Written Answers of 20 November 2002

DEFENCE

  Firefighters' Dispute
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the cost of replacing Ministry of Defence Green Goddesses with an equivalent number of modern fire appliances.[81723]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister owns and maintains the Green Goddess fleet. Although the Office has considered the possibility of replacing Green Goddesses, there has been no specific assessment of the cost of replacing the Green Goddesses with an equivalent number of modern fire appliances.

  Barracks
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many persons constitute the capacity of Catterick barracks; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments form the permanent staffing component of this sum; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments are regularly accommodated on a temporary basis; how many(a) suicides and (b) other deaths have occurred in each year since 1990; how many of these incidents were firearms-related; which of these incidents (i) were subject to investigation by the Royal Military Police,(ii)were the subject of an external investigation, (iii)were the subject of a coroner's inquest and (iv) gave rise to courts martial or criminal proceedings; and what the outcome was in each case; 80690]

  (2) how many persons constitute the capacity of Bindon barracks, Hameln; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments form the permanent staffing component of this sum; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments are regularly accommodated on a temporary basis; how many (a) suicides and (b) other deaths have occurred in each year since 1990; how many of these incidents were firearms-related; which of these incidents (i) were subject to investigation by the Royal Military Police,(ii)were the subject of an external investigation, (iii)were the subject of a Coroner's inquest and (iv) gave rise to courts martial or criminal proceedings; and what the outcome was in each case; [80669]

  (3) how many persons constitute the capacity of the Army barrack at Deepcut, Surrey; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments form the permanent staffing component of this sum; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments are regularly accommodated on a temporary basis; how many (a) suicides and (b) other deaths have occurred in each year since 1990; how many of these incidents were firearms-related; which of these incidents (i) were
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  subject to investigation by the Royal Military Police, (ii)were the subject of an external investigation, (iii)were the subject of a Coroner's inquest and (iv) gave rise to courts martial or criminal proceedings; and what the outcome was in each case; [80671]

  (4) how many persons constitute the capacity of Cavalry barracks, Hounslow, Middlesex; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments form the permanent staffing component of this sum; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments are regularly accommodated on a temporary basis; how many (a) suicides and (b) other deaths have occurred in each year since 1990; how many of these incidents were firearms-related; which of these incidents (i) were subject to investigation by the Royal Military Police, (ii)were the subject of an external investigation, (iii)were the subject of a Coroner's inquest and (iv) gave rise to courts martial or criminal proceedings; and what the outcome was in each case. [80688]

  (5) how many persons constitute the capacity of Army barracks in Bielefield, Germany; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments form the permanent staffing component of this sum; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments are regularly accommodated on a temporary basis; how many (a) suicides and (b) other deaths have occurred in each year since 1990; how many of these incidents were firearms-related; which of these incidents (i) were subject to investigation by the Royal Military Police,(ii) were the subject of an external investigation (iii)were the subject of a Coroner's inquest, and (iv) gave rise to courts martial or criminal proceedings; and what the outcome was in each case; [80670]

  (6) how many persons constitute the capacity of Drumadd barracks, Northern Ireland; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments form the permanent staffing component of this sum; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments are regularly accommodated on a temporary basis; how many (a) suicides and (b) other deaths have occurred in each year since 1990; how many of these incidents were firearms-related; which of these incidents (i) were subject to investigation by the Royal Military Police, (ii)were the subject of an external investigation, (iii)were the subject of a Coroner's inquest and (iv) gave rise to courts martial or criminal proceedings; and what the outcome was in each case. [80687]

  (7) how many persons constitute the capacity of Quebec barracks, Osnabruck; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments form the permanent staffing component of this sum; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments are regularly accommodated on a temporary basis; how many (a) suicides and (b) other deaths have occurred in each year since 1990; how many of these incidents were firearms-related; which of these incidents were subject to investigation by the Royal Military Police, (ii) were the subject of an external investigation, (iii) were the subject of a Coroner's inquest and(iv) gave rise to courts martial or criminal proceedings; and what the outcome was in each case; [80668]

  (8) how many persons constitute the capacity of Browning barracks, Aldershot, Hampshire; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments form

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  the permanent staffing component of this sum; how many officers and other personnel from what regiments are regularly accommodated on a temporary basis; how many (a) suicides and (b) other deaths have occurred in each year since 1990; how many of these incidents were firearms-related; which of these incidents (i) were subject to investigation by the Royal Military Police, (ii)were the subject of an external investigation, (iii)were the subject of a Coroner's inquest and (iv) gave rise to courts martial or criminal proceedings; and what the outcome was in each case. [80689]

  Dr. Moonie
  The information requested is not held centrally or in the form requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Combat Helmet
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to introduce an improved combat helmet for the forces. [80702]

  Dr. Moonie
  Plans for the Future Integrated Soldier Technology (FIST) programme include the provision of a helmet with improved ballistic protection. We are also looking at a replacement for the in-service helmet to equip those soldiers who will not have FIST.

  Courts Martial
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of HM armed forces in each of the past five years were(a) charged and (b) found guilty at courts martial for each category of serious crimes of violence up to that of murder; and how many of those found guilty (i) are in prison and were (ii) dishonourably and (iii) honourably discharged from the services and (iv) have resumed their military careers. [80613]

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

  Firefighting Training
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what basic training is given to(a) soldiers, (b) sailors and (c) airmen in firefighting in the normal course of their training. [82012]

  Dr. Moonie
  The degree of firefighting training given to Service personnel depends upon the role that they are expected to perform during normal military duties. All service personnel are given basic fire awareness training including use of fire extinguishers, raising the alarm, means of escape and general fire precautions. Inaddition, more comprehensive training is given to those personnel who work in an environment where there may be a requirement to deal with fire.

  Navy personnel, as part of the Basic Sea Survival Course, are trained in the procedural teamwork of shipboard firefighting. On board ship, theoretical training is given on Naval Battle Control of Damage together with Intermediate Sea Survival techniques. Firefighting teams on board ships receive two weeks of specific training in firefighting techniques while Navy aircraft handlers also receive ongoing training in core
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  firefighting skills and, depending on their rank, training in firefighting leadership, command and control and technical expertise.

  Specialist RAF firefighters in Trade Group eight receive comprehensive training in domestic (structural) firefighting, including breathing apparatus search and rescue procedures. Additionally, all RAF firefighters receive specialised training in aircraft crash fire fighting and rescue techniques and procedures, including the use of cutting equipment. Progressive career training develops increasing levels of leadership and command and control skills and enhanced technical knowledge appropriate to each rank.

  HMS Trafalgar
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the repair work to HMS Trafalgar to begin; and how long it will be out of commission. [81113]

  Mr. Ingram
  It is too soon to say when the repair work on HMS Trafalgar will start or how long she will be out of commission. First, we need to assess the full extent of the damage and this work cannot begin until she is in dry dock in Devonport Dockyard. However, she was in any event due to undergo a planned maintenance and docking period starting in Spring 2003 and completing in early 2004.

  Iraq
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support the United Kingdom link provide for the military protection and support of UN weapons inspectors in Iraq; and which other nations are expected to provide the major elements of such protection and support. [80961]

  Mr. Hoon
  The United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) has not made any request for the United Kingdom to provide for the military protection and support of UN weapons inspectors in Iraq. We are not aware of such a request having been made to other nations. The Government is committed to assist UNMOVIC and the International Atomic Energy Agency Iraq Action Team to fulfil their mandate effectively.

  IT Security
  Brian White
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to review the security of the Department's IT system; and how many digital attacks there were on the Department's system in(a) October and (b) 2002. [80778]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Ministry of Defence is continuously reviewing, and seeking ways to improve, the security of its communications and information systems. Electronic protective measures employed to safeguard classified data include the use of firewalls to protect systems, the identification and authentication of users and audit of user activities.

  The Ministry of Defence, in common with any organisation that is connected to the Internet, is subject to widespread and frequent attempts to probe its electronic boundaries. It is Ministry of Defence policy not to make detailed comment on the protection

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  measures applied to communications and information systems, or on techniques such as computer hacking, as these could assist potential enemies to penetrate these elements of national security.

  During October 2002, no incidents of computer hacking were reported. So far this year 10 incidents of computer hacking have been reported, of which one was a website defacement. None of these had any significant impact on the conduct of military operations or other core Defence business.

  Office Technology
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the corporate headquarters office technology system; and what his assessment is of its level of usage by MoD staff. [80972]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Corporate Headquarters Office Technology System (CHOTS), first introduced in the Ministry of Defence in the early 1990s and rolled out progressively since, is MOD's workhorse computing platform for office automation within the Head Office of the Department, and is installed in or linked to major Commands and HQ locations, at 23 main sites and 128 minor sites both in the United Kingdom and overseas. It comprises some 13,000 workstations and supports over 25,000 user accounts, and is used predominantly for the preparation of documents, spreadsheets and presentation material, for e-mail preparation, transmission and reception, and for internal web site hosting and browsing. The system enjoys a high level of usage by MOD staff, running at typically 80per cent. of capacity. Typical average e-mail traffic within the system is presently in the region of 2.25 million per month.

  Retired Officers Scheme
  Dr. Andrew Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Retired Officers scheme. [81662]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Retired Officer Scheme has served us well for more than four decades, but a continuing manning deficit coupled with the emergence of increasingly stringent employment legislation has caused us to examine alternative means of capitalising on the valuable experience of those retiring from the Armed Forces. In addition to this source of expertise we would also like to attract people with suitable experience from industry, the Civil Service, and from the wider Defence environment. After full consultation it has been decided that there will be no further recruitment into the Retired Officer Scheme. Instead, people will be recruited both internally and externally into Military Support posts within the mainstream Civil Service. Some former RO posts that may require a uniquely military background, or a specific military qualification, will become the responsibility of the respective Service Secretaries. Serving Retired Officers will be invited to assimilate into the new arrangements, although they will be free to remain as established Retired Officers should they wish to do so.

  Service Personnel (Deaths)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the arrangements are for the investigation of the cause of death of service personnel serving overseas in(a) Germany, (b) Bosnia, (c) Kosovo, (d) Afghanistan and (e) other principal countries of posting; by what means he ensures the protection of rights to an independent, prompt and effective investigation under the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. [80647]

  Dr. Moonie
  Rules governing jurisdiction for investigation of un-natural deaths of Service personnel outside the United Kingdom are detailed in the Queen's Regulations for each service. These state that the position on jurisdiction is as follows:
  Wholly with the service authorities where an offence has been committed against service law only but subject, in a foreign country or independent country with the Commonwealth, to the law of that country or the terms of a treaty or agreement permitting the service authorities to exercise such jurisdiction;

  wholly with the civil authorities where an offence has been committed solely under the local law;

  with both the Service authorities and the civil authorities where an offence has been committed against both Service law and the law of the country or colony concerned; or

  in the case of a force which is forming part of a United Nations force occupying former enemy territory, jurisdiction generally lies exclusively with the authorities of the force.

  Investigations are conducted by the Special Investigations Branch (SIB) of the relevant UK Military Police, where appropriate in conjunction with the local civilian police force.

  Where the body is returned to the UK it automatically becomes subject to an inquest by HM Coroner or (in Scotland) the Procurator Fiscal. All cases of sudden death are investigated to Home Office standards using accepted best practice.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Domestic Violence
  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action his Department is taking to help victims of domestic violence. [81539]

  Mrs. Roche
  Tackling domestic violence is a major priority. We have improved access to housing for women fleeing violence and made their support a priority for the new Supporting People programme. We will shortly publish new, practical guidance to local authorities on preparing for Supporting People, and are putting in place plans for further action, which will be announced shortly.

  Housing Shortage
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what additional help will be given to cities and towns in the north of England which have an acute shortage of affordable housing. [81549]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has allocated £193 million of the Housing Corporation's approved development programme for
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  2003–04 to the northern regions. This represents an increase of 24 per cent. on the current year for the provision of affordable housing.

  Grant Distribution System
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when his Department will announce the level of floors to grant changes as a result of the Government consultation reviewing the formula grant distribution system. [81551]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We will announce our proposals for the levels of grant floors to Parliament as part of the provisional 2003–04 local government finance settlement. We expect to do that around the beginning of December, subject to parliamentary business.

  Affordable Housing
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new affordable housing units were built in rural areas in each of the last five years. [81552]

  Mr. McNulty
  Latest available information on the number of new dwellings constructed within local authority districts covering rural areas by both registered social landlords and local authorities in England is:

  Number

  1996–97

  4,340

  1997–98

  4,100

  1998–99

  3,240

  1999–2000

  2,940

  2000–01

  2,970

  Equivalent information for 2001–02 is not currently available.

  21. Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new affordable homes were built in the United Kingdom in the past 12 months. [81561]

  Mr. McNulty
  Over 24,500 new homes were constructed by both registered social landlords and local authorities in the UK during 2000–01, the latest period for which full data are available.

  Housing Standards
  Mr. Tony Clarke
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his plans to introduce legislation to improve housing standards and standards of management of private rented accommodation. [81553]

  Mr. McNulty
  As announced in the Queen's Speech last week, the Government intend to publish a draft Housing Bill this session. The Bill will make clear our commitment to introduce the mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation, the selective licensing of landlords in areas of low housing demand and replace the existing housing fitness regime with the evidence-based Housing Health and Safety Rating System. Taken together this provides a package of measures that targets poor property condition and management 120W
  standards in the parts of the private rented sector which accommodate some of the most vulnerable in our society.

  Additionally, this Bill will demonstrate how we intend to make the home buying and selling process more transparent and certain, and so reduce the stress and expense suffered by hundreds of thousands of consumers each year when home sales fall through or are delayed.

  Climate Change
  John Robertson
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on climate change talks he has held since July. [81556]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  I have raised climate change issues in a number of meetings with senior international figures. My right hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) represents the UK in international climate change negotiations.

  Empty Homes
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what initiatives he intends to take to reduce the number of empty homes in England. [81557]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is taking forward the recommendations of the Select Committee on Empty Homes report of March 2002. We are working to provide local authorities with effective powers and guidance to enable them to reduce the number of long-term empty homes in England and maximise opportunities to convert commercial property.

  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what plans he has to update the Revised Guidance on Securing the Better Use of Empty Homes, issued in July 1999; [81938]

  (2) what updates and revisions have been made to the Revised Guidance on Securing the Better Use of Empty Homes issued by the then Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in July 1999. [81695]

  Mr. McNulty
  We have not issued any updated material since the Revised Guidance was issued, but we plan to issue a new version early next year.

  Social Exclusion Unit
  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the work programme of the Social Exclusion Unit. [81558]

  Mrs. Roche
  The SEU is contributing to the ODPM's aim to create thriving, inclusive, sustainable communities, with current projects looking at:
  young runaways;

  transport and social exclusion; and

  the educational attainment of children in care.

  Mr right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister will decide on any new projects in due course.

  Regional Government
  Mr. George Osborne
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the cost of establishing an elected North West Regional Assembly. [81559]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The costs of establishing elected regional assemblies will vary from region to region, mainly due to the different sizes of their electorates, but we expect them all to fall into a range of around £15million to £30 million a region, including the costs of a referendum and of the first assembly elections. The North West is likely to fall towards the upper end of this range.

  Local Authorities (Taxation)
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans his Department has to grant local authorities more power to raise taxation. [81560]

  Mr. Leslie
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr. Raynsford) on 16 July 2002, Official Report, column 236W. We also announced yesterday that we will be granting local authorities new powers to restrict council tax discounts on second homes and long-term empty properties.

  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many representations his Department has received from Eddisbury constituency residents about local government funding in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the arguments in those representations. [81033]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The county of Cheshire is one of the constituent authorities of the F40 education funding campaign, from whom a very large number of letters were received as part of the recent consultation on local government grant distribution. Our records show that five letters have been received directly from residents of Eddisbury constituency in the last 12 months.

  British-Irish Council
  Kevin Brennan
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the future programme of the British-Irish Council. [81562]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  I will be leading the UK delegation to the next British-Irish Council summit in New Lanark, Scotland on 22 November. The Government remain fully committed to the Council.

  Boundary Commission
  David Taylor
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what Boundary Commission reviews are planned ahead of the referendums on regional assemblies. [81565]

  Mr. Raynsford
  If the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill introduced in the House on 14 November 2002 is enacted, we intend to direct the Boundary Commission to undertake local government reviews of existing two-tier local government arrangements in those regions where there is deemed to be interest in holding a referendum on an elected 122W
  regional assembly. The committee would be required to recommend the unitary structure that it considered most appropriate for the area.

  Census Data
  Andrew Bennett
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement about use of Census data in setting next year's council budgets. [81566]

  Mr. Leslie
  We distribute grant in support of local authority expenditure by means of a formula that uses the best available data. The Registrar General has advised that the 2001 Census provides the most accurate possible census result. We therefore expect to use population data from the 2001 Census in the grant formula for 2003–04.

  Fire Dispute
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made in solving the firefighters' dispute. [81567]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Informal discussions took place yesterday involving the FBU and the Deputy Prime Minister, and the FBU and the Local Government Employers. The Local Government Employers are ready to talk, and we urge the FBU to return to formal negotiations.

  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Green Goddess fire engines and associated equipment will be in Staffordshire during the firefighters' industrial dispute; and where they will be deployed. [81051]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Emergency cover in Staffordshire is currently planned to consist of 12 Green Goddesses, five breathing apparatus teams (BARTs), and one rescue team equipped with specialist equipment (a REST), manned by military personnel. The contingency arrangements also effect thousands of the police, NHS and local authority staff. The table sets out where the Green Goddesses, BARTs and RESTs will be based.

  Location

  Number of Green Goddesses

  Number of BARTs

  Burton-on-Trent

  2

  1

  Cannock

  2

  1

  Cobridge

  2

  1

  Lichfield

  2

  1

  Longston

  2

  1

  Stafford

  2

  0

  Note:

  The REST will be based at Stafford

  The provision of Ministry of Defence emergency fire cover has been planned in consultation with the Chief Fire Officer to minimise call-out response times and maximise the availability of a range of firefighting capabilities.

  The command and operational structure for emergency fire cover has been designed to enable maximum flexibility and use of available resources, whether from within a county or from assets deployed nearby in neighbouring counties. The deployment of

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  firefighters will be based on the assessment of how best to respond to an emergency in the quickest time possible. The deployment will be kept under review.

  British Summer Time
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will extend the British summer time arrangement to operate throughout the year; and if he will make a statement. [80753]

  Alan Johnson
  I have been asked to reply.

  There are no plans to extend British summer time throughout the year. The start and end dates of summer time are harmonised across EC member states through a European Directive. The Directive stipulates that, in each member state, clocks are put forward annually by one hour during the period between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October.

  Carbon Emissions
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment his Department has made of the carbon-absorbing capacity of new forests and the impact this will have on the Kyoto protocols; and if he will make a statement. [80882]

  Mr. Meacher
  I have been asked to reply.

  New forests reduce the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases, because the trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and, despite an initial loss of soil carbon due to disturbance during planting, the input of organic matter from trees via litter on the forest floor increases the amount of carbon in the soil over time. We estimate that new forests planted in the UK since 1990 will remove about 0.6 million tonnes of carbon per year (MtC/yr) during the first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, contributing about 0.3 per cent. towards our 12.5 per cent. emissions reduction commitment. Taking into account the possible contribution from the Clean Development Mechanism as well as new forests planted in other developed countries, new forests could contribute the equivalent of a reduction of about 1.5 per cent. of base year emissions towards the commitments averaged over all countries which ratify the Kyoto Protocol. However the actual outcome will depend on how the countries choose to meet their commitments, on actual rates of planting, and on detailed application of the rules for sinks accounting agreed in Marakkesh.

  Congestion Charging
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the estimated cost is to his Department of the central London road user charging scheme for(a) 17 February 2003 to 31 March 2003, and (b) 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004. [81878]

  Mr. Leslie
  The information requested is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Any additional costs to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister as a result of the congestion charging scheme will be just one element within wider costs which have to be met from budgets for official travelling and other costs.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average Band council tax was in(a) Norfolk, (b) Essex and (c) Cambridgeshire in(i) 1997–98 and (ii) 2002–03. [81111]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The average area Band D council tax in Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire in 1997–98 and 2002–03 was:

  £

  1997–98

  2003–03

  Norfolk

  620

  983

  Essex1

  645

  995

  Cambridgeshire2

  590

  948

  1 1997–98 figures for Essex include Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock. These authorities became unitary authorities on 1 April 1998.

  2 1997–98 figures for Cambridgeshire include Peterborough. Peterborough became a unitary authority on 1 April 1998.

  In 1997–98 and 2002–03 the median council tax band in Norfolk was Band B, and in Essex and Cambridgeshire the median council tax band was Band C. The average area council tax for these bands was:

  £

  Band

  1997–98

  2002–03

  Norfolk

  B

  483

  765

  Essex1

  C

  573

  884

  Cambridgeshire2

  C

  525

  843

  1 1997–98 figures for Essex include Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock. These authorities became unitary authorities on
  1 April 1998.

  2 1997–98 figures for Cambridgeshire include Peterborough. Peterborough became a unitary authority on 1 April 1998.

  Development Land
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the efficacy of his definition of(a) previously developed land and (b) brownfield sites; and what plans he has to alter that definition. [81936]

  Mr. McNulty
  There are a number of definitions in use. The technical agreement for the Department of Environment, Transport and Regions public service agreement 2001– 04 defined previously-developed land (PDL) by reference to the definition of PDL in planning policy guidance note 3 housing (PPG3) and brownfield land as all land included in the National Land Use database (NLUD-PDL). The practical application of the definition of PDL is kept under review by the NLUD Board and has been considered in the course of ongoing research on the implementation of PPG3. There are no plans to alter the definition.

  Fire Station Flooding (York)
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for how many days parts of York's Tower Street fire station were flooded during November 2000; for how long these parts of the fire station were out of use thereafter; how much it cost to repair the building; whether these costs were covered by insurance; how much it cost the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in revenue terms to deal with the disruption of their use of the premises; and
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  what assessment he has made of the economic cost to the wider community of the disruption to the use of parts of the fire station. [80998]

  Mr. Leslie
  This information requested is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disroportionalte cost. The matters raised are for the North Yorkshire fire and Rescue Authority.

