Written Answers of 12 January 2004

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

  Asylum
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much the Department spent on the delivery of the asylum process in the last financial year. [146672]

  Mr. Lammy
  The Department for Constitutional Affairs' expenditure in the 2002–03 financial year for asylum and immigration was £277 million. This covers the costs incurred by the Immigration Appellate Authority and the Courts and, legal aid administered by the Legal Services Commission. Of this we estimate approximately £244 million was attributable to asylum and the remainder to non-asylum immigration work.

  Judicial Appointments
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many judicial appointments the Lord Chancellor made in November and December 2003; whom he appointed; and to which posts. [146962]

  Mr. Leslie
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor made, or recommended to Her Majesty and/or the Prime Minister, 162 judicial appointments during November and December 2003. A table detailing the names of those appointed, and the post they were appointed to, will be forwarded to my hon. Friend and a copy placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many Law Lords he has appointed since 12 June 2003. [146963]

  Mr. Leslie
  Since 12 June 2003, the Prime Minister has recommended, following advice from my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor, the appointment of three Lords of Appeal in Ordinary. The Queen has approved the Prime Minister's recommendations and all three Lords of Appeal have been appointed.

  Judicial Review
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what has been the average time taken in the last year for an application for leave to move to judicial review to be determined. [146493]

  Mr. Leslie
  For the period 1 December 2002 to 30 November 2003 the average times taken to determine applications for permission to apply for judicial review from the date of issue of proceedings to the date of determination are as follows.
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  For determination on the papers only:

  Civil matters—7.3 weeks1

  Criminal matters—6.3 weeks1

  Where the judge directs that he wishes to consider permission at an oral hearing:

  Civil matters—10 weeks1

  Criminal matters—5.2 weeks1

  Should the application subsequently be renewed following refusal on the papers, the average waiting times from receipt of the application for renewal to the date of determination is:

  Civil matters—6.4 weeks1

  Criminal matters—9.5 weeks1

  1The average figures include any time that cases may be stood out of the list pending determination of lead cases or other matters.

  Justice System (Costs)
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the cost of the justice system was in(a) 1995, (b) 1997, (c) 1999, (d) 2001 and (e) 2003; and what the projected cost is in 2004–05. [146677]

  Mr. Lammy
  The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Written Constitution
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy on a written constitution. [146964]

  Mr. Leslie
  There are no plans to draft a written constitution for the United Kingdom.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Licensing Act
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will amend the Licensing Act 1964 to allow on-duty police officers to be served with refreshments; and if she will make a statement. [146572]

  Mr. Caborn
  Section 178(b) of the Licensing Act 1964 makes it an offence for the holder of a justices' licence to supply any liquor or refreshment, whether by way of gift or sale, to any constable on duty except by authority of a superior officer of the constable. Schedule 7 to the Licensing Act 2003, which received Royal Assent on 10 July 2003, will repeal the Licensing Act 1964 in its entirety, when it comes into force. Therefore, this provision of the 1964 Act will be repealed when the 2003 Act is fully in force.

  18-Plus Organisation
  Chris Bryant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding her Department and its executive agencies has provided to the 18-Plus organisation since 1997. [147352]

  Mr. Caborn
  There is no record of the Department or its executive agency providing any funding to the 18-plus organisation.

  Tourism
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what initiatives have been put in place by her Department to attract foreign visitors to UK attractions outside London. [147251]

  Mr. Caborn
  VisitBritain has a target in its Funding Agreement with my Department to promote a regional spread of overseas visitors to the UK. Major initiatives include a partnership campaign with the industry in the United States and, in Europe, a £4 million "City Breaks" campaign to promote short breaks in 19 cities across Britain. The Department also contributes funding (£250,000 p.a from 2002–06) to the Greater London Authority to help support its statutory duty of promoting London as a Gateway to the rest of the UK.

  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what initiatives have been put in place by her Department to increase domestic tourism visits in 2004. [147252]

  Mr. Caborn
  In November 2003, VisitBritain published its domestic marketing strategy. This is a three-year initiative designed to grow the value of the domestic market by encouraging the British to spend more on tourism throughout the English regions throughout the year. On 1 January 2004, VisitBritain launched its Enjoy England Spring Campaign which consists of a high profile television and press campaign and offers a holiday planner so that people can plan their domestic trips for the year. This will be followed up by a number of themed campaigns throughout the year and another major campaign in September. Information on the Enjoy England Spring Campaign can be found on the website: www.visitengland.com.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Bankruptcy
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners whether the Church Commissioners have made representations to the Government about changing the law to enable the courts to declare bankrupt a cathedral or other church or body that becomes unable to pay its debts. [146236]

  Sir Stuart Bell
  The Church Commissioners have made no representations to the Government about the present state of the relevant law.

  Bradford Cathedral
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners discussions the Church Commissioners have had about the financial position of Bradford cathedral and its failure to pay its debts to Past Forward and other small businesses for the work they were contracted to provide for the Life Force Exhibition; and what action the Church Commissioners intend to take to ensure that the Cathedral is able to pay to Past Forward the sum specified in the county court judgment issued against the cathedral. [146237]
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  Sir Stuart Bell
  Legally and financially, cathedrals are independent bodies governed by the Cathedrals Measure passed by Parliament in 1999. The Commissioners have a very limited statutory role in relation to cathedrals and have no authority to compel Bradford Cathedral to reach a settlement, nor do they have power to provide funds to enable such a settlement.

  Nonetheless they are in contact with the Bradford Cathedral Chapter and recognise that efforts are being made to find a solution.

  McClean Review
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners if he will make a statement on the first report of the McClean Review of clergy terms of service to the Archbishops' Council. [146835]

  Sir Stuart Bell
  The group's first report was considered by the Archbishops Council on 9 December. It recommends that employment rights covered by section 23 of the Employment Relations Act should be conferred on the clergy through church legislation. The report will be debated in February by the General Synod, which will be invited to encourage comments on its recommendations from dioceses and other interested parties.

  A copy of the report will be sent to the DTI soon.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Animal By-products
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the European Commission regarding further derogation from the Animal By-products Regulation 2003. [147001]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The United Kingdom, along with all member states, has recently submitted information on the application of the EU Animal By-products Regulation (1774/2002) to the European Commission, including difficulties faced by operators.

  In the light of these comments, the Commission may decide that certain provisions will need to be amended if it is clear that similar issues are occurring in several member states.

  We are also in discussion with the Commission regarding a number of supplementary proposals relating to the Animal By-products Regulation.

  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, of 10 December 2003,Official Report, column 1173, whether the database of animal by-product premises will be available on her Department's website early this year. [147091]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  We are currently in the process of compiling the database of animal by-product premises with the intention of placing a list of approved premises
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  on the Defra website. In the interim period this information can be obtained from local Defra animal health offices (who issue the approvals).

  Animal Protection
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research has been(a) undertaken and (b) commissioned by her Department on (i) illegal animal movements, (ii) illegal culling of wildlife and (iii) illegal hunting of protected species. [146567]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  It is not apparent from the question whether my colleague's interest relates to research into wild native species, exotic non-native species or agricultural animals. The answer below therefore reflects the wide range of activities that Defra undertakes.

  (i) Illegal animal movements

  The Animal Movement Licensing System (AMLS) highlights any reports of potentially illegal movements of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs so that local authority Trading Standards Officers can investigate them and take any necessary enforcement action.

  (ii) Illegal culling of wildlife

  The Department has not specifically undertaken or commissioned research into the illegal culling of wildlife. However, an assessment was made of the potential impact of this activity on certain birds of prey raptors as part of the UK Raptor Working Group, chaired by Defra (then DETR) and the JNCC, which reported in 2000.

  (iii) Illegal hunting

  The Department's responsibilities include protection of wildlife through regulation of trade in those endangered species listed on the Appendices to CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). Research has been commissioned to contribute to an assessment of the impact of exploitation, especially by poaching and illegal trade, on the conservation status of the CITES listed musk deer in the far east of the Russian Federation and to inform future conservation management.

  Through the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) the Department supports the network of Police Wildlife Crime Officers, which investigate reports of illegal culling and other breaches of wildlife law.

  In addition to our support of the Police, the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIiS) investigates suspicious wildlife deaths in relation to the misuse, abuse and approved use of pesticides. The scheme is run by the Pesticides Safety Directorate and funded by government and through a levy on the pesticides industry.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. David
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to introduce measures to make stunning compulsory before animals are ritually slaughtered; and what assessment she has made of the case for such measures. [147175]
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  Mr. Bradshaw
  We are in the process of assessing all the recommendations in the Farm Animal Welfare Council's report on the welfare of red meat animals at slaughter, including the recommendation that all animals should be stunned prior to slaughter. We are planning to issue our draft response to the report for public consultation shortly.

  Bio-Yoghurt
  Mr. Liddell-Grainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the implications for bio yoghurt of the EU directive on yoghurt classification; and what representations she has received on the new arrangements. [145731]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  I assume that the hon. Member refers to the provision in Commission proposal COM(2003)14 which would amend Article 2 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 relating to standards for organic production. The proposal is intended to restrict the labelling of food with the term 'bio' to food which complies with the organic standards. The Explanatory Memoranda submitted on this proposal explain our view that the proposal to amend Article 2 is unnecessarily restrictive but note that it commands widespread support among other member states. Representations on the proposal have been received from a number of interests, most recently from the Dairy Industry Association Ltd., the British Retail Consortium and the Provision Trade Federation.

  I refer the hon. Member also to the reply given by the Secretary of State for Health on 19 November 2003, Official Report, column 916W, in relation to the separate discussions on possible EU legislation on the composition and labelling of yogurt.

  Chewing Gum
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome of her Department's discussions with manufacturers and other interested parties about discarded chewing gum was; what changes to her policy on discarded chewing gum she has made and plans to make; and if she will make a statement. [146361]

  Alun Michael
  The group is considering a range of options for tackling the problem and intend to make recommendations to me shortly. I will then decide what steps should be taken and an announcement made. We are working closely with all interested parties through an action group which includes representatives of, Defra, the Department for Education and Skills, ENCAMS (formerly the Tidy Britain Group), chewing gum manufacturers, the Local Government Association and the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management, to progress effective and sustainable ways of tackling it.

  Environment Agency
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Environment Agency's total expenditure has been since its formation; and how much has been spent on collecting and refining statistics on waste. [142594]
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  Mr. Morley
  The Environment Agency's total expenditure since its formation has been £4,484.3 million.

  The Environment Agency has spent a estimated £5 million on collecting and refining waste statistics from its surveys on the production and management of waste from industry and commerce. This figure does not include waste statistics collected by the Agency as part of its regulatory duties.

  Fallen Stock
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of farmers have signed up to the proposed national subscription scheme for the disposal of fallen stock. [147000]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Good progress is being made in setting up the Scheme and farmers will be invited to subscribe to it shortly.

  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the cost of the proposed national subscription scheme for the disposal of fallen stock. [147002]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Initial estimates of costs for the collection and disposal of all fallen stock in the UK, excluding those disposed of under TSE testing arrangements are likely to be around £28 million per year. However, the proposed National Fallen Stock Scheme will be voluntary, and as not all farmers will choose to subscribe, costs may be lower. Exact costs will depend on the rates of payments to collection and disposal operators which are currently being determined, and the volume of fallen stock which comes forward which is unknown.

  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department has made on the national subscription scheme for the disposal of fallen stock. [147003]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Defra, in co-operation with devolved administrations, the individuals nominated as Directors of the National Fallen Stock Company and other key stakeholders are making good progress in setting up the Scheme. We hope to be able to make an announcement on the start date shortly.

  Fish Farming
  Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much food, by weight, is required to produce one kilo of marketable farmed salmon; how much raw marine resource, by weight, is required to make one kilo of fish food; where that food is sourced from; and what the content of that food is. [146712]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Defra does not collect data on feed usage and composition from enterprises engaged in fish farming in the UK. However, industry estimates range from 1.0 to 1.3 kg of feed needed to produce 1 kg of farmed salmon of a marketable size.

  We do not have information on the weight of the raw marine material used in feed for farmed fish. The quantity involved will vary depending on the proportion
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  of fishmeal used in the different grades of dry fish feed produced for fish at various stages of growth. Salmon, like other farmed piscivorous species, are unlikely to consume, through feed, more natural marine resources than would their wild counterparts in the natural environment.
  The fish used for aquaculture feed are generally small, bony pelagic species sourced from non food grade fisheries, usually off the coasts of Peru and Chile, and in the North Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic Sea.

  We understand that feed for farmed salmon includes protein and oils derived from marine sources, limited amounts of vegetable proteins, small amounts of carbohydrates to aid pellet formation, minerals and vitamins.

  Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much farmed salmon has been produced from the United Kingdom salmon farms over the last 10 years. [146713]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Production figures of UK Atlantic Salmon (tonnes) for the 10-year period up to 2002 (the latest year for which complete data are available) are as follows:

  Tonnes

  1993

  48,691

  1994

  64,066

  1995

  70,060

  1996

  83,121

  1997

  99,197

  1998

  110,784

  1999

  126,686

  2000

  128,959

  2001

  138,519

  2002

  145,609

  The figures include production primarily for human consumption, with some production for restocking.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many salmon farms operate in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) each region. [146970]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  There are 530 salmon farms operating in the UK as follows:

  Scotland: 504

  England: 18

  Wales: 7

  Northern Ireland: 1

  Fisheries
  Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the escape characteristic is that cod have for avoiding towed fishing gear. [146715]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  There is little published information on this in the scientific literature, but what there is, suggests that avoidance of fishing gear by cod is largely a visual response. The escape characteristic of cod will vary between day and night, with avoidance being in either a vertical or a horizontal direction. Generally, fishing gears are rigged to reduce such escapements. In the case of bottom gears, for example, the warps tend
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  to reduce the horizontal movement of fish and the headline is forward of the foot rope to reduce vertical escapement.

  Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average fruit and vegetable consumption was in the(a) 50 most deprived and (b) 50 most affluent wards in England in the last year for which figures are available; and what the average for England was. [145986]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Data from the Expenditure and Food Survey on fruit and vegetable consumption is not available at ward level. However, fruit and vegetable consumption is available by income quintile for households in the United Kingdom for the 12 months from April 2001 to March 2002.

  Average consumption of fruit and vegetables in the 20 per cent. of households with the lowest incomes was 2,622g per person per week, compared to 3,651g per person per week in the 20 per cent. of households with the highest incomes.

  Average consumption of fruit and vegetables per person in the UK

  Household income

  Grams per person per week

  Lowest 20 per cent.

  Highest 20 per cent.

  Fruit and vegetables

  2,622

  3,651

  Fruit and vegetables1

  1,667

  2,947

  1Excluding potatoes

  GM Crops
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of whether the pesticide regimes which may be approved for the cultivation of Chardon LL maize will be more aggressive than the regime adopted in the farm scale evaluation trials. [146619]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 8 January 2004]: Under Directive 2001/18/EC, the management practices associated with the cultivation of GM crops must be assessed for their environmental impact. Consequently, my Department will seek advice from the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) as to whether the evidence provided by applicants about the specific management practices associated with a GM crop present an increased likelihood of adversely affecting the environment as compared to conventional practices associated with the cultivation of its non-GM counterpart. It would also be within the scope of Directive 2001/18/EC to include conditions to the consent that circumscribed the herbicide regime permitted, if this was felt to be appropriate. The farm scale evaluations provide important data with respect to current management practices, which will be invaluable in making this assessment.
  The data from the farm scale evaluation trials will, alongside other relevant data, also be considered as part of the scientific evaluation of any application for a commercial level of approval for the use of glufosinate ammonium on Chardon LL maize. Only if Ministers are satisfied, on the basis of the expert advice of the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides, that
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  the particular use as proposed by the applicant on the draft product label is safe to people and the environment will approval be granted.

  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Government's investigations have produced evidence to indicate that GM technology should now be released commercially. [146998]

  Mr. Morley
  Under Directive 2001/18/EC each application to release GM crops for commercial importation or cultivation is judged on a case-by-case basis according to the scientific evidence of any risks it may pose to human health or the environment. A person or company wishing to market such a GM crop must supply a detailed dossier of information including an environmental risk assessment on that GM crop. This information is open to scrutiny by all 15 member states and the European Commission, and an EU-wide public consultation must be held. In considering any application, the Government will consider all relevant evidence including results of its own investigations, for example including the Farm Scale Evaluations. No GM crop may be imported or grown commercially unless and until EU member states have agreed collectively under qualified majority procedures that it is safe. Once a GMO has the suitable consent, it can be imported and, if the consent conditions permit, cultivated within the EU, subject to other applicable legislation on seeds, pesticides and novel food and (animal) feed. No GM crop currently has all the required approvals for UK cultivation.

  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with insurance providers for non GM farmers who might be commercially damaged by GM contamination. [146999]

  Mr. Morley
  We have not had any discussions with insurance providers on this subject. The Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission has submitted a report to the Government on co-existence and liability issues in relation to GM crops and we are now considering this very carefully.

  Flooding
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures can be taken to alleviate the contamination from sewers and septic tanks which take place after groundwater flooding. [146227]

  Mr. Morley
  The Environment Agency works closely with local authorities, water companies and other groups to ensure that the effects of flooding are, as far as possible, minimised. Proper maintenance and siting of sewers and septic tanks, and monitoring of groundwater levels, can help reduce the risks, though during a flood event itself there is little that can practically be done apart from ensuring that any sewage pumping does not contribute to contamination, that the situation is properly monitored, and that those affected are informed of the situation and risks. The Department has been working with the Environment Agency and others to produce a groundwater protection code of practice
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  on septic tanks and other non-mains sewerage systems and public consultation on a draft will commence shortly.

  IT Contracts
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list information technology contracts in her Department and its predecessors with a value of above £20 million in each of the last 10 years; what the inception date for each system was; when it became fully functional; when it became fully debugged; and what the cost of over-runs has been. [146192]

  Alun Michael
  The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs was established as a new Department in June 2001. At its inception, the Department novated existing MAFF framework contracts set up in 1999 with three major suppliers, Fujitsu, Sema UK Ltd. and Sungard Sherwood Systems Group Ltd. who have provided consultants to work with in-house staff for system development. No single system has cost of more than £20 million.

  The Rural Payments Agency signed a £35 million seven year contract with Accenture on 31 January 2003 for the development of systems to deliver payments to farmers and traders under the Common Agricultural Policy. The systems are still in the development phase and are scheduled to become operational during 2005, after which the contract allows for a period of support and maintenance.

  Nanotechnology
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department is spending on the assessment of possible environmental impacts resulting from the release of nanotechnology products into the environment, with particular reference to ultra-fine particles. [147225]

  Mr. Morley
  The Department does not currently fund any research into assessment of the possible environmental impacts resulting from the release of specifically nanotechnology-based products into the environment. Most regulation to protect the environment is based on product or use categories and would therefore cover such a release, whether or not based on nanotechnology.

  However, in order to find out whether the technology raises new ethical, health and safety, environmental or social issues that have not already been covered by current regulations, last year the Department of Trade and Industry commissioned the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering to conduct an independent study to look at current and future developments in nanotechnology. We will examine carefully the conclusions of this study, expected in spring this year, to see whether there are any gaps that will need to be filled.

  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what(a) environmental and (b) toxicological data is held by her Department in respect of carbon nanotubes present in consumer goods. [147227]

  Mr. Morley
  No such data is held by the Department.
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  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the application of the precautionary principle to the decision on whether to impose a moratorium on the release into the environment of ultra-fine particles generated through nanotechnology processes. [147236]

  Mr. Morley
  Precautionary action must be based on objective assessments of the costs and benefits of action. The precautionary principle does not mean that we only permit activities if we are sure that serious harm will not arise, or there is proof that the benefits outweigh all possible risks. Most regulation to protect the environment is based on product or use categories and would therefore cover such a release, whether or not based on nanotechnology processes. We therefore do not consider that there is currently a case for a blanket moratorium on such releases, but we are keeping this under review, in particular via the independent study being carried out for the Department of Trade and Industry by the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

  Sewage Treatment Works
  Ann Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress of the consultation on Statutory Control of Odour and Other Nuisances from Sewage Treatment Works; and when the White paper will be published. [146322]

  Alun Michael
  The Government is awaiting the outcome of the House of Lords appeal case following a High Court ruling that odours from sewage treatment works can be dealt with as a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
  The Government will announce its response to the consultation and its approach following the House of Lords ruling and the outcome of the concurrent National Assembly of Wales consultation regarding sewage treatment works. There are no plans to issue a White paper on this matter.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Asylum
  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum appeals determined by adjudicators in the second quarter of 2003 were dismissed; and how many of those whose appeals were dismissed have been removed from the UK. [140572]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 1 December 2003]: The available information requested is given in the following table and relates to appeals determined at the Immigration Appellate Authority. Some applicants whose appeal is dismissed may still be awaiting the outcome of further appeals—some appellants apply for

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  leave to appeal to the Tribunal, and a proportion of these are granted leave followed by determinations by the Tribunal. Data on the number who have been removed after their appeals rights have been exhausted is only available at a disproportionate cost by examination of individual case files.

  Asylum appeals determined by adjudicators of the Immigration appellate authority, excluding dependants1,2

  Number of principal appellants

  appeals determined by adjudicators

  Allowed3

  Dismissed3

  withdrawn3

  Total determined4

  Total

  As percentage of total determined

  Total

  As percentage of total determined

  Total

  As percentage of total determined

  2002

  Q1

  14,010

  3,165

  23

  10,500

  75

  340

  2

  Q2

  15,525

  3,450

  22

  11,715

  75

  360

  2

  03

  18,260

  3,935

  22

  13,825

  76

  495

  3

  Q4

  16,615

  3,320

  20

  12,805

  77

  490

  3

  2002 total

  64,405

  13,875

  22

  48,845

  76

  1,685

  3

  2003

  01

  20,595

  3,480

  17

  16,445

  80

  670

  3

  Q2

  19,345

  4,060

  21

  14,875

  77

  415

  2

  Q3

  21,500

  4,270

  20

  16,805

  78

  420

  2

  Most recent three months

  July

  8,195

  1,655

  20

  6,375

  78

  165

  2

  August

  6,740

  1,320

  20

  5,275

  78

  145

  2

  September

  6,565

  1,295

  20

  5,155

  79

  110

  2

  1 Figures (other than percentages) rounded to the nearest five. Numbers might not add up due to rounding.

  2 Data for 2002 and 2003 are provisional.

  3 Based on data supplied from the Presenting Officers Unit within the Home Office.

  4 Based on information supplied by the Department for Constitutional Affairs. Determinations do not necessarily relate to appeals received in the same period.

  Cheadle Royal Hospital
  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, before laying the statutory instrument relating to Cheadle Royal hospital which is being prepared in his Department, he will take steps to satisfy himself that all the income received by the charity has been applied to the properly authorised charitable purposes. [145328]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  [holding answer 5 January 2003]: I confirmed in my answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 766W, that neither the Charity Commission nor the Greater Manchester police have found evidence of charitable income or assets being inappropriately used by the trustees of Cheadle Royal Hospital. A copy of the proposed new statutory instrument has been forwarded to the hon. Member and her comments requested by 9 January to support the progress of the instrument and enable the release of the funds of the charity to be used for the public benefit.

  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, before laying the statutory instrument relating to Cheadle Royal hospital which is being prepared in his Department, he will take steps to satisfy himself that all the assets of this charity have been sold or reassigned in accordance with charity law, and in particular with section 36(8) of the Charities Act 1993. [145773]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  I confirmed in my answer of 8 December 2003,Official Report, column 766W, that
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  Information on asylum applications and other asylum statistics is published quarterly. The most recent publication covering the third quarter of 2003 is now available on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl.html

  neither the Charity Commission nor the Greater Manchester police have found evidence of charitable assets being inappropriately used by the trustees of Cheadle Royal hospital.

  Church of England
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what power the Charity Commission has to remove charitable status from Church of England bodies; and in what circumstances this would apply. [146235]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  This is a matter for the Charity Commission as the government department responsible for the regulation of charities in England and Wales. The Chief Charity Commissioner will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter dated 18 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. M. J. Sattler, transferred from the Secretary of State for the Home Department to the Office for National Statistics. [141583]

  Mr. Blunkett
  I replied to my right hon. Friend on 8 January 2004.

  Documents
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what definition he will use of the term reasonable explanation for failing to produce documents; and whether he intends to include a definition in relevant legislation. [143473]

  Beverley Hughes
  Ultimately it will be for the courts to define what constitutes a reasonable excuse for the purpose of the offence set out in clause 2 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of claimants etc) Bill. However, the offence explicitly rules out certain defences which are not to be considered as reasonable causes for no longer being in possession of a document. The defence does not include reference to other legislation.

  DORE Achievement Centres
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the results of the DORE achievement centres and dyslexia, dyspraxia and attention deficit treatment programme at Balsall Common School; and what plans he has to extend the programme to other schools. [146171]

  Margaret Hodge
  The dyslexia, dyspraxia and attention disorder treatment (DDAT) is one of a number of commercially available programmes designed to support children with specific learning difficulties. It is for parents, individual schools and local education authorities to decide whether a given technique has something to offer an individual child in the light of his or her particular needs. The Department has no plans to extend the programme to other schools but officials are meeting with representatives of the Dore achievement centres/DDAT to receive an update.

  Foreign Language Students (Fees)
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances foreign language students on(a) part-time and (b) full-time English language courses will be required to pay the proposed surcharge; and if he will make a statement. [143839]

  Beverley Hughes
  No decisions have yet been made about the level of the fees. The Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) is required to provide a range of fees for indicative purposes only. The upper limit of that range, £500, does not signify that the Government intends, as some newspapers suggested, to set fees at that level.
  The enabling power is the first stage of a two-stage process. The second part of the process is to undertake a full Regulatory Impact Assessment and wider consultation with key stakeholders. Following this consultation, decisions regarding fee levels, scope and timing of introduction can then be made taking these views fully into account.
  Any foreign language student, full or part-time, who currently pays a fee would be required to pay charges at whatever level they may be set.

  Senior Departmental Posts
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in meeting targets for the proportion of people with disabilities in senior posts in his Department. [146005]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) on 8 January 2004,Official Report, column 488W.

  Youth Sales Restrictions
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to assist(a) tobacconists, (b) alcohol retailers and (c) publicans in determining the age of customers where restrictions on sales exist; and if he will make a statement. [145327]

  Beverley Hughes
  The Government's plans for a national identity cards scheme would provide a nationally accepted, useful and secure way of proving and determining age. Our current best cost estimates would fund the issuing of cards free to all 16-year-olds.

  In the shorter term, we have a strong interest in initiatives like the British Retail Consortium's Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) which establishes a common standard for issuing the various proof of age cards that are available.

  Officials have worked closely with the British Retail Consortium to ensure the PASS scheme is as effective as possible. We have endorsed the scheme with ministerial involvement at its launch event last year and we continue to take steps to promote it such as including details of schemes that are PASS accredited on the Home Office website and providing a representative to sit on the PASS Board as an observer.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

  Child Care
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Minister for Women what(a) measures are in place and (b) measures are proposed to encourage fathers to share caring responsibilities for their children. [146260]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Government is committed to helping provide parents with more opportunities than ever before to balance work and family life. In April 2003, we introduced new laws for working parents which cover fathers as well as mothers, including the right for parents of children aged under six or disabled children under 18 to request flexible working, adoption leave available to men and women, and the right to two weeks paid paternity leave for fathers. These new rights together with the existing rights to parental leave and time off for dependents recognise that men increasingly want to play a greater role in sharing caring responsibilities for their children, and gives them more choices for doing so.

  To encourage take-up of the new rights, the Government is running an ongoing awareness raising campaign which includes national newspaper adverts

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  targeted specifically at fathers, and is working in partnership with a number of key stakeholders such as Fathers Direct. The Government's Work-Life balance campaign also encourages employers to adopt best practice and provide family-friendly working practices right across the workforce.

  The Children Act Sub-Committee, working to the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Board on Family Law, published a report "Making Contact Work", which amongst other issues highlights paternal responsibilities in caring for children. The Government is currently considering recommendations arising from the report, and plans to respond in full as soon as possible.

  The Family Support Grant has provided funding for a number of projects over the last five years to encourage fathers to become actively involved in the care of their children. These have included supporting the Active Dads programme, which assists a range of joint father/child activities rolled out through the Community Education Development Centre (now Contin You), and helping organisations such as Fathers Direct provide support and guidance to fathers and professionals working with them.

  Pension Provision
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Minister for Women what recent assessment has been made of women's pension provision. [146253]

  Malcolm Wicks
  I have been asked to reply.

  "Simplicity, Security and Choice: Working and Saving for Retirement" Cm 5677, dedicated a chapter to assessing the state of women's pension provision.

  The unique pension position of women is now being considered in all the projects that followed on from the Green Paper, such as the Informed Choice programme and the Extending Working Lives programme.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Nuclear Safety
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what access is provided to international nuclear safeguards inspectors to(a) military nuclear facilities and (b) military nuclear materials, under the provisions of the protocol additional to the agreement between the United Kingdom and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the application of safeguards in the United Kingdom in connection with the Treaty on The Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. [147022]

  Mr. Timms
  I have been asked to reply to this question since nuclear safeguards and implementation of the protocol additional to the UK/Euratom/IAEA Safeguards Agreement (Cm 4282), which is not yet in force, are the responsibility of my Department.

  Under the terms of the UK additional protocol the IAEA could request access to any location in the UK, including military nuclear facilities, where such access will contribute to increasing the IAEA's capability to detect undeclared nuclear material and activities in a non-nuclear weapon State. If necessary, access may be
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  managed in accordance with Article 7 of the protocol. If access to the requested location cannot be granted, then every reasonable effort must be made to satisfy the IAEA's requirements, without delay, at adjacent locations or through other means. Neither the Safeguards Agreement nor the additional protocol apply to nuclear material required for national security reasons.

  Advantage West Midlands
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the recent decision by Advantage West Midlands not to support regeneration initiatives in Kington; and what estimate she has made of the effect on the amount of Objective 2 funding available. [142589]

  Jacqui Smith
  Advantage West Midlands has created Regeneration Zones to maximise local input on regeneration issues. The Regeneration Zone Board considers which projects to support within the resources available. The number of competing projects was such that a package of projects in Kington was not put forward to Advantage West Midlands for funding.

  Objective 2 funding is still available to these projects if Kington can find alternative match funding. I am assured that Advantage West Midlands and Government Office officials will work with Kington to seek alternative funding sources.

  Kington has received extra support from Advantage West Midlands. It was one of the first six market towns identified for support through the regional market towns programme, which began in 2001. The Programme in Kington allows for support from the Countryside Agency for a market towns support officer, and up to £300,000 from Advantage West Midlands for a package of projects developed by the local partnership, Kington Partnership. It is in the second year of a four year programme, and has drawn down £94, 607 from Advantage West Midlands to support 11 different projects to date.

  In addition to the market towns partnership, Advantage West Midlands has taken forward other project work directly in Kington with local partners. This includes the purchase of the old Kington Cottage Hospital and conversion into a Youth Hostel working with the Youth Hostel Association. Advantage West Midlands has also worked up plans with Herefordshire council to renovate the local Wesleyan Chapel for wider community use.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the letter to her dated 27 November 2003 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Angela Bottomley. [147619]

  Ms Hewitt
  I replied to my right hon. Friend on 9 January.

  Departmental Grants
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding her Department provides for
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  (a) enterprise grants that are delivered to businesses in the regions by the Small Business Service. (b) the STEP programme, (c) the Faraday Partnership scheme and (d) the Manufacturing Advisory scheme in each year since inception of the scheme; what timescale applies to the funding in each case; and if she will make a statement on the extent to which businesses have benefited from each initiative. [145483]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The information is as follows:

  (a) Enterprise Grants

  Enterprise Grants are available to small and medium-sized businesses based in the Enterprise Grant Areas of England. Projects can involve expanding, modernising or restructuring an existing business, or setting up a new one. The maximum grant available is £75,000 on projects with up to £500,000 capital investment.

  The Enterprise Grant scheme was allocated a budget of £45 million between January 2000 and March 2003. The scheme deadline has been extended to March 2004 and in England, to date, small businesses have benefited from the scheme as follows:

  Expenditure (£)

  2000–01

  3,758,000

  2001–02

  10,200,000

  2002–03

  11,800,000

  The report covering the Regional Selective Assistance scheme, was undertaken in 2002 and found that businesses who benefited from Enterprise Grant were able to invest in projects that enabled them to increase their productivity and profitability and raise their skills levels, in areas of England that would not normally attract capital investment. By offering a grant of 15 per cent., we encourage private investment covering 85 per cent. of the capital investment costs, again in areas that traditionally struggle to gain investment finance.

  STEP

  For STEP (the Shell Technology Enterprise Programme), DTI has contributed approximately £0.68 million in 2003–04 and intends to fund STEP at about this level in 2004–05. An exit survey of businesses that participated in STEP in 2003 showed that:
  94 per cent. of host company managers stated that their STEP project would have a positive impact on their business's future performance;
  94 per cent. said their expectations had been met or exceeded (38 per cent. exceeded);
  89 per cent. of companies believe the benefits of their STEP project either equalled or exceeded the cost of taking part; and
  68 per cent. thought the project contributed to new processes or procedures within their business.

  Faraday Partnerships

  Faraday Partnerships aim to bring new products and processes, based on the UK science base, to the market more effectively. DTI and the Research Councils support 23 of the 24 Faraday Partnerships: the other is supported by the Scottish Executive and Defra.
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  DTI spend on Faraday Partnerships to date has been:

  Expenditure (£)

  2000–01

  1,915,311

  2001–02

  3,351,631

  2002–03

  5,903,343

  2003–041

  2,904,500

  Total

  14,074,786

  1 First two quarters.

  Based on a five-year business plan, DTI offers each Faraday Partnership up to £400,000 per year for an initial three years. Subject to an interim review of the Partnership's progress, further support may he made available, but on a tapered basis.

