Written Answers of 19 May 2003

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Africa
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development whether the United Kingdom will raise at the G8 Evian Summit the failure to reach agreement within the WTO to amend the TRIPS agreement to provide affordable access to medicines to Africa's poor; and whether the UK will seek to obtain at Evian a recommitment to this policy by all G8 countries. [113632]

  Hilary Benn
  The Government is concerned by the continued lack of progress on this issue. We are actively working with our WTO partners, including members of the G8, to reach a satisfactory agreement as soon as possible and hopefully in advance of the 5th WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancun, Mexico in September.

  At the G8 Evian Summit leaders will discuss both the current blockage in the WTO TRIPS and Public Health negotiations as well as the broader issue of access to medicines. We hope to secure further positive action on these important issues.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development how many United Kingdom companies involved in extractive industries in Africa have disclosed their payments to host governments as envisaged in the UK implementation plans for the G8 Africa Action plan; and if she will make a statement. [113644]

  Hilary Benn
  The UK is working to persuade relevant stakeholders to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). This would encourage producer and host countries to allow company disclosure of payments and to disclose revenues.

  Ministers, CEOs and high-level representatives will be attending a conference in London on 17 June to agree a statement of principles underpinning EITI and to agree actions on how to take it forward.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development whether the Government has(a) hosted a pre-Evian international meeting to discuss the contribution of extractive industry to transparency and accountability in Africa, (b) developed a framework to promote transparency of payments based on World Bank technical work and (c) persuaded (i) other governments and (ii) oil and mining companies to join this initiative. [113645]
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  Hilary Benn
  DFID's Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) team has hosted two pre-Evian international meetings:A multi-stakeholder workshop was held in February 2003 to develop a framework to promote transparency that would be practical and effective in countries heavily dependent on oil, gas and mining;
  Moving forward from this, a technical workshop was held in May 2003 to allow stakeholders to review the draft reporting guidelines that have been prepared for the piloting of new approaches to data disclosure. Country level meetings are also being planned which complement this.

  Ministers, CEOs and high-level representatives of the stakeholder groups have been invited to a conference in London on 17 June to agree a statement of the principles underpinning EITI and to agree actions to take forward the initiative.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development when a Commonwealth Development Corporation African Fund was established; how much it intends to invest in African businesses; how much this will increase its investment in Africa; and whether the Commonwealth Development Corporation intends to mirror the G8 proposal to devote half its resources to Africa. [113610]

  Hilary Benn
  Under the 1999 Act, the Commonwealth Development Corporation became a public limited company, registered as CDC Group pic, and trading as CDC Capital Partners.

  In August 2002, it was announced that, from 2003, CDC would organise its investment activities through specialised funds. This reorganisation is progressing well and it is intended that fund raising will start later this year. One of these funds will be dedicated to Africa.

  In the meantime, CDC continues to make investments in Africa. In the past six months, CDC has taken ownership of power assets in Tanzania and South Africa; financed the management buy-out of a leading Egyptian consumer business; made a further investment in Uganda's leading private sector bank; and provided expansion capital to a leading agribusiness exporter in Kenya.

  CDC Group plc operates under an investment policy, agreed with DFID, which requires that at least 50 cent, of its new investments are in, or for the benefit of, the countries of sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia and that 70 per cent, of new investments must be in, or for the benefit of, the poorer developing countries (which of course includes most of sub-Saharan Africa). It is not planned to revise these targets in the foreseeable future.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what assistance the Commonwealth Business Council has given to the New Partnership for Africa's Development-NEPAD-Business Group. [113611]

  Hilary Benn
  The Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) helped to establish, and is a member of the NEPAD Business Group (NBG). NBG comprises leading business organisations who have a broad constituency—both inside and outside Africa—and are committed to helping the continent realise its full
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  economic potential. The Group acts as a medium between NEPAD and private companies who support its aims.

  The NEPAD Heads of Government Implementation Committee at the African Union Summit approved the NBG as its business partner, and set up a special committee of the NEPAD Steering Group to work with CBC. CBC has established a Project Support Unit, to which DFID has contributed £117,000 of funding. The Unit is conducting national consultations with African businesses, policy analyses, and the development of action plans which map out the constraints and opportunities for the private sector to influence the NEPAD process.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what assistance her Department is giving to expand digital opportunities in Africa. [113612]

  Hilary Benn
  Through partnerships with others, DFID is supporting four key initiatives that seek to build digital opportunities. First, Imfundo: Partnership for IT in Education 2001–06 (£7 million) works with civil society organisations, the private sector, global agencies and academic institutions to enhance initiatives that support universal equitable basic education. Second, Catalysing Access to ICTs in Africa (CATIA) 2003–06 (£8.8 million). This project promotes reform and affordable access to ICTs across Africa and forms part of our response to the G8 Africa Action Plan. Third, Building Digital Opportunities 2001-2004 (£7 million); this global initiative has strong African components and covers a range of ICT issues from regulatory issues to inclusion for the poor through links with traditional media such as community radio. And fourth, the African Virtual University (AVU) 2002–04 (£2 million). The AVU's goal is to reach all students in Africa who would like to attend university but are unable to do so because of costs and distance.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what new initiatives have been taken by G8 countries to support the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals for education in African Countries which are not yet reforming, with particular reference to(a) Nigeria and (b) Democratic Republic of Congo; and what additional funding has been made available for education in African countries already covered by the World Bank's Fast Track initiative. [113613]

  Hilary Benn
  Between 2002 and 2007 we intend to spend £1.3 billion on basic education, subject to agreeing high quality programmes with our partners. Of this, about £500 million will go to Africa. This figure of £1.3 billion compares favourably with the £700 million committed to Universal Primary Education since 1997.

  There is broad consensus among international agencies that greater harmonisation of resources will increase aid effectiveness. We will work with G8 to ensure that they increase support and resources to meet the education MDGs. Our approach to Nigeria and DRC is to support long-term change while supporting rapid improvements in education delivery. In Nigeria we have committed £12.5 million of technical support to help 16 Nigerian states with their plans for Universal
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  Basic Education alongside $100 million of financial support from the World Bank. In the DRC, DFID has agreed to support an education adviser within the World Bank office in Kinshasa and to provide additional support to the education planning process. We will consider supporting education following the conclusion of the peace agreement.

  Our approach to the Fast Track Initiative (FTI) is to ensure that it focuses on encouraging Governments with large numbers of children out of school to develop credible education plans that will enable them to achieve the aim of universal primary education. We have successfully pressed for the inclusion of those countries with the most children out of school—like India (with 30 million children out of school), Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. A working group of which DFID is a member has been established to take this forward. In countries where we are engaged, we will consider increasing our support in the context of their PRSP and Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. We will continue to be involved in the Fast Track Initiative at all levels but do not envisage diverting existing commitments in order to support specific Fast Track Initiative proposals.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development how much(a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's total expenditure her Department has spent in Africa in each year since 1997–98; and how much it will spend in Africa this year and in each of the next three years. [113627]

  Hilary Benn
  Since 1997–98 DFID has spent in Africa(a) in cash terms (£m) and (b) as a percentage of the Department's total programme expenditure:

  Year

  (a)

  (b)

  1997–98

  297

  15.0

  1998–99

  398

  17.4

  1999–2000

  402

  16.1

  2000–01

  586

  21.6

  2001–02

  499

  17.4

  2002–031

  657

  19.9

  1 2002–03 figures are provisional

  DFID's budget is only set until 2005–06, the last year covered by the 2002 Spending Review. In line with the Government's commitment to spend £1 billion in Africa by 2006, DFID's planned expenditure in Africa for each year as far as 2005–06 is as follows:

  2003–04

  2004–05

  2005–06

  In cash terms (£m)

  686

  854

  1,043

  As a percentage of the Department's total programme expenditure

  19.0

  23.8

  24.0

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what the timetable is for completing Poverty Reduction Framework Agreements with(a) Ethiopia, (b) Ghana, (c) Mozambique, (d) Sierra Leone, (e) Tanzania and (f) Uganda; and if she will make a statement on plans for such agreements with other countries. [113631]

  Hilary Benn
  Ten-year partnerships, now known as country Memoranda of Understanding, were agreed with the Government of Sierra Leone in November 2002
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  and the Government of Ethiopia in January 2003. The first such Memorandum was signed with the Government of Rwanda in April 1999. It is expected that a country Memorandum of Understanding will be agreed with the Government of Tanzania later this year. In Uganda, a memorandum is being considered with the Government but finalisation will await the revision in late 2003 of the national Poverty Eradication Action Plan with which it will be aligned. Country Memoranda are also being actively considered in Ghana and Mozambique but no timetable has been set. The Department will consider entering in to such long-term partnerships with other African governments that demonstrate strong commitment to the goal of poverty eradication, have appropriate policies in place and, are building the capacity to deliver effective programmes.

  Coffee
  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development how the Department is helping producer countries capture more value from agricultural commodities, including coffee. [114328]

  Hilary Benn
  I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West (John Barrett) to PQ113512, on 19 May 2003.

  John Barrett
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what steps the Department is taking to help small coffee producers in developing countries(a) to diversify into alternative livelihoods following the decline in world coffee prices and (b) to gain organic certification for their coffees. [113508]

  Hilary Benn
  UK development assistance is provided on a bilateral basis to a significant number of coffee producing countries including Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. UK bilateral assistance to these six countries in 2001–2 amounted to £200 million. Additional financial resources are also provided through multilateral channels including the European Commission's external aid programme and the Common Fund for Commodities. UK support to poverty reduction strategies, and other national strategic planning processes, provides an important contribution to livelihood diversification in many coffee dependent countries.

  Through our membership of the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) the UK is also supporting the development of an ICO diversification programme. The aim is to undertake specific projects to generate other sources of earnings for growers, such as by the introduction of new crops, without eliminating coffee growing itself.

  It does not necessarily follow that organic certification will deliver improved livelihoods for poor coffee producers. It is important that careful consideration is given to ensuring that any additional premium generated from the production and sale of organic produce justifies any additional costs that may be incurred, including associated certification costs. In 2000, DFID financed a study to examine the opportunities and constraints for resource poor farmers in organic production and trade. DFID is also supporting a coffee certification feasibility analysis in Uganda.
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  John Barrett
  To ask the Minister of State for Internationa] Development what representations he will make to EU Commissioner Nielson on the use of unspent EU aid money to compensate poor countries for the fall in coffee prices through(a) assisting the International Coffee Organisation in monitoring coffee quality, (b) increasing aid to boost coffee farmers' market power and (c) helping them diversify to the production of other crops. [113510]

  Hilary Benn
  The funds in question refer to resources available from the now expired Lome Convention. However, it is important to recognise that these funds, while not disbursed, are currently allocated to other activities. Until such commitments are actually spent, financial resources remain with Member State Treasuries. In the case of the UK, they are spent on poverty reduction activities elsewhere. The European Commission does not maintain a fund of unused finances beyond normal balances needed for cash management purposes.

  However, from an efficiency point of view, the Commission needs to provide more information about old and undisbursed commitments that could and should be recommitted elsewhere to fund other development activities through bilateral or multilateral channels. The mid-term reviews of EC Country Strategies starting in 2004, will give each country an opportunity to reassess their own priorities and requirements, and could allow reallocation of existing commitments. The Secretary of State will make this point at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 19 to 20 May 2003, at which Commissioner Nielson will be present.

  We would be willing to support, within the framework of poverty reduction programmes or other appropriate national planning processes, efforts by the Commission to direct any released funds to activities that facilitate livelihood diversification in poor countries including those dependent on coffee.

  The market power of coffee producers is partly a function of their capacity to negotiate improved terms with other market participants. There are a number of ways in which EU aid could be applied to achieve this. This includes support provided within the framework of poverty reduction programmes.

  The EU is supportive of the ICO Quality Initiative. Progress with implementation of the Quality Initiative is currently being discussed by the Working Group on Commodities (PROBA) at which the UK is represented by DEFRA. At this point in time, the priority must be to encourage the full participation and commitment of all major coffee consuming and producing countries to the Initiative.

  John Barrett
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development if the UK Government will financially support moves taken by producer countries to reduce stocks on the coffee markets in order to raise the market price. [113511]

  Hilary Benn
  The UK Government remain sceptical about proposals to finance the reduction of stocks of surplus coffee. A voluntary cut in total global production that results in a better balance between coffee supply and demand is the only feasible means to achieve an improvement in coffee prices. It is also important to
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  recognise that any arrangement that promotes an increase in market prices in the absence of strict disciplines on production is likely to be short-lived as producers will respond to increased prices through an expansion in output. For these reasons we do not intend to finance or compensate producer countries in respect of any stock reduction programme they undertake.

  The Coffee Retention Scheme agreed by the Association of Coffee Producing Countries was intended to raise coffee prices, by retaining a set proportion of coffee supplies destined for export. The Scheme was formally abandoned in 2002 as producer members were unable to work out a mechanism of control over coffee prices. The International Coffee Organisation also used to operate a quota system whereby coffee supplies in excess of consumer requirements were withheld from the market. However, changes in the pattern of supply and demand, resulting in an increase in prices, also led to the collapse of this quota system. This highlights the problems with stock retention schemes.

  John Barrett
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what steps he is taking to help producer countries capture more value from agricultural commodities, including coffee. [113512]

  Hilary Benn
  We are working to ensure that a greater proportion of "value-added", including through processing, is retained in the developing country of origin. This is reflected in the pressure we are applying to secure a reduction in tariff escalation in developed countries, especially within the European Union. We also provide support to initiatives that contribute to improvements in essential infrastructure (e.g. energy and transport) and we are working to ensure that appropriate legal regulatory frameworks exist to promote investment.

  The UK is also a member of the Common Fund For Commodities (CFC). The CFC finances development projects covering a range of agricultural commodities produced in developing countries, including initiatives to promote vertical diversification in developing producer countries.

  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development whether the Government plan to support financially moves taken by producer countries to reduce their stocks of low-quality coffee in order to raise the world market price. [114329]

  Hilary Benn
  I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West (John Barrett) to PQ 113511, on 19 May 2003.

  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what assistance the Department is giving to coffee farmers and workers in developing countries; and whether it plans to increase existing levels of support in view of the international coffee crisis. [114330]

  Hilary Benn
  The UK has development programmes in several coffee producing countries with bilateral assistance to Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda amounting in 2001–02 to £200 million.

  The UK supports countries in the development and implementation of their poverty reduction strategies, including nationally owned agricultural diversification
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  plans to help deal with commodity dependence. The UK also supports research in several coffee producing countries aimed at improving the competitiveness of smallholder production.

  We remain concerned about the plight of those whose livelihoods have been, and continue to be, affected by the depressed producer prices that have prevailed in the coffee market over the last few years. Commodity dependence is a complex problem and there is no simple solution.

  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how the Department is helping coffee producers in developing countries to gain organic certification for their coffee. [114331]

  Hilary Benn
  In 2000, DFID financed a study to examine the opportunities and constraints for resource poor farmers in organic production and trade. DFID is also supporting a coffee certification feasibility analysis in Uganda. It does not necessarily follow that organic certification will deliver improved livelihoods for poor coffee producers. It is important that careful consideration is given to ensuring that any additional premium generated from the production and sale of organic produce justifies any additional costs that may be incurred, including associated certification costs.

  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the EU Development Commissioner regarding the use of unspent EU aid money to compensate African, Caribbean and Pacific countries suffering as a result of the world coffee crisis. [114333]

  Hilary Benn
  I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West (John Barrett) to PQ 113510, on 19 May 2003.

  John Barrett
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the role of(a) financial support for agricultural extension services and (b) the formation of cooperatives, to assist in increasing coffee farmers' market power in developing countries. [113509]

  Hilary Benn
  UK development assistance is provided to a significant number of coffee producing countries. More generally, the UK has supported the strengthening of agricultural research and extension systems over many years both nationally and internationally, including in coffee producing countries. At the developing country level, support to agricultural extension is being integrated into sector-wide reform programmes that receive support from multiple donors, for example in Ghana, Uganda and Mozambique. The UK is also a supporter of the Neuchatel Initiative, a multi-donor group established to achieve convergence on the objectives, methods and means of support for agricultural extension policies. The Neuchatel Group has produced studies on alternative financing mechanisms for agricultural extension involving public and private actors.

  Improved market knowledge and access to information can help to strengthen the negotiating power of farmers. There are a number of routes through

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  which this can be achieved other than through support to formal government agricultural extension service structures.

  The decision to establish a co-operative, or indeed any other organised grouping of people, must be entirely voluntary and based on a shared commitment to particular ideals or objectives. Activities must be bound by agreed rules including those relating to the behaviour and conduct of members and accountability. The lessons from past experience, particularly of the state-led drive to establish co-operatives in Africa in the '70s, highlight the difficulties that can arise when decisions to form a co-operative are imposed by external agents. Having said that, UK development assistance lends support to a range of institutional arrangements as deemed appropriate.

  Dalit People
  Jeremy Corbyn
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what aid to Dalit people and their organisations(a) has been provided in India in each of the past five years and (b) is expected to be provided in 2003–04. [113521]

  Hilary Benn
  The Department for International Development has increasingly focused its aid to support the Government of India in sustainably addressing poverty reduction and targeting the poorest. The Dalit people, who number about 170 million, are particularly disadvantaged. Much of the sectoral work in service provision, such as the DFID-supported Child Environment Programme in water and sanitation of UNICEF or the Urban Services for the Poor programmes in Kolkata and Andhra Pradesh, deliver aid to Dalit people. The District Primary Education Programme, which DFID has supported since 1998, and the Lok Jumbish primary education programme, which DFID has been funding for about four years, both have explicit budget lines on educational needs of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, particularly girls. Through such government programmes, DFID seeks to increase the potential for the far greater resources of the Government of India to address the needs of the poorest, including the Dalits.

  In addition, DFID has a relatively small allocation to civil society organisations, which are required under Indian law to be registered under the Foreign Contributions Registration Act in order to receive foreign contributions. DFID, through its Civil Society Department, has supported a number of UK-based NGOs that work with empowering Dalits. More directly the Poorest Areas Civil Society programme works in most of the 100 poorest districts identified by a Government of India survey that included social criteria. These districts include high levels of Dalits and include many of the districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The PACS programme has made grants to a number of organisations that address issues of discrimination against Dalits and more information on these grants can be obtained from the PACS website www.empowerpoor.org (e.g. grants 7 to "Chetna Vikas" and 8 to "Gramin Evam Nagar Vikas Parishad" among others). This is a new programme and the first grants were made in the UK financial year 2001–02, but are mostly effective in 2002–03 and subsequent years.
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  DFID has also committed 65,000 to the Village Service Trust for four years from 2001–05 for increasing political participation of socially marginalized groups in Theni District, particularly women and Dalits. The Department's support for ActionAid's "Fighting Poverty Together" corporate plan covers work with particularly discriminated groups, including Dalits. Through the Small Grants Scheme, operated by the British High Commission, a grant of £11,000 was made in 1999–2000 to "The Society of Depressed People for Social Justice" in Delhi, creating awareness on legal rights for Dalit women in various slum colonies in Delhi.

  DFID has recently approved the District Health Management and Sector Reform Programme (for the State of Madhya Pradesh) which will invest £18.4 million over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 and will seek to target health service provision "more effectively and equitably to address the needs of disadvantaged groups, particularly Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, other vulnerable communities and women".

  Jeremy Corbyn
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what consideration is given to the position of Dalit people in India when bilateral and multilateral aid programmes are considered by the Department for International Development. [113522]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID's programme in India is primarily a bilateral partnership with the Government of India, which itself has a number of Centrally Sponsored Schemes that focus on disadvantaged groups. Recent estimates suggest that the administrative category of "Scheduled Caste", essentially Dalits, has about 9 per cent, higher levels of income poverty than the all-India average of 26.5 per cent, in 1999–2000 and that other indicators also show poorer outcomes than average for Dalits. DFID's overall aim of reducing poverty through supporting appropriate government actions therefore addresses these inequalities of outcomes. DFID is seeking to analyse the non-income barriers to poverty reduction and ways of addressing these. Issues of discrimination against Dalits, Adivasis and Minorities are at the heart of social exclusion and poverty.

  One way DFID seeks to address the position of Dalit peoples when considering bilateral aid is to build in an explicit focus on indicators such as educational or health outcomes for Dalit girls in annual and mid-term reviews of programmes, (even where these involve DFID funding for Government of India programmes, such as the Sarva Shikshya Abhyan primary education programme). To do this, DFID seeks to encourage the collection of disaggregated data that will permit such analysis. This has already been done through the earlier District Primary Education Programme, for example.

  Developing the demand side for reform of services to be more accountable to, and responsive to the needs of, particular groups of the poor and, in particular, Dalits, requires support for their organisations and representatives to be directly involved in policy formulation and programme implementation and monitoring. DFID is looking at ways of supporting such constructive engagement with government.

  Foreign Aid
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what progress has been made with(a) developing and (b) applying performance indicators to measure the effectiveness of (i) donor inputs to poverty reduction strategy papers and (ii) the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. [113618]

  Hilary Benn
  The information is as follows:

  (i) The Rome Declaration on Harmonisation in February this year committed donors to track, and as necessary refine, lead indicators of progress on harmonisation. At the country level, a growing number of donors are in the early stages of developing indicators and processes to monitor the impact of their engagement on poverty reduction in partner countries. Where possible these are built upon the partner countries' own systems to monitor progress against the Poverty Reduction Strategy Plan targets. DFID is developing such indicators as part of their new Country Assistance Plans.

  The Strategic Partnership with Africa (SPA) recently adopted a programme of action to monitor progress made by donors in aligning their support with national poverty reduction strategies (PRSs), and to track the quality and volume of aid flows to Africa. Two working groups have been created to address alignment issues relating to sector programmes and budget support. The working groups are developing a framework for monitoring progress in donor behaviour. The monitoring framework will be implemented in cooperation with the OECD/DAC and the UNECA.

  (ii) The UN Secretary-General has overall responsibility for monitoring and reporting global progress against the Millennium Development Goals. DFID was influential this year in finalising a working set of 48 indicators against which progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals will be measured. These indicators (available in Annex 4 of DFID's 2003 Departmental Report) provide a baseline for the UN Secretary-General's report on progress towards the Goals.

  DFID has supported the establishment by the UNDP of a comprehensive Millennium Development Goals Support Programme. It will develop strategies to meet each Goal, help each developing country to monitor progress and feed results into the UN Secretary-General's annual report on progress against the Goals, and link up national and global level campaigning in support of them.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what progress each G7 country has made on(a) untying aid and (b) removing nationality restrictions on technical co-operation direct budgetary support since the Kananaskis summit. [113620]

  Hilary Benn
  All G7 countries have untied their aid to least-developed countries in line with the Recommendation of the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD. Only the UK has removed all nationality restrictions on its aid and we are working in the DAC and elsewhere to encourage other donors to do the same in the interests of greater aid effectiveness.
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  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what progress the EU has made since the G8 Kananaskis summit in increasing the percentage of EU aid which is(a) spent in Africa, (b) spent in low income countries and (c) spent on poverty reduction. [113622]

  Hilary Benn
  For 2003 the EC planned to spend approximately 21 per cent, of its budget in Africa. This figure is expected to rise to over 33 per cent, of total European aid payments by 2006.

  Figures giving the percentage of EC aid going to Low Income Countries for 2002 will be available in June.

  Poverty reduction is a key Millennium development goal to which the EC is signed up. However it is not possible to say exactly what the impact of EC aid expenditure will be on poverty.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development how each(a) EU member state and (b) the European Commission will report progress towards the Monterrey commitment that member states should spend an average of 0.39 per cent, of their gross national product on aid by 2006. [113629]

  Hilary Benn
  All Member States report their ODA/GNI ratios annually to the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD. In addition, the European Commission has recently reviewed progress towards the commitment that by 2006, an EU average of gross national income provided as official development assistance will reach 0.39 per cent. A report including this review wil be discussed at the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on 20 May.

  Iraq
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development whether the Department for International Development has formed a medium-term economic plan for Iraq. [113395]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID does not produce medium-term economic plans for any country. These are drafted by national authorities, sometimes with advice from the International Financial Institutions.

  World Bank and International Monetary Fund economic and social needs assessments for Iraq will begin in the coming weeks. Our engagement will reflect the needs highlighted in these assessments.

  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development(1)if he will make a statement on the delivery of EU aid to Iraq; [113540]

  (2) what the cash value of the EU aid delivered to Iraq since the start of the conflict in the Gulf is. [113478]

  Hilary Benn
  To date EU member states and the European Commission have pledged a total of €730 million (€276 million of which is already committed) for humanitarian aid operations in Iraq. The European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO) has a team in Baghdad and expects to open an office by the end of May.
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  DFID has committed £115 million to support work by humanitarian agencies in the current crisis and has set aside a further £95 million to support emerging humanitarian needs.

  Polio
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what additional financial contributions have been made by G8 countries to the Polio Eradication Initiative since the G8 Kananaskis summit; and whether the initiative faces a funding gap. [113615]

  Hilary Benn
  The Polio Eradication Initiative has a financial resource gap of US$275 million (as of year end). The UK has committed $25 million to closing this funding gap. Canada has pledged US$32 million. Other G8 members including the European Commission have shown interest in providing additional funds, though exact figures have yet to be determined.

  We have on a number of occasions pressed G8 countries to fulfil the commitments made in Kananaskis, to raise sufficient resources to eradicate polio in Africa by 2005 and will continue to do so.

  We believe eradication is achievable, but will require resources and commitment from a broad partnership base. Discussions have been held with a variety of other stakeholders as well as the G8.

  Sierra Leone
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made with(a) governance reform and (b) transparent economic management, including the transparent management of diamonds, in Sierra Leone. [113639]

  Hilary Benn
  The Government of Sierra Leone is taking forward a wide-ranging programme of governance reform. In particular it has established an Anti-Corruption Commission, addressed essential reforms in the security sector, and begun the important process of decentralisation. Progress is being made, but is affected by limitations on local capacity.

  Support for governance reform is central to our assistance to Sierra Leone. We provide extensive support for reform in the security sector, including the armed forces, police and intelligence services. We are also supporting the Governance Reform Secretariat (GRS), which reports to the Office of the President and leads co-ordination of both central and local government reform. Through the GRS we have supported diagnostic studies of four key ministries to provide guidance on measures to improve their effectiveness. A second phase of this programme is being designed. We have assisted the re-establishment of the chieftaincy system. We are also assisting with the preparations for local elections and plans for decentralisation of government. We provide substantial support for the work of the Anti-Corruption Commission, strengthening of the judiciary and law reform, and media development. We are designing major projects to promote access to justice and to strengthen the role of civil society.
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  The Government of Sierra Leone has made significant progress in economic management, which has been acknowledged by the international financial institutions. We are working to help improve public financial management. We are represented on a donor/government public financial management working group which has been established to oversee improvements in a number of key areas including internal and external audit, financial management information systems, and procurement procedures. We plan to provide assistance to the Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament to help ensure transparent economic management of government and donor funds. We have also supported Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys.

  A UK adviser to the President has prepared a draft strategy for the diamond sector. We plan to work with the Government of Sierra Leone and other donors to gain broad commitment to implementation of the strategy.

  Sudan
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the contribution made by her Department(a) bilaterally and (b) multilaterally with the UN, World Bank and EU on (i) post-war reconstruction in the Sudan,(ii)dealing with Sudan's debt and (iii) developing a poverty reduction strategy paper for Sudan. [113626]

  Hilary Benn
  (i) With others in the international community, we are now planning for the hard work of recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction in Sudan when there is peace. In preparing for peace, we are coordinating closely with other donor countries, the UN, World Bank, IMF and INGOs. When there is a peace agreement, we intend to double our assistance to Sudan to a level of about £20 million. Key priorities for our bilateral programme will be:to respond to expanding humanitarian needs;
  to support for "quick start" projects that will demonstrate early benefits of the peace to the Sudanese—largely be through improved services at the community level;
  to broaden the consensus for peace through work with civil society; and
  to support ceasefire monitoring operations and demobilisation of the armed forces.

  (ii) The UK has agreed to chair a Support Group of donors to Sudan, to be launched when there is peace, in order to assist the new Government of Sudan through the difficult process of arrears clearance and debt relief. As a first step, the UK will host a workshop for donors this month, to raise awareness of the debt problem.

  (iii) The current Government of Sudan is working on a first draft of an interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. However, such a strategy will not be credible in the absence of a peace agreement. In addition, the strategy should be produced jointly with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and prepared in consultation with the wider Sudanese political spectrum and Sudanese civil society. We are encouraging the Government of Sudan to broaden its work on the strategy in this way.

  Water Supplies (Palestine)
  Richard Burden
  To ask the Minister of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the destruction by Israeli military forces of Well No C67 in Beit Hanoun, Gaza, on 26 April, and the impact of the destruction of the well on the availability and quality of water supplies to the local Palestinian population; and what representations he is making to the Israeli Government on the matter. [113595]

  Hilary Benn
  I do not have details of the particular water source in question. It is nevertheless clear that destruction of infrastructure as a result of Israeli Military activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is adversely affecting public services, including water and wastewater. In addition, closures and curfews imposed by the Government of Israel mean that Palestinian maintenance crews are unable to conduct necessary routine maintenance, and water tankers are unable to service Palestinian communities without networks. This has left many Palestinians without access to reliable water supplies for extended periods of time and is leading to concerns about public health in affected areas.

  We are working closely with the Palestinian Water Authority to support their activities to supply water to all sections of the population. We continue, both bilaterally and through the EU, to make representations at the highest level to the Government of Israel about damage to Palestinian infrastructure caused by Israeli military activity. We are also working closely with colleagues in the region, and across Whitehall, to encourage the Israeli Government to ease closures and curfews.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Air Quality
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many days of(a) moderate, (b) high and (c) very high air pollution were recorded at Lullington Heath, East Sussex, in each year since 1997. [114264]

  Alun Michael
  Monitoring of ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide is undertaken at the Lullington Heath monitoring station. The surrounding area is open rural landscape and the nearest road is approximately 1 km distant from the site. The number of days of(a) moderate, (b) high and (c) very high air pollution recorded in each year since 1997 are given in the table below. The only incidents of moderate or higher air pollution were recorded for ozone at Lullington Heath. There were no incidents of very high pollution.

  Number of days

  Moderate

  High

  Very high

  2002

  41

  0

  0

  2001

  53

  2

  0

  2000

  43

  0

  0

  1999

  83

  5

  0

  1998

  47

  1

  0

  1997

  77

  3

  0

  Animal By-products
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps she has taken to monitor the practical consequences of the implementation of the EU Animal By-Products Regulation for(a) the disposal of blood from abattoirs, (b) the disposal of fallen stock, (c) the disposal of catering waste to land and (d) the disposal of food waste from small retailers; and if she will make a statement; [110894]

  (2) if she will establish a joint working party including representatives from Government and industry to monitor the implementation of the EU Animal By-Products Regulation. [110895]

  Margaret Beckett
  DEFRA has worked closely with industry representatives and enforcement bodies during the negotiations on the EU Animal By-Products Regulation to identify practical difficulties, and where possible to secure transitional measures to give industry time to make the changes necessary to comply with the new requirements.

  The Department is in close touch with the enforcement authorities and has requested that they take a proportionate approach to enforcement. We want to encourage all affected sectors to make every effort to comply with the requirements of the Regulation, however, it is recognised that it may take a little time for new disposal facilities to come on stream.

  We will continue to meet with the affected sectors to discuss the progress being made and problems that arise.

  There are no plans to establish a formal working party, however regular meetings with stakeholders will continue during the first year of implementation, just as they did during the negotiating phase. A meeting is planned shortly to enable Ministers to discuss these issues with retailers.

  Anti-fraud Regulations
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the nature of the support intended by Commission Regulation (E2) 44/2003, 10th January, OJ L7 Vol 46, 11 th January, with particular reference to combating fraud. [112495]

  Alun Michael
  This regulation relates to the export refund system—a CAP market support measure intended to allow EU traders to sell competitively outside the Community. Under the export refund system, eligibility to refund is, in many cases, established when the exporter provides proof that the goods have been imported into a particular destination. In the UK, the export refund system is administered by the Rural Payments Agency which is an Executive Agency of DEFRA.

  Investigations by the Commission's anti-fraud arm, OLAF, indicated widespread irregularities in the import of beef, veal and pigmeat products into the territory of the Russian Federation. These irregularities were thought to be attributable to the unreliability of documentation produced by the Russian customs authorities.
  523W
  Consequently, OLAF brokered an agreement with the Russian authorities. This was partly intended as an anti-fraud measure and partly in recognition of the problems EU traders were experiencing in obtaining proof of import.

  This agreement was enacted by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2584/2000. It established a mechanism for communicating information on the movement of goods between the EU and the Russian Federation. The mechanism made it possible for EU authorities to trace exports by road of the products concerned to the Russian Federation and, where appropriate, detect cases in which the requirements for the payment of export refund were not met.

  The regulation was amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 44/2003. This extends the agreement, from 1 June 2003, to cover all types of transport. More importantly, it introduces a provision whereby a confirmation from the Russian authorities that the goods have arrived may be regarded as the primary proof of import for the payment.of export refund. Prior to the amendment, such a response could be considered only in conjunction with other supporting evidence. This new provision should ease the administrative burden on EU exporters and authorities while at the same time ensuring effective control of the export refund system.

  The UK trade has been kept fully informed of developments in this regard via the Rural Payments Agency's Notices to Traders 1/01 and 36/03 (pertaining to Regulations 2584/2000 and 44/2003 respectively).

  Birds
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on species of carrion-eating birds of the implementation of the EU Animal By-Products Regulation; and if she will make a statement. [109851]

  Margaret Beckett
  The Regulation permits member states to authorise the feeding of Animal By-Products which do not contain SRM to captive birds of prey. The UK intends to exercise this derogation.

  A derogation to permit the feeding of fallen stock to necrophagous birds is available to Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal and France as part of approved conservation measures for vultures. This derogation is not available in the UK.

  Countryside Agency
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money she has provided to the Countryside Agency in each of the years of its existence for which figures are available. [111644]

  Alun Michael
  The following amounts of grant in aid have been allocated to the Countryside Agency since its creation in 1999.524W

  £million

  1999–2000

  48.7

  2000–01

  55.8

  2001–02

  71.5

  2002–03

  94

  2003–04

  98

  Electronic Mapping (Leicestershire)
  Mr. Reed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in introducing electronic mapping in Leicestershire; and if she will make a statement. [114274]

  Alun Michael
  For the reporting period ending 9 May 2003, 89 per cent, of IACS applicants in Leicestershire have had their fields digitised. Of the total 1,446 holdings, 1,090 have received their initial maps. The project is due for completion early in 2004.

  Environment Agency
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list(a) the members of the Board of Directors of the Environment Agency and their declared party political affiliations and (b) appointments made to the Board of Directors of the Environment Agency since 1 May 1997 and their declared party political affiliations. [111105]

  Mr. Meacher
  The current Board members are:

  Sir John Harman (Chairman)

  Barbara Young (Chief Executive)

  Councillor Colin Beandwood

  Mr. Ted Cantle

  Mr. Andrew Dare CBE

  Mr. John Edmonds

  Professor Richard Macrory CBE

  Mr. Gerald Manning OBE

  Professor Peter Matthews

  Professor Jacqueline McGlade

  Ms Sara Parkin OBE

  Professor Donald Ritchie

  Dr. Lyndon Stanton

  Mr. Gareth Wardell

  Professor Lynda Warren

  Members of the Environment Agency's Board are required to complete questions in their application form about political activity, and not their political affiliation unless they are politically active. These application forms are held by my Department, and four reflect political activity at the time of appointment. Sir John Harman has declared his affiliation to the Labour Party, but resigned his party political positions after being appointed as Chairman of the Agency's Board. In her application for the post of Chief Executive, which carries with it automatic membership of the Board, Baroness Young listed her position as working Labour peer, but she resigned the Whip upon her appointment. John Edmonds has declared membership of the Labour Party National Policy Forum and Commission, and Councillor Colin Beardwood has declared that he is

  525W
  a member of the Labour Party and serves on Worcestershire County Council and West Midlands Regional Chamber.

