Written Answers of 10 June 2004

TREASURY

  Citizen Information Project
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether the Citizen Information Project will cover the whole of the UK; [177795]

  (2) whether an independent statutory body will be established to administer the Citizen Information Project; [177796]

  (3) what security measures are planned for the Citizen Information Project; [177797]

  (4) how identity will be verified of individuals wishing to update information held on the Citizen Information Project; [177798]

  (5) whether audit trails will he used on the Citizen Information Project as a means of checking security; and who will be responsible for checking this; [177799]

  (6) what assessments have been made of the (a) size, (b) cost of setting up and (c) the time necessary to set up the Citizen Information Project; [177840]

  (7) what adjustments have hem made to the Citizen Information Project since the Cabinet agreement to establish a national identity database; [177841]

  (8) what the purpose is of the Citizen Information Project. [177842]

  Ruth Kelly
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the General Registrar for England and Wales, who has been asked to reply.

  Letter from Dennis Roberts to Mrs. Claire Curtis-Thomas, dated 10 June 2004:

  The Registrar General for England and Wales has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions on the Citizen Information Project (CIP). I have been asked to reply in his absence. (177799, 177840, 177841, 177842, 177795, 177796, 177797 and 177798)

  The objective of CIP is to create, for the public sector, the prime source of address and other core contact information relating to people usually resident in the UK. The feasibility study, conducted in 2003, indicated that the creation of a UK-wide population register could lead to cost and efficiency savings for the public sector.

  With regard to the specific points you raise in relation to security, identity verification, governance and logistics of its potential setting up, all of these points are being considered during the project definition stage, which is currently running. It is scheduled to run until June 2005 at which point the Office for National Statistics will report back to Ministers with proposals for how CIP could be taken forward. Therefore, no decisions have been taken yet on the form in which it would develop but the latest thinking can be found in the evidence supplied by the Registrar General to the Home Affairs Committee on 27 April 2004.
  486W
  The CIP project team continues to work closely with all relevant government departments and to ensure that the project takes account of developments elsewhere.

  Historic Houses (Pre-owned Assets Tax)
  Mr. Boris Johnson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has commissioned on the effect upon historic houses of the tax on pre-owned assets. [176462]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Owners of historic houses will not be affected unless they have engaged in tax avoidance of the sort targeted by the Government's proposals. If they have, they will have the option—under the proposals set out in the Finance Bill—to bring their property back within the scope of inheritance tax. And that in turn opens the way to claims in due course to the heritage exemption from inheritance tax, if the property is of suitable quality and the necessary commitment is made to provide public access.

  Child Care
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis he intends not to extend tax credits for employing nannies providing child care to parents who use grandparents and other family members to look after their children. [178356]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government announced, on the 17 May, their proposals for consultation on the new Childcare Approval Scheme which will extend the types of good quality child care for which families can get financial support, such as the child care element of the working tax credit. The results of the consultation and the details of the scheme will be made known in due course.

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future role of HM Customs and Excise at UK sea and airports after its investigation and intelligence work is brought under the control of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency. [177155]

  John Healey
  HM Customs and Excise's expertise in working at the borders to protect national security, collect revenue, facilitate trade and prevent smuggling will continue to play a vital role in the new integrated revenue department, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

  Revenue from customs and excise duties, which raise almost £17 billion each year, are heavily dependent upon the protection afforded at the border. Equally important is the economic imperative to ensure that international trade is facilitated in a way that ensures the UK remains a good place to do business.

  The nature of indirect taxes makes them more vulnerable to attack by fraudsters than direct taxes. Customs has developed strategies for countering such attacks which depend heavily upon their expertise in frontiers work, investigation, and disruption.

  For these reasons HMRC will maintain its frontier role while working with the other agencies that undertake controls at UK borders. Following the creation of the Serious Organised Crime Agency,

  487W
  HMRC will continue to deliver Customs' full range of import and export controls at the UK's frontiers, retaining intelligence resources to support the enforcement of prohibitions and restrictions.

  Financial Services Authority
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the(a) estimated and (b) outturn set-up costs of the Financial Services Authority were, expressed in (i) capital expenditure and (ii) revenue expenditure terms;.[175267]

  (2) how set-up costs of the Financial Services Authority were accounted for in the public finances;. [175268]

  (3) what the overall outturn revenue expenditure of the Financial Services Authority was in each year since its establishment;. [175269]

  (4) if he will list those bodies whose responsibilities were taken on by the Financial Services Authority as successor; and what the outturn revenue expenditure for each of those bodies was in the final three years of their operation. [175270]

  Ruth Kelly
  For the purposes of this response, 1 December 2001 ("N2") has been taken as the date the Financial Services Authority (FSA) was established, when the FSA was granted its full powers under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. The FSA's financial year ends on 31 March.

  £

  Name of body and/or relevant responsibility of body

  Outturn expenditure for 1999–2000

  Outturn expenditure for 2000–01

  Outturn expenditure for April 2001–02

  Total

  Investment Management Regulatory Organisation (IMRO)

  18.6

  16.6

  11.7

  46.9

  Personal Investment Authority (PIA)

  44.0

  39.9

  27.1

  111.0

  Securities and Futures Authority (SFA)

  32.8

  33.0

  21.2

  87.0

  Securities and Investments Boards (SIB) (Supervision of banks)1

  50.2

  50.8

  35.3

  136.3

  Securities and Investments Board (SIB) (other regulatory responsibilities)

  15.3

  15.6

  13.7

  44.6

  HM Treasury Insurance Directors2

  12.8

  5.6

  11.4

  39.8

  Registry of Friendly Societies (RFS) (including the Building Societies Commission (BSC) and Friendly Societies Commission (FSC))

  7.8

  8.2

  38.4

  16

  1Supervision of banks transferred from the Bank of England to the Securities and Investments Board (SIB) on 1 June 1998.

  2Figures for FSA service charge to HM Treasury.

  3Budget forecast for full financial year 2001–02. The Registry of Friendly Societies (RFS) was wound up in December 2001.

  HIPC Process
  John Barrett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to assist those countries which are predicted to exit the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries process with unsustainable debt. [177419]

  John Healey
  The UK fully supports the cancellation of debt of the world's poorest countries through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. The UK was instrumental in securing international agreement to enhance the original Initiative in 1999, to ensure that as much debt relief as possible is granted to as many countries as possible. The UK continues to be a champion of the HIPC Initiative. We have provided commitments of £2.3 billion of debt relief to eligible countries and have pledged a total of US$474 million through multilateral institutions to support the Initiative further. The UK goes even further than is
  488W
  Estimated set-up running costs of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) were £14 million (FSA's annual reports for financial years 1999–00 and 2000–01). Outturn set-up running costs, relating to the new organisational structure of the FSA, were £13.2 million. A further £1.8 million was incurred in relation to the transfer of the UK Listing Authority function from the London Stock Exchange, which was not included in the original estimate. These costs were recovered from FSA fee-payers during the three years including and following N2 and so were not accounted for in the public finances.

  In 1998–99, the FSA also incurred capital expenditure of approximately £37 million, to prepare the FSA's new premises in Canary Wharf, London. Annual depreciation is also being included in the amount charged to FSA fee-payers and is not accounted for in the public finances.

  The overall outturn expenditure of the FSA since it was established (N2) was £69.1 million in the remainder of 2001—02, and £203.1 million in 2002–03. In addition, a £2 million deficit reduction contribution was made in 2002–03 to finance the FSA's pension scheme shortfall. The responsibilities of the bodies the FSA took on as successor, and the outturn expenditure of these bodies for the three financial years of their operation up to and including N2, shown in the table as follows. In addition, the FSA took responsibility for the UK Listing Authority function from the London Stock Exchange on 1 May 2000. Between 1 May 2000 and N2, FSA outturn expenditure in relation to this function was £17.7 million.

  required under the Initiative, and is committed to providing 100 per cent. debt relief to eligible HIPC countries.

  The HIPC Initiative is delivering real benefits to participating countries. it is providing over $70 billion of debt relief to the 27 counties which have reached Decision Point. It is helping increase annual social expenditure in countries receiving debt relief. Total social spending has increased by around $4 billion since 1999—equivalent to 2.7 per cent. of GDP. On average, health and education spending account for 65 per cent. of the use of HIPC debt relief.

  However, there are countries forecast to exit the Initiative with debt-to-export ratios above the HIPC target of 150 per cent. because of factors beyond their control. The UK continues to push for additional relief to be granted to these countries at Completion Point

  489W
  ("topping up" relief). We successfully campaigned for Niger and Ethiopia to receive such additional relief, resulting in over $800 million in additional relief for two of the world's poorest countries.

  The UK also continues to lobby for a change in the topping up methodology to maximise the quantum of topping up relief. At present, the additional bilateral assistance (ABA) granted by some countries—including the G7—is included when calculating the amount of additional relief to be provided at Completion Point. We are pressing for this ABA to be excluded from this calculation, which could increase the quantum of debt relief delivered to HIPCs by around $1 billion.

  We are also working closely with the IMF and World Bank as they finalise a new debt sustainability framework, which will govern all lending decisions for low-income countries, including those that have participated in HIPC. When operational, this framework will ensure that sufficient official finance is provided in the right blend of grants and highly concessional lending to aid future development without threatening long-term debt sustainability prospects.

  However, all low-income countries will need additional aid to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This is why the UK has proposed the International Finance Facility (IFF), which could provide the much-needed substantial increase in aid—in the form of grants, concessional loans, or further debt—needed to attain the MDGs without threatening the long-term debt sustainability of the world's poorest countries.

  Income Tax (Pensioners)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in Stoke-on-Trent, North qualified for the 10p rate of income tax in each year since its introduction. [177635]

  Dawn Primarolo
  All income tax payers benefit from the 10p starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes estimates that there are about 3,000 state retirement pension age taxpayers in the Stoke-on-Trent, North constituency in 2000–01 and 2001–02. Estimates should be treated with caution because of sampling variation. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.

  Mrs. Fitzsimons
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale qualified for the 10 pence rate of income tax in each year since its introduction; and what percent age were(a) women and (b) of Asian origin. [178544]

  Dawn Primarolo
  All income tax payers benefit from the 10 pence starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) estimates that there are around 5,000 state retirement pension age tax payers in the Rochdale constituency in 2001–02. The sample size of pensioners living in the Rochdale constituency is relatively small compared to other constituencies so a reliable estimate cannot be given for 2000–01. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.
  490W
  The sample size of women pensioners living in the Rochdale consistuency is too small to provide a reliable estimate in any year. Information on ethnic origin is not available on the Survey of Personal Incomes.

  Estimates should be treated with caution because of sampling variation.

  Large Business Office
  Mr. Prisk
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) full and (b) part-time staff have been employed by the Large Business Office in each year since 1997. [174938]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Figures for 1999—2000 onwards are:

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Total

  1999–2000

  636

  44

  680

  2000–01

  675

  44

  719

  2001–02

  707

  79

  786

  2002–03

  742

  92

  834

  2003—04

  763

  91

  854

  It may be possible to ascertain figures for earlier years, but these are not held centrally and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

  National Insurance Contributions
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the total gross national insurance contributions by(a) employers, (b) employees and (c) the self-employed as a proportion of GDP for 2007–08. [177883]

  John Healey
  Estimates are given in the table.

  Group

  Contribution classes

  Gross NICs as a proportion of money GDP in 2007–08 (UK) (per cent.)

  (a) employers

  1 (secondary), 1A, 1B

  4.5

  (b) employees

  1 (primary), 3

  3.0

  (c) self-employed

  2,4

  0.3

  Total

  All

  7.7

  Gross National Insurance contributions are estimated by Government Actuary's Department. Estimates of money GDP in 2007—08 are published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2004.

  Population (UK)
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total projected population of the UK is for each of the next 10 years. [177909]

  Ruth Kelly
  The Government Actuary's latest national population projections, based on the estimated population at the middle of 2002, are available from the GAD website at: http://www.gad.gov.uk/Population/index.asp?v = Principal&y = 2002&subYear = Continue

  Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sums have been paid to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in each of the last five years. [177599]
  491W
  Ruth Kelly
  [holding answer 10 June 2004]: The Treasury does not keep central records of payments by Government to particular organisations. However, the Treasury itself has paid the following sums to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in the following of the last five years:

  £

  1999–2000

  210

  2000–01

  160

  2003–04

  890

  Sefton
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on population levels in Sefton over the last 10 years. [177838]

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

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mrs. Curtis-Thomas, dated 10 June 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question concerning the population levels in Sefton over the last 10 years. I am replying in his absence. (177838)

  The total population for Sefton has decreased steadily from 292,400 in mid-1992 to 281, 700 in mid-2002. This represents a decrease of 3.4 per cent. Changes in population can be attributed to a combination of 'natural change' and 'migration and other changes'. In most years it is 'natural change' that is the most important factor for Sefton, with an excess of deaths over births. Over the 10 years as a whole, natural change accounted for 71 per cent. of the decrease. Figures for each year can be found in the attached table.

  Mid-1992 to mid-2000 population estimates are interim revised population estimates. They are subject to revision.

  Total population and population change for Sefton (1992 to 2002)

  Population at start

  Natural change

  Migration and other changes1

  Population at end

  1991–92

  292,900

  -100

  -400

  292,400

  1992–93

  292,400

  -500

  -300

  291,600

  1993–94

  291,600

  -700

  -1,200

  289,700

  1994–95

  289,700

  -600

  -900

  288,300

  1995–96

  288,300

  -700

  -800

  286,700

  1996–97

  286,700

  -700

  -0

  285,900

  1997–98

  285,900

  -700

  -500

  284,700

  1998–99

  284,700

  -900

  -0

  283,800

  1999–2000

  283,800

  -900

  300

  283,200

  2000–01

  283,200

  -900

  600

  282,900

  2001–02

  282,900

  -1000

  -200

  281,700

  1"Migration and other changes" encompasses net migration, Armed Forces, Foreign Armed Forces Dependents, School Boarders, Prisoners, Asylum Seekers and Visitor Switches, an adjustment to reconcile differences between Censuses and an adjustment for any possible boundary changes.

  Note:

  Figures may not add exactly due to rounding.

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics

  492W

  Taxation (Wales)
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money was raised through taxes in Wales in each of the last 10 years. [177351]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The following table from the ONS 2002 publication of household income shows estimates of income taxes, council taxes and vehicle taxes paid by households in Wales and the United Kingdom for the period 1995 to 1999. These figures were produced by ONS for the estimation of sub-national gross disposable household income and were published in March 2002.

  Estimate of taxes paid by households1

  £million

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Wales

  3.062

  3,036

  3,068

  3,384

  3,743

  United Kingdom

  86,527

  87,932

  89,734

  106,069

  113,455

  1Taxes paid by households and non-profit institutions serving households

  No corresponding information is available on taxes paid by organisations although an estimate of the VAT paid was given in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Ian Lucas) on 16 December 2002, Official Report, column 613W.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Housing Stock
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total costs of grants to Arm's Length Management Organisations, and the amount paid to each, has been since 1999. [176757]

  Keith Hill
  The Housing Revenue Account Subsidy paid to local authorities which have set up qualifying Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) to manage and improve their housing stock includes an allowance to support borrowing by the local authorities for capital expenditure by their ALMOs. This allowance was first paid in 2002–03. The sums paid to each qualifying local authority in 2002–03 and 2003–04 are tabled as follows:

  ALMO allowance (£)

  Local authority

  2002–03

  2003–04

  Round 1 ALMOs

  Ashfield

  1,012,603

  2,400,000

  Derby

  1,312,164

  3,110,000

  Hounslow

  1,179,452

  3,500.000

  Kirklees

  1,917,808

  6,250,000

  Rochdale

  835,397

  2,420,000

  Stockton-on-Tees

  1,353,288

  4,450,000

  Westminster

  745,260

  2,030,000

  Wigan

  1,788,932

  5,830,000

  Round 2 ALMOs

  Barnsley

  —

  1,856,885

  Blyth Valley

  —

  1,329,235

  Bolton

  —

  2,619,654

  Brent

  —

  2,342,213

  Carrick

  —

  109,098

  Cheltenham

  —

  422,131

  Hillingdon

  —

  86,175

  Kensington and Chelsea

  —

  1,580,334

  Leeds—North East

  —

  447,072

  493W

  ALMO allowance (£)

  Local authority

  2002–03

  2003–04

  Leeds—West

  —

  778,210

  Oldham

  —

  3,033,211

  Total

  10,114,904

  44,594,218

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the evidence he has collated on the benefits that arise from(a) separating housing management from housing strategy and (b) the financial effect of the separation. [177007]

  Keith Hill
  The Audit Commission's Best Value Inspection Reports indicate that stock owning local authorities primarily see their housing role as that of a landlord. This reduces their focus on strategic housing functions. In explaining why they had published best practice on how local authorities that had transferred their stock deliver their strategic housing using role, the Audit Commission said that:"Having set up a housing association to run its rented homes, a council is able to concentrate on area-based regeneration, including private sector housing. In other areas, councils have used stock transfer as an opportunity o work more effectively with planning services to provide more affordable housing and more mixed-tenure developments".

  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not have information of the financial effects of the separation of strategic and landlord services.

  LSVT

  Authority

  Date of transfer

  Private investment (£ million)

  Manchester CC (Colshaw Farm)

  14 February 2000

  30.00

  North Devon DC

  21 February 2000

  70.00

  LB Hackney*Stamford Hill

  6 March 2000

  35.00

  LB Hackney*Pembury Estate

  6 March 2000

  33.90

  Burnley BC

  8 March 2000

  45.00

  Manchester CC Sale Estate

  20 March 2000

  23.00

  Weymouth and Portland C

  20 March 2000

  55.00

  Huntingdon DC

  20 March 2000

  95.00

  Elmbridge BC

  27 March 2000

  93.00

  Test Valley BC

  27 March 2000

  111.00

  Wyre Forest DC

  27 March 2000

  80.00

  Manchester CC Whitefield Estate

  27 March 2000

  20.00

  LB Tower Hamlets*THCH

  27 March 2000

  45.00

  Tameside

  27 March 2000

  213.00

  MBC

  LB Richmond

  17 July 2000

  173.00

  Coventry CC

  22 September 2000

  240.00

  Fylde BC

  2 October 2000

  30.00

  Chester CC

  27 November 2000

  90.00

  Horsham DC

  11 December 2000

  100.00

  LB Tower Hamlets*Poplar I

  12 February 2001

  33.00

  East Northamptonshire DC

  19 February 2001

  60.00

  Torbay BC

  19 February 2001

  50.00

  Staffordshire Moorlands DC

  23 February 2001

  50.00

  Calderdale MBC

  6 March 2001

  112.00

  Chichester DC

  13 March 2001

  120.00

  Mendip DC

  19 March 2001

  70.00

  West Wiltshire DC

  26 March 2001

  100.00

  West Oxfordshire DC

  26 March 2001

  75.00

  East Staffordshire BC

  26 March 2001

  62.00

  Manchester CC Handforth Estate

  26 March 2001

  17.00

  Sunderland CC

  26 March 2001

  425.00

  Blackburn with Darwen BC

  28 March 2001

  85.00

  Shrewsbury and Atcham BC

  1 October 2001

  82.00

  Mid–Bedfordshire DC

  5 November 2001

  50.00

  494W
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much investment to fund stock improvements has been secured via transfer, private finance initiative and Arm's Length Management Organisations since the Housing Green Paper was published in 2000, broken down by local authority; and how much of the backlog of repairs and improvement remains to be funded. [176756]

  Keith Hill
  The following tables show the level of additional investment secured by ALMO PFI and LSVT since 2000.

  These figures do not include mainstream housing funding paid to stock owning local authorities including those that have established ALMOs or PFI contracts.

  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not in a position to update or estimate the reduction since 2001 of the repairs and improvement backlog until we have sufficient data from the English House Condition Survey, the next report of which will be published by the end of this year.

  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister needs this independent assessment, as we cannot determine the remaining backlog by simply deducting the sums spent from the previous backlog estimate. This is because the expenditure is used both to reduce the backlog and to stop the backlog increasing.
  495W

  LSVT

  Authority

  Date of transfer

  Private investment (£ million)

  Derbyshire Dales

  4 March 2002

  59.00

  Chelmsford BC

  11 March 2002

  145.00

  East Hertfordshire DC

  18 March 2002

  50.00

  DC

  57.00

  Erewash BC

  25 March 2002

  99.00

  Reigate and Banstead BC

  25 March 2002

  105.50

  St. Edmundsbury

  24 Jun(2002

  91.00

  Vale Royal BC

  1 July 2002

  90.00

  St. Helens MBC

  1 July 2002

  129.00

  Redcar and Cleveland BC

  15 July 2002

  180.00

  Knowsley MBC

  15 July 2002

  180.00

  LB Waltham Forest

  30 September 2002

  175.00

  LB Hackney cc sheltered stock

  14 October 2002

  25.00

  LB Harrow

  14 October 2002

  55.00

  Manchester cc Langley Estate

  18 November 2002

  28.00

  County of Herefordshire C

  25 November 2002

  63.00

  Carlisle CC

  9 December 2002

  63.50

  Rushcliffe BC

  20 January 2003

  55.00

  Liverpool CC Eastern Fringe (south)

  23 January 2003

  25.50

  Liverpool CC Eastern Fringe (central)

  30 January 2003

  17.50

  City of Bradford

  24 February 2003

  245.10

  Amber Valley BC

  24 February 2003

  94.00

  Crewe and Nantwich BC

  10 March 2003

  54.00

  Liverpool CC Eastern fringe (north)

  10 March 2003

  64.50

  Oldham MBC Limeside (Hollins/The Avenues)

  17 March 2003

  12.00

  Walsall MBC (majority of stock)

  27 March 2003

  213.00

  Walsall MBC (tenant managed stock)

  27 March 2003

  7.20

  Craven DC

  31 March 2003

  15.00

  Forest of Dean DC

  31 March 2003

  50.00

  North Hertfordshire DC

  31 March 2003

  182.00

  Manchester CC (East Manchester)

  8 September 2003

  25.00

  Scarborough BC

  15 December 2003

  43.00

  Maidstone BC

  2 February 2004

  50.00

  Teignbridge

  4 February 2004

  45.00

  Oldham MBC Fitton Hill

  15 March 2004

  8.50

  Cherwell

  29 March 2004

  50.00

  Bromsgrove

  29 March 2004

  49.00

  Hartlepool

  29 March 2004

  65.00

  Liverpool (Kensington)

  29 March 2(104

  19.00

  Worcester

  31 March 2004

  55.00

  South Norfolk

  17 May 2004

  55.00

  Total

  5,118.30

  ALMO allowance (£)

  Local authority

  2002–03

  2003–04

  Round 1 ALMOs

  Ashfield

  1,012,603

  2,400,000

  Derby

  1,312,164

  3,110,000

  Hounslow

  1,179,452

  3,500,000

  Kirklees

  1,917,808

  6,250,000

  Rochdale

  835,397

  2,420,000

  Stockton-on-Tees

  1,353,288

  4,450,000

  Westminster

  745,260

  2,030,000

  Wigan

  1,788,932

  5,830,000

  Round 2 ALMOs

  Barnsley

  —

  1,856,885

  Blyth Valley

  —

  1,329,235

  Bolton

  —

  2,619,654

  Brent

  —

  2,342,213

  Carrick

  —

  109,098

  Cheltenham

  —

  422,131

  Hillingdon

  —

  86,175

  Kensington and Chelsea

  —

  1,580,334

  Leeds—North East

  —

  447,072

  Leeds—West

  —

  778,210

  Oldham

  —

  3,033,211

  Total

  10,144,904

  44,594,218

  496W

  PFI

  Authority

  PFI credits (£ million)

  Manchester

  36.64

  Islington

  74.69

  Reading

  49.65

  Total

  160.98

  Housing Stock Transfers
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how much was paid per home to each local authority by the organisation taking over responsibility for housing where a large-scale voluntary transfer has taken place since 2001; and how many homes were involved in each case; [176707]

  (2) what (a) the total amount paid to the local authority and (b) the average payment per house by the registered social landlords taking over the stock in each large-scale transfer in the last four years is. [177006]

  Keith Hill
  To reflect the intended continued use of the properties for social housing and the need for capital
  497W
  investment, the price paid to each local authority per council house accords with a tenanted (TMV) rather than an open market value. The following table shows the price paid per dwelling, the gross

  Local Authority

  Date of Transfer

  Number of dwellings

  Price per dwelling

  Gross transfer price (£ million)

  LB Richmond

  17 July 2000

  7,139

  8,335

  59.50

  Coventry CC

  22 September 2000

  20,125

  2,460

  49.50

  Fylde BC

  2 October 2000

  1,905

  6,300

  12.00

  Chester CC

  27 November 2000

  7,096

  6,341

  45.00

  Horsham DC

  11 December 2000

  4,650

  14,462

  67.25

  LB Tower Hamlets Poplar 1

  12 February 2001

  1,859

  0

  Grant 35.22

  East Northamptonshire DC

  19 February 2001

  3,495

  6,150

  21.49

  Torbay BC

  19 February 2001

  2,947

  6,480

  19.10

  Staffordshire Moorlands DC

  23 February 2001

  3,132

  6,290

  19.67

  Calderdale MBC

  6 March 2001

  12,759

  2,825

  36.00

  Chichester DC

  13 March 2001

  5,321

  14,752

  78.50

  Mendip DC

  19 March 2001

  4,326

  8,091

  35.00

  West Wiltshire DC

  26 March 2001

  3,284

  6,423

  21.00

  West Oxfordshire DC

  26 March 2001

  3,643

  13,972

  50.90

  East Staffordshire BC

  26 March 2001

  5,637

  3,643

  24.50

  Manchester CC Handforth Estate

  26 March 2001

  659

  535

  0.37

  Sunderland CC

  26 March 2001

  36,356

  6,045

  219.80

  Blackburn with Darwen BC

  28 March 2001

  9,886

  4,195

  35.40

  Shrewsbury and Atcham BC

  1 October 2001

  5,500

  11,527

  63.40

  Mid-Bedfordshire DC

  5 November 2001

  3,084

  10,159

  31.33

  Derbyshire Dales

  4 March 2002

  3,287

  7,616

  24.80

  Chelmsford BC

  11 March 2002

  6,902

  11,530

  79.60

  East Hertfordshire

  18 March 2002

  2,687

  11,937

  32.10

  East Hertfordshire

  (two transfers to separate RSLs)

  3,237

  13,725

  44.40

  Erewash BC

  25 March 2002

  5,847

  6,460

  38.10

  Reigate and Banstead BC

  25 March 2002

  4,846

  13,212

  64.00

  St. Edmundsbury

  24 June 2002

  5,947

  7,489

  45.10

  Vale Royal BC

  1 July 2002

  6,813

  7,462

  51.07

  St. Helens MBC

  1 July 2002

  14,632

  1,974

  28.90

  Redcar and Cleveland BC

  15 July 2002

  11,625

  5,180

  60.20

  Knowsley MBC

  15 July 2002

  17,090

  1,794

  30.66

  LB Waltham Forest

  30 September 2002

  2,242

  832

  1.87

  LB Hackney CC sheltered stock

  14 October 2002

  954

  0

  0.00

  LB Harrow

  14 October 2002

  518

  0

  0.00

  Manchester CC Langley Estate

  18 November 2002

  3,360

  0

  0.00

  County of Herefordshire C

  25 November 2002

  5,696

  6,945

  39.56

  Carlisle CC

  9 December 2002

  7,198

  1,803

  12.98

  Rushcliffe BC

  20 January 2003

  3,445

  12,934

  44.56

  Liverpool CC eastern fringe (south)

  23 January 2003

  2,833

  1,800

  5.10

  Liverpool CC eastern fringe (central)

  30 January 2003

  3,702

  0

  0.00

  City of Bradford

  24 February 2003

  24,764

  2,831

  70.10

  Amber Valley BC

  24 February 2003

  5,632

  5,077

  28.57

  Crewe and Nantwich BC

  10 March 2003

  5,515

  6,181

  34.10

  Liverpool CC eastern fringe north

  10 March 2003

  6,183

  0

  0.00

  Oldham MBC Limeside (Hollins/the Avenues)

  17 March 2003

  634

  0

  0.00

  Walsall MBC (majority of stock)

  27 March 2003

  22,971

  1,026

  24.00

  Walsall MBC (tenant managed stock)

  27 March 2003

  1,828

  0

  0.00

  Craven DC

  31 March 2003

  1,541

  5,201

  17.60

  Forest of Dean DC

  31 March 2003

  3,577

  6,849

  24.50

  North Hertfordshire DC

  31 March 2003

  8,570

  3,128

  27.00

  Manchester CC (east Manchester)

  8 September 2003

  2,823

  0

  0.00

  Scarborough BC

  15 December 2003

  4,632

  5,232

  24.25

  Maidstone BC

  2 February 2004

  6,810

  5,685

  35.82

  Teignbridge

  4 February 2004

  3,647

  3,651

  12.90

  Oldham MBC Fitton Hill

  15 March 2004

  1,285

  0

  0.00

  Cherwell

  29 March 2004

  3,656

  7,397

  42.85

  Bromsgrove

  29 March 2004

  3,096

  5,218

  16.50

  Hartlepool

  29 March 2004

  7,509

  427

  3.20

  Liverpool (Kensington)

  29 March 2004

  289

  0

  0.00

  Worcester

  31 March 2004

  4,714

  1,128

  5.31

  South Norfolk

  17 May 2004

  4,214

  7,499

  31.60

  498W
  transfer price and the number of dwellings involved in large-scale voluntary transfers in the last four years. The amounts were calculated in accordance with this valuation method.
  499W
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been paid in dowry and gap funding to local authorities to undertake large-scale voluntary stock transfers since 1999. [176758]

  Keith Hill
  Estates Renewal Challenge Fund dowry payments of £165.264 million and £81.142 million were made in 1999–2000 and 2000–01 respectively.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidelines he gives to registered social landlords taking over council property in large-scale voluntary transfers; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of tenant representation in existing registered social landlords. [177008]

  Keith Hill
  The Housing Transfer Manual 2003 Programme provides guidance on housing transfer and sets out the procedure by which an authority should make an application to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. We require Registered Social Landlords to discuss the implications of transfer with the Housing Corporation who published their new registration criteria registration with the Housing Corporation in April 2004. This gives guidance which covers stock transfer applicants seeking to become registered social landlords.