  Compulsory Purchase
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homes have been compulsorily purchased using central Government funding in the last two years. [81935]

  Mr. McNulty
  The information requested is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1)how many persons were homeless in(a) December 2001 and (b) January 2002; [81708]

  (2)how many persons were homeless during (a) December 2000 and (b) January 2001; [81939]

  (3)how many homeless persons were living in (a) bed and breakfast hotels, (b) hostels and (c) other temporary accommodation in (i)December 2001 and (ii) January 2002; [81706]

  (4)how many homeless persons were living in (a) bed and breakfast hotels, (b) hostels and (c) other temporary accommodation in (i)December 2000 and (ii) January 2001; [81941]

  (5)how many homeless persons were living in (a) bed and breakfast hotels, (b) hostels and (c) other temporary accommodation in (i)December 1999 and (ii) January 2000; [82395]

  (6)how many persons were homeless during (a) December 1999 and (b) January 2000. [82392]

  Mrs. Roche
  The precise information requested is not collected centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Summary information on local authorities activity under statutory homelessness provisions is reported to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on a quarterly, rather than monthly, basis, and it relates to households rather than persons. This includes the number of households accepted under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts as being eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and the number of these households resident in various types of temporary accommodation at the end of each quarter.

  National and some regional information on local authorities activity is provided in a quarterly statistical release published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. This includes information for recent quarters and years on the number of households accepted as homeless (Table 2), as well as those in various types of temporary accommodation, including bed and breakfast and hostels (Table 6). Copies are available in
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  the House Library, and also via the ODPM website. The latest edition, which was published on 11 September 2002, presents statistics up to the end of June 2002.

  Local Government Finance
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what responses relating to the local government finance consultation have been received from(a) Chiltern District Council and (b) Buckinghamshire County Council; [81172]

  (2) what response relating to the local government finance consultation has been received from Buckinghamshire county council in relation to education funding; and when it was received. [81174]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Responses to the consultation (including views on education funding) were received from both Buckinghamshire county council and Chiltern district council. Both were received by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on 30 September.

  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what responses relating to the local government finance consultation have been received from(a) South Buckinghamshire district council and (b) Wycombe district council. [82383]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Detailed responses to the Formula Grant Distribution consultation were received from both South Buckinghamshire and Wycombe district councils before the formal close of the consultation on 30 September 2002.

  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what impact changes in the local government formula grant will have on public services delivered by(a) South Buckinghamshire district council, (b) Wycombe district council and (c) Buckinghamshire county council; [82384]

  (2) what impact changes in the local government grant will have on public services in South Buckinghamshire. [82381]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We will announce the new system for distributing Formula Grant, including detailed grant allocations for individual authorities, at the time of the provisional local government finance settlement which we expect to be around the start of December. Once the Government has allocated its grant, decisions about budgets and services are primarily for local councils to make. However, we have already guaranteed that no authority will face a cut in grant next year on a like for like basis, and we hope to do better than that when we announce the actual floors and ceilings scheme as part of the provisional settlement.

  Urban Deprived Areas Fund
  Mr. Challen
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much of the Post Office fund for urban deprived areas has been spent; and on what. [80486]

  Mrs. Roche
  None. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is seeking to launch the scheme in the near future, with receipt of first applications from 31 January 2003.

  Water Charges (Private Landlords)
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to make private landlords responsible for the payment of water charges on shorthold tenancies. [81047]

  Mr. Morley
  I have been asked to reply.

  There are no plans to legislate to change the responsibilities of landlords and tenants for water charges.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Europe Convention
  Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the deposition which he presented to the Secretariat of the convention in his capacity as Her Majesty's Government's representative on the Convention on the Future of Europe. [80406]

  Mr. MacShane
  A copy of Professor Dashwood's draft treaty, which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales presented to the Future of Europe Convention, has been placed in the Library. It is also available on the Convention Website (http://european-convention.eu.int).

  Departmental Language Training
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was of language training courses for employees of the Foreign Office in the last financial year. [81497]

  Mr. Rammell
  The cost of language training courses for employees of the Foreign Office was £2,147,493.

  This includes all the costs for language tuition required for employees' jobs as well as future career development.

  Detained British Citizens
  Mr. Tom Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations the UK Government has made on British citizens held by the United States at the Guantanamo Base in Cuba; [81668]

  (2) what discussions he has had with the US Government concerning the continued detention of people captured in the conflict in Afghanistan. [81667]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has discussed the specific issue of the British detainees held by the United States on several occasions with the US Secretary of State, most recently on October 15.

  We remain in regular contact with the US about the situation of the British detainees. In addition we have also encouraged them more generally to move forward with the process of determining the future of all the detainees.

  European Arrest Warrant
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with other EU Foreign Ministers concerning the European arrest warrant. [81496]

  Mr. MacShane
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had no formal meetings with other EU Foreign Ministers concerning the European arrest warrant, although the matter may have arisen informally. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Office has responsibility for this matter.

  Hungary
  Mr. Andrew Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Hungary concerning Law LXXIV, 2001 (PA IS3); what assessment he has made of the compatibility of this law with(a) European Union membership; and (b) Council of Europe membership; what representations he has made to other European Union member states and the European Commission concerning the acceptability of Hungary as a member state; what representations he has made to the Council of Europe concerning the acceptability of Hungary as a member of the Council; and if he will make a statement. [80494]

  Mr. MacShane
  We have made no representations to the Government of Hungary or any other government or international body concerning Law LXXIV, 2001 (PA 153), "amendments of certain legislation regulating financial affairs", amending law CXXIV of 1997. We do not connect it to membership of the EU or the Council of Europe.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Illegal Immigrants
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on illegal immigrants and the exploitation of migrant workers in Northern Ireland. [80820]

  Beverley Hughes
  It is an offence to facilitate the entry of an illegal entrant; or to harbour one and to employ one who does not have permission to work. The Police Service for Northern Ireland (PSNI) is primarily responsible for dealing with such offences. There has been one conviction for facilitation in the past 18 months. United Kingdom Immigration Service works closely with PSNI and also with the Irish immigration authorities to gather evidence, and where appropriate, prosecutions will be brought.

  I am aware of a recent BBC documentary highlighting cases of illegal workers in Northern Ireland and of the method by which they are brought to the province. The issues raised in that programme are not unique to Northern Ireland. Where reliable information exists indicating immigration offenders are at a particular address, United Kingdom Immigration Service staff in Northern Ireland take action against illegal workers there, as they do elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

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  During the past 12 months 68 illegal workers have been removed from Northern Ireland. Further enforcement visits to identify other illegal workers are planned.

  Child Asylum Seekers
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have(a) been refused and (b) been granted asylum in the last 12 months; and what definition of child is used for this purpose. [80532]

  Beverley Hughes
  Data are only available for unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC), defined as principal applicants who are, or appear to be, under 18, claiming asylum in their own right and without a guardian or relative in the United Kingdom.

  In the first six months of 2002, 3,070 initial decisions were made on applications lodged by UASCs aged under 18 at the time of initial decision. Of these decisions, 470 cases were refused asylum and exceptional leave to remain, 295 were granted asylum and 2,310 were granted exceptional leave to remain.

  Comparable data for the six months prior to this are unavailable and would be produced only at disproportionate cost by examining individual case records.

  Reliable information on initial decisions made on applications from accompanied children is not readily available and could be obtained only by examination of individual case records and is therefore available only at a disproportionate cost.

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

  EU Migrant Statistics
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish figures showing the(a) population density and (b) inflow of migrants in the most recent available year in each country of the EU. [80707]

  Ruth Kelly
  I have been asked to reply.

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

  Letter from L. Cook to Mr. Peter Lilley, dated 20 November 2002:

  As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question concerning the population density and the number of migrants for each country in the European Union. (80707)

  The attached table, provided by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Commission, shows the population density and the number of immigrants in each country in the European Union.

  The immigration figures shown in the table are provided by the member states and are based on national definitions. Differences in the definition of migrants by different countries can be very great. These differences mean that it is hard and occasionally misleading to draw conclusions about the comparative scale of migration in the countries concerned.

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  Table 1:Population density and number of immigrants, European Union countries

  Country

  Population density1 (Persons per sq. km)

  Number of immigrants2 (Thousands)

  Austria

  97.1

  81.7

  Belgium

  337.7

  368.5

  Denmark

  124.6

  52.9

  Federal Republic of Germany

  230.9

  841.2

  Finland

  17.1

  16.9

  France

  5109.1

  357.8

  Greece

  80.5

  412.6

  Ireland

  55.3

  46.2

  Italy

  192.5

  3185.1

  Luxembourg

  172.6

  11.8

  Netherlands

  5475.2

  132.9

  Portugal

  5112.5

  518.4

  Spain

  80.1

  362.5

  Sweden

  21.7

  58.7

  United Kingdom

  246.6

  364.4

  1 The population density figures are as of 1st January 2002

  2 The number of immigrants are for the year 2000 unless otherwise shown

  3 The figures are for the year 1999

  4 The figures are for the year 1998

  5 Figures are provisional

  Note:

  The definitions and data sources used to record immigration vary greatly across the countries of the European Union

  Source:

  Eurostat

  Human Trafficking
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to combat human trafficking and associated sex-slavery in the UK; and what assessment he has made of the size of this problem in(a) the UK and (b) London. [80535]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  We have set out our strategy to tackle trafficking of human beings, in the White Paper, Secure Borders, Safe Haven, published earlier this year. There are four main strands to the strategy:
  strengthening the law;

  tackling the criminals through intelligence and enforcement;

  international co-operation and prevention in source and transit countries; and

  dealing appropriately with the victims of trafficking.

  Forming an accurate estimate of the levels of trafficking in people is problematic due to the hidden nature of the act. There is currently no accurate, reliable data in existence within the United Kingdom or the European Union. A Home Office research study `Stopping Traffic' published in 2000, indicated that the number of women and children trafficked into the United Kingdom for the purposes of sexual exploitation, was likely to be in the range of 140 to 1,400 per year.

  Illegal Immigration (East Sussex)
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve precautions against illegal immigration in East Sussex. [80679]
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  Beverley Hughes
  The Immigration Service is committed to maintaining secure borders throughout the United Kingdom and countering evasion of the immigration control. A close watch is kept on the situation in East Sussex to assess regularly the risk of persons entering the United Kingdom illegally and to ensure that any necessary action is taken. Ports in East Sussex are not currently considered to be at high risk from illegal immigration. The Immigration Service deal with illegal entrants and, in consultation with the Police and other control Authorities, will assist in the identification and prosecution of those who facilitate illegal entrants.

  Admissions of spouses, fiancé(e)s for a limited period prior to settlement1, excluding EEA nationals2, 1990 to 2001—United Kingdom

  Number of persons

  Category and nationality

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  Husbands

  Europe2

  —

  —

  370

  350

  310

  380

  Americas

  —

  —

  890

  780

  880

  970

  Africa

  —

  —

  580

  640

  740

  610

  Indian sub-continent

  1,680

  2,160

  3,720

  3,530

  3,070

  3,020

  Other Asia

  —

  —

  330

  270

  300

  330

  Oceania

  —

  —

  640

  530

  550

  560

  Other nationalities

  —

  —

  130

  110

  40

  30

  All nationalities2

  4,860

  5,040

  6,660

  6,200

  5,890

  5,900

  Male fiancés

  Europe2

  —

  —

  110

  80

  80

  90

  Americas

  —

  —

  190

  140

  150

  150

  Africa

  —

  —

  80

  80

  100

  90

  Indian sub-continent

  500

  420

  290

  250

  150

  140

  Other Asia

  —

  —

  70

  60

  60

  60

  Oceania

  —

  —

  100

  70

  70

  70

  Other nationalities

  —

  —

  30

  30

  10

  10

  All nationalities2

  1,060

  940

  860

  720

  610

  610

  Wives

  Europe2

  —

  —

  930

  940

  740

  900

  Americas

  —

  —

  1,600

  1,520

  1,570

  1,640

  Africa

  —

  —

  820

  830

  980

  940

  Indian sub-continent

  5,040

  5,310

  5,360

  5,040

  5,050

  5,060

  Other Asia

  —

  —

  1,540

  1,460

  1,600

  1,760

  Oceania

  —

  —

  880

  740

  800

  760

  Other nationalities

  —

  —

  380

  220

  80

  60

  All nationalities2

  10,900

  10,900

  11,500

  10,800

  10,800

  11,100

  Female fiancées

  Europe2

  —

  —

  260

  330

  240

  310

  Americas

  —

  —

  350

  290

  380

  370

  Africa

  —

  —

  100

  100

  100

  90

  Indian sub-continent

  490

  410

  380

  300

  260

  250

  Other Asia

  —

  —

  440

  340

  380

  390

  Oceania

  —

  —

  120

  90

  90

  100

  Other nationalities

  —

  —

  60

  40

  10

  10

  All nationalities2

  1,830

  1,790

  1,720

  1,500

  1,460

  1,500

  Category and nationality

  1996

  19973

  1998

  1999

  20004

  20014

  Husbands

  Europe2

  420

  605

  620

  645

  660

  495

  Americas

  880

  975

  1,090

  1,145

  1,000

  610

  Africa

  710

  1,085

  1,490

  1,610

  1,515

  1,310

  Indian sub-continent

  3,540

  5,865

  7,520

  4,600

  6,240

  5,410

  Other Asia

  340

  405

  430

  460

  450

  455

  Oceania

  530

  630

  730

  835

  725

  560

  Other nationalities

  30

  35

  35

  25

  15

  20

  All nationalities2

  6,460

  9,600

  11,910

  9,325

  10,605

  8,855

  Immigration Policy
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign spouses and fianc(e)s were admitted to live in the UK with their British spouses in each year from 1990. [80708]

  Beverley Hughes
  The available information on the number of spouses admitted to the United Kingdom in each year from 1990 is given in the table.

  It is not possible to identify separately those people who were admitted to live in the United Kingdom with a spouse who was a British citizen from those admitted to join a spouse who had settled in the United Kingdom but was not a British citizen.
  133W

  Category and nationality

  1996

  19973

  1998

  1999

  20004

  20014

  Male fiancés

  Europe2

  90

  130

  105

  120

  100

  60

  Americas

  160

  195

  175

  140

  160

  105

  Africa

  80

  105

  140

  130

  100

  85

  Indian sub-continent

  100

  185

  215

  220

  240

  235

  Other Asia

  70

  70

  90

  75

  55

  65

  Oceania

  80

  95

  125

  100

  90

  60

  Other nationalities

  5—

  5

  5

  5

  5

  —

  All nationalities2

  580

  785

  855

  795

  750

  610

  Wives

  Europe2

  1,040

  1,165

  1,410

  1,990

  1,745

  1,345

  Americas

  1,670

  1,740

  1,950

  2,520

  1,955

  1,255

  Africa

  1,070

  1,370

  1,895

  2,300

  2,235

  2,165

  Indian sub-continent

  5,740

  6,645

  8,010

  6,525

  8,700

  8,495

  Other Asia

  1,880

  2,250

  2,665

  2,980

  3,310

  3,480

  Oceania

  790

  900

  1,100

  1,305

  1,145

  1,060

  Other nationalities

  50

  50

  35

  50

  45

  60

  All nationalities2

  12,200

  14,120

  17,070

  17,670

  19,140

  17,860

  Female fiancées

  Europe2

  400

  485

  560

  665

  670

  445

  Americas

  400

  445

  450

  490

  510

  255

  Africa

  120

  105

  150

  130

  130

  115

  Indian sub-continent

  250

  200

  305

  285

  310

  295

  Other Asia

  430

  520

  710

  740

  725

  595

  Oceania

  110

  130

  145

  140

  110

  70

  Other nationalities

  10

  5

  10

  10

  10

  5

  All nationalities2

  1,710

  1,880

  2,330

  2,460

  2,475

  1,775

  1 Husbands and wives seeking settlement, and fiancé(e)s, are given leave to enter for a limited period (apart from certain wives who are entitled to settlement on arrival). Settlement is granted after a year's probationary period; for those admitted as fiancé(e)s the probationary period starts after marriage.

  2 Excludes EC nationals up to 1993 and EEA nationals since 1994.

  3 Figures prior to 1997 rounded to three significant figures, figures from 1997 rounded to five.

  4 A change in procedures may have resulted in some under-recording in the fourth quarter of 2000 and the first quarter of 2001.

  5 Negligible ie five or fewer.

  '—' Not available

  Refugee Accommodation
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department(1) if he will make a statement on progress on the Government's assessment of the Refugee Council 'core and cluster' model of accommodation centre; and if he will make a statement on the methods of evaluation of the different models of accommodation centre for people seeking asylum being planned by the Government; [81044]

  (2)if he will define the different models of accommodation centre that the Government is planning for people seeking asylum; [81043]

  (3)if he will make it his policy to adopt the Refugee Council care and cluster model of accommodating centres. [81042]

  Beverley Hughes
  As I announced in the House of Commons on 5 November 2002,Official Report, column 150W we remain committed to developing large, self-contained, out of town facilities in order to thoroughly test the on-site provision of services at accommodation centres. However, in order to test an alternative model, one of the trial centres will be smaller than 750 places and for single men only and may be located in or on the edge of an urban area. We have also made clear that our minds are not closed to other models and, in particular that we will continue to work with the Refugee Council on their "core and cluster" proposal. This would involve a series of hostels clustered around
  134W
  a central services core. No decisions have yet been made on the Refugee Council proposals. We will undertake a thorough evaluation of the accommodation centre trial. It will include a combination of management information, consultation with relevant people and more formal research carried out by independent researchers under contract to the Home Office. The evaluation conclusions will be publicly available, and provided to Parliament.

  Animal Welfare
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to relax regulations on the use of terminally anaesthetized animals for training surgeons; [81126]

  (2)what steps he is taking formally to consult individuals and organisations on the format, layout and language of the Home Office statistics of scientific procedures on living animals [81124]

  (3)what plans he has to remove from the Home Office statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, animals from GM strains which are bred but not otherwise used in regulated procedures; [81121]

  (4)what plans he has to ensure that designated research establishments using animals are inspected at least once a year by an inspector from another area; [81137]
  135W
  (5)what steps he is taking to encourage his EU counterparts to make development and validation of replacements for animal experiments a priority; [81134]

  (6)what steps he is taking to ensure that ethical review processes relating to research using animals have external lay members, whose term of office is time-limited; [81131]

  (7)what plans he has to repeal section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in favour of a specific justification for each class of information that needs to be kept confidential; [81122]

  (8)what steps he is taking to provide improved statistics on animal suffering pursuant to animal experimentation; [81125]

  (9)what steps he is taking to engage in a systematic and visible search for methods involving the reduction, refinement and replacement in toxicology; [81133]

  (10)what steps he is taking to enable visiting scientists and students in higher education to carry out work under the licenses of an established licence-holder in research using animals; [81128]

  (11)what plans he has to subject the Home Office Inspectorate for the regulation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to periodic review by a body other than the Inspectorate itself; [81136]

  (12)what plans he has to (a) strengthen the secretariat of the Animal Procedures Committee and (b) separate it from the Home Office regulators; [81129]

  (13)what steps he is taking to encourage the Home Office Inspectorate to convene a regular forum to discuss specific scientific and welfare issues related to the use of animals in experiments; [81123]

  (14)what steps he is taking to ensure a welfare assessment of new strains of animals used in experiments; [81120]

  (15)what steps he is taking to simplify and reduce the length of project licenses involving animal-related research; [81127]

  (16)what steps he is taking to promote the adoption of replacements and the incorporation of refinements into animal test guidelines; [81132]

  (17)what plans he has to delegate interim authority from his Department to the local ethical review process when approving routine or minor amendments relating to research using animals; [81130]

  (18)what steps he is taking to promote the commercial advantages of reduction, refinement and replacement in toxicology; [81135]

  (19)what plans he has to make public the substantive details of anonymised project licences, describing the expected benefits of animal-related research and the harms to the animals involved after they have been approved and funded. [81138]

  Mr. Bob Ainsworth
  These matters are all the subject of recommendations in the report published on 24 July 2002 by the House of Lords Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures. The report contained a total of seven conclusions and thirty-one recommendations, all 136W
  of which are being carefully and thoroughly considered. The Government will respond to the report within the six months that is provided for and there will then be a debate in the House of Lords.

PRIME MINISTER

  Northern Ireland
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the theft of sensitive documents appertaining to Northern Ireland from police and government Departments. [80915]

  The Prime Minister
  The police are investigating this matter at the moment. I do not want to say anything that might jeopardise that investigation.

  Bishops
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the bishops on whom he has advised appointment since 1997. [81500]

  The Prime Minister
  I have advised on the following bishoprics since May 1997:

  Diocesan Bishops

  Bath and Wells

  Birmingham

  Bradford

  Bristol

  Canterbury

  Carlisle

  Chichester

  Coventry

  Ely

  Exeter

  Leicester

  Lincoln

  Liverpool

  Manchester

  Newcastle

  Norwich

  Ripon and Leeds

  Sheffield

  Southwark

  Southwell

  Suffragan/Area Bishops

  Barking

  Basingstoke

  Bedford

  Beverley

  Birkenhead

  Bolton

  Brixworth

  Buckingham

  Burnley

  Colchester

  Doncaster

  Dorchester

  Dover

  137W

  Dudley

  Dunwich

  Ebbsfleet

  Edmonton

  Grantham

  Grimsby

  Hertford

  Hull

  Hulme

  Jarrow

  Knaresborough

  Lancaster

  Ludlow

  Lynn

  Maidstone

  Middleton

  Penrith

  Pontefract

  Ramsbury

  Repton

  Richborough

  Sherborne

  Shrewsbury

  St. Germans

  Stockport

  Taunton

  Thetford

  Tonbridge

  Warrington

  Whitby

  Willesden

  Children and Young People
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the Ministers in each Department with responsibility for(a) programmes, (b) policy and (c) legislation which makes specific reference to children and young people under the age of 18, indicating their titles and responsibilities. [80470]

  The Prime Minister
  Providing opportunities for the welfare and development of children and young people is a priority for Government. We have introduced a range of programmes which include legislation to support children and young people. These are delivered by a number of Ministers across Government. For example, Sure Start and the children's fund in the Department for Education and Skills, children's trusts in the Department for Health, and a range of Home Office initiatives to prevent offending, which include support to parents and families. The Treasury and Department for Work and Pensions also have significant responsibilities affecting children and young people including child support and the children's tax credit.