  In 2002–03, Faraday Partnerships managed research portfolios totalling over £101 million; over 1,700 firms and nearly 400 University research teams are actively involved.

  Initial studies of the impact of the Faraday Partnerships on business have revealed the following generic effects:
  more focussed application of research results to new products in many fields;
  greater understanding of global competitiveness and winning new business;
  opportunities for SMEs to work with universities and large firms;
  improvements in manufacturing efficiency and marketing; and new networks linking businesses and researchers.

  (d) Manufacturing Advisory Service

  The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) was launched in April 2002. The Department's funding commitment is £15 million over the period 2001–02 to 2004–05. as follows:

  £ million

  2001–02

  3

  2002–03

  5

  2003–04

  5

  2004–05

  2

  Of this sum, £13.75 million is provided to the English Regional Development Agencies and Welsh Development Agency as part-funding for the 10 Regional Centres for Manufacturing Excellence through which the service is delivered. The remainder of the Department's funding has supported the development of a complementary network of centres of expertise in manufacturing, a national website, and other essential central functions.

  The DTI sees the MAS as a real success as a major source of advice and support for manufacturers. Since it was launched, the MAS has handled over 15,000 inquiries. Over 4,500 manufacturing firms have benefited from MAS diagnostic consultations and over 1,000 have gone on to undertake in-depth projects to drive up their productivity and competitiveness. Latest figures show that the total added value to UK firms using the service is approaching £30 million.

  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding her Department has provided for(a) the Advanced Metals Technology Initiative, (b) the Technology Review grant scheme for small businesses,

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  (c) the Innovation and Technology Programme for small businesses and (d) the Development Projects grant scheme in each year since inception of the scheme; what timescale applies to the funding in each case; and if she will make a statement on the timescale to which this funding applies and estimate the extent to which businesses have benefited from each initiative. [145488]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The following information is as follows:

  (a) Advanced Metals Technology Initiative

  The Advanced Metals Technology Initiative effectively started in September 2003. The DTI is providing funding of £2.5 million over a three year period, up to December 2006, to AMTI. As the project has only recently started it is too early to estimate the extent to which businesses have benefited.

  (b) and (d) Technology Reviews and Development Projects

  Technology Reviews were introduced in 1999 along with Technology Studies as additional elements of the Smart scheme. The funding provision for these elements was not shown separately from the rest of Smart but expenditure for these two elements was originally forecast to rise to some £2.8 million a year. These elements were withdrawn in May 2003 following the review of DTI business support.

  Development Project grants were another element of Smart and the funding provision and payments for this element were not shown separately. This element has now been subsumed within the new Grant for Research and Development which was introduced in June 2003 following the review of DTI business support.

  The overall funding provision for Smart and the benefits to small and medium sized businesses in terms of grant payment outturn were as follows:

  £ million

  Total Smart outturn

  Technology Reviews and Studies outturn

  1997–98

  25.8

  -

  1998–99

  24.9

  -

  1999–2000

  26.5

  2

  2000–01

  27.3

  154

  2001–02

  23.7

  462

  2002–03

  32.1

  711

  An evaluation of the Smart scheme as a whole was undertaken in 2001 (the Review element of Smart was briefly touched upon as it had only just been introduced). At the time the research was undertaken annual turnover in the economy was nearly £500 million higher than it would have been without the scheme. It is also estimated that annual exports were nearly £270 million higher and employment was more than 8,000 higher.

  Almost all award winners said that their projects had improved their technological knowledge/skills. Large majorities also reported quality improvements, increased investment in R and D/innovation, and an improved market position. Four in ten winners had sought further finance to enable them to introduce their products into the market. The majority of these thought that the Smart award had enabled them to do so. A copy
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  of the full evaluation is available at www.dti.gov.uk/about/evaluation (c) Innovation and Technology Programme for small businesses

  The DTI does not operate a programme under this name, but does provide support for small businesses to develop innovation and technology, such as Grant for Research and Development and Grant for Investigating an Innovative Idea.

  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding has been provided by her Department to finance(a) the Manufacturing Advisory Service, (b) the Community Development Venture Fund and (c) the Supply Chain Groups initiative since the inception of each scheme; what timescale applies to the funding in each case; and if she will make a statement on the extent to which businesses have benefited from each initiative. [145511]

  Jacqui Smith
  The following information is as follows:

  (a) Manufacturing Advisory Service

  The Manufacturing Advisory Service was launched in April 2002. The Department's funding commitment is £15 million over the period 2001–02 to 2004–05, as follows:

  2001–02—£3 million

  2002–03—£5 million

  2003–04—£5 million

  2004–05—£2 million

  Of this sum, £13.75 million is provided to the English Regional Development Agencies and Welsh Development Agency as part-funding for the ten Regional Centres for Manufacturing Excellence through which the service is delivered. The remainder of the Department's funding has supported the development of a complementary network of centres of expertise in manufacturing, a national website, and other essential central functions.

  The MAS has been a real success as a major source of advice and support for manufacturers. Since it was launched, the MAS has handled over 15,000 inquiries. Over 4,500 manufacturing firms have benefited from MAS diagnostic consultations and over 1,000 have gone on to undertake in-depth projects to drive up their productivity and competitiveness. Latest figures show that the total added value to UK firms using the service is approaching £30 million.

  (b) Community Development Venture Fund

  The Community Development Venture Fund (CDVF), known as the Bridges Fund, was launched on 14 May 2002 and became fully operational after a fourth and final closing in September 2002.

  The Fund is a £40 million fund that was established to provide venture capital finance to viable SMEs with good growth potential in the 25 per cent. most disadvantaged wards in England. The Fund is made up of £20 million from institutional and private sector investors and £20 million from the Government to be invested alongside the private sector investors, through pound for pound matched funding. The Fund is not a Government "scheme": it is a commercially managed venture capital fund in which the Government is an investor alongside other leading private sector investors. The Fund has an investment period of up to nine years

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  although Bridges Community Ventures Ltd, the Fund Manager, expects most of the fund to be invested by the end of year five.

  As at the end of December 2003, the Bridges Fund has invested over £5 million in nine SMEs with growth potential that are located in disadvantaged areas:

  £million

  Financial Year

  Drawn down from DTI

  2002–03

  2,175,000

  2003–04(as at 31.12.03)

  4,193,395

  (c) Supply Chain Group

  The Supply Chain Group was launched in April 2003. The DTI plans to spend £15 million over five years and so far has spent £446,372.

  The programme will benefit companies throughout the automotive supply chain by providing them with expert help to improve their business. Participants are invited by their industry customer, ensuring that help is targeted to the most significant suppliers. To date, 10 supply chain group projects involving 94 companies have been approved. These are long-term activities and hard data on the improvements achieved will be available towards the end of 2004. The initial feedback from participating companies has been encouraging.

  Esarda
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which United Kingdom organisations are members of the European Safeguards Research and Development Association (Esarda); and whether public resources are provided to support participation in Esarda. [147030]

  Nigel Griffiths
  UK organisations with current membership of the European Safeguards Research and Development Association (Esarda) are BNFL and UKAEA. The DTI provides funding for participation by UKAEA in the Esarda Scientific Council and Coordination Board on behalf of the DTI-sponsored UK Safeguards Support Programme to the IAEA. In addition, officials from DTI participate in some meetings of Esarda Committees and specialist Working Groups. Further information on the activities of Esarda can be found on its website: www.jrc.org/esarda/ or www.jrc.cec.eu.int/esarda/

  Fireworks
  Tony Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress is being made in implementing measures to tackle nuisance caused by fireworks. [146944]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  On 22 December the Fireworks Regulations 2003 came into force which made it an offence for those persons under the age of 18 years to possess fireworks in a public place and for persons of any age to possess Category 4 professional fireworks, the largest most powerful type that are used for public displays.
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  We are currently drafting a regulation to prohibit the supply of air bombs to the public and have begun preliminary consultations on implementing the rest of the Fireworks Act and will publish draft regulations early this year.

  Tony Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether new measures to tackle firework nuisance will provide specific protection for vulnerable premises, with particular reference to stables. [146945]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The Fireworks Act 2003 does not contain provisions relating directly to the protection of premises. However, the Act does provide that firework regulations may prohibit public displays unless certain conditions are met.

  Further, the Act also provides for compulsory training courses for operators of public firework displays which could lessen the chances of a firework straying to cause damage to nearby buildings such as a stable.

  Money Laundering
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many financial services companies in the FTSE All-Share list of companies have reported suspected cases of money laundering in each of the last five years; and what estimate has been made of the sums involved. [146149]

  Caroline Flint
  I have been asked to reply.

  Companies suspecting money laundering activity are under various legal obligations to report this to the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS). The information provided is used by law enforcement agencies in fighting crime, including through locating the proceeds of crime with a view to confiscation.

  NCIS does not break down reports by reference to whether the reporting institution is listed on the FTSE All-Share list. Since 1999 303 companies in the banking, insurance/life assurance, and securities/investment sectors made reports. The number of reports received was:

  Banks

  Insurance/Assurance

  Securities Finance Investment

  Totals

  1999

  7,223

  522

  108

  7,853

  2000

  10,802

  579

  160

  11,541

  2001

  18,776

  795

  215

  19,786

  2002

  37,041

  1,011

  262

  38,314

  2003

  63,997

  1,109

  274

  65,380

  Total

  137,839

  4,016

  1,019

  142,874

  The growth in reporting is believed to result mainly from the impact of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, an increased regulatory focus on money laundering (in particular relating to the Financial Services Authority's statutory responsibilities), and greater awareness of the issues in the light of the tragic events of 11 September 2001.

  NCIS does not keep estimates of the sums involved in the reports received, as although some reports will relate to a specific financial transaction or transactions others

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  will not involve transactions at all. To illustrate the scale of the sums involved in money laundering, the most recent estimate of the amount laundered annually in the UK is £25 billion.

  Post Office
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will direct the management of the Post Office to extend the consultation period for those Post Office branch closures which it has put out for consultation over the Christmas period by at least two weeks. [146317]

  Mr. Timms
  Post Office Ltd. carries out its formal public consultation in accordance with the Code of Practice agreed with Postwatch. With the move from individual proposals to area closure proposals by parliamentary constitutency last autumn, the consultation period was extended from four to six weeks.

  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been made available in each year since 2001–02 to the devolved regions to support post office branches in deprived areas; and how much has been made available for future years. [144804]

  Mr. Timms
  The funding arrangements and allocations to support post office branches in deprived areas of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Devolved Administrations. I understand that, in December 2002, the Scottish Parliament allocated £2 million for its programme to support post office branches in deprived areas of Scotland.

  Annabelle Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the six-week public consultation period for closure proposals under the urban network reinvention programme includes(a) public holidays, (b) Saturdays and (c) Sundays. [147272]

  Mr. Timms
  I understand from Post Office Ltd. that the six-week consultation period for Post Office closures includes public holidays, Saturdays and Sundays.

  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many responses were received to the consultation on the proposed closure of Stenhouse Cross Post Office; of these, how many(a) supported and (13) opposed the closure; and when she expects a final decision to be taken on the closure. [144823]

  Mr. Timms
  Proposals put out to consultation for, and subsequent decisions on, post office closures under the urban network reinvention programme are an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. and I have asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Rural Employment
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on employment prospects in rural areas with particular reference to(a) environmental management and (b) waste control. [146568]

  Mr. Timms
  There are considerable employment opportunities across rural areas in the UK as a result both of improvements in land and water management (which cover organic food production, agri-environment 514W
  schemes, national parks and nature protection projects etc.) and more innovative approaches to waste management and treatment (e.g. farm waste-to-energy plants). Furthermore, the role of eco-tourism in stimulating rural jobs, especially from farm diversification, should not be underestimated. However, quantifying these opportunities is challenging and there is only limited evidence available.

  Rural Community Enterprises
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on help available to community enterprises operating in rural areas. [146488]

  Nigel Griffiths
  As 'Social enterprise: a strategy for success' published in July 2002 made clear, social and community enterprises have a major role to play in meeting the needs of rural communities. The recently published Progress report (on implementation of the strategy) includes many measures to support the promotion and development of rural social enterprises. The Business Link network works closely with specialist rural business support organisations and Co-operative Development Agencies.

  In addition, DEFRA and the Home Office Active Community Unit recently announced they will provide £10 million over 2004–05 and 2005–06 to support community capacity building and voluntary and community sector infrastructure in rural areas.

  Wind Farms
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions her Department has held with representatives of the shipping industry in connection with the expansion of offshore wind farms. [141910]

  Mr. Timms
  In November 2002, DTI published a consultation document, "Future Offshore", which outlined a strategic approach to the arrangements for site leasing for offshore renewable development. Consultees associated with the shipping industry included the Chamber of Shipping, the Maritime and Coastguards Agency, the Port of London Authority, Associated British Ports, British Ports Association, International Tanker Owners, and the Society of Maritime Industries. Of these, replies were received from the Chamber of Shipping, the Maritime and Coastguards Agency and the Port of London Authority.

  Following this consultation, DTI commissioned a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the three strategic areas proposed for the sites of the second round of wind farms in the Future Offshore consultation. Over 400 organisations and individuals were consulted on the SEA. Organisations responding who represent the shipping industry included the Port of London Authority and Trinity Light House Services, the Royal Yachting Association and the Maritime and Coastguards Agency. A summary of the responses to the consultation and the DTI's response to them can be found on the SEA website at: http: //www.og.dti.gov.uk/ offshore-wind-sea/process/envrepresponse.htm

  Decisions on which sites will be granted leases for second round wind farms were announced on 18 December 2003 and took into account an assessment

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  on impact on shipping at a strategic level. Having been offered a site lease, each developer is required to conduct an environmental impact assessment and associated consultations before development consent can be given.

TREASURY

  Employment Statistics
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many residents in each constituency were in work at(a) June 1997 and (b) the most recent date for which information is available. [146745]

  Ruth Kelly
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

  Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Brian Wilson, dated 12 January 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about employment levels in Parliamentary Constituencies. I am replying in his absence. (146745)

  The Office for National Statistics publishes employment rates but not levels from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for Parliamentary Constituencies. This information is available on a yearly basis, but not for calendar months. The latest available estimates are for the twelve month period ending February 2002. Estimates of employment rates by constituency can be obtained from the Nomis(r) database which is available in the House of Commons Library.

  As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability.

  Child Trust Funds
  John Barrett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children are expected to benefit from child trust funds in Scotland in each of the next five years, broken down by(a) local authority area and (b) parliamentary constituency. [144822]

  Ruth Kelly
  All eligible children born since 1 September 2002 in families awarded child benefit will receive a child trust fund (CTF). Projected birth figures by local authority and parliamentary constituency are not available, although figures for actual births and numbers receiving child benefit are available in the Library of the House. Birth projections for the whole of Scotland, produced by the Government Actuary's Department, are as shown in the following table.

  Birth projection (000s)

  2003

  52

  2004

  52

  2005

  51

  2006

  51

  2007

  51

  Each of these children will be eligible for a child trust fund. Based on take-up of child benefit, it is estimated that virtually all children born will receive a CTF.

  The CTF is intended to encourage parents and children to develop the savings habit. It will ensure that every child, whatever their family background, will have access at the age of 18 when they begin their adult life, to a stock of assets which they can invest in their future.
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  It will also help children and their parents to understand the benefits of saving and investment and how to engage with financial institutions.

  Departmental Relocation
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment his Department has made of the benefits of re-location of staff to North Staffordshire; and if he will make a statement;[146866]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the effect of proposals to relocate Government jobs on the Department's ability to meet (a) departmental policy objectives and (b) departmental public service agreements; [146882]

  (3) what assessment his Department has made of the effect of possible relocation of staff in his Department to North Staffordshire on (a) job creation, (b) sustainable development, (c) the local economy and (d) tackling regional economic disparities; and if he will make a statement;[146895]

  (4) what plans he has to establish procedures for assessing the impact of possible re-location of staff in his Department to the regions; and if he will make a statement. [146926]

  Mr. Boateng
  Sir Michael Lyon's Independent Review of Public Sector Relocation was established by the Chancellor and Deputy Prime Minister to examine the scope for relocating public sector activity, to improve the delivery and efficiency of public services and to benefit regional economies.

  Sir Michael's review will be informed by research from King Sturge on suitable alternative locations, and Experian Business Strategies on lessons from previous relocations, and the economic impact of relocation. Summaries of this research will be available shortly on the Treasury website at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk

  Sir Michael's final report will be published in March 2004 and individual Departments will develop relocation proposals in light of his findings.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of staff employed within his Department are over 55 years of age; and what(a) number and (b) percentage of staff recruited over the last 12 months are over 55 years of age. [145924]

  Ruth Kelly
  4.8 per cent. of staff employed by HM Treasury are over 55 years of age. A total of three (1 per cent.) staff recruited in the last 12 months (1 January 2003 to 31 December 2003) are over 55 years of age.

  Euro
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many speeches during 2003 he declared support for the Government's policy on the euro. [147295]

  Ruth Kelly
  In June 2003 the Prime Minister and the Chancellor both said that the Government will campaign on a pro-Europe platform to make the case for Europe and the principled case for the euro.
  517W
  Since then the Chancellor and other Ministers, have held a variety of meetings to discuss the euro in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  Independent Financial Advisers
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many independent financial advisers were regulated by the Financial Services Authority in each of the last three years. [147038]

  Ruth Kelly
  The Financial Services Authority informs me that these figures are not available.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the impact on independent financial advisers of compliance with Financial Services Authority requirements. [147039]

  Ruth Kelly
  Ministers and civil servants receive representations from a wide variety of members of the financial services community. As with previous Administrations, it is not this Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.

  Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the Financial Services Authority is obliged to consult publicly on all new regulatory requirements. The FSA has specific mechanisms in place to seek the views of consumers and practitioners, including small firms.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on(a) independent financial advisers and (b) the financial services sector of the costs of complying with Financial Services Authority requirements. [147040]

  Ruth Kelly
  The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 requires the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to

  Project title

  Country

  Value (£)

  Legal Adviser within Coalition Provisional Authority South (CPAS)

  Iraq

  72,925

  Economic Support to Coalition Provisional Authority South (CPAS)

  Iraq

  98,655

  Secondment of Negotiations Support Staff to the Office of Prime Minister

  West Bank and Gaza

  75,800

  ITD-DFID Staff Training1

  Global (Non Project Specific)

  288,435

  Support to the Office of the Prime Minister and to the Cabinet Office

  West Bank and Gaza

  100,400

  Economic Development within 1st Military Division HQ Basra

  Iraq

  57,910

  Economic Support within 1st Military Division HQ Basra

  Iraq

  55,510

  International Lawyer within 1st Military Division HQ Basra

  Iraq

  63,110

  Andhra Pradesh Economic Restructuring Programme—Public Enterprise Reforms, Phase II

  India

  416,435

  Asia Trade Consultancy

  United Kingdom

  44,200

  Support Services for Public Enterprise Restructuring in South Africa

  South Africa, Republic of

  6,363,435

  Support for capacity-building in the Ministry of Finance and Central Bank

  Afghanistan

  1,229,655

  Trade Training for DFID Staff—Bangkok1

  United Kingdom

  32,328

  Support to Water Sector Regulation by PURC-Ghana

  Ghana

  1,079,100

  Trade Training for DFID Staff

  United Kingdom

  20,075

  Consultants for Standards, Technical Regulatory Barriers Programme

  Global (Non Project Specific)

  43,990

  Pilot Training and Capacity Building in International Waterhouse Law

  Kyrgyz Republic

  131,174

  Trade Enabling Agreement

  Global (Non Project Specific)

  1–

  Communications Film for Department of Disinvestment

  India

  89,500

  PSRC: Water Privatisation and Regulation Study Tour

  Tanzania

  54,924

  Support for Public Sector Undertaking Reforms and Social Safety Net in Madhya Pradesh

  India

  80,000

  Conference on Disinvestment

  India

  70,000

  Russia Trade Policy Project

  Russia

  1,199,041

  Lead Adviser to Parastatal Sector Reform Commission (PSRC)

  Tanzania

  195,690

  Seminar on Export Credits and Developing Countries

  United Kingdom

  101,035

  Rehabilitation of Cyclone Damaged Lift Irrigation Points in Orissa

  India

  622,736

  Initial Support to the Budgetary Processes of the Government of Macedonia

  Macedonia

  13,630

  Medium Term Programme of Capacity Building for PURC

  Ghana

  636,900

  UK-Ireland Privatisation and Regulation Study Tour

  Tanzania

  11,145

  518W
  carry out and publish for consultation cost-benefit analysis of new regulatory requirements. The Treasury does not conduct any additional assessment.

  Public Sector Investment
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what definition he used for the term public sector investment in table B24 on page 237 of the pre-Budget report. [146347]

  Mr. Boateng
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer the Prime Minister gave him on 5 January 2004,Official Report, column 58W.

  School Funding
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Cabinet Office's strategy and delivery units on changes in the way money may be allocated to schools. [147147]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Chancellor has regular contact with the strategy and delivery units on a wide range of issues, including schools.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Adam Smith Institute
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work his Department has commissioned from the Adam Smith Institute in the last five years; and how much each of these projects cost. [146938]

  Hilary Benn
  The information requested is in the following table. This does not include any lower value contracts, details of which are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All these contracts have been awarded in line with standard procurement practice.
  519W

  Project title

  Country

  Value (£)

  Additional Support to the Privatisation Board

  Bangladesh

  106,241

  Assistance to the Palestinian Negotiations Affairs Department

  West Bank and Gaza

  1,482,776

  Technical Assistance for Public Enterprise Reform in Orissa

  India

  2,061,365

  Privatisation Agency Support Project Consultancy

  Zimbabwe

  308,470

  Privatisation Project Phase 3 and 4 Managing Consultant

  Guyana

  770,027

  PR Unit Support for Parastatal Sector Reform Commission (PSRC)

  Tanzania

  272,975

  1The two contracts indicated were issued under this enabling agreement.

  Cotton
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had since 17 September 2003 with representatives of the United States Administration on the impact of US subsidies to domestic cotton producers on cotton producers in West Africa. [146587]

  Hilary Benn
  EU and US cotton subsidies are among the clearest examples of trade distortion by OECD countries. Failure to address them satisfactorily was a key issue behind the collapse of WTO talks at Cancun. Four West African countries (with support from European donors including the UK) presented an initiative at the WTO calling for the end to developed country subsidies, and compensatory support to developing country cotton producers who are negatively affected by them in the meantime. US subsidies are the largest, but recent research supported by my Department and the EU Directorate General for Development shows EU subsidies also affect West Africa because of market structures.

  Reform of the EU's own support to its cotton sector is currently being discussed in Brussels. While these discussions continue, DFID has not had direct contacts with the US administration on the issue. The UK is pressing for more significant reform of the EU cotton regime than is currently proposed, both as an end in itself and also to help push the US to address their subsidies.

  Departmental Relocation
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in his Department work in(a) the West Midlands and (b) North Staffordshire. [146916]

  Hilary Benn
  None.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what plans he has to establish procedures for assessing the impact of possible relocation of staff in his Department to the regions;and if he will make a statement;[146931]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the effect of proposals to relocate Government jobs on the Department's ability to meet (a) departmental policy objectives and (b) departmental public service agreements; [146887]

  (3) what assessment his Department has made of the effect of possible relocation of staff in his Department to North Staffordshire on (a) job creation, (b) sustainable development, (c) the local economy and (d) tackling regional economic disparities; and if he will make a statement;[146901]
  520W
  (4) what assessment his Department has made of the benefits of re-location of staff to North Staffordshire; and if he will make a statement. [146871]

  Hilary Benn
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which the Chief Secretary to the Treasury gave on 12 January 2004,Official Report, column 516W.

  General Affairs and External Relations Council
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many meetings of the General Affairs and External Relations Council of the EU have taken place since his appointment; and how many he has attended. [147343]

  Hilary Benn
  Since my appointment as Secretary of State for International Development on 5 October 2003, there have been three meetings of the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) of the EU and one Informal Meeting of EU Development Ministers on 24 October.

  Two GAERCs each year have a 'development' session. I attended the last such session in November 2003. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, represented the UK at the Italian Presidency's Informal Meeting in October, while I was in Madrid attending the Iraq Donor's Conference. For your information, I have listed the dates of all the GAERCs that have taken place since my appointment:

  13–14 October 2003

  17–18 November 2003

  8–9 December 2003.

  Leak Inquiries
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list occasions on which his Department has conducted an inquiry into alleged leaks from members of staff since 1997; and if he will list the occasions on which the names of those persons accused of leaking information from his Department have been made public(a) by the Government and (b) by way of another source. [146941]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  Since 1997 DFID has investigated four suspected leaks. In line with exemptions 1(a) and 7(b) set out in Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, it has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on the outcome of such inquiries in order to safeguard security and investigative arrangements.

  Recruitment Advertising
  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been spent on recruitment advertisements in the press, broken down by publication, by(a) his Department, (b) quangos under the Department and (c) non-departmental Government bodies under the Department (i) in the last year and (ii) since 1997. [145804]

  Hilary Benn
  The Department for International Development expenditure on recruitment advertising in the calendar years 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 is shown in table A as follows:

  DFID advertises in specialist and professional publications according to the specific nature and requirements of each vacancy. This includes placement

  Table B—Publications where main DFID advertising expenditure has been incurred—per calendar year—from calendar year 2000 onwards

  Publication

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  Total

  British Medical Journal

  13,104

  11,291

  1,805

  4,566

  30,766

  Computer Weekly

  Nil

  14,779

  4,239

  22,372

  41,390

  Daily Mail

  Nil

  14,430

  Nil

  8,540

  22,970

  Economist/Economist website

  324,850

  572,793

  471,561

  381,141

  1,750,345

  Ethnic Media Group titles

  3,308

  7,365

  10,998

  49,326

  70,997

  Evening Standard

  Nil

  18,109

  Nil

  11,762

  29,871

  Far East Economic Review

  Nil

  19,661

  9,038

  Nil

  28,699

  Financial Times

  18,954

  35,326

  Nil

  1,974

  56,254

  Guardian and website and Weekly

  196,426

  234,577

  149,499

  171,274

  751,776

  Herald and Sunday Herald

  8,818

  25,983

  9,729

  32,453

  76,983

  New Civil Engineer

  13,187

  12,810

  30,634

  4,344

  60,975

  New Scientist

  9,954

  45,753

  29,504

  27,448

  112,659

  Planning

  3,175

  7,892

  14,368

  Nil

  25,435

  Police Review

  18,054

  Nil

  3,102

  14,448

  35,604

  The Teacher

  Nil

  Nil

  1 1,289

  5,357

  16,646

  Telegraph (Daily and Sunday)

  21,501

  47,498

  1 1,074

  24,127

  104,200

  Times and Sunday Times

  31,941

  Nil

  44,179

  17,978

  94,098

  Times Educ Supp and Higher Educ Supp

  16,902

  14,130

  26,541

  12,304

  69,877

  Total by year

  680,174

  1,082,397

  827,560

  789,414

  3,379,545

  South Africa
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions the British Government have had with the South African Government regarding proposals for land reform in South Africa; and what advice his Government have given President Mbeki and his Government on this matter. [146841]

  Hilary Benn
  The Department for International Development and the High Commission in Pretoria are in regular touch with South Africa's Department for Land Affairs. Land reform is a vital element in the transformation of South Africa after the apartheid era, and potentially offers important economic opportunities for poor people. We welcome the Government of South Africa's commitment to a transparent, accountable and legal process of land reform—through restitution to previous owners of land acquired under pre-1994 legislation, through supporting purchase of agricultural land by previously disadvantaged groups, and through reform of communal land tenure arrangements in the former homelands. To support the Government of South 522W
  of adverts in overseas and developing country publications. DFID uses a wide range of publications and to list all the details would incur disproportionate cost. As a result, table B as follows indicates the main publications where we have incurred the largest expenditure.

  Figures for 1997, 1998, and 1999 are not available.

  Table A—Total DFID advertising expenditure per calendar year—from calendar year 2000 onwards

  Year

  (£)

  2000

  751,972.46

  2001

  1,208,190.72

  2002

  914,571.19

  2003

  871,246.31

  Total

  3,745,980.68

  Africa in increasing the pace of land reform, DFID committed £2 million in 2002 to provide technical support to the Department of Land Affairs, and to support a public consultation process on the Communal Land Rights Bill.

  Sustainable Development
  Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how his Department's bid to the forthcoming government spending round will contribute to the United Kingdom's objectives on sustainable development. [146838]

  Hilary Benn
  Poverty reduction and sustainable development are closely inter-linked since development will only be sustainable if it tackles problems of global poverty alongside pressures on the environment. DFID policies and programmes therefore support sustainable economic and social development at both global and country levels. Resources provided as a result of the forthcoming Spending Review will enable us to continue these efforts. We will be developing plans for the next Spending Review period over the coming months.

  Trade Barriers
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effect of reductions in barriers to non-agricultural goods on(a) developed countries and (b) developing countries. [146614]

  Hilary Benn
  The WTO negotiations on non-agricultural market access have yet to reach agreement with several countries having submitted proposals. Although this makes assessment of the implications for developed and developing countries difficult, most studies concur that reductions in tariffs could bring significant benefits. A recent UNCTAD1 study estimated that a reduction in barriers to non-agricultural goods will lead to an increase in global welfare of between $20 billion and $40 billion. A substantial majority of these gains are expected to go to developing countries, with welfare in developed countries remaining virtually unchanged.

  1Laird, S., Cordoba, F., Vanzetti, D. (2003) Market Access Proposals for Non-Agricultural Products. UNCTAD.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

  Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Leader o f the House if he will list for each session since 2000–01 the(a) Acts of Parliament and parts thereof and (b) Statutory Instruments enacted by requirements of legislation of the European Community and Union; and how many regulations passed by EU institutions have applied without further enactment in each year since 2000. [145460]

  Mr. Hain
  This information is not collated and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Afghanistan
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress in destroying poppy production in Afghanistan by use of strimmers; and if he will make a statement. [147165]

  Mr. Rammell
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mike O'Brien, gave him on 16 December 2003,Official Report, columns 1426–27.

  Responsibility for eradication programmes in Afghanistan resides with the Afghan government. We are not aware of the use of strimmers as an eradication method in Afghanistan. Methods which have proved effective in the past include the use of sticks, ploughs and tractors.

  Chechnya
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role he envisages for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Chechnya. [146685]
  524W
  Mr. MacShane
  We believe that the OSCE could have a useful role to play in support of a political process in Chechnya. We regret that since the closure of the OSCE Assistance Group to Chechnya at the end of 2002, it has been impossible for the OSCE Chairmanship in Office to agree with the Russian Federation on specific OSCE projects for Chechnya, with or without an OSCE presence on the ground in the region. If President Kadyrov showed clearly that he was prepared to work for reconciliation, to promote a genuinely open political process and to uphold human rights, the OSCE would be ready to assist, though any activities would have to take full account of the security situation in the region.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he(a) has made and (b) intends to make to the Russian authorities to persuade them (i) to cease compelling displaced Chechens to return to the war zone, (ii) to allow humanitarian organisations access to camps containing displaced Chechens, (iii) to avoid closing such camps without providing alternative accommodation and (iv) to issue invitations to UN specialist agencies to visit Chechnya. [146687]

  Mr. Rammell
  We have bilaterally and with the EU repeatedly reminded the Russian Government of their obligations under the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees, stressing that all movements of internally displaced persons (IDPs) must be strictly voluntary. We have also stated that the dismantling of shelters, or the suspension of food, water and energy supplies, in our view constitutes a forced return.

  The EU most recently raised concerns over IDPs during the recent Chechen Presidential elections. The EU, with UK support, issued a statement raising concerns over the conduct of the elections. The statement asked the Russian Government to provide assurances that the return of IDPs in Ingushetia and throughout the North Caucasus would be strictly voluntary. After the elections had taken place the EU issued a further statement, which the UK also supported. That statement expressed concern over the condition of refugees in neighbouring Ingushetia, repeating the EU's rejection of any attempts of involuntary return of refugees to Chechnya. It also called on the Russian authorities to renew their efforts to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Russian authorities in respect of(a) the mass bombardment of civilians in Chechnya, (b) the desirability of negotiations to bring the conflict to an end and (c) the applicability of internationally accepted standards of conduct to this conflict. [146709]

  Mr. Rammell
  We regularly raise with the Russian Government UK concerns about the situation in Chechnya, in particular human rights. We have stressed that there is a need for an open political process, and that Russian security operations in Chechnya must uphold the rule of law and respect human rights. We most recently did so following the Chechen Presidential elections, when I issued a press statement on 16 October 2003 calling for newly elected President Kadyrov to
  525W
  work for reconciliation, to promote a genuinely open political process and to uphold human rights. A copy of the press statement is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth website: www.fco.gov.uk//policy/news/ press-releases. The UK also supported EU statements issued on 26 September and 9 October 2003. copies of which are available on the Council of the Europe Union website address: http://register.consilium.eu.int.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support the arraignment before an international criminal court of individuals suspected of war crimes in Chechnya. [146710]

  Mr. Rammell
  The Russian Federation is not a State Party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Chechnya is currently therefore outside its jurisdiction. The UK has not called for an international tribunal on Chechnya as we believe such a move would be counter-productive. We continue to press Russia on the situation in Chechnya both bilaterally and multilaterally through the EU. UN and Council of Europe.

  Colombia
  Mr. Luke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government is taking to ensure that Colombia fulfils its commitment to implement UN recommendations on human rights. [146747]

  Mr. Rammell
  A Working Group of representatives of governments which attended the London Meeting on International Support for Colombia has been set up in Bogota to monitor progress of commitments made on all sides, including UN recommendations. The Working Group is evaluating how we can work with the Colombian Government to ensure quicker progress on the implementation of the UN's recommendations. We will continue to impress upon the Colombian Government the importance we attach to the protection of human rights and of taking full account of the UN's own assessment of progress on its recommendations.

