding requirement in September 2000, but it received little support. Such an arrangement could lead to schemes neglecting their obligations knowing that their liabilities would still be met in the event of insolvency. Many employers sponsoring well-funded schemes would object to subsidising firms which neglected their obligations.
  712W
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to remove company representatives from the management of pension funds. [51373]

  Mr. McCartney
  We have no plans to remove company representatives from the management of pension funds.

  Pension schemes are set up voluntarily by employers for the benefit of their workforce, and the financial commitment this involves means they have a legitimate interest in the running of the scheme. Where decisions made by trustees have a direct implication for the financial position of the employer, it is understandable and right that the employer wants to be part of that decision making process.

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people who had to make a claim for the 2001–02 winter fuel payment; and of that number how many failed to do so by 31 March. [50990]

  Mr. McCartney
  Pursuant to my written answer on 23 April 2001.Official Report, column 205W.

  For winter 2001–2, an estimated 500,000 people became newly entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment. At least 255,000 of these people were paid automatically.

  Exact numbers of people who need to claim are not available. However, by the deadline of 30 March, around 220,000 claims forms have been received. It is up to the individual to choose whether to claim.

  Departmental Functions
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 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. [43005]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown

  £

  Money saving (£)

  Percentage saving

  Market tested functions:

  Corporate Document Services

  403,803

  3

  Accommodation and Office Services

  41.5 million

  17.6

  Outsourced functions:

  Benefits Agency Medical Services

  62.2 million

  14

  Estates Management Services

  560 million

  22

  Employment Service HR and payroll

  11 million

  27.5

  Strategic Outsourcing of IS/IT

  72 million

  3

  Human Rights Act
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost in(a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments. [45064]
  713W
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  We do not collect central records of all cases in which the Human Rights Act 1998 is relied on. Human rights are now integrated in the general law and are rarely the sole basis for a challenge.

  We do not collect separate information centrally about the costs to public funds, legal fees or compensation payments in cases which include a human rights issue. In most cases it will be difficult to single out associated costs relating to the human rights element.

  Departmental Contracts
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the 30 largest contracts awarded by his Department from(a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999, (c) May 1999 to April 2000, (d) May 2000 to April 2001 and (e) May 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the values of the contracts and the companies with which the contracts were placed. [43670]

  Pete Wishart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the 30 largest contracts awarded by his Department from(a) May 1997 to April

  Awards between May 2001 and February 2002 by value

  Contract or Agreement

  Supplier (current name)

  IS/IT distribution, implementation and disposal services (DIDS) business allocation under ACCORD

  Arcway (BT led consortium)

  Rail travel booking services framework

  Qjump

  Travel services framework

  Lonsdale Travel

  Desktop stationery framework (2 suppliers)

  Banner Business Systems Guilbert UK Ltd

  Computer consumables framework (3 suppliers)

  Banner Business Systems Guilbert UK Ltd Orion Media Marketing and Supplies

  Paper framework (5 suppliers)

  Banner Business Systems Bunzl Fine Paper Guilbert UK Ltd Premier Paper Glenmore Business Papers

  Vehicle leasing framework

  Arval PHH

  Envelopes framework

  Banner Business Systems

  Social Fund
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what his assessment is of(a) the incidence of fraud in Social Fund applications and (b) the cost of such fraud in the last 12 months for which figures are available; [51045]

  (2) how many applications for Social Fund payment have been investigated as a result of suspected fraud in each year since 1997; how many of them have resulted in (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions; and if he will break down the figures by the sentences imposed in cases which resulted in convictions. [51046]

  Malcolm Wicks
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the understanding of Social Fund applicants of (i) the conditions of eligibility for each of the Social Fund payments and (ii) the basis on which decisions are taken relating to their Social Fund payments. [51047]
  714W
  1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999, (c) May 1999 to April 2000, (d) May 2000 to April 2001 and (e) May 2001 to the latest date, indicating in each case the values of the contracts and the companies with which the contracts were placed. [38725]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  [holding answer 28 February 2002]: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001. The information requested on contracts let by the ex-Employment Service and ex-Department of Social Security is not held centrally in the new Department and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  The Department for Work and Pensions lets a large number of contracts in a year, most of which are for low value purchases let by distributed units. The cost of collecting and analysing information on centrally let deals since the department was formed is provided in the table. The table includes a range of commercial deals including framework agreements under which individual contracts can be let at set terms, conditions and prices. Contract value are not provided because of commercial confidentiality.

  Malcolm Wicks
  In 1999–2000 research was commissioned from the Personal Finance Research Centre at the university of Bristol which explored customers' views of the application process for the new Social Fund budgeting loan scheme introduced in April 1999. The research report was published' in the autumn of 2000 and confirmed that the sample of users welcomed the new budgeting loan scheme for its easier access and quicker decisions.
  1Whyley, Claire, Collard, Sharon and Kempson, Elaine, Saving and Borrowing: Use of the Social Fund Budgeting Loan Scheme and Community Credit Unions. Department of Social Security, research report no. 125, 2000.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Benefits Agency offices in England where the public attend have no security grilles. [31715]
  715W
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The Benefits Agency ceased to exist at the end of March 2002. All the social security offices within the new Jobcentre Plus network which previously belonged to the Benefits Agency network where the public attend have security screens.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of prosecutions brought as a result of investigations carried out by the Benefits Agency resulted in convictions in each year since 1997. [45330]

  Malcolm Wicks
  In each year since 1997, over 98 per cent. of prosecutions brought by the Benefits Agency have resulted in convictions.

  Note:
  Data underlying these figures have been collected from several sources and past definitions have varied. Figures may therefore differ slightly from those previously published.

  Departmental Expenditure (Publications)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the expenditure of his Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in each of the last four years. [30087]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the former Department of Social Security and parts of the Department for Education and Employment.

  The expenditure by the new Department for Work and Pensions between June 2001 and the end of March 2002 on newspapers, magazines and periodicals was £96,368.15.

  Publicity Expenditure
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the total real terms expenditure of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on publicity in each of the years(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000, (d) 2000–01 and (e) 2001–02 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole of the present year; and if he will break these figures down to indicate expenditure on (A) advertising and (B) press and public relations. [36172]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Jobcentre Plus
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions further to his answer to the hon. Member for Hertsmere of 14 February 2002,Official Report, column 633W, on Jobcentre Plus offices, when he expects to receive the report from the Health and Safety Executive on Jobcentre Plus offices; and if he will publish it. [40201]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have written to the Department's Director of Human Resources following the HSE's inspection of three Jobcentre Plus pathfinder offices. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library.

  The Director of Human Resources has met with representatives of the HSE to discuss the issues raised and has, in conjunction with the chief executive of Jobcentre
  716W
  Plus, taken steps to ensure that these issues are dealt with effectively. A copy of his reply has also been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans the Government have to increase security at the new Jobcentre Plus centres; and if he will make a statement. [51232]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  Fifty six integrated Jobcentre Plus offices are already open and operating effectively—with positive feedback from staff and customers. For each of these offices a full health and safety risk assessment has been conducted and its recommendations implemented in full. These risk assessments have also been reviewed in the light of experience of live operations.

  The measures implemented to support the safety of staff and improved customer service as a result of the risk assessments include:

  Closed circuit television;

  Better management in each office to avoid difficult situations building up, for example floor managers to greet customers and guide them through their visit;

  Where recommended by risk assessments, security guards with clear instructions as to when to intervene;

  In each pathfinder area screened facilities to deal with situations likely to give rise to particular risk;

  A clear zero tolerance policy under which determined action will be taken against, anyone threatening or abusing Jobcentre Plus staff.

  Public-private Partnership (Consultants)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total external spending by his 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 his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. 143189]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The Department does not record information about the use of PPP consultants in the form requested and an answer could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Newspaper Advertising
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent by his Department and its agencies on newspaper advertising, in each year since 1992. [46469]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The information is not held in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Better Quality Services Initiative
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which of the services of his Department have not been reviewed under the Better Quality Services Initiative; and when they will be reviewed. [50316]
  717W
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The Better Quality Services (BQS) programme was launched in 1998 and adopted by the Cabinet in the Modernising Government White Paper of 1999 as a means of delivering continuous improvements in the quality and effectiveness of Government activities and services. It requires all Government departments to review every activity and service over a five-year period starting in October 1999. The scheme covers all activities in Departments, Agencies and Executive Non Departmental Public Bodies, and is similar in remit to the Best Value programme in local government.

  The Department for Work and Pensions was established in June 2001, specifically to improve customer service, and two new executive agencies, Jobcentre Plus and The
  718W
  Pension Service, were launched on 1 April 2002. During this period the Department did not carry out any Better Quality reviews. We are now considering where they would be appropriate.

  Shared Residency Orders
  Gillian Merron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Lord Chancellor's Department regarding the effect of shared residency orders on the benefit entitlement of non-resident parents when custody is divided equally. [29790]

  Malcolm Wicks
  This Department has regular discussions with other Government Departments. This includes the Lord Chancellor's Department as necessary.

TREASURY

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what percentage of the total expenditure on working families tax credit went to each income decile in each year since the introduction of the working families tax credit; [50061]

  (2) what percentage of the total expenditure on family credit went to each income decile in each of the last five years of family credit payments. [50060]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 16 April 2002]: The estimated distribution for working families tax credit (WFTC) in 2000–01 is shown in the table. Note that to derive their decile groups people are ranked by their net incomes including WFTC.

  Estimates for other years, and reliable estimates for family credit, are not available.

  Percentage of total weekly expenditure on WFTC in each decile group of income, 2000–011

  Decile group of income2

  Percentage of WFTC expenditure

  Bottom

  11

  2

  20

  3

  20

  4

  16

  5

  14

  6

  9

  7 to 10 (Top)3

  10

  Total

  100

  1 Estimated from families reporting receipt of WFTC in the 2000–01 Family Resources Survey. The estimates are subject to sampling error. They are rounded to the nearest 1 per cent., but should not be taken as accurate to this level.

  2 Recipients of WFTC have been allocated to the decile group of income of the household in which they live (the household may include other people as well as the family in question). The decile group of each household is established by ranking individuals by the net income of the household, equivalised using the McClements scale. Net income is defined as including WFTC, after deducting tax and national insurance contributions, and before deducting housing costs.

  3 The small sample size means that separate reliable estimates for the four top decile groups are not available.

  Contracted-out Rebates
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to paragraph C48 on page 221 of the 720W
  Budget Red Book, if he will provide his estimate of how much lower grant in the contracted-out rebates is than was expected in the pre-Budget report; and if he will provide his estimate of higher receipt in the later years of the forecasts. [51949]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: Lower growth in contracted out rebates than assumed in the pre-Budget report is estimated to result in an increase of £0.2 billion in net receipts from social security contributions in 2002–03. Estimates of higher receipts from Budget measures on a national accounts basis from 2003–04 are given in rows two to four of Table A.1 in the April 2002 Financial Statement and Budget report, and estimates of social security contributions as a percentage of GDP to 2006–07 are shown in Table C9.

  EU Code of Conduct
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the application of the EU Code of Conduct to the Channel Isles. [51478]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: The report of the Code of Conduct Group on Business Taxation to the ECOFIN Council on 29 November 1999 lists 66 tax measures in European Union member states and their dependent or associated territories which are considered to have harmful features. Nine of these are in the Channel Islands. The United Kingdom wishes to see the harmful aspects of all 66 measures removed.

  Private Medical Insurance
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of(a) how many employees in the United Kingdom are covered by private medical insurance schemes provided by their employer and (b) the additional cost to those employers of the rise in national insurance contributions. [53267]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 29 April 2002]: Over 2 million employees receive benefit from private medical and dental treatment or insurance arranged and paid by employers. This does not include self-employed individuals, or company policies provided for retired employees or for employees with earnings below the P11D threshold.

  An additional I per cent. class 1 A national insurance contribution from 2003–04 on the amount of private medical and dental benefit provided by employers is estimated to raise around £10 million per year.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total UK revenue collected from direct taxes and National Insurance contributions in 2000–01. [49062]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The total revenue collected from Inland Revenue taxes net of tax credits and National Insurance contributions in 2000–01 was £209.4 billion.

  Pay Costs
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the cost in 2001–02 was of the pay increase
  721W
  to staff in his Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies tor which he is responsible; and what the cost of the forthcoming increase will be in 2002–03; [50404]

  Department, agency or non-departmental public body

  Cost of pay increase in 2001–02

  Cost of forthcoming increase in 2002–03

  HM Treasury

  The cost is estimated to be £924,000 at the time of settlement

  Costs cannot be given because the pay increase has not yet been agreed

  Royal Mint

  The cost is estimated to be £804,000 at the time of the settlement

  Royal Mint do not propose to increase pay rate in 2002–03

  National Savings and Investments

  The cost is estimated to be £5,232 at the time of the settlement (includes accrued expenditure that is still in the process of being refined

  Cost cannot be given because the pay increase has not yet been agreed

  ONS

  The cost is estimated to be £2,387,000 at the time of settlement

  Cost cannot be given because the pay increase has not yet been given

  GAD

  The cost is estimated to be £105,000 at the time of the settlement

  Cost cannot be given because the pay increase has not yet been agreed

  DMO

  The cost is estimated to be £82,000 at the time of the settlement

  Costs cannot be given because the pay increase has not yet been agreed

  VOA

  The cost is estimated to be £4.862 million at the time of the settlement

  Costs cannot be given because the pay increase has not yet been agreed

  OGC

  The cost is estimated to be £913,000 at the time of the settlement

  Costs cannot be given because the pay increase has not yet been agreed

  Inland Revenue

  The cost is estimated to be £34.3 million for staff below the SCS and £1 million for SCS staff at the time of the settlement

  Costs cannot be given because the pay increase has not yet been agreed

  Customs and Excise

  The cost is estimated to be £17 million at the time of the settlement

  Costs cannot be given because the pay increase has not yet been agreed

  Statistics Commission

  The cost is estimated to be £10,000 at the time of the settlement

  Costs cannot be given because the pay increase has not yet been agreed

  The Statistics Commission has been in existence for just under two years. The total salary costs are as follows: 2000–01 £135,528 (taken from published accounts); 2001–02 £199,000 estimated as 2001–02 accounts have not yet been published.

