Written Answers of 28 April 2004

DEFENCE

  Armed Forces Personnel
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) males and (b) females are employed in the (i) Army, (ii) Royal Air Force and (iii) Royal Navy as (A) commissioned officers, (B) non-commissioned officers and (C) other ranks. [168620]

  Mr. Caplin
  The strengths of male and female commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks in each service as at 1 January 2004 are shown below:

  Naval Service1

  Army

  Royal Air Force

  Males

  Commissioned officers2

  7,110

  12,420

  9,600

  Non-commissioned officers3

  16,940

  51,470

  20,860

  Other4

  13,240

  39,700

  16,610

  Total

  37,280

  103,600

  47,070

  Females

  Commissioned officers2

  620

  1,370

  1,330

  Non-commissioned officers3

  1,120

  3,950

  1,800

  Other4

  1,960

  2,980

  3,020

  Total

  3,700

  8,310

  6,150

  1Naval Service includes Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

  2Commissioned officers include officers designate and above in the Naval Service and Royal Air Force. In the Army, commissioned officers include 2nd Lieutenant and above. As at 1 January 2004, there were an additional 660 male officers designate and 140 female officers designate in the Army, who are excluded from the table above.

  3Non-commissioned officers includes junior non-commissioned officers; that is, ranks of Leading Rate and above in the Royal Navy, Lance Corporal and above in the Army and Corporal and above in the Royal Marines and Royal Air Force.

  4This represents all other ranks who arc not non-commissioned officers.

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

  2. Due to rounding methods used, totals may not always equal the sum of their parts.

  Figures provided are for United Kingdom regular forces (including both trained and untrained personnel), and therefore exclude Gurkhas, full-time reserve personnel, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment, mobilised reservists and naval activated reservists.

  Army (Redress of Grievance Cases)
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many army redress of grievance cases have been submitted in the last five years; and how many are still pending after three years. [167836]
  992W
  Mr. Caplin
  Between 1 April 1999 and 31 March 2004, some 1,135 formal complaints were submitted within the Army. As at 31 March 2004, of the complaints submitted before 1 April 2001, 18 cases are still unresolved.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the reasons are for the delays of over three years of army redress cases; and if he will make a statement. [167837]

  Mr. Caplin
  All complainants have the right to take their complaint, through a series of levels in the chain of command, to the Army Board (as the Defence Council). Officers have the further opportunity to petition the Crown.

  A relatively small number of redress cases remain unresolved after more than three years. This is usually because of the need to exchange detailed case papers with the complainant, prior to the redress being heard, or because the cases concern complex legal issues, which can take a considerable time to resolve. Additionally, if a complainant submits a case to an employment tribunal or civil court case it is normal practice for the Army to suspend its consideration until these bodies have reached a conclusion.

  Defence Colleges
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in establishing defence colleges as centres of vocational excellence. [168468]

  Mr. Caplin
  In support of its strong and continuing commitment to meet its training needs in the most effective, efficient and economical manner, the Ministry of Defence has recently taken a major step in the Defence Training Rationalisation Programme by establishing six Defence Colleges for specialist skills training. As a major public employer and training provider in support of the Government's skills agenda, the Department also contributes significantly to the nation's wider economic and social well-being. In so doing, the Department responds to all relevant Government initiatives and is assessing the applicability of seeking Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) status for its developing Defence Colleges.

  Droitwich Spa Army Medal Office
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the planned closure of the Droitwich Spa Army Medal Office on the efficient issuing of the(a) Iraq and (b) GSM Canal Zone medals. [168922]

  Mr. Caplin
  Plans are currently being drawn up in consultation with the single Services to ensure that the distribution of medals to both serving personnel and the veterans' community continues and disruption is minimised. How best to tackle the current medals backlog prior to the formation of the Joint Medal Office is being considered as part of this work.

  Joint Medal Office
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written statement of 20 April 2004,Official Report, column 11 WS, on Joint Medal Office, how many personnel he expects will move

  993W
  to RAF Innsworth from other bases following the creation of the Joint Medal Office on that site; and if he will make a statement. [168816]

  Mr. Caplin
  [holding answer 26 April 2004]: At this time it is not possible to say how many personnel will move to the Joint Medal Office at RAF Innsworth. Personnel at the sites affected are currently being asked to complete a preference proforma to assess how many would wish to transfer. This exercise should be completed by July, after which Planning Assumptions can be finalised.

  I intend to keep the House and appropriate constituency members informed of progress.

  Manning Control Points
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military and civilian staff from APC Glasgow were involved in the administration of manning control points in(a) 1997 and (b) 2003, broken down by (i) rank and (ii) pay scale; and if he will make a statement. [167838]

  Mr. Caplin
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 25 March 2004,Official Report, column 946W, which reported that the information requested was not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many amendment to terms of service forms have been signed by army personnel who have been listed for manning control reviews in each of the last eight years; and if he will make a statement. [167839]

  Mr. Caplin
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 25 March 2004,Official Report, column 946W, which reported that AFB6848 forms are not held centrally for longer than a year.

  Of the 28,000 AFB6848 forms signed during the period 1 March 2003 to 29 February 2004, the numbers signed by those listed for Manning Control Point review are not separately identified and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers who were(a) discharged under QR 9.413, (b) issued with manning control warning certificates and (c) discharged due to QR 9.414 who signed AFB130A were listed as P7 on their last recorded medical assessment, broken down for each of the last eight years; and if he will make a statement. [167840]

  Mr. Caplin
  The information requested at(a) and (c) is as follows:

  Soldiers graded as P7 discharged under:

  (a) QR 9.413

  (b) QR 9.414

  1996

  11

  8

  1997

  15

  16

  1998

  9

  20

  1999

  1Under 5

  13

  2000

  1Under 5

  29

  2001

  1Under 5

  29

  2002

  0

  37

  2003

  0

  57

  1Actual figures cannot be provided without breaching disclosure and confidentiality policy.

  994W
  The number issued with manning control warning certificates is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what forms are used in the process of manning control; and in what order they are used. [167842]

  Mr. Caplin
  Soldiers being considered for discharge by Manning Control Point are sent a letter up to 18 months beforehand. They are asked to sign a certificate to agree that they have been warned about their potential discharge.

  If a soldier is to be discharged, the parent unit is informed by letter from the appropriate Manning and Career Management Division. The unit will then raise an Army Form B130A Application for the Compulsory Premature Discharge of a Soldier, which is completed by both the Commanding Officer and the individual concerned.

  MOD Bases (Wales)
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the change has been in the number of jobs at his Department's bases in Wales in each year since 1997; and what the change has been in the establishment of Welsh regiments in the same period. [168458]

  Mr. Caplin
  Information on the number of jobs is not available, only personnel numbers.

  The number of service personnel located in Wales since 1997 were as follows:

  Date

  Service Personnel1

  Change

  1 July 1997

  3,330

  —

  1 July 1998

  3,240

  -90

  1 July 1999

  3,270

  + 30

  1 July 2000

  3,220

  -50

  1 July 2001

  2,570

  -660

  1 July 20022

  2,110

  -460

  1Figures are for UK regular forces (including both trained and untrained personnel), and therefore exclude Gurkhas, full-time reserve service personnel, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment, mobilised reservists and naval activated reservists.

  2Location data for service personnel as at 1 July 2002 are the latest available.

  Note:

  All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.

  The number of Ministry of Defence civilian staff located in Wales since 1997 were as follows:

  Date

  Civilian staff1

  Change

  1 April 1997

  4,890

  —

  1 April 1998

  5,050

  +150

  1 April 1999

  5,100

  +50

  1 April 2000

  4,970

  -120

  1 April 2001

  4,780

  -190

  1 April 2002

  4,430

  -350

  1 April 2003

  4,170

  -260

  1Civilian staff figures are full-time equivalent figures for industrial and non-industrial permanent staff, excluding Royal Fleet Auxiliaries and those on career breaks, long-term sick leave, secondments etc. The above figures include Trading Funds staff.

  Note:

  All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.

  995W
  The establishments of the Welsh Regiments since 1997 are as follows:

  1st Battalion, The Queen's Dragoon Guards

  From 1997 to 2000, the unit establishment was 474. In 2000 they adopted their present unit establishment of 454.

  1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Wales

  Their unit establishment of 741 has remained unchanged since 1997.

  1st Battalion, The Welsh Guards

  From 1997 to 2000, the unit establishment was 605. In May 2000 their role changed so the unit establishment changed to 668. From April 2003 they adopted their present unit establishment of 618.

  1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh Fusiliers

  From 1997 to 2003, they had a unit establishment of 605. Their role changed in August 2003 and they adopted their new unit establishment of 668.

  Nuclear Co-operation (France)
  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to share(a) nuclear weapons designs and (b) nuclear weapons technology with the French Government. [167976]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Ministry of Defence continues to maintain contacts with France on a range of technical and scientific issues relating to nuclear weapons. These contacts are consistent with the United Kingdom's international obligations, including those under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. I am withholding more specific information on the particular activities themselves under the terms of Exemption Category I of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information relating to defence, security and international relations.

  Reservists
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons delays are occurring in relation to the payment of mobilised reservists; how many reservists are affected; and what action he is taking to expedite the payment of mobilised reservists. [165139]

  Mr. Caplin
  [holding answer 1 April 2004]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 340W.

  We are not aware of any delay in the payment of reservists' basic military salary. However, there have been some late payments of allowances for reservists during Operation Telic which is attributable to delays in the administrative process of taking the reservist on strength at the Theatre unit. In addition, there have also been delays in handling claims for financial assistance.

  Both of these issues were identified during the Operation Telic lessons identified process and action is in hand to improve the administrative systems in use. In particular, as announced in the recent Defence White Paper, we are in the process of developing replacement regulations for reservists' financial assistance which should simplify and speed up the claims process.

  US Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether US nuclear weapons will be withdrawn from the UK as part of the current withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from Europe; and if he will make a statement. [169131]

  Mr. Hoon
  As stated in NATO's Strategic Concept (paragraph 63):"nuclear forces based in Europe and committed to NATO provide an essential political and military link between the European and North American members of the Alliance. The Alliance will therefore maintain adequate nuclear forces in Europe."

  Numbers of United States nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom can and do vary, and the capability for deployments of such weapons to and from the UK remains extant regardless of the particular number of weapons in the UK at any given time.

  It is NATO and national policy not to comment on the detail of such nuclear deployments.

  Wind Farms
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has made to the Department of Trade and Industry regarding the placement of wind farms around the UK coast. [168233]

  Mr. Caplin
  The Ministry of Defence has engaged with the Department of Trade and Industry and Crown Estates throughout the initial planning stages for wind farms around the UK coast. In that context MOD has drawn attention to those cases where it has concerns relating to wind farms and their effects on air safety, national defence monitoring, operational needs or where sites are within danger areas.

  The Ministry of Defence is fully supportive of the Governments aims and targets for renewable energy.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for wind farms on its facilities on the UK coastline. [168236]

  Mr. Caplin
  The Ministry of Defence currently has no wind farms on its facilities on the UK coastline, nor any plans to site any there. However, the Department would consider approaches from developers to site wind farms on its property where they will not interfere with defence operations, compromise safety or the United Kingdom defences.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation he has(a) undertaken and (b) planned with maritime groups about the impact of offshore wind farms on marine navigation. [168237]

  Mr. Caplin
  The Ministry of Defence has engaged in consultation with The Maritime and Coastguard Agency in its capacity as a key sea user. This is to ensure that the Department's marine navigation and transport needs are adequately covered in the Marine Guidance Note to be published on Proposed UK Offshore Renewable Energy Installations: Guidance on Navigation Safety Issues.

TRANSPORT

  Faulty Exhaust Pipes
  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how often checks are made to ensure that motorists with faulty exhaust pipes are prevented from releasing toxins into the atmosphere; [168873]

  (2) what checks are in place to ensure motorists with faulty exhaust pipes are prevented from releasing toxins into the atmosphere; [168874]

  (3) how many people in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have been found guilty of driving vehicles with noxious exhausts in each year since 1997. [168875]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Emissions performance is checked in MOT tests, which in the case of cars are carried out three years after registration, and then every year thereafter. The MOT test includes a visual check of the exhaust system and, for most vehicles, a measurement of the concentration of exhaust gases that indicate whether or not the vehicle is being appropriately maintained.

  In addition, roadside spot checks are carried out intermittently by the Department's Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), and by certain local authorities with particular air quality problems, to help promote compliance.

  There are no statistics available which record emissions offences separately from other minor offences under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. The best indication of non-compliance is given by MOT test failure rates, although this is not readily available by geographical area. The MOT emissions test failure rates for the whole of GB are given in the following table.

  MOT emissions failures as a percentage of vehicles tested at MOT stations

  Percentage

  Conventional petrol

  Catalyst petrol

  Diesel

  1997–98

  7.1

  2.8

  8.5

  1998–99

  6.4

  3.3

  7.4

  1999–2000

  5.6

  2.9

  5.9

  2000–01

  4.3

  2.6

  6.1

  2001–02

  3.1

  2.6

  5.5

  2002–03

  6.7

  2.5

  5.0

  2003–04

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1 Not available.

  Diesel Spillages
  Vera Baird
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (1) if he will take steps to encourage vehicle manufacturers to undertake or fund research into designs for a fuel tank that would not allow diesel to spill onto the highway, even if over-filled; [168612]

  (2) if he will launch a campaign to raise awareness amongst commercial goods vehicle drivers of the risks that diesel spillage due to over-filled fuel tanks can cause to other road users, especially motorcyclists; [168613]
  998W
  (3) if he will support the campaign by The Road Users Campaign to Kill Diesel Spills to reduce the number of diesel spillages on British roads; [168614]

  (4) if he will make non-spill fuel caps compulsory for all new diesel vehicles to prevent dangerous diesel spillages on the road. [168615]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I recognise the problems that can be caused by spilled diesel, particularly to motorcyclists, which is why my Department has launched a review into this issue. Part of this review is looking into the possibility of raising the profile of the existing spillage prevention Regulations. Until this study is complete I will not be making any proposals or recommendations concerning the construction and use of diesel fuel tanks in respect of preventing diesel spillage.

  The European fuel tanks Directive 2000/8/EC has been mandatory, since 3 May 2003 for cars.

  At present there are no pre-registration checks on the fuel tanks of commercial vehicles and buses. However, these vehicles will have to meet Whole Vehicle Type Approval by 2008 at the earliest and completely by 2011, although manufacturers are all likely to comply before this date. The new Type Approval incorporates the fuel tank Directive.

  The correct fitting and operation of fuel tank filler caps is now checked during a vehicle's annual test which will have a positive effect on preventing diesel spillage.

  Highways Agency Traffic Officers
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the responsibilities of uniformed Highways Agency Traffic Officers are. [168254]

  Mr. Darling
  The responsibilities of the uniformed Highways Agency traffic officer patrols will be to keep traffic flowing and support road users by managing minor incidents, dealing with the traffic consequences of all incidents, organising the removal of broken down and abandoned vehicles, removing debris and obstructions and implementing traffic management measures.

  Uniformed traffic officers will also be working in seven regional control centres where they will work in partnership with the police to control incident management, operate variable message signs and answer calls from emergency roadside telephones.

  Traffic officers will help improve the quality of traffic information to road users by providing better information on the nature, scale and anticipated duration of incidents.

  The police will continue to deal with major incidents, which require significant co-ordination of the emergency services, and those involving death, injury, criminality or threats to public order and public safety.

  By transferring these roles and responsibilities to the Highways Agency, it will free-up police time to concentrate more on road safety, crime and law enforcement.

  Ministerial Travel
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what form of transport he used to travel to and from London Liverpool Street railway station on 1 April to launch the new Greater Anglia Franchise. [167292]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Secretary of State travelled by car to London Liverpool Street railway station.

  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the occasions from 1 January to 31 March when, in association with his ministerial duties, he used(a) railway services, (b) bus services and (c) underground trains. [168065]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Secretary of State has used various forms of transport, including railway services, bus services and underground trains, during this period, in association with his ministerial duties.

  Motorways
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that all future and current construction of fencing alongside the M1 motorway in Leicestershire and South York shire is set back a sufficient distance from the motorway to accommodate future widening. [168230]

  Dr. Howells
  There are currently no proposals to install fencing along the sections of the M1 in Leicestershire and South Yorkshire that are affected by future widening schemes.

  Should any proposals arise in the future, the Highways Agency would take into account the widening of the M1 prior to carrying out any works.

  Recycled Paper
  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what percentage of(a) paper for printed publications and (b) copying paper used by the Department in 2002–03 was from recycled sources; and how much post-consumer waste this paper contained; [166058]

  (2) what measures he has put in place to ensure that his Department meets the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content; [166059]

  (3) what measures he has put in place to ensure that his Department meets the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that all for printed publications bought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled of which a minimum in 75 per cent. post-consumer waste; [166060]

  (4) when his Department expects to implement in full the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that (a) all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content and (b) all paper for
  1000W
  printed publications brought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled, of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post-consumer waste. [166061]

  Mr. McNulty
  It is the Department's policy to use 100 per cent. recycled paper (comprising at least 80 per cent. post consumer waste) for all work not requiring specialist papers. This exceeds the minimum required by the quick win targets set by DEFRA.99 per cent. of the copier paper bought by my Department in 2002–03 and 2003–04 was 100 per cent. recycled and contained a minimum of 80 per cent. post consumer waste.
  100 per cent. of paper used for printed publications produced through my Department's Communication Directorate contained a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste.

  Procurement officers are made aware of the availability of competitively priced recycled papers by:

  (a) promoting the use of the recycled copier papers available under this contract to the Department's stationery ordering points and across its agencies and NDPB's;

  (b) monitoring HQ paper consumption monthly and investigating non-compliant purchases. The Department's agencies are expected to monitor compliance similarly.

  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the Department's main suppliers of(a) copier paper, (b) stationery, (c) envelopes and (d) paper for reports, in each case stating (i) the name of each paper used and (ii) the (A) recycled and (B) post-consumer recycled content of each paper. [166062]

  Mr. McNulty
  This information is as follows:(a) and (b) Copier paper and stationery:

  Banner Business Supplies Limited:
  Evolve Office Paper—100 per cent. recycled, 100 per cent. post consumer recycled
  Xerox Recycled Paper—100 per cent. recycled, 100 per cent. post consumer recycled
  Banner Office Paper—100 per cent. recycled, 100 per cent. post consumer recycled

  (c) Envelopes:

  Banner Business Supplies Limited:
  Banner envelopes—80 per cent. to 100 per cent. recycled, 65 per cent. to 85 per cent. post consumer recycled
  New Guardian Armour gusset envelopes—80 per cent. to 100 per cent. recycled, 65 per cent. to 85 per cent. post consumer recycled
  Survivor Tyvek extra strong envelopes—Not known

  (d) Paper for reports:

  Howard Smith Paper:
  Greencoat—80 per cent. recycled, 80 per cent. post-consumer waste Paper
  Hexagon Wove—100 per cent. recycled, 80 per cent. post-consumer waste, 20 per cent. pre-consumer waste

  Premier Paper:
  Evolution Satin—75 per cent. recycled, 75 per cent. post-consumer waste
  Evolution Gloss—75 per cent. recycled, 75 per cent. post-consumer waste
  Evolve Business—100 per cent. recycled, 100 per cent. post-consumer waste
  Cyclus Print—100 per cent. recycled, 100 per cent. post-consumer waste
  Cyclus Offset—100 per cent. recycled, 100 per cent. post-consumer waste
  1001W
  James McNaughton Paper:
  Cyclus Offset—100 per cent. recycled, 100 per cent. post-consumer waste
  Cyclus Print—100 per cent. recycled, 100 per cent. post-consumer waste
  Repeat—100 per cent. recycled, 100 per cent. post-consumer waste
  ReVert—80 per cent. recycled, 80 per cent. post-consumer waste

  Robert Home Paper:
  Revive Matt—75 per cent. recycled, 75 per cent. post-consumer waste
  Revive Gloss—75 per cent. recycled, 75 per cent. post-consumer waste
  Evolve Business—100 per cent. recycled, 100 per cent. post-consumer waste
  Alsaprint—100 per cent. recycled, 100 per cent. post-consumer waste
  Revive Silk—75 per cent. recycled, 75 per cent. post-consumer waste
  Revive Uncoated—100 per cent. recycled, 80 per cent. post-consumer waste, 20 per cent. pre-consumer waste

  Road Casualties (Burnley)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the percentage change in(a) deaths and (b) serious injuries on the roads of Burnley has been since 1997. [167881]

  Mr. Jamieson
  In the Burnley local authority area there was one fatal casualty in 1997 and no fatal casualties in 2002, the latest year for which figures are available. The number of people seriously injured in road accidents increased from 59 in 1997 to 62 in 2002, a rise of 5 per cent..

  Shipping (Security)
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many additional staff his Department's Security Directorate has recruited in order to complete assessments of ship security plans as required under the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. [167636]

  Mr. Jamieson
  TRANSEC has been able to approve and verify the passenger ship security plans within existing staff resources. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has delegated responsibility for non-passenger (cargo) shipping and has recruited and trained 15 new security surveyors and five new office staff.

  Transport Infrastructure (Stalybridge and Hyde)
  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of priority bus lanes have been created in Stalybridge and Hyde since 1997. [168733]

  Mr. McNulty
  No priority bus lanes have been introduced in Stalybridge and Hyde since 1997, although 11 km of Quality Bus Corridors (QBC) are proposed for the area, which will provide additional cycling facilities.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Ammonium Nitrate
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the agriculture industry on alternatives to ammonium nitrate fertiliser. [166842]

  Mr. Morley
  The Government have an on-going dialogue with the agriculture industry on a range of nitrogen fertilisers to compare how well they perform in GB soil and climatic conditions and their potential environmental impacts. Ammonium nitrate has for many years proved to be the most effective fertiliser for these conditions and the most environmentally acceptable.

  Animal Carcase Incinerators
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on compliance arrangements for low capacity animal carcase incinerators. [168081]

  Mr. Morley
  Low capacity animal carcase incineration plants, to which the Waste Incineration Directive does not apply, must comply with the relevant requirements of Regulation (EC) No. 1774/2002 and must also be approved in accordance with this Regulation.

  This Regulation is enforced in England by the Animal By-Products Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/1482). Operators must ensure compliance if they wish to obtain an approval to incinerate animal by-products.

  The Waste Incineration Directive will apply immediately to all new plants and existing plants from 28 December 2005 that burn wastes derived from animal carcases. These existing installations are regulated under the Waste Management Licensing regime.

  Bass Fishery
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will close the UK inshore bass fishery to commercial exploitation on conservation grounds; and if she will make a statement. [165930]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Closure of the UK inshore bass fishery to commercial exploitation would have limited conservation benefits as the bass allowed to survive would simply become part of the winter offshore fishery. The International Council of Exploration of the Sea's assessment of bass stocks in EU waters in 2003 did not support such a closure, but recommended that fishing mortality should not be allowed to increase given the uncertainties in the assessment and the possible influence of climate change on the stock. This work also showed that landings in most inshore fisheries had remained buoyant.

  Scientists from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science are closely monitoring the bass fishery on our behalf and I do not rule out further measures to protect, bass, but any additional action would need to be supported by scientific evidence.
  1003W
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Scottish vessels are pair trawling the sea bass spawning shoals off the south and west coasts of England. [165931]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  There are 14 Scottish registered vessels currently involved in pair trawling operations off the south and west coasts of England.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many vessels made landings of spawning sea bass at Plymouth on 26 March; and what their registered ports were. [165932]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Departmental records do not separately record landings of spawning sea bass. On 26 March 15 vessels made landings of sea bass into Plymouth. Those vessels were registered at the following ports: Carlisle (one), Exeter (two), Fowey (one), Fraserburgh (two), Kircaldy (one), Lowestoft (one), Peterhead (four), Plymouth (two) and St Ives (one).

  Batteries
  Rob Marris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many businesses in the UK recycle small, domestic-type batteries. [164531]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 26 April 2004]: At present, such recycling capacity is extremely limited in the UK. There is a plant in the Midlands that recycles silver oxide batteries commonly used in watches and there are plans for a recycling plant in Scotland which would recycle Lithium-ion batteries, including the portable type. Currently, the Government are in discussions with stakeholders examining the possibility of setting up UK recycling capacity for zinc carbon and alkali manganese batteries, commonly found in portable radios and children's toys.

  Carbon Trust
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2004,Official Report, column 127W, on the Carbon Trust, how much money the Trust has loaned in total to small and medium enterprises for energy efficiency projects in each of the last five years. [157824]

  Mr. Morley
  The Action Energy Loan scheme for small and medium enterprises began operating in the 2003–04 financial year. The cumulative value of offers to date (including those committed but not necessarily paid out) is £2,887,000 and actual payments (excluding committed but not yet paid) is £2,305,000.

  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the Carbon Trust's budget has been allocated to projects in Scotland in each of the last five years; and what steps her Department takes to assess the effectiveness of work undertaken by the Carbon Trust. [158216]

  Mr. Morley
  The Carbon Trust is a private company launched in 2001 as part of the Climate Change Levy package. The Trust receives grant funding from Defra for the non-domestic element of the UK wide Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme (EEBPp), and from 1004W
  the Climate Change Levy via Defra for England and via separate grant offer relationships with the Devolved Administrations. Therefore queries regarding projects carried out in Scotland should be addressed to the Scottish Executive.

  A formal review of the Climate Change Programme is planned for 2004 that will include an assessment of the contribution of the Carbon Trust towards climate change targets. The Carbon Trust has undertaken an impact assessment of their programmes as part of their Annual Review which is available via their website www.thecarbontrust.co.uk.

  Climate Change
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of climate change for biodiversity in the United Kingdom and its surrounding waters over the next 50 years. [165285]

  Mr. Morley
  The Department, along with the Devolved Administrations, statutory nature conservation agencies and non-governmental organisations, is contributing to an on-going research programme on the impacts of climate change on biodiversity in the UK and its surrounding waters. Results suggest that as climate changes, the distribution of species and the composition of habitats will change. With warmer temperatures, some northern species are likely to retreat, while southern species may be able to expand their ranges. At the same time, coastal habitats will be affected by rising sea levels. On land, movement of some species may be impeded by our fragmented landscapes, possibly leading to local extinctions. However, dispersal and movement of species within the marine environment is not hindered in this way and evidence from surveys of rocky shorelines shows that many species have already extended their range northwards over the past 20 to 30 years.

  The key to understanding climate change impacts on biodiversity are long time series of data which enable the distinction of natural variability from local human impacts and longer term climatic trends. Within the UK Marine Monitoring Strategy we are making provisions for collection of time series data to enable better estimation of the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems.

  Contaminated Land
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will list the locations of(a) land deemed by the relevant local authority to be in a condition causing or likely to cause (i) significant harm and (ii) pollution of controlled waters as defined by 78A(2) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and (b) other contaminated land; what the size of each site is; what the nature of the contamination is in each case; and what steps (A) have been taken and (B) are planned to remedy any such contamination; [165806]

  (2) if she will estimate the (a) number and (b) total area of sites where land is designated as contaminated land; [165807]
  1005W
  (3) if she will make a statement on steps (a) which have been taken and (b) are being taken to tackle the problem of contaminated land. [165808]

  Mr. Morley
  To help address the legacy of land contamination, the Government brought into force part IIA ("contaminated land") of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This placed local authorities under a statutory duty to inspect their areas to identify contaminated land as defined in the Act, and to secure its remediation, in accordance with the detailed provisions of the regime. They are required to take a strategic and prioritised approach to the duty of inspection. For certain sites, known as special sites, enforcement is by the Environment Agency. The regime came into effect in April 2000 in England and is described in DETR Circular 02/2000, "Contaminated Land". In broad terms, the regime addresses unacceptable risk arising from land contamination in situations where other statutory regimes cannot be applied.

  The Department and the Environment Agency publish technical and other material to assist local authorities. Defra provides capital and revenue support to both LAs and the agency in connection with part IIA duties. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has

  Location

  Local authority area

  Date determination notice issued

  Steps taken

  Approximate area in hectares (ha)

  Irchester Landfill, Irchester

  Wellingborough

  11 April 2000

  —

  0–5

  Ailsworth Road, Landfill, Helpston1

  Peterborough

  22 August 2001

  Remediation statement

  5–10

  Ben Johnsons Pit, Helpston1

  Peterborough

  13 August 2001

  Remediation statement

  5–10

  Tiptree Heath Garage, Tiptree

  Maldon

  17 April 2001

  —

  0–5

  Huntingdonshire

  2 May 2001

  Remediation notice and statement

  0–5

  Hazel Way, St. Ives

  Newmarket Road and Ditton Walk, Cambridge

  Cambridge

  4 September 2001

  —

  0–5

  Accommodation Lane, Stroud

  Stroud

  14 August 2000

  —

  0–5

  Brades Rise, Oldbury

  Sandwell

  27 June 2001

  —

  5–10

  Brookfields Marl Pit (Centre Forest Park) Hanley

  Stoke on Trent

  5 October 2001

  —

  0–5

  Bransholme Landfill, Hull1

  East Riding

  22 March 2001

  —

  >20

  Mirvale tarworks, Mirfield1

  Kirklees

  25 April 2001

  Remediation statement

  5–10

  Woldgate Landfill, Bridlington1

  East Riding

  5 June 2001

  Remediation statement

  10–15

  Furthergate Service Station, Blackburn

  Blackburn with Darwen

  5 March 2001

  remediation notice

  0–5

  Mallards Walk. Bamber Bridge

  Chorley

  4 December 2000

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Old Goods Station, Carlisle

  Carlisle

  12 October 2000

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Hoole Bank, Hoole

  Chester

  25 September 2000

  —

  0–5

  Broomgrove Power Station, Hastings

  Hastings

  18 August 2000

  —

  0–5

  Worston Road, Highbridge

  Sedgemoor

  5 December 2001

  —

  0–5

  Selworthy Gardens, Nailsea

  North Somerset

  8 November 2000

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Blaisdon, Yale

  South Gloucestershire

  22 August 2000

  remediation statement

  0–5

  Cranleigh Brick and Tile Works, near Horsham1

  Waverley

  7 August 2000

  —

  >20

  Byker City Farm, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  Newcastle

  22 May 2001

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Tindale Fell, Tindale

  Carlisle

  n/a

  —

  5–10

  Station Crescent, Ashford

  Spelthorne

  30 August 2000

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Mill Lane, Totley

  Sheffield

  17 January 2001

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  George Street garage, Bletchley

  Milton Keynes

  21 December 2001

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Tinkers Bridge Park, Milton Keynes

  Milton Keynes

  18 December 2001

  —

  0–5

  Dump E, RAF Portreath1

  Kerrier

  7 February 2002

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Dump D, RAF Portreath1

  Kerrier

  7 February 2002

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Dump C, RAF Portreath1

  Kerrier

  7 February 2002

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Dump B, RAF Portreath1

  Kerrier

  7 February 2002

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Dump A, RAF Portreath1

  Kerrier

  7 February 2002

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Wantz Road Direct Services Operations Depot, Dagenham

  Barking

  31 January 2001

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Moss Lane Allotments, Altrincham

  Trafford

  17 January 1900

  —

  0–5

  St. Leonards Court, Sandridge1

  St. Albans

  12 June 2002

  —

  0–5

  Brambles End, Southminster

  Maldon

  17June 2002

  —

  0–5

  1006W
  proposed updated guidance in connection with both planning and building control regimes, since these play a major part in addressing the legacy of land contamination. Urban regeneration initiatives, led by that Department, also help address land contamination, and tax incentives have been introduced.

  Progress is being made. The agency prepares periodic statutory reports on the state of contaminated land, the first of which was published in September 2002 and laid in the Library. As at 31 March 2004, some 66 part IIA determinations had been recorded in England, as detailed in the following table. Some cases involve a number of determinations, and some involved both pollution of controlled waters and significant harm. The precise areas of individual sites, and planned measures, are not collected centrally, but size ranges are shown, together with the nature of the problem in each case.

  Under part IIA, remediation can be secured through voluntary action, in which case a remediation statement is produced, or through enforcement action, in which case a remediation notice is served on the appropriate persons. Details are placed on a public register kept by the authority. Research is under way to improve our knowledge of the progress being made outside the part IIA regime.
  1007W

  Location

  Local authority area

  Date determination notice issued

  Steps taken

  Approximate area in hectares (ha)

  Scotland Lodge, Cholderton

  Salisbury

  24 July2002

  —

  0–5

  Well Close, Tonbridge

  Sevenoaks

  21 June 2002

  Remediation notice

  0–5

  Scholar's Court, Neston1

  Ellesmere Port

  22 July 2002

  —

  5–10

  Dapps Hill, Keynsham

  Bath

  22 August 2002

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Coopers Walk, London E15

  Newham

  27 September 2002

  —

  0–5

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  Newham

  27 September 2002

  —

  0–5

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  Newham

  27 September 2002

  —

  0–5

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  Newham

  27 September 2002

  —

  0–5

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  Newham

  27 September 2002

  —

  0–5

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  Newham

  27 September 2002

  —

  0–5

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  Newham

  27 September 2002

  —

  0–5

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  Newham

  27 September 2002

  —

  0–5

  Furfield Quarry Landfill, Maidstone

  Maidstone

  25 October 2002

  —

  5–10

  Carr Head, Hebden Bridge

  Calderdale

  14 January 2003

  —

  0–5

  Green Works, Colne

  Pendle

  8 January 2003

  —

  5–10

  Manywells Landfill, Bradford

  Bradford

  16 January 2003

  —

  0–5

  Old Hampole Quarry, Doncaster1

  Doncaster

  18 February 2003

  —

  0–5

  Mullen Avenue, Milton Keynes

  Milton Keynes

  20 February 2003

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Radcliffe Road Allotments (North), Southampton

  Southampton

  3 December 2002

  —

  0–5

  Radcliffe Road Allotments (South), Southampton

  Southampton

  3 December 2002

  —

  0–5

  The Bell House, Rushlake Green

  Wealden

  1 May 2003

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Bayer Crop Science Ltd., Cambridge1

  South Cambridgeshire

  3 June 2003

  —

  20

  Ivatt Close, Bawtry1

  Doncaster

  19 May 2003

  —

  0.3

  Sherborne Landfill, Sherborne

  West Dorset

  31 July 2003

  —

  0–5

  Moor Park, Clevedon

  North Somerset

  4 September 2003

  —

  0–5

  Albright and Wilson Works, Whitehaven1

  Copeland

  27 August 2002

  —

  20

  Area A12Q1, AWE Aldermaston1

  West Berkshire

  1 December 2003

  —

  0–5

  Gibbwin, Great Linford

  Milton Keynes

  9 July 2003

  Remediation statement

  0–5

  Bransholme Landfill, Kingston upon Hull1

  Hull

  22 March 2001

  —

  20

  Stretton Sugwas Landfill, Hereford

  Herefordshire

  17 July 2002

  —

  15–20

  Contamination

  Location

  Metals and metalloids

  Inorganic compounds

  Organic compounds

  Gas/ vapours

  Other

  Irchester Landfill, Irchester

  N

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  Ailsworth Road, Landfill, Helpston1

  Y

  Y

  Y

  N

  List 1 Substances

  Ben Johnsons Pit, Helpston1

  Y

  Y

  Y

  N

  List 1 Substances

  Tiptree Heath Garage, Tiptree

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Hazel Way, St. Ives

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Newmarket Road and Ditton Walk, Cambridge

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Accommodation Lane, Stroud

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Asbestos

  Brades Rise, Oldbury

  N

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  Brookfields Marl Pit (Centre Forest Park) Hanley

  N

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  Bransholme Landfill, Hull1

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Mirvale tarworks, Mirfield1

  Y

  Y

  Y

  N

  Pesticides

  Woldgate Landfill, Bridlington1

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Furthergate Service Station, Blackburn

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Mallards Walk. Bamber Bridge

  N

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  Old Goods Station, Carlisle

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Hoole Bank, Hoole

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Broomgrove Power Station, Hastings

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Asbestos

  Worston Road, Highbridge

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Selworthy Gardens, Nailsea

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Blaisdon, Yale

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Cranleigh Brick and Tile Works, near

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  Dieldrin (pesticide)

  Horsham1

  Byker City Farm, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Tindale Fell, Tindale

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Station Crescent, Ashford

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Y

  N

  Mill Lane, Totley

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  George Street garage, Bletchley

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Tinkers Bridge Park, Milton Keynes

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Asbestos

  Dump E, RAF Portreath1

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  1008W 1009W

  Contamination

  Location

  Metals and metalloids

  Inorganic compounds

  Organic compounds

  Gas/ vapours

  Other

  Dump D, RAF Portreath1

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Dump C, RAF Portreath1

  Y

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  Dump B, RAF Portreath1

  Y

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  Dump A, RAF Portreath1

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Wantz Road Direct Services Operations Depot, Dagenham

  Y

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Moss Lane Allotments, Altrincham

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  St. Leonards Court, Sandridge1

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Bromate and Bromide

  Brambles End, Southminster

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Asbestiform Materials

  Scotland Lodge, Cholderton

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Well Close, Tonbridge

  N

  N

  Y

  Y

  N

  Scholar's Court, Neston1

  Y

  N

  Y

  Y

  N

  Dapps Hill, Keynsham

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London E15

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Furfield Quarry Landfill, Maidstone

  N

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  Carr Head, Hebden Bridge

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Y

  Green Works, Colne

  N

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Manywells Landfill, Bradford

  Y

  N

  Y

  Y

  N

  Old Hampole Quarry, Doncaster1

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Y

  N

  Mullen Avenue, Milton Keynes

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Y

  Radcliffe Road Allotments (North), Southampton

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Radcliffe Road Allotments (South), Southampton

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  The Bell House, Rushlake Green

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Bayer Crop Science Ltd., Cambridge1

  N

  Y

  Y

  N

  Pesticides

  Ivatt Close, Bawtry1

  Y

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Sherborne Landfill, Sherborne

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Iron (and Ammonia)

  Moor Park, Clevedon

  N

  N

  Y

  Y

  N

  Albright and Wilson Works, Whitehaven1

  Y

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  Area A12Q1, AWE Aldermaston1

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Gibbwin, Great Linford

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Asbestos

  Bransholme Landfill, Kingston upon Hull1

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Stretton Sugwas Landfill, Hereford

  N

  N

  N

  Y

  N

  Receptor(s)

  Location

  Controlled waters

  Human beings

  Ecological systems

  Property in the form of buildings

  Other property

  Irchester Landfill, Irchester

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Ailsworth Road, Landfill, Helpston1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Ben Johnsons Pit, Helpston1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Tiptree Heath Garage, Tiptree

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Hazel Way, St. Ives

  N

  Y

  N

  Y

  N

  Newmarket Road and Ditton Walk, Cambridge

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Accommodation Lane, Stroud

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Brades Rise, Oldbury

  N

  Y

  N

  Y

  N

  Brookfields Marl Pit (Centre Forest Park) Hanley

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Bransholme Landfill, Hull1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Mirvale tarworks, Mirfield1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Woldgate Landfill, Bridlington1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Furthergate Service Station. Blackburn

  Y

  Y

  N

  Y

  N

  Mallards Walk. Bamber Bridge

  N

  Y

  N

  Y

  N

  Old Goods Station, Carlisle

  Y

  Y

  N

  Y

  Y

  Hoole Bank, Hoole

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Broomgrove Power Station, Hastings

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Worston Road, Highbridge

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Selworthy Gardens, Nailsea

  N

  Y

  N

  Y

  N

  Blaisdon, Yale

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  Y

  1010W 1011W

  Receptor(s)

  Location

  Controlled waters

  Human beings

  Ecological systems

  Property in the form of buildings

  Other property

  Cranleigh Brick and Tile Works, near Horsham1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Byker City Farm, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Tindale Fell, Tindale

  N

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  Station Crescent, Ashford

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Mill Lane, Totley

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  George Street garage, Bletchley

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Tinkers Bridge Park, Milton Keynes

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Dump E, RAF Portreath1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Dump D, RAF Portreath1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Dump C, RAF Portreath1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Dump B, RAF Portreath1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Dump A, RAF Portreath1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Wantz Road Direct Services Operations Depot, Dagenham

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Moss Lane Allotments, Altrincham

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  St. Leonards Court, Sandridge1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Brambles End, Southminster

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Scotland Lodge, Cholderton

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Well Close, Tonbridge

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Scholar's Court, Neston1

  Y

  Y

  N

  Y

  N

  Dapps Hill, Keynsham

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London E15

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Coopers Walk, London, E15

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Furfield Quarry Landfill, Maidstone

  N

  Y

  N

  Y

  N

  Carr Head, Hebden Bridge

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Green Works, Colne

  Y

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  Manywells Landfill. Bradford

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Old Hampole Quarry, Doncaster1

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Mullen Avenue, Milton Keynes

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Radcliffe Rd Allotments (North), Southampton

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Radcliffe Rd Allotments (South), Southampton

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  The Bell House, Rushlake Green

  Y

  Y

  N

  Y

  N

  Bayer Crop Science Ltd., Cambridge1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Ivatt Close, Bawtry1

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Sherborne Landfill, Sherborne

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Moor Park, Clevedon

  N

  Y

  N

  Y

  N

  Albright and Wilson Works, Whitehaven1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Area A 12Q1, AWE Aldermaston1

  Y

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Gibbwin, Great Linford

  N

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  Bransholme Landfill, Kingston upon Hull1

  Y

  N

  N

  N

  N

  Stretton Sugwas Landfill, Hereford

  N

  Y

  N

  Y

  N

  1 Special site.

  Dairy Farming
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has held with dairy farmers or the 2004 integrated administration and control system form. [168086]

  Alun Michael
  The 2004 IACS application form was based on the 2003 form and updated to take account of the requirements of new EC legislation. The application form has been developed over time with considerable input from farmers' representatives. As is usual the National Farmers Union and the Country Land and Business Association were copied the proposed drafts of the IACS 2004 literature and their comments noted.
  1012W
  Four new Aids were introduced for 2004 including those for Dairy Premium and the Additional Dairy Payment. In order to meet the printing deadlines the design of the form had to be finalised before the Minister had agreed to the detail regarding the Additional Payment.