  The Housing Corporation sets out the requirements and expectations for tenant representation in existing Registered Social Landlords in paragraph 2.5 of its Regulatory Code and Guidance. Failure to meet these requirements will be reflected in the Housing Corporation assessment of the Registered Social Landlord.

  The need to ensure effective tenant representation has been further emphasised in the recent Housing Corporation publication, "Involvement Policy for the Housing Association Sector". This came into effect in April 2004 and brings together two of the Housing Corporation's previous documents—"Making Consumers Count" and "Communities in Control."

  This revised resident involvement policy sets out clearly what residents, and the Housing Corporation as regulator, can expect from housing associations, i.e.:
  all housing associations should clearly show how their services have been influenced by comments and feedback from the people living in their homes;
  all associations are expected to be able to show that responsiveness to residents' views runs through all their activities. That it is part of their culture and the way they deliver services; and
  all associations are expected to work with their residents to decide the best ways of involving them, taking account of their preferences and circumstances
  The Housing Corporation seeks residents' views on emerging policies in a variety of ways:
  working with a wide range of representative bodies of tenants and residents;
  maintaining a database of 'interested tenants' who have indicated that they are prepared to be involved in giving feedback on the Housing Corporation's developing policies and on the consultation papers issued from time to time;
  conducting a major national tenants' survey every three years covering 10,000 tenants. The next survey is due this year;
  providing grants to support conferences of residents at both national and regional level; and
  holding regular meeting with the Housing Ombudsman.
  500W
  The Corporation has asked the Audit Commission, as part of its joint programme of research, to look at the costs and benefits of resident involvement and to consider the evidence that involvement does in fact make good business sense. A report of the study, "Improving Services Through Resident Involvement", will be launched at the Chartered Institute of Housing conference in June 2004.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of the costs of(a) consultation, (b) publicity material and (c) surveys connected with (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful tenant ballots on large-scale voluntary transfer or establishment of an arm's length management organisation was met by (A) local government, (B) housing associations, (C) arm's length management organisations and (D) central Government. [177015]

  Keith Hill
  All local authorities are required to produce Business Plans that set out medium/long-term plans for addressing the investment needs of their council housing and Improving the quality of services provided to tenants. The guidance provided to authorities highlights the importance of carrying out robust option appraisals as a part of this, to ensure that resources are used effectively and, where additional resources are needed, that the best option for delivering decent homes is identified. Therefore, the cost is met by local authorities, as all work on options appraisals including consultation, publicity material and surveys etc. is funded by the heal authority, as the work should be undertaken as part of their Business Plan.

  Arm's Length Management Organisations and housing associations are at the end of the process of options appraisal undertaken by local authorities, and so do not fund any of the consultation with tenants on the three options.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate the total cost to central Government of transferring council housing to registered social landlords and Arm's Length Management Organisations in the financial years(a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04, separately identifying (i) the total debt written off, (ii) the cost of dowry and gap funding, (iii) the cost of paying tenant housing benefit by social security, (iv) the cost of consultancies, literature, videos and surveys and (v) the cost of staff time at (A) national and (B) regional levels; and how many houses have been transferred. [177153]

  Keith Hill
  In 2002–03, £440 million of debt was written off for local authorities transferring their housing stock; there was no dowry or gap funding in this year. 167,000 homes were transferred to registered social landlords. Arms Length Management Organisations received £10 million funding that year.

  In 2003–04, £90 million of debt was written off for local authorities transferring their housing stock; there was no dowry or gap funding in this year. 42,000 homes were transferred.

  Arm's Length Management Organisations received £45 million funding that year.

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

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Ancient Trees
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what action her Department is taking to ensure that ancient trees are identified for inclusion in biodiversity action plans; [173941]

  (2) what action her Department is taking to ensure that ancient trees are fully identified and mapped for the purposes of inclusion in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. [173942]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Sites with ancient or veteran trees are being recorded through a variety of different mechanisms. Some are Sites of Special Scientific Interest and a number of the best areas have gone forward as Special Areas of Conservation under the EU Habitats and Species Directive (including the New Forest, Burnham Beeches, Epping Forest, Windsor Great Park, Richmond Park, Sherwood Forest).

  Surveys to identify other sites for veteran trees, that may have been over-looked in the past, are under way, including recent work in Scotland and in the East Midlands of England. The Forestry Commission are planning to start the next National Inventory of Woodland and Trees later this year. The methods to be used are being finalised over the next few months and it is expected that the inventory will provide estimates of the overall abundance of veteran trees in woodland.

  The most important concentrations of ancient or veteran trees across the countryside tend to be associated with wood-pastures (old parks, commons and the former royal hunting forests). The UK Wood-pasture and. Parkland Habitat Action Plan is led by English Nature, who are developing the Wood-pasture and Parkland Information System (www.wapis.org.uk) that will enable both biological and historical data about these important sites to be brought together.

  The National Inventory cannot be expected to pick up every one of the many thousands of individual veteran trees that exist within Britain, in field corners, hedges or along riverbanks. There is scope, therefore, for voluntary efforts such as by local tree wardens and through the Woodland Trust/Ancient Tree Forum's Ancient Tree Hunt to complement the work of the Government Departments and agencies. We welcome such voluntary sector contributions. We would encourage individuals and voluntary bodies to use the Wood-pasture and Parkland In formation System to widen our knowledge and understanding and help make the information readily available through the National Biodiversity Network.

  Animal By-products
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the cost to retailers of the Animal By-products Regulation 2003. [177396]
  502W
  Mr. Bradshaw
  The Animal By-Products Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) estimated that the cost to retailers for disposing of raw meat and raw fish is between £4 and £45 a week depending on the size of the store and the amount of waste generated by the store. No more recent estimate has been made.

  Cattle
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 May 2004,Official Report, column 1486W, on cattle, how much of the total cost of running the cattle tracing scheme will be paid by farmers; and if she will make a statement. [176706]

  Alun Michael
  We recently deferred the introduction of Cattle Tracing System charging from 1 April 2004 and are currently reviewing a range of options on the level of cost recovery.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons she has not replied to the letter of 27 November 2003 from Mr. Jim Morrison, President of the Aluminium Federation on the problems of the export of waste under the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 1994; and if she will make a statement. [174996]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 27 May 2004]: My Department has no record of having received this letter. A copy was recently passed to me by my hon. Friend. A follow-up letter of 19 May has been received recently. I have now written to Mr. Morrison, addressing the issues that he raised.

  Fallen Stock
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Master of Fox Hounds Association about whether hunt kennels will continue to collect fallen stock in the event of a ban on hunting. [176782]

  Alun Michael
  The Department has included the Master of Fox Hounds Association in discussions about arrangements for a National Fallen Stock Scheme and has registered a substantial level of interest from hunt kennels in joining the scheme. This suggests that many are willing to make the necessary investment to continue in business for the disposal of fallen stock whatever the future for hunting.

  Grain Stockpiles
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much grain was held on world stockpiles in each of the last 30 years; [177411]

  (2) how many days' worth of global consumption of grain was held on world stockpiles in each of the last 30 years. [177412]

  Alun Michael
  The Government do not collect global grain stock or consumption statistics but the following information is publicly available from supply and demand balance sheets compiled by the United States Department of Agriculture.
  503W

  World stocks1 (million tonnes)

  Days supply2

  1974–75

  170

  64

  1975–76

  180

  67

  1976–77

  241

  85

  1977–78

  233

  79

  1978–79

  278

  90

  1979–80

  274

  86

  1980–81

  255

  80

  1981–82

  281

  87

  1982–83

  332

  101

  1983–84

  278

  84

  1984–85

  340

  99

  1985–86

  421

  123

  1986–87

  469

  132

  1987–88

  420

  115

  1988–89

  336

  95

  1989–90

  318

  86

  1990–91

  366

  98

  1991–92

  356

  95

  1992–93

  395

  104

  1993–94

  362

  96

  1994–95

  358

  93

  1995–96

  317

  84

  1996–97

  366

  93

  1997–98

  412

  104

  1998–99

  444

  112

  1999–2000

  439

  110

  2000–01

  415

  103

  2001–02

  396

  97

  2002–03

  332

  81

  2003–04

  251

  60

  1Ending stock for year in question.

  Ending stock divided by total daily consumption.

  Public Rights of Way
  Helen Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she is taking to develop a strategy for establishing connected-up networks of public rights of way in the North West. [177088]

  Alun Michael
  The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 requires all local highway authorities to prepare rights of way improvement plans. This requirement is intended to encourage authorities to take a strategic look at their rights of way networks, with a view to providing better for the needs of users—this includes planning for better joined-up networks. The Government have provided additional funding for the preparation of these plans.

TRANSPORT

  Middle Lanes
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what survey work has been undertaken to gauge how often the middle lane is used on three-lane roads and motorways when not overtaking a vehicle in the left lane. [178006]

  Mr. Jamieson
  My Department is not aware of any such survey work. In order to produce meaningful results, a survey into lane usage would need to be widely based and would be labour intensive and costly. My Department is working to improve lane discipline and to reduce the annoyance that poor lane discipline causes.
  504W
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department will run a campaign to educate motorists when using multi-lane roads and motorways to use the left lane and only to use other lanes for overtaking; and if he will make a statement. [178007]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Poor lane discipline does cause annoyance and can reduce road capacity. We are working to improve lane discipline. It is safe driving practice for vehicles using motorways to keep in the left-hand lane unless overtaking, and this advice is reflected in the Highway Code and the Driving Manual. The Theory Test includes questions on motorway lane discipline and the Department produces a leaflet, 'A Guide to Safer Motorway Driving'. Police motorway patrols can, where they think appropriate, pull up motorists for poor lane discipline, and indeed can prosecute where the motorist's behaviour amounts to inconsiderate driving.

  Also, the Highways Agency is currently exploring the possibility of using the variable message signs on motorways (VMS) to encourage lane discipline, alongside their present use for early warning to motorists about traffic queues ahead and advice on diversion routes.

  We will keep the issue under review, and will further strengthen the actions described, and reshape our information programmes as required.

  Transport (Manchester, Central)
  Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new cycle lanes have been provided using public funds in Manchester, Central since 1997. [177695]

  Mr. McNulty
  A total of 2.7 miles of new cycle lanes have been provided in Manchester Central since 1997.

  Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of priority bus lanes have been created in Manchester, Central since 1997. [177696]

  Mr. McNulty
  A total of 1.5 miles of priority bus lanes have been created in Manchester Central since 1997.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

  Magistrates Courts (Totnes)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the cost to public funds was of replacing two doors to the cells at Totnes magistrates court; and when these cells were last used. [177652]

  Mr. Leslie
  The two cells doors were replaced during April 2002. The cost of doing so was £3,036.00.

  Shortly after the works were completed the Magistrates Courts Committee's (MCC) decided to centralise remand cases across the MCC area. While the cells at Totnes magistrates court have since no longer been used on a regular basis, as part of the MCCs contingency planning the cells are maintained in a condition which, if circumstances demand, means they could be used in an emergency.

  Corporate Legal Expenses Insurance
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what discussions he has had with the Bar over the proposal for mandatory corporate legal expenses insurance; and if he will make a statement. [177814]

  Mr. Lammy
  The Bar has proposed a scheme for compulsory corporate insurance to cover legal costs arising when company officers and directors are accused of commercial fraud, in order to free up legal aid funding for other priorities. This idea is being considered in the context of the Fundamental Legal Aid Review currently being carried out by my Department. The review will report to Ministers early next year.

SCOTLAND

  Govan Shipyard
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) on which dates in 1999 the former Secretary of State met Mr. George Simpson of GEC; if he will publish minutes of the meetings; and if he will list the attendees at those meetings; [174304]

  (2) what communications (a) the former Secretary of State and (b) his representatives and advisers had in 1999 with GEC over (a) the proposed merger of BAEGEC and (b) Govan shipyard; and if he will publish the communications; [174305]

  (3) what (a) meetings and (b) communications the (i) former Secretary of State and (ii) his representatives and advisers had with Kvaerner, their representatives and advisers over the proposed closure of the Govan shipyard in 1999; on what dates meetings were held; and if he will publish the communications; [174306]

  (4) what meetings his Department held with management of Govan/Kvaerner to discuss the future of the Govan shipyard in 1999; [174307]

  (5) what briefings the former Secretary of State (a) gave and (b) received in 1999 on the GEC interest in the Govan shipyard; [174316]

  (6) on what date the former Secretary of State received the minutes of the meeting between Mr. George Simpson of GEC and the Prime Minister to discuss the merger of BAE and GEC; [174317]

  (7) what meetings the former Secretary of State held at (a) Dover House and (b) elsewhere to discuss (i) the future of the Govan shipyard and (ii) the BAE-GEC merger; and on what dates; [174319]

  (8) if he will publish the (a) minutes and (b) list of attendees of meetings held by the former Secretary of State at Dover House or elsewhere to discuss (i) the future of Govan shipyard and (ii) BAE-GEC merger; [174320]
  506W
  (9) what meetings (a) the former Secretary of State and (b) his advisers, representatives and officials had with the taskforce chaired by Sir Gavin Laird set up by the Government to look for potential buyers for the Govan shipyard in 1999; [174321]

  (10) what meetings were held by the former Secretary of State with Sir Gavin Laird to discuss the future of the Govan shipyard in 1999; and what the dates were of the meetings;[174322]

  (11) what meetings took place between Mr. Ed Miliband and his officials in 1999 to discuss the (a) GEC-BAE merger and (b) Govan shipyard; and what the dates were of the meetings. [174323]

  Mr. Darling
  My officials and I have meetings and discussions with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings, under exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Exemption 12 of the Code also applies with regard to privacy of an individual.

  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what his Department's involvement was in the negotiations over the future of Govan shipyard in 1999; [174308]

  (2) what the involvement was of (a) the former Secretary of State and (b) his representatives and advisers in informal and oral approaches made to GEC over the purchase of Govan shipyard in 1999. [174309]

  Mr. Darling
  The then Scottish Office established the Kvaerner Task Force to act as a facilitator for discussions with key stakeholders, with the aim of securing the immediate future of the Govan shipyard.

  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) who chaired the press briefing on 16 April 2004 at the Scottish Office at which it was suggested that GEC would be transferring some of its shipbuilding work to Govan from Barrow-in-Furness; [174310]

  (2) if he will publish the (a) minutes and (b) list of attendees of the press briefing on 16 April 2004 at the Scottish Office at which it was suggested that GEC would be transferring some of its shipbuilding work to Govan from Barrow-in-Furness. [174318]

  Mr. Darling
  No Scottish Office press briefing was given on that date. I am informed that a briefing was given by Sir Gavin Laird in his capacity as Kvaerner Task Force chairman.

  Low Sulphur Petrol
  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the provision of low sulphur petrol in the north-east of Scotland and the highlands and islands after 1 September; and if he will make a statement. [174482]

  Mrs. McGuire
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, on 24 May 2004,Official Report, column 1460W.

CABINET OFFICE

  E-Government
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how the Government will be improving its e-Government Metadata Standard to ensure that the websites of(a) Government departments and (b) agencies and non-departmental public bodies are exemplars of accessibility. [177021]

  Mr. Alexander
  The e-Government Metadata Standard (e-GMS) provides information about the technical aspects of accessibility of a web page. It is reviewed and updated on an annual basis through consultation with a wide range of government departments, other public bodies, academics, the private sector and the UK public itself.

  e-GMS is mandatory for new public sector IT systems and the number of sites meeting the standard will therefore improve as sites are replaced or upgraded.

  The Cabinet Office encourages compliance through the provision of guidance and good practice. Compliance to the guidelines and standards is the responsibility of the individual departments.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Iraq
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he first became aware of allegations of abuse of Iraqi detainees by British service personnel in Iraq; and from what source. [174392]

  Mr. Rammell
  [holding answer 19 May 2004]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary first became aware of allegations of abuse of Iraqi detainees by British service personnel in Iraq in April 2003. The allegations against Colonel Tim Collins, which were widely publicised in the media, were investigated and it was found there was no case to answer.

  Democratic Republic of the Congo
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and what discussions he has had with the(a) Democratic Republic of the Congo Government and (b) Government of Rwanda on the situation in Bukavu. [177977]

  Mr. Mullin
  The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is of great concern. Events in the east and violent demonstrations in Kinshasa and other major cities have placed the transition process under serious strain. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has spoken to President Kabila of the DRC and Present Kagame of Rwanda. We have been in 508W
  constant contact with the key players to press for restraint and to urge them to work constructively to achieve a peaceful solution.

  I had a meeting with Kabila's envoy on Monday 7 June.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on attacks upon UN personnel in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and if he will make a statement. [177978]

  Mr. Mullin
  There have been a number of attacks on the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) in recent weeks. An unarmed Military Observer was killed in South Kivu on 31 May and two South African peacekeepers were killed and several others were injured in an unrelated incident in North Kivu on 2 June. On 2 and 3 June MONUC was targeted by violent demonstrations in Kinshasa and other towns across the DRC. The UK supports the efforts of the UN to achieve the military and political stabilisation of the DRC.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of abuse of women, including rape and other sexual offences, by UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [177979]

  Mr. Mullin
  We are deeply concerned about press reports alleging serious sexual abuse by peacekeepers of the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC), including against children. MONUC have launched an urgent internal investigation into the allegations. If these are confirmed, we will press MONUC to take all necessary steps to prevent such abuses from re-occurring.

  India
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the new Indian Government on the legacy of the Amritsar attacks on the Sikh shrine. [177980]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  None.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent shooting of a Serb teenager in Gracanica, Kosovo; and what discussions he has had with the authorities in Kosovo on this incident. [177981]

  Mr. MacShane
  In the early hours of 5 June, a Serb teenager was killed in a drive-by shooting in the Serb enclave of Gracanica in the municipality of Pristina. Two suspects were subsequently arrested by Kosovo Police Service officers. The Prime Minister and Present of Kosovo have both condemned the attack. The Contact Group also condemned the attack. The Contact Group also condemned this incident in their meeting in Pristina on 8 June, and had discussions with both UN Interim Administration Mission in
  509W
  Kosovo and Kosovo Serbs. The British Office in Pristina has been in touch with the police in Kosovo to urge that every effort be made to bring the perpetrators to justice.

  Sudan
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the United Nations on preventing crimes against humanity in Sudan. [176816]

  Mr. Mullin
  We are deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Darfur. We are in close contact with the UN and other members of the international community on this matter. Most recently my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development spoke to the UN Secretary-General about Darfur on 9 June. We are calling on all sides to put a stop to the human rights abuses and breaches of international humanitarian law.

  We see the deployment of the African Union (AU) ceasefire monitoring team as key to improving the security situation and addressing civilian protection. The UK will contribute one of the six observers requested from the EU, and have already provided £2 million to help the AU team to set up. In addition, the UN is planning to deploy human rights monitors throughout Darfur with UK financial support.

  Zimbabwe
  Tom Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Zimbabwean residents have left Zimbabwe and sought residency in the United Kingdom during the last 12 months. [175156]

  Mr. Browne
  I have been asked to reply.

  The requested information is not available.

  Data are available on the number of entry clearance applications granted in Zimbabwe and Zimbabwean nationals seeking asylum. The latest available data are provided in the tables. In addition 3,530 Zimbabwean nationals were granted settlement in 2002.

  Detailed statistics on immigration control are published in the Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2002" (cm 6053) obtained from the House Library, the Stationary Office and via the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ commandpubs1.html

  Information on asylum applications is published in quarterly web pages and in the animal statistical bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ immigrationl.html
  510W

  Initial decisions made on asylum applications1,2 received in the United Kingdom excluding dependants, 2003, nationals of Zimbabwe

  Initial decisions

  Total decisions

  4,175

  Grants of asylum

  870

  Grants of ELR3

  10

  Grants of HP4

  5

  Grants of DL4

  20

  Total refusals

  3,275

  1Provisional figures rounded to nearest 5, with* = 1 or 2

  2Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.

  3Granted between 1 January 2003 and 31 March 2003 only.

  4Granted from 1 April 2003.

  Decisions on entry clearance applications, nationals of Zimbabwe, 20021

  Entry clearance applications for:

  Granted2

  Refused initially3

  Temporary purposes4

  8,665

  4,160

  Settlement5

  1,475

  80

  1Actual data not available, estimates based on financial year data.

  2Granted initially or on appeal.

  3Some may have been granted subsequently on appeal.

  4 Nationals of certain countries currently need a visa to enter the UK regardless of the purpose of their journey.

  5Includes applications for a certificate to the right of abode.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

  Transitional Government (Iraq)
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Minister for Women if she will make a statement on the representation of women in positions of power in the transitional Government of Iraq. [177774]

  Ms Hewitt
  I am delighted to hear that six women have now been appointed as Ministers in Iraq. I am especially pleased to hear that the Iraqi interim Government has created the post of Minister of State for Women.

  Women's Entrepreneurship
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Minister for Women if she will make a statement on the progress of the strategic framework for women's entrepreneurship launched in May 2003. [177777]

  Ms Hewitt
  As a result of Strategic Framework, all nine English regions and all 45 Business Link Operators have set targets to increase the number of women starting their own businesses.

  Already, in the last year, the Labour Force Survey shows that the number of self-employed women in the UK has risen by 4.4 per cent. bringing the total number of businesses started and run by women to almost one million.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Airwave
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what level of risk the Government considers is involved in the national roll-out of Airwave. [168382]
  511W
  Caroline Flint
  The Airwave service is already available to 35 police forces and we expect the national roll-out to complete by mid-2005 as planned. We do not anticipate any substantial difficulties in the remaining stages of the Airwave roll-out.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May,Official Report, column 352W, on Tetra, what reports he has received from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory assessments of the effects of Tetra exposure on various types of cells; and whether this research is continuing. [176449]

  Caroline Flint
  Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) researchers have completed their work on calcium exchanges in cells the main concern of the Stewart report. They found Tetra exposure had no effect. Work is continuing to see if exposure to Tetra can affect electrical activity in brain cells and to assess the effects of Tetra signals on cognitive performance. Quarterly reports are available from the Home Office website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs/tetra.html.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May,Official Report, column 352W, on Tetra, whether the research by Imperial College includes research into the health effects of (a) Airwave handsets and (b) Tetra masts. [176450]

  Caroline Flint
  The Imperial College national monitoring study of the health of Airwave police users is concerned with possible health effects from handsets. It does not include any work on Tetra masts.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May,Official Report, column 352W, on Tetra, what health issues are being researched by the University of Birmingham and the University of Manchester in their research into patterns of work of Airwave users. [176451]

  Caroline Flint
  The University of Birmingham and the University of Manchester studies do not involve any health issues. The purpose of this research is to gather information on the typical number of calls made by Airwave police users and on the duration of these calls.

  Littering
  Mr. Salter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been made for littering since the Environmental Protection Act 1990 came into force. [176041]

  Paul Goggins
  Information is given in the table.

  Statistics for 2003 will be published in the autumn.
  512W

  Number of defendants prosecuted at the magistrates' courts for litter offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, England and Wales 1992—20021

  Environmental Protection Act 1990 s87

  Environmental Protection Act 1990 s91 and 92

  Environmental Protection Act 1990 s94

  Depositing litter2

  Failing to comply with a litter abatement order or notice

  Failing to comply with a street litter control notice

  19923

  828

  7

  0

  1993

  1,170

  4

  0

  1994

  1,164

  7

  1

  1995

  1,101

  5

  2

  1996

  626

  8

  1

  1997

  505

  4

  1

  1998

  494

  2

  2

  1999

  501

  0

  5

  20004

  466

  2

  0

  2001

  457

  7

  0

  2002

  332

  2

  1

  1These data are on the principal offence basis.

  2Litter wardens appointed by local authorities can issue Fixed Penalty Notices, currently 50, for depositing litter.

  3Data collection commenced in 1992.

  4Staffordshire Police Force were only able to supply a sample of data for magistrates courts proceedings covering one full week in each quarter for 2000. Estimates based on this sample are included in the figures.

  Crime Statistics (Bootle)
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in(a) overall recorded crime, (b) recorded violent crime (c) burglaries and (d) vehicle thefts in Bootle has been since 1997. [175913]

  Ms Blears
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Bootle comes within the Sefton Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area. Data at CDRP level has only been published from 1999–2000 onwards. Detailed statistics at CDRP level are available for 2002–03 on the new Home Office website: http:// www.crimestatistics.org.uk

  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times powers preventing racial harassment introduced since 1997 have been used in Bootle. [175914]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  Figures for the number of prosecutions in Bootle for this type of offence are not centrally available. Merseyside Police figures for harassment offences (published by the Home Office under the requirements of S95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991) show a total of 434 recorded offences of this type in the Merseyside Police area over the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02.

  Asset Recovery Operations
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the 10 most successful asset recovery operations. [176641]

  Ms Blears
  Asset recovery operations and investigations are carried out by a range of agencies individually and collectively, including the police, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, National Crime Squad, Assets Recovery Agency and the Inland Revenue. The
  513W
  Crown Prosecution Service and other prosecuting authorities are responsible for obtaining confiscation orders in the courts. Information on individual operations and investigations is not collected centrally.

  In 2002–03, the last year for which we have full data, a record amount of criminal assets was recovered, totalling £47 million. The new cash seizure powers in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 have also been successful. Since they came into force in December 2002 the police and Customs have seized over £63 million, on the grounds that the money in question is derived from or intended for use in crime. Seized cash is subject to forfeiture in the magistrates courts.

  The Assets Recovery Agency successfully obtained a civil recovery order in the High Court last month. This is the first such case to be settled in England, Wales and Northern Ireland under the Proceeds of Crime Act, which allows for the civil recovery of the proceeds of unlawful activity.

  Child Migration
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unaccompanied children arrived in the United Kingdom, broken down by(a) port of entry to the United Kingdom and (b) originating country in each of the last three years. [175952]

  Mr. Browne
  Information on the number of unaccompanied minors who have arrived in the United Kingdom, broken down by port of entry and originating country is not currently collected.

  However the results of Operation Paladin Child on unaccompanied children arriving at Heathrow Airport were announced on 17 May. This operation ran between August 2003—November 2003 and was initiated by the Metropolitan Police Child Protection Command, with the co-operation of the Immigration Service, NSPCC and Hillingdon Social Services.

  In total 1,738 unaccompanied minors were granted leave to enter in the three-month study of whom 30 per cent. were risk assessed and referred to Social Services. The operation was a valuable exercise in determining the nature of child migration to the UK and has not uncovered evidence of child trafficking at Heathrow. The full details of the operation, and possible changes to procedures and policy in the light of it, are still being assessed.

  Asylum/Immigration
  Tony Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the organisations with which the Home Office is negotiating to run the proposed accommodation centre for asylum seekers at Bicester. [176113]

  Mr. Browne
  As part of a procurement exercise carried out under the ED procurement regulations for a contract to design, build and operate the centre near Bicester, the Home Office is in negotiation with Global Solutions Limited UK.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 May 2004,Official Report, column 754W, on asylum and
  514W
  immigration, when he expects the exercise in respect of asylum seekers remaining in the UK to be completed. [175416]

  Mr. Browne
  Good progress continues to be made in considering the cases originally identified. The bulk has been processed for eligibility and the majority, where the applicants have responded to our questionnaire, have been decided. We remain reliant on the applicants we contact replying promptly to our inquiries. Those not doing so are being reminded. We expect the exercise largely to be complete by July.

  Child Deaths
  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were killed by their(a) mother or father and (b) a member of the extended family in each of the last 20 years. [175470]

  Ms Blears
  The latest available information on homicide is published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin number 01/04, 'Crime in England and Wales 2002/2003: Supplementary Volume 1: Homicide and Gun Crime', a copy of which should be available from the House of Commons library or internet site http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hosbpubsl.html.

  In England and Wales, the numbers of homicide victims under 16 years killed by their parents or by others that they know are given in the table.