  The children and young people's unit was established in July 2000 as a cross-cutting unit to support Government work across the full 0–19 age range. The unit reports to John Denham, Minister of State in the Home Office and the Secretary of State for Education
  138W
  and Skills. The Chancellor of the Exchequer chairs the Cabinet Committee on children and young people's services.

  The Government recently reaffirmed its commitment to addressing the needs of the most vulnerable children by announcing a new ministerial committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, to oversee the development of a Green Paper on children at risk. A Green Paper will be published early next year on the whole issue of children at risk, including how to ensure that they do not take up crime, and their family, mental health and educational problems.

  These initiatives are all in addition to mainstream services which cover young people, such as social services, the health service and schools. Other ministerial responsibilities in this area are set out in the "List of Ministerial Responsibilities", copies of which are available from the Vote Office, the Libraries of the House, and the Cabinet Office website:www. cabinet office.gov.uk/central/indexilmr.htm.

  Downing Street (Refurbishment)
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans are in place to refurbish(a) 10 and (b) 11 Downing street; what the estimated cost will be; and what mechanism exists for public scrutiny of this project. [81595]

  The Prime Minister
  While there are, currently, no plans to refurbish 10 and 11 Downing street, maintenance and redecoration work across the Downing street estate is part of a continuing programme. No. 10 now, as in the past, is maintained to standards appropriate to its status as a Grade 1 listed building, in consultation with English Heritage and other experts as appropriate. Bills and invoices in connection with such work are subject to audit in line with Treasury requirements.

  Engagements
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 20 November. [82220]

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I will have further such meetings later today. I will be travelling to Prague this afternoon to attend the NATO summit.

  Environmental Matters
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the environmental matters raised by(a) him, (b) his special envoys and (c) his officials in discussions with foreign powers since the last General Election. [80848]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government at all levels has raised a range of environmental matters during discussions with foreign governments since 2001. These include air quality, chemicals, climate change, energy, forests, biodiversity, sustainable development, agriculture and water issues.
  139W
  Since October 2001, I and other Ministers have attended major events and meetings which have addressed key environmental issues. These include:

  9–13 November 2001:WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha, Qatar

  3–7 December:International Conference on Fresh water, Bonn, Germany

  13–15 February 2002:Global Ministerial Environment Forum (Cartagena, Colombia)

  15–16 March:European Council, Barcelona

  18–22 March 2002:Financing for Development Conference—Mexico

  7–19 April 2002:Sixth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity(CBD/COP6), The Hague,

  12–14 April:G8 Environment Ministerial Meeting, Canada

  27 May—7 June:4th Preparatory Committee meeting for WSSD, Indonesia

  21–22 June:European Council, Seville

  26–28 June:G8 Heads of State Summit, Kananaskis Canada

  26 August—4 September:World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa (High Level Segment 2—4 September)

  24 October—1 November:United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Eighth Conference of the Parties (UNFCC/COP8), Delhi.

  The environment is a key priority for the UK Government. We shall continue to work closely with foreign governments on all environmental matters.

  French Beef Ban
  Andrew George
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with(a) President Chirac and (b) the French Government in respect of the costs to United Kingdom farmers following the French refusal to lift the British beef import ban. [81945]

  The Prime Minister
  I have raised the ban with both President Chirac and Prime Minister Raffarin on a number of occasions and am gratified that France has at last complied with EU law and lifted its ban on British beef. Any bids for compensation must come from those affected but we will support such cases if they arise.

  Kyoto Agreement
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent steps he has taken to persuade(a) the US and (b) the Australian governments to sign and ratify the Kyoto Agreement. [80858]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government believe that the Kyoto Protocol, with its binding targets and timetables, is the only existing international framework for tackling climate change and takes every opportunity to urge all countries that have not yet ratified it to do so as soon as possible.

  The Government are encouraged that although Australia will not be ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, it intends to meet its Kyoto Protocol target.

  We welcome the US's recognition that climate change is a serious problem andthe fact that they are taking domestic action, although this will not result in the absolute reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that the US would have been committed to make under the Kyoto Protocol.

  Media Team
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister what the cost has been of works to 12 Downing Street to establish a base for his media team. [81596]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Mr. Collins) on 24 July 2002,Official Report, column 1370W. I will write to the hon. Gentleman as well with details once the account has been finalised, and I will place a copy in the Library.

  Ministerial Meetings
  David Davis
  To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions since 1997(a) Ministers and (b) Government officials have met (i) Lord Currie, (ii) Lord Brooke, (iii) Karl Milner, (iv) Denise Kingsmill, (v) Jaap Kroese, (vi) Michael Frye and (vii) Professor Roderick Floud; and what was discussed at each meeting. [82346]

  The Prime Minister
  Ministers and Government officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings, under exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  National Security
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister what mechanism, consistent with national security, he has put in place to enable parliamentary scrutiny and accountability of monies spent across government in response to the events of 11 September 2001. [81581]

  The Prime Minister
  The resources allocated by departments to meet requirements post-September 11 are subject to the same parliamentary scrutiny and accountability as any other departmental funding.

  Swamarurayan Hindu Mission
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the petition given to him by Dr. I. P. Patel, the trustee of the Swamarurayan Hindu Mission.[81498]

  The Prime Minister
  I have received the petition and I will be replying in due course.

  Visits (East Lancashire)
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Prime Minister how many times he has visited East Lancashire in his official capacity; and what the purpose was of each visit. [82407]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 7 November 2002,Official Report, columns 441–43W.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  Education Facilities (Wokingham)
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will publish the reasons for not approving the recent Wokingham Unitary Council bid for a PFI to
  141W
  build new buildings for a secondary school and a special school, together with other community facilities; and if he will make a statement. [81755]

  Mr. Miliband
  The PFI bid submitted by Wokingham council was one of 53 received from local education authorities (LEAs) for the 2003–04 financial year. Each proposal was evaluated by officials against the published criteria, and then scored and ranked. The Wokingham bid was ranked below the top 21 that we were able to support. My officials have provided the LEA with detailed feedback and have offered to provide further advice on the preparation of a future bid.

  EU Education, Youth and Culture Council
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the outcome was of the Education, Youth and Culture Council held in Brussels on 11 to 12 November; what the Government's stance on the issues discussed was, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement. [80715]

  Margaret Hodge
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport attended the culture and audiovisual session of this council, with Elaine Murray, the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport in the Scottish Parliament. I attended the education session on 12 November. There was no youth business.

  In the culture and audiovisual session the Council adopted a resolution on European added value and mobility of persons and circulation of works in the cultural sector (document 13129/1/02); and a resolution on interactive media content in Europe (document 12911/02). The Council also adopted conclusions on the Television Without Frontiers Directives (document 12934/02).

  In the education session, the Council adopted a resolution on enhanced co-operation in vocational education and training (document 13137/02).

  The Council also held a discussion on the EU level education work programme, focusing in particular on the national level reforms that were linked to it, as well as the vocational education and training aspects of the work programme. I stressed the need to keep the work straightforward and to obtain concrete and practical results in terms of sharing good practice, while respecting the differences between our various education systems. I also supported the work on improving the understanding and getting better recognition of each others' qualifications. There was a high degree of consensus with many other delegations making the same points.

  The Council held its first discussion of the Commission's Erasmus World proposal for a new programme to attract overseas students into the EU. I welcomed the broad aim of the proposal and stressed the need for the programme to be of high quality.

  The Council received information from the Commission on the evaluation of the European Year of
  142W
  Languages in 2001, and on their proposed action plan to promote language learning and linguistic diversity, due to be published in 2003.

  A copy of the Council minutes will be placed in the Library in due course.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the postcodes in respect of which universities can claim extra payments for each student normally resident therein. [81819]

  Margaret Hodge
  [holding answer 19 November 2002]This is a matter for the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) I have therefore asked the chief executive of the Funding Council to reply to your question and to place a copy of his reply in the House of Commons Library.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will consult(a) students and (b) parents of students living in Buckinghamshire on the findings of the review of higher education. [81192]

  Margaret Hodge
  [holding answer 19 November 2002]We plan to publish a strategy document setting out our 10-year vision for the development and reform of higher education in January. We have already taken steps to stimulate debate about the range of issues affecting the future of higher education; once the strategy document is published, there will be further opportunity for all interested parties to respond.

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills who the participants are in his Department's Review Group for Higher Education. [81315]

  Margaret Hodge
  [holding answer 18 November2002]My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills is leading a review including representatives from his Department, HM Treasury and Inland Revenue.

  Learning and Skills Councils
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many members of each learning and skills council have resigned since the establishment of the councils; and how many of those were representatives of(a) business, (b) trade unions and (c) education providers, expressed as (i) a number and (ii) a percentage. [81088]

  Margaret Hodge
  [holding answer 18 November 2002]There are currently over 700 members of local Learning and Skills Councils. The information requested is provided in the table.

  It is not possible to calculate the percentages as the number of council members is constantly changing.
  143W

  Region/local LSC

  Council members from business

  Council members from trade unions

  Council members
  from education providers

  Others

  Total

  National Council

  2

  —

  —

  2

  4

  South East

  Berkshire

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Surrey

  2

  —

  1

  1

  4

  Kent and Medway

  1

  —

  1

  1

  3

  Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  Hampshire Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight

  1

  —

  1

  1

  3

  Sussex

  3

  1

  2

  1

  7

  East of England

  Bedfordshire

  3

  —

  —

  1

  4

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  Essex

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Hertfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Norfolk

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Suffolk

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  North East

  Northumberland

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  Tyne and Wear

  1

  —

  —

  1

  2

  County Durham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Tees Valley

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  East Midlands

  Derbyshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Leicestershire

  1

  —

  1

  1

  3

  Lincolnshire and Rutland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northamptonshire

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  Nottinghamshire

  1

  —

  —

  1

  2

  West Midlands

  Birmingham and Solihull

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  The Black Country

  2

  —

  1

  1

  3

  Shropshire

  2

  —

  1

  1

  3

  Staffordshire

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Coventry and Warwickshire

  —

  —

  —

  2

  4

  Herefordshire and Worcestershire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  North West

  Lancashire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Greater Manchester

  2

  —

  1

  —

  3

  Cheshire/Warrington

  2

  1

  —

  3

  6

  Cumbria

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Greater Merseyside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  Humberside

  1

  1

  South Yorkshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  West Yorkshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  North Yorkshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  South West

  Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wiltshire and Swindon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Somerset

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  The West of England

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Devon and Cornwall

  1

  —

  1

  1

  3

  London

  London North

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1

  London East

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  London West

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  London Central

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  London South

  2

  1

  —

  —

  2

  144W 145W
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of the members of each of the learning and skills councils represent(a) the business sector, (b) the trade unions and (c) the public sector. [80993]

  Margaret Hodge
  The information requested is provided in the following table. Members of local LSCs are not delegates of particular sectors but have been appointed for their understanding and experience of the wide variety of relevant interests in post-16 learning.

  Percentage

  LLSC

  Business sector

  Trade unions

  Public sector

  South East

  Berkshire

  44

  6

  44

  Hampshire, Portsmouth,

  Southampton and IOW1

  43

  7

  43

  Kent and Medway

  31

  12

  56

  Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and

  Buckinghamshire1

  54

  7

  47

  Surrey

  31

  6

  56

  Sussex

  38

  —

  62

  East of England

  Bedfordshire and Luton1

  47

  7

  47

  Cambridgeshire

  44

  —

  44

  Essex1

  40

  7

  47

  Hertfordshire

  44

  6

  56

  Norfolk

  44

  6

  31

  Suffolk

  44

  12

  50

  North East

  County Durham

  56

  6

  31

  Northumberland1

  83

  8

  8

  Tees Valley

  50

  6

  37

  Tyne and Wear

  44

  6

  37

  East Midlands

  Derbyshire

  31

  6

  44

  Leicestershire1

  47

  13

  33

  Lincolnshire and Rutland

  37

  6

  44

  Northamptonshire

  37

  6

  50

  Nottinghamshire

  37

  6

  44

  West Midlands

  Birmingham and Solihull1

  47

  7

  27

  The Black Country1

  40

  7

  47

  Coventry and Warwickshire

  50

  6

  44

  Herefordshire and Worcestershire1

  54

  8

  31

  Shropshire

  50

  6

  37

  Staffordshire

  44

  6

  37

  North West

  Cheshire/Warrington1

  57

  —.

  43

  Cumbria

  56

  6

  31

  Lancashire1

  47

  7

  40

  Greater Manchester

  50

  12

  31

  Greater Merseyside

  44

  6

  37

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  South Yorkshire1

  40

  13

  53

  North Yorkshire

  37

  6

  50

  Humberside1

  53

  —

  40

  West Yorkshire1

  43

  7

  43

  South West

  Devon and Cornwall

  50

  6

  37

  Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole1

  54

  7

  40

  Gloucestershire1

  47

  13

  40

  Somerset

  50

  6

  31

  Wiltshire and Swindon

  37

  6

  50

  West of England1

  40

  7

  40

  146W

  Percentage

  LLSC

  Business sector

  Trade unions

  Public sector

  London

  London Central1

  53

  6

  33

  London East

  50

  6

  25

  London North1

  47

  6

  33

  London South1

  36

  7

  43

  London West1

  47

  13

  26

  1 Councils with outstanding vacancies. Figures provided liable to some distortion

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of members of each learning and skills council represent(a) manufacturing, (b) engineering and (c) service industries. [80994]

  Margaret Hodge
  The information requested is not available. Members are appointed to local councils for their understanding and experience of the wide variety of relevant interests in post-16 learning.

  Pupil Capacity
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what additional funding was made available to schools in(a) the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and (b) Wokingham district to increase pupil capacity after 18 July. [81757]

  Mr. Miliband
  None. Guidance for the 2003—04 Basic Need round, to support the provision of new pupil places, was issued at the end of July. It invited local education authorities to make bids by 30 September. Neither the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead nor Wokingham district made applications. The Department will be announcing Basic Need allocations to LEAs in December.

  School Places
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the additional number of school places that will be required in(a) the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and (b) Wokingham district as a result of the Government's plan for housing. [81758]

  Mr. Miliband
  It is for local education authorities to plan and keep under review the supply of school places in the light of proposed housing development, so as to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet demand. The regional planning guidance for the South East assists local education authorities in the region to do this. Where an LEA can demonstrate overall growth in the need for school places it may apply to my Department for capital funding.

  School Sport
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many hours of the school week are devoted to sport in UK primary and secondary schools; [80978]

  (2) what proposals he has to lengthen the time devoted to sport in schools in the UK. [80979]
  147W
  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Physical Education (PE) is compulsory within the National Curriculum in England at all Key Stages for all pupils. Schools must provide physical education (PE) in accordance with the subject's programme of study. Guidance on curriculum planning, including for PE, published by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the Department for Education and Skills, recommends that the programmes of study require a minimum of 75 minutes per week at Key Stages 1 and 2, and 90 minutes per week at Key Stage 3.

  The Government are committed to all children in England having at least two hours of high quality PE and school sport a week, within and outside of the curriculum. A joint Department for Education and Skills and Department for Culture, Media and Sport Public Service Agreement target—published 15 July—seeks to enhance the take-up of sporting opportunities by 5 to 16-year-olds by increasing the percentage of schoolchildren who spend a minimum of two hours each week on PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum from 25 per cent. in 2002 to 75 per cent. by 2006. £459 million will be invested over the next three years to deliver this target. Spearheading action will be a significant expansion of the specialist sports college and school sport co-ordinator programmes.

  Evidence from the Youth Sport Trust, Sport England and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority indicates that a quarter of schools in England-those within school sport co-ordinator partnerships-are offering children aged 5 to 16 access to at least two hours' PE and school sport. All these partnerships will complete an annual data collection exercise this month. This will provide robust, comprehensive and in-depth information on the number of pupils with access to two hours' PE and school sport. Early messages from this will be available before the end of the year. The House will be informed of the results.

  Sexual Relationship Education
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what training provision is planned for teachers regarding sexual relationship education; and if he will make a statement. [80545]

  Mr. Miliband
  In April 2003, we will roll out a professional development programme for teachers of Personal, Social and Health Education(PSHE). The programme will recognise effective teaching of the generic skills of PSHE, with Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) being addressed as a specialist module based on knowledge and understanding. The development of the programme supports our view that effective SRE is essential if young people are to make responsible and well-informed decisions about their lives. We expect up to 500 teachers to participate in the first year of the programme.

  From September 2002, those awarded qualified teacher status must demonstrate that they are familiar with the national curriculum framework for PSHE, including sex and relationship education, for the age range they are trained to teach. The new standards for initial teacher training also open up opportunities for trainees to have PSHE as a specialism.

  Top-up Fees
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of university top-up fees on the drive to increase participation in higher education. [81505]

  Margaret Hodge
  We have announced our intention to publish in January a strategy document setting out our vision for the development and reform of higher education, including the outcome of the review of student support. It would not be right to say now what options we are considering or what analyses we have undertaken.

  Truancy (Essex)
  Mr. Ivan Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the levels of truancy in Essex in each year since 1997. [80891]

  Mr. Miliband
  Percentage of half days missed due to unauthorised absence in maintained primary and secondary schools in Essex since 1997.

  Year

  Primary schools

  Secondary schools

  1996–97

  0.4

  0.8

  1997–98

  0.4

  0.8

  1998–99

  0.4

  0.9

  1999–2000

  0.3

  0.9

  2000–01

  0.4

  0.8

  2001–021

  0.4

  0.9

  1 Early statistics

  The 1997 figures for Essex are not directly comparable with the later years because of the local government reorganisation that took place in 1998.

  University Fees
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he plans to introduce a differential fees regime between university applicants who originate from independent schools and those who originate from maintained schools; and if he will make a statement. [80752]

  Margaret Hodge
  We have no such plans.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

  Congestion Charging
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission (1) what the policy is of the Commission in relation to the reimbursement of Central London road user charges incurred by its employees; [81890]

  (2) what the estimated cost is to the Commission of the Central London Road User Charging Scheme for (a) 17 February 2003 to 31March 2003, and (b) 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004. [81889]

  Mr. Kirkwood
  [holding answer 19 November 2002]The Commission is keeping an eye on developments, but has no current plans to reimburse employees.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Business Consultation (Buckinghamshire)
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the business organisations in(a) Chesham and Amersham and (b) Buckinghamshire with which she consults on matters of relevance to the business sector. [81175]

  Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 19 November 2002]The Government Office for the South East, who are responsible for carrying out work on behalf of my Department, liaise with local business support organisations such as the Thames Valley Economic Partnership, Local Chambers of Commerce, local Confederation of British Industry and Institute of Directors, when they need to survey opinion on Office of the DPM issues affecting business.

  GOSE also has good links with the Regional Development Agency (SEEDA), and the local business link (Business Link Solutions) who have close relationships with the business sector.

  GOSE is also encouraging the business sector to become involved in the local strategic partnerships. The Chiltern district council's LSP has both a local business, Amersham International, and a representative form Aylesbury Chamber of Commerce as members.

  BAE Systems
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what investigations have taken place to determine how BAE Systems spare parts were supplied to the Zimbabwean Defence Forces earlier this year; and whether she has established if such spare parts were granted on export licence by the UK Government. [81322]

  Nigel Griffiths
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply from my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary, to my hon. Friend, the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Paul Farrelly) on 4 November 2002, Official Report, column 11.

  Since the introduction of the UK arms embargo on 12 May 2000, no standard individual export licences or open individual export licences have been issued, for the proposed export of spare parts for the Hawk aircraft, where the end users were in Zimbabwe.

  I refer the hon Member to the reply from my right hon. Friend the Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook), the then Foreign Secretary, to my hon. Friend, the Member for Barnsley, East and Mexborough (Jeff Ennis) on 12 May 2000, Official Report, columns 493–94W.

  Broadband
  Jim Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress is being made to increase access to higher bandwidth broadband in rural areas. [81361]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 19 November 2002]Satellite services make broadband available across the country. Added to this some 67 per cent. of the 150W
  households in the UK now have access to a mass-market terrestrial broadband service. This is ahead of countries such as France and Italy.

  The market continues to make progress in extending the availability of affordable broadband through such initiatives as the demand registration schemes run by BT and by Liberty Broadband. We believe that the market-led progress will continue as new technologies including additional wireless services become available and satellite services become more affordable.

  We believe, however, that in some areas Government may have a role to play. Some schemes including European structural funds have already made an impact on the availability of broadband (e.g. the ACTNOW project in Cornwall).

  The Government has also committed £30 million for pilot projects to help regional development agencies and devolved administrations learn what will work in extending availability and take-up. These funds are starting to make an impact in rural communities such as Buckfastleigh in Devon and Alston in Cumbria.

  There is scope for further impact to be made in increasing private sector investment and the availability of broadband by the use of public sector demand. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced yesterday that the outcome of the Spending Review 2002 shows that a total of approximately £6 billion will be invested in electronic government—including £1 billion towards high-speed broadband connectivity. Existing funds for regional economic development(and RDAs will have £1.8 billion in 2003–04 for this purpose) can also make a contribution where lack of broadband is a barrier to economic development. That is why I announced in June the intention to establish a regional broadband unit to use the public sector's spending power to boost availability and take-up in rural areas.

  Mr. Derek Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how and in what way SEEDA has allocated its broadband funds; and what SEEDA's criteria are in allocating funds for broadband provision in the poorest wards in Kent. [81766]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 19 November 2002]SEEDA programmes are targeted at both supply and demand side issues including direct touch involvement in mainstream technologies (Fibre, DSL, Wireless and Satellite), new technologies (powerline transmission, VDSL, third generation mobile and metro Ethernet), application pilot programmes and broadband promotion. In addition SEEDA is working with other national, regional and local stakeholders.

  SEEDA's criteria for allocating funds are shaped by the Regional Economic strategy and its Corporate plan as agreed with partners. Both documents identify the 119 most deprived wards in the Region as priority areas, requiring special attention and investment. Of these, 48 are in Kent and 6 in Medway.