  The final design was a compromise between simplicity for farmers claiming Dairy Premium/Additional Payment and the need to collect enough information to cover a range of possible options for the Additional Payment criteria without having to ask farmers for further information.

  Disposable Nappies
  Mr. Lepper
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals she has under the Waste Implementation Programme to identify and promote best practice within the NHS in relation to the promotion and use of disposable nappies. [168777]

  Mr. Morley
  The use of disposable nappies in the NHS is well established. Government want to ensure that parents who are interested in re-usable nappies are provided with information about that option alongside information on disposables.

  The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is employing staff to work alongside health professionals in hospitals and trusts as part of its work on waste minimisation and identifying and promoting best practice in relation to re-usable nappies in the NHS.

  EU Accession States
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department has in place effectively to monitor imports of(a) human food and (b) animal feed from (i) EU member states and (ii) EU accession states in respect of their compliance with EU regulations on labelling and traceability. [167417]

  Mr. Morley
  Imports of Genetically Modified Organisms into and within the EU are covered by existing legislation in the form of Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of GMOs, Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 on GM food and feed and Regulation (EC) No. 1830/2003 concerning the traceability and labelling of GMOs and the traceability of food and feed products produced from GMOs). All Regulations take direct effect in both existing member states and accession states.

  Domestic implementation of the new Regulations (which cover imports of both human food and animal feed) is a devolved competence. In England, local authorities are under a duty to enforce the requirements. Sample analysis must be carried out by a public analyst laboratory accredited for GM analysis.

  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what efforts her Department has made to ensure that EU accession states have the required technical capacity and advice to ensure their compliance with(a) testing, (b) labelling and (c) traceability of GM crops and foods under EU regulations; [167418]

  (2) what discussions she has had with (a) the EC and (b) her counterparts in the 10 EU accession states to seek a timetable for the compliance of the accession states with regulations (EC) 1829/2003 and (EC) 1830/ 2003 on the labelling and traceability of genetically modified crops; [167419]

  (3) what efforts her Department is making to ensure that (a) EU member states and (b) EU accession states comply with EU rules on genetically modified crops, including regulations (i) (EC) No.1829/2003 and (ii) (EC) No.1830/2003 under directive 2001/18/EC on traceability and labelling. [167420]
  1014W
  Mr. Morley
  Directive 2001/18 on the deliberate release into the environment of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is part of the aquis communautaire for the new member states.

  New Regulations on traceability and labelling of GMOs (Regulation (EC) 1830/2003) and GM food and feed (Regulation (EC) 1829/2003) are not formally included in the "aquis communautaire" for accession states as negotiations were closed in December 2002. However, the regulations will apply in new member states from 1 May 2004, and new member states will be required to have appropriate legislative frameworks in place. The new Regulations took effect in existing member states from 18 April 2004.

  All these Regulations require member states to introduce a proportionate and effective hierarchy of offences and penalties related to the potential seriousness of the failure to comply with the various EU requirements.

  The Commission is required to produce Community-wide guidance in relation to the new Regulations, including guidance on sampling and testing, to ensure a co-ordinated approach between member states. Work on this is still under way.

  The Secretary of State has not explicitly discussed the application of these Regulations with current or accession member states. However, officials from my Department and the Food Standards Agency continue to liaise with their counterparts in other member states through Regulatory and Standing Committees and informal contacts.

  Fluoxetine
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what work has been carried our to establish the background levels of fluoxetine in the aquatic environment; [167861]

  (2) what information she has procured to establish the levels of residues from anti-depressant drugs in the (a) livers, (b) brains and (c) muscle of fish. [167860]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  [holding answer 23 April 2004]: During 2002–03 the Environment Agency carried out a desk based ranking exercise on the 500 pharmaceuticals most commonly used in England and Wales in order to prioritise those of environmental significance. This exercise included fluoxetine, more commonly known under the trade name Prozac. A short, targeted monitoring programme was then set up for 12 pharmaceuticals. Fliioxetine was not included because no analytical method suitable for use on environmental samples existed and development of one would be difficult. The top ranked antidepressant was lofepramine and this was included in the monitoring survey. A method NA as not in existence and had to be developed. Lofeprar line was not detected in any of the five sewage works effluents or receiving watercourses monitored. However, it does not necessarily follow that the same would be true for fluoxetine.

  No monitoring of fish has been undertaken.

  The Environment Agency have developed a Position Statement on pharmaceuticals—which can be found on the Agency's website www.environment-agency.gov.uk

  1015W
  (search—pharmaceuticals). This elaborates further on the work done and includes a recommendation to the pharmaceutical industry to do more on the development of analytical methods for environmental monitoring. I am pleased that the Environment Agency is in discussion with the industry on the development of a work programme to cover the recommendations to industry listed in the Position Statement.

  Fly-tipping
  Mr. Dhanda
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she will take to enable more rapid action against fly-tipping. [168016]

  Mr. Morley
  The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 gave powers to local authorities, allowing them to stop, search and seize vehicles suspected of fly-tipping. It also gave the Secretary of State the power to request fly-tipping data returns from waste collection authorities and the Environment Agency (the Agency). The national database, Flycapture, was launched on 5 April 2004 for this purpose, and a notice in writing was issued to all waste collection authorities and the Agency. A clearer national picture of fly-tipping will form a more robust evidence base informing future policy decisions, at a national and local level.

  The Fly Tipping Strategy was published for consultation on 23 February 2004. The Strategy builds on previous legislative changes and aims to extend the tools available to the authorities in the prevention and enforcement of fly-tipping.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of St ate for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Government's fly tipping strategy. [168084]

  Mr. Morley
  The Fly Tipping strategy was published for consultation on 23 February 2004. The consultation period ends on 14 May 2004. Comments received will be analysed and responses will be mad publicly available.

  The strategy proposes a range of measures to help tackle the problem of fly-tipping and encourage effective enforcement alongside pro-active preventative policies.

  Hazardous Waste
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment she has made of the Hazardous Waste Forum's recommendations for contingency plans to give temporary authorisation for export of hazardous waste to mainland Europe; and if she has discussed this possibility with European governments; [164076]

  (2) what estimate she has made of the total potential hazardous waste storage capacity available from businesses using the exemption on temporary storage of hazardous waste at the place of production in paragraph 41 of Schedule 3 of the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994; and what plans she has to amend the regulations to increase the volumes of waste that may be stored under this exemption; [164074]

  (3) what contingency measures site is putting in place in the event of a shortfall in (a) treatment and (b) disposal capacity for hazardous wastes following (i)
  1016W
  the end of co-disposal in July 2004 and (ii) the enforcement of the Waste Acceptance Criteria in July 2005; and if she will make a statement; [164075]

  (4) what sites she has identified on a contingency basis as suitable for the storage of hazardous wastes from July 2004. [164077]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 26 March 2004]: We have a series of actions programmed, as presented to the seventh meeting of the Hazardous Waste Forum, to ensure the smooth implementation of the Landfill and Hazardous Waste Directives, and, in particular, the ban on co-disposal. The impact of expected higher costs on disposal and treatment provides a greater incentive for waste minimisation at source, through source separation and segregation of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. Future arisings of hazardous waste are therefore uncertain. In addition, higher costs of landfill will enable alternative treatments to be more economically viable, diverting hazardous waste from landfill. The Government and the Environment Agency are monitoring closely, through a range of measures, waste industry plans for the provision of treatment and disposal capacity, and the response of waste producers and will continue to do so. A number of possible response options exist, including those identified by the Forum, should these be necessary.

  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 11 March 2004,Official Report, column 1620W, on hazardous waste, how many of the (a) 100,000 special waste producers and (b) 750,000 future hazardous waste producers (i) her Department and (ii) the Environment Agency have contacted to inform them of the requirements of the Landfill Directive relating to hazardous waste. [165324]

  Mr. Morley
  Clearly it is a challenge to communicate directly with many thousands of companies and the Department is continually looking at the communication systems it employs to test their effectiveness. In respect of consulting business on issues of importance, electronic communications such as websites and e-mails are used extensively and the Department relies on informing trade associations and small business services in the expectation that they will pass the information on to their members.

  Specifically in relation to Landfill Directive/ hazardous waste issues. a dedicated Communications Manager has developed a co-ordinated communications strategy in conjunction with the Environment Agency, Envirowise and the DTI—to address all the key stakeholder requirements. One part of this strategy is to set up a communications network across the country, with active participation by industry and relevant trade associations.

  Key activities planned over the next few months include:
  a targeted mail shot directed at small businesses;
  dissemination of a series of information leaflets to producers and the waste management industry focused on providing guidance, details of timings, responsibilities and where to go for additional information;

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  seminars directed at 'new' waste producers;
  roadshows across the country to raise awareness of the legislation, its implications, minimisation and help available for businesses;
  targeted media articles focused on the key waste streams and industry sectors; and
  attending a series of third party events through the provision of support e.g. speakers for events being held by other organisations (e.g. the Chemical Industries Association, the Engineers Employers Federation and the Environmental Industries Commission).

  These activities follow up earlier actions by the Department and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to implement the 1999 Landfill Directive in England and to divert waste from landfill. These include:
  preparation and issue of Waste Strategy 2000;
  conducting six rounds of public consultation on aspects of the Landfill Directive;
  setting up four stakeholders groups—including the Hazardous Waste Forum, and the Landfill Directive Implementation Group;
  publishing an action plan on the reduction and environmentally sound management of hazardous waste;
  issuing guidance material by the Environment Agency, e.g. on defining and classifying hazardous waste;
  arranging bilateral meetings with a wide range of industry and other interests;
  commissioning research and other projects (either direct or though the Hazardous Waste Forum or the Environment Agency);
  setting up the Waste and Resources Action Programme to develop markets for recycled materials (so diverting waste away from landfill); and
  introducing the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund to support projects that use waste materials (e.g. construction and demolition waste) to replace primary aggregates.

  Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Manchester, Gorton have benefited from the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme. [167538]

  Mr. Morley
  The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 3,200 households in Manchester, Gorton received assistance from the Scheme.

  National Allocation Plan
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where and when she announced that she intends to delay submission of the UK's National Allocation Plan to the European Commission; and on what grounds. [167524]

  Mr. Morley
  The European Commission was informed of the UK's intention to delay submission of the National Allocation Plan (NAP) for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme on Friday 26 March 2004. Stakeholders were informed via email and an announcement made on the Defra website on Monday 29 March 2004; I wrote to Commissioner Wallstrom on 1018W
  Wednesday 31 March 2004 and the Government position regarding the delay in publication was further clarified in a press release on 2 April 2004.

  During the consultation on the draft NAP, a number of issues were raised which Government wanted to take into account and consider in full. Some of these issues were complex and took considerable time to work through. It was therefore agreed to delay the submission of the NAP to the Commission by a few weeks to take account of the extra work.

  The UK takes all EU responsibilities and deadlines seriously and is fully supportive of the EU ETS. We also have a duty to take full account of issues raised as a result of public consultation. We intend to submit the NAP to the Commission and publish it for further consultation by the end of April.

  Oceans
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the incidence of oxygen-free zones in the oceans. [165590]

  Mr. Morley
  A recent report by the United Nations Environment programme drew attention to a number of cases across the world where there are regular instances of oxygen deficiency, often caused by excessive inputs of nutrients from land based sources. This underlines the need for action to limit the input of nutrients, and the UK has supported the UNEP Global Plan of Action on land-based sources of pollution which is seeking to address this.

  There have been no cases of oxygen levels in UK coastal waters falling so low as a result of anthropogenic nutrient inputs as to be a cause for concern, e.g. through fish kills. Historically, there have been oxygen depletion problems affecting the passage of migratory fish in certain estuaries due to the direct discharge of sewage. The problems no longer exist due to the effective management of the discharges.

  There are some areas where nutrient levels are high as a result of anthropogenic nutrient inputs, and in a few cases this has resulted in undesirable changes to the water environment. We have taken action to reduce nutrient inputs in these cases, through improved treatment of sewage and through designating Nitrate Vulnerable Zones o control the use of fertilisers and slurry on farmland.

  The Department is committed to take further action to address diffuse water pollution. Officials are undertaking a range of work to identify diffuse pollution problems and the best ways to tackle them across all activities and a formal consultation on a range of options to tackle water pollution from agriculture will be issued shortly.

  In some places, for example systems with limited water exchange, it is natural for there to be areas where oxygen levels are low without anthropogenic nutrient input.

  Oil Storage Tanks
  David Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of
  1019W
  the oil storage tanks subject to the Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001 she expects the Environment Agency to inspect each year; and what percentage were inspected in 2003–04. [166050]

  Mr. Morley
  The Environment Agency does not undertake specific inspections but enforces the Oil Storage Regulations during routine visits in order to reduce resource burdens. There is no annual target for the percentage of tanks inspected and no record of the number of tanks inspected in 2003–04.

  Over-30-months Scheme
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of payments to farmers under the Over-30-Months Scheme was in each of the last 12 months. [168950]

  Alun Michael
  The cost of payments to farmers under the Over-30-Months Scheme in each of the last 12 months, April 2003 to March 2004, was as follows:

  Amount (£)

  2003

  April

  28,129,511

  May

  8,859,938

  June

  9,449,415

  July

  11,164,461

  August

  10,554,215

  September

  14,979,891

  October

  20,950,694

  November

  22,387,481

  December

  20,174,638

  2004

  January

  21,726,791

  February

  14,602,777

  March

  13,702,852

  Total

  196,682,664

  Recycled Paper
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of copying paper used by the Department in 2002–03 was from recycled sources; and how much post-consumer waste this paper contained. [165659]

  Alun Michael
  The UK Sustainable Development in Government Second Annual report shows that in the year ended 31 March 2003 recycled paper accounted for 42 per cent. of the value of desk top paper purchased by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The post consumer waste element of that recycled paper was 80 per cent. or more.

  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of paper for printed publications used by the Department in 2002–03 was from recycled sources; and how much post-consumer waste this paper contained. [165660]

  Alun Michael
  The UK Sustainable Development in Government Second Annual report shows that in the year ended 31 March 2003 recycled paper accounted for 89 per cent. of the value of paper for printed publications purchased by the Department for the 1020W
  Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The post consumer waste element of that recycled paper was 75 per cent. or more.

  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she has put in place to ensure that her Department meets the quick win targets set by her Department to ensure that all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content. [165661]

  Alun Michael
  Procurement units in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have been made aware of the quick win target for purchases of copying paper. Defra monitors its performance for the purpose of reporting progress in the annual Sustainable Development in Government report.

  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she has put in place to ensure that her Department meets the quick win targets set by her Department to ensure that all paper for printed publications bought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled, of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post-consumer waste. [165662]

  Alun Michael
  Procurement units in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have been made aware of the quick win target for purchases of paper for printed publications. Defra monitors its performance for the purpose of reporting progress in the annual Sustainable Development in Government report.

  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by what date her Department expects to reach the quick win targets to ensure that(a) all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content and (b) all paper for printed publications bought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled, of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post-consumer waste. [165663]

  Alun Michael
  The Sustainable Development in Government Report shows that Defra met the quick win target for paper for printed publications purchased in 2002–03. That target is likely to have been met in 2003–04 too. This achievement owes much to the fact that most of Defra's printed publications are commissioned from a single central business unit. The situation with copier paper is that there are many different ordering points over a large and diverse organisation and that makes achievement of the target difficult to accurately predict. Nevertheless, Defra has procedures in place to help ensure that all new copying paper purchased will be recycled and aims to reach the target as soon as possible.

  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the Department's main suppliers of(a) copier paper, (b) stationery, (c) envelopes and (d) paper for reports; what the name of the paper used in each case is; and what the (i) recycled and (ii) post-consumer recycled content of each type of paper is. [165664]

  Alun Michael
  Information on paper, stationery and envelopes purchased by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is set out as
  1021W
  follows. Data have been provided on the basis of contracts that have been operational in the department and its agencies at some time over the past two financial years. Purchase of paper used for reports is generally not recorded as a separate category.

  Paper for Copying

  The main suppliers are: The Paper Company; Premier Paper Group plc; Guilbert UK; Banner Business Systems; and Lyreco.

  The main brand names of recycled paper supplied, with the percentage of post consumer waste shown in brackets, are Evolve (100 per cent.) and Niceday 3500 (80 per cent.).

  The main brand names of virgin paper supplied are Neusiedlea and Banner Value.

  Paper for Printed Publications

  The main suppliers are: Howard Smith Paper; Premier Paper Group plc; Robert Home; and James McNaughton.

  The main brand names are: Greencoat; Evolve; Evolution; Cyclus; and Revert.

  Much of the paper for printed publications was purchased centrally and over 80 per cent. of that was recycled with a post consumer waste content of 75 per cent. or more.

  Stationery

  The main supplier is Guilbert UK. Information on paper supplied by Guilbert has been covered by the preceding text.

  Envelopes

  The main supplier is Banner Business systems. Manila envelopes purchased were 70 per cent. post consumer waste. White envelopes purchased had less than 5 per cent. post consumer waste.

  Refrigeration
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of UK refrigeration equipment disposal plants use vapour recovery hoods. [165454]

  Mr. Morley
  Sites in England and Wales do not have vapour recovery hoods as the technology developed to recover ozone-depleting substances (generally mechanical recovery) incorporates alternative mechanisms to prevent gas release (e.g. vacuum sealing).

  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tonnes of CFCs were converted into inert substances in 2003; what her estimate is of how many tonnes of CFCs will be converted into inert substances in 2004; and what her target is for the conversion of CFCs into inert substances for 2004. [167238]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 22 April 2004]: Under EC Regulation 2037/2000 on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. CFCs must be recovered for destruction. The amount of CFCs destroyed in 2003 for the whole of the UK was 494,356 kg. Figures for 2004 are not available yet, but will need to be reported to the
  1022W
  European Commission by 31 March 2005 in order to fulfil the reporting requirements under Article 16 of the Regulation.

  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost to(a) central Government and (b) local government of an effective containment programme of hydrofluorocarbons leakage. [167239]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 22 April 2004]: The European Commission have proposed a Regulation on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases (hydrofluorocarbons/HFCs) which includes proposed containment measures as well as measures prohibiting the placing on the market of HFCs in certain uses.

  The Government provided an initial assessment of the costs of the proposed Regulation in a Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment, published in November 2003. The annualised costs were estimated to be in the range £74,000 to £225,000.

  These costs related to the compliance costs of the sectors directly affected by the proposal. Some of these costs may be passed on to the consumer. This initial assessment did not estimate anticipated enforcement costs for central/local government or other bodies.

  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was to(a) central Government and (b) local government of recovering, recycling and destroying CFCs from refrigeration and air conditioning equipment in each year for which figures are available; and what her estimates are for future expenditure. [167240]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 22 April 2004]: The cost to central Government of recovering, recycling and destroying CFCs from refrigeration and air conditioning equipment would have fallen mainly on the Government estate, but is not quantified.

  The Government provided an additional £46 million in England for the period 1 January 2002 to 31 March 2003 to cover the costs on local authorities of implementing the Regulation. The Spending Review 2002 provided an increase in the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services block Formula Spending Shares for 2003–04 onwards to cover the ongoing costs on local authorities.

  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the average decommissioning cost per refrigerator. [165857]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 19 April 2004]: The average decommissioning cost of a refrigerator is between £10 and £15.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the volume of emissions of hydrofluorocarbons in each of the last five years; and what forecast she has made of future emissions. [167480]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 22 April 2004]: The table shows total emissions of hydrofluorocarbons for the last five years for which estimates have been made, plus projections for 2010 and 2020. The historical estimates are from the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory,

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  1990–2002, published in April 2004. The projections are consistent with the inventory and were made by AEA Technology in a contract to Defra completed in July 2003. The data are expressed in terms of a unit equivalent to the emission of a thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide.

  UK emissions of hydrofiuorocarbons (kt CO2 equivalents)

  Emissions

  1998

  17,268

  1999

  10,830

  2000

  9,081

  2001

  9,728

  2002

  10,418

  2010

  11,563

  2020

  10,394

  In August 2003, the European Commission proposed a regulation on certain fluorinated gases intended to reduce further emissions of hydrofluorocarbons. The additional emission reduction achieved by this regulation will depend on the final outcome of EU negotiations.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the environmental effects of replacing chlorofluorocarbons with hydrofluorocarbons in new refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment; and if she will make a statement. [167481]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 22 April 2004]: The use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in new refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment has been prohibited under EC Regulation 2037/2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer. In practice, new most domestic refrigerators in the UK now use hydrocarbon (HCs) refrigerants rather than hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

  CFCs have a global warming potential (GWP) of 4,600–14,000, The HFCs in most common use in UK have GWPs in the range 650–3,800. Hydrocarbon refrigerants (e.g. propane, butane) have a GWP of 3.

  The change from CFCs to HCs is likely to result in a reduced impact on the climate from refrigeration emissions, due to their lower GWP. In 2002, emissions of HFCs from mobile air conditioning (MAC) were equivalent to 1,080 kilo tonnes of CO2.

  CFCs have an ozone depleting potential, whereas HFCs and HCs do not, so the die' of replacing CFCs with these refrigerants is to less en ozone depletion activity.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress is being made towards developing less environmentally damaging alternatives to hydrofluorocarbons in refrigeration and air-conditioning plant; and if she will make a statement. [167482]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 22 April 2004]: Alternatives to hydrofluorocarbons are already available. Hydrocarbons, ammonia and carbon dioxide can be used as the coolant in refrigeration and air-conditioning plant. The choice of coolant will depend on relative energy consumption, safety and other technical considerations.
  1024W
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information she has collated regarding(a) the number of sites in the United Kingdom for retrieving chlorofluorocarbons from domestic refrigerators and (b) the location of such sites; and what measures she is taking to facilitate the development of further sites. [167483]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 22 April 2004]: Under Article 16 of EC Regulation 2037/2000 the UK is required to submit details on the sites available for retrieving chlorofluorocarbons from domestic refrigerators. There are 24 sites in total. Details of these facilities and their locations are listed in an annex available in the Library of the House.

  The market will facilitate the development of further sites (if needed).

  Regulatory Guidance Note 6
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate the Environment Agency has made of the financial cost of implementing Regulatory Guidance Note 6; and who will bear which costs. [165269]

  Mr. Morley
  No cost estimate relating to Regulatory Guidance Note 6, covering the engineering requirements of Schedule 2 of the Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002, has been carried out by the Environment Agency or by my Department. This is an internal guidance note to assist environment agency staff to interpret and enforce the Regulations, but is published in the interests of transparency. It is subject to change as situations develop.

  A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of the Landfill Directive in England and Wales was published with the Second Consultation Paper on Implementation of Council Directive (1999/31/EC) on the Landfill of Waste. This is available on the Defra website (www.defra.gov.uk). The RIA indicates that at the extreme, waste producers will face an additional cost in the range of £97 million to £696 million as a result of implementing the Directive.

  The RIA also points out that increasing disposal costs will provide greater impetus to minimise, recycle and reuse waste and hence move the management of waste up the waste hierarchy. This outcome is a major objective of the Government's environmental policy and is supported by business, non-Government organisations and Select Committees of this House.

  River Invertebrates
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to increase invertebrate monitoring in rivers during summer months to identify serious insecticide pollution. [163079]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 24 March 2004]: The Environment Agency currently monitors 6,000 sites for invertebrates, covering a network of just under 40,000 km of river. Sites are sampled on a three-year rolling programme such that each year two samples are taken from a third of the sites. These samples are timed to give a good picture of the invertebrate population.
  1025W
  The Environment Agency and the Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) have recently commenced a research project to establish whether the actual use of agricultural pesticides, including insecticides, is causing unacceptable adverse effects on aquatic invertebrates and plants. The project will include intensive chemical and biological sampling of identified higher risk rivers and streams. This will provide field-based evidence on whether the way that plant protection products are currently approved and used is sufficiently protective of the aquatic environment.

  Sea Birds
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the ratification of the agreement on the conservation of albatrosses and petrels to be extended to include Tristan da Cunha. [168002]

  Mr. Morley
  The Government ratified the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels on 2 April for the UK and three Overseas Territories. We are working hard to extend the ratification to Tristan da Cunha and will do so as soon as possible.

  IACS Forms
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will extend the deadline of 17 May for completion by farmers of integrated administration and control system forms. [167608]

  Alun Michael
  A deadline of 15 May for the submission of the Integrated Administration and Control System forms is set out in Article 8(2) of Council Regulation 1251/1999.

  Where a submission deadline falls on a public holiday or a weekend there is provision within Article 6(2) of Council Regulation 3508/1992 as amended by 1593/ 2000 for the deadline to be amended to fall on the first working day following. Therefore, as 15 May 2004 falls on a Saturday the deadline for submission has been set as 17 May.

  There is no further scope within the regulations to extend the deadline beyond 17 May.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason this year's integrated administration and control system forms have had to be reprinted; and when they will be posted to farmers. [167609]

  Alun Michael
  This year's Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) forms have not had to be reprinted.

  All IACS forms were dispatched in early April and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) believes that they should all by now have been delivered to producers. However, the RPA has advised via an advertisement placed in the farming press and on its website that where forms have not been received producers should contact their RPA processing site.

  Rats (Sewers)
  Paddy Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussion 1026W
  she has had with local authorities on the (a) working and (b) effectiveness of the Water UK protocol on sewer baiting for rats; and if she will make a statement. [162399]

  Mr. Morley
  We recently sought the views of all Chief Executives of local authorities in England and Wales on how well the liaison arrangements between water companies and local authorities are working in relation to sewer baiting for rats. We asked them to identify which parts of the Water UK protocol were working well and those aspects where improvements might be made. The results of that review will be considered by the Rats in Sewers Working Group.

  Thames Barrier
  Richard Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Ford and Rural Affairs what circumstances have led to an increase in use of the Thames Barrier; and whether this has been due to long-term changes in national phenomena. [166014]

  Mr. Morley
  The Thames Barrier is closed to protect London from extreme high tidal waters generated by 'storm surge' in the North Sea and to provide storage for extreme freshwater flows, which would threaten West London, and combinations of these phenomena.

  The Thames Barrier has been closed on 67 occasions in the last 10 years during the winter flood seasons.

  Mean sea level and extreme tidal waters are expected to increase as the south east of England continues to fall relative to sea level. This was factored into the design of the barrier and closures for extreme high tides are within those expected when the barrier began operation. Closures due to extreme freshwater flows are harder to predict, but the winters of 2000–01 and 2002–03 were two of the wettest on record.

  It is too early to say whether these trends are anthropogenically driven or part of the natural variance. It is also possible that extreme freshwater flows have been affected by changes in the land use of the Thames catchment.

  Sea level rise, tidal surge extremes, tidal propagation, wave driven storminess, freshwater flows and combinations of these phenomena are all expected to be affected by climate change. The uncertainty for the future flood regime is high and creates a challenge for the long term financial and environmental planning in the Thames Estuary.

  The Environment Agency are aware of these challenges and are already two years into TE2100, a project that will deliver by 2008–09 a flood risk management plan for the next 100 years. As well as the continued use of the Barrier, a number of flood risk management measures are also being considered.

  Tobacco
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what area of land is used to grow tobacco in each EU(a) member state and (b) accession country; how much subsidy was given for tobacco growing in each EU member state in 2003–04; and how much will be given to each EU member state in 2004–05. [167068]
  1027W
  Alun Michael
  The area of land used to grow tobacco in the producer member states and in new member states is:

  2002(1,00ha)

  Member states

  Area of land

  EU15:

  Belgium

  0.381

  Germany

  4.789

  Greece

  154.77

  Spain

  11.5

  France

  8.901

  Italy

  37.676

  Austria

  0.116

  Portugal

  1.901

  EU25:

  Cyprus

  10.077

  Hungary

  5.477

  Poland

  10.296

  Slovak Republic

  1.1

  Total

  136.984

  12001 figures

  Source:

  Eurostat CRONOS

  The tobacco premia paid in 2002 (the latest year for which figures are available) is:

  Million euro

  Member states

  Amount

  Belgium

  3.9

  Germany

  35.1

  Greece

  369.0

  Spain

  115.4

  France

  80.4

  Italy

  330.8

  Austria

  0.9

  Portugal

  16.3

  Total

  951.8

  Source:

  Official Journal of the European Union 23/2/04.

  Payments in 2004–05 will be based on claims for tobacco that has not yet, or only just, been planted. The information requested is therefore not available. However, the EU budget provision for expenditure on tobacco premia in 2004 is 929 million euro.

  Warm Front Scheme
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Burnley have benefited from the Warm Front Scheme. [168304]

  Mr. Morley
  Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 3,500 households in Burnley received assistance from the scheme.

  Waste Management
  John McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the potential adverse(a) environmental and (b) health impacts of waste incineration arc; and what measures the Government has introduced to deal with these impacts. [163609]
  1028W
  Mr. Morley
  An independent review of the environmental and health effects of all waste management options for municipal solid waste and similar wastes is currently being prepared. This review, which includes incineration, is in response to a recommendation in the Strategy Unit report "Waste not, Want not". It brings together for the first time, existing literature and evidence on the health and environmental effects of managing municipal solid waste. We aim to publish the report within the next month or so.

  Emission standards, which seek to limit environmental and health impacts, apply to waste incinerators as they do to all energy from waste facilities, and are enforced by the Environment Agency. These are European wide discharge standards, which are equally applicable to old and new facilities. We are currently implementing the new Waste Incineration Directive (WID), which is an extremely tough directive that will further tighten the emissions standards in this country. The older generation of incinerators has now been replaced with newer, cleaner technology, and most municipal waste incinerators in this country already meet the new, tougher, standards.

  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of a UK company's turnover on average accounts for the cost of managing waste for(a) chemical firms, (b) construction firms and (c) manufacturing firms employing more than 500 people. [165267]

  Mr. Morley
  We do not have this information in the format requested. Envirowise, which is a Government-funded programme offering waste minimisation advice to business, estimate that the average true cost of waste for businesses, as percentage of turnover, is 4.8 per cent. Only about one-tenth of this is the cost of disposing of that waste.

  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what definition she has of hazardous waste; and what plans she has to amend this definition. [165268]

  Mr. Morley
  Hazardous waste is defined in the Hazardous Waste Directive as waste featuring on a list drawn up by the European Commission and which has one or more of the hazardous properties listed in Annex III to that Directive. Any other waste considered by a member state to display any of the properties listed in Annex III will also fall within this definition. The European Commission implemented a new list of hazardous waste in January 2002.

  In England and Wales, hazardous waste is already defined in some legislation on the basis of the new European definition, for example, with respect to landfill. However, for the purposes of the Special Waste Regulations 1996, which control the tracking and movement of special waste, the definition of special (hazardous) waste is on the basis of a list of hazardous waste drawn up by the European Commission in 1994.

  1029W
  The Government propose to replace the Special Waste Regulations with new Regulations for hazardous waste in England to come into force in 2005. These will revoke the existing definition of special waste and implement the new European definition.

  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what date has been set for the publication of the Government's report on the environmental and health impacts of waste disposal. [167760]

  Mr. Morley
  We have received the final report from its authors as well as comments from the peer review panel at the Royal Society. We are aiming to publish the report shortly.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the consultation paper on waste management controls is expected to be introduced. [168083]

  Mr. Morley
  We propose to consult later in the spring on a draft of the Regulations necessary to repeal section 75(7)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and to apply the Waste Framework Directive and the Landfill Directive to agricultural waste and to non-mineral mines and quarries waste. We also expect to consult shortly thereafter on draft regulations which will implement the current review of waste permitting. New Hazardous Waste Regulations will also be put out for consultation later this year.

  Waste Research Strategy
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to conclude work on the waste research strategy. [165262]

  Mr. Morley
  The three-year waste research strategy is due to be completed in the summer and will be based on advice form the Waste Resources and Research Advisory Group and input from stakeholders.

  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many companies have benefited from assistance through the Waste Implementation Programme. [165310]

  Mr. Morley
  Much of the direct funding and assistance available through the Waste Implementation Programme (WIP) is directed at local authorities to help with the challenges of long-term progress in sustainable waste management, sufficient to meet the Article 5 targets of the EU Landfill Directive. It has been estimated that the additional investment needed from local authorities to meet these targets could be as high as £600–£700 million per annum over the next 10 years. This would largely be spent through contracts with the private sector. Waste Private Finance Initiative (PFI) is a key part of this approach, and has been managed through WIP since 2003. Nine major waste PFI contracts have been let to private companies, and nine more local authorities have either had their proposals approved, or are in the process of applying for PFI credits.
  1030W
  In addition, WIP is seeking to provide improved data and research to industry, and to encourage local authorities to work more effectively with waste companies. And a major programme of new technology pilots for more innovative waste management practices is being taken forward in partnership with industry and local authorities.

  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the budget for research through the Waste Implementation Programme is in 2004–05. [165311]

  Mr. Morley
  In 2004–05, the Government have allocated £5 million to research into sustainable waste management through the Waste Implementation Programme. This is a priority area, which will contribute to the development of a sound evidence base for policy development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

  Water Prices
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to publish the departmental guidelines on the five-year review of water prices. [159189]

  Mr. Morley
  The Secretary of State published her Principal Guidance to the Director General of Water Services on the 2004 Periodic Review on 11 March.

  The Secretary of State's Final Guidance will be published in the autumn.

SCOTLAND

  Advertising Campaigns
  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to his answer of 26 February 2004,Official Report , column 485W, on publicity campaigns, on what advertising campaigns the Scotland Office spent money in 2002–03. [164651]

  Mrs. McGuire
  During 2002–03 the Scotland Office incurred expenditure on advertising campaigns relating to the consultation on the size of the Scottish Parliament and expenditure by the Office of the Advocate-General on statutory public notices.

  There was also expenditure by the Boundary Commission for Scotland on statutory notices relating to electoral boundaries.

  Civil Servants
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each civil service grade within his Department, the total number of staff employed, broken down by(a) gender, (b) ethnic group; and how many are registered disabled. [166403]

  Mrs. McGuire
  Data on staffing levels in the Civil Service are collected by the Cabinet Office and published in "Civil Service Statistics". A copy of "Civil Service
  1031W
  Statistics 2002" is available in the Library, and at: www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics. The 2003 edition will be published in summer 2004.

  More recent staffing information is available in the Scotland Office Departmental Report 2003.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Cinema Facilities
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what requirements there are on cinemas to provide facilities for deaf people. [168898]

  Estelle Morris
  The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) requires service providers to ensure access to their goods and services. However, such things as the provision of subtitles are likely to fall under the remit of product or service design, which is not currently covered under the auspices of the DDA.

  As part of its £500,000 National Lottery funded Cinema Access Programme, the UK Film Council's Distribution and Exhibition Fund has allocated £350,000 towards a pilot project for the installation of captioning and audio-description equipment in 78 cinemas across England.

  A web-based film information service, www.yourlocalcinema.com http://www.yourlocalcinema.com/ has also received £50,000 over three years to inform those with sensory impairments about films being screened at local cinemas in England.

  £60,000 has been allocated to assist distributors films with lower marketing budgets meet the cost of audio description and subtitling of prints.

  Finally, £40,000 has been earmarked for a research project that will look into consumer issues relating to the current technical means of overcoming the barriers faced by customers with sensory impairments.

  Libraries (Digitisation)
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been spent on the digitisation of content in libraries in Preston since 1997. [168140]

  Estelle Morris
  This information is not held centrally.

  The New Opportunities Fund £50 million Digitisation of Learning Materials Programme has delivered 150 projects across the UK to enable resources which support learning of all kinds held in libraries as well as museums, archives and other public-sector institutions, to be made available online through the People's Network and the National Grid for Learning. This initiative has created a body of material containing over 2 million images, tens of thousands of sound and video clips and documents and over 1,000 learning packages. All projects can be accessed via the EnrichUK portal at: http://www.enrichuk.net

  Information on grants awarded to individual local authorities and their expenditure can be obtained from the relevant authority.
  1032W

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  Adult Education (Bootle)
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what public funding has been spent on adult(a) literacy and (b) numeracy in Bootle in the last five years. [169178]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The estimated total spend on Skills For Life (the Government's strategy for literacy, language and numeracy needs of all post-16 learners from pre-entry level up to and including level 2) and on Key Skills (essential skills of communication, application of number and information technology), from April 2001 to July 2003, in the Greater Merseyside Learning and Skills Council (LSC) area is set out in the table.

  £000

  Basic skills

  Key skills

  April 2001 to July 2001

  3,803

  1,094

  August 2001 to July 2002

  6,575

  1,564

  August 2002 to July 2003

  10,677

  1,755

  Note:

  The figures for April to July 2001 include costs incurred from August 2000 on learning aims continuing into April 2001.

  From the information available to the LSC it has not been feasible to obtain estimates at constituency level or separate figures by subject without incurring disproportionate cost. Likewise it has not been feasible to obtain comparable figures for periods before April 2001 when the Skills for Life strategy was launched and the LSC was formed, but information shows it was considerably less than at present.

  Class Sizes (Preston)
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Preston were taught in classes of more than 30 on the latest date for which figures are available. [168132]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Maintained primary and secondary schools1 number of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils taught by one teacher—Preston Parliamentary Constituency

  January 2003

  Total pupils in all classes

  Number of pupils in classes of 31 or more

  Number of pupils

  Percentage of pupils

  Maintained Primary

  7,736

  1,686

  21.8

  Maintained Secondary

  3,627

  646

  17.8

  1 Includes middle schools as deemed.

  2 Percentage of pupils in those classes expressed as a percentage of pupils in all classes taught by one teacher.

  Source:

  Annual Schools' Census

  Computers
  Mr. Peter Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in Liverpool, Walton have received a computer to assist in seeking employment or retraining. [166963]

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in Manchester, Gorton have received a computer to assist in seeking employment or retraining. [167434]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  At present no centrally funded schemes exist that provide people with a free or low cost computer to assist in seeking employment or retraining.

  Condover Hall School
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he made of the educational effects on students of closing Condover Hall School. [168008]

  Mr. Miliband
  All pupils currently attending Condover Hall School have statements of special educational needs. Local education authorities placing pupils at Condover Hall have a duty to arrange the educational provision specified in their statements. That responsibility will continue after Condover Hall has closed and the children have transferred to alternative schools.

  Education (Heywood and Middleton)
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how much funding each school in Heywood and Middleton has received from the New Deal for Schools; [168499]

  (2) how much public money was spent on repairing schools in Heywood and Middleton in each year since 1997. [168497]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 23 April 2004]: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Heywood and Middleton have benefited from the Excellence in Cities programme; and what the per pupil spending was in each year since the programme's inception. [168500]

  Mr. Miliband
  The table as follows shows the number of children in Heywood and Middleton benefiting from EiC, and the annual spend per pupil for the years in question.