  Son/daughter of suspect

  Other family/friend/ acquaintance of suspect

  1983

  53

  13

  1984

  62

  7

  1985

  72

  14

  1986

  35

  9

  1987

  54

  11

  1988

  76

  12

  1989

  44

  10

  1990

  49

  8

  1991

  63

  15

  1992

  51

  8

  1993

  49

  11

  1994

  53

  11

  1995

  52

  16

  1996

  58

  12

  1997

  50

  17

  1997–98

  44

  15

  1998–99

  57

  17

  1999–2000

  48

  4

  2000–01

  80

  7

  2001–02

  41

  9

  2002–03

  55

  11

  Citizenship Ceremonies
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the largest number of new candidates present at a single citizenship ceremony has been. [175376]

  Mr. Browne
  Citizenship ceremonies are arranged by local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland. Information on the largest number of prospective citizens at those ceremonies so far held is not available. During consultation with local authorities, 10 to 50 applicants was suggested as the normal level of attendance at citizenship ceremonies.
  515W
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what knowledge of(a) life in the UK and (b) the English language is a pre requisite for receiving citizenship. [175377]

  Mr. Browne
  When brought into force, Part 1 of The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 will require naturalisation applicants to demonstrate that they have sufficient understanding of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic and of UK civic structures.

  The language requirement already exists in the British Nationality Act 1981, although the standard is not defined. The Government have accepted the recommendations set out in the report of the "Life in the UK" Advisory Group that under new Regulations, "sufficient understanding" will entail applicants demonstrating progress from one English for Speakers of Other Languages entry level to the next.

  Development of the citizenship element of programmes, and the means by which this can be assessed, is continuing in line with the further recommendations of the Advisory Group.

  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what timetable he has set for the rolling out of citizenship ceremonies throughout the UK. 175378]

  Mr. Browne
  The requirement to attend citizenship ceremonies was introduced for applications made on or after 1 January 2004. The first ceremony was held in Brent on 26 February.

  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have had an offer of citizenship revoked because of refusal to attend a citizenship ceremony. [175379]

  Mr. Browne
  To date no applicant has been refused citizenship as a result of refusal to attend a citizenship ceremony.

  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizenship ceremonies have been held to date in(a) town halls, (b) registry offices and (c) other places; and in how many ceremonies, in each case (i) a gift was given, (ii) the local school participated, (iii) a local choir or band performed, (iv) a local hon. Member or other dignitary attended and (v) a national or local emblem was used. [175380]

  Mr. Browne
  Citizenship ceremonies are arranged by local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland, who are responsible for venues, composition, content, and attendance of guests and dignitaries. An analysis of ceremonies so far held is not available. Local authorities are encouraged to display national and local emblems at all ceremonies.

  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many private citizenship ceremonies have been held for one candidate or one family. [175381]

  Mr. Browne
  There is no information available on the number of private ceremonies so far arranged.
  516W
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizenship ceremonies have been held to date; and how many(a) adults and (b) children have been awarded citizenship at these ceremonies, broken down by area. [175382]

  Mr. Browne
  The number of citizenship ceremonies held to date is not available, and information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The number of adults invited to attend a ceremony up to 30 April is 7,078. The number reported as having attended up to 15 April is 1,906. These figures cannot be broken down by area. Children are not required to attend ceremonies.

  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have had an application for citizenship turned down because of insufficient knowledge of(a) the English language and (b) life in the United Kingdom. [175392]

  Mr. Browne
  In 2003, the latest year for which published figures are available, there were 20 applicants refused citizenship for insufficient knowledge of English. In 2003, the "Life in the UK" Advisory Group recommended a new definition of sufficient knowledge of English and an additional criterion of knowledge of life in the UK. The Government broadly welcomed these recommendations but they have not yet been introduced.

  Domestic/Child Care Staff
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps his Department is taking to(a) identify and (b) prosecute agencies offering staff for domestic and child care duties who are not in possession of the required visa for such work; [175354]

  (2) if his Department will assess the merits of sting operations involving advertising requirements for domestic and child care staff as a means of identifying visitors to the UK breaching visa conditions; [175355]

  (3) what steps his Department is taking to identify illegal workers in the (a) domestic services and (b) child care sectors. [175356]

  Mr. Browne
  The Immigration Service is increasing enforcement activity against illegal working in general, and we have taken steps to strengthen the law preventing employers from using illegal migrant workers, section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996. It is a criminal offence under section 8 to employ someone subject to immigration control who is not entitled to work in the United Kingdom or who is subject to immigration restrictions preventing them
  517W
  from undertaking the work in question. The law in this area applies to employers or agencies in all sectors of the economy, including those operating in the domestic services and child care sectors. On 1 May, an order under section 147 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 strengthened the security of the document checks employers must carry out on prospective employees in order to establish a defence under section 8. We have also tabled an amendment to the current Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc.) Bill to make the current section 8 offence triable either way, effectively removing the statutory limit on financial penalties the courts can impose in the more serious cases.

  All Immigration Service illegal working enforcement activity is intelligence led, and if the hon. Member has any specific concerns or information about a particular company I would encourage him to pass these on to the Immigration Service for investigation. A number of enforcement operations in 2003 targeted the contract cleaning sector, but I am not aware of any recent cases involving the child care sector. It would not be appropriate for the Immigration Service to use advertisements to induce agencies to supply illegal, workers; to do so would undermine any subsequent criminal proceedings.

  Drugs
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug related offences there were in the Easington constituency in the last three years; and what the success rate for prosecution was. [170125]

  Caroline Flint
  Recorded crime figures, which are available at police force level and are used to measure trends in crime, include statistics on drugs offences, such as possession, and on property crimes, such as burglary. However they do not record whether the latter are related to an offender's drug habits. There are therefore no figures currently available for the proportion of crime in the Easington constituency which was connected to drug addiction, and what the success rate for prosecution was.

  The Home Office sponsored New English and Welsh Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (NEW-ADAM) survey, which involved interviewing and drug testing those arrested by the police, provides an insight into the proportion of crimes that are drug related. However, this survey does not provide sub-national data and is also not nationally representative.

  Data collected from 16 sites across England and Wales during 1999 to 2001, show that heroin and/or cocaine/crack users reported committing an average of 442 acquisitive crimes in the last 12 months. This figure is much higher than for non-drug users, who reported committing an average of 79 acquisitive crimes in the same period.
  518W
  A comparison of the survey's findings from eight sites across the country visited in 1999 and 2002, indicate that there was no change in the proportion of arrestees testing positive for one or more of six illicit drugs. Nearly two-thirds (65 per cent.) of arrestees in each year tested positive for any drug.

  Durham Jail
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deaths have taken place in Durham jail in each year since 1 January 1997; and how many of these were due to(a) suicide and (b) natural causes. [176667]

  Paul Goggins
  The information requested with respect to HMP Durham is included in the table:

  Number of self- Inflicted deaths1

  Number of deaths by natural/other causes

  1997

  2

  1

  1998

  2

  0

  1999

  3

  1

  2000

  1

  3

  2001

  0

  0

  2002

  6

  0

  2003

  5

  1

  20042

  2

  1

  1The Prison Service employs the term "self-inflicted death" rather than suicide. This includes all those deaths where it appears the person has acted intentionally to take his/her own life.

  2 To 27 May.

  Central to the suicide prevention strategy I announced on 31 March is the need to reduce levels of distress in prisons and to promote the well being of all staff and prisoners. The strategy has strong support from partner agencies and external organisations, and is being developed in close partnership with the Department of Health.

  Durham itself has a comprehensive local suicide and self-harm prevention policy, and an active Safer Prisons Team, which tackles the separate but related issues of suicide, self-harm, bullying and violence reduction. Durham has very strong links with its local Samaritans, who attend the prison at least once per week. They are involved in the selection, training and ongoing support of prisoner peer supporters ("Listeners"), who are a valued and well utilised resource at Durham.

  Recognising the increased risk of suicide and self-harm in the early days of custody, Durham has a dedicated First Night Centre, which has strong input from healthcare, probation and detoxification staff. Durham also pioneered the "Meet and Greet" scheme, whereby prisoners, selected and trained by officers, offer information and support to new prisoners during Reception and their first night in custody. This scheme has now been extended across the Prison Service, and is known in other prisons as the "Insiders" scheme.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the refurbishment programme at Durham jail. [176668]
  519W
  Paul Goggins
  At Durham prison the Prison Service is delivering an £8.5 million refurbishment programme which comprises a general upgrade of the fabric, services, security and associated wing facilities for some 170 cells on D and E Wings. The Refurbishment commenced in March 2003 on D wing and is due to finish with E wing in May 2005.

  EU Accession Nationals
  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate how many(a) workers and (b) others from the new EU states have arrived in the UK since 1 May. [175441]

  Mr. Browne
  Since 1 May members of the EU accession countries are subject to the same immigration controls as citizens of other EU member states. We are therefore not able to say how many passengers arrived from EU accession countries or require every passenger to declare their purpose for coming to the UK. Data from the International Passenger Survey (IPS), showing the total number of visits by nationals of all the EU accession countries in May, will be available early in July. Data from the worker registration scheme will be available in due course.

  Fruit Farming
  Colin Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign fruit pickers and agricultural workers he estimates came to work in the UK in each of the last three years. [175398]

  Mr. Browne
  Non-EU nationals working as seasonal fruit pickers in the UK come under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS).

  The number of work cards issued to SAWS participants in the last three years were:

  Number

  2003

  23,329

  2002

  19,372

  2001

  15,258

  Colin Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has in place to monitor the work of agencies that provide foreign fruit pickers to farming businesses in the UK. [175414]

  Mr. Browne
  Non-EU nationals working as seasonal fruit pickers in the UK come under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS). The scheme is administered by nine organisations, known as Operators, under contract to the Home Office.

  The contracts require Operators to document their relationship with any third party that they choose to work through, including agencies abroad. They must be satisfied of the professional conduct of such organisations.
  520W
  The Home Office undertakes regular monitoring of all appointed Operators to ensure that there is full compliance with their contractual obligations.

  identity Cards
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Irish Government about his proposal to introduce identity cards. [175100]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 21 May 2004]: There have been contacts at official and at ministerial level since the publication of the "Next Steps" document in November 2003. These included meetings between my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and the Irish Minister of Justice. The Irish Government were informed of the publication of the draft Bill and consultation paper in April 2004.

  Consultations are on-going between the two Administrations.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further assessment he has made of the implications of his plans to introduce identity cards for the common travel area between the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic since January. [175192]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 21 May 2004]: The principle of the Common Travel Area, which includes the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, will not be affected by the Government's proposals for art Identity Cards scheme.

  Consultations will continue with the Irish Government on the implications of the identity cards scheme.

  Judicial Review Cases
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on the defence of judicial review cases which the Government(a) won and (b) lost in each year since 1997. [173301]

  Paul Goggins
  [holding answer 19 May 2004]: The records of Home Office expenditure on judicial review cases do not indicate how much is attributable to cases which are won or lost. The amounts paid by the Home Office to the Treasury Solicitor for handling judicial review cases from May 1997 were as follows. The figures comprise Treasury Solicitor's charges and disbursements, including counsel's fees.

  Amount (£)

  1997

  1,723,587

  1998

  4,392,654

  1999

  3,395,411

  2000

  4,979,425

  2001

  5,294,852

  2002

  5,920,377

  2003

  6,231,668

  2004

  2,695,265

  Total

  34,633,239

  521W

  JR Cases expenditure since May 1997

  Data

  Type

  Client

  Calendar year

  Sum of hours

  Sum of fees

  sum of disbursements

  Sum of total

  23

  HMPS

  1997

  42.6

  2,892.60

  5,733.38

  8,625.98

  1998

  62.7

  4,129.80

  5,079.38

  9,209.18

  1999

  9.2

  574.00

  89,404.51

  89,978.51

  2000

  56.7

  2,971.20

  4,001.83

  6,973.03

  2001

  60.8

  3,321.10

  1,620.49

  4,941.59

  2002

  97.8

  6,121.40

  6,433.48

  12,554.88

  2003

  3.4

  266.40

  394.50

  660.90

  2004

  0.0

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  HMPS Total

  333.2

  20,276.50

  112,667 57

  132,944.07

  HOME

  1997

  8,464.5

  596,457.90

  663,917.14

  1,260,375.04

  1998

  21,093.6

  1,492,905.30

  1,745,589.98

  3,238.495.28

  1999

  16,978.2

  1,221,451.50

  1,189,467.43

  2,410,918.93

  2000

  19,805.5

  1,483,029.50

  2,478,642.73

  3,961,672.23

  2001

  24,326.5

  1,868,066.10

  1,550,874.62

  3,418,940.72

  2002

  33,123.9

  2,388,566.50

  1,209,105.49

  3,597,671.99

  2003

  19,692.1

  1,384,324.10

  696,139.51

  2,080,463.61

  2004

  202.4

  13,157.40

  13,293.14

  26,450.54

  HOME Total

  143,686.7

  10,447,958.30

  9,547,030.04

  19,994,988.34

  23 Total

  144,019.9

  10,468,234.80

  9,659,697.61

  20,127,932.41

  23C

  HOME

  1997

  120.3

  7,440.00

  6,624.46

  14,064.46

  1998

  426.4

  30,080.80

  12,960.05

  43,040.85

  1999

  145.9

  11,325.50

  103,021.84

  114,347.34

  2000

  215.2

  17,295.30

  99,117.32

  116,412.62

  2001

  369.0

  29,765.70

  146,373.39

  176,139.09

  2002

  1,953.1

  154,611.00

  205,236.39

  359,847.39

  2003

  2,714.5

  213,820.10

  356,627.10

  570,447.20

  2004

  817.9

  59,625.30

  63,898.31

  123,523.67

  HOME Total

  6,762.3

  523,963.70

  993,858.92,

  1,517,822.62

  23C Total

  6,762.3

  523,963.70

  993,858.92

  1,517,822.62

  23D

  HOME

  2000

  2.4

  204.20

  0.00

  204.20

  2001

  87.7

  7,637.30

  2,485.15

  10,122.45

  2002

  293.6

  20,025.10

  5,706.78

  25,731.88

  2003

  3,289.5

  242,262.80

  107,685.57

  349,948.37

  2004

  1,946.6

  133,087.801

  59,442.46

  192,530.26

  HOME Total

  5,19.8

  403,217.20

  175,319.96,

  578,537.16

  23D Total

  5,619.8

  403,217.20

  175,319.96

  578,537.16

  23E

  HOME

  2002

  41.0

  2,838.20

  55:2.25

  3,390.45

  2003

  1,350.5

  110,369.80

  71,938.00

  182,307.80

  2004

  1,934,8

  145,874.30

  42,541.51

  188,415.87

  Home Total

  3,326.3

  259,082.30

  115,031.82

  374,114.12

  23E Total

  3,326.3

  259,082.30

  115,031.81

  374.114.12

  23T

  HOME

  2001

  11.8

  1,062.00

  0.00

  1,062.00

  2002

  68.1

  6,027

  9,467.78

  15,494.98

  2003

  6,699.9

  424,339.60

  124,434.33

  548,773.93

  2004

  10,566.5

  641,503.90

  141,227.98

  782,731.88

  HOME Total

  17,346.3

  1,072,932.70

  275,130.59

  1,348,062.79

  23T Total

  17,346.3

  1,072,932.70

  275,130.09

  1,348,062.79

  26

  HMPS

  1997

  1,269.5

  101,139.40

  287,108.10

  388,247.50

  1998

  2,383.0

  164,713.10

  653,763.88

  818,476.98

  1999

  2,534.6

  182,007.50

  307,752.54

  489,760.04,

  2000

  3,089.0

  227,180.40

  409,566.28

  636,746.68

  2001

  3,801.1

  283,631.30

  448,883.39

  732,514.69

  2002

  3,990.8

  299,021.10

  172,985.66

  472,006.76

  2003

  1,394.6

  120,704.70

  76,400.51

  197,105.21

  2004

  41.9

  3,820.00

  20,943.58

  24,763.58

  HMPS Total

  18,504.5

  1,382,217.50

  2,377,403.94

  3,759,621. 44

  HOME

  1997

  214.0

  17.507.90

  32,211.73

  49,719.63

  1998

  598.2

  48.015.10

  216,937.23

  264,952.33

  1999

  402.0

  31,539.50

  133,500.82

  165,040.32

  2000

  509.6

  39.385.60

  70,585.94

  109,971.54

  522W 523W

  JR Cases expenditure since May 1997

  Type

  Client

  Calendar year

  Sum of hours

  Sum of fees

  sum of disbursements

  Sum of total

  2001

  952.4

  78,893 80

  231.767.60

  310,661.40

  2002

  1,246.9

  104,609.90

  113,161.05

  217,770.95

  2003

  331.1

  30,852 60

  30,467.71

  61,320.31

  2004

  0.5

  35.00

  2,852.55

  2,887.55

  HOME Total

  4,254.7

  350,839.40

  831,484.63

  1,182,324.03

  26 Total

  22,759.2

  1,733,056.90

  3,208,888.57

  4,941,945.47

  26R

  HMPS

  1998

  0.0

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  1999

  0.0

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  2000

  0.0

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  2001

  0.0

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  2002

  10.1

  929.50

  587.50

  1,517.00

  2003

  7.1

  708.00

  0.00

  708.00

  2004

  0.9

  97.20

  0.00

  97.20

  HMPS Total

  18.1

  1,734.70

  587.50

  2,322.20

  HOME

  1998

  24.8

  1,100.00

  17.00

  1,117.00

  1999

  350.0

  27,459.00

  56,719.55

  84,178.55

  2000

  75.6

  5,794.10

  8,299.55

  14,093.65

  2001

  507.1

  41.312.30

  32,488.27

  73,800.57

  2002

  903.7

  76,815.00

  119,614.34

  196,429.34

  2003

  1,864.6

  171,335.50

  166,099.31

  337,434.81

  2004

  844.9

  77.434.60

  116,265.40

  193,700.00

  HOME Total

  4,570.7

  401.250.50

  499,503.42

  900,753.92

  26R Total

  4,588.8

  402.985.20

  500,090.92

  903,076.12

  23N

  HOME

  1997

  27.5

  2.314.30

  242.00

  2,556.30

  1998

  142.0

  11.403.90

  5,958.64

  17,362.54

  1999

  797.8

  33,549.50

  7,637.50

  41,187.00

  2000

  1,663.6

  80,687.50

  29,440.17

  110,127.67

  2001

  2,730.7

  170,465.30

  157,997.40

  328,462.70

  2002

  6,273.0

  417,246.20

  270,191.76

  687,437.96

  2003

  17,054.8

  1,183,361.00

  556,222.16

  1,739,583.16

  2004

  11,303.3

  765,167.50

  318,981.57

  1,084,149.07

  HOME Total

  39,992.7

  2,664,195.20

  1,346,671.20

  4.010,866.40

  23N Total

  39,992.7

  2,664,195.20

  1,346,671.20

  4,010,866.40

  23M

  HMPS

  2000

  0.0

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  2001

  0.0

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  2002

  23.6

  2,248.50

  3,426.99

  5,675.49

  2003

  0.9

  84.00

  0.00

  84.00

  2004

  113.0

  11,896.40

  2,130.86

  14,027.26

  HMPS Total

  137.5

  14,228.00

  5,557.85

  19,786.75

  Home

  2000

  220.7

  17,553.70

  5,668.27

  23,221.97

  2001

  953.7

  69,729.00

  168,476.75

  238,205.75

  2002

  844.6

  70,430.20

  254,418.71

  324,848.91

  2003

  983.9

  92,851.50

  69,979.82

  162,831.32

  2004

  377.2

  26,929.00

  35,057.52

  61,987.42

  HOME Total

  3,380.1

  277,494.30

  533,601.07

  811,095.37

  23M Total

  3,517.6

  291,723.20

  539,158.92

  830,882.12

  Grand Total

  247,932.9

  17,819,391.20

  16,813,848.01

  34,633,239.21

  National Minorities Convention
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the representations he has received from representatives of national minorities for consideration in the Government's compliance report to the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. [175400]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  [holding answer 24 May 2004]: We have received a number of submissions on our
  524W
  forthcoming compliance report under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. We are currently considering those submissions, but have not yet made a final assessment.

  NCIS
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have left the National Criminal Intelligence Service before the end of their secondment(a) at their own request and (b) on

  525W
  being instructed to do so in each of the last five years for which records are available. [166599]

  Caroline Flint
  The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) does not maintain annual statistics for seconded police officers returning prior to the end of their secondment. However, based on an analysis on 100 police officers who left NCIS between July 2000 and March 2003, two thirds left earlier than expected at their own request (by an average of seven months), having secured their next posting in their parent force. NCIS can require an officer to return to force prior to the end of his or her secondment, for example where NCIS has "lost confidence" in the officer. This is a rare occurrence, involving typically only one or two cases a year.

  Operation Cyclamen
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at how many UK(a) airports and (b) border points Operation Cyclamen is being implemented. [174612]

  Mr. Blunkett
  Programme Cyclamen equipment provides the capability to routinely screen all forms of traffic at UK points of entry for the illicit movement of radioactive materials. Screening operations commenced in April. For security reasons it would nut in the public interest to be more specific.

  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has discussed the technology used in Operation Cyclamen with his counterparts in(a) other EU and (b) other countries. [174613]

  Mr. Blunkett
  The Government have had useful discussions and exchanges with counterparts in the US, EU and elsewhere, regarding the radiation screening equipment used in the Programme Cyclamen. A wide range of detection and security equipment is already in place around the world.

  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the first use of the technology of Operation Cyclamen took place in the UK. [174614]

  Mr. Blunkett
  Trials of the Programme Cyclamen equipment were first undertaken at selected UK points of entry in 2002. Permanent screening commenced in April this year.

  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is provided to those using Cyclamen chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear technology. [174615]

  Mr. Blunkett
  The HMCE Customs Officers operating the Programme Cyclamen equipment receive training in radiation protection awareness in addition to training on the operating procedures for the equipment.

  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether those using Cyclamen technology are(a) customs officials and (b) private security officers. [174616]

  Mr. Blunkett
  The operation of Cyclamen Programme detection equipment at UK points of entry, is undertaken by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise officers.
  526W
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what implications the Madrid bombings of 11 March have for Operation Cyclamen.

  Mr. Blunkett
  The tragic events of March 11 further hardened our resolve to combat the international terrorist threat, in all its forms. The Government already have in place proven contingency plans contingency plans for responding to a wide range of terrorist actions, including those at Madrid.

  Programme Cyclamen is an ongoing programme of work, which commenced in April 2003 covering the routine screening of all forms of traffic, at UK ports of entry, for the illicit movement of radioactive materials. It is one element of the Government's strategy to reduce the threat of terrorist attack.

  Overseas Bribery
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the allegations of overseas bribery on the national register held by the National Criminal Intelligence Service relate to offences prior to 14 February 2002. [175976]

  Caroline Flint
  The number of cases recorded on the register that pre-date the legislation is five.

  This could rise to six as additional documentation is received on an earlier referral that was previously recorded for information only.

  Mr. Yalcin
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the letter to the hon. Member for Totnes dated 11 May 2004 concerning Mr. Fahettin Yalcin, formerly of Brixham, Devon, when Mr. Yalcin will be deported from the UK; and if he will make a statement. [175572]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 26 May 2004]: I have already written to the hon. Member on 11 May explaining that information relating to the immigration status of an individual is treated as confidential. This reflects the Home Office's legal obligations under common law, human rights and data protection legislation, and the treatment of private and personal information under the Code of Practice on Access to Information. I have also given him limited information about the case "in confidence" and can assure him that the case is with the Immigration Service. However, it would be inappropriate to make a statement giving details that could prejudice an operational matter of this kind.

  Police (Data Sharing)
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what data sharing system each police force is operating or proposing to operate; whether the systems are compatible; what he is doing to ensure compatibility; what his estimate is of the cost of ensuring compatibility; whether he will be requiring compatibility; what resources will be invested, and from what sources, for compatibility; and if he will make a statement. [172277]
  527W
  Caroline Flint
  Police Services operate a number of systems for different operational purposes and the extent of data sharing between these has depended on local requirements. The "Information Strategy for the Police Service" provides guidance to forces on technical integration of systems and a corporate data model to support data sharing both within and between forces. The Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO) and its Central Customer are actively engaged with forces, the Association of Chief Police Officers and others in articulating the information sharing needs of the Police Service. A specific initiative to facilitate data sharing in support of the National Intelligence Model is incorporated within the Home Office Police Science and Technology Strategy. The first step is a feasibility and costing study. This will link with the Cross Regional Information Sharing Project (CRISP) that is being taken forward by a consortium of forces, supported by PITO, to share information across force boundaries.

  Police Numbers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in the Lancashire Constabulary in(a) 1992, (b) 1997, (c) 2002 and (d) the latest year for which figures are available. [176283]

  Ms Blears
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Police officer strength1 Lancashire Constabulary

  Number

  31 March 1992

  3,198

  31 March 1997

  3,247

  31 March 2002

  3,304

  31 March 20032

  3,339

  1full time equivalents

  2comparable with previously published data i.e. excludes staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.

  The latest available figures for the end of the year were issued with Home Office Press Release 095/2004 on 2 March 2004. On 31 December 2003 Lancashire Constabulary police officer strength was 3,549.

  Probation Service
  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of probation officers required over the next five years. [176315]

  Paul Goggins
  [holding answer 27 May 2004]: On current projections the number of probation staff will increase to 23,200 by 2008.

  Public Order
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) arrests and (b) convictions there have been for breaching a designated public place order in each year since 2001. [175256]

  Ms Blears
  Information on arrests collected centrally is based on persons arrested for "notifiable" offences only and therefore does not cover this offence, as it is not notifiable.
  528W
  The offence of alcohol consumption in a designated public place (Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001) came into force on 1 September 2001 and was recorded in the Home Office Court Proceedings database from 1 January 2002. The information collected shows that no persons were convicted of this offence in 2002.

  Statistics for 2003 will be published in the autumn.

  Fixed penalty notices for disorder have now been introduced in England and Wales covering 11 penalty offences. They have been introduced to provide the police with a quick and effective tool for dealing with minor disorder offences which saves both police and court time as well as providing the offender with an immediate punishment. The offence of drinking in a designated public place is included in the scheme. Home Office Research Findings No. 232 published in March this year gave details of the early results from the pilots of the scheme. This shows that for the period August 2002 to 28 March 2003 a total of four penalty notices were issued for the offence of drinking in a designated public place.

  Recordable Offences
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made to the list of recordable offences since 1997. [177466]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 9 June 2004]: All offences under provisions which carry the possibility of a custodial sentence are recordable, plus 52 other, non-imprisonable, offences specified in the Schedule to the National Police Records (Recordable Offences) Regulations 2000, as amended by the National Police Records (Recordable Offences) (Amendment) Regulations 2003. Regulations made prior to 1997 had listed five non-imprisonable offences as record able
  section 1, Street Offences Act 1959 (offence of loitering or soliciting for purposes of prostitution);
  section 43, Telecommunications Act 1984 (offence of improper use of public telecommunications system);
  section 29, Road Traffic Act 1972 (penalisation of tampering with vehicles);
  section 1, Malicious Communications Act 1988 (offence of sending letters etc. with intent to cause distress or anxiety); and
  section 139(1), Criminal Justice Act 1988 (offence of having article with blade or point in public place).

  The National Police Records (Recordable Offences) (Amendment) Regulations 1997 added a further 42 offences to the list. The 2000 Regulations added a further 5 offences, and at the same time consolidated the provisions, including the list. Most recently, the 2003 Amendment Regulations added offences of taxi touting, begging and persistent begging to the list, and made some tidying-up amendments including removing from the list three offences which are now imprisonable and therefore no longer needed to be specified in the list as recordable.
  529W

  Seasonal Fruit Pickers
  Colin Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average age is of seasonal fruit pickers who came to work to the UK in the last three years. [175439]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 24 May 2004]: Non-EU nationals working as seasonal fruit pickers in the UK come under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS). Data about the average age of SAWS participants prior to 2004 is not available.

  The average age of SAWS participants who have been issued work cards to work on the scheme in 2004 is 22.

  Colin Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of time a contracted seasonal fruit picker spent working in the UK in the last three years. [175445]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 24 May 2004]: Non-EU nationals working as seasonal fruit pickers in the UK come under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS). Data about the average length of contract for SAWS participants prior to 2004 is not available.

  We anticipate that SAWS participants who have been issued work cards for 2004 will work on the scheme for an average of 4.7 months. Participants may only work for a maximum of six months on SAWS.

  Sentencing
  Mr. John Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the dialogue between the Judicial Studies Board and the Sentencing Advisory Council. [176615]

  Paul Goggins
  I am satisfied with the arrangements for dialogue between the Judicial Studies Board and the Sentencing Guidelines Council. The Chair of the Judicial Studies Board's Criminal Committee is ex officio a member of the Sentencing Guidelines Council and there is regular contact between officials form both organisations.