  Gareth Wardell, who was the Labour MP for Gower until May 1997, was appointed by the then Secretary of State for Wales.

  No other Board member who has been appointed since 1 May 1997 has declared any party political activity. The only appointments made to the Board since 1 May 1997, excluding the above, were Mr. Alan Dalton and Mr Chris Hampson, the latter on his appointment as Deputy Chair of the Board. They have completed their appointments and are no longer on the Board.

  Consent reference number

  Consent holder and crop

  Nearest village, town or parish

  Grid reference of release site

  99/R21/6

  Novartis Seeds Ltd

  Stone, Worcestershire

  SO 853 748

  (now Syngenta)

  Ramsey, Cambridgeshire

  TL 293 877

  Fodder beet

  Bradenham, Narfolk

  TF 933 084

  Raynham,Norfolk

  TF 887 258

  Banham, Norfolk

  TM 072 889

  00/R33/6

  Aventis CropScience UK Ltd

  Bramham, North Yorks

  SE 446 418

  (now Bayer CropScience UK Ltd)

  Shellingford, Oxon

  SU 306 945

  Oilseed rape

  Thorganby, Lincolnshire

  TF 192 965

  Sand Hutton, North Yorks

  SE 675 583

  Meden Vale, Notts

  SK 604 706

  Felton, Herefordshire

  SO 561 486

  Melbourn, Cambrifgeshire

  TL 389 428

  Piccots End, Hertfordshire

  TL 049 095

  Banham, Norfolk

  TM 088 883

  01/R8/4

  IACR Rothamsted

  Harpenden, Hertfordshire

  TL 124 136

  (now Rothamsted Research) Wheat

  01/R29/3

  John Innes Centre Barley

  Colney, Norfolk

  TG 179 077

  02/R4/12

  Advanced Technologies (Cambridge) Ltd. Potato

  Thornhaugh, Peterborough

  TF 074 009

  02/R36/01

  IACR-Long Ashton

  Harpenden, Hertfordshire

  TL 124 136

  (now Rothamsted Research) Wheat

  01/R33/11

  Aventis CropScience Ltd.

  Little Bolligton, Cheshire

  SJ 714 872

  (now Bayer CropScience Ltd.)

  Great Moulton, Norfolk

  TM 165 902

  Oilseed rape

  Alveston/Loxley, Warks

  SP 231 535

  Farm Scale evaluations

  Piccotts End, Hertfordshire

  TL 048 098

  Bincombe, Dorset

  SY 692 841

  Narfferton, East Riding of Yorks

  TA 015 620

  Burdon, Tyne and Wear

  NZ 205 367

  Oakenshaw, Durham

  NZ 205 367

  Hinton Waldrist,Oxon

  SU 379 993

  Smarden, Kent

  TQ 882 397

  Throganby, Lincolnshire

  TF 213 972

  Burgh on Bain, Lincolnshire

  TF 227 876

  Bagley, Shropshire

  SJ 398 268

  Kilnwick Percy, East Riding of Yorks

  SE 841 497

  Laxton, East Riding of Yorks

  SE 792 276

  Lowthorpe, East Riding of Yorks

  TA 087 602

  Nuclear Waste
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 29 April 2003,Official Report, column 308W, on nuclear waste, what contingency plans are in place to deal with future arisings of low level wastes that cannot be accommodated at Drigg. [112456]

  GM Crop Trials
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the current sites of the GM crop trials; and if she will make a statement. [112930]

  Mr. Meacher
  The table below lists the organisations currently holding consent under part B of Directive 2001/18 to release GM crops for trial purposes in England at the locations shown. Consent 01/R33/11 issued to Aventis CropScience UK Ltd covers the programme of Farm Scale Evaluations of autumn sown oil seed rape. This information is also available on the Defra website. GM crop trials in Scotland are subject to consents issued by the Scottish Executive.

  Mr. Meacher
  The 2001 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory gives the time profile for generation of the 1,490,000m3 of low level waste referred to in my answer of 29 April 2003, Official Report, column 308W. This shows arisings of that waste during the period to 2120 with the majority being produced after 2070. For this reason the currently estimated life of the existing Drigg disposal facility is of the order of 50 years. The capacity of the site and its forecast life will be reviewed by the

  527W
  Environment Agency in light of safety cases provided by the site's operators, British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL). At some future point either extension of Drigg or the identification of another disposal site will be necessary. Further consideration can begin to be given to this once the outcome of the Environment Agency's review of the safety cases is known, around mid-2004. The outcome will provide vital information for consideration of disposal capacity, as well as providing a basis for the Agency's review of the Drigg disposal authorisation.

  Packaging
  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has undertaken of the success of industry-based packaging minimisation programmes; and what action she will take to disseminate examples of good practice in the industry. 113180]

  Mr. Meacher
  I have recently asked my officials to look into minimisation of packaging and as part of this, the Advisory Committee on Packaging is setting up a Task Force to look into this issue, including looking at current examples of minimisation as well as ways of further encouraging this.

  The DTI is commissioning a study to examine the impact of the Essential Requirements regulations on waste minimisation.

  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of packaging regulations in encouraging the minimisation of waste arising from packaging. [113188]

  Mr. Meacher
  As a result of the packaging Regulations, the amount of packaging waste going to landfill has fallen from 6.9 million tonnes in 1998 to 4.8 million tonnes in 2001. This figure is expected to continue falling as we set higher recycling targets in the future.

  Recycling
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the highest recycling rate is that has been achieved in England and Wales in areas which do not receive regular separate collections of recyclable and non-recyclable waste. [111862]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 8 May 2003]: Estimates based on 2000–01 Municipal Waste Management Survey data indicate that the highest household waste recycling rate achieved in a local authority area which does not receive kerbside recycling collections in England was 23 per cent.

  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average recycling rate is for households in England and Wales which(a) are provided with separate collections of recyclable and non-recyclable waste and (b) receive only a single collection of mixed waste. [111863]
  528W
  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 8 May 2003]: Local authorities frequently operate separate household recycling collections in only part of their area. The Municipal Waste Management Survey for 2000–01 shows in England:

  Percentage

  Households served by some form of separable collection of recyclable and non-recyclable waste

  Average recycling rate

  80

  15

  20–80

  11

  below 20

  8

  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the proportion of homes that will require separate collections of recyclable and non-recyclable waste in order that(a) 30 per cent., (b) 33 per cent. and (c) 50 per cent, of households waste in England and Wales is recycled. [111864]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 8 May 2003]: No estimate has been made of the number of households that will need a regular separate collection of recyclable and non-recyclable waste in order to achieve recycling rates of 30 per cent, 33 per cent, and 50 per cent. However, doorstep recyclate collection is not the only mechanism for enabling us to reach our recycling targets. Increasing the number of, and intensity of use of, bring sites and civic amenity centres, for example, can be used to increase the recycling rate. Local authorities will need to consider a range of options if they are to reach their targets

  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of households in England and Wales are provided with separate collections of recyclable and non-recyclable waste. [111865]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 8 May 2003]: The proportion of households served by kerbside recycling collection schemes in England in 2000–01 was estimated at 51 percent.

  Rural Tourism
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on possible action to encourage rural tourism. [113417]

  Alun Michael
  I last met the Minister for Tourism, Film and Broadcasting on 30 April to discuss the paper produced by the Rural Affairs Forum sub-group for Rural Tourism with members of the sub-group. He and I and officials from DEFRA and DCMS are in frequent contact on rural tourism issues.

  Rural Transport
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money the Countryside Agency has provided to the
  529W
  Rural Transport Partnership in the south west region in each of the years of the existence of the scheme for which figures are available. [111645]

  Alun Michael
  The amounts are as follows:

  £

  2002–03

  2,046,203

  2001–02

  944,569

  2000–01

  492,792

  Timber
  Mr. Horam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the Environmental Audit Committee's Sixth Report of Session 2001–02, Buying Time for Timber: Timber Trade and Public Procurement; and if she will make a statement on the time taken to reply. [111593]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 7 May 2003]: The Government's response to the Committee's report is not yet ready but I expect it to be made before Parliament's summer recess. I regret that a response has been delayed for so long, and apologise for that to the Committee and will write briefly to give an explanation.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Age Discrimination
  Mr. Beilingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what safeguards are in place under current legislation to prevent firms from unfairly discriminating against younger women, and in favour of older women less likely to take advantage of maternity and other benefits; and if she will make a statement. [113497]

  Alan Johnson
  Discrimination on the ground of pregnancy or maternity is a form of direct discrimination on the ground of sex. The courts have interpreted the Sex Discrimination Act as meaning that discrimination on the ground that a person is, or might become, pregnant is unlawful. The amended Equal Treatment Directive published on 5 October 2002 says that less favourable treatment on the grounds of pregnancy and maternity within the meaning of the Pregnant Workers Directive constitutes sex discrimination.

  Business Transfer Regulations
  Mr. Beilingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made over the past two years on her Department's review of the Business Transfer Regulations; what delays have been experienced; and if she will make a statement. [113500]

  Alan Johnson
  In September 2001, the Department issued a formal public consultation document, accompanied by a more detailed background document, setting out policy proposals for the reform of the TUPE Regulations. Responses to that consultation were considered during 2002, and follow-up discussions took place informally with key stakeholders and TUPE interest groups. In December 2002, a further round of 530W
  consultation was launched, in the DWP/Treasury Green Paper "Pensions and the Workplace", on the specific issue of the protection of occupational pension rights on transfer. The outcome of that further consultation is currently under consideration. In the meantime, we announced in February 2003 that we intend to proceed with the other, non-occupational pensions aspects of our proposed reforms. We envisage carrying out a final round of consultation, on draft Regulations (excluding occupational pensions aspects) later this year with the intention of bringing these into force in April 2004.

  Employment Tribunals
  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to review the powers of chairmen of employment tribunals to decide which witnesses should be called. [113755]

  Alan Johnson
  There are no plans to review the powers of chairmen to decide which witnesses should be called to appear before an employment tribunal.

  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recourse a party in an employment tribunal action has where the chairman refuses to issue a witness order. [113756]

  Alan Johnson
  Where an employment tribunal has refused to issue a witness order, an appeal may be brought to the Employment Appeal Tribunal on a point of law.

  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to increase the penalties for failure to attend an employment tribunal following being served with a witness order; and if she will make a statement. [113758]

  Alan Johnson
  There are no plans to increase the relevant penalty for failure to attend an employment tribunal after being served with a witness order. The legislation specifies a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale (currently set at £1,000).

  Export Licences
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 12 May 2003,Official Report, column 17W, on export licences, what assessment she has made of the problems with the extraterritorial export controls in the United States of America, other than with enforcement; and if she will make a statement on the reasons underlying her assessment that the extraterritorial export controls in the United States are less effective than those proposed in the United Kingdom. [113896]

  Nigel Griffiths
  I am advised that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of extraterritorial export controls in the US other than with enforcement, nor has she said that the extraterritorial export controls in the US are less effective that those proposed in the UK.

  Electronic Communications Regulations
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received about the Electronic Communications (Universal Service) Regulations. [111730]

  Mr. Timms
  No representations have been received since the Regulations (S.I. 2003/33) were made on 9 January. The Department had however consulted on the subject matter of these Regulations (together with the subject matter of the Electronic Communications (Market Analysis) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/330)) in August 2002 and the Regulations that have been made take account of the responses to that consultation.

  Manufacturing (Greater London)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has held with the London Chamber of Commerce regarding manufacturing employment within the Greater London area. [113354]

  Alan Johnson
  The Department has regular dialogue with the London Chamber, other London business organisations and with the London Development Agency concerning manufacturing issues and employment issues. In delivering the Government's Manufacturing Strategy with Industry and other stakeholders, we are helping employer and employees to actively engage in the skills development necessary for a successful manufacturing sector.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what definitions are used to categorise(a) high, (b) intermediate and (c) low level nuclear waste; and how much waste was produced in each of the last three years. [112898]

  Mr. Meacher
  I have been asked to reply.

  Radioactive waste is categorised according to its radioactivity content and the heat it produces:
  Low Level Wastes (LLW) contain radioactive materials other than those suitable for disposal with ordinary refuse, but not exceeding 4 GBq/te (gigabecquerels) of alpha or 12 GBq/te of beta/gamma activity—that is, wastes which can be normally be accepted for authorised disposal at Drigg or other landfill sites by controlled burial.
  Intermediate Level Wastes (ILW) contain radioactivity levels exceeding the upper boundaries for LLW, but which do not need heat to be taken into account in the design of storage or disposal facilities.
  High Level Wastes (HLW) are wastes in which the temperature may rise significantly as a result of their radioactivity, so this factor has to be taken into account in designing storage or disposal facilities.

  National Inventories of radioactive wastes are only produced every three years on the grounds of cost, hence no precise figures are available for 1999 and 2000. However, from interpolation of figures in the 1998 and 2001 Inventories, estimates for 1999 and 2000 and precise figures for 2001 are given as follows.
  532W

  HLW

  ILW

  LLW

  1999

  approx 50m3

  approx 1,500m3

  approx 11,000m3

  2000

  approx 50m3

  approx 1,500m3

  approx 11,000m3

  2001

  68m3

  3,026m3

  12,447m3

  Note:

  m3 is a cubic metre

  Post Office
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many sub post offices in London have been closed in each of the last six months. [113894]

  Mr. Timms
  Post Office Ltd. collates figures for post office openings and closures on a quarterly basis. I am advised that in the London region there were net closures of 21 post offices in the October-December 2002 quarter and 15 net closures (of which 11 were Urban Reinvention programme closures) in the January-March 2003 quarter.

  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 29 April 2003,Official Report, column 183W, on post offices, when support for over the counter advice provided under the Your Guide pilot by post office staff ceased; and whether those facilities listed as continuing beyond March 2002 in the Your Guide Pilot Evaluation Report continued as set out. [113914]

  Mr. Timms
  The Your Guide pilot ended on 1 March 2002. Over the counter advice and services which were available at post offices prior to the Your Guide pilot, but which were incorporated in the Your Guide service for the duration of the pilot, continue to be available as before.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will establish regional targets for renewable energy development within the 10 per cent, national target. [113975]

  Mr. Wilson
  As stated in the Energy White Paper, we propose to ensure that a strategic approach to energy is developed and implemented in each region. We expect that this strategic approach will include regional targets (such as for renewables and energy efficiency) negotiated between the region and national Government.

  Small Businesses (Regulation)
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with colleagues in the European Union concerning the impact of regulation on small business; and if she will make a statement. [112447]

  Nigel Griffiths
  [holding answer 12 May 2003]: Discussions on the impact of regulation have been held at every level, including the Competitiveness Council in March attended by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the SME EU ministerial conference in February, and on Tuesday 13 May with Commissioner Liikanen.

  The UK has championed this cause in Europe through "Think Small First", and we have taken action to make the UK the least bureaucratic country in

  533W
  Europe to establish a business in. We also urge our European counterparts to follow the UK's lead in lifting regulatory and other burdens by having the most favourable VAT threshold in Europe, 100 per cent, tax write-offs for SMEs who buy computer equipment and connect to the web, 40 per cent, tax allowances for plant and machinery and a zero starting rate for corporation tax.

  We have also supported the setting up of an independent liaison office in Brussels (smallbusiness/ europe) to represent the concerns of UK SMEs to the EU.

  Temporary Workers
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employment agencies have submitted responses to her Department's consultation paper on the EU Commission proposals for a directive on the working conditions of temporary (agency) workers; and if she will make a statement. [113498]

  Alan Johnson
  15 employment agencies submitted responses to the Consultation On The Proposed Directive on Temporary (Agency) Work.

  The Government are not opposed in principle to the proposed directive on temporary agency work, but are keenly aware of the potential impact on UK agencies and agency workers of a Directive that takes no account of conditions in the UK labour market. The Government are pressing very hard for the UK's legitimate concerns to be recognised.

  Working Time Regulations
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether employees who are(a) serving prison sentences, (b) absent on long-term sickness and (c) absent on sabbaticals and unpaid leave will continue to accrue paid holiday entitlement under the Working Time Regulations; and what plans her Department has to change this. [113495]

  Alan Johnson
  All workers, including employees, are entitled under the Working Time Regulations to take leave during a leave year determined in accordance with the Regulations.

  Whether a worker can receive holiday pay during the absences described in (a) and (c) above, is generally a contractual matter for negotiation between workers and employers. There has been litigation on whether a worker can receive holiday pay during times of long-term sickness absence but this has not yet been resolved by the higher courts.

  Once it has been resolved, the Government will consider whether it is appropriate to amend the Regulations in consequence.

CABINET OFFICE

  Agencies (Chief Executive Officers)
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office who the chief executive officer is of the(a) Government Centre for Information Systems, (b) Centre for Management and
  534W
  Policy Studies, (c) Property Advisers to the Civil Estate (PACE) and (d) Charity Commissioners for England and Wales. [112700]

  Mr. Alexander
  The Government Centre for Information Systems no longer exists. It became the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) on 1 April 1996, thus reverting to its original name. The CCTA was incorporated into the Office of Government Commerce when that was set up in April 2000. The CEO of OGC is Peter Gershon.

  The Centre for Management and Policy Studies no longer exists as a separate organisation, having been absorbed into the central Cabinet Office as part of a re-organisation in September 2002. Training and Development programmes are still marketed under the CMPS brand, however, for customer recognition.

  Property Advisers to the Civil Estate (PACE) no longer exists as a separate organisation. PACE was created in April 1996 as an Executive Agency of the Office of Public Service, then part of the Cabinet Office. Responsibility for the Agency transferred to OGC in April 2000. It was abolished at the end of March 2001 and the majority of staff were allocated posts in the realigned OGC. The CEO of OGC is Peter Gershon.

  The Chief Charity Commissioner for England and Wales is Mr. John Stoker.

  National Minimum Wage
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the estimated cost is in 2003–04 to his Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible of the increase in the national minimum wage from £4.20 per hour to £4.50 per hour. [110435]

  Mr. Alexander
  My Department will not be affected by the increase in the national minimum wage. Therefore, the estimated additional costs for 2003–04 will be nil.

  Travel Costs
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost was of travel by train by staff in his Department in 2002. [106339]

  Mr. Alexander
  The amount spent on rail travel by the Cabinet Office in the calendar year 2002, was £382,971.61.

PRIME MINISTER

  House of Lords Appointments Commission
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what considerations led him to re-appoint Lord Stevenson as Chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission; and if he will make a statement; [113592]

  (2) if he consulted the Office of the Commissioner of Public Appointments concerning the re-appointment of Lord Stevenson as chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission; [113850]
  535W
  (3) whether he has asked the House of Lords Appointments Commission to recommend names for new peers; and if he will make a statement. [113848]

  The Prime Minister
  I hope to make a statement on appointments to the House of Lords Appointments Commission and on related matters shortly. Although appointments to the commission do not come within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, as a matter of best practice appointments are made in accordance with her Code of Practice.

  Meetings
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister when he last met the Prime Minister of Poland; and if he will make a statement. [113891]

  The Prime Minister
  I last met the Prime Minister of Poland on 16 April at the signing of the EU Accession Treaty in Athens.

  Unsolicited Mail
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Prime Minister how many items of unsolicited mail were dispatched in his name from 10 Downing street in April; and if he will make a statement. [114548]

  The Prime Minister
  As far as I am aware, none in April.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  BBC Charter
  11. Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement about the provisions in the BBC Charter relating to its commercial activities. [113836]

  Dr. Howells
  The BBC's commercial activities are the subject of a number of separate provisions in the Royal Charter and the BBC Governors are required under the Charter and Agreement to ensure that there is no cross-subsidy between the BBC's publicly-funded and its commercial activities. A copy of the Charter is available in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Licensing Bill
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many meetings she has had with representatives of the music business about the Licensing Bill. [113837]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have had a number of meetings with representatives of musicians and the music industry including the Musicians' Union, the Music Industry Forum and representatives of the folk arts. We will continue to involve them in discussions about the Bill and its statutory guidance.

  Mr. Swire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received from musicians' organisations about the Licensing Bill. [113843]
  536W
  Dr. Howells
  My Department has received a great deal of correspondence from organisations representing musicians and other performers about the Licensing Bill, most of whom have been concerned that it will restrict their activities. The vast majority of their concerns have been unfounded and based on a misinterpretation of the Bill's provisions. Where we believed that the Bill could be improved, however, we have listened to the concerns expressed to us and have made appropriate amendments, for instance, by exempting places of public religious worship from the licensing regime as it relates to the provision of entertainment and entertainment facilities and by accepting the spirit of an amendment which exempts incidental live music in certain circumstances.

  Regional Television
  David Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received from viewers who are unable to receive their appropriate regional TV programmes because of the transmission network; and if she will make a statement. [113838]

  Dr. Howells
  I understand that my Department has received one recent representation on this issue. In some areas of the UK, it is not possible to receive the appropriate regional television service, on analogue terrestrial television or on digital terrestrial television, owing to a shortage of available frequencies. But appropriate regional services are available to consumers on the digital satellite platform.

  Olympic Games
  Richard Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the Government's policy towards a London bid for the Olympic Games. [l13839]

  Tessa Jowell
  I set out in a statement to the House on 15 May the Government's decision to offer its wholehearted backing to a London bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.

  This follows a very thorough and detailed review of the likely costs involved and wider impacts of staging the games in 2012 as well as an examination of the potential benefits.

  The challenge now remains to do all we can to support London in winning the nomination as host city for the 2012 Olympics.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the supplementary charge on London council tax which will be necessary to fund a bid for the Olympic Games. [113841]

  Tessa Jowell
  Within the £2.375 billion public funding package for a London 2012 Olympics, the Mayor of London has agreed to contribute up to £625 million towards staging the games through a council tax precept.
  537W
  The Mayor has indicated that for a Band D household the precept would be set at £20 a year or 38p a week. The precept would not come into effect until 2006–07 by when it will be known whether London has won the nomination for 2012.

  Sport England
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the reorganisation of Sport England. [113840]

  Mr. Caborn
  As a result of the recommendations in the joint DCMS/Strategy Unit Report—Game Plan—and a Quinquennial Review, Sport England is undergoing a radical modernisation and restructuring programme which will turn it into a more strategic and customer focused body. Good progress is being made with the adoption of a new strategy for sport and new business plan by Sport England's Council with proposals for restructuring the organisation are well advanced.

  Film Industry
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what new steps she is taking to encourage the development of the skills base for the film industry. [113842]

  Dr. Howells
  On 24 February 2003, the UK Film Council and Skillset launched "Developing UK Film Talent: A Comprehensive Skills Survey of the UK Film Industry", the most in-depth report ever on skills in the British film industry. Building on this work, a Film Skills Action Group has been convened, comprising representatives from across the industry, to deliver an industry training strategy by September 2003. I very much welcome this.

  Access Radio
  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how the Government will facilitate the funding of its proposals for access radio. [113844]

  Dr. Howells
  We have received the Radio Authority's independent evaluation report on access radio and will be consulting on it. No decisions have yet been taken on how access radio should be funded.

  Youth Activities
  Ms Munn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to fund arts and sports activities for young people in the school summer holidays. [113845]

  Tessa Jowell
  My Department is working with other Government Departments and agencies to deliver a programme of positive activities for children and young people during the summer and other school holidays. The programme builds on the success of last year's Summer Splash and Summer Plus schemes, and aims to reduce youth offending, encourage children and young people to return to education or training and build community cohesions. The type of activities will vary according to local need, but will include arts and sports.

  Mr. Arbeits
  Kate Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what World Class Performance money has been given to the coach Mr. Arbeits. [113457]

  Mr. Caborn
  No funds from the World Class Performance Programme have been given to coach Mr. Arbeits.

  National Lottery
  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been raised in funding for good causes from the National Lottery in each year since 1994. [113766]

  Mr. Caborn
  The information requested is shown, for each financial year, in the following table. This includes income from both the operator and from investments.

  Total (£000)

  2002–03

  1,590,472

  2001–02

  1,842,233

  2000–01

  1,772,839

  1999–2000

  1,766,394

  1998–99

  1,918,906

  1997–98

  1,952,219

  1996–97

  1,587,759

  1995–96

  1,535,966

  1994–95

  298,580

  The figure shown for 2002–03 has not yet been subjected to final audit.

  Kate Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what system there is to ensure that lottery funding is used only by athletes and coaches who support drug-free sport. [113456]

  Mr. Caborn
  This Government are firmly committed to combating doping in sport. The anti-doping programme in the UK is delivered through the national anti-doping organisation, UK Sport, in conjunction with sports governing bodies.

  The existing national anti-doping policy includes conditions of funding on athletes and governing bodies. Athletes sign their commitment to drug-free sport in agreeing to accept funding. The Sports Councils have agreed a consistent approach to suspending funding to an athlete found to have committed a doping offence.

  UK Sport strongly supports the promotion of ethically fair and drug-free sport through their education and drug-testing programmes and their leading role internationally which has seen UK Sport accept the World Anti-Doping Code.

  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been given to good causes under the(a) New Opportunities Fund and (b) Community Fund in each year since its creation, broken down by type of organisation and activity. [113767]

  Mr. Caborn
  By working in partnership with other organisations, the New Opportunities Fund gives grants to health, education and environment projects across
  539W
  the UK. Many of its grant programmes focus particularly on those in society who are most disadvantaged. The amount of money committed each year since its creation is detailed in the following table:

  £

  Programme

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  Health

  92,715,000

  61,972,000

  211,469,000

  246,439,250

  Education

  276,536,000

  196,185,000

  381,151,000

  115,279,576

  Environment

  0

  102,440,000

  5,653

  185,779,638

  CF Awards for corporate priorities

  £

  Year

  Children and young people

  Older people

  Disabled people

  Black and minority ethnic group

  Refugees and asylum seekers

  Areas disadvantaged by social or econimic change

  2002–03

  56,353,316

  33,015,302

  64,376,926

  30,246,272

  13,273,151

  65,441,662

  2001–02

  88,087,812

  48,367,859

  82,773,623

  44,438,276

  17,873,575

  153,869,915

  2000–01

  86,961,556

  39,095,128

  123,693,027

  38,105,864

  15,043,737

  191,543,092

  1999–2000

  62,539,828

  18,350,532

  141,044,269

  19,364,872

  10,348,477

  182,534,569

  1998–99

  59,348,864

  16,419,559

  117,493,289

  18,192,851

  7,405,889

  95,346,789

  1997–98

  118,221,242

  50,203,023

  75,782,565

  24,645,380

  10,238,443

  82,182,434

  1996–97

  120,758,214

  21,257,744

  163,099,667

  26,982,364

  5,618,066

  78,419,066

  1995–96

  51,386,677

  11,108,981

  27,431 ,964

  1

  2,046,808

  76,533,597

  Total

  643,657,509

  237,818,128

  795,698,330

  201,975,879

  81,848,146

  925,871,124

  1Unknown

  Youth Sports
  Claire Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress the Government have made in the promotion and funding of youth sports. [113835]

  Mr. Caborn
  We are making excellent progress. We are investing over £1 billion in physical education and school sport over the next three years. As a result of this investment, 75 per cent, of schoolchildren will be spending a minimum of two hours each week on high quality physical education and school sport within and beyond the curriculum by 2006.

  World Class Performance Funds
  Kate Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much financial support has gone to Frank Dick and Denise Lewis from the World Class Performance funds. [113455]

  Mr. Caborn
  Denise Lewis has received direct support of £8,500 from the World Class Performance programme. £4,500 of this is used to support her training costs and £4,000 is paid to her coach Frank Dick, for coaching support. In addition she is eligible for core programme support from the UK Athletics World Class Programme, giving her access to service provision in the areas of sports science and sports medicine.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Bullying
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners
  540W
  The Community Fund awards grants to groups which help those at greatest disadvantage and which improve the life in the Community. All of the Community Fund's grants go to charities and other eligible voluntary and community organisations and the large majority of grants will go to registered charities in England and Wales or those recognised as charitable for tax purposes by the Inland Revenue in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  The amounts committed under the Community Funds six current corporate priority areas, worked back to 1995–96, are detailed in the following table:

  (1) how many complaints were made by clergy of bullying by more senior clergy in the last reporting year for which figures are available; [114124]

  (2) what support the Church offers to clergy who find themselves to be victims of bullying; [114199]

  (3) what recourse is available to victims of bullying in the church who (a) hold the freehold of benefice and (b) hold the bishop's licence. [114353]

  Mr. Bell
  No records are held centrally about complaints of bullying. The Clergy Discipline Measure, when it comes into effect, will provide a means of gathering some such information. In addition, a grievance procedure is being developed that will include provision for the grievance to be referred to an independent referee, and also an appeal procedure.

  Support is offered in dioceses by advisers in pastoral care and counselling, who are appointed by the Bishops to offer professional help to clergy with particular needs. Clergy who have freehold of office and clergy who hold a bishop's licence will, without distinction, shortly be able to use the grievance procedure or the Clergy Discipline Measure to seek redress against bullying.

  Church Deconsecration
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many churches have been deconsecrated since 1997. [113820]

  Mr. Bell
  Between 1997 and 2002, 138 Church of England churches were declared redundant.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

  Postal Voting
  Mr. Bryant
  To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what plans the Electoral Commission has to expand the use of all-postal ballots. [113824]

  Mr. Viggers
  The Commission is currently evaluating the pilot schemes run at the 1 May local government elections in England, including those schemes that involved all-postal voting. The Commission will submit its report to the Secretary of State on 31 July 2003.

  Claire Ward
  To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment the Commission has made of the case for introducing all-postal vote elections in 2004. [113818]

  Mr. Viggers
  The Commission is evaluating the pilot schemes run at the 1 May local government elections in England, including those schemes that involved all-postal voting. The Commission will submit its report and recommendations to the Secretary of State on 31July2003.

  Turnout
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment has been made of the effect on turnout of(a) voting on days other than Thursday and (b) alternative locations for polling stations. [113825]

  Mr. Viggers
  The Commission is evaluating a number of pilot schemes that took place at the local elections in England on 1 May 2003, including schemes that allowed voters to vote earlier or later than is standard, and schemes that sited polling stations at alternative locations. Its report and recommendations will be submitted to the Secretary of State on 31 July 2003.

TRANSPORT

  Belfast City Airport
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the safety of landing facilities at Belfast City Airport for the next generation of civil aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [113868]

  Mr. Jamieson
  In licensing civil aerodromes in the UK, the Civil Aviation Authority does not specify the type of aircraft that can operate from a particular aerodrome. Instead, it ensures that national and international operating and safety standards are complied with. These standards will be amended as necessary to reflect any relevant new characteristics of the next generation of civil aircraft, such as weight or size. Provided any amended standards were met it would be a matter for operators of next generation aircraft and the aerodrome licensee to be satisfied that the facilities and manning levels matched their requirements.

  Bus Lanes
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it the policy of the Government to have consistent rules governing the use of bus lanes by motorcyclists. [114066]

  Mr. Jamieson
  My Department has published guidelines for the introduction and use of bus lanes, but it is for the local highway authority to decide whether other vehicles should use bus lanes.

  We are monitoring the effects of motorcycling in bus lanes in trials being carried out in conjunction with highway authorities. This will allow the Department to provide more clear cut advice about motorcycling in bus lanes to authorities.

  Civil Aviation
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport(1) what action he is taking following the resolution by the European Parliament of 8 November 2002 on the harmonisation of technical requirements and administrative procedures in respect of civil aviation; [114212]

  (2) what discussions he has held with the Civil Aviation Authority on the harmonisation of European civil aviation rules relating to pilots' flying hours; [114213]

  (3) what the Government's policy is on the amendment of flight time limitations (a) at national and (b) at European level. [114214]

  Mr. Jamieson
  UK flight and duty time limitations are the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority. Their prime objective in setting such limits is to ensure that crew members are adequately rested at the beginning of each flying period and while flying are sufficiently free from fatigue so that they can operate to a satisfactory level of efficiency and safety. Any amendments to UK limitations will take that objective into account.

  The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has reviewed the European Parliament's proposed flight time limitations (FTL) requirements. They advise me that, while the requirements are not totally acceptable, with suitable amendment they could form a baseline European FTL requirement which could be supplemented by additional requirements in each member state. We recognise the need for FTL requirements to be harmonised at a European level and should the proposal come before the Council we will work constructively with other member states to ensure that it is appropriately amended. We will not endorse the proposal if any of the limits are significantly different to those set by the CAA in CAP 371, which are in line with scientific advice that the CAA has received over the years.

  Crossrail
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish the business case for Crossrail. [113536]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport to the honourable Members for Kingston and Surbiton, and Ilford South, on 13 May 2003 Official Report, column 149.1 shall keep the House informed.

  Dartford Crossings
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the hypothecated toll money from the Dartford crossings has been(a) spent and (b) allocated in (i) Kent County Council, (ii) Essex County Council and (iii) East London boroughs since April 2002. [114530]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The new Dartford Crossing charging scheme and the obligation to hypothecate net revenue from the scheme did not begin until 1 April 2003. It is too early to be able to identify projects which will illustrate the benefits this additional source of funding has helped deliver.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes of policy have been made in relation to the hypothecated toll money from the Dartford crossings since August 2002; and if he will make a statement. [114531]

  Mr. Jamieson
  There have been no changes in policy. The Dartford net income forms part of the funding included in our 10 year transport plan.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the hypothecated money from the Dartford crossings is to be allocated beyond the three original stakeholders. [114532]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Dartford net income forms part of the funding included in our 10 year transport plan. It is too early to be able to identify projects which will illustrate the benefits this additional source of funding has helped deliver.

  Rail Network (Telecommunications Masts)
  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many 20 metre high telecommunication masts(a) have been erected and (b) are planned in each Network Rail area; and what the purpose is of the masts. [104539]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I understand from Network Rail that to date no such masts have been erected. The following table from the company details the number of planned installations in each Network Rail zone:

  Network rail zone

  Number of planned telecommunications masts

  East Anglia

  137

  Great Western

  399

  London North Eastern

  307

  London Underground

  7

  Midlands

  177

  North Western

  226

  Southern

  380

  Southern

  380

  Total

  2,022

  Network Rail advises that its national installation programme forms part of its new safety system known as the Global System for Mobile Communications—Railways, which will create the first national driver to signaller direct communication system. It will enable high priority emergency calls to connect drivers and
  544W
  signallers within two seconds of an emergency, and also enable signallers to communicate with all trains in an area.

  Rail Services (Romford)
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many faults were reported on railway lines into Romford in(a) April 2000, (b) April 2001, (c) April 2002 and (d) April 2003. [113480]

  Mr. Jamieson
  This is an operational matter for Network Rail.

  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints were received from passengers as a result of problems on railway track near Romford in(a) April 2000, (b) April 2001, (c) April 2002 and (d) April 2003. [113481]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The SRA publishes complaints data for each train operating company in its six-monthly "On Track" publication. This data is not broken down to route level. The most recent edition of "On Track" was published on 12 December. A copy is in the House Library.

  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progess is being made to improve safety(a) on railway lines into Romford and (b) at Romford railway station; and if he will make a statement. [113482]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Network Rail's East Anglia Region has implemented a new system for monitoring track maintenance contractors working on railway lines into Romford. In addition, HMRI has been working closely with the Romford station operator, First Great Eastern, to understand the causes of minor passenger slip, trip and fall incidents at the station, so as to reduce the number of such incidents.

  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent communication he has had with managers of First Great Eastern regarding safety on their service through Romford. [113483]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Secretary of State has not had any recent communications with First Great Eastern regarding the safety of train services through Romford. However, discussions between the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) and First Great Eastern staff take place at all levels on a regular basis.