  Number of children

  Total EiC expenditure1 (£)

  Spend per pupil (£)

  2000–01

  5,856

  410,307

  70.07

  2001–02

  7,640

  688,572

  90.13

  2002–03

  7,753

  1,074,454

  138.59

  2003–04

  7,679

  2,074,823

  270.19

  1Funding figures were supplied by the Senior Finance Officer for Rochdale

  The large increase in the rate of EiC funding in 2002–03 is due to the extra funding provided through
  1034W
  the Behaviour Improvement Programme and the increase in 2003–04 is due to the extra funding provided through the Leadership Incentive Grant.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in Heywood and Middleton deemed to be failing since 1997 have since reached satisfactory standards. [168501]

  Mr. Miliband
  Two schools in Heywood and Middleton, one primary and one secondary, have been deemed to require special measures since 1997 and have since recovered and reached satisfactory standards.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 15 and 16-year-olds in Heywood and Middleton achieved five or more GCSEs at grade A*-C or GNVQ equivalent in each of the last seven years. [168504]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is as follows:

  Percentage of 15-year-old pupils1 achieving five or more grades A*-C

  Percentage

  Academic year

  Heywood and Middleton parliamentary constituency

  England

  1997

  33.1

  45.1

  1998

  35.9

  46.3

  1999

  38.2

  47.9

  2000

  37.3

  49.2

  2001

  40.9

  50.0

  2002

  39.5

  51.6

  2003

  43.5

  52.9

  1GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year ie 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many women in Heywood and Middleton have visited an information and communications technology training centre in order to learn skills to return to work. [168510]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  In the period October 20031—March 2004, 3,030 people visited a UK online centre in the Heywood and Middleton constituency. 1697(56 per cent.) of these people were women.

  Since learndirect was launched in 1999, 1,411 people from the Heywood and Middleton Constituency have enrolled on a learndirect course. 769 (55 per cent.) of these people were women. Of the total number of women who enrolled on a course, 2 per cent. did so in order to learn skills to return to work.

  1 Please note the complete statistics are not available for UK online prior to September 2003 as the DfES did not collect this data on a centre by centre basis.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many residents of Heywood and Middleton have undertaken apprenticeships in each of the last five years. [168514]
  1035W
  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The information requested is not available at parliamentary constituency level. Nor is the information available on a consistent geographical basis over the last five years. However, the following table shows the number of starts on modern apprenticeships in the Greater Manchester Learning and Skills Council (LSC) area between April 2001 and the end of July 2003, as well as the number of starts from April 1996 to March 2001 in the six Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) that amalgamated into Greater Manchester LSC— Bolton and Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and High Peak and Wigan.

  Time period and TEC/LSC

  Advanced MAs

  Foundation MAs

  April 1998 to March 1999

  Bolton and Bury CCTE

  800

  600

  Manchester

  2,400

  700

  Oldham CCTE

  400

  300

  Rochdale CCTE

  500

  100

  Stockport and High Peak1

  800

  100

  Wigan CCTE

  700

  300

  April 1999 to March 2000

  Bolton and Bury CCTE

  900

  1,000

  Manchester

  2,800

  1,800

  Oldham CCTE

  500

  500

  Rochdale CCTE

  500

  600

  Stockport and High Peak1

  700

  700

  Wigan CCTE

  700

  600

  April 2000 to March 2001

  Bolton and Bury CCTE

  700

  1,200

  Manchester

  3,200

  2,600

  Oldham CCTE

  500

  700

  Rochdale CCTE

  400

  700

  Stockport and High Peak1

  800

  1,000

  Wigan CCTE

  900

  800

  April 2001 to July 2002

  Greater Manchester LSC

  4,800

  9,800

  March 2001 to July 2002

  Greater Manchester LSC

  2,900

  6,800

  1TEC also became part of Derbyshire LSC.

  Note:

  TECs reported the figures in financial years. LSC reports figures in academic years. The first LSC 'year' was 16 months in order to bring the financial year figures into line with academic years.

  Sources:

  TEC management information.

  LSC Individualised Learner Record.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what public funding has been spent on adult(a) literacy and (b) numeracy in Heywood and Middleton in each of the last five years. [168577]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The estimated total spend on Skills For Life (the Government's strategy for literacy, language and numeracy needs of all post-16 learners from pre-entry level up to and including level 2) and on Key Skills (essential skills of communication, application of number and information technology), from April 2001 to July 2003, in the Greater Manchester Learning and Skills Council (LSC) area is set out in the table:1036W

  £000

  Basic skills

  Key skills

  April 2001 to July 20011

  8,925

  2,598

  August 2001 to July 2002

  15,369

  3,586

  August 2002 to July 2003

  27,258

  4,210

  Note:

  1The figures for April to July 2001 include costs incurred from August 2000 on learning aims continuing into April 2001.

  From the information available to the LSC it has not been feasible to obtain estimates at constituency level or separate figures by subject without incurring disproportionate cost. Likewise it has not been feasible to obtain comparable figures for periods before April 2001 when the Skills for Life strategy was launched and the LSC was formed, but information shows it was considerably less than at present.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there were in Heywood and Middleton on the latest date for which figures are available; and what steps he is taking to reduce them. [168578]

  Mr. Miliband
  Information on teacher vacancies is not available by constituency as it is collected at local education authority level. In January 2003, the latest information available, there were 13 full-time teacher vacancies in Rochdale local education authority.

  Like other areas, since 1997 Rochdale has benefited from the initiatives that the Government have put in place to recruit and retain teachers and to increase the number of staff supporting them in schools. Since 1997, the number of full-time equivalent regular teachers in maintained schools in the former Lancashire LEA area has risen by 60, from 1,830 to 1,890 in 2003. Over the same period, the number of full-time equivalent school support staff in the area has grown by 610 from 510 to 1,120 in 2003.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching assistants there were in schools in Heywood and Middleton(a) in each of the last seven years and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. [168579]

  Mr. Miliband
  The following table gives the numbers of full time equivalent teaching assistants in maintained schools in Heywood and Middleton constituency for each year between 1997 and 2003, the latest year for which data are available.

  Number

  1997

  110

  1998

  120

  1999

  130

  2000

  150

  2001

  240

  2002

  300

  2003

  320

  Source:

  Annual Schools' Census.

  Education (Stalybridge and Hyde)
  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many residents of Stalybridge and Hyde have undertaken apprenticeships in each of the last five years. [168749]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The information requested is not available at parliamentary constituency level. Nor is the information available on a consistent geographical basis over the last five years. However, the table shows the number of starts on modern apprenticeships in the Greater Manchester Learning and Skills Council (LSC) area between April 2001 and the end of July 2003, as well as the number of starts from April 1996 to March 2001 in the six Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) that amalgamated into Greater Manchester—Bolton and Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and High Peak and Wigan.

  Advanced Foundation

  Time period

  TEC/LSC

  Advanced MAs

  Foundation MAs

  April 1998 to March 1999

  Bolton and Bury CCTE

  800

  600

  Manchester

  2,400

  700

  Oldham CCTE

  400

  300

  Rochdale CCTE

  500

  100

  Stockport and High Peak1

  800

  100

  Wigan CCTE

  700

  300

  April 1999 to March 2000

  Bolton and Bury CCTE

  900

  1000

  Manchester

  2,800

  1,800

  Oldham CCTE

  500

  500

  Rochdale CCTE

  500

  600

  Stockport and High Peak1

  700

  700

  Wigan CCTE

  700

  600

  April 2000 to March 2001

  Bolton and Bury CCTE

  700

  1,200

  Manchester

  3,200

  2,600

  Oldham CCTE

  500

  700

  Rochdale CCTE

  400

  700

  Stockport and High Peak1

  800

  1,000

  Wigan CCTE

  900

  800

  April 2001 to July 2002

  Greater Manchester LSC

  4,800

  9,800

  March 2001 to July 2002

  Greater Manchester LSC

  2,900

  6,800

  1Denotes TEC also became part of Derbyshire LSC

  Note:

  TECs reported the figures in financial years. LSC reports figures in academic years. The first LSC 'year' was 16 months in order to bring the financial year figures into line with academic years.

  Source:

  TEC management information

  LSC Individualised Learner Record

  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 15 and 16-year-olds in Stalybridge and Hyde achieved five or more GCSEs at grade A* to C or GNVQ equivalent in each of the last seven years. [168753]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is as follows.
  1038W

  Percentage of 15-year-old pupils1 achieving five or more grades A*-C

  Percentage

  Academic year

  Stalybridge and Hyde parliamentary constituency

  England

  1997

  36.0

  45.1

  1998

  35.6

  46.3

  1999

  38.6

  47.9

  2000

  40.9

  49.2

  2001

  42.5

  50.0

  2002

  39.9

  51.6

  2003

  47.2

  52.9

  1GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year ie 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Stalybridge and Hyde have benefited from the Excellence in Cities programme; and what the per pupil spending was in each year since the programme's inception. [168755]

  Mr. Miliband
  There are currently 11 schools in Stalybridge and Hyde Constituency that are included in the Excellence in Cities; three secondary schools and eight primaries. The following table shows the number of children in the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency benefiting; and the annual spend per pupil for the years in question:

  Number of children

  Total EiC expenditure* (£)

  Spend per pupil (£)

  2001–02

  4,544

  320,806.4

  70.6

  2002–03

  4,583

  557,292.8

  121.6

  2003–04

  4,805

  1,667,000

  212.9

  The large increase in the rate of EiC funding in 2003–04 is due to the extra funding provided through the Leadership Incentive Grant, which came on stream in 2003.

  Excellence in Cities

  Excellence in Cities was launched in March 1999 as a targeted programme of support for deprived secondary schools in our major cities. It has since expanded beyond the cities and now covers 57 whole authority areas as well as 51 Excellence Clusters covering smaller pockets of deprivation. The Tameside Excellence Cluster started in September 2001.

  EiC provides resources and a coherent programme of strategies focused on:

  Teaching and Learning
  enhanced opportunities for gifted and talented children
  study support
  strategic use of specialist and Leading Edge schools and
  City Learning Centres providing IT support for CPD and the curriculum;

  Behaviour and Attendance
  Learning Mentors, Learning Support Units and
  Behaviour Improvement Programme and
  1039W
  Leadership
  Leadership Incentive Grant.

  Primary EiC

  EiC is also expanding to provide behavioural support and extended opportunities for gifted and talented children in our most deprived primary schools. This help will include all schools meeting the relevant criteria, and will provide the support they need to ensure that their most disadvantaged pupils are better able to access the national primary strategy.

  Results

  The EiC programme is now paying off. GCSE exam results last year were the best yet for EiC schools. Results for 2001 and 2003 show that EiC is making an impact on closing the achievement gap. Results in terms of pupils achieving five good GCSEs or equivalent, improved at about twice the rate overall in EiC schools than schools elsewhere.

  There was also a significant impact on behaviour and attendance—with standards again improving fastest in EiC schools.

  In the Hyde schools, the improvement rate, at this stage, is more mixed. The Hyde primary school results set out below are based on an aggregate of the three percentages of pupils achieving level 4 or above in English, Maths and Science:
  Arundale Primary School went from 145 to 181 an increase of 36 points
  Dowson Primary School went from 236 to 247 an increase of 11 points
  Gee Cross Holy Trinity CofE Primary School went from 241 to 248 an increase of seven points
  Godley Community Primary School went from 256 to 206 a decrease of 50 points
  Greenfield Primary School and Early Years Centre went form 140 to 178 an increase of 38 points
  Leigh Primary School went from 213 to 147 a decrease of 66 points
  Pinfold Primary School went from 240 to 230 a decrease of 10 points
  St. George's CofE Primary School went from 279 to 259 a decrease of 20 points.

  The secondary school results are based on achievement at 5+ A*-C GCSE show:
  Alder Community High School opened after January 2003
  Hyde Technology School and Hearing Impaired Resource Base went from 63 per cent. to 53 per cent. decrease of 10 per cent.
  Longdendale High School went from 44 per cent. to 47 per cent. an in crease of 3 per cent.

  There was a 2.9 per cent. increase in the national rate of improvement between 2001 and 2003.

  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching assistants there were in schools in Stalybridge and Hyde(a) in each of the last seven years and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. [168760]

  Number of children for whom statements were made for the first time. Position in January each year. Children for whom local education authorities maintain a statement of SEN

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  Bedfordshire1

  530

  401

  264

  358

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Bedfordshire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  315

  385

  364

  305

  295

  352

  Buckinghamshire1

  705

  660

  472

  589

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Buckinghamshire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  440

  382

  250

  338

  340

  311

  1040W
  Mr. Miliband
  The following table gives the numbers of full time equivalent teaching assistants in maintained schools in Stalybridge and Hyde constituency for each year between 1997 and 2003, the latest year for which data are available.

  Number

  1997

  130

  1998

  130

  1999

  130

  2000

  150

  2001

  210

  2002

  130

  2003

  170

  Source:

  Annual Schools' Census.

  Education Psychologists
  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many education psychologists there were per child in(a) primary education, (b) secondary education, (c) primary schools serving special educational needs and (d) secondary schools serving special educational needs in each year since 1997. [168635]

  Mr. Miliband
  Information on the number of education psychologists is not available by phase of education. The following table gives the number of pupils in all phases per educational psychologist in England for each year from 1997 to 2003, the latest information available.

  Number

  1997

  4,210

  1998

  4,200

  1999

  4,050

  2000

  3,940

  2001

  3,900

  2002

  3,770

  2003

  3,490

  Source:

  Annual survey of Teachers in Service and Teacher Vacancies (educational psychologists) and Annual Schools Census (pupil numbers).

  Educational psychologists are employed by local education authorities. Decisions on their deployment and use are therefore matters for LEAs to determine in the light of local circumstances and available resources.

  Education Statements
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children have received statements in Gloucestershire in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; what the figures are for other shire counties; and if he will make a statement. [168061]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 23 April 2004]: The information requested is shown in the table.
  1041W

  Number of children for whom statements were made for the first time. Position in January each year. Children for whom local education authorities maintain a statement of SEN

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  Cambridgeshire1

  547

  725

  603

  633

  583

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Cambridgeshire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  334

  394

  356

  385

  299

  Cheshire1

  946

  1,022

  727

  784

  756

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Cheshire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  421

  446

  436

  459

  482

  Cornwall

  445

  515

  491

  488

  463

  499

  374

  395

  355

  437

  Cumbria

  829

  515

  402

  420

  416

  436

  356

  272

  356

  346

  Derbyshire1

  4—

  779

  1,025

  843

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Derbyshire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  426

  783

  592

  719

  572

  472

  Devon1

  604

  689

  807

  832

  923

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Devon2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  369

  432

  401

  347

  300

  Dorset1

  496

  605

  202

  351

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Dorset2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  303

  219

  251

  301

  297

  164

  Durham1

  505

  661

  478

  552

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Durham2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  483

  510

  551

  578

  461

  160

  EastSussex1

  864

  792

  538

  405

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  East Sussex2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  251

  245

  362

  291

  264

  304

  Essex1

  1,101

  1,035

  632

  754

  790

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Essex2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  521

  612

  546

  591

  609

  Gloucestershire

  454

  518

  358

  459

  311

  344

  503

  414

  458

  372

  Hampshire1

  1,411

  1,569

  700

  604

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Hampshire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  507

  673

  537

  488

  583

  609

  Hertfordshire

  785

  1,146

  864

  802

  801

  395

  441

  376

  455

  530

  Isles of Scilly

  2

  5

  2

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  1

  2

  Kent1

  1,308

  1,302

  1,480

  1,241

  1,271

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Kent2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  1,141

  1,470

  1,151

  1,050

  708

  Lancashire1

  1,468

  1,816

  2,253

  1,704

  1,661

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Lancashire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  1,022

  1,143

  1,083

  950

  956

  Leicestershire1

  580

  685

  1,129

  639

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Leicestershire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  469

  398

  360

  362

  400

  471

  Lincolnshire

  650

  579

  545

  538

  412

  269

  408

  375

  466

  533

  Norfolk

  778

  940

  992

  473

  562

  459

  461

  401

  468

  502

  North Yorkshire1

  470

  466

  551

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  North Yorkshire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  353

  440

  359

  372

  365

  426

  356

  Northamptonshire

  477

  452

  377

  439

  397

  456

  363

  413

  484

  398

  Nottinghamshire1

  123

  239

  207

  242

  236

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Nottinghamshire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  116

  119

  106

  115

  102

  Oxfordshire

  443

  491

  368

  367

  330

  403

  302

  336

  348

  400

  Shropshire1

  354

  455

  521

  473

  495

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Shropshire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  304

  205

  160

  209

  185

  Somerset

  379

  511

  534

  305

  233

  233

  219

  202

  168

  75

  Staffordshire1

  895

  990

  614

  847

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Staffordshire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  4—

  896

  1,078

  654

  850

  759

  Suffolk

  522

  737

  430

  461

  312

  494

  489

  562

  494

  444

  Surrey

  755

  925

  567

  645

  628

  644

  574

  665

  721

  699

  Warwickshire

  552

  607

  326

  283

  365

  394

  351

  339

  290

  325

  West Sussex

  592

  673

  654

  591

  685

  686

  461

  497

  521

  497

  Wiltshire1

  333

  228

  351

  419

  3

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Wiltshire2

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  398

  222

  223

  230

  251

  226

  1 Before local government reorganisation

  2 After local government reorganisation

  3 Not applicable

  4 Not available

  Source:

  SEN2 Surveys

  Educational Attainment
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of students achieved five GCSEs (A*-C) and one GCSE or more (A*-G) broken

  Percentage of 15-year-olds achieving 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE/GNVQ

  Type of school

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  (a) Specialist schools

  52.0

  52.4

  53.3

  53.9

  54.1

  54.7

  56.5

  (b) Grammar Schools

  94.1

  95.9

  96.7

  97.6

  97.5

  97.5

  97.5

  (c) Faith Schools

  50.1

  51.1

  53.3

  54.6

  55.4

  57.4

  59.5

  (d) Maintained schools

  42.2

  43.5

  45.3

  46.7

  47.5

  49.1

  50.6

  (e) Independent schools

  80.4

  80.7

  80.9

  81.4

  82.0

  82.5

  82.4

  England average

  45.1

  46.3

  47.9

  49.2

  50.0

  51.6

  52.9

  1042W
  down by (a) specialist schools, (b) grammar schools, (c) faith schools, (d) maintained schools and (e) independent schools, in each year since 1997. [167581]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is shown in the tables.
  1043W

  Percentage of 15-year-olds achieving 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE/GNVQ

  Type of school

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  (a) Specialist schools

  96.1

  96.5

  97.0

  97.0

  96.8

  96.7

  96.6

  (b) Grammar Schools

  99.3

  99.9

  99.9

  100.0

  99.7

  99.7

  99.8

  (c) Faith Schools

  95.7

  96.5

  96.8

  97.2

  97.2

  97.1

  97.0

  (d) Maintained schools

  92.3

  93.5

  94.1

  94.6

  94.6

  94.7

  94.9

  (e) Independent schools

  92.6

  92.8

  92.2

  92.4

  93.3

  93.1

  93.2

  England average

  92.3

  93.4

  94.0

  94.4

  94.5

  94.6

  94.8

  Notes:

  1. (a), (b) and (c) are based on maintained mainstream schools only. The groups of schools are not mutually exclusive.

  2. All figures are unadjusted.

  3. (a) Specialist schools operational at the start of the relevant academic year. Includes some schools which have since been de-designated as specialist. Year-on-year comparisons should not be made, due to the increasing numbers of specialist schools in the time series.

  4. (b) Grammar schools—selective schools as included in Performance Tables

  Examination Results
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 15 and 16 year olds in Burnley achieved five + GCSEs at gride A*-C or GNVQ equivalent in each of the last seven years. [167929]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is as follows:

  Percentage of 15 year old pupils1 achieving five or more grades A* -C

  Percentage

  Academic year

  Burnley parliamentary constituency

  England

  1997

  40.0

  45.1

  1998

  42.3

  46.3

  1999

  43.9

  47.9

  2000

  41.2

  49.2

  2001

  44.5

  50.0

  2002

  42.5

  51.6

  2003

  41.4

  52.9

  1 GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 15 and 16 year olds in Preston achieved five + GCSEs at grade A*-C or GNVQ equivalent in each of the last seven years. [168122]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is as follows:

  Percentage of 15 year old pupils1 achieving five or more grades A* -C

  Percentage

  Academic year

  Preston parliamentary constituency

  England

  1997

  32.7

  45.1

  1998

  35.7

  46.3

  1999

  37.2

  47.9

  2000

  41.6

  49.2

  2001

  38.4

  50.0

  2002

  44.4

  51.6

  2003

  45.2

  52.9

  1GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

  Excellence in Cities Programme
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Burnley have benefited from the Excellence in Cities programme; and what the per pupil spending was in each year since the programme's inception. [167925]

  Mr. Miliband
  The following schools in Burnley have been included in the Excellence in Cities programme since September 2001:

  Secondary

  Barden High School

  St. Hilda's RC Primary School

  Towneley High School

  Edge End High School

  Walshaw High School

  Primary

  Barden Junior School

  Brunshaw Primary School

  Heasandford Primary School

  St. John the Baptist RC Primary

  St. Mary's RC Primary School

  Stoneyholme Primary School

  Casterton Primary School

  Springfield Primary School

  Lomeshaye Junior School

  Marsden Primary School

  The following table shows the number of children in Burnley benefiting, and the annual spend per pupil for the years in question.

  Number of children

  Total EiC expenditure (£)

  Additional spend per pupil (£)

  2001–02

  4,853

  540,555

  94.6

  2002–03

  4,615

  919,500

  174.1

  2003–04

  4,540

  1,544,500

  340.1

  The large increase in the rate of EiC funding in 2002–03 is due to the extra funding provided through the Leadership Incentive Grant which came on stream in 2003. It also includes a full financial year's funding for the Burnley Excellence Cluster.
  1045W
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Preston have benefited from the Excellence in Cities programme; and what the per pupil spending was in each year since the programme's inception. [168129]

  Mr. Miliband
  The following schools in Preston have been included in the Excellence in Cities programme since December 2002:

  Ashton Primary School

  Ashton-on-Ribble High School

  Ashton-on-Ribble St Andrew!s Church of England

  Primary School

  Christ The King Catholic High School, Preston

  Deepdale Infants' School

  Deepdale Junior School

  Fishwick Primary School

  Frenchwood Community Primary School

  Lea Community Primary School

  Moor Nook Community Primary School

  Moor Park High School

  Preston Greenlands Community Primary School

  Preston St Matthew's Church of England Primary School

  Ribbleton Avenue Infant School

  Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School

  Ribbleton Hall High School

  St Augustine's Catholic Primary School

  St Ignatius' Catholic Primary School

  St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Preston

  St Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Preston

  The following table shows the number of children in Preston benefiting, and the annual spend per pupil for the years in question.

  Number of children

  Total EiC expenditure (£)

  Spend per pupil (£)

  2002–03

  5,987

  307,000

  51.2

  2003–04

  6,490

  2,150,000

  331.2

  The large increase in the rate of EiC funding in 2003–04 is due to the extra funding provided through the Leadership Incentive Grant and Behaviour Improvement Programme which came on stream in 2003. It also includes a full financial year's funding for the City of Preston Excellence Cluster.

  Foundation Degrees
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time students enrolled on courses at higher education institutions in London in each of the last 10 years; and what the drop out rates in the first year of study were for each year. [151072]

  Alan Johnson
  The available information covering undergraduate enrolments to London HE institutions is given in a table which has been placed in the Library.

  The information on non-continuation rates is contained in "Performance Indicators in Higher Education", published by the Higher Education
  1046W
  Funding Council for England (HEFCE), The figures cover full-time first degree courses only, and show, for each individual HE institution in the UK, the numbers and proportion of entrants who failed to continue beyond the first year and the numbers and proportion of entrants who fail to complete their course. Copies of the HEFCE publication are available for students starting courses in 1996–97,1997–98,1998–99,1999–2000 and 2000–01 in the House Library.

  Gemini Project
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what level of funding his Department has allocated to the Gemini project; and what evaluation he has made of the effectiveness of the project. [166450]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 19 April 2004]My Department has not allocated any funding to this project. This is a devolved matter for the Scottish Executive and my hon. Friend may wish to write to them about this project.

  Overseas Students (UAE)
  Huw Irranca-Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being taken by his Department to assist the higher education sector in attracting students from the United Arab Emirates. [168570]

  Alan Johnson
  My Department leads and funds the Prime Minister's Initiative (PMI) to attract more international students to the UK, including those from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A vigorous world wide marketing campaign under the Education UK Brand promotes the credentials of UK education and training, and supports the work of the higher education sector in attracting international students who might not otherwise study in the UK. We have also taken a number of steps to make the UK a more attractive study destination for international students by—streamlining entry and visa arrangements; offering opportunities to work while studying; and providing specific information and advice about living and studying in the UK for the first time. The number of UAE students in UK higher education has increased from 777 in 1996–97 to 1,306 in 2002–03, an increase of 68 per cent.

  Partnerships for Schools
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the start-up and estimated running costs of Partnerships for Schools are for each year up to and including 2006; and if he will make a statement. [166864]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 26 April 2004]Partnership for Schools is a company limited by shares and a non-departmental public body established on 2 April 2004 to deliver the Building Schools for the Future programme. In 2005–06, this programme will invest around?2 billion in renewing the English secondary schools estate.
  1047W
  The forecast spend on start up costs (pre-incorporation) for Partnership for Schools was?£4.1 million. The forecast running costs are in the following table:

  £ million

  2004–2005

  10

  2005–2006

  9.5

  2006–2007

  9.8

  The estimates for 2005–06 and 2006–07 are based on 2004–05 activity with an estimate for inflation, and are indicative as the Building Schools for the Future programme itself is still being developed. In particular, work on the creation of local education partnerships is still subject to consultation with stakeholders.

  School Computers (I5 Uxbridge)
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on computers for schools in Uxbridge in each of the last five years. [168991]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My department does not collect information on school spend on computers at constituency level. However Uxbridge is in Hillingdon LEA and since 2000–01 schools in Hillingdon have benefited from the following funding through the Standards Fund grant for ICT (including match funding from the LEA).

  Allocation to Hillingdon LEA

  —

  2000—

  734,488

  2001–2002

  1,065,479

  2002–2003

  1,508,280

  2003–2004

  1,571,762

  2004–2005

  2,015,276

  School Places (Battersea)
  Martin Linton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many children attending Battersea primary schools did not get an initial offer of a secondary school place in a Wandsworth school on 1 March, broken down by primary school; [167638]

  (2) how many secondary school places were offered by Wandsworth secondary schools on 1 March to out-of-borough applicants, broken down by individual secondary schools; and how many of those offers were accepted. [167639]

  Mr. Miliband
  My Department does not hold this information.

  School Repairs (Bootle)
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding money has been spent on repairing schools in Bootle in each year since 1997. [169083]

  Mr. Miliband
  The majority of capital funding is now allocated to local authorities and schools by needs-related formulae. Authorities invest according to 1048W
  priorities agreed in their asset management plans. The following table shows total capital allocations to Sefton local education authority (LEA) since 1996–97.

  Allocation £0001

  1996–1997

  1,904

  1997–1998

  1,634

  1998–1999

  1,802

  1999–2000

  4,562

  2000–2001

  9,388

  2001–2002

  11,146

  2002–2003

  15,980

  2003–2004

  16,930

  Note:

  Includes allocations to the voluntary aided sector.

  To date, we have also announced indicative allocations of around?£10.2 million for 2004–05 and?£5 million for 2005–06.

  School Tests
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 15 and 16 year olds achieved five + GCSEs at grade A* -C or GNVQ equivalent in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [168073]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is as follows:

  Percentage of 15 year old pupils1 achieving five or more grades A* -C

  Percentage

  Academic year

  England

  2000

  49.2

  2001

  50.0

  2002

  51.6

  2003

  52.9

  1GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

  Teacher Vacancies
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there were in Burnley on the latest date for which figures are available; and what steps he is taking to reduce them. [167915]

  Mr. Miliband
  Information on teacher vacancies is not available by constituency as it is collected at local education authority level. In January 2003, the latest information available, there were 40 full-time advertised teacher vacancies in Lancashire local education authority.

  Like other areas, since 1997 Preston has benefited from the initiatives that the Government have put in place to recruit and retain teachers and to increase the number of staff supporting them in schools. Since 1997, the number of full-time equivalent regular teachers in maintained schools in the former Lancashire LEA area has risen by 390, from 11,870 to 12,260 in 2003. Over the same period, the number of full-time equivalent school support staff in the area has grown by 2,870 from 3,620 to 6,490 in 2003.
  1049W
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there were in Preston on the latest date for which figures are available; and what steps he is taking to reduce them. [168139]

  Mr. Miliband
  Information on teacher vacancies is not available by constituency as it is collected at local education authority level. In January 2003, the latest information available, there were 40 full-time advertised teacher vacancies in Lancashire local education authority.

  Like other areas, since 1997 Preston has benefited from the initiatives that the Government has put in place to recruit and retain teachers and to increase the number of staff supporting them in schools. Since 1997, the number of full-time equivalent regular teachers in maintained schools in the former Lancashire LEA area has risen by 390, from 11,870 to 12,260 in 2003. Over the same period, the number of full-time equivalent school support staff in the area has grown by 2,870 from 3,620 to 6,490 in 2003.

  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant(a) teacher and (b) deputy head teacher posts there were in (i) primary, (ii) secondary and (iii) special schools in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority. [167572]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

  Teachers (Work Permits)
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many work permits have been granted since 1 October 2003, broken down by country of origin of applicant for(a) primary and (b) secondary teachers in each Government office region. [164462]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 31 May 2004]I have been asked to reply.

  The following table provides a breakdown of the number of work permit applications, including extensions, approved for teaching posts, by country of origin since 1 October 2003.

  Work permit applications

  Country

  Number

  Argentina

  1

  Australia

  332

  Bangladesh

  2

  Bosnia—Herzegovina

  1

  British National Overseas

  1

  Bulgaria

  2

  Canada

  52

  China Peoples Republic of

  5

  Cuba

  3

  Cyprus

  1

  Egypt

  1

  Gambia

  1

  Georgia

  1

  Ghana

  26

  Guyana

  1

  Honduras

  1

  Hungary

  3

  India

  32

  Israel

  1

  Jamaica

  84

  1050W

  Work permit applications

  Country

  Number

  Japan

  2

  Jordan

  1

  Kenya

  2

  Lebanon

  3

  Macedonia

  1

  Mauritius

  4

  Mexico

  1

  Namibia

  2

  New Zealand

  128

  Nigeria

  11

  Pakistan

  15

  Philippines

  5

  Poland

  3

  Romania

  3

  Russia

  5

  Singapore

  2

  South Africa

  254

  South Korea

  3

  St. Lucia

  1

  Taiwan

  1

  Trinidad and Tobago

  5

  Turkey

  3

  Uganda

  2

  Ukraine

  5

  United States of America

  55

  Venezuela

  1

  Yemen Republic of

  1

  Zimbabwe

  47

  Total

  1,117

  Figures broken down by primary and secondary teachers and by Government office region are not available.

  Teaching Assistants
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching assistants there were in schools in Burnley(a) in each of the last seven years and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. [167916]

  Mr. Miliband
  The following table gives the numbers of full time equivalent teaching assistants in maintained schools in Burnley constituency in January of each year between 1997 and 2003, the latest year for which data are available.

  Number

  1997

  160

  1998

  173

  1999

  176

  2000

  184

  2001

  220

  2002

  212

  2003

  287

  Source:

  Annual Schools' Census.

  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching assistants there were in schools in Preston in(a) each of the last seven years and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. [168137]
  1051W
  Mr. Miliband
  The following table gives the numbers of full time equivalent teaching assistants in maintained schools in Preston constituency for each year between 1997 and 2003, the latest year for which data are available.

  Teaching assistants

  1997

  176

  1998

  202

  1999

  203

  2000

  211

  2001

  255

  2002

  237

  2003

  350

  Source:

  Annual Schools' Census.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Benefits Payment
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit recipients there are in each constituency in Great Britain; and how many of them collect their benefits from post offices, excluding those who use network banking arrangements. [167329]

  Mr. Pond
  The information is not available in the format requested. A table has been placed in the Library, which provides the total number of benefits in each constituency, and shows how many of those accounts receive at least one benefit payable at a post office. The information is from data available at 21 February 2004.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners draw their benefits at(a) post offices and (b) banks or building societies in the Havant constituency. [167331]

  Mr. Pond
  Information available on pensioners (women over 60 and men over 65) as at 21 February 2004 in the Havant constituency receiving benefit payments collectable at a post office and by Direct Payment into bank and building society accounts, is as follows.

  Number of pensioner benefit accounts in the Havant parliamentary constituency paid at a post office or into a bank or building society

  Havant

  Total paid at post office

  8,995

  Total paid by direct payment payment into a bank or building society account

  14,655

  Source:

  IAD information centre, 100 percent sample.

  Numbers of people receiving disability living allowance (DLA) whose main disabling condition is psychosis1, psychoneurosis, personality disorder, or alcohol abuse, broken down by age group at 31 August in each year from 1992 to 2003.

  Thousand

  Age

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  All

  23.9

  40.3

  57.1

  82.3

  106.7

  136.2

  Unknown

  8.1

  *0.5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0–4

  0.6

  *0.3

  *0.2

  *0.1

  *0.2

  *0.1

  05–9

  0.7

  0.5

  *0.4

  *0.3

  0.5

  0.6

  10–15

  *0.3

  *0.4

  0.5

  *0.5

  0.5

  0.7

  16–19

  *0.2

  *0.4

  *0.3

  0.7

  1.0

  1.4

  1052W
  Included in payment through the post office are customers paid into post office card accounts and customers paid by girocheque. Girocheques are encashable either at a post office or they can be paid into a bank or building society account. These figures do not include war pensions and child benefit customers as these accounts are the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence and Inland Revenue respectively.

  Some customers who are paid direct into an account can also collect their payments in cash at post offices through the wider range of banking services now available at the post office. There is no data available on the number of benefit claims collected in this way.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 2 March, with regard to Mr. S. West, transferred to him by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. [167261]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  I replied to my right hon. Friend on 21 April.

  Departmental Officials
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which former officials of the Department have asked for permission to join(a) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) Deloitte & Touche,
  (c) Ernst and Young and (d) KPMG. [156905]

  Maria Eagle
  All civil servants are subject to the Business Appointment Rules, which set out the circumstances in which they must seek permission to accept outside appointments within two years of leaving Crown employment. A copy of the rules is available in the Libraries of the House. Information about appointments taken up by the most senior staff is published in the annual reports of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments. The next annual report will be published shortly.

  Since 2001 the Department has not had any requests for permission to join (a) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) Deloitte & Touche, (c) Ernst and Young and (d) KPMG.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claims there were for disability living allowance for people disabled by mental illness, broken down by age group for each year since the introduction of disability living allowance. [168151]

  Maria Eagle
  The information is in the tables.
  1053W

  Numbers of people receiving disability living allowance (DLA) whose main disabling condition is psychosis1, psychoneurosis, personality disorder, or alcohol abuse, broken down by age group at 31 August in each year from 1992 to 2003.

  Thousand

  Age

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  20–24

  0.5

  1.9

  2.4

  3.6

  4.3

  5.1

  25–29

  1.1

  3.1

  5.1

  7.6

  9.5

  11.7

  30–34

  1.2

  4.1

  6.5

  9.8

  13.3

  16.9

  35–39

  1.0

  4.1

  6.5

  9.8

  13.3

  17.3

  40–44

  1.5

  4.0

  6.1

  8.9

  11.9

  16.3

  45–49

  1.9

  5.0

  7.0

  10.4

  13.7

  17.4

  50–54

  1.7

  4.7

  6.4

  9.8

  12.6

  16.8

  55–59

  1.9

  4.3

  5.9

  8.3

  10.6

  13.4

  60–64

  2.1

  4.7

  6.2

  7.6

  8.7

  10.5

  65–69

  0.7

  1.8

  3.0

  4.4

  6.1

  7.0

  70–74

  *0.4

  *0.4

  *0.4

  *0.4

  *0.3

  0.6

  75–79

  —

  *0.1

  *0.1

  *0.2

  *0.3

  *0.3

  80+

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Thousand

  Age

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  All

  156.5

  173.7

  188.4

  211.8

  239.5

  272.7

  Unknown

  0–4

  *0.1

  *0.1

  *0.1

  *0.1

  *0.1

  *0.1

  05–9

  0.6

  0.6

  0.6

  0.6

  0.5

  *0.4

  10–15

  0.9

  1.2

  1.1

  1.3

  1.3

  1.4

  16–19

  1.8

  1.9

  2.0

  1.8

  2.1

  2.7

  20–24

  5.6

  6.3

  7.2

  8.3

  10.0

  11.5

  25–29

  12.4

  13.1

  13.7

  14 7

  16.2

  17.2

  30–34

  18.9

  20.7

  21.6

  23 1

  25.4

  28.7

  35–39

  20.2

  22.7

  25.0

  28 5

  32.0

  36.4

  40–44

  18.7

  21.1

  23.6

  27 8

  32.1

  37.8

  45–49

  19.9

  21.4

  22.0

  24 7

  29.5

  33.9

  50–54

  19.5

  22.1

  24.5

  27.6

  29.1

  32.2

  55–59

  16.3

  17.8

  19.3

  22.4

  26.5

  30.5

  60–64

  12.4

  13.7

  15.4

  17.1

  19.0

  22.0

  65–69

  7.7

  8.5

  9.1

  9.0

  10.2

  11.6

  70–74

  1.4

  2.1

  3.0

  4.2

  4.8

  5.3

  75–79

  *0.2

  *0.3

  *0.2

  *0.2

  *0.5

  1.0

  80+

  2—

  2—

  *0.1

  *0 2

  *0.2

  *0.1

  1Medical advice is that, of the range of disabling mental conditions recorded for the purposes of DLA, these four are clearly forms of "illness", as opposed to developmental abnormality.

  1Denotes nil or negligible.

  Notes:

  1. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample at 31 August each year (consistent with answers to your related questions 168152 and 168153).

  2. Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred.

  3. Figures marked "*" are less than 500 and subject to a high degree of sampling variation.

  4. In the first two years of records, dates of birth for some recipients are not available.

  5. From November 2002, the methodology for producing these figures was changed to allow statistics to be published much sooner. This has resulted in a small increase in the reported caseload. This is because some cases which have;tctually terminated but have not yet been updated on the computer system are now included.

  Source:

  IAD Information Centre

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants for disability living allowance there were, broken down by (a) age and

  Numbers of people receiving disability living allowance (DLA) as at 31 August each year, broken down by age group

  Thousand

  Age group (years)

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  All

  1,019.1

  1,243.2

  1,395.2

  1,581.3

  1,750.4

  1,926.2

  Unknown

  102.8

  6.3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0–4

  22.7

  30.1

  34.2

  38.8

  39.8

  42.0

  5–9

  37.2

  48.0

  54.3

  60.9

  68.0

  74.8

  10–15

  33.1

  43.8

  50.4

  57.5

  64.9

  73.7

  16–19

  15.7

  21.4

  24.0

  27.3

  30.2

  32.9

  20–24

  27.2

  39.6

  42.5

  44.6

  44.6

  45.5

  25–29

  29.6

  48.5

  53.6

  60.9

  67.4

  71.3

  30–34

  33.6

  53.6

  63.8

  74.5

  84.7

  93.3

  1054W
  (b) amount spent on each group in each year since the introduction of disability living allowance. [168152]

  Maria Eagle
  The information is in the tables.
  1055W

  Numbers of people receiving disability living allowance (DLA) as at 31 August each year, broken down by age group

  Thousand

  Age group (years)

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  35–39

  36.2

  59.8

  71.2

  82.8

  93.6

  107.7

  40–44

  49.1

  72.0

  82.4

  93.9

  105.9

  118.2

  45–49

  64.0

  95.3

  110.3

  129.8

  146.2

  153.2

  50–54

  82.7

  113.1

  128.7

  149.8

  170.4

  197.9

  55–59

  120.1

  160.6

  177.3

  199.5

  216.5

  234.1

  60–64

  161.3

  206.9

  224.9

  247.0

  264.8

  286.7

  65–69

  137.4

  163.6

  185.1

  207.7

  234.4

  256.8

  70–74

  55.8

  66.0

  74.4

  81.1

  88.1

  99.6

  75–79

  9.2

  12.8

  16.4

  22.5

  26.9

  32.9

  80+

  1.6

  1.7

  1.6

  2.7

  4.1

  5.5

  Thousand

  Age group (years)

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  All

  2,014.2

  2,084

  2,160.3

  2,271.1

  2,385.8

  2,526.7

  Unknown

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0–4

  40.0

  38.8

  37.7

  37.9

  38.4

  38.7

  5–9

  79.3

  82.4

  84.6

  86.3

  90.3

  93.8

  10–14

  81.2

  88.0

  96.4

  107.0

  115.5

  127.4

  16–19

  35.6

  38.0

  39.5

  44.6

  48.7

  55.0

  20–24

  45.8

  46.1

  49.3

  52.8

  57.7

  62.7

  25–29

  72.2

  69.9

  67.5

  64.9

  67.0

  68.5

  30–34

  96.2

  97.2

  97.7

  101.1

  102.4

  108.4

  35–39

  113.7

  118.9

  123.4

  130.2

  136.4

  143.8

  40–44

  125.5

  131.4

  136.9

  144.9

  156.5

  168.6

  45–49

  151.7

  154.2

  155.2

  163.5

  175.6

  187.6

  50–54

  207.6

  212.6

  221.2

  227.8

  223.8

  227.8

  55–59

  239.9

  244.4

  248.3

  264.1

  287.0

  305.2

  60–64

  298.8

  303.1

  308.7

  316.4

  321.5

  335.5

  65–69

  268.0

  275.4

  282.2

  286.0

  293.3

  307.3

  70–74

  112.7

  130.0

  150.2

  173.2

  189.5

  200.4

  75–79

  38.9

  45.1

  49.0

  54.4

  62.2

  72.2

  80+

  6.9

  8.5

  12.5

  16.1

  20.0

  23.8

  Notes:

  1. Figures are based on a:5 per cent. sample at 31 August in each year, and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.

