Written Answers of 22 June 2004

ELECTORAL COMMISSION

  Electoral Fraud
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission how many allegations of electoral fraud in the elections on 10 June have been notified to the Electoral Commission. [179225]

  Mr. Viggers
  The investigation and prosecution of allegations of electoral fraud are matters for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service, and these are not required to be notified to the Electoral Commission. However, I understand that the Commission is aware of a number of such allegations, and will be liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service to obtain details of all allegations of electoral fraud reported to the Service in the four regions where all-postal pilots were held, as part of its statutory evaluation of those pilots. The Commission will also examine issues of electoral fraud in its wider statutory report on the administration of the European parliamentary elections.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Environment
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she will take to meet the requirement in Article 6.1( b) of the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in relation to decisions on proposed activities which may have a significant effect on the environment; and if she will make a statement. [179556]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 18 June 2004]: Appropriate steps have already been taken. The obligations under Article 6.1 of the Aarhus Convention primarily concern activities in relation to which environmental impact assessment may be required. At EC level, environmental impact assessment is governed by Directive 85/337/EC as amended by Directive 97/11/EC, which has been implemented in the UK by a number of statutory instruments. The criteria, thresholds and procedures for such activities are set out in legislation and explained in guidance published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister ("Environmental Impact Assessment: Guide to Procedures").

  Directive 2003/35/EC made further provision for alignment between the Convention and Community law in relation to public participation and access to justice, in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment. The
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  Government will take all steps necessary to ensure transposition of this Directive into UK law by the required date of 25 June 2005.

  Radon Gas
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what surveys she has undertaken to investigate radon in homes in Cornwall; and what those surveys have concluded. [179462]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 18 June 2004]:Since 1987 successive Governments have run radon measurement programmes to identify the extent of the radon problem in the UK. Initially, these focused on areas of England such as Cornwall, Devon and Somerset where dwellings were most likely to be at risk from the naturally occurring radioactive gas. By 1998, every home in England with a greater than 5 per cent. probability of radon levels being at or above the National Radiological Protection Board's (NRPB) recommended radon 'Action Level' (200 becquerels per cubic metre of air By m-3) had been offered a free radon test. In accordance with NRPB's recommendation, we advise that remedial action is taken to reduce radon levels in any home at or above the Action Level.

  The measurement campaigns have revealed and confirmed that Cornwall is an area that is significantly affected by radon. Data published in the NRPB's "Radon Atlas of England and Wales" (NRPB-W26) in December 2002 showed that 97 per cent. of dwellings in Cornwall are likely to be in radon-affect areas. Of the 220, 500 homes in the county, some 67,640 had been measured, mostly from Government-funded tests. Nearly 16,000 homes had been found to have radon concentrations at or above the Action Level. At that time, the highest level recorded in the UK of 10,000 Bq m-3 had been found in the district of Kerrier. It is estimated that up to 41,000 dwellings in Cornwall may have radon levels exceeding the Action Level.

  Defra's latest programme continues to offer free radon measurements to the most at risk households in England. However, the initiative places greater emphasis on helping home owners to take action to reduce radon levels in their homes. This is being achieved in partnership with 27 local authorities who joined the initiative when it commenced in July 2000. In Cornwall, we started work with Kerrier district council at the end of 2003 to roll out a programme of action designed to raise awareness and promote radon remediation in the community. This has included over 31,000 invitations sent to householders offering free tests and retests (upon completion of satisfactory remedial work); and workshops providing information and advice on remediation for those householders recommended to take action to reduce radon levels in their homes.

  Over 11,000 householders have accepted the offer and to date results from around 4,000 measurements are available. Some of the results reveal particularly high radon levels, and measurements taken in three dwellings are well above the previously highest recorded level of 10,000 Bq m-3 Kerrier district council, together with NRPB and the Building Research Establishment (BRE), are providing the support to the occupants

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  of these dwellings that is available under Defra's programme, to enable prompt remedial action to be taken to reduce the risk to their health.

  Bovine TB
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the then Under-Secretary of State's letter 167650/MM of 26 June 2002, what the latest evaluation is of the work done to establish the relationship between badgers and bovine TB; and if she will make a statement. [177891]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  [holding answer 15 June 2004]: The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG) carried out an interim analysis of Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) data collected up to the end of August 2003. The analysis revealed that there was an increased risk of TB breakdowns in cattle herds occurring in trial areas where "reactive" culling had taken place, compared to the related "survey only" (control) areas1.

  As a result of this finding, Ministers suspended culling operations in the "reactive" treatment areas of the RBCT from November 2003, because to continue would have meant the unnecessary culling of badgers, leading to an increased risk of TB in cattle herds. Such reactive culling has effectively been ruled out as a TB control option.

  Culling operations continue in "proactive" treatment areas, where more widespread and repeated trapping takes place. The ISG has given assurances that Ministers will be informed as soon as the data yield a scientifically significant result. The ISG estimate that the RBCT will be completed in 2006.

  On 6 April, a report was published from an Independent Review Panel, which reviewed the progress of the RBCT and associated research, as part of a wider review of Defra's science. The ISG do not agree with all aspects of this report, and Ministers are considering its recommendations, particularly where the ISG does not concur.
  1 The increase, compared to survey-only areas, was estimated to be 27 per cent. with 95 per cent. confidence that the increase lies between 4.8 per cent. and 53 per cent. A more conservative analysis would give would give confidence limits of between a 2.4 per cent. decrease and 65 per cent. increase. The ISG's most recent analysis of data collected to mid-February indicated an increase of 28 per cent. with confidence limits of between 1.1 per cent. and 62 per cent. using the wider confidence limits recommended by the Independent Review Panel.

  Departmental Administration Budget
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the(a) staffing and (b) staff costs for her core Department, excluding executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies are for 2004–05, in respect of (i) the environment protection strategy, (ii) environment quality and waste, (iii) climate, energy and environmental risk, (iv) water, (v) European Union and international policy, (vi) economics and statistics, (vii) food industry and crops, (viii) sustainable agriculture and livestock products, (ix) fisheries, (x) land management and rural development, (xi) the rural delivery review, (xii) wildlife, countryside, land use and better regulation, (xiii) Haskins policy
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  implementation, (xiv) rural policy, (xv) Government Offices of the Regions, (xvi) veterinary, (xvii) Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy and zoonoses, (xviii) animal health and welfare planning, (xix) animal health, (xx) policy and corporate strategy, (xxi) finance, planning and resources, (xxii) delivery strategy, (xxiii) the State Veterinary Service, (xxiv) e-Business, (xxv) e-enabling DEFRA programme, (xxvi) communications, (xxvii) corporate services, (xxviii) the Rural Development Service, (xxix) the Science Directorate, (xxx) Legal Directorate A and (xxxi) Legal Directorate B. [176406]

  Alun Michael
  The following table shows the number of staff in full-time equivalents as at 1 April 2004 and the expected staff costs for 2004–05 for each current Defra directorate. This list differs slightly from the information requested due to recent organisational changes in the Department.

  Directorate

  Staff numbers (FTE)

  Staff costs (£000)

  Environmental Protection Strategy

  134.80

  6.734

  Environment Quality and Waste

  126.25

  6,961

  Climate, Energy and Environmental Risk

  142.60

  6,615

  Water

  196.37

  8,346

  EU and International Policy

  45.00

  2,078

  Economics and Statistics

  165.51

  6,365

  Food Industry and Crops

  344.39

  11,964

  Sustainable Agriculture and Livestock Products

  123.10

  4,365

  Fisheries

  196.67

  3,400

  Land Management and Rural Development

  161.58

  5,250

  Wildlife, Countryside, Land Use and Better Regulation

  195.33

  7,876

  Rural Economies and Communities

  61.72

  4,002

  Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer

  320.36

  11,387

  TSE and Zoonoses Directorate

  115.25

  4,385

  Animal Health and Welfare DG

  62.24

  1,480

  Animal Health

  178.54

  5,706

  Policy and Corporate Strategy Unit

  79.63

  1,528

  Finance, Planning and Resources

  256.88

  9,649

  State Veterinary Service

  1,218.73

  41,155

  e-Business Directorate

  292.01

  15.096

  Communications

  86.80

  3,716

  Corporate Services and Secretariat

  596.15

  18,815

  Rural Development Service

  1,372.50

  40,189

  Science

  54.53

  2,613

  Legal Services

  157.64

  8,600

  Fallen Stock
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who provides a fallen stock service free of charge to the farming industry. [176781]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  One would normally expect those providing such a service to make a charge. However, there may be examples where charges are waived or are negligible for certain types of livestock and where farmers and those providing the service have other informal arrangements, e.g. some hunt kennels may collect calves at no cost in return for farmers allowing hunts to use their land.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to(a) farmers and (b) the Government are of the fallen stock disposal scheme; whether the deadline for the scheme has been met; and if she will make a statement. [179596]
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  Mr. Bradshaw
  [holding answer 21 June 2004]: The cost to farmers will be a small annual subscription fee to cover administration costs, likely to be around £25 in the first year, and thereafter will depend on their usage of the Scheme. The Government, including devolved administrations has said it will put £20 million into the Scheme over its first three years. The Scheme is scheduled to start in the autumn of this year.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the pre-testing of fallen stock; and if she will make a statement. [179597]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  [holding answer 21 June 2004]: I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to plans for testing of fallen stock that enter the proposed National Fallen Stock Scheme in which case the government has no plans to do so. There are already arrangements in place for testing for TSEs in fallen cattle and sheep.

  Fish Stocks
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the impact on fish stocks of the rise in sea water temperature; and if she will make a statement. [179404]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Changes in sea temperature could potentially affect stock distribution spawning, migratory patterns and survival of very young fish but the effect of long term temperature trends on fish stocks is not easy to predict. Defra has commissioned a range of science to improve our understanding of the processes and predictions. Our monitoring of sea fish stocks allows for an appropriate management response as we begin to observe changes. Fishing rates on many stocks remains high, and if those stocks are also under pressure due to ecosystem change, then this reinforces the need for effective fisheries management.

  Agriculture and Fisheries Council
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 24 May; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. [176229]

  Margaret Beckett
  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary and I represented the United Kingdom at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 24 May 2004.

  The first agenda item, held as a public debate, was the Council Decision for the establishment of Regional Advisory Councils (RACs). RACs will enable the fishing industry and other stakeholders to have an input in the Common Fisheries Policy management process. The Council Decision provides the basic principles and guidelines for setting up RACs, and should enable interested parties to take forward their proposals quickly. We in common with most other member states stressed the importance of RACs as a key part of CFP reform, marking a step change towards more inclusive and regionally-focused fisheries management. There was unanimous support for the Decision, which incorporated important amendments on transparency,
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  increased Community funding for RACs and provision for a seventh RAC to cover stakeholder interests in non-EC waters. The other six RACs will cover the North Sea, Mediterranean, Baltic, South Western Waters, North Western Waters and the pelagic fishery (species such as herring and mackerel).

  We explained to colleagues in the Council that the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit had recently published a report of recommendations for a sustainable and profitable UK fishing industry. We noted that the report was relevant at EU level, and indicated that we were looking to engage with colleagues on these issues.

  The Council agreed a number of changes to the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) to make funding available at the discretion of member states: for the implementation of the strategy for the sustainable development of European aquaculture (part of CFP reform); to increase support to those in the catching sector subject to stock recovery plans, and to support the fitting of acoustic devices (pingers) on fishing nets to reduce by-catches of small cetaceans.

  The Council received a report from Commissioner Fischler on developments in the Doha Development Agenda negotiations following the recent Lamy-Fischler letter to WTO Trade Ministers amplifying the EU's negotiating position, and on the negotiations on a possible EU-Mercosur free trade agreement. A number of Ministers stressed the importance of the Commission playing its hand carefully in these talks, avoiding the risk of giving concessions that were unreciprocated. I and several other colleagues endorsed the Commission's negotiating strategy and emphasised the importance of securing a framework DDA agreement before the summer break if at all possible.

  Slaughter (Regulation)
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to change the regulation of animal slaughter in respect of(a) Halal and (b) Shechita practices in order to improve animal welfare. [179451]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Our draft response to the 94 recommendations in the Farm Animal Welfare Council's report on the welfare of red meat animals at slaughter was issued for public consultation on 1 April. We will carefully consider all the comments received before issuing our formal response. This will include our response to the recommendation on slaughter without prior stunning.

TREASURY

  Civil Service Relocation
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants and what percentage of the total Civil Service workforce in his Department will be relocated over the next five years(a) outside the M25, (b) to the West Midlands and (c) to Staffordshire. [180171]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Lyons report gives details of Department's relocation plans, which are being taken forward and refined as part of the Spending Review. The
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  Government will announce proposals for implementing and monitoring the dispersal plans in the review. It will be for departments themselves to determine their own dispersal strategies in the light of their particular business needs and priorities.

  Corporate Taxation
  Mr. Challen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential impact on UK corporate taxation of European Court of Justice decisions relating to the profits and losses of UK companies operating in other EU countries. [179403]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government closely monitors all cases referred to the ECJ that might affect the UK taxation of corporate profits. Where decisions have affected the UK position, the Government have always taken swift action to address the issues and will do so in the future.

  Performance Indicators
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will establish(a) new performance indicators and (b) a table of performance rankings for (i) Departments and (ii) Ministers. [179605]

  Mr. Boateng
  No. Spending Review 2002 set Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets for all main Departments, which set out the key performance priorities for each area of Government. Ministers are publicly accountable for the delivery of PSAs, and Departments report progress on PSAs regularly. However, the measures in PSAs are specific to each policy area, and as such are not comparable between Departments.

  Tax Credits
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the reasons for the methods of payment of back payments for(a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit. [179774]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Payment of any tax credits arrears is made direct into bank, building society or Post Office card accounts—or, where that is not possible, by cheque.

  This minimises delay and follows the normal method of payment of awards for child tax credit and the child care element of working tax credit. Paying direct into accounts assures a safe, modern and efficient way of paying tax credits that meets people's needs. Where account details have not yet been provided to the Inland Revenue—perhaps while an account is still being set up—payments are initially made by cheque to help minimise any delay.

  Currently the non child care elements of working tax credit are paid indirectly by employers alongside wages, wherever possible; although, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced in the Budget, the Government are currently consulting with a view to moving to direct payment.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many awards of child tax credit in respect of 2003–04 have(a) been finalised and (b) not yet been finalised. [172898]
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  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Richard Burden) on 19 November 2003,Official Report, columns 1099–1100W.

  Third-world Debt
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking towards the cancellation of debt in the world's poorest countries.[179524]

  John Healey
  The UK is fully committed to the cancellation of debt in the world's poorest countries through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative.

  The UK has provided commitments of £2.3 billion of debt relief to eligible countries and has pledged a total of US$474 million through multilateral institutions to provide further support for debt relief to the world's poorest countries. The UK goes even further than is required under the HIPC 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. Debt relief of over $70 billion has already been agreed for 27 countries under the Initiative. Total social spending has increased by around $4 billion since 1999—equivalent to 2.7 per cent. of GDP.

  However, the Government also recognises that we need to do more if we are to deliver a long-term exit from unsustainable debt for HIPCs. Last week, G8 Heads of State discussed proposals to enhance debt relief for the world's poorest countries. The UK successfully pushed for the extension of the HIPC Initiative by another two years, potentially allowing 10 more countries to benefit from debt relief in excess of $30 billion.

  Heads of State also tasked Finance Ministers to consider further both reforms to the HIPC Initiative, and new and innovative mechanisms to deliver a longterm exit from unsustainable debt for the world's poorest countries. The UK will push for the granting of additional assistance (topping up) for all countries whose debt profiles have worsened after Decision Point as a result of factors beyond their control. We will also continue to press for additional bilateral assistance to be excluded from the calculation of this topping-up assistance at Completion Point, to ensure that every dollar benefits the recipient. The UK will also seek a firm commitment on financing the G7's share of costs for the HIPC Trust Fund, which we estimate at up to $1 billion.

  Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act
  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will made adequate resources available for a programme fully to meet the requirements of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000. [179294]

  John Healey
  The Government is committed to reaching the targets in our Fuel Poverty Strategy. Decisions on future programmes and Government spending to meet these targets are currently being taken in the context of this year's Spending Review.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

  Domestic Violence
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Minister for Women when the Women and Equality Unit will publish the full findings of the investigation into economic and social costs of domestic violence. [178816]

  Ms Hewitt
  Interim findings relating to the homicide of women were published in 2002. These showed that the cost of each female domestic homicide in England and Wales was £1.1 million. Additional interim findings can be found at http ://www.womenandequalityunit. gov.uk

  The methodology used is based on the new Home Office framework for costing crime. The data are drawn from the Inter-personal Violence (IPV) module of the British Crime Survey 2001. The research on the economic costs of domestic violence will be published after the publication of "Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking: Findings from the British Crime Survey".

PRIME MINISTER

  Environmental Objectives
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the environmental objectives he has set for the UK, in terms of tackling climate change, for the UK presidencies of(a) the EU and (b) the G8. [179976]

  The Prime Minister
  The UK wishes to see new momentum injected into international dialogue on climate change and this will be a priority for the Government in 2005.

  The European Spring Council in 2005 is due to consider medium and long-term European targets and strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The UK will play an active role in driving this forward and ensuring that the EU is in a strong position to play a constructive role in the international climate change negotiations in November 2005.

  Under our Presidency of the G8 in 2005, climate change, along with Africa, will be our top priorities. The Government aims, in particular, to advance work on the development and uptake of cleaner energy technologies, building on the Action Plan agreed by Heads of Government in Evian in June 2003.

DEFENCE

  UN Operations
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations the Government have received since May 2003 from Amnesty International in respect of the shooting of or other injuries to Iraqi civilians. [173343]
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  Mr. Ingram
  I am aware of four reports from Amnesty International since May 2003 which refer to the shooting of or other injuries to Iraqi civilians. These are:"Preliminary findings by Amnesty International alleging abuses at the hands of United Kingdom military personnel in Iraq" dated 29 May 2003;
  "Memorandum on concerns relating to law and order" dated 23 July 2003;
  "One Year on the human rights situation remains dire" dated 18 March 2004; and
  "Killings of civilians in Basra and al-Amara" dated 11 May 2004.

  Additionally, Amnesty wrote to the Prime Minister on 14 May 2004 with allegations concerning a further two incidents not covered by previous reports.

  We receive a number of communications from Amnesty International regarding Iraq, including letters from different officers and officials, and letters received as a result of Amnesty campaigns and reports.

  In addition, with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, I met with officials of Amnesty International on 14 June.

  I will be providing a comprehensive response to the key issues raised by Amnesty International involving UK armed forces, as soon as the allegations have been fully researched. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many(a) ships, (b) Royal Marines and (c) Royal Air Force aircraft will take part in the 300th anniversary celebrations of British sovereignty of Gibraltar; and what role they will play; [179284]

  (2) what types of (a) ships and (b) aircraft will take part in the 300th anniversary celebrations of British sovereignty of Gibraltar. [179346]

  Mr. Ingram
  On current plans, one Frigate and two Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships are visiting Gibraltar in a ceremonial role as part of the tercentenary commemorations. 10 aircraft in all, comprising Pumas, C130 Hercules, Falcons and Hawks are visiting Gibraltar in the course of this year either to conduct a ceremonial flypast or for the Gibraltar Battle of Britain Open Day.

  40 Royal Marines attended the recent Queen's Birthday Parade. 30 Royal Marines and 35 bandsmen from the Scottish Band of Royal Marines are currently planned to attend the Royal Navy Freedom of the City of Gibraltar on 4 August.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy ships have called at Gibraltar since 1 May, broken down by type. [179290]

  Mr. Ingram
  There have been four visits by Royal Navy ships to Gibraltar since 1 May 2004 up until 16 June 2004 comprising two Type 42 Destroyers and two Fleet Submarines (SSNs).

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether(a) Royal Navy ships that call at Gibraltar may then call at Spain and (b) Royal Navy ships that call at

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  Spain may then call at Gibraltar; and whether Royal Navy aircraft may fly over Spain and land at Royal Air Force base Gibraltar. [179352]

  Mr. Ingram
  NATO Standardisation Agreement (STANAG) 1100, sets out the procedures for visits to NATO and non-NATO ports by naval ships of NATO nations. This Agreement contains a reservation, inserted by the previous Spanish Government, which prevents visits by NATO ships to or from Gibraltar directly from or to Spanish ports

  Any request to overfly Spanish airspace by military aircraft from NATO (or other) nations, which has Gibraltar as a departure or arrival airfield, is routinely denied by the Spanish authorities.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will commission a Gibraltar service medal to commemorate the 300 years of British Gibraltar, to be given to armed forces personnel who have served in Gibraltar. [179555]

  Mr. Ingram
  It is not the practice in this country to institute commemorative medals other to recognise The Sovereign's Coronation and Jubilees. The Government acknowledges the forthcoming 300th anniversary of the capture of Gibraltar by British forces in 1704, but there are no plans to mark the occasion with the institution of a medal.

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will instruct his Department and other relevant Government Departments to offer support and cooperation to the Royal British Legion's inquiry into illnesses suffered by UK troops who served in the 1991 Gulf War. [179292]

  Mr. Caplin
  [holding answer 17 June 2004]: I assume the hon. Member is referring to the investigation that the right hon. Lord Morris of Manchester has announced he is setting up under the chairmanship of the right hon. Lord Lloyd of Berwick. At this stage we have insufficient detail about the investigation to form a decision about the approach the Ministry of Defence might take.

  Iraq
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his written statement of 8 June 2004,Official Report, columns 4–5WS, on Iraq, what the (a) names of the individuals and (b) dates of the incidents concerned are in the new investigations into deaths in Iraq started since 4 May. [179035]

  Mr. Ingram
  Of the new investigations started since 4 May, five relate to incidents where it was reported that Iraqi civilians probably died. These incidents occurred on 3, 8 (two incidents), 10 and 14 May 2004. All these incidents occurred when UK soldiers were attacked and returned fire. It has not yet been possible to ascertain the identities of those believed killed or to confirm the numbers of dead owing to the situation on the ground.

  Memorial Services (Sponsorship)
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) in what years his Department proposes 1298W
  to discontinue official sponsorship or support for memorial services for veterans of (a) the Battle of Britain, (b) the Battle of the Atlantic and (c) other notable engagements of United Kingdom forces in the Second World War, [177950]

  (2) for what reason memorial services for veterans of some notable engagements of United Kingdom forces in the Second World War are being sponsored or supported for longer periods after the event concerned than others. [177951]

  Mr. Caplin
  The Ministry of Defence will work with organisers and veterans with a view to providing representation at commemorative services for as long as they themselves request such participation.

  There are no plans to discontinue official support, other than as a result of the above process.

  Race Hate Literature
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he has taken to prohibit the possession and distribution of race hate literature in the armed services; and under what regulations disciplinary action may be taken against(a) a commissioned officer and (b) a non-commissioned officer if found in possession of such materials on army facilities. [179120]

  Mr. Ingram
  The armed forces demand high standards of conduct from all personnel and do not tolerate harassment, discrimination or bullying in any form. Policies, practices and procedures within the framework of the law exist to combat unacceptable behaviour. All complaints are taken seriously, investigated thoroughly and, in cases where discrimination or harassment is proven, dealt with robustly.

  Any service person suspected of having committed a criminal offence under the Public Order Act 1986 or a military offence as a result of being found in possession of racially inflammatory material may be charged under the appropriate section of the Service Discipline Acts or subject to administrative action in accordance with service regulations.

  SABR Helicopter Project
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what formal linkage there is between jobs in the UK defence industry and the SABR helicopter project. [179254]

  Mr. Ingram
  There is no formal linkage between United Kingdom jobs and the Support, Amphibious and Battlefield Rotorcraft (SABR) helicopter project. The SABR project could offer an excellent opportunity for UK industry to secure future business and, in line with the Defence Industrial Policy, the benefit to the UK economy will be taken into account in determining our procurement strategy.

  Saudi Arabia
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 24 May 2004,Official Report, column 1346W, on Al-Yamamah contracts,

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  what the name was of the successor to the Al-Yamamah project within the Royal Saudi Air Force to whom he was introduced. [178757]

  Mr. Hoon
  This information is confidential between the two Governments, and I am therefore withholding it under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Spanish Ports
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy ships have called at Spanish ports since 1 May, broken down by type.[179291]

  Mr. Ingram
  There have been seven visits by Royal Navy ships to Spanish ports since 1 May 2004 until 2004 until 16 June 2004 comprising one Type 22 Frigate, two Type 23 Frigates, three Type 42 Destroyers and one Hunt Class Mine Countermeasure Vessel (MCMV).

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Gaelic (Broadcasting)
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to promote Gaelic television and radio broadcasts. [179466]

  Estelle Morris
  The Government are keen to see a better deal for the future of Gaelic broadcasting, and will ensure that this informs discussions on the BBC Charter Review and the future of digital broadcasting more widely. We will co-ordinate fully with Scottish Ministers, given their responsibility for funding the Gaelic Media Service.

  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many hours of Gaelic programmes were broadcast by(a) BBC1 Scotland, (b) BBC2 and (c) Radio Scotland in each of the last three years. [179467]

  Estelle Morris
  The number of hours of Gaelic programmes broadcast per year is shown in the table.

  Number of hours

  BBC1 Scotland

  2001–02

  62.34

  2002–03

  22.67

  2003–04

  0.00

  BBC2

  2001–02

  86.32

  2002–03

  116.20

  2003–04

  162.48

  Radio nan Gaidheal1

  2001–02

  2,496.46

  2002–03

  3,042,64

  2003–04

  3,300.6

  1 No Gaelic programmes were broadcast on Radio Scotland

  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many hours of Gaelic children's programmes were broadcast on television channels in each of the last three years. [179468]
  1300W
  Estelle Morris
  The number of hours of Gaelic children's programmes broadcast on television in the last three years is shown in the table:

  Number of hours

  Scottish and Grampian TV

  2001

  13

  2002

  13

  2003

  7

  BBC

  2001–02

  63.5

  2002–03

  65.03

  2003–04

  79.4

  TeleG

  2001

  64

  2002

  65

  2003

  103

  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations she has received from Gaelic groups concerning Gaelic television and radio broadcasting. [179469]

  Estelle Morris
  This year the Department has received a representation from the Celtic Film and Television Festival concerning Gaelic television and radio broadcasting. In addition, the Minister for Media and Heritage recently met with the Chairman of the Gaelic Media Service.

  We also received four responses from Gaelic groups to the BBC Charter Review consultation.

  New Opportunities Fund
  Matthew Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money the New Opportunities Fund was allocated in 2003–04; and whether any of this money has not been committed. [179942]

  Estelle Morris
  The New Opportunities Fund receives one third of money raised by the National Lottery, and distributes it to projects benefiting health, education and the environment. It also receives interest on money raised for the Fund, until it is passed on to project operators.

  In the financial year 2003–04, the Fund received £432,951,952.49 from the Lottery and £24,571,088.29 in interest.

  At the end of the year, the Fund held a total balance of £737,229,804 and had outstanding commitments of £1,144 billion. The Fund was therefore over-committed by £407 million, or 55.2 per cent.

WALES

  Fallen Stock
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many /,(a) hunt kennels, (b) knacker's yards and (c) renderers are approved under the EU Animal By-products Regulation to collect and process fallen stock in each county in Wales. [176779]
  1301W
  Mr. Touhig
  The figures in the following table show the number of hunting kennels and knacker's yards approved under the Animal By-products (Wales) Regulations 2003.

  The National Assembly for Wales currently have three applications for rendering plants. These plants (if approved) will not process fallen stock.

  County

  Knacker's yards

  Hunt kennels1

  Blaenau Gwent

  0

  0

  Bridgend

  0

  2

  Caerphilly

  0

  0

  Cardiff

  0

  1

  Carmarthenshire

  1

  5

  Ceredigion

  1

  2

  Conwy

  0

  0

  Denbighshire

  0

  1

  Flintshire

  0

  0

  Gwynedd

  1

  3

  Merthyr Tydfil

  0

  1

  Monmouthshire

  0

  2

  Neath Port Talbot

  0

  1

  Newport

  1

  0

  Pembrokeshire

  0

  0

  Powys

  1

  2

  Rhonnda Cynon Taff

  0

  0

  Swansea

  0

  0

  Torfaen

  0

  0

  Vale of Glamorgan

  0

  0

  Wrexham

  1

  0

  Ynys Mon

  0

  0

  1 Hunt kennels that accept fallen stock.

  Source:

  Statistics provided by the National Assembly for Wales.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Solicitors
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Solicitor-General which solicitors do pro bono work in Leyton and Wanstead; how much they did in 2003; what it covered; and if she will make a statement. [179335]

  The Solicitor-General
  Details of which solicitors do pro bono work in Leyton and Wanstead can be found on the national pro bono website, www.probonouk.net, using the postcode locator facility. At present, the website does not provide information on how much pro bono work is undertaken by solicitors or what areas are covered.