  Egypt
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government has made to the Egyptian Government since 26 December 2003 regarding Mr. Magiid Nawaz. [147228]

  Mr. Rammell
  Maajid Nawaz is one of three British men currently detained in Egypt.

  Ministers and officials have made several representations to the Egyptian authorities about this case since the men were first detained in April 2002. The verdict was expected on 25 December 2003, but the case has been adjourned until 25 March. My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean wrote to the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 7 January to express her concern at the length of time it is taking to complete this case.

  EU Enlargement
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the(a) levels of unemployment and (b) living standards in the nations which will secure membership of the EU in May. [146654]

  Mr. MacShane
  In 2003, average unemployment in the 10 accession countries was 10.2 per cent., caused largely by the restructuring required for EU accession. It is expected that this figure will fall as the adjustments become embedded. Unemployment in the EU15 in 2003 remained unchanged at 8.0 per cent. The average GDP per capita in the 10 accession countries in 2002 (latest figures) was US$7,105, compared to US$24,689 in the EU15. While this demonstrates the current disparity between existing and new member states, the real GDP growth in accession countries over the last five years has been 18.9 per cent. (4.1 per cent. in 2003), compared with 10.1 per cent. in the EU 15 (0.8 per cent. in 2003).

  Combined with the political and economic reforms enacted for EU membership, this sustained growth should facilitate a gradual reduction in the current disparity, as has been the case in previous waves of enlargement. (All figures are from the IMF).

  EU Expulsions
  Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanism the European Union has to expel a member state. [146711]

  Mr. MacShane
  There is no mechanism in the EU's Treaties for the expulsion of a member state. There is however provision in Article 7 TEU for the suspension of a member state's voting rights, though its obligations under the Treaty would still continue to be binding.

  European Constitution
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what restrictions would be placed on the entitlement of EU member states to pursue national policies on(a) asylum, (b) visas and (c) conditions of entry and residence in the event of the proposed European Constitution being approved by member states. [146655]

  Mr. MacShane
  There is a strong case for cooperation between member states in asylum and immigration. In the event of member states approving the Constitutional Treaty, we will keep our existing optins. We will not participate in common measures where it is not in the UK's interest to do so.

  Georgia
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he proposes to hold discussions with the new government in Georgia. [146482]

  Mr. Rammell
  The Government look forward to working with the new leadership in Georgia. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister wrote to Mr. Saakashvili on 5 January to congratulate him on his victory in the presidential elections and to offer the UK's support in helping him tackle the major challenges ahead.
  527W
  The UK Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Sir Brian Fall, will visit Georgia from 12–14 January for talks with the new Administration.

  Iraq
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government's plans for British involvement in Iraq have changed following the capture of Saddam Hussein. [146221]

  Mr. Rammell
  Government policy on Iraq has not changed following the capture of Saddam Hussein. His capture should reassure Iraqis who have suffered under his rule and feared his return to power. We will continue with our aim of working with Iraqis towards the establishment of a democratically elected government for Iraq.

  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on where Saddam Hussein should be tried. [146222]

  Mr. Rammell
  We have made it clear that it is for the Iraqi people to decide how to bring to justice those responsible for crimes committed by the former regime. On 10 December 2003 the Governing Council announced the creation of an Iraqi Special Tribunal to fulfil such a task. However, it would be premature at this stage to speculate whether Saddam Hussein will face prosecution before the Tribunal.

  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government has made of weapons imported into Iraq in 2003(a) prior to and (b) subsequent to the invasion by Coalition Forces; for what purpose this was done and to whom they were supplied; whether such supply was in breach of the UN arms embargo; and if he will make a statement. [146432]

  Mr. Rammell
  The Government scrutinises all export licence applications and closely monitors the sale of weapons overseas from the UK. All UK exports are assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria on a case by case basis. In line with our obligations under United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 661 (6 August 1990) and its amendments, the UK did not sell or supply any weapons to Iraq prior to the onset of the conflict in 2003. Since the conflict ended the UK has rigorously enforced UNSCR 1483 (22 May 2003) which maintains the prohibition on the sale of all arms and related material, other than those required by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) to serve the purposes of UNSCR 1483 and other related resolutions.

  Since the introduction of UNSCR 1483 the Government have approved export licences for the sale and supply of weapons to the CPA and for the protection of CPA personnel and personnel contracted to assist with the reconstruction of Iraq. I made clear in a Written Statement to the House on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 7WS, that we have licensed sub-machine guns and pistols for this purpose. The Government have also licensed smoke grenades and ammunition for the protection of CPA personnel, as well as ammunition for the CPA's work with the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior. A statement on both of these will be issued in January.
  528W
  We are unable to comment on the export control policy of other countries, although EU countries apply substantially the same criteria under the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports and are similarly bound by the UN arms embargo.

  Given the ongoing problems of security in Iraq, the Government are unable to assess the illegal flow of weapons across Iraq's borders since the end of the conflict in the spring of 2003. Such exports are in breach of the UN arms embargo, which was reaffirmed in UNSCR 1483.

  Israel
  Richard Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for the UK's responsibilities as(a) a permanent member of the UN Security Council and (b) a high contracting party to the Fourth Geneva Convention of the International Court of Justice's decision to open hearings into the legal consequences of the construction of the wall in the occupied Palestinian Territory. [146562]

  Mr. Rammell
  The International Court of Justice has been requested by the UN General Assembly (Resolution A/RES/ES-10/14) to give an Advisory Opinion on the legal consequences arising from the construction of the wall being built by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

  The International Court of Justice's decision to hold hearings on this issue has no direct implications for the UK's responsibilities as a High Contracting Party to the Fourth Geneva Convention or as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

  Richard Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of(a) the amount of Palestinian land planned for appropriation by Israel under the map released by the Israeli Government on 23 October 2003 to construct the Separation Wall and (b) the amount of land that will be made inaccessible to its owners by the wall. [146564]

  Mr. Rammell
  According to the UN Secretary General's report of 24 November 2003, the Israeli Defence Force's map of 23 October predicts that 975 square km of land will lie between the Green Line and the fence, and 73 square km will take the form of closed areas.

  While recognising Israel's legitimate security concerns, the UK considers the route of the fence Israel is building in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to be unlawful. It threatens the prospects for a two-state solution and is an obstacle to peace. The Government continues to make representations to the Government of Israel to re-route the fence away from Palestinian land.

  Richard Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of(a) the amount of Palestinian land (i) appropriated and (ii) planned for appropriation by Israel in the area around Jerusalem to construct the

  529W
  Separation Wall and (b) the amount of land in that area already made inaccessible to its owners by the Wall. [146565]

  Mr. Rammell
  The UN Secretary General's report of 24 November 2003 sets out various statistics relating to Israel's building of a fence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The report contained no specific figures for the land appropriated in the Jerusalem area, on which estimates from other sources vary.

  While recognising Israel's legitimate security concerns, the UK considers the route of the fence Israel is building in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to be unlawful. It threatens the prospects for a two-state solution and is an obstacle to peace. The Government continues to urge the Government of Israel to re-route the fence away from Palestinian land.

  Richard Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how he intends to respond to the invitations from the International Court of Justice to member states to submit written evidence by 30 January to the hearings it is organising into the legal consequences of the construction of the wall in the occupied Palestinian Territory; and whether he will indicate by 13 February whether the UK intends to take part in those hearings. [146563]

  Mr. Rammell
  We are giving careful consideration to the UK's response to the International Court of Justice's invitation to member states to submit a written statement to the Court and/or to take part in the oral proceedings. I shall write to my hon. Friend to inform him of our decision in due course.

  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom recognises the right of Israel to possess and deploy nuclear weapons. [147028]

  Mr. Rammell
  As a non-signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Israel would not be in breach of any obligation under international law in the possession or deployment of nuclear weapons. However, the UK firmly believes that possession or

  Country

  From

  To

  Purpose of visit

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Nigeria

  5 September 2001

  6 September 2001

  Commonwealth Foreign Ministers Meeting

  Egypt

  27 September 2001

  27 September 2001

  Part of Middle-East tour

  Democratic Republic of Congo/Rwanda/

  21 January 2002

  23 January 2002

  Bilaterals

  Burundi/Uganda

  Egypt

  8 October 2002

  8 October 2002

  Part of Middle-East tour

  South Africa

  12 May 2003

  13 May 2003

  Bilateral Forum

  Nigeria

  2 December 2003

  4 December 2003

  Accompanying HM Queen on State Visit

  The then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Baroness Amos

  Nigeria

  25 July 2001

  27 July 2001

  Bilateral

  South Africa

  29 August 2001

  3 September 2001

  UN World Against Racism Conference

  Nigeria

  5 September 2001

  7 September 2001

  Commonwealth Foreign Minister's Meeting(Accompanied Foreign Secretary)

  Zimbabwe

  24 October 2001

  26 October 2001

  Bilateral

  Ethiopia

  5 December 2001

  8 December 2001

  G8 Meeting

  Kenya/Tanzania

  2 January 2002

  10 January 2002

  Bilateral

  Senegal/Nigeria

  6 February 2002

  10 February 2002

  Accompanying Prime Minister (Visit also included France)

  South Africa

  12 February 2002

  16 February 2002

  G8 Meeting

  Senegal

  10 April 2002

  13 April 2002

  Bilateral and G8 Meeting

  Ghana

  25 April 2002

  26 April 2002

  Bilateral

  Mozambique

  14 May 2002

  17 May 2002

  Bilateral

  Lesotho/South Africa

  29 July 2002

  3 August 2002

  Bilaterals

  Nigeria

  3 September 2002

  5 September 2002

  Bilateral

  530W
  deployment would be extremely destabilising for the region. We have consistently urged Israel to clarify its nuclear status by acceding to the NPT as a non-nuclear weapons state, and signing a full-scope safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Under the agreement with IAEA, Israel's nuclear facilities would be subject to regular inspection to detect and eliminate any diversion of nuclear materials for weapons production. The UK has consistently supported UN Resolutions calling for the establishment of a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction. That zone would include Israel.

  Leak Inquiries
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list occasions on which his Department has conducted an inquiry into alleged leaks from members of staff since 1997; and if he will list the occasions on which the names of those persons accused of leaking information from his Department have been made public(a) by the Government and (b) by way of another source. [146943]

  Mr. Rammell
  Since 1997 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has investigated 20 suspected leaks. In line with exemptions 1(a) and 7(b) of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, it has been the practice of successive governments not to comment on the outcome of such inquiries in order to safeguard security and investigative arrangements.

  Ministerial Visits (Africa)
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which African countries(a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have visited since June 2001; and what the (i) dates and (ii) main purposes of the visits were. [146937]

  Mr. Mullin
  The following table shows visits to African countries made by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Foreign and Commonwealth Office ministers since 1 June 2001.
  531W

  Country

  From

  To

  Purpose of visit

  Mozambique

  7 November 2002

  8 November 2002

  EU/SADC Meeting

  Burkina Faso

  27November 2002

  29 November 2002

  EU/Africa Dialogue

  Angola/Ghana

  4 December 2002

  9 December 2002

  Bilateral (Angola) and G8 Meeting (Ghana)

  Senega]

  18 December 2002

  19 December 2002

  Bilateral

  Tanzania/Rwanda/Kenya

  27 January 2003

  31 January 2003

  Bilateral

  Cameroon/Angola/Guinea

  25 February 2003

  28 February 2003

  Bilaterals

  Cameroon/Angola/Guinea/Ghana

  11 March 2003

  12 March 2003

  Bilaterals

  South Africa

  29 March 2003

  1 April 2003

  Bilateral

  Botswana

  1 April 2003

  3 April 2003

  Bilateral

  South Africa

  4 April 2003

  6 April 2003

  Bilateral

  Mali

  14 April 2003

  15 April 2003

  G8 APR Meeting

  Minister of State right hon. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

  Egypt

  17 January 2003

  23 January 2003

  Bilateral (Visit also included Saudi Arabia)

  Morocco/Tunisia

  14 September 2003

  18 September 2003

  The then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Mr. Ben Bradshaw

  Egypt

  18 July 2001

  25 July 2001

  Bilateral(Visit also included Israel, Syria,Jordan and Lebanon)

  Algeria/Morocco

  23 September 2001

  26 September 2001

  Bilateral

  Minister of State Mike O'Brien

  Libya

  6 August 2002

  8 August 2002

  Bilateral

  Egypt

  11 December 2002

  13 December 2002

  Bilateral,(Visit also included Qatar)

  Algeria

  19 May 2003

  21 May 2003

  Bilateral/Familiarisation

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Mr. Chris Mullin

  Ghana/Cote D'Ivoire/Sierra Leone

  22 July 2003

  25 July 2003

  Bilaterals/Familiarisation

  Kenya/South Africa

  29 October 2003

  5 November 2003

  Bilaterals/Familiarisation

  Nigeria

  3 December 2003

  8 December 2003

  Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

  Eritrea/Djibouti/Ethiopia

  12 January 2004

  20 January 2004

  Bilaterals/Familiarisation

  North Korea
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an appraisal of the threat posed by North Korea, with particular reference to its policy towards acquisition of nuclear weapons. [146483]

  Mr. Rammell
  The Government believe that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has been pursuing two separate programmes for the production of fissile material, through the enrichment of uranium and the processing of plutonium. DPRK also has long-range missiles in service, and we believe it has the capacity to develop missiles capable of reaching the UK. We will continue to urge the Government of DPRK, bilaterally and in co-operation with international partners, to remove the threat thus posed to the international community by dismantling its nuclear programmes verifiably and irreversibly, and by continuing the moratorium on the flight-testing of long range missiles.

  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea regarding the elimination of its nuclear weapons programme [147144]

  Visitor

  From

  To

  Purpose of visit

  UK Ministers met

  Angola

  Foreign Minister Miranda

  24 March 2002

  27 March 2002

  Sponsored visit

  Foreign Secretary Baroness Amos

  Botswana

  President Mogae

  17 September 2001

  19 September 2001

  Africa meeting at Chequers

  Prime Minister, SoS International Development Baroness Amos

  532W
  Mr. Rammell
  The Government makes regular representations to the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), through our Embassy in Pyongyang and through the DPRK Embassy in London, about its nuclear programmes. I also raised the issue with DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Choe Su Hon during his visit to London in April last year. We continue to express our concerns and to encourage DPRK to comply with its international obligations.

  Official Visits (Africa)
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which African(a) heads of state, (b) prime ministers and (c) foreign ministers have made official visits to the United Kingdom since June 2001; what the (i) dates and (ii) main purposes of the visits were; and which United Kingdom ministers met them. [1469391

  Mr. Mullin
  There have been a number of visits by leaders and ministers of African countries to the UK. Visits may be planned by the visitor's own government or by the Conference and Visits Group (CVG) of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  The following table shows all official visits organised by CVG since June 2001. Details of those visits organised by the visitor's own government are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  533W

  Visitor

  From

  To

  Propose of visit

  UK Ministers met

  Foreign Minister Merafhe

  17 September 2001

  19 September 2001

  Africa meeting at Chequers

  Prime Minister SoS International

  (accompanying President)

  Development Baroness Amos

  President Mogae

  8 June 2003

  11 June 2003

  Guest of Government Visit

  Prime Minister SoS International

  Development Foreign Secretary

  Foreign Minister Merafhe

  8 June 2003

  11 June 2003

  Guest of Government Visit

  Prime Minister SoS International

  (accompanying President)

  Development Foreign Secretary

  Central African Republic

  Prime Minister Ziguele

  1 September 2003

  7 September 2003

  Sponsored Visit

  Mr. Mullin

  Ethiopia

  Prime Minister Zenawi

  22 February 2003

  26 February 2003

  Guest of Government Visit

  Baroness Amos SoS International

  Development Prime Minister

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Foreign Secretary

  Foreign Minister Mesfin

  22 February 2003

  26 February 2003

  Guest of Government Visit

  Baroness Amos SoS International

  (accompanying Prime Minister)

  Development Prime Minister

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Foreign Secretary

  Prime Minister Zenawi

  13 July 2003

  14 July 2003

  Progressive Governance Summit

  Prime Minister

  Ghana

  President Kufuor

  15 September 2001

  21 September 2001

  Africa meeting at Chequers

  Prime Minister SoS International

  Development Baroness Amos

  Foreign Minister Gbeho

  15 September 2001

  21 September 2001

  Africa meeting at Chequers

  Prime Minister Sos International

  (accompanying President)

  Development Baroness Amos

  Foreign Minister Owusu-Agyemang

  28 November 2002

  30 November 2002

  Sponsored Visit

  Foreign Secretary Mr. Rammell

  Mazambique

  President Chissano

  18 September 2001

  19 September 2001

  Africa meeting at Chequers

  Prime Minister SoS International

  Development Baroness Amos

  Nigeria

  President Obasanjo

  17 September 2001

  18 September 2001

  Africa meeting at Chequers

  Prime Minister SoS International

  Development Baroness Amos

  Rwanda

  Foreign Minister Murigande

  11 May 2003

  14 May 2003

  Sponsored Visit

  SoS International Development

  SENEGAL

  President Wade

  17 September 2001

  18 September 2001

  Africa meeting at Chequers

  Prime Minister SoS International

  Development Baroness Amos

  Foreign Minister Gadio

  5 November 2001

  7 November 2001

  Sponsored Visit

  Foreign Secretary Baroness Amos

  South Africa

  President Mbeki

  11 June 2001

  15 June 2001

  State Visit

  Prime Minister

  Foreign Minister Dlamini-Zuma

  11 June 2001

  15 June 2001

  State Visit (Accompanying President)

  Prime Minister

  President Mbeki

  13 July 2003

  14 July 2003

  Progressive Governance Summit

  Prime Minster

  Tanzania

  President Mkapa

  16 September 2001

  20 September 2001

  Africa meeting at Chequers

  Prime Minister SoS International

  Development Baroness Amos

  Zambia

  Foreign Minister Mwansa

  15 November 2003

  20 November 2003

  Sponsored Visit

  Mr. Mullin

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Disclosure and Public Interest Immunity
  Vera Baird
  To ask the Solicitor-General what advice the Attorney-General plans to issue to deal with the issues raised in the European Court of Human Rights case of Edwards and Lewis. [146760]

  The Solicitor-General
  This matter is the subject of appeal. The Grand Chamber in Strasbourg has agreed to hear an appeal by the UK Government against the decision in the case of Edwards and Lewis.

  The House of Lords will be considering this judgment in the case of R v. H and C on 14–15 January 2004. The Attorney-General will be appearing on behalf of the Crown in that case.

  The Attorney-General has no plans to issue any guidance until the issues raised in the appeal of R v. H and C have been considered by the House of Lords.
  534W
  Vera Baird
  To ask the Solicitor-General (1) if the Attorney-General will advise that special counsel should be available where there are issues of disclosure and public interest immunity involved in applications to try someone without a jury because of fear of intimidation under section 43 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003; [146779]

  (2) if the Attorney-General will advise that special counsel ought to be instructed in cases where there are issues of public interest immunity and disclosure in criminal trials. [146780]

  The Solicitor-General
  This issue falls to be considered by the House of Lords in the case of Rv. H and C. This appeal is to be heard on 14–15 January 2004. The Attorney-General will be representing the Crown in that case.

  The House of Lords are being asked to consider the Public Interest Immunity system in England and Wales and whether or not it is necessary to instruct special advocates.

DEFENCE

  Armed Forces Supplies
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to introduce a system to enable equipment and stocks to be tracked throughout the armed forces supply train. [141811]

  Mr. Ingram
  Since April 2002, the Defence Logistics Organisation, has taken a number of steps to improve both the ability to track assignments and to measure the performance of our resupply systems.

  In December 2002, the purchase of elements of the "Total Asset Visibility" system currently in service in the United States Department of Defense was approved, in order to enable interoperability with US forces. The system is known as "Total Asset Visibility (Minus)" (TAV (Minus)), and is a radio frequency identity system that enables remote and automated scanning of electronically tagged containers, pallets, and other consignments. It is linked to existing United Kingdom information systems.

  The contract for TAV (Minus) was let on 23 January 2003, and installation work began four days later. The first phase of this work was divided into two parts. The first elements of Phase 1 to support early sustainment activity were completed by 15 February. The remaining elements of Phase 1, to give more comprehensive detail of strategic Supply Chain activity into Theatre, were completed by 31 March. Phase 2 of the system, to support redeployment and recovery, was installed from the end of decisive operations on 1 May, and was completed by the end of July. TAV (Minus) technology has since been integrated with information systems used by the Royal Navy. TAV (Minus) has genuinely enhanced our consignment tracking capability and offers an opportunity for further exploitation.

  Armoured Vehicles
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost will be of bringing the Armoured Vehicle Fleet to the standard required to meet operational targets; and if he will make a statement. [144505]

  Mr. Ingram
  I am withholding the information requested under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Challenger 2 Tanks
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of(a) improved oil filters and fans, (b) oil health monitoring equipment and (c) extended side skirts used in the dust mitigation package for the Challenger II tanks deployed on operation Telic. [145645]

  Mr. Ingram
  The costs of the improved oil filters and fans, oil health monitoring equipment and extended side skirts used in the dust mitigation package for Challenger Its deployed on Operation Telic are listed in the table.
  536W

  Dust mitigation package

  £ million

  Improved air filters and fans

  5.2

  Oil health monitoring equipment

  0.039

  Extended side skirts and mud flaps

  2.5

  Departmental Secondments
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlay the policy of his Department on central monitoring of(a) outward secondments to private companies and (b) secondments to other governments; and if he will make a statement. [146826]

  Mr. Caplin
  Outward secondments to industry are subject to a formal application and selection process within MOD. Where an applicant is successful, a formal secondment agreement setting out the terms and conditions of the secondment is drawn up between MOD and the organisation concerned, covering aspects such as the duties to be undertaken, conduct, discipline, performance and development issues. Monitoring of performance and progress during the secondment is then undertaken by the relevant MOD interchange unit on a case by case basis as best fits the particular circumstances.

  Appointments to other governments and departments are treated as public sector employment and are therefore subject to normal career posting arrangements. They are arranged by the appropriate local HR managers, and are not included as part of the central interchange programme. Although such appointments are not centrally monitored or covered by a formal secondment contract the other arrangements are broadly similar.

  All MOD interchange activity is conducted in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines which can be found at www.interchange.gov.uk

  Galileo Satellite
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations have been received regarding the Galileo satellite network; what the Government's response has been; and if he will make a statement. [146363]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System is a civil programme that falls under the European Union's Directorate-General for Energy and Transport. Negotiations on the project are continuing with European Union partners, the European Commission and the United States, including its interoperability with the US Global Positioning System. During these negotiations the Government have been in regular contact with organisations and individuals representing the companies involved in the development of satellite navigation systems and applications. The UK is committed to the commercial success of Galileo as a civil system that has the potential to offer many opportunities for new transport and other applications.

  Iraq
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how soon the relatives of Iraqi civilians killed following
  537W
  incidents involving the use of force by British military personnel since the end of the conflict were officially notified of the fatality. [141683]

  Mr. Ingram
  UK forces inform the International Committee of the Red Cross of all confirmed civilian fatalities of which they are aware have been caused, or allegedly caused, by UK forces. The ICRC then endeavours to inform the relatives as soon as practicable.

  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what rights of redress have been made available to the families of Iraqi civilians allegedly killed by British forces since the end of the conflict. [141684]

  Mr. Ingram
  Redress for Iraqi civilians who have allegedly been killed or injured by United Kingdom forces is covered by Section 6 of the Coalition Provisional Authority Order Number 17. This requires cases to be dealt with by the parent state of the person whose activities are alleged to have caused the loss, in accordance with the national laws of that parent state.

  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which units deployed on Operation Telic 1 are to return to Iraq under the current planned roulement. [144154]

  Mr. Ingram
  The following Army unit was deployed on Operation Telic 1, and has subsequently returned under the most recent Operation Telic roulement: 26 Regiment Royal Artillery.

  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what methods are being used to decontaminate Iraqi tanks and other military equipment disabled or destroyed by the use of depleted uranium munitions in the southern sector of Iraq under British military control. [147024]

  Mr. Ingram
  To date, all military vehicles known to have been hit by DU munitions within the southern sector of Iraq under British military control have been clearly marked and are pending further examination when the security situation allows. UK efforts so far have focused on the identification and demarcation of contaminated vehicles.

  Iraq Survey Group
  Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British personnel are engaged in the Iraq Survey Group; and when he expects its next report to be published. [146579]

  Mr. Ingram
  On 7 January 2004, there were 55 United Kingdom civilian and military personnel attached to the Iraq Survey Group. There is no formal requirement on the ISG to report according to a particular timetable.

  Operation Rockingham
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the role and function is of the unit set up under Operation Rockingham; what its cost was in the last financial year; and if he will make a statement. [146708]

  Mr. Ingram
  Operation Rockingham was established in 1991 to provide support to UNSCOM inspections in Iraq. It has subsequently also supported UNMOVIC 538W
  inspections and currently supports the work of the Iraq Survey Group. In the last financial year (2002–03), the cost of the team was £78,723.53.

  Royal Fleet Auxiliary Oilers
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the periods in dry-dock of each Royal Fleet Auxiliary oiler in each year since 1997. [146505]

  Mr. Ingram
  The maintenance periods undertaken by Royal Fleet Auxiliary oilers in each year since 1997 that have included a period in dry dock are shown in the following table.

  Type of maintenance

  Ship

  Start date

  End date

  Routine docking

  Oakleaf

  2 June 1997

  22 August 1997

  Refit

  Bayleaf

  4 May 1998

  17 July 1998

  Refit

  Olna

  4 May 1998

  28 August 1998

  Refit

  Grey Rover

  15 June 1998

  27 November 1998

  Refit

  Orangeleaf

  18 January 1999

  26 March 1999

  Refit

  Black

  15 February 1999

  20 May 1999

  Rover

  Refit

  Brambleleaf

  19 July 1999

  24 September 1999

  Routine docking

  Olwen

  12 April 1999

  14 June 1999

  Routine docking

  Gold Rover

  20 March 2000

  26 May 2000

  Refit

  Oakleaf

  14 February 2000

  21 April 2000

  Routine docking

  Grey Rover

  18 June 2001

  20 August 2001

  Routine docking

  Orangeleaf

  27 August 2001

  26 October 2001

  Routine docking

  Black

  1 April 2002

  24 May 2002

  Rover

  Routine docking

  Brambleleaf

  29 April 2002

  28 June 2002

  Contractor support period

  Oakleaf

  26 August 2002

  22 September 2002

  Refit

  Gold Rover

  14 October 2002

  20 December 2002

  Routine docking

  Oakleaf

  7 April 2003

  30 May 2003

  Refit

  Bayleaf

  3 June 2003

  8 August 2003

  The time in dry dock is only ever a part of the overall maintenance period and details of the exact time each vessel spent in the dock are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In addition to the routine maintenance shown in the table RFA Grey Rover was docked in 1997 to undertake an emergency repair.

  The two new tankers RFA Wave Knight and Wave Ruler have not been subject to docking periods since entering service.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) year of construction and (b) anticipated year of decommissioning of each oiler in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. [146506]

  Mr. Ingram
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  RFA vessel

  Year of construction

  Present planned decommissioning year

  Grey Rover

  1970

  2007

  Gold Rover

  1974

  2009

  Black Rover

  1974

  2010

  Brambleleaf

  1976

  2009

  Bay leaf

  1982

  2010

  Orangeleaf

  1975

  2009

  Oakleaf

  1981

  2015

  Fort Rosalie

  1978

  2013

  Fort Austin

  1979

  2014

  Fort Victoria

  1993

  2019

  Fort George

  1993

  2019

  Wave Knight

  2000

  2028

  Wave Ruler

  2001

  2028

  539W
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to use ships taken up from trade as oilers in future expeditionary warfare. [146508]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Ministry of Defence does not routinely plan to requisition oil tankers from trade. There may, however, be exceptional circumstances where we would wish to do so.

  Second World War Ordnance (Badnells Pit Landfill Site)
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records exist detailing the disposal of ordnance from the Second World War ammunition dump near Slough into the Badnells Pit landfill site near Maidenhead. [147021]

  Mr. Caplin
  MOD research has identified no official records that support claims of the dumping of ammunition in the Badnells Pit landfill site.

  The authorised methods of disposal for Service munitions from Service stocks, both during and after the Second World War, did not include dumping in landfill sites. The standard methods of disposal involved the use of sea dumping, burning or the demolition of the material by explosive means.

  Warships
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the due decommissioning dates are for each of the(a) Swiftsure class submarines and (b) batch 3 Type 22 frigates; and which of these dates have been brought forward during the past year. [146510]

  Mr. Ingram
  The current planned decommissioning dates for the Swiftsure class submarines and Type 22 Batch 3 frigates are as follows.

  HMS

  Year

  Swiftsure class submarines:

  Spartan

  2006

  Sovereign

  2006

  Superb

  2008

  Sceptre

  2010

  Type 22 Batch 3 frigates:

  Cornwall

  2015

  Cumberland

  2017

  Campbeltown

  2017

  Chatham

  2018

  The planned decommissioning date for HMS Chatham was brought forward from 2020. This is the only amendment to have been made within the last 12 months.

  Split North Port, Croatia
  Richard Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence further to his letter of 30 November 2003 on Split North Port, Croatia, how much the rent payable for the Split North Port was during the relevant period; and how much the underpayment was. [145219]

  Mr. Ingram
  The lease between the Ministry of Defence and Split North Port (SNP) provided for payments of around $8.9 million. Within the $6.35 million settlement in 2001, was an overall figure of $5.5 million for several claims by SNP taken together, including underpayment 540W
  of rent, use of facilities and back interest. The claim for underpayment of rent arose from an Arrangement between NATO and the Croatian Government not the original lease.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Civil Service (Disabilities)
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in meeting targets for the proportion of people with disabilities in senior posts in his Department. [145998]

  Mr. Pearson
  3.5 per cent. of the senior civil servants employed in the Northern Ireland Office have declared a disability. The corresponding figure for the Northern Ireland Civil Service is 3 per cent.,The NIO is awaiting the detailed results of the Northern Ireland 2001 Census before setting a Departmental target for people with disabilities in the Senior Civil Service.
  There are a number of measures in place to improve the representation of disabled people at all levels in the NIO, including in senior posts:
  Since 1998 the NIO has run a bursary scheme for staff below SCS level with disabilities, where the recipient is provided with a fast-track development programme of training, mentor ing and work placements to enable them to compete at the senior grades:
  The Department has participated in the Cabinet Office 2003 Summer Placement Scheme for disabled graduates/undergraduates. The eight week placement, at fast stream level, provides the participant with high quality work experience to attract them to the opportunities of a future fast stream career in the Civil Service;
  Reasonable adjustment measures are provided to assist existing staff with disabilities to remain in work; and

  Work is carried out with schools and organisations for disabled people in Northern Ireland to increase their-awareness of the job opportunities available within the Civil Service.

  Dental Care
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the examination of the future delivery of primary care dental services in Northern Ireland to commence; what form he expects the examination will take; and when he expects to be able to report the findings. [147382]

  Angela Smith
  The Chief Dental Officer is currently developing a new Oral Health Strategy, which will set the oral health agenda for the next 10 years. It will identify the oral health needs of the Northern Ireland population, determine desired outcomes and identify areas where oral health can link into the wider health agenda.

  It is hoped that work on the new Oral Health Strategy will be concluded by June 2004 and this will then allow the development of a strategy for the delivery of primary care dental services to commence. That strategy will also take account of recent reviews of the dental workforce and the community dental service and consider whether any of the new contractual arrangements, currently being developed in England, should be introduced here.

  541W
  The aim is to have the necessary legislation in place to introduce any changes from April 2006 or as soon as possible thereafter.

  Both strategies will be developed in consultation with service users, health and social services professionals, key stakeholders and relevant interest groups.

  Departmental Advertising
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total expenditure on information campaigns and advertising for his Department was for 2002–03. [145725]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The total expenditure on information campaigns and advertising across the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland administration during 2002–03 was £2,064,598.35 and the corresponding figure for Northern Ireland Office was £114,082.26.

  Fishing Industry
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what dates in the last five years the Minister with responsibility for Agriculture and Rural Affairs visited(a) Kilkeel, (b) Ardglass and (c) Portavogie to meet the fishing industry and its representatives. [144617]

  Mr. Pearson
  I visited Kilkeel, Ardglass and Portavogie Harbours on Sunday 2 February 2003. I also visited Kilkeel on 15 February 2003 and met with representatives from various parts of the fishing industry. I have also had subsequent meetings with the fishing unions leading up to the Fisheries Council in December 2003.

  Hospital Bed Shortages
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on bed shortages in Northern Ireland hospitals. [147195]

  Angela Smith
  Many of Northern Ireland's hospitals have come under considerable pressure in recent days, with large numbers of patients having to wait on trolleys for admission. In preparation for the pressure of winter, a significant range of additional services were put in place, including extra medical beds and enhanced facilities in primary care and community care services, which help to minimise the number of potential hospital admissions. An additional £7 million was allocated to support this extra service provision. Work is also well under way to increase overall hospital capacity and, over the past year, the number of available hospital beds has increased by over 70. A further 30 beds will be coming on stream later this year. To complement this expansion, an additional £6 million is being spent in the current year on providing extra community care services.

  IT Contracts
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list information technology contracts in his Department with a value of above £20 million in each of the last 10 years; what the 542W
  inception date for each system was; when it became fully functional; when it became fully debugged: and what the cost of over-runs has been. [146197]

  Mr. Pearson
  Only one contract of this size has been awarded within the Northern Ireland administration during the past 10 years.

