Written Answers of 25 January 2002

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

  Road Traffic Legislation
  Mr. Joyce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to amend the Road Traffic Act 1984. [27461]

  Mr. Spellar
  None. There is no such Act of Parliament.

  Departmental Consultants
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 8 January 2002,Official Report, column 584W, on departmental consultants, if he will set out the criteria for determining that contracts let to (a) Arthur Andersen, (b) Ernst and Young, (c) Mercers Management Consulting and (d) Schroder Salamon Smith Barney, on matters relating to Railtrack should not be subject to open competition. [27206]

  Mr. Byers
  The issues involved were highly sensitive, involving discussions being conducted with Railtrack and their advisers on the basis of strict confidentiality.

  Piracy
  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 15 January 2002,Official Report, column 208W, on piracy, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) shipping and (b) port security measures in the United Kingdom. [29279]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The United Kingdom has a comprehensive security regime in place for maritime passenger operations.

  The basis of this security regime is the Aviation and Maritime Security Act (AMSA) 1990, which enabled mandatory measures to be introduced for the maritime industry. These measures are formally required by Directions served on the industry covering a range of security issues, including searching of passengers and vehicles, the establishment of Restricted Zones (in which only passengers and other authorised persons are allowed) and pass wearing.

  These Directions establish the security standards that the Government expect the industry to comply with, by ensuring that appropriate procedures are in place.

  Inspectors from my Department undertake a continuous and comprehensive system of compliance visits to passenger ports and also undertake ship inspections, to ensure that effective security regimes, in accordance with the Directions, are maintained. They are empowered to take enforcement action against harbour/ship operators if the required standards are not being met.
  1104W
  Following the events of 11 September 2001, the UK's maritime passenger industry was required to operate in accordance with increased levels of security requirements. These increased measures are kept under constant review.

  Consideration has also been given to additional initiatives. This work has been undertaken within Whitehall and has included, for the first time, offering general security advice to non-passenger ships and non-AMSA ports.

  Nuclear Materials (Transportation)
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the condition of railway lines leading to nuclear power stations. [29497]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Maintenance of railway track leading to nuclear power stations which forms part of the Railtrack controlled infrastructure is the responsibility of Railtrack. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), through its HM Railways Inspectorate (HMRI), regulates health and safety on the railways. HMRI currently has a focus on track maintenance issues as one of its mandatory inspection programmes. HSE has advised me that HMRI is not aware of any specific problems at present with the condition of track leading to nuclear power stations.

  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the requirements are for local authorities to prepare emergency plans for incidents involving trains carrying nuclear materials. [29498]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The responsibility to prepare emergency plans for transport of nuclear material by rail rests principally with the train operator, facility owner and infrastructure controller. They have a duty under The Packaging, Labelling and Carriage of Radioactive Material by Rail Regulations 1996 (RAMRail) to have emergency arrangements and to co-operate with each other so as to ensure effective co-ordination of their respective safety systems and procedures. Also under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 (REPPIR), carriers are required to prepare emergency plans and to consult with appropriate local authorities. Some types of consignment are exempt from these regulations, however, including material in packages which are designed and tested to meet severe accident conditions, and small quantities of material which present a very limited risk.

  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many incidents there have been where flasks carrying radioactive material on trains have been found to be over the permitted radiation level, broken down by location and level of radiation. [29488]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Such incidents are included in the annual reports to which I referred the hon. Member in my reply of 21 January 2002,Official Report, column 576W.

  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the incidents in which trains carrying(a) radioactive material and (b) other nuclear materials have been involved which resulted in release of their materials in the north-west of England in the last six months. [30635]

  Mr. Jamieson
  There have been no such incidents.
  1105W
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the Department's definition is of 'no significant radiological safety implication', as used in the report, Radiological Consequences Resulting from Accidents and Incidents involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK-200 Review, published in October 2001. [30555]

  Mr. Jamieson
  There is no formal definition of "significant" in the context of this report. A significant radiological consequence would be if radiation exposures approach or exceed the statutory limits. The radiological consequences listed in the report are much lower than this and are therefore not considered significant.

  Train Protection Systems
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of trains using Paddington station have(a) ATP and (b) TPWS in place. [30309]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Train protection systems are operational on all train services using Paddington station. First Great Western and Heathrow Express services are fitted with Automatic Train Protection (ATP) and Virgin Cross Country and Thames Trains services are fitted with the Train Protection and Warning Systems (TPWS).

  Council Tax Enforcement
  Andy King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many officials responsible for the policy for council tax enforcement in his Department have, as part of their training and information gathering,(a) visited a money advice centre, a magistrates court and the High Court when they are hearing cases for committal for council tax arrears and (b) discussed the difficulties with council tax application forms with the applicants. [29533]

  Dr. Whitehead
  No such visits have been made. However, officials are in regular contact with the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Local Government Association and local authorities about enforcement matters. Last November, officials also met with representatives of the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust to discuss committal for local tax debts and are happy to meet other organisations and advice centres to discuss such matters.

  Local Tax Arrears
  Andy King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many warrants for committal to prison owing to local tax arrears were issued in 1999. [29535]

  Dr. Whitehead
  Statistics on committal orders are published in The Institute of Public Finance Accountancy (CIPFA) Revenue Collection Statistics.

  For 1999–2000, their estimated total number of orders obtained but postponed on payment terms was 22,119, based on grossed up actual figures provided by 253 of 376 local authorities.
  1106W
  For the 253 responding authorities, the actual number of people committed to prison was 117.

  Local Authority Statutory Notices
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent guidance his Department has issued on the publication of statutory notices by local authorities in the local press. [30217]

  Mr. Byers
  None. We issued general guidance about planning notices in Circular 15/92, "Publicity for Planning Applications". This includes advice on the categories of planning application that must be advertised in local newspapers. Separate requirements to advertise planning appeals and called-in planning applications are set out in secondary legislation. The Government's recently published planning Green Paper "Planning: Delivering a Fundamental Change" indicates our intention to retain the requirement on planning authorities to advertise certain applications in the local press. However, we will review the requirement to publicise planning appeals and called-in planning applications with the aim of encouraging greater community participation.

  Allotments
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what recent guidance his Department has issued on consultation on(a) supplementary planning guidance and (b) the change of use of allotments; [30218]

  (2) what recent guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the change of use of allotments. [30219]

  Mr. Byers
  In March 1998, my Department issued guidance to local authorities to ensure that the availability of statutory allotments are actively promoted before applications for consent to their disposal are submitted. We have since consulted on draft Planning Policy Guidance note: (PPG) 17, which sets out revised criteria against which applications for consent to dispose of statutory allotments are to be determined. We will shortly be issuing the revised guidance to the Government offices and local authorities.

  My Department, in conjunction with the Local Government Association, published: "Growing in the community: A good practice guide for the management of allotments" in June 2001. This guide provides comprehensive advice and good practice for local authorities on all aspects of allotment management. My Department has also recently published "Allotments: a plot holders guide", which provides advice to current and potential allotment plot holders.

  Bus Ticketing
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to improve the inter-changeability of bus tickets on routes served by different bus companies. [30220]

  Mr. Byers
  We wish to encourage joint ticketing schemes between bus operators, aimed at making life easier for bus users.
  1107W
  Last year my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading, made an Order to exempt multi-operator ticketing schemes from having to be notified individually to the Office of Fair Trading. Any such scheme that meets the terms of the Order is therefore automatically exempted.

  I am, however, aware of the concern expressed both by bus operators and local authorities about the terms of the ticketing schemes block exemption. It would be highly undesirable if operators felt compelled to abandon existing worthwhile initiatives, or were deterred from developing new ones. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport has written to the Director General of Fair Trading, emphasising the importance that we place upon

  2001 Rural Bus Challenge Competition—awards

  Authority/bid reference/name

  Funding awarded

  Cambridgeshire

  Taxi Plus

  151,000

  West Huntingdonshire Rural Links

  339,839

  Cheshire

  Chester-Whitchurch Corridor—a rural Bus Quality Partnership

  718,000

  Services for Young People in Vale Royal

  67,500

  Rural Recovery—Blazing Trails

  160,000

  Cornwall

  Integrated Bissoe Valley Services

  469,000

  Cumbria

  Cumbria Connexion Enhancement

  250,000

  Windermere Shuttle Bus

  292,300

  Darlington

  Provision of Quality Passenger Infrastructure

  118,887

  Derbyshire

  Clay Cross Accessible Transport Initiative (CATI)

  291,625

  Devon

  Devon Fare Cars

  471,000

  Life in the Bus Lane—North Devon (Buses are Cool)

  373,000

  Durham

  County Durham RESPONSE

  941,300

  East Riding

  PATHFinder

  825,000

  East Sussex

  Travel Choice in the South Downs

  363,000

  Essex

  Harwich Connection Community Bus Co-operative

  293,500

  Essex Taxi-Bus Carrier

  20,500

  Greater Manchester

  Expansion of Existing Rural Transport Co-operative in Partington and Cadishead

  188,000

  Expansion of Existing Demand Responsive Taxi Service in Summersheat, Tottington and Ramsbottom

  45,000

  Hartlepool

  Enhanced Daytime Bus Service

  135,000

  Herefordshire

  Rural Taxibus Project

  396,000

  Hertfordshire

  Improving Access to Health Facilities

  190,000

  Rural Community Transport and Accessible Vehicles

  386,700

  Roundabout Transport

  112,900

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  the continuation of sensible, multi-operator ticketing schemes that have proved popular with the travelling public.

  Rural Bus Challenge
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will announce the results of the 2001 Rural Bus Challenge Competition. [31138]

  Ms Keeble
  I am pleased to announce today approval of the 58 projects listed which were submitted as bids by local authorities in this competition. This follows careful consideration of the 107 bids totalling more than three times the funding available submitted by authorities. Funding for the successful bids will total £20.5 million.
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  2001 Rural Bus Challenge Competition—awards

  Authority/bid reference/name

  Funding awarded

  Kent

  Rural demand responsive transport in Shepway

  168,000

  Lancashire

  Bowland Transit

  634,375

  Lincolnshire

  InterConnect—Responding to Rural Demands

  771,500

  Milton Keynes

  Demand Responsive and Evening Service

  199,603

  Norfolk

  Transport, Health and Well Being—Making the Links

  471,000

  North Yorkshire

  Friarage Hospital, Northallerton—Bus Turning Area and Waiting Facility

  114,700

  Kirky overflow and Sicklinghall Area Minibus, Dunkeswick Lane End Interchange

  276,000

  Ingleton and Settle Area Taxibus and Stationlink

  170,000

  North Selby Taxibus

  246,000

  Four in One

  372,173

  Northamptonshire

  Kettering Area Transport Demonstration Project

  423,380

  "The Villager" Corby Rural Bus Scheme

  111,860

  East Northamptonshire Connecting People Project

  247,277

  Wellibus Villager—Enhanced Service

  143,200

  Northumberland

  Hadrian's Wall Bus

  128,845

  Peterborough

  Demand Responsive Bus Service

  266,350

  Somerset

  Community Transport in Mendip 'Special Rural Component'

  89,000

  South Somerset Links, Langport and Chard

  197,000

  The Rural Surrounds of Wiveliscombe

  100,000

  South Gloucestershire

  Continuation of Existing Vale-Link Dial-a-Ride Services

  578,827

  South Yorkshire

  Stocksbridge and Penistone Rural Link

  1,013,689

  Staffordshire

  Stone-Uttoxeter Rural Shopperbus

  222,000

  Suffolk

  3 into 1 Will Go

  490,676

  Shotley Peninsula

  256,497

  Surrey

  Waverley Transport Solutions

  150,000

  Telford and Wrekin

  Cross Boundary—Rural to Town Link

  742,895

  Warwickshire

  Southam Flexibus

  433,195

  West Berkshire

  Widespread Introduction of Call-A-Bus

  493,950

  West Sussex

  DoRiS Plus

  442,000

  West Yorkshire

  Otley Area Transport Scheme

  802,800

  Wiltshire

  Expansion of Demand Responsive Bus Network

  854,000

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  1111W

  2001 Rural Bus Challenge Competition—awards

  Authority/bid reference/name

  Funding awarded

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  Borough Bus

  435,000

  Wokingham

  Twyford Community Bus

  470,000

  Worcestershire

  EasyLINK flexi

  340,000

  Total awards

  20,454,843

  Refrigerator Disposal Costs
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what arrangements he has made with regard to the allocation of the adjustment to the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services block, announced in the provisional local government finance settlement, to cover the cost of implementing refrigerator disposal regulations. [29117]

  Mr. Byers
  Pursuant to my answer of 22 January 2002,Official Report, column 718W, £6 million has been added to the upper tier sub-block of the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services Standard Spending Assessment for 2002–03 for the costs of implementing refrigerator disposal regulations for the period 1 January 2002 to 31 March 2002.

  Ozone Depleting Substances
  Mr. Prisk
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether he intends to match the costs in the next financial year to Hertfordshire county council in complying with EC Regulation 2037/2000 on ozone depleting substances. [29360]

  Mr. Meacher
  I have been asked to reply.

  In December we announced a payment of £6 million funding for local authorities to cover their costs until March 2002. We are continuing to assess the impacts of the regulation and will determine what further action is required beyond that.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Foreign Language Programmes
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what plans she has to encourage the provision of foreign language programmes on independently owned(a) television channels and (b) radio stations; [29094]

  (2) what responsibility her Department has for the provision of foreign language (a) television and (b) radio within the United Kingdom; [29093]

  (3) what recent representations her Department has received from (a) right hon. and hon. Members and (b) others on the provision of foreign language television and radio in the United Kingdom. [29092]

  Dr. Howells
  My Department has no responsibility for the provision of foreign language television or radio and the Government have no plans to intervene in the UK 1112W
  market for such services. The Independent Television Commission and the Radio Authority are responsible for regulating television and radio programme services, including foreign language services, provided from places in the UK.

  I have received one recent representation on this subject from the right hon. Member for Kensington and Chelsea (Mr. Portillo) about the withdrawal of Spanish, Italian and German channels by a cable operator. I understand that members of the public have very occasionally raised the issue with my Department.

  Departmental Expenditure (Publications)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the expenditure of her Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in each of the last four years. [30086]

  Dr. Howells
  The Department for Culture, Media and Sport spend was as follows:

  Type of publication

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  Newspapers

  9,135

  8,747

  10,800

  12,221

  13,432

  Magazines

  8,440

  7,015

  7,371

  6,917

  8,068

  Periodicals

  8,167

  7,447

  10,185

  6,498

  6,734

  Total

  25,742

  23,209

  28,356

  25,636

  28,234

  Football
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) when she last met representatives of the Football Association to discuss matters relating to violence associated with the game on and off the pitch, and if she will make a statement; [29749]

  (2) what recent representations she has received about violence associated with football, and if she will make a statement; [29750]

  (3) when she last met representatives of the Football Association to discuss the monitoring of legislation concerning travel by supporters to overseas games, and if she will make a statement. [29751]

  Mr. Caborn
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received 14 representations concerning football-related violence over the last five months.

  The Secretary of State maintains a close relationship with the Football Association. She has not met the FA recently to discuss football-related violence or the

  1113W
  monitoring of legislation concerning travel by supporters to overseas games as this is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

  The Government have placed extensive legislation for tackling football hooliganism at the disposal of the police and the courts. The scenes witnessed in Cardiff and other grounds should be placed in a proper context. Our stadia remain among the safest and most secure in the world and there is no evidence of a return to the mass hooliganism that marred our national game in previous decades. The Government are not complacent. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary liaises closely with the police and football authorities in monitoring supporter behaviour and in assessing the impact and effectiveness of current legislation.

  The measures introduced by the Football (Disorder) Act 2000 empower the courts to impose banning orders on individuals who have previously caused or contributed to violence or disorder at football matches, where there are reasonable grounds to believe that making an order would help to prevent violence or disorder at future matches.

  The imposition of sporting sanctions for misbehaviour by players on the field of play is the responsibility of the football authorities. However, the Football (Disorder) Act 2000 applies to all individuals, irrespective of their profession.

  Analogue Switch-off
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Uxbridge, of 16 January 2002,Official Report, column 340W, on analogue switch-off, how access to digital equipment is determined. [30009]

  Dr. Howells

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: As a target indicator of affordability, 95 per cent. of consumers should have access to equipment capable of receiving digital television services. The Digital Television Action Plan includes a specific action to conduct a comprehensive review of progress towards digital switchover, with particular reference to the accessibility, availability and affordability tests announced in September 1999. The review will refine the tests and report on how progress towards meeting them is to be measured. A first report is due by the end of March 2002.

  Olympic Games
  Gillian Merron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the Government have to make a UK bid for the 2012 Olympic Games; and if she will make a statement. [31315]

  Mr. Caborn
  The decision on whether or not to launch a UK bid to host the Olympic Games is a matter principally for the British Olympic Association which has yet to decide whether to bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. It is current BOA policy that any UK bid should be based on London. The BOA's eventual decision will inevitably be influenced by public opinion both in London and across the UK, together with the views of London and central Governments.

  The BOA has formed a key stakeholders group involving my Department, the Greater London Authority, UK Sport and Sport England to discuss the prospects for
  1114W
  a London bid. The key stakeholders group have appointed Arup consultants to undertake a cost-benefit analysis of bidding for and, if successful, staging an Olympic Games in London. The consultancy will form part of the on-going work that is assessing the viability and merits of a potential London Olympic bid for 2012.

  Arup consultants were appointed following a competitive tendering process. I have placed copies of the Invitation to Tender in the House Libraries. The consultancy will be jointly funded by DCMS, UK Sport, the London Development Agency and the British Olympic Association.

  This consultancy will include an assessment of the costs to public and private funds of bidding and—if successful—of staging a London Games. It will also contain a breakdown of the potential benefits that would accrue from the bid process and through subsequently hosting the event.

  The consultants are due to present their completed report to the funding bodies in early May. A decision on whether or not to publish the report will be taken once the extent of commercially confidential information it contains is known.

DEFENCE

  Armed Forces Pay Review Body
  Mr. Hopkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the appointment to the Armed Forces Pay Review Body of a replacement for Vice Admiral Sir Toby Frere KCB. [31313]

  Mr. Hoon
  I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Vice Admiral Sir (Anthony) Peter Woodhead KCB to a three-year term. This appointment has been conducted in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointment's guidance on appointments to public bodies.

  Atomic Weapons Establishment
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United States personnel have visited the Atomic Weapons Establishment in each of the last three years; and from which United States departments and establishments these visitors have come. [28257]

  Mr. Hoon
  The number of United States personnel who visited the Atomic Weapons Establishment in each of the last three years is shown as follows:

  1999—there were 100 visits involving 365 different people

  2000—there were 98 visits involving 384 different people

  2001—there were 87 visits involving 296 different people

  (in each year a number of personnel visited more than once).

  These visitors were from the following State departments or establishments:

  Alme Associates—Government Contractor

  Applied Research Associates

  Allied Signal, Kansas City

  Bechtel Nevada

  Central Intelligence Agency

  Chew and Associates Incorporated

  1115W

  Department Internal Audit

  Department of Defense

  Department of Energy HQ and Operations

  Defense Threat Reduction Agency

  Honeywell Kansas City Plant

  ITT Industries

  Kaiser Hill—Consultants

  Los Alamos National Laboratory

  Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space

  Lockhead Martin Technology Services

  Logicon RDA

  Mound, Miamisburg

  National Nuclear Security Agency

  Naval Research Laboratory

  Naval Surface Warfare Center

  Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  Pantex Plant

  Picatinny Arsenal

  Program Management Office, Strategic Systems Programs

  Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

  Pro2serve—Consultants

  Science Applications International Corporation

  Schmitt—Consultants

  Sandia National Laboratory

  Space Electronics—Consultants

  Special Projects UK Office

  Strategic Systems Programs

  Titan Corporation

  University of California

  US Strategic Command

  Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge.

  Regulatory Impact Assessments
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [28399]

  Dr. Moonie
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office gave him on 17 January 2002,Official Report, column 483W.