  Research and Consultancy
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent by his Department and its predecessors on external research and consultants in each year since 1997, broken down by(a) aviation, (b) local transport, (c) mobility and inclusion, (d) roads, vehicles and road safety, (e) shipping, (f) integrated transport, (g) railways, (h) science and research, (i) transport statistics, (j) freight logistics and (k) other subjects. [113351]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The information requested on external research expenditure is set out below. Separate figures for expenditure on general consultancy are not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
  545W

  Total Expenditure by DfT (and predecessors) on External Research since 1997, broken down by specified areas

  £million

  Area

  Outturn 1997–98

  Outurrn 1998–99

  Outturn 1999–2000

  Outturn 2000–01

  Outturn 2001–02

  Aviation

  0.2

  0.2

  0.5

  0.06

  1.64

  Transport Strategy/Local Transport1

  7.8

  6.1

  7.9

  7.6

  8.53

  Roads Vehicles and Road Safety3

  11.5

  12.0

  11.7

  9.4

  13.62

  Shipping4

  1.7

  0.8

  0.8

  0.55

  0.43

  Integrated Transport5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Railways6

  0

  0

  0

  0.1

  0

  Science and Research7

  1.9

  1.5

  0.7

  0.5

  0.56

  Transport Statistics8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Freight Logistics

  —

  —

  0.1

  0.4

  0.73

  Other Subjects9

  16.5

  16.3

  16.6

  18.16

  16.5

  Total of the above

  39.6

  36.9

  38.3

  36.77

  42.01

  Notes:

  1. Outturn figures for 1996–97 to 1999–2000 were obtained from The Forward Look Publications, which are complied using data supplied by the Office of National Statistics.

  2. Outturn figures 2000–01 and 2001–02 were obtained from local records of data that is collated by STP Division within DfT and supplied to ONS for inclusion in their Forward Look publications.

  1 This inludes Roads and Traffic-Integrated Local Transport as well as incorporating mobility and inclusion, Integrated Transport and Transport Statistics.

  2 Refer to note 1 above.

  3 The figures shown for Roads Vehicles and Road Safety are the cumulative total for Road Safety and Vehicle Standards and Engineering.

  4 The figures shown here are those of Maritime and Coastguard Agency (Marine Services Agency and Coastguard Agency prior to 1999)

  5 Refer to note 1 above

  6 Some research relevant to railways is included in the figures given for Transport Strategy/Local Transport.

  7 These figures are those of Science and Technology Policy Division and relate to LINK and New Horizons Programmes.

  8 Refer to note 1 above as some limited research expenditure on Transport Statistics is included in Local Transport.

  9 These figures include Highways Agency, Transport Security and Transport Environment and Taxation for 2000–01 and 2001–02. They do not Include Road User Charging Trails.

  Road Upgrades
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he expects the upgrading of the A66 between Penrith and the A1 to start; and when it will be completed; [113774]

  (2) when he expects work to start on the upgrading of the A74 to motorway standards between Carlisle and the Scottish Borders. [113776]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to my hon. Friend on these two issues.

  Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Eric Martlew, dated 19 May 2003:
  David Jamieson has asked me to reply to your two recent Parliamentary Questions asking when work will start on the upgrading of the A74 to motorway standards between Carlisle and the Scottish border, and the expected start and completion dates for the upgrading of the A66 between Penrith, and A1.
  A 74 Upgrading

  In February this year, a contract was awarded for the design and construction of the A74 Carlisle to Guardsmill scheme using an innovative procurement method known as Early Contractor Involvement, by which it is expected that projects may be delivered more quickly. The current programme shows a start of works in September 2005 with road opening by September 2007. This is subject to completion of the necessary statutory procedures, which include the expected publication next January of draft formal proposals under the Highways Act that are required to give legal authority for the upgrading. The route being followed was announced in June 2002 and follows closely the existing A74.
  A66 Upgrading
  In November last year it was announced that the Agency had appointed consultants to undertake preliminary survey and design work in order to determine the feasibility of upgrading the whole of the A66 between Penrith to the west and the Al at Scotch
  546W
  Corner to the east to dual carriageway. A number of possible schemes have been identified on which preliminary work is continuing and on which it is expected that the public will be consulted towards the end of the year. If it is then decided that these schemes should be added to the Government's Targeted Programme of Improvements, it is expected that they would be completed within seven years of entry, or sooner.
  In addition to the schemes that are still under investigation, preparation work is in progress on three schemes on this route which are already included in the Targeted Programme of Improvements. These schemes, with their estimated dates for completion, are as follows:
  A66 Temple Sowerby and Improvements at Winderwath 2006–07
  A66 Carkin Moor to Scotch Corner Improvement 2006–07
  A66 Greta Bridge to Stephen Bank Improvement 2007–08
  I hope this is helpful. If you would like any further information on the A74 Upgrading you may wish to contact the Agency's Project Sponsor for this Ziad El Balbisi, at Sunley Tower. Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester, Ml 4BE telephone number 0161 930 5822. For further information on any of the proposals forming part of the A66 Upgrading would you please contact the Group Leader, David Harvey, at the same address telephone number 0161 930 5601.

  Virgin Trains
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when all Virgin Pendolino trains will be operating on the west coast line. [109670]

  Mr. Jamieson
  All Virgin Pendolino trains are expected to be in service by the early part of 2005.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  School Playing Fields
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school playing fields have been sold in each of the last 10 years. [114170]
  547W
  Mr. Miliband
  There are no central records of how many school playing fields were sold before October 1998. Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 was introduced on 1 October 1998 to stop the indiscriminate sale of school playing fields that occurred in the 1980s and early to mid 1990s.

  Applications to sell school playing fields are only approved where it is clear that any proceedswill be used to improve school sports provision or education facilities. All applications made since 16 July 2001 are scrutinised by the School Playing Fields Advisory Panel to make sure that they meet our published criteria. The panel comprises representatives from the National Playing Fields Association, the Central Council of Physical Recreation, Learning through Landscapes, the National Association of Headteachers and the Local Government Association.

  The table shows the number of applications to sell school playing fields larger than a small sports pitch for the under 10s, that is larger than 2,000 m2, that were approved in each year since October 1998. In 27 of these applications new or replacement sports pitches of the same size or greater were to be bought from the proceeds. A further 45 applications involved land at closed or closing school sites and in 37 of the remaining 56 cases, the proceeds are to be used to improve sports faculties, such as new all-weather pitches, sports halls or improved grass sports pitches. In the remaining 19 cases, the proceeds are to provide better education facilities at schools, such as new classrooms and performing arts facilities.

  Calendar year

  Sports pitch applications approved

  October-December

  1998

  7

  1999

  42

  2000

  32

  2001

  22

  2002

  23

  Notes:

  1. The table includes applications to sell school playing fields from local authorities, foundation, voluntary and former grant-maintained schools.

  2. All sale proceeds are used to provide new or improved sports or education facilities at maintained schools.

  3. 'Sports pitch' means an area of open grassed land which is equal to, or larger than, the Football Association's recommended 2,000 m2 area for games played by under 10s and which has a configuration making it suitable for sports, whether laid out as a sports pitch or not.

  A-Levels
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils have(a) been entered for and (b) taken a General Studies A-level in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the number who will sit the exam this year. [109422]

  Mr. Miliband
  The following table shows the number of 16 to 18-year-old candidates who attempted GCE A-level General Studies in 1998 to 2002.548W

  Number of 16 to 18-year-old candidates attempting GCE A-level General Studies

  1998

  78,971

  1999

  84,411

  2000

  87,765

  2001

  90,874

  2002

  58,311

  Estimates of the number of candidates who will sit General Studies GCE A level in 2002/03 are not available.

  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will publish the agreement between his Department, QCA and the awarding bodies in line with clause 95 of the Tomlinson Inquiry into A-level Standards to establish clear lines of responsibility and accountability. [110103]

  Mr. Miliband
  We will publish a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department and QCA shortly.

  A2/4S Examinations
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what methodology his Department uses to calculate the numbers of students studying for A2 and AS examinations. [112853]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 12 May 2003]: The numbers of students studying for A2 and AS examinations are collected through the Department's Annual Schools Census (ASC) and the Learning and Skills Council's Individualised Learner Record (ILR). The ASC information is a snapshot as at the third Thursday in January of each year. The ILR is a snapshot as at 1 November of each year

  In both these data sources, information is collected on all the qualifications a student is studying for. However students often combine qualifications. In the departmental publication on the participation of 16–18 year olds, the figures are calculated on the basis of the highest qualification being studied. Part of this hierarchy of highest qualification is:

  Higher education

  NVQ3

  VCE A/AS level

  GCE A/AS level

  So, for example, someone studying for a GCE AS level alongside a Double Award VCE would be considered as having the VCE as their highest aim.

  The department also collects and publishes details of the number of A and AS level course enrolments by adults on course offered by Local Education Authorities.

  Adult ESOL Core Curriculum
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which schools in the Wycombe constituency work as partners with the Buckinghamshire Lifelong Learning Partnership in relation to the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum. [l12372]
  549W
  Margaret Hodge
  [holding answer 12 May 2003]: There are no schools working as key partners within the Buckinghamshire Lifelong Learning Partnership's Adult ESOL Core Curriculum project.

  The key partners in the project are Aylesbury college, Amersham and Wycombe college and Buckinghamshire county council.

  Autism
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what plans he has to introduce a specific qualification for young people with(a) autism and (b) similar disabilities; [112675]

  (2) what the form is of assessment for autistic children in (a) mainstream and (b) special schools; [112676]

  (3) what plans his Department has to enable autistic young people to follow further education and higher education courses. [112677]

  Mr. Miliband
  The Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice gives statutory guidance to schools, local education authorities and others on assessing children's special educational needs and making provision to meet those needs, including the needs of children with autism.

  Autism is a spectrum disorder with children across the spectrum showing the full range of intellectual abilities. Many children within the spectrum can, with the right support, achieve in National Curriculum assessments and external qualifications alongside their non-autistic peers. Special arrangements are available under the National Curriculum and from awarding bodies to allow children with SEN to take examinations and tests on an equal footing.

  There are no assessment arrangements or qualifications that are specific to children and young people with autism or similar disabilities. However, there are a range of arrangements available for assessing the progress and recording the achievements of children with special educational needs, including those with autism, for whom the usual assessment arrangements and public examinations are not suitable. The Department, with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, has published guidance to help schools, including special schools, set targets for children with SEN who are performing below National Curriculum Level 1 or within Levels 1 and 2 in English, mathematics and science. The guidance contains Performance Criteria, the 'P' scales, which can be used to assess pupils' progress. Award schemes areavailable through which the key life skills of young people with SEN can be recognised and 'Progress Files' can be used to record their academic and non academic achievements. The Working Group on our 14–19 reforms, under the chairmanship of Mike Tomlinson, will be looking at assessment arrangements and how they can be used to motivate all learners.

  A primary aim of SEN support is that young people with SEN make successful transitions from school to further education, training and adult life. The revised SEN Code of Practice, effective from January 2002, contains strengthened transition planning arrangements involving the Connexions Service In addition, under
  550W
  the Learning and Skills Act 2000, the Connexions Service, on behalf of the Secretary of State, must carry out assessments of all young people with statements of SEN who are in the last year of compulsory schooling and are intending to go on to further education or training or higher education and may carry out assessments in other circumstances. The assessments are of the young person's education and training needs and the provision required to meet those needs. The Learning and Skills Council must have regard to these assessments and the Connexions Service is expected to work with the Council and other providers to make suitable learning opportunities available to young people with SEN. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 further and higher education and training providers must make reasonable adjustments to prevent discrimination against disabled students and potential students.

  More generally, the Government is developing an SEN Action Programme of practical measures to support local education authorities and schools, working in partnership with others, in improving provision for children and young people with special educational needs.

  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to introduce ring-fenced funding in education for children with autism. [112683]

  Mr. Miliband
  We currently have no plans to introduce ring-fenced funding in education for children with autism or for any other type of special educational need.

  British Sign Language
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he is taking to address the implications for schools and colleges of the decision to reorganise British Sign Language, with particular reference to(a) teacher supply, (b) validation and (c) funding issues. [112849]

  Mr. Miliband
  While the Government has recognised British Sign Language as a language in its own right, we remain committed to preserving diversity and choice in relation to the different communication methods available for deaf and hearing impaired people. Children with hearing difficulties will continue to be taught in accordance with their and their parents' preferred style. Under the terms of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001, it is now unlawful for schools and further and higher education institutions to discriminate against disabled learners by treating them less favourably than others. In addition, institutions have a duty to provide reasonable adjustments to provision where people with disabilities might otherwise be substantially disadvantaged. The Government does not expect the statement of recognition to have any new implications for schools and colleges in relation to teacher supply, interaction between deaf children and others, or funding. We shall however be keeping all these issues under close review.

  The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is providing £1 million to fund a discrete programme of initiatives to support the Government's statement of

  551W
  recognition. The DWP will shortly be consulting organisations of and for deaf people about how this funding should be allocated.

  Capital Projects
  Dr. Pugh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which local authorities are planning to use revenues intended by the Government for schools to finance capital projects in 2003–04. [113159]

  Mr. Miliband
  The following table lists the 116 local education authorities who plan to use some of their revenue funding to support spend on capital projects in 2003–04, with the amount each authority has budgeted, as recorded on their section 52 budget statement.

  £million

  LEA

  Capital Spending funded from Revenue

  Barnsley

  1.36

  Bath and North East Somerset

  0.51

  Bedfordshire

  0.86

  Bexley

  1.10

  Birmingham

  1.98

  Blackburn with Darwen

  0.74

  Blackpool

  0.32

  Bolton

  1.10

  Bournemouth

  0.28

  Bracknell Forest

  0.26

  Bradford

  0.25

  Brighton and Hove

  1.10

  Bristol City of

  0.89

  Bromley

  0.10

  Buckinghamshire

  4.39

  Calderdale

  1.28

  Cambridgeshire

  0.39

  Camden

  1.55

  Cheshire

  2.30

  Cornwall

  2.04

  Croydon

  3.33

  Cumbria

  5.11

  Derby

  0.78

  Derbyshire

  3.11

  Devon

  1.75

  Doncaster

  2.34

  Dorset

  0.08

  Dudley

  0.06

  Durham

  3.62

  Ealing

  1.17

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  1.17

  East Sussex

  3.02

  Enfield

  0.49

  Essex

  0.99

  Gateshead

  0.68

  Gloucestershire

  1.94

  Greenwich

  1.50

  Hackney

  1.19

  Halton

  0.32

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1.70

  Hampshire

  9.07

  Haringey

  0.66

  Harrow

  0.12

  Hartlepool

  0.71

  Havering

  0.65

  Herefordshire

  0.13

  Hertfordshire

  9.11

  Hillingdon

  0.64

  Isle of Wight

  0.34

  Islington

  0.68

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0.81

  Kent

  1.38

  Knowsley

  0.60

  Lambeth

  0.93

  552W

  £ million

  LEA

  Capital Spending funded from Revenue

  Lancashire

  3.17

  Leicester

  3.04

  Leicestershire

  0.33

  Lewisham

  2.60

  Lincolnshire

  6.03

  Liverpool

  1.57

  Manchester

  3.37

  Medway

  0.16

  Merton

  0.38

  Middlesbrough

  3.22

  Milton Keynes

  0.79

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  0.90

  Newham

  3.53

  Norfolk

  3.38

  North East Lincolnshire

  0.44

  North Lincolnshire

  0.84

  North Somerset

  1.00

  North Tyneside

  0.52

  North Yorkshire

  4.34

  Northamptonshire

  0.01

  Nottingham

  1.60

  Nottinghamshire

  2.69

  Oldham

  1.01

  Oxfordshire

  5.69

  Peterborough

  0.16

  Portsmouth

  1.03

  Redbridge

  2.24

  Redcar and Cleveland

  1.14

  Richmond upon Thames

  0.50

  Rochdale

  0.84

  Rotherham

  0.33

  Salford

  0.78

  Sandwell

  1.03

  Sheffield

  2.78

  Shropshire

  2.23

  Solihull

  1 98

  Southend-on-Sea

  0.48

  Southwark

  3 55

  St. Helens

  1.57

  Staffordshire

  5.33

  Stockport

  0.91

  Stockton-on-Tees

  0.99

  Stoke-on-Trent

  0.42

  Sunderland

  0.35

  Surrey

  4.26

  Swindon

  1.14

  Tameside

  1.43

  Telford and Wrekin

  0.27

  Thurrock

  0.38

  Torbay

  0.67

  Tower Hamlets

  0.61

  Walsall

  0.01

  Waltham Forest

  3.61

  Warrington

  1.32

  Warwickshire

  3.86

  West Berkshire

  0.47

  West Sussex

  0.46

  Westminster

  0.38

  Wiltshire

  1.34

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  0.14

  Wirral

  0.97

  Worcestershire

  4.64

  York

  0.34

  Total

  189.52

  Child Care
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of state for Educatation and Skills (1) pursuant to the answer of 1 May 2003,Official Report, column 485W, on looked after

  553W
  children, on what dates he held meetings with the Independent Schools Council; what issues were discussed; and when he plans to hold future meetings; [113349]

  (2) pursuant to the answer of 1 May 2003, Official Report, column 485W, on looked after children, what steps his Department is taking to encourage co-operation between local education authorities and the Independent Schools Council on the education of looked after children. [113350]

  Mr. Miliband
  My right hon. Friend last met representatives of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) on 7 April. A range of issues were discussed, including the ISC's proposal that some looked after children could be educated in independent boarding schools, where that would be appropriate and beneficial to the young people concerned. No arrangement has yet been made to hold further meetings. We are actively considering how best to build on these productive discussions.

  Children Act
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 29 April 2003,Official Report, column 351W, on Command Paper 5778, which parts of the Children Act 1989 are failing to be implemented effectively in his Department as set out in paragraph 2.22 of Command Paper 5778. [112184]

  Mr. Miliband
  Paragraph 2.22 of Command Paper 5778 neither states nor implies that the Children Act 1989 is not being implemented effectively. As the then Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Hilary Benn) noted in the answer that he gave on 29 April, the Children Act is a shared responsibility across Government, and our aim, as set out in the Command Paper, is to increase the range of family support provisions that can be made available through the Children Act, as part of our response to tackling anti-social behaviour.

  City Academies
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what systems he has in place for measuring the effectiveness of city academies. [l10098]

  Mr. Miliband
  The Department for Education and Skills will monitor the performance of each Academy against the targets in its School Development Plan and against national trends for schools with similar characteristics. A wider evaluation of the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and impact of the Academies Programme is being undertaken by the University of York in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers. This exercise will run to September 2007.

  Completion Rates (University Degrees)
  Paul Farrelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many mature students have 554W
  (a) applied for, (b) taken up, (c) dropped out of and (d) completed a degree course at universities in England in each academic year since 1997. [104704]

  Margaret Hodge
  The latest available information from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) on applicants and acceptances to full-time undergraduate courses is shown in the table. UCAS does not cover students applying to part-time courses, the majority of whom are mature.

  Around three quarters of all mature students enter part-time courses. Information on completion and non-completion rates of HE students is published annually by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in "Performance Indicators in Higher Education (HE)", but these figures do not separately identify mature students.

  UK domiciled students aged 21 or over applying to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses at HE institutions in the UK

  Academic Year

  Applicants

  Acceptances

  1996–97

  90,687

  59,193

  1997–98

  97,401

  65,799

  1998–99

  85,859

  58,557

  1999–2000

  81,882

  57,439

  2000–01

  82,060

  58,169

  2001–02

  86,467

  63,707

  2002–03

  89,397

  67,011

  Source:

  Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)

  Education Budgets
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list(a) maintained schools and (b) local education authorities which have made representations to his Department regarding their budget for the current financial year. [109423]

  Mr. Miliband
  As it does each year the Department for Education and Skills has received a large amount of correspondence concerning education budgets for the current financial year from both schools and local education authorities. It is not possible to collate this information without disproportionate cost.

  Education Funding
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will hold a meeting at the earliest possible date with representatives of Essex local education authority and Essex head teachers to discuss education funding in Essex. [112442]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 12 May 2003]: Officials in my Department are in close contact with representatives of all LEAs to discuss funding issues.

  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will increase the funding for specialist colleges in line with the rate of inflation. [113175]

  Mr. Miliband
  The Department is currently considering the position in relation to whether to increase specialist school recurrent funding in 2003/04.
  555W
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the total funding allocated by the Learning and Skills Council to institutions(a) in each region of England and (b) in total in (i) 2001–02, (ii) 2002–03 and (iii) 2003–04 (estimated). [113210]

  Margaret Hodge
  This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. John Harwood, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

  Education Spending
  Mr. Bacon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total amount carried forward was in its budget from financial year 2002–03 into 2003–04 by each school in(a) Norfolk, (b) Suffolk, (c) Kingston upon Hull and (d) Durham. [110255]

  Mr. Miliband
  This information is not yet available. It will be contained in the outturn statements for 2002–03 to be produced by local education authorities under section 52 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, but the deadline for production of these statements will not be until 10 October.

  Education Standards
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of students achieved the expected standard for their age in the Key Stage Two literacy tests between 1998 and 2002. [113075]

  Mr. Miliband
  The table as follows shows the percentage of pupils who achieved level 4 or above in the Key Stage 2 English test, and the reading and writing components, in England between 1998 and 2002.

  Age

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  11 years

  13NC test papers

  13NC test papers

  13NC test papers

  13NC test papers

  13NC test papers

  13NC test papers

  14 years

  7 NC test papers

  20 NC test papers

  20 NC test papers

  20 NC test papers

  20 NC test papers

  20 NC test papers

  16 years

  7 NC test papers and 8.2 GCSEs

  7 NC test papers and 8.2 GCSEs

  7 NC test papers and 8.2 GCSEs

  20 NC test papers and 8.2 GCSEs

  20 NC test papers and 8.2 GCSEs

  20 NC test papers and 8.7 GCSEs

  18 years

  7 NC test papers and 11.3 GCSEs and GCE A/AS and GNVQs

  7 NC test papers and 11.3 GCSEs and GCE A/AS and GNVQs

  7 NC test papers and 11.3 GCSEs and GCE A/AS and GNVQs

  7 NC test papers and 11.3 GCSEs and GCE A/AS and GNVQs

  7 NC test papers and 11.3 GCSEs and GCE A/AS and GNVQs

  7 NC test papers and 11.7 GCSEs and GCE VCE and A/AS

  Notes:

  1. Key Stage 1 tests for seven year-olds were introduced nationally in 1991.

  Key Stage 2 tests for 11-year-olds were introduced nationally in 1995.

  Key Stage 3 tests for 14-year-olds were introduced nationally in 1993.

  2. The number of papers taken for GCSE and GCE A/AS/VCE and GNVQ vary for each subject.

  3. The increase in the number of National Curriculum tests from 7 to 20 for 14-year-olds and from 7 to 20 for 16-year-olds reflects the fact that they were the cohort who took the first Key Stage 2 tests in 1994/95.

  4. The increase for 16-and 18-year-olds in 2002 is due to the average points increase in GCSEs.

  Faith Schools
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what approaches have been made to his Department by groups wishing to(a) establish new faith schools and (b) bring independent faith schools into the maintained sector in the last 12 months. [110183]

  Mr. Miliband
  Since April 2002 my Department has received eleven initial inquiries:

  (a) eight by groups interested in establishing new faith schools (one Morman, five Muslim, one Sikh, one Greek Orthodox); and
  556W

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  20021

  English

  65

  71

  75

  75

  75

  Reading

  71

  78

  83

  82

  80

  Writing

  53

  54

  55

  57

  60

  Notes:

  1 2002 data are provisional

  Examinations
  Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average number of exams taken by(a) an 11-year-old, (b) a 14-year-old, (c) a 16-year-old and (d) an 18-year-old throughout their school career to that point was, in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority. [110107]

  Mr. Miliband
  All Local Education Authority maintained schools, in England, are required to administer the National Curriculum tasks/tests for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 and tests for pupils at he end of Key Stages 2 and 3 in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. Schools may, at their discretion, choose to administer other non-statutory tests in addition to the statutory requirements.

  For GCSE and GCE A/AS/ and GNVQ schools enter pupils for the appropriate subjects and examination boards.

  The following table shows the total number of statutory National Curriculum test papers in English, mathematics and science which will have been taken by most pupils in the relevant age group; and the average number of GCSE and GCE A/AS and GNVQ examination entries for those age groups. (All ages are at the end of the academic year).

  (b) three by groups interested in bringing independent faith schools into the maintained sector (two Muslim, one Jewish).

  Financing of Maintained Schools (England) Regulations
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received about the Financing of Maintained Schools (England) Regulations. [109958]

  Mr. Miliband
  These regulations are revised annually following consultation with local education authorities and relevant national organisations as to their content
  557W
  and wording. A number of consultees commented on the Regulations for 2003, which were laid before Parliament on 28 February 2003 (Statutory Instrument 2003 No. 453).

  Foundation Degree
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will report progress on the establishment of the Foundation Degrees Forward concept. [112201]

  Margaret Hodge
  Discussions are under way between officials in the Department and the Higher Education Funding Council for England. Further details will be announced by the Summer.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made on the incorporation of Higher National Diplomas and Higher National Certificates within the Foundation Degree framework; and what representations he has received on this matter. [112203]

  Margaret Hodge
  Following the publication of The Future of Higher Education' (Cm 5735) Edexcel has announced its plans to integrate its Higher National Diplomas into the foundation degree framework. A working group comprising representatives from the Department for Education and Skills, Edexcel, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, the Council of Validating Universities and employers has been established to oversee this work. This group will also consider the future of the Higher National Certificate.

  A wide range of representations have been received on the plans set out in Cm 5735. We are currently looking carefully at the views expressed.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the future funding of(a) development work, (b) validation, (c) institutional funding and (d) student support for those undertaking foundation degrees. [112204]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Government's plans are set out in "The Future of Higher Education" (Cm 5735). Details are currently being worked up, in collaboration with the Higher Education Funding Council for England. Further announcements will be made later in the year.

  Funding (Sunderland)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received from Sunderland city council on his figures for the percentage of education funds passed to schools by the council; and what action he plans to take. [113348]

  Mr. Miliband
  The Council replied to the Department's letter of 2 May about school funding on 9 May. The Department will be having further 558W
  discussions on the figures underlying the percentage of schools funding passed on to the authority's schools budget with the Council shortly.

  GCSE Point Scores
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average GCSE point score for pupils in(a) technology, (b) sports, (c) arts, (d) languages, (e) engineering, (f) science, (g) maths and computing and (h) business and enterprise specialist schools was in the last year for which figures are available. [113721]

  Mr. Miliband
  The 2002 results for schools, which were operational specialist schools1 as at September 2001, are shown in the table. There were no designated business and enterprise, engineering, science, mathematics and computing colleges in operation until September 2002, and therefore, no results are available.

  1 Special schools are excluded from these figures.

  2002 average capped1 GCSE/GNVQ point score2

  Technology colleges

  36.2

  Sports colleges

  33.7

  Art colleges

  34.2

  1 Average capped GCSE/GNVQ point scores are calculated using the best eight GCSE/GNVQ results.

  2 GCSE/GNVQ point scores are calculated as follows:

  GCSE grades A* to G count as 8 to 1 points respectively, GCSE Short Courses grades A* to G count as 4 to ½ respectively. The GNVQ grades D, M and P count as 71/2, 6 and 5 points respectively at Intermediate level, and 4, 3 and 11/2 points respectively at Foundation level. These points need to be multiplied by 2 for GNVQ Part One and by 4 for Full GNVQs.

  Higher Education
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of UK entrants to initial(a) full time and (b) part time higher education aged 21 or more was from each social class group between 1980 and 2000; and if he will make a statement. [106449]

  Margaret Hodge
  The available information for the years since 1994, showing students accepted to full-time undergraduate courses via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is given in the table. UCAS does not cover students applying to part-time courses, the majority of whom are mature. Around three-quarters of all mature students enter part-time courses. Comparable figures for earlier years are not held centrally. In 2002, a new socio-economic classification was introduced, which is not directly comparable with the social class figures for previous years. The Department has increased significantly its targeted support for mature students, through increased Access and Hardship funds but also through a package of help for student parents including a generous childcare grant introduced in 2001. In addition, the AimHigher HE roadshow and advertising campaign have been launched to promote the benefits of higher education.
  559W

  Accepted applicants aged 21 or over to full-time undergraduate courses in the UK UK domiciled students

  Year of entry

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  Numbers

  I Professional

  5,686

  5,743

  5,044

  2,976

  2,695

  2,185

  2,017

  2,128

  II Intermediate

  18,588

  18,712

  17,656

  17,560

  15,473

  13,815

  14,159

  14,846

  IIIN Skilled non manual

  7,115

  7,228

  7,913

  11,324

  9,606

  9,228

  9,703

  10,716

  HIM Skilled manual

  9,995

  10,530

  8,868

  8,030

  6,911

  6,152

  6,202

  6,773

  IV Semi Skilled

  4,864

  5,339

  5,156

  6,767

  5,897

  5,801

  6,071

  6,308

  V Unskilled

  1,431

  1,561

  1,254

  1,321

  1,138

  1,077

  982

  887

  Total known

  47,679

  49,113

  45,891

  47,978

  41,720

  38,258

  39,134

  41,658

  Not Known

  8,623

  11,968

  13,301

  17,821

  16,837

  19,181

  19,035

  22,049

  Total

  56,302

  61.081

  59,193

  65,799

  58,557

  57,439

  58,169

  63,707

  Total I-IIIN

  31,389

  31,683

  30,613

  31,860

  27,774

  25,228

  25,879

  27,690

  Total IIIM-V

  16,290

  17,430

  15,278

  16,118

  13,946

  13,030

  13,255

  13,968

  Percentages1

  I Professional

  11.9

  11.7

  11.0

  6.2

  6.5

  5.7

  5.2

  5.1

  II Intermediate

  39.0

  38.1

  38.5

  36.6

  37.1

  36.1

  36.2

  35.6

  IIIN Skilled non-manual

  14.9

  14.7

  17.2

  23.6

  23.0

  24.1

  24.8

  25.7

  IIIM Skilled manual

  21.0

  21.4

  19.3

  16.7

  16.6

  16.1

  15.8

  16.3

  IV Semi-skilled

  10.2

  10.9

  11.2

  14.1

  14.1

  15.2

  15.5

  15.1

  V Unskilled

  3.0

  3.2

  2.7

  2.8

  2.7

  2.8

  2.5

  2.1

  Total

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  Total I-IIIN

  65.8

  64.5

  66.7

  66.4

  66.6

  65.9

  66.1

  66.5

  Total IIIM-V

  34.2

  35.5

  33.3

  33.6

  33.4

  34.1

  33.9

  33.5

  1Based on students whose occupation was known.

  Numbers

  2002

  Higher managerial/professional occupations

  3,680

  Lower managerial/professional occupations

  10,294

  Intermediate occupations

  9,438

  Small employers and own account workers

  2,076

  Lower supervisory and technical occupations

  1,293

  Semi-routine occupations

  9,512

  Routine occupations

  3,306

  Total known

  39,599

  Not known

  27,412

  Total

  67,011

  Percentages1

  Higher managerial/professional occupations

  9.2

  Lower managerial/professional occupations

  26.0

  Intermediate occupations

  23.8

  Small employers and own account workers

  5.2

  Lower supervisory and technical occupations

  3.3

  Semi-routine occupations

  24.0

  Routine occupations

  8.3

  Total

  100.0

  1 Based on students whose occupation was known.

  Dr. Francis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action the Government are taking to encourage higher educational institutions to develop stronger structures of regional planning. [R] [113208]

  Margaret Hodge
  Our White Paper 'The Future of Higher Education' acknowledged the critical involvement of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in regional, social and economic development, it welcomed the involvement of HEIs in developing Regional Economic Strategies and the new Frameworks for Regional Employment and Skills Action. The White Paper proposed strengthening the growing HE partnerships with Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and confirmed a larger formal role for RDAs within the next round of the Higher Education Innovation Fund to ensure that the funding is properly focused on regional development priorities.
  560W
  The allocation of funding for additional student places, widening access, and higher education working with business and community is also informed by regional and sub-regional priorities. To help determine these priorities, the Higher Education Funding Council for England works with regional advisory groups which include the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs).

  Languages Teaching
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his estimate is of the proportion of schools in(a) deprived areas and (b) affluent areas which intend to permit 14-year-olds to drop language subjects; and if he will make a statement. [113389]

  Mr. Miliband
  "14 to 19: Opportunity and Excellence" confirmed that we intend to amend the statutory requirement at Key Stage 4 of the National Curriculum so that schools will no longer be required to teach modern foreign languages to all pupils. All schools will, however, be required to ensure as an entitlement that they are available to any pupil wishing to study them.

  We have made no estimate of the number of schools that might permit 14-year-olds to drop language subjects. In taking decisions about the curriculum at Key Stage 4, schools will be expected to consider carefully the needs and aspirations of their pupils, and the provision of opportunities which will best serve their future education and employability. Some schools may continue to require pupils to study languages as a compulsory part of their curriculum.

  Leadership Incentive Grant
  Miss Mclntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact of the leadership incentive grant in North Yorkshire. [110075]
  561W
  Mr. Miliband
  Three mainstream secondary schools in North Yorkshire are eligible for the new Leadershiplncentive Grant which began in April 2003. Each school will receive £125,000 for each of the next three years, plus £50,000 partnership funding per year, providing these schools with significant additional resources to raise standards, strengthen leadership at all levels and enable collaborative working. Eligible schools will be expected to revise their School Development Plan in the light of the additional funding, and, as a condition of funding, to work together to draw up a collaborative plan setting out their shared priorities. For schools such as these in North Yorkshire which are outside Excellence in Cities areas, Education Action Zones and Excellence Clusters and which are eligible for the funding, LEAs will be responsible for approving these collaborative plans.

  In addition, Aireville School, which was previously funded through the schools facing challenging circumstances and which has now improved, will receive £50,000 this year through the Targeted Improvement Grant to work collaboratively and secure continued improvements.

  National Minimum Wage
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the estimated cost is in 2003–04 to his Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible of the increase in the national minimum wage from £4.20 per hour to £4.50 per hour. [110433]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The estimated cost in 2003–04 to the Department and its non-departmental public bodies arising from the increase in the national minimum wage from £4.20 per hour to £4.50 per hour is £33,000. The Department has no Agencies reporting to it.

  Office for Standards in Education
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total pay costs incurred by the Office for Standards in Education were in each year since 1997. [113387]

  Mr. Miliband
  This is a matter for Ofsted and the HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

  Part-time Students
  Dr. Francis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to promote foundation degrees as high-quality qualifications among(a) learners and (b) employers; and what steps the Government are taking to ensure that foundation degrees extend opportunities to study for part-time students. [R] [113198]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Government's plans for a significant expansion of foundation degrees are set out in 'The Future of Higher Education' (Cm 5735). Details are currently being worked up, in collaboration with the Higher Education Funding Council for England and other interested parties.
  562W
  The Quality Assurance Agency is responsible for safeguarding the standards and quality of the foundation degree as a higher education qualification. Employers and employer organisations are being involved in foundation degree design and development to ensure that qualifications meet professional standards and workplace needs. 50 per cent, of students currently studying for foundation degrees are part-time. A new promotion campaign to be launched later this year will continue to promote the message to both students and employers alike of the quality of foundation degrees and of the flexible modes of study available.

  This answer refers to England only.

  Dr. Francis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to encourage a more comprehensive system of credit accumulation and transfer for part-time students. [R] [113216]

  Margaret Hodge
  Credit systems which make it possible to break off and start again without having to repeat learning are increasingly important for part time learners in higher education. We recognised this in the White Paper and this is why we are encouraging HEFCE to work with other partners in the HE sector to identify and build upon good practice in the use of credit systems. HEFCE will be undertaking a two year programme which will include a number of pilot schemes using credit to support flexible progression and transfer between institutions and qualifications.