  Tax Credits
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the(a) total cost and (b) cost per claimant of administering (i) working families tax credit, (ii) children's tax credit, (iii) child tax credit and (iv) working tax credit in the last 12 months. [50991]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers given to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 9 November 2001,Official Report, column 438W, and the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) on 29 June 2000, Official Report, column 590W.

  1999–2000

  Departments

  HC No.

  Cmd No.1

  Laid

  Published

  Workign days between laying and publishing

  Armed Forces Pension Scheme—MOD

  4

  —

  13 December 2000

  13 December 2000

  0

  British Trade International

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cabinet Office

  —

  5053

  30 March 2001

  5 July 2001

  64

  Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation

  —

  5061

  30 March 2001

  29 March 2001

  -1

  Central Office for Information

  190

  —

  31 January 2001

  19 April 2001

  54

  Charity Commission

  191

  —

  31 January 2001

  28 March 2001

  40

  Crown Estate

  192

  —

  31 January 2001

  19 April 2001

  54

  Crown Prosecution Service

  193

  —

  31 January 2001

  30 March 2001

  42

  Customs & Excise

  165

  —

  31 January 2001

  31 January 2001

  0

  DCMS

  181

  —

  31 January 2001

  31 January 2001

  0

  Defence—MOD Consolidated

  50

  —

  31 January 2001

  1 February 2001

  1

  Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions

  —

  5054

  30 March 2001

  29 March 2001

  1-1

  722W
  (2) what have been the total salary costs of each of the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible in each of the last five years. [50294]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The information is as follows:

  There is no administrative cost attached to child tax credit and working tax credit in 2000–01.

  Resource Accounts
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when each of the resource accounts for 2000–01 were published; what the(a) greatest, (b) median and (c) least number of days that elapsed was between each of the resource accounts being (i) laid formally upon the Table and (ii) made generally available to the public; what the median number of days that elapsed was between each of the resource accounts for 1999–2000 being (A) laid formally upon the Table and (B) made generally available to the public; and if he will make a statement. [51467]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The dates on which Departments' resource accounts for 1999–2000 and 2000–01 were published and laid are shown in the following table.
  723W

  1999–2000

  Departments

  HC No.

  Cmd No.1

  Laid

  Published

  Working days between laying and publishing

  Department of Health

  194

  —

  31 January 2001

  22 March 2001

  36

  Department of National Savings

  830

  —

  2 November 2000

  3 November 2000

  1

  DFEE

  182

  —

  31 January 2001

  22 March 2001

  36

  DfID

  116

  —

  31 January 2001

  3 May 2001

  66

  DfID—Superannuation Pensions

  187

  —

  31 January 2001

  3 May 2001

  66

  DSS

  183

  —

  31 January 2001

  16 February 2001

  12

  DTI—Main

  11

  —

  20 December 2000

  1 February 2001

  27

  ECGD

  51

  —

  20 December 2000

  20 December 2000

  0

  FCO

  195

  —

  31 January 2001

  30 March 2001

  42

  Food Standards Agency4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Food Standards Agency Consolidated4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Forestry Commission

  196

  —

  31 January 2001

  27 April 2001

  62

  Forestry Commission Pension Scheme

  201

  —

  31 January 2001

  22 March 2001

  36

  GAD

  153

  —

  31 January 2001

  31 January 2001

  0

  HM Treasury

  —

  5062

  30 March 2001

  11 May 2001

  30

  Home Office

  —

  5055

  30 March 2001

  27 April 2001

  20

  Inland Revenue

  129

  —

  24 January 2001

  24 January 2001

  0

  Intervention Board Executive Agency

  833

  —

  9 November 2000

  9 November 2000

  0

  Lord Chancellor's Department

  —

  5056

  30 March 2001

  30 April 2001

  21

  MAFF

  —

  5057

  30 March 2001

  27 April 2001

  20

  National Investment and Loans Office

  798

  —

  22 November 2000

  22 November 2000

  0

  NHS Pension Scheme (England and Wales)

  188

  —

  31 January 2001

  11 May 2001

  72

  Northern Ireland Court Service

  199

  —

  31 January 2001

  30 March 2001

  42

  Northern Ireland Office

  —

  5058

  30 March 2001

  27 April 2001

  21

  Office for National Statistics

  185

  —

  31 January 2001

  2 April 2001

  43

  Ofgem

  24

  —

  20 December 2000

  20 December 2000

  0

  Ofsted

  155

  —

  25 January 2001

  15 February 2001

  15

  Oft

  75

  —

  31 January 2001

  31 January 2001

  0

  Oftel

  151

  —

  31 January 2001

  31 January 2001

  0

  Ofwat

  176

  —

  31 January 2001

  31 January 2001

  0

  ORR

  184

  —

  31 January 2001

  21 March 2001

  35

  Postal Services Commission4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Privy Council Office

  197

  —

  31 January 2001

  9 February 2001

  7

  Public Records Office

  134

  —

  25 January 2001

  25 January 2001

  0

  Scotland Office

  186

  —

  31 January 2001

  27 April 2001

  62

  Security and Intelligence Agencies

  —

  5059

  4 April 2001

  12 April 2001

  6

  Serious Fraud Office

  198

  —

  31 January 2001

  7 March 2001

  25

  Teachers Pension Scheme

  189

  —

  31 January 2001

  22 March 2001

  36

  Treasury Solicitors

  —

  5060

  30 March 2001

  30 April 2001

  21

  UK Atomic Energy Authority—DTI

  10

  —

  20 December 2000

  31 January 2001

  27

  Wales Office

  96

  —

  24 January 2001

  24 January 2001

  0

  2000–01

  Departments

  HC No.

  Cmd No.1

  Laid

  Published

  Working days between laying and publishing

  Armed Forces Pension Scheme—MOD

  245

  —

  21 November 2001

  21 November 2001

  0

  British Trade International

  526

  —

  30 January 2002

  13 February 2002

  11

  Cabinet Office

  —

  5443

  28 February 2002

  —

  —

  Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation

  554

  —

  31 January 2002

  18 March 2002

  —

  Central Office for Information

  566

  —

  31 January 2002

  31 January 2002

  0

  Charity Commission

  565

  —

  31 January 2002

  27 February 2002

  19

  Crown Estate

  544

  —

  30 January 2002

  30 January 2002

  0

  Crown Prosecution Service

  540

  —

  31 January 2002

  31 January 2002

  0

  Customs and Excise

  530

  —

  30 January 2002

  26 March 2002

  39

  DCMS

  469

  —

  9 January 2002

  9 January 2002

  0

  Defence—MOD Consolidated

  443

  —

  17 December 2001

  18 December 2001

  1

  Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions

  536

  —

  31 January 2002

  4 February 2002

  2

  Department of Health

  567

  —

  31 January 2002

  15 April 2002

  52

  Department of National Savings

  121

  —

  24 October 2001

  24 October 2001

  0

  DFEE

  551

  —

  31 January 2002

  18 February 2002

  12

  DfID

  512

  —

  30 January 2002

  26 February 2002

  19

  DfID—Superannuation Pensions

  514

  —

  30 January 2002

  26 February 2002

  19

  DSS

  491

  —

  31 January 2002

  31 January 2002

  0

  DTI—Main

  503

  —

  23 January 2002

  23 January 2002

  0

  ECGD

  441

  —

  10 January 2002

  10 January 2002

  0

  FCO

  553

  —

  31 January 2002

  7 March 2002

  24

  Food Standards Agency4

  513

  —

  31 January 2002

  7 February 2002

  6

  Food Standards Agency Consolidated4

  594

  —

  5 February 2002

  55 February 2002

  0

  Forestry Commission

  527

  —

  31 January 2002

  —

  —

  724W 725W

  2000–01

  Departments

  HC No.

  Cmd No.1

  Laid

  Published2

  Workign days between laying and publishing

  Forestry Commission Pension Scheme

  535

  —

  31 January 2002

  —

  —

  GAD

  284

  —

  31 October 2001

  31 October 2001

  0

  HM Treasury

  573

  —

  31 January 2002

  14 March 2002

  30

  Home Office

  —

  5444

  28 February 2002

  —

  —

  Inland Revenue

  425

  —

  12 December 2001

  12 December 2001

  0

  Intervention Board Executive Agency

  123

  —

  31 October 2001

  31 October 2001

  0

  Lord Chancellor's Department

  568

  —

  31 January 2002

  —

  —

  MAFF

  —

  5447

  28 February 2002

  —

  —

  National Investment and Loans Office

  321

  —

  31 October 2001

  31 October 2001

  0

  NHS Pension Scheme (England and Wales)

  569

  —

  31 January 2002

  1 March 2002

  21

  Northern Ireland Court Service

  570

  —

  31 January 2002

  3 April 2002

  44

  Northern Ireland Office

  —

  5445

  28 February 2002

  11 April 2002

  30

  Office for National Statistics

  122

  —

  31 January 2002

  —

  —

  Ofgem

  170

  —

  19 July 2001

  19 July 2001

  0

  Ofsted

  403

  —

  5 December 2001

  5 December 2001

  0

  Oft

  538

  —

  30 January 2002

  30 January 2002

  0

  Oftel

  416

  —

  12 December 2001

  12 December 2001

  0

  Ofwat

  313

  —

  21 November 2001

  21 November 2001

  0

  ORR

  490

  —

  30 January 2002

  14 February 2002

  11

  Postal Services Commission4

  495

  —

  30 January 2002

  30 January 2002

  0

  Privy Council Office

  571

  —

  31 January 2002

  11 February 2002

  7

  Public Records Office

  362

  —

  21 November 2001

  21 November 2001

  0

  Scotland Office

  531

  —

  31 January 2002

  6 February 2002

  4

  Security and Intelligence Agencies

  —

  5446

  28 February 2002

  14 March 2002

  10

  Serious Fraud Office

  572

  —

  30 January 2002

  18 March 2002

  33

  Teachers Pension Scheme

  552

  —

  31 January 2002

  8 February 2002

  6

  Treasury Solicitors

  574

  —

  31 January 2002

  24 April 2002

  59

  UK Atomic Energy Authority—DTI

  504

  —

  23 January 2002

  23 January 2002

  0

  Wales Office

  288

  —

  28 November 2001

  28 November 2001

  0

  1 With the agreement of the NAO, these accounts were presented to Parliament on a non-statutory basis as Command papers with a target date of 30 March 2001 for the 1999–2000 accounts 24 April 2002 for the 2000–01 accounts.

  2 Where no date is shown the accounts were not published by 24 April 2002.

  3 This non-statutory resource account was published the day before it was presented to Parliament.

  4 These organisations did not prepare resource accounts in 1999–2000.

  5 Formal resource accounts were not separately published but included in the Food Standards Agency's annual report and accounts (HC 488). The publication date of HC 488 os given in the table.

  As at 24 April 2002, and excluding those Departments which had not published their resource accounts by that date, the greatest, median and least number of working days elapsing between resource accounts for 2000–01 being laid formally upon the Table and made generally available to the public are:

  Greatest: 59

  Median: 1

  Least: 0.

  There are eight accounts still to be published and the Treasury is following up late publication with the Departments concerned.

  The median number of working days elapsing between resource accounts for 1999–2000 being laid formally upon the Table and made generally available to the public was 21.

  Business Cars
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the total cost to the Treasury will be at(a) the outset of its introduction and (b) projected in the next three years of the enhanced capital allowances for the purchase of business cars with carbon dioxide emissions not exceeding 120 grammes per kilometre, as announced in the Budget; [52394]
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  (2) to how many cars, broken down by make, vehicle excise duty was applied at a rate of a £30 reduction for carbon dioxide emissions of 120 grammes per kilometre in each month since March 2001; and to how many that rate will be applied in each of the next three years; [52392]

  (3) to how many cars, broken down by make, enhanced capital allowances for the purchase of business cars with carbon dioxide emissions not exceeding 120 grammes per kilometre as announced in Budget 2002 will apply (a) at the outset of its introduction and (b) projected in the next three years. [52391]

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cars in the UK this year will benefit from the new vehicle excise duty band of 120 g/km of carbon dioxide. [52982]

  Mr. Boateng
  The 120 gm/km band for vehicle excise duty (VED) applies to new licences commencing from May 2002. It is expected that about 34,000 cars will qualify in 2002–03 rising to 105,000 cars in 2004–05.

  Enhanced capital allowances for cars with carbon dioxide emissions of up to 120 gm/km are expected to support about 7,000 new business car purchases in 2002–03 rising to over 10,000 purchases in 2004–05. It is estimated that the cost of enhanced capital allowances over the three years from 2002–03 will be £5 million/£10 million/£10 million. There are no stock projections for individual makes of vehicle.

  Electronic Filing
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons the incentives for small employers to switch to electronic filing will be introduced in 2004–05 and not 2003–04. [52368]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Incentives for small employers to switch to electronic filing will be introduced in 2004–05, so that as many businesses as possible can be ready to qualify for the first year's incentive payment.

  Deferred VAT Payments
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when and how he will consult on his proposal to allow approved companies to defer paying VAT on imports until they submit their VAT returns. [52372]

  Mr. Boateng
  HM Customs and Excise have already initiated discussions on these proposals with affected businesses, and will issue a formal consultation document in due course.

  Customs and Excise (Scotland)
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional resources are being provided to HM Customs and Excise in Scotland prior to the commencement of ferry services to the continent from Rosyth; and if he will make a statement. [52584]

  Mr. Boateng
  HM Customs and Excise are funded, according to risk assessment, to provide Customs controls at all UK entry points, including Rosyth. In addition to £2 million funding for a mobile scanner that will be regularly used at Rosyth, £245,000 has been allocated for the provision of the latest technical equipment to be used in the detection of drugs and other contraband. Customs staff will be deployed regularly at Rosyth on a risk basis, both from flexible multi-functional teams currently located in Scotland and, as required, from UK national strike force teams.

  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise staff were employed in Scotland in each of the last five years; and what the staff complement is. [52909]

  Mr. Boateng
  HM Customs and Excise does not have a "staff complement" for Scotland, as they deploy their resources across the United Kingdom according to risk.

  The numbers of staff employed as are follows:

  Year

  Headcount

  FTE

  2002

  1,215

  1,184.7

  2001

  1,294

  1,258.6

  2000

  1,324

  1,289.5

  1999

  1,413

  1,376.2

  1998

  1,488

  1,449.2

  Note:

  Numbers of staff in Scotland are given both in headcount and full-time equivalent, and are based on data for the 1 April in each year. They include all staff working in Scotland. The full-time equivalent figures for 1998 and 1999 are not available and have therefore been estimated.

