Written Answers of 16 July 2002

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Correspondence
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the correspondence, dated 17 January, from the hon. Member for Leominster, on behalf of a constituent in respect of compensation for loss of his wormery. [42693]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 12 March 2002]: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 12 June 2002.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the target time will be in 2002–03 for(a) Ministers to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) officials in her Department to reply to letters received directly from members of the public. [44940]

  Mr. Morley
  The Department's agreed target times for replying to correspondence from hon. Members and from members of the public is 15 days.

  Gregory Barker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Bexhill and Battle of 11 June regarding policy guidance for county waste plans. [69954]

  Mr. Morley
  A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 8 July 2002.

  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to a letter from the hon. Member for Woking, dated 10 January concerning Mr. A. Giles and the British Cattle Movement service. [61150]

  Mr. Morley
  A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 2 July 2002.

  Nitrate Vulnerable Zones
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will provide a substantive reply to the letter from the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner), dated 4 February, her reference 165197, on antibiotic remedies and nitrate vulnerable zones. [52403]

  Mr. Morley
  A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 10 June 2002.

  Bovine TB
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which EU regulations govern the use of the gamma interferon test as applied to bovine TB. [69000]
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  Mr. Morley
  Community legislation on the control of bovine TB for purposes of intra-Community trade is set out in Council Directive 64/432/EC. A recent amendment to this will allow for the use of gamma interferon as an adjunct test. We await publication in the Official Journal.

  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with members of the European Parliament about a possible inquiry into bovine TB and its causes. [69002]

  Mr. Morley
  My officials have had no discussions with members of the European Parliament on this matter.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letter of 25 April from the hon. Member for Northavon regarding bovine TB. [60185]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 10 June 2002]: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 25 May 2002.

  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how long it takes on average for farmers in(a) England and (b) Wales to receive the results of TB tests on their animals. [68919]

  Mr. Morley
  Farmers are notified immediately when TB reactors are found in their herd. The average number of days taken for the culture results of samples taken at post-mortem to become available is given in the table.

  Country

  Average number of days1

  England

  52

  Wales

  53

  1The average number of days between the receipt of samples at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) and reporting of the results to the State Veterinary Service Animal Health Office. Figures are based on samples received at VLA since 1 November 2001.

  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what extra resources have been secured in order to clear the backlog in processing the results of TB tests in England. [68921]

  Mr. Morley
  A claim against the Reserve has been considering how best to use the additional funding when tackling the TB backlog.

  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what resources are being dedicated to ensuring that the results of TB tests on animals in(a) England and (b) Wales are processed as quickly as possible. [68918]

  Mr. Morley
  The information is not available in the format requested, in that separate figures for England and Wales are not available. The planned expenditure for the 2002–03 financial year on the bovine tuberculosis testing programme at the Veterinary Laboratory Agency is given in the following table.

  The TB skin test gives a result at reading. The owner is notified of the skin test results immediately. Skin test results are confirmed by microbiological culture of tissues removed at post mortem. The main time delay in getting results from the culture of mycobacteria taken from post mortem samples is due to the time it takes for the mycobacteria to multiply sufficiently to be identified.
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  £

  Planned expenditure

  Surveillance for bTB (infection status of cattle, farmed deer and exotic species in GB)

  2,624,701

  TB in cattle post-mortemed at VLA regional laboratories

  10,673

  Surveillance for bTB (infection status of badgers and other wildlife species)

  573,568

  TB in species apart from badgers and cattle

  43,987

  Total

  3,252,929

  Fishing
  Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will make a statement concerning the failure to meet the required targets set under MAGP IV for the pelagic sector and the effect this will have on future EU funding for fisheries from 1 January 2003; [69212]

  (2) pursuant to her answer of I July 2002, Official Report, column 71, on fishing, what assessment she has made of the impact of the United Kingdom not meeting the required targets set under MAGP IV in the pelagic sector on the quota allocations from 1 January 2003 for (a) pelagic species and (b) white fish species. [69211]

  Mr. Morley
  The UK has chosen the option to set MAGP IV targets for the pelagic segment of the fleet in terms of fishing effort; and we expect those effort targets to be achieved at the end of 2002, as they were at the end of 2001.

  The Council of Ministers has yet to determine what penalties would apply, should a member state fail to meet its MAGP IV targets at the end of 2002.

  Sellafield
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what reports she has received from the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate regarding the release of radioactive substances into the groundwater under Sellafield in Cumbria from tanks; and if she will make a statement; [65062]

  (2) if she will establish an inquiry into the leaking of radioactive substances into groundwater under Sellafield in Cumbria; and if she will make a statement. [65063]

  Margaret Beckett
  I have not received any reports from the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate about the release of radioactive substances into groundwater under Sellafield. I am aware, however, that technetium-99 (Tc-99) has been detected in groundwater from boreholes in and around the Sellafield site. I understand that the likely source of the Tc-99 leakage is from the B24I sludge storage tanks.

  The Environment Agency has carried out an assessment of the radiological impact of the levels of Tc-99 detected and is satisfied that this would be insignificant. Recent borehole data from BNFL supports this conclusion. The groundwater at Sellafield is not used for drinking water supplies.

  The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and the Environment Agency, respectively, have asked BNFL to undertake further monitoring of Tc-99 levels on and off the Sellafield site. The regulators will consider whether
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  any regulatory action is necessary. In the light of the actions of the regulators I have no reason to believe that an inquiry is necessary.

  Female Staff
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the staff of her Department are women; and what the percentage was in June 1997. [66906]

  Mr. Morley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, on 5 July 2002,Official Report, column 622W.

  Subsidies
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total value was of subsidies to agriculture in the UK in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [66840]

  Mr. Morley
  Our latest estimates relate to 2000, and suggest that in that year UK farmers received in total £4.9 billion of support. In addition to the direct payments and market support measures that fall directly to the EU and UK budgets, this includes the effect on farmers' incomes of the higher prices paid by consumers as a result of the operation of the Common Agricultural Policy.

  Foot and Mouth
  Sir Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the foot and mouth disease livestock movement restrictions, with special reference to the 20-day standstill rule, on the operation and profitability of livestock producers in Cheshire; and if she will make a statement. [67200]

  Mr. Morley
  Discussions are in progress with industry stakeholders on the basis of preliminary work by the Department's economists in order to gain a better understanding of the economic impact of the current rules both in aggregate and for particular sectors.

  Sir Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the reasons for the maintenance of the foot and mouth disease livestock movement restrictions, with specific reference to the 20-day standstill rule. [67199]

  Mr. Morley
  There is firm veterinary and scientific advice in support of the present movement controls which are designed to protect against the rapid spread of any new incursion of disease.

  The 20 day standstill is an important element of these controls for two reasons. Firstly, it allows time for the disease to become evident in animals brought on to a holding and so improves the prospect of identifying disease on infected premises before animals move off. Secondly, it also prevents potentially infected animals being moved off the holding during the 20 day period and so slows the rate of spread of any undetected disease.

  Livestock Movements
  Sir Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she intends to remove foot and mouth disease livestock
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  movement restrictions, with particular reference to the 20-day standstill rule; whether she proposes to lift the 20-day standstill rule in time for the marketing of the lamb crop at the autumn sales; and if she will make a statement. [67201]

  Mr. Morley
  No decisions about the future of the 20 day standstill will be taken before the publication of the reports of the Royal Society and Lessons Learned inquiries.

  Rabies
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans there are to increase the number of ports that will allow the import and export of animals that have been vaccinated against rabies. [67581]

  Mr. Morley
  Animals subject to the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974, as amended, must enter the UK through Dover (Eastern Docks), Harwich (Parkeston Quay), Hull, Portsmouth or Southampton. If the animals are vaccinated against rabies but do not meet the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme they must go into quarantine.

  However, dogs and cats which fully meet the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme may enter England, without going into quarantine, through the ports at Dover, Portsmouth, Harwich, Poole and Plymouth. These ports are the ones used by carriers on routes approved by this Department. My Department will consider applications for approval from transport companies for routes into England using other ports. It is currently processing an application for a route which would use Newhaven. Whether transport companies choose to seek approval is a commercial and operational decision for them.

  Inland Waterways
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she holds a definitive map of the navigable inland waterways network in England. [68082]

  Mr. Morley
  The Secretary of State does not hold such a map. However, "Waterways for Tomorrow", the Government's policy paper on the waterways contains a general map of the inland waterways of England and Wales. A copy of this document is in the Library of the House. Maps of the inland waterway system are also available from commercial sources.

  Fallen Stock
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she plans to seek derogations from the EU Animal By-Products Regulation to allow the on-farm trial of fallen stock in the upland areas of(a) Wales, (b) England, (c) Southern Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland. [68618]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 9 July 2002]: I am not planning to seek further derogations from the EU Animal By-Products Regulation with respect of on-farm burial of fallen stock.

  Sheepmeat
  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much sheepmeat was imported into the United Kingdom from each of the other countries of the European Union in each of the last five years. [68086]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 9 July 2002]The table shows the volume of sheepmeat imported into the United Kingdom from each of the other countries of the European Union.

  UK imports of sheepmeat from the EU 1997–20011

  Tonnes

  Country

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  Netherlands

  6,456

  5,106

  4,809

  4,419

  4,425

  Irish Republic

  2,899

  2,616

  3,387

  2,683

  3,055

  Spain

  2,368

  1,920

  1,287

  1,295

  1,625

  France

  1,208

  1,214

  1,419

  1,617

  1,871

  Germany

  1,668

  878

  594

  671

  1,350

  Belgium-Luxembourg

  442

  482

  208

  332

  829

  Italy

  68

  150

  3

  16

  159

  Denmark

  44

  32

  165

  28

  112

  Austria

  16

  —

  10

  —

  —

  Finland

  13

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  15,182

  12,398

  11.882

  11,061

  13,426

  1Product weight. Excludes exports of live sheep.

  Source

  H.M. Customs and Excise

  granted which provides additional funding for DEFRA for several areas in the current financial year. We are now

  Badger Culling
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 11 March 2002,Official Report, column 786W, on badger culling, what preliminary findings have emerged from badger culling triplets B, C and F. [69242]

  Mr. Morley
  The Independent Scientific Group for Cattle TB (ISG) advise that it is too early for an analysis of results. It is a basic rule for scientific trials that results are not published prematurely. It has however been possible to complete a preliminary analysis of the risk factors associated with cattle TB, and this is set out in the ISG's Third Report, available in the House Library.

  A summary of the completed work for each triplet is shown on DEFRA's website at www.defra.gov.uk/ animalh/tb/point5/p5prog.

  Public Footpaths
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what recent steps the Department has taken to open(a) more footpaths in the countryside and (b) more private land to the public; [69411]

  (2) what (a) discussions the Department has had with private landowners nd (b) steps it has taken to encourage private landowners to open their land to the public. [69412]

  Alun Michael
  The Department recently consulted on draft guidance to local highway authorities in relation to the requirement in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to prepare and review rights of way
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  improvement plans. Once the relevant provisions are in force, later this year, local highway authorities will be required to take a strategic look at how the local network of rights of way takes into account the needs of the public and to prepare a statement of the action that they propose to take to improve the network. including creating new rights of way where they are shown to be needed.

  In January this year we issued a consultation paper on proposals for regulations under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 which enables landowners voluntarily to give people a statutory right of access to their land. The consultation ended on 15 April and we are presently considering the responses from landowners and others. The Department is also working closely with the Forestry Commission which, earlier this year, arranged a number of seminars for private woodland owners on the provision of access under section 16. In addition, private landowners are encouraged to allow permissive public access under DEFRA's agri-environment schemes. The provisions are currently the subject of a public consultation that began on 8 July and will end on 27 September 2002.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government have taken to improve safety on public footpaths and other rights of way that are(a) poorly lit, (b) in desolate areas and (c) in areas where crime is above average. [69410]

  Alun Michael
  I recently published draft guidance arising from rights of way provisions in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The draft guidance encourages local highway authorities to take positive management measures, such as consideration of the use of lighting and schemes to encourage informal surveillance to counter problems of criminal activity on public rights of way.

  Where rights of way are facilitating high levels of crime in built up areas the provisions that are covered in the guidance will enable such rights of way to be diverted or extinguished.

  Paddy Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the development of a National Access Database; what funding she has made to the Countryside Agency to fund a feasibility study into a national access database; and when the feasibility study will be published. [70041]

  Alun Michael
  The Government announced the plan to establish a National Access Database in the Rural White Paper "Our countryside: the future a fair deal for rural England" in November 2000. The Countryside Agency has commissioned consultants to look at the feasibility of establishing such a database. The feasibility study is being funded from within the Agency's annual grant in aid settlement. The Agency will publish a research note in September 2002 and use the findings of the study to make recommendations on how the project should proceed.

  Biofuels
  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons
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  the UK Government did not support the development of mandatory and indicative targets for biofuels in the relevant EU draft directive. [69340]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I have been asked to reply.

  In common with the majority of other European Union member states, the UK Government do not support the European Commission's proposals for mandatory targets applied uniformly to every state, as originally proposed by the European Commission in the Biofuels Directive. In order to maintain the UK's ability to set national policy on the basis of the UK's own domestic circumstances, the Government favour the adoption of flexible, indicative targets; an approach endorsed by the European Scrutiny Committees of both Houses of Parliament.

  The Government actively support the use of transport biofuels, in particular through the 20 pence per litre reduction in fuel duty on biodiesel—due to come into effect shortly—and through the further round of the Green Fuels Challenge, offering zero duty for pilots demonstrating innovative technologies for environmentally beneficial fuels.

  Pesticides Safety Directorate
  Rosemary McKenna
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets she has set the Pesticides Safety Directorate for 2002–03. [70677]

  Mr. Morley
  I have set the Pesticides Safety Directorate the following performance targets for 2003–03.

  Quality of service

  To complete evaluations and contribute to the EC Review Programme under Council Directive 91/414/EEC, according to the processing times set out in Table 1.

  1. To deliver high quality scientific work to underpin the protection of human health and the environment.

  2. To provide clear and accessible public information about pesticide issues consistent with sustainable and economic production.

  3. To ensure the UK's objectives are reflected in the revised Council Directive 91/414/EEC and to maintain our international reputation as a leading regulatory authority.

  Efficiency

  1. To implement a Quality system by the end of December 2002 that enables an improvement in quality and efficiency and which takes account of priorities identified in the 2001 Customer Satisfaction Survey.

  2. To deliver 3 per cent. efficiency savings through the combination of achieving reductions to processing times for applications for approval and through savings in cost of outputs.

  Financial performance

  1. To recover from industry and Government the full economic cost (as calculated according to resource accounting principles) of its services.

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  Table 1 Approvals group: predicted workflow and target processing times for 2002–03

  Estimated workflow

  Target processing time (weeks)

  Application type

  2002–03

  2002–03

  2001–02

  UK Reviews

  Anticholinesterase programme

  5

  —

  —

  Other activity

  3

  —

  —

  EC Reviews Rapporteur (2nd stage)

  Completeness

  10

  26

  n/a

  Evaluation

  4

  52

  n/a

  New active substances

  Evaluation

  Sift

  8

  5

  6

  Full

  8

  42

  48

  Resubmission

  3

  42

  48

  Departmentals

  8

  42

  45

  Re-registration

  4

  40

  —

  Normals

  135

  30

  35

  Associated fast-normals

  25

  30

  35

  Assessed experimental approval

  2

  20

  20

  Extrapolated experimental approval

  2

  10

  10

  Emergency off label

  15

  9

  10

  Non-emergency off label

  30

  25

  30

  Mutual recognition

  3

  20

  20

  Fast

  200

  10

  10

  Parallel imports

  50

  9

  10

  Administrative fast

  700

  4

  4

  Administrative experimental

  100

  1

  1

  Simplified own-use parallel

  10

  2

  2

  Note

  Overall target—90 per cent. of applications with a stated processing time must be completed within that time.

  Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
  Mr. Bryant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will publish the 2001–02 Annual Report for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. [70676]

  Mr. Meacher
  The 2001–02 Annual Report and Accounts for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Bryant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets she has set the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science for 2002–03. [70674]

  Mr. Meacher
  I have set the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science the following performance targets for 2002–03.

  Quality of Service

  To make satisfactory progress with the action plan resulting from the 1999–2000 Science Audit.

  To manage the Agency in an effective manner including pursuit of commercial exploitation of research outputs.

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  Efficiency

  To give satisfaction to customers in the way that outputs are provided, as measured by the CEFAS Customer Satisfaction Survey.

  To achieve savings and efficiency gains in a range of key functions.

  Financial Performance

  To recover from Government Departments and Agencies and external customers the full economic costs of the Agency's services.

  Livestock Diseases
  Mr. Michael Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has received the report of the Royal Society's Scientific Review of Infectious Diseases in Livestock; and if she will make a statement. [70949]

  Margaret Beckett
  I am delighted that the Royal Society have today published the report of their independent Scientific Review of Infectious Diseases in Livestock. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

  This report was commissioned by the Government following the unprecedented outbreak of foot and mouth disease last year. I am very grateful to Professor Sir Brian Follett and his committee for producing such a thorough and excellent report in such a short space of time. This is a very significant contribution to our work to strengthen our ability to guard against and deal with animal disease.

  I welcome the importance that the report places on the livestock industry in this country and Great Britain having animal disease free status. We are already taking action on imports and disease surveillance to protect this and the report's views on these matters will be of great assistance.

  More widely, we intend to press ahead with an animal health and welfare strategy and will need to consider carefully the recommendations made by the report on research arid development in the light of yesterday's spending review announcement.

  The report's recommendations will be of crucial importance in developing the Government's emergency preparedness for controlling animal diseases, and we will need to study these closely, in particular the recommended approach to vaccination against foot and mouth disease. The Government has never rejected vaccination as an option in the fight against foot and mouth. The report recognises that there are aspects of vaccination, in particular trade and technical issues, which are not yet resolved, but which can and should be resolved. Even then, vaccination will not necessarily be a panacea and will not necessarily be right in all circumstances. The report notes that, even with emergency vaccination in place, culling would still be necessary.

  I welcome the Royal Society's endorsement of the need to take forward the work we have in hand on a greatly improved contingency plan for foot and mouth. Its findings on biosecurity and animal movements will also be of particular importance.

  In taking work forward on the report, we will need to involve stakeholders, in particular the farming industry, who have a share in the responsibility for maintaining the animal disease free status recommended by the report.
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  I intend to give a fuller initial response on the recommendations in this report when the Lessons Learned Inquiry has reported on Monday 22 July. It is also intended, later in the year, to issue a detailed reply to the recommendations in both these independent reports.

  High Hedges
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government have taken to ameliorate the problem of(a) leylandii and (b) other rapidly growing trees associated with neighbour nuisance. [69575]

  Mr. McNulty
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government supported the high hedges Bill introduced last Session by the hon. Member for Solihull (Mr. Taylor). Unfortunately, it fell due to lack of time before the election. Although it has not been possible to bring forward a high hedges Bill in the current Session, we remain committed to legislation allowing local authorities to deal with complaints about high hedges as soon as parliamentary time can be found.

  In December last year, we published guidelines on "Hedge height and light loss" developed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE). The guidelines explain how to calculate whether a hedge is likely to block out too much light from a garden and from the main rooms of a house. These scientifically based tests might carry some weight with hedge owners and help them to understand the impact of their hedge. As a result, they might be more willing to negotiate with neighbours.

  We are now preparing a leaflet for members of the public, advising them how they might approach their neighbours to try to agree a solution to their hedge problems. The leaflet will include information on a range of factors that people might consider in settling on the right hedge height for their particular circumstances. It will cover such matters as what heights will ensure privacy; those at which a hedge can be safely maintained; and those likely to block light to neighbouring properties.

  Authority

  Scheme

  Expected start date

  Bradford

  South Bradford Integrated Transport Improvements

  November 2001

  Cheshire

  Chester-Deeside Transport Scheme

  May 2004

  Durham

  Belmont Interchange

  October 2003

  Tyne and Wear PTA

  Four Lanes End Interchange

  April 2002

  Wiltshire

  Salisbury Integrated Transport Measures

  April 2002

  The provision of parking facilities, including park-and-ride, is a matter for the local highway authority and rail operators. In addition to the major schemes, a number of smaller schemes have been implemented or proposed by the local authorities as part of their local transport strategies. These have included proposals for the extension of existing sites or new sites for both bus-based and rail-based schemes. The smaller schemes as presented in the local transport plans annual progress reports submitted in July 2001 are summarised in the table. Details of the smaller schemes, including proposed timetables are not kept centrally.
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  We expect to publish the leaflet later in the summer and will provide copies to all Members of Parliament.

TRANSPORT

  Railtrack Asset Register
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the programme developed by the ORR for Railtrack to create an asset register; and what stage(a) they had reached by 5 October 2001 and (b) they have reached. [62298]

  Mr. Jamieson
  [holding answer 17 June 2002]Railtrack is required to establish and maintain a register of the condition, capability and capacity of its assets, and to demonstrate that it is taking all necessary steps to do so by the earliest practicable date. Railtrack submits plans for the Rail Regulator's review every six months.

  By 5 October 2001, Railtrack had completed its assessment of the state of asset information within the company; finalised its strategy for managing asset information; defined the work that it needed to do to implement that strategy; and completed all data collection for the asset register.

  The Rail Regulator is currently reviewing Railtrack's latest plans, submitted in April 2002, taking into account the views of key stakeholders. He will then consider in consultation with Railtrack what should be published and when.

  Park-and-ride Schemes
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the park-and-ride schemes introduced in each of the last two years, including the start date for each scheme; and if he will list the further schemes that are being proposed, including their expected start dates. [66567]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The following chart lists major local public transport projects that contain proposals for park-and-ride within them, that have been approved or provisionally approved. The expected start dates are those provided by the authorities in July 2001 as part of the Local Transport Plans annual progress reports.

  Schemes listed in LTP submissions

  Type of scheme

  July 2001

  July 2002

  Bus-based P and R—new

  7

  11

  Bus-based P and R—extension

  6

  7

  Rail-based P and R—new

  4

  6

  Rail-based P and R—extension

  7

  8

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on which occasions since 7 June 2001 the
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  minutes of ministerial meetings have been placed in the Library; what the reason was in each case; and if he will make a statement. [66246]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Following the undertaking he gave to the Transport Select Committee, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tyneside, North (Mr. Byers) sent to the Committee and placed in the Libraries of the House on 27 November 2001, a copy of the minutes of a meeting he had held with John Robinson, the then chairman of Railtrack, on 25 July.

  Car Use
  Jim Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to discourage car use by engineering greater road congestion. [67555]

  Mr. Jamieson
  None.

  Rural Stations
  Mr. Liddell-Grainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what resources the Government will be putting into rural stations for services and maintenance of stations in the next three years. [69396]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Station maintenance is funded from the generality of Railtrack's income. Rural stations and services can also benefit from the £430 million funding available through the Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) operated by the Strategic Rail Authority. Extended in December 2001 to run for 10 years, the RPP fund is designed to assist in the provision of new or enhanced local and regional rail services or facilities.

  A404
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to alter the slip roads on the A404(M) and A404 approaching the junction with the M4 and the M40. [69166]

  Mr. Jamieson

  [holding answer 11 July 2002]: Proposed improvements to the M40/A404 junction at Handy Cross include a new slip road from the A404 to the westbound M40.

  Any major changes to the junction between the A404(M) and the M4 are subject to the Thames Valley Multi-Modal Study. In the interim, it is proposed to widen the immediate approach from the A404(M) to the junction roundabout as a low cost measure to decrease queue lengths and increase throughput on A404(M).

  Tubelines and Metronet Consortia
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contingency plans he has for the case where there is failure of a key partner in the Tubelines and Metronet consortia; and if he will make a statement. [69786]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The provisions of the PPP competition process allow for changes in the shareholders of the bidders, subject to the consent of London Underground. The contracts themselves also contain provisions relating to changes in a consortium's shareholders.

  Network Rail
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the SRA has made PAYE-liable salary payments to employees of Network Rail. [69944]

  Mr. Jamieson
  No. The Strategic Rail Authority does not employ those working on the Network Rail bid team.

  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date Network Rail was legally named. [69941]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Network Rail Limited was incorporated on 22 March 2002.

  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2002,Official Report, column 984–85W, ref. 67062, what estimate he has made of the cost (a) to public funds of providing an indemnity and (b) to Railtrack and its shareholders if such an indemnity were not in place. [70080]

  Mr. Jamieson
  With Railtrack Group expected to take full advantage of exemptions in tax legislation for disposals by companies of substantial shareholdings, there would be no tax liability as a result of its disposal of Railtrack Plc and, therefore, no additional cost to public funds.

  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to which(a) organisations and (b) individuals the SRA has made payments in relation to the establishment of Network Rail. [69942]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Strategic Rail Authority has made payments to the following bodies:

  Ove Arup and Partners

  Natwest Card Centre—Purch

  Sita Security Shredding

  Pret a Manger

  Coucher Pender

  Specialised Contract Interior

  Astor Lodge Holdings Ltd.

  Claire Howard Consultancies

  Durance Ltd.

  Financial Dynamics

  SQE Integrated Solutions

  Blue Haven

  Egon Zehender International

  JJR Partnership

  Dentons Catering Equipment

  Fastways Flyers

  Socite Generale

  Partnerships UK plc

  Yellow House Consulting

  Asset Performance Man. Ltd.

  Bechtel Ltd.

  Coolwater (London) Ltd.

  Demita Plants

  Wings Catering Equipment Ltd.

  Morgan Spencer c/o LSM

  Supplies Team.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place a copy of the Network Rail directors' incentive plan in the Lib. [70516]
  145W
  Mr. Jamieson
  No, Network Rail intend to prepare and publish an incentive plan annually.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to whom potential applicants to serve as members of Network Rail should apply; and if he will make a statement. [70509]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Applicants should apply to Network Rail at their registered address.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the members of Network Rail to approve the appointment of directors. [70510]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The timing of the arrangements for the appointment of directors is a matter for Network Rail.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish reports and accounts for Network Rail for the period between its inception and the date on which it becomes a private sector company in the national accounts. [70513]

  Mr. Jamieson
  No, this is the responsibility of Network Rail.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the members of Network Rail will be appointed. [70515]

  Mr. Jamieson
  This is a matter for Network Rail, but I understand that the company wish to appoint members as soon as possible, if their bid is successful.

  London to Ipswich Multi-modal Study
  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the London to Ipswich Multi-modal Study relating to the rail and road infrastructure within the Haven Gateway sub-region. [69989]

  Mr. Spellar
  This study will report later this year. We will then consider the recommendations once we have received advice from the east of England local government conference.

  United States Embassy
  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what authority representatives of the United States embassy prevent public pedestrian access to the pavement outside the United States embassy. [69984]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Metropolitan police, using their common law powers, control public pedestrian access outside the United States embassy to maintain the security of those who work at, visit or live nearby the location. The United States embassy does not itself prevent public pedestrian access. The security arrangements are regularly reviewed.

  Public Highway Closures
  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 7 February 2002,Official Report, column 1094W, on public highway closures, if he will list the roads in London in respect of which he has sought an order under section 116 of the Highways Act 1980. [69974]
  146W
  Mr. Spellar
  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  US-UK Air Services
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what communications he has received in the last three months from the European Commission regarding the regulation of UK-US aviation; and if he will make a statement. [70062]

  Mr. Jamieson
  We have had correspondence from the Commission about a complaint by bmi british midland about the operation of the Bermuda 2 agreement with the United States.

  Heathrow Airport
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what figures his Department has collated for the SERAS report on comparative rates of growth over the past five years at(a) Heathrow airport and (b) its competitors. [70063]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Civil Aviation Authority published statistics show the rate of growth in terminal passengers at Heathrow airport over the last five years. These are set out in the table below together with equivalent figures for Heathrow's main European competitors.

  Terminal passengers

  million

  Heathrow

  Amsterdam

  Paris(CDG)

  Frankfurt

  1997

  57.84

  31.02

  35.10

  39.68

  1998

  60.35

  33.95

  38.47

  42.15

  1999

  61.97

  36.43

  43.48

  45.43

  2000

  64.27

  39.27

  48.14

  49.05

  2001

  60.45

  39.31

  47.94

  48.29

  Percentage increase

  +4.5

  +26.7

  -36.5

  +21.7

  Source:

  CAA statistics (Heathrow only) and DP statistics.

  Light Rail and Tram Links
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library statistics relating to the average journey time, distinguishing between scheduled and excess, on the(a) DLR, (b) Tyne and Wear Metro, (c) Manchester Metro link, (d) South Yorkshire Supertram, (e) Midland Metro and (f) Croydon Tramlink. giving the source for each data set used. [69774]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Information is not available for(c) Manchester Metro link. The available information for the other five light rail systems has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  NATS
  Mr. Liddell-Grainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what help will be given to NATS to make sure that the problems of computer failure are addressed. [69492]

  Mr. Jamieson
  These are operational matters for NATS, who have already introduced measures to address the problems which caused the recent computer failures.
  147W
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the overall manning level of air traffic controllers at Swanwick has been, expressed as a percentage of optimal manning levels since its opening; [70126]

  (2) how much time has been lost to flight delays in the London Flight Information Region in each month since January 1999; [70124]

  (3) how many overload reports have been made by air traffic controllers in the London Flight Information Region in each month since January 1999; [70123]

  (4) what the full establishment of air traffic controllers in the London Flight Information Region has been in each month of the past three years; and what the current establishment of air traffic controllers is; [70122]

  (5) how much time has been lost to absenteeism by air traffic controllers in the London Flight Information Region in each month since January 1999. [70125]

  Mr. Jamieson
  These are operational matters for National Air Traffic Services Ltd (NATS).

  Bus Services
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will review the bus service operating tolerance guidelines introduced on 2 April. [70364]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The guidelines were introduced by the Traffic Commissioners and any review would be a matter for them.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many more buses there are on UK roads since 1997; and what improvements in bus travel have been made. [69528]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Figures for Great Britain from the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) show that there were 78,577 buses and coaches with nine or more seats registered on 31 December 1997. On 31 March 2002, the equivalent figure was 89,867, an increase of 11,290.

  In the same period, 31,386 buses and coaches were newly registered. The average age of the local service bus fleet has fallen from 9.4 years in 1997 to 8.4 years in 2001 and the bus industry is committed to reducing it to 8.0 years and maintaining it at that level in line with the Government's 10-year plan for transport. From 31 December 2000 all new buses used on local or scheduled services have been accessible to disabled people including wheelchair users.

  Bus service provision in rural areas has been enhanced since 1998 by additional funding to local authorities in the form of Rural Bus Subsidy Grant (RBSG) and Rural Bus Challenge (RBC). RBSG funding for 2001–04 is £138 million and is supporting 1,800 new and enhanced services in rural areas. The RBC competitions have provided £69.8 million to enable 213 innovative local authority schemes for rural communities to be introduced. Since 2001 the Urban Bus Challenge, targeted at urban communities suffering from high levels of deprivation, has resulted in awards of £15.3 million to 32 schemes in 24 local authority areas.
  148W
  Local authorities are encouraged to consider installing bus priority measures where they are feasible and sensible. The local transport settlement for 2002–03 will help fund up to 110 bus priority measures.

  RMT Strike
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with London Underground management on the strikes called by the RMT union for 17 and 18 July. [70508]

  Mr. Jamieson
  This is a matter for London Underground. However, the Government are extremely disappointed that the RMT has decided to call industrial action. We urge both sides to do all they can to reach agreement and avoid making the 3 million people who rely on the tube each day suffer again.

  Roads
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Government have done since 1997 to convince people to use methods of transport apart from the car. [69527]

  Mr. Jamieson
  We published our Integrated Transport White Paper in 1998, and our 10-year plan for Transport in 2000. These documents set out our policy for promoting choice for the travelling public. Initiatives we have taken or are taking to promote alternative forms of transport to the car include:Introduction of Bus Quality Partnerships; introduction of a new Urban Bus Challenge Fund; guaranteeing half-fare travel concession for elderly and disabled people;
  Increased funding for rural transport; resulting in over 1,800 new or enhanced services so far in England alone. In supporting 150 innovative rural transport schemes under the Rural Bus Challenge scheme;
  Rural Transport Partnerships which we aim to have in every rural community in England by next year;
  Appointment of a new team of regional cycling co-ordinators, to support delivery of the National Cycling Strategy, and announced funding for the first 10 cycling projects under a new £2 million Cycling Projects Fund;
  Preparation .of a draft national walking strategy which will be issued for consultation in due course;
  £1.5 billion for local authorities in England to implement their Local Transport Plans in 2002–03. These include many measures designed to make public transport more available, more reliable and more attractive;
  Encouraging and supporting the take-up of travel plans by businesses, schools, hospitals, local authorities and other major employers:
  Establishment of "traveline"; a national telephone-based public transport information system;
  Working on "Transport Direct", an internet programme which aims to provide travellers with all the information they need. This will be online in 2003;
  Supporting a range of travel awareness campaigns including "Walk to School, Bike Week" and "In town, without my car".

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new road have been constructed since 1997. [69526]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The public road length of Great Britain at 1 April 2001 was estimated to be 3,066 miles longer than at 1 April 1997. Motorways accounted for 59 miles of this increase.
  149W
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made with the plans for new toll roads and motorways. [69529]

  Mr. Jamieson
  There are no such plans. The M6 toll (the Birmingham northern relief road) is already under construction and is expected to open in early 2004.