  In May 1998 the then Training and Employment Agency—an Agency within the then Department of Economic Development signed a 10 year PFI contract with ICL (now Fujitsu Services) for the provision of all IT hardware, data communication networks, office productivity software and Internet access for the former Agency. Additionally, the contract required the provision of two systems namely the Client Management System (CMS) and Trainee Management System (TMS).

  Following the formation of the Northern Ireland Assembly and its constituent Departments the contract was extended to cover the increased number of staff in the newly formed Department of Higher and Further Education Training and Employment now the Department for Employment and Learning.

  The hardware and office productivity software became fully functional in November 1998 on schedule, CMS went live on schedule in March 1999 and TMS became functional on 25 March 2002 some three months behind schedule.

  There were no over-run costs and no major bugs needing remedial action.

  Learning Disabilities
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils aged 16 and over with moderate learning disabilities are enrolled in Northern Ireland schools, broken down by(a) age, (b) school and (c) education and library board area. [144220]

  Jane Kennedy
  Information for the 2003–04 school year is not yet available. From the 2002–03 school census, the numbers of pupils with statements of special educational need who had moderate learning difficulties were as follows:

  Number of pupils with MLD

  (a) Age at 1 July 2002

  16

  30

  17

  12

  Total

  42

  (b) School name

  Ashfield boys' high school

  1

  Ashfield girls' high school

  1

  Ballymoney high school

  1

  Banbridge high school

  1

  Beechlawn special school

  3

  Belmont house special school

  1

  City of Armagh high school

  6

  Clounagh junior high school

  1

  Craigavon senior high school

  1

  Donaghadee high school

  1

  Fleming Fulton special school

  6

  Forthill college

  1

  Lakewood special school

  1

  Limegrove special school

  4

  Longstone special school

  1

  Maghera high school

  1

  Mitchell house special school

  1

  543W

  Number of pupils with MLD

  Monkstown community school

  1

  Orangefield high school

  2

  St. Columbanus's college

  1

  St. Eugene's high school

  1

  St. Genevieve's high school

  1

  St. Louise's comprehensive

  1

  St. Patrick's high school, keady

  3

  Total

  42

  (c) Education and library board

  Belfast

  13

  Western

  6

  3

  8

  Southern

  12

  Total

  42

  Promoting Social Inclusion Working Group
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Promoting Social Inclusion Review Group was established; what its remit is; and what the(a) names and (b) positions of the members are.[144344]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Promoting Social Inclusion Working Group on homelessness was established on 7 May 2003. Its remit is to consider how Government Departments, Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies can best work together to firstly, ensure that the risk of homelessness is reduced and secondly, that the full range of appropriate services is available to those who do find themselves homeless.

  The names and positions of its members are available, together with minutes of the group's meetings and other supporting papers, on the Department for Social Development's internet site, at the following address: http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/housing/Social-Inclusion.asp

  Saville Inquiry
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what the cost of the Saville Inquiry has been so far; and what payments have been made to each of the legal firms involved in the Inquiry; [[147046]

  (2) when he will reply to the Question from the hon. Member for East Londonderry, tabled on 10 December 2003, ref 144181, on the Saville Inquiry. [147046]

  Mr. Spellar
  I apologise to the hon. Gentleman for the delay in replying to his question. Some of the detailed information requested about payments to legal firms was not immediately available in the form requested. I shall write with the information shortly.

  On the figures available at the end of December 2003 the cost of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry has been £127 million. The Northern Ireland Office has spent £103.5 million. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence advises me that his Department has spent £23.5 million.

  Senior Civil Service
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what types of senior 544W
  civil service posts were filled over the past 12 months; and how many of such posts were filled by public advertisement. [145102]

  Mr. Pearson
  Information on appointments to the Northern Ireland senior civil service is as follows:

  Total posts

  Filled by public advertisements

  Grade 2A (Permanent Secretary)

  3

  2

  Grade 3 (Under Secretary)

  7

  1

  Grade 5 (Assistant Secretary)

  26

  23

  Shorts/Bombardier
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases have been submitted to the Labour Relations Agency for consideration by an industrial tribunal from workers at Shorts/Bombardier [146309]

  Jane Kennedy
  Employment-related complaints are submitted direct to the Office of the Industrial Tribunals and the Fair Employment Tribunal. All such applications are recorded in a public register and a copy of each is sent to the Labour Relations Agency, which seeks to promote a settlement of the complaint without need for a tribunal hearing.

  In the calendar year 2003, 361 applications were made to industrial tribunals by Shorts/Bombardier staff. A breakdown of these by ground of complaint is provided below (some included more than one ground).

  Number

  Unfair dismissal

  1353

  Redundancy payments

  3

  Breach of contract

  4

  Wages order

  3

  Disability

  17

  Sex discrimination

  9

  Trade union activities

  1

  1Includes "unfairly selected for redundancy" cases.

  There were also 20 applications to the Fair Employment Tribunal by Shorts/Bombardier staff over the period.

TRANSPORT

  A595
  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in the preparation and design of the Lillyhall to Parton improvement on the A595 in West Cumbria; when he expects the scheme to commence; and if he will make a statement. [146504]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Following the scheme's entry into the Government's Targeted Programme of Improvements in March 2001, a contract to design and build a new 5 km dual carriageway to bypass the communities between Parton and Lillyhall was awarded by the Highways Agency in December 2002. The Agency is currently developing the scheme in sufficient detail to enable the publication of draft orders under the
  545W
  Highways Act, later this year. The public and other interested parties will have an opportunity to comment on the draft proposals and, if necessary, a public inquiry will be held to hear representations. Subject to completion of the statutory processes and availability of funding, construction could start in 2006. The scheme is expected to cost around £25 million and will bring much needed relief to the local communities.

  Accident Rates
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the accident rates, including fatalities, for(a) single and (b) dual carriageway roads, including motorways. [146739]

  Mr. Jamieson
  In 2002, there were 42 accidents involving human injury or death per 100 million vehicle kilometres on single carriageway roads in Great Britain, and 38 per 100 million vehicle kilometres on dual carriageways.

  Air Safety (Banned Airlines)
  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) which airlines are banned from the airspace of(a) the United Kingdom and (b) each EU country for which information is available; [147181]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the availability of information to passengers travelling to and from the United Kingdom relating to airlines which are banned from the airspace of (a) the United Kingdom, (b) other European countries and (c) other countries. [147182]

  Mr. McNulty
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 8 January, given to the hon. Member for Spelthorne (Mr. Wilshire)Official Report, column 429W.

  International civil aviation is governed by the Chicago Convention. Under the Convention the International Civil Aviation Organisation is responsible for establishing minimum safety standards. Contracting States are required to recognise the certificates of other Contracting States unless they have reason to believe that they have not been issued in accordance with ICAO standards. ICAO also audits Contracting States' aviation authorities to help identify and address any deficiencies in the implementation of international standards.

  Any airline from outside the EU or EEA which wishes to pick up or put down passengers or cargo in the UK requires a permit from the Secretary of State. It is a condition of the permit that the airline should be operated in accordance with international safety standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

  Permits may be refused, suspended or revoked if the Secretary of State considers it appropriate to do so, taking into account any relevant information available to him, including the outcome of inspections of aircraft carried out by the Civil Aviation Authority at the request of the Department. We have now placed on the Department's web site information about UK permit action as set out in my answer of 8 January, which includes the reasons for and duration of such action. This information will be updated as appropriate.
  546W
  We are not able to publish similar information with respect to permit action by other countries. Our inspections of foreign airlines are carried out in accordance with a procedure established under the European Civil Aviation Conference's Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft Programme, soon to be enshrined in European Community law. The results of inspections are entered on a central database and may be accessed by all ECAC States on the strict understanding that their use will be restricted to State organisations. The database includes information on some permit action by Member States, but what constitutes permit action varies from State to State. Some States include short restrictions on the use of an individual aircraft which may have been lifted before the report of the inspection reaches the database. The database cannot therefore be used to determine whether an airline currently has restrictions on its operations to an ECAC state. We are urgently considering with our ECAC colleagues how we can extend and refine the information on the database and whether it is possible for further information to be made public.

  Approved Driving Instructors
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association was consulted by the Driving Standards Agency regarding proposed changes to Approved Driving Instructor qualifications; and if he will make a statement. [146455]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Driving Standards Agency issued its consultation paper in April 2003 to a wide range of organisations including national and local approved driving instructor associations, other driver and rider training groups, road safety officers, motoring organisations and other interested parties.

  Among the proposals, the paper invited comments on increasing the theory test fee for all learner drivers and riders. This was considered of particular interest to, for example, organisations representing trainers and employers of motorcycle and moped riders. The paper was therefore sent to the Motorcycle Retail and Rider Training Associations and to the Despatch Association. A copy was also sent to the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association whose members employ large numbers of moped riders for home delivery services, some of whom only hold provisional licences and could therefore be affected by the proposed fee increase.

  Consulting representative organisations is a more effective way of reaching the individuals than trying to contact them individually and is in line with guidance in the Cabinet Office "Code of Practice on Written Consultation".

  Asylum Seekers
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requirements there are for asylum seekers to apply for a UK or international driving licence before driving on British roads. [146548]

  Mr Jamieson
  The requirements in relation to application for a driving licence in the United Kingdom are the same for asylum seekers as for everyone else. In order to be able to drive here all individuals must have the relevant driving entitlement.
  547W
  Drivers who are resident in the United Kingdom and who hold a valid european Community/European Economic Area (EC/EEA) licence are entitled to drive until the expiry of the licence or until the driver becomes subject to British renewal at the age of 70.

  Those who hold a non-EC/EEA driving licence or an international driving permit issued in another country may drive in the United Kingdom for the first 12 months from the date they become resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement, a United Kingdom driving licence must be obtained before this period elapses. Drivers who hold a licence from a country which has been designated for licence exchange purposes must exchange their driving licence for a United Kingdom one. In the case of a country which has no exchange agreement, drivers must obtain a United Kingdom provisional licence and pass both the theory and practical parts of the driving test before being granted a full driving licence.

  British Transport Police
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the annual cost of policing on the railways by the British Transport Police was in the latest year for which figures are available; and who meets the cost. [147034]

  Mr. McNulty
  The total expenditure of the British Transport Police during the financial year 2002–03 was £132.9 million. This was funded by the following contributions.

  Organisation

  £million

  Train Operating Companies

  61.4

  Network Rail

  35.1

  London Underground Limited

  31.2

  Ad hoc income

  4.2

  Interest received

  0.2

  Previous years surplus

  0.8

  Crash Barriers
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 15 December 2003,Official Report, column 704W, on crash barriers, how many lorries crossed the offside crash barriers of dual carriageways and motorways in each of the last five years. [146055]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The information collected on road accidents does not identify whether a particular barrier was crossed.

  Cyclists
  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that(a) developers of new roads assess the needs of cyclists and (b) the findings of those assessments are incorporated at the planning stage; [146953]

  (2) what advice he has given the Planning Inspectorate about meeting the needs of cyclists. [146955]
  548W
  Mr. McNulty
  Local authorities are required to prepare a strategy for the provision and improvement of routes and facilities for cyclists as part of their Local Transport Plan.

  Advice on integrating planning and transport, including meeting the needs of cyclists, is set out in Planning Policy Guidance note 13. The Government's statements of planning policy are material considerations which must be taken into account, where relevant, in decisions on planning applications and appeals.

  Road Safety (Motorways)
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the numbers of deaths and injuries on motorway hard shoulders as set out in the Transport Research Laboratory reports PR/TT/082/99 and PR/TT/069/98 (Table 7). [146520]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) report PR/TT/069/98 collates information on the usage and accidents on motorway hard shoulders. The TRL report PR/TT/082/99 analyses this data and uses it to establish patterns and frequencies of such accidents.

  Both of these reports provided material for the SURVIVE Working Group, a cross-industry group funded by vehicle recovery operators in which the Highways Agency has participated. The Group's recommendations were published in "The SURVIVE Report on Hard Shoulder and Roadside Safety" in April 2000. These recommendations and the TRL reports continue to inform the Highways Agency's policy, advice and future research aimed at increasing the safety of those who need to stop or work on the hard shoulders of motorways.

  Deep Vein Thrombosis
  Mr. John Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will hold a public inquiry into the incidence, extent and causes of deep vein thrombosis amongst air travellers following the publication of research by the New Zealand Medical Research Institute; [146934]

  (2) what steps he is taking to protect British air travellers following the research by the New Zealand Medical Research Institute published in The Lancet on 19 December 2003; [146935]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the report of the New Zealand Medical Research Institute into the incidence of deep vein thrombosis amongst air travellers. [146936]

  Mr. McNulty
  The House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology reported in November 2000 on the health aspects of air travel, including Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). The report identified the need for further research into air travel and DVT.

  The Department for Transport has subsequently provided £0.8 million, and the Department of Health £0.4 million, to a World Health Organisation (WHO) research project into the incidence of DVT and the possible physiological mechanisms involved. The

  549W
  European Commission is contributing a further £0.65 million. The results of the research are expected in early 2005.

  The Government and the Civil Aviation Authority's Aviation Health Unit are aware of the research recently published by the New Zealand Medical Research Institute. Once the WHO work is completed, the Aviation Health Unit will advise the Government on what, if any, further action needs to be taken.

  Advice on health and travel, given the present state of knowledge, is widely available to the public in the Department of Health's 'Health advice for Travellers' booklet and is under constant review. Advice has also been made available to the public through NHS Direct, the Internet, airlines and health services.

  Drink Driving
  Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each of the last five years for which data are available the number of(a) fatal, (b) serious and (c) slight casualties in (i) road and (ii) other transport accidents involving illegal alcohol levels; and what the percentage change was for each category between each year. [144551]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The table shows fatal serious and slight casualties in road accidents where at least one driver had a blood alcohol level over the legal limit for the last five years.

  Casualties in road accidents where at least one driver had a blood alcohol level over the legal limit.

  Year

  Fatal

  % change over previous change year

  Serious

  % change over previous Year

  Slight

  %change over previous year

  1998

  460

  2,520

  15,590

  1999

  460

  0

  2,470

  -2

  16,910

  8

  2000

  530

  15

  2,540

  3

  18,060

  7

  2001

  530

  0

  2,690

  6

  18,770

  4

  20021

  560

  6

  2,820

  5

  20,140

  7

  1Provisional data

  The information requested in respect of casualties in rail accidents is not held centrally, and information is not available for air or marine accidents.

  Transport Investment (Cambridgeshire)
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much investment there was in transport in(a) Cambridgeshire and (b) Huntingdon in each of the past five years. [146445]

  Mr. McNulty
  The figures provided relate to expenditure by Cambridgeshire county council and the Highways Agency. The Strategic Rail Authority was unable to provide figures for the railway industry as they do not have any records of expenditure by local authority area.

  Total investment in transport by Cambridgeshire county council and the Highways Agency in each of the past five years was:
  550W

  1998–99

  £million

  (a)

  7.6

  of which

  (b)

  2.5

  1999–2000

  (a)

  13.9

  of which

  (b)

  3.2

  2000–01

  (a)

  10.7

  of which

  (b)

  1.3

  2001–02

  (a)

  20.9

  of which

  (b)

  3.3

  2002–03

  (a)

  32.8

  of which

  (b)

  8.7

  Total

  (a)

  85.9

  of which

  (b)

  19.0

  M5
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the report will be published on the impact of traffic flow on local roads following the opening up of Junction 12 of the M5 into a full junction. [146476]

  Mr Jamieson
  The report on the impact of traffic flows on local roads near Junction 12 of the M5 will be published in summer 2004.

  Motorways
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of motorway there are per 1,000 square kilometres in(a) the UK and (b) other EU countries. [146737]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The information requested is given in the Table as follows:

  Miles of motorway per 1,000 square kilometres, 2001

  United Kingdom

  9

  Austria

  12

  Belgium

  35

  Denmark

  14

  Finland

  1

  France

  12

  Germany

  20

  Greece

  3

  Irish Republic

  1

  Italy

  13

  Luxembourg

  28

  Netherlands

  34

  Portugal

  11

  Spain

  12

  Sweden

  2

  Post Office Closures
  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on traffic congestion of post office closures. [146954]

  Mr. McNulty
  Any traffic effects of the closure of individual post offices will depend on the location of alternative offices, transport links, choices made by individual customers and the many other factors which may contribute to any local congestion. If there were any significant effects I would expect local authorities to take account of them in their Local Transport Plans.

  Road Safety
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 4 December 2003,Official Report, column 161W, on road safety, when he expects the studies he has commissioned to report. [147510]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The monitoring results of the traffic management scheme in Stiffkey, Norfolk were published in 2001 in TRL Report 500 Countryside Traffic Measures Group: Traffic calming schemes in Norfolk and Suffolk, and the summary report TRL Report 502 Countryside Traffic Measures Group: Demonstration schemes. The "Drivers and Traffic Calming" project team plans to report in spring 2005.

  The findings of the European project on road markings are reported in COST 331 Requirements for Horizontal Road Marking: Final Report of the Action, which was published in 1999. This was a collaborative project and was not commissioned by the Secretary of State for Transport.

  Road Surfaces
  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with the introduction of quieter road surfaces on(a) the M60 between junction 1 and junction 5 and (b) the M56 between junction 1 and junction 2; and what plans there are for introduction of further such surfaces. [147020]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The surfaces of the M56 and M60 Motorways at these locations are generally in good condition and low noise surfacing was used recently when the slip road leading from the M60 at Junction 4, to the M56, was widened. Under normal maintenance procedures, it will be necessary to resurface small sections of these motorways over the next two-three years, and low noise surfacing will be used. Full resurfacing using low noise materials will not be undertaken until a comprehensive renewal of the existing surface is needed.

  The Highways Agency has plans to fully resurface the M60 between Junctions 1 and 2. In order to keep to a minimum any disruption to road users, the Highways Agency would wish to avoid work on this section of the M60 whilst widening is taking place between Junctions 5 and 8. That widening will include low noise surfacing and is due for completion in spring 2006.

  The Government recognises that excessive noise from traffic is an important issue. Lower noise surfaces is used on the trunk road network for all new roads and for most resurfacing work.

  Roads
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the total land area of the UK is taken up by roads. [146736]

  Mr. Jamieson
  It is estimated that about 1 per cent. of the land area of the UK is taken up by roads.

  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of dual carriageway there are per unit area in each county. [146738]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The information requested is given in the Table:

  Miles of dual carriageway per thousand square miles, 2002

  County

  Miles of dual carriageway per thousand square miles

  Avon

  52

  Bedfordshire

  52

  Berkshire

  129

  Buckinghamshire

  57

  Cambridgeshire

  70

  Cheshire

  72

  Cleveland

  196

  Cornwall

  27

  Cumbria

  12

  Derbyshire

  60

  Devon

  35

  Dorset

  33

  Durham

  38

  East Sussex

  30

  Essex

  66

  Gloucestershire

  30

  Hampshire

  78

  Hereford and Worcester

  67

  Hertfordshire

  104

  Humberside

  33

  Isle of Wight

  10

  Kent

  73

  Lancashire

  40

  Leicestershire

  79

  Lincolnshire

  11

  Norfolk

  22

  North Yorkshire

  19

  Northamptonshire

  65

  Northumberland

  19

  Nottinghamshire

  72

  Oxfordshire

  42

  Shropshire

  15

  Somerset

  16

  Staffordshire

  64

  Suffolk

  38

  Surrey

  97

  Warwickshire

  47

  West Sussex

  78

  Wiltshire

  26

  Greater Manchester

  133

  Merseyside

  218

  South Yorkshire

  77

  Tyne and Wear

  321

  West Midlands

  317

  West Yorkshire

  97

  Greater London

  273

  England

  52

  Stroud Station (Disability Discrimination)
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals are being made to permit Stroud station to become compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [146475]

  Mr. McNulty
  The SRA is considering how best to prioritise a programme of works to meet the accessibility requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act at stations and will be consulting on draft criteria later this year.

  Train Services (Northampton)
  Ms Keeble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when the new timetables for Northampton train services will be ready; [146758]

  (2) what consultation will be held on the new timetables for Northampton train services. [146759]

  Mr. McNulty
  Last year the Strategic Rail Authority consulted the rail industry, local authorities, passenger representatives and other stakeholders on the future pattern of service on the West Coast Main Line, including through Northampton. In June their 'West Coast Main Line Strategy' was published, indicating the likely level of service from September 2004 and beyond. The timetable for September 2004 has not yet been finalised, but it should be agreed at least 12 weeks prior to implementation, and made available to the public at least four weeks prior to the timetable change date. A further consultation on the emerging timetable will take place with key stakeholders, including rail user groups and Rail Passengers Committees, before it is finalised.

  West Coast Main Line
  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on(a) maintenance and (b) upgrade of the West Coast Main Line in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the expenditure was in each case. [146570]

  Mr. McNulty
  Annual expenditure on the maintenance and upgrade of the West Coast Main Line is as follows:

  £ million

  Maintenance

  Upgrade programme

  Total

  1997–98

  117

  126

  243

  1998–99

  118

  170

  288

  1999–2000

  115

  313

  428

  2000–01

  118

  687

  805

  2001–02

  123

  781

  904

  2002–03

  126

  970

  1,096

  2003–04

  126

  1,536

  1,662

  The maintenance expenditure in the table is defined as that required to keep the existing railway infrastructure assets operational.

  Upgrade programme expenditure relates to a range of activities intended to renew existing life-expired assets, and delivery of the associated enhancement works needed to increase line speeds and route capacity.

CABINET OFFICE

  School Funding
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the work carried out by the strategy and delivery units on the method of funding schools. [147148]

  Mr. Alexander
  The Strategy and Delivery Units work across a range of areas in support of Ministers and Departments. In line with exemption 2 set out in Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, internal discussion and advice remains confidential.

  A list of the Strategy Unit's current public projects is available from its website: www.strategy.gov.uk.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  War Disablement Pensioners
  20. Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the earnings disregard for war disablement pensioners in receipt of income support was last updated. [146802]

  Malcolm Wicks
  There is no specific earnings disregard for people receiving a war pension. although they can benefit from the standard disregards available to anyone claiming income support.

  However, in recognition of the special nature of war disablement pension, there is a £10 disregard of these payments when assessing entitlement to income-related benefits.

  Pensions Protection
  21. Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action he is taking to ensure that workers who have lost their pensions through no fault of their own and are not covered by the pension protection fund are adequately compensated. [146803]

  Malcolm Wicks
  I have great sympathy for the difficulties faced by workers who have suffered pension losses.

  I, and other Ministers; have been meeting those affected to discuss proposals, but do not wish to raise false hope on this matter.

  Disability Benefits
  22. Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to undertake research into the take-up of disability benefits. [146804]

  Maria Eagle
  There are no current plans for research into the levels of take-up of disability benefits because entitlement to disability living allowance (DLA) and attendance allowance (AA) can be established reliably only after a claim has been made and the care and mobility needs of the customer assessed. There are no data available about who might be entitled to either DLA or AA if they were to make a claim, which means
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  that there is no reliable means of calculating the number of people receiving the benefits as a proportion of the eligible population.

  Progress2Work
  23. John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the value for money of Progress2Work. [146805]

  Mr. Browne
  Our Progress2Work programme has been successful in helping more than 1,200 recovering drug misusers into work. And we will have extended this support across the country by April.

  Although no formal cost benefit analysis has been carried out, available information indicates that it costs around £750 per year to help each person through progress2work. This certainly represents good value for money compared to the £37,500 it would cost to keep the same person in prison.

  Age Discrimination
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to promote the use of positive action within the public sector to combat age discrimination. [146427]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The Department for Work and Pensions is combating age discrimination in the workplace through our Age Positive campaign. Age Positive is vigorously promoting the business benefits of an age diverse workforce by encouraging employers in both the public and private sector to adopt the voluntary Code of Practice: Age Diversity at Work, A Practical Guide For Business.

  The Age Positive campaign highlights the good practice of private and public sector employers—such as local authorities who promote age equality.

  Age Positive targets the public sector through advertising, internet, specialist press—and exhibits at public sector events such as the annual conference of the Society of Personnel Officers in Government Services.

  The Department for Work and Pensions was one of the first Departments to give people the choice of when they retire between the ages of 60 and 65. Many Departments have now given employees the choice and over 75 per cent. of civil service staff (outside the Senior Civil Service) now have the opportunity to stay on until they are 65. We have, in fact, responded to inquiries from staff seeking to work beyond 65 and introduced arrangements to allow them to do so.

  Asylum Seekers
  Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what initiatives his Department is taking to provide access to employment for asylum seekers who have been granted leave to remain. [146783]

  Mr. Browne
  We know that the level of unemployment among refugees is unacceptably high. We are taking positive action to reduce this such as: working more closely with the Home Office; engaging with community and voluntary groups; improving provision of English language and other training, and helping individuals to promote their skills to employers.
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  In September we published an interim report 'Working to Rebuild Lives': a preliminary report towards a refugee employment strategy and we will be publishing our full strategy later this year.

  Bereavement Benefits
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many(a) widows and (b) widowers have been refused benefit on the grounds of being late claimants in each year from 1997 to 2002. [145979]

  Mr. Pond
  The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Bereavement Benefits were introduced on 9 April 2001, and for the first time extended support to both widows and widowers following the death of a spouse. These new benefits concentrate the help available where it is most needed; on immediate needs and on families with children.

  In April 2003 we extended the time limit for claiming Bereavement Payment to 12 months aligning it with the period over which a person can receive Bereavement Allowance.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what means couples are made aware of the rules relating to bereavement benefits; and if he will make a statement. [146206]

  Mr. Pond
  Information is available from local Jobcentre Plus and Social Security offices, and the Department for Work and Pensions website gives information about Bereavement Benefits together with leaflets and claim forms for downloading. A fully revised version of leaflet NP45 "A guide to Bereavement Benefit" for professional advisers and members of the public was published in May this year. Leaflets D49 "What to do after a death in England and Wales" and D49S "What to do after a death in Scotland" are reviewed and revised as necessary annually.

  In addition, we have been working with funeral directors, Registrars and voluntary groups such as Cruse, National Association of Widows and Citizens Advice Bureaux who may be contacted by bereaved people.

  We have worked with Registrars to amend the social security form for notifying the Department of a death (BD8) to draw greater attention to the fact that it can be used to initiate a claim for bereavement benefits, this went to print in April 2003 and has been in use by Registrars since then. Within the last year we have also arranged for Funeral Directors to be able to obtain Bereavement Benefit claim packs so that they can be given directly to bereaved people.

  We keep under review the way that information is made available about bereavement benefits so that bereaved people, at this very difficult time in their lives, know about their potential right to benefit and can act on it at the right time.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of parents who are waiting for their Child Support Agency cases to
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  be transferred from the old to the new scheme will pay (a) increased and (b) decreased payments under the new scheme. [140881]

  Mr. Pond
  Of those non-resident parents who are earning an income, about 60 per cent. will have a reduced maintenance liability and about 40 per cent. will have an increased liability.

  Of those non-resident parents on benefit, about 60 per cent. will have an increased liability for maintenance. (Currently, 75 per cent. of non-resident parents on benefit are treated as having no liability; under the new scheme we expect them to pay a flat rate of £5 to the parent with care).

  This data is based on an analysis carried out in 2001, and reflects the position had all cases converted to the new scheme on the day of the scan. Since then, average income levels of non-resident parents have increased, which would reduce the fall in the level of maintenance liabilities.

  There are around a million live and assessed old scheme cases. Of those in work, we expect that a majority will have a reduced liability.

  Disability Discrimination Bill
  Mrs. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the draft Disability Discrimination Bill. [146796]

  Maria Eagle
  We are determined to end the marginalisation and exclusion of disabled people from all walks of life—which is the lot of too many of our disabled fellow citizens today.

  The draft Disability Discrimination Bill—along with other changes to the law which we are implementing, will represent, when we achieve its passage, a great progressive social advance—one which I hope will be supported by everyone in this House.

  Disabled People
  Jim Sheridan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress he has made in enabling disabled people to play a full and active role in society. [146801]

  Maria Eagle
  Good progress. For example we have legislated to extend the provisions of the DDA to education.

  There has been a narrowing of the gap between the employment levels of disabled people and non-disabled people.

  But more needs to be done.

  In October we are implementing new obligations on service providers to remove, alter or avoid physical features which prevent disabled people accessing services. (Among others this will apply to MPs)

  We are also extending the employment provisions of the DDA to more occupations and to almost all employers of whatever size. This will bring one million small employers and seven million more jobs into the protection of the Act.

  Income-related Benefits
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to publish estimates of take-up of income-related benefits for 2001–02. [145982]

  Mr. Pond
  Estimates of take-up of income-related benefits in 2001–02 will be released in February. The publication month has been pre-announced in Updates—the National Statistics diary of statistical releases. The precise date will be pre-announced through Updates.

  Justices of the Peace
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his Department's plans to amend the terms and conditions of employees of the Department who serve as justices of the peace. [145382]

  Maria Eagle
  [holding answer 7 January 2004]: The department's pay offer to its staff for 2003 for negotiation with its trade unions included proposals on performance bonus payments to be paid in addition to consolidated, pensionable pay. Under these proposals, the bonus payable would be performance related and take account of the total contribution made. It was envisaged it would be reduced proportionately for periods of absence beyond annual, public and privilege leave and other absences of five days or fewer. This provision was included as part of the effort to improve levels of attendance within the department. It could have had a limited effect on the bonus earnable by those, including justices of the peace, who were granted special leave by the department.

  The department has decided that the new attendance condition will not form part of the 2003 pay offer. Any future change of this kind would be a matter for negotiation with the department's unions.

  New Deal
  Mr. George Osborne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what(a) percentage and (b) value of New Deal contracts are delivered by (i) Jobcentre Plus, (ii) private companies and (iii) voluntary organisations; [144598]

  (2) if he will list the (a) private companies and (b) voluntary organisations that have contracts to deliver New Deal support. [144599]

  Mr. Browne
  All contracts to deliver New Deal are awarded to external providers, from the private and not for profit sectors. Some New Deal advisory services are delivered by Jobcentre Plus, but these are not governed by a contractual process.

  In 2002–03, total New Deal expenditure by Jobcentre Plus was approximately £8121 million; of this, expenditure on New Deal contracts with the private and not for profit sectors amounted to £337 million, approximately 42 per cent. of the total. The remainder of the expenditure was on services delivered by Jobcentre Plus (£247 million) and on allowances paid to New Deal customers (£180 million) and other financial incentives (£48 million).
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  Jobcentre Plus contracts out New Deal provision to over 1,000 external providers and the details of these providers are held at regional and district level. Therefore, listing separately the private companies and voluntary organisations that have contracts to deliver New Deal support could be done only at a disproportionate cost.

  1Estimated outturn

  Benefits and Pensions Payment
  Mr. Alan Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what procedures his Department will put in place to pay benefits and pensions from 2005 to clients who by that time have not nominated a bank or Post Office Card Account to receive their payments and whose order books have expired; [147323]

  (2) whether non-respondents to his Department's letters about direct payment will be required to have payments made into a nominated account when order books are withdrawn in April 2005. [147069]

  Mr. Pond
  We have always recognised there will be some people, such as those who cannot open or manage any sort of account, and some immediate payments, such as Crisis Loans, that we cannot pay by Direct Payment. We are therefore designing an exceptions method of payment to meet the needs of people in these circumstances. We are in the process of discussing the design of the exceptions method of payment with the representative bodies most directly affected to design a secure and efficient method of payment which meets people's needs.

  Until the exception method of payment is in place, customers who choose not to convert to Direct Payment will be able to retain their Order Book. But, they will not be able to keep it indefinitely as Order Books are being phased out.

  Recipients of Pension Credit, not previously in receipt of MIG: Great Britain as at October and November 2003

  17 October 2003

  30 November 2003

  Households

  Individuals

  Households

  Individuals

  Great Britain total

  133,570

  179,120

  302,265

  404,555

  Guarantee credit only

  8,740

  11,455

  27,215

  35,820

  Guarantee credit and savings credit

  31,940

  39,170

  82,530

  101,220

  Savings credit only

  92,895

  128,495

  192,520

  267,515

  Recipients of Pension credit, in receipt or not in receipt of MIG: Great Britain as at October and November 2003

  17 October 2003

  30 November 2003

  Households

  Individuals

  Households

  Individuals

  Great Britain total

  1,902.250

  2,246,985

  2,056,010

  2,454,640

  Previously on MIG

  1,768,680

  2,067,870

  1,753,745

  2,050,085

  Previously NOT on MIG

  133,570

  179,120

  302,265

  404,555

  Notes:

  1. Figures are based on 100 per cent. Generalised Matching Service (CMS) data.

  2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5

  3. Figures might not sum due to rounding.

  4. A household may be a single person or a couple. Figures for individuals show total numbers of individuals in households where Pension Credit is in payment, i.e. two individuals where Pension Credit is in payment to a couple, and include a small number of partners under age 60.

  Source:

  IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent sample

  Pension Credit
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners are not receiving their pension credit entitlement(a) in England and (b) in London; and if he will make a statement. [146784]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The information is not available in the form requested. However, we estimate that there are approximately 3.15 million pensioner households in England and 450,000 in London likely to be eligible for pension credit. While we want everyone who is eligible to take up their entitlement, we have to recognise that some may choose not to apply.

  We have today published the latest monthly pension credit progress report, including numbers of recipient households in each parliamentary constituency in Great Britain.

  It shows that we continue to make good progress. As at 31 December 2003. more than 2.5 million pensioners were receiving pension credit. In the hon. Member's constituency, 4,204 households are receiving pension credit with an average award of £58.62 per week.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many(a) individuals and (b) households who had not previously been in receipt of the minimum income guarantee were in receipt of (i) the guarantee credit and (ii) the savings credit on (A) 14 October, (B) 11 November and (C) 10 December: [145983]

  (2) how many (a) individuals and (b) households were being paid the pension credit on (i) 14 October, (ii) 31 October and (iii) 11 November; and how many of these had not been paid the minimum income guarantee. [146091]

  Malcolm Wicks
  Information for some of the dates referred to is not available in the format requested. The tables give information to the nearest dates for which information is available.