CABINET OFFICE

  Public Bodies
  Julie Morgan
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to make public bodies more representative of the community. [179606]

  Mr. Alexander
  The 2003 publication "Delivering Diversity in Public Appointments" outlines the action being taken by each department to increase diversisty on the boards of their public bodies and the targets they have set for 2006.

  Regulations (Reduction)
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress he has made in reducing regulation across Government. [179607]

  Mr. Alexander
  Progress in reducing regulation includes delivering over 300 of the measures in the Government's Regulatory Reform Action Plan, published in December 2003. Recent surveys by the World Bank, OECD and others show regulatory burdens in the UK to be among the lowest in the industrialised world.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were prosecuted for fraudulent benefit claims in each year since 1997. [179437]

  Mr. Pond
  I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 12 February 2004,Official Report, column 1588W.

  Benefits (Battersea)
  Martin Linton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were claiming(a) working age benefits and (b) benefits in addition to the state pension in the Battersea constituency in each year since 1997. [178675]

  Mr. Pond
  The available information is in the tables.

  Number of people claiming working age benefits in Battersea

  Thousand

  As at November

  Income support

  Jobseeker's allowance

  Incapacity benefit

  1997

  7.6

  3.1

  2.7

  1998

  7.2

  2.6

  2.7

  1999

  7.1

  2.1

  2.8

  2000

  6.9

  1.9

  2.7

  2001

  6.5

  2.1

  2.5

  2002

  6.5

  2.1

  2.6

  2003

  3.7

  2.2

  2.6

  Number of people receiving benefits in addition to state pension in Battersea

  Thousand

  As at November

  State pension with minimum income guarantee

  State pension with pension credit

  1999

  1.2

  —

  2000

  1.3

  —

  2001

  1.3

  —

  2002

  1.3

  —

  2003

  —

  1.4

  Notes

  1. Prior to 1999, a split by parliamentary constituency for state pension is not available.

  2. Income support (IS), incapacity benefit and state pension (SP) figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to sampling variation. JSA is based on 100 per cent. count.

  1303W
  3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred and quoted in thousands.

  4. JSA claimants includes income-based JSA, contribution-based JSA claimants and those persons not receiving benefit but signing for national insurance credits only.

  5. Income support parliamentary constituencies are allocated by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory, and represent constituency boundaries as at May 1997.

  6. November 2003 IS figures are affected by the introduction of pension credit (PC), which replaced MIG on 6 October 2003.

  7. The number of people receiving housing benefit and/or council tax benefit in addition to the state pension is not available below a national level.

  Sources:

  IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample.

  100 per cent. count of Jobcentre Plus computer systems for jobseeker's allowance (JSA).

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints from Child Support Agency users were received in each year since the establishment of the Agency. [177971]

  Mr. Pond
  [holding answer 10 June 2004]: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Frank Field, dated 22 June 2004:

  In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

  You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints from Child Support Agency users were received in each year since the establishment of the Agency.

  The figures you requested are summarised in the following table:

  Total written complaints

  1996–97

  23,588

  1997–98

  27,875

  1998–99

  28,073

  1999–2000

  21,015

  2000–01

  19,634

  2001–02

  27,735

  2002–03

  21,734

  From April 2003 we changed our complaints handling processes. This has ensured the more accurate recording of complaints and in particular count, for the first time, telephone complaints. In 2003–04 we received a total of 49,215 complaints.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many Child Support Agency cases where money has been collected from the absent parent money(a) has not been paid over to the parent with care and (b) has been paid back in error to the absent parent. [177972]

  Mr. Pond
  [holding answer 10 June 2004]: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Frank Field, dated 22 June 2004:

  In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
  1304W
  You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in how many Child Support Agency cases where money has been collected from the absent parent money (a) has not been paid over to the parent with care and (b) has been paid back by accident to the absent parent.

  I do not have the information that you seek. However, I can say that in the period 3 March 2003 to 29 April 2004, nearly 600,000 payments were made automatically by the new computer system to parents with care. In the same period 3,544 payments were made manually because of system difficulties.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency cases there are in which the non-resident parent is in receipt of the child tax credit element of the new tax credit which cannot be progressed to a decision; and if he will make a statement. [177973]

  Mr. Pond
  [holding answer 10 June 2004]: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Frank Field, dated 22 June 2004:

  In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

  You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases there are in which the non-resident parent is in receipt of the child tax credit element of the new tax credit which cannot be progressed to a decision; and if he will make a statement.

  I regret to say that the Agency does not have the information that you seek.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases the Child Support Agency has on its files that were enrolled(a) under the old rules and for which the old system operates, (b) under the old rules and for which the new system should operate and (c) under the new rules to which the new system applies. [177975]

  Mr. Pond
  [holding answer 10 June 2004]: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Frank Field, dated 22 June 2004:

  In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

  You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases the Child Support Agency has on its files that were enrolled (a) under the old rules and for whom the old system operates, (b) under the old rules and for whom the new system should operate and (c) under the new rules to whom the new system applies.

  We do not have the information in the format that you require. However, I can tell you that around 1.3 million cases are currently being dealt with by the Child Support Agency. Of these cases over 425,000 have been registered on the new computer system; approximately 235,000 of these cases are being dealt with under the new legislation and 190,000 under the old legislation. In addition 890,800 are currently old scheme cases on the old computer system.

  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many compensatory or special payments have been made by the Child Support Agency in each of
  1305W
  the last five years; what the total value of these payments was in each of the last five years; and what proportion of these (a) have been and (b) will be reclaimed from companies providing services or support to the CSA where a problem with the services or support necessitated the compensatory or special payment. [178602]

  Mr. Pond
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Bill Tynan, dated 22 June 2004:

  In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

  You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many compensatory or special payments have been made by the Child Support Agency in each of the last five years; what the total value of these payments was in each of the last five years; and what proportion of these (a) have been and (b) will be reclaimed from companies providing services or support to the CSA where a problem with the services or support necessitated the compensatory or special payment.

  The following payments have been made to clients of the Child Support Agency in accordance with the Department for Work and Pensions consolatory and redress payments guidance:

  £

  Amount

  1998–99

  4,351,000

  1999–2000

  3,075,000

  2000–01

  3,053,000

  2001–02

  2,590,000

  2002–03

  2,478,000

  None of the payments have been directly reclaimed from companies providing services or support to the Child Support Agency where a problem with the services or support necessitated the compensatory or special payment. The Department continues to discuss with EDS the provision of their computer service to the Agency and it is possible that some part of these payments may form one element in these commercial discussions.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to resolve delays in processing cases by the Child Support Agency. [178904]

  Mr. Pond
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Ian Taylor, dated 22 June 2004:

  In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

  You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to resolve delays in processing cases by the Child Support Agency.

  The Agency is continuing to work closely with EDS to remove the defects within EDS's computer service and which are causing many of the current delays in processing cases. It is also providing further guidance, advice and coaching to members of teams handling new applications with a view to increasing their productivity even within the constraints of the existing computer service.
  1306W
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the rescue package for the Child Support Agency which EDS is to implement by August of this year. [179498]

  Mr. Pond
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Frank Field, dated 22 June 2004:

  In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

  You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the rescue package for Child Support Agency which EDS is to implement by August of this year.

  EDS commenced work on remedying defects within their IT system providing support to the Child Support Agency, in November 2003. They have subsequently implemented a number of software releases and hardware upgrades that are progressively improving that service. There are plans for further releases later this year and in the early part of next year. The activity plan for August refers to enhancements to the telephony service.

  Health and Safety Executive (Industrial Dispute)
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures he is taking to settle the industrial dispute affecting the Health and Safety Executive and its staff. [179741]

  Jane Kennedy
  Responsibility for the management of the Health and Safety Executive, including conducting its pay negotiations. is a matter for the Executive of the HSE. I am aware that HSE is very concerned about the dispute and has met with the trade unions and ACAS to try and reach an agreement, resulting in two revised offers to the trade unions. These offers were not accepted and negotiations to resolve the dispute are continuing.

  Identity Cards
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what uses his Department plans to make of identity cards; and what information would be required through the National Identity database to fulfil these roles. [177850]

  Mr. Pond
  The Department is currently conducting feasibility work to establish the full impact that the introduction of a national identity card will have on its business; however, by providing a single, effective, national system of establishing identity, an identity card scheme will allow us to simplify several of the Department's current business processes.

  For example, we want all people who are eligible for benefits to take up their entitlement, and information on the National Identity Register may allow us more easily to identify those people who may be entitled to claim benefit. In addition, use of an identity card will ensure that the process of establishing identity for benefit claims is both more secure and more convenient for the customer, and we also envisage that the national identity card and its supporting database will be a useful tool in countering identity fraud.
  1307W
  The detail of the information the Department would require will emerge as the National Identity Register is developed. However, as with existing powers relating to exchange of information, the Department will be stringent in the way that any new powers appropriate to the ID card and supporting register are applied.

  Income Support
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who refuse work because they would receive more on income support. [178229]

  Mr. Pond
  [holding answer 14 June 2004]: The information requested is not available.

  Lone parents and sick and disabled people can qualify for income support. We have introduced work-focused interviews enabling everyone on income support to take advantage of the increasing opportunities to move into work by, for the first time, offering everyone of working age advice and guidance on the full range of employment programmes.

  The national minimum wage and tax credits encourage people to start work by making it pay for them. Together they guarantee a minimum income in work and provide much improved gains through work. The improvements in gains through work have made a substantial contribution to improving labour market outcomes; for example the employment rate for lone parents has increased from 46 per cont. in 1997 to 53 per cent. this year.

  We have announced recent measures in the Budget to further improve gains through work for part time workers. We have introduced a disregard in housing benefit and council tax benefit for all tenants working part time (typically lone parents and disabled people) who are eligible for working tax credit which will make them around £10 per week better off.

  We have also introduced a child care disregard in housing benefit which is fully aligned with the child care element of working tax credit. This will improve gains through work for families receiving housing benefit who have child care costs.

  New Deal
  Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women in Manchester Central have benefited from(a) the New Deal for Lone Parents and (b) the New Deal for Partners since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [177740]

  Jane Kennedy
  Through the New Deal we have introduced a wide range of initiatives to help individuals improve their employment prospects by giving them the skills, support and confidence they need to move into work. From 12 April we enhanced the New Deal for Partners in order to offer partners taking part in that programme the same level of help and support as our successful New Deal for Lone Parents programme. Also from this April we have started to roll out Work Focused Interviews for Partners, offering greater support to partners of benefit recipients.
  1308W
  1,320 women have started New Deal for Lone Parents in Manchester, Central since the beginning of the programme in October 1998, of whom, 680 have gained a job: Information on the number of women who have benefited from the New Deal for Partners is not available.

  Pensions
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost in each of the next 10 financial years from 2006–07, net of savings in means-tested benefits and additional income tax revenues, of paying from April 2006,(a) regardless of contribution record, (b) on the current basis, a basic state pension to (i) all single people aged 80 or above at the rate of the guarantee credit for single people and (ii) all couples where one or both partners is aged 80 or above at the rate of the guarantee credit for couples, with that pension being indexed to earnings in subsequent years, and assuming that the savings credit is abolished for those aged 80 or above. [174110]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The information is not available in the format requested. However such information as is available is in the table.

  £ billion

  (a) Net cost (before Tax) regardless of contribution record

  (b) Net cost (before Tax) on current system of entitlement

  2006–07

  1.6

  1.5

  2007–08

  1.7

  1.7

  2008–09

  1.9

  1.8

  2009–10

  2.0

  2.0

  2010–11

  2.2

  2.1

  2011–12

  2.4

  2.3

  2012–13

  2.5

  2.5

  2013–14

  2.7

  2.6

  2014–15

  2.9

  2.8

  2015–16

  3.1

  3.0

  Notes:

  1. The net cost includes all savings except for additional Income tax revenue, (see note (5). Figures are for Great Britain in 2004–05 price terms, using the GDP deflator index, rounded to the nearest £100 million.

  2. Basic State Pension (BSP) costs are estimated by the Government Actuary's Department, consistent with Budget 2004 assumptions, made using 2002 based population projections.

  3. The savings credit is abolished for those aged 80 and over from April 2006 with no payments to existing pensioners and no new recipients after 2006.

  4. The savings from savings credit and other income related benefits (guarantee credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit) are calculated using the Department's policy simulation model for 2006–7. It is assumed that the proportion of savings calculated for the first year is constant for subsequent years.

  (a) The net cost including tax revenues regardless of contribution record in 2006–07 is £1.3 billion. For illustrative purposes, we have assumed income tax revenue to be a fixed percentage of the gross cost for this option in 2007–08 and 2008–09. Therefore, the illustrative total net cost in 2007–08 is £1.5 billion and in 2008–09 is £1.6 billion. Estimates for later years would be subject to a greater degree of uncertainty.

  (b) The net cost including tax revenues on the current system of entitlement in 2006–07 is £1.2 billion. Again we have assumed income tax revenue to be a fixed percentage of the gross cost for this option in 2007–08 and 2008–09. Therefore, the illustrative total net cost in 2007–08 is £1.4 billion and in 2008–09 is £1.5 billion.
  1309W
  (c) Tax revenues have been calculated using the Department's policy simulation model, as this provides information at a household level.

  (a) All single over 80 year olds have been given the single rate of the guarantee credit and all couples have been given the couples rate of the guarantee credit, split equally between the two, regardless of contribution records.

  (b) Category A pensions are increased under existing rules (i.e. relative to the single rate of the guarantee credit) except that in a couple where one person is in receipt of a category B pension, the combined category A and category B pension is increased pro rata relative to the couples rate of the guarantee credit.

  (c) In both scenarios couples with only one person over 80 years old are treated identically to those where both are over 80.

  7. The State Second Pension is assumed to be unchanged.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost in each of the 10 financial years from 2006–07, net of savings in means-tested benefits and additional income tax revenues, of paying from April 2006 a basic state pension to all single people aged 70 or above at the rate of the guarantee credit of single people regardless of contribution record and a basic state pension to all couples where one or both partners is aged 70 or above at the rate of the guarantee credit for couples, with that pension being indexed to earnings in subsequent years, and assuming that the savings credit is abolished for those aged 70 or above. [175189]

  Malcolm Wicks
  [holding answer 21 May 2004]: The information is not available in the format requested. However such information as is available is in the table.

  Net cost (before tax) regardless of contribution record

  2006–07

  6.3

  2007–08

  5.8

  2008–09

  6.3

  2009–10

  6.7

  2010–11

  7.2

  2011–12

  7.7

  2012–13

  8.3

  2013–14

  9.0

  2014–15

  9.7

  2015–16

  10.4

  Notes:

  1. The net cost includes all savings except for additional Income tax revenue, (see note 5). Figures are for Great Britain in 2004–05 price terms, using the GDP deflator index, rounded to the nearest £100 million.

  2. Basic state pension costs are estimated by the Government Actuary's Department, consistent with Budget 2004 assumptions, made using 2002 based population projections.

  3. The savings credit is abolished for those aged 70 and over from April 2006 with no payments to existing pensioners and no new recipients after 2006.

  4. The savings from savings credit and other income related benefits (guarantee credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit) are calculated using the Department's policy simulation model for 2006–07. It is assumed that the proportion of savings calculated for the first year is constant for subsequent years.

  5. The net cost including tax revenues regardless of contribution record in 2006–07 is £4.6 billion. For illustrative purposes, we have assumed income tax revenue to be a fixed percentage of the gross cost for this option in 2007–08 and 2008–09. Therefore, the illustrative total net cost in 2007–08 is £5.0 billion and in 2008–09 is £5.4 billion. Estimates for later years would be subject to a greater degree of uncertainty. Tax revenues have been calculated using the Department's policy simulation model, as this provides information at a household level.

  6. The state second pension is assumed to be unchanged.
  1310W
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 4 May 2004,Official Report, column 1461W, on pensions, if he will estimate for each year the gross cost of the reform before taking account of offsetting savings in lower benefit expenditure and higher tax revenues. [175191]

  Malcolm Wicks
  [holding answer 21 May 2004]: The information is provided in the table.

  £billion

  2006–07

  5.7

  2007–08

  6.2

  2008–09

  6.7

  2009–10

  7.2

  2010–11

  7.8

  2011–12

  8.4

  2012–13

  9.0

  2013–14

  9.7

  2014–15

  10.4

  2015–16

  11.1

  Notes:

  1. Figures are for Great Britain in 2004–05 price terms, using the GDP deflator index, rounded to the nearest £100 million.

  2. Gross basic state pension costs are estimated by the Government Actuary's Department and are consistent with Budget 2004 assumptions and use 2002 based population projections. Basic state pension costs refer to the additional costs after allowing for consequential changes to National Insurance Fund benefits and non-means tested vote benefits.

  3. The state second pension is assumed to be unchanged.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost in each of the next 10 financial years from 2006–07, net of savings in means-tested benefits and additional income tax revenues, of paying from April 2006 a basic state pension to all single people aged 75 or above at the rate of the guarantee credit for single people regardless of contribution record, and a basic state pension to all couples where one or both partners is aged 75 or above at the rate of the guarantee credit for couples, with that pension being indexed to earnings in subsequent years, and assuming that the savings credit is abolished for those aged 75 or above. [170649]

  Malcolm Wicks
  [pursuant to the reply, 4 May 2004, Official Report, c. 1461–62W]: The information is not available in the format requested. However such information as is available is in the table.

  £billion

  Net cost (before tax)

  2006–07

  3.1

  2007–08

  3.4

  2008–09

  3.7

  2009–10

  4.0

  2010–11

  4.3

  2011–12

  4.7

  2012–13

  5.0

  2013–14

  5.4

  2014–15

  5.8

  2015–16

  6.2

  Notes:

  1. The net cost includes all savings except for additional income tax revenue, (see note 5) Figures are for Great Britain in 2004–05 price terms, using the GDP deflator index, rounded to the nearest £100 million.

  1311W
  2. Basic state pension costs are estimated by the Government Actuary's Department, consistent with Budget 2004 assumptions, made using 2002 based population projections.

  3. The savings credit is abolished for those aged 75 and over from April 2006 with no payments to existing pensioners and no new recipients after 2006.

  4. The savings from savings credit and other income related benefits (guarantee credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit) are calculated using the Department's policy simulation model for 2006–07. It is assumed that the proportion of savings calculated for the first year is constant for subsequent years.

  5. The net cost including tax revenues regardless of contribution record in 2006–07 is £2.7 billion. For illustrative purposes, we have assumed income tax revenue to be a fixed percentage of the gross cost for this option in 2007–08 and 2008–09. Therefore, the illustrative total net cost in 2007–08 is £3.0 billion and in 2008–09 is £3.2 billion. Estimates for later years would be subject to a greater degree of uncertainty. Tax revenues have been calculated using the Departments policy simulation model, as this provides information at a household level.

  6. The state second pension is assumed to be unchanged.

  Private Rental Sector
  Sarah Teather
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the range of options available in private sector rented accommodation in the local authority areas in which the new housing benefit rules are being tested. [179664]

  Mr. Pond
  The new local housing allowance is being tested in nine local authority areas, for tenants in the private rented sector. The intention is that by paying tenants a flat rate sum of money, based on family size, it will help increase the options open to tenants and provide a much clearer system from the outset for both tenants and landlords.

  The nine pathfinders started between November 2003 and February 2004, and therefore it is too early to make any firm assessment about the impact on the choices made by tenants. This will be assessed by the comprehensive and independent evaluation that is in place, to consider the overall impact of the local housing allowance. The first interim evaluation report is due by early 2005.

TRANSPORT

  Acoustic Barriers (M1)
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of acoustic barriers on the M1 near Junction 21. [179619]

  Mr. Jamieson
  A recent report into noise from this section of motorway confirmed that noise levels could be reduced by the installation of acoustic barriers. However, the carriageway here is nearing the time when it needs to be resurfaced and the Highways Agency considers that the use of lower noise surfacing would provide a sufficient reduction in noise levels in this location.

  Strategic Rail Authority
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has held with stakeholders in Wales on the future of the Strategic Rail Authority. [179621]
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  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I hosted a seminar about our review of the structure and organisation of the railway industry in Cardiff on 28 April, which the National Assembly for Wales and other Welsh stakeholders attended. We will announce the conclusions of the review in July.

  Transport Connections
  Julie Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will take to ensure that changes in the frequency of intercity rail services are accompanied by matching changes in connecting local(a) rail and (b) bus services. [179622]

  Mr. McNulty
  Connections between intercity rail services, local rail services and buses depend on passenger demand and operational practicability. The majority of bus services are provided on a commercial basis and the timetabling of those services is a matter for the operators.

  Road Safety (Derby)
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will increase the funding to Derby city council(a) to relieve traffic congestion and (b) to increase road safety in Derby. [179623]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The amount of capital transport funding which will be made available to Derby city council for the next financial year will depend upon my Department's assessment of the Derby Joint Local Transport Plan Annual Progress Report to be submitted by the Council on 30 July.

  Transport (Leigh)
  Andy Burnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the need for better transport in the Leigh area. [179627]

  Mr. McNulty
  A general assessment of public transport need in the Leigh area is made as part of the Local Transport Plan process by the Greater Manchester Public Transport Executive. As a consequence of this notable projects are:the £4.8 million Leigh—Bolton corridor, which has seen patronage in 2003–04 rise by 15 per cent.
  the night bus services with its 1,700 passengers a week
  the successfully piloted Yellow School Bus Scheme.

  Transport (EU)
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last discussed transport issues with his EU counterparts; and what subjects were discussed. [179716]

  Dr. Howells
  The Secretary of State last discussed transport issues with his EU counterparts at the Transport Council in Luxembourg on 11 June. Topics on the agenda for debate were: port security; sanctions for ship-source pollution offences; the Galileo satellite navigation project; charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructure; weekend lorry bans; drivers hours legislation applying to certain drivers of large commercial vehicles, and enforcement of those hours; EU/US air transport negotiations; and aviation safety standards (EU-OPS).

  Road Traffic Accidents
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made on reducing transport delays after road traffic incidents. [179624]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Highways Agency has introduced Incident Support Units across most of the strategic road network which, with the new Traffic Officer service, will help clear blocked lanes quicker. The new National Traffic Control Centre will provide improved traffic signing and information on incidents and delays.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of road traffic accidents primarily caused by excessive speed in the last year for which figures are available. [179487]

  Dr. Howells
  Routine statistics do not record the primary cause of a road accident. However, under a pilot scheme 14 police forces have provided information on contributory factors to accidents. The latest year for which pilot data are available is 2002. Accidents for which "excessive speed" was deemed by the police to be one of the contributory factors, though not necessarily the primary factor, accounted for 13 per cent. of all injury road accidents recorded in the police areas taking part in the pilot scheme. The proportion of accidents where 'excessive speed' is coded as a factor rises with the severity of the accident; it applied to 12 per cent. of slight accidents, 19 per cent. of serious accidents and 30 per cent. of fatal accidents in the pilot areas in 2002.

  West Coast Main Line
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his latest estimate is of the date of the completion of the refurbishment of the West Coast Main Line. [179625]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Strategic Rail Authority's progress report on The West Coast Route Modernisation Scheme, published in April, said that the project (other than Stafford remodelling) is expected to be completed by the end of 2008.

  National Forest Line
  David Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential(a) economic, (b) environmental and (c) social benefits of the reinstatement of passenger rail services to the National Forest Line in Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire; and if he will make a statement. [179626]

  Mr. McNulty
  Studies by the local authority, Leicestershire county council, were carried out in the early 1990s into the National Forest Line; the "Ivanhoe Line" scheme. Passenger services on Section 1, between Leicester and Loughborough, are currently operating under a subsidy from Leicestershire county council.

  A business case has not been made for the reinstatement of passenger services on Section 2, between Leicester and Burton-on-Trent, but it is likely that it will require considerable investment in infrastructure and additional subsidy to the train operator. Any appraisal will need to be considered against other priorities and in the context of the financial constraints on the industry at the present time.

  Road Congestion (South-east)
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to relieve road congestion in the South East. [179628]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The road programme is on track to address major bottlenecks on the strategic road network. The Traffic Management Bill will give far greater powers to the Highways Agency and local authorities to minimise the disruption caused by road works. We are also working closely with local authorities on the next five year Local Transport Plan to develop effective strategies and measures to address local congestion in including the need to improve public transport and widen travel choice.

  Air Conditioning
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require all vehicles carrying fare-paying passengers to be fitted with air conditioning. [179358]

  Dr. Howells
  No.

  Aircraft Emissions
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to(a) the Prime Minister's statement to the hon. Member for Lewes on 14 June 2004, Official Report, column 530 and (b) his oral answer to the right hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Inverness, West (Mr. Kennedy), on 16 June 2004, Official Report, column 769, what he assesses to be the maximum reduction that can he achieved in average aircraft emissions by 2020 from technological advances. [179973]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Government's Air Transport White Paper published in December 2003 notes (para. 3.38) that the research targets agreed by the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE) suggest that a 50 per cent. reduction in CO2 production by 2020 can be achieved. This target has been adopted by the Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team (AeIGT), a joint government and industry initiative which aims, among other things, to promote and deliver technological advancement. The target, which applies to aircraft entering service by 2020 relative to a 2000 base, comprises improvements in engine and aircraft design, air traffic management systems and flight operations.

  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his policy to secure an EU agreement on aircraft emissions trading before the end of the UK presidency of the EU. [179974]

  Mr. McNulty
  We are pursuing vigorously the commitment in "The Future of Air Transport" White Paper to press for aviation joining the EU emissions trading scheme in 2008, or as soon as possible thereafter. The proposal is subject to consensus with other member states, and we aim to secure early EU agreement. We will make this a priority for the UK presidency of the EU in 2005.

  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the steps he has
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  taken since the publication of the White Paper on aviation (a) to make progress on an emissions trading scheme and (b) to seek agreement within the EU for a tax on aviation fuel. [179975]

  Mr. McNulty
  The information is as follows.

  (a) We are pursuing vigorously the commitment in "The Future of Air Transport" White Paper to press for aviation joining the EU emissions trading scheme in 2008, or as soon as possible thereafter. We are working inter-departmentally to resolve the issues that we have already identified (summarised in Annex B of the White Paper), and have held constructive discussions with officials from the European Commission and other member states.

  (b) The White Paper recognises the importance of ensuring that aviation meets its external costs, including its environmental costs. An analysis by the European Commission in 1998–99 suggested that an EU-wide tax would deliver minimal environmental benefit, and could create competitive distortions. The Government remain committed to applying the "polluter pays" principle to aviation, building on the work in the March 2003 report, "Aviation and the Environment: Using Economic Instruments". Further details are set out in the White Paper.

  Biofuels (UK Target)
  Mrs. Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the closing date is for his consultation on the UK target for biofuels; and when he proposes to submit the UK target to the EU. [179707]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 21 June 2004]: The closing date for the UK's public consultation on the Government's biofuels strategy is Friday 16 July. The EU directive requires annual progress reports from member states on implementation of the directive to be submitted to the European Commission by 1 July, and the UK intends to meet that deadline. As we will still be consulting at this point, we will make clear to the European Commission that the indicative target proposed in our report is only a provisional one. We will confirm our target for 2005 by the end of the year, in the light of the responses to our consultation paper.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Answer of 16 June to Question 179048, when he replied to Mrs. Bingham's letter, addressed to the Minister for Roads by name, of 20 March. [179977]

  Mr. Jamieson
  My office has been unable to trace a letter of 20 March, addressed to me from Mrs. Bingham. If the hon. Gentleman would like to send me a copy of the letter I will gladly consider it. A letter of the same date from Mrs. Bingham, addressed to the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, was replied to on 8 April.