  2. Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred

  3. Totals may not sum due to rounding

  4. In the first two years of records, dates 01 birth for some recipients are not available and this has resulted in some recipients being grouped in the 'unknown' age group.

  5. From November 2002, the methodology for producing these figures was changed to allow statistics to be published much sooner. This has resulted in a small increase in the reported caseload. This is because some cases which have actually terminated but have not yet been updated on the computer system are now included.

  Source:

  Information and Analysis Directorate, estimated number of claimants in receipt of disability living allowance based on data from the Quarterly Statistical Enquiry at 31 August in each year.

  Estimated expenditure on disability living allowance (DLA) in each financial year, broken down by age group

  £ million (in 2004–05 prices)

  Age group (years)

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  All

  2,666

  3,646

  4,050

  4,788

  5,476

  5,881

  Unknown

  235

  16

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0–4

  53

  75

  76

  86

  93

  94

  5–9

  109

  160

  179

  205

  231

  247

  10–15

  98

  142

  168

  196

  226

  249

  16–19

  45

  67

  81

  92

  103

  111

  20–24

  83

  122

  136

  145

  147

  147

  25–29

  86

  146

  167

  194

  220

  228

  30–34

  95

  157

  194

  236

  275

  292

  35–39

  99

  175

  211

  254

  297

  331

  40–44

  137

  213

  242

  289

  332

  362

  45–49

  177

  284

  325

  396

  456

  465

  50–54

  228

  339

  380

  456

  534

  596

  55–59

  333

  486

  513

  602

  674

  710

  60–64

  445

  627

  654

  744

  824

  868

  65–69

  303

  441

  508

  628

  739

  797

  70–74

  117

  160

  172

  203

  239

  280

  75–79

  19

  31

  40

  56

  73

  90

  80+

  3

  4

  4

  7

  11

  15

  1056W 1057W

  £ million (in 2004–05

  Age group (years)

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  All

  6,135

  6,390

  6,737

  7,147

  7,416

  7,764

  Unknown

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0–4

  92

  91

  95

  105

  107

  107

  5–9

  261

  269

  277

  290

  300

  307

  10–15

  272

  299

  330

  366

  395

  428

  16–19

  118

  126

  135

  149

  160

  178

  20–24

  146

  148

  158

  170

  182

  196

  25–29

  227

  221

  213

  207

  205

  209

  30–34

  297

  302

  309

  319

  319

  323

  35–39

  348

  361

  381

  407

  417

  432

  40–44

  383

  400

  420

  449

  476

  503

  45–49

  460

  464

  480

  507

  532

  563

  50–54

  621

  637

  671

  695

  680

  690

  55–59

  722

  738

  766

  819

  872

  921

  60–64

  896

  917

  945

  980

  991

  1,024

  65–69

  830

  858

  885

  906

  917

  942

  70–74

  337

  407

  492

  568

  612

  639

  75–79

  107

  125

  142

  162

  192

  233

  80 +

  20

  27

  38

  50

  61

  71

  Notes:

  1. Figures are consistent with outturn expenditure as published in the DWP benefit expenditure tables.

  2. Expenditure has been apportioned to age groups using data from the DLA Quarterly Statistical Enquiry which is based on a 5 per cent. sample and therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.

  3. In the first two years of records, dates of birth for some recipients are not available and this has resulted in some expenditure being grouped in the "unknown' age group.

  4. Figures are in 2004–05 prices, calculated using the latest GDP deflator.

  5. Figures are rounded to the nearest million pounds.

  6. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

  7. Figures for 2003–04 are estimated outturn.

  Source:

  Information and Analysis Directorate, Great Britain estimated expenditure on disability living allowance in each financial year and age group.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants for disability living allowance there were, broken down by (a) type of disability and (b) amount spent on

  Numbers of people receiving disability living allowance (DLA) as at 31 August each year, broken down by type of disability

  Thousand

  Disability type

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  All

  1,019.0

  1,243.0

  1,395.2

  1.581.3

  1750.4

  1926.2

  Arthritis

  227.9

  270.0

  300.8

  340.5

  379.8

  418.1

  Muscle/Joint/Bone Disease

  88.7

  95.9

  107.9

  121.8

  133.9

  146.5

  Blindness

  22.7

  32.5

  37.4

  42.3

  45.7

  49.1

  Stroke Related

  67.5

  74.2

  76.2

  79.6

  81.6

  86.2

  Learning Difficulty

  92.7

  136.7

  152.6

  168.1

  178.7

  1901.0

  Epilepsy

  19.5

  25.3

  30.0

  36.0

  40.4

  44.9

  Deafness

  8.1

  9.3

  10.1

  11.8

  13.9

  16.7

  Malignant Disease

  21.4

  25.0

  28.4

  33.1

  36.3

  41.7

  Chest Disease

  59.2

  69.5

  73.1

  78.3

  81.8

  85.3

  Back Ailments

  76.8

  90.5

  104.7

  124.1

  146.3

  167.1

  Heart Disease

  95.7

  110.1

  119.3

  129.5

  139.0

  146.6

  Parkinsons Disease

  6.4

  8.0

  8.5

  9.5

  10.3

  11.3

  Diabetes Melitus

  19.3

  22.8

  25.6

  29.0

  32.2

  34.7

  Renal Disorders

  5.8

  6.6

  7.8

  8.7

  9.0

  9.1

  AIDS

  2.1

  3.4

  4.5

  4.8

  5.5

  5.8

  Skin Disease

  2.7

  4.3

  5.8

  7.1

  8.3

  9.8

  Other

  147.6

  188.7

  214.7

  241.7

  264.7

  284.3

  Alcohol Abuse

  0.7

  1.3

  2.0

  2.3

  3.1

  4.1

  Other Mental Health Causes

  Psychosis

  8.2

  22.4

  36.1

  51.7

  62.8

  74.7

  Psychoneurosis

  14.7

  15.4

  17.1

  25.5

  37.6

  53.6

  Personality disorder

  *0.3

  1.2

  1.9

  2.8

  3.2

  3.8

  Dementia

  6.3

  7.6

  7.7

  8.4

  8.6

  9.0

  Behavioural disorder

  5.7

  8.0

  10.2

  12.8

  16.2

  21.2

  Severely mentally impaired

  19.0

  14.5

  13.0

  12.0

  11.6

  11.7

  1058W 1059W

  Thousand

  Disability type

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  All

  2,014.2

  2,084.0

  2,160.3

  2,271.1

  2,385.8

  2,526.7

  Arthritis

  434.5

  444.4

  457.1

  471.7

  490.0

  508.8

  Muscle/Joint/Bone Disease

  152.1

  158.8

  164.7

  176.1

  188.2

  203.6

  Blindness

  51.3

  53.5

  54.6

  56.8

  59.0

  60.7

  Stroke Related

  88.5

  90.6

  93.3

  95.4

  96.8

  99.4

  Learning Difficulty

  201.2

  208.8

  216.4

  224.7

  233.6

  244.0

  Epilepsy

  46.8

  47.6

  49.5

  52.3

  55.0

  58.9

  Deafness

  20.4

  22.9

  24.1

  26.9

  28.9

  30.8

  Malignant Disease

  42.6

  44.1

  47.3

  52.2

  54.8

  60.2

  Chest Disease

  84.5

  84.1

  83.1

  83.2

  84.1

  85.9

  Back Ailments

  174.9

  181.0

  188.1

  199.2

  209.1

  221.1

  Heart Disease

  146.7

  146.9

  147.1

  150.5

  152.4

  157.0

  Parkinsons Disease

  11.8

  11.9

  12.5

  12.8

  13.3

  13.8

  Diabetes Melitus

  37.1

  38.6

  40.8

  42.8

  45.4

  47.8

  Renal Disorders

  9.4

  9.5

  10.0

  10.5

  10.9

  11.6

  AIDS

  6.1

  6.3

  6.6

  6.7

  6.9

  6.9

  Skin Disease

  10.5

  11.1

  11.1

  11.9

  13.0

  13.7

  Other

  292.0

  296.3

  303.0

  314.2

  324.7

  337.9

  Alcohol Abuse

  4.9

  5.6

  6.3

  7.8

  9.4

  10.6

  Other Mental Health Causes

  Psychosis

  82.8

  88.7

  94.2

  101.0

  110.1

  120.9

  Psychoneurosis

  64.5

  74.3

  82.4

  96.6

  113.0

  133.6

  Personality disorder

  4.3

  5.1

  5.5

  6.4

  7.0

  7.7

  Dementia

  8.8

  9.1

  9.6

  9.8

  9.3

  9.7

  Behavioural disorder

  26.8

  32.8

  40.5

  49.3

  58.5

  69.6

  Severely mentally impaired

  11.7

  12.2

  12.3

  12.4

  12.3

  12.6

  Notes:

  1. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample at 31 August in each year, and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.

  2. Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred.

  3. Figures marked "*" are less than 500 and subject to a high degree of sampling variation.

  4. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

  5. From November 2002, the methodology for producing these figures was changed to allow statistics to be published much sooner. This has resulted in a small increase in the reported caseload. This is because some cases which have actually terminated but have not yet been updated on the computer system are now included.

  6. The 'Other' category comprises of 25 conditions, including alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse has been listed separately, along with a breakdown of the conditions covered by the 'Other Mental Health Causes' category to provide the equivalent breakdown to that provided in a related PQ, PQ 168151. PQ 168151 asks about mental illness which has been defined as psychosis, psychoneurosis, personality disorder or alcohol abuse

  Source:

  Information and Analysis Directorate, estimated number of claimants in receipt of Disability Living Allowance based on data from the Quarterly Statistical Enquiry at 31 August in each year.

  Estimated expenditure on disability living allowance (DLA) in each financial year, broken down by type of disability)

  £ million (in 2004–05 prices)

  Disability type

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  All

  2,666

  3,646

  4,050

  4,788

  5,476

  5,881

  Arthritis

  558

  753

  847

  1,019

  1,181

  1,280

  Muscle/Joint/Bone Disease

  233

  287

  320

  372

  418

  443

  Blindness

  42

  64

  72

  87

  97

  104

  Stroke Related

  228

  279

  278

  300

  316

  321

  Learning Difficulty

  250

  380

  408

  461

  512

  533

  Epilepsy

  54

  78

  90

  113

  130

  141

  Deafness.

  18

  24

  25

  29

  35

  39

  Malignant Disease

  76

  101

  116

  142

  159

  179

  Chest Disease

  143

  197

  209

  238

  259

  268

  Back Ailments

  180

  245

  287

  360

  443

  496

  Heart Disease

  214

  286

  315

  366

  408

  426

  Parkinsons Disease

  21

  30

  31

  37

  41

  45

  Diabetes Melitus

  48

  63

  71

  84

  96

  102

  Renal Disorders

  15

  21

  23

  28

  30

  30

  AIDS

  8

  15

  21

  23

  28

  28

  Skin Disease

  7

  11

  13

  16

  19

  22

  Other

  423

  612

  691

  806

  904

  946

  Alcohol Abuse

  2

  4

  6

  7

  10

  12

  Other Mental Health Causes

  Psychosis

  21

  55

  83

  124

  168

  199

  Psychoneurosis

  37

  42

  45

  62

  91

  122

  Personality disorder

  1

  3

  4

  7

  9

  10

  Dementia

  21

  27

  26

  29

  31

  31

  Behavioural disorder

  14

  23

  29

  38

  48

  63

  Severely mentally impaired

  50

  47

  42

  42

  42

  43

  1060W 1061W

  £ million (in 2004–05 prices)

  Disability type

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  All

  6,135

  6,390

  6,737

  7,147

  7,416

  7,764

  Arthritis

  1,333

  1,378

  1,448

  1,510

  1,558

  1,604

  Muscle/Joint/Bone Disease

  460

  483

  507

  545

  576

  614

  Blindness

  111

  117

  122

  130

  135

  138

  Stroke Related

  331

  338

  353

  362

  360

  365

  Learning Difficulty

  553

  577

  605

  639

  647

  676

  Epilepsy

  147

  150

  158

  168

  174

  184

  Deafness

  46

  51

  54

  62

  66

  70

  Malignant Disease

  183

  189

  207

  229

  235

  254

  Chest Disease

  267

  270

  274

  278

  279

  283

  Back Ailments

  516

  536

  568

  608

  637

  668

  Heart Disease

  429

  437

  449

  467

  471

  481

  Parkinsons Disease

  46

  48

  51

  52

  53

  54

  Diabetes Melitus

  109

  114

  122

  130

  137

  142

  Renal Disorders

  31

  31

  33

  35

  36

  38

  AIDS

  29

  30

  32

  32

  32

  32

  Skin Disease

  24

  25

  25

  28

  30

  32

  Other

  975

  1,002

  1,044

  1,093

  1,121

  1,151

  Alcohol Abuse

  14

  16

  19

  22

  27

  30

  Other Mental Health Causes

  Psychosis

  218

  236

  254

  276

  296

  324

  Psychoneurosis

  146

  170

  192

  229

  267

  313

  Personality disorder

  12

  14

  16

  19

  20

  22

  Dementia

  30

  31

  33

  33

  31

  31

  Behavioural disorder

  80

  98

  123

  152

  180

  211

  Severely mentally impaired

  44

  47

  49

  50

  48

  49

  Note:

  1. Figures are consistent with outturn expenditure as published in the DWP benefit expenditure tables.

  2. Expenditure has been apportioned using disability type data from the DLA Quarterly Statistical Enquiry which is based on a 5 per cent. sample and therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.

  3. Figures are in 2004–05 prices, calculated using the latest GDP deflator.

  4. Figures are rounded to the nearest million pounds.

  5. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

  6. Figures for 2003–04 are estimated outturn.

  7. The 'Other' category comprises of 25 conditions, including alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse has been listed separately, along with a breakdown of the conditions covered by the 'Other Mental Health Causes' category to provide the equivalent breakdown to that provided in a related PQ, PQ 168151, PQ 168151 asks about mental illness which has been defined as psychosis, psychoneurosis, personality disorder or alcohol abuse.

  Source:

  Information and Analysis Directorate, Great Britain estimated expenditure on Disability Living Allowance in each financial year and disability type.

  Disabled Workers
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on measures introduced to improve the working conditions of disabled workers in Burnley over the last seven years. [168322]

  Maria Eagle
  We have a number of measures in place nationally to help improve conditions for disabled people at work, as well as measures to improve their access to services generally. None of these are specific to Burnley, but all are available to disabled people who live and work there.

  From 1996, the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 required most employers of 20 or more staff not to discriminate against, and to make reasonable adjustments for, disabled job applicants or employees; in December 1998, we reduced this threshold to 15 employees. From October this year, the small employer exemption will be removed and most currently excluded occupations, such as police officers, firefighters, and partners in business partnerships will be brought within the scope of the Disability Discrimination Act employment provisions.
  1062W
  Jobcentre Plus runs a number of specialist programmes providing help for disabled people, including New Deal for Disabled People, Workstep, Access to Work, the Job Introduction Scheme, and Work Preparation. All these programmes provide practical advice and support to disabled people and their employers to help overcome work related obstacles resulting from disability. Since 1997–98 there have been year on year increases in both numbers helped and programme spend.

  To help people access appropriate help, Jobcentre Plus has established a network of Disability Service Teams. The teams are made up of Disability Employment Advisers, Access to Work Advisers and Occupational Psychologists; their services are accessed through local Jobcentres.

  Since April 2003, disabled people in work have been receiving financial support through the working tax credit. This is available if a person is working an average of at least 16 hours per week (self-employed or for an employer); and have a disability which puts them at a disadvantage in getting a job. 70,000 families (including over 32,000 adults without children) are benefiting from

  1063W
  the disability element within the working tax credit, compared to 38,000 who benefited from the old disabled person's tax credit.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the measures his Department has introduced to improve the working conditions of disabled workers in Birkenhead over the last seven years. [166513]

  Maria Eagle
  We have a number of measures in place nationally to help improve conditions for disabled people at work, as well as measures to improve their access to services generally. None of these are specific to Birkenhead, but all are available to disabled people who live and work there.

  From 1996, the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act required most employers of 20 or more staff not to discriminate against, and to make reasonable adjustments for, disabled job applicants or employees; in December 1998, we reduced this threshold to 15 employees. From October this year, the small employer exemption will be removed and most currently excluded occupations, such as police officers, firefighters, and partners in business partnerships will be brought within the scope of the Disability Discrimination Act employment provisions.

  Jobcentre Plus runs a number of specialist programmes providing help for disabled people, including New Deal for Disabled People, Workstep, Access to Work, the Job Introduction Scheme, and Work Preparation. All these programmes provide practical advice and support to disabled people and their employers to help overcome work related obstacles resulting from disability. Since 1997–98 there have been year on year increases in both n umbers helped and programme spend.

  To help people access appropriate help, Jobcentre Plus has established a network of Disability Service Teams. The teams are made up of Disability Employment Advisers, Access to Work Advisers and Occupational Psychologists; their services are accessed through local Jobcentres.

  Since April 2003, disabled people in work have been receiving financial support through the working tax credit. This is available if a person is working an average of at least 16 hours per week (self- employed or for an employer); and have a disability which puts them at a disadvantage in getting a job. 70,000 families (including over 32,000 adults without children) are benefiting from the disability element within the working tax credit, compared to 38,000 who benefited from the old disabled person's tax credit.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures have been introduced to improve the working conditions of disabled workers in Heywood and Middleton over the last seven years; and if he will make a statement. [168542]

  Maria Eagle
  We have a number of measures in place nationally to help improve conditions for disabled people at work, as well as measures to improve their access to services generally. None of these are specific to Heywood and Middleton, but all are available to disabled people who live and work there.
  1064W
  From 1996, the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act required most employers of 20 or more staff not to discriminate against, and to make reasonable adjustments for, disabled job applicants or employees; in December 1998, we reduced this threshold to 15 employees. From October this year, the small employer exemption will be removed and most currently excluded occupations, such as police officers, firefighters, and partners in business partnerships will be brought within the scope of the Disability Discrimination Act employment provisions.

  Jobcentre Plus runs a number of specialist programmes providing help for disabled people, including New Deal for Disabled People, Workstep, Access to Work, the Job Introduction Scheme, and Work Preparation. All these programmes provide practical advice and support to disabled people and their employers to help overcome work related obstacles resulting from disability. Since 1997–98 there have been year on year increases in both numbers helped and programme spend.

  To help people access appropriate help, Jobcentre Plus has established a network of Disability Service Teams. The teams are made up of Disability Employment Advisers, Access to Work Advisers and Occupational Psychologists; their services are accessed through local Jobcentres.

  Since April 2003, disabled people in work have been receiving financial support through the working tax credit. This is available if a person is working an average of at least 16 hours per week (self-employed or for an employer); and have a disability which puts them at a disadvantage in getting a job. 70,000 families (including over 32,000 adults without children) are benefiting from the disability element within the working tax credit, compared to 38,000 who benefited from the old disabled person's tax credit.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on measures introduced to improve the working conditions of disabled workers in Manchester, Gorton over the last seven years. [167349]

  Maria Eagle
  We have a number of measures in place nationally to help improve conditions for disabled people at work, as well as measures to improve their access to services generally. None of these are specific to Manchester, Gorton, but all are available to disabled people who live and work there.

  From 1996, the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act required most employers of 20 or more staff not to discriminate against, and to make reasonable adjustments for, disabled job applicants or employees; in December 1998, we reduced this threshold to 15 employees. From October this year, the small employer exemption will be removed and most currently excluded occupations, such as police officers, firefighters, and partners in business partnerships will be brought within the scope of the Disability Discrimination Act employment provisions.

  Jobcentre Plus runs a number of specialist programmes providing help for disabled people, including New Deal for Disabled People, Workstep, Access to Work, the Job Introduction Scheme, and

  1065W
  Work Preparation. All these programmes provide practical advice and support to disabled people and their employers to help overcome work related obstacles resulting from disability. Since 1997–98 there have been year on year increases in both numbers helped and programme spend.

  To help people access appropriate help, Jobcentre Plus has established a network of Disability Service Teams. The teams are made up of Disability Employment Advisors, Access to Work Advisers and Occupational Psychologists; their services are accessed through local Jobcentres.

  Since April 2003, disabled people in work have been receiving financial support through the working tax credit. This is available if a person is working an average of at least 16 hours per week (self-employed or for an employer); and have a disability which puts them at a disadvantage in getting a job. 70,000 families (including over 32,000 adults without children) are benefiting from the disability element within the working tax credit, compared to 38,000 who benefited from the old disabled person's tax credit.

  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the measures introduced to improve the working conditions of disabled workers in Stalybridge and Hyde over the last seven years. [168740]

  Maria Eagle
  We have a number of measures in place nationally to help improve conditions for disabled people at work, as well as measures to improve their access to services generally. None of these are specific to Stalybridge and Hyde, but all are available to disabled people who live and work there.

  From 1996, the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act required most employers of 20 or more staff not to discriminate against, and to make reasonable adjustments for, disabled job applicants or employees; in December 1998, we reduced this threshold to 15 employees. From October this year, the small employer exemption will be removed and most currently excluded occupations, such as police officers, firefighters, and partners in business partnerships will be brought within the scope of the Disability Discrimination Act employment provisions.

  Jobcentre Plus runs a number of specialist programmes providing help for disabled people, including New Deal for Disabled People, Workstep, Access to Work, the Job Introduction Scheme, and Work Preparation. All these programmes provide practical advice and support to disabled people and their employers to help overcome work related obstacles resulting from disability. Since 1997–98 there have been year on year increases in both numbers helped and programme spend.

  To help people access appropriate help, Jobcentre Plus has established a network of Disability Service Teams. The teams are made up of Disability Employment Advisers, Access to Work Advisers and Occupational Psychologists; their services are accessed through local Jobcentres.

  Since April 2003, disabled people in work have been receiving financial support through the working tax credit. This is available if a person is working an average
  1066W
  of at least 16 hours per week (self-employed or for an employer); and have a disability which puts them at a disadvantage in getting a job. 70,000 families (including over 32,000 adults without children) are benefiting from the disability element within the working tax credit, compared to 38,000 who benefited from the old disabled person's tax credit.

  Female Poverty
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of women in each ethnic group are living in poverty, defined as below 60 per cent. of median income(a) before and (b) after housing costs. [166923]

  Mr. Pond
  [holding answer 22 April 2004]The information is in the following tables.

  Ethnic Group

  Percentage of adult women living below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income before housing costs

  White

  16

  Asian or Asian British

  34

  Of which:

  Indian

  21

  Pakistani/Bangladeshi

  55

  Black or Black British

  26

  Chinese, Mixed or Other

  18

  All Women

  17

  Ethnic Group

  Percentage of adult women living below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income after housing costs

  White

  20

  Asian or Asian British

  40

  Of which:

  Indian

  23

  Pakistani/Bangladeshi

  64

  Black or Black British

  38

  Chinese, Mixed or Other

  28

  All Women

  21

  Notes:

  1. All figures are estimates and are taken from the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series.

  2. The data given are for 2002–03, and are taken from the Family Resources Survey.

  3. Estimates are for Great Britain, and relate to both working-age and pensioner females.

  4. The estimates are based on sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure, Council Tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error, and to remaining variability in non-response, which is not corrected by the grossing regime.

  5. The income measure used is weekly net (disposable) equivalised household income (that is to say income that is adjusted to reflect the composition of the household). Figures include the self-employed.

  6. Caution should be taken when interpreting results for gender groups using HBAI data. HBAI attempts to measure living standards as determined by household income; consequently both partners in a couple will appear at the same position in the income distribution.

  7. Ethnic categories published in HBAI 2002–03 are more detailed; results in this answer have been aggregated because of the additional breakdown for gender.

  8. Figures for the 'Chinese, Mixed or Other' group are based on a smaller sample and should only be used as a guide.

  Health and Safety
  John McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of the recommendations contained in the Health and safety Commission Strategy Statement, Revitalising Health and Safety, published in June 2000 the Government have implemented. [167496]

  Jane Kennedy
  Of the 44 Action Points published in Revitalising Health and Safety, 34 have been implemented.

  Housing Benefit (Payment Options)
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which direct payment options are(a) offered and (b) available to housing benefit claimants; and if he will make a statement. [160679]

  Mr. Pond
  Payment of Housing Benefit for private sector dwellings can be made either to the claimant or, where certain conditions are satisfied, direct to the landlord; Housing Benefit for local authority dwellings is paid as a rebate on the rent account. Individual local authorities have discretion in deciding the appropriate method of payment of housing benefit, taking into account tenants' circumstances, such as access to bank accounts.

  Wave 8 of the Local Omnibus Survey, which is conducted with local authority managers, asked about payment methods for housing benefit of those local authorities, which responded, the main method of payment was by cheque. Although 45 per cent. of responding local authorities said that they were not currently using automated credit transfer, 81 per cent. of those said that they had plans to introduce it. A copy of the survey has been placed in the Library.

  We are currently undertaking Local Housing Allowance pathfinders in nine local authorities, under which payments are made directly to tenants. We are working with the pathfinder authorities and the British Banking Association to provide tenants with easier access to bank accounts.

  Permitted Work Regulations
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants have had their right to permitted work restricted to £20 per week, having previously had higher earnings, since the introduction of the permitted work regulations in April 2002. [168828]

  Maria Eagle
  The information is not available.

  Recruitment Advertising
  Pete Wishart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's expenditure on recruitment advertising was in each of the last three years, broken down by publication; and what proportion of such expenditure was(a) to advertise vacant posts and (b) in the form of other general recruitment advertising. [155523]

  Maria Eagle
  The information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Cereal/Animal Fodder Exports
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of 19 April 2004,Official Report, column 129W, on animal fodder, what his policy is towards developing countries which export cereals and animal fodder. [168797]

  Hilary Benn
  The UK Government are committed to assisting developing countries that export agricultural products, including cereals and animal fodder, through improving market access and reducing trade-distorting subsidies. DFID continues to work for a fair and equitable international trading system for all agricultural products. In particular, the 49 Least Developed Countries have unlimited duty free access to the EU market under the 'Everything But Arms' agreement, except for rice, sugar and bananas, where limited arrangements apply until full liberalisation takes place. In addition, reforms to the EU's Common Agricultural Policy last June break the link between subsidy and production and hence reduce the damaging effect EU agricultural subsidies can have on developing countries' producers.

  However, the largest potential gains for developing countries will come at the multilateral level. At the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Ministerial meeting in 2001 it was agreed that agriculture negotiations would aim to achieve:
  "substantial improvements in market access; reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies; and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support".

  DFID is committed to ensure that these negotiations result in liberalisation that will benefit the world's poor.

  China (Coercive Population Control)
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) when he last raised the issue of coercive population control in China with his Chinese counterpart; and with what results; [168174]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the practice of coercive population control by the Chinese authorities on the people of Tibet. [168179]

  Hilary Benn
  [holding answer 23 April 2004]The UK Government have made it clear to the Chinese Government that we believe their family planning policies should be based on the principles of the International Conference on Population and Development; that is on the principle of informed choice, voluntarism, and consent and not coercion. In May 2002, the then Secretary of State for International Development raised the issues of coercive family planning programmes with her counterpart, and the Chinese authorities gave assurances that China was working towards relaxing the one-child policy. At that time Tibetans, as ethnic minorities, were allowed two children (rather than one) in urban areas, and there was legally no limit to the number of children herdsmen could have, although in practice many localities limited them to three.
  1069W
  The new population law of September 2002 reduced birth targets and respects the reproductive rights of couples to freely and responsibly choose the spacing and number of their children. However, it maintained financial incentives for small family size.

  DFID funds the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which is working to promote policy change within China towards meeting international standards, including the removal of social compensation fees. DFID funds are used to support independent monitoring and evaluation of the impact of UNFPA's work.

  Democracy (Africa)
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development further to his recent statement to the all-party Africa Group, if he will list the governments in Africa that he regards as having been democratically elected. [168201]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID welcomes the fact that the number of free and fair elections in Africa has grown significantly in the last 30 years and real alternation of power is now taking place. Kenya, Senegal, Botswana, Namibia, Ghana, Mozambique and South Africa are all recent examples of African countries whose governments have been elected democratically. DFID also welcomes moves by the African Union to produce common standards on African elections based on international best practice, and we hope that, in time, they will increase further the number of free and fair elections in Africa.

  Elections in Africa, as elsewhere, are usually monitored by independent electoral commissions who are responsible for their organisation and conduct. HMG does encourage the involvement of local civil society to monitor elections and has on occasion sent international observers as part of the wider international community's involvement in specific monitoring missions where these have been requested.

  EU Development Assistance
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the non-governmental organisations involved in the delivery of EU Development Assistance projects in(a) Angola, (b) Burundi, (c) the Congo, (d) Eritrea, (e) Ethiopia, (f) Kenya, (g) Madagascar, (h) Malawi, (i) Mozambique, (j) Namibia, (k) Rwanda, (1) Somalia, (m) South Africa, (n) Sudan, (o) Tanzania, (p) Uganda, (q) Zambia and (r) Zimbabwe. [167191]

  Hilary Benn
  The Department for International Development does not maintain a record of the wide range of NGOs funded by the EU in delivering its development assistance programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. To obtain this information would incur a disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project, financed by EU Development Assistance to participate in the 8th Ceramics Biennale in all African, Carribean and Pacific countries; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169412]
  1070W
  (2) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance on Post Masa 2001 in West Africa; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169413]

  (3) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to provide funding for the film Zulu Love Letter; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169414]

  (4) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to undertake preliminary work on regional refrom in African, Carribean and Pacific countries; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169415]

  (5) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance on the functioning of regional operational centre junior achievement in all African, Carribean and Pacific countries; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169416]

  (6) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to provide training in numerical and radio recycling; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169417]

  (7) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to provide a mobile numerical cinema in West Africa; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169418]

  (8) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to conduct a study of theatre festivals in Sub-Saharan Africa; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169419]

  (9) what his Departinent's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support the Sand School in Dabar, West Africa; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169420]

  (10) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to undertake youth development in Netherlands Antilles; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169421]

  (11) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to deliver sustainable management of biodiversity in the Pacific; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169422]

  (12) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to maintain tropical forest biodiversity in West Africa; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169423]

  (13) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to deliver forest law enforcement and governance is (a) West Africa, (b) Central Africa, (c) Eastern and Southern Africa and (d) the Indian Ocean; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169424]

  (14) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance on technological development for sustainable resource management: Cyber Tracker in (a) Central Africa, (b) Eastern and Southern Africa and (c) the Indian Ocean; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169425]
  1071W
  (15) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to implement terms of employment studies in Zimbabwe; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169426]

  (16) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support the primary education development plan in Tanzania; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169427]

  (17) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance (a) to undertake capacity building in education in Ethiopia and (b) to establish a law faculty at Mekelle University in Ethiopia; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169428]

  (18) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to strengthen civil society in Comoros; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169429]

  (19) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance (a) to support the Ministry of Finance in Botswana and (b) to upgrade Gaborone Technical College in Botswana; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169430]

  (20) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to provide funding for (a) the film Comboio da Canhoca and (b) the film Na Cidade Vazia in Angola; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169431]

  (21) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to deliver training to combat prostitution in Cote d'Ivoire; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169432]

  (22) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) support decentralisation and (b) sponsor the Pan-African Cinema Festival in Burkina Faso; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169433]

  (23) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to support cultural activities in (a) Gabon and (b) Sao Tome and Principe; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169434]

  (24) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to train air traffic controllers in Vanuatu; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169435]

  (25) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to improve rural primary education facilities in Papua New Guinea; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169436]

  (26) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to construct a new building for the Laukota Learners College in Fiji; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169437]
  1072W
  (27) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to combat AIDS, TB and malaria; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169438]

  (28) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance entitled Immpact; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169474]

  (29) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to end female genital mutilation; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169475]

  (30) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to deliver economic diversification of the mining sector in Botswana; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169497]

  (31) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to provide mining sector support in Gabon; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169498]

  (32) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to repair energy transmission and distribution networks in Sierra Leone; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169499]

  (33) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to re-open the titanium ore mine in Sierra Leone; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169500]

  (34) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to strengthen and diversify the mining sector in Niger; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169501]

  (35) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to repair the Novadhibou Port in Mauritania; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169502]

  (36) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to re-equip the training institute in Guinea-Conakry; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169503]

  (37) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to provide mining sector support in Ghana; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169504]

  (38) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to repair and maintain roads in Burkina Faso; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169505]

  (39) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to undertake a preparatory study of infrastructure in Benin; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169506]

  (40) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to provide mining sector support in Papua New Guinea; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169507]
  1073W
  (41) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to vaccinate against porcine flu in Cuba; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169508]

  (42) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to expand rice production in Caribbean countries; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169509]

  (43) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to raise the efficiency of banana production in Caribbean countries; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169510]

  (44) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to construct three fishing ports in New Caledonia; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169511]

  (45) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project, financed by EU Development Assistance, to develop and repair urban markets in Zambia; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169512]

  (46) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to fund development in Durban and surrounding areas of South Africa; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169513]

  (47) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to train banana producers in West Africa; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169514]

  (48) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to reinforce food security in Oriente Province of Cuba; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169515]

  (49) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support school canteens and reinforce food security governance in Haiti; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169516]

  (50) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to raise the efficiency of banana production in the countries of Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169517]

  (51) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to raise the efficiency of banana production in Cameroon; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169518]

  (52) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to implement forestry programmes in Chad; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169519]

  (53) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to improve food security in Niger; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169520]

  (54) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to promote rural development in Benin; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169521]
  1074W
  (55) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to promote hub rural development in several west African countries; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169522]

  (56) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to devise an integrated pest management programme for countries of Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169523]

  (57) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to devise a fisheries management plan for countries of Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169524]

  (58) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to undertake land and water research in countries of Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169525]

  (59) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to supply 40,000 tonnes of corn to Malawi; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169527]

  (60) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to supply 183,000 tonnes of cereals to Ethiopia; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169528]

  (61) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to supply 24,000 tonnes of cereals to Eritrea; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169529]

  (62) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to improve public financial management and accounting in Cuba; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169530]

  (63) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to implement sustainable agricultural development in several Pacific countries; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169531]

  (64) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support farmers' organisations in Vanuatu; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169532]

  (65) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to supply 90,000 tonnes of cereals and 1,300 tonnes of seeds to Zimbabwe; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169533]

  (66) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to deliver a pluriannual programme on easy currency supporting actions and technical assistance; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169534]
  1075W
  (67) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to promote tourism from the Basque countries to Saint Pierre and Miquelon; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169535]

  (68) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support business opportunities in Burkina Faso; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169536]

  (69) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support community-based projects in Cote d'Ivoire; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169537]

  (70) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support (a) the Caribbean Regional Trade Development Programme and (b) the Caribbean Regional Tourism Development Programme; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169538]

  (71) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to combat racism in the Central African Republic; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169539]

  (72) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to prevent torture in Cameroon; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169540]

  (73) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) protect human rights, (b) restore peace and (c) reconcile divided communities in Burundi; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169541]

  (74) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) monitor elections, (b) support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, (c) report human rights abuses and (d) rehabilitate victims of torture in Sierra Leone; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169542]

  (75) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to maintain the peace settlement in Angola; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169543]

  (76) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) combat racism in Rwanda and (b) fund legal trials at Gacaca; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169544]

  (77) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to tackle debt arrears and reduce poverty in Niger; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169547]

  (78) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to reduce poverty in Mali; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169548]

  (79) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to reduce poverty in Jamaica through structural adjustment; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169549]
  1076W
  (80) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to prevent torture in (a) Senegal, (b) Mali, (c) Burkina Faso, (d) Gambia, (e) Ghana, (f) Nigeria, (g) Togo, (h) Cote d'Ivoire, (i) Sierra Leone and (j) Benin; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169550]

  (81) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance on the abolition of the death penalty in (a) Botswana, (b) Cameroon, (c) Ghana, (d) Kenya, (e) Lesotho, (f) Malawi, (g) Nigeria, (h) Swaziland, (i) Tanzania, (j) Uganda, (k) Zambia and (l) Zimbabwe; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169551]

  (82) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance on the abolition of the death penalty in the Caribbean; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169552]

  (83) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to ensure free and fair elections in Jamaica; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169553]

  (84) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to combat racism in the Dominican Republic; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169554]

  (85) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to develop democracy in Cuba; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the project; [169555]

  (86) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to strengthen civil society in Haiti; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169556]

  (87) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) promote good governance and (b) support the Human Rights Commission in Fiji; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169557]

  (88) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) prevent torture and (b) promote good governance in Zimbabwe; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169558]

  (89) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to monitor elections in Madagascar; and what recent assessment he has made of the project; [169559]

  (90) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) prevent torture and (b) monitor elections in Kenya; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169560]

  (91) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) strengthen parliamentary institutions and (b) support community-based projects in Ethiopia; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169561]
  1077W
  (92) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) protect human rights, (b) strengthen the judicial system and (c) combat racism in the Congo; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169562]

  (93) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to monitor elections in the Congo; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169563]

  (94) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to reduce poverty in (a) Ethiopia and (b) Mozambique; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169564]

  (95) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to tackle debt arrears and reduce poverty in Burundi; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169565]

  (96) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to implement an emergency programme on debt arrears, roads, drugs provision, electricity and the provision of health and education in Madagascar; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169566]

  (97) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to implement an emergency programme to tackle debt arrears to the African Development Bank in the Congo; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169567]

  (98) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to tackle debt arrears in the Central African Republic; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169568]

  (99) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to reduce poverty in Burkina Faso; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169569]

  (100) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to tackle internal debt arrears in Cote d'Ivoire; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169570]

  (101) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to provide complementary support to the health sector in Zambia; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169571]

  (102) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) raise HIV/AIDS awareness and (b) pursue an AIDS vaccine initiative in South Africa; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169572]

  (103) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to provide complementary support to the health sector in (a) Cameroon, (b) the Central African Republic and (c) the Congo; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169573]

  (104) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to fund reproductive healthcare in Nigeria; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169574]
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  (105) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to make blood transfusions safe in Niger; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169575]

  (106) what his department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to reduce illicit drug dealing in the Caribbean; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169576]

  (107) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance on participation in the Barcelona Conference; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169577]

  (108) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance on maternal health; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169578]

  (109) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance on youth HIV/AIDS; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169579]

  (110) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance on UNFPA/IPPF; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169580]

  (111) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to maintain the cease-fire agreement in the Sudan; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169586]

  (112) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to undertake a national census in Sierra Leone; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169591]

  (113) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) provide local government training and (b) improve the treament of prisoners in Togo; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169592]

  (114) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support elections in Nigeria; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169593]

  (115) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support the regionally sponsored peace talks in Cote d'Ivoire; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169594]

  (116) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support peace talks in Kenya; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169595]

  (117) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support elections in Madagascar; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169596]

  (118) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) support the peace process and (b) undertake mine clearance in Eritrea and Ethiopia; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169597]
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  (119) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support elections and protect hum in rights in Congo—Brazzaville; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169598]

  (120) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) support the African Union sponsored peace talks and (b) conduct a national census in the Central African Republic; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169599]

  (121) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to provide a financial information system in Ethiopia; and what assessment he has made of the project; 169600]

  (122) what his Department's institutional was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to deliver the first instrumental support programme in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169601]

  (123) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by the EU Development Assistance on human rights, democratisation and elections in the Congo; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169602]

  (124) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support the National Institute of Statistics in Angola; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169603]

  (125) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by the EU Development Assistance to support the National Authorising Officer in (a) the Central African Republic and (b) Gabon; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169604]

  (126) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support NGOs and civil society in Togo; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169605]

  (127) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support the National Authorising Officer in Sierra Leone; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169606]

  (128) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by the EU Development Assistance to deliver an economic management capacity project in Nigeria; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169607]

  (129) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to (a) support the National Authorising Officer and (b) manage public expenses on the Ivory Coast; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169608]

  (130) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support the National Authorising Officer in Guinea: and what assessment he has made of the project; [169609]

  (131) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support the Launch of Communes in Benin; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169610]
  1080W
  (132) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support non state actors in Vanuatu; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169611]

  (133) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support the National Authorising Officer in Trinidad and Tobago; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169612]

  (134) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support the mission to the organisation of American states in Haiti; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169613]

  (135) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support the National Authorising Officer in Antigua and Barbuda; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169614]

  (136) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to repair the Livingstone and Lusaka airports; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169615]

  (137) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to construct the Kampala bypass in Uganda; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169616]

  (138) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance for training and funding government transport departments in Rwanda; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169617]

  (139) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to construct the Karonga-Chiveta road in Malawi; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169618]

  (140) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to construct (a) the Addis Ababa-Jima road and (b) the Kombolcha-Mille road in Ethiopia; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169619]

  (141) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 projects financed by EU Development Assistance to construct roads in cities in Djibouti; and what assessment he has made of the projects; [169620]

  (142) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to repair the road network in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169621]

  (143) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to build the Bouar to Garoua Boulai road in the Central African Republic; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169622]

  (144) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support road maintenance in the Central African Republic; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169623]
  1081W
  (145) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to construct the Freetown to Conakry highway in Sierra Leone; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169624]

  (146) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to train and fund government transport departments in Senegal; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169625]

  (147) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to plan the construction of roads in Mauritania; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169626]

  (148) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to maintain the road network in Guinea Bissau; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169627]

  (149) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to plan the construction of roads in Burkina Faso; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169628]

  (150) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to construct the Cotonou bypass in Benin; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169629]

  (151) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to reconstruct a harbour in Antigua; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169630]

  (152) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance on audit-fed interests in all ACP countries; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169631]

  (153) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support the OCT/EU annual forum for all overseas countries and territories; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169632]

  (154) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support the Regional Authorising Officer in the Pacific region; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169633]

  (155) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to provide consultancy to non state actors in the Sudan; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169634]

  (156) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support (a) reconstruction and development and (b) the Conflict and Governance Fund in South Africa; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169635]

  (157) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to support development planning and non state actors in Nambia; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169636]
  1082W
  (158) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to construct a tertiary level college in St Vincent and Grenadines; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169638]

  (159) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to use satellite imaging for planning in Haiti; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169639]

  (160) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to build low income housing in Guyana; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169640]

  (161) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to construct a new airport in Montserrat; and what assessment he has made of the project; [169641]

  (162) what his Department's involvement was in the 2002 project financed by EU Development Assistance to repair the road network in Anguilla; and what assessment he has made of the project. [169642]

  Hilary Benn
  I refer the hon. Member for Buckingham to the response I gave him on Thursday 22 April 2004,Official Report, column 602W.