  Chemicals Policy Review
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies her Department has made of the possible effects of the European Commission's Chemicals Policy Review on the
  151W
  international competitiveness of (a) the UK chemical industry itself and (b) the rest of the UK manufacturing industry. [81102]

  Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 19 November 2002]My right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Environment, has overall responsibility for the EU Chemicals Strategy, including responsibility for the assessment of the regulatory impact of those proposals. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is actively involved in the development of policy on this issue. In May 2001, the Government prepared a preliminary regulatory impact assessment of the proposals in the European Commission's White Paper "Strategy for a Future Chemicals Policy", COM(2001) 88. A further regulatory impact assessment will be required when proposals for the European Commission's legislation are available, and DTI will be fully involved in determining the scope and content of that assessment. It will include an assessment of the implications of the proposed legislation for the international competitiveness of the

  Electricity supplied by fuel, 1972 to 20011

  Percentage

  Total GWh

  Gas2

  Other fossil fuels

  Nuclear

  Renewables excluding hydro

  Hydro

  Total

  1972

  245,15

  —

  87.8

  10.5

  —

  1.7

  100

  1973

  262,63

  —

  89

  9.3

  —

  1.7

  100

  1974

  254,14

  —

  86.6

  11.5

  —

  1.9

  100

  1975

  253,71

  —

  87.6

  10.4

  —

  1.9

  100

  1976

  257,70

  —

  85.9

  12.1

  —

  2

  100

  1977

  263,61

  —

  84.9

  13.1

  —

  2

  100

  1978

  268,80

  —

  86

  12.1

  —

  1.9

  100

  1979

  280,16

  —

  86.2

  11.9

  —

  1.9

  100

  1980

  266,31

  —

  86

  12.1

  —

  1.9

  100

  1981

  259,93

  —

  85.2

  12.8

  —

  2.1

  100

  1982

  255.083

  —

  82.6

  15.2

  —

  2.2

  100

  1983

  259,36

  —

  80.6

  16.9

  —

  2.5

  100

  1984

  264,14

  —

  79.9

  17.9

  —

  2.3

  100

  1985

  277.922

  —

  78.2

  19.3

  —

  2.4

  100

  1986

  281,46

  —

  79.1

  18.4

  —

  2.4

  100

  1987

  282,51

  —

  80.7

  17.1

  —

  2.2

  100

  1988

  288.599

  —

  78.3

  19.3

  —

  2.4

  100

  1989

  294,32

  —

  75.9

  21.6

  0.2

  2.2

  100

  1990

  300.128

  0.1

  77.8

  19.5

  0.2

  2.4

  100

  1991

  302,76

  0.2

  76.8

  20.7

  0.3

  2

  100

  1992

  300,80

  1.1

  73.2

  23

  0.3

  2.3

  100

  1993

  303,81

  7.6

  63.4

  26.7

  0.4

  1.9

  100

  1994

  308,98

  12.2

  59.3

  25.9

  0.6

  2.1

  100

  1995

  319,90

  19.8

  52.4

  25.2

  0.6

  2

  100

  1996

  334,78

  24.7

  47.4

  25.6

  0.8

  1.5

  100

  1997

  334,10

  32.8

  37.9

  26.7

  1

  1.7

  100

  1998

  345,29

  33.7

  37

  26.2

  1.2

  1.9

  100

  1999

  351,44

  39.7

  31.6

  24.9

  1.4

  2.3

  100

  2000

  360,97

  40.2

  34.5

  21.7

  1.5

  2.1

  100

  2001

  368,45

  37.8

  36.3

  22.5

  1.6

  1.7

  100

  1 Electricity supplied is here measured on a "gross" basis, ie hydro includes production from pumped storage stations and "other fuels" include the electricity supplied for use in pumping at pumped storage stations.

  2 Prior to 1995 figures are for Combined Cycle Gas Turbines only.

  Source:

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Equal Treatment at Work Directive
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she next expects to meet representatives of small businesses to discuss the impact of the equal treatment at work directive. [81564]
  152W
  UK chemicals industry and other manufacturing sectors that use chemicals in their processes and products. The Government has already consulted interested stakeholders about the specification for the regulatory impact assessment. In addition, the Government will consider what further analysis may be needed to ensure that the wider implications for competitiveness (for example, at the macro-economic level) are taken into account.

  Energy Generation
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of England's energy needs have been delivered by(a) gas generation, (b) other fossil fuel generation, (c) nuclear generation, (d) renewable sources, excluding hydro power and (e) hydro power in each year since 1972. [80852]

  Mr. Wilson
  The available information is shown in the following table and covers electricity supplied in the United Kingdom as whole. Figures are not compiled on an England basis.

  Nigel Griffiths
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I hold regular meetings with the small business community. These meetings offer many opportunities for business to ask questions about this area of equal treatment legislation.

  Renewable Energy
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information she has collated on the amount of energy within each OECD country generated from renewable sources in each year since 1990 and what the change in total energy consumption was in each case, taking 1990 as a baseline figure of 100. [81592]

  Mr. Wilson
  The available information is shown in tables, copies of which will be placed in the Library, and cover electricity generated from renewable sources, and electricity consumption in each OECD country. The data are compiled by the International Energy Agency.

  Thailand
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with(a) BAE Systems and (b) the Government of Thailand regarding (i) proposed sale of defence equipment to Thailand and (ii) the promotion of Thai poultry exports. [81039]

  Nigel Griffiths
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has had no discussions with BAE Systems on this issue. However, this Government fully supports UK industry in its legitimate defence exports. In relation to the Kingdom of Thailand, HMG is supporting BAE Systems to work with the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand to assist with the modernisation of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. In this connection, I understand they have set in motion the negotiation on a major programme of offset, technology transfer and inward investment, collectively known as "Economic Compensation", to be undertaken to provide Thailand with substantial and sustainable investment in areas such as agriculture, health, education and industrial participation.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry met the Prime Minister of Thailand, Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra, in May of this year. At that meeting, she told him she was grateful for Thailand's efforts in implementing safeguards in relation to its exports of chicken and shrimp.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will conduct a study of the relationship between high value rented properties and the adequacy of housing benefit as part of the trials being carried out on changes to housing benefit.[81550]

  Malcolm Wicks
  We use local reference rents to ensure that the overriding principle that people receiving should not have their rent met in full if it exceeds the broad average for the area is adhered to. Local reference rents and the localities to which they apply are set by independent rent officers to reflect local housing market conditions. Requests for re-determinations are rare which indicates that local references rents do not cause widespread problems for benefit recipients.
  154W
  The new standard local housing allowance will be based on local reference rents and will be piloted in up to 10 pathfinder local authorities selected to reflect a wide range of housing market conditions, including areas with high value rented properties. In consultation with independent researchers, we are drawing up a rigorous evaluation strategy to test the effectiveness of the allowance in enabling housing benefit recipients in the deregulated private rented sector to make informed choices over their accommodation.

  Dr. Naysmith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce a de minimis rule in implementing the housing benefit changes due in April 2003, whereby a small charity, with less than 10 units, may continue to have its 'support' costs included in housing benefit payments. [81563]

  Malcolm Wicks
  Housing benefit is intended to help people on low incomes to pay for rented accommodation. It is not intended to provide the full range of support services vulnerable people need to enable them to live independently in the community. The Supporting People arrangements to be introduced in April 2003 will bring together resources from several existing programmes, including housing benefit, to create a coherent funding and planning framework for housing-related support services, based on a grant to local councils. The new arrangements will promote greater choice and flexibility for service users.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Water Industry
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she next plans to meet the representatives of the water industry. [81650]

  Mr. Morley
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has meetings with representatives of the water industry from time to time but has no such engagements in her diary now.

  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to change the system of water metering. [81649]

  Mr. Morley
  The Water Industry Act 1999 sets in place the Governments policies on water metering.

  The Government have no plans to amend that legislation.

  Bovine TB
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where the bovine TB gamma interferon tests are being held. [81070]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 18 November 2002]Defra will be aiming to recruit approximately 660 herds in Wales and the following six English counties:Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire.

  The project commenced in early November and the first herds are now being recruited.

  BSE
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure her Department receives EU funding related to BSE. [81145]

  Mr. Morley
  Defra has written to the European Commission seeking a review of the recent decision not to grant funding for the UK's TSE and other animal disease eradication and control measures in 2003. We await a response.

  Composting
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many proposals for composting initiatives have been turned down by the Environment Agency on the grounds of the Animal By-Products Order which prohibits the composting of kitchen and catering waste. [80511]

  Mr. Morley
  Defra and the local authorities are the competent authorities with respect to the Animal By-Products Order and it is not the responsibility of the Environment Agency to enforce the requirements of the Order. The agency set out its position with respect to the Order in a position statement which was published in October 2001.

  Where the agency receives applications which may be affected by the Animal By-Products Order, it makes applicants aware of the Order and notifies the local authority concerned.

  Consultancies
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list external(a) public relations/communications companies, (b)advertising and marketing companies, (c)management consultancies, (d) accounting companies, (e) banking firms, (f)individual consultants and (g) other specialist consultancies used by her Department since June 2001; what actions those consultancies or companies have performed within her Department; and what costs have been incurred through use of these consultancies/companies. [80867]

  Alun Michael
  The information requested is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Diversification
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many, and what proportion, of farms have diversified in each of the last 10 years, broken down by region. [81151]

  Mr. Morley
  A research study on diversification is currently being undertaken for my Department and is due to be published soon. This will include a regional breakdown and an assessment of past and future trends in the level of diversification.

  I will write with details of the report once it has been published.

  Environment Agency Cars
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cars are owned or leased by the Environment Agency for their employees. [81013]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Environment Agency owns or leases 3,150 cars for its employees.

  Flooding
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on home values and insurance costs of the published maps of the Environment Agency showing properties at risk of flooding. [81025]

  Mr. Morley
  No assessment has been made of the impact of these maps on insurance costs. The Environment Agency have always made it clear that their maps show the indicative floodplain area, not flood risk or definitive flood boundaries, and are based on land topography taking no account of the defences which are in place. The insurance industry is aware of this, and of the need to use the maps with considerable caution.

  It is advisable for any prospective purchaser of a property on a flood plain to obtain further specific detail of flooding risk from the Environment Agency. This should be done as part of the normal conveyancing process.

  The agency are developing a National Flood and Coastal Defence Database, with funding from Defra. The aim of the project is to provide a single, easily accessible definitive store for all data on flood and coastal defences which should assist insurers when making commercial decisions based on risk. Additionally, new maps indicating flood risk are being developed, to which the insurance industry will have access.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Department's budget is for flood relief measures in 2002–03. [81017]

  Mr. Morley
  Following a recent re-allocation of budgets within Defra, those for funding of flood and coastal defence measures undertaken by operating authorities have been increased to £124 million. Defra also provides funding of £4.5 million for the Storm Tide Forecasting Service and £2.5 million on research and development.

  Environmental Policy
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms exist to ensure environmental policy set by her Department is reflected in decisions taken by(a) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (b) the DfID and (c) the DTI. [81590]

  Mr. Meacher
  Policy proposals that specifically relate to environmental or sustainable development issues are considered by the Ministerial Committee for the Environment (ENV), Ministerial Sub-Committee on
  157W
  European Issues (EP) or World Summit on Sustainable Development (MISC18) Cabinet Committees as appropriate. The Cabinet Sub-Committee of Green Ministers ENV(G) also considers the impact on sustainable development of Government policies. FCO, DFID and DTI are represented on all of these committees and play a full part in them.

  In addition, Cabinet Office guidance for all Cabinet Committees requires that all Cabinet papers or letters to colleagues explain how proposals meet the economic, social and environmental objectives of sustainable development, and specifically, any significant costs and benefits to the environment.

  At working level, the Guidance Checklist for Policy Makers housed on the CMPS Policy Hub is the main mechanism for ensuring that all Departments are aware of environmental appraisal requirements. DEFRA and DTI are among Departments currently piloting new integrated policy appraisal tools which aim to ensure that environmental impacts are considered alongside social and economic impacts.

  Farmers
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average age of(a) entrant, (b) current and (c) departing farmers was in each of the last 15 years, broken down by region. [81152]

  Mr. Morley
  Information on the age of farmers is collected four times each decade as part of the EC Farm Structure Surveys. The information readily available is given in the table. Information is not collected on the ages of entrant and departing farmers.

  1990

  1993

  1995

  1997

  2000

  England

  53

  53

  54

  53

  54

  North

  52

  53

  53

  53

  53

  Yorks/Humberside

  52

  52

  53

  53

  54

  East Midlands

  53

  54

  54

  53

  54

  East Anglia

  53

  54

  54

  54

  54

  South East

  54

  54

  55

  54

  55

  South West

  53

  53

  54

  53

  54

  West Midlands

  53

  54

  54

  54

  55

  North West

  53

  52

  54

  53

  54

  Source:

  EC Farm Structure Surveys

  Footpaths
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the orders to be drafted relating to Bisham No. 9 footpath, when they will be published and if she will make a statement. [81756]

  Alun Michael
  Two orders will be drafted:
  (a)an order under section 26 of the Highways Act 1980 to create a new footpath over the alternative route proposed by the Ramblers Association, and

  (b)an order under section 118 of the Highways Act 1980 to extinguish the part of footpath Bisham No.9 which will be rendered redundant by the new path.

  158W
  We are currently consulting the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead about the technical aspects of the orders and we expect to publish them next month. The orders will be open to objection and any objections duly made must be considered by the Secretary of State.

  Funding Applications
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many late applications for EU and other funding, broken down by category, have occurred in her Department and its predecessors since 1997; and if she will list them by amount. [81144]

  Alun Michael
  Such detailed information is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member with details as soon as it has been collated.

  Global Warming
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated total cost of global warming to the British economy was in each year since 1997. [80875]

  Mr. Meacher
  Estimates for the total cost of global warming to the British economy during this period are not available. The Department has however sponsored preliminary research by Environmental Resources Management Ltd. to estimate the cost of adapting to climate change in key sectors such as water and flooding. Copies of this report have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  In addition, the Association of British Insurers has estimated that weather damage claims associated with the current climate cost an average of £710 million per year over the period 1998–89 to 1998–99. The damage costs associated with extreme weather are likely to rise as such events become more frequent in future due to climate change.

  Green Ministers
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Green Ministers have met since June 2001. [81769]

  Mr. Meacher
  Following the general election in June 2001, the previously informal Green Ministers Committee was upgraded to a Cabinet Sub-Committee of ENV. It is established practice under exemption two of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees.

  However, progress made by ENV(G), and its parent committee ENV, on the contribution of all Departments to sustainable development is made public annually through the Sustainable Development in Government Report (the successor to the Greening Government reports). The next report is due to be published shortly. In addition, key developments during the year are posted on the Sustainable Development in Government website, http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/ sdig/index.htm (launched in July 2002). The Environment Audit Committee is of course already free to call for reports and evidence at any time.

  Greenhouse Gases
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average(a) consumption of energy by and (b) emission of greenhouse gases from the average family house was in each year since 1997. [80865]

  Mr. Meacher
  The information is as follows:

  Average UK household energy consumption (GJ)

  Average UK household carbon dioxide emissions (tones CO2)

  Average UK household greenhouse gas emissions (tones CO2 equiv)

  1997

  77.2

  5.66

  6.27

  1998

  78.9

  5.73

  6.44

  1999

  78.1

  5.60

  6.22

  2000

  78.9

  5.63

  6.36

  2001

  81.3

  6.07

  —

  The greenhouse gas figures are higher than those for CO2 alone since they include indirect emissions of methane attributable to household use of gas and of coal-and gas-generated electricity.

  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the percentage of greenhouse gas emissions which emanate from(a) the US, (b) other OECD countries and (c) developing countries; and what this represents in each category as emissions per person. [80876]

  Mr. Meacher
  The International Energy Agency has published global greenhouse gas emissions estimates by country for 1995. These data suggest that in that year the United States and other OECD countries accounted for around 20 per cent. and 25 per cent. of global greenhouse gas emissions respectively. Developing countries accounted for around 45 per cent. Emissions per capita were around 7, 3 and 1 tonnes of carbon equivalent per person averaged over the US, other OECD countries and developing countries respectively. These estimates include all greenhouse gases covered by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. They do not include the countries with economies in transition in Central and Eastern Europe which in 1995 accounted for the remaining 10 per cent. of global emissions, with emissions per capita of about 3 tonnes of carbon equivalent.

  Hunting
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what discussions her Department has held with the authors of the Joint Universities Study on Deer Hunting (The physiological response of red deer (Cervus elaphus) to prolonged exercise undertaken during hunting, 1998) about the physiological effects on deer which(a) escape after being hunted and (b) are hunted and shot; [80834]

  (2) what estimates her Department has made of the size of the annual cull of (a) foxes, (b) hares, (c) deer and (d) mink; [80836]
  160W
  (3)what plans she has to establish a national strategy for the management of (a) foxes, (b) hares, (c) deer and (d) mink; [80835]

  (4)what studies her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the economic damage caused by the deer population to root crops and grass by grazing, trampling and lying; and what assessment her Department has made of trends over the last 10 years; [80829]

  (5)what studies her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the economic cost of agricultural damage caused by (i) foxes, (ii) hares, (iii) deer and (iv) mink; [80832]

  (6)what studies her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the (i) fox, (ii) hare, (iii) mink and (iv) deer (1) red, (2) fallow, (3) roe, (4) sika, (5) muntjac and (6) Chinese water deer populations in England and Wales; and what estimates have been made of current populations compared to those 10 years ago; [80828]

  (7)what studies her Department has commissioned into the agricultural damage caused by badgers; [80833]

  (8)what studies her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the predation of (i) water voles and (ii) fish by mink; [80831]

  (9)what studies her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into negative physiological effects on (i) foxes, (ii) hares and (iii) mink which escape after being hunted. [80837]

  Alun Michael
  Our objective in respect of(a) foxes,
  (b) hares, (c) deer and (d) mink is to permit their humane management where they are in conflict with agriculture, forestry, food, fisheries or property interests.

  Evidence relating to the physiological responses of hunted deer was presented to the Department at the Hunting with Dogs, Hearings on the Evidence (9–11 September 2002) by Professor Roger Harris of University College Chichester. His written and oral evidence related to his own studies and those of Professor Bateson and the Joint Universities Group. Professor Bateson's work was also presented to the inquiry led by Lord Burns and discussed at length with the Burns inquiry.

  The following studies have been evaluated by the Department to assess the economic cost of agricultural damage caused by:

  (i) Foxes

  Dr. Piran White of the University of York presented evidence on the costs of agricultural damage associated with foxes to the Hunting with Dogs, Hearings on the Evidence (9–11 Sept 2002). This was based on two particular publications:White P.C.L, Groves, H.L, Savery, J.R., Conington, J. and Hatchings, M.R. (2000) Fox predation as a cause of lamb mortality on hill farms. Veterinary Record 747:33–37:and Moberly, R.L (2002) The costs of foxes to agricultural interests in Britain. PhD Thesis, University of York.
  161W
  The Countryside Alliance submitted written evidence to the hearings that included details of surveys to assess the impact of fox predation among sheep breeding flocks in England and Wales undertaken by Produce Studies Ltd.

  Previous data on the occurrence of fox killing on sheep farms, was submitted by The Game Conservancy Trust (Reynolds 2000). A review of literature by the Central Science Laboratory has included:Lloyd, H.G. (1980) The red fox. Batsford, London. MacDonald, D.W. (1984) A questionnaire survey of farmers' opinions and actions towards wildlife on farmlands. In Agriculture and the Environment (ed D. Jenkins) ITE Publications. MacDonald, D.W. (1987) Running with the fox. Unwin Hyman, London 224pp. Reynolds, J.C. (2000) Fox control in the countryside. The Game Conservancy Trust. The then Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food funded the Central Science Laboratory to conduct a literature review on 'The impact of the fox in Rural and Urban Britain'. The report reviewed the literature on:population status and distribution, trends in the fox populations, economic and environmental damage by foxes, methods of fox control and management, and their effectiveness.

  (ii)Deer

  The Department has funded "A review of Lowland deer" (CSL and R.J. Putman). This literature review covered the distribution and status of lowland deer in England and Wales, damage caused by deer, management of deer, particular problem areas and priorities for future deer research.

  (iii)Mink

  The Department funded the Central Science Laboratory to review the ecological and economic impacts of mink in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland on behalf of Scottish Natural Heritage.

  A Report to Scottish Natural Heritage. Moore, N.P., Robertson, P.A. and Aegerter, J.N. (2000) Feasibility study into the options for management of mink in the Western Isles.

  Stephen Harris et al. (1995) estimate the following pre-breeding population sizes for mammals in Great Britain. There is no 10-year comparison or population data arising from research funded by the Department or available elsewhere.

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Total GB

  Fox

  195,000

  23,000

  22,000

  240,000

  Brown hare

  572,250

  187,250

  58,000

  817,500

  Mink

  46,700

  52,250

  9,750

  >110,000

  Red deer

  12,500

  347,000

  <50

  360,000

  Fallow deer

  95,000

  <4,000

  <1,000

  100,000

  Roe deer

  150,000

  350,000

  50

  500,000

  Sika deer

  2,500

  9,000

  0

  11,500

  Muntjac deer

  40,000

  <50

  <250

  40,000

  Chinese water deer

  650

  0

  0

  650

  Source:

  Harris, S., Morris P., Wray S. and Yalden D. 1995. A Review of British Mammals:population estimates and conservation status of British mammals other than cetaceans. J/VCC, Peterborough.
  162W
  The Department has also funded the following range of studies on deer.

  Desk and limited field studies to analyse the major factors influencing

  regional deer populations and ranging behaviour.

  Field and desk studies to develop tolerable damage levels for different habitats and species of deer.

  And work is under way on the quantification of wild deer damage to agriculture crops and pastures.

  The Department collects no data on numbers of foxes, deer, mink or hares killed each year, but the most recent information on numbers of foxes, deer, mink and hares killed by hunting with dogs may be found in the Burns Report.

  The Department has not commissioned any studies into the predation of water voles and fish by mink, but is aware of research undertaken in this field by others.

  In 1997 the then Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food commissioned the Central Science Laboratory to carry out a one-year project to assess badger damage to agriculture and forestry in England and Wales, involving a questionnaire survey backed up with damage assessments on the ground.