  National Insurance (Scotland)
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what value of employers' national insurance contributions was paid by employers in Scotland in the last financial year. [52582]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I regret that the Government Actuary's Department could provide a reliable answer only at disproportionate cost.

  Alcohol Imports
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce a voluntary system of prior approval for legitimate import of alcohol for personal use. [52557]

  Mr. Boateng
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his last question on this subject on 10 April 2002,Official Report, column 260W.

  Contraband Goods (Scotland)
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated value of contraband goods confiscated by Customs and Excise staff based in Scotland in the last three years. [52583]

  Mr. Boateng
  This information is not available. Customs records of seizures are typically based on quantity rather than value.

  Aggregates
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the reasons for the change of policy regarding the taxation of uncrushed rock, with specific reference to armourstone; and if he will make a statement. [52957]

  Mr. Boateng
  Following consultation with the industry, the scope of the aggregates levy was broadened to include uncrushed rock to prevent the possibility of tax avoidance and scope for inequitable tax treatment, as not all rock used as aggregate is crushed.

  Armourstone is an example of uncrushed rock that can be used as aggregate. It is used for its bulk space filling properties in applications where there are often recycled alternatives available.

  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total cost to the Treasury will be(a) at the outset of its introduction and (b) projected in the next three years of the introduction of a levy on aggregates from 1 April. [53718]

  Mr. Boateng
  The projected revenue form the introduction of the aggregates levy was published on 17 April in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2002.

  Underspending
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on underspending against departmental expenditure limits; and if he will make a statement. [53306]
  729W
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The public spending system introduced in 1998 provides three-year budgets for departments and allows underspends in one year to be carried over to the following year. Budgets are linked to targets for results set out in Public Service Agreements. This encourages departments to plan their budgets over a longer timeframe and reduces the incentive to spend wastefully at the end of the year.

  Correspondence
  David Winnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letters of(a) 20 March and (b) 18 March from the hon. Member of Walsall North, regarding constituents. [52974]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I have done so.

  Inland Revenue (Electronic Submissions)
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how much(a) businesses and (b) the Inland Revenue will save as a result of introducing a requirement to submit information to the Inland Revenue electronically, as announced in his Budget statement. [52994]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Employers are expected to realise savings from the greater certainty and speed that electronic preparation and submission of returns provide. The extent of the savings will be determined during consultation with employers on the full Regulatory Impact Assessment to be prepared and published by the Inland Revenue.

  The Inland Revenue are expected to realise savings from the reduction in paper handling and correction of errors, both in local offices and at their National Insurance Contributions office. In his review of Payroll services, Patrick Carter estimated the potential savings to the Inland Revenue at £35 million a year, after a period of five years.

  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses(a) use and (b) have access to computer hardware that may be updated to allow businesses to submit end of year returns to the Inland Revenue electronically. [52993]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Inland Revenue does not hold information about how many businesses use or have access to computer hardware that may be updated to allow businesses to submit end of year returns to the Inland Revenue electronically. However, businesses do not need to own a computer to submit their PAYE end of year returns electronically. It is a key part of the strategy in Patrick Carter's report to encourage small employers to use the services of intermediaries if they find that more helpful than personally handling the completion and submission of their returns. Employers who wish to complete and submit their own returns can use PAYE online forms which are accessible from the Inland Revenue's website using any Internet connected computer, including those available in libraries and Internet cafes.

  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue internet service for administering PAYE was introduced; and how many employers have made use of the scheme since its introduction. [52995]
  730W
  Dawn Primarolo
  The internet service for PAYE was launched in April 2001. There are over 14,000 employers and agents registered to use the service. 2,700 employers used the service to submit their end of year return in 2001. The Inland Revenue also provides an EDI (electronic data interchange) service which employers can use to submit returns. EDI is currently used by 55 organisations, including payroll bureaux, who represent 5,536 employers who between them have over six million employees.

  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action will be taken against those small businesses who are unable to submit their end of year returns to the Inland Revenue by 2010. [52992]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Employers with fewer than 50 employees will be required to send their end of year returns electronically to the Inland Revenue by 2010. To support businesses in the switch to new technology, the Inland Revenue will be expanding the payroll support given by their business support teams and employers' helpline. Employers, who do not wish to handle electronic submission of returns themselves, may use an intermediary, such as a payroll bureau, to submit returns on their behalf.

  We intend that the emphasis will be very much on helping employers to comply with their obligations, but we envisage that the relevant legislation will include some sanctions for those who do not do so.

  Vaccines, Medicines and Medical Supplies
  Tony Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which companies will be expected to receive tax relief on(a) research and development into vaccines and medicines for the prevention and treatment of malaria, TB and those strains of AIDS which predominantly affect people in developing countries and (b) responsible donations of medical supplies and equipment to support developing countries' own health strategies and the needs of their people. [53117]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Any company that meets the requirements of the legislation to be introduced in the current Finance Bill can benefit from the measures. Details of claims by individual taxpayers are confidential.

  Budget Projections
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reasons are for his projection in Budget 2002, page 217, Table C7, of a reduction of the revenue from tobacco duties in 2002–03 compared with 2001–02. [52949]

  Mr. Boateng
  Forecasts of tobacco duty revenues are affected by a number of factors, including consumption trends, retail prices, brand popularity and demand elasticities.

  Hepatitis C
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have died from hepatitis C in each of the last 10 years. [53289]

  Ruth Kelly
  [holding answer 29 April 2002]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
  731W
  Letter from John Kidgell to Tim Loughton dated 30 April 2002:
  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning numbers of deaths from hepatitis C in each of the last 10 years. (53289) I am replying in his absence.
  The table below gives the number of deaths with an underlying cause of hepatitis C from 1995 to 2000. Figures are only available from 1995 as the information needed to identify deaths from hepatitis C has only been held in a reliable, electronic form since that date.

  Number of deaths where the underlying cause of death1 was hepatitis C2, persons, England and Wales, calendar years 1995 to 20003

  Calendar year

  Number of deaths

  1995

  59

  1996

  60

  1997

  82

  1998

  92

  1999

  92

  2000

  125

  1 The underlying cause of death is the disease or condition that initiates the train of morbid events leading directly to death

  2 Selected using a combination of underlying cause codes 070.4–070.5 from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and the presence of text referring to hepatitis C on the death certificate.

  3 Data relate to deaths occurring per calendar year.

  These figures are likely to underestimate the true mortality related to hepatitis C for several reasons. Firstly, because the certifying doctor may not always know about the existence of a hepatitis C infection, contracted many years earlier, that had given rise to another fatal liver disease. Secondly, where several other factors (e.g. alcohol, other blood-borne viruses) contributed to fatal chronic liver disease, the certifying doctor may judge that one of the other factors is more important. And finally, because deaths with an underlying cause of primary liver cancer are not included here, even if certified as being the result of hepatitis C infection. This is because international coding rules in use at the time (ICD-9) do not accept cancers being due to infections, except in the case of HIV/AIDS.

  Individual Savings Accounts
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost has been of tax relief on individual savings accounts. [26322]

  Ruth Kelly
  The estimated costs of tax relief on individual savings accounts for 1999–2000 is contained in table A3.1 of the 'Financial Statement and Budget Report 2001' and for 2000–01 and 2001–02 in table A.3.1 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2002.

  Income Inequality
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the scale of income inequality in(a) Scotland and (b) the UK. [52231]

  Ruth Kelly
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

  Letter from John Kidgell to Mr. Ian Davidson, dated 30 April 2002:
  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on income inequality. (52231) I am replying in his absence.
  I would like to refer you to the analysis "The effects of taxes and benefits on household income 2000–01", published on the National Statistics (ONS) website at http://statistics.gov.uk/taxesbenefits. A
  732W
  paper copy can be obtained from the House of Commons library. This includes measures of income inequality for the United Kingdom as a whole based on the Family Expenditure Survey.
  Estimates of the level of income inequality in Scotland were calculated for the first time this year. They are included in an article entitled "Income Inequality in Scotland" in the publication "Scottish Economic Statistics 2002" published by the Scottish Executive. It can be obtained from the House of Commons library or the web link is http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/sec/ses-00m.asp. The analysis covers the period up to 1999–2000 and is based on the Family Resources Survey which has a larger sample size for Scotland than the Family Expenditure Survey but covers Great Britain rather than the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total cost to the Treasury will be at(a) the outset of its introduction and (b) projected in the next three years of (i) the reduction in vehicle excise duty for vans meeting the Euro-IV emissions standard from March 2003 and (ii) the freeze of other van VED rates, as announced in the Budget. [52410]

  Mr. Boateng
  The cost of the reduction in VED for vans meeting euro IV emissions standard from March 2003 is given in table A.1 (page 155) of the FSBR. The cost of the freeze for all vans first registered after 1 March 2001, which are recorded in the light goods vehicle class is negligible. For vans registered before 1 March 2001 specific data are not available.

  Excise Duty
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how many months excise duty collection was delayed as stated in paragraph C50 of the Financial Statement and Budget report 2002; what estimate he has made of the interest costs of the delay; and if he will make a statement. [53403]

  Mr. Boateng
  Collection of excise duty was not delayed but additional receipts associated with the forestalling of road fuel duties will now be received in april 2002 rather than March 2002. No estimate has been made of the interest cost of such a delay.

  Basic Skills
  John Mann
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in testing how financial incentives can support employers and individuals in tackling poor basic skills and attainment to Level 2 qualifications. [53093]

  Dawn Primarolo
  As part of Skills for Life, our national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills, pathfinder areas were established in September 2001 to pilot a range of approaches including financial incentives for learners and fixed rate replacement costs for employers to release low skilled staff for training. In addition, the Employment Service, now Jobcentre Plus, has recently completed piloting alternative approaches to identify and meet the literacy, language and numeracy skills needs of jobseekers. These pilots included the use of financial incentives. Evaluations of all these approaches are currently underway.

  In addition to these pilots, Budget 2002 announced details of six new Employer Training Pilots which will test, among other things, how financial incentives can

  733W
  support employers and individuals to tackle the problem of poor basic skills and attainment of an initial level 2 qualification. It is intended that the pilots will become operational by September 2002. The pilots will provide information about how different measures might impact on UK skills, and will gather evidence, which will contribute to the Government's consideration of workforce development policy. Further details can be found in 'Developing Workforce Skills: Piloting a New Approach', which was published alongside the Budget and is available in the House Library.

  Beer Duties
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the total UK beer production will benefit from the 50 per cent. reduction in beer duties for small breweries. [52984]

  Mr. Boateng
  Approximately 400 brewers will benefit from the equivalent of 50 per cent. on the first 5,000 hectolitres they produce. The scheme will therefore apply to 90 per cent. of licensed brewers, responsible for around 2 per cent. of the beer produced in the UK last year.

  Sun Screen Products
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax was raised through VAT levied on sun screen products in the last year. [53013]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information requested is not available.

  Mrs. Helen Clark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reduce VAT on sun creams that meet agreed standards. [53443]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Government have no plans to reduce the VAT on sun cream products.

  North Sea Tax
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Government conducted an economic assessment of the impact of the 10 per cent. North Sea tax on(a) current and (b) future (i) employment and (ii) exploration related to North Sea activities prior to the measure being announced in the Budget. [53215]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government has been reviewing the North Sea taxation regime since 1998. The changes announced in the Budget were subject to detailed analysis to ensure that they delivered the Government's objectives of securing a fair share of North Sea revenues, encouraging long-term investment, and establishing a stable tax regime in the North Sea for the long term.

  Motor Vehicle Repairs
  Mr. Stevenson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much VAT was raised in each year since 1997 on body shop motor vehicle repairs. [53061]

  Mr. Boateng
  No such information is available.

  Mr. Stevenson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason VAT is levied on independent motor accident repair businesses for the labour element of the service; and if he will make a statement. [53062]
  734W
  Mr. Boateng
  A fundamental principle of VAT is that businesses charge VAT when they supply goods and services in the UK. When a business makes a supply, VAT is due on the price it charges and that price takes account of its costs, including labour costs.

  Stability and Growth Pact
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the compatibility of the plans set out in Budget 2002 with the stability and growth pact. [53590]

  Ruth Kelly
  As set out in paragraph 2.65 of the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report, the Budget 2002 projections are consistent with the Government's prudent interpretation of the stability and growth pact which takes account of the economic cycle, sustainability and the important role of public investment (as specified in Article 104 of the EU treaty).

  Rating Appeals
  Mr. Lepper
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appeals have been listed in respect of entries in the 2000 Rating List; how many of these appeals have been dealt with fully; and what the cost has been of considering these appeals. [53499]

  Dawn Primarolo
  As at 31 March 2002, the Valuation Office Agency had received 918,970 appeals against the 2000 Rating Lists. 323,609 of those appeals have been settled at a cost to the agency of approximately £90 million.

  Contaminated Land Tax Credit
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated value is of the contaminated land tax credit in 2002–03. [53408]

  Mr. Boateng
  The estimated cost in 2002–03 of tax relief for cleaning contaminated land is £85 million, as given in tables All and Al2 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report, March 2001.

  Research and Development
  Tony Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if the 50 per cent. tax credit on research and development into vaccines and medicines for the prevention of malaria, TB and some strains of AIDS in poorer countries will apply to(a) current and (b) future research and development; [53340]

  (2) when the tax credit on research and development into vaccines and medicines for the prevention treatment of malaria, TB and some strains of AIDS in poorer countries announced in the Budget will be implemented; [53341]

  (3) if his Department will outline new criteria to entitle companies to claim the research and development tax credit with vaccines and medicines for the prevention treatment of malaria, TB and some strains of AIDS in poorer countries announced in the Budget. [53342]

  Mr. Boateng
  Finance Bill 2002 will introduce a new tax credit to encourage research and development into vaccines and medicines for the prevention of TB, malaria and for the prevention of the onset or treatment of AIDS for those strains of HIV most commonly found
  735W
  in the developing world. (Research and development expenditure on vaccines for the prevention of HIV infection will also be eligible for this relief.) Companies will be entitled to deduct an additional 50 per cent. of qualifying current expenditure incurred on or after a date specified by an order to be made by the Treasury.

  Red Book
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the figures in Table 4.4 of the Budget Red Book include the effects of(a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit; and how many people would be in each marginal deduction rate if their benefits were included. [53529]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The effects of housing benefit and council tax benefit are included in Table 4.4 of the Budget 2002 report.