  Telecommunications Masts
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2004,Official Report, column 352W, on Tetra, what further work has been carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board on modelling specific absorption rates arising from Tetra masts. [176485]

  Caroline Flint
  The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) has calculated specific absorption rates from Tetra handsets. Even in worst case situations, these were found to be well below international health and safety guidelines. In areas accessible to the public, signals from Tetra masts are very much weaker than those from handsets. The NRPB has not carried out any further work on specific absorption rates from Tetra masts.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2004,Official Report, column 352W. on Tetra, what research has been carried out by the Radiocommunications
  530W
  Agency (now Ofcom) in checking the biological effects of low level electro-magnetic radiation from Tetra base station. [176486]

  Caroline Flint
  Ofcom does not carry out any research on the potential biological effects of low level electromagnetic radiation. Ofcom does however check that signal levels from base stations comply with health and safety guidelines. Ofcom checks at 12 Tetra base stations have confirmed that signal levels are hundreds of times less than international health and safety guidelines in areas accessible to the public.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2004,Official Report, column 352W, on Tetra, what research is being carried out by King's College, London under the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research programme into the health effect of Tetra base stations and masts. [176487]

  Caroline Flint
  King's College London is already assessing the effects of GSM mobile phone handsets on cognitive performance and stress levels. It will extend the study to Tetra handsets in 2005. No work is planned on Tetra base stations or masts.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2004,Official Report, column 352W, on Tetra, when he expects each of the research projects he refers to in his answer to report. [176488]

  Caroline Flint
  We expect two final reports from Dstl during 2004: the first on biological effects of Tetra in September and the second on cognitive performance in December. The Universities of Birmingham and Manchester are due to report in October 2004. MCL is due to report in December 2005.

  Because Imperial College is carrying out a long-term study, its interim report is not due until 2010.

  Interim reports from these studies are available from the Home Office website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs/tetra.html, as are final reports from completed studies.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2004,Official Report, column 352W, on Tetra, if he will list the people carrying out the research by Microwave Consultants Ltd. into specific absorption rates from Tetra equipment; whether this research includes Tetra masts; and what the source of funding is for this research. [176489]

  Caroline Flint
  The main Microwave Consultants Ltd. expert currently working on specific absorption rates from Tetra equipment is Dr. Philip Chadwick. The research does not include Tetra masts. It is funded by the Home Office.
  531W

  Worker Registration Scheme
  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons from the new EU states have made an application under the Worker Registration Scheme since 1 May. [175440]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 24 May 2004]: We will be making information about the effect of EU enlargement available on a regular basis, in an open and transparent way, when it is appropriate and meaningful to do so.

HEALTH

  Abortions
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many abortions were performed on women aged(a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 in England and Wales in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement; [174520]

  (2) how many abortions among women aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 there were in each year since 2000, broken down by strategic health authority; and if he will make a statement. [174524]

  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many abortions in those aged(a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 there were in each year since 2000; [174460]

  (2) how many abortions were carried out on women aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i)19 in the Essex Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000. [174574]

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many abortions were performed on women aged(a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years in each year since 2000; [174505]

  (2) how many abortions among women aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years there were in the Essex Strategic Health Authority area in each year since 2000. [174512]

  Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions among women aged(a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years there were in the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000. [174952]

  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many abortions among women aged(a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years there were in the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority area in each year since 2000. [175387]

  Mr. Flook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions among women aged(a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years there were in the Dorset and Somerset Strategic Health Authority area in each year since 2000. [175624]
  532W
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions among women aged(a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (1) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years there were in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000. [174886]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Members to the response I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Workington (Tony Cunningham) and for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) today.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the circumstances under which a girl under 16 years of age may obtain an abortion without pa rental consent. [175791]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  An abortion can only ever be carried out where two doctors are satisfied that one of the grounds for a lawful termination, as set out in the Abortion Act 1967, is met.

  Health professionals can provide medical advice, treatment and examination, including abortion, for young people aged under 16. However they must be satisfied before doing so, that the young person is competent to consent to the treatment, by being of sufficient understanding and intelligence to enable him or her to understand fully the proposed treatment. Health professionals work within an established legal and guidance framework which involves assessing the young person's competence to understand the choices they are making and in particular encouraging them to talk to their parents. All health professionals are bound by their professional code and legal obligations as to confidentiality, which apply to patients under 16 as well as older patients.

  The duty of confidentiality is not, however, absolute. In the rare cases when a health professional believes that there is a risk to the health, safety or welfare of a young person or others which is so serious as to outweigh the young person's right to privacy, they should follow locally agreed child protection protocols, as outlined in "Working together to safeguard Children".

  Tony Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many abortions among women aged(a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 there were in West Cumbria Strategic Health Authority area in each year since 2000; [175419]

  (2) how many abort ions on women aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e)15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years there were in each year since 2000. [175521]

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many abortions among women of 19 years and under there were in Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000, broken down by age; [175785]

  (2) how many abortions in women of 19 years and under there were in each year since 2000, broken down by age. [175788]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The available information is shown in the tables.
  533W

  Number of abortions to women under age 20 by strategic health authority of residence, 2000

  Age

  Strategic health authority

  <14

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

  8

  23

  76

  174

  236

  298

  269

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

  1

  22

  70

  140

  219

  268

  280

  Essex

  6

  25

  68

  159

  199

  268

  265

  North West London

  7

  31

  88

  203

  357

  403

  568

  North Central London

  4

  26

  59

  159

  230

  324

  409

  North East London

  8

  43

  124

  213

  368

  450

  494

  South East London

  14

  38

  95

  234

  349

  460

  532

  South West London

  9

  21

  74

  151

  215

  291

  338

  Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

  2

  29

  101

  162

  229

  261

  275

  County Durham and Tees Valley

  4

  21

  71

  108

  160

  179

  195

  North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

  7

  28

  90

  164

  238

  272

  262

  West Yorkshire

  5

  38

  97

  211

  307

  328

  360

  Cumbria and Lancashire

  3

  29

  116

  205

  293

  355

  320

  Greater Manchester

  5

  38

  145

  328

  419

  551

  569

  Cheshire and Merseyside

  5

  35

  114

  284

  407

  495

  503

  Thames Valley

  7

  34

  96

  225

  259

  307

  396

  Hampshire and Isle of Wight

  4

  21

  79

  147

  236

  245

  310

  Kent and Medway

  3

  26

  77

  139

  233

  254

  285

  Surrey and Sussex

  2

  37

  100

  215

  331

  368

  419

  Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  8

  34

  100

  180

  256

  294

  372

  South West Peninsula

  4

  24

  59

  133

  198

  214

  224

  Somerset and Dorset

  3

  14

  57

  85

  161

  163

  144

  South Yorkshire

  4

  26

  91

  159

  184

  222

  251

  Trent

  6

  44

  108

  241

  331

  357

  447

  Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland

  6

  21

  74

  150

  201

  248

  290

  Shropshire and Staffordshire

  1

  29

  84

  152

  209

  235

  236

  Birmingham and the Black Country

  14

  49

  154

  267

  432

  530

  570

  Coventry, Warwickshire, Hereford and Worcestershire

  4

  30

  91

  173

  233

  287

  335

  SHA not known

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  Wales

  7

  50

  141

  277

  404

  528

  512

  England and Wales Total

  161

  886

  2,700

  5,439

  7,895

  9,455

  10,430

  2001

  Age

  Strategic Heath Authority

  <14

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

  6

  27

  71

  168

  246

  286

  303

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

  6

  25

  80

  137

  219

  255

  292

  Essex

  6

  18

  66

  154

  218

  270

  290

  North West London

  7

  24

  90

  196

  331

  466

  588

  North Central London

  3

  29

  63

  162

  265

  325

  445

  North East London

  5

  38

  112

  267

  363

  487

  554

  South East London

  13

  38

  121

  287

  406

  500

  584

  South West London

  5

  21

  71

  145

  247

  246

  318

  Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

  3

  32

  89

  157

  214

  259

  237

  County Durham and Tees Valley

  3

  26

  57

  111

  164

  188

  170

  North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

  1

  32

  68

  154

  231

  255

  244

  West Yorkshire

  8

  31

  89

  210

  268

  351

  362

  Cumbria and Lancashire

  5

  38

  113

  196

  283

  312

  318

  Greater Manchester

  6

  57

  142

  299

  458

  517

  511

  Cheshire and Merseyside

  6

  34

  108

  295

  395

  448

  471

  Thames Valley

  3

  24

  79

  196

  286

  348

  420

  Hampshire and Isle of Wight

  1

  32

  88

  140

  239

  277

  336

  Kent and Medway

  6

  30

  80

  169

  228

  279

  281

  Surrey and Sussex

  5

  34

  97

  219

  302

  373

  397

  Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  6

  39

  82

  185

  290

  308

  398

  South West Peninsula

  4

  24

  76

  114

  204

  239

  229

  Somerset and Dorset

  4

  13

  37

  132

  153

  159

  167

  South Yorkshire

  3

  34

  77

  158

  183

  221

  244

  Trent

  7

  38

  131

  240

  298

  378

  395

  Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland

  2

  26

  51

  143

  206

  255

  278

  Shropshire and Staffordshire

  4

  22

  57

  180

  209

  217

  210

  Birmingham and the Black Country

  12

  54

  145

  315

  439

  504

  517

  Coventry, Warwickshire, Hereford and Worcestershire

  3

  26

  89

  179

  225

  277

  295

  Wales

  5

  51

  163

  344

  394

  465

  497

  England and Wales total

  148

  917

  2,592

  5,652

  7,964

  9,465

  10,351

  534W 535W

  20021

  Age

  Strategic health authority

  <14

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

  6

  23

  73

  168

  217

  266

  269

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

  4

  22

  57

  144

  208

  225

  264

  Essex

  3

  14

  64

  136

  239

  256

  248

  North West London

  9

  28

  79

  211

  338

  403

  490

  North Central London

  11

  25

  69

  170

  283

  325

  388

  North East London

  6

  37

  104

  255

  394

  475

  540

  South East London

  11

  31

  123

  298

  389

  477

  555

  South West London

  4

  25

  71

  160

  214

  279

  312

  Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

  6

  23

  78

  138

  205

  236

  242

  County Durham and Tees Valley

  5

  18

  73

  111

  177

  151

  185

  North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

  2

  27

  82

  137

  221

  246

  252

  West Yorkshire

  5

  41

  104

  188

  262

  336

  362

  Cumbria and Lancashire

  7

  37

  90

  192

  275

  271

  305

  Greater Manchester

  2

  35

  129

  280

  403

  484

  482

  Cheshire and Merseyside

  4

  41

  111

  252

  396

  425

  449

  Thames Valley

  5

  17

  105

  195

  278

  340

  395

  Hampshire and Isle of Wight

  9

  27

  75

  139

  244

  263

  328

  Kent and Medway

  6

  20

  71

  152

  207

  254

  269

  Surrey and Sussex

  3

  18

  87

  190

  295

  325

  398

  Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  3

  22

  81

  187

  263

  330

  337

  South West Peninsula

  2

  24

  62

  111

  225

  207

  238

  Somerset and Dorset

  5

  14

  48

  85

  161

  180

  158

  South Yorkshire

  5

  35

  94

  182

  191

  215

  229

  Trent

  6

  42

  121

  218

  328

  355

  409

  Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland

  4

  31

  56

  136

  219

  244

  283

  Shropshire and Staffordshire

  7

  20

  80

  143

  186

  228

  242

  Birmingham and the Black Country

  8

  33

  135

  267

  395

  478

  558

  Coventry, Warwickshire, Hereford and Worcestershire

  5

  28

  90

  184

  230

  281

  281

  SHA not known

  1

  2

  13

  19

  50

  53

  75

  Wales

  4

  39

  132

  260

  392

  449

  451

  England and Wales total

  158

  799

  2,557

  5,308

  7,885

  9,057

  9,994

  1Provisional data.

  Source:

  Produced by Statistics Division, Department of Health.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions there were in women aged 11 to 19 years in each year since 2000 in the Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Avon Strategic Health Authority, broken down by age. [176122]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friends the Members for Workington (Tony Cunningham) and for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) today.

  Acupuncture
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of medical acupuncturists who practise the traditional acupuncture service. [177054]

  Mr. Hutton
  On 2 March, the Department published proposals for the statutory regulation of herbal medicine and acupuncture practitioners. The consultation period closes on 7 June. We are aware of the interests of both medical and traditional acupuncturists and will consider their representations very carefully.

  Adult Education
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the therapeutic benefits of adult education. [177276]
  536W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The "Acheson Inquiry into Inequalities in Health" found that education has an important role in influencing inequalities in socio-economic position. Educational qualifications are a determinant of an individual's labour market position, which in turn influences income, housing and other material resources. These are related to health inequalities.

  A report by the social exclusion unit on mental health and social exclusion is due for publication shortly. The report covers a wide range of issues, including the positive effect that participation in learning can have on mental health.

  Air Pollution
  Mrs. Helen Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adult deaths as a result of air pollution there were in the last year for which figures are available. [174851]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Air pollution is associated with an increased risk of death from respiratory and cardiovascular disease but only estimates of numbers of deaths can be made, based on the findings of epidemiological studies. The committee on the medical effects of air pollutants published a report: quantification of the effects of air pollution on health in the United Kingdom (QUARK) in 1998. The report estimated that 8,100 deaths were brought forward as a result of exposure to particles: the equivalent figures for
  537W
  sulphur dioxide and ozone being 3,500 arid 700 or 12,500, depending on the assumption of threshold for the effects of ozone respectively. Particle concentrations have fallen since 1998 though urban concentrations of ozone are rising albeit slowly. A revision of the QUARK report will be published in 2006.

  Care Records Service
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether additional resources will be made available to general practitioners using the EMIS system to migrate to the new Care Records Service. [176748]

  Mr. Hutton
  The national programme for information technology (NPfIT) has awarded a number of contracts to local service providers (LSPs) to act as prime contractors to deliver the elements of the NPfIT in a geographical area. It is the primary responsibility of the LSPs to work with national health service health care providers, including general practitioners, to deliver the solutions that the NHS needs. This will include working with EMIS and other primary care system providers to ensure that the systems currently in use across the NHS conform to the national standards required and can be upgraded to integrate with new national applications as they come on line. If this is not the case, GPs will be offered a choice of a new compliant system. The costs of this have been included in funding allocations for the NPfIT and to the NHS.

  Children's Hospital (Manchester)
  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest estimate is of the date on which work will start on the site for the construction of the new children's hospital in Manchester. [178081]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The estimated date on which work will start on the site for the construction of the new children's hospital in Manchester is late July 2004.

  Clinical Advisers (IT Forum)
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to involve(a) clinicians and (b) end users in the development of the NHS IT system; and if he will make a statement. [173092]

  Mr. Hutton
  I have appointed Professor Aidan Halligan, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, as joint senior responsible owner and director general for the national programme for information technology (NPfIT). Professor Halligan now leads on work to engage doctors and other clinicians to ensure that the national health service IT system meets the needs of users and supports the Government's priority of improving patient treatment.

  On 30 April 2004, we announced plans to further improve engagement with NHS stakeholders to support the implementation of the NpflT. We have set up a new frontline support academy for clinicians. We are currently reviewing the formal arrangements for engaging with the NHS, patients and other stakeholders and we expect to make an announcement on this later in the summer.
  538W
  Extensive consultation has already taken place with clinical representative groups, including the professional Royal Colleges, the General Medical Council and the British Medical Council, all of whom have provided valuable input. As well as the national professional bodies and groups, the NPfIT team has also engaged closely with expert primary care practitioners, including practising general practitioners. This consultation helped to inform the requirement which was published in the system's output-based specification. Clinicians and users were also involved in evaluating the proof of solution demonstrators developed by suppliers and in evaluating the supplier bids.

  In all, the NPfIT has to date hosted around 400 local events involving managers, clinicians, allied health professionals and IT staff. Over 21,000 individuals have been involved as part of a concerted effort to ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to influence local plans to prepare for phased implementation from summer 2004.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects a reply to be made to the letter to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, dated 7 April, from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan, regarding his constituent Mr. T Curran of Banff. [176134]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  A reply was sent to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan on Tuesday 8 June.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when a letter will be sent to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford concerning Olympus and his constituent, Mr. Dyckhoff, following the meeting which the hon. Member for West Chelmsford had with the Minister of State for Health, the right hon. Member for Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton), on 10 March 2004. [177615]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  A letter was sent to the hon. Member on 9 June 2004.

  Dentistry
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists there have been in Pendle in each year since 1994. [176284]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The number of national health service dentists in the health authority areas covering Pendle since 1994 is given in the table for September each year.

  NHS dental services: number of dentists in Lancashire Family Health Service Authority (FHSA), East Lancashire Health Authority (HA) and Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale primary care trust (PCT)

  September each year

  Lancashire FHSA

  East Lancashire HA

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT

  1994

  507

  —

  —

  1995

  511

  —

  —

  1996

  —

  191

  —

  1997

  —

  190

  —

  1998

  —

  201

  —

  1999

  —

  195

  —

  539W

  NHS dental services: number of dentists in Lancashire Family Health Service Authority (FHSA), East Lancashire Health Authority (HA) and Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale primary care trust (PCT)

  September each year

  Lancashire FHSA

  East Lancashire HA

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT

  2000

  —

  200

  —

  2001

  —

  210

  —

  2002

  —

  —

  97

  2003

  —

  —

  98

  Note:

  NHS dentists cover dentists working in the general dental service (GDS), hospital dental service (HDS), community dental service (CDS), personal dental service (PDS) and salaried service of the GDS. Dentists working in more than one dental service are included in each service, apart from dentists working in both PDS and GDS who are counted only once.

  Source:

  Department of Health Statistics

  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on NHS dentistry in the Vale of York. [177454]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There are 111 dentists in the Selby and York Primary Care Trust area. The PCT is working with local dentists to develop a dental action plan to improve access to national health service dentistry in the area.

  Departmental IT Budget
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of the Department's IT budget will be assigned to the roll-out of picture archiving and communications systems; and if he will make a statement; [176652]

  (2) what the time scale is for introducing picture archiving and communication systems across the NHS. [176653]

  Mr. Hutton
  Picture archiving and communications system (PACS) technology funded under the national programme for information technology will begin to be introduced across the national health service during summer 2004. The aim is for national coverage to be complete within three years.

  In 2004–05, £60 million of central funding—approximately 4 per cent. of total anticipated NHS information management and technology expenditure will be provided to support investment in buying and implementing PACS. Expenditure on implementing PACS technology in future years will be determined and announced in due course.

  Dermatology Waiting Times
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the impact of the two-week wait rule on dermatology waiting times. [174125]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the effect of the two-week wait rule on the management of suspected skin cancers in the North West of England; [175052]

  (2) whether his Department plans to conduct an audit of the two-week wait rule for suspected cancer referrals in the North West of England; [175055]
  540W
  (3) what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the two-week wait rule on dermatology waiting times in the North West of England. [175056]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  A two-week out-patient waiting time standard was introduced for urgently referred cases of suspected skin cancer from October 2000. In the last quarter (October to December 2003), 99.5 per cent. of urgently referred patients with suspected skin cancer were seen within two weeks of urgent referral. We have issued general practitioner cancer referral guidelines to assist GPs in determining which patients need to be referred urgently to see a specialist within two weeks, those patients that can be referred for a routine appointment and patients who can be safely watched at a primary care level. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is currently reviewing the referral guidelines.

  The referral guidelines should be used to agree local referral criteria and referral pathways. All national health service trusts have been encouraged to undertake local audit to assess the impact of the two-week wait on local services and to enable the appropriateness of urgent and routine referrals against the guidelines to be fed back to referring GPs.

  Doctors (EU Member States)
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors from other EU member states were employed in the NHS in the last year for which data is available. [177457]

  Mr. Hutton
  As at September 2003, there were 109,964 doctors working in the national health service, of whom 5,379 gained their primary medical qualification outside the United Kingdom but within the European Economic Area.

  Embryology
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which licensed fertility clinics are involved in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority pilot scheme on embryo donation; and if he will make a statement. [175895]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Medical Research Council together with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) have written a patient information leaflet and a standard consent form to be used for patients who express an interest in donating embryos for the purpose of deriving stem cells. These documents were sent to a number of centres that have a licence to use human embryos to derive stem cells and are contributing to the MRC stem cell initiative. The centres were asked to pilot these documents for three months which ended on 31 March 2004. The feedback forms will then be evaluated by the steering committee of the United Kingdom stem cell bank and for the use of stem cell lines and the HFEA before being finalised and sent to all relevant in vitro fertilisation centres in the UK. The participating centres are as follows:Assisted Conception Unit, Birmingham Women's Hospital
  Assisted Conception Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital
  Assisted Conception Unit, University of Aberdeen
  Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh

  541W
  Assisted Conception Unit, Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital, London
  The Bridge Centre, London
  Section of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, The Jessop Wing, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield
  The Hewitt Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool
  International Centre at Life, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
  Department of Gene Expression and Development, Roslin Institute, Midlothian
  Department of Reproductive Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital, Manchester
  Assisted Conception Unit, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations his Department has received from members of the public regarding the code of practice for the United Kingdom stem cell bank; and if he will make a statement. [175896]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  No representations have been received from members of the public regarding the code of practice for the United Kingdom stem cell bank.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish the code of practice for the new United Kingdom stem cell bank; and if he will make a statement [175897]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  An interim code of practice for the United Kingdom stem cell bank is posted on the Medical Research Council website. Some changes may be required after the consultation on the companion code of practice on the use of stem cell lines finishes at the end of this month. The steering committee for the stem cell bank and for the use of stem cell lines will consider the responses to the consultation. The codes of practice are expected to be published by the Medical Research Council in the autumn.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who the peer reviewers are, appointed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to consider the application to the HFEA by Professor Alison Murdoch for a licence to create human embryonic stem cell lines using nuclear transfer and pathenogenically activated oocytes; and if he will make a statement. [175899]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The use of external peer reviewers is an essential part of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) process for evaluating applications for research licences. All applications are sent to at least two reviewers who are asked to determine whether the application comes within the statutory purposes of the 1990 Act (as amended), requires human embryos to fulfil its aims and objectives, requires the numbers and types of embryos outlined in the application, and meets the requirements of the HFEA code of practice including ethical approval and patient information.

  Assessment must not only avoid conflict of interest between reviewers and applicants but also avoid circumstances that might give the impression that there is a conflict of interest. Therefore all peer reviewers must declare any conflict of interest in an application that they have been asked to review. Furthermore, peer reviewers have an obligation to protect the ideas and
  542W
  plans of the applicants. The identity of the reviewers of individual research applications is confidential to the HFEA. This confidentiality allows the free exchange of views among reviewers and is in line with the policies of the United Kingdom funding bodies and scientific and medical journals. A list of peer reviewers, current as of 31 August 2003, is published in the HFEA annual report 2002–03 and an updated list will be published on the HFEA website and the next annual report.

  Entitlement Cards
  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Scottish Executive on the NHS in England and Wales requiring entitlement cards when the Scottish NHS does not; and how this situation would affect Scottish citizens who do not have an entitlement card using the NHS in England and Wales. [176792]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Home Office has lead responsibility for developing the national identity cards scheme. The introduction of such a scheme is a long-term undertaking and there are on-going discussions to which the Department and Scottish Executive are contributing.

  As set out in the draft Identity Cards Bill consultation paper, published on 26 April this year, the registration of individuals and the issue of identity cards will operate on a United Kingdom-wide basis, including if and when the scheme becomes compulsory. However, the use of cards to access services will be a matter for the individual Departments concerned and, in the case of devolved services such as health, for the devolved administrations. We are working together to discuss how any potential differences, including for health service provision, would work in practice.

  Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the training issues for maternity services that would apply to a demerger of the Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust. [176956]

  Mr. Hutton
  No plans exist within Epsom and St. Helier National Health Services Trust or South West London Strategic Health Authority for the demerger of Epsom and St Helier at this time.

  Furthermore, the trust has not undertaken any studies in relation to any services on the effect of a demerger.

  EU Council Resolution 92/C172/01
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the implementation of EU Council Resolution 92/C172/01. [176767]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 7 June 2004]: European Council Resolution 92/C172/01 of 18 June 1992 aims to offer support to the competent authorities of third countries in their efforts to apply the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes in their territories.
  543W
  The European Community cannot legislate for third countries. However, as provided for in Resolution 92/C172/01, the European Commission has instructed its delegations in third countries to serve as contact points for receiving, from the competent authorities in those countries, any complaints about or criticisms of marketing practices in those countries by Community-based manufacturers of infant formulae and follow-on formulae.

  Family Clinics
  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many attendances at family clinics by people aged(a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years there were in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000, broken down by sex; [176494]

  (2) how many women aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years were fitted with a contraceptive implant in the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000. [176497]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friends, the Members for Workington (Tony Cunningham) and for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) on 7 June 2004,Official Report, columns 34—36W.

  Food Supplements Directive
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what costs were incurred by the Government in opposing the application of the Health Food Manufacturers Association and the National Association of Health Stores to the High Court in London for referral to the European Court of Justice of their case in relation to the Food Supplements Directive; and if he will make it his policy not to pursue those costs should the case prove unsuccessful. [176582]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The legal costs incurred by the Department in opposing the application of the Health Food Manufacturers Association and the National Association of Health Stores with regards to the Food Supplements Directive were in the region of £13,000. Should the claimants' case prove unsuccessful, it would be normal Government practice to pursue the legal costs incurred.

  Foreign Patients
  Mr. Lyons
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trusts were treating foreign patients on the latest date for which figures are available. [176468]

  Mr. Hutton
  National health service trusts are not required to submit statistics on the nationality of patients treated.

  GP Waiting Times
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of NHS patients were able to see a general practitioner within two days within London health authority areas in each year since 1997. [177047]
  544W
  Mr. Hutton
  Data for London strategic health authorities (SHAs) are shown in the table.

  Percentage of patients being offered an appointment with a general practitioner within 48 hours

  SHA

  September 20011

  March 20021

  March 2003

  March 2004

  North West London

  75.4

  69.5

  80.0

  96.9

  North Central London

  70.2

  58.9

  79.8

  99.4

  North East London

  62.6

  56.9

  82.3

  99.3

  South East London

  68.0

  66.2

  92.4

  96.0

  South West London

  84.9

  77.4

  89.6

  98.6

  1Data collected between September 2001 and March 2002 are based on percentage of practices not patients and are not strictly comparable but are included here for completeness. Data for 2001—02 are an aggregation of data originally collected from the then 95 health authorities.

  Health Expenditure
  Mrs. Humble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on health in Blackpool North and Fleetwood in each of the last seven years. [175328]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  This information is not available in the format requested. Expenditure per weighted head in the Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area, which includes the constituency of Black pool North and Fleetwood, has increased from £600.03 in 1997–98 to £1,173.57 in 2002–03, the latest year available. However, this does not represent the total expenditure per head as an element of health expenditure cannot be identified by SHA area.

  Health Services (Manchester)
  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on NHS waiting times for heart surgery in Manchester, Blackley. [175013]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In June 1998, the earliest data available, 19 people waited between nine and 11 months and 23 people were waiting 12 months or more for heart surgery in the former Manchester health authority area. In March 2004, no patient waited over nine months for heart surgery in the North Manchester Primary Care Trust area.

  Heart Disease
  Ann Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research the Department has commissioned into coronary heart disease, with particular reference to the incidence of the disease in Asian communities. [176094]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Department has in the last year commissioned a study of the experience of advance heart failure and access to palliative care for south Asian patients and their family carers. Other current research into coronary heart disease commissioned by the Department includes a £0.4 million study of the cost effectiveness of functional cardiac testing in its diagnosis and management; and a review of risk scoring methods and clinical decision aids used in primary prevention.

  Heart Surgery (Warrington)
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was. for heart surgery in Warrington hospital(a) in 1997 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available. [172847]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In June 1998, earliest data available, eight people waited between nine and 11 months, and six people were waiting 12 months or more for heart surgery in the former North Cheshire Health Authority area. In March 2004 there was no one waiting over nine months for heart surgery in the Warrington Primary Care Trust area.

  Mean, median waiting time and number of admissions for finished in-year admissions for elective (waiting time and booked) with main operative procedure K01-K71, national health service hospitals, England 1997–98 and 2002–03

  K01-K71 heart operative procedures

  PCT of responsibility

  1997–98

  2002–03

  5J2

  Warrington PCT

  Mean waiting time (in-year finished admissions)

  58

  114

  Median waiting time (in-year finished admission)

  23

  84

  Number of in-year finished admissions

  362

  538

  Notes:

  Time Waited

  Time waited statistics from Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides counts and time waited for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment on a specific date and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also, HES calculates the time waited as the difference between the admission and decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical social suspension.

  Main Operation

  The main operation is the first recorded operation in the HES data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main operation when

  National Health Service Trust

  Estimated capital value (£ million)

  Funding1

  Status

  Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust

  76

  PFI

  Pre-procurement

  Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust

  328

  PFI

  Pre-procurement

  St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington NHS Trust

  900

  PFI

  Pre-procurement

  Barts and The London NHS Trust

  1052

  PFI

  In procurement

  North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust

  74

  PFI

  In Procurement

  Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust

  51

  PFI

  In procurement

  Kingston Hospital NHS Trust

  28

  PFI

  In procurement

  University College London Hospitals NHS Trust

  422

  PFI

  Under construction

  Whittington Hospital NHS Trust

  32

  PFI

  Under construction

  Barnet PCT (Edgware Community)

  24

  Public

  Under construction

  Havering, Barking an Redbridge NHS Trust

  238

  PFI

  Under construction

  Newham Healthcare NHS Trust

  52

  PFI

  Under construction

  North West London Hospitals NHS Trust

  69

  PFI

  Under construction

  Brent PCT—Willesden

  21

  PFI

  Under construction

  Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Trust

  50

  Public

  Under construction

  Queen Mary's Roehampton

  55

  PFI

  Under construction

  1PFI = Private finance initiative.