  Dr. Francis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to ensure that part-time students have access to a broad and balanced curriculum within easy travelling distance between their homes and place of study. [R] [113226]

  Margaret Hodge
  Higher education institutions themselves determine what programmes and courses they offer. They work increasingly with Regional Development Agencies and local Learning and Skills Councils to identify regional and sub-regional priorities and to develop appropriate programmes tailored to the needs of students and the economy.

  The Government recognise the importance of providing flexible ways of learning and new types of qualifications to meet the wide variety of needs of learners. Credit systems, which make it possible to break off and start again without having to repeat learning, will become increasingly important for part-time higher education students. We are building on the potential of e-learning to offer interactive, individualised learning at the pace, place and level most suited to the learner. The new foundation degrees are inherently flexible in how they are delivered: not only full-time or part-time at an institution but also through distance learning or in the workplace.

  As set out in our recent White Paper "The future of higher education" we are also improving the package of support for part-time students including a grant to help with the costs of travel.

  PFI Schemes
  Dr. Pugh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1)how many local education authorities will be paying from their education budgets for the costs of PFI schemes in 2003–04; [113160]

  (2) what the total value is of payments for PFI schemes to be made by local education authorities from their education budget in the financial year 2003–04. [113161]

  Mr. Miliband
  All local education authorities (LEAs) with operational Schools PFI schemes contribute towards the costs of these schemes. Funding from this Department is intended to meet the capital repayment element of the unitary charge. LEAs must meet the facilities management element. They do this by recouping some of the funds which would otherwise have been devolved for this purpose to schools involved in the project, and by using their own resources.

  The contract for a Schools PFI scheme is usually between the LEA and the contractor. The DfES is not a party to the contract, so we are not aware of the unitary charge that the LEA would have agreed to pay each year. The size of the charge will of course be dependent on the overall value of the contract, however, a number of checks are put in place during the procurement process to try to ensure that LEAs agree deals that are affordable and offer good value for money.

  Physical Education
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent advice his Department has issued to schools in the London Borough of Havering regarding the(a) number of hours of physical education that should be taught to GCSE pupils and (b) the setting of homework tasks for GCSE pupils. [113472]

  Mr. Miliband
  The Department has issued no advice specifically to schools in the London Borough of Havering about the number of hours of physical education that should be taught to GCSE pupils or the setting of homework tasks for GCSE pupils. Both are determined at local school level.

  However, the Government believes that all pupils should receive two hours per week of high quality physical education and school sport within and beyond the curriculum. To this end, the DfES and DCMS are working with a range of partners to deliver an ambitious Public Service Agreement target to ensure that, by 2006, 75 per cent, of all pupils will receive two hours per week of high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum. Delivery of this target is supported by Government investment of £459 million over the next three years.

  The Department last issued guidance to all schools on homework in November 1998 through the publication "Homework: Guidance for Primary and Secondary Schools".

  Pupils
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils, after finishing their GCSEs,(a) remained at the same
  564W
  school, (b) went on to a different further education institution and (c) left secondary education, in each of the last five years. [113571]

  Mr. Miliband
  The table shows the proportion of the year group who, following their completion of compulsory education,(a) remained in the same school, (b) remained in education in a different institution and (c) did not continue in full-time education.

  Percentage

  1998

  2000

  2002

  Same school

  33

  33

  32

  Further education institution

  36

  38

  39

  Left education

  31

  29

  29

  Source:

  Youth Cohort Study, Cohorts 9, 10, 11.

  Figures are for England and Wales and are taken from the Youth Cohort Study (YCS). The YCS is a biennial survey; data for 1999, 2001 and 2003 are not available.

  School Toilets
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 8 May 2003,Official Report, column 842W, on school toilets, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 are adhered to; and on how many occasions in each year since the regulations, came into force the standards of hygiene in school toilets have been found to be below the required standard. [113271]

  Mr. Miliband
  Since the Education (School Premises) Regulations came into force on 1 February 1999, the Department's Schools Building and Design Unit has received five written (including E-mail) complaints concerning the condition of toilets in maintained schools, four in 2000 and 1 in 2003. It is not possible to assess the findings resulting for visits to schools by the Department's staff, or of telephone inquiries.

  School Uniforms
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his policy is on encouraging the use of school uniforms. [113572]

  Mr. Miliband
  It is for school governing bodies to determine whether their school has a uniform. The Department issued revised school uniform guidance in February 2002. This gives advice to schools and parents on issues relating to school uniform. The Secretary of State for Education and Skills recently confirmed his support for school uniform when he announced the results of our school uniform survey. He welcomed the results as they confirmed that the majority of parents were in favour of uniform and think it can contribute to improved behaviour and standards.

  Steiner Schools
  Vernon Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what decisions he has made about public funding for Steiner schools. [113518]
  565W
  Mr. Miliband
  The Department has been working with the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship, and several LEAs, for three years to see whether independent Steiner Schools might be able to enter the maintained sector. As yet no decisions have been taken.

  Stoke-on-Trent LEA
  Mr. Stevenson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 16 to 18-year-olds in Stoke-on-Trent LEA have moved into(a) further education and (b) higher education over the last five years; what percentage the figures represent of the total number of 16 to 18-year-olds in the area; and what the national average figures are. [112977]

  Margaret Hodge
  The information is as follows:

  (a) The percentages of 16 and 17-year-olds participating in full-time education in Stoke-on-Trent LEA, in the four years for which data are available are set out in the table. Prior to 1997/98 Stoke on Trent LEA was part of Staffordshire LEA. Participation rates at sub-national level are only available for 16 and 17-year-olds.

  Participation in full-time further education1

  Percentage of age group

  End 1997

  End 1998

  End 1999

  End 2000

  16-year-olds

  Stoke-on-Trent LEA

  49

  52

  58

  60

  England

  70

  70

  71

  71

  17- year- olds

  Stoke-on-Trent LEA

  38

  38

  41

  46

  England

  57

  57

  58

  58

  1 Includes participation in schools, sixth form colleges and further and higher education institutions.

  Note:

  Population data do not include any revisions following the 2001 census.

  Source:

  DfES Statistical Bulletin, published 16 December 2002.

  Participation rates by LEA for 16 and 17-year-olds are published in an annual statistical bulletin, 'Participation in Education and Training by 16 and 17-Year-Olds in Each Local Area in England'. This bulletin is available on the departmental website www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics.

  (b) The proportion of students domiciled in Stoke-on-Trent LEA and England, aged 18 and accepted through UCAS to full-time undergraduate courses in the UK is given in the table.

  17-year-old population

  18-year-olds accepted to HE

  Proportion entering Higher Education (Percentage)

  Stoke-on-Trent LEA

  Autumn 1997 entry

  2,900

  331

  11.3

  Autumn 1998 entry

  3,000

  360

  11.9

  Autumn 1999 entry

  3,100

  339

  11.0

  Autumn 2000 entry

  3,000

  382

  12.8

  Autumn 2001 entry

  3,100

  502

  16.1

  Autumn 2002 entry

  3,000

  431

  14.6

  England

  Autumn 1997 entry

  601,100

  123,121

  20.5

  Autumn 1998 entry

  619,700

  124,533

  20.1

  Autumn 1999 entry

  612,100

  123,441

  20.2

  Autumn 2000 entry

  601,000

  123,708

  20.6

  Autumn 2001 entry

  610,900

  131,322

  21.5

  Autumn 2002 entry

  613,600

  134,840

  22.0

  566W
  Note:

  Participation rates have been calculated using the 17-year-old population from the previous year to reduce the distortion caused to LEA populations by the migration of students to their place of study. Figures include a very small number of accepted applicants of unknown English domicile. Population figures relate to persons aged 17 at 31 August in the year prior to entry, counts taken at the following 1 January; accepted applicants are aged 18 at 30 September in the year of entry.

  Student Finance
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will estimate the distribution of lifetime postgraduate income premiums by(a) types of course followed at university and (b) institution attended. [109333]

  Margaret Hodge
  We said in the White Paper, "The Future of Higher Education", that graduates enjoy different returns from different courses and according to the institution attended. Recent research found a 44 percentage point difference in average returns between graduates from institutions at the two extremes of the graduate pay scale. No specific estimates have been made of the distribution of lifetime earnings premia by type of course or institution attended, for either first-degree graduates or post-graduates. However, we will be publishing research evidence later this year on how lifetime earnings premia might differ according to institution attended.

  Academic research on graduate returns at a point in time shows that while higher education is a good investment for the average graduate, returns do vary according to degree subject. External research also indicates that graduate earnings vary according to the institution attended. These findings suggest that graduate lifetime earnings differentials may be influenced by degree subject and institution attended.

  Supply Teachers
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of supply teachers working in maintained schools, broken down by local authority area, in the current academic year. [109420]

  Mr. Miliband
  Occasional teacher numbers (teachers on contracts of less than a month who were in service for the whole of the survey date) in the maintained schools sector in England are shown in table 17 of the January 2002 edition of Statistics of Education: School Workforce in England. This table shows data for January 2002 the most recent data currently available. A copy of this volume has been placed in the Library. The table is also available on the statistics section of the DfES website at:www.dfes.qov.uk/statistics/DBA/OL/v0380/456–t17.htm.

  Teacher Numbers
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) male and (b) female teachers are employed in (i) primary schools and (ii) secondary schools. [110127]

  Mr. Miliband
  Full-time regular qualified teachers in the maintained schools sector in England by phase, grade and sex are shown in table 21 of the January 2002
  567W
  edition of Statistics of Education: School Workforce in England. This table shows data up to March 2001 which are the most recent available. A copy of this volume has been placed in the Library. The table is also available on the statistics section of the DfES website at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics/DBA/OL/v0380/456–t21.htm.

  Teacher Pensions
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many male partners of retired teachers would be eligible for more generous pension provisions on the death of their spouse if the rules on transferring teacher pension entitlement to a widower became uniform; and what estimate he has made of the cost of changing policy in this way. [113546]

  Mr. Miliband
  The Teachers' Pension Scheme has provided automatic cover for widowers' pensions since 6 April 1988. All female teachers have been given the option to purchase cover for pre-1988 service at favourable rates. Very many chose to do so and only those female teachers who did not take advantage of this opportunity have cover for widowers' benefits restricted to their post-1988 service. Information is not held on the number of female teachers who chose not to cover their pre-1988 service for widowers' benefit.

  To provide widowers' benefit cover from 1972 in respect of all serving female teachers would increase the contribution rate by around 0.15 per cent, of salary.

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the impact of increased contributions to teachers superannuation on school budgets(a) in total and (b) for each local education authority area. [109414]

  Mr. Miliband
  It will not be possible to calculate the additional cost of the increase in employers' contributions to the Teachers' Pension Scheme for each local education authority for 2003–04 until we have analysed the contributions data for March and April 2003.

  Nationally, a total of £650 million has been transferred into provision for schools to meet the costs of the 4.75 per cent, increase in employers' contribution that arises from the inclusion of the costs of pensions increase on the scheme. This comprises a baseline adjustment to the Education Formula Spending total of £586 million; £20 million to meet the additional costs of
  568W
  Threshold grant payments; and a £44 million transfer to the Learning and Skills Council in respect of sixth forms.

  Teacher Qualifications
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of teachers in England in secondary schools hold a(a) Masters and (b) PhD in the subject area they are qualified to teach. [110129]

  Mr. Miliband
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Teaching Redundancies
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers have been issued with redundancy notices(a) in the past three months and (b) in the past year, in each local education authority. [109421]

  Mr. Miliband
  This information is not collected centrally.

SCOTLAND

  Postal Services
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to her Answer of 4 February, Official Report, column 133W, on rural post offices (Scotland), how much of the money the Government is putting towards rural post offices over the next three years will be spent on Scottish post offices; and of the funding for Scotland, how much of this represents(a) a guarantee of existing subsidies and (b) investment in infrastructure. [114389]

  Mrs. McGuire
  The Government has placed a formal requirement on Royal Mail to maintain the rural post office network and to prevent avoidable closures, in the first instance to 2006. This has been underpinned by a £450 million allocation to Post Office Ltd. The money will provide direct support to rural post offices and maintain front line services in local communities. It will also help to ensure Post Office Ltd provide reasonable access for all citizens to "over the counter" services and, in addition, it will give Post Office Ltd the financial flexibility to pilot modern innovative ways of delivering services in rural areas.

  Post Office Ltd will administer the fund within guidelines and parameters set by the Government.

TREASURY

  Children at Risk Green Paper
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reasons are for the delay in publication of the Children at Risk Green Paper. [114737]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Government are currently finalising the proposals to be detailed in the Children's Green Paper and will be publishing it shortly.

  Currency Design
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who(a) is consulted and (b) approves new designs for (i) coins of the realm, (ii) banknotes and (iii) postage stamps. [113849]

  Mr. Boateng
  When introducing a new coin, the Royal Mint takes into account the needs of the blind and the visually impaired, and regularly consults with representative bodies on these issues. It also consults representatives of the banks, the Post Office, retailers and the vending machine industry. The subject to feature on a new coin is approved by the Queen on the recommendation of the Chancellor in his capacity as Master of the Mint. Once the choice of subject has been decided, the Royal Mint Advisory Committee invites coin designers and artists to submit designs. The Advisory Committee recommends its preferred choice to the Chancellor for him to seek the approval of the Queen if he is content.

  Choosing the design of Bank of England banknotes is the responsibility of the Bank of England itself. The Bank consults with the Royal National Institute of the Blind. Exemplars of new notes are sent to the manufacturers of vending machines that accept banknotes, and are also offered to the commercial banks and the Post Office. Retailers are informed in advance of the new note.

  Consultation on new stamp designs takes place with the independent Stamp Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry and the Royal Mail Board. New designs are submitted to the Queen for approval.

  Bank Interest (Research Council Funds)
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much interest was earned by the Bank of England in respect of the account of the Natural Environment Research Council in the last financial year. [114320]

  Mr. Boateng
  Information regarding accounts held at the Bank of England is commercially confidential, and is not publicly disclosed. Inquiries about the Natural Environment Research Council should be directed to the Council itself.

  Crown Estate
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been received by the Treasury from rents paid for use of the Crown Estate's570W
  seabed in each year since 1973; and how much the Crown Estate has invested in marine research in each of those years. [113935]

  John Healey
  The overall net revenue surplus of The Crown Estate is surrendered to the Exchequer. This payment is not subdivided by the individual constituents of the Estate's property holdings. Figures for the gross surpluses from the operations of the different components of The Crown Estate are set out in the organisation's annual report which is available in the Library of the House.

  Since 1985 The Crown Estate has invested around £3.7 million in marine related research into areas such as fish farming and the environmental impact of dredging. A breakdown of the figures is as follows:

  £000

  1985

  56

  1986

  67

  1987

  71

  1988

  75

  1989

  100

  1990

  124

  1991

  425

  1992

  192

  1993

  208

  1994

  189

  1995

  228

  1996

  287

  1997

  383

  1998

  284

  1999

  304

  2000

  303

  2001

  164

  2002

  241

  Customs Confidential Hotline
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many(a) phone calls and (b) e-mails have been received by the Customs Confidential hotline since its inception, broken down by category of alleged offence. [113358]

  (2) what proportion of the (a) phone calls and (b) e-mails received by the Customs Confidential hotline since its inception produced information on which HM Customs could act. [113359]

  John Healey
  The Customs Confidential Hotline has only existed in its current format since May 2002. Prior to this paper records were kept, and the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Since May 2002, 17,530 telephone calls have been processed, along with 832 e-mails and 341 Freepost letters. Additionally, 1,083 phone calls received (6.2 per cent.) are classed as wrong numbers, obscene or time wasting calls.

  In the past year, 18,703 pieces of information have been passed to Customs teams. Other Government Departments (OGDs) and to the police for consideration of further action.
  571W
  Many of these pieces of information are low-level intelligence which form part of a wider picture and need to be considered in that context; it is not always possible to determine immediately how useful this information is, and it is not possible to provide robust data on the correlation between information received by Customs and subsequent action taken by them.

  The approximate breakdown of the 18,703 pieces of information processed is given in the table.

  Category

  Proportion of pieces of information processed percentage

  VAT related

  34.2

  Tobacco

  27.4

  Alcohol

  18.0

  Oils

  10.4

  Drugs

  4.8

  Other (OGD/Police)

  2.3

  Criminal Finances

  0.6

  Counterfeit Goods

  0.6

  Gambling Taxes

  0.3

  Pornography (inc Paedophilia)

  0.3

  Firearms

  0.1

  Other Prohibitions and Restrictions

  1.0

  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) arrests and (b) convictions have been attributable to information received by the Customs Confidential hotline since its inception; and what the costs of operating the Customs Confidential hotline were in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [113360]

  John Healey
  The Customs Confidential Hotline has only existed in its current format since May 2002. Prior to this paper records were kept and the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  The costs of operating the Customs Confidential Hotline are estimated to be £12,500 a year for the free telephone hotline (0800 59 5000) and 6 staff years.

  In the last year information from the Customs Confidential Hotline has contributed to a number of operations across the country. However, it is not possible to provide robust data on correlation between information received by Customs and subsequent arrests and convictions.

  Deregulation
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the deregulation measures which have been implemented by his Department since February 2002; and if he will make a statement. [112834]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 12 May 2003]: The Government has taken forward a wide range of measures over the past year to reduce and simplify the regulatory burden on public, private and voluntary sectors. Many of these measures are described in detail in Chapter 3 of the
  572W
  Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report (web link http:// www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget/bud_bud03/budget_report/bud_bud03_repchap3.cfm and the accompanying press notice entitled Supporting Business and Entrepreneurship, both published on 9 April.

  In Budget 2003, the Chancellor announced that the Government had identified over 500 proposed deregulatory measures across government since February 2002, including, and building on, over 250 measures that were announced as part of the Government's Regulatory Reform Action Plan.

  Some of the most notable deregulatory measures that have been implemented by the Chancellor's departments' since February 2002 include:

  Optional flat rate VAT scheme for small business, enabling more than 650,000 to save up to £1,000 in annual compliance costs; annual accounting for Climate Change Levy; modernisation and simplification of existing regimes governing the taxation of debt and derivative contracts, repealing over 100 pages of legislation; simplification of Capital Gains Tax regime; Corporation Tax exemption for gains on substantial shareholdings; facilitation of electronic communication between building societies and their members; and removal/reduction of rustication on Credit unions to enable wider completion.

  Full details of these measures can be found on this Cabinet office web linkhttp://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/regulation/actionplari/docs/rrap.pdf)

  EU Savings Directive
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage US compliance with the automatic exchange of information on savings held by EU nationals, as covered by the EU Savings Directive. [114302]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Her Majesty's Government holds regular discussions with the Government of the United States, in which a range of issues are discussed.

  Financial Statement and Budget Report
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a change to the main inflation index along the lines proposed in the Budget Statement will affect the annual uprating of pensions and other benefits. [114362]

  Mr. Boateng
  As the Chancellor made clear in his Budget speech the Treasury review of the inflation target is being examined from a monetary policy perspective. As has already been announced the Basic State Pension will rise each year by 2.5 per cent., or by the September RPI, whichever is higher. Social security benefits will rise in the normal way.

  Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of
  573W
  Clause 171 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill; and if he will make a statement. [113461]

  Mr. Boateng
  The provisions of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill will help deliver greater freedoms to high performing hospitals and trusts, as announced by the Chancellor in his Budget Statement on 17 April 2002. This is in line with the Government's policy of encouraging greater devolution in the delivery of public services to Departments and to front line organisations, within a clear framework of national standards and expenditure limits.

  Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps with the World Bank as part of the HIPC initiative to resolve conflicts between the decisions made by the International Court for the Settlement of Investment Disputes and the obligations on heavily indebted poor countries. [113396]

  John Healey
  Generally the International Court for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) arbitration relates solely to the claim being considered, and need not have any bearing on how commercial debt should be treated under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) more widely, which primarily focuses on the cancellation of debt acquired through borrowing, and not with claims that might arise from the possibly illegal appropriation of assets.

  However, we would hope that any investor successfully claiming through ICSID would act in the spirit of the HIPC Initiative and settle for a smaller sum, in line with the Paris Club treatment of bilateral debt.

  Inspectorates
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 9April 2203,Official Report, column 269W, on Inspectorates, what the total costs incurred by the Inland Revenue were in each year since 1997. [113400]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Inland Revenue undertakes a variety of activities to monitor and ensure compliance. Chiefly, this concerns enquiries into the tax returns of individuals, businesses and companies, and reviews of employer compliance. Though figures are not available for earlier years, the number of staff engaged in this work and the staff costs to the Inland Revenue, were:

  Year

  Number of staff

  Total staff costs—£000

  1999–2000

  12,622

  439,689

  2000–01

  12,439

  446,761

  2001–02

  13,130

  490,020

  This involves staff employed at different levels working in local offices, the Large Business Office and the Special Compliance Office.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason his Department ceased issuing notices to people with an incomplete record of National 574W
  Insurance contributions in a given tax year; when and how this omission was noted; how many letters will now be issued; and if he will make a statement. [l14570]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the hon. Member to my written statement to the House on 16 May 2003,Official Report, column 26WS.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the question tabled by the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe for answer on 28 April, ref 109374, on tax credits. [114341]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I answered the right hon. and learned Gentleman's question on 30 April 2003, Official Report, columns 376–77W.

  My answer replied not only to question 109374 but also to questions 109369 and 109337 from the hon. Member for Pudsey (Mr. Truswell). Unfortunately, the right hon. and learned Gentleman's question was not attributed to him in the Official Report. Arrangements have been made for this error to be corrected in the Bound Volume.

  State Retirement Pension
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what level the basic rate of income tax would have to be raised to meet the cost of raising the state retirement pension to 8 per cent, of GDP by 2050. [113547]

  Mr. Boateng
  It is not possible to provide accurate calculations of the revenue impact of rates of income tax as, far ahead as 2050. In particular, the structure of taxation and the distribution of income are likely to change materially over the long term.

  Tax
  Vernon Coaker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the new tax credits on entitlement to(a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit; and if he will make a statement. [113588]

  Dawn Primarolo
  As a result of the increased generosity of the working and child tax credits that were introduced in April 2003, it is estimated that up to 50,000 households could be floated off housing benefit, while up to 150,000 households could be floated off council tax benefit.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) individuals and (b) households, broken down by those who are in work and those that are out of work and those in receipt of benefit and those that are not in receipt of benefit, face marginal rates of tax and benefit withdrawal of over (i) 40 per cent., (ii) 50 per cent., (iii) 60 per cent., (iv) 70 per cent., (v) 89 per cent., (vi) 90 per cent, and (vii) 100 per cent. [114413]

  Mr. Boateng
  This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  575W
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long on average each tax office is taking to process tax returns; and how many returns have been outstanding for(a) six weeks, (b) nine weeks, (c) 12 weeks and (d) more than 12 weeks. [113533]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Inland Revenue does not collect the exact information in the form requested.

  Annex A—Table 1 details the rate of capture for SA. Returns in respect of all return years over the past two financial years. This is shown as an age profile against the date of receipt of the return.

  Annex B—Table 2 details the number of returns which remain for processing that are more than 45 days from the date of receipt.

  Treasury Committee
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government will respond to the Treasury Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2002–03, HC 184; and what the reasons are for the delay in replying. [114568]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government response was delivered to the Committee on 2 May.

  UN Compensation Commission
  Nick Harvey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's position is on repatriation claims in the UN Compensation Commission; if bis Department will advocate payment of these from liberated Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [111881]

  Mr. Rammell
  I have been asked to reply.

  We continue to support the work of the UNCC in assessing claims arising from Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990. The UNCC is currently funded from sales of Iraqi oil sold under the Oil For Food programme. The future of this programme is under discussion in the Security Council.

  Valuation Office
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the role of the Valuation Office Agency in Liverpool. [114195]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is an executive agency of the Inland Revenue with 85 offices spread throughout England, Wales and Scotland. This network of offices is arranged into 23 Groups and 9 District Valuers for different areas of work.

  The Liverpool Group has three offices located in Liverpool, Chester and Crewe and is headed by a Group Valuation Officer. The GVO is statutorily responsible for compiling and maintaining the business rating and council tax valuation lists for the 13 local authorities covered by his group.

  Additionally these three locations form part of the North West District Valuer Services. The District Valuer provides a comprehensive range of specialised
  576W
  property services to central Government and public bodies such as valuing property for the purposes of taxes administered by the Inland Revenue.

  It may be helpful for me to advise you that the VGA's website address is www.voa.gov.uk. on which there is further information about the VOA.

DEFENCE

  16 Air Assault Brigade
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will announce the date of the return to the UK from Iraq of 16 Air Assault Brigade. [113121]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 13 May 2003]: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence's two written statements of 11 April 2003, Official Report, columns 38–39WS and 30 April 2003, Official Report, columns 15–16WS. In the latter, he announced the withdrawal of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines, which is under way. We aim to bring home the other major deployed land units as soon as the situation allows, and will announce plans to do so once they are firm.

  Afghanistan
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the cost of NATO assistance for operations in Afghanistan will be met from the regular budget. [112484]

  Mr. Ingram
  NATO assistance does not affect the financing of United Kingdom military operations.

  Aircraft Carriers
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is his policy that one of the Invincible Class aircraft carriers will be used in a permanent landing platform helicopter role. [113953]

  Mr. Ingram
  It is not policy that one of the Invincible Class aircraft carriers (CVS) will be used in a permanent LPH role. The CVS have the capability to carryout the LPH function as a secondary role in support of amphibious operations, as demonstrated by HMS Ark Royal as part of Operation TELIC, but the Royal Navy's primary LPH capability is provided by HMS Ocean.

  Armed Forces' Equipment
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to balance the cost of modifying equipment against that of supporting unmodified equipment in theatre, when assessing cost effectiveness. [110551]

  Mr. Ingram
  Under the Smart Acquisition process all costs associated with the expected life of any new equipment are considered when decisions are taken on procurement, taking into account the global role of United Kingdom armed forces.

  In addition the particular circumstances of every operation are examined, and existing equipment modified for the specific operational environment, the

  577W
  particular threat faced and the potential scenarios envisaged. This includes improving supportability where it will increase operational effectiveness.

  Beef
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where beef for consumption by(a) the Army, (b) the airforce, (c) the Navy and (d) the marines is reared and produced. [114158]

  Mr. Ingram
  The latest percentages for the beef purchased is: 55 per cent, reared and produced in Britain, 21 per cent. Australia, 18 per cent. Brazil, 4 per cent. Uruguay and 2 per cent. New Zealand. There is no differentiation between the single services.

  Cluster Bombs
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to replace cluster bombs used by Her Majesty's armed forces in Iraq. [112480]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Ministry of Defence has no plans to replace the cluster bombs used in Iraq.

  Defence Equipment Sales
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the Government to Government memorandum of understanding between the UK and Qatar regarding the purchase of £500 million worth of defence equipment from the UK was resurrected; and which components of the deal are being renegotiated. [108989]

  Mr. Ingram
  There has been no renegotiation of any defence cooperation understandings with the government of Qatar since signature.

  European Security and Defence Policy
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Le Touquet Summit declaration of 4 February, if he will place a copy of the text of NATO and EU agreements in the Library of each House; when they were concluded; and if he will make a statement. [111914]

  Mr. Hoon
  The strategic partnership arrangements between the EU and NATO in crisis management, known as "Berlin Plus", were agreed in principle by the North Atlantic Council and the European Council on 13 December 2002. The detailed arrangements implementing the agreement were then finalised, leading to a final exchange of letters between the NATO Secretary General, my right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Robertson, and the Secretary General of the European Union Council of Ministers, Javier Solatia, on 17 March 2003.

  This exchange of letters and most of the detailed implementation documents were passed in confidence between NATO and the EU and member states and I am therefore withholding them under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which relates to Defence, Security and International Relations. There are, however, two documents which do not fall within the scope of this
  578W
  exemption. I shall make arrangements for a copy of the "Agreement between the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the European Union on the Security of Information" and a document "Defining the EU Capability Development Mechanism" to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Hawk
  Miss Mclntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence(1) what representations he has received concerning the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer; and if he will make a statement; [113097]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the benefits of the Hawk aircraft programme in terms of (a) jet pilot training capability and (b) jobs. [113098]

  Mr. Ingram
  Representations have been made concerning the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer from a variety of sources.

  We have continued to work closely with BAE Systems to determine whether Hawk 128 will best meet our need for an Advanced Jet Trainer and on 31 March 2003 received a final proposal from the company. We are currently considering the proposal to determine whether it does meet our requirement and offer value for money for the taxpayer. A decision on the way ahead is expected by the end of June 2003 and it would not be appropriate to make a statement until this time. It will be for BAE Systems to decide what effect, if any, the outcome will have on employment levels.

  HMS Glasgow
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason HMS Glasgow remained non-operational for 12 months. [112299]

  Mr. Ingram
  During the last 12 months HMS Glasgow has been held in extended readiness. She has undergone regeneration work in preparation for rejoining the fleet as I set out in my answer of 24 February 2003,Official Report, columns 305–06W, to the hon. Member for Portsmouth South (Mr Hancock). I also refer the hon. Member to my answer to him of 12 May 2003, Official Report, column 38W, which stated that she has been unavailable for deployment as a result of manpower commitments to providing emergency cover in the event of a fire-fighters strike.

  Intelligence Units
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the remit is of the Joint Services Group. [112522]

  Mr. Ingram
  I am withholding this information under section la of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information.

  Iraq
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to establish a mechanism that can provide for investigation of allegations of the unlawful use of lethal force by members of HM armed forces in Iraq. [111844]
  579W
  Mr. Ingrain
  We are not aware of any allegations of unlawful use of lethal force by United Kingdom personnel in Iraq. However, were such an allegation to be made, and it could be substantiated, the Special Investigation Branch of the Royal Military Police, a detachment of which is currently deployed in the Gulf, would be responsible for carrying out an investigation into the circumstances.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions and orders have been issued to members of HM armed forces in Iraq concerning co-operation with investigations into allegations concerning the unlawful use of lethal force by members of(a) UK, (b) US and (c) other forces performing policing and public order duties in Iraq. [111845]

  Mr. Hoon
  Co-operation with investigations into allegations of unlawful use of lethal force, whether by members of the United Kingdom, the United States or other forces performing policing and public order duties in Iraq, is a matter for individuals, unless they are compelled to co-operate by a court order. Accordingly, no such orders or instructions have been issued.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what orders and instructions he has given concerning participation of Scots Guardsmen(a) Mark Wright and (b) James Fisher on foot patrols and other interface with the civilian population of Basra. [112547]

  Mr. Ingram
  None.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence(1)how many(a) Paveway II, (b) Paveway III and (c) 1,000 Ib bombs were dropped in Iraq; and what the cost was for each group; [113246]

  (2)what the total replacement value is of the ordnance dropped by British forces in Iraq. [113247]

  Mr. Ingram
  I will write to the hon. Member on completion of expenditure on operations and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Dhanda
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of the use of cluster bombs in the war with Iraq on the long-term development of the country. [113739]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Government recognise that, following conflict, all unexploded ordnance is a matter of humanitarian concern. That is why we are committed to the clearance of unexploded ordnance as part of the post-conflict reconstruction of Iraq.

  Missile Defence
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to sign a memorandum of understanding with the United States of America on missile defence; if he will place a copy in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [113902]

  Mr. Hoon
  As I informed the House on 5 February 2003,Official Report, column 11WS, we have agreed to the US request to upgrade the early warning radar at RAF Fylingdales for missile defence purposes, and are negotiating a technical memorandum of understanding to give us full insight into the development of the US programme and allow British industry the best possible opportunities to win work within it. Agreements to
  580W
  embody these decisions will comprise one framework memorandum of understanding setting out the principles under which UK/US cooperation may be undertaken plus associated memoranda covering technical cooperation and the upgrade of RAF Fylingdales. Final decisions on the releasability of these MOUs have not yet been made.

  Northern Ireland
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role(a) Army and (b) official personnel played in planning, preparing and carrying out the killing of Councillor Eddie Fullerton. [112274]

  Mr. Ingram
  I am not aware of any evidence or allegations to suggest that Army or official personnel were involved in the killing of Councillor Eddie Fullerton.

  I would urge anyone who has any evidence on this, or other deaths, to pass it to the police.

  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Action Group
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the action against the MOD by the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Action Group. [113697]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 16 May 2003]: The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Group action against the Ministry of Defence was heard in the Royal Courts of Justice between 4 March and 13 November 2002. Judgment will be handed down on 21 May 2003. The Ministry of Defence's legal costs and disbursements incurred from the commencement of the action up to 28 April 2003 was £3,530,379.

  Royal Fleet Auxiliary
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects(a) RFA Sir Galahad and (b) RFA Sir Tristram to be paid off. [112271]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 13 March 2003,Official Report, column 389W, and 27 February 2003, Official Report, column 670W, to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr Keetch).

  Saudi Arabia
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the continued deployment of British forces to Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement. [113954]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence's two written ministerial statements on Iraq Force Level Adjustments of I1 April 2003,Official Report, columns 38–39WS, and of 30 April 2003, Official Report, columns 15–16WS, in which he made clear that the precise level of the continuing United Kingdom presence needed in the Gulf region is the subject of an on-going dynamic planning process.

  We will continue to inform the House of any firm decisions on the level of UK military presence required in the region.

  Security Cleared Contracts
  Mr. Dhanda
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what discussions he has had with the Defence Vetting Agency regarding discrimination in advertisements for Ministry of Defence security cleared contracts; [113709]

  (2) what action he is taking to ensure that advertisements for Ministry of Defence security cleared contracts do not discriminate against potential applicants whose Ministry of Defence security clearance may have lapsed; [113707]

  (3) what action he is taking to inform recruitment agencies who advertise MOD security cleared contracts of the MOD policy that applicants do not need current clearance to apply for classified contracts. [113708]

  Mr. Ingram
  I have had no discussions with the Defence Vetting Agency (DVA) regarding discrimination in advertisements for Ministry of Defence security cleared contracts. I am, however, advised by the DVA and other Departments in the MOD that complaints are sometimes received from individuals who feel that advertisements placed by some employment agencies, seeking staff who already possess a security clearance, are discriminatory.

  Whenever the Ministry of Defence becomes aware that a recruitment agency is advertising for staff holding a security clearance to work on MOD protectively marked contracts, we write to the agency concerned advising them to stop the practice. The agency is told that the wording used is incorrect, discriminatory and counter to Government policy, and could potentially place the company in breach of equal opportunities legislation. The agency is also requested to use more suitable wording, as suggested by MOD, when advertising job vacancies, making it clear that the successful applicant will require to be security cleared prior to confirmation of their appointment.

  MOD have also taken action to ensure that United Kingdom defence contractors are advised along similar lines when advertising employment opportunities.

  Sierra Leone
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom troops are deployed in Sierra Leone; what the number was at its peak; what the timetable is for reducing the UN peacekeeping force; and what assessment he has made of whether the timetable is likely to be met. [113657]

  Mr. Ingram
  As at May 2003, there are 119 United Kingdom military personnel deployed to Sierra Leone. Of these, 21 personnel form the UK contribution to the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), and 98 personnel form the core of the UK-led International Military Advisory and Training Team (IMATT). At the peak of the UK's military deployment in February 2001 there were around 907 personnel in Sierra Leone.

  The key objective for UNAMSIL is to assist the Government of Sierra Leone in the consolidation of peace and security. Progress is regularly reviewed against a range of benchmarks relating to the security situation in Sierra Leone, and wider governance, justice and human rights issues. These benchmarks are set down in the Fifteenth Report of the UN Secretary
  582W
  General on Sierra Leone of 5 September 2002. UNAMSIL drawdown is driven by achievement of these benchmarks rather than by a set timetable. As a consequence of progress made, UNAMSIL started a phased drawdown in September 2002. Phase One of the drawdown is now complete, with Phase Two to be completed shortly. This will see a reduction in troop strength to around 13,000.