  Climate Change Levy
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the total cost to the Treasury will be(a) at the outset of its introduction and (b) projected in the next three years from the exemption from the Climate Change Levy of electricity from electricity from coal mine methane sold via licensed electricity suppliers; [53726]

  (2) what the total cost to the Treasury will be (a) at the outset of its introduction and (b) projected in the next three years from the exemption from the Climate Change Levy of electricity from combined heat and power plants sold via licensed electricity suppliers; [53727]

  (3) what the total cost to the Treasury will be (a) at the outset of its introduction and (b) projected in the next three years of the freeze in the rate of the Climate Change Levy announced in the Budget; whether this freeze is in real terms; and if he will make a statement. [53724]

  Mr. Boateng
  The costs of the freeze in rates of the Climate Change Levy, the exemption of electricity from combined heat and power plants, and the exemption of electricity from coal mine methane sold via licensed electricity suppliers are set out on pages 155 and 167 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report (FSBR) 2002.

  The freeze in rates is in nominal terms and therefore represents a real terms cut.

  New Deal
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials in his Department were working on the New Deal in(a) 1998 and (b) 2001. [53410]

  Ruth Kelly
  Several Treasury officials worked on the Government's new deal initiative alongside their other duties.

  As to the numbers of new deal staff employed by the Treasury, I refer the hon. Member to an earlier reply dated 25 March 2002, Official Report, columns 748–49W.

  Life Assurance Premium Relief
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the size is of the accounting adjustment 736W
  made in Table C 13 of the Financial Statement and Budget report 2002, for life assurance premium relief; and if he will make a statement. [53407]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The tax credits line in Table C13 includes £100 million in respect of life assurance premium relief for 2000–01 and slightly lower amounts in each succeeding year.

  Public Capital Expenditure
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the net public capital expenditure has been in(a) cash, (b) real and (c) GDP terms in each year since 1998–99; and what the latest estimate is for the 2001–02 out-turn. [53482]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The figures requested are given in the table.

  Public sector net investment

  Current prices (£ billion)

  2000–01 prices (£ billion)

  Percentage of GDP

  1998–99

  5.9

  6.1

  0.7

  1999–2000

  4.7

  4.8

  0.5

  2000–01

  5.7

  5.7

  0.6

  2001–021

  12.0

  11.7

  1.2

  1 Provisional

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Anti-Competitive Practices
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to introduce(a) direct and (b) rapid remedies for victims of anti-competitive practices; and if she will make a statement. [52229]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Improving the opportunities for victims of anti-competitive practices to gain redress is a key theme of the Enterprise Bill (introduced to the House of Commons on 26 March 2002).

  The Bill will enable those harmed by anti-competitive practices to follow a decision establishing a breach of competition law with a claim for damages before a specialist competition body—the Competition Appeal Tribunal. The tribunal offers the advantages of being a quicker and more streamlined route for consumers and businesses to obtain redress from companies that have broken the law. In addition, representative bodies will he able to bring claims for damages in front of the tribunal on behalf of groups of named consumers, thus helping consumers obtain redress where a large number of parties have each suffered a relatively small level of harm.

  The Government are also providing a faster and fairer route to an independent review of a decision under the Competition Act by allowing third parties to appeal direct to the Competition Appeal Tribunals instead of first having to ask the Director General or one of the sector regulators to withdraw or alter his decision.

  Coal Methane Electricity Generation
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the extent of the scope for new jobs from electricity generation from coal methane. [52367]
  737W
  Mr. Wilson
  There are no Government estimates of the scope for jobs but the industry estimates that some 105 new permanent jobs will be created as a result of coal mine methane's exemption from the CCL as well as some 1,050 temporary jobs for the construction industry.

  Postal Services
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will provide a breakdown by constituency of the percentage of people who live within one mile of a post office branch. [53031]

  Mr. Alexander
  [holding answer 29 April 2002]: I am informed by Post Office Ltd. that the information is not available on a constituency basis. However, 94 per cent. of the UK population lives within one mile of a post office.

  Post Offices
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices closed in the last financial year ending 31 March, broken down by(a) whether rural and urban and (b) constituency. [53066]

  Mr. Alexander
  I am informed by Post Office Ltd. that figures for the quarter ending March 2002 are not yet available. However, for the nine months April to December 2001 closures totalled 208 comprising 167 rural and 41 urban offices.

  The information is not available on a constituency basis.

  Business Statistics
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) sole traders, (b) partnerships and (c)limited companies are registered in (i) Dumfries and Galloway, (ii) Scotland and (iii) the UK. [52902]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  We do not maintain statistics for sole traders or partnerships.

  The details for (c) are as follows:

  (i) 1,114 companies as at 28 February 2002

  (ii) 88,809 companies as at 31 March 2002

  (iii) 1,658,215 companies as at 31 March 2002 in England, Wales and Scotland.

  Research Councils
  Mr. Mike Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the outcome of the Second Stage of the Quinquennial Review of the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils will be announced; and what were the main recommendations associated with the implementation of a strategic ownership model. [53818]

  Ms Hewitt
  My noble Friend the Minister for Science and Innovation has today announced the outcome of the Second Stage of the Quinquennial Review of the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC).

  The first stage of the review recommended that the second stage of the review should focus on the issues associated with the implementation of a strategic
  738W
  ownership model, to encourage collective ownership by the user research councils of CCLRC's large facilities, addressing in particular the implications for the status of CCLRC and its accountability to Ministers and Parliament.

  The second stage of the review has been led by the chief executive of the CCLRC, Professor John Wood and conducted under the guidance an external review board chaired by Sir Peter Williams, and the Office of Science and Technology. The review has been conducted in accordance with the latest Cabinet Office guidance and Cabinet Office and Treasury officials have had an opportunity to comment on the draft report and its recommendations.

  The principal recommendation is that for its core business the CCLRC should remain a non-departmental public body (NDPB) and a research council. In addition, CCLRC should be given a strategic role, as identified in stage one, to act as a national focus for large facilities for neutron scattering, synchrotron radiation and high power lasers on behalf of the research councils UK. Further, it should also co-ordinate the development for research councils UK of policies and strategies for the provision of access by UK scientists to leading edge large-scale facilities in these scientific areas, both nationally and internationally. The co-ordination and provision of strategic advice would be carried out separately from the day-to-day operation of CCLRC owned facilities.

  There should be a common scheme for access to the large facilities for researchers sponsored by all the research councils. For those proposals that successfully undergo competitive peer review, there will be a "free at the point of access" arrangement.

  CCLRC's funding arrangements should alter so that CCLRC receives direct funding from the Office of Science and Technology for providing, operating, maintaining, developing and upgrading its large facilities and their instrumentation. This would be on the basis that, a rolling medium term plan for the operational requirements of the large facilities be prepared by CCLRC and endorsed by research councils UK. This arrangement would ensure that the chief executive of CCLRC as accounting officer is clearly and visibly accountable for the value for money of all aspects of the delivery of science from these large facilities. In addition, there will be an external review of CCLRC's cost base and financial processes in advance of the changes to the funding arrangements.

  I warmly welcome these recommendations and offer my thanks to Professor Wood and the review board.

  Temporary Workers
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research she has conducted into the(a) social and (b) economic benefits of temporary work. [52301]

  Alan Johnson
  According to the Labour Force Survey, in Autumn 2001 28 per cent. of temporary employees do not want a permanent job and 39 per cent. chose temporary employment for other reasons. Therefore, for many individuals, temporary employment is a matter of positive choice that suits their current circumstances.
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  The Labour Force Survey defines temporary employees as including individuals engaged on: employment business assignments, seasonal work, fixed term contracts, casual work and other non-permanent work.

  The Department's officials are preparing a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) which will look at the possible costs and benefits of the Directive to workers, agencies and user companies in the UK. The RIA will be placed in the Libraries of House in due course.

  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the timetable is for the introduction of the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations. [52296]

  Alan Johnson
  I have no definite dates for the introduction of the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations. However, following a short consultation exercise on certain aspects of these Regulations, we will lay the Regulations before Parliament. Subject to the approval of Parliament, the Regulations will take effect later in the year.

  Mrs. Laing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research she has commissioned into pay differentials between temporary and permanent workers. [52305]

  Alan Johnson
  No research has been commissioned specifically to examine the pay differentials between temporary and permanent workers. However, a study has been commissioned to identify the extent to which employers treat part-time and fixed term contract staff differently from full-time workers doing a comparable job. This includes a question about the comparable rate of pay. The report is currently being prepared for publication.

  The study was carried out by BMRB International and is based on a sample survey of employers.

  Budget (Effects on Cheltenham)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what effect the budget of 17 April will have on business in Cheltenham. [52937]

  Alan Johnson
  I am pleased to support the Budget measures announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 17 April. The Budget contained a variety of measures designed to help business become more competitive and productive. These included a freeze on road tax and fuel duty, abolition of stamp duty relief for business transactions in poor areas, an extra £30 million for small firms training needs, direct cash help to small firms filing tax returns online, a capital gains tax cut, small companies starting rate cut to zero and small companies tax cut by 1 p with immediate effect. More detail can be found on www.budget.treasury.gov.uk. Business Link Gloucestershire Ltd (tel 01452 509522) can also provide advice on the impact of the Budget on business activity.

  Equal Opportunities
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the complexities referred to in Towards Equality and Diversity are that require age discrimination legislation to be introduced on a longer timetable than equivalent legislation on sexual orientation, religion 740W
  or belief; what action will be taken before 2006 to tackle these complexities; and if she will make a statement. [53118]

  Alan Johnson
  Implementing the age strand of the Employment Framework Directive (2000–78) is a significant undertaking and we need to allow time to get it right. Unlike sexual orientation and religion, differences of treatment on the grounds of age are capable of objective justification under the Directive in certain circumstances. The Directive itself acknowledges that age is more complex than the other strands by allowing a longer time to implement—2006 instead of 2003.

  There are significant practical issues to be worked through in consultation with employers, particularly small businesses and others that may be affected. We want to ensure we implement age legislation sensibly.

  We have already undertaken widespread consultation to identify what age-related practices employers have and why they might need to retain them. Chapter 15 of the consultation document "Towards Equality and Diversity" identified and invited views on key age issues. These include arrangements for recruitment, selection and promotion, training, pay and non-pay benefits, redundancy and retirement.

  We want to prohibit unfair practice so as to remove the barriers which people of all ages can face in the workplace. We do not want to ban employment practices which can be clearly and objectively justified. We will need to consider each of these areas in detail, and will consult again later this year with a set of firm proposals.

  We made it clear in the consultation document that we needed to use the full timescale—to 2006—to prepare and introduce new legislation in age.

  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry with whom she is consulting on the implementation of the European Community Employment and Race Directives; how the proposed draft regulations impact upon the policy responsibilities of Government Departments; and if she will make a statement. [53119]

  Alan Johnson
  The consultation document 'Towards Equality and Diversity' set out the government's proposals to implement the EC Employment and Race Directives. During the fifteen week consultation period, which closed at the end of March, more than 850 responses were received from a range of stakeholders including small businesses, large employers, the voluntary sector, unions, interest groups and individuals.

  We are currently considering the responses, working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions, Home Office, Cabinet Office and Department for Education and Skills and all interested Government Departments. The results of the consultation, and more detailed proposals, including draft legislation to outlaw discrimination at work, will be published in the autumn.

  Motor Accident Repairs
  Mr. Stevenson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the percentage of repairs to accident-damaged vehicles carried out by(a) insurance-owned companies and (b) independent body shops in the last 12 months. [52240]
  741W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government do not collect this information.

  Mr. Stevenson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Government policy is on competition in the motor accident repair market; and if she will make a statement. [52241]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government want to see a competitive and efficient motor accident repair market. Responsibility for monitoring the market and investigating allegations of anti-competitive behaviour lies with the Director General of Fair Trading.

  Websites
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many visits there have been to the website www.ukonline.gov.uk in each month since it was launched. [51516]

  Mr. Leslie
  I have been asked to reply.

  The UK online website (www.ukonline.gov.uk) was launched in January 2001. The table shows the number of visits that the site has received for each month since its launch, with the latest full month of figures being for March 2002.

  Month and year

  Unique user sessions1

  Page impressions2

  Registered users

  January 2001

  —

  —

  5,588

  February 2001

  —

  991,071

  9,833

  March 2001

  —

  1,635,728

  14,125

  April 2001

  —

  1,743,973

  16,597

  May 2001

  —

  2,038,984

  19,602

  June 2001

  —

  3,043,119

  21,787

  July 2001

  —

  4,120,772

  24,034

  August 2001

  —

  4,806,766

  26,194

  September 2001

  —

  4,036,503

  29,718

  October 2001

  —

  2,995.678

  32,769

  November 2001

  322,721

  3,696,221

  37,063

  December 2001

  639,915

  4,789,029

  40,605

  January 2002

  632,450

  4,912,704

  43,010

  February 2002

  228,273

  2,318,572

  44,954

  March 2002

  418,114

  2,605,319

  48,933 (9.03)

  1 This represents individual visitors to the site, and is tracked from a users IP address. For example, this means that if four people visit the site this week, we record that as four unique users. If each of these users visit twice, we still only have four unique users in that week. The complementary measure is number of visits (or sessions).

  2 Page impressions are literally 'pages seen, or loaded onto the user's PC'. The home page is one page impressions, the news page is another etc.

  Digital Equipment
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many digital radios are owned by her Department for use in departmental buildings from which Ministers work; and what the(a) cost and (b) date of purchase of each radio was. [52849]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: This information is not held centrally by my Department and cannot be answered except at disproportionate cost.

DEFENCE

  ROROs
  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what options were given to the bidders for the roll-on/roll-offs for the provision of crews; [50888]

  (2) what the preferred crewing option of AWSR Ltd. was when selected as the preferred bidder for the roll-on/roll-offs; [50889]

  (3) what arrangements will apply for the crewing by British seafarers of the roll-on/roll-offs. [50887]

  Dr. Moonie
  Bidders in the competition for a strategic sealift service were invited to tender on the basis of a crewing option that they considered would offer best value for money and to provide details that would facilitate an assessment of sponsored reserve crewing of all six ships. AWSR initially expected to be using sponsored reserve crews on the six ships when they were in Ministry of Defence use, with British officers and multinational crews when the ships were on commercial work. Negotiations with AWSR in 2001 were able to take account of the implications and benefits of the Government's "British Shipping Charting a New Course" which had been published the previous year. As a result, when working for MOD ships will be manned by British crews who will be eligible to be called out as sponsored reserves and, although not mandated by MOD, British crews will man the ships being used in commercial trade.