  HIV/AIDS (Rwanda)
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to support rape victims living with HIV/AIDS in Rwanda; and if he will make a statement. [169145]

  Hilary Benn
  HIV/AIDS is a serious problem in Rwanda. Rwanda does not yet have the health infrastructure required to effectively deliver anti-retroviral therapy (ART) countrywide. But the Government have produced a comprehensive Strategic Framework for HIV/AIDS Control and all the major donors, including the Clinton Foundation, the Global Fund and the World Bank, who have committed to support it. This framework includes the progressive provision of ART to all who need it, through a strengthened network of health centres. Through a partnership between the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and five of the leading multinational pharmaceutical companies (including the Accelerating Access to HIV/AIDS Care, Treatment And Support Initiative), Rwanda is one of the countries that have reached agreement with manufacturers to significantly reduce drug prices in the context of its national HIV care and treatment plans.

  The UK has committed £25 million through the International Partnership Against AIDS in Africa Programme (IPAA) to increase capacity in certain National HIV/AIDS Commissions, including Rwanda. DFID is currently considering whether we can build on this engagement, to ensure that Rwanda has the capacity to manage and direct the various programmes of support.

  DFID is also providing direct assistance to the survivors of the genocide through the Government's Survivors Fund (FARG). This assistance is currently running at some £200,000 per annum, and planned

  1083W
  additional support up to £850,000 will enable FARG to broaden the services it provides to include advice and counselling on issues around HIV/AIDS.

  I have had specific concern over the inequity in access to Anti-Retroviral Treatment between the defendants and the witnesses at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), which is considering crimes committed during the genocide. While defendants have access to health care including ART, witnesses generally do not. I wrote to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, asking how the United Nations and the international community could work to resolve this inequity. The UN Secretary General replied, reporting that UNAIDS/WHO were identifying suitable health care providers, but seeking assistance from the UK to fund ART treatment for witnesses. I have responded positively and offered DFID assistance up to £200,000 for health care (including ART) to be provided in Kigali for ICTR witnesses and others called by the tribunal.

  Iraq
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures his Department have taken since the end of the war in Iraq to restore(a) drinking water supplies, (b) sewerage infrastructure and (c) electricity supplies. [166870]

  Hilary Benn
  The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in conjunction with the various Iraqi Ministries, the UN, bilateral donors and civil society have been engaged in significant efforts that have led to improvements in drinking water, sewerage and electricity provision across the whole of Iraq. The CPA website www.cpa-iraq.org gives weekly updates on developments in electricity supply and other essential services.

  The UK is contributing £17.2 million to the Emergency Infrastructure Programme in southern Iraq, which is focused on reinstating essential infrastructure in the power, fuel and water sectors. DFID has also provided £500,000 to CARE UK for their Integrated Water and Health Relief Project, which has improved the quantity and quality of drinking water to about 100,000 people in Najaf Governorate, 170 km south of Baghdad. More information on CARE UK's work in Iraq can be found at: www.careinternational.org.uk

  Particularly significant in the water, sewerage and electricity sectors have been the efforts of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDID), and UNICEF. Details of their interventions can be found on the following websites:

  www.usaid-gov/iraq

  www.iq.undp.org

  www.unicef.org/index.html

  The UN and World Bank undertook a comprehensive needs assessment in conjunction with the Iraqi authorities, which formed the basis for the pledges offered by the international community at the Madrid conference. The international community is now seeking to take forward this further reconstruction effort and the International Reconstruction Financing
  1084W
  Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) has been established. The UK has made an early contribution to the IRFFI of £70 million.

  Maldives
  Mr. Flook
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much grant-in-aid the United Kingdom gave to the Maldives in each year since 1997. [167273]

  Hilary Benn
  [holding answer 23 April 2004]UK bilateral aid to the Maldives in each financial year since 1997–98 has been:

  £

  Technical cooperation

  Grants and other aid in kind

  Total

  1997–1998

  88

  204

  292

  1998–1999

  70

  240

  310

  1999–2000

  44

  248

  292

  2000–2001

  69

  217

  286

  2001–2002

  17

  66

  83

  2002–2003

  16

  180

  195

  Source:

  Statistics for International Development

  Data for 2003–04 are not yet published.

  The EU did not make any development assistance grants to the Maldives, which could be attributable to the UK, in the period 1997–2001. Figures for 2002 are not yet published.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department is providing to people displaced by violence against Christians in Nigeria. [166917]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID Nigeria provides limited humanitarian assistance to Nigerians displaced by violence. In 2002 assistance was provided (approx. £233,000) through the Red Cross to victims of communal violence in Benue state. DFID Nigeria has recently approved support (£100,000) to Save the Children Fund Nigeria (SCF) to train Nigeria's emergency response organizations to ensure children are protected and their needs addressed in an emergency (including violent conflict). The Africa Conflict Prevention Pool supports Coventry Cathedral's International Centre for Reconciliation's work (£300,000 over three years) to prevent religious conflict throughout Nigeria.

  Population Initiatives
  Mr. David Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money has been given to(a) the UN Population Fund and (b) the International Planned Parenthood Federation in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [168171]

  Hilary Benn
  [holding answer 23 April 2004]DFID spending is as follows, for the last five financial years (1999–2000 to 2003–2004):
  1085W

  A. UN Population Fund:

  £million

  Total for period

  106.263

  1999–2000

  15.0

  2000–2001

  40.050

  2001–2002

  24.213

  2002–2003

  9.0

  2003–2004

  18.0

  B. International Planned Parenthood Federation:

  £million

  Total for period

  30.5

  1999–2000

  5.5

  2000–2001

  5.5

  2001–2002

  4.5

  2002–2003

  4.5

  2003–20041

  10.5

  Notes:

  1£4.5 million in 2003 and £6.0 in 2004

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which countries the Government are supporting programmes run by(a) the UN Population Fund and (b) the International Planned Parenthood Federation. [168172]

  Hilary Benn
  [holding answer 23 April 2004]The Government provide core contributions to both the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) in support of their global activities. UNFPA currently operates in 140 countries, supporting women, men and young people to promote reproductive health issues as well as combating violence against women. IPPF, the world's largest voluntary organisation in sexual and reproductive health and rights, has a network of almost 150 civil society organisations in over 164 countries, all committed to promoting the rights of women and men to decide freely, the number and spacing of their children and the right to the highest possible level of sexual and reproductive health.

  Reproductive Health
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on Government support for reproductive health programmes in Peru between 1990 and 2000. [168173]

  Hilary Benn
  [holding answer 23 April 2004]During the 1990s, DFID financed five projects in Peru supporting reproductive health. These were:

  (a) the Multi-Sectoral Population Project (1996–2002—£2,188,000);

  (b) the Contraceptives Supply Project (1994–98—£1,402,000);

  (c) the Post-Abortion Care Project (1997–2002—£349,000);

  (d) the Andean Reproductive Health Initiative, co-financed with the European Commission (1998–2002—£270,000); and

  (e) a Small Initiatives Fund (1997–98—£109,000).

  The purpose of these projects was to extend the coverage and quality of basic reproductive health and family planning services, in particular for Peru's poorer and more marginalised people. The projects helped develop the capacity of the Ministry of Health to
  1086W
  formulate policy on and deliver these health services. The main overall objective was to lower Peru's high rates of maternal and infant mortality.

  St. Helena
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions his Department has had with each of the four bidders for St. Helena's Air Access Project. [168384]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  I wrote direct to the four respondents on 14 April to notify them of the evaluation outcome and to offer them meetings. Atkins Management Consultants, in their capacity as advisers to the St. Helena Government and DFID, have had various contacts with all respondents in the course of the evaluation process that is now complete.

  Although DFID has had some discussions in 2002 with the St. Helena Leisure Corporation Ltd. (SHELCO), which was one of the four respondents to last year's international invitation for expressions of interest, we have not yet met direct with SHELCO or other respondents since receipt of their outline proposals. We did write to SHELCO in January and March of this year in response to specific queries.

  Togo
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance he has offered the Government of Togo to reduce levels of child prostitution in the country. [167825]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID has had no bilateral programme of assistance with the Government of Togo. The European Commission (EC) suspended development co-operation with the Togolese Government in 1993, but provides limited support to development projects via European Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). To the best of DFID's knowledge, no EC-funded NGO project in the last five years has specifically involved combating child prostitution.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

  Equal Opportunities and Rights at Work
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Leader of the House what assessment has been made of the amendments required to the rules of the House to ensure that all equal opportunity and rights at work related laws apply to hon. Members and their staff. [167854]

  Mr. Hain
  Hon. Members are, in their capacity as employers, subject to employment rights legislation and in particular equality legislation in the same way as other employers. The House authorities have a role in encouraging good practice. For example, the Department of Finance and Administration recently circulated information about the implications of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

  Hon. Members themselves are holders of elective office and are not employees for the purpose of employment rights legislation.

PRIME MINISTER

  Departmental Expenditure (Entertainment)
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Prime Minister what his latest estimate is of the amount spent by his Office on official entertainment in each year from 1996–97 to 2004–05. [169009]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 27 January 2003,Official Report, column 564W.

  For 2002–03, the total cost of official entertainment to my Office at 10 Downing street and Chequers was £62,709.

  Final figures for 2003–04 are not yet available.

  Downing Street Staff
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library an up-to-date organogram of 10 Downing street, showing individuals(a) functions, (b) lines of accountability and (c) classification as civil servant or special adviser. [167796]

  The Prime Minister
  An up-to-date copy of the No. 10 organogram has been placed in the House Library.

  Dr. A. Q. Khan
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2004,Official Report, column 757W, what reports he has received of the involvement of UK companies and individuals in the network of suppliers of nuclear components associated with Dr. A. Q. Khan; and if he will make a statement. [169149]

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to my previous answer.

  Government Buildings (Party Use)
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer to hon. Member for Bexhill and Battle, (Gregory Barker) on 29 March 2004,Official Report, column 1144W, on party use of Government buildings, what income has been received from the Labour Party for each year from 1997 to date. [167743]

  The Prime Minister
  Political events held in Downing street are conducted in accordance with the requirements of paragraph 65 of the Ministerial Code. The costs of such events are met directly by the Labour Party.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of(a) Shia, (b) Kurdish and (c) Sunni opinion towards the Coalition forces in Iraq. [167657]

  The Prime Minister
  The vast majority of Iraqis want a prosperous, stable, democratic Iraq. We are in constant dialogue and discussion with the key groups in Iraq and the process being conducted by the Coalition,1088W
  with increased UN involvement, for the transition of power and the implementation of a constitution, has a broad basis of consent from these various groups.

  Kean Inquiry
  Sir Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government have(a) been approached to provide information, (b) provided information, (c) made representations and (d) intends to make representations to the commission of inquiry into the terrorist attacks on the United States chaired by Thomas Kean; and if he will make a statement. [168182]

  The Prime Minister
  The UK has not provided formal witness statements to the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States (9/11 Commission). Where we have been asked for information by the Commission we have provided it and there have been a number of meetings between UK and Commission officials.

  Sir Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government has(a) been approached to provide information, (b) provided information, (c) made representations and (d) intends to make representations to the US Administration in connection with the commission of inquiry into the terrorist attacks on the United States chaired by Thomas Kean; and if he will make a statement. [168183]

  The Prime Minister
  We have not been approached nor have we provided any information to the US Administration in connection with the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States (9/11 Commission). Officials at the British embassy in Washington have discussed the progress of the Commission with the US Administration informally, as part of our normal business.

  Lord Levy
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister for what reasons Lord Levy's responsibilities as his special envoy have been widened to encompass education-related matters. [167749]

  The Prime Minister
  Lord Levy's responsibilities as special envoy were set out by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 9 July 2001,Official Report, column 350W. With regard to education, Lord Levy has helped support the Government's programme to establish City Academies.

  Ministerial Responsibility
  Richard Ottaway
  To ask the Prime Minister which Minister is responsible for the environmental impact of the Government's energy policy. [168866]

  The Prime Minister
  Stephen Timms, Minister for Energy, E-commerce and Postal Services at the Department and Trade and Industry, has responsibility for the environmental impact of the Government's energy policy.
  1089W
  He works closely on this issue with Elliott Morley, Minister for the Environment and Agri-Environment and Lord Whitty, Minister for Food, Farming and Sustainable Energy at the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

HEALTH

  Care Homes
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the required criteria are for a complaint about a care home to be investigated; and if he will make a statement. [166914]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Regulations made under the Care Standards Act 2000, require care homes to have arrangements for dealing with complaints made by, or on behalf of, those seeking or receiving any of the services provided by that establishment or agency. The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) is responsible for ensuring that establishments and agencies set-up and maintain comprehensive, effective and robust procedures and communicate these to people using the service and the public.

  All care homes in England are regulated (registered and inspected) by the CSCI in accordance with statutory regulations and national minimum standards. Anyone who has concerns about a care home can raise these with the CSCI. The CSCI will decide what appropriate action to take in response to information received. The CSCI also has discretionary powers to investigate formal complaints but will only do this where it would inform its role as regulator.

  If a resident's care is commissioned by the local authority, complaints can also be made through the statutory social services complaints procedure. If the local authority has serious concerns, it could decide not to commission services from a particular care home.

  Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated(a) inpatient, (b) outpatient hospital, (c) primary care and (d) investigation costs of treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were in 2003–04. [166705]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The tables show information relating to the national average unit cost in England for inpatient and out-patients respectively with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchitis for 2002–03.

  In-patient

  Patient type

  HRG code

  HRG label

  National average unit cost (£)

  Elective Inpatient

  D20

  Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease of Bronchitis

  1,177

  Non-Elective Inpatient

  D20

  Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease of Bronchitis

  1,136

  Day Case

  D20

  Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or Bronchitis

  404

  1090W

  Out-patient

  Patient type

  Specialty code

  Specialty

  National average unit cost (£)

  First attendance

  340

  Respiratory medicine

  163

  Follow up attendance

  340

  Respiratory medicine

  114

  Information relating to primary care and investigation costs is not able to be separately identified from current central returns.

  Departmental Procurement (Sea Bass)
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to source sea bass used in catering outlets for which his Department is responsible from hand-line fishermen rather than pair trawlers. [167542]

  Mr. Hutton
  The National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency has a national contract for the supply of fish, including sea bass. All sea bass supplied to the NHS comes either from fish farms in the Aegean or is caught by line. No sea bass provided in the NHS is caught by pair trawlers.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many whole time equivalent NHS plan group general practitioners per 100,000 population there were in(a) each region, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each primary care trust in (i) 2002 and (ii) 2003. [167424]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information on the number of whole time equivalent general practitioners (excluding GP retainers and GP registrars) per 100,000 population in each government office region, each strategic health authority, and in each primary care trust in 2002 and 2003 has been placed in the Library.

  Infection Control
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what standards the National Care Standards Commission has set for care homes on infection control; and how these standards are monitored centrally. [165248]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Standards for infection control in care homes are contained in the relevant National Minimum Standards (NMS) for care homes and are set by the Secretary of State for Health. A copy of the NMS is available in the Library.

  The Commission for Social Care Inspection, which replaced the National Care Standards Commission from 1 April 2004, is responsible for ensuring that homes comply with the care homes regulations, subject to the NMS being taken into account.

  Intermediate Care Beds
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intermediate care beds have been created since June 2001. [167708]
  1091W
  Dr. Ladyman
  The information is not available in the format requested.

  However, as at the 31 December 2003, there were an additional 4,100 intermediate care beds, compared to the 1999–2000 baseline.

  Mifegyne
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what year and in which area health authority each of the fatal suspected adverse reactions associated with the use of Mifegyne were reported; what age the women whose deaths gave rise to the reports of fatal suspected adverse reactions associated with the use of Mifegyne were; and what the post mortems concluded was the cause of death in each case. [167257]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  As with all medicines, the safety of Mifegyne (mifepristone) is continuously monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). To date, the MHRA has received two reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) with a fatal outcome.

  In line with the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information", we are unable to release any information that may possibly enable any patient to be identified and, in cases such as these, cause further unnecessary distress to the family. I am, therefore, unable to provide my hon. Friend with specific details concerning these cases.

  National Service Frameworks
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the 2003 Report of Progress and Future Challenges on the National Service Framework for Older People, what written policies were found that discriminated against older people; what progress has been made in amending these policies; and if he will make a statement. [168644]

  Dr. Ladyman
  A report on the local age discrimination audits of written policies in the national health service was published in April 2002. Copies are available in the Library. Reports of local action to address issues found should be covered in each local health organisation's annual report. Support for continued local action has included working to support the King's Fund to develop and publish "Auditing Age Discrimination—a practical approach to promoting equality in health and social care" in February 2003, the development of statistical tools to allow comparisons of local treatment and care by age group and training events around the country on age discrimination run with Age Concern.

  The Healthcare Commission is to undertake a review of progress on implementation of the national service framework for older people, including age discrimination from July 2004 to June 2005.

  Neurosurgical Consultants
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new neurosurgical consultancy posts are predicted for each of the next five years. [167065]
  1092W
  Mr. Hutton
  The Department does not have figures for planned numbers of posts.

  If the number of specialist registrars in neurosurgery who are due to qualify in the next five years is taken into account, along with the likely levels of retirement and other recruitment and retention factors, it is expected that there would be sufficient trained specialists in neurosurgery to increase consultant numbers by around a quarter by 2008.

  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the latest average time between the award of a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training and appointment as a consultant for neurosurgical trainees is. [167066]

  Mr. Hutton
  This information is not collected centrally.

  NHS Hospitals
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on the introduction of single rooms in NHS hospitals in England. [167415]

  Mr. Hutton
  The proportion of single rooms in new hospital developments should aim to be 50 per cent., but should not fall below 20 per cent. and must be a higher percentage than the facilities they are replacing. The policy and design guidance for the provision of single rooms in mental health accommodation is 100 per cent.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of the patient environment and assessment team inspections of hospital food and cleanliness was in each year since the inspections began. [167423]

  Mr. Hutton
  Since the patient environment action team (PEAT) programme commenced in 2000, over 3,000 inspections have been undertaken involving over 700 assessors. The PEAT programme is a key element of national health service inspection and performance assessment processes, and the results of PEAT feed directly into the star ratings managed by the Healthcare Commission.

  With very few exceptions, PEAT assessors are volunteers whose costs are met by their host organisations. Therefore, while there are costs associated with this work, they are not collected centrally.

  NHS Staff
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how figures for returners to the NHS will take account of multiple re-entry by some individuals. [168068]

  Mr. Hutton
  Between 1997 and 2003, the number of nurses and doctors working in the national health service increased by 67,500 nurses and 19,400 doctors. Returners to the NHS form one component of overall growth, including the very few who may return more than once.

  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many whole time equivalent(a) radiologists and (b) radiographers were employed by the NHS on 30 September 2003. [168154]
  1093W
  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is shown in the tables.

  Between September 1997 and 2003, the number of whole-time equivalent clinical radiology consultants has increased by 22 per cent., diagnostic radiographers have increased by 12 per cent. and therapeutic radiographers have increased by 15 per cent.

  Hospital, public health medicine and community health service (HCHS): Medical staff in the clinical radiology specialty by grade—England at 30 September 2003—whole time equivalents

  Clinical radiology

  Number

  All staff

  2,505

  of which:

  Consultant

  1,669

  Non Consultant Career Grades1

  28

  Doctors in Training2

  799

  Hospital Practitioner/Clinical Assistant

  9

  1Non Consultant Career Grades consists of Associate Specialist and Staff Grade.

  1Doctors in Training consists of the Registrar Group, Senior House Officers and House Officers.

  Source:

  Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

  NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff within the specified areas of work in England as at 30 September 2003

  Radiography (diagnostic)

  Number

  Qualified staff (whole time equivalent)

  9,642

  Qualified staff (headcount)

  11,687

  Radiography (therapeutic)

  Qualified staff (whole time equivalent)

  1,469

  Qualified staff (headcount)

  1,657

  Source:

  Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce census.

  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent cardiologists were working in the NHS in each year since 1999. [168363]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS). Staff within the cardiology specialty

  England1

  whole time equivalents

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  December 2003

  All staff

  1,065

  1,154

  1,233

  1,395

  1,549

  n/a

  of which

  Consultant

  425

  483

  512

  561

  609

  617

  1Data as at 30 September each year except December data which is at 31 December.

  n/a=not available. This is due to December being a mini census and collecting consultants only.

  The number of whole-time equivalent consultants has increased by 192, or 45 per cent. between September 1999 and December 2003.

  Source:

  Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts in England have equipment libraries. [167426]
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  Mr. Hutton
  This information is not held centrally.

  Nightingale Wards
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list NHS trusts which have yet fully to eliminate Nightingale wards. [166655]

  Mr. Hutton
  In line with "Shifting the Balance" of Power and initiatives to reduce bureaucracy for the national health service, data collections under estates return information collection take place annually. Information for March 2004 is currently being collected and I will write to the hon. Member when the analysis is complete.

  Occupational Health
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on encouraging businesses to invest in occupational health services; and if he will make a statement. [167410]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  With over 33 million working days lost each year, the Department's policy, together with that of other Departments, in particular, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), the Health and Safety Commission/Executive (HSC/E) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), is extremely supportive of all businesses which invest in occupational health services to improve the health of their employees. For example, in 1999, the Department launched the healthy workplace initiative to promote health in the workplace; and, in November 2001, a new occupational health service, called NHS Plus, a network of 106 national health service occupational health departments which sell a range of occupational health services to small and medium sized enterprises across England.

  In addition, the Department fully endorses the cross government commitments to both reducing ill health caused by work and to help people access work espoused in the new HSC/E's "Strategy for Health and Safety 2010 and beyond". The Department also supports other Government Departments' initiatives, which encourage businesses to develop occupational health services, such as the DTI's "Partnership at Work" scheme.

  Patient Records
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients have online secure access to their electronic patient records. [167702]

  Mr. Hutton
  Currently, no patients have online or electronic access to their medical records.

  This functionality is planned as part of the national health service care records service that will begin to be rolled out from summer 2004, with phased implementation up to 2010.

  The Department is exploring different ways that patients can access their own records through the "HealthSpace" project, which is supported by NHS Direct Online. In future, the intention is to provide "HealthSpace" as the gateway through which users can access a summary of their NHS care record when it becomes available electronically. The facilities in "HealthSpace" required to do this will build over time,

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  with full implementation expected by the end of 2008. The secure authentication, access and review of any electronic patient records is of paramount concern and will be both proven and robust before any system can go live.

  Potassium Chloride Solution
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department is taking to persuade manufacturers of potassium chloride solution to redesign packaging to avoid adverse incidents in hospital; and if he will make a statement. [167406]

  Mr. Hutton
  The National Patient Safety Agency has worked with practitioners, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the pharmaceutical industry to agree new labelling standards for strong potassium chloride solutions requiring a distinctive red 'K' on these products, with suitable warnings.

  Labelling standards have also been agreed for potassium chloride infusion products to help distinguish them from infusions that do not contain potassium.

  The National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency has already written to all current contracted suppliers of medicinal products to say that it will, in future, award contracts to reflect the application of MHRA guidance on labelling of products, including potassium chloride solutions.

  Pressure Ulcers
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to cut the cost of pressure ulcers in the NHS. [167404]

  Dr. Ladyman
  A pressure ulcer risk assessment and prevention guideline was published by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) in April 2001. An updated version of the guideline was published on 22 October 2003. The guideline outlines best practice for health professionals caring for individuals who are vulnerable to or at risk of developing pressure ulcers.

  A wound care package of guidelines is also currently being developed by NICE, which will include a guideline on pressure ulcer treatment.

  Short Notice Appointments Guidance
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts do not follow Department of Health guidance on short notice appointments; and what action he plans to take. [167709]

  Mr. Hutton
  We expect all national health service organisations to comply with waiting times guidance on reasonable offers of an appointment or an offer of admission. issued in dataset change notice 07/2003, February 2003. As part of its recent spot-check exercise, the Audit Commission found a small number of trusts were not fully complying with this guidance. Issues identified by the spot-checks will be addressed in action plans agreed between local auditors and trusts.

  Stationery
  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on (1) what date his Department expects to implement in full the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that(a) all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content and (b) all paper for printed publications bought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled, of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post-consumer waste; and what measures he has put in place to ensure that the targets are met; [165446]

  (2) what percentage of paper for printed publications used by the Department in 2002–03 was from recycled sources; and how much post-consumer waste this paper contained. [165447]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Department procures all its printing needs, including the provision of paper, from its supplier roster. All of these providers are aware of the Government commitment to supply publications on recycled paper and the Department makes the supplier selection based on the most cost-effective quotation—as such the actual brand of recycled and environmentally friendly paper and its specifications is left to the printer. Therefore the Department is unable to make a detailed statement on the information requested.

  The Department's standard copying paper is 100 per cent. recycled, using 80 per cent., post consumer waste. This exceeds the Quick Wins target of a minimum of 75 per cent., post consumer waste.

  Timber
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [167631]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department welcomes the establishment of the central point of expertise on timber (CPET), and believes it will be a spur for widening the demand for legal and sustainable timber. Tenders for operating the first phase of CPET have been received by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and a contract should be in place before the end of May. Improved guidance, including advice on certification schemes, should be available by the end of August.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent analysis has been carried out of waiting times for child and adolescent psychology services; and if he will make a statement. [168666]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Information is not collected in the format requested. Children and young people receive treatment for mental health problems in a wide range of health care settings. We are aware that in some areas, and in some specialities, waiting times for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) are unacceptably long. The development of CAMHS is one of our priorities. In the three years to March 2006 we will be investing an additional £300 million in CAMHS, which will help reduce waiting times.
  1097W
  In 2004–05, we are allocating a total of £67 million to local authorities for CAMHS and £20 million to primary care trusts (PCTs) to further develop CAMHS. Derbyshire county council will receive £521,000 and the Derby Dales and south Derbyshire PCT will receive £27,000.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  NHS (African Workers)
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the maximum period of time is that nationals of sub-Saharan African countries are permitted to work in the NHS. [164761]

  Mr. Browne
  Immigration regulations do not place an upper limit on the amount of time that a non-EEA national may work in the NHS, provided relevant requirements of the Immigration Rules are met. NHS employers who wish to employ any non-EEA nationals in the UK may apply for a work permit for a maximum period of five years. A non-EEA national that completes four years in continuous work permit employment may qualify for indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

  Afghan Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is his policy to remove failed Afghan asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement. [161620]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 15 March 2004]The Home Office determines asylum and human rights applications from Afghan nationals on their individual merits according to the UK's obligations under the terms of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the European Convention on Human Rights.

  If an application is refused, there is a right of appeal to the independent appellate authorities against that decision. Should a claim be refused and any appeal be unsuccessful that means that, for that individual, return to Afghanistan would be safe. We consider it reasonable to expect an individual in that position to return to Afghanistan.

  The Government's preferred option for repatriating Afghan asylum applicants whose asylum claims have been rejected and appeal rights exhausted is assisted voluntary return, in line with the Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding on Voluntary Return between the UK, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Afghan Transitional Administration. There are two voluntary return programmes operated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) which are available to Afghans wishing to return to Afghanistan. The Return to Afghanistan Programme (RAP) offers financial assistance of £600 for individuals and up to £2,500 for families in addition to a flight and the offer of a training and employment package in Afghanistan. The Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme (VARRP) is the UK's generic voluntary returns programme which is also open to Afghans. VARRP provides a flight for returnees and in kind
  1098W
  reintegration assistance in the country of origin. This may include help to access initial housing, employment, education or health services. IOM can also provide assistance in setting up a small business.

  The Explore and Prepare Programme for Afghanistan was hunched on 28 October 2003. This programme allows Afghans with status in the UK to return to Afghanistan to explore the possibility of making a permanent return without affecting their immigration status in the UK.

  On 28 April 2003 in line with our stated intentions and as agreed with the Afghan authorities we commenced enforced returns to Afghanistan. We are returning those not found to be in need of international protection or granted any other form of leave to remain who do not depart voluntarily. Those individuals or groups identified as vulnerable are excluded from the programme of enforced returns.

  Asylum/Immigration
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what(a) targets and (b) performance indicators he has set for the time taken to process fast track applications for asylum in respect of claimants accommodated at the Oakington Reception Centre; and what the performance against them was in 2003. [161030]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 12 March 2004]Details of Home Office targets are given in the Spending Review 2002 Public Service Agreement Technical Notes, a copy of which is available from the Library of the House. The targets relate to financial years. There is no specific target for the speed of processing cases dealt with via the Oakington process.

  The overall target for new substantive asylum applications received in 2003–04 is to ensure that 75 per cent. are decided and served within two months and we are on track to exceed the target. 80 per cent. 1,2 of applications received in the period April to

  1Source:

  A-CID database as at 30 January 2004.

  September 2003 had initial decisions reached and served within two months3.

  There is a target for the fast turnaround of non-suspensive appeal (NSA) cases where the claimant is detained throughout the process, most of which are decided at Oakington. For 2003–04 this is to process 60 per cent. of new, detained, non-suspensive appeal cases within 14 days.

  It is planned that performance against PSA targets relating to 2003–04 will be published in due course (once the data are judged sufficiently reliable) in the regular quarterly asylum statistics, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research Development and Statistics web site:
  http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rdsiimmigrationl.html

  2 excludes withdrawals and 3rd country cases which may be the responsibility of other EU member states under the Dublin Convention. Home Office's Public Service Agreement target for 2001–02 was 60 per cent. and for 2002–03 was 65 per cent.. The target for 2003–04 is 75 per cent.. Excludes asylum applications lodged by Iraqis between 1 February and 31 May 2003.

  1099W

  3 "Two months" is defined as 61 days; "Four months" is defined as 122 days; "Six months" is defined as 182 days.

  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 2 March,Official Report, column 896W, on asylum and immigration, if he will publish the terms of bilateral and Community readmission agreements as to the process and evidence required for the re-documentation of returning nationals in respect of each of the countries to which the Answer refers. [161159]

  Mr. Browne
  The UK's readmission agreements with Albania and Romania have been laid before Parliament. The Command Papers will be available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site, upon completion of the ratification process. Both agreements provide that identity and citizenship or right of abode of a person is to be proved, or may be reasonably presumed through a number of valid documents specified in the agreements, or any other evidence acceptable to both Parties. The agreements set out how the request and response for readmission should be made. together with the timescales for the procedure.

  The readmission agreements between the European Community and Sri Lanka and Albania have now been concluded. Those with Algeria, China, Pakistan, Russia and Ukraine have not been concluded. The ratification process for the agreement with Sri Lanka is advanced and the process for Albania has just commenced with the issue of Council Decisions to sign and conclude the agreement. Both documents have been deposited with the Parliamentary Scrutiny Committees and will be published following ratification, in the Official Journal of the European Community.

  Jeremy Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unsuccessful asylum applicants have been returned to(a) Somalia and (b) Somaliland in the past year; and what monitoring of the safety of the situation there he has undertaken. [153946]

  Mr. Browne
  Although Somaliland declared its independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991, it is not recognised internationally and asylum applicants received from those originating from that part of Somalia are not recorded separately.

  Estimates of the number of Somali nationals who had sought asylum at some stage and who were removed from the UK in the period July 2002 to June 2003 (the latest available figures) are shown in the table. Information on the destination of these removals is not available. These figures include persons departing 'voluntarily' after the initiation of enforcement action against them, and persons leaving under Assisted

  Removals and voluntary1 departures of principal asylum applicants (excluding dependants)—June 2002 to June 20032,3,4

  Month/Year

  Number of Departures

  July 2002

  >5

  August 2002

  *

  September 2002

  5

  October-2002

  5

  November 2002

  5

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  Removals and voluntary1 departures of principal asylum applicants (excluding dependants)—June 2002 to June 20032,3,4

  Month/Year

  Number of Departures

  December 2002

  5

  January 2003

  *

  February 2003

  5

  March 2003

  *

  April 2003

  *

  May 2003

  5

  June 2003

  5

  Total

  45

  1Includes persons departing "voluntarily" after enforcement action had been initiated against them, persons leaving under Assisted voluntary return programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration, and removals on safe third country grounds.

  2Figures rounded to the nearest five with * denoting one or two and may not sum to total due to rounding.

  3 Data have been estimated due to data quality issues.

  4 Provisional figures.

  All asylum (and human rights) claims made by Somalis are considered on their individual merits in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Should a claim be refused and any appeal before the independent Immigration Appellate Authority be unsuccessful, it means that for that individual it is safe to return.

  In making decisions about removing failed asylum seekers, the Home Office takes full account of up to date information from a wide range of sources about the situation in the country of origin. These sources include intergovernmental organisations (such as the UN), governmental sources (including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and human rights organisations (for example, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch).

  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the number of people claiming asylum in the UK in 2004. [164972]

  Mr. Browne
  Information on asylum applications is published quarterly. The publication covering the first quarter of 2004 (January to March) will be available on 25 May 2004 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl.html.

  In 2003, there were 49,370 asylum applications—a drop of 41 per cent. when compared to 2002 (84,130) and much more than in the rest of Europe (down 10 per cent.1 when compared with 2002). Several recent new initiatives are continuing to impact on intake, including juxtaposed border controls, roll out of new detection technology, and the expansion of the non-suspensive appeals provisions (NSA). (In July 2003 the list of NSA countries was expanded further and now stands at 24 countries.)

  The reductions in unfounded claims must be sustained—we are not looking for one-off or temporary falls in claims in any one month or year, but consistently lower numbers over the long term. However intake does also depend on world events and the important point is to reduce the number of unfounded claims to ensure that the system is not abused and those with well founded claims receive fair and fast treatment.

  1Figures are provisional and exclude Italy.
  1101W
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the proportion of asylum seekers claiming to be Somali who are(a) Tanzanian and (b) from other nearby countries. [160207]

  Mr. Browne
  As with all asylum seekers, we rigorously assess those claiming to be Somali for evidence of Somali nationality. A significant proportion of Somali asylum seekers are refused asylum on grounds of disputed nationality. However, information on exactly how many Somali asylum seekers are believed to be Tanzanian or of other East African nationalities is not readily available. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.

  Therefore we cannot definitively say what proportion of Somali asylum seekers are Tanzanian or from other nearby countries. However, operational and intelligence sources suggest that a considerable percentage of Somali asylum seekers are in fact from surrounding East African countries, including Tanzania. In particular, the introduction of language testing has provided strong evidence that many asylum seekers claiming to be Somali are of other nationalities. We are working in cooperation with the Tanzanian government to identify their nationals who have claimed asylum as Somalis.

  Lembit Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants were arrested by the authorities in the UK other than at points of entry into the UK in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [160376]

  Mr. Browne
  Detailed figures are not kept nationally of the number of illegal immigrants detected in the UK other than at points of entry.

  Lembit Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost to the Government of illegal immigrants who avoid detection at points of entry into the UK in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [160378]

  Mr. Browne
  Illegal immigrants who avoid detection at points of entry into the UK, and who do not subsequently leave the country, form part of the illegally resident population.

  Official estimates of the size of the illegally resident population in the United Kingdom do not currently exist and it is therefore not possible to calculate the costs associated with this group.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters were addressed to the Minister of State (Citizenship, Immigration and Counter-Terrorism) from right hon. and hon. Members in each month since he took office; and how many were replied to by(a) the Minister and (b) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Race Equality, Community Policy and Civil Renewal). [163121]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 22 March 2004]Figures are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  1102W
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will(a) reply to the three letters from the hon. Member for City of Durham regarding Abbas Mirzael ref: M 1009147 and (b) return the fee and application form TD 112 requested on 18 November 2003. [165502]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 19 April 2004]Officials replied to my hon. Friend's letters of 18 November 2003 and 6 February on 2 April. I sent a further reply to my hon. Friend's letter of 9 March on 28 April.

  Detention and Removal Centres
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether annual reports of independent monitoring boards of detention and removal centres are published. [157444]

  Mr. Browne
  Independent Monitoring Board annual reports are not published documents. They are made to the Secretary of State who permits the Board to publish their report if they wish, subject to allowing a period of notice to elapse before publication and the removal of any information which is confidential. Boards are, however, encouraged to publish their reports and the Chairs have indicated that most of the Boards intend to do so this year.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place for the investigation of allegations of assault made by immigration and asylum detainees against(a) members of staff of removal And detention centres, (b) escorts and (c) other detainees. [157448]

  Mr. Browne
  Rule 48 of the Detention Centre Rules 2001 provides for any complaint made against any member of staff at the removal centre to be investigated promptly by the contract monitor. If the complaint is against a member of the Immigration Service an investigation would be undertaken by the IS Complaints Unit. In all cases where a detainee alleges assault they would be asked if they wished to contact the police.

  Where an allegation of assault is made against the escort this is referred to the police as the appropriate investigating authority. On completion of any police action, the allegation will also be investigated under the Immigration Service's internal complaints procedures with the relevant contract monitor conducting the investigation.

  Allegations of assaults by one detainee on another detainee are always reported to the police for action.