  Secondary fires1by bridge area, UK 2000

  Location/Item

  Brigade

  Total secondary fires1

  Derelict buildings

  Grasslands/heathlands2

  Refuse

  Other1

  United Kingdom

  241,357

  4

  24

  61

  10

  England and Wales

  197,253

  4

  24

  61

  11

  England

  179,753

  4

  22

  63

  11

  England—non-Met counties

  86,934

  4

  25

  59

  12

  Avon

  2,837

  4

  22

  66

  8

  Bedfordshire

  1,485

  5

  19

  60

  16

  Berkshire

  2,054

  3

  28

  0

  69

  Buckinghamshire

  1,888

  2

  14

  66

  18

  Cambridgeshire

  1,678

  4

  27

  51

  19

  Cheshire

  3,778

  4

  22

  70

  5

  Cleveland

  5,028

  1

  17

  79

  3

  Cornwall

  848

  2

  50

  41

  7

  Cumbria

  1,538

  6

  19

  68

  6

  Derbyshire

  2,244

  5

  29

  53

  13

  Devon

  2,314

  5

  25

  60

  11

  Dorset

  1,646

  3

  52

  31

  14

  Durham

  3,317

  5

  26

  65

  4

  East Sussex

  1,603

  3

  22

  62

  14

  Essex

  4,474

  3

  32

  51

  14

  Gloucestershire

  929

  5

  23

  65

  7

  Hampshire

  4,602

  3

  27

  58

  12

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,514

  2

  33

  46

  18

  Hertfordshire

  2,127

  2

  26

  57

  15

  Humberside

  4,819

  5

  18

  71

  6

  Isle of Wight

  172

  4

  38

  51

  8

  Kent

  4,326

  3

  17

  57

  23

  Lancashire

  6,451

  4

  12

  77

  7

  Leicestershire

  2,346

  4

  31

  55

  10

  Lincolnshire

  1,105

  7

  30

  53

  10

  Norfolk

  1,312

  4

  28

  61

  7

  North Yorkshire

  1,153

  3

  23

  64

  10

  Northamptonshire

  1,943

  4

  14

  60

  22

  Northumberland

  1,339

  2

  37

  56

  6

  Nottinghamshire

  3,620

  5

  42

  42

  10

  Oxfordshire

  999

  3

  24

  61

  13

  Shropshire

  1,209

  2

  39

  52

  7

  Somerset

  745

  3

  22

  67

  9

  Staffordshire

  3,233

  4

  35

  54

  7

  Suffolk

  979

  2

  32

  53

  13

  Surrey

  1,623

  3

  29

  54

  15

  Warwickshire

  1,443

  8

  30

  48

  15>

  West Sussex

  1,428

  3

  27

  51

  19

  Wiltshire

  780

  3

  24

  63

  9

  Isles of Scilly

  5

  —

  100

  —

  —

  England—Met counties

  92,819

  5

  19

  66

  10

  Greater Manchester

  14,189

  7

  12

  75

  5

  Merseyside

  12,810

  4

  18

  73

  5

  South Yorkshire

  6,844

  8

  26

  53

  12

  Tyne and Wear

  8,821

  2

  22

  69

  6

  West Midlands

  12,855

  5

  31

  55

  8

  West Yorkshire

  10,908

  8

  14

  68

  11

  Greater London

  26,392

  3

  17

  64

  16

  Secondary Fires
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of secondary fires were(a) on grassland and heath, (b) in refuse, (c) in derelict buildings and (d) in none of the above in the last 12 months. [60448]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information in the table relates to secondary fires attended by UK local authority fire brigades in 2000.
  151W

  Secondary fires1 by brigade area, UK 2000

  Location/Item

  Brigade

  Total secondary fires1

  Derelict buildings

  Grasslands heathlands2

  Refuse

  Other3

  Wales

  17,500

  3

  43

  46

  8

  North Wales

  2,642

  2

  41

  52

  6

  Mid and West Wales

  4,309

  2

  50

  40

  8

  South Wales

  10,549

  3

  40

  48

  9

  Northern Ireland

  11,672

  6

  32

  55

  7

  Scotland

  32,432

  5

  24

  65

  7

  Strathclyde

  18,920

  6

  23

  64

  7

  Highland and Islands

  657

  2

  58

  33

  7

  Grampian

  1,537

  5

  29

  60

  7

  Tayside

  2,644

  4

  17

  76

  4

  Lothian and Borders

  5,183

  3

  22

  69

  6

  Fife

  1,829

  2

  31

  62

  5

  Central

  1,374

  4

  23

  64

  9

  Dumfries

  288

  2

  26

  66

  6

  1Secondary fires are those fires which did not involve property, casualties or rescues or were attended by four or fewer appliances.

  2Includes intentional straw and stubble burning.

  3Includes outdoor structures and derelict vehicles.

  Land Records
  Dr. Stoate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what steps he has taken to encourage local authorities to adopt a policy of differential charges for providing answers to conveyancing search inquiries; what further steps he will take; and if he will make a statement; [58271]

  (2) how many local authorities have digitised their local land charges and associated records and obtained the necessary computer equipment to connect to the National Land Information Service; and if he will make a statement; [58269]

  (3) how many local authorities have applied to his Department for funding to assist them in digitising their land records and obtaining the necessary computer equipment to connect to the National Land Information Service; and if he will make a statement; [58281]

  (4) what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to digitise their land records and obtain the necessary computer equipment to connect to the National Land Information Service; and if he will make a statement; [58268]

  (5) how many applications by local authorities have been approved by his Department for funding to assist them in digitising their land records and obtaining the necessary computer equipment to connect to the National Land Information Service; and what the total value is of the approvals granted; [58283]

  (6) what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to apply to his Department for funding to assist them in digitising their land records and obtaining the necessary computer equipment to connect to the National Land Information Service; and if he will make a statement; [58284]

  (7) what the total value is of the applications which have been made by local authorities to his Department for funding to assist them in digitising their land records and
  152W
  obtaining the necessary computer equipment to connect to the National Land Information Service; and if he will make a statement; [58282]

  (8) how many local authorities at 1 April were at level (a) 3 and (b)2 in their development of links with the National Land Information Service; and how many local authorities he expects by December to be at level (i) 3 and (ii) 2 in their development of links with the National Land Information Service. [58270]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I have been asked to reply.

  The National Land Information Services (NLIS) is a project, which has been developed and is run by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) for local government.

  NLIS is an important part of the Government's policy to improve the home buying process. In particular it has the potential of significantly improving the turnaround times for conveyancing searches. We have written to local authorities drawing the benefits of both NLIS and the associated National Land and Property Gazetteer project to their attention. I have placed a copy of that letter in the House Library.

  From information provided to us by the IDeA as at 28 May 2002, we understand for local authorities in England that: 117 of the 388 authorities are electronically connected to NLIS with 81 authorities connected at Level 2, and 36 at Level 3.

  From information provided to us by the IDeA as at 28 May 2002, we understand for local authorities in England and Wales that: there are 132 local land and property gazetteers (LLPGs) produced by local authorities which are linked to the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG); with a further 117 gazetteers in prospect to be linked to the NLPG in the near future; and a further 33 local authorities known to be developing LLPGs.

  There is no direct funding available from Government for local authorities to participate with NLIS. The Government are providing £155 million over the next
  153W
  two years to local authorities and to partnerships of local authorities targeted towards helping authorities electronically enabling all their services.

  Fees for searches of the local land charges register are fixed by statutory instrument in accordance with the Local Land Charges Act 1975. Otherwise, it is for local authorities themselves to set income targets and fees for dealing with conveyancers' inquiries. However they must do so taking account of the cost of providing the service.

DEFENCE

  Weapons Systems
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the forecast in-service date as at 31 March(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002 for the (i) Type 23 Frigate, (ii) Single-role minehunter, (iii) Sting Ray Torpedo, (iv) Sonar 2087 Type 45 Destroyer, (iv) Seawolf Block 2, (vi) C-17, (vii) Auxiliary Oiler, (viii) Vanguard Class and (ix) Trident II; [69564]

  (2) if he will list the forecast cost of demonstration and manufacture phase as at 31 March (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002 for the (i) Type 23 Frigate, (i) Single-role Minehunter, (iii) Sting Ray Torpedo, (iv) Sonar 2087 Type 45 Destroyer, (v) Seawolf Block 2; C-17, (vi) Auxiliary Oiler, (vii) Vanguard Class and (viii) Trident II; [69568]

  (3) if he will list the (a) date of initial gate, (b) target date for main gate approval and (c) date of main gate approval for the (i) Type 23 Frigate, (ii) single-role, (iii) Minehunter, (iv) Sting Ray Torpedo, (v) Sonar 2087 Type 45 Destroyer, (vi) Seawolf Block 2, (vii) C-17, (viii) Auxiliary Oiler, (ix) Vanguard Class and
  (x) Trident II; [69556]

  (4) if he list the (a) approved cost of assessment phase at initial gate, (b) actual cost of assessment phase, (c) approved cost of demonstration and manufacture phase at main gate and (d) approved in-service date at main gate for the (i) Type 23 Frigate, (ii) Single-role Minehunter, (iii) Sting Ray torpedo, (iv) Sonar 2087 Type 45 Destroyer, (v) Seawolf Block 2, (vi) C-17, (vii) Auxiliary Oiler, (viii) Vanguard Class and (ix) Trident II. [69560]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the forecast in-service date was as at 31 March(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002 for the (i) COBRA (Counter Battery Radar), (ii) Chinook MSH/HC2A, (iii) Chinook MSH/HC3, (iv) BR 90 Bridge Systems, (v) SHIELDER, (vi) Combined Arms Tactical Trainer and (vii) Medium and Light Utility truck; [69567]

  (2) if he will list the forecast in-service date as at 31 March (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002 for the (i) COBRA (Counter Battery Radar), (ii) Chinook MSH/HC2A, (iii) Chinook MSH/HC3, (iv) BR 90 Bridge Systems, (v) SHIELDER; Combined Arms Tactical trainer and (vi) Medium and Light Utility truck; [69563]
  154W
  (3) if he will list the (a) date of initial gate,(b) target date for main gate approval and (c) date of main gate approval for the (i) COBRA (Counter Battery Radar), (ii) Chinook MSH/HC2A, (iii) Chinook MSH/HC3, (iv) BR 90 Bridge Systems, (v) SHIELDER, (vi) Combined Arms Tactical Trainer and (vii) Medium and Light Utility truck; [69555]

  (4) if he will list the (a) approved cost of assessment phase at initial gate, (b) actual cost of assessment phase, (c) approved cost of demonstration and manufacture phase at main gate and (d) approved in-service date at main gate for the (i) COBRA (Counter Battery Radar), (ii) Chinook MSH/HC2A, (iii) Chinook MSH/HC3, (iv) BR 90 Bridge Systems, (v) SHIELDER, (vi) Combined Arms Tactical Trainer and (vii) Medium and Light Utility truck. [69559]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) date of initial gate, (b) target date for main gate approval and (c) approved cost of assessment phase at initial gate for the (i) future Carrier-Bourne aircraft, (ii) future Carrier, (iii) Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, (iv) Lightweight Mobile Artillery Weapon System (Gun) and (v) Microwave Landing System. [69554]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the forecast in-service date as at 31 March(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002 for the (i) Tornado F3-weapon system upgrade, (ii) Sea Harrier FRS I to F/A2 conversions, (iii) Next Generation Anti-Armour Weapon and (iv) Eurofighter Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids; [69565]

  (2) if he will list the forecast cost of demonstration and manufacture phase as at 31 March (a) 1997, (b)(c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002 for the (i) Tornado F3-weapon system upgrade (ii) Sea Harrier FRS1 to F/A2 conversions, (iii) Next Generation Anti-Armour Weapon and (iv) Eurofighter Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids; [69569]

  (3) if he will list the (a) date of initial gate, (b) target date for main gate approval and (c) date of main gate approval for the (i) Tornado F3—weapon system upgrade, (ii) Sea Harrier FRSI to F/A2 conversions, (iii) Next Generation Anti-Armour Weapon and (iv) Eurofighter Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids; [69557]

  (4) if he will list the (a) approved cost of assessment phase at initial gate, (b) actual cost of assessment phase, (c) approved cost of demonstration and manufacture phase at main gate and (d) approved in-service date at main gate for the (i) Tornado F3—weapon system upgrade, (ii) Sea Harrier FRSI to F/A2 conversions, (iii) Next Generation Anti-Armour Weapon and (iv) Eurofighter Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids. [69561]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
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  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the forecast in-service date was as at 31 March(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002 for the (i) E3D Sentry-Radar Improvement Programme, (ii) Skynet 4 Stage 2 and (iii) Skynet 5; [69566]

  (2) if he will list the forecast cost of demonstration and manufacture phase as at 31 March (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002 for the (i) E3D Sentry-Radar System Improvement Programme, (ii) Skynet 4 Stage 2 and (iii) Skynet 5; [69570]

  (3) if he will list the (a) date of initial gate, (b) target date for main gate approval and (c) date of main gate approval for the (i) E3D Sentry-Radar System Improvement Programme, (ii) Skynet 4 Stage 2 and (iii) Skynet 5; [69558]

  (4) if he will list the (a) approved cost of assessment phase at initial gate, (b) actual cost of assessment phase, (c) approved cost of demonstration and manufacture phase at main gate and (d) approved in-service date at main gate for the (i) E3D Sentry-Radar System Improvement programme, (ii) Skynet 4 Stage 2 and (iii) Skynet 5. [69562]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer .15 July 2002]I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Anti-armour Technology
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the jobs created by the new anti-armour technology contract will be established; whether these will be permanent; and if he will make a statement. [67418]

  Dr. Moonie
  The contractor for the Next Generation Light Anti-Armour Weapon programme, Saab Bofors Dynamics, estimates that a total of 520 jobs will be created or sustained in the United Kingdom as a result of this contract. The timing of the creation of these posts and their permanency is a matter for the contractor and as such I cannot comment specifically. However, work on the programme has now started and production for the UK is expected to be complete by 2010. This could be extended if the contractor wins further orders from other customers.

  Storm Shadow Cruise Missile
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost is of the Storm Shadow air launched cruise missile; and if he will make a statement. [67835]

  Dr. Moonie
  As reported in the 2001 Major Project Report, the total estimated procurement cost of the Storm Shadow conventionally armed stand-off missile project is £981 million. This figure includes development, production and initial support costs. Information on the cost of an individual missile would enable deductions to be made on the planned size of our Storm Shadow inventory. I am therefore withholding this information in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information which relates to Defence, Security and International Relations.

  Skill Force Initiative
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the expansion of his Department's sponsored Skill Force initiative to assist under-achieving youngsters in schools. [67705]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Skill Force scheme forms part of the Ministry of Defence's contribution to wider Government social exclusion policies. The initiative aims to prevent young people from feeling long-term disaffection with school and society. It is currently being piloted in 11 areas and in 47 schools in England and Scotland.

  An integral part of the Skill Force pilot scheme has been rigorous and independent evaluation by the British Market Research Bureau. The most recent evaluation report, based on the two original schemes that started in September 2000 in Newcastle and Norfolk, has been completed. The report has shown that Skill Force has helped to maintain attendance rates of over 90 per cent. among children who would otherwise have been expected to display sharply declining attendance, sometimes leading to exclusion through years 10 and 11. Exclusions among participating children in these schools have been reduced by 72 per cent. compared with those predicted by the head teachers at the start of the scheme. A copy of the full report will be placed in the Library of the House.

  The positive results from the independent evaluation have encouraged DIES to work with the MOD in offering Skill Force more widely. In response to the Government's Street Crime Initiative, Skill Force is one of the schemes 11 local education authorities have been invited to consider to help them to deliver part of DfES's Behaviour Improvement Programme. The LEAs concerned have all been in discussions with the MOD and a final decision on locations and schools is expected to be made in the next month. In addition, discussions are currently being held with a view to extending the pilot scheme to Wales. A decision is expected shortly.

  Eurofighter
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Eurofighter will be delayed beyond the end of the year. [67706]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Eurofighter In Service Date (ISD) is dependent on industry's ability to deliver an aircraft that meets the nation's requirements. The programme is hugely complex and therefore some risks are inevitable. As I stated in the initial announcement of the delay on 23 May 2002,Official Report, column 478W, nations have reviewed the programme with industry and we have jointly concluded that the ISD should be achieved towards the end of the year.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on(a) how many Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft he plans to purchase for the RAF, (b) how many aircraft there will be in each tranche to be ordered and (c) when confirmation for each tranche is planned to be completed; and what the equivalent plans were for Eurofighter procurement as at November 1998. [69862]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]The Ministry of Defence plans to purchase a total of 232 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft for the Royal Air Force. The
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  contractual commitment for the first 55 aircraft was made in 1998. The order for a second tranche of 89 aircraft is planned for 2003; and we plan to order a third tranche of 88 aircraft in 2007. The planned numbers and timings are unchanged from those in place in November 1998.

  Anti-air Missile System
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the procurement of a further five shipsets of the principal anti-air missile system; and if he will make a statement. [67709]

  Dr. Moonie
  It is intended that the requirement will be contracted by the end of the year, subject to the agreement of acceptable terms.

  Mox Lead Test Assemblies
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the minutes of the meeting between his Department's officials, French Government officials and United States Administration officials at the Bristol Abbey Wood establishment on 1 and 2 March 2001, in respect of the project to manufacture mox lead test assemblies. [68257]

  Dr. Moonie
  Mixed oxide (MOX) fuelled lead test assemblies are required for a Russian/US programme for the disposal of excess plutonium. There is an international project to manufacture the assemblies. The purpose of the meeting in March 2001 was to make provisional assessment of the technical and time-scale implications of incorporating surplus UK weapons grade plutonium into the assemblies. It has subsequently been agreed not to proceed in this manner. As the meeting touched on programme and planning matters within the authority of respective Governments, I am withholding the information requested under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Defence, Security and International Relations).

  Watchkeeper
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of potential barriers to interoperability between Watchkeeper and(a) other elements of the ISTAR capability, (b) systems used by US forces and (c) systems used by other NATO forces; and if he will make a statement; [68675]

  (2) whether the platforms offered by the firms competing in the Watchkeeper tendering process are mutually compatible; and if he will make a statement; [68676]

  (3) when the results of the Watchkeeper tendering process will be published; and if he will make a statement. [68674]

  Dr. Moonie
  In the current assessment phase of the Watchkeeper project we are considering proposals for more detailed assessment phase work from four potential prime contractors. Two of the companies will be selected to undertake a series of systems integration and assurance activities before we make our main investment decision. Studies conducted by the four contractors have not identified any significant barriers to achieving interoperability with other elements of ISTAR capability, whether national or NATO (including US). The platforms offered by the contractors within their proposed solutions
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  are mutually compatible. We expect to announce the selection of the two companies to go forward into the next stage by the end of August 2002 and to select a preferred bidder to undertake demonstration and manufacture in the 2003–04 timescale.

  Defence Projects
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is(a) the original in-service date, (b) the current in-service date, (c) the original estimated cost and (d) the current cost of the (i) advanced short range air-to-air missile, (ii) advanced landing ship logistics, (iii) Astute class submarines, (iv) Bowman, (v) directional infra-red counter measures, (vi) future aircraft carrier, (vii) future carrier borne aircraft, (viii) joint tactical information and distribution system, (ix) landing platform dock replacement, (x) Link 16 joint tactical information display system, (xi) microwave landing system, (xii) mine counter measures vessels, (xiii) NATO submarine rescue system, (xiv) primary casualty receiving ship, (xv) remote influence minesweeping system, (xvi) SeaGnat DLH project, (xvii) Sonar 2087, (xviii) Sting Ray Life Extension lightweight torpedo, (xix) support amphibious and battlefield rotocraft, (xx) type 45 destroyer, (xxi) airborne stand-off radar, (xxii) BattleGroup thermal imaging, (xxiii) combined arms tactical trainer, (xxiv) extended range ordnance/modular charge system, (xxv) future command and liaison vehicle, (xxvi) future engineer tanks, (xxvii) future integrated soldier technology, (xxviii) ground based air defence, (xxix) multi-role armoured vehicle, (xxx) Airbus A400M, (xxxi) beyond visual range air-to-air missile, (xxxii) deployable air command and control system, (xxxiii) Eurofighter, (xxxiv) future offensive air system, (xxxv) Nimrod MRA-4, (xxxvi) Skynet 5, (xxxvii) Storm Shadow conventionally armed stand off missile and (xxxviii) UK air command and control system. [67632]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 9 July 2002]I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Type 45 Destroyer
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the type 45 destroyer could offer a ballistic missile defence capability. [68774]

  Dr. Moonie
  The type 45 destroyer has been designed with substantial weight and space margins to enable its capability to be upgraded through life. At present, no Ministry of Defence studies have been done to assess its specific suitability for a Ballistic Missile Defence role.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) planned capabilities and (b) strategic purposes and systems for type 45 destroyer. [68773]

  Dr. Moonie
  The type 45 will be a versatile destroyer capable of contributing to world-wide maritime and joint operations in multi-threat environments and providing a specialist air warfare capability. With regard to the planned capabilities and systems for the warship, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 April 2001,Official Report, column 232, to the hon. Member for Grantham and Stamford (Mr. Davies). As the design of the type 45 progresses, opportunities to upgrade the ship's capability are being identified and acted upon. During the
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  past year it has been confirmed that all type 45s will be fitted with sonar during build and all will be fully interoperable with Merlin helicopters.

  Defence Housing Executive
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mechanisms exist for ensuring that Defence Housing Executive achieve value for money; what criteria are used to assess their performance; and if he will make a statement. [69070]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Defence Housing Executive has been set challenging targets each year since its establishment as an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Defence in 1999. In 2001–02 these targets were as follows:

  Key Target 1
  To house at least 72 per cent. of families in accommodation that matches their entitlement by posting date or on return to Great Britain from overseas; and at least 93 per cent. within 28 days of their required date.

  Key Target 2
  Less than 5 per cent. of occupants should experience significant defects within 14 days of moving in.

  Key Target 3
  To complete the planned upgrade of 2,400 properties by 31 March 2002 as part of the programme to upgrade core stock by November 2005.

  Key Target 4
  To complete at least 95 per cent. of emergency repairs within 24 hours of notification; at least 90 per cent. of urgent repairs within five working days of notification; at least 95 per cent. of routine repairs within two months of notification.

  Key Target 5
  To reduce the management margin progressively towards 10 per cent. by November 2005, better to balance supply and demand, while delivering other key targets.

  All the above targets have been met except that key target 4 on repairs indicates a slight shortfall in performance on urgent and emergency orders, although urgent repairs were considerably improved over the previous year. Targets for routine repairs were met.

  Armed Services Accommodation
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the standard practice for Defence Housing Executive branches on records of repairs done on housing. [69462]

  Dr. Moonie
  Requests for repairs are logged locally on the Defence Housing Executive IT database. The database is nationally networked and each administrative stage of the repairs process is electronically managed to the stage of financial completion. Records are stored electronically and supported by hard copies of works orders and invoices.

  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many married quarters there are in Warminster, broken down by standard of condition. [69695]

  Dr. Moonie
  There are 601 service family quarters in Warminster, of which 85 are at Standard 1 for condition, 443 at Standard 2 and 73 at Standard 3. Just under 90 per cent. are thus at Standard 2 or above.
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  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve the standard of service families' accommodation in Wiltshire. [69696]

  Dr. Moonie
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 9 July 2002,Official Report, column 846W.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much(a) single living accommodation and (b) single family accommodation was empty in each month since January; and if he will make a statement. [69461]

  Dr. Moonie
  The figures for empty single living accommodation are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  The approximate figures for vacant service family accommodation (SFA) in mainland United Kingdom at the end of each month from January to June 2002 is as follows:

  Figures

  January

  10,500

  February

  10,300

  March

  8,800

  April

  8,500

  May

  8,600

  June

  8,800

  Many disposals took effect in March 2002. Since January 2000, over 10,000 surplus SFA have been released for disposal. Of the properties currently vacant, some 2,400 properties are in the course of disposal; some 2,300 are held for future unit deployments; 1,100 are awaiting modernisation and the remainder are available to incoming occupants or already under offer to them.

  Gulf War Veterans
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the findings of work sponsored by the US Administration that Gulf War veterans have a reduced ability to metabolise organophosphates due to reduced levels of the PON1 enzyme (paraoxonase) in their blood; [68766]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the findings of work commissioned by the US Administration that N-acetylaspartate levels are reduced in the right and left basal ganglia of Gulf War veterans compared with those in a control group, resulting in reduced dopamine production; [68767]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the findings of the research commissioned by the US Administration from Robert W. Haley of the University of Texas relating to variants of Gulf War Syndrome. [68768]

  Dr. Moonie
  I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Procurement Executive
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of Procurement Executive operating costs(a) in each year since 1997–98 and (b) at the latest date for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. [69084]
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  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 11 July 2002]The Procurement Executive (PE) was vested as the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) in 1999. The cash figures in the table show the PE/DPA operating costs for each of the years in question. There have been various structural changes over these years; accounting conventions have also changed with the move from cash to resource budgets. It has not been possible to adjust the figures fully to reflect these changes. Cash figures for 2001–02 have yet to be finalised.

  £million

  1997–98

  282

  1998–99

  247

  1999–2000

  249

  2000–01

  237

  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the Procurement Executive was ready for agency status; and if he will make a statement. [69104]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 11 July 2002]The Procurement Executive became the Defence Procurement Agency when the agency was vested on 1 April 1999.

  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of average in-year slippage for the Procurement Executive of the in-service dates of new major projects in each year since 1997–98; and if he will make a statement. [69085]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 11 July 2002]The average amount of in-year slippage to the in-service dates for the Ministry of Defence's major projects in 1997–98 was four months; in 1998–99 seven months; in 1999–2000 three months; and in 2000–01 one month. The MOD is currently gathering data for 2001–02.

  Strategic Lift
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action has been taken to enhance strategic lift by(a) securing additional roll on/roll off container ships and (b) purchasing additional large transport aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [69097]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 11 July 2002]As I announced on 27 June 2002,Official Report, column 1038W, an enhanced sealift capability of up to six roll on/roll off ships will be available from 2003 under PFI arrangements agreed with AWSR Shipping Ltd. Our strategic airlift capability has been enhanced by the acquisition of Hercules C130J aircraft and leased C-17s. We also plan to introduce around the end of the decade the A400M transport aircraft, the contract for which we are working to make effective at the earliest opportunity.

  MoDAS
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many companies submitted expressions of interest to his Department to provide the UK with a MoDAS; and if he will make a statement. [67417]

  Dr. Moonie
  16 expressions of interest were received, in reply to the Ministry of Defence's Contracts Bulletin announcement, to provide the United Kingdom with the
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  Modular Defensive Aids System. We expect to determine which systems will be taken forward into the assessment phase of the programme later this year.

  Imber
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on the preservation of St. Giles' Church in the village of Imber in each of the past five years. [69239]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 12 April 2002,Official Report, column 640W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn).

  Land Mines
  Brian White
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent by his Department in 2001–02 on the research and development of new technology to detect and remove land mines. [69312]

  Dr. Moonie
  The total expenditure on the research and development of new technology to detect and remove land mines was £9.7 million in the financial year 2001–02.

  Procurement
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what difficulties have been experienced with the procurement of a further five shipsets of the principal anti-air missile system. [69934]

  Dr. Moonie
  Negotiations on the PAAMS production contract for the systems for ships two to six are under way. No difficulties have been experienced to date that would put at risk the in-service dates of the type 45 Destroyer.

  Red Dragon Project
  Mr. John Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future of the Red Dragon Project Team at DARA, RAF St. Athan. [70107]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Defence Aviation Repair Agency Red Dragon Project Team is currently being restructured to take account of the need to move the project forward to the approval stage.

  Mr. John Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Red Dragon Project to commence following the signing of the memorandum of intent between his Department and the WDA. [70108]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Red Dragon Project will shortly be at the approval stage and I expect to be in a position to announce a decision by the autumn.

  Mr. John Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when work will commence on a single purpose-built facility for DARA's operations at RAF St. Athan. [70106]

  Mr. Ingram
  Subject to approval, the new build is currently planned to commence by the end of the year.

  Service Personnel (Birmingham Hospital)
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what messing, accommodation and recreational facilities are available to service personnel based at Birmingham hospitals. [69266]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]At present there is no service accommodation for permanent staff, long-term or short course students at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM). Depending on their personal circumstances and the nature of their duties, staff and students are housed either in Ministry of Defence quarters within reasonable travelling distance of the site, MOD-hired accommodation, university student accommodation, hotels or suitable bed-and-breakfast accommodation. Mess and recreational facilities at two reserve units in Birmingham (202 Field Hospital and HMS Forward) are being used by those posted to the RCDM. In the longer term, a number of options are being considered for the development of facilities for staff and students at the RCDM.

  DARA, Almondbank
  Annabelle Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to transfer MOD posts to DARA, Almondbank. [69282]

  Mr. Ingram
  As I advised the hon. Member in my letter dated 17 June, the Ministry of Defence has no plans to transfer any further posts to Defence Aviation Repair Agency, Almondbank in the foreseeable future.

  However, a transfer of work from St. Athan will take place which can be absorbed within existing spare capacity.

  MOD Holdings
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list MOD holdings; and if he will make a statement. [69552]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Ministry of Defence's land holdings are listed in section seven of the National Asset Register published by HM Treasury on 19 July 2001, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. A number of disposals and acquisitions have taken place since.

  RAF Bases
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the housing project at(a) RAF Halton and (b) RAF Brize Norton has been completed; what the total cost has been; and if he will make a statement. [69463]

  Dr. Moonie
  The project at RAF Halton to upgrade 110 service families' quarters is complete and was undertaken in three phases. The details are as follows:

  Halton project

  Commenced

  Completed

  Numbers

  Cost (£ million)

  Phase

  September 2000

  July 2001

  50

  2.236

  Phase 1(a)

  July 2001

  February 2002

  50

  2.223

  Phase 1(b)

  January 2002

  March 2002

  10

  0.513

  Total

  4.972

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  The individual project phases started and finished on time, and within budget.

  The project at RAF Brize Norton, to upgrade 129 service families' quarters on base, began in October 2001 and is planned to finish in January 2003. The total cost is estimated at £8.512 million.

  Military Sites (West Sussex)
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military sites in West Sussex. [70038]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]There are four Ministry of Defence sites within West Sussex. Baker barracks, Thorney Island and Roussillon barracks, Chichester are regular sites and the Royal Electrical Engineers TA centre at Crawley and the Infantry TA centre at Worthing are reserve sites.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Sport
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the local programmes the Government have funded to encourage sports, indicating the level of the funding that each programme has received, broken down by region, over the last five years. [68537]

  Mr. Caborn
  The majority of Government funding for sport in England is channelled through Sport England. Details of its funding programmes in each region have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Criminal Records Checks
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had on broadening the Criminal Record Bureau's access to criminal records from other countries with regard to child protection for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. [68830]

  Mr. Caborn
  Child protection issues in relation to the Commonwealth Games are being taken forward by Manchester 2002 Ltd., the Games' organisers, in close liaison with Manchester City Council's Social Services Department. They have been working to ensure that the Games' child protection policies and procedures are consistent with relevant legislation and best practice.

  In relation to Games' competitors who are under 16 years of age, Manchester 2002 Ltd. is requiring each team to provide chaperones to ensure that minors can be accompanied at all times. Assistance is being given to those teams that could otherwise not afford to meet this requirement. Manchester 2002 has asked all nominated chaperones to undergo subject access checks if they are from the UK, or via a similar scheme, if available, if from outside the UK. Otherwise teams are being required to provide a letter of support for each chaperone from someone in an official capacity.

  In the case of children performing in the Games' ceremonies, provisions have been made to ensure that all minors are properly chaperoned. All chaperones have been asked to undergo subject access checks.

  Lottery Funding
  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funds have been allocated, but not distributed, by each of the National Lottery distribution funds in each of the last five years. [70065]

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

  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many projects awarded lottery funding of over £100,000 have subsequently been shut down, closed or made inaccessible to the public; [70066]

  (2) how many projects awarded lottery funding of over £100,000 are (a) open to the public (i) free of charge and (ii) at a cost of below £5 and (b) not open to the public; and if she will make a statement. [70067]

  Mr. Caborn
  The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. According to the national lottery awards database, which is based upon information supplied to us by the distributing bodies, 15,103 lottery grants of over £100,000 have been awarded up to 11 July 2002. Of these, 6,402 are capital grants, 6,077 are revenue grants and 2,624 are both capital and revenue grants.

  Racing Industry
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the racing industry will be given additional time to respond to changes proposed by the Office of Fair Trading. [69367]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I have been asked to reply.

  A number of agreements have been notified to OFT by the British Horseracing Board and the Jockey Club, including the Orders and Rules of Racing. The Office is currently investigating these agreements. The Competition Act 1998 provides time for parties to consider and respond to any findings made by the Director General. If the Director General proposes to grant an individual exemption to a notified agreement, he must first consult the public.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Coal Industry
  Valerie Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the future of Government policy to the coal industry and the imminent expiry of the ECSC treaty. [70298]

  Ms Hewitt
  The future of coal policy must be considered both within the context of the new European coal state aid rules which are to come into force following the expiry of the ECSC treaty on 23 July, and in recognition of today's announcement by UK Coal on the future of the Selby complex.
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  Mineworkers and their families will obviously feel great disappointment at the news that production at the Selby complex will be phased out over the next 20 months. The chief executive of UK Coal, Gordon McPhie, said today that

  `there was no prospect of the Selby complex becoming viable'.

  Our analysis supports this conclusion: the independent review undertaken on our behalf by IMC Group Consulting Ltd. has endorsed UK Coal's assessment that there is little prospect for a later closure date, concluding that there is now an inevitability of a cessation of production at the complex. Seeking to prolong the life of the pit would be hugely expensive, and become increasingly so over time, for no long term gain. Therefore it seems to be unavoidable that the mine will have to close, and it would make little sense to seek to delay this by paying extra money to the pit. I very much regret this situation.

  I am committed to providing for the welfare of Selby's mineworkers and their families. The Government have worked closely with UK Coal and the local Member of Parliament, my hon. Friend the Member for Selby (Mr. Grogan), and are today announcing a substantial closure package for regeneration and retraining, on top of an extended redundancy settlement. UK Coal's current redundancy agreements end in March 2003. UK Coal wanted to extend the current redundancy terms to cover the whole period of job losses at Selby, but were unable to bear the full costs of doing so at a time when it is making substantial losses and when such a large programme of redundancies is in prospect. We will contribute £10 million to enable Selby miners to receive the pre-privatisation "British Coal" redundancy terms.

  I can also announce a multi-agency Task Force to combat the impact of the pit closures in the Selby coalfield to be led by Yorkshire Forward member, Lord Haskins. As a major local businessman he brings broad experience to the role. By taking action now, we will be able to offer the regeneration and reskilling packages exactly when they are needed.