  Service Personnel (Transport)
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what provision is made for the transportation of service men and women returning from overseas tours of duty, from their point of arrival in the UK to their home base; and if he will make a statement; [51724]

  (2) if he will make a statement on how the equipment and kit of personnel returning from overseas duty is transported from their point of arrival in the UK to their home base. [51725]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 22 April 2002]: I assume the hon. Member is referring to operational tours of duty and exercises, not administrative moves of personnel returning from longer term postings overseas.

  It is the Ministry of Defence's aim to ensure the efficient and safe redeployment of service personnel—and their equipment and kit—when returning from overseas tours to Britain, in accordance with UK Customs procedures and other relevant legislation. The infrastructure, facilities and resources at the point of arrival will play a major part in determining the dispersal plan, but in the majority of cases we provide coach transport which offers a secure, efficient and flexible means of moving formed bodies of service men and women and their equipment to their home base.

  SPEAR Weapon
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (I) what discussion has taken place with the US to ensure that the development of the SPEAR weapon for
  743W
  the US version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is compatible with the UK version; and if he will make a statement; [52263]

  (2) what assessment has been made of the compatibility of the SPEAR weapon with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter; and if he will make a statement. [52264]

  Dr. Moonie
  SPEAR (Selective Precision Effects At Range) is a term used to describe the capability to attack surface targets at intermediate range from legacy and planned UK strike aircraft. Studies into how best to meet this requirement are still on-going, and no decisions have yet been taken. The SPEAR capability could be provided by improvements to legacy or near-term weapons and/or by a new system or systems.

  Whatever capability solution is chosen would need to take into account the capabilities offered by the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), which as been selected as having the best potential to meet the UK's Future Joint Combat Aircraft requirement.

  Our participation in the JSF programme ensures our close involvement with regard to potential weapons systems for the aircraft.

  Continuous Attitude Survey
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the questions asked in the latest continuous attitude survey undertaken by the(a) Royal Navy, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Army; how often the surveys have been compiled; to what use they are put; and if he will make a statement. [51810]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 25 April 2002]: The Army and the RAF latest continuous attitude surveys include over 200 questions each, while the Royal Navy survey has over a hundred. The questions are on a wide variety of subjects with the following broad categories: personal circumstances; quality of life; job satisfaction; career development; operational tours and postings; pay and allowances; accommodation: welfare; families; facilities; communication and equal opportunities. The questions are structured around the Armed Forces Overarching Personnel Strategy; however, they are not fixed and are varied to determine attitudes to particular conditions of service.

  Each of the three services has conducted its own continuous attitude surveys of serving personnel since the 1980s. The Royal Navy conducts surveys three times per year, the Army twice yearly and the Royal Air Force conducts surveys quarterly.

  Each survey is designed to ascertain the attitude of personnel towards a range of service conditions and to gather intentions with regard to their remaining in the service. Senior staff and policy makers use the information gathered to identify which policies are seen to be working and inform subsequent policy development work. The three services also periodically survey spouses of serving personnel to gather evidence on the effects of service life on families.

  Missile Defence
  Mr. Liddell-Grainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Government policy is on missile defence for the UK. [52477]
  744W
  Mr. Hoon
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 April 2002,Official Report, columns 654–55, to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk).

  British Forces (Gibraltar)
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with(a) his Spanish counterpart and (b) Spanish officials regarding the sovereign future of the Headquarters British Forces Gibraltar under the Brussels Process; and if he will make a statement. [53135]

  Mr. Ingram
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has not had any such discussions. As my hon. Friend the Minister for Europe told the House on 16 April 2002,Official Report, column 451, the United Kingdom will retain full control over the British military base in Gibraltar.

  Sea Harriers
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if HMG(a) has entered into and (b) intends to enter into talks with the Indian Government concerning the sale of Royal Navy Sea Harriers to that country. [51018]

  Dr. Moonie
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Croydon, South (Richard Ottaway) on 29 April 2002,Official Report, columns 528–29W.

  Mr. Francois
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost of the upgrade of the Sea Harrier fleet from FRS1 to FRS2 standard was. [53463]

  Mr. Ingram
  The total cost of upgrading the FRS1 Sea Harrier fleet of 33 aircraft to FRS2 standard, beginning in 1994, amounted to just under £466 million.

  Asylum Seekers (Cyprus)
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many asylum seekers have entered the sovereign base areas in Cyprus in the last 12 months; how many remain; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on this issue. [52976]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 29 April 2002]: Five asylum seekers have entered the Sovereign Base Areas since 29 April 2001, one of whom remains there. The current total of refugees and asylum seekers in the Sovereign Base Areas numbers 95 individuals from a total of 165 who have arrived since October 1998. The Sovereign Base Areas Administration applies the principles of the refugee convention when dealing with asylum seekers and acts in close cooperation with the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus.

  Discussions between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Cyprus regarding the long term future of the Sovereign Base Area's refugees and asylum seekers, and the arrangements for handling new arrivals, are continuing.

  Ministerial Visits
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times Ministers in his Department visited United States Government military bases and establishments on United Kingdom territory between
  745W
  1 January 1997 and 1 January 1999; which Ministers were involved; what the date of each visit was; and which United States military facility was visited. [53359]

  Dr. Moonie
  There were no visits made available to the United States Visiting Forces in the UK by Ministers from my Department between 1 May 1997 and 1 January 1999. However, a number of Ministers visited RAF Fairford during the Royal International Air Tattoo in 1997 and 1998.

  Naval Vessels
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to dispose of Type 23 frigates; and what discussions he has had with foreign Governments in respect of their future disposal. [52894]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: On current plans our Type 23 frigates will remain in service until around the middle of the next decade from which point they will be progressively withdrawn. No substantive or detailed discussions over Type 23 disposals have taken place with any potential foreign Government buyer.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to withdraw British forces from Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [52900]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: British military involvement in Kosovo will be decided in the light of the major review currently being undertaken by NATO of its operations in the Balkans. The review, entitled the Joint Operational Area Review, will be discussed by NATO Foreign Ministers in May 2002. We welcome the review and remain committed to maintaining a military contribution to NATO peacekeeping in the Balkans. The form that this contribution will take has yet to be decided.

  Eurofighter
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the first Eurofighters will be delivered to the RAF; and when they will become operational. [52898]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 26 April 2002]: The Eurofighter delivery schedule is being reviewed by the four participating nations and the prime contractor EF GmbH. It would be wrong to speculate on the outcome of this review, but we do not expect to impinge on our plans to achieve full operational capability during the second half of the decade. The recent flights of Instrumented Production Airport were significant programme milestones.

  Army Manpower
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by when(a) 45 Cd. RM and (b) I R Anglian will be relieved or replaced. [53051]

  Mr. Hoon
  Although there is a planning assumption of three months, the deployment of 45 Commando Royal Marines will last as long as it takes to deal with the continuing threat. If it becomes necessary to replace the Royal Marines in-theatre, that decision will have to be taken according to the circumstances on the ground. The 746W
  1 Royal Anglian tour as part of the International Security Assistance Force began officially on 15 March 2002 and will probably last into June.

  Defence Medical Services
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) consultants, (b) specialist registrars and (c) vocationally trained general practitioners have (i) joined the Defence Medical Services, (ii) completed training in the DMS and (iii) left the DMS in each of the last 10 years, broken down by specialty. [R] [52989]

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

  Airfields
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which UK RAF airfields will experience increased air traffic volumes as a result of the closure of West Freugh airfield. [52560]

  Dr. Moonie
  The RAF airfields nearest to the West Freugh range are RAF Valley, RAF Leeming and RAF Leuchars. There may be some small increase in the use of these airfields by aircraft operating in support of trials at the West Freugh range; the extent of any increase will depend upon a number of factors, including weather conditions, required range time and fuel requirements.

  Integrated Project Teams
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what review has been made of the National Audit Office report on its Department's integrated project teams; what time scale has been set for pursuing the recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [52265]

  Dr. Moonie
  All of the recommendations raised in NAO Report HC671 have been evaluated as part of a recent Stock-take Review of Smart Acquisition. They are being taken forward in the action plans that have been developed subsequently. The time scales for pursuing the individual recommendations vary, and will be kept under review.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Lakshmi Mittal
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) whether she was consulted before her Department approved the £45.7 million loan from the International Finance Corporation to Ispat Karmet; [43765]

  (2) whether she was consulted before officials from her Department approved the (a) £37.9 million loan to Ispat Karmet from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and (b) the £2.3 million World bank grant to Lakshmi Mittal from the World bank in May 2001; [43767]

  (3) whether officials from the Office of the Prime Minister were consulted before her Department approved (a) the £45.7 million loan from the International Finance Corporation, (b) the £37.9 million loan to Ispat Karmet

  747W
  from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and (c) the £2.3 million World bank grant to Lakshmi Mittal from the World bank in May 2001. [43766]

  Clare Short
  The decision to support the £45.7 million loan to Ispat Karmet from the International Finance Corporation in 1997; the £37.9 million loan to Ispat Karmet from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; and the £2.3 million World bank equity and quasi-equity investment to Lakshmi Mittal from the World bank in May 2001 was taken solely by DFID departmental officials. As I have repeatedly made clear officials from my Department work to policies set out in our published strategies for the EBRD, World bank and other international development banks. These decisions were uncontroversial and therefore not referred to Ministers.

  HIV Treatment
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much, on average, full treatment for one HIV sufferer costs over the course of a year in the last five years. [37937]

  Clare Short
  There are currently 17 different separate licensed anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs which can be used in a variety of combinations. Moreover, different countries use different types of drugs and treatments to help treat people living with HIV/AIDS.

  The retail cost of all three classes of drugs in developed countries averages between $10,000 and $14,000 per year. Costa Rica has negotiated a price equivalent to $7,000 per patient per year for ARV. Nigeria has launched the largest ARV treatment programme in Africa, using a generic form of ARV at a cost of $350 per patient per year. In Brazil, where some ARV drugs are produced locally, triple combination therapy costs $1,460 per patient per year, whereas in Thailand the cost of triple combination therapy is over $4,100 per patient per year. In addition to drugs costs there are laboratory monitoring costs (estimated at around US$400 per annum in Uganda) and other associated service delivery costs.

  My Department is working with the international community to facilitate a framework for differential pricing, which would provide essential medicines to the developing world at substantially lower cost. However, the cost of ARV represents only part of the cost of treatment for people living with HIV. For example, an essential pre-requisite to any programme to increase access to medicines is widespread availability of voluntary counselling and testing. Adequate access to treatment for opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis, is also crucial. Furthermore, building capacity to use ARVs effectively cannot be achieved overnight, and will require substantial and sustained investment in health systems to reduce resistance to the drugs and to maximise the utility of the drugs in the short and long term.

  SIDEX
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what conditions to the loan to LNM/Ispat for the purchase of SIDEX were(a) sought and (b) obtained by the British representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. [44576]
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  Clare Short
  None. The EBRD negotiates appropriate financial and other conditions with individual clients. In accordance with its mandate, these typically include conditions designed to enhance both the transition and environmental impact of the project.

  Young People
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what subjects and on which dates her Department has consulted organisations representing young people; and if she will list such organisations. [52498]

  Clare Short
  The Department for International Development formally consulted organisations representing young people specifically on the draft of its Institutional Strategy Paper on the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), which was published in 2000. The Department also included such organisations in its consultations on the Government's White Paper on "Eliminating World Poverty: Making Globalisation Work for the Poor" in 2000 and on nine Target Strategy Papers between 1999 and 2001. The Department has frequent informal contacts in the course of its business with a wide range of civil society organisations, in the UK and overseas, representing the interests of children. During 2001 and 2002 the Department has held a number of consultation meetings with civil society organisations representing young people to discuss the United Kingdom's position on the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children, which will take place next month, and its draft outcomes document.

  Overseas Projects
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the value for money achieved by the Primary Schools Education Management Development Project in Botswana. 149170]

  Clare Short
  DFID has contributed technical assistance worth £1.2 million to support the Government of Botswana in strengthening the management of primary education. DFID and the Botswana Government have reviewed progress regularly to ensure value for money. The last major review of the project was conducted in May 2001 and another is planned for later this year. The project has been effective in training school principals and school management teams, and we regard it as a successful collaboration between our two Governments.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the value for money achieved by the Shapla: Nursing, Medical Education and Public/Private Partnership projects in Bangladesh. [49173]

  Clare Short
  These are three components of DFID's support to the Government of Bangladesh's health sector reforms. The contractors responsible for delivering the outputs of the components were jointly selected by DFID and Government of Bangladesh on the basis of technical competency and overall cost.

  They are subject to ongoing monitoring by our Bangladesh office and have, in addition been subject to two independent, external reviews in May 2000 and May 2001. The standard of work undertaken has been judged

  749W
  to be consistently high and DFID is satisfied that this support is achieving good value for money and is producing demonstrable results.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the value for money achieved by the Humanitarian Assistance Services Projects. [49182]

  Clare Short
  The Humanitarian Assistance Services contract was awarded under a process of international competitive bidding to the Crown Agents in 1999. The contract is currently in the process of being re-tendered.

  We are satisfied that the contract has provided a competitively priced service which has enabled DFID to respond to numerous crises around the globe, most recently in, for example, Afghanistan, Gujarat and Mozambique.