  'O' Licence Entitlement
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department permits a haulage firm to employ a part-time transport manager in order for it to qualify for an 'O' licence. [179260]
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  Dr. Howells
  The Department is not responsible for approving the employment conditions of transport managers. They are required to have continuous and effective responsibility for the transport operations of a business. It is for the licensing authority, a traffic commissioner, to decide if this requirement is being met.

  Rail Freight
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to expand rail freight. [179491]

  Dr. Howells
  The Government are committed to achieving a competitive freight distribution industry that benefits the economy and the environment. The SRA's Freight Strategy provides a framework for a significant shift from road to rail. Rail freight is up nearly a quarter since 1997.

  Railways
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many regulatory bodies are responsible for railway activity. [179486]

  Dr. Howells
  There are three public bodies whose work is, or includes, regulation of railway activity. They are the Office of the Rail Regulator, the Health and Safety Executive and the Strategic Rail Authority.

  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve rail transport in London. [179618]

  Mr. McNulty
  London rail users will benefit from £2.7 billion investment programme to upgrade rail transport in London and the South East. This includes more than 2,000 new carriages and modernisation of the power supply infrastructure. Other investment will provide increases in passenger services and station improvements, including CCTV and information points. Over the next 15 years, £16 billion will be spent on modernising and upgrading London Underground to provide new signalling and trains, as well as track renewal. The British Transport Police continue to play a key role in helping to ensure the security of passengers in London whether on the rail network or the Underground. TfL have provided an additional £4.5 million this year including funding for a further 100 police officers on the Tube.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his oral answer of 18 May 2004,Official Report, column 809, on the rail safety regulator, what steps he is taking towards a more streamlined system of responsibility in relation to health and safety on the railways. [179789]

  Mr. McNulty
  The rail review is continuing to look at the regulation of safety. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, said in his statement to the House on 19 January, the Government will publish their proposals in the summer.

  Surveys
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what surveys of public perceptions of his Department and of its areas of responsibility have taken place over the last 12 months; what the(a) title and

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  (b) nature of these surveys was; what the findings of each survey were; where these findings have been published; what the cost of such surveys was; and if he will make a statement and place copies of the surveys in the Library. [176949]

  Mr. McNulty
  There are a number of surveys that explore public perceptions of the Department, and its areas of responsibility. The following annex provides information on each of the main surveys undertaken by

  Title of survey

  Nature

  Where are findings published?

  Cost of survey (£)

  ONS Omnibus Survey, July 2003. Module covered attitudes to congestion charging and knowledge of speed limits

  A multi-purpose survey run by ONS eight times per year

  A summary of recent attitudinal work on speed and other road safety issues was published on the DfT website in February 2004. This can be found at http:// www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_transstats/ documents/page/dft_transstats_028383.hcsp

  23,700 for the module

  Coverage—Great Britain

  Random sample

  ONS Omnibus Survey, October 2003. Module covered attitudes to road safety and speeding issues

  Face to face interviews, in-home

  35,100 for the module

  Sample size—around 1,800 each wave

  A summary of attitudinal work on congestion charging is expected to be completed and published on the DfT website during the summer.

  ONS Omnibus Survey, November 2003. Module covered attitudes to rail line closures on Bank Holidays

  Response rate—approx 60 per cent.

  7,100 for the module

  Data from the November 2003 questions of rail line closures will be included within a series of thematic factsheets to be released in autumn 2004.

  All findings will be available on the DfT website at http://www.dft gov.uk/stellent/ groups/dft_transstats/documents/ sectionhomepage/dft_transstats_page.hcsp

  ONS Omnibus Survey, March 2004-attitudes to road pricing

  Will be published on the DfT website in July (at the same address as that provided above).

  38,200 for the module

  ONS Omnibus Survey, April 2004. Small module on satisfaction with travel information services

  Will be published early in 2005 as part of the evaluation of Transport Direct.

  7,400 for the module

  Bus Passenger Satisfaction Survey— a survey of bus users' satisfaction with bus services. Respondents provide satisfaction ratings on 22 key service attributes.

  A quarterly survey of bus users.

  Data are published quarterly on the DfT website, within the Bus Quality Indicators bulletins. The 2003–04 bulletins can be found at: http://www.dft.gov.uk stellent/groups/ dft_control/documents/contentservertemplate/ dft_index.hcst?n=8624&=5

  250,000 per annum

  Coverage—England.

  Quota sample, involving around 1,500 interviews per quarter.

  Face to face interviews undertaken at bus stops.

  Copies will also be placed in the Library.

  BMRB Omnibus Survey, October 2003. Covers use of and attitudes towards public. transport in the UK

  DfT uses this survey around two or three times per year.

  Findings from the October 2003 module were published on DfT website on 11 March 2004 at http://www.dft.gov.uk/ research/ programmes/index.htm, where findings from other modules can also located (i.e. November 2002 and April 2003).

  24,480 plus VAT per wave, to a maximum of three waves a year

  2,000 interviews per wave

  Quota sample (random location sampling)

  Face to face interviews, in home

  Copies will also be placed in the Library.

  Coverage—Great Britain

  British Social Attitudes Survey—the survey is carried put on an annual basis, and the Department currently part funds a transport module

  Annual survey

  Results from the survey are published by NatCen in their annual BSA Book. This is a priced publication, which costs £40.00. Most recent findings were published in December 2003, 'British Social Attitudes: the 20th Report—Continuity and change over Two Decades'. Press releases providing headline results are available on NatCen's website at http://www.natcen.ac.uk/natcen/pages/ news_and_media_docs/2003bsa pr.pdf

  DfT contributes 36,000 per annum

  Coverage—Great Britain

  Sample size approximately 1,100

  Random sample

  Face to face f interviews in - in-home

  Response rate—approx 60 per cent.

  Department also has a full electronic dataset for the transport data from each survey.

  The Strategic Rail Authority's National Passenger Survey. Covers satisfaction with train services— overall and across 27 specific aspects of service

  Carried out every six months.

  Findings are published as part of 'National Rail Trends', and are available on the Internet at the following address: http:// www.sra.gov.uk/publications/ national_rail_trends

  SRA funds the survey

  Self-completion of survey of rail-users with approximately 25,000 completed questionnaires being returned every wave.

  Questionnaires distributed at around 950 stations

  Copies will also be placed in the Library.

  Coverage—Great Britain

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  the Department, its Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies. Many are regular surveys, and others are more ad hoc in nature.

  Findings from most of the surveys referred to in the annex are available on the internet, and therefore are not summarised here. The annex provides full details on where findings can be obtained. In addition, copies of a number of the reports referred to will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
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  Title of survey

  Nature

  Where are findings published?

  Cost of survey (£)

  Highway Agency's Road Users'Satisfaction Survey

  A continuous survey, with an annual sample of around 2,500 road-users

  Findings are published every two years.

  HA funds the survey.

  Results are published on the HA website, and can be found at http://www.highways.gov.uk/aboutus/corpdocs/road_user/2002/index.htm

  Coverage—England

  Quota sample

  Face to face interviews, in-home

  Copies will also be placed in the Library.

  Findings for 2004 will be published on the HA website in around December 2004.

  Learners Survey. A survey undertaken by the DVO Group on satisfaction/perceptions to DVO services

  An annual survey of 1,000 motorists that have applied for a provisional licence in the past six months

  The survey was first conducted in August 2003. The findings have been distributed throughout the DVO Group.

  The survey was funded by the DVO Group and cost 60,000.

  Coverage—Great Britain

  Copies will also be placed in the Library.

  Telephone interviews

  Private Motorists survey. A survey undertaken by the DVO Group on satisfaction/perceptions to DVO services

  An annual survey of 1,000 motorists

  The survey was first conducted in July 2003.The findings have been distributed throughout the DVO Group.

  The survey was funded by the DVO Group and cost 110,000.

  Coverage—Great Britain

  Quota sample

  Copies will also be placed in the Library.

  The 2004 survey is budgeted at 100,000.

  Face-to, face interviews

  MOT study. A study on how the MOT is perceived by private motorists

  A survey, of 1,000 MOT customers

  The survey was first conducted in September 2003. The findings have been distributed throughout the DVO Group

  The survey was funded by DVO Group(55,000) and VOSA(21,000). The next survey is planned for 2005

  Coverage—Great Britain

  Quota sample

  Face-to face interviews

  Copies will also be placed in the Library.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Business Regulation
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 7 June 2004,Official Report, columns 25–6W, on business regulation, what the estimated (a) benefits and (b) costs to business were from each of the six regulatory impact assessments listed. [178664]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Information it, relation to the estimated benefits and costs to business is provided in the regulatory impact assessment and is best read in the context of each individual RIA.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have left employment in her Department because of(a) anxiety, (b) stress, (c) depression and (d) other mental health reasons in each year since 1997. [175669]

  Ms Hewitt
  The DTI does not collect and hold information in the form requested.

  E-mail Spam
  Helen Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of the volume of spam sent to(a) UK business and (b) private citizens by e-mail in each of the last two years. [179497]

  Mr. Timms
  The Government have not made an estimate of the amount of spam e-mails sent to UK businesses and private citizens over the past two years. Industry sources estimate that 37 per cent. of UK e-mails were spam in June 2003 and 60.1 per cent. in April 2004.

  Electricity Generation/Supply
  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what duty she has to ensure security of electricity supply; what powers she has to carry out that duty; and what steps she has taken in the last three years in respect of that duty. [R] [178316]

  Mr. Timms
  Security of supply is one of the four goals of the Government's energy policy, as set out in the Energy White Paper, published in February 2003. Energy security is a shared responsibility. Ofgem and the Government have duties, in carrying out their primary function of protecting the interests of consumers, to secure that all reasonable demands for electricity are met and to secure a diverse and viable long-term energy supply.

  The Electricity Act 1989 requires my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to take security of supply into account in exercising her functions under Part I of the Act. These include:
  her powers to grant exemptions from the need for a licence for electricity generation, transmission, distribution and supply;
  her powers to veto modifications to the conditions of electricity licences;
  the making of regulations relating to regular, safe and efficient supplies of electricity, and the appointment of electricity inspectors;
  the making of legislation relating to the renewables obligation; and
  the giving of directions in relation to fuel stocks at generating stations.

  The Government have worked to create and maintain competitive energy markets in the UK, Europe, and internationally, in particular successfully negotiating an agreement on the principles that are currently being incorporated into a new Framework Treaty for future cross-border oil and gas co-operation with Norway, which will help to secure gas supplies including for electricity generation, and agreeing measures to liberalise EU energy markets. We have also established

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  mechanisms to monitor developments and provide information to the market, particularly through the Joint Energy Security of Supply Working Group (JESS); investigated power failures in the UK to ensure that the lessons are learnt for the future; promoted energy efficiency; and further developed our plans for dealing with emergency situations.

  Energy Suppliers
  Kevin Brennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many households in the UK have switched gas and electricity supplier in each year since the competitive market was introduced, broken down by(a) local authority and (b) constituent country of the UK. [179256]

  Mr. Timms
  Information about transfers of gas and electricity supply is collected and held by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM). I understand that the Chairman of OFGEM will write to hon. Member directly with the information he has requested.

  Government Online Services
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she next expects to meet representatives of the small firms sector to discuss ways of assisting small businesses to access information provided by Government online services. [179608]

  Nigel Griffiths
  I met with the five key representative bodies separately recently as part of my regular meetings with stakeholders, including the CBI SME Council who praised businesslink.gov (www.businesslink.gov.uk) for pulling together all Government info in one place. The website provides free and easy access to Government information, advice, funding and training and has been enthusiastically received by small business users.

  The Government target of getting 1.5 million SMEs online by 2002 was exceeded in 2000.

  The UK is one of the most connected economies in the world with 90 per cent. of businesses with internet access, thanks to in large part in the 100 per cent. tax allowances that the Government made available to SMEs for connecting to the internet.

  Graduate Businesses
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many graduates between the ages of 21 and 25 have set up small businesses in each year since 1997. [179249]

  Nigel Griffiths
  These statistics are not available for publication. However statistics are available on the number of graduates aged 21 to 25 inclusive who are self-employed and those that went into self-employment as a first destination after graduaton for each year since 1997. This information is provided in tables 1 and 2 as follows.
  1322W

  Table 1: Graduates aged 21 to 25 inclusive who are self-employed

  thousands

  Number

  1997

  13

  1998

  14

  1999

  12

  2000

  17

  2001

  12

  2002

  14

  2003

  20

  Note:

  The above figures are estimates, and are subject to sampling errors. These estimates have approximate 95 per cent. confidence intervals of up to 5 thousand.

  Source:

  ONS Labour Force Survey, Spring (March-May) of each year.

  Figures in thousands.

  Table 2: Graduates going into self-employment as a first destination after graduation

  Year of graduation

  Under 25 years

  25 years and over

  Total

  1996–97

  1,650

  1,040

  2,690

  1997–98

  1,730

  1,170

  2,900

  1998–99

  1,830

  1,150

  2,990

  1999–2000

  1,530

  860

  2,390

  2000–01

  1,595

  740

  2,340

  2001–02

  1,810

  765

  2,575

  Note:

  Students of unknown age are included in totals but not in the breakdown. Figures rounded up or down to the nearest 5.

  Source:

  The Higher Education Statistics Authority: First Destination Survey.

  Oil and Gas
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by what mechanisms she reviews strategic oil and gas reserves held by the Government. [179767]

  Mr. Timms
  The UK does not have a strategic oil or gas reserve. It does hold oil stocks for use in a supply disruption. Under a EU Directive the UK is currently required to hold stock equivalent to 67.5 days' annual consumption. It meets this obligation by imposing compulsory oil stocking obligations on commercial companies. These holdings are the subject of regular reports to my Department and to the European Commission. My Department is also involved in the International Energy Agency's monitoring of world oil markets, and discussion of any action needed to respond to disruption or threatened disruption. There are no relevant international obligations in relation to gas.

  Power Dialling
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with companies regarding power dialing; and if she will make a statement. [179572]

  Mr. Timms
  I have had no such discussions. The matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom), and my officials have asked
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  the Chief Executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Racial Discrimination
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken to tackle racial discrimination in employment; and if she will make a statement. [176732]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Race Relations Act 1976 prohibits racial discrimination in employment (as well as education and the provision of goods and services) and established the Commission for Racial Equality to enforce the Act and provide advice and support to victims of discrimination. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 strengthened the Race Relations Act by prohibiting racial discrimination in almost all public functions not covered by the Race Relations Act and by placing a statutory duty on public authorities to promote racial equality, including in the field of employment. We have further strengthened the law on discrimination by transposing the EU Race Directive into domestic law in the Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulations 2003. These improve the protection to employees by, for example, reversing the burden of proof in race discrimination cases, introducing a definition of harassment and narrowing the permissible exemptions to the employment provisions of the Race Relations Act 1976.

  In addition to the legislative changes, the Government are also implementing the recommendations of the Strategy Unit report— Ethnic Minorities and the Labour Market. This report makes 11 recommendations to improve equal opportunities in the workplace which are being taken forward by the Home Office and the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), but also by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) Implementation of these recommendations will result in better advice and support for employers; increased effectiveness of existing mechanisms to ensure race equality; and increased transparency and awareness.

  Radio Frequency Identifier Devices
  Mr. Lepper
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to commission research into the use of radio frequency identifier devices in retail goods. [177390]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Department of Trade and Industry has no plans to commission research specific to the use of radio frequency identifier devices (RFID) in retail goods. However, DTI supports research into commercially and socially useful applications of RFID as an increasingly significant business technology.

  DTI's response to the IT and Retail Crime Adjournment debate, 27 January 2004, Official Report, column 284 outlined the steps we are taking with industry and organisations such as the National Consumers Council to keep abreast of developments.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

  Disability Discrimination Act
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment he has made of the training provided to judges in understanding and correctly applying part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [179673]

  Mr. Leslie
  Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), an independent body chaired by Lord Justice Keene.

  The JSB provides guidance to judges, via its Equal Treatment Bench Book, on all aspects of fair treatment in courts and tribunals. The Equal Treatment Bench Book contains a section on the needs of people with disabilities and includes the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. It is publicly available on the JSB's website. In addition, the JSB provides training on the Disability Discrimination Act and proceedings brought under part 3, for District Judges who sit in the county court. The most recent training session on this topic was in March 2004. The supporting training materials are available to judges in hard copy and electronic form. The JSB keeps all of its training under regular review.

  Environmental Cases
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs on how many occasions interim relief has been(a) applied for and (b) granted in cases relating to environmental matters in (i) the High Court, (ii) the Court of Appeal, (iii) the House of Lords and (iv) the Privy Council in each year since 1997. [179530]

  Mr. Leslie
  The Administrative Court Office (High Court), the Court of Appeal and Privy Council do not keep statistical information on applications for interim relief relating to environmental matters.

  The House of Lords does not receive applications for interim relief on environmental issues.

  Uncollected Fines
  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many and what percentage of fines are uncollected, broken down by magistrate area, in descending order, according to region. [180033]

  Mr. Leslie
  Information on fines imposed and collected is provided by the 42 Magistrates's Courts Committees (MCCs) in England and Wales. The attached table shows the number of live accounts outstanding as at the end of March 2004 and the payment rates for the last quarter of 2004. The figures for the number of live accounts are shown by descending order.
  1325W

  Number of live accounts as at end of March 2004, in descending order

  MCC

  Number of live accounts as attend of March 20041,2

  Payment rate for quarter 4 (January-March 2004)2 (Percentage)

  Greater London

  250,000

  82

  Merseyside

  113,518

  51

  West Midlands

  105,422

  54

  West Yorkshire

  85,816

  69

  Greater Manchester

  78,690

  72

  Northumbria

  77,330

  81

  South Wales

  67,061

  76

  Lancashire

  64,724

  90

  Thames Valley

  59,659

  63

  Devon and Cornwall

  52,539

  55

  Avon and Somerset

  52,252

  77

  Hampshire and Isle of Wight

  49,147

  68

  Cheshire

  49,110

  78

  Leicestershire

  41,577

  73

  Staffordshire

  39,348

  67

  South Yorkshire

  38,942

  101

  Cleveland

  36,027

  114

  North Wales

  35,816

  75

  Gwent

  35,396

  84

  Humberside

  34,018

  87

  Kent

  32,309

  78

  Derbyshire

  31,583

  89

  Lincolnshire

  31,297

  75

  Nottinghamshire

  27,316

  68

  Dyfed Powys

  26,644

  102

  Cambridgeshire

  25,127

  110

  Dorset

  23,265

  69

  Suffolk

  22,699

  71

  Surrey

  19,366

  77

  Essex

  18,385

  109

  West Mercia

  18,211

  74

  Wiltshire

  18,156

  92

  Hertfordshire

  14,865

  63

  Northamptonshire

  14,421

  81

  Cumbria

  11,086

  91

  Gloucestershire

  10,993

  61

  Bedfordshire

  10,721

  84

  Durham

  8,885

  93

  Warwickshire

  8,871

  80

  North Yorkshire

  8,569

  138

  Norfolk

  8,002

  85

  Sussex (d)

  —

  95

  England and Wales

  1,757,163

  76

  Notes:

  1. The number of Accounts may include more than one fine per offender. MCCs have the option of consolidating a number of fines for the same person under one fine account. Those MCCs (and it can vary within that MCC) that choose this facility are unable to state how many fines are held in total under each consolidated account.

  2. This includes Fines, Legal Aid, Costs, Community Penalty Costs and Compensation.

  3. Sussex MCC operate a unique collection system and are consequently unable to provide this information.

  NB: The payment rate can not be directly compared to number of live accounts to show what percentage of fines is uncollected. The number of accounts provides a snapshot of the number of live fines on a given day, and can include outstanding accounts from previous years. The payment rate shows the amount of money collected by an MCC as a percentage of that imposed within the time period. All figures shown are inclusive of Fines, Legal Aid, Costs, Community Penalty Costs and Compensation.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Government-owned Land (Chorley)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much land is owned by the Government in the Chorley constituency; and what its present use is. [180053]
  1326W
  Mr. Lammy
  I have been asked to reply.

  Other than by approaching each individual government department in the Chorley constituency, it is not possible to provide information on the amount of unregistered land owned by them. Land Registry holds information on land ownership relating to registered titles but, under Rule 11 of the Land Registration Rules 2003, it is only possible to search for ownership by name if the applicant can satisfy the registrar that he is interested generally (for instance, as trustee in bankruptcy or personal representative). Land Registry does not hold information on land use.

  Homeless Households
  Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the expenditure in 2004–05 arising as a result of the use of temporary accommodation to house homeless households in priority need. [179948]
  Yvette Cooper
  Expenditure on the use of temporary accommodation to house homeless households in priority need is not separately identifiable in the returns made to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister by local authorities.

  Opinion Sampling
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of total expenditure by his Department on(a) focus groups and (b) opinion polls in each year from 1995–96 to 2003–04; and if he will make a statement. [162755]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created on 29 May 2002. Since then the Office has spent approximately £750,000 on focus groups and opinion polls, in support of the Fire Safety advertising campaign, the information campaign for the Elected Regional Assemblies and to inform other publicity and marketing activity carried out by the Office.

  The figures broken down by focus groups and opinion polls could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  African Union (Peacekeeping Force)
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the proposals of the African Union to set up a permanent peace-keeping force. [179326]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Government welcome the African Union's plans to set up an African Standby Force. As we have seen in the past year in Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia, African-led peace support missions have an important role to play in promoting peace and security in Africa. The African Standby Force, once established, will give the African Union and African sub-regional organisations the capacity to play this role more effectively. We will continue to actively encourage international partners, including those in the G8 and EU, to support the African Union's plans in this area.

  Burma
  Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to urge European Union partners to strengthen the EU common position on Burma, with particular reference to the banning of investment by EU companies in Burma. [179531]
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Our policy remains as set out in the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 21 May 2004,Official Report, columns 1356–57W. If the situation changes we will look again at our policy.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Freign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to lobby the UN Security Council for(a) a global embargo on investment in and (b) a ban on arms sales to Burma; and if he will make a statement. [179536]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We have raised our concerns about the situation in Burma with our Security Council partners. Not all of them take the same view as this country. However, binding UN sanctions can only be imposed by the UN Security Council acting under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter in response to a threat to international peace and security. There is no consensus at present to bring Burma before the Security Council.

  The Government have a long standing policy to discourage trade with, or investment in Burma. The UK and other European Union countries maintain an embargo on arms to Burma as part of the EU common position on Burma.

  Cyprus
  Sir Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 7 June 2004,Official Report, column 55W, on Cyprus, when he expects direct flights between Northern Cyprus and United Kingdom airports to commence; and whether the Government have safety concerns about direct flights of commercial aircraft to Ercan airport. [179540]

  Mr. MacShane
  There are a number of factors that will determine if, and when, direct flights between the UK and northern Cyprus might begin. Many of these are not in the gift of HMG. Nevertheless, we will continue to work with our international partners to promote the EU's goal of ending the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots, including by better transport links of all kinds.

  If direct flights did commence between northern Cyprus and the UK then Ercan airport would of course have to meet the required standards in safety and security.

  Sir Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 7 June 2004,Official Report, column 55W, on Cyprus, what financial assistance (a) the Government and (b) the European Union is providing to Northern Cyprus; and for what specific purpose. [179542]

  Mr. MacShane
  The EU agreed to the allocation of €259 million EU structural funds to the Turkish Cypriots. The UK's share of that figure will be broadly in line with its contribution to the total EU budget of approximately one fifth.
  1328W
  We await the Commission proposals aimed at ending the international economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. Our High Commission in Nicosia will work closely with Cypriot officials to ensure that aim is achieved, and will continue to run projects aimed at strengthening administrative capacity and economic governance.

  The fundamental goal at the heart of this assistance is to improve prospects of agreement to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem in the future.

  Democratic Republic of Congo
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo, with specific reference to action he intends to take at the UN to try to restore order to that region. [179302]

  Mr. Mullin
  Bukavu is now under the control of Congolese Government forces and the town is reported to be calm. We fully support the work of the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC). We are working with the UN and our partners in the Security Council to ensure that MONUC is as effective as possible in carrying out its mandated tasks. I hope to visit Bukavu in the week of 21 June.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Banyamulenge, Democratic Republic of Congo, with specific reference to their actions in the Bukavu region; and what discussions he has had with the Rwandan authorities on their support for the Congolese rally for democracy in a military situation. [179303]

  Mr. Mullin
  I have had no discussions with the Banyamulenge communities in South Kivu regarding their actions in the Bukavu area of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Both my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn) have spoken with President Kagame of Rwanda to reiterate how unacceptable the international community would find support for any renegade Congolese element.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with President Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo since the latest attempted coup; and if he will make a statement. [179322]

  Mr. Mullin
  The last coup attempt took place in the early hours of 11 June. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary last talked to President Kabila on 4 June. I remain deeply concerned by the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and will continue to work with international partners to support the Transitional National Government and the Congolese peace process.

  Edinburgh Military Tattoo
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the policy of the Government is with regard to the invitation by the Edinburgh Military Tattoo to the band of the Chinese
  1329W
  People's Liberation Army to play at this year's event; what discussions the Government has had on this invitation; and if he will make a statement. [179336]

  Mr. Rammell
  The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a private concern. The Tattoo organising board consulted the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence. The decision to invite musicians from the People's Liberation Army to participate in the Tattoo is a matter for the Tattoo organising board.

  Eritrea
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he will make to the Eritrean Government concerning(a) the arrest of Haile Naizgi, Chairman of the Full Gospel Church and Dr. Kifle Gebremeskel, Chairman of the Eritrean Evangelical Alliance, (b) the arrest of Pastor Tesfatsion Hagos of the Rema Evangelical Church, (c) the arrest and incarceration of Helen Berhane and (d) the detention of members of minority Christian churches. [179342]

  Mr. Mullin
  We raise the issue of religious freedom with the Eritrean Government regularly. I raised the matter with President Isaias in Asmara on 15 January and our charge d'affaires in Asmara raised it most recently on 18 May. We will continue to make clear our concerns.

  EU Constitution
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what amendments he has tabled to the Draft EU constitution on(a) the UK's competence in relation to borders and asylum, (b) the EU's competence in taxation matters and (c) the UK's competence in relation to foreign policy. [179485]

  Mr. MacShane
  Individual member states did not table amendments to the draft EU Constitutional Treaty. Instead, the Italian and subsequently Irish Presidencies of the EU tabled amendments on the basis of discussions with all member states. The new constitutional treaty satisfies the conditions laid down in the White Paper on the Intergovernmental Conference (CM5934).

  General Affairs and External Relations Council
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the General Affairs and External Relations Council held on 14 to 15 June; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement. [179780]

  Mr. MacShane
  The information is as follows:Outcome of the 14 June 2004 General Affairs and External Relations Council

  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I represented the UK at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Luxembourg on 14 June 2004.
  1330W
  Conclusions were agreed on Iraq, Middle East Peace Process, Western Balkans, ESDP, WMD, Afghanistan, European Neighbourhood Policy, Moldova, Sudan, and the Africa/Great Lakes region.

  General affairs session

  Progress of work in other council configurations

  The Council took note of a progress report from the Presidency on work under way in other Council configurations since the last report on 17 May (Education Youth and Culture Council, Economic and Financial Affairs Council, Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council, Agriculture and Fisheries Council).

  Preparation for the 17 and 18 June European council

  The Council worked on the draft Conclusions for the 17 and 18 June European Council meeting in Brussels. These covered issues such as: EU enlargement; EU financial perspective for the 2007–13 period; and external relations issues, including Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).

  External relations session

  Iraq

  Ministers welcomed the medium term strategy on Iraq, which had been prepared jointly by High Representative Solana and the Commission. Partners underlined the need to engage with the new Iraq Authorities as well as with Iraq's neighbours and also stressed the importance of Iraqi ownership of the transition process.

  Burma/ASEM enlargement

  Ministers discussed the issue of ASEM enlargement. The Council agreed that the EU would continue to work closely with its Asian partners to try and secure a decision on enlargement before the 8 to 9 October Hanoi Summit. The Council also agreed to postpone two ASEM senior officials meetings scheduled for this summer.

  Middle East peace process

  Partners discussed current plans for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza but debate was limited as more detailed discussion was expected by Heads of Government at the European Council later that week.