  The terms of reference for the Task Force will be:

  to ensure a comprehensive package of services are available to individuals directly affected by closure to help them access new training and job opportunities;
  to produce an action plan based on detailed analysis of the socio-economic impact of the closures on the local and regional economy;to identify and prioritise required short, medium and long term key actions to address the socio-economic impact on affected communities;to allocate responsibility for their delivery to relevant agencies and to identify new economic opportunities locally;to galvanise existing and to identify new resources and opportunities for support from Government and European sources and to make recommendations by October 2002;to co-ordinate and monitor delivery of agreed actions up to October 2004.
  Membership will include: Yorkshire Forward; English Partnerships; Jobcentre Plus; GOYH; Selby council; Selby Strategy Forum; North Yorkshire county council; the North Yorkshire Learning and Skills Council; UK Coal plc; NUM; NACODS; the Coalfield Regeneration
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  Trust; Ricall Regen Centre; North Yorkshire Business Link; Wakefield First; Barnsley metropolitan district council; and the Association for Voluntary Services.

  The remit of the Task Force will not include UK Coal's responsibilities to its work force, such as arrangements for redundancy and pensions.

  Yorkshire Forward will lead the multi-agency Task Force, with an immediate £1.5 million injection of funding for set-up costs and commissioning of initial research, in response to the announcement of the closure of the Selby coalfield with further funding promised in the future. A comprehensive retraining programme will be required to minimise the impact of the closure on local economies.

  Jobcentre Plus will provide advice and guidance to help individuals return to work as quickly as possible. It has experience of supportive involvement in major redundancies in a number of large organisations including Corns, Rolls Royce, Vauxhall and Unipart. It will co-ordinate its input to the support package for Selby via the Task Force. Specific measures provided will include the Rapid Response Service, through which a range of direct support to redundant workers at Selby will be provided, including:
  provision of advice, guidance and support—if possible by placing staff on site;
  skills needs assessments for all workers, identifying skills held, future training needs and help seeking appropriate work and training;
  access to existing training provision, if necessary through the Work Based Learning for Adults programme, which can address basic skills, soft skills and vocational skills needs; and
  where necessary by arranging additional provision.

  Jobcentre Plus will also co-operate with key partners to help ensure other necessary support measures are identified and a cohesive response package is developed to provide appropriate support when it is needed.

  The North Yorkshire Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and the Government office for Yorkshire and the Humber will contribute fully, both to help the Task Force develop its strategy and to secure the effective implementation of the agreed actions.

  The North Yorkshire LSC, working with the local learning partnership and others, is already heavily involved in the Selby area, helping to re-engage people into learning. It will consider in particular what re-skilling packages might be needed to help regenerate the local economy and will seek to provide funds by applying a range of funding flexibilities from its:

  core funded provision;

  Local Initiative Fund;

  partners use of European budgets.

  In addition to support Selby workers, the Government will make payments on a similar basis to mineworkers at Longannet transferred from British Coal at privatisation and not already in receipt of "British Coal" redundancy payments. This will amount to £5,000 per person.

  The principle of Government support for redundancy payments in the coal and steel sectors lies in the European Coal and Steel Community Treaty, which expires on 23 July. The Government have already made use of the provisions of the ECSC treaty in similar circumstances
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  to make special payments to steel workers following the announcement of a programme of job cuts and closures throughout the UK by Corus in 2001.

  All payments are subject to agreement from the European Commission. No further coal or steel redundancy schemes will be put in place by the Government once the European Coal and Steel Community Treaty has expired.

  We have the most efficient coal industry in Europe, but to date European rules have prevented us from supporting viable investment projects through Regional Selective Assistance. My hon. Friend the Minister for Energy and Construction, has therefore secured agreement at a European level to the flexibility to pay investment aid for pits that have a viable future and we will shortly be consulting on the case for introducing such a scheme in the UK.

  Such a scheme could allow for coal to be treated on a level playing field with other industries. We need to be clear that any new scheme will be cost-effective and make a real contribution to the capacity of the industry to exploit viable reserves of coal in the UK. As part of this analysis we will also commission an independent study of the remaining reserves at existing deep mines to help identify where investment support might be directed. Subject to the conclusions of our work and to the availability of resources we may be in a position to make specific proposals by the end of the year. The details of any scheme will of course need to be agreed with the European Commission consistent with the new EU regime.

  I am also announcing a targeted extension of the current operating aid scheme, to the end of 2002, in order to help secure the long-term future of viable mines under exceptional short-term pressure and will consult on the details shortly. Aid has been paid under the current scheme on the understanding that recipients are viable without aid beyond July 2002, so a general extension of the scheme would not be appropriate. However real concerns have been raised about the risk that short term pressures at a small number of pits may force operators to change existing mining plans in such a way as to close off for good access to significant and otherwise viable reserves of coal. I therefore intend to seek the European Commission's agreement to a modified extension of the current subsidy scheme targeted to address these specific concerns.

  Company Law
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will publish a consultation paper on the reform of company law. [67660]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Our current company law is creaking with age. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is today publishing plans to modernise and reform it for the 21st century. Company law is central to our economy and our prosperity. A thorough overhaul is needed to make the law clearer and accessible.
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  The White Paper reflects the changes that have taken place in the business environment in recent years, particularly the growth of small businesses and advances in communications technology, and include plans to:
  Simplify the law and reduce burdens on small firms;
  Improve transparency to increase confidence in business;
  Improve governance to encourage and support responsible business.

  EU Copyright Directive
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations her Department will undertake during the process to implement EU Directive 2001/29/EC on copyright. [69723]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  We intend to circulate a consultation document setting out our proposals for legislative changes to implement this Directive to a wide range of interested parties already known to us, representing holders of rights, users of protected material and intermediaries. The consultation document will also be posted on the Patent Office website (www.patent.gov.uk) in order that any other interested organisations or individuals may comment if they wish.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals she has to replace the nuclear power plants that will retire between 2010 and 2025; what renewable energy plants will be considered; and what will be done with the nuclear power plants that will be taken out of service between 2010 and 2025. [68185]

  Mr. Wilson
  In common with all generation options, the initiative for bringing forward proposals to construct new plant lies with the market and the generating companies. The future role of all electricity generation technologies is currently being considered as part of the work leading to the White Paper. Closed nuclear power plants will be decommissioned.

  Nuclear Waste Shipments
  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received from the(a) Government of the Republic of Ireland, (b) National Assembly for Wales, (c) Northern Irish Assembly and (d) Scottish Executive on the transportation of nuclear waste to Sellafield by sea. [68093]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 9 July 2002]I have not received any recent representations from these bodies about the transportation of nuclear waste to Sellafield by sea.

  Consumer Credit Act
  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from organisations in Scotland on reform of procedures relating to time orders under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. [67119]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  None.
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  Mr. Weir
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive regarding possible reform procedures relating to time orders under the Consumer Credit Act 1974; and if she will make a statement. [67118]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Scottish Executive have recently consulted on the Enforcement of Civil Obligations in Scotland and this consultation mentions time orders under the 1974 Act while recognising that any changes to the 1974 Act would be a reserved matter. DTI officials plan to meet with their colleagues in the Scottish Executive to discuss the outcome of the consultation.

  British Accounting
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received from British Business regarding the review of British accounting. [69074]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Co-ordinating Group set up to bring together the responses of the key regulators to post-Enron audit and accounting issues invited comments from 80 representative bodies, firms and individuals. The invitation was also published on the DTI website. There have been 25 responses. A summary of these will be included in the Group's interim report, which is expected to be published this month.

  Regulation
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer by Chancellor of the Exchequer of 5 July 2002,Official Report, column 628W, when she will lay the relevant regulations before Parliament. [70078]

  Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]We will lay the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations before Parliament following a consultation exercise on certain aspects of the regulations, which will begin later this month.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the action which the Regulatory Reform Action Plan(a) has taken and (b) proposes to take for better regulation and reform across Whitehall, local government and health authorities. [70101]

  Nigel Griffiths
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]In February the Government published the Regulatory Reform Action Plan, setting out over 250 proposals that will benefit businesses, charities and the voluntary sector, the wider public sector and individual citizens. The Plan includes measures that will deliver better regulation and reform across Whitehall, local government and health authorities. This is a programme for action, and where possible, Departments have given published targets for delivery.

  The Government are monitoring progress on these proposals.

  Postal Services
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the reform of postal services in England. [65168]
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  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 9 July 2002]The Postal Services Act 2000 established an independent regulator (Postcomm). It is Postcomm's primary statutory duty under that Act to ensure the provision of a universal postal service. The Act lays down that the obligation consists of a service provided at an affordable price determined by a public tariff uniform throughout the United Kingdom, and includes the delivery each working day to the home or premises of every individual in the United Kingdom and a collection each working day from access points.

  In her statement to the House on 13 June 2002, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, set out the proposals agreed by the Board of Consignia to return the company's postal business to profitability, consistent with its statutory obligations.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contribution she expects competitors in the UK mail industry to make to the universal service obligation; and if she will make a statement. [66751]

  Mr. Timms
  The Government laid down the universal postal service obligation in primary legislation in the Postal Services Act 2000. Under that legislation, it is Postcomm's primary duty to exercise its functions in the manner which it considers is best calculated to ensure the provision of a universal postal service, and subject to this. it is also under a duty to exercise its functions in the manner which it considers is best calculated to further the interests of users of postal services, wherever appropriate by promoting effective competition between postal operators. Any contribution to be made by postal competitors to the universal service is therefore a matter for Postcomm.

  Family-Friendly Working Hours
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Government's policy is on family-friendly working hours for parents of young families. [69725]

  Alan Johnson
  The Government are committed to helping working parents. From April 2003 parents of children aged under six or of disabled children aged under 18 will have the right to apply to work flexibly. These parents face particular challenges and their employers will have a duty to consider these requests seriously. The Government continue to encourage the wider adoption of flexible working practices through the Work Life Balance Campaign.

  At the same time, the Government will be increasing and extending maternity leave and pay and introducing new rights to paid adoption and paternity leave. These new rights, together with existing rights to take parental leave and time off for dependents will provide parents with more opportunities than ever before to balance work and family life. Employers, parents and their children stand to benefit as a result.

  Mineworkers Pension Scheme
  Valerie Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress is being made on the scheme announced on 17 January to award one-off lump sum payments to members of the mineworkers pension scheme on the lowest pensions.[70299]
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  Mr. Wilson
  Payments totalling £38.2 million have now been made to over 28,000 coal pensioners on the lowest incomes. This is the first tranche of the initiative I announced that will benefit around 66,000 former coal miners at a cost of £90 million.

  Those who have been paid are the oldest members of the mineworkers pension scheme. The remaining members who are not yet at pensionable age will receive their payments over the next 12 months.

  These lump sum payments are in addition to the average bonus increase of 30 per cent. that have been awarded to members of the British Coal pension schemes since privatisation, over and above the annual inflation increase.

  Timesaver Programme
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the timesaver programme for assisting small businesses. [69677]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The Small Business Service has carried out work on a timesaver service to reduce the time spent by small businesses in dealing with Government and complying with regulations. As a result of this work this project is being taken forward as part of a cross-departmental programme.

  Excess Profits
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list those sectors of industry in which excess profits have occurred in the past four years, using the same definition of excess profits as the Competition Commission. [68002]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 8 July 2002]This information is not available. The Competition Commission's inquiries relate to markets not sectors.

  Your Guide Scheme
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on progress with the Your Guide scheme. [66748]

  Mr. Timms
  The evaluation of the pilot of post offices as Government General Practitioners has been completed to schedule. Work to establish whether a national service could offer value for money to all stakeholders, including Government and post offices, is continuing.

  Public Consultation
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the public consultations undertaken by her Department since June 2001, stating in each case the(a) number of respondents and (b) percentage of those specifically consulted who responded. [60142]
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  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 10 June 2002]The consultations undertaken by the Department since June 2001 are as follows:

  Commission proposal for a directive on the working conditions of temporary (agency) workers;

  Company Investigations: Powers for the 21 Century;

  Concerns about gas prices and possible improvements to market efficiency;

  Developing Energy Policy—Key Issues for Consultation for the White Paper:

  Directive 2000/53/EC on End of Life Vehicles;

  Directors' Home Addresses;

  Directors' Remuneration;

  Discussion document on Electronic Signatures Directive Implementing Regulations;

  Discussion Paper on a Possible Producer Responsibility Model for Used Tyres;

  DTI Reviews: Structure and Priorities and Business Support; EC Green Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility;

  EC Green Paper on the review of the ECMR;

  Employment status in relation to statutory employment rights;

  Final consultation on Fixed Term Work;

  Flexible working;

  General Product Safety Directive;

  Guidance on applications for resolution of disputes over third party access to Oil and Gas Infrastructure;

  High Performance Workplaces: The Role of Employee Involvement in a Modern Economy;

  ICANN and the Management of the Internet Domain Name system;

  IT Security Industry in connection with the Private Security Industry Act;

  Joint DTI/DCMS consultation on the Draft Communications Bill;

  Maternity and parental leave, and paternity and adoption leave and pay;

  Modernising The Consumer Credit Act 1974;

  Modernising trading standards;

  Proposal on the EU Statute for a European Co-operative Society;

  Proposals to Tighten Consumer Protection against Short Measure of Draught Beer and Cider;

  Proposed amendments to Part-Time Workers Regulations;

  Proposed changes to the legislation that deals with price marking of food and drink served in bars, restaurants and cafes;

  Proposed changes to the Price Marking (Food and Drink on Premises) Order 1979;

  Reform of EC Competition Regime;

  Report of the Task Force on Car Servicing and Repair;

  Review into the case for Government support for cleaner coal technology demonstration plant;

  Routes to Resolution: Improving dispute resolution in Britain;

  Second Consultation on Proposed Modifications to Licence Conditions and Ofgem Guidelines;

  Second consultation on the Directive 1999/44/EC on certain aspects of the sale of consumer goods and associated guarantees;

  The DTI Race Equality Scheme;

  The E-Commerce Directive (2000/31/EC): draft implementing Regulations and interim guidance for business;

  The preliminary decision to add new user groups to the approved users list in the Airwave mm02 Telecommunications Act licence;

  The Pressure Equipment Regulations 1999;

  The process for identifying the GB system operator (GBSO);

  The UNIDROIT/ICAO Draft Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment;

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  Towards Equality and Diversity: Implementing the Employment and Race Directives;

  Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (TUPE) reform;

  Treasury Shares;

  Under-Investment in University Research Infrastructure;

  Young Workers Directive.

  Figures for the number of respondents and the percentage of those specifically consulted who responded are not held centrally. All DTI consultation documents are posted on the Department website and that of the Central Office of Information to ensure we consult as widely as possible.

  Employment Liability (Quarries)
  Mr. Roger Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the willingness of the insurance industry to provide employer liability cover for small quarries. [66762]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The provision of insurance is a matter for insurance companies in the light of their commercial understanding of the market. There is no statutory requirement on the insurance industry to provide employers' liability compulsory insurance.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action was taken by the Government to ensure that Zimbabwe would follow the Southern African Development Community's programme for free and fair elections. [67133]

  Mr. MacShane
  The SADC parliamentary forum published norms and standards which set a very high standard for the conduct of free and fair elections. They formed the basis of the norms and standards adopted by the EU.

  The EU sent election observers to Zimbabwe. But the Government revoked the visa of the EU team leader, which forced the withdrawal of the observer mission.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations personnel at the Foreign Office have made in the past year to the European Commission concerning the recruitment and appointment of personnel to positions in the Commission dealing with Zimbabwe, with special reference to representations made on behalf of British citizens to Commission appointment boards. [68876]

  Peter Hain
  It is not practical to attempt to check every contact between British officials and the Commission over the last year. But we are not aware of any representations being made over that period concerning the recruitment and appointment of personnel to positions in the Commission dealing with Zimbabwe.

  British Goods Promotion
  Mr. Mark Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding he gave to promote(a) high quality and (b) other British goods and services abroad in the last 12 months. [67786]

  Mr. MacShane
  British Trade International (BTI), has lead responsibility within Government for trade development and investment overseas and inward investment. The BTI is a joint FCO and DTI operation.

  The trade promotion and development arm of BTI is Trade Partners UK (TPUK). In financial year 2001–02, TPUK's budget for promoting goods and services overseas was some £69.6 million.

  Information distinguishing between funding for the promotion of (a) high quality and (b) other British goods and services is not collected.

  Overseas Territories
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which UK overseas territories(a) have and (b) have not produced timely, complete and reliable statistical abstracts annually since 1997; with which United Kingdom overseas territories his office has raised queries on the timeliness, completeness and reliability of their (i) annual statistical abstracts and (ii) other statistical reports since 1997; and from which United Kingdom overseas territories satisfactory responses are still awaited. [67642]

  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will place in the Library the National Income Accounts for each overseas territory received by his Department; and if he will list the date of their last submission; [67852]

  (2) if he will place in the Library copies of the latest official statistics for each of the overseas territories that his Department has received; [67850]

  (3) with whom the duty for publishing and submitting to his Department the National Income Accounts on Official Statistics for each overseas territory lies; [67849]

  (4) on which occasions he has received official statistics over the past five years from each overseas territory; and if he will indicate, in each case, if they are of the standard that he requires. [67851]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  [holding answer 10 July 2002]Each overseas territory has a slightly different system for the collection and publication of statistics but we look to them all to produce suitable and regular information.

  Of the nine overseas territories where there is significant economic activity, seven have regularly produced and published statistics over a five year period up to and including either 2000 or 2001. Montserrat, due to particular circumstances, has been unable to produce comprehensive statistics for several years, but expects to do so in the near future. Gibraltar has recently published a compendium of statistics after a gap of several years. I will be making arrangements for the most recent statistical returns from each of these overseas territories to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
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  HMG are in consultation with certain overseas territories about refining and improving their statistical returns, and where appropriate have offered assistance with this, for example by the secondment of experts.

  Botswana
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the policy of the Botswanian Government to relocate the bushmen is in accordance with the terms of the programme to support and improve protected reserves agreed between the European Union and the Botswanian Government. [69224]

  Mr. MacShane
  The relocation of the bushmen from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is not linked in any way to the terms of the EU programme. While the programme allows for support to inhabitants of the community-use zones adjacent to game reserves, it is not dependent on relocation of people from those reserves.

  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what part Her Majesty's Government played in negotiating the programme between the European Union and the Botswanian Government to support and improve protected reserves; [69223]

  (2) what part her Department had in the negotiation of the programme for supporting and improving protected reserves agreed between the European Union and the Botswanian Government. [692251

  Mr. MacShane
  We played no direct role in negotiating the programme to support and improve protected reserves. The European Commission does this on behalf of the EU under agreed procedures governing disbursement of the European Development Fund.

  Afghanistan
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the repatriation of refugees to Afghanistan from neighbouring countries; and if he will make a statement on the infrastructural and security situation within Afghanistan. [69370]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  So far approximately 1.2 million refugees have returned to Afghanistan from neighbouring countries. Since September 2001, the UK has contributed over £5 million to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for their programme of assistance to Afghan refugees, and over £3.5 million to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) for assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees to Afghanistan. We are also supporting a number of other humanitarian programmes which will help to create an environment for the sustainable return of both refugees and IDPs, including the United Nations-led programme of mine clearance and mine awareness in Afghanistan.

  Years of fighting and instability have taken their toll on Afghan infrastructure, which has had a direct impact on humanitarian, reconstruction and rehabilitation work in Afghanistan. A World bank trust fund has been established to co-ordinate international development assistance for Afghanistan, including for infrastructure.
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  The overall security situation in Kabul has improved greatly since ISAF began its operations there last December. However, the security situation elsewhere in Afghanistan is more uncertain, and there are many challenges still to face. The key to improving security throughout Afghanistan is to offer the Afghans assistance with Security Sector Reform. We are leading on the counter narcotics effort, with the US leading on army training, the Germans on police training, the Italians on judicial reform, and the Japanese on demobilisation.

  United States Farm Act
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the impact of the new United States Farm Act on the(a) enlargement of the EU and (b) the development of agricultural exports from the Third World. [69227]

  Peter Hain
  The information is as follows:

  (a) The Government are a champion of EU enlargement and are committed to concluding negotiations by the end of this year with those candidates who are ready. The US Farm Act will have no direct consequences for the substance and timing of the EU enlargement process.

  (b) Further liberalisation of agricultural trade is important for fostering trade led growth, and thus poverty reduction, in developing countries. These are key UK objectives in implementing the WTO's Doha Development Agenda. Regrettably, the US Farm Act seems likely to further distort world markets.

  Kashmir
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the UK's role in relation to the dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. [69498]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made clear in the House on 25 June 2002,Official Report, column 728, this is at root a bilateral matter, which can be resolved only by direct dialogue between the parties. We welcome the lowering of tensions but remain deeply concerned about the military mobilisation on both sides of the border. We will remain fully engaged in seeking further de-escalation and encouraging India and Pakistan to work towards a lasting settlement of all their differences, including Kashmir.

  As part of this engagement, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence visited the region on 23 July, and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will be visiting again later this week. The purpose of both visits is to encourage dialogue between India and Pakistan.

  Departmental Travel
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on using(a) UK and (b) non-UK carriers. [69689]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Our policy is to use airlines that provide the best value for money in terms of cost, safety and service on the routes flown.
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  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what internal budgetary rules govern the travel of his Department's staff, embassy staff and associated staff. [69690]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Rules governing expenditure on staff travel at home and overseas are set out in the FCO Code of Management. These cover entitlements, authorisation of expenditure, value for money and budgeting.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the British high commissioner to Cyprus has taken to bring together Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots living on Cyprus to discuss issues of general interest; when such meetings have taken place during the last 12 months; and where the meetings took place. [69732]

  Peter Hain
  The Government are committed to developing practical co-operation between the two communities on and off the island. I myself hosted a reception and gave a speech to an intercommunal gathering on 10 April which was attended by senior politicians from both communities. The British high commission has made a significant contribution to intercommunal dialogue, bringing Turkish and Greek Cypriots together at a wide range of events.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom Government's relations with the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. [69704]

  Peter Hain
  The Government enjoy excellent relations with the Government of the Republic of Cyprus.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what the United Kingdom Government's policy is on the United Nations resolutions that have been passed as the basis of a settlement for Cyprus; [69750]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom Government's policy on Cyprus; [69699]

  (3) what the United Kingdom Government's policy is on the development of two sovereign states for the island of Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [69705]

  Peter Hain
  It is for the two sides in Cyprus to agree the terms of a settlement. However, the Government are committed to UN Security Council Resolution 1250 of June 1999 which called upon the two leaders to give their full support to a comprehensive negotiation under the auspices of the Secretary-General for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement in Cyprus, which takes full consideration of relevant Security Council resolutions and treaties. We are working hard to help all involved in the current direct talks to move negotiations forward and urging both sides to co-operate fully in such an effort, in particular to work with the Secretary-General's Special Adviser, Alvaro de Soto.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if the recent statement made by Lord Hannay, during a recent Turkish television interview on Cyprus, was(a) a statement of United
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  Kingdom Government policy on Cyprus and (b) made with approval of his Department; and if he will make a statement; [69700]

  (2) if Lord Hannay discussed his recent Turkish television interview on Cyprus with the British High Commissioner for the Republic of Cyprus before the interview took place; and if he will make a statement. [69703]

  Peter Hain
  Lord Hannay is the Government's Special Representative on Cyprus, and speaks with our full support.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met President Clerides of the Republic of Cyprus; what issues were discussed; and if he will make a statement. [69730]

  Peter Hain
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and President Derides both attended the European Council in Seville in June. I met him in April.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what salary has been paid to Lord Hannay as the United Kingdom adviser on Cyprus in each of the last five years; [69706]

  (2) how many days Lord Hannay has been employed by the United Kingdom Government to work as the UK adviser on Cyprus in each of the last five years. [69707]

  Peter Hain
  Between June 1997 and June 1998 Lord Hannay was employed by the United Kingdom Government to work as the UK adviser on Cyprus for 98 days and was paid a salary of £39,200.

  Between June 1998 and June 1999 Lord Hannay was employed for 79 days and was paid a salary of £31,600.

  Between June 1999 and June 2000 Lord Hannay was employed for 99.5 days and was paid a salary of £39,800.

  Between June 2000 and June 2001 Lord Hannay was employed for 100.5 days and was paid a salary of £45,315.

  Between June 2001 and June 2002 Lord Hannay was employed for 88.5 days and was paid a salary of £39,825. His expertise, authority and the respect in which he is held by both sides shows that this is good value for money.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the policy is of the United Kingdom Government on the application of the Republic of Cyprus for the membership of the European Union. [69729]

  Peter Hain
  The Government welcome and indeed champions Cyprus' application to join the European Union. The Government's policy remains based on the position outlined by the Helsinki European Council, which stated that"a political settlement will facilitate the accession of Cyprus to the European Union".

  If no settlement has been reached by the completion of accession negotiations, the Council's decision on accession will be made without the above being a precondition. In this the Council will take account of all relevant factors.
  180W
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the number of settlers from mainland Turkey who are permanently settled in northern Cyprus. [69712]

  Peter Hain
  The number of Turkish citizens who have come from mainland Turkey to northern Cyprus is a matter of dispute between the various parties concerned. No authoritative figures are available.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Nations peacekeeping forces are based in Cyprus. [69711]

  Peter Hain
  As of June 2002, UN forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP) numbered 1,206 military personnel, 35 civilian police, 44 international civilians and 103 local civilians.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the British High Commissioner to the Republic of Cyprus last visited the occupied area of northern Cyprus; who he met; and what issues were discussed. [69709]

  Peter Hain
  The British High Commissioner and his staff in Nicosia maintain regular contacts on both sides of the green line, including on consular support for British nationals living in the north of Cyprus and support for a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement in Cyprus.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had, and with whom, on the future of the town of Famagusta; and if he will make a statement. [69731]

  Peter Hain
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent detailed discussions on the town of Famagusta. The future of the town of Famagusta is under discussion in the negotiations currently taking place under UN auspices for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement in Cyprus, to which the Government give their full support.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the resolution of the European Parliament of 13 June that only a single sovereign Cyprus state should be permitted to accede to the European Union. [69767]

  Peter Hain
  The Government fully support the Conclusions of the Seville European Council, which state that"as a Member State, Cyprus will need to speak with a single voice and ensure proper application of European Union law".

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many chapters the Republic of Cyprus has negotiated in its application for membership of the European Union. [69728]

  Peter Hain
  The Republic of Cyprus has opened 30 negotiating chapters and provisionally closed 28 in its accession negotiations with the European Union.

  Western Sahara
  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on sovereignty over Western Sahara. [69977]
  181W
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The UK—in common with most other countries—regards the sovereignty of Western Sahara as undetermined pending UN efforts to find a solution to this dispute.

  We supported UN Security Council Resolution 1359. This reiterated full support for the ongoing efforts of MINURSO to implement the Settlement Plan and agreements by the parties to hold a free, fair and impartial referendum for the self-determination of the people of the Western Sahara.

  It also endorsed the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to invite all the parties to meet directly, or through proximity talks under the auspices of his Personal Envoy, James Baker, to discuss any proposal in order to arrive at a mutually acceptable agreement.

  EU Enlargement
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made towards EU enlargement. [69872]

  Peter Hain
  Excellent progress was made under the Spanish presidency, which agreed EU positions on the four final chapters for negotiation, in line with the "road map" agreed at Nice. The Seville European Council reiterated the EU's commitment to completing negotiations with the best-prepared candidates by the end of the year, so they can join the EU in time to take part in the 2004 European Parliament elections. The UK is firmly committed to this timetable, first proposed by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in 2000. I0 candidate countries are on track to complete negotiations this year, having closed between 23 and 28 of the 30 chapters.

  Middle East
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Governments of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia concerning anti-Semitism in the media in those countries; and if he will make a statement. [70169]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We deplore anti-Semitism and make this clear to those concerned.

  Saudi Arabia
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with(a) the Saudi Ambassador and (b) the Saudi Government concerning recent statements made by the Ambassador relating to suicide bombing; and if he will make a statement. [70168]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The FCO has made clear to the Saudi Ambassador our well-known position on suicide bombings. We condemn them as we condemn all forms of terrorism and indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians. We have not made any other representations to the Saudi Government.

PRIME MINISTER

  Sure Start
  Mr. Dhanda
  To ask the Prime Minister what changes to ministerial responsibilities he will be making in relation to Sure Start, early years and child care. [70678]

  The Prime Minister
  The Chancellor announced yesterday a significant increase in the combined budget for child care, early years and Sure Start, rising to £1.5 billion in 2005–06. This includes a more than doubling of investment in child care by 2005–06, following an inter-departmental review of child care co-ordinated by the Performance and Innovation Unit.

  The extra investment will support the expansion of child care places across the country, and the integration of good quality child care with early years education, family support and health services through a network of children's centres in the most disadvantaged areas.

  In keeping with this new focus on integration, responsibility for early years education, child care and Sure Start will be brought within one inter-departmental unit based within the Department for Education and Skills. The Chancellor announced yesterday the PSA target for the new unit which will be shared by the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Work and Pensions.

  This new inter-departmental unit will report to a new Minister for Sure Start, early years and child care, who will be jointly appointed to the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Work and Pensions, to ensure that our early years and child care vision delivers on both our educational and employment objectives. I have asked Baroness Ashton, who led the interdepartmental review of child care, to take on this role.

  Baroness Ashton will report to a new cross-departmental ministerial group on Sure Start, early years and child care. This Group will be a sub-Committee of MISC9, the Cabinet sub-Committee on Children's Services. The focus on health has been vital to the Sure Start programmes already up and running. To ensure that this is maintained, the sub-committee will be chaired by the Minister for Public Health. The sub-committee's other members will include the Paymaster General and the Minister for Disabled People.

  The Secretary of State for Education and Skills will continue to speak on these issues in Cabinet. At junior ministerial level, the Minister for Disabled People will answer questions in the House of Commons.

  I believe these new arrangements will ensure that an integrated approach is taken to the development and delivery of our early years and child care vision.

PRIVY COUNCIL

  E-democracy
  Rob Marris
  To ask the President of the Council if he will make a statement on E-democracy. [68012]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  The Government will today publish "In the service of democracy, a consultation paper on a policy for electronic democracy". Copies of the paper are
  183W
  available in the Vote Office, Libraries of the House and on the new e-democracy website www.edemocracy.gov.uk. A copy of the paper will be sent to all MPs and Peers.

  Our strategy for e-democracy offers new ways of participating and seeks to complement rather than replace existing structures. The paper sets out our aim of using new technologies to promote, strengthen and enhance our democratic structures.

  Government action is proposed in two main areas, e-participation and e-voting. We outline new ways in which the mechanisms of democracy can be enhanced, by modernising voting methods, improving access to ballots and broadening the scope of Government consultations.

  Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) provide a means to increase public participation, and we hope that with an active Government policy the potential benefits can be maximised.

  The period of public consultation will end on Wednesday 31 October 2002.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  School Exclusions
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many exclusions from(a) primary and (b) secondary schools there have been in each English local education authority in each year since 1980–81; and if she will make a statement. [67105]

  Mr. Stephen
  Twigg [holding answer 8 July 2002]Tables showing the available information have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Child Care (Regulations)
  Richard Younger-Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what plans there are to advertise the existence of the national register of child minders and day care providers; [69117]

  (2) what action has been taken to advertise the existence of the national register of child minders and day care providers; [69118]

  (3) when the national register of child minders and day care providers will be available online; [69119]

  (4) how many child care professionals are listed on the national register of child minders and day care providers; [69132]

  (5) how many child care professionals are listed on the national register of child minders and day care providers within the area of the Devon county council. [69140]

  Margaret Hodge
  The establishment of a national register of child minders and day care providers is a matter for the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). The HM Chief Inspector for Schools, David Bell, will write to the hon. Gentleman and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library. Ofsted routinely transfers information from its database of child care providers to local Childcare information Services (CISs). The Government have made funds available to local CISs across England in order to make child care information available to parents. The Department has set up the ChildcareLink national
  184W
  information line (0800 0 96 02 96) to help parents find their local CIS. There is also a ChildcareLink website www.childcarelink gov.uk that includes a search facility to find local child care provision.

  Richard Younger-Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) when assessment of child care providers against OFSTED's satisfaction criteria will(a) commence and (b) be completed; [69142]

  (2) what OFSTED'S draft satisfaction criteria for child care providers are; [69143]

  (3) when OFSTED's satisfaction criteria for child care providers will be finalised. [69145]

  Margaret Hodge
  This is a matter for the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED). The HM Chief Inspector for Schools, David Bell, will write to the hon. Gentleman and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

  Richard Younger-Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what further training is necessary for staff as a result of the transfer of responsibilities for child care regulation to OFSTED; and what plans there are for its provision. [69144]

  Margaret Hodge
  Training for staff employed by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) is a matter for OFSTED. The HM Chief Inspector for Schools, David Bell, will write to the hon. Gentleman and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

  Higher Education
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans the Government have to consult students on higher education courses. [63936]

  Margaret Hodge
  Students' views are at the heart of the new arrangements for quality assurance in higher education, which will be introduced from September 2002. Students and graduates will be asked to rate their courses through a range of surveys and their views will be published. A national survey of graduates will be piloted in October 2002 and will be followed by full implementation in Autumn 2003.

  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of young people in each English county entered higher education in the latest year for which information is available; and if she will make a statement. [67106]

  Margaret Hodge
  [holding answer 8 July 2002]The latest available information, showing the proportion of 18 year olds from each local education authority in England entering full-time undergraduate courses in the UK via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), is shown in the table.

  Our programmes to raise standards in schools and colleges will have a major impact on increasing participation in HE. We have introduced the Excellence Challenge in Excellence in Cities areas and Education Action Zones, working with young people from the age of 13, which, together with the Aim Higher campaign, will encourage more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to aspire to HE. We are also encouraging more Higher Education Institutions to introduce a range
  185W
  of measures to enable more people to participate in higher education including part-time learning and access programmes for mature students.

