Written Answers of 17 January 2002

DEFENCE

  Warship Support Modernisation Project
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the NAO's report into the organisation of the Warship Support Modernisation project to be published; if he will list the representations made to his Department on this matter; and if he will make a statement. [25867]

  Mr. Ingram
  The NAO were commissioned by the Warship Support Agency Management Board to undertake an assurance audit of the Warship Support Modernisation evaluation and value for money analysis processes. While NAO reports are normally conducted for Parliament after public money has been spent, officials have asked them in this case to act in advance of any expenditure and to advise them principally on the soundness of the assessment processes. This work is being undertaken for the Warship Support Agency and is not a formal NAO investigation which would be published and presented to Parliament. The assurance audit is continuing and it is expected to be completed before the end of this month. No decision has yet been taken on the publication of this report.

  Forces' Mail
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision is made for United Kingdom service personnel on active service abroad to contact their next of kin; and what assessment he has made of similar provision for United States service personnel. [R] [25352]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 January 2002,Official Report, columns 558–59W, to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray).

  Cluster Bombs
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has been informed by his United States counterpart of the locations in which cluster bombs have been used by US armed forces in Afghanistan since the beginning of December. [26433]

  Mr. Ingram
  The US and UK have been in close political, diplomatic and military contact throughout the operations in Afghanistan. A wide variety of issues have been discussed, including the locations where cluster bombs have been dropped.

  Tony Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much progress was made at the Review Conference for the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons to reduce the hazard to civilians from(a) cluster bombs in particular and (b) unexploded ordnance in general. [26047]
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  Mr. Ingram
  The Review Conference of the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons agreed a mandate for a group of governmental experts to discuss ways and means to address the issue of explosive remnants of war and to submit recommendations at an early date to the State Parties to the Convention. The mandate covers consideration of all unexploded munitions, with a specific reference to sub-munitions, which include cluster bombs.

  Afghanistan
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance has been issued by Her Majesty's Government on the handling of prisoners in Afghanistan; and on which dates such guidance was issued. [26436]

  Mr. Hoon
  Appropriate guidance has been given to the UK forces operating in Afghanistan to ensure compliance with the UK's international legal obligations. I am withholding details of the dates guidance was issued in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001,Official Report, column 336W, on special educational needs, what percentage of children in schools operated by the Service Children's Education Agency have special educational needs. [27490]

  Dr. Moonie
  18 per cent. of children in schools operated by Service Children's Education have special educational needs between Stages 1 and 5 of the Code of Practice.

  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001,Official Report, column 336W, how many children of service personnel there are whose parents have voluntarily registered their children's special needs stages 1 to 5 on the Service Children's Education Agency's database. [27476]

  Dr. Moonie
  There are currently 3,257 children registered on the Service Children's Education (SCE) Special Educational Needs (SEN) database. The database includes details of service children with SEN whose parents are in receipt of Special Educational Needs Allowance, children who attend SCE schools worldwide and children who attend state schools in the UK. The database records only children who are at the Code of Practice Stage 3 or above. There is no requirement for parents to register children who are at Code of Practice Stage 1 or 2.

  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001,Official Report, column 336W, on special educational needs, how many children of service personnel there are whose parents have voluntarily registered their children's statement or record of needs on the Service Children's Education Agency's database. [27486]

  Dr. Moonie
  There are 1,222 children with a statement or record of needs registered on the Service Children's Education (SCE) Special Educational Needs (SEN) database. The database includes details of Service Children with SEN whose parents are in receipt of Special
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  Educational Needs Allowance, children who attend SCE schools worldwide and children who attend state schools in the UK.

  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001,Official Report, column 336W, on special educational needs, if the Service Children's Education Agency holds information on the SEN needs of the children of service personnel. [27482]

  Dr. Moonie
  Information is held on the Special Educational Needs of children currently receiving special needs support within Service Children's Education (SCE) schools and for those children in other schools whose parents have registered their child's needs on the SCE Special Educational Needs database.

  Nimrod
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Air Force's Nimrod MR2 maritime patrol aircraft. [27270]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Nimrod MR2 Maritime Patrol Aircraft is due to retire completely from RAF service in January 2009 and will be replaced by the Nimrod MRA4. The Nimrod MRA4 will represent a significant increase in capability for the RAF.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many TA commissions have been granted in each of the last four years;[R] [27196]

  (2) how many TA places at RMA Sandhurst have been unfilled in each of the last four years. [R] [27197]

  Dr. Moonie
  The number of places on the Territorial Army commissioning course held at RMA Sandhurst that have been unfilled, and the number of TA commissions granted, in each of the last four years, are shown in the table.

  Course

  Capacity

  Attendance

  Places unfilled

  TA commissions granted

  1998

  320

  242

  78

  202

  1999

  360

  211

  149

  190

  2000

  360

  155

  205

  141

  2001

  360

  214

  146

  188

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many formed TA units have trained in Canada in each of the last four years. [R] [27198]

  Branch/Trade

  Requirement

  Trained strength

  ±

  Percentage

  Engineer Officer

  1,745

  1,745

  0

  0

  Engineering Technician Airframe

  4,510

  4,718

  208

  4.6

  Engineering Technician Propulsion

  2,544

  2,719

  175

  6.9

  Engineering Technician Weapon

  2,048

  2,149

  101

  4.9

  Engineering Technician Avionics

  3,305

  3,376

  71

  2.1

  Engineering Technician Aircraft Electrical

  1,922

  1,844

  -78

  -4.0

  Engineering Technician Electronics

  2,359

  2,104

  -255

  -10.8

  General Technician Electrical

  646

  591

  -55

  -8.5

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  Dr. Moonie
  Two formed Territorial Army units have trained in Canada during the last four years. The Royal Yeomanry participated in Exercise Pond Jump West from 22 to 26 July 2000 and the King's Cheshire Regiment deployed on Exercise Fingals Cave from 1 to 15 September 2001.

  Russian Armed Forces
  Lembit öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government have to facilitate the teaching of English to members of the Russian armed forces; and if he will make a statement. [27834]

  Mr. Hoon
  Within the 2002 Outreach defence diplomacy programme with Russia, the Ministry of Defence plans to continue the teaching of English to Russian officers at the Defence School of Languages and at the University of Ripon and York. As a further part of the Outreach programme, English language training is one possible course within our Russian Resettlement Project for retiring and recently retired Russian officers.

  Radiation Tests
  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will grant the funds necessary to finance(a) blood and (b) saliva tests for radiation pioneered by Dundee university. [28058]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Ministry of Defence has been approached in the past to grant funds to Dundee university for such studies into the possible radiation exposure of nuclear test veterans. We have declined to do so because there are reservations about the capabilities of the proposed techniques for estimating historic radiation doses. Other studies using these techniques have found them to be inconclusive when there is a considerable time lapse since exposure, and where the exposure is low. These constraints were found to be particularly so in an age group typical of British nuclear test veterans.

  Armed Services Technical Personnel
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the establishment requirement in the Royal Air Force for qualified technical personnel responsible for the maintenance of equipment serviceability in operational units and maintenance depots, stating in each case the(a) specialty requirement, (b) manning levels and (c) percentage difference from establishment requirement; and if he will make a statement. [25897]

  Mr. Ingram
  The specific information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The table shows the requirement and trained strength, as at 1 December 2001, of RAF branches and trades involved in work relating to the maintenance of equipment serviceability.
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  Branch/Trade

  Requirement

  Trained strength

  ±

  Percentage

  General Technician Ground Support Equipment

  745

  750

  5

  0.7

  General Technician Workshops

  123

  150

  27

  21.9

  Mechanical Transport Technician

  430

  437

  7

  1.6

  Not all personnel in the branches and trades listed are permanently employed on operational or maintenance units. Some are required to undergo other duties or further specialist trade training. Generally speaking, surplus personnel are employed in the ground trade posts that may be filled by trained personnel of any trade. Measures are being taken to ameliorate the impact of the deficits and surpluses wherever possible.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the establishment requirement in the Army for qualified technical personnel responsible for the

  Requirement1

  Strength2

  Shortfall ±

  Percentage

  Career Employment Group

  Artificer Aircraft

  88

  140

  +52

  59.1

  Artificer Avionics

  45

  60

  +15

  33.3

  Artificer Electronics

  91

  141

  +50

  54.9

  Artificer Instruments

  24

  52

  +28

  116.7

  Artificer Radar

  43

  72

  +29

  67.4

  Artificer Telecommunications

  28

  62

  +34

  121.4

  Artificer Vehicles

  478

  515

  +37

  7.7

  Artificer Weapons

  81

  122

  +41

  50.6

  Technician Aircraft

  580

  569

  -11

  -1.9

  Technician Avionics

  265

  272

  +7

  2.6

  Technician Control Equipment

  345

  336

  -9

  -2.6

  Technician Instruments

  215

  210

  -5

  -2.3

  Technician Radar

  191

  200

  +9

  4.7

  Technician Telecommunications

  210

  175

  -35

  -16.7

  Armourer

  643

  506

  -137

  -21.3

  Metalsmith

  229

  207

  -22

  -9.6

  Recovery Mechanic

  591

  457

  -134

  -22.7

  Shipwright

  29

  23

  -6

  -20.7

  Vehicle Electrician

  556

  363

  -193

  -34.7

  Vehicle Mechanic

  4,071

  3,136

  -935

  -23.0

  Total

  8,803

  7,618

  -1,185

  -13.5

  REME Officers

  875

  817

  -58

  -6.6

  Sources:

  1 DASA (Army)

  2 REME Manning and Career Management Division

  Currently the overall shortfalls are 6.6 per cent. officers and 13.5 per cent. soldiers. Staff in trades for which surpluses are shown are employed within trades that are currently undermanned.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the establishment requirement in the Royal Navy for qualified technical personnel responsible for the maintenance of equipment serviceability in operational units and maintenance depots, stating in each case the(a) specialty requirement, (b) manning levels and (c) percentage difference from establishment requirement; and if he will make a statement. [25898]

  Mr. Ingram
  The respective requirement, strength and percentage difference for each category of technical specialist in the Royal Navy are as shown in the table.
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  maintenance of equipment serviceability in operational units and maintenance depots, stating in each case the (a) specialty requirement, (b) manning levels and (c) percentage difference from establishment requirement; and if he will make a statement. [25899]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) are the qualified specialist corps responsible for the technical maintenance of equipment within the Army. The table shows the REME trades involved in work relating to the maintenance of equipment, as at 1 December 2001.

  Specialisation

  Requirement

  Bearing

  Shortfall (percentage)

  Weapon Engineer Officer

  746

  733

  -1.7

  Marine Engineer Officer

  652

  640

  -1.8

  Air Engineer Officer

  346

  312

  -9.8

  Weapon Engineering Artificer

  1,661

  1,523

  -8.3

  Marine Engineering Artificer

  2,050

  1,972

  -3.8

  Air Engineering Artificer

  984

  961

  -2.3

  Weapon Engineering Mechanic

  785

  762

  -2.9

  Marine Engineering Mechanic

  3,514

  3,225

  -8.2

  Air Engineering Mechanic

  2,240

  2,273

  +1.4

  Currently the overall shortfall is 3.38 per cent officers and 4.61 per cent. ratings. However, all the RN's operational seagoing engineer officer posts are filled, and operational capability is being protected by giving priority to filling front-line posts for ratings. A number of measures are in hand to improve the shortfall.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Indonesia
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Sulawesi, Indonesia, with particular reference to recent bombings of four churches in the area. [28062]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  We continue to monitor events in the province of central Sulawesi closely. Sporadic clashes between Muslims and Christians in and around Poso, and more recently between Muslims and the security forces, continued after three Christian militia leaders were sentenced to death on 5 April 201 for their part in killings in May and June 2000. On 19 November 2001, the Supreme Court in Jakarta dismissed appeals by the three militia leaders against the death sentence.

  On 23 November 2001, our chargé d'affaires in Jakarta raised our concerns about the escalating violence with Bambang Yudhoyono, the Indonesian Co-ordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs. Mr. Yudhoyono confirmed that police and military reinforcements had been despatched to Poso to help contain the situation. During a visit to Central Sulawesi on 5 December 2001, Mr. Yudhoyono announced that President Megawati had ordered a six-month security restoration plan for the province. The Indonesian Government subsequently brokered an agreement between the warring factions to end the fighting which was signed on 20 December. This appears to be holding up reasonably well, although four bombs exploded outside churches in the region on new year's eve. The culprits are unknown but both Christian and Muslim leaders have appealed for calm.

  HMG have consistently made clear their view that long-term solutions to regional conflicts can be achieved only through negotiation and consultation. We continue to work with the Indonesian authorities to promote reconciliation, begin wider reconstruction work and offer practical assistance where appropriate. As part of our effort to support conflict prevention initiatives, the British Government recently funded a series of Conflict Reporting training workshops for journalists in various provinces in Indonesia, which included participants from Poso.

  Karine A
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of the source of funds that financed the arms shipment on Karine A; and if he will make a statement; [28247]

  (2) what representations he has made to the Palestinian Authority over the arms shipment detected on the Karine A; and if he will make a statement; [28246]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the (a) source and (b) ultimate intended destination of the arms on the Karine A; and if he will make a statement; [28245]

  (4) if he will make a statement on the progress of his inquiries into the links between the arms shipment discovered on the Karine A and the Palestinian Authority. [28244]
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  Mr. Bradshaw
  The discovery of the arms shipment on the Karine A is a serious matter. We have seen evidence linking the shipment to Palestinian officials. But the extent of Palestinian Authority involvement and details of the origin destination and funding for the arms remain unclear. Israeli and Palestinian Authority inquiries are in hand. In a meeting with President Arafat on 15 January I urged him to investigate Palestinian involvement thoroughly and present his findings quickly.

  Meanwhile the parties should not be deflected from the urgent business of implementing the Tenet Security Plan and Mitchell Committee recommendations.

  Plan Colombia
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the value of Plan Colombia; and what plans he has to promote a similar plan in relation to Afghanistan. [28111]

  Mr. MacShane
  Plan Colombia is the Colombian Government's programme to tackle Colombia's interconnected problems of violence, social and economic inequality, abuse of human rights and drugs cultivation and trafficking. It is designed to produce results over a number of years.

  Neither the UK nor the EU has made a contribution to the plan. The UK is contributing to a separate EU package of assistance to Colombia worth euro 300 million over the period 2001–06. The package focuses on measures that support human rights, long-term economic and social development, including alternative development, and an end to violence.

  The Government currently have no plans to promote a similar plan in relation to Afghanistan.

  Gibraltar
  David Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is Her Majesty's Government's intention to reach an accommodation with Spain about Gibraltar irrespective of the will of the citizens of Gibraltar. [28265]

  Peter Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave to the hon. Member for South Staffordshire (Sir P. Cormack) in this House on 27 November 2001,Official Report, column 822.

  David Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Her Majesty's Government's policy is on a referendum of the residents of Gibraltar on(a) independence, (b) integration and (c) joint sovereignty. [28266]

  Peter Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner) on 19 November 2001,Official Report, column 26W.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will put forward proposals for further integration of Gibraltar into the United Kingdom. [R] [28263]

  Peter Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Knowsley, South (Mr. O'Hara) on 20 November 2001,Official Report,

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  column 187W. Discussions under the Brussels Process have not included the possibility of integration of Gibraltar into the UK.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on discussions on independence for Gibraltar. [R] [28264]

  Peter Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Knowsley, South (Mr. O'Hara) on 20 November 2001,Official Report, column 187W. A copy of the joint press communiqué issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs when they met under the Brussels Process in Barcelona on 20 November has been placed in the Libraries of the House. Independence for Gibraltar is not an issue being discussed under the Brussels Process.

  Mr. Laxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what possibilities Her Majesty's Government are studying for the future status of Gibraltar similar to Ceuta and Mellia. [28267]

  Peter Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Knowsley, South (Mr. O'Hara) on 20 November 2001,Official Report, column 187W. Discussions under the Brussels Process have not included the possibility of integration of Gibraltar into the UK.

  Mr. Laxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for a referendum to be held in Gibraltar on an agreement with Spain about the status of Gibraltar. [28268]

  Peter Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Andrew Mackinlay) on 12 December 2001,Official Report, column 853W.

  Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what public statements have been made concerning Gibraltar by British diplomats in the last 12 months. [28269]

  Peter Hain
  British diplomats have set out the Government's policy on many occasions in the last 12 months, including international fora.

  James McLintock
  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he has been informed by the Government of Pakistan(a) on what charges and (b) in which prison James A. McLintock is being held; [28123]

  (2) if (a) he and (b) the UK High Commission in Pakistan has requested that James A. McLintock receive legal representation; [28122]

  (3) on what date the UK High Commission in Islamabad first requested information from the Government of Pakistan on the case of James A. McLintock; [28120]

  (4) what information has been received from the Government of Pakistan on the case of James A. McLintock; [28125]

  (5) when (a) he last contacted and (b) were his most recent discussions with the Government of Pakistan on the case of James A. McLintock; and what was the outcome of these discussions; [28121]
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  (6) on what date representatives from the UK High Commission in Islamabad were first allowed consular access to James A. McLintock; and on how many occasions representatives have been granted such access; [28124]

  (7) what representations he has made to the Government of Pakistan on the case of James A. McLintock; [28119]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not been in contact with the Pakistani authorities about this case.

  Staff at the British High Commission in Islamabad first sought information about a detained British national, later identified as James A. McLintock, on 21 December 2001. British officials saw Mr. McLintock on 4 and 5 January 2002. Confirmation of his health and welfare was made and this information was relayed to his family by FCO staff in London on 9 January. Access to Mr. McLintock was given again on 16 January 2002 and more information was passed to his family. Mr. McLintock is being held in Islamabad and has not been charged. Our staff have not requested legal representation, but instead have advised the Pakistanis that if Mr. McLintock is charged he must have legal representation. We continue to be in consultation with the Pakistani authorities about Mr. McLintock's situation. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary would, of course, be happy to see the hon. Member about this case if that would be helpful.

  Sellafield
  Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the representations(a) made to and (b) received from the European Commission by his Department in respect of the Sellafield MOX plant since 1 January. [19407]

  Margaret Beckett
  I have been asked to reply.