  Information on schemes with a capital value below £10 million is not held centrally.

  Illegal Drug Users
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people he estimates were illegal
  546W
  looking at admission details, for example, time waited, but the figures for all operations count of episodes give a more complete count of episodes with an operation.

  Finished in-year admissions
  A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data year. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.

  Grossing
  Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing/invalid clinical data, except for 2001–02 and 2002–03, which are not yet adjusted for shortfalls.

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.

  HIV
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Department is taking to reduce the number of people contracting HIV each year in England. [176251]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government published the first ever national strategy for sexual health and HIV in 2001, followed by an implementation action plan in 2002. This is a 10 year strategy, which sets challenging goals to tackle HIV. Action to implement the strategy includes strengthening our HIV prevention work targeting those groups most at risk of infection, the publication last year of standards for HIV treatment and care and the publication of toolkits of best practice to support HIV prevention at local level.

  Hospital Developments
  Tom Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on recent hospital developments taking place within the Greater London area; and if he will list them. [174493]

  Mr. Hutton
  Within the Greater London area the following hospital developments are taking place.

  drug users in the last year for which figures are available; and what the Government's plans are for reducing the number of people using illegal drugs. [176813]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  It is estimated that there are 250,000 Class A problem drug users in England and Wales (Home Office Research Study 2002). Problem
  547W
  drug users are defined as people who use illegal drugs and experience social, psychological, physical or legal problems.

  The Government are committed to tackling substance misuse and launched the updated Drugs Strategy in 2002. The Government are on track to meet the target in this strategy to double the number of people in treatment from 100,000 in 1998 to 200,000 by 2008 and to increase year-on-year the numbers retained or successfully completing treatment.

  Independent Treatment Centres
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the contract price of treatments provided by independent treatment centres is expressed as a proportion of the relevant NHS tariff for that treatment. [166077]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 20 April 2004]: National health service national tariffs do not directly correspond to the packages of care we are purchasing from the independent sector in the treatment centre programme. For example, varying numbers of out-patient appointments and follow-up care are included in the procedure prices of the independent sector treatment centre provider, which are not included in NHS national tariff for individual procedures.

  For the single-procedure cataract chain, a price per cataract procedure was at nearly 10 per cent. less than the comparable NHS cost. Further contracts have been signed in relation to treatment centres at Daventry, Bradford, Trent and South Yorkshire, Plymouth, and the national, so-called spine chain. These contracts are for the provision of joint replacements, other orthopaedics and other elective procedures. For these treatment centres, it is not appropriate to directly compare NHS national tariffs with the bid price of providers.

  Infertility Treatment
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have benefited from infertility treatment in(a) Shropshire and (b) England in each year since 1997. [175635]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Information is not collected centrally on the assisted conception services provided to Shropshire patients. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority collects data on licensed treatments carried out in the United Kingdom. The numbers of patients treated and treatment cycles carried out are shown in the table:

  Licensed treatment carried out in the UK, 1997 to 2001

  In vitro fertilisation (IVF)

  Donor insemination

  Patients

  Treatment cycles

  Patients

  Treatment cycles

  1997

  26,291

  34,017

  5,077

  13,169

  1998

  27,279

  35,559

  4,453

  11,453

  1999

  26,707

  34,684

  3,866

  9,985

  2000

  26,548

  34,634

  3,395

  8,102

  20011

  28,076

  35,599

  2,718

  6,450

  12001 is the most recent year for which information is currently available.

  Source:

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

  Lumbar Punctures
  Dr. Evan Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he has satisfied himself that lumbar punctures carried out on children at the Royal Free Hospital by the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Study Group since 1996 have had valid and explicit ethical approval from a properly constituted research ethics committee on the issues of full disclosure of the research's relevant interests and of the full clinical context. [157459]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Based on information currently available to us, the Royal Free Ethics Committee approved the collection of data from clinically indicated investigations for a study entitled "Enteritis and Disintegrative Disorder following measles/rubella vaccination" in November 1996. The disintegrative disorder described in the protocol is Heller's disease, and the vaccine under investigation was measles/rubella vaccine.

  We also understand that the study title was changed to "Autism and Non-Specific Colitis and Lymophoid Nodular Hyperplasia" and the name change was approved by the Royal Free Ethics Committee in 1998.

  The Ethics Committee gave approval for the collection of data from clinically indicated investigations. The Committee did not take a view on which clinical investigations, such as lumbar puncture, were justified. This would usually be determined for each individual child involved, depending on their condition.

  Manchester Children's Hospital
  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the(a) monthly and (b) total cost of the delay in building the new Manchester Children's hospital. [176639]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There has been no estimate of the monthly and total cost of the delay in building the new Manchester Children's hospital.

  ME
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people his Department estimates had myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) in Greater London in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by(a) sex and (b) age group; how much (i) Government and (ii) non-government money has been spent on ME in Greater London since January 2002; if he will list the ME specialists there are in Greater London; and if he will make a statement. [177039]

  Mr. Hutton
  This information requested is not collected centrally.

  This Government are committed to improving services for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), which is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). This is evidenced by the fact that:
  We endorsed the view or the independent working group that CFS/ME is a debilitating and distressing condition, which affects people of all ages.
  We have asked the Medical Research Council to develop a research strategy for CFS/ME.
  We have asked the National institute for Clinical Excellence to develop guidelines for the diagnosis and management of CFS/ME.

  549W
  We have made available £8.5 million to develop services specifically designed for people with CFS/ME.

  In line with the Department's "Shifting the Balance of Power" initiative, allocations are made direct to primary care trusts (PCTs). It is now the responsibility of PCTs to commission services which meet the needs of their local populations.

  Medical Staff
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) nurses, (b) midwives and (c) health visitors (i) were in post in 1997 and (ii) are in post; what plans there are for the future numbers of each in the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [176119]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information on the numbers of nurses, midwives and health visitors employed in the national health service in September 1997 and 2003 is shown in the table.

  There are 67,500 more qualified nurses, midwives and health visitors employed in the NHS than in 1997. The Government have already met the NHS Plan, manifesto and delivering the NHS Plan targets for increasing the nursing workforce and is on course to meet the NHS Plan target for increasing the number of students entering training to become a nurse or midwife. The Government acknowledge that the re are still more staff needed in these areas and we shall focus on increasing training places, retaining nursing staff and filling existing vacancies, it is for local NHS organisations to determine the number of nurses needed locally.

  NHS HCHS: qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff as at 30 September each specified year

  Headcount

  1997

  2003

  Qualified nursing, midwifery and HV staff

  318,856

  386,359

  Of which:

  Registered midwife

  22,385

  23,941

  Health visitor

  12,410

  12,984

  Source:

  Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.

  Mersey Regional Ambulance Service
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to reduce sickness absence in the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service; and what assessment he has made of the (effectiveness of these policies. [176926]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 7 June 2004]: The information is not collected centrally. The measures used to address sickness absence rates within an organisation are matters for individual national health service organisations.

  Ministerial Visits
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the travel costs incurred by(a) his Department and (b) each Minister within his Department, for each of the last 10 years. [175652]
  550W
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Expenditure details are available for the Department from the financial year 1994—95 and are shown in the table. The Department's finance systems do not maintain information by individual Ministers for each year.

  Departmental travel costs

  £

  Expenditure

  1994–95

  4,437,078

  1995–96

  4,307,684

  1996–97

  5,847,922

  1997–98

  6,592,081

  1998–99

  5,814,365

  1999–2000

  7,080,034

  2000–01

  7,295,706

  2001–02

  7,972,843

  2002–03

  7,607,890

  2003–04

  18,211,382

  1Provisional

  MMR Vaccine
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what scientific assessment he has made of the paper published in The Lancet in 1998 by Dr. Andrew Wakefield on the possible links between the MMR vaccine and autism; what research has been commissioned by his Department on the subject since the publication of Dr. Wakefield's paper; and if he will place in the Library copies of scientific critiques of Dr. Wakefield's paper commissioned or endorsed by his Department. [156637]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government's independent scientific advisory body, the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), has reviewed the work of Dr. Wakefield on the postulated association between measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines and the development of autism and inflammatory bowel disease. This has included the study published in The Lancet in 1998. CSM has kept this issue under continual review and has consistently concluded that the available evidence does not support a causal association. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has also kept this issue under close review and is in full agreement with the CSM.

  A study, subsequently published in The Lancet in 1999, was commissioned by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (then the Medicines Control Agency) to look at the occurrence of autism in children born within the North Thames region before and after the introduction of MMR vaccination. The results of this study do not support the suggested causal association between MMR vaccine and autism.

  At the Chief Medical Officer's request, the Medical Research Council (MRC) held an independent scientific seminar on 23 March 1998 to review the work of Dr. Wakefield's group. At this seminar, Dr. Wakefield and his colleagues were given time fully to present their work including the data from the 1998 Lancet study. The meeting concluded that there was no evidence to indicate any link between MMR vaccination and bowel

  551W
  disease or autism and no reason for a change in the MMR vaccination policy. The Chief Medical Officer endorsed the conclusions of the MRC panel.

  Nurses
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were employed in hospitals in Liverpool in(a) 1997 and (b) 2003. [173662]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  National health service hospital and community health services: qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff including practice nurses employed by unrestricted principals and equivalents1 (UPEs) in each specified organisation as at 30 September each specified year

  headcount

  1997

  2003

  Total specified organisations

  4,544

  7,626

  North Liverpool Primary Care Trust (PCT)

  n/a

  246

  Central Liverpool PCT

  n/a

  554

  South Liverpool PCT

  n/a

  152

  Liverpool Cardiothoracic NHS Trust

  336

  528

  Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital NHS Trust

  684

  788

  Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology NHS Trust

  98

  142

  Walton Centre for Neurology/Neurosurgery NHS Trust

  187

  271

  Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital

  1,567

  1,948

  NHS Trust

  Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust

  1,185

  1,120

  Liverpool Women's Hospital NHS Trust

  487

  699

  Mersey Care NHS Trust

  n/a

  1,178

  n/a = not applicable.

  Note:

  UPEs include general medical services unrestricted principals, personal medical services contracted general practitioners (GPs) and personal medical services salaried Gps.

  Sources:

  1. Department of Health non-medical workforce census.

  2. Department of Health general and personal medical services statistics.

  Overseas Medical Treatment
  Tom Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been sent abroad for medical treatment during the last 12 months. [174499]

  Mr. Hutton
  A total of 353 people were sent abroad for medical treatment commissioned by the national health service in the last 12 months.

  Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines govern the use of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy on patients with(a) cerebral palsy, (b) multiple sclerosis, (c) spina bifida, (d) cystic fibrosis, (e) Huntingdon's disease and (f) acquired brain injury (i) generally and (ii) for patients who are in receipt of residential care and support services provided by public, private or voluntary organisations. [178097]

  Dr. Ladyman
  We have not issued guidelines for this technique. The aim of percutaneuous endoscopic gastrostomy is to feed those who cannot swallow.

  The National Institute of Clinical Excellence issued guidelines in 2003 on the prevention of healthcare associated infections in primary and community care.
  552W
  The recommendations provide guidance on infection prevention and control precautions that should be applied by all healthcare personnel and carers.

  Peripheral Vascular Disease
  Andy King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the last year suffered from peripheral vascular disease in(a) Rugby and Kenilworth and (b) England. [174963]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The table shows the number of finished admission episodes relating to peripheral vascular disease broken down by relevant primary care trusts (PCTs) in Rugby and Kenilworth, and the overall count for England in 2002–03.

  Number

  North Warwickshire PCT Rugby PCT

  248

  Rugby PCT

  71

  England

  60,023

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.

  Ports
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Port Health Authority officials were employed at UK(a) seaports and (b) airports in each of the last five years. [177156]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The requirement for employing Port Health Authority (PHA) officials at seaports and airports rests with local authorities who are responsible for port health work. The number of PHA officials is determined by the local authorities, and their numbers are not held centrally.

  Private Nursing Homes
  Tom Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the last review of(a) registration and (b) inspection procedures for privately-run nursing homes took place. [177817]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The current registration and inspection procedures for care homes were put in place in 2002, when the National Care Standards Commission was established and the regulations and national minimum standards for care homes were introduced. The Commission for Social Care Inspection became operational in April 2004 and operates under the same regulatory framework.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how often the(a) independent group on teenage pregnancy, (b) joint committee on vaccination and immunisation, (c) patient information advisory group and (d) expert advisory group on AIDS are scheduled to convene; and on what date each last met. [175332]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The independent advisory group on teenage pregnancy is the responsibility of my
  553W
  right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. Meetings of the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation are convened three times a year; the last meeting was on 6 February 2004. Meetings of the patient information advisory group are convened four times a year, but have the flexibility to meet more frequently if required; the last meeting was on 28 April 2004. Meetings of the expert advisory group on AIDS are convened three times a year; the last meeting was on 8 March 2004.

  Radiography training commissions

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  Radiography

  593

  582

  646

  685

  761

  948

  1,227

  Of which:

  Diagnostic

  452

  447

  507

  541

  597

  730

  942

  Therapeutic

  141

  135

  139

  144

  164

  218

  285

  Source:

  Department of Health quarterly monitoring returns.

  Rheumatological/Musculoskeletal Conditions
  Andy King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners hold a specialist interest in(a) rheumatological conditions, (b) musculoskeletal conditions and (c) orthopaedics; and what steps are being taken to increase these numbers. [171930]

  Mr. Hutton
  There are now some 1,300 general practitioners with a special interest (GPwSIs). However, information on the number of general practitioners with a special interest in particular specialties is not collected centrally.

  In line with "Shifting the Balance of Power", the expansion of the range of services provided in primary care, though the development of new staff roles, such as GPwSIs, should be locally driven Primary care trusts are therefore responsible for developing GPwSIs' services in accordance with their local health economy need to improve access for patients.

  Sexual Health
  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many cases of sexually transmitted infections were reported in people aged(a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h)18 and (i) 19 years in each year since 2000, broken down by (i) disease and (ii) sex; [176493]

  (2) how many cases of sexually transmitted infections in people aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years there were in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000, broken down by (i) disease and (ii) sex; [176495]

  (3) what the prevalence rate of reported cases of sexually transmitted infections was in people aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years was in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000, broken down by (i) disease and (ii) sex; [176496]

  Radiographers
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS training places for(a) diagnostic and (b) therapeutic radiographers there were in each year since 1997. [176754]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is shown in the table. Between 1996–97 and 2002–03, the number of training places for radiographers have increased by 634, or 107 per cent.

  (4) what the prevalence rate of reported cases of sexually transmitted infections in people aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years was in each year since 2000, broken down by (i) disease and (ii) sex. [176498]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friends, the Members for Workington (Tony Cunningham) and for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) on 25 May 2004,Official Report, columns 1610–11W.

  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many cases of sexually transmitted infections were reported in people aged(a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years in each year since 2000, broken down by (i) disease and (ii) sex; [176838]

  (2) what the prevalence rate of reported cases of sexually transmitted infections in people aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years was in each year since 2000, broken down by (i) disease and (ii) sex; [176839]

  (3) how many cases of sexually transmitted infections in people aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years were reported in Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000, broken down by (i) disease and (ii) sex; [176841]

  (4) what the prevalence rate of reported cases of sexually transmitted infections in people aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years was in Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000, broken down by (i) disease and (ii) sex. [176843]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friends, the Members for Workington (Tony Cunningham) and for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) on 25 May 2004,Official Report, columns 1610–11W.

  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many attendances at family clinics by people aged(a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e) 15, (f) 16,

  555W
  (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years there were in Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000, broken down by sex; [176840]

  (2) how many women aged (a) 11, (b) 12, (c) 13, (d) 14, (e)15, (f) 16, (g) 17, (h) 18 and (i) 19 years were fitted with a contraceptive implant in the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority in each year since 2000. [176842]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friends, the Members for Workington (Tony Cunningham) and for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) on 7 June 2004,Official Report, columns 34–36W.

  Trastuzumab
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of breast cancer patients diagnosed in the past 12 months received treatment with Trastuzumab; [176867]

  (2) what percentage of patients diagnosed with breast cancer were tested for HER2 in the last year for which figures are available. [176868]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Department does not collect information on the percentage of breast cancer patients who receive treatment with Herceptin or who are tested for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2.

  Professor Mike Richards, National Cancer Director, has been asked to investigate the variation in uptake of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence approved chemotherapy drugs, including Herceptin. His report is due to be published shortly.

  Trust Boards
  Mr. Lyons
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what analysis his Department has made of the composition of trust boards in England, with particular reference to the(a) age, (b) nationality and (c) gender of members. [176480]

  Mr. Hutton
  Analyses of the age, ethnicity and gender of national health service board members are carried out by the NHS appointments commission, and data relating to 1 April 2004 will be published shortly in their annual report for 2003–04. In the meantime, I have asked the chair of the commission, Sir William Wells, to write to my hon. Friend with the latest data available.

  United Healthcare Group
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the scoping report on implementation of the Evercare model of care, completed in February 2003 by United Healthcare Group. [175807]

  Mr. Hutton
  United Health Group submitted a scoping report to each individual primary care trust (PCT), and these remain the property of the PCTs.

  vCJD
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the latest scientific evidence on infection rates for vCJD, with particular reference to links with BSE. [176127]
  556W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 27 May 2004]: The Government seek scientific advice on matters relating to spongiform encephalopathies from the spongiform encephalopathy advisory committee (SEAC). SEAC is provided with all published research on variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) as it is available. The committee's consideration of scientific research is recorded in the minutes of SEAC meetings which are available at the website: www.seac.gov.uk

  Waiting Lists
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are awaiting(a) admission and (b) out-patient assessment in each national health service trust in Greater London. [177048]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information on the number of patients waiting for elective in-patient admission at national health service trusts and primary care trusts within the five London strategic health authorities is shown in the table. Information on the total number of patients waiting for outpatient appointments is not collected centrally.

  Patients waiting for elective in-patient admission: NHS trusts and PCTs within London SHAs: Position at 31 March 2004

  NHS trust/PCT

  Total number of patients waiting for admission

  Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust

  10,679

  Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust

  7,861

  Barts and the London NHS Trust

  8,468

  Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust

  4,881

  Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust

  2,913

  Ealing Hospital NHS Trust

  2,145

  Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust

  4,565

  Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust

  1,630

  Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust

  7,846

  Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust

  5,548

  Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust

  1,972

  Homerton Hospital NHS Trust

  902

  King's College Hospital NHS Trust

  4,871

  Kingston Hospital NHS Trust

  5,609

  Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust

  3,577

  Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust

  5,091

  Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust

  3,258

  Newham Healthcare NHS Trust

  1,510

  Newham PCT

  1

  North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust

  2,262

  North West London Hospitals NHS Trust

  6,495

  Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust

  3,573

  Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust

  2,977

  Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust

  2,233

  Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust

  6,639

  Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Trust

  299

  Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust (London)

  2,889

  St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust

  5,418

  St. Mary's NHS Trust

  3,911

  SW London and St. Georges NHS Trust

  41

  University College London Hospitals NHS Trust

  4,833

  West London Mental Health NHS Trust

  14

  West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust

  1,639

  Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust

  5,165

  Whittington Hospital NHS Trust

  1,598

  Source:

  DH form KHO7

  Waiting Times
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients were assessed by a specialist within two weeks of emergency referral in the last year for which figures are available. [176862]
  557W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  A two week out-patient waiting time standard was introduced for all urgent referrals of suspected cancer during 2000. Performance against this standard is collected quarterly with the table showing performance for the last four available quarters. Further data on cancer waiting times targets is available at www.performance.doh.gov.uk/cancerwaits/

  Percentage of patients

  2002–03

  Qtr 4

  96.3

  2003—04

  Qtr 1

  96.9

  Qtr 2

  97.7

  Qtr 3

  98

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Animal Rights Extremism
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she has taken to combat the threat of animal rights extremism. [177755]

  Ms Hewitt
  Government have taken considerable action to combat animal rights extremists, both through legislation and by support for the police to deal with their criminal activities. The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 gave the police a new power to direct protestors away from homes when such protests are intimidatory or harassing. It amended the Protection from Harassment Act and the Malicious Communications Act to cover co-ordinated campaigns of harassment and sending harassing emails and made provision for a secure register of company directors' home addresses where those directors are at risk of intimidation and harassment.

  Recently, we have introduced further legislation in the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 that strengthened police powers to deal with smaller, intimidatory protests and office occupations by extremists. Government are also funding a new police unit to provide tactical guidance on policing extremists.

  But intimidation and harassment continues to be a very serious problem that threatens investment and research in the bioscience sector in the UK, so we are looking carefully, and urgently, at what further action is needed to strengthen police powers to deal with the tactics employed by extremist protestors.

  UK Directors
  Vera Baird
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure that the talent pool of UK directors is sufficiently diverse. [177766]

  Jacqui Smith
  Following the publication of the Higgs and Tyson reports, and the "Brighter Boards" booklet last year, my Department organised a series of roundtable meetings with leading companies in order to raise awareness about the case for greater diversity on boards and to gather examples of pod practice.
  558W
  We have also commissioned research to assess the current representation of directors from diverse backgrounds on FTSE 100 boards, and supported the creation of registers for board positions, co-ordinated by the appropriate professional and affiliated bodies.

  We are currently consulting the Financial Reporting Council and a range of business and other organisations on how best to build on these initiatives and will be making an announcement later in the year.

  Low Pay
  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her policy on low-paid workers. [177767]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The Government have done a great deal through the minimum wage and tax credits to help the low paid. From October 2004, the minimum wage, in conjunction with tax credit and other benefits will provide a guaranteed minimum income of at least £252 a week for families with one child and one adult earner in full-time work, working 35 hours per week.

  Call Centres
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment her Department has made of future employment prospects in the call centre industry in(a) the North West and (b) the UK. [177769]

  Ms Hewitt
  We have not assessed future employment prospects in individual regions. The recently published DTI study on the UK Call Centre Industry found that employment in the industry is growing and predicts that it will directly employ over 1 million people by 2007 across the UK.

  A50-A514 Link Road
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations have been made to the East Midlands Regional Development Agency concerning the funding for completing the road linking the A50 at the A514 junction at Chellaston with Wilmore Road in Derby. [176750]

  Jacqui Smith
  No representations have been made. However, the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) has been working with Rolls Royce, other landowners and developers who have an interest in the 88ha Chellaston park site, with the intention of establishing a development consortium. A key part of the development would be the creation of a link road between the A50 and the A514. The viability of the site is impacted upon by the cost of developing this infrastructure. In March 2004 emda's Board approved £70,000 to fund a feasibility study into the viability of the project, which would address the issues around the road infrastructure. The report is due to be completed by the end of the year.

  Business (Blackpool and Fleetwood)
  Mrs. Humble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new businesses have started up in Blackpool, North and Fleetwood since 1997. [175883]
  559W
  Nigel Griffiths
  Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in the last quarter of 2003, including 500 business start-ups in Blackpool Unitary Authority (which includes part of the Blackpool, North and Fleetwood constituency). Data are not available for the Wyre local authority that includes the rest of Blackpool, North and Fleetwood Constituency. In the last quarter of 2003 there were 2,600 business start-ups in the County of Lancashire (which includes the Wyre local authority) excluding Blackpool Unitary Authority.

  The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. In 2003 there were 1,700 business start-ups in Blackpool Unitary Authority (which includes part of the Blackpool, North and Fleetwood constituency). Data are not available for the Wyre local authority that includes the rest of Blackpool, North and Fleetwood Constituency. In 2003 there were 10,200 business start-ups in the County of Lancashire (which includes the Wyre local authority) excluding Blackpool Unitary Authority.

  DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Blackpool Unitary authority and Wyre local authority (for which Blackpool, North and Fleetwood is a constituency) are shown in the following table for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in autumn 2004.

  VAT registrations: 1997 to 2002

  Blackpool

  Wyre

  1997

  340

  260

  1998

  325

  300

  1999

  310

  240

  2000

  315

  240

  2001

  300

  245

  2002

  265

  265

  Source:

  Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994–2002, Small Business Service www.sbs.gov.uk/statistics/vatstats.php

  VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.

  Centres of Vocational Excellence
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether regional development agencies have contributed(a) funds and (b) resources to centres of vocational excellence. [176901]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is responsible for funding and resourcing the development of CoVEs.
  560W
  However, Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) view CoVEs as strategic partners and may choose to provide complementary funding and resources to maximise their impact. This enables RDA funding to be targeted where further investment will enable the CoVE to meet anticipated skills needs.

  A number of RDAs have already contributed to CoVE development in their region including the South East Development Agency, Yorkshire Forward, the South West Regional Development Agency, Advantage West Midlands and the North West Development Agency.

  Coal Health Claims
  Paddy Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the(a) highest, (b) lowest and (c) average payment made in respect of (i) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (ii) vibration white finger is; and what the equivalent figures are for Nottinghamshire. [176548]

  Nigel Griffiths
  [hulling answer 7 June 2004]: To date the figures are:

  £

  COPD

  VWF

  UK

  Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire

  UK

  Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire

  Highest settlement

  364,537

  364,537

  113,111

  40,127

  Average settlement

  7,674

  5,262

  8,288

  8,180

  settlement

  Notes:
  Settlements can be low or even reduced to nothing if some or all of the factors outlined below have a maximum impact.

  1. Compensation offend is dependent on the percentage of disability due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the number of years spent underground after 1954, the date of liability. Discounting is then applied, taking into account any smoking history and the number of years worked before 1954. This is consistent with the High Court judgment. In chronic bronchitis (CB) only claims, the maximum amount payable is £5,604 (rising with the RPI), subject to the relevant discounting mentioned previously.

  2. Compensation offered in respect of VWF is dependent on the "staging" (the level of disability). Claims are then discounted taking into account any of the five co-morbid conditions as listed in the Claims Handling Agreement. Claims will also be apportioned according to whether there is any co-defendant involvement.

  3. Figures for Nottinghamshire are not available separately.

  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when minimum payment for compensation claims under the Coalminers' Compensation Scheme was last discussed with their representatives. [176801]

  Nigel Griffiths
  [holding answer 8 June 2004]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 27 May 2004, Official Report, column 1744.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claimants have had final settlement through each of the top 10 claims handlers involved in the compensation claims for(a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger of former coalminers. [176617]
  561W
  Nigel Griffiths
  To date the figures are:

  Top 10 solicitors

  Number of full and final settlements

  VWF

  Hugh James

  17,622

  Thompsons

  17,141

  Raleys

  12,318

  Browell Smith

  7,330

  Beresfords

  6,760

  Mark Gilbert Morse

  6,495

  UDM

  5,439

  Watson Burton

  4,383

  Barber and Co.

  656

  Avalon

  388

  COPD

  Browell Smith

  11,095

  UDM

  7,234

  Thompsons

  7,046

  Raleys

  6,561

  Hugh James

  6,278

  Moss

  4,433

  Beresfords

  4,126

  AMS Law

  2,919

  Watson Burton

  2,584

  Graysons

  1,899

  In terms of numbers of COPD claims received, the rank order of the 'top 10' is—Beresfords, Thompsons, Hugh James, Raleys, Browell Smith, Mark Gilbert Morse, Avalon, UDM, Watson Burton, Barber and Co.

  In terms of numbers of VWF claims received, the rank order of the 'top 10' is—Thompsons, Browell Smith, Beresfords, UDM, Raleys, Hugh James, Graysons, Moss, Watson Burton, AMS Law.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid to claimants through each of the top 10 claims handlers involved in the compensation claims for(a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger of former coalminers. [176618]

  Nigel Griffiths
  To date the figures are:

  Top 10 solicitors

  Total damages paid (£million)

  COPD

  Thompson

  216.8

  Hugh James

  198.5

  Raleys

  129

  Browell Smith

  77.4

  Mark Gilbert Morse

  43.7

  UDM

  26.5

  Watson Burton

  26

  Beresfords

  13.4

  Avalon

  1.2

  Barber and Co.

  0.45

  VWF

  Thompsons

  128

  Browell Smith

  89.8

  UDM

  72

  Raleys

  72

  Hugh James

  58.8

  Graysons

  49.6

  Watson Burton

  42.5

  Beresfords

  39.5

  Moss

  32.4

  AMS Law

  22.8

  562W
  In terms of numbers of COPD claims receive, the rank order of the "top 10" is—Berefords, Thompson, Hugh James, Raleys, Browell Smith, Mark Gilbert Morse, Avalon, UDM, Watson Burton, Barber and Co.

  In terms of number of VWF claims received, the rank order of the 'top 10' is—Thompons, Browell Smith, Beresfords, UDM, Raleys, Hugh James, Graysons, Moss, Watson Burton, AMS Law.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claimants have had interim payments to date through each of the top 10 claims handlers involved in the compensation claims for(a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger of former coalminers. [176619]

  Nigel Griffiths
  To date the figures are:

  Top 10 solicitors

  Number of claimants who have received an interim payment

  COPD

  Thompsons

  10,895

  Hugh James

  7,708

  Raleys

  5,129

  Browell Smith

  4,048

  Mark Gilbert Morse

  2,246

  UDM

  1,323

  Watson Burton

  1,157

  Beresfords

  384

  Avalon

  69

  Barber and Co.