  Pensions Payment
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many cases retirement pensions have not been paid into Post Office card accounts on their due date because of computer problems; and if he will make it his policy to put in place emergency payments in such cases. [147068]

  Mr. Pond
  We are aware of a recent issue that resulted in a slight delay in paying some State Pensions into Post Office card accounts. The actual number of payments that were affected is not known.

  There are existing emergency payment procedures to cover the situation where payment is not made at the due time.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what arrangements were made for early payment of pensions over the Christmas and new year period 2003–04 for holders of Post Office card accounts; and if he will make a statement. [146762]

  Mr. Pond
  The Department arranges that where customers are due payments on a public holiday, that payments are advanced so that they can get the money before the public holiday.

  Payment to Post Office card accounts are paid in the same way as payments direct to any bank account. The arrangements put money into the account on the last banking day before each of the bank holidays namely the 24 December and 31 December.

  Pension Protection Fund
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he proposes that public sector pension schemes should be required to pay insurance premiums to the Pension Protection Fund; and if he will make a statement. [146966]

  Malcolm Wicks
  Public sector pension schemes that are protected by a Government guarantee would not require or be eligible to receive compensation from the Pension Protection Fund. Consequently, these schemes will not be required to pay the annual levy.

PRIME MINISTER

  Commonwealth Caribbean Countries
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his meeting with prime ministers from Commonwealth Caribbean countries. [146430]

  The Prime Minister
  I met Commonwealth Caribbean leaders on 2 December. The leaders attending were the Prime Minister of Jamaica, at that time concurrently the Chairman of CARICOM, the President of Guyana and the Prime Ministers of the Bahamas, Belize, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia. The CARICOM Secretary-General and the Director General of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery also attended.

  On trade, we agreed on the importance of getting the Doha development round moving again and of working to ensure that changes to trade regimes are phased so that vulnerable Caribbean economies can adjust. On
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  security we discussed the threat to the region of drug trafficking and gun crime and the way that these problems affect the UK. We are exploring ways in which we can enhance our security cooperation.

  The Government have also offered to facilitate an event in the Caribbean looking at best practice in tackling stigmatisation and discrimination of those with HIV/AIDS.

  E-government
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Prime Minister which departments of Government besides the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have responsibilities for e-government at(a) parish council and (b) town council levels; and if he will make a statement. [147429]

  The Prime Minister
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has sole responsibility in Central Government for local e-Government. It works closely with the Office of the e-Envoy on policy and infrastructure issues such as the Government Gateway. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister consults with other Government Departments on cross cutting issues affecting local e-government policy as and when appropriate and works closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the development of the role of town and parish councils.

  Euro
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister in how many speeches during 2003 he declared support for the Government's policy on the euro. [147302]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer the Financial Secretary at the Treasury gave to him today.

  During 2003 as in other years, I set out the Government's policy on the euro in speeches, media appearances and of course in Parliament. Copies of my speeches are available on the Number 10 website.

  Iraq
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to assist the Iraqi Governing Council in organising free and fair elections; and if he will make statement. [146512]

  The Prime Minister
  On 15 November, the Iraqi Governing Council announced plans for establishing a transitional national assembly formed through caucus elections at provincial level.

  The assembly will be elected no later than 31 May 2004, leading to the creation of a new transitional administration by the end of June 2004. This will be followed by elections for a constitutional convention, leading in turn to national elections for a new representative Iraqi Government by the end of 2005

  We will assist the Iraqis during this process in any way we can.

  Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the library the Iraq Survey Group report and its annexes listing the massive network of laboratories and
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  factories engaged in the production of weapons of mass destruction referred to in his Christmas broadcast to British forces in Iraq on 16 December 2003. [146580]

  The Prime Minister
  The leader of the Iraq Survey Group, Dr. David Kay, presented an unclassified summary report to the US authorities on 2 October 2003. copies of which were placed in the libraries of both Houses. This summary report contains numerous references to a clandestine network of laboratories in Iraq.

  The full report, which was shared in confidence with other principal coalition partners, contains detailed and operationally sensitive information and is highly classified. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to give information on intelligence and security matters, under exemption 1 of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Richard Ottaway
  To ask the Prime Minister on what date after 9 September 2002 he was informed that the weapons of mass destruction referred to in the September 2002 dossier which could be deployed in 45 minutes were battlefield mortar shells or small calibre weaponry. [147190]

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the reply gave to my hon. Friends, the Members for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) and for Nottingham, South (Mr. Simpson) on 27 October 2003,Official Report, column 50W.

  Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his letter to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent, of 28 October 2003, if he will list(a) the titles of each of the UK-owned documents in respect of Iraqi procurement of uranium from Niger to which he refers and (b) the dates on which each document respectively was provided to (i) the International Atomic Energy Agency and (ii) the UN Special Commission on Iraq; and how the Government sought to ensure that the owners of other intelligence of which it had been informed about the Niger uranium procurement by Iraq made the IAEA aware of its contents. [147621]

  The Prime Minister
  As my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Rammell), said in his answer on 1 September 2003,Official Report, column 805W and I reiterated in my letter of 28 October, the UK did not provide any documentation to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or UNMOVIC on Iraqi attempts to procure uranium from Africa.

  On the issue of how the Government sought to ensure that the owners of other intelligence about Niger uranium procurement by Iraq made the IAEA aware of this, I refer my hon. Friend to the answers the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. MacShane) and the Under-secretary of State (Mr. Rammell) gave my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) on 7 July 2003, Official Report, column 579W and 1 September 2003, Official Report, column 805W.

  Ministerial Visit (Basra)
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the library a copy of a transcript of his remarks to journalists on board his flight from Basra on 4 January. [146581]

  The Prime Minister
  Any comments I made en route to Basra on 4 January were made on the record and were fully reported by the media at the time in the same way as any briefings I make on visits like this.

  Russia
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 5 January 2004,Official Report, column 57W, on Chechnya, how many (a) meetings, (b) telephone calls and (c) letters he has exchanged with President Putin since 18 June 2003. [147081]

  The Prime Minister
  I last met President Putin on 26 June during his State Visit to the UK and we discussed a wide range of issues including Chechnya.

  I regularly discuss either by telephone or through correspondence a wide range of issues with President Putin.

  As with previous Administrations, it is not the practice of this Government to make public details of all discussions I have with foreign leaders.

  Taskforces
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the task forces he has set up since 1997; when each last reported; and when he expects each to have completed its task. [147237]

  The Prime Minister
  Information on task forces in existence between May 1997 and October 2000 was made available in three reports published in January, July and December 2000 on "Task Forces, Ad Hoc Advisory Groups and Reviews".

  For the years 2001–02 and 2002–03, this information has been included in the publications Public Bodies 2002' and 'Public Bodies 2003' respectively.

  Copies of these reports are available in the Library of the House.

  World Trade Organisation
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with(a) President Bush and (b) Mr. Romano Prodi since 14 September 2003 on the need to resume trade negotiations following the termination of the World Trade Organisation Ministerial in Cancun. [146637]

  The Prime Minister
  I regularly have discussions with President Bush and Mr. Prodi on a wide range of international issues including on trade.

  The Government are committed to working with our international partners to restart the Doha Development Round at the earliest opportunity.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Deprivation
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to include measures of(a) the state of the physical environment and (b) crime and disorder in revised indices of deprivation; and what methodology will be used to measure these. [146108]

  Yvette Cooper
  It is proposed that the revised Indices of Deprivation 2000 (ID 2000) should include new domains to cover the living environment and crime and disorder.

  For the Living Environment domain, indicators have been proposed to cover both the quality of the 'indoors' living environment and the 'outdoors' physical environment. In respect of the latter, the two indicators proposed are:
  'Air quality' based on data held on the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory; and
  'Road Traffic Accidents involving injury to pedestrians and cyclists' based on data available from the Department of Transport's STAT19 database. This data will provide an indictor of the risk of injury to non-motorised road users.

  The purpose of the Crime domain is to measure the incidence of recorded crime, representing the occurrence of personal and material victimisation at a small area level. It is proposed that four composite indicators are constructed (burglary, theft, criminal damage and violence) covering some 33 different categories of recorded crime. These indicators will be constructed either using full recorded crime data from the 39 geographic regional police forces or if this is not possible, full recorded crime data for the majority of the police forces but modelled crime data for the areas that are unable to provide recorded crime data.

  E-Government
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how much of the e-Government budget has been(a) allocated to and (b) spent on (i) parish councils and (ii) town councils; and if he will make a statement; [147427]

  (2) whether (a) parish councils and (b) town councils are included in the e-Government targets for local authorities to be on line by 2005; and if he will make a statement. [147428]

  Phil Hope
  The Government's target to see all services electronically enabled by 2005 only applies to local authorities and fire authorities who are subject to the Best Value Performance Indicator 157, and does not apply to town and parish councils.

  As they are not subject to this target, parish councils are not being funded directly under the £675 million Local e-Government Programme. However, many councils are working very successfully with local parish councils to both support their websites and to build local parish content into community public portals. Our National Strategy for Local e-Government encourages all councils to have this joined-up approach to providing local online services and information. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is funding 66 Local e-Government Partnerships to provide Community Portals, which will include local parish content.

  Emergency Planning
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what role will be played by local authorities in the South East of England in the event of the mass evacuation of London; and what recent discussions he has had with them on contingency plans for the mass evacuation of London; [147284]

  (2) what plans there are to use towns in the South East of England in the event of the mass evacuation of London; [147285]

  (3) what role the A23 would play in the event of the mass evacuation of London; [147286]

  (4) what plans are in place for the mass evacuation of London in the event of a major emergency; [147287]

  (5) what plans are in place for the evacuation of hospitals and prisons in the event of the mass evacuation of London. [147288]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Mass evacuation of parts of London, or any other area, would be very much a last resort.

  However, as part of its role in making sure London is as well prepared as possible to cope with any emergency situation, the London Resilience partnership has been carrying out generic planning for the temporary evacuation of areas of London in the event of this being necessary. The local authorities and emergency services in the surrounding counties, including the South East of England, have been actively involved in this work and have had detailed discussions over the past year with officials in the London Resilience Team and the Regional Resilience Team based in the Government Office for the South East.

  The principal role of local authorities in the event of any serious emergency, whether or not it necessitates mass evacuation, is to provide support for the people in their area; in general this will involve close co-operation with the emergency services. In the event of mass evacuation of areas of London being required, the local authorities in the surrounding counties—including those in the South East of England as need be—would be involved in providing initial rest and reception facilities for evacuees.

  We do not make publicly available detailed contingency plans for meeting specific needs on responding to particular types of incident.

  Emergency Tri-Service Centre
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment has been made of the operation of the Emergency Tri-Service Centre in Gloucestershire. [146569]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made no assessment of the operation of the Emergency Tri-Service centre in Gloucestershire. The Government's consultants, Mott MacDonald, looked at shared control arrangements while undertaking work to update their April 2000 report "The Future of Fire Service Control Rooms and Communications in England and Wales". The latest report was published on 11 December 2003 and copies are available in the Library of the House.

  EU Regional Funding
  Ann Winterton
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what organisations responsible for the distribution of European Union regional funding currently operate in the(a) North East, (b) Yorkshire and Humberside and (c) North West regions; and what organisations in each of those areas are in receipt of such funding. [146683]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The distribution of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in England is the responsibility of Government Offices for the Regions. The Government Offices for the North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber respectively distribute funds to recipient organisations in their regions.

  A variety of public, private and voluntary sector organisations in these areas receive ERDF. A list of recipients of ERDF during the current 2000–06 programming period will be available in the Libraries of the House. ERDF supports measures such as the development of sites and premises for industry and businesses; transport infrastructure; support for small and medium sized enterprises; tourism; research and development; and community economic development.

  Firefighters
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reason the budget of the Arson Control Forum is projected to rise from £1.36 million in 2002–03 to £4.02 million in 2003–04 and to £4.80 million in 2005–06. [146420]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Since 2001 the Arson Control Forum has funded 50 local pilot projects designed to reduce arson. The increased budget recognises their success and will enable the forum to fund additional projects, due to be announced shortly, which build on the lessons learned from the original pilots.

  Local arson reduction projects are essential to achieve the Government's target to reduce by 10 per cent. the number of deliberate fires by March 2010 from the 2001–02 baseline, as published in the Fire White Paper 'Our Fire and Rescue Service'. This target is a key objective in the Government's plans to reform the fire and rescue service which include increased emphasis on fire prevention work. This objective was reiterated in the draft Fire and Rescue National Framework, published on 11 December 2003.

  Housing
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research he has commissioned on the growth of holiday homes in areas where there is a perceived shortage of affordable housing, with particular reference to pressure on local services. [146631]

  Keith Hill
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not commissioned any research on this topic. However, the annual Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Survey of English Housing (SEH) estimates the number of households in England with a second home including the number of those categorised as Holiday Home/Retirement Home/Weekend Cottage. The report on the 2001/02 SEH is available in the Library of the House.
  568W
  Jon Trickett
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of cost of improving the Wakefield council housing stock to the Government's prescribed standards. [147454]

  Keith Hill
  The Deputy Prime Minister has not made any estimate of the cost of improving the Wakefield council housing stock to the Government's prescribed standards. This is for the council to determine as part of its business planning process. Based on the findings of an independent stock condition survey, commissioned by Wakefield Metropolitan District Council in 2002, it has been estimated that it will cost £236 million (at today's prices) to bring all public sector stock up to the Government's decent homes standard by year 2010.

  Housing Stock Transfer
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which local authorities have still to ballot local authorities tenants on transfer of their housing stock. [146978]

  Keith Hill
  There are a total of 10 local authorities on the 2003 LSVT Programme who have yet to ballot their tenants. They are as follows:

  Forest Heath District Council

  London Borough Islington (two partial transfers)

  London Borough Lambeth (three partial transfers)

  Manchester City Council (three partial transfers)

  Middlesbrough

  North East Lincolnshire

  Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

  Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council

  Wakefield Metropolitan Borough Council

  Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

  Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time firefighters were employed by the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service in each of the last five years. [146977]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The information requested is tabled as follows:

  Number of firefighters employed by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service

  Date

  Wholetime

  Retained

  31 March 1999

  1,007

  402

  31 March 2000

  1,008

  398

  31 March 2001

  1,010

  371

  31 March 2002

  1,002

  357

  31 March 2003

  1,015

  369

  Source:

  Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Annual Returns to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

  Leasehold
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress made to implement the provisions of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 which will allow leaseholders of houses to select their own insurer. [146678]
  569W
  Keith Hill
  It is anticipated an Order will be made by May 2004 to bring into force the remaining provisions of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. These provisions include those relating to property insurance, to the new Right to Enfranchise companies, and to accounting and forfeiture. Commencement dates will vary depending on the lead-in period needed by landlords to prepare for the changes, but the provisions relating to insurance should be effective by September 2004.

  Local Authorities
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new(a) statutory and (b) regulatory requirements were placed on local authorities in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2003. [147238]

  Mr. Raynsford
  This information is not held centrally in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, our arrangements for the funding of local authority revenue spending in any year take into account the cost pressures and new burdens on local government including those identified with the Local Government Association in the context of the relevant Spending Review.

  Sheltered Housing
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent action the Government has taken to promote sheltered housing; and if he will make a statement on the provision of sheltered housing in York and North Yorkshire. [145125]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Government is committed to ensuring that all vulnerable people receive the housing-related support they need including, where appropriate, sheltered housing and associated support services such as provision for wardens, to help them improve their quality of life by providing a stable environment, enabling greater independence. The Supporting People programme, introduced in April 2003, provides an integrated framework for planning and funding housing-related support services.

  In February 2003, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department of Health and the Housing Corporation jointly published Preparing Older People's Strategies—linking housing to health, social care and other local strategies. Local authorities are encouraged to use it as part of drawing up local delivery and capacity plans for older people's services, which includes working in partnership with housing authorities. It stresses that older people's strategies on housing need to engage with and consult older people.

  In York and North Yorkshire the following housing schemes for older people included in Housing Corporation programmes for 2002–03 and 2003–04 are being funded by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister through the Housing Corporation:

  Stokesley, Hambleton: 40 units of extra-care accommodation.

  Hospital of James Knowles, Craven: Improvements to seven units of almshouse accommodation.

  St. Georges, Harrogate: 12 units of warden supported housing.
  570W
  Swan Hill, Scarborough: Approximately 18 units of warden supported housing.

  In York there are currently 595 tenancies in council sheltered housing schemes and a further 887 tenancies in the independent sector. Over the next year York council will be improving facilities in two of its sheltered schemes to provide the potential to deliver 78 extra-care tenancies.

  Tenancy Deposits
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the proportion of completed tenancies requiring independent adjudication under the pilot voluntary tenancy deposit scheme was; and if he will estimate the proportion of completed tenancies that would require independent adjudication under a statutory tenancy deposit scheme. [147052]

  Keith Hill
  The Independent Housing Ombudsman, who managed the pilot voluntary tenancy deposit scheme, has no information on the proportion of completed tenancies requiring independent adjudication under those schemes. That is because the terms of reference of the pilot scheme did not require that the number of completed tenancies should be recorded.

  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no reliable estimate of the number of disputes that would require adjudication under a statutory tenancy deposit scheme. The Survey of English Housing 2001–02 noted that some 20 per cent. of households with a tenancy ending in the previous three years claimed to have had their deposit unreasonably withheld in full or in part. The number of disputes, for which independent adjudication might be required under any statutory arrangements for tenancy deposit protection, might well be lower than this figure.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of private tenants who have had their tenancy deposit unreasonably withheld in each of the last five years, broken down by Government office region. [147053]

  Keith Hill
  The information is not currently available. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as the information is available.

  Thames Gateway
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average residential density was of housing developments given planning permission since March 2000 in the boroughs that make up the London part of the Thames Gateway, as defined by RPG9a: The Thames Gateway Planning Framework. [146844]

  Keith Hill
  Information relating to the average residential density of housing development in the boroughs that make up the London part of the Thames Gateway is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what(a) criteria and (b) milestones have been established for monitoring the implementation of the Government's plans for the Thames Gateway; and who is responsible for carrying out the necessary monitoring. [146845]
  571W
  Keith Hill
  The Government's plans for the Thames Gateway are set out in "Creating Sustainable Communities: Making It Happen in the Thames Gateway and Growth Areas", published on 30 July 2003. That document makes it clear that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be establishing a Gateway delivery office to work alongside local, regional and national partners to turn strategic plans into operational programmes. The Gateway Office will be responsible for monitoring implementation of the Government's plans. It is anticipated that the Office will be up and running shortly.

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in respect of the new communities that are envisaged in the Thames Gateway, what plans the Government have for the adoption of standards for access to community infrastructure, with particular reference to(a) schools, (b) health care facilities, (c) leisure facilities and (d) open spaces. [146846]

  Keith Hill
  The information is as follows:

  (a) (b) (c) For the Thames Gateway and elsewhere, planning policy (in particular Planning Policy Guidance 13) makes it clear that jobs, shopping, leisure facilities and services should be accessible by public transport, walking and cycling.

  In addition, the Social Exclusion Unit's "Making the Connections" report, published in February 2003, sets out a strategy to help people on low incomes access work, food shops and key public services, notably education and health care. This includes the approach of accessibility planning in those areas that produce a Local Transport Plan, where local transport planners and others work together to examine accessibility needs and how to overcome barriers. Accessibility planning is currently being piloted and various accessibility indicators are under consideration.

  (d) Well-designed and managed open spaces are an essential ingredient of thriving, inclusive and sustainable communities in the Thames Gateway and elsewhere. Our planning policies (set out in Planning Policy Guidance 17) require a robust assessment of the existing and future needs of communities for open space, guiding their provision and management, and allow local authorities to set local standards to meet the identified needs of their community.

  Yorkshire and Humber Housing Board
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how much has been allocated to the 572W
  Yorkshire and Humber Regional Housing Board for 2003–04; and how much of this is allocated by them to (a) repairs and renovation of council housing and (b) privatisation of council housing; [146422]

  (2) how much has been allocated in the current financial year by the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Housing Board to gap funding for privatisation of council housing to (a) north-east Lincolnshire and (b) other local authorities; and what the allocation of gap funding per council property is in each area which has received it. [146423]

  Keith Hill
  2003/04 was the last year for which housing capital allocations were made to local authorities on the old basis of recommendations made to Ministers by Government Offices (the Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Housing Board was not therefore involved). As was standard, 80 per cent. of the resources available were allocated using a needs-based formula and 20 per cent. according to performance. Local authorities in Yorkshire and the Humber had an allocation of £65.9 million. This was for authorities to use according to their own priorities, without having to identify specific purposes such as repair and renovation of council housing or supporting stock transfers.

  Under the new arrangements (introduced last year in the Communities Plan) the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Housing Board recommended capital allocations to local authorities totalling £76 million for 2004–05 and £81 million for 2005–06. The recommendations, which we accepted, included a fixed sum based on a needs-based formula (95 percent. in 2004–05 and 70 per cent. in 2005–06 of what they would have received under the old arrangements).

  The balance is being used to commission proposals to deliver regional housing strategy priorities, and, in 2005–06, £10 million for 'transformational proposals' of regional significance, which deliver one or more of the regional housing strategy priorities. The Board has said that it will consider applications for gap funding from this £10 million in specific circumstances. Gap funding proposals have been submitted by north-east Lincolnshire and one other local authority. I understand that the Regional Housing Board will be considering at its meeting on 22 January all proposals submitted.

  Separate from the above, local authorities in Yorkshire and the Humber also benefited from support for capital investment through the major repairs allowance (current figures are £172 million in each of 2003–04 and 2004–05). This allowance, calculated formulaically, covers the bulk of support for the repair and renovation of council housing.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  Asylum Seekers
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children seeking asylum who have arrived in the UK are missing from care. [144996]

  Margaret Hodge
  At 31 March 2003, the most recent date for which information is available, there were 15 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children missing from their agreed placements within local authority care in England. Information is not collected by this Department on the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who are in care in other parts of the UK.

  Child Care
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many extra child care places have been created in each year since 1997; [145266]

  (2) how many child care places have been created in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards in each year since 1997. [145269]

  Margaret Hodge
  The available information is shown in the table.

  New child care places1

  New child care places England2

  New child care places net of closures, England2

  New child care places net of closures, 20 per cent. Most disadvantaged wards in England, estimated3

  1997–98

  7,500

  6,000

  n/a

  1998–99

  66,200

  53,000

  n/a

  1999–2000

  133,000

  67,800

  n/a

  2000–01

  168,200

  87,000

  n/a

  2001–02

  139,800

  82,800

  41,800

  2002–03

  185,400

  87,300

  59,600

  1 All figures relate to financial years and are rounded to the nearest hundred places. Child care places are defined to include: places for pre-school children which last three-and-a-half hours or longer per day, in day nurseries or with childminders; places for children receiving nursery education which, combined with the nursery education, total at least three-and-a-half hours per day; and places for statutory school age children aged up to 14 (16 for those with special educational needs or disabilities) in breakfast or after school clubs or with childminders for any length of time, or in holiday play schemes of three and a half hours or longer per day.

  2 Figures from 1999–2000 onwards are drawn from local authorities' quarterly child care returns. Figures for 1997–98 and 1998–99 relate only to child care places directly funded by Government.

  3 This information was not collected prior to 2001–02. Figures are drawn from local authorities' Early Years Development and Childcare Plans, and reflect their estimated position at 31 March 2002 and 31 March 2003.

  574W
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been made available for child care for each year since 1997. [145267]

  Margaret Hodge
  As published in the Department for Education and Skills Departmental Report 2003, expenditure was:

  £ million

  Sure Start

  Early Years and Childcare

  Total

  1997–98

  —

  1,203

  1,203

  1998–99

  —

  1,349

  1,349

  1999–2000

  7

  1,486

  1,493

  2000–01

  56

  1,652

  1,708

  2001–02

  134

  1,823

  1,957

  2002–03

  210

  2,114

  2,324

  Note:

  The 2002–03 expenditure quoted reflects actual expenditure as opposed to the estimates contained in the Departmental Report.

  The Early Years and Childcare figures include early education funding (Under Fives Block) to local authorities.

  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many registered child minders there were in England and Wales in each year since 1997. [145268]

  Margaret Hodge
  Figures are only available for England. Child care is a devolved issue.

  Data on the number of registered child minders was recorded by the Day Care Facilities Study from 1997 to 2001. In September 2001 Ofsted took over the registration of places and undertook a 'cleansing' exercise to delete all registered childminders who were no longer operating. This exercise was undertaken throughout 2001–02, therefore there are no figures available for registered child minders for 2002. Ofsted published their March 2003 data in June.

  Registered child minders 1997–2003 are as follows:

  Number

  1997

  98,500

  1998

  94,700

  1999

  82,200

  2000

  75,600

  2001

  72,300

  2002

  n/a

  2003

  68,200

  Although there was a constant decline in childminders year on year to 2003, the number of child minders is now showing a steady increase month on month. Ofsted data at September 2003 shows an increase in the number of operational child minders of 2,000 since March 2003.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many childcare places there are in England. [145662]
  575W
  Margaret Hodge
  This is a matter for Ofsted. The HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Government are doing to extend the availability of affordable, good quality child care. [146259]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Government have funded a major expansion in child care through their National Childcare Strategy. Since 1997, 808,000 new places have been created, benefiting well over 1.4 million children. Following the more than doubling in child care expenditure agreed as part of the 2002 Spending Review, the number of children benefiting from new places will rise to over 2 million by 2006.

  Specific initiatives such as Sure Start local programmes, Neighbourhood Nurseries and our new Children's Centres, are extending high quality child care in disadvantaged communities, increasingly provided alongside early education and health and family support.

  Our National Standards set a benchmark of quality below which no registered child care provider should fall arid Ofsted inspects against these Standards.

  Substantial help with child care costs is provided to lower and middle income families through the child care element of the working tax credit. The Chancellor announced new plans in his Pre Budget Report in December to encourage employer supported child care from April 2005 through tax exemptions of up to £50 per week for employees.

  Child Protection
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were considered at risk from abuse in(a) England and (b) Wales in 2002–03. [145691]

  Margaret Hodge
  Details of the number of children and young people on child protection registers in England for the period 2002–03 will be published by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) on Thursday 29 January 2004.

  At 31 March 2002 there were 25,700 children and young people on child protection registers in England, just over 4 per cent less than a year earlier.

  Information is not collected by DfES on the number of children who are considered at risk from abuse in Wales.

  Food Technology
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of hours spent each week teaching food technology in years one to nine; and what proportion of that time involves practical cooking skills. [146346]
  576W
  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  No estimate has been made of the amount of time schools spend on teaching food technology. Food technology is part of the design and technology curriculum, and, as with all subjects, it is for individual schools to plan their timetable. Schools allocate time to each subject to meet the needs of their pupils and to fulfil the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum. 'Designing and Timetabling the Primary Curriculum', published in 2002 by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and 'Designing the Key Stage 3 Curriculum', published by DfES in 2002 provide guidance for schools.

  We are encouraging schools to undertake more practical cookery as part of our joint Food in Schools programme with the Department of Health.

  Free School Meals
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have fallen below the 20 per cent. threshold of pupils taking free school meals in the past five years. [145424]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  The information is given separately for pupils taking free school meals and for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in primary and secondary schools over the last five years.

  Maintained primary and secondary schools1: proportion of school population known to be eligible for a free school meal. Position in January each year 1999 to 2003—England

  Maintained Primary Schools

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  Number of schools by proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals2

  Below 20 per cent.

  12,230

  12,368

  12,534

  12,639

  12,631

  20 per cent. and over

  6,004

  5,790

  5,535

  5,346

  5,230

  Total number of schools

  18,234

  18.158

  18,069

  17,985

  17,861

  Percentage of schools by proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals3

  Below 20 per cent

  67.1

  68.1

  69.4

  70.3

  70.7

  20 per cert. and over

  32.9

  31.9

  30.6

  29.7

  29.3

  Total

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  Maintained Secondary Schools

  Number of schools by proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals2

  Below 20 per cent.

  2,367

  2,397

  2,421

  2,491

  2,502

  20 per cent. and over

  1,193

  1,153

  1,060

  966

  934

  Total number of schools

  3,560

  3,550

  3,481

  3,457

  3,436

  Percentage of schools by proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals3

  Below 20 per cent.

  66.5

  67.5

  69.5

  72.1

  72.8

  20 per cent. and over

  33.5

  32.5

  30.5

  27.9

  27.2

  Total

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  1Includes middle schools as deemed.

  2 Prior to 2001 figures relate to number of pupils known to be eligible for a free school meal. From 2001 this definition was expanded to include only pupils who were known to be eligible for and claiming a free school meal.

  3 Number of schools in each band expressed as a percentage of all schools.

  Source:

  Annual Schools Census
  577W

  Maintained primary and secondary schools1: proportion of school population who took a free school meal Position in January each year 1999 to 2003—England

  Maintained Primary Schools

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  Number of schools by proportion of school population taking a free school meal2

  Below 20 per cent.

  13,602

  13,601

  13,870

  13,865

  13,735

  20 per cent. and over

  4,632

  4,557

  4,199

  4,120

  4,126

  Total number of schools

  18,234

  18,158

  18,069

  17,985

  17,861

  Percentage of schools by proportion of school population taking a free school meal3

  Below 20 per cent.

  74.6

  74.9

  76.8

  77.1

  76.9

  20 per cert. and over

  25.4

  25.1

  23.2

  22.9

  23.1

  Total

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  Maintained Secondary Schools

  Number of schools by proportion of school population taking a free school meal2

  Below 20 per cent.

  2,845

  2.839

  2,858

  2,870

  2,856

  20 per cent. and over

  715

  711

  623

  587

  580

  Total number of schools

  3,560

  3,550

  3,481

  3,457

  3,436

  Percentage of schools by proportion of school population taking a free school meal3

  Below 20 per cent.

  79.9

  80.0

  82.1

  83.0

  83.1

  20 per cent. and over

  20.1

  20.0

  17.9

  17.0

  16.9

  Total

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  1 Includes middle schools as deemed.

  2 Proportion of school population taking a free school meal on the day of the Census in January.

  3 Number of schools in each band expressed as a percentage of all schools.

  Source:

  Annual Schools' Census

  Information Technology
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to increase the information technology skills of teaching staff. [146660]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  A range of materials to enable teachers to fully embed ICT in their subject teaching have been developed. Materials covering Key Stage 1 and 2 literacy and numeracy, including Foundation Stage, and Key Stage 3 science were launched in 32 LEA areas last year. These subjects, together with Key Stage 3 English, maths, art, geography, design and technology, ICT and modern foreign languages were formally launched nationally at the BETT2004 Exhibition at Olympia this week. Further subjects will follow later. In addition to the materials, extensive one-to-one mentoring and online peer group support are an integral part of these courses.

  The Department has contracted a number of commercial providers to develop these materials and schools are able to buy into them using Standards Fund money.

  Training in the effective use of ICT in teaching is a mandatory part of Teacher Training Institute training courses.

  Andrew Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures are in place to promote recruitment of teachers of information and communication technology. [146664]

  Mr. Miliband
  From September 2000, £6,000 training bursaries have been offered to postgraduate trainee teachers. £4,000 Golden Hellos are also available to those 578W
  who go on to teach priority subjects, including information and communication technology, in a maintained school. Since September 2002, these incentives have been reinforced by the Repayment of Teachers' Loans scheme piloted for three years for new teachers of priority subjects. These incentives have helped to more than double recruitment to courses of initial teacher training in information and communication technology between 1999/2000 and 2003/04.

  KPMG Services
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the services to be provided to schools by KPMG which he announced on 29 October, including the number of schools to be visited and the expected average duration of that visit; and if he will make a statement on changes in the extent and scope of the work in the period since he first announced the programme. [145614]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  [holding answer 5 January 2004]: KPMG and the National College for School Leadership (NCSL), in consultation with key stakeholders including local authority, teacher and governor associations, have jointly developed a range of budget management support for schools, including online materials, workshops and consultancy services. The programme of workshops, which will be rolled out from January to March 2004 will be available to 1,000 schools and follow-up surgeries will be available, on a regional basis, for up to 125 schools with pressing and complex problems. The website containing online support materials was launched on 15 December and is available to all schools, as will be the central helpdesk, run by NCSL and available from this month.

  Maintenance Grants
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the implications of raising the level of maintenance grants above £1,000. [147241]

  Alan Johnson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the Regulatory Impact Assessment, published on 8 January, which sets out the costs and benefits of introducing a new national grant of up to £1,000 a year from 2004/05 for students from low income families, and of increasing the grant to £1,500 a year from 2006/07. Copies of the Regulatory Impact Assessment were placed in the Library of the House; it is also available on the Department for Education and Skills website.