  A badger culling field trial is being carried out as part of Defra's extensive bovine tuberculosis (TB) research programme. The trial has been designed to find out what role, if any, badgers play in the transmission of bovine TB to cattle and whether badger culling is an effective or sustainable bovine TB control mechanism.

  The Department is currently funding the research project, 'Quantification of wild deer damage to agriculture, crops and pastures'. There are no data available to assess trends over the last 10 years.

  The Department is not aware of any scientific studies that have examined negative physiological effects on foxes, hares or mink which escape after being hunted. However, observations on the behaviour of such animals were given to the Hunting with Dogs, Hearings on the Evidence (9–11 Sept 2002). A copy of the transcript and videos of the proceedings are available in the House of Commons Library.

  In June 2001 Defra let a GB wide research contract entitled "Design and pilot a multi-species terrestrial mammal monitoring project" to the British Trust for Ornithology and the Mammal Society. The overall aim is to design and pilot a winter monitoring project involving both visual recording of mammals and the recording of their signs using a volunteer network. This is intended to form a building block for an integrated standardised mammal-monitoring system that embraces the full range of important species, and will help assess long-term trends. Certain species, such as the fox, have been targeted for monitoring, but all other mammals signs encountered should be recorded. As yet no population comparisons have been undertaken of the species being monitored. The pilot scheme concludes in November 2003.

  Insurance Schemes (Livestock Farmers)
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent
  163W
  discussions she has had on extending insurance schemes to livestock farmers with respect to infectious diseases. [81153]

  Mr. Morley
  The Defra animal disease insurance working group, which includes representatives of the insurance and farming industries, completed a series of meetings in May. Defra officials are now working on detailed proposals for a consultation exercise next year.

  Local Heritage Initiatives
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent by her Department and agencies on local heritage initiatives in(a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02; and (c) 2002–03 to date; and if she will break down (i)category and (ii) region in each year. [81142]

  Alun Michael
  Available information on this will be included in the letter which I am about to write to the hon. Member following his parliamentary question 79728 tabled on 1 November. I will place a copy of my letter in the House of Commons Library.

  Ministerial Transport
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many vehicles(a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department have access to, broken down by vehicle type; what the annual operating costs were in each of the last three financial years; how much it costs to convert a car so that it is suitable for a Government Minister; and if she will make a statement. [82023]

  Alun Michael
  The Secretary of State has access to one car, a Vauxhall Omega, and the Ministers in Defra have access to one car each—two Ford Mondeos and two Vauxhall Vectras.

  Defra has not yet had a full financial year. However from June 2001 (when the Department was created) to the end of March 2002, spend on the five ministerial cars was in the region of £309,000. So far this financial year the Department has spent £207,000 for the five ministerial cars.

  The Department has not paid to have any of the cars converted for use by a Government Minister.

  Ministerial and Staff Cars
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cars are(a) owned and (b) leased by DEFRA for Ministers and staff to use. [81015]

  Alun Michael
  The Department leases six cars from the Government Car service and owns 349 vehicles (including vans) for Defra Ministers and staff to use.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the 2002–03 budget is for cars and car travel by(a) Ministers and (b) staff of Defra. [81016]

  Alun Michael
  The standard annual cost of the five Defra Ministerial cars is in the order of £283,000 for 2002–03.164W
  So far this year Defra has only purchased one car at a cost of approximately £10,700. There is not a yearly set budget for the purchase of Defra cars or for car travel more generally. We do not hold centralised records of car travel in the Department.

  Organic Farming Schemes
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many(a) farmers and (b) farms are involved in the organic farming schemes, broken down by region. [81148]

  Mr. Meacher
  Information is held by beneficiary. The number of beneficiaries under the Organic Farming Scheme and the Organic Aid Scheme by region is as follows:

  Region

  Total

  East Midlands

  178

  Eastern

  160

  London

  1

  North East

  51

  North West

  149

  South East

  285

  South West

  873

  West Midlands

  256

  Yorks/Humber

  120

  Grand total

  2,073

  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding schemes are available for organic farming; and how much is available in each scheme. [81149]

  Mr. Meacher
  Support for farmers converting to organic farming is currently available under the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) which is part of the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP).

  Subject to the agreement of the European Commission, as set out in the Action Plan to Develop Organic Food and Farming in England, from 2003 we intend to extend aid to farmers who have completed conversion. The budgets for the OFS from this year to the end of the life of the ERDP is as follows.

  Year

  £ million

  2002

  20

  2003

  22

  2004

  22

  2005

  23

  2006

  23

  We also provide other support, for example through the Department's research and development programme, which includes a large component dealing with research on organic farming, and through the provision of free advice to prospective organic farmers by the Organic Conversion Information Service (OCIS). Spending on organic R&D is expected to be just over £2 million and expenditure on OCIS around £350,000 in the current financial year.

  Pets
  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of pets' passports and electronic tagging of pets coming into the UK. [80582]

  Mr. Morley
  Since the Pet Travel Scheme began on 28 February 2000 we have continually assessed its operation. When necessary, we have provided additional clarification and guidance to overcome difficulties or confusion, in particular where this resulted in animals failing to comply with the scheme's requirements. I am pleased to say that as a result of this and our continuing evaluation of our PETS publicity, the number of animals that do not pass PETS checks has fallen significantly since the scheme began.

  The Advisory Group on Quarantine, whose report was the basis for the introduction of the scheme, considered carefully the necessary means of identifying pets. It decided that electronic identification was the best way forward. This system has worked well and under the proposal for a harmonised system of pet movement in the community, may, in the future, be adopted as the sole means of identification.

  Quarantine
  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many exceptions to the six month quarantine rule have been made for animals coming into the UK in each of the last 10 years; [80580]

  (2) what the grounds are for exemptions of the six month quarantine rule for animals entering the UK.[80581]

  Mr. Morley
  Exemptions from quarantine were not granted before 1999. With the impending introduction of the Pet Travel Scheme the Government was prepared to grant exemption from quarantine in exceptional situations. To qualify for consideration for exemption we require that the applicant, or his or her child, must have a life-threatening illness, which makes it a strong possibility that they will not survive for more than six months. Evidence of the life-threatening illness is subject to independent medical scrutiny. Exceptionally, we have also granted exemption on national security grounds.

  The following table shows the number of cases, in England, which have been exempted from the six months quarantine requirement in the last four years. The figures from 2000 exclude those animals which comply with the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme.

  Year

  Number of cases in which exemption from guarantine was granted

  1999

  4

  2000

  5

  2001

  3

  20021

  1

  1 To 20 November

  Rural Housing
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was 166W
  spent by her Department and agencies on rural housing enablers in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02, (c) 2002–03 to date; and if she will break down the spending by (i) category and (ii) region in each year. [81141]

  Alun Michael
  Total spend on the Rural Housing Enabler Programme by the Countryside Agency on behalf of DEFRA in 2000–01 to 2002–03 by region is as shown in the table. A breakdown of the type of activity undertaken is not available centrally.

  £

  Region

  2000–011

  2001–02

  2002–032

  North West

  15,785

  31,920

  42,340

  East Midlands

  31,571

  78,279

  72,126

  East of England

  47,357

  65,154

  92,127

  North East

  15,785

  16,639

  23,167

  South West

  15,786

  49,060

  208,794

  South East

  31,572

  23,500

  106,412

  West Midlands

  15,786

  51,495

  20,976

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  47,358

  46,481

  68,640

  Total

  221,000

  362,528

  634,582

  1Figures are based on number of projects in each region and mean cost. Total actual spend for 2000–01 was £221,000

  2Forecast

  Rural Regeneration
  Gregory Barker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on methods used by her Department to measure rural regeneration in the United Kingdom. [81903]

  Alun Michael
  The Government will be breaking new ground by measuring rural regeneration through its impact on rural productivity as part of the new rural economy Public Service Agreement target which commits Defra in conjunction with other Government Departments to "reducing the gap in productivity between the less well performing quartile of rural areas and the English median by 2006." As GDP data—typically used in measuring productivity—is not available at small area level my officials have developed a proxy productivity measure of the aggregate earnings of taxpayers of working age divided by the number of people of working age. A set of districts, facing problems of lower productivity, will be used to track change. This will be supplemented by other related indicators, such as business start-ups.

  More details will become available shortly when the technical notes are published on Defra's website www.defra.gov.uk.

  Sewage Sludge
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she takes to ensure each batch of sewage sludge spread on agricultural land is not unacceptably contaminated by heavy metals. [80842]

  Mr. Morley
  The Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 (SI 1263), as amended in 1990 (SI 880), impose controls on the application of sewage sludge to agricultural land, including statutory limits on the amount of heavy metals that can be added to the soil and on the concentration of heavy metals in the soil after
  167W
  application. The regulations, which are enforced by the Environment Agency, require regular testing and analysis of sewage sludge before it is applied.

  Slurry Contamination
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average fine was for slurry contamination in 2001–02, broken down by region. [81147]

  Mr. Morley
  The table shows, by Environment Agency region, the average fine for offences prosecuted in 2001–02 under Section 85 of the Water Resources Act 1991 involving all types of agricultural pollution including slurry pollution.

  Enhancement to the agency's national enforcement database planned for the first quarter of 2003 will allow provision of information on specific pollutants such as slurry, but information is not currently held at this level of detail.

  Region

  Average fine (£)

  Anglian

  3,000

  Midlands

  4,275

  North-east

  1,500

  North-west

  3,000

  South-west

  3,000

  Southern

  1,750

  Thames

  5,750

  Welsh

  2,500

  Soil Strategy (England)
  Gregory Barker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish the final Soil Strategy for England. [81832]

  Mr. Meacher
  I expect to publish a Soil Action Plan for England before the end of the year. The action plan will include specific commitments to move forward measures proposed in the draft strategy.

  Veterinary Practices
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to amend the disciplinary process for veterinary surgeons in the UK; and if she will make a statement. [81154]

  Mr. Morley
  Under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA) responsibility for disciplining members of the veterinary profession in the UK falls to the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. There are no plans to change this procedure at this time.

  Water Leaks
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much water was estimated to be lost from company supply pipes, broken down by each water supplier, in(a) 2001, (b) 1997 and (c) 1992. [80874]

  Mr. Morley
  Water company leakage data is published annually by the Director General of Water Services in the 'Security of supply, leakage and the efficient use of water' reports. The reported total leakage 168W
  figures, which include companies' distribution losses and customers' supply pipe losses, for 1992–93, 1997–98 and 2001–02 (in Megalitres/day) were as follows:

  1992–93

  1997–98

  2001–02

  Water and Sewerage Companies

  Anglian

  273

  240

  224

  Dwr Cymru (Welsh)

  383

  329

  245

  North West

  945

  579

  452

  Northumbrian

  276

  184

  161

  Severn Trent

  570

  399

  340

  South West

  158

  101

  83

  Southern

  161

  99

  92

  Thames

  803

  906

  865

  Wessex

  137

  110

  79

  Yorkshire

  505

  377

  297

  Water only companies

  Bournemouth and West Hants

  27

  26

  22

  Bristol

  64

  59

  55

  Cambridge

  16

  14

  14

  Dee Valley

  19

  12

  11

  Essex and Suffolk

  96

  82

  73

  Folkestone

  14

  9

  8

  Mid Kent

  40

  36

  29

  Portsmouth

  33

  32

  30

  South East

  90

  108

  75

  South Staffs

  87

  82

  71

  Sutton and East Surrey

  35

  26

  24

  Tendring Hundred

  6

  6

  5

  Three Valleys

  205

  173

  157

  Industry total

  4,845

  3,989

  3,414

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Bookmakers
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reason bookmakers are required by the Horse Race Betting Levy Board to have their accounts signed by a registered auditor, where their turnover is between £250,000 and £1 million. [80137]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Levy Board requires bookmakers to have their annual declaration for 2001/02 signed by a registered auditor where their horserace betting turnover exceeds £275,000. The Board relies upon the auditor's certification as confirmation of its accuracy. The turnover figure of £275,000 equates to approximately £5,300 per week, above which a betting shop business is deemed to be sufficiently substantial to require audit confirmation.

  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many bookmakers registered with the Horse Race Betting Levy Board have recorded turnovers of(a) less than £250,000, (b) £250,000 to £1 million and (c) above £1 million in 2001–02. [80138]

  Mr. Caborn
  The number of bookmakers registered with the Horserace Betting Levy Board falling into the three specified turnover bands in 2001–02 was as follows:

  Turnover band

  Number of bookmarkers

  (a) Less than £250,000

  338

  (b) £250,000 to £1,000,000

  826

  (c) Above £1,000,000

  239

  169W

  BBC
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the proportion of the BBC's programming that is public service broadcasting. [80431]

  Dr. Howells
  It is the responsibility of the BBC governors to ensure that the Corporation's public service remit, as set out in the charter and agreement, is delivered across the full range of BBC public services.

  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether it is her policy that the licence fee should remain the main source of finance of the BBC. [80435]

  Dr. Howells
  The Government's policy is that the television licence fee will remain the main source of BBC funding at least until the expiry of the BBC's current Royal Charter at the end of 2006. Future funding arrangements will need to be considered as part of the Charter review process, which will commence in 2004.

  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she intends to publish the review of BBC News 24 conducted by Mr. Richard Lambert; and if she will make a statement. [81660]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer Tuesday 19 November 2002]I am currently considering my response to Mr. Lambert's review of BBC News 24 and will publish the review as soon as possible.

  Congestion Charging
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many car parking spaces are available to(a) employees of her Department and (b) visitors to her Department within the proposed central London road user charging zone. [81868]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer Tuesday 19 November 2002]The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has four offices within the central London charging zone with accommodation for over four hundred staff. There are a total of 13 parking spaces available to the Department, five of which are reserved for official cars and a further space reserved for a member of staff with a disability. The remaining seven spaces are available for booking by staff on a day to day basis where a need can be shown and for visitors and contractor's vehicles. One of those spaces is being converted for cycle storage by the installation of fixed cycle racks; another of the seven spaces is regularly used for the parking of three motorcycle and scooters.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the policy is of her Department in relation to the reimbursement of Central London road user charges incurred by its employees. [81848]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer Tuesday 19 November 2002]It is general departmental travel planning policy that staff should not be encouraged to use cars to commute to and from work. Also, the cost of daily travel between home and the permanent place of work lies with staff, not the employer. However, staff on 170W
  official business who are required to drive their own vehicles, or hire vehicles, within the charging zone will be reimbursed.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the estimated cost is to her Department of the central London road user charging scheme for(a) 17th February 2003 to 31st March 2003, and (b) 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004. [81887]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 19 November 2002]Any additional costs to my Department as a result of the congestion-charging scheme will be just one element within wider costs, which have to be met from budgets for official travelling and other costs.

  Employees (Over-50s)
  Mr. MacDougall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people employed in her Department are aged over 50. [81687]

  Dr. Howells
  There are 72 staff aged over 50 currently employed within DCMS.

  Greek Culture Minister
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her recent discussions with the Greek Culture Minister, Evangelos Venizelos. [80492]

  Tessa Jowell
  Mr. Venizelos outlined his plans for Greece's Presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2003 and explained the preparations that are being made for the Athens Olympics in 2004.

  Mr. Venizelos also mentioned a proposal put forward by the Greek Prime Minister, Mr. Simitos, to the Prime Minister about reuniting the Parthenon sculptures in the planned new Acropolis Museum on a long-term loan basis with reciprocal loans to the British Museum. I explained that it is a matter for the Trustees of the British Museum to decide on any loans or reciprocal exchanges.

  IT Security
  Brian White
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she has taken to review the security of the Department's IT system; and how many digital attacks there were on the Department's system in(a) October and (b) 2002. [80766]

  Dr. Howells
  My Department takes IT security very seriously. Along with our work to ensure BS799 compliance we have carried out a number of reviews of IT security using independent external reviewers. We continue to keep this area under review.

  We have no evidence of any digital attacks on the Department's systems to date during 2002.

  Kensington Palace
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what rent is received from Prince Michael of Kent in respect of his apartment at Kensington Palace; and what the estimated open market rent of this property would be. [80877]
  171W
  Dr. Howells
  Prince and Princess Michael of Kent pay £69.00 per week for their apartment at Kensington Palace. The open market rent for this property is not relevant because it is situated within the security cordon and cannot be offered on the open market.

  Media Ownership
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of how much of the media is owned by(a) Continental European and (b) USA investors. [80727]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 18 November 2002]The Government have not made an estimate of how much of the UK media is owned by Continental European or USA investors.

  Regional Museums
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when her Department intends to start providing government funding for regional museums; if she will list the museums in Yorkshire and the Humber which will receive support in the first year of the new scheme; and how much funding each of those museums will receive. [81482]

  Dr. Howells
  We will be providing £70 million for regional museums from this year until 2005–06. Extra funding will also be made available to the national museums to enable them to work in partnership with regional museums. Additionally there will be funds from the Department for Education and Skills to support museums' education.

  Funding will be allocated by Resource to 'regional hubs' led by major regional museums. Resource will announce the configuration of the Hubs before the end of this year and the funding allocation in the new year.

  Sports Budget
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list lottery funded sports projects where there have been(a) extensions to the timeframe and (b) alterations to conditions of funding. [80962]

  Mr. Caborn
  The standard terms and conditions of awards made by Sport England from the lottery sports fund do not include any requirements in respect of the timing of the completion of the project. Sport England does not collect statistical information on cases which involve variations to case-specific funding conditions. However, within the parameters of public accountability and their financial directions, Sport England operates flexibly in partnership with the applicant to enable the project to fulfil its objectives and achieve the outcomes upon which the award decision was based. It works with the applicant to help them to build the best scheme possible in a realistic timeframe.

  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what(a) UK Sport's and (b) Sport England's Exchequer budget for sport and related projects was in each of the last three years; how much budgetary underspend there was; and what funding was carried over under end-year flexibility arrangements. [80964]
  172W
  Mr. Caborn
  Sport England's Grant-in-Aid from the Department for the last three years was as follows:

  £ million

  Year

  1999–2000

  37.873

  2000–01

  37.973

  2001–02

  43.162

  Sport England carried over £350,000 from 1999–2000 to 2000–01 under the end-year flexibility arrangements.

  UK Sport's Grant-in-Aid for the last three years was:

  £million

  Year

  1999–2000

  12.60

  2000–01

  12.75

  2001–02

  17.60

  UK Sport carried over £827,000 from 2001–02 to 2002–03 under the end-year flexibility arrangements.

  TV Licence Evasion
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many(a) prosecutions and (b) convictions for TV licence evasion there were in each of the last 20 years. [80441]

  (2) what proportion of those prosecuted for TV licence evasion were on income-related benefits in each of the last 20 years. [80443]

  Dr. Howells
  The available information relates to all offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts of 1949 and 1967, though the great majority of these involve licence fee evasion. Information is not recorded on the circumstances of individual offenders. The numbers of defendants proceeded against in the magistrates' courts and found guilty in all courts in England and Wales, for the years 1981 to 2000, were:

  Year

  Proceeded against

  Found guilty

  1981

  51.754

  49,645

  1982

  64,140

  61,882

  1983

  69,908

  67,496

  1984

  80,578

  77,211

  1985

  84,806

  80,632

  1986

  138,890

  128,646

  1987

  134,472

  120,374

  1988

  142,306

  124,283

  1989

  141,335

  123,672

  1990

  147,490

  126,416

  1991

  163,964

  138,701

  1992

  195,921

  170,285

  1993

  194,868

  168,706

  1994

  188,711

  162,859

  19951

  130,956

  113,795

  1996

  188,108

  164,848

  1997

  92,728

  76,984

  1998

  96,616

  76,605

  1999

  68,778

  55,813

  20002

  121,137

  105,725

  1 In 1995 there was a shortfall in the data for offenders found guilty for Wireless Telegraphic Act offences (57,400).

  2 Staffordshire Police Force were only able to supply a sample of data for magistrates' courts proceedings covering one full week in each quarter for 2000. Estimates based on this sample are included in the figures, as they are considered sufficiently robust at this high level of analysis.

PRIVY COUNCIL OFFICE

  Bicycle Allowance
  Norman Baker
  To ask the President of the Council how many Members claimed a bicycle allowance in the last year for which figures are available. [80878]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  Four Members claimed a bicycle allowance in the financial year 2001–02.

TRANSPORT

  Accidents
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many deaths arose from(a) road and (b) rail accidents in each year since 1972 to date, expressed (i) in absolute terms and (ii) per person mile travelled. [81577]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The table provides the number of deaths that arose in Great Britain from road and rail accidents expressed in absolute terms and per billion passenger miles travelled.

  Deaths in road accidents relate to those occurring on the public highway (including footways) in which at least one road vehicle or a vehicle in collision with a pedestrian is involved.

  Rail deaths include passenger deaths in train accidents and accidents occurring through the movement of railway vehicles. Staff deaths, trespassers, suicides and deaths occurring at railway premises that do not involve the movement of trains (for example, falling down steps) are excluded.

  Deaths in road and rail accidents

  Roads

  Rail

  Deaths

  Deaths per billion passenger miles traveled

  Deaths

  Deaths per billion passenger miles traveled

  1972

  7,763

  31.6

  27

  1.3

  1973

  7,406

  28.8

  42

  1.9

  1974

  6,883

  27.5

  25

  1.1

  1975

  6,366

  25.5

  69

  3.1

  1976

  6,570

  25.3

  29

  1.4

  1977

  6,614

  25.0

  27

  1.3

  1978

  6,831

  25.2

  45

  2.1

  1979

  6,352

  23.6

  50

  2.3

  1980

  6,010

  21.4

  25

  1.1

  1981

  5,846

  20.5

  35

  1.7

  1982

  5,934

  20.3

  18

  0.9

  1983

  5,445

  18.5

  27

  1.3

  1984

  5,599

  18.2

  39

  1.8

  1985

  5,165

  16.5

  31

  1.4

  1986

  5,382

  16.5

  32

  1.4

  1987

  5,125

  14.7

  39

  1.6

  1988

  5,052

  13.7

  68

  2.7

  1989

  5,373

  13.5

  31

  1.3

  1990

  5,217

  13.0

  35

  1.4

  19911

  4,568

  11.5

  30

  1.2

  1992

  4,229

  10.7

  16

  0.7

  1993

  3,814

  9.6

  14

  0.6

  1994

  3,650

  9.1

  15

  0.7

  1995

  3,621

  9.0

  8

  0.3

  1996

  3,598

  8.8

  14

  0.6

  1997

  3,599

  8.7

  22

  0.8

  1998

  3,421

  8.2

  17

  0.6

  1999

  3,423

  8.2

  43

  1.5

  20002

  3,409

  8.2

  17

  0.6

  2001

  3,450

  8.2

  37

  30.2

  174W
  1 From 1991, rail figures changed to financial years (there were eight deaths between January and March 1991).

  2 Figures for road passenger miles travelled in 2000 and 2001 have been produced on a new basis. The effect on the estimated rate of deaths per billion passenger miles travelled is negligible.

  3 Provisional figures.

  Air Traffic (Demand)
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been conducted by his Department since 1997 or is planned on increases in air passenger numbers for the United Kingdom which(a) have taken place, and (b) are projected. [81409]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Since 1997, the results of research on increases in air passenger numbers have been published in "Air Traffic Forecasts for the United Kingdom 2000, published by the Department in May 2000 and in the national airport consultation documents, published in July this year.

  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research has been conducted by his Department or is planned on the causal processes responsible for(a) past and (b) potential future increases in air passenger numbers and air freight; and if he will place copies of related documentation in the Library; [81416]

  (2) what (a) discussions his Department has had or plans to have and (b) representations have been received by his Department with regard to the causal processes and mechanisms responsible for (i) past and (ii) potential future increases in air passenger numbers and air freight. [81417]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Department's air traffic forecasts "Air Traffic Forecasts for the United Kingdom 2000", published in May 2000 considers the key economic drivers behind past and projected future increases in air passenger numbers. In addition the factors underlying growth of air passenger are freight traffic are addressed in the consultation documents on regional air services and airports published in July 2002. Supporting material on freight can be found in documents 39,40 and 67 referred to in Annex C of the South East Consultation document. The Department has had no specific discussions or representations on this question, although it may be covered in the responses to the national airport consultation which closes on 30 November.

  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what(a) discussions his Department has had or plans to have and (b) representations have been received by his Department with regard to the past and potential effect on passenger numbers of the inter-relationship between consumer-driven and producer-driven aviation demand; [81423]

  (2) what research has been conducted by his Department or is planned on the past and potential effect on passenger numbers of the inter-relationship between consumer-driven and producer-driven aviation demand. [81422]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Department's air traffic forecasts, published in 2000 considers the factors underlying growth of business and leisure air traffic. No research on the inter-relationship between consumer-driven and producer-driven demand has been conducted or is
  175W
  planned, but insofar as producer-driven demand leads to higher GDP than would otherwise be the case, the resulting higher incomes will tend to lead to more leisure travel. The Department has had no specific discussions or representations on this issue, although this subject may be covered in the responses to the national airport consultation which closes on 30 November.

  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been conducted by his Department, or is planned, on the role of advertising and promotion in(a)the past and potential future growth of air traffic and (b) past and potential future modal shift between air transport and other modes. [81426]

  Mr. Jamieson
  No research has been conducted or is planned on the role of advertising or promotion in either the growth of air traffic or modal shift between aviation and other forms of transport.

  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what(a) discussions his Department has had or plans to have and (b) representations have been received by his Department with regard to the role of advertising and promotion in (i) the past and potential future growth of air traffic and (ii) past and potential future modal shift between air transport and other modes. [81427]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Department has undertaken no work and have had no specific discussions or representations on the role of advertising and promotion in relation to these questions, although this subject may be covered in the responses to the national airport consultation which closes on 30 November.

  Aircraft Emissions
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research has been conducted by his Department or is planned on the role of emissions trading within the aviation industry; [81428]

  (2) what (a) discussions his Department has had or plans to have and (b) representations have been received by his Department with regard to the role of emissions trading within the aviation industry. [81429]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Last year the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) endorsed the development of an emissions trading system for international aviation that would involve trading with other sectors. It requested its Council as a matter of priority to develop guidelines for the structural and legal basis of such a system consistent with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. My Department has since discussed this at various meetings under ICAO's auspices. It has also discussed it with several UK stakeholders as part of meetings on wider issues. Representations made so far have all been broadly supportive. Further discussions of both kinds are expected. The ICAO work is still at a relatively early stage. The Department itself has not conducted research on this subject, nor is it planning to do so.

  Aircraft Noise
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what(a) discussions his Department has had
  176W
  or plans to have and (b) representations have been received by his Department with regard to the past and potential future impact of (i) changes in noise levels permitted from individual aircraft and (ii) changes in the size of aircraft upon (a) past increases and future total passenger and freight numbers and (b) past and future (1) economic, (2) environmental and (3) social impacts. [81418]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The full information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The assessment of options for the future of UK aviation contains information on economic, social and environmental impacts. This information is set out in the national airport consultation documents published in July 2002. A complete set of those documents and supporting material is available in the Libraries of the House.

  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what(a) discussions his Department has had or plans to have and (b) representations have been received by his Department with regard to the past and potential future impact of (i) compensation and (ii) noise insulation schemes being made available to householders near airports upon (a) past increases and future total passenger and freight numbers and (b) past and future (1) economic, (2) environmental and (3) social impacts; [81421]

  (2) what assessment and research has been made by his Department, or is planned, of the past and potential future impact of (a) compensation and (b) noise insulation schemes being made available to householders near airports upon (i) past increases and future total passenger and freight numbers and (ii) past and future (a) economic, (b) environmental and (c) social impacts; [81420]

  (3) what (a) compensation and (b) noise insulation schemes are available to householders near airports; what the total level of compensation and financial support has been in each year since 1992; what plans there are to change the nature of the schemes. [81419]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Government consider that providing for the effective management of the impacts of airport development will be a key element of a sustainable airports policy. Indeed, this is identified as one of three central issues in the current consultation document, "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom". The document includes proposals for a range of measures aimed at controlling or mitigating local impacts —including the effects of noise from aircraft —and, where that is not possible, providing adequate compensation. The Government are seeking consultees' views on those proposals and inviting other ideas for dealing with this issue.

  We will study carefully what consultees say in their responses when we come to take decisions for the White Paper next year.

  The SERAS study considered the economic costs of aircraft noise, based on observed impacts on property prices. The results are presented in paragraph 14.31 of the consultation document, which is available in the Libraries of the House along with all the SERAS technical reports.
  177W
  In terms of the current position on compensation and noise insulation schemes, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) on 15 October 2002, Official Report, columns 721– 22W, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 25 April 2002, Official Report, columns 388–89W. Information on costs paid under noise insulation schemes is not kept centrally.

  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has published a series of five booklets entitled, "Compulsory Purchase and Compensation", which are available free from Free Literature, PO Box 236, Wetherby, LS23 7NB (tel. 0870 1226 236) —product code 01PD0458/1-5.

  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what UK legislation covers the maximum level of noise from aircraft(a) registered, (b) landing and (c) flying through airspace in the United Kingdom; and what plans there are to amend the legislation. [81424]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Noise certification requirements are prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), under Annex 16 Volume I of the Chicago Convention. The Aeroplane Noise Regulations 1999 (SI 1999 No. 1452) and the Air Navigation (Environmental Standards) Order 2002 (SI 2002 No. 798) transpose these requirements, certain European aircraft noise Directives, and noise certification requirements for microlight aircraft developed by the Civil Aviation Authority, into UK legislation. Taken together, this legislation requires noise certification of most types of civil aircraft taking off or landing in the UK. Civil aircraft overflying UK airspace without taking off or landing in the UK are unlikely to cause significant noise nuisance.

  EU Regulation 1592/2002 establishes with effect from 28 September 2003 the new European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Article 15 (l)(h) of that Regulation will confer on EASA a duty to issue environmental certificates, which currently is the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority for UK-registered aircraft. Future measures, such as those required to implement the ICAO Chapter 4 requirements for new types of jet aircraft from 2006, will be taken in this context. Detailed arrangements will be determined in due course.

  In addition, departure noise limits are specified by Notice under s78 of the 1982 Act for Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. Some other UK airports apply their own operational noise limits.

  Airline Passengers (Shared Information)
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Government's policy is on sharing information on airline passengers with the United States of America; what the Government's position is on the European Commission's policy on sharing information on airline passengers with the United States of America; and if he will make a statement. [81112]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The UK Government fully support the United States' Governments efforts to combat terrorism and asserts that the drive to improve global security 178W
  should be realistic, achievable and practical. The UK Government notes the European Commission's view that some of the US Government's requirements for airlines to provide the US authorities with information about incoming passengers raises issues of compatibility with EC legislation. The UK Government support the Commission's request for urgent discussions with the US authorities.

  Airport Charges
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made by his Department or is planned of the regime of landing charges at airports in the United Kingdom. [81402]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Future of Aviation consultation document published in December 2000 stated in paragraph 221 the Department
  "will work with the CAA to develop modifications to the current regulatory regime to improve incentives for timely investment and improved quality of service".

  One proposal identified in paragraph 223 was to permit the CAA rather than the Competition Commission to undertake an investigation before they set the price cap, with the Competition Commission becoming an appeal body. This would bring the regime for economic regulation of airports into line with the system that exists for other regulated utilities. A further proposal identified was to give the CAA concurrent powers with the Director General of Fair Trading to enforce general competition law in the airports sector.

  CO2 Emissions
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average CO2 emission per air passenger has been in each year since 1990. [80845]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Information is not available in the form requested. Table 2.8 on page 40 of "Transport Statistics Great Britain 2002" shows that the total contribution by civil aviation to CO2 emissions in the United Kingdom remained steady throughout each year from 1990 to 2000 and comprised 1 per cent. in 2000, the latest year for which data are available.

  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the average carbon dioxide emissions per person per journey from London to Newcastle by(a) air, (b) rail, (c) lorry and (d) car. [81579]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The estimates are as follows:

  kg

  (a) Air (average per passenger)

  49

  (b) Rail (average per passenger)

  16

  (c) Lorry (average per lorry)

  Articulated diesel

  403

  Rigid diesel

  461

  (d) Car (average petrol):

  Per car

  89

  Average per passenger

  56

  (e) Car (average diesel):

  Per car

  54

  Per passenger

  34

  179W
  Estimates are based on a journey distance of 270 miles. In the case of air travel and rail travel, they make no allowance for travel to the airport or railway station. In the case of lorries, it is assumed that fuel consumption for an articulated lorry is 0.35 litres per km, and for a rigid lorry, 0.40 litres per km. Emissions per passenger for travel by car will depend on the size of the vehicle, and the number of passengers. Estimates above are based on an average car and average car occupancy over all journeys of 1.59 passengers per car derived from National Travel Survey in the period 1999–2001.

  Cyclists
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the number of accidents caused by cyclists bumping into pedestrians on(a) pavements and (b) public carriageways in the last year for which figures are available. [80396]

  Mr. Jamieson
  In Great Britain in 2001, there were 64 accidents reported to the police between cyclists and pedestrians on pavements, and 148 such accidents on public carriageways. These figures include only those accidents in which a pedestrian was injured.

  International Hub Airports
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research(a) has been conducted and (b) has been assessed by his Department, or is planned on the (i) economic, (ii) social and (iii) environmental costs and benefits which (A) have been obtained and (B) could potentially be obtained from international hub airports in the United Kingdom; [81412]

  (2) what research (a) has been conducted and (b) has been assessed by his Department, or is planned on the (i) economic, (ii) social and (iii) environmental costs and benefits which (A) have been obtained and (B) could potentially be obtained from changes in the number of international passengers passing through International hub airports in the United Kingdom. [81413]

  Mr. Jamieson
  These issues have been covered extensively in the Government's recent airport studies. In particular, the SERAS study included a report by the consultants Booz Alien on issues relating to hub airports. The economic, social and environmental costs and benefits of various airport options, including some which could be international hub airports, are set out in the consultation document "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom". The economic benefits set out there do not include any benefits to international transfer passengers (i.e. those who are not travelling to or from the UK), but do take account of the benefits to travellers to and from the UK from air services which are made viable by international transfer passengers. The role of hub airports in a long-term sustainable airports policy is one of the central issues on which the Government are seeking views through the consultation. Copies of the consultation document and the SERAS technical reports have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Landing Charges
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what(a) discussions his Department has had or plans to have and (b) representations have been received by his Department with regards the potential effect of changes in landing charges at airports in the United Kingdom upon passenger numbers at each airport; [81414]

  (2) what research has been conducted by his Department, or is planned, on the potential effect of changes in landing charges at airports in the United Kingdom upon passenger numbers at each airport. [81403]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The impact of a 50 per cent. increase in airport landing charges was considered as a sensitivity test in the Department's most recently published air traffic forecasts (Air Traffic Forecasts for the United Kingdom 2000, published in May 2000). This showed that such an increase would have the effect of reducing forecast air passengers at UK airports by 7.5 per cent. in 2020, from 401 to 371 million.

  London Traffic
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average speed is of traffic in central London; what it was(a) five and (b) 10 years ago. [81031]

  Mr. Spellar
  Surveys of average traffic speeds were carried out in London until the year 2000 by the Department for Transport. Figures are not held specifically for all the years requested. Central, Inner and Outer London were surveyed in turn, and results for Central London were published for 1990, 1994, 1997 and 2000. Speeds in Central London for these years are shown in the following table:

  Central London average traffic speeds (mph)

  Year

  am peak (07:45 to 09:15)

  off-peak (10:00 to 12:00) (14:00 to 16:00)

  pm peak (16:45 to 18:15)

  1990

  10.3

  10.6

  10.3

  1994

  10.9

  10.9

  10.8

  1997

  10.0

  10.0

  10.2

  2000

  9.9

  9.0

  9.6

  Since 3 July 2000, Transport for London have taken over responsibility for running the London speed surveys.

  Modal Shifts
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what(a) discussions his Department has had or plans to have and (b) representations have been received by his Department with regard the causal processes and mechanisms responsible for (i) past and (ii) potential future modal shifts between air transport and other modes of transport for (a) passengers and (b) freight transport, distinguishing between (1) internal and (2) international flights. [81399]

  Mr. Jamieson
  This subject is likely to be covered in the responses to the national airport consultation which closes on 30 November. In preparation for the national consultation, the Regional Air Services Coordination Study [RASCO], available on www.airconsult.gov.uk describes work done by the Strategic Rail Authority on
  181W
  the potential for rail/air substitution so far as domestic passengers are concerned. "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom:South East", available on the same website, refers [pages 155–56] to Tier 2 documents Nos. 39,40, and 67 which deal with air freight. The service quality improvements resulting from use of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link are expected to result in some transfer of international air passengers to Eurostar.

  Multi-modal Study
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the role of demand management revenues in the funding process for new highway schemes proposed under the multi-modal study process. [81594]

  Mr. Jamieson
  We are considering the recommendations from a number of multi-modal studies and will make a statement in due course.

  Open Skies
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress towards an open skies agreement with the United States; what discussions have taken place or are planned; what representations have been received. [81407]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Having earlier rejected UK proposals for the full liberalisation of the UK-US aviation market, in September the US Government rejected UK proposals for a partial liberalisation of the market. Although the US Government has not put forward any counter-proposals, they have indicated that for a limited deal to be acceptable it would have to include unrestricted fifth freedom rights for all-cargo services. They would not, however, be ready to open up the US domestic market to competition.

  The Secretary of State has asked for further work to be carried out on the possible impact on such a deal on UK airlines and UK business. We are involving a number of interests in this work.

  Quiet Lane Projects
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the Quiet Lane projects across England that are fully operational. [81745]

  Alun Michael
  I have been asked to reply.

  There are two national demonstration 'Quiet Lanes' projects, one in the North Norfolk coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and one in the West Kent Greensand Ridge. They have been developed by the Countryside Agency, working on behalf of Defra, in partnership with Norfolk and Kent county councils, Department for Transport and the Transport Research Laboratory. There are also eight further areas which are developing 'Quiet Lanes' projects.

  Radioactive Material
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many movements there were in each 182W
  year since 1985 of (a) high-level and (b) intermediate-level radioactive material, (i) by train, (ii) by road, (iii) by air and (iv) by ship. [80859]

  Mr. Jamieson
  This Department does not hold statistical information of the type requested.

  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is permissible to transport(a) high-level and (b) intermediate-level radioactive material, (i) on passenger ferries and (ii) through the channel tunnel. [80860]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The transport of radioactive material on passenger ferries is permissible subject to the safety requirements and restrictions of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, Amendment 30 –00, as required by The Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods and Marine Pollutants) Regulations 1997 SI 1997 No 2367); Merchant Shipping Notice No. M 1755(M), "The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Marine Pollutants in Packaged Form —Amendment 30–00 to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (MDG) Code" and, where applicable, The Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Packaged Irradiated Nuclear Fuel etc.) (INF Code) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000 No 3216).

  Transport through the channel tunnel of radioactive material in/as Excepted Packages, solid non-combustible Low Specific Activity Material, solid non-combustible Surface Contaminated Objects and Type A Packages complying with RID 1/ADR2 is permissible only as authorised through Eurotunnel Freight by prior agreement between the manufacturer/producer and Eurotunnel. Radioactive material other than that in/as Excepted Packages is further restricted to new manufactured goods in their original packaging. In all cases material requiring two or more danger labels is not authorised.

  1 Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) Appendix B. Uniform Rules concerning the Contract for International Carriage of Goods by Rail (CIM) ANNEX 1 Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID) 2001 Edition.

  2 European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) 2001 Edition.

  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents there have been, in each year since 1972, involving the transportation of radioactive material(a) by air, (b) by road, (c) by rail and (d) by ship. [80862]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Since 1989 information on accidents and incidents involving the transport of radioactive material in the UK has been published annually. The reports covering events in each year have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Data on events prior to 1989 can be found in the following reports:

  1. Review of the Radiological Consequences Resulting from Accidents and Incidents Involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK from 1964 to 1988 (NRPB-M206)

  2. Accidents and Incidents involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK, from 1958 to 1994, and their Radiological Consequences. (NRPB-R282)

  These two reports are also available in the Libraries of the House.

  Rail Electrification
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the electrification of rail lines operated by diesel-powered rolling stock. [81593]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Our objectives are to deliver a reliable and safe railway focused on customer needs. The SRA will evaluate electrification projects against these objectives, giving due consideration to value for money and affordability.

  Railway Stations
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many railway stations(a) opened and (b) closed in each year since 1972. [81587]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The information is given in the table.

  Year

  Stations opened

  Stations closed

  1972

  4

  16

  1973

  5

  9

  1974

  1

  0

  1975

  3

  3

  1976

  8

  1

  1977

  5

  8

  1978

  12

  0

  1979

  9

  0

  1980

  4

  0

  1981

  5

  6

  1982

  10

  0

  1983

  8

  16

  1984

  14

  1

  1985

  18

  7

  1986

  27

  7

  1987

  25

  1

  1988

  25

  2

  1989

  16

  9

  1990

  21

  2

  1991

  6

  3

  1992

  15

  3

  1993

  15

  2

  1994

  17

  3

  1995

  10

  5

  1996

  4

  1

  1997

  4

  1

  1998

  1

  2

  1999

  1

  0

  2000

  1

  0

  2001

  0

  0

  2002

  1

  2

  Road Traffic
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the percentage change has been in road traffic levels in each year from 1997, taking 1997 as a base figure of 100; and what the projected levels are for each year to 2012. [81588]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Total road traffic in Great Britain is currently estimated to have grown by 4.9 per cent. over four years since 1997:

  Year

  1997

  1000.0

  1998

  101.5

  1999

  103.2

  2000

  103.5

  2001

  104.9

  184W
  The Department's publication "National Road Traffic Forecasts (Great Britain) 1997" projects Low and High rates of traffic growth, to take account of uncertainty in future growth of the economy and future fuel price. These figures do not take account of the 10 year plan. Applying these forecast rates to the 2001 index gives projected road traffic levels:

  Year

  2002

  106.3 to 107.0

  2003

  107.8 to 109.1

  2004

  109.2 to 111.3

  2005

  110.7 to 113.5

  2006

  112.2 to 115.8

  2007

  113.4 to 117.9

  2008

  114.8 to 120.0

  2009

  116.2 to 122.2

  2010

  117.6 to 124.5

  2011

  119.0 to 126.7

  2012

  120.3 to 129.0

  South Central Franchise
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason the franchise for South Central has been reduced to seven years. [81578]

  Mr. Jamieson
  It proved impossible to agree terms for a 20-year franchise which both the SRA and Go Via found affordable and acceptable. The altered circumstances of Railtrack since the Hatfield derailment had a bearing. The uncertain impact of other rail projects, notably Thameslink 2000, was also relevant.

  Transport Costs
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he collates on the average cost of travelling one kilometre by rail in each of the OECD countries. [81580]

  Mr. Jamieson
  A reliable comparison of fares requires comprehensive data on the range of different fares and discounts available, and the degree to which they are used. We do not collate such data, and are not aware that any other body does so either.

  Travel Costs
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the real change in costs of travelling by(a) car, (b) train and (c) bus in each year since 1972, taking 1972 as a base figure of 100; and discounting inflation. [81589]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Information in the form requested is available only since 1974. The figures in the table have therefore been expressed on a base of 1974 = 100.