  Eastern European Arrivals
  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the requirements imposed on Eastern Europeans seeking to enter or remain in the United Kingdom pursuant to(a) European Community Association agreements and (b) the BRACE policy. [161619]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 15 March 2004]The requirements for entry are set out in the Immigration Rules at Paragraphs 211–216. The requirements to extend stay are set out at Paragraphs 217–221 and the
  1103W
  requirements for settlement are set out at Paragraphs 222–223. The current Immigration Rules are HC 395 (as amended).

  I would refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement my predecessor, my right hon. Friend, the member for Stretford and Urmston (Beverley Hughes) made on the 12 March.

  EU Accession Countries
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his oral statement to the House of 23 February 2004,Official Report, column 24, in what circumstances EU citizens will be considered unable to support themselves; who will make this assessment; and what right of appeal there will be. [160212]

  Mr. Browne
  Under EC law, the right of residence of certain categories of EU nationals (students, retired persons, and persons not falling within other categories under the EC residence directives) in a member state other than their member state of origin is dependent on their being able to support themselves. Where it is determined, on the facts and in accordance with the principles laid down in ECJ case-law, that persons in these categories are no longer able to support themselves they may be removed under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/2326). Such decisions will be subject to appeal by an adjudicator in the first instance.

  In respect of nationals of Accession states (excluding Cyprus and Malta) who come to the UK to work, their right of residence here will also be subject to satisfying the self-sufficiency test while they are not working. Again, if they do not satisfy this test they will be removable under the 2000 Regulations. The draft Accession (Immigration and Worker Registration) Regulations 2004 thus ensure that a national of an Accession State (other than Cyprus or Malta) will only be able to reside in the United Kingdom while seeking work if he or she is self-sufficient.

  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his oral statement to the House of 23 February 2004,Official Report, column 24, what steps he intends to take to prevent EU citizens removed from the UK from returning; and at what point they will be allowed to re-enter the country. [160213]

  Mr. Browne
  Under European Community law, EU citizens may only be refused entry to the UK on grounds of public policy public security or public health. In order to refuse entry on public policy grounds we must be satisfied that that the person poses a genuine and serious threat to one of the fundamental interests of society. Measures taken on these grounds must be based exclusively on the personal conduct of the individual concerned.

  Those people who have been deported from the UK for committing serious crimes would be prevented from returning to the UK. Such persons would not be able to return to the UK until any deportation order had been revoked.

  Gangmasters
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to monitor the activities of gangmasters employing illegal workers. [157578]

  Mr. Browne
  All employers in the United Kingdom are subject to the requirements of section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, the law on preventing illegal working. Any employer who is found to be employing an illegal worker and acting in contravention of their legal obligations under section 8 may face the possibility of a criminal charge and prosecution.

  On 16 March we announced changes, via secondary legislation, to strengthen the security of the document checks employers must carry out on prospective employees under section 8 to establish a statutory defence from prosecution.

  The changes will make it easier for compliant employers to ensure that their workforce can work in the UK, and for the Immigration Service to identify and prosecute the small minority of non-compliant employers who knowingly or negligently employ illegal workers.

  The United Kingdom Immigration Service (UKIS) is responsible for monitoring and tackling illegal migrant working, and conducts regular enforcement and educational visits to employers on section 8. UKIS adopts an intelligence led approach to carrying out illegal working enforcement operations relating to gangmasters, as it does to employers in other sectors.

  UKIS are fully involved in regional Operation Gangmaster and more generally have invested greater effort in illegal working enforcement activity, including where agricultural labour providers are concerned.

  In terms of overall illegal working enforcement activity across all commercial sectors in the United Kingdom, there were 446 UKIS operations in 2003. In the first nine months of 2003, UKIS reported carrying out 16 operations specifically aimed at farms and packhouses where labour providers were involved.

  By the beginning of 2004, UKIS had significantly increased activity in this area. In the four-month period from the beginning of November 2003 to the end of February 2004 UKIS reported carrying out 18 enforcement operations at farms and packhouses where labour providers were involved. These operations led to the removal of over a 100 immigration offenders. A further 11 operations involving labour providers are also scheduled or being planned.

  Earlier this month, two major investigations involving the police supported by UKIS resulted in the conviction of gangmasters for very serious criminal offences. In March, six labour providers with the company Ultimate Source were convicted at Kings Lynn Crown court of various offences in connection with the supply of illegal workers. On 16 March, the labour provider and his son were found guilty of charges including conspiracy to defraud and facilitating the entry of illegal immigrants into the UK. Both have been sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
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  The Government are also working closely with my hon. Friend, the Member for West Renfrewshire (Jim Sheridan) to ensure that the Gangmasters Bill will achieve its objectives and introduce a licensing scheme which we can support. The Government have suggested a number of amendments to enhance the Bill and with those changes we believe it will significantly strengthen our attempts to curb the exploitative activities of gangmasters.

  NCIS
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made to the source handling capability of the National Criminal Intelligence Service; and what assessment he has made of the impact of these changes. [166591]

  Caroline Flint
  The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) employs a number of means to collect intelligence on the activities of serious and organised criminals. These include the running of Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS).

  The NCIS Service Authority has recently approved the NCIS Operating Plan for 2004–05. The plan, which is protectively marked in order to safeguard the operational effectiveness of NCIS, includes the creation of a new Business Area dedicated to CHIS handling. A key aim for this Business Area for 2004–05 is to review the structures, working practices, resource and training requirements for NCIS CHIS activity, and to align this with the national strategies for tackling serious and organised crime in order to make it more effective.

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of police officers continuing in employment at the National Criminal Intelligence Service on(a) a permanent basis and (b) on secondment during (i) 2004–05, (ii) 2005–06 and (iii) 2006–07. [166600]

  Caroline Flint
  In 2004–05, the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) expects to employ around 100 seconded police officers. Detailed plans for 2005–06 have yet to be formulated, but NCIS expects the number of seconded police officers to be maintained at broadly 2004–05 levels. The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) is expected to become fully operational from 1 April 2006, at which point NCIS will cease to exist as a discrete organisation. It will be a matter for the new agency to determine how many seconded police officers it will employ, including for those functions currently performed by NCIS.

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Statement of 29 March,Official Report, column 1285, of those police officers seconded to the National Criminal Intelligence Service who have been interviewed regarding the termination of their secondment, how many had completed (a) less than six months, (b) six to 12 months, (c) 12 to 18 months and (d) 18 months to two years of their secondment. [166603]

  Caroline Flint
  The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) interviewed all seconded police officers, with the exception of 27 who elected not to be interviewed (having decided to return to force), 14 officers seconded to other agencies under NCIS suspices 1106W
  (for example, in support of United Nations' effort in Kosovo), and five interviews that are outstanding. Of those interviewed, 12 had served less than six months, 23 for 6–12 months, 33 for 12–18 months, 21 for 18–24 months, and 106 for more than 24 months.

  Parole
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners who are sentenced to 10 years or more have been released in each of the last 48 months. [168021]

  Paul Goggins
  The number of prisoners sentenced to 10 years or more who were released from prisons in England and Wales in each of the last 48 months is given in the table.

  Discharges of prisoners sentenced to 10 years or more

  Discharges England and Wales, April 2000-March 2004

  April 2000

  45

  May 2000

  46

  June 2000

  54

  July 2000

  55

  Aug 2000

  64

  September 2000

  43

  October 2000

  49

  November 2000

  52

  December 2000

  41

  January 2001

  56

  February 2001

  52

  March 2001

  45

  April 2001

  72

  May 2001

  59

  June 2001

  61

  July 2001

  52

  August 2001

  67

  September 2001

  51

  October 2001

  52

  November 2001

  65

  December 2001

  50

  January 2002

  40

  February 2002

  47

  March 2002

  44

  April 2002

  54

  May 2002

  59

  June 2002

  51

  July 2002

  74

  August 2002

  72

  September 2002

  57

  October 2002

  77

  November 2002

  51

  December 2002

  62

  January 2003

  54

  February 2003

  58

  March 2003

  67

  April 2003

  54

  May 2003

  75

  June 2003

  63

  July 2003

  90

  August 2003

  69

  September 2003

  64

  October 2003

  103

  November 2003

  57

  December 2003

  82

  January 2004

  62

  February 2004

  64

  March 2004

  78

  1107W
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were released on home detention curfew in each of the last 12 months. [168024]

  Paul Goggins
  The number of persons who were released on home detention curfew in each of the last 12 months is given in the table.

  Number released on home detention curfew—England and Wales April 2003 to March 2004

  Number

  April 2003

  1,791

  May 2003

  1,740

  June 2003

  1,739

  July 2003

  2,086

  August 2003

  2,080

  September 2003

  1,747

  October 2003

  1,705

  November 2003

  1,546

  December 2003

  1,836

  January 2004

  1,487

  February 2004

  1,441

  March 2004

  1,900

  Passports
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports sent to applicants by mail went missing in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [163203]

  Mr. Browne
  The information recorded in each year since 1997 is as follows:

  1997—not available

  1998—not available

  1999–2,359

  2000–3,851

  2001–2,541

  2002–2,982

  2003–3,593.

  Original security category of sentenced receptions of adult males in prisons in England and Wales

  England

  A

  B

  C

  D

  Unrecorded

  January 2003

  5

  236

  3,370

  554

  467

  February 2003

  4

  236

  3,304

  533

  417

  March 2003

  3

  247

  3,445

  603

  481

  April 2003

  4

  231

  3,097

  653

  511

  May 2003

  3

  228

  3,272

  647

  500

  June 2003

  6

  237

  3,327

  682

  464

  July 2003

  11

  227

  3,713

  674

  612

  August 2003

  7

  169

  3,118

  518

  473

  September 2003

  1

  181

  3,502

  734

  548

  October 2003

  2

  231

  3,696

  728

  510

  November 2003

  2

  202

  3,307

  582

  508

  December 2003

  6

  180

  2,937

  485

  709

  January 2004

  3

  174

  3,499

  650

  550

  February 2004

  2

  216

  3,660

  625

  608

  March 2004

  1

  200

  3,716

  630

  762

  Wales

  January 2003

  0

  1

  139

  23

  39

  February 2003

  0

  2

  126

  39

  35

  March 2003

  0

  3

  144

  31

  22

  April 2003

  0

  3

  145

  29

  29

  May 2003

  0

  5

  139

  39

  29

  June 2003

  0

  2

  150

  36

  27

  July 2003

  0

  1

  164

  42

  37

  August 2003

  0

  0

  108

  32

  25

  September 2003

  0

  2

  135

  34

  29

  October 2003

  0

  5

  165

  46

  42

  1108W
  The United Kingdom Passport Service has now addressed this continuing need to increase the security of passports delivered through the postal system by switching to use secure courier. The staged implementation of these new arrangements started on 9 February and was fully in place as of 15 March 2004.

  People-trafficking
  Mrs Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans his Department has to ratify the UN Convention Against Trans National Organised Crime; what stance his Department will take on the optional protocols on(a) trafficking in persons and (b) smuggling of migrants; and if he will make a statement. [166472]

  Caroline Flint
  The United Kingdom was among the first countries to sign the UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime on 14 December 2000 and signed the Protocols against People Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling at the same time. We intend to ratify the Convention and both protocols as soon as all legislative requirements to bring our law into compliance with these instruments have been met.

  Prisoners
  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many adult males given a custodial sentence by courts were assessed as requiring Category(a) A, (b) B, (c) C and (d) D security conditions in (i) England and (ii) Wales in each month since January 2003. [168205]

  Paul Goggins
  The original security category of adult males received under sentence into prisons as(a) Category A, (b) Category B, (c) Category C and (d) Category D prisoners in (i) England and (ii) Wales in each month since January 2003 is given in the table.
  1109W

  Original security category of sentenced receptions of adult males in prisons in England and Wales

  England

  A

  B

  C

  D

  Unrecorded

  November 2003

  0

  0

  109

  42

  36

  December 2003

  1

  2

  129

  32

  45

  January 2004

  0

  5

  132

  43

  33

  February 2004

  0

  2

  136

  52

  43

  March 2004

  0

  1

  145

  42

  49

  Sangatte Camp Refugees
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been done to recognise the educational background of the 1,000 refugees from the Sangatte camp in 2003 in order to integrate them into the UK workplace. [157364]

  Mr. Browne
  Job Centre Plus interviewed the majority of arrivals and made an assessment of their skills, taking their reported educational attainments fully into account. Where appropriate, those who had not entered employment were offered English language training to assist them in their search for work.

  Self-employed Tradesmen
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used to determine whether self-employed tradesmen who are not UK nationals may enter the UK; and in what circumstances these criteria may be waived in(a) part and (b) full. [161814]

  Mr. Browne
  The requirements for entry under the European Community Association Agreements (ECAA) are set out in the Immigration Rules at paragraphs 211–216. The current Immigration Rules are HC395 (as amended).

  Persons already legally in the UK can "switch" into the ECAA category. In these cases the above requirements do not apply. Instead, applicants must comply with the after entry requirements set out at Paragraphs 217–221 of the Immigration Rules.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for work permits from self-employed businessmen from EU accession countries were successful in each month of the last three years, broken down by country of origin. [161815]

  Mr. Browne
  Work permits are not issued in respect of self-employment. The work permit arrangements are employer-driven, and applications can only be made by UK-based employers on behalf of the individual they wish to employ.

  Sentence Costs
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost of administering(a) a supervision order (juvenile), (b) an action plan order (juvenile), (c) a referral order (juvenile), (d) a reparation order (juvenile), (e) a parenting order (juvenile), (f) an intensive supervision and surveillance order (juvenile), (g) a probation order with accreditated programme condition, (h) a place in an approved hostel, (i) a
  1110W
  dispersal prison, (j) a category B prison, (k) a category C prison and (l) an open prison was in the latest year for which figures are available. [167367]

  Paul Goggins
  The average estimated unit costs of the juvenile and adult orders, hostel and custodial places administered by the Youth Justice Board, National Probation Directorate and Prison Service are as follows:

  Average estimated unit costs of juvenile and adult orders

  Juvenile Orders

  Unit cost per order 2002 (£)

  Action Plan Order

  1,513

  Parenting Order

  696

  Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (six month programme cost)

  8,500

  Referral Order

  982

  Reparation Order

  1,015

  Supervision Order

  2,761

  Adult Orders

  Unit cost per order 2004–2005 (£)

  Rehabilitation Order with Accredited Programme Condition

  4,900

  Adult Orders

  Unit cost per Hostel Place 2004–2005 (£)

  Approved Premises Place

  30,800

  Prison Service Custodial Places

  Unit cost per Custodial Place 2003–2004 (£)

  Dispersal Prison

  34,930

  Category B Prison

  15,218

  Category C Prison

  18,595

  Open Prison

  17,015

  The Youth Justice Board have commissioned PA Consulting to conduct activity sampling work on Youth Offending Teams which should provide further research data on the unit costs of juvenile orders and interventions. The activity analysis report is due to be completed later this year.

  Stowaways
  Lembit Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons concealed in vehicles were detected at border control points in the UK in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [160373]

  Mr. Browne
  Detailed figures are not kept nationally of the number of illegal immigrants detected in the UK. However locally collated management information indicates that in the Kent area the following numbers were detected at ports of entry

  Detected at port

  2001

  3,061

  2002

  3,513

  2003

  1,777

  1111W
  Lembit Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many personnel are employed by his Department for the purpose of the detection of stowaways in vehicles at UK points of entry; and if he will make a statement. [160379]

  Mr. Browne
  During the month of January 2004 there were on average 116 staff engaged daily in the detection of clandestine entrants at UK ports of entry and at the juxtaposed controls.

  Lembit Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average inspection time spent per vehicle at UK border checkpoints was when checking for stowaways in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [160381]

  Mr. Browne
  While records are kept, for vehicles travelling through Calais, Dover and Coquelles, of the number of lorries searched and the technology used, no records are routinely kept of the time taken to conduct the search. However the current average time to search a vehicle is estimated as between one and four minutes depending on the search methods.

  Lembit Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the average time that a stowaway has been in a vehicle prior to detection at a border control point in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [160382]

  Mr. Browne
  Persons who attempt to enter the United Kingdom illegally as clandestine entrants concealed in vehicles, will enter that vehicle at a variety of points in the journey. These can be close to the port of embarkation, or at the start of the journey perhaps in the country of origin.

  While the UK Immigration Service systematically interviews clandestine entrants about their routes to the UK, no records are kept of the length of time a person claims to have remained in a vehicle.

  The juxtaposed border controls now established in France at Calais, Dunkerque and Coquelles make detections of clandestines much earlier in the journey. This not only maintains the integrity of the United Kingdom border but also helps to prevent injury or death to persons concealed within vehicles while crossing the channel.

  TITAN Database
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has made of the(a) annual and (b) daily cost of installing, operating and maintaining the TITAN database currently being used by the National Criminal Intelligence Service. [166597]

  Caroline Flint
  Titan, the supplier of the Elementary system, is contracted to provide hardware, software and associated technical support at a cost of £1.75 million in 2004–05 (equivalent to a daily cost of £4,800).

  Based on user numbers, the operating costs for the system are expected to amount to £935,000 in 2004–05 (equivalent to a daily cost of £2,560).

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the operational effectiveness of the TITAN database being used by the National Criminal Intelligence Service.[166598]
  1112W
  Caroline Flint
  In January 2004, the Elementary system (which is being supplied by the Titan company) successfully passed the Office of Government Commence Gateway 4 (Readiness for Service) Review and is currently being implemented in the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS). NCIS is currently running the old system, Alert, in parallel with Elementary as part of the final phase of implementation of the new system, to deal with issues that naturally arise when a system is taken into full operational use. This includes carrying out regular appraisals and performance reviews to ensure that the system delivers the expected benefits and the service performance that NCIS requires for operational effectiveness. As part of the overall assessment and evaluation strategy, a Gateway 5 Review (Benefits Evaluation) and a Post Implementation Review are also planned.

  Visas
  Mr. Godsiff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many nationals of each country from which a visa is required applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications in 2002; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before the visas expired; and how many applied(a) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (b) for political asylum. [162160]

  Mr. Browne
  I have been asked to reply.

  The available information is given in the tables, which will be available in the Library.

  Entry clearance data are available by country of application, which is not necessarily the country of the applicant's nationality.

  The information on grants of settlement includes persons who entered the United Kingdom with an entry clearance leading to settlement, as well as some asylum seekers granted leave to remain in 2002 and in previous years; and the data on asylum applications is likely to include some persons who held no entry clearance.

  No data are available on the number of persons who return to their country of nationality before their leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom expires, or on the number of holders of visas for temporary purposes who apply for asylum or for settlement.

  Information on entry clearance, settlement and asylum applications are published in the quarterly asylum statistics and the annual Command Paper Control of Immigration Statistics 2002. Copies are available from the Library and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at: http:// www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl.html

  Work Permits
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for work permits are awaiting decision. [157113]
  1113W
  Mr. Browne
  Information on the number of cases outstanding in Work Permits (UK) is not available. In 2003, performance in Work Permits (UK) was that 95 per cent. of all completed applications were turned around within 24 hours.

TREASURY

  Debt
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the impact of a 1 per cent. rise in world interest rates on the debt of the world's poorest countries; how the extra debt burden would be met; and if he will make a statement. [169147]

  John Healey
  The bulk of the debt of the world's poorest countries is contracted at fixed interest rates on concessional terms. For example, concessional loans from the World Bank and African Development Bank carry a service charge of three quarters of 1 per cent. This would mitigate any rise in world interest rates.

  Nevertheless, the potential for a rise in interest highlights the importance of full implementation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, both through postponing or abolishing the HIPC sunset clause to ensure that all eligible countries are able to benefit from debt relief, and through providing additional topping up relief wherever external factors—such as a change in the interest environment—have weakened a country's ability to service its debt, as was the case with Niger and Ethiopia recently.

  This is why the International Finance Facility is so important. Ensuring long-term debt sustainability will require donor countries to make available significant additional resources in the form of grants rather than loans. IFF resources could also be used to provide further debt relief.

  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is towards whether a country's debt burden accumulated under a brutal dictator should be written off; what representations he will make at forthcoming international financial fora meetings on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [169143]

  John Healey
  The Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative is helping to provide a robust exit from unsustainable debt for the world's poorest countries, regardless of how that debt is accumulated. As part of this, the UK is calling for full topping-up to be provided when countries face exogenous shocks, in order to bring their debt ratios back to the agreed HIPC thresholds. The UK also supports consideration of extension of the Initiative so that countries yet to enter it are able to benefit from HIPC debt relief. A number of countries—many of which are in the process of trying to exit conflict have yet to reach Decision Point and benefit from HIPC debt relief. This could deliver an extra US$30 billion in debt relief. HIPC debt relief is delivered through the Paris Club of official creditors.

  For countries facing external financing difficulties, but who are not eligible for the HIPC Initiative, the Paris Club's Evian Approach was adopted in October 2003 with the aim of tailoring solutions to each debtor's
  1114W
  specific circumstances. Iraq is likely to be one of the first countries to benefit from a comprehensive debt treatment under the Evian Approach.

  Aviation Industry Tax Regime
  Mr. Best
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with(a) the EU and (b) other international partners on reducing or eliminating tax concessions received by the aviation industry; and if he will make a statement. [168776]

  John Healey
  The Government have on-going discussion with the European Commission, other EU member states and with international bodies, such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), on the tax treatment of aviation and more generally on the most effective way of reducing the environmental impact of aviation.

  The Government remain committed to applying the 'polluter pays' principle to civil aviation to reduce its environmental impact. Specific initiatives are set out in the Future of Air Transport White Paper published on 16 December 2003, including the aim of aviation being part of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme from 2008. The Government have been pursuing this with the European Commission and EU member states. At the meeting of ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection in February 2004 the UK supported the use of economic instruments such as emissions trading to tackle the climate change impact of aviation. In this year's Budget we announced that we will discuss with the European Commission options for introducing greater flexibility in European legislation regarding the application of economic instruments to aviation.

  Business Taxation
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the business-related taxes introduced in each year since 1990, stating the revenue raised by each annually. [169164]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Changes to taxation are set out in successive Financial Statement and Budget Reports, alongside estimates of the effects on government revenues anticipated at the time of their introduction. Given the difficulties in defining the incidence of tax changes, and the fact that tax measures interact and have complex behavioural and economic effects, it is not generally possible to separately identify the revenue implications of past tax changes for current levels of revenues.

  Strategic Rail Authority
  John Thurso
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the occasions since December 2001 on which he met the Chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority. [163123]

  Mr. Boateng
  Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals as part of the process of policy development and analysis. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings, as provided for under Exemption 7(b) of the Code of Practice on

  1115W
  Access to Government Information. Treasury meetings are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Code, as appropriate.

  Tax Credits
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many families in Preston have received child tax credit; [169681]

  (2) how many families in Wigan have received child tax credit. [169356]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer my hon. Friends to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Burton (Mrs. Dean) on 15 March 2004,Official Report, column 98W.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Peace Process
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the peace process. [167664]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  It remains our objective to secure the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland on a stable and secure footing. However, as we have repeatedly made clear, all paramilitary activity must come to an end if we are to move forward. We will be talking to the parties in the coming weeks, including in the review of the operation of the agreement, about how this can be achieved.

  Special Needs Education
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on funding for education of children with special needs in Northern Ireland. [167665]

  Mr. Gardiner
  In 2002–03 around £125 million was expended in Northern Ireland for provision for children with special educational needs. In particular,some £103 million was expended by the Education and Library Boards for special schools and to meet the additional costs of statemented pupils in mainstream schools and units;
  some £14 million for special educational needs was distributed directly to schools; and another £8 million supported the implementation of the SEN Code of Practice.

  Smuggling
  Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he plans to take to reduce(a) smuggling and (b) other illegal activities in border areas. [167666]

  Mr. Pearson
  Whilst cross-border co-operation between law enforcement agencies is already excellent, the Government are fully committed to working with the Government in the Irish Republic to develop a cohesive strategy and structure to maximise our effectiveness against those organised criminals who exploit the border.

  In September 2004, it is planned that the two Governments will launch a cross-border organised crime threat assessment and joint strategy for tackling cross-border organised crime.

  Antisocial Behaviour
  John Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour in Northern Ireland. [167667]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Government have undertaken a public consultation on measures to tackle antisocial behaviour. This closed on 1 April and we will bring forward legislation. A draft Order in Council is currently being drawn up.

  Economy
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the economy in Northern Ireland. [167668]

  Mr. Gardiner
  The Northern Ireland economy has performed well in recent years as demonstrated by the performance of the labour market. The latest employee jobs figures indicate there are now 672,150 employees in employment, the highest figure on record. The current unemployment rate of 5.2 per cent. compares well to the EU average of 8.0 per cent. There has also been significant progress in terms of manufacturing productivity, which increased by 9.5 per cent. over the last year, and manufacturing output also experienced an increase over the same period (2.2 per cent.).

  Despite the good recent economic performance Government recognise the need for the Northern Ireland economy to become more competitive in the global market place and is committed to creating a more innovative and entrepreneurial economy.

  Crime
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in tackling organised crime in Northern Ireland. [167669]

  Mr. Pearson
  The partner agencies of the Organised Crime Task Force continue to have considerable success against organised criminal gangs in Northern Ireland. I pay tribute to the commitment and effectiveness of the PSNI, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and the Assets Recovery Agency in tackling this problem.

  Innovation and Enterprise
  Mr. Luke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the contribution of higher education to innovation and enterprise in Northern Ireland. [167670]

  Mr. Gardiner
  The higher education sector makes a vital contribution to a knowledge based, enterprise driven and innovation led economy. A range of initiatives promote enterprise and entrepreneurship including the Northern Ireland Centre for Entrepreneurship which enhances skills of graduates through a series of modules and master classes for both staff and students.

  Economic Regeneration (North-West)
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the Government's plans are for the economic regeneration of the north-west of Northern Ireland. [167671]
  1117W
  Mr. Pearson
  The Government have been very active in planning for the regeneration of the North West.

  Invest NI has developed an Action Plan for the North West. The aim of this plan is to implement a series of strategic and operational actions to address the weaknesses and vulnerability of the North West. The plan focuses on addressing issues which are constraining business growth/performance and which are within the scope of Invest NI's remit.

  The NITB's Strategic Framework for Action will drive the tourism agenda for the next three years and will provide a focus and impetus to the growth and delivery of tourism to all areas of Northern Ireland, including the North West. The framework identifies the "Walled City of Derry" as one of the five signature projects.

  The IIex Urban Regeneration Company is taking the lead in building an agreed way forward for the wider economic, social and physical regeneration of the area. This will include the development of a master plan that will form the framework for the company's future work.

  IIex recently submitted an interim bid to the Integrated Development Fund, setting out an initial list of projects for consideration. This information is being urgently examined with a view to confirming as soon as possible those projects that should be fully worked up for final consideration.

  Security (Older People)
  Mr. Bailey
  To as the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on measures to improve the security of older people in Northern Ireland. [167672]

  Mr. Spellar
  The personal safety of older people is a central issue within Government's Community Safety strategy. The Lock Out Crime Programme will install home security measures in 10,000 persons' households over the next three years.

  I also intend to bring forward a Community Safety Strategy for Older People for consultation near future.

  Provisional IRA
  David Burnside
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on criminal activities by the Provisional IRA in(a) Northern Ireland, (b) the Republic of Ireland and (c) internationally in the last 12 months. [167673]

  Mr. Pearson
  The Independent Monitoring Commission's first report, published on 20 April, provided a clear assessment of the criminal activities of the Provisional IRA. The Organised Crime Task Force has also undertaken detailed analysis and its appraisal is that the Provisional IRA is engaged in serious and organised crime, including large-scale smuggling and counterfeiting operations. There is no question that Northern Ireland based organised criminals engage in activities outside Northern Ireland.

  The political process cannot flourish while the threat of paramilitarism persists and I call on all groups to end paramilitary and criminal activity.

  Political Situation
  Mr. Dodds
  To ask the Secretary of Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the political situation in Northern Ireland. [167674]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael) at column 1115W.

  A26
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to dual the A26 between Ballymoney and Coleraine; and what assessment he has made of recent figures on relevant traffic volumes. [168299]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.

  Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mr. Gregory Campbell, dated 26 April 2004:

  You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about what plans he has to dual the A26 between Ballymoney and Coleraine; and what assessment he has made of recent figures on relevant traffic volumes. I have been asked to reply as these issues fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.

  Roads Service currently has no plans to dual the A26 between Ballymoney and Coleraine. Information available from the Department for Transport in Great Britain concludes that a single carriageway trunk road will operate satisfactorily with traffic flows of up to 18,000 vehicles per day (vpd), with a maximum flow capacity of approximately 22,000 vpd. You will be aware from my letter dated 5 April 2004, in response to your recent Parliamentary Question that traffic volumes for the A26 Ballymoney By-pass and the A26 Ballymoney to Coleraine fall below the 18,000 threshold.

  You will recall that during the preparation of the Major Works 10-Year Forward Planning Schedule (FPS), Roads Service wrote to all MPs, MEPs, MLAs and Councils, in October 2001, enclosing a list of road schemes that Roads Service intended to appraise for possible inclusion in the schedule. Priority was to be given to the Key Transport Corridors. Public representatives were asked to identiiy and justify any further schemes that they felt should be included in the list for appraisal.

  A scheme to dual the A26 from Glarryford to its A44 Ballycastle junction was included in the list however no reference was made to the dualling of the section between Ballymoney and Coleraine and no submissions in support of this scheme were received during this consultation exercise. Coleraine Borough Council did submit a request for the provision of additional overtaking opportunities on the A26 between the A44 Ballycastle junction and Coleraine and a scheme to provide these at three locations on the A26 between the junction with A44 and Ballymoney is included in the Emerging Regional Strategic Transport Network Transport Plan.

  I would reiterate the importance that Roads Service attaches to the A26 route, having designated it as a Key Transport Corridor within the Regional Development Strategy. Approximately £1.2 million has been spent over the past three years on the A26 between the A44 Ballycastle junction and Coleraine, introducing safety features including differential acceleration lanes, climbing lanes, speed limits, improved road markings and junction improvements. You will appreciate however, that public resources available for the roads programme are limited and that improvements must therefore be prioritised to ensure optimum value for money. Funding is finite and the number of worthwhile schemes competing for inclusion in the roads programme far exceeds the resources available to Roads Service for major schemes. It is, therefore, essential that we target the funding available on the most beneficial schemes for the country as a whole.
  1119W
  Unfortunately, there are many major schemes with higher priority than the dualling of the A26 from Ballymoney to Coleraine, and it is anticipated that future improvements in the medium term are likely to include the provision of further overtaking opportunity schemes, such as climbing lanes or widened carriageway (2+1) schemes.

  I hope this information is helpful.

  Animal Cruelty
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to review the sentences available to the courts in Northern Ireland when dealing with those convicted of cruelty to animals. [168294]

  Mr. Pearson
  In Northern Ireland the main provisions relating to animal welfare and cruelty to animals are contained in the Welfare of Animals (NI) Act 1972. The powers available and the penalties provided for in that Act are broadly in line with those contained in GB animal welfare legislation. The maximum penalty is a fine not exceeding £5,000 or a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months, or both.

  A review of animal welfare legislation is currently being undertaken in Great Britain.

  If this review results in increased penalties for cruelty to animal offences, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will wish to bring the relevant provisions in Northern Ireland into line with whatever new standards may be adopted in Great Britain.

  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to amend animal welfare legislation to introduce higher maximum sentences for those convicted of ill-treatment of an animal in Northern Ireland. [168713]

  Mr. Pearson
  I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for East Londonderry (Mr. Gregory Campbell) (Question Reference 168294).

  Anti-TNFs
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety plans to give anti-TNFs to all patients for whom they are considered appropriate; and if he will make a statement. [168631]

  Angela Smith
  The degree to which the health and social care system can respond to presenting needs is limited by the level of resources available. However the Department remains committed to the introduction of specialist drugs, such as anti-TNFs, where they will clearly result in a significant improvement in patient care. It has consequently made provision to allow 100 addition patients to receive anti-TNF drugs during 2004–05.

  Autism
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff are employed in mainstream schools in Northern Ireland specifically to assist with the needs of children with autistic spectrum disorders. [167717]
  1120W
  Mr. Gardiner
  I have been advised that the total number of staff employed in mainstream schools in Northern Ireland specifically to assist with the needs of children with autistic spectrum disorders is 596. A detailed breakdown across the school sectors in each Education and Library Board area is set out as follows.

  Staff employed in mainstream schools in support of children for whom ASD is a special educational need

  Controlled and maintained

  GMI

  VGS

  BELB

  179

  4

  5

  NEELB

  269

  9

  4

  SEELB

  3130

  25

  6

  SELB

  4153

  19

  4

  WELB

  74

  10

  5

  Total

  505

  67

  24

  1 In addition the BELB has an ASD Advisory Support Service to mainstream schools and also pre-school which includes home visits for very young children. Currently there are two and a half teachers and five classroom assistants employed giving additional support to identified pupils and school staff.

  2In addition to the 69 classroom assistants the NEELB has advised that following additional funding from the Department, the board has now a newly appointed ASD team working in support of children with autism. The team consists of a Senior Educational Psychologist and two Assistant Advisory Officers.

  3 The SEELB has advised that the 130 staff comprises 126 classroom assistants and four peripatetic teachers.

  4 Within Learning Support Centres in mainstream schools the SELB advises that there are further staff employed to work with pupils with a variety of special educational needs: while they may not work on a one to one basis with pupils with ASD, they may be providing a degree of support to them. The board also has an Autism Intervention Team which provides specific support on a board wide basis.

  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what training is provided routinely to parents following the diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders in children; [167721]

  (2) what steps he is taking to assist parents in dealing with behavioural challenges that arise in caring for children and young adults with autistic spectrum disorders; and if he will make a statement. [167727]

  Angela Smith
  The Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) provides funding for PAPA (Parents and Professionals and Autism), which provides training and support for parents.

  DHSSPS's Priorities for Action 2004–05 requires Boards and Trusts to enhance diagnostic, assessment and early intervention services for children with autism. An additional £0.5 million has been allocated to Boards for this purpose. The enhanced service will provide additional support for parents following initial diagnosis.

  In addition, Health and Social Services Boards provide a range of training and support for parents, following the diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders in children, through a number of specialist services, including those provided by voluntary organisations.

  Bombings (Dublin and Monaghan)
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will hold a public inquiry into the extent of British security service involvement in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974. [169130]
  1121W
  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The Government have always condemned the bombings in Dublin and Monaghan, and offers its sympathy to the families of the victims, whose pain still continues today. The Government have noted the report by the Justice Committee of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament), following Mr. Justice Barron's investigation. We understand that the Dail and the Seanad will now debate the Committee's report and the Oireachtas will then make recommendations to the Irish Government. The British Government awaits the outcome of this process.

  Christian Education Movement
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the representations he has received in relation to the decision not to provide funding for the Christian Education Movement (NI) through the Community Relations Core Funding Scheme 2004 to 2007; and from what organisations they originated. [168628]

  Mr. Gardiner
  The following is a list of representations made on behalf of the Christian Education Movement (NI):

  Christian Education Movement (England)

  Mr. P. Fishpool (two representations)

  Canon John Eardley (one representation)

  Dr. A. J. McCafery (one representation)

  Baroness Richardson of Calow (one representation)

  Christian Education Movement (Wales)

  Mr. Reinhalt Thomas (one representation)

  Miss Sali Roberts (one representation)

  Christian Education Movement (NI)

  Dr. John Morrow (one representation)

  Dr. Roger Purce (three representations)

  Council of Christians and Jews

  Rabbi Jonathan Gorsky (one representation)

  Council for Religious Education

  Mr. Blaylock (one representation)

  Church of Ireland Board of Education

  Rev. I. W. Ellis (one representation)

  Four Church Leaders (Ireland)

  Most Rev. Sean Brady1

  Most Rev. Robin Eames1

  Right Rev. Dr. McKay

  Rev. W. Rea1

  Dean of Belfast Cathedral

  Dr. H. McKelvey (one representation)

  Member of Parliament

  Lady Hermon (1 representation) (North Down constituency)

  1One joint representation.

  Dromore Central Primary School
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide funding for a new school building for Dromore Central Primary School. [168479]

  Mr. Gardiner
  I have approved funding for Dromore Central Primary School and the school was included in my capital allocations announcement on 27 April.

  Electricity
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what he will make a decision with regard to proposals to generate electricity from wind power off the north coast of Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on these proposals. [164056]

  Mr. Pearson
  A private sector consortium, with consent from the Crown Estate, is currently investigating the technical, environmental and financial feasibility of the Tunes Plateau site. It is only on completion of this work that the exact size, configuration and location of any potential wind farm can be determined.

  If, having completed the feasibility studies, the consortium wishes to proceed with a project, it will be required to apply to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment for consent as required by Article 39 of the Electricity (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 and support this application with a detailed description of the project and a full statement on the impact which their proposals will have on the environment.

  If an Article 39 consent is sought for this project, the Department will consult widely on the application and the environmental statement provided. This process is likely to take a considerable time and it is only after it has been completed that a decision would be made.

  Gas Prices
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to contain gas price rises in Northern Ireland over the next few years. [168296]

  Mr. Gardiner
  Following my meeting with Phoenix Natural Gas on 8 April 2004 the company agreed to suspend its proposed increase in gas prices to domestic and small industrial consumers. I am maintaining close contact with Phoenix, its wholesale gas supplier Centrica and the Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation and have urged all parties to work together to reach early resolution of the outstanding issues. My aim is to secure an equitable pricing structure for consumers and a stable long-term future for the gas industry in Northern Ireland.

  Health Care (Young People)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to reduce levels of(a) substance abuse, (b) alcohol abuse, (c) suicide, (d) mental illness and (e) eating disorders among young people in Northern Ireland. [168275]

  Angela Smith
  Since 1999, over £22 million has been allocated to initiatives to help deliver the aims of the drug and alcohol strategies, both of which place particular emphasis on targeting young people. They include education and awareness raising in schools, public information campaigns, information and research, harm reduction, substitute prescribing, and counselling services for young people.

  The Department issued a Promoting Mental Health Strategy and Action Plan last year. The strategy aims to improve people's mental and emotional well-being and in particular that of people at risk. It includes a specific section on preventing suicide. A range of preventative

  1123W
  measures are being taken as part of the strategy including promoting coping skills among the general population, suicide awareness and outreach work with young people in areas of need and especially young men.

  A Regional Eating Disorders Working Group was established in June 2003, to consider essential service development. The model of service proposed by the working group is one of local services complemented by a regional service comprising a specialist regional consultant post with a supporting team. £1 million has been secured for 2004–05 to develop these services and it is hoped to advertise for these posts shortly.

  Invest Northern Ireland
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what public meetings Invest Northern Ireland has attended which involved a single political party over the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [166709]

  Table 1: Invest NI assistance by parliamentary constituency 2002–04

  Number of offers

  Total assistance offered (£)

  12002–03

  22003–04

  12002–03

  22004–04

  Belfast East

  56

  125

  1,988,355

  10,553,086

  Belfast North

  39

  102

  4,159,212

  3,909,854

  Belfast South

  130

  239

  14,431,684

  24,514,181

  Belfast West

  40

  88

  3,369,594

  7,996,055

  East Antrim

  63

  167

  5,988,209

  3,698,718

  East Londonderry

  57

  110

  4,113,042

  735,628

  Fermanagh And South Tyrone

  67

  211

  4,920,677

  3,860,934

  Foyle

  83

  211

  13,503,444

  6,775,914

  Lagan Valley

  54

  179

  1,462,738

  1,595,612

  Mid Ulster

  138

  291

  4,058,250

  4,989,297

  Newry And Armagh

  81

  175

  5,363,098

  1,543,146

  North Antrim

  70

  195

  2,177,964

  5,594,554

  North Down

  44

  83

  1,347,025

  3,921,590

  South Antrim

  86

  196

  22,877,977

  4,008,124

  South Down

  70

  154

  2,439,960

  1,023,657

  Strangford

  58

  110

  1,498,130

  1,466,028

  Upper Bann

  77

  241

  16,436,700

  5,772,790

  West Tyrone

  51

  179

  4,441,343

  5,637,857

  Grand Total

  1,264

  3,056

  114,577,402

  97,597,025

  1 In 2002–03 an additional £21.2 million m as offered to approximately 1,000 clients for which this level of detail is not available.

  2 Offers in 2003–04 include 733 companies receiving broadband support under a scheme that was unavailable in 2002–03.

  Notes:

  1 2003–04 figures are provisional and may be subject to change.