  8

  VWF

  Thompsons

  11,723

  Raleys

  5,752

  Browell Smith

  5,628

  Graysons

  5,413

  UDM

  4,811

  Beresfords

  4,224

  Hugh James

  3.899

  Watson Burton

  3,577

  Moss

  2,646

  AMS Law

  1,416

  In terms of numbers of COPD claims received, the rank order of the "top 10" is—Beresfords, Thompsons, Hugh James, Raleys, Browell Smith, Mark Gilbert Morse, Avalon, UDM, Watson Burton, Barber and Co.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid to date to each of the top 10 claims handlers involved in the compensation claims for(a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger of former coalminers. [176620]

  Nigel Griffiths
  To date the figures are:

  Top 10 solicitors

  Solicitors costs paid (£million)

  COPD

  Thompsons

  39.7

  Hugh James

  39.1

  Raleys

  28.9

  Browell Smith

  15.9

  Mark Gilbert Morse

  14.3

  Beresfords

  9.7

  UDM

  9.2

  Watson Burton

  9.1

  563W

  Top 10 solicitors

  Solicitors costs paid (£ million)

  Avalon

  0.7

  Barber and Co.

  0.1

  VWF

  Thompsons

  9.1

  Browell Smith

  8.7

  Raleys

  6.6

  Hugh James

  5.8

  UDM

  5.5

  Graysons

  3.8

  Beresfords

  3.2

  Watson Burton

  3.1

  Moss

  2.9

  AMS Law

  1.9

  In terms of numbers of COPD claims received, the rank order of the "top 10" is—Beresfords, Thompsons, Hugh James, Raleys, Browell Smith, Mark Gilbert Morse, Avalon, UDM, Watson Burton, Barber & Co.

  In terms of numbers of VWF claims received, the rank order of the "top 10" is—Thompsons, Browell Smith, Beresfords, UDM, Raleys, Hugh James, Graysons, Moss, Watson Burton, AMS Law.

  Combustion Plant Directive
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if she will list the meetings that she has held with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss the large Combustion Plant Directive; [175585]

  (2) if she will list the meetings which have taken place between her (a) Ministers and (b) officials and (i) Ministers and (ii) officials in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss the large Combustion Plant Directive;. [175586]

  Mr. Timms
  There have been a number of discussions about this Directive between Ministers and officials in the DTI and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

  Further information about such meetings is being withheld under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information on the grounds that it would harm the frankness and candour of internal deliberation and of confidential communications between departments.

  Democratic Republic of the Congo
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on progress made in investigating issues raised by the UN Panel of Experts on the illegal exploitation of the natural resources and other forms of wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [177752]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Following the publication of the UN Expert Panel's final report in October 2004, we asked the UN for the documentary evidence supporting the listing of British companies in Annexe III of the report. This is a list of all entities the Panel considers to be in breach of the OECD guidelines. Despite repeated requests, we have only recently received documentary material that the Panel obtained relating to the British companies considered by the Panel. This material is wide ranging in scope and quality. We are currently 564W
  assessing this material to identify outstanding issues with relation to breaches of the OECD Guidelines. We are in the process of approaching the companies concerned to respond to specific issues raised in the documentation. The UN National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines has recently made a statement relating to allegations made against De Beers that is available on the website and that I will place in the Libraries of the House.

  Election Literature (Postal Services)
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the refusal by some postal workers to deliver election literature from(a) the British National Party and (b) other political parties. [176719]

  Mr. Timms
  Royal Mail has legal obligations, under the Representation of People Act 2000, to deliver election material from any properly nominated candidate, so long as the material is legal. Royal Mail recognises that staff may have strong feelings about the delivery of some election mailings. The company has always tried to have a flexible approach, so if an individual feels that they are unable to deliver the material because of personal circumstances or beliefs, or where an individual believes that delivery of a particular item may incur personal risk, then alternative arrangements will be made.

  EU Trade
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the negative balance in trade in goods was with the EU(a) in the most recent annual period for which figures are available, (b) in 1994, (c) in 1984 and (d) in 1974. [177760]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  In 2003, the EU 15 countries accounted for 46 per cent. of the UK's total trade deficit in goods with the world. In 1994 the EU 15 countries accounted for 41 per cent., in 1984 55 per cent. and in 1974 42 per cent.

  However, these figures taken in isolation do not fully reflect the importance to the UK economy of our trade with the EU.

  Heat Pumps
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action her Department is taking to encourage the development of(a) ground source and (b) air source heat pumps. [176759]

  Mr. Timms
  Defra and the DTI supported the formation of the UK Heat Pump forum which serves to disseminate information and promote the technology for both ground source and air source heat pumps.

  Heat pumps are a technology that is eligible for support from Carbon Trust programmes. I understand that the Carbon Trust has two projects in contract supporting ground source heat pumps. The Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme, which the Carbon Trust manages, supports heat pumps.

  The Clear Skies initiative supports the installation of ground source heat pumps by providing grants off £1,200 to householders and 50 per cent. of installed cost for

  565W
  community groups up to a maximum of £100,000. It does not currently provide grants for air source heat pumps. Budget 2004 also announced the introduction of a reduced rate of VAT on the installation of ground source heat pumps.

  Information Technology
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the(a) migration of information technology work overseas and (b) steps her Department is taking to reverse the trend towards migration of IT work overseas. [171399]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government are well aware of concerns about the effects of offshoring, including on employment in the IT sector. But we know from consultation with key stakeholders that there is a broad consensus in the UK that trade protectionism is not the right response. Instead, we must do all we can to ensure that those who are affected by decisions to offshore work are found alternative work as quickly as possible. We also need to ensure that the UK remains competitive and an attractive place in which other countries wish to do business and it is important to note that the UK remains the lead country in terms of inward investment into the EU. We are also working closely with the RDAs and the Learning and Skills Councils to ensure that the UK is equipped to meet these challenges.

  In this globalised world, companies require the flexibility to take the required steps to remain internationally competitive. Location is ultimately a business decision for companies, and the Government cannot prohibit moves offshore. However the Government continue to create the macro-economic environment to encourage business location and growth within the UK.

  Finally, offshoring is not a one-way process. Successful Indian IT companies such as Tata, Wipro and Infosys, have invested in the UK and have created and expanded employment here.

  Contractual Leave
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 12 May 2004,Official Report, column 431 W, on leave, if she will place in the Library the surveys on the provision of contractual leave and pay referred to. [176438]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The following surveys referred to in my answer are available in the Libraries of the House:The Second Work-Life Balance Study: Results from the Employer Survey (DTI Employment Relations Research Series No.22);
  The Second Work-Life Balance Study: Results from the Employees' Survey (DTI Employment Relations Research Series No.27); and
  Maternity and Paternity Rights in Britain 2002: Survey of Parents (DWP In-house Report 131).

  Manufacturing Industry
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action she is taking to help small and medium-sized UK manufacturing companies. [177762]
  566W
  Nigel Griffiths
  The DTI and Government have taken a number of measures including:Establishing the Manufacturing Advisory Service
  Providing £600 million support for business R&D through R&D tax credit
  Increasing the number of Modern Apprenticeship trainees from 75,000 in 1997 to 255,00 in 2004
  Cutting corporation tax
  Manufacturing SMEs also benefit from DTIs business support products for Knowledge Transfer, R&D, Best Practice

  Maternity Leave
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of women in Wirral, South have taken 26 weeks' maternity leave since 1997. [177687]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  Take-up of maternity leave is not recorded centrally. It is possible to make an estimate of the numbers of women taking maternity leave based on employer returns to Inland Revenue of the Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) they recover (since 2003 this has covered the first 26 weeks of leave). Figures for the take-up of SMP are not available on a regional basis, but nationally around 300,000 women receive SMP each year.

  In addition, there will be some women who will qualify for maternity leave but not SMP (because they do not meet the earnings or length of employment criteria for SMP) and similarly some who qualify for SMP but not leave (because they are employed earners for the purposes of SMP but not employees in order to qualify for leave).

  Mrs. Fitzsimons
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of women in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale have taken 26 weeks' maternity leave since 1997; and what percentage of those were of Asian origin. [178518]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  Take-up of maternity leave is not recorded centrally. It is possible to make an estimate of the numbers of women taking maternity leave based on employer returns to Inland Revenue of the Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) they recover (since 2003 this has covered the first 26 weeks of leave). Figures for the take-up of SMP are not available on a regional basis, but nationally around 300,000 women receive SMP each year. Information is not available on the ethnic origin of women receiving SMP.

  In addition, there will be some women who will qualify for maternity leave but not SMP (because the do not meet the earnings or length of employment criteria for SMP) and similarly some who qualify for SMP but not leave (because they are employed earners for the purposes of SMP but not employees in order to qualify for leave).

  Minor Titles Consortium
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received from the Minor Titles Consortium on the Royal Mail and distribution of their newspapers in Scotland. [177438]
  567W
  Mr. Timms
  I have not received any recent representations from the Minor Titles Consortium about the Royal Mail's distribution of newspapers.

  Night Shift Workers
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the benefits to residents of Wirral, South of new rights for night shift workers. [177689]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The Working Time Regulations came into force on 1 October 1998. The regulations limit working time to 48 hours per week averaged over a 17-week reference period. For night workers the limit is eight hours per day on average, including overtime where it is part of a night worker's normal hours of work. There is no opt-out from the night working time limit.

  Night workers are entitled to 11 hours rest between working days, one day's rest per week, and a 20-minute in work rest break if the working period is longer than six hours.

  All night workers should be offered a free health assessment before they start working night and thereafter at regular intervals for as long as they are working nights. The health assessments should take account of the nature of the work and the restrictions on a worker's working time under the regulations. Workers who suffer from problems as a result of working at night, should as far as practicable be offered alternative day work.

  All workers are entitled to four weeks paid annual leave. There is no specific data available for night shift workers in Wirral, South.

  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effect on residents of Bootle of new rights for night-shift workers. [176996]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The Working Time Regulations came into force on 1 October 1998. The regulations limit working time to 48 hours per week averaged over a 17-week reference period. For night workers the limit is eight hours per day on average, including overtime where it is part of a night worker's normal hours of work. There is no opt-out from the night working time limit.

  Night workers are entitled to 11 hours rest between working days, one day's rest per week, and a 20-minute in work rest break if the working period is longer than six hours.

  All night workers should be offered a free health assessment before they start working night and thereafter at regular intervals for as long as they are working nights. The health assessments should take account of the nature of the work and the restrictions on a worker's working time under the regulations. Workers who suffer from problems as a result of working at night, should as far as practicable be offered alternative day work.

  All workers are entitled to four weeks paid annual leave. There is no specific data available for night shift workers in Bootle.

  NIREX
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the future of NIREX. [177768]

  Mr. Timms
  The Secretary of State recently met with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as part of a regular series of bilateral meetings. The ongoing work on the future of NIREX was discussed as part of that wider meeting.

  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the involvement of NIREX in drafting the Energy Bill. [177222]

  Mr. Timms
  NIREX has not been involved in drafting the Energy Bill.

  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the intended relationship between the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and NIREX. [177223]

  Mr. Timms
  It will only be possible to set out the relationship between NIREX and the NDA once NIREX and its industry shareholders have been consulted on the future of the company.

  Oil and Gas Prices
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she has taken to investigate reports that speculation in oil and gas is helping to drive up prices. [177080]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 7 June 2004]: While speculation may be playing a role, there are a number of other factors supporting current oil prices including unanticipated strong demand, tight capacities upstream and downstream, and geopolitical uncertainties.

  The oil price is one driver of UK gas wholesale spot and forward prices, as is the market's perception of gas demand and supply. In order to inform the gas market about UK gas market fundamentals, on 24 May 04, the DTI published the Fourth JESS Report which, among other things, monitors the availability of gas supplies, the adequacy of the UK's gas infrastructure, and gas forward prices.

  Paid Leave
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of Wirral, South qualify for paid leave entitlements. [177690]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  All workers resident in Wirral, South qualify for paid annual leave entitlements of at least four weeks as set out in the Working Time Regulations. While all women are entitled to 26 weeks ordinary maternity leave, only those who meet the eligibility criteria will be able to claim statutory maternity pay for that period.

  All employees in Wirral, South who are eligible will be entitled to take statutory paternity leave with pay and statutory adoption leave with pay.
  569W
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of Bootle qualify for paid leave entitlements. [176995]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  All workers resident in Bootle qualify for paid annual leave entitlements; at least four weeks as set out in the Working Time Regulations. While all women are entitled to 26 weeks ordinary maternity leave, only those who meet the eligibility criteria will be able to claim statutory maternity pay for that period.

  All employees in Bootle who are eligible will be entitled to take statutory paternity leave with pay and statutory adoption leave with pay.

  Post Boxes
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the factors that determine the size of a post box available at a particular location. [176737]

  Mr. Timms
  The size and location of post boxes are the operational concern of Royal Mail Gorup and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Renewable Energy
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what projections her Department has made of(a) the amount and (b) the percentage of electricity the UK will be obtaining from renewable sources in each year to 2010. [176740]

  Mr. Timms
  A working paper showing revised energy projections has recently been published on the DTI website. The projections suggest that electricity generation from renewables could leach 15TWh in 2005 and 39TWh in 2010. Taking account of all sources of generation, some of which are not shown separately in the working paper, these represent around 3.5 per cent. and 10 per cent. of overall supply respectively.

  The working paper is available on the website at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sepn/euets.shtml#uep

  The Department does not publish projections of year-by-year generation patterns.

  Steel
  Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effect of steel(a) price increases and (b) supply problems on manufacturing industry; and if she will make a statement. [177012]

  Jacqui Smith
  I am very much aware of concerns about rising steel prices and appreciate that this is an unwelcome pressure on steel consumers at a time when manufacturing is showing signs of recovery. This is a global issue caused primarily by soaring demand in China, which is having a knock on effect on the cost of raw materials such as iron ore, coke and scrap. We acknowledge that the problem is especially difficult for steel users with limited scope to pass on price rises to customers. However, European steel prices are still low compared with USA and South East Asia. There have also been concerns about the availability of steel but I570W
  understand that there is no shortage of supply from UK producers although there are reports of tightness of those consumers that rely on imported sources of steel.

  The Chinese Government has recently introduced measures to dampen economic growth as a result of which Chinese steel imports have fallen pushing down prices in the Far East. It is hoped that this will bring some stability to world markets although industry analysts expect overall world demand to remain firm for the rest of this year.

  VAT-registered Enterprises
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many VAT-registered enterprises there were in each(a) region and (b) London borough in each of the last 10 years. [177063]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in the last quarter of 2003. Barclays data are not available for Scotland or Northern Ireland. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before.

  The following tables records Barclays business creation data for each region and London boroughs in 2003. Barclays latest survey of business creation publication only contains 2003 data for regions and London boroughs.

  2003

  Regions

  Number

  East

  47,500

  East Midlands

  34,700

  London

  84,300

  North East

  15,100

  North West

  57,400

  South East

  76,300

  South West

  52,400

  West Midlands

  38,000

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  37,700

  2003

  London boroughs

  Number

  Barking and Dagenham

  800

  Barnet

  4,700

  Bexley

  1,200

  Brent

  4,000

  Bromley

  2,300

  Camden

  4,500

  Croydon

  3,800

  Ealing

  4,500

  Enfield

  2,200

  Greenwich

  1,300

  Hackney

  2,400

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  3,400

  Haringey

  2,500

  Harrow

  2,200

  Havering

  1,700

  Hillingdon

  1,700

  Hounslow

  2,100

  Islington

  3,000

  Kensington and Chelsea

  2,500

  Kingston upon Thames

  1,600

  Lambeth

  3,000

  571W

  2003

  London boroughs

  Number

  Lewisham

  1,500

  Merton

  2,000

  Newham

  1,900

  Redbridge

  2,600

  Richmond upon Thames

  2,100

  Southwark

  1,900

  Sutton

  1,300

  Tower Hamlets

  2,600

  Waltham Forest

  1,700

  VAT registrations in each year

  Government office region

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  England

  1,378,380

  1,374,275

  1,377,300

  1,393,070

  1,426,265

  Scotland

  120,805

  120,475

  120,225

  120,670

  122,260

  Wales

  80,180

  78,480

  77,545

  77,170

  77,390

  Northern Ireland

  53,410

  53,725

  54,090

  54,635

  55,420

  North East

  43,860

  43,500

  42,900

  42,855

  43,080

  North West

  163,500

  161,795

  160,445

  161,200

  163,430

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  123,270

  122,345

  121,165

  121,600

  122,635

  East Midlands

  112,585

  112,380

  112,400

  112,920

  114,830

  West Midlands

  138,320

  137,755

  137,545

  138,295

  140,430

  East

  161,660

  160,980

  161,810

  163,930

  168,355

  South East

  244,390

  243,755

  245,470

  249,350

  257,135

  South West

  156,680

  155,350

  154,130

  155,190

  158,095

  VAT registrations in each year

  Government office region

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  England

  1,458,720

  1,479,900

  1,498,425

  1,505,575

  1,505,495

  Scotland

  123,355

  123,565

  123,800

  123,980

  124,200

  Wales

  77,345

  76,905

  76,935

  76,990

  76,310

  Northern Ireland

  55,980

  55,990

  55,735

  55,810

  56,100

  North East

  43,340

  43,600

  44,040

  43,745

  43,825

  North West

  165,880

  167,420

  168,970

  169,860

  169,705

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  123,770

  124,320

  124,955

  124,605

  124,405

  East Midlands

  116,585

  117,605

  118,900

  119,500

  120,455

  West Midlands

  142,630

  143,980

  145,615

  146,225

  146,310

  East

  172,050

  174,450

  177,020

  177,445

  177,915

  South East

  265,115

  270,325

  274,475

  277,540

  278,670

  South West

  160,725

  162,350

  163,410

  163,795

  163,465

  VAT registrations in each year

  London borough

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Camden

  15,555

  15,875

  16,460

  17,175

  17,770

  Hackney

  5,320

  5,300

  5,385

  5,500

  5,765

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  5,900

  5,955

  6,080

  6,260

  6,615

  Haringey

  5,270

  5,265

  5,265

  5,430

  5,695

  Islington

  7,940

  8,175

  8,395

  8,765

  9,505

  Kensington and Chelsea

  7,905

  8,070

  8,135

  8,340

  8,660

  Lambeth

  5,235

  5,160

  5,245

  5,415

  5,670

  Lewisham

  3,790

  3,680

  3,660

  3,685

  3,850

  Newham

  3,230

  3,165

  3,135

  3,100

  3,190

  Southwark

  5,905

  5,930

  5,975

  6,125

  6,465

  Tower Hamlets

  5,560

  5,580

  5,645

  5,715

  6,000

  Wandsworth

  7,270

  7,320

  7,405

  7,700

  8,105

  Westminster

  28,630

  29,830

  31,245

  32,445

  33,945

  Barking and Dagenham

  2,145

  2,070

  2,175

  2,190

  2,230

  Barnet

  12,575

  12,870

  13,485

  14,000

  14,730

  Bexley

  4,505

  4,435

  4,375

  4,450

  4,615

  Brent

  7,270

  7,290

  7,305

  7,435

  7,800

  Bromley

  8,120

  8,040

  8,030

  8,165

  8,395

  Croydon

  8,000

  7,835

  7,850

  7,835

  8,010

  Ealing

  7,935

  7,900

  7,885

  8,095

  8,455

  Enfield

  5,775

  5,720

  5,725

  5,835

  6,040

  Greenwich

  3,425

  3,275

  3,275

  3,320

  3,510

  572W

  2003

  London boroughs

  Number

  Wandsworth

  4,000

  Westminster1

  6,900

  1Includes figures for the City of London.

  Source:

  For tables–Barclays Small Business Survey: http://www.business.barclays.co.uk/

  The stock of businesses registered for VAT in each (a) region and (b) London borough in each year between 1994 and 2003, are as follows:
  573W

  VAT registrations in each year

  London borough

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Harrow

  6,655

  6,740

  6,780

  6,860

  7,075

  Havering

  5,350

  5,230

  5,180

  5,225

  5,355

  Hillingdon

  6,725

  6,700

  6,725

  6,795

  6,970

  Hounslow

  5,850

  5,760

  5,830

  5,885

  6,085

  Kingston upon Thames

  4,275

  4,320

  4,380

  4,475

  4,720

  Merton

  4,725

  4,670

  4,775

  4,830

  5,095

  Redbridge

  5,175

  5,145

  5,120

  5,205

  5,350

  Richmond upon Thames

  6,905

  6,945

  7,150

  7,410

  7,725

  Sutton

  4,745

  4,730

  4,710

  4,800

  4,930

  Waltham Forest

  4,255

  4,225

  4,195

  4,215

  4,300

  VAT registrations in each year

  London boroughs

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  Camden

  17,960

  18,375

  18,645

  18,630

  18,420

  Hackney

  6,230

  6,545

  6,895

  7,095

  7,165

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  7,225

  7,665

  8,110

  8,435

  8,490

  Haringey

  5,935

  6,165

  6,340

  6,420

  6,425

  Islington

  10,115

  10,245

  10,280

  10,280

  10,125

  Kensington and Chelsea

  9,005

  9,350

  9,640

  9,800

  9,920

  Lambeth

  5,960

  6,230

  6,455

  6,675

  6,910

  Lewisham

  4,085

  4,230

  4,365

  4,515

  4,535

  Newham

  3,355

  3,505

  3,665

  3,790

  3,865

  Southwark

  6,870

  7,195

  7,565

  7,910

  8,020

  Tower Hamlets

  6,410

  6,825

  7,095

  7,270

  7,450

  Wandsworth

  8,585

  9,020

  9,250

  9,485

  9,610

  Westminster

  35,445

  37,000

  37,825

  38,480

  38,370

  Barking and Dagenham

  2,155

  2,255

  2,400

  2,490

  2,570

  Barnet

  14,865

  14,635

  14,425

  13,630

  12,720

  Bexley

  4,705

  4,830

  4,910

  4,995

  5,035

  Brent

  8,125

  8,330

  8,445

  8,510

  8,480

  Bromley

  8,740

  8,805

  8,920

  9,050

  9,015

  Croydon

  8,295

  8,425

  8,540

  8,605

  8,560

  Ealing

  8,885

  9,240

  9,510

  9,665

  9,745

  Enfield

  6,330

  6,495

  6,665

  6,710

  6,715

  Greenwich

  3,685

  3,785

  3,890

  3,995

  4,045

  Harrow

  7,325

  7,355

  7,350

  7,330

  7,280

  Havering

  5,515

  5,590

  5,630

  5,695

  5,655

  Hillingdon

  7,215

  7,340

  7,420

  7,410

  7,420

  Hounslow

  6,345

  6,575

  6,705

  6,930

  6,920

  Kingston upon Thames

  4,995

  5,205

  5,280

  5,270

  5,195

  Merton

  5,370

  5,500

  5,665

  5,670

  5,590

  Redbridge

  5,600

  5,735

  5,860

  5,750

  5,605

  Richmond upon Thames

  8,100

  8,365

  8,560

  8,730

  8,750

  Sutton

  5,090

  5,175

  5,140

  5,150

  5,115

  Waltham Forest

  4,515

  4,620

  4,665

  4,655

  4,660

  Source:

  For tables—Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Stocks, Small Business Service, available from www.sbs.gov.uk/analytical/statistics/vatstats.php

  Data for 2004 will be available in autumn 2004.

  VAT registrations do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.

  Working Hours
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of Wirral, South have benefited from a reduction in the working week to 48 hours. [177691]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The Working Time Regulations provide workers with the right to refuse to work more than 48 hours on average, if they do not want to.
  574W
  Numbers for Wirral, South are not available, however it has been estimated that around 300,000 workers resident in the North West stood to benefit from the introduction of the weekly working time limits in 1998.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Attendance Allowance
  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Scotland have applied for attendance allowance since February 2002, broken down by(a) disability benefit centre and (b) quarter. [176761]
  575W
  Maria Eagle
  The information requested is in the table.

  All

  Edinburgh

  Glasgow

  May 20021

  7,250

  3,675

  3,575

  August 2002

  9,665

  4,905

  4,760

  November 2002

  9,540

  5,070

  4,470

  February 2003

  8,785

  4,625

  4,160

  May 2003

  10,550

  5,475

  5,075

  August 2003

  10,465

  5,275

  5,190

  November 2003

  10,430

  5,330

  5,100

  February 2004

  8,905

  4,570

  4,335

  1March data are unavailable for this quarter

  Notes:

  Figures taken from a 100 per cent. sample at the end of each quarter.

  Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.

  Source:

  IAD Information Centre

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when those Child Support Agency cases enrolled under the old rules will be converted to the new rules system. [177974]

  Mr. Pond
  I refer my right hon. Friend to the Written Answer I gave the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 18 December 2003,Official Report, column 1092W.

  Council Tax Benefit
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of council tax benefit in the City of Edinburgh local authority area. [176735]

  Net cost of administering Council Tax benefit in nominal terms

  £million

  1998–99

  1999–00

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  Total Greater London

  38.4

  39.3

  45.0

  52.4

  47.7

  Of which:Inner London

  City of London

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Camden

  1.1

  1.1

  1.4

  1.4

  1.5

  Greenwich

  0.8

  0.8

  0.8

  2.2

  2.5

  Hackney

  1.9

  2.0

  1.9

  4.0

  3.2

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1.6

  1.6

  1.6

  1.7

  1.6

  Islington

  1.5

  1.3

  1.2

  3.2

  3.3

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0.3

  0.3

  0.4

  0.5

  0.5

  Lambeth

  3.1

  3.4

  5.0

  5.6

  2.2

  Lewisham

  0.9

  1.1

  1.2

  1.2

  1.0

  Southwark

  0.8

  1.4

  1.2

  1.1

  1.2

  Tower Hamlets

  2.4

  2.3

  2.8

  2.9

  3.0

  Wandsworth

  1.0

  1.5

  1.5

  1.7

  2.0

  Westminster

  2.2

  2.1

  2.0

  2.3

  2.3

  Outer London

  Barking and Dagenham

  0.8

  0.7

  1.2

  1.3

  0.8

  Barnet

  1.2

  1.2

  1.5

  1.6

  1.8

  Bexley

  0.4

  0.5

  0.6

  0.6

  0.6

  Brent

  1.3

  1.2

  1.9

  1.5

  1.2

  576W
  Mr. Pond
  The number of council tax benefit recipients in the City of Edinburgh at August 2003 is 38,100.

  Notes:

  1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.

  2. The figure is rounded to the nearest hundred.

  3. Figures for non-responding authorities are estimated.

  4. Council tax benefit data excludes Second Adult Rebate cases.

  Source:

  Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in August 2003.

  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to local authorities of administering council tax benefit; and if he will make a statement. [176739]

  Mr. Pond
  The information is in the table.

  Cost of administering council tax benefit

  £ million

  England

  229

  Wales

  12

  Scotland

  19

  Great Britain

  259

  Notes:

  1. Figures are for reported net current expenditure in 2002–03. Amounts are rounded to the nearest £ million. The sum of the individual countries does not equal the Great Britain total due to rounding.

  2. Figures for England are provided by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

  3. Figures for Wales are provided by the Welsh Assembly.

  4. Figures for Scotland are provided by the Scottish Executive.

  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of administering council tax benefit payments in(a) Greater London and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years. [177186]

  Mr. Pond
  The information is in the table.
  577W

  Net cost of administering Council Tax benefit in nominal terms

  £ million

  1998–99

  1999–00

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  Bromley

  0.6

  0.5

  0.6

  0.6

  0.6

  Croydon

  0.9

  1.0

  1.3

  1.2

  1.3

  Ealing

  1.7

  2.0

  2.3

  2.7

  0.9

  Enfield

  1.4

  1.5

  1.5

  1.5

  1.9

  Haringey

  0.8

  1.1

  1.2

  1.4

  1.5

  Harrow

  0.4

  0.7

  0.7

  0.9

  0.9

  Havering

  0.9

  0.9

  0.9

  1.4

  0.9

  Hillingdon

  0.3

  0.5

  0.3

  0.4

  0.5

  Hounslow

  1.3

  1.4

  2.2

  2.2

  2.3

  Kingston

  0.6

  0.7

  0.7

  0.4

  0.7

  Merton

  0.8

  1.1

  1.1

  1.1

  1.1

  Newham

  2.7

  2.2

  2.9

  2.5

  3.2

  Redbridge

  0.3

  0.6

  0.6

  0.6

  0.6

  Richmond

  0.5

  0.5

  0.5

  0.5

  0.4

  Sutton

  0.4

  0.4

  0.4

  0.5

  0.5

  Waltham Forest

  3.3

  1.9

  1.8

  1.7

  1.9

  Notes:

  1. The figures shown are reported net current expenditure, in nominal terms.

  2. All figures are provided to the nearest £0.1 million. The total greater London figure shown may not be the sum of the individual authorities due to rounding.