  Further to my answer to my hon. Friend on 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 681W, I understand that the European Commission wrote to the Department of Trade and Industry on 20 November 2001 about whether state aid had been granted to Sellafield MOX plant. The DTI does not believe that any state aid has been given to the plant and replied on 7 January.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Grogan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on Government policy regarding the coal industry. [25554]

  Mr. Wilson
  Coal plays a key role in meeting UK energy needs. Future policy in relation to the coal industry will be informed by the PIU energy review, the Clean Coal Technology Review, and the House of Lords report into security of supply.

  Energy Policy
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions her Department has had with the European Commission on national energy policy. [25555]
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  Mr. Wilson
  This Department is in continual contact with the Commission on a wide range of European energy issues affecting national energy policy. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry met Mrs. de Palacio on 29 November last year when they discussed energy liberalisation, the Commission's Green Paper on security of energy supply, coal subsidies, the need to ensure fair competition in the context of ownership by vertically integrated companies, and nuclear energy including safety standards. I attended the Energy Council on 4 December during which discussion focused mainly on the internal EU market in electricity and gas and on the Commission's Green Paper on security of energy supply. The Council also discussed the proposal for a directive on the energy performance of buildings, on climate change and on the justification or otherwise for continued state aid to the coal industry after expiry of the European Coal and Steel Community treaty.

  Postal Services
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she has taken to ensure that the universal service provision is adhered to in the UK market for postal services. [25556]

  Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she has taken to ensure that the universal service provision is adhered to in the UK market for postal services. [25556]

  Mr. Alexander
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer given earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire (Mr. Pickthall) at column 417.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the Crown post offices which have opened since May 1997. [27651]

  Mr. Alexander
  [holding answer 15 January 2002]: understand from Post Office Ltd. that no new Crown post offices have opened since May 1997.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will publish the gross running costs of the Crown post offices in(a) 1996–97 and (b) 2000–01. [27652]

  Mr. Alexander
  [holding answer 15 January 2002]: I understand from Post Office Ltd. that the information is not available in the form requested.

  Steel Industry
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with steel industry management regarding the future of the steel industry. [25558]

  Alan Johnson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and my noble Friend the Minister for Trade and Investment have met senior management from Corus to discuss a variety of issues in recent months.

  Aviation Industry
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the commercial position of airports and aircraft companies following the attacks of 11 September. [25561]
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  Ms Hewitt
  The hon. Member will be aware that the last four months have been a difficult time for those companies in the aviation and aerospace sectors. UK companies are working extremely hard to remain competitive. The current downturn in these sectors has regrettably resulted in job losses, but the long-term prospects for the industry remain good.

  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance her Department is providing to small firms affected by the downturn in the aviation industry since 11 September; and if she will make a statement. [25570]

  Mr. Wilson
  There is no specific support available from the Government for small businesses that have been adversely affected by these events.

  The Government do, however, make a significant financial contribution to the aerospace industry generally, in terms of launch investment, research and technology funding, and competitiveness improvement training.

  There are also other forms of generic business support available.

  The Business Link network provides advice and support for companies suffering as a result of a recent crisis. Business Links can also advise companies on a number of disaster management issues. Companies experiencing difficulties should contact their local Business Link office. The Business Link National Contact Centre, 0845 600 9006, will put small firms in touch with their local provider.

  Small businesses dependent on the UK airlines affected by 11 September will also benefit indirectly from the aid package provided by the UK Government to the aviation industry.

  Vehicles Directive
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her policy on the end of life vehicles directive. [25563]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Our policy is to implement with a light regulatory touch, achieving the environmental objectives of the directive without putting UK business at a competitive disadvantage. We are now assessing responses to our consultation document, and the recommendations of the Trade and Industry Committee.

  Restrictive Practice
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on progress with the Office of Fair Trading report into restrictive practice in the professions. [25564]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  As stated in the pre-Budget report, published on 27 November 2001, the Government intend to remove schedule 4 to the Competition Act 1998, which provides a special regime for the exclusion of professional rules from competition law, in the forthcoming Enterprise Bill.

  The professions are conducting reviews of their own in light of the OFT report and some bodies have already announced positive changes as a result. On the remaining matters for Government from the report, the Lord

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  Chancellor's Department is considering what further steps might be needed in respect of the market for legal services to ensure that competition issues are fully addressed.

  Mineworkers' Pension Scheme
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the Government's entitlement to half of the surplus of the mineworkers' pension scheme. [25565]

  Mr. Wilson
  I am pleased to announce a new, additional benefit for members of the mineworkers' pension scheme on the lowest incomes, at a cost of £90 million. This will be funded out of the Government's share of the scheme's reserves.

  The package will help mineworkers' pension scheme members who have only very modest miners' pensions, despite many years of service to the industry before 1975. Help for that particular group was identified as a priority in discussions with the scheme's trustees. Now, thanks to gains in the scheme's value under the Government's guarantee, the Government and Trustees have agreed a package of benefits, which includes special one-off payments for up to 66,000 of these members, alongside the 9 per cent. bonus for all members agreed earlier this year.

  These lump sum payments will apply to members with at least five years service who left British Coal before or shortly after 1975 and who are on low pensions, defined on a sliding scale from not more than £5 a week after five years' service to not more than £10 a week after 10 or more years' service. The amounts they will receive will depend on their length of pensionable service and the current value of their pensions. Those with the longest service and the lowest pensions will receive the most. Payments, will range between £200 (e.g. for someone with, five years' service on £4 to £5 a week, or with 10 years' service on £9 to £10 a week) and £2,000 (for someone with 10 or more years' service on less than £1 a week). Details will appear in the next edition of the mineworker's pension scheme newsletter.

  Members will not need to claim the money—most of those eligible, including all the existing pensioners, are expected to be paid in May, with the remainder paid within the next 18 months.

  The Government and the Trustees of the two former British Coal pension schemes, the mineworkers' pension scheme and the British Coal staff superannuation scheme, have also agreed a joint statement agreeing a review of arrangements for the Government's guarantee of members' basic pension benefits. The text of that statement is as follows:
  "In 1994, when British Coal was privatised, the Government agreed to guarantee benefits already built up in the Corporation's pension schemes. These arrangements have served the members of the schemes very well, providing the basis for average pension increases of some 30 per cent. since 1994. Without the Government's guarantee, these closed schemes would have had to pursue entirely different investment strategies, based primarily on holding bonds, and would not have been able to pay anything like these increases.
  However, both the Government and the Trustees recognise that there have been changes in circumstances since 1994. They have therefore agreed to explore how these changes might best be reflected in revisions to the 1994 arrangements which would
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  benefit members. In doing so, they recognise that any revisions will need to be based on an equitable sharing of risks and reward between the schemes and the Exchequer, and will need to be sufficiently robust to operate satisfactorily in a wide variety of conditions."

  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received on the Government's share of Coal Industry Pension Fund surpluses. [25567]

  Mr. Wilson
  I have received seven representations on this issue over the last two months.

  Manufacturing Industry
  David Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to encourage research and development in UK manufacturing industry. [25566]

  Alan Johnson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Weaver Vale (Mr. Hall) at column 411.

  Venture Capital
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to increase access to venture capital funds in the regions of England. [25568]

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to increase access to venture capital funds in the regions of England. [25579]

  Alan Johnson
  To increase access to venture capital in the English regions the Government are seeking to stimulate the creation of Regional Venture Capital Funds (RVCFs). Being developed on the basis of one in each of the English regions they are being established to demonstrate institutional investment in the "equity gap" and demonstrate to institutional investors that commercial returns can be made in this sector; to increase the supply of venture capital in amounts of under £500,000; and ensure that every English region has access to "equity gap" funds. All RVCFs will be commercially focused with fund management and all investment decisions undertaken by experienced fund managers. All funds should launch during 2002.

  Miners (Medical Test Centres)
  David Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the accessibility of medical test centres to former miners in the east midlands seeking compensation for COPD. [25569]

  Mr. Wilson
  There are six centres that are accessible to the 37,505 claimants in the midlands. These are located at Cannock, Chesterfield, Coventry, Mansfield, Nottingham and Stoke. One of the mobile testing units has been deployed at Mansfield since mid-October 2001. To date, these centres have assessed, through the full medical assessment process (MAP) over 5,130 live claimants, with a further 2,072 appointments being made.

  Claimants are usually invited to attend a test centre within a 25-mile radius from their residence. However, claimants are given the option to attend a different centre

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  if a more suitable time is available. For those claimants who are not able to travel to a centre, and have a letter from their doctor, Healthcall, the company contracted to undertake the MAP can carry out home visits.

  There has been much focus on resources in this region and the Department, in consultation with the claimants' solicitors, is continuously reviewing ways of improving services and increase throughput. Plans to convert Mansfield into a double testing centre are currently under negotiations.

  As at the end of November, the Department had made 8,862 interim payments and settled some 3,322 claims. In total, the Department has paid out some £45.3 million in the midlands area.

  Clean Coal Technology
  Paddy Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she intends to publish the report of the working group on clean coal technology. [25571]

  Mr. Wilson
  I hope to be able to announce the publication of the report in the very near future.

  Jeff Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to encourage the take-up of clean coal technology. [25576]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Government are currently spending around £12 million over the three year period 2000–01 to 2002–03 on research and development into cleaner coal technologies. In addition to this I also expect to announce the conclusions of the review into the case for Government support for cleaner coal technology demonstration plant in the very near future.

  ALCOA Aluminium
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussion she has had with the management team at ALCOA aluminium to discuss the company's proposed redundancies; and if she will make a statement. [25572]

  Mr. Wilson
  None, although DTI officials have met ALCOA management at UK and EU level to discuss a wide range of issues. The company's proposal for 228 job losses out of a total UK work force of 4,100 would involve the closure of the Dolgarrog facility and employee reductions at the Swansea rolling mill. The proposed reductions in ALCOA's UK work force form part of a global restructuring plan involving 6,500 redundancies brought about by recent falls in world demand for aluminium products. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is working with the Welsh Assembly Government to minimise the impact on those affected.

  A task group comprising Conwy CBC, the Welsh Development Agency (WDA), the Employment Service, trade unions and other public agencies is seeking alternative employment for those made redundant. In addition, Conwy CBC and the WDA are jointly funding a study (supported by ALCOA) to look at the potential for continued production at Dolgarrog on a more limited scale. Dolgarrog is also part of an Objective 1 Assisted Area and so the Assembly Government and its partners will be looking to secure the maximum financial support available.

  Indo UK
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement about the work of Indo UK Partnerships and the Indo UK Round Table. [25573]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The UK's political and business relations with India, a key partner, are a very high priority for this Government. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's visit confirms this. We are making good progress, helped by the Indo-British Partnership for trade and investment and the UK/India Round Table for new thinking about our wider bilateral relations.

  The Indo-British Partnership (IBP) was created in 1993 by the then Prime Minister to promote trade and investment. During his recent visit to India my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met the British and Indian co-chairs of the IBP. Since its inception, the IBP has seen a substantial increase in bilateral trade. The UK is now India's second largest trading partner after the US. By the end of 2000 bilateral trade was worth £5 billion. That year UK exports to India grew by 32 per cent. The UK accounts for over 6 per cent. of India's total foreign trade.

  The UK/India Round Table, which meets again in April, was established in April 2000 by the two Foreign Ministers. It has produced a series of constructive recommendations for enhancing bilateral relations.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Joyce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure the development of renewable sources of energy. [25574]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Government are taking active steps to ensure the development of renewable sources of energy.

  Introducing the new renewables obligation, exempting renewables from the climate change levy and protecting existing non fossil fuel obligation (NFFO) contracts will together create a long-term market incentive for renewables worth over £1 billion per year by 2010.

  We are underpinning the obligation with direct Government funding for renewables worth over £260 million between 2001 and 2004. We are setting up an extensive capital grants programme for offshore wind and energy crops projects, initiating a major photovoltaics demonstration programme, and boosting research and development.

  We recently introduced an order to allow locational flexibility for NFFO 3, 4 and 5 projects that have not yet been commissioned. This will allow more appropriate locations to be found in order to overcome problems in securing planning permission.

  We have initiated studies of each UK region's capacity to generate electricity from renewable sources. Once all these assessments are completed, it is expected that specific regional targets for renewable energy will be adopted across the UK.

  The Government are also exploring the scope for upgrading the electricity distribution system to enable the UK's huge renewable energy resources to be exploited to the full. For example, we have commissioned an initial

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  study of the feasibility of an underwater cable to connect parts of the Western seaboard of the UK directly to the National Grid.

  World Trade Organisation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact on UK manufacturing of the opening of a new WTO trade round. [25575]

  Ms Hewitt
  On its own the opening of a new WTO trade round will have little impact on UK manufacturing. This is because the opening of the round merely launches multilateral negotiations. A fuller assessment of the impact on UK manufacturing and the UK economy overall should come after the hoped for successful conclusions of those negotiations. World wide reductions in industrial tariffs should, for example, lead to both improved market access for UK manufacturing overseas and lower cost sources of components. Negotiations start with an expectation of significant benefits. A halving of WTO members' tariffs, for example, could increase world incomes by around $200 billion a year. UK manufacturers could be expected to benefit significantly from such increases in world incomes.

  China
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to encourage UK exports to China. [25577]

  Nigel Griffiths
  As my hon. Friend knows from personal experience, China is a key market for British trade and investment. The Government, through Trade Partners UK, recently announced an extensive programme of supported activity for British companies in the China market for 2002–03, including 18 Government supported trade missions, 26 trade fair groups and 10 sector specific seminar initiatives. This is in addition to the regular ministerial visits to and from China including the visit by Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao in November 2001. Visits from the UK during 2001 included the then Minister for e.Commerce, the then Minister for Trade, the then Minister for Construction, the Minister for Science, the Minister for Energy and Industry and the Financial Secretary.

  Trade Partners UK is also supporting a programme of major events in China aimed at promoting the UK's strengths as a competitive, technologically innovative economy and a strong business partner for China. This began with a large scale, award winning UK pavilion at the China High-Tech Fair in Shenzhen last October, visited by Lord Sainsbury. In October 2002 there will be a major programme of activity in Shanghai, followed by a wide-ranging series of events around China in 2003 centred on Beijing.

  This high level of activity in China is complemented by awareness-raising activity among British companies in the UK. Trade Partners UK, in close co-operation with the China-Britain Business Council, is engaged in a rolling programme of events to alert UK companies to business opportunities in China. This activity includes the formation recently of a Beijing Olympics Taskforce, which aims to maximise the contribution of UK business to the preparations for the 2008 Games.
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  UK exports to China rose by 21 per cent. in 2000 and by a further 18 per cent. in the first 10 months of 2001. The work of Trade Partners UK, with the CBBC, is designed further to enhance UK companies' competitiveness in China.

  Employment Practices
  Mrs. Dean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to encourage flexibility in employment practices. [25578]

  Alan Johnson
  Earlier this week the Government amended the Employment Bill to take forward the recommendations made by the Work and Parents Taskforce to place a duty on employers to give serious consideration to requests to work flexibly from parents of young children.

  Yesterday we also announced the fourth round of the Work Life Balance Challenge Fund, which will help employers introduce and develop flexible and diverse working arrangements. The aim of the fund is to raise employers' awareness of the business benefits of policies and practices that help employees achieve a better balance between work and the rest of their lives.

  Air Traffic Control (Tanzania)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the sale of the air traffic control system to Tanzania. [25953]

  Nigel Griffiths
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on 9 January 2002,Official Report, column 869W.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding has been allocated to help start small businesses in Portsmouth, South in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [24942]

  Nigel Griffiths
  A breakdown of the information requested is not available by constituency and could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.

  Post Office Network
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the sum allocated in the Comprehensive Spending Review to preserve the post office network will be spent; how much has been spent in 2000–01; and how much will be spent in(a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04. [25372]

  Mr. Alexander
  [holding answer 11 January 2002]: In the Comprehensive Spending Review 2000, £270 million was allocated to Modernise and sustain the post office network over the three years 2001–02 to 2003–04. Of this, £15 million over three years was allocated to the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions to help sustain and improve post offices in deprived urban areas. A total of £35 million over three years has been set aside to pilot the concept of post offices as Government General Practitioners. The balance of the

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  funding is allocated to supporting the restructuring of the urban network and to providing transitional financial assistance to rural post offices.

  In the current financial year, up to £25 million has been committed to funding of the cost of the Government General Practitioner "Your Guide" pilot currently running in Leicestershire and Rutland. The phasing of expenditure on the other planned schemes and initiatives over the spending review period will be determined in the light of the detailed arrangements for implementation as they are finalised.

  Food Retailing (Monopolies)
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what powers(a) she and (b) the Competition Commission have to investigate local monopolies of food retailing; and if she will make a statement. [25557]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Fair Trading Act 1973 allows the Director General of Fair Trading or the Secretary of State to make a reference to the Competition Commission in respect of a product or service supplied to the UK market as a whole or to a part of it.

  Consignia
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with Consignia regarding recruitment of delivery staff in London. [26706]

  Mr. Alexander
  The Department has regular discussions with Consignia about a range of strategic issues facing the company. However, the recruitment of delivery staff is an operational issue for the company.

  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when a new Chairman of Consignia will(a) be appointed and (b) take up his duties. [26565]

  Mr. Alexander
  Arrangements are in hand to recruit and appoint a new Chairman of Consignia. Recruitment consultants have been engaged and the post has recently been advertised in the press.

  In the interim the Board of Consignia have asked Allan Leighton to chair the board.

  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what factors will affect her decision as to whether Consignia should pay a dividend to Her Majesty's Government for the current financial year. [26567]

  Mr. Alexander
  In line with the proposals set out in the White Paper "Post Office Reform: A World Class Service for the 21st Century", a number of commercial factors will need to be considered when deciding whether Consignia should pay a dividend to HMG.

  Foot and Mouth
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she took to inform businesses affected by the foot and mouth epidemic as to the financial assistance available through the regional development agencies and other schemes; what the cost was of marketing such schemes; how many businesses applied;424W
  how much funding assistance they applied for; how much they received on average; and if she will make a statement. [27038]

  Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 16 January 2002]: It was left to the discretion of regional development agencies and other relevant bodies to decide on how to inform businesses of the help available from them. Information is not available centrally either on publicity costs incurred or on how much assistance businesses applied for under the Business Recovery Fund or other schemes operated by the RDAs. As at 12 December some 5,700 Business Recovery Fund grants had been approved at an average of just over £4,000. No reliable information is yet available on take-up of rate relief.