  2 Although these businesses have been offered assistance, some may not as yet have received any grant.

  3 Assistance includes repayables such as loans as well as grants.

  Table 2 following shows the list of offers where more than £75,000 assistance has been offered in the last two years for business development projects. In addition to this 45 large projects that have been offered almost

  Table 2: Invest NI clients offered assistance over £75,000 2002–04

  Client name

  Parliamentary constituency

  Total assistance offered (£)

  Financial year

  Datactics Ltd.

  Belfast East

  100,000

  2003–04

  Heartsine Technologies Inc

  Belfast East

  500,000

  2003–04

  Abbey National Contact Centre

  Belfast North

  768,000

  2003–04

  Latens Systems Ltd.

  Belfast South

  700,000

  2002–03

  Alien Systems Group Inc

  Belfast South

  2,016,000

  2003–04

  Dimex Ltd.

  Belfast South

  82,525

  2003–04

  1124W
  Mr. Gardiner
  Since Invest NI was established in April 2002, its officials have attended no public meetings which involved a single political party. Information on the activities of the former economic development agencies that pre-dated Invest NI prior to April 2002 is not available.

  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Invest NI grants have been awarded; which companies benefited; and what amount of finance was provided through each respective award, broken down by constituency, in each of the past two years. [166745]

  Mr. Gardiner
  Almost 4,400 companies have been offered assistance in the last two years. To provide a list of all these companies would require a major administrative exercise, which could only be carried out at disproportionate cost. Table 1 following details the number of offers and amount of assistance offered to businesses, by Parliamentary Constituency over the past two years.

  £40 million of assistance have not yet been announced to the public. The details of these projects are not included in table 2 to ensure that these investments are not compromised through the release of commercially sensitive information.
  1125W

  Table 2: Invest NI clients offered assistance over £75,000 2002–04

  Client name

  Parliamentary constituency

  Total assistance offered (£)

  Financial year

  Double Band Films Ltd.

  Belfast South

  106,680

  2003–04

  Graham and Heslip Ltd.

  Belfast South

  75,000

  2003–04

  Memsis Ltd.

  Belfast South

  75,000

  2003–04

  Relay Business Software Ltd.

  Belfast South

  100,000

  2003–04

  Andor Technology Ltd.

  Belfast West

  989,500

  2002–03

  Mobile Cohesion Ltd.

  Belfast West

  400,000

  2002–03

  Digesters Silos and Tanks Ltd.

  Belfast West

  200,000

  2003–04

  Icemos Technology Ltd.

  Belfast West

  3,529.410

  2003–04

  Kiel Pharma Ltd.

  East Antrim

  1,562,500

  2002–03

  Finlay Bme Ltd.

  Fermanagh and South Tyrone

  500,000

  2002–03

  Quinn Direct Insurance Ltd.

  Fermanagh and South Tyrone

  2,100,000

  2002–03

  Cabragh Engineering Ltd.

  Fermanagh and South Tyrone

  75,000

  2003–04

  Tyrone Fabrications Ltd.

  Fermanagh and South Tyrone

  199,300

  2003–04

  Glenaden Shirts Ltd.

  Foyle

  80,000

  2002–03

  Seagate Technology (Ireland) Ltd.

  Foyle

  10,000,000

  2002–03

  Western Connect Ltd.

  Foyle

  125,000

  2002–03

  Exus Energy Ltd.

  Foyle

  177,000

  2003–04

  Foyle Food Group Ltd.

  Foyle

  180,000

  2003–04

  Hml

  Foyle

  3,200,000

  2003–04

  Mechanical Installation And Maintenance (NI) Ltd.

  Foyle

  97,000

  2003–04

  Singularity Ltd.

  Foyle

  89,000

  2003–04

  Boomer Industries Ltd.

  Lagan Valley

  119,563

  2002–03

  Kelman Ltd.

  Lagan Valley

  99,000

  2002–03

  Pressfold Ltd.

  Lagan Valley

  98,284

  2002–03

  Lagan Technologies Ltd.

  Lagan Valley

  108,000

  2003–04

  McMullen Architectural Systems Ltd.

  Lagan Valley

  217,500

  2003–04

  Chieftain Trailers Ltd.

  Mid Ulster

  375,000

  2002–03

  McErlains Bakery (Magherafelt) Ltd.

  Mid Ulster

  186,590

  2002–03

  Oakwood Door Designs Ltd.

  Mid Ulster

  99,000

  2002–03

  T E S (NI) Ltd.

  Mid Ulster

  95,426

  2002–03

  Tobermore Concrete Products Ltd.

  Mid Ulster

  250,000

  2002–03

  Maghera Joinery Works Ltd.

  Mid Ulster

  95,000

  2003–04

  Peadar Hughes T/A General Cabins and Engineering

  Mid Ulster

  93,750

  2003–04

  Roll Formed Fabrications Ltd.

  Mid Ulster

  385,300

  2003–04

  S D C Trailers Ltd.

  Mid Ulster

  100,000

  2003–04

  Steelweld Fabrications Ltd.

  Mid Ulster

  81,603

  2003–04

  The McAvoy Group Ltd.

  Mid Ulster

  450,000

  2003–04

  Viper International Ltd.

  Mid Ulster

  180,500

  2003–04

  Answercall Direct Ltd.

  Newry and Armagh

  2,841,000

  2002–03

  E-Blana Enterprise Group Ltd.

  Newry and Armagh

  140,000

  2002–03

  N C Agricultural Engineering Ltd.

  Newry And Armagh

  275,000

  2003–04

  Francis Dinsmore Ltd.

  North Antrim

  171,250

  2003–04

  Hubert Brown-Kerr

  North Antrim

  100,000

  2003–04

  Joseph Hughes

  North Antrim

  85,927

  2003–04

  Me Keown Fine Foods Ltd.

  North Antrim

  109,519

  2003–04

  Anderson Manning Associates Ltd.

  North Down

  550,000

  2002–03

  Mm Group Ltd.

  North Down

  224,200

  2002–03

  Donaghadee Carpets Ltd.

  North Down

  2,000,000

  2003–04

  Gray and Adams (Ireland) Ltd.

  South Antrim

  102,500

  2002–03

  McNeill-McManus Facades Ltd.

  South Antrim

  99,500

  2002–03

  Randox Laboratories Ltd.

  South Antrim

  16,200,000

  2002–03

  Consilium Technologies Ltd.

  South Antrim

  85,000

  2003–04

  M D F Engineering Ltd.

  South Antrim

  100,000

  2003–04

  Springfarm Architectural Mouldings Ltd.

  South Antrim

  95,000

  2003–04

  Ulster Weavers Apparell Ltd.

  South Down

  1,552,500

  2002–03

  Coulter Windows Ltd.

  South Down

  250,000

  2003–04

  Hill Engineering Ltd.

  South Down

  75,000

  2003–04

  Image Investments Ltd.

  Strangford

  75,000

  2002–03

  Fortress Diagnostics Ltd.

  Strangford

  95,982

  2003–04

  B D G Group Ltd.

  Upper Bann

  81,400

  2002–03

  Franklins International Ltd.

  Upper Bann

  172,000

  2002–03

  Glanbia Cheese Ltd.

  Upper Bann

  2,490,000

  2002–03

  Nacco Materials Handling Ltd.

  Upper Bann

  6,500,000

  2002–03

  Thos W McDonagh Limied

  Upper Bann

  100,000

  2002–03

  Evron Foods Ltd.

  Upper Bann

  97,198

  2003–04

  Kestrel Foods Ltd.

  Upper Bann

  91,868

  2003–04

  Adria Ltd.

  West Tyrone

  2,350,000

  2002–03

  McColgans Quality Foods Ltd.

  West Tyrone

  950,000

  2002–03

  1126W 1127W

  Table 2: Invest NI clients offered assistance over £75,000 2002–04

  Client name

  Parliamentary constituency

  Total assistance offered (£)

  Financial year

  P T Me Williams

  West Tyrone

  91,204

  2002–03

  Portapig Ltd.

  West Tyrone

  80,375

  2002–03

  Raymond and Elaine Boyd

  West Tyrone

  150,000

  2003–04

  Notes:

  1. Although these businesses have been offered assistance, many of the businesses may not as yet have drawn down any grant.

  2. Assistance includes repayable assistance such as loans as well as grants.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were employed by Invest Northern Ireland on(a) 1 April 2002, (b) 1 April 2003 and (c) 1 April 2004. [168218]

  Mr. Gardiner
  On its establishment in April 2002, Invest NI had a formal staff allocation of 738 full time equivalent (FTE) posts. At that time, however, there were only 657 staff in post as Invest NI's legacy agencies had adopted a policy of not filling vacancies in the run up to the establishment of the new body. On the other specified dates the numbers employed were:

  Numbers employed on specified dates

  Numbers employed

  Full time equivalents

  1 April 2003

  709

  689

  1 April 2004

  703

  681

  Invest NI also engages a varying number of contracted staff in its overseas offices and also to deliver specific programmes. These currently number 43 in total and are separately funded.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons employed by Invest Northern Ireland have chosen permanently to transfer from the Northern Ireland Civil Service to Invest Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [168219]

  Mr. Gardiner
  To date, 39 former Northern Ireland civil servants have transferred permanently to Invest Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to make a decision regarding the new headquarters for Invest Northern Ireland. [168220]

  Mr. Gardiner
  Having assessed the high quality bids received for the provision of Invest NI's new HQ accommodation and completed the process in line with European Procurement. Law, a clear decision as to a preferred bidder has been reached. Final negotiations are being entered into with MRDE (McAleer & Rushe/Dunloe Ewart) the preferred bidder consortium who offered the Bedford Street site as a location. The contract should be awarded by end June 2004.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much she estimates the new headquarters for Invest Northern Ireland will cost; and from what source of funds it will be paid for. [168221]

  Mr. Gardiner
  Final negotiations are on-going with the preferred bidder McAleer and Rushe Limited/Dunloe 1128W
  Ewart Ltd. (MRDE Ltd.) and as a result no final figures are available. The project is however estimated to be worth approximately £50 million, representing a construction value of around £20 million with the remaining value earmarked for the provision of related accommodation services over a 25-year period. Funding will come from a reallocation of existing accommodation savings and from the Strategic Investment Programme.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost of staff was at Invest Northern Ireland in each of the last two financial years. [168222]

  Mr. Gardiner
  The total cost of staff for Invest Northern Ireland in each of the last two financial years was:

  £ million

  Year ended 31 March 2003

  19.6

  Year ended 31 March 2004

  21.2

  Inward Investment (East Londonderry)
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visits have been made under the auspices of Invest Northern Ireland by potential inward investors to the East Londonderry constituency within the past 12 months; and how many jobs have been created as a result. [168295]

  Mr. Gardiner
  Over the past year (April 2003 to March 2004) there have been two visits by potential inward investors to the East Londonderry constituency area. While these have not led to investment to the area, Invest NI continually seeks to build on the recent successes, which has seen a re-investment by Seagate Limavady, and will work closely with other companies in the area, for example Stream, Northbrook and Raytheon.

  Lottery Funding (Sport)
  Mr. Dodds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much Lottery funding has been allocated to(a) the Gaelic Athletic Association and (b) all other sporting organisations in Northern Ireland since the introduction of the Lottery. [167397]

  Angela Smith
  Since the Lottery began the Sport Council for Northern Ireland's Lottery Fund has awarded £14,350,488 to the Gaelic Athletic Association and £39,888,402 to all other sporting organisations in Northern Ireland.
  1129W

  Multiple Sclerosis
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration he has given to extending the guidelines published by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence on the management of multiple sclerosis to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [168080]

  Angela Smith
  Guidelines produced by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) are only applicable to England and Wales; there is no statutory requirement to implement NICE guidelines in Northern Ireland. The Department advises health and social services boards and trusts on the local applicability of NICE guidance, and is considering how guidelines issued by NICE can be fully assessed and applied in the context of Northern Ireland's health and social services.

  Following the issue of NICE guidelines on the use of disease modifying medicines for people with multiple sclerosis, the Department agreed to participate with the other UK Departments in a scheme for monitoring patients to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of supplying these treatments. Over 500 Northern Ireland multiple sclerosis patients are currently taking part in the UK-wide scheme.

  NHS Staff (Assaults)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) verbal and (b) physical assaults against (i) nurses and (ii) other health care staff in each Northern Ireland health trust area there were in each of the last three years. [168271]

  Angela Smith
  The information is not available in the format requested. However, the number of recorded assaults (both verbal and physical) on Health and Personal Social Services staff in all disciplines, during the financial years for which figures are currently available, is detailed in the following table:

  Number

  2002–03

  5,065

  2001–02

  2,438

  2000–01

  1,956

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) arrests were made, (b) people were charged, (c) cautions were issued and (d) convictions were reached for assaults on NHS staff in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years. [168272]

  Angela Smith
  The information requested is not available.

  Nurses
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what formal training is provided to assist nurses from overseas in adapting to and integrating into a new(a) working and (b) cultural environment. [167714]

  Angela Smith
  HPSS employers provide comprehensive support by means of induction and adaptation training to help overseas nurses integrate into their new work force and cultural environments.
  1130W
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the need to assign a single body with responsibility for recruiting overseas nurses to hospitals and health facilities in the Province. [167716]

  Angela Smith
  This matter has been included in discussions with HPSS employers about overseas recruitment but the concept of establishing a single body with responsibility for recruiting overseas nurses does not have support and would not represent cost effective use of valuable resources.

  Collaboration already exists between local employers in the recruitment of overseas nurses resulting in more effective use of resources.

  While I greatly value the contribution of overseas nurses in providing healthcare to our population, I expect the need for overseas recruitment to diminish as the investment in providing additional nurse training places over the last few years shows results.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nurses in each Northern Ireland health trust area have left the profession within two years of registration in each of the last five years. [168267]

  Angela Smith
  This information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) student nurses were employed in each Northern Ireland health trust area in each of the last five years. [168268]

  Angela Smith
  Figures for the number of full-time and part-time nurses employed in each Northern Ireland health trust area in each of the last five years have been placed in the Library.

  Student nurses are no longer employed during their pre-registration training but HPSS employers facilitate practice placements as part of their training programme.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many specialist(a) theatre, (b) coronary care, (c) children's nursing, (d) diabetes, (e) intensive and (f) palliative care nurses were employed in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years; and what resources are being made available to train nurses in specialist areas. [168269]

  Angela Smith
  Figures for the number of theatre, coronary care. children's nursing, diabetes, intensive and palliative care nurses employed in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years have been placed in the Library.

  The Department currently allocates in excess of £10 million per annum for the provision of post registration nurse training to meet identified service needs. This includes commissioning of "specialist practice" training.

  Phoenix Natural Gas
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation's investigation into the proposed price increase by Phoenix Natural Gas. [168629]
  1131W
  Mr. Gardiner
  Following consideration of the Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation (NIAER) report, I met senior representatives of Phoenix Natural Gas on 8 April 2004 when the company agreed to suspend its proposed 20 per cent. increase in gas prices. met Centrica, the wholesale supplier of gas to Phoenix on 19 April 2004 to emphasise the importance of the gas industry to Northern Ireland. I have subsequently urged all parties to work together to reach early resolution of the outstanding issues in order to secure a stable long-term future for the gas industry in Northern Ireland.

  R and D Spending
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the change in(a) real and (b) nominal terms in private sector research and development spending in Northern Ireland in each year since 1998. [168211]

  Mr. Gardiner
  The expenditure on research and development (R&D) in real and cash terms that was carried out within companies in Northern Ireland (intramural) each year between 1998 and 2002, and the annual percentage change, is shown in the table.

  Real terms (2002 prices)

  Nominal (cash) terms

  Period

  Intramural R&D spend (£ millions)

  Annual percentage change

  Intramural R&D spend (£ millions)

  Annual percentage change

  1998

  88.8

  —

  80.9

  —

  1999

  104.5

  17.6

  97.2

  20.2

  2000

  147.0

  40.7

  138.6

  42.6

  2001

  155.0

  5.4

  149.9

  8.2

  2002

  149.3

  -3.7

  149.3

  -0.4

  Source:

  DETI (1999, 2001 and 2002 data); Office for National Statistics (1998 and 2000 data)

  Rail Freight
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to provide(a) grants and (b) other incentives to logistics companies in Northern Ireland to encourage the movement of freight via rail rather than road; and if he will make a statement. [168214]

  Mr. Spellar
  There are currently no plans to provide grants or other incentives to encourage the investment of freight via rail in Northern Ireland.

  Water Charging
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to protect(a) those on low incomes and (b) other vulnerable people from the impact of the introduction of water charging in Northern Ireland. [168641]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Government are committed to introducing household water and sewerage charges that are fair and affordable. We are currently developing proposals for the basis and form of household charges to be introduced within the government's wider policy and resources framework. This work is currently examining how we might best protect those on low incomes and other vulnerable people from any excessive 1132W
  impact, or hardship, that may arise from the introduction of water and sewerage charges. The results of this analysis will be set out in an Integrated Impact Assessment, which will be published for consultation later this year.

  Water/Sewage Pipes
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the state of Northern Ireland's water and sewage pipe infrastructure. [168192]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.

  Letter from Mrs. Katharine Bryan to Mr. Roy Beggs, dated 26 April 2004:

  You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question (168192) about the state of Northern Ireland's water and sewage pipe infrastructure. I have been asked to reply as Chief Executive of the Water Service.

  Water Service recently completed a comprehensive Asset Management Plan that identified the investment needs for all water and sewerage assets over a twenty year period. This required an assessment of the performance of the current assets and future performance requirements to meet more stringent and demanding statutory obligations and standards of service. The Plan concluded that some £3 billion was required to improve the water and sewerage infrastructure over the 20 year period and approximately half of this was required to upgrade watermains and sewers.

  The conclusion of the Asset Management Plan demonstrates that the overall condition of the water and sewerage infrastructure is not satisfactory. To address this Water Service is investing £590 million over the three year period to 2006 on water and sewage infrastructure as part of its programme to comply with EU directives, protect the environment and deliver customer service improvements. In addition, a substantial Public Private Partnership programme, involving a number of large wastewater and water treatment works valued at £269 million, is also being taken forward.

  A series of discrete watermain and sewerage networks rehabilitation studies are currently on-going to identify specific capital investment requirements to achieve compliance with EU directives and provide for existing and future demand for services. This approach will enable Water Service to target current and future capital investment on watermains and sewers to areas of greatest need, thereby attaining best value for money.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

  Attachment of Earnings Orders
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of attachment of earnings orders issued on employers in each year since 1997, broken down by reasons for the orders. [168156]

  Mr. Leslie
  Figures relating to the number of attachment of earnings orders are provided in the table. Information relating to the breakdown by reasons for the orders is not available centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  1133W

  Attachment of earnings orders

  Judgments

  Maintenance

  1997

  65,669

  1,194

  1998

  43,440

  876

  1999

  34,399

  190

  2000

  35,545

  156

  2001

  42,011

  150

  2002

  39,855

  141

  2003

  40,384

  855

  Court Fines (Merseyside)
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the collection of fines imposed by magistrates' courts in Merseyside. [167964]

  Mr. Leslie
  There has been a steady improvement in the fine collection performance of the Merseyside Magistrates' Courts Committee (MCC) over the last year. The rolling payment rate stands at 52 per cent. at the end of February, which is a 13 per cent. point increase on the quarter one figure of 39 per cent., with further improvements planned for 2004–05.

  Referendum Costs
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the estimated costs associated with holding a national referendum are. [167828]

  Mr. Leslie
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline, West (Rachel Squire) on the 1 April.

  Small Claims
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many money claims issued against(a) travel operators and (b) tour operators were taken to the Small Claims Court in each year since 1997, broken down by circuit; how many of these (i) were disputed, (ii) found in favour of the claimant and (iii) found in favour of the defendant; and how much was awarded to the claimant in each year, broken down by circuit. [168868]

  Mr. Leslie
  The information requested is not collected centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Commercial Leases
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations the Department has received on proposals to ban upward-only rent reviews in commercial leases; and if he will make a statement. [168904]

  Keith Hill
  The issue of upwards-only rent reviews in commercial leases has been of longstanding concern, and prompted the introduction in April 2002 of a new Code of Practice by the property industry. Over the last year, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has received seven letters, from the British Retail 1134W
  Consortium and certain companies and individuals, expressing concern about upwards-only rent reviews in commercial leases The issue was also discussed at a meeting of the Property Consultative Group, which I chaired on 3 December 2003.

  The Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) announced the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's decision to go out to consultation on legislative options in a written statement on 23 April 2004, Official Report, column 32WS.

  Empty/Second Homes
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list all authorities in England and Wales showing the(a) number of empty homes, (b) yield of council tax from empty homes, (c) number of second homes, (d) council tax discount applied to second homes and (e) council tax yield from second homes. [166886]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The most recent available figures for the numbers of long-term empty and second homes within the area of each English billing authority relate to 1 November 2002 have been made available in the Library of the House.

  If all billing authorities reduced their second homes discount to the minimum possible figure of 10 per cent., we estimate that about £65 million could potentially be raised in England. If all English authorities removed their discount for long-term empty homes completely, this could raise a further £160 million.

  Information on changes to discounts made for second or long-term empty homes for 2004–05 in England is still being collected from individual local authorities and so is not yet available.

  Initial information provided on budget returns suggests, however, that almost half of the 1.2 per cent. increase between 2003–04 and 2004–05 in the total tax base for English authorities is due to reductions in second homes discounts and reductions or removals of discounts for long-term empty homes. This is equivalent to about 100,000 Band D properties.

  Figures for Welsh local authorities are a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.

  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many households received an empty homes council tax discount in England in each year since 1997. [169494]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not collect information in the form requested. Returns by local billing authorities show the number of dwellings subject to a discount as at 16 October each year, rather than the total number of dwellings which have received a discount in the year. Authorities have only been asked to identify long-term empty property discounts separately from other discounts since 2001. The reported figures for dwellings subject to a long-term empty discount are:

  16 October 2001: 340,000

  16 October 2002: 376,000.

  1135W
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not yet have all the necessary returns from authorities to calculate a figure for 16 October 2003.

  Fire Services
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions his Department has held with the Ministry of Defence on ensuring that the modernisation agenda for fire services is an integral part of the solution for the Airfield Support Services Project. [167253]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Defence on 23 April 2004,Official Report, column 685W.

  Green Belt
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the target is for each region for increasing the area of green belt; and what allowance the targets make for the sustainable communities plan areas. [168375]

  Keith Hill
  The Government's commitment, set out in Part 4 of "Sustainable Communities; building for the future", is to protect the countryside through a target for each region to maintain or increase the current area of land designated as greenbelt land in local plans. This commitment applies to all English regions, including those containing the four growth areas identified elsewhere in "Sustainable Communities".

  Housing (Stalybridge and Hyde)
  James Purnell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how the Starter Homes Initiative has affected the residents of Stalybridge and Hyde. [168788]

  Keith Hill
  Between September 2001 and 31 March 2004, the Starter Home Initiative helped key workers into home ownership in areas where the high cost of housing was undermining recruitment and retention of skilled staff in our key public services. The programme was not available to key workers in Stalybridge and Hyde.

  The new Key Worker Living programme which started on 1 April 2004 superseding the Starter Home Initiative is helping key workers in London, the South East and the Eastern regions.

  Housing and Planning
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much the UK spent on implementing EU mandates in the housing and planning sectors of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2003–04. [166313]

  Keith Hill
  There has been no requirement to implement new EU mandates affecting the housing and planning sectors of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2003–04.

  Housing Corporation
  Martin Linton
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers the Housing Corporation has to investigate the actions of shareholder-tenants of a housing association. [168857]
  1136W
  Keith Hill
  The Housing Corporation does not have any powers, which are directed specifically towards the shareholder-tenants of a housing association. Shareholding groups may, but often do not, include tenants. In the case of some associations, shareholders have specific constitutional duties, and as such they are part of the overall structure of accountability. In such cases they bear some responsibility for the overall governance and management of an association.

  The Housing Corporation has a statutory duty to regulate those housing associations that are registered with it. Under paragraph 20 of schedule 1 to the Housing Act 1996, the corporation also has a specific power to direct a statutory inquiry into the affairs of a registered housing association where it appears that there may have been misconduct or mismanagement. This could be limited to certain specific matters or could extend across the whole range of activities, including the duties and actions of shareholders.

  Martin Linton
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Housing Corporation's duties of disclosure to hon. Members under the Housing Act 1996, Part 1, Chapter 4(33)(2). [168858]

  Keith Hill
  Under section 33 of the Housing Act 1996, the Housing Corporation has the power to disclose information to the bodies and persons specified. This is a discretionary power, rather than a duty.

  Land Use
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what total area in England was designated in each land use class one to seven in(a) 1974, (b) 1984, (c) 1994 and (d) 2003 (i) in total and (ii) broken down by county. [165754]

  Keith Hill
  At present there is no comprehensive information on land use classes in England. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, with other Government departments, is investigating the options for deriving a full land use dataset in a cost-effective way.

  Local Government Finance
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which local authorities raised the level of council tax by less than 3 per cent. when setting the rate for 2004–05; and if he will make a statement. [167235]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The following authorities increased their Band D council tax by less than 3 per cent. between 2003–04 and 2004–05:

  London boroughs

  Camden

  Southwark

  Wandsworth

  Metropolitan districts

  Birmingham

  Bury

  Coventry

  Dudley

  Kirklees

  Knowsley

  Manchester

  Sandwell

  1137W

  Solihull

  St. Helens

  Tameside

  Wakefield

  Walsall

  Wigan

  Wirral

  Wolverhampton

  Shire districts

  Alnwick

  Amber Valley

  Ashfield

  Babergh

  Basingstoke and Deane

  Bassetlaw

  Blyth Valley

  Carlisle

  Castle Morpeth

  Cheltenham

  Chesterfield

  Chichester

  Craven

  Dartford

  Derwentside

  Easington

  East Lindsey

  Eastleigh

  Fareham

  Forest of Dean

  Hart

  Malvern Hills

  Mansfield

  Mid Devon

  North Warwickshire

  Preston

  Redditch

  Ribble Valley

  Rugby

  Rushmoor

  Sedgemoor

  South Cambridgeshire

  South Oxfordshire

  Stafford

  Stroud

  Teignbridge

  Tewkesbury

  Three Rivers

  Tynedale

  Wansbeck

  Watford

  Wear Valley

  West Lancashire

  West Somerset

  Worcester

  Wychavon

  Wycombe

  1138W
  For shire counties and unitary authorities, an asterisk indicates that the percentage increase in the authority's Band D council tax is not less than 3 per cent. when expressed as an increase over its indicative Band D council tax for 2003–04.

  An authority's indicative council tax for 2003–04 is the level of council tax consistent with its alternative notional amount, as published in "The Limitation of Council Tax and Precepts (Alternative Notional Amounts) Report (England) 2004/05". Alternative notional amounts have been issued to take account of the change in the financing arrangements for combined fire authorities (CFAs) between 2003–04 and 2004–05, whereby each CFAs has set its own council tax for the first time for 2004–05, instead of receiving a contribution towards its expenses from its constituent authorities.

  Indicative council taxes for 2003–04 are available on the ODPM local Government finance website, from the 'Alternative Notional Amounts' menu at http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/ct.htm.

  Shire counties

  Bedfordshire*

  Buckinghamshire*

  Cambridgeshire*

  Cheshire*

  Derbyshire Devon*

  Dorset*

  Durham*

  East Sussex*

  Essex*

  Hampshire*

  Kent*

  Lancashire*

  Leicestershire*

  North Yorkshire*

  Nottinghamshire*

  Shropshire*

  Staffordshire*

  Wiltshire*

  Worcestershire*

  Unitary authorities

  Bath and North East Somerset*

  Blackburn with Darwen

  Bournemouth*

  Brighton and Hove*

  Bristol*

  Darlington*

  Derby*

  East Riding of Yorkshire*

  Halton*

  Hartlepool*

  Kingston-upon-Hull*

  Luton*

  Middlesbrough*

  Milton Keynes*

  North East Lincolnshire*

  North Lincolnshire*

  North Somerset*

  1139W

  Peterborough*

  Plymouth*

  Poole*

  Portsmouth*

  Reading*

  Redcar and Cleveland*

  Slough*

  South Gloucestershire*

  Southampton*

  Southend-on-Sea*

  Stockton-on-Tees*

  Stoke-on-Trent*

  Swindon*

  Telford and Wrekin*

  Thurrock*

  Warrington*

  Wokingham*

  York*

  Management and Maintenance Allowance
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the amounts of outturn prices of(a) management and maintenance allowances, (b) major repairs allowances, (c) guideline rent (assumed HRA rental income), (d) actual Housing Revenue Account (HRA) rental income, (e) subsidy to the HRA including housing benefit subsidy, (f) HRA housing benefit subsidy entitlement and (g) subsidy to HRA net of contributions from HRA to housing benefit costs were for (i) each housing revenue account in England and (ii) England as a whole for (A) 1990–01, (B) 2000–01, (C) 2001–02, (D) 2002–03 and (E) 2003–04. [166639]

  Keith Hill
  The information has been made available in the Library of the House. Item(a) is management and maintenance allowances; item (b) is major repairs allowances; these did not exist in 1990–91 and 2000–01; item (c) is guideline rental income; item (g) is the "housing element entitlement" of HRA subsidy; where positive, this is the subsidy paid to the authority prior to consideration of rent rebate subsidy; where negative, this is the contribution by the HRA to the cost of rent rebates and also occasionally includes a payment to the General Fund; item (f) is the "rent rebate element entitlement" of HRA subsidy; this is the subsidy paid to the authority towards the cost of rent rebates; item (e) is HRA subsidy entitlement and is the sum of item (g) and item (f).

  The above are subsidy items. Item (d) is the actual HRA rental income. This is not available for 1990–91 and is not yet available for 2003–04.

  Property Consultative Group
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the(a) total budget, (b) funding from his Department, (c) administration budget, (d) staff costs, (e) location of staff and (f) number of staff were for the Property Consultative Group for the financial years (i) 2002–03, (ii) 2003–04 and estimated for (iii) 2004–05 and (iv) 2005–06. [167844]
  1140W
  Keith Hill
  The Property Consultative Group does not have its own budget, but is funded from the administrative resources of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). It is serviced by staff working for the Land and Property Division in the Urban Policy Directorate of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, based in Westminster.

  The Property Consultative Group began work in September 2003, and there were no staff costs in 2002–03. Staff costs in 2003–04 were £9,438 and estimated full-year costs for 2004–05 are £50,389. The number of staff working for the Group was just over one fifth of a person year in 2003–04 and is estimated to be just under one person year in 2004–05. The level of staff support and administrative costs for 2005–06 will depend on the workload of the Group, but we expect it to continue at broadly the same level as for 2004–05.

  Public Bodies (Costs)
  Matthew Green
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 29 March 2004,Official Report, column 1267W, on public bodies, what the internal costs to his Department were of (a) the Property Advisory Group, (b) the Advisory Panel on Standards for the Planning Inspectorate, (c) the Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils, (d) the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, (e) the Community Forum and (f) the Residential Property Advisory Group. [166794]

  Yvette Cooper
  The internal costs to the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister for 2003–04 are estimated to be in the region of:

  Advisory non-departmental public body (NDPB)

  £000

  (a) and (f) Property Advisory Group1

  24

  (b) Advisory Panel on Standards for the Planning Inspectorate

  70

  (c)Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils

  190

  (d) Building Regulations Advisory Committee

  70

  (e) Community Forum

  160

  Total

  514

  1The Property Advisory Group was wound up in July 2003.

  This includes the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's staff costs associated with sponsorship of the body and providing the secretariat for the body as appropriate; fees and travel and subsistence payments to members; publications; and other miscellaneous costs.

  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what the total(a) administration and (b) staff costs were for the Building Regulations Advisory Committee in financial year 2003–04; and what the estimated costs are for financial years (i) 2004–05 and (ii) 2005–06; [169109]

  (2) what the (a) total budget, (b) departmental funding and (c) internal costs to his Department of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee were in financial years (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 2003–04; and what the estimated costs are for financial years (iii) 2004–05 and (iv) 2005–06. [169113]
  1141W
  Phil Hope
  The Building Regulations Advisory Committee does not receive Government funding other than costs internal to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of sponsoring it.

  For 2002–03 these costs were estimated to be in the region of £21,000 for administration and £49,000 for staff, and for 2003–04 £19,000 for administration and £51,000 for staff. These estimates include the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's staff costs associated with sponsorship of the committee and providing the secretariat for it; fees and travel and subsistence payments to members; publications; and other miscellaneous costs.

  Costs in 2004–05 and 2005–06 are not expected to rise significantly.

  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the(a) total budget, (b) departmental funding and (c) internal costs to his Department were of the Property Advisory Group in financial year 2003–04. [169110]

  Keith Hill
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member on 31 March 2004,Official Report, column 1499W.

  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what the(a) total budget, (b) departmental funding and (c) internal costs to his Department were of the Home Ownership Task Force in financial years (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 2003–04; [169111]

  (2) what the (a) total administration and (b) staff costs were for the Home Ownership Task Force in financial year 2002–03. [169112]

  Keith Hill
  No administration and staff costs were incurred in relation to the Home Ownership Task Force in 2002–03. For 2003–04, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 31 March 2004,Official Report, columns 1498–99W.

  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the(a) total budget, (b) departmental funding, (c) internal costs to his Department, (d) total administration costs and (e) staff costs to his Department of the Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils were for the financial years (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 2003–04; and what the estimated costs are for financial years (iii) 2004–05 and (iv) 2005–06. [169117]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils does not receive Government funding other than the internal costs to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of sponsoring it. For both 2002–03 and 2003–04, this was estimated to be in the region of £190,000. We do not expect costs to change significantly in 2004–05 and 2005–06.

  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the(a) total budget, (b) departmental funding, (c) internal costs to his Department, (d) total administration costs and (e) staff costs to his Department of the Advisory Group on Home Buying were for the financial years (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 2003–04; and what the estimated costs are for financial years (iii) 2004–05 and (iv) 2005–06. [169118]
  1142W
  Keith Hill
  The Advisory Group on Home Buying and Selling has been in existence since 1997. Membership includes representatives of central and local government, the Consumers' Association and the main professional and trade bodies involved in the home buying and selling process. The group has assisted with steering research, providing advice on options for reforming the home buying and selling process and helping consideration of responses to wide-ranging consultation on measures to improve the process. The main focus of the group's future work will be to assist with the development, implementation and coordination of measures, including home information packs, aimed at making the home buying and selling process easier and more efficient in the interests of buyers and sellers.

  There is no central budget for the Advisory Group. Membership and participation is voluntary and unpaid. The cost of the group to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is minimal, comprising attendance of ODPM officials, accommodation for meetings, production and circulation of papers, and refreshments.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what steps he is taking to deliver sustainable development within Government; [165652]

  (2) what progress has been made on his Department's Sustainable Development Strategy. [165653]

  Keith Hill
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is working closely with Defra, other Government departments and the Devolved Administrations to deliver sustainable development. The UK Government and Devolved Administrations are currently consulting on creating a new UK strategic framework for sustainable development.

  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 's central aim is to create sustainable communities—places where people want to live—by promoting economic growth, social progress and environmental protection.

  The Sustainable Communities Plan, "Sustainable Communities; Building for the Future", sets out a programme of action for delivering sustainable communities in all our towns, cities and rural areas. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has recently published "Making it Happen: The Northern Way", which provided an update on the delivery of the Sustainable Communities Plan, with a particular emphasis on the North and the Midlands.

  In line with all government departments, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is actively working to manage the sustainable development impacts of the operation of its estates and to deliver the targets outlined in the "Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate".

  The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill, currently before the House, sets out contributing to the achievement of sustainable development as an objective for regional spatial strategies and local development documents. We have backed this up with new guidance on

  1143W
  sustainable development and planning in Planning Policy Statement 1—Creating Sustainable Communities—which was issued for consultation on 24 February.

  In addition, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister actively promotes sustainable development and action to tackle climate change internationally.

  Urban Development Corporation
  Andrew Selous
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what responses he has received to the consultation about the creation of an urban development corporation for South Bedfordshire; and what progress there has been towards the creation of an urban development corporation for South Bedfordshire. [168793]

  Keith Hill
  My right hon. Friend Lord Rooker wrote to all local authorities in the Luton-Dunstable-Houghton Regis (LDHR) growth area in early May 2003 asking them to explore options for a local delivery vehicle to manage the growth envisaged in and around Luton and adjoining areas. Local partners have now proposed that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister establish an urban development corporation for the growth area and we are considering this as one of the options. Alongside this is work to establish the location and level of growth in this area, and the testing of growth proposals set out in the Milton Keynes/South Midlands sub regional strategy is part of this process. There has been no decision on the vehicle or the area it might cover at this stage.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Arms Exports
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his letter to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South dated 14 April, which countries his Department considers to have a stricter and more transparent arms exporting system than the UK. [168596]

  Mr. MacShane
  The United Kingdom has one of the strictest arms export licensing systems in the world. The Government are not aware of any countries which overall operate a stricter export control policy, other than the case of countries such as Japan, which do not export any military equipment at all. We know of no other country that publicly reports more information on arms exports than the United Kingdom.

  Economic Community of Central African States
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the proposals for the establishment of a regional peace force, announced by the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC) on 29 October 2003; what discussions he has had with members of the governments of(a) EU member states, (b) EU candidate countries, (c) CEEAC member states, (d) South Africa and (e) the USA on this matter; and if he will make a statement. [168555]
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  Mr. Mullin
  The UK welcomes the support shown by CEEAC and other African regional organisations for the setting up of regional brigades as part of the African Standby Force (ASF).

  The UK's support for the establishment of the ASF is currently directed towards developing strategic management capacity at the African Union and establishing regional brigades in east and west Africa. We also support efforts at the national level in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana. We are discussing these initiatives with a range of international and African partners.

  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department sent observers to the meeting of the Economic Community of Central African States' meeting in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, on 28 and 29 October 2003; what key issues have been reported to him; and if he will make a statement. [168556]

  Mr. Mullin
  A UK representative did not attend the meeting of Defence Chiefs of Staff in Brazzaville in October 2003. The meeting looked at the creation of a brigade-size peace-keeping force for central Africa, in line with the African Union's plans for the African Standby Force. We welcome the support shown by the Economic Community of Central African States and other regional organisations for the African Standby Force and we continue to encourage governments in the region to support regional peace-keeping initiatives.

  Iraq
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what protection is offered to British journalists reporting the military activities in Fallujah in Iraq. [167375]

  Mr. Rammell
  Fallujah is in the US military's area of operations. Arrangements for media reporting of US military activities are a matter for the US Government.

  We encourage British journalists to read Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Travel advice before planning visits to Iraq. We advise against all but the most essential travel to Iraq. The security situation is dangerous and April has seen widespread outbreaks of violence. Our travel advice states that even the most essential travel to Iraq should be delayed, if possible. FCO travel advice makes clear that Fallujah is a particularly dangerous place at the moment. FCO travel advice is available on the FCO website: www.fco.gov.uk.

  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government has submitted all documentation on which its claim that Iraq tried to procure uranium from Niger was based to the Butler Inquiry. [168282]

  Mr. MacShane
  As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has made clear, the Government will co-operate fully with the Butler Review, which has access to all intelligence reports and assessments and to other relevant Government papers.
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  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government first learned that Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan had visited countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 1998 and 2002 to procure uranium. [168283]

  Mr. MacShane
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 1 March 2004,Official Report, column 757W. It is the practice of successive Governments not to comment on intelligence matters. The security and intelligence agencies are not within the scope of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Part 1, paragraph 6).

  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 30 January 2004,Official Report, column 581W, on Iraq, whether the intelligence referred to is the intelligence upon which the United Kingdom Government based its claim in the September 2002 dossier, Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction, that Iraq sought the supply of uranium from Africa. [168325]

  Mr. MacShane
  The intelligence upon which the Government based their claim in the September 2002 dossier that Iraq sought to procure uranium from Africa is described in paragraphs 89–93 of the Intelligence and Security Committee's report "Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction" (Cmnd 5972).

  Jean Helene
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with members of(a) the French Government and (b) Prime Minister Seydou Diarra's transitional government in Ivory Coast concerning the nature of the death of French journalist Jean Helene in Abidjan; what advice his Department has issued to UK aid workers (i) in Ivory Coast and (ii) looking to travel to Ivory Coast; and if he will make a statement. [168554]

  Mr. Mullin
  Along with our other EU partners we condemned the murder of the French journalist, Jean Helene, in Abidjan in October 2003. We urged the Ivorian authorities to re-establish rule of law to protect Ivorians and foreign nationals. The policeman charged with Jean Helene's murder was found guilty and sentenced in January 2004. We are also concerned at reports of the recent disappearance of another journalist, a French/Canadian national.