  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution the United Kingdom is making(a) to training the Sierra Leone army and police and (b) to the reintegration of former combatants. [113658]

  Mr. Ingram
  A United Kingdom-led International Military Advisory and Training Team (IMATT) continues to help build the Republic of Sierra Leone armed forces into an effective, professional and democratically accountable force and to improve the capacity of the Sierra Leone MOD. The IMATT currently involves 114 personnel, comprising 98 UK military personnel plus a number of internationals. In addition, there are two UK Ministry of Defence civil servants serving in the Sierra Leone MOD.

  The UK is also making a major contribution to the restructuring of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) through training and the provision and repair of police infrastructure. Training for the SLP is being provided under a scheme, managed by the Department for International Development, worth some £13 million over three years. In all, about 4,000 police officers, from senior management to new recruits, have received some form of training under the project.

  In preparation for the gradual withdrawal of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone(UNAMSIL), the Government of Sierra Leone plan to recruit some 3,000 additional officers. The refurbishment and extension of the SLP training school is being paid for by DFID to enable training of these additional officers. The UK has also nominated 10 civilian police officers to UNAMSIL to work on capacity building programmes.

  The UK's reconciliation and reconstruction projects in Sierra Leone are carried out through the Community Reintegration Programme (CRP) and the ReAct Programme. Both of these provide community reintegration activities in the form of job opportunities and short-term skills training and education for ex-combatants. The activities are community-based, with ex-combatants working alongside other war-affected people. The CRP, to which £14.4 million has been committed by DFID, operates in the northern region of Sierra Leone; ReAct operates in the eastern region of Sierra Leone and is co-funded by DFID and UNHCR. The DFID contribution to ReAct is £1.8 million.

  Strategic Airfield Study
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the future of RAF Lyneham; [112690]

  (2) for what reason the Strategic Airfield Study was not published before the Easter recess; and when the Strategic Airfield Study will be published. [112689]
  583W
  Mr. Ingrain
  The outcome of the Strategic Review into the future of RAF Brize Norton, RAF Lyneham and RAF St Mawgan was not published before the Easter recess because of the requirement to take into account the experience of Operation TELIC. I hope to be in a position to announce the outcome of the review in the next few weeks.

  Territorial Army (NHS Personnel)
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans are in place to return NHS employees to the United Kingdom following service with the TA medical services in the Gulf; and if he will make a statement. [113898]

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Territorial Army medical staff in the Gulf will return to their jobs in the national health service; and if he will make a statement. [114566]

  Dr. Moonie
  The majority of Territorial Army medical personnel are serving with either 34 Field Hospital (34 Fd Hosp) or 202 Volunteer Field Hospital (202 (V) Fd Hosp). On current plans, 34 Fd Hosp personnel should return to the United Kingdom by the end of May 2003. 202 (V) Fd Hosp personnel will be released from theatre through a staged process beginning in the next few weeks. It is hoped that all should have returned by the end of July 2003. There are some additional singleton appointments undertaken by medical personnel who will leave theatre as and when their parent Regular unit leaves theatre. TA personnel will be able to return to their employment with the national health service once they have been through the demobilisation process and taken their post operational tour leave which is commensurate with the period of their mobilised service.

  Troop Deployments (Persian Gulf)
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of British troops deployed in the Persian Gulf have now returned home. [110705]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence's Written Statement of 30 April 2003,Official Report, columns 15–16WS.

  As at 11 May, over 11,000 United Kingdom servicemen and women had returned to their home bases from operations in the Gulf. This represents around 25 per cent of the total number deployed to the region.

  UN Non-proliferation Treaty
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Government's contribution is to the UN Non-Proliferation Treaty conference in Geneva. [112096]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 12 May 2003,Official Report, columns 84–85W, by my hon. Friend (Mr. O'Brien) the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith).

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  African Union Peace and Security Council
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have(a) signed and (b) ratified the African Union Peace and Security Council. [112172]

  Mr. Rammell
  The following countries have signed the African Union protocol relating to the establishment of the Peace and Security Council: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Western Sahara, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

  Algeria and Mali have completed ratification.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which members of the African Union have(a) signed and (b) ratified the African Peace and Security Council. [112731]

  Mr. Rammell
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her today (UIN 112172).

  Democratic Republic of the Congo
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he is making to the UN force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [112180]

  Mr. Rammell
  We are in regular contact with MONUC (the UN force in the Democratic Republic of Congo) and with the UN in New York. Our aim is the deployment of MONUC at its mandated strength of 8,700 to support the peace process in the DRC, including Ituri.

  Entry Clearance (Waiting Times)
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for entry clearance are awaiting determination at the British high commission in Islamabad; how many have been outstanding for more than(a) six months and (b) three months; and if he will make a statement. [114565]

  Mr. Rammell
  In the six months from 16 November 2002–16 May 2003, the Visa section in Islamabad has received 37,881 applications for entry clearance. Of those applications, 22,416 resulted in visas being issued and 2,820 applications were refused. There were 12,645 unresolved applications.

  For the three month period between 16 February and 16 May, Islamabad received 20,067 applications. Of those applications 14,303 were successful and 784 were refused. 4,990 applications are unresolved.

  Out of these unresolved applications, we estimate that about 2 per cent, will lead to a decision. The remaining applications are those which cannot be resolved without an interview. As a result of the security situation, Islamabad is unable to offer such interviews and the

  585W
  remaining unresolved applications will therefore be returned to the applicant with a request that they make new applications once interviewing is resumed.

  Iraq
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether United Kingdom military forces are authorised to kill Saddam Hussein if they receive reliable and authenticated details of his whereabouts. [111238]

  Mr. Hoon
  I have been asked to reply.

  There are of course circumstances in which Saddam Hussein could be killed as a result of military operations to achieve our published campaign objectives. I am withholding information on the details of the Rules of Engagement under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. We will continue to act fully within the constraints of international law governing military conflict.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when(a) Foreign Office officials and (b) Government Ministers were informed of the visit to Iraq in December 1999 by the hon. Member for Glasgow, Kelvin (Mr. Galloway); and what assessment the Foreign Office then made as to the purpose of the visit. [114182]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  [holding answer 16 May 2003]: My hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Kelvin has a long and well publicised association with Iraq. Like all hon. Members he enjoys the privilege of free association, without obligation to inform the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of his visits overseas. As far as we are aware, the FCO was aware of this visit as a matter of routine and courtesy.

  Nigeria
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Government of Nigeria regarding(a) the conduct of the presidential and gubernatorial elections and (b) the murders of Dr. Harry Marshall and Mr. Ogbannaya. [112730]

  Mr. Rammell
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs issued a press statement on 29 April following the Presidential elections noting the re-election of President Obasanjo, and expressing the UK's desire to support the President in pursuing strategic policies on economic and government reform. The statement also reflected our concern at reports of serious fraud and irregularities.

  Following the murder of Marshall Harry on 5 March, we condemned the use of political violence in the conduct of elections, and welcomed the Nigerian Government's declared intention to ensure a swift and rigorous investigation. Before the elections, our High Commissioner frequently called on the leadership of the main political parties to avoid violence and to take action against those who used it.
  586W

  Public Relations
  Mr. Swire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on public relations advice in the past five years. [93866]

  Mr. MacShane
  The total expenditure by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on public relations work in the past five years is:

  £ including VAT

  2002–03

  360,899,46

  2001–02

  815,842

  2000–01

  347,857

  1999–2000

  nil

  1998–99

  59,337

  This includes advice, design, branding, development and implementation of PR campaigns. It would take disproportionate costs to establish the element of this that was purely advice.

  The bulk of the funding for 2001–02 and 2002–03 relates to the "Know Before You Go" public awareness campaign aimed at encouraging UK travellers to be better prepared when travelling overseas.

  Mr. Swire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what public relations companies his Department is consulting. [93867]

  Mr. MacShane
  The FCO's "Know Before You Go" campaign is managed by a firm of London-based communications consultants: Biss Lancaster Euro RSCG.

  Russian Federation
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on discrimination on grounds of race relations in the Russian federation. [110211]

  Mr. MacShane
  Combating racism and intolerance is an integral part of the protection and promotion of human rights and a key UK commitment at home and abroad. We are fully aware that discrimination on the grounds of race is a serious problem in Russia, as a result of human rights reporting produced by our embassy in Moscow and our regular contacts with NGOs including Amnesty International.

  The Russian Federation's most recent report to the committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination highlighted the many positive steps taken by the Government to implement the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. However, it also acknowledged some of the problems faced by minorities in Russia, including reports of nationality-motivated discrimination by law-enforcement officers and officials. Other recent reports on this issue include one by the Moscow Helsinki Group published in September 2002.

  Somalia
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on Somaliland. [111738]

  Mr. Rammell
  UK policy on Somalia and Somaliland has two objectives:to see peace and stability established throughout Somalia. We have encouraged the National Reconciliation Process initiated by the regional organisation the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and we welcomed the Declaration on cessation of hostilities signed on 27 October 2002.
  for Somaliland, which is not taking part in the Conference, to reach a political settlement with the rest of the country. This can only happen at a later stage in the reconciliation process. It will be for the people of Somaliland to decide for themselves if they are ready to engage in talks with the rest of Somalia.

  We provided over £150,000 to the electoral process in Somaliland to encourage local democracy and the development of a viable and legitimate administration. We are also considering how we might increase our development assistance.

  Sudan
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Sudanese Government regarding their refusal to provide security clearance for the flights of the verification and monitoring team in Sudan. [112178]

  Mr. Rammell
  On 7 April the Government of Sudan lifted flight restrictions imposed on the Civilian Protection Monitoring Team in March. On 7 April the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Special Envoy announced that the Verification Monitoring Team's (VMT) mission to Bentiu had been suspended. This followed concerns expressed by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army about the tasking of the VMT. The IGAD Special Envoy has now proposed a compromise position which we hope will be acceptable to both parties and we continue to work with the mediators to ensure the operationalisation of the VMT as soon as possible.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he is making to those countries who voted against the resolution to continue to monitor Sudan's human rights record in the UN. [112179]

  Mr. Rammell
  We are disappointed that the EU sponsored resolution on Sudan was not adopted by the UN Commission on Human Rights on 16 April. We lobbied members of the Commission on Human Rights about the resolution before the vote was taken, arguing that Sudan's human rights situation continued to deserve action by the commission. We will consult EU partners about what next steps to take to help address the human rights situation in Sudan.

  Turkey
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has made to the Turkish Government regarding EU recommendations that Turkey should guarantee access to legal counsel for all detainees from the moment of detention. [113139]

  Mr. MacShane
  FCO officials most recently discussed access to legal counsel for detainees with their Turkish counterparts at the latest round of the UK-Turkey Human Rights Dialogue, which took place in London on 26 November 2002.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Turkish Government regarding the use of torture on juveniles in Turkish prisons and police precincts. [113140]

  Mr. MacShane
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him today (UIN 113141). In addition, FCO officials discussed the use of torture on juveniles in prisons and police precincts with their Turkish counterparts at the latest round of an on-going UK-Turkey Human Rights Dialogue in London on 26 November 2002.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with(a) the Turkish Government and (b) the European Union regarding the use of torture in Turkish prisons and police precincts. [113141]

  Mr. MacShane
  FCO officials frequently discuss the use of torture in prisons and police precincts with the Turkish authorities, including in the context of the human rights projects that we run specifically to help Turkey put a stop to such abuses. The FCO also collaborated with the European Commission on the wording of the revised EU-Turkey Accession Partnership, which sets out priorities that Turkey must meet in order to open accession negotiations with the European Union. These priorities cover a broad range of human rights issues, including the use of torture.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with(a) the Turkish Government and (b) the European Union regarding the police raid on the Human Rights Association in Ankara. [113143]

  Mr. MacShane
  The British Embassy in Ankara raised the police raid on the Human Rights Association with a senior official at the Prime Minister's Office on 14 May. They will continue to discuss such human rights issues, at all appropriate levels, as part of our dialogue about reforms in Turkey. We are actively discussing it with our European partners—for example, at the 12 May meeting of the South East Europe Working Group in Brussels. The raid was also the subject of a debate in the European Parliament and a strong statement of concern issued by the European Commission on 13 May.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Craigavon Area Hospital
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the closure of the mortuary facilities at Craigavon Area Hospital. [113366]

  Mr. Browne
  From 23 December 2002 all post-mortem work was relocated from Craigavon Area Hospital to Belfast on a temporary basis. This arrangement is necessary to enable the existing mortuary facilities to be upgraded in compliance with current standards and to achieve accreditation by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd. The upgrade will also provide improved facilities for use by both staff and visitors. It is anticipated that the work will be completed by October 2003. In the interim period the mortuary continues to provide a storage facility for bodies not requiring postmortem but awaiting collection by the family's funeral director.

  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any(a) organs, (b) blocks and (c) slides (i) are being and (ii) have been retained in the last five years at Craigavon Area hospital. [113368]

  Mr. Browne
  Craigavon Area Hospitals Group Trust has retained organs or parts of organs following hospital post-mortem examinations within the last five years. At present there are parts of organs from three adult post-mortem examinations. These were previously declared to the Human Organs Inquiry in 2001. The Trust has confirmed that no organs have been retained since 2001 without the specific consent of the next of kin. They further advise that tissue blocks and slides have been retained from hospital post-mortem examinations within the last five years. Those prepared prior to 2001 have been returned to the next of kin on request. Those prepared since 2001 were returned, prior to the burial of the deceased, if this was requested in the hospital postmortem consent form.

  Crime (International Co-operation) Bill
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the consultations which have taken place with the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman in relation to the Crime (International Co-operation) Bill. [109047]

  Jane Kennedy
  No consultations have taken place with the Police Ombudsman in relation to the Crime (International Co-operation) Bill.

  Departmental Creche Facilities
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what créche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost. [104300]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Northern Ireland Office does not provide créche facilities for its staff, but it does provide assistance with the cost of child care for staff with preschool aged children. In the last financial year the Department and its Agencies assisted 166 staff at a total cost of £113,600.
  590W
  A number of departments within the Northern Ireland administration provide child care facilities.

  The Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) Holiday Play schemes are designed to look after school age children of staff during the summer holidays. They are operated by volunteer management committees and are funded by DFP.

  In addition, three departments offer limited financial assistance for child care to staff (selection is by way of an annual draw) and to assist parents encountering short-term child care difficulties one department operates an emergency Childcare Subsidy scheme.

  The total funding available for these child care provisions is £81,284.

  Departmental Website
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost of his Department's website was in the last 12 months; and how many hits it received in the same period. [104198]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I am sorry for the delay in replying.

  The total cost of the Northern Ireland Office website from 1 April 2002 was £4,939.97 and it received 10,731,489 hits.

  The total cost of the Northern Ireland Administration's websites from 1 April 2002 is £369,814 and they received 54,494,035 hits.

  The Northern Ireland Executive also hosts a website with access to all the Northern Ireland Administration's websites which received 3,816,269 hits in this period.

  Firearms Certificates
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for the renewal of firearms certificates by the holders of personal protection weapons have been made in each year since 1998; and how many of these renewal applications were approved during that period. [109216]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Chief Constable has advised me that the information requested, prior to 1 January 2001, is available only at disproportionate cost, but for the period from then to 31 December 2002 667 personal protection weapon applications were processed of which 552 (83 per cent.) were approved and 115 (17 per cent.) were refused.

  Health Funding
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what additional funding has been made available by the Eastern Health and Social Services Board to the Down Lisburn Trust in the current financial year to address the equity deficit. [113784]

  Mr. Browne
  The Eastern Health and Social Services Board have planned to allocate additional service development funds from April 2003 that are expected to reduce the current equity gap by £1.5 million for the population living in the Down Lisburn area.

  Human Organs Inquiry
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) organs, (b) blocks and (c) slides were destroyed prior to the Human Organs Inquiry. [113372]

  Mr. Browne
  The Report of the Human Organs Inquiry states that:"Each hospital we visited has kept records of post mortems conducted there. However those records were not designed to and do not provide a complete paper trail, revealing what exactly was removed, kept and then disposed of."

  In the absence of complete records it is not possible to answer this question. The Report does acknowledge however that human organs and tissue were destroyed and records the experience of the Royal Group of Hospitals thus:
  "At different times it seems that there were 'clearouts' of retained organs which were no longer required, sometimes on a weekly basis, sometimes every three months or so. The practices were too varied at different times for them to be usefully analysed in this Report".

  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether deceased persons' relatives who participated in the Human Organs Inquiry can obtain copies of the paperwork they supplied to the inquiry. [113373]

  Mr. Browne
  Files opened by the Human Organs Inquiry, including those containing correspondence with relatives, were placed in the Public Records Office for Northern Ireland when the inquiry completed its work in May 2002. They are currently held under a 30-year seal, which was applied to the documents to safeguard the privacy of all those involved. The Public Records Office will consider requests for documents held under seal. Where a member of the public wants to see a record that is closed, an application should be made in writing to the Public Records Office who in turn will arrange for the appropriate authority to be contacted on their behalf. Every request will be considered on its own merits.

  Learning Difficulties
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision exists for young people leaving moderate learning difficulty schools in Northern Ireland; what research(a) has been carried out to date and (b) is planned; and when it is intended to publish such research. [113866]

  Jane Kennedy
  I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 29 April 2003,Official Report, column 334W, and can confirm that there has been no research commissioned by the Department of Education in this area other than that being undertaken by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), nor is any other research planned by the Department.

  Manufacturing
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs in the manufacturing industry in Northern Ireland have been lost since April 1998. [113501]
  592W
  Mr. Pearson
  There have been 23,979 redundancies in Northern Ireland confirmed to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment since the signing of the Belfast Agreement. Of these 18,077 (75 per cent.) were in the manufacturing industry. However, overall employment levels in Northern Ireland have risen by an estimated 68,000 over the same period.

  Mr. McKenna
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether Mr. McKenna of the Department of Education in Northern Ireland was informed of the aspects of his conduct which the complainant considered to be harassment, during the investigation which followed the formal complaint made in January 2001. [112353]

  Jane Kennedy
  My Department views very seriously all complaints of harassment and bullying. In its investigation of complaints it adheres fully to its internal policy on harassment and bullying. The policy affords those who have a complaint lodged against them the opportunity to obtain in full a copy of the written complaint of harassment. This will set out exactly the harassment complaint that has been lodged.

  In providing this response I am conscious of the need to balance your interest in obtaining this information, or that of the person on whose behalf you are seeking it, with the requirement to respect the identity of the complainant and the member of staff against whom the complaint was lodged. I am content that the information I have provided does not compromise the identity of either individual.

  Murders
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many killings have taken place in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years, expressed(a) as a total and (b) as a percentage of the population. [109377]

  Jane Kennedy
  The following table shows the number of murders, manslaughter and infanticide offences recorded by the police in Northern Ireland in the past five years. The 2002–03 figures are provisional and may be subject to revision. The percentage per population figures are based on NISRA revised mid-year population estimates.

  Financial year

  Murder

  Manslaughter

  Infanticide

  Total

  Percentage per population

  1998–99

  71

  4

  0

  75

  .004

  1999–2000

  29

  5

  0

  34

  .002

  2000–01

  44

  4

  0

  48

  .0029

  2001–02

  49

  3

  0

  52

  .003

  2002–03

  42

  3

  0

  45

  .0027

  Occupational Therapists
  Mr. Dodds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many occupational therapists there were in each health and social services trust in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997. [113869]
  593W
  Mr. Browne
  Figures showing the number of occupational therapists there have been in each health and social services trust since 1997 are shown in the

  Table I: Headcount figures for Occupational Therapists within each Health and Social Services (HSS) Trust in Northern Ireland in each year since 19971,2

  HSS Trust

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust

  18

  18

  20

  23

  25

  24

  27

  Green Park Healthcare HSS Trust

  28

  31

  31

  37

  36

  34

  39

  South and East Belfast HSS Trust

  40

  45

  43

  44

  41

  41

  46

  Ulster Community and Hospitals Group HSS Trust

  41

  40

  43

  44

  42

  50

  46

  Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust

  18

  18

  19

  20

  23

  20

  19

  Mater Infirmorium Hospital HSS Trust

  5

  4

  5

  8

  5

  7

  8

  North and West Belfast HSS Trust

  30

  28

  36

  28

  32

  36

  38

  Down Lisburn HSS Trust

  34

  35

  32

  34

  37

  37

  42

  Causeway HSS Trust

  19

  18

  19

  19

  18

  20

  28

  Homefirst Community HSS Trust

  68

  75

  76

  85

  91

  91

  95

  Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust

  27

  31

  31

  31

  33

  37

  37

  Newry and Mourne HSS Trust

  18

  16

  18

  18

  23

  23

  24

  Craigavon and Banbridge Community HSS Trust

  26

  30

  31

  38

  40

  45

  50

  Foyle Community HSS Trust

  28

  30

  33

  27

  31

  35

  38

  Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust

  26

  25

  28

  29

  31

  31

  33

  United Hospitals Group HSS Trust

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  426

  444

  465

  485

  508

  531

  570

  Table 2: Whole-time equivalent figures for Occupational Therapists within each Health and Social Services (HSS) Trust in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997 1,2

  HSS Trust

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust

  17.00

  17.50

  18.60

  21.60

  23.18

  22.18

  24.60

  Green Park Healthcare HSS Trust

  25.32

  27.33

  27.64

  33.45

  31.77

  30.72

  34.21

  South and East Belfast HSS Trust

  33.54

  37.96

  36.11

  37.89

  35.68

  33.85

  38.77

  Ulster Community and Hospitals Group HSS Trust

  36.73

  33.96

  36.41

  37.47

  33.46

  41.46

  39.15

  Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust

  17.51

  17.50

  18.05

  19.05

  22.05

  18.95

  17.95

  Mater Infirmorium Hospital HSS Trust

  5.00

  4.00

  5.00

  8.00

  5.00

  7.00

  8.00

  North and West Belfast HSS Trust

  26.72

  24.52

  32.41

  25.60

  29.48

  31.63

  32.64

  Down Lisburn HSS Trust

  28.48

  29.63

  27.04

  28.77

  31.15

  31.32

  37.04

  Causeway HSS Trust

  15.63

  16.44

  17.25

  17.25

  16.35

  18.15

  26.10

  Homefirst Community HSS Trust

  59.92

  67.24

  65.01

  73.36

  80.38

  79.11

  82.75

  Armagh and Dungannon HSS Trust

  24.39

  28.05

  27.27

  27.33

  28.00

  30.04

  29.58

  Newry and Mourne HSS Trust

  18.00

  15.86

  17.16

  17.24

  22.24

  22.00

  22.92

  Craigavon and Banbridge Community HSS Trust

  22.79

  25.71

  27.02

  33.77

  36.35

  40.40

  45.51

  Foyle Community HSS Trust

  25.67

  28.28

  30.83

  24.64

  29.05

  32.88

  34.98

  Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust

  25.16

  23.66

  25.97

  26.66

  29.08

  28.81

  30.78

  United Hospitals Group HSS Trust

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  Altnagelvin Group HSS Trust

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  Total

  381.86

  397.64

  411.77

  432.08

  453.22

  468.50

  504.62

  1 Bank staff have been removed from these figures.

  2 Figures are at March of each year.

  Oversight Commissioner
  Mr. Dodds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many days the Oversight Commissioner for Policy in Northern Ireland has spent in Northern Ireland in each year since his appointment; and what the total amount paid to him has been to date. [113871]

  Jane Kennedy
  I assume the hon. Gentleman is referring to the Oversight Commissioner for Policing.

  Since his appointment, in May 2000, to the post of the Oversight Commissioner, Mr. Constantine has spent 99 days in Northern Ireland.
  594W
  following tables. Tables 1 details headcount figures and Table 2 details whole-time equivalent figures.

  The breakdown of these days is as follows:

  2000: 27 days

  2001: 35 days

  2002: 28 days

  2003: 9 days (to 7 May)

  In addition, he has been engaged in Commission duties in the US, for example in the preparation of his reports. The total number of days, including days spent in Northern Ireland, is 309.

  The Oversight Commissioner's total remuneration to date is £191,981.13.

  Personal Security
  Mr. Dodds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria he uses to determine who shall be given personal protection in Northern Ireland. [112903]

  Jane Kennedy
  The provision of personal protection by police officers in Northern Ireland is an operational matter for the Chief Constable.

  Police Ombudsman
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what meetings he has had with the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman during the last six months. [109046]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Secretary of State has not had any meetings with the Police Ombudsman during the last six months. However, I met with the Ombudsman on 26 November 2002, 19 February 2003 and 20 March 2003, and regular contact with the Ombudsman's office is maintained through officials of the Northern Ireland Office.

  Post Mortems
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether(a) organs, (b) blocks and (c) slides from hospital post mortems are kept separate from coroners' post mortems. [113371]

  Mr. Browne
  Organs, blocks and slides retained following hospital post mortems are archived with those retained following coroners' post mortems performed by hospital pathologists. Measures are in place to ensure that the origin of each organ, block or slide is easily identifiable. The State Pathologist holds a separate archive of organs, blocks and slides relating to coroners' post mortems.

  Prisons (Self-Harm)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many self-harm incidents were recorded in Northern Ireland Prison Service accommodation in each establishment in each of the last five years. [110452]

  Jane Kennedy
  The information requested is set out in the following tables.

  £

  Total Spend

  Parliamentary Constituency

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  Grand Total

  Belfast East

  726,529

  667,998

  1,250,079

  266,595

  426,242

  3,337,443

  Belfast North

  302,446

  209,063

  156,582

  417,696

  586,620

  1,672,407

  Belfast South

  623,456

  1,688,742

  692,583

  366,786

  947,995

  4,319,562

  Belfast West

  176,054

  183,668

  181,855

  376,509

  438,974

  1,357,060

  East Antrim

  1,634,546

  347,051

  276,004

  188,856

  923,755

  3,370,212

  East Londonderry

  1,342,260

  171,422

  28,766

  138,612

  1285,669

  1,966,729

  Fermanagh and South Tyrone

  305,648

  313,033

  432,731

  279,156

  228,980

  1,559,548

  Foyle

  866,844

  594,642

  127,167

  345,264

  214,547

  2,148,464

  Lagan Valley

  2,098,708

  281,168

  332,491

  325,900

  326,973

  3,365,240

  Mid Ulster

  356,232

  333,077

  342,743

  562,050

  392,521

  1,986,623

  Newry and Armagh

  290,622

  278,699

  156,836

  469,398

  300,559

  1,496,114

  North Antrim

  299,697

  138,549

  148,838

  321,172

  246,212

  1,154,468

  North Down

  168,899

  136,485

  74,491

  14,561

  43,371

  437,807

  South Antrim

  2,487,334

  885,523

  378,983

  1,339,077

  708,793

  5,799,710

  South Down

  51,093

  31,406

  59,503

  5,058

  9,874

  156,934

  596W

  Hydebank Wood

  Number of self-inflicted injuries

  1998–99

  23

  1999–2000

  7

  2000–01

  8

  2001–02

  26

  2002–03

  69

  Maghaberry

  Number of self-inflicted injuries

  1998–99

  66

  1999–2000

  55

  2000–01

  60

  2001–02

  62

  2002–03

  72

  Magilligan

  Number of self-inflicted injuries

  1998–99

  8

  1999–2000

  22

  2000–01

  10

  2001–02

  5

  2002–03

  n/a

  Research and Development
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much Government funding has been provided for research and development spending in the private sector in each Northern Ireland constituency over the last five years. [112352]

  Mr. Pearson
  Government funding in Northern Ireland to the private sector for research and development is channelled mainly through Invest NI. Since 1998–99, some £37,757,019 has been provided by Invest NI (and prior to its formation in 2002 by its predecessor bodies) to support research and development activities in the private sector. This is detailed by constituency in the following table. This funding has been made available against total commitments over the period by Invest NI (and its predecessor bodies) of some £62,735,441, and has primarily been aimed at supporting commercially focussed research projects and the development of an improved research infrastructure.
  597W

  £

  Total Spend

  Parliamentary Constituency

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  Grand Total

  Strangford

  204,558

  158,440

  144,923

  129,206

  195,920

  833,047

  Upper Bann

  574,328

  303,860

  199,979

  71,070

  474,919

  1,624,156

  West Tyrone

  184,034

  320,035

  240,697

  160,208

  289,521

  1,194,495

  Grand Total

  12,693,288

  7,042,861

  5,225,251

  5,777,174

  7,041,445

  137,780,019

  1Includes £23,000 Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure funding

  Royal Irish Regiment
  David Burnside
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with Sinn Fein on the future use of the home battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment in security duties in Northern Ireland. [110789]

  Jane Kennedy
  I 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.

  Security Situation (North Belfast)
  Mr. Dodds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in North Belfast. [112613]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Government condemns the recent attack by dissident republicans on the constituency office of the hon. Gentleman. The police are continuing to investigate this incident to bring those responsible to justice. Such an attack is an attack on the political process.

  Loyalist paramilitary attacks in the area have reduced significantly since the UDA announced an end to their internal feud. Increased co-operation between the police and local community representatives in the area has assisted in the easing of tensions at interfaces.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the salary bill was for special advisers in his Department in 2002–03; and what it is expected to be in 2003–04. [108509]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  In 2002–03 the estimated total expenditure on salaries in the Northern Ireland Office for the two special advisers was £90,068.

  As there is currently one special adviser to the Secretary of State, we would expect the salary bill in 2003–04 to be approximately half that of the previous year.

  Staff Numbers
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff are employed by his Department. [106283]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The following number of staff were employed within the Northern Ireland Office and its Agencies and NDPBs, as at 1 January 2003.
  598W
  Full-time equivalent numbers

  1,449 Northern Ireland Civil Servants

  174 Home Civil Servants

  1,764 Prison Grades

  1 special adviser

  Actual staff numbers

  1,525 Northern Ireland Civil Servants

  185 Home Civil Servants

  1,764 Prison Grades

  1 special adviser

  Within the Northern Ireland Administration on 1 January 2003 there were 9,848 staff (full-time equivalents) employed. This figure excludes staff employed in Agencies.

  Tourism
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what public funding has been provided to the Northern Ireland Tourist Board over the past five years; and what research has been undertaken to ascertain the opinions of visitors to the Province, other than those visiting friends and relatives, regarding the facilities on offer. [112611]

  Mr. Pearson
  The total amount of public funding provided to the Northern Ireland Tourist Board over the past five years was £66,504,000.

  The following is a breakdown of the public funding provided in each of these years.

  £ million

  1998–99

  14,162

  1999–2000

  12,583

  2000–01

  13,445

  2001–02

  13,180

  2002–03

  13,134

  NITB carried out surveys in 1995, 1998 and 2000 of visitors on holiday in Northern Ireland to identify factors important to them when choosing a holiday destination and to rate Northern Ireland against those factors. As part of the survey, participants were asked to rate their satisfaction with a range of Northern Ireland tourism products and services. A further survey is planned for summer 2003.

  Victims Organisations
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by what means he monitors publicly-funded publishing activities of(a) Families Acting for Innocent Relatives and (b) other victims' organisations. [108442]
  599W
  Mr. Paul Murphy
  To answer my hon. Friend's question will require substantial research. I will give a substantive reply when this is complete. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance he has issued to(a) Families Acting for Innocent Relatives and (b) other victims' organisations on the use of publicly-funded internet facilities to publish information. [108658]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  To answer the hon. Gentleman's question will require substantial research. I will give a substantive reply when this is complete.

HEALTH

  "Agenda for Change"
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with unions regarding the Agenda for Change; and what progress has been made in ensuring that pay and conditions for staff are the same across the NHS in all hospitals. [112829]

  Mr. Hutton
  The proposed new pay system for non-medical staff in the national health service, "Agenda for Change", has been designed to ensure fair pay and conditions of service and is underpinned by equal pay principles. Negotiators representing the four United Kingdom Health Departments, NHS employers and 17 NHS staff organisations successfully concluded talks on the package of pay modernisation proposals in November 2002. The Department of Health published full details of the proposed agreement on 3 March 2003. Copies are available in the Library.

  If the proposed agreement is ratified following consultation by staff organisations, it will be introduced in a number of early implemented sites from June 2003 and will be implemented across the rest of the NHS from October 2004. We intend that those NHS trusts chosen as prospective NHS foundation trusts will form a further wave of "early implementer" sites before national implementation of the new pay system begins.

  The information in this answer relates to England. Pay for NHS staff in Scotland and Wales is a matter for the devolved administrations. While the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved, responsibility rests with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to ensure that foundation trusts will not be able to deviate from the "Agenda for Change" process and develop their own pay and conditions for staff. [112830]

  Mr. Hutton
  If the proposed new national health service pay system, "Agenda for Change", is ratified following consultation by staff organisations, we intend that those NHS organisations chosen as prospective NHS foundation trusts will become early implementer sites. This would mean they begin to implement the new pay system in advance of national implementation from October 2004.
  600W
  Under the proposed agreement, NHS foundation trusts will be among the organisations specifically represented on the new NHS Staff Council and the Pay Negotiating Council for NHS staff groups not within the remit of the Pay Review Bodies.

  The proposed agreement includes a range of pay flexibilities for all NHS organisations. NHS foundation trusts, as NHS organisations with a track record of good performance, will have greater freedom to use these flexibilities.

  Accident and Emergency (Waiting Times)
  Chris Grayling:
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what week the most recent NHS-wide assessment of accident and emergency waiting times was carried out. [111030]

  Mr. Lammy
  We continually monitor performance of accident and emergency (A and E) waiting times and publish the results every quarter.

  A national health service-wide assessment of total time in A and E was carried out in the week ending 30 March to assess performance against the national end of March 2003 milestone for 90 per cent. of patients in England to be admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours of arrival at accident and emergency.

  Air Quality
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the possible impact on health of the bad odours affecting Castle Point, with particular reference to(a) children, (b) elderly people and (c) people with breathing conditions; and what advice he provides to these groups on how to deal with the effects of bad odour. [113790]

  Mr. Lammy
  [holding answer 16 May 2003]: The existence of intermittent bad odours related to local refineries and landfill sites in the Castle Point area has been known for some time. Castle Point and Rochford Primary Care Trust are unaware of any medical evidence that people in the area are clinically affected.

  Asthma
  John Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action he is taking to promote guidance for asthma sufferers to control the condition during the summer months; [113108]

  (2) what action he is taking to improve treatment for asthma sufferers. [113197]

  Jacqui Smith
  We are aware that the summer months can cause particular problems for patients with asthma because of factors such as high pollen counts. This phenomenon is however, well understood by both clinicians and patients so we do not feel that specific extra guidance is needed to help manage this. Patients with asthma are able to access the full range of national health service support services in both primary and secondary care settings throughout the entire year.

  We have welcomed guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) on inhalers for children under five in September 2000 and for older children, in the age range five to 15, on 11 April 2002.
  601W
  The NICE recommendations provide clear evidence based on guidance on the most suitable inhalers for children.

  A new general medical services contract agreement was launched on Friday 21 February 2003 which, if accepted by the profession, will lead to an unprecedented level of new investment in general practice to deliver a wider range of high quality services with better clinical outcomes for all patients.

  The national service framework (NSF) for children is being developed to set standards for the care of children and young people to ensure they have access to good quality care. While it is not the intention to look at specific conditions in the NSF, it has been agreed that asthma, as one of the most common childhood conditions, should be used as one of the exemplars which will accompany the main NSF report. These will illustrate how the standards should be applied to ensure that services delivered to children are effective and meet their needs.

  I welcome the publication of the National Asthma Campaign's Ten Point Charter. Those general practitioners who participate in the chronic disease management programme, around 93 per cent. of all GPs, are already providing services that help to meet many of the charter rights.