  Iran

  The GAERC took place in parallel to the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Board of Governors meeting on the Iranian nuclear programme. The Council reiterated earlier calls for Iran to co-operate proactively with the IAEA, with a view to resolving all outstanding concerns in relation to its nuclear programme. Ministers also repeated their full support for the work of the IAEA and for the efforts of its Director General, Dr. El Baradei.

  Western Balkans

  The Council discussed the situation in the Western Balkans, including the first round of the Serbian presidential elections. Conclusions were agreed on Serbia and Montenegro; Kosovo; the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe; and European Partnerships.

  ESDP

  The Council approved Conclusions on ESDP, which covered issues such as ESDP support in Africa, the Georgia Rule of Law mission, and preparation for the operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  1331W
  EU strategy against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction

  High Representative Solana gave a short summary of work to date and the Council agreed draft Conclusions.

  Any other business

  Ministers also discussed the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the situation in Nepal.

  Iraq
  Sir Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Iraqi oil(a) production and (b) exports have been in each month since December 2003; what the average price paid for Iraqi oil exports was in each month; and if he will make a statement. [178942]

  Mr. Straw
  Information on Iraq's oil production can be found on the CPA website at www.cpa-iraq.org, which produces weekly reconstruction status reports.

  Since December 2003 Iraqi oil production has averaged between a high of 2.595 million barrels per day (mbpd) on 16 April and a low of 1.85 mbpd during the period 14 to 20 May 2004. Average production for December 2003 was 1.953 mbpd; January 2004: 2.103 mbpd, and February 2003: 2.004 mbpd.

  Average crude oil exports from Iraq for each month since December 2003 to May 2004 are shown in the following table.

  Monthly average crude oil exports from Iraq

  Million barrels per day

  December 2003

  1.541

  January 2004

  1.537

  February 2004

  1.382

  March 2004

  1.825

  April 2004

  1.804

  May 2004

  1.380

  The Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) is the body responsible for the sale of Iraqi oil on the international market. Given the relatively low number of contracts that have been awarded, information on the price paid for Iraqi oil exports has not been released by the SOMO in order to protect commercial confidentiality.

  Sir Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much Iraqi oil has been sold domestically in Iraq in each month since May 2003; and if he will make a statement. [178943]

  Mr. Straw
  On average around 0.6 million barrels per day of Iraq's daily oil production is reserved for domestic consumption. This is used for both industrial purposes, for example in Iraq's power stations, and for refining to produce fuel for commercial and domestic use in Iraq.

  Pastor Gong Shengliang
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the conditions of imprisonment of Pastor Gong Shengliang in China. [179537]
  1332W
  Mr. Rammell
  We are aware of a recent NGO report on the prison conditions of Pastor Gong and raised our concerns with the Chinese authorities in May. We also supported an EU demarche on this, and other cases, on 17 June. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted our concerns about Pastor Gong but said they had nothing to add to what had been said in the past. The EU previously made a demarche about allegations of mistreatment against Pastor Gong in July last year. The Chinese responded at the time that the allegations were untrue and said that he was in good health, and had been given the proper medicines and treatment for his stomach problems. We plan to petition the Chinese authorities again, with our EU colleagues, within the next few days.

  Reverend Damanik (Indonesia)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Indonesia on the imprisonment of Reverend Ribnaldy Damanik; and if he will make it his policy to recognise Reverend Damanik as a prisoner of conscience. [179538]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The British embassy in Jakarta followed the trial of Reverend Damanik closely and is in contact with a number of NGOs and community groups connected to his case. We last discussed Reverend Damanik's case with the Indonesian ambassador in November 2003. We will continue to remind the Indonesian Government of their human rights obligations and stress to them the importance of a fair and transparent judicial system.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether the proposed Anti Conversion Bill in Sri Lanka constitutes an infringement of religious liberty; and if he will make a statement. [179345]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  A member of the Sri Lankan Parliament has gazetted a motion expressing his intention to request that Parliament bring in an Anti Conversion Bill. We understand that this is to be an anti-unethical conversion bill. Freedom of religion is enshrined in the Sri Lankan Constitution, which states that every person is entitled to the freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his or her choice. As no bill has yet been drafted, we are unable to assess at this stage whether such a bill would contravene Sri Lanka's international obligations.

  We condemn all instances where individuals are persecuted because of their faith or belief, wherever they happen and whatever the religion of the individual or group concerned. We urge all states to pursue laws and practices which foster tolerance and mutual respect and protect religious minorities from discrimination.

  Vietnam
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to urge the Government of Vietnam to allow diplomats from(a) the UK and (b) other EU embassies

  1333W
  to visit the Central Highlands in order to investigate the human rights situation with regard to the Degar people. [179532]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We regularly raise our concerns on human rights in Vietnam with the Vietnamese Government, both bilaterally and with our EU partners. Most recently, on 25 May, I raised the situation in the Central Highlands of Vietnam with the Vietnamese President. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also raised our general concerns over human rights the same day with the Vietnamese Foreign Minister.

  We will continue to press the Vietnamese Government to allow unrestricted access at all times to the Central Highlands by diplomats, international press, UN agencies and international NGOs. In May, a group of several diplomatic missions comprising the Swiss, Norwegian, New Zealand and Canadian ambassadors visited the Central Highlands, as did a group of UN agency heads. An EU Troika delegation visited the region for the fourth time since 2001 on 16 to 19 December 2003. Further EU missions are planned in the future. EU ambassadors, including the British ambassador regularly raise the issue of access to the Central Highlands in the context of the EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue; the next meeting is on 22 June.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Academic Selection
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the level of support for retaining academic selection in replies to the Household Response Form. [179785]

  Mr. Gardiner
  The Household Response Form was one element of a multi-stranded consultation on the recommendations of the Burns Report. While a majority of those who responded to the Household Response Form were in favour of retaining academic selection, there was also a majority in favour of removing the Transfer Test, which is the present method of selection. The Government's approach will ensure the continuation of schools with an academic ethos.

  Juvenile Justice Centre
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what methods of restraint are used in controlling young offenders at the Juvenile Justice Centre; and what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of these methods of restraint. [179488]

  Mr. Spellar
  This is an operational responsibility of the Acting Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency of Northern Ireland (Artie O'Neill). He has advised me that physical control in care is the method of restraint used within the Juvenile Justice Centre. It has been approved by the Home Office, the Northern Ireland Office and the Social Services Inspectorate as being effective in restraining young people safely.

  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many contact hours per week young offenders have with teaching staff in the Juvenile Justice Centre in Bangor, County Down. [179489]
  1334W
  Mr. Spellar
  This is an operational responsibility of the Acting Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency of Northern Ireland (Artie O'Neill). He has advised me that young people have 20 hours contact time in a classroom setting each week and four hours informal contact in their house units.

  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what management staff are on duty during the night at the Juvenile Justice Centre; and what qualifications the have in(a) social work and (b) management. [179490]

  Mr. Spellar
  This is an operational responsibility of the Acting Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency of Northern Ireland (Artie O'Neill). He has advised me that the Director of the Juvenile Justice Centre and the Duty Manager, who are on call at night, are qualified social workers. All managers on duty have the necessary managerial skills, competences and experience to carry out their roles effectively. There is no requirement for them to hold a formal managerial qualification.

  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the maximum period of lock-up imposed on young offenders at the Juvenile Justice Centre has been; how often this maximum has been applied; and to what percentage of offenders it has applied since its opening. [179495]

  Mr. Spellar
  This is an operational responsibility of the Acting Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency of Northern Ireland (Artie O'Neill). He has advised me that the Juvenile Justice Centre Rules (Section 30) define the circumstances for temporary confinement. While these do not specify a maximum period (unless the confinement is ordered by the medical officer when a maximum of 24 hours is stipulated), the centre has adopted best practice from other secure centres and has drafted additional guidance for confinement (single separation). This states that confinement should be for the shortest period possible and procedures are in place to prevent excessive use of single separation. As no maximum period is specified, it is not possible to answer the other parts of the question.

  Kilmaine Primary School
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason the Department for Education has yet to reach a decision on whether or not to approve the commencement of building the new Kilmaine Primary School in Bangor, County Down. [179897]

  Mr. Gardiner
  A new school for Kilmaine Primary was included in my Department's Capital Programme announced by my predecessor in February 2003. Planning for the school was progressed by the South Eastern Education and Library Board. The board and my Department have been working closely on the project and I can confirm that an agreed overall maximum cost should be finalized shortly and this will enable a contractor to be appointed. Once the contractor is in place, this will allow the design to be finalised and it is hoped to commence work on site, subject to Planning Approval, by around the end of summer 2004.

  Police Service (Correspondence)
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many administrative staff are available within the office of the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Headquarters specifically to deal with correspondence. [179898]

  Mr. Pearson
  The details necessary to respond fully to this question have been sought from the Chief Constable. I will reply to the hon. Lady shortly.

  Queen's Festival
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the benefit of the Queen's Festival to the Northern Ireland tourist industry. [178526]

  Mr. Gardiner
  The Government do not collect this information and are therefore not in a position to assess the benefit of the Queen's Festival to the Northern Ireland tourism industry.

  School Leavers
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of pupils left school in Northern Ireland with no formal qualifications in each of the last 10 years; and what the figures are for the UK. [179787]

  Mr. Gardiner
  The information requested is only available for Northern Ireland and Scotland and is as follows:

  Northern Ireland

  Scotland

  Number and percentage of leaves from grant aided post-primary schools who obtained no formal qualifications

  Number and percentage of leavers from publicly funded schools who obtained no National Qualification at SCQF level 3 or better

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  1992–93

  1,099

  4.9

  n/a

  n/a

  1993–94

  878

  3.8

  n/a

  n/a

  1994–95

  823

  3.4

  n/a

  n/a

  1995–96

  397

  11.5

  n/a

  n/a

  1996–97

  929

  3.6

  n/a

  n/a

  1997–98

  797

  3.1

  n/a

  n/a

  1998–99

  683

  2.7

  3,189

  5.5

  1999–2000

  899

  3.6

  3,069

  5.4

  2000–01

  1,220

  4.8

  3,319

  5.7

  2001–02

  1.308

  5.2

  3,085

  5.4

  n/a = not available.

  1 Qualification data were missing for 3 per cent. of school leavers in 1995–96.

HEALTH

  Alert Letter System
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to date has been of the alert letter system to warn trusts about NHS staff who have caused concern. [179157]

  Mr. Hutton
  The alert letter system is administered by the regional directors of public health. The Department does not collect information on the costs involved.

  Allergies
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist doctors and clinicians there are in the NHS dealing specifically with the care and treatment of allergies. [179000]

  Mr. Hutton
  The number of hospital medical staff specialising in allergy is shown in the table.

  Hospital medical staff within the allergy specialty by grade

  England at 30 September 2003

  Number

  Whole-time equivalent

  All staff

  24

  15

  Of which:

  Consultant

  20

  13

  Registrar group

  2

  1

  Hospital practitioner/clinical assistant

  2

  1

  Source:

  Department of Health 2003 medical and dental workforce census.

  The number of general practitioners and other healthcare professionals specialising in the care and treatment of allergies is not collected centrally.

  Anti-depressants
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the drugs(a) mirtazapine and (b) bupropion are included in the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors anti-depressants and related drugs; and whether either carries a risk of inducing suicidal behaviour comparable with that of the drugs now under review. [178295]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Mirtazapine (Zispin) is included in the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and related antidepressants. The risks and benefits of mirtazapine in children and adolescents have been considered by the expert working group on SSRIs and the committee on safety of medicines. Analysis of controlled clinical trials did not find an increased risk of suicidal behaviour or self harm in the mirtazapine treated group compared to those treated with a placebo. A summary of the paediatric clinical trial data for mirtazapine was published on the website of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in April 2004. The review of a possible risk of suicidal behaviour in adults treated with mirtazapine is ongoing.

  Bupropion (Zyban) has not been included in the review by the expert working group as it is licensed in the United Kingdom as an aid to smoking cessation. Bupropion has recently undergone a Europe wide review of its risks and benefits. The product information for prescribers states that, depression, rarely including suicidal ideation, has been reported in patients undergoing a smoking cessation attempt. These symptoms have also been reported during Zyban treatment and generally occurred early during the treatment course. Clinicians should be aware of the possible emergence of significant depressive symptoms in patients undergoing a smoking cessation attempt and should advise patients accordingly.

  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the current review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and related anti-depressants includes investigation of the risk of such drugs inducing violent and dangerous behaviour in some users. [178300]
  1337W
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Part of the remit of the Committee on Safety of Medicines' expert working group on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is to consider the currently available evidence with regard to behavioural disorders, which includes violent behaviour, with a particular focus on suicidal behaviour, suicide attempt and suicide and a possible causal association with SSRIs.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and related anti-depressants includes an assessment of possible risks that such drugs may induce violent and dangerous behaviour in some users; [178441]

  (2) whether mirtazapine and bupropion are included in the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and related drugs; [178469]

  (3) what advice he has received on whether mirtazapine and buproprion carry a risk of inducing suicidal behaviour. [178567]

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and related anti-depressants includes investigation of whether such drugs may induce violent and dangerous behaviour in some users; [178337]

  (2) whether the drugs (a) mirtazapine and (b) bupropion were included in the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor anti-depressants and related drugs; and if he will conduct an assessment of whether each drug carries a risk of inducing suicidal behaviour. [178338]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport, West (Paul Flynn) today.

  Arm's Length Bodies
  Dr. Richard Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation is taking place between the Department and representatives of patients and the public about the current review of arm's length bodies. [178446]

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation is taking place as part of his Department's review of arms' length bodies on the future of(a) the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Healthcare and (b) patients' forums; and if he will make a statement. [178877]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  A report on the review of the Department's arm's length bodies will be published in the near future and following this detailed discussions with interested parties will take place on implementation.

  Cancer Treatment
  Tony Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for cancer radiotherapy(a) in England and (b) across Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust was during (i) 2001–02, (ii) 2002–03 and (iii) 2003–04. [179426]
  1338W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Data on waiting times for radiotherapy are not collected centrally. The NHS Cancer Plan set out maximum waiting time targets for cancer treatment, which may include radiotherapy where this is given as a first definitive treatment. From December 2001, there is a one month maximum wait from diagnosis to first treatment for breast cancer and a one month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to first treatment for children's cancers, testicular cancer and acute leukaemia. From 2002, there is a maximum two month wait from urgent referral to treatment for breast cancer. By 2005, there will be a maximum two month wait from urgent referral to treatment and a maximum one-month wait from diagnosis to first treatment for all cancers.

  To tackle radiotherapy waiting times we are increasing the numbers of therapy radiographers in post and in training, making better use of existing staff, making unprecedented investment in new radiotherapy equipment, and streamlining the patient journey.

  Cannabis
  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist drug treatment places in respect of the misuse of cannabis are available. [179253]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Community Care (Delayed Discharge) Act
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of the Community Care (Delayed Discharge) Act 2003 with regard to changes in(a) re-admission levels and (b) mortality levels since the Act was enacted. [177675]

  Dr. Ladyman
  No change in readmission levels or mortality levels, which could be considered a direct result of the reduction in delayed discharges, has been noted since October 2003. Furthermore, the available data shows no link between the level of delayed discharges and the late of readmission. However, there is a need to look at these, and a range of other potential impacts of the policy, in more detail and the Department will therefore be advertising shortly to commission an independent evaluation of the effects of the policy.

  Correspondence
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter dated 2 April concerning the late Ms R. Forber of Warrington. [179263]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 17 June 2004] : I replied to the hon. Member on 17 June.

  Delayed Discharges Reimbursement Scheme
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what payments the NHS received from local authority social services departments under the delayed discharges reimbursement scheme for each month for which figures are available. [178213]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Figures for payments made by individual councils will be collected centrally at the end of the first six months of the scheme. The majority of
  1339W
  councils have arranged local investment agreements with the national health service and will only pay actual charges for delays falling outside this agreement

  Dentistry
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the oral statement by the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Doncaster, Central (Ms Winterton), of 11 May 2004,Official Report, column 22WH, on dentists, if he will list the primary care trusts assessed as having the most acute dental access problems. [178271]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  We have established a central national health service dentistry support team to assist primary care trusts (PCTs) having the most acute access problems. The 16 PCTs they are currently working with are listed. We are now considering with strategic health authorities, which PCTs will need similar assistance in phase 2 of the team's work.

  Fareham and Gosport PCT

  Isle of Wight PCT

  New Forest PCT

  West Gloucestershire PCT

  North East Lincolnshire PCT

  Scarborough, Whitby and Rydedale PCT

  Craven, Harrogate and Rural District PCT

  Northumbria Care Trust

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT

  Hyndeburn and Ribble PCT

  Blackburn with Darwen PCT

  Morecambe Bay PCT

  Shropshire County PCT

  Telford and Wrekin PCT

  South West Staffordshire PCT

  Central Cheshire PCT

  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he or ministerial colleagues are planning to meet the British Dental Association to discuss the results of its consultation with the dental profession on the new NHS dental contract. [178276]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Ministers meet the British Dental Association (BDA) and other representative bodies of the dental profession on a regular basis, as do senior departmental officials. I have already met the BDA to discuss interim responses to its consultation on our "Framework proposals for Primary Care Dental Services in England", which concluded on 30 April.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the amount of money which the Adur, Arun and Worthing Primary Care Trust has saved in each of the last seven years from dental patients being treated privately. [178308]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Eating Disorders
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people with eating disorders have been treated in private facilities in each of the last five years; [179239]
  1340W
  (2) what percentage of people that are diagnosed with an eating disorder received treatment from a private facility in the last five years. [179240]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The information requested is not centrally available.

  Excessive Drinking
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost to the NHS of(a) alcohol-related illness and (b) accidents caused by excessive drinking was in the last year for which figures are available. [179648]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Prime Minster's strategy unit estimated that the national health service in England incurred an annual cost of up to £1.7 billion as a result of alcohol misuse. This estimate did not include a breakdown of the estimated costs of alcohol-related illnesses or accidents.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce charges for those who attend hospital as a result of excessive drinking. [179649]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government do not intend to do so.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to reduce the impact on the NHS of binge drinking. [179749]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government's alcohol harm reduction strategy for England contains a number of measures to tackle the harm caused by binge drinking and the impact this harm has on individuals, communities and public services.These measures include:
  The revision of the sensible drinking message.
  The development of new health promotion messages for binge drinkers.
  Pilots of targeted screening and brief interventions, which will help to identify people with alcohol problems, including binge drinkers, and offer them help and advice to cut their alcohol consumption.
  Improvements in tackling alcohol-related crime and disorder, which can often be associated with binge drinking.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were hospitalised as a result of accidents caused by excessive drinking in each of the last 10 years. [179750]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Foundation Trusts
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether, in order to achieve foundation status, hospital trusts will be required(a) to be fully compliant with the (i) European Working Time Directive and (ii) New Deal for Junior Doctors and (b) to allocate protected time and funding for junior doctors' training on the same basis as non-foundation trusts. [179118]

  Mr. Hutton
  As part of the national health service foundation trust application process, applicants are required to demonstrate that the organisation will continue to meet prevailing employment law, including
  1341W
  the European Working Time Directive, and relevant legislation enacted in the future. Applicants must also retain three star performance ratings throughout the application process. The percentage of junior doctors complying in full with the new deal on junior doctors' hours is an indicator used as part of the performance ratings. The approval arrangements for junior doctors' training posts will be the same in both NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many assigned patients were given to each general practitioner on average in(a) England, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each primary care trust in each year since 1996. [177821]

  Mr. Hutton
  This information is not collected centrally by the Department.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner surgeries there were in(a) England, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority in each year since 1996. [179159]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Health Service Finance
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for(a) England, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each primary care trust the initial (i) capital and (ii) resource allocations announced last year for three years and the latest revised allocations; if he will set out the reasons for differences between the two; and whether the latest revisions represent the final budget allocations. [178883]

  Mr. Hutton
  Capital allocations to national health service organisations for the three year period 2003–04 to 2005–06 were announced on 8 January 2003. Revenue allocations to primary care trusts for 2003–04 to 2005–06 were announced on 11 December 2002.

  There have been no revisions to these allocations.

  Information on capital and revenue allocations in England to strategic health authorities and primary care trusts has been placed in the Library.

  Hepatitis C
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the oral answer from the Minister for Public Health of 8 June and the written answer of 19 April 2004,Official Report, column 192W, on infection rates for hepatitis C, if he will clarify how many individuals in England are estimated to be suffering from hepatitis C who are undiagnosed. [178197]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The number of cumulative hepatitis C laboratory reports (38,000) is lower than the estimate for the overall population prevalence. This suggests that the majority of hepatitis C infections have not been diagnosed. The number of individuals who have been infected with hepatitis C is 250,000, but the figure for those who have gone on to develop chronic hepatitis C infection in England is 200,000, as in some cases, the infection clears spontaneously.

  Heroin
  Ann Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the work of the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre in Hounslow in combating heroin smoking in young people, especially in the Asian community. [176093]

  Mr. Hutton
  Services to reduce the harm caused by drugs and alcohol to people in Hounslow are provided primarily by the Hounslow substance misuse team and Hounslow drug and alcohol action team (DAAT). The DAAT has undertaken projects specifically targeting Asian men with the aim of creating a model of excellence in raising the awareness of drugs and pathways of treatment and to increase the number of Punjabi people accessing advice, information and treatment.

  Hospital Infections
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of infections with the bacteria acinetobacter there were in the NHS in each year since 1996. [179162]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Data on hospital acquired acinetobacter infections are not collected centrally. However, the Health Protection Agency has a voluntary reporting system for blood stream (bacteraemia) infections and the available data are shown in the table.

  Laboratory reports of acinetobacter bacteraemias, England and Wales, 1996 to 2002

  Number

  1996

  593

  1997

  668

  1998

  773

  1999

  783

  2000

  777

  2001

  937

  2002

  987

  Source:

  Health Protection Agency.

  Hospital Training Posts
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many recognised hospital training posts were available last year; [178264]

  (2) what plans his Department has to increase the number of recognised hospital training posts. [178266]

  Mr. Hutton
  As at September 2003, there were 14,619 staff within the registrar group, 18,698 senior house officers (SHOs—this may include a proportion of doctors who are on local terms and conditions) and 4,003 pre-registration house officers (PRHOs).

  The number of PRHO posts has been increasing since the mid 1990s to accommodate the increasing numbers of medical school graduates requiring PRHO posts. As a result of the increases in medical school places announced between 1999 and 2001, we plan to increase the number of PRHO posts by over 2,250, or 56.7 per cent. between the current number and that required in August 2008.
  1343W
  We have achieved and exceeded the NHS Plan target of increasing the number of specialist registrars (SpRs) by 1,000 by March 2004. Central funding to support the implementation of a further 119 SpR posts is being distributed in 2004–05. Funding has also been identified for a further 42 posts in 2005–06.

  In addition, strategic health authorities have been given the freedom to agree as many additional specialist registrar training places as are necessary to achieve European Working Time Directive compliance, subject to obtaining educational approval.

  Numbers of SHO posts are not planned centrally.

  However, the structure of postgraduate training will change over the next few years with the implementation of the "Modernising Medical Careers" initiative. This will include:
  the introduction of two-year foundation programmes to replace the existing PRHO year and first year of SHO training. This will be introduced from August 2005;
  the development of "run-through" training programmes to replace the existing SHO and SpR grades from August 2007.

  Identity Cards
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the expected benefits to his Department would be of the proposed identity card; and what information would need to be recorded on the National Identity Register in order to achieve those benefits; [177872]

  (2) what information would be necessary on the National Identity Register for the NHS to assess whether an individual should be paying for treatment; and what information he expects to be available to the NHS on the National Identity Register in order for the identity card scheme to achieve its health-related aims. [178893]

  Mr. Hutton
  A more effective enforcement of the rules determining access to free national health service and social care services is crucial in ensuring that limited resources go to those for whom they are intended. The identity card will help front line staff to ensure that these rules are implemented by verifying that people are who they say they are and confirming information provided by individuals. Relevant information could include their nationality, United Kingdom address/es, residential status and how long ago they registered for an identity card. Final decisions on what information will be required and how any checks will work will be made in the light of the feasibility studies and studies of user requirements which are currently underway.

  Information Management Technology
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the secretary of State for Health what training is being provided for health care staff in new information management technology. [179069]

  Mr. Hutton
  The development of professionalism in the use of health information management technology is fundamental to ensuring that specialists working in the area are able to make the best possible contribution to improving health and patient care Local health bodies in England are responsible for ensuring their staff receive training in relevant basic information 1344W
  technology skills. Much of the training is delivered in-house or has traditionally been available from local commercial providers.

  The national health service information authority (NHSIA) is responsible for national implementation in England of the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL), a qualification recognised around the world for basic computing skills. Every person who completes the qualification will have completed the same syllabus. The ECDL was adopted as the reference standard for basic IT skills in the NHS in England in 2001. National procurement and implementation by the NHSIA means that registration, access to learning materials, and testing all come at no cost to organisations or individuals other than staff time.

  Specific training will be given to staff using new IT systems being implemented as part of the national programme for IT in the NHS in England as the systems are rolled out.

  Insulin
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance is available on the appropriate insulin to prescribe to a newly diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetic. [179550]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The National Institute for Clinical Excellence issued advice in 2002 on the management of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes. This advice, while stating that there is no direct evidence to support the use or choice of any one insulin type or regimen over another, recognises that patient preference should form part of the choice of insulin type and regimen. Guidelines on the management of type 1 diabetes are due to be published in the near future.

  Medical Students (Assistance)
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance is available to facilitate medical students who wish to train part-time. [179083]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department is not responsible for facilitating part-time training for medical students; that is rightly the responsibility of the independent universities and medical schools. Universities are autonomous bodies which are responsible for operating their own admission systems, but they collectively adhere to the Guiding Principles for the admission of Medical Students, issued by the council of heads of medical schools in February 1999. This guidance follows principles of fairness, diversity and equity in access.

  Mental Health
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many of the assessments of need for carers of adult mental health service users under the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 resulted in(a) a care plan, (b) service provision and (c) a direct payments package in (i) 2001–02 and (ii) 2002–03; [179271]

  (2) how many of the assessments of need for carers of adult mental health service users under the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 were (a) sole assessments

  1345W
  by social services departments and (b) joint assessment with health service partners or by joint authorities in (i) 2001–02 and (ii) 2002–03. [179272]

  Dr. Ladyman
  This information is not held centrally.

  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many local authority social services departments provided assessments of need for carers of adult mental health service users under the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 in(a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03; and how many assessments were completed in each year. [179273]

  Dr. Ladyman
  146 of the 150 councils with social service responsibilities provided data on provision of carers assessments in 2001-–02 and 2002–03. This information is not broken down by primary client group of the cared-for person. There were 243,000 carers' assessments in 2001–02 and 287,000 in 2002–03.

  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many assessments of need to adults with mental health needs under section 47 of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 resulted in(a) a care plan, (b) service provision and (c) a direct payments package in (i) 2001–02 and (ii) 2002–03. [179274]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Following an assessment, the number of clients with mental health needs receiving direct payments in 2001–02 and 2002–03 was 200 and 300 respectively for England.

  In each of the years 2001–02 and 2002–03 an estimated 73,000 adults aged 18 and over with mental health needs received services following a community care assessment.

  Information on the number of assessments of adults with mental health needs that resulted in a care plan is not collected centrally.

  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many local authority social services Departments provided assessments of need to adults with mental health needs under section 47 of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 in(a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03; and how many assessments were completed in each year. [179275]

  Dr. Ladyman
  All 150 councils with responsibility for social services provided assessments for people aged 18 and over with mental health needs. There were 129,000 such assessments in 2001–02 and 121,000 in 2002–03.

  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the assessments of need to adults with mental health needs under section 47 of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 were sole assessments by local authority social services departments in(a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03; and how many joint assessments were carried out with health service partners or by joint authorities in each year. [179276]

  Dr. Ladyman
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many in-patient deaths there were in each of the mental health hospital trusts in each of the past five years. [179824]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Information is not available in the requested format.
  1346W
  Information on the number of episodes under mental illness specialities ending in death by provider in each of the last five years has been placed in the Library.