  Proportion of English domiciled students aged 18 accepted through Ucas to full-time undergraduate courses in the UK autumn 2001 entry

  Local Education Authority (LEA)

  17 year old population in 2000

  18 year olds accepted to HE in 2001

  Proportion entering Higher Education percentage

  Barking and Dagenham

  2,029

  231

  11.4

  Barnet

  3,872

  1,234

  31.9

  Barnsley

  2,723

  437

  16.0

  Bath and North East Somerset

  1,913

  479

  25.0

  Bedfordshire

  4,729

  1,119

  23.7

  Bexley

  2,671

  488

  18.3

  Birmingham

  13,765

  2,447

  17.8

  Blackburn with Darwen

  2,059

  368

  17.9

  Blackpool

  1,734

  254

  14.6

  Bolton

  3,449

  826

  24.0

  Bournemouth

  1,564

  363

  23.2

  Bracknell Forest

  1,439

  305

  21.2

  Bradford

  6,797

  1,209

  17.8

  Brent

  3,177

  976

  30.7

  Brighton and Hove

  2,602

  370

  14.2

  Bromley

  3,163

  989

  31.3

  Buckinghamshire

  6,017

  1,826

  30.3

  Bury

  2,332

  597

  25.6

  Calderdale

  2,424

  513

  21.2

  Cambridgeshire

  6,711

  1,467

  21.9

  Camden

  1,929

  359

  18.6

  Cheshire

  8,179

  2,491

  30.5

  City of Bristol

  4,541

  797

  17.5

  City of Derby

  2,859

  558

  19.5

  City of Kingston upon Hull

  3,197

  356

  11.1

  City of London

  31

  54

  175.9

  City of Westminster

  2,032

  330

  16.2

  Cornwall

  6,012

  1,303

  21.7

  Coventry

  3,942

  762

  19.3

  Croydon

  4,125

  1,038

  25.2

  Cumbria

  5,931

  1,305

  22.0

  Darlington

  1,255

  259

  20.6

  Derbyshire

  8,620

  1,891

  21.9

  Devon

  8,323

  1,710

  20.5

  Doncaster

  3,886

  711

  18.3

  Dorset

  4,796

  1,017

  21.2

  Dudley

  3,731

  753

  20.2

  Durham

  6,540

  1,191

  18.2

  Ealing

  3,609

  998

  27.7

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  3817

  883

  23.1

  East Sussex

  5,769

  1,188

  20.6

  Enfield

  3,088

  877

  28.4

  Essex

  15,402

  3,483

  22.6

  Gateshead

  2,541

  432

  17.0

  Gloucestershire

  7,067

  1,656

  23.4

  Greenwich

  2,797

  406

  14.5

  Hackney

  2,286

  319

  14.0

  Halton

  1,793

  293

  16.3

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1,444

  295

  20.4

  Hampshire

  15,830

  3,617

  22.8

  Haringey

  2,399

  432

  18.0

  Harrow

  2,770

  1,059

  38.2

  Hartlepool

  1,226

  224

  18.3

  Havering

  2,758

  525

  19.0

  Herefordshire

  2,015

  503

  25.0

  Hertfordshire

  12,421

  3,401

  27.4

  Hillingdon

  2,921

  686

  23.5

  Hounslow

  2,521

  646

  25.6

  Isle of Wight

  1,494

  301

  20.2

  Isles of Scilly

  18

  10

  55.9

  Islington

  1,849

  302

  16.3

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1,665

  320

  19.2

  Kent

  16,431

  3,622

  22.0

  Kingston upon Thames

  1,607

  507

  31.5

  Kirklees

  4,973

  1,056

  21.2

  Knowsley

  2,371

  319

  13.5

  Lambeth

  2,848

  448

  15.7

  Lancashire

  14,806

  3,418

  23.1

  Leeds

  8,655

  1,743

  20.1

  Leicester City

  3,758

  826

  22.0

  186W

  Proportion of English domiciled students aged 18 accepted through Ucas to full-time undergraduate courses in the U K autumn 2001 entry.

  Local Education Authority (LEA)

  17 year old population in 2000

  18 year olds accepted to HE in 2001

  Proportion entering Higher Education percentage

  Leicestershire

  7,466

  1,844

  24.7

  Lewisham

  2,827

  442

  15.6

  Lincolnshire

  7,487

  1,705

  22.8

  Liverpool

  5,893

  1,032

  17.5

  Luton

  2,447

  422

  17.2

  Manchester

  5,955

  715

  12.0

  Medway Towns

  3,079

  602

  19.6

  Merlon

  1,991

  456

  22.9

  Middlesbrough

  2,098

  406

  19.4

  Milton Keynes

  2,828

  499

  17.6

  Newbury

  2,138

  448

  21.0

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  3,239

  754

  23.3

  Newham

  3,421

  688

  20.1

  Norfolk

  9,044

  1,624

  18.0

  North East Lincolnshire

  2,124

  339

  16.0

  North Lincolnshire

  1,991

  363

  18.2

  North Somerset

  2,303

  531

  23.1

  North Tyneside

  2,374

  417

  17.6

  North Yorkshire

  7,397

  1,882

  25.4

  Northamptonshire

  8,030

  1,726

  21.5

  Northumberland

  4,094

  916

  22.4

  Nottingham City

  3,423

  424

  12.4

  Nottinghamshire

  9,230

  1,913

  20.7

  Oldham

  3,004

  570

  19.0

  Oxfordshire

  7,889

  1,737

  22.0

  Peterborough

  2,174

  396

  18.2

  Plymouth

  3,232

  537

  16.6

  Poole

  1,635

  289

  17.7

  Portsmouth

  2,174

  306

  14.1

  Reading

  1,637

  348

  21.3

  Redbridge

  2,962

  944

  31.9

  Redcar and Cleveland

  1,824

  353

  19.4

  Richmond upon Thames

  1,878

  608

  32.4

  Rochdale

  2,942

  537

  18.3

  Rotherham

  3,204

  568

  17.7

  Rutland

  746

  118

  15.8

  Salford

  2,804

  359

  12.8

  Sandwell

  3,772

  594

  15.7

  Sefton

  3,708

  1,028

  27.7

  Sheffield

  5,775

  981

  17.0

  Shropshire

  3,706

  892

  24.1

  Slough

  1,388

  341

  24.6

  Solihull

  2,545

  757

  29.7

  Somerset

  6,313

  1,349

  21.4

  South Gloucestershire

  2,758

  497

  18.0

  South Tyneside

  1,959

  336

  17.2

  Southampton

  2,397

  395

  16.5

  Southend

  1,900

  350

  18.4

  Southwark

  2,448

  362

  14.8

  St Helens

  2,304

  503

  21.8

  Staffordshire

  10,282

  2,459

  23.9

  Stockport

  3,633

  919

  25.3

  Stockton-on-Tees

  2,495

  534

  21.4

  Stoke on Trent

  3,119

  502

  16.1

  Suffolk

  8,006

  1,679

  21.0

  Sunderland

  3,905

  617

  15.8

  Surrey

  12,979

  3,618

  27.9

  Sutton

  2,011

  558

  27.7

  Swindon

  2,199

  315

  14.3

  Tameside

  2,823

  407

  14.4

  Telford and the Wrekin

  2,148

  399

  18.6

  Thurrock

  1,574

  168

  10.7

  Torbay

  1,489

  278

  18.7

  Tower Hamlets

  2,522

  367

  14.6

  Trafford

  2,857

  710

  24.9

  Wakefield

  3,974

  749

  18.8

  Walsall

  3,454

  624

  18.1

  Waltham Forest

  2,485

  522

  21.0

  Wandsworth

  2,100

  501

  23.9

  Warrington

  2,404

  573

  23.8

  Warwickshire

  6,311

  1,553

  24.6

  West Sussex

  8,658

  1,910

  22.1

  Wigan

  3,836

  661

  17.2

  Wiltshire

  5,426

  1,283

  23.6

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  1,876

  464

  24.7

  187W

  Proportion of English domiciled students aged 18 accepted through Ucas to full-time undergraduate courses in the UK autumn 2001 entry

  Local Education Authority (LEA)

  17 year old population in 2000

  18 year olds accepted to HE in 2001

  Proportion entering Higher Education percentage

  Wirral

  4,284

  1,099

  25.7

  Wokingham

  1,986

  640

  32.2

  Wolverhampton

  3,200

  682

  21.3

  Worcestershire

  6,735

  1,549

  23.0

  York

  2,161

  533

  24.7

  Known total

  610,936

  131,254

  21.5

  Unknown

  —

  68

  —

  Total

  610,936

  131,322

  21.5

  Sources:

  Office of National Statistics (ONS), Government Actuary Department (GAD),

  Universities and Colleges Admissions Service(UCAS)

  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) courses and (b) chairs in British universities are funded by the EU; and what process ensures the academic rigour and impartiality of these arrangements. [68648]

  Margaret Hodge
  [holding answer 9 July 2002]The European Commission co-funds, with Universities, courses and academic posts in relevant subjects via its Jean Monnet project. The project did not operate last academic year, but according to the Commission website, this programme contributed funding towards 94 academic posts and 209 course modules in UK universities in the year 2000. There will be another round of the project this year. The posts supported are referred to by the Commission as 'Chairs' but are not always professorships. Academic institutions make their own appointments, which are then subject to approval by the Commission. Further information about the Jean Monnet project and the activities it supports can be found on the European Commission website www.europa.eu.in/comm/education

  In addition to this source, UK universities and research institutions derive significant amounts of funding from the European Union's Framework Programmes for Scientific research. The Government do not however hold any figures on how many courses are being funded as a result of successful UK applications made under the Improving Human Potential Programme in this Programme.

  The quality and standards of all the programmes and awards delivered by UK higher education institutions are encompassed within the quality assurance arrangements of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). University Chairs are institutional appointments and as such, standards are a matter for institutions in respect of their own recruitment policies.

  Staff Numbers
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many staff were employed by her Department on(a) 2 May 1997 and (b) 31 May 2002. [60920]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for State at the Cabinet Office on 13 June 2002,Official Report, column 1402W.

  Special Educational Needs
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 4 July 2002,Official Report, column 498W, on MLD and SLD schools, on what basis the Government allocates funding to meet SEN requirements. [69501]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  Most provision for the education of children with special needs (SEN) is included within general revenue grant support for local authorities. The Education Standard Spending Assessment formula through which this general support is distributed allows for different levels of additional educational need, between authorities, but does not specifically allocate funding for SEN needs. In practice, about 11 per cent. of local authority schools expenditure is attributable to SEN and to other "special" kinds of provision such as pupil referral units. In addition to general grant support, the Government pay specific grant through the Standards Fund which will support £91 million of expenditure on SEN in 2002–03. This specific support is distributed to authorities on the following basis: 70 per cent. on full time equivalent pupil numbers in all LEA maintained schools and 30 per cent. by entitlement to free school meals.

  Early-years Education
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of three-year-olds in deprived areas have access to early-years education. [69382]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Department does not collect data in the format requested.

  However, we have increased the national percentage of three-year-olds able to access a free, part time, early education place from 34 per cent. in January 1997 to more than 66 per cent. in January 2002. By September 2004, all three-year-olds will be able to access a free place.

  Already, 65 of the most deprived local education authorities offer a free nursery education place to all three-year-olds whose parents want one. The remaining authorities are responsible for devising eligibility criteria for the distribution of free places in their area according to social need.

  Children and Young People's Unit
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action she will take in response to the publication of the 'Yvote?/Ynot?' report by the Children and Young People's Unit. [69615]

  Mr. Denham
  The Children and Young People's Unit will be working with the Electoral Commission and a wide range of young people's organisations to extend the debate about the report's findings. We plan to make the materials from the project available to teachers, youth workers and organisations working directly with young people. We shall be working with the All Party Group on Youth Affairs to explore how honourable Members can be helped to improve their communication with young people. The report also identified the importance of information about the political process and this will be a
  189W
  key feature of citizenship education which will be part of the national curriculum for secondary schools from August 2002.

  My objective is to seek to ensure that all young people who have the opportunity to vote for the first time at the next general election should have considered the issues involved.

  Grammar Schools
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many places there were in each state grammar school in each English local education authority; what percentage this represented of the total number of secondary school places in these local authorities; and how many and what percentage of children was entered for the admission test for each of these schools in each of the last three years. [68172]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Department does not regularly collect information on the number of school places in any type of school. Nor does it collect information on the number of children entered for admission tests.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  S/Waste Paper
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how much waste paper was produced by the House in each of the last two years; how it was disposed of; and if he will make a statement. [2635]

  Mr. Kirkwood
  [pursuant to his reply, 17 June 2001, c. 156W]In July 2001 I said that some 3,000 tonnes of waste were incinerated per year. In fact the total quantity of domestic waste (that is, not including builders' waste) removed from the parliamentary estate and burned over the last three years has been under 1,500 tonnes per year. I apologise to the hon. Gentleman for this error; the wrong information was provided by a contractor, and that mistake has only just come to light in the course of preparing an answer to a recent question.

HEALTH

  NHS Dentistry
  Charlotte Atkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on dental health. [67272]

  Mr. Lammy
  Since the inception of the NHS oral health has improved greatly and NHS dentistry has worked well over this period. There have been dramatic falls in the numbers of adults and children with decayed, missing or filled teeth. However variations remain across the country and we are taking action to tackle these. We are also working with representatives of the profession to modernise NHS dentistry and to see how new demands on the service can be met for the benefit of patients and dentists.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of adults are registered with an NHS dentist. [67295]
  190W
  Mr. Lammy
  Arrangements are now in place to ensure that patients can gain access to national health service services simply by calling NHS Direct. This means that even if a patient is not registered with a dentist it will still be possible for that patient to access all forms of dentistry that are provided by the NHS.

  Forty-three per cent. of adults were registered with a general dental service dentist in England at 31 May 2002. Registrations lapse if patients do not return to the dentist within 15 months. Patients who are not registered can be seen under occasional treatment arrangements that were introduced last year.

  Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been made available to the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency for NHS dental provision. [60776]

  Jacqui Smith
  [pursuant to her reply, 24 June 2002, c. 727–28W]I regret that my previous reply was incorrect. It should read:

  Information on funding of national health service dental provision is not available on a constituency basis.

  The gross fees paid to general dental practitioners (GDP) within the old Morecambe Bay health authority area, for providing NHS dental treatment, were £9.28 million in 2001–02. Additional sums are paid to GDPs, for example to reimburse business rates. Funding for hospital and community dental services is drawn from the health authority's main allocation. This information is not identified separately.

  In 2001–02 the following additional funds were made available to Morecambe Bay health authority to improve NHS dental services:
  £308,000 revenue and £312,000 capital to establish a personal dental services dental access centre pilot scheme (DAC). The DAC has a surgery in Barrow offering unregistered patients access to dental services. A second surgery, to be located in Morecambe, has been funded and should be operational from April 2003. In the interim Morecambe Bay PCT is looking into proposals to provide an alternative DAC site in Lancaster on a part-time basis.
  The revenue funding available for the current year for this DAC is up to £820,000 and a further capital payment will be made of around £160,000. The service aim is to treat up to 17,000 patients a year when both centres are fully operational.
  An allocation of £270,800 was made in 2001–02 to GDPs from the modernisation fund for grants to local dental practices to provide practice improvements and additional facilities.
  £7,500 was allocated to the health authority from the dental action plan fund to enable additional patient registrations to be secured.

  Elderly Care
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on implementing the elderly care strategy in north Staffordshire. [67274]

  Jacqui Smith
  My hon. Friend has worked hard over many years to ensure better care for the elderly in the north Staffs area. I am aware that following concerns expressed by herself and the Community Health Council about plans for the future of elderly care services in north Staffs, Professor Brian Edwards was commissioned to make an independent report on the best way forward.
  191W
  I understand that the Shropshire and Staffordshire health authority are on target with the implementation of their elderly care strategy and are addressing all recommendations made in Professor Edwards' independent report including ensuring an extra 48 places in community hospitals over and above Professor Edwards' recommendation of 163 long-term beds.

  Diabetes
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made with the diabetes national service framework; and if he will make a statement. [R] [67275]

  Mr. Hutton
  We published the standards for the Diabetes National Service Framework last December. The delivery strategy for the Framework is currently being developed with the help of an Implementation Group and will be published later this year.

  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to introduce a high-risk screening programme for type-2 diabetes. [67296]

  Mr. Lammy
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State (Jacqui Smith) on 11 January 2001,Official Report, column 260W. Any decision about a start date for a possible programme will depend on the advice the Department receives.

  Community Health Services
  Linda Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to encourage the role of social and mutual enterprise in community health services. [67276]

  Ms Blears
  We are actively exploring the contribution that social enterprise can make to Primary Care Trusts' delivery of the Department's aim of a modernised and responsive health service. I hosted a workshop on this which was attended by key stakeholders, including experts from the not for profit sector, universities, trade unions and Government Departments and we will continue to discuss practical steps we can take to encourage full developments.

  Mental Health
  Mr. Mark Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the contributions his Department has received in response to the consultations prior to the publication of the new draft Mental Health Bill. [67279]

  Jacqui Smith
  The consultation responses received in respect of the draft Mental Health Bill will be available to the public after the consultation period ends unless respondents ask for confidentiality.

  Vernon Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the(a) causes of and (b) treatment for dementia. [67302]

  Jacqui Smith
  The most common causes of dementia are degeneration of brain nerve cells (Alzheimer's disease) and insufficient blood flow to the brain (vascular dementia).
  192W
  The National Service Framework for Older People published last year outlines the appropriate components for the treatment and care of people with dementia. It sets standards for the delivery of improved and comprehensive health and social care services to support people with dementia and their carers.

  Dr. Naysmith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding allocated to primary care trusts for mental health services has been ring-fenced. [60567]

  Jacqui Smith
  In 2002–03 £75 million was earmarked for mental health services. The funding is allocated to health authorities (HAs), which then allocate funding to primary care trusts (PCTs), on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. HAs were instructed to allocate earmarked funding to PCTs on the same basis as allocations were made to HA. PCTs share of the earmarked funding for mental health is shown in the table. Special consideration will need to be given to improving access to mental health services through crisis resolution, assertive outreach and early intervention teams; increasing capacity and improving service quality.

  Earmarked funding for mental health

  Primary care trust

  £000

  Adur, Arun and Worthing

  355

  Airedale

  170

  Amber Valley

  178

  Ashfield

  117

  Ashford

  138

  Ashton, Leigh and Wigan

  479

  Barking and Dagenham

  258

  Barnet

  514

  Barnsley

  380

  Basildon

  156

  Bassetlaw

  148

  Bath and North East Somerset

  236

  Bebington and West Wirral

  159

  Bedford

  205

  Bedfordshire Heartlands

  313

  Bexhill and Rother

  133

  Bexley

  298

  Billericay, Brentwood and Wickford

  184

  Birkenhead and Wallasey

  356

  Blackburn with Darwen

  242

  Blackpool

  254

  Bolton

  438

  Bournemouth

  255

  Bracknell Forest

  127

  Bradford City

  225

  Bradford South and West

  226

  Brent

  465

  Brighton and Hove City

  417

  Bristol North

  342

  Bristol South and West

  283

  Broadland

  150

  Bromley

  417

  Broxtowe and Hucknall

  194

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  396

  Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth

  195

  Bury

  268

  Calderdale

  292

  Cambridge City

  182

  Camden

  408

  Cannock Chase

  171

  Canterbury and Coastal

  247

  Carlisle and District

  172

  Castle Point and Rochford

  223

  Central Cheshire

  343

  Central Cornwall

  285

  Central Derby

  181

  193W

  Earmarked funding for mental health

  Primary care trust

  £000

  Central Liveipool

  457

  Central Manchester

  301

  Central Suffolk

  125

  Charnwood and North West Leicestershire

  314

  Chelmsford

  153

  Cheltenham and Tewkesbury

  207

  Cherwell Vale

  160

  Cheshire West

  227

  Chesterfield

  169

  Chiltern and South Bucks

  207

  Chingford, Wanstead and Woodford

  179

  Chorley and South Ribble

  285

  City and Hackney

  461

  Colchester

  226

  Cotswold and Vale

  262

  Coventry

  489

  Craven, Harrogate and Rural District

  286

  Crawley

  154

  Croydon

  508

  Dacorum

  195

  Darlington

  159

  Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley

  313

  Daventry and South Northamptonshire

  116

  Derbyshire Dales and South Derbyshire

  115

  Derwentside

  140

  Doncaster Central

  162

  Doncaster East

  134

  Doncaster West

  170

  Dudley Beacon and Castle

  160

  Dudley South

  280

  Durham and Chester-Le-Street

  227

  Durham Dales

  142

  Ealing

  544

  Easington

  177

  East Birmingham

  393

  East Cambridgeshire and Fenland

  206

  East Devon

  176

  East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey

  359

  East Hampshire

  262

  East Kent Coastal

  383

  East Leeds

  232

  East Lincolnshire

  397

  East Staffordshire

  171

  East Surrey

  209

  East Yorkshire

  199

  Eastbourne Downs

  281

  Eastern Cheshire

  255

  Eastern Hull

  193

  Eastern Leicester

  266

  Eastern Wakefield

  284

  Eastleigh and Test Valley

  187

  Eden Valley

  97

  Ellesmere Port and Neston

  124

  Enfield

  404

  Epping Forest

  151

  Erewash

  141

  Exeter

  180

  Fareham and Gosport

  247

  Fylde

  105

  Gateshead

  339

  Gedling

  135

  Great Yarmouth

  144

  Greater Derby

  218

  Greenwich

  375

  Guildford and Waverley

  323

  Halton

  187

  Hambleton and Richmondshire

  152

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  307

  Haringey

  424

  Harlow

  120

  Harrow

  293

  Hartlepool

  150

  Hastings and St. Leonards

  157

  194W

  Earmarked funding for mental health

  Primary care trust

  £000

  Havering

  345

  Heart of Birmingham

  464

  Herefordshire

  238

  Hertsmere

  124

  Heywood and Middleton

  121

  High Peak and Dales

  144

  Hillingdon

  364

  Hinckley and Bosworth

  122

  Horsham and Chanctonbury

  118

  Hounslow

  365

  Huddersfield Central

  257

  Huntingdonshire

  183

  Hyndburn and Ribble Valley

  172

  Ipswich

  205

  Isle of Wight

  207

  Islington

  401

  Kensington and Chelsea

  373

  Kingston

  243

  Knowsley

  265

  Lambeth

  539

  Langbaurgh

  151

  Leeds North East

  226

  Leeds North West

  257

  Leeds West

  167

  Leicester City West

  217

  Lewisham

  439

  Lincolnshire South West

  244

  Luton

  274

  Maidstone Weald

  304

  Maldon and South Chelmsford

  102

  Mansfield District

  138

  Medway

  357

  Melton, Rutland and Harborough

  178

  Mendip

  143

  Mid Devon

  137

  Middlesbrough

  315

  Mid-Hampshire

  228

  Mid-Sussex

  179

  Milton Keynes

  297

  Morecambe Bay

  467

  New Forest

  249

  Newark and Sherwood

  166

  Newbury and Community

  132

  Newcastle

  449

  Newcastle-Under-Lyme

  153

  Newham

  484

  North and East Cornwall

  224

  North Birmingham

  233

  North Bradford

  139

  North Devon

  215

  North Dorset

  121

  North East Lincolnshire

  239

  North East Oxfordshire

  85

  North East Warwickshire

  246

  North Eastern Derbyshire

  226

  North Hampshire

  241

  North Hertfordshire and Stevenage

  261

  North Kirklees

  210

  North Lincolnshire

  218

  North Liverpool

  187

  North Manchester

  273

  North Norfolk

  148

  North Peterborough

  166

  North Sheffield

  205

  North Somerset

  262

  North Stoke

  218

  North Surrey

  285

  North Tees

  273

  North Tyneside

  326

  North Wilts and Kennet

  253

  Northampton

  292

  Northamptonshire Heartlands

  378

  Northumberland Care Trust

  463

  195W

  Earmarked funding for mental health

  Primary care trust

  £000

  Norwich

  203

  Nottingham City

  474

  Oldbury and Smethwick

  169

  Oldham

  363

  Oxford City

  253

  Plymouth

  376

  Poole

  244

  Portsmouth City

  288

  Preston

  228

  Reading

  289

  Redbridge

  243

  Redditch and Bromsgrove

  204

  Richmond and Twickenham

  276

  Rochdale

  214

  Rotherham

  379

  Rowley, Regis and Tipton

  131

  Royston, Buntingford and Bishop's Stortford

  94

  Rugby

  119

  Rushcliffe

  151

  Rushmore and Hart

  231

  Salford

  389

  Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale

  236

  Sedgefield

  152

  Selby and York

  373

  Sheffield South West

  188

  Sheffield West

  181

  Shepway

  154

  Shropshire County

  384

  Slough

  177

  Solihull

  288

  Somerset Coast

  202

  South and East Dorset

  214

  South Birmingham

  533

  South Cambridgeshire

  116

  South East Hertfordshire

  225

  South East Oxfordshire

  100

  South East Sheffield

  269

  South Gloucestershire

  286

  South Hams and West Devon

  150

  South Huddersfield

  122

  South Leeds

  227

  South Leicestershire

  184

  South Liverpool

  150

  South Manchester

  237

  South Peterborough

  123

  South Sefton

  263

  South Somerset

  201

  South Stoke

  214

  South Tyneside

  260

  South Warwickshire

  325

  South West Dorset

  202

  South West Kent

  236

  South West Oxfordshire

  233

  South Western Staffordshire

  241

  South Wiltshire

  161

  South Worcestershire

  368

  Southampton City

  354

  Southend On Sea

  272

  Southern Norfolk

  267

  Southport and Formby

  175

  Southwark

  451

  St. Albans and Harpenden

  174

  St. Helens

  295

  Staffordshire Moorlands

  148

  Stockport

  422

  Suffolk Coastal

  131

  Suffolk West

  303

  Sunderland Teaching

  477

  Sussex Downs and Weald

  199

  Sutton and Merton

  529

  Swale

  132

  Swindon

  257

  Tameside and Glossop

  356

  196W

  Earmarked funding for mental health

  Primary care trust

  £000

  Taunton Deane

  145

  Teignbridge

  155

  Telford and Wrekin

  219

  Tendring

  219

  Thurrock

  202

  Torbay

  209

  Tower Hamlets

  360

  Trafford North

  147

  Trafford South

  183

  Uttlesford

  88

  Vale Of Aylesbury

  244

  Wakefield West

  218

  Walsall

  398

  Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone

  276

  Wandsworth

  469

  Warrington

  274

  Watford and Three Rivers

  245

  Waveney

  181

  Wednesbury and West Bromwich

  186

  Welwyn Hatfield

  136

  West Cumbria

  204

  West Gloucestershire

  299

  West Hull

  250

  West Lancashire

  158

  West Lincolnshire

  308

  West Norfolk

  209

  West Of Cornwall

  234

  West Wiltshire

  153

  Western Sussex

  307

  Westminster

  472

  Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead

  224

  Witham, Braintree and Halstead PCG'

  177

  Woking Area

  245

  Wokingham

  171

  Wolverhampton City

  387

  Wycombe

  181

  Wyre Forest

  146

  Wyre

  187

  Yorkshire Wolds and Coast

  208

  Total

  75,000

  1Planned care trust from 1 October 2002

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he plans to take steps to collect centrally information on(a) the proportion of individuals with a diagnosis of severe mental illness who are in employment and (b) trends in the prevalence of employment among such individuals. [68126]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 11 July 2002]The Department is taking steps to ensure that this information is collected for both local and national monitoring. Local services have been asked to ensure that written care plans for people with mental health problems on the enhanced level of the care programme approach show plans to secure suitable employment or other occupational activity. The outcomes implementation programme and the implementation of the mental health minimum data set will ensure that these data are collected routinely.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of community mental health teams are fully integrated as between NHS and social services. [68128]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 11 July 2002]The information requested is not collected centrally.
  197W
  Mrs. Helen Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact on black and ethnic minority groups of the proposals contained in the draft Mental Health Bill. [68665]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Government acknowledge the inequalities that people from black and minority ethnic groups face in mental health services and the over-representation, in particular, of young black men in the mental health system has been well documented (Mental Health Act Commission Biennial Report 2001). The mental health task force has been given a specific remit to look at black and ethnic mental health and are developing a strategy that will address the provision of services to people from these groups, while the proposals contained in the draft Mental Health Bill will offer individuals greater safeguards of their rights.

  Dr. Naysmith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the effect he estimates extending compulsion, as envisaged in the draft Mental Health Bill, will have on average waiting times for treatment. [68252]

  Jacqui Smith
  We anticipate that the impact on waiting times for urgent treatment will be minimal. The implementation of the "national service framework for mental health", and the development of new services such as assertive outreach, crisis resolution and early intervention, will help to ensure that fewer people become so ill that they need compulsory treatment.

  Care Homes
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of care home places in the south-west. [67280]

  Jacqui Smith
  At 31 March 2001, there were 44,791 registered residential care places and 24,073 registered nursing care beds in the south-west.

  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with Government Departments and other organisations about the treatment of elderly people in residential and nursing care for the purposes of the standard spending assessment. [67288]

  Elderly residential and nursing homes placements—gross expenditure by local authorities at 2000–01 prices

  £million

  Region

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–011

  North West

  475

  486

  512

  533

  568

  North East

  143

  161

  174

  202

  237

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  294

  319

  337

  355

  411

  East Midlands

  233

  242

  258

  286

  305

  East

  254

  273

  295

  313

  344

  London

  394

  415

  431

  437

  489

  South East

  405

  428

  443

  457

  483

  South West

  244

  265

  298

  325

  357

  West Midlands

  278

  312

  330

  353

  371

  Total England

  2,721

  2,901

  3,077

  3,262

  3,565

  12000–01 figures are inclusive of overhead costs.

  Source Form RO3 (PSS EX1 from 2000–01)—annual return of social services expenditure made by local authorities.
  198W
  Jacqui Smith
  I have had a number of recent discussions with other Government Departments and organisations about the older people's standard spending assessment formulae. I also commissioned independent research into this formula. As a result of these discussions and research there are a number of possible options for change to the existing formula that we are considering. A consultation document was issued on 8 July setting out these options and councils have 12 weeks to comment on them.

  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new admissions to care homes during each of the last five years in England and Wales he is aware were previously resident in Scotland. [69439]

  Jacqui Smith
  Information is not centrally held on the previous place of residence of residents in care homes in England. Questions relating to Wales are a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents of England and Wales he is aware have chosen to enter into a care home in Scotland in each of the last five years. [69438]

  Jacqui Smith
  Information is not held centrally in respect of individuals normally resident in England and in care homes. Information in respect of residents in care homes in Scotland and of individuals normally resident in Wales and in care homes are the responsibility of the respective devolved Administrations.

  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide a list, by region, of the publicly funded elderly care homes in the last five years; and how much money they received in real terms. [68527]

  Jacqui Smith
  Prior to April this year, local councils were responsible for the registration of residential care homes. Lists of registered homes were not maintained centrally. Nor are there central records of the size of contracts entered into with individual homes either by councils or by people who used income support to purchase care which they had arranged for themselves. However, the following table shows the gross expenditure on residential care and nursing provision by councils with social services responsibilities in each region in England at 2000–01 prices for the five years from 1996–97 to 2000–01.
  199W
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission a study comparing the quality of care between public and private care homes. [68528]

  Jacqui Smith
  There is no need for such a survey. Under section 7(1)(b) of the Care Standards Act 2000, the National Care Standards Commission has a duty of keeping my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State informed about the quality of services regulated under Part II of the Act.

  MS Sufferers
  Mr. Swire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered respite care homes for MS sufferers there are; and how many have closed since 1997. [67281]

  Jacqui Smith
  We do not collect this information centrally.

  I understand from the MS Society that there are 204 registered nursing or residential homes providing respite care, where staff have attended an MS study day and so have a basic knowledge of the condition.

  In addition, I understand that the society provides respite specifically for people with multiple sclerosis at three registered nursing homes in England. It also operates three homes which provide holidays for people with MS who have lower dependency, for carers, and for people with other conditions.

  The management of these homes is a matter for the MS Society.

  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of drug treatments for patients suffering from multiple sclerosis. [67293]

  Jacqui Smith
  Up to 9,000 patients in England and Wales may be eligible to receive a drug treatment for their multiple sclerosis under the risk-sharing scheme, which started on 6 May 2002. Patients are now being treated under the scheme, but we recognise that appropriate infrastructure is not yet in place in some localities.

  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if Copaxone is available at St. Bartholomew's Hospital; and for what reasons a valid prescription for Copaxone would be inadmissible. [66741]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 4 July 2002]Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) is available on the national health service under the risk-sharing scheme for disease modifying drugs for multiple sclerosis (MS) that came into operation on 6 May 2002.

  Barts and the London NHS Trust met with specialist commissioners on 5 July and agreed funding arrangements for MS therapy. A clinical discussion forum took place on 11 July. As a result of these discussions, all patients who are under the NHS for their MS care but are receiving MS therapy on a private prescription, are now eligible for NHS treatment, as long as the Association of British Neurologists criteria has been met. Consequently, all patients in this category will now be called in for review.

  Hospices
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on funding for hospices in Lancashire. [67282]

  Ms Blears
  During 2001–02, primary care trusts in Lancashire provided a total of £2.5 million to hospices in their respective areas. These included: Trinity Hospice in Fylde; St. John's Hospice in Lancaster; St. Catherine's Hospice in Preston; Derian House Hospice in Chorley; Burnley and Pendle Hospice; Rossendale Hospice; Springhill Hospice in Rochdale; East Lancashire Hospice; St. Joseph's Hospice, Jospice International; and Queenscourt Hospice.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his oral answer of 18 June 2002,Official Report, column 140W, on hospices, what evidence he used to base his estimate of the need for funds for palliative care in hospices. [67286]

  Ms Blears
  It is for the national health service locally to make arrangements for financial support for hospices based on the agreed strategic plans for palliative care provision within each cancer network's service delivery plan.

  The National Council for Hospices and Specialist Palliative Care Services undertake an annual survey on investment in palliative care. They estimate the total expenditure on adult palliative care services to be around £300 million of which around £170 million is provided by the voluntary sector and £130 million by the NHS. The Government have pledged in the NHS Cancer Plan that funding for specialist palliative care services, including hospices, will increase by £50 million by 2004.

  NHS Menus
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress in introducing the new NHS menus. [67283]

  Mr. Lammy
  Good progress is being made in introducing the new menu and ward housekeeping. This long term initiative, supported by £38.5 million, is already delivering more choice and better quality to patients across the NHS. Two thirds of trusts were on course to include three leading chef dishes by April.

  Cystic Fibrosis
  Mr. Best
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are to ensure that neonatal screening for cystic fibrosis will be made universally available and free of charge. [67284]

  Jacqui Smith
  A developmental programme is in place to plan for the NHS provision of neonatal cystic fibrosis screening. Further advice from the UK National Screening Committee about time scales and details on the implementation of a national programme, is expected in the autumn.

  Mr. Best
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will add cystic fibrosis to the list of conditions exempt from prescription charges. [67339]
  201W
  Mr. Lammy
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien) on 20 June 2002,Official Report, column 544W.