  During 1999–2000 the National Audit Office conducted a value for money audit of DFID's response to the Kosovo crisis, this included the role played by the Crown Agents under the Humanitarian Services Contract. The report acknowledged the leading role played by DFID during the crisis.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the value for money achieved by the Restructuring Forests of the former Homeland Administrations Project in the Republic of South Africa. [49191]

  Clare Short
  DFID is providing technical assistance worth £2.95 million to South Africa's Department of Water Affairs and Forestry to support its policy of restructuring the forests of the Former Homeland Administrations in the way that addresses social objectives. DFID and the South African Government have reviewed progress regularly to ensure value for money. The project was last formally reviewed in May 2001. This programme has made an important contribution to the effective management of these forests, which are very important to some of the poorest areas of South Africa.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the value for money achieved by the Family Protection Project Managers Project in Jordan. [49197]

  Clare Short
  Officials from my Department visited Jordan in February to monitor the Family Protection Project. Their report identified significant progress as having been made over the past year, and appropriate action has been agreed with the project managers for ensuring that this continues to be the case during the remainder of the project.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the value for money achieved by the Social Marketing of Condoms Project in Mozambique. [49207]

  Clare Short
  The Mozambique Social Marketing Condoms Project is regularly monitored by the implementing partner, Population Services International in collaboration with the funding partners, DFID, The Netherlands and USAID. We believe that cost effectiveness is very important, and one of the key indicators monitored is the cost per condom sold. Higher 750W
  sales reduce the cost per condom, and although final cost figures for 2001 are not yet available, last year saw the highest sales since the project began. An evaluation of the project is planned for the third quarter of this year, when cost effectiveness and value for money will be among key issues examined.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the value for money achieved by the Guyana Land Administration Support Programme in Guyana. [49186]

  Clare Short
  My Department undertook a review of DFID support to the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission in November 2001. The project continues to meet its objectives cost effectively.

  New Deal
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people employed by the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible under the new deal for young people in each of the last four years have subsequently(a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseeker's allowance or other benefits. [49608]

  Clare Short
  My Department is responsible for three non-departmental public bodies. None of them employ any support or other staff, and the question of using the new deal does not arise.

  Digital Equipment
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many digital radios are owned by her Department for use in departmental buildings from which Ministers work; and what the(a) cost and (b) date of purchase of each radio was. [52852]

  Clare Short
  DFID have no digital radios.

  Solar Panels
  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what buildings owned by her Department in the United Kingdom have solar panels installed. [53489]

  Clare Short
  DFID have no solar panels installed on our buildings. Options for utilising renewable energy resources were studied in 2000–01. Solar panels were not appropriate or viable due to the configurations and locations of our two main UK offices. The studies showed that subject to planning permission, a wind turbine should be investigated for our East Kilbride office. This work, looking at location and wind regimes, is on-going.

  Belize
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 20 March 2002,Official Report, column 369W, regarding Belize, when in November 2001 officials from her Department held a meeting with Prime Minister Musa and Minister Fonseca; and where this meeting took place. [53413]
  751W
  Clare Short
  My officials met with Prime Minister Musa and Minister Fonseca on 20 November 2001 in Belmopan.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 20 March 2002,Official Report, column 369W, regarding Belize, when she took her decision not to grant debt relief under the Commonwealth Debt Initiative to Belize. [53411]

  Clare Short
  My decision not to grant debt relief under the Commonwealth Debt Initiative to Belize was taken in September 2001.

  Press Office
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total cost of running the Department's press office was in(a) 1996–97 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available. [46814]

  Clare Short
  DFID's Information Department includes the Public Enquiry Point, Publications, Development Awareness and Knowledge Management as well as the press office. It would involve disproportionate cost to break down the press office element of the total expenditure.

  Engineering
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement regarding the projects within her Department that aim to strengthen professional engineering in developing countries, indicating which countries are involved. [49829]

  Clare Short
  The provision and maintenance of water, transport and energy infrastructure underpins much of what we do to eliminate poverty and encourage pro-poor economic growth. In all programmes we will try to include an element of strengthening and training into the institutions which provide the engineering services. Our Knowledge and Research programmes regularly look at projects which try to improve the technical standards and the quality of decision making for the engineering profession in developing countries.

  However more specifically the Strengthening Professional Engineering Associations Project (SPEAP) has been using the Institution of Civil Engineers to study the particular needs of the engineering profession in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

  Infrastructure services consume a very large proportion of public funds in developing countries. The rationale for the project lies in the recognition that poor quality engineering often leads to the inefficient use of those funds and the rapid deterioration of facilities. Earthquake disasters result in loss of life which could be mostly avoided by implementation of simple engineering good practice. As we move away from donor supervised project level support towards budget and sectoral support the quality of local professional services becomes increasingly critical. A strengthened profession will help to maintain higher standards and improve decision making to the benefit of the whole community.
  752W
  The project will also address the impact of strengthened professional standards on professional integrity and corruption and look at the potential impact of the GATS 2000 decisions in respect of the worldwide trade in engineering services. If engineering qualification and standards are not raised to internationally accepted norms then the full benefits will not be realised.

  Throughout our work in engineering we are continuously emphasising the broader responsibilities of engineers towards the social and environmental issues associated with infrastructure developments.

  Afghanistan
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to provide aid to Afghanistan following the earthquake in that country on 25 March. [49270]

  Clare Short
  The earthquake which struck northern Afghanistan on 25 March is estimated to have killed around 800 people and left 20,000 families in need of food and shelter assistance.

  My Department deployed a team from its Kabul office to assess the situation and established a co-ordination centre in the affected area on behalf of OCHA.

  While most of the acute needs of the affected population have been met, the focus of the response is now shifting towards reconstruction. UN agencies have delivered relief items from existing stockpiles including tents, blankets, mattresses, plastic sheeting, clothing, shoes, kitchen sets, jerrycans, hygiene kits, and soap.

  Since September last year, DFID has provided £60 million in response to the Afghan crisis, through UN agencies, the Red Cross movement and non-governmental organisations.

  Annual Report
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when her Department's annual report is being published. [48873]

  Clare Short
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 24 April 2002,Official Report, column 316W.

  Debt Relief
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how the Government calculates the cut-off date for eligibility for debt relief; and what post cut-off date relief packages have been agreed. [53613]

  Mr. Boateng
  I have been asked to reply.

  The United Kingdom grants 100 per cent. debt relief on all official debt currently owned by countries eligible for the enhanced heavily indebted poor countries' initiative once these countries have reached decision point. No distinction is made between pre and post cut off date debt as defined by the Paris Club of official creditors. The Government have pressed all creditors to follow this example.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Bushmeat
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to raise the subject of the trade in bushmeat at the Johannesburg World Summit. [48156]

  Mr. Meacher
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government's work to tackle the trade in bushmeat is primarily channelled through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD). We have funded research to analyse knowledge on the bushmeat trade, highlight gaps in data and understanding, and recommend further action. The Government support a number of initiatives with links to bushmeat, such as the UK Bushmeat Working Group.

  Although the UK Government have not planned to raise the specific subject of trade in bushmeat at WSSD, this issue has links with the Johannesburg agenda. The Government's priorities for the summit include poverty eradication and sustainable livelihoods. Action in these areas will address the diverse underlying causes of bushmeat trade.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the cost in a full year of the Budget changes to employers' National Insurance contributions to(a) his Department, (b) agencies of his Department, (c) local government carrying out functions within the responsibility of his Department and (d) the Duchy of Lancaster. [51954]

  Mr. Leslie
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith) on 29 April 2002,Official Report, column 544W.

  Civil Service
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the salary costs have been to each Government Department of employing staff from employment agencies to undertake work as(a) administrative assistant or equivalent, (b) administrative officer or equivalent, (c) administrative executive officer, (d) higher executive officer and (e) senior executive officer located in (i) London and (ii) the south-east in each year since 1995. [52095]

  Mr. Leslie
  Details of salary costs incurred as a result of employing staff from employment agencies are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the starting salary is for a civil servant employed at each level for each Government Department. [52094]

  Mr. Leslie
  Responsibility for pay, outside the senior civil service, is delegated to Departments and agencies. Starting salaries are therefore a matter for the Department or agency concerned and will depend on the job to be done and the skills and experience of the individual.
  754W
  Information on civil service pay, broken down by salary and responsibility level, is published in the "Civil Service Statistics 2000" and is based on 1 April 2000 data. Copies of the publication can be found in the Library of the House.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if his Department is running a recruitment campaign to encourage graduates to join the civil service. [53261]

  Mr. Leslie
  The Cabinet Office is responsible for fast stream recruitment which is aimed at graduates who have the potential to reach the senior levels of the civil service. The current recruitment campaign includes elements aimed both specifically at the fast stream, and also at encouraging interest in civil service careers more generally, for example:Production and distribution of fast stream information packs to all university career services in the UK
  Attendance at career fairs, including diversity fairs, at universities around the country (programme to date has been placed in the Library)
  Advertising in The Guardian (Society and Rise sections)
  Advertisement in Disability Now
  Advertisement monthly in Ready Willing and Able (disability publication)
  An entry on the following internet sites:

  www.skills.org.uk

  www.gradunet.co.uk

  www.blackbritain.co.uk

  www.prospects.ac.uk

  Advertisement in Prospects Directory (annual, guide to employers)
  A programme of careers presentations in universities by current fast streamers
  Publicising and administering the summer development programme to select 60 ethnic minority undergraduates for a six to eight weeks development programme with the civil service
  Two publications, "Work Experience in the Civil Service" and "Sandwich Course Placements", lodged with university career services and available on the internet, promoting work experience in the civil service
  Work with the disability charity, Workable, to secure disabled undergraduates work experience in the civil service.

  We have a comprehensive recruitment website at www.civil-service.gov.uk and at www.faststream.gov.uk.

  In addition to the fast stream, the Cabinet Office itself opens up a proportion of its junior and middle management posts (for which graduates may be eligible to apply) to external recruitment and plans to continue to do so in the coming year.

  Refurbishment
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 4 March 2002,Official Report, column 58W, regarding the cost of refurbishing ministerial private offices, what has been the total cost of the work associated with the relocation of buildings for operational purposes over the last four years. [50549]

  Mr. Leslie
  I assume the hon. Member refers to my answer of 28 February 2002,Official Report, column 1499W.

  As I stated with that answer, separately identifying work undertaken on Minister's private offices could be answered only at disproportionate cost.

HEALTH

  Fireworks
  Mark Tami
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many firework-related injuries were treated in hospitals in the UK during the Christmas and new year period. [39894]

  Yvette Cooper
  I refer my hon. Friend to the response I gave him on 26 February 2002,Official Report, column 1067W.

  Clinicians
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has received from(a) the Royal College of Obstetricians and (b) the Royal College of Paediatricians on the annual numbers of patients per clinician which they consider to be necessary in order to ensure the safety and efficiency of treatment. [41406]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Department has not received any advice from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists or the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health specifying the numbers of patients a clinician needs to see to ensure the safety and efficiency of treatment.

  Autism
  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health with regard to the Brent Taylor report on MMR/autism,(a) what type of study was undertaken and for what purpose, (b) how many children were included in the study, (c) if the study was for case-series analysis method, (d) what its findings were on levels of autism and (e) if the raw data collected will be published. [43604]

  Yvette Cooper
  The third population study that has recently been reported by Taylor et al' involved a review of patients clinical notes linked to independent computerised vaccination records (record-linkage). The key objective of this research was to investigate whether there was any evidence of a 'new variant' form of autism caused or triggered by MMR and associated with bowel problems.

  This study examined approximately 500 children with childhood (278) or atypical (195) autism born between 1979 and 1998 in five health districts in north-east London. Of these children, 25 per cent. were reported to have regression and 17 per cent. to have had bowel problems. There was no significant difference in the rates of bowel problems or regression in those who had had MMR vaccine before onset of problems, after onset or who had never had the vaccine. In addition the proportion of autistic children with regression or bowel problems did not change significantly over the period from 1979–98, which included the introduction of MMR in 1988. This study found no evidence to support a 'new variant' form of autism, where MMR vaccination is associated with developmental regression and bowel problems.
  1 Taylor B.. Miller E., Lingam R., Andrews N., Simmons A., Stowe J. Measles, mumps and rubella vaccination and bowel problems or developmental regression in children with autism: population study. BMJ 2002, 324;393–6.756W
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the number of cases of autism in East Surrey; and if he will make a statement. [53249]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 29 April 2002]: None. Local statutory authorities are responsible for ensuring that they have sufficient knowledge of local needs and priorities to inform the pattern of services in their area.

  Golden Jubilee
  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what precautions(a) local hospitals and (b) emergency management services are planning to take in preparation for the crowds anticipated during the weekend of the Queen's Golden Jubilee; and if he will make a statement. [44596]

  Ms Blears
  Planning for big events, including the Queen's Golden Jubilee, is co-ordinated by the local police forces built upon tried and tested procedures. There are established major incident procedures and cross border support mechanisms. All hospitals and ambulance services have major incident plans.

  The main celebrations for the Queen's Golden Jubilee are being held in London. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport has an operational and safety planning group, which includes emergency services and health representatives, to oversee the safety and health aspects of the events in the Royal parks, the City of London and the processional route to St. Paul's Cathedral.

  The intention is to use systems that are tried and tested in London at events such as the Notting Hill Carnival and the VE Day Anniversary Celebrations. These systems are designed to treat as many casualties as possible at the event sites using first aid posts or advance treatment centres which will be staffed by doctors, nurses and first aiders. This will reduce vehicle movements around the events and reduce potential pressure on accident and emergency departments.

  Medical Training Costs
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average gross cost was of training post age 18 for(a) general practitioners, (b) hospital doctors and (c) nurses. [44283]

  Mr. Hutton
  I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave my hon. Friend, the Member for Halton (Derek Twigg) on Tuesday 8 January 2002,Official Report, column 642W.

  Training costs for general practitioners are the same as those for doctors.

  Cancer Plan
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards establishing a lead clinician for cancer within each PCT as identified in the Cancer Plan. [45770]

  Yvette Cooper
  In 2001–02 the Department allocated £2 million in the first year of a three year programme. By March 2002, 323 primary care lead clinicians for cancer had been appointed. A full programme of support and
  757W
  development for all the primary care lead clinicians for cancer, is being funded and managed by Macmillan Cancer Relief.

  Nurses
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses working for the NHS are on work permits. [46182]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department of Health national health service hospital and community health services non-medical workforce census for England showed that there were 330,353 qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff employed in the NHS at 30 September 2001.

  Information on the number of nurses working for the NHS on work permits is not collected centrally, but may be available from local NHS employers.

  East Lancashire

  Morecambe Bay

  North-west Lancashire

  South Lancashire

  Year/quarter

  (1)

  (2)

  (1)

  (2)

  (1)

  (2)

  (1)

  (2)

  2001–02

  3

  200

  27

  195

  30

  139

  0

  99

  0

  2

  166

  16

  162

  43

  178

  0

  89

  0

  1

  176

  11

  192

  34

  218

  1

  91

  0

  2000–01

  4

  145

  17

  310

  81

  264

  0

  129

  0

  3

  161

  10

  249

  29

  88

  1

  91

  1

  2

  126

  9

  142

  13

  72

  6

  91

  0

  1

  147

  13

  102

  12

  68

  10

  115

  1

  1999–2000

  4

  127

  7

  127

  35

  183

  12

  23

  0

  3

  123

  19

  50

  9

  250

  19

  13

  0

  2

  97

  14

  61

  8

  59

  0

  29

  0

  1

  90

  5

  71

  8

  91

  0

  37

  0

  1998–99

  4

  99

  8

  32

  2

  98

  0

  34

  5

  3

  122

  11

  32

  4

  117

  0

  19

  0

  2

  124

  13

  46

  10

  86

  9

  15

  0

  1

  111

  8

  44

  2

  79

  6

  31

  0

  1997–98

  4

  130

  15

  47

  2

  163

  0

  18

  0

  3

  99

  8

  28

  3

  120

  0

  25

  1

  2

  70

  3

  32

  3

  94

  0

  26

  1

  1

  52

  3

  28

  0

  101

  0

  20

  0

  Notes:

  1. Number of last cancellations for non-clinical reasons in the quarter

  2. Number of patients not admitted within one month of last minute cancellation.

  Source:

  Departmant of Health froms QMNG and QMPC

  Operation Cancellations (Lancashire)
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations have been cancelled by the NHS in Lancashire within one month of the supposed date of the operation in each year since 1997. [48599]

  Jacqui Smith
  The available information is shown in the table.

  We recognise and fully understand the distress that cancellations can cause for patients and their families. This is reflected by the fact that from the end of this month, any patient who has their operation cancelled by the hospital on the day it is due to happen will be guaranteed treatment within 28 days, or else the hospital will have to fund their treatment at the time and place of their choice.

  The NHS is carrying out more operations than ever before—up by more than half a million between 1996–97 and 2000–01. But cancellations are a long term problem which can only be resolved through the investment and reform that is now taking place in the NHS.

  Medicines
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the public health consequences of reclassifying medicines from prescription-only to pharmacy sale; and where the liability for the use of these products will lie; [47847]

  (2) if he will make a statement on where the liability for the use of products newly reclassified from prescription-only to pharmacy sale will lie; [47875]

  (3) if he will make a statement on the risks to public health of changes to the availability of treatments by reclassifying medicines from prescription-only to pharmacy sales. [47876]

  Ms Blears
  The changes to the process by which the legal status of a medicine is changed (introduced on 1 April 2002), are designed to speed and streamline the procedures, halving the time taken to deliver a change from application to decision, while maintaining appropriate safeguards.

  The changes to the process do not impact on the liability for a product. Where the liability for the use of a product lies will vary according to the circumstances of each individual case but will be the same for products with an existing legal status as for those which have been newly reclassified.

  Patient safety remains paramount and any application to consider a change of legal status for a particular medicine will continue to require an applicant to demonstrate its safety in use, including without medical supervision, and that the patient information is suitable for the medicine to be made more widely available.

  Making more medicines more widely available when it is safe to do so is a key part of the national health service objective to empower patients. Many patients are expert on their own conditions and early access to treatments for known conditions can have a significant public health benefit where early intervention would not otherwise be possible.

  Overseas Treatment
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many British patients have been treated by the NHS in the EEA, broken down by country of origin. [47852]

  Mr. Hutton
  188 patients have been treated in other member states of the EEA since 18 January 2002 under the pilot scheme to send patients overseas for treatment. Of these 112 were treated in France and 76 in Germany.

  In addition, 340 applications for treatment within the EEA were approved under the E112 scheme between 1 January and 22 April 2002 (Great Britain figure, rounded to the nearest 10). The countries concerned were Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were waiting over six months on the in-patient waiting list in(a) each quarter since March 1997 and (b) each month since January 2001. [47855]
  760W
  Mr. Hutton
  The data requested are shown in the table. Table 1 provides quarterly statistics from March 1997 onwards and table 2 provides monthly statistics from January 2001 onwards.

  Table 1: Quarterly Statistics—Number of patients on the in-patient waiting list waiting over six months on the last day of the period: England (health authority based)

  Year

  Quarter

  six months +

  1996–97

  4

  290,000

  1997–98

  1

  318,000

  1997–98

  2

  338,000

  1997–98

  3

  368,000

  1997–98

  4

  382,000

  1998–99

  1

  382,000

  1998–99

  2

  348,000

  1998–99

  3

  316,000

  1998–99

  4

  280,000

  1999–2000

  1

  279,000

  1999–2000

  2

  281,000

  1999–2000

  3

  285,000

  1999–2000

  4

  268,000

  2000–01

  1

  273,000

  2000–01

  2

  275,000

  2000–01

  3

  267,000

  2000–01

  4

  246,000

  2001–02

  1

  267,000

  2001–02

  2

  277,000

  2001–02

  3

  259,000

  Source:

  DH QF01 return

  Table 2: Monthly statistics—Number of patients on the in-patient waiting list waiting over six months at the end of the period: England (health authority based)

  Month

  Year

  Six months +

  January

  2000–01

  266,000

  February

  2000–01

  255,000

  March

  2000–01

  246,000

  April

  2001–02

  259,000

  May

  2001–02

  271,000

  June

  2001–02

  267,000

  July

  2001–02

  268,000

  August

  2001–02

  274,000

  September

  2001–02

  277,000

  October

  2001–02

  262,000

  November

  2001–02

  247,000

  December

  2001–02

  259,000

  January

  2001–02

  260,000

  February

  2001–02

  246,000

  Source:

  DH monthly waiting list returns.

  Radiography Treatment
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting times were, broken down by regional health authority, for radiography treatment in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [47995]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Waiting times for radiotherapy treatments are not collected centrally. The NHS Cancer Plan set out maximum waiting time targets for first definitive cancer treatment which will come into effect over the next few years. Arrangements to monitor these targets are currently being put in place and will cover radiotherapy where this is the first treatment.
  761W
  From December 2001, there is a one month maximum wait from diagnosis to first treatment for breast cancer and a one month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to first treatment for children's, testicular and acute leukaemia. By 2005, there will be a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to first treatment for all cancers. Monitoring of these targets is being introduced and figures will be published as the targets apply.

  MMR Vaccination
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to release MMR vaccination rates by health authority for the final quarter of 2001. [47465]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 10 April 2002]: The combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination rates for the last quarter of 2001 were published in Communicable Disease Weekly of 28 March 2002. This is available on www.phls.co.uk/facts/VaccinationNaccIndex.htm. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  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 a medium secure unit for the Oxfordshire Mental Health Care NHS Trust by comparison with a non-Private Finance Initiative alternative. [49536]

  Ms Blears
  The business case justifying the individual schemes estimated the net savings in present value terms (ie all future costs and benefits discounted to their present values) compared with publicly funding the scheme as follows:

  Net present costs of PSC v. PFI option

  Trust

  PFI (£000)

  Public (£000)

  Savings in net present value terms (£000)

  Difference (Percentage)

  Oxfordshire Mental Healthcare NHS Trust

  3,707

  3,777

  70

  2

  Sunset Clauses
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses; and what plans he has for the future use of such clauses. [49616]

  Mr. Hutton
  None of the Bills introduced by the Department in the last five years contained a sunset clause. The use of such provisions in future will be considered on a case-by-case basis as the circumstances require.

  Haemophilia
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whom his Department has consulted as part of its consideration of whether to make recombinant available to all people with haemophilia. [50850]
  762W
  Yvette Cooper
  The Department has had formal meetings with the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctor's Organisation (UKHCDO) and the Haemophilia Society and more informal discussions with other groups from the haemophilia community.

  The Government are considering extending the provision of recombinant clotting factors to all haemophilia patients in England. Recombinant clotting factors are provided in England for new haemophilia patients and children under 16 (from April 1998). The UKHCDO has advised that recombinant clotting factors are available to those who are eligible to receive them.

  Foetal Alcohol Syndrome
  Miss Begg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the incidence of foetal alcohol syndrome in England and Wales. [51823]

  Ms Blears
  The Department has made no specific estimate of the prevalence of foetal alcohol syndrome in England and Wales, although the World Health Organisation estimates an incidence of between 0.33 and 9.7 per 1,000 live births in a range of countries. The risks of excessive drinking during pregnancy are well documented, and for this reason the Government recommend that women who are pregnant or who are trying to become pregnant do not drink more than one to two units of alcohol per week.

  In 2000–01, foetal alcohol syndrome was reported in 38 birth records on the Hospital Episode Statistics System (HES), representing 0.07 cases per 1,000 births.

  Miss Begg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government have a mechanism to record the incidence of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. [51824]

  Ms Blears
  The Department does not collect specific information about the incidence of foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Where FAS is recognised at the time of delivery, it may be recorded in the clinical details on the HES (Hospital Episodes Statistics) record. The number of cases is likely to be small: the World Health Organisation estimates an incidence of between 0.33 and 9.7 per 1000 live births in a range of countries.

  FAS will of course be recorded on an individual patient's medical records, to ensure that health and other professional staff are aware of the situation and can help the sufferer to access the support that they need.

  Birth Statistics
  Miss Begg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government have a mechanism to monitor the number of babies born to mothers(a) with alcohol problems and (b) who abuse illegal drugs. [51826]

  Ms Blears
  The Department has no central mechanism to record the numbers of babies born to mothers who misuse alcohol or illegal drugs, although the numbers are likely to be small. Information from the infant feeding study 1995 indicated that only 1 per cent. of pregnant women drank more than 14 units of alcohol per week.
  763W
  Information about any problems with drug or alcohol misuse can be noted on a mother's medical records, and health professionals will encourage the mother to seek help to address their substance misuse problems both before and after the birth.

  Parliamentary Questions
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to reply to the question tabled on 6 March, ref 41373, by the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden. [51815]

  Jacqui Smith
  The question was replied to on 25 April 2002,Official Report, column 455W.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Mr. Miller) on 25 March 2002,Official Report, column 756W, on parliamentary questions, how much the investigation cost; what the Civil Service grade was of the civil servant who headed the investigation; how many civil servants were involved in the investigation; whether external consultants were involved in the investigation; and how many civil servants from other Departments were seconded to the investigation. [53324]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 29 April 2002]: The investigation was carried out under the personal supervision of the Department's Director of Corporate Affairs and reported to the Permanent Secretary.

  It was headed by a Senior Civil Servant supported by two other civil servants from the Department of Health.

  No additional costs were incurred as these staff were temporarily redeployed on to these duties.

  No external consultants were involved or any civil servants from other departments.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to improve the answering of written parliamentary questions by his Department since 1 November 2001. [52271]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 25 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Mr. Milburn) gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Mr. Miller) on 25 March 2002, Official Report, columns 756–59W.

  Social Services SSA
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the process that was used to calculate the increase in social services SSA for(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02. [52277]

  Jacqui Smith
  The increase in social services standard spending assessment for 2000–01 and 2001–02 were arrived at as a result of the 1998 comprehensive spending review. That review looked at the pressures facing social services departments at that time and the level of spending that the Government could make available.

  Intermediate Care
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what systems of evaluation are in place to monitor the quality of provision of(a) pre-admission and (b) rehabilitation services of intermediate care. [52278]
  764W
  Jacqui Smith
  Arrangements for monitoring and evaluating local intermediate care services were set out in the Department of Health circular "Intermediate Care" (health service circular 2001:01: local authority circular (2001)/01), published on 19 January 2001. A copy is in the Library.

  Since the circular was published, research into intermediate care has been commissioned, and there is a growing body of evidence from local evaluations. The Commission for Health Improvement, Social Services Inspectorate, and the National Care Standards Commission (and their successor bodies, announced in "Delivering the NHS Plan") all have a role in evaluating the quality of intermediate care services in various settings. The Department collects data on rates of hospital admission, re-admission and delayed transfers of care, which help to measure the impact of intermediate care services.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much additional funding has been invested in intermediate care services since 28 March 2000. [52689]

  Jacqui Smith
  The NHS Plan announced extra investment of £900 million annually by 2003–04 for intermediate care and related services to promote independence. Of this, around £255 million was earmarked specifically for national health service investment in intermediate care. This is in addition to £150 million made available recurrently from 2000–01. Full details are in the intermediate care circular health service circular 2001–01:LAC (2001)1 published in January last year, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Additionally, a one-off allocation of £63 million was announced in August 2000 to help expand capacity for the 2000–01 winter. This included investment in intermediate and transitional care to tackle delayed discharges and initiatives for recruitment and retention of key staff.

  NHS Plan
  Dr. Evan Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the(a) targets and (b) policies contained in the NHS Plan have been costed. [52276]

  Mr. Hutton
  The funding made available in spending review 2000 was sufficient to deliver the targets and policies up to and including the current financial year, and the funding recently announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be sufficient to deliver the policies and targets up to 2007–08.

  Health Care Provision (Cheltenham)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect the Budget of 17 April will have on the provision of health care in Cheltenham. [52939]

  Mr. Hutton
  As a result of the Budget, the national health service in England will receive an annual average real terms growth in resources of 7.4 per cent. for the five years from 2003–04 to 2007–08. Local allocations to primary care trusts will be announced later this year.

  Organ Donation
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are registered as organ donors. [52453]
  765W
  Jacqui Smith
  There are currently 9.166 million people registered on the NHS Organ Donor Register.

  Lung Cancer
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when a decision will be made on whether a pilot trial of spiral CT scanning as a screening test for lung cancer will be undertaken; [53533]

  (2) if he will make funding available for a pilot study of spiral CT scanning as a screening test for lung cancer. [53531]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Medical Research Council (MRC), which is funded through the Department of Trade and Industry, is currently considering a proposal for the pilot trial of lung cancer screening using spiral computed tomography. The MRC expects to make a decision on funding at the council meeting in July.