  Multiple Limb Disability
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many occupational therapists have been specifically trained to work with those with multiple limb disability; [179079]

  (2) how many occupational therapists are capable of providing those with multiple limb disability with support and advice on (a) daily living and (b) home adaptations. [179080]

  Dr. Ladyman
  All occupational therapists are trained to assess and treat patients temporarily or permanently disabled by a variety of medical conditions. It is for primary care trusts, in partnership with strategic health authorities, local authorities and other stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services. This process provides the means for addressing local needs within the health community including the provision of specialist occupational therapy services.

  Myeloma
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the increase in funding for cancer was allocated to haematology, with particular reference to myeloma; and what proportion of this sum was spent on staff training. [178828]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In 2003–04 an additional £570 million was made available for cancer services. Data are not collected centrally on spending of this investment against individual cancer tumour sites. It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national priorities for cancer services.

  National Institute for Clinical Excellence
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what(a) the cost of setting up and (b) the annual running costs of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence are. [179068]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Set up costs for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) were included as part of the Institute's annual running costs for 1999–2000 and were not separately identified.

  The annual budget for NICE'S running costs since its establishment in April 1999 has been as follows:

  Amount (£)

  1999–2000

  10,511,000

  2000–01

  11,215,000

  2001–02

  12,680,000

  2002–03

  14,774,000

  2003–04

  16,770,000

  2004–05

  18,204,000

  1347W
  NICE is jointly funded by the Department and the Welsh Assembly Government and these figures are for the Institute's total funding. Funding has increased to reflect NICE'S expanded work programme.

  NHS Dental Workforce Review
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations his Department has received in the last six months from(a) hon Members, (b) Peers and (c) members of the dental profession regarding the NHS dental workforce review. [178261]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  There have been a number of representations over the last six months regarding plans to increase dental workforce capacity four parliamentary questions and two pieces of correspondence have been received from right hon. and hon. Members; one letter has been received from a member of the dental profession. We intend to make an announcement about dental workforce issues shortly.

  Organ Donation
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure that people who wish to donate their hearts for transplant are able to do so; and if he will make a statement.[178092]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Department's plans for ensuring that all those who wish to donate organs and tissues, if suitable, for transplantation after their death, are set out in "Saving Lives, Valuing donors—A Transplant Framework for England". Examples include encouraging units to confirm whether a potential donor had registered on the organ donor register before approaching relatives and providing funding through UK transplant for national health service trusts to employ donor liaison nurses to raise awareness of the benefits of organ donation provide the link between critical care teams and donor transplant co-ordinators.

  Overseas Dentists
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what incentives overseas dentists are being offered to relocate to the UK. [178275]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  It is for the national health service locally to decide whether to offer financial support to overseas recruits to relocate to the United Kingdom. Initiatives are under way to recruit dentists from the European Union (Denmark, Poland and Spain) and more widely.

  Pregnant Mothers (Smoking)
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mothers smoked during pregnancy in(a) 1997 and (b) 2004. [178348]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Data are not available in the form requested.

  In England, the proportion of women who smoked during pregnancy was 23 per cent. in 1995 and 19 per cent. in 2000.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the private finance initiative and public private partnership schemes his Department has entered into where there has been an onward sale of the private sector stakeholding into a secondary market; what the(a) book value of the stakeholding and (b) onward sale price were in each case; and how any windfall gains from subsequent refinancing arrangements are shared. [179004]

  Mr. Hutton
  Records are not held centrally for private finance and public private partnerships schemes where there has been an onward sale of the private sector equity stakeholding.

  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the private finance initiative and public private partnership schemes his Department has entered into that have been subject to refinancing deals; and how much of the windfall gain has been repaid to the Government in each case. [179005]

  Mr. Hutton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the right hon. Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng), on 31 March 2004,Official Report, column 1412W. This answer contains details of all refinanced private finance initiative projects up to 31 March 2004. Since then there has been one further NHS scheme as follows:

  The gains are not repaid to the Government but directly to the trust.

  Bromley hospital NHS trust

  Original funding value (£. million)

  118

  Date refinanced

  23 February 2004

  Total refinancing gain (£ million)

  42.3

  Net refinancing share (percentage)

  32

  Refinancing share to Trust (£ million)

  13.4

  Programme Budgeting Project
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made with the Programme Budgeting Project; and if he will make a statement. [175315]

  Mr. Hutton
  During 2003, three pilot site primary care trusts (PCTs) tested the programme budgeting methodology agreed with the National Audit Office, Her Majesty's Treasury, the Audit Commission and the national health service. This has led to the development of detailed guidance issued to the NHS in December 2003.

  From financial year 2003–04 onwards, PCTs and strategic health authorities will report within their annual accounts the totality of their expenditure on a programme basis each year.

  Radiotherapy (Waiting Times)
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations he has received from the Royal College of Radiologists about waiting times for radiotherapy; [179211]
  1349W
  (2) what proportion of patients needing (a) radical radiotherapy, (b) palliative radiotherapy for cancer and (c) radiotherapy after surgery have waited for treatment for longer than the recommended maximum. [179212]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answers 21 June 2004]: We have not received any direct representations from the Royal College of Radiologists recently about radiotherapy waiting times. The national cancer director is working closely with officers of the college to ensure that the times patients wait for radiotherapy are minimised.

  Data on waiting times for radiotherapy are not collected centrally. The NHS Cancer Plan set out maximum waiting time targets for cancer treatment, which may include radiotherapy where this is given as a first definitive treatment. From December 2001, there is a one month maximum wait from diagnosis to first treatment for breast cancer and a one month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to first treatment for children's cancers, testicular cancer and acute leukaemia. From 2002, there is a maximum two month wait from urgent referral to treatment for breast cancer. By 2005, there will be a maximum two month wait from urgent referral to treatment and a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to first treatment for all cancers.

  To tackle radiotherapy waiting times we are increasing the numbers of therapy radiographers in post and in training, making better use of existing staff, making unprecedented investment in new radiotherapy equipment, and streamlining the patient journey.

  Screening Programmes
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when electronic patient records will have the functionality to enable general practitioner surgeries to call up patients for screening tests. [178882]

  Mr. Hutton
  The national health service care records service will include the basic patient information capable of identifying patients for the purposes of existing prevention and screening processes. The NHS care records service is being implemented incrementally by adding functionality in three phases and by rolling out the information technology systems geographically to meet local needs. The functionality to support screening is currently expected to be implemented in Phase 2, starting in 2006.

  Smoking
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population smoke, broken down by(a) sex, (b) age, (c) region and (d) social class; and if he will make a statement. [178932]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Our comprehensive tobacco control programme is aimed at all smokers, to discourage people from starting to smoke and encourage and help those who do smoke to stop.

  The information requested is shown in the following tables.
  1350W

  Table 1: Prevalence of smoking cigarettes among adults aged 16 and over, by age and sex—England, 2002

  Percentage

  Men

  Women

  All persons

  16–19

  22

  28

  25

  20–24

  38

  38

  38

  25–34

  36

  33

  34

  35–49

  29

  27

  28

  50–59

  26

  24

  25

  60 and over

  16

  14

  15

  Total

  27

  25

  26

  Source:

  Office National Statistics (ONS) Living in Britain: Results from the 2002 General Household Survey.

  Table 2: Prevalence of smoking cigarettes among adults aged 16 and over, by Government Office Region—England, 2002

  Percentage

  North East

  27

  North West

  28

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  27

  East Midlands

  24

  West Midlands

  23

  East of England

  25

  London

  24

  South East

  26

  South West

  25

  Total

  26

  Source:

  ONS Living in Britain: Results from the 2002 General Household Survey.

  Table 3: Prevalence of smoking cigarettes among adults aged 16 and over, by socio-economic-classification (NS-SEC)—England, 2002

  Percentages

  Managerial and professional

  19

  Intermediate

  26

  Routine and manual

  31

  Total

  26

  Note:

  Persons whose head of household/household reference person was a full time student, in the armed forces, had an inadequately described occupation or had never worked are not shown as separate categories but are included in the total. The total also includes some missing cases.

  Source:

  ONS Living in Britain: Results from the 2002 General Household Survey.

  Treatment Costs
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS of treating the symptoms of(a) alcohol, (b) cannabis, (c) heroin, (d) cocaine and crack and (e) ecstasy abuse was in the last year for which figures are available. [179959]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The estimated annual cost of alcohol misuse to the national health service is up to £1.7 billion in England.

  Information regarding the cost of drug misuse to the NHS is not available. However, in 2003–04, the Government's pooled budget totalled £243.6 million for the treatment of drug misusers. In addition, it is estimated that a further £200 million of mainstream funds was spent on the treatment of drug misuse.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Overseas Doctors
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the requirement for overseas doctors to pay visa renewal fees for employment within the NHS. [179082]

  Mr. Browne
  Overseas doctors here for postgraduate training do not require work permits but must meet the requirements of the immigration rules for leave to remain in this capacity. Charging for general leave to remain applications was introduced on 1 August 2003 and individual applicants must pay the requisite fee. The fee is £155 for a postal application and £250 for personal callers who wish to apply at one of the four Public Enquiry Offices.

  Overseas doctors who seek employment other than post-graduate training require work permits. Charging for leave to remain in connection with work permits was introduced on 1 April and individuals now apply for their own leave to remain. The £121 fee is the responsibility of the individual. However the employer may wish to pay on the individual's behalf.

  Application Registration Cards
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Application Registration Cards have been issued since January 2002. [170333]

  Mr. Browne
  Up to the end of March 2004, approximately 200,000 Application Registration Cards (ARCs) had been issued. This figure includes cards issued to new asylum seekers and their dependants as well as replacements where, for instance, the original has been lost or damaged.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether a scheme of transitional support will be offered to asylum seekers from EU accession countries from 1 May; [168693]

  (2) what the status will be of asylum seekers from EU accession countries who are sick or medically unfit for work from 1 May. [168697]

  Mr. Browne
  From 1 May 2004 nationals of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta, are no longer be eligible for support from the National Asylum Support Service or a local authority under the Asylum Support (Interim Provisions) Regulations 1999. This is because of the effect of paragraph 5 schedule 3 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.
  1352W
  There is no scheme of transitional support for asylum seekers from the EU accession states. Asylum seekers from the eight Eastern European accession countries, namely the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia ("the A8 countries"), will generally be able to take up employment in the UK, providing they register under the Worker Registration Scheme, which will become operational from 1 May 2004. Once they have secured employment and registered under the scheme, asylum seekers from the A8 countries may become eligible for family tax credit and child benefit. If they are on low incomes they can also access housing benefit and council tax benefit. Part time workers may also be eligible for income based job seeker's allowance or income support, provided they meet the usual conditions for those benefits.

  Maltese and Cypriot nationals will have the same rights as existing EEA nationals. If they are seeking work they have the right to reside and look for work for six months. If they satisfy the Habitual Residence Test they will be eligible to apply for income related benefits and for social housing and homelessness assistance. Maltese and Cypriot nationals who are not economically active will only have a right to reside if they are self sufficient and are not placing an unreasonable burden on UK social assistance funds.

  Support will continue for unaccompanied asylum seeking children until their 18th birthday.

  An asylum seeker who is sick or medically unfit for work will be able to remain in the UK if he can become self supporting, for example if he can stay with friends or relatives.

  If an accession state national wishes to return to his country of origin, he can seek assistance from the local authority who have a power under the Withholding and Withdrawal of Support (Travel and Assistance and Temporary Accommodation) Regulations 2002 to arrange travel. Local authorities also have the power to provide short-term accommodation and support for families pending return. For the cases that were formerly supported by NASS or by a local authority under the Interim Provisions the Government will reimburse local authorities' reasonable costs in implementing these arrangements. Additionally, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) can make arrangements for their return.

  Schedule 3 of the 2002 Act does not prevent the exercise of a power or the performance of a duty if, and to the extent that, its exercise or performance is necessary for the purpose of avoiding a breach of a person's Convention rights or a person's rights under the Community Treaties. Some asylum seekers who are sick or medically unfit for work may be provided with support by NASS or the local authority under the Asylum Support (Interim Provisions) Regulations 1999 if support is considered necessary to avoid a breach of a person's Convention rights.
  1353W
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unaccompanied children sought asylum on arrival in the United Kingdom, broken down by(a) UK entry point and (b) originating country in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [175951]

  Mr. Browne
  Data on the number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children that arrive at specific ports of entry are not collated centrally (additionally some

  Unaccompanied 1,2,3 children, aged 17 or under, applying for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality, 2001 to 2003, principal applicants only

  20014

  20025,6

  20036

  Nationality

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Albania

  85

  10

  75

  300

  25

  275

  145

  5

  140

  Czech Republic

  20

  20

  —

  10

  5

  5

  —

  —

  —

  SAM7

  475

  20

  460

  725

  35

  690

  15

  *

  15

  Maccdonia

  100

  5

  95

  110

  5

  105

  55

  5

  50

  Moldova

  35

  10

  30

  145

  20

  125

  5

  —

  5

  Poland

  25

  25

  —

  10

  5

  5

  60

  5

  60

  Romania

  50

  15

  35

  130

  20

  110

  5

  —

  5

  Russia

  5

  *

  5

  10

  5

  10

  170

  5

  170

  Turkey

  95

  85

  10

  85

  30

  55

  85

  55

  35

  Ukraine

  *

  *

  *

  5

  —

  5

  5

  —

  5

  Other Former USSR

  10

  5

  5

  10

  5

  10

  5

  —

  5

  Other Former Yugoslavia

  80

  *

  75

  5

  *

  *

  *

  —

  *

  Europe Other

  —

  —

  —

  *

  —

  *

  *

  —

  *

  Europe Total

  985

  195

  790

  1,545

  155

  1,390

  560

  70

  490

  Colombia

  5

  5

  *

  5

  *

  5

  5

  *

  *

  Ecuador

  5

  5

  *

  5

  *

  5

  5

  *

  5

  Jamaica

  *

  —

  *

  15

  5

  15

  5

  —

  5

  Americas Other

  5

  5

  5

  —

  —

  —

  5

  5

  *

  Americas Total

  20

  10

  10

  30

  5

  20

  15

  5

  10

  Algeria

  20

  5

  15

  40

  10

  35

  20

  *

  20

  Angola

  145

  30

  115

  210

  15

  195

  115

  10

  110

  Burundi

  20

  5

  15

  30

  10

  25

  60

  10

  55

  Cameroon

  20

  10

  15

  30

  5

  25

  20

  *

  20

  Congo

  30

  10

  20

  25

  10

  20

  15

  *

  15

  Democratic Republic of Congo

  80

  30

  55

  145

  40

  105

  95

  10

  85

  Eritrea

  110

  25

  85

  220

  80

  140

  125

  55

  70

  Ethiopia

  140

  25

  120

  140

  60

  80

  100

  30

  70

  Gambia

  *

  *

  *

  5

  5

  *

  5

  —

  5

  Ghana

  5

  5

  *

  5

  *

  5

  5

  *

  5

  Ivory Coast

  5

  —

  5

  5

  —

  5

  10

  *

  10

  Kenya

  15

  5

  10

  30

  5

  25

  25

  *

  25

  Nigeria

  35

  30

  10

  55

  35

  20

  35

  20

  15

  Rwanda

  40

  5

  35

  65

  10

  55

  20

  5

  15

  Sierra Leone

  130

  80

  50

  110

  70

  35

  35

  20

  15

  Somalia

  200

  55

  140

  345

  40

  305

  255

  40

  215

  Sudan

  5

  5

  5

  15

  5

  15

  30

  5

  25

  Tanzania

  *

  —

  *

  5

  *

  5

  5

  —

  5

  Uganda

  45

  5

  45

  105

  *

  100

  125

  *

  125

  Zimbabwe

  35

  30

  5

  90

  70

  15

  10

  5

  10

  Africa Other

  25

  5

  20

  70

  25

  50

  105

  25

  80

  Africa Total

  1,115

  360

  755

  1,745

  490

  1,255

  1,225

  235

  990

  Iran

  25

  20

  5

  50

  20

  35

  65

  15

  50

  Iraq

  180

  130

  55

  1,310

  125

  1,190

  220

  15

  205

  Middle East Other

  20

  10

  10

  50

  15

  35

  30

  10

  20

  Middle East Total

  225

  160

  65

  1,410

  155

  1,255

  310

  40

  270

  Afghanistan

  675

  620

  55

  720

  175

  545

  235

  90

  145

  Bangladesh

  15

  *

  15

  60

  *

  60

  50

  *

  50

  China

  135

  85

  55

  260

  120

  135

  145

  60

  85

  1354W
  unaccompanied minors may arrive in the UK and subsequently apply for asylum in country). Information on the originating country of applicants is not available. The information requested could be obtained from individual case files only at disproportionate cost.

  The table presents data on asylum applications from unaccompanied children broken down by year, location of application and nationality.
  1355W

  Unaccompanied 1,2,3 children, aged 17 or under, applying for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality, 2001 to 2003, principal applicants only

  20014

  20025,6

  20036

  Nationality

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  India

  20

  15

  5

  60

  25

  35

  60

  20

  35

  Pakistan

  25

  20

  5

  40

  15

  25

  45

  10

  35

  Sri Lanka

  140

  100

  35

  125

  55

  70

  15

  5

  10

  Vietnam

  90

  55

  35

  180

  35

  145

  125

  10

  115

  Asia Other

  5

  *

  5

  15

  —

  15

  10

  5

  10

  Asia Total

  1,100

  895

  205

  1,460

  430

  1,035

  685

  200

  480

  Nationally not known

  25

  25

  —

  5

  5

  *

  5

  5

  *

  Grand Total

  3,470

  1,645

  1,820

  6,200

  1,240

  4,955

  2,800

  555

  2,245

  1 Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2.

  2 Unaccompanied at point of arrival, aged (or if no proof) determined to be 17 or under and not known to be joining relative or guardian in the United Kingdom.

  3 Figures exclude disputed age cases.

  4 May exclude some cases lodged at Local Enforcement Offices.

  5 Not comparable with manual counts data prior to 2002.

  6 Provisional figures.

  7 Serbia and Montenegro (SAM) replaced Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) from 5 February 2003. SAM comprises the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Montenegro, and the Province of Kosovo (administered by the UN on an interim basis since 1999).

  Information on applications from unaccompanied asylum seeking children and other asylum statistics are published in quarterly web pages, the most recent covering the first quarter of 2004, and in the annual 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 immigration 1.html

  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unaccompanied children

  Applications received for asylum

  Unaccompanied1,2,3 children, aged 17 or under, applying for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality, 1999 to 2003

  Number of principal applicants

  19994

  20004

  Nationality

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Albania

  125

  115

  10

  95

  25

  70

  Czech Republic

  30

  30

  —

  20

  20

  —

  SAM

  1,520

  190

  1,335

  665

  70

  595

  Macedonia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Moldova

  *

  —

  *

  5

  *

  5

  Poland

  45

  45

  —

  15

  15

  —

  Romania

  85

  *

  85

  40

  10

  30

  Russia

  5

  —

  5

  *

  —

  *

  Turkey

  115

  105

  10

  155

  135

  15

  Ukraine

  *

  —

  *

  5

  *

  5

  Other former USSR

  25

  20

  5

  20

  15

  5

  Other former Yugoslavia

  30

  20

  10

  35

  *

  35

  Europe Other

  10

  10

  —

  5

  *

  *

  Europe Total

  1,995

  535

  1,460

  1,055

  290

  765

  Colombia

  20

  15

  *

  5

  5

  —

  Ecuador

  15

  10

  *

  5

  5

  *

  Jamaica

  5

  5

  —

  5

  5

  —

  Americas Other

  5

  5

  —

  *

  *

  —

  Americas Total

  40

  35

  5

  15

  15

  *

  Algeria

  10

  5

  5

  25

  10

  15

  Angola

  40

  25

  20

  100

  35

  70

  Burundi

  10

  *

  10

  20

  10

  10

  Cameroon

  —

  —

  —

  5

  5

  *

  1356W
  have applied for asylum in the UK in each year since 1979, broken down by nationality. [177027]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 8 June 2004]: The table shows the number of applications received for asylum from unaccompanied asylum seeking children in the United Kingdom, by nationality, for 1999–2003, the latest published data. The available information for earlier years is published in successive editions of the Home Office annual statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom", copies of which are available from the Library of the House, and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration 1.html.
  1357W

  Applications received for asylum

  Unaccompanied1,2,3 children, aged 17 or under, applying for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality, 1999 to 2003

  Number of principal applicants

  19994

  20004

  Nationality

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Congo

  5

  5

  *

  10

  5

  10

  Democratic Republic Congo

  35

  30

  5

  45

  35

  10

  Eritrea

  95

  50

  45

  85

  35

  50

  Ethiopia

  55

  30

  25

  60

  25

  35

  Gambia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ghana

  *

  —

  *

  10

  10

  *

  Ivory Coast

  *

  *

  —

  5

  *

  5

  Kenya

  10

  5

  5

  10

  5

  5

  Nigeria

  45

  40

  5

  5

  20

  5

  Rwanda

  35

  10

  25

  50

  5

  45

  Sierra Leone

  65

  55

  10

  5

  60

  15

  Somalia

  190

  155

  35

  175

  100

  80

  Sudan

  5

  5

  *

  10

  10

  *

  Tanzania

  *

  *

  —

  5

  *

  *

  Uganda

  10

  —

  10

  25

  *

  25

  Zimbabwe

  5

  5

  —

  35

  30

  *

  Africa Other

  10

  10

  —

  25

  20

  5

  Africa Total

  630

  435

  200

  800

  415

  380

  Iran

  15

  15

  *

  65

  50

  15

  Iraq

  60

  50

  5

  110

  85

  25

  Middle East Other

  15

  15

  —

  15

  10

  5

  Middle East Total

  90

  80

  10

  19O

  145

  45

  Afghanistan

  215

  195

  20

  300

  265

  35

  Bangladesh

  5

  5

  *

  5

  *

  5

  China

  165

  45

  120

  115

  60

  60

  India

  15

  10

  *

  15

  15

  *

  Pakistan

  20

  15

  5

  25

  20

  5

  Sri Lanka

  125

  105

  25

  10

  140

  30

  Vietnam

  5

  *

  5

  20

  10

  10

  Asoa Other

  5

  —

  5

  5

  *

  *

  Asia Total

  550

  370

  180

  655

  510

  145

  National not known

  40

  40

  —

  20

  20

  —

  Grand Total

  3,350

  1,500

  1,850

  2,735

  1,395

  1,340

  20014

  20025.6

  Nationality

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Albania

  85

  10

  75

  300

  25

  275

  Czech Republic

  20

  20

  —

  10

  5

  5

  SAM

  475

  20

  460

  725

  35

  690

  Macedonia

  100

  5

  95

  110

  5

  105

  Moldova

  35

  10

  30

  145

  20

  125

  Poland

  25

  25

  —

  10

  5

  5

  Romania

  50

  15

  35

  130

  20

  110

  Russia

  5

  *

  5

  10

  5

  10

  Turkey

  95

  85

  10

  85

  30

  55

  Ukraine

  *

  *

  *

  5

  —

  5

  Other former USSR

  10

  5

  5

  10

  5

  10

  Other former Yugoslavia

  80

  *

  75

  5

  *

  *

  Europe Other

  —

  —

  —

  *

  —

  *

  Europe Total

  985

  195

  790

  1,545

  155

  1,390

  Colombia

  5

  5

  *

  5

  *

  5

  Ecuador

  5

  5

  *

  5

  *

  5

  Jamaica

  *

  —

  *

  15

  5

  15

  Americas Other

  5

  5

  5

  —

  —

  —

  Americas Total

  20

  10

  10

  311

  5

  20

  Algeria

  20

  5

  15

  40

  10

  35

  Angola

  145

  30

  115

  210

  15

  195

  Burundi

  20

  5

  15

  30

  10

  25

  Cameroon

  20

  10

  15

  311

  5

  25

  Congo

  30

  10

  20

  25

  10

  20

  Democratic Republic Congo

  80

  30

  55

  145

  40

  105

  Eritrea

  110

  25

  85

  220

  80

  140

  Ethiopia

  140

  25

  120

  141

  60

  80

  Gambia

  *

  *

  *

  5

  5

  *

  Ghana

  5

  5

  *

  5

  *

  5

  Ivory Coast

  5

  —

  5

  5

  —

  5

  Kenya

  15

  5

  10

  30

  5

  25

  1358W 1359W

  20014

  20025,6

  Nationality

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  Nigeria

  35

  30

  10

  55

  35

  20

  Rwanda

  40

  5

  35

  65

  10

  55

  Sierra Leone

  130

  80

  50

  110

  70

  35

  Somalia

  200

  55

  140

  345

  40

  305

  Sudan

  5

  5

  5

  15

  5

  15

  Tanzania

  *

  —

  *

  5

  *

  5

  Uganda

  45

  5

  45

  105

  *

  100

  Zimbabwe

  35

  30

  5

  90

  70

  15

  Africa Other

  25

  5

  20

  70

  25

  50

  Africa Total

  1,115

  360

  755

  1,745

  490

  1,255

  Iran

  25

  20

  5

  50

  20

  35

  Iraq

  180

  130

  55

  1,310

  125

  1,190

  Middle East Other

  20

  10

  10

  50

  15

  35

  Middle East Total

  225

  160

  65

  1,410

  155

  1,255

  Afghanistan

  675

  620

  55

  720

  175

  545

  Bangladesh

  15

  *

  15

  60

  *

  60

  China

  135

  85

  55

  260

  120

  135

  India

  20

  15

  5

  60

  25

  35

  Pakistan

  25

  20

  5

  40

  15

  25

  Sri Lanka

  140

  100

  35

  125

  55

  70

  Vietnam

  90

  55

  35

  180

  35

  145

  Asia Other

  5

  *

  5

  15

  —

  15

  Asia Total

  1,100

  895

  205

  1,460

  430

  1,035

  Nationality not known

  25

  25

  —

  5

  5

  *

  Grand Total

  3,470

  1,645

  1,820

  6,200

  1,240

  4,955

  20036

  Nationality

  Total

  Applies at port

  Applied in country

  Albania

  145

  5

  140

  Czech Republic

  —

  —

  —

  SAM

  15

  *

  15

  Macedonia

  55

  5

  50

  Moldova

  5

  —

  5

  Poland

  60

  5

  60

  Romania

  5

  —

  5

  Russia

  170

  5

  170

  Turkey

  85

  55

  35

  Ukraine

  5

  —

  5

  Other former USSR

  5

  *

  5

  Other former Yugoslavia

  *

  —

  *

  Europe Other

  *

  —

  *

  Europe Total

  560

  70

  490

  Colombia

  5

  *

  *

  Ecuador

  5

  *

  5

  Jamaica

  5

  —

  5

  Americas Other

  5

  5

  *

  Americas Total

  15

  5

  10

  Algeria

  20

  *

  20

  Angola

  115

  10

  110

  Burundi

  60

  10

  55

  Cameroon

  20

  *

  20

  Congo

  15

  *

  15

  Democratic Republic Congo

  95

  10

  85

  Eritrea

  125

  55

  70

  Ethiopia

  100

  30

  70

  Gambia

  5

  —

  5

  Ghana

  5

  *

  5

  Ivory Coast

  10

  *

  10

  Kenya

  25

  *

  25

  Nigeria

  35

  20

  15

  Rwanda

  20

  5

  15

  Sierra Leone

  35

  20

  15

  Somalia

  255

  40

  215

  Sudan

  30

  5

  25

  Tanzania

  5

  —

  5

  Uganda

  125

  *

  125

  Zimbabwe

  10

  5

  10

  Africa Other

  105

  25

  80

  Africa Total

  1,225

  235

  990

  Iran

  65

  15

  50

  Iraq

  220

  15

  205

  Middle East Other

  30

  10

  20

  Middle East Total

  310

  40

  270

  Afghanistan

  235

  90

  145

  Bangladesh

  50

  *

  50

  China

  145

  60

  85

  1360W

  20036

  Nationality

  Total

  Applied at port

  Applied in country

  India

  60

  20

  35

  Pakistan

  45

  10

  35

  Sri Lanka

  15

  5

  10

  Vietnam

  125

  10

  115

  Asia Other

  10

  5

  10

  Asia Total

  685

  200

  480

  Nationality not known

  5

  5

  2,

  Grand Total

  2,800

  555

  245

  1 Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with*=1 or 2.