  Source:

  Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the value was of council tax benefit payments made in(a) Greater London and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years; [177187]

  (2) what the value was of council tax benefit payments made in (a) Greater London and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the total amount of council tax benefit unclaimed in each of those years. [177188]

  Council tax benefit expenditure in nominal terms

  £million

  Outturn

  Greater London

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–031

  City of London

  0.1

  0.2

  0.2

  0.2

  0.2

  Camden

  18.3

  18.0

  17.4

  18.0

  18.9

  Greenwich

  18.0

  16.6

  15.9

  16.2

  16.9

  Hackney

  20.2

  17.2

  19.3

  24.2

  26.1

  Hammersmith

  12.0

  11.9

  12.1

  12.5

  12.7

  Islington

  22.4

  20.5

  19.7

  19.0

  18.6

  Kensington and Chelsea

  5.8

  5.9

  6.2

  6.8

  7.6

  Lambeth

  18.2

  16.8

  17.3

  19.1

  20.1

  Lewisham

  14.8

  14.5

  14.8

  15.7

  16.9

  Southwark

  18.5

  18.0

  18.8

  19.6

  20.5

  Tower Hamlets

  14.6

  14.7

  15.4

  16.4

  17.4

  Wandsworth

  5.3

  5.7

  5.8

  6.4

  5.6

  Westminster

  4.7

  4.8

  4.8

  6.0

  6.5

  Total Inner London

  172.9

  164.8

  167.6

  180.1

  187.9

  Barking

  9.9

  10.2

  10.5

  11.3

  12.1

  Barnet

  12.1

  12.1

  12.5

  13.3

  14.0

  Bexley

  7.1

  7.6

  7.5

  8.0

  8.3

  Brent

  12.4

  13.2

  14.5

  15.0

  16.7

  Bromley

  7.7

  8.3

  8.8

  9.7

  10.2

  Croydon

  13.2

  13.5

  13.7

  13.6

  13.9

  Baling

  12.2

  13.0

  12.1

  14.5

  14.6

  Enfield

  13.3

  13.5

  14.6

  16.0

  17.0

  Haringey

  22.6

  22.5

  22.3

  21.6

  21.9

  Harrow

  7.3

  7.5

  8.1

  9.0

  9.6

  578W
  Mr. Pond
  The information requested about the total amount of unclaimed council tax benefit is not available below national level. Estimates of the total amount of council tax benefit unclaimed at a national level can be found in a series of DWP reports entitled: "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up". The latest publication relates to financial year 2001–02; copies of this and previous reports are available from the Library.

  The value of council tax benefit payments made in each London borough and greater London as a whole, from 1998–99 to 2002–03 is in the table.
  579W

  Council tax benefit expenditure in nominal terms

  £million

  Outturn

  Greater London

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–031

  Havering

  8.1

  8.6

  9.3

  9.9

  10.7

  Hillingdon

  9.6

  10.2

  10.7

  11.7

  12.6

  Hounslow

  10.7

  10.8

  11.0

  11.7

  12.6

  Kingston

  3.7

  4.2

  4.5

  5.0

  5.5

  Merton

  7.5

  7.5

  7.7

  8.3

  8.6

  Newham

  17.7

  16.8

  17.6

  18.2

  19.1

  Redbridge

  9.1

  9.4

  9.9

  10.3

  10.9

  Richmond

  5.6

  6.0

  6.3

  6.8

  7.5

  Sutton

  6.0

  5.9

  5.8

  6.3

  6.9

  Waltham Forest

  14.9

  14.4

  14.2

  14.8

  15.4

  Total Outer London

  210.7

  215.3

  221.7

  234.8

  248.2

  Total Greater London

  383.6

  380.1

  389.3

  414.9

  436.1

  1Estimated

  Notes.

  1. All expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1 million and therefore may not add up to the total greater London expenditure.

  2. Expenditure figures for 1998–99 to 2001–02 are final outturn figures supplied by local authorities in 'final audited' subsidy claims. The figures for 2002–03 are the latest available estimated outturn figures, provided by local authorities in their 'initial final' subsidy claims, and are subject to revision in the final audited' claims.

  3. Figures are total yearly amounts paid to beneficiaries, regardless of the source of funding, and includes payments subsidised by DWP, those funded through local authorities housing revenue accounts, spending financed by the National Asylum Support Service, and benefit spending financed from local authorities' general funds.

  Source:

  Source:

  1. 1998–99—Final Audited Subsidy claim forms submitted by local authorities.

  2. 2002–03—Initial Final Claim forms submitted by local authorities.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has any plans to change the upper age limit for eligibility for the Disability Living Allowance; and if he will make a statement. [177511]

  Maria Eagle
  No. It is normal for pensions and benefits schemes to contain different provisions for people at different stages of their lives and disability living allowance is focused on providing extra help to people who are severely disabled early, or relatively early, in life.

  Attendance allowance provides help with the disability-related extra costs of people who experience the onset of disability after age 65. Based on the need for personal care, this help is part of the wide range of support that the Government make available to older people so that they can have a decent and secure income in retirement and share fairly in the rising prosperity of the country.

  Employers' Liability Insurance
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many businesses have been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive for operating without employers' liability compulsory insurance in each of the last five years; and what the total level of fines imposed upon these businesses was. [176981]

  Jane Kennedy
  The number of businesses which have been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive for operating without Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance in each of the last five years is as follows.
  580W

  Prosecutions (cases heard)

  1999–2000

  4

  2000–01

  4

  2001–02

  12

  2002–03

  9

  2003–04

  6

  Total

  35

  The total level of fines imposed upon these businesses for each of the last five years was:

  Total fines

  1999–2000

  1,150

  2000–01

  1,950

  2001–02

  16,300

  2002–03

  4,425

  2003–04

  3,050

  Total

  26,875

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made since his Department's report in June 2003 on employer liability insurance on proposals to reduce the numbers of uninsured firms. [177528]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Department published a Second Stage Report on Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI) on 4 December 2003 which outlines current and future work on enforcement issues to reduce the number of uninsured firms. A copy of the report is available in the Library.

  Enforcement is undertaken on a day-to-day basis by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors and recent HSE research indicates a high level of compliance, over 99 per cent. Despite this high level of

  581W
  compliance the Department is considering the costs and benefits of a compliance database with HSE and the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

  In addition, in April we published through the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) website new Government procurement guidance to ensure compliance from bodies that contract with the public sector. A notice has been issued centrally to heads of procurement in other Government Departments and public bodies about the guidance and uptake and operation of the guidance will be evaluated in October.

  On 30 March the Department published a Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment about a review of the requirement for ELCI for limited companies that employ only their owner. A copy is available in the Library.

  Football Supporters
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many football supporters who have travelled abroad to football championships(a) have been investigated for possible infringement of benefit rules, (b) have had benefits withdrawn and (c) had overpayments identified, broken down by football championship.[177534]

  Mr. Pond
  The information is not available.

  Health and Safety (Corporate Responsibility)
  Ross Cranston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the Health and Safety Commission's report on the effectiveness of the current strategy to promote director's responsibility for health and safety. [177446]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Health and Safety Commission wrote to the Minister for Work in January of this year advising of progress and the way forward on the measures to improve corporate responsibility for Health and Safety including Directors responsibility.

  This advice, which the Minister of Work accepted, was based on research which concluded that further legislation was not necessary, that the voluntary approach was working and that this approach should be continued.

  I am placing a copy of the research reports in the Library.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Andrew Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the Health and Safety Executive is financing the revenue costs of the 12 extra Band Five posts it is internally recruiting for in the North West region of the Executive; and what their total annual revenue costs will be in a full financial year. [176722]

  Jane Kennedy
  Eleven Band 5 posts are being filled in the North West Division by HSE's internal vacancy filling process in June 2004. Eight of these posts formed part of the North West pilot project which was set up in June 2003 to strengthen HSE's front line capacity and engage with more stakeholders. To ensure that the pilot was cost neutral, a number of inspectors in the division were redeployed to other parts of HSE.
  582W
  Following the success of the pilot, these eight posts are being consolidated. In addition, three other Band 5 posts are being created to extend the model to the Construction Division in the North West. These will be funded through a change in the grade mix in HSE's Field Operations Directorate.

  The substantive filling of these posts will attract no additional costs.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes have been made to housing benefit to support the policy that 16 to 17-year-old lone parents should be housed in semi-independent adult-supervised accommodation. [177541]

  Mr. Pond
  The ODPM have extended the Homelessness (Priority Need for Accommodation) (England) Order 2002, to give priority need to homeless 16 and 17-year-olds (who are not relevant children under the purposes of section 23a of the Children Act 1989). In practice, this means 16 and 17-year-olds will be assisted under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 (priority need) and applies to a person to whom a local authority owes a duty to provide accommodation under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989 (provision of accommodation for children in need).

  No changes to housing benefit were required to support this policy.

  Income Support
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason income support recipients are not automatically transferred to pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit when they reach 60 years. [177394]

  Mr. Pond
  Pension credit is not a continuation of income support but is a different social security benefit with different qualifying conditions. Anyone receiving income support who reaches age 60 on or after 6 October 2003 will have to make a new application for pension credit. Arrangements have been put in place to ensure customers are informed of this in advance of reaching age 60.

  Housing benefit and council tax benefit are different benefits with different qualifying conditions based on a liability to pay rent and council tax respectively. Determining entitlement to housing benefit and council tax benefit, and notifying customers of their entitlement is also the responsibility of local authorities.

  Pension Credit
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber are eligible for pension credit; and what the take-up rate is. [177037]

  Malcolm Wicks
  Information on the number of people who are eligible for pension credit is not available in respect of individual constituencies. However, we estimate that approximately 350,000 pensioner households in Scotland (rounded to the nearest 50,000) are eligible for pension credit in 2004–05. At 31 May 2004 there were 3,555 households, comprising 4,210
  583W
  individuals (rounded to the nearest five), in receipt of pension credit in the Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber constituency.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  British Students (Overseas Courses)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many British students undertook(a) part of their British undergraduate degree programme, (b) their whole undergraduate degree, and (c) a post-graduate qualification abroad in each year since 1990. [164848]

  Alan Johnson
  The latest available information is shown in the table. Figures for earlier years are not held centrally.

  Students form the UK studying all or part of their course overseas

  Undergraduate exchange students on year out abroad1

  UK students studying the whole of their course abroad2

  1994/95

  2,650

  26,400

  1995/96

  3,275

  n/a

  1996/97

  3,940

  n/a

  1997/98

  3,710

  26,200

  1998/99

  4,580

  26,900

  1999/2000

  5,470

  27,600

  2000/01

  4,700

  25,400

  2001/02

  4,940

  n/a

  2002/03

  9,770

  n/a

  n/a = not available

  1Figures for 2002/03 include non-exchange language students, which are excluded for the figures for previous years.

  Source:

  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

  2Estimated. Covers all courses; figures are not available for undergraduate and postgraduate courses separately.

  Source:

  Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

  CCTV
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many secondary schools have installed CCTV systems. [176624]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Schools and local education authorities make their own decisions about the level of security they feel best meets their needs, and information about security equipment, including CCTV systems, is not held centrally. My Department has provided information and guidance about school security that can be obtained free of charge from the Department's publication centre or accessed via the Department's website at www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolsecurity.

  Education (Over-40s)
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding will be made available in each year up to 2007–08 to provide those over the age of 40 years with a first Level 2 qualification; and if he will make a statement. [176420]

  Alan Johnson
  The Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skills sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The 584W
  Department has allocated a total of £6.3 billion to the LSC for learning participation in 2004–05. It is for the LSC to use these funds for adult and youth programmes to meet the Government's funding priorities. The Department has no plans to allocate specific funding to the LSC for the provision of a first Level 2 qualification to those over the age of 40 years. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced the Spending Review 2004 settlement for the Department for the years 2005–06 to 2007–08, highlighting the importance this Government attach to education and skills. It is too early to say what this settlement will mean for the funding of learning participation up to 2007–08.

  Education Authority Areas
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list for each local education authority the(a) number and (b) proportion of residents of (i) primary school and (ii) secondary school age not educated within that local education authority, and the (a) number and (b) proportion of school pupils of (1) primary school and (2) secondary school age not resident within the local education authority. [174863]

  Mr. Miliband
  Tables giving the requested information for all local education authorities have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of the £1.2 billion provided to further education colleges for the period 2003 to 2006 has been allocated to(a) Government targets for growth in (i) 16 to 19-year-old students, (ii) adult students, (b) changes in pension entitlements and (c) changes in the level of national insurance contributions. [177388]

  Alan Johnson
  In November 2002 the Secretary of State announced plans to increase assumed funding for further education (FE) allocated to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) by £1.2 billion in 2005–06, when compared to 2002–03. In 2005–06 the proportion of additional assumed funding in FE for planned increases in the number of 16 to 18-year-old full time equivalent (FTE) learners, and those aged 19 and above, is 29 per cent. and 11 per cent. respectively. Funding was not allocated for colleges specifically for changes in the level of national insurance contributions. Colleges are expected to meet these costs from the significant additional investment we are making in FE. Funding to colleges for changes to employer contributions to the Teachers Pension Scheme is over and above the £1.2 billion increase.

  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of young people between the ages of 16 and 21 years were studying at further education colleges, excluding A-level and GCSE students, in(a) greater London and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years. [177042]

  Alan Johnson
  Participation rates are routinely available at local education authority level. The proportions of 16 to 21-year-olds residents of greater
  585W
  London studying at further education colleges in 2001 and 2002, excluding GCSE and A-Level students, are shown in the following table.

  Proportions of 16 to 21-year-old residents of greater London studying at FE colleges(excluding A-level and GCSE Student) by local education authority of residence and year

  Percentage

  Local education authority

  November 2001

  November 2002

  City of London

  7

  6

  Camden

  9

  8

  Greenwich

  14

  14

  Hackney

  21

  20

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  14

  13

  Islington

  16

  15

  Kensington and Chelsea

  10

  9

  Lambeth

  21

  22

  Lewisham

  17

  18

  Southwark

  17

  19

  Tower Hamlets

  14

  15

  Wandsworth

  14

  15

  Westminster

  10

  8

  Barking and Dagenham

  14

  14

  Barnet

  14

  14

  Bexley

  15

  14

  Brent

  17

  17

  Bromley

  11

  10

  Croydon

  18

  17

  Ealing

  16

  16

  Enfield

  18

  18

  Haringey

  22

  21

  Harrow

  19

  18

  Havering

  18

  18

  Hillingdon

  15

  14

  Hounslow

  14

  13

  Kingston upon Thames

  9

  8

  Merton

  16

  16

  Newham

  23

  21

  Redbridge

  14

  14

  Richmond upon Thames

  12

  12

  Sutton

  14

  14

  Waltham Forest

  20

  21

  Greater London

  16

  16

  Source:

  LSC Individualised Student Record

  LSC Individualised Learner Record

  ONS/GAD population estimates

  The percentages in this table are produced using post-Census population estimates. However we are currently unable to provide a historical series on a comparable population basis. Further information concerning this issue can be found in the Department's Statistical First Release, "Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16-18 Year Olds in England: 2001 and 2002" available online at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ rsgatewav/DB/SFR/s000426/index.shtml.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many full-time equivalent students have been educated at each of the further education colleges on Merseyside in each year. [177265]

  Alan Johnson
  This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Mark Haysom the Council's Chief Executive will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

  Learning and Skills Council
  Mr. Hopkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what he expects the funding gap between school sixth forms and further education colleges to be in(a) 2004–05, (b) 2005–06 and (c) 2006–07. [176822]

  Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 7 June 2004]: The Government have set out its investment plans for 2003–04 to 2005–06 which should enable the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to increase funding for further education significantly. For the academic year 2003/04, base funding rates per qualification increased by 3 per cent. for school sixth forms and by 4.5 per cent. for further education colleges on a broadly comparable basis. Our expenditure plans to 2005–06 should see this trend continue. Although the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 17 March the Spending Review settlement for the Department for the years 2005–06 to 2007–08, Ministers have yet to determine funding allocations and priorities within the Department. It is therefore too early to say what impact this settlement will have on the funding of schools, sixth forms and further education colleges.

  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to equalise funding between schools and colleges for 16-19 years olds in Weston-Super-Mare. [176979]

  Alan Johnson
  The Government have set out its investment plans for 2003–04 to 2005–06 which should enable the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to increase funding for further education significantly. For the academic year 2003/04, core funding rates per qualification increased by 3 per cent. for school sixth forms and by 4.5 per cent. for further education colleges on a broadly comparable basis. Our expenditure plans to 2005–06 should see this trend continue.

  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to provide funding to help further education colleges in Weston-Super-Mare to refurbish and rebuild their estates. [176980]

  Alan Johnson
  All of the Department's post-16 learning and skills sector capital investment is allocated to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The Department does not provide a specific budget to the LSC for rebuilding and refurbishing property in further education colleges at either the local or regional levels. It is for the LSC to determine for itself the right level of capital investment in further education colleges. Mr. Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member on this matter and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to equalise funding between schools and colleges for 16 to 19-year-olds in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. [177011]

  Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 7 June 2004]: The Government have set out its investment plans for 2003–04 to 2005–06 which should enable the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to increase funding for further education significantly. For the academic year 2003/04, core funding rates per qualification increased by 3 per cent. for school sixth forms and by 4.5 per cent. for

  587W
  further education colleges on a broadly comparable basis. Our expenditure plans to 2005–should see this trend continue.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much capital expenditure has been allocated to each further education college on Merseyside since 1995. [177261]

  Alan Johnson
  All of the Department's post-16 learning and skills sector capital investment is allocated to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The Department does not provide a specific budget to the LSC for rebuilding and refurbishing property in further education colleges at either the local or regional levels, and does not collect this information. It is for the LSC to determine for itself the right level of capital investment in further education colleges. This is an operational matter for the LSC. Mr. Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend on this matter and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding each further education college on Merseyside received in each year since 1997; what budget they have been allocated from the Learning and Skills Council for 2004–05; and what percentage change these allocations represent in comparison with the previous year. [177263]

  Alan Johnson
  The Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skills sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The LSC decides the funding allocations at individual college level. Information about these allocations is not collected by the Department. This is an operational matter and the responsibility of the LSC. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

  Maintenance Allowances
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will publish his assessment of the impact of the Education Maintenance Allowance pilots on participation in work-based training. [174857]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The analysis of the impact of the Education Maintenance Allowance pilot on participation in work based training is not published. The analysis showed minimal impact. I refer the hon. Member to the response given to his previous question on this matter on 11 March 2004,Official Report, column 1725W.

  Irish Language (Pharmacy)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether pharmacy is taught in the Irish language at tertiary level at institutions in the UK. [177199]

  Alan Johnson
  I have responsibility for higher education in England only. However, information on individual subjects that may be taught in the Irish language in English higher education institutions is not available centrally.

DEFENCE

  Armando Nuclear Test
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has made arrangements under the 1958 US-UK Mutual Defence Agreement on atomic energy matters, as amended, to obtain the test results from the Armando sub-critical nuclear test at the Nevada test conducted on 25 May by the US National Nuclear Security Administration. [177067]

  Mr. Ingram
  There are regular United Kingdom/United States exchanges on a range of nuclear stockpile stewardship matters under the auspices of the 1958 UK/US Mutual Defence Agreement (Cmd 537 as amended). These exchanges have included briefings on the scope and outcome of US sub-critical experiments carried out at the Nevada Test Site, precise details of which are being withheld under the terms of Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Data from sub-critical experiments, which are consistent with our obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, is valuable in maintaining confidence in the safety and reliability of our nuclear weapons. A review of the science behind this programme was published in Nature in February 2002.

  Augusta Westland
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect he expects the sale of GKN's shares in Augusta Westland to Finmeccancia of Italy will have on the completion date of the assessment phase for the Lynx replacement; and when he expects to make a decision on the awarding of the contract for that programme. [177594]

  Mr. Ingram
  The sale of GKN's shares in Augusta Westland will have little effect on the completion date of the assessment phase of the Battlefield Light Utility Helicopter/Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft programmes. The assessment phase is currently scheduled to complete later this year. The decision on the future of these programmes is most likely to be made early in 2005.

  BAE Systems
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether concerns over the tender procedures for the upgrading of helicopters in Bulgaria were discussed at the meeting held on 2 December 2003 between the Minister for the armed forces and the Bulgarian Air Force commander, General Dimiter Georgiev. [175795]

  Mr. Ingram
  I met with the Bulgarian Deputy Defence Minister and senior Bulgarian Defence personnel on 2 December 2003. A wide range of issues were discussed and no concerns were raised over the tender procedures for the upgrading of helicopters in Bulgaria.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether officials of his Department have held meetings at which the BAE Systems bid for the upgrading of helicopters in Bulgaria was discussed which were attended by Prince Kyril Saxe-Coburg of Bulgaria. [175802]
  589W
  Mr. Ingram
  No record has been traced of Prince Kyril Saxe-Coburg of Bulgaria attending any meeting on this subject held with officials from the Ministry of Defence.

  Commercial Exportation Levy
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money was received through the commercial exportation levy in each of the last four years. [176431]

  Mr. Ingram
  The value of receipts collected by the Defence Bills Agency in respect of Commercial Exploitation Levies over the last four years was as follows:

  Financial year

  Receipt (£ million)

  2000–01

  14.51

  2001–02

  14.64

  2002–03

  10.46

  2003–04

  11.83

  Contaminated Land (Portsmouth)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the letter of 24th May, on possible contaminated land in Portsmouth, what requests he has received for details of such land from Portsmouth city council in the last five years. [177139]

  Mr. Caplin
  The Ministry of Defence holds records of four requests during the last five years, from Portsmouth city council, for details on potential contaminated land. These requests were associated with environmental issues and proposed development on defence property in the City of Portsmouth.

  The four sites are: HM Naval Base, HMS Excellent, Fort Southwick and Horsea Island. Primarily these questions relate to development and are associated with the Department's Planning Consultation process. In regard to Horsea Island, there have been long-term discussions with the Environment Agency on the remediation of the lagoon.

  Training Accidents
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many training accidents have occurred in the Army in the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by(a) deaths, (b) serious injuries and (c) injuries; [176020]

  (2) what definition he uses of a road traffic accident for the purposes of statistical recording; and, in the past two years, what proportion of deaths through road traffic accidents involved service personnel (a) on exercise, (b) on regular duties and (c) off duty. [176021]

  Mr. Caplin
  The reporting of vehicle related accidents within the Ministry of Defence is based upon the following: the accident involves injury; a third party; or Ministry of Defence vehicles and equipment only. Those accidents resulting in a fatality or injury to any individual or those which involve a third party are regarded as road traffic accidents (as defined in law). Those which result in damage to military vehicles only are classified as incidents.
  590W
  During the period 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2003, Ministry of Defence units and establishments reported a total of 10,363 road traffic accidents and 7,113 incidents. There were 118 Service fatalities; of these, seven were on operations/exercise and a further 14 on other duties. There were 97 off duty Service fatalities during this period. Details of accidents involving vehicles privately owned by Service personnel are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Defence Bodies
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many(a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed on average in the (i) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, (ii) Defence Postal and Courier Service, (iii) Defence Transport and Movements Agency, (iv) Deputy Chief Defence Logistics, (v) Army Base Repair Organisation, (vi) DG Defence Logistics Command Information Systems, (vii) Defence Aviation Repair Agency and (viii) Logistics Information Systems Agency management groups in financial year 2000–01; [176129]

  (2) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed on average in the (i) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, (ii) Defence Postal and Courier Service, (iii) Defence Transport and Movements Agency, (iv) Deputy Chief Defence Logistics, (v) Army Base Repair Organisation, (vi) Command Information Systems, (vii) Defence Aviation Repair Agency, (viii) Logistics Information Systems Agency and (ix) Non Disaggregated Funds management groups in financial year 1999–2000; [176138]

  (3) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed on average in the (i) DG Equipment Support (Land), (ii) Director Land Service Ammunition, (iii) Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency, (iv) Warship Support Agency, (v) DG Fleet Support (Operations), (vi) DG Equipment Support (Air), (vii) Defence Communication Services Agency, (viii) Defence Fuels Group and (ix) DG Support Army HQ management groups in financial year 2000–01; [176143]

  (4) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed on average in the (i) Internal Costs and (ii) Programme Account management groups in financial year 2001–02; [176147]

  (5) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed on average in the (i) Defence Vetting Agency, (ii) Finance Directors, (iii) Defence Analytical Services Agency, (iv) Defence Bills Agency, (v) Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments), (vi) Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel), (vii) Defence Housing Executives, (viii) Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency and (ix) Defence Geographical and Imaging Intelligence Agency management groups in the financial year 2001–02; [176157]

  (6) how many full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) Defence Export Services Organisation, (ii) Chief Constable MOD Police, (iii) Chief Scientific Adviser, (iv) Defence Estates Organisation, (v) Policy Director, (vi) Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Equipment Capability) (vii) Civilian Management, (viii) Pay and Personnel Agency and (ix) Director General Information management groups in the financial year 2000–01; [176158]
  591W
  (7) how many full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians and how many (i) officers and (ii) other ranks were employed on average in the (A) Defence Vetting Agency, (B) Finance Directors, (D) Defence Analytical Services Agency, (D) Defence Bills Agency, (E) Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments), (F) Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel), (G) Defence Housing Executive, (H) Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency and (I) Defence Geographical and Imaging Intelligence Agency management groups in the financial year 2000–01; [176159]

  (8) how many full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) Defence Export Services Organisation, (ii) Chief Constable MOD Police, (iii) Chief Scientific Adviser, (iv) Defence Estates Organisation, (v) Policy Director, (vi) Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Equipment Capability) (vii) Civilian Management, (viii) Pay and Personnel Agency and (ix) Director General Information management groups in financial year 1999–2000; [176155]

  (9) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) Internal Costs and (ii) Personnel Account management group was in the financial years (A) 1999–2000 and (B) 2000–01; [176164]

  (10) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the (i) Army Personnel Centre, (ii) Queen Victoria School, (iii) Duke of York Royal Military School, (iv) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (v) Service Children's Education, (vi) Army Programmes, (vii) General Staff, (viii) Adjutant General Higher Level Budget and (ix) Royal Military College Shrivenham management group was in financial year (A) 2000–01 and (B) 2001–02; [176166]

  (11) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the (i) Personnel Management Agency, (ii) Training Group Defence Agency and (iii) Core HQ management group was in financial years (A) 1999–2000, (B) 2000–01 and (C) 2001–02; [176167]

  (12) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the (i) Internal Costs and (ii) Programme Account management group was in financial year 1999–2000; [176168]

  (13) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i)1 Group, (ii) 2 Group, (iii) 3 Group, and (iv) Deputy Commander-in-Chief management group was in financial years (A) 2000—01 and (B) 2001–02; [176172]

  (14) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed was in the (i) 1 (UK) Armoured Division, (ii) 2nd Division, (iii) 3rd Division, (iv) 4th Division, (v) 5th Division, (vi) Training and Theatre Groups, (vii) Joint Helicopter Command, (viii) UK Support Command (Germany) and (ix) Land Support management group in financial year 2001–02; [176176]

  (15) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the (i) Flag Officer Training and Recruitment, (ii) Naval Secretary and (iii) HQ management group was in financial year 2001–02; [176178]
  592W
  (16) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed by the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland top level budget-holder was in financial year (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) 2001–02; [176181]

  (17) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) 1 Group, (ii) 11/18 Group, (iii) 38 Group, (iv) Directly Administered Units, (v) Chief of Staff and (vi) Works and Land management group was in financial year 1999–2000; [176186]

  (18) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the (i) Chief of Defence Intelligence, (ii) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre, (iii) Surgeon General, (iv) Defence Secondary Care Agency, (v) Defence Dental Agency, (vi) Medical Supplies Agency, (vii) Defence Medical Training Organisation, (viii) Central Banking and Fund Management, (ix) DG Information and Communication Services and (x) Defence Communication Services management group was in financial year 1999–2000; [176188]

  (19) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) Flag Officer Naval Aviation, (ii) Fleet HQ, (iii) Flag Officer Surface Flotilla, (iv) Flag Officer Submarines, (v) Commandant General Royal Marines, (vi) Commodore Royal Fleet Auxiliary and (vii) non-disaggregated funds management group was in financial year 1999–2000; [176192]

  (20) how many full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) DG Equipment Support (Land), (ii) Direct Land Service Ammunition, (iii) Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency, (iv) Warship Support Agency, (v) DG Equipment Support (Air), (vi) Defence Communication Services Agency and (vii) Defence Fuels Group management group in financial year 2001–02; [176197]

  (21) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed on average in the (i) Naval Training and Recruiting Agency, (ii) Naval Manning Agency, (iii) HQ, (iv) Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff and (v) Fleet Accommodation Centres management group in financial year 1999–2000; [176211]

  (22) how many full time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) DG Equipment Support (Land), (ii) Director Land Service Ammunition, (iii) Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency, (iv) Warship Support Agency, (v) DG Fleet Support (Operations), (vi) DG Equipment Support (Air), (vii) Defence Communication Services Agency, (viii) Defence Fuels Group and (ix) DG Support Army HQ management groups in financial year 2000—01; [176246]

  (23) how many full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) Army Personnel Centre, (ii) Queen Victoria School, (iii) Duke of York Royal Military School, (iv) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (v) Service Children's Education, (vi) Army Programmes, (vii) General Staff, (viii) Adjutant General and (ix) Royal Military College Shrivenham management group in financial year 1999–2000; [176214]
  593W
  (24) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the (i) Chief of Defence Intelligence, (ii) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre, (iii) Surgeon General, (iv) Defence Secondary Care Agency, (v) Defence Dental Agency, (vi) Medical Supplies Agency, (vii) Defence Medical Training Organisation and (viii) Central Banking and Fund Management group was in financial year 2000–01; [176196]