  Overseas Treatment
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the assessment of the initial project involving sending patients overseas will be complete; and if that assessment will be made public. [67285]

  Mr. Hutton
  Following a competitive tender exercise the York University Health Economics Consortium was commissioned to evaluate the pilot scheme to refer NHS patients overseas for routine elective surgery. Copies of the final report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament and published on the Department of Health website.

  Health Care Expenditure
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of household expenditure on health care in the period 1997 to 2001. [67287]

  Mr. Hutton
  Expenditure on the national health service in England increased from £1,620 per household in 1996–97 to £2,095 per household in 2000–01.

  GPs
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase the number of general practitioners. [67290]

  Mr. Hutton
  The NHS is working towards a target of 2,000 more general practitioners by 2004 and to continued growth thereafter.

  We are increasing the number of doctors training to be GPs. There are now 1,910 General Practice Registrars, the highest ever number of doctors in training for general practice.

  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from general practitioners who say they cannot admit further patients to their GP practices; and if he will make a statement. [67294]

  Mr. Hutton
  We have received no recent representations on this subject from general practitioners or their representative organisations.

  Disability Equipment Services
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve disability equipment services. [67291]

  Jacqui Smith
  In relation to the five disability equipment services covered by the Audit Commission's `Fully Equipped' reports, plans are: to continue to invest in and modernise audiology and community equipment services; to improve the commissioning of orthotic and prosthetic services, and for the Department of Health to work with the Modernisation Agency to identify and spread good practice for wheelchair services.

  Drug Addicts
  Mr. Michael Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the availability and effectiveness of treatment for drug addicts in Worcester. [67292]

  Mr. Lammy
  No formal assessment of local drug action teams currently takes place, but this is being developed. The National Treatment Agency (NTA) was established in 2001 to set standards and ensure that every drug treatment programme is of the highest effectiveness. The NTA has agreed a business plan to deliver its targets up to March 2003.

  Locally, the Worcestershire Substance Misuse Action Team (SMAT) is responsible for ensuring quality services for drug addicts, in line with the national drug strategy, and is developing a framework for assessing the effectiveness of treatment. The SMAT also reports regularly to the NTA. Worcestershire primary care trusts commit over £2 million to the treatment of substance misuse.

  Free Personal Care
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the provision of free personal care. [67297]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Government's policy on the funding of personal care is set out in paragraph 15.20 of the NHS Plan, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Doctor Numbers
  Mr. Roger Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his policies to increase the number of general practitioners and consultants in the NHS. [67298]

  Mr. Hutton

  We recognise the need for increases in the number of general practitioners (GPs) and consultants. "Delivering the NHS Plan", published in April this year, now includes the latest forecasts for growth in the national health service work force. By 2008, we expect there to be 15,000 more doctors and GPs than in 2001.

  Privately Funded Operations
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to collate information on an annual basis on the number of people who have funded their operations themselves. [67299]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department collects and publishes information on the number of patients who are treated privately in national health service hospitals, but it does not collect information on who pays for such treatment. We have no plans to collect that information, nor to collect information on the number of people who have operations performed privately in the independent sector.

  Refugee Doctors
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support he will introduce to enable refugee doctors to get the training and qualifications needed to work within the NHS. [67300]
  203W
  Mr. Hutton
  We are committed to enabling refugee doctors to access the training opportunities they need to succeed in the national health service. Over the last two years £1 million has been made available to various projects designed to help refugee health professionals prepare for work in the NHS, by providing English language and clinical skills training, along with guidance on gaining employment in the NHS.

  NHS Hygiene
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to improve standards of cleanliness in NHS facilities. [67301]

  Mr. Lammy
  The NHS Plan, which was published in July 2000, set out a work programme for the national health service to improve the standards in cleanliness within hospitals and initiated an immediate nationwide campaign to clean and smarten up the NHS. Patient environment action teams (PEAT) undertook unannounced visits to assess progress. Over £60 million has been invested to make improvements to the hospital environment since the NHS Plan was launched, which will directly benefit patients and visitors.

  The clean hospitals programme has been a clear success and has had a significant impact on standards of cleanliness, decoration and supporting services, to the extent that by October last year there were no hospitals in England where cleaning standards were found to be less than acceptable. Standards are now much more in line with patients' expectations. National results of the PEAT programme, as set out in the table, were published on 31 October 2001.

  Red (poor)

  Yellow (acceptable)

  Green (good)

  Autumn 2001

  0

  387

  300

  New national standards for cleanliness in the NHS, which form part of the performance assessment framework, were issued to the NHS last year. They describe what a "clean" hospital looks like and will help all hospitals further raise the levels of cleanliness and, importantly, they will help to ensure that the standards achieved are maintained in the future. This means that for the first time there is a definitive set of cleaning standards with which all trusts will have to comply.

  Beta Interferon
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when beta interferon will be available to those assessed as needing it in South Derbyshire. [67303]

  Mr. Lammy
  Beta interferon has already been made available to a number of patients previously paying for beta interferon. The local health community are discussing issues connected with delivering the national guidance. The new arrangements will be fully in place later this year.

  Health Prioritising
  Dr. Evan Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made on the impact of his prioritising certain services and disease areas on those services and disease areas not so prioritised. [67278]
  204W
  Mr. Hutton
  Since 1997, the Department of Health has put in place comprehensive performance management and assessment procedures to ensure that the national health service provides services that can meet the needs of all patients.

  Sausage Casings
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the incidence of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in the national sheep flocks of(a) EU member states and (b) non-EU countries which process and export natural sausage casings. [68499]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 9 July 2002]I have been asked to reply.

  Information on the number of scrapie cases in member states is available on the European Commission's website at www.europa.eu.int. Between 1998 and 2000, the following numbers of cases have been reported: Belgium 19 cases; Denmark nil; Germany three cases; Greece 130 cases; Spain five cases; France 97 cases (1998–99 only); Ireland 198 cases; Italy 208 cases (1998–99 only); Luxembourg nil; Netherlands 32 cases (1998–99 only); Austria five cases; Portugal nil; Finland nil; Sweden nil; UK 1,652 cases.

  Information on scrapie cases in non-EU countries is available on the website of the Office Internationale des Epizooties at www.oie.int. The main exporters of sheep casings are Pakistan, Turkey and New Zealand. According to OIE data, Pakistan, which has a scrapie surveillance programme, has not reported any occurrence of the disease. The last reported occurrence of scrapie in New Zealand was in 1954. No information is available in relation to Turkey.

  Health and Social Policy
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals the Government have to improve the co-ordination of health and social care, youth and leisure, careers, guidance, education and benefits services. [68179]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 8 July 2002]I have been asked to reply.

  The Connexions Service, which is currently being rolled out across the country, brings together a range of services working with young people to make sure 13–19 year olds receive cohesive advice, guidance, support and personal development opportunities.

  The Government's consultation document, "Building a Strategy for Children and Young People", included proposals for improving the co-ordination of services for all children and young people aged 0–19, building on the experience of Connexions and other initiatives. We are currently considering the responses to this consultation exercise.

  Bed Blocking (Lancashire)
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his plans to tackle bed blocking in Lancashire. [48596]

  Jacqui Smith
  In 2001–02, the Government allocated in excess of £2 million to the three social services departments, Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and
  205W
  Blackpool, in the form of the Building Care Capacity Grant to reduce delayed transfers of care. In 2002–03, these authorities will receive £4 million. In addition, they will receive more than £1.75 million from the performance fund towards improvements in intermediate care. Delayed transfer numbers in Lancashire are among the lowest in the country.

  EU Directives
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the EU directives relating to his Department which have been(a) amended and (b) repealed in 2002. [64951]

  Mr. Lammy
  The following European Union directives have been amended and repealed in 2002:

  European Parliament and Council directive 2001/83/EC on the Community Code Relating to Medicinal Products for Human Use, which incorporated Commission directive 2000/38/EC on administrative action relating to medicinal products (pharmacovigilance), repealed the following EU directives: Council directive 65/65/EEC of 26 January 1965 on the approximation of provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action relating to medicinal products, as amended by:

  Council directive 66/454/EEC

  Council directive 75/319/EEC

  Council directive 83/570/EEC

  Council directive 87/21/EEC

  Council directive 89/341/EEC

  Council directive 92/27/EEC

  Council directive 93/39/EEC.

  Council Directive 75/318/EEC of 20 May 1975 on the approximation of the laws of member states relating to analytical, pharmacotoxological and clinical standards and protocols in respect of the testing of medicinal products, as amended by:

  Council directive 83/570/EEC

  Council directive 87/19/EEC

  Council directive 89/341/EEC

  Commission directive 91/507/EEC

  Council directive 93/39/EEC

  Commission directive 1999/82/EC

  Commission directive 1999/83/EC.

  Council directive 75/319/EEC of 20 May 1975 on the approximation of provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action relating to medicinal products, as amended by:

  Council directive 78/420/EEC

  Council directive 83/570/EEC

  Council directive 89/341/EEC

  Council directive 92/27/EEC

  Council directive 93/39/EEC

  Commission directive 2000/38/EC.

  Council directive 89/342/EEC of 3 May 1989 extending the scope of Directives 65/65/EEC and 75/319/EEC and laying down additional provisions of immunological medicinal products consisting of vaccines, toxins or serums and allergens.
  206W
  Council directive 89/343/EEC of 3 May 1989 extending the scope of directives 65/65/EEC and 75/319/EEC and laying down additional provisions for radiopharmaceuticals.

  Council directive 89/381/EEC of 14 June 1989 extending the scope of directives 65/65/EEC and 75/319/EEC on the approximation of provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action relating to medicinal products and laying down special provisions for medicinal products derived from human blood or human plasma.

  Council directive 92/25/EEC of 31 March 1992 on the wholesale distribution of medicinal products for human use.

  Council directive 92/26/EEC of 31 March 1992 concerning the classification for the supply of medicinal products for human use.

  Council directive 92/27/EEC of 31 March 1992 on the labelling of medicinal products for human use and on package leaflets.

  Council directive 92/28/EEC of 31 March 1992 on the advertising of medicinal products for human use.

  Council directive 92/73/EEC of 22 September 1992 widening the scope of directives 65/65/EEC and 75/319/EEC on the approximation of provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action relating to medicinal products and laying down additional provisions on homeopathic medicinal products.

  The Medical Devices directive (93/42/EEC) was amended by directive 2001/104/EC and directive 2000/70/EC as regards medical devices incorporating stable derivatives of human blood or human plasma.

  Rapid Response Units
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many rapid response units are operating in each NHS region to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions. [65141]

  Jacqui Smith
  Information on the number of rapid response units is not collected centrally.

  Buildings Insurance
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of buildings insurance to his Department was(a) before and (b) after 11 September 2001. [66925]

  Mr. Lammy
  Departments are required to comply with the Government's general policy on insurance, which is set out in Government Accounting, Chapter 30. para.30.2.5, which notes that Government do not need to purchase insurance to protect the viability of their business, and should consider insurance only where the value of claims met would exceed the cost of insurance premiums. Commercial insurance of a building is acceptable in cases where(a) insurance is a condition of a lease (b) the lessor will not accept a Government indemnity; or (c) incurring the total cost of the accommodation in question, including the cost of the insurance, is more cost-effective than other accommodation options.
  207W
  Financial records show the following payments in respect of buildings occupied by the Department (excluding Agencies) against the heading of building insurance:

  2000–01: £67,050

  2001–02: £56,443.

  Meaningful comparisons between one year and another are difficult to make, due to changes in the estate and consequent insurance obligations. The following four premises were occupied during all or part of 2000–01 and not during all of 2001–02:
  Temple Way, Bristol (Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry)—finally cleared/vacated 1 August 2001;
  Norwich House, Liverpool (Alder Hey Inquiry)—vacated 15 December 2000;
  Trevelyan House, London SW1 (HDA)—vacated 15 March 2002.

  The timing of payments during the year, to meet policy renewal notices, mean it is not possible as yet to identify any effects of the events of 11 September on premium levels.

  Infliximab
  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions have taken place between his Department and the National Institute of Clinical Excellence about the use of infliximab. [66815]

  Mr. Lammy
  The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidance on infliximab for Crohns Disease in May 2002 and recommended to the national health service in England and Wales that infliximab should be available to some people with severe active Crohn's disease.

  In March 2002 NICE recommended that, etanercept and infliximab, new drugs for the treatment of arthritis, may be given as part of the management of rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients who have rheumatoid arthritis that has not responded adequately to at least two disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, including methotrexate.

  As a stakeholder the Department and National Assembly for Wales are given the opportunity to comment on draft scopes and the provisional guidance. The NICE review of infliximab is due May 2005, and during revision the Department and National Assembly for Wales will be given the opportunity to comment on the draft appraisal.

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for what reason the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority 2001 annual report and accounts diverged from previous practice in not providing performance data on(a) IVF data, (b) multiple births, (c) two and three embryo transfer and (d) donor insemination; [67137]

  (2) for what reason the publishing of the HFEA 2001 annual report and accounts was delayed for nine months. [67052]
  208W
  Ms Blears
  The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has identified some problems with its information technology infrastructure. These problems are now being resolved, but they have delayed the availability of recent performance data.

  The annual report was held back in the hope that the data would be ready to include. When this proved not to be possible, the decision was taken to go ahead and publish the annual report without the data.

  The data will be made available shortly on the HFEA' s website.

  Birth Statistics
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets have been set for the reduction of(a) premature births, (b) stillbirths and (c) miscarriages. [67074]

  Jacqui Smith
  Although specific reduction targets have not been set, we are continuing to support the work of the confidential inquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy to improve care during pregnancy and provide the right quality and level of support. The difficulties of premature birth and the tragedy of losing a child through stillbirth and miscarriage have some associations with, and are always compounded by, poverty and social exclusion. We are addressing this through the 'Sure Start' initiative, including pilot programmes to provide personal co-ordinated support for pregnant teenagers, and parents under the age of 18. We are also investing more in the provision of maternity care and seeking to ensure the most effective configuration of these essential services.

  Kaiser Permanente
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings(a) Ministers and (b) special advisers have held with Kaiser Permanente in the last six months. [67607]

  Mr. Lammy
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met with David Laurence of Kaiser Permanente on Wednesday 19 June 2002. Both special advisers attended the meeting.

  NICE
  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to ensure NHS staff are involved in deciding on the future work programme of NICE. [67686]

  Mr. Lammy
  The Department consulted recently on a series of proposals to make it easier for national health service staff to propose topics for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's (NICE) future work programme, and to involve them more fully in the process of assessing and prioritising proposals. The response to the consultation is now being analysed and an announcement will be made as soon as possible. That response will also take account of recommendations made by the Health Select Committee in its recent report on NICE.

  Sun Awareness
  Mr. Bruce George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to fund a nationally co-ordinated sun awareness programme for the United Kingdom; [67769]
  209W
  (2) whether he plans to launch a follow-up campaign to the sun know how campaign; [67768]

  (3) how much money has been allocated annually to sun awareness campaigns since April 2000; [67767]

  (4) what the cost was of the Health Education Authority's sun know how campaign from April 1999 to April 2000; [67765]

  (5) how much the Government have invested in sun awareness campaigns in each year since 1995. [67766]

  Ms Blears
  The health education authority (HEA) was originally commissioned by the Department in 1996 to provide sun awareness information. The HEA then developed the "Sun Know How" campaign up until the HEA's functions were moved to the health development agency and health promotion England in March 2000. As the "Sun Know How" messages had been successful, existing HEA promotional material continued to be made available but on a smaller scale. The success of the campaign was acknowledged and it was recognised that a new approach was needed.

  From 2001 work has been undertaken towards a co-ordinated programme of work to counter skin cancer. A collaboration group was formed by the departmental funded national radiological protection board (NRPB) with other key organisations such as Cancer Research (UK), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the British Association of Dermatology (BAD). Various initiatives are taking place to raise awareness of sun safety and information is available from NHS Direct. On 14 March a new website, www.doh.gov.uk/sunsafe, providing sun safety advice, was launched. We are also collaborating with other key stakeholders this year in ensuring that a range of sun safety advice is publicly available. For example, the Department funds the Meteorological Office ultra violet index for radio, television and newspaper forecasters. The NRPB is currently running a sunsense campaign and the HSE is targeting outdoor workers in their advertising campaign.

  We have no current plans to launch an equivalent to the "Sun Know How" campaign as run by the then HEA.

  The HEA's campaign launched in 1996–97 anticipated spending £1.5 million over three years to 1998–99. Detailed figures on the final spend by year by the HEA are not available.

  In 1999–2000 spending on the "Sun Know How" campaign by the HEA was £543,000. Since then, spending on sun awareness by the Department in 2000–01 was £50,000, and in 2001–02 was £126,000.

  Solihull Hospital
  Mr. John Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new recruitment will be needed at Solihull hospital to facilitate its proposed improved accident and emergency service; and whether the necessary resources are in place to support that recruitment. [67613]

  Mr. Lammy
  The Birmingham Heartlands anti Solihull National Health Service Trust will recruit two additional consultants specialising in accident and emergency medicine, a new tier of four critical care/clinical fellow grades, specialist physicians and additional nurses including emergency nurse practitioners. The resources
  210W
  required are still being finalised but Solihull Primary Care Trust has agreed to pre-commit revenue resources in emergency care during the forthcoming priority setting process.

  Mr. John Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that recruitment difficulties do not stand in the way of proposed improvements to accident and emergency provision at Solihull hospital. [67612]

  Mr. Lammy
  Responsibility for the recruitment of staff for local services rests with local national health service trusts. The Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull NHS Trust is confident that recruitment difficulties will not occur and believe the new tier of critical care/clinical fellow grades, a rigorous recruitment campaign and the trust's commitment to "Improving Working Lives" will ensure the right calibre and number of staff will be recruited.

  Prescription Drugs
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is his policy for payments made to pharmacists by the NHS in respect of the supply of prescription drugs to comply with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act 1998 and the Late Payment Directive. [68372]

  Mr. Lammy
  We do not consider that the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 applies to payments made to pharmacists by the national health service in respect of the supply of prescription drugs. We are considering the position in relation to Directive 2000/35/EC on combating late payment in commercial transactions.

  NHS Trust Reviews
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it the Government's policy that the Commission for Health Improvement should respond positively to a request by an NHS trust to conduct a review of any department identified by the trust as in need of review. [68042]

  Mr. Lammy
  The Health Act 1999 requires the Commission for Health Improvement to undertake local reviews (known as clinical governance reviews) to examine the quality of care provided by national health service bodies. The commission may also undertake investigations into the management, provision and quality of health care NHS bodies provide. The commission will consider all requests for investigations against its published criteria. Copies of the commission's "Policy on assessing requests for investigations and fast track clinical governance reviews" are available in the Library and on its website at www.chi.nhs.uk.

  Medical Research Council
  Mr. Lepper
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the(a) terms of reference and (b) timetable for the independent scientific advisory group of the Medical Research Council on CFS and ME due to be set up in spring 2002; and who the members of the group are. [68079]
  211W
  Mr. Lammy
  The Medical Research Council (MRC) have now agreed to set up an advisory group. Their final report should be made available early in 2003.

  The proposed terms of reference are:
  to consider the report of the independent working party on chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), including its recommendations for research;
  to consider other recent reviews of current knowledge and understanding of CFS/ME;
  to take account of patient and lay perspectives;
  to recommend to MRC a research strategy to advance understanding of the aetiology, epidemiology and biology of CFS/ME; and
  in the light of current knowledge, suggest what areas of further research are needed with regard to possible treatments.

  The group members are:

  Professor Nancy Rothwell (Chair)

  Professor Janet Darbyshire

  Professor Diana Elbourne

  Professor Alan McGregor

  Professor Jonathan Weber

  Professor Jackie Oldham

  Professor Til Wykes

  Professor Philip Cowen

  Professor Jon Nicholl

  Jacqueline Apperly

  Sue Haselhurst

  Observer Department of Health.

  Performance Targets
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 2 July 2002,Official Report, column 306W, on performance targets, how many performance targets he has set for the NHS; and how many that were included last year have been dropped this year. [68313]

  Mr. Lammy
  It has been the Government's policy to reduce the number of priorities facing national health service organisations in order to shift the balance of power away from the centre. A reduction was achieved in the 2002–03 planning and priorities framework in comparison to the previous year.

  An on-going commitment to this approach has been made, with the Government's "Delivering the NHS Plan" document stating very clearly that our plans to modernise the NHS do not constitute a raft of extra targets.

  Energy Efficiency
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made on achieving energy efficiency targets by the NHS. [68227]

  Mr. Lammy
  The national health service in England successfully achieved the 20 per cent. reduction in energy use from a base year of 1990 to 2000. In line with the Government's climate change programme, the NHS in England has now been set a new mandatory target to reduce the level of primary energy consumption by 15 per cent. or 0.15 million tonnes carbon from March 2000 to March 2010.
  212W
  NHS Estates (an Executive Agency of the Department) is working with the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme (now Action Energy) to assist the NHS to meet this challenging target. Progress and activity continues to be monitored using the agency's database. It is too early to determine progress against this new target.

  AIDS
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent(a) on research and (b) on care in connection with AIDS in each of the past three years. [67799]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 10 July 2002]Expenditure on AIDS research was £20.2 million in 1999–2000 and £21.3 million in 2000–01. Data for 2001–02 are currently being compiled and are expected to be in line with spend for previous years.

  Expenditure on HIV/AIDS treatment and social care is shown in the table.

  £million

  NHS

  authorities

  Total

  1999–2000

  233

  15.5

  248.5

  2000–01

  234.6

  16

  250.6

  2001–02

  276.2

  16.5

  292.7

  Cancer
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the differences are in treatment for(a) colon cancer and (b) other cancers. [67802]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 10 July 2002]The NHS Cancer Plan set out our intention to ensure that people with all types of cancer get the best treatments. Evidence based guidance to improve outcomes in each of the tumour groups is being published by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE also continue to appraise and issue guidance on the use of new chemotherapy treatments. When developing its guidance, NICE takes into account relevant evidence from all over the world.

  Public Interest Company
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 2 July 2002,Official Report, column 303W, on mutual organisations, if he will make a statement defining the modus operandi of a public interest company. [68511]

  Mr. Lammy
  [holding answer 10 July 2002]The public interest company is one option being considered by the Department for the legal status of national health service foundation trusts. We will publish further details in due course.

  Departmental Memos
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many written communications were sent to(a) NHS hospitals and (b) primary care trusts in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001 by his Department; [68280]
  213W
  (2) how many written directives were sent to (a) NHS hospitals and (b) primary care trusts in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001 by his Department. [68282]

  Mr. Lammy
  [holding answer 10 July 2002]The number of written directives and communications which where sent to national health service hospitals, primary care trusts in 2000 and 2001 by the Department are shown in the tables.

  Health service circulars sent to chief executives of NHS trusts and primary care trusts in 2000 and 2001

  To chief executives of:

  NHS trusts

  Primary care trusts

  To chief executives of NHS trusts and chief executives of Primary care trusts

  2000

  16

  2

  15

  2001

  1

  1

  19

  Electronic bulletins and other e-communications to chief executives of NHS trusts and primary, care trusts in 2000 and 20011

  E-bulletins

  Other e-communications

  2000

  52

  100

  2001

  111

  111

  1 Both chief executives of NHS trusts and chief executives of primary care trusts were on the distribution list for all e-communications.

  E-prescriptions
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities' general practitioners are able to write prescriptions produced by computer and issued electronically. [68283]

  Mr. Lammy
  [holding answer 10 July 2002]Almost every general practitioner (GP) has a desktop PC. Software suppliers must meet Requirement for Accreditation standards for GP's to be reimbursed. Therefore they must ensure that systems support the ability to write prescriptions via the desktop. Limited numbers of GPs are able to issue prescriptions electronically via the Electronic Transmission of Prescription pilots, which are currently being run by three private sector consortiums on behalf of the Department.

  National Care Standards Commission
  Clive Efford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding the amounts taken from local authorities to fund the National Care Standards Commission. [69170]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Department has received six letters regarding the amounts taken from local authorities through the standards spending assessment (SSA) to fund the National Care Standards Commission.

  Before deciding to transfer local authorities net expenditure on registration and inspection from the national SSA we consulted local authorities. This method of transferring funds was supported by most local authorities. However, as a result of the comments we
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  received we reduced the amount of the transfer. We believe the adjustments made represent a fair way of deciding what to deduct from local authority budgets.

  Child Protection in Sport
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings he has had with Ministers in other Departments with regard to(a) child protection in sport and (b) inter-agency working on child protection in sport. [69123]

  Jacqui Smith
  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has had no meetings with ministerial colleagues specifically regarding child protection in sport or inter-agency working on child protection in sport. However, officials have attended meetings of the child protection in sport unit steering group—a joint initiative between the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Sport England. The child protection in sport unit advises organisations on how to introduce child protection policies, commissions research into abuse within sport and raises the profile of child protection among sports' governing bodies. One of the unit's key aims is that sport will play a full and positive part in inter-agency child protection work.

  Arthritic Knee Conditions
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is with respect to promoting alternatives to surgery for arthritic knee conditions; and if he will make a statement. [69064]

  Jacqui Smith
  The ultimate responsibility for deciding what treatment is best for an individual patient rests with health professionals, who in consultation with the patient, are required to exercise their clinical judgment. These decisions can be complex and may need to take account of a range of factors; chief among these must be the ability of the patient to benefit from the treatment proposed. Non-surgical treatments for arthritis include the new drugs, infliximab (Remicade) and etanecerpt (Enbrel) which were recently approved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

  The importance of good arthritis services, particularly for the health and well being of older people is recognised in the national service framework for older people.

  ICT Procurement
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his director of procurement is in charge of ICT procurement. [68108]

  Mr. Lammy
  [holding answer 11 July 2002]The Department's head of procurement is responsible for information and communication technology (ICT) procurement for the Department itself.

  Procurements undertaken by national health service trusts and authorities in England are formally the responsibility of the relevant chief executive. They are advised and supported by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency. As an integral part of the Department, the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency is in a key position to advise on policy and the strategic direction of procurement, and its impact on developing healthcare, across the NHS. The agency contracts on a national basis
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  for products and services that are strategically critical to the NHS (including ICT). It also acts in cases where aggregated purchasing power will yield greater economic savings than those achieved by contracting on a local or regional basis.

  National strategic procurements for the NHS in England are undertaken by the NHS information authority in conjunction with the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency.

  Overall direction of the NHS information management and technology strategy for the NHS in England, including ICT procurement policy, is led by the director of research, analysis and information, Sir John Pattison.

  Hearing Aids
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 1 July 2002,Official Report, column 156W, on audiology services, what the cost was

  Kidneys retrieved from cadaveric donors for transplantation, England, 2000,2001, by kidney retrived centre, including per million population values (Pmp)

  Kidneys retrieved—2000

  Kidneys retrieved—2001

  Retrieval/alliance centre

  Number

  Per million population

  Number

  Per million population

  Retrieval population estimates (million)

  Newcastle

  138

  46.9

  135

  45.9

  2.94

  Leeds

  65

  17.3

  63

  16.8

  3.76

  Leicester

  54

  25.2

  26

  12.1

  2.14

  Nottingham

  38

  27.3

  26

  18.7

  1.39

  Sheffield

  40

  21.3

  44

  23.4

  1.88

  Cambridge

  41

  17.2

  65

  27.2

  2.39

  N Thames

  123

  17.1

  169

  23.5

  7.19

  S Thames

  202

  30.0

  185

  27.5

  6.73

  Portsmouth

  61

  26.6

  62

  27.1

  2.29

  Oxford

  82

  27.4

  60

  20.1

  2.99

  Bristol

  24

  12.2

  46

  23.5

  1.96

  Plymouth

  52

  29.2

  52

  29.2

  1.78

  Birmingham

  70

  15.5

  93

  20.6

  4.51

  Coventry

  40

  50.0

  28

  35.0

  0.80

  Liverpool

  85

  25.8

  67

  20.3

  3.30

  Manchester

  125

  30.9

  96

  23.7

  4.05

  England

  1,240

  24.8

  1,217

  24.3

  50.10

  Cardiothoracic organs retrieved from cadaveric donors for transplantation, England, 2000, 2001, by donation zone, including per million population values (pmp)

  Organs retrieved—2000

  Organs retrieved—2001

  Donation Zone

  Number

  Per million population

  Number

  Per million population

  Retrieval population estimates (million)

  Newcastle

  56

  7.5

  54

  7.2

  7.51

  Sheffield

  41

  9.6

  46

  10.8

  4.27

  Papworth

  90

  9.6

  65

  6.9

  9.36

  Harefield

  76

  6.1

  113

  9.1

  12.38

  St. George's

  62

  9.1

  68

  10.0

  6.83

  Birmingham

  36

  5.0

  30

  4.2

  7.14

  Manchester

  51

  7.8

  32

  4.9

  6.54

  England

  412

  8.2

  408

  8.1

  50.10

  Note:
  Cardiothoracic organs comprise hearts and lungs (sometimes transplanted in combination).
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  to the NHS of purchasing each digital hearing aid under the previous contract; and what the cost is under the newly negotiated contract. [69518]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]Under the national health service contract, digital hearing aids had been available at a cost of between £140 and £205 each, for moderately powered aids. The contracts and prices have been renegotiated by a team set up by Ministers and led by James Strachan, Chief Executive of Royal National Institute for the Deaf, which includes representatives from the Department and the purchasing and supply agency, and allows moderate powered digital aids to be purchased at £65 to £75 each plus value added tax.

  Organ Transplants
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many organs were made available for transplant in each of the regional retrieval zones in(a) 2000 and (b) 2001; what the population estimate is for each retrieval zone; and if he will make a statement. [69272]

  Mr. Lammy
  The information requested is in the following tables.
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  Livers retrieved from cadaveric donors for transplantation, England, 2000, 2001, by donation zone, including per million population values (pmp)

  Organs retrieved—2000

  Organs retrieved—2001

  Donation Zone

  Number

  Per million population

  Number

  Per million population

  Retrieval population estimates (million)

  Newcastle

  53

  16.3

  49

  15.1

  3.25

  Leeds

  120

  13.6

  93

  10.6

  8.81

  Cambridge

  83

  10.3

  81

  10.1

  8.05

  The Royal Free

  50

  8.9

  59

  10.5

  5.64

  Kings College

  164

  11.4

  174

  12.1

  14.42

  Birmingham

  138

  10.0

  145

  10.5

  13.86

  England

  608

  12.1

  601

  12.0

  50.10

  Note:

  Drafting guidelines are attached to the PQ Reference Guide.

  Queen Alexandra Hospital
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the cost is of the proposed private finance initiative expansion of Queen Alexandra. Hospital, Cosham; [69268]

  (2) what the latest annual running cost was of Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosharn. [69269]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]I have been advised by Portsmouth Hospitals National Health Service Trust that the cost of the private finance initiative, to reconfigure services to focus on the Queen Alexandra Hospital, is currently estimated at £173 million.

  The trust also informs me that its 2000–01 accounts record a turnover of £212.5 million. It is not possible to separate out individual hospital sites. The 2001–02 accounts are to be presented to the trust board for adoption this month.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will answer the question of 13 June 2002 from the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South, reference 61670, on Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth; and if he will make a statement. [70429]

  Ms Blears
  I replied to the hon. Member on 11 July.

  NHS Estates
  Mr. Cawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the annual report and accounts 2001–02 for the NHS Estates Executive Agency. [70807]

  Mr. Hutton
  We have received the report and copies have today been laid in accordance with the requirements of section 5 of the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1921. Copies have also been placed in the Library.

  Audiology Services
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 1 July 2002 to the hon. Member for Kingswood,Official Report, column 156W, on audiology services, what the new price of individual digital hearing aids purchased by the national health service is. [70349]

  Jacqui Smith
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Berry) today.

  Immunisation Statistics
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the NHS immunisation statistics for England for 2001–02 will be published. [70355]

  Ms Blears
  It is planned to publish the statistical Bulletin, "NHS Immunisation Statistics, England: 2001–02", in September 2002. A copy of the Bulletin will be placed in the Library and will be available on the Department's website.

  Saxon Square Health Centre
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the former health centre premises in Saxon Square, Christchurch, are to be sold; and if he will make a statement about the reasons for the delay in the sale. [70358]

  Ms Blears
  Terms for the sale of Christchurch Health Centre to Christchurch borough council were agreed in the financial year 2001–02, and terms for its disposal were endorsed by the district valuers office.

  The borough council advised that they were unable to complete by March 2002 due to funding difficulties, but indicated their willingness to proceed in the early part of the financial year 2002–03.

  Health Services (East Kent)
  Hugh Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps have been taken to develop(a) cottage hospitals and (b) GP surgeries in advance of the re-organisation of acute services in east Kent; [70360]

  (2) when he intends to make a decision on the re-organisation of acute hospitals in east Kent. [70361]

  Ms Blears
  Since Kent and Medway health authority made its recommendation on the reconfiguration of services at East Kent Hospitals National Health Service Trust, the local community health councils have registered objections with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health. Ministers will need to give careful consideration to these objections before deciding whether to accept the health authority's recommendation. At this time it is not possible to give an indication of when this may be. I will be visiting the trust on 18 July to hear the views of local stakeholders.

  The development of primary and secondary care services are a matter for the Kent and Medway health authority, in partnership with local primary care and NHS trusts. All four primary care trusts in east Kent are
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  actively working to develop community services to support the reorganisation of the acute service provided by East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust.

  Acute Medical Services
  Dr. Richard Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 46 hospitals in England referred to in table 1 on page 16 of the recent report from the Royal College of Physicians entitled "Isolated Acute Medical Services". [70158]

  Mr. Hutton
  The report, "Isolated Acute Medical Services", was prepared by the Royal College of Physicians following collection of survey data. The Department did not take part in the research and does not have access to the survey data.

  Carers
  Clive Efford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many carers in London are over the age of(a) 60, (b) 70 and (c) 80 years. [69168]

  Jacqui Smith
  In 2000, there were an estimated 140,000 carers aged 60 and over in London, based on the general household survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics. A more detailed age breakdown is not available.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Air Weapons
  Joyce Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the deliberations of the Firearms Consultative Committee on the use and ownership of air weapons. [53452]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  The Government are determined to tackle the misuse of air weapons and welcome the Firearms Consultative Committee's (FCC's) views on how the problem might be dealt with. A copy of their annual report was placed in the Library on 19 March. In taking forward their recommendations for better education on safe air weapons use and enforcement of the existing law, the possible use of anti-social behaviour orders will also be explored. We will also explore with the police, the practicalities and benefits of changes to the age of ownership of air weapons and registration of ownership.