  2 Unaccompanied at point of arrival, aged (or if no proof) determined to be 17 or under and not known to be joining a relative or guardian in the United Kingdom.

  3 Figures exclude disputed age cases.

  4 May exclude some cases lodged at Local Enforcement Offices.

  5 Not comparable with manual counts data prior to 2002.

  6 Provisional figures.

  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of asylum seekers detained at Campsfield during the last year(a) were detained at ports and airports before going through immigration, (b) were detained when they first applied for asylum, (c) were detained before receiving a response to their claim from the Home Office, (d) were detained before exhausting all their appeal rights, (e) had been given removal directions, (f) were overstayers and (g) were detained for more than (i) one month, (ii) three months and (iii) a year. [178109]

  Mr. Browne
  The latest available information shows that at 27 March 2004 75 people were detained at Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre, 60 of whom had claimed asylum at some stage.

  Information on the number of people who were detained over the course of a year and details of their cases is not available, except by examination of individual case-files at disproportionate cost.
  1361W
  Information on the length of detention of the 75 people who were detained at Campsfield House at 27 March 2004 is shown in the table.

  People recorded as being detained at Campsfield House IRC as at 27 March 20041,2

  Length of detention

  Total detainees

  Of whom, asylum seekers

  14 Days or less

  10

  5

  15 to 29 days

  10

  10

  One month to less than two months

  25

  20

  Two months to less than three months

  10

  10

  Three months to less than four months

  5

  5

  Four months to less than six months

  5

  5

  Six months to less than one year

  10

  10

  One year or more

  3—

  3—

  Total

  75

  60

  1Figures are rounded to nearest 5, with 3 denoting 1 or 2. Figures may not sum to total due to rounding.

  2Two months is defined as 61 days; four months is defined as 122 days; six months is defined as 182 days.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being introduced to improve the quality of initial asylum decisions. [177932]

  Mr. Browne
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave her on 17 May 2004,Official Report, column 751W.

  Tom Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers were living in the Greater London area on the most recent date for which figures are available. [177828]

  Mr. Browne
  The following table shows the number of asylum seekers (including dependants) who were supported in National Asylum Support Service (NASS) accommodation, and those who were in receipt of subsistence only support, in Greater London as at the end of March 2004.

  Information on the number of asylum seekers supported by NASS is published in the quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom", available from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http:// www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration 1.html.

  In receipt of subsistence only support1

  Supported in NASS accommodation1

  Greater London

  19,920

  2,985

  Of which:

  Barking and Dagenham

  395

  55

  Barnet

  615

  80

  Bexley

  80

  5

  Brent

  1,385

  70

  Bromley

  80

  20

  Camden

  430

  45

  Croydon

  615

  105

  Ealing

  1,305

  115

  Enfield

  1,250

  385

  Greenwich

  500

  45

  Hackney

  1,040

  195

  Hammersmith & Fulham

  325

  90

  Haringey

  1,910

  585

  Harrow

  530

  70

  Havering

  40

  5

  Hillingdon

  460

  15

  Hounslow

  625

  45

  Islington

  605

  170

  Kensington and Chelsea

  175

  20

  Kingston upon Thames

  120

  25

  1362W

  In receipt of subsistence only support1

  Supported in NASS accommodation1

  Lambeth

  880

  95

  Lewisham

  620

  75

  Merton

  390

  25

  Newham

  1,810

  200

  Redbridge

  595

  60

  Richmond upon Thames

  70

  15

  Southwark

  835

  65

  Sutton

  110

  20

  Tower Hamlets

  265

  30

  Waltham Forest

  940

  145

  Wandsworth

  590

  60

  Westminster

  325

  55

  Other

  *

  —

  1Including dependants

  All figures are rounded to the nearest 5, with * = 1 or 2. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what criteria a decision to raise the resettlement quota for asylum seekers would be based. [177931]

  Mr. Browne
  The Gateway Protection Programme brings refugees to the UK, not asylum seekers. This is the first year in which we have operated the Programme. It is a complex operation and our current priority is ensuring the policy and procedures are working satisfactorily. We will be reviewing the scope for extending the Programme in future years in light of our initial experiences, including the available caseloads and identified needs, the contribution resettlement is able to make to refugee protection and the availability and costs of placements in the UK.

  Tom Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are being held in each prison in England and Wales. [177833]

  Mr. Browne
  Information on the number of persons who had claimed asylum at some stage and were detained in prison establishments in England and Wales on 27 March 2004 is shown in the table.

  A recent assessment of figures supplied by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on immigration detention has highlighted an undercount of detainees held in prisons. The cases concerned are those immigration detainees who had completed their criminal sentence and had either been court-recommended for deportation or on conducive grounds but were still held in a prison pending deportation. At the end of March 2004 it is thought that there were approximately 200 such cases, some of whom may have claimed asylum at some stage. This issue is currently being looked into, and any necessary revisions to the regular statistics will be considered once we are satisfied that the issue has been resolved.

  Asylum seekers1 recorded as being in detention in prisons in England and Wales solely under Immigration Act powers as at 27 March 20042,3

  Prison establishment

  Wormwood Scrubs

  10

  Norwich

  5

  Wandsworth

  5

  Belmarsh

  5

  Chelmsford

  5

  Manchester

  5

  1363W

  Asylum seekers1 recorded as being in detention in prisons in England and Wales solely under Immigration Act powers as at 27 March 20042,3

  Prison establishment

  Pentonville

  5

  Blakenhurst

  5

  Dorchester

  5

  Durham

  5

  Hull

  5

  Other prison establishments4

  35

  Total

  85

  1Persons detained under Immigration Act powers who are recorded as having sought asylum at some stage.

  2 Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 and exclude persons detained in police cells and those in dual detention.

  3 A recent assessment of figures supplied by IND on immigration detention has highlighted an undercount of detainees held in prisons.

  4 Other prison establishments with 5 or fewer detainees.

  Information on persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers is published on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration 1.html.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the results of the pilot schemes on requiring asylum seekers to receive decisions in person. [177868]

  Mr. Browne
  The pilot exercise for the service in person of decisions was restricted to the service of appeal determinations for asylum seekers whose applications had been certified under schedule 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. The pilot was discontinued as legislative measures introduced under part 5 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 changed the point at which appeal rights became exhausted. As a consequence the pilot was curtailed and while the results were considered encouraging they were not thought conclusive.

  From 1 April 2003 only cases with an adverse statutory review decision were considered suitable for service in person as that was the point at which all appeal rights were exhausted. Since then the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) has received notification of 1,145 statutory review cases of which 848 have been dismissed. Of these 143 have been served in person of which 31 have been removed from the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to ensure that asylum seekers from Afghanistan and Iraq, particularly those with children, who cannot be removed and returned to their country of origin at the present time are not becoming destitute. [170038]

  Mr. Browne
  The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) may provide support to eligible asylum seekers who still await a final decision on their claim for asylum. Asylum seekers who receive a positive decision on their claim are able to receive income support if they are unable to be self-supporting. With the exception of families including children under the age of 18 support for asylum seekers whose claims are unsuccessful must end no later than 21 days after the receipt of the final decision on the asylum claim. Families currently remain 1364W
  supported until either they leave the country, the youngest child reaches the age of 18 or they fail to comply with directions for their removal.

  Unsuccessful asylum seekers whose support has stopped who are unable to leave due to circumstances entirely beyond their control may be provided with accommodation under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

  The Home Office has not taken any decision to suspend enforced returns to Iraq. We recognise that action by insurgents has created difficult problems in some areas, but we do not accept that this applies to all areas. Returns will be taken forward on a case by case basis and we will only return to particular areas assessed as sufficiently stable, where we are satisfied that the individuals concerned will not be at risk. The situation will be kept under constant review and we are still working with the coalition authorities to return those who are not at risk of persecution and do not need humanitarian protection.

  The voluntary return route to Iraq used by the IOM is not open at this time but the IOM continues to process applications for voluntary return and will assist those who wish to return voluntarily as soon as it is practical to do so. Iraqi nationals who are willing to register with the IOM for a voluntary departure would be eligible for section 4 support while they are waiting for their voluntary return to be arranged.

  Both enforced and voluntary returns are possible for failed asylum seekers from Afghanistan and accommodation under section 4 will be provided only where they are seeking to return but cannot immediately do so.

  Asylum System (Funding)
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the level of funding of the asylum system in this financial year. [177894]

  Mr. Browne
  The Immigration and Nationality Directorates (IND) resource budget for 2004–05 is £1,684 million (Main Estimates after technical adjustments) and the capital budget is £127 million (Main Estimates adjusted for the final SR 2002 settlement). However, the final IND budget is subject to revision, particularly when the final allocation of the Single Asylum Budget between IND and the Department of Constitutional Affairs is agreed.

  Beckett House Reporting Centre, Bermondsey
  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what purpose police in Thurrock were advised by G. Mehmet of Beckett House Reporting Centre's administration team in a letter of 25 May that all reportees other than those on police bail were in future to report to Beckett House in Bermondsey as part of their reporting restrictions; and if he will make a statement. [177749]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 9 June 2004]: Becket House has been involved in a project recalling immigration reportees who are still reporting to Police stations within the area of the Metropolitan Police

  1365W
  District for which Becket House provides operational coverage. As part of this process, Becket House has written to police stations instructing them to advise such persons to report, in future, to Becket House. Unfortunately, on 21 May 2004, such a letter was sent by Miss Mehmet, in error, to Thurrock Police station which borders Becket House's operational area but is, in fact, outside the Metropolitan District. This error has now been rectified and the persons involved informed that they should continue to report to Thurrock.

  Bulgaria
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the 2003 Agreement for Readmission between British and Bulgarian authorities is in effect. [178851]

  Mr. Browne
  The readmission agreement between Bulgaria and the United Kingdom came into force on 6 June 2004.

  Compacts
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the Compacts with the voluntary sector which are now in place. [176115]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  A list showing where Local Compacts between the voluntary and community sector and local public sector bodies are now in place and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance is available from central Government for the setting up and operation of Compacts. [176116]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  Assistance from central Government for the setting up and operation of Compacts is available through:guidance including publication of the Local Compact Guidelines and supporting the development of the Compact website
  a revision of the Local Compact Guidelines planned this year, which will encourage Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) to take a leading role, and a toolkit is also being developed for evaluating Local Compacts by local public bodies
  funding the Compact Working Group Secretariat to promote and help with Compact implementation focusing on work with the voluntary and community sector
  encouragement of Compact engagement in the work of central Government Departments, including through their local delivery agencies (—all Departments are producing strategies on working with the voluntary and community sector)
  the Department of Health's work to target Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and NHS Trusts asking these organisations to engage in Local Compacts, and its Strategic Health Agreement which will support the Compact, including partnership working at local level
  the Active Community Unit's work in partnership with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Local Government Association to encourage and incentivise Local Compact engagement, for example through targeting the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) refresh process for 2005–06
  the work of Government Offices to promote Local Compacts across the regions
  setting targets for the coverage and effectiveness of Local Compacts in the Compact Action Plan (2004–05) agreed through the annual meeting to review the Compact
  1366W
  the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Community Empowerment Fund as a source of assistance for building partnerships with the voluntary and community sector in neighbourhood renewal areas
  building on Local Compacts with Community Empowerment Networks (CENs)—which enable the voluntary and community sector to get involved in LSPs—which are in the process of setting out detailed working arrangements with their LSPs in protocol agreements.

  Convention Plus
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the work of the Government in supporting the UNHCR Convention Plus initiative. [177870]

  Mr. Browne
  The Government strongly support United Nations High Commission for Refugee's Convention Plus initiative. Convention Plus aims to improve refugee protection worldwide and to facilitate the resolution of refugee problems through multilateral special agreements. The Government are assisting in all three work strands in Convention Plus: the strategic use of resettlement; addressing irregular secondary movements of refugees and asylum seekers; and targeting development assistance to achieve durable solutions.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many right hon. and hon. Members who have written to Ministers in his Department have waited(a) 12 months, (b) 11 months, (c) 10 months, (d) nine months, (e) eight months, (f) seven months, (g) six months, (h) five months, (i) four months, (j) three months, (k) two months and (l) one month for a reply to their correspondence. [164093]

  Caroline Flint
  [holding answer 30 March 2004]: Figures are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  The Home Office is, however, achieving a steady improvement in its correspondence handling capability following the introduction in March 2003 of a new Correspondence Tracking System. In April 2003, the first complete month for which accurate performance monitoring information is available, 51 per cent. of ministerial correspondence was replied to within the 15 working day (20 days in the Immigration Nationality Directorate (IND)) published target. 12 months later, in March 2004, that overall figure had risen to 76 per cent. The aim is to achieve the target of 95 per cent. replied to on time by the last quarter of 2004.

  Departmental Expenditure (Entertainment)
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his latest estimate is of the amount spent by his Department on official entertainment in each year from 1996–97 to 2004–05. [169006]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  Home Office expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety based on the principles set out in Government Accounting.
  1367W
  The following figures relate to the cost of entertaining non-civil servants (hospitality ) and civil servants (management entertainment). Details of such expenditure have only been held centrally since 1997–98.

  The increase in expenditure from 1999–2000 is due to an element of incorrect expenditure coding, resulting in the inclusion of accommodation and subsistence costs. It is not possible, without incurring disproportionate cost, to separate these costs and, consequently, these figures are not directly comparable with those provided in previous years.

  Total (£)

  1997–98

  37,747

  1998–99

  44,415

  1999–2000

  94,370

  2000–01

  108,925

  2001–02

  75,808

  2002–03

  70,591

  2003–04

  89,072

  Forecast figures for the year 2004–05 are not available.

  Distraction Crimes
  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has conducted on the neighbourhoods that are most likely to suffer from distraction crimes; and if he will make a statement. [178417]

  Ms Blears
  Since 2000, research on distraction burglary has been conducted under the Home Office's Reducing Burglary Initiative to help practitioners understand this crime, and to identify and evaluate ways of combating it. A number of reports have already been published. Two further reports, based on projects in Cambridge and Leeds, will be published later this year.

  Recorded crimes involving firearms in England and Wales

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  Shotguns

  Recorded crimes

  1,592

  1,190

  983

  933

  580

  642

  695

  608

  712

  671

  Homicides

  39

  36

  28

  17

  16

  11

  19

  13

  21

  14

  Serious injuries1

  87

  79

  67

  46

  31

  44

  53

  38

  55

  65

  Minor injuries1

  82

  62

  47

  31

  24

  18

  28

  22

  35

  28

  Rifles

  Recorded crimes1

  82

  86

  50

  62

  51

  43

  67

  36

  64

  52

  Homicides

  0

  5

  2

  0

  3

  5

  0

  1

  1

  5

  Serious and minor injuries1

  17

  15

  10

  19

  12

  6

  8

  4

  13

  4

  1Up to 1996, does not include additional late returns from one police force

  Gurkhas
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to allow former Gurkhas to settle permanently in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [178203]

  Mr. Browne
  Officials from the Ministry of Defence, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Home Office are reviewing immigration policy in respect of Gurkhas who have served in the British Army. Ministers
  1368W
  This research indicates that most distraction burglaries occur in inner cities. Homes within a mile of trunk roads or motorways are more likely to be targeted, as are areas with a high concentration of older persons and lower value housing. Environmental risk factors associated with an increased risk of distraction burglary include homes in an obviously poor state of repair (neglected gardens and outside maintenance), or with front doors not visible to the street or neighbours.

  EU Accession State Workers
  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many nationals of new European Union states have registered under the Accession State Worker Registration Scheme since its introduction, broken down by nationality. [178595]

  Mr. Browne
  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.

  Firearms Incidents
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firearms incidents involving(a) shotguns and (b) rifles there were in each of the last 10 years; how many incidents involving each type of weapon caused (i) fatalities, (ii) serious injuries and (iii) minor injuries; and in how many incidents involving each type of weapon (A) the user of the weapon was privately licensed to possess the weapon, (B) the user was under the age of 17, (C) the user was under the age of 14, (D) the weapon had been modified, (E) the victim was related to the user of the weapon and (F) the incident was suicide or attempted suicide. [177150]

  Caroline Flint
  The full information requested is not available. The available data which are given in the table relate to recorded crimes involving the weapon types mentioned.

  are being kept advised of progress and when the review is completed officials will report their recommendations. We will then make decisions on the best way forward.

  Identity Cards
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether making identity cards compulsory is a matter requiring primary legislation. [177923]

  Mr. Browne
  The draft Identity Cards Bill published on 26 April includes a provision which would require the
  1369W
  Government to justify, by way of a formal report tabled before both Houses, the reasons for setting a date by when it would be a requirement to register with the scheme. Clause 7 of the Bill requires that any compulsion order laid before Parliament must be consistent with the views approved by both Houses on the Government's proposition for compulsion.

  The Government believe that the process set out in the draft Bill provides the right level of assurance for Parliament that any move to compulsion will be properly justified and fully debated at the time.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how clear public acceptance of the identity card scheme will be measured. [177925]

  Mr. Browne
  Before the decision to move to compulsion, we would want to be confident that there is clear public acceptance for the principle of compulsion. We are already undertaking work with focus groups and public polling to determine levels of public support for the identity cards scheme. How exactly we will judge public acceptance of compulsion has yet to be finalised. Clause 7 of the draft Identity Cards Bill provides that before a draft Order for compulsion is laid, the Secretary of State must prepare and publish a report setting out the reasons for compulsion.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his response is to QinetiQ's recommendation that identity cards should remain voluntary. [177929]

  Mr. Browne
  The Government have made clear that it is planning to build the base for a compulsory national identity cards scheme, but that this will be in two stages. The first will be linked to the designation of existing documents. The second stage move to compulsion would require full debate and a vote in both Houses of Parliament. The Government would only take this step after a rigorous evaluation of the first stage. In particular we would want to be confident that the scheme had rolled out to a significant coverage of the population and the Government were satisfied that the conditions set out in Identity Cards: the Next Steps (Cm 6020) were met.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether women who choose to wear the veil in public are to be required to show their face in photographs in the proposed identity cards. [178249]

  Mr. Browne
  The exact format of the identity card, including the requirement for a photograph, will be set out in regulations. We expect that these regulations will be in line with those currently in place for passports and driving licence photographs, exercising discretion as far as possible regarding head coverings due to religious beliefs or ethnic background. However, the over-riding rule, set by international standards for travel documents, is that the applicant's photograph should show a full face and that all features should be clearly distinguishable.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it will be compulsory for foreign nationals, including EU nationals, to have identity cards if they are in the UK for longer than three months from the outset of the scheme. [178890]
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  Mr. Browne
  When the scheme comes into operation, it is the Government's intention that foreign nationals, including those from the EU, who come to the UK will be required to register when they have been here for three months. They will then be issued with one of the "family" of ID cards.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the identity card will have a federated IT architecture; and if he will make a statement on the uses enabled by this type of system. [178894]

  Mr. Browne
  No decisions have been taken on the architecture of the IT systems which will support the identity cards scheme. The IT architecture will support the uses of the scheme, set out in the draft Identity Cards Bill, namely the secure identification and enrolment of people on the National Identity Register and the provision of a service which will allow organisations to verify people's identity with their consent. The architecture will also support the disclosure of information to specified persons for specified purposes without the consent of the registered person.

  Identity Fraud
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to combat identity fraud. [177836]

  Mr. Browne
  Identity fraud usually occurs when someone's personal information such as name, address or date of birth is captured without their knowledge and used by someone else to support criminal activity, which could involve deception, financial gain or obtaining other benefits and services.

  Measures have been taken to improve the procedures for issuing and checking passports and driving licences, which are the two main official documents that are used currently to confirm personal details and therefore establish identity.

  UK Passport Service has produced guidance on keeping passports safe and what to do if they are lost or stolen. The guidance emphasises that a lost or stolen passport increases the likelihood of the holder's identity being misused. It has also developed and deployed a database of lost and stolen passports, which is being shared with border authorities and police worldwide to counter identity fraud.

  DVLA is reviewing the advice that it currently provides to drivers. It is considering what guidance it can offer on looking after licences, including the fact that drivers' identity could be open to misuse if their licences are lost or stolen.

  In 2003 Home Office officials worked closely with colleagues in the UK Passport Service and DVLA to support the Association of Payment Clearing Services, CIFAS (the UK's Fraud Prevention Service) and the Finance and Leasing Association to produce "Identity Fraud—The UK Manual". The manual provides advice to staff on spotting false UK passports and driving licences and preventing identity fraud.

  We have also looked at legislative changes to make identity theft or fraud easier to prosecute or to ensure that the penalties associated with fraudulent use of documents take account of their use in creating false, or

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  stealing genuine, identities. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 changed the law to align the penalty associated with fraudulently obtaining a driving licence with that for fraudulently obtaining a passport and made these offences arrestable. This will ensure consistency of approach during prosecution so that fraudulently obtaining either document will incur a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, serving as a more effective deterrent and ensuring that neither document is considered a weak link by fraudsters.

  These measures should help to prevent fraudsters from using driving licences and passports to commit identity fraud.

  We announced in 2003 our intention to create a new offence relating to being in possession or control of false identity documents, without reasonable cause. This offence will provide the police with the means to disrupt the activities of criminals who use false identity documents such as passports and driving licences at an earlier stage of their activities. We published a consultation paper on 26 April on the legislation needed to introduce identity cards. The draft Identity Cards Bill includes the proposed false document offences.

  The Home Office has recently established a cross public-private sector work programme to tackle identity theft and identity fraud. The programme co-ordinates existing activity in the public and private sectors and identifies new projects and initiatives to reduce identity fraud.

  Illegal Workers
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal workers have been discovered working in construction since the introduction of the Construction Industry Scheme. [178015]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 14 June 2004]: Information on the numbers of illegal workers detected during visits to construction sites is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the Immigration Service uses an intelligence-led approach to detecting illegal workers and operations take place in the construction industry as and when appropriate.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the work of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in countering illegal working. [177867]

  Mr. Browne
  The Government announced on 16 March 2004 that changes would be made to section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, which prohibits the employment of illegal migrant workers. The new arrangements improve the security of the checks employers must carry out to avoid hiring illegal workers. These changes came into force on 1 May 2004 and form part of our continuing strategy to improve the way we tackle illegal working through tightening the legislation, improving its enforcement, engaging employer groups, stakeholders and other Government Departments.

  In addition, we have included an amendment to the current Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc) Bill to make the current section 8 offence
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  triable either way, effectively removing the statutory limit on financial penalties the courts can impose in the more serious cases. The Government are also strongly supporting the Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for West Renfrewshire (Jim Sheridan), which will create a statutory licensing system for gangmasters. The Bill's objective is to drive out rogue operators and illegality from the agricultural labour provision sector altogether, by ensuring that farmers and food retailers use only reputable operators who comply with an industry code of practice, and by providing strong criminal sanctions against unlicensed gangmasters.

  The Immigration Service has also significantly increased intelligence-led enforcement action, with the police and other public bodies, against those employers and labour providers who use and supply illegal labour, including where such individuals have links to organised crime.

  Immigration
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what significant measures have been introduced to enhance the security of United Kingdom borders since 1996. [169252]

  Mr. Browne
  We have been incrementally developing and implementing policies and, where appropriate, legislative changes, to uphold and enhance border security in response to threats and abuses from 1997 onwards.

  Examples include the expansion of the Airline Liaison Officer network which offers vital support and assistance to airlines at key locations overseas and now has an enhanced response capability, and an informed visa strategy designed to consider qualification for entry before arrival and which is kept under regular review. In 2003 we significantly increased the number of countries whose nationals require Direct Airside Transit Visas in a response to an analysis of emerging risks. We have also enhanced and upgraded our intelligence capability to tackle organised immigration crime.

  Other initiatives have represented a more radical development in the approach to protecting border security. Key examples are listed as follows:
  1998—the White Paper "Fairer, Faster and Firmer" and in 1999 the Immigration and Asylum Act, set out a new approach to the management of the Immigration Control and those who seek to evade or abuse it. Key initiatives include civil penalties in relation to the transportation of clandestine entrants in road vehicles or rail freight wagons. These measures were brought into force in April 2000 and March 2001 respectively and have had a significant impact on the number of clandestine entrants detected.

  The Government's strategy for tackling specifically organised immigration crime is Reflex, the multi-agency forum established in May 2000 which brings together key law enforcement players under the chair of the National Crime Squad.

  2001 saw the initial phases of two pivotal initiatives which have fundamentally altered the way we operate border controls by moving elements of that process away from our geographical borders.
  Juxtaposed Controls—the establishment of frontier control zones in key locations overseas to enable UK Immigration Officers to consider and decide the admissibility of passengers

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  prior to embarkation for the UK. Such controls have been in operation for some time at Coquelles and Paris Gare du Nord and since 1 February 2004 UK immigration officers have also been operating in Calais and Dunkirk. A formal agreement was signed on 15 April with the Belgian authorities to establish juxtaposed controls at the Gare du Midi in Brussels.
  In Calais, New Detection Technology has capacity to screen 100 per cent. of UK bound freight and deployment of the equipment elsewhere in Europe is well under way.

  These initiatives have contributed to a significant reduction in inadequately documented and clandestine arrivals following implementation.

  We worked hard with our French partners to achieve the closure of the Sangatte centre in Northern France which had posed a threat to border security, particularly in the Dover area, and was closed at the end of 2002.

  Measures to focus the asylum system have ensured that an asylum claim is not seen as a way of circumventing controls on entry. In September 2003 asylum applications were reduced by more than half compared to October 2002 and we continue to give this area the highest priority.

  In 2004 we have begun to roll out biometric (fingerprint) technology to key visa issuing posts overseas and to some specific types of passengers on arrival. The Immigration Nationality Directorate is also working with the other border agencies over the coming months to develop more closely aligned objectives and priorities in order to ensure co-ordinated, strategically driven operational activity to protect our borders.

  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Kate Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when officials at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate will resolve the immigration status of a constituent of the hon. Member for Vauxhall, reference number O143164. [178743]

  Mr. Browne
  A decision has now been made to regularise my hon. Friend's constituent's stay in the United Kingdom. Officials will write to him shortly to advise him of his immigration status.

  Immigration Staff (Training)
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on initial training for immigration officers and caseworkers. [177933]

  Mr. Browne
  Initial training for newly recruited Immigration Officers (IDs) consists of six weeks classroom based training for those serving at Ports of Entry or eight weeks for those serving on enforcement duties, which is focused on the role of the IO and covers the Immigration Act and its implementation. Training also includes asylum, human rights, race relations and equal opportunity issues. This is then followed by a period of up to four weeks operational work supervised by a more experienced IO acting as a mentor.

  Initial training for asylum caseworkers consists of an 11 day training course which covers all aspects of asylum casework and how to deal with human rights
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  allegations raised by asylum seekers. Immediately following this training, caseworkers move directly to a Mentoring Unit where they remain for at least another 11 days to develop their casework skills through the consideration of "dummy" and subsequently "live" cases.

  After formal training and mentoring, less experienced IOs and caseworkers will continue to receive support (for example from more experienced colleagues and senior officers).

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what refresher training is in place for experienced immigration caseworkers. [177934]

  Mr. Browne
  All asylum caseworkers receive refresher training to consolidate their interviewing skills after they have been in post for three months. There is also a rolling programme of workshops run by the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, the aim of which is to equip caseworkers better to interview asylum applicants who have been victims of torture.

  Other additional training is provided as and when required, such as in respect of changes in legislation or procedures or in response to weaknesses identified by quality assurance work. For example, all asylum caseworkers have recently been invited to attend a refresher course to better equip them to deal with human rights allegations raised alongside asylum claims.

  In addition, representatives from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) also undertake presentations to provide information about their work and to discuss the procedures and criteria for determining refugee status with asylum caseworkers.

  Induction Centres
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the programme for introducing a network of induction centres. [177928]

  Mr. Browne
  The Government are continuing with plans to establish a network of induction centres as set out in the White Paper "Secure Borders, Safe Haven: Integration with Diversity in Modern Britain" (CM 5387) which was published on 7 February 2002. The aim is to have a network of induction centres established by the end of 2004. preferred method of procurement is working in partnership with local authorities.

  Two induction centres are already operating successfully. The Dover Induction Centre opened in January 2002. The Yorkshire and Humberside Induction Centre opened in June 2003. The Home Office has also signed a contract, for induction processes and accommodation for 200–300 asylum seekers, in the Greater Manchester area. This service will be operational in the summer.