  Food Supplements
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential impact that a low maximum permitted level for nutrients in food supplements would have on(a) the viability of United Kingdom specialist food manufacturers and (b) consumer choice in the UK for food supplement products. [53431]

  Yvette Cooper
  Setting unnecessarily low maximum permitted levels for nutrients in food supplements is likely to have a detrimental impact on the viability of the United Kingdom's specialist food manufacturers and on UK consumer choice. Throughout negotiations the Food Standards Agency has insisted on sound scientific assessment of safety as the principal criterion for setting limits and will continue to do so.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the criteria for setting the upper safe level of intake of vitamins and minerals under review by the EU Scientific Committee for Foods. [53429]

  Yvette Cooper
  I am advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that they would advise as suitable, criteria adopted by the expert group on vitamins and mineral (EVM), which is based on the risk analysis model developed by the food and agriculture organisation of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation. Details of this are set out in the expert group paper: "Risk Analysis in Food Safety: recent development and the respective roles of risk assessment, risk management and risk communication" (EVM/99/10/P), copies of which are available in the Library, and on the FSA's website: www.food.gov.uk. This process takes into account all relevant evidence including that from the peer reviewed human and animal studies.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure minimal cost and disruption to(a) consumers, (b) retailers and (c) manufacturers of food supplements resulting from the adoption of the European food supplements directive into UK law. [53433]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Food Standards Agency (FSA) argued strongly in negotiations for a safety-based approach to this directive (rather than the more restrictive approach favoured by some other member states) in order to minimise the impact on United Kingdom consumer choice and UK businesses. The FSA is now directing its 766W
  energies towards arguing the case for maximum levels of vitamins and minerals in supplements to be based on thorough scientific risk assessment and forging strong links between the European Union Scientific committee on food and an expert group that it has set up to advise on acceptable levels.

  The proposed directive will not immediately outlaw any products already on the UK market. Lists of permitted vitamin and mineral sources remain open pending a continuous programme of safety assessments. We intend, when implementing the directive, to take full advantage of the flexibility the UK has secured for member states to allow continued sale of products containing vitamin and mineral sources not yet on the permitted lists for up to seven years after the directive comes into force.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the timetable for the publication of the final versions of the forthcoming report from the Ad Hoc Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals; and how he plans to take the findings of that report into account when responding to the EU Scientific Committee for Foods' assessment of the Upper Safe Level (USL) of intake of all vitamins and minerals. [53428]

  Yvette Cooper
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox) on 8 January 2002,Official Report, column 626W.

  Consultation on the report is now expected to take place in August 2002. This is to allow extra time for the group to complete risk assessments on all of the vitamins and minerals covered by the review.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential impact that the preparation of dossiers for submission to the EC Scientific Committee for Foods for the inclusion of additional substances in the annexes to the food supplements directive will have on(a) the costs and (b) the viability of the relevant manufacturers and retailers. [53432]

  Yvette Cooper
  During negotiations on this directive the Food Standards Agency consulted widely on its possible impacts among United Kingdom interest groups. Initial estimates from industry suggest that the costs of preparing safety dossiers in support of ingredients not on the positive lists in the annexes to the directive lie between £80,000 and £250,000 per dossier.

  Any impact of the directive on the relevant manufacturers and retailers will depend upon future developments on the lists of permitted nutrients and maximum permitted levels in food supplements.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what(a) discussions his Department has had with and (b) submissions his Department has made to the European Commission with regard to the implementation of the European food supplements directive, with particular reference to the upper safe level of intake of vitamins and minerals. [53430]

  Yvette Cooper
  Throughout negotiations on this directive the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has had intensive discussions with the European Commission to ensure that upper safe levels of intake of vitamins and minerals set are not unduly restrictive but are based on sound scientific assessment of safety.
  767W
  In order to continue this work, the FSA is now directing its energies towards forging strong links between the European Union scientific committee on food (which will advise the commission and member states on upper safe levels) and the United Kingdom's own expert group on vitamins and minerals.

  Ambulance Staff
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Romsey (Sandra Gidley) of 27 February 2000,Official Report, column 1421W, on ambulance staff, if he will provide information on the same basis for (a) the Isle of Wight and (b) other integrated ambulance services. [43369]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 14 March 2002]: Information on levels of reported violent incidents against national health service staff is collected centrally at whole trust level but not by integrated services within a trust.

  Smallpox
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 13 November 2001,Official Report, column 687W, on smallpox, what recent representations he has received about smallpox vaccines. [43913]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 26 March 2002]: The Department of Health has received representations from industry and from the BioIndustry Association. There has been consultation with industry about its capacity and ability to deliver smallpox vaccine supplies to meet the Government's requirements.

  National Institute for Clinical Excellence
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the amount of money spent privately in the last 12 months by patients on treatments which are being assessed by NICE. [50056]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 16 April 2002]: We have made no formal assessment.

  Care Homes
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 19 March 2002,Official Report, column 309W, on care homes, what information he collates on the length of time it takes for a care home to be built. [50078]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: No information on the length of time it takes to build a care home is collected centrally.

  Obesity
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information she has collated on the number of(a) adults and (b) children who are currently overweight or obese; and what percentage of each population that figure represents; [49310]

  (2) what recent estimates she has made as to the total cost (a) to the national health service and (b) to the economy of illness, inactivity and premature death associated with overweight and obesity; [49311]
  768W
  (3) if he will make a statement on his plans to combat obesity; [49312]

  (4) what were the main conclusions of his Department's recent response to the Ninth report of the Committee on Public Accounts on the subject of obesity; [49313]

  (5) what targets he intends to set for reductions in the levels of overweight and obesity; and what resources and strategies he will put in place to ensure that they are achieved. [49314]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The Health Survey for England 2000 reported that 45 per cent. of men were overweight and 21 per cent. obese, and 34 per cent. of women were overweight and 21 per cent. obese.

  The Health Survey for England 1995–97 reported that 22 per cent. of six-year-olds and 31 per cent. of 15-year-olds are overweight. The prevalence of obesity ranges from 10 per cent. at age six years to 17 per cent. at age 15 years.

  The National Audit Office publication 'Tackling Obesity in England' reported that in 1998 30,000 deaths (of which 9,000 were before the age of 65 years) were attributable to obesity. There is an estimated direct cost to the national health service (NHS) of at least £0.5 billion a year, or about 1.5 per cent. of NHS expenditure. There is also an estimated direct cost of £2 billion a year to the wider economy.

  Obesity is a complex condition, but is largely preventable through addressing the risk factors of diet and physical inactivity. The Government are committed to tackling this rising trend in obesity and are taking positive steps to improve prevention, treatment and management of obesity through the NHS Plan, Cancer Plan and national service frameworks.

  We have put in place cross-Government work and local action is under way to promote physical activity and healthy eating and tackle overweight and obesity. Specifically, these include a national school fruit scheme, a wider five-a-day programme to increase access to and consumption of fruit and vegetables and work with industry to improve overall balance in diet, including salt, fat and diet. Among children, there has been significant investment in primary physical education (PE) and sports facilities, including £581 million from the new opportunities fund for a PE and sports programme.

  The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has provided guidance on the anti-obesity drugs orlistat and sibutramine for the NHS. Treatment with these drugs will be supported by advice, support and counselling on diet, physical activity and behavioural strategies. NICE are also reviewing surgical interventions to treat morbid obesity, the findings of which are expected in summer 2002. Referral to NICE of further guidance topics remains under consideration.

  We welcomed the Public Accounts Committee report on 'Tackling Obesity in England', published in January 2002, the official response to which was published on 21 March 2002 and has been placed in the Library.

  No specific targets are set for reductions in the levels of overweight and obesity. However, the coronary heart disease national service framework sets standards and

  769W
  specific milestones for action on local programmes of effective policies on reducing overweight and obesity. Meeting these standards will contribute to achieving on of the four targets set in Our Healthier Nation, to reduce deaths from coronary heart disease by 40 per cent. in people in people under 75 by 2010.

  Inventures
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans Inventures has for the land it owns at Cold East hospital. [50798]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: Cold East hospital is in the ownership of the Secretary of State for Health. NHS Estates of which Inventures is a part act on behalf of Ministers to dispose of property which has been declared surplus to national health service requirements. NHS Estates are currently considering a number of options with the borough council for Cold East hospital.

  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures have been adopted to determine if land owned and occupied by(a) PCTs, (b) acute hospital trusts, (c) health authorities and (d) his Department should be transferred to Inventures. [50797]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 18 April 2002]: Under the current proposals there is no intention to transfer land owned and occupied by primary care trusts, acute hospital trusts, health authorities or the Department of Health to Inventures.

  Inventures (part of NHS Estates) sole task in this regard is to assist in the disposal of the surplus estate.

  Heart Valve Replacements
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is his policy that heart valve replacements which have been manufactured in the United States of America may be used by the NHS before they have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the USA. [51428]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 19 April 2002]: Artificial heart valves manufactured in the USA (or elsewhere) may be used by the national health service if they bear the CE marking, which indicates that they comply with European "essential requirements" for safety, quality and performance. Valves which do not bear the CE marking can also be used (on a restricted basis) as part of controlled clinical trials. Approval by the US Food and Drugs Administration is not a prerequisite for the use of artificial heart valves by the NHS, regardless of their country of origin.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what tests his Department carried out on the St. Jude 'Regent' range of valves prior to their use by the NHS; and when the St. Jude 'Regent' range of valves were first used by the national health service. [51430]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 19 April 2002]: My Department did not carry out any tests on the St. Jude 'Regent' range of artificial heart valves prior to their use by the national health service, because the valves were affixed with the CE marking, indicating that they
  770W
  complied with European "essential requirements" for safety, quality and performance. The valves received CE marking on the basis of an assessment of technical information relating to their design and safety evaluation by a Notified Body (an independent third party assessment organisation). The St. Jude 'Regent' range of artificial heart valves was first available for general use by the NHS in 1999.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what tests his Department carried out on the St. Jude Silzone coated mitral valve prior to its use by the NHS; and when the St. Jude Silzone coated mitral valve was first used by the national health service. [51429]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 19 April 2002]: The Department did not carry out any tests on St. Jude Silzone coated mitral artificial heart valves prior to their use by the national health service, because the valves were affixed with the CE marking, indicating that they complied with European "essential requirements" for safety, quality and performance. St. Jude Silzone coated mitral artificial heart valves were first available for general use by the NHS in 1997.

  NHS Outcome Targets
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his outcome targets are for the NHS for(a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04, (c) five years hence and (d) 10 years hence; and how they have changed as a result of his statement on 18 April. [51915]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 23 April 2002]: The Department's Public Service Agreement (PSA) contains a number of headline targets, such as:
  Patients will receive treatment at a time that suits them in accordance with their clinical need: two thirds of all outpatient appointments and inpatient elective admissions will be pre-booked by 2003–04 on the way to 100 per cent. pre-booking by 2005.
  Guaranteed access to a primary care professional with 24 hours and to a primary care doctor within 48 hours by 2008.
  Reduce the maximum wait for an out-patient appointment to three months and the maximum wait for in-patient treatment to six months by the end of 2005.
  Reduce substantially the mortality rates from major killers by 2010: from heart disease by at least 40 per cent. in people under 75; from cancer by at least 20 per cent. in people under 75; and from suicide and undetermined injury by at least 20 per cent.

  Progress against PSA targets is recorded every year in the Department's annual report. The next departmental report will be published in spring 2002.

  A new PSA will be published at the end of the spending review process (summer 2002).

  Mental Health Care
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources are available for mental health in West Sussex; and what resources were available in each of the last five years. [53282]
  771W
  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 29 April 2002]: The amount spent on mental health services in West Sussex, in the last five years for which figures are available, is shown in the table.

  £000

  Percentage change

  2001–02

  62,523

  15.3

  2000–01

  54,219

  9.3

  1999–2000

  49,606

  7.4

  1998–99

  46,209

  -0.1

  1997–98

  46,248

  7.0

  1996–97

  43,237

  —

  Notes:

  1. Data taken from Q4 monitoring returns table H08, forecast outturn, except for 2001–02 using C3 return.

  2. The costs of general practitioners and prescribing are not analysed to condition related groups.

  Details of the location and types of mental health services across West Sussex are not held centrally.

  Residential/Nursing Home Beds
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the number of(a) residential home and (b) nursing home beds in England provided by (i) local authorities (ii) the private sector and (iii) the voluntary sector. [53271]
  772W
  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 29 April 2002]: Information on the number of places in residential and nursing care homes by accommodation type in England at 31 March 2001 is shown in the table.

  Residential and nursing care places in England, at 31 March 2001

  Local authority staffed homes

  Private homes

  Voluntary homes

  Residential care

  50,858

  222,970

  67,347

  Nursing care1

  2—

  171,430

  4,582

  1 Excludes registered beds in private hospitals and clinics

  2 Not applicable

  Source:

  Department of Health annual returns

  Social Services Inspection (Torbay)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of the inspection conducted in the Torbay Unitary Authority area into social services; how many officials were involved in undertaking the inspection; and what the cost was of producing a report after the inspection. [52485]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 29 April 2002]: The social services inspectorate conducted an inspection of children's service in Torbay in June 2001. This was the most recent inspection in social service and involved two inspectors. The total cost including publication of the inspection report was £18,000.

  UK Population and Parliamentary Electors
  UK Population and Parliamentary Electors
  Labour Voters
  Labour Voters
  Paddington Tube Station: 18 April Closure
  Paddington Tube Station: 18 April Closure
  Galileo
  Galileo
  Postal Votes
  Postal Votes
  Speed Cameras
  Speed Cameras
  Airline Passengers
  Airline Passengers
  Freedom of Information Act 2000: Section 75
  Freedom of Information Act 2000: Section 75
  Death Penalty
  Death Penalty
  Northern Ireland: Victim Support
  Northern Ireland: Victim Support
  Omagh Bomb Victims
  Omagh Bomb Victims
  Police Service of Northern Ireland
  Police Service of Northern Ireland
  Northern Ireland: Proposed Criminal Justice Inspectorate
  Northern Ireland: Proposed Criminal Justice Inspectorate
  China: Family Planning Abuse Allegations
  China: Family Planning Abuse Allegations
  Cross-Channel Illegal Migration: Anglo-French Co-operation
  Cross-Channel Illegal Migration: Anglo-French Co-operation
  Sex Discrimination Act 1975
  Sex Discrimination Act 1975
  Late Payments Legislation
  Late Payments Legislation
  Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils
  Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils
  Education Bill
  Education Bill
  Secondary Schools: Performance Tables
  Secondary Schools: Performance Tables
  Rural Areas: 14–19 Strategy
  Rural Areas: 14–19 Strategy
  National Trust: Lottery Funding
  National Trust: Lottery Funding
  Cultural Property
  Cultural Property
  Hunting, Angling and Shooting
  Hunting, Angling and Shooting
  Illegal Meat Imports
  Illegal Meat Imports