  Asylum Seekers
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers he has to return asylum seekers to France who have already applied for asylum in that country. [69274]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]Section 11 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 provides for the removal of asylum claimants under standing arrangements agreed between member states. Such standing arrangements are currently provided by the Dublin Convention.

  The Dublin Convention provides an agreed framework to determine which member state is responsible for consideration of asylum claims made in the European Union (EU) where applicants have travelled between
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  states. This includes provision for the return of an applicant to the member state where a claim for asylum has already been made.

  Section 12 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 provides for the removal of asylum claimants in circumstances other than those set out in section 11, including the return to the appropriate member state of any identified individual already recognised as a refugee by that state.

  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total value is of the civil penalties issued under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to the(a) UK and (b) foreign-based transport industry since April 2000. [68807]

  Beverley Hughes
  Since 3 April 2000 when the penalty provisions of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 were introduced, and as at 31 March 2002, a total of 1,429 penalty notices have been issued in respect of 7,516 clandestine entrants detected concealed in road vehicles arriving in the United Kingdom. The combined value of these penalties is £15,032,000.

  No records are held centrally distinguishing where transport companies that have received penalties are based, and reviewing each of the 1,429 individual cases to obtain this information would involve disproportionate costs. Records are kept centrally of the nationality of drivers who have been penalised. These show that a total of £3,314,000, or approximately 22 per cent., of penalties have been imposed on United Kingdom drivers and £11,492,000, or approximately 76 per cent., on foreign nationals. 'The remaining approximately 1.5 per cent. of penalties were imposed in respect of clandestine entrants who arrived in unaccompanied detached trailers.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions about the possibility of a public inquiry into plans for an accommodation centre for asylum seekers near Bicester. [57967]

  Beverley Hughes
  None.

  Correspondence
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Broxbourne of 12 February, 12 March, 10 April and 21 May, relating to her constituent, Mrs. Svitlana McLean of Waltham Cross. [59231]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 24 May 2002]My noble Friend the Lord Filkin wrote to the hon. Member on 15 July 2002. I am sorry for the delay in replying.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 22 May from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ashraf Khan and Zakia Jan Lehan. [68201]

  Mr. Blunkett
  I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 15 July 2002.
  221W
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 17 May from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. K. Mohammed Haji. [68198]

  Mr. Blunkett
  I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 15 July 2002.

  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a subtantive reply will be given to Mr. M. Egdell's letter of 17 April 2002, concerning asylum seekers. [68268]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 9 July 2002]A reply to the hon. Member's letter is currently being prepared.

  A substantive response will be sent as soon as possible.

  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will respond to the letter of the hon. Member for South-West Hertfordshire of 4 February, ref 2513/2. [66253]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 2 July 2002]I wrote to the hon. Member on 16 July 2002. I am very sorry for the delay in replying.

  Special Constables
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Commissioner of the Metropolitan police about procedures designed to make it easier for special constables to enlist. [65491]

  Mr. Denham
  The Commissioner has regular bilateral meetings with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) in which the subject of recruitment and retention of specials has been discussed.

  al-Akhbar
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the content of the newspaper al-Akhbar; and what plans he has to monitor anti-Semitic propaganda. [67537]

  Beverley Hughes
  Allegations that articles in the al-Akhbar newspaper contain extreme anti-semitic language have been reported to the police and are being investigated.

  We are very much aware of the deep anxiety extreme language causes to the Jewish community, particularly at a time when, following the terrorist atrocities in the United States and the current difficult situation in the Middle East, it is inevitably feeling vulnerable.

  The investigation of behaviour or material that may incite racial hatred under Part III of the Public Order Act 1986 is an operational matter for the police. However, the increase in the maximum penalty for incitement to racial hatred from two to seven years' imprisonment, a change we made as part of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, is a clear indication of the seriousness with which we view this offence. I would continue to encourage anyone to report to the police any material they believe breaches the incitement to racial hatred laws.
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  The police and Jewish bodies continue to work closely to safeguard Jewish people and property. We are in close touch with the Community Security Trust of the British Board of Deputies, which provides up-to-date details of anti-Semitic activity in the UK, such as assaults and criminal damage.

  Cannabis
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effects on community safety and overall policing of the Lambeth cannabis relaxation pilot project; and if he will make a statement. [66737]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  [holding answer 4 July 2002]My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) has noted carefully the emerging findings of the ongoing evaluation of the Lambeth cannabis policing pilot, whose aim is to provide police officers with more time to concentrate on more serious offences in relation to Class A drugs and other core policing business—in particular, robbery, gun crime and burglary.

  He has noted that from July 2001 to May 2002 there was a 10 per cent. increase in arrests for Class A drug trafficking offences in comparison with the 12 month period July 2000 to June 2001; that, according to a Police Foundation/MORI poll, 83 per cent. of Lambeth residents supported the cannabis scheme and 74 per cent. believed the scheme would result in more police time being redeployed to tackle serious crime; and that this is what has happened. 1,350 hours of police time, the equivalent of 1.8 officers, were saved in the first six months of the pilot.

  My right hon. Friend has also taken note of a survey of headteachers in Lambeth, conducted by the Metropolitan Police, which revealed that the policing of cannabis pilot operating in that borough has revealed no adverse impact in terms of increased prevalence (levels of use) problems or problems such as truancy.

  He recognizes that continued community confidence in the scheme and community safety depend upon police officers continuing to spend more time dealing effectively with serious crime in the borough. In particular, he expects the police to respond swiftly and effectively to any attempt to defy the law by those dealing in drugs.

  Alcohol-related Crime
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the number of crimes committed that were alcohol related and their cost in each of the last five years. [67019]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  Precise information on this subject is not available except where intoxication is an element of the definition of the offence (as with driving while intoxicated). The term alcohol-related crime potentially covers any criminal act where the perpetrator may have been drinking alcohol prior to, or at the time of, the offence. While the relevant offence may be recorded, there is at present no requirement on police forces to record whether or not the offender had been drinking.
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  We know from the British Crime Survey that about 40 per cent. of all violent crime is alcohol-related, that is where the victim considers that the offender had been drinking prior to the commission of the offence. But victims are less able to make such an assessment where the offence does not involve direct contact with the offender.

  The suite of Best Value Performance Indicators for the police for 2002–03 will provide a more consistent measure of alcohol-related violence across all police forces in England and Wales, by including both a measure of violent offences committed in connection with licensed premises and a measure of violent offences committed under the influence of an intoxicating substance.

  The Government is determined to tackle the range of problems that arise from alcohol misuse, including alcohol-related crime and disorder. This includes tackling under-age drinking, recognising that young people are generally less likely than adults to differentiate between legal and illegal substances. As part of the response to this, each Drug Action Team has now drawn up a Young People's Substance Misuse Plan detailing how education, prevention and treatment activities for drugs and alcohol will be expanded according to local needs and integrated within wider provision for children and young people.

  Confiscated Criminal Assets
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money was confiscated from convicted criminals in each of the last three years. [68438]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  The receipts realised in England and Wales from confiscation orders made against convicted criminals in respect of the proceeds of their crimes for the last three years for which figures are available are £16,510,000 in 1998–99, £25,044,000 in 1999–2000, and £19,833,000 in 2000–01. The value of confiscation orders made for those years were £34,947.000, £49,146,000 and £50,031,000 respectively.

  Deportees
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the financial cost involved in the removal of people being deported from the United Kingdom in each of the last three years. [68441]

  Beverley Hughes
  I regret that it is not possible to provide a breakdown of the specific costs requested by my hon. Friend. The provision of such information would require an examination of individual case files and would incur disproportionate cost.

  Europol
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards extending the(a) competence and (b) executive powers of Europol. [68335]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  The Europol Convention gives Europol the power to deal with a full range of serious international crime where an organised criminal structure is involved. This includes drug trafficking, people smuggling, crime committed in the course of terrorism, counterfeiting and money laundering. The Government would look sympathetically at any proposal to extend
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  Europol's competence to cover other forms of serious organised international crime, provided a need had been identified, and Europol could add value.

  Europol does not have executive police powers in the member states. The Government would not support giving Europol such powers. Europol's role is to support member states own law enforcement operations by, for example facilitating the exchange of information between the member states and analysing information and intelligence.

  Immigration
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures the Government have in place to keep track of immigrants who enter the UK; and if he will make a statement. [69013]

  Beverley Hughes
  A great many people who are not British citizens come to the United Kingdom each year. Excluding European Union citizens, approximately 13 million people were given leave to enter the United Kingdom in 2000, the last year for which data has been published.

  Foreign nationals who are granted limited leave to enter or remain for longer than three months for employment, and foreign nationals granted limited leave to enter or remain for a total period in excess of six months for any other reason are required to register with the police. Failure to do so is an offence. For this purpose, "foreign nationals" excludes European Economic Area (EEA) nationals and citizens of Commonwealth countries. This requirement does not apply to anyone who has been granted indefinite leave to enter or indefinite leave to remain.

  Arriving passengers awaiting a decision on whether or not they should be given leave to enter, passengers who have been refused entry, and people liable to deportation or to removal as an illegal entrant or under the powers contained in section 10 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 may be granted temporary admission pending a decision whether or not to grant leave or pending removal. This temporary admission may be subject to conditions as to residence, employment and reporting to the police or an immigration officer. Failure to comply with these conditions is also an offence. A person detained under Immigration Act powers may also be released on bail, again subject to conditions, which may include a requirement to report.

  The Immigration Service has seven designated reporting centres, which have been established to assist the Immigration Service in managing these reporting regimes. Alternatively a person may be required to report to a police station near their address.

  We are seeking to further improve our ability to remain in contact with persons seeking leave to remain in the United. Kingdom. In particular, the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill will provide for the creation of accommodation centres for asylum seekers, and we will also seek to improve arrangements in respect of asylum seekers outside those centres. During the new induction process all asylum seekers are advised of the importance of informing the Home Office of any change of address and of the need to report as required. The Bill provides that the provision of support to asylum seekers will be conditional on their reporting as required.
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  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the definition used for each category of immigrant to the UK; and if the European Union has agreed upon these categorical definitions. [69206]

  Beverley Hughes
  Our immigration system is formed around the concept of categories of entry, each with its own eligibility criteria, conditions and restrictions. The categories are broadly for the purposes of visiting, study, economic activity, family reunion and humanitarian protection.

  Details for each category are set out in the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, HC395. In addition there are a number of concessions that operate outside the rules under which individuals may qualify if they meet the requisite criteria. The European Community (EC) does have competence under Title IV of the EC Treaty in the area of visas, asylum and immigration. The European Commission has brought forward a number of proposals for Community legislation on rules on admission of third country nationals to the member states, covering family reunification, admission for the purposes of employment and self-employment, the status of those who are long-term residents and the conditions in which third country nationals have the freedom to travel. None of these proposals have so far been adopted by the Council of Ministers. The United Kingdom has not exercised its right to opt in to the adoption and application of these measures. The United Kingdom has legislation which governs the rights of entry and residence of European Union (EU) citizens, as defined in the EC Treaty.

  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers entered England in the past five years, broken down by country of origin; what proportion this total represented of the total number of immigrants to enter England in these periods; and how many emigrants to England were recorded from each of the countries listed in this period. [69210]

  Beverley Hughes
  I regret that information on how many asylum applicants entered England in the past five years is unavailable. Regional information is available on where asylum applications in the United Kingdom were made (by port of application) but not on the entry routes of asylum seekers. In 2001 over a third (36 per cent) of applications were made at United Kingdom ports, while most applications (64 per cent) were made in country.

  Information on the numbers of asylum applications (excluding dependants) at port and in country, by nationality, for 1999 to 2001 is published on the Home Office Research Development Statistics website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl.html in Table 3b of the quarterly web pages "Asylum Statistics: 1st Quarter", and corresponding data for 1997 and 1998 are published in Table 2.2 of the annual statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics 2001" (also available from the Library).

  Information on the numbers of persons granted settlement annually, by nationality, is published in Table 6.5 of the Command Paper "Control of Immigration Statistics 2000", available from the Library and from the Research Development Statistics website.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what criteria are used to determine which asylum seekers from Zimbabwe are allowed to stay in Great Britain until the new elections in Zimbabwe; and when they will be required to return to Zimbabwe; [69005]

  (2) what changes are planned to the criteria relating to asylum seekers from Zimbabwe. [69007]

  Beverley Hughes
  Applications for asylum from people from Zimbabwe are considered on their individual merits, in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 United Nations' Refugee Convention.

  On 15 January, we announced a temporary suspension of returns of unsuccessful asylum applicants to Zimbabwe. We will resume returns only when we are satisfied that it is safe to do so. We are monitoring events in the aftermath of the Zimbabwe presidential election and other developments in the country situation. A decision on resumption of returns will be made when we have properly assessed the risks to returnees. That process is under way.

  Time Limited Development Fund
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the assessment of applications for grants from the Time Limited Development Fund will be completed. [68791]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 11 July 2002]My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) announced the allocation of grants to organisations successful under the Time Limited Development Fund at the re-launch of the Home Office Active Community Unit on 29 May this year. 113 projects in deprived areas of England will benefit from £13.5 million grant aid over the next three years.

  Volunteering Projects
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown by organisation of the annual grants for 2001–02 that have been paid to voluntary and community organisations pursuing volunteering projects. [68794]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 11 July 2002]The requested information is provided in the table:

  £

  Organisation

  Annual grant

  African Family Support Centre

  22,195

  Age Concern

  38,000

  Age Concern Ledbury and District

  9,918

  Alzheimer's Society

  5,208

  Big Brothers and Sisters

  200,000

  Bishop Creighton House

  15,273

  Bolton Lads and Girls Club

  27,775

  Business in the Community

  258,362

  Carlisle Mencap

  7,320

  Chance (UK) Ltd.

  20,518

  Children's Society

  24,500

  Community Service Volunteers—Make a Difference Day

  60,000

  Community Service Volunteers—Media-Community Action Desks

  300,000

  County of Northampton Council on Addiction

  29,000

  Dines Green Streets Ahead

  15,929

  227W

  £

  Organisation

  Annual grant

  Enfield Business Education Partnership

  2,500

  Experience Corps

  5,292,000

  Family Service Units

  15,462

  Focus Mentoring

  27,381

  Focus—Interaction Volunteer Development Initiative

  69,000

  Foyer

  50,000

  Fun in Action (FUN) for Children

  12,000

  Halton Voluntary Action

  289,286

  Help and Care

  55,000

  Help the Aged

  25,032

  Home-Start Bournemouth

  12,250

  Home-Start Nottingham

  16,753

  Home-Start Sittingbourne and Sheppey

  6,219

  Home-Start Stoke-on-Trent

  19,543

  Home-Start Wisbech

  12,000

  Lambeth Wellcare

  8,378

  Media Trust—Teletext

  50,000

  Media Trust—Community Channel

  190,000

  Media Trust—New Year New You

  111,000

  Media Trust—Voluntary Matters

  180,000

  Mersey Volunteer Bureau

  50,000

  MSF Union

  50,000

  National Association for Care and Resettlement of Offenders— Walsall

  32,009

  National Association of Volunteer Bureaux—Media Skills

  100,000

  National Centre for Volunteering

  8,000

  National Centre for Volunteering—Diversity Challenge Website

  16,215

  National Centre for Volunteering—IYV 2001 Consortium

  127,711

  National Centre for Volunteering—IYV 'Image Bank'

  50,000

  National Centre for Volunteering—Volunteering Convention

  14,000

  National Centre for Volunteering—Volunteering Supplement

  28,000

  National Mentoring Network: A Plan to Equality

  430,000

  National Trust—Sharing the Caring

  45,752

  National Trust

  26,542

  National Youth Agency—Philip Lawrence Awards

  100,000

  North East Council on Addictions Services Ltd.

  25,223

  North Tyneside Voluntary Organisations Development Agency

  270,000

  Northampton Volunteer Bureau

  32,000

  Northorpe Hall Trust

  15,954

  One to One Youth Befriending

  27,846

  Pabulum

  23,330

  PACT Community Projects

  15,091

  RAMP—The Renewal Programme

  15,857

  Ravidassia Community Centre

  10,000

  Retired Executives Action Clearing House

  22,725

  Regional Interactive Safety Centre

  19,000

  Routes to Volunteering in Havering

  25,000

  Royal National Institute for Deaf People

  52,654

  Royal Philanthropic Society Rainer

  47,223

  Salford Business Education Partnership

  90,000

  Sandwell Volunteer Bureau

  60,928

  SCOPE—South West

  27,000

  SCOPE—North West

  22,356

  Second City, Second Chance

  12,200

  SENSE

  5,250

  SKILL

  8,672

  Somerset Youth Voluntary Network

  35,000

  South Northants Volunteer Bureau

  36,000

  SOVA

  26,793

  Swindon Education Business Partnership

  24,900

  Terrence Higgins Trust

  13,859

  The Befriending Network

  15,000

  The King's Cross Project

  12,946

  The Leonard Cheshire Foundation

  34,285

  The London Connection

  5,798

  Those on the Margins of Society

  40,000

  TimeBank

  710,000

  Voluntary Action Camden

  227,690

  Voluntary Action Luton

  250,456

  Voluntary Action Sheffield—Doing it Locally Campaign

  39,928

  Whitbread Volunteer Action Awards

  60,000

  Youthnet—Developing Diversity Project

  134,508

  Youthnet—Do It Database

  29,701

  Total

  11,081,204

  Private Office Guidelines
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines his private office operates under when dealing with requests from hon. Members on exceptional, urgent and compassionate cases. [69424]

  Beverley Hughes
  My predecessor, my right hon. and noble Friend, Lord Rooker, wrote to hon. Members on 15 May 2002 setting out how their representations in relation to immigration cases would be dealt with. In exceptional, urgent and compassionate cases, private office staff will intervene directly and act according to the nature of the case to try and seek an urgent resolution.

  However, due to the nature of exceptional, urgent and compassionate cases, there are no specific guidelines which private office staff follow. Each case is considered separately, dependent on its individual circumstances. Private office staff liaise with the relevant departmental officials to obtain the necessary information to enable the Minister to make an informed decision.

  Asylum (Iraqis)
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's policy is regarding(a) Iraqi Kurds seeking asylum and (b) removals in the event of their claims being unsuccessful; and if he will make a statement. [69344]

  Beverley Hughes
  The Government recognise that there may be certain people from northern Iraq who are in need of international protection under the terms of the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees. However, there are also some asylum seekers from that region who, after careful consideration of their application, do not appear to meet the criteria set out in the convention. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner is on record saying that it would not object to the return to northern Iraq of asylum seekers from that area who have been found, through fair and objective procedures, not to be in need of international protection.

  Iraqi citizens of Kurdish origin are able to return voluntarily to northern Iraq. We are exploring the options for enforcing returns to northern Iraq using routes that will not cross territory controlled by the Government in Baghdad. We hope to be in a position to begin enforced returns shortly.

  Pig-to-Primate Organ Transplant
  Mr. Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the reasons behind the decision not to allow a judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding pig-to-primate organ transplant research by Imutran Limited at Huntingdon Life Sciences. [68393]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  [holding answer 11 July 2002]Home Office Ministers considered the matter very carefully, but concluded that the issues, including those regarding compliance with the authorities granted to Imutran Limited under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 for its xenotransplantation research programme, did not merit such an inquiry. Nor were they considered to justify any other form of special investigation. Instead, in November 2000, the then Home Secretary (Mr. Straw) asked the Chief Inspector of the
  229W
  Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate to carry out a routine assessment of compliance with the relevant authorities issued to Imutran Limited under the 1986 Act. The Chief Inspector's report, which covered five years work, was published on 13 July 2001 and copies placed in the Library. It confirmed that the general level of compliance was good and identified no new factors justifying a judicial inquiry.

  Passport Control (Biometric Techniques)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 26 June 2002,Official Report, column 886, on the meeting with the French Interior Minister, if he will make a statement on the use of biometric techniques in establishing more secure methods of passport control. [66745]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]The use of biometric techniques to link a travel document to the rightful holder has long been recognised as a policy goal by passport issuing authorities around the world. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is developing a biometric standard for use in machine readable travel documents to ensure global interoperability. The United Kingdom (UK) is supporting the work of ICAO in establishing this standard. In addition the UK Passport Service is investigating ways to use biometrics information in UK passports and in passport cards as the latter are developed; and in its efforts to counter fraud.

  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last visited the Public Inquiry Office of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. [67926]

  Beverley Hughes
  My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) visited the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's Public Inquiry Office in Croydon on 26 June 2001.

  My noble Friend, (Lord Rooker), the former Minister for Immigration also visited the Public Inquiry Office, as did I, on 20 June 2002.

  Foreign Nationals (Domestic Violence Provisions)
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions the provisions relating to domestic violence have been applied to allow a foreign national who has married a UK citizen to remain in the UK despite the break-up of that marriage due to domestic violence. [70035]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]Up to the end of 2000, the latest available data from case records, 63 applicants under the domestic violence concession have been granted settlement.

  Internet (Child Protection)
  Lawrie Quinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet has met since it was set up last year; what progress has been made; and if he will make a statement. [70809]
  230W
  Hilary Benn
  The then Home Secretary (Mr. Straw) announced the establishment of the Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet on 9 May 2001. Since then, the full Task Force has met four times and most recently on 3 July 2002. The work of the Task Force has been taken forward by a number of Sub Groups which have met regularly and have been looking at the criminal law, law enforcement, child protection measures, public awareness, training and further developing co-operation between the industry and others on reporting and handling child protection issues.

  Members of the respective Sub Groups have given freely of their time to support the aim we set last year: to make the United Kingdom the best and safest place in the world for children to use the internet, and to help protect children the world over from abuse fuelled by criminal misuse of new technologies.

  The Task Force has developed, run and now evaluated a successful national awareness campaign. Research had confirmed two key gaps: first, that parents are ill-informed about their children's use of the internet and chat rooms, and second that young people give out their personal details without considering the consequences. Two campaigns were designed, one to target 14 to 16-year-olds and the other parents/carers of 11 to 13-year-olds. The media used included press advertising, cinema, radio, on-line and viral marketing from December 2001 until spring 2002. Independent evaluation of the campaigns shows significantly improved awareness of the key messages in both target audiences. The Task Force is now considering that evaluation and how to build on the momentum created.

  The Task Force has also developed proposals for a criminal offence to tackle the "grooming" of children by paedophiles online or offline. This is intended to allow prosecution at an early stage when children are being groomed, before an existing sexual offence has been committed. In addition, the proposals include the creation of a new civil protection order relating to behaviour towards a child for an illegal or harmful sexual purpose.

  Practical online child protection measures have been drawn up in a draft good practice document for service providers which deals with chat, instant messaging and web services. These encourage, among other things, clear and accessible safety messages and advice and user-friendly ways of reporting abuse. The drafts are being considered by the wider industry through the Internet Service Providers' Association (ISPA) and the London Internet Exchange (LINX).

  Work is also in hand to develop a shared matrix for reporting and handling child protection issues, and developing good practice for dealing with law enforcement requests for information from Internet Service Providers (ISPs). This is being taken forward, with the oversight of the Task Force, by the Internet Crime Forum.

  The Task Force will continue to work in partnership with the industry to: consider the extent to which the criminal law currently covers unsuitable material being sent to children and all forms of indecent representations of children; assess the new challenges posed by
  231W
  development of 3G mobile phones; and develop basic training materials for child protection staff on children's internet use.

  In parallel with the Task Force, the United Kingdom has played a leading role in the development of a G8 strategy for protecting children from sexual exploitation on the internet. The strategy, which is not yet finalised, will cover issues such as: victim identification; intelligence gathering and sharing; location of suspects; enforcement tools and training; awareness building and prevention; and police working with industry and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

  Forensic Science Service
  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will lay before Parliament the annual report for the Forensic Science Service. [70810]

  Mr. Denham
  Copies of the Forensic Science Service's (FSS) Annual Report and Accounts for 2001–02 have today been laid before Parliament.

  Performance against Agency targets 2001–02
  The FSS met seven of its 10 targets and concluded the financial year with a strong performance.
  Financial targets
  A 12.9 per cent. return on capital employed was produced against a target of 10 per cent.A three-year rolling efficiency gain of 10 per cent. was achieved against a target of 10 per cent.
  Service Delivery
  An average turnaround time of 35 days was achieved against a target of 26 days.94 per cent.. 92 per cent. and 90 per cent. of agreed dates were achieved in urgent, critical and persistent young offender cases (respectively) against targets of 97 per cent., 97 per cent. and 100 per cent.89 per cent. of agreed delivery dates in all categories were achieved against a target of 93 per cent.Service level agreements were put into place with 92 per cent. of police forces—against a target of 90 per cent.A biennial customer satisfaction survey was conducted.A baseline overall measure for putting into place routine and robust customer satisfaction measurement processes based on transactional approach, and for demonstrating year on year improvements in police (customer) satisfaction was established.External quality accreditation to ISO standards was maintained—and extended.Application for 50 per cent. of reporting officers for accreditation to the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners, where appropriate, was achieved.
  The targets for 2002–03, the agency's fourth year of trading fund, are:

  Finance:
  Target: a 10 per cent. return on capital employed.Target: a 10 per cent. efficiency gain (over three years).232W
  Service delivery:
  Target: a five per cent. increase in transactional index of customer satisfaction (baseline 100 per cent).Target: agreements on service levels implemented with 92 per cent. of police forces.Target: maintain quality accreditation.Target: meet dispatch dates in 98 per cent. of urgent and critical cases and 99 per cent. in persistent young offenders cases.Target: meet dispatch dates in 93 per cent. of all categories of cases.Target: achieve a 70 calendar day turnaround time in 90 per cent. of standard jobs (violent and volume crime cases) by the year end, demonstrating improvements through the year.Target: submit applications for accreditation to the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners (CRFP) of 100 per cent. of reporting officers in areas where the CRFP is registering people.

  Dungavel Detention Centre
  Annabelle Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further renovations are planned to transform Dungavel detention centre into a removal centre; what the estimated cost is; and from which budget line such renovation costs will be met. [69281]

  Beverley Hughes
  There are no physical alterations needed to transform Dungavel House from a detention to a removal centre. Any future proposals to alter the building will be considered and if found to be economically advantageous the costs will be met by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND).

  EU Committees (Scottish Executive Representation)
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the EU Advisory Committee on the Free Movement of Workers is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [67751]

  Malcolm Wicks
  I have been asked to reply.

  The EU Advisory Committee on the Free Movement of Workers is next due to meet in November 2002 (date to be set by the European Commission). Representatives of the Scottish Executive have not been and are not currently members of this committee. The advisory committee is composed of six members for each member state of the European Union, two of whom represent the Government (normally only one representative attends), two the trade unions and two the employers' associations, plus one substitute member for each of these. The committee and its composition were established by regulation (EEC) No. 1612/68.

  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the EU Technical Committee for the Implementation of Regulations concerning the Free Movement of Workers is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [67744]

  Malcolm Wicks
  I have been asked to reply.
  233W
  The EU Technical Committee for the Implementation of Regulations concerning the Free Movement of Workers is next due to meet in November 2002 (date to be set by the European Commission). Representatives of the Scottish Executive have not been and are not currently members of this committee. The advisory committee is composed of one member for each member state of the European Union, plus one substitute member. The committee and its composition were established by regulation (EEC) No. 1612/68.

  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when(a) the EU Advisory Committee on Social Security for Migrant Workers and (b) its working
  234W
  parties are next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members; and if he will make a statement. [67743]

  Malcolm Wicks
  I have been asked to reply.

  The EU Advisory Committee on Social Security for Migrant Workers is next due to meet on 2 October 2002. Representatives of the Scottish Executive have not been and are not currently members of this committee. UK representation consists of two officials from the Department for Work and Pensions (normally only one attends), three trade union representatives and three employers' representatives (the latter two includes substitute members). The committee and its composition were established by regulation (EEC) No. 1408/71.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Computers
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures are(a) in place and (b) under discussion in his Department in order to ensure compliance with the WEE Directive. [60747]

  Mr. Leslie
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Industry. Energy and Environment, on 12 June 2002,Official Report, column 1266W.

  Sprinkler Systems
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many sprinklers were installed in properties owned by local authorities last year; and if he will make a statement. [65857]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the Government's policy is on encouraging the installation of sprinkler systems in(a) local authority owned houses and (b) new build houses; and if he will make a statement. [65856]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The information is as follows:

  (a) The Government have no formal role in encouraging local authorities to install sprinkler systems. It is a matter for local consideration, although authorities will be assisted by the proposed introduction of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). This will provide a risk based approach to the implementation of safety measures in dwellings. The HHSRS provides an analysis of risk from 24 broad hazards, including hazards from fire, and of the counter-measures to address those risks. Sprinklers are listed as one of the measures to promote fire safety.

  (b) Although there are currently no plans to revise the building regulations to include provisions for domestic sprinkler systems into new build houses, we are keeping this under review in the light of emerging standards and improvements in sprinkler technology. We have recently let two research contracts to look at the whole issue of residential and domestic sprinklers, including an assessment of their actual effectiveness and the undertaking of a regulatory impact assessment to consider their costs and benefits. The results and conclusions of this work should be available around the end of 2003.

  We will need to await the findings of the research work referred to above, before we are in a position to consider more fully if the provision of residential sprinklers should be a requirement of the building regulations.

  Local Taxation
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Government have to introduce forms of local taxation in addition to the council tax; and if he will make a statement. [65863]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Government's White Paper "Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services" detailed our scheme for Business Improvement Districts (BIDS). Under a BID, projects of benefit to the local community will be funded by a levy on the business rate paid by local businesses. Before a BID can be established a majority of the ratepayers liable for the levy will need
  236W
  to have voted in favour. The draft Local Government Bill published on 12 June contains the necessary primary legislation

  Apart from the BIDs levy, the Government have no plans to introduce other forms of local taxation in addition to the council tax.

  We said in the White Paper that once some further analysis had been done, we would establish a high-level working group, involving Ministers and senior figures from local government, to look at all the aspects of the balance of local government funding, reviewing the evidence and looking at reform options. We intend to make an announcement regarding this review in due course.

  Local Government Bill
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 25 June 2002,Official Report, column 820W, on the draft local government Bill, if councils have been informed of (a) the consultation and (b) the availability of paper copies. [66086]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We have ensured that the launch of the Local Government Bill was widely publicised. Individual councils were informed of the consultation via local government association bulletins and "Info4Local". "Info4Local" is a one-stop portal for local authorities to get quick and easy access to information on the websites of Government Departments, and we used its e-mail service to send out information on the draft Bill as soon as it was published. Paper copies were also sent to key representative organisations and have been made available to others on request. The consultation document itself contains details on how to obtain paper copies.

  Data Services
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what new data services, broken down by(a) sex, (b) race, (c) disability and (d) age have been commissioned by his Department since it was created. [66713]

  Mr. McNulty
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Romsey on 10 April 2002,Official Report, column 83W. I am not aware of any new data series being commissioned since the establishment of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

  Equal Treatment
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) whether he has established a baseline for policy appraisal; against which to measure progress on equal treatment; and what progress has been achieved. [66714]

  (2) if he will list the subjects of the gender impact assessments drawn up by his Department, indicating in each case whether the outcome has been (a) put out to consultation and (b) published. [66715]

  Mr. McNulty
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her on 10 April 2002,Official Report, column 83W.

  Regeneration
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which Minister in his Department has responsibility for regeneration; and if he will make a statement. [67444]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Deputy Prime Minister has decided that for the time being Ministers in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will take on the portfolios of their predecessors. This means that Lord Rooker, Minister of State and I, Parliamentary Under-Secretary have responsibility for regeneration issues.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many civil servants there are in his Department, broken down by pay band; and if he will make a statement. [67454]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Central) (ODPM(C)) employs approximately 4,216 staff. This figure is composed of staff working on policy areas and an estimate of 50 per cent. of the support staff who worked for the former Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR). This figure may change when restructuring is complete and final decisions have been taken on whether support staff are allocated to ODPM(C) or Department for Transport (DfT). The table shows these staff split by pay band.

  Band

  OPCM (C)

  SCS

  75

  Band 7

  37

  Band 6

  264

  Band 5

  204

  Band 4

  355

  Band 3

  383

  Band 2

  274

  Band 1

  44

  Secretarial

  78

  Total

  1,714

  The ODPM also includes Government office staff and the following table shows the grade breakdown of these staff.

  Band

  Total

  SCS

  54

  Band 7

  30

  Band 6

  212

  Band 5

  225

  Band 4

  542

  Band 3

  635

  Band 2

  489

  Band 1

  86

  Secretarial

  87

  Total

  2,360

  Finally ODPM also includes 142 staff who have transferred across from the Cabinet Office. A breakdown by pay band is not yet available for these staff.

  Housing
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the adequacy of housing supply for the next 10 to 15 years; and if he will make a statement. [67217]

  Mr. McNulty
  Annual rates of housing provision to be kept under regular review are established through regional planning guidance and the spatial strategy it sets out. We expect local authorities to provide sufficient housing land to meet this housing provision. A central feature of "plan, monitor and manage" is the process of review and adjustment if indicators show that more or less housing is needed. This should occur as a minimum every five years, and sooner if there are signs of under or over provision.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take into account low cost housing in North Staffordshire when assessing the need for affordable housing for key public sector workers in(a) the West Midlands, (b) Cheshire and (c) South Manchester; and if he will make a statement. [69688]

  Mr. McNulty
  In each region the Government Office and the Housing Corporation produce a Regional Housing Statement working closely with local and regional stakeholders including local authorities and housing associations. This highlights key housing issues and pressures in each region and helps to identify regional priorities. The corporation also produces a Regional Investment Strategy which contains priorities for investment in that region. These priorities are also discussed with local and regional stakeholders.

  Multiple Occupation Houses (Deaths)
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many deaths there have been in houses of multiple occupation in each of the last five years for which records are available, broken down by the causes of death; and if he will make a statement. [68245]

  Mr. McNulty
  The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Priority Development Areas
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the Government's priority development areas. [68357]

  Mr. McNulty
  Priority areas for development are identified in Regional Planning Guidance issued by the Deputy Prime Minister, in the draft London Plan published by the Mayor and in development plans adopted by local planning authorities.