  Off-site Educational Visits
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent advice has been issued to schools and teachers about arrangements for off-site educational visits. [145796]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  My Department has published:

  "Standards for LEAs in Overseeing Educational Visits (2002)"1

  "Standards for Adventure (2002)"1

  "A Handbook for Group Leaders (2002)"1

  "Group Safety at Water Margins (2003)"—produced with the Central Council of Physical Recreation

  1 These supplement "Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits: A Good Practice Guide 1998"

  Pupil Absences
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 16 December 2003,Official Report, column 836W, on pupil absences, if he will break down the number of

  Unauthorised absence in maintained primary and secondary schools in England, 1997/98 and 2002/03

  Academic year 1997/98

  Academic year 2002/03

  Total possible sessions

  Number of half days missed due to unauthorized absence

  Percentage of half days missed due to unauthorized absence

  Total possible sessions

  Number of half days missed due to unauthorized absence

  Percentage of half days missed due to unauthorized absence

  Barking and Dagenham

  6,960,095

  105,543

  1.52

  7,459,186

  119,169

  1.60

  Barnet

  11,942,107

  77,882

  0.65

  11,778,740

  87,718

  0.74

  Barnsley

  8,743,218

  103,801

  1.19

  9,345,586

  95,717

  1.02

  Bath and North East Somerset

  6,612,203

  25,869

  0.39

  6,550,822

  37,512

  0.57

  Bedfordshire

  15,385,361

  57,620

  0.37

  16,147,095

  55,529

  0.34

  Bexley

  9,197,337

  38,296

  0.42

  10,093,091

  54,322

  0.54

  Birmingham

  43,684,482

  516,068

  1.18

  44,600,995

  453,883

  1.02

  Blackburn with Darwen

  6,863,979

  68,232

  0.99

  6,933,373

  54,619

  0.79

  Blackpool

  5,523,173

  61,956

  1.12

  5,565,569

  54,300

  0.98

  Bolton

  12,305,786

  114,299

  0.93

  12,111,994

  85,928

  0.71

  Bournemouth

  5,496,631

  43,585

  0.79

  5,532,530

  21,680

  0.39

  Bracknell Forest

  3,787,557

  13,079

  0.35

  3,899,460

  16,946

  0.43

  Bradford

  21,921,765

  357,869

  1.63

  20,822,223

  316,047

  1.52

  Brent

  8,491,833

  65,143

  0.77

  9,333,083

  56,144

  0.60

  Brighton and Hove

  7,140,966

  59,889

  0.84

  7,892,669

  75,869

  0.96

  Bristol, City of

  12,740,007

  153,001

  1.20

  12,638,508

  173,184

  1.37

  Bromley

  11,518,807

  54,438

  0.47

  11,965,363

  87,561

  0.73

  Buckinghamshire

  18,547,877

  51,341

  0.28

  19,108,430

  84,148

  0.44

  Bury

  7,786,809

  40,038

  0.51

  7,949,847

  37,419

  0.47

  Calderdale

  9,117,237

  46,840

  0.51

  9,108,847

  47,033

  0.52

  Cambridgeshire

  19,309,270

  105,432

  0.55

  20,308,069

  110,359

  0.54

  Camden

  5,377,029

  78,679

  1.46

  4,890,033

  55,645

  1.14

  Cheshire

  27,648,326

  137,638

  0.50

  27,850,790

  168,179

  0.60

  Cornwall

  19,103,370

  72,092

  0.38

  19,713,625

  77,577

  0.39

  Coventry

  12,977,784

  99,842

  0.77

  12,528,870

  71,501

  0.57

  Croydon

  11,982,517

  67,594

  0.56

  12,811,239

  110,841

  0.87

  Cumbria

  20,114,014

  67,279

  0.33

  20,279,090

  100,163

  0.49

  Darlington

  4,220,750

  31,946

  0.76

  4,015,669

  23,798

  0.59

  Derby City

  9,496,622

  76,289

  0.80

  9,776,185

  87,290

  0.89

  Derbyshire

  28,990,500

  184,011

  0.63

  30,650,557

  202,425

  0.66

  Devon

  24,941.506

  114,542

  0.46

  25,992,151

  154,447

  0.59

  Doncaster

  13,055,709

  149,394

  1.14

  12,885,981

  120,776

  0.94

  Dorset

  14,147,822

  56,849

  0.40

  14,544,725

  55,073

  0.38

  Dudley

  12,221,676

  46,843

  0.38

  13,630,374

  80,903

  0.59

  Durham

  20,105,892

  146,200

  0.73

  20,027,339

  73,511

  0.37

  Ealing

  9,864,678

  84,732

  0.86

  9,957,712

  48,907

  0.49

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  12,690,313

  66,481

  0.52

  13,492,330

  57,494

  0.43

  East Sussex

  16,296,427

  120,771

  0.74

  17,884,590

  148,004

  0.83

  Enfield

  11,731,951

  111,415

  0.95

  12,036,439

  173,070

  1.44

  Essex

  51,192,177

  292,106

  0.57

  52,313,880

  305,488

  0.58

  Gateshead

  7,741,720

  76,121

  0.98

  7,405,780

  42,292

  0.57

  Gloucestershire

  22,252,023

  67,411

  0.30

  22,707,564

  82,832

  0.36

  Greenwich

  8,612,526

  172,048

  2.00

  8,999,902

  166,073

  1.85

  Hackney

  6,386,670

  101,078

  1.58

  6,528,327

  105,774

  1.62

  Halton

  5,849,448

  53,627

  0.92

  5,438,109

  69,126

  1.27

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  3,481,002

  65,994

  1.90

  4,056,354

  48,180

  1.19

  Hampshire

  46,126,635

  244,954

  0.53

  47,696,466

  315.381

  0.66

  Haringey

  7,816,702

  128,095

  1.64

  8,201,203

  143,333

  1.75

  Harrow

  7,844,823

  43,429

  0.55

  7,781,906

  25,072

  0.32

  Hartlepool

  4,051,517

  53,341

  1.32

  4,307,027

  51,843

  1.20

  Havering

  9,427,217

  37,739

  0.40

  9,572,671

  37,431

  0.39

  Herefordshire

  6,546,757

  24,019

  0.37

  6,809,255

  31,673

  0.47

  Hertfordshire

  42,043,377

  180,011

  0.43

  43,498,050

  229,107

  0.53

  Hillingdon

  9,259,142

  97,442

  1.05

  10,170,299

  111,853

  1.10

  Hounslow

  8,416,806

  77,565

  0.92

  8,603,901

  95,439

  1.11

  Isle of Wight

  4,983,329

  20,365

  0.41

  5,110,221

  30,031

  0.59

  Isles of Scilly

  64,884

  121

  0.19

  63,326

  441

  0.70

  Islington

  6,191,369

  105,073

  1.70

  5,950,006

  80,662

  1.36

  Kensington and Chelsea

  2,381,581

  41,502

  1.74

  2,561,091

  24,846

  0.97

  Kent

  51,645,835

  238,420

  0.46

  55,108,122

  279,301

  0.51

  Kingston upon Hull, City of

  11,278,575

  222,041

  1.97

  10,656,454

  156,049

  1.46

  Kingston upon Thames

  4.781,603

  24,577

  0.51

  5,043,212

  17,616

  0.35

  Kirklees

  17,076,263

  172,467

  1.01

  16,922,012

  129,658

  0.77

  Knowsley

  7,353,050

  116,731

  1.59

  7,062,038

  112,257

  1.59

  580W
  half days lost due to unauthorised absence in (a) 1997–98 and (b) 2002–03 by local education authority. [146470]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  [holding answer 8 January 2004]: The information requested is shown as follows:
  581W

  Unauthorised absence in maintained primary and secondary schools in England, 1997/98 and 2002/03

  Academic year 1997/98

  Academic year 2002/03

  Total possible sessions

  Number of half days missed due to unauthorized absence

  Percentage of half days missed due to unauthorized absence

  Total possible sessions

  Number of half days missed due to unauthorized absence

  Percentage of half days missed due to unauthorized absence

  Lambeth

  6,616,896

  88,978

  1.34

  6,769,620

  62,317

  0.92

  Lancashire

  48,581,138

  258,625

  0.53

  48.954,065

  266,747

  0.54

  Leeds

  28,744,260

  337,757

  1.18

  28,933,535

  319,327

  1.10

  Leicester City

  12,734,281

  143,282

  1.13

  12,689,113

  194,712

  1.53

  Leicestershire

  26,006,408

  141,512

  0.54

  26,533,381

  174,417

  0.66

  Lewisham

  8,258,734

  150,844

  1.83

  8,709,699

  136,429

  1.57

  Lincolnshire

  24,181,115

  133,479

  0.55

  27,067,264

  138,489

  0.51

  Liverpool

  19,660,250

  267,289

  1.36

  18,892,558

  200,971

  1.06

  London, City of

  50,796

  976

  1.92

  54,342

  0

  0.00

  Luton

  8,026,192

  58,169

  0.72

  8,507,459

  54,672

  0.64

  Manchester

  17,161,916

  300,544

  1.75

  16,811,825

  200,799

  1.19

  Medway

  11,210,947

  71,279

  0.64

  11,633,094

  60,413

  0.52

  Merton

  5,779,338

  80,513

  1.39

  5,441.153

  41,819

  0.77

  Middlesbrough

  6,305,740

  61,431

  0.97

  5,983,567

  40,771

  0.68

  Milton Keynes

  8,583,082

  41,480

  0.48

  9,305,084

  40,801

  0.44

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  10,027,943

  86,336

  0.86

  9,579,712

  83,829

  0.88

  Newham

  11,225,046

  281,582

  2.51

  11,719,076

  150,900

  1.29

  Norfolk

  27,851,813

  169,643

  0.61

  30,114,741

  206,752

  0.69

  North East Lincolnshire

  7,461,441

  83,474

  1.12

  7,303,691

  67,923

  0.93

  North Lincolnshire

  6,833,885

  45,071

  0.66

  6,678,118

  36,530

  0.55

  North Somerset

  7,101,334

  42,540

  0.60

  7,457,736

  51,788

  0.69

  North Tyneside

  7,893,708

  35,662

  0.45

  7,806,945

  37,468

  0.48

  North Yorkshire

  22,193,981

  60,788

  0.27

  23,726,431

  83,564

  0.35

  Northamptonshire

  26,199,295

  166,709

  0.64

  27,575,895

  197,952

  0.72

  Northumberland

  13,095,643

  48,321

  0.37

  12,637,969

  36,493

  0.29

  Nottingham City

  10,522,642

  234,731

  2.23

  9,902,153

  132,671

  1.34

  Nottinghamshire

  30,194,615

  262,053

  0.87

  31,091,195

  279,326

  0.90

  Oldham

  11,049,488

  124,707

  1.13

  10,797,455

  103,252

  0.96

  Oxfordshire

  21,882,823

  174,275

  0.80

  22,084,106

  145,787

  0.66

  Peterborough City

  7,314,293

  56,346

  0.77

  7,527,333

  51,405

  0.68

  Plymouth

  10,407,858

  61,045

  0.59

  10,018,234

  41,800

  0.42

  Poole

  4,894,319

  27,561

  0.56

  5,053,137

  33,897

  0.67

  Portsmouth

  6,978,696

  84,443

  1.21

  6,887,267

  74,618

  1.08

  Reading

  4,501,271

  51,138

  1.14

  4,136,438

  42,177

  1.02

  Redbridge

  9,567,710

  58,420

  0.61

  10,443,598

  76,663

  0.73

  Redcar and Cleveland

  6,476,772

  44,796

  0.69

  6,529,839

  39,005

  0.60

  Richmond upon Thames

  5,387,735

  26,734

  0.50

  5,220,053

  56,648

  1.09

  Rochdale

  9,343,930

  102,814

  1.10

  9,479,481

  90,003

  0.95

  Rotherham

  11,850,034

  120,999

  1.02

  11,956,554

  100,738

  0.84

  Rutland

  1,403,662

  5,284

  0.38

  1,425,488

  4,570

  0.32

  Salford

  9,059,496

  100,157

  1.11

  8,984,375

  106,531

  1.19

  Sandwell

  12,717,785

  130,452

  1.03

  12,772,004

  121,645

  0.95

  Sefton

  12,468,268

  54,426

  0.44

  11,857,845

  51,244

  0.43

  Sheffield

  19,498,865

  299,826

  1.54

  20,013,151

  254,156

  1.27

  Shropshire

  10,593,845

  43,335

  0.41

  11,182,692

  31,787

  0.28

  Slough

  4,326,982

  33,062

  0.76

  4,920,858

  52,245

  1.06

  Solihull

  9,534,393

  32,823

  0.34

  9,504,941

  52,417

  0.55

  Somerset

  18,108,993

  68,241

  0.38

  19,244,019

  85,716

  0.45

  South Gloucestershire

  9,731,927

  54,168

  0.56

  10,708,139

  73,654

  0.69

  South Tyneside

  6,721,986

  13,403

  0.20

  6,299,568

  25,145

  0.40

  Southampton

  8,370,654

  83,610

  1.00

  7,973,689

  68,754

  0.86

  Southend-on-Sea

  6,357,832

  64,139

  1.01

  6,756,687

  63,343

  0.94

  Southwark

  8,364,744

  169,937

  2.03

  8,962,748

  157,226

  1.75

  St. Helens

  7,672,838

  25,640

  0.33

  7,687,463

  53,720

  0.70

  Staffordshire

  33,514,654

  117,250

  0.35

  34,312,098

  151,716

  0.44

  Stockport

  11,448,314

  85,358

  0.75

  11,585,776

  62,960

  0.54

  Stockton on Tees

  8,663,358

  36,079

  0.42

  8,255,696

  36,991

  0.45

  Stoke on Trent

  10,021,352

  74,166

  0.74

  9,675,615

  106,045

  1.10

  Suffolk

  24,952,935

  87,289

  0.35

  26,223,004

  186,328

  0.71

  Sunderland

  13,251,439

  83,350

  0.63

  12,607,404

  65,400

  0.52

  Surrey

  34,191,515

  105,248

  0.31

  35,480,270

  208,644

  0.59

  Sutton

  7,035,996

  27,419

  0.39

  7,587,605

  35,024

  0.46

  Swindon

  7,818,601

  47,772

  0.61

  7,896,788

  32,009

  0.41

  Tameside

  10,187,487

  69,146

  0.68

  10,062,696

  39,554

  0.39

  Telford and Wrekin

  6,725,805

  48,127

  0.72

  7,047,540

  26,477

  0.38

  Thurrock

  5,806,143

  60,881

  1.05

  5,889,829

  58,493

  0.99

  Torbay

  4,688,784

  21,167

  0.45

  4,956,923

  43,381

  0.88

  Tower Hamlets

  8,452,799

  184,708

  2.19

  8,914,070

  138,820

  1.56

  Trafford

  9,260,873

  47,595

  0.51

  9,253,299

  34,771

  0.38

  Wakefield

  14,043,287

  102,408

  0.73

  14,085,535

  106,245

  0.75

  Walsall

  12,284,583

  105,354

  0.86

  12,241,652

  80.325

  0.66

  Waltham Forest

  8,773,590

  125,645

  1.43

  8,983,932

  81,085

  0.90

  582W 583W

  Unauthorised absence in maintained primary and secondary schools in England, 1997/98 and 2002/03

  Academic year 1997/98

  Academic year 2002/03

  Total possible sessions

  Number of half days missed due to unauthorized absence

  Percentage of half days missed due to unauthorized absence

  Total possible sessions

  Number of half days missed due to unauthorized absence

  Percentage of half days missed due to unauthorized absence

  Wandsworth

  6,660,268

  66,109

  0.99

  6,749,010

  52,766

  0.78

  Warrington

  8,723,569

  33,278

  0.38

  8,723,891

  41,370

  0.47

  Warwickshire

  20,146,407

  86,938

  0.43

  19,977,522

  91,302

  0.46

  West Berkshire

  6,162,872

  17,882

  0.29

  6,268,303

  28,747

  0.46

  West Sussex

  26,795,598

  100,465

  0.37

  28,012,548

  130,965

  0.47

  Westminster, City of

  4,388,316

  91,418

  2.08

  4,515,826

  48,561

  1.08

  Wigan

  14,582,708

  108,771

  0.75

  13,789,031

  57,062

  0.41

  Wiltshire

  16,265,723

  68,496

  0.42

  17,041,153

  74,818

  0.44

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  4,895,304

  17,719

  0.36

  4,981,077

  27,205

  0.55

  Wirral

  14,086,710

  87,329

  0.62

  13,900,770

  65,200

  0.47

  Wokingham

  6,246,147

  21,320

  0.34

  6,078,808

  24,143

  0.40

  Wolverhampton

  9,695,286

  109,925

  1.13

  10,263,693

  82,080

  0.80

  Worcestershire

  20,828,048

  114,354

  0.55

  21,152,365

  105,058

  0.50

  York, City of

  5.753,137

  26,843

  0.47

  6,488,028

  49,413

  0.76

  Total

  1,944,289,663

  14,673,753

  0.75

  1,987,988,695

  14,355,433

  0.72

  Notes:

  1 Figures relate to maintained primary and secondary schools but exclude maintained special schools and CTCs.

  2. Figures cover absences between September 1997 and May 1998, and September 2002 and May 2003.

  School Fruit Scheme
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much the Government have spent centrally on administering the National School Fruit Scheme in(a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [141789]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Department of Health spent £0.75 million in 2001–02 and £0.3 million in 2002–03 on administering and evaluating National School Fruit Scheme pilots, including the cost of the fruit. In 2002–03 and 2003–04 the lottery-funded New Opportunities Fund has been supporting a scaling-up of the original pilots region by region with £42 million. From 2004–05 the scheme will be rolled out to all local education authority infant schools in England with full funding by the Department of Health.

  School Meals
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if he will make a statement on provision of school meals by Essex county council; [146625]

  (2) what statutory requirements there are on local education authorities to provide school meals; and if he will make a statement. [146627]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  Local education authorities have a duty to provide free and paid for school meals that meet nutritional standards. Where a school has a delegated budget for meals, the governing body takes on these responsibilities. From April 2000, funding for school meals was delegated to all secondary schools. Primary and special schools can opt for delegation.

  From April 2004, Essex county council will delegate the budget for primary school meals. Primary school governing bodies will have the freedom to choose what form school meals should take, including the type of dishes served and the ingredients which are used. They can also choose the suppliers or providers for the school meal service.

  Specialist Schools
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in each local education authority area have specialist school status in the current financial year; and what the total funding made available in the current financial year under the programme is in each local education authority area. [145430]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is set out in the following table.

  Designated specialist schools receive a one-off £100,000 capital grant and £126 per pupil per annum for four years.

  Specialist schools funding by LEA report for 2003–04

  £

  LEA Name

  Total Funding 2003–04 (£)

  Number of specialist schools

  Barking & Dagenham, LB of

  637,982

  4

  Barnet, LB of

  1,400,119

  10

  Barnsley

  631,933

  4

  Bath & North East Somerset

  1,385,143

  10

  Bedfordshire

  1,060,517

  7

  Bexley, LB of

  609,235

  5

  Birmingham

  4,861,060

  38

  Blackburn with Darwen

  528,500

  4

  Blackpool

  603,594

  4

  Bolton

  1,651,324

  9

  Bournemouth

  608,875

  4

  Bracknell Forest

  301,000

  2

  Bradford

  1,781,843

  11

  Brent, LB of

  1,302,371

  9

  Brighton and Hove

  841,701

  5

  Bristol, City of

  789,803

  6

  Bromley, LB of

  1,425,131

  9

  Buckinghamshire

  1,885,833

  14

  Calderdale

  1,046,325

  7

  Cambridgeshire

  2,407,356

  18

  Camden, LB of

  680,375

  5

  Cheshire

  3,011,815

  21

  City of London

  0

  0

  Cornwall

  2,320,077

  16

  Coventry

  968,516

  6

  Croydon, LB of

  735,258

  6

  Cumbria

  3,540,915

  24

  Darlington

  580,922

  5

  Derby, City of

  629,194

  4

  Derbyshire

  2,343,109

  16

  585W

  £

  LEA Name

  Total Funding 2003–04 (£)

  Number of specialist schools

  Devon

  3,270,554

  20

  Doncaster

  1,535,445

  9

  Dorset

  1,919,353

  14

  Dudley

  1,198,763

  9

  Durham

  2,550,898

  20

  Ealing, LB of

  1,267,111

  8

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  1,464,165

  9

  East Sussex

  2,577,255

  18

  Enfield, LB of

  328,699

  2

  Essex

  7,217,790

  46

  Gateshead

  751,263

  5

  Gloucestershire

  3,926,911

  28

  Greenwich, LB of

  700,126

  6

  Hackney, LB of

  779,704

  7

  Halton

  413,875

  3

  Hammersmith & Fulham, LB of

  284,923

  2

  Hampshire

  4,338,545

  30

  Haringey, LB of

  648,152

  5

  Harrow, LB of

  548,165

  6

  Hartlepool

  411,750

  3

  Havering, LB of

  1,188,314

  8

  Herefordshire

  692,196

  5

  Hertfordshire

  5,579,233

  37

  Hillingdon, LB of

  926,375

  6

  Hounslow, LB of

  992,544

  6

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  0

  Isle of Wight

  254,875

  2

  Islington, LB of

  381,593

  3

  Kensington & Chelsea, RB of

  257,858

  2

  Kent

  5,207,511

  34

  Kingston upon Hull, city of

  613,000

  4

  Kingston-u-Thames, RB of

  976,994

  6

  Kirklees

  1,519,864

  11

  Knowsley

  381,375

  3

  Lambeth, LB of

  613,353

  5

  Lancashire

  4,487,863

  33

  Leeds

  3,227,501

  21

  Leicester City

  1,016,220

  8

  Leicestershire

  2,048,541

  13

  Lewisham, LB of

  366,896

  2

  Lincolnshire

  4,553,025

  38

  Liverpool

  2,392,400

  16

  Luton

  256,500

  2

  Manchester

  1,769,033

  11

  Medway

  781,750

  6

  Merton, LB of

  125,000

  1

  Middlesbrough

  707,465

  5

  Milton Keynes

  950,282

  6

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  1,334,875

  8

  Newham, LB of

  1,111,689

  7

  Norfolk

  2,955,519

  22

  North East Lincolnshire

  719,232

  5

  North Lincolnshire

  745,308

  7

  North Somerset

  1,063,262

  7

  North Tyneside

  956,324

  7

  North Yorkshire

  2,584,621

  17

  Northamptonshire

  2,367,376

  17

  Northumberland

  1,119,750

  9

  Nottingham, City of

  652,711

  5

  Nottinghamshire

  2,789,941

  19

  Oldham

  844,542

  6

  Oxfordshire

  2,946,909

  18

  Peterborough, City of

  791,218

  5

  Plymouth, City of

  1,338,399

  10

  Poole

  832,872

  6

  Portsmouth

  598,918

  4

  Reading

  338,489

  2

  Redbridge, LB of

  1,520,892

  10

  Redcar & Cleveland

  283,625

  2

  Richmond-upon-Thames, LB of

  583,125

  4

  Rochdale

  721,449

  5

  Rotherham

  1,368,703

  8

  Rutland

  190,125

  2

  Salford

  401,876

  3

  Sandwell

  947,509

  6

  Sefton

  823,534

  7

  Sheffield

  1,798,106

  12

  Shropshire

  2,201,918

  17

  Slough

  364,125

  4

  586W

  £

  LEA Name

  Total Funding 2003–04 (£)

  Number of specialist schools

  Solihull

  1,240,467

  8

  Somerset

  3,477,083

  25

  South Gloucestershire

  1,418,522

  8

  South Tyneside

  297,625

  2

  Southampton

  615,152

  4

  Southend-on-Sea

  955,243

  7

  Southwark, LB of

  566,474

  5

  St. Helens

  803,417

  5

  Staffordshire

  2,752,296

  20

  Stockport

  512,610

  3

  Stockton-on-Tees

  804,226

  6

  Stoke-on-Trent

  938,782

  7

  Suffolk

  2,459,391

  18

  Sunderland

  1,613,043

  10

  Surrey

  3,398,169

  23

  Sutton, LB of

  930,155

  6

  Swindon

  562,019

  3

  Tameside

  742,838

  5

  Telford and Wrekin

  559,060

  4

  Thurrock

  589,584

  4

  Torbay

  493,875

  3

  Tower Hamlets, LB of

  733,994

  6

  Trafford

  1,569,225

  12

  Wakefield

  1,855,223

  11

  Walsall

  2,364,868

  15

  Waltham Forest, LB of

  680,990

  5

  Wandsworth. LB of

  834,442

  6

  Warrington

  949,121

  6

  Warwickshire

  2,528,359

  18

  West Berkshire

  1,433,404

  10

  West Sussex

  2,386,266

  14

  Westminster, LB of

  352,000

  3

  Wigan

  1,597,818

  12

  Wiltshire

  1,821,207

  13

  Windsor & Maidenhead, RB of

  783,000

  4

  Wirral

  1,283,875

  10

  Wokingham

  599,125

  4

  Wolverhampton

  998,174

  8

  Worcestershire

  2,134,630

  15

  York, City of

  846,255

  7

  Teaching Methods
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 15 December 2003,Official Report, column 669W, if he will make a statement on the relationship between ability grouping and (a) personalised learning and (b) teaching tailored to the needs of pupils; and what the role of central government is in implementing these teaching practices. [145527]

  Mr. Miliband
  Ability grouping is one measure by which schools can personalise the learning and tailor teaching to the needs of pupils. However, it is possible to identify a list of benefits and limitations for the main kinds of ability grouping at the level of the institution, teacher and pupil. It is for schools within the context of their particular circumstances to develop and determine for themselves which forms of ability grouping have the most positive impact for different groups of pupils within different learning contexts (such as different subject areas).

  Through the primary and Key Stage 3 national strategies we will be making available to teachers later this year support in assessment for learning techniques and approaches to promote personalised learning.

  Toilet Training
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the number of children who have been adequately toilet trained prior to entry to school. [146728]

  Margaret Hodge
  My Department has not assessed how many children have been adequately toilet trained prior to entry to school.

  Value Added Improvements
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to address difficulties in assessing value added improvements in secondary schools where part of their intake have not previously been evaluated in terms of SATS and teacher assessment. [146560]

  Mr. Miliband
  Value added measures for schools can only be calculated using existing data. Given that all pupils of compulsory school age attending maintained mainstream schools follow the National Curriculum, there are only a very small number who were not assessed at the end of the earlier key stage—for example, only 3 per cent. of 15-year-olds had no prior attainment data at Key Stage 3 in the 2003 performance tables.

  Though most schools will be unaffected, we accept that a small number might have a significant proportion of pupils with no prior attainment data—for example, pupils from overseas. This is why we publish a coverage indicator in the performance tables which shows the percentage of pupils on which the value added calculation is based.

HEALTH

  Genital Mutilation
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate the Government have made of the number of women who have undergone genital mutilation in(a) St. Helens and (b) Merseyside in each of the last five years; and what estimate has been made of the total number of women in the UK who have undergone genital mutilation. [146045]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  No estimate has been made of the number of women who have undergone female genital mutilation in St. Helens and Merseyside in the last five years or the national total.

  Access to GPs
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what right of free access British citizens have to treatment at a GP practice other than that at which they are registered if(a) they are registered with a different practice but are resident in the UK and (b) they are UK citizens living outside the UK. [146355]

  Mr. Hutton
  Any person is entitled to receive emergency or immediately necessary treatment from any general practitioner if that treatment is necessary. In addition, anyone who is temporarily in an area for more than 24 hours but less than three months, including a588W
  United Kingdom citizen visiting from overseas, may register as a temporary resident to receive national health service primary medical services.

  Accident and Emergency Departments (Cambridgeshire)
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many admissions to accident and emergency departments in Cambridgeshire there were in each of the past 12 quarters, broken down by hospital. [146448]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Information on the number of admissions to accident and emergency departments is published quarterly for each national health service trust, and is available from the Department's website at www.doh.gsi.gov.uk/hospitalactivity.

  Copies of this information are also available in the Library.

  The only acute NHS trust in Cambridgeshire is Addenbrooke's NHS Trust.

  Accident and Emergency Nurses
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered nurses work in general accident and emergency units in England. [145666]

  Mr. Hutton
  Separate information is not collected on the number of nurses employed in accident and emergency units in the national health service. Qualified accident and emergency nurses are included in the 'Acute, elderly and general' area of work. As at September 2002 there were 187,439 nurses employed in the acute, elderly and general area of work in the NHS, an increase of 9,535 over the previous year and 27,505 since 1997.

  ADHD UK Alliance
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on how grants made by his Department to the ADHD UK Alliance have been spent. [143804]

  Dr. Ladyman
  [holding answer 16 December 2003]: The Department of Health has given the ADHD UK Alliance a one-year grant of £25,000 as a contribution towards the central administrative costs of their activities in England. This grant supports our priorities in child and adolescent mental health by resourcing an organisation, which in turn, will help the development of the many small support groups in the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) field. We have also previously supported the ADHD UK Alliance when they were part of the organisation, Contact a Family.

  Agency Staff
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of agency(a) nurses and (b) doctors has been to the NHS in Huntingdon in each year since 1999. [146444]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The information is not collected in the format requested. The tables show the available information regarding the national health service trusts that cover the Huntingdon constituency.
  589W

  (a) Non-NHS 'Nurses'1 NHS expenditure in Huntingdon: 1999–2000 to 2002–032

  £

  Non-NHS 'nurses'1

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–032

  Hinchingbrook Healthcare NHS Trust

  900,387

  887,916

  965,681

  256,352

  Cambs and Peterborough MH Partnership Trust

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  2,237,493

  Cambridgeshire Health Authority

  0

  0

  0

  n/a

  Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  0

  Huntingdonshire Primary Care Trust

  n/a

  n/a

  0

  0

  Total

  900,387

  887,916

  965,681

  2,493,845

  1 'Nurses' = Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Staff.

  2 2002–03 data are provisional.

  (b) Non-NHS 'Doctors'1 NHS expenditure in Huntingdon: 1999–2000 to 2002–032

  £

  Non-NHS 'Doctors'1

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–032

  Hinchingbrook Healthcare NHS Trust

  369,121

  404,724

  530,833

  477,535

  Cambs and Peterborough MH Partnership Trust

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  880,861

  Cambridgeshire Health Authority

  615

  133

  0

  n/a

  Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  0

  Huntingdonshire Primary Care Trust

  n/a

  n/a

  0

  269,952

  Total

  369,736

  404,857

  530,833

  1,628,348

  1 'Doctors' = Medical Staff.

  2 2002–03 data are provisional.

  Sources:

  1. Annual Financial Returns of NHS Trusts 1999–2000 to 2002–03.

  2. Annual Financial Returns of Health Authorities 1999–2000 to 2001–02.

  3. Annual Financial Returns of Strategic Health Authorities 2002–03.

  4. Annual Financial Returns of Primary Care Trusts 2000–01 to 2002—03.

  Approved Treatments
  Andy King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that patients are not taken off treatments which have not been approved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence for non-medical reasons and transferred to those which have been so approved. [145387]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  This is a matter which needs to be resolved at a local level according to the individual circumstances. Clinicians have a prime responsibility to prescribe treatments appropriate for the individual patient. In doing so, they should take full account of National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance and the evidence on which it is based.

  Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress being made towards the implementation of the Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust Franchise Plan. [146489]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  [holding answer 8 January 2004]: Further to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Salford (Ms Blears), on 20 May 2003, Official Report, col.736W, I understand from the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority that significant progress continues to be made on the franchise plan for Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals National Health Service Trust as follows:
  Ongoing implementation of the £10 million capital programme, including completion of the day case surgery expansion, new ward which is part of a medical assessment unit scheme and new child care nursery at Ashford
  Refurbishment of the maternity unit and a new playscheme at St. Peter's
  14 per cent. increase in qualified nursing staff
  590W
  Year on year stability in the workforce
  Provision of more affordable housing for key worker staffing under Government schemes
  Improved collaborative working with local primary care trusts, social services and local authorities
  Achievement of Improving Working Lives (IWL) 'Practice' Status
  Moving from being a zero star in 2001 to two star trust in 2003

  Since April 2003, in line with the franchise plan, Glenn Douglas has been the Trust's Chief Executive.

  Ashford Hospital, Middlesex
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress being made towards finalising the contract with Mercury Health Ltd to provide and run a diagnostic treatment centre at Ashford Hospital, Middlesex; and how many procedures per year he expects to be carried out at the new centre. [146502]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  [holding answer 8 January 2004]: The Department, working with local National Health Service sponsors, is making good progress towards finalising a contract for the provision of an independent sector treatment centre at Ashford. The treatment centre plans to provide treatment for 1,711 patients on average annually.

  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Ashford Hospital, Middlesex, has an Accident and Emergency Department. [146543]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  [holding answer 8 January 2004]: Ashford Hospital, Middlesex, which is part of the Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals National Health Service Trust, has an emergency department which deals

  591W
  with all medical emergencies and walking wounded. The accident and emergency department at St.Peter's Hospital in Chertsey handles trauma cases.

  Assistive Technology
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how assistive technology research and development are being monitored and evaluated. [146228]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  An annual report on progress made in Government-funded research and development relating to assistive technology is required pursuant to Section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. The report for 2002 was laid before the House on 27 November 2003. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  Audiology
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action the Government is taking to guarantee that everyone in Dorset who can benefit from a digital hearing aid provided on the NHS will have received one by April 2005; [145050]

  (2) how many people in Dorset he estimates may benefit from digital hearing aids; and what proportion of these will have been fitted with digital hearing aids by 1 April (a) 2004 and (b) 2005. [145051]

  Dr. Ladyman
  [holding answer 18 December 2003]: The question of whether someone can benefit from a digital hearing aid is one of clinical judgment. The Modernising Hearing Aid Services Project, in which the Government are investing £94 million for the two financial years 2001–04 and 2004–05, will ensure that all audiology departments in England will be fitting digital hearing aids routinely by April 2005.

  BCG Vaccination
  Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children are awaiting BCG vaccination as a result of the interruption in its administration between August 2002 and the beginning of 2003; and if he will make a statement. [144389]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 18 December 2003]: No schoolchildren should have missed out on the opportunity of receiving BCG vaccination.

  There were no supplies of BCG vaccine from August to November 2002, following Evans Vaccines' voluntarily withdrawal of all batches of their BCG as a precautionary measure after discovering, during stability testing, that a number of batches did not comply with the requirements of their registered specifications for potency during its shelf life. This was a decision taken by the company outside of our control and was wholly unexpected.