  To date the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme has guaranteed 29 loans to businesses affected by FMD, with an average loan size of £50,258. Of these, 18 were made under the relaxed eligibility criteria introduced in April 2001 and publicised by Ministers. In addition, 84 requests for extended loan terms have been granted to businesses with existing SFLGS loans.

  The Small Business Service (SBS) produced and distributed a signposting leaflet to raise awareness of the assistance available to businesses experiencing difficulties as a result of FMD. Around 3.5 million leaflets were distributed through banks, post offices, trade associations and Business Link operators. The total cost of production, printing, storage and distribution of this leaflet was £77,628.

  Business advice fact sheets have been posted on DEFRA's website and they have also set up a helpline.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses affected by the foot and mouth epidemic applied for financial aid through the Business Recovery Fund in the south-west; how much they applied for; how much they received on average; and if she will make a statement. [27039]

  Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 16 January 2002]: 1,199 businesses applied for aid through the Business Recovery Fund in the south-west.

  Each business was eligible for a grant of up to £15,000. Information is not held centrally by the RDA on the amounts applied for.

  The average grant size in the south-west was £8,006.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 17 December 2001,Official Report, columns 472–73W, on departmental expenditure, for what reason she is unable to provide reasons for spending outturns lower than planned in subcategories (a) 1 'Department of Trade and Industry: programmes and administration' and (b) 2 'Department of Trade and Industry: science'; and if she will make a statement. [26474]

  Ms Hewitt
  Full details of outturn against the 2000–01 voted provision for programmes and administration and science will be published in the appropriation accounts to be presented to the House of Commons by 31 January. The departmental resource accounts on an accruals basis will also be presented to the House of Commons by
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  31 January. Updated estimates of the outturn for Departmental Expenditure Limits in 2000–01 on an accruals basis were published in the 2001 pre-Budget report (Cm 5318; Table B 16).

  Broadband
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the Third Generator Licence fee money has been spent on broadband infrastructure. [26887]

  Mr. Alexander
  [holding answer 14 January 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 17 May 2000, Official Report, column 187W.

  Sellafield
  Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the representations(a) made to and (b) received from the European Commission by her Department in respect of the Sellafield MOX plant since 1 January. [19406]

  Margaret Beckett
  I have been asked to reply.

  Further to my answer to my hon. Friend on 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 681W, I understand that the European Commission wrote to the Department of Trade and Industry on 20 November 2001 about whether state aid had been granted to the Sellafield MOX plant. The DTI does not believe that any state aid has been given to the plant and replied on 7 January.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister for Women how many women have benefited from the national minimum wage. [25587]

  Ms Hewitt
  Around 1 million women, and about half a million men, have benefited from the new rates for the national minimum wage which took effect on 1 October 2001.
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  Women's Issues
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Minister for Women if she will make a statement on her role on the promotion of women's issues in Government. [25588]

  Ms Hewitt
  As Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Minister for Women I am determined to ensure that the needs, and the contribution, of women, who make up nearly half the work force, are properly understood, and rewarded. Women have a valuable part to play in driving up the productivity and competitiveness of the United Kingdom. That is why I place great importance on encouraging flexible working practices and other measures which enable both women, and men, to make a full contribution at work and at home.

  Wealth Creation
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Minister for Women what steps she is taking to increase wealth creating opportunities for women in the most deprived areas. [25589]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Phoenix Fund, which provides grants to business to support projects for disadvantaged communities, has supported 21 projects which are specifically targeted at women, although the other projects also assist women entrepreneurs within their target groups. Devolved Administrations make their own arrangements in this area.

  Working Mothers
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Minister for Women what steps she is taking to make it easier for those mothers who want to return to work to do so. [25581]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government have introduced a range of measures, including the national childcare strategy, the new deal for lone parents and the new deal for partners, learn direct and the working families tax credit, all of which help mothers who want to return to work. The Employment Bill currently before Parliament includes a number of measures to enable more mothers to remain in the labour market.

WALES

  Health Consultation Document
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 18 December 2001,Official Report, column 183W, on the health consultation document, if he will request from the Welsh Assembly an analysis of the responses to the consultation document. [26727]

  Mr. Touhig
  This is a matter for the National Assembly of Wales and I understand that it is not the Assembly's intention to publish an executive summary.

  The Assembly received a substantial number of responses in the last three days of the consultation period, and for ease of handling decided to number and summarise these individually.

  Copies of these summaries were then placed in the Libraries of the House of Commons and the National Assembly. Also, further copies were made available in the Assembly's Publication Centre for ease of access to the general public.

  Ministerial Transport
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last used the railway service in connection with his official duties; what station he left from and what was the destination; and whether it is his intention to make greater use of the railways in future. [28106]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I make regular use of the railway in connection with my official duties, and will continue to do so. My most recent journey was from Cardiff Central to London Paddington on Monday 14 January.

  Departmental Sickness Absence
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will commission and publish an independent report on the reasons for the level of sickness absence in his Department. [26998]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The Cabinet Office already commissions and publishes an independent annual report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service". This report includes details of the causes of absenteeism. The report for the year 2000 will be published shortly.

  Remuneration
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. [26329]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The figures for the Welsh Office and its agencies (until 1999) and (since 1999) for the Wales Office, which has no agencies, are:

  In excess of £100,000

  In excess of £200,000

  1 April 1998:

  0

  0

  1 April 1999:

  2

  0

  1 April 2000:

  0

  0

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  In excess of £100,000

  In excess of £200,000

  1 April 2001:

  0

  0

  Information on NDPBs is provided in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies".

  Memorandum of Understanding
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the costs to public funds of the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding and supplementary agreements. [24759]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The Memorandum of Understanding and supplementary texts are agreements between the UK Government and devolved Administrations on how they intend conducting relations between the Administrations.

  It reflects administrative and policy 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 MoU was published on 18 December as Command Paper 5240. 300 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.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Buildings Refurbishment
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her estimate is of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by her Department in each of the last four years. [27961]

  Clare Short
  The only refurbishment project that my Department has undertaken over the past four years was in relation to our new recently opened headquarters building at 1 Palace street, London.

  The expenditure on refurbishment and associated fees was as follows:

  £ million

  1999–2000

  0.24

  2000–01

  4.8

  2001–021

  22

  1 Estimate for whole financial year

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate her Department has made of the cost to its budget since 1 May 1997 of fraud; and if she will make a statement. [27294]

  Clare Short
  The estimated cost to DFID' s budget of fraud in the period 1 April 1997 to 31 March 2001 is some £250,000, of which £175,000 can be attributed to contractor fraud. Of the remaining sum, £22,000 relates to the theft of assets which, in line with Treasury
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  guidance, has been classified as involving departmental staff either directly or through collusion. Details of suspected or proven fraud are provided to the Treasury on an annual basis. The annual report that the Treasury prepares on fraud is deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 3 December 2001 with regard to Mrs. K. Khan. [27320]

  Clare Short
  We have received a very large number of letters about the situation in Afghanistan. I regret the delay in replying to my right hon. Friend and intend to send him a reply shortly.

  Leprosy
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what specific assistance she gives to help people suffering from leprosy; and if she will make a statement. [27156]

  Clare Short
  Leprosy is a curable disease, and treatment provided in the early stages averts disability. Three quarters of a million cases are still detected each year, of which about 70 per cent. are in India. Ten developing countries account for 90 per cent. of cases. An effective drug cure is available free of charge via the World Health Organisation (WHO) in sufficient quantities to treat all people diagnosed with the disease. The priority now is to get treatment to all who need it, especially in isolated rural areas. To eliminate the disease, political commitment in the key endemic countries is needed along with the successful integration of leprosy treatment into strengthened general health services. Our strategy is to support the creation of basic health care systems—encompassing the public, private and informal sectors—to improve poor people's access to the care, services and essential health products to safeguard their health. Within the foreseeable future it should be possible to reduce the prevalence of the disease to such a low level that it no longer constitutes a public health problem.

  Newspaper Advertising
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what has been the expenditure of her(a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies on newspaper advertising by title in each year since 1997. [26985]

  Clare Short
  The Department for International Development (DFID) expenditure on recruitment advertising in 2000 and 2001 is listed by publication on the spreadsheet. Figures for 1997–99 are not available.

  In addition, DFID commissioned a 12 page report in The Independent on the subject of globalisation to accompany the new White Paper on Eliminating World Poverty. The report was published on 12 December 2000 at a cost of £36,589, plus production and incidental costs of £3,687.
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  £

  By calendar year in 2000

  By calendar year in 2001

  Accountancy Age

  6,280.00

  3,697.20

  Architect's Journal

  1,591.20

  1—

  Africa Health

  2,487.60

  British Medical Journal

  13,104.00

  9,199.80

  British Psychological Society Appointments Memorandum

  1—

  1,822.50

  Broadcast

  1,670.40

  1—

  Building Design

  1,698.00

  1—

  Business Day

  274.95

  1—

  Caterer and Hotelkeeper

  1—

  1,237.50

  Chartered Surveyor Monthly

  1—

  1,485.00

  Community Care

  1—

  7,748.36

  Computer Weekly

  1—

  12,577.50

  Contract Journal

  4,482.00

  1—

  Daily Mail

  1—

  12,280.50

  Daily News (Zimbabwe)

  1,805.04

  1—

  Daily/Sunday Telegraph

  21,501.00

  40,423.50

  East African Standard

  1,069.63

  1—

  Ends Report-Environment Data Services

  1—

  612.00

  Ethnic Media Group (Eastern Eye, New Nation, Asian Times and Caribbean Times)

  3,307.50

  6,268.50

  Evening Standard and Metro (London)

  1—

  15,411.60

  Far East Economic Review

  1—

  16,732.80

  Financial Times

  18,954.00

  30,064.50

  Flight International

  5,676.30

  1—

  Health Service Journal

  2,170.80

  4,489.20

  Independent and Independent on Sunday

  1—

  11,650.50

  Internal Auditing

  1—

  720.00

  Library and Information Appointments

  1,134.00

  3,594.60

  Mail and Guardian

  3,768.36

  663.84

  Metro London

  1—

  1,575.00

  Nature

  1—

  2,246.40

  New Civil Engineer

  13,186.80

  6,822.00

  New Scientist

  9,954.00

  34,198.10

  New Statesman

  1—

  1,620.00

  New Vision

  777.60

  1—

  Nine to Five

  1—

  1,350.00

  Noticias

  1,955.42

  1—

  Nursing Times

  2,016.00

  1—

  Opportunities

  1,063.13

  1—

  Ottawa Citizen

  1—

  761.00

  People Management

  1—

  2,025.00

  Personnel Today

  1—

  4,095.00

  Planning

  3,175.20

  3,956.40

  Police Review

  18,054.00

  1—

  Public Finance

  4,471.20

  8,663.40

  RSS News-Royal Statistical Society

  337.50

  1—

  Scotland on Sunday

  1—

  3,861.00

  Society of Archivists Newsletter

  1—

  180.00

  Sunday Times (South Africa)

  2,898.00

  1—

  Sunday Times (The Times)

  26,208.00

  1—

  Supply Management

  1—

  2,979.00

  Surveying World

  517.50

  1—

  Surveyor

  1—

  2,376.00

  The Daily Nation

  1,458.43

  1—

  The East African

  2,971.90

  1—

  The Economic/Economist Website

  324,850.20

  448,434.7

  The Globe and Mail

  1—

  1,823.47

  The Guardian

  178,289.40

  173,118.19

  The Guardian (Tanzania)

  1,281.33

  1—

  The Guardian Weekly

  16,855.65

  12,046.05

  The Herald (Glasgow)

  8,818.20

  22,113.00

  The Herald (Zimbabwe)

  972.90

  1—

  The Lancet

  3,978.00

  4,568.40

  The Lawyer

  6,328.80

  1—

  The Namibian

  269.10

  1—

  The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday

  7,998.75

  5,338.13

  The Times

  5,733.00

  1—

  The Times (Malawi)

  829.44

  1—

  431W

  £

  By calendar year in 2000

  By calendar year in 2001

  The Veterinary Record

  1—

  1,053.00

  Times Educational Supplement

  4,363.20

  6,462.72

  Times Higher Educational Supplement

  12,538.60

  3,464.55

  Times/Sunday Times of Zambia

  875.07

  1—

  UK Tropical Forestry Forum

  135.00

  1—

  Zimbabwe Independent

  323.96

  1—

  Total

  751,972.46

  938,297.51

  1 Nil

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Solicitor-General what estimate her Department has made of the cost to its budget since 1 May 1997 of fraud; and if she will make a statement. [27289]

  The Solicitor-General
  There have been no instances of fraud within the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers during the period since 1 May 1997 and no cost to its budget.

  There have been no instances of fraud within the Serious Fraud Office since 1 May 1997 and no cost to its budget.

  Although the Treasury Solicitor's Department has suffered three frauds since 1 May 1997, none has involved any cost to the budget of that Department. The first, in 1998, was a fraud within Government Property Lawyers, which at that time was a separate agency, and involved the improper use of client money, resulting in a loss of £1.2 million to the Exchequer. The second, in 2000, was the theft of jewellery to the value of £250 which reduced the proceeds of Bona Vacantia to the Consolidated Fund. The third, in 2001, involved the misappropriation of £170,000 from the proceeds of Bona Vacantia through the use of forged wills. The loss was to the Consolidated Fund. Of the sum lost, £47,000 has since been recovered and action continues to recover further sums. Details of the three frauds are set out in the Annual Fraud Report, copies of which are available in the Library.

  There have been seven instances of fraud against the Crown Prosecution Service since 1 May 1997 involving a total cost to the budget of £8,426.98.

  Fraud is treated seriously by all the Departments for which the Attorney-General is responsible. There are cost implications against budgets from maintaining proactive systems of financial control and governance seeking to ensure fraud against the Departments does not occur. Such costs are, however, an integral part of the general management of the Departments and are not separately assessable.

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Richard Ottaway
  To ask the Solicitor-General when she expects to respond to the Crown Prosecution Service inspectorate report on the CPS in London; and if she will make a statement. [27279]
  432W
  The Solicitor-General
  The HMCPSI report on London was published 13 December 2001. The substance of any Inspectorate report is always the subject of discussion between the Law Officers in their capacity as superintending Ministers and the Director of Public Prosecutions, who is the Head of the Crown Prosecution Service. In this instance, the Attorney-General and I have been closely involved in decisions about the response to the report from the time when it appeared from the emerging finding that there were a number of issues of concern to be addressed. Additionally, I have undertaken a series of visits to units in London to establish at first-hand what have been particular problems which CPS London faces.

  The environment in which CPS London operates and has operated since its creation makes it different from any other CPS area—in particular, the transient nature of the population and the difficulties in recruiting and retaining qualified and unqualified staff. Now that better funding arrangements have been put in place it should be possible to recruit staff "to the level required" and to ensure that basic systems are maintained. The area is currently involved in a rolling recruitment campaign to increase the numbers of lawyers and administrative staff employed in London.

  The area is currently involved in a rolling recruitment campaign to increase the numbers of lawyers and administrative staff employed in London.

  The area will be producing by the end of January a detailed "action plan" which will address all recommendations made by the CPS Inspectorate. The Attorney-General and I will take a close interest in the implementation of the plan, and this will be followed by a review.

  Senior management have completed a review which is now being implemented. This has meant an increase in the number of Assistant Chief Crown Prosecutors from three to five, who exercise firmer control of the units for which they are responsible.

  Much has been done already to address issues of concern, working with the police. These include dealing with the number of ineffective trials and the high rate of discharged committals. By adopting this approach the area should be able to build upon the many features of their operation which were commended by HMCPSI.

  Finally, a Ministerial Committee, which I chair, has been established which focuses on criminal justice system issues as a whole in London.

SCOTLAND

  Hogmanay Celebrations
  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment she has made of the impact on economic activity in regions beyond Lothian of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations. [25912]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Scotland Office makes no assessment of the economic impact of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations. However, the latest figures available from Edinburgh city council state that the economic impact for Hogmanay 2000 was £28 million
  433W
  for the local economy and an additional £10 million for Scotland as a whole. This was generated by approximately 500,000 visitors and participants.

  NHS Resources
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions she(a) has held and (b) plans to hold in the current financial year on the resources available to the NHS in Scotland with (i) the Scottish Executive and First Minister, (ii) the Secretary of State for Health and (iii) Treasury Ministers; if she will list the (a) items discussed and (b) dates of the meetings held; and if she will make a statement. [26202]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have frequent discussions with UK Ministers and the Scottish Ministers on a wide range of issues. Expenditure on the NHS in Scotland is a devolved matter for the Scottish Executive. Scottish Ministers are free, within the Scottish Assigned Budget, to determine their own spending priorities.

  Eurozone
  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment she has made of the impact on Scottish business of United Kingdom membership of the eurozone. [26704]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Government have stated that the Treasury will complete an assessment of the five economic tests within two years of the start of this Parliament.

  Scottish Executive (Representation)
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will agree to formal representation of the Scottish Executive in Dover house. [27735]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Executive have since devolution had an agreement with the Scotland Office enabling Scottish Ministers and officials to use Dover house.

  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps she is taking to encourage greater participation by Ministers of the Scottish Executive in European Council of Ministers meetings on matters of policy which are devolved. [27734]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Government policy on these matters is set out in the Memorandum of Understanding, and the concordats on International Relations and Co-ordination of European Policy Issues, agreed between the Government and the devolved Administrations.

  In accordance with these agreements, the Scottish Executive are involved in formulating the UK policy position on issues which touch on matters within their responsibility. They may also form part of the UK delegation at Council of Ministers meetings where matters with a significant impact on their devolved responsibilities are to be discussed, and speak for the UK in appropriate cases, with the agreement of the lead UK Minister.

  It is for the Scottish Executive to agree with the lead UK Minister on those occasions where they wish to attend. They have done so on a regular basis.