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the overseas trips on departmental business that have been undertaken in each of the last five years by officials in his Department; and what the(a) cost, (b) purpose and (c) result was in each case. [68729]

  The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
  The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Homelessness (Local Authority Powers)
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what statutory powers local authorities possess to(a) refuse housing to, (b) refuse services to and (c) return to their place of origin rough sleepers and homeless people. [68663]

  Mr. McNulty
  Authorities cannot refuse to secure accommodation or provide advice and assistance, as appropriate, to applicants where this is required as a result of a specific duty being owed to them under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996. Rough sleepers or homeless people who apply to a housing authority for accommodation or advice and assistance must be treated in the same way as all other applicants.

  Authorities do not have a power to return homeless people or rough sleepers to another area, but where an authority decide that an applicant is owed the main homelessness duty and (a) he or she does not have a local connection with the area of the authority and (b) does have one with the area of another authority, the case may be referred to that other authority.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what assessment he has made of the advantages of the system of the area cost adjustments within the local government finance system; [68893]

  (2) what plans he has to ensure that regional wage differentials are reflected in the local government finance system. [68892]

  Mr. Leslie
  As we set out in the Green Paper, "Modernising Local Government Finance", we believe that the case for recognising that pay levels vary across the country is clear-cut. There will therefore continue to be an area cost adjustment in the new local government finance system that we intend to introduce in 2003–04.

  We do, however, recognise that how the adjustment is calculated is difficult and contentious. That is why the formula grant distribution consultation paper we published on 8 July includes a range of alternative options on which we are inviting comments. We will be carefully considering the views that are put to us during the consultation period before taking final decisions on the best way forward.

  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what the average SSA per head of population for local services after discounting area cost adjustment is in each(a) metropolitan area, (b) Government office region and (c) local authority; [68897]

  (2) what the average SSA per head of population for local services is in each (a) metropolitan area, (b) Government office by area and (c) local authority. [68898]

  Mr. Leslie
  The average 2002–03 SSA per head of population, using the mid-2000 population estimates, for each metropolitan area is:

  £

  Metropolitan area

  SSA per head

  Greater Manchester

  1,061

  Merseyside

  1,141

  South Yorkshire

  1,027

  240W

  £

  Metropolitan area

  SSA per head

  Tyne and Wear

  869

  West Midlands

  1,114

  West Yorkshire

  1,015

  The area cost adjustment (ACA) factor for each of the metropolitan areas is 1,000, and hence the ACA contribution for each of these areas is zero. The average 2002–03 SSA per head of population, excluding the ACA contribution is, therefore, the same as that in the table.

  The average 2002–03 SSA per head of population, both including and excluding the ACA contribution, for each Government office area is:

  £

  Government office

  Including the ACA contribution

  SSA per head Excluding the ACA contribution

  South-west

  876

  876

  South-east

  892

  833

  London

  1,265

  1,085

  Eastern

  909

  865

  East Midlands

  906

  906

  West Midlands

  989

  989

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  992

  992

  North-east

  1,043

  1,043

  North-west

  1,027

  1,027

  A table showing the 2002–03 SSA per head, both including and excluding the ACA contribution, for each local authority has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to impose transitional arrangements on the implementation of changes to the local government finance system; and if he will make a statement. [68890]

  Mr. Leslie
  As we announced in the local government White Paper "Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services", we will continue to operate the floors and ceilings scheme to limit changes in grant to councils in any one year. Precise details of our proposals for the scheme for 2003–04 will be announced in the provisional local government finance settlement around the end of November 2002.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local authorities spent(a) at or below SSA levels and (b) above SSA levels in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Leslie
  In 1998–99, 78 out of 433 authorities incurred a Net Revenue Expenditure at or below SSA. In 1999–2000 there were 52 and in 2001–01 there were 54.

  SSA includes Police Grant in the case of police authorities and, in 2000–01, General GLA grant in the case of the Greater London Authority.

  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to ensure that the new grant formula that will replace SSA will be fairer and simpler and address the needs of all classes of authority. [69985]

  Mr. Raynsford
  On 8 July, we published a consultation paper setting out a number of options for reforming the distribution system for general revenue grants. One of the aims of the consultation paper is to
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  make the system simpler overall, but it must be recognised that the formula will never be completely simple.

  Central and local Government have worked together to develop the options contained in the consultation paper to make the system fairer for all local authorities. Decisions on the future funding system will be taken only after all consultation responses have been fully considered.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions a local authority has put into the public domain the confidential draft of the local authority's corporate governance inspection by the Audit Commission prior to publication; and what action he intends to take against such local authorities. [69692]

  Mr. Leslie
  Of the corporate governance inspections that have been carried out to date four reports have come into the public domain prior to publication. Such premature disclosure does not help authorities to derive full benefit from inspections. The Audit Commission strongly advises local authority officers and members not to reveal the contents of draft reports prior to an agreed release date. Confidential drafts are provided in order to allow full discussion and deliberation of the recommendations within the council; and between the council and the inspectors, and the incorporation of any subsequent changes to the report before publication of a final report. The detailed management of these arrangements is a matter for the Audit Commission and the authority concerned.

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2002,Official Report, column 820W, on the Millennium Dome, if he will (a) commission from Jones Lange Lasalle and (b) publish estimates of the value of the Millennium Dome site to Meridian Delta Ltd. (i) with and (ii) without the Dome. [69202]

  Mr. McNulty
  English Partnerships, with professional advice from Jones Lang Lasalle, undertook full assessments of the value of the deal with Meridian Delta Ltd. and Anschutz Entertainment Group, and of alternative development scenarios with and without the Dome.

  The net present value of the deal, assuming the full scheme is developed, is around £240 million. This is higher than both the estimated value of the site developed under alternative development scenarios with the Dome, and the estimated value of the site developed without the Dome. Our professional advice was that the establishment of a successful and iconic venue enhances the value of the rest of the development.

  Precise valuations are commercially confidential, in order not to compromise the joint venture arrangements, negotiations between the joint venture and third parties, and the ability of English Partnerships to secure value for money through their commercial negotiations.

  The National Audit Office is examining the sale process, including valuations and value for money assessments, and will report to Parliament in due course.

  "Our Towns and Cities: The Future"
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made towards the goal in section 4.10 of the DETR document, "Our Towns and Cities: The Future", on 100 per cent. capital allowances for creating flats over shops for letting. [69377]

  Mr. McNulty
  We have introduced 100 per cent. capital allowances for owners and occupiers to cover the costs of creating flats over shops and similar commercial premises for letting. This measure was introduced in the 2001 Budget and has been available since May 2001. The Government are committed to undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of all the fiscal measures in the urban White Paper.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made towards the goal in section 4.10 of the DETR document, "Our Towns and Cities: The Future", to bring about VAT reforms to encourage conversion of properties for residential use. [69375]

  Mr. McNulty
  We have reduced VAT to 5 per cent. on the cost of conversions of residential property into residential communal homes, such as care homes and homes with multiple occupation, and on the cost of renovating residential properties that have been empty for three years or longer. A similar VAT reduction on the cost of converting residential properties, which have been empty for three years of more, into a different number of dwellings has been introduced. An adjustment has also been made to the zero rate of VAT to provide relief for the sale of renovated houses that have been empty for 10 years or more.

  The measures above were introduced in the 2001 Budget. The reduction in VAT on residential conversions has been available since May 2001 and the relief from VAT on the sale of renovated homes has been available since August 2001. The Government are committed to undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of all the fiscal measures included in the urban White Paper.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made towards the goal in section 4.10 of the DETR document, "Our Towns and Cities: The Future", on accelerated payable tax credits for cleaning contaminated land. [69376]

  Mr. McNulty
  We have introduced an accelerated payable 150 per cent. tax credit on qualifying expenditure incurred on or after 11 May 2001 on cleaning-up contaminated land (land remediation expenditure) for companies that acquire contaminated land for the purposes of a trade or schedule A letting business. The tax credit is intended to make the development of contaminated sites more viable, helping to tackle the legacy of previous industrial usage and reducing pressure to develop greenfield sites. This measure was introduced in the 2001 Budget and has been available since May 2001.

  The Government are committed to undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of all the fiscal measures in the urban White Paper.

  Open Spaces
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made towards the introduction of
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  the Green Flag Award scheme for recognising excellence in local parks, play areas and open spaces; and if he will make a statement. [69381]

  Mr. McNulty
  Work to further develop the Green Flag Award scheme began on 1 April 2001. This has already led to an increase in the number of awards from 50 in 2000 to 81 this year. A new award category—the Green Pennant—was introduced in May 2002 to recognise the achievements of community managed and maintained spaces, and a further award category is being developed to recognise excellence in play space provision.

  Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities Programme
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much money has been provided for the New Opportunities Fund Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities Programme since its establishment. [69383]

  Dr. Howells
  I have been asked to reply.

  The New Opportunities Fund was directed by the Government to distribute £125 million to green spaces and sustainable communities by 2002. So far more than £30 million has been awarded to over 900 projects.

  Rough Sleepers
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people were sleeping rough in each year from 1998. [69423]

  Mr. McNulty
  On 3 December 2001, the Prime Minister announced that the Rough Sleepers Unit had met its target to reduce rough sleeping by at least two thirds by 2002. The latest figures on the number of people sleeping rough since June 1998 are as follows:

  England

  Reduction (per cent.)

  June 1998

  1,851

  —

  June 1999

  1,633

  11.8

  June 2000

  1,180

  36.3

  June 2001

  703

  62.0

  November 2001

  532

  71.3

  The new Homelessness Directorate within my Department brings together the Rough Sleepers Unit, the Bed and Breakfast Unit and a new team to advise local authorities on the development of strategies to tackle homelessness. The Directorate will continue to work on sustaining the two-thirds reduction in rough sleeping.

  Public Inquiries
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department issues to the Planning Inspectorate in respect of the(a) starting dates for major public inquiries and (b) avoidance of overlapping dates for separate major public inquiries affecting the same objectors. [69625]

  Mr. McNulty
  There is no specific guidance issued by the Department to the Planning Inspectorate for:

  (a) the start date for inquiries. The Inspectorate is in general expected to handle cases as quickly as possible and statutory rules require most inquiries to start within 22 weeks of the announcement of the intention to hold them;

  244W

  (b) the avoidance of overlapping dates for separate major public inquiries affecting the same objectors. The Inspectorate takes account of potential overlaps: where they occur, programmes for the inquiries concerned can usually be arranged to avoid problems for objectors.

  Local Elections
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which Government Minister is responsible for the administration of local elections. [69359]

  Mr. Raynsford
  As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House in his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Richard Burden) on 2 July 2002,Official Report, column 197W, ministerial responsibility for policy, including for reform and modernisation, on elections to English, and to the extent issues are not devolved Welsh, councils, the Greater London Authority, and any future English regional assembly is for my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister.

  Software
  Brian White
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is towards using open source software; and what percentage is used in his Department. [69319]

  Mr. Leslie
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister sets out the specific business requirements that software is required to meet. Suppliers are free to propose open source software to meet these requirements.

  The Department's use of open source software will follow the Government's policy when published, currently planned for summer 2002. The draft policy may be viewed at http://www.govtalk.gov.uk/rfc/rfc_ documentasp?docnum=429.

  At present, less than 1 per cent. of the Office's software is open source.

  Council Tax Bands
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many and what percentage of properties are in council tax Band F and above, broken down by(a) RSLs and (b) local authority properties in (i) London and (ii) England. [70032]

  Mr. Leslie
  Information on the number of properties in each council tax band is shown on the valuation list compiled by the Valuation Office Agency. The number and percentage of properties in council tax Band F and above, as at 26 March 2002, for London and England is shown in the table. A breakdown by RSLs or local authority properties is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  London

  England

  Number of properties in Band F and above

  486,089

  1,932,365

  Total number of properties

  3,125,684

  21,436,841

  Number of properties in Band F and above as a percentage of the total number of properties

  15.6

  9.0

  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many and what percentage of properties are in each council tax band in(a) England and (b) each Government office region. [70031]
  245W
  Mr. Leslie
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the hon. Member for Southampton, Test (Dr. Whitehead) on 25 April 2002,Official Report, column 397W.

  Fire Service (Radio Communications)
  Geraint Davies
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if the Government's proposed revised national strategy for the replacement of the fire services main scheme radio system will(a) provide and (b) fund a solution which will meet the user requirements determined by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. [70002]

  Mr. Leslie
  The Government have undertaken to fully fund the new national procurement strategy for the fire service radio system. This work will be taken forward in close co-operation with fire authorities, including the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.

  Alconbury Airfield
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the timetable is for his decision on the Planning Inspectorate's report concerning the proposed development at Alconbury airfield, Cambridgeshire. [69727]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Planning Inspectorate has advised that it expects to send the report to the Deputy Prime Minister towards the end of August. Until we have received and considered the report, I cannot say when the decision on the appeal might be made.

  Ordnance Survey
  Brian White
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what performance targets have been set for the Ordnance Survey Executive Agency for the financial year 2002–03. [70808]

  Mr. McNulty
  The following performance targets have been set for Ordnance Survey for 2002–03:To achieve revenue target of £98.0 million (excluding the National Interest Mapping Service Agreement)
  To achieve an efficiency gain of 6 per cent. over the period April 2000 to March 2004. The target for 2002–03 is 4.5 per cent. against the baseline of 1999–2000.
  To complete national coverage of the OS Explorer Map series by 31 March 2003, and for our principal national paper map series, we will issue full up-to-date revisions:

  Years

  On average not more than every

  and, no longer than every

  Explorer May (403 sheets)

  2.5

  6.5

  OS Landranger Map (204 sheets)

  3

  6

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  To increase the number of users of Ordnance Survey websites by 35 per cent.
  To represent 99.5 per cent. of significant real world features in the database within six months of completion.
  To reduce the carbon emissions from the Ordnance Survey Headquarters building by at least 1 per cent. year-on-year.

  These targets reflect Ordnance Survey's continuing commitment to customers and to improved value for money for all its stakeholders.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many asylum seekers are supported by(a) each local authority and (b) local authorities in each Government office region. [68901]

  Beverley Hughes
  I have been asked to reply.

  From the grant claims sent to the Home Office by local authorities, as at September 2001, 26,800 single adult asylum seekers and 14,600 families were supported by local authorities. Figures including dependants are not available.

  Of these cases, the following number were supported by each local authority.

  Total number of:

  Local authority1

  Single adults2

  Families2

  Barking and Dagenham

  490

  470

  Barnet3

  260

  380

  Barnsley

  50

  10

  Bath and North East Somerset

  *

  *

  Bedfordshire

  210

  50

  Bexley3

  120

  60

  Birmingham

  360

  150

  Blackburn with Darwen

  10

  *

  Blackpool

  20

  *

  Blaenau Gwent County

  0

  0

  Bolton Metro

  20

  10

  Bournemouth

  120

  30

  Bracknell Forest

  *

  *

  Bradford

  30

  20

  Brent3

  330

  450

  Bridgend County

  0

  0

  Brighton and Hove

  170

  20

  Bristol City

  160

  40

  Bromley3

  80

  100

  Buckinghamshire

  40

  10

  Bury

  10

  10

  Caerphilly County

  *

  0

  Calderdale

  20

  0

  Cambridgeshire

  110

  30

  Camden3

  280

  270

  Cardiff

  40

  20

  Carmarthenshire

  0

  0

  Ceredigion CC

  *

  0

  Cheshire

  20

  10

  City of Newcastle

  160

  40

  Conwy CBC

  0

  0

  Cornwall

  *

  *

  Corporation of London3

  100

  30

  Coventry

  50

  20

  Croydon3

  70

  160

  Cumbria

  *

  0

  Cyngor Gwynedd Council

  0

  0

  Darlington

  0

  0

  Denbighshire County

  0

  0

  Derby

  100

  20

  Derbyshire

  *

  0

  Devon

  10

  0

  247W

  Total number of:

  Local authority1

  Single adults2

  Families2

  Doncaster

  10

  10

  Dorset

  40

  *

  Dudley

  20

  10

  Durham

  0

  0

  Ealing3

  150

  190

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  10

  0

  East Sussex

  160

  20

  Enfield3

  420

  470

  Essex

  140

  40

  Flintshire

  *

  0

  Gateshead

  40

  0

  Gloucestershire

  90

  30

  Greenwich3

  500

  340

  Hackney3

  0

  0

  Halton

  0

  0

  Hammersmith and Fulham3

  520

  420

  Hampshire

  50

  10

  Haringey3

  1,290

  1,360

  Harrow3

  150

  180

  Hartlepool

  0

  0

  Havering

  190

  100

  Herefordshire

  *

  *

  Hertfordshire

  340

  90

  Hillingdon3

  570

  170

  Hounslow3

  120

  190

  Isle of Anglesey CC

  0

  0

  Isle of Wight

  *

  *

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  0

  Islington3

  1.400

  520

  Kensington and Chelsea3

  390

  270

  Kent

  3,020

  460

  Kingston Upon Hull

  40

  10

  Kingston Upon Thames3

  60

  80

  Kirklees

  30

  10

  Knowsley

  10

  10

  Lambeth3

  980

  740

  Lancashire

  10

  *

  Leeds

  70

  20

  Leicester

  110

  60

  Leicestershire

  50

  20

  Lewisham3

  460

  450

  Lincolnshire

  100

  20

  Liverpool

  180

  70

  Luton

  460

  130

  Manchester

  450

  180

  Medway

  20

  10

  Merthyr Tydfil County

  0

  0

  Merton3

  160

  200

  Middlesbrough

  80

  10

  Milton Keynes

  80

  30

  Monmouthshire County

  *

  0

  Neath Port Talbot

  *

  0

  Newham3

  1,110

  1,130

  Newport County (South Wales)

  20

  10

  Norfolk

  110

  30

  North East Lincolnshire

  60

  10

  North Lincolnshire

  *

  *

  North Somerset

  10

  *

  North Tyneside

  20

  10

  North Yorkshire

  10

  *

  Northamptonshire

  580

  110

  Northumberland

  0

  0

  Nottingham

  110

  20

  Nottinghamshire

  20

  *

  Oldham

  10

  10

  Oxfordshire

  490

  140

  Pembrokeshire

  0

  0

  Peterborough

  60

  30

  Plymouth

  10

  10

  Poole

  0

  0

  Portsmouth

  150

  30

  Powys CC

  0

  0

  248W

  Total number of:

  Local authority1

  Single adults2

  Families2

  Reading

  240

  80

  Redbridge3

  670

  330

  Redcar and Cleveland

  20

  *

  Rhondda Cynon Taff County

  10

  *

  Richmond Upon Thames3

  570

  260

  Rochdale

  20

  10

  Rotherham

  30

  10

  Rutland

  10

  *

  Salford

  80

  40

  Sandwell

  250

  50

  Sefton

  20

  10

  Sheffield

  320

  120

  Shropshire

  *

  0

  Slough

  340

  190

  Solihull

  10

  *

  Somerset

  *

  *

  South Gloucestershire

  10

  10

  South Tyneside

  *

  *

  Southampton

  310

  50

  Southend on Sea

  210

  100

  Southwark3

  1,100

  500

  St. Helens

  *

  0

  Staffordshire

  80

  10

  Stockport

  20

  10

  Stockton On Tees

  *

  0

  Stoke-on-Trent

  50

  *

  Suffolk

  20

  10

  Sunderland

  20

  10

  Surrey

  210

  40

  Sutton

  110

  80

  Swansea City and County

  0

  0

  Swindon

  60

  20

  Tameside

  20

  *

  Telford and Wrekin

  20

  *

  Thurrock

  90

  30

  Torbay

  0

  0

  Torfaen CBC

  0

  0

  Tower Hamlets3

  700

  250

  Trafford

  20

  10

  Vale of Glamorgan

  10

  *

  Wakefield

  50

  10

  Walsall

  20

  10

  Waltham Forest3

  470

  360

  Wandsworth3

  110

  220

  Warrington

  *

  0

  Warwickshire

  90

  20

  West Berkshire

  10

  *0

  West Sussex

  120

  20

  Westminster3

  490

  370

  Wigan

  10

  *

  Wiltshire

  10

  10

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  *

  *

  Wirral

  0

  *

  Wokingham

  10

  *

  Wolverhampton

  20

  10

  Worcestershire

  40

  10

  Wrexham

  0

  0

  York

  10

  *

  Total

  26,230

  14,180

  1All figures rounded to the nearest 10. Figures between 1 and 4 are represented by a *. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

  2Supported as at end of September 2001.

  3 Greater London

  Note:

  Figures by government office region are not available.

  Chipboard Manufacture
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research his Department has commissioned on the environmental impact of chipboard manufacture. [68353]
  249W
  Mr. Jamieson
  I have been asked to reply.

  Responsibility for environmental matters rests with the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Environment Agency. Neither DEFRA, the Environment Agency, nor the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have commissioned any research into the environmental impact of chipboard manufacture.

  Local Public Service Arrangements
  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to extend local public service arrangements to district councils. [699871

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Government are keen to involve districts in local PSAs, but believe that better outcomes can be achieved through co-operation between county and district councils than by districts acting alone. It therefore offers incentives to encourage county councils to work with their districts in drawing up and implementing their local PSAs. Most of the county councils involved in the roll-out of local PSAs to top tier authorities have involved their districts, including Suffolk county council, whose local PSA was recently agreed. There are no plans to extend local PSAs to districts alone.

  Social Services
  Clive Efford
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list those London boroughs that are anticipating overspending on their social services budgets in this financial year. [69150]

  Mr. Leslie
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Social Exclusion
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the EU Advisory Committee on the implementation of the community action programme to combat social exclusion is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [67750]

  Malcolm Wicks
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Programme Committee set up under the programme of Community action to encourage co-operation between member states to combat social exclusion is next due to meet on 10 October 2002. The United Kingdom members of the Committee are two named DWP officials. Representatives of the Scottish Executive are not, and have not been, members.

TREASURY

  Energy Efficiency
  Barbara Follett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the Government propose to take forward their Budget announcement to consider ways in which economic instruments might be used to improve household energy efficiency. [70865]

  John Healey
  A consultation document "Economic instruments to improve household energy efficiency" will be published today on the Treasury website. Copies are
  250W
  also available in the Libraries of both Houses. Responses to this consultation, which should be sent to HM Treasury by 8 October, will help to inform the Government's policy development in this area.

  Public Finances
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the members of the Public Sector Classifications Committee; and if he will make a statement on the process by which they were selected. [70512]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Chope, dated 16 July 2002:
  As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the list of members of the Public Sector Classification Committee, and the process by which they were selected. (70512)
  The Public Sector Classification Committee's members are selected for their National Accounts expertise. Most are automatically entitled to membership through holding particular jobs in The Office for National Statistics. The committee may co-opt others in particular cases if their areas of expertise are relevant. The membership is:

  Head of National Accounts Group (chair)

  Head of National Expenditure & Income Division (vice-chair)

  Head of National Accounts Co-ordination Division

  Head of Balance of Payments & Financial Sector Division

  Head of Short-term Output Indicators Division

  Head of Public Sector Accounts Branch

  Expert on Gross Domestic Product

  Expert on Financial & Sector Accounts

  Expert on Gross National Income

  Others as appropriate.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the statement by the Head of National Accounts at the Office for National Statistics publicised in a news release of 11 July on responsibility for deciding on classifications in the monitoring and control of public finances. [70514]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Office for National Statistics is responsible for classifying institutions and transactions for national accounts in accordance with international guidelines. Ministers have decided to adopt national accounts definitions in the monitoring and control of public finances. Similarly in the EU, the Council has decided to adopt national accounts definitions in the Maastricht Treaty, its protocols, and in the Stability and Growth Pact.

  Employer Liability Insurance
  Adam Price
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from companies in high-risk sectors on their ability to secure cover for mandatory employer liability insurance; and if he will make a statement. [69864]

  Ruth Kelly
  The Government do not generally intervene in the terms and conditions of insurance policies. There is no statutory requirement for insurers to offer particular types of cover.
  251W
  The Government are aware that some companies are experiencing difficulties in obtaining employers liability cover and are monitoring the situation closely.

  Contingent Liabilities
  Adam Price
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there are limits on the extent to which the devolved Administrations can enter into contingent liabilities. [70040]

  Mr. Boateng
  It is for the devolved Administrations to manage their contingent liabilities from within their existing Departmental Expenditure Limits if the contingent liabilities materialise.

  Tax Contracts
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff of the Inland Revenue have investigated and monitored(a) negotiated tax contracts for individuals and companies, (b) tax domicile status and (c) multinational company transfer pricing in each year since 1996. [62023]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Tax Returns
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals have entered into agreements with the Inland Revenue in each year since 1997 to pay a specified sum in tax in lieu of submitting an annual tax return; what the rationale is for this policy; and if he will make a statement. [62055]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Inland Revenue have not entered into agreements that absolve individuals from the general obligation to submit an annual tax return. Under Inland Revenue's power of care and management agreements of the type described were entered into and intended as a practical basis for taxing future income and gains where there would otherwise have been particular difficulties in establishing an exact figure. The Inland Revenue are no longer making these agreements.

  No central records were kept of these agreements at the time they were made, but the number of individuals so far identified to have been covered by them in the years in question is as follows:

  1997: 7

  1998: 4

  1999: 3

  2000: 2.

  These figures include one case (covering four individuals, in 1998) that has come to light following recent publicity. Agreements in other cases have also covered the tax affairs of more than one individual.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the administrative cost of replacing the working families tax credit with the working tax credit and the child tax credit. [67776]
  252W
  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the hon. Member to the revised Regulatory Impact Assessment for the new tax credits which is available in the Library and from the Inland Revenue's website www.ir.gov.uk.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of fraudulent claims for working families tax credit which result in prosecution in each of the last three years. [67775]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Revenue's approach to compliance is based on the progressive use of civil penalties and it prosecutes in more serious cases of fraud.

  The table gives the numbers of cases investigated which were found to be non-compliant, the number of penalties imposed and the number prosecuted in the last three years.

  As at 31 March

  2000

  2001

  2002

  Cases found to be non-compliant

  250

  5,213

  8,595

  Penalties imposed

  3

  237

  524

  Successful prosecutions

  0

  2

  29

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much compensation has been paid as a result of working families tax credit fraud since 31 December 2001. [67774]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The information cannot be supplied in the form requested.

  As with other parts of the tax system the Inland Revenue Code of Practice (COP 1) allows for certain exceptional payments to be made to working families tax credit (WFTC) applicants where they suffer loss or inconvenience as a result of mistakes in dealing with their application. The Inland Revenue classifies the compensation payments it makes according to the nature of the complaint: for example, delay or mistake.

  Mr. Roy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families receiving working families tax credit have an allowed claim for child costs. [69735]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The number of recipients of the working families tax credit (WFTC) who benefit from the child care tax credit is shown in Table 1.3 of each WFTC Quarterly Enquiry, copies of which are in the Library.

  Mr. Challen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are claiming working families tax credit, expressed as a percentage of the working population in(a) Leeds and (b) each of the English regions. [69952]

  Dawn Primarolo
  For the number of recipients of working families tax credit in each region and local authority, quarterly from May 2001, I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow (Mr. Hepburn), on 16 January 2002,Official Report, column 293W.

  Estimates of the average population in employment in the same areas in the year to February 2001 appear in the January 2002 issue of Labour Market Trends. Quarterly estimates for regions, most unitary authorities and larger districts appear in the labour Force Survey Quarterly
  253W
  Supplement. Copies of these publications are in the Library. All these estimates are based on the Labour Force Survey, and are subject to sampling uncertainty.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made of the accuracy of the estimates in the 'Tax Credits Act 1999 and Accompanying Regulations: Regulatory Impact Assessment', published in December 1999 of the costs for employers of administering the working families tax credit; and if he will place the assessment in the Library. [69935]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The accuracy of the estimates is being assessed through a survey of employees, which is part of the working families tax credit and disabled person's tax credit evaluation programme.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) on 13 June 2002,Official Report, columns 1393–94W, for what reasons the figures for the cost of advertising the working families tax credit are lower than the figures offered to the former hon. Member for Guildford (Sue Doughty) on 22 June 2000, Official Report, column 288W. [68608]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The figures for working families tax credit given to the hon. Member for Guildford (Sue Doughty), included other promotional activity such as a freephone helpline, while the figures given to the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) included only direct advertising expenditure.

  Budget Summary
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on designing, producing and distributing the Budget 2002 summary leaflet; and to whom it was distributed. [67811]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Budget 2002 summary leaflet was designed, written and edited by Treasury officials. The costs of production and distribution of the leaflet were met from within Departmental Expenditure Limits and amounted to approximately £208,000.

  The leaflet is available free of charge from the Treasury and is published on the Treasury website. Copies of the leaflet were also distributed nationwide through libraries, educational establishments, citizens advice bureaus, Jobcentres, NHS hospitals, GPs' surgeries, and other organisations.

  Expenditure
  Barbara Follett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Inland Revenue department's Vote on Account provision for 2002–03 will be sufficient to finance spending until Royal Assent to the Appropriation Act later this summer. [68862]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Royal Assent to the Appropriation Act was given on 8 July. Prior to that point, the overall Vote on Account provision for the Inland Revenue Estimate was sufficient in terms of both resources and cash to finance spending until Royal Assent. However, the Valuation Office Agency's Request for Resources (RfR) 4 had consumed £500.000 more resources than anticipated in the Vote on Account because of a change in the profile of the liabilities.
  254W
  The increase in resources was offset by lower resource consumption on RfR1 enabling resource consumption on the Estimate as a whole to remain within the overall Vote on Account resource provision. The net cash requirement remained unchanged.

  Vote on account provision

  £

  Before

  After

  Change

  RfR1

  1,006,990,000

  1,006,490,000

  -500,000

  RfR2

  —

  —

  —

  RfR3

  93,600,000

  93,600,000

  —

  RfR4

  14,045,000

  14,545,000

  500,000

  Total

  1,114,635,000

  1,114,635,000

  0

  Child Poverty
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made on recent steps taken to alleviate child poverty. [68801]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government's annual anti-poverty report, "Opportunity for All" shows progress on a range of poverty and social exclusion indicators linked to child poverty—low-income, worklessness, health, education and housing—each of which is reflected in a short-term Public Service Agreement (PSA).

  The Government will continue to make progress towards their goal of eradicating child poverty with the introduction in April 2003 of two new tax credits—the child tax credit and the working tax credit. The Government are also making substantial investment in services for children.

  Poverty Policy
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are planned in relation to the Government's poverty policy. [69010]

  Dawn Primarolo
  This Government are committed to halving child poverty by 2010 and abolishing it within a generation. As a result of personal tax and benefit changes announced since 1997, by April 2003 the poorest families with children will be on average £2,400 better off in real terms.

  To make further progress towards its eradication goal, Government are introducing two new tax credits—the child tax credit and the working tax credit—in April 2003. The Government are also making substantial investment in services for children.

  The Government are also committed to tackling pensioner poverty. It has introduced the minimum income guarantee and is committed to raising it in line with earnings throughout this Parliament. From 2003, the pension credit will enable those with a modest amount of second pension or savings to gain on average just over £400 a year.

  Tax Credits
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the reply from HM Treasury to the Statistics Commission, dated 2 July,
  255W
  to the Head of Profession for Statistics at HM Treasury concerning tax credits; and if he will make a statement. [69244]

  Ruth Kelly
  Yes. I have arranged for the Treasury's reply to the Statistics Commission to be placed in the Library.

  Horse Breeding
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide tax reliefs for(a) the horse breeding industry and (b) stallion owners, similar to those which exist in Ireland. [69368]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government keep all taxes under review as part of the normal Budget process.

  In the UK, racehorse owners, including breeders, already benefit from the VAT Registration Scheme for Racehorse Owners which allows owners, breeders, dealers and trainers who generate business income through horseracing, to register for VAT and thus recover the full VAT costs on the purchase and training of their horses. In addition to this stud farming is treated as farming for tax purposes and is therefore subject to special reliefs such as the Agricultural Buildings Allowance and Agricultural Property Relief.

  Pensions (Public Servants)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the(a) full-time and (b) part-time public servants for whom no occupational retirement pension provision exists; whether such provision will be made by Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make retrospective pension arrangements for such public servants. [69255]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Most public servants now are covered by occupational pension schemes and any that are not have access to stakeholder pensions. Individuals may opt out of their employer's pension arrangements.

  Precise eligibility for membership is a matter for the individual pension schemes. Since 1995 public service occupational schemes have been required to provide access to part-timers. Where eligibility has been extended retrospective membership has not usually been allowed unless it is legally required.

  A recent ECJ ruling on the Preston case, concerning a part-timer working for the NHS who claimed retrospective admission, means that many thousands of part-timers will be admitted into public service scheme prior to 1995, once the outstanding legal issues have been resolved in the Employment Tribunals.

  Health Funding
  Stephen Hesford
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of health care systems in other countries funded by charges and private medical insurance. [69233]

  Mr. Boateng
  Further to the answer given by my predecessor (Mr. Andrew Smith) on 15 April 2002,Official Report, column 772W, in April Derek Wanless
  256W
  published a study commissioned by his review on international health care systems, considering health systems in individual countries around the world.

  A copy of this study, prepared by the European Observatory on Health Care Systems, is available in the Library and can be accessed from the Treasury's website at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/mediastore/otherfiles/observatory_report.pdf.

  False Identity
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the(a) estimated annual number of people and (b) amount of tax unpaid by people using false identities, broken down by (i) VAT, (ii) other Customs and Excise duties and (iii) Inland Revenue taxes; and how much he estimates would have been prevented if everyone had been required to possess an ID card. [69311]

  Dawn Primarolo
  HM Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue do not keep records of the number of people specifically using false identifies involving VAT, Customs or Excise frauds or in connection with tax evasion.

  Savings Tax Directive
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in negotiations to encourage non-EU countries to adopt measures equivalent to the Savings Tax Directive. [69371]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Presidency and Commission of the European Union are now engaged in negotiations with all of the third countries named in the Conclusions of the European Council when meeting in Santa Maria da Feira on 20 June 2001 (Switzerland, United States of America, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Andorra and San Marino). The ECOFIN Council reported to the Seville European Council on 21–22 June on progress in the negotiations, and this report can be found on the Council's website, www.europa.org.