  Bed Rails
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment(a) his Department and (b) the Medical Devices Agency has made of the effectiveness of bumpers in reducing incidents associated with the use of bed rails. [113040]

  Jacqui Smith
  As part of its evaluation programme on Disability Equipment, the Medical Devices Agency, now the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, published a report on bed safety equipment in February 2002—EL8 "Bed Safety Equipment—An Evaluation"; ISBN 1–84182–568–9.

  The report gives information and guidelines to assist users, purchasers and providers to identify and select the most appropriate bed safety product, or product features, to meet the individual needs of different users.

  The combined use of bed safety rails and protective covers, or bumpers, was evaluated and described in the report. The report concluded that covers for bed rails are primarily used to prevent impact injuries. They will not necessarily reduce the risk of entrapment and should not, therefore, be regarded as a means to prevent entrapment.

  Biopsies
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health where the scanned image of biopsies is in use. [111025]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department of Health does not collect this information centrally. As part of its Pathology Modernisation Programme, the Department is funding a pilot project, based at Leeds Teaching 602W
  Hospitals National Health Service Trust, to evaluate the use of digital scanning technology in histopathology. The project will run from 2003–04 to 2005–06.

  Care Homes
  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in residential care homes in England and Wales require 24 hour health care; and how many of these pay for their care costs. [113778]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Department does not collect this information on the basis of location. It would be most unusual for an individual in a care home not providing nursing care to require 24-hour health care. Six out of 10 care home residents receive some or all of their care costs from public funding.

  Child Welfare
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the(a) report by the Social Exclusion Unit into the education of looked after children, (b) response to the Laming Inquiry and (c) Green Paper on children at risk will be published; and what the reasons are for delays in publication. [113239]

  Mr. Boateng
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Children's Green Paper, the Government's response to Lord Laming's report into the death of Victoria Climbié and the Social Exclusion's report into the education of children in care will all be published shortly.

  Choice of Doctor
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reasons the Southend on Sea Primary Care Trust has given for not offering a choice of doctor to patients transferred following the closure of the Walker Drive GPs practice. [113127]

  Mr. Lammy
  [holding answer 13 May 2003]: The primary care trust has written to affected patients proposing transfer to a practice close to where they live and offering support if they wish to exercise a different choice.

  Departmental Report
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of the publication of the 2001 departmental report. [112817]

  Mr. Lammy
  The cost to the Department of publishing its 2000–01 departmental report was £37,865. This included costs for design, typesetting and artwork. The report is produced by staff as part of their regular duties. All remaining costs for printing and publication were met centrally by The Stationery Office.

  Doctors
  Mrs. Dean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors there are per head of population in(a) Staffordshire and (b) England. [113152]

  Mr. Hutton
  The number of doctors per head of population in Staffordshire and England is shown in table 1.
  603W

  Table I: All GP Practitioners1 and HCHS Medical and Dental staff2, per head of population in England, North Staffordshire HA and South Staffordshire HA, as at 30 September 2001

  Numbers (headcount)

  All GP practitioners1

  All medical and dental staff2

  Population

  All GP practitioners per head of population

  All medical and dental staff per head of population

  England

  31,835

  68,484

  49,181,339

  0.001

  0.001

  Of which:

  North Staffordshire HA

  256

  570

  457,013

  0.001

  0.001

  South Staffordshire HA

  328

  448

  590,562

  0.001

  0.001

  1 All GP Practitioners includes: GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, GP Retainers, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA) and PMS others.

  2All medical and dental staff includes Hospital Medical Hospital Practitioners and excludes Hospital Practitioners and Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part-time in hospitals

  Note:

  Ratio data rounded to three decimal places.

  Source:

  Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics, Department of Health Medical & Dental workforce census and ONS 2001 resident based population estimates.

  The standard ratio used in the Department is per 100,000 of the population. This data is shown in table 2.

  Table 2: All GP practitioners1 and HCHS medical and dental staff2, per 100,000 of population in England, North Staffordshire HA and South Staffordshire HA, as at 30 September 2001

  Numbers (headcount)

  All GP practitioners1

  All medical and dental staff2

  Population

  All GP practitioners per 100,000 of population

  All medical and dental staff per 100,000 of population

  England

  31,835

  68,484

  49,181,339

  64.7

  139.2

  Of which:

  North Staffordshire HA

  256

  570

  457,013

  56.0

  124.7

  South Staffordshire HA

  323

  448

  590,562

  54.7

  75.9

  1 All GP Practitioners includes: CMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, GP Retainers, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA) and PMS others.

  2 All medical and dental staff includes Hospital Medical Hospital Practitioners and excludes Hospital Practitioners and Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part-time in hospitals.

  Source:

  Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics, Department of Health Medical & Dental workforce census and ONS 2001 resident based population estimates.

  E-government Projects
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, by project, the consultancies his Department and its non-departmental public bodies have used on e-Government projects since 1 January 2001. [112835]

  Mr. Mutton
  [holding answer 12 May 2003]: A list of consultants used to support work on e-Government initiatives within the Department of Health and its Agencies has been placed in the Library.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Dhanda
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to ensure that diabetes patients have access to effective eye treatment to detect early signs of deterioration in sight. [113723]

  Mr. Lammy
  A systematic screening programme for the signs of diabetic eye disease (diabetic retinopathy) was one of two specific national targets published as part of the diabetes national service framework delivery strategy on 9 January 2003. It states that, by 2006, a minimum of 80 per cent, of people with diabetes are to 604W
  be offered screening for the early detection and treatment, if needed, of diabetic retinopathy as part of a systematic programme that meets national standards, rising to 100 per cent, coverage of those at risk of retinopathy by end 2007.

  Funding totalling £27 million for the national health service to purchase state-of-the-art digital cameras and related equipment for screening people with diabetes for the signs of diabetic retinopathy was announced on 22 April.

  A copy of the "Diabetes National Service Framework Delivery Strategy" is available in the Library.

  Foundation Hospitals
  Dr. Francis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on his proposals for foundation hospitals, with particular reference to(a) staff recruitment, (b) pay levels and (c) other cross-border issues. [113190]

  Mr. Hutton
  As is normal Government practice, the devolved Administrations are consulted in the development of policy and the introduction of legislation.
  605W
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated patient electorates are of each of the hospital trusts he has authorised to proceed with application for foundation status. [114517]

  Mr. Hutton
  Subject to legislation, an application will not be able to go forward without the approval of the Secretary of State. As part of the second stage of the application process, applicants for national health service foundation trust status will set out proposals for the size and composition of their membership community. Applicants will need to show how they will ensure that the full range of stakeholders' interests are represented, with a proper balance between different interest groups within the membership.

  General Practitioners
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of GPs in Essex over the next two years; and if he will make a statement. [113103]

  Mr. Lammy
  The Department of Health makes no estimates of the number of general practitioners below national level. However, the NHS Plan aims to deliver an additional 2,000 general practitioners by 2004, based on the 1999 baseline figure.

  Health Authority Chair (Powers)
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers the chair of a health authority has to initiate legal action arising from or relating to duties as chair. [112305]

  Mr. Hutton
  A chair has no authority to take legal action in his or her own right. This can only occur following a decision by the strategic health authority board.

  Home Adaptations
  Mrs. Dean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent assessment he has made of the unmet need for level-access showers in(a) England, (b) Staffordshire and (c) East Staffordshire; [113155]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the number of individuals who are unable to have baths or showers in their own homes because of the need for a level-access shower in (a) England, (b) Staffordshire and (c) East Staffordshire. [113156]

  Mr. McNuIty
  I have been asked to reply.

  I announced on 10 February this year a substantial increase in Government funding for the disabled facilities grant budget for England. The increase to £99 million will be for each of the next three years. This was in response to requests from local authorities for additional resources to deal with an increasing demand for housing adaptations from disabled people and their families, (including the need for level-access showers).
  606W
  The Government do not, however, monitor in detail the level of outstanding work under this programme, or the unmet need for level-access showers, either at national or local authority level.

  Hospital Food
  Dr. Evan Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the amount of hospital food wasted in terms of returned meals in the NHS in England in each year since 1997. [110821]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information on returned meals is not collected centrally.

  Intermediate Care
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what spending was allocated to each region for intermediate care provision in 2002–03; and what sums have been spent. [113068]

  Jacqui Smith
  Of the additional investment for intermediate care and related services to promote independence announced in the NHS Plan, £120 million was made available for national health service investment in intermediate care in 2002–03. This is in addition to £150 million made available recurrently from 2000–01. Full details are in the intermediate care circular HSC 2001/01:LAC (2001)1, published in January 2001, which is available in the Library. This additional investment is included in general allocations. It is not identified separately.

  As part of the additional funding for intermediate care announced in the NHS Plan, new NHS capital investment of £66 million was made available over the two years 2002–03 and 2003–04 (£33 million each year) to support the development of intermediate care and, in particular, a growth in bed numbers. Of the £33 million allocated in 2002–03, around £15 million has been spent on new intermediate care schemes. The remainder has been deferred to 2003–04.

  Information on expenditure on intermediate care is not identified separately in published NHS accounts or financial returns.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether spending allocations for new intermediate care projects will be available in 2003–04; what the total sums in each(a) government office region and (b) strategic health authority are for 2003–04; and whether new bids will be invited. [113069]

  Jacqui Smith
  As part of the additional funding for intermediate care announced in the NHS Plan, new national health service capital investment of £66 million was made available over the two years 2002–03 and 2003–04 (£33 million each year) to support the development of intermediate care and, in particular, a growth in bed numbers. All of this funding has been allocated. No further capital funding for intermediate care schemes is to be made available. Allocations agreed for 2003–04 by Directorate of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Strategic Health Authority (SHA) are shown in the table.
  607W

  Intermediate care capital allocations 2003–04 by DHSC and SHA

  £000

  DHSC

  SHA

  2003–04 allocation

  London

  North East London

  1,008

  London

  North West London

  1,545

  Total

  2,553

  Midlands and Eastern

  Birmingham and the Black Country

  3,457

  Midlands and Eastern

  Essex

  2,103

  Midlands and Eastern

  Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire

  250

  Midlands and Eastern

  Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland

  620

  Midlands and Eastern

  Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

  1,151

  Midlands and Eastern

  Shropshire and Staffordshire

  30

  Midlands and Eastern

  Southern West Midlands South

  1,663

  Midlands and Eastern

  Trent

  859

  Total

  10,133

  North

  Cheshire and Merseyside

  3,200

  North

  Co. Durham and Tees Valley

  330

  North

  Cumbria and Lancashire

  850

  North

  Greater Manchester

  2,149

  North

  North East Yorkshire and North Lines

  1,000

  North

  Northumberland and Tyne and Wear

  2,200

  North

  West Yorkshire

  1,183

  Total

  10,912

  South

  Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  1,963

  South

  Hampshire and Isle of Wight

  450

  South

  Kent and Medway

  2,100

  South

  South West Peninsula

  90

  South

  Surrey and Sussex

  4,450

  South

  Thames Valley

  350

  Total

  9,403

  IT Systems (GPs)
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many different IT systems are being used by GPs; and what plans he has to harmonise them. [111752]

  Mr. Hutton
  There are 11 system suppliers who have a range of systems tested and accredited against Requirement for Accreditation (RFA) 99 (ver 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2) for use by general practitioners. Full details of each of these systems are available from the NHS Information Authority (NHS1A) website at: http://www.nhsia.nhs.uk/napps/rfatest/pages/temp.asp. The list does not include systems accredited against earlier versions of RFA, many of which are still being used by some primary care organisations.

  The national programme for information technology in the National Health Service is currently developing an output based specification for the integrated care records service (ICRS), which will be made available to system suppliers to develop the next range of systems to support the needs of the NHS. This will include the requirements of primary care organisations. The purpose of the ICRS is to support the provision of high quality care across whole health communities. Ensuring the interoperability of applications and systems is a fundamental part of the specification for the ICRS and the supporting work of the National Design Authority.

  Medical Assistants
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what administrative support he envisages will be provided by medical assistants. [111022]

  Mr. Hutton
  A wide range of jobs have the title of medical assistant. Each post is designed to meet local service needs and is tailored to ensure the delivery of 608W
  efficient, high quality care to patients. Since the content of each medical assistant post reflects the skills and expertise required locally, some posts will have an administrative element while others will not.

  Mental Health
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are taken by mental health professionals to ensure a full assessment of personality and character disorders are included in the diagnostic procedure. [114323]

  Jacqui Smith
  Mental health professionals take great care to assess all aspects of an individual, including their personality and character, when arriving at a diagnosis. They are assisted in this, not just by their clinical judgment, but by a large number of standardised and validated measures of various aspects of personality.

  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what targets he has to increase awareness of myalgic encephalomyelitis; and if he will make a statement; [113044]

  (2) if he will make a statement on regional variations in the incidence of myalgic encephalomyelitis. [113045]

  Jacqui Smith
  We helped raise awareness of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), which is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), by publishing the report of the Independent Working Group in January 2002. In October 2002, we made the national health service aware, through the "Chief Executive's Bulletin" and the "GP Bulletin", of the guidance produced by Action for ME called "Guidance on the Management of CFS/ME".

  On 12 May 2003,I announced that £8.5 million would be made available for services specifically designed for people with CFS/ME. The funding will be used to develop services for people with CFS/ME. In July, health organisations will be invited to bid for development funds to set up centres of expertise to develop clinical care, support clinical research and expand education and training programmes for health care professionals and to establish satellite community multidisciplinary teams. The first phase of development will commence in April 2004.

  Information on the prevalence of individual conditions is not collected centrally. The report of the independent CFS/ME working group, published in January 2002, estimated a population prevalence of around 0.2–0.4 per cent, in adults and around 0.07 per cent, in children. They made no analysis of regional variations.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission a research project into myalgic encephalomyelitis and the(a) suspected causes, (b) the scale of the problem, (c) the treatments available and (d) the number of specialists employed by the NHS to whom GPs can refer patients with ME-like symptoms. [113800]

  Jacqui Smith
  The main Government agency for research into the causes and treatment of disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC), which receives its
  609W
  funding from the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Technology. The MRC published a research strategy for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) on 1 May.

  The strategy will enable researchers and funders to develop research proposals on all aspects of this illness. It was developed by an independent research advisory group in response to a request from the Chief Medical Officer, and was informed by contributions from pstients, carers, charities, researchers and clincians via a consultation exercise in summer 2002.

  The MRC has announced two initiatives in response to the strategy. One is a notice to the research community welcoming high quality proposals across the entire spectrum of CFS/ME research. The other is a scientific meeting to discuss the potential to use existing UK resources and infrastructures to undertake epidemiological studies in this country. In addition, the MRC has just announced funding for two trials that will look at the effectiveness of various treatments for CFS/ME. The results of these trials will help patients and their doctors to choose the best treatment. These complementary trials will assess a variety of treatments and in doing so will both help address important issues for those with CFS/ME.

  The first trial known as PACE (Pacing, Activity and Cognitive behaviour therapy: a randomised Evaluation) will make the first assessment of a treatment choice popular with patients called 'Pacing'. The second trial, known as FINE, (Fatigue Intervention by Nurses Evaluation) will test two different treatments that are particularly suited to helping reach those who are too ill to attend a specialist clinic as patients will be treated by nurses in their own homes.

  National Institute for Clinical Excellence
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average amount of time has been to implement NICE guidance on the use of drugs; and if he will make a statement on the delays in implementing the NICE recommendation for the use of modern antipsychotic drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia. [l13796]

  Jacqui Smith
  National Institute for Clinical Excellence appraisals must be funded by National Health Service trusts within the three months of the

  Health bodies within Wakefield Health Authority-Payments to acquire fixed assets

  (£000)

  NHS Body

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  Wakefield HA

  0

  53

  5

  61

  0

  Wakefield and Pontefract Comm NHS Trust

  2,355

  2,723

  13,500

  1,731

  1,447

  Pinderfields and Pontefract NHS Trust

  1,332

  1,569

  4,125

  3,916

  10,997

  Eastern Wakefield PCT

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wakefield West PCT

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  3,687

  4,345

  17,630

  5,708

  12,444

  Sources:

  1997–98 to 2001–02—NHS audited summarisation schedules

  1997–98 to 1998–99—Health Authority audited annual accounts

  1999–2000 to 2000–02—Health Authority audited summarisation forms

  2001–02—Primary Care Trust audited summarisation schedules
  610W
  guidance being released as per the direction, unless it is specifically stated otherwise. The necessary funding has been made available to the NHS to allow this to happen.

  Clinicians will still have to make a judgement on the appropriateness of the guidance for each individual case they deal with, on the basis of clinical evidence.

  No research on the precise time taken for each piece of appraisal guidance to be implemented has been conducted by the Department of Health at this time.

  The share of atypical antipsychotics within the total number of prescription items for all antipsychotic drugs thai: are dispensed in the community has risen from 44 per cent, in the period October to December 2001 to 53 per cent, in the same period in 2002.

  New Deal
  Mr. Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health(1)if he will make a statement on his Department's policy regarding NHS trusts' participation in the New Deal; [112193]

  (2) if he will make a statement on his Department's policy with regard to NHS trusts using the services of Job Centre Plus. [112192]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department of Health and the Department of Work and Pensions are working closely together to develop links between national health service employers and Jobcentre Plus, to promote the use of Jobcentre Plus and its policies to assist with NHS recruitment activities.

  The Department of Health encourages NHS trusts to use Jobcentre Plus programmes, such as New Deal to ensure the local NHS workforce grows and reflects the local community. As part of national NHS recruitment campaigns, joint letters are sent from the Department of Health and the Department of Work and Pensions to all human resources directors in NHS trusts, encouraging trusts to register their vacancies with their local Jobcentres and Jobcentre Plus offices. Corresponding letters are sent to all Jobcentre Plus managers in England, with a selection of NHS careers posters and booklets to advertise careers in the NHS.

  NHS Capital Investment (Hemsworth)
  Jon Trickett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much capital investment there has been in the NHS in the Hemsworth constituency since 1997. [109872]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 28 April 2003]: The information requested is shown in the following table.
  611W
  There have been no major (greater than £20 million) or medium sized (greater than £10 million) private finance initiative (PFI) schemes which have either been signed or completed in the Hemsworth constituency since 1997. However, a £200 million PFI scheme has started on the procurement route when it despatched a contract for publication in the "Official Journal of the European Communities" in November 2002. Part of this development at the Pontefract General Infirmary will involve a purpose-designed ambulatory care and diagnostic centre, together with an accident and emergency unit, specialist rehabilitation facilities, and a midwife-led maternity unit.

  NHS Dentistry
  Mrs. Dean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of NHS dental treatment places available for people in East Staffordshire in each of the past 10 years. [113150]

  Mr. Lammy
  The number of patients registered with a general dental service (GDS) dentist at 28 February 2003 in East Staffordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) was 58,000.

  The number of patients registered in the health authorities covering the East Staffordshire area for 30 September in the years 1993 to 2001 and for 31 August 2003 is shown in the table.

  GDS dentists are obliged to provide dental treatment to patients that are registered with them.

  National health service dental treatment is also provided by the personal, community and hospital dental services in East Staffordshire as well as the salaried service of the GDS. These services do not require the patient to be registered before treatment and so are not included in this table.

  General dental service: Number of patients registered in with a dentist, 1993 to 2002: England and the East Staffordshire area

  Thousand

  As at 30 September

  Staffordshire FHSA

  South Staffordshire HA

  1993

  598

  n/a

  1994

  578

  n/a

  1995

  557

  n/a

  1996

  n/a

  319

  1997

  n/a

  317

  19981

  n/a

  282

  19991

  n/a

  279

  20001

  n/a

  275

  20011

  n/a

  269

  20021.2

  n/a

  265

  n/a = Not available

  1 Affected by the change in the registration period to 15 months in September 1996

  2 At 31 August 2002

  NHS Finance
  Mr. Keith Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the national health service revenue budget is allocated directly to primary care trusts; and what plans he has to increase this percentage. [113929]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 16 May 2003]: The 2003–04 allocations to primary care trusts announced in December 2002 represented 77 per cent, of the national
  612W
  health service revenue budget. In addition to these main allocations, a number of revenue budgets initially held centrally, for example, funding for nursing care, are issued to PCTs during the course of the year.

  NHS Funding
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the total(a) revenue and (b) capital funding to NHS institutions (i) in each region of England and (ii) in total in (A) 2001–02, (B) 2002–03 and (C) 2003–04 (estimated). [113212]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department made revenue allocations to health authorities in 2001–02 and 2002–03, and to primary care trusts in 2003–04.

  Information on revenue allocations to health authorities for 2001–02 and 2002–03 aggregated to regional offices, and revenue allocations to primary care trusts for 2003–04 aggregated to strategic health authorities, has been placed in the Library.

  Strategic health authorities were established on 1 October 2002. The Department does not make revenue allocations directly to strategic health authorities. The national health service regional offices determined the distribution of NHS capital in 2001–02 and 2002–03, details of funding has been placed in the Library.

  In 2003–04, the distribution of strategic capital and the Access Fund is determined by strategic health authorities, whilst operational capital is allocated direct to NHS trusts and primary care trusts. Information on the total capital in 2003–04 shown aggregated by strategic health authority has been placed in the Library.

  NHS Pilots
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the outcome of the NHS Digital TV pilots. [111023]

  Mr. Lammy
  Following the completion of a successful series of pilot projects exploring possible health applications of digital television, the Department of Health is beginning a programme of work to develop a version of NHS Direct for digital television, and to make it available nationwide.

  Working with commercial partners from the media and broadcasting industries, the Department and the National Health Service will develop a service which will enable people to have easy and fast access at home to trusted information and advice on health, healthcare and the NHS. Such a service will complement the already very successful NHS Direct telephone help-line and the NHS Direct online website.

  The independent evaluation report on the pilot projects can be found on the web at: http://www.soi.city.ac.uk/organisation/is.research.dhrq/reports/ ditv-fmal-full.pdf

  Information on the procurement process currently under way to select a commercial partner to develop and run the digital television information service,

  613W
  including the tender notice information pack for potential suppliers, is on the Department's website at:www.doh.gov.uk/purchasing/digitaltv.htm

  NHS Treatment Abroad
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether there will be a common UK position on the definition of unreasonable periods of delay for treatment within the NHS, as phrased in the European Court of Justice ruling on treatment of patients abroad; and if he will make a statement; [109877]

  (2) what definition he uses for an unreasonable period of delay for treatment within the NHS, as referred to in the European Court of Justice ruling on treatment of patients abroad; and if he will make a statement. [109975]

  Mr. Hutton
  'Undue delay' is a term used in Netherlands' national law, which was considered by the European Court of Justice in case C157/99 Geraets-Smits/Peerbooms. The Court did not define what it meant by 'undue delay', by implication leaving that a matter for determination by the member state in question.

  If an application for treatment elsewhere in the European Economic Area or Switzerland is made on grounds of delay by patients resident in England, Scotland or Wales under the referral scheme in Regulation (EEC) 1408/71, the Department takes account of the national targets for waiting times as published in England, Scotland and Wales and of the individual patient's clinical need. Applications in Northern Ireland are authorised by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and take account of similar considerations.

  A further European Court of Justice judgment was published on 13 May 2003 in case C385/99 Muller-Faure/Van Riet. The Department is considering its position in the light of that judgment, in consultation with the Devolved Administrations.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trusts there are within the NHS. [111907]

  Mr. Hutton
  There are 301 primary care trusts, 272 National Health Service trusts including 32 ambulance trusts and 29 mental health trusts and seven care trusts.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the projected deficit is of North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust for 2002–03. [110653]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer I May 2003]: At the last board meeting on 1 May 2003, the North Cheshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust reported the projected deficit for 2002–03 as being £5.8 million. In order to ensure that the trust did not fail in its statutory duty to achieve financial balance, the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority (CMSHA) has made provision to cover the deficit with repayable brokerage.

  The CMSHA has asked for revised recovery plans from the North Cheshire NHS organisations, as the plans, agreed in June 2002 and revised in October 2002,
  614W
  were not felt to be working. The CMSHA has also asked the Audit Commission to review these financial recovery plans in order to identify the key factors contributing to the deficit, as well as to assess the effectiveness of the corporate governance arrangements of the organisations concerned. The Audit Commission is due to conclude its work in the near future.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about the National Health Service (Amendments Relating to Prescribing by Nurses and Pharmacists etc.) (England) Regulations. [114130]

  Mr. Lammy
  None.

  Primary Care
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with Essex Primary Care Organisations on the provision of enhanced services and Information Management and Technology through the primary care organisations under the new NHS primary care contract for the provision of General Medical Services; and if he will make a statement. [113095]

  Mr. Lammy
  The NHS Confederation has been negotiating on behalf of the Department of Health with the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association on the new general medical services contract. As an integral part of the communication exercise, the Confederation has held a number of events around the country for primary care organisations, work force development confederations and strategic health authorities to explain the specifics around the funding of the new contract. The Department of Health itself has had no direct negotiation with any primary care organisation in relation to the contract.

  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts have been the subject of independent review since they were established. [112433]

  Mr. Hutton
  Primary care trusts are independent national health service bodies accountable to the Secretary of State for Health and as such, they are subject to independent review from a range of organisations; for example, overview and scrutiny committees, the Audit Commission and the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI).

  CHI is carrying out a rolling programme of clinical governance reviews, which report on the adequacy of clinical governance arrangements of NHS organisations in England and Wales.

  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what use his Department has made of the 2001 census in the restructuring of York Formula for Primary Care Trust funding; and if he will make a statement. [113434]

  Mr. Hutton
  Up to 2002–03, the weighted capitation formula used to inform the allocation of national health service revenue resources was based on work by researchers from York University. The formula has recently been reviewed by the Advisory Committee on
  615W
  Resource Allocation. The work on the new formula was carried out by a team of researchers led by University of Glasgow and ISO Scotland.

  The new formula has been used for the latest round of NHS allocations to primary care trusts. These allocations for the period 2003–04 to 2005–06 were based on population estimates from the 2001 Census.

  Radiologists
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacant NHS posts for consultant radiologists there were in March in(a) England, (b) each NHS region and (c) each NHS trust. [112194]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information on vacancies for consultant radiologists at March 2002 has been placed in the Library. Before April 2002, the 95 health authorities were grouped into eight regional offices. The regional offices have since been abolished, therefore data for 2002 are presented according to the new 28 strategic health authority boundaries.

  Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS): Medical consultants and registrars within the radiology group1 by region—England

  Numbers (headcount)2

  1997

  1998

  1999

  consultant

  Register Group

  Consultant

  Register Group

  Consultant

  Register Group

  England total

  1,473

  534

  1,514

  552

  1,540

  612

  of which:

  Northern and Yorkshire

  196

  63

  209

  67

  211

  67

  Trent

  138

  56

  139

  51

  145

  62

  West Midlands

  146

  42

  141

  50

  150

  56

  North West

  220

  81

  223

  83

  229

  96

  Eastern

  131

  19

  134

  24

  142

  30

  London

  271

  184

  288

  184

  287

  200

  South East

  230

  57

  232

  55

  233

  56

  South Western

  141

  32

  148

  38

  143

  45

  2000

  2001

  March 2002

  Consultant

  Registrar Group

  Consultant

  Registrar Group

  Consultant

  England total

  1,616

  655

  1,683

  743

  1,723

  of which:

  Northern and Yorkshire

  217

  75

  225

  89

  225

  Trent

  148

  63

  148

  66

  145

  West Midlands

  150

  58

  166

  71

  171

  North West

  238

  114

  242

  120

  245

  Eastern

  143

  26

  146

  33

  147

  London

  308

  215

  331

  241

  342

  South East

  245

  63

  252

  71

  266

  South Western

  167

  41

  173

  52

  182

  1 The radiology group comprises doctors who with specialties in clinical radiology or nuclear medicine.

  2 Data as at 30 September each year, except for 2002, where data as at 31 March.

  SHAs
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place for hon. Members to contribute to reviews of the performance of a chair of a strategic health authority. [112304]

  Mr. Hutton
  Appraisal of the performance of a chair of a strategic health authority is a matter for the National Health Service Appointments Commission. Hon. Members can raise any matters they wish with the Commission. However, they have no formal part in the appraisal process.
  616W
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many additional(a) specialist registrar training places in radiology have been created and (b) consultant radiologists have been employed in (i) England and (ii) each NHS region in each of the last six years. [112195]

  Mr. Hutton
  There has been an increase of around 14 per cent, in the number of consultants in the radiology group and 39 per cent, in doctors within the registrar group between September 1997 and September 2001. Specialist registrar data were not collected in the March 2002 mini-census.

  In 2003–04, central funding will be distributed to support the implementation of 78 additional specialist registrar posts in clinical radiology and one additional specialist registrar post in nuclear medicine. This represents a significant proportion of the centrally funded posts available.

  Available information is shown in the table.

  Smoking Areas
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals have smoking areas or rooms se aside for(a) staff, (b) patients and (c) visitors. [113266]

  Mr. Hutton
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Specialist Stroke Services
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the required standard for specialist stroke services, set out in the national service framework for older people, will be in place by April 2004. [110327]
  617W
  Jacqui Smith
  Our document, "Improvement, Expansion and Reform", which sets for the national health service a priorities and planning framework for 2003–06, makes clear that implementation of the older-people's national service framework is a top priority, and that the 2004 milestone around specialist stroke services is a key target.

  There have been significant increases in the number of stroke physicians, the proportion of patients being treated in specialist stroke units and the number of patients returning home following hospital treatment. There have been important improvements in care. For example, 83 per cent, of patients are receiving brain scans to improve diagnosis, which is more than ever before, and over the last four years, the proportion of hospitals with specialist stroke units has gone up from 45 per cent, to 73 per cent. We also know that 83 per cent, of the hospitals already now have plans to have a specialist stroke service in place by April 2004.

  Sponsorship
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of his Department's projects have received sponsorship in the last financial year; who the sponsor was in each case; what the nature of each project was; what time period was covered by each project; what the total cost of each project was; how much money was involved in each sponsorship deal; and if he will make a statement. [112404]

  Mr. Hutton
  In line with the Government's commitment in its response to the Sixth Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life, details of individual amounts of sponsorship valued at more than £5,000 will be disclosed in departmental annual reports,

  Telemedicine
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research the Government have done into the risks associated with telemedicine. [111021]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department has an extensive programmed of research into all aspects of health care, including telecare and telehealthcare. Specific major projects on telecare and telehealthcare include an economic evaluation carried out by the Health Economic Research Group in the area of paediatrics, and a 'virtual outreach' study by the Health Technology Assessment Programme.

  Clinical effectiveness and patient safety are, of course, paramount concerns, and before any new medical technology is used, it must, as a minimum, comply with UK and European regulations for medical devices, and with clinical protocols agreed with the relevant professional bodies.

  Details of Department of Health research programmes are published online at: http://www. disco.port.ac.uk/ictri/ The Department also supports the Telemedicine Information Service (www.tis.bl.uk), which covers telemedicine and telecare research and development projects.
  618W
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent assessment he has made of the use of telehealthcare devices in the monitoring and treatment of chronic diseases; and if he will make a statement; [111178]

  (2) what recent assessment he has made of the financial and care benefits of the use of telecare and telehealthcare; [111179]

  (3) if he will estimate the potential savings to his Department of the use of telecare and telehealthcare devices; [111181]

  (4) what guidance he will issue to local authorities and primary care trusts in the use of telehealthcare and telecare units which monitor patients health care and the environment in which they live; [111176]

  (5) what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) other Departments of State and (b) the commissioners and providers of community based health and social care about the use of telecare devices; [111177]

  (6) what recent assessment he has made of the use of telecare devices to promote early discharges and independent community based living. [111174]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department has an extensive programme of research into all aspects of health care, including telecare and telehealthcare. Specific major projects on telecare and telehealthcare include an economic evaluation carried out by the Health Economic Research Group in the area of paediatrics, and a 'virtual outreach' study by the Health Technology Assessment Programme. The Department also has ongoing discussions with the Department of Trade and Industry on the deployment and use of telemedicine and telecare.

  Details of Department of Health research programmes are published online at: http://www. disco.port.ac.uk/ictri/ The Department also supports the Telemedicine Information Service (www.tis.bl.uk), which covers telemedicine and telecare research and development projects.

  The Department also has on-going discussions with local authorities and primary care trusts on the implementation of integrated care records services, including where relevant and appropriate, the deployment of telemedicine and telecare. The potential of telecare devices in the monitoring and treatment of chronic diseases, and to support early discharge and independent community living is well understood. The use of telehealthcare and telecare units is being taken forward by a number of local health communities where they are most appropriate to local needs and local working practices, and can deliver real benefits to patient care. The Department of Health's Modernisation Agency is in place to support new practices and innovative approaches, and will help to make a significant contribution in this area.

  Clinical effectiveness and patient safety are, of course, paramount concerns, and before any new medical technology is used, it must, as a minimum, comply with UK and European regulations for medical devices, and with clinical protocols agreed with the relevant professional bodies.

  Trust Finances
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which(a) PCTs, (b) hospital trusts and (c) other trusts ended the year 2002–03 in debt. [112470]

  Mr. Hutton
  The audited information in respect of the 2002–03 financial position of all national health service trusts will be published in their individual annual accounts and will be available centrally in autumn 2003. We have no plans to publish un-audited information. These figures are considered to be exempt under Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information.

  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice his Department has given hospital and health trusts, who ended either or both of the last two financial years in debt, on the relative importance of(a) clearing their debts and (b) meeting government performance targets; [112472]

  (2) what guidance has been offered to those hospital and health trusts which have (a) ended the year in debt and (b) ended at least the last two years in debt; [112471]

  (3) what targets his Department has set (a) primary care, (b) health and (c) hospital trusts for (i) debt recovery and (ii) end of year debt avoidance. [112476]

  Mr. Hutton
  All national health service organisations have been asked to plan for and achieve financial balance.

  Where this is not achieved, in line with the Government's policy of the shifting the balance of power, discussions are undertaken locally with relevant commissioners and if required the relevant strategic health authority. These discussions should result in the joint development and agreement of a robust and realistic plan for financial recovery together with achievement of non-financial targets.

  In 2002–03, the shadow NHS Bank has made available a total of £100 million to three strategic health authority areas; Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire (£45 million), Surrey and Sussex (£30 million) and Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire (£25 million) to assist with managing financial difficulties within these health economies.

  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which and how many(a) PCTs, (b) hospital trusts and (c) other health trusts have been permitted by his Department or the strategic health authority to carry forward accumulated debt; and in which cases and for what period of financial years they have been permitted to carry the debt forward; [112473]

  (2) what advice his Department has offered to each of the PCTs, hospital and health trusts which have requested authority to carry forward end of year debt (a) for one year, (b) for two years and (c) for three or more years. [112475]

  Mr. Hutton
  In line with the Government's policy of shifting the balance of power, discussions about such issues are undertaken locally with relevant commissioners and if required the relevant strategic health authority. The audited information in respect of the 2002–03 financial performance of all primary care 620W
  trusts and national health service trusts will be published in their individual annual accounts and will be available centrally in autumn 2003.

  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance is available from(a) his Department and (b) a strategic health authority to PCTs and hospital or health trusts which experience (i) avoidable and (ii) unavoidable end of year debt. [112474]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department and the national health service have to live within the overall spending limits agreed by Parliament. In doing so no distinction is made between 'avoidable' or 'unavoidable' end of year debt positions when managing this overall position.

  In 2002–03, the shadow NHS bank has made available a total of £100 million to three strategic health authority areas; Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire (£45 million), Surrey and Sussex (£30 million) and Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire (£25 million) to assist with managing financial difficulties within these health economies.

  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which PCTs inherited a debt legacy from their predecessor organisations or authority; and of these how many and which PCTs ended their(a) first and (b) second financial years in debt. [112477]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information on primary care trusts inherited debt legacy is not collected centrally.