  However, district immunisation co-ordinators were asked to arrange catch-up programmes for children in their areas who may have missed out receiving their BCG immunisation once supplies were available from 25 November 2002.

  Blood
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the safety of blood plasma and other blood products sourced in the USA following the positive testing for BSE in the USA; [146333]

  (2) what additional safeguards he has put in place to ensure the safety of US-sourced blood plasma following the confirmation of BSE in US cattle. [146334]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The arrangements currently in place for importing blood plasma from the United States are based on the objective to secure long term supplies of non-United Kingdom blood plasma to ensure that the global plasma shortage would not reduce to national health service patients the availability of life saving plasma products, such as immunoglobulins and clotting factors.

  The NHS has been using US sourced plasma since 1998 because of the unknown and unquantifiable risk of transmission of vCJD through blood. The US was the only country able to supply the quality and quantity of plasma required. The US also has a well established pool of donors, a well regulated environment and a developed collection industry. We are aware of the one case of BSE reported in the US, which is considered to be a negligible risk to the safety of the blood supply. This case is not in itself a reason to alter current arrangements but we will continue to monitor the situation closely.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list regulatory and advisory bodies responsible to his Department dealing with blood safety. [145695]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The regulatory and advisory bodies responsible to the Department of Health for blood safety are the National Blood Authority and the Government expert Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Blood and Tissues for Transplantation.

  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what statistics his Department collates on the incidence of blood borne diseases in recipients of blood products; and if he will make a statement. [1454481]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Statistics on the incidence of blood borne diseases in recipients of blood products are not collected centrally.

  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when blood testing for contaminated blood product-induced infections was started(a) with consent and (b) without consent; and if he will make a statement. [143396]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The safety of blood and blood products used in the National Health Service is of paramount importance. The current high levels of safety are achieved by screening out potential high-risk donors and then further testing of every unit of donated blood for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV before it is released to hospitals. Diagnostic tests became available for Hepatitis B in 1972, for Hepatitis C in 1991 and for HIV in 1984. It is a matter for health professionals to ensure
  593W
  that consent for testing is obtained. Guidance on consent to examination and treatment is available on the Department's web-site at www.doh.gov.uk/consent.

  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the(a) methodology and (b) effectiveness of screening for infections of (i) blood products and (ii) whole blood to be used by the NHS; and if he will make a statement; [145451]

  (2) what assessment he has made of blood products from high infection risk groups being used in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [145458]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The National Blood Authority (NBA) and the Health Protection Agency have an infectious surveillance scheme that monitors the effectiveness of the blood screening programme and the methodology employed. The NBA also complies with the annually updated expert guidelines produced by the Council of Europe and with the requirements laid down in the European Union Directive 2002/98 on setting standards of quality and safety for the collection, testing, processing, storage and distribution of human blood and blood components.

  The Government's Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Blood and Tissues for Transplantation provides expert advice to the UK Blood Transfusion Services on blood screening tests. The latest "Serious Hazards of Transfusion" report, published on 17 July 2003, indicated that the risks of transfusion transmitted infections in the United Kingdom are exceedingly small.

  BSE
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the risk of vaccines sourced from bovine products in the USA being an agent for transmitting BSE. [146344]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency has initiated a risk assessment to assess any potential impact on United Kingdom licensed medicinal products, including vaccines, that are manufactured using bovine derived materials from the United States following the announcement of the first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a cow in the USA.

  Cancer Prevention
  Ms Munn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action he is taking to improve cancer prevention in England; [145455]

  (2) how much money his Department allocates to primary prevention of breast cancer; [145456]

  (3) how much his Department spent on primary prevention of breast cancer in 2002–03. [145457]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Department funds an extensive health improvement and prevention programme aimed chiefly at preventing cancer and coronary heart disease, which are the two main causes of mortality.
  594W
  Health improvement and prevention work is also undertaken directly by primary care trusts (PCTs). From April 2003, 75 per cent. of the national health service budget has been devolved directly to PCTs allowing them control of the resources to deliver on both national and local priorities, including cancer.

  Funding for programmes on tobacco control and smoking cessation, improving nutrition and diet and increasing levels of physical activity all contribute not only to cancer prevention, but also to preventing coronary heart disease. It is not possible to identify the amounts in these programmes that contribute solely to cancer prevention or to the prevention of any particular form of cancer.

  Care Homes
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Government provided towards the cost of care home places per person in(a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Coventry in the last year for which figures are available. [144385]

  Dr. Ladyman
  [holding answer 17 December 2003]: The Government do not directly allocate funds to local authorities towards the cost of care home places. Rather it provides general funding, distributed by the formula spending share, and revenue grants and capital resources for specific purposes. Personal social services funding for 2004–05 was set out in the Local Authority Social Services Letter LASSL(2003)8 of 19 November 2003. The LASSL can be accessed at: http://www. doh.gov.uk/publications/coinh.html

  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing and care home places meet statutory requirements for people over 65 with sensory impairment, broken down by local authority. [146733]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The information requested is not available by local authority. Information broken down by National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) area office is shown in the table. In applying the standards through registration, the NCSC seeks evidence of a commitment to continuous improvement, quality services, support, accommodation and facilities which will assure a good quality of life and health for service users.

  At 1 October 2003, the latest date for which information is available, there were a total number of 182 care homes registered for sensory impairment for elderly people. These homes provided a total number of 1,582 places.

  Breakdown by NCSC area office

  Area office

  No of services

  No of places

  South Shields

  32

  116

  Leicester

  41

  400

  Lincoln

  1

  1

  Somerset

  1

  0

  Gloucester

  3

  15

  St. Austell

  2

  10

  Avon

  1

  22

  Exeter

  2

  22

  South Devon

  3

  88

  Worcester

  2

  34

  Coventry

  1

  13

  Birmingham

  2

  98

  Halesowen

  1

  1

  595W

  Breakdown by NCSC area office

  Area office

  No of services

  No of places

  Ashton Under Lyne

  36

  120

  Manchester

  2

  0

  Bolton

  2

  3

  North Lanes

  1

  38

  Penrith

  1

  36

  South West London

  2

  44

  Harrow

  1

  0

  Southampton

  3

  90

  Oxford

  1

  2

  Purrey

  29

  179

  Eastbourne

  1

  44

  Worthing

  1

  2

  Hertfordshire

  2

  57

  Cambridge

  2

  5

  North Essex

  2

  60

  South Essex

  1

  25

  Hessle

  1

  21

  Leeds

  1

  6

  Sheffield

  1

  30

  Total

  182

  1,582

  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's strategy for ensuring that there are sufficient care and nursing home places which meet statutory requirements for people over 65 with sensory impairment to satisfy demand. [146734]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The Government has made available substantial increases in the level of funding provided for social services in recent years. Between 1996–97 and 2002–03, the overall level of funding has increased by 20 per cent., an average real terms annual increase of around three per cent. We intend to increase further resources to social services for personal social services by an annual average of six per cent, in real terms from 2003–04 to 2005–06.

  It is for local councils to use these extra resources to ensure that the right amount and range of care is made available, taking account of local circumstances and priorities.

  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many publicly-funded care home places there were in Huntingdon in each year since 1999. [146449]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The table shows the number of local authority (LA) staffed care home places in Cambridgeshire, as at 31 March, for the years 1999 to 2001.

  Figures for later years have been collected by the National Care Standards Commission, but comparable details broken down by LA are not available.

  Information on the number of care homes places in Huntingdon is not available.

  Number of local authority staffed care home places in 31 March 1999 to 2001

  Rounded numbers

  Number of places

  1999

  690

  2000

  610

  2001

  550

  Source:

  RA

  Children's Nurses
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many community and outreach children's nurses were registered in 2002–03 in England; [145665]

  (2)how many paediatric (a) oncology and (b) intensive care nurses were registered in 2002–03 in (i) England and (ii) Wales; [145693]

  (3) how many special baby care and neonatal intensive care nurses were registered in 2002–03 in (a) England and (b) Wales. [145694]

  Mr.Hutton
  The information is not collected centrally.

  Information for Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly.

  Communicable Diseases
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, (1) if he will list for each(a) strategic health authority and (b) primary care trust the number of consultants in communicable diseases in each year since 1996; [144789]

  (2) if he will list for each (a) strategic health authority and (b) primary care trust the three month vacancy figures for consultants in communicable diseases in each year since 1996. [144790]

  Mr. Hutton
  The number of consultants in communicable diseases, or communicable disease control (CDC) is not collected by the Department.

  The main specialties under which CDC falls are public health medicine and microbiology and virology.

  Information relating to the number of consultants in public health medicine and microbiology and virology in each strategic health authority and primary care trust since 1996 has been placed in the Library.

  Vacancy data has only been collected by the Department since 1999. Between 1999 and 2001, only a limited number of specialties were collected. 2002 is the first year when a significant number of key specialties were individually collected. Available data has been placed in the Library.

  Compensation
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much compensation was paid to patients and relatives by the NHS(a) in Cambridgeshire and (b) in England in each year since 1990. [146438]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Debt
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money is owed within the NHS; by whom; and to whom it is owed. [144945]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested will be placed in the Library.

  Departmental information Campaigns
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on information campaigns and advertising in 2002–03. [145286]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  In 2002–03, £34.89 million was spent on information campaigns and advertising commissioned by the Department's communications directorate.

  Doctors' Practice (South Ockenden)
  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will investigate the circumstances relating to the decision of Doctors Leighton, Williams, Khraishi and Ghannam to close their branch surgery in South Road, South Ockendon, Essex; and if he will make a statement on the ability of the Thurrock Primary Care Trust to facilitate a relocation of patients to other doctors within the time frame dictated by the doctors' decision to close their branch practice; [146556]

  (2) if he will investigate the circumstances relating to the decision of Doctors Leighton, Williams, Khraishi and Ghannam to close their branch surgery in South Road, South Ockendon, Essex in relation to the period of notice given to individual patients to find alternative GP practices; [146558]

  (3) if he will investigate the circumstances relating to the decision of Doctors Leighton, Williams, Khraishi and Ghannam to close their branch surgery in South Road, South Ockendon, Essex in relation to the method of selecting patients no longer to be served by the practice. [146559]

  Dr. Ladyman
  I have no plans to investigate the circumstances relating to the decision of Doctors Leighton, Williams, Khraishi and Ghannam to close their branch surgery in South Road, South Ockendon, Essex.

  The Government's policy of 'Shifting the Balance of Power' means that the configuration of local services is a matter for the local national health service, working in partnership with its local community.

  I am informed by Essex Strategic Health Authority that Doctor Leighton and Partners advised 180 patients during mid December 2003 that they intended to close the South Road Branch Surgery in South Ockendon, during February 2004, and invited those 180 patients to find another general practitioner (GP) by 19 January 2004. This complies with the requirement outlined in the regulations for the practice to give 30 days notice of their intention to remove any patients from their list.

  I am also advised that Thurrock Primary Care Trust is making every effort to ensure that the displaced patients find another GP by 19 January 2004.

  The patients that Thurrock PCT has selected for relocation to alternative GP practices, are those who live the furthest distance from the main surgery in Aveley. These patients are located at the far north of the South Ockendon area and north of the branch surgery in South Road. The period of notice given to individual patients was given in writing by the PCT in a letter dated 28 December 2003.
  598W
  I am advised via Essex SHA that Thurrock PCT has worked with both this practice and the local medical committee to consider possible alternatives in order to avoid the closure of the branch surgery. Thurrock PCT wrote to the patients on 28 December 2003 advising them of the impending closure of the branch surgery which detailed information and advice on the support available to them in registering with a new practice.

  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what national guidelines or constraints apply to general practitioners in relation to the ratio of doctors to patients; whether these were exceeded by the practice of Doctors Leighton, Williams, Khraishi and Ghannam prior to their decision to close their branch surgery in South Road, South Ockendon. Essex; and if he will list those alternative general practitioners within the vicinity who have vacancies on their patients' list, stating in each case the number of new patients he or she is permitted to admit to his or her list. [146628]

  Dr. Ladyman
  According to Regulation 24(2) of the NHS (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992, the maximum number of persons on a doctor's list shall be:

  (a) 3,500, for a doctor carrying on practice otherwise than as an assistant or in a partnership;

  (b) 4,500 for a doctor carrying on practice in partnership, subject to a maximum average of 3,500 for each of the partners in the practice,

  and, where the doctor employs an assistant, such further number not exceeding 2,000 for each assistant as the primary care trust, or, on appeal. the Secretary of State, may decide in the light of the circumstances of the practice and the amount of time given to it by any assistant.

  The new general medical services (GMS) contract will mean that patients will register with a practice rather than with an individual practitioner. In order that practices are not constrained in terms of growth, the list maxima currently applied under regulation 24 of the 1992 Regulations will no longer be continued under the new statutory provisions implementing the new GMS contract.

  The information relating to alternative general practices with vacancies in the immediate vicinity is not held centrally.

  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients the general practice of Doctors Leighton, Williams, Khraishi and Ghannam had in November 2003; and how many it is proposed they will have in February 2004 following the planned closure of their branch surgery. [146629]

  Dr. Ladyman
  This information is not held centrally.

  However, my hon. Friend may wish to contact the Chairman of Thurrock Primary Care Trust to request this information.

  Drug Treatment
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged 15 to 24 started drug treatment episodes in each year since 1990, broken down by socio-economic group in(a) England and (b) each region. [146340]
  599W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Information on the number of drug users in the 15 to 24 year old age group presenting for drug treatment in England and by region is available in the Library and on the Department's web-site as detailed below. Information on the socio-economic group of clients starting drug treatment is not collected centrally.

  National figures, from drug misuse agencies and general practitioners in England, for each six month period from 1993 to 2001 were published in the Department's Statistical Bulletin series, Drug Misuse Statistics 1993 to 1997 and Statistics from the Regional Drug Misuse Databases 1998 to 2001. These are available at http://www.doh.gov.uld public/work_public_health.htm#sdd

  Elder Abuse
  Ann Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that(a) nursing and (b) auxiliary staff are adequately trained to identify and deal with elder abuse in (i) the home and (ii) nursing and residential care. [146318]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The Government is fully committed to ensuring the provision of an adequately trained workforce to provide care for all vulnerable adults in social care settings, including care homes with nursing on the premises. The Department's No Secrets guidance has required all local councils and partner agencies to establish effective multi-agency codes of practice to protect vulnerable adults from abuse. A key element of this guidance concerns the training of staff. The guidance states that agencies should provide training for staff and volunteers on the policy, procedures and professional practices that are in the place locally, commensurate with their responsibilities in the adult protection process.

  In addition, the Department's National Minimum Standards for care homes and domiciliary care, used by the National Care Standards Commission to regulate social care for older people and other vulnerable adults has a number of requirements concerning abuse. These include, protecting service users from abuse, ensuring adequate staff training, and the employment of staff in accordance with the code of practice set by the General Social Care Council, which includes advice to challenge and report and behaviour or practice that could lead to abuse.

  Finally, all registered nurses are bound by the Nursing and Midwifery Council's code of professional conduct, which makes explicit the responsibility of registered nurses in ensuring that they protect the public through professional standards.

  Emergency Readmissions
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards achieving the national priorities guidance performance target to reduce the per capita rate of growth in emergency readmissions of people aged 75 years or over; and for what reasons the data collection for emergency admissions was changed to an all age base from 2003–04. [146208]
  600W
  Dr. Ladyman
  The performance target for the rate of emergency readmissions within 28 days of discharge for patients of all ages as set out in the priorities and planning framework for 2003–06, "Improvement, Expansion and Reform", is that there will be no growth. The rate at Quarter 4, 2002–03 was 5.5 per cent. The latest information available is the Quarter 2, 2003–04 figure, which shows no growth.

  The target, and subsequently the collection of monitoring information on emergency readmissions, was changed from that relating only to patients aged 75 because it was perceived as being ageist in that older people could be denied access to hospital services in order to meet a performance target. Emergency readmissions targets and data collections have, therefore, covered all ages since 2002.

  Fluoridation
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what prowess his Department has made in its consideration of the indemnification of water supply companies against claims arising from fluoridation; [146011]

  (2) whether his Department will provide equal funding for the presentation of both sides in the event of a local referendum on water fluoridation; [146012]

  (3) what guidance his Department has given to strategic health authorities on evaluating public opinion on fluoridation of the water supply. [146013]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Section 58 of the Water Act 2003 provides for regulations to be made on both the process which strategic health authorities are to follow in order to consult and ascertain opinion on proposals to fluoridate their water supplies and the indemnities to be made available to water undertakers in respect of any liabilities which they may incur in fluoridating water. We plan to make these regulations, which are subject to affirmative resolution, during 2004. Subject to their approval, we will issue guidance to strategic health authorities on their implementation including standards for consultations which ensure that the views of both proponents and opponents of fluoridation are expressed and taken into account.

  Foundation Trusts
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to approve the governance arrangements of the first wave of foundation hospitals. [145194]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 provides for national health service trusts to submit their applications for NHS foundation trust status to the Independent Regulator. The Independent Regulator must be satisfied that the applicant's constitution is in accordance with Schedule 1 of the Health and Social Care Act 2003 before granting an authorisation.

  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance his Department will offer foundation hospitals in developing(a) ethical and (b) environmental, (i) investment, (ii) banking and (iii) procurement policies. [145716]
  601W
  Mr. Hutton
  National Health Service foundation trusts will develop their own investment, banking and procurement policies, subject to any conditions set by the Independent Regulator in their terms of authorisation. NHS foundation trusts will not be subject to directions from the Department, but they will be able to continue to access guidance and best practice developed or disseminated by the Department and its agencies, including NHS Estates and the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice has been given to trusts seeking foundation status on(a) building up an active membership and (b) demonstrating their understanding of mutual organisations. [146546]

  Mr. Hutton
  Department of Health officials are working with the first wave of applicants for national health service foundation trust status on membership issues, which includes holding regular meetings with the trusts. The advice given at the meetings includes significant input from the mutual sector both on building an active membership and developing a better understanding of the mutual sector. This is supported by a comprehensive source book, "NHS Foundation Trusts—A guide to the governance arrangements", which was developed with advice from a group of external experts on governance.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is issued to NHS Trusts on the disposal of NHS assets; and what changes are proposed as a result of foundation status being achieved. [1465471]

  Mr. Hutton
  Guidance on the disposal of surplus national health service property assets is contained in the Department's "Estatecode", a copy of which is available in the Library. Guidance on the accounting treatment for disposals of assets is contained in the NHS "Capital Accounting Manual", which is publicly available on the Department's web-site at www.doh.gov.uk.

  Section 16 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 prevents NHS foundation trusts from disposing of NHS property designated as protected without the approval of the

  Single-handed unrestricted principals and equivalents (UPEs)1 by strategic health authority

  England

  Numbers (headcount)

  1998

  1999

  2000

  UPE partners hips

  of which: single-handed

  UPE partners hips

  of which: single-handed

  UPE partners hips

  of which: single-handed

  England total

  8,994

  2,683

  8,944

  2,631

  8,878

  2,485

  Number of UPEs

  27,392

  27,591

  27,704

  North

  2,708

  812

  2,697

  803

  2,679

  796

  Northumberland, Tyne & Wear

  243

  56

  239

  54

  238

  52

  Country Durham & Tees Valley

  176

  50

  171

  41

  166

  37

  North & East Yorkshire & Northern

  273

  70

  268

  69

  263

  69

  Lincolnshire

  West Yorkshire

  378

  110

  382

  114

  377

  110

  Cumbria & Lancashire

  386

  128

  385

  127

  379

  125

  Greater Manchester

  581

  219

  577

  210

  579

  213

  Cheshire & Merseyside

  438

  117

  442

  122

  445

  125

  South Yorkshire

  233

  62

  233

  66

  232

  65

  602W
  Independent Regulator. The Independent Regulator will be issuing guidance on this to NHS foundation trusts.

  General Practitioners
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts have indicated that they will not be able to assure out-of-hours cover for general practitioners in(a) April 2004 and (b) August 2004. [143188]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 11 December 2003]: None. From April 2004, general practices will be able to opt out of out-of-hours services with the agreement of their primary care trust (PCT). PCTs will not agree to opt-outs unless they have put in place proper alternative arrangements. Opting out will become a right in all but exceptional circumstances from January 2005.

  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of general practitioners have indicated that they intend to opt out of 24-hour cover, broken down by(a) rural practices, (b) urban practices and (c) strategic health authority. [143189]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 11 December 2003]: Primary care trusts are working with their local practices to establish the position, but full information is not available. We expect, however, that the majority of general practitioners will choose to opt-out of responsibility for providing services overnight and at weekends.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) general practitioners' surgeries and (b) single-handed general practitioners' surgeries there were in each of the last five years for which figures are available in (i) England, (ii) each region and (iii) each strategic health authority. [144318]

  Mr. Hutton
  Data on the number of general practitioner partnerships, including single-handed practitioners is published annually and is available at http://www. doh.gov.uk/public/stats 1.htm. The information requested is shown in the table. The total number of partnerships fell during the period 1998 to 2003 however there has been a steady trend towards larger partnerships and more general practitioners working in the national health service than ever before.
  603W

  Single-handed unrestricted principals and equivalents (UPEs)1 by strategic health authority

  England

  Numbers (headcount)

  1998

  1999

  2000

  UPE partners hips

  of which: single-handed

  UPE partners hips

  of which: single-handed

  UPE partners hips

  of which: single-handed

  Midlands & Eastern

  2,547

  726

  2,531

  716

  2,521

  706

  Norfolk, Suffolk & Cambridgeshire

  307

  40

  305

  36

  307

  38

  Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire

  238

  57

  231

  47

  233

  52

  Essex

  285

  96

  285

  100

  288

  105

  Trent

  429

  98

  430

  100

  427

  93

  Leicestershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland

  240

  62

  232

  61

  225

  56

  Shropshire & Staffordshire

  266

  89

  272

  95

  270

  97

  Birmingham & the Black Country

  542

  240

  540

  237

  535

  226

  Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire & Worcestershire

  240

  44

  236

  40

  236

  39

  London

  1,736

  754

  1,711

  735

  1,691

  717

  North West London

  469

  217

  464

  209

  458

  209

  North Central London

  312

  147

  304

  140

  305

  137

  North East London

  385

  186

  380

  182

  378

  178

  South East London

  311

  121

  308

  122

  302

  112

  South West London

  259

  83

  255

  82

  248

  77

  South

  2,003

  391

  2,005

  377

  1,987

  356

  Thames Valley

  299

  52

  304

  50

  300

  47

  Hampshire & Isle of Wight

  241

  28

  241

  28

  240

  26

  Kent & Medway

  324

  139

  314

  126

  306

  113

  Surrey & Sussex

  379

  74

  379

  75

  375

  71

  Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire

  322

  43

  326

  42

  325

  44

  South West Peninsula

  254

  28

  254

  29

  254

  28

  Dorset & Somerset

  184

  27

  187

  27

  187

  27

  2001

  2002

  June 2003

  UPE partners hips

  of which: single-handed

  UPE partners hips

  of which: single-handed

  UPE partners hips

  of which: single-handed

  England total

  8,817

  2,534

  8,748

  2,482

  8,750

  2,485

  Number of UPEs

  27,843

  28,031

  28,384

  North

  2,653

  769

  2,632

  760

  2,635

  750

  Northumberland, Tyne & Wear

  237

  48

  235

  43

  235

  45

  Country Durham & Tees Valley

  167

  34

  168

  36

  176

  40

  North & East Yorkshire & Northern

  265

  70

  266

  74

  265

  67

  Lincolnshire

  West Yorkshire

  378

  108

  375

  99

  378

  101

  Cumbria & Lancashire

  375

  122

  368

  117

  365

  117

  Greater Manchester

  562

  201

  555

  202

  553

  196

  Cheshire & Merseyside

  440

  127

  439

  127

  437

  123

  South Yorkshire

  229

  59

  226

  62

  226

  61

  Midlands & Eastern

  2,506

  709

  2,478

  698

  2,477

  707

  Norfolk, Suffolk & Cambridgeshire

  309

  44

  301

  37

  304

  38

  Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire

  230

  53

  229

  51

  230

  51

  Essex

  278

  95

  274

  92

  269

  96

  Trent

  426

  91

  424

  94

  420

  88

  Leicestershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland

  226

  53

  223

  48

  226

  54

  Shropshire & Staffordshire

  271

  104

  267

  100

  271

  106

  Birmingham & the Black Country

  534

  234

  529

  237

  528

  235

  Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire & Worcestershire

  232

  35

  231

  39

  229

  39

  London

  1,691

  717

  1,675

  701

  1,698

  717

  North West London

  459

  200

  448

  191

  463

  202

  North Central London

  306

  137

  310

  142

  320

  157

  North East London

  380

  192

  378

  191

  372

  182

  South East London

  304

  114

  297

  109

  305

  117

  South West London

  242

  74

  242

  68

  238

  59

  South

  1,967

  339

  1,963

  323

  1,940

  311

  Thames Valley

  296

  39

  297

  41

  297

  40

  Hampshire & Isle of Wight

  238

  25

  240

  24

  235

  27

  Kent & Medway

  305

  115

  299

  110

  289

  100

  Surrey & Sussex

  367

  69

  367

  60

  366

  61

  Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire

  324

  42

  323

  38

  325

  39

  South West Peninsula

  252

  27

  252

  28

  250

  27

  Dorset & Somerset

  185

  22

  185

  22

  178

  17

  604W 605W
  1 UPEs include QMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.

  Note:

  Data as at 1 October 1998–99, 30 September 2000–02 and 30 June 2003

  'Single-handed' means an UPE who is not in partnership with another UPE although many so called 'single-handers' work with another GP qualified doctor.

  Source:

  Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

  Head Lice
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the national professional guidance on head louse control (the Stafford Report) and the subsequent guidelines based on the guidance and published in the Journal of Family Healthcare. [144161]

  Dr. Ladyman
  [holding answer 17 December 2003]: Professional guidance on head louse control recognises that detection combing is of paramount importance, as is the use of appropriate treatment options. This can involve either lotions or combing regimes. Our view is that parents should be able to make an informed choice with advice on both options being available from primary health care teams.

  Health Professionals (Training)
  Dr. Stoate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that training programmes for health professionals include components which encourage the development of skills specific to working with men. [145524]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department is not responsible for setting curricula for health professional training; that is rightly the responsibility of the statutory and professional bodies. However, we do share a commitment with those bodies that all health professionals are trained so that they have the skills and knowledge to deliver a high quality health service to all groups of the population with whom they deal.

  Health Tourism (Cambridgeshire)
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of the cost to the NHS in Cambridgeshire of health tourism in 2002–03. [146452]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Entitlement to free national health service treatment is based on residence in the United Kingdom. The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989 place a duty on NHS trusts to establish whether a patient is ordinarily resident or otherwise eligible for free NHS hospital treatment and if not to levy a charge for any treatment provided.

  The amounts collected from NHS charged patients are not separately identified in trust accounts and are not collected centrally.

  Hospitals (West London)
  Mr. Portillo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the extent to which primary care trust resources are adequate to cover the cost of capital programmes at the(a) Ealing,
  606W
  (b) Charing Cross, (c) Hillingdon, (d) Northwick Park and (e) Paddington hospital sites, while meeting growth in demand for services; [145096]

  (2) what assessment he has made of whether redevelopment at the (a) Charing Cross and (b) Chelsea and Westminster hospitals would represent a viable alternative to redevelopment at Paddington. [145098]

  Mr. Hutton
  The outline business case (OBC) for the Paddington Health Campus scheme which was approved in October 2000 is currently being reviewed. This review will determine if the financial assumptions underpinning the OBC are still robust. The review will include the views of local primary care trusts.

  Influenza
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking this winter to respond to the risk of an increase in influenza cases. [141319]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  [holding answer 2 December 2003]: All strategic health authorities have developed stringent winter plans to cope with increased seasonal demand for health services, such as that caused by the flu season. These set out escalation procedures, which are activated in the event of increased pressure on the national health service.

  In addition, a daily winter reporting system has been instigated so that the Department of Health is aware of any Trusts experiencing winter pressures. If pressures are identified, the Department of Health works with the responsible strategic health authority in developing a solution, such as the introduction of improved working practices or the opening of additional beds.

  Influenza Vaccine
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each health authority(a) the number of people eligible for the influenza vaccine and (b) the number of shots of vaccine available during winter 2003–04 and (c) whether the health authority has reported a shortage in supply. [145624]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The number of people aged 65 and over by strategic health authority is shown in the table. This year, there are nearly 12.4 million doses of vaccine available. No strategic health authority has reported a shortage of flu vaccine.

  Strategic health authority

  Population aged over 65

  Cheshire and Merseyside

  382,894

  County Durham and Tees Valley

  182,924

  Cumbria and Lancashire

  321,415

  Greater Manchester

  375,607

  North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

  283,378

  Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

  233,567

  South Yorkshire

  205,232

  West Yorkshire

  313,728

  607W

  Strategic health authority

  Population aged over 65

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

  237,754

  Birmingham and the Black Country

  360,054

  Coventry, Warwickshire. Herefordshire and Worcestershire

  251,755

  Essex

  268,299

  Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland

  221,145

  Norfolk. Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

  388,676

  Shropshire and Staffordshire

  235,813

  Trent

  444,755

  North Central London

  145,780

  North East London

  181,018

  North West London

  214,823

  South East London

  189,867

  South West London

  161,786

  Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  357,190

  Hampshire and Isle of Wight

  293,145

  Kent and Medway

  263,637

  Somerset and Dorset

  248,767

  South West Peninsula

  316,441

  Surrey and Sussex

  478,280

  Thames Valley

  290.607

  Key Worker Housing
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much land his Department is proposing that the Government should buy for key worker houses. [144943]

  Mr. Hutton
  Accommodation for national health service key workers is being planned with Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and is normally sourced through other agencies. Therefore, the Department has no plans to purchase any land for this purpose.

  Learning Disabilities
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults with learning disabilities there were in the UK in(a) 1997 and (b) 2003; and how many of these were aged 60 or over. [146679]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Data on the number of adults with learning disabilities in England are not centrally available.

  The learning disability white paper, "Valuing People (1999)", estimated that there are about 210,000 people with severe and profound learning disabilities in England. Of these, around 65,000 are children and young people, 120,000 are adults of working age and 25,000 are older people. In the case of people with mild/moderate learning disabilities, lower estimates suggest a prevalence rate of around 25 per 1,000 population—some 1.2 million people in England.

  Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Devolved Administrations.

  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much earmarked funding has been provided to local authorities for a(a) older people's services and (b) adults with learning disabilities in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [146731]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The Department does not earmark any funds to local authorities specifically for older people or learning disability services. Local authorities decide how much to make available for services to older people 608W
  and those with learning disabilities from the overall amount provided for adult personal social services by the Department.

  Life Resources Inc.
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the screening arrangements(a) taken and (b) required by Life Resources Inc. in respect of deferring donors who have travelled to live for five years or more in the UK or Europe between 1980 and 1996. [146343]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The United States does not accept blood donations from people who have visited or lived in the United Kingdom or Europe for six months or more between 1980 and 1996.

  Long Term Conditions
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of people reported a longstanding illness or disability(a) in England, (b) in each region and (c) broken down by socio-economic group in each year since 1990. [146339]

  Ruth Kelly
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Burstow dated 12 January 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the prevalence of people reporting a longstanding illness or disability in England, each region and each socio-economic group since 1990. I am replying in his absence.

  The General Household Survey (GHS), carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), publishes the prevalence of longstanding illness, disability or infirmity. The latest available estimates are for the 2001 survey. The tables, which have been placed in the Library, show the prevalence of longstanding illness for:

  (a) England, 1990 to 2001;

  (b) Region—standard region, 1994 to 1996 and Government Office Region, 1998 to 2001; Unfortunately, regional analyses for 1990 to 1993 are not readily available. Prior to 1994, regional analyses would be based on health regions and thus not directly comparable with later years.

  (c) Socio-economic status,

  socio-economic group by individual, 1990 to 1991

  socio-economic group by head of household, 1992 to 1998

  socio-economic group by household reference person. 2000

  National Statistics socio-economic classification by household reference person, 2001.

  As with any sample survey, estimates from the GHS are subject to sampling variability.

  Maternity Services
  Mr. Baron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response he will make to the Fourth, Eighth and Ninth reports of the Health Select Committee on maternity services in session 2002–03. [143413]
  609W
  Dr. Ladyman
  [holding answer 11 December 2003]: A response will be made shortly taking into account the document Building on the Best-Choice, Responsiveness and Equity in the NHS, which was launched on 9 December 2003.

  Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the objectives of the Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency are in relation to(a) the development of the pharmaceutical industry and (b) the protection of public health; how performance against these objectives is evaluated; and how any conflict between the objectives is overcome. [145364]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The primary goal of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the protection of public health through the regulation of medicines and medical devices.

  Its aims and objectives are set out in its business plan, which is available in the Library. There are no specific objectives relating to the development of the pharmaceutical industry. The business plan does, however, contain measures of the efficiency of its performance of services for the pharmaceutical industry.

  Performance is evaluated internally and reported quarterly to the Secretary of State for Health. The MHRA is subject regularly to internal audit and to external audit by the National Audit Office.

  Mental Health
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with the Department for International Development regarding the rights of people suffering from mental health problems in the developing world. [144841]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  [holding answer 18 December 2003]: The Department of Health provides funding for the World Health Organisation (WHO) collaborating centre at the Institute for Psychiatry to work closely with the Department for International Development and a number of governments of low and middle income countries.

  In addition, the United Kingdom national counterpart for mental health to the WHO, based at the National Institute for Mental Health in England, has been involved in the WHO global fellowship programme which aims to train senior policy makers in developing countries in mental health policy and service development and implementation.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the risk of developing a mental illness, broken down by(a) region and (b) socio-economic status. [146335]
  610W
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Information is available from independent longitudinal research about the relationship between risk factors and the likelihood of an individual within the population developing a mental illness.

  The Department of Health does not assess this directly. However, the Office for National Statistics (www.statistics.gov.uk) collects information on a systematic basis about current correlates of mental illness, including age, gender, socio-economic status, physical health and other factors, and estimates mental illness prevalence rates.

  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on(a) the findings of the national survey of ethnic minority psychiatric illness rates in the community and (b) the action he will take as a result. [144812]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The national survey of ethnic minority psychiatric illness rates in the community (EMPIRIC study) was a major survey of psychiatric illness rates in the community amongst ethnic minority adults aged 16–74 living in England. The survey was used to make comparisons with the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in the general population. The findings were released in May 2002.

  The results of this survey allow, for the first time, detailed analysis of the mental health of ethnic minority groups and comparisons with a general white population. It contains data on common mental disorders, psychosis, social functioning, physical health, use of services and social support. The report identifies different rates of common mental disorders and psychotic illness between minority ethnic groups.

  In order to combat the inequality experience by black and minority ethnic mental health service users, "Delivering Race Equality: Guidance for Services" was launched on 17 October for consultation. This marks the start of a major programme by the National Institute for Mental Health in England on black and minority ethnic mental health.

  Microbiologists
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons five of the posts for regional microbiologists formerly filled by group directors of the Public Health Laboratory Service are vacant. [145039]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There are nine regional microbiologist posts in the Health Protection Agency (HPA). Four of these have been filled by former Public Health Laboratory Service group laboratory directors, following internal advertisement, applying procedures in accordance with the change management protocol which was agreed when the HPA was created. The remaining five positions were subsequently advertised externally and the process for assessing and interviewing candidates is underway.

  Mid-Essex Hospital Trust
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the latest available figures are for the total number of people waiting for in-patient treatment in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area. [143752]

  Dr. Ladyman
  [holding answer 16 December 2003]: I am advised that, as of 13 October 2003, there were 8,040 patients waiting for elective admission at Mid Essex Hospital Trust.

  Source:

  Department of Health monthly monitoring reports.

  Mifegyne
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investigations the(a) Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and (b) the Committee on the Safety of Medicines have conducted into the two suspected fatal reactions associated with the use of Mifegyne; and with what results. [146479]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  As with all marketed medicines, the safety of Mifegyne (mifepristone, an antiprogestogenic steroid that is used for the medical termination of intra-uterine pregnancy) is continuously monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

  The MHRA has carefully evaluated the two reports received via the Yellow Card Scheme of fatal suspected

  Department of Health mandatory bacteraemia surveillance scheme—MRSA bacteraemia by region—Acute NHS trusts

  Regions

  Total Number

  S.aureus bacteraemia April 01 to March 02 Methicillin resistant

  Percentage

  Total number

  S.aureus bacteraemia April 02 to March 03 Methicillin resistant

  Percentage

  Percentage difference MRSA between the two years

  North East

  931

  363

  39.0

  953

  380

  39.9

  4.5

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  2,028

  714

  35.2

  2,086

  664

  31.8

  -7.5

  East Midlands

  1,374

  543

  39.5

  1,349

  494

  36.6

  -9.9

  Eastern

  1,683

  754

  45.0

  1,653

  714

  43.1

  -5.6

  London

  3,524

  1,571

  44.6

  3,739

  1,659

  44.4

  5.3

  South East

  2,205

  1,012

  45.9

  2,417

  989

  40.9

  0.8

  South West

  1,745

  696

  39.9

  1,756

  738

  42.0

  5.7

  West Midlands

  1,863

  761

  40.8

  1,908

  812

  42.6

  6.3

  North West

  2,580

  867

  33.6

  2,658

  934

  35.1

  7.2

  England

  17,933

  7,281

  40.6

  18,519

  7,384

  39.8

  1.8

  Provisional data

  Strategic health authority

  1Total MRSA

  2Total MRSA

  Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  386

  389

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

  192

  173

  Birmingham and the Black Country

  452

  455

  Cheshire and Merseyside

  286

  344

  County Durham and Tees Valley

  171

  155

  Coventry, Warwickshire,Herefordshire and Worcestershire

  153

  182

  Cumbria and Lancashire

  236

  215

  Dorset and Somerset

  74

  139

  Essex

  194

  149

  Greater Manchester

  345

  375

  Hampshire and Isle of Wight

  209

  200

  Kent and Medway

  222

  205

  Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland

  203

  189

  Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

  368

  392

  North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

  213

  151

  612W
  adverse reactions associated with the use of Mifegyne. This assessment has included details from the post-mortems received in the initial report or via follow-up information obtained from the marketing authorisation holder. The MHRA has concluded that the two cases did not require alteration of the advice to health professionals in the summary of product characteristics and did not affect the balance of risks and benefits of mifepristone. The Committee on Safety of Medicines was not asked to consider these cases.

  The reporting of a suspected adverse drug reaction does not necessarily mean that the drug was responsible. Many factors, such as the medical condition that is being treated, other pre-existing illnesses or other medications might have contributed. In one of the cases, the fatal suspected reaction that was reported is recognised to occur with greater frequency during pregnancy or surgery, irrespective of the use of mifepristone.

  MRSA
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reports of MRSA there were in(a) England, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority in each of the last six years. [140859]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 3 December 2003]: The national mandatory surveillance system for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections (bacteraemias), started in April 2001 and the available data are shown in the tables.

  Provisional data

  Strategic health authority

  1Total MRSA

  2Total MRSA

  North central London

  359

  376

  North east London

  238

  246

  North west London

  362

  387

  Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

  192

  225

  Shropshire and Staffordshire

  156

  175

  South east London

  345

  406

  South west London

  267

  244

  South west Peninsula

  236

  210

  South Yorkshire

  141

  156

  Surrey and Sussex

  360

  341

  Thames Valley

  221

  243

  Trent

  340

  305

  West Yorkshire

  360

  357

  1 April 2001 to March 2002

  2 April 2002 to March 2003

  NHS Graduates
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many NHS graduates had their university fees reimbursed by their employers in the last year for which figures are available. [144280]

  Mr. Hutton
  In respect of National Health Service funded pre-registration Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health profession courses, no top-up fees are charged to students. These students have their contribution to tuition fees met through workforce development confederation contracts with higher education institutions. Fourth and fifth year undergraduate medical students and second, third and fourth year graduate entry medical students are entitled to claim back their top-up fees from the NHS student grant unit. Students benefiting from these arrangements are shown in the table.

  The multi-professional education and training budget supports post-registration training for NHS professionals, including paying university fees. NHS trusts may also support postgraduate and post-registration study. Information on the number of NHS employees who have their fees paid in this way is not available centrally.

  £000

  Nursing and Midwifery

  65,000

  Allied Health Professions

  17,400

  Healthcare Scientists

  3,200

  Medical Students

  4,900

  NHS Professionals
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health trusts have declined to use NHS professionals. [145667]

  Mr. Hutton
  This information is not held centrally.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much NHS Professionals charges hospital trusts for their services; [145669]

  (2) in what circumstances NHS Professionals may charge an administrative fee to hospital trusts; [145672]

  (3) what charges NHS Professionals make to trusts when they act as an intermediary between commercial agencies and trusts; [145670]

  (4) what categories of charges are included in NHS Professionals administration charges. [145936]

  Mr. Hutton
  The NHS Professionals Special Health Authority was formally established on 1 January 2004. Decisions on these matters will in future be made by the authority.

  Prior to the establishment of the special health authority, a range of different NHS Professionals services have been provided throughout England. Department of Health guidance issued in 2001, NHS Professionals—A co-ordinated, NHS-led approach to temporary staffing, a copy of which is in the Library, recommended a management fee of 7.5 per cent. The Oxford area NHS Professionals service also made a
  614W
  3 per cent. administration charge to trusts when acting as an intermediary with private recruitment agencies. No other categories of charge have been made.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been charged by NHS professionals in administrative fees since it was set up. [145671]

  Mr. Hutton
  This information is not held centrally.

  NHS Property Sales
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest estimate is of the value of properties to be sold as part of the Inventures/NHS Estates surplus property sale; and when he will make a statement about progress of the sale. [145007]

  Mr. Hutton
  The value of the properties is commercially confidential. A statement on progress will be made in early 2004.

  NHS Trust (Chief Executive Misconduct)
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what duties are placed on a strategic health authority in circumstances where an authority is notified of a possible case of misconduct by the chief executive of an NHS trust. [146622]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  It is ultimately only the employer which can take action with regard to its employees. The code of conduct for national health service managers states that where there has been an alleged breach of the code, it is for a local employer to decide whether to investigate the matter informally or under the terms of local disciplinary action. In the majority of cases the authority with which the contract lies will carry out investigations of alleged breaches of the code.

  There are therefore no specific duties placed on a strategic health authority in circumstances where an authority is notified of a possible case of misconduct by the chief executive of an NHS trust. If a case of this kind did occur, strategic health authorities and other bodies can offer advice.

  Obesity
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished consultant episodes there were where obesity was the primary diagnosis in(a) each NHS region and (b) England in 2002–03. [146216]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The table shows the count of finished consultant episodes by region in national health service hospitals for 2002–03 where obesity is the primary diagnosis.

  Region of treatment

  Total episodes

  Northern and Yorkshire

  348

  Trent

  164

  West Midlands

  102

  North West

  241

  Eastern

  56

  London

  258

  615W

  Region of treatment

  Total episodes

  South East

  156

  South West

  95

  Not Known

  22

  Total for England

  1,442

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.

  Orthodontic Treatment
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in(a) England and (b) Mid-Essex are waiting for orthodontic treatment; and how many have been waiting for treatment for (i) up to six months, (ii) up to 12 months, (iii) up to 24 months, (iv) up to 36 months and (v) over 36 months. [144860]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  [holding answer 5 January 2003]: Information on waiting times for orthodontic treatment in the general dental services (GDS) is not available.

  In terms of hospital treatment, in England at 30 September 2003 there were 228 patients waiting for elective inpatient admission for treatment by a consultant in the speciality of orthodontics. Of these 205 were waiting up to six months, and a further 23 were waiting over six months. No patients were waiting over 12 months. Mid-Essex Hospital Services National Health Service Trust had no patients waiting for the orthodontics speciality on the same date.

  The NHS Plan (July 2000) sets out how waiting times will fall year on year. Maximum waiting times have already been reduced to 21 weeks for a first outpatient appointment and 12 months for inpatient treatment. However, the Government recognises that there is still some way to go.

  Waiting times for hospital care will continue to fall, so that by the end of 2005, the maximum waiting time for a first outpatient appointment will be cut to 13 weeks and the maximum wait for inpatient treatment will be cut to six months.

  In the twelve month period ending September 2003 GDS dentists in the Mid-Essex area claimed payment for 2,631 courses of treatment involving orthodontic appliances for children aged less than 18 years. This is equivalent to 27.5 claims per 1,000 population aged under 18, almost twice the England average of 14.5. The mid-Essex figure is for the area covered by the PCTs, Chelmsford; Maldon and South Chelmsford; Uttlesford; Witham, Braintree and Halstead.

  Osteoporosis
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) osteoporotic and (b) hip fractures were treated by the NHS in each of the last five years; and what the cost was in each year. [146575]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The table shows the counts of finished admission episodes for osteoporotic fractures and hip fractures treated by national health service hospitals in England from years 1998–99 to 2002–03.
  616W

  Primary Diagnosis

  Osteoporosis with pathological fracture

  Fracture of Femur/Fracture of Neck of Femur

  1998–99

  3,489

  43,041

  1999–2000

  3,361

  43,983

  2000–01

  3,592

  43,625

  2001–02

  3,321

  42,367

  2002–03

  3,687

  46,766

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health, England.

  The Department does not collect information centrally relating to costs.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the targets related to osteoporosis in standard six of the national service framework for older people have been met. [146578]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Osteoporosis is a key component of an integrated falls service, which all health and social care systems are to have established by 2005. The 2005 milestone is set as a target in Improvement Expansion and Reform, the Priority and Planning Framework for 2003–06, and progress towards this target is being monitored centrally.

  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the link between osteoporosis and bed blocking. [145634]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The Department of Health does not collect data on the precise medical conditions of patients delayed in hospital, but it does have information on overall numbers of delays. Good progress has been made in reducing the number of delayed transfers of care from hospital year on year, with the number of acute patients delayed on any one day going down from around 6,000 in 2001, to 5,000 in 2002, to 4,000 in 2003. This reflects increased investment in services to tackle delays following the introduction of the Building Care Capacity Grant, and the introduction in October 2003 of new duties of communication between the National Health Service and councils required by the Community Care (Delayed Discharges, etc. Act). In January 2004 the Act requires local authorities to begin to reimburse the NHS for those delays for which they are solely responsible. This requirement will act as a further incentive to partners to identify and tackle the causes of delay in their local system.

  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether the identification of osteoporosis has become a priority in primary care as suggested in the National Service Framework for Older People. [145635]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Falls services, incorporating osteoporosis are covered in the national service framework (NSF) for older people. This, when set in the context of the national priorities guidance establishes it as a high priority for local action and delivery.

  The NSF for older people sets clear milestones for the planning and development of integrated falls services and provides the basis for a service model that will deliver the improvements in prevention, care, treatment and rehabilitation that we all want to see.
  617W
  The Priority and Planning Framework for 2003–2006 requires by April 2005, that an integrated falls service should be established across all health and social care systems. This target is an important driver for change and local service improvements. In line with "Shifting the Balance of Power" the priorities guidance set achievement and delivery of the NSF for older people milestones as a priority for local action.

  The most recent reports we have from strategic health authorities indicate that all but a few of the primary care trust local delivery plans include actions to achieve the 2005 falls milestone. We have collected no systematic information on what local plans cover.

  Paddington Site
  Mr. Portillo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost of the Paddington site development was on 1 January 2002; what his latest estimate of the cost of the development is; and if he will investigate alternative options for meeting tertiary health demand in West London. [145097]

  Mr. Hutton
  The estimated capital cost of the preferred option in the outline business case (OBC) which was approved in October 2000—the Paddington Basin scheme—was £360 million. The estimated cost of this option is currently £800 million.

  This initial OBC is currently being reviewed. This review will determine if the financial assumptions underpinning the OBC are still robust.

  Prisoners
  Julie Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibility the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection has for(a) prisoners' and (b) ex-offenders' mental health care. [144522]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  From April 2004, the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection will be responsible for conducting reviews and investigations of healthcare, including mental health services, provided by and for national health service bodies.

  This responsibility will include the review or investigation of health services for prisoners where these are commissioned or provided by primary care trusts.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the equipment procured under the Private Finance Initiative in each year since 1998, broken down by(a) type, (b) hospital, (c) initial capital cost, (d) term of payment and (e) overall cost. [145586]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information is not held centrally for equipment procured under private finance initiative (PFI) contracts. To gain this information would mean contacting all national health service trusts with PFI schemes, thus incurring disproportionate costs.

  Public Services
  Mr. Barstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to introduce independent scrutiny of all performance monitoring procedures, with particular reference to the star ratings system. [146337]
  618W
  Mr. Hutton
  The Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) is the independent regulator of national health service performance and is responsible for developing indicators and publishing NHS performance ratings. Ministers will continue to agree key targets and the priority areas to be covered in the ratings, but are not responsible for their calculation and publication.

  The Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection, which will take over responsibility for the ratings process from April 2004 and will publish the 2003–04 ratings this summer and develop future indicator sets, including the 2004–05 set.

  Under the Health and Social Care Act 2003, the Secretary of State for Health has responsibility for setting national standards. Future published standards will impact on performance monitoring arrangements.

  Radiotherapy
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients started radiotherapy within four weeks of diagnosis of(a) lung, (b) gynaecological, (c) breast, (d) colorectal and (e) urological cancers in each of the last three years. [145760]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Information on waiting times for radiotherapy is not collected centrally. The NHS Cancer Plan set out maximum waiting time targets for a patient's first definitive cancer treatment, which could include radiotherapy. From December 2001, there has been a one month maximum wait from diagnosis to first treatment for breast cancer. From 2002, there has been a maximum two month wait from urgent referral by a general practitioner for suspected cancer, to first treatment for breast cancer. By 2005, there will be a maximum two months from urgent referral by a GP to treatment commencing, and a maximum one-month wait from diagnosis to first treatment for all cancers.

  Read the Signs Programme
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the evaluation of the Read the Signs anti-stigma programme. [144937]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  A copy of the management summary of the research for the Read the Signs anti-stigma programme has been placed in the Library.

  Recruitment Advertising
  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on recruitment advertisements in the press, broken down by publication, by(a) his Department, (b) quangos under the Department and (c) non-departmental Government bodies under the Department (i) in the last year and (ii) since 1997. [145802]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Figures prior to the year 2002–03 are not available. The Department's non-departmental public bodies and quangos have devolved responsibility for their own recruitment. Figures and the publications used for recruitment advertisements can only be provided at disproportionate cost. A list of the Departments non-departmental public bodies can be found in the publication "Public Bodies 2003", copies of which are available in the Library.
  619W
  Details of where advertisements are placed are not centrally recorded, and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Where advertisements are placed will depend on the nature of the vacancies. The Department has a robust external recruitment policy, which complies with the rules and requirements of "Minister's Rules for Selection, The Civil Service Order in Council", Treasury and equal opportunity and employment protection legislation.

  The information requested for the Department is shown in the table.

  £

  1 April-31 March

  Recruitment budget spend

  2003-to date

  146,331.25

  2002–03

  345,229.15

  Research and Development
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out for each year since 1996 the amount(a) budgeted for and (b) spent on research and development; what proportion of the departmental, including NHS, budget this represents; how much of the research and development budget has been (i) allocated and (ii) spent on public health; and what proportion of the research and development budget this represents. [145082]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The amounts initially allocated for each of the past six years and spent in each year from the combined budgets for the departmental policy research programme (PRP) and for national health service research and development are shown in the table.

  £million

  Initial allocation

  Expenditure

  1997–98

  450

  452

  1998–99

  453

  446

  1999–2000

  464

  466

  2000–01

  480

  483

  2001–02

  510

  510

  2002–03

  540

  547

  Note:

  Policy research programme and NHS R&D combined budgets.

  Research is also carried out by some of the Department's arm's length bodies. Total Departmental expenditure on research and development, and what proportion of the Department's total net expenditure this represents, is shown in the following table.

  Total R&D spend (£ million)

  R&D as proportion of total net Departmental spend(Percentage)

  1997–98

  486

  1.38

  1998–99

  481

  1.05

  1999–2000

  501

  1.02

  2000–01

  510

  1.01

  2001–02

  538

  0.80

  2002–03

  574

  0.86

  Expenditure before 1998–99 is on a cash basis. Spend figures from 1999–2000 are on a resource budgeting
  620W
  basis, and total net spend for these years includes NHS pensions. Figures are not therefore directly comparable across the period.

  No amount is allocated separately for research and development relating to public health. Research in this field is funded from the PRP and NHS research and development budgets and comprises most of the research carried out by the Department's arm's length bodies, including the Health Protection Agency. Management of much of the research on public health supported by NHS research and development funding is devolved and expenditure at project level is not held centrally by the Department. Details of on-going and recently completed research projects funded by, or of interest to, the NHS are available on the national research register at www.doh.gov.uk/research/nrr.htm.

  Security Passes
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many security passes have been reported(a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in his Department in the last 12 months. [144593]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  [pursuant to her reply on 5 January 2004, Official Report, column 208W]: I regret my previous response was incorrect. The response should read as follows:

  "From the records available, we estimate that about 110 Department of Health headquarters building photo passes have been lost or stolen in the period 17 December 2002 to 16 December 2003."

  Shellfish
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the latest scientific advice he has received on the testing of shellfish for toxins. [146367]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 8 January 2003]: The testing of shellfish for toxins is a public health matter, which falls within the policy responsibility of the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

  Unusual results have been observed over the last two years in tests for diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxins under the statutory monitoring programmes, which point to the possible presence of a new neurotoxin. These have therefore resulted in the temporary closure, from time to time, of some shellfish harvesting waters, as a precautionary measure to ensure that public health continues to be protected. The FSA is pursuing an extensive programme of work to resolve the issues associated with these findings.

  Skin Cancer
  Mr. Baron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of how the two week wait rule for skin cancer has affected the waiting times for the treatment of urgent non-cancerous skin conditions. [145144]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 5 January 2003]: The two week outpatient waiting time standard was introduced for urgent cases of suspected cancer from December 2000. Performance data is published

  621W
  quarterly and currently (as at 30 September 2003) shows that 98.7 per cent. of patients urgently referred for suspected skin cancer who fall within the standard were seen within 14 days.

  By 2005, there will be targets of a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment and a maximum two month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to treatment for all cancers.

  Comparable data on urgent referrals for non-cancer skin conditions is not collected centrally and therefore no assessment has been made of the impact of the cancer two week wait upon waiting times for treatment of non-cancer skin conditions.

  Mr. Baron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness and benefits of rapid referral clinics for skin cancer. [145145]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 5 January 2003]: The Department has commissioned the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop guidance on skin tumours, including melanoma, for use in the National Health Service in England and Wales. This guidance will advise on the optimal configuration of diagnostic and treatment services for patients with skin cancer. In developing this guidance, NICE will assess the best available evidence in order to make recommendations on the optimum provision of skin

  Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Staff, General Medical Practitioners, Practice staff and Non-Medical staff employed within the specified PCTs, as at 30 September 2002—England

  Number (headcount)

  of which:

  of which:

  of which:

  of which:

  All staff

  HCHS Staff

  Medical Staff

  Dental Staff

  All General Medical Practitioners 2

  NHS PlanGPs3

  Unrestricted Principal and Equivalents (UPEs)4

  5AF North Peterborough PCT

  708

  4

  2

  2

  58

  57

  57

  5AG South Peterborough PCT

  453

  8

  8

  —

  59

  52

  52

  5GF Huntingdonshire PCT

  1,045

  81

  72

  9

  104

  89

  89

  5JH Cambridge City PCT

  806

  7

  7

  —

  100

  86

  86

  5JJ South Cambridgeshire PCT

  562

  17

  12

  5

  77

  63

  62

  5JK East Cambridgeshire and Fenland PCT

  1,108

  1

  1

  —

  90

  78

  78

  RCX Kings Lynn and Wisbech Hospitals NHS Trust

  2,360

  214

  205

  9

  —

  —

  —

  RGN Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust

  3,446

  282

  269

  13

  —

  —

  —

  RGP James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust

  2,776

  205

  193

  12

  —

  —

  —

  RGQ Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

  3,527

  297

  280

  17

  —

  —

  —

  RGR West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust

  2,582

  201

  198

  3

  —

  —

  —

  RGT Addenbrookes NHS Trust

  6,186

  754

  740

  14

  —

  —

  —

  RM1 Norfolk and Norwich Health Care NHS Trust

  5,277

  521

  504

  17

  —

  —

  —

  RQQ Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust

  1,585

  121

  121

  —

  —

  —

  —

  of which:

  Practice staffs5 employed by UPEs

  Total Non-Medical Staff

  Professionally qualified clinical staff

  Support to clinical staff

  NHS infrastructure support

  Other and unknown

  5AF North Peterborough PCT

  231

  415

  214

  154

  47

  —

  5AG South Peterborough PCT

  148

  238

  140

  62

  36

  —

  5GF Huntingdonshire PCT

  314

  546

  291

  139

  116

  —

  5JH Cambridge City PCT

  291

  408

  208

  157

  37

  6

  5JJ South Cambridgeshire PCT

  247

  221

  130

  48

  43

  —

  5JK East Cambridgeshire and Fenland PCT

  260

  757

  387

  287

  83

  —

  RCX Kings Lynn and Wisbech Hospitals NHS Trust

  —

  2,146

  902

  790

  451

  3

  RGN Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust

  —

  3,164

  1,447

  1,270

  441

  6

  RGP James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust

  —

  2,571

  992

  1,077

  501

  1

  RGQ Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

  —

  3,230

  1,722

  1,165

  343

  —

  RGR West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust

  –

  2,381

  1,175

  834

  372

  —

  RGT Addenbrookes NHS Trust

  —

  5,432

  2,984

  1,767

  681

  —

  RMI Norfolk and Norwich Health Care NHS Trust

  —

  4,756

  2,410

  1,932

  409

  5

  RQQ Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust

  —

  1,464

  685

  462

  315

  2

  622W
  cancer services. This will include consideration of a variety of settings and workforce roles. The guidance is due to be published in March 2005.

  In addition, we have asked NICE to update the referral guidelines for suspected cancer published by the Department in April 2000, to assist general practitioners in determining those patients who are most likely to have cancer and therefore need to be referred urgently to see a specialist. Both the existing guidance and the revised guidance will address skin cancers.

  St. George's Hospital, London
  Mr. Liddell-Grainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investigations(a) have taken place and (b) are underway into waiting lists at St. Georges' Hospital, London. [145768]

  Mr. Hutton
  South West London Strategic Health Authority has advised me that no investigations have taken place or are underway into waiting lists at St. George's Hospital, London.

  Staffing (Cambridgeshire)
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) medical and clinical. staff and (b) other types of staff were employed in the NHS in Cambridgeshire according to the most recently available survey of staffing. [146451]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The information requested is shown in the table.
  623W
  1 Excludes Hospital Medical Hospital Practitioners and Hospital Medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals.

  2 All Practitioners include UPEs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA), PMS Other and GP Retainers.

  3 NHS Plan GPs includes GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs. PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, Salaried Doctors and PMS Other.

  4 UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.

  5 Practice Staff includes Practice Nurses, Direct Patient Care, Admin and Clerical and Other.

  Source:

  Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census

  Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

  Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census

  Strategic Health Authorities
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed by strategic health authorities in(a) April 2002 and (b) April 2003; and what the projected figures are for (i) April and (ii) October 2004. [145370]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is shown in the table for September 2002, the latest available data. Projected figures are not available.

  NHS medical, dental and non-medical staff directly employed in strategic health authorities—England, as at 30 September 2002

  Numbers (headcount)

  All HCHS staff (HCHS medical, dental and non-medical)

  England

  3,968

  Q01

  Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA

  40

  Q02

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA

  57

  Q03

  Essex SHA

  103

  Q04

  North West London SHA

  69

  Q05

  North Central London SHA

  104

  Q06

  North East London SHA

  140

  Q07

  South East London SHA

  84

  Q08

  South West London SHA

  43

  009

  Northumberland, Tyne and Wear SHA

  203

  Q10

  County Durham and Tees Valley SHA

  84

  Q11

  North and East Yorks and North Lines SHA

  66

  Q12

  West Yorkshire SHA

  152

  Q13

  Cumbria and Lancashire SHA

  36

  Q14

  Greater Manchester SHA

  301

  Q15

  Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

  487

  Q16

  Thames Valley SHA

  115

  Q17

  Hampshire and Isle Of Wight SHA

  188

  Q18

  Kent and Medway SHA

  238

  Q19

  Surrey and Sussex SHA

  333

  Q20

  Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA

  59

  Q21

  South West Peninsula SHA

  75

  Q22

  Dorset and Somerset SHA

  101

  Q23

  South Yorkshire SHA

  257

  Q24

  Trent SHA

  142

  Q25

  Leics, Northants and Rutland SHA

  188

  Q26

  Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA

  62

  Q27

  Birmingham and the Black Country SHA

  166

  Q28

  Coventry, Warwicks, Herefords and Worcs SHA

  75

  Sources:

  Department of Health medical and dental workforce census,

  Department of Health non-medical workforce census

  Top-up Fees
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether foundation hospitals will be permitted to pay the(a) tuition and (b) top-up fees of recruits. [144394]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 17 December 2003]: National health service foundation trusts, like all NHS trusts, would in principle have the power to pay both the tuition and top-up fees of recruits. It would be up to each NHS foundation trust as to whether and in what
  624W
  circumstances to do so. Section 18(1) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act gives NHS foundation trusts the power to do anything which appears to it to be necessary or desirable for the purposes of or in connection with its functions.

  Transplant Services
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department has put in place to counter the shortages of(a) transplant consultants and (b) critical care nurses in the NHS outlined in the Transplant Framework for England, Saving Lives, Valuing Donors. [144891]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The NHS Plan set challenging workforce objectives to increase staff numbers significantly and redesign jobs with more staff working differently. The Department has arranged for 11 additional surgical training places to be funded specifically to train transplant surgeons.

  Between September 1999 and March 2002, a net increase of 28,740 nurses working in the national health service has meant the NHS Plan target for nurses, 20,000 by 2004, has been achieved early. The NHS has a plan to recruit an additional 35,000 nurses by 2008—a proportion of whom will be working in critical care.

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what system will be put in place to monitor and evaluate the measurements of progress outlined in the Transplant Framework for England, Saving Lives, Valuing Donors; and what action he will take in the event of primary care trusts failing to make progress;. [144892]

  (2) what role he envisages charities and voluntary organisations will play in the implementation of the Transplant Framework for England, Saving Lives, Valuing Donors; [144893]

  (3) whether his Department will be providing additional funding for the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the Transplant Framework for England, Saving Lives, Valuing Donors. [144932]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  UK Transplant already closely monitors most aspects of organ donation and transplantation. The information UK Transplant collects and analyses on organ donation and transplant activity is available on its web-site at www.uktransplant.org.uk. In developing their transplant services, it will be for primary care trusts and specialist commissioning teams to take account of local needs and priorities to allocate resources and benchmark their performance against published activity data. As organ transplantation is of proven clinical
  625W
  and cost effectiveness, maximising donation and transplantation rates will be important for both patients and the National Health Service.

  We envisage that voluntary organisations will continue to play an important part in research, raising awareness about organ donation, particularly by encouraging people to join the organ donor register and supporting the families of donors and transplant recipients.

  The Department has provided around £7 million via UK Transplant since 2001 to boost organ donation through the employment of 35 donor liaison nurses working with staff in critical units to help identify potential donors and how to approach and support relatives; 23 living donor co-ordinators working with families considering live donation and funding 10 non-heartbeating programmes to increase the number of organs from non-heartbeating donors.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce an opt-out scheme for organ donation. [145427]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Government policy on organ donation is one of informed consent, not presumed consent (opt out). The Government reviewed the law on the removal, retention and use of human tissues and organs and tissues during 2003 and the resulting Human Tissue Bill, which was laid before Parliament on 2 December 2003, does not propose to change this policy.

  Variant CJD
  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the risk of possible infection with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease from large pools of plasma; and what the likely effects are of dilution of infected blood products in large pools. [145450]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Department has commissioned a risk assessment to consider these questions and findings are not yet available.

  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department takes to trace recipients of blood donated by donors identified as having(a) variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and (b) other blood-borne diseases. [145453]
  626W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Transfusion Medicine Epidemiology Review is a collaborative project between the United Kingdom National CJD Surveillance Unit (NCJDSU) and United Kingdom Blood Services (UKBS). The main purpose is to investigate whether there is any evidence that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease may have been transmitted via the blood supply.

  Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease cases are notified to the UKBS by NCJDSU; a search establishes whether any have acted as donors. Donation records are checked and all components traced through hospital records. Details of all identified recipients are forwarded to NCJDSU for subsequent checking.

  In the reverse procedure, patients with variant CJD reported to have received blood transfusions are identified by NCJDSU and notified to UKBS. Details of transfusions are traced through hospital records and relevant blood donors identified. The identity of donors is notified to NCJDSU for subsequent checking.

  The safety of blood used in the National Health Service is of paramount importance. Every reasonable step has been taken to minimise any risks during blood transfusion. The current high levels of safety are achieved by screening out potential high risk donors and then further testing of every unit of donated blood for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Human T Cell Leukaemia Virus, and Syphilis before it is released to NHS hospitals.

  Waiting Times (Cambridgeshire)
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the average waiting time for a first consultant appointment in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1999. [146450]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Information relating to national health service trust waiting times, including trusts in Cambridge, for first consultation appointments can be obtained from the Department's at www.doh.gov.uk/waitingtimes/.

  The Trusts in Cambridgeshire are:

  Addenbrooke's Hospital NHS Trust

  Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

  Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust

  Papworth Hospital NHS Trust

  Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust

  Ulster-Scots Agency
  Ulster-Scots Agency
  North/South Implementation Bodies: Funding
  North/South Implementation Bodies: Funding
  Law Officers' Advice: Disclosure
  Law Officers' Advice: Disclosure
  Cross-Border Implementation Bodies: Provision of Cars for Chief Executives
  Cross-Border Implementation Bodies: Provision of Cars for Chief Executives
  Special European Union Programmes Body
  Special European Union Programmes Body
  Northern Ireland: Support for Victims of Civil Unrest
  Northern Ireland: Support for Victims of Civil Unrest
  Northern Ireland: Electricity Generation and Supply
  Northern Ireland: Electricity Generation and Supply
  Northern Ireland: Local Government
  Northern Ireland: Local Government
  Service Veterans: Joint Work with US Administration
  Service Veterans: Joint Work with US Administration
  Challenger II Tanks
  Challenger II Tanks
  Gulf War 1990–91: Illness and Research Programme
  Gulf War 1990–91: Illness and Research Programme
  Child Protection
  Child Protection
  Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003: Schools and Colleges
  Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003: Schools and Colleges
  Energy Policy: Ministerial Responsibilities in House of Lords
  Energy Policy: Ministerial Responsibilities in House of Lords
  Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
  Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
  Disabled Young People: John Grooms Inquiry
  Disabled Young People: John Grooms Inquiry
  National Service Framework for Children
  National Service Framework for Children
  Biodiversity: UK Action Plan and Strategy for England
  Biodiversity: UK Action Plan and Strategy for England
  Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture: Countries Ratifying International Treaty
  Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture: Countries Ratifying International Treaty
  Landfill Regulations: Dredging
  Landfill Regulations: Dredging
  Trout and Trout Fisheries: Ligula Tapeworm
  Trout and Trout Fisheries: Ligula Tapeworm