  The network of induction centres will include a broader range of models than originally defined in the White Paper. This allows local authorities to provide induction arrangements that are sensitive to local circumstances. In Greater Manchester the accommodation and resources that will be used for induction are spread across a wide

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  geographical area and wherever possible existing accommodation used to house asylum seekers will be utilised. There will be no overall increase in asylum seekers staying in the region.

  Leave to Remain
  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have received

  Grants of extensions of leave to remain1, in the United Kingdom, by selected category, excluding EEA nationals, 1992 to 2002

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  Spouse2

  18,270

  16,820

  17,000

  17,560

  17,060

  15,870

  15,610

  16,280

  26,410

  23,060

  18,500

  Fiancé(e)

  85

  85

  145

  110

  110

  50

  30

  35

  70

  65

  75

  1Excluding dependants of principal applicants, asylum related decisions, the outcome of appeals and withdrawn applications.

  2 Data from 1997 includes unmarried partners.

  Prior to 1992 this information was not routinely published.

  Historical data on immigration control can be found in the Command Papers "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom", copies of which are available from the Library of the House.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been granted extended leave to remain as a work permit holder or trainee in each year since 1979, broken down by nationality. [177102]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 8 June 2004]: Information on the number of people granted extended leave to remain as a work permit holder or trainee has been provided back to 1992 and is provided in the table. Earlier data have not been published and would incur disproportionate cost to extract.

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

  Memorandum of Understanding (Somalia)
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation he has had with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees regarding the forced return of failed asylum seekers to Somalia. [178088]

  Mr. Browne
  The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is aware we are effecting the enforced return of failed asylum seekers to Somalia and we are in contact with the UNHCR on issues relating to this returns programme. In January 2004 UNHCR published a position paper on the return of failed asylum seekers to Somalia and this is taken into account by caseworkers considering the protection needs of individual Somali asylum seekers. As with applications from all nationalities, each asylum (and human rights) claim made by someone from Somalia is considered by the Home Office on its individual merits, in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
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  extensions of leave to remain as a spouse or financée for a limited period prior to settlement in each year since 1979. [177028]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 8 June 2004]: The latest available data on the number of people that have received extensions of leave to remain as a spouse or fiancée for a limited period prior to settlement can be found in the following table.

  Individual asylum seekers found by both the Home Office and the Independent Appellate Authority, not to be at risk of persecution and not in need of humanitarian protection are considered for removal on a case by case basis. The Home Office will not return vulnerable groups and will only enforce the return of those Somalis it is satisfied are not in need of protection.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what route, and with which airlines, failed asylum seekers are returned to Somalia; and who controls the airstrip used in Somalia. [178089]

  Mr. Browne
  Failed asylum seekers are returned to Mogadishu via Dubai on scheduled commercial flights. They travel to Dubai on Emirates Airlines and travel on to Mogadishu on Daallo or African Express Airlines. Mogadishu International Airport is currently closed so Daallo and African Express fly into a privately run airport near Mogadishu.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Somali nationals are in detention awaiting removal to Somalia. [178090]

  Mr. Browne
  The latest available information shows that at 27 March 2004 30 Somali nationals were detained under Immigration Act Powers. Information on the number of these detainees who were awaiting removal from the UK is not available except by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost.

  National Asylum Support Service
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the resourcing of the National Asylum Support Service. [177895]

  Mr. Browne
  There are no plans to increase the resourcing of the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) in 2004–05.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the(a) training and (b) level of local knowledge of National Asylum Support Service staff. [177896]

  Mr. Browne
  All National Asylum Support Service (NASS) staff receive training appropriate to their individual jobs. In 2003, NASS established offices in 11 regions. NASS regional staff are developing a wide range of local knowledge. The majority of the staff live
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  in the region where they are working. Regular meetings are held with local authorities, the police and other stakeholders that provide an insight into local issues.

  National Identity Register
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the private sector will be charged for accessing the National Identity Register. [177921]

  Mr. Browne
  There is no question of public or private sector organisations' verification of cards giving them access to the contents of the National Identity Register or the details of the biometric. With the consent of the individual, checks will simply confirm identity and other relevant details. The draft Identity Cards Bill does provide a power for fees to be levied on organisations making such checks and other Government checking services do make charges. However, no final decisions for the identity cards scheme have yet been made.

  Neighbourhood Watch
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider his decision not to contribute further public funds to the National Neighbourhood Watch Association; and if he will make a statement. [178413]

  Ms Blears
  Taking account of Government accounting rules, the Home Secretary gave careful consideration to his original decision not to provide further public funds to the National Neighbourhood Watch Association.

  The financial position the National Neighbourhood Watch Association finds itself in is unfortunate but there are no grounds to reconsider.

  I am intending to meet representatives from the National Neighbourhood Watch Association.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the National Neighbourhood Watch Association to discuss(a) the use of their logo and (b) their current financial situation. [178573]

  Ms Blears
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has corresponded with the National Neighbourhood Watch Association and officials from the Home Office and Treasury Solicitors have met with them to discuss, among other things, the logo and their current financial situation.

  Overseas Students
  Mr. Alan Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign students have been admitted to the UK in each year since 1979, broken down by nationality. [177096]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 8 June 2004]: The latest available data relating to the number of passengers admitted as students to the United Kingdom by the requested categories are given in the table as follows. The data relate to the number of journeys made.

  To provide data for the entire period would incur disproportionate cost.
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  Detailed statistics on immigration control are published in the Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom." is also available in the Library, and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/commandpubs1.html

  The latest edition is that for 2002 (Cm6053).

  Pakistan (Abandoned Spouses)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women whose spouses joined them in the UK from Pakistan but have subsequently been abandoned have made representations to him in the last year for which figures are available to have their spouses deported; and if he will make a statement. [178248]

  Mr. Browne
  Information on the number of representations from women whose spouses joined them in the UK from Pakistan but have subsequently abandoned them is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, if a foreign spouse is encountered whose marriage has broken down and who no longer enjoys the support of their sponsor, then the Immigration Service would take all appropriate measures to return them to their country of origin unless these were compelling reasons for not doing so.

  Racial Equality
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reasons are for the reduction in section 44 funding for Racial Equality Councils. [172829]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  Section 44 of the Race Relations Act 1976 sets out the purpose for which the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) may give financial assistance to other organisations. It does not prescribe which types of bodies may receive financial assistance and therefore does not limit such assistance to Racial Equality Councils (RECs). This year more applicants received funding under section 44 than in previous years. RECs still made up the large majority of organisations in receipt of grant from the CRE. However, a few RECs received no funding this year and some others received less funding than previously, where their applications did not fully meet the Commission's criteria.

  We warmly welcome the Commission's policy of using the Getting Results programme to support any innovative project that delivers real outcomes and makes a difference to race equality and race relations within its local community.

  Racial Harassment (Rochdale)
  Mrs. Fitzsimons:
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers preventing racial harassment have been introduced since 1997; and how many times these powers have been used in Rochdale. [178494]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  Prior to 1997, the Race Relations Act (RRA) 1976 already prohibited discrimination on racial grounds. The RRA did not specifically refer to harassment, but it was clear from case law that racial
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  harassment was a type of detriment capable of amounting to the kind of less favourable treatment prohibited by the Act.

  As part of its fulfilment of its obligations under the EC Race Directive, the UK amended the Race Relations Act 1976 (by virtue of the Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulations 2003) so as to make it unlawful to harass a person, on grounds of race or ethnic or national origins, in the areas of activity covered by the 1976 Act.

  The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 created new and separate offences where the offences of causing fear and violence or of causing harassment, alarm or distress under the Public Order Act 1986, or the offences of harassment or putting in fear of violence under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 were racially aggravated.

  Figures for the number of prosecutions in Rochdale for this type of offence are not centrally available. Greater Manchester 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 2,075 recorded offences of this type in the Greater Manchester police area over the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02.

  Refugees (Assistance/Training)
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress in seeking the implementation of concerted pan-European policies of active assistance to refugees in or near the countries of origin. [177899]

  Mr. Browne
  In spring 2003, the UK tabled proposals for the 20–21 March Brussels European Council that were designed to achieve better management of the asylum system globally. In response, the European Commission tabled a Communication "Towards more accessible, equitable and managed asylum systems" (COM(2003)315 final, 3 June 2003), which endorsed the UK's analysis of the problem and recommended a stage-by-stage approach to developing possible solutions. The Thessaloniki European Council on 19–20 June 2003 invited the Commission to present a comprehensive report, by June 2004, suggesting measures to ensure a more orderly and managed entry into the EU of persons in need of international protection and to enhance the protection capacity in the regions of origin.

  In response to its mandate from the European Council, the Commission has now tabled a Communication "On the managed entry in the EU of persons in need of international protection and the enhancement of the protection capacity of the regions of origin: Improving access to durable solutions" (COM(2004)410 final, 4 June 2004). The Government welcome this Communication and support the broad purpose of the outline proposals it contains for the development of EU Regional Protection Programmes and the setting up of an EU Resettlement Scheme. The Communication was the subject of a preliminary discussion at the Justice and Hone Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on 8 June 2004. We now look
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  forward to engaging in constructive discussions with the Commission and member states as these ideas are considered in more detail over the coming months.

  In conjunction with some other member states and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, we are supporting two preparatory projects which are being funded principally by the EU. One will look at building effective protection capacities in four African countries (Tanzania, Kenya, Burkino Faso, Benin). The other concerns preparatory activities for a comprehensive plan for Somali refugees.

  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what community organisations or initiatives in Edmonton have benefited from the Government's Challenge Fund aimed at helping female refugees gain access to training and education courses. [178908]

  Mr. Browne
  In 2003–04 almost £2 million was allocated under the Refugee Challenge Fund to 43 projects throughout the United Kingdom. None of these projects, however, was based in Edmonton.

  The successful projects for 2004–05 will be announced shortly.

  Sham Marriages
  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many alleged sham marriages have been reported to his Department by marriage registrars, and from which registries, in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many of those cases were sham marriages in respect of which enforcement action was taken by his Department. [177009]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 7 June 2004]: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate has received the following notifications of alleged sham marriages from registrar offices over the past three years;
  2001: 756 notifications from 126 Registrar districts
  2002: 205 notifications from 154 Registrar districts
  2003: 2,712 notifications from 188 Registrar districts

  In the last financial year, enforcement teams in London have conducted operations at over 60 weddings resulting in the arrest of 110 individuals. These operations have not only resulted in the removal from the United Kingdom of illegal immigrants but 37 of those arrested were charged with criminal offences.

  Following information received through existing intelligence channels and concerns raised by Registrars on the increasing number of potential sham marriages, and the limited powers of registrars to prevent them, the Government have recently announced a number of measures that are being taken to protect the integrity of UK marriage ceremonies.
  A joint team of caseworkers and immigration officers has been set up to analyse intelligence and follow up reports from Registrars more effectively.
  Extra enforcement operations are being conducted, with more operations at registry offices against sham marriages and those who organise them.
  A joint working group between the Home Office and Registrars has been established to share intelligence and enable enforcement efforts to be better targeted.
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  As the Home Secretary set out in his statement to the House on 22 April the Government will also shortly be bringing forward legislation to restrict the capacity to authorise marriage involving non-EEA nationals to designated register offices, which will enable us to focus our enforcement efforts into a more concentrated area, and also allow intelligence and expertise on marriage abuse to be built up in these dedicated centres. In addition, we will be introducing a new pre-marriage lawful status eligibility requirement for marriages involving non-EEA foreign nationals to further deal with those seeking to circumvent immigration controls by entering into sham marriages. In such cases registrars would be given the power to refuse to accept notification of marriage in the absence of a document from the Home Office or an entry clearance for marriage.

  Home Office officials will be working closely with Registrars to ensure that our proposals achieve the necessary balance between facilitating the vast majority of genuine marriage applicants and tackling abuse.

  It is not possible to provide historical statistics regarding previous activity to counter marriage abuse as such information has only recently started to be recorded in a form that can be easily collated.

  UK Settlement
  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been admitted to the UK as(a) spouses, (b) fiancées and (c) children for a limited period prior to settlement, broken down by nationality, in each year since 1979. [177032]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 8 June 2004]: The latest available data relating to the number of people admitted to the United Kingdom for a limited period prior to settlement, by the requested categories, have been placed in the Library.

  To provide the data for the entire period would incur disproportionate cost.

  Detailed statistics on immigration control are published in the Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom" also available from the Library and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website http:// www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/commandpubs1.html. The latest edition is that for 2002 (Cm6053).

  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been granted settlement in the UK in each year since 1979 on the basis of

  All work permit applications approved by the top 10 nationalities and others by calendar year

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  Total

  USA

  16,437

  17,948

  18,392

  19,758

  20,327

  23,892

  24,026

  23,032

  23,056

  186,868

  India

  3,547

  4,564

  6,682

  9,690

  10,130

  18,747

  27,476

  31,818

  35,055

  147,709

  South Africa

  1,054

  1,236

  1,923

  2,986

  4,635

  6,295

  11,080

  13,710

  11,615

  54,534

  Philippines

  115

  141

  154

  341

  2,365

  7,404

  11,208

  12,778

  13,932

  48,438

  Australia

  1,802

  2,227

  3,022

  3,668

  4,059

  5,681

  8,035

  8,486

  7,953

  44,933

  Japan

  3,509

  3,892

  3,747

  3,993

  3,768

  3,893

  4,312

  4,103

  3,618

  34,835

  1382W
  (a)employment, (b) asylum, (c) family formation and reunion and (d) other discretionary grants, broken down by (i) nationality and (ii) age of applicant. [177091]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 8 June 2004]: It is not possible to provide the information in the format or for the period requested as this would incur disproportionate costs.

  The latest available information has been provided on:
  Grants of settlement by category of grant, excluding EEA nationals
  Grants of settlement on removal of time limit by age, excluding EEA nationals
  Grants of settlement by nationality, including EEA nationals

  Copies have been placed in the Library.

  Detailed statistics on immigration control are published in the Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom" also available in the Library, and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ commandpubs1.html

  The latest edition is that for 2002 (Cm6053).

  UN High Commissioner for Refugees
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's liaison and co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. [177930]

  Mr. Browne
  The UK is currently the fifth largest donor to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The Government gave the organisation £25 million in 2003–04. Both the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Home Office work with UNHCR in a number of areas. DFID's regional staff work closely with UNHCR on refugee protection projects all over the world, and its London-based staff liaise with UNHCR's headquarters over programme strategy and financial management. The Home Office also works closely with UNHCR on a number of issues including on the Gateway Protection Programme (resettlement) and voluntary returns.

  Work Permits
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits have been granted in each year since 1979, broken down by(a) country, (b) occupational earnings category and (c) duration of employment. [177101]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 8 June 2004]: The number of work permits granted in each year since 1995 broken down by (a) country and (b) duration of employment is as follows:
  1383W

  All work permit applications approved by the top 10 nationalities and others by calendar year

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  Total

  Canada

  1,731

  1,981

  2,242

  2,384

  2,619

  3,272

  3,528

  3,780

  3,701

  25,238

  China

  1,161

  1,155

  1,227

  1,420

  1,624

  2,309

  3,307

  4,585

  5,830

  22,618

  Pakistan

  601

  568

  752

  851

  1,022

  1,709

  3,107

  4,006

  5,392

  18,008

  New Zealand

  602

  627

  713

  1,141

  1,415

  2,200

  3,376

  3,492

  3,027

  16,593

  Others

  13,817

  13,673

  15,596

  18,319

  20,729

  26,770

  37,325

  44,653

  53,789

  244,671

  Total

  44,376

  48,012

  54,450

  64,551

  72,693

  102,172

  136,780

  154,443

  166,968

  844,445

  All work permit applications approved by duration of permit by calendar year

  Duration

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  under 1 year

  5,829

  5,878

  7,048

  7,938

  6,466

  9,802

  11,560

  11,895

  11,419

  1-2 years

  4,422

  5,269

  7,065

  9,008

  10,097

  13,726

  16,517

  16,429

  24,182

  2-3 years

  4,508

  5,676

  6,883

  7,876

  10,917

  18,190

  22,379

  24,032

  19,738

  3-4 years

  4,570

  4,975

  6,035

  6,464

  7,142

  10,139

  10,666

  9,896

  10,355

  4-5 years

  2,892

  3,558

  4,662

  6,580

  8,546

  14,866

  29,087

  39,056

  47,989

  Others

  22,155

  22,656

  22,757

  26,685

  29,525

  35,451

  46,572

  53,135

  53,287

  Total

  44,376

  48,012

  54,450

  64,551

  72,693

  102,174

  136,781

  154,443

  166,970

  No figures are available for the years preceding 1995. No figures are available showing occupational earnings categories.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  Basic Skills Agency
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding the Department provided to the Basic Skills Agency in each of the last five years. [177378]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The total funding provided to the Basic Skills Agency by the Department for each of the years from 1999–2000 to 2003–04, along with the funding currently agreed for 2004–05, is given in the following table:

  Basic Skills Agency spend, 1999–2004

  £

  Core grant

  Projects

  Total

  1999–2000

  7,374,500.00

  00.00

  7,374,500.00

  2000–01

  16,699,289.00

  6,888.88

  16,706,177.88

  2001–02

  21,267,884.00

  21,29S,878.68

  42,566,762.68

  2002–03

  5,119,740.00

  41,525,208.12

  46,644,948.12

  2003–04

  5.412,000.00

  40,310,969.77

  45,742,969.77

  2004–05

  5.467,000.00

  1,281,394.00

  6,748,394.00

  A summary of the headline projects that have been funded for each of the years from 1999–2000 is given in the following table:

  Headline projects

  1999–2000

  Literacy and Numeracy strategies and Basic Skills related work

  2000–01

  Family Literacy and Numeracy Programmes; NVOPP (the National Voluntary Organisations Partnership Programme); Intensive Teacher Training

  2001–02

  Financial Literacy; NVOPP; Community Based ESOL; Teacher Training; Family Programmes; Workplace Programmes; Offenders Learning and Skills Unit 'Link-Up' project, training prison education staff

  2002–03

  Financial Literacy; Basic Skills Brokerage Scheme Phase II, the roll-out of the Brokerage Scheme; basic skills development with Sector Skills Councils; NVOPP. Other

  1384W

  Headline projects

  projects, won by tender, include Link Up (training volunteer adult learner supporters), and developing diagnostic assessment tools for literacy, numeracy and ESOL

  2003–04

  Financial Literacy; Skills for Families; Step in to Learning (customised training and development programme for staff in Sure Start, Children's Centres and early years settings); Link Up; and a database of support links between employers and providers

  2004–05

  QUIP (the Quality Improvement Programme) is included in the Core Grant. Projects include Financial Literacy and Step in to Learning

  Bullying
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many cases of bullying were reported in primary schools in each year since 1990. [179446]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Data on bullying are not collected centrally and there is no reliable basis for an estimate of prevalence. However, any level of bullying is too high and we are determined to help schools to tackle the problem. Our guidance pack "Bullying: Don't Suffer in Silence", the anti-bullying Charter for Action and the anti-bullying website www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying offer detailed advice on preventing and addressing bullying.

  In November 2003 I launched our anti-bullying charter for schools, which schools are now signing. It is accompanied by a summary of effective practice to help schools review and enhance their anti-bullying policies. The Charter was launched at the first of the Make The Difference series of regional conferences. The programme of conferences began in November 2003 and culminated with a final event on 14 June. These conferences are an opportunity for schools and other partners to share good practice on this issue and to learn at first hand about what has worked elsewhere. Details of the conferences can be accessed online at www.teachernet.gov.uk/antibullying. Our new public information film, "Tell Someone", also encourages children and young people to tell someone if they are being bullied.

  Charitable Status
  Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make it his policy to oppose change to the presumption that education is charitable in purpose. [177269]

  Mr. Miliband
  The Charities Bill will put all charities on the same footing in that they must demonstrate public benefit in order to enjoy the benefits conferred by charitable status.

  Cheshire Learning Partnership
  Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the expenditure of the Cheshire Learning Partnership was in each of the last five financial years for which figures are available. [179636]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Learning Partnerships receive funding from a number of different sources. My Department only holds information about expenditure related to funds that it has provided. Therefore, expenditure by Cheshire Learning Partnership, for the last five financial years, was as follows:

  1999–2000

  64,188

  2003–04

  133,172

  2003–04

  187,940

  2003–04

  198,540

  2003–04

  63,000

  Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding will be made available to the Cheshire Learning Partnership for the current financial year. [179637]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Learning and Skills Council assumed responsibility for Learning Partnerships from April 2003. This is therefore a matter for the Learning and Skills Council and I have asked the Chief Executive, Mark Haysom, to reply to you direct, copying his reply to me.

  Child Care
  Annette Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what data is available on(a) the number of people working in the child care sector, (b) the level of academic qualifications they hold and (c) whether they have a qualification in child care and if so at what level; and if he will make a statement. [177521]

  Margaret Hodge
  The most recent data, the 2002/03 Childcare and Early Years Workforce Survey, show 279,100 people working in the child care sector in England at spring 2003. No data is available on the level of academic qualifications they hold. 48 per cent. of workers hold a qualification relevant to child care at level 2. 35 per cent. hold a relevant qualification at level 3 and 3 per cent. at level 4 and above. The position in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the effect is of a city technology college becoming a city academy, with 1386W
  particular reference to the impact on (a) funding and (b) the institution's relationship with (i) the local education authority and (ii) his Department. [179900]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  In becoming an academy, a CTC would be funded on the basis of the local education authority formula where it is located, in line with other local schools. A CTC, is funded by taking an average of the school funding in all of the LEAs from which CTCs draw pupils.

  The relationship between the Department and a CTC on becoming an academy would remain unchanged. Both academies and CTCs are independent schools funded by the Department through a funding agreement between the school and the Secretary of State. When a CTC becomes an academy a new funding agreement is put in place.

  Academies are required by their funding agreement to share facilities with other schools and the wider community. They are required to be members of their local admissions forum and to take part in locally coordinated admission arrangements. They play a full part in local collaborative arrangements such Excellence in Cities. Academies are also required to consult the LEA and the holder of my office about the targets they set. CTCs are not required to do any of these.

  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions he has had with city technology colleges about becoming city academies. [179901]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  None, but my hon. Friend the Minister of State for School Standards spoke recently at a conference of CTC and academy principals. My officials are holding on-going conversations with individual CTCs about becoming academies.

  Connexions
  Charles Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many of the Connexions Partnerships which opted to move to direct delivery in 2003–04 undertook best value assessments of alternative operational models before reaching their decision. [179003]

  Margaret Hodge
  Three Connexions Partnerships who opted to move to direct delivery in 2003/04 have undertaken best value assessments.

  Early-years Education (Training)
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students have(a) registered and (b) completed the two-year Early Years foundation degree in each year since the course was introduced. [171369]

  Alan Johnson
  As many as 1,250 students enrolled on the Early Years Sector Endorsed Foundation Degree (EYSEFD) last academic year, 2002/03, and 3,500 new students were expected to start this year 2003/04. Actual numbers completing the course are not yet available.

  Education Bodies (Staffing)
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the full-time equivalent headcount of the(a) Union Learning Fund, (b) Implementation Review

  1387W
  Unit, including secondees, (c) National Remodelling Team, (d) Office for Standards in Education, (e) UK Education and Research Networking Association and (f) Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association was in each year since 1997; and how much funding was allocated to each body in each year. [178209]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Union Learning Fund (ULF) is a source of funding to help trade unions use their influence with employers, employees and others to encourage greater take up of learning at work and boost their own capacity as learning organisations. It was set up in 1998 and administered by the Department for Education and Skills until March 2003. From April 2003 the Learning and Skills Council has been responsible for the administration of the Fund. As ULF is a source of funding rather than a unit or body, there are no figures relating to full-time equivalent headcount. The Department's annual expenditure on ULF was £2 million in 1998–99, £3.1 million in 1999–2000, £3.9 million in 2000–01, £6.3 million in 2001–02 and £7.4 million in 2002–03. Estimated expenditure for 2003–04 is £12.1 million and the budget allocation for 2004–05 is £14.2 million.

  The Implementation Review Unit was established in April 2003 with a remit to cut red tape and reduce bureaucracy in schools. The Unit has 12 panel members, each serving school staff, who work for the IRU an average 22 days per year. In 2003–04 the Unit was also served by a secretariat comprising three civil servants employed by the Department, working 0.5, 0.8 and 0.8 of the full-time equivalent, and two seconded advisers working for 20 and 50 days per year. Staffing figures for 2004–05 will be the same with the addition of another civil servant at 0.5 of the full-time equivalent. Estimated expenditure by the Unit in 2003–04 is £348,000 and its budget for 2004–05 is £500,000.

  The National Remodelling Team is an integral part of the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) and we are unable to provide separate figures for the Remodelling Team. Staffing and funding figures for the NCSL as a whole, covering the full range of activities undertaken by the College to support the training and development of school leaders are set out as follows.

  Total as at 31 March:

  Staff numbers

  2001

  18

  2002

  77

  2003

  131

  2004

  224

  Grant-in-aid budget

  £ million

  2000–01

  0

  2001–02

  27.8

  2002–03

  60.0

  2003–04

  79.8

  2004–05

  90.2

  The information requested on the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) is set out as follows.
  1388W

  Net resource departmental expenditure limit (DEL) (£ million)

  Stuff employed (FTE)

  1997–98

  150.3

  5611

  1998–99

  110.5

  5741

  1999–2000

  86.4

  559.4

  2000–01

  104.1

  495.3

  2001–02

  155.2

  581.3

  2002–03

  197.5

  2374.8

  2003–04

  208.5

  2600.3

  2004–05

  213

  2572

  2005–06

  218.8

  2572

  1 FTE figures are not available for these periods; as such this figure represents headcount.

  The information requested on the UK Education and Research Networking Association is set out as follows:

  £

  Period end:

  FTE headcount

  Grants from JISC

  March 1997

  46

  9,553,000

  March 1998

  49

  14,527,985

  March 1999

  53

  15,281,086

  March 2000

  55

  10,756,821

  July 2001

  71

  49,849,664

  July 2002

  83

  30,176,608

  July 2003

  84

  26,722,465

  Notes:

  1. Public funding for UK Education and Research Networking Association (UKERNA) is channelled through the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) which is funded by all the UK higher and further education funding councils.

  2. The allocated budget for UKERNA for 2003–04 (running until July 2004) is £27,470,000.

  The Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association (UCISA) aims to promote excellence in the application of information systems and services in support of teaching, learning, research and administration in higher and further education. It is a private body and receives no direct Government funding. We do not have information on its full-time equivalent headcount figures.

  Education Funding
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total Government funding for(a) higher and (b) further education has been in each financial year since 1997–98. [179269]

  Alan Johnson
  The funding by this Department to the FE and HE sectors is shown in the following table. In addition, the HE sector receives public funding from the Department of Health, the NHS, other Government Departments, and from the Research Councils.

  Public funding

  £ million

  HE

  FE1

  1997–98

  4,686

  3,131

  1998–99

  4,851

  3,102

  1999–2000

  5,169

  3,300

  2000–01

  5,414

  3,471

  2001–02

  5,810

  3,924

  2002–03

  6,109

  4,326

  2003–04

  6,559

  24,732

  1These figures represent total assumed funding allocated to the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) until 2000–01, and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) from 2001–02 in either further education sector colleges (further and higher education

  1389W
  students) or in external institutions, specialist designated institutions and higher education institutions (further education students only).

  Over the last year the FE sector and other providers have exceeded expectations in participation, retention and attainment. In response the Government recently announced that they will increase the LSC's budget by £130 million over the 2003–04 to 2005–06 period. These additional funds are not included in the table.