HEALTH

  Painkillers and Antidepressants
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his most recent assessment of(a) deaths and (b) other side effects resulting from the misuse, over-use or inappropriate prescription of (i) painkillers and (ii) antidepressants. [26029]

  Jacqui Smith
  As with all medicines, the safety of painkillers and antidepressants, including adverse effects associated with inappropriate use and overuse, is closely monitored by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) and the Committee on Safety of Medicines.

  We introduced specific measures in September 1998 reducing pack sizes of the commonly used painkillers, paracetamol and aspirin, aimed at reducing the toxicity from impulsive overdose. New warnings on the packaging emphasised the risks and action to take in the event of an overdose. Recently published papers provide growing evidence that these measures are having an important public health impact.

  The MCA is continuing to monitor the impact of these measures by examining a range of data, including hospital admissions, liver transplants and deaths from self-poisoning.

  Bristol Royal Infirmary
  Valerie Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action has been taken in response to the named civil servant in his Department, Dr. Peter Doyle, who was criticised in the report of the public inquiry into children's heart surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, 1984 to 1995. [29079]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Department commissioned independent assessors to lead a review of the inquiry report and other relevant information and make recommendations on whether or not any action should be initiated in respect of Dr. Doyle. The assessors were Lesley James, former Vice President of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development and Sir David Carter, Vice Principal of Edinburgh university. Their overall conclusion was that Dr. Doyle responded appropriately to the information he was given by Dr. Bolsin on 19 July 1994 about poor results following paediatric cardiac surgery in the Bristol unit, taking into account the context in which he was operating at the time. They concluded that while it is possible with hindsight to question Dr. Doyle' s decision not to examine the detailed data he was given by Dr. Bolsin, any criticism has to be balanced both against the prompt and positive action he did take in writing to Professor Angelini at the trust, raising the concerns that had been drawn to his attention and seeking reassurances, and against the subsequent assurances he was given. The Chief Executive of the Department of Health, Nigel Crisp, has accepted their conclusions, including the recommendation that no disciplinary action is warranted and that Dr. Doyle should resume his current duties in the Department, working as the senior medical officer providing advice on renal services and transplant services—which he has done.
  435W
  Valerie Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the response to the report of the public inquiry into children's heart surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, 1984 to 1995. [29078]

  Mr. Milburn
  I have today published our response to the Kennedy report (Learning from Bristol: The Department of Health's Response to the Report of the Public Inquiry into children's heart surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary 1984–1995—Cm 5363) and copies are available in the Library and the Vote Office.

  Lung Cancer
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the survival rates for lung cancer are in(a) the UK and (b) other countries in Europe and the USA. [27457]

  Ruth Kelly
  I have been asked to reply.

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

  Letter from John Kidgell to Dr. Jenny Tonge, dated 17 January 2002:
  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question the survival rates for lung cancer in (a) the UK and (b) other countries in Europe and the USA. I am replying in his absence. (27457)
  Comparable information on cancer survival in the parts of the UK and Europe covered by the Eurocare II study was published in "Survival of Cancer Patients in Europe: the EUROCARE-2 Study" (IARC Scientific Publications No. 151); a copy is available in the House of Commons Library. Information on cancer survival in the USA can be found on the website of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer registries: http://www-seer.ims.nci.nih.gov/

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of lung cancer were reported between 1980 and 2000 in the UK. [27458]

  Ruth Kelly
  I have been asked to reply.

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

  Letter from John Kidgell to Dr. Jenny Tonge, dated 17 January 2002:
  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning how many cases of lung cancer were reported between 1980 and 2000 in the UK. I am replying in his absence. (27458)
  It is estimated that there were 800,000 newly diagnosed cases of lung cancer in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1998 (the latest year for which data are available). This figure is based on the number of registrations of lung cancer in Great Britain in 1980–1998, and an estimate of the number of cases in Northern Ireland made using appropriate adjustments to the numbers of deaths from lung cancer in the period. Numbers of registrations of lung cancer in Northern Ireland are only available for 1993–1997.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

  Freight
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions in what form his Department holds figures on the proportion of freight going by(a) road and (b) rail over the last 10 years. [22119]
  436W
  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 10 December 2001]: The Department compiles statistics of tonnes-kilometres moved and tonnes lifted by road, water, and pipeline. The Strategic Rail Authority do likewise for rail on a quarterly basis. Annual statistics for all modes over the last 10 years are published in the Department's annual publication "Transport Statistics Great Britain 2001", available in the Library.

  London Underground
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 19 November 2001,Official Report, columns 33–34W, on London Underground, how many lost passenger hours in 2000–01 were attributable to the Infracos and how many to London Underground; what is the total equivalent number of Infraco-attributable lost customer hours for the whole of 2001–02 so far; what penalty would have been incurred by each Infraco during 2000–01 as a result of the attributable lost customer hours; and what penalty would have been incurred by each Infraco for 2001–02 so far. [22751]

  Mr. Jamieson
  London Underground have been "shadow running" the PPP contracts in the public sector since April 2000 to ensure they are robust for transfer to the private sector. In the light of that experience the initial performance benchmarks have been reset, generally to make the benchmark level of performance higher. This means that there will be realistic benchmarks in place from the start of the PPP contracts. As a result London Underground and not the Infraco will benefit from improvements in performance in the period before transfer of the infrastructure companies to the private sector.

  Data on lost customer hours and Infraco penalties are operational matters for London Underground, who have provided the information below.

  During 2000–01, 18 million indicative lost customer hours were attributable to London Underground. For the lost customer hour figures for the Infracos for the same period, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 November 2001, Official Report, columns 33–34W. For the period 1 April to 11 December 2001, 13 million indicative lost customer hours were attributable to the Infracos.

  For 2000–01, the abatement figures (penalty payments to London Underground incurred by Infracos) would, on the basis of the set of benchmarks then in place, have been: £6 million for Infraco BCV; and £2 million each for Infracos JNP and SSL.

  For the period 1 April to 11 December 2001, on the basis of the earlier benchmarks, the abatement figure for Infraco SSL would have been £9 million. Infracos BCV and JNP would have received bonus payments from London Underground of £3 million and £1 million respectively. Levels of payment would have been different, and generally lower, on the basis of the reset benchmarks. London Underground will shortly set the final performance benchmarks based on performance during shadow running of the contracts.

  UK-US Aviation Market
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) when
  437W
  and where officials from his Department last met US officials to discuss (a) an open skies agreement and (b) the proposed British Airways/American Airlines alliance; [R] [23898]

  (2) how officials of his Department travelled to their last meeting in the United States with US officials to discuss (a) an open skies agreement and (b) the proposed British Airways/American Airlines alliance; [R] [23899]

  (3) what plans his Department has to consult with the aviation industry ahead of an open skies agreement with the United States; [R] [23900]

  (4) what discussions his Department has had in the last four weeks with United States officials and politicians on (a) an open skies agreement between the two countries and (b) the proposed British Airways/American Airlines alliance. [R] [23897]

  Mr. Spellar
  I held informal discussions with the US Deputy Secretary of Transportation in Washington on 7 November 2001 on the prospects for liberalising the UK/US aviation market. An official from my Department met officials from the US Department of Transportation as part of these discussions. As I had a prior engagement in New York, celebrating the re-launch of Concorde services, I and the official travelled on the inaugural Concorde service, on the outbound sector of the journey only. Both tickets were paid for by my Department. We then completed our journey to Washington by train.

  My officials continue to be in regular contact, by telephone and by correspondence, with their US counterparts and will, as usual, consult UK aviation interests in advance of any formal talks with the US.

  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the state of bilateral negotiations between the USA and the UK on open skies. [27430]

  Mr. Spellar
  We remain keen to liberalise the UK-US aviation market on terms which will give UK carriers effective access to the large US domestic market.

  Railtrack
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001,Official Report, column 495W, ref 23221, if this information will be provided to potential bidders for Railtrack. [26471]

  Mr. Spellar
  It is for the administrator to determine what information to make available to potential bidders for Railtrack.

  Rail Safety
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to ensure that worn-out train wheels are identified and replaced. [26072]

  Mr. Spellar
  The maintenance and replacement of train wheels is a matter for individual train companies working to industry standards and monitored by the Health and Safety Executive.
  438W
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will place a copy of the October 2001 rail safety report by Ove Arup, prepared for Railtrack, in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [26062]

  Mr. Spellar
  A copy of the report has been placed today in the House of Commons Library. Action is in hand and the report acknowledges the significant positive efforts already made by Railtrack, the train operators and the rest of the industry.

  Housing (Illegal Immigrants)
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what account his Department takes regarding illegal immigrants' housing needs. [26729]

  Ms Keeble
  None

  Housing Stock Transfers
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 9 January 2002,Official Report, columns 848–49W, what guidance he gives to (a) tenants and (b) local authorities on legal remedies available if the proposals in an offer document are not implemented. [27617]

  Ms Keeble
  The Department would advise tenants or the local authority to raise their concerns with the Housing Corporation as the regulator of registered social landlords. Should all parties be unable to resolve the matter and a legally binding contract is not being honoured then it is open for any party to the agreement to seek recourse in the courts.

  Multimodal Studies
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the report dates for the multimodal studies undertaken by the Government. [27412]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Mr. Jamieson), gave to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 8 January 2002,Official Report, columns 600–01W.

  Smoke Alarms
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of dwelling fires attended by fire brigades in the Buckingham constituency occurred where a smoke alarm was installed but failed to operate. [27777]

  Dr. Whitehead
  Smoke alarms were installed but failed to operate in 8 per cent. of dwelling fires attended by Buckinghamshire fire brigade in 1999 (the latest year for which data are available). Data are not available below fire brigade level.

  Matthew Elson
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he met Matthew Elson prior to his appointment as transport adviser in the No. 10 Policy Unit. [27331]
  439W
  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 15 January 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 14 January 2001, Official Report, column 89W.

  National Rail Model
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will place a copy of the specification issued to interested parties for the contract to develop a national rail model in the Library. [27325]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 15 January 2002]: Yes, I have done so today.

  PFI Contracts
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the proportion of PFI contracts made by his Department where an amount in excess of 90 per cent. of the capital value of the asset is recouped by the lessor out of the capital element of lease payments over the lifetime of the contract concerned; and if he will make a statement. [27698]

  Dr. Whitehead
  No such estimate has been made. PH contracts are for the provision of a service in return for a unitary payment to cover the costs of the assets, their maintenance and operation. The unitary payment is not broken down into constituent parts. The Highways Agency's contract for the new Traffic Control Centre is the only PFI contract let by DTLR which allows the contractor to generate additional revenues to the income it will receive through the unitary payment.

  South Central Franchise
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the present position in respect of the South Central franchise. [27542]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 16 January 2002]: The Strategic Rail Authority is currently negotiating a new franchise agreement with GoVia in line with the heads of terms that have already been signed.

  Market Research
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what expenditure has been incurred by his(a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last four years on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; and if he will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each. [27943]

  Dr. Whitehead
  This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Braer
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the seaworthiness of the tanker the Braer when she left the Norwegian port of Mongstad on 3 January 1993. [27340]
  440W
  Mr. Spellar
  In its investigation into the engine failure and subsequent grounding of the Braer on 5 January 1993, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) concluded that the vessel was seaworthy when she left Mongstad on 3 January. No evidence has emerged since to contradict this finding.

  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the opportunity the captain of the Braer was given of commenting on the Marine Accidents Investigation Board inquiry report prior to its publication. [27339]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) sent a copy of the draft report to the Braer's captain on 25 August 1993. It was sent to the address in Greece he had given to the MAIB inspectors. It was returned unopened and with no comment as to whether the captain lived there, had moved or that the address was wrong.

  The MAIB then contacted the managers of Braer who gave two telephone numbers through which they had contacted him. MAIB tried both numbers during the period 21 to 22 September 1993 but received no reply.

  Accident Inquiries
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make it his policy to publish the technical evidence along with the inspector's findings in future accident inquiries. [27341]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 1999 require the reports of all investigations conducted by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) to be made publicly available. Such reports refer, where applicable, to the technical evidence. The regulations do not require such evidence to be published and some categories, such as declarations made by witnesses, are specifically excluded.

  Director of Government and Political Relations
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he last met the Director of Government and Political Relations; and what was discussed. [28279]

  Dr. Whitehead
  My right hon. Friend meets a wide range of colleagues on a regular basis.

  Gas Safety
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many prosecutions were initiated by the Health and Safety Executive under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 in 1999–2000. [28053]

  Dr. Whitehead
  The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 replaced the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994. Both regulations are applicable, as some offences would have been committed before the 1998 regulations came into force.
  441W
  Each information laid relates to a breach of an individual legal requirement and a duty holder may be prosecuted for more than one of these breaches. Figures quoted relate to the whole of the United Kingdom.

  The number of informations laid under both sets of regulations in 1999–2000 was 210.

  Physical Agents (Vibration) Directive
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with industry regarding the physical agents (vibration) directive. [25559]

  Dr. Whitehead
  Since the summer the Health and Safety Executive has had discussions on the European Parliament second reading amendments to the proposed physical agents (vibration) directive with a number of industry organisations and employers including the Confederation of British Industry, the National Farmers Union, the Road Haulage Association, the Construction Products Association, the Quarry Products Association, the Construction Equipment Association, the British Cement Association, the Society of Motor Manufactures and Traders, the Engineering Employers Federation and RMC Group plc.

  Uniform Business Rates
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many businesses paid uniform business rates in the Uxbridge constituency in each of the last five years. [28477]

  Dr. Whitehead
  The information requested is collected only at local authority level, so figures for the Uxbridge constituency are not available. Information for the London borough of Hillingdon, covering the Uxbridge constituency, is given in the table:

  Number of hereditaments as at 31 December1

  1997

  7,236

  1998

  7,269

  1999

  7,202

  2000

  7,274

  2001

  7,418

  1 The number of hereditaments for the years 1997 to 2000 are taken from the National Non-Domestic Rates Provisional Contribution to the Pool Return. The number of hereditaments for 2001 is based on information provided by the Valuation Office Agency. In addition to businesses, these include properties that are liable to non-domestic rates, such as schools and advertising hoardings.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  Youth Parliament
  Alistair Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the Government will respond to the UK Youth Parliament's Manifesto. [24058]

  Mr. Denham
  I shall be responding shortly.

  Vernon Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will respond to the UK Youth Parliament Manifesto; and if she will make a statement. [23324]
  442W
  Mr. Denham
  I shall be responding shortly.

  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been allocated to the UK Youth Parliament in(a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02; and what grant aid is planned for future years. [26096]

  Mr. Denham
  There has been no grant aid to the UK Youth Parliament. The Department for Education and Skills has supported UK Youth Parliament to develop itself as a voice for young people by funding consultancy advice; by providing support for the first sitting of UK Youth Parliament in February 2001; and by funding the secondment of a Departmental official to the UK Youth Parliament. In addition the Home Office made a grant in 2000–01 to fund a part-time Parliament co-ordinator. In 2001–02 the Connexions Service has commercial contracts with UKYP for work to conduct consultations with young people.

  The total value of Government support to the UK Youth Parliament is as follows:

  £

  1999–2000

  12,000

  2000–01

  264,000

  2001–02

  69,000

  The possibility of any future funding is still under consideration.

  Individual Learning Accounts
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how much Capita Services has been paid by her Department in respect of its work on individual learning accounts; and what payments remain outstanding under the terms of the contract; [23110]

  (2) pursuant to her answer of 11 December 2001, Official Report, column 814W, on the individual learning accounts centre, if she will set out the key operational indicators which give rise to fees being paid to Capita Business Services Ltd. [23588]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 17 December 2002]: Payment to Capita Business Services together with the key operational indicators giving rise to these payments are confidential commercial matters for Capita Business Services Ltd. However, Capita announced to the London Stock Exchange on 25 July 2000, a contract value of £50 million in respect of work relating to individual learning accounts.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 11 December 2001,Official Report, column 814W, on the Individual Learning Account centre, (1) how many shifts were worked on 23 November; and how many people worked on each shift; [23589]

  (2) how many people were employed by Capita Business Services at the Individual Learning Account centre on 23 November; and how many of these were employed (a) full time and (b) part time. [23590]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 17 December 2001]: On 23 November, the ILA centre operated a four-shift period with coverage from 8 am to 9 pm Monday to Friday

  443W
  and 8 am to 12 noon Saturday. The number of full and part-time staff employed at the ILA Centre is a confidential commercial matter for Capita Business Services Ltd.

  Alistair Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will accept students for registration under the individual learning accounts scheme who could not register by the deadline of 7 December 2001 because of a subsequent decision to close the scheme on 23 November 2001; what representations have been made to her about such closures; and if she will make a statement. [26476]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 11 January 2002]: The Department has received representations from hon. Members, learners and learning providers about the inability to register learning onto the ILA system between 23 November and 7 December.

  The ILA programme was closed down on Friday 23 November following evidence of serious potential fraud and theft and it is the Department's first duty to safeguard both public funds and the interests of individual learners. I do recognise the impact the decision to withdraw the programme will have on learners; however, because the programme is now closed, learning that was not booked onto the ILA system before 23 November will not be eligible for a discount. We cannot therefore accept account holders for registration who could not register by the deadline of 7 December because of the decision to close down the programme on 23 November.

  Alistair Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what meetings she has had with those representing providers of training under the Individual Learning Accounts scheme since 23 October 2001; what representations they made to her; and if she will make a statement. [26479]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 11 January 2002]: Officials and 1 have met with a number of leading providers and provider representative organisations. They have offered us some helpful views on the previous ILA scheme as well as constructive ideas on what a new ILA-style programme might look like. We are now seeking the views of a wider group of providers and a range of other stakeholders.

  Alistair Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 13 December 2001,Official Report, column 959W, on Individual Learning Accounts, whether further arrests have been made in relation to alleged fraud in the operation of the Individual Learning Accounts scheme; what further charges have been made; and if she will make a statement. [26501]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 11 January 2002]: No further arrests or charges have been made.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many people were employed by her Department on 23 November on the supervision of the contract between his Department and Capita Business Services Ltd.; [23578]

  (2) what assessment she has made of whether Capita Business Services Ltd. has operated in compliance with the contract with her Department in their provision of services at the individual learning account centre. [23579]
  444W
  John Healey
  The Department employed a team of four who were responsible for day-to-day performance monitoring, issue resolution, contract finance and budget management. These people, supported by specialists employed within the Department were also engaged in matters relating to the 7 December planned closure of the individual learning account programme.

  An assessment of the compliance of Capita Business Services in their provision of services at the individual learning account centre is integral to standard contract management arrangements.

  LEAs (Repairs)
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the cost of estimated repair or renewal work needed over the next five years for each local education authority, as listed in the LEA asset management plans submissions to her Department. [24102]

  John Healey
  The table shows school premises repair or renewal costs over the next five years for each local education authority. The figures are derived from data supplied by LEAs from their asset management plans over the past two years. The costs relate to work needed to restore buildings to a serviceable state, but do not cover improvement, Modernisation or sufficiency issues. Costs have been adjusted to current prices and to take account of regional variations in pricing levels.

  Details have not been included for the City of London, Isles of Scilly and the 15 LEAs that are reassessing their condition needs following last year's AMP appraisal exercise.

  Repair or renewal costs over the next five years

  £ million

  Total cost

  Barking and Dagenham

  4

  Barnet

  45

  Barnsley

  36

  Bath and North East Somerset

  20

  Bedfordshire

  44

  Bexley

  29

  Birmingham

  135

  Blackburn with Darwen

  15

  Bolton

  50

  Bournemouth

  18

  Bracknell Forest

  11

  Brent

  34

  Brighton and Hove

  22

  Bristol, City of

  71

  Bromley

  28

  Buckinghamshire

  60

  Cambridgeshire

  64

  Camden

  13

  Cheshire

  49

  Cornwa

  1165

  Coventry

  34

  Croydon

  19

  Cumbria

  55

  Darlington

  19

  Derby, City of

  44

  Derbyshire

  143

  Devon

  86

  Doncaster

  71

  Dorset

  56

  Durham

  105

  Ealing

  36

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  82

  445W

  Repair or renewal costs over the next five years

  £ million

  Total cost

  East Sussex

  33

  Enfield

  49

  Essex

  164

  Gateshead

  17

  Gloucestershire

  45

  Greenwich

  33

  Hackney

  31

  Halton

  18

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  17

  Hampshire

  248

  Harrow

  19

  Hartlepool

  16

  Havering

  47

  Herefordshire

  15

  Hertfordshire

  84

  Hillingdon

  25

  Hounslow

  29

  Isle of Wight

  16

  Kensington and Chelsea

  7

  Kent

  120

  Kingston-upon-Hull, City of

  52

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  21

  Kirklees

  85

  Knowsley

  35

  Lancashire

  265

  Leeds

  141

  Leicester, City of

  40

  Leicestershire

  73

  Lewisham

  42

  Lincolnshire

  35

  Liverpool

  59

  Luton

  27

  Manchester

  91

  Medway

  24

  Merton

  19

  Milton Keynes

  28

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  71

  Newham

  45

  Norfolk

  75

  North East Lincolnshire

  45

  North Lincolnshire

  18

  North Somerset

  26

  North Tyneside

  33

  North Yorkshire

  44

  Northamptonshire

  64

  Northumberland

  52

  Nottingham

  53

  Nottinghamshire

  110

  Oldham

  61

  Oxfordshire

  64

  Peterborough

  32

  Plymouth

  40

  Poole

  16

  Portsmouth

  21

  Reading

  19

  Redbridge

  33

  Redcar and Cleveland

  27

  Rochdale

  54

  Rotherham

  63

  Rutland

  4

  Sandwell

  24

  Sefton

  51

  Sheffield

  71

  Shropshire

  25

  Slough

  19

  Solihull

  22

  Somerset

  52

  South Gloucestershire

  33

  South Tyneside

  31

  Southend-on-Sea

  13

  Southwark

  24

  446W

  Repair or renewal costs over the next five years

  £ million

  Total cost

  St. Helens

  24

  Staffordshire

  83

  Stockport

  73

  Stockton-on-Tees

  47

  Stoke-on-Trent

  65

  Suffolk

  42

  Sunderland

  54

  Surrey

  69

  Sutton

  16

  Swindon

  44

  Tameside

  33

  Telford and Wrekin

  35

  Thurrock

  19

  Torbay

  11

  Tower Hamlets

  28

  Trafford

  38

  Wakefield

  72

  Walsall

  64

  Waltham Forest

  28

  Wandsworth

  50

  Warrington

  26

  West Berkshire

  17

  West Sussex

  76

  Westminster

  24

  Wiltshire

  57

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  32

  Wirral

  58

  Wokingham

  25

  Wolverhampton

  44

  Worcestershire

  61

  Total

  6,383

  Note:

  Fifteen authorities are currently reviewing their assessments. More work is needed to confirm the data, but initial broad estimates are that these authorities needs total £635 million.

  Occasional Teachers
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish the number of occasional teachers working in each LEA area on the date of the 2002 census of teachers in service giving the percentage which this comprises of the total number of teachers working in that authority. [25955]

  Mr. Timms
  The information requested is not yet available.

  Provisional summary information on teachers in service at national and regional level at January 2002 is expected to be published in April or May, as in previous years. Information at local education authority level will be published later in "Statistics of Education, Teachers, England, 2002 edition"

  Teacher Vacancies
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) when she will publish the number of teacher vacancies in maintained schools in each local education authority area in January; [26583]

  (2) how many teacher vacancies there are in England broken down by local education authority area; and in each case what the figure is as a percentage of the establishment figure at the time of the annual census of teachers in January 2002. [26400].
  447W
  Mr. Timms
  The latest available information on teacher vacancies in each local authority, for January 2001, is published in my Department's evidence to the School Teachers' Review Body in September 2001. This is also available on the DIES website at www.dfes.gov.uk/teachingreforms/rewards/teacherspay/strb_evidence/index.shtml.

  As in previous years, provisional summary data on teacher vacancies at national and regional level in January 2002 are expected to be published in April or May. Teacher vacancy information at local education authority level will be published in the DfES evidence to the School Teacher's Review Body in September 2002. It will also be published later in "Statistics of Education, Teachers, England", 2002 edition.

  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what information she has collated on the number of teaching vacancies which have to be re-advertised. [28528]

  Mr. Timms
  My Department does not collect information on the number of readvertisements.

  Tuition Fees
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will compensate those students who have started their course after the introduction of tuition fees but who will not benefit from changes to the system that decrease student debt. [27157]

  Margaret Hodge
  There are no significant changes in student funding arrangements planned for 2002–03 academic year. Decisions on changes for 2003–04 academic year and beyond will be taken in due course.

  Teachers (Hillingdon)
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers have left the London borough of Hillingdon education authority in each of the past five years as a result of (i) ill health, (ii) reaching retirement age, (iii) early retirement and (iv) to work for another education authority. [26940]

  Mr. Timms
  Qualified teachers leaving regular full and part-time service in maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in Hillingdon to retire or work for another local authority are as follows:

  Nursery/primary

  Secondary

  1995–96

  Ill-health retirement

  4

  6

  Age retirement

  9

  1

  Premature retirement

  17

  19

  Working for another local authority

  43

  41

  1996–97

  Ill-health retirement

  5

  1

  Age retirement

  4

  4

  Premature retirement

  18

  14

  Working for another local authority

  46

  52

  1997–98

  Ill-health retirement

  2

  6

  Age retirement

  6

  7

  Premature retirement

  22

  21

  Working for another local authority

  73

  45

  448W

  Nursery/primary

  Secondary

  1998–99

  Ill-health retirement

  2

  3

  Age retirement

  2

  4

  Premature retirement

  6

  6

  Working for another local authority

  55

  54

  1999–20001

  Ill-health retirement

  5

  2

  Age retirement

  5

  4

  Premature retirement

  4

  11

  Working for another local authority

  54

  57

  1 1999–2000 data are provisional

  Note:

  The figures exclude 10 per cent. to 20 per cent. of part-time teachers not included on the Teacher Pension Scheme records.

  Student Support
  John Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects to introduce a new system of student support for students in higher education. [27223]

  Margaret Hodge
  We have announced a review of the current student funding policy. No decisions have been taken on the timing of implementation of possible changes arising from that review.

  Education Action Zones
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects the East Manchester Education Action Zone accounts for the year ended 31 March 2001 to be published. [27684]

  Mr. Timms
  I expect the annual accounts for all statutory education action zones to be published by the end of April 2002. This reflects the Comptroller and Auditor General's intention to certify individual EAZ accounts with a clear audit opinion by 31 March 2002.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which education action zones have not published their accounts for(a) the year ended 31 March 2000 and (b) the year ended 31 March 2001. [27685]

  Mr. Timms
  For the year ended 31 March 2000, the accounts of eight education action zones have not yet been published. These are Plymouth, Sunderland, East Cleveland, Dudley, Weston, Birmingham Aston Nechells, Hackney and Camborne, Redruth and Pool.

  None of the accounts for year ended 31 March 2001 have been published.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what time limits are set down for the production of accounts by education action zones. [27686]

  Mr. Timms
  The Schools Standards and Framework Act 1988 requires all education action zones to submit accounts to the Comptroller and Auditor General by 31 August following the end of the financial year to which they relate.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what reasons underlie the length of time taken to publish the East Manchester Education Action Zone accounts for the year ended 31 March 2000; and if she will make a statement. [27725]
  449W
  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 16 January 2002]: In their first year of operation some zones had difficulty in submitting auditable sets of annual accounts; East Manchester was one such zone. As a result the National Audit Office had to undertake considerable additional work on East Manchester EAZ accounts, including agreeing a significant number of amendments before these could be published on 9 January 2002.

  Sure Start
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made on the evaluation of the Sure Start programme begun in 2001; and if she will make a statement. [26817]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 15 January 2002]: The national evaluation of Sure Start will look at the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of Sure Start in the short, medium and long term. Researchers from Birkbeck college, University of London are carrying out this work on behalf of the Government.

  A comprehensive programme of fieldwork is under way. Findings will be published on a regular basis starting with a report on the early experiences of setting up and implementing Sure Start, in spring 2002. The first findings on the impact of Sure Start on children, families and communities will be available in spring 2003.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when Warrington will be invited to submit a bid for another Sure Start project. [26818]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 15 January 2002]: Later this year we will invite more applications for Sure Start, bringing the total number of programmes announced to at least 500. The districts where these programmes will be located will be selected primarily on the basis of their levels of disadvantage and child poverty. I cannot say at this stage which districts will be included.

  Specialist Schools
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to abolish the requirement for schools to raise £50,000 from local sources before securing specialist status; what assessment she has made of the difficulties of raising such funding in areas of high deprivation; and if she will make a statement. [26539]

  Mr. Timms
  There are no plans to abolish the requirement on specialist school applicants to raise £50,000 sponsorship but we do keep the sponsorship criteria under annual review. We are aware that some schools find raising the required sponsorship more difficult than others and we grant aid the Technology Colleges Trust and Youth Sport Trust to provide advice and support to applicants, including in relation to raising sponsorship. There are specialist schools in all parts of the country and a wide range of areas. Nearly 90 schools have been designated in Excellence in Cities (EiC) areas since EiC was implemented.

  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have taken on specialist status in each quarter since May 1997, broken down by different specialist areas chosen; and if she will make a statement. [26542]
  450W
  Mr. Timms
  The number of specialist school designations by specialism from each competition since May 1997 is shown in the table.

  Competitions

  Arts

  Sports

  Language

  Technology

  Total

  May 1997

  3

  5

  —

  —

  8

  October 1997

  5

  6

  3

  18

  32

  March 1998

  6

  9

  8

  28

  51

  October 1998

  12

  11

  5

  15

  43

  March 1999

  —

  —

  9

  28

  37

  June 1999

  20

  24

  —

  —

  44

  October 1999

  —

  —

  15

  22

  37

  March 2000

  8

  7

  13

  31

  59

  June 2000

  18

  16

  —

  —

  34

  October 2000

  4

  1

  9

  25

  39

  March 2001

  12

  16

  18

  33

  79

  Total

  88

  95

  80

  200

  463

  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what financial provision her Department has made in the next three years to support additional specialist schools; what her estimate is of the number of specialist schools in each quarter over the next three years; what her estimate is of the proportion of all schools which will be specialist-status in each quarter over the next three years; and if she will make a statement. [26543]

  Mr. Timms
  Financial provision for the specialist schools programme up to 2003–04 is provided in the table. Any future and additional funding will be considered as part of the 2002 Spending Review.

  Financial year

  £ million

  2002–03

  108.0

  2003–04

  127.0

  New specialist schools start operating as such in September each year. Current projections are for at least 830 by September 2002 (25 per cent. of maintained secondary schools), at least 1,000 by September 2003, (31 per cent. of maintained secondary schools) and at least 1,500 by 2005 (46 per cent. of maintained secondary schools).

  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list schools which have been granted specialist status without having to raise £50,000 themselves from local private sources, showing the amount they raised locally and the sources of other moneys raised to meet the £50,000 threshold; and if she will make a statement. [26545]

  Mr. Timms
  All specialist schools have to raise £50,000 sponsorship. This may come from local or national sources in any combination. Information showing the amount of sponsorship raised from different sources can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Specialist schools raise sponsorship from a range of sources including national companies, local business, charitable trusts, parent teacher associations and individuals. They are supported by the Technology Colleges Trust and (in the case of sports colleges) the Youth Sports Trust.
  451W
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the application process for the next round of specialist school awards. [26546]

  Mr. Timms
  My Department is currently assessing applications received in October 2001. Successful schools will be announced in February. The next competition closing dates are in March. All applications received will be assessed against the published criteria set out in the guidance relevant to each of the specialisms.

  Education Maintenance Allowance
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to extend the education maintenance allowance pilot scheme to the London Borough of Hillingdon. [28488]

  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 exercise, which is currently being conducted.

  Connexions Service
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on enrolment of personal advisers for the Connexions Service. [27667]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The numbers of Personal Advisers (PAs) working in Connexions Partnerships since the Service was launched in April 2001 have risen steadily as partnerships have established their infrastructures. At the end of November, 1,820 PAs were in post in the 15 partnerships that are fully operational, representing nearly three quarters of the first year's PA recruitment estimates provided by Partnerships in their business plans.

  PAs are being recruited from a range of backgrounds, including careers, education and youth services. Steps have been taken to widen the age and ethnic mix of PAs. Data from PA training records indicate that 12 per cent. of

  Academic years

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  (i) United Kingdom

  1 or more A* to C

  70.2

  71.4

  71.7

  72.7

  73.9

  74.8

  75.1

  5 or more A* to C

  44.4

  45.5

  46.2

  47.5

  49.1

  50.4

  51.0

  (ii) Somerset

  1 or more A* to C

  74.9

  75.6

  75.5

  77.1

  78.0

  79.0

  79.0

  5 or more A* to C

  47.7

  50.0

  48.9

  51.2

  52.7

  55.3

  54.6

  5 or more A* to G

  90.8

  91.4

  92.5

  92.3

  93.7

  93.4

  93.0

  (iii) Yeovil constituency

  1 or more A* to C

  76.2

  76.4

  76.4

  79.3

  79.9

  80.7

  79.8

  5 or more A* to C

  48.1

  53.4

  50.4

  52.6

  53.1

  56.8

  54.0

  5 or more A* to G

  94.6

  92.6

  93.5

  95.3

  94.3

  94.4

  94.7

  The information on those achieving five or more grades A* to G is not available for the United Kingdom.

  Local Network Fund
  Mr. Miliband
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will announce the areas that will receive funding in the second and third waves of the Local Network Fund. [28965]
  452W
  training participants are from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds and almost 40 per cent. of all PAs are under the age of 35.

  Foundation Degrees
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many foundation degree places are available; and what proportion of them have been filled. [27666]

  Margaret Hodge
  A total of 2,123 student places were made available on 40 prototype foundation degree programmes. Of these programmes, 32 commenced in September 2001 and offered 1,539 student places. 85 per cent. (1,303) of these places were filled. The remaining eight programmes are on offer from January 2002. Figures relating to take up of these places will not be available until February 2002.

  In addition to the 40 prototype programmes, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) allocated 1,790 additional student numbers for delivery of a further 29 courses. These student places were funded through HEFCE's mainstream funding routes and information on the take up of these places is collated as part of their management information cycle. This information is expected February 2002.

  Examination Results (Somerset)
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the proportion of pupils achieving(a) one or more A* to C, (b) five or more A* to C and (c) five or more A* to G grades was (i) in the UK, (ii) in Somerset schools and (iii) in Yeovil constituency schools in each year since 1994–95; and if she will make a statement. [27042]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The proportion of 15-year-old pupils achieving(a) one or more A* to C, (b) five or more A* to C and (c) five or more A* to G grades at GCSE or the GNVQ equivalent, in (i) the UK, (ii) Somerset and (iii) the Yeovil constituency since 1994–95 are:

  Mr. Denham
  I am pleased to announce that 30 new areas will be eligible for funding from the Local Network Fund in its second and third years of operation. The Local Network Fund is designed to tackle poverty and disadvantage among children and young people by making grants direct to local community and voluntary groups helping vulnerable children aged 0–19. £70 million is available over three years with second year areas operational from 1 April 2002.
  453W
  The Local Network funds are used to support local and community groups under four themes:
  Aspirations and experiences—projects that give children experiences, or help them achieve goals that more privileged children may take for granted.
  Economic disadvantage—projects that help families to improve their living standards and cope with difficulties that come from being on low incomes.