  Joint Working Groups
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Joint Working Groups operating under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement; and how many Joint Working Group meetings have been hosted in the(a) UK and (b) USA under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement since May 1997. [29957]
  1116W
  Dr. Moonie
  The Joint Working Groups currently in existence under the terms of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement are:

  Joint Working Group

  Title

  6

  Radiation Simulation and Kinetic Effects

  9

  Energetic Materials

  22

  Nuclear Materials

  23

  Warhead Electrical Components and Technologies

  28

  Non-Nuclear Materials

  29

  Nuclear Counter-Terrorism Technology

  30

  Facilities

  31

  Nuclear Weapons Engineering

  32

  Nuclear Warhead Physics

  34

  Computational Technology

  36

  Aircraft, Missile and Space System Hardening

  37

  Laboratory Plasma Physics

  39

  Manufacturing Practices

  41

  Nuclear Warhead Accident Response

  42

  Nuclear Weapon Code Development

  43

  Nuclear Weapon Environment and Damage Effects

  Since May 1997 the number of meetings connected with Joint Working Groups which have taken place in the UK and the US is:

  Meetings in the UK

  Meetings in the US

  1997 (May onwards)

  64

  79

  1998

  78

  148

  1999

  78

  123

  2000

  66

  116

  2001

  61

  120

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which United States departments and establishments were represented at the October 2000 meeting of JOWOG 32. [29958]

  Dr. Moonie
  The JOWOG 32 meeting at AWE in October 2000 was attended by representatives from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque.

  Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme
  Mr. Flook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of medical examination and assessment is required from those former and existing service personnel who are on the Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme. [30433]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Ministry of Defence's Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) was established in 1993. As at 17 January 2002, 3,276 patients had been seen by GVMAP physicians. The GVMAP is located at St. Thomas's Hospital, London, and is open to all present and former service men and women or MOD civilians who believe that their health has suffered as a direct result of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict. Its two main purposes are:to investigate patients' medical complaints, make a diagnosis as far as is possible, and recommend appropriate management, or provide reassurance if no illness is found;
  to collate statistical information in an anonymised form as a resource for researchers.
  1117W
  Patients are referred to the GVMAP by their doctors. There is no pre-determined medical criterion they need to satisfy before being seen. Patients are given a full medical examination by GVMAP physicians and a range of physical tests; investigations routinely conducted for all patients include urinalysis, haematological, biochemical, biological and serological tests, ultrasound scan of the abdomen and electrocardiography. These tests are carried out on the day of the appointment and take approximately four hours. Additional investigations and/or referrals to other consultants/specialists may be required. This is decided either during the initial appointment or in follow-up consultations if deemed necessary. Since May 2001, a small number of patients have been seen at a clinic held every two months and run by the head of the GVMAP in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Patients are given the same assessment as they would have received had they come to London.

  The clinical findings from the first 1,000 service and ex-service patients seen by GVMAP physicians were published in the British Medical Journal on 30 January 1999. A paper on the clinical findings from the second 1,000 service and ex-service patients seen was published in the Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps on 29 June 2001. Copies of both papers—as too is a great deal more information of interest to Gulf veterans—are readily available from the Ministry of Defence's Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit (Freephone 0800 169 4495) and on my Department's website at: www.mod.uk/issues/gulfwar/index.html. A clinical analysis of the first 3,000 service and ex-service veterans who have attended the GVMAP is being prepared for peer-review and publication in a scientific journal.

  Mr. Flook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to put the Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme into independent administration. [30434]

  Dr. Moonie
  None. Medical Assessment Programme physicians already have complete clinical independence from the Ministry of Defence.

  Accommodation
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been allocated(a) to improve armed forces single living accommodation and (b) to upgrade married quarters in the last three years. [25704]

  Dr. Moonie
  Over the last three financial years we have spent £283 million on upgrading single living accommodation, and £167 million on service family accommodation (SFA). A new Modernisation programme for single living accommodation was announced in March 2001 by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. Worth some £1 billion, its aim is the upgrading of over 30,000 bed spaces within five years of the appointment of a prime contractor. The Defence Housing Executive has a continuing programme to upgrade the core of stock of service families accommodation by the end of 2005.

  Medically Downgraded Personnel
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) Army and (b) RAF personnel were medically downgraded on 1 April 2001; how many of
  1118W
  these have postings which would require them to be operational or on rapid reaction duties if fit; and how many of these in each category are (i) awaiting an initial medical consultation, (ii) awaiting treatment following an initial medical consultation and (iii) receiving treatment. [28729]

  Dr. Moonie
  As at 1 April 2001, there were 9,635 medically downgraded personnel in the Army, many of whom would be deployable on military operations although not at the front line. At the same date, there were 3,888 medically downgraded personnel in the RAF, who were considered unfit for any type of deployment. Information is not held centrally on the numbers of medically downgraded personnel who have postings which would require them to deploy overseas on operations or rapid reaction duties, or on the numbers receiving treatment, awaiting an initial medical consultation or awaiting treatment following an initial medical consultation. Such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Washington Treaty
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the practical consequences resulting from bringing terrorism countermeasures within the remit of Article 5 of the Washington treaty and how this may affect NATO's commitment to guarantee the security of WEU member countries; and if he will make a statement. [29630]

  Mr. Hoon
  The decision to invoke Article 5 following the terrorist attacks of 11 September was consistent with NATO's process of adaptation since the end of the cold war, and the alliance will continue adapting its capabilities to reflect changes in the security environment.

  All WEU member states and associate members are also members of NATO; the security of these states is guaranteed by NATO under Article 5 of the Washington treaty.

  Nancekuke
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 January 2002,Official Report, column 317W, on Nancekuke, whether there are records of equipment and materials being brought from overseas for use, storage and disposal at CDE Nancekuke. [29965]

  Dr. Moonie
  There are no surviving records which detail the origin of equipment and materials used at the Chemical Defence Establishment. Nancekuke.

  However, records summarising the technical programme undertaken at Nancekuke indicate that in 1959, CN (chloroacetophenone) of both Belgian and Italian origin was transferred to Nancekuke. Some of the CN of Belgian origin was returned to Belgium during 1962 to 1967.

  Additional anecdotal evidence also implies that some of the nerve agent production plant built at Nancekuke contained equipment originating from Germany.

  MOD Vehicles
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 21 January 2002,Official Report, column 555W, what criteria are laid down whereby operational requirements for the purchase of vehicles by the MOD police mean that the choice is not subject to competition. [30558]

  Dr. Moonie
  Purchases of vehicles for the Ministry of Defence Police are made on the basis of obtaining best value for money. The MOD police can make a request for a particular make and model of vehicle for specific operational requirements. Each request is scrutinised and considered on its individual merits. Where no competition takes place, we would still expect to secure discounted

  Trust

  Capital value (£ million)

  Anticipated date of contract signing

  Anticipated operational date

  University Hospital Birmingham

  291

  Autumn 2003

  Spring 2008

  Bradford Hospital

  116

  Summer 2004

  Winter 2007

  North Bristol Mental Health

  68

  Spring 2002

  Winter 2005

  Central Middlesex

  56

  Summer 2003

  Summer 2005

  East Kent

  102

  Winter 2004

  Summer 2006

  University Hospital Leicester

  286

  Winter 2005

  Winter 2010

  Lewisham

  44

  Spring 2004

  Winter 2005

  Peterborough

  135

  Autumn 2003

  Spring 2007

  Salford Trust—Hope Hospital

  114

  Winter 2003

  Spring 2007

  Tunbridge Wells

  175

  Autumn 2004

  Autumn 2007

  Wakefield and Pontefract

  164

  Summer 2004

  Summer 2007

  Whipps Cross—Forest Healthcare

  184

  Spring 2004

  Summer 2008

  Private Beds
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private beds have been used by the NHS in the last five years. [13603]

  Mr. Hutton
  According to data collected from independent healthcare providers by the Independent Healthcare Association, since November 2000 at least 75,000 patients have been treated in the independent sector, paid for by the national health service. This figure includes out-patient appointments, day cases and in-patient treatment. A breakdown by type of operation will shortly be placed in the Library.

  Operation Cancellations
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations have been cancelled in each quarter since 1997. [15062]

  Mr. Hutton
  Data are collected on the number of operations cancelled at the last minute. The latest published figures are for Quarter 1 2001–02. Copies of Quarterly authority statistics on cancelled operations by health for the years requested are available in the Library.

  MMR Vaccinations (Buckinghamshire)
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of eligible children were vaccinated with the MMR vaccine in South Buckinghamshire in(a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000 and (c) 2000–01. [27118]

  Ms Blears
  The information available about children immunised against measles, mumps and rubella is contained in the Statistical Bulletin "NHS Immunisation 1120W
  prices based on wider purchasing arrangements secured in a competitive environment. Typically requests for specific vehicles do not exceed 6 per year.

HEALTH

  Hospital Developments
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects each of the 12 hospital developments, announced on 15 February, to be completed. [10790]

  Mr. Hutton
  The table shows the current indicative timetables for the 12 new hospital developments which will be taken forward this year as announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 15 February 2001.

  Statistics, England: 2000–01". A copy of the bulletin is in the Library and can also be found on the Department of Health website www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0121.htm.

  Hospital Waiting Lists (Buckinghamshire)
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage was of patients waiting for in-patient treatment in the South Buckinghamshire health authority on 1 January in each of the years 1997 to 2002. [27117]

  Ms Blears
  Information is not available relating to the 1 January each year, nor for South Buckinghamshire health authority. Information is available on the total number of patients waiting at the end of each quarter in Buckinghamshire health authority as shown in the table. Information for the third quarter of this year is not yet available.

  Number of patients waiting in Buckinghamshire health authority

  Quarter 3

  Number

  1997–98

  16,154

  1998–99

  14,679

  1999–2000

  13,854

  2000–01

  13,535

  Hospital Treatment Costs
  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost is to the national health service of treating an in-patient in a national health service hospital for one week. [26744]
  1121W
  Mr. Hutton
  No information is kept centrally on the average costs of an in-patient week in hospital; the data are collected by condition. The cost of any stay will vary due to the nature of the condition being treated, the age of the patient and any pre-existing conditions that the patient may have.

  Cost information on in-patient, day case and out-patient treatments can be found on the Department's website www.doh.gov.uk. Copies of the publication reference costs 2000 are available in the Library.

  NHS Dentistry
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies for new NHS dental patients are available in the Gosport constituency. [27152]

  Ms Blears
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Waiting Lists
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which trusts have more than 10 per cent. of patients waiting on in-patient lists placed on suspended lists and more than 2 per cent. of patients waiting more than 12 months on in-patient lists; and which of these trusts have been investigated by the Department of Health for waiting list irregularities in the light of recommendations from the National Audit Office. [27366]

  Mr. Hutton
  The 13 trusts referred to in the National Audit Office report "Inappropriate adjustments to NHS waiting lists", which had more than 10 per cent. of patients waiting on in-patient waiting lists placed on suspended lists and more than 2 per cent. of patients waiting more than 12 months on in-patient waiting lists, are as listed.

  The Royal United Hospital Bath NHS trust

  Epsom and St. Helier NHS trust

  Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS trust

  Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS trust

  Countess of Chester Hospital NHS trust

  Dartford and Gravesham NHS trust

  The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS trust

  Wrightington Wigan and Leigh NHS trust

  Good Hope Hospital NHS trust

  Wirral Hospital NHS trust

  West Suffolk Hospitals NHS trust

  The Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare NHS trust

  Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS trust.

  Regional offices regularly monitor suspension rates of all trusts as part of the performance management function. Since the NAO report on 19 December, regional offices have been reviewing the position of the 13 noted trusts.

  Emergency Contraception
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which areas the morning-after pill is available to(a) girls aged 14 and 15, (b) girls aged 12 and 13 and (c) girls under-12 without a doctor's prescription; and what measures are in place in each such area to address issues of child abuse. [28208]
  1122W
  Yvette Cooper
  All emergency contraception supplied to under-16s is a prescription only medicine (POM). This is provided under medical supervision which includes other health professionals supplying the POM product under patient group directions. Information collected centrally of the number or prescriptions for emergency hormonal contraception dispensed in family planning clinics and prescriptions dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors in England is included in my reply to the hon. Member on 23 January 2002,Official Report, column 965W.

  Health professionals providing contraception to under-16s do so within a legal framework established in 1986. This involves assessing the young person's competence to understand the choices they are making and whether the treatment is in their best interests. Health professionals, like any other professional whose work brings them into contact with children and families, should follow the Government's "Working Together to Safeguard Children" child protection guidance. This guidance sets out how all agencies and professionals should work together to promote children's welfare and protect them from abuse and neglect. It is intended to provide a national framework within which agencies and professionals at a local level—individually and jointly—draw up and agree upon their own more detailed ways of working together.

  Bristol Royal Infirmary
  Mr. Swire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been set aside to compensate the children who survived the Bristol heart case affair. [27881]

  Mr. Hutton

  [holding answer 17 January 2002]: All claims for compensation are assessed individually, on their merits. Any compensation payments made in relation to cardiac surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary will be handled in accordance with the arrangements in place for all other clinical negligence claims against national health service trusts and health authorities.

  Mr. Swire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases where children were left mentally disabled resulting from the Bristol heart cases(a) have been settled and (b) are outstanding. [27880]

  Mr. Hutton

  [holding answer 17 January 2002]: There have been a total of 61 claims made in relation to children who are alleged to have suffered injury following cardiac surgery at Bristol Royal Infirmary. In two of these cases legal proceedings have been issued. Admissions of liability have been made in two other cases, but neither of these were subject to court proceedings. 24 cases have either been withdrawn or are unlikely to proceed. In the remaining 33 cases solicitors have been asked to provide further details.

  Mr. Swire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been paid out to date by way of compensation to families resulting from the Bristol heart cases. [27882]

  Mr. Hutton

  [holding answer 17 January 2002]: A total of £1,900,000 has so far been paid out to date as compensation for claims relating to cardiac surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

  Foundation Hospitals
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what process will be used to select managers for the proposed foundation hospitals. [29399]

  Mr. Hutton
  Where appointments are necessary the normal national health service practices, based on fair and open competition, will be used.

  Health Spending
  Derek Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate health spending per head of population by health authority in(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02. [29318]

  Mr. Hutton

  [holding answer 22 January 2002]: The expenditure by weighted head of population for each English health authority area for 2000–01 is shown in the table. Expenditure estimates for 2001–02 are not yet available.

  Expenditure by health authorities and primary care trusts

  Health authority

  Expenditure by weighted head (£)

  Avon HA

  856.75

  Barking and Havering HA

  773.42

  Barnet HA

  959.87

  Barnsley HA

  766.50

  Bedfordshire HA

  779.74

  Berkshire HA

  804.46

  Bexley and Greenwich HA

  886.09

  Birmingham HA

  823.71

  Bradford HA

  769.58

  Brent and Harrow HA

  823.29

  Bromley HA

  971.74

  Buckinghamshire HA

  755.09

  Bury and Rochdale HA

  771.15

  Calderdale and Kirklees HA

  763.88

  Cambridgeshire HA

  786.94

  Camden and Islington HA

  1,067.88

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly HA

  796.09

  County Durham and Darlington HA

  738.32

  Coventry HA

  802.56

  Croydon HA

  925.44

  Doncaster HA

  861.88

  Dorset HA

  1,023.69

  Dudley HA

  828.09

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow HA

  826.21

  East and North Hertfordshire HA

  803.66

  East Kent HA

  810.16

  East Lancashire HA

  740.66

  East London and The City HA

  869.91

  East Riding and Hull HA

  787.13

  East Surrey HA

  958.66

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove HA

  827.74

  Enfield and Haringey HA

  817.53

  Gateshead and South Tyneside HA

  784.29

  Gloucestershire HA

  799.79

  Herefordshire HA

  761.71

  Hillingdon HA

  753.76

  Isle of Wight HA

  867.61

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster HA

  1,011.24

  Kingston and Richmond HA

  829.50

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham HA

  886.88

  Leeds HA

  869.94

  Leicestershire HA

  779.71

  Lincolnshire HA

  808.95

  Liverpool HA

  887.35

  Manchester HA

  869.02

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA

  882.91

  Morecambe Bay HA

  1,346.04

  1124W

  Expenditure by health authorities and primary care trusts

  Health authority

  Expenditure by weighted head (£)

  Newcastle and North Tyneside HA

  811.10

  Norfolk HA

  815.11

  North and East Devon HA

  800.95

  North and Mid Hampshire HA

  835.93

  North Cheshire HA

  811.75

  North Cumbria HA

  793.52

  North Derbyshire HA

  744.33

  North Essex HA

  839.97

  North Nottinghamshire HA

  761.33

  North Staffordshire HA

  760.11

  North West Lancashire HA

  770.48

  North Yorkshire HA

  814.07

  Northamptonshire HA

  830.95

  Northumberland HA

  871.50

  Nottingham HA

  842.50

  Oxfordshire HA

  823.14

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire HA

  762.50

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest HA

  901.60

  Rotherham HA

  773.29

  Salford and Trafford HA

  839.62

  Sandwell HA

  777.76

  Sefton HA

  1,040.25

  Sheffield HA

  956.59

  Shropshire HA

  763.29

  Solihull HA

  756.17

  Somerset HA

  825.30

  South and West Devon HA

  800.84

  South Cheshire HA

  801.87

  South Essex HA

  806.50

  South Humber HA

  802.29

  South Lancashire HA

  779.41

  South Staffordshire HA

  792.06

  Southampton and South West Hampshire HA

  781.00

  Southern Derbyshire HA

  759.33

  St. Helens and Knowsley HA

  749.06

  Stockport HA

  759.28

  Suffolk HA

  778.56

  Sunderland HA

  781.94

  Tees HA

  824.19

  Wakefield HA

  854.72

  Walsall HA

  776.48

  Warwickshire HA

  798.29

  West Hertfordshire HA

  800.40

  West Kent HA

  786.21

  West Pennine HA

  746.22

  West Surrey HA

  840.34

  West Sussex HA

  784.64

  Wigan and Bolton HA

  732.65

  Wiltshire HA

  828.57

  Wirral HA

  798.81

  Wolverhampton HA

  763.81

  Worcestershire HA

  827.41

  Notes:

  1. In many health authorities there are factors which distort the expenditure per head. These include:

  (i) the health authority acting in a lead capacity to commission health care or fund training on behalf of other health bodies;

  (ii) asset revaluations in NHS trusts being funded through health authorities; and

  (iii) some double counting of expenditure between health authorities and primary care trusts within the health authority area.

  2. Expenditure per head cannot therefore be reliably compared between health authorities.

  3. Allocations per weighted head of population provide a much more reliable measure to identify differences between funding of health authorities.

  4. Expenditure is taken from health authority and primary care trust summarisation forms which are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from cash allocations in the year. The expenditure is the total spent by the health authority and by the primary care trusts within each health authority area. The majority of General

  1125W
  Dental Services expenditure is not included in the health authority or primary care trust accounts and is separately accounted for by the Dental Practice Board.

  5. Health authorities and primary care trusts should account for their expenditure on a gross basis. This results in an element of double counting where one body acts as the main commissioner and is then reimbursed by other bodies. The effect of this double counting within the answer cannot be identified.

  Sources:

  Health authority audited summarisation forms 2000–01

  Primary care trust audited summarisation schedules 2000–01

  Weighted population estimates for 2000–2001

  Napp Pharmaceuticals
  Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health following the Competition Commission Appeal Tribunal's upholding of the Office of Fair Trading's findings against Napp Pharmaceuticals, what assessment he has made of the extent of similar abuses and their cost to the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [28705]

  Ms Blears

  [holding answer 21 January 2002]: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

SCOTLAND

  Departmental Staffing
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the change in the number of civil servants working within the Scotland Office in the last 12 months. [30311]

  Mr. Foulkes
  At 31 March 2001 the Department had 107 staff in post. It currently has 114. Both of these figures are within the staffing levels planned for the Scotland Office in July 1999.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

  Devolution
  David Cairns
  To ask the Advocate-General what criteria she takes into account in deciding to intervene in devolution issues; and what consideration she gives to the cost to public funds. [30556]

  The Advocate-General
  The vast majority of cases to date have involved human rights issues. The reasons for intervention will vary according to the circumstances and the criteria are not rigid. In considering intervention I always have very much in mind the need to avoid unnecessary delay in criminal proceedings and the cost of intervention to the public purse. I have taken the view that intervention should not be a routine matter. I might for instance intervene where the case raises human rights issues of serious concern to the Government and I am satisfied that these are more likely to be resolved satisfactorily with my intervention. Experience has shown that the vast majority of devolution issues are disposed of satisfactorily by the courts, without any need for my intervention and consequent public expense. Where cases reach the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, intervention is particularly apt because that is the final authority. But even in these cases my intervention may not be necessary. My role as Advocate-General is not to 1126W
  intervene in cases at any level, at significant public expense, merely because there is an interesting legal point being debated.