  Companies (Ilford, North)
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many VAT-registered companies in the Ilford, North constituency have an annual turnover of £100,000 or less. [69616]

  John Healey
  Customs data on VAT registered traders is maintained on a national and regional basis. Each of the seven Customs regions incorporates a number of parliamentary constituencies. It would involve disproportionate cost to produce this turnover data in the format requested.

  Higher Rate Taxpayers
  Mr. Challen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many higher rate taxpayers there were in(a) Leeds, (b) Yorkshire and Humber and (c) London expressed as a percentage of the total population of each area in each of the past 10 years; [69950]

  (2) what percentage of the population of (a) Leeds, (b) Yorkshire and Humber and (c) London have an income (i) twice, (ii) three times, (iii) four times, (iv) five times and (v) more than five times the national average in each of the past 10 years. [69951]
  257W
  Dawn Primarolo
  Available estimates are in the tables.

  Number of higher rate taxpayers1 as a percentage of the total population2 for the respective geographical areas

  Leeds

  Yorkshire and Humber3

  London

  UK

  1995–96

  3.0

  2.5

  5.3

  3.6

  1996–97

  2.8

  2.5

  5.2

  3.5

  1997–98

  2.7

  2.4

  5.3

  3.6

  1998–99

  3.2

  2.7

  6.0

  4.0

  1999–2000

  3.7

  2.8

  6.4

  4.2

  1Number of higher rate taxpayers based on the Survey of Personal Incomes.

  2Source for population estimates: Office for National Statistics, General Register Office for Scotland, and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

  3Government Office Region of Yorkshire and the Humber.

  Number of individuals1 with total income over twice GB average earnings2 as a percentage of the total population3 for the respective geographical areas

  Leeds

  Yorkshire and Humber4

  London

  UK

  1995–96

  1.8

  1.5

  4.1

  2.5

  1996–97

  1.7

  1.4

  3.9

  2.4

  1997–98

  1.7

  1.4

  3.6

  2.2

  1998–99

  1.8

  1.4

  3.5

  2.2

  1999–2000

  1.6

  1.4

  3.3

  2.1

  Number of individuals1 with total income over three times GB average earnings2 as a percentage of the total population3 for the respective geographical areas

  Leeds

  Yorkshire and Humber4

  London

  UK

  1995–96

  0.7

  0.6

  1.9

  1.0

  1996–97

  0.7

  0.6

  2.0

  1.0

  1997–98

  0.6

  0.6

  1.8

  0.9

  1998–99

  0.7

  0.5

  1.6

  0.8

  1999–2000

  0.6

  0.5

  1.6

  0.8

  Number of individuals1 with total income over four times GB average earnings2 as a percentage of the total population3 for the respective geographical areas

  Leeds

  Yorkshire and Humber4

  London

  UK

  1995–96

  0.4

  0.3

  1.2

  0.6

  1996–97

  0.4

  0.3

  1.2

  0.6

  1997–98

  0.3

  0.3

  1.1

  0.5

  1998–99

  0.3

  0.3

  1.0

  0.5

  1999–2000

  0.2

  0.2

  1.0

  0.4

  Number of individuals1 with total income over five times GB average earnings2 as a percentage of the total population3 for the respective geographical areas

  Leeds

  Yorkshire and Humber4

  London

  UK

  1995–96

  0.2

  0.2

  0.9

  0.4

  1996–97

  0.3

  0.2

  0.9

  0.4

  1997–98

  0.2

  0.2

  0.8

  0.3

  1998–99

  0.2

  0.2

  0.7

  0.3

  1999–2000

  0.2

  0.1

  0.7

  0.3

  258W

  1 Number of individuals based on the Survey of Personal Incomes.

  2 Average earnings based on the New Earnings Survey.

  3 Source for population estimates: Office for National Statistics, General Register Office for Scotland, and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

  4Government Office Region of Yorkshire and the Humber.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Afghanistan
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her oral answer of 26 June 2002,Official Report, column 866, what the result is of her inquiries into the use of landmines by Afghan cultivators to protect poppy crops; and if she will make a statement. [66746]

  Clare Short
  Inquiries into the use of land mines by poppy cultivators in Afghanistan indicate that this was predominantly a case of rumour to disrupt the crop eradication programme. There has been only one reported incident since the start of the eradication campaign: on 22 April 2002 25 people were injured, seven seriously when a land mine was detonated in a poppy field in Uruzgan. Two deaths were reported but these were not verified. Casualties included people undertaking the crop eradication.

  Both the Afghan Transitional Administration and the international community remain committed to the eradication of the opium poppy and the development of alternative livelihoods for all poor people in Afghanistan.

  World Summit on Sustainable Development
  Tony Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if the UK Government with other EU member states will encourage other Governments to join the 'Everything But Arms' proposal at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. [69479]

  Clare Short
  The European Union's 'Everything But Arms' initiative provides all Least Developed Countries with duty and quota free access. As of I January 2003, the Government of Canada will extend duty free and quota free access to all imports except dairy products, poultry and eggs from the Least Developed Countries. The European Union is committed to pressing other OECD countries to also provide the Least Developed Countries with duty and quota free access. The World Summit on Sustainable Development will provide another opportunity for the EU to press for this.

  Education for All
  Mr. Challen
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what resources to support the Education for All programme were agreed at the G8 Summit. [69252]

  Clare Short
  At Kananaskis, G8 leaders undertook to significantly increase the support provided by their bilateral aid agencies to basic education for countries with a strong policy and financial commitment to the sector, particularly in Africa; but no specific sums were pledged. Leaders agreed that each G8 donor will make public the steps it will take to fulfil this commitment. And they
  259W
  viewed the World bank's Fast Track proposal as a welcome first step in mobilising financial resources for countries committed to Education for All and demonstrating credible performance.

  G8 Leaders also called upon the World bank and the Regional Development banks to provide additional support to countries that have made a strong commitment to education and gender equality, and have a proven track record of strong management or are demonstrating strong management progress.

  Mr. Challen

  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to ensure that qualified teachers in developing countries are encouraged to contribute to the Education for All initiative in their own countries. [69253]

  Clare Short
  Attaining universal primary education by 2015 will require a major increase in the supply and retention of trained teachers. National governments will need to determine appropriate policies and strategies for achieving this. Teachers' salaries absorb a very large share of education expenditure and in many countries national resources will need to be supplemented by external financing. We believe the international community should provide recurrent expenditure support for basic education to countries that are clearly committed to Education for All and are demonstrating strong management of their resources. The World bank's Fast Track initiative provides an opportunity for accelerating such support and we are working closely with the bank on taking this forward.

  Mr. Challen
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution her Department is making to the Education for All initiative. [69251]

  Clare Short
  The Government believe that education is a basic human right which enables people to transform their own lives and the society in which they live. Education also has a vital role to play in enabling developing countries to achieve the levels of economic growth that are necessary for tackling poverty and achieving sustainable development. We are strongly committed to the Millennium Development Goals on education: achieving universal primary education by 2015 and eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary schooling by 2005. We believe that these goals are achievable if the governments of poor countries implement effective policies and receive the right assistance from the international community.

  Since May 1997, DFID has committed over £700 million to support primary education for poor people. We are using these funds to support national education policies which form part of developing country governments' broader poverty reduction strategies. We want to see an end to the fees and other costs which have prevented many poor children from attending school in the past. We also seek a commitment from developing country governments to prioritise primary education, especially of girls, in their own spending plans.

  The Government are also working to mobilise the international community in support of Education for All. Our aim is to achieve consensus by the end of 2002 on well co-ordinated international action for mobilising new resources and better co-ordinated programmes designed to
  260W
  meet this goal. We are working with the World bank to develop its new Action Plan for accelerating progress towards Education for All. We believe the Action Plan's fast-track initiative marks an opportunity to try to ensure that no country genuinely committed to economic development, poverty reduction and good governance is denied the chance to achieve universal primary education through lack of resources.

  DFID is committed to further increasing UK support for basic education, particularly in Africa. We will continue to work with the World bank to support their fast-track proposals. Our target Strategy Paper "The challenge of universal primary education" and Issues Paper "Children Out of School" provide further details of DFID's policy and proposals.

  World Bank/IMF Programmes
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development by when the World bank and IMF will report on their analysis of the poverty and social impact of substantial macro-adjustments or structural reforms supported by their programmes in poor countries. [69440]

  Clare Short
  The International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) of the Board of Governors of the IMF Communique of April 20, 2002 noted the importance of using poverty and social impact analysis and will be reviewing the progress that the World bank and IMF have made on this issue at its next meeting. This will be at the annual meetings of the World bank and IMF in autumn 2002.

  To date, progress on integrating PSIA in developing countries' poverty reduction strategies has been reported in "Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers—Progress in Implementation", a bi-annual report prepared by the World bank and IMF. The next such report will be for the annual meetings of the IMF and World bank, scheduled for 28–29 September 2002.

  Self-employed Women's Association
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds have been allocated to the Self-employed Women's Association in India for work(a) in the state of Gujarat and (b) in the rest of India. [69232]

  Clare Short
  DFID has allocated to the Self-employed Women's Association (SEWA) about £15,000 for work in Gujarat on alternative resources for rainwater harvesting, and £17,000 to support the work of the National Labour Commission in helping women and child workers. SEWA has also been allocated £26,000 to support activities in Gujarat to help respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action has been taken(a) through bilateral assistance and (b) through co-operation with international agencies working in the region to ensure that armed combatants fleeing Liberia do not destabilise Sierra Leone. [69230]
  261W
  Clare Short
  Effective procedures are already in place to disarm combatants fleeing Liberia, and hand them over to the responsible authorities.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Tony Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the impact of the European Commission's proposal for CAP reform on farmers in developing countries; and if she will make a statement. [69473]

  Clare Short
  The UK Government welcome the publication of the European Commission's proposals for CAP reform. The UK Government recognise the need for CAP reform in order to ensure that developing countries' agriculture sectors are given the right incentives to grow and thus support poverty reduction. My Department is currently analysing these proposals, to determine their impact on developing countries. This analysis will then feed into the UK's response to the proposals.

  Fair Trade
  Tony Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what she estimates the World Summit on Sustainable Development will do to promote fair trade between developed and developing countries. [69477]

  Clare Short
  The Government will be pushing for an outcome which is consistent with the Doha Development Agenda. This resulted in the following achievements:Agreement on TRIPS and public health, recognising the need for a flexible interpretation of TRIPS to enable developing countries to protect public health.
  Action on some 50 measures from the developing countries' implementation agenda from the Uruguay Round.
  On agriculture, commitment to real progress on market access and action on export subsidies.
  Continuing negotiations on services, which offer real prospects for developing countries to make substantial benefits through liberalisation and economic growth.
  Commitment to tackle tariff peaks, high tariffs and tariff escalation as well as non-tariff barriers on non-agricultural products.
  A commitment to a work programme on trade, debt and finance.
  Systematic attention throughout the text to the issue of capacity-building.
  A comprehensive set of commitments on the particular needs of the least-developed countries, including a commitment to the objective of duty and quota free market access plus a commitment to make their accession process faster.
  A review of Special and Differential Treatment—across all WTO business areas—to strengthen these provisions and make them more precise, operational and effective.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Departmental Expenditure Limit
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much and what proportion of the departmental expenditure limit for 2002–03 had been spent by 31 May; what the figures were for 2001–02; and if he will make a statement. [161010]
  262W
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Boateng), on 17 June 2002,Official Report, column 130W.

  Buildings Insurance
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of buildings insurance to his Department was(a) before and (b) after 11 September 2001. [66924]

  Mr. McCartney
  Departments are required to comply with the Government's policy on insurance, which is set out in Government Accounting, Chapter 30, para 30.2.5, which notes that government do not need to purchase insurance to protect the viability of its business, and should consider insurance only where the value of claims met would exceed the cost of insurance premiums. Commercial insurance of a building is acceptable in cases where(a) insurance is a condition of a lease (b) the lessor will not accept a Government indemnity (c) incurring the total cost of the accommodation in question, including the cost of the insurance, is more cost-effective than other accommodation options [Government Accounting, para 30.2.11a]

  The only circumstance where the Department incurs insurance costs is where this is a condition of a lease, with payment being made as part of the service charge paid to the landlord. Information on these charges is not held centrally.

  Comprehensive Spending Review
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff have contributed to his Department's input to the Spending Review. [68695]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The Spending Review involves a comprehensive assessment of the Department's performance, priorities and resource requirements and a range of staff make a contribution.

  Child Benefit
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families failed to respond to the child benefit verification form sent to parents in the summer of 2001; and of these how many have lost benefit. [67530]

  Malcolm Wicks
  Each summer an exercise is carried out to verify the education plans of those children approaching the end of compulsory education. A form is issued asking the parents of these children to confirm the child's continuance in education, and to report a change of circumstances, applying, where appropriate, for continuing payment of benefit. There is no requirement to return the form as benefit entitlement will automatically cease from September. This procedure ensures those parents whose child is continuing in full-time education continue to receive child benefit uninterrupted.

  In June 2001, 411,000 forms were issued, of which 197,000 were returned applying for continuing benefit. 60,000 were returned notifying that the child had commenced employment or training. In the remaining cases child benefit would cease from September.
  263W
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information the Government have collated about the use of child benefit in families where there are young people aged between 16 and 19 years. [67529]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The Department for Work and Pensions has not collected information about how families with children aged 16 to 19 years use their child benefit.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take measures to allow the payment of child benefit to continue beyond 12 weeks when parents choose to have a child educated in a country outside the European Economic Area without the written approval of the school which the child previously attended; and if he will make a statement. [70098]

  Malcolm Wicks
  [holding answer 15 July 2002): There are no plans to change the provisions on child benefit for children being educated abroad outside the European Economic Area (AWAY). Generally child benefit is not payable for children who are absent from Great Britain (GB), and the current rules provide for most exceptions. The written approval of the school the child normally attends ensures there is a continuing link with GB throughout the temporary absence. Although entitlement for children being educated in non AWAY countries ceases after they have been absent for 12 weeks, if they return for home visits and then go abroad temporarily again, a new 12 week easement begins.

  Disabled Access
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of(a) the number of village halls requiring adaptation and (b) the estimated total cost of such adaptations to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, so far as access is concerned. [65639]

  Maria Eagle
  A village hall is covered by Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act where it provides services to the public. We have made no separate assessment of the number of village halls requiring adaptations or the costs involved.

  All service providers, including village halls, will only ever have to do what is reasonable to meet their access obligations. There is no question of unreasonable costs being imposed on village halls, or on any other service provider. The Disability Rights Commission will act as a source of information and guidance to service providers, like Village Halls, and the Commission's Code of Practice—Rights of Access: Goods, Facilities, Services and Premises provides examples of good practice and how the Act is likely to work.

  Making adjustments to assist disabled customers need not necessarily be costly or difficult. Recent research commissioned by the Disability Rights Commission and the Department for Work and Pensions, with co-funding from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, has examined the costs and benefits to service providers when making adjustments to meet the needs of their disabled customers and clients (DWP Research Report 169).
  264W
  The research surveyed a UK-wide representative sample of 1,000 establishments in scope of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act. The establishments surveyed covered a range of sectors, including public and private sector organisations. The research found that for many service providers that had made adjustments costs were not seen as the dominant issue when making adjustments. The research identified a wide range of types of adjustments, and found that the costs of these adjustments varied significantly depending on the type. For most kinds of adjustments, the mean initial costs lay between £100 and £1,000. The mean on-going costs for most adjustments lay below £100 per annum.

  Contributory Maternity Benefits
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on contributory maternity benefits in each of the last 30 years; and which categories of national insurance contributions generated eligibility to such benefits in each year. [166523]

  Malcolm Wicks
  [holding answer 2 July 2002]: Maternity benefits are being reformed as part of the Government's drive to help pregnant women and parents financially and to achieve a better balance between their work and home lives.

  The improvements introduced by the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 mean that entitlement to maternity allowance is now based on a woman's earnings and that help is extended to women earning at least £30 a week but less than lower earnings limit applied to national insurance contributions. As a result of these changes, an additional 16,000 low-paid expectant mothers a year can get maternity allowance. Our reforms have also increased maternity allowance by 15 per cent. for around 11,000 self-employed women who previously received less benefit than employed women.

  Prior to 20 August 2000, entitlement to maternity allowance was based on the payment of either Class 1 or Class 2 national insurance contributions by the mother within the relevant qualifying period.

  We have also introduced Sure Start Maternity Grants to help people on low incomes meet the cost of buying essential items for a new baby. These grants have been increased this year to a significant £500 for babies due or born on or after 16 June 2002. The new scheme means more than just a cash payment. Mothers and expectant mothers also receive health advice for themselves and, importantly, for their child.

  Prior to March 2000, Social Fund Maternity Payments were available to women or families in receipt of qualifying benefits or tax credits. These payments replaced the maternity grant in April 1987. Between 1982 and 1987 eligibility for the maternity grant was based solely on a test of residency in Great Britain. For confinements taking place before 4 July 1982, eligibility for the maternity grant was linked to the contribution record of either the mother or her husband using national insurance contributions of any class.

  The information on expenditure on contributory maternity benefits is in the table.
  265W

  Expenditure on contributory maternity benefits

  £million

  Maternity allowance

  Maternity grant

  1972–73

  42

  18

  1973–74

  42

  17

  1974–75

  47

  16

  1975–76

  55

  16

  1976–77

  81

  15

  1977–78

  92

  15

  1978–79

  105

  16

  1979–80

  125

  16

  1980–81

  149

  16

  1981–82

  158

  16

  1982–83

  152

  416

  1983–84

  141

  —

  1984–85

  161

  —

  1985–86

  164

  —

  1986–87

  168

  —

  1987–88

  51

  —

  1988–89

  27

  —

  1989–90

  30

  —

  1990–91

  34

  —

  1991–92

  31

  —

  1992–93

  32

  —

  1993–94

  33

  —

  1994–95

  27

  —

  1995–96

  29

  —

  1996–97

  33

  —

  1997–98

  36

  —

  1998–99

  38

  —

  1999–2000

  38

  —

  2000–01

  545

  —

  1 Figures are expressed in cash terms to the nearest £1 million.

  2 Statutory maternity pay was introduced in 1987 replacing maternity allowance for most employees.

  3 Figures are consistent with the Budget 2002 expenditure tables.

  4,5 Conditions of entitlement to maternity grant and maternity allowance changed during the course of the financial years 1982–83 and 2000–01 respectively. Figures include expenditure under both the contributory and non-contributory conditions.

  Source:

  Departmental reports and benefit forecasting model development. Maternity grant expenditure prior to 1978–79 is estimated from the published number of grants in each financial year.

  Large Goods Vehicle Drivers
  Phil Sawford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department is doing to provide training for large goods vehicle drivers. [61485]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  Our welfare to work initiatives provide unemployed people with a range of help to overcome the barriers they face in the labour market. National programmes such as Work Based Learning for Adults (WBLA), the New Deal 25 plus and the New Deal for Young People can offer participants training opportunities tailored to their needs so they have the skills they require to find and remain in work.

  Each Jobcentre Plus District is responsible for identifying training requirements for their unemployed clients, and for putting provision in place, including training for heavy goods vehicle drivers. If such provision is not in place in a particular area, Districts have the discretion to purchase 'one-off training to meet an individual's need.

  In the East of England and East Midlands Jobcentre Plus regions, there are a total of 478 contracts to deliver training and related programmes to unemployed adults,
  266W
  including those in my hon. Friend's constituency. These contracts cover many occupational areas, such as construction, manufacturing and transportation. Heavy goods vehicle training is in place in most Districts in the regions through WBLA and New Deal 25plus.

  Action Teams for Jobs and Employment Zones are helping disadvantaged people in the most deprived areas of the country into work. They give help tailored to the needs of individual clients, developing innovative ways to help people overcome the barriers they face when looking for work. This has included paying for heavy goods vehicle training where this has been judged to be the most effective way to help the people concerned into work.

  Child Benefit Centre (Tyne and Wear)
  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many telephone inquiries were made to the Child Benefit Centre in Washington, Tyne and Wear during 2001. [56131]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The number of telephone calls made to the Child Benefit Centre's helplines between January 2001 and December 2001 was 2,589,348.

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many successful prosecutions for fraud involving housing or council tax benefit were undertaken by local authorities in(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01. [69859]

  Malcolm Wicks
  [holding answer 15 July 20021: For the number of successful prosecutions for benefit fraud I refer my right hon. Friend to the written answer given to him on 23 May 2002, Official Report, column 542W. Local authorities are not required to inform the Department of prosecutions which are subsequently abandoned or result in an acquittal.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff were employed by local authorities to investigate suspicions of fraud involving housing or council tax benefit in(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01. [69861]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The information requested is in the table.

  Average total number of fraud investigators (full-time or full-time equivalent) employed by local authorities

  1997–98

  1,990

  1998–99

  2,170

  1999–00

  2,140

  2000–01

  2,160

  Note:

  Information is not available for all 408 local authorities. The total includes estimates for local authorities that have not responded. These estimates are based on historical and regional data. This type of estimate is standard practice in reporting totals where there have been non-respondents.

  Source:

  Housing Benefit Management Information System

  Child Support
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will amend the Child Support (Maintenance and Special Cases) Regulations 1992, Schedule 1 Part II Para 7, to exclude working families tax credit awards from the assessment of child support maintenance. [70097]

  Malcolm Wicks
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]: No. There are no plans exclude working families tax credit awards from the assessment of child support maintenance. It is only fair that the same level of income in different cases should be treated the same for assessment (current scheme) or calculation (new scheme) regardless of the source of that income.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received about the inclusion of working families tax credit awards in the assessment of child support maintenance. [70096]

  Malcolm Wicks
  [holding answer 15 July 2002]: Some individual clients have written to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, to their MP, or to the Agency commenting adversely that awards of working families tax credit are taken into account for the non-resident parent's income, but not for that of the Parent with Care. No organised representations have been made.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of how long it will take to transfer existing cases to the new child support scheme for calculating maintenance payments made by non-resident parents. [69530]

  Malcolm Wicks
  No decision on the date for the commencement of the new child support scheme has been taken. The Government have made clear that they will see how the new scheme is progressing before reaching a decision on new cases, but our current assumption is that existing cases will convert to the new scheme around a year after the new scheme is introduced for new cases.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average sum in maintenance paid by non-resident parents under the child support scheme which existed prior to April; and how many of these will see their payments(a) increased and (b) decreased under the new child support scheme, with an average calculation made of increase and decrease. [69532]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The available information is in the table.

  Average maintenance paid in the current child support scheme

  Number of qualifying children

  Average per week (£)>

  One

  7.98

  Two

  10.65

  Three

  10.23

  Note:

  Includes nil assessments.

  Source:

  5 per cent. scan of the Child Support Computer System August 2001.

  It is not possible to make firm estimates of the change to the average payment of child support maintenance as a result of the introduction of the new child support scheme.

  Benefits (East Dorset)
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the total cost of housing benefit paid in(a) Christchurch borough and (b) East Dorset was in each and of the last five years; [70352]

  (2) what the total cost of council tax benefit paid in (a) Christchurch borough and (b) East Dorset was in each of the last five years. [70353]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The information is in the tables.

  Christchurch borough council: Housing benefit and council tax benefit expenditure

  £000

  Housing benefit

  Council tax benefit

  1995–96

  5,436

  1,271

  1996–97

  5,548

  1,255

  1997–98

  5,782

  1,453

  1998–99

  5,890

  1,576

  2000–01

  6,079

  1,691

  East Dorset district council: Housing benefit and council tax benefit expenditure

  £000

  Housing benefit

  Council tax benefit

  1995–96

  6,294

  1,894

  1996–97

  6,486

  1,845

  1997–98

  6,809

  2,057

  1998–99

  6,765

  2,179

  2000–01

  7,091

  2,298

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.

  2. The figures for 2000–01 are provisional. All other figures are actual annual expenditure but are subject to change as local authority activity is fully audited.

  Source:

  Annual subsidy returns by local authorities to the Department for Work and Pensions and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of retirement pension in the Christchurch constituency receive payment of their benefit(a) directly into their bank accounts and (b) through local post offices. [70357]

  Mr. McCartney
  The available information is in the table:

  Number

  All methods of payment

  29,600

  Payment by Order Book

  12,300

  Payment by automatic credit transfer

  17,100

  Other

  200

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.

  2. Figures under 500 are subject to a high degree of sampling variation and should be used only as a guide tot he current situation.

  Source:

  Figures taken from the Pensions Strategy Computer System on 30 September 2001.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the Christchurch constituency are eligible for the minimum income guarantee, and how many are in receipt of it. [70354]
  269W
  Mr. McCartney
  Estimates of the number of people eligible for the Minimum Income Guarantee are not available below National level. As at February 2002 there were 2,300 Minimum Income Guarantee claimants in parliamentary constituency of Christchurch.

  Source:

  Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry February 2002

  Income-related Benefits
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people in(a) the north-west, (b) Lancashire and (c) Burnley were claiming housing benefit at the latest date for which figures are available; [65549]

  (2) how many people in (a) the north-west, (b) Lancashire and (c) Burnley had claimed (i) jobseeker's allowance and (ii) income support at the latest date for which figures are available. [65547]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The information is in the table.

  Income-related benefit recipients in north-west England, Lancashire and Burnley

  Government Office Region of North-west England

  Lancashire

  Burnley

  Housing Benefit

  515,000

  63,000

  7,000

  Jobseeker's Allowance

  119,000

  14,000

  1,000

  Income Support

  579,000

  79,000

  8,000

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.

  2. Lancashire figures for Housing benefit refer to the local authorities of Burnley. Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire and Wyre. Figures for jobseeker's allowance and income support include all or part of the following parliamentary constituencies which fall within Lancashire boundaries: Blackpool North and Fleetwood, Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn. Lancaster and Wyre, Morecambe and Lunesdale, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale and Darwin, South Ribble and West Lancashire.

  3. Burnley figures refer to Burnley borough council area for housing benefit and Burnley parliamentary constituency for jobseeker's allowance and income support.

  4. Housing benefit figures refer to households which may be a single person, a couple or a family. More than one household can live in one property, for example two or more adults in a flat or house share arrangement.

  5. Housing benefit figures exclude any Extended Payment cases.

  6. Jobseeker's allowance figures have not been seasonally adjusted.

  7. Income support figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are subject to a degree of sampling variation.

  Sources:

  Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. case load count, February 2002 (figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated); 100 per cent. count of Jobcentre Plus computer system, May 2002. Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, February 2002.

  Devolution
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the EU Advisory Committee on employment is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive(a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement. [67739]
  270W
  Malcolm Wicks
  The Employment Committee is next due to meet on 18 July 2002, which will be an informal meeting under the Danish Presidency. Each member state has two nominated delegates to the Committee and for the UK those represent the Departments of Work and Pensions and for Education and Skills. The main business of the Committee is the European Employment Strategy and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has lead responsibility for the Strategy. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has a significant interest, as do my right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, the Scottish Executive Ministers, Secretaries of the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Executive Ministers.

  There is close contact between relevant officials to ensure that ministerial responsibility is properly represented at the Employment Committee and, indeed, on any activity under the Employment Strategy. For example, the main UK output under the Strategy is the UK Employment Action Plan and the devolved Administrations actively contribute. The Plan will be discussed with the European Commission in the autumn and the devolved Administrations have been invited to attend that meeting.

  Basic Bank Accounts
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of his reply to the letter from the FSA Consumer Panel on their report into basic bank accounts. [70412]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  A copy of my Private Secretary's letter of 17 May 2002 to the Chairman of the Financial Services Consumer Panel has been placed in the Library.

  Social Fund
  Annabelle Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what plans his Department has to review the operation of the social fund with respect to those benefit recipients whose income is marginally above the basic income support level; and if he will make a statement; [69277]

  (2) what plans his Department has to review the operation of the Social Fund as far as access thereto on the part of 16 and 17-year-olds is concerned; and if he will make a statement. [69279]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The Social Fund plays an important role in the welfare system by helping the poorest and most vulnerable people in our society with the cost of intermittent expenses. Access to the Social Fund is therefore generally limited to people receiving income-related benefits or, in the case of Sure Start Maternity Grants and Social Fund funeral payments, tax credits. Crisis loans are available to anyone where there is a serious risk to their health or safety.

  We keep all elements of the Social Fund under review to see whether further improvements can be made to its operation and to ensure that the Fund supports our wider welfare reforms. However, we have no plans to broaden the eligibility criteria.

  Jobcentre Plus
  Vera Baird
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether it will be part of the duties of Jobcentre Plus staff to provide assistance with completing application forms for the new tax credits. [67243]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  Yes. From 2003 customers, if they choose, will be able to have their new tax credits business (including assistance with claim form completion) dealt with by Jobcentre Plus staff.

  Vera Baird
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assistance he intends Jobcentre Plus staff will provide to people who do not have the information and evidence of income they are required to provide in connection with an application for new tax credits. [67241]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  From 2003 Jobcentre Plus staff will help people complete their new tax credits claims, including the income information they need to supply. Guidance for staff will therefore cover all the options available in helping people calculate the income details they need to enter on the claim form.

  The help available from Jobcentre Plus will complement that provided by the Inland Revenue and the comprehensive guidance to the new tax credits claim form.

  Vera Baird
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what programme of training will be provided to Jobcentre Plus staff on the new tax credits. [67242]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  All Jobcentre Plus staff dealing with NTC business will receive a full package of training so that they can provide people with information about new tax credits, and assist with new tax credits claims and related inquiries.

  Occupational Pension Schemes
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action he is taking to bring occupational pension schemes under the jurisdiction of TUPE. [67700]

  Alan Johnson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government carried out full public consultation at the end of last year on the proposed reform of the TUPE Regulations. The issue of the Regulations' coverage of occupational pension rights was one of those on which comments were sought. We are currently considering the responses received and hope to announce our decisions shortly.

  Local Government Councillors
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many elected local government councillors are registered disabled; and if he will make a statement. [61949]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I have been asked to reply.
  272W
  There is no longer a register of disabled people. However, the 2001 National Census of Local Authority Councillors in England and Wales carried out by the Improvement and Development Agency indicates that just over 13 per cent. of [the 21,2681 councillors consider themselves to have a disability.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Law Commission Report
  Mr. Flook
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2002,Official Report, column 257W, when he will announce his decision concerning Law Commission report No. 270. [68019]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Government accept in principle the Law Commission's recommendations on limitation of actions, subject to further consideration of certain aspects of its report, and will legislate when a suitable opportunity arises.

  Freedom of Information Act
  Mr. Lepper
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she plans to publish guidance on publication schemes under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for central Government and non-departmental public bodies. [70811]

  Yvette Cooper
  I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his question. I am pleased to inform the House that I have today published guidance for Central Government and non-departmental public bodies on Publication Schemes under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Copies of the Guidance have been placed in the House Library.

CABINET OFFICE

  Fast Stream Recruitment
  Vernon Coaker
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he will publish the 2002 Civil Service Fast Stream Recruitment report. [70675]

  Mr. Alexander
  The seventh annual Civil Service Fast Stream Report was today placed on the Cabinet Office website at www.fast stream.gov.uk and in the Libraries of the House. It covers the year from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002, and reports the results of Fast Stream competitions completed during that period and the developments that have taken place.

  The standard of entry to the Fast Stream Development Programme has remained consistently high and the report shows that the Civil Service has had increasing success in filling its vacancies. In addition there has again been steady progress in broadening the diversity of Fast Stream recruits. Women and men were recruited in equal numbers and the proportions of those recruited from ethnic minority groups, those with disabilities, and those attending universities other than Oxford and Cambridge have all increased.

SCOTLAND

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions between 31 March 2001 and 31 March 2002(a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost. [58781]

  Mrs. Liddell
  One special adviser accompanied me on a trip to Brussels in October 2001. The cost to my Department was £545.87.

  All travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

  Regulatory Impact Unit
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members of her Department have been employed in its regulatory impact unit in the past five years; and if she will make a statement. [65975]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Scotland Office does not have a regulatory impact unit. Staff in the Department maintain contacts with the regulatory impact unit in the Cabinet Office as required.

  Crown Estates Commissioners
  Annabelle Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations she has received about the role of the Crown Estates Commissioners in Scotland. [69288]

  Mrs. Liddell

  One representation on this subject has been received.

  Montserrat
  Montserrat
  Limitation of Actions
  Limitation of Actions
  Government Publication Schemes
  Government Publication Schemes
  Railway Activity in Scotland
  Railway Activity in Scotland
  Northern Ireland: Air Travel
  Northern Ireland: Air Travel
  Businesses: Tax Affairs and Redress of Grievance
  Businesses: Tax Affairs and Redress of Grievance
  Single Currency
  Single Currency
  Road Fuel Duty
  Road Fuel Duty
  Women in the Criminal Justice System
  Women in the Criminal Justice System
  Forensic Science Service
  Forensic Science Service
  Child Protection on the Internet
  Child Protection on the Internet
  Dome Site: Decontamination
  Dome Site: Decontamination
  AONBs: Sporting Arena Applications
  AONBs: Sporting Arena Applications
  Leasehold
  Leasehold
  Planning Green Paper
  Planning Green Paper
  Anschutz Entertainment Group
  Anschutz Entertainment Group
  Military Air Transport Emissions
  Military Air Transport Emissions
  EOC: Expenditure on Law Enforcement
  EOC: Expenditure on Law Enforcement
  Agricultural Grants
  Agricultural Grants
  Defra Office, Worcester
  Defra Office, Worcester
  Genetically Modified Seeds
  Genetically Modified Seeds
  Pesticides Safety Directorate
  Pesticides Safety Directorate
  Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
  Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
  Infectious Diseases in Livestock
  Infectious Diseases in Livestock
  Special Educational Needs
  Special Educational Needs
  DPP Annual Report
  DPP Annual Report
  Pension Funds
  Pension Funds
  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
  NHS Estates Executive Agency
  NHS Estates Executive Agency
  Special Advisers
  Special Advisers
  Charities and the Voluntary Sector
  Charities and the Voluntary Sector
  Civil Service Fast Stream
  Civil Service Fast Stream
  Downing Street: Entertainment Budget
  Downing Street: Entertainment Budget
  Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
  Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
  Early Years Education and Childcare
  Early Years Education and Childcare
  Funding of Opposition Parties in the House of Lords
  Funding of Opposition Parties in the House of Lords
  Parliamentary Website
  Parliamentary Website