  The audited annual accounts for 2000–01 and 2001–02 show no primary care trust reported an overspend against their revenue resource limit. The audited information in respect of the 2002–03 financial performance of all primary care trusts will be published in their individual annual accounts and will be available centrally in autumn 2003.

  Whistleblowers
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the NHS is taking to introduce measures to protect workers who raise concerns about bad practice. [113909]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Government expect a climate of openness and dialogue in the national health service that encourages staff to feel able to raise concerns about healthcare matters sensibly and responsibly without fear of victimisation.

  On 27 August 1999, the Department of Health issued new guidance in Health Service Circular (HSC) 1999/198—'The Public Interest Disclosure Act: Whistleblowing in the NHS', to all NHS trusts and health authorities. The HSC advises that all NHS trusts and health authorities are expected to issue guidance to staff so that they know how to raise concerns in a reasonable and responsible way. All NHS employing organisations should have in place policies and procedures that comply with the provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, which is widely regarded as providing the most far reaching whistleblower protection in the world.
  621W
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress has been made in ensuring that NHS whistleblowers are not persecuted in the work place for reporting malpractice; [111763]

  (2) what progress has been made in improving protection for whistleblowers in the NHS. [112695]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Government expects a climate of openness and dialogue in the National Health Service that encourages staff to feel able to raise concerns about healthcare matters sensibly and responsibly without fear of victimisation.

  On 27 August 1999, the Department of Health issued new guidance in Health Service Circular (HSC) 1999/198—'The Public Interest Disclosure Act:Whistleblowing in the NHS', to all NHS trusts and health authorities. The HSC advises that all NHS trusts and health authorities are expected to issue guidance to staff so that they know how to raise concerns in a reasonable and responsible way. All NHS employing organisations should have in place policies and procedures that comply with the provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, which is widely regarded as providing the most far reaching whistleblower protection in the world.

  DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

    Buffer Zones and Wind Farms
    Mr. Blizzard
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what guidance he will give local planning authorities on the creation of local buffer zones beyond the boundaries of national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty; [113972]

    (2) if he will adopt the noise standards contained in the DTI document, "Assessment and Rating of Noise from Wind Farms", as a standard planning guideline on wind farm applications; [113977]

    (3) if he will encourage local planning authorities to identify landscape areas suitable for wind farm development in local land use plans. [113973]

    Mr. McNulty
    Current Government guidance on renewable energy is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG) 22 and its associated annexes. PPG22 is currently being revised and a draft for public consultation will be published later this year. Policy on the use of buffer zones, noise and the location of wind farm developments will be included in that draft.

    Built Environment (London)
    Mr. Pickles
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proposals he has to improve the built environment in London. [113567]

    Mr. McNulty
    The Government is committed to improve the quality of the built environment and we are working with a wide range of partners to deliver this through a number of policy initiatives and actions. The Government's recently launched Sustainable Communities action programme is central to achieving this. Through Sustainable Communities and as part of the wider agenda to raise the quality of life in our 622W
    communities, we are providing a total of £41 million over the next three years to support, among a range of initiatives, the work of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment to improve the design standards of buildings and spaces and the skills needed to deliver this. We are also promoting the establishment of "design champions" at both regional and local level and are working with the construction industry to develop the Design Quality Indicator (DQI) system that was launched in July 2002. Government planning policies have for some time made it clear that when submitting planning proposals applicants should be able to demonstrate how they have taken account of the need for good design. PPG1 "General Policy and Principles", for example, underlines that "good design should be the aim of all those involved in the development process and should be encouraged everywhere". The policy is supported by good practice guidance, "By Design". The Government will restate its commitment to good design when it updates PPG1.

    In London, we are continuing to promote good quality higher density development through our planning powers, local authority development plans and we are working with the mayor, CABE, English Heritage and others to promote better design through good practice and pilot projects. We are also committed to establishing regional centres of excellence to promote best practice in the design and management of public spaces.

    Costs
    Mr. Norman
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 7 April,Official Report, column 115W, on Inspectorates, what the total pay costs incurred by the (a) Single Housing. Inspectorate and (b) Planning Inspectorate were in each year since 1997. [113399]

    Mr. McNulty
    Between 1997 and March 2003 inspection of local authority housing was carried out by the Audit Commission. In 2001 the Housing Corporation commenced a programme of inspection of registered social landlords. From 1 April 2003 both sectors are being inspected by a single housing inspectorate within the Audit Commission.

    Estimated staffing figures and associated pay costs incurred by the Audit Commission and the Housing Corporation on inspection are set out in table 1.

    Table 1 (at constant 2001–02 prices)

    £ million

    Year

    Estimated pay cost of staff in Inspection Directorate of the Audit Commission engaged in housing inspection work

    Estimated pay cost of staff employed by the Housing Corporation on inspection

    1997–98

    0.04

    —

    1998–99

    0.12

    —

    1999–2000

    0.43

    —

    2000–01

    2.46

    —

    2001–02

    2.82

    10.80

    2002–03

    —

    21.50

    1 This figure represents costs of inspection staff recruited gradually during 2001–02. By 31 March 2002 there were 43 inspection posts, including 3 subject to contracts which ended on 31 March 2003.

    623W
    2This figures includes the costs of 3 contracted posts which ended on 31 March 2003.

    Note:

    1.The Audit Commission's financial year runs from 1 November to 31 October. The Housing Corporation and Planning Inspectorate's financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March.

    The Audit Commission is responsible for carrying out inspections of local authority planning functions. The Planning Inspectorate deals with appeals and other casework under planning, housing, highways and allied legislation and is an executive agency of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The costs for the Planning Inspectorate shown in Table 2, are therefore not comparable with those for the Housing Inspectorate.

    Table 2 (at constant 2001–2002 prices)

    £ million

    Year

    Pay cost of staff employed by the Planning Inspectorate

    1997–98

    20.8

    1998–99

    20.64

    1999–2000

    22.25

    2000–01

    23.25

    2001–02

    23.38

    2002–03

    24.99

    Departmental Photocopiers
    Mr. Pickles
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new photocopiers his Department has(a) purchased and (b) leased in each year since 1997; and at what cost. [104187]

    Mr. Leslie
    The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created in May 2002. Since that date the lease on the purchase of photocopiers has been managed under a joint contract with the Department for Transport, therefore, the information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

    Disabled Facilities Grants
    Mrs. Dean
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of the total estimated value of outstanding disabled facilities grant work in(a) England, (b) Staffordshire and (c) East Staffordshire. [113154]

    Mr. McNulty
    I announced on 10 February this year a substantial increase in Government funding for the disabled facilities grant budget for England. The increase to £99 million will be for each of the next three years. This was in response to requests from local authorities for additional resources to deal with an increasing demand for housing adaptations from disabled people and their families, (including the need for level access showers).

    The Government does not, however, monitor in detail the level of outstanding work under this programme, or the unmet need for level-access showers, either at national or local authority level.

    Elections
    Mr. Pickles
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on how all-postal election pilots will operate next year under the Government's624W
    proposals for the 2004 English local elections and European parliamentary elections to take place on the same day. [113543]

    Mr. Raynsford
    Subject to Parliament's approval of the provisions in the local government Bill, it is the Government's intention that the European parliamentary elections, Greater London Authority elections and the English local elections in 2004 will be combined. In these circumstances, further legislative provisions would be needed to allow piloting of any sort to take place. As indicated in the consultation paper 'Combining English Local Authority, Greater London Authority and European Parliament Elections in 2004' announced to the House in October 2002, the Government is currently considering very carefully whether we should hold pilots at the proposed combined elections in 2004.

    For local elections generally, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will decide what steps to take on extending all-postal voting at local elections in the light of the Electoral Commission's evaluation of each of the 2003 pilot schemes, and will consult widely on any such proposals. In the meantime the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will continue to consider applications from local authorities seeking to conduct all-postal pilots at by-elections.

    High Hedges (No. 2) Bill
    Mr. Chope
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the statement on 7 April 2003,Official Report, column 94, when he will publish the draft guidance on the High Hedges (No. 2) Bill. [114564]

    Mr. McNulty
    The draft guidance on the High Hedges (No. 2) Bill will be available before the Report stage on 20 June 2003.

    Local Government Finance (Shropshire)
    Mr. Paul Marsden
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of total costs were represented by administration costs for(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council and (b) Shropshire County Council, in each of the last five years; and what the average percentage for local government was. [113050]

    Mr. Raynsford
    Gross expenditure on administration and support services, expressed as a percentage of net current expenditure for Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, Shropshire County Council and all England, in the last five years, were as shown in the following table. Averages for shire counties and shire districts are also shown for comparison.

    Percentage

    Shropshire

    Average shire country

    Shrewsbury and Atcham

    Average shire district

    All England

    2001–02

    7.8

    4.1

    21.9

    40.3

    8.6

    2000–01

    7.5

    4.1

    23.4

    42.5

    9.1

    1999–2000

    6.4

    4.9

    30.1

    44.8

    10.3

    1998–99

    6.1

    5.3

    27.6

    46.4

    11.0

    1997–98

    5.3

    5.8

    28.1

    46.9

    11.2

    Source:

    RS and RO6 forms 1997–98 to 2001–02

    Ordnance Survey
    Mr. Gordon Marsden
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what consultations were undertaken by Ordnance Survey with(a) English Heritage, (b) the Church Conservation Trust, (c) archaeological groups and (d) religious organisations and churches about the proposed deletion of symbols of churches no longer used as places of worship; and what guidance he gave to Ordnance Survey on the consultation process. [113661]

    Mr. McNulty
    The recent review of the 1:25 000 OS Explorer map series specification by Ordnance Survey has been conducted with an extensive consultation with users. This was carried out through focus groups and also in discussions with around 50 organisations whose members are major users of mapping at this scale.

    Ordnance Survey has resolved not to proceed with any change to the way places of worship are shown on Explorer maps. Current and former places of worship with towers, spires, minarets or domes are helpful navigational aids and these buildings will continue to be shown with the traditional symbols. However, the description 'place of worship' in the key will be amended to read 'building/place of worship with …etc' to reflect the fact that some have changed their status.

    Mr. Gordon Marsden
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Macclesfield on 10 March,Official Report, column 111W, on Ordnance Survey maps, if he will ensure that Ordnance Survey publishes the results of consultation and research among users to which he referred. [113663]

    Mr. McNulty
    Ordnance Survey has consulted widely on proposed changes to the 1:25 000 OS Explorer map series and has decided upon a number of specification changes. The outcome of the consultation is currently being made known to those individuals and organisations that contributed views and information. A summary of the changes has been posted on the Ordnance Survey web site.

    Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill
    Mr. Clifton-Brown
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the operation of outline planning permission and its replacement by the statement of development principles as contained in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill. [114015]

    Mr. McNulty
    The statement made in July last year, "Sustainable Communities: Delivering through Planning", said that statements of development principle might eventually replace outline planning permission. Outline planning permission will not be abolished until statements of development principles have been shown to be an effective alternative. Until then the two systems will work in parallel. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will review the take up and success of statements of development principles two years after they come into effect. At that time the consequences would be of removing outline planning permission will be considered. Full consultation will take place before removing outline planning permission.

    Regional Government Proposals
    Mr, George Howarth
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received from(a) business organisations, (b) trade unions and (c) community groups in support of his regional government proposals; and if he will place copies in the Library [90004]

    Mr. Raynsford
    Responses to the White Paper on regional governance—"Your Region, Your Choice"—were received from 20 business organisations, 10 trade union groups and 143 interest groups. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister did not record responses from community groups separately from those of other interest groups.

    A full analysis of responses to the White Paper was made available in the Library of the House on 12 February 2003. The analysis document is entitled: "White Paper Your Region, Your Choice—Revitalising the English Regions. Summary of the comments and enquiries received following the publication of the White Paper on Regional Governance". The document can also be found on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister website at http://www.regions.odpm.gov.uk/governance/progress/response/index.htm

    Responses to the soundings exercise on the level of interest in each English region in holding a referendum on an elected regional assembly are still being received. We asked for responses by 16 May. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister will publish a summary of responses to the soundings exercise in due course.

    Regulatory Reform Orders
    Mr. Lansley
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what accumulated reduction in compliance costs for United Kingdom business has resulted from the passage of Regulatory Reform Orders. [113656]

    Mr. Alexander
    I have been asked to reply.

    The Cabinet Office oversees the Regulatory Reform Order programme. All Regulatory Reform Orders made have to be accompanied by a full Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) when laid before Parliament for scrutiny, setting out the costs and benefits of that proposal. These RIAs are shown on the Cabinet Office Website: http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/regulation/ act/made2.htm and Departments have been asked to make these available to the House of Commons Library.

    Right to Buy
    Mr. Pickles
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) if he will make a statement on plans to extend the reduction in right to buy discounts; [113564]

    (2) how many authorities have applied to his Department to have the reduction in right to buy discounts extended to their local authority area. [113565]

    Mr. McNulty
    The Government's recent decision to lower maximum Right to Buy discounts in 41 areas that are under the greatest housing market pressure led to calls for further, more widespread, reductions, including from 11 local authorities. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not rule out further changes and will keep the matter under review. However, the
    627W
    Government is committed to the principle of the Right to Buy and to helping social tenants into home ownership in ways that do not damage the interests of others in housing need. The Home Ownership Task Force, announced by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister in February as part of the Sustainable Communities action plan, is currently considering the various schemes currently available to potential homeowners on low or modest incomes, with the aim of identifying the most effective ways of promoting sustainable home ownership.

    Swale Borough Council
    Mr. Wyatt
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will ask the Audit Commission to investigate the delays and loss of correspondence in the housing benefits department at Swale Borough Council. [114194]

    Mr. Raynsford
    The Audit Commission's work is restricted to auditing the relevant performance indicators and the housing benefit grant claim, and reviewing internal audit's work on housing benefit. The Audit Commission last undertook direct work on housing benefit delays in Swale in 2000–01. The authority has also been subject to two detailed reviews of the authority's benefit administration by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate—in September/October 1999 and February/March 2002. A further assessment will be made of Swale's performance as part of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment to be undertaken later this year.

    Wind Farms
    Mr. Blizzard
    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to encourage regional workshops on wind farm planning applications for councillors and planning officers. [113976]

    Mr. McNulty
    The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be consulting on a revision of planning policy guidance on renewable energy (PPG 22) later this year. When PPG 22 has been finalised, the Government will consider how best to support dissemination of Government policy on planning for renewable energy: In the meantime, the Renewables Advisory Board, chaired by my hon. Friend the Minister for Energy and Construction, is keen to support initiatives, including regional workshops, aimed at providing relevant information about renewable energy to a range of people.

  WORK AND PENSIONS

    Pensioners
    Mrs. Dean
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners in the Burton constituency who will benefit from the pension credit. [113148]

    Maria Eagle
    Estimates of pension credit entitlement are not available at individual constituency level due to the insufficient sample cases in the survey data used. However, around half of all pensioner households across Great Britain will be eligible for pension credit.628W
    Such information as is available relates to pensioners in the Burton constituency receiving the minimum income guarantee (MIG) and is as follows:

    As at November 2002 there were 2,300 MIG recipients in the Burton constituency.

    Source:

    Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry November 2002.

    Mrs. Dean
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many(a) male and (b) female pensioners aged between 65 and 80 there are in the Burton constituency; and what percentage of them receive means-tested benefits to reach the minimum income guarantee. [113145]

    Maria Eagle
    As at September 2002 there were 5,800 male and 6,800 female pensioners aged between 65 and 80 in receipt of a state pension in the Burton constituency.

    As at November 2002, 10.1 per cent, of male pensioners and 9.1 per cent, of female pensioners aged between 65 and 80 in the Burton constituency were claiming the minimum income guarantee.

    Source:

    Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, November 2002 Pensions Strategy Computer System as at 30 September 2002

    Mrs. Dean
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners in the Burton constituency who live(a) alone, (b) as a pensioner couple and (c) in a residential or nursing home. [113146]

    Maria Eagle
    The information is not available in the format requested but such information as is available shows that the number of pensioners receiving a state pension in Burton parliamentary constituency at September 2002 was 17,700.

    Source:

    Pensions Strategy Computer System at 30 September 2002.

    Mrs. Dean
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many(a) male and (b) female pensioners aged over 80 there are in the Burton constituency; and what percentage of them are in receipt of means tested benefit to reach the minimum income guarantee. [113158]

    Maria Eagle
    As at September 2002 there were 900 male and 2,100 female pensioners aged 81 and over in receipt of a state pension in the Burton constituency.

    As at November 2002, 11.4 per cent, of male pensioners and 39.4 per cent, of female pensioners aged 81 or over in the Burton constituency were claiming the minimum income guarantee.

    Source:

    Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, November 2002 Pensions Strategy Computer System as at 30 September 2002

    Mr. Webb
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leicester East of 28April 2003,Official Report, column 191–92W, on pensioner households, what the average women's state pension as a percentage of the average men's state pension was in each of the last 10 years. [112362]
    629W
    Maria Eagle
    The information is in the table.

    Average amounts of State Pension in payment in Great Britain and Overseas

    £per week

    September

    All

    Men

    Women

    Women's pension as a percentage of men's

    1993

    57.68

    70.24

    50.88

    72.4

    1994

    60.12

    73.58

    52.78

    71.7

    1995

    55.76

    67.21

    49.56

    73.7

    1996

    58.57

    70.78

    51.82

    73.2

    1997

    60.39

    73.14

    53.22

    72.8

    1998

    60.68

    73.47

    53.44

    72.7

    1999

    65.95

    79.97

    57.83

    72.3

    2000

    67.40

    81.71

    59.05

    72.3

    2001

    72.57

    87.82

    63.57

    72.4

    2002

    75.96

    91.67

    66.60

    72.7

    Notes:

    1. Includes Great Britain and overseas pensioners but excludes the majority of Northern Ireland.

    2. Figures for 1993 and 1994 include Attendance Allowance paid with the State Pension.

    Sources:

    1. Information for 1993–1994–1995 is from the Social Security Statistics publication 1995.

    2. Information for 1996 onwards: 5 per cent, sample from the Pension Strategy Computer System at date of extraction.

    Judy Mallaber
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners there are in Amber Valley; how many(a) are over 80 and (b) qualify for (i) additional winter fuel allowance and (ii) a free TV licence; and how many receive minimum pensions guarantee; and what the average payment was in the last 12 months. [113391]

    Maria Eagle
    As at November 2002 there were 18,700 pensioners receiving a key benefit in the Amber Valley constituency. 5,000 people are aged 80 and over and if they are entitled to a winter fuel payment from this winter, they will also be entitled to the additional payment announced in the Budget. There were 8,400 people aged 75 and over receiving a key benefit who would therefore be eligible to receive a free TV licence. 2,800 people received an average weekly minimum income guarantee of £43.34.

    Table 1: Benefit spending on pensioners in cash terms

    £ million

    Retirement pensions

    Winter fuel payments

    Income related benefits

    Over 75 TV licences

    Other benefits

    Total

    1992–93

    27,944

    0

    7,290

    0

    2,572

    37,806

    1993–94

    29,548

    0

    8,105

    0

    3,027

    40,680

    1994–95

    30,178

    0

    8,363

    0

    3,314

    41,855

    1995–96

    31,222

    0

    8,529

    0

    3,752

    43,503

    1996–97

    33,031

    0

    8,618

    0

    4,148

    45,797

    1997–98

    34,379

    191

    8,626

    0

    4,466

    47,661

    1998–99

    36,154

    194

    8,577

    0

    4,793

    49,718

    1999–2000

    38,077

    759

    8,869

    0

    5,086

    52,792

    2000–01

    38,854

    1,749

    9,426

    306

    5,434

    55,769

    2001–02

    42,023

    1,692

    10,183

    365

    5,820

    60,083

    2002–03

    44,513

    1,712

    10,644

    374

    6,120

    63,363

    2003–04

    46,628

    1,891

    11,479

    406

    6,398

    66,802

    2004–05

    48,767

    1,911

    13,044

    426

    6,710

    70,859

    2005–06

    51,088

    1,933

    13,975

    448

    7,072

    74,515

    630W
    Note:

    Key DWP benefits for pensioners are state pension, minimum income guarantee, attendance allowance, disability living allowance, incapacity benefit, and severe disablement allowance.

    Source:

    Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry. November 2002. IAD 1C Client Group Analysis of the population over state pension age on key benefits (SP, MIG, AA, DLA, IB, and SDA)

    Helen Southworth
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners there are in Warrington, South; how many(a) are aged over 80 and (b) qualify for (i) additional winter fuel allowance and (ii) a free television licence; how many receive minimum pensions guarantee; and what the average payment was in the last 12 months. [113858]

    Maria Eagle
    As at November 2002, there were 17,800 pensioners receiving a key benefit in the Warrington South constituency. 3,500 people are aged 80 and over and if they are entitled to a winter fuel payment from this winter they will also be entitled to the additional payment announced in the Budget. There were 6,700 people aged 75 and over receiving a key benefit who would therefore be eligible to receive a free TV licence. 2,400 people received an average weekly minimum income guarantee of £43.46.

    Note:

    Key DWP benefits for pensioners are state pension, minimum income guarantee, attendance allowance, disability living allowance, incapacity benefit, and severe disablement allowance.

    Source:

    Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, November 2002. IAD 1C Client Group Analysis of the population over state pension age on key benefits (SP, MIG, AA, DLA, IB, and SDA).

    Pensioner Benefits
    Mr. Webb
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate expenditure(a) in cash terms, (b) in current prices and (c) as a share of GDP on (i) retirement pensions, (ii) winter fuel payments, (iii) means-tested benefits for pensioners, (iv) all other benefits for pensioners and (v) free TV licences in (A) 1992–93 and (B) each succeeding year to the end of the public expenditure planning period. [112332]

    Maria Eagle
    The information requested is given in the tables.
    631W

    Table 2: Benefit spending on pensioners in real terms (2002–03 prices)

    £ million

    Retirement pensions

    Winter fuel payments

    Income related benefits

    Over 75 TV licences

    Other benefits

    Total

    1992–93

    36,060

    0

    9,407

    0

    3,319

    48,787

    1993–94

    37,210

    0

    10,206

    0

    3,813

    51,229

    1994–95

    37,507

    0

    10,394

    0

    4,119

    52,019

    1995–96

    37,729

    0

    10,306

    0

    4,534

    52,570

    1996–97

    38,688

    0

    10,094

    0

    4,858

    53,640

    1997–98

    39,062

    217

    9,801

    0

    5,074

    54,153

    1998–99

    39,980

    215

    9,484

    0

    5,301

    54,979

    1999–2000

    41,112

    820

    9,575

    0

    5,492

    56,999

    2000–01

    41,020

    1,847

    9,952

    323

    5,737

    58,878

    2001–02

    43,284

    1,743

    10,488

    376

    5,994

    61,885

    2002–03

    44,513

    1,712

    10,644

    374

    6,120

    63,363

    2003–04

    45,380

    1,840

    11,172

    395

    6,227

    65,014

    2004–05

    46,305

    1,815

    12,385

    405

    6,371

    67,280

    2005–06

    47,325

    1,790

    12,945

    415

    6,551

    69,026

    Table 3: Benefit spending on pensioners as a percentage of GDP

    Precentage

    Retirement pensions

    Winter fuel payments

    Income related benefits

    Over 75 TV licences

    Other benefits

    Total

    1992–93

    4.5

    0.0

    1.2

    0.0

    0.4

    6.1

    1993–94

    4.5

    0.0

    1.2

    0.0

    0.5

    6.2

    1994–95

    4.4

    0.0

    1.2

    0.0

    0.5

    6.1

    1995–96

    4.3

    0.0

    1.2

    0.0

    0.5

    6.0

    1996–97

    4.3

    0.0

    1.1

    0.0

    0.5

    5.9

    1997–98

    4.2

    0.0

    1.0

    0.0

    0.5

    5.8

    1998–99

    4.2

    0.0

    1.0

    0.0

    0.6

    5.7

    1999–2000

    4.1

    0.1

    1.0

    0.0

    0.6

    5.7

    2000–01

    4.0

    0.2

    1.0

    0.0

    0.6

    5.8

    2001–02

    4.2

    0.2

    1.0

    0.0

    0.6

    6.0

    2002–03

    4.2

    0.2

    1.0

    0.0

    0.6

    6.0

    2003–04

    4.2

    0.2

    1.0

    0.0

    0.6

    6.0

    2004–05

    4.2

    0.2

    1.1

    0.0

    0.6

    6.0

    2005–06

    4.1

    0.2

    1.1

    0.0

    0.6

    6.0

    Notes:

    1. Forecasts for 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06 consistent with Budget 2003 DWP benefit expenditure forecasts, and published in the DWP 2003 Departmental Report.

    2. Expenditure for 2002–03 reflects the latest benefit-by-benefit estimate of outturn, and not the amounts voted by Parliament.

    3. Includes all spending on pensioners including that outside the departmental objective to "Combat poverty and promote security and independence in retirement for today's and tomorrow's pensioners".

    4. Widow's/bereavement benefits and incapacity benefit paid to pensioners are included in the Retirement Pensions spending.

    5. All numbers are on a Great Britain basis except over 75 TV licences which also includes Northern Ireland.

    6. Pensioner spending on income related benefits and winter fuel payments includes payments to men aged 60–64.

    7. Housing benefit and council tax benefit spending (included in income-related benefits) covers benefits paid to pensioners, regardless of whether the payments are funded by DWP, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister or the Welsh Assembly Government (and predecessor Departments), or from local authorities' general funds.

    8. Figures for 1999–2000 onwards are on a Resource Accounting and Budgeting basis. Previous years' figures are on a cash basis, but the impact of the change is unlikely to be significant.

    Autism
    Linda Perham
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce an autism compact with employers to make it easier for autistic people to gain access to employment. [112674]

    Maria Eagle
    We are committed to improving employment opportunities for all disabled people, both through the help available from Jobcentre Plus and by extending basic rights through the Disability Discrimination Act. To this end, we support the National Autistic Society's Autism Awareness Week as an important campaign in ensuring that people with autism and their families are aware of their rights and the support available to them.
    632W
    We have no plans at present to introduce an 'autism compact' with employers. However, we recognise that the employment needs of people with disabilities vary and we have been working with the National Autistic Society to improve our understanding of how best to help people with autism find and keep jobs. In addition, Disability Employment Advisers within Jobcentre Plus provide support to disabled people facing complex barriers to work and help employers develop good recruitment policies. They can offer help to disabled people with finding work and can refer them, where appropriate, to occupational health assessments training and the full range of Jobcentre Plus disability programmes.

    Civil Service (People with Disabilities)
    Mr. Bercow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made in meeting targets for the proportion of people with disabilities in senior posts in the Department. [110532]

    Mr. Nicholas Brown
    The Department for Work and Pensions has made progress in meeting targets for disabled staff in senior posts as follows: 5 per cent, of Senior Civil Service Managers currently in post are disabled compared to a target figure of 3.2 per cent. In addition 4.1 per cent of staff at grades 6, 7, and SEO are disabled compared to a target figure of 3 per cent.

    The Department is committed to increasing the number of disabled people in senior posts in the Department by for example using open competition to provide a wider pool of diverse applicants for senior posts. The Department is also involved in various developmental schemes for disabled people such as Fast Track, a graduate development programme for disabled people co-ordinated by SCOPE. This is a work based development programme that aims to provide disabled people with their first step into a chosen career. As part of this programme we currently have two graduates on six month placements. In addition we are during the period 2002–04 supporting 11 staff as part of the Civil Service Bursary scheme for disabled staff.

    The Department also plays an active role in the Cabinet Office Disability working party that has been established to examine better ways of collating and monitoring disability data.

    The European Commission has designated 2003 as the European Year of Disabled People. The Department is playing a key role in co-ordinating the UK programme of activities for this year. The UK theme for the year is "Promoting Rights and Participation".

    Departmental Staff
    Mr. Bercow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of regional variations in staff turnover in his Department. [112746]

    Maria Eagle
    Information on turnover by Government office region in the Department for Work and Pensions for the year ending 31 December 2002 is in the following table. The overall turnover rate and the variation between regions have been stable since the Department's formation in June 2001.

    Percentage

    Region

    Wastage rate

    East Midlands

    7.7

    East of England

    8.5

    London

    8.6

    North East

    4.7

    NorthWest

    7.1

    Scotland

    6.0

    South East

    9.9

    South West

    8.7

    Wales

    6.4

    West Midlands

    6.9

    Yorkshire and the Huniber

    6.0

    Total

    7.1

    Entertainment
    Mr. Gray
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he has entertained Labour hon. Members at public expense in the last 12 months; and at what cost. [106389]

    Maria Eagle
    My ministerial colleagues and I meet hon. Members from all political parties from time to time to discuss various issues which concern the work of the Department for Work and Pensions. To establish the exact cost of hospitality supplied specifically to Labour MPs, we would need to examine the diaries of all our Ministers for the last 12 months. This would enable us to identify any meetings where Labour MPs were present and only then could we establish what, if any, hospitality was provided. Understandably, this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

    All offers of hospitality are made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in Government Accounting. The giving and receiving of hospitality is conducted fully in accordance with the guidance set out in the Ministerial Code.

    EU Discrimination Committee
    Mr. Bercow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list(a) the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee for implementation of the action programme to tackle discrimination, (b) the number of times, and the dates, on which it has met since January 2002, (c) the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, (d) the decisions it has made since January 2002 and (e) the means used to communicate the decisions to the House. [110288]

    Alan Johnson
    I have been asked to reply.

    The Community Action Programme to combat discrimination has met twice in the last 12 months, in May and December 2002. The current UK representative is Cathy Rees who is the responsible Assistant Director of this Department's Selected Employment Rights Branch.

    I will place copies of the agenda for both meetings in the Libraries of the House. These show where agenda items were for information, and where decisions have been taken.

    An evaluation of the programme will be reported to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. A copy of the evaluation report will be placed in the Libraries of the House once available.

    Invalid Care Allowance
    Mr. Burstow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many beneficiaries there would be and what the cost would be of extending the carers premium to all those eligible for invalid care allowance but disqualified because of the overlapping benefit rule. [112670]
    635W
    Maria Eagle
    The carer premium in the income-related benefits can already be paid to people who have an established entitlement to carers allowance, previously known as invalid care allowance, but do not receive it as a result of the overlapping benefit rules.

    Part-time Workers' Pensions
    Mr. Webb
    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of women who are affected by the ECHR ruling on occupational pension provision for part-time workers: what estimate he has made of the number that have successfully exercised their rights following that ruling; and if he will make a statement. [114512]

    Maria Eagle
    It is not possible to estimate precisely the total number of women part-time workers who might be affected by the European Court of Justice ruling on access to occupational pension schemes. About 60,000 claims were originally lodged with Employment Tribunals and aspects of the Court rulings are still awaiting clarification. Some claims have been struck out because they were lodged too late; while other part-time workers could still make claims.

    In order to be successful, claims have to be lodged in time (ie while the individual is in work or within six months of leaving employment with the relevant employer); it has to be accepted that the part-time worker's exclusion from the particular scheme amounted to indirect sex discrimination; and agreement has been made regarding the appropriate rates of contributions to be paid in respect of the claim.

    We understand that some private sector employers have already reached settlement with their applicants and negotiations are well advanced for public service schemes.

  HOME DEPARTMENT

    Criminal Records
    Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to respond substantively to the recommendation of the Review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 in relation to the deletion of offenders' criminal records at 18 for the purposes of employment. [113420]

    Paul Goggins
    The Government response to the Review was published in April 2003, and a copy placed in the Library. The recommendation attracted little support and the Government has deferred consideration of it until the impact of other elements of the proposed new disclosure scheme on the resettlement of young offenders can be assessed.

    The number of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, as reported to the Home Office, issued within, the West Mercia MCC area, by local authority and quarter, up to 30 November 2002 (latest available)

    Local authority1

    October- December 2001

    January- March 2002

    April- June 2002

    July- September 2002

    October- November 2002

    Total

    North Shropshire District Council

    0

    0

    0

    0

    2

    2

    Oswestry Borough Council

    0

    2

    0

    0

    0

    2

    Total

    0

    2

    0

    0

    2

    4

    1Local authorities within the constituency of Shropshire North.

    Child Prisoners
    Mr. Paul Marsden
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children are in prison. [111915]

    Paul Goggins
    On 28 February 2003 there were 2,346 juveniles (aged 15–17) held in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales.

    Anti-Semitic Crime
    Linda Perham
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps he has taken to tackle anti-Semitic crime. [112542]

    Beverley Hughes
    The Government are fully committed to tackling anti-Semitism and racism generally wherever it occurs. Under part III of the Public Order Act 1986 it is an offence to use threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent or likelihood to stir up racial hatred. It therefore covers inflammatory comments made in public or in the media as well as the distribution of printed material. The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 increased the maximum penalty for incitement to racial hatred from two to seven years' imprisonment.

    The investigation of possible breaches of these laws is an operational matter for the police and then the Crown Prosecution Service to pursue.

    Police forces continue to be alert to crimes being committed against members of Jewish communities and take appropriate steps to safeguard officials, places of worship, community centres and other premises. The police act in accordance with the publication "Breaking the Power of Fear and Hate" which is a guide to identifying and combating hate crime.

    Antisocial Behaviour
    Mr. Paterson
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Anti-Social Behaviour Orders have been made in each of the last 12 months in the North Shropshire constituency. [113177]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    Official statistics on the number of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) issued within England and Wales are based on quarterly returns from magistrates courts committees (MCCs). From copies of the orders we have been able to identify local authority areas involved. The number of notifications received by the Home Office of ASBOs issued in the West Mercia MCC, in which the North Shropshire constituency is located, from 1 October 2001 to 30 November 2002 (latest available), are given in the following table.

    We are aware that the numbers of ASBOs made nationally have been consistently under reported in returns made by magistrates courts and are considering how reporting can be improved.

    Badger Baiting
    Mark Tami
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for offences relating to badger baiting there have been in each police authority in each of the last five years. [113021]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    The information requested is not available centrally.

    Capita
    Matthew Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what penalties have been incurred by Capita on the Criminal Records Bureau contract; and if he will make a statement. [114845]

    Paul Goggins
    There is provision for liquidated damages and service credits for delay or poor performance in the contract. The details of such damages and credits are commercial in confidence, and accordingly, would normally come within exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. However, I have concluded that in this instance, it would be in the public interest not to continue to use the exemption.

    The following are details of all liquidated damages and service credits that have been incurred and agreed by Capita up to 31 January 2003:
    liquidated damages for the delay of the development programme 2001–02—£555,000;
    liquidated damages for functionality relating to National Intelligence Service 2002–03—£47,500;
    liquidated damages for the delay of the web-based application channel 2002–03—£87,500; and
    service credits up to 31 January 2003 (excluding those for September 2002, which by mutual agreement have been refunded, as they were mainly caused by the CRB Teacher Prioritisation exercise)—£1,123,697. (Service credits are sums deducted for failure to meet service standards e.g. turnaround times).

    This gives a total £1,813,697 for liquidated damages and service credits that have been incurred up to 31 January 2003.

    Service credits have continued to be deducted since 1 February 2003. However, agreement on the amounts are part of the on-going contractual negotiations relating to the implementation of the recommendations by the Independent Review Team appointed by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

    To put the above figures in context, Capita has been paid £20.4 million for their work associated with processing Disclosure applications up to 31 January 2003. This figure does not include ancillary charges for processing applications from organisations wishing to become registered bodies and for the accommodation, workstations and postage provided by Capita for use by the CRB's civil service staff; these charges amount to £2.9 million over the same period.

    Counterfeit Road Tax Discs
    Mark Tami
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of offences involving counterfeit tax discs in each police authority in each of the last five years. [113026]
    638W
    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    The Home Office Court Proceedings Database for England and Wales does not separately identify the offence of fraud or forgery associated with vehicle excise duty.