  2 Planned.

  Education Maintenance Allowance
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of students who will benefit from the launch of the education maintenance allowance in Stoke-on-Trent North; and if he will make a statement. [177630]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Stoke on Trent is an EMA pilot area and at present there are 2,705 students in receipt of EMA across the city. We estimate that the number of

  £000

  Primary

  Pre-primary and primary

  Essex

  Thurrock

  Southend-on-Sea

  Essex

  Thurrock

  Southend-on-Sea

  1990–91

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  203,350

  n/a

  n/a

  1991–92

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  215,266

  n/a

  n/a

  1992–93

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  242,789

  n/a

  n/a

  1993–94

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  248,620

  n/a

  n/a

  1994–95

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  243,061

  n/a

  n/a

  1995–96

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  246947

  n/a

  n/a

  1996–97

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  247,711

  n/a

  n/a

  1997–98

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  240,132

  n/a

  n/a

  1998–99

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  207,670

  29,610

  24,533

  1999–2000

  250,395

  32,685

  32,036

  258,550

  33,471

  32,939

  2001–02

  294,395

  39,649

  39,566

  309,649

  42,143

  41,701

  2002–03

  320,908

  40,917

  43,966

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Notes:

  1. The financial data are taken from local education authorities' Section 52 Outturn Statements submitted to the DfES from 1999–2000 onwards and the ODPM's RO1 statement previously. Up to and including 1997–98 figures are for Essex LEA prior to local government reorganisation. From 1998–99 onwards parts of Essex LEA became Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock LEAs. 2002–03 data is subject to change by the LEA. Figures are adjusted to 2002–03 prices using the March 2004 GDP deflators.

  2. Spending in 1997–98 reflects the transfer of monies from local Government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local Government in 1998–99. 1999–2000 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance.

  3. Expenditure was not distinguished between pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of the Section 52 outturn statement in 1999–2000.

  4. The Outturn 2002–03 tables captured the data in a fundamentally different way to the previous years. Categories were aligned with the Consistent Financial Reporting framework and the spending by LEAs was no longer split by school sector. Consequently the expenditure in 2002–03 is not strictly comparable with earlier years as it includes an apportionment of LEA expenditure based on pupil numbers.

  5. Net current expenditure includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by the LEA.

  6. Net current expenditure after recharges was not recorded on ROI until 1993–94. Consequently up to and including 1992–93 net recurrent expenditure is used and consequently figures in those years may not be strictly comparable with figures for future years.

  Failing Schools
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what Ofsted's policy is on inspecting failing schools which are expected to be closed. [179200]

  Mr. Miliband
  Ofsted will continue its normal cycle of visits to schools subject to special measures until Her Majesty's Inspectors conclude that a school no longer needs special measures or it has closed.

  Fee-paying Schools
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list, for each of the last
  1390W
  recipients will be broadly similar after the launch of the national scheme in September. Across the West Midlands as a whole, we estimate that around 24,000 sixteen-year-olds will take up EMA.

  We are unable to provide forecasts for numbers down to constituency level.

  Education Services (Essex)
  Mr. Hurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total expenditure was on state primary schools in(a) the county of Essex in each year from 1980 until 1997 and (b) the county of Essex and the unitary authorities of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock in each year from 1998 until 2003. [173329]

  Mr. Miliband
  The available information is contained within the following table. Data for individual LEAs are not available prior to 1990–91.

  five years, the number and percentage of pupils in fee paying schools in each English local education authority. [176703]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 10 June 2004]: The information requested has been placed in the House of Commons Libraries.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list, for each of the last five years, the number of pupils in fee paying schools, at the age of(a) five to 10, (b) 11 to 15 and (c) 16 to 19 years,

  1391W
  (i) in total and (ii) by gender; and what percentage these figures represent of all pupils in each case. [176704]

  Independent schools: Number of pupils by age and gender 1999–2004 (provisional)—England

  Boys

  Girls

  Total

  Number

  Percentage1

  Number

  Percentage1

  Number

  Percentage1

  1999

  5–10

  103,288

  5.2

  97,896

  5.2

  201,184

  5.2

  11–15

  110,033

  7.1

  101,913

  6.9

  211,946

  7.0

  16–19+

  41,126

  21.2

  36,393

  17.9

  77,519

  19.5

  2000

  5–10

  104,072

  5.3

  99,044

  5.3

  203,116

  5.3

  11–15

  110,253

  7.0

  103,014

  6.8

  213,267

  6.9

  16–19+

  40,568

  20.7

  35,718

  17.4

  76,286

  19.0

  2001

  5–10

  105,215

  5.3

  100,379

  5.4

  205,594

  5.4

  11–15

  112,274

  7.0

  105,348

  6.8

  217,622

  6.9

  16–19+

  40,589

  20.3

  35,682

  17.2

  76,271

  18.7

  2002

  5–10

  105,687

  5.4

  101,401

  5.5

  207,088

  5.5

  11–15

  113,990

  7.0

  108,160

  6.9

  222,150

  7.0

  16–19+

  40,872

  20.3

  37,130

  17.7

  78,002

  19.0

  2003

  5–10

  105,051

  5.5

  101,454

  5.5

  206,505

  5.5

  11–15

  115,547

  7.0

  110,635

  7.0

  226,182

  7.0

  16–19+

  41,474

  20.1

  38,205

  17.7

  79,679

  18.9

  20042

  5–10

  104,340

  5.5

  101,000

  5.6

  205,340

  5.5

  11–15

  118,910

  7.1

  113,820

  7.1

  232,730

  7.1

  16–19+

  41,710

  20.0

  38,270

  17.2

  79,980

  18.5

  1 Number of boys, girls and total pupils in independent schools expressed as a percentage of boys, girls and total pupils in all schools.

  2 2004 data are provisional and have been rounded to the nearest 10.

  Free School Meals
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils are (i) eligible for and (ii) taking up free school meals, broken down by (A) region and (B) gender. [178453]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 15 June 2004]: The information requested, for all local education authorities and regions in England. has been placed in the House of Commons Library and is relating to provisional 2004 figures.

  The available information on the take up of free school meals is limited to school level aggregates that cannot be broken down by gender.

  Further Education
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, south-West (Rob Marris) of 14 May 2004,Official Report, columns 623–24W, on further education colleges, what the percentage change in funding received in 2003–04 by (a) schools and (b) colleges was when the impact of (i) rates of changes to targeted funds for pay and staff training and (ii) teachers' pension funding are included in the calculation. [179177]

  Alan Johnson
  For the academic year 2003–04, core funding rates per qualification increased by 3 per cent. for school sixth forms and 10 per cent. for further education colleges. The 10 per cent. increase in core
  1392W
  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 10 June 2004]: The information requested is shown in the table.

  funding rates per qualification for further education colleges includes a 2 per cent. increase to compensate colleges for increases to the employer contribution to the Teachers Pension Scheme; and a 3.5 per cent. increase to reflect the consolidation of previously targeted funds for pay and staff training. The additional resources to schools for changes to the employer contribution to the Teachers Pension Scheme were allocated separately from the qualification rates to schools. The allocation was based on pupil numbers and area costs. The amount per pupil before area cost adjustments was £103 in 2003–04. The consolidation of previously targeted funds for pay and staff training did not apply to schools funding in 2003–04.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Association of Colleges about the concerns of the further education sector; and if he will make a statement. [179224]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  We have had a number of discussions recently with the Association of Colleges (AoC) and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) about concerns within the sector on funding for 2004–05. Over the last year the further education (FE) sector and other providers have exceeded expectations in participation, retention and attainment and it is this success that has created pressures on funding for this year. Although we have already invested a record amount in FE this spending review, we have added £130 millionextra to the LSC's budget that will allow allocations for 2004–05 to be kept on track for all colleges that are performing to target. This is an important extra investment which will
  1393W
  also support a process of change and help colleges develop towards a more demand-led system in which colleges are increasingly funded from a variety of sources, particularly from employers.

  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many different qualifications could be achieved through study at further education colleges on the latest date for which figures are available. [179812]

  Alan Johnson
  The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) estimate that in 2002/03 there were about 17,000 different qualifications being studied for in further education (FE) colleges in England. This estimate covers LSC funded FE provision only and includes some non-accredited qualifications. In addition to this 17,000, some colleges also provide higher education courses, and many local authorities contract out some of their adult and community learning provision to FE colleges.

  Graduates
  Phil Sawford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he is taking to monitor the first destination of first degree graduates each year in terms of(a) those who find employment and (b) the type of employment they find. [173088]

  Alan Johnson
  The Department's main data source for monitoring the destination of graduates is the First Destination Survey (FDS), which is collected annually by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). This records the employment position of graduates six months after graduation, including the type of work obtained by those graduates entering employment. Following a comprehensive review, the FDS has been expanded for 2002/03 to cover students completing part-time courses and to collect additional information on the student's employment.

  Higher Education Bill
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to ensure equal university and college access to people of all backgrounds under the Higher Education Bill. [176559]

  Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 9 June 2004]: The Higher Education Bill includes provisions which will ensure that no institution can charge higher variable fees without an access plan approved by the Director of Fair Access. The access plan will include the outreach measures and financial support which the institutions will undertake to ensure access is safeguarded and promoted. We also propose to abolish the requirement to pay up front fees for all full time undergraduates—they will be able to defer their fees, and repay them after they graduate.

  In addition the maintenance loan will be increased to cover average basic living costs for undergraduates. From 2006, the poorest students will be eligible for the £2,700 maintenance grant, as well as minimum £300 bursary support. And all students commencing their courses after 2006 will benefit from a loan write off after 25 years.

  Inquiries (Costs)
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his estimate is of the cost to public funds of(a) the Tomlinson Inquiry and (b) the Adrian Smith inquiry. [179795]

  Mr. Miliband
  The Working Group on 14–19 Reform (Tomlinson Inquiry ) in financial year 2003–04, spent just under £500,000 For the financial year of 2004–05, it has been estimates that spend will be approximately £600,000.

  Programme expenditure on the Post-14 Mathematics Inquiry amounted to approximately £427,000.

  Key Workers
  Mr. Horam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 6 May 2004,Official Report, column 1760W, on key workers, what evidence he has that (a) school teachers and (b) further education lecturers leave London when they want to start a family. [179762]

  Mr. Miliband
  Research reports commissioned by the ODPM and undertaken by Wilcox and PA Consulting concluded that key worker affordability is at its worst in London and the South East; the areas of the country with the highest house prices. Available evidence suggests that a significant problem for key worker employers is the retention of more experienced/older key workers. Each year, 3,800 teachers (school and FE) leave teaching in London, the South East and East for reasons strongly associated with housing. We therefore determined that our highest priority should be that set of London teachers identified in the London Challenge strategy document as "leaders of the future', who currently leave London teaching in order to afford family homes elsewhere. This group numbers around 500 each year. Second priority is the next group of London teachers (school and FE)—numbering some 1,750, and the third priority is the remaining group of 1,550, largely outside London. We were clear that teachers in our target groups are largely looking for homes to buy, not rent. For our highest priority group, family homes are the issue.

  Learning and Skills Council
  Vera Baird
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 6 May 2004,Official Report, column 1760W, to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), on Learning and Skills Council, whether elected regional assemblies will be given full responsibility for Learning and Skills Councils budgets. [176898]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  [holding answer 8 June 2004]: No. In our White Paper "Your Region, Your Choice' we set out proposals for local LSCs to be required to have regard to assembly strategies, including in drawing up their spending plans; and to consult the relevant assembly about their local plans. Assemblies will not have responsibility for Learning and Skills Council budgets: that responsibility will remain, as now, with the council.
  1395W
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the progress of the Learning and Skills Council's Widening Adult Participation strategy. [177381]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  In September 2003, the LSC published "Successful Participation for All: Widening Adult Participation", setting out the Council's strategy for extending access to learning. The strategy requires local LSCs to adopt specific measures to support disadvantaged groups. It is being implemented by local LSCs, supported by a regionally held £2.5 million pa Widening Participation Action Fund. Every local LSC has identified groups which are under represented in learning and adopted impact measures for improvement. This work is integral to meeting the objective in the White Paper, "21st Century Skills, Realising Our Potential", to help individuals to obtain the skills they need to be both employable and personally fulfilled.

  Leigh Primary School
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the last Ofsted inspection of Leigh Primary School, Wiltshire took place; and when the next Ofsted inspection of Leigh Primary School will take place. [179198]

  Mr. Miliband
  Leigh Primary School was last inspected by Ofsted on 4–5 February 2004 and deemed to be in need of special measures. Her Majesty's Inspectors will make their first monitoring visit about six months after that inspection.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to dose Leigh Primary School. [179199]

  Mr. Miliband
  The Secretary of State has no current plans to give a direction to the Local Education Authority to close Leigh Primary School.

  Mathematics
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what discussions his Department has had with the Advisory Committee on Maths Education about improving mathematics education; [179415]

  (2) when his Department will publish a formal response to the Smith Inquiry; [179416]

  (3) if he will make a statement on the Smith report; and what steps his Department is taking to improve the standard of mathematics education [179417]

  Mr. Miliband
  I am replying to these three parliamentary questions together as they all have links to the Post-14 Mathematics Inquiry. We are most grateful to Professor Adrian Smith for the work he has put into the report, "Making Mathematics Count", and for his continued support. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has said previously, the issues are complex and need to be considered carefully, particularly alongside the work of the Working Group on 14–19 Reform. A response is expected shortly. We 1396W
  have already announced that we accept the need for a high level post within the Department dedicated to mathematics and that we plan to undertake a marketing campaign to promote the take-up of mathematics. The post of Chief Adviser for Mathematics has now been advertised and in the meantime Anita Straker of the Centre for British Teachers, has been appointed on an interim basis.

  Officials informally met members of the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education (ACME) during 2001 while it was being set up and, since 2002, have met the committee on a regular basis to discuss mathematics education. Ministers from this Department and the Department for Trade and Industry have also met ACME. During the period of the inquiry, ACME organised a series of workshops for Professor Smith to develop and discuss key areas. ACME and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) held a joint workshop in March to discuss specific recommendations in the Smith report, which was funded and attended by this Department. Anita Straker, the Department's Interim Chief Adviser for Mathematics, is due to meet the committee later this month.

  Office for Fair Access
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the role of the Office for Fair Access in university admissions. [176014]

  Alan Johnson
  Institutions are, and will remain, responsible for their own admissions policies and procedures. The Director of Fair Access will not be concerned with these when he considers institutions' access plans, which will be focused on encouraging applications from under-represented groups. We have accepted an amendment to the Higher Education Bill, which will ensure that the Director must have regard to the need to protect academic freedom, particularly in respect of the admission of students.

  Ofsted Inspections
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average(a) duration and (b) cost of an Ofsted inspection of (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools was in the latest year for which figures are available. [179223]

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

  PFI/PPP Schemes
  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the private finance initiative and public private partnership schemes his Department has entered into that have been subject to refinancing deals, indicating in each case how much of the windfall gain has been repaid to the Government. [179061]
  1397W
  Mr. Miliband
  The only private finance initiative/ public private partnership that my Department has entered into is the Connexions Card, which is a PPP. It has not been subject to refinancing.

  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the(a) book value of the stakeholding, (b)onward sale price and (c) arrangements for sharing any windfall gain from subsequent refinancing arrangements are for each of the private finance initiative and public private partnership schemes his Department has entered into where there has been an onward sale of the private sector stakeholding into secondary market. [179064]

  Mr. Miliband
  The only private finance initiative/ public private partnership scheme in my Department is the Connexions Card which has not been subject to onward sale into a secondary market.

  Physical Education
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of schoolchildren

  LEAs' planned expenditure for secondary schools in England in 2003–04

  £ million

  Percentage of Total Schools Budget

  Schools Budget

  12,112

  92.63

  of which:

  (i) Individual Schools Budget

  9,985

  82.44

  (ii) Total Standards Fund

  920

  7.60

  (iii) Schools Standards Grant

  314

  2.59

  £894 million or 7.38 per cent. of the Total Schools Budget is additional expenditure outside of the areas covered by (i), (ii) or (iii) above

  Memorandum items (already included in totals above):

  Sixth Form—Allocation from LSC for 16+ funding for secondary schools (included in (i))

  1,303

  10.76

  Expenditure covered by LSC Grant (included in lines within Total Schools Budget)

  Sixth form element included in provision for pupils with statements

  8

  0.07

  Sixth form element included in fees for pupils independent special schools and abroad

  3

  0.03

  Sixth form element included in fees to independent schools for pupils without statements

  1

  0.01

  (iv) Total post-16 LSC funding streams

  1,315

  10.86

  Notes:

  1. The financial data are taken from Local Education Authorities' 2003–04 Section 52 Budges Statement Table 1 submitted to the DfES. Gross figures are provided rather than net as income cannot be split by phase of education. All figures are as recorded in LEAs' Section 52 Budget statements. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

  2. In addition to the Total Schools Budget for secondary schools £3,012 million was spent tin total LEA central functions and part of this would have been used to support secondary education.

  3. Within the schools' budget the amount available for delegation to schools after provision has been made for retained items is known as the Individual Schools Budget (ISB). ISB for secondary schools is £9,985 million of which £1,303 million is supported by the LSC for the funding of education for pupils in Sixth Forms.

  4. Total Standards Fund includes: Standards Fund allocation—Revenue (the Standards Fund allocation that the authority expects to devolve to its schools); Standards Fund—Non-Devolved (Standards Fund allocations not yet planned to be devolved to schools or to be spent centrally on items in the schools block; and Specific Formula Grants—Excellence in Cities (expenditure pursuant to a partnership agreement (under the DfES programme known as "Excellence in Cities") made between the authority, the Secretary of State and one or more of the authority's schools. In previous years this was not a separate line item but was recorded under the Devolved Standards Fund).

  5. Total post-16 LSC funding streams comprises of the memorandum items of expenditure included within the Total Schools Budget. The allocation from LSC for 16+ funding is included in (i) within the ISB. The sixth form elements of the provision for pupils with statements, the fees to independent schools for pupils without statements and the fees for pupils at independent special schools and abroad

  1398W
  are meeting the school sporting target of participating in two hours minimum a week of sport or physical education. [178443]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  The results of the 2003/04 PE, School Sport and Club Links survey indicated that 62 per cent. of school children within a School Sport Partnership spend 29 minimum of two hours in a typical week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum. A copy of the full report has already been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The survey is used to measure progress towards meeting our target to increase the percentage of pupils spending a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006.

  School Funding
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what(a) proportion and (b) amount of funding for secondary schools in England comes from the (i) Delegated Budget, (ii) Standards Fund, (iii) School Standards Grant arid (iv) post-16 Learning and Skills Council funding streams. [171084]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is contained within the following table:
  1399W
  is included in other lines within the Total Schools Budget. Consequently the Total Schools Budget for secondary schools comprises of the total of (i) to (iii) plus additional expenditure of £894 million for secondary schools on areas such as SEN, education out of school, school meals, school based strategic management, non-standards fund grants and capital expenditure from revenue.

  School Leavers (Qualifications)
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils left school aged 16 years with no formal qualifications in each year since 1997. [179447]

  Mr. Miliband
  The percentages of pupils reaching the end of compulsory education but not achieving any passes at GCSE/GNVQ in each year since 1997 are shown in the following table:

  Percentage of 15-year-olds not achieving GCSE/GNVQ passes

  2003

  5.2

  2002

  5.4

  2001

  5.5

  2000

  5.6

  1999

  6.0

  1998

  6.6

  1997

  7.7

  Pupils with no GCSE/GNVQ passes may have achieved passes in other approved qualifications such as entry level qualifications, key skills, national vocational and vocationally related qualifications.

  Skills Gap
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions his Department has had with employers(a) groups and (b) federations regarding the skills gap. [179418]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Department has regular exchanges with employer groups and federations about skills gap and skills shortage issues. This was of crucial importance in the development of the Skills Strategy—"21st Century Skills, Realising Our Potential" when we consulted all our partners and stakeholders. The Skills Strategy is now being taken forward by a new Skills Alliance. This brings together the social and economic partners including the CBI, TUC and Small Business Council with Government aria our key delivery agencies.

  Special Schools (Greater London)
  Tom Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many special schools there are in each of the education authorities in the Greater London area. [179051]

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

  Special schools1: Number of schocls—January 2004 provisional)—local education authorities within Greater London

  Number of schools

  London

  156

  Inner London

  68

  Camden

  6

  City of London

  0

  Hackney

  5

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  5

  Haringey

  4

  1400W

  Special schools1: Number of schools—January 2004 (provisional)—local education authorities within Greater London

  Number of schools

  Islington

  3

  Kensington and Chelsea

  2

  Lambeth

  6

  Lewisham

  7

  Newham

  2

  Southwark

  9

  Tower Hamlets

  7

  Wandsworth

  10

  Westminster

  2

  Outer London

  88

  Barking and Dagenham

  1

  Barnet

  4

  Bexley

  5

  Brent

  5

  Bromley

  6

  Croydon

  6

  Ealing

  6

  Enfield

  6

  Greenwich

  5

  Harrow

  4

  Havering

  3

  Hillingdon

  8

  Hounslow

  5

  Kingston upon Thames

  3

  Merton

  3

  Redbridge

  5

  Richmond upon Thames

  2

  Sutton

  5

  Waltham Forest

  6

  1Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools.

  Source:

  Annual Schools' Census

  School Sport
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding is available for school sport in each year up to 2005–06; and how the funding is to be allocated.[177650]

  Mr. Miliband
  The following table sets out the Department for Education and Skills' PE and school sport budget between 1996–97 and 2002–03 and the projected budget between 2003–04 and 2005–06.

  £million

  Financial Year

  DfES PE and school sport budget

  1996–97

  0

  1997–98

  1.9

  1998–99

  3.6

  1999–2000

  4.8

  2000–01

  9.5

  2001–02

  14.6

  2002–03

  23.5

  2003–04

  46

  2004–05

  108

  2005–06

  155

  The national PE, School Sport and Club Links strategy brings together eight individual but interlinked work strands. The following table sets out details for each of the work strands and their budgets.
  1401W

  Work strand

  Budget 2003–04 to 2005–06

  Specialist Sports Colleges Programme

  £11 5 million

  School Sport Partnerships (formerly the School Sport Co-ordinator programme) PE and School Sport Professional Development Programme PE and Sport Gifted and Talented Programme QCA PE and School Sport Investigation Swimming Strategy

  £224 million (total for all five work strands)

  Step Into Sport Programme

  £12 million (includes £2 million from he Home Office

  Club Links Programme

  £10 million

  In addition, related work to enhance Community Club Development (£60 million between 2003–04 and 2005–06), Coaching (£28 million between 2003–04 and 2005–06) and the Sporting Playgrounds Programme (£10 million between 2003–04 and 2004–05) is supporting the national strategy and the delivery of the sports Public Service Agreement target.

  Specialist Schools
  Andrew Selous
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether funding for specialist school status is allocated on a per pupil basis. [179577]

  Mr. Miliband
  Yes, in terms of recurrent funding. Each specialist school also receives a one-off capital grant—irrespective of pupil numbers—to enhance the accommodation, facilities and/or equipment in the specialist subjects.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the number of university graduates making repayments of nine per cent. of gross income over £10,000 to the Student Loans Company Limited in each year since 2001. [179445]

  Alan Johnson
  In general, repayments of income-contingent loans are collected through the tax system. Repayments are notified to the Student Loans Company (SLC) after the end of the tax year, after which time has to be allowed for SLC to reconcile the repayments notified with their records. There will therefore be some borrowers who have repaid their accounts in financial years 2001–02 and 2002–03, but this will not have been reported yet. Therefore data for those years understates the true number of borrowers making repayments. However, latest information from the SLC shows the following:

  Thousands

  Tax year

  Number of income-contingent loan borrowers making repayments1

  2000–01

  10.4

  2001–02(provisional)2

  33.2

  2002–03 (Provisional)2

  114.1

  1 Data exclude those borrowers making voluntary or early repayments.

  1402W
  2 Data are marked provisional to reflect the retrospective nature of the reporting of repayments through the Inland Revenue.

  Source:

  The Student Loans Company (SLC)

  Borrowers enter repayment status, i.e. are due to make repayments on their loans, in the April after graduating or otherwise leaving their course. No repayments are deducted from income-contingent borrowers with income below £10,000 per year. Borrowers with income-contingent loans can also make voluntary repayments, either in the form of prepayments before they enter repayment status, or ad-hoc repayments to accelerate their repayments after entering repayment status. These repayments are made directly by the borrower to the SLC. The table shows the number of UK income-contingent loan borrowers who have entered repayment status by tax year. It excludes those who have made early or voluntary repayments.

  Teacher Recruitment Managers
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been allocated for the(a) recruitment, (b) training and (c) employment of teacher recruitment managers not employed directly by schools in each year since 1997; and how many full-time equivalent recruitment managers there were in each year. [178208]

  Mr. Miliband
  The table shows the available information since the creation of the recruitment managers scheme in 1998. Those local education authorities (LEAs) that employ recruitment managers receive an average annual grant from the Teacher Training Agency towards recruitment and employment costs. Any training for recruitment managers is funded by LEAs from wi thin their own resources. Their effectiveness in this role has been recognised by Ofsted.

  Recruitment Managers

  LEAS covered

  Average grant per LEA (£)

  2004–05

  97

  107

  50,000

  2003–04

  97

  107

  50,000

  2002–03

  86

  105

  50,000

  2001–02

  82

  97

  55,000

  2000–01

  67

  80

  55,000

  1999–2000

  52

  61

  55,000

  1998–99

  17

  17

  55,000

  Teacher Workload
  Mr. Dawson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements he has made to fund teachers' planning, preparation and assessment time. [176555]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 22 June 2004]: The Government, in common with the other signatories to the National Agreement, believe that much can be achieved through redeploying existing resources.

  However, we recognise that some schools will require headroom in their budgets in order to meet the contractual change from September 2005. We shall decide later in the summer what kind of arrangements are needed to underpin the planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) reforms in the school funding system for 2005–06.

  To that end, we are currently working with six LEAs and about a dozen schools in each of those LEAs to get a better understanding of their starting points, how they plan to deliver the reforms and to what extent this can be achieved through the redeployment of existing resources.

  We will use the information produced in order to review the funding implications of the reforms.

  Teachers (Pupil Abuse)
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers were investigated for alleged abuse of pupils in each year since 1997; and how many were subsequently(a) prosecuted and (b) found guilty. [179424]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is not available.

  Teaching Posts (Greater London)
  Tom Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacancies for teaching posts there are at schools in the Greater London area. [179033]

  Mr. Miliband
  The latest vacancy information was published on 29 April in the School Workforce in England statistical first release (SFR09/2004), a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons 1404W
  Library and can be accessed from the following URL: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/D B/SFR/s000462/index.shtml

  West Midlands in Europe
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the work of West Midlands in Europe. [179600]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  West Midlands in Europe is working assiduously to ensure that Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the West Midlands receive an equitable share of the EU Framework Programmes for Research and Development (2002–06)—pan Europe the programmes are worth the sum of €17.5 billion to HEIs.

  Working Time Directive
  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many employees in his Department have(a) signed a formal opt out from and (b) are exempt from the Working Time Directive; and how many employees in his Department have recorded hours, including any accruing on a flexitime basis, in excess of the maximum allowed under the Working Time Directive in the last month for which figures are available. [178364]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My Department is committed to reducing the number of employees who work in excess of the Working Time Directive maximum to an absolute minimum.

  64 employees have signed a formal opt out from the Working Time Directive. No employees are exempt. The number of hours that each employee works per week is not kept centrally, therefore the number of hours in excess of the maximum allowed under the Working Time Directive could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  XL Clubs
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions his Department has had with the Prince's Trust regarding XL clubs in schools. [179414]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  The Prince's Trust has had a number of meetings with various officials in the Department in recent months. Although XL clubs have been mentioned, none of the meetings have been held specifically to discuss this issue.

  Irish Language Agency
  Irish Language Agency
  Ulster-Scots Agency
  Ulster-Scots Agency
  Ulster Scots Academy
  Ulster Scots Academy
  Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
  Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
  North/South Implementation Bodies
  North/South Implementation Bodies
  Northern Ireland: Loyal Order Parades
  Northern Ireland: Loyal Order Parades
  Cuba
  Cuba
  Helms-Burton Act
  Helms-Burton Act
  People Trafficking: South-east Europe
  People Trafficking: South-east Europe
  Guantanamo Bay and Iraq: Interrogation Methods
  Guantanamo Bay and Iraq: Interrogation Methods
  Cyprus: Sovereign Bases
  Cyprus: Sovereign Bases
  Cyprus: Green Line
  Cyprus: Green Line
  School Sport
  School Sport
  BBC: European Union Support
  BBC: European Union Support
  Identity Documents
  Identity Documents
  Focus Groups: Government Expenditure
  Focus Groups: Government Expenditure