  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has raised proceedings in the Scottish courts on a devolution issue since the creation of her office. [29335]

  The Advocate-General
  I have not been responsible for the raising of any devolution issue proceedings in the Scottish courts. All issues concerning the competence of the actings of the Scottish Parliament, or the Scottish Ministers, have been resolved without any need for me to instigate court actions.

  Ministerial Duties
  David Cairns
  To ask the Advocate-General what proposals she has to review the role and function of the Advocate-General [30554]

  The Advocate-General
  My role and functions include a legal advisory role as Law Officer and statutory functions under the Scotland Act 1998. I cannot alter these responsibilities but regularly review how I carry them out, and have no current proposals for change. My office was created by Parliament less than three years ago and I have had to establish and develop it, determining what is required to be done and how to do it. In my advisory role, I have worked closely with the other UK Law Officers to ensure the Government get high quality legal advice, essential to their work. I have developed my role under the Scotland Act, in close co-operation with UK Departments, to seek to ensure that the Government have early warning of issues of competence of Bills of the Scottish Parliament or actings of the Scottish Executive, and can engage in constructive dialogue with the Scottish Executive to address them. Establishing and developing a new office of State is an exciting challenge. The creation of my office has also resulted in a Law Officer with Scottish responsibilities being available in the House of Commons for the first time since 1987.

  Scots Law
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General if she will list occasions she has been requested by the Government to give advice on Scots Law since the general election. [29336]

  The Advocate-General
  I give Law officers' advice frequently and it is a major part of my work. I am precluded from providing further information because it is a long standing convention, adhered to by successive Governments and enshrined in the Ministerial Code, that neither the fact that the Law Officers have advised on a matter, nor the content of any advice which they may have given, is disclosed outside Government other than in exceptional circumstances. This is to protect the confidentiality of the legal advice given to the Government. I have explained this convention to Parliament on a number of occasions. In addition, my officials in the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General frequently advise Government Departments on Scots Law.

  Legislation
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General how many Bills of the Scottish Parliament she has referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council since the creation of her Office. [29337]

  The Advocate-General
  Since devolution in July 1999 my officials and I have examined 30 Bills in conjunction with relevant Government Departments at various stages during their progress through the Scottish Parliament in order to ensure that any problem of legislative competence is identified and resolved if possible, in order to try to avoid the need to refer a Bill to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The Bill may be outwith legal competence in a variety of ways, for example, if it relates to reserved matters, or relates to enactments protected from modification by the Scottish Parliament, or is incompatible with any of the rights of the European Convention on Human Rights or with European Community law. Thus far I am pleased to advise that any problems have been resolved, following legal advice when necessary, and after co-operation and dialogue. As a result I have not referred any Bill so far to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The existence of the power of referral and the work which is done in connection with that power is an essential part of the devolution settlement.

  Departmental Costs
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General what the total cost of her Office has been in each year since its creation. [29338]

  The Advocate-General
  The office of the Advocate-General for Scotland was established on 20 May 1999 and since 1 July 1999 forms part of the Scotland Office with the office of the Secretary of State for Scotland. Not all the costs of the Scotland Office can be separately allocated to each of these two Offices.

  Between 20 May and 1 July 1999, the costs of the office of the Advocate-General were paid by the former Scottish Office. From 1 July 1999 to 31 March 2000 the identifiable costs of staff and related administration was £883,326; and in 2000–01 it was £1,265,215. Approximately half of the costs of the office relates to work on litigation and advisory work including the preparation of Bills carried out by lawyers from the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General on behalf of Government Departments other than the Advocate-General.

  Court Proceedings
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has(a) defended and (b) intervened in court proceedings raised by other parties. [29339]

  The Advocate-General
  I have not defended any actions under the Scotland Act 1998 as none have been raised against me under that Act. I have intervened in 21 court proceedings raised by other parties under the Scotland Act. Over 1,300 devolution issue cases have been intimated to me since May 1999 and my officials and I consider these in conjunction with interested Government Departments. As I have explained to Parliament on a number of occasions I intervene, as a UK 1128W
  Law Officer, only in special circumstances. Most cases are disposed of in the lower courts with no need for my intervention.

  Scotland Office Website
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General how many hits there were on the Advocate-General's page of the Scotland Office website between the general election and 1 January 2002. [29347]

  The Advocate-General
  From June 2001 to 31 December 2001, there were 2,493 hits on the Advocate-General's pages of the Scotland Office website.

  Law Officers' Advice
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has been requested by the(a) Attorney-General and (b) Solicitor-General to give advice on a matter of law since the creation of her Office; and if she will list them. [29340]

  The Advocate-General
  Requests for the Law Officers' advice come from Government Departments and not from the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General for England and Wales. The usual practice is that for requests for advice concerning matters of common interest to the whole United Kingdom, such as the application of European law or human rights issues, I advise jointly with the other United Kingdom Law Officers. Such advice is given frequently. The convention concerning the confidentiality of the Law Officers' advice applies and precludes me from providing details.

  Legal Secretariat
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General if she will list the Government Departments for whom the Legal Secretariat has provided legal services. [29341]

  The Advocate-General
  The Legal Secretariat does not provide legal services to Government Departments but assists me in my ministerial duties, such as preparing Law Officers' advice and Cabinet Committee work. The Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General provides legal services to most Government Departments. Clients include the Cabinet Office and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Home Office, the Department for International Development, the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, HM Treasury, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Office of Fair Trading, and the Scotland Office itself.

  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General how many(a) advocates and (b) solicitors have been employed in the Legal Secretariat in each year since the creation of her office. [29344]

  The Advocate-General
  The complement of the Legal Secretariat in each of the years 1999, 2000 and 2001 has been three lawyers, all of whom have been solicitors.

  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General if she will list the matters in which the Legal Secretariat participated in discussions between the UK Government and the Scottish Executive since the general election. [29346]
  1129W
  The Advocate-General
  Members of the Legal Secretariat frequently participate in co-ordination meetings of officials involving representatives of the devolved Administrations as well as Government Departments. Such meetings most commonly concern the application of European Law, human rights and the devolution settlement to various subjects.

  Court Appearances
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has appeared in court as Advocate-General since the general election. [29342]

  The Advocate-General
  Since June 2001 I have personally appeared in court in two cases. The first was Karl Anderson, Alexander Reid and Brian Doherty v. The Scottish Ministers and the Advocate-General for Scotland, which was a human rights challenge to the first Act passed by the Scottish Parliament, the Mental Health (Public Safety and Appeals) (Scotland) Act 1999. This case was heard over four days in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in July 2001 and followed my appearance personally in the case in the Inner House, heard over several days in May 2000.

  The second case was Kenneth Anthony Paton Mills and John Cochrane v. Her Majesty's Advocate and the Advocate-General for Scotland which was heard in the Appeal Court, High Court of Justiciary in August 2001. My interest in this case was to determine questions concerning the interrelationship of the Scotland Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General how many pieces of correspondence her office has answered from non-government sources since the general election. [29343]

  The Advocate-General
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Office of the Solictor to the Advocate-General
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Advocate-General how many(a) advocates and (b) solicitors have been employed in the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General in each year since the creation of her office. [29345]

  The Advocate-General
  In the years 1999–2000 the complement of the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General was 14 lawyers. In 2001 this increased to 16 lawyers. In each year one lawyer was an advocate and the rest solicitors.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  External Consultants
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and skills how much was spent by(a) her Department and (b) bodies for which it is responsible on external public relations consultants in each of the last four years. [27388]
  1130W
  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Expenditure by the Department on campaign extension activities through external public relations consultancies in the past four years is as follows. Information on expenditure by the Department's agencies is not held centrally.

  Year

  Campaign

  Consultancy

  Spend (£000)

  1999

  Reading and Literacy

  Hill and Knowlton

  1620

  2000

  Maths Year

  COI

  16

  2000

  Childcare helpline

  COI

  1

  2000

  Connexions

  Kinross and Render

  4

  2000

  Don't quit now

  Beer Devies

  196

  2000

  UK Online centres

  Geronimo

  63

  2001

  UK Online centres

  Geronimo

  52

  2001

  New Deal

  Hill and Knowlton

  46

  2001

  Connexions

  Kinross and Render

  42

  2001

  Foundation Degrees

  QBO

  114

  2001

  Childcare Recruitment

  Barclay Stratton

  90

  2001

  Work Life Balance

  Fishburn Hedges

  89

  2001

  Individual Learning Accounts

  Shandwick International

  110

  2001

  Widening Participation in Higher Education

  Harrison Cowley

  62

  2002

  Adult Basics Skills

  Fishburn Hedges

  2103

  2002

  Work Life Balance

  Fishburn Hedges

  217

  2002

  UK Online

  Geronimo

  290

  2002

  Aim Higher

  Geronimo

  2100

  1 Figure includes general publicity activity, on organising roadshows and events. in addition to campaign extension work. A breakdown between categories is not available.

  2 On-going campaign—figure shown is anticipated spend for year.

  Market Research
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what expenditure has been incurred by her(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 she will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each. [27953]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Department commissions tightly focused market research to help develop and evaluate publicity campaigns. The spend in recent years was:

  £

  1998–99

  1,408,908

  1999–2000

  1,687,050

  2000–01

  2,340,222

  2001–021

  1,256,121

  1 To January 2002

  It would be possible to list every one of these research projects only at disproportionate cost. However, some recent campaigns where strategic communications research or creative development research have been commissioned include the drive to widen participation in higher education, by encouraging under-represented groups to take up this option, the promotion of the relevance of science to teenagers, as part of Science Year, the child care recruitment campaign, the campaign to help those adults with basic skills gaps, and the promotion of foundation degrees and Modern apprenticeships. This research is subject to the usual strict rules that spending must represent good value for the tax payer and must not be used for party political purposes.

  The Department also conducts research to help us understand the education, skills and communication needs of our customers. It has sampled and consulted on the

  1131W
  views of teachers, parents and other groups affected by the Department's policies on specific issues. For example, the project "Causes of truancy by pupils of compulsory school age" gathers the views of pupils, parents, school and LEA staff on the causes of truancy and what measures could be taken to address the issue. One of the aims is to examine the issue of absence that is condoned by parents. "A longitudinal study of factors contributing to variations in teacher effectiveness" will investigate the factors which contribute to the effectiveness of teachers at different stages of their career, working in a range of schools in different contexts, and how this changes over time. Part of this study is to track 300 teachers over three years measuring their effectiveness by pupil outcome measures and other qualitative techniques. Again it would not be possible to give details of every project without disproportionate cost.

  Information about opinion polls, focus groups and other forms of research commissioned by the Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally.

  Refurbishment
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by her Department in each of the last four years. [27957]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The estimated cost of buildings refurbishment carried out in my Department in each of the last four years is as follows:

  £

  Estimated cost

  2000–01

  4,604,749

  1999–2000

  3,928,406

  1998–99

  2,970,093

  1997–98

  1—

  1 Unfortunately this information can be provided only at disproportionate cost

  Regulatory Impact Assessments
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many regulatory impact assessments have been produced by her Department since August 2001; and if she 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. [28400]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, on 17 January 2002,Official Report, column 483W.

  Specialist Designation
  Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether there is a barrier to a school's PFI partner sponsoring a bid for technology status by that school. [28353]
  1132W
  John Healey
  As stated in the criteria set out in the published guidance documents for each specialism, a PFI partner may provide all or part of the £50,000 sponsorship required to support a school's application for designation as a specialist school.

  Pupil Mobility
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent research she has a commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect of pupil mobility on educational attainment. [29234]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Department and the Nuffield Foundation supported a research project into pupil mobility, its effect on schools and educational attainment, conducted by the Migration Research Unit at University College London. The project was concluded in June 2000 and the final report published in September 2000. The first part of the research 'Pupil Mobility in Schools' is available from DfES Publications. The second part is available in full on the internet at www.geog.ucl.ac.uk/mru.

  Teachers
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 5 December 2001,Official Report, column 426W, if she will break down the figures by vacancies in (a) nursery, (b) primary, (c) secondary and (d) special schools; and what the equivalent figures are for England. [30127]

  Mr. Timms
  Full-time teacher vacancies in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools reported by the Buckinghamshire local authority were as follows:

  January 1998

  January 2001

  Nursery

  0

  0

  Primary

  10

  21

  Secondary

  14

  33

  Special

  11

  5

  Total

  35

  59

  Full-time teacher vacancies in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in England were as follows:

  January 1998

  January 2001

  Nursery

  69

  103

  Primary

  1,322

  2,007

  Secondary

  968

  2,586

  Special

  233

  280

  Total

  2,592

  4,976

  Specialist Schools
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish her latest estimates of the percentage of secondary school pupils who are in specialist schools in each local education authority area in England; and if she will make a statement. [29218]

  Mr. Timms

  [holding answer 23 January 2002]: The available information is shown in the table.
  1133W

  Percentage of secondary school pupils who attend specialist maintained secondary schools by local education authority
  1

  LEA

  pupils aged 11+ in specialist maintained secondary schools

  pupils aged 11+ in all maintained secondary schools

  Percentage of pupils Pupils aged 11+ in specialist maintained secondary schools

  Wandsworth

  6,395

  9,944

  64.3

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  10,138

  16,318

  62.1

  West Berkshire

  7,033

  11,740

  59.9

  Gateshead

  7,025

  12,043

  58.3

  Hackney

  4,411

  7,921

  55.7

  York

  4,929

  9,972

  49.4

  Darlington

  2,953

  6,009

  49.1

  North Somerset

  5,891

  12,268

  48.0

  Cornwall

  13,685

  32,000

  42.8

  Bath and North East Somerset

  5,218

  12,270

  42.5

  Camden

  4,544

  10,868

  41.8

  Greenwich

  5,767

  13,834

  41.7

  Ealing

  6,163

  15,088

  40.8

  Durham

  13,116

  32,158

  40.8

  Stockton-on-Tees

  5,070

  12,792

  39.6

  Bournemouth

  3,800

  9,768

  38.9

  Newham

  6,667

  17,469

  38.2

  Milton Keynes

  4,465

  12,058

  37.0

  Wigan

  7,716

  20,854

  37.0

  Birmingham

  25,401

  69,037

  36.8

  Bradford

  12,539

  34,214

  36.6

  Hartlepool

  2,409

  6,679

  36.1

  Plymouth

  6,786

  18,823

  36.1

  Gloucestershire

  13,718

  38,146

  36.0

  Northumberland

  8,075

  22,855

  35.3

  Manchester

  8,227

  23,472

  35.1

  Rutland

  789

  2,254

  35.0

  Wiltshire

  9,570

  27,383

  34.9

  Cambridgeshire

  10,625

  30,916

  34.4

  St. Helens

  4,167

  12,159

  34.3

  Northamptonshire

  14,932

  44,161

  33.8

  Barking and Dagenham

  3,709

  11,079

  33.5

  Redbridge

  6,301

  18,868

  33.4

  Lambeth

  2,398

  7,208

  33.3

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  7,333

  22,627

  32.4

  Rochdale

  4,583

  14,153

  32.4

  Lincolnshire

  14,210

  44,166

  32.2

  Sheffield

  9,596

  29,861

  32.1

  Wakefield

  6,758

  21,279

  31.8

  Trafford

  5,000

  15,844

  31.6

  East Sussex

  8,686

  27,805

  31.2

  Knowsley

  3,160

  10,240

  30.9

  Norfolk

  13,712

  44,896

  30.5

  Warrington

  4,192

  13,833

  30.3

  Leicester

  5,436

  18,031

  30.1

  Leicestershire

  13,014

  43,184

  30.1

  Oxfordshire

  10,694

  36,002

  29.7

  Dorset

  7,474

  25,163

  29.7

  Bromley

  6,269

  21,227

  29.5

  Poole

  2,321

  7,864

  29.5

  Liverpool

  9,819

  33,470

  29.3

  Tower Hamlets

  4,049

  14,086

  28.7

  Suffolk

  12,537

  44,056

  28.5

  Wolverhampton

  4,694

  16,540

  28.4

  Blackpool

  2,203

  7,823

  28.2

  North Tyneside

  3,521

  12,511

  28.1

  Surrey

  15,892

  56,626

  28.1

  Bolton

  5,363

  19,145

  28.0

  Essex

  23,989

  86,260

  27.8

  North East Lincolnshire

  3,263

  11,734

  27.8

  Kingston Upon Hull, City of

  4,446

  16,012

  27.8

  Buckinghamshire

  9,215

  33,255

  27.7

  North Lincolnshire

  2,933

  10,649

  27.5

  South Gloucestershire

  4,473

  16,440

  27.2

  West Sussex

  11,545

  42,454

  27.2

  Isle of Wight

  2,356

  8,858

  26.6

  Brent

  3,846

  14,473

  26.6

  South Tyneside

  2,680

  10,508

  25.5

  Cumbria

  8,581

  33,743

  25.4

  Derby

  3,739

  14,748

  25.4

  Southend-on-Sea

  2,836

  11,363

  25.0

  1134W 1135W

  Percentage of secondary school pupils who attend specialist maintained secondary schools by local education authority1

  LEA

  Pupils aged 11+ in specialist maintained secondary schools

  Pupils aged 11+ in all maintained secondary schools

  Percentage of pupils aged 11+in specialist maintained secondary schools

  Rotherham

  4,910

  19,845

  24.7

  Middles rough

  2,119

  8,572

  24.7

  Sunderland

  4,823

  19,837

  24.3

  Coventry

  5,091

  20,963

  24.3

  Kirklees

  6,070

  25,084

  24.2

  Somerset

  6,966

  28,849

  24.1

  Islington

  1,814

  7,581

  23.9

  Brighton and Hove

  2,872

  12,026

  23.9

  Wirral

  5,759

  24,181

  23.8

  Hillingdon

  3,869

  16,470

  23.5

  Derbyshire

  11,201

  47,868

  23.4

  Halton

  2,017

  8,688

  23.2

  Waltham Forest

  2,997

  12,979

  23.1

  Shropshire

  4,074

  17,657

  23.1

  Devon

  9,034

  39,814

  22.7

  Worcestershire

  7,638

  33,843

  22.6

  Blackburn with Darwen

  2,143

  9,501

  22.6

  Lancashire

  16,800

  74,964

  22.4

  Westminster

  1,777

  8,019

  22.2

  Medway

  4,363

  19,837

  22.0

  North Yorkshire

  8,699

  40,087

  21.7

  Reading

  1,346

  6,349

  21.2

  Leeds

  9,799

  47,168

  20.8

  Herefordshire

  2,031

  9,823

  20.7

  Swindon

  2,358

  11,561

  20.4

  Wokingham

  2,186

  10,760

  20.3

  Luton

  2,446

  12,073

  20.3

  Peterborough

  2,582

  12,960

  19.9

  Stoke-on-Trent

  2,870

  14,831

  19.4

  Sefton

  3,893

  20,671

  18.8

  Slough

  1,483

  7,924

  18.7

  Southwark

  1,844

  10,220

  18.0

  Bristol, City of

  3,082

  17,902

  17.2

  Stockport

  2,791

  16,575

  16.8

  Barnet

  3,501

  21,064

  16.6

  Sandwell

  3,240

  19,532

  16.6

  Walsall

  3,476

  21,382

  16.3

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1,150

  7,101

  16.2

  Warwickshire

  5,108

  32,658

  15.6

  Telford and Wrekin

  1,601

  10,258

  15.6

  Hounslow

  2,526

  16,286

  15.5

  Solihull

  2,398

  15,586

  15.4

  Tameside

  2,357

  15,368

  15.3

  Nottingham

  2,115

  13,910

  15.2

  Hertfordshire

  11,173

  74,566

  15.0

  Salford

  1,874

  12,524

  15.0

  Kent

  13,541

  92,264

  14.7

  Oldham

  2,398

  16,825

  14.3

  Haringey

  1,557

  11,391

  13.7

  Havering

  2,068

  15,903

  13.0

  Portsmouth

  1,271

  10,108

  12.6

  Thurrock

  1,004

  8,124

  12.4

  Hampshire

  8,632

  70,604

  12.2

  Cheshire

  5,651

  46,234

  12.2

  Redcar and Cleveland

  1,221

  10,351

  11.8

  Torbay

  1,013

  8,704

  11.6

  Nottinghamshire

  5,926

  53,560

  11.1

  Staffordshire

  5,347

  57,451

  9.3

  Calderdale

  1,358

  14,882

  9.1

  Sutton

  1,134

  14,572

  7.8

  Barnsley

  847

  13,134

  6.4

  Croydon

  1,081

  17,394

  6.2

  Bedfordshire

  1,516

  27,263

  5.6

  Bexley

  823

  17,461

  4.7

  Dudley

  585

  20,290

  2.9

  1 As at January 2001

  Source:

  Annual Schools' Census
  1136W 1137W
  The provisional 2002 data will be available in late spring.

  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many specialist schools have received assistance from public funds in order to raise the money needed to submit a development plan; how many have received assistance of(a) £1 to £5,000, (b) £5,001 to £15,000, (c) £15,001 to £25,000, and (d) over £25,000; and if she will make a statement. [29219]

  Mr. Timms

  [holding answer 23 January 2002]: No public sector funds may be counted towards the sponsorship supporting a specialist school application. No data are held centrally on the extent of public support—such as from LEAs—for the preparation of applications for specialist school status.

  Independent Schools
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the independent schools removed from the register of independent schools in each year from 1996. [30409]

  Mr. Timms
  Since 1996 the following schools have been deleted from the register of independent schools as a result of failure to comply with a Notice of Complaint:
  1998

  Jameah Islameyah, East Sussex

  1999

  Grange House, Herefordshire

  Kensington International, London

  2000

  Bright Sparks Theatre School, London

  Al Jamea Al Islamia, Manchester

  2001

  Thomas Francis, London.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will reply to the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough's question of 18 December 2001 concerning asset management plans. [30301]

  John Healey
  A reply was issued to the hon. Member on 17 January 2002,Official Report, column 446W.

  Revenue Funding
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total amount of revenue funding available for children in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools has been in the last five years in (i) Durham, (ii) South Tyneside and (iii) Hampshire. [30442]

  Mr. Timms
  The following tables contain the information requested:

  Durham

  £

  Cash

  Real terms—prices 2000–01

  SSA

  Grants

  Total

  SSA

  Grants

  Total

  Primary

  1997–98

  2,040

  40

  2,080

  2,190

  40

  2,230

  1998–99

  2,160

  60

  2,220

  2,250

  60

  2,310

  1999–2000

  2,280

  140

  2,420

  2,320

  140

  2,460

  1138W

  Durham

  £

  Cash

  Real terms—prices 2000–01

  SSA

  Grants

  Total

  SSA

  Grants

  Total

  2000–01

  2,390

  320

  2,710

  2,390

  320

  2,710

  2001–02

  2,490

  590

  3,080

  2,430

  570

  3,000

  Change1

  450

  550

  1,000

  240

  530

  770

  Secondary

  1997–98

  2,680

  30

  2,720

  2,880

  40

  2,910

  1998–99

  2,820

  50

  2,870

  2,940

  50

  2,990

  1999–2000

  2,940

  100

  3,040

  2,990

  100

  3,090

  2000–01

  3,090

  240

  3,340

  3,090

  240

  3,340

  2001–02

  3,220

  410

  3,630

  3,140

  400

  3,540

  Change1

  530

  380

  910

  260

  370

  630

  South Tyneside

  £

  Cash

  Real terms—prices 2000–01

  SSA

  Grants

  Total

  SSA

  Grants

  Total

  Primary

  1997–98

  1,210

  40

  2,160

  2,270

  50

  2,320

  1998–99

  2,230

  70

  2,300

  2,330

  70

  2,400

  1999–2000

  2,360

  150

  2,510

  2,400

  150

  2,550

  2000–01

  2,470

  360

  2,830

  2,470

  360

  2,830

  2001–02

  2,580

  670

  3,250

  2,510

  650

  3,170

  Change1

  450

  630

  1,080

  240

  610

  850

  Secondary

  1997–98

  2,780

  40

  2,820

  2,980

  40

  3,020

  1998–99

  2,900

  60

  2,960

  3,020

  60

  3,080

  1999–2000

  3,020

  110

  3,130

  3,080

  110

  3,180

  2000–01

  3,180

  270

  3,450

  3,180

  270

  3,450

  2001–02

  3,310

  460

  3,770

  3,230

  450

  3,680

  Change1

  540

  420

  950

  260

  410

  660

  Hampshire

  £

  Cash

  Real terms—prices 2000–01

  SSA

  Grants

  Total

  SSA

  Grants

  Total

  Primary

  1997–98

  2,010

  30

  2,030

  2,150

  30

  2,180

  1998–99

  2,120

  30

  2,150

  2,210

  30

  2,240

  1999–000

  2,230

  80

  2,310

  2,270

  80

  2,350

  2000–01

  2,330

  220

  2,550

  2,330

  220

  2,550

  2001–02

  2,450

  390

  2,840

  2,390

  390

  2,770

  Change1

  440

  360

  810

  240

  360

  590

  Secondary

  1997–98

  2,630

  20

  2,650

  2,820

  30

  2,840

  1998–99

  2,780

  30

  2,800

  2,890

  30

  2,920

  1999–2000

  2,870

  60

  2,930

  2,920

  60

  2,980

  2000–01

  3,010

  170

  3,190

  3,010

  170

  3,190

  2001–02

  3,170

  280

  3,450

  3,090

  280

  3,370

  Change1

  540

  260

  800

  270

  250

  520

  1 Change since 1997–98

  Notes:

  1. The figures reflect Education SSA (primary and secondary sub-blocks respectively) plus all school related revenue grants in the DfES's DEL relevant aged 5–10 (primary) and 11–15 (secondary).

  2. The primary and secondary grant figures include notional allocations for those grants in support of more than one sector.

  3. Pupil numbers underlying the £ per pupil figures are those underlying the SSA settlement calculations (primary and secondary sub-blocks respectively.

  4. Real terms figures are calculated using GDP deflators published by the Treasury 20 December 2001.

  5. 2001–02 figures are provisional as decisions on some funding allocations have yet to be finalised. The figures are thus liable to be revised later in the year.

  6. Figures rounded to nearest £10. Difference figures may not sum due to rounding.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Translation Services
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what translation services he ensures are available to(a) Benefits Agency and (b) Employment Service staff in (i) England and (ii) Staffordshire. [13498]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  In both the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service, throughout Great Britain, we will provide an interpreter for customers who do not speak English and who either cannot or do not wish to provide their own interpreter. This service is provided through either a multilingual member of staff; local services, for example, community interpreters, local authority services or colleges; or the telephone interpreting service provided by Language Line.

  We also have an internal translation service for translating documents both into English and into foreign languages. This is supplemented by a rapid translation service on a text-to-speech basis when a quick translation of a document in a foreign language is needed. Local offices also have the freedom to use community based translation services if they are available and convenient.

  Public Service Agreements
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will quantify the public service agreement target for employment over the economic cycle. [19049]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 11 December 2001,Official Report, columns 777–79W.

  Jobcentre Plus
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the national staffing requirements for Jobcentre Plus, and the average wage per employee will be; what the combined national staffing requirements were for the Benefits Agency and Employment Service, and the average wage per employee; and what will happen to employees that are surplus to the Jobcentre Plus staffing requirements. [24222]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  Currently some 112,000 employees work in the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service. The average salary per employee is approximately £15,080.

  We will begin rolling out Jobcentre Plus nationally from 2002. Local staffing requirements for Jobcentre Plus will be determined as part of this process. The chief executives of the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service wrote to all staff on 23 April 2001. They reassured staff that a key aim in developing plans for Jobcentre Plus and the Pension Service would be to enable all current staff to have a job in the new organisations or one of the other agencies in the Department.

  David Cairns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what is the value of the extra investment in help to the unemployed represented by the new Jobcentre Plus pilot offices in Inverclyde. [25418]
  1140W
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  £122 million has been invested in the current financial year to establish the Jobcentre Plus Pathfinder offices. Because much of this investment, for example on IT and communications, has been spent on the Pathfinder offices collectively it is not possible to identify the total investment separately in respect of the offices in Inverclyde. However, a total of around £3.6 million has been spent on improving the physical environment of the Greenock and Port Glasgow Pathfinder offices.

  Industrial Action
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of letters that(a) his Department and its agencies, (b) Employment Service offices, (c) Benefits Agency offices and (d) Jobcentre Plus offices have written to individuals citing delays in (i) interviews, (ii) processing claims and (iii) claim reviews, which have resulted from the current industrial action. [25222]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  Information is not available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The contingency plans put in place during the dispute, allied to the fact that the great majority of staff are working normally, have enabled us to maintain a near normal service with minimal delays.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of complaints that(a) his Department and its agencies, (b) Employment Service offices, (c) Benefits Agency offices and (d) Jobcentre Plus offices have received which relate to the current industrial action. [25225]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  It is not possible to estimate the number of complaints received at area or regional level as a result of the industrial action, as these data have not been collected separately during the course of the dispute.

  Centrally, where data are available, we have no record of any such complaints being received from customers.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will estimate the number of incapacity benefit claimants who have been required to attend repeat Benefits Agency medical assessment in each of the last 12 months; [25223]

  (2) if he will estimate the number of incapacity benefit claimants who have lost their entitlement as a result of a repeat Benefits Agency medical assessment in each of the last 12 months; [25224]

  (3) if he will (a) estimate the number of incapacity benefit claimants transferred to a different benefit as a result of a repeat Benefits Agency medical assessment in each of the last 12 months and (b) provide a breakdown by each individual benefit to which they have been transferred. [25221]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  Information is not available in the format requested.
  1141W
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the arrangements for transfer to incapacity benefit of unemployed persons of working age who are involved in one or more sickness incidents during a year. [29069]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown

  [holding answer 23 January 2002]: A person who has been awarded jobseeker's allowance and is unable to work because of sickness may choose to remain on jobseeker's allowance for up to two weeks. This easement means that people who are incapable of work for short periods of time do not have to change the benefit they are claiming. It can normally be used on two occasions in each year of a job-seeking period. Where the easement does not apply an unemployed person who becomes incapable of work can claim incapacity benefit supported by medical evidence.

  We are now delivering a new business, Jobcentre Plus, to help all people of working age make the most of their opportunities. In the past, many people were moved on to incapacity benefit with little or no help to make sure they got the right level of support to enable them to get back into work, where they are ready and able to do so.

  All people making new and repeat claims to incapacity benefit in Jobcentre Plus pathfinder offices are offered a work-focused meeting as a condition of receiving benefit. These meetings provide the opportunity for people to discuss their work options, as well as their benefit claim, and to investigate with their personal adviser the practical and financial support that is available to help them return to work.

  Lone Mothers
  Mr. Barker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action the Government will take to facilitate the provision of(a) housing and (b) council tax benefit to lone mothers raising children on their own and not forming part of a married couple. [25258]

  Malcolm Wicks
  On 12 December we responded positively and in detail to the Better Regulation Task Force report "Housing Benefit: A Case Study of Lone Parents". Our response set out the measures already under way and those planned to ease lone parents' path back into work and provide security for those for whom work is not an immediate option.

  A copy of our response has been placed in the Library and is also available on the Department's website at www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/20001/index/htm.

  Mental Health
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to PQ 01/20232 and PQ 01/20233, 8 January 2002,Official Report, column 687W, if he will publish the syllabi of the training programmes mentioned and the advice to medical service doctors. [26452]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  A copy of the contents of the relevant training modules has been placed in the Library.

  Newspaper Advertising
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what has been the expenditure of his 1142W
  (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies on newspaper advertising by title in each year since 1997. [26974]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The Department and its agencies use advertising for various reasons ranging from public information and recruitment to advertising opening hours of local offices. For each occasion national and/or regional media may be used as well as hundreds of local papers.

  A breakdown of expenditure on newspaper advertising by title could therefore be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Pension Funds
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received concerning the value of pension funds since 1 January 2001. [28198]

  Mr. McCartney

  The Department has frequent discussions with representatives of the pensions industry which cover a range of issues. We also receive a large number of pieces of correspondence concerning a range of pensions issues.

  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average delay was in making payment to state earnings related pension schemes for contributions due in the year to April 2001; what the figure was in each year since the scheme was introduced; and if he will make a statement. [30310]

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

  ME
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance he has issued to the Benefits Agency concerning the acceptance of a clinical diagnosis of ME as grounds for an entitlement to benefit. [28220]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  We recognise the chronic fatigue syndromes (including ME) as potentially debilitating illnesses. Where a clinical diagnosis of CFS has been made, full account is taken of the resultant care and mobility needs in disability living allowance or its effect on the prescribed activities in the personal capability assessment for incapacity benefits.

  New Deal
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received on the funding arrangements due to come into voluntary operation on 1 April about the sector option of New Deal. [28060]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown

  [holding answer 17 January 2002]: New arrangements for funding providers on a formula basis will be introduced throughout the new deal for young people, including the voluntary sector option on 1 April 2002. This approach fulfils the commitments made following the 1999 "Learning to Succeed" White Paper to ensure a common approach to the funding of all post-16 learning.
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  I have received representations from two organisations on these new arrangements. The Employment Service is continuing discussions on the new funding arrangements with its existing contractors.

  Winter Fuel Allowance
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Rendel) of 10 December 2001,Official Report, column 589, how people can apply for backdated winter fuel payments; and whether the procedure differs according to the year to which the claim relates. [28380]

  Mr. McCartney
  Backdated winter fuel payments are only available for the first three winters of the scheme, 1997–1998, 1998–1999 and 1999–2000. Claim forms are available by either ringing the winter fuel payment helpline on 08459 151515 and requesting one, or from the Department for Work and Pensions' website at www.dwp.gov.uk/winterfuel. The procedure for claiming for each of the three years is the same.

  Benefit Systems
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 12 December 2001,Official Report, columns 896–97W, when the Statutory Instrument referred to was revoked; and for what reason his answer does not refer to the Statutory Instrument currently in force. [28672]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The Local Government (Best Value) Performance Indicators Order 2000, SI 2000 No. 896 referred to in my answer of 12 December 2001,Official Report, columns 896–97W contains Best Value Performance Indicators for 2000–01. The order was not revoked but was superseded by the Local Government (Best Value) Performance Indicators and Performance Standards Order 2001, SI 2001 No. 724 which contains Best Value Performance Indicators for 2001–02 and is currently in force. My answer did not refer to this statutory instrument because the hon. Member did not ask for details of the Best Value Performance Indicators for the current year.

  Stakeholder Pensions
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how often, on average, people with stakeholder pensions make contributions towards their pension. [28969]

  Mr. McCartney
  The information is not available.

  Medical Assessment Services
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on recent changes in the standards for delivery of medical assessment services contracted by his Department. [29072]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown

  [holding answer 23 January 2002]: Over the last quarter, October to December 2001, service delivery in all key areas of the Medical Services Contract has improved. The volume of examinations which have been completed is significantly higher than in the same period last year and examinations are being arranged more promptly. The proportion of customers seen within 10 minutes of their appointment time has
  1144W
  risen, and the number being sent home unseen has reduced. Special needs indicated by customers, such as interpreter services, are being met. The training, medical quality, and customer service targets set by the Government in their response to the Social Security Select Committee inquiry into Medical Services all are being met.

TREASURY

  Insider Trading
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been prosecuted for insider dealing in each of the last 10 years. [27445]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Department of Trade and Industry has prosecuted 30 people for insider dealing offences since 1 January 1992. The breakdown is as follows:

  Year

  Number of people

  1992

  6

  1993

  3

  1994

  2

  1995

  1

  1996

  4

  1997

  —

  1998

  —

  1999

  —

  2000

  7

  2001

  4

  2002

  13

  1 Cases not yet completed.

  National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases in the last year direct debits of national insurance contributions by self-employed persons suspended during payment of incapacity benefit have not been resumed following the termination of payment of incapacity benefit by reason of technical problems with the National Insurance Contributions Office replacement computer system; and if he will make a statement. [22365]

  Dawn Primarolo

  [holding answer 11 December 2001]: There is no evidence to show that resumption of collection of national insurance contributions by direct debit in these circumstances failed because of technical problems with the National Insurance Contributions Office's replacement computer system.

  Duty-Free Shopping
  Jeff Ennis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on job numbers of the ending of duty-free shopping within the EU. [24280]

  Mr. Boateng
  No estimate has been made.

  Temporary Contracts
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees in(a) his Department and (b) executive agencies supervised by his Department have been employed on temporary contracts of (i) 51 weeks or (ii) less than 51 weeks' duration in this year and each of the

  1145W
  past five years, in each case specifying what percentage of the respective total workforce these employees constitute. [25167]

  Staff in post numbers

  Year

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  1 April 2001 to 31 December 2001

  HMT

  Casual

  18

  10

  36

  27

  35

  20

  Percentage of staff

  1.9

  1.1

  3.9

  2.9

  4

  1.9

  National Savings

  Casual

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  13

  3

  Percentage of staff

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  15

  3

  Debt Management Office

  Casual

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  3

  2—

  Percentage of staff

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  5.5

  2—

  Royal Mint

  Casual staff

  63

  16

  131

  165

  115

  18

  Percentage of Staff

  6.5

  1.6

  12.7

  15.5

  11.5

  1.7

  Office for National Statistics

  Casual staff

  1—

  6

  3

  8

  13

  12

  Percentage of staff

  1—

  4.3

  2.8

  4.8

  6.1

  5.5

  Office of Government Commerce

  Casuals

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  33

  36

  Percentage of Staff

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  6.9

  8.4

  1 No data available

  2 No casuals

  3 Agency not formed

  Note:

  Data relate to figures of casual staff on contracts of less than 51 weeks

  Warehoused Goods Regulations
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions in(a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01 an owner of warehoused goods failed to comply with the Warehouses and Owners of Warehouse Goods Regulations 1999. [26429]

  Mr. Boateng
  The central record holds details of rejections at application and revocation action only. The numbers are as follows:

  1999–2000

  Revocations—1

  Rejections at registration—0

  2000–01

  Revocations—14

  Rejections at registration—38.

  None were revoked solely due to breaches of conditions. Minor compliance breaches that do not result in revocation are not recorded centrally, as it would be time consuming and costly to gather that information.

  Digitised Products (Taxation)
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals the Government are making within the European Community for alternatives to the Commission's paper COM (2000) 349. [26448]

  Mr. Boateng
  As part of on-going EU discussions on the taxation of digitised products supplied to consumers, the Government have consistently argued that, in the
  1146W
  Ruth Kelly
  The information requested is given in the table:

  medium term, an electronic solution should be introduced for charging, collecting and distributing the tax due on these supplies in the place where they are consumed, and that any short-term solution should be both temporary and simple to administer. We are confident that final agreement will soon be reached on this basis.

  Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud Review
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Ministers received the draft Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud Review report containing the paragraph on resources cited in paragraph 9.3 of the Rogues report. [26415]

  Mr. Boateng
  The draft report was submitted to the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury, and discussed by Treasury Ministers. Consideration of the resourcing implications was subsequently taken forward as part of the 1998 spending round in the normal way.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the recommendations of HM Customs and Excise on the level of additional resources needed to combat fraud and evasion that were contained in the draft Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud Review and quoted in paragraph 9.3 of the Rogues report. [26414]

  Mr. Boateng
  Consideration of the resourcing implications of the Review was taken forward as part of
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  the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). The CSR settlement included an additional £35 million to fund more than 100 extra officers at the ports to tackle the problem of alcohol and tobacco fraud and smuggling.

  Comprehensive Spending Review
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to consult service users on options and priorities for the Comprehensive Spending Review. [26137]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The Government consult a wide range of interests in setting their priorities, including, importantly, service users.

  Market Research
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [27950]

  Ruth Kelly
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison) on 29 January 2001,Official Report, column 42W.

  Detailed information in the form requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Young People (Income Tax and National Insurance)
  Matthew Green
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what percentage of persons aged(a) 16 and (b) 17 years paid (i) income tax and (ii) national insurance in each of the last five years; [29463]

  (2) how much (a) income tax and (b) national insurance was received from persons aged (i) 16 and (ii) 17 years in each of the last five years. [29467]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Amounts of income tax liabilities from persons aged 16 and 17 are in the table.

  Income tax liabilities

  £ million

  Aged 16

  Aged 17

  1998–99

  20

  50

  1999–2000

  10

  40

  2000–01

  10

  40

  Estimates (rounded to the nearest £10 million) are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and are consistent with the November 2001 pre-Budget report. I regret that it is not possible to provide reliable estimates for earlier years.

  Estimates for amounts of class 1 primary national insurance contribution (NIC) liabilities from persons aged 16 and 17 are in the table.
  1148W

  UK class 1 primary NIC

  £ million

  Aged 16

  Aged 17

  1996–97

  10

  30

  1997–98

  10

  30

  1998–99

  10

  30

  1999–2000

  10

  30

  2000–01

  10

  20

  Estimates provided by the Government Actuary's Department and rounded to the nearest £10 million.

  Available estimates for the number of income taxpayers aged 16 and 17 as a percentage of the total population of 16 and 17-year-olds are in the table.

  Percentage

  Number of 16-year-old taxpayers as a percentage of all 16-year-olds

  Number of 17-year-old taxpayers as a percentage of all 17-year-olds

  1998–99

  4

  11

  1999–2000

  3

  10

  2000–01

  3

  10

  Taxpayer estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes. Population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.

  Estimates for the number of NIC payers aged 16 and 17 as a percentage of the total population of 16 and 17-year-olds are in the table.

  Percentage

  Number of 16-year-old taxpayers as a percentage of all 16-year-olds

  Number of 17-year-old taxpayers as a percentage of all 17-year-olds

  1996–97

  5

  13

  1997–98

  5

  13

  1998–99

  5

  13

  1999–2000

  5

  14

  2000–01

  4

  11

  Estimates were provided by the Government Actuary's Department. Population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.

  All of the estimates are based on survey data and therefore subject to a margin of error particularly because of the relatively small sample sizes involved.

  Green Technology Challenge
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) on what basis(a) air pollution from industry, (b) cleaning up polluted land, (c) oil spills, (d) waste treatment and (e) recycling are excluded from the Green Technology Challenge funding; [29702]

  (2) for what reasons the decision was taken to limit the Green Technology Challenge to (a) clean fuels, (b) clean vehicle reduction in water use, (c) the improvement of water quality and (d) energy efficient technologies. [29701]
  1149W
  Mr. Boateng
  The Government provide support for environmental objectives through a wide range of policies. Proposals put forward in response to the consultation on setting up a Green Technology Challenge were assessed against the following criteria:the extent to which there is a market failure or a specific environmental problem that needs to be addressed through Government policy;
  the extent to which this problem is best dealt with through a fiscal instrument such as capital allowances and the objective cannot be better achieved through other Government policies;
  the effectiveness of offering enhanced capital allowances for investment in technologies in the environmental area in question.

  The Government's initial view is that other proposals put forward in response to the consultation do not meet the above criteria as well as the objectives announced. However, the Government will consider extending the scope of the scheme over time.

  World Bank Loans
  Tony Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with US Treasury spokesmen on replacing World bank loans to the world's poorest countries with grants. [29629]

  Mr. Boateng
  The potential role of World bank grant finance is one of the issues being discussed in the context of the replenishment of the funds of the International Development Association (IDA, the concessional lending arm of the World bank), on which the Secretary of State for International Development leads. The Chancellor and Treasury officials have held discussions with the US Treasury and other countries to seek support for the UK position in these negotiations, which is that we should maintain and enhance the role of IDA as the largest source of concessional finance for low-income countries, and to encourage a substantial contribution by donors to the IDA replenishment.

  VAT (Care Services)
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost in the current financial year of altering the VAT treatment of fees paid by individuals to nursing homes and registered residential homes for the elderly to that of a zero rated VAT product; and if he will make a statement. [29625]

  Mr. Boateng
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 20 July 2001,Official Report, column 559W.

  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects Customs and Excise to issue details of the proposed extra statutory concession in respect of VAT on supply of services agency workers for domiciliary care. [30161]

  Mr. Boateng
  Details of the proposed extra statutory concession on the VAT liability of home care will be available when the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry lays before Parliament revised regulations governing the conduct of the private recruitment industry.

  Sport
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received 1150W
  concerning the Promoting Sport in the Community consultation; to whom the consultation document was circulated and in what quantities; and what measures he is taking to ensure that the views of unpaid voluntary workers who work for Community Amateur Sports Clubs are taken into account. [30159]

  Mr. Boateng
  A number of representations have been received concerning the "Promoting Sport in the Community" consultation document and consultation continues. Over 5,000 copies of the consultation document have been circulated to CASCs and their governing bodies, Sport England and the Central Council of Physical Recreation. The consultation document is also available on the Treasury public internet site. Given the diversity of the sector, the Government are keen that as many interested parties as possible will take the opportunity to respond, so that all views can be taken into account.

  Census Data
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate has been made of the impact that the raising of the minimum threshold for publication of census data from 50 persons/20 households to 100 persons/40 parishes will have on the planning of services in rural areas; [30193]

  (2) what measures the Office for National Statistics will take to assist authorities responsible for local planning where separate census data for individual parishes has been lost by the amalgamation of figures as a result of the increased minimum threshold; [30194]

  (3) what representation he has received concerning the availability of 2001 census data at parish level; [30156]

  (4) what representations he has received on the impact of the raised thresholds in the 2001 census on the planning of services in rural areas; [30155]

  (5) if he will revert to the 1991 census threshold figure of 50 persons per household. [30157]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Miss Anne McIntosh, dated 25 January 2002:
  As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent questions to the Chancellor of the Exchequer asking:

  (i) what estimate has been made of the impact that raising of the minimum threshold for the publication of census data from 50 persons/20 households to 100 persons/40 parishes (sic) will have on the planning of services in rural areas (30193);

  (ii) what representation he has received concerning the availability of 2001 Census data at parish level (30156);

  (iii) what representations he has received on the impact of the raised threshold in the 2001 Census on planning services in rural areas (30155):

  (iv) if he will consider reverting to the 1991 Census threshold of '50 persons per household' (sic) (30157); and

  (v) what measures the Office for National Statistics will take to assist authorities responsible for local planning where separate census data for individual parishes has been lost by the amalgamation of figures as a result of the increased minimum threshold (30194).

  1151W
  I will respond generally while covering the issues raised in each of the questions.
  Following a recent ONS Review of the measures to protect the confidentiality of personal information provided in the 2001 Census, I have announced some additional measures. These include a decision that standard statistical output (amounting to some 10,000 counts) will not be released for small areas below a certain population threshold, this being 100 resident persons and 40 resident households.
  The design of output areas from the 2001 Census will, however, recognise the need to identify parishes separately in the 2001 Census, but the number of parishes that fall below this threshold will not be known until the processing of data is completed later this year. From information from the 1991 Census, however, it is estimated that some 1,230 parishes in England would have fallen below the 2001 Census threshold.
  Nevertheless, the average size of output areas in the 2001 Census will be significantly smaller than in the 1991 Census, facilitating greater geographical flexibility overall in using Census output. The resulting increased amount of detail to be made available from the 2001 Census will assist in the better planning of local services.
  I have listened carefully to the views expressed throughout extensive consultation on output requirements from the Census. The Review was fully aware of, and considered carefully, all the requirements for output, including those for parishes, that users had articulated during the course of wide and extensive consultation with all local authorities and other users.
  Following the initial announcement last November of my decision to introduce these additional disclosure control measures, I received a number of representations including six from local government bodies expressing particular concerns about the impact of the raised threshold on the availability of 2001 Census data for parishes. In addition, I have recently answered two Parliamentary Questions from the right hon. David Curry MP (nos. 28863 and 28862) on the subject.
  I am, of course, keen to ensure that users will obtain the maximum benefit from the use of 2001 Census data. To this end, I invited representatives from the census-user community to a meeting on 13 December 2001 at which we were able to discuss further the specific issues that users had raised including the particular issue about sub-threshold parishes. At that meeting I explained that as Registrar General and National Statistician, I have an obligation not to reveal information collected in confidence in the Census about individual people and households. Indeed, I have given public assurances that I will not do so. In presenting increasingly detailed results from the Census, protecting personal information is of paramount importance.
  Maintaining the confidentiality of individual data underpins the trust that exists between data suppliers and any agency that acts as custodian of information about them. At ONS we are fortunate that businesses and the public have confidence that their information is securely held and that we do not release any data that could identify an individual. It is essential that this trust be maintained. The 2001 Census Discussion Paper on Standard Area Statistics (September 2001) noted that the confidentiality threshold being proposed at that time was 50 persons and 20 resident households, but that disclosure control measures were under review as part of an ONS-wide programme of methods and quality. The recent Review was conducted to explore whether or not the measures that were in place would maintain this trust.
  The Review considered whether or not the measures initially proposed protected against both real and perceived disclosure. In particular it considered:

  (a) the level of statistical detail in the proposed tables;

  (b) the level of geography for which the tables would be produced;

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  (c) the increased availability of the data; and

  (d) the proliferation of other datasets against which Census data could be matched.

  On the basis of this Review I decided that an additional measure of rounding all cells to either zero or a multiple of 3, should be introduced for all tables to be produced for England and Wales, and that the population threshold for Output Areas be raised to 100 resident persons and 40 resident households for the release of Census Area Statistics.
  These measures, together with a data modification measure ('record swapping') already announced, will protect against not only the real risk of disclosure but also, and equally as important, the risk perceived, by the very public about whom the information refers, of disclosure that may arise in output table cells containing counts of '1'. Without these additional measures the risk of perceived disclosure would have been substantially higher. Once formed, any such public perceptions would be difficult to dislodge and would, I believe, damage the integrity of all census output.
  In the circumstances I do not propose reverting to the threshold adopted for the release of small area statistics in the 1991 Census of 50 persons and 16 resident households.
  We agreed at the meeting on 13 December, however, that the ONS and those present representing the user community would work closely together to minimise the impact that the rounding and increased threshold will have on the data and its uses. In particular, the ONS will consider further what summary output for 'sub-threshold parishes'—in the form of simple statistical profiles, for example—may be safely produced from the 2001 Census, in addition to some basic headcounts that have already been agreed.
  A note on that meeting has been posted on the ONS website, and a paper giving further background into the decision and the method, and addressing the consequences and issues raised at the meeting and elsewhere, will be produced shortly.

  Taper Relief
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the increase in business investment due to taper relief in each year since its introduction; and if he will make a statement. [30272]

  Dawn Primarolo
  No such estimate is available. We intend to evaluate taper relief once the system has had more time for its effects to become measurable.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Jeff Ennis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Barnsley, East and Mexborough are benefiting from the implementation of the working families tax credit. [30524]

  Mr. Roy

  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Motherwell and Wishaw are benefiting from the implementation of the working families tax credit. [30858]

  Mr. Ivan Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families within the Harwich constituency have taken advantage of the working families tax credit to date. [30984]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer my hon. Friends to my answer to the hon. Member for Jarrow (Mr. Hepburn) on 16 January 2002,Official Report, column 293W.

  Public-private Partnerships
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the technical
  1153W
  guidance given to civil servants in his Department on how to define PPPs as finance or operating leases; and if he will make a statement. [30204]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Copies of the Treasury document "Technical Note No.1 (revised)—How to Account for Private Finance Initiative (PFI) transactions" have been placed in the Library. The document sets out additional practical guidance on how to apply the Accounting Standards Board's Application Note "Amendment to Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) 5—Private Finance Initiative and Similar Contracts" and the requirement in the Treasury's "Resource Accounting Manual" that all complex transactions should be accounted for under the overriding principles of FRS5.

  Construction Industry
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what criteria the Inland Revenue determines which firms in the construction industry are subject to an investigation of the employment status of their work force. [30643]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The criteria are the same as they are for firms who do not operate in the construction industry. The Inland Revenue select firms in three different ways: a proportion is selected randomly, a proportion is selected using pre-selected criteria, and a proportion is selected using risk analysis. The Inland Revenue do not publish the pre-selected and risk criteria they use, as publication may undermine their compliance strategy.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many visits have been made by the Inland Revenue compliance staff to firms in the construction industry to investigate the employment status of their workforce; and how many investigations have been deemed successful, in each year since 1997, broken down by region. [30642]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The information requested is not available. Employment status examinations will often form part of a general review of employer compliance issues. Details of the employment status examinations may not be recorded separately.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Correspondence
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will ask the Parliamentary Secretary for her Department in the House of Lords, to answer the letters of 13 August and 13 September, Reference H/DEFRA/FM/Snell/130901 from the hon. Member for Hereford; and if she will make a statement. [13524]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 9 November 2001]: A response to the hon. Member's letters of 13 August and 13 September was sent on 16 January 2002.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the correspondence from the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed to the Minister for the Environment dated 19 July and 14 September relating to representations from Mr. A. Hodgson of Berwick-upon-Tweed. [19982]
  1154W
  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 3 December 20011: A response to Mr. Hodgson's letter of 11 July was sent on 21 January. A copy of this response was sent to the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed on 23 January. I apologise for the long delay in replying.

  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department will clear outstanding correspondence with hon. Members. [28361]

  Mr. Morley
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to all Members of Parliament on 14 November 2001 setting out her assessment of the current problems on correspondence. The Department suffered severe disruption last year due to allocating top priority to defeating the food and mouth epidemic. On top of this the sheer volume of correspondence received since the creation of DEFRA has had a major impact on the Department's performance. I accept this is not an adequate excuse for not giving hon. Members timely responses, and now that normality is returning to the Department one of our key priorities is to rectify weaknesses in our service delivery. The size of our correspondence section has increased threefold and the line management strengthened; our IT systems have been updated and are in the process of being further improved and new guidance has been circulated throughout the Department. These actions are already beginning to bear fruit and it is hoped that the last of the backlog cases will be dispatched over the next few weeks.

  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many letters from hon. Members to her Department did not receive substantive replies within(a) one month, (b) three months and (c) six months in 2001; and if she will make a statement on her Department's performance against targets in relation to response times to letters from hon. Members. [28816]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 23 January 2002]: Unfortunately our system is currently not sophisticated enough to produce these figures, although we are in the process of having it upgraded. However staff have conducted an extensive manual trawl which put the total for (a) at approximately 4,000 letters and the total for (b) at approximately 1,800 letters. For (c) 110 letters had not received a response after six months.

  The Secretary of State wrote to all Members of Parliament on 14 November setting out her assessment of the Department's current problems on correspondence. The Department suffered severe disruption last year due to allocating top priority to defeating the foot and mouth epidemic. On top of this the sheer volume of correspondence received since the creation of DEFRA had a major impact on the Department's performance, resulting in a large backlog of letters. I accept this is not an adequate excuse for not giving hon. Members timely responses, and now that normality is returning to the Department one of our key priorities is to rectify weaknesses in our service delivery and to meet our response time targets. The size of our correspondence section has increased threefold and the line management strengthened; our IT systems have been upgraded and are in the process of being further improved; and new guidance has been circulated throughout the Department.
  1155W
  These actions are already beginning to bear fruit and it is hoped that over the next few weeks the system will be back at an even keel.

  Fly Tipping
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 21 November 2001,Official Report, column 315W, if she will adopt a policy on fly tipping similar to that adopted by the National Assembly for Wales. [18022]

  Mr. Meacher
  Fly tipping is a blight on our countryside and towns and is an antisocial activity wherever it takes place and whoever is responsible for it. The stringent controls in place to ensure that waste is dealt with properly apply both in England and Wales.

  The National Assembly for Wales (NAW) initiated a special drive against fly tipping. As part of this, the NAW voted £400,000 for a two year project, (running in the financial years 2000–01 and 2001–02) to support targeted waste enforcement. Three targeted enforcement teams were established. These teams work closely with other agency staff and other enforcement agencies such as the police, local authorities and the benefits agency. This has involved an intelligence led approach to enforcement, selectively targeting those activities that are of greatest impact to the environment.

  This campaign was in part a response to concerns that fly tipping was becoming a particular problem in Wales and as a result, the number of successful prosecutions has increased from 24 in 1999 at the start of the project to 48 in 2000. Similar improvements are expected for the year 2001 to 2002.

  The Environment Agency continues also to give the need to combat fly tipping a high priority in England. The agency is currently working to establish a central unit to co-ordinate the agency's approach to environmental crime.

  This unit will work with other key enforcement bodies such as the local authorities, police and HM Customs and Excise and will particularly bear down on fly tipping.

  Furthermore, the Fly Tipping Stakeholders' Forum, which comprises local authorities, business and landowners representatives, and is chaired by the Environment Agency, has produced a fly tipping guidance document, which provides information and guidance for all those who are affected and/or concerned by fly tipping. The document is available on the web at: http:// www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/wasteman/flytip/

  A conference is planned for spring 2002 to help emphasise the role and activity of the forum.

  Waste Disposal
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the likely charge per unit waste disposal authorities8 will make to householders for the disposal of(a) refrigerators, (b) deep-freezers, (c) fridge-freezers and (d) air conditioning units after 1 January 2002. [24168]
  1156W
  Mr. Meacher
  Waste disposal authorities have a statutory duty, under section 51(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, to provide reasonably accessible sites where householders can dispose of their waste free of charge.

  Waste collection authorities have a statutory duty to arrange for the collection of household waste. However, they are entitled to impose a charge for collection for certain items, set out in Schedule 2 to the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992. Charges vary considerably (with many local authorities not imposing a charge) and may include the collection of more than one bulky item. Charges are in the range of £0 to £35, with higher charges for those living in rural areas.

  Foot and Mouth
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the chairmen of the independent inquiries into the consequences and lessons of the foot and mouth disease for their proposals for communications with hon. Members; and if she will make a statement. [25402]

  Mr. Morley
  I have met with the inquiries on a number of occasions to discuss a range of issues. I am aware that both the Royal Society inquiry and the lain Anderson Lessons Learned inquiry provide regular updates on their dedicated websites. The Lessons Learned inquiry will shortly be writing to hon. Members to update them on progress.

  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what communications she has had with hon. Members drawing their attention to the commencement of the independent inquiry into the lessons to be learned from the foot and mouth epidemic; and if she will make a statement. [25403]

  Mr. Morley
  In my statement to the House on 17 December I announced the start of the Lessons Learned inquiry to hon. Members. I welcome the start of this inquiry and confirm that the Department will co-operate fully with the independent inquiry process.

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the uncompensated losses suffered by farmers through foot and mouth are; and how those losses are calculated. [29997]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: There are no statistics gathered on uncompensated losses and reliable estimates of these losses are not available at this stage. However DEFRA is working with a number of other Government Departments to prepare such an estimate and the results of this work will be made publicly available. We have carried out a survey of over 1,000 farms in FMD affected areas to collect information on the direct impact and their future intentions. The results of this survey will be published early in February.

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the current situation regarding(a) foot and mouth disease and (b) other livestock-related diseases in Settle. [29991]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: Livestock related disease surveillance is carried out in the Settle area for DEFRA by the Veterinary Laboratories

  1157W
  Agency regional laboratories at Thirsk and Preston. I understand that currently the reported incidence of livestock related disease in that area is normal for this time of year. North Yorkshire, like the whole of Great Britain, is now classified as free from FMD. However, it is important that farms and veterinarians remain vigilant.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has made(a) to the European Commission and (b) to the OIE regarding the reinstatement of foot and mouth disease free status to the United Kingdom. [28683]

  Margaret Beckett

  [holding answer 18 January 2002]: The European Commission have been kept fully informed of the position in the United Kingdom through monthly meetings of its Standing Veterinary Committee. Having received a report from the State Veterinary Service earlier this month that all counties in Great Britain are foot and mouth disease (FMD) free, the European Commission lifted all export controls except those on live sheep.

  My Department also submitted a report to the OIE which set out the work carried out to control the outbreak and invited the OIE to consider whether it was now in a position to restore the UK's FMD free status. This report was considered by the OIE's FMD commission on 22 January. The OIE commission agreed to restore the UK's "FMD free status without vaccination" for the purposes of international trade.

  The EU Standing Veterinary Committee is expected to return to the issue of live sheep exports at its 5–6 February meeting, in the light of the OIE decision.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of her Department's staff remain employed directly in dealing with the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease and consequential activity; how many of these staff members will be re-designated to activities associated with combating incidences of bovine tuberculosis; and if she will make a statement. [29089]

  Mr. Morley
  About 12 per cent. of the permanent staff in my Department, in offices across the country, are still employed in dealing with the foot and mouth epidemic and consequential activity. It is not possible to say how many of these staff would become available for work on bovine tuberculosis, but veterinary officer effort on bovine tuberculosis has already doubled between June and December last year.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the firms of contractors employed by her Department and its agencies to assist with clean-up work during the foot and mouth outbreak; and what payments were made from public funds in each case. [28183]

  Margaret Beckett

  [holding answer 17 January 2002]: Over 1,200 contractors have been employed by the Department to undertake work, including that on secondary cleansing and disinfection. A complete list of all contractors was placed in the Library of the House on 15 October 2001.
  1158W
  The final cost of all cleansing and disinfection is now estimated to be about £280 million, but the total amount being paid to all of the individual contractors has not yet been finalised.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of hill farmers who have recently left the industry as a result of foot and mouth disease; and if she will make a statement. [28042]

  Mr. Morley
  At present it is too early to assess the impact of foot and mouth disease on hill farmers.

  Farm Subsidies
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the contribution farm subsidies make in reducing the cost of food in the UK. [26021]

  Mr. Morley
  The only farm subsidies directly aimed at reducing the cost of food are consumer subsidies. However these constitute a very small element of the support mechanism and they do not significantly offset the higher prices consumers face from the CAP. The recent reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy, which have reduced the level of support to the market and increased direct payments to producers, have had the effect of substantially reducing the cost of agricultural support to consumers. However I estimate that in 2000 the overall cost of the CAP to food consumers and taxpayers was equivalent to £8 to £9 per week for a family of four.

  Beam Trawlers
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government are taking to monitor the damage caused to sea beds by beam trawlers; and if she will make a statement. [27162]

  Mr. Morley
  The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) has studied the impacts of beam trawling on different sea bed habitats in the North and Irish seas since 1993 and compared these impacts with other sources of disturbance in the marine environment.

  Beam trawling effort is patchily distributed. Most beam trawling takes place in relatively shallow areas with relatively high levels of natural disturbance, and where the sea bed is, to a certain extent, resilient to the effects of the gear. For example, the sandy sea beds of the southern North sea are continually disturbed by tides and wave action, and most of the animals living there are already adapted to cope with disturbance. In these areas the effects of beam trawling on the sea bed are hard to detect, and recovery of areas that are trawled will usually occur in less than one year.

  In deeper water, where there is usually less wave and tidal action, beam trawling could have a proportionally greater effect, and recovery of the sea bed will take much longer. However, beam trawls are not widely used in these areas.

  Hill Farmers
  Charlotte Atkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the average income of hill farmers was provided by(a) Government and (b) European funding in each year since 1997. [27256]

  Mr. Morley
  Information on public expenditure under the CAP and on national grants and subsidies is given in the table.

  £ million

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–2001 (f)

  Total public expenditure under the CAP and on national grants and subsidies

  3.58

  3.48

  3.16

  3.18

  Of which:

  Under the CAP

  3.32

  3.19

  2.82

  2.87

  Other schemes

  0.26

  0.29

  0.34

  0.31

  Percentage EU funded

  93

  92

  89

  90

  Source:

  Agriculture in the United Kingdom 2000

  These figures exclude the additional support farmers receive from the consumer, through the maintenance of EU agricultural prices above world levels by the CAP.

  It is not possible to give this breakdown specifically for hill farms, but typically, a high percentage of subsidy paid to hill farmers will be from EU funding.

  In the years since 1997, average total direct subsidies to LFA cattle and sheep farms have exceeded net farm income. Data for England for the year 1999–2000, given in the table, illustrate the point.

  Average output, input and income for full-time hill farms

  England 1999–2000

  (£/farm)

  LFA cattle and sheep farms

  Average farm output

  61,700

  Of which:

  Direct livestock subsidies

  25,400

  Other direct subsidies

  4,000

  Average input costs

  56,400

  Average net farm income

  5,300

  Source:

  Farm Business Survey

  Water Framework Directive
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimates she has made of the potential cost(a) to businesses and (b) to public funds of implementing the EU water framework directive 2000/60/EC. [27139]

  Margaret Beckett

  [holding answer 14 January 2002]: The implications of the directive are set out in the regulatory impact assessment (RIA) "First Consultation Paper on the Implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)" which was published jointly by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the National Assembly for Wales in March 2001. A copy of the consultation paper is in the House of Commons Library.
  1160W
  Costs to businesses and public funds

  The estimated overall costs' in the regulatory impact assessment were dominated by the cost of making improvements to water status (£1.9 billion to £9.0 billion), which were broken down into: improvements to point source discharges by sewerage undertakers (£0.9 billion to £4.2 billion); improvements to point source discharges by industry (£0.3 billion to £1.2 billion); reductions in pollution from diffuse sources, particularly agriculture (£0.6 billion to £2.9 billion); improvements to river habitats (£90 million to £440 million); and, alleviation of low flows (up to £240 million).

  It is not yet possible to make an estimate of the effect on water charges to domestic and commercial customers of water and sewerage companies. This will be dealt with as part of the periodic reviews of water prices carried out by Ofwat. These reviews will also provide the opportunity to ensure that the most cost-effective combination of capital investment and other measures is built into water companies' programmes alongside regulatory measures delivered by the Environment Agency.

  The costs of habitat restoration and low flow alleviation projects, and urban run-off, may fall on the regulatory bodies, water companies, local authorities and landowners. However, it is not currently possible to estimate the extent and distribution of such work.

  The administrative, planning and monitoring costs were assumed to fall principally on central Government and Government agencies, with small administration costs falling on local authorities and the water companies. The estimated cost of administrative arrangements was £3 million, for the planning process £13 million to £20 million, and for additional monitoring and assessment approximately £94 million.

  A revised regulatory impact assessment will be needed, once an overall package of implementing regulations has been prepared for consultation, later this year or early 2003.

  1 The figures quoted were the net present value of costs incurred between 1998 and 2040. The choice of the year 2040 did not relate to the actual expenditure period but because it was 30 years after the deadline in the Commission's original proposal for achieving the directive's objectives. Thirty years is a widely used asset life for pollution control equipment.

  Fraud
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 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. [27293]

  Mr. Morley
  The Department has only been in existence since June 2001. Information covering earlier periods is therefore not available, and could be constructed retrospectively only at disproportionate cost. Annual reports which the Treasury prepares on fraud, covering returns from both the former MAFF and DETR, are deposited in the Library of the House.

  Food Imports
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what additional
  1161W
  impact control measures have been introduced since the resolution of the blockade of foreign food imports at (a) Cairnryan and (b) elsewhere in 1998. [27026]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 15 January 2002]: The blockade of food imports at Cairnryan and elsewhere in 1998 related to farmers' concerns over rural incomes in the UK due to the effects of BSE on the market price of British beef, along with concerns over the strength of the British pound reducing the price of foreign meat imports from the Republic of Ireland. EU legislation does not allow the blockade of meat imported without justifiable reason and no additional import measures were taken following these events.

  Refurbishment
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by her Department in each of the last four years. [27956]

  Mr. Morley
  The figures, which exclude any refurbishment carried out as part of landlord lease obligations, are as follows:

  Refurbishments are included in the planned programme of building maintenance.

  Flood Protection (Hillingdon)
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to improve flood protection in the London borough of Hillingdon. [28486]

  Mr. Morley
  This Department provides grants for flood and coastal defence capital works, and associated studies, which meet essential technical, economic and environmental criteria and achieve an appropriate priority score. Further to increases in spending plans in the last two spending reviews, additional funding of £51 million over the four years from 2000–01 was announced in November 2000 following the severe flooding that year. An increased priority was given to urban flood defences and the grant rates for all river flood defences were increased by 20 per cent.

  Operational responsibility for flood management measures rests with the local operation authorities, normally the Environment Agency (EA) and local councils, who decide which projects to promote and their timing. The operational authorities are invited to submit applications for DEFRA funding.

  The EA has implemented a number of flood alleviation schemes in the London borough of Hillingdon as part of the £20 million Lower Colne Improvement Scheme with the benefit of grant aid. The schemes provide flood alleviation properties within West Drayton, Uxbridge and Cowley.

  The EA is now reviewing the feasibility of sustainable flood alleviation measures for the River Pinn catchment.

  Nitrate Pollution
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals she has to provide financial assistance to farmers having 1162W
  to expend on increased slurry storage facilities as a result of being included in extensions to nitrate vulnerable zones; and if she will make a statement on her Department's consultation on the implementation of the European Nitrates Directive. [29090]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Farm Waste Grant Scheme is available now to assist farmers in existing nitrate vulnerable zones with the cost of improving or constructing farm waste storage facilities. Grant is available at a rate of 40 per cent. on eligible expenditure up to an investment ceiling of £85,000. The Government intend to extend this scheme to the new NVZ areas, from the date of their designation. We are currently considering whether additional funds will be needed from 2003 onwards, and we are considering also the option to raise the grant rate to 50 per cent. in less favoured areas, as is permitted under the EU rules on state aids.

  DEFRA's current consultation seeks views on how England should complete full implementation of the Nitrates Directive. Following this, a decision on which of the two options for designation will be taken in England will be announced later this year.

  Sea Fisheries Committees
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the(a) operation and (b) cost of funding of sea fisheries committees; and what proposals she has to alter the source of funding of sea fisheries committees from local authorities to central Government. [29081]

  Mr. Morley
  Sea Fisheries Committees as managers of inshore fisheries are subject to local government rules and are rightly funded by their constituent local authorities. There are no proposals for this arrangement to change.

  Hunting
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has received from the Chief Veterinary Officer concerning changes in the threat to livestock from predatory foxes during the ban on fox hunting. [29178]

  Mr. Morley
  The Chief Veterinary Officer has made no such assessment. Foxes are not regarded as a major national threat to livestock by the Department.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the use of combined heat and power systems in the horticultural sector; and what assessment she has made of the obstacles that exist to the use of such systems in the sector. [28897]

  Mr. Meacher
  There is around 150 megawatts of good quality CHP capacity installed in the horticulture sector. I understand the main obstacles to the use of CHP are the availability of capital, a lack of understanding of the opportunities for CHP and concerns over energy prices. Support and advice, including site specific, will be channelled to the sector via the Carbon Trust under a voluntary energy saving agreement my Department has with the NFU.

  Genetically Modified Organisms
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will support the European proposal to maintain a Community register of genetically modified food and feed; and if this will result in a change in the information that is available to the public via the Food Standards Agency and her Department. [29501]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Government support the establishment of the proposed Community register. However, the proposal implies that the information included on the register will be limited to a summary of applications for authorisation and authorisations granted. The current register maintained by my Department in relation to the release and marketing of genetically modified organisms contains more information, including all details of non-confidential information included in applications for authorisation. The Food Standards Agency operate procedures that give a similar level of information in relation to GM foods. The Government will press in negotiations on the proposal for more information to be placed on the Community register.

  Animal Slaughter (Jedburgh)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 8 January 2002 to the hon. Member for East Surrey (Mr. Ainsworth),Official Report, column 756W, on animal slaughter (Jedburgh), how many premises outwith the 3km zone were slaughtered out; how many sheep were slaughtered at each of these individual farm premises outwith the 31cm zone; how many of these premises were tested for evidence of foot and mouth disease; and what was the result of the tests. [29505]

  Mr. Morley
  In the Scottish Borders local authority area there were 11 premises outwith the 3km area on which animals were slaughtered as part of the foot and mouth disease eradication strategy. Animals on six farms were slaughtered as the disease was suspected but not clinically proven and animals on a further five farms were slaughtered due to their contacts with Longtown market. This involved a total of 11,917 sheep as detailed in the following table.

  Name of farm

  Number of sheep

  Tested for FMD

  Test result

  Sunnyside Farm, Haddington

  230

  Yes

  Negative

  West Broomhouse, Dunbar

  74

  Yes

  Negative

  Broadmeadows, Paxton

  800

  Yes

  Negative

  Broadlea, Hawick

  1,200

  Yes

  Negative

  Rawburn Longformacus

  3,000

  Yes

  Negative

  Castlwood Farm, Jedburgh

  43

  Yes

  Negative

  Threepwood Cottage, Blainslie

  1,155

  Yes

  Negative

  Howford Farm, Ettrickbridge

  2,155

  Yes

  Negative

  1164W

  Name of farm

  Number of sheep

  Tested for FMD

  Test result

  Muirfield, Hawick

  1,150

  Yes

  Negative

  Foulshiels, Yarrow

  1,000

  Yes

  Negative

  Hopestead, Coldingham

  1,150

  Yes

  Negative

  Suckler Cow Premiums
  Matthew Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when farmers will receive their suckler cow premiums; for what reason farmers have not received payment of the premiums; and if farmers will receive interest on late payments. [29455]

  Mr. Morley
  Payments for suckler cow premium scheme are made between 16 October 2001 to 30 June annually. Claims are received up to 6 December. Payments are made in two parts, an advance payment to be paid by the 6 March 2002, and a balance payment due by 30 June 2002.

  This year, scheme payments have not been made as early in the window as we would have liked because computer systems have had to be upgraded to reflect regulation changes to the bovine schemes. Processing has also been affected by the diversion of staff to FMD and by industrial action. Advance payments started in January and are expected to be completed by 31 March. As the end of the advance payment window has still not been reached, the matter of the payment of interest to farmers does not arise.

  IACS Payments
  Matthew Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason farmers did not receive IACS payments due in October 2001 until December 2001. [29464]

  Mr. Morley
  The payment window for IACS arable area payments scheme (AAPS) 2001 runs from 16 November 2001 until 31 January 2002.

  The diversion of staff to FMD and industrial action within the Rural Payments Agency has delayed the processing of AAPS claims and meant that fewer claims than normal were paid during the early part of the payment window. The industrial action was suspended on 11 January and good progress is now being made in dealing with unpaid claims. RPA expects to pay over 90 per cent. of AAPS claims by 31 January and to complete the payment process by around mid-February.

  Scrapie Research Project
  Matthew Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress of the Scrapie Research Project; and what steps are being taken to speed up the project. [29471]

  Mr. Morley
  The hon. Member has confirmed that he is specifically interested in the National Scrapie Plan for Great Britain. The plan was launched on 19 July 2001 with the opening of a genotyping scheme for breeding rams in pedigree pure-bred flocks registered with a breed society. From an estimated 15,000 flocks in this sector we have thus far received expressions of interest from over
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  one third. Of those expressing an interest over 2,800 have so far joined the plan. On 16 January I announced an extension of the plan to all pure-bred breeding flocks, irrespective of whether they are registered with a breed society. It is estimated that this will open eligibility to an extra 25,000 flocks. Eligibility has also been extended to all scrapie-affected flocks, irrespective of whether such flocks are pure-bred. We will be considering possible future extensions to the plan in consultation with stakeholders. Measures to eradicate scrapie are also included in the Animal Health Bill.

  Air Pollution
  Derek Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list by each local authority area in England and Wales the concentration of the pollutants(a) benzene, (b) 1,3 butadiene, (c) carbon monoxide, (d) lead, (e) nitrogen dioxide, (f) particles (PMI), and (g) sulphur dioxide for 1997 to 2001. [29322]

  Mr. Meacher

  [holding answer 22 January 2002]: This information is not held centrally. Local authorities are not required to monitor levels of each of these pollutants unless it appears from their modelling results that they are unlikely to achieve the nationally prescribed air quality objectives by the relevant deadlines. Our national monitoring network indicates that between 1997 and 2001 levels of most of these pollutants have fallen across England and Wales, and most local authorities are on course to meet the prescribed objectives for each of the pollutants. However, a number of authorities have identified possible difficulties with the objectives for nitrogen dioxide, particles and, to a lesser extent, sulphur dioxide. The table lists each of the authorities which has to date designated an air quality management area (AQMA), and highlights the pollutants in respect of which the AQMA has been designated.

  Authority

  Date of effect

  Pollutant(s)

  London local authorities

  Barnet1

  18 April 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Brent

  2 April 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Bexley

  22 August 2001

  PM10

  Camden

  30 October 2000

  NO2, PM10

  Corporation of London1

  26 January 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Croydon

  2 October 2000

  NO2

  Ealing1

  14 December 2000

  NO2, PM10

  Enfield1

  31 March 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Greenwich

  1 July 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Hackney

  23 March 2001

  NO2

  Haringey

  1 July 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Hammersmith and Fulham1

  3 November 2000

  NO2, PM10

  Hillingdon

  1 May 2001

  NO2

  Hounslow

  15 March 2001

  NO2

  Islington

  19 January 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Kensington and Chelsea1

  6 December 2000

  NO2, PM10

  Lambeth

  1 May 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Lewisham

  1 July 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Merton

  28 March 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Richmond upon Thames1

  31 December 2000

  NO2, PM10

  Southwark

  1 October 2000

  NO2, PM10

  Sutton

  29 March 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Tower Hamlets1

  6 December 2000

  NO2, PM10

  Waltham Forest1

  31 October 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Wandsworth1

  1 January 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Westminster1

  9 March 1999

  NO2, PM10

  Other English authorities

  Babergh District Council

  28 August 2001

  NO2

  Barnsley MBC

  3 October 2001

  NO2

  Bath and North East Somerset

  2 February 2002

  NO2

  1166W

  Authority

  Date of effect

  Pollutant(s)

  Blaby Borough Council

  19 January 2001

  NO,2

  Bolsover DC

  1 December 2001

  NO2

  Boston BC

  10 September 2001

  NO2

  Bromsgrove DC

  26 July 2001

  NO2

  Broxbourne BC

  1 November 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Bristol City Council

  1 May 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Colchester BC

  1 May 2001

  NO2

  Charnwood BC

  20 June 2001

  NO2 (3)

  Dartford BC

  1 October 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Derby CC

  1 August 2001

  NO2

  Doncaster

  1 August 2001

  NO2 (3)

  East Herts

  6 August 2001

  PM10

  Fenland District Council

  1 May 2001

  SO2, PM10

  Harborough DC

  18 July 2001

  NO2

  Herefordshire Council

  23 November 2001

  NO2

  Hertsmere BC

  30 August 2001

  NO2

  Hinckley and Bosworth BC

  9 May 2001

  NO2

  Leeds

  1 July 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Leicester City Council

  29 December 2000

  NO2, PM10

  Maidstone BC

  1 August 2001

  NO2

  Manchester

  31 July 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Melton

  21 April 2001

  NO2

  North Warwickshire BC

  1 March 2001

  NO2

  North West Leicestershire

  23 April 2001

  NO2 (6)

  Oldham

  1 June 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Oxford CC

  1 September 2001

  NO2

  Rotherham MBC

  1 January 2002

  NO2

  Runnymede BC

  4 December 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Rushmoor BC

  31 October 2000

  NO2

  Salford

  1 June 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Salisbury

  24 July 2001

  NO2 (4)

  Sheffield CC

  5 December 2001

  NO2

  South Gloucestershire

  1 November 2001

  NO2

  South Kesteven DC

  1 August 2001

  NO2, PM10

  South Lakeland

  5 May 2001

  NO2

  Spelthorne

  1 December 2000

  NO2

  St. Edmundsbury

  1 September 2001

  NO2

  Stoke-on-Trent DC

  23 November 2001

  NO2

  Stroud and Tewkesbury (joint AQMA)

  30 June 2001

  NO2

  Tameside MBC

  1 July 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Tewkesbury and Stroud (joint AQMA)

  30 June 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Three Rivers

  1 April 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Thurrock

  1 April 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Tonbridge and Mailing

  1 May 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Trafford MBC

  29 June 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Warrington BC

  1 November 2001

  NO2

  West Wiltshire DC

  26 November 2001

  NO2, PM10

  Wigan Council

  13 August 2001

  NO2

  Wokingham DC

  28 September 2001

  NO2

  Wycombe DC

  1 August 2001

  NO2

  Wales

  Neath Port Talbot2

  1 July 2000

  PM10

  Cardiff

  November 2000

  NO2

  Swansea

  31 August 2001

  NO2

  1 Indicates designation of whole borough

  2 Where industry is one of the main sources

  Note:

  The figure in brackets in the third column denotes the number of AQMAs declared in those authority areas where more than one has been declared

  Derek Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent investigations have been undertaken by her Department on the impact of air pollution on health. [29320]

  Mr. Meacher

  [holding answer 22 January 2002]: The Department of Health's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) advises the Government, through the Chief Medical Officer, on the effects of air pollution on health.
  1167W
  COMEAP publish the statements and reports that they prepare on their website at www.doh.gov.uk/comeap. Recent studies include a "Statement and Report on Long-Term Effects of Particles on Mortality" and 'The Health effects of Air Pollution: Advice from COMEAP".

  Also published on the website are details of a recent call for research proposals on air pollution and health. This new research is aiming to cover projects to be carried out over a three-year period as well as some smaller projects lasting for about one year.

  Derek Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she last reviewed the air quality strategy; and what the main findings of the review were. [29319]

  Mr. Meacher

  [holding answer 22 January 2002]: The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland was published in January 2000. The strategy is not expected to need a comprehensive review for a few years. Instead, the Government and devolved Administrations have decided to review the strategy on a pollutant by pollutant basis to allow reviews of individual pollutants to be carried out relatively quickly, and to allow the outcomes of these reviews to be published was addenda to the strategy. The first of these reviews as published for consultation on 17 September 2001. It considered the possibility of tightening the existing policy objectives for three pollutants (carbon monoxide, benzene and particles) and of introducing for the first time a policy objective for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. A large number of responses to the consultation document were received, and we will take account of these in finalising our proposals.

  Reed Beds
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what evaluation she has made of the potential use of reed beds as a way of alleviating foul sewerage problems exacerbated by flooding. [29327]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 23 January 2002]: Reed beds form part of the portfolio for sustainable drainage systems. DEFRA, the Environment Agency and other stakeholders are looking at how future drainage systems ensure that water quality can be better protected, although no specific evaluation has yet been made of this potential role for reed beds.

  Farming Subsidies
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will(a) devote a minimum percentage of farming subsidies to sustainable rural development and (b) negotiate on this principle as a start during the mid-term review negotiations on the CAP. [29989]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has stated that our policy for the mid-term review is to see a switch from production support under the first pillar of the CAP
  1168W
  to support for agri-environment and sustainable rural development schemes under the second pillar, and we will be pressing for this in the negotiations.

  Biosecurity
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what grounds under the clauses in the Animal Health Bill the Government will withhold part of the compulsory purchase payment for animals slaughtered for posing a risk of spreading disease, where the Government considers that the farmer's biosecurity measures are substandard. [27740]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: The Department launched a public consultation on the implementation of key provisions of the Animal Health Bill on 11 January 2002.

  Included in this package are proposals for the matters to be covered by the disease risk assessment that will help to determine the amount of adjusted compensation paid for animals slaughtered on infected premises. We are seeking key stakeholders' views by 15 March.

  The consultation document and list of stakeholders can be found on the DEFRA website at http:// www.defra.gov.uk/corporatelconsult/ahbill/index.htm.

  Agrimonetary Compensation
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to apply for agrimonetary compensation for the livestock sector in April; and if she will make a statement. [29994]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: The European Commission have yet to confirm whether there is any agrimonetary compensation available for the livestock sector. Although this aid relates to the second and third stages of compensation paid last year, the EU rules provide for these later payments to be reduced or cancelled if the market prices and exchange rates have since moved in a direction which ameliorates the situation which leads to the compensation. We will not know for some months what the Commission assessment will be. When we do the Government will have carefully to consider the case for payment.

  Agricultural Co-operatives
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to improve the competitiveness of agricultural co-operatives in the UK; and if she will make a statement. [29996]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: We are supporting a number of initiatives to improve the competitiveness of both agricultural co-operatives and collaborative marketing groups.

  With the NFU, we have been running a collaborative marketing initiative since 1998. This is aimed at helping farmers to recognise the many advantages of working together, particularly in relation to economies of scale and access to professional expertise. We have used joint representation at agricultural shows across a range of sectors to generate interest in this initiative.
  1169W
  Under the Agriculture Development Scheme, aimed at helping farmers and growers improve their competitiveness through better marketing, collaborative activities were given priority under bidding rounds held in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Successful bids in 1999 and 2000 included a project to benchmark best practice in farmer controlled businesses (Plunkett Foundation) and several projects from collaborative producer groups or co-operatives.

  Opportunities for improving the competitiveness of co-operatives and collaborative marketing groups are also provided under the England Rural Development Programme through awards under the Processing and Marketing Grant and the measure on the marketing of quality agricultural products under the Rural Enterprise Scheme.

  Bovine TB
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list

  £

  Research project

  Cost in 2001–02

  Total costs

  Generation of vaccine candidates against Mycobacterium bovis

  313,201

  1,566,005

  Testing of vaccine candidates for bovine tuberculosis using a low dose aerosol challenge guinea pig model

  208,247

  1,068,045

  Testing TB vaccines in cattle

  263,642

  1,316,635

  Development of badger vaccines

  167,889

  370,274

  Antigen presenting cells and T cell responses to Mycobacterium bovis

  400,000

  1,200,000

  Development of badger immunological reagents

  152,908

  432,642

  Improved diagnostics for cattle

  170,449

  511,347

  Cost-effectiveness of using the gamma interferon test in herds with multiple tuberculin reactors

  38,850

  124,682

  Assessment of the economic impacts of TB and alternative control policies

  48,049

  156,959

  Development and evaluation of strain typing methods for Mycobacterium bovis

  387,810

  1,275,223

  An integrated approach to the application of Mycobacterium bovis genotyping for the control of bovine tuberculosis in GB

  334,439

  927,801

  Survival of Mycobacterium bovis in laboratory made silage

  4,408

  4,408

  Mycobacterium bovis pathogenesis

  681,933

  2,440,159

  Pathogenesis and diagnosis of tuberculosis in cattle—complementary field studies

  105,000

  1,975,135

  A spatial analysis using GIS of risk factors associated with TB incidents in cattle herds in England and Wales

  11,683

  188,373

  Genome sequence analysis of Mycobacterium bovis

  50,932

  1,156,293

  Ecological correlates of tuberculosis incidence in cattle

  118,729

  374,181

  Quantification of the risk of transmission of bovine TB from badgers to cattle within localised areas

  41,816

  167,504

  Integrated modelling of M. bovis transmission in badgers and cattle

  276,540

  902,769

  The risk to cattle from Mycobacterium bovis infection in wildlife species other than badgers

  460,945

  1,214,788

  The risk to cattle from wildlife species other than badgers in areas of high herd breakdown risk

  195,822

  608,095

  Understanding the route of TB transmission from badgers to cattle

  34,980

  266,942

  Develop innovative methods to estimate badger population density

  268,572

  882,090

  Novel methods of estimating badger numbers in the wider countryside

  70,201

  230,426

  An integrated study of perturbation, population estimation, modelling and risk

  299,877

  1,252,592

  A molecular genetic analysis of badger social structure and bovine tuberculosis

  162,451

  766,069

  Ecological consequences of removing badgers from an eco-system

  323,625

  1,000,810

  Using herd depopulation for effectively controlling TB

  26,758

  26,758

  Exploratory study to model the distribution and spread of bovine TB using multi-temporal satellite imagery

  42,450

  42,450

  Application of postgenomics to reveal the basis of virulence, pathogenesis and transmissibility of M. bovis

  350,000

  3,318,624

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the merits of reintroducing the bovine TB programme; and if she will make a statement. [29999]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: The need to control bovine TB in herds remains a top priority for the Department. Before the restart of routine testing, and restart of the badger culling trial, veterinary risk
  1170W
  research projects associated with bovine TB, indicating for each (a) the cost in 2001–02 and (b) the total cost of the project. [29833]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: The Krebs badger field trial, TB99 epidemiological survey of risk factors which may dispose some farms to TB breakdowns and road traffic accident survey of badger carcases are projects associated with bovine TB. These were suspended for most of 2001–02, because of the foot and mouth disease emergency and little expenditure in respect of them has, therefore, been incurred in the present financial year. With the present resumption of work on these projects, revised costings are being drawn up but the total cost of the trial is expected to remain at £35 million over five years.

  A list of individual research projects and their 2001–02 and total costs are given in the table. The list is subject to change as new projects come on stream and others end and costs are revised. The table represents the position at 23 January 2002.

  assessments were made. The restart of the programme has been dependent on when counties were declared free of foot and mouth disease.

  Tenant Farmers
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will seek a revision of the definition of agriculture within tenancy legislation to include rural development and agri-environment activities. [29986]
  1171W
  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: Many tenant farmers are already successfully taking part in rural development and agri-environment scheme. Further, over the last few years roughly the same proportion of tenant farmers and owner occupier farmers have joined the agri-environment schemes. However we are aware that some tenant farmers are concerned about their ability to take part in these schemes. This is something we will consider in the light of the ongoing review of the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 and the recommendations made by the Policy Commission on Food and Farming.

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will move funds from agricultural price support towards environmentally sustainable agricultural and non-agricultural activities; and if she will make a statement. [29988]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has stated that our policy for the CAP mid-term review is to see a switch from production support under the first pillar to support for agri-environment and sustainable rural development schemes under the second pillar, and we will be pressing for this in the negotiations.

  Zoos
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment her Department has made of(a) public awareness relating to potential disease risks between humans and animals in locations defined under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 and (b) the effective enforcement of relevant health and safety standards; and if she will make a statement; [30004]

  (2) what steps her Department has undertaken to ensure that establishments defined as a zoo under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 are (a) licensed and (b) meeting required standards in animal welfare and public safety; and if she will make a statement. [30005]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 21 January 2002]: The enforcement of zoo licensing, and of health and safety standards in zoos, are matters for the relevant local authorities, taking account of advice issued by the Department and the Health and Safety Executive.

  In terms of zoo licensing, local authorities must ensure that the zoos in their area have a licence to operate or are exempt from the provisions of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. All licensed zoos are also subject to regular inspection to ensure that the Secretary of State's Standards on Modern Zoo Practice, which include provisions relating to animal welfare and public safety are being met. The Department has issued guidance to local authorities on the implementation of the 1981 Act and a new circular will be issued shortly to take account of the changes introduced by Council Directive 1999/22/EC on the keeping of wild animals in zoos, which is due to come into force in April.

  Guidance on the management of public interaction with zoo animals is also set out in the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice. This requires that risk assessments be carried out on a case-by-case basis, taking advice from the Health and Safety Executive, where necessary. For example, hand-washing facilities must be provided, together with signage reminding the public of hygiene requirements.
  1172W
  The prevention of transmission of zoonotic disease between zoo animals and employees is addressed by inspections carried out under health and safety legislation. In addition, inspections carried out under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 will check whether zoos have measures in place to alert employees to the potential risk of zoonotic disease transmission.

  Hens
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to improve the welfare of egg laying hens before battery cages are prohibited in 2012; and if she will make a statement. [30002]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: We have a number of initiatives to improve laying hen welfare. These include: a draft new Welfare Code; an extensive DEFRA on farm poultry welfare R&D programme; and ADAS run advisory programmes for farmers to encourage good welfare. In addition, the State Veterinary Service visit poultry units to assess all aspects of welfare.

  Broiler Chickens
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of broiler chickens' welfare; and if she will make a statement. [30003]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: As part of its inspection programme the State Veterinary Service visits broiler units to assess all aspects of welfare. The normal programme of visits is now resuming following the FMD outbreak.

  BSE
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases of BSE have been confirmed in(a) Scotland and (b) the UK in each of the last three years. [30406]

  Mr. Morley
  The table shows the number of cases of BSE confirmed in(a) Scotland and (b) the UK in each of the last three years (as at 18 January 2002).

  Presented as clinical suspects

  Confirmed by active surveillance

  Scotland

  1999

  37

  0

  2000

  36

  2

  2001

  23

  24

  UK

  1999

  2,254

  20

  2000

  1,311

  44

  2001

  738

  310

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent progress has been made in reforming the CAP. [28358]
  1173W
  Mr. Morley
  The reform of the sheepmeat regime agreed by the Agriculture Council in December will simplify the regime and make it more flexible. The ewe premium will in future be paid on a flat rate basis, and the introduction of national envelopes provides a valuable mechanism for targeting extra support for the sheep sector and for encouraging environmentally beneficial farming practices.

  More generally we expect the Commission to come forward with the mid-term review for the Common Agricultural Policy in the early summer and for negotiations to take place thereafter. We are working hard through informal discussions with the Commission and other member states to prepare the ground for these important negotiations.

  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have to means-test CAP subsidy payments to farmers. [28359]

  Mr. Morley
  None. The Government have asked the Policy Commission for Food and Farming to look at its overall objectives in this area and we will review future policy in the light of the report which is expected on 29 January.

  Producer Support Estimate
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what is the most recent estimate of the value of agricultural producer support for(a) the EU and (b) each country thereof. [26647]

  Mr. Morley

  [holding answer 11 January 2001]: The OECD produces annual estimates of agricultural producer support in OECD countries, called producer support estimate (PSE). This includes estimates of the value of support to producers through market support mechanisms as well as through national and EU budgets. Their most recent provisional estimate of PSE for the EU is 98 billion euro for 2000. The OECD does not provide estimates of agricultural producer support for individual countries within the EU, however the following table shows the payments from the EU budget under the Common Agricultural Policy to each member state. These payments include costs that are not directly received by farmers (eg costs of intervention storage), but they do not include payments by national Governments or the value of market price support.

  Payments from the EU budget under the common agricultural policy in 2000

  Million euro

  Belgium

  957

  Denmark

  1,309

  Germany

  5,675

  Greece

  2,598

  Spain

  5,485

  France

  9,006

  Ireland

  1,681

  Italy

  5,043

  Luxembourg

  21

  1174W

  Payments from the EU budget under the common agricultural policy in 2000

  Million euro

  Netherlands

  1,442

  Austria

  1,019

  Portugal

  653

  Finland

  728

  Sweden

  798

  UK

  4,062

  Source:

  Court of Auditors annual report concerning the financial year 2000.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Refurbishment
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last four years. [27963]

  Mr. MacShane
  Separately identifiable building refurbishment costs over the last four years on Foreign and Commonwealth Office properties have amounted to:

  1997–98: £3.2 million

  1998–99: £4.7 million

  1999–2000: £22.5 million

  2000–01: £31.2 million.

  In addition to the figures listed, refurbishment is often a component in the adaptation of buildings, but it is not possible to identify that element without disproportionate cost. We also have a programme of routine building maintenance across the estate.

  Ministerial Transport
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. [28091]

  Mr. Straw
  I generally travel to my Blackburn constituency by rail, most recently on 18 January 2002. I made extensive use of the railways on official business as Home Secretary: as Foreign Secretary the opportunities to do so are more limited.

  South Africa
  Tony Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit South Africa; and if he will raise the issue of arms sales with his South African counterpart. [28291]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no immediate plans to visit South Africa. The Under-Secretary, my noble Friend Baroness Amos, will be visiting South Africa in February. There are no plans to discuss arms sales during that visit.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will visit Gibraltar before he next meets his Spanish counterpart under the auspices of the Brussels Process. [28791]
  1175W
  Mr. Straw
  I refer the right hon. Member to my statement in the House on 14 January 2002,Official Report, columns 21–29. I will be discussing this further when I see the Chief Minister of Gibraltar in London today.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance he plans to give to the Royal visit to Gibraltar in 2002. [30681]

  Mr. Straw
  There are no Royal visits to Gibraltar planned for 2002.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions have taken place with Spain on roaming rights of Gibraltar mobile telephones; and under what statutory powers he can take action against Spain over restriction of telephone numbers for Gibraltar. [30644]

  Peter Hain
  We raise the problems facing the Gibraltar telephones sector with the Spanish Government, at ministerial and official level, at every appropriate opportunity. Most recently, I raised the issue with Spanish Europe Minister Ramon de Miguel on 24 January. Her Majesty's Ambassador to Madrid has also discussed the problem with Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique in recent days.

  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no statutory powers to take action against Spain on the restriction of telephone numbers for Gibraltar.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he is taking against Spain in respect of freedom of movement of UK citizens on the Gibraltar border. [30552]

  Peter Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, South-East (Mr. Turner) on 11 December 2001,Official Report, column 826W.

  Jeff Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if independence for Gibraltar has been discussed during talks under the Brussels Process. [30646]

  Peter Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Clydesdale (Mr. Hood) on 17 January 2002,Official Report, column 399W.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the integration of Gibraltar with the UK has been discussed during talks under the Brussels Process. [30640]

  Peter Hain
  No.

  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next meet representatives of the Government of Spain to discuss the future status of Gibraltar. [30696]

  Peter Hain
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley, East and Mexborough (Jeff Ennis) today,Official Report, column 1177W.

  Trafficking
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has made to the Government of Bangladesh concerning measures to combat people trafficking, with particular reference to(a) the number of prosecutions for trafficking offences, (b) the sentences imposed on those found guilty of trafficking and (c) compensation granted to victims of trafficking; [29453]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the scale of trafficking of women and children from Bangladesh. [29454]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on people trafficking on 16 January 2002,Official Report, column 304W.

  The most recent figures we have available are from the Bangladesh National Women's Lawyers Association (BNWLA) who conducted a survey in 10 districts of Bangladesh in 1999. It found that approximately 7,000 people were trafficked during that time (70 per cent. under 18) with the majority going to India (80 per cent.). I understand that there were 63 repatriations last year (50 children), mainly from India.

  Latest figures from the BNWLA show that there are 60 cases under trial at present. Last year there were three cases, each of which resulted in the accused being found guilty and given a life sentence. There is no specific compensation scheme for victims, although we understand that the BNWLA provides some support services. The Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs is also receiving development funding for a related project.

  Convention on the Future of Europe
  Mrs. Fitzsimons
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whom the Government will appoint as the National Government representative to the Convention on the Future of Europe. [31137]

  Mr. Straw
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe has been appointed the Government representative to the Convention on the Future of Europe.

  Camp X-Ray
  Mr. Ancram

  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Foreign Office officials first arrived at Camp X-Ray. [30412]

  Mr. Straw
  17 January 2002.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when he was first informed of the conditions of the prisoners held in Camp X-Ray; [30410]

  (2) when he first had communications with UK officials concerning the conditions of prisoners in Camp X-Ray. [30361]

  Mr. Straw
  The report of the officials' visit was sent and received on 21 January; I received it on my arrival in Kinshasa that afternoon. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Exeter (Mr. Bradshaw), made a statement the same day,Official Report, columns 623–31.
  1177W
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he first had communications with US officials concerning the conditions of prisoners in Camp X-Ray. [30411]

  Mr. Straw
  I discussed the conditions in which British nationals were being held with the US Secretary of State Colin Powell on 12 January and asked for access by British officials in order to verify their identity, nationality and welfare.

  Geraint Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what charges Mr. Abbasi is being held at Camp X-Ray in Cuba and under what jurisdiction; if he has received legal representation during interrogation; who has made direct contact with him and in whose presence; if he has provided testimony of his treatment and condition in private without the presence of American officials; if written confirmation of his medical condition and treatment has been provided; if he is subject to a possible death penalty; and what prospects there are for his extradition to the UK. [30414]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  We are not yet aware of any charges but are in regular contact with the US regarding next steps. We have made it clear that the detainees must be treated humanely and, if tried, are entitled to a fair trial and to legal representation. At this stage we do not know whether detainees would be subject to the death penalty if convicted but HMG regularly makes their views plain to the US on this issue. The question of whether the detainees will be prosecuted by the US or returned to the UK is as yet undecided.

  The UK team which met Mr. Abbasi during their visit from 17–20 January were accompanied by representatives of the US as the detaining power. The report of the visit indicates that the British detainees spoke without inhibitions and appeared to be in good physical health.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what items will be discussed at his next meeting with his Spanish counterpart. [30633]

  Peter Hain
  The Foreign Ministers will meet at the EU General Affairs Council on 28 January, where they will discuss a range of bilateral and foreign policy issues.