  We advise UK nationals against non-essential travel to Cote d'Ivoire. More detailed advice is provided on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website: www.fco.gov.uk.

  As I made clear in a press release on 21 April, we urge all Ivorian parties to make progress in implementing the Linas Marcoussis Agreement. A copy of the press release is available on the FCO website: www.fco.gov.uk/policy/news/press-releases.

  Middle East
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's1146W
  policy is on the insistence by the Israeli Government that the Palestinians should abandon their right of return to what is now Israel. [168459]

  Mr. Rammell
  Return of refugees is a final status issue. It must therefore form part of a negotiated settlement between the two parties. Phase Three of the roadmap provides for this. To get back to negotiations, both parties must fulfil their commitments under Phase One of the roadmap.

  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with(a) Israel and (b) the United States on the Israeli Government's policy of targeted assassinations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.[168460]

  Mr. Rammell
  On 26 April, my right hon. Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean made clear to the Israeli Charge, Mr. Rav-ner, that the Israeli policy of targeted assassinations is illegal, unjustified and counter-productive. Both parties must refrain from actions that may further escalate tensions, including any more such killings. We are in regular contact with the US Administration, at all levels, about the situation in the Middle East, including targeted killings.

  Mordechai Vanunu
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to arrange a meeting with Mordechai Vanunu to discuss ways to implement a nuclear weapon-free zone in the Middle East. [168616]

  Mr. Rammell
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary currently has no plans to arrange such a meeting.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by which(a) governments and (b) organisations it was decided to send (i) surplus highly enriched uranium from Libya to Russia and (ii) nuclear technology components and missiles to the United States following the decision of Libya to halt its programmes of weapons of mass destruction. [168728]

  Mr. MacShane
  On 19 December Libya declared that it intended to dismantle completely and verifiably its weapons of mass destruction programmes, and to limit the range of Libyan missiles to under 300 kms.

  The UK and US offered full support to Libya in helping to declare its programmes to the relevant international bodies, as well as assistance in dismantling Libya's WMD programmes.

  The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the United States' and Russian Governments assisted Libya with the removal of High Enriched Uranium (HEU) fuel stored at the Tajura research reactor facility. IAEA inspectors monitored and verified the packing of the HEU for transport and removal on 8 March. The HEU was airlifted from Libya to the Russian Federation.

  Russia agreed to take back the HEU. The fuel-removal was funded by the United States Department of Energy under a co-operative US-Russia-IAEA

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  programme called the Tripartite Initiative, which addresses safety and proliferation risks. The Tripartite Initiative returns fresh and spent fuel from Russian designed reactors abroad.

  Following discussions between the UK, US and Libya, it was agreed that sensitive nuclear technology and missile components should be removed to a secure location in the United States. This was done in close cooperation with the IAEA. There is no equivalent international organisation in the area of missile technology.

  Pastor Khalid Babaev
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Azerbaijan Government concerning the threats made by Islamist extremists against Pastor Khalid Babaev, a Seventh Day Adventist pastor in Nakhichevan. [168428]

  Mr. Rammell
  Promotion of human rights, including freedom of thought, conscience and religion is at the heart of our foreign policy. We condemn instances where individuals are persecuted because of faith or belief, wherever they happen and whatever the religion of the individual or group concerned.

  British embassy staff in Baku keep in close contact with human rights NGOs in Azerbaijan and have raised issues of religious persecution with the State Commission for Religious Organisations. In March 2003 the British ambassador to Azerbaijan hosted a series of round table talks with NGOs to discuss current concerns, including issues of religious freedoms.

  We have not made any specific representations to the Azeri Government about Pastor Khalid Babaev.

  Sudan
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to bring the Janjaweed militia within the peace agreement in Sudan. [167819]

  Mr. Mullin
  We have made numerous representations to the Government of Sudan about the need to rein in the Janjaweed militias. In the 8 April humanitarian ceasefire agreement the Sudanese Government committed itself to neutralising the armed militias, which we understand to mean the Janjaweed.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with the National Islamic Front Government of the Sudan on the implementation of Sharia law in the south of the country. [168249]

  Mr. Mullin
  We had extensive consultations with the parties at the peace talks in Kenya as part of the negotiations which led to the Machakos Protocol in July 2002. The Machakos Protocol largely resolved the question of the application of Sharia law in the south of Sudan.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the people of Gibraltar will be able to vote in the forthcoming referendum on the proposed EU Constitution. [169015]
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  Mr. Straw
  I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. MacShane) on 27 April 2004 (UIN 168824) to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell).

  Swaziland
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact that the proposed new constitution in Swaziland will have on(a) democracy and (b) human rights in that country. [168908]

  Mr. Mullin
  The proposed constitution provides improved rights for women, which will be enshrined in a bill of rights, and a basis for improvements in democracy and human rights. The Commonwealth Secretariat provided expertise during the drafting of the constitution to align it with the Commonwealth's own core principles.

  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Swaziland about the proposed new constitution of that country; and if he will make a statement. [168909]

  Mr. Mullin
  Our High Commissioner in Mbabane regularly discusses the draft constitution with the Government of Swaziland. The proposed constitution is also on the agenda of the EU's regular political dialogue with the Government of Swaziland.

  Uganda
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department has(a) offered and (b) provided to the Government of Uganda to (i) initiate, (ii) facilitate and (iii) co-ordinate talks with the Lord's Resistance Army; and if he will make a statement. [168552]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Ugandan Government has not requested direct assistance from the UK. However, we continue to support mediation initiatives by the Ugandan Government and local leaders, who we believe are best placed to achieve a sustainable peace. Since 2001, we have spent nearly £1 million on conflict reduction and peace initiatives in Uganda. This includes the development of Mega FM Radio, which is playing an important part in attempts to develop dialogue. A further £1.6 million has been set aside up to March 2005.

  United Arab Emirates
  Huw Irranca-Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the(a) social, (b) economic and (c) cultural links between the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. [168569]

  Mr. Rammell
  The ties between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are deep and long-standing. We are building on them. HRH the Duke of York, the Lord Mayor of London, the House of Commons UAE All Party Parliamentary Group and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary have all visited UAE in recent months. The UAE is the UK's most important trading partner in the region with commerce
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  between the two countries totalling over £3 billion. British companies contribute significantly to the UAE's rapidly modernising economy. About 50,000 British citizens live and work in the UAE and over 500,000 visited in 2003. Many Emiratis visit the UK regularly and have houses here. There are growing cultural links, reflected in the presence of British Council offices in four of the Emirates. Our links in these fields are thriving.

  United States
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the visitor visa requirements are for US visitors to the UK. [168253]

  Mr. Mullin
  Nationals of the United States of America do not require a visa to visit the United Kingdom for less than six months. However, on arrival in the UK, they must be able to satisfy an Immigration Officer that they qualify for entry as a visitor under the UK Immigration Rules. From 13 November 2003 an additional entry clearance requirement was introduced for nationals of 10 countries, including the United States, who intend to stay in the UK for more than six months or who are work permit holders. Further information is available at UK visas website, www.ukvisas.gov.uk.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

  Child Care
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Minister for Women how many working mothers use child care for(a) children under five and (b) children over five years. [167879]

  Ms Hewitt
  The estimates from the autumn 2003 Labour Force Survey, the most recent information available, are around 750,000 working mothers using child care for under fives and around 1,050,000 for over fives.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Draft Age Discrimination Regulations
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether draft regulations on age discrimination will be published in 2004. [168157]

  Jacqui Smith
  We are in the process of reviewing the timetable for further consultation. We are doing so in the light of our clear commitment to give those with responsibilities and with rights as much time as possible to prepare for the new legislation coming into force in 2006, and to do so with regulations that are clear and effective. We shall announce the new timetable as soon as possible.

  Employment Rights
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of women in Heywood and Middleton have taken 26 weeks maternity leave since 1997. [168529]
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  Mr. Sutcliffe
  Take-up of paternity leave is not recorded centrally. It is possible to make an estimate of the numbers of women taking maternity leave based on employer returns to Inland Revenue for payment of Statutory Maternity Pay (since 2003 this has covered the first 26 weeks of leave). However, figures for the take-up of SMP are not available on a regional basis.

  In addition, there will be some women who will qualify for maternity leave but not SMP (because they do not meet the earnings criteria) and similarly some who qualify for SMP but not leave (because they are employed earners for the purposes of SMP but not employees in order to qualify for leave).

  BT
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons her Department has undertaken a review of apparent disparities between the Valuation Office Agency's calculation method of business rates for BT in comparison with other telecom companies; when she will publish her Department's findings; whom is being consulted; and if she will make a statement. [167268]

  Mr. Timms
  The Government said last year, in response to represenations made by members of the telecommunications industry, that they would review the rating system as it applied to the industry to ensure that it is working fairly.

  The Department has appointed a contractor to carry out the review. On completion of the review the Department will present the report to the Broadband Stakeholders Group (BSG), which is representative of the communications industry.

  We expect initial findings in the summer and subject to progress, to produce a report in the autumn.

  Business Link
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funds have been allocated to raising awareness of Business Link branded services among small businesses in each year since its inception; what the target was for the awareness level for each year; and what her estimate is of the current level of awareness among small businesses. [168448]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The following measures were used to raise awareness of Business Link.

  In 1996–97, £2,527,747 was allocated to raising awareness of Business Link, through press, radio and poster advertising. Awareness of Business Link among small businesses in February 1997 was 72 per cent.

  In 1997–98, expenditure was £1,331,702 on press advertising. Awareness of Business Link in December 1998 was 77 per cent.

  In 1998–99, expenditure was £1,021,352 on press, radio and poster advertising. Awareness of Business Link in March 1999 was 65 per cent. Between 1996 and 1999 there were no specific targets set for awareness raising.
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  Between March and November 2001, expenditure on Business Link advertising was £2,600,000. Advertising tracking showed spontaneous awareness at the end of this period was 17 per cent. and prompted awareness was 81 per cent. The targets set for this period were for 20 per cent. unprompted and 80 per cent. prompted awareness.

  Between September 2002 and April 2003 expenditure on Business Link advertising was £6,000,000. Results were measured in two ways: tracking of advertising and direct mail activity showed spontaneous awareness at 11 per cent. and prompted away mess at 77 per cent., whilst a National Omnibus Survey showed overall awareness of Business Link at 74 per cent. The targets set for this period were for 20 per cent. unprompted and 80 per cent. prompted awareness.

  Business Regulation
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to she answer of 6 April 2004,Official Report, column 72W, on regulatory impact assessments, how many regulatory impact statements were issued separate from regulatory impact assessments by the Small Business Service in each year since its inception, with particular reference to the Evaluation of Regulatory Impact Assessments Compendium Report 2003–04, March 2004, pages 25–26. [168712]

  Nigel Griffiths
  I am advised that the Small Business Service has not issued any regulatory impact statements. Such statements are prepared by the lead Department to explain the impact on business of proposals involving new or amended regulations, and take into account discussions with the Small Business Service and Cabinet Office.

  Central Lobby Consultants
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the work she has commissioned from Central Lobby Consultants since 1 June 2001. [163974]

  Ms Hewitt
  Our records indicate that no such work has been commissioned.

  Chemicals Industry
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with her US counterparts concerning European regulations on the chemicals industry; and if she will make a statement. [168896]

  Jacqui Smith
  My officials have participated in discussions with US counterparts about EU regulations on the chemicals industry. This has included proposals for new regulations controlling the manufacture, use or import of chemicals into the EU, known as the REACH system (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals). The Government consider it essential that the new system be compatible with member state and EU commitments under the World Trade Organisation (WTO), relevant multilateral environment agreements such as the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions, the Globally Harmonised System of classification and labelling and with other existing complimentary 1152W
  legislation. The Government are committed to continuing dialogue with our trade partners on this issue.

  Civil Partnerships
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Civil Partnership Bill allows(a) religious ceremonies for same-sex civil partnerships and (b) partnerships to be registered in religious premises. [169016]

  Ms Hewitt
  Clause 2 of the Civil Partnership Bill would ensure that no religious service is to be used while the civil partnership registrar is officiating at the signing of a civil partnership document. Clause 6 would prohibit same-sex couples registering as civil partners of each other in religious premises.

  It would be open to individual religious faiths to decide for themselves if they wished to offer a service of blessing after the formation of a civil partnership.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money has been provided in subsidy to the UK coal mining industry in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [168057]

  Mr. Timms
  The following table shows Government financial support for the coal industry in the financial years from 1994–95 to 2003–04. These figures exclude the impact of debt write-offs and proceeds at the privatisation of British Coal and payments made in respect of inherited liabilities following that privatisation, such as health claims.

  As shown, almost £165 million was paid to eligible coal producers under the UK Coal Operating Aid Scheme between 2000 and 2002. In June 2003, the Government introduced Coal Investment Aid (CIA), which aims to create or safeguard jobs within socially and economically disadvantaged areas in the UK by supporting investment projects, which will maintain access to viable reserves. It has a total budget of £60 million available for award over three years. Offers of CIA worth £40 million were accepted by coal producers following the first period for receipt of applications. This will be paid in stages as the projects proceed. The first £0.4 million of payments were made before the end of the financial year. The second application period is now open; it will close on 1 June 2004.

  Government financial support to the coal industry

  Financial year

  Total grants (£ million)

  1994–95

  205

  1995–96

  0

  1996–97

  0

  1997–98

  0

  1998–99

  0

  1999–2000

  0

  2000–01

  76.5

  2001–02

  61.6

  2002–03

  26.6

  2003–04

  0.4

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if her Department will carry out an investigation into the insolvency of Ballast UK to determine whether there have been breaches of insolvency law. [168917]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  There is no UK company registered as Ballast UK. There is a company called Ballast plc, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a Dutch company, Ballast Nedam NV, and which went into Administration on 15 October 2003.

  The administrator has a statutory duty to report to the Secretary of State on the conduct of the directors, and this is usually received by the Insolvency Service within six months of the appointment date. In the case of Ballast plc the administrator has not yet submitted his report. However, once this is received it will be reviewed by The Insolvency Service to ascertain whether disqualification proceedings are in the public interest.

  Disqualification can be for a period of up to 15 years and bars individuals from taking part in the management of a limited company.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the(a) DEL resource budget, (b) AME resource budget and (c) total resource budget of her Department were for each year between 1997 and 2007. [168608]

  Ms Hewitt
  These figures are published in "Central Government Supply Estimates 2004–2005 Supplementary Budgetary Information" (April 2004, Cm 6133) for the period 1998–99 to 2005–06. Figures on a resource basis are not available for years prior to 1998–99. Budgets for 2006–07 and 2007–08 will be published later in the year after the conclusion of the 2004 Spending Review. All figures shown exclude capital.

  £000

  DEL resource budget

  AME resource budget

  Total resource budget

  1998–99

  3,008,248

  232,462

  3,240,710

  1999–2000

  3,822,508

  770,790

  4,593,298

  2000–01

  5,860,121

  822,572

  6,682,693

  2001–02

  5,298,002

  1,189,072

  6,487,074

  2002–03

  3,832,749

  3,223,632

  7,056,381

  2003–04

  4,817,597

  2,251,743

  7,069,340

  2004–05

  4,808,961

  281,569

  5,090,530

  2005–06

  5,325,511

  535,657

  5,861,168

  Notes:

  1. The increase in the DEL resource budget in 2000–01 and 2001–02 compared to earlier years represents additional provisions for coal health claims. Part of the 2001–02 increase resulted from change in the rate used for discounting liabilities from 6 per cent. to 3.5 per cent. From 2002–03 these liabilities were reclassified as AME resource budget.

  2. The increase in the DEL resource budget from 2002–03 represents increased spending on science as well as the regional development agencies. This trend continues into 2005–06.

  3. The changes in the AME resource budget in 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04 mainly represent additional provisions for nuclear clean-up. Part of the 2001–02 increase resulted from a change in the rate used for discounting liabilities from 6 per cent. to 3.5 per cent.

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  4. Changes in provisions are, by their nature, unknown until they occur. Consequently the 2004–05 and 2005–06 AME resource budget figures are much lower.

  Energywatch
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what training Energywatch staff receive; and what assessment is made of their energy knowledge(a) before being able to advise consumers and (b) throughout their employment. [168871]

  Mr. Timms
  The management of its staff is a matter for Energywatch. I understand that the Chief Executive of Energywatch will write to the hon. Member about the matters he has raised.

  Equal Pay
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans her Department has to require businesses to carry out equal pay reviews. [168889]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government have adopted a voluntary approach to pay reviews outside of the civil service and believes it is in firms' best interest to do pay reviews. We believe that the best way to achieve lasting change is through working alongside the business community to promote voluntary equal pay reviews.

  We are working with the Equal Opportunities Commission, Opportunity Now, trade unions and employers to meet our target of 35 per cent. of large organisations completing pay reviews by 2006. We have provided funding for the EOC to develop equal pay toolkits for both large and small employers and funding for trade unions to train representatives in equal pay issues. We are also supporting the EOC's sectoral approach to promoting pay reviews.

  The EOC's latest findings show that 45 per cent. of large employers had completed an equal pay review, were in the process of completing one or were planning to do so in 2004. Among those that had carried out a pay review or were planning to do one, 41 per cent. said that Government policy and publicity had influenced them.

  EU Social Chapter
  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effect of the EU Social Chapter on the residents of Stalybridge and Hyde. [168744]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The residents of Stalybridge and Hyde have benefited from the EU Social Chapter by having their employment rights extended to include:the right to parental leave, which gives parents the right to 13 weeks unpaid leave at the birth or adoption of a child;
  the entitlement of part-time workers to the same pro-rata terms and conditions of employment as full-time workers, thereby removing any discrimination and improving the quality of part-time jobs;
  the provision that once a prima facie case has been made in an employment tribunal claim, the burden of proof is placed on the defendant (usually the employer), who will need to demonstrate that sex discrimination has not occurred;
  rights under the fixed term work directive that provide equal treatment and prevent abuse of fixed term contracts;

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  rights under the European Works Council directive which requires companies with at least 1,000 employees in total and at least 150 workers in each of the two member states, to establish structures for consulting workers on issues that affect them and;
  in addition, the information and consultation of employees directive to be implemented in the UK by March 2005, establishes a right to new minimum standards for workforce communication and involvement in large firms.

  European Directives
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research her Department has carried out on the implementation of European Directives by other member states; and if she will make a statement. [169177]

  Jacqui Smith
  The DTI has not done any recent research on this subject. Information on transposition of EU Directives in all member states can be found on the European Commission's website at: www.europa.euant/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/droit_com/index_en.htm# transpositions.

  In November 2003, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office published a report by Mr. Robin Bellis (an independent consultant) that compared transposition of EU legislation in the UK, France Spain and Sweden—please refer to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs' statement to the House on 11 February 2004, Official Report, column 1417.

  Flexible Working
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans her Department has to extend legislative provisions on flexible working. [168893]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The current Employment Relations Bill includes a technical clause to address original drafting oversights to the flexible working law concerning protections against unfair dismissal.

  The Government are committed to reviewing the impact of the flexible working law and has no plans to extend the provisions of the law until after the review in 2006. Currently, the law provides eligible parents of children under six and disabled children under 18 with a legal right to apply to work flexibly. An issue that the review will consider, which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has indicated should be a priority, is extending the law to wider groups of carers, such as carers of elderly or sick relatives.

  Fund Managers
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to require fund managers to disclose how they vote at annual meetings. [168894]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Government are committed to improving the voting processes in public companies as an important means of promoting better engagement by all shareholders in the companies in which they invest. We therefore welcomed Paul Myners' report to the Shareholder Voting Working Group, published on 3 February 2004.
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  As we stated in the White Paper on Modernising Company Law, while in principle we believe that it would be in the public interest to require institutional investors to disclose how they have voted their shares, there are practical difficulties in implementing such a requirement through company law. We are therefore still giving detailed consideration to the Company Law Review proposals in this complex area and will set out our position in due course.

  Funeral Directors
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints were made to the Director General of Fair Trading concerning the conduct of funeral directors in each year since 1997; how many such complaints were investigated by the Director General in each year; how many were upheld in each year; how many funeral directors have been banned as unfit to practise by the Director General of Fair Trading since 1997; and if she will publish the list of banned funeral directors. [168665]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  I will ask the Chairman of the Office of Fair Trading to write to the hon. Member.

  Gas Supplies
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment she has made of how much gas the UK will import in each of the five years from 2006; and if she will make a statement; [168052]

  (2) what assessment she has made of the UK's total gas requirements in each of the five years from 2006; and if she will make a statement; [168053]

  (3) what assessment she has made of the likely level of production of indigenous gas in each of the five years from 2006; and if she will make a statement. [168054]

  Mr. Timms
  The Department periodically produces projections of UK gas production and demand. Recent projections of both were published in the third report of the Joint Energy Security of Supply Working Group (available for download from http://www.dti.gov.uk/ energy/jess/index.shtml). Chart 3 shows of projection of annual gas production from the UK Continental Shelf together with demand projections by both DI and National Grid Transco. Later production projections for the years through to 2009 have been made and are available on the Department's Oil and Gas website at http://www.og.dti.gov.uk/information/bb_updates/ chapters/section4_17.htm. These and updated projections of gas demand, which are currently being prepared by DTI for publication in a working paper next month, are expected to be included in the fourth JESS report, which is also expected to be published in May 2004.

  We currently export gas to Ireland, from the Markham and Windermere fields directly to The Netherlands and, at time of low UK demand, through the Bacton-Zeebrugge Interconnector to the Continent. However, at times of peak demand, the UK is already a net importer of gas, with imports direct from Norway and through the Interconnector. Recent projections indicate that we are likely to be net importers of gas on an annual basis by around 2006 with a growing import

  1157W
  requirement thereafter. The Department has not made a projection of gross imports, which will be significantly higher than net imports.

  Libya
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many British companies are still owed money from projects in Libya; and what estimate she has made as to the amount of money still owed. [166738]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Officials are not aware of any significant cases of British companies who are still owned money from projects in Libya. However, we are ready to provide whatever assistance we can to British companies who find themselves in this position.

  Miners' Compensation
  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid in fees, and for how many individual cases, under the miners' compensation scheme for(a) vibration white finger and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, broken down by solicitor. [168473]

  Nigel Griffiths
  [holding answer 26 April 2004]The information is as follows:

  Respiratory Disease

  Claimants representative1

  Cost paid (£ million)2

  Number of claims

  Beresfords

  8.9

  79,964

  Thompsons

  38.5

  57,340

  Hugh James Ford Simey

  38.6

  56,828

  Raleys

  27.5

  50,164

  Avalon

  0.6

  36,604

  Browell Smith & Co.

  15.3

  32,188

  Mark Gilbert Morse

  13

  25,917

  Union of Democratic Mineworkers

  9

  17,252

  Watson Burton

  8.8

  14,154

  Barber & Co.

  0.09

  13,769

  1Top 10 solicitors are in descending order and based on the number of claims received.

  2Solicitor's costs include VAT on solicitor's costs and disbursement but exclude generic costs.

  Vibration White Finger

  Claimants representative1

  Cost paid (£ million)2

  Number of claims

  Thompsons

  9

  29,968

  Browell Smith & Co

  8.6

  16,476

  Beresfords

  3.1

  11,648

  Union of Democratic Mineworkers

  5.5

  11,610

  Raleys

  6.5

  11,282

  Hugh James Ford Simey

  5.8

  10,640

  Graysons

  3.7

  8,683

  Moss

  2.9

  7,279

  Watson Burton

  3.1

  5,937

  AMS Law

  1.8

  5,327

  1Top 10 solicitors are in descending order and based on the number of claims received.

  2Solicitor's costs include VAT on solicitor's costs and disbursement but exclude generic costs.

  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action has been taken to claw back payments to solicitors who have imposed additional 1158W
  charges on their clients for work under the miners' compensation scheme for vibration white finger and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. [168474]

  Nigel Griffiths
  [holding answer 26 April 2004]I have written to solicitors twice asking them to repay any fees taken from clients on top of the fee they received from the DTI. Those who have failed to reply were removed from the DTIs list of solicitors and were referred to the Law Society.

  The Government welcome the decision taken by the Law Society, as the solicitors regulator, that it was against their code of practice for solicitors to charge clients for making compensation claims where the DTI is meeting solicitors' costs. DTI officials continue to meet with the Law Society to progress matters.

  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which(a) solicitors and (b) claims handlers have been notified to her Department in relation to additional charging for dealing with vibration white finger and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease miners' compensation cases. [168480]

  Nigel Griffiths
  [holding answer 26 April 2004]Complaints regarding double charging by solicitors who are processing claims under the British Coal health schemes are the responsibility of the solicitors' regulator, the Law Society.

  I am informed that some 173 complaints have been notified to the Law Society. Of these 63 have been concluded, which have led to repayments being to made to 23 claimants.

  In addition I have informed the Law Society of those solicitors who failed to respond satisfactorily to my letters relating to double charging.

  National Allocation Plan
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what involvement she has had and what position she has taken on the setting of the carbon dioxide reduction target relative to 1990 levels within the National Allocation Plan to implement the EU Emissions Trading Directive. [167752]

  Mr Timms
  I have been closely involved in and fully support the decision published in the draft National Allocation Plan (NAP) on setting the overall allocation of allowances for the first phase of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EUETS) on the projected level of UK emissions, taking into account the Climate Change Programme's planned reduction from emissions trading. While the modelling used for the draft NAP indicated this approach would be equivalent to a 16.3 per cent. reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide over 1990 levels by 2010, the draft NAP indicated that emissions projections were continuing to be refined and the overall level of allowances to be included in the final NAP to be submitted to the Commission would be reviewed in the light of the latest projections. Revisions to projections will be reflected in the NAP to be submitted to the European Commission. We further expect to publish a working paper on the overall emissions projections in May and a final set of emissions projections in June which will be used for calculating final allocations. As a result, the overall percentage
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  reduction in the carbon dioxide emissions over 1990 levels covered by the NAP will almost certainly change to reflect that work.

  New Businesses
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new businesses have started up in Manchester, Gorton since 1997. [167351]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 1,000 in Manchester local authority (which contains the constituency of Gorton), in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. There were 4,800 business start-ups in Manchester local authority in 2003. Data for local authorities are not available for before 2003.

  DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Manchester local authority (which contains the constituency of Gorton) are shown for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in autumn 2004

  VAT registrations: 1997–2002

  Manchester

  1997

  1,595

  1998

  1,580

  1999

  1,585

  2000

  1,465

  2001

  1,335

  2002

  1,275

  Source:

  Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994–2002, Small Business Service

  VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government has taken to help small businesses in Manchester, Gorton since 1997. [167352]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The Business Link Operator for Manchester (Chamber Business Enterprises) has provided assistance to 164 businesses in the Gorton constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 business Link Operators (seven in the North West) to provide Business Support to small and medium sized enterprises from April 2001. Before this date Government Support to businesses was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the Small Business Service does not have access to this data.
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  The assistance provided to the 164 companies include, Business Finance, High Growth start up, Supply chain, Workforce Development, Micro start up assistance, E-Services, Innovation technology and design, International, Environmental advice, and other account Management assistance.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new businesses were created in Liverpool, Walton in each year between 1997 and 2003. [166971]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in the fourth quarter of 2003. There were 3,500 business start-ups in Liverpool and Knowsley local authorities (Liverpool local authority contains the constituency of Walton) in 2003.The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. Data for local authorities are not available for before 2003. Data for Liverpool local authority are not available separately.

  DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Liverpool local authority (which contains the constituency of Walton) are shown in the table for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in autumn 2004.

  VAT registrations: 1997–2002

  Liverpool

  1997

  910

  1998

  960

  1999

  870

  2000

  900

  2001

  805

  2002

  835

  Source:

  Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994–2002, Small Business Service

  VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many new businesses have started up in Heywood and Middleton since 1997; [168523]

  (2) how many new businesses have been established in Heywood and Middleton since 1997. [168525]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 400 in Rochdale local authority (which contains the constituency of Heywood and Middleton), in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. There were 1,400 business start-ups in Rochdale local authority in 2003. Data for local authorities are not available for before 2003.
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  DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Rochdale local authority (which contains the constituency of Heywood and Middleton) are shown for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in autumn 2004.

  VAT registrations: 1997–2002

  Rochdale

  1997

  480

  1998

  455

  1999

  440

  2000

  430

  2001

  455

  2002

  465

  Source:

  Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994–2002, Small Business Service

  VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.

  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new businesses have started up in Stalybridge and Hyde since 1997. [168747]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 400 in Tameside local authority (which contains the constituency of Stalybridge and Hyde) in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. There were 1,900 business start-ups in Tameside local authority in 2003. Data for local authorities are not available for before 2003.

  DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Tameside local authority (which contains the constituency of Stalybridge and Hyde) for the period 1997 to 2002 are shown in the table. Data for 2003 will be available in autumn 2004.

  VAT registrations: 1997 to 2002

  Tameside local authority

  1997

  500

  1998

  550

  1999

  445

  2000

  530

  2001

  470

  2002

  460

  Source:

  Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994–2002, Small Business Service

  VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.

  Northwest Development Agency
  Andy Burnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money the Northwest Development Agency has spent in total since its creation in(a) each local authority in the North West and (b) each parliamentary constituency in the North West. [167656]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 26 April 2004]The Northwest Development Agency does not collate data by local authority area or parliamentary constituency.

  The total NWDA funding for each year since its creation is as follows:

  £ million

  1999–2000

  234

  2000–01

  176

  2001–02

  292

  2002–03

  306

  Oil Prices
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her assessment of the impact of the oil price on business investment in the UK. [168890]

  Mr. Timms
  The price of oil is just one of many factors that affects the level of business investment in the UK economy, and for most sectors is a less important factor than, for instance, the cost of capital or profitability. Moreover, although international oil prices have been relatively high over the last year, the fall in the value of the US dollar has helped the sterling oil price rise less steeply.

  The Department's assessment therefore is that high recent international oil prices have impacted little on overall investment levels within the UK. Indeed the most recent investment data show business investment in the UK rising during each of the last three quarters of 2003.

  Procurement Policy
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the corporate social responsibility requirements of her Department's procurement policy. [168670]

  Ms Hewitt
  As the sponsoring Department for business the DTI vision for corporate social responsibility is to see companies take account of their economic, social and environmental impact in the way they operate, maximising the benefits and minimising the downsides. Naturally, the Department is keen to reflect these practices. We are working closely with Defra to push forward the sustainable development in procurement agenda and through our Small Business Service and in partnership with the Office of Government Commerce, we seek to improve accessibility of Government contracts to small and medium enterprises, including those owned by ethnic minorities and women.

  Regional Development Agencies
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to make Regional Development Agencies democratically accountable to the community in which they operate. [167289]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government's policy on regional governance, including the role of Regional Development Agencies, was set out in the White Paper, "Your Region, Your Choice" published in May 2002 (cm 5511).

  In those regions which vote to establish an elected regional assembly, the Regional Development Agency will become a functional body of the elected assembly and so, directly accountable to it.

  In those regions which do not have an elected assembly, the existing regional chambers, made up of local authority representatives and social and economic partners, will continue to scrutinise the work of the Regional Development Agency.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effect of recent trends in investment in renewable energy upon residents of Birkenhead. [166614]

  Mr. Timms
  As I far as I am aware recent trends in investment have not led directly to new renewables capacity in Birkenhead itself. However, there are a number of development not far from Birkenhead.

  In 2003 my Department awarded a capital grant of £10 million to Seascape Energy towards the costs of developing the Burbo Bank offshore wind farm in Liverpool Bay.

  In 1999, Mersey Docks and Harbour Company were awarded a contract under the Non Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) arrangements for electricity to be generated from six 600 kW wind turbines in Seaforth Dock.

  A grant of £11,759.50 was awarded to Cosmopolitan Housing Association under stream 1 of the DTIs Photovoltaic (PV) Major Demonstration Programme for a project in Liverpool.

  A grant of £94,647 was awarded under the DTIs PV Domestic Field Trial to CDS Housing for a project at Pinehurst Estate, Liverpool.

  A grant of £1,250 was awarded to Liverpool county council under the DTIs Clear Skies scheme for a community project in Liverpool.

  Some initiatives relating to the North West region as a whole may result in benefits for Birkenhead. In 2000–01, the DTI contributed £50,000 towards a study of the potential for renewable energy throughout the North West region. Between 2002–04, the DTI contributed £208,060 towards a regional renewable energy planning facilitation fund administered through the Government Office for the North West.

  Rogue Recruitment Agencies
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action her Department is taking to tackle the activities of rogue recruitment agencies; and if she will make a statement. [168895]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The DTIs Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate enforces the legislation regulating the activities of the private recruitment industry. Inspectors visit agencies' premises to examine their records. The Inspectorate can prosecute an agency found to be in breach of the legislation and the maximum fined is £5,000 for each offence. It can also apply to an employment tribunal for an order prohibiting an individual from operating an agency or employment business for up to 10 years.

  I remain committed to tackling the problem of those agencies and employment businesses that breach legislation governing their industry. To this end, we have recently completely overhauled the Conduct Regulations the Inspectorate enforce and undertaken a number of innovative activities to help ensure migrant workers do not fall victim to rogue employment agencies. Moreover, Employment Agency Standards Inspectors follow up every complaint received concerning breaches of the employment agency legislation and also undertake spot checks.

  Rural Post Offices
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when the Government will announce the level of financial assistance they are to provide to rural post offices after April 2006; [169128]

  (2) when her Department will publish the report completed by Postcomm in July 2003 on funding for postal services in rural areas after 2006; and if she will make a statement. [169129]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answers 27 April 2004]The Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) report on the future of the post office network recommended that the Postal Services Commission should advise the Government on the main options for the policy framework after 2006. The Government are currently considering that policy advice, which was submitted in confidence, and will take decisions on the shape of the rural post office network after 2006 in good time to allow for a smooth transition from the current support arrangements. The Government have no plans to publish Postcomm's advice at present.

  Scottish Power
  Mr. George Osborne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what meetings Ministers in her Department have had with representatives of Scottish Power to discuss its proposed gas storage plant at Byley, Cheshire. [168715]

  Mr. Timms
  Ministers meet energy companies from time to time to discuss the evolving energy scene and development of energy policy.

  I met the chief executive of Scottish Power in March. We did not discuss the Byley proposal.

  Shareholders
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans her Department has for new legislation to protect shareholder investors from misrepresentations by company executives. [168900]

  Jacqui Smith
  It is already an offence under existing legislation for directors who, recklessly or knowingly, approve annual accounts which do not comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 1985. Directors can also be guilty of an offence where a directors' report is prepared which does not comply with the Companies Act 1985. Directors may, of course, also be liable to the company if accounts and reports are approved which do not represent a true and fair view.

  The Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Bill currently before Parliament also strengthens audit and accounting requirements, including the ability of auditors to acquire information.

  In addition, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has the power to issue a private warning, public censure and unlimited fine on companies for breaches of the Listing Rules and on their directors who were knowingly concerned in such breaches. The FSA also has the power to publicly censure or impose an unlimited fine on anyone, whether they are authorised or not, who engages in market abuse as defined under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. The FSA can also take action under Section 397 of Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Misleading Statements and Practices), which makes it a criminal offence to engage in the following activities: (a) making a statement, promise or forecast which he knows to be misleading, false or deceptive; (b) dishonestly concealing any material facts whether in connection with a statement, promise or forecast made by him or otherwise; or (c) recklessly makes (dishonestly or otherwise) a statement, promise or forecast Which is misleading, false or deceptive.

  Small Business
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government have taken to help small businesses in Heywood and Middleton since 1997. [168524]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The Business Link Operator for North Manchester has provided assistance to 499 businesses in the Heywood/Middleton constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 Business Link Operators (seven in the North West) to provide Business Support to small and medium sized enterprises form April 2001. Before this date Government Support to businesses was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the SBS does not have access to this data.

  The assistance provided to the 499 companies include; Business Finance, Environmental, E services, High Growth, International, Innovation, Micro support, supply chain, Workforce development and other
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  account management assistance. Under the Research and Development Scheme (R&D) four offers have been made and accepted to the value of £264,930.

  Under the Enterprise Grant Scheme (EGS), which has now come to a close (April 2004) nine offers of grant were made and accepted with a value of £355,100.

  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government have taken to help small businesses in Stalybridge and Hyde since 1997. [168746]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The Business Link for Greater Manchester (Chamber Business Enterprises) has provided assistance to 688 businesses in the Hyde and Stalybridge constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 Business Link operators (seven in the North West) to provide business support to small and medium-sized enterprises from April 2001. Before this date government support to businesses was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the SBS does not have access to this data.

  The Business Link operator has provided business start-up advice to over 113 companies in the Stalybridge and Hyde area; in addition they have provided assistance in the following areas, business finance, environmental, E services, high growth, international, innovation, technology and design, supply chain, micro support and workforce development and other account management assistance.

  Under the research and development grant (R&D) two offers have been made and accepted to the value of £99,900.

  Social Entrepreneurship
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support her Department is giving to schemes to encourage social entrepreneurship. [168360]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Department's support for social entrepreneurship is set out in -Social Enterprise: a strategy for success", published in 2002, and last year's "Progress Report".

  Support for social enterprises is, for example, one element of the Phoenix Fund which promotes enterprise in disadvantaged communities and under-represented groups. It helps social enterprises to gain better access to business support and to finance through Community Development Finance Institutions.

  Help and advice for those interested in setting up social enterprises is available through Business Link and specific programmes such as the Phoenix Development Fund, which supports a Social Enterprise Visit Programme that facilitates shared learning through the exchange of ideas and experience across the sector.

  The Department also supports awards schemes, such as "Enterprising Solutions: the National Social Enterprise Award", that aim to inspire others by showcasing the exceptional entrepreneurial talents harnessed for public benefit by successful social enterprises.

  Software Piracy
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what steps she is taking to combat computer software piracy by businesses; and if she will make a statement; [168910]

  (2) what plans she has to implement the EU Enforcement Directive to control business software piracy; [168911]

  Ms Hewitt
  Rights holders in the UK have a comprehensive range of civil remedies to pursue enforcement activity against businesses that make and use illegal copies of computer software. The EC Directive on enforcement of intellectual property rights will ensure that similar provision exists throughout the Community. However, reducing illegal use of copyright material, including software, within businesses can be addressed in the first instance by improved awareness and understanding about intellectual property. In this respect, the awareness-raising activity the Patent Office undertakes is valuable. This should complement the awareness-raising activity undertaken by trade bodies such as the Federation Against Software Theft and the Business Software Alliance.

  Sub-Post Offices
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list by region, the amounts of compensation paid in the last 12 months to sub postmasters and mistresses connected with the closure of their establishment; [168852]

  (2) how many sub-post offices which in the past 12 months the organisation Postwatch has recommended be kept open, have subsequently been closed, broken down by region. [168988]

  Mr. Timms
  These are operational matters for Post Office Ltd. and I have asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.
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  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many sub-post offices closed in the UK in the past 12 months, broken down by region. [169136]

  Mr. Timms
  Post Office Ltd. produces statistics on post office closures on a quarterly basis. The latest data on net closures by region currently available is to the end of December 2003. Data for the quarter to end March 2004 is expected shortly.

  Net post office closures by country/region for the nine months to end December 2003

  Country/region

  Number

  North East

  32

  North West

  99

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  62

  West Midlands

  58

  South West

  75

  South East

  122

  London

  89

  East of England

  61

  East Midlands

  66

  Northern Ireland

  18

  Scotland

  43

  Wales

  49

  Trade (United Arab Emirates)
  Huw Irranca-Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken to improve trade between the United Arab Emirates and the UK. [168573]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The UK has a substantial trading relationship with the UAE. UK exports of visible goods to the UAE totalled £2,080.6 million in 2003, an increase of 29 per cent. over the previous year. UK Trade and Investment works closely with all Posts in the country (in Abu Dhabi and Dubai) to support British companies wishing to expand their activities in this market. For example, there are plans to support 35 exhibitions and trade mission to the UAE this financial year. This will allow over 1,200 UK companies to access the market with UK Government support.

  UK Trade and Investment has also worked with industry to identify eight priority sectors in which bespoke sector specific activities will be undertaken.

  Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy
  Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy
  Children Bill: Play and Recreation
  Children Bill: Play and Recreation
  Economic and Monetary Union
  Economic and Monetary Union
  Eurotunnel
  Eurotunnel
  Hip Replacements
  Hip Replacements