Written Answers of 7 February 2002

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Antisocial Behaviour Orders
  Roger Casale
  To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on the arrangements in place between Crown Prosecution Service, the police and local authorities to ensure that antisocial behaviour proceedings are effective. [31438]

  The Solicitor-General
  The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 lays down that there should be local partnerships for crime reduction, including antisocial behaviour. All key agencies, including the police, local authorities and the CPS work according to the "antisocial behaviour protocol". There has been guidance and joint training for all the agencies.

  Prosecution Disclosure
  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Solicitor-General what plans she has to introduce legislation to reform prosecution disclosure in criminal cases. [31439]

  The Solicitor-General
  The Government have consulted on Lord Justice Auld's proposals for reform of prosecution disclosure in criminal cases. Following the consultation period which ended on January 31, we are considering our response and have said that our proposals will be set out in a White Paper in April. Any plans to legislate to reform prosecution disclosure in criminal cases will be made public in April.

  Civil Service Pension Scheme
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Solicitor-General what assessment has been made of the risk of the Government facing a legal action under the Human Rights Act 1998 regarding the civil service pension scheme. [31443]

  The Solicitor-General
  It is a long-standing convention enshrined in the Ministerial Code, that neither the fact that the Law Officers have advised on a matter, nor the content of any advice which they may have given, is disclosed outside Government other than in exceptional circumstances. This is to protect the confidentiality of the legal advice given to the Government. The Government, like everyone else, should be able to get the legal advice which they need to perform their functions, without having to explain or justify this to outsiders, or indeed to reveal that it has concerns about the legal position. This ensures that the Government seek, and get, frank advice where appropriate without having to worry about any political and presentational implications.

  Domestic Violence
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on the role of her Department in dealing with domestic violence. [31444]
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  The Solicitor-General
  The role of my Department in relation to domestic violence is to promote the safety of victims of abuse and to hold offenders accountable for their actions.

  The work needed to address domestic violence issues extends far wider than any one Department's remit. This is why I have established with ministerial colleagues a Ministerial Committee on domestic violence.

  We are working closely with colleagues across government to draw up a national strategy addressing domestic violence issues that relate not just to the civil and criminal courts, but also to matters of health, education, child protection, refuges and housing.

  Fair Trade Fortnight
  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Solicitor-General what steps she is taking to encourage participation by her Department in fair trade fortnight from 4 to 17 March. [33554]

  The Solicitor-General
  The Law Officers' Departments—the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office and the Treasury Solicitor's Department—have no plans to participate in fair trade fortnight.

  The individual Departments are, however, always ready to consider fair trade products when these represent good value and all encourage ethical purchasing as an element in their purchasing policies.

  IT Contracts
  Richard Younger-Ross
  To ask the Solicitor-General what has been the total expenditure of her Department on IT systems and support in each year from May 1997 to date; how many IT contracts have been let in each of those years; of the other main contracting party in each of those contracts, how many have been(a) companies whose registered office is in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Northern Ireland and (b) foreign companies; and what are the names of the companies falling within category (a). [33692]

  The Solicitor-General
  I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  Individual Learning Accounts
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many arrests have been made in connection with fraud of the Government's individual learning accounts scheme. [31411]

  John Healey
  Forty-four arrests have been made in relation to allegations of fraud with the operation of the individual learning account programme. Twelve people have been charged, one of whom has been convicted.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will announce the date on which the scheme to replace individual learning accounts will commence. [31413]
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  John Healey
  We are determined to review thoroughly all aspects of the operation of the ILA scheme. During January and February we are conducting a consultation with providers, learners and other stakeholders. The results will be an important element in developing a successor scheme.

  Tony Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects to announce a replacement for individual learning accounts. [31421]

  John Healey
  We are determined to review thoroughly all aspects of the operation of the ILA scheme. During January and February we are conducting a consultation with providers, learners and other stakeholders to take their views. The results will be an important element in developing a successor scheme.

  Mr. Baron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she will take to ensure that ILA providers are fully compensated following the closure of the scheme. [31423]

  John Healey
  The Department has no plans to compensate learning providers in relation to the closure of individual learning accounts.

  Mr. Boris Johnson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether Capita staff at the ILA computer centre have been(a) arrested and (b) investigated by the police in the last six months. [33984]

  John Healey
  There have been no arrests of Capita staff employed at the ILA centre. On Friday 23 November the Department called in police to investigate serious potential fraud and theft involving individual learning accounts. Details of the continuing investigations are a matter for the police. However, to date no evidence has been found to support any allegations that Capita employees have been involved in the abuse of ILAs.

  Pupil Attainment
  Dr. Naysmith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the proportion of pupils in the last two years reaching the end of compulsory schooling without a qualification. [31412]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The proportion of pupils reaching the end of compulsory schooling without a qualification in 2001 fell for the sixth year in a row to 5.5 per cent. In 2000 the proportion of pupils leaving without a qualification was 5.6 per cent.

  Student Loans
  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on her plans for reviewing the operation of the system of student loans. [31414]

  Margaret Hodge
  We shall announce the outcome of the review of student finance when it is complete and we will consult on any proposals for change.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she intends to publish a consultation document outlining options for a new system of student support; and if she will make a statement. [31434]
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  Margaret Hodge
  We shall announce the outcome of the review of student finance when it is complete and we will consult on any proposals for change.

  Modern Apprenticeships
  Mr. Challen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the introduction of modern apprenticeships in schools. [31416]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Government are working with the Learning and Skills Council to develop a pilot preparatory apprenticeship model for 16-year-olds and above in schools, who may progress to a full modern apprenticeship with an employer later. Further more detailed plans for strengthening the work-related learning element in schools, as part of our strategy for a more coherent and flexible 14–19 phase of education and training, will be published in due course.

  University Research
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans the Government have to fund high-quality research in university institutions. [31417]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Government will continue to support high quality research in universities and colleges. The detailed distribution of public funds for research is a matter for the Research Councils, the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the other UK funding councils. The Department has made available an additional £30 million to fund high quality research next year.

  Public Examinations
  Mr. Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the operation of the public examination system. [31418]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Government are determined to maintain a rigorous and high-quality examination system that commands public confidence. We look to the regulatory body—the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority—to ensure that all awarding bodies meet the high standards that students and parents expect.

  Ofsted Report (Gloucestershire)
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the recent Ofsted report into Gloucestershire's local education authority. [31419]

  Mr. Timms
  Officials in my Department have discussed the report with the Council's lead members and officers. I am assured that the authority recognises the weaknesses identified by Ofsted, and will be addressing the recommendations in the year ahead. I await the authority's post-Ofsted action plan, which will set out the action proposed.

  Schools (Derbyshire)
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations she has received on the future of Dronfield and Diencourt schools in Derbyshire. [31420]
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  Mr. Timms
  My Department has received an application from Derbyshire local education authority (LEA) to the targeted capital fund (TCF) for capital funding in respect of Dronfield School. TCF supports standards-focused projects which might not otherwise be supported through other capital programmes. TCF applications are currently being appraised and allocations will be announced in March 2002.

  Post-16 Education
  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has given to learning and skills councils on the financial support of post-16 education in schools.[31422]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Learning and Skills Council is required to disburse £1.35 billion for school sixth form provision in 2002–03. The Secretary of State's Grant Letter to the Learning and Skills Council for 2002–03 said that she expected the Council to secure a smooth transfer to the new funding arrangements for school sixth forms, and that it must ensure that the funding does not reduce in real terms relative to the amount they received in 2000–01, provided pupil numbers are maintained.

  Reception Classes
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the proportion of four-year-olds in reception classes was in(a) 1997 and (b) 2000; and if she will make a statement. [31424]

  Margaret Hodge
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  The percentage of four-year-olds educated in classes that are not designated as nursery1 in maintained primary schools in England was 53 per cent. and 57 per cent. in January 1997 and January 2000, respectively. Early Years Development and Childcare Plans demonstrate how, in every local education authority area, there is an early education place for every four-year-old whose parents want one in either the maintained, private or voluntary sector.

  Latest figures on under fives provision in England were published in Statistical Bulletin "Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2001", a copy of which is available from the Library or the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics.
  1 Includes reception and other class provision for four-year-olds but excludes designated nursery classes.

  Specialist Schools
  Mrs. Helen Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement about the criteria she applies when considering a school's application for specialist status. [31425]

  Mr. Timms
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 23 January 2002,Official Report, column 903W.

  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many specialist schools there are in Yeovil constituency. [31431]

  Mr. Timms
  There is one specialist school in Yeovil.
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  Adult Education
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proposals the Government have to introduce an entitlement for all adults to paid tuition for Level 2 courses. [31426]

  Margaret Hodge
  Within my Department, we are currently conducting a review of financial support for adult learners aged 19 or over outside higher education, alongside our work in the Spending Review. We are looking at targeting financial assistance where it is most needed, and at the most cost effective way of doing this. Entitlement for all adults to paid tuition for Level 2 is one option that is being carefully explored.

  We are also developing pilot arrangements that will test how free tuition together with employer compensation for time taken off by employees for learning can act as an incentive. The focus of the learning in these pilots will be basic skills and an initial Level 2 qualification. A small number of pilots will be run by local Learning and Skills Councils in their areas. The pilots will start in spring 2002 with learning opportunities available from September 2002.

  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what strategy she has to increase participation in adult learning. [31429]

  John Healey
  The Government's strategy is to ensure that learning is available in a form and at a time and place that best suits the needs of adult learners; to provide targeted financial support to adult learners; and to extend the information, advice and guidance available on learning. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has a statutory duty to encourage adults to learn. It will publish its strategy for work force development by the end of March 2002. The National Target for Participation in Learning has been achieved one year early, with 500,000 additional learners since 1997.

  School Worship
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement about acts of worship in schools. [31427]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  All registered pupils attending a maintained school should take part in a daily act of collective worship. This must be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character, though importantly, not distinctive of any particular Christian denomination. Schools of a religious character provide collective worship according to the tenets of their trust deed. They are not obliged to follow the Department's guidance in Circular 1/94, although they may find it helpful to do so.

  Collective worship provides an important opportunity to promote pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. We recognise its distinctive and unique contribution in teaching children about the beliefs and values underpinning our understanding of ourselves, what is right and wrong, our sense of belonging and respect for each other.

  The Government have no current plans to remove the statutory requirement for a daily act of collective worship in schools as the law already allows much flexibility over the organisation, timing and content of worship.
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  School Exclusions
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the trends in the numbers of school exclusions over the next two years and the underlying reasons; and if she will make a statement. [31428]

  Mr. Timms
  Many factors will affect the number of school exclusions over the next two years. We are taking forward a number of initiatives in this area, including more on-site learning support units; more Learning Mentors; and more Personal Advisers under the Connexions Service for pupils aged 13–19.

  During the period from 1996 to 2000 the overall number of permanent exclusions has fallen—from around 12,700 in the 1996–97 school year to around 8,300 in the 1999–2000 school year. However, in the last school year (2000–01) the number of permanent exclusions is estimated to have risen to around 9,200 (provisional figure), though this is still 28 per cent. below the 1996–97 peak. We recently issued for consultation draft revised guidance on the appropriate use of exclusion. While this proposes to expand the categories of behaviour where permanent exclusion may be justified, given all the measures we are taking to bolster schools and headteachers with more resources to help them avoid the need for exclusion, we do not expect the new guidance to result in any significant increase in the numbers of exclusions.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the difference in numbers of students entering higher education in(a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland in the last 12 months. [31430]

  Margaret Hodge
  The latest figures showing the number of students accepted for entry to undergraduate courses are given in the table. We welcome the continuing buoyant recruitment of students in England and Wales.

  UK domiciled accepted applicants to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses

  Year of entry

  2000

  2001

  Percentage change

  Institutions in:

  England and Wales

  271,100

  286,600

  +5.7

  Scotland

  30,300

  30,800

  +1.9

  Source:

  Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)

  Education Maintenance Allowance
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to extend education maintenance allowance.[31432]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  We have no such plans at present. We will be taking decisions on any future extension of the scheme on the basis of the rigorous evaluation currently being conducted.
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  A-levels
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she has made an assessment of the impact on teachers and pupils of introducing a new A* grade at A-level. [31433]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  No. The Government currently have no plans to introduce an A* grade at A-level.

  Secondary School Places (Eastbourne)
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she will take to increase the number of secondary school places in Eastbourne. [31415]

  Mr. Timms
  It is for local education authorities to ensure that sufficient school places are available for the children in their area. Decisions about the organisation and supply of school places are made locally within a transparent decision-making framework. Where an authority can demonstrate a need for additional places it can approach my Department for funding through the annual capital allocation process.

  Departmental Expenditure Limits
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on her Department's spending levels in(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02, with reference to its expenditure limits. [33428]

  Estelle Morris
  For 2000–01 the comparison of provisional outturn against the departmental expenditure limit appears in the Public Expenditure 2000–01 Provisional Outturn White Paper (Cm 5243), published July 2001. Since July the outturn has increased by £56 million giving a final outturn of £17.705 billion, which is 93.2 per cent. of the total departmental expenditure limit (excluding welfare to work provision) of £18.998 billion.

  For 2001–02 the initial departmental expenditure limit appears in the Departmental Report (Cm 5102), published March 2001, and subsequently changed following the Winter Supplementary Estimate (Cm 5335), published November 2001 to £20.224 billion. Comparison of spend to the departmental expenditure limits will be published in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper in July.

  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the Department's underspend on its expenditure limits in(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02.[33429]

  Estelle Morris
  For 2000–01 underspends were reported in the Public Expenditure 2000–01 Provisional Outturn White Paper (Cm 5243), published July 2000. The underspends were based on a comparison of provisional outturn against the departmental expenditure limit. Since July the outturn has increased by £56 million thereby reducing the published underspend accordingly.

  For 2001–02 the initial departmental expenditure limit appears in the Departmental Report (Cm 5102), published March 2001, and subsequently changed following the Winter Supplementary Estimate (Cm 5335), published November 2001 to £20.224 billion. Comparison of spend to the departmental expenditure limits will be published in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper in July.
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  IT Contracts
  Richard Younger-Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what has been the total expenditure of her Department on IT systems and support in each year from May 1997 to date; how many IT contracts have been let in each of those years; of the other main contracting party in each of those contracts, how many have been(a) companies whose registered office is in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Northern Ireland and (b) foreign companies; and what are the names of the companies falling within category (a). [33680]

  John Healey
  The information that can be provided without disproportionate cost is as follows:

  Number of contracts let and total expenditure of IT systems and Support

  Year

  Number

  Total expenditure (£)

  1997–98

  0

  6,446,000.00

  1998–99

  5

  8,000,000.00

  1999–2000

  3

  8,400,000.00

  2000–01

  3

  7,362,000.00

  2001–02

  1

  5,975,000.00

  Total

  12

  30,208,000.00

  Number of companies whose registered offices is in:

  Number

  England and Wales

  11

  Scotland

  1

  Northern Ireland

  0

  Foreign

  0

  Names of companies, whose registered office is in the United Kingdom

  Axios Systems Ltd.

  ISIS Ltd.

  Peoplesoft UK Ltd.

  NETG Ltd.

  Hays Information Management

  Electronic Data Systems Ltd.

  British Telecommunications plc

  CTP Information Management Ltd.

  International Computers Ltd.

  Xansa plc

  Cap/Gemini/Ernst and Young

  EduServ of University of Bath.

  Accountancy Services
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost to her Department was for accountancy services in each of the last four years. [34176]

  Estelle Morris
  Information on the costs classified as accountancy services in the accounts of the Department for the last four years are as follows:

  Year

  Value (£)

  1998–99

  44,839

  1999–2000

  80,637

  2000–01

  702,133

  2001–021

  493,947

  1 Nine months to December 2001

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  Union Learning Representatives
  Mr. Reed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will give a breakdown, by type of organisation, of the respondents to the consultation exercise on providing statutory rights for union learning representatives. [35051]

  John Healey
  There were 89 responses to the consultation. Of these:31 (35 per cent.) were from trade unions or other worker representative organisations (16 being from employers);
  24 (27 per cent.) were from trade unions or other worker representative bodies;
  11 (12 per cent.) were from local learning and skills councils;
  Nine (10 per cent.) were from other representative bodies (such as learning partnerships);
  Nine (10 per cent.) were from individual union learning representatives;
  Five (6 per cent.) were from individual employees.

  The majority of respondents agreed strongly with the proposals in the consultation document that union learning representatives should qualify as such if elected or appointed according to the rules of the union and that they should undergo training within a specified period. That is why we have included a clause in the new Employment Bill that will give statutory backing to union learning representatives. It will reinforce the invaluable role that union learning reps are currently playing in the workplace to promote work force development and open up new training opportunities for their colleagues.

  State Schools Performance (A-levels)
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of the performance of state schools in delivering A-levels and the impact of Learning and Skills Councils on this process. [31410]

  Margaret Hodge
  Ofsted's December 2001 report on the first year of Curriculum 2000 indicated that most state sixth-forms are successfully delivering A-level programmes. This confirms QCA's recent finding that the A-level reforms are now bedding down after some initial problems in 2001.

  The Learning and Skills Council is working closely with LEAs and schools to develop a detailed framework for driving up standards. It takes over responsibility for school sixth-form funding from April this year.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Free Basic Education
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the UK's total international aid budget is spent on basic education; and if she will make a statement. [33519]

  Hilary Benn
  In 2000–01 around £130 million of DFID' s bilateral programme was spent on basic education (9 per cent. of the bilateral total). This shows an increase from 1998 when such expenditure represented 5 per cent. of the bilateral programme. However these figures do not fully represent our effort in this area as they exclude
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  contributions to NGOs (both national and international) and multilateral organisations, none of which can be disaggregated to this level of detail.

  Water Shortages
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what evidence her Department has collated of civil unrest resulting from water shortages in developing countries in the last 12 months. [33514]

  Hilary Benn
  The DFID strategy paper "Addressing the Water Crisis" identifies the increasing potential for conflict as water demand rises. In areas where water is scarce, increased competition for limited supplies can lead to local tensions, in some cases resulting in violent conflict.

  In the past 12 months, DFID has witnessed this problem in Northern Kenya and Uganda. Different pastoralist groups, competing for water and grazing land, inhabit the area. During drought periods, the groups often come into conflict with one another. Since they are well armed this has led to deaths in the past year. Another example is in the Central Rift Valley in Kenya where protesters barricaded a road as a result of horticulturalists upstream depleting their irrigation water supplies.

  While water shortage as a single issue does not generally result in large-scale civil unrest, it is important to try and satisfy competing demands for water to avoid local conflict. DFID aims to approach water problems from a livelihoods perspective to help ensure that all competing demands for water, and particularly the needs of the poor, are taken into account.

  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations the Government have made to the United Nations regarding the decline in water tables in certain developing countries. [33512]

  Hilary Benn
  Unsustainable exploitation of groundwater aquifers, in a number of developing countries, is recognised by the UN relevant agencies. The United Nation Environment Programme's publication "Groundwater: A Threatened Resource" focuses on over-abstraction and pollution of groundwater aquifers. DFID's strategy paper "Addressing the Water Crises" also highlights the issue. We recently funded two World bank publications on sustainability of urban and rural groundwater, drawing on the results of DFID funded research. DFID also currently supports an expert to the World bank to identify groundwater issues in key World bank programme countries.

  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with European Union Ministers regarding the decline in water tables in developing countries. [33513]

  Hilary Benn
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not had any discussions with European Union Ministers on this particular issue. At official level there is discussion with EC counterparts. DFID has also co-funded the European Commission Guidelines for Water Resources Development Co-operation, "Towards Sustainable Water Resource Management", which recognises the problem and provides guidance on sustainable management of groundwater.
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  Third World Debt
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department has taken to eradicate third world debt; and what steps have been taken to encourage other European states to fulfil their role on this issue. [33490]

  Hilary Benn
  The Government have played a major role in tackling the unsustainable debt burden of the poorest countries. We led the way in securing the revision of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, which was agreed in September 1999. Up to US$100 billion debt could be written off for the 42 HIPC countries. So far, 24 countries have qualified for this exceptional relief, and these countries will receive more than $54 billion of debt relief, so reducing their debts by more than two-thirds on average. We hope that at least two more countries—Ghana and Sierra Leone—will qualify for debt relief in the coming months, but substantial further progress will be difficult, as many of the remaining HIPC countries are affected by conflict.

  The UK is the second largest contributor ($306 million) to the HIPC Trust Fund to help the Multilateral Development Banks meet their share of HIPC costs. This figure includes our share ($85 million) of the substantial EC contribution of US$661 million for which we pressed. Most of our partner states in the European Union have also made bilateral contributions to the trust fund, on top of their share of the EC contribution. In addition, those member states that are major creditors deliver bilateral debt relief through the Paris Club of Official Bilateral Creditors to countries that have qualified for HIPC relief, with the majority—like the UK—providing 100 per cent, debt relief on their remaining bilateral debts.

  Debt Relief
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she is making to the World bank to deliver deeper debt relief to countries with strong national education-for-all plans; and if she will make a statement. [33520]

  Hilary Benn
  The UK works closely with the World bank in implementing the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. The revised framework provides faster, wider and deeper debt relief to poor countries committed to eradicating poverty. Up to US$100 billion debt could be written off for the 42 HIPC countries so reducing their debts by around two-thirds, on average, and freeing up resources for spending on poverty reduction. Last November, I met the World bank president, Jim Wolfensohn, at the annual meetings of the World bank and IMF, in Ottawa, to discuss debt and other development issues. I plan to hold further talks with both the bank and the Fund at the forthcoming spring meetings, in April.

  The central focus of the Government's international development policy is a commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, which include universal access to primary education. Debt relief is a key element is meeting these goals. It is now widely recognised that there was a

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  need to strengthen the link between debt relief and pro-poor policies. HIPC countries, and other poor countries, are now developing national poverty reduction strategies, setting out how they will tackle poverty and specifying how the debt relief savings, and other development resources—from multilateral and bilateral sources—will be used. For the 24 countries that have already qualified for HIPC debt relief, social expenditure is projected to rise by some $1.7 billion per year. On average, 40 per cent. of this increased social expenditure is being directed towards education. HIPC countries will spend much more on such priority social investments than on debt relief.

  Secondments
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff were seconded between(a) PWC Consulting and PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) Ernst & Young, (c) Deloitte & Touche, (d) KPMG and (e) Andersen and her Department in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) April 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available. [33876]

  Hilary Benn
  No DFID staff have been seconded to these companies since 1999.

  Education
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans the Government have to increase the aid budget to support education; whether the Government will press other countries to increase their aid budgets; and if she will make a statement. [31143]

  Mr. Boateng
  I have been asked to reply.
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  The Government remain focused on their long-term goal of helping to tackle global poverty, and achieve the internationally agreed millennium development goals by 2015 that include universal primary education for all children.

  The UK Government have been at the forefront of the HIPC initiative that means the savings from debt relief can be used to develop comprehensive national poverty reduction strategies. Countries receiving HIPC debt relief have benefited from increased social spending of $1.7 billion in 2001–02, equivalent to 1.2 per cent. of GDP. And spending on education has accounted for 40 per cent. of the savings made on debt, equivalent to nearly $700 million in 2001–02.

  The Government's commitment to poverty eradication means action beyond debt relief is needed, and they have increased the Budget of the Department for International Development (DfID) to £3.6 billion—a 45 per cent. increase in real terms between 1997–98 and 2003–04. Moreover, in his speech in New York and in his pre-Budget report speech, the Chancellor emphasised his commitment to ensuring further substantial increases in development assistance. The forthcoming Spending Review is an opportunity to consider plans for development spending beyond 2003–04, alongside other priorities and pressures.

  The Government are also promoting a significant increase in development aid from all donor countries and international institutions to build capacity and address the long-term causes of poverty in the poorest countries. The Government have proposed an International Development Trust Fund to pool contributions and build on the work of the World bank, the International Monetary Fund and the regional development bank.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Power Pre-payment Meters
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many households in(a) England and Wales and (b) the Buckingham constituency have (i) electricity and (ii) gas pre-payment meters. [32185]

  Mr. Wilson
  Provisional estimates for the year 2001 (as at the end of September 2001) show there were 3.7 million electricity prepayment meter customers and 1.8 million gas prepayment meter customers in Great Britain. Of these, just under 3.2 million electricity prepayment meter customers and just over 1.6 million gas prepayment meter customers are in England and Wales.

  The town of Buckingham falls in the east Midlands distribution network for electricity. There were 0.28 million electricity prepayment meter customers in this area as at September 2001. The town of Buckingham falls in the southern local distribution zone for gas. There were 0.09 million gas prepayment meter customers in this area as at September 2001.

  The number of customers on gas and electricity prepayment meters in the Buckingham constituency will make up a small proportion of those on prepayment meters in the east midlands distribution network for electricity and the southern local distribution zone for gas. Data are not available to produce the numbers of customers on gas and electricity customers on prepayment meters in the Buckingham constituency.

  Fuel Poverty
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the number of(a) people and (b) households in the Buckingham constituency that are in fuel poverty. [32183]

  Mr. Wilson
  Based on changes in incomes and fuel prices it is estimated that in 2000 there were 2.8 million households in fuel poverty in England (based on income including housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest), or 3.9 million households (based on income excluding housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest), representing falls of 15 per cent, and 13 per cent, respectively compared to 1998.

  The following table presents estimates of the number of people and the number of households in England in fuel poverty in 1998, the latest year for which estimates of the number of people in fuel poverty are available. Figures are presented under both definitions of fuel poverty as set out in the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy, published on 21 November 2001.

  Fuel poverty in England in 1998

  Million

  People

  Households

  Fuel poverty defined using income including housing benefit and ISMI1

  6.2

  3.3

  Fuel poverty defined using income excluding housing benefit and ISMI2

  8.7

  4.5

  1Fuel poverty defined as when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent, of its income (including housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest) on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime.

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  2Fuel poverty defined as when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent, of its income (excluding housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest) on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime.

  Source:

  1998 Energy Follow Up Survey to the English House Condition Survey.

  In 1998, it was estimated that 268,000 households in the region covered by the Government office for the south-east were in fuel poverty (based on income including housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest). This represents 8.3 per cent, of households in the south-east region and 8.2 per cent of all households in fuel poverty in England.

  When income excluding housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest is considered, 406,000 households in the region covered by the Government office for the south-east were in fuel poverty (based on income including housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest). This represents 12.6 per cent, of households in the south-east region and 9.1 per cent, of all households in fuel poverty in England.

  The numbers in fuel poverty in Buckingham will make up a small proportion of those in fuel poverty in the south-east Government office region. Data are not available centrally to produce estimates of fuel poverty in the Buckingham constituency.

  Universal Bank
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what agreement has been reached with commercial banks on the charges to be levied on failed direct debits on basic bank accounts under the Universal bank. [32554]

  Mr. Alexander
  [holding answer 1 February 2002]: The banks have agreed to make their basic bank accounts accessible through post offices as part of universal banking services. Implementation of that agreement is now a commercial matter between Post Office Ltd. and the banks. The detailed features of these accounts are not part of the agreement on universal banking services. However, the Government have announced their intention to establish a benchmark CAT standard—covering charges, access and terms—for a basic bank account, and are still in discussion with the banks about these.

  Miners' Compensation Scheme
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money has been spent via the Miners' Compensation Scheme in every parliamentary constituency in Wales in each of the last seven months. [32848]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Department is not able to provide a constituency breakdown for each of the last seven months in the time available.

  A breakdown of headline statistics for each constituency, as at the end of December 2001, is available on the Department's Coal Health Claims website www.dti.gov.uk/coalhealth. These figures are updated on a monthly basis.
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  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money has been spent via the Miners' Compensation Scheme in Wales in each of the last six months. [32850]

  Mr. Wilson
  As at 27 January 2002 the Department has paid out £121.6 million in Wales—£66.8 million on respiratory disease and £54.8 million on vibration white finger.

  The breakdown for the previous six months is as follows:

  £ million

  Respiratory disease

  VWF

  Total damages paid in Wales

  During January 2002

  4.8

  2.4

  7.2

  During December 2001

  2.8

  1.6

  4.4

  During November 2001

  6

  2.4

  8.4

  During October 2001

  4.5

  3.8

  8.3

  During September 2001

  2.9

  2.9

  5.8

  During August 2001

  3.1

  2.1

  5.2

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money in the Miners' Compensation Scheme, allocated to be paid to successful applicants in Wales, was outstanding in each parliamentary constituency in Wales(a) his month and (b) in each of the previous six months. [32849]

  Mr. Wilson
  The coal compensation schemes do not have specific funds allocated to them. The Government have previously confirmed that they will meet the full cost no matter what the amount.

  The Department expects the total cost of the liabilities for respiratory disease and vibration white finger, assumed from British Coal in January 1998, to be about £6 billion.

  Employment Tribunal
  Mr. Mark Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to introduce a fee for employees wishing to take their employers to an employment tribunal. [33005]

  Alan Johnson
  We have no plans to introduce such a fee. The Government Response to the "Routes to Resolution" consultation sets out the reasons for not taking forward the proposal to introduce a charging regime for employment tribunals. A copy of the Government Response has been lodged with the Libraries of the House.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the meetings she and her ministerial colleagues held with(a) Hugh Collum and (b) Norman Askew in 2001. [32237]

  Mr. Wilson
  Our records show that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry met Hugh Collum and Norman Askew on 13 March 2001, and Hugh Collum on 19 July 2001.
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  I met Hugh Collum and Norman Askew on the following dates in 2001:

  Tuesday 13 March—Hugh Collum and Norman Askew

  Wednesday 20 June—Hugh Collum and Norman Askew

  Wednesday 18 July—Norman Askew only

  Thursday 19 July—Norman Askew only

  Tuesday 25 September—Hugh Collum and Norman Askew

  Wednesday 31 October—Hugh Collum and Norman Askew

  Thursday 15 November—Hugh Collum and Norman Askew

  Tuesday 11 December—Hugh Collum and Norman Askew.

  BNFL
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 15 January 2002,Official Report,column 153W, on BNFL, when officials in her Department first acquired information that BNFL was insolvent. [32796]

  Mr. Wilson
  28 November 2001.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the results of ECGD's consultation on the establishment of a trading fund. [35050]

  Ms Hewitt
  In July 2000, the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced a target date for establishing a Trading Fund by 1 April 2002. In September, I launched a public consultation document on the establishment of a Trading Fund. I have today placed a copy of the report on the outcome of the consultation before the Libraries of both Houses.

  The systems needed to operate the Trading Fund are not yet fully in place and have yet to be adequately tested. I have therefore decided that the original target date is no longer appropriate. In doing so, I have taken account of the responses received to the consultation, as well as a range of operational factors.

  I remain committed to the preferred course of capitalisation in the longer term. In the meantime, ECGD is giving priority to its business and systems. I shall make a further announcement in due course.

  Independent Petrol Retailers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many independent petrol retailers have operated in England and Wales in each of the past five years. [32236]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Institute of Petroleum's (IP) annual "UK Retail Marketing Survey" (last published in March 2001) provides data on the total number of petrol retail outlets in operation in the UK.

  The following table, using the IP data, shows the number of petrol retail outlets in operation in England and Wales which were not branded either by a major oil company or a hypermarket chain and thus provides some measure of the number of independent retailers. Dealers who sell major oil company branded fuel are excluded by this method. In the last three of these years, some sites

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  have been identified as "unbranded", and are identified separately in the table. In the year 2000, no regional breakdown of the unbranded sites was given.

  Branded

  Unbranded

  Total

  England

  1996

  3,056

  —

  3,056

  1997

  3,741

  —

  3,741

  1998

  2,709

  295

  3,004

  1999

  2,860

  468

  3,328

  2000

  2,387

  1468

  2,855

  Wales

  1996

  359

  —

  359

  1997

  224

  —

  224

  1998

  239

  112

  351

  1999

  208

  134

  342

  2000

  172

  1134

  306

  1 On the 2000 survey, no regional breakdown of unbranded sites was given. As the UK total of unbranded sites was virtually unchanged, (1999:867, 2000:866), it has been assumed for the purposes of the table that the unbranded numbers in England and Wales were also unchanged.

  Redundancy Payments
  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans there are to increase the maximum weekly pay figure used when calculating redundancy payments in 2002. [33731]

  Alan Johnson
  The maximum amount of a week's pay to be taken into account for the calculation of statutory redundancy payments was increased from £240 per week to £250 per week from 1 February 2002.

  Federal Mogul
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Government assistance has been made available to Federal Mogul at(a) its UK plants and (b) its Sunderland plant in the last five years. [33739]

  Alan Johnson
  Regional Selective Assistance has been made available to the following:

  (a) Federal Mogul Eurofriction Ltd. (Scotland), offered £300,000 in December 1999 and Federal Mogul Global Growth Ltd. (West Midlands), offered £1.2 million in September 2001.

  (b) Federal Mogul TP Sunderland Ltd., offered £550,000 in January 2001, but no payments have been made.

  In addition, payments have been made to Federal Mogul Eurofriction Ltd. for an offer made in 1995.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

  women's Unit
  Annabelle Ewing
  To ask the Minister for Women how many staff have been assigned to the Women's Unit. [33058]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The Women's Unit was created in 1998. Its staff for the first financial year of its existence (1998–99) was 45. The unit was renamed the Women and Equality Unit following last year's general election in order to recognise its new policy responsibilities across the United Kingdom for gender
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  equality, co-ordination of sexual orientation policy and its sponsorship of the Equal Opportunities Commission. Its current staffing level stands at 63.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Parliamentary Recesses
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Council if he will make a statement on his proposals for the reform of the length and timing of parliamentary recesses. [32467]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  As I stated in my memorandum to the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons, I would like to see greater certainty about the timing of parliamentary adjournments, a closer relationship between adjournments and school holidays, and a rearrangement of business to reduce the length of the summer period during which Parliament does not sit, while maintaining the current balance between sitting and non-sitting weeks.

  February Recess
  Mr. Pope
  To ask the President of the Council what(a) evidence he considered and (b) local education authorities he consulted on school half term holidays before announcing the dates of the February recess. [32172]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  Before announcing the dates of the February adjournment I consulted the Department for Education and Skills to establish which dates were likely to coincide with the majority of half term holidays. I recognise, however, that such holidays vary across the country, and regret it is impossible to satisfy all hon. Members.

  Public Bodies (Contracts)
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the President of the Council if he will list the appointments made by his Department since 1 May 1997 of chairmen of(a) non-departmental public bodies, (b) commissions,(c) inquiries,(d) agencies and (e) task forces; and if he will list their (i) term of office, (ii) salary and (iii) known political affiliation (A) past and (B) present. [33878]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  My Department is not responsible for any NDPBs, commissions, inquiries, agencies or task forces and has not made any such appointments during the period mentioned.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Afghanistan
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his US counterparts regarding the treatment of al-Qaeda prisoners captured in Afghanistan. [28339]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  We are in close contact with the US as the detaining power. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised the treatment of those detained by the US in Afghanistan with Colin Powell during his visit to Washington on 31 January and 1 February, and again made it clear that detainees should be treated humanely
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  and in accordance with international norms. The US authorities have said that the detainees are being treated humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva Convention.

  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people in his Department worked on Afghanistan in(a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001 and (d) January 2002; and on what tasks and in which policy areas they were deployed. [33762]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  [holding answer 5 February 2002]: FCO staff working on core Afghanistan-related issues in 1999, 2000, 2001 and January 2002 were four, four, between 19 to 30 and 24 respectively. The staff were working mainly on political and economic matters.

  An additional 235 FCO staff worked at various times on a variety of crisis-related work between 11 September and the end of 2001. This figure does not include staff already in the relevant front-line geographical and functional department. It is not possible to give a precise number given the cross-cutting nature of the crisis and the breadth of the FCO's response to it.

  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the future of Afghanistan. [34004]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary maintains regular dialogue with his European counterparts on the future of Afghanistan. He met EU Foreign Ministers on 28 January at the General Affairs Council in Brussels, and is attending an informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on 8–9 February in Caceres, Spain.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the strategic importance of the United Kingdom retaining its existing role in Gibraltar. [31874]

  Peter Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Minister of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the member for East Kilbride (Mr. Ingram), to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 14 November 2001,Official Report, column 741W.

  EU Top Secret Documents
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to limit foreign travel by Commission officials with access to EU top secret documents; and if he will list the countries to which paragraph 6 of 19.6 of Corn Doc 2001/844/EC refers. [32707]

  Peter Hain
  Com 2001/844 19.6(d) refers to the rules governing travel by officials of the European Commission. The Commission does not currently hold any EU top secret documents.

  There is no formal list of countries likely to present a risk to staff cleared for EU top secret access. As in the UK, decisions are taken at departmental level in the light of prevailing circumstances, and staff cleared to EU top secret would be warned to seek approval before travelling
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  to any country likely to present a particular risk. At present the only travel advice given to officials concerns individual safety.

  Liberia
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy toward Liberia; what assessment he has made of the impact of sanctions; and when he expects them to be lifted. [32716]

  Mr. MacShane
  Liberia continues to threaten stability in the Mano River sub-region and undermine progress towards lasting peace in Sierra Leone. A UN report published in December 2000 highlighted President Taylor's financial and military support for the RUF rebels trying to overthrow the Government of Sierra Leone. The UN demanded that Liberia cut its links with the armed rebel groups. In May 2001, with strong UK support, the UNSC imposed sanctions on Liberia including a renewed arms embargo, a ban on the export of uncut diamonds and a travel ban on President Taylor and his associates. We believe the sanctions should remain in place until there is clear evidence that Taylor has fundamentally changed his behaviour.

  Turkey
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in how many business ventures British Trade International has assisted in Turkey during the last two years. [32984]

  Mr. Straw
  There are no complete records of companies who have benefited from British Trade International assistance in Turkey. The Turkey Trade Unit (TTU) of Trade Partners UK maintains a database of approximately 3,000 active records compiled initially from those companies who participated in the various activities of the "Turkey: Positioned for Business" promotional campaign, which occurred between 1998 and 2001.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what schemes exist to promote British investment in Turkey; and if he will make a statement as to their effect. [32985]

  Mr. Straw
  British companies are able to access the full range of Trade Partners UK services when developing their business overseas. Information on these services can be found on the Trade Partners website (www.tradepartners.gov.uk). These services make no distinction between companies which are trading and those which are seeking to invest.

  UK trade with Turkey has developed into a two way business of approximately £3 billion a year. Exports were down in 2001 as a result of the Turkish economic slowdown but are still expected to be around £1.2 billion while imports are expected to reach £1.8 billion. The UK was the fifth largest foreign investor in Turkey in 2001, with an investment stock of some £2.3 billion.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what safeguards British Trade International has in place to protect the interests of British investors in Turkey. [32989]
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  Mr. Straw
  The UK has an agreement for the promotion and protection of investments with the Republic of Turkey, which entered into force on 22 October 1996. That agreement provides British investors with certain rights in respect of their investments in Turkey, including the right to treatment no less favourable than that accorded by the Turkish Government to Turkish investments or the investment of the nationals in Turkey of any third state. In the event of a dispute arising between the Turkish Government and a British investor in respect of a British investment in Turkey, the British investor has the right to submit the dispute to international arbitration under the jurisdiction of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many complaints the British embassy in Ankara has received from British(a) companies and (b) individuals investing in Turkey in the last two years. [32986]

  Mr. Straw
  The British embassy in Ankara has received very few complaints. The embassy and its consulates have, however, given advice and support to a number of British companies and individuals on how best to pursue administrative or licensing problems with the Turkish authorities, and referred such inquirers to independent legal advice when necessary.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many business ventures which were originally assisted by British Trade International are subject to legal proceedings in Turkey. [32988]

  Mr. Straw
  We do not know the numbers of business ventures originally assisted by British Trade International, which are subject to legal proceedings in Turkey, nor could such information be provided, if at all, except at disproportionate cost. Any companies who are likely to need to resort to law are encouraged to seek the advice of the British embassy in Ankara or its consulates where they may benefit from British Trade International assistance.

  In the event of a commercial dispute the plaintiff is directed to seek independent legal advice and to pursue their claim through the appropriate channels.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to promote British investment in Turkey. [32987]

  UK delegation to the committee of the regions

  Nominees

  Full members

  Muriel Barker

  North East Lincolnshire (Unitary) District

  Derek Boden

  Leader of the North West Regional Assembly

  Ken Bodfish OBE

  Leader of Brighton and Hove city council

  Sir Albert Bore

  Leader of Birmingham city council

  Keith Brown

  Leader of Clackmannanshire council

  Rosemary Butler AM

  National Assembly for Wales, Newport West

  Ruth Coleman

  Executive Member of North Wiltshire county council

  Michael Davey

  Leader of Northumberland county council

  Sir Simon Day

  Chairman of Devon county council

  Margaret Eaton

  Leader of Bradford metropolitan borough council

  Baroness (Joan) Hanham

  London borough of Kensington and Chelsea

  Lord Hanningfield

  Essex county council

  Gordon Keymer

  Leader of Tanbridge district council

  Christine May

  Leader of Fife council

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  Mr. Straw
  The British Government give high priority to Turkey in their trade development activities but no special plans exist to promote Turkey as a destination for UK investment. HM Government have been assisting the Turkish Government with their plans to improve the environment for foreign direct investment in Turkey.

  As part of this, in January 2002 the Deputy Director-General of Foreign Investment from the Turkish Treasury, Mrs. Emil, visited the UK as a guest of HM Government to look at UK experience of promoting inward investment and regional development.

  Secondments (Energy Industry)
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff were seconded between(a) BP,(b) Shell, (c) Enron, (d) Exxon Mobil, (e) Conoco, (f) Texaco and (g) TotalFinaElf and his Department in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and(iii) April 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available. [33202]

  Mr. MacShane
  Three FCO officers were seconded to BP during 1999–2000, one officer from 2000–01 and one officer from 2001 to present date. A representative from Shell has been seconded to our embassy in Tripoli from June 2001 to June 2002 under the short-term business attachment scheme (STBAS). No officers were seconded to/from Enron, Exxon-Mobil, Conoco, Texaco or TotalFinalElf.

  Iran
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Iran. [33634]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The UK has, through critical engagement, aimed to support reform in Iran while maintaining a robust dialogue on issues of concern.

  EU Committee of the Regions
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the United Kingdom's representation on the European Union's Committee of the Regions. [34926]

  Peter Hain
  We have submitted to the Council Secretariat details of the United Kingdom's 24 nominees for full membership of the Committee of the Regions, along with 24 alternate nominees. They are:
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  UK delegation to the committee of the regions

  Nominees

  Peter Moore

  Liberal Democrat Leader of Sheffield metropolitan borough council

  Dermot Nesbitt MLA

  Junior Minister in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister

  Alban Maginness MLA

  Northern Ireland Assembly

  Irene Oldfather MSP

  Scottish Parliament, Cunninghame South

  Dame Sally Powell

  London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

  Brian Smith

  Torfaen county borough council

  Nicol Stephen MSP

  Scottish Deputy Minister for Education and Young People

  The hon. Joan Taylor

  Nottinghamshire county council

  Lord Tope CBE

  Liberal Democrat Leader of the Greater London Assembly

  Milner Whiteman

  Bridgnorth district council

  Alternate members

  Jennette Arnold

  Member of the Greater London Assembly

  Joan Ashton

  Independent Group Leader and Deputy Leader of Boston district council

  Ruth Bagnall

  Labour Group Leader of Cambridge city council

  Olive Brown

  Leader of Wear Valley district council

  Diane Bunyan

  Deputy Leader of Bristol city council

  Flo Cluclas

  Liverpool city council

  Hugh Halcro-Johnston MSP

  Convener, Orkney Islands council and Vice-President of COSLA

  Dr. Ruth Henig CBE

  Chair of Lancashire police authority

  Jonathan Huish

  Rhondda Cynon Taff county borough council

  Elin Jones

  Assembly Member for Ceredigion

  Susie Kemp

  Opposition Leader of West Berkshire county council

  Lord Tarsem King

  Mayor of Sandwell district council

  Sue Sida Lockett

  Conservative Group Leader of Suffolk county council

  Corrie McChord

  Leader of Stirling council

  Jack McConnell MSP

  First Minister

  Irene McGugan MSP

  Shadow spokesperson for children and education

  Bob Neill

  Member of the Greater London Assembly, Bexley and Bromley

  Margaret Ritchie

  District councillor, Down district council

  George Savage MLA

  Northern Ireland Assembly, Upper Bann

  David Shakespeare

  Leader of Buckinghamshire county council

  Shirley Smart

  Leader of Isle of Wight unitary council

  Jim Speechley CBE

  Leader of Lincolnshire county council

  Liz Tucker

  Liberal Democrat Leader of Worcestershire county council

  Sir Ron Watson CBE

  Sefton metropolitan borough council

DEFENCE

  A400M
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will extend the deadlines for a final decision on the A400M. [33089]

  Dr. Moonie
  Representatives of the eight participating nations met on 31 January to discuss the latest position on A400M. We continue to work constructively with our partners on ways to bring the project to fruition as soon as possible. One option is to extend the deadline for Germany to secure its necessary approvals.

  Nancekuke
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 January 2002,Official Report, column 1118W, on Nancekuke, what anecdotal evidence he has implying nerve agent production plant built at Nancekuke contained equipment originating from Germany. [33694]

  Dr. Moonie
  As I indicated in my earlier answer of 25 January 2002,Official Report, column 1118W, there are no surviving records which detail the origin of equipment and materials used at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Nancekuke.

  However, it is known that equipment was brought back to the UK from Germany after World War II and that some of this was used to set up the nerve agent pilot plant
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  at Sutton Oak. It is probable that some of this equipment was subsequently transferred to Nancekuke, but there is no surviving documentary evidence.

  Public-Private Partnerships
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the PPPs in which his Department is engaged. [34399]

  Mr. Ingram
  PPPs cover a wide range of acquisition techniques from major partnering arrangements and PFI to a wide range of smaller scale service contracts. The Ministry of Defence only holds centrally comprehensive records for projects involving PFI.

  To date 42 PFI deals have been signed as follows:

  White Fleet (Support Vehicles) in Germany

  Special Storage Facilities

  Hazardous Stores Information System

  Materials Handling Equipment

  Training Administration and Financial Management System (TAFMIS)

  RAF White Fleet (Support Vehicles)

  Defence Helicopter Flying Training School

  Tidworth Water and Sewerage

  Hawk Aircrew Training Simulator

  Electronic Messaging Service (Armymail)

  Defence Fixed Telecommunications Services

  Medium Support Helicopter Aircrew Training Facility

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  Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency

  Joint Services Command and Staff College

  RAF Lyneham Sewerage

  RAF Fylingdales Power Supply

  Yeovilton Family Quarters

  RAF Mail

  RAF Cosford/Shawbury Family Quarters

  RAF Lossiemouth Family Quarters

  Attack Helicopter Training

  Light Aircraft Flying Training

  Central Scotland Family Quarters

  Naval Recruitment and Training Agency Fire Fighter Training

  Tornado GR4 Aircrew Simulator Training

  Army Foundation College

  Defence Intelligence Service Information Technology

  Commercial Satellite Communication Service

  Tri-Service Materials Handling

  Defence Animal Centre

  RAF Sentry E3D Aircrew Simulator Training

  Lynx Aircrew Simulator Training

  Defence Electronic Commerce Service

  Main Building Headquarters

  Royal Navy Communications Service

  Tri-Service White Fleet (Support Vehicles)

  Wattisham Family Quarters

  Defence Housing Executive Information System

  Astute Class Submarine Crew Simulator Training

  Bristol, Bath and Portsmouth Family Quarters

  Heavy Equipment Transporter

  Marine Support to Range and Aircrew Services.

  Three other projects have reached the preferred bidder stage. These are as follows:

  Colchester Garrison

  Field Electrical Power Supplies

  Roll-on Roll-off Strategic Sealift.

  Invitations to negotiate have been issued for the following:

  "C" (Earthmoving and Construction) Vehicles

  Armoured Vehicle (Synthetic) Training Service

  Army Training Estate Strategic Partnering

  Devonport Support Services

  Flight Simulation and Synthetic Trainers

  Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft

  Materials Handling Equipment (Follow on)

  MOD-wide Water and Wastewater (Project Aquatrine)— Package A

  Northwood Headquarters Support Services

  Records Storage and Management (Hayes PPP Project)

  Royal School of Military Engineers

  Royal School of Signals

  Skynet 5 Satellite Communications

  Tri-Service Airfield Support Services.

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  The following projects have been advertised:

  Accommodation Services on Cyprus

  Air Traffic Control Services

  Combined Aerial Target Service

  Defence Sixth Form College

  Interim Storage of Laid Up Submarines (ISOLUS)

  MOD-wide Water and Wastewater (Project Aquatrine) Packages B and C

  Pan Defence High Frequency Communications Service.

  Nuclear Materials
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much(a) uranium and (b) plutonium is owned by this country. [31706]

  Mr. Hoon
  As stated in the Strategic Defence Review, Supporting Essay Five, the Ministry of Defence owns 21.9 tonnes of highly enriched uranium, 15,000 tonnes of other forms of uranium, and 7.6 tonnes of plutonium.

  Army Cadet Force (South Tyneside)
  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruits there were to the Army Cadet Force in south Tyneside in(a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c)2001. [32094]

  Dr. Moonie
  Cadet recruitment figures are not held in the form requested. It is usual, however, for cadet detachments to recruit about 80 per cent, of their total strength each year. For the south Tyneside detachments this equates to approximately 100 new cadets each year.

  Outreach Schemes
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support his Department(a) is giving and (b) will give in future years to the schemes for young offenders run by the Army Cadet Force leadership as Outreach. [33302]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The Outreach Project is run by the Army Cadet Force Association (ACFA) and aims to provide vulnerable and problem youngsters with the chance to develop a better attitude towards themselves and their communities. The programmes are run through the Army Cadet Force, in partnership with schools, local authorities and the police service, and offer challenging, adventure based activities.

  The Ministry of Defence is pleased to support such a worthwhile scheme and since its launch in 1996 we have given the project £114,400 annually. We will continue to provide support in the future. Last year the Home Office committed £60,000 annually to the project for at least the next two years and the Youth Justice Board is also giving the ACFA a one-off grant of £60,000 for facilities support. In addition, Army facilities are made available to the project at no cost.

  Armed Forces Pension Scheme
  Mr. Mark Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many local discussion groups were held to gather views and opinions on the proposed changes to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme up to 31 December 2001. [33700]
  1079W
  Mr. Ingram
  The Ministry of Defence held 17 focus groups during the initial research phase of the review. These took place in the south-east of England during November and December 1999 and covered all three services. During the consultation period (March 2001 to end July 2001), discussion groups took place at seven Army units, five Navy units and five RAF units throughout the country. Discussions were also held with ex-service organisations, such as the Confederation of British Service and Ex-Service Organisations (COBSEO), the Forces Pension Society, and the War Widows Association.

  Warships
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if HMS Bulwark will have(a) a full crew complement, (b) full aircraft load, (c) vehicles and (d) a complete set of equipment when she comes into service; and if he will make a statement. [32158]

  Dr. Moonie
  At her planned in-service date of December 2003, HMS Bulwark will provide a significant improvement in capability over her predecessor.

  She will have a crew complement to enable her to conduct her trials and work-up periods and to fulfil her design capability when she becomes operational.

  There has never been a requirement for Bulwark to be equipped with her own organic aircraft. Aircraft will be embarked when they are required.

  When she enters service Bulwark will have a complete set of the necessary equipment. She will also have four landing craft utility, four of the smaller landing craft vehicle and personnel and a hippo (the new armoured beach recovery vehicle which is due to enter service in 2003).

  Arthur Andersen
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts he has with Arthur Andersen; when they were placed; how long they have to run; and what is their(a) individual and (b) total value. [33091]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Ministry of Defence has two current contracts with Arthur Andersen. Contract number DPT/2002 was placed in October 2000 and is due to complete in 2002. Contract number CP(PI)025/l was placed in January 2002 and is due to complete in January 2006.

  In addition, Andersen provides Secretariat support to the Review Board for Government Contracts. There are no plans to terminate this support, as the company provides crucial continuity to a review of the Government Profit Formula that is currently being undertaken by the Treasury.

  Finally, there is some outstanding work for orders placed under a framework arrangement, for which the tasking period has now closed.

  The values of individual contracts are withheld under Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, but the total value of the extant contracts is around £7 million.
  1080W

  RAF Bases
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the station operating budget was for each RAF base in the UK in the last year for which figures are available. [32445]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 1 February 2002]: The table shows the RAF operating budgets for each of the UK RAF stations for financial year 2001–02. It does not include former RAF stations that have retained their name but which have been transferred to the ownership of another part of the Ministry of Defence.

  £ million

  Station name

  Operating costs

  RAF Bentley Priory

  5.9

  RAF Boscombe Down (Support Unit)

  5.6

  RAF Boulmer

  22.2

  RAF Brampton/Wyton

  24.6

  RAF Brize Norton

  144.7

  RAF Buchan

  19.9

  RAF Coltishall

  66.2

  RAF Coningsby

  56.6

  RAF Cosford

  62.3

  RAF Cottesmore

  55.4

  RAFC Cranwell

  97.3

  RAF Donna Nook

  0.30

  RAF Fylingdales

  15.7

  RAF Halton

  31.0

  RAF Henlow

  12.3

  RAF Holbeach

  0.66

  RAF High Wycombe

  15.8

  RAF Honington

  71.8

  RAF Innsworth

  14.0

  RAF Kinloss

  112.4

  RAF Leeming

  64.1

  RAF Leuchars

  60.5

  RAF Linton-on-Ouse

  29.0

  RAF Lossiemouth

  96.5

  RAF Lyneham

  126.3

  FSCTE Manston

  4.5

  RAF Marham

  95.6

  RAF Neatishead

  14.1

  RAF Northolt

  20.4

  RAF Pembrey Sands

  0.25

  RAF Shawbury

  21.7

  RAF Spadeadam

  7.0

  RAF Stafford

  31.4

  RAF St. Mawgan

  45.7

  RAF Tain

  0.93

  RAF Uxbridge

  11.1

  RAF Valley

  30.7

  RAF Waddington

  77.2

  RAF Wainfleet

  0.52

  RAF Wittering

  48.4

  RNAS Yeovilton

  16.6

  The figures given in the table include the budget for any minor unit for which the station is responsible.

  Long Service Pay
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reduce the over 35 years of age restriction on accessibility to the long service advance of pay for Army and RAF personnel to over the age of 23. [33764]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 5 February 2002]: There are no plans at present to reduce the qualifying age for Army and RAF personnel, but the implications of doing so are being reviewed.
  1081W

  Tornado F3
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) where the Tornado F3s from RAF Coningsby will be based when 5 Squadron is declared down in January 2003;with which squadron they will be available for operational duty; and if he will make a statement; [33642]

  (2) how many Tornado F3s will be based at (a) RAF Leeming, (b) RAF Leuchars, (c) RAF Coningsby and (d) other sites in February 2003; and if he will make a statement. [33641]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 6 February 2002]: Aircraft from 5 Squadron will be re-distributed across the balance of the Tornado F3 fleet. The specific details of where all these aircraft will be relocated have yet to be finalised. All aircraft will remain available for operational duty.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Tornado F3s are based at(a) RAF Leeming, (b) RAF Leuchars, (c) RAF Coningsby and (d) other sites; and if he will make a statement. [33643]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 6 February 2002]: The number of Tornado F3 aircraft allocated to the stations in question is currently: RAF Coningsby 37, RAF Leeming 28 and RAF Leuchars 28. Operational aircraft are not based at any other stations.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Tornado F3s are on loan to Italy; when they will be returned; where they will be based and with which squadron when returned; and if he will make a statement. [33644]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 6 February 2002]: There are 24 Tornado F3 aircraft on loan to Italy all of which will be returned by December 2004. Their future on return is yet to be decided.

  HMS Gannet
  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the current establishment of civil search and rescue capability will be maintained at HMS Gannet, Prestwick after MOD withdrawal from the site. [33936]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 6 February 2002]: The Ministry of Defence are not withdrawing from HMS Gannet at Prestwick. HMS Gannet will remain a base for Royal Navy Search and Rescue helicopters, which will respond to civil incidents when tasked by the Air Rescue Co-ordination Centre.

  Afghanistan
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions British special forces have received from his Department on the transfer of prisoners to US forces. [33608]

  Mr. Hoon
  [holding answer 5 February 2002]: I am withholding this information under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Operational instructions are confidential, and are consistent with the United Kingdom's obligations under international law.
  1082W

  Aircraft
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 18 January 2002,Official Report, column 502W, whether C-17s have since then been used to transport cargo into Afghanistan; and whether another Antonov has been chartered since then. [34353]

  Mr. Ingram
  The C-17 aircraft has been used since 18 January to transport cargo into Afghanistan and, under current plans, will continue to do so for the duration of the operation. Given the time scale and size of the task, we have continued to charter Antonovs since 18 January to supplement the RAF's airlift effort to deploy the UK's contribution to the International Security Assistance Force.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence he has of a threat to the C-130K in Afghanistan from small arms fire. [33099]

  Mr. Ingram
  While we have no recorded incidents of small arms fire being directed at C-130Ks flying into Afghanistan, such an incident cannot be ruled out. Force protection measures appropriate to this threat have therefore been put in place.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will fit lighting to the flight deck of the C-130Ks operational in Afghanistan which is compatible with night vision goggles; and what the cost is of fitting NVG compatible lighting to the C-130K. [33095]

  Dr. Moonie
  Details on the ability of the C-130K fleet to operate in low light could provide a potential adversary with information that could undermine our defence capabilities. This information is therefore withheld in accordance with Exemption 1 (Defence, Security and International Relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  The cost of fitting night vision goggle compatible lighting to the C-130K is of the order of £80,000 per aircraft (VAT exclusive).

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had about fitting flight deck armour to the C-130Ks operational in Afghanistan. [33093]

  Mr. Ingram
  The level of protection employed on the Hercules fleet could provide a potential adversary with information that could undermine our defence capabilities. I am therefore withholding this information in accordance with Exemption 1 (Defence, Security and International Relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to(a) lease further C-17s and (b) charter further Antonovs. [33090]

  Mr. Ingram
  We have no current plans to lease further C-17s. We will continue to charter Antonov 124 aircraft as our strategic transport requirements dictate.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of fitting flight deck armour to the C-130K is. [33094]

  Dr. Moonie
  The cost is in the order of £150,000 per aircraft.
  1083W

  Jaguar Engine Upgrade
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the customer specifications requested for the upgrade of the Jaguar engine Adour 104; and if he will make a statement. [34019]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Jaguar Adour Mk 106 weapon system specification includes an extensive and detailed engine technical specification. Much of the content is provided by industry under a confidentiality agreement which prevents the Ministry of Defence releasing the information to any third party. The information requested is withheld in accordance with Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information which relates to third party commercial confidences.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate in percentage terms the operational performance and operability of the(a) upgraded Jaguar engines Adour 104 and (b) the pre-upgraded Jaguar engines; and if he will make a statement. [34020]

  Mr. Ingram
  In percentage terms, taking the current Adour Mk 104 engine performance as 100 per cent., the upgraded Adour Mk 106 engine provides an increase in thrust generating a performance level of 105 per cent. This increase enables the Jaguar aircraft to operate more effectively in hot climates and improves engine reliability.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the upgrade of the Adour 104 engine will be sufficient for the current and projected weapons payload; if a further upgrade of the Jaguar engine will be required before the end of the projected in-service lifespan; and if he will make a statement. [34021]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Adour Mk 106 engine, which is the upgraded version of the Mk 104, will allow the Jaguar aircraft to meet its current and projected role for the remainder of its in-service life. No further engine upgrades are planned.

  Departmental Underspend
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total underspend in his Department was on(a) capital and (b) non-capital expenditure in each financial year since May 1997. [34025]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to the following appropriation accounts, which provide the data requested. Copies of these are available in the Library of the House.Appropriation Accounts 1997–98 Vol 1: Class 1 MOD, 26 Nov 1998, pps 10, 11, 12, (Vote 1) pps 23 and 31 (Vote 2) and p 32 (Vote 3).
  Appropriation Accounts 1998–99 Vol 1: Class 1 MOD, 19 Jan 2000, pps 10, 11, 12, (Vote 1) pps 23 and 29 (Vote 2) and p 30 (Vote 3).
  Appropriation Accounts 1999–2000 Vol 6: Class VI MOD, 24 Jan 2001, pps 9–11 (Vote 1).
  Appropriation Accounts 2000–2001 Vol 6: Class VI MOD, 23 Nov 2001, pps 11–14 (Vote 1).

  KFOR
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel, and of what nationalities, were(a) directly and (b) indirectly under British command in KFOR on 1 January each year since June 1999. [34110]
  1084W
  Mr. Ingram
  The Commander of the Multi-National Brigade (Centre) is the senior British officer in KFOR. He had the following personnel under his operational control during the subject periods.

  Countries

  1 January 2000

  1 January 2001

  1 January 2002

  United

  Kingdom

  2,112

  3,353

  2,889

  Canada

  914

  —

  —

  Czech

  Republic

  162

  170

  168

  Finland

  680

  816

  957

  Sweden

  709

  768

  767

  Norway

  961

  1,010

  999

  Latvia

  —

  5

  10

  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for
  Defence whether members of the Royal Military Police are stationed in Kosovo. [34113]

  Mr. Ingram
  45 members of 110 Provost Company are currently stationed in Kosovo.

  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British military personnel, and of what ranks, were directly under the command of personnel of other nationalities in KFOR on 1 January each year since June 1999. [34112]

  Mr. Ingram
  British military personnel in KFOR are under the operational command of the UK Chief of Joint Operations. Operational control of most elements of the UK contribution is delegated to Commander KFOR, who has not been a UK officer since October 1999. Some individuals are seconded to posts in the NATO chain of command, where they come under more direct day to day command of a non-UK officer. The information cannot be provided in the form requested, however the table gives details available from records held.

  Year

  HQ KFOR Kosovo

  HQ KFOR Fyrom

  September 2000

  46

  12

  February 2001

  48

  17

  January 2002

  35

  16

  Details of rank are not available, but the majority will be officers.

  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the arrangements are for the command and control of British personnel seconded to UN policing duties in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [34114]

  Mr. Ingram
  There are no UK military personnel currently conducting UN policing duties in Kosovo. However, there are currently Ministry of Defence police officers deployed in Kosovo as part of the UK Government commitment to the United Nations International Civil Policing Mission (UNMIK). The command and control arrangements for these officers are the responsibility of the United Nations Police Commissioner in Kosovo.

  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian personnel, and of what nationality, were contracted(a) directly and (b) indirectly to British forces in KFOR on 1 January each year since June 1999. [34111]
  1085W
  Mr. Ingram
  The numbers of locally employed civilians engaged by UK forces in Kosovo are as follows:

  Year

  Locally employed civilians

  1 January 2000

  875

  1 January 2001

  628

  1 January 2002

  660

  Records held do not indicate ethnic origin but the vast majority would be Kosovars.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

  Remuneration
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will estimate the number of individuals in his(a) Department, (b) related agencies and (c) related non-departmental public bodies whose annual remuneration including benefits in kind exceeded (i) £100,000 and (ii) £200,000 in each of the last four years. [26319]

  Dr. Whitehead
  Information on remuneration for senior staff is shown in the individually published audited accounts. Remuneration in respect of the financial year 2000–01 salaries are to be published in the DETR Resource Accounts, which are to be laid before Parliament by 31 January 2002.

  In respect of (a) and (b), in each of the three earlier years 1997–98 to 1999–2000, one individual in DETR and one individual in the agencies received more than £100,000 but less than £200,000. Annual remuneration includes basic salary, allowances, bonuses and taxable benefits in kind. It does not include pension benefits.

  In respect of (c) on NDPBs, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 29 January 2002, Official Report, column 253W.

  Ministerial Transport
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his estimate is of the cost of(a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last four years. [27909]

  Dr. Whitehead
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 30 January 2002 by the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office,Official Report, columns 405–06W.

  Information on the cost of taxis by the Department is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, officials should use the most cost effective method when travelling on official business.

  Euro
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assistance has been made available to local authorities to issue the payment of(a) bills and (b) services in euros and what discussions he has had with (i) local government
  1086W
  representatives and (ii) the Treasury to review the limit set for local authorities regarding collection of their income in non-sterling. [29693]

  Dr. Whitehead
  Details of the Government's preparations for the introduction of euro cash in the euro area from 1 January 2002 are contained in the Fifth Report on Euro Preparations. We recently drew local authorities' attention to the treatment of euro payments, making it clear that, as is the case with other major international currencies, it is a matter for individual authorities whether or not to accept payments for bills and services in non-sterling. There is no limit set for local authorities regarding the collection of their income in non-sterling.

  Rail Strategic Plan
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether the £33.5 billion contribution to the costs of the SRA Strategic Plan by the public sector includes the public subsidy payments to the train operating companies. [30257]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Amber Valley (Judy Mallaber) on 29 January 2000,Official Report, columns 177–78W.

  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West of 28 January 2002,Official Report, column 53W, what discussions he expects to have regarding aspects of the Strategic Rail Authority's strategic plan that directly relate to Scotland; [32607]

  (2) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West of 28 January 2002, Official Report, column 53W, whether the Strategic Rail Authority has sought to have discussions with him with regards to aspects of the Strategic Rail Authority's strategic plan that directly relate to Scotland. [32697]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Ministers and officials meet regularly with the Strategic Rail Authority to discuss rail issues including those that directly relate to Scotland.

  Abandoned Vehicles
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects to publish the result of the recent consultation on abandoned vehicles. [31506]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The DTLR/DEFRA consultation closed on 31 January. The Government expect to publish the outcome of the consultation shortly.

  Rail Delays
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what record is kept of the total length in minutes of service delays on Britain's railways; what plans there are to change the method of recording and reporting delays and cancellations; and what assessment is made of the total cost of Britain's railways in terms of(a) customer time and (b) cost to British business. [31523]
  1087W
  Mr. Jamieson
  As to the first part of the question, Railtrack keep records of delay minutes. As to the second part, there are no plans to change the current method of recording and reporting delays and cancellations. As to the third part I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) on 4 February 2002,Official Report, column 734W.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001,Official Report, column 524W, if he will place in the Library information on how many trains for each train operating company running London commuter services arrived late by (a) more than five minutes and (b) more than 10 minutes in each four week period from May 1997 to January 2002, distinguishing between (i) peak and (ii) off-peak periods caused by (a) Railtrack and (b) train operating companies. [31478]

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

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001,Official Report, column 524W, if he will place in the Library information on how many trains for each train operating company running London commuter services arrived late by (a) more than five minutes and (b) more than 10 minutes in each month from January 2000 to January 2002, distinguishing between (i) peak and (ii) off-peak. [31487]

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

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001,Official Report, column 524W, if he will (a) place in the Library and (b) publish on the Strategic Rail Authority website the monthly punctuality of train operating companies; [31479]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001, Official Report, column 524W, if he will place in the Library information on how many trains for each train operating company arrived late by (a) more than five minutes and (b) more than 10 minutes in each four week period from May 1997 to January 2002, distinguishing between delays caused by (i) Railtrack and (ii) train operating companies. [31480]

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

  Train Operating Companies
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 11 December 2001,Official Report, column 787W, on train operating companies, if he will provide details of the most recent advice from the Strategic Rail Authority to which his Department has had regard; and how often the Strategic Rail Authority monitors the performance of train operating company parent companies. [31592]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Strategic Rail Authority monitors the performance of train operating companies, and their parent companies, on a continuous basis.
  1088W

  Public Highway Closures
  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list those public highways which have been permanently closed without due process in the last five years. [31977]

  Mr. Spellar
  We have no record of cases over the last five years of public highways which have been permanently closed without due process.

  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions under what common law powers the police can permanently close a public highway to pedestrian and vehicular access. [31980]

  Mr. Spellar
  The police do not have powers to close a public highway permanently under common law. They do, however, have powers under section 67 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to close a road or restrict its use by vehicles for up to even days in emergencies.

  A highway may only be closed permanently by an order made by a magistrates court under section 116 of the Highways Act 1980 or, to facilitate development, by a competent authority under the provisions of sections 247 or 257 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

  Government Offices (Access)
  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) under what statutory powers it is possible to seek redress for the closure of pedestrian access between St. James's Park and Downing street; [31975]

  (2) what public notice has been given by the Metropolitan police for the permanent closure of Downing street to pedestrian and vehicular access. [31950]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 19 December 2001,Official Report, column 538W.

  Airport Rail Links
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart) of 28 January 2002,Official Report, column 54W, on airport rail links, what involvement he plans to have in the detailed economic and engineering studies being led by the Scottish Executive. [32604]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The studies are for the Scottish Executive to take forward with the other organisations to which I referred in my previous answer.

  Local Authority Housing
  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the total amount of money spent in real terms was by local authorities on housing repairs in each of the last 10 years. [30476]

  Ms Keeble
  [holding answer 30 January 2002]: Capital and revenue expenditure by local authorities in England on repairs, renovations and improvements to their own stock, and capital grants to support private sector renewal, is as follows.
  1089W

  Local authority expenditure on stock repairs, renovations and improvements: England

  £ million in 2000–01 prices

  Local authority stock1

  Registered social landlord stock

  Private sector stock

  Capital expenditure

  Revenue expenditure

  Capital expenditure

  Capital expenditure

  Total expenditure

  1990–91

  2,337

  2,632

  87

  505

  5,562

  1991–92

  1,720

  2,529

  69

  536

  4,854

  1992–93

  1,801

  2,584

  107

  619

  5,111

  1993–94

  2,059

  2,580

  133

  679

  5,451

  1994–95

  1,953

  2,613

  118

  647

  5,331

  1995–96

  1,857

  2,560

  149

  584

  5,150

  1996–97

  1,664

  2,493

  145

  550

  4,852

  1997–98

  1,495

  2,370

  145

  464

  4,473

  1998–99

  1,559

  2,293

  153

  500

  4,506

  1999–2000

  1,456

  2,166

  157

  465

  4,245

  2000–01

  1,787

  2,074

  200

  423

  4,485

  1 Local authority owned stock in this period declined from 3.9 million in March 1991 to just over 2.8 million in March 2001.

  Notes:

  1. Capital expenditure figures from 1994–95 onwards are expressed on an accruals basis: those for 2000–01 are provisional based on estimated components of reported total capital expenditure.

  2. Totals may not be consistent with the sum of components because of rounding.

  3. Elements of expenditure include:

  Local authority stock: All capital improvement, conversion, adaption and renewal work on Housing Revenue Account dwellings. Revenue expenditure on local authority stock reflects spending on repairs direct from the housing revenue account and contributions to the housing repairs account.

  Registered social landlord stock: Support for RSL schemes, including new-build projects, via LA social housing grant advances.

  Private sector stock: Renovation grants, disabled facilities grants and payments in relation to minor works assistance, group repair and renewal areas.

  Source:

  DTLR annual Housing Investment Programme returns, and subsidy claim forms

  Pedestrian Traffic Accidents
  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which 10 local authority areas had(a) the highest and (b) the lowest number of pedestrian traffic accidents involving children in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what percentage of the child population these figures represent in each case. [30574]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 30 January 2002]: The table shows the number of child pedestrians injured in road accidents, for the local authorities with the 10 highest and 10 lowest casualty numbers. The number of child pedestrian casualties in road accidents in any local authority can vary considerably from year to year, so the figures shown are averages for the most recent three years available.

  Child pedestrian casualties by local authority: GB 1998–2000 average data

  Local authority (Highway)

  Casualties

  Percentage of child population injured

  Highest

  Birmingham

  470

  0.200

  Lancashire

  391

  0.169

  Kent

  338

  0.124

  Glasgow City

  315

  0.269

  Liverpool

  297

  0.308

  Bradford

  278

  0.247

  Leeds

  274

  0.189

  Essex

  246

  0.096

  Manchester

  246

  0.242

  Hampshire

  216

  0.086

  Lowest

  Monmouthshire

  14

  0.084

  Powys

  14

  0.058

  Moray

  12

  0.069

  1090W

  Child pedestrian casualties by local authority: GB 1998–2000 average data

  Local authority (Highway)

  Casualties

  Percentage of child population injured

  Ceredigion

  11

  0.091

  Isle of Anglesey

  11

  0.083

  Rutland

  6

  0.077

  Eilean Siar1

  4

  0.075

  City of London

  3

  0.391

  Shetland Islands

  1

  0.026

  Orkney Islands

  1

  0.025

  1 Formerly known as the Western Isles

  Arthur Andersen
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on how many of his Department's PFI contracts Arthur Andersen has been an adviser; and if he will make a statement. [31718]

  Dr. Whitehead
  Andersen has not advised my Department on any of its PFI contracts.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on what dates since 7 June 2001(a) Ministers and (b) special advisers in his Department have met employees of (i) Andersen and (ii) Accenture on official business; and if he will make a statement. [32100]

  Dr. Whitehead
  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,
  1091W
  it is not the normal practice of Governments to release details of specific meetings with private individuals or companies.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) how many contracts have been let to Arthur Andersen by his Department since 1997 on(a) matters relating to the railways and (b) other matters; [33045]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 8 January 2002, Official Report, column 584W, on departmental consultants, on what matters relating to Railtrack his Department is continuing to receive advice from Arthur Andersen. [33046]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 4 February 2002]: Individual Government Departments are responsible for taking decisions on the goods and services they acquire, whether through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) or other procurement routes, taking into account the Government's policy of seeking value for money for the taxpayer. The public sector as a whole has signed hundreds of contracts, covering the delivery of a range of services.

  The number of contracts that have been let to Arthur Andersen since 1997 are as follows;

  (a) Two—on accountancy and taxation issues relating to the administration process and on the restructuring of Railtrack plc;

  (b) Three—two are framework agreements (framework agreements do not guarantee work; each firm on the agreement has to bid for individual tenders). One housing research project was also completed in 1999.

  Rail Passengers
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001,Official Report, columns 534–55W, on measurement of passenger overcrowding, in what year the Strategic Rail Authority, or its shadow predecessor, began publishing annual results of "Passengers in Excess of Capacity"; for what reasons annual "Passengers in Excess of Capacity" information published on the SRA website is available only for selected years; and if he will place in the Library all available annual statistics on "Passengers in Excess of Capacity". [32416]

  Mr. Jamieson
  These figures are available on the Strategic Rail Authority's website, except those for 1997 which were the first to be published and which pre-date the launch of the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising (Opraf) website. The figures for 1997 are:

  Percentage

  Company

  PIXC

  Chiltern

  2.0

  Connex South Central

  4.8

  Connex South Eastern

  3.0

  Great Eastern

  3.3

  LTS

  0.6

  Silverlink

  1.9

  South West Trains

  3.8

  Thames Trains

  2.1

  Thameslink

  4.4

  WAGN

  0.6

  1092W
  These figures have been published in Opraf and SRA annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Rail Safety
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 11 December 2001,Official Report, column 789W, on rail safety, if he will list those industry representatives with whom officials have had discussions, and their suggestions for action. [32695]

  Mr. Jamieson
  As part of continuing action to track progress with the recommendations in the Southall action plan, officials from the Health and Safety Executive have had contact with Railtrack plc (in administration), Railway Safety and the Association of Train Operating Companies. The Health and Safety Commission will be publishing the action reported by industry in its next progress report.

  Rail Franchise Operators
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001,Official Report, column 529W, on the rail industry, with what frequency the Strategic Rail Authority is required to publish its regular bulletin describing the performance of franchise operators; and what performance indicators the bulletin is required to describe. [32418]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The draft directions and guidance which were put out for consultation on 29 June 2001 require the authority to" … publish a six-monthly bulletin describing, in terms that reflect the experience of passengers, the operating performance of franchise operators for the preceding period and their customer satisfaction levels."

  Rail Track Conditions
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the inspection schedule used by Railtrack in their assessment of track conditions; what progress had been made towards completing the schedule since October 2000; and if he will make a statement. [32523]

  Mr. Jamieson
  This is an operational matter for Railtrack, who say that all of their track has been inspected during 2001; and will be inspected in the current year. The frequencies and methods of inspection reflect the speed and annual tonnage of trains using the track and are set out in Railway Group Standard GC/RT 5021.

  Transport Investment
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will provide a breakdown of the(a) public investment expenditure, (b) public resource expenditure, (c) private investment, (d) public expenditure supporting private investment and (e) public spending from local charging revenue planned for each year 2001–02 to 2010–11 as adjusted for changes in spending as a consequence of the publication of the Strategic Rail Authority Plan, subdivided between (i) strategic roads, (ii) rail, (iii) local

  1093W
  transport, (iv) London, (v) other transport areas and (vi) unallocated at (A) outturn prices and (B) 2000–01 prices. [32297]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The breakdowns requested are shown in Tables A to D, expressed in outturn prices, and in Tables E to H, expressed in 2000–01 prices.

  10 year plan public expenditure and private investment—Table A: Public investment

  £ million outturn prices

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  2004–05

  2005–06

  2006–07

  2007–08

  2008–09

  2009–10

  2010–11

  2001–02 to 2010–11

  Strategic Roads

  1,000

  1,135

  1,150

  1,239

  1,132

  1,291

  1,462

  1,682

  1,725

  1,745

  13,560

  Rail

  625

  1,448

  2,521

  2,438

  2,934

  2,671

  2,212

  1,312

  1,221

  1,245

  18,627

  Local Transport

  1,326

  1,517

  1,658

  1,923

  1,907

  2,085

  2,180

  2,189

  2,202

  2,231

  19,218

  London

  1,015

  762

  932

  894

  730

  689

  700

  687

  698

  715

  7,822

  Other

  119

  62

  62

  62

  62

  62

  62

  62

  62

  63

  681

  Unallocated

  0

  0

  0

  70

  71

  59

  659

  1,546

  1,978

  2,301

  6,685

  Total

  4,085

  4,924

  6,323

  6,626

  6,837

  6,858

  7,275

  7,478

  7,887

  8,299

  66,592

  Table B: Public resource expenditure excluding revenue support for private investment

  £ million outturn prices

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  2004–05

  2005–06

  2006–07

  2007–08

  2008–09

  2009–10

  2010–11

  2001–02 to 2010–11

  Strategic Roads

  415

  433

  479

  536

  550

  499

  522

  513

  505

  525

  4,975

  Rail

  1,589

  1,361

  1,382

  1,401

  1,333

  1,150

  1,005

  1,035

  856

  788

  11,900

  Local Transport

  2,733

  2,864

  2,932

  2,996

  3,044

  3,095

  3,135

  3,191

  3,239

  3,293

  30,521

  London

  613

  689

  727

  757

  760

  767

  772

  781

  788

  777

  7,431

  Local Charging Revenue

  0

  0

  0

  153

  313

  359

  399

  452

  502

  508

  2,686

  Other

  132

  128

  135

  149

  151

  153

  155

  157

  159

  161

  1,480

  Unallocated

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  5,482

  5,475

  5,656

  5,991

  6,150

  6,022

  5,988

  6,128

  6,048

  6,051

  58,992

  Table C: Private investment

  £ million outturn prices

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  2004–05

  2005–06

  2006–07

  2007–08

  2008–09

  2009–10

  20010–11

  2001–02 to 2010–11

  Strategic Roads

  173

  223

  242

  150

  325

  425

  400

  300

  200

  200

  2,638

  Rail

  3,655

  3,747

  3,787

  3,956

  3,158

  3,147

  3,116

  3,168

  3,254

  3,359

  34,347

  Local Transport

  559

  675

  781

  862

  953

  1,049

  1,058

  1,045

  995

  995

  8,971

  London

  722

  704

  657

  610

  1,047

  1,440

  1,632

  1,475

  1,251

  825

  10,364

  Other

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Unallocated

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  5,109

  5,349

  5,467

  5,578

  5,483

  6,061

  6,205

  5,988

  5,700

  5,379

  56,320

  Table D: Revenue support for private investment

  £ million outturn prices

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  2004–05

  2005–06

  2006–07

  2007–08

  2008–09

  2009–10

  2010–11

  2001–02 to 2010–11

  Strategic Roads

  206

  220

  239

  261

  353

  447

  454

  517

  604

  609

  3,910

  Rail

  0

  12

  50

  101

  187

  337

  430

  531

  633

  726

  3,007

  Local Transport

  0

  0

  8

  27

  57

  102

  162

  237

  312

  387

  1,292

  London

  0

  0

  0

  28

  29

  29

  30

  33

  48

  50

  246

  Other

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Unallocated

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  206

  232

  297

  417

  626

  915

  1,076

  1,318

  1,597

  1,772

  8,455

  Table E: Public investment

  £ million outturn prices

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  2004–05

  2005–06

  2006–07

  2007–08

  2008–09

  2009–10

  2010–11

  2001–02 to 2010–11

  Strategic Roads

  976

  1,080

  1,068

  1,122

  1,000

  1,113

  1,230

  1,380

  1,381

  1,363

  11,714

  Rail

  610

  1,378

  2,341

  2,209

  2,593

  2,303

  1,861

  1,077

  978

  973

  16,322

  Local Transport

  1,294

  1,444

  1,540

  1,742

  1,686

  1,798

  1,834

  1,797

  1,763

  1,743

  16,639

  London

  990

  725

  865

  809

  645

  594

  589

  564

  559

  559

  6,900

  Other

  116

  59

  58

  56

  55

  54

  53

  51

  50

  49

  601

  Unallocated

  0

  0

  0

  63

  63

  51

  555

  1,269

  1,584

  1,797

  5,382

  Total

  3,985

  4,687

  5,872

  6,002

  6,043

  5,913

  6,121

  6,138

  6,315

  6,483

  57,559

  1094W
  No decision has been made on the allocation of spending from local charging revenues, however a year by near breakdown for the period 2001–02 to 2010–11 is shown in Tables B (outturn prices) and F (2001–01 prices).
  1095W

  Table F: Public resource expenditure excluding revenue support for private investment

  £ million outturn prices

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  2004–05

  2005–06

  2006–07

  2007–08

  2008–09

  2009–10

  2010–11

  20012–02 to 2010–011

  Strategic Roads

  405

  412

  445

  485

  486

  430

  439

  421

  404

  410

  4,337

  Rail

  1,550

  1,295

  1,283

  1,269

  1,178

  992

  845

  849

  685

  616

  10,564

  Local Transport

  2,667

  2,726

  2,723

  2,714

  2,690

  2,669

  2,637

  2,619

  2,593

  2,572

  26,610

  London

  598

  656

  675

  686

  672

  661

  650

  641

  631

  607

  6,476

  Local Charging Revenue

  0

  0

  0

  139

  277

  310

  336

  371

  402

  397

  2,230

  Other

  129

  122

  126

  135

  133

  132

  130

  129

  127

  126

  1,289

  Unallocated

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  5,349

  5,211

  5,252

  5,428

  5,436

  5,193

  5,037

  5,030

  4,843

  4,727

  51,506

  Table G: Private investment

  £ million outturn prices

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  2004–05

  2005–06

  2006–07

  2007–08

  2008–09

  2009–10

  2010–11

  2001–02 to 2010–11

  Strategic Roads

  169

  212

  225

  136

  287

  366

  337

  246

  160

  156

  2,294

  Rail

  3,566

  3,566

  3,517

  3,584

  2,791

  2,714

  2,621

  2,600

  2,606

  2,624

  30,189

  Local Transport

  546

  642

  725

  781

  842

  905

  890

  858

  797

  777

  7,762

  London

  704

  670

  610

  553

  926

  1,242

  1,373

  1,211

  1,002

  644

  8,935

  Other

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Unallocated

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  4,985

  5,091

  5,077

  5,053

  4,846

  5,226

  5,220

  4,915

  4,564

  4,202

  49,180

  Table H: Revenue support for private investment

  £ million outturn prices

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  2004–05

  2005–06

  2006–07

  2007–08

  2008–09

  2009–10

  2010–11

  2001–02 to 2010–11

  Strategic Roads

  201

  209

  222

  236

  312

  385

  382

  424

  484

  476

  3,332

  Rail

  0

  11

  46

  92

  165

  291

  362

  436

  507

  567

  2,477

  Local Transport

  0

  0

  8

  24

  50

  88

  136

  195

  250

  302

  1,053

  London

  0

  0

  0

  26

  25

  25

  25

  27

  38

  39

  205

  Other

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Unallocated

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  201

  221

  276

  378

  553

  789

  905

  1,081

  1,279

  1,384

  7,067

  Southall Rail Inquiry Recommendations
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the Health and Safety Commission will issue its next progress report on its action plan to implement the recommendations of the Southall Rail Accident Inquiry report. [32108]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The HSC aims to publish by mid-April a report on the industry's progress on the action plan to February 2002. This will cover the two year period proposed by Professor Uff for implementing the report's recommendations.

  Integrated Transport Policy
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001,Official Report, column 536W, on Transport Direct, what research has been conducted for his Department's reviewing policy on (a) travel information and (b) retailing; and if he will make a statement. [32409]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 December 2001,Official Report, column 536W.
  1096W

  London Underground
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much was spent in each of the last five years by London Underground Ltd. on renewal and improvement of train signals and related equipment; what is the extent of signal renewal necessary over the next five years; what he expects will be undertaken and completed; and if he will make a statement. [33380]

  Mr. Jamieson
  London Underground advise that the following has been spent on the renewal and improvement of train signals and related equipment in each of the last five years:

  Year

  £ million

  1996–97

  16.7

  1997–98

  14.4

  1998–99

  27.9

  1999–2000

  30.1

  2000–01

  25.7

  The Tube Modernisation plans are designed to achieve a comprehensive modernisation of the entire underground network. This is necessarily a long-term programme and there is a limit on the amount of work that can be done simultaneously without causing excessive disruption to

  1097W
  the service to the public. The overall requirements have therefore been specified by London Underground to renew signalling equipment over time, prioritised to deliver the greatest benefits as quickly as possible. The detailed requirements will be published by London Underground shortly.

  Geraint Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the London Underground PPPs. [34640]

  Mr. Byers
  The Board of London Regional Transport has today announced that it is minded to proceed with its plans for the modernisation of London Underground. It will now consult the Mayor of London and Transport for London as required under the terms of S298 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999. At the request of the Mayor and Transport for London, London Regional Transport has offered to extend the period of consultation until 8 March.

  The Board of London Regional Transport has undertaken a thorough evaluation of the bids to assess whether they are likely to provide value for money. It is confident they would do so and that the proposed contracts would provide an appropriate basis for the future management of the London underground infrastructure.

  The contracts envisage a long-term partnership between London Underground and three private sector infrastructure companies who will take over responsibility for maintaining and upgrading the network. The private sector will be committed, under contract, to deliver specific improvements and will be incentivised appropriately. If they fail to do so they will be penalised. Persistent inability on the part of infrastructure companies to meet their obligations could lead to their contracts being terminated.

  I have taken separate independent advice from Ernst and Young. Ernst and Young have confirmed to me that the process followed by London Underground's evaluation team has been suitably robust and that London Underground's recommendation that the PPP proposals deliver value for money is a subjective one which is supported by its analysis. A copy of Ernst and Young's report has been placed in the Library of the House and is available on my Department's website.

  I will of course take full account of Ernst and Young's findings. In particular, I agree with Ernst and Young that the Arbiter, whom I will appoint in accordance with the Greater London Authority Act 1999, should be resourced to be fully effective, and I will ensure that is the case. And I agree with Ernst and Young that the final decision to go ahead should be conditional upon, among other things, the final prices and risk transfer proposals submitted by the bidders not altering materially prior to financial close.

  Depending on the outcome of the statutory consultation, the Board of London Regional Transport would be likely to take a final decision on whether or not to proceed with its modernisation plans for the London underground in the middle of March.
  1098W
  The safety case still has to be accepted by the Health and Safety Executive. The proposals will not proceed unless this acceptance is obtained.

  Ordnance Survey
  Mr. Liddell-Grainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on(a) the current and (b) the planned proportions of Ordnance Survey's investment in the Digital National Framework which are based on (i) partnerships with the private sector and (ii) National Interest Mapping Services Agreement funding. [32840]

  Ms Keeble
  Ordnance Survey's partnership arrangements with the private sector have not contributed to the investment in the Digital National Framework (DNF). Ordnance Survey's plans include working with the private sector in developing the content of the DNF in future.

  By the end of 2001–02, funding under the terms of NIMSA will have contributed approximately half of the investment in the DNF. This has enabled complete national coverage with accelerated delivery. No further NIMSA contribution is planned.

  National Air Traffic Services
  John McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish the advice provided to his Department by the Civil Aviation Authority on the sale of National Air Traffic Services. [33359]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) on 30 January 2002,Official Report, column 327W.

  John McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received from the Airline Group on the funding requirements for the future of air traffic control services. [33357]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Officials from my Department and the Treasury have been, and continue to be, involved in discussions with the Airline Group and other relevant parties about the financial position of National Air Traffic Services.

  Air Traffic
  John McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his estimate is of the change in air traffic in the UK since 11 September. [33358]

  Mr. Jamieson
  My Department has not made an estimate and the latest available published monthly traffic data from the Civil Aviation Authority, which is the most comprehensive UK source, is October for airports and September for airlines. However, more recent data are available for some airports and airlines, primarily BAA airports and BA. The most appropriate measure of change is that over the same period in 2000. These show that there has been a recovery in passenger numbers, but not air transport movements, in December 2001.
  1099W

  Traffic changes in 2001 compared with same period in 2000

  Percentage

  BAA

  BA

  Passengers

  Air transport movements

  Passengers

  April-August

  1.4

  4.0

  -2.5

  September

  -6.0

  0.8

  -11.0

  October

  -12.0

  0.3

  -14.6

  November

  -10.6

  -4.0

  -11.5

  December

  -6.4

  -4.8

  -8.5

  September-December

  -8.8

  -1.8

  -11.7

  The impact has not been uniform across all segments of the market, with transatlantic services experiencing the most severe decline. The low cost carriers have continued to experience passenger growth since 11 September.

  City Challenge
  Andrew Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many of the dwellings built or improved under the city challenge scheme for 1992 to 1998 are still occupied. [33656]

  Ms Keeble
  Under the former City Challenge programme, which operated from 1992 to 1998, over 110,000 dwellings were improved or completed in the 31 partnership areas. Information on how many of these dwellings are still occupied is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate expense.

  Railtrack
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 30 January 2002,Official Report, column 321W, ref 26291, what specialist credentials Schroder Salomon Smith Barney have that rendered them suitable for this work; and what tendering process took place to select advisers. [33410]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 4 February 2002]: Schroder Salomon Smith Barney has a well established track record advising companies and the UK Government on a wide range of corporate finance transactions including corporate restructuring. Regarding the tendering process, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) on 25 January 2002, Official Report, column 1103W.

  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 30 January 2002, Ref 28541,Official Report, column 320W, if he will list the schemes that have been previously identified and those which have not. [33404]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The information is not available in the form requested.

  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State forTransport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 30 January 2002, ref 30241,Official Report, column 320W, which SRA officials are participating in the bid team; and on what contractual basis. [33411]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 4 February 2002]: No SRA officials are participating in the bid team.
  1100W
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions where information is(a) held and (b) presented, regarding the total weekly rail delays, in minutes, caused by (i) Railtrack and (ii) train operating companies. [31584]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Railtrack keep records of delay minutes.

  Congestion Scheme
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the proposed Central London congestion scheme on public transport and road congestion in areas immediately outside London. [32952]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The Department's assessment in relation to trunk roads and motorways is that effects outside the Greater London boundary are likely to be small.

  Assessment of the effects on other roads are for the local traffic authorities concerned to consider in the first instance.

  Data Protection Act
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many requests the Department has received under the Data Protection Act 1988 for(a) electronically held information and (b) paper documentation. [33584]

  Dr. Whitehead
  The central Department has received, all told, nine external requests for electronically held personal data and one for manually held records.

  The Department's policy with regard to subject access requests from members of staff is to provide subject access to both manual and electronic records for every such request. Fifty-three subject access requests have been received to date from members of the Department's staff.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what administration fees are charged by the Department for information requests made under the Data Protection Act 1998. [33463]

  Dr. Whitehead
  The standard administration charge made by the Department for information requests from members of the public is £10. There is no charge for requests by present and former members of staff for access to their personal records.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what the Department's procedure is for responding to requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998; if he will place a copy in the Library; and if he will make a statement; [33484]

  (2) what the policy of the Department is for ensuring responses to requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998 are completed within 40 days; and what their procedure is to achieve this. [33477]

  Dr. Whitehead
  All external subject access requests to the Department are routed to a central unit responsible for co-ordinating responses. From the information
  1101W
  accompanying each request, the request is then forwarded to those parts of the Department which are considered likely to be in possession of personal data of the sort requested. The request will be accompanied by an instruction to trawl through electronic and, where specified, appropriately structured manual records held in those areas of the Department, and return to the co-ordinating unit copies of all personal references uncovered in the course of the trawl.

  These references generally provide a certain amount of context to make them intelligible. The co-ordinating unit finally combines these individual references into a single set of attachments to a covering reply letter, deleting all references to third parties (where permission to reveal such third party references has not been forthcoming) in the document copies being supplied to the applicant.

  All internal subject access requests from staff members are sent to a focal point in Human Resources. Action is initiated by the Data Protection Officer on the day the application is received. An appointment is arranged usually within two weeks of the application for the member of staff to have access to his or her records. Performance is monitored daily to ensure compliance with the set period.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many responses the Department has completed to requests for information made under the Data Protection Act 1998 for(a) electronically held information and (b) paper documentation. [33577]

  Dr. Whitehead
  The central Department has completed six external requests for electronically held personal data and one for manually held records. The Department's policy with regard to subject access requests from members of staff is to provide subject access to both manual and electronic records for every such request. 51 subject access requests from members of the Department's staff have been completed to date.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the longest period of time elapsed is between receiving(a)the administration fee and providing the information requested and (b) a request for information and providing the information requested, under the Data Protection Act. [33456]

  Dr. Whitehead
  In respect of(a) 82 days and in respect of (b) 98 days.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many responses to requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998 have been completed(a) within 40, (b) between 40 and 60 and (c) over 60 days after receiving the original letter; and how many are outstanding. [33434]

  Dr. Whitehead
  As regards external subject access requests, two responses have been completed within 40 days, three between 40 and 60 days, and two over 60 days, after receipt of the original request letter. In addition, one is outstanding.

  Of 53 subject access requests received from members of the Department's staff, 50 have been responded to within 40 days. Two are outstanding.
  1102W
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of responses to requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998 the Department has completed(a) within 40 days of receipt of the £10 fee, (b) between 40 and 60 days of and (c) over 60 days after receiving the administration fee. [33470]

  Dr. Whitehead
  83 per cent, of external subject access requests have been completed within 40 days, and the remaining 17 per cent, in over 60 days, after receipt of the administration fee. No administration fee is charged for requests from members of the Department's staff.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his estimate is of the average cost of processing each information request under the Data Protection Act 1998. [33438]

  Dr. Whitehead
  Costs are incurred in a number of areas of the Department and vary widely between requests. It is therefore not possible to give an average cost of processing each information request.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many responses to requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998 the Department has completed(a) within 40 days of receipt of, (b) between 40 and 60 days of receiving and (c) over 60 days after receiving the £10 administration fee.[33565]

  Dr. Whitehead
  As regards external subject access requests, five responses have been completed within 40 days, and one over 60 days, after receipt of the administration fee. One case is outstanding.

  No fee is charged for requests by present and former members of staff for access to their personal records. Of 51 completed subject access requests from members of the Department's staff, 50 have been responded to within 40 days.

  Transport 10-Year Plan
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport,Local Government and the Regions (1) when the total transport 10-year plan financial envelope was increased from £179.7 billion to £181.9 billion; and when and by what means the increase was first announced; [33767]

  (2) pursuant to his oral statement of 29 January 2002,Official Report, column 149, on the 10-year plan financial envelope, if he will bring forward a supplementary estimate; and if he will make a statement.[33769]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 5 February 2002]: My Department will seek the resources necessary to deliver the 10-year plan through the normal supply procedures.

  The bulk of the additional £2.2 billion was agreed and announced to the House on 2 April 2001, Official Report, column 8. A number of other changes to the 10-year plan expenditure envelope have been made since publication of the plan, resulting in the overall increase to £181.9 billion announced to the House on 29 January 2002.
  1103W
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he secured an additional £2.2 billion of funding from the Treasury for the 10-year transport plan; and if he will make a statement. [33927]

  Mr. Spellar
  My Department will seek the resources necessary to deliver the 10-year plan through the normal supply procedures.

  The bulk of the additional £2.2 billion was agreed and announced to the House on 2 April 2001, Official Report, column 8. A number of other changes to the 10-year plan expenditure envelope have been made since publication of the plan, resulting in the overall increase to £181.9 billion announced to the House on 29 January 2002.

  Liquid Petroleum Gas
  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to extend the eligibility for transport action powershift grants for converting cars over five years old to use LPG. [33949]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 6 February 2002 [33622].

  Agricultural Buildings
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to review the rating of agricultural buildings to ensure that those who perform more than 10 per cent. of their activities as contract farmers on other farms are rated on their agricultural building. [33898]

  Dr. Whitehead
  On 16 February 2001 we published a consultation paper on extending the agricultural exemption from non-domestic rates to cover all land and buildings used for contract farming, share farming and machinery rings, as well as such land and buildings used by farmers in connection with their own farm. In the Local Government White Paper "Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services", published 11 December 2001, we said that we would implement those proposals, subject to the necessary primary legislation, which we will introduce when parliamentary time allows.

  Urban Green Spaces Taskforce
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if the final report from the Urban Green Spaces Taskforce will be published in April this year as planned; [33977]

  (2) what progress has been made since the publication of the interim report from the Urban Green Spaces Taskforce; and if he will make a statement. [33978]

  Ms Keeble
  Since the publication of its interim report, the Urban Green Spaces Taskforce has made good progress in carrying out its work as programmed in the report. Our current plans are to publish the final report of the task force in April, which will be followed by the Government's policy response in July.

  Planning Applications
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the 1104W
  average time was to process planning applications by each planning authority in England over the last 12 months. [34412]

  Ms Keeble
  The information needed to determine the average time for planning applications to be processed is collected centrally only for a small number of applications mainly relating to mineral extraction and waste disposal (known as "county matters"). These applications, which account for less than 1 per cent. of all planning applications, are often complex and take some time to determine.

  The speed at which decisions are made for the vast majority of planning applications, ie all except "county matters", is measured in terms of the proportion of decisions determined within eight weeks and within 13 weeks. In the year ending September 2001, 63 per cent. of these applications in England were determined within eight weeks and 83 per cent. within 13 weeks.

  More detailed information for each local authority in England on how quickly they process planning applications (using the eight and 13 week criteria) is published by the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions in its quarterly Statistics of Planning Applications Bulletin and its annual Development Control Statistics Report. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.

  Debt
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much British Railways' debt was extinguished by the Government in the six months before rail privatisation. [34279]

  Mr. Spellar
  On 29 March 1996 £1,229 million of debt owed by Railtrack to the National Loans Fund was cancelled and on 30 March 1996 Railtrack's obligations in respect of a further £230 million owed to the Passenger Transport Executives (PTEs) were transferred to DoA Ltd., a company wholly owned by the Secretary of State for Transport. Also, on 29 March 1996 Railtrack issued debentures acknowledging indebtedness to HM Government of £589 million. With the exception of a £4 million repayment of debt, these debentures were subsequently sold by HM Government in the bond markets.

  Open Skies Agreement
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether the Government retain the right to negotiate an open skies agreement to the USA following the ruling of the European Court; and if he will make a statement. [34615]

  Mr. Spellar
  We do not yet have a ruling from the European Court of Justice. That is probably some months away. What we do have is the Opinion issued on 31 January by the Advocate General which comprises his advice to the Court. According to his Opinion it remains open to member states to negotiate and conclude open skies agreements with the United States subject to meeting their obligations under Community law.
  1105W

  Policy Development Grants
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he intends to make an order empowering the Electoral Commission to make payments of policy development grants to eligible parties; and if he will make a statement. [34816]

  Dr. Whitehead
  I have today laid before Parliament an order, making provision for a scheme, which gives effect to recommendations, submitted by the Electoral Commission to the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on 4 October 2001, but with modifications agreed with the Commission. The amount of money available for allocation by the Commission in each year for which the scheme has effect is £2 million.

  KCC Speed Interactive Signs
  Hugh Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when his Department will issue type approval for KCC speed interactive signs; and if he will make a statement. [34155]

  Mr. Spellar
  We hope to be in a position to resolve the type approval issues and issue guidance on the use of speed activated signs later in the year.

  Business Rates (Farms)
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how the amount that farmers incur in business rates when undertaking contractual work is calculated. [33930]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 6 February 2002]: I have been asked to reply.

  The amount farmers incur in business rates, if they undertake contract farming work, is calculated by reference to the rateable value, as determined by the Valuation Officer, multiplied by the business rate poundage (currently 43.0 pence in the pound).

  The Valuation Officer calculates rateable values in accordance with the definition contained within the Local Government Finance Act 1988. Broadly speaking, this is the rental value of the property, vacant and to let, at the valuation of 1 April 1998. The Valuation Officer will base his or her valuation on rental evidence of similar buildings in the local area or by reference to the closes comparison.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Parthenon Marbles
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received from the Government of Greece concerning the return to Athens of the Parthenon marbles; and if she will make a statement. [27146]

  Tessa Jowell
  I received a letter from the Greek Minister for Culture, Mr. Evangelos Venizelos, in June 2001 to which I replied emphasising the importance of cultural connections between Britain and Greece. In connection with the Parthenon Sculptures I reminded the Minister of the position of Her Majesty's Government, which had recently been restated by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, namely that it is our view that the 1106W
  sculptures were acquired legally and that they are best housed in the British Museum in a multi-cultural context, seen free of charge by up to 5 million visitors a year.

  It may also be helpful to be clear about the responsibility of the British Museum for the Sculptures. The Trustees have a statutory duty to protect their collections and this duty could only be over-ridden by primary legislation amending Section 5 of the British Museum Act 1963, relating to the disposal of objects in the collections.

  Overseas Trips
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list each of the overseas trips made by herself and other members of her ministerial team in each of the last four years specifying the purpose and cost of each trip. [30186]

  Dr. Howells
  I refer the hon Member to the answer given to him by my right hon Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on Monday 4 February,Official Report, column 707W.

  Export Licences
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the European Commission about raising the sterling threshold for the requirement for export licences for cultural goods; and if she will make a statement. [29967]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Arts and DCMS officials use every available opportunity to press for the limits to be updated at least in line with inflation, as provided in Council Regulation (EEC) 3911/92 on the export of cultural goods. We have also welcomed the Commission's new initiatives to contribute to the effective functioning of the mechanisms set up by the Regulation, including making the maximum use of new technologies to improve its implementation.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the estimated projected annual increase is in the number of export licences for cultural goods consequential on the decision by the EU Commission to leave the EU monetary threshold unchanged. [29966]

  Dr. Howells
  The effect of the EC Commission's decision to leave the thresholds unchanged has been to increase the number of licences issued by 69 per cent. between 1993 and 2000.

  Sporting Events
  Mr. Reed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to put in place a strategy to implement her Department's role in attracting world class sporting events. [30376]

  Mr. Caborn
  The PIU have been asked by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to carry out a joint study with DCMS examining long term sports policy. It will consider the roles and responsibilities of Government, the private and voluntary sectors in helping sport better achieve the objectives of increased grassroots participation in sport and elite sporting excellence. The
  1107W
  PIU project team will seek to clarify the roles and responsibilities and interventions of Government to help sport better achieve its own objectives and develop an overall strategy for guiding Government's decisions on sports policy, including major events; in the context of Government's own wider objectives.

  Millennium Experience
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what methods were considered to dispose of items from the millennium experience; [30014]

  (2)if she will list the items from the millennium experience that were disposed of other than by sale by the New Millennium Experience Company, stating for each one (a) its original purchase price, (b) its estimated value at time of sale, (c) the amount it was sold for, (d) its method of disposal and (e) the reason for that method of disposal; [30011]

  (3)if she will list the items from the millennium experience offered for sale by the New Millennium Experience Company stating for each (a) the original purchase price, (b) the estimated value at time of sale, (c) the number of bids received, (d) the amount of the highest bid, (e) whether the item was sold to the highest bidder and where it was not to give a reason and (f) the amount it was sold for; [30012]

  (4)how many bids for items from the millennium experience offered for sale by the New Millennium Experience Company were (a) not honoured and (b) bogus; [30013]

  (5)if she will publish the total (a) estimated value of and (b) final price received for, the items from the millennium experience offered for sale by the New Millennium Experience Company. [30015]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: Some 17,000 items were offered for sale by NMEC in an auction organised by Henry Butcher International held between 27 February and 2 March 2001. Henry Butcher valued these items at a total of £2 million. Around 10,500 of these items were sold in the auction and these were sold to the highest bidders in each case. As is the case at many auctions, a small proportion of the items were not paid for, and hence not collected, by successful bidders. Total income received from auction sales which were concluded was £3.5 million. Some 450 items were withheld from the sale because they were felt to be of use to a future owner of the dome. It was subsequently decided to sell these items, and items which had not sold in the auction, by private treaty. It was felt that this was more cost effective than seeking to hold a second auction. Henry Butcher International was retained to advise on the private treaty sales and benchmarked rates against auction prices in order to ensure value for money and tenders were sought for major items. Sales by private treaty realised £1 million. A feature of NMEC's balance sheet was that many assets purchased or developed for the millennium experience were unique to the dome. The costs to develop or buy these bespoke assets were much higher than the subsequent realisable values and it was always recognised that the auction would cover only a fraction of those creation costs. The total received by NMEC for the sale of assets in the auction and by private treaty was therefore £4.5 million. A further £1.3 million was achieved by the
  1108W
  sale of certain assets to original suppliers under terms of contracts with NMEC. Not all the detailed information requested about the individual assets is available. The remainder is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Free Television Licences
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many pensioner households in England and Wales receive a free television licence; [32720]

  (2) what was the cost of providing free television licences to pensioner households in England and Wales in the last 12 months. [32718]

  Dr. Howells
  TV Licensing, which administers for the BBC as Licensing Authority the free television licence concession for the over-75s, is not able to provide a breakdown by nation of the number of free licences currently in force in the United Kingdom. However, in the 12 months to December 2001, 3.398 million free licences were issued in England and Wales. The cost of these licences was £335 million, excluding administrative costs.

  The cost of administering the concession in England and Wales cannot be disaggregated from the total for the United Kingdom, since much of it is systems-related and applies to the scheme as a whole. The estimated cost of administering the scheme throughout the United Kingdom in the months to December 2001 was £10.1 million.

  Departmental Retirement Ages
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the retirement ages that apply to the employees of her Department and its agencies, including how many and which categories of employees are affected by each; and if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on flexible retirement. [32814]

  Dr. Howells
  The normal retirement age for all staff in the Department is 60. In the Royal Parks Agency the normally retirement age for staff is 60, except for the following:Staff with reserved rights, covered by the 20/60 rule whereby they can stay until they have completed 20 years services or reached age 65, whichever is the earlier:
  Royal Parks Police: eight
  Non-uniformed staff: four
  Staff covered by reserved rights, following non-industrialisation of posts, to remain employed until their 65th birthday:
  Wildlife Officers: five
  Where there are management reasons justifying an extension beyond the 60th birthday, not normally for more than a year. Management Board level approval is required:
  Non-uniformed staff: one.

  DCMS and its agency are reviewing their retirement policy following the recommendations of the PIU "Winning the Generation Game" report.

  Ticket Sales (London)
  Mr. Mark Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made as to the effect of the events of 11 September on
  1109W
  (a) theatre ticket and (b) museum ticket sales in the Cities of London and Westminster; and if she will make a statement. [33704]

  Dr. Howells
  I have asked the Society of London Theatres, National Gallery, Tate Britain and Museum of London to provide this information. When it is available, my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for the Arts will write to the hon. Member, and place a copy of her letter in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Fair Trade Fortnight
  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to encourage participation by her Department in fair trade fortnight from 4 to 17 March. [33549]

  Dr. Howells
  The Department has no specific formal participation in fair trade fortnight although some NDPBs may be publicising the event within their own activities. My Department centrally supports the aim of fair trade and seeks to influence the supply chain to utilise fair trade produce wherever possible. A display is being considered for our own staff restaurant and the caterers have been encouraged to mark the event with more than their usual fair trade menus.

  Arts Funding
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will respond to the progress report she received on 29 November 2001 about the Arts Council of England's proposals to merge the regional arts boards to create a single organisation for arts funding; and if she will place a copy of her response in the Library. [33310]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 4 February 2002]: My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for the Arts responded on behalf of the Secretary of State to the Arts Council's latest proposals for a single organisation for arts funding on 21 December 2001. I am arranging for copies of the letter to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the responsibilities of her special advisers. [33126]

  Tessa Jowell
  [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The responsibilities of my special advisers are set out in the model contract for special advisers. Special advisers are employed to help Ministers on matters where the work of Government and the work of the Government Party overlap and it would be inappropriate for permanent civil servants to become involved. They are an additional resource for the Minister providing advice from a standpoint that is more politically committed and politically aware than would be available to a Minister from the civil service.

  IT Contracts
  Richard Younger-Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what has been the total expenditure of his Department on IT systems and support in each year from May 1997 to date; how many IT contracts have been let in each of those years; of the other main 1110W
  contracting party in each of those contracts, how many have been (a) companies whose registered office is in(i) England and Wales, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Northern Ireland and (b) foreign companies; and what are the names of the companies falling within category (a). [33685]

  Dr. Howells
  Total expenditure on IT systems and support broken down annually from May 1997 is as follows:

  £ million

  1997–98

  1.9

  1998–99

  2.1

  1999–2000

  3.3

  2000–01

  3.6

  2001–02

  3.1

  The number of IT contracts let and relevant companies per year is as follows:

  Company

  Number

  1997–98

  BT, Maine and Vodafone

  4

  1998–99

  BT, and Project Telecom

  2

  1999–2000

  BT

  2

  2000–01

  BT

  1

  2001–02

  BT

  3

  Contracts
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many contracts were let by her Department and agencies for which she is responsible to(a) PWC Consulting or PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) Ernst & Young, (c) Deloitte & Touche, (d) KPMG and (e) Andersen for consultancy services for the financial years (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99, (iii) 1999–2000, (iv) 2000–01 and (v) 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available, indicating the remuneration in each case. [33844]

  Dr. Howells
  My Department has let the following contracts:

  Year

  Consultancy

  £

  1998–99

  Deloitte & Touche

  227,000

  1998–99

  KPMG

  23,000

  1999–2000

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  68,000

  2000–01

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  61,000

  2000–01

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  22,000

  2001–02

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  96,000

  Royal Parks Constabulary
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what legal advice she has sought on the policy in the Royal Parks constabulary to set retirement age levels depending on length of service; [32659]

  (2) whether it is her policy to permit some officers in the Royal Parks constabulary to work until 65 years of age and not others; and if she will make a statement. [32655]
  1111W
  Dr. Howells
  Responsibility for the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency and I have asked its Chief Executive, William Weston, to reply.

  Letter from William Weston to Mr. Chris Grayling, dated 7 February 2002:
  I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about the retirement age of officers of the Royal Parks Constabulary, as this is an operational matter which has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency.
  Prior to 1st January 1994 the normal retirement age for officers was 60, but those with less than 20 years service can work until they have completed 20 years service or reached the age of 65, whichever is the sooner, subject to continued satisfactory performance.
  Under an agreement with the Trade Union, all officers recruited after 1st January 1994 retire at the age of 60, regardless of their length of service, in line with the standard conditions for non-uniformed staff in the Agency.
  The Agency has not sought legal advice on this matter.

  Lost/Stolen Property
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list those items valued at less than £50 each which have been stolen or lost from her Department in each of the last four years. [34224]

  Dr. Howells
  All thefts and losses by fraud are immediately reported as security breaches. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has only had cause to report the theft of six SIMM memory modules in 2001 and one mobile telephone charger in 2002. There have been no reported losses of lower value items other than those stated.

  Rugby League/Rugby Union (Funding)
  Andy Burnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding has been received from the National Lottery by(a) rugby league and (b) rugby union since its inception. [32880]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 6 February 2002]: Total funding received from the National Lottery for (a) Rugby League is £12,557,073 and for (b) Rugby Union is £38,044,111.

  Youth Hostel Association
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received from the Youth Hostel Association; and what recent discussions she has had with the Youth Hostel Association on help to individual youth hostels affected by foot and mouth related loss of business. [34472]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Rural Affairs and I met the Chief Executive of the Youth Hostels Association (England and Wales) on 7 February. On 5 February, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced a countryside access recovery fund that will be available to support projects to promote access to and/or understanding of the countryside by not-for-profit organisations, such as the Youth Hostels Association.
  1112W

  Private Medical Insurance
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many employees in(a) her Department and (b) her Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have had private medical insurance provided for them in each year since 1997–98; what the total cost is; and if she will make a statement. [32315]

  Dr. Howells
  No employees in the Department or in the Royal Parks Agency have had private medical insurance provided for them in any year since and including 1997–98.

  Information relating to the Department's non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Non-League Football
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last met representatives from the(a) Nationwide Conference, (b) Doctor Martens' league, (c) Unibond league and (d) Ryman league. [34102]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not met with representatives from the Doctor Martens' league, Unibond league or Ryman league.

  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Sport met the chairman and chief executive of the Nationwide Conference on 16 July 2001 to discuss a range of non-league football issues.

  Archives
  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to improve access to archives. [34561]

  Dr. Howells
  In January last year my Department published social inclusion policy guidance for archives in the document "Libraries, Museums, Galleries and Archives for All" in January 2001. We are now working with Resource, the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, and the National Council on Archives to ensure local authority archives recognise their role in achieving greater access and inclusion. With our encouragement, the National Council on Archives has set up a network of Regional Archive Councils which published Archives Strategies for each region in 2001. We have also been working with the Inter-Departmental Archives Committee (IDAC) to create an Action Plan for Archives which will help to encourage greater awareness of and better access to archives. This will be published later in the year.

  Royal Parks
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what rights and conditions of public access to the Royal parks are observed by those bodies responsible for their upkeep and administration; [34363]

  (2)what the area of each Royal park is; and what the conditions are on what trading in the Royal parks is permitted; [34362]

  (3)which buildings in the Royal parks are not the responsibility of the Royal Parks Agency; [34364]
  1113W
  (4) what grants are paid to (a) the Royal Parks Agency and (b) other bodies for their work in administering and maintaining the Royal parks; [34366]

  Dr. Howells
  Responsibility or the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency and I have asked its chief executive, William Weston, to reply.

  Letter from William Weston to Mr. Andrew Turner, dated 7 February 2002:
  I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about public access and other matters relating to the Royal Parks.
  The Royal Parks are part of the hereditary possessions of the Crown. The public do not have any legal right to use the Parks, public access depends on the grace and favour of the Crown, although there may be public rights of way across the land. The Royal Parks Agency manages the Royal Parks under powers derived from s22 Crown Lands Act 1851. As part of its statutory management function the Agency permits the public to use the Parks for recreational purposes, subject to regulations issued under the Parks Regulation Acts 1872–1926 which are considered necessary to secure proper management, preserve order and prevent abuse within the Parks. The current regulations are the Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces Regulations 1997.
  The Royal Parks Agency receive grant-in-aid under a funding agreement with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for carrying out the Secretary of State's management responsibilities under the Crown Lands Act.
  The area covered by each of the Royal parks is as follows

  Hectares

  Hyde Park

  140

  Kensington Gardens

  111

  Regent's Park (incl. Primrose Hill)

  197

  St. James's Park

  34

  Green Park

  16

  Greenwich Park

  73

  Richmond Park

  955

  Bushy Park

  450

  The Parks are intended to provide a respite from the surrounding urban landscape and commercial activities are therefore generally not allowed in the Royal Parks. Where it is necessary or desirable to provide amenities for park visitors, for example refreshments, boating or deckchairs they are provided under licence from the Secretary of State by private contractors following competitive tender.
  The following buildings in the Royal Parks are not the responsibility of the Royal Parks Agency.

  Bushy Park

  Upper Lodge

  Bushy House

  Hawthorne Cottage

  Barton's Cottage

  Richmond Park

  Thatched House Lodge

  White Lodge

  Pembroke Cottage

  Greenwich Park

  Royal Observatory

  Kensington Gardens

  Kensington Palace

  The Orangery

  1114W
  Regent's Park

  Winfield House

  St John's Lodge

  The Holm

  Regent's Lodge

  London Zoo

  Restoration Studio.

  Osborne Estate Act
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to(a) implement and (b) amend the Osborne Estate Act 1902; and when the premises of the former King Edward VII Convalescent Home for Officers will be returned to use in accordance with the provisions of that Act. [34365]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is considering how she should meet her responsibilities under the Osborne Estate Act 1902 to devote part of Osborne House for the benefit of members of the armed forces and civil service until such time as she is able to secure legislation to repeal the statutory requirement.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Child Support Agency
  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total amount of money collected by the Child Support Agency was in each of the last seven years. [25017]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Chris Ruane, dated 6 February 2002:
  The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply by me.
  You asked what the total amount of money collected by the Child Support Agency was in each of the last seven years.
  The table on Annex 1 shows those amounts collected and arranged for the last seven years.
  Amounts shown as collected are amounts which are paid via the Agency, while amounts shown as arranged are paid directly between the non-resident parent and the parent or person with care following a CSA assessment.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Annex 1: Maintenance collected and arranged

  £million

  Year

  Collected

  Arranged

  1994–95

  79.422

  133.233

  1995–96

  133.508

  136.913

  1996–97

  214.911

  153.291

  1997–98

  317.576

  202.987

  1998–99

  409.819

  225.854

  1999–2000

  473.609

  238.633

  2000–01

  516.979

  240.551

  Source:

  Child Support Agency Annual Reports and Accounts
  1115W

  Pensions Education Campaign
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many television advertisements were paid for by expenditure on the revised Pensions Education Campaign. [18981]

  Mr. McCartney
  The Pensions Education campaign promotes the Government's aim to combat poverty and promote security and independence in retirement for future pensioners. The campaign encourages future pensioners to save for their retirement where they can afford to, and provides impartial information on their pension options to help them make informed decisions. The television advertisements are part of this wider activity.

  Five different television advertisements (two 40-second advertisements, two 20-second advertisements and a 10-second advertisement) were paid for out of expenditure on the Pensions Education (Working Dogs) campaign.

  Television advertising started again on 19 January 2002 as part of wider campaign activity and will run until the end of March.

  Regulations
  Mr. Prisk
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many regulations his Department has proposed to Parliament since June; what regulatory impact assessments have been made for those regulations his Department has implemented; and what plans his Department has to reduce the number of regulations affecting small businesses. [21972]

  Mr. McCartney
  The Department has introduced 37 statutory instruments, including 15 commencement orders, between 1 June and 31 December 2001. A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) has been published in respect of provisions in one of these—the Disability Discrimination (Providers of Services)(Adjustment of Premises) Regulations 2001 which comes into force on 1 October 2004. A copy of the RIA is available in the Library. No other instruments introduced in this period impact on business.

  The Department's policy is to eliminate unnecessary regulation and to minimise the burdens imposed by necessary regulation. We aim to ensure that regulations are necessary; give effective protection; balance benefit, cost and risk; are fair and command public confidence.

  The Department is also committed to reducing, wherever possible, existing regulatory burdens, and is contributing to the Government's regulatory reform action plan, that includes delivering reforms which are beneficial to small businesses and the citizen.

  Lone Parent Families
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people living in lone parent families in each year since 1997 were in(a) the bottom 30 per cent., (b) the bottom 40 per cent, and (c) the bottom 50 per cent, of the income distribution. [27765]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The information available is in the table.
  1116W
  Following our reforms of the tax and benefit systems to help make work pay, we are seeing a steady reduction in the number of lone parents at the lower end of the income distribution. Results for 1999–2000 are the latest available. They will not include the full impact of the working families tax credit, further increases in allowances for children or improvements in the labour market that have occurred since; these will have increased the incomes of lone parent families.

  Percentage of individuals living in lone-parent families in the bottom 30, 40 and 50 per cent, of the income distribution, including the self-employed is in the table.

  Percentage of individuals below percentiles of the income distribution

  Bottom 30 per cent.

  Bottom 40 per cent.

  Bottom 50 per cent.

  Income before housing costs

  1994–95

  60

  74

  84

  1995–96

  59

  73

  83

  1996–97

  65

  78

  86

  1997–98

  63

  76

  84

  1998–99

  63

  77

  86

  1999–2000

  61

  75

  84

  Income after housing costs

  1994–95

  67

  79

  87

  1995–96

  67

  78

  85

  1996–97

  71

  81

  87

  1997–98

  69

  79

  85

  1998–99

  69

  80

  87

  1999–2000

  67

  79

  85

  Notes:

  1. All figures are estimates and are taken from the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data set which is derived from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS does not include Northern Ireland.

  2. The income measure used in HBAI is weekly net (disposable), equivalised household income (that is to say income that is adjusted to reflect the composition of the household).

  3. The estimates are sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for region, council tax band and a number of other demographic variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error and to variability in non-response. All proportions are rounded to the nearest per cent.

  4. The estimates are presented on both a Before Housing Costs income (BHC) and an After Housing Costs income (AHC) basis in line with HBAI conventions.

  Source:

  FR

  Pension Credit
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will provide figures on the same basis as tables 3 and 4 of "The Pension Credit: long-term projections", showing(a)the cost of the basic state pension if increased in line with earnings, (b) the additional cost of increasing the basic pension in line with earnings and (c) the additional yield of national insurance contributions if they remain the same proportion of contributors' earnings as in 2002–03; [30394]

  (2) if he will provide figures on the same basis as tables 1 and 2 of "The Pension Credit long-term projections", showing the effect on the cost of the pension credit if the proportion of relevant income disregarded were reduced from 60 per cent, to (a) 50 and (b) 40 per cent., assuming

  1117W
  that the guarantee credit is uprated in line with average earnings and the savings credit threshold is uprated in line with prices. [30395]

  Mr. McCartney
  "The Pension Credit: Long-term projections" sets out the Department for Work and Pensions' illustrative projections of the future cost and coverage of the Pension Credit under various assumptions. These projections should be treated as broad-brush illustrations of the effect of various assumptions rather than firm forecasts of potential costs. The results can be thought of as providing broad lower and upper ranges of potential costs.

  The projections set out in the paper are sufficient to inform the Department's policy making and to provide assurance that the Government's spending on pensions remains sustainable in the long term. The further analysis requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Private Pension Funds
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2002,Official Report,column 855W, he will list the means-tested state benefits that attribute income from individual private pension funds not yet annuitised or drawn down; and how many (a)claimants and(b)unsuccessful claimants have been subject to such pension tariff in the last 12 months. [31454]

  Mr. McCartney
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows. The following state benefits take into account income from occupational or personal pensions:

  Income support (or minimum income guarantee)

  Jobseeker's allowance (income based)

  Housing benefit

  Council tax benefit.

  Basic State Pension
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the(a) number and (b) percentage of (i) men and (ii) women over pension age who are entitled to a full rate of basic state pension. [33774]

  Mr. McCartney
  [holding answer 5 February 2002]: The information requested is in the table:

  Number of men and women over state pension age who are entitled to a full basic pension of £67.50 at 31 March 2001: Great Britain

  Male

  Female

  Number of recipients of full basic pension (thousand)

  3,458.5

  3,275.5

  Percentage entitled to basic state pension

  92

  49

  Notes:

  1.All 5 per cent, samples are subject to sampling error.

  2.Figures are rounded to the nearest 100, percentages to the nearest whole per cent.

  3.Figures exclude Channel Islands and overseas cases.

  Source:

  Pensions Strategy Computer System at 31 March 2001 based on a 5 per cent, sample
  1118W

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Pound
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes he proposes to make to housing benefit when pension credit is introduced. [35156]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The Government's aim in introducing pension credit is to guarantee pensioners a decent income in retirement and, for the first time, to reward those with savings rather than penalise them. Housing benefit makes a vital contribution to this strategy, by allowing pensioners to access affordable housing.

  Under pension credit, most pensioners over 65 will be asked for a statement of their circumstances every five years. Housing benefit awards will follow the same timings. From 2003, we will no longer ask pensioners to make a repeat claim for housing benefit every year.

  This will reduce burdens on pensioners, simplify administration and allow local authorities to focus more resources on targeting fraud, rather than processing routine renewal claims.

  We believe that it would be wrong to deny housing benefit recipients the extra support that pension credit will provide. We will therefore raise the housing benefit income threshold by the maximum amount of the pension credit savings reward, to an expected level of £113.80 for single pensioners in 2003. In addition, we will treat pensioners' capital more generously, taking into account £1 for every £500 instead of every £250 of qualifying savings.

  As a result of these changes, 1.9 million pensioner households will get more help, or help for the first time, through housing benefit.

SCOTLAND

  Air Traffic Control (Prestwick)
  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what steps her Department has taken to monitor the UK Airline Group's capability to fulfil its commitment to build a new Air Traffic Control Centre at Prestwick; [33939]

  (2) what contingency plans Her Majesty's Government have to ensure that the new Air Traffic Control Centre for Prestwick goes ahead if the UK Airline Group cannot raise the necessary capital. [33938]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answers 6 February 2002]: I have been asked to reply.

  The Airline Group is contractually committed to the construction, completion, commissioning and entry into full operational service of the new Scottish centre at Prestwick as part of the public-private partnership deal for National Air Traffic Services.

  Boundary Commission
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the allocation of the programmed expenditure of £0.3 million referred to on page 16 of her Department's 2001 annual report. [24770]
  1119W
  Mrs. Liddell
  The programme expenditure is in respect of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Scotland. The Commission is currently undertaking the 5th review of parliamentary constituencies in Scotland.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the reason for the extent of the change from(a)1999–2000 to 2000–01 (b) 2000–01 to 2001–02 to the costs of the Boundary Commission for Scotland. [24764]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The costs of the Boundary Commission for Scotland have changed in these years due to preparation for and work involved in undertaking the 5th review of parliamentary constituencies in Scotland, which was formally commenced on 29 June 2001.

  Civil Service
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on progress with her Department's action plan to address(a)the relevant elements of the Modernising Government White Paper and (b)the more detailed proposals for Civil Service reform. [24769]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Department is continuing to address the various components of the Modernising Government programme and civil service reform in conjunction with the Cabinet Office and the Scottish Executive.

  Departmental Underspend
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the Department's budget in each of the last four years was not spent in the year for which it was allocated. [24774]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. In 1999–2000 the Department spent 96.1 per cent, of its budget and in 2000–01 it spent 95.9 per cent.

  Departmental IT
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the change in costs resulting from her Department's IT strategy. [24767]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Department's information systems are kept under review by staff as part of their normal duties. Any changes in costs in the current year are expected to be small: the costs of any future changes are not yet known.

  Depreciation and Capital Charges
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the reasons for the extent of the change in the costs of depreciation and capital charges from 1999–2000 to 2000–01. [24765]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. The figures for depreciation and capital charges for 1999–2000 are therefore for a nine month period.

  For my Department, the cost of capital arises mainly from the occupancy of Dover House in Whitehall. The building was professionally revalued on 31 March 1999 and, under current accounting procedures, is due to have
  1120W
  a professional revaluation every five years. Depreciation of other assets is by equal instalments over their estimated useful life.

  Administration Costs
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the administration costs to her Department in(a) 2000–01 and (b)2001–02. [24772]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The running costs provision of the Scotland Office was unchanged between 2000–01 and 2001–02. The Department took additional provision of £334,000 in 2001–02 to meet the cost of electoral publicity associated with the 2001 General Election. The provision for the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Scotland rose from £170,000 in 2000–01 to £300,000 in 2001–02 as the Commission began work on the 5th review of parliamentary constituencies.

  Whole of Government Accounts Project
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the financial implications for her office of its participation in the Whole of Government accounts project. [24773]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Work on the Whole of Government accounts project will be undertaken by staff as part of their normal duties and I expect any additional costs to be small.

  Departmental Operating Costs
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the reasons for the extent of the change in the operating costs of the Department from 1999–2000 to 2000–01. [24766]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. The operating costs of the Department for 1999–2000 were for a nine month period.

  Departmental Payments
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) in what proportion of cases the Department has paid accounts within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice in 2001; [24778]

  (2) in what proportion of contractual agreements the Department has made payments in accordance with the agreed timetable. [24779]

  Mrs. Liddell
  In 1999–2000 my Department paid 98.4 per cent, of its accounts within 30 days. In 2000–01 the figure was 99.33 per cent.

  Public Service Agreements
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the target to provide any readily available free published information within five working days of receipt of a request applies to anything other than the Department's Service Delivery Agreement. [24781]

  Mrs. Liddell
  No.
  1121W

  Efficiency Savings
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the efficiency savings declared by her Department in(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02. [24771]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. The financial provision for 2000–01 and 2001–02 was set at a constant level and the Department will absorb any inflationary pressures from within, its budget.

  Management Information Systems
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on progress with the consolidation of financial and management information systems referred to on page 16 of the 2001 departmental report. [24768]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Progress with consolidation of the Department's financial and management information systems is continuing.

  Staff Costs
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the increased public expenditure in Scotland between now and 2003–04 is expected accounted for by staff costs. [24775]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Public expenditure on staff costs is a matter for the relevant bodies or departments operating in Scotland. The proportion of staff costs to other expenditure by the Scotland Office is expected to remain broadly unchanged.

  Concordats
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions she has had with members of the Scottish Executive about the resource implications of the(a) bilateral and (b) multilateral concordats agreed with UK Government Departments. [24776]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Memorandum of Understanding and supplementary texts are agreements between the Government and the devolved Administrations on how they intend conducting relations between the Administrations. The Memorandum of Understanding reflects best practice on issues such as co-operation, exchange of information, correspondence and parliamentary business. Supplementary texts add more detail for the international and EU fields, statistics and financial assistance to industry.

  A revised version of the Memorandum of Understanding was published on 18 December 2001 as Command Paper 5240. Three hundred copies were printed, at a cost of £3,851. These costs were met from the Cabinet Office budget. The main distribution medium will be via the Cabinet Office's website www.cabinet-office.gov.uk.

  Scotland Act
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if she will make a statement on the cost to public funds of the implementation of the Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2000; [24784]
  1122W
  (2)if she will make a statement on the costs to public funds of the implementation of the Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions by the Scottish Ministers etc.) Order 2001; [24782]

  (3)if she will make a statement on the cost to public funds of the Scotland Act 1998 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2000; [24787]

  (4) if she will make a statement on the cost to public funds of the implementation of the Scotland Act 1998 (Cross-Border Public Authorities) (British Wool Marketing Board) Order 2000; [24791]

  (5) if she will make a statement on the cost to public funds of the implementation of the Scotland Act 1998 (Cross-Border Public Authorities) (Adaptation of Functions etc.) Order 2000; [24792]

  (6) if she will make a statement on the cost to public funds of the implementation of the Scotland Act 1998 (Cross-Border Public Authorities) (Adaptation of Functions etc.) (No. 2) Order 2000; [24785]

  (7) if she will make a statement on the cost to public funds of the implementation of the Scotland Act 1998 (Modification of Functions) Order 2000; [24790]

  (8) if she will make a statement on the cost to public funds of the implementation of the Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc.)(No. 2) Order 2000; [24783]

  (9) if she will make a statement on the cost to public funds of the implementation of the Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 4) Order 2000; [24788]

  (10) if she will make a statement on the cost to public funds of the implementation of the Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc.) Order 2000; [24789]

  (11) if she will make a statement on the cost to public funds of the Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements)(Specification) (No. 2) Order 2000; [24786]

  Mrs. Liddell
  There is no separately identifiable cost to public funds for the implementation of any of these orders, but I would expect it to be minimal in each case.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Wye Navigation Order
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when discussions on the Wye Navigation Order began. [34148]

  Mr. Meacher
  The National Rivers Authority applied for an order under the Transport Works Act 1992 on 21 March 1996. Its application was subsequently taken over by the Environment Agency.

  Noise Pollution
  John Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to reduce noise pollution in the UK. [33736]

  Mr. Meacher
  Much has been done to address noise from transport and industry including: reducing the level of noise generated by individual vehicles and aircraft;
  1123W
  traffic management schemes; resurfacing roads with low noise surfaces; and addressing noise at the planning stage of new noise generation or noise sensitive developments. Such action has considerably reduced the output of noise from individual sources but has often failed to reduce the overall ambient noise because of other factors, such as the growth in the number of vehicles on our roads. We are developing a strategic approach to build on the progress already made. A consultation seeking views on the first steps towards an Ambient Noise Strategy in England was launched on 20 December last year. A significant part of this strategic approach will be an exercise to build on the noise mapping already carried out of the major transport and industrial noise sources across England. The first stage of this exercise, for which £13 million has been set aside, will start later this year. The strategy will also act as a foundation to the implementation of the forthcoming European directive on the assessment and management of environmental noise which will address ambient noise across the whole of the UK.

  Dibden Bay Public Inquiry
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what role the Department has in the Dibden Bay Public Inquiry; and if she will make a statement. [31631]

  Mr. Meacher
  It will be for the inquiry inspector to consider all issues pertaining to the proposed development and then to make a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. Applications for licences for the dredging, and disposal of dredged waste, associated with the proposed development have been made to the Department under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. The issues raised at the inquiry will, in part, inform the decision-making process in respect of those consents.

  Foot and Mouth
  David Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the risk assessments that support the relaxing of controls over livestock markets, animal movements and countryside activities. [35049]

  Alun Michael
  I am today placing in the Library of the House copies of a document setting out the veterinary basis for the interim livestock movements regime, along with Veterinary Risk Assessments on Markets, Sheep Shearing, Sheep Dipping and Scanning, Footpaths and Hunting; and a preliminary risk analysis of the 20-day standstill rule carried out by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Departmental Secondments
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff in his Department have been seconded to jobs in the(a) private and (b) public sector in each of the last four years. [31774]
  1124W
  Mr. Leslie
  Information on secondments of civil servants to other sectors (interchange) is recorded separately by the individual Departments to which they belong and is collated by the Cabinet Office as detailed in the table which has been placed in the Library.

  Civil Service Entrants
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of administrative fast stream entrants to the Civil Service in each of the last four years has been(a)female, (b) members of ethnic minority groups, (c) from independent schools and went to Oxford and Cambridge and (d) have (i) arts and (ii) science degrees. [34045]

  Mr. Leslie
  Our aim is to increase awareness and attract applications from a diverse range of candidates to the Fast Stream Development Programme. We do not collate data on the schools that entrants have attended. The information on gender, ethnicity, Oxford and Cambridge and arts and science degrees is as follows:

  2000–01

  1999–2000

  1998–99

  1997–98

  Female

  Percentage

  47.7

  50

  38.7

  39

  Number

  203

  153

  91

  108

  Ethnic minority

  Percentage

  6.8

  5.9

  3.4

  2.5

  Number

  29

  18

  8

  7

  Oxbridge

  Percentage

  32.2

  30.1

  34.5

  34.3

  Number

  137

  92

  81

  95

  Percentage

  Arts

  Science related

  Other

  2000–01

  70

  22

  8

  1999–2000

  74

  20

  6

  1998–99

  76

  19

  5

  1997–98

  72

  21

  7

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Remand Centres
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reintroduce purposeful activity for the inmates of remand centres. [33715]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 5 February 2002]: It is not necessary to reintroduce purposeful activity for young offenders in remand centres, as such activity has not ceased. Prisoners in young offender establishments, including remand centres, spent an average of 23.1 hours a week in purposeful activity in 2000–01. The Government are committed to building on their youth justice reforms to improve the standard of custodial accommodation and programmes for 18 to 20-year-olds. This is expected to increase the purposeful activity available to remand and sentenced prisoners in that age group.
  1125W

  Criminal Cases Review Commission
  Vera Baird
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications to the Criminal Cases Review Commission in each of the last two years concerned convictions from a magistrates' court; and what proportion this is of the total conviction applications from all courts. [32471]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The Criminal Cases Review Commission does not collect routinely the statistics requested, and they could be obtained only by disproportionate cost. However following the introduction of an electronic case database from 1 April 2001 recent data are available.

  In the period 1 April 2001–31 December 2001, 616 applications were received of which 31 (5 per cent.) were applications concerning convictions from magistrates courts.

  Vera Baird
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of applicants to the Criminal Cases Review Commission have the assistance of(a) legal aid and (b) legal advice and assistance. [32481]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  It is not known what proportion of applicants have the assistance of legal aid. 51 per cent, of applicants, whose cases were under review, had some form of legal representation.

  Vera Baird
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average times were(a) in 2001 and (b) in 2002 between the lodging of an application in respect of a crown court conviction to the CCRC and the issuing of a referral or of a minded-to-refuse letter. [32487]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The Criminal Cases Review Commission does not collect routinely the statistics requested, and they could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Immigration
  Mr. Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the(a) staff numbers and (b) funding have been of (i) the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (ii) the Joint Entry Clearance Unit for each of the last five years; and what levels are planned for the next two years. [30989]

  Angela Eagle
  The staff numbers in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (actual and estimated) are shown in the table:

  Staff numbers

  April 1997

  5,697

  April 1998

  5,160

  April 1999

  5,750

  April 2000

  6,582

  April 2001

  9,757

  April 2002

  10,878

  April 2003

  12,500

  April 2004

  12,900

  On the funding of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 18 January 2002, to my hon. Friend, the Member for Edmonton (Mr. Love), Official Report, column 546W.
  1126W
  The Joint Entry Clearance Unit (JECU) was established in June 2000 with an establishment of 59 staff. This was increased to 76 in the following year but there are no plans for further staff increases.

  Details of JECU's costs and funding (past and future plans) are given in the Foreign and Commonwealth Department Report, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Asylum Seekers
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why his Department is considering using the RAF Turnhouse site to build an accommodation centre for asylum seekers [32517]

  Angela Eagle
  The Royal Air Force (RAF) Turnhouse site is one of eight potential sites presently under consideration for the building of trial accommodation centres for asylum seekers.

  Criteria used for the selection of potential sites included; sites with the capacity to cater for several hundred residents plus facilities either as a new-build or conversion, and a reasonable geographical spread beyond the south-east of England.

  Women Murderers
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the women convicted of murder who are the subject of applications to the Criminal Case Review Commission are still serving custodial sentences. [32502]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The Criminal Cases Review Commission does not collect routinely the statistics requested. However, the introduction of a new electronic database with effect from 1 April 2001 means the Commission can provide recent data. Of the 80 applications concerning offences of murder received from 1 April to 31 December 2001, five were from women. We are unable to say how many of these five are still in custody because of the disproportionate cost involved in obtaining this information.

  Life Sentences
  Mr. George Osborne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what powers, and by what criteria he sets the tariff for persons serving life sentences. [33081]

  Beverley Hughes
  The Secretary of State sets tariffs only for adults convicted of murder. He does so under the discretionary powers presently contained in section 29 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997, and in accordance with the administrative arrangements set out in the written answer of 30 November 1983,Official Report column 505, by the then Home Secretary, Mr. Leon Brittan, and a number of subsequent parliamentary statements.

  In setting the tariff in a particular case the Secretary of State gives consideration to all the circumstances relating to the offence, any mitigating and aggravating factors, the recommendations made by the trial judge and the Lord Chief Justice, and any relevant representations made about the case.
  1127W

  Cemeteries
  Andrew Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations accepted in the Government response to the Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs report on cemeteries. [33653]

  Beverley Hughes
  The first meeting of the new advisory group was held in December 2001. A draft work plan to take forward work arising from the Committee's recommendations, some of which fall to other Government Departments and agencies, is now under consideration by group members.

  The findings of a research project commissioned last year to provide information about the condition and management of cemeteries in England and Wales will be available shortly.

  I understand that in December 2001 the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions jointly published "The Historic Environment: A Force for Our Future", reporting the Government's review of policies towards the historic environment.

  I also understand that action has been taken by the Health and Safety Executive to address memorial safety and, together with English Heritage, the management of risks within the historic environment. English Heritage is planning to produce its guidance on the care and maintenance of historic cemeteries in April 2002.

  Individual Learning Accounts
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people are(a)in custody and (b) on bail following charges connected with the fraudulent misuse of individual learning accounts; [33084]

  (2) how many people in each police authority have been (a) arrested and (b) charged for offences relating to fraud concerning the individual learning accounts programme; [33082]

  (3)how many arrests have been made since 13 December 2001 concerning individual learning account fraud; [33263]

  (4)how many prosecutions have been taken out against people accused of fraud relating to individual learning accounts; [33083]

  Beverley Hughes
  The information held centrally by my Department on fraud, whether relating to persons held in custody, arrested, or proceeded against, does not allow fraud in connection with individual learning accounts to be distinguished from other types of fraud, as the circumstances of each offence are not collected.

  Immigration Appeals
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he has given to immigration staff about serving appeal decisions; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [27187]

  Angela Eagle
  The personal serving of appeals determinations is a new process and instructions to staff are constantly being refined in the light of operational experience. It is not advisable to publish these at present 1128W
  but arrangements will be made to place a copy in the Library once operational procedures have been fully evaluated and instructions finalised.

  Asylum Accommodation Centres
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the criteria used to identify the eight sites for the proposed asylum accommodation centres. [31730]

  Angela Eagle
  Eight potential sites have so far been identified. The criteria used for their selection included: sites with the capacity to cater for several hundred residents plus facilities either as new-build or conversion and a reasonable geographical spread beyond the south east of England. The criteria for selection for the final sites has yet to be decided.

  Racism and Xenophobia
  Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for implementing the EU Council Framework decision on combating racism and xenophobia as it relates to(a) religion or belief and (b) national origin. [32836]

  Angela Eagle
  Negotiations on the European Commission's proposal for a Council Framework Decision on Combating Racism and Xenophobia are at a very early stage. The Government will consider proposals for implementing the framework decision once a final text has been agreed.

  Drugs
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the volume of(a) heroin and (b) cocaine imported into the United Kingdom in each of the past 10 years. [33029]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  On the basis of a study published last year we broadly estimate the size of the United Kingdom market as about 22 tonnes for cocaine and crack and 31 tonnes for heroin. Estimates for earlier years are not available.

  Police Reform
  Mr. Reed
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individual representations he has received from police officers about his White Paper on Police Reform. [26077]

  Mr. Denham
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 5 February 2002 to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Mr. Chidgey),Official Report, column 869W.

  Witness Support Schemes
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals there are to(a) publicise the work of witness support schemes and (b) secure recruits for them locally. [32683]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  All victims of reported crime are given or sent the "Victims of Crime" leaflet. This includes information about the Witness Service. Those called to appear as witnesses are sent the "Witness in Court"
  1129W
  leaflet, which provides a variety of useful information, including details of the Witness Service and contact information.

  The Witness Service is provided through the organisation Victim Support. The Home Office grant to Victim Support in the current financial year is £25 million, an increase of £6 million on last year's figure. The extra money has enabled Victim Support to replicate in magistrates' courts the witness support services they already provide in the Crown court. Local victim support schemes publicise their work and recruit volunteers in a variety of ways.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Complaints
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what systems are in place for monitoring complaints from members of the public about the service provided by her Department; and if she will make a statement [30849]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  There are various arrangements for dealing with and monitoring time to deal with complaints in different parts of the Department. These involve a range of time limits and targets. For example, complaints about the service provided by the Lord Chancellor's Department Headquarters are recorded and monitored by the Departmental Correspondence Unit which aims to deal fully with complaints within 20 working days. The Public Record Office and HM Land Registry aim to respond to complaints within 10 working days and five working days respectively. In the Court Service, written customer complaints are recorded by civil courts on the Business Management System and records are kept of those dealt with by Crown courts and at regional offices, and also by Court Service Headquarters. However, from April 2002 a computerised system will be introduced for all courts, regional offices and Court Service Headquarters to record and analyse all complaints from court users. This will include verbal, telephone and e-mail complaints, as well as those in writing.

  Details about the complaints procedures produced by the Lord Chancellor's departments and agencies are published on the relevant websites. The procedures make it clear that complainants who are not satisfied with the response they receive can ask for the matter to be reviewed. If the complainant remains dissatisfied following the review then he or she may ask his or her Member of Parliament to raise the matter with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.

  The judiciary are of course independent of the Department but the Lord Chancellor, as head of the judiciary, is responsible for investigating complaints about the personal conduct of Judges. He cannot consider complaints about judicial decisions. As a general rule he will investigate any complaint that a member of the judiciary has behaved in a way that falls short of the standards that both he and the public expects.
  1130W

  International Legal Services
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the impact of EU enlargement on international legal services. [33355]

  Mr. Wills
  The UK is committed to working for further opening up of the market in international legal services, which generate significant sums of foreign earnings. This aim will be furthered by enlargement of the EU, where the free movement and practice of lawyers is guaranteed.

  Reporting Procedures
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what reporting procedures exist between the Law Commission and his office. [33340]

  Mr. Wills
  The Law Commission submits an annual report on the Law Commission's work to the Lord Chancellor who then lays it before Parliament. The Lord Chancellor's Director General of Policy Group has line management responsibilities for the Secretary of the Law Commission and reports on his or her performance annually.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what reporting procedures exist between the Council on Tribunals and her office. [33290]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Council on Tribunals makes an annual report to the Lord Chancellor, the Scottish Ministers and the National Assembly for Wales, which is laid before Parliament.

  Community Legal Service
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what additional training is made available to paralegal staff in the Community Legal Service. [33301]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Legal Services Commission funds a number of initiatives to support additional training for both lawyers and paralegals. This includes training to cover issues in relation to the CLS Quality Mark as well as support for training in specific categories of law, such as that provided through the expansion package aimed at increasing the number of trained immigration and asylum law advisers. The Partnership Innovation Budget is also being used to support a range of training initiatives, and this was a key feature of a number of the successful bids announced last September.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many reports or submissions the Community Legal Service have produced since it was first established; and if she will list them. [33292]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The information in the form requested is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

  The Community Legal Service does not of itself produce reports and submissions. However, the Legal Services Commission, which has a statutory responsibility to establish, maintain and develop the Community

  1131W
  Legal Service, the Lord Chancellor's Department, and Community Legal Service Partnerships, have all produced a range of publications since the launch of the Community Legal Service in April 2000. These cover a range of subject areas, such as the Community Legal Service Quality Mark and Partnership Innovation Budget, but also extend to include individual strategic plans published by Community Legal Service Partnerships.

  Legal Services Commission
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who(a) sits on and(b) appoints members of the Legal Services Commission; and what criteria are used to select those who sit on it. [32565]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Legal Services Commission has a chair and 10 members, appointed by the Lord Chancellor. Eight members are non-executives, who work for a number of days a year, and two are executives, senior members of the Legal Services Commission's staff. The current Chair is Peter G. Birch, CBE and the non-executive members are Anthony Edwards, Philip Ely, Juliet Herzog, Sheila Hewitt, Yvonne Mosquito, Richard Penn, Margaret Richards and Jim Shearer. The two executive members are Steve Orchard, CBE (Chief Executive) and Brian Harvey (Director of Resources and Supplier Development).

  Section 1 (5) of the Access to Justice Act 1999 requires the Lord Chancellor in appointing to have regard to the desirability of Commission members having between them experience and knowledge of: (a) the provision of services which the Commission can fund as part of the Community Legal Service or Criminal Defence Service; (b) the work of the courts; (c) consumer affairs; (d) social conditions; and (e) management. Further essential criteria set out in the information pack sent to people responding to public advertisements for the non-executive posts are: (a) ability to make a significant contribution at both strategic and policy levels; (b) potential to rise to the challenges that will be faced by the new Commission and to commit to an organisation driving through significant change; (c) sensitivity to the political and social policy issues facing the Commission and to the needs of the legal end users: (d) breadth of experience, vision and interest; (e) excellent communication skills; (f) a willingness to work with others to develop consensus, including working with sub-groups; (g) the ability to command respect and influence as an individual; (h) an understanding of the nature of working within the public sector; and (i) an understanding of the need to maintain high standards of probity, integrity and discretion.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many reports or submissions the Legal Services Commission has produced since it was first established; and if she will list them.[33293]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Legal Services Commission produced 70 reports and consultation papers between its inception in April 2000 and 30 November 2001. Details are set out as follows in their order of publication:

  1. Merseyside Regional Report

  2. Legal Services Commission (LSC) General Civil Contracting—review of contracts draft for consultation

  1132W

  3. Guidance for Community Legal Service Partnerships Draft for Consultation

  4. South Eastern Regional Legal Services Committee (RLSC) Strategy

  5. West Midlands RLSC Strategy Report

  6. Eastern RLSC Report and Review

  7. Merseyside Regional Report

  8. Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Report

  9. Draft amendments to franchise category definitions, clinical negligence and actions against detaining authorities, help at court in family cases and family franchise category, June 2000

  10. Legal and Franchise Quality Standard: Solicitors

  11. Legal and Franchise Quality Standard: Not for profit

  12. General Civil Contract (Not for Profit)—Contract Documentation

  13. Legal Aid Board Annual Report 1999–2000

  14. Merseyside Regional Report

  5 Assessing Means Assessment: A summary of the first phase of the means assessment research project

  16. Family Graduated Fees Consultation Paper

  17. Community Legal Service (CLS) Funding, contracting for all civil representation, Draft for consultation

  18. General Criminal Contract—Draft for Consultation July 2000

  19. An Evaluation of the Legal Services Commission's Pilot Project on Contracting Criminal Legal Advice and Assistance—Executive Summary

  20. A Report on the Evaluation of the Legal Services Commission's Pilot Project on Contracting Criminal Legal Advice and Assistance—Quality in Criminal Defence Services

  21. A report on the Evaluation of the Legal Services Commission's Pilot Project on Contracting Legal Advice and Assistance—Work Patterns and Costs under Criminal Contracting

  22. Duty Solicitor Arrangements 2001—Draft for consultation July 2000

  23. LSC Corporate Plan 2000–01 to 2003–04

  24. Tameside Community Legal Service Partnership (CLSP) Strategic Plan

  25. Salford CLSP Strategic Plan

  26. North Western CLSP Update

  27. Salaried Defender Service Research Specifications

  28. Merseyside Regional Report

  29. General Criminal Contract Proposed Payment Rates and Monthly Payment Rules

  30. North Western RLSC Report and Review

  31. London RLSC Report and Review of Regional Strategy

  32. Criminal Contracting Documentation—December 2000

  33. General Civil Contracts from 1 April 2001 (Solicitors)

  34. General Civil Contracts from April 2001 (Not for Profit)

  35. Local Legal Need

  36. Report of the Findings of the LSRC Equal Opportunities Survey, 2000

  37. North Western CLSP Update

  38. Yorkshire and Humberside RLSC Report and Review

  39. LSC Manual Release 3—(Update 1 of 2001) Consultation Exercise

  40. Means Assessment: Options for Change

  41. A proposed Quality Mark Standard for Websites

  42. Proposed amendments to the Funding Code and decision-making guidance on family mediation

  43. Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme Pilot—Proposals

  44. LSC Legal Advice and Assistance at Police Stations Register Arrangements 2001

  1133W

  45. South Western RLSC Report and Review

  46. East Midlands RLSC Report and Review

  47. Duty Solicitor Manual 2001

  48. Transaction Criteria—Ancillary relief and Children Act booklets

  49. LSC Corporate Plan 2001–02 to 2003–04

  50. West Midlands Community Legal Issue Report

  51. Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme Pilot—Proposals: Summary of Responses and Conclusions

  52. Warwickshire CLS Report

  53. London RLSC Annual Report 1 April 2000–31 March 2001

  54. Eastern RLSC Annual Report

  55. Mediation Quality Mark Standard

  56. Family Advice and Information Networks Project

  57. CLS Consultation on range of proposed amendments for the Commission's documentation

  58. CLS—changes to the financial conditions for funding by the Commission

  59. Merseyside Regional Report

  60. Quality Mark for the Bar

  61. Step by Step Guide to the Quality Mark

  62. Criminal Bills Assessment Manual—draft for consultation

  63. Police and Criminal Evidence Act Guidance on Costs Assessment Manual—draft for consultation

  64. Client Feedback Questionnaire

  65. Casework for Students

  66. Cost under the General Civil Contract

  67. Derby Strategic Plan

  68. Northampton Strategic Plan

  69. Derbyshire Strategic Plan

  70. Stockton-on-Tees Strategic Plan.

  Statutory Publications Office
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many publications the Statutory Publications Office has in storage; and if he will list the buildings where they are stored. [33295]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Statutory Publications Office does not hold any publications in storage. All publications held by the Statutory Publications Office are held within the Statutory Publications Office, Lord Chancellor's Department, Selborne House central London. These publications include Acts of Parliament and Statutory Instruments that are used for the purpose of updating the Statute Law Database.

  Judges
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many complaints he has received since taking office concerning the conduct of individual judges. [33353]

  Mr. Wills
  The principle of judicial independence, which is central to our constitutional arrangements, means that it is not open to the Lord Chancellor or his Department to consider complaints about judicial decision. However, as Head of the Judiciary the Lord Chancellor does consider complaints about the personal conduct of individual judges and other judicial office holders. The names of the complainant and the judge are confidential. However, in the period between August 1998 1134W
  (when new internal arrangements for handling such complaints came into force) and December 2001, the Lord Chancellor received a total of 6,679 complaints about members of the judiciary. The majority of these related to judicial decisions. Of the remainder, 1,227 related to personal conduct and were taken forward for investigation by seeking the complainant's consent for the complaint to be copied to the judge. In 1,034 cases consent was received and the Lord Chancellor then approached the judge concerned for his or her response to the allegations and relayed these to the complainant. On 23 occasions he saw fit to take further action, either by writing to the judge or by arranging for him or her to be seen by officials. Comparable figures for the period before August 1998 are unavailable.

  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals she has to reduce the retirement age of judges. [33748]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  There are currently no proposals to reduce the retirement age for judges.

  Family Court Casework
  Matthew Green
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many family court cases have been heard in(a) magistrates courts and(b) county courts in each of the last five years. [32998]

  Mr. Wills
  Figures relating to the total number of family court cases for the five year period 1996 to 2000 are provided in the table. Figures for 2001 are currently being compiled. The figures represent the numbers of orders made under the Children Act 1989, the Domestic Violence and Matrimonial Proceedings Act 1976 and the Family Law Act 1996 (Part IV). In addition the county court figures include the number of petitions for divorce filed.

  Family court cases

  Magistrates courts1

  County courts

  1996

  57,904

  298,409

  1997

  56,233

  278,605

  1998

  70,984

  312,086

  1999

  56,112

  290,506

  2000

  87,977

  305,107

  1 Estimated figures—contain imputed data

  Official Visits
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when a Minister from his Department last visited(a) the Isle of Man and (b) the Channel Islands on an official basis. [32405]

  Mr. Wills
  The dates of the last official visits by a Lord Chancellor's Department Minister were(a) the Isle of Man on 27 June 2001, (b) Guernsey on 20 September 2001, Alderney and Sark on 27 September 2001 and Jersey on 19 November 2001.

  Auld Report
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what his policy is on the Auld proposal for district judges to sit with panels of JPs. [33723]
  1135W
  Mr. Wills
  The Government have taken no decisions on the report of Sir Robin Auld's Review. The period for comment closed on 31 January. The Government are now considering the recommendations in detail, taking account of the comments received. The Government will announce their conclusions by way of a White Paper in the spring.

  Promotional Video
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much her Department has spent on(a) producing and (b) distributing the video to persuade people to become judges; and if she will list the people and organisations to whom it has been distributed. [33744]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  On 1 February the Lord Chancellor released 'All Rise', a video showing the part-time judicial selection process from application through to appointment. It is aimed at encouraging the widest possible spectrum of qualified lawyers to apply for part-time judicial office across the range of offices in the courts and tribunals.

  Copies of the video have been sent to local and regional law societies, barristers' chambers, lawyers' representative organisations, the media and individuals with an interest. Over 600 copies of the video have been distributed so far.

  Production costs, including copying costs, to 1 February are expected to total £38,375.50.

  Distribution costs, including the cost of postage and envelopes, to 1 February are expected to total approximately £445.00.

  Leggatt Report
  Mr. Mark Field
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on the Government's response to the Leggatt report on tribunal justice. [31442]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Government are currently considering their response to the Leggatt review and will make a statement at an appropriate time later in the year.

  The Government's response will take into account the public consultation exercise completed in December 2001, which generated over 350 responses.

TREASURY

  Income Tax Yield
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the(a) annual income tax yield in each year from 1975–76 to 2001–02 and (b) annual real increase in the income tax yield in each year from 1975–76 to 2001–02. [30559]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Income tax receipts for every year after 1977–78 are published in Inland Revenue Statistics 1.2. This is available on the internet at http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/g_t02_1.htm.
  1136W
  Income tax statistics for 1975–76 to 1977–78 are follows:

  £ million

  Income tax receipts

  1975–76

  15,041

  1976–77

  17,014

  1977–78

  17,420

  The Treasury publishes GDP deflators on the internet at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/Economic_Data_and_Tools/GDP_Deflators/data_gdp_inde x.cfm.

  Child Care Tax Credit
  Mr. Mark Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Government have to extend the child care tax credit to parents in part-time work. [33013]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Child care tax credit is already available to parents who work part time. It can be claimed by lone parents who work at least 16 hours a week and by couples where both of them work at least 16 hours a week.

  Tax Credits
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown of his estimate in paragraph 11 of his summary of responses to the New Tax Credit Consultation (November 2001) of childless people in households with someone in work with household income below 60 per cent. of the median, between(a) childless couples, (b) single people over 25 years of age working 30 hours per week or more and (c) other single people. [32611]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 1 February 2002]: There are around 1 million single people or people in childless couples living in households with incomes below 60 per cent. of the median (after housing costs) who are working 16 hours or more a week. Around half of these are over 25 years of age and working 30 hours or more a week.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the basis for his calculation on replacement rates for childless couples, reported in paragraph 9 of his summary of responses to the New Tax Credit Consultation (November 2001); and if he will provide separate estimates for(a) renters and (b) homebuyers with mortgages. [32612]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The replacement rates referred to are based on a couple with someone working 35 hours a week at £5 an hour. Using this assumption, a couple without children paying rent is around £20 a week better off in full-time work than on benefit. A couple without children with a mortgage is around £55 a week better off in work than on benefit, (assuming they are not receiving any income support to cover mortgage interest). These gains to work correspond to replacement ratios before housing costs of 88 per cent. for the couple paying rent and 63 per cent. for the couple with a mortgage.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claims for working families tax credit and disabled persons tax credit have been(a) investigated, (b) dealt with by way of penalty or

  1137W
  caution,(c) made the subject of a prosecution and (d) made the subject of a prosecution or conviction in each year since the WFTC and DPTC commenced. [25102]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The table gives the information requested on applications for WFTC and DPTC since the start of these tax credits in October 1999.

  Period

  WFTC

  DPTC

  (a) Number of applications investigated

  October 1999 to March 2000

  3,893

  110

  April 2000 to March 2001

  28,930

  644

  April 2001 to December 2001

  14,361

  657

  Total

  47,184

  1,411

  (b) Number dealt with by Penalty

  October 1999 to September 2000

  106

  1

  October 2000 to September 2001

  401

  8

  October 2001 to December 2001

  128

  1

  Total

  6335

  10

  (c) and (d) Number of prosecutions

  October 1999 to March 2000

  0

  0

  April 2000 to March 2001

  12

  0

  April 2001 to December 2001

  16

  0

  Total

  28

  0

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he has given to the Inland Revenue in respect of their compliance work on tax credits. [25101]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Inland Revenue approaches non-compliance relating to tax credits very seriously. It has issued extensive guidance to staff carrying out tax credit compliance work on individual applications and on employers who pay tax credits through the payroll.

  The principal guidance on tax credit compliance for Inland Revenue officers is the Applicant Compliance Guide. This Guide has been published and the text is available to the public at all Inland Revenue inquiry centres. Guidance on tax credit aspects of employer compliance is being consolidated in an updated Employer Compliance Handbook. This will be published on completion. Specialist compliance sections within the Tax Credit Office and at Special Compliance Office operate under internal guidance not available to the public.

  Inland Revenue officers carry out tax credit applicant compliance and employer compliance work in accordance with the relevant Codes of Practice. A Code of Practice is issued at the opening of an inquiry, explaining why the Inland Revenue inquires into some cases and what happens during an inquiry. It also sets out the rights and responsibilities of both the customer and the Inland Revenue.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appeals have been made to the High Court and the Court of Session under the provisions of(a) subparagraph (5) of paragraph 3 and (b) subparagraph (4) of paragraph 4 of the Tax Credits Act 1999 in each year since the commencement of the Act. [25983]
  1138W
  Dawn Primarolo
  From the information available, to date there have been no appeals to the High Court and the Court of Session under the provisions of Schedule 4 of the Tax Credits Act 1999 following Inland Revenue penalty proceedings.

  International Aid
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to press other Governments to(a) increase their total international aid budget and (b) secure the abolition of education charges in the developing world by 2005. [33516]

  Mr. Boateng
  In his speech in New York in November the Chancellor called on all rich nations to commit further substantial increases to development assistance.

  The Government are committed to the principle that primary education should be made free. No child should be denied access to a basic education because the costs, either direct or indirect, cannot be met by the household. School fees are an example of a direct cost, but there may be indirect charges for books, uniforms and exams, which can make education unaffordable to many.

  The equitable financing of education is a key issue for achieving our goal of Universal Primary Education by 2015. In their dialogue with partner governments, the international community, and civil society on poverty reduction and education sector programmes, the Government will continue to argue for the reduction of financial barriers that exclude large numbers of the poorest children.

  Economic Models
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what use is being made by his Department of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research's global economic model; and if he will make a statement. [33612]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 6 February 2002]: The Treasury is in contact with outside organisations on a wide range of issues.

  PFI Deals
  Ian Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's latest estimate is for the financial years 2001–02 to 2003–04 of the(a) capital spending by the private sector resulting from private finance initiative deals signed in those years, (b) likely value of capital spending by the private sector resulting from private finance initiative deals reaching preferred bidder stage in those years and (c) estimated value of payments made by the Government under private finance initiative contracts to private sector providers. [34925]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The current position is as follows:

  Table A: Departmental estimate of capital spending by the private sector resulting from deals signed in the following years

  £ million

  Department

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  Defence

  225

  200

  100

  FCO and Overseas Development

  7

  9

  8

  Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

  2

  16

  3

  Trade and Industry

  38

  31

  19

  Transport, Local Government and the Regions

  865

  1,015

  1,011

  1139W

  Table A: Departmental estimate of capital spending by the private sector resulting from deals signed in the following years

  £ million

  Department

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  Education and Skills1,2

  28

  9

  0

  Home Office

  34

  0

  0

  Legal Departments

  17

  13

  15

  Culture, Media and Sport

  0

  0

  0

  Health

  536

  309

  120

  GCHQ

  159

  42

  7

  Work and Pensions

  18

  67

  14

  Scotland

  364

  93

  19

  Wales

  47

  0

  0

  Northern Ireland

  31

  16

  10

  Chancellor's Departments

  83

  15

  4

  Cabinet Office

  0

  0

  0

  Local Authorities3

  1,052

  1,580

  1,800

  Total

  3,506

  3,415

  3,130

  1 Excludes private finance activity in education institutions classified to the private sector. Includes projects in the voluntary aided schools sector only.

  2 PFI activity in local authority schools is included in the local authorities line.

  3 Figures represent estimated spend on projects supported by central Government through Revenue Support Grant.

  Table B: Estimated aggregated capital value of projects at preferred bidder stage

  £ million

  Department

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  Defence

  150

  270

  260

  FCO and Overseas Development

  0

  0

  0

  Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

  0

  0

  0

  Trade and Industry

  0

  0

  0

  Transport, Local Government and the Regions1

  10

  21

  21

  Education and Skills2

  0

  0

  0

  Home Office

  80

  80

  40

  Legal Departments

  5

  47

  8

  Culture, Media and Sport

  0

  0

  0

  Health

  0

  0

  0

  GCHQ

  0

  0

  0

  Work and Pensions

  0

  0

  0

  Scotland

  164

  25

  0

  Wales

  23

  76

  53

  Northern Ireland

  27

  54

  27

  Chancellor's Departments

  0

  0

  0

  Cabinet Office

  2

  4

  4

  Local Authorities3

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  461

  577

  413

  1 In addition, substantial private investment is levered in through housing, urban regeneration and other programmes.

  2 Excludes PPP/PFI activity in the further and higher education (FHE) sectors, which are classified to the private sector. Includes projects in the voluntary aided schools sector only.

  3PFI activity in local authority schools is included in the local authorities line.

  Change in total income between

  £ billion

  Group of taxpayers

  1997–98 and 1998–99

  1998–99 and 1999–2000

  1999–2000 and 2000–01

  2000–01 and 2000–02

  Top 1 per cent.

  8.4

  4.2

  6.2

  2.0

  Top 5 per cent.

  15.6

  8.0

  10.0

  4.4

  Top 10 per cent.

  21.8

  11.1

  12.5

  6.1

  Bottom 75 per cent.

  29.5

  13.2

  8.2

  10.9

  Bottom 50 per cent.

  14.1

  7.0

  3.0

  6.4

  Bottom 10 per cent.

  1.7

  0.4

  0.2

  0.9

  All taxpayers

  64.3

  29.9

  25.6

  20.7

  1140W

  Estimated Payments under PFI contracts (signed deals)

  £ million

  2000–01

  2,809

  2001–02

  3,981

  2002–03

  4,548

  2003–04

  4,875

  2004–05

  4,899

  2005–06

  4,926

  2006–07

  4,939

  2007–08

  5,014

  2008–09

  4,845

  2009–10

  4,769

  2010–11

  4,569

  2011–12

  4,426

  2012–13

  4,179

  2013–14

  4,116

  2014–15

  3,949

  2015–16

  3,961

  2016–17

  3,956

  2017–18

  3,894

  2018–19

  3,340

  2019–20

  3,346

  2020–21

  3,461

  2021–22

  3,066

  2022–23

  3,062

  2023–24

  3,033

  2024–25

  3,064

  2025–26

  2,681

  Note:

  Table C shows a forecast of the estimated payments for services flowing from new private investment over the next 25 years. Payments may be lower than estimated because of deductions from the service payments, caused either by the supplier's failure to make the service available or by a failure to meet the required performance standards. In addition, variances may occur because of changes in the service requirements agreed during the course of the contract. Payments may also vary as a result of the early termination of a contract triggering contractual arrangements for compensation on termination.

  Income Tax Liability
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the change in income tax liability for each year since 1997 of the(a) top one per cent., (b)top five per cent., (c)top 10 per cent., (d)bottom 75 per cent., (e) bottom 50 per cent., and (f) bottom 10 per cent., of taxpayers. [26278]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The changes in total income, total income tax liability, and total tax as a percentage of total income, by the groups requested for each year since 1997–98, are shown in the table.
  1141W

  Change in total income between

  £ billion

  Group of taxpayers

  1997–98 and 1998–99

  1998–99 and 1999–2000

  1999–2000 and 2000–01

  2000–01 and 2000–02

  Top 1 per cent.

  2.8

  1.3

  2.3

  0.6

  Top 5 per cent.

  4.7

  2.1

  3.3

  1.3

  Top 10 per cent.

  5.6

  2.8

  3.5

  1.7

  Bottom 75 per cent.

  1.6

  0.5

  0.7

  -0.3

  Bottom 50 per cent.

  0.7

  -0.2

  0.2

  -0.2

  Bottom 10 per cent.

  0.0

  -0.1

  0.0

  0.0

  All taxpayers

  8.5

  4.0

  4.8

  1.2

  Income tax liability as percentage of total income

  Percentage

  Group of taxpayers

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  Top 1 per cent.

  35

  35

  34

  35

  34

  Top 5 per cent.

  30

  30

  30

  30

  30

  Top 10 percent.

  27

  27

  27

  27

  27

  Bottom 75 per cent.

  13

  12

  11

  11

  11

  Bottom 50 per cent.

  9

  9

  8

  8

  8

  Bottom 10 per cent.

  2

  2

  1

  1

  1

  All taxpayers

  18

  18

  17

  18

  17

  These estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and are consistent with the pre-Budget report 2001.

  Census Forms
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales concerning their role in agreeing the content of future census forms in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [33522]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Simon Thomas, dated 7 February 2002:
  As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent question about discussions with the National Assembly for Wales concerning their role in agreeing the content of future census forms in Wales. (33522)
  Discussions are currently taking place between officials from the Office for National Statistics and the National Assembly for Wales (NAW) with a view to ensuring that the NAW has a more formal role in the planning, and content of, future Censuses in Wales. I will make a statement when an agreement has been reached.

  Manufacturing Jobs
  Mr. Mark Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many manufacturing jobs in central London have been lost since 1 April 2001. [33701]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Mark field, dated 7 February 2002:
  As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question about how many manufacturing jobs in central London have been lost since lst April 2001. (33701)
  1142W
  Data for employee jobs in Central London are only collected by the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI). ABI data are available on Nomis, which is accessible through the House of Commons Library. The most recent data available related to December 2000 and were released in December 2001. Data for December 2001 will be published in December 2002.

  Data Protection Act
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the longest period of time elapsed is between receiving(a) the administration fee and providing the information requested and (b) a request for information and providing the information requested, under the Data Protection Act 1998. [33457]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The information is as follows:

  Longest period of time between providing information requested and receiving:

  Department

  Administration fee

  Request for information

  HM Treasury

  91

  110

  Customs and Excise

  n/a

  172

  Inland Revenue

  n/a

  55

  Customs and Excise

  (a) The Department does not charge a fee for processing subject access requests.

  (b) The longest period elapsing between receiving a request and completing all action relating to its is 172 calendar days.

  Inland Revenue

  (a) The Inland Revenue does not charge an administration fee for responding to requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

  (b)For completed requests, the longest period of time elapsed between receiving a request for information and providing the information requested under the Data Protection Act 1998 is 55 days. For outstanding requests, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him today in respect of his question 33435.

  1143W
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many requests the Department has received under the Data Protection Act 1988 for(a) electronically held information and (b) paper documentation. [33585]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The information is as follows:

  How many data protection requests have been received for:

  Electronically held information

  Paper document

  HM Treasury

  n/a

  n/a

  Customs and Excise

  19

  n/a

  Inland Revenue

  11,988

  421

  HM Treasury
  The Treasury has generally included paper records in its searches wherever possible, and therefore makes no distinction in its records.

  Customs and Excise
  The requests that the Department receives do not normally differentiate between the ways in which data are held.

  Inland Revenue

  Number

  Electronically held information

  11,988

  Paper documentation

  421

  Total

  12,409

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many responses to requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998 have been completed(a) within 40, (b) between 40 and 60 and (c) over 60 days after receiving the original letter; and how many are still outstanding. [33435]

  HM Treasury1

  Customs and Excise2

  Inland Revenue3

  Percentage of requests completed within 40 days of receipt of £10 fee

  18.2

  18.2

  18.2

  Percentage of requests completed between 40 and 60 days of receipt of £10 fee

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Percentage of requests completed over 60 days of receipt of £10 fee

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1 The percentage reflects the relatively small number of cases involved and the relative difficulty of responding to them.

  2 The Department does not charge a fee for processing subject access requests.

  3.The Inland Revenue does not charge an administration fee for responding to requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what administration fees are charged by the Department for information requests made under the Data Protection Act 1998. [33464]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The information is as follows:

  HM Treasury
  The Department charges the standard £10 administration fee on all subject access requests except those made by current Treasury staff.

  Customs and Excise
  The Department does not charge a fee for processing subject access requests.

  Inland Revenue
  The Inland Revenue does not charge an administration fee for responding to requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.
  1144W
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The information is as follows:

  HM Treasury

  Customs and Excise

  Inland Revenue

  Total number of requests

  32

  76

  12,409

  Completed within 40 days

  17

  25

  12,356

  Completed between 40 and 60 days

  6

  16

  10

  Completed over 60 days

  3

  22

  2

  Still outstanding

  6

  13

  41

  HM Treasury
  The outstanding requests relate to either security vetting issues which have only recently been solved, or to 'all records' requests which have necessitated lengthy paper as well as electronic searches.

  Customs and Excise
  These figures relate to a period when HM Customs and Excise was undergoing fundamental restructuring and was introducing, as a consequence, revised procedures for dealing with subject access requests. The new procedures, coupled with further measures to increase staff awareness, should have a beneficial effect on future response times.

  Inland Revenue
  Of the 41 outstanding subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998, 39 requests are within the 40 day time limit set out in the Act. In two cases, clearances are awaited from the Inland Revenue's medical advisers for the release of sealed medical records covered by doctor/patient confidentiality. All other records were released to the individuals within 40 days.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of responses to requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998 the Department has completed(a) within 40 days of receipt of the £10 fee, (b) between 40 and 60 days of and (c) over 60 days after receiving the administration fee. [33471]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The answer is as follows:

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the period of time elapsed is for the oldest outstanding request for information under the Data Protection Act 1998, since receipt of the(a)original request and (b)administration fee. [33448]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The information is as follows:

  Days

  Longest outstanding request on receipt of:

  Original letter

  £10 fee

  HM Treasury

  364

  182

  Customs and Excise1

  131

  n/a

  Inland Revenue2

  90

  n/a

  1The Department does not charge an administration fee for processing subject access requests

  2The Inland Revenue does not charge an administration fee for responding to requests under the Data Protection Act 1998

  1145W
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many responses the Department has completed to requests for information made under the Data Protection Act 1998 for(a)electronically held information and (b) paper documentation. [33578]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The information is as follows:

  Responses completed for:

  Department

  Electronic information only

  Paper information only

  HM Treasury

  n/a

  n/a

  Customs and Excise

  19

  n/a

  Inland Revenue

  11,988

  380

  HM Treasury
  The Treasury has generally included paper records in its searches wherever possible.

  Customs and Excise
  The Department does not differentiate between electronic and manual data for responses supplied since 24 October 2001, since to do so would require disproportionate effort. Responses completed prior to 24 October 2001 related only to data held electronically; 19 were completed up to that time.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many responses to requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998 the Department has completed(a) within 40 days of receipt of, (b) between40 and 60 days of receiving and (c)over 60 days after receiving the £10 administration fee. [33566]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The information is as follows:

  HM Treasury

  Customs and Excise

  Inland Revenue

  Total number of requests

  11

  n/a

  n/a

  Completed within 40 days

  2

  n/a

  n/a

  Completed between 40 and 60 days

  2

  n/a

  n/a

  Completed over 60 days

  2

  n/a

  n/a

  Still outstanding

  5

  n/a

  n/a

  HM Treasury
  The administration fee is not charged to current Treasury staff inquiring on their own records.

  Customs and Excise
  The Department does not charge a fee for processing subject access requests.

  Inland Revenue
  The Inland Revenue does not charge an administration fee for responding to requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the policy of the Department is for ensuring responses to requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998 are completed within 40 days; and what their procedure is to achieve this; [33478]

  (2)what the Department's procedure is for responding to requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998; if he will place a copy in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [33485]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The information is as follows.
  1146W
  HM Treasury
  The Department's policy is to comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998, and wherever possible to respond with the information requested well within the 40-day time limit. Under the Data Protection Act 1984, when virtually no requests were received, annual test-requests were processed to make sure that the system was compliant. Since the 1998 Act came into force, there have been a few occasions where open-ended demands for information have exceeded the normal channel's ability to respond promptly. The Department is currently resourcing a team to ensure timely responses to all requests for the Department's information.

  Customs and Excise
  The Department's policy is to comply with the requirements of the Act. Following its recent restructuring it has been necessary to introduce revised procedures for dealing with subject access requests. The new procedures, coupled with further planned measures to increase staff awareness, should have a beneficial effect on future response times. The Department has also increased the staffing of the central unit whose role is to co-ordinate responses to subject access requests. This unit acts as a focal point for incoming requests, initiates the necessary searches, collates the information received and issues a single response to the applicant.

  Inland Revenue
  The Inland Revenue is very conscious of its obligation to meet the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998. The Department aims to respond to requests for information under the Act well within the 40-day time limit. The Department has in place a small central unit whose role is to co-ordinate, manage and oversee the response to all requests for information under the Data Protection Act 1998. supported by an extensive structure of data protection officers across the Department, the unit collates the relevant electronic and paper records to produce a single response to the data subject on behalf of the Inland Revenue. Staff are provided with detailed guidance, and where necessary, training to ensure that the Inland Revenue fully complies with its legal obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the average cost of processing each information request under the Data Protection Act 1998. [33437]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The information is as follows:

  HM Treasury
  The Department does not maintain figures on this, and to supply them would involve disproportionate cost. The cost required to fulfil subject access requests may vary greatly from case to case, depending on the volume and ownership of records to be searched. The Department is planning to centralise and develop its facilities in order to improve the efficiency of these searches, and reduce the time taken.

  Customs and Excise
  The Department does not record the information required to produce these figures because to do so would involve disproportionate cost, given the relatively small number of subject access requests received.

  Inland Revenue
  The average cost to the Inland Revenue of processing each information request under the Data Protection Act 1998 could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

HEALTH

  Fire Safety
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of hospital beds are in wards which do not comply with fire safety statutory requirements. [12716]
  1147W
  Ms Blears
  The annual returns received from national health service trusts stating their position in relation to Firecode compliance are not submitted in a form to allow the number of hospital beds to be identified in wards which do not comply with fire safety statutory requirements.

  Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants is considering the possible effects on(a)animal health and(b)human health of the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether in petrol; and if he will make a statement. [13226]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) advises the Chief Medical Officer on the possible effects of air pollutants on human health. No advice is provided on animal health.

  COMEAP has considered the possible effects on human health that might occur as a result of exposure to concentrations of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) that may be produced as a result of the addition of MTBE to petrol as an octane enhancer. The concentrations likely to be produced are low and no significant effects on public health are expected. The COMEAP statement on this topic has been placed in the Library.

  Teenage Pregnancy
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations of the Social Exclusion Unit's report on teenage pregnancy. [15152]

  Yvette Cooper
  All of the 30 action points set out in the Social Exclusion Unit's report on Teenage Pregnancy are being implemented and over a half have been completed.

  Early indications are that the implementation of the strategy is yielding positive results towards the two main goals of halving the rate of under-18 conceptions by 2010 and increasing the participation of teenage parents in education, training and employment. The under-18 conception rate has been on a downward trend for the last eight quarters for which data are available, and fell by 4 per cent, during the first year of implementation. The proportion of teenage mothers aged 16 to 19-years in education or work increased from 16 per cent, in 1997 to 31 percent, in 2000.

  Recombinant Factor 8
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of haemophiliacs(a)over 16 years and (b) in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland receive recombinant Factor 8. [16849]

  Yvette Cooper
  The latest information from the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors Organisation shows that in England patients aged 20 or younger (approximately 43 per cent, of all patients) are eligible to receive recombinant clotting factors. These patients may not currently be receiving recombinant clotting factors due to the recent world wide shortage but supplies are returning to normal and they will be put back onto 1148W
  recombinant clotting factors as soon as possible. Questions relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the devolved Administrations.

  We are giving careful consideration to the case for providing recombinant clotting factors for all haemophilia patients in England.

  Human BSE
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research the Government have recently commissioned(a) on the risks of contracting human BSE from surgical instruments and (b) on how the NHS should deal with patients exposed to such risk through medical treatment; and when the results will be published. [18909]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Department published a report entitled "Risk assessment for the transmission of vCJD via surgical instruments" on 16 March. This is available on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/cjd/riskassessmentsi.htm.

  On 10 October 2001 the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Incidents Panel published for consultation a framework document setting out proposals on the management of incidents involving possible exposure to CJD via surgery or donated blood, organs or tissues. The document is available on the Department's website at http://www.doh.gov.uk/cjd/consultation.

  Since 1998 the Department has allocated nearly £4 million to research on risk and decontamination of surgical instruments, and hopes to commission further contracts worth over £2 million in 2002. This work is carried out in major Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy research centres such as the Medical Research Council's prion unit in London and the National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Diseases surveillance unit in Edinburgh. Scientists at the Universities of Cambridge, London and Southampton are also involved, as well as those at Government research centres such as the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research and the Institute for Animal Health.

  A list of Government funded research on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies is published on the Medical Research Council's website at http:/www.mrc.ac.uk/ tse_tb2c.htm.

  Heart Disease
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will call for a report from the Chief Medical Officer about vulnerability to heart disease from(a)high cholesterol, (b) cholesterol levels normally deemed safe but which are sensitive at this lower level for particular individuals and ethnic groups, (c) insulin-resistant metabolic syndrome and (d) non-cholesterol related causes; whether there are targeted remedies other than quitting smoking and excessive alcohol intake and improving diet and exercise; and if he will make a statement. [20003]

  Yvette Cooper
  There are no immediate plans to issue a specific report about the links between cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease. There is a requirement within the National Service Framework (NSF) for Coronary Heart Disease that all general practitioners and primary health care teams should identify all people with
  1149W
  established cardiovascular disease, and those who are at significant risk of cardiovascular disease but who have not yet developed symptoms. They should offer them appropriate advice and treatment to reduce their risks. This includes specific dietary advice to lower serum cholesterol concentrations.

  The NSF also sets out the policy for the prescribing of statins. The first priority is to ensure that people with established CHD are treated with statins to lower their cholesterol level. The next step is the treatment of those without diagnosed CHD but whose risk of a cardiac event is greater than 30 per cent, over 10 years.

  Insulin-resistant metabolic syndrome is an underlying condition in many people with Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease. Prevention of Type 2 diabetes, which is achievable mainly by lifestyle change, will be addressed in the forthcoming Diabetes National Service Framework.

  In addition to smoking, poor diet, and physical inactivity, other modifiable risk factors for CHD include obesity and hypertension. The Department is taking action to address these risk factors through the NHS Plan, Cancer Plan and NSFs for Coronary Heart Disease, Older People and the forthcoming one on Diabetes.

  Polysaccharide Vaccine
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department(a) has commissioned and (b) plans to commission in respect of polysaccharide vaccine; when it was commissioned; when it will report; which (i) persons and (ii) organisations are undertaking the research; and what the (A) remit and (B) aims of the research are. [21393]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 10 December 2001]: The Department has commissioned the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) to undertake studies on the safety and immunogenicity of pneumococcal conjugate polysaccharide vaccines in infants and young children. The studies are under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth Miller, Head of Immunisation at PHLS. The studies were started in 2001 and results are expected in 2002 and 2003. Further studies in infants or the elderly will be considered in response to suitable applications.

  Nutrition
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of malnutrition per annum(a) to the NHS and (b) to public funds by (i) region and (ii) health authority in the last five years for which figures are available; [24036]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 13 November 2001, Official Report, columns 682–83W, on nutrition, if list (a) the specific targets and (b) the dates his Department has set under the hospital nutrition policy for the reduction of under nutrition; and if these targets take into consideration (i) age and (ii) regional differences in malnutrition. [24042]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 19 December 2001]: Figures on the number of episodes of hospital in-patients with a primary diagnosis relating to malnutrition show that the incidence of malnutrition leading to hospitalisation is rare but increases with age. Information
  1150W
  on costs is not centrally located. The total cost of malnutrition would be extremely difficult to calculate as it is often associated with another disease—either as a result of the disease or only diagnosed during the treatment for the disease.

  There are a number of measures and strategies in place to specifically manage, monitor and screen patients for under-nutrition in hospitals, residential care and the wider community. This includes the Better Hospital Food programme and the introduction of ward housekeepers in hospital, as outlined in the NHS Plan. In addition, from April 2002 all care homes will be regulated in accordance with national minimum standards, including nutrition.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what screening methods are in place and on what frequency(a) in England and (b) by health authority to monitor nutritional levels in people aged (i) 0–15, (ii) 16–59, (iii) 60–75 and (iv) 75 years what his policy is on a standard national nutritional screening policy. [24037]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 19 December 2002]: There is no standard national policy on screening for malnutrition in hospitals. It is a matter for individual trusts. However, in February 2001, we released the essence of care toolkit to be used for local clinical governance activity, and in which best practice standards include the need for nutritional screening and assessment of all patients.

  Nutritional screening is also recommended for the care of specific groups, such as those outlined in the National Service Framework for Older People. As highlighted in the response to previous inquiries to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in November 2001, a number of strategies are in place to manage, monitor and screen patients for under-nutrition in hospitals, residential care and the wider community. These were outlined previously.

  Guidance on the single assessment process for older people was issued for consultation in August 2001. The assessment will identify the health and social care needs of people over 65 years, including difficulties with diet and nutrition.

  Infection Control
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include a hospital's compliance with its infection control policy within the Commission for Health Improvement inspection programme. [24668]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 8 January 2002]: We have asked the Commission for Health Improvement to independently review and monitor the uptake of national controls assurance standards for Hospital Acquired Infection during their routine reviews of an organisation's systems and processes for monitoring and improving services.

  Medical Services
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were working in(a) endoscopy, (b) therapy radiography, (c) breast screening, (d) cytoscreening and (e) histopathology in each of the past five years. [27248]
  1151W
  Mr. Hutton
  Information is not collected centrally on the number of staff performing endoscopy. A range of staff (surgeons, physicians and nurses) may carry out the procedure, depending on how and where the patients present.

  The number of qualified therapy radiography staff is shown in the table.

  Information is not collected centrally on the number of staff who carry out breast screening. Figures are provided for the number of qualified diagnostic radiography staff, some of whom perform breast screening as part of their job.

  NHS hospital and community health services (HCHS): Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff within the specified areas of work and hospital medical staff within the histopathology1 area of work as at 30 September each year

  Headcount

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  Radiography (diagnostic)

  10,260

  10,360

  10,640

  10,840

  11,040

  Radiography (therapeutic)

  1,310

  1,410

  1,470

  1,490

  1,450

  All Healthcare Scientist Pathology staff

  23,320

  23,000

  23,170

  910

  24,240

  of which:

  Qualified

  15,900

  15,540

  15,480

  15,510

  15,580

  Unqualified

  7,420

  7,460

  ,690

  8,400

  8,660

  Medical staff working in Histopathology

  940

  940

  1,030

  1,080

  1,160

  1 In years 1996 to 1998 this specialty was titled Morbid Anatomy and Histopathology

  Note:

  Figures are rounded to the nearest 10

  Source:

  Department of Health non-medical workforce census

  Department of Health medical and dental workforce census

  Healthy Workplace Initiative
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) companies, (b) voluntary organisations and (c) public sector organisations based in the Buckingham constituency have signed up to the Healthy Workplace Initiative; what information they have received, and at what cost to public funds. [27781]

  Ms Blears
  Nationally to date approximately 30,000 small and medium size enterprises have "signed up" to the Healthy Workplace Initiative. Members receive a free newsletter four times a year and join the national on-line community at www.signupweb.net, which provides access to information and support on occupational health. In addition, several regions have set up local networks of businesses to share information and experiences. The total cost of the initiative from its launch in 1999 to date has been approximately £1.4 million. Registrations to the database are not sorted by parliamentary constituency so isolating membership figures for Buckingham would involve disproportionate costs.

  Community Pharmacists
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide additional support to community pharmacists. [28304]

  Ms Blears
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms Walley) on 24 January 2002,Official Report, column 1079W.
  1152W
  Cytoscreeners are medical laboratory scientific officers (MLSOs) or medical laboratory assistants (MLAs) possessing a suitable certificate in cervical cytology. It is not possible to disaggregrate them from other staff collected within the pathology grouping in the non-medical workforce census. In the table MLA cytoscreeners are included within total unqualified staff working in pathology. MLSO cytoscreeners are included within qualified staff working in pathology.

  The number of hospital medical staff within the histopathology area of work is shown in the table.

  Environmental Appraisals
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what procedures his Department has to ensure environmental appraisals are undertaken prior to(a) administrative and (b) policy decisions being
  made; [29025]

  (2) how many officials from his Department have attended the Environmental Appraisal and Integration into Policy training course run by the Civil Service College; [29027]

  (3) how many environmental appraisals have been published by his Department since 1 January 2001; and if he will list the last four; [29023]

  (4) when the last occasion was on which he requested an environmental appraisal before making a policy
  decision. [29024]

  Yvette Cooper
  Departmental guidance on environmental policy appraisal (including a screening tool) is available to all staff on the department's intranet. This is linked to the Cabinet Office policy maker's checklist. In raising staff awareness of sustainable development attention has been drawn to the importance of carrying out environmental policy appraisals. This has also been drawn to the attention of agencies and arm's length bodies.

  The Department is assisting the Cabinet Office in developing an integrated appraisal tool. This is a good practice tool designed to assess the impact—including environmental impacts—of policy proposals.
  1153W
  The civil service college course on "Environmental Appraisal and Integration into Policy" has been advertised widely in the Department and one person has attended the course. There are a number of bodies that provide environmental training and staff will choose a course that best meets their overall needs.

  Item(s)

  Number of items

  Total loss (£)

  Losses and thefts 1997–98

  NEC Vodaphone mobile phone

  1

  25.85

  SNI Pentium CPU only

  1

  880.00

  NEC P3 mobile phone

  1

  16.30

  NOKIA 232 mobile phone package

  1

  96.88

  HP870 colour printer

  1

  0.00

  Ericsson EH237 mobile phone

  1

  0.00

  BT Jade mobile phone

  1

  0.00

  BT Response 50 ansaphone

  1

  56.22

  SNI PC-4Nd laptop

  1

  1,488.73

  SNI PCD-AT Tower PC

  1

  1,151.50

  LaserJet 4 toner cartridge

  1

  79.54

  SNI PCD-4ND laptop

  1

  1,488.73

  Laptop

  1

  1,488.73

  HPL4 printer

  1

  415.95

  BT Response ansaphone

  1

  56.22

  Motorola Mobile, spare battery, carrycase

  3

  92.26

  Intercity pager

  1

  252.63

  BT Jade mobile phone

  1

  0.00

  PSION series 3C Organiser 2MB and leather case and travel modem for 3C

  3

  624.89

  Ericsson Hotline mobile phone

  1

  22.00

  Siemens Nixdorf PCD 4NE laptop

  1

  1,488.73

  Access VBA for Office 97 reference manual

  1

  622.75

  PC Anywhere version 7.5 user guide

  1

  108,04

  Desktop calculator

  1

  15.00

  Toshiba palmtop portable PC and lead

  1

  1,880.00

  Compaq Armada 1520 laptop

  1

  1,488.73

  Toshiba Satellite-pro Laptop, disk extension and SecureNet key

  3

  1,638.73

  Compaq Armada 1520 laptop

  1

  1,488.73

  Compaq Laptop

  1

  1,488.73

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  0.00

  Compaq Armada notebook computer

  1

  0.00

  SNI 4ND 486/DX2 50 20 with 20 MB RAM and Xircon network adapter

  2

  3,000.00

  RAM 32 MB from a PC

  2

  175.00

  RAM 16 MB from a PC

  1

  93.00

  Compaq contura laptop, mobile phone and a charger unit

  3

  0.00

  Toshiba laptop

  1

  1,500.00

  BT charge card

  1

  0.00

  SNI 4NC laptop, with REMS kit, Xircom adapter, SNKey and carrying case

  4

  2,606.15

  BT Response 50 ansaphone

  1

  50.00

  MS mouse

  1

  27.00

  Compaq laptop

  1

  3,777.00

  Compaq Armada laptop

  1

  2,105.60

  Compaq Armada laptop

  1

  2,105.60

  Compaq Armada 413IT, 1120T, Ethernet card and modem

  4

  5,640.00

  Motorola mobile phone

  1

  64.63

  Compaq Armada 1120 laptop

  1

  1,521.63

  Compaq Armada 1120 and Compaq Armada 7750 laptops

  2

  3,500.00

  Microsoft mouse

  1

  27.00

  Total for 1997–98

  65

  44,648.48

  Losses and thefts 1998–99

  Iomega zip drive

  1

  90.00

  Compaq Armada portable PC

  1

  1,521.63

  Compaq Armada 1520 Laptop, PCMCIA card, SNK key, mobile phone and battery

  5

  2,395.30

  HiNote 2000 digital laptop

  1

  4,995.00

  Psion 3 organiser

  1

  350.00

  Motherboard, P233 MHZ processor 3.2 GB Harddisk, and 64 MB RAM

  4

  1,500.00

  Siemens Nixdorf laptop

  1

  1,521.63

  Siemens Nixdorf Scenic notepad, 486 PC

  1

  1,521.63

  Hard disk and two 16MB RAM from a PC

  3

  328.00

  Siemens Nixdorf 486SX laptop

  1

  0.00

  Motorola D460 mobile phone

  1

  6.00

  1154W

  Stolen Equipment
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what equipment has been stolen from his Department since 1 May 1997; and what the approximate value of each item was. [26833]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 22 January 2002]The information requested is shown in the table.
  1155W

  Item(s)

  Number of items

  Total loss (£)

  Nokia 2110 mobile phone

  1

  0.00

  Mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Mobile phone

  1

  22.71

  SNI 486 laptop

  1

  1,656.75

  SNI 4ND laptop and modem

  2

  1,829.73

  Nokia 5110 mobile phone

  1

  6.00

  Compaq Armada 1560 laptop

  1

  0.00

  Psion 3a series personal organiser

  1

  386.58

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  NEC digital phone

  1

  156.66

  SNI PCD 4ND laptop

  1

  1,656.75

  Nokia 232 mobile phone

  1

  6.00

  SNI PCD 4ND laptop

  1

  1,656.75

  Compaq Armada 1592DT laptops

  4

  7,000.00

  Compaq Armada 1592DT laptops and TDK V34 GSM modem

  2

  1,841.23

  Siemens Nixdorf colour notebook

  1

  1,694.35

  Nokia 2110 mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Compaq V70 monitor

  2

  600.00

  Multitech MULMT5600ZZDX 56k modem

  1

  100.00

  Microphone

  1

  250.00

  Compaq Armada 1560 laptop

  1

  1,468.75

  Compaq laptop

  1

  1,468.75

  Compaq Contura 4/25

  1

  1,468.75

  Nokia 8110 mobile phone

  1

  74.32

  Laptop computer

  1

  1,468.75

  Compaq Armada 1700 laptop

  1

  1,620.00

  Mapinfo software

  1

  1,866.00

  Nokia 5110 mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Compaq Armada laptop and modem

  2

  1,641.48

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Total for 1998–99

  57

  44,204.75

  Losses and thefts 1999–2000

  Compaq Armada 1560 laptop

  1

  0.00

  Psion 3C organiser and Nokia 5110 mobile phone

  2

  257.05

  Toshiba 100CT Liberato palmtop, bag, battery and PCMCIA modem

  4

  2,000.00

  Panasonic AG450 camcorder and panasonic F15/8 camera

  2

  3,400.00

  Compaq Armada laptop

  1

  2,056.25

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Compaq laptop

  1

  1,956.38

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  7,05

  Compaq Armada 1700 laptop

  1

  0.00

  Ansaphone

  1

  64.63

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Compaq 1560 laptop

  1

  1,956.38

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Compaq laptop

  1

  1,956.38

  Compaq laptop

  1

  1,956.38

  Compaq laptop

  1

  1,948.00

  400 mhz Pentium processor

  1

  250.00

  Nokia 5110 mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Compaq Armada laptop

  1

  0.00

  Toshiba Tecra 8000CDT laptop and HP 340C printer

  2

  0.00

  Compaq Armada 1700 laptop

  1

  2,113.68

  BT charge card

  1

  0.00

  Nokia 8110 mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Charger for a Nokia phone

  1

  24.51

  BT Response 85 digital answering machine

  1

  55.00

  Compaq Armada R4883 laptop

  1

  2,113.68

  Compaq Armada 1120 laptop

  1

  1,948.00

  Compaq Armada 1120 laptop

  1

  1,948.00

  Charger for a Nokia phone

  1

  32.09

  Charger for a Nokia phone

  1

  32.09

  Compaq Armada 1560 laptop

  1

  2,113.68

  Compaq Armada 1750 laptop

  1

  2,113.83

  Compaq Armada 1750 laptop

  1

  1,948.15

  Compaq Armada 1120 laptop

  1

  1,948.15

  Compaq Armada 1120 laptop

  1

  2,100.00

  16Mb DIMM

  1

  24.00

  Compaq laptop

  1

  2,193.41

  Compaq Armada 1560 laptop

  1

  1,880.00

  Total for 1999–2000

  44

  40,432.02

  1156W 1157W

  Item(s)

  Number of items

  Total loss (£)

  Losses and thefts 2000–01

  Maltron dual handed keyboard

  1

  411.25

  Compaq Armada 1700

  1

  1,948.15

  Nokia 5100 mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Nokia 5110 mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Compaq Armada 1700

  1

  2,395.13

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Nokia 5110 mobile phone

  1

  180.95

  Nokia 5110 mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Nokia 5110 mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Compaq Armada 1560 laptop

  1

  2,702.50

  Compaq Armada 1560 laptop

  1

  2,395.06

  Dell Latitude Cpt500S laptops

  2

  4,460.00

  Epson 5500 projector

  1

  3,744.00

  Vodaphone phone and motorola pager

  2

  433.48

  Nokia 5110 mobile phone

  1

  180.95

  Compaq Armada M700 laptop

  1

  0.00

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Compaq Armada M700 laptops and 32 Speed Ext. CD-ROM drive

  3

  4,055.00

  Toshiba Tecra 8000CDT laptop

  1

  0.00

  Compaq Armada M700 laptop

  1

  2,200.00

  Compaq laptop with ROIS

  1

  2,378.85

  Compaq DeskPro EN 6600 P111 and 56k fax modem

  2

  844.83

  Compaq Armada M700 laptops

  2

  440.00

  Compaq Armada 1560 laptop

  1

  2,300.00

  Sony laptop

  1

  2,394.65

  Compaq Armada 1700 laptop

  1

  2,382.90

  Ericsson A1018s mobile phone

  1

  30.00

  PC motherboard with CPU and 64MB RAM

  2

  400.00

  Compaq Armada 1560 laptop

  1

  1,762.50

  Compaq Armada 1150 laptop

  1

  1,761.20

  Compaq laptop with ROIS

  1

  2,328.85

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Nokia 5110 mobile phone and charger

  2

  43.24

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Nokia 5110 mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Compaq Armada laptop, Motorola pager, Nokia 5110 mobile phone

  3

  2,482.78

  Compaq laptop with ROIS

  1

  2,328.85

  Total for 2000–01

  47

  47,048.57

  Losses and thefts 2001–02

  Ericsson GA318 mobile phone

  1

  32.90

  Compaq E500 laptop

  1

  1,761.20

  64 Mb DIMM memory chip

  1

  61.60

  Compaq Armada M700 laptop

  1

  2,321.80

  Compaq Armada 1110 laptop

  1

  2,321.80

  Compaq Armada laptop

  1

  1,915.25

  Compaq M700 laptop

  1

  2,321.80

  Compaq Spacesaver 866 base unit, keyboard and mouse

  3

  821.33

  Nokia 5110 mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Palm Pilot 3

  1

  158.63

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Compaq Armada M700 laptop

  1

  2,184.33

  Compaq laptop

  1

  2,184.33

  Compaq Armada 1750 laptop

  1

  2,184.33

  Compaq Armada 1592 laptop

  1

  1,684.33

  HP colour laser jet 4550 printer

  1

  1,800.10

  Compaq Armada M700 laptop

  1

  1,995.15

  Compaq laptop

  1

  1,995.15

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  7.05

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  0.00

  Compaq Armada 500 laptop

  1

  0.00

  Compaq laptop and Psion 5MX series

  2

  2,367.05

  Compaq Armada E500 laptop

  1

  1,835.94

  Compaq Armada E500 laptop

  1

  1,835.94

  Compaq Armada 1120 laptop

  1

  1,835.94

  Pager

  1

  176.25

  Nokia mobile phone

  1

  50.00

  Total to date for 2001–02

  30

  33,866.30

  1158W 1159W

  Child Protection Committees
  Dr. Vis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which area child protection committees have arrangements with each of the immigration detention and reception centres at(a) Oakington, (b) Tinsley House, (c) Yarls Wood, (d) Harmondsworth and (e) John Gavell; and if he will place in the Library copies of the protocols and working agreements. [29607]

  Jacqui Smith
  Oakington Reception Centre, and Tinsley House, Yarl's Wood and Harmondsworth Removal Centres have all made links with their local Area Child Protection Committee.

  Oakington's child protection policies and procedures have been endorsed by Cambridgeshire Area Child Protection Committee.

  Tinsley House conforms to West Sussex Area Child Protection Committee's child protection procedures and has a nominated child protection adviser to assist with child protection training, advice and liaison.

  Guidance on child protection arrangements for Yarl's Wood has been incorporated into Bedfordshire and Luton Area Child Protection Committee's Manual of Procedures, and protocols have been agreed with Group 4, who are contracted to manage the centre.

  Draft child protection procedures for Harmondsworth have been the subject of a report to Hillingdon Area Child Protection Committee and a subsequent conference involving the NSPCC, UKDS—who are contracted to manage the centre, relevant local authorities and the voluntary sector.

  I understand that my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, is arranging for copies of the child protection policies for these centres to be placed in the Library.

  Dungavel Removal Centre in Strathaven, South Lanarkshire is a matter for the devolved Administration.

  Departmental Sponsorship
  Jim Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the financial resources and initiatives sponsored by his Department in the last 12 months for Dorset which are additional to the Government SSA grants. [29891]

  Ms Blears
  The table lists the type and amount of funding made available to Dorset county council by the Department in 2000–01 and 2001–02, which is additional to the standard spending assessment.

  £000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  AIDS Support Grant

  40

  48

  Mental Health Grant

  933

  1,044

  Training Support Programme

  300

  334

  Partnership Grant1

  1623

  —

  Prevention Grant1

  232

  —

  Promoting Independence Grant1

  —

  2,320

  Carers' Grant

  362

  507

  Children's Grant

  479

  1,190

  Improving Information Management Grant2

  —

  16,666

  Deferred Payments Grant2

  —

  194

  Young People's Substance Misuse Planning Grant2

  —

  18

  Building Care Capacity Grant2

  —

  613

  Drugs and Alcohol Specific Grant2

  50

  0

  1160W

  £000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  Supplementary credit approvals:

  Mental Health

  160

  124

  AIDS/HIV

  0

  0

  1 The Partnership and Prevention Grants were amalgamated into the Promoting Independence Grant from 2001–02

  2 The grant commenced in 2001–02

  NHS Dentists
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government plans to set a minimum number of hours to be spent by dentists on NHS patients. [30387]

  Ms Blears
  Dentists who are independent contractors are free to choose how much time they wish to devote to the provision of national health service dental services. There are no plans to introduce a requirement for a minimum number of hours that dentists should spend providing NHS treatment. We are committed to the provision of NHS dental care, and have invested £100 million over two years in the form of incentives and grants to modernise services and encourage increased commitment to the NHS. We will continue to work with the profession and other stakeholders on future arrangements for NHS dentistry.

  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what incentives the Government plans to encourage the establishment of new NHS dentists' practices in North Shropshire; [30403]

  (2) what local initiatives the Government plans to increase (a) recruitment and (b) retention of NHS dentists in North Shropshire. [30402]

  Ms Blears
  There are no immediate plans to alter existing arrangements for dentists joining the general dental service. However, discussions are underway nationally, with the profession and other stakeholders, to consider future arrangements for national health service dentistry. Workforce issues are included in those discussions.

  Historically Shropshire has had difficulty attracting sufficient dentists offering NHS treatment. In partnership with the two Staffordshire health authorities and the local NHS Workforce Confederation, the HA is commissioning an extensive review of the key employment issues facing local dental teams. This review will also identify local solutions.

  Every HA in England has in place a dentistry action plan. These identify local issues and develop solutions. In 2001–02 Shropshire HA was allocated, from national funds, £50,000 to enable general dental service practitioners to register and treat more NHS patients. More recently, an additional £50,000 has been allocated to provide support to practitioners who wish to establish, or expand, NHS practice. Since June 2001 HAs have had powers to use their own resources to address shortfalls in local availability of NHS dentistry.

  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were registered with a NHS dentist in the Hillingdon health authority in each of the last seven years. [31447]
  1161W
  Ms Blears
  The number of adult and child patients registered with a general dental service (GDS) dentist in Hillingdon health authority at 30 September for each of the years 1995 to 2001 is shown in the table.

  In September 1996, the registration period for new adult and child registrations was shortened to 15 months. Previously adult registrations lasted for 24 months and child registrations expired at the end of the following calendar year. This affected registration numbers from December 1997 onwards. Data for 1995, 1996 and 1997 are not comparable with later years.

  Some patients that are not registered with a GDS dentist choose to attend occasionally.

  General dental service: Number of adult and child registrations1 Hillingdon health authority

  September each year

  Adults

  Children

  Total

  19951

  106,346

  32,957

  139,303

  19961

  104,213

  33,604

  137,817

  19971

  106,233

  35,163

  141,396

  1998

  90,010

  31,741

  121,751

  1999

  86,234

  32,186

  118,420

  2000

  85,422

  32,853

  118,275

  2001

  82,137

  32,681

  114,818

  1 Affected by the change in registration periods to 15 months.

  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists were accepting NHS patients in the Hillingdon health authority in each of the last seven years. [31446]

  Ms Blears
  The total number of general dental service (GDS) dentists that carry out the majority of their work in Hillingdon health authority at 30 September for each of the years 1995 to 2001 is shown in the table.

  The total number of dentists covers principals on a HA list, their assistants and vocational dental practitioners. Although the number of dentists continues to rise, their level of commitment to the GDS varies, mainly due to an increase in private working.

  General dental service: Total number of dentists1 providing national health service treatment, 1995 to 2001—Hillingdon health authority2

  September each year

  Total dentists

  1995

  90

  1996

  89

  1997

  91

  1998

  95

  1999

  98

  2000

  107

  2001

  104

  1 Data cover principal dentists on a health authority list, their assistants and vocational dental practitioners.

  2 Dentists who do the majority of their work in Hillingdon HA. Excludes dentists in the Hillingdon HA area who do most of their work in other HAs.

  Performance Improvement Payments
  Dr. Evan Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was distributed to the south-east region in performance improvement payments in 2001–02; and which trusts in the south-east region received payments. [30764]
  1162W
  Ms Blears
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Private Hospitals
  Mr. George Osborne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information on standards of patient care the NHS requires from private sector hospitals carrying out operations on behalf of the NHS. [30855]

  Mr. Hutton
  There are two important safeguards in place.

  First, from 1 April 2002 the National Care Standards Commission will take over from health authorities the regulation of private health care services, including private hospitals. For the first time they will be required to comply with regulations and meet national minimum standards. Also for the first time, owners, managers and others registered as being responsible for the day-to-day running of the hospital will be held responsible for the quality of care and treatment provided.

  Second, national health service commissioners are responsible for ensuring that all services and treatment provided for patients are high quality. Patients receiving treatment in private hospitals paid for by the NHS remain NHS patients. Therefore, when commissioning treatment from the independent sector, NHS commissioners must be satisfied that the treatment will be of a high standard, for example, by paper evidence of performance and visits. Quality requirements can also be set out in contracts between the NHS and the independent sector.

  Independent Complaints Reviews
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines exist with respect to tape recording the proceedings of independent complaints reviews; and if he will make a statement. [31069]

  Ms Blears
  It is for the lay chairman, in consultation with the other panel members, to decide how an independent review panel will operate. This can involve the tape recording of the panel's proceedings with the agreement of all concerned.

  Hospital Meals
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost per hospital meal is(a) before and (b) after the implementation of the Government's Better Hospital Food programme; and if he will make a statement. [31331]

  Ms Blears
  The Better Hospital Food programme, announced in the NHS Plan, is designed to improve the quality and availability of food in hospitals for all patients and is a long-term programme. An additional £38.5 million has been made available to support this programme.

  The first stage is to ensure that all sites are brought up to the required level. As the 31 December 2001 target date for implementation has only just passed, precise information will not yet be available, and will vary from site to site according to historic levels of investment, the type of system in operation and patient choice. We expect that detailed costings information will be available as the programme becomes established.
  1163W

  Chiropody Services
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of chiropody services in the Hillingdon health authority. [31361]

  Mr. Hutton
  It is for local statutory bodies, Hillingdon Primary Care Trust in this instance, to determine the services they provide in the light of their knowledge of local needs and priorities.

  Ashford and St. Peter's Hospital NHS Trust
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds were available for use within the Ashford and St. Peters hospital NHS trust on 1 January(a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001 and (d) 2002. [31588]

  Ms Blears
  The number of beds available for use on the 1 January for the requested years at Ashford and St. Peter's hospitals national health service trust is not centrally available.

  An average daily number of available beds in each financial year is collected and the information for the trust is given in the table. An available bed is defined as open and staffed at midnight and is ready to take a patient or has a patient occupying the bed.

  Average daily number of available beds, wards open overnight1, Ashford and St. Peter's Hospital NHS Trust, 1998–99 to 2000–01

  Year

  Total number of available beds

  2000–01

  633

  1999–2000

  612

  1998–99

  612

  1 ie 24 hours

  Source:

  KH03—Bed availability and occupancy

  Health Authority Expenditure
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will rank each health authority in England by the percentage change in health spending per head of population between 1997–98 and 2002–03. [31820]

  Mr. Hutton
  Expenditure per head cannot be reliably compared between health authorities or between different years.

  Expenditure data for 2000–01 are the latest available, therefore the increase in expenditure per weighted head of population has been calculated as the percentage change between 1997–98 and 2000–01. These are shown in the table.

  Health Authority

  Percentage increase 1997–98 to 2000–01

  Morecambe Bay

  51.60

  Sefton

  45.04

  Dorset

  43.56

  Bromley

  39.82

  Camden and Islington

  39.34

  Croydon

  37.75

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  33.70

  Barnet

  32.69

  Tees

  32.54

  Nottingham

  31.73

  Liverpool

  31.62

  Doncaster

  31.17

  1164W

  Health Authority

  Percentage increase 1997–98 to 2000–01

  Dudley

  30.88

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  30.85

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  30.81

  Salford and Trafford

  30.47

  Wirral

  30.25

  Barnsley

  29.79

  East London and The City

  29.66

  East Kent

  29.51

  South Essex

  29.48

  Northamptonshire

  29.42

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove

  29.41

  Bexley and Greenwich

  29.36

  Avon

  29.24

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  29.00

  North Essex

  28.87

  Enfield and Haringey

  28.22

  Rotherham

  28.15

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  27.58

  East Surrey

  27.56

  Berkshire

  27.44

  Northumberland

  27.19

  Barking and Havering

  26.99

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  26.92

  Oxfordshire

  26.83

  Bedfordshire

  26.71

  Sunderland

  26.49

  Coventry

  26.45

  West Pennine

  26.40

  South and West Devon

  26.17

  Somerset

  26.04

  North and Mid Hampshire

  25.70

  Manchester

  25.59

  Wigan and Bolton

  25.54

  North West Lancashire

  25.53

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  25.40

  Walsall

  25.40

  Newcastle and North Tyneside

  25.32

  Wolverhampton

  25.31

  East Riding and Hull

  25.29

  West Sussex

  25.23

  Isle of Wight

  25.19

  Norfolk

  25.17

  Wiltshire

  24.73

  Cambridgeshire

  24.23

  Stockport

  24.10

  North Cumbria

  24.05

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  23.97

  North Nottinghamshire

  23.97

  West Surrey

  23.86

  County Durham and Darlington

  23.60

  South Cheshire

  23.56

  Leeds

  23.18

  Suffolk

  23.12

  West Kent

  23.11

  North Yorkshire

  23.02

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  22.83

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  22.79

  Gloucestershire

  22.72

  Sandwell

  22.48

  North Staffordshire

  22.34

  Bury and Rochdale

  22.27

  Bradford

  22.08

  North Cheshire

  21.80

  North and East Devon

  21.67

  Gateshead and South Tyneside

  21.66

  South Lancashire

  21.62

  Brent and Harrow

  21.60

  Shropshire

  21.59

  Birmingham

  21.56

  West Hertfordshire

  21.54

  South Staffordshire

  21.44

  Hillingdon

  20.93

  East and North Hertfordshire

  20.90

  1165W

  Health Authority

  Percentage increase 1997–98 to 2000–01

  Leicestershire

  20.80

  East Lancashire

  20.60

  Buckinghamshire

  20.56

  Sheffield

  20.52

  Worcestershire

  19.91

  South Humber

  19.32

  Lincolnshire

  19.26

  Wakefield

  18.65

  Kingston and Richmond

  18.05

  North Derbyshire

  17.94

  Southern Derbyshire

  17.67

  Warwickshire

  16.43

  Herefordshire

  13.26

  Solihull

  13.16

  Notes:

  1. In many health authorities there are factors which distort the expenditure per head. These include: the health authority acting in a lead capacity to commission health care or fund training on behalf of other health bodies; asset revaluations in NHS Trusts being funded through health authorities; and some double counting of expenditure between health authorities and primary care trusts within the health authority area. Allocations per weighted head of population provide a much more reliable measure to identify differences between funding of health authorities.

  2. Expenditure is taken from health authority and primary care trust summarisation forms and accounts which are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from allocations in the year. The expenditure is the total spent by the health authority and by the primary care trusts within each health authority area. The majority of General Dental Services expenditure is not included in the health authority or primary care trust accounts and is separately accounted for by the Dental Practice Board.

  3. Health authorities and primary care trusts should account for their expenditure on a gross basis. This results in an element of double counting where one body acts as the main commissioner and is then reimbursed by other bodies. This affects the results for 2000–01 in particular but the effect of this double counting within the answer cannot be identified.

  4. Cambridgeshire and Norfolk health authorities were established on 1 April 1999 from the merger of three former health authorities. Expenditure figures for 1997–98 have been calculated from the relevant proportions of the three health authorities in the new bodies.

  Source:

  Health Authority annual accounts 1997–98

  Health Authority summarisation forms 2000–01

  Primary Care Trust summarisation schedules 2000–01

  Weighted population estimates 2000–01

  Residential Children's Services
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when residential children's services will be registered in Herefordshire and Worcestershire under the new requirements governing residential child care. [31674]

  Jacqui Smith
  The new National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) will register residential children's services when its powers, as set out in the Care Standards Act 2000, come into force on 1 April 2002. Until that date, applications for registration will continue to be dealt with by the local council in which area the proposed residential service is situated. Applications that have not been processed by councils by the end of March 2002 will have their applications transferred to NCSC.

  Children's residential services, which are already registered with local councils, will have their current registration transferred to the NCSC on 1 April 2002.
  1166W
  Councils are currently compiling the necessary information to ensure that transfer of registration takes place on that date.

  Mental Health
  Mrs. Helen Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how the Government's proposals stemming from(a) the White Paper on Mental Health, and (b) the policy statement on mental capacity, Making Decisions, will address the House of Lords judgment in the Bournewood case which relates to patients who lack capacity to consent; [32754]

  (2) what safeguards he plans to introduce for people who do not actively object to mental health treatment in hospital but lack the capacity to consent to it. [32750]

  Jacqui Smith
  The ruling of the House of Lords in the Bournewood case upheld the lawfulness of the current position whereby patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment for their mental disorder, as long as they do not show resistance, can be treated without the use of formal compulsory powers in the Mental Health Act 1983. Concerns, however, were raised about these patients.

  We are committed to reforming the 1983 Mental Health Act and a Bill will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows. As proposed in the White Paper, Reforming the Mental Health Act (December 2000), new legislation will provide the following safeguards for adult patients who have a long-term incapacity to consent and who are in a hospital or nursing home receiving treatment for a serious mental disorder:
  care and treatment overseen by a new commission for mental health;
  representation by a nominated person;
  an individual care plan, with external scrutiny by an independent member of the new expert panel;
  the right to go to the new mental health tribunal to challenge lawfulness of detention or for review of the care plan; and
  the right of access to independent specialist mental health advocacy.

  We are also committed to bringing forward legislation on mental incapacity as soon as Parliamentary time allows. The 1999 policy statement "Making Decisions" proposes a range of measures aimed at clarifying the decision-making process on behalf of mentally incapacitated adults, including the introduction of a new system of continuing powers of attorney. These proposals will be complementary to those for mental health legislation.

  Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement of progress made on a new building at the Royal Shrewsbury hospital to replace the Copthorne South building. [32586]

  Yvette Cooper
  The vacation of acute services currently on the Royal Shrewsbury hospital Copthorne South site and achieving its closure is a recognised priority both locally and regionally. The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital national health service trust and the Princess Royal hospital NHS trust have now completed the full business case and this has been submitted to the NHS west midlands regional office for approval.
  1167W

  Care Homes
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) nursing home beds and (b) residential care home beds were available per 1,000 people aged over 65 in each county of England in (i) 1997, (ii) 1999 and (iii) 2001; and what the county average is. [32702]

  Jacqui Smith
  Information on the number of registered nursing care beds per 1,000 population aged 65 and over in (i) 1997, (ii) 1999 and (iii) 2001 is shown by health authority in table 1; information on the number of residential care places per population aged 65 and over in (i) 1997, (ii) 1999 and (iii) 2001 is shown by local authority in table 2, which have been placed in the Library.

  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council of the administration of the registration of care homes under the National Care Standards Commission. [32097]

  Jacqui Smith
  Local authorities will have to pay in 2002–03 registration fees of £1,100 for each home they own and registration fees of £300 for each home manager. This is to bring local authority owned homes on to the same charging basis as homes owned by voluntary or private organisations. The total cost of this is for the East Riding of Yorkshire council to calculate themselves. Currently their own registration unit should be charging themselves annual fees for the local authority owned homes they are inspecting. In 2002–03 the National Care Standards Commission will not be charging any annual fees for homes that have to be registered for the first time as part of the transition process under the Care Standards Act. Annual fees for such homes will be introduced in 2003–04.

  Bristol Royal Infirmary
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recommendations from the Kennedy report into the Bristol Royal infirmary case the Government will adopt to improve treatment of congenital heart disease. [32538]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Services Review Group has been established to consider the recommendations from the Kennedy Report that specifically relate to health care services and treatment for children with congenital heart disease. The group has also been asked to recommend quality standards for the paediatric and congenital cardiac service and to advise on any configuration issues that arise from those standards. The review group will report in 2002.

  Road Traffic Accidents (NHS Charges)
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will withdraw the Road Traffic (NHS Charges) Amendment Regulations S.I., 2002/4030. [34978]

  Ms Blears
  Following representations received from the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Win-al, and the Association of British Insurers, arrangements are now being made to revoke the Road Traffic (NHS Charges) Amendment Regulations, which came into force on 28 January 2002. Amendment Regulations will be laid before the House shortly.
  1168W

  "Making It Happen"
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much money was spent on promoting mental health in(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01; [9508]

  (2) what was the cost of the new guide "Making it Happen"; and how many copies were printed; [9509]

  Jacqui Smith
  Expenditure on centrally funded initiatives on promoting mental health is provided in the table.

  £ million

  1997–98

  1.4

  1998–99

  1.2

  1999–2000

  1.8

  2000–01

  1.3

  Information on specific spend in health authorities is not collected.

  However, following the inclusion of a mental health promotion standard in the National Service Framework for Mental Health, health and social services have been set a target to develop and agree local mental health promotion strategies by March 2002. To help support the delivery of this target the Department commissioned the development of national guidance "Making it Happen: a guide to mental health promotion", published in August 2001. This guidance cost £204,000 including publishing and distribution. 5,000 copies of "Making it Happen" were printed and distributed. The guidance is also available on the Department's website.

  Drugs
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the range of daily dosages in milligrams of methadone normally recommended for use in drug control treatments. [19712]

  Ms Blears
  The guidance from the Department on this issue, detailed in "Drug misuse and dependence—guidelines on clinical management" (1989) makes clear that the actual dose given for an individual patient must be assessed and determined by the prescribing doctor.

  The clinical guidelines recommend that depending on the individuals tolerance levels the range for the initial dose should be between 10mg and 40mg.

  If a follow-up dose is required it should not exceed 30mg. However, a supplementary dose should only be considered where there is evidence of persistent opioid withdrawal. These cases need to be assessed by an experienced medical practitioner.

  As far as the subsequent stabilisation period is concerned any increases in dosage should not exceed 10mg per week up to a final total of between 60 and 120mg.

  Cancer
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future provision of cancer services in Hertfordshire. [32301]
  1169W
  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 1 February 2002]: The Steering Group for the Long Term Review of Mount Vernon Cancer Network and Centre has met on 30 January 2002 to consider an interim report. The Steering Group reviewed feedback that they had received since the publication of its preliminary report in September 2001, the proposed clinical model, progress on site surveys and access issues.

  The Steering Group is working towards a major decision that will ensure the best possible cancer services for the population in Hertfordshire and others that use the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre. There is a great deal to consider, including the many different viewpoints of patients and communities. The Steering Group wishes to be confident of its findings before making any final recommendations later in the year.

  Surgical Instruments
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of re-stocking with re-usable instruments for tonsillectomy following the hazard notice of October 2001. [32777]

  Yvette Cooper
  The estimated cost of re-stocking with re-usable instruments would have been no more than £1.4 million.

  This estimate is based on 150 trusts undertaking tonsillectomy operations, with eight sets of instruments per trust at an average cost per set of £1,200. However, feedback from trusts indicates that a significant percentage of them have retained their original re-usable sets. Therefore, the actual figure may be much less.

  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he had with surgeons on the acceptability of the disposable instruments purchased for tonsillectomy in 2001. [32782]

  Health authorities with highest expenditure per capita

  Number of patients waiting for in-patient treatment

  Name

  Expend per capita (£)

  Over six months

  Per 1,000 head of weighted population

  Over 12 months

  Per 1,000 head of weighted population

  Morecambe Bay HA

  1,346.04

  1,085

  3.44

  112

  0.36

  Camden and Islington HA

  1,067.88

  1,147

  2.28

  236

  0.47

  Sefton HA

  1,040.25

  1,811

  6.06

  385

  1.29

  Dorset HA

  1,023.69

  47

  0.07

  11

  0.02

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster HA

  1,011.24

  838

  1.66

  92

  0.18

  Bromley HA

  971.74

  1,913

  6.54

  301

  1.03

  Barnet HA

  959.87

  1,298

  3.93

  217

  0.66

  East Surrey HA

  958.66

  3,009

  7.89

  874

  2.29

  Sheffield HA

  956.59

  1,868

  3.26

  57

  0.10

  Croydon HA

  925.44

  2,145

  6.55

  625

  1.91

  Health authorities with lowest expenditure per capita

  Number of patients waiting for in-patient treatment

  Name

  Expend per capita (£)

  Over six months

  Per 1,000 head of weighted population

  Over 12 months

  Per 1,000 head of weighted population

  Stockport HA

  759.28

  1,389

  4.96

  192

  0.69

  Solihull HA

  756.17

  473

  2.44,

  17

  0.09

  Buckinghamshire HA

  755.09

  3,419

  5.60

  681

  1.12

  Hillingdon HA

  753.76

  987

  3.98

  200

  0.81

  St. Helens and Knowsley HA

  749.06

  1,782

  4.72

  329

  0.87

  West Pennine HA

  746.22

  1,939

  4.02

  279

  0.58

  North Derbyshire HA

  744.33

  1,649

  4.53

  35

  0.10

  1170W
  Yvette Cooper
  The National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency undertook the procurement process with the support of the British Association of Otorhinolaryngolygists (BAO), whose members were regularly consulted about the acceptability and quality of the products.

  In February 2001, all BAO members were invited to attend an inspection of the sample instruments that had been submitted. The feedback from this event was used to determine a shortlist of suppliers.

  Instruments from short listed companies were used and evaluated by surgeons selected at random before final decisions were made about which products would be supplied.

  Waiting Lists
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been waiting(a) more than six months and (b) more than 12 months for treatment in the 10 health authority areas that receive (i) the highest and (ii) the lowest weighted expenditure per head of population. [32963]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 4 February 2002]: For the reasons set out in the notes to the table, expenditure per head cannot be reliably compared between health authorities, nor necessarily be correlated with waiting times information.

  The 10 health authorities with the highest and lowest expenditure per weighted head of population in 2000–01 are shown in the table. The numbers of people waiting for more than six and 12 months for in-patient and for out-patient treatment are shown both as total numbers waiting and also as the numbers waiting per 1,000 head of weighted population.
  1171W

  Health authorities with lowest expenditure per capita

  Number of patients waiting for in-patient treatment

  Name

  Expend per capita (£)

  Over six months

  Per 1,000 head of weighted population

  Over 12 months

  Per 1,000 head of weighted population

  East Lancashire HA

  740.66

  2,405

  4.28

  91

  0.16

  County Durham And Darlington HA

  738.32

  1,852

  2.76

  23

  0.03

  Wigan and Bolton HA

  732.65

  2,638

  4.29

  395

  0.64

  Notes:

  1. In many health authorities there are factors which distort the expenditure per head. These include: the health authority acting in a lead capacity to commission health care or fund training on behalf of other health bodies; asset revaluations in NHS trusts being funded through health authorities; and some double counting of expenditure between health authorities and primary care trusts within the health authority area. Allocations per weighted head of population provide a much more reliable measure to identify differences between funding of health authorities.

  2. Expenditure is taken from health authority and primary care trust summarisation forms which are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from allocations in the year. The expenditure is the total spent by the health authority and by the primary care trusts within each health authority area. The majority of General Dental Services expenditure is not included in the health authority or primary care trust accounts and is separately accounted for by the Dental Practice Board.

  3. Health authorities and primary care trusts should account for their expenditure on a gross basis. This results in an element of double counting where one body acts as the main commissioner and is then reimbursed by other bodies. The effect of this double counting within the answer cannot be identified.

  Sources:

  Health authority summarisation forms 2000–01

  Primary care trust summarisation schedules 2000–01

  Weighted population estimates 2000–01

  QF01/QMO8R Waiting times data quarterly returns, end March 2001

  Maternity Units
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the size of maternity units in the NHS. [32965]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The national health service provides care for women during pregnancy and childbirth in various types and sizes of maternity units. This will vary from large units in hospitals to small midwife led units. It is for local health authorities, trusts and communities to decide on the pattern of service provision taking into account the needs of local service users, evidence of effectiveness and available resources.

  Emergency Services (Pay and Conditions)
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the pay and conditions of control room staff in the(a) ambulance, (b) police and (c) fire services under the new combined working arrangements. [33052]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The pay and conditions of ambulance control room staff will continue to be determined in accordance with national health service pay arrangements. For staff on national contracts, negotiations on pay for 2002–03 will start shortly.

  Employment arrangements for staff working in the police and fire services are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions respectively.

  Herceptin
  Dr. Richard Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement relating to the availability to patients in the west midlands of Herceptin prior to the publication of NICE guidance. [33535]
  1172W
  Yvette Cooper
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the National Assembly for Wales have asked the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) to appraise Herceptin for the treatment of advanced breast cancer, and to issue guidance on its use to the national health service in England and Wales. NICE expects to issue guidance on Herceptin in spring 2002.

  Data on the number of health authorities in England and Wales currently authorising the use of Herceptin are not collected. However, as with all newly licensed treatments in advance of a NICE appraisal, the Department's advice is that funding authorities should consider the clinical evidence available for a specific treatment before making any decision.

  Care Workers
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated to train care workers to NVQ level 2 standard as set out in the domiciliary care standards; and if he will make a statement. [34435]

  Jacqui Smith
  Provision has been made in the personal social services standard spending assessment (PSS SSA) in 2002–03 and 2003–04 for the training of care workers to NVQ level 2 standard as set out in the draft domiciliary care standards. The PSS SSA is unhypothecated, and it is for individual councils to consider how much to spend on this training in the light of local circumstances.

  Clozophine
  Sir Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time has been for schizophrenic patients who have been prescribed clozophine to receive the drug in the last six months. [34018]

  Jacqui Smith
  The information requested is not collected centrally.
  1173W

  Epsom Hospital
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many births there have been in Epsom hospital's maternity unit; and what the average number 1174W
  was in maternity units in England and Wales in the last five years. [33705]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 5 February 2002]:Information about the average number of births in maternity units is not collected centrally.

  Mileage Allowances
  Mileage Allowances
  European Arrest Warrants
  European Arrest Warrants
  United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
  United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
  Defence Exports
  Defence Exports
  International Security Assistance Force
  International Security Assistance Force
  Commonwealth War Graves: France and Belgium
  Commonwealth War Graves: France and Belgium
  Ilisu and Yusufeli Projects: ECGD Support
  Ilisu and Yusufeli Projects: ECGD Support
  Laeken European Council: Presidential Conclusions and Appendices
  Laeken European Council: Presidential Conclusions and Appendices
  EU Committee of Permanent Representatives
  EU Committee of Permanent Representatives
  EU Council Meetings: Scrutiny Arrangement
  EU Council Meetings: Scrutiny Arrangement
  EU Committee of the Regions: UK Representatives
  EU Committee of the Regions: UK Representatives
  Meat Imports: Heathrow Airport
  Meat Imports: Heathrow Airport
  Assured Food Standards
  Assured Food Standards
  Environmental Claims in Advertising: Guidelines
  Environmental Claims in Advertising: Guidelines
  Bus Lanes
  Bus Lanes
  Mark 1 Rolling Stock: Cup and Cone Modification
  Mark 1 Rolling Stock: Cup and Cone Modification
  London and Manchester Airports: Use by Overseas Residents
  London and Manchester Airports: Use by Overseas Residents
  Local Leadership and Public Services
  Local Leadership and Public Services
  Aircraft: Minimum Space Standards
  Aircraft: Minimum Space Standards