  Christians (China)
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese Government regarding the persecution of Christians in south east China, with specific reference to the imprisonment of several Christians in Huadu Detention Centre in Guangdong Province. [30418]

  Mr. MacShane
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised concerns about religious freedom in China with the Chinese Foreign Minister during his visit to the UK on 16–19 January. During my visit to China in September 2001, I raised concerns about human rights, including the treatment of Christians, with the Chinese 1178W
  authorities. These concerns were discussed in detail at successive rounds of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue, most recently on 19–21 November 2001.

  We raised the case of Pastor Li Dexian at the February 2001 round of the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue. The Chinese told us that he was not under arrest at that stage. Media reports indicate that he was arrested on 26 July 2001, and held at the Hua Du Centre, but released the following day.

  Brussels Process
  Jeff Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what date has been set for the next round of talks under the Brussels Process; and what the time scale is for the end of talks. [30641]

  Peter Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for West Suffolk (Mr. Spring) on 5 December 2001,Official Report, column 311W. We propose to hold a further ministerial meeting of the Brussels Process shortly. It remains our intention to conclude a comprehensive agreement by the summer.

  Jeff Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement to Parliament following the next round of talks under the Brussels Process. [30645]

  Peter Hain
  We will continue to ensure that the House is kept fully informed of progress under the Brussels Process.

  Commonwealth Games
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support from his Department is being given to overseas territories to compete in the Commonwealth games; and which overseas territories are benefiting from this support. [30435]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The overseas territories are themselves responsible for determining and funding their teams' participation in the games. We are in contact with the organisers of the games to ensure the overseas territories are fully involved. We are also liaising with the organisers to facilitate the attendance of VIP visitors from the participating territories.

  Spanish Residents
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Spanish people live and work in the UK. [30702]

  Peter Hain
  According to the Office for National Statistics, as of mid-2000 there were approximately 47,000 Spanish nationals resident in the UK. The Spring 2000 Labour Force Survey, also produced by the Office for National Statistics, records approximately 30,000 Spanish nationals working in the UK.

PRIME MINISTER

  Honours
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Prime Minister how many non-citizens of the United Kingdom have been knighted in each year since 1990. [30024]
  1179W
  Mr. Straw
  I have been asked to reply.

  The numbers of non-UK citizens who have received honorary knighthoods (or who were invested as honorary Dames) are as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1990

  8

  1991

  9

  1992

  23

  1993

  7

  1994

  12

  1995

  18

  1996

  22

  1997

  21

  1998

  18

  1999

  6

  2000

  29

  2001

  13

  These figures do not include Knight (or Dame) Commanders of the Victorian Order which is the Queen's personal prerogative.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Parliamentary Questions
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many answers to parliamentary questions have not been answered by the Lord Chancellor's Department under exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information in each year since 1994. [29425]

  Mr. Wills
  It has not been possible to identify the answers to the parliamentary questions that the hon. Member refers to without incurring disproportionate cost. The Department does not keep records of parliamentary questions and answers in such a form as to enable the information sought to be readily produced. The only way to identify the relevant parliamentary questions and answers, with any degree of reliability, would be to search manually through Hansards. This would be an extremely time-consuming task which would produce the information sought by the hon. Member only at disproportionate cost.

  Crown Court Proceedings
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of defendants who appealed against conviction in a magistrates court and whose case was reheard in the Crown court in 2000 were found(a) not guilty and (b) guilty. [29694]

  Mr. Wills
  Information held centrally relating to the results of appeals to the Crown court is limited and is not collected in a form to provide an answer to the hon. Member's question without incurring disproportionate cost. For information purposes, however, the table provides figures for receipts, by type of appeal, and outcome, by type of result, of appeals to the Crown court during 2000.
  1180W

  Appeals to the Crown court, 2000

  Number

  Net receipts

  Conviction/sentence

  5,341

  Sentence only

  7,691

  Other1

  870

  Total

  13,902

  Results

  Allowed

  3,090

  Dismissed

  4,485

  Varied

  3,268

  Other2

  3,512

  Total

  14,355

  1 Eg liquor licence refusals and non-renewal of shotgun certificates

  2 Abandoned appeals, remitted to magistrates, other results

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what procedures are in place to inform local authorities about the withdrawal of PFI credits from projects under his Department's remit; and what evaluation has been undertaken on the effectiveness of those procedures. [30637]

  Mr. Wills
  There have been no instances of the Department withdrawing PFI credits from projects that have received Project Review Group (PRG) endorsement. In the unlikely event that it could become necessary to withdraw PFI credits, the Department would consult with the appropriate local authorities and magistrates courts committee prior to any decision being made.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, on how many occasions since 1997 PFI credits have been withdrawn from projects under his Department's remit; and what were the(a) costs and (b) reasons for withdrawal. [30636]

  Mr. Wills
  There have been no instances where PFI credits have been withdrawn from projects following the Project Review Group's endorsement.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what procedures his Department has for local authorities to make representations to the Project Review Group on a decision to withdraw PH credits from projects under his Department's remit; and what is the length of time for response. [30638]

  Mr. Wills
  No formal procedures are in place for local authorities to make representations to the Project Review Group on a decision to withdraw PFI credits. That is not the Project Review Group's role. In the unlikely event it was necessary to review the credit allocation it would be a matter for the Department, in consultation with the appropriate local authorities and magistrates courts committee or committees.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

  Transfer of Functions (Costs)
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission if the additional costs relating to the transfer of the functions of the Local
  1181W
  Government Commission for England to the Electoral Commission will be met in advance of the transfer date of 1 April 2002 provided for in the Local Government Commission for England (Transfer of Functions) Order 2001 (S.I., 2001, No. 3962). [31316]

  Mr. Beith
  In order to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the transfer and to enable the transferring local government boundary review functions, together with the related functions transferring from the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, to be carried out without interruption, urgent expenditure estimated at £127,000 will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Ministerial Transport
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 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. [28099]

  Ms Hewitt
  I last used the railway service on official business on Monday 10 December 2001, departing from Euston travelling to Luton Parkway.

  All the arrangements for my official travel are made in line with the guidance set out in Chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code, and accompanying guidance document "Travel by Ministers", using the most efficient and cost effective mode of transport, and bearing in mind security considerations.

  Information and Consultation Directive
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received regarding the information and consultation directive. [30165]

  Alan Johnson
  There is considerable interest in the information and consultation directive and the Department frequently receives inquiries and representations about it. The directive is expected to be adopted shortly and we will be consulting fully and widely on how best to implement it in this country.

  Electronic Signatures
  Mr. Grogan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on progress on implementing the European electronic signatures directive. [31314]

  Ms Hewitt
  Further to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for South Derbyshire (Mr. Todd) on 20 July 2001,Official Report, column 610W, I can now announce that the discussion document referred to in that answer is now being issued and copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  This clearly has not happened as quickly as I had hoped when my hon. Friend the Minister for E-Commerce and Competitiveness replied to my hon. Friend. This delay has been occasioned by developments in the Government's
  1182W
  approach to updating the law to facilitate electronic communications referred to in my hon. Friend the Minister for E-Commerce and Competitiveness' reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 10 January 2002, Official Report, column 971W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Justice and Home Affairs Council
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 January 2002,Official Report, columns 89–92W, concerning the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 6 and 7 December 2001, which were the member states with parliamentary scrutiny reserves on (a) the Framework Decision on combating terrorism and (b) the council decision establishing Eurojust. [28792]

  Angela Eagle
  Ireland, Denmark and Sweden had, and continue to have, parliamentary scrutiny reservations on the Framework Decision on combating terrorism which was provisionally agreed at the council, and on which the European Parliament is being reconsulted. My previous reply, based on information supplied by the Council Secretariat and included the council's own press statement reporting the outcome of the Justice and Home Affairs Council of 6–7 December 2001, stated that four member states had parliamentary scrutiny reservations on the Council Decision establishing Eurojust, on which the council reached political agreement. The Council Secretariat have subsequently stated that only Denmark and Sweden maintained parliamentary reservations on this measure at the council.

  In both cases, the United Kingdom lifted its parliamentary scrutiny reservation at the Council following clearance by both Houses.

  Departmental Spending Review
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans his Department has to appraise the environmental implications of its Spending Review submission to the Treasury. [29011]

  Angela Eagle

  [holding answer 21 January 2002]: The Department is currently collating its bid for the 2002 Spending Review. The environmental implications of the bid will be outlined in a report on sustainable development, which will be submitted to the Treasury with the final version of the bid.

  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what way sustainable development objectives are reflected in his Department's bids for the 2002 Spending Review. [27508]

  Angela Eagle

  [holding answer 16 January 2002]: The Department is currently collating its bid for the 2002 Spending Review. The impact of each bid upon sustainable development indicators is being assessed, and alternatives are being considered to eliminate or reduce any negative impact. A report on the sustainable development aspect of the bid will be produced, in accordance with Treasury requirements, which will detail the social, economic and environmental implications of the final version of the Department's SR2002 bid.

  Environmental Appraisals
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many environmental appraisals have been published by his Department since 1 January 2001; and if he will list the last four. [29008]

  Angela Eagle

  [holding answer 21 January 2002]: No environmental appraisals have been published by my Department since 1 January 2001.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures his Department has to ensure environmental appraisals are undertaken prior to(a) administrative and (b) policy decisions being made. [29010]

  Angela Eagle

  [holding answer 21 January 2002]: In taking important administrative and policy decisions environmental considerations are taken into account. For example:
  Where relevant goods and services are procured, prospective suppliers are asked to include an assessment of the major environmental impacts of the contract, as part of the tendering and evaluation process; and
  Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methods (BREEAM) assessments are undertaken for new buildings and for the major refurbishment of existing buildings within the Department's estate;
  A section on environmental appraisals is included within the Department's Policy Checklist;
  The Ministerial website states that policy submissions should include a section 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.

  Fear of Crime
  John Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to reduce the fear of crime in(a) London and (b) the London borough of Havering; and if he will make a statement. [29472]

  Mr. Denham
  It is a key priority of the Government to reduce crime and the fear of crime through effective law enforcement and partnership working. The British Crime Survey shows that fear of crime generally has been declining since 1998. There are a large number of different programmes operating throughout London and in specific boroughs of London aimed at reducing crime, and it is the Government's policy wherever possible to ensure that they also effectively reduce the fear of crime to include programmes aimed at reducing street robbery, violence at licensed premises and on public transport, and racist attacks and harassment; it would not be practicable to list all relevant programmes currently operating in London.

  There are a number of relevant initiatives being carried out in Havering under the Home Office's Crime Reduction Programme. Among them is the targeted Policing Initiative Project aimed at understanding and responding to hate crime; this initiative is still at an early stage of development and has an allocated funding of £287,000 for a 22-month period. Funds have also been
  1184W
  allocated for Neighbourhood Wardens; one of the objectives of this scheme is to reduce fear of crime by five per cent. by March 2003. £466,583 has been provided to facilitate new and replacement Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in the borough, as a result of which over 1,000 crimes are expected to be prevented in the first three years of operation. Funds have also been allocated to tackle drugs problems in the borough, including allowing for higher visibility policing. In addition to these schemes and initiatives 3,000 local people are to be surveyed for their views on fear of crime and their personal priorities for crime reduction. This information will be used to inform decisions on priorities for the Crime Reduction Strategy for Havering.

  Either-way Cases
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what percentage of either-way cases defendants elected for jury trial in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [29647]

  The Solicitor-General
  I have been asked to respond to this question, and would refer the hon. Member to the figures and the statement given in reply to his related question.

  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in(a) how many and (b) what percentage of either-way cases (i) magistrates declined jurisdiction, (ii) defendants consented to magistrates jurisdiction and (iii) defendants elected for jury trial in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [29648]

  The Solicitor-General
  I have been asked to respond to this question.

  The following table, drawn from Crown Prosecution Service records, shows the number and proportion of defendants in either-way cases who were committed to the Crown court at their own election or on magistrates direction. No separate record is maintained of cases in which defendants consented to magistrates jurisdiction.

  These figures show a steady decline in the proportion of either-way cases reaching the Crown court by way of defendant election up to 1997–98, followed by a period of relative stability over the last four years, when these proceedings remained in the region of 29–32 per cent. of all either-way cases.

  The Government are committed to achieving improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the Criminal Justice System and is considering Sir Robin Auld's recommendations contained in his "Review of the Criminal Courts" which include removal of the right to elect jury trial and the introduction of an intermediate tribunal. The Government have been actively seeking the views of stakeholders on these and other recommendations contained in the "Review" and will take decisions following the conclusion of the consultation process at the end of January.
  1185W

  Either-way proceedings in the Crown court

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02
  1

  Defendant elections

  35,584

  32,865

  25,249

  26,612

  24,768

  21,472

  21,653

  18,391

  18,572

  16,351

  7,605

  as percentage of either cases

  36.5

  37.5

  35.0

  34.2

  33.1

  30.5

  27.9

  29.4

  31.7

  29.6

  30.5

  Magistrates directions

  61,867

  54,738

  46,954

  51,181

  50,158

  49,026

  56,069

  44,269

  40,097

  38,914

  17,350

  as percentage of either cases

  63.5

  62.5

  65.0

  65.8

  66.9

  69.5

  72.1

  70.6

  68.3

  70.4

  69.5

  Total either-way cases

  97,451

  87,603

  72,203

  77,793

  74,926

  70,498

  77,722

  62,660

  58,669

  55,265

  24,955

  1 April to September

  Police Budget (Nottinghamshire)
  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the anticipated police budget is for Nottinghamshire for(a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004. [29406]

  Mr. Denham
  Police authorities set their annual budgets before 1 March each year. I understand that the Nottinghamshire police authority budget for 2002–03 is still under consideration. Information for 2003–04 and 2004–05 is not available.

  Community Group Funding
  Andrew Selous
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether the Government keep a record of the overall number of state funded competitive grant schemes available to voluntary and community organisations in the United Kingdom in(a) the current and (b) previous years, and by what categories this is broken down; [29928]

  (2) whether the Government keep a central list of the statutory bodies that make competitive grant schemes available to voluntary and community organisations in the United Kingdom in (a) the current year and (b) previous years; [29927]

  (3) whether the Government keep a record of the total sum distributed through all state funded competitive grant schemes available to voluntary and community organisations in the United Kingdom in (a) the current year and (b) previous years; and by what categories this is broken down. [29929]

  Angela Eagle

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: Information about grants for earlier years is available in two recent publications:
  Central Government Funding of Voluntary and Community Organisations 1982–83 to 1999–2000: ISBN 1 84082 636–3: and
  A Guide to Funding from Government Departments and Agencies—Second Edition: ISBN 1900360 79.

  Information on grants allocated by Government Departments during 2000–01, the last completed financial year, is currently being compiled and will be placed in the Library before the summer recess.

  Missing Children
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to ensure that police forces place details of missing children on the uk.missingkids.com website as soon as possible after being informed of a child's disappearance, and if he will make a statement. [29529]
  1186W
  Mr. Denham

  [holding answer 24 January 2002]: The uk.missingkids.com website aims at reuniting missing children with their families. This site is maintained by Computer Associates plc and is supported by the charity, International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.

  The website facility is open to be used by all police forces in England and Wales and Scottish forces will have the system made available to them in the very near future. Not all missing children cases are however suitable for the site: children are only featured if it is believed that the child has left their home area, if there is a photograph of reasonably good quality available, and with the agreement of the senior investigating officer and the family. Ultimately any decision as to whether to use the site is the responsibility of the Chief Officer of the relevant force.

  However, the Police National Missing Persons Bureau regularly audits the children currently notified as missing and if the child is not on the site, the investigating force is offered the use of the facility.

  Sustainable Development
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what weight he gives to sustainable development objectives in his Department's(a) public services agreements and (b) service delivery agreements. [27507]

  Angela Eagle

  [holding answer 16 January 2002]: Revisions to Public Service Agreements (PSA) and Service Delivery Agreements (SDA) are being considered as part of 2002 spending review process. In accordance with Treasury guidance, sustainable development issues will be considered when PSAs are redrafted. My Department will also consider if it will be appropriate to set out the impact of sustainable development on the delivery mechanisms in the SDA.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the recorded crimes per head of population for each police authority in England and Wales and the average figure for these authorities. [28665]

  Mr. Denham
  The latest available information on the number of recorded crimes per 100,000 population for police force areas and nationally, for the year ended March 2001, has been published in table 2.6 of the Stationery Office publication "Criminal Statistics England and Wales 2000".

  Police Numbers
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statistics he collates on the average number of police officers(a) at headquarters establishments and (b) per 1,000 population. [28669]

  Mr. Denham
  Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary collects data once a year about the allocation of officers. The Inspectorate's data record officers attached to Basic Command Units and to central functions. Central functions include specialist police squads as well as headquarters support functions and the officers performing central functions may be located at a number of sites.

  At the end of March 2001 (latest date for which data are available), 30,928 police officers (25 per cent. of total force strength) were deployed to central functions.

  Information on the number of police officers to population is published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletins "Police Service Strength: England and Wales". The latest bulletin (No. 23–01), was published on 18 December 2001 and shows that in England and Wales the number of officers per 100,000 population at 30 September 2001 was 240.3. A copy of the bulletin is in the Library.

  Police Corruption (Cleveland)
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been charged with corruption in the last five years in the Cleveland police force. [26735]

  Mr. Denham
  There is no offence of 'corruption' as such.

  However, I am told that in the Cleveland police force over the last five years there have been the following criminal cases:

  one officer was convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice

  one officer was found not guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice;

  one officer was found not guilty of misconduct in a public office; and

  two officers are awaiting trial for misconduct in a public office.

  There have also been the following disciplinary cases:

  one officer was reprimanded for fraudulent use of an excise license;

  three officers were reprimanded or fined for failing to comply with the terms of an arrest warrant and false entry in a pocket notebook; and

  one other officer was found not guilty regarding taking appropriate action when the above case was first reported.

  The ongoing Operation Lancet investigation has also to date led to 12 police officers being charged with disciplinary offences.

  Naturalisation Applications
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for naturalisation are(a) outstanding and (b) awaiting input to the INS database. [25998]

  Angela Eagle

  [holding answer 11 January 2002]: I regret that statistics on individual types of citizenship applications undecided cannot be determined from current Immigration and Nationality Directorate data sources.

  Visa Renewal Applications
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for visa renewal are(a) outstanding and (b) awaiting input onto the INS database. [25996]

  Angela Eagle

  [holding answer 11 January 2002]: We do not routinely publish statistics on the number of general and settlement applications for further leave to remain undecided.

  Policing
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the planned expenditure on policing as a percentage of gross domestic product in(a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04. [27917]

  Mr. Denham
  The information is set out in the table.

  Year

  Police provision (£ billion)

  Money GDP (£ billion)

  Police provision as a proportion of money GDP (percentage)

  2001–02

  8.5

  998

  0.85

  2002–03

  9.0

  1,046

  0.86

  2003–04

  9.3

  1,099

  0.85

  Notes:

  1. Police provision is total Government provision (police grant, special grant. capital grant, credit approvals and central Home Office spend and police Standard Spending Assessment).

  2. Money GDP figures are estimates.

  Information on the number of police officers to population is published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletins "Police Service Strength: England and Wales". The latest bulletin (No. 23/01), was published on 18 December 2001 and shows that in England and Wales the number of officers per 100,000 population at 30 September 2001 was 240.3. A copy of the bulletin is in the Library.

  Police White Paper
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the White Paper on the Police. [30212]

  Mr. Denham
  We have received approximately 1,100 representations on the White Paper. We are still considering these and will place a summary in the Library in due course.

  Gibraltar: Telephones
  Gibraltar: Telephones
  Gibraltar: Diverted Aeroplane
  Gibraltar: Diverted Aeroplane
  UK Passport Applications to the Dublin Embassy
  UK Passport Applications to the Dublin Embassy
  Illicit Trade in Cultural Property
  Illicit Trade in Cultural Property
  North-west: Grant Aid for Sites of Historic Interest
  North-west: Grant Aid for Sites of Historic Interest