  Real Changes in the cost of transport:1974 = 100

  All motoring1

  Rail

  Bus

  1974

  100

  100

  100

  1975

  104.4

  109.2

  104.9

  1976

  101.2

  124.3

  114.9

  1977

  99.9

  125.0

  114.1

  1978

  99.7

  132.0

  119.4

  1979

  104.0

  128.8

  118.4

  1980

  103.8

  135.6

  127.0

  185W

  Real Changes in the cost of transport:1974 = 100

  All motoring1

  Rail

  Bus

  1981

  103.9

  138.6

  125.6

  1982

  101.0

  146.5

  133.3

  1983

  103.2

  148.5

  134.7

  1984

  100.7

  142.0

  131.1

  1985

  99.4

  142.4

  128.9

  1986

  94.7

  147.0

  135.2

  1987

  96.3

  148.4

  137.4

  1988

  95.9

  151.3

  140.1

  1989

  93.9

  153.2

  140.2

  1990

  91.0

  152.2

  135.1

  1991

  92.3

  158.8

  145.5

  1992

  95.0

  164.2

  150.2

  1993

  97.6

  173.0

  154.3

  1994

  98.5

  176.3

  154.6

  1995

  97.0

  178.1

  155.0

  1996

  97.5

  180.3

  156.9

  1997

  99.6

  178.9

  157.6

  1998

  99.3

  180.1

  157.3

  1999

  100.2

  183.8

  160.6

  2000

  101.0

  181.6

  162.3

  2001

  98.7

  185.3

  166.1

  1 Includes the cost of purchase, maintenance, fuel, tax and insurance.

  Travel to Airports
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of journeys made to(a) Gatwick, (b) Heathrow, (c) Stansted and (d) Luton airports were made by (i) train, (ii) bus and (iii) other road vehicles in the latest year for which figures are available. [80846]

  Mr. Jamieson
  In 2001, the percentage of journeys made by train to Gatwick was 21.2 per cent. (9 per cent. bus/coach and 69.8 per cent. other road vehicles). For Heathrow, the corresponding proportions were 21.5 per cent. train (ie rail and tube), 13.1 per cent. bus/ coach, and 65.4 per cent. other road vehicles. At Stansted, the proportions were: 27.3 per cent. train, 7.6 per cent. bus/coach, and 65.1 per cent. other road vehicles. The proportions recorded at Luton are 26.1 per cent. bus/coach and 73.9 per cent. other road vehicles.

TREASURY

  Employment (Leeds)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the number of people in(a) Leeds and (b) Leeds, West constituency who are in (i) temporary and (ii) part-time employment. [81488]

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

  Letter from Colin Mowl to John Battle, dated 20 November 2002:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about number of people in temporary and part-time employment in Leeds. I am replying in his absence. (81918)

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  The Labour Force Survey (LFS) gives estimates of temporary and part-time employment levels for Local Authority Districts. The latest available estimates are for the three month period ending August 2002. The Office for National Statistics publishes employment rates, but not levels for parliamentary constituencies.

  The estimate of the number of temporary employees in Leeds Local Authority District, for the three month period ending August 2002, is 20,000. The estimate of the number of people in part-time employment is 94,000. These estimates are from the LFS. They are not seasonally adjusted and have not yet been adjusted to take account of the recent Census 2001 results.

  Re-weighted LFS estimates for local areas using 2001 Census population information will be available from Summer 2003.

  Minimum Wage
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the number of people who no longer receive one or more of income support, housing benefit or council tax benefit as a result of the introduction of the minimum wage. [80607]

  John Healey
  The information requested is not available.

  Banking Information
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if discussions with the Swiss Government regarding the exchange of banking information are on-going; and if he will make a statement; [80741]

  (2)whether he supports the imposition of sanctions on Switzerland if it does not agree to sharing banking information; [81035]

  (3)what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts regarding Switzerland's banking secrecy laws; and if he will make a statement. [80742]

  Dawn Primarolo
  In accordance with the mandate agreed by ECOFIN Council on 16 October 2001, the presidency and Commission are continuing negotiations with the Swiss Government on the application of measures equivalent to the system that would apply under the draft Savings Directive to member states. The Chancellor and other EU Finance Ministers discuss progress at meetings of the ECOFIN Council. Any decision on what steps to take if a successful conclusion to the negotiations were not to be reached, would be made at that time.

  Climate Change Levy
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy not to exempt the nuclear industry from the climate change levy. [80866]

  John Healey
  It has been the Government's policy since the climate change levy was announced not to exempt nuclear energy.

  Compliance Costs
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to complete the studies into the compliance costs of excise duty and international trade, referred to in his answer of 15 October 2002,Official Report, column 600W; and if he will make a statement. [80639]
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  John Healey
  These studies are still in progress. Ministers will consider the results at the completion of each study.

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Extra Statutory Concession 3.5 in notice 48 (1999 edition) applies to advice given by Customs and Excise officials(a) in writing and (b) by telephone. [81659]

  John Healey
  The current (March 2002) edition of Notice 48 cancelled and replaced the December 1999 edition. Extra Statutory Concession 3.5 remains the same and provides that
  "If a Customs and Excise officer, with the full facts before him, has given a clear and unequivocal ruling on VAT in writing or, knowing the full facts, has misled a registered trader to his detriment, any assessment of VAT due will be based on the correct ruling from the date the error was brought to registered person's attention."

  The concession therefore applies in these terms not only to incorrect rulings in writing but also to incorrect oral rulings. Oral rulings include those given by telephone.

  Departmental Accounts
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, for each year since 1997 and by Department, the total amount of fines levied against Government Departments for the incomplete return of departmental accounts. [81116]

  Mr. Boateng
  The accounts of Departments are presented to Parliament under the provisions of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000, and prior to that, the Exchequer and Audit Department Acts 1866 and 1921. The legislation makes no provision for fines for incomplete returns.

  Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme
  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been claimed under the Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme since April 2001; and if he will make a statement. [81777]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I regret that the information is not yet available.

  EU Aviation Fuel Tax
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made of(a) the practicality and (b) the potential revenue stream arising from the introduction of taxation on aviation fuel used in domestic flights; [80840]

  (2) what progress is being made towards the introduction of an EU aviation fuel tax regime. [80841]

  John Healey
  The Government are aware of practical issues surrounding the taxation of aviation fuel used in domestic flights, including the encouragement of 'tankering' fuel from abroad. Revenue streams would depend on a variety of factors including the level of duty and degree of tankering. We will publish shortly an Air Transport White Paper that will examine the potential 188W
  for using economic instruments to encourage the aviation industry to take more account of its external costs.

  The European Council of Finance Ministers has asked the European Commission to pursue with the International Civil Aviation Organisation the possibility of taxing aviation turbine fuel.

  Euro
  Mr. Howard
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if British entry to the euro is conditional upon reform of the Stability and Growth Pact. [80416]

  Ruth Kelly
  The determining factor underpinning any Government decision on UK membership of EMU is the national economic interest and whether the economic case for joining is clear and unambiguous. The Five Economic Tests will define whether a clear and unambiguous case can be made.

  Financial Services Authority
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the role of the Financial Services Authority in the collapse of the split capital investment trusts; if he will set up an independent inquiry into this issue; and if he will make a statement. [81792]

  Ruth Kelly
  The FSA is obliged under the terms of the Financial Services and Markets Act (2001) to produce an annual report assessing performance against its statutory objectives of maintaining confidence in the financial system, promoting public understanding of the financial system, securing an appropriate degree of protection for consumers and reducing the potential for financial firms to be used for financial crime. It is through this mechanism that the FSA is primarily held accountable to Ministers and Parliament.

  Grants
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the grants funded by his Department for which individual members of the public and organisations may apply; and if he will make a statement as to(a) the total of such funding in the last financial year, (b) the total number of awards and (c) their administrative costs. [82194]

  Ruth Kelly
  HM Treasury makes no such grants.

  Higher-rate Taxpayers
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what statistics are compiled by the Inland Revenue on the geographical distribution of higher rate taxpayers; and if they can be broken down by(a) local authority area and (b) post code. [80991]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Estimates for higher rate taxpayers are based on the Inland Revenue's Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI). The basic geographical unit on the SPI is post code and this is converted to various higher level geographical locations.

  We would not be able to provide reliable estimates of higher rate taxpayers by post code as the sample size would be too small.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research has been conducted(a) by his Department and (b) for his Department in the last five years concerning changes to income tax. [81700]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the hon. Member to the Inland Revenue website—www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/research

  Maundy Money
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the annual cost is of manufacturing Maundy Money; and who bears that cost. [81583]

  Ruth Kelly
  The cost of manufacturing Maundy Money is commercially sensitive and it would not be appropriate to disclose it, as provided for under Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The Royal Household pays face value for the coins that Her Majesty distributes. There is a shortfall between this and the cost of production, which is largely made up by a limited number of discretionary sales of Maundy Money sets.

  Ministerial Cars
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the application of the rules relating to company car taxation in respect of cars used by Ministers, and which are provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency. [81139]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The tax treatment of travel and subsistence for the Speaker, Ministers and Opposition office-holders is covered by the specific provisions in section 200AA of the Taxes Acts.

  Mortgage Administration Services
  Mr. Curry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether all suppliers of mortgage administration services in the UK are subject to VAT; whether joint venture companies between UK mortgage lenders and US service providers have been granted exemptions from VAT; and if he will make a statement; [80484]

  (2) which member states of the EU impose VAT on outsourced mortgage administration services; and at what rates. [80485]

  John Healey
  Mortgage administration services are VAT exempt when supplied by the mortgage provider but are liable to VAT when provided by a third party. Supplies between two companies in a joint venture will be disregarded for VAT purposes if the companies are part of the same VAT group. Customs and Excise are currently taking action to prevent artificial structures involving joint ventures being used to bring third party companies within VAT groups. Little information is available on the VAT treatment of outsourced mortgage administration services in other member states, although the French advise that they would also charge VAT on outsourced loan administration services.

  National Insurance
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the level of 190W
  unpaid national insurance contributions in fiscal years (a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000 and (c) 2000–01; and if he will make a statement. [80650]

  Dawn Primarolo
  National Insurance Contributions (N ICs) identified as due, but not paid and subsequently written off amounted to £218 million in 1998–99; £188 million in 1999–2000; and £180 million in 2000–01. This represents 0.4 per cent., 0.3 per cent. and 0.3 per cent. of the total NICs receipts for those years, respectively.

  NICs may be written off where pursuit is unlikely to be successful, for example because a company is insolvent; or where it is regarded as neither practical nor cost effective to pursue the debt, for example because the debtor has gone abroad.

  Office for National Statistics
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the recommendations that ONS made on each project on which the public sector classification committee has been asked to comment since 1 January; and if he will make a statement. [80117]

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

  Letter from L. Cook to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 20 November 2002:

  As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the recommendations that ONS has made on each project that the Public Sector Classification Committee (PSCC) has considered since 1 January. (80117)

  In some cases decisions are taken on projects that are confidential or market sensitive and these can not be revealed. There are other cases that the PSCC considers relating to issues raised internally. Where these do not lead to any advice being offered to other government departments I have not included them.

  Decisions on New Tax Credits and Network Rail and its borrowing are fully described on the National Statistics website (www.statistics.gov.uk). There were three decisions of this type.

  The other projects on which ONS's PSCC has offered advice are listed below with a description of the advice offered.

  Support for insurance of terrorist risks to aviation industry

  Troika is classified as a public financial corporation until 1 November 2001, when it is reclassified as a private insurance corporation. Government guarantee is a contingent liability. Government receipts should be counted as dividends, payments as capital transfers. The Government's decision to temporarily waive fees gives rise to an imputed subsidy, but amounts involved were de minimis.

  Electricity Companies Renewables Obligation

  ONS intend to classify the amounts redistributed to generators as imputed tax receipts and subsidy payments. The general issue will be referred to Europe for discussion.

  Diamond Synchrotron

  Classification as a public corporation.

  Offshore Petroleum Licensing—20th round

  Receipts of fees and royalties follow usual classification as rents.

  Guarantees for loans to Railtrack plc in administration

  Upon specified conditions being met, the guarantees would be classified as contingent liabilities. The fee received by government is classified as a service fee and netted off government consumption. An imputed subsidy will be recorded for the benefit that arises from the guarantee.

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  OFCOM

  Classified as central government, part of its income classified as quasi-corporate.

  Salvaged property (HMS Sussex)

  Goods classified as valuables. At the time the government was informed of the discovery an economic reappearance of an asset occurs. The value of these assets may later change when more information is known about them. Government payments to the salvage company are recorded as consumption. Receipts from sales are classified as disposal of valuables and recorded at price received, after deducting commissions/fees paid to auctioneers. If payments to the salvage company are made in the valuable rather than currency, it would still be treated as consumption, but balanced by an imputed sale of the valuable.

  PFI Contracts
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the(a) actual and (b) anticipated annual payments by Government for each year from 1997 to 2020 are in respect of PFI contracts already entered into. [81117]

  Ruth Kelly
  (a) Actual PFI expenditure can be found in notes to the individual resource accounts of Departments.

  (b) Detailed figures setting out estimates of future payments to be made under PFI contracts are published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report each year. Table C 19 of Budget 2002 includes the latest projections of estimated payments for services provided under the Private Finance Initiative for the years 2002–03 to 2027–28.

  In line with past practice, these figures will be updated shortly.

  Social Capital
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures of social capital his Department uses to guide policy decisions; and if he will make a statement. [80410]

  Ruth Kelly
  Policy decisions are guided by a number of measures. The Treasury uses measures on individual facets of social capital as and when appropriate in policy making. Social capital is recognised to be a multi-dimensional concept and I understand there is an on-going research project by ONS aiming to develop an analytical framework that can be used to organise the available statistical information on social capital.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place a copy of the report on the take-up of the working families tax credit within London in the Library. [81952]

  Dawn Primarolo
  No such report exists.

  World Bank
  John Barrett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made to increase the number of executive directors representing southern governments on the Board of the World bank. [80935]
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  John Healey
  The UK's White Paper on International Development, published in December 2000, highlighted the need for developing countries to have a more effective voice in international institutions. And at the Annual Meetings of the IMF and World bank, the Development Committee called on these institutions to prepare a joint paper on broadening and strengthening the participation of developing countries in International Financial Institution decision making for the spring meetings in April 2003. It is within the context of this broader discussion on increasing the voice of developing countries that we expect representation on the Executive Board to feature. The UK would welcome positive consideration of ways to increase the representation of developing countries on the Executive Board, and African countries in particular. We will be working with the IMF and World bank over the coming months to explore this further.

  World Bank and IMF
  John Barrett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans there are to publish the minutes of the(a) World bank and (b) International Monetary Fund, and if he will make a statement. [80949]

  John Healey
  Enhancing the transparency of the IMF and World bank is a critical part of our work on strengthening crisis prevention, improving economic cooperation and promoting global stability and growth. Greater transparency can help strengthen policy frameworks, ensure that vulnerabilities are addressed at an early stage, and strengthen effectiveness and accountability.

  (a) There are currently no plans for the minutes of World Bank Board Meetings to be published. However, since April 2001 the bank has been moving towards making the Executive Board more transparent, and we fully support these efforts. Most important decisions, including those relating to selected policy, strategy and topical issues, are announced through press releases or at press conferences of senior bank officials. Chairman's Concluding Remarks (and Summings Up) on discussions of Country Assistance Strategies, Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers/Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, Sector Strategy Papers and Heavily Indebted Poor Country documents are publicly available. Chairman's Concluding Remarks on discussions of other policy, strategy and topical issues can also be made publicly available—though this requires the agreement of the Executive Board. Approvals of individual lending operations are announced through issue of press releases and fact sheets providing summary data on the project.

  (b) The IMF has also made real progress in its publication policy in recent years. There has been a significant increase in the publication of Public Information Notices summarizing the surveillance (Article IV) discussions of the Board, of Article IV reports themselves, and of Chairman's statements, news briefs and press releases following Board discussions on the use of Fund resources and on policy issues. Nevertheless, the UK believes that the IMF can build on this progress and that there is considerable scope for further reform. The IMF's Transparency policy was discussed by the Executive Board in June 2002. At this

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  discussion the UK supported the proposal that access to Executive Board minutes should be accelerated from 20 years to five years and pressed for even further acceleration. Unfortunately, this view was not shared by others on the Board and access to Board minutes was only reduced to 10 years.

  To promote greater transparency in the UK about our role in the IMF, we publish an Annual Report to Parliament on the UK and the IMF. This includes the voting record of the UK Governor and Executive Director, and provides an indication of the position we take at Board discussions. Only in the case of highly market sensitive information would we not provide this information. In our experience this is already strengthening public and parliamentary understanding of and support for the work of the IMF.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Coffee
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action is being taken to diversify agricultural sectors away from coffee production in Sub-Saharan African countries. [80947]

  Clare Short
  Diversification requires the establishment of a more favourable environment at both domestic and international level. We are working to support a variety of activities within coffee producing countries in order to generate the economic growth, and other conditions, that provide enhanced opportunities for livelihood diversification. We are also working to improve trade access to OECD markets.

  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with representatives of the(a) United Nations and (b) World bank regarding the coffee industry in (i) Central Africa, (ii) South America and (iii) India and Eastern Asia; and if she will make a statement. [80941]

  Clare Short
  My Department regularly interacts with different agencies of the United Nations, the World bank and other partners to discuss the economic situation, including performance of different industries and commodity, in the three geographical regions mentioned. These are complex issues and I do not intend to make a statement at this time.

  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action is being taken to encourage international coffee roaster companies to carry out value added processing within developing countries. [80945]

  Clare Short
  Coffee processing involves the transformation of green coffee beans into a number of products including roast and ground, soluble (instant) coffee, decaffeinated coffee extracts and various speciality coffees. The decision to undertake coffee processing in the developing country of origin is a strictly commercial one. This decision is undoubtedly influenced by a number of considerations such as the domestic operating environment (e.g. reliability of supporting infrastructure), assurance of bean supply and quality requirements, transport costs, the buy-in strategies adopted by retailers, packaging and labeling 194W
  requirements as well as size of the domestic market and trade access to other markets. The UK, through its development programme and other endeavours at the international level, is supporting a range of actions designed to create a more favourable investment climate in many coffee producing countries.

  Africa (Health Budget)
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of her Department's health budget for the current year for Africa is allocated directly to(a) hospitals, (b) clinics, (c) NGOs and (d) Governments; and if she will make a statement. [80551]

  Clare Short
  Last year (2001–02) DFID estimates its spend on health related activities in Sub-Saharan Africa was £108 million. This figure does not include money channelled through multilateral agencies.

  It is not easy to disaggregate this figure according to the categories listed, nor is it sensible. Where possible through provision of direct budgetary support, we support Governments' entire health systems. Where we provide assistance to other sectors, this too can contain `Health' spend, for example mainstreaming teaching on HIV/AIDs and reproductive health into a country's national curriculum.

  Angola
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment her Department has made of the reintegration of ex-soldiers into civil society in Angola. [80566]

  Clare Short
  The formal reintegration of ex-soldiers has not yet started in Angola. The Government of Angola is in the process of developing its Angola Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme (ADRP), with assistance from the World bank. Until the ADRP has been agreed, little progress will be made on putting in place appropriate social structures to receive the ex-combatants. It is therefore essential that the ADRP is finalised as soon as possible, in close collaboration with the international community. This programme should be consistent with the Government's own Norms for Return and Resettlement. It should also be set in a broader framework encompassing the return of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs).

  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the progress of the National Reconciliation Programme in Angola. [80567]

  Clare Short
  Following the cease-fire in Angola, the National Reconciliation Programme has been replaced by the National Commission for the Social and Productive Reintegration of the Demobilised and Displaced. The new commission's detailed priorities have not been made clear to the international community; nor have the spending plans associated with them. With the help of the World bank, the Government of Angola is working on an immediate post-conflict recovery plan which the international community expects will be presented to donors at a conference organised by the Government of Angola in the first
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  quarter of 2003. Until the international community has seen the document, it is difficult to comment on the Government's plans.

  Without national reconciliation, a fully inclusive national dialogue, and sustainable poverty reduction, the cease-fire is unlikely to be transformed into a lasting peace. We take every opportunity to make this clear to the Government of Angola. My Department is establishing an office in the British embassy in Luanda which will help to strengthen further HMG's efforts to ensure a peaceful transition in Angola.

  Charities and Donor Agencies
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on co-operation with charities and donor agencies; what recent progress has been made; and what proposals she has for further co-operation. [80988]

  Clare Short
  My Department enjoys close relations with both charities (NGOs) and the wider donor community. The production of our first White Paper in 1997 laid the foundations for unprecedented inclusion of NGOs in policy and strategy consultation. Development charities have been helpful in enabling my Department to produce policy papers on issues such as the rights of the disabled, inclusion of the elderly in the development process and access to clean water.

  Consultation with NGO community lead to changes in the way my Department supported UK civil society. This included the replacement of our main funding channels for NGOs (the Joint Funding Scheme and block grants) by the Civil Society Challenge Fund (CSCF) and Partnership Programme Agreements (PPA). Under our CSCF we currently fund over 200 individual projects with around 80 UK civil society organisations at an annual cost in excess of £10 million.

  We currently have PPAs with 15 major UK development NGOs and propose a further round of negotiations next year. PPAs are strategic level engagements, which provide a framework for constructive dialogue and sharing of ideas on major development issues.

  My Department has regular engagement with other bilateral donors, where policies and views can be openly shared and regular DFID representation at the EC NGO co-financing meetings in Brussels where our interests as well as NGO's concerns can be raised and discussed.

  We have began a series of discussions with our counterparts at the Community Fund and Comic Relief in order to exchange information and ideas and hope to strengthen these links further through joint evaluations of co-funded projects.

  We are currently in the process of formalising a Strategic Funding Agreement with the main umbrella organisation representing the British NGOs working in development (BOND). This agreement further strengthens co-operation and mutual understanding between my Department and the NGO community.

  Congo
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo concerning sexual crimes being committed against women by the armies; and what pressure her Department is putting on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to investigate such crimes and bring perpetrators to justice. [80561]

  Clare Short
  My Department is extremely concerned about the situation in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the unacceptably high levels of violent crimes, including rape, committed against women. We maintain links with a number of human rights organisations including Human Rights Watch and local rights organisations based in eastern DRC, which are involved in the monitoring, and provision of support, to women victims of crime. The high rates of rape and sexual violence have mostly occurred in areas that are not under Government control where militias are operating and disorder is widespread.

  Through our embassies in Kinshasa and Kigali, and through direct contact with local authorities when visiting the east, the UK Government have discussed the issue of rape, and the urgent need to address issues of justice, with representatives from all sides with whom we have contact. We do not have contact with the ex-Far and Interahamwe and local Mai Mai groups. We also support a number of civil society organisations that are working in eastern DRC to monitor and raise rights abuses with authorities, as well as providing some limited support to women victims.

  Eritrea
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian situation in Eritrea; and how much money her Department is giving to help the people of Eritrea. [80558]

  Clare Short
  We are being kept informed by reports from our embassy in Eritrea and propose to send out one of our humanitarian advisers in the next month on an assessment mission. We understand that the Eritrea Consolidated Appeal is due to be launched on 19 November, which should include information on failed rains and forthcoming food shortages. In total we have given £1,350,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross' 2002 Appeal for Eritrea. In addition, through our Small Grants Scheme, we have disbursed some funds to health centres run by the Catholic Church to buy food supplements for malnourished children under five, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions her Department has had with(a) the Government of Eritrea, (b) the Eritrean Relief and Refugee Committee and (c) the UN over the humanitarian situation in Eritrea. [80559]

  Clare Short
  I met with the President of Eritrea at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg and have since then had telephone
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  conversations with him to discuss the situation in Eritrea and the region. I also have regular meetings with the Eritrean ambassador in London.