  Local network areas funding for 2002–03

  £

  Local network area

  Approximate allocation

  North East

  1,523,100

  Tees Valley (Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington)

  437,500

  Tyne and Wear (Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Sunderland)

  644,500

  Durham (County)1

  275,700

  Northumberland (County)1

  165, 400

  North West

  3,684,500

  Merseyside/Halton (Knowsley, Sefton, Liverpool, St. Helens, Wirral, Halton)

  977,000

  Greater Manchester (Manchester, Salford, Oldham, Rochdale, Bolton, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, Bury, Stockport)

  1,452,700

  Lancashire (Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn)

  726,500

  Cheshire (Cheshire, Warrington)1

  310, 400

  Cumbria (Cumbria)1

  217,900

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  2,566,700

  South Yorkshire (Doncaster, Barnsley, Rotherham, Sheffield)

  699,200

  West Yorkshire (Bradford, Kirklees, Calderdale, Wakefield, Leeds)

  1,137,400

  Humberside (Kingston upon Hull, NE Lincolnshire, N Lincolnshire, East Riding)

  478,500

  North Yorkshire (County, and York)1

  251,600

  East Midlands

  1,845,100

  Nottinghamshire (Nottingham and Nottinghamshire)

  525,800

  Leicestershire (Leicester and Leicestershire)

  389,200

  Derbyshire (County and Derby)1

  407,100

  Lincolnshire (County)1

  265,200

  Northamptonshire (County)1

  257,800

  West Midlands

  2,426,300

  Birmingham/Solihull (Birmingham and Solihull)

  825,300

  The Black Country (Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Dudley)

  631,000

  Shropshire (County, Telford and Wrekin)1

  207,400

  Staffordshire (County, Stoke on Trent)1

  427,000

  Warwickshire (County, Coventry)1

  335,600

  East

  804,900

  Norfolk

  305,100

  Bedfordshire (County, Luton)1

  254,600

  Suffolk (County)1

  245,200

  South West

  1,327,600

  Cornwall (Cornwall with Isles of Scilly)

  252,600

  Devon (County, Torbay and Plymouth)

  452,200

  Former Avon (Bristol, Bath and NE Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire)1

  371,300

  Dorset (County, Bournemouth and Poole)1

  251,500

  South East

  1,472,200

  Kent (Medway, Kent)

  592,000

  East Sussex (East Sussex and Brighton and Hove)

  297,700

  Hampshire (County, Southampton, Portsmouth and Isle of Wight)1

  582,500

  London

  3,349,600

  All London Boroughs

  3,349,600

  1 New area

  Examples of projects funded in the first year of funding:

  Ashford Mobile Toy Library, Kent
  The library lends good quality toys to families with pre-school children. Over 100 children from around 70 families use the toy
  454W
  Isolation and access—projects that help children that are isolated or alone, or have trouble accessing services.

  Children's voices—projects that give children and young people the chance to express their opinions and give advice on matters that concern them.

  Examples of the type of projects funded in the first year of operation are shown in the table along with the full list of the new areas eligible for funding and the provisional budget for each area.

  library regularly. The Local Network grant helped to purchase new equipment and fund the costs of training new volunteers.

  The Mustard Seed Project, Cornwall
  Covering the Helston, Porthleven and Lizard areas of Cornwall, which have the highest rate of unemployment in the district, this

  455W
  project provides a range of services including evening club activities for 10 to 14-year-olds, a drop-in centre and coffee bar with cheap wholesome food. The Local Network grant helped provide outreach into rural areas to help isolated young people and their families access the centre and its information and support services.

  Alpha Grove Community Centre, Millwall, East London
  The Alpha Grove Community centre is working to help disadvantaged young people in the area, providing an environment where they can meet, learn, create, express and develop social skills. A Local Network grant will allow a local artist to work with these young people to produce artwork for the centre which reflects subject matter derived from debates conducted with them on the issues they feel are relevant to them.

  Tyne and Wear Youth Bank, Newcastle Upon Tyne
  YouthBank is a grant making scheme run by young people. The Local Network grant is redistributed by the young people to small projects in the Tyne and Wear area which are run by and for young people.

  Sefton Women and Children's Aid, Litherland, Liverpool
  SWACA was established 24 years ago to provide a range of services for women and children who are victims of domestic violence, including valuable one-to-one support to children aged 0–17 years. The new grant will enable the group to assess what impact this service is having on the children and whether it is meeting their real needs. It will run group sessions with children aged five and over, so that they can describe what they would like to get from the service, allowing them to discuss issues of concern to them.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Departmental Investment Strategy
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the cost in 2001–02 of the Departmental Investment Strategy. [18977]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The Departmental Investment Strategy for 2001–02 covers only the part of Department of Work and Pensions which was formerly the Department of Social Security.

  The cost of the former Department of Social Security Departmental Investment Strategy is expected to be in the region of £840 million.

  Minimum Income Guarantee
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what are the projected additional annual costs at current prices for each of the next 35 years for(a) the annual uprating of the minimum income guarantee in line with average earnings, (b) the pension credit, (c) raising the level of the basic state pension to the level of the MIG for (i) all pensioners, (ii) all pensioners over 75 and (iii) all pensioners over 80 years and (d) the annual uprating of the state second pension in line with average earnings. [20235]

  Mr. McCartney
  The information requested for the minimum income guarantee and the pension credit is set out in the paper "The Pension Credit: long-term projections" which has been placed in the Library today. Copies are also available in the Vote Office.

  The additional information requested is set out in the tables.
  456W

  Annual costs in 2001–02 prices of increasing the basic state pension to the level of the minimum income guarantee and then uprating by earnings thereafter

  £ billion

  All

  Over 75s

  Over 80s

  2002

  8.5

  3.8

  2.2

  2005

  10.7

  4.7

  2.8

  2010

  15.8

  6.6

  3.9

  2015

  21.3

  8.9

  5.3

  2020

  27.5

  12.1

  7.0

  2025

  36.8

  17.3

  9.6

  2030

  48.6

  22.2

  13.6

  2035

  61.0

  28.5

  17.1

  2050

  92.3

  51.4

  34.1

  Source:

  The Government Actuary's Department

  Annual costs in 2001–02 prices of earnings uprating state second pension

  £ billion

  State Second Pension

  2002

  0.0

  2005

  0.0

  2010

  0.0

  2015

  0.1

  2020

  0.3

  2025

  0.7

  2030

  1.2

  2035

  2.0

  Notes:

  1. The costs of increases in the basic state pension and state pension are net of income related benefit savings that would be generated by these increases.

  2. The costs given for earnings uprating of state second pension assume that expenditure on SERPS (accruals up to 2001–02) would not be affected.

  3. The costs of earnings uprating of the state second pension only begin to become significant by 2015 because S2P only begins accruing in 2002–03 and therefore the amount of S2P in payment will be negligible for some time after that.

  4. The costs shown for state second pension in the table have been calculated based on the estimated costs of S2P which were shown in the report by the Government Actuary on the Financial Effects on the National Insurance Fund of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill 1999 (Cm 4573). The costs shown are the increase in expenditure over and above the baseline projected S2P expenditure shown in this report.

  5. It has been assumed that the basic state pension and state pension changes would not happen together. If they did, there would be an interaction because the Lower Earnings Limit is linked to the basic state pension. This means that the cost of S2P would be reduced if the basic state pension and, therefore, the LEL were raised.

  6. Average earnings are assumed to grow in line with Treasury economic assumptions until the end of the Parliament and then 1.5 per cent. above inflation over time.

  7. The pensioner population is assumed to grow according to GAD's central population growth estimates.

  Source:

  The Government Actuary's Department

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what is the take-up rate for the minimum income guarantee for pensioners. [27668]

  Mr. McCartney
  Estimates of take-up for the minimum income guarantee (MIG) by pensioners were published in "Income Related Benefits—Estimates of Take Up in 1999–2000", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  As at August 2001 there were 1.736 million pensioners receiving the MIG.

  State Retirement Pension
  Mr. Hurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the value was of the state retirement pension as a percentage of the average weekly wage in(a) 1971, (b) 1978, (c) 1981, (d) 1988, (e) 1991, (f) 1998 and (g) 2001. [21750]

  Mr. McCartney
  The objective of the basic state pension, since it was introduced in 1948, has always been to provide a foundation for income in retirement on which individuals could build their own second pension or other savings income. The Government are committed to retaining the basic state pension in this role as well as making it easier to build up second pensions, whether through private stakeholder pensions or the new state second pension (which will particularly help people on low pay or with broken work records such as carers or disabled). In addition, the Government are committed to tackling pensioner poverty directly with the minimum income guarantee and ensuring that thrift is rewarded through the pension credit.

  The information requested is as follows:

  Percentage

  September 1971

  20.3

  November 1978

  23.2

  November 1981

  22.4

  April 1988

  18.8

  April 1991

  18.3

  April 1998

  16.8

  April 2001

  1—

  1 Not yet available

  Note:

  The percentage is based on the amount of a single person's pension

  Source:

  "The Abstract of Statistics for Social Security Benefits and Contributions and Indices of Prices and Earnings", 2000 edition published by the DSS, page 57.

  Issue date

  Consultation document

  19 July 2001

  Social Security Fraud Act 2001 Code of Practice on Obtaining Information

  23 July 2001

  Changes to Invalid Care Allowance

  23 July 2001

  Amending the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979

  1 August 2001

  The Occupational Pension Schemes (Winding Up Notices and Reports etc.) Regulations 2001

  3 August 2001

  Housing and Council Tax Benefits Verification Framework: Splitting the Verification Framework into Modules

  13 August 2001

  The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) Amendment Regulations 2001

  13 August 2001

  The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Consultation Document) Amendment Regulations 2001

  13 August 2001

  The Minimum Funding requirement—The next stage of reform

  Sickness Absence
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to reply to the question of 3 December, ref. 21339, from the hon. Member for Buckingham on sickness absence. [24727]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 January 2002,Official Report, column 693W.

  Industrial Action
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of occasions on which(a) an interview, (b) a benefit claim and (c) a claim review has been delayed as a result of the current industrial action. [25226]
  458W

  Minimum Wage
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who no longer receive(a) one and (b) more than one means-tested benefit due to the introduction of the minimum wage; and if he will make a statement. [24104]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The information is not available in the format requested. The number of people affected by the introduction of the minimum wage will vary year on year as people move off benefit and into work. For 2001–02 we estimate that up to 50,000 people no longer receive one or more of income support, housing benefit or council tax benefit as a result of the introduction of the national minimum wage.

  Notes:

  1. Estimate is for 2001–02 and is based on 1998–99 Family Resources Survey data, uprated to 2001–02 prices and benefit rates. Minimum wage and benefit receipt have been modelled within the Policy Simulation Model.

  2. Estimate is rounded to the nearest 10,000.

  3. Estimate is based on minimum wage rates of £4.10 for those aged over 21 and £3.70 for those aged 18–21.

  Consultation Papers
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 23 October 2001,Official Report, column 179W, if he will list the consultation papers released by his Department during the summer recess. [24220]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The list of consultation documents issued during summer recess is as follows:

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The contingency plans that have been put in place during the current dispute have meant that all new claims have been dealt with quickly with customers receiving appropriate payments.

  Claim reviews—including fortnightly reviews for claimants of jobseeker's allowance—have in general continued to be carried out during the course of the industrial action, although in some locations these have been deferred to ensure the most vulnerable customers are dealt with as quickly as possible. No figures are available centrally on the number of such deferrals.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many days each(a) Employment Service office, (b) Benefits Agency office and (c) JobCentre Plus office has been closed as a result of the current industrial action. [25227]
  459W
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The number of offices closed as a result of the national industrial action taken on 12 and 13 December was 75 out of a total of more than 1,650 offices.

  The number of days on which offices involved in the continuous industrial action have been closed is 85, involving between four and six offices, up to and including 17 December 2001.

  Digital Hearing Aids
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations his Department has made to Her Majesty's Treasury concerning the treatment of the receipt of digital hearing aids funded through the access to work scheme as a taxable benefit. [25366]

  Maria Eagle
  [holding answer 11 January 2002]: The Employment Service has met with officials of the Inland Revenue and established the tax liability position of access to work beneficiaries with digital hearing aids, as set out in the answer given to the hon. Member by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 11 January 2002, Official Report, column 1033W.

  New Deal
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of those leaving the new deal for the long-term unemployed left the new deal for unsubsidised sustained jobs; and how many did not return to claim jobseeker's allowance within(a) 26 weeks and (b) one year since the inception of the new deal. [25981]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  Up to the end of October 2001, 49,010 new deal 25 plus leavers had gained unsubsidised sustained jobs. Of these, 42,280 did not return to claim jobseeker's allowance within 26 weeks, and 37,030 had not re-claimed the benefit one year after leaving the new deal.

  Notes:

  The figures quoted refer to people who entered the pre-April 2001 new deal 25 plus programme. An enhanced new deal 25 plus programme was launched in April 2001. The figures include those leavers who have been in employment for less than six to 12 months, but who have not yet returned to jobseeker's allowance.

  Source:

  New Deal Evaluation Database

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 27 November 2001 with regard to Miss C. Fryar. [27319]

  Mr. Darling
  I replied to my right hon. Friend on 16 January.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 3 December 2001 with regard to Miss A. Steeles. [27324]

  Mr. Darling
  I replied to my right hon. Friend on 10 January.

  Self-administered Pension Schemes
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the costs of registration of trustees under the Data Protection Act 1998 for self-administered pension schemes. [27669]

  Mr. McCartney
  The Department has made no assessment of the costs of registration of trustees under the Data Protection Act 1998. The Act sets out the provisions under which data controllers are required to complete notifications to the Information Commissioner (formerly registrations under the Data Protection Act 1984). Trustees, as the people responsible for the administration of their pension schemes, are responsible for deciding whether they are required to send a notification to the Information Commissioner. A fee of £35 is payable for notification and the period of notification is one year.

  Pension Credit
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will provide a breakdown of the forecast cost of the pension credit by(a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030 and (d) 2040. [21026]

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people will be entitled to the pension credit; and what the cost will be in(a) 2005, 2010, (c) 2015 and (d) 2020 if the minimum income guarantee element of the pension credit is uprated in line with earnings from 2003 and the basic state pension in line with prices. [21409]

  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the(a) number and (b) proportion of people retiring who will receive a pension above benefit levels (i) this year, (ii) in 2005, (iii) in 2010, (iv) in 2020, (v) in 2030 and (vi) in 2040; and if he will make a statement. [25749]

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will estimate the coverage of the proposed pension credit scheme if the pension credit was uprated in line with earnings to(a) 2005, (b) 2010 and 2015; [20299]

  (2) if he will estimate the annual (a) cost and (b) coverage in terms of the numbers of pensioners in receipt of pension credit in each of the first five years after 2003–04 on the basis of his present proposals and their uprating in line with earnings; [27335]

  (3) if he will estimate the annual (a) cost and (b) coverage in terms of numbers of pensioners in receipt of pension credit, on the basis of his proposals and their uprating in line with earnings, at (i) 2010, (ii) 2020, and (iii) 2030. [27336]

  Mr. McCartney
  [holding answers 5 December 2001 and 16 January 2002]: The information requested is set out in the paper "The Pension Credit: long-term projections", which has been placed in the Library today. Copies are also available in the Vote Office.

  Child Care
  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the(a) number and (b) cost of publicly funded child care places in each of the last 10 years. [24969]
  461W
  Margaret Hodge
  I have been asked to reply.

  In England, over 424,000 child care places, including pre-school and out of school child care places (including child minding places), have been created since April 1997. For the current financial year, 2001–02, a total of £188 million has been made available to support the creation and sustainability of good quality, affordable child care places and complementary special projects. Of the total, the Government have made £149 million available to early years development and child care partnerships, which includes £46 million from the neighbourhood nurseries initiative, and the European Social Fund has made £39 million available for special projects.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Departmental Spending
  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent by the Home Office on advertising in the past two years; what the cost and purpose of each advertising campaign was; which advertising agencies were involved in each campaign; and if he will make a statement. [27648]

  Mr. Blunkett
  [holding answer 15 January 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Perth (Annabelle Ewing) on 19 December 2001, Official Report, column 478W.

  There follows a more detailed breakdown of the spending on advertising.

  Over the past two years the Home Office has spent the following on advertising:
  In 1999–2000 £5.65 million was spent on the following campaigns:
  An information campaign encouraging people to register to vote—£575,000;
  An information campaign explaining changes to the voting system for the European Election—£1.87 million;
  An information campaign on how to obtain a passport—£545,000; A fire safety information campaign £1.675 million; and
  Police recruitment campaign (Accelerated Promotion Scheme for Graduates (APSG)/Special Constables)—£985,000.
  The advertising agency involved in all these campaigns is Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper.
  In 2000–01 £28.36 million was spent on the following campaigns:
  A campaign to inform people about new rolling electoral registration procedures—£3.34 million. Agency involved—Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper;
  A campaign to inform people about new postal voting procedures £3.2 million. Agency involved—Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper;
  A fire safety information campaign—£5 million. Agency involved—Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper;
  A campaign to make people aware of the introduction of the Human Rights Act 1998—£800,000. Agency involved—(Collett Dickinson Pearce);
  A police recruitment campaign—£7.35 million. Agency involved & C Saatchi; and An information campaign to help reduce vehicle crime—£8.67 million. Agency involved—Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y & R.

  All the costs listed include VAT.
  462W

  Environmental Audit Committee
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he has made to his Department's practice in respect of environmental appraisals to reflect the recommendations contained in the Environmental Audit Committee's 5th report of Session 1999–2000, HC 341. [27517]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 16 January 2002]: A section on environmental appraisals is included within the Department's Policy Checklist, which staff have been commended to use by the Permanent Secretary. The ministerial website also states that policy submissions should include a paragraph on environmental considerations.

  The Prison Service Management Board has agreed that all new policies and programmes should be subject to environmental screening and appraisal. This will apply to submissions to Ministers, papers to the Prison Service Management Board and Operational Policy Group and to business cases in respect of prison maintenance and construction work.

  Green Minister
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the work completed by the Green Minister with his Department since the general election. [27506]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 16 January 2002]: The Department has continued to work to contribute towards the Government's sustainable development agenda. As the Green Minister, I have held meetings with lead officials to review progress. The main developments are as follows:

  (i) 13 key sites including all central London headquarters buildings now use 100 per cent. green electricity, with a further two sites using a 10 per cent. green electricity supply.

  (ii) SR 2002 bids are required to state which sustainable development indicators their bids will have an impact on.

  (iii) An excellent Buildings Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM) rating was achieved at the Harmondsworth Detention Management Unit.

  (iv) Waste minimisation schemes will be introduced in all key core Home Office buildings by the end of March 2002.

  (v) Work is under way on the methodology to be used in energy efficiency benchmarking of prisons, college sites and laboratories on the HO estate.

  (vi) The Prison Service published its first annual environmental report in July 2001 and "Buying Green", a guide to green purchasing.

  (vii) A Prison Service Greening Conference in October 2001 was attended by around 3(X) delegates.

  (viii) The Prison Service has spent over £600 million on funding green initiatives covering such as energy efficiency, waste management, environmental management systems and biodiversity.