  (25) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed by the Major Customers Research Budgets top level budget-holder was in financial year (i) 1999–2000 and (ii) 2000–01; [176191]

  (26) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) 1 (UK) Armoured Division, (ii) 2nd Division, (iii) 3rd Division, (iv) 4th Division, (v) 5th Division, (vi) Command HQ, (vii) Scotland, (viii) Capital Works and (ix) UK Support Command (Germany) management group was in financial year 1999–2000; [176184]

  (27) what the average number of full time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the (i) Commodore Naval Aviation, (ii) Fleet HQ, (iii) Flag Officer Surface Flotilla, (iv) Flag Officer Submarines, (v) Commandant General Royal Marines, (vi) Commodore Royal Fleet Auxiliary and (vii) Non-Disaggregated Funds management group was in financial year (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02; [176180]

  (28) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed on average in the (i) Defence Export Services Organisation, (ii) Chief Constable MOD Police, (iii) Chief Scientific Adviser, (iv) Defence Estates Organisation, (v) Policy Director, (vi) Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Systems), (vii) Civilian Management, (viii) Pay and Personnel Agency and (ix) Director General Information management groups in financial year 1999–2000; [176154]

  (29) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) Personnel Management Agency, (ii) Training Group Defence Agency and (iii) Core HQ management group was in the financial year (A) 1999–2000, (B) 2000–01 and (C) 2001–02; [176163]

  (30) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the Chief of Staff management group was in the financial year 2000–01; [176161]

  (31) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks was employed on average in the (i) British Forces Cyprus, (ii) Permanent Joint Headquarters, (iii) British Forces Falkland Islands, (iv) British Forces Gibraltar and (v) Sovereign Base Areas Administration management groups in financial year 2001–02; [176149]

  (32) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks and full time equivalent (i) industrial and (ii) non-industrial civilians employed in the (A) Defence Vetting Agency, (B) Finance Director, (C) Defence Analytical Services Agency, (D) Defence Bills Agency, (E) Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments), (F) Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel), (G) Defence Housing Executive, (H) Armed Forces Personnel Administration
  594W
  Agency and (I) Defence Geographical and Imaging Intelligence Agency management groups was in financial year 1999–2000; [176144]

  (33) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed on average in the (i) British Forces Cyprus, (ii) Permanent Joint Headquarters, (iii) British Forces Falkland Islands, (iv) British Forces Gibraltar and (v) Sovereign Base Areas Administration management groups in financial year 2000–01; [176141]

  (34) how many full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, (ii) Defence Postal and Courier Service, (iii) Defence Transport and Movements Agency, (iv) Deputy Chief Defence Logistics, (v) Army Base Repair Organisation, (vi) DG Defence Logistics Command Information Systems, (vii) Defence Aviation Repair Agency, (viii) Logistics Information Systems Agency and (ix) Non Disaggregated Funds management groups in financial year 1999–2000; [176139]

  (35) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed on average in the (i) DG Equipment Support (Land), (ii) Director Land Service Ammunition, (iii) Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency, (iv) Ships Support Agency, (v) Naval Base and Supply Agency, (vi) DG Equipment Support (Air) (vii) Defence Communication Services Agency, (viii) Defence Fuels Group and (ix) DG Support Army HQ management groups in financial year 1999–2000; [176136]

  (36) how many full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, (ii) Defence Postal and Courier Service, (iii) Defence Transport and Movements Agency, (iv) Deputy Chief Defence Logistics, (v) Army Base Repair Organisation, (vi) DG Defence Logistics Command Information Systems, (vii) Defence Aviation Repair Agency and (viii) Logistics Information Systems Agency management groups in financial 2000–01; [176130]

  (37) how many full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) DG Equipment Support (Land), (ii) Director Land Service Ammunition, (iii) Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency, (iv) Ships Support Agency, (v) Naval Base and Supply Agency, (vi) DG Equipment Support (Air) (vii) Defence Communication Services Agency, (viii) Defence Fuels Group and (ix) DG Support Army HQ management groups in financial year 1999–2000; [176137]

  (38) how many full time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) British Forces Cyprus, (ii) Permanent Joint Headquarters, (iii) British Forces Falkland Islands, (iv) British Forces Gibraltar and (v) Sovereign Base Areas Administration management groups in financial year 2001–02; [176150]

  (39) how many full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians and how many (i) officers and (ii) other ranks were employed on average in the (A) Defence Export Services Organisation, (B) Chief Constable MoD Police, (C) Chief Scientific Adviser, (D) Defence Estates Organisation, (E) Policy Director, (F) Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Equipment

  595W
  Capability) (G) Civilian Management, (H) Pay and Personnel Agency and (I) Director General Information management groups in the financial year 2001–02; [176156]

  (40) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) 1st (UK) Armoured Division, (ii) 2nd Division, (iii) 3rd Division, (iv) 4th Division, (v) 5th Division, (vi) Command HQ, (vii) UK Support Command (Germany), (viii) Joint Helicopter Command and (ix) Land Support management groups was in the financial year 2000—01; [176160]

  (41) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) Army Personnel Centre, (ii) Queen Victoria School, (iii) Duke of York Royal Military School, (iv) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (v) Service Children's Education, (vi) Army Programmes, (vii) General Staff, (viii) Adjutant General Higher Level Budget and (ix) Royal Military College Shrivenham management group was in financial year (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02; [176165]

  (42) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) British Forces Cyprus, (ii) Permanent Joint Headquarters, (iii) British Forces Falkland Islands, (iv) British Forces Gibraltar and (v) Sovereign Base Areas Administration management group was in financial year 1999–2000; [176169]

  (43) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the (i) 1 (UK) Armoured Division, (ii) 2nd Division, (iii) 3rd Division, (iv) 4th Division, (v) 5th Division, (vi) Command HQ, (vii) UK Support Command (Germany), (viii) Joint Helicopter Command and (ix) Land Support management groups was in financial year 2000–01; [176171]

  (44) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) Commodore Naval Aviation, (ii) Fleet HQ, (iii) Flag Officer Surface Flotilla, (iv) Flag Officer Submarines, (v) Commandant General Royal Marines, (vi) Commodore Royal Fleet Auxiliary and (vii) Non-Disaggregated Funds management group was in financial year(A) 2000—01 and (B) 2001–02; [176179]

  (45) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) Flag Officer Training and Recruitment, (ii) Naval Secretary and (iii) HQ management group was in financial year 2001–02; [176177]

  (46) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) Naval Training and Recruiting Agency, (ii) Naval Manning Agency, (iii) HQ, and (iv) Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff management group was in financial year 2000–01; [176174]

  (47) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) 1 (UK) Armoured Division, (ii) 2nd Division, (iii) 3rd Division, (iv) 4th Division, (v) 5th Division, (vi) Training and Theatre Troupes, (vii) Joint Helicopter Command, (viii) UK Support Command (Germany) and (ix) Land Support management group was in financial year 2001–02; [176183]

  (48) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed by the Major Customers Research Budget was in financial year (i) 1999–2000 and (ii) 2000–01; [176190]
  596W
  (49) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) Chief of Defence Intelligence, (ii) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre, (iii) Surgeon General, (iv) Defence Secondary Care Agency, (v) Defence Dental Agency, (vi) Medical Supplies Agency, (vii) Defence Medical Training Organisation and (viii) Central Banking and Fund Management group was in financial year 2000–01; [176195]

  (50) how many full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) DG Support Army HQ, (ii) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, (iii) Defence Postal and Courier Service, (iv) Defence Transport and Movements Agency, (v) Deputy Chief Defence Logistics, (vi) Army Base Repair Organisation and (vii) DG Defence Logistics Command Information Systems management group in financial year 2001–02; [176199]

  (51) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed in the (i) Army Personnel Centre, (ii) Queen Victoria School, (iii) Duke of York Royal Military School, (iv) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (v) Service Children's Education, (vi) Army Programmes, (vii) General Staff, (viii) Chief of Staff and (ix) Royal Military College Shirvenham management group in financial year 1999–2000: [176213]

  (52) how many full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) Naval Training and Recruiting Agency, (ii) Naval Manning Agency, (iii) HQ, (iv) Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff and (v) Fleet Accommodation Centres management group in financial year 1999–2000; [176212]

  (53) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the (i) Flag Officer Naval Aviation, (ii) Fleet HQ, (iii) Flag Officer Surface Flotilla, (iv) Flag Officer Submarines, (v) Commandant General Royal Marines, (vi) Commodore Royal Fleet Auxiliary and (vii) non-disaggregated funds management group was in financial year 1999–2000; [176193]

  (54) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the (i) I Group, (ii) 11/18 Group, (iii) 38 Group, (iv) Directly Administered Units, (v) Chief of Staff and (vi) Works and Land management group was in financial year 1999–2000; [176187]

  (55) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed by the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland top level budget-holder was in financial year (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) 2001–02; [176182]

  (56) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the (i) Naval Training and Recruiting Agency, (ii) Naval Manning Agency, (iii) HQ, and (iv) Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff management group was in financial year 2000–01; [176175]

  (57) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the Chief of Staff management group was in the financial year 2000–01; [176162]
  597W
  (58) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed on average in the (i) DG Equipment Support (Land), (ii) Director Land Service Ammunition, (iii) Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency, (iv) Warship Support Agency, (v) DG Equipment Support (Air), (vi) Defence Communication Services Agency and (vii) Defence Fuels Group management groups in financial year 2001–02; [176151]

  (59) how many full time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) British Forces Cyprus, (ii) Permanent Joint Headquarters, (iii) British Forces Falkland Islands, (iv) British Forces Gibraltar and (v) Sovereign Base Areas Administration management groups in financial year 2000–01; [176142]

  (60) what the average number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks employed in the (i) Chief of Defence Intelligence, (ii) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre, (iii) Surgeon General, (iv) Defence Secondary Care Agency, (v) Defence Dental Agency, (vi) Medical Supplies Agency, (vii) Defence Medical Training Organisation, (viii) Central Banking and Fund Management, (ix) DG Information and Communication Service and (x) Defence Communication Services management groups was in financial year 1999–2000; [176145]

  (61) how many full time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in (i) Internal Costs and (ii) Programme Account management groups in financial year 2000–01; [176140]

  (62) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed on average in the (i) Defence Export Services Organisation, (ii) Chief Constable MOD Police, (iii) Chief Scientific Adviser, (iv) Defence Estates Organisation, (v) Policy Director, (vi) Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Equipment Capability), (vii) Civilian Management, (viii) Pay and Personnel Agency and (ix) Director General Information management groups in financial year 2000–01; [176132]

  (63) what the average number of full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians employed in the (i) British Forces Cyprus, (ii) Permanent Joint Headquarters, (iii) British Forces Falkland Islands, (iv) British Forces Gibraltar and (v) Sovereign Base Areas Administration management group was in financial year 1999–2000; [176170]

  (64) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were employed on average in the (i) DG Support Army HQ, (ii) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, (iii) Defence Postal and Courier Service, (iv) Defence Transport and Movements Agency, (v) Deputy Chief Defence Logistics, (vi) Army Base Repair Organisation and (vii) DG Defence Logistics Command Information Systems management group in financial year 2001–02; [176198]

  (65) how many full-time equivalent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilians were employed on average in the (i) Internal Costs and (ii) Programme Account management groups in financial year 2001–02. [176148]
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  Mr. Caplin
  The available information on numbers of military and civilian personnel analysed by budgetary grouping and by Defence Agency is contained in tables 2.2, 2.3 and 2.7 of United Kingdom Defence Statistics 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Further details could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Disposal Services Agency
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were employed by the Disposal Services Agency in each of the last three years; what the staff costs were in each of those years; and what the forecast cost is for each of the next two years. [176429]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to page 39 of the Disposal Services Agency (DSA)'s Annual report and accounts 2002–03. For the financial year 2003–2004 the average number of staff employed was 80, and the personnel costs approximately £3 million subject to audit.

  Forecast staff costs for 2004–05 are £3.1 million and for 2005–06, £2.7 million. The reduction in salaries being due to the cessation of the "A1 Hussein Project" in 2005. The figures do not include personnel due to be transferred into DSA from the Defence Logistics Organisation as from 1 April 2005. These are due to be finalised over the coming months.

  Eurofighter Typhoon
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects the Typhoon to enter service with the RAF; [176472]

  (2) if he will make a statement on progress on the Typhoon programme. [176473]

  Mr. Ingram
  Typhoon achieved "type acceptance" in June 2003, triggering the entry to service process. The first RAF aircraft was accepted off contract in December 2003, and to date, six have been delivered. Release to Service, allowing flying under normal RAF procedures, was achieved earlier this month. The aircraft are now engaged in the process of pilot training and operational evaluation to enable Typhoon to be deployed operationally during the second half of the decade. The next step in the procurement process will be the order for the second Tranche of aircraft, and negotiations are in progress.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on problems experienced with the Typhoon's software programmes; whether he expects the software problems to delay the Typhoon's entry into service with the RAF; and what estimate he has made of the cost of correcting the problems. [176475]

  Mr. Ingram
  Typhoon, in common with other technologically advanced projects worldwide, has experienced some problems attributable to software development. However, the aircraft has already entered service with the RAF and we do not expect software
  599W
  problems to delay its operational employment date. We would expect costs associated with correcting problems of this nature to be covered within the existing contract prices as part of the performance warranty.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of(a) the Typhoon's capability as a single seat fighter in all conditions and in all combat roles and (b) the need for a second crew member for certain operations. [176478]

  Mr. Ingram
  Typhoon, as with all new military aircraft, is undergoing a rigorous and incremental series of testing and evaluations to expand gradually its flight parameters to bring it up to an operational capability for front line service. Typhoon is performing extremely well at this stage of the development programme as it moves towards achievement of its full, single seat, Multi Role capability.

  Export and Market Access Forum
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to establish a defence export and market access forum. [177401]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Government's Defence Industrial Policy, launched in October 2002, recommended the setting up of a forum to address export promotion issues and improved access for United Kingdom industry into key foreign markets. The Defence Export and Market Access Forum is chaired by the Head of Defence Export Services and the first meeting was held on 12 March 2003.

  Farnborough Air Show
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support his Department is giving to the organisers of the Farnborough Air Show taking place from 19 to 25 July; and whether this includes assistance to enable overseas visitors to attend. [177499]

  Mr. Ingram
  In accordance with the Government's policy of supporting defence exports, the Ministry of Defence undertakes a broad range of activities in support of The Society of British Aerospace Companies which organises the Farnborough International Air Show. The Defence Export Services Organisation provides marketing support to the United Kingdom exhibitors and helps the organisers ensure maximum exposure of UK products to potential customers by supporting official inward visits.

  Faslane
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is mandatory for submariners and radiation workers to use the IPM7 radiation monitor when they leave the nuclear submarines at HM Naval Base, Clyde Faslane; and if he will make a statement. [176800]

  Mr. Ingram
  Personnel exiting submarine reactor compartments must be monitored (by suitably qualified and experienced workers) using hand-held instrumentation capable of detecting very low levels of radioactive contamination. In addition, after leaving submarines, all staff have the opportunity to use a walk-through monitor similar to the IPM 7. This secondary 600W
  monitoring normally takes place after the worker has completed primary monitoring and removed his protective clothing. The purpose of this equipment is to provide reassurance to personnel leaving controlled areas, and is compulsory where contamination is suspected or found on exiting the Reactor Compartment.

  Iraq
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the countries which have troops stationed in Iraq; and how many troops are deployed in each case. [175580]

  Mr. Ingram
  Exact numbers of forces deployed by each nation in Iraq varies daily. The table gives current, rounded, numbers.

  Number

  Albania

  70

  Australia

  400

  Azerbaijan

  150

  Bulgaria

  450

  Canada

  2

  Czech Republic

  100

  Denmark

  400

  El Salvador

  400

  Estonia

  30

  Georgia

  150

  Honduras

  350

  Hungary

  300

  Italy

  2,500

  Japan

  550

  Kazakhstan

  30

  Korea

  500

  Latvia

  100

  Lithuania

  100

  Macedonia

  30

  Moldova

  1

  Mongolia

  150

  Netherlands

  1,200

  New Zealand

  50

  Norway

  150

  Philippines

  50

  Poland

  2,500

  Portugal

  100

  Romania

  750

  Slovakia

  100

  Spain

  950

  Thailand

  450

  Turkey

  20

  Ukraine

  1,500

  United Kingdom

  9,500

  United States

  130.000

  Joint Combat Aircraft
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the total projected budget of the Future Joint Combat Aircraft was spent prior to main gate approval. [176355]

  Mr. Ingram
  £144 million was spent on the pre Main Gate Assessment phase of the Joint Combat Aircraft programme. This equates to 6 per cent. of the approved procurement cost to date. This figure excludes expenditure by the United States on the Joint Strike Fighter.

  Joint Strike Fighter
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what talks have taken place with BAE Systems about the Joint Strike Fighter's ability to operate from aircraft carriers. [174993]

  Mr. Ingram
  We keep in close touch with the industry teams (which include BAE Systems) involved in the United Kingdom future aircraft carrier and Joint Strike Fighter programmes. An integral element of the discussion is the interface between the ship and the aircraft.

  Legacy Wrecks
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the letter of the Under-Secretary of State D/05 of S/IC 1295/04/A of 5 April, what his policy is on UK legacy wrecks and related issues of liability; what assessment he has made of their potential to pollute; and if he will make a statement. [177882]

  Mr. Caplin
  Our policy on UK military legacy wrecks and related issues of liability remains as set out in my letter of 5 April. At present, the Ministry of Defence is consulting with other Government Departments, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, as to the most appropriate means of resolving the legal principle in international law of the ownership of wrecks. We do not expect to resolve the international position on ownership for some time because of the differing views taken by various states, although we hope to have a preliminary view by late autumn.

  In respect of pollution, the wrecks database at the UK Hydrographic Office contains some 60,000 records of wrecks worldwide, of which approximately 20,000 are named vessels. If a wreck is below 200 metres, and so is not likely to be a danger to shipping, it is recorded but not charted. Within the Western Hemisphere there are 422 records of UK military legacy wrecks, only 275 of which are charted, and in the Eastern Hemisphere there are 501 records with 295 charted. No assessment has been made of the potential of each of these vessels to pollute. However, as I said to my hon. Friend in my letter of 5 April, the Ministry of Defence will continue to address individual cases of potential pollution hazards from UK military wrecks on their own merits and take whatever action we deem necessary.

  Lynx Replacement
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the assessment phase for the Lynx replacement to be completed; and when he expects to make a decision on the future of this programme. [177595]

  Mr. Ingram
  The assessment phase of the Battlefield Light Utility Helicopter and Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft is currently scheduled to complete later this year.

  The decision on the future of these programmes is most likely to be made early in 2005.

  Military Support Vehicle
  Richard Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce his decision on the preferred bidder for the military support vehicle contract. [177440]

  Mr. Ingram
  The preferred bidder for the support vehicle project will be announced as soon as possible.

  Richard Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the potential for compatibility of equipment and co-operation between UK forces and US allies in the field when considering the supply of future strategic and tactical military support vehicles. [177460]

  Mr. Ingram
  Interoperability between our armed forces and those of our NATO allies has been considered as part of the evaluation of bidders' proposals for the support vehicle project.

  Richard Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what investigations he has undertaken in considering his decision on preferred bidder status for the UK military support vehicle contract into the performance of medium tactical vehicles already in use with the US Army; and which company's products achieved the highest level of in-service operational readiness during Operation Iraqi Freedom. [177461]

  Mr. Ingram
  As part of the competition for the support vehicle project, bidders had the opportunity to state their previous experience of supplying wheeled military vehicles to other Governments and to provide evidence of the performance of such vehicles. This material has informed the evaluation process.

  We are aware that vehicles manufactured by Oshkosh and Stewart and Stevenson, two of the four bidders for the support vehicle contract, were used by the US Army and Marine Corps in Operation Iraqi Freedom. However, none of the vehicles used were the variants offered by those companies and an analysis of the type suggested would be inappropriate in the context of the current competition.

  Richard Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the importance of supplier experience and track record in his consideration of preferred bidder status for the military support vehicle contract. [177464]

  Mr. Ingram
  Consideration of these matters has informed the evaluation of bidders' proposals for the support vehicle project.

  Mine Disposal
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for (1) what reasons he is holding an international competition for a Mine Disposal System; [176775]

  (2) what (a) research and (b) evaluation his Department has carried out on the Archerfish to decide whether it meets the requirements of the Royal Navy for its Mine Disposal System. [176776]

  Mr. Ingram
  The requirement for the new single shot Mine Disposal System is subject to international competition in accordance with the Department's
  603W
  Industrial Policy, which will ensure that the most effective system to meet the requirement is obtained, while obtaining value for money for the taxpayer.

  Four proposals have been received from industry, including one for the Archerfish system, and criteria, including operational effectiveness, through life support, safety and commercial aspects are being considered as part of the research and evaluation process. Following initial marking of the proposals, artificial trials in a water tank will be carried out on each system. Those that are successful will then undergo final explosive trials and ship based evaluations before a final decision is made.

  Missile Defence Interceptor Missiles
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions(a) he and (b) his officials have had with the US Administration concerning the deployment of missile defence interceptor missiles in the UK. [176837]

  Mr. Hoon
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Alan Simpson) on 25 May 2004,Official Report, column 1616W.

  Nuclear Safety
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department received copies of a nuclear safety report by John Connor in(a) June and (b) November 2002; and what evaluation has been made of its contents. [170228]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 6 May 2004]: In 1998 Mr. Connor submitted a report which was, effectively, a summary of correspondence that had taken place between him and the Ministry of Defence during the previous 20 months.

  In 1999 he submitted an update which, after review, was found to be substantially the same and Mr. Connor was informed that nothing could be added to the MOD's previous exchanges with him. Mr. Connor submitted further updates in November 2000 and June 2002. Again, these did not include any new issues and, as Mr. Connor was aware from previous correspondence that the MOD would not engage further with him unless new issues of substance were raised, a response was not warranted.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will furnish a substantive reply to question reference 170228 tabled by the hon. Member for New Forest, East on 28 April 2004. [177976]

  Mr. Ingram
  I replied to the hon. Member today.

  Premature Voluntary Retirement
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask Secretary of State for Defence (1) what percentage of premature voluntary retirement applications have been denied for(a) officers and (b) other ranks in all three services in each of the last fiver years; and if he will make a statement; [176111]
  604W
  (2) if he will list the number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks who (i) applied for premature voluntary retirement and (ii) had their applications accepted in each of the last three years, broken down by regiment; and if he will make a statement. [176745]

  Mr. Caplin
  Data on applications for Premature Voluntary Release (PVR) are published quarterly in the DASA Armed Forces Personnel Statistics publication Tri Service Publication, TSP 5. Copies of the latest publication (1 April 2004 figures) along with back issues are available in the Library of the House. Published data include officers and other ranks and show applications and actual exits for each of the three services, split by gender. The main difference between the number of applications for PVR and the number of actual exits shown in TSP 5 is due to individual applicants choosing to withdraw their applications whilst serving their notice, not due to applications being refused. PVR rates broken down by regiment are not held centrally and could not be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

  It is not possible to provide the information requested on those requests for PVR that have been denied as all such information is not held centrally and again could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Generally, denials are possible but are very rare and a deferral of the proposed leaving date is the more usual course of action.

  Service Personnel Deaths
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the outcome was of the investigation into the deaths of(a) Sapper Luke Allsopp and (b) Staff Sergeant Simon Cullingworth; whether Her Majesty's Government received a response to it from the families of the men; and if he will make a statement. [173317]

  Mr. Ingram
  The investigation into the deaths of Staff Sergeant Cullingworth and Sapper Allsopp is continuing, and it would be inappropriate to speculate about its outcome. The families of both Servicemen have been regularly updated as to the progress of the investigation.

  Signing Off
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) officers and (b) other ranks signed off in each of the three services in each of the last three years; of those, how many were tasked to Iraq after signing off; and if he will make a statement. [176802]

  Mr. Caplin
  [holding answer 8 June 2004]: The term 'signed off' is not recognised within the UK armed forces.

  Stockholdings Databases
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the fields of the three services stockholdings databases. [176359]

  Mr. Ingram
  I am placing the information requested in the Library of the House.

  UN Operations
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2004,Official Report, column 792W, on Operation Telic, when each request was filed; whether it was approved; when the equipment arrived in theatre; and if he will make a statement. [160228]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 15 March 2004]: It is not possible to provide the information requested without explaining in detail the full range of Urgent Operational Requirements considered for operations in Iraq. The full list of such UORs is operationally sensitive and I am therefore withholding it under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cluster bomb-related injuries have been recorded in the British sector of occupied Iraq for each month since the official end of the conflict. [170456]

  Mr. Ingram
  We have no viable means of recording the information requested. We do not hold any information in respect of injured persons not treated by UK forces and even for those treated by UK forces it is frequently not possible to identify the cause of shrapnel injuries.

  Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Iraqis he estimates have been arrested by mistake since the start of the conflict. [173454]

  Mr. Hoon
  When British forces apprehend people suspected of having committed a criminal offence, they are immediately handed over to the Iraq Police Service who arrest, and if appropriate, conduct a prosecution under Iraqi law. We do not hold central records of the outcome of such cases and cannot therefore estimate how many have been prosecuted or the results of such cases. In any event, the fact that an arrest does not ultimately lead to a successful prosecution does not mean that the arrest was either mistaken or unlawful.

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether US intelligence contractors have had access to prisoners under UK jurisdiction. [175097]

  Mr. Ingram
  No.

  Unmanned Air Vehicles
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are in place to ensure the safe operation of United States military unmanned air vehicles while in UK airspace; whether there have been breaches of these arrangements in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [174542]

  Mr. Ingram
  Requests from the US to operate military unmanned air vehicles in UK airspace are handled on a case-by-case basis. To date, there has only been one such request for overflight of UK airspace, which was approved. Stringent procedures are in place to ensure safe operation of such flights. There have been no breaches of these arrangements.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Food Advertising
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had on food advertising during children's programmes; and if she will make a statement. [176409]

  Tessa Jowell
  I have had a wide variety of discussions on food advertising during children's programmes, particularly in the light of current concerns about the possible impact of broadcast advertising on childhood obesity. This has included discussions at a range of meetings and events with Ministers, MPs, representatives of the food and drink, advertising and broadcasting industries, industry regulators, and consumer groups.

  In December, I asked Ofcom to review the current code regulating broadcast advertising to children, and they will report their findings to me in July. Government policy on this issue will be announced in the autumn as part of the Public Health White Paper.

  Golden Jubilee
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which organisations were included in the Golden Jubilee medal distribution; and on what date their inclusion was announced. [177664]

  Mr. Caborn
  The medal was issued to serving members of the Armed Forces and Royal Fleet Auxiliary and to the "999" emergency services. Eligibility is restricted to those who completed a minimum of five years' reckonable service on 6 February 2002£the 50th anniversary of the Queen's Accession. This was announced on 4 December 2001.

  The announcement to extend the award to holders of the Victoria Cross and the George Cross was made on 29 April 2003.

  Libraries (Bootle)
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been spent on the digitisation of content in libraries in Bootle since 1997. [177712]

  Estelle Morris
  This information is not held centrally.

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

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

  Northern Ireland: Ex-prisoner support groups
  Northern Ireland: Ex-prisoner support groups
  Northern Ireland: Childcare
  Northern Ireland: Childcare
  Ulster-Scots Agency
  Ulster-Scots Agency
  Waterways Ireland
  Waterways Ireland
  Irish Language Agency
  Irish Language Agency
  Republic of Ireland: Official Languages Act
  Republic of Ireland: Official Languages Act
  Cross-Border Implementation Bodies
  Cross-Border Implementation Bodies
  Language Implementation Body
  Language Implementation Body
  Northern Ireland: Hospitals
  Northern Ireland: Hospitals
  Northern Ireland: Long-term Care of the Elderly
  Northern Ireland: Long-term Care of the Elderly
  Northern Ireland Civil Service: Recruitment
  Northern Ireland Civil Service: Recruitment
  Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
  Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
  Northern Ireland Civil Service: Remuneration
  Northern Ireland Civil Service: Remuneration
  Northern Ireland: Education
  Northern Ireland: Education
  North/South Language Body
  North/South Language Body
  Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
  Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
  Police Service of Northern Ireland
  Police Service of Northern Ireland
  Olympic Advisory Group
  Olympic Advisory Group
  Afghanistan: Narcotics Production
  Afghanistan: Narcotics Production
  Israel: Illegal Settlements
  Israel: Illegal Settlements
  Passports
  Passports
  Future Joint Combat Aircraft
  Future Joint Combat Aircraft
  Bilateral Defence Acquisition Committee
  Bilateral Defence Acquisition Committee
  Nuclear Submarines
  Nuclear Submarines
  Right-to-Buy Scheme
  Right-to-Buy Scheme
  Department for Education and Skills: Recruitment
  Department for Education and Skills: Recruitment
  British Grand Prix
  British Grand Prix