  Our ambassador in Eritrea, as well as one of his staff, have attended various UN and Eritrean Relief and Refugee Committee meetings to discuss the humanitarian situation in Eritrea and have reported back to DFID and FCO.

  Ethiopia
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the current food needs of the people of Ethiopia; what proportion of these are being met by the international community; how much of these food needs are being met by Britain; and whether her Department intends to increase the volume of food being delivered to Ethiopia. [80577]

  Clare Short
  We are keeping the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia under continuous review, using the reports and assessments made by the Government and international agencies involved. WFP remain concerned about prospects for February and March, when needs are expected to be high, though they estimate that current pledges of food aid to be sufficient to meet needs until mid-January 2003. The Ethiopian Food Security Reserve is expected on current estimates to have sufficient stocks available until April.

  We are taking careful note of the WFP and Government of Ethiopia reports and appeals. As always we remain committed to playing our part in the international response to humanitarian need, which includes increasing UK bilateral contributions when necessary.

  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when(a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department last visited Ethiopia; and when she next intends to do so. [80578]

  Clare Short
  The last ministerial visit to Ethiopia from my Department was my visit to Ethiopia in November 2000. I plan to visit Ethiopia in January 2003 to attend the Economic Commission for Africa Big Table meeting, and for discussions with the Ethiopian Government.

  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which non-governmental organisations working in Ethiopia she has consulted regarding the current humanitarian situation in Ethiopia; and on what dates. [80600]

  Clare Short
  There is frequent in-country dialogue between DFID and non-governmental organisations, as well as other donors. Since mid-2002, when early warning signs of problems were emerging, the Ethiopian Government, donors and NGOs have been working closely together to assess the situation and frame an appropriate response. This dialogue will continue as we move into 2003. We also invited a range of NGOs to a meeting that we hosted in DFID on 20 November to discuss the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia.

  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the UN's Emergency Unit for 198W
  Ethiopia regarding the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia and the response of the international community to the humanitarian situation facing Ethiopia. [80601]

  Clare Short
  We regularly discuss the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia with the UN's Emergency Unit for Ethiopia. In 2002 we have funded the unit to enable them to strengthen their co-ordination role. We welcome the fact that the Ethiopian Government have led needs assessments and responses in 2002 and believe that the UN-EUE has played a valuable role in supporting them.

  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the outcome of her meeting with the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on 21 October. [80563]

  Clare Short
  President Lemierre and I met primarily to discuss the 2003 EBRD Annual Meeting in Tashkent, which the UK will chair. The people of Central Asia need progress with poverty reduction, regional stability and the fight against corruption. President Lemierre and I agreed that it was timely for the EBRD Annual Meeting to be in Central Asia, in order to focus attention on the challenges facing the region. The meeting will be a good opportunity for a full and open discussion of progress in achieving economic and political transition, tackling the region's poverty, improving the investment climate and increasing regional co-operation.

  Healthcare and Education
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of overseas aid has been directed to basic health care and education services for children, and how much this is in real terms, in each year since 1997. [80987]

  Clare Short
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) on 7 November 2002,Official Report, column 674W.

  HIV/AIDS
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress is being made towards increasing the levels of HIV/Aids testing in Zimbabwe. [80936]

  Clare Short
  Zimbabwe has made progress in building and meeting demand for Voluntary Counselling and Testing for HIV (VCT). Access is rapidly increasing through the "New Start" network of VCT centres, a campaign implemented by Population Services International (PSI) and the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare. 99,000 clients have visited new start centres since the campaign started in 2000. PSI aims to more than double the yearly VCT client flows by the end of 2004 while maintaining high quality services and broadening access. USAID and DFID are PSI-Zimbabwe's major supporters, with DFID providing nearly £7 million of flexible support for VCT and other HIV prevention activities.

  Human Rights
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the countries which the Government assesses as having poor records on human rights, and in which CDC Capital Partners makes investments. [80565]

  Clare Short
  We believe in general that it is best to engage constructively with states on a broad range of human rights issues. Such an approach will help poor people to realise their rights and reduce violations. We do not maintain a list of countries with a "poor" human rights record. This is no part of the remit of CDC Capital Partners, which invests in businesses, not in governments.

  IT Security
  Brian White
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she has taken to review the security of the Department's IT system; and how many digital attacks there were on the Department's system in(a) October and (b) 2002. [80775]

  Clare Short
  1. DFID has taken a number of steps in recent months to review the security arrangements for the Department's IT systems. A review of the anti-virus (AV) arrangements is currently under way, and is expected to complete soon with any resulting changes implemented by the end of this year. Secondly, another review is considering the way in which classified information is handled and stored within the Department's IT systems. The review paper and conclusions are due to be put before the highest level IT Steering Committee (the KCC) later this month, with accepted recommendations being implemented progressively throughout 2003.

  2. DFID's IT systems were subjected to one digital attack during October. The new BugBear virus entered the system via a visiting user from our Dar-es-Salaam office accessing his HotMail account, and the virus subsequently infected 15 PCs. This entry point was immediately plugged when it was discovered.

  3. During the rest of 2002 there were two other digital attacks on the systems. In April DFID was infected with the Elkern virus. This entered DFID before there was a pattern file available to detect it. In all, one server and 500 PCs were affected—about one in six of the user population. The pattern file was applied as soon as it was available from the AV software supplier, and no re-infections have been reported. In November, a routine sweep of the databases revealed one occurrence of the Redlof/A virus, which had infected 26 files on one user machine.

  4. Virus detection is applied at the DFID Internet Gateway, before messages are allowed into the systems. Logging is not generally left switched on because the logfiles fill up very quickly. However, logging is periodically captured and examinded. During the period 8–15 November, 513 messages appearing at the gateway were found to contain viruses and were prevented from entering.

  5. There were no hacking attempts on DFID systems during the year.

  Paramedical Health Personnel
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on the creation of paramedical health personnel to administer simple treatments in developing countries. [80552]

  Clare Short
  Health systems in many poor countries do not have the capacity to deliver drugs and care in a safe and effective way. The Government's long term strategy is to help poor countries develop functioning health systems with the capacity to provide a series of different outputs. Encompassing preventive, health promoting, acute and chronic curative care and services. Human resources are central to functioning health systems and our work with partner countries includes support for locally appropriate strategies and plans to ensure health systems have the right staff. In some cases, such strategies include the training and deployment of various staff to perform basic treatments. Since 1997, we have committed over £1 billion, to help developing countries put in place and strengthen effective health care systems. We are also working with the World bank, the World Health Organisation and other multilateral partners on this long term agenda.

  Per Capita Aid
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid her Department provides per capita to(a) Afghanistan; (b) Bosnia; and (c) Rwanda, and what proportion of this is disbursed (i) bilaterally and (ii) through the European Commission. [80572]

  Clare Short
  UK bilateral official development assistance (oda) to Afghanistan, Bosnia and Rwanda is set out in the table:

  UK oda (£ million)

  Population (million)

  UK oda per capita (£)

  2000

  Afghanistan

  8.4

  26.6

  0.32

  Bosnia

  4.7

  4

  1.18

  Rwanda

  34.8

  8.5

  4.09

  In addition we estimate the following amounts of UK funds were disbursed through the European Commission in each of the countries:

  UK imputed multilateral shares via EC (£ million)

  Per capita UK imputed shares via EC (£)

  2000

  Afghanistan

  2.2

  0.08

  Bosnia

  23.9

  5.98

  Rwanda

  6.0

  0.71

  Safe Water
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures will be taken by the Government to reach its targets for access to basic sanitation and in developing water efficiency plans. [81057]
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  Clare Short
  The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) provide the focus of my Department's work. My Department is working to build an effective response by the international system to support developing countries in reducing poverty and achieving the MDGs. This includes supporting the United Nations Development Programme in monitoring progress towards the MDGs country by country.

  The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg extended the MDG target on access to water to include sanitation. It also made a commitment to develop integrated water resources management and water efficiency plans by 2005. My Department is working with developing countries, other development agencies and financial institutions to ensure that support is provided so that these commitments are kept and the MDG targets are achieved. In particular, we currently support several major multilateral initiatives including:

  The Global Water Partnership, a multi-donor funded international network to foster integrated water resource management.

  The Nile Basin Initiative, established by the riparian states with World bank support to realise the development potential of the Nile and to contribute to poverty and conflict reduction in the region.

  Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), a multi-donor programme administered by the World bank. Its mission is to alleviate poverty by helping the poor gain sustained access to improved water and sanitation services.

  The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), a concerted multi-donor organisation designed to raise awareness and the political profile of sanitation, hygiene and safe water.

  My Department is also participating in the EU Water Initiative which is aimed at creating strategic partnerships to achieve the WSSD goals on clean water and sanitation. It also promotes co-operation between countries sharing an international river basin in managing their water resources and aims to improve the efficiency of existing financing mechanisms for water infrastructure through better donor co-ordination.

  In addition to multilateral co-operation, our commitment to achieve the 2005 water management and 2015 water and sanitation targets includes bilateral programmes in many countries in the developing world including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, India, South Africa, and Nigeria.

  My Department also funds resource centres dedicated to enhancing communication, knowledge transfer and co-operation between DFID, its partners and other organisations in the management of water resources as well as in the fields of environmental health, water supply and sanitation. Additionally, through the Knowledge and Research (KaR) programme, my Department is funding research projects that investigate key water resource management questions and cost effective means of delivering water, sanitation and hygiene services.

  Visceral Leishmaniasis Disease
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance she has 202W
  offered for the treatment of patients suffering from the outbreak of visceral leishmaniasis disease in Southern Sudan. [80940]

  Clare Short
  So far in 2002 we have provided a total of £743,048 to Medecins sans Frontieres for three urgent health care projects in southern Sudan, which include the treatment of people suffering from the outbreak of visceral leishmaniasis (also known as kala-azar).

CABINET OFFICE

  Car and Despatch Agency
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office under what circumstances Ministers are allowed to use official cars provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency when not on official business. [81118]

  Mr. Alexander
  Guidance to Ministers on the use of official cars is set out in "Travel by Ministers" copies of which can be found in the House Libraries and on the Cabinet Office website.

  Norman Baker
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what has been the average cubic capacity of cars within the Government Car and Despatch Agency fleet in each year since 1997; [81140]

  (2) if he will list the consultants employed by the Government Car and Despatch Agency in2001 –02; and what the total cost of employing consultants was in this period. [81119]

  Mr. Alexander
  The responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive Mr. Nick Matheson to write to the hon. Member. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Civil Defence, Wales
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he last met a representative of the National Assembly of Wales to discuss civil defence in Wales in cases of emergency. [81554]

  Mr. Alexander
  It is established practice under Exemption 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose information relating to the proceedings of the Cabinet and its committees.

  However, Ministers do regularly meet in Cabinet Committees to discuss issues relating to emergency planning, consequence management and resilience in the UK. The National Assembly for Wales is invited to participate in these committees wherever appropriate.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many ministerial special advisers have been(a) appointed and (b) dismissed since the introduction of the EU Fixed Term Workers Directive; of those dismissed, how many had been employed as special

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  advisers for over four years; and if he will estimate the additional cost if advisers had been employed on a permanent basis. [80899]

  Mr. Alexander
  Since the introduction of the Fixed Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002 on 1 October 2002, Ministers have appointed seven special advisers. None have been dismissed. However two special advisers have had their contracts terminated, neither of whom had been in post for over four years. It is the Government's view that special advisers cannot be employed on a permanent basis for the reasons set out in my answer to the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond) on 15 October 2002,Official Report, column 732W.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  11-plus Selection Procedure
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what alternative proposals he intends to put forward to replace the 11-plus selection procedure. [81266]

  Jane Kennedy
  No decisions have been taken about new transfer arrangements. In the responses to consultation a range of suggestions were made for future post-primary arrangements, including options involving academic selection, and my officials will be discussing these with our education partners and representatives of parents over the coming weeks. My aim is to develop a modern and fair education system which addresses the weaknesses of our current arrangements and enables all children to fulfil their potential.

HEALTH

  GPs
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that relevant NHS staff, with particular reference to general practitioners, are trained in the prescription, administration, review and recording of medicines for older people. [80114]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Government do not specify the content of the general practice training curriculum. The General Medical Council's education committee has the general function of promoting high standards of medical education and co-ordinating all stages of medical education to ensure that students and newly qualified doctors are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for professional practice. The content and standards of postgraduate medical training in general practice is the responsibility of the joint committee on postgraduate training for general practice. Their role is that of custodians of quality standards in postgraduate medical education and practice. They are independent of the Department. Both these bodies have a clear interest in ensuring that doctors are equipped to deal with the range of circumstances they will encounter in practice.

  Junior Doctors
  Mr. Lyons
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many junior doctors have enrolled in the NHS since 1997. [80388]

  Mr. Hutton
  Pre-registration house officers are doctors who, having graduated from medical school, must successfully complete a year of work in the national health service in order to achieve full registration with the General Medical Council. The table shows the number of pre-registration house officers in England in the hospital sector, including those in both medical and dental specialty areas between 1997 and 2001. We do not collect data on the number of junior doctors enrolling in the NHS each year; the census is a snapshot of data as of 30 September in the appropriate year.

  Number of pre-registration house officers in England, 1997 to 2001—DH Medical and Dental Census

  Year

  Headcount

  1997

  3,398

  1998

  3,496

  1999

  3,606

  2000

  3,691

  2001

  3,742

  Locum Doctors
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many locum doctors from employment agencies have been found while working on temporary contracts in NHS hospitals to have already been removed or suspended from the GMC/GDC register in each of the last five years. [80401]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  NHS Contracts
  Sandra Osborne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the criteria for awarding contracts for the provision of NHS care from companies outwith the UK. [80900]

  Mr. Hutton
  In the case of overseas clinical teams working in the national health service, contracts are awarded on the basis of a number of criteria. The most important of these are clinical quality and competence, the capacity to deliver without compromising the provision of care in the provider's home nation, logistics and ease of access and value for money.

  Sandra Osborne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health care companies from outwith the UK have contracts with the UK Government to provide care within the national health service; and if he will list the companies and countries involved. [80902]

  Mr. Hutton
  No contracts have been signed between the United Kingdom Government and overseas health care providers, as all such contracts are set up between overseas providers and national health service trusts. Three health care companies linked with overseas providers are currently providing acute elective care within the NHS:Netcare UK, Deluca Medical and Hessing Park Clinic. Netcare UK is a subsidiary of a
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  South African company. Deluca Medical acts on behalf of a French private hospital group. Hessing Park Clinic is a German hospital group.

  Two trusts have signed contracts for service with individual doctors, rather than overseas health care companies. The first is working with doctors from South Africa, and the second is working with doctors from Ireland and Italy.

  NHS Treatment
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether it is his policy that patients, by phoning NHS Direct, are given the details of(a) an emergency dental service and (b) an NHS dental practitioner with whom they can register; [81672]

  (2) what his policy is on the (a) distance and (b) journey time that patients should travel as a maximum to reach (i) a general dental practitioner, (ii) a general medical practitioner, (iii) an emergency dentist and (iv) an accident and emergency unit. [81895]

  Mr. Lammy
  [holding answer 19 November 2002]Patients wishing to access national health service dentistry are advised to contact NHS Direct where they will be informed of sources of treatment within locally agreed standards. During 2001 each health authority set its own standards for how far patients should have to travel for treatment depending on whether the requirement was for emergency or urgent treatment or routine access and whether the patient was based in a rural or urban area. These standards took into account local travel patterns. Primary care trusts have now assumed responsibilities for these standards.

  NHS Direct may also be able to inform patients of dental practitioners with whom they can register.

  There is no maximum travel time or distance set for registering with a general practitioner, but patients are required to reside within the practice area of the GP with whom they wish to register. Most people prefer to register with a GP near to where they live and travel times and distances are generally short except in some remote or rural areas.

  It is for health authorities and primary care trusts to plan the provision of local health services including the provision and location of emergency services. There is no maximum travel time or distance set for access to an accident and emergency unit.

  NHS Trusts (Deficits)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts are running financial deficits; and what the likely aggregate amount is of the deficits this financial year. [81023]

  Mr. Hutton
  The audited information in respect of the financial performance of national health service trusts for 2002–03 will be published in their individual annual accounts. The audited information will be available centrally in autumn 2003.

  Overseas Nurses
  Huw Irranca-Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent changes the Government have made 206W
  to improve the system of registration for qualified overseas nurses who want to work in the NHS in England and Wales. [81010]

  Mr. Hutton
  Registration is the responsibility of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which was established on 1 April 2002.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Roy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the regulations whereby two or more prescription charges are payable when two or more medicines are prescribed in circumstances where medicines are in one pack and cannot be taken separately. [80130]

  Mr. Lammy
  Prescription charging arrangements are a devolved matter. In England a charge is payable for each quantity of a drug or item supplied. This rule applies regardless of whether the different drugs are supplied in one pack or more. We have no plans to change these arrangements.

  Smokies
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to curtail the illegal production of smokies from sheep. [80868]

  Ms Blears
  Enforcement of this issue lies with local authority environmental health and trading standards officers. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is actively engaged in assisting local authority food law enforcement officers to combat the illegal production of smokies from sheep and goats. This assistance includes the issue of guidance to local authorities in June 2002 to clarify the legislation and the illegality of the product. A number of prosecutions have recently been initiated against producers, distributors and retailers of smokies. The FSA has also arranged a meeting with some of the local authorities involved with this issue and other stakeholders on 20 November 2002, to discuss the issue of smokies and the agency's co-ordinating role.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Violence
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will allow persons who(a) have a reasonable fear of domestic or other violence or (b) are deemed a security risk to be removed from the published version of the Electoral Register without losing their right to vote. [80785]

  Yvette Cooper
  I understand that the question of "anonymous registration" is being considered by the Electoral Commission in its current review of registration issues, and a consultation document is in preparation. The Government will consider any recommendations the Electoral Commission makes very carefully. Under regulations made in July electors can ask for their names to be removed from the edited version of the register that is for sale, but an Electoral Registration Officer currently has no discretion to omit the names of those who are entitled to be registered from the full version. While the Government are concerned to
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  ensure that vulnerable people are not put at risk, the electoral register is a public document and anonymous registration may make it difficult for members of the public and political parties to check whether eligible names have been included and ineligible names have not.

  Correspondence
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the reason was for the delay in answering the letter of 9 January sent by the hon. Member for Ilford, North on behalf of Mr. Paul Michael Challis. [80508]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The delay was, as I stated in my letter to my hon. Friend dated 20 October, due to an administrative oversight. Once again, I apologise for the delay. I have asked that procedures for processing ministerial correspondence are reviewed in the light of this error.

  Divorce (Religious Marriages) Act
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when she expects the Divorce (Religious Marriages) Act 2002 to come into force. [80714]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Subject to the approval of the Family Procedure Rule Committee of the rules of court required to give effect to the Act, and Parliament, the Government intend to bring the Act into force in January or February 2003.

  IT Security
  Brian White
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps she has taken to review the security of the Department's IT system; and how many digital attacks there were on the Department's system in(a) October and (b) 2002. [80767]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Department is well advanced in its plans to implement an information security management system based on the BS7799 standard. This work has involved a major review and update of our IT security policy. We have undertaken risk reviews on all of our key information systems over the past 18 months, using the Cabinet Office approved CRAMM risk review methodology. A health check was undertaken on our data network in 2001 and a further health check will be undertaken in early 2003.

  The number of cases of digital attacks detected was:

  (a) 1 in October and

  (b) 6 in 2002

  These attacks were all virus attacks. They caused no damage to our key IT systems and were all detected by our virus protection defences. There were no hacking attacks.

  Magistrates Court, York
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for how many days York magistrates court was closed during and following the flood in York in November 2000; what arrangements were made to transfer cases to other premises during the closure; what were the direct costs of transferring these cases and the indirect costs to the public purse of the loss of use of the York court; and what assessment she has made of the wider economic cost to those using York magistrates court and the lawyers representing them of the closure. [80995]

  Yvette Cooper
  The floods in York began to affect York magistrates court during the weekend of 4–5 November 2000. The courthouse did not close, and the courtrooms continued to operate. The cells were unusable from 4 November 2000 until 24 March 2001—a period of 140 days (20 weeks). Those cases involving defendants in custody were transferred to Selby magistrates court; all other cases continued to be dealt with at York.

  Any additional revenue costs such as travelling expenses, heating/lighting at Selby were met from within the MCC's existing revenue budget.

  No assessment has been made of the overall economic costs of transferring those cases to Selby.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what damage was done to York magistrates court by the flood in November 2000; how much it cost to repair the damage; and whether the cost of the repairs was covered by insurance. [80996]

  Yvette Cooper
  The flood water entered the basement, the ground floor offices and the cell areas of the law courts, all of which were damaged and required repair. £35,000 was spent on replacing damaged furniture. The remaining costs—to repair the plasterwork and replace carpeting (a total of £55,000) were covered by the court's insurance policy.

  Transsexuals
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what legislative changes she proposes following the case of Goodwin v. UK and within what timescale; and if these changes will encompass issues relating to pension entitlement of transsexual people; [81114]

  (2) what progress the Interdepartmental Group on Transsexual People has made in considering the judgment in the case of Goodwin v. UK; what conclusions it has reached pursuant to this case; and if she will make a statement. [81115]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Government's plan for implementing the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Goodwin v. The United Kingdom will be announced by the end of the year, following collective ministerial consideration of the recommendations of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Transsexual People. Pension entitlement is among the matters under consideration.

  Foot and Mouth Disease: Rights of Way
  Foot and Mouth Disease: Rights of Way
  Sulphuric Acid
  Sulphuric Acid
  Terrorism: Cross-Channel Ferries
  Terrorism: Cross-Channel Ferries
  Luton to Dunstable Busway
  Luton to Dunstable Busway