  Police Force Expenditure
  Mr. Michael Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what police force expenditure has been for each police authority(a) in total and (b) per head of population in each year since 1989. [22981]

  Mr. Denham
  A table showing the information for England and Wales has been placed in the Library. The figures are taken from the Chartered Institute of
  463W
  Public Finance and Accountancy Police Statistics. Actual expenditure is used for years to 1999–2000. Latest available data for 2000–01 and 2001–02 are estimates.

  Deportation
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's policy is in relation to deciding which airline should be used for a deportation; and if he will make a statement. [27845]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 16 January 2002]: The powers relating to the removal of persons subject to immigration control are contained in schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 (paragraphs 8–15).

  Where the cost of removal falls to be met by the company responsible for bringing the person to the United Kingdom, the choice of carrier would be a matter for that company. Where the cost falls to public funds, we would normally give directions for removal on the first available flight to the country concerned.

  Illegal Immigrants
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent research his Department has commissioned into the effect on race relations of illegal immigrants. [26728]

  Angela Eagle
  The Home Office has not commissioned any recent research specifically into the effect on race relations of illegal immigrants, but is considering a broad range of research on immigration including improving knowledge of the illegal population and improving the integration of refugees and other migrants into communities.

  The current year's research programme of the Research Development and Statistics Directorate, including the work on immigration, is published on the website, which can be found at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/resprogl.html.

  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated cost to his Department was of illegal immigrants in the last 12 months. [26841]

  Angela Eagle
  This information is not available as the Immigration and Nationality Directorate does not quantify the costs of illegal entrants separately from those of its other activities.

  Prostitutes
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 January 2002,Official Report, columns 893–95W, if he will make a statement explaining the nature of the public policy limitations which will enable the UK to prevent Polish, Czech and Slovak nationals establishing themselves as self-employed prostitutes in the UK despite the EU Court of Justice decision 268/99 published on 11 December. [27504]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 16 January 2002]: The European Union Court of Justice decision 268/99 ruled that a member state is entitled to rely on the public policy
  464W
  limitation aspect of the Association agreements where it adopts measures designed to combat prostitution carried out by its own nationals.

  The United Kingdom adopts a number of measures designed to combat prostitution. In particular, soliciting is an offence. Should a Polish, Czech or Slovak national seek to enter the United Kingdom in order to establish themselves as a self-employed prostitute they would, in order to conduct that business successfully, have to engage in an illegal activity. Therefore, the United Kingdom would be within its rights to refuse such an application on public policy grounds.

  Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 will take effect. [27481]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  We intend that Part 12 of the 2001 Act will take effect on 14 February 2002, in accordance with a Commencement Order which will be made under section 127 of the Act.

  Asylum and Immigration Act
  Mr. Joyce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of Judicial Reviews on asylum decisions have been successful since the Asylum and Immigration Act 1999 came into force. [27454]

  Angela Eagle
  Since October 2000, when the Asylum and Immigration Act 1999 came into force, 1,546 Judicial Reviews have been lodged against asylum decisions. Of the 645 Judicial Reviews where the final outcome has been made known, 69 applicants (10.7 per cent.) have been successful in obtaining the relief sought. By comparison, 110 applicants have withdrawn their applications during the judicial process.

  Departmental Staff (Home Working)
  Mr. Challen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to encourage staff to work from home; and how many staff do so on a regular basis. [21826]

  Mr. Blunkett
  The Home Office is committed to the work-life balance of its staff as part of its commitment to the diversity agenda. A range of flexible working patterns, including flexible working hours, part-time working, job sharing, and home working are available to staff by agreement with their management.

  Guidance on the range of work-life balance options for staff was first published in a booklet, "Balancing Work and Home Responsibilities", in 1997. Subsequent developments reflect changes in technology which allow staff secure access to some Home Office systems remotely via laptop computers specifically developed for this purpose.

  Over 350 staff have laptop computers which have facilities for them to access the Department's information technology system remotely, and many more have equipment which allows them to read or write documents off-line. Information on the number of staff who do so is

  465W
  not collected centrally but managers are responsible for ensuring that staff working from home are properly authorised to do so.

  People Trafficking
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the UK Government have made a financial contribution to the Global Programme Against Trafficking in Human Beings launched by the Centre for International Crime Prevention. [26903]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  As major donors, the British Government contribute 5.58 per cent. of the United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention's (CICP) regular budget. We are currently considering what additional donations we might make to CICP work during this financial year.

  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the(a) number and (b) percentage of asylum seekers who enter the UK as a result of third party traffickers who assist their passage. [26904]

  Angela Eagle
  Information about the numbers involved is not collected centrally. However, it is clear from the analysis of interviewing and debriefing conducted for intelligence purposes that the majority of asylum seekers are assisted in some way. I understand that this is consistent with the experiences of other European Union member states.

  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions his Department has had in the past six months with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe about trafficking in human beings. [26902]

  Angela Eagle
  There are a number of initiatives on trafficking with which the Organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) is associated, including the Anti-Trafficking Task Force of the Stability Pact for South East Europe. Officials from both the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have been in regular contact with the (OSCE) in Europe on this subject.

  Crime Report
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish Lord Birt's report on crime. [25973]

  Mr. Blunkett
  Lord Birt provides private advice to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on a number of issues. In relation to crime and the criminal justice system, Lord Birt's advice is reflected in the Government's strategy document, "Criminal Justice: The Way Ahead" (Cm 5074), which was published on 26 February 2001.

  Zimbabwean Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Zimbabwean citizens seeking asylum in Britain have been deported since June 2000. [26620]

  Angela Eagle
  The latest available information relates to the period April to June 2001, during which an estimated 40 principal asylum applicants (to the nearest five) of Zimbabwean nationality are recorded as having 466W
  been removed from the United Kingdom. This includes persons departing 'voluntarily' after enforcement action had been initiated against them and may include some persons leaving under the Voluntary Assisted Returns Programme, but excludes dependants of those asylum seekers who departed at the same time, for whom nationality information is not available.

  Information on the destination of asylum seekers removed from the United Kingdom is not recorded centrally and could be obtained by examining individual case files only at disproportionate cost. Therefore it is not possible to determine how many of these persons were returned to Zimbabwe.

  I regret that a nationality breakdown of asylum seekers removed between June 2000 and March 2001 is not available due to data recording problems.

  Information on the nationality of principal asylum applicants removed in the period July to September 2001 will be published on 28 February 2002 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl.htm

  Heroin
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the change in the availability of heroin on Britain's streets if the Government bought the stockpiles and new production of heroin in(a) Afghanistan, (b) Burma and (c) Pakistan. [28117]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  None.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Television Licences (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many defendants were proceeded against at magistrates courts in England and Wales for offences under the Wireless and Telegraphy Acts in each of the last four years; how many were convicted; and what was(a) the total of fines imposed and (b) the average fine. [27690]

  Mr. Alexander
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested in respect of prosecutions under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 is as follows. All prosecutions resulted in convictions.

  Number prosecuted

  Total fines imposed (£)

  Average (£)

  1998

  104

  20,265

  332

  1999

  103

  17,265

  288

  2000

  80

  12,830

  229

  20011

  26

  9,180

  399

  1 To 30 September 2001

  Millennium Dome
  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of the millennium dome
  467W
  is, broken down by category of expenditure, from conception to the date for which the most recent figures are available for each financial year; and what future finances have been committed from (a) public finances, (b) lottery funding and (c) other sources. [20190]

  £ million

  1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998

  1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999

  1 April 1999 to 31 December 1999

  1 January 2000 to 31 December 2000

  1 January 2001 to 18 December 2001

  Total project

  Dome structure and associated Infrastructure

  74

  128

  77

  0

  -4

  275

  Dome exhibits and attractions

  4

  26

  149

  63

  0

  242

  Dome operating costs

  0

  0

  42

  61

  -1

  102

  Commercial communications and Marketing

  3

  10

  16

  12

  0

  41

  Set-up costs, staff accommodation IT, legal and corporate services

  8

  6

  29

  12

  -2

  53

  National programme

  1

  9

  17

  23

  0

  50

  Decommissioning and corporate wind down

  0

  0

  0

  6

  25

  31

  Grand total

  90

  179

  330

  177

  18

  794

  The cost of the Millennium Experience includes the National Programme of events and activities. Also included is the London Riverside new year's eve celebrations of 31 December 1999. Negative figures shown in the table against 2001 result from rebates and savings on costs provided for in previous years' account. In addition, from 1 July 2001, when the lease of NMEC ended, English Partnerships, the Government's urban regeneration agency, has incurred £1.5 million on care and maintenance related costs, £6.4 million on decommissioning the Dome contents in preparation for a future use and about £2.2 million in relation to the current sale process, up to 31 December 2001. The cost of the previous competition to find a long-term use for the Dome, which began in March 1999 and ended at the beginning of 2001, was £6.7 million. All these costs will be met from within English Partnerships' normal budget, and recovered from eventual sale proceeds.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent on fees for advisers to the(a) Government and (b) New Millennium Experience Company for the Dome project. [22693]

  Dr. Howells
  The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) paid £82,000 to consultants for specific advisory work in connection with the potential sale of the Millennium Dome. In terms of supplying details of all other advice for all aspects of the project, an accurate figure could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  English Partnerships, the Government's regeneration agency, responsible for managing the Dome sale process on behalf of the Government, is expected to incur costs in the order of £2.2 million for the current sale process up to 31 December 2001. This largely relates to consultants' costs for the market testing and other matters associated with the on-going sale process. The cost of the previous competition for the sale of the Dome, which began in March 1999 and ended at the beginning of 2001, was £6.7 million. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport incurred costs of £68,495 for legal advice relating to the sale process during this period.
  468W
  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 3 December 2001]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has advised that the total cost of the Millennium Experience, broken down by expenditure heading, by its financial year is as follows:

  An estimated (still to be finalised) £17,600 is likely to be incurred by DCMS for advice received in relation to the appointment of liquidators to NMEC in December 2001.

  Departmental Sickness Absence
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will commission and publish an independent report on the reasons for the level of sickness absence in her Department. [26977]

  Dr. Howells
  The Cabinet Office already commissions and publishes an independent annual report "Analysis of Sickness in the Civil Service". This report includes details of the causes of absenteeism. The report for the year 2000 will be published shortly.

  DCMS is committed to managing sickness absence effectively and reducing sickness absence.

  Ministerial Transport
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last used the railway service in connection with her official duties; what station she left from and what was the destination; and whether it is her intention to make greater use of the railways in future. [28098]

  Tessa Jowell
  I last travelled by train during the course of my official duties on 12 December 2001. I travelled to Leicester from St. Pancras in order to break the ground at the Bharat Football Club in Leicester.

  All travel by Ministers in this Department is made in line with the guidance set out in Chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code and the accompanying guidance document "Travel by Ministers", using the most efficient and cost effective mode of transport and bearing in mind security considerations. We will continue to do so.

  Sports Clubs
  Mr. Swire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to instruct local
  469W
  authorities to reduce rates and rental on sports clubs occupying sites in the ownership of their local authority. [27869]

  Mr. Caborn
  Local authorities are responsible for rents charged to sports clubs which are located on their property, and the Government have no scope to dictate the amounts charged.

  Local authorities can already grant discretionary rate relief of up to 100 per cent. to sports clubs, and the majority do so. However, sport's governing and representative bodies have asked the Government to provide greater certainty for local clubs. I therefore welcome the Charity Commission's announcement of 30 November 2001 that community amateur sports clubs may now apply for registered charitable status. Eligible clubs which successfully apply to become charities will enjoy a range of financial benefits including mandatory rate relief of 80 per cent. (which may be topped-up to 100 per cent. at the discretion of local authorities).

  Mr. Swire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to direct local authorities not to take into account improvements made to sports clubs occupying sites in the ownership of their local authority when agreeing a new lease. [27868]

  Mr. Caborn
  This is a matter for local authorities, which are responsible for setting the terms of leases of their property. However, the Government expect local authorities to take account of the special characteristics and needs of sports clubs when doing so.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Sustainable Development Summit
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals she has made for inclusion on the agenda of the World Summit on Sustainable Development; and which of these were(a) discussed and (b) recommended for inclusion on the agenda at the meeting of the UN Economic Commission for Europe Meeting in Geneva on 24 and 25 September. [132471

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 15 November 2001]The United Kingdom has been working with European Union partners to develop a range of ideas on the agenda for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. In particular, we have pressed for the summit to address poverty eradication, and making globalisation a force for sustainable development particularly to help poorer countries. The UK has argued for specific action on access to fresh water and sanitation, sustainable energy, Africa, and strengthening UN institutions to promote sustainable development. These issues were reflected in the UNECE ministerial declaration.

  Electricity Consumption
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the most cost-effective ways in which(a) industry and commerce and (b) domestic consumers can reduce electricity consumption. [17429]
  470W
  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 27 November 2001]We have carried out a wide range of detailed assessments of the most cost-effective options for saving energy, including reducing electricity consumption in both the business (industry and commerce) and domestic sectors. This includes research, demonstration and case studies of energy efficient practices and technologies. The resultant information is provided to business sectors, the building industry, landlords and local authorities, as well as to individuals, via the Carbon Trust, the Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme www.energy-efficiency.gov.uk and through the Energy Saving Trust's Energy Efficiency Advice Centres www.est.org.uk.

  Examples of the best practice advice and assessments provided can be found on these websites.

  Waste Disposal
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will issue advice on the storage of waste refrigeration equipment before 1 January 2002. [24166]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Department issued guidance on the storage of waste refrigeration equipment, prior to CFC extraction, at the beginning of December 2001.

  Home Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes have benefited from completed warm front scheme installations; how many homes are in the process of being assessed; how many people have been turned down for upgrading of their heating; what the average wait is between application and installation; what has been the cost thus far to the public purse; and what assessment he has made of the efficiency of the EAGA partnership in delivering the scheme. [24951]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 9 January 2002]: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES), now marketed as The Warm Front Team, is administered by two scheme managers, TXU Warm Front Ltd. (responsible for the Eastern, East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber) and Eaga Partnership Ltd. (responsible for the rest of England).

  HEES provides households with packages of heating and insulation measures tailored to their circumstances and property type. Where the householder is eligible and the property requires heating; then it is provided. The precise package is discussed and agreed between the householder and HEES surveyor.

  Number of homes completed or orders placed with the contractor (June 2000 to December 2001): 274,000

  Number of homes awaiting assessment: 56,000

  Number of homes where insulation-only measures provided or currently being assessed: 285,000

  Current average waiting time between application and installation: 71 days1

  Total cost of the scheme (June 2000 to December 2001): £193 million

  1 Measured from date of call with respect of telephone applications, from date of receipt in case of postal applications or from date of e-mail. There is usually a period of 1–8 weeks between the date of actual installation and the receipt of the invoice from installers.
  471W
  The introduction of the radically improved Home Energy Efficiency Scheme in June 2000 represented a difficult challenge for both scheme managers. The national shortage of gas heating engineers has led to severe delays in some areas in the installation and repair of central heating systems. Both scheme managers have worked hard to recruit installers and to improve the quality of service provided to householders. The Department continues to maintain a close watch on their performance.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what provision there is within the warm front schemes to allow the most vulnerable households who are in immediate danger of risking their health because of lack of heating to queue jump the waiting list for grants during the winter months; how many households were allowed to queue jump in each month since April 2000; and what plans she has to review the first-come, first-served system of Warm Front grants during the present review of the grants. [25355]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 9 January 2002]: The Government's main programme for tackling fuel poverty in the private sector in England is the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES). HEES is marketed as the Warm Front Team. Two scheme managers, Eaga Partnership Ltd. and TXU Warm Front Ltd. administer the scheme.

  HEES has been developed to help tackle the problem of fuel poverty, those who spend 10 per cent. or more of their income staying warm. Fuel poverty is caused by a combination of energy inefficient housing and low incomes. Certain people are particularly vulnerable to cold-related ill health—the old, families with children, the disabled and the long term sick. HEES is targeted at these priority households and all applicants are therefore treated equally.

  We have no intention of removing the current first-come approach. Any prioritising system would be complex to administer and likely to dissuade households from the scheme. Instead, we believe it is better to concentrate resources on reducing the time taken to install measures on all households.

  Packaging
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will exempt re-usable wood packaging from the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997. [25342]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 9 January 2002]: There are no grounds within the Directive or the UK Regulations for exempting any types or items of packaging from their scope.

  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the cost of compliance to the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 by the United Kingdom wood packaging industry in terms of the percentage of the industry's average profits in the last year. [25343]
  472W
  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 9 January 2002]: The recovery of wood packaging waste has only been required by the Regulations since 1 January 2000. No assessment has been made of the cost of compliance with the Regulations to the wood packaging industry.

  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 on the re-use of products in the United Kingdom wood packaging industry. [25344]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 9 January 2002]: The Government have made no assessment of the impact of the regulations on the re-use of products in the UK wood packaging industry.

  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of companies evading the producer responsibility obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997; and what plans the Environment Agency has to prevent this. [25345]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 9 January 2002]: The Regulations place a monitoring duty on the Environment Agency. The agency continues to trace businesses which should be subject to the packaging regulations and they have the powers to monitor businesses which they believe should be subject to the regulations. It is impossible to estimate the number of businesses that might still be evading their producer responsibility obligations. However, comparison of the data derived from obligated businesses with estimates derived from materials organisations and making allowance for businesses outside the scope of the regulations because they do not satisfy turnover and packaging tonnage threshold limits, the amount of packaging not accounted for is probably less than 2 per cent. of the total. The Environment Agency's compliance plan for 2001–02 has provision to check on more than 2,000 businesses and the agency is on schedule to fulfil that commitment. The number of registrations under the regulations (which includes individual businesses and groups of companies) has continued to rise, from 5,451 at the end of 2000 to 5,629 now.

  Agency enforcement is steadily improving. There were 38 prosecutions in 2001 (a total of 72 since the start of the agency's enforcement programme in 1998). Fines are on average higher, with fines totalling £152,350 (average £4,000) in 2001, compared to only £63,878 (average £2,060) in 2000 in 31 cases. The highest fine last year reached £25,000. As fines increase, so does their deterrent effect.

  Bird Populations
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the percentage changes in British bird populations in the last three years, broken down by county. [26201]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Government's Quality of Life Counts indicator of wild birds uses an index of UK bird populations set at 100 for 1970. The values of the index for the last three years are presented in the table for all 105 bird species included. The index increased by
  473W
  3 per cent. in 1999 and by a further 4 per cent. in 2000. Further information on these statistics is published in the DEFRA News Release No. 303/01.

  The Department has also commissioned research from the British Trust for Ornithology and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to develop indicators of bird populations for England and Government Office regions. The indicators will show the percentage change in bird populations in the last 30 years. The results are expected to be published in the spring and a copy of the report will be placed in the Library of the House. Information on changes in bird populations for individual counties is not held centrally.

  Bird population index

  All birds

  1998

  100

  1999

  103

  2000

  107

  Compost Bins
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list those local authorities which provide compost bins(a) free of change and (b) on payment to households in their areas; and if she will make a statement. [27145]

  Mr. Meacher
  Information from the 1999–2000 Municipal Waste Management Survey shows that 17 local authorities in England distributed home composting bins to households free of charge during 1999–2000.235 local authorities in England either charged some or all of their households for this service. The remaining 102 authorities either did not distribute compost bins during 1999–2000 or did not provide information.

  Authorities that distributed home compost bins free of charge in 1999–2000: 17

  Carrick District Council

  Eastleigh Borough Council

  Forest of Dean District Council

  Hounslow LB

  Kingston-upon-Thames LB

  Mendip District Council

  Merton LB

  North Cornwall District Council

  North Shropshire District Council

  Pendle Borough Council

  Restorml Borough Council

  Shepway District Council

  South Tyneside MBC

  Sutton LB

  Test Valley Borough Council

  Three Rivers District Council

  Trafford MBC

  Authorities that made a charge to households for some, or all, compost bins in 1999–2000: 235

  Adur District Council

  Allerdale Borough Council

  Amber Valley Borough Council

  474W

  Arun District Council

  Ashfield District Council Aylesbury Vale District Council

  Babergh District Council Barnet LB

  Barnsley MBC

  Barrow-in-Furness Borough Council

  Basildon District Council

  Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

  Bassetlaw District Council

  Bath and North East Somerset Council

  Bedford Borough Council

  Bexley LB

  Birmingham City Council

  Blaby District Council

  Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

  Blackpool Borough Council

  Blyth Valley Borough Council

  Boston Borough Council

  Bournemouth Borough Council

  Brackness Forest Borough Council

  Bradford City MDC

  Braintree District Council

  Breckland Borough Council

  Brent LB

  Brentwood Borough Council

  Brighton and Hove Council

  Bristol City Council

  Broadland District Council

  Bromley LB

  Bromsgrove District Council

  Broxbourne Borough Council

  Broxtowe Borough Council

  Burnley Borough Council

  Bury MBC

  Calderdale MBC

  Camden LB

  Caradon District Council

  Carlisle City Council

  Castle Point Borough Council

  Charnwood Borough Council

  Chelmsford Borough Council

  Cherwell District Council

  Chester City Council

  Chesterfield Borough Council

  Chester-Le-Street District Council

  Chichester District Council

  Chiltern District Council

  Chorley Borough Council

  Christchurch Borough Council

  Colchester Borough Council

  Congleton Borough Council

  Cotswold District Council

  Coventry City Council

  Crawley Borough Council

  Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council

  Dacorum Borough Council

  Daventry District Council

  Derbyshire Dales District Council

  Derwentside District Council

  475W

  Doncaster MBC

  Dover District Council

  Durham City Council

  East Cambridgeshire District Council

  East Devon District Council

  East Hertfordshire District Council

  East Lindsey District Council

  East Northamptonshire Council

  Eastbourne Borough Council

  Eden District Council

  Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council

  Elmbridge Borough Council

  Enfield LB

  Epping Forest Borough Council

  Epsom and Ewell Borough Council

  Fareham Borough Council

  Fenland District Council

  Forest Heath District Council

  Fylde Borough Council

  Gateshead MBC

  Gedling Borough Council

  Gloucester City Council

  Gosport Borough Council

  Gravesham Borough Council

  Gravesham Borough Council

  Greenwich LB

  Guildford Borough Council

  Halton Borough Council

  Hambleton District Council

  Harborough District Council

  Haringey LB

  Harlow District Council

  Harrow LB

  Hart District Council

  Hastings Borough Council

  Havant Borough Council

  Hertsmere Borough Council

  High Peak Borough Council

  Hillingdon LB

  Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council

  Horsham District Council

  Huntingdonshire District Council

  Hyndburn Borough Council

  Isle of Wight Council

  Islington LB

  Kennet District Council

  Kensington and Chelsea London Borough

  Kerrier District Council

  Kettering Borough Council

  Kirklees MBC

  Knowsley MBC

  Leeds City Council MBC

  Leicester City Council

  Lewes District Council

  Lichfield District Council

  Luton Borough Council

  Macclesfield Borough Council

  Maidstone Borough Council

  Maldon District Council

  Malvern Hills District Council

  476W

  Manchester City Council MBC

  Mansfield District Council

  Medway Borough Council

  Melton Borough Council

  Mid Bedfordshire District Council

  Mid Devon District Council

  Mid Suffolk District Council

  Mid Sussex District Council

  Milton Keynes Council

  Mole Valley District Council

  New Forest District Council

  Newark and Sherwood District Council

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Council MBC

  North Devon District Council

  North East Derbyshire District Council

  North East Lincolnshire Council

  North Lincolnshire Council

  North Norfolk District Council

  North Somerset Council

  North Tyneside Council

  North Warwickshire Borough Council

  North West Leicestershire District Council

  Northampton Borough Council

  Norwich City Council

  Nottingham City Council

  Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council

  Oxford City Council

  Penwith District Council

  Peterborough City Council

  Plymouth City Council

  Preston Borough Council

  Reading Borough Council

  Redbridge LB

  Rochdale MBC

  Rochford District Council

  Rother District Council

  Rotherham MBC

  Rugby Borough Council

  Runnymede Borough Council

  Rushcliffe Borough Council

  Ryedale District Council

  Salford City Council

  MBC Sedgefield Borough

  Council Sedgemoor District

  Council Sefton MBC

  Sevenoaks District Council

  Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council

  Slough Borough Council

  Solihull MBC

  South Bedfordshire District Council

  South Cambridgeshire District Council

  South Gloucestershire Council

  South Hams District Council

  South Holland District Council

  South Kesteven District Council

  South Lakeland District Council

  South Norfolk Council

  South Northamptonshire District Council

  South Oxfordshire District Council

  South Shropshire District Council

  477W

  South Somerset District Council

  Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

  Southwark LB

  Spelthorne Borough Council

  St. Albans City and District Council

  St. Helens MBC

  Stafford Borough Council

  Stevenage Borough Council

  Stockport MBC

  Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

  Stroud District Council

  Suffolk Coastal District Council

  Sunderland City Council

  Surrey Heath Borough Council

  Swale Borough Council

  Swindon Borough Council

  Tameside MBC

  Tamworth Borough Council

  Tandridge District Council

  Teignbridge District Council

  Telford and Wrekin Council

  Tendring District Council

  Tewkesbury Borough Council

  Thurrock Council

  Tonbridge and Mailing Borough Council

  Torbay Council

  Torridge District Council

  Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

  Vale of White Horse District Council

  Vale Royal Borough Council

  Waltham Forest LB

  Wandsworth LB

  Warrington Borough Council

  Watford Borough Council

  Waveney District Council

  Waverley Borough Council

  Wealden District Council

  Wellingborough Borough Council

  West Devon Borough Council

  West Lancashire District Council

  West Lindsey District Council

  West Oxfordshire District Council

  West Wiltshire District Council

  Westminster City Council

  Wigan MBC

  Winchester City Council

  Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council

  Wirral MBC

  Wokingham Council

  Worthing Borough Council

  Wychavon District Council

  Wycombe District Council

  Wyre Borough Council.

  Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimates she has made of the cost to(a) public funds
  478W
  and (b) land managers of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Uncultivated Land and Semi-Natural Areas) (England) Regulations 2001; [27140]

  (2) what consultations were undertaken, with whom, prior to the laying before Parliament of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Uncultivated Land and Semi-Natural Areas) (England) Regulations 2001. [27138]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 14 January 2002]: The cost to public funds and land managers cannot be estimated accurately without knowing in advance the number of projects subject to EIA. As part of the Regulatory Impact Assessment, it was estimated that the cost to DEFRA might be in the region of £0.1 to £0.2 million per annum. Costs to land managers will vary depending on the nature, size and potential impacts of the project and whether any changes need to be made in the light of the assessment. As an illustration it was calculated that the costs arising from 100 projects subject to an application, of which 10 led to preparation of an Environmental Statement prepared by a consultant, could be around £20,000 to £28,000.

  Two formal consultations were carried out in 2001; the first in May on the options for implementation elicited 42 responses; the second in September, with detailed proposals, received 32 responses. Respondents included statutory agencies (English Nature, English Heritage, Environment Agency and Countryside Agency) and bodies representing environmental and historic interests and the farming industry.

  Carcase Burial
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her decision to apply for planning permission for the mass burial of animal carcases at Great Orton. [27137]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 14 January 2002]: The mass burial site at Great Orton is Crown property and, as such, planning permission was not required for its use. However, to fall in line with best practice DEFRA applied for a retrospective Notice of Proposed Development and Environmental Statement on 4 December 2001.

  Fuel Poverty
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what the age and status are of children in a household for that household to be deemed vulnerable under the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy; and how many such households with children there are in(a) private sector housing and (b) public sector housing in England; [26425]

  (2) what age a person must be for their household to be classified as vulnerable under the fuel poverty definition; and how many such households there are in (a) private sector housing and (b) public sector housing in England. [26424]

  Mr. Meacher
  Householders aged 60 years or more, families with children under 16 and those that are disabled or suffering from a long-term illness are all regarded as being particularly vulnerable to cold-related ill-health.
  479W
  The number of fuel poor households in England in 1998 is set out in Table 4.1 of the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy. This shows that out of the 2.7 million vulnerable households in fuel poverty in England in 1998, 2 million were in private sector housing and 0.7 million in social housing.

  Chart 4.2 of the strategy shows that in 1998, some 14 per cent. or half a million fuel poor households had a child under 16. It is not possible to estimate the breakdown of this between different housing tenures.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Regulatory Impact Assessments
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many regulatory impact assessments have been produced by his Department since August 2001; and if he will list those produced(a) following initial consultation with affected parties about the most appropriate methodology for assessing costs and other impacts and (b) which set out full commercial impacts, including profitability, employment, consumer prices and competitiveness, as recommended in Good Policy Making. [28397]

  Mr. Leslie
  Full regulatory impact assessments are placed in the House Libraries.

  The Good Policy Making Guide recommends that policy makers take early soundings from affected parties. The results of these informal consultations are not required to be produced in a RIA at this stage. However, Departments are advised to include a partial RIA in formal consultations. Consultations can be accessed via www.ukonline.gov.uk/citizenspace/consultations/.

  The Good Policy Making Guide does recommend that as part of the RIA' s assessment of costs and benefits, any additional costs and indirect costs should be identified and quantified stating who or what bears them.

  There is no specific requirement in the Good Policy Making Guide to consult on appropriate methodology, nor is there a specific requirement to set out the information at (b). The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

PRIME MINISTER

  Archbishop of Canterbury (Appointment)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister by what means bishops are asked whether they wish to be considered for appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury. [28179]

  The Prime Minister
  Any bishop in the Church of England, who is under the Church's age of retirement, is eligible to be considered. It is open to any bishop to indicate that he does not feel able to be called to this position.

  Civil Service Pay
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to increase civil service pay. [28085]
  480W
  The Prime Minister
  Responsibility for pay, outside the senior civil service, is delegated to Ministers and office holders in charge of Departments. Departments are required to operate their pay systems within public sector pay policy and in accordance with a framework set out by the Cabinet Office in the Civil Service Management Code. Annual pay negotiations are a matter for the Department or agency concerned.

  For information about senior civil service pay, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Savidge) on 10 January 2002, Official Report, column 993W.

  Energy Review
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the progress of the Energy Review. [25562]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Ceredigion (Mr. Thomas) on 9 January 2002,Official Report, column 816W.

  James McLintock
  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what representations he has made to the Government of Pakistan on the case of James A. McLintock; [28127]

  (2) whether he raised the case of James A. McLintock with the Government of Pakistan during his recent visit there. [28126]

  The Prime Minister
  I have not made any representations on this case.

  Staff at the British High Commission in Islamabad have had access to Mr. McLintock and are in consultation with the Pakistani Authorities about his situation. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office today at column 400W.

  Chief Surveillance Commissioner
  Geraint Davies
  To ask the Prime Minister when the annual report of the Chief Surveillance Commissioner appointed under section 91(1)(a) of the Police Act 1997 will be laid before the House; and if he will make a statement. [29077]

  The Prime Minister
  A copy of Sir Andrew Leggatt's report for 2000–01 is being laid before the House today in accordance with section 107(3) of the Police Act 1997 (as amended by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000). After consultation with the Chief Surveillance Commissioner material in an annexe to a report has been excluded from that copy under section 107(4) of the Act because its publication would be prejudicial to the prevention or detection of serious crime.

  For the first time the annual report covers Part II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

  I am most grateful to Sir Andrew and his colleagues for the work which has gone into preparing it.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) how many magistrates courts have closed in(a) England and Wales and (b) Yorkshire or Yorkshire and Humber since 1972; [27368]

  (2 how many magistrates courts have been closed in (a) England and Wales and (b) Yorkshire and Humberside in (i) the last 30 years, (ii) the last 20 years, (iii) the last 10 years and (iv) the last five years; [27472]

  (3) how many magistrates courts have been closed in (a) England and Wales and (b) Yorkshire and Yorkshire and Humber between (i) 1979 and 1983, (ii) 1983 and 1987, (iii) 1987 and 1992, (iv) 1992 and 1997 and (v) 1997 and 2001. [27406]

  Mr. Wills
  The Lord Chancellor's Department assumed responsibility for the magistrates courts in 1993, and conducted the first annual survey of courthouses in September 1995. Records do not exist for earlier periods.

  In England and Wales as a whole, seven magistrates courthouses closed between September 1995 and the end of 1995, 20 closed in 1996, 22 closed in 1997, 24 closed in 1998, eight closed in 1999, 13 closed in 2000, and 21 closed in 2001.

  During this period, the only closure in Yorkshire and Humberside was at Keighley in April 2000. This was associated with the enlargement of Bingley courthouse in the same Petty Sessional Area.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average distance travelled by an accused person attending trial at a magistrates court over the last 12 months. [27372]

  Mr. Wills
  This information is not held by the Department and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many(a) magistrates clerks and (b) people were employed in magistrates courts in each of the last 25 years. [27369]

  Mr. Wills
  The Lord Chancellor's Department assumed responsibility for the magistrates courts in 1993, and conducted the first annual survey of staffing in March 1994. Records do not exist centrally for earlier periods.

  The information on the full-time equivalent number of justices clerks and all staff is in the table.

  Justices clerks

  Total staff including Justices clerks

  1994

  214

  11,022

  1995

  204

  11,015

  1996

  156

  10,819

  1997

  145

  10,720

  1998

  1881

  10,795

  1999

  1661

  10,570

  2000

  1411

  10,393

  2001

  1221

  9,774

  1 Includes Justices' Chief Executives appointed in a dual capacity

  Source:

  Magistrates Courts Division Ethnic and Gender surveys.

  Marriage and Relationship Support Programme
  Jim Knight
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much has been requested in grants from the Lord Chancellor's Department's marriage and relationship support programme for 2002–03; and how many organisations have submitted applications for grants. [27200]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Lord Chancellor's Department received requests for a total of £9,370,556, from 69 different organisations.

  Pension Sharing Orders
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many pension sharing orders have been made to date. [27671]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Pension sharing came into force on 1 December 2000. My Department has been monitoring orders made in the courts and is aware of 133 orders that have been made to date in England and Wales. Six orders have been made in Northern Ireland. I understand that there is no record of any orders having been made by the courts in Scotland, however pension sharing by agreement is possible in Scotland and six such agreements have been recorded.

  Judges
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many judges he has admonished for falling asleep on the bench in the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [27149]

  Mr. Wills
  None—according to records held by the Lord Chancellor's Department's Judicial Correspondence Unit.

  Departmental Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to its budget since 1 May 1997 of fraud; and if she will make a statement. [27307]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Lord Chanellor's Department incurred the following costs to its budget since 1 May 1997 as a result of fraud:

  Financial year

  £

  1997–98

  4,838.52

  1998–99

  59,079.02

  1999–2000

  11,847.49

  2000–01

  91,214.39

  Total

  166,979.42

  Figures for the current financial year are not yet available.

  Departmental Sickness Absence
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if she will commission and
  483W
  publish an independent report on the reasons for the level of sickness absence in her Department. [26966]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, on 14 January 2002,Official Report, column 37W.
  484W
  The Lord Chancellor's Department is committed to managing sickness absence effectively. A great deal of work has been undertaken to raise awareness of our Service Delivery Agreement targets and of the need to manage attendance in accordance with best practice policies.

  Eritrea
  Eritrea
  Firearms Control Protocol
  Firearms Control Protocol
  UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
  UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
  Afghanistan
  Afghanistan
  Suspected Terrorists: Decisions on Extradition to Stand Trial
  Suspected Terrorists: Decisions on Extradition to Stand Trial
  Criminal Compensation
  Criminal Compensation
  Balkans: Small Arms Proliferation
  Balkans: Small Arms Proliferation
  European Union: Forthcoming Council Business
  European Union: Forthcoming Council Business
  Convention on the Future of Europe
  Convention on the Future of Europe
  Environmental Statements
  Environmental Statements
  Waste Recycling
  Waste Recycling
  Pennine Cycleway
  Pennine Cycleway
  Street Works
  Street Works
  Bus Lane Contravention
  Bus Lane Contravention
  Bristol Royal Infirmary
  Bristol Royal Infirmary
  Language Learning: Ministers and Officials
  Language Learning: Ministers and Officials
  Equality of Treatment: Election Candidates
  Equality of Treatment: Election Candidates
  Chief Surveillance Commissioner's Report
  Chief Surveillance Commissioner's Report