    Criminal Cases Review Commission
    John Robertson
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission since March 1997. [92312]

    Paul Goggins
    Pursuant to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, Central (Hilary Benn) on 28 January 2003,Official Report, column 754W. Due to an administrative error, the number of applications received that prove to be ineligible for case review, is estimated to be at least "a quarter" and not "three quarters" as originally written.

    Deportations
    Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) children, (b) women and (c) men were deported under Immigration Acts powers in 2002. [113426]

    Beverley Hughes
    Data on the number of people deported from the UK in 2002 are not available. Data on the age and gender of deportees would only be available by examination of individual case-files at disproportionate cost.

    The latest published information on deportations shows that of the 49,135 people removed from the UK in 2001, 450 were removed as a result of deportation action.

    Information on all those removed from the UK, including the number of deportations, will be published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Control of Immigration Statistics UK 2002" which is due to be published at the end of August, and will be available from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ rds/imm igra tionl.html.

    Drug Testing
    Lynne Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 28 April 2003,Official Report, column 64W, whether the research study on mandatory drug testing will be assessing the impact of the time that the different types of drug tested for stay in the system on (a) prisoner attitudes to drug taking and (b) the class and type of drug consumed in prisons by prisoners with (i) a history and (ii) no history of Class A drug offences. [111792]

    Paul Goggins
    The research study considered all of these issues. Patterns, causes and effects of drug taking are, however, complex and analysis of the research findings may not prove straightforward.

    Drug-related Crime
    Dr. Kumar
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of recorded crime in(a) Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East and (b) all English police forces was drug related in each year since 1996. [112723]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    Recorded crime figures do not include details of whether drugs are an aggravating factor in offences, for example for burglary or robbery. Information on the number of recorded drug offences are available only at police force level. This information is not published at Basic Command Unit, or Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership level.

    Percentages of drug offences recorded for the 39 police force areas in England are given in the following table.

    Recorded crime from 1996 to 2001–02, for police forces in England: Percentage which are drug offences

    Police force area

    1996

    19971

    1998–992

    1999–2000

    2000–013

    2001–023

    Avon and Somerset

    0.4

    0.3

    1.4

    1.4

    1.3

    1.0

    Bedfordshire

    0.5

    0.5

    2.3

    2.0

    1.8

    1.9

    Cambridgeshire

    0.2

    0.3

    1.7

    1.5

    1.3

    1.1

    Cheshire

    1.2

    1.1

    3.8

    2.9

    2.6

    2.2

    Cleveland

    0.4

    0.4

    1.7

    1.5

    1.5

    1.5

    Cumbria

    0.7

    0.6

    4.0

    3.6

    2.9

    2.5

    Derbyshire

    0.3

    0.4

    2.0

    1.9

    1.7

    1.8

    Devon and Cornwall

    0.7

    0 7

    3.5

    3.4

    3.3

    4.0

    Dorset

    0.5

    0.4

    2.1

    2.6

    2.5

    2.5

    Durham

    0.6

    O.8

    2.8

    2.6

    2.7

    2.5

    Essex

    0.4

    0.4

    2.4

    2.4

    2.1

    2.0

    Gloucestershire

    0.3

    0.4

    2.4

    2.5

    2.6

    2.4

    Greater Manchester

    0.3

    0.3

    1.5

    1.3

    1.4

    1.2

    Hampshire

    0.6

    0.6

    3.3

    3.1

    2.6

    2.5

    Hertfordshire

    0.5

    0.4

    2.4

    2.2

    2.2

    2.0

    Humberside

    0.3

    0.4

    1.3

    1.3

    1.2

    1.2

    Kent

    0.6

    0.6

    3.0

    2.9

    2.3

    2.5

    Lancashire

    0.5

    0.5

    3.5

    2.9

    2.7

    2.3

    Leicestershire

    0.2

    0.4

    1.5

    1.6

    1.6

    1.8

    Lincolnshire

    0.4

    0.5

    2.6

    2.1

    2.0

    2.2

    City of London

    1.1

    0.9

    7.1

    4.6

    3.6

    4.6

    Merseyside

    0.4

    0.6

    4.0

    3.3

    3.1

    2.9

    Metropolitan Police District

    0.4

    0.6

    3.4

    2.5

    2.4

    2.5

    Norfolk

    0.6

    0.6

    2.7

    2.6

    2.0

    2.1

    Northamptonshire

    0.5

    0.5

    2.0

    1.9

    1.7

    1.6

    Northumbria

    0.2

    0.3

    2.6

    3.0

    3.1

    3.5

    North Yorkshire

    0.3

    0.3

    2.8

    2.6

    2.4

    2.5

    Nottinghamshire

    0.3

    0.3

    1.5

    1.3

    1.4

    1.3

    South Yorkshire

    0.3

    0.4

    3.0

    2.7

    2.8

    2.5

    Staffordshire

    0.4

    0.4

    2.1

    1.7

    1.6

    1.9

    Suffolk

    0.8

    0.9

    4.0

    3.3

    2.7

    2.6

    Surrey

    0.5

    0.4

    3.7

    3.3

    2.9

    3.1

    Sussex

    0.6

    0.6

    1.7

    1.7

    1.5

    1.9

    Thames Valley

    0.4

    0.4

    2.2

    1.9

    1.8

    2.1

    Warwickshire

    0.3

    0.4

    1.8

    2.0

    1.7

    1.6

    West Mercia

    0.5

    0.6

    2.9

    2.5

    2.6

    2.1

    West Midlands

    0.2

    0.3

    2.3

    1.8

    2.1

    2.0

    West Yorkshire

    0.7

    0.7

    2.5

    2.2

    1.9

    1.4

    Wiltshire

    0.5

    0.6

    3.1

    3.0

    2.8

    2.8

    England total

    0.4

    0.5

    2.6

    2.2

    2.1

    2.1

    1 Crime statistics were collected on a calendar year basis up to 1997, and on a financial year basis thereafter.

    2 The number of crimes recorded in that financial year using the expanded offence coverage and revised counting rules which came into effect on 1 April 1998.

    3 Due to some police forces adopting the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard earlier than its national introduction across England and Wales on 1 April 2002, figures for 2000–01 or 2001–02 may not be comparable with other years.

    Note:

    Prior to April 1998, the only drug offences recorded were 'Trafficking in controlled drugs', which were recorded within the Other Offences Group. After this date, the Home Office Counting Rules were revised and expanded to include the further drug offences of 'Possession of controlled drugs and 'Other drug offences'.
    640W
    There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, which would have the tendency to increase the number of offences counted. Prior to April 1998, the only drug offences recorded were 'Trafficking in controlled drugs', which were recorded within the Other Offences Group. After this date the Home Office Counting Rules were revised and expanded to include the additional drug categories of 'Possession of controlled drugs', and 'Other drug offences'. Numbers of offences for years before and after this date, and figures calculated from them, are therefore not directly comparable.

    As a result of some police forces adopting the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) prior to its national introduction across England and Wales on 1 April 2002, percentages given for 2000–01 or 2001–02 may not be comparable with other years.

    Extradition Arrangements (Bosnia)
    Mr. Wilshire
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals in Bosnia are involved in proceedings intended to extradite them to the UK. [113093]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    None.

    Mr. Wilshire
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in place following the break up of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for the extradition from Bosnia of persons suspected by law enforcement agencies of criminal acts in the UK. [113094]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    Extradition between the UK and Bosnia and Herzegovina is governsd by the 1901 UK/ Serbia bilateral extradition treaty, which was extended to include the territory for the former Yugoslavia in 1931.

    Faith Communities Working Group
    Mr. Grieve
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the Sikh organisations that have been sent a questionnaire by the Home Office Working Group looking at the relationship between the Government and faith organisations; and what criteria were used in their selection. [114178]

    Beverley Hughes
    [holding answer 16 May 2003]: My noble Friend Lord Filkin will write to the hon. Member with a list of the 38 national and local Sikh organisations which have been sent the questionnaire.

    The list of organisations to receive the questionnaire was compiled from various authoritative sources. The only criterion for their inclusion was that they should make claim to represent the views of the Sikh community in its dealings with Government Departments.

    Mr. Grieve
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Sikh Gurdwaras were excluded from the mapping exercise to decide on the interface between the Government and faith communities. [114179]

    Beverley Hughes
    [holding answer 16 May 2003]:The purpose of the mapping exercise is to determine the extent to which faith bodies with a national remit represent their respective faith communities, so that Government Departments can be confident that they are approaching the most appropriate organisations in future consultations. Organisations with a purely local remit have therefore generally been excluded.

    However, a number of Councils of Sikh Gurdwaras from areas with large Sikh populations have been included, since we recognise that such Councils can often represent the views of the Sikh community at a national level. It would be helpful to have some idea of how they are constituted and operate.

    Mr. Grieve
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria were used to select members for the Home Office Working Group looking at the relationship between the Government and faith communities; and what consultation with faith communities took place upon the selection. [114180]
    642W
    Beverley Hughes
    [holding answer 16 May 2003]: Members of the working group were selected either as representatives of Government Departments with a particular interest in consulting the faith communities, or as individuals from the faith communities with significant personal experience of having been involved in such consultations by Government. The need to restrict the group to manageable size meant that only one such individual could be included from each of the five largest faith communities, as well as two further members to represent the Black-led Churches and the smaller faith communities.

    All the faith community members of the group are members of the Inner Cities Religious Council or of organisations linked by the Inter Faith Network for the United Kingdom, or both. These highly experienced bodies are fully representative of the wide range of faith communities living in the United Kingdom. Both were consulted over the membership of the group, and both are themselves represented on it.

    Firearms Amnesty
    Dr. Kumar
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's total spending was on the advertising and promotion of the firearms amnesty between April 2002 and March 2003; and what proportion was spent on(a) television, (b) radio and (c) print media. [111255]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    The firearms amnesty ran from 31 March to 30 April 2003.

    Total spending on advertising and promotion for the amnesty during the period of April 2002 and March 2003 was £460,000. This included radio, press and online advertising.

    (a) Television: no advertising

    (b) Radio: £230,000

    (c) Press (national and regional): £190,000

    The amnesty was also supported by local police force publicity. Over 40,000 guns and over 957,000 rounds of ammunition were handed in. The amnesty was launched at the request of the Association of Chief Police Officers.

    Inspectorates (Pay Costs)
    Mr. Norman
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 5 March 2003,Official Report, column 1096W, on prison inspectors, what the total pay costs incurred by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons were in each year since 1997. [113386]

    Paul Goggins
    The total pay costs for Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons since 1997 were as follows:

    £

    1997–98

    724,000

    1998–99

    740,502

    1999–2000

    886,247

    2000–01

    896,000

    2001–02

    1,270,989

    2002–03

    1.568,475

    643W
    The jump in pay costs between 2000–01 and 2001–02 reflects the creation of a third inspection team which the Government funded to meet significant increased demands on the inspectorate.

    Intermediate Supervision and Surveillance Programmes
    Lynne Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the aim of the intermediate supervision and surveillance programmes to reduce offending by 5 per cent, this year will be achieved; and if he will make a statement. [112937]

    Paul Goggins
    The Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP) is the toughest community intervention for persistent young offenders. ISSP is being evaluated by Oxford University who will report in March 2004. It does not have a separate reconviction target but we do expect it to contribute to delivery of our new overall Public Service Agreement target of reducing juvenile re-offending by five per cent, by March 2006 compared to 2000.

    Nadhmi Auchi
    Norman Lamb
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the French extradition warrant in respect of Mr. Nadhmi Auchi was first received; what subsequent communications there were with the French Government; and if he will make a statement on the action taken between the receipt of the extradition warrant and March 2003. [112874]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    The French Government first submitted a request for Mr. Auchi's extradition in December 2000. There followed a number of detailed but otherwise routine exchanges with French authorities about matters raised in the extradition request. The Secretary of State decided on 18 March to issue his authority to proceed in the case. Mr. Auchi was arrested on 31 March. He has since submitted himself voluntarily to the French courts.

    Norman Lamb
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from(a) Mr. Nadhmi Auchi and (b) others acting on his behalf (i) in respect of the extradition warrant and (ii) on other matters over the last two years. [112875]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    Between September 2000 and October 2001, the Home Office received a number of representations on Mr. Auchi's behalf. In the main, these were to the effect that the Secretary of State should decline to issue his authority to proceed in respect of any extradition request he might receive.

    Night Flights (Immigration/Customs Control)
    Mr. Stunell
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the monitoring of night time passenger arrivals at UK airports in respect of(a) immigration control and (b)customs. [113525]

    Beverley Hughes
    Immigration controls at all major UK airports are already staffed 24 hours a day. Local managers monitor flight schedules on a regular basis and adjust staffing rotas to ensure adequate coverage at all times.
    644W
    The Immigration Service is notified of all passengers who are subject to immigration control arriving on flights at small airports not permanently staffed by immigration officers. Such passengers are examined in accordance with the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

    Nowadays the vast majority of Customs work is intelligence led and officers are deployed to meet the highest risk flights arriving or departing at any particular time to meet the Government's law enforcement priorities. Staffing levels throughout the day are commensurate with the assessed risk posed by the arriving or departing flights.

    Police Pay
    Mr. Hunter
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reasons underlie his policy that officers of adjacent police forces carrying out the same duties and responsibilities may receive different levels of remuneration. [112437]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    The Special Priority Payment (SPP) Scheme, under which extra rewards may be paid to officers in the most difficult and demanding posts, was agreed by all parties in the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) as part of a ground-breaking package of reforms to police pay and conditions of service. The parties in PNB include representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers, of police authorities and of the Police Federations. PNB decided that posts might qualify for a SPP where they: carry a significantly higher responsibility level than the norm for the rank; or present particular difficulties in recruitment or retention; or have specially demanding working conditions or working environments.

    PNB agreed that chief constables and police authorities should draw up a local scheme of payments in line with the national criteria. This was because PNB believed that the chief constable and police authority were best placed to decide locally which posts in their force met the national criteria. Consequently, the decision as to which posts in a given force qualify for a SPP is for the chief constable and the police authority, not for the Secretary of State. Where, therefore, a post qualifies for payment in one force but not in an adjacent force, it is due to the decision of the chief constables and police authorities of the forces concerned.

    All federated ranks officers, regardless of whether they get a special priority payment, received an increase in basic pay of at least £402 from 1 April. This increase comes on top of the annual police pay award this September.

    Prison Service
    Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 11 April 2003,Official Report, column 449W, on prisons, what the length of detention was of (a) convicted and (b) convicted unsentenced prisoners on 28 February 2003; and what the figures were for 30 June 2002. [112129]

    Paul Goggins
    The length of time since first remand into a Prison Service establishment of untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners is given in the table.
    645W

    30 June 2002

    28 February 2003

    Untried

    Less than 1 week

    1,010

    760

    1 week

    0

    120

    More than 1 week up to and including 1 month

    1,890

    2,100

    More than 1 month up to and including 3 months

    2,840

    2,420

    More than 3 months up to and including 6 months

    1,380

    1,480

    More than 6 months up to and including 12 months

    500

    530

    More than 12 months

    250

    300

    All lengths

    7,880

    7,720

    Convicted unsentenced

    Less than 1 week

    620

    520

    1 week

    0

    110

    More than 1 week up to and including 1 month

    1,520

    1,600

    More than 1 month up to and including 3 months

    1,480

    1,230

    More than 3 months up to and including 6 months

    960

    1,030

    More than 6 months up to and including 12 months

    420

    500

    More than 12 months

    190

    260

    All lengths

    5,200

    5,250

    Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons in England he plans to market test; and if he will make a statement. [112152]

    Paul Goggins
    There are no current plans to market test prisons in England or Wales. The Prison Service has, however, set up a programme of performance testing under which under-performing public sector prisons are required to deliver improvements. Failure to deliver improvements may ultimately lead to the prisons being contracted out to the private sector in a competition without a Prison Service in-house bid. Two prisons have been awarded service level agreements (Reading and Leicester) and two are being performance tested at present (Dartmoor and Liverpool); two more will be performance tested later in 2003 and a further six in 2004.

    Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to his answer of 1 May 2003,Official Report, column 527W, on prisons, how many prisoners at each of the prisons listed were engaged in average or above average levels of purposeful activity; [113428]

    (2) pursuant to his answer of 1 May 2003, Official Report, column 527W, if he will provide a breakdown of activities in which prisoners were engaged at each of the prisons listed in 2001–02. [113427]

    Paul Goggins
    A breakdown of the activities in which prisoners were engaged at Her Majesty's Prison Altcourse, Her Majesty's Prison Rye Hill and Her Majesty's Prison Wolds in 2001–02 is shown in the following table.

    Activity

    Altcourse

    Rye Hill

    Wolds

    Accredited offending behaviour programme

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Non-accredited offending behaviour programme

    Yes

    Yes

    No

    Basics and key skills education

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Education (full time and part time)

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Other education

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Catering

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Chaplaincy

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Cleaning and maintenance

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Counselling

    Yes

    No

    No

    Work on drugs

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Family social visits

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Gardening

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Induction

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Industries

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Laundry

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Library

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    646W

    Activity

    Altcourse

    Rye Hill

    Wolds

    Media centre

    No

    Yes

    Yes

    Orderly work

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Physical education

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Prison maintenance

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    Resettlement

    Yes

    No

    Yes

    Sentence management

    Yes

    Yes

    Yes

    The level of activity of each prisoner is not routinely collated and the calculation of whether the levels are above, at or below average can be made only at disproportionate cost.

    Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of stay per prisoner was at(a) HMP Altcourse, (b) HMP Rye Hill and (c) HMP Wolds in 2001–02. [113429]

    Paul Goggins
    The information needed to answer the question is not recorded in the format asked and can be retrieved only in that format at disproportionate cost.

    Raves
    Mr. Grogan
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of discussions between his Department and the Association of Chief Police Officers regarding the issue of illegal rave gatherings on private property. [113171]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    During the last 12 months, my officials have held discussions with the Association of Chief Police Officers on raves. We will bring forward legislative changes to deal with this problem when parliamentary time allows.

    Restorative Justice
    Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce programmes based on restorative justice principles in prisons. [112153]

    Paul Goggins
    In its White Paper, Justice for All (CM 5563) the Government said that they were developing a national strategy that would consider the availability of restorative justice across all age groups and all stages in the criminal process. The Prison Service, in conjunction with the National Probation Service, and other stakeholders, is contributing to the development of that strategy. The Government will issue a consultation document on the development of Restorative Justice in the criminal justice system during the summer.

    While awaiting the results of the consultation the Prison Service will continue to support the diverse range of restorative practices that are already taking place within prisons. The Prison Service is participating in Home Office funded pilot projects under the Crime Reduction programme which are testing the effectiveness of restorative justice at different stages, from caution through to custodial sentences. The final reconviction studies will be produced at the end of 2005 and these results will play an important role in the development of the long-term restorative justice strategy. Outside the pilots, direct victim-offender mediation work is taking place in a small number of prisons, victim awareness courses are also taking place

    647W
    and most prisons are involved in reparative projects where prisoners give something back to communities through activities such as Braille translation services, community artwork and refurbishment of wheelchairs.

    Road Accidents (Dogs)
    Mark Tami
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reports of dogs run over on roads in each police authority were received in each of the last five years. [113029]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    This information is not collected centrally.

    Shoplifting
    Mark Tami
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for offences relating to shoplifting there have been in each police authority in each of the last five years. [113024]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    The information requested is contained in the table.

    Statistics for 2002 will be available in the autumn.

    Persons1 convicted of thefts from shops, by police force area— England and Wales

    Number of persons

    Police force area

    1997

    1998

    1999

    2000

    2001

    Avon and Somerset

    1,341

    1,397

    1,921

    1,911

    1,952

    Bedfordshire

    610

    717

    798

    805

    867

    Cambridgeshire

    502

    594

    704

    872

    895

    Cheshire

    1,232

    1,400

    1,530

    1,622

    1,497

    Cleveland

    1,145

    1,420

    1,949

    2,097

    2,082

    Cumbria

    654

    621

    670

    616

    702

    Derbyshire

    581

    607

    825

    1;029

    1,241

    Devon and Cornwall

    1,315

    1,301

    1,481

    1,464

    1,634

    Dorset

    533

    820

    855

    918

    798

    Durham

    382

    491

    821

    1,005

    1,064

    Essex

    1,637

    1,714

    1,622

    1,578

    1,744

    Gloucestershire

    515

    637

    643

    757

    795

    Greater Manchester

    4,181

    4,121

    4,309

    4,488

    4,628

    Hampshire

    1,898

    2,338

    2,522

    2,353

    2,390

    Hertfordshire

    576

    611

    779

    889

    917

    Humberside

    1,128

    1,408

    1,719

    1,815

    1,705

    Kent

    1,921

    2,352

    2,281

    2,394

    2,433

    Lancashire

    2,635

    2,825

    2,747

    2,954

    2,930

    Leicestershire

    764

    954

    1,034

    1,036

    1,172

    Lincolnshire

    542

    692

    922

    921

    982

    London, City of

    113

    127

    178

    184

    220

    Merseyside

    2,521

    2,591

    2,712

    3,119

    3,174

    Metropolitan Police

    10,437

    11,745

    11,893

    10,887

    10,697

    Norfolk

    713

    928

    1,027

    991

    1,088

    Northamptonshire

    497

    687

    853

    855

    869

    Northumbria

    1,857

    2,342

    2,772

    2,851

    3,097

    North Yorkshire

    724

    806

    988

    1,002

    1,010

    Nottinghamshire

    1,175

    1,352

    1,694

    2,044

    2,182

    South Yorkshire

    1,701

    1,961

    2,505

    2,781

    2,833

    Staffordshire2

    786

    921

    1,178

    1,777

    1,325

    Suffolk

    586

    681

    666

    749

    771

    Surrey

    485

    489

    526

    544

    627

    Sussex

    1,607

    1,725

    1,733

    1,599

    1,781

    Thames Valley

    1,390

    1,619

    1,738

    1,945

    2,087

    Warwickshire

    401

    472

    461

    455

    510

    West Mercia

    691

    883

    1,235

    1,265

    1,428

    West Midlands

    2,695

    3,428

    3,869

    4,578

    5,427

    West Yorkshire

    2,559

    3,064

    3,752

    3,874

    3,636

    Wiltshire

    447

    625

    720

    644

    833

    Dyfed Powys

    332

    355

    392

    370

    321

    Gwent

    501

    550

    713

    734

    842

    North Wales

    630

    744

    909

    921

    952

    South Wales

    1,461

    1,575

    1,704

    1,849

    1,795

    England and Wales

    58,401

    66,690

    74,350

    77,542

    79,933

    648W
    1Principal offence basis.

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

    Vehicle Theft
    Mark Tami
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the five most common makes and models of vehicles stolen in each police authority were in the last five years. [113028]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    The Home Office publishes an annual Car Theft Index showing which models and makes of car are most at risk of being stolen in England, Scotland and Wales. The following tables are based on data used to construct the Car Theft Indices published in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. No such index was published in 1998. The 2003 Index will be published towards the end of this year.

    No breakdown of the information contained in these indices is available by police authority area, and producing one would involve disproportionate cost.

    Top five cars with highest risk of theft in 2001

    Make

    Model

    Variant

    Year

    Theft rate1

    Number stolen

    Vauxhall

    Astra Mk2

    SX

    1990–92

    117

    129

    Ford

    Orion

    Other

    1987–89

    108

    329

    Vauxhall

    AstraMk2

    SR and Sri

    1987–89

    106

    607

    Vauxhall

    AstraMk2

    L

    1987–89

    105

    4,945

    Vauxhall

    AstraMk2

    L

    Pre-1987

    101

    1,073

    1 Theft rate is the number of cars stolen per 1,000 registered.

    Source:

    2002 Index

    Top 5 cars with the highest risk of theft in 2000

    Make

    Model

    Variant

    Year

    Theft rate1

    Number stolen

    Vauxhall

    AstraMk3

    Merit

    1989–91

    141

    57

    Vauxhall

    AstraMk2

    SX

    1989–91

    121

    142

    Rover

    Metro

    Other

    1989–91

    102

    3,027

    Ford

    Granada Mk2

    Other

    Pre-1986

    98

    138

    Vauxhall

    AstraMk2

    L

    Pre-1986

    98

    811

    1 Theft rate is the number of cars stolen per 1,000 registered.

    Source:

    2001 Index

    Top 5 cars with the highest risk of theft in 1999

    Make

    Model

    Variant

    Year

    Theft rate1

    Number stolen

    Nissan/Datsun

    Laurel/Skyline

    All

    Pre 1985

    109

    169

    Porsche

    911

    All

    1988–90

    99

    51

    Vauxhall

    AstraMk2

    GTE

    1985–87

    93

    866

    Ford

    Orion

    Other

    1988–90

    92

    775

    Porsche

    911

    All

    1997–99

    92

    60

    1 Theft rate is the number of cars stolen per 1,000 registered.

    Source:

    2000 Index

    Top 5 cars with the highest risk of theft in 1998

    Make

    Model

    Variant

    Year

    Theft rate1

    Number stolen

    Toyota

    Carina

    All

    Pre–1984

    154

    407

    Ford

    Orion

    Other

    1987–89

    114

    612

    Daimler

    All

    All

    1987–89

    110

    50

    Proton

    Persona

    All

    1993–95

    97

    38

    Nissan

    Bluebird

    All

    Pre-1984

    96

    394

    1 Theft rate is the number of cars stolen per 1,000 registered.

    Source:

    1999 Index
    649W

    Top 5 cars with the highest risk of theft in 1996

    Make

    Model

    Variant

    Year

    Theft rate1

    Vauxhall

    Cavalier

    SR, SRI, STD

    1980–82

    106

    Vauxhall

    Cavalier

    SR, SRI, STD

    1983–85

    96

    Vauxhall

    Cavalier

    SR, SRI, STD

    1986–88

    95

    Austin/Morris

    Metro

    MG

    1986–88

    94

    Vauxhall

    Cavalier

    LS, LI, LX

    1986–88

    93

    1 Number stolen was not published for 1996

    Source:

    1997 Index

    Victims of Crime
    Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of victims of crime for which an offender is brought to trial are informed of(a) the date of the trial and (b) the outcome of the trial. [112105]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    No statistics are gathered on the percentage of victims of crime who are kept informed of the trial date and outcome of the trial. The 1996 Victim's Charter states that, if a victim chooses, the police will give them this information. There are pilots taking place, or planned, in several parts, of the country to establish better ways in which the police and the Crown Prosecution Service can keep victims better informed and to provide better services to them generally.

    One of our 2001 manifesto commitments was to legislate for a Victims of Crime Bill during the course of this Parliament. The Bill, which will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows, is likely to include a statutory victims' Code of Practice to replace the Victim's Charter. The Code will place some 70 to 80 obligations on criminal justice agencies to deliver specific services to victims and within prescribed deadlines. The obligations will include the police informing victims of trial dates and their outcomes. If the obligations in the Code are net delivered, victims will have an avenue of complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. We plan also to legislate for a Commissioner for victims, not only to oversee the effectiveness of the Code and protect victims' needs within the criminal justice system as a whole, but also to promote their interests across Government more widely, in areas such as, for example, health, housing and social security.

    West Mercia Constabulary
    Mr. Paterson
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police officers have retired from the West Mercia constabulary in the last 12 months for which figures are available; [113163]

    (2) how many police officers have been recruited in the West Mercia area in the last 12 months for which figures are available; [113164]

    (3) how many (a) police officers and (b) civilian staff there are in (i) England and (ii) West Mercia constabulary on the latest date for which figures are available. [113162]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    Information on police personnel in England and West Mercia constabulary is set out in the table.650W

    England

    West Mercia

    Police officer strength1

    122,374

    2,048

    Civilian support staff strength2

    54,913

    1,116

    Special constabulary strength2

    10,897

    339

    1 Latest available published police officer strength is for 30 September 2002.

    2 Latest available civilian and special constable strength is for 31 March 2002.

    In the 12 months to 31 March 2002 147 officers were recruited to West Mercia constabulary and 117 West Mercia officers left the police service. The number of officers who left included ordinary and medical retirements, resignations, dismissals and deaths in service.

    Youth Offenders
    Mr. Hepburn
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further measures are planned to reduce the reconviction rate of young offenders in(a) the UK and (b) the Jarrow constituency. [111671]

    Mr. Bob Ainsworth
    For England and Wales we have made a number of proposals on juvenile offenders in the Criminal Justice Bill and the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill both of which are under consideration by this House. We believe these will help to strengthen the youth justice system's work to reduce reconvictions which is already showing good results. Our most recent results, published in February this year for offenders dealt between January and March 2001, show a 22.5 per cent, reduction in reconvictions compared to 1997. In addition, we plan to publish further proposals in the next few months new proposals in a Children's Green Paper. Youth justice in Scotland and Northern Ireland do not fall within my responsibility.

    These proposals will apply in the same way to Jarrow as to other areas. However I understand a local Youth Crime Prevention Strategy Group has been established. It is carrying out a Young People and Crime Audit which will help the development of a future local strategy.

  LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

    Bail Applications
    Simon Hughes
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many applications for bail were heard by the Immigration Appellate Authority(a) in 2002 and (b) in the first quarter of 2003; of these what proportion were (i) granted, (ii) refused and (iii) withdrawn on the day; and what proportion of the applications were applications for the same individual. [113363]

    Ms Rosie Winterton
    The Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) held 8,399 bail hearings in 2002; and 1,494 between January and March 2003. Outcomes on the IAA database show that 57 per cent, were granted, 22 per cent, refused and 14 per cent, withdrawn in 2002: between January and March 2003, the figures were 58 per cent., 22 per cent, and 15 per cent, respectively. No record is kept on the proportion of applications for the same individual.

    Coroners Office (Research Studies)
    Mrs. Iris Robinson
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in what research studies the Coroners Office in Northern Ireland is participating. [113407]

    Ms Rosie Winterton
    The Coroners Office in Northern Ireland is not currently participating in any research studies.

    Departmental Pay
    Mr. Bercow
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department pursuant to her answer of 8 April 2003,Official Report, column 125–26W, on departmental pay, if she will place copies of her forthcoming action plans in the Library. [112318]

    Ms Rosie Winterton
    It is anticipated that action plans relating to equality audits of pay and related systems in the Lord Chancellor's Department, and the other departments, and non-departmental public bodies for which the Lord Chancellor is responsible, will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses in due course, following discussion with the Cabinet Office.

    Departmental Staff
    Mr. Bercow
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment she has made of regional variations in staff turnover in the Department. [112755]

    Ms Rosie Winterton
    Staff turnover is reviewed on an on-going basis. For the year ending 31 March 2003 the turnover rate of the total workforce was 8.63 per cent, compared to 10.60 per cent, for the previous year. This reduction was reflected across all regions (apart from Wales where the rate increased slightly from 8 per cent, to 8.8 per cent.) due to a number of transfers to other Government Departments. The north west has the lowest turnover rate at 6 per cent. London has the highest rate, at 11 per cent.

    Resignations remain the highest single factor for leaving and this is consistent across all regions followed by transfers to other Government departments and retirements. There is no single factor behind the reasons for resigning. In line with the recent announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my Department will be updating its workforce development plans to assist the review being conducted by Sir Michael Lyons on relocation.

    National Land Information System
    Mr. Hawkins
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what(a) representations and (b) external advice she has received on the operations of the National Land Information System; what assessment she has made of its compliance with competition regulations; and what plans she has to review the governance arrangement of NLIS; [114366]

    (2) what plans she has to review the operation of the National Land Information System; and what role she envisages for the private sector in the future operations of NLIS; [114367]
    652W
    (3) when she last met board members of the National Land Information System; and if she will publish minutes of the meeting; [114368]

    (4) what representations she has received from local authorities concerning the operation of the National Land Information System; [114369]

    (5) when the Department last reviewed the National Land Information System business plan; and what assessment she has made of the viability of its future operations. [114370]

    Ms Rosie Winterton
    The National Land Information Service (NLIS) is ultimately intended to be a one stop electronic shop for information about land and property in England and Wales. It was developed and piloted in the 1990s by a group of public sector bodies led by the Land Registry. The work was then taken forward by the Local Government Information House Limited (LGIH), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Improvement and Development Agency.

    NLIS is now financially independent and receives no state aid. It comprises LGIH; a hub operated by Macdonald Dettwiler Associates (MDA); and three competing service channels, operated by NLIS Searchflow, Transaction Online and TM NLIS Search respectively. There is no NLIS board. Central Government were not a party to the contract and licence negotiations between LGIH and the hub and channel service providers and are not a party to NLIS now.

    Following criticism of the governance arrangements for NLIS in the Quinquennial Review of the Land Registry in June 2001, a Central Government Stakeholder Group (CGSG), chaired by the Land Registry, was set up to provide such assistance as central Government could to help NLIS become an established feature of the conveyancing process and to provide a means of communication between the NLIS partners and those stakeholders. We are reviewing the role of the CGSG. But the operation or governance of NLIS, the business plans of the NLIS service providers and their future viability are not matters for government. Any questions of possible infringement of competition law should be pursued with the Office of Fair Trading in the normal way. The Government continue to encourage local authorities to transfer their land and property information to electronic local land and property gazetteers so as to improve access to information.

    Since September 2001, when the commercial NLIS service was launched, neither I nor my ministerial colleagues at the Lord Chancellor's Department have received any external advice on the operation of NLIS or any representations from local authorities about its operation. In the same period, we have received a small number of letters from Members of Parliament and others commenting on a range of matters relating to the operation of NLIS.

    Potters Bar Rail Crash
    Mr. Dismore
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement about the availability of legal aid to the families bereaved in the Potters Bar rail crash. [112990]
    653W
    Ms Rosie Winterton
    Public funding for the civil courts is available to applicants provided that the case is within the scope of the Community Legal Service scheme and that they satisfy the Legal Services Commission's means and merits tests for funding.

    Families bereaved by the Potters Bar rail crash have the same access to public funding as others wishing to bring, defend, or be party to, civil proceedings. Individual claims would be expected to be pursued privately if the claimant's means exceed the financial eligibility criteria for public funding. However, the Commission also has discretion to waive the upper financial eligibility limit in order to fund a case where funding relates to the generic issues in a multi-party action, where there is likely to be a significant wider public interest in doing so.

    QC Status
    Mr. Gordon Prentice
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what his policy is on the awarding of QC status to non-practising barristers. [113550]

    Ms Rosie Winterton
    My noble and learned Friend, the Lord Chancellor, regards Queen's Counsel as a working rank within the profession. Only lawyers who have, and are entitled to exercise, full rights of audience in the High Court or Crown Court, and who regularly appear as advocates in appropriate courts and tribunals, are eligible to apply for appointment. He also recommends to Her Majesty the Queen the appointment of a small number of lawyers who are not in private practice, but who have made a significant contribution to the law, as Queen's Counsel 'honoris causa', a purely honorary appointment.

  United Nations Relief and Works Agency
  United Nations Relief and Works Agency
  Occupied Territories: Shootings of Britons
  Occupied Territories: Shootings of Britons
  Iraq: Prisoners of War
  Iraq: Prisoners of War
  Iraq: Looting
  Iraq: Looting
  Justice and Home Affairs Council
  Justice and Home Affairs Council
  Home Office Departmental Report 2003
  Home Office Departmental Report 2003
  "Adopter": Definition
  "Adopter": Definition
  Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) (No. 2) Order 2002
  Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) (No. 2) Order 2002
  Patent Office: Electronic Communications
  Patent Office: Electronic Communications
  Thiomersal
  Thiomersal
  Electricity Meters
  Electricity Meters
  Members' and Peers' Correspondence
  Members' and Peers' Correspondence
  Access Radio
  Access Radio
  Incapacity Benefit
  Incapacity Benefit
  Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee
  Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee
  General Practitioners: Child Protection
  General Practitioners: Child Protection
  Primary Care Trusts: Commissioning Consortiums
  Primary Care Trusts: Commissioning Consortiums
  Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration
  Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration