Written Answers of 5 March 2004

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

  Katharine Gun
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what discussions he has had in the last 12 months with the Secretary of State for Defence on the Katharine Gun case. [158781]

  Mr. Leslie
  None.

TRANSPORT

  Classic Cars (Vehicle Excise Duty)
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what extra revenue has accrued for each year since 1997; and what he estimates the projected extra revenue will be for the next 10 years, as a result of freezing the threshold of vehicle excise duty exemption for classic cars at the year 1973, compared with the rolling 25-year exemption previously in operation. [158218]

  Mr. Darling
  Since 1997 the Government have sought to restructure Vehicle Excise Duty so that it reflects the environmental impacts of vehicles. This is in keeping with the Government's aim to ensure that the UK meets its legally binding Kyoto targets for the reduction of carbon emissions. The rolling 25-year exemption was abolished in 1998 because it was inconsistent with this environmental focus.

  Currently the VED exemption in respect of all vehicles registered before 1 January 1973 costs the Exchequer over £40 million per annum. If the rolling 25-year VED exemption for cars had continued to the present day, the additional costs to the Exchequer in terms of revenue foregone would have been close to £9 million in 2003–04 alone. The total additional cost since 1997 would have been a little over £20 million. Precise figures would require detailed analysis of vehicle stock data, including engine sizes of all extant 25 to 30-year-old vehicles. Future revenue implications will depend on vehicle ownership and use patterns, and in particular on how quickly older vehicles are scrapped.

  Cycling
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of cycle paths there were in each year since 1997. [159316]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Department does not hold this information for the 1997–98 financial year. The following table lists cycle tracks and cycle lanes in kilometres constructed by local authorities for subsequent years.1156W

  Number of cycle tracks and lanes from 1997–98 to 2002–03 (kilometers)

  Cycle track

  Cycle lane

  Total

  1998–99

  210

  145

  355

  1999–2000

  221

  178

  399

  2000–01

  810

  399

  1,209

  2001–02

  804

  405

  1,209

  2002–03

  1,348

  2,118

  3,466

  Railways
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the need for high-speed rail services. [156083]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Strategic Rail Authority discussed the feasibility of a north-south high-speed line in its Strategic Plan 2003 as part of its long-term planning. But the priority is for the railway to concentrate on improving its current performance on the existing network.

  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the most recent figures are for(a) reliability, (b) punctuality, (c) public performance measures and (d) complaints for each train operator operating services in Greater London in each of the last five years. [158659]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) measures train performance by the Public Performance Measure (PPM) which combines reliability and punctuality. It is published by train operator in the SRA's quarterly National Rail Trends (NRT). The latest publication covers performance to the year ending 30 September 2003 and is placed in the Library of the House. The next edition, Quarter 3 2003–04, covering performance to 31 December 2003 will be published on 11 March.

  Until March 2003, complaints data by train operator were published in the SRA's six monthly On Track publication. Copies of On Track are placed in the Library of the House. In future, complaints data by train operator will appear annually in Quarter 4 of NRT which will also act as an annual compendium of statistics. This will be published in the summer.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the re-opening of railway stations at(a) Easington, (b) Colliery and (c) Horden. [159317]

  Mr. McNulty
  There are no current plans to re-open these stations.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Network Rail has exemption from the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in respect of track maintenance work. [158909]

  Dr. Howells
  NR is bound by the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). There is no specific exemption for Network Rail, but exceptions are provided which may sometimes be utilised by NR to maintain the safety and reliability of the railway.
  1157W

  Road Improvements
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate real terms cost inflation for road improvement projects in Greater London for each year since 1997. [158661]

  Mr. McNulty
  Information on real-terms cost inflation is not recorded on an annual basis for road projects. Since July 2000, Transport for London, under the Mayor, have been responsible for road improvement projects in London, excluding motorways, which remain the responsibility of the Highways Agency.

  Spitting
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what police procedures oversee the use of DNA kits issued by Metroline bus company used to identify spitting offenders. [159046]

  Mr. McNulty
  The London Borough of Brent's Operational Command Unit in partnership with Metroline will soon be piloting the use of DNA kits on buses to aid the identification of spitting offenders. Protocols as to the use of DNA kits are currently being established. This pilot scheme is expected to commence in April and is expected to run for six months.

  Transport Projects (London)
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the dates of the formal meetings he has had with the Mayor of London about transport projects in London. [158765]

  Mr. McNulty
  [holding answer 4 March 2004]: The Secretary of State and other Ministers have regular meetings with the Mayor of London on a range of topics.

CABINET OFFICE

  Cabinet (Disclosures)
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what(a) advice and (b) guidance is given to former members of the Cabinet concerning disclosures of (i) Cabinet deliberations and (ii) classified documents. [159407]

  Mr. Alexander
  The obligations on former Ministers are set out in paragraph 18 of the ministerial code. On leaving office, Ministers are reminded of these obligations.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will reply to the letter to him dated 8 January from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms V. Bromage. [157906]

  Mr. Alexander
  This correspondence was received for the first time in the Cabinet Office on 1 March. The issues raised are matters for the Department of Constitutional Affairs and your letter has therefore been passed to the noble Lord, the Lord Filkin who I understand will reply shortly.
  1158W

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will place in the Library a list of the overseas visits undertaken by ministers in his Department since 1999 indicating in each case by(a) destination, (b) purpose of visit, (c) size of party, (d) composition of party, (e) cost to public funds of each party and (f) the capacity in which the Minister was sent. [159346]

  Mr. Alexander
  The Government have published the overall costs of all ministerial overseas travel and a list of all visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500 on an annual basis since 1997. The last list for the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 was published by the Prime Minister on 16 July 2003,Official Report, column 482W. The next list for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the financial year.

  Copies of previous lists are available in the Library of the House.

  Online Services
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent representations he has received on the effectiveness of the Government's targets for the online delivery of services. [158045]

  Mr. Alexander
  The Government continue to receive representations from stakeholders on the 2005 e-delivery target.

  In September 2002 this target was extended to focus on delivering benefits to customers by achieving high levels of use for key services.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Abattoirs
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions were brought by her Department against abattoirs for breaches of(a) fresh meat hygiene regulations and (b) animal welfare regulations in each of the calendar years 2002 and 2003; how many separate charges were contained within these prosecutions; on how many of the charges convictions were secured; how many charges were withdrawn by her Department before they were determined by the courts; and what the total sum of legal costs incurred by her Department in the pursuit of these charges was. [158071]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Not all of the detailed information requested is recorded centrally, in particular how many charges were withdrawn, but a summary is provided in the following table. The information covers both this Department and the Food Standards Agency, which is responsible for meat hygiene prosecutions, as well as being involved with animal welfare cases.

  Meat hygiene prosecutions

  2002

  2003

  Number of prosecutions

  6

  10

  Charges on which convictions secured

  29

  26

  Legal costs incurred in pursuit of the charges

  16,724

  36,648

  1159W

  Meat hygiene prosecutions

  2002

  2003

  Animal welfare prosecutions

  Number of prosecutions

  4

  7

  Charges on which convictions secured

  7

  42

  FSA legal costs incurred in pursuit of the charges

  14,187

  19,907

  Defra legal costs incurred in pursuit of the charges

  3,392

  4,999

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. David
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to improve the welfare of animals in slaughterhouses. [158641]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  There are extensive provisions in the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 designed to protect the welfare of animals both immediately before, and during, the slaughter process. In addition the Farm Animal Welfare Council published a report in 2003 on the welfare of red meat animals at slaughter. The report included 94 recommendations for improving animal welfare. The Government will be issuing shortly for public consultation their draft response to these recommendations.

  Mr. David
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have to make compulsory the stunning of animals before religious slaughter. [158640]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The Government's draft response to the recommendations in the Farm Animal Welfare Council's report on the welfare of red meat animals at slaughter, including the recommendation that all animals should be stunned prior to slaughter, will be issued for public consultation shortly.

  Bovine TB
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2004,Official Report, column 1441W, on bovine TB, what criteria were used to assess the humaneness of the pesticide fumigants approved for the destruction of rabbits and moles. [158427]

  Alun Michael
  The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 (COPR) requires pesticides to be humane and this issue in relation to approved vertebrate control agents was considered by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides in 1996.

  Quantification of "humaneness" was attempted using the assumptions

  (a) that the extent to which a fumigant is humane is universally related to the degree of distress,

  (b) that increased severity of symptoms indicates the degree of distress caused, and

  (c) that increased duration of symptoms increased distress. Since effects resulting in the death of an intoxicated animal will probably involve severe symptoms at least in extremis, the duration of severe symptomatology is used as a major determinant in assessment of humaneness. For judging the severity of symptoms reported among the following data listed, the criteria described in "Pain and Distress in Laboratory

  1160W
  Rodents and Lagomorphs: Report of the Federation of Laboratory Animal Science Associations Working Group on Pain and Distress" have been used as a guide.

  The Working Group on Methods for Assessing the Humaneness of Vertebrate Pesticides concluded that pain, distress and suffering could not be measured objectively but that a subjective assessment of humaneness was possible, based on physiological and behavioural data, knowledge of mode of action and post-mortem reports.

  The Littlewood report (1965) recommended that procedures (or in this case conditions) which are known to cause pain in humans should be assumed to do so in other vertebrates unless convincing evidence is available to the contrary.

  Cats
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many incidents of disease in humans have been attributed to TB infection in cats. [158006]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I have been asked to reply.

  There have been no reported cases of tuberculosis infection in humans attributed to infection in cats.

  Cetaceans
  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of(a) dolphins and (b) porpoises killed each year (i) by British fishing vessels, (ii) in British waters, (iii) by vessels of other European Union countries and (iv) in European Union waters; and if she will make a statement. [156216]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  On the basis of research conducted on behalf of Defra by the Sea Mammal Research Unit, estimates have been made of bycatch in UK fisheries. In the offshore bass fishery total bycatches are of the order of 90 dolphins per year, which represents less than 0.1 per cent. of the most recent estimate of common dolphin abundance in the south-west. Annual porpoise bycatch totals for gill net and tangle net fisheries in the south west cannot be determined at present, but bycatch rates estimates are likely to be in the region of 500 porpoises per year. Porpoise bycatch estimates for the North Sea and the west of Scotland are around 490 animals per year.

  However, bycatch information from other member states whose vessels operate in these fisheries and elsewhere around the UK is not available so it is not possible to produce reliable estimates of dolphin and porpoise bycatch deaths within the UK 200-mile limit. In particular, it should be noted that UK vessels in the offshore bass fishery in the south west represent only a small proportion of the total effort in the fishery.

  Cockle Beds
  Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under what powers, and for what reasons, the North-West and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee may close cockle beds. [156858]
  1161W
  Mr Bradshaw
  [holding answer 27 February 2004]: The North-West and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee may close cockle beds in their district for the purposes of fishery management or for controlling the rate of exploitation of the cockle stocks therein. The closure must be for a specified period and undertaken only after consultation with scientists and local cockle fishermen. Sea Fisheries Committees' byelaws are made under the Sea Fisheries Regulation Act 1966 (as amended).

  Department Branding
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department and its predecessors spent on branding the Department between 1997–98 and 2003–04, broken down by(a) consultancy fees, (b) design and orders for new stationery, (c) website design and (d) other material featuring new logos. [154068]

  Alun Michael
  Defra spent the following sums on establishing a new identity since the Department was created in June 2001. Details of expenditure on branding within the predecessor departments could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Breakdown of branding costs

  £

  Scoping/consultancy

  122,620

  Identity design and Brand architecture

  48,000

  Web design

  18,460

  Other brand activity

  139,977

  2002–03 total

  329,057

  Estimated cost of replacing signage

  100,000

  2003–04 total

  100,000

  Horses
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many horses were(a) slaughtered for meat and (b) exported for slaughter in the last year for which figures are available. [157264]

  Alun Michael
  In 2003, 6,727 horses were slaughtered in licensed red meat slaughterhouses in England. I am advised that no live horses were exported for slaughter in 2003.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs who will administer the National Equine Database. [156653]

  Alun Michael
  The National Equine Database will be jointly administered by industry and Defra though the precise mechanism has yet to be decided.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what plans she has to revoke the minimum values legislation; [156664]

  (2) if she will amend the minimum values legislation to prevent the export of live horses for slaughter. [156665]
  1162W
  Alun Michael
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 14 November 2003 explaining our intention to review the minimum values legislation in the light of proposed changes to the European directive on the welfare of animals during transport. There appears to be some misapprehensions about the existing legislation which has been in place for many years. The minimum values legislation applies to certain types of working horse (but only if they are exported for work) and to ponies. It does not apply to other horses. We have considered carefully whether we could ban the export of horses for slaughter but this would be inconsistent with the approach taken consistently by successive Governments and we believe that we cannot restrict the free movement of horses which is why our focus has been on achieving improved regulation in the UK and across Europe to reduce cruelty and improve the welfare of animals during transport.

  Local Government Finance (Dorset)
  Jim Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what grants were awarded to local authorities in Dorset by her Department in financial year 2003–04 that fall outside the revenue support grant.

  Alun Michael
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr. Raynsford) on 1 March 2004,Official Report, column 750W.

  Milk
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will set up a meeting with milk producers, representatives of supermarkets, dairy farmers and members of her Department to discuss farmgate prices of milk. [156507]

  Alun Michael
  Price negotiation between producers and processors, or processors and supermarkets, are a private commercial matter in which the Government cannot and should not get involved, as competition rules have to be respected It would be inappropriate for me to discuss private price negotiations and I have no plans to do so. However, Ministers frequently meet representatives from all parts of the dairy supply chain and are therefore aware of the issues. The Dairy Supply Chain Forum, chaired by my noble Friend Lord Whitty, has been looking at collaborative solutions to improve supply chain efficiency, and address some of the other underlying causes of low farmgate prices.

  Persistent and Bioaccumulative Chemicals
  Mr. Lazarowicz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the controls contained in the proposed EU chemicals regulation on the use of persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals. [158953]

  Alun Michael
  The European Commission proposes that substances of very high concern shall not be used unless an authorisation for that use has been granted to the user or supplier. Substances of very high concern are defined as carcinogens, mutagens and substances toxic to the reproductive system (CMRs) categories 1 or 2; substances which are persistent, bioaccumulative and
  1163W
  toxic (PBT); very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB); or substances, such as those having endocrine disrupting properties or those having PBT and vPvB properties which do not meet the above criteria and which are identified as causing serious and irreversible effects to humans or the environment on a case by case basis.

  The Government support the aims of the authorisation process to ensure that the risks from substances of high concern are properly controlled and that these substances may be eventually replaced by suitable substances or technologies with the aim of reducing risks to human health and the environment. The Government welcome the inclusion of substances meeting the PBT criteria as being subject to the authorisation procedure.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mode of action of(a) aluminium phosphide and (b) hydrogen cyanide is in terms of its effects on small mammals when used as a pesticide. [157930]

  Alun Michael
  The following modes of action apply to all mammals, not just small ones.

  (a) Phosphine:

  The primary mode of toxic action of phosphine is considered to be inhibition of cytochrome oxidase in the respiratory metabolism pathway, with additional direct cytotoxicity. Exposure to high concentrations of phosphine leads in vertebrates to a profound fall in blood pressure, followed by death. Lower concentrations cause pulmonary oedema and respiratory failure which may be fatal.

  (b) Hydrogen Cyanide:

  Cyanide combines with the ferric iron atom in haem proteins (eg cytochromes) in vertebrate tissues, impairing their capacity to undergo oxidation and reduction in the normal electron transport process. It can cause death extremely rapidly, primarily by inactivating cytochrome oxidase in tissues.

  Poultry
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in what circumstances the Little Red Tractor mark could be awarded to chicken produced in Thailand. [156651]

  Alun Michael
  The Red Tractor is a privately-owned logo which is administered by an Independent company, Assured Food Standards. The logo can be used only under licence from that company and only on food that is produced in accordance with standards laid down in an assurance scheme approved by the company, by a member of such a scheme. We understand that no chicken produced in Thailand meets these eligibility requirements.

  Seriously Disadvantaged Areas
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which constituencies are in severely disadvantaged areas. [156112]
  1164W
  Alun Michael
  The severely disadvantaged areas are those areas of land within less favourable areas of the UK, which are handicapped, principally by reason of high altitude, harsh climate, short growing season, low fertility, difficult topography or remoteness. They are defined in statutory maps and in England lie within the following constituencies:

  Barnsley West and Penistone County Constituency

  Barrow and Furness County Constituency

  Berwick-Upon-Tweed County Constituency

  Bishop Auckland County Constituency

  Blackburn Borough Constituency

  Bolton North East Borough Constituency

  Bolton West County Constituency

  Bradford South Borough Constituency

  Bradford West Borough Constituency

  Bridgwater County Constituency

  Burnley Borough Constituency

  Burton County Constituency

  Bury North Borough Constituency

  Calder Valley County Constituency

  Chorley County Constituency

  City of Durham County Constituency

  Colne Valley County Constituency

  Copeland County Constituency

  Halifax Borough Constituency

  Hazel Grove County Constituency

  Hereford County Constituency

  Hexham County Constituency

  Heywood and Middleton County Constituency

  High Peak County Constituency

  Huddersfield Borough Constituency

  Hyndburn Borough Constituency

  Keighley County Constituency

  Lancaster and Wyre County Constituency

  Leominster County Constituency

  Ludlow County Constituency

  Macclesfield County Constituency

  Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland County Constituency

  Morecambe and Lunesdale County Constituency

  North Cornwall County Constituency

  North Devon County Constituency

  North East Derbyshire County Constituency

  North Shropshire County Constituency

  North West Durham County Constituency

  Oldham East and Saddleworth County Constituency

  Pendle Borough Constituency

  Penrith and The Border County Constituency

  Pudsey Borough Constituency

  Ribble Valley County Constituency

  Richmond (Yorks) County Constituency

  Rochdale County Constituency

  Rossendale and Darwen Borough Constituency

  Ryedale County Constituency

  Scarborough and Whitby County Constituency

  Sheffield, Hallam County Constituency

  Sheffield, Hillsborough County Constituency

  Shipley County Constituency

  Shrewsbury and Atcham County Constituency

  1165W

  Skipton and Ripon County Constituency

  South East Cornwall County Constituency

  South West Devon County Constituency

  St. Ives County Constituency

  Staffordshire Moorlands County Constituency

  Stalybridge and Hyde County Constituency

  Stone County Constituency

  Taunton County Constituency

  Teignbridge County Constituency

  Tiverton and Honiton County Constituency

  Torridge and West Devon County Constituency

  Totnes County Constituency

  Truro and St. Austell County Constituency

  Vale of York County Constituency

  Wakefield County Constituency

  West Derbyshire County Constituency

  Westmorland and Lonsdale County Constituency

  Workington County Constituency

  Sheep Quota
  Mr. Roger Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many units of United Kingdom sheep quota were leased-out but remained unused by the recipient farmers in(a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04. [158431]

  Alun Michael
  The number of sheep quota units leased out in England is set out in the following table. These figures relate to the 2003 and 2004 sheep quota trading periods respectively. The figure for 2004 is an interim figure because the trading period closed on 4 February 2004 and a proportion of notifications remain to be remain to be processed.

  Year

  Units leased

  2002–03

  822.057

  2003–04

  428,424

  It is not possible to confirm the number of leased quota units that recipient farmers did not use to support sheep premium payments. This is not monitored as there is no requirement in European legislation for farmers to use quota they have leased in.

  The information for other countries within the UK is a matter for their respective Devolved Assemblies.

  Single Farm Payments
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon land values(a) before and (b) after 2012; [157102]

  (2) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) intensive dairy, (b) extensive dairy, (c) intensive beef,(d) extensive beef, (e) intensive suckler cow, (f) extensive suckler cow, (g) intensive sheep and (h) extensive sheep farming systems (i) before and (ii) after the end of the transitional period in 2012; [157127]
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  (3) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon(a) intensive mixed and (b) extensive mixed holdings (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157129]

  (4) what assessment she has made of the anticipated per hectare payments to farmers in England under her proposals for single farm payments after 2012 for farms (a) within and (b) outside severely disadvantaged areas; [157103]

  (5) if she will publish each of the assessments her Department made of the anticipated impact of her preferred option for the further payment of single farm payments (a) during and (b) after the transitional period; [157104]

  (6) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon farms of (a)supported crops and arable and (b) unsupported crops and arable (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157130]

  (7) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon farm gate prices across each sector (a) before and (b) after 2012; [157131]

  (8) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) the future structure of farming, (b) farm and farmland ownership, (c) agricultural productivity, (d) agricultural profitability, (e) farm gate prices across all main sectors, (f) the viability of the present farm structure, (g) the future number of farms and (h) the future number of agriculture and agriculture-related jobs; [157123]

  (9) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) farm tenancies and (b) farm rents (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157124]

  (10) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) traditional, (b) small, (c) part-time and (d) family farms in England (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157132]

  (11) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon (a) new entrants and (b) farmers seeking to retire during the period (i) up to and (ii) beyond 2012; [157133]

  (12) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon the preponderance of tenanted (a) farms and (b) farmland (i) before and (ii) after 2012; [157125]

  (13) what assessment she has made of the impact of her proposed arrangement for single farm payments upon the (a) viability and (b) number of farms in (i) upland and (ii) severely disadvantaged areas. [157126]

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the impact of single farm payments on(a) farms that are rented, (b) owner farms, (c) upland farms, (d) middlehill farms, (e) lowland farms, (f) dairy farms, (g) beef farms, (h) sheep farms, (i) arable farms and (j) mixed farms, in Chorley. [157704]
  1167W
  Alun Michael
  Defra will publish shortly an analysis of the economic impact on the English farming industry of the decoupling of CAP direct payment and the decision to allocate entitlement on the basis set out in the Secretary of State's Statement to the House on 12 February.

DEFENCE

  Afghanistan
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on UK troop levels in Afghanistan. [156737]

  Mr. Hoon
  We currently have around 490 members of the armed forces deployed in Afghanistan, mostly serving with either the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul, or with our Provincial Reconstruction Team in Mazar-e Sharif.

  A400M
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the A400M will be delivered; and how many aircraft have been procured. [157564]

  Mr. Ingram
  The in-service date of the A400M (defined as acceptance into service of the seventh aircraft) is 2011. We expect delivery of the final (twenty-fifth) aircraft to be in 2015.

  Aircraft Carriers
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reduce the size of the proposed new aircraft carriers. [154627]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Future Carrier programme is currently in its Assessment Phase. The Department has not sought to fix the dimensions of the aircraft carriers during this stage. Instead, parameters such as the ships' size will reflect the design required to meet our capability requirements. It is to be expected that the design of the ships will evolve as the Department seeks to balance, in conjunction with industry, overall performance, time and cost as part of normal Assessment Phase activity.

  Defence Logistics Organisation
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the assessment of the feasibility of co-locating additional parts of the Defence Logistics Organisation alongside or close to the existing Ministry of Defence site at Abbey Wood in Bristol to be completed. [157312]

  Mr. Ingram
  I expect to make an announcement on this issue before the summer. This will need to be followed by more detailed work on the development of options for possible collocation.

  Eurofighter Typhoon
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Initial Operating Capability on the Eurofighter Typhoon is intended to be achieved; what the Beneficial Use Date for the Typhoon is; and if he will make a statement. [156955]
  1168W
  Mr. Ingram
  Typhoon will provide a meaningful "initial operating capability" when squadron pilots can begin training. At this point it is considered that they will begin to contribute to defence outputs, and this therefore signifies the Beneficial Use Date for accounting purposes. This is currently planned to be achieved during 2005.

  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is seeking liquidated damages for the delays to the entry into service of the Eurofighter Typhoon; and if he will make a statement. [156956]

  Mr. Ingram
  Liquidated damages for the delays to the entry into service of Typhoon will be recovered in accordance with our entitlements under the contracts.

  Irish Guards (Kenya Exercise)
  Hugh Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on 1 Battalion, the Irish Guards exercise in Kenya planned for autumn 2004. [159265]

  Mr. Ingram
  It is currently planned that 1st Battalion, the Irish Guards will conduct training at Archer's Post, in Kenya, on Exercise GRAND PRIX over the period 16 September—27 October 2004.

  Exercise GRAND PRIX is a battalion group infantry exercise, and provides an opportunity for the Battalion to develop further its collective training skills, while suitably balancing its other activities in 2004, which are focussed on Public and State Ceremonial Duties in London.

  MOD Fire Service
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make(a) a decision and (b) an announcement on whether the Ministry of Defence Fire Service will be retained or privatised. [158692]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 4 March 2004]: This issue is being considered as part of the Airfield Support Services Project, which is seeking to establish the most cost-effective method of maintaining a full airfield support service including management and administration, without compromising operational capability and/or safety. No decision has yet been made about the outcome of this project and we will only do so following full and careful considerations of all the options. Although we are moving towards this point, I am not yet in a position to say exactly when this will be.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the comparative cost per firefighter per hour during the firefighters' strike of emergency cover by an armed forces' firefighter and a firefighter employed by a private firm under contract to his Department. [158693]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 4 March 2004]The full cost of using armed forces fire fighters during the fire fighters strike was approximately £17 per hour. No fire fighters employed by private contractors under contract to this Department were deployed on such duties.
  1169W
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what surveys his Department have undertaken to assess the willingness of firefighters employed by private contractors to serve in war zones during hostilities. [158694]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 4 March 2004]: As part of Fire Study 2000, a comprehensive investigation into the organisation of the Department's fire services, a survey was carried out to assess whether fire fighters engaged directly by the Department, and those employed by private contractors, would be willing to serve as Sponsored Reserves, which could involve serving overseas in hostile environments.

  No other specific surveys of fire fighters have been carried out by the Department.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what insurance cover is given to(a) his Department's fire service personnel and (b) privately contracted firefighters when attending (i) road traffic accidents and (ii) other civil emergencies. [158695]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 4 March 2004]: The Ministry of Defence does not purchase insurance policies but pays claims for compensation directly from its current expenditure. Claims are paid in accordance with the Department's legal liability to make payment.

  MOD Fire Fighters are covered for compensation if they should suffer injury or death as a result of negligence on the part of MOD while attending road traffic accidents or other civil emergencies to the same extent as when they are carrying out other official duties. Similarly, if MOD Fire Fighters were to cause injury or death to another individual, or damage to property belonging to another person, while attending road traffic accidents then MOD, not the fire fighter involved, would be liable to pay compensation to that person.

  If MOD Fire Fighters should suffer injury or death as a result of negligence on the part of another person or organisation then MOD would not be legally liable to pay them compensation. Instead they, or their estate, would have to claim from the person concerned. However MOD does have a scheme called ToPaS, under which legal advice and assistance can be obtained, without cost, to enable a claim to be brought.

  Under the rules governing Military Aid to the Civil Community, MOD requires local authorities to indemnify the Department against any costs, such as paying compensation, which may be incurred in providing Aid, such as attending road traffic accidents.

  Where the fire service is provided to the Department by a private contractor then it is the contractor who is responsible for making all the necessary insurance arrangements for their employees.
  1170W

  Officers (Leave)
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) majors and (b) brigadiers are between postings; how long each has been on leave; and if he will make a statement. [156073]

  Mr. Ingram
  Less than five Regular Army officers in these ranks are between postings on compassionate leave, unpaid leave or awaiting placement. None of the periods between postings have lasted longer than eight months to date.

  Due to the low numbers involved this information cannot be broken down by Rank or duration because this could identify individuals and breach disclosure and confidentiality policy

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many senior officers are between postings in the(a) RAF and (b) Royal Navy, broken down by (i) rank and (ii) length of time on leave; and if he will make a statement. [156074]

  Mr. Ingram
  As at 1 March 2004, there are currently no senior officers in the RAF between postings and on leave.

  In the Navy, as at 1 February 2004 there was one Commander between postings who had been waiting for a new post for seven days.

  Procurement Programmes
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress with introducing(a) the Viking all-terrain protected vehicle for the Royal Marines, (b) the Army's Boxer Multi-role Armoured Vehicle and (c) the Defence Information Infrastructure Programme. [157285]

  Mr. Ingram
  Deliveries of the Viking all-terrain protected vehicle continue according to programme, with 27 vehicles delivered to date. The In Service Date remains on track for April 2004 when 30 vehicles are due to have been delivered. A pilot Operator/Maintainer course has begun at the Armoured Training Centre, Bovington, to support the introduction of this equipment.

  On the Multi-role Armoured Vehicle, I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on 17 July 2003, Official Report, column 71WS, about the UK's decision to with Draw from this tri-national programme.

  The Defence Information Infrastructure Programme (DIIP) is progressing well. The procurement of the Future Defence Information Infrastructure is also progressing well. The Future DII team are currently in negotiations with three short-listed bidders and are on target for announcement of the preferred bidder in early 2005. Commencement of delivery is due to follow during 2005, with Full Operating Capability expected in 2008.

  Service Postal Deliveries (Iraq)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlay the decision to cancel the facility for service people in Iraq to receive parcels from home free of charge. [158777]
  1171W
  Mr. Ingram
  The postal packet service, whereby named service personnel on Operation Telic were able to receive packets weighing up to 2 kg from friends and relatives free of charge, was introduced at a time when a combination of the austere conditions and the operational situation meant that service personnel did not have access to the toiletries and consumables normally available through the Expeditionary Forces Institute (the deployable arm of NAAFI). By April 2004 the rollout of Expeditionary Forces Institute facilities will be complete allowing service personnel full access to toiletries and small consumables. In addition the Operational Welfare Package is now fully deployed; this includes: a free 20 minute phone call to anywhere in the world once a week, free access to the internet, a period of rest and recuperation of two weeks in a six month deployment, a generous allocation of TVs and radios to enable access to the British Forces Broadcasting Service, videos and DVDs, free books and access to leisure facilities that include gymnasia. Personnel still receive free aerogramme letters (blueys) and e-letters (e-blueys). While the concession for free packets has been withdrawn, packets weighing up to 2 kg can still be sent at a concessionary rate of £7.23, equivalent to the Royal Mail first class inland rate. Continued provision of the free postal packet service cannot be justified under these circumstances and when other operations in other parts of the world are not in receipt of this service.

  Typhoon
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding was given to fund the original design work for Typhoon to operate off aircraft carriers. [158504]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 2 March 2004,Official Report, column 795W.

HEALTH

  Alcohol Abuse
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what his Department's policy is on seeking to prevent alcohol-related harm among older people; [157366]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the extent of alcohol abuse among older people. [157367]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  21 per cent. of men and 12 per cent. of women aged over 65 drink on a daily basis, although the vast majority of do not misuse alcohol.

  Mean body mass index (BMI) by Government Office Region and Sex

  All with a valid height and weight measurement 2002

  Percentage

  Government Office Regions

  BMI (kg/m2)

  North East

  North West

  York and The Humber

  West Midlands

  East Midlands

  East of England

  London

  South East

  South West

  England

  Men aged 16+

  27.7

  26.9

  27.3

  27.4

  27.3

  27.2

  25.9

  26.8

  26.6

  26.9

  Women aged 16+

  26.8

  26.8

  26.7

  27.4

  27.3

  27.3

  26.6

  26.2

  26,0

  26.7

  Boys aged 0–151

  18.8

  18.0

  17.6

  18.3

  18.2

  17.9

  18.2

  18.0

  18.0

  18.1

  Girls aged 0–151

  19.0

  18.8

  18.3

  18.6

  18.6

  18.1

  18.7

  18.3

  18.0

  18.5

  1172W
  The Government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England due to be published shortly will set the future direction for the development of alcohol prevention and treatment for all groups in the population, including older people.

  The Government also recently launched "Choosing Health?", a consultation on improving people's health. The consultation will seek views on the role that Government, the national health service, the media, other organisations and people themselves can play in making the nation healthier. The consultation will offer the opportunity to have a wide ranging national debate about improving the health of all, including older people.

  Bed Rails
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency will ensure that bed rails with more than 120mm between the rails will no longer be used in the NHS and in care homes; and if he will make a statement. [158056]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)'s role is to provide guidance to the National Health Service and care providers regarding safety and best practice of medical devices and healthcare products. NHS trusts and care homes have a responsibility to act upon MHRA advice and ensure that with reference to the MHRA Medical Device Alert MDA 2004/007, they do not have beds with twin bar rails as described either in use or in storage.Within the social and independent care sectors, the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) is currently responsible to ensure that operators act upon MHRA's advice, where relevant, during their routine inspections of these establishments. This role will be taken over by the Commission for Social Care Inspection in April 2004.

  Body Mass Index
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he list the average body mass index in(a) England, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority in 2002. [156285]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Figures for average body mass index for adults and children in England and by region for 2002 are available from the Health Survey for England and are shown in the table. Figures by strategic health authority are not available.
  1173W

  Mean body mass index (BMI) by Government Office Region and sex

  All with a valid height and weight measurement 2002

  Percentage

  Government Office Regions

  BMI (kg/m2)

  North East

  North West

  Yorks and The Humber

  West Midlands

  East Midlands

  East of England

  London

  South East

  South West

  England

  Bases

  Men

  170

  462

  331

  263

  291

  343

  337

  466

  306

  2,969

  Women

  222

  505

  387

  355

  344

  330

  411

  564

  337

  3,509

  Boys

  225

  568

  437

  353

  372

  415

  475

  638

  355

  3,868

  Girls

  223

  536

  390

  398

  316

  428

  487

  619

  378

  3,776

  1Age rounded to the nearest integer.

  Source:

  Health Survey for England, Department of Health.

  Breast Feeding
  Sandra Osborne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are being taken to promote guidance on, and the benefits of breast feeding to new mothers in the hospital setting. [157998]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The NHS Priorities and Planning Framework target to increase breastfeeding initiation rates by two percentage points a year between 2003 and 2006, focussing on disadvantaged groups, supported by the Commission for Health Improvement's Infant Health Indicator, will encourage primary care trusts and their maternity services to promote breastfeeding in the hospital setting.

  The Department provides advice and guidance on breastfeeding and related issues to mothers and health professionals through a variety of publications. In addition, the Department will be providing advice and guidance, drawing from existing best practice, to health professionals as part of this year's National Breastfeeding Awareness Week between 9 and 15 May.

  Cancer Treatment
  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to publish information on waiting times for treatment of cancers not covered by NHS Cancer Plan targets before 2005; [157771]

  (2) what progress has been made towards meeting the targets for cancer treatment in the NHS Cancer Plan. [157773]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The primary purpose of the NHS Cancer Plan is to save more lives. Reducing waiting times is key to achieving this. The ultimate goal in the NHS Cancer Plan is to offer patients a maximum one month wait from an urgent referral for suspected cancer to the beginning of treatment. Where patients wait longer, this should be because of the needs of the diagnostic process or their personal choice, not because of in-built delays in the system of care. We hope to achieve this goal by 2008.

  Current waiting times targets are milestones towards this. Data on achievement of current targets from urgent general practitioner referral to treatment for acute leukaemia, children's and testicular cancers and breast cancer and from diagnosis to treatment for breast cancer, are published quarterly on the Department's website for strategic health authorities and trusts, at: http://www.performance.doh.gov.uk/cancerwaits. Data on achievement of future cancer plan waiting times targets
  1174W
  of one months from diagnosis to treatment and two months form urgent general practitioner referral to treatment for all cancers will be published once these targets have been implemented in 2005.

  Mrs. Calton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the incidence of melanoma by(a) age group and (b) strategic health authority. [157800]

  Ruth Kelly
  I have been asked to reply.

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

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mrs. Calton, dated 5 March 2004:

  The latest year for which figures are available is 2000. The numbers and rates of newly diagnosed cases of melanoma of the skin by age group are published in 'Cancer statistics: registrations, England 2000. Series MB1 no.31. London: The Stationery Office, 2003' on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk = 8843&Pos = 4&ColRank = l&Rank = 240 This publication shows that 17 per cent. of melanoma cases occurred in young adults (15–39 years) compared with 4 per cent. of all cancers.

  Directly age standardised registration rates of newly diagnosed cases of malignant melanoma of the skin2 in England, by strategic health authority, for 2000 are given in the table.

  Directly age standardised1 rates per 100,000 population of newly diagnosed cases of malignant melanoma of the skin2 in England, by strategic health authority,2000

  Strategic health authority

  Males

  Females

  England

  9.7

  11.2

  Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

  10.8

  11.4

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

  9.3

  10.0

  Essex

  9.6

  13.5

  North West London

  6.6

  5.5

  North Central London

  15.1

  15.1

  North East London

  7.2

  4.4

  South East London

  8.3

  8.8

  South West London

  10.0

  12.7

  Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

  6.4

  8.9

  County Durham and Tees Valley

  9.3

  10.9

  North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

  4.3

  7.2

  West Yorkshire

  7.8

  9.5

  Cumbria and Lancashire

  11.3

  11.2

  Greater Manchester

  8.1

  11.0

  Cheshire and Merseyside

  7.5

  13.9

  Thames Valley

  14.8

  17.1

  Hampshire and Isle of Wight

  12.2

  15.7

  Kent and Medway

  8.4

  7.8

  Surrey and Sussex

  10 0

  13.8

  Avon. Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  11.7

  13.1

  South West Peninsula

  17.7

  15.8

  Dorset and Somerset

  15.2

  17.2

  South Yorkshire

  6.9

  8.3

  Trent

  8.6

  9.5

  Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland

  9.9

  11.3

  1175W

  Directly age standardised1 rates per 100,000 population of newly diagnosed cases of malignant melanoma of the skin2 in England, by strategic health authority, 2000

  Strategic health authority

  Males

  Females

  Shropshire and Staffordshire

  7.0

  9.3

  Birmingham and the Black Country

  7.5

  8.7

  Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire

  11.1

  10.3

  1 Using the European standard population

  2 International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code C43.

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics

  Capital Projects
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for what reasons he imposed a retrospective cut-off date for approvals for local capital projects proposed by primary care trusts; [157962]

  (2) how many primary care trusts have informed his Department of the possible cancellation of local capital projects as a result of (a) the decision to change the method of funding allocations and (b) the imposition of a retrospective cut-off date. [157964]

  Mr. Hutton
  Significant new revenue funding will be made available to support public and private capital investment in the primary care estate, based on local prioritisation of development proposals. Baseline allocations for 2004–05 have been notified to all primary care trusts, and these take account of new developments contractually agreed by 30 September 2003. This date was set to allow sufficient time fort robust baselines to be established and notified to PCTs. An additional element of growth funding to support prioritised developments contractually agreed after that date will be allocated to lead-PCTs.

  We are not aware that any schemes have been cancelled at this time.

  Chiropody Statistics
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out for(a) England and (b) each strategic health authority the KT23 statistics for each year since 1996. [144757]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The available information is published in NHS Chiropody Services, Summary Information for 2002–03, England and is available in the Library and at http://www.doh.gov.uk/public/kt 230203. The tables show England figures for 1996–97 to 2002–03 and strategic health authority (SHA) figures for 2002–03; SHAs came into existence in April 2002 and comparable data for earlier years are not readily available due to service reconfigurations.

  Chiropody contacts, England, 1996–97 to 2002–03

  England

  Thousand

  Initial contacts (new episodes of care)

  First contacts (different persons receiving care)

  Total face-to-face contacts1

  1996–97

  966

  2,447

  8,352

  1997–98

  927

  2,419

  8,305

  1998–99

  878

  2,362

  8,054

  1999–2000

  853

  2,317

  7,895

  1176W

  Chiropody contacts, England, 1996–97 to 2002–03

  England

  Thousand

  Initial contacts (new episodes of care)

  First contacts (different persons receiving care)

  Total face-to-face contacts1

  2000–01

  837

  2,264

  2001–02

  837

  2,216

  2002–03

  826

  2,161

  1 The collection of data about total face-to-face contacts was discontinued from 1 April 2000

  Source:

  Form KT23

  Chiropody contacts by strategic health authority, 2002–03

  Thousand

  Strategic health authority

  Initial contacts (new episodes of care)

  First contacts (different persons receiving care)

  County Durham and Tees Valley

  15.8

  51.7

  Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

  22.7

  79.7

  Cheshire and Merseyside

  51.6

  117.9

  Cumbria and Lancashire

  35.7

  110.5

  Greater Manchester

  59.1

  172.8

  North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

  23.4

  83.1

  South Yorkshire

  24.6

  77.2

  West Yorkshire

  33.8

  126.9

  Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland

  33.8

  53.1

  Trent

  43.9

  112.8

  Birmingham and the Black Country

  62.2

  125.3

  Coventry, Warwickshire, Hereford and Worcesters

  21.1

  72.5

  Shropshire and Staffordshire

  22.7

  82.4

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

  15.3

  49.1

  Essex

  14.4

  42.3

  Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

  27.4

  81.4

  North Central London

  17.2

  43.1

  North East London

  27.4

  46.9

  North West London

  22.4

  64.7

  South East London

  34.9

  61.1

  South West London

  17.1

  50.4

  Hampshire and Isle of Wight

  22.1

  48.4

  Kent and Medway

  23.3

  58.7

  Surrey and Sussex

  30.8

  84.0

  Thames Valley

  23.9

  56.2

  Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  41.7

  89.0

  Dorset and Somerset

  23.6

  38.8

  South West Peninsula

  34.1

  81.5

  Source:

  Form KT23

  Cholesterol
  Mr. Paul Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the prevalence of raised blood cholesterol in(a) men and (b) women in each region; and if he will make a statement. [154583]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Figures available from the Health Survey for England 1998 are shown in the table. In this survey, cholesterol was considered to be raised at a level of 6.5 mmo1/1 or over.

  Prevalence of raised cholesterol by Government Office Region and sex—Adults 16+ with a valid sample

  Raised cholesterol (percentage > =6.5mmol/l)

  1998

  Government Office Regions

  Men (percentage)

  Women (percentage)

  Men (bases)

  Women (bases)

  North East

  27.1

  28.5

  288

  337

  North West

  16.9

  20.7

  669

  720

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  17.9

  22.5

  531

  591

  1177W

  Prevalence of raised cholesterol by Government Office Region and sex—Adults 16+with a valid sample

  Raised cholesterol (percentage >=6.5mmol/l)

  1998

  Government Office Regions

  Men (percentage)

  Women (percentage)

  Men (bases)

  Women (bases)

  West Midlands

  20.3

  23.8

  492

  589

  East Midlands

  14.8

  21.7

  453

  483

  East England

  16.2

  21.8

  537

  577

  London

  16.7

  17.4

  527

  614

  South East

  19.6

  24.2

  810

  945

  South West

  16.5

  22.4

  539

  572

  Source:

  Health Survey for England, Department of Health

  The quality indicators for the new general medical services contract include cholesterol management for patients with coronary heart disease. This will reinforce general practitioners' current work to deliver the quality standards set out in the national service framework for coronary heart disease, which are Driving the present trend in increasing statin prescriptions.

  Continuing Care Criteria
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to evaluate the continuing care criteria sent to his Department by strategic health authorities. [158639]

  Dr. Ladyman
  There are no plans to hold a centrally conducted evaluation of the fully funded National Health Service continuing care eligibility criteria of each strategic health authority (SHA). It is the responsibility of each SHA to be satisfied that its criteria meet the legal requirements.

  Detoxification Beds
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many detoxification beds for treatment as an inpatient are available in England and Wales. [150760]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Department does not have data on the number of detoxification beds that are available for treatment as an in-patient in England.

  However, it is estimated that there are 157 in-patient services in England with detoxification beds.

  The number in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

  Fall-Related Injuries
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) attendances at accident and emergency and (b) admissions to hospital for fall-related injuries in people aged 60 years and over there have been in each year since 1997. [156645]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Centrally-held data on attendances at accident and emergency departments do not contain sufficient details to identify those who attended because of a fall. The number of people aged 60 and over who were admitted to national health service hospitals in England as a result of a fall is recorded in the Hospital Episode Statistics count of Finished Admission Episodes. The figures are shown in the table.1178W

  Finished Admission Episodes (falls over 60)

  1997–98

  127,665

  1998–99

  127,817

  1999–2000

  118,567

  2001–02

  115,373

  2002–03

  120,356

  Note:

  A finished admission episode is the period of impatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Total episodes are only an approximation of the total number of in-patients, as a patient may have more than one admission in a year. Figures are adjusted to compensate for both coverage and missing or invalid clinical data, except for 2001–02 and 2002–03, which are not yet adjusted in this way.

  Fossetts Farm Treatment Centre
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether planning permission has been granted for the proposed treatment centre at Fossetts Farm, Southend-on-Sea. [157528]

  Mr. Hutton
  A planning application was logged with the landowners of the proposed site for the treatment centre at Fossetts Farm on 12 December 2003. This application will be reviewed by the local authority's planning committee

  General Practitioners
  Mr. George Osborne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patient visits to general practitioners he estimates there were in the last 12 months for which figures are available [158213]

  Mr. Hutton
  The most recent data show that there were an estimated 217 million consultations with general practitioners in England between April 2000 and March 2001, the most recent year for which figures are available.

  HIV/AIDS
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Drugs used for treating patients who are HIV positive; and if he will make a statement. [157483]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Combination anti-retroviral Drug therapies have proved very effective for the majority of people with HIV, in reducing the severity of symptoms and prolonging quality of life.

  The British HIV Association (BHIVA), the members of which include the majority of leading HIV/AIDS clinicians, has developed a detailed set of guidelines for the use and monitoring of combination anti-retroviral Drugs, and the regimens recommended by BHIVA are widely, accepted by the national health service. The guidelines, and their use by the NHS, are audited annually.

  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of(a) testing for HIV/AIDS and (b) treating HIV/AIDS patients in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [157484]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Information on the cost to the National Health Service of HIV and AIDS testing and treatment is not held centrally.
  1179W
  The sums allocated by the Department to the NHS for HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and care in England since 1 993–94 are shown in the table. From April 2002, the special allocations for HIV prevention, treatment and care were added to NHS baseline funding according to the target distribution of HIV across England, and are no longer separately identified.

  £ million

  Year

  NHS allocation

  1 993–94

  214.4

  1 994–95

  214.0

  1995–96

  244.7

  1996–97

  237.7

  1997–98

  251.9

  1 998–99

  281.4

  1999–2000

  286.4

  2000–01

  289.4

  2001–02

  331.0

  Hospices
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the savings to the NHS from(a) adults and (b) children using hospice services instead of hospital services. [157910]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  No such estimates have been made.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals have closed lists for treatment. [155154]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department does not collect this information from national health service trusts.

  Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for commissioning sufficient activity from NHS trusts and other providers to meet the needs of their local population. The levels of activity required from NHS trusts should be specified in service agreements (SAs) and will represent a ceiling to the trusts' contractual obligations.

  Where there are no SAs in place or the activity levels specified in a SA have already been met by the trust, the PCT are responsible for commissioning additional activity to meet the needs of their patients.

  HSC 2002/007 (Securing Service Delivery: Commissioning Freedoms of Primary Care Trusts) and HSC 1998/198 (Commissioning in the new NHS), copies of which are in the Library, provide further information.

  Hospital-acquired Infection
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the incidence of hospital-acquired infection among women using maternity services; and if he will make a statement. [156284]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  National information on the incidence of hospital-acquired infections amongst women using maternity services is not available. Options for collecting surveillance data are being kept under review and implementation of the Chief Medical 1180W
  Officer's report, "Winning Ways Working together to reduce Healthcare Associated Infection in England", will help reduce infection rates.

  Mental Health
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people suffer dementia in(a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley; and how many are (i) under and (ii) over 65 years of age. [157090]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There is no routine collection of information at national or local level about the number of people living with dementia. The research quoted by the older people's national service framework in 2001 estimated that approximately 600,000 people in the United Kingdom have dementia of whom there are about 17,000 people under the age of 65.

  Mumps Vaccine
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions are in place on the import of mumps vaccine; and what volumes of vaccine have been imported in each month since January 2003. [155128]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Single mumps vaccines are unlicensed imported medicines. The importers of which are required to be licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Every importer must notify the MHRA on each occasion they intend importing an unlicensed medicine and there is a legal restriction on the maximum quantity they may import per notification (a maximum of 25 single administrations). This applies to all imported unlicensed medicines. Each notification is an intention to import and does not necessarily reflect the number of doses actually imported or used. The information on the actual number of doses imported is not held by the MHRA.

  National School Fruit Scheme
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which schools in the Manchester, Gorton constituency will benefit from the free fruit scheme. [156310]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The following 24 schools in Gorton are receiving fruit under the National School Fruit Scheme:

  Abbey Hey Infant School

  Acacias Primary School

  All Saints Primary School

  Alma Park Primary School

  Aspinal Primary School

  Birchfields Primary School

  Chapel Street Primary School

  Crowcroft Park Primary School

  Gorton Brook School

  Gorton Mount Primary School

  Old Hall Drive Primary School

  Richmond Park School

  Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Infant School Manchester

  St Andrew's CofE Primary School

  St Francis RC Primary School

  St James' CofE Primary School

  1181W

  St John's CofE Primary School

  St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester

  St Kentigern's Catholic Primary School

  St Luke's CofE Primary School

  St Mary's RC Primary School Manchester

  St Richard's RC Primary School

  Stanley Grove Community Primary School

  Wilbraham Primary School

  Mrs. Brooke:
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the timetable is for extending the National School Fruit Scheme to all regions in England; [157603]

  (2) when he will extend the National School Fruit Scheme to the South West Region. [157604]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 1 March 2004]: The National School Fruit Scheme will entitle children aged four to six in local education authority maintained infant, primary and special schools to a free

  Strategic health authority

  Scheme (NHS hospital/Trust)

  Value (£ million)

  Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  Royal United Hospital Bath redevelopment

  35

  Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  United Bristol Hospital for Sick Children

  19

  Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust

  100

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

  Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust

  15

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

  Royston, Buntingford and Bishop Stortford PCT

  15

  Birmingham and the Black Country

  Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health

  18

  Birmingham and the Black Country

  Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust

  13

  County Durham and Tees Valley

  County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust—North Durham

  61

  County Durham and Tees Valley

  County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust—Bishop Auckland

  48

  County Durham and Tees Valley

  South Tees Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  122

  County Durham and Tees Valley

  County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals—Chester-le-Street

  10

  Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire

  Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust

  64

  Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire

  Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  87

  Cumbria and Lancashire

  Blackpool Victoria Hospital—Phase 5

  27

  Cumbria and Lancashire

  North Cumbria Acute Hospitals (Cumberland Infirmary)

  67

  Essex

  Basildon and Thurrock

  21

  Greater Manchester

  South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust

  67

  Greater Manchester

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  24

  Greater Manchester

  Fairfield General—Bury

  20

  Hampshire and Isle of Wight

  Southampton General Hospital—Cancer Care Unit

  17

  Kent and Medway

  Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust

  94

  Kent and Medway

  Swale PCT

  14

  Kent and Medway

  Medway DGH Development

  51

  Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

  Norfolk and Norwich NHS Trust

  158

  North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

  Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust

  22

  North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

  Harrogate Healthcare NHS Trust

  27

  North Central London

  Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust (MH unit)

  21

  North Central London

  Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust

  54

  North East London

  North East London Mental Health NHS Trust

  11

  North East London

  East London and The City Mental Health NHS Trust (Newham)

  15

  North East London

  Homerton Hospital Acute Services

  16

  North West London

  West London Mental Health NHS Trust

  12

  North West London

  Bromley Healthcare NHS Trust

  118

  North West London

  West Middlesex University Hospitals NHS Trust

  60

  Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

  Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust (Wansbeck)

  18

  Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

  Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust (Hexham)

  29

  Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

  City Hospitals Sunderland

  15

  Shropshire and Staffordshire

  North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust

  28

  South East London

  Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust (Greenwich)

  96

  South East London

  King's Healthcare NHS Trust

  76

  South East London

  Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup

  15

  South East London

  Oxleas

  11

  South West London

  St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust

  46

  South West Peninsula

  Cornwall Partnership NHS Trust (Bodmin)

  10

  South Yorkshire

  Central Sheffield University Hospitals Stonegrove)

  24

  1182W
  piece of fruit every school day. The scheme is already in operation in the West and East Midlands, London and the North West. Most eligible schools in the North East will join the scheme in March 2004 and the remainder in April. Schools in the remaining four regions will join the scheme during the autumn term 2004.

  New Hospitals
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the(a) value and (b) number of all new hospitals built in each of the regions of England is in the last five years for which records are available. [156962]

  Mr. Hutton
  The following table lists the new hospital schemes (all private finance initiative and public capital funded schemes over £10 million) which have opened within the last five years (since March 1999) and the strategic health authority (SHA) within which they are sited. 28 SHAs replaced the eight national health service executive regional offices in 2002).
  1183W

  Strategic health authority

  Scheme (NHS hospital/Trust)

  Value (£ million)

  South Yorkshire

  Central Sheffield University Hospitals (Cardiothoracic Unit)

  15

  Surrey and Sussex

  West Sussex Health and Social Care

  22

  Surrey and Sussex

  Guildford and Waverley PCT (Farnham)

  29

  Surrey and Sussex

  Royal Sussex County Hospital

  40

  Thames Valley

  Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust

  45

  Thames Valley

  Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust

  30

  Thames Valley

  Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospital NHS Trust

  84

  Trent

  Queens Medical Centre—Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust

  17

  West Yorkshire

  Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust

  65

  West Yorkshire

  Leeds Community and Mental Health Services Teaching NHS Trust

  47

  NHS Dentists
  Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made with recruitment of NHS dentists in Morecambe and Lunesdale. [156853]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  From April 2005, primary care trusts will have a duty to secure the provision of primary dental services. With these new responsibilities will go the £1.3 billion financial resources currently held centrally. PCTs will in future be able to use these resources to meet local oral health needs.

  Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority reports that Morecambe Bay PCT is currently recruiting dentists to work in the dental access centres and other national health service premises in Morecambe Bay.

  National Health Service—Number of dentists1 September each year

  Health Authority

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  Lancashire2

  617

  649

  649

  639

  671

  –

  Ribble Valley and Fulwood3

  190

  201

  195

  200

  210

  –

  Notes:

  1 NHS dentists include dentists working in the General Dental Service (GDS), Hospital Dental Service (HDS), Community Dental Service (CDS), Personal Dental Service (PDS) and Salaried Dentists in the GDS. Dentist working in more than one dental service are included in each service apart from dentists working in both PDS and GDS who are counted in the GDS only.

  2 The four former health authorities in Lancashire: Morecambe Bay, North West Lancashire, East Lancashire and South Lancashire.

  3ast Lancashire Health Authority.

  NHS Property
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what tenders are being considered for the disposal of NHS property. [151124]

  Mr. Hutton
  Commercially confidential discussions are still taking place and an announcement will be made shortly.

  Paediatric and Adolescent Obesity
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished consultant episodes there were for(a) paediatric and (b) adolescent obesity treatment in (i) England and (ii) each strategic health authority in each year since 1996. [156282]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The numbers of finished consultant episodes by age group in national healthservice hospitals in England, where the primary diagnosis is obesity, are shown in the table.
  1184W
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists there were in each year since 1997 in(a) Lancashire and (b) Ribble Valley and Fulwood. [157093]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information in the table shows the number of National Health Service dentists on a head count basis for the four former health authorities in Lancashire and for East Lancashire Health Authority, which covers Ribble Valley and Fulwood. The figures are at September each year from 1997 to 2001 and for Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority for September 2002.

  Information for September 2003 is not yet available.

  Paediatrics (1–12 years)

  Adolescents (13–19 years)

  Other (neonates, 20 + years)

  Grand total

  1996–97

  105

  49

  692

  846

  1997–98

  118

  55

  654

  827

  1998–99

  159

  66

  863

  1,088

  1999–2000

  153

  80

  866

  1,099

  2000–01

  173

  77

  962

  1,212

  2001–02

  181

  89

  878

  1,148

  2002–03

  239

  202

  1,001

  1,442

  Source

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.

  Physical Fitness
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures have been taken to promote(a) physical fitness and (b) healthy eating among the elderly. [153814]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Older people are at increased risk of a range of lifestyle-related diseases and conditions. Increased levels of physical activity and healthy eating are particularly valuable in maintaining independent living.
  1185W
  Accordingly, the national service framework for older people requires joint action between the National Health Service and councils to ensure that older people have fair access to advice about lifestyle including nutrition and physical activity.

  The Department, in partnership with the Countryside Agency and Sport England, is launching 10 local exercise action pilots, that will test the effectiveness of different community approaches to increasing levels of physical activity. Five pilots have a community-wide approach and the remainder target specific populations, including younger and older people.

  The Department is leading the development of a comprehensive food and health action plan, working across Government and with the food industry to establish a coherent and effective programme of activities on nutrition in order to achieve a healthier diet for people in England. The plan will address healthy eating at all stages of life, including older people. Meanwhile, the Food Standards Agency promotes healthy eating for older people with its Eating in Later Life leaflet and relevant content on its website.

  Primary Care Trusts
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the ratio is of general practitioners per 1,000 population in each English primary care trust. [154140]

  Mr. Hutton
  The latest figures available for unrestricted principals and equivalents per 1,000 population in England on a primary care trust (PCT) level is for September 2002. This information has been placed in the Library.

  Pulmonary Disease
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines on the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary and secondary care; and if he will make a statement; [155109]

  (2) what steps he will take following the recommendations by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to ensure that all patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have access to a multidisciplinary healthcare team: [155110]

  (3) whether, following the recommendations by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, he will make it a priority for all hospitals and general practitioner surgeries to have access to non-invasive ventilation for the treatment of people with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; [155111]

  (4) whether, following the recommendations by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, he will make it a priority for all hospitals and general practitioner surgeries to have access to (a) a spirometer and (b) adequate training in the use of spirometry; [155112]

  (5) if, following the recommendations by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, he will provide funding for pulmonary rehabilitation courses to run in every
  1186W
  hospital for all patients who consider themselves functionally disabled by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. [155113]

  Dr. Ladyman
  [holding answers 1 March 2004]: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence's guidance on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in primary and secondary care has not yet been published. It would be inappropriate to make a statement until the publication of the NICE'S formal guidance on COPD.

  Primary care trusts, in partnership with local stakeholders, have the responsibility for deciding what services to provide for their populations, including those with respiratory disease. They are best placed to understand local health needs and commission services to meet them.

  Sexual Health and HIV
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria were used in appointing members of the Independent Advisory Group on sexual health and HIV. [156477]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The chair and members of the Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health and HIV were appointed following an open competition and interview process in accordance with the Guidance on Appointments to Public Bodies, issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The committee has specific posts to ensure a wide range of expertise is represented across sexual health. The qualities, experience and skills criteria were made available for the specific and generic requirements for these posts. All applicants were assessed against these criteria. Members have been appointed for a period of four years and are required to subscribe to the code of best practice for board members of public bodies.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the recommendation of the Independent Advisory Group on sexual health and HIV that the right of parents to opt their child out of sex and relationship education and personal, social and health education on any grounds including those of faith or religion should be explicitly ended. [156478]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Formal sex and relationship education is taught through compulsory science lessons and during personal/social and health education (PSHE). Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their child from some, or all, PSHE lessons, but not statutory science lessons. If a parent decides to exercise this right, then the school should provide information about the lessons being missed and ideas for other sources of support for them to fulfil the task of educating their child. We have no plans to remove this right.

  Smoking Clinics
  Mr. Tony Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many smoking clinics are run by the NHS in England, broken down by health authority; and how many have been guaranteed funding for the next three years. [157440]
  1187W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  We do not collect this information centrally. All primary care trusts have received funding for the three years 2003–04 to 2005–06 to commission stop smoking services to meet the needs of their populations. The services may be in the form of a clinic or on a one-to-one basis, depending on local circumstances.

  Tuberculosis
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to improve levels of immunity to tuberculosis in London. [153362]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  A London-wide tuberculosis group has been established to take forward specific areas of work such as refocusing the way in which TB services are organised.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Departmental Communications
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff are employed in the Department to work in the communications field, broken down by(a)Government Information and Communication Service staff and (b) other staff, broken down by (i) press officers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) others. [158161]

  Mr. Caborn
  18 members of DCMS staff work in the communications field, of which 14 are Government Information and Communication Service staff. Of these 18 members of staff, 10 are press officers; none are special advisers; and eight others work on publicity, internal communications and administration.

  Digital Television
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when Freeview digital television services will be available throughout the(a) Benfleet, (b) Hadleigh and (c) Canvey Island areas. [158125]

  Estelle Morris
  Ofcom inform us that most postcodes in Benfleet, Hadleigh and Canvey Island can currently receive Freeview digital television services from the Bluebell Hill transmitter. However many households in these areas will not be tuned into this transmitter as it is located in a different ITV region.

  Other transmitters in the area do not emit sufficient power to offer a full range of services and in order to protect existing analogue services against interference, the signal strength cannot be increased until digital switchover.

  The Government are committed to ensuring that all households who can currently receive analogue signals will be able to receive digital television when switchover takes place.

  Percentage

  Area

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  England

  54.84

  73.27

  57.39

  76

  77.45

  75.89

  72.35

  71.78

  65.88

  60.08

  Scotland

  38.23

  9.69

  9.33

  10.05

  8.76

  7.62

  7.29

  9.67

  9.73

  11.95

  Wales

  6.93

  8.9

  2.54

  5.83

  5.31

  5.18

  4.58

  4.19

  5.34

  5.25

  N. Ireland

  0

  1.91

  2.14

  5.03

  4.2

  3.38

  2.92

  2.46

  2.63

  4.24

  1188W
  Viewers in Essex wishing to view all of the Freeview digital services are advised to check their postcode on the Digital Television Group's website:www.dtg.org.uk http://www.dtg.org.uk and if necessary, contact a reputable aerial installer about carrying out an aerial check. We suggest they contact the Confederation of Aerial Industries Ltd. (CAI) at Fulton House Business Centre, Fulton Road, Wembley Park, Middlesex HA9 OTF, telephone: 020 8902 8998.

  Environmentally Sustainable Procurement
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. [159099]

  Estelle Morris
  Copies of the Department's recently published sustainable development strategy are available in the Libraries of both Houses. Objective 2 of the strategy (sustainable estate management) highlights the fact that DCMS is the first Government Department to commission and purchase significant quantities of wood furniture from fully certified and accredited sources. We intend to encourage suppliers and contractors to develop environmentally preferable goods and services at competitive prices. Furthermore, the Department has supported innovation in this area via the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts, (NESTA), a Non Departmental Public Body. Last year NESTA made an award of £90,500 to a firm in Surrey which has developed a technology which produces a high quality paper pulp from straw. The technique uses only half the energy and fewer chemicals than traditional systems, with no harmful environmental effects.

  Local Government Finance (Dorset)
  Jim Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what grants were awarded to local authorities in Dorset by her Department in financial year 2003–04 that fall outside the revenue support grant. [156211]

  Mr. Caborn
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local and Regional Government on 1 March 2004,Official Report, column 750W.

  National Lottery
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of the National Lottery budget assigned for good causes was awarded to organisations in(a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in each year since its introduction. [158874]

  Estelle Morris
  The table shows what percentage of funding each area received. This is derived from the Department's database of lottery awards, which is based on information supplied by the distributing bodies.
  1189W

  Percentage

  Area

  1994

  1995

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  E&W Wide

  0

  2.19

  0

  0.07

  0.01

  0.2

  0.24

  0

  GB Wide

  0

  0

  0.26

  0.15

  0

  0.12

  1.24

  1.52

  1.04

  0.05

  UK Wide

  0

  4.03

  28.34

  1.43

  2.27

  5.69

  9.76

  8.88

  15.13

  16.53

  Overseas

  0

  0

  0

  1.42

  2

  2.05

  1.84

  1.32

  0.03

  1.89

  Note:

  Due to the numbers being rounded up or down, the figures do not all total 100 per cent

  There are geographical areas that can benefit from a Lottery grant other than the four home countries. This can be because grants have varying catchment areas, or because the grant is a sum of money to be split up and spread out among different areas. For this reason, the figures also included the percentage of funding that has gone to projects that benefit England and Wales, Great Britain, the UK and overseas awards.

  £

  Local authority

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  Barking and Dagenham

  469,308

  1,485,035

  2,529,678

  6,121,716

  5,184,729

  1,334,461

  Barnet

  1,175,475

  2,975,110

  8,475,858

  2,906,594

  3,882,671

  1,925,773

  Bexley

  1,931,626

  1,778,793

  1,728,772

  665,194

  4,253,173

  946,967

  Brent

  121,200,888

  2,853,951

  4,024,574

  5,395,151

  3,645,109

  3,842,136

  Bromley

  844,326

  2,379,723

  2,300,517

  2,605,428

  2,724,595

  1,513,238

  Camden

  19,537,974

  37,709,775

  23,681,353

  51,529,112

  21,422,579

  21,034,560

  City of London

  1,935,078

  2,914,705

  5,761,512

  3,374,719

  1,651,161

  1,430,515

  Croydon

  1,964,838

  3,319,896

  5,014,219

  6,549,306

  3,142,804

  3,221,223

  Ealing

  1,577,973

  5,360,681

  5,598,913

  3,546,604

  7,007,714

  3,682,288

  Enfield

  3,762,435

  3,785,182

  1,831,134

  10,460,552

  3,255,488

  2,625,047

  Greenwich

  2,434,543

  4,969,604

  16,302,809

  12,246,442

  3,909,044

  2,405,364

  Hackney

  6,912,320

  7,302,480

  22,025,317

  11,478,916

  17,447,403

  10,415,418

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  3,330,738

  10,625,730

  15,687,352

  7,572,235

  5,890,930

  3,362,466

  Haringey

  2,319,390

  3,905,161

  2,822,782

  10,865,252

  5,022,267

  2,026,112

  Harrow

  485,563

  1,357,672

  1,783,862

  1,310,743

  2,258,267

  1,434,838

  Havering

  803,841

  5,538,320

  1,017,088

  771,173

  1,680,207

  916,697

  Hillingdon

  594,135

  1,452,121

  973,776

  1,337,821

  3,165,316

  1,571,596

  Hounslow

  2,286,927

  4,571,398

  5,685,459

  3,193,280

  3,606,448

  1,431,315

  Islington

  30,873,957

  23,913,535

  27,728,485

  28,824,352

  18,082,146

  51,283,882

  Kensington and Chelsea

  21,071,813

  15,689,951

  7,256,393

  6,541,805

  6,578,635

  3,911,430

  Kingston upon Thames

  422,389

  1,905,549

  2,083,526

  1,848,159

  1,643,908

  1,377,827

  Lambeth

  5,162,825

  11,691,490

  13,853,191

  20,163,002

  149,383,813

  6,817,660

  Lewisham

  16,220,184

  15,287,386

  3,308,141

  8,997,447

  7,779,030

  2,380,863

  Merton

  955,981

  1,632,293

  1,830,280

  1,232,715

  1,747,379

  1,651,786

  Newham

  17,696,774

  10,011,593

  5,407,076

  17,524,922

  7,933,918

  3,066,497

  Redbridge

  1,257,327

  2,022,117

  625,463

  3,122,521

  3,171,224

  767,412

  Richmond upon Thames

  5,632,982

  1,767,485

  2,600,616

  4,331,580

  1,802,190

  1,186,584

  Southwark

  8,981,124

  16,598,903

  11,618,644

  10,770,339

  10,138,537

  7,674,110

  Sutton

  334,159

  2,431,828

  1,089,165

  6,066,282

  2,130,331

  1,307,860

  Tower Hamlets

  6,641,593

  9,865,903

  16,142,138

  17,295,279

  9,711,198

  7,787,243

  Waltham Forest

  5,720,691

  2,424,769

  3,109,610

  4,101,213

  3,451,887

  6,450,293

  Wandsworth

  1,792,634

  8,200,561

  9,720,629

  4,696,945

  3,762,431

  5,817,596

  Westminster

  46,070,025

  37,750,860

  51,209,137

  76,283,217

  54,919,947

  28,249,215

  Greater London: Total of above boroughs:

  342,401,836

  265,479,560

  284,827,469

  353,730,016

  381,386,479

  194,850,272

  National Television Licensing Authority
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will instruct the National Television Licensing Authority to(a) assess the compatibility with data protection legislation of its statement in the current advertising campaign that its database lists every home without a television licence and (b) report that assessment to her. [157457]

  Tessa Jowell
  The BBC is the statutory Licensing Authority and the Government have no power to instruct the Corporation on matters relating to the administration of the television licensing system.
  1190W
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding(a) each London borough and (b) Greater London has received from National Lottery grants in each of the last five years. [158434]

  Estelle Morris
  Total Lottery funding in each London borough in each of the last five financial years is shown in this table. This is derived from the Department's database of Lottery awards, which is based on information supplied by the distributing bodies.

  However, the BBC has confirmed that, as data controller for the TV licensing database, it requires its agent, TV Licensing, to comply fully with data protection legislation and to undertake regular reviews to ensure continued compliance. The BBC does not believe that the information held by TV Licensing on unlicensed addresses contravenes data protection legislation.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will instruct the National Television Licensing Authority(a) not to undertake any advertising campaign that could be

  1191W
  construed as containing threats or Menaces and (b) to abandon forthwith the poster campaign using the statement Get One, or Get Done. [157458]

  Tessa Jowell
  The BBC is the statutory Licensing Authority and the Government have no power to instruct the Corporation on matters relating to the administration of the television licensing system. However, the BBC has indicated that all television licensing campaigns undergo a series of legal compliance checks before they are approved by the Corporation and are placed in the public domain.

  Recruitment (Civil Servants)
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of recruitment of civil servants for the Department was in each financial year since 1996–97, broken down by(a) delegated or contracted out recruitment procedures and (b) recruitment procedures carried out by the Department. [158194]

  Mr. Caborn
  The cost of recruitment of civil servants to the department for Culture, Media and Sport for the financial years 2002–03 and 2003–04 to date are shown in the table. Equivalent information for earlier years is no longer available.

  £

  Recruitment

  2002–03

  20032002–04

  Contracted out

  41,700

  33,153

  In-house

  72,331

  30,616

  Total

  114,031

  63,769

  Rugby Super League
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when a Minister in her Department last watched a Rugby Super League match as part of his or her official duties; where it was; and between which teams. [158615]

  Mr. Caborn
  I attended the Warrington Wolves versus Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Rugby Super League Game on Saturday 21 February where I officially opened Warrington's superb new Halliwell Jones Stadium and witnessed a thrilling win for the Wolves.

  Temporary Staff
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff the Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; what percentage this is of total staff employed; and how much the Department paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in(a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04 to the most recent date for which figures are available. [158251]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Department for Culture Media and Sport currently employs 22 temporary staff through an employment agency. This is 4.5 per cent. of the current total staff currently employed by the department.

  The cost of temporary workers for the last three financial years is shown as follows:
  1192W

  2001–02: £290,736.

  2002–03: £338,366.

  2003–04: £387,740 (estimated for full financial year).

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Information Technology (Misuse)
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Home Office staff have been(a) disciplined and (b) dismissed for misusing IT hardware or software in the last two years. [158465]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  The figures, so far as information is available in the form requested, are as follows:

  Department/Staff

  2002

  2003

  Home Office

  Disciplined

  80

  23

  Dismissed

  5

  5

  Prison Service Agency

  Disciplined

  2

  6

  Dismissed

  1

  0

  UK Passport Agency

  Disciplined

  1—

  15

  Dismissed

  0

  0

  Forensic Science Service

  Disciplined

  5

  1

  Dismissed

  0

  0

  1Indicates that no comprehensive figures available.

  Recruitment Advertising
  Pete Wishart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's expenditure on recruitment advertising was in each of the last three years, broken down by publication; and what proportion of such expenditure was(a) to advertise vacant posts and (b) in the form of other general recruitment advertising. [155531]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer on 11 February 2004,Official Report, column 1511W.

  The expenditure detailed in my previous answer reflects the costs of advertising vacant or new posts in both the central Home Office and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. Costs for advertising general recruitment schemes for the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are also included in the total. To provide separate details of the costs of such schemes could be done only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has spent on recruitment advertising in each year since 1997. [156454]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer on 11 February 2004,Official Report, column 1511W. Figures for the years 1997–1999 are not available.
  1193W

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Manufacturing Employment
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were employed in the manufacturing sector in Northern Ireland during the last five years, broken down by parliamentary constituency. [157276]

  Mr. Pearson
  Estimates of the number of employee jobs below Northern Ireland level are available only from the biennial Census of Employment and the most up to date figures relate to September 2001.

  Estimates of manufacturing jobs for each parliamentary constituency area from the last three Censuses of Employment can be found in the table.

  Northern Ireland employee jobs in the manufacturing sector by parliamentary constituency area

  Parliamentary constituency area

  September 1997

  September 1999

  September 2001

  Belfast East

  9,689

  9,506

  9,537

  Belfast North

  5,228

  4,617

  4,377

  Belfast South

  3,279

  2,767

  2,819

  Belfast West

  2,546

  2,785

  2,801

  East Antrim

  5,085

  4,925

  4,883

  East Londonderry

  5,748

  5,964

  5,276

  Fermanagh and South Tyrone

  7,304

  7,541

  7,103

  Foyle

  9,015

  7,987

  6,640

  Lagan Valley

  6,040

  6,488

  7,322

  Mid-Ulster

  5,682

  6,052

  6,418

  Newry and Armagh

  4,163

  4,075

  3,958

  North Antrim

  8,151

  8,160

  7,201

  North Down

  3,073

  2,809

  2,399

  South Antrim

  6,706

  6,591

  6,505

  South Down

  3,496

  3,551

  3,268

  Strangford

  5,243

  4,916

  4,624

  Upper Bann

  12,583

  12,193

  10,494

  West Tyrone

  4,893

  4,883

  4,561

  Northern Ireland

  107,924

  105,810

  100,186

  Source:

  NI Census of Employment

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Buildings (Aerodynamically Generated Wind Noise)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what standards relating to(a) noise and (b) other factors regulate aerodynamically generated wind noise from (i) very tall and (ii) massive building structures in built-up areas; and what plans she has to re-examine such standards. [157061]

  Keith Hill
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not set any standards relating to noise or other factors to regulate aerodynamically generated wind noise from very tall or massive building structures in built-up areas.

  Business Link
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the reasons are for(a) regional and sub-regional differences in the change of annual expenditure of Business Link operators since 2001–02 and (b) the fall in annual expenditure in over half of Business Link operators since 2001–02. [155262]
  1194W
  Nigel Griffiths
  Business Link Operators (BLOs) draw down funding from a number of different sources and contracts. BLO budgets, and therefore expenditure levels, are often determined by the level of funding available at a particular time in their respective regions and sub-regions. This results in naturally occurring year on year variances.

  For instance funding from Regional Development Agencies and local Strategic Partnerships fluctuates year on year depending on regional and sub-regional priorities. 2001–02 also saw many BLOs playing key roles in combating the after effects of foot and mouth disease by administering additional national, regional and sub-regional funding aimed at assisting rural businesses and communities.

  Additionally, some of the movement in annual expenditure levels can be attributed to the Small Business Service Core Services budget. The allocation formula in 2001–02 and 2002–03 was the same, however the data making up the component parts of the allocation formula is updated, where possible, each year leading to shifts in funding.

  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what indicators are in place to measure customer(a) perception and (b) satisfaction with Government services for small businesses. [157230]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The indicators measuring business perception are: awareness of Business Link and understanding the services offered by Business Link. The indicators measuring customer satisfaction are: overall customer satisfaction and perceived business benefit. These form part of the Performance Management Framework established for the Business Link network which includes eight indicators.

  Small businesses' perceptions that their concerns are being taken into account by Government will be measured by the responses to the question 'How much do you feel that Government takes into account the concerns of small businesses?' in the Small Business Survey 2003, which is managed by the Small Business Service.

  Indicators to measure customer satisfaction with all Government services for small businesses are being developed in conjunction with other Government Departments.

  Business Regulation
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money she estimates will be saved by UK businesses as a result of the removal or reform of the 147 regulations announced in the pre-Budget report. [153423]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Regulatory Impact Assessments will be produced by the relevant departments identifying benefits and savings from these measures as appropriate. Copies of these will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Export Credits Guarantee Department has(a) received and (b) paid

  1195W
  claims under political risk insurance in connection with the Dabhol-Enron Power Plant in India since 3 June 2003; and if she will make a statement. [156071]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  ECGD is examining claims under the Overseas Investment Insurance Policies issued in connection with the Dabhol project and therefore no claim has been paid. Details of the claim made by the banks on ECGD are commercially confidential under Exemption 13—Third Party's Commercial Confidence of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Gas Quality
  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2004,Official Report, column 1037W, on gas quality, whether research has been commissioned as part of the consultation process into the number of domestic appliances that would require ( a) replacement and (b) modification. [155556]

  Mr. Timms
  In accordance with my written statement of 8 January 2004,Official Report, column 13WS, my Department, working with the Health and Safety Executive and the office for Gas and Electricity Markets, has now moved into Phase 2 of the gas quality exercise—the identification of policy options, and public consultation. No decisions have yet been taken on commissioning research. This will be appropriately advertised in due course if deemed necessary.

  Internet Access
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to help small and micro businesses counter their proportionally greater cost of maintaining access to the internet than larger businesses; and what assessment her Department has made of(a) the price difference between commercial and household access charges for small and micro businesses and (b) the price difference between narrowband dial-up offers and broadband offers. [157207]

  Mr. Timms
  Government action to help small business maintain access to the Internet include the following improvements to the R&D Tax Credit with an extension of the first year ICT capital allowances as a result of the Budget for 2003 to 2004:A reduction in the minimum tax-deductible allowance for IT equipment from £25,000 to has enabled more small and medium sized enterprise to claim the SME Tax Credit;
  An extension of 100 per cent. of the first year capital allowances for small businesses investing in information and communications technology for another year.

  In January 2004, the Department produced guidelines on Home Computing Initiatives in association with Dfes and the Cabinet Office to help businesses take advantage of the £500 annual tax exemption on loaned computer introduced by the Chancellor in 1999. This exemption enables businesses to loan computers to their employees as a tax-free benefit and helps smaller businesses maximise organisational performance through improved ICT skills.
  1196W
  A mass-market broadband solution defined as broadband priced to target residential and small businesses alike is available to approximately 85 per cent. of the UK population. This definition excludes more expensive high-capacity leased lines frequently used by larger firms.

  Oftel's Business Use of the Internet: Small and Medium Business Survey (Q 14, August 2003), revealed that 44 per cent. of UK SMEs included in the survey with broadband internet access having previously used a narrowband connection, decided to upgrade because broadband was a similar price to their previous internet connection.

  National Business Angels Network
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 2 February 2004,Official Report, column 647W, on the National Business Angels Network, if she will make a statement on the effectiveness of the National Business Angels Network. [155358]

  Nigel Griffiths
  An external evaluation of the National Business Angels Network took place early in 2003 that examined all aspects of its operation, including its matchmaking activities. The Department no longer funds this element of the National Business Angels Network's operations.

  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the role of the National Business Angels Network in the Single Pathway to Market initiative; and what(a) administrative and (b) programme funding it will receive from her Department for each year between 2004 and 2008. [157199]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The National Business Angels Network is a private company and its role in the Single Pathway to Market is entirely a matter for the company and its Board. The Department is not providing any funding for this initiative.

  Nuclear Decommissioning
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effect of the cost of nuclear decommissioning over the next 10 years on the price of electricity. [158535]

  Mr. Timms
  The Department has not made such an assessment. Electricity prices, including those for electricity generated by BNFL and British Energy (BE), are determined by the market under NETA and reflect the underlying market situation, giving appropriate signals to enable market players to respond.

  From April 2005, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) will take responsibility for the decommissioning and clean up of BNFL's nuclear sites and for the Magnox fleet of nuclear power stations, pending their decommissioning and eventual closure. The revenue accrued from Magnox generation will contribute towards the NDA's clean up costs.

  Under BE's proposed restructuring plan, the Government will take financial responsibility for the company's historic spent fuel liabilities and will

  1197W
  underwrite BE's new arrangements for funding decommissioning and uncontracted liabilities to the extent that BE's contributions are insufficient.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she made to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the future of Nirex Ltd.(a) in advance of and (b) following the announcement on 16 July 2003 by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on making Nirex independent of industry. [158644]

  Mr. Timms
  Disclosure of this information—internal advice and discussion—is covered by exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information between Government Departments and it has not been the practice of successive Governments to disclose exchanges of this nature.

  Sakhalin II
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account she will take of the potential impact of building onshore pipelines through salmon spawning streams when assessing the Sakhalin II phase 2 oil and gas project under consideration for support by the Export Credits Guarantee Department. [157905]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  ECGD and the other potential lenders are still discussing the river crossing methods with Sakhalin Energy and want to ensure that the chosen methods are environmentally acceptable.

  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Sakhalin II phase 2 oil and gas project under consideration for support by the Export Credit Guarantee Department will involve construction of an undersea pipeline through the feeding ground of the western grey whale. [158074]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Sakhalin Energy's plan is for an undersea pipeline to cross the southern point of the whales' northern feeding ground. ECGD is awaiting further information on this issue and will want to be sure that the potential impact on the Western Gray Whales is minimised. I am aware of the range of issues to which this project gives rise and I will approve support only if I am satisfied that these have been addressed.

  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when a decision on whether to support the Sakhalin II phase 2 will be taken by the Export Credit and Guarantee Department. [158075]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Merionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd) on 26 February 2004,Official Report, columns 406–07W.

  I am aware of the range of issues to which this project gives rise, and I will approve support only if I am satisfied that these have been satisfactorily addressed.
  1198W
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account she intends to take of the risk and potential impact of earthquake damage to the on and offshore oil and gas pipelines on Sakhalin Island when she assesses the Sakhalin II phase 2 project for support by the Export Credit Guarantee Department. [158081]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Sakhalin Island is in an active earthquake zone. During due diligence on the Sakhalin II project, ECGD will want reassurance that effective measures are being taken by Sakhalin Energy Investment Company to minimise any potential damage to the facilities of the project including both on and off-shore oil and gas pipelines, from earthquakes.

  Details of action being taken by SEIC to mitigate the risk of damage from earthquakes can be found on their website www.sakhalinienergy.com.

  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Sakhalin II phase 2 oil and gas project under consideration for support by the Export Credit Guarantee Department will involve the dumping of waste into the Gulf of Aniva. [158271]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I am informed that the Sakhalin Energy wants to dispose of dredge sediment at a site in the Gulf of Aniva that has been licensed by the Russian Authorities. ECGD and the other potential lenders want to be sure that any disposal at this site is environmentally acceptable.

  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what formal consultation has been undertaken by the Export Credit Guarantee Department on the Sakhalin II phase 2 oil and gas project. [158273]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  ECGD publicly disclosed its consideration of the project and invited comments on 23 May 2003.

  ECGD officials have also taken part in meetings and corresponded with relevant stakeholders, including environmental NGOs, from both Sakhalin and the UK.

  Sakhalin Energy has undertaken public consultation on Sakhalin and will shortly be publishing an updated Public Consultation and Disclosure Plan.

  Smart Award
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans her Department has to commission a new independent evaluation of the Smart scheme. [157239]

  Nigel Griffiths
  None. The Smart scheme closed in August 2003.

  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 12 February 2004,Official Report, column 1629W, on Smart awards, what percentage of the total programme costs was devoted to deregulatory initiatives in each year between 2000 and 2003. [157270]

  Nigel Griffiths
  None. The smart programme provided grants to help with the cost of researching and developing new, technology innovative products and processes.
  1199W

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Better Government for Older People
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many organisations have received a presentation from Better Government for Older People in each year since it was established; [157079]

  (2) which (a) housing associations, (b) fire and police authorities and(c) voluntary organisations have subscribed to Better Government for Older People; [157080]

  (3) which(a) primary care trusts, (b) care trusts and(c) hospital trusts have subscribed to Better Government for Older People; [157081]

  (4) which(a) local authorities and(b) local strategic partnerships have subscribed to Better Government for Older People. [157082]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The information requested is not held centrally by the Department for Work and Pensions. Such information as is available is held by Better Government for Older People (BGOP) and has been placed in the Library.

  Minimum Income Guarantee at 3 October 2003

  Pension Credit at 31 January 2004

  Households

  Individuals

  Households

  Individuals

  Average weekly award per household (£)

  London GOR

  214,155

  252,615

  238,535

  282,585

  60.07

  City of London.

  130

  145

  135

  150

  62.26

  Barking and Dagenham

  5,700

  6,640

  6,570

  7,755

  50.05

  Barnet

  8,205

  9,700

  9,015

  10,675

  62.14

  Bexley

  4,425

  5,120

  5,600

  6,615

  44.51

  Brent

  9,150

  11,040

  9,740

  11,780

  72.19

  Bromley

  5,935

  6,735

  7,205

  8,300

  45.35

  Camden

  7,170

  8,240

  7,640

  8,765

  64.77

  Croydon

  7,775

  9,100

  9,190

  10,860

  54.07

  Ealing

  8,680

  10,420

  9,460

  11,385

  69.60

  Enfield

  8,465

  10,360

  9,565

  11,780

  58.23

  Greenwich

  6,790

  7,950

  7,705

  9,085

  53.57

  Hackney

  9,120

  10,715

  9,610

  11,270

  67.99

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  4,900

  5,545

  5,320

  6,010

  61.18

  Haringey

  7,965

  9,460

  8,490

  10,125

  66.16

  Harrow

  5,840

  7,195

  6,415

  7,915

  73.07

  Havering

  5,655

  6,530

  6,960

  8,210

  43.41

  Hillingdon

  5,320

  6,270

  6,130

  7,290

  55.39

  Hounslow

  5,855

  7,010

  6,540

  7,825

  62.44

  Islington

  7,435

  8,655

  7,865

  9,150

  64.61

  Kensington & Chelsea

  4,365

  4,905

  4,730

  5,305

  65.79

  Kingston upon Thames

  2,595

  3,015

  3,170

  3,720

  50.39

  Lambeth

  8,395

  9,545

  9,210

  10,520

  61.67

  Lewisham

  7,605

  8,665

  8,580

  9,850

  53.81

  Merton

  3,880

  4,560

  4,675

  5,555

  53.12

  Newham

  9,815

  12,180

  10,335

  12,825

  67.86

  Redbridge

  6,720

  8,165

  7,430

  9,060

  61.49

  Richmond upon Thames

  2,870

  3,210

  3,520

  4,010

  48.56

  Southwark

  8,335

  9,565

  9,320

  10,760

  58.14

  Sutton

  3,745

  4,250

  4,635

  5,345

  45.12

  Tower Hamlets

  10,135

  12,960

  10,485

  13,355

  68.71

  Waltham Forest

  7,395

  8,880

  8,205

  9,915

  57.42

  Wandsworth

  7,375

  8,460

  8,240

  9,510

  57.71

  Westminster

  6,425

  7,415

  6,850

  7,905

  68.47

  Notes:

  1. Numbers of recipients are rounded to the nearest five.

  2. Average awards are rounded to the nearest penny.

  3. Individual recipients include a small number of partners under age 60.

  4. Figures exclude a small number of clerical cases. There were 820 Pension Credit clerical cases in London GOR at 31 January 2004.

  1200W

  Pension Credit
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the average Pension Credit payment is in(a) Greater London and (b) each London borough; [159255]

  (2) how many pensioners are (a) eligible for and (b) in receipt of Pension Credit in (i) Greater London and (ii) each London borough; [159256]

  (3) how many pensioners were in receipt of the Minimum Income Guarantee in (a) Greater London and (b) each London borough at the last date on which it was paid. [159257]

  Malcolm Wicks
  Information on the number of pensioners in receipt of the Minimum Income Guarantee in(a) Greater London and (b) each London borough as at 3 October 2003 is shown in the table.

  Information on the number of people who are eligible for Pension Credit is not available in respect of individual local authority areas. However, we estimate that approximately 450,000 pensioner households (approximately 500,000 individuals) in the London Government Office Region (rounded to the nearest 50,000) are eligible for Pension Credit. Information on numbers of Pension Credit recipients in the London boroughs and average levels of award is given in the table.
  1201W

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Dr. Evan Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many eligible pensioners had applied for and had not received Winter Fuel Payments by(a) 1 December 2003, (b) 1 January and (c) 1 February. [156772]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The number of eligible applicants at each of the specified dates is not available. Such information as is available is set out in the table.

  Date to:

  Applications made

  payments made

  1 December 2003

  223,644

  196,716

  1 January 2004

  239,639

  218,271

  1 February 2004

  252,864

  238,544

  The balance comprises applications from people who are not entitled to a payment, cases held pending the issue of a payment and applications which have yet to be processed.

  Some further payments will be made at the end of March.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  R v. Allen
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on the exercise of the Attorney-General's power to enter a nolle prosequi in the light of Rv. Allen (1862 1B&S)850. [159188]

  The Solicitor-General
  The Attorney-General has power to enter a nolle prosequi which stays criminal proceedings in the Crown court. The case of Allen (1862) 1 B&S sets out that although he should generally hear the parties before entering the nolle he is the judge of whether the nolle should be entered or not and he has no obligation to hear the parties before so doing.

  A nolle prosequi acts as a stay upon the proceedings. It puts an end to a prosecution but does not operate as a bar or discharge or acquittal on the merits. Dicta from Crompton J. in the case of Allen suggests that a nolle prosequi puts an end to a prosecution but this issue has never been fully litigated.

  Applications to the Attorney-General asking him to direct a nolle prosequi most usually come from the defendant rather than the prosecutor as the prosecutor has a substantial range of powers to end a prosecution.

  The most common use of the Attorney-General's power to direct a nolle prosequi is in cases when the defendant cannot attend court for plea or to attend trial because of physical or mental incapacity, which is expected to be permanent.
  1202W

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Asylum
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many households, whose former home was provided by the National Asylum Support Service, were accepted as priority homeless in each local housing authority for each year since 2000. [155035]

  Yvette Cooper
  Cases of priority homelessness acceptance where a household lost its last settled home because of a requirement to leave the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) accommodation have been separately distinguished on local authorities' quarterly statistical returns to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister since April 2002. Latest available information, as reported in each quarter, is available in the Libraries of the House.

  Housing
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether it is his policy that the owner of a house in multiple occupation will be required to hold a licence for(a) the whole property and (b) each room within the property; and if he will make a statement on the level of fees. [158548]

  Keith Hill
  The licence for a House in Multiple Occupation will be held either by the owner of the property or a managing agent, depending on which of those persons is the more suitable to hold the licence. The licence will be in respect of the whole property.

  Licence fees will be payable on the application for a licence and will normally be chargeable once every five years. The fee payable will be determined by reference to the number of habitable dwellings in the House in Multiple Occupation, subject to a maximum charge per dwelling. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are in discussion with the Local Government Association on the level of that maximum charge, but that is likely to be in the region of £110.00 per dwelling for a five-year licence.

  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his projections are, for(a) the demand level for affordable housing in Greater London, (b) the level of public subsidy that will be required to meet these demand levels in Greater London and (c) the number of affordable houses which will be provided in Greater London through public subsidy in to each of the next 15 years. [158764]

  Keith Hill
  The London Housing Board's London Housing Strategy 2003 identifies 306,000 additional households, 20,400 per year, over the period to 2016. In addition there is backlog of unmet need of 112,000 households. The London Housing Strategy 2003 has a target of 23,000 new homes per annum by 2005–06, of which 10,000 housing completions should be affordable. The London Housing Board has begun the preparation of the next long-term housing strategy for the capital to cover the period up to 2016, which will take account of the detailed housing requirements study the Greater London Authority is currently carrying out. On 21 October last year my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced £2.1 billion for investment in housing in London for the next two years. I expect to
  1203W
  make an announcement in the next few weeks on the Housing Corporation's Annual Development Programme of £1.5 billion for affordable housing in the capital for 2004–05 and 2005–06.

  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many properties have been provided in each London borough by the Housing Corporation in its London approved development programme in each of the last five years. [158446]

  Keith Hill
  Information about the number of properties that have been provided through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme in each authority in London in each of the last five years is being collated. I will write to the hon. Member and will make a copy available in the Library of the House.

  Landlords
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reason rent officers are(a) obliged to investigate private landlords and (b) not obliged to investigate registered social landlords. [158984]

  Keith Hill
  Where requested to do so by a local authority, the Rent Service is obliged to assess the rental value of a property let to a tenant of a private landlord or a Registered Social landlord in connection with a claim for Housing Benefit.

  Housing Benefit regulations set out the circumstances in which cases are referred to the Rent Service. In respect of tenants of private landlords, local authorities must refer claims on which rent allowance may be awarded, or where they have been notified of a change relating to rent allowance, or where a prospective occupier is likely to make a claim for rent allowance. In respect of tenants of Registered Social Landlords, local authorities may refer the case where they consider that the dwelling is too large or the rent is unreasonably high. In such cases the local authority must state the reason for the application, and the rent officer must make a determination in the normal way.

  In respect of properties let to tenants of private landlords or Registered Social Landlords, where the tenancy commenced before 15 January 1989, the landlord or tenant may ask the Rent Service to determine a fair rent for a property.

  Planning
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Department is planning to release Planning Policy Guidance Note 10; and if he will make a statement. [159036]

  Keith Hill
  Planning Policy Guidance Note 10 "Planning and Waste Management" will be replaced by a planning policy statement in line with the update of the PPG series. The aim is to consult on a draft of the new PPS10 in the first half of this year.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to bring forward proposals for legislation to ensure that companies providing water and sewerage services are made statutory consultees to local authorities in the planning process. [159124]
  1204W
  Keith Hill
  Water and sewerage undertakers will be statutory consultees on local development documents under the new arrangements being introduced under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill.

  Local authorities are advised to consult water and sewerage undertakers on planning applications. These non-statutory arrangements appear to be working satisfactorily and will continue.

  Andy King
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action the Department has taken to ensure there is full consultation with(a) schools and residents in close proximity to and (b) local authorities responsible for proposed sites of Tetra masts. [159377]

  Keith Hill
  Current planning guidance for all electronic communication developments is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 (revised) (PPG8). The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also issued a Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development.

  PPG8 requires that where a base station site is on or near a school the operator consults the relevant body of the school or college prior to submitting an application to the local planning authority. The Code sets out the factors that should be taken into account by network operators and local planning authorities in determining whether a school or college should be consulted.

  PPG8 also strongly encourages telecommunications operators and local planning authorities to carry out annual discussions about rollout plans for each authority's area. The Code includes more detailed recommendations for managing the relationship between mobile operators and local planning authorities and the process of public consultation.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Beef
  Annabelle Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage by weight of current beef supply contracts for his Department and its agencies are sourced from(a) British and (b) Scottish herds. [157861]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  This detailed information could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office restaurant and catering services are contracted out to a range of suppliers. Of the beef provided by our principal supplier, we are told that the amount currently sourced from British herds is 90 per cent. of which 10 per cent. comes from Scottish Herds.

  Belize/Guatemala
  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action his Department is taking to help bring about a long-term solution to the territorial border disputes between Belize and Guatemala. [159269]
  1205W
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The UK continues to support fully the Organisation of American States (OAS) sponsored process as the best means to secure a negotiated settlement, and is a member of the OAS-facilitated Belize-Guatemala 'Group of Friends'.

  When my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Rammell) visited Belize and Guatemala from 14–17 January, he reaffirmed the UK's continued support for Belize and Guatemala in their pursuit of a definitive settlement to their territorial dispute, within the framework of the OAS-facilitated process.

  We are supporting the OAS-sponsored Confidence Building Measures in Belize and Guatemala through the FCO/DFID/MOD Global Conflict Prevention Pool. £1.8 million has been allocated this financial year. Our projects are aimed at reducing tensions, encouraging co-operation between security agencies and addressing the underlying causes of conflict.

  British Prisoners Overseas
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are serving custodial sentences in foreign gaols, broken down by country. [159290]

  Mr. Mullin
  The figures for the number of British citizens detained overseas are collated on a quarterly basis. The most recent quarter for which we have figures is the quarter ending 31 December 2003.

  The following table lists the countries in which British citizens are imprisoned and gives the numbers detained in each, as of 31 December 2003. The totals do not differentiate between those awaiting trial/sentencing and those serving custodial sentences.

  The figures represent those prisoners who either requested Consular assistance or who gave permission to the local authorities to notify the Consul of their arrest.

  Country

  Number of prisoners

  Albania

  1

  Antigua and Barbuda

  10

  Argentina

  5

  Australia

  201

  Austria

  6

  Azerbaijan

  1

  Bangladesh

  1

  Barbados

  24

  Belgium

  28

  Brazil

  33

  Cambodia

  1

  Canada

  15

  China

  12

  Colombia

  6

  Costa Rica

  7

  Croatia

  1

  Cuba

  3

  Cyprus

  5

  Czech Republic

  1

  Denmark

  11

  Ecuador

  8

  Egypt

  8

  Ethiopia

  1

  Finland

  2

  France

  241

  Germany

  105

  Greece

  12

  1206W

  Country

  Number of prisoners

  Grenada

  9

  Guyana

  6

  Hungary

  1

  Iceland

  1

  India

  28

  Indonesia

  8

  Ireland

  75

  Israel

  2

  Italy

  21

  Jamaica

  125

  Japan

  43

  Korea (South)

  4

  Kuwait

  1

  Luxembourg

  3

  Madagascar

  2

  Malawi

  1

  Malaysia

  3

  Malta

  5

  Mexico

  3

  Morocco

  3

  Nepal

  1

  Netherlands

  47

  New Zealand

  19

  Nicaragua

  1

  Nigeria

  1

  Norway

  5

  Oman

  3

  Pakistan

  12

  Panama

  8

  Peru

  22

  Philippines

  19

  Poland

  2

  Portugal

  13

  Qatar

  1

  Romania

  6

  Russia

  1

  St. Lucia

  8

  Saudi Arabia

  4

  Singapore

  9

  South Africa

  21

  Spain

  283

  Surinam

  4

  Sweden

  15

  Switzerland

  8

  Syria

  1

  Taiwan

  23

  Thailand

  34

  Trinidad and Tobago

  29

  Turkey

  5

  United Arab Emirates

  20

  United States of America

  690

  Venezuela

  24

  Vietnam

  1

  Yemen

  5

  Zimbabwe

  2

  Total

  2,440

  Correspondence
  Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Manchester, Central of(a) 27 October 2003 regarding Mr. IHT, reference GV100/81730, (b) 12 December 2003 regarding Ms AY, (c) 13 December 2003 regarding Mrs. EA, (d) 7 November 2003 regarding Mr. MOS, reference Yemen 4781/03 and (e) 4 December 2003 regarding Mr. SM, reference GV100/83947. [158568]
  1207W
  Mr. Mullin
  I apologise that my hon. Friend has not received replies to his letters. The letter concerning Mrs. EA was not received at my office and the letter concerning Mr. MOS was addressed to UKvisas but not initially received there. I now have copies of both letters. UKvisas is making the necessary enquiries with our diplomatic posts overseas. The other three letters were not replied to due to an administration error in UKvisas. I will reply to my hon. Friend on all these cases as soon as possible.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress with the Kofi Annan plan for Cyprus. [157903]

  Mr. MacShane
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Mr. Hawkins) on 27 February 2004,Official Report, column 580W, and also to the reply my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Flook) in the House on 2 March 2004, Official Report, column 748. We will keep the House informed as matters progress.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next visit Gibraltar; and how he will celebrate the 300th anniversary of British rule in Gibraltar. [157986]

  Mr. MacShane
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Poole (Mr. Syms) in the House on 2 March 2004,Official Report, column 749. Foreign engagements for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and other Ministers are kept under constant review. It is not the practice to announce such visits until they are firm. Because of the unpredictable nature of world events, final decisions on overseas visits are often not possible until very shortly before the day of travel and occasionally not until they are under way.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future of Gibraltar. [159087]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) on 16 December 2003,Official Report, column 1417.

  Iran
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new information has been(a) made available by the Iranian authorities and (b) discovered by the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors in respect of Iran's nuclear programme since the trilateral agreement with Iran, France and Germany, concluded in 2003. [158237]

  Mr. MacShane
  Since the signing of the trilateral agreement, Iran has made a declaration to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) covering its nuclear programmes. The IAEA Director-General presented a report of the Agency's findings to the IAEA Board of Governors' meeting in November 2003 and 1208W
  will present a further report at the next meeting, scheduled for the week beginning 8 March. The text of the November report is available on the IAEA's internet website at www.iaea.org.

  Iraq
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom experts working as part of the Iraq Survey Group have full access to the Iraqi declaration to the United Nations Security Council on its weapons of mass destruction programmes dated 8 December 2002. [157155]

  Mr. MacShane
  UK experts on the ground in Iraq do not have direct access to the declaration.

  They are, however, supported by analysts in the Ministry of Defence, by whom they were briefed before departing for Iraq and whom they are able to consult at any time about any aspect of Iraq's WMD programmes.

  Legal Aid
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to partners in the EU concerning provision of legal aid to UK citizens arrested on civil or criminal charges. [156227]

  Mr. Mullin
  There is no EU directive in force concerning the provision of legal aid to EU nationals in other member states who have been arrested on civil or criminal charges. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has made no representations on this issue. The provision of legal aid is subject to each member state's domestic law or bilateral agreements with the UK. If a British national detained in an EU country is denied legal aid when that British national believes they have an entitlement, under local law or bilateral agreement, our consular staff stand ready to raise that individual's concerns with the local authorities. Although not affecting the types of cases raised in this question, a new directive concerning legal aid in cross-border civil or commercial disputes will come into effect in November 2004.

  Turkey
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Turkish Government regarding(a) the imprisonment of Mr. Abdullah Ocalan and(b) visits to Mr. Ocalan by the Red Cross. [158301]

  Mr. MacShane
  We have not made representations to the Turkish Government regarding the imprisonment of Mr. Ocalan or on visits to Mr. Ocalan by the Red Cross/Crescent. However, we monitor Mr. Ocalan's imprisonment closely and officials from the British embassy in Turkey have discussed the situation with Mr. Ocalan's lawyers. We continue to make frequent representations on human rights reform, including the rights and conditions for all prisoners, for example, during the ongoing bilateral human rights dialogue, the next round of which will be in late spring 2004.
  1209W
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the(a) EU and (b) Turkish Government on language and broadcasting rights in Turkey. [158302]

  Mr. MacShane
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary frequently discusses this issue at the European Councils—the Council Conclusions in December referred to the need for further efforts regarding cultural rights. Our strong support for Turkey's EU candidature means we are always looking for ways to help Turkey meet the Copenhagen political criteria, which include cultural rights. The Foreign Secretary reiterated our position during his visit to Istanbul on 3 March.

  During my visit to Turkey in January this year, I raised the need for prompt implementation of all reforms with ambassador Sungar, Head of the European Secretariat General and Foreign Minister Gul. At official level, monthly EU working groups discuss progress on reforms, including those mentioned by the hon. Member. Officials in the British embassy in Turkey follow the situation closely by means of their contacts with all levels of Turkish civil society and Government.

  Zelimkhan Yanderbiyev
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on(a) the arrest by Russian authorities of two Qatari sportsmen and (b) the arrest of two Russians in Qatar following the assassination of Zelimkhan Yanderbiyev. [158587]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We understand that three Russian citizens were arrested in Qatar following the murder of Zelimkhan Yanderbiyev. We support the authorities in Qatar in their continuing investigations, and expect Russia to co-operate fully. We also understand that two men with connections to Qatar were detained by the Russian authorities in Moscow on 26 February.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take harsher measures against the Zimbabwe Government. [159086]

  Mr. Mullin
  We agree on the need for tough measures against the Mugabe Government. With our strong support, the European Union decided on 19 February to increase the number of senior Zimbabwean figures on its travel ban and assets freeze from 79 to 95 and to extend those measures for a further 12 months. The measures are specifically targeted on the ZANU-PF leadership and others with direct responsibility for human rights abuses, eroding press freedoms, and harassing civil society.

  We do not want to impose harsher measures such as trade and economic sanctions which would hurt the Zimbabwean people. They are already suffering enough as a result of ZANU-PF's ruinous policies.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  Estonia
  Lembit Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for 1210W
  Education and Skills, what joint projects he has undertaken with the Estonian Government to (a) support the education systems in Estonia and (b) share best practice from the UK education sector; and if he will make a statement. [157438]

  Alan Johnson
  Our programme of co-operation with the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research includes a School Leadership skills project for young Estonian Headteachers, help with further development of Estonian vocational education and training policies and with strategic planning and quality assurance approaches.

  Estonian Headteachers have visited UK schools, LEAs and the National College for School Leadership and British teachers have visited Estonia to look at effective use of ICT in schools. UK and Estonian teachers will be able to share best practice in education through the Global Gateway, a new international website to facilitate school partnerships. There is an ongoing programme of joint seminars, conferences and working groups on topics such as lifelong learning and skills, the role of parents in school governing bodies, ICT in education, education—business links and higher education reform. We are also encouraging and facilitating links between Estonian and UK universities.

  Learning and Skills Council
  Sir Paul Beresford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total gross expenditure was of the Learning and Skills Council in each year since it was established. [158649]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 4 March 2004]: Extracts from the LSC's published accounts for both years are set out in the following table. The Annual Report and Accounts of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for 2002–03 were laid before the House on 12 February 2004. I am pleased that the LSC continued to make good progress in its second full year of operation. It managed a budget of over £7 billion, including successfully taking responsibility for our schools sixth form budget of over £1 billion. It has worked effectively with schools, colleges and training providers to drive forward radical and lasting improvements in the range and quality of post-16 education and training.

  £000

  Year ended 31 March 2003

  19 months ended 31 March 2002

  Programme Expenditure

  Young People

  4,057,349

  2,411,493

  Adults

  2,427,229

  2,243,658

  Standards and Capital

  737,458

  463,403

  Other

  134,703

  14,737

  Programme total

  7,356,739

  5,133,291

  Administration Expenditure

  Staff Costs

  134,195

  144,625

  Other Costs

  89,070

  94,902

  1211W

  £000

  Year ended 31 March 2003

  19 months ended 31 March 2002

  Depreciation

  13,441

  9,614

  Admin total

  236,706

  249,141

  Total

  7,593,445

  5,382,432

  Notes

  1. The Report and Account for the period to 31 March 2002 cover a 19 month period, and were laid on 8 April 2003.

  2. The LSC's budget for 2002–03 was increased in-year, to take forward new work on Employer Training Pilots, Centres of Vocational Excellence, Teachers Pay Initiative and "Success for All"

  3. The LSC budget for 2003–04 is £8.4 billion

  Milk
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in(a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley receive free school milk from (i) central and (ii) local sources. [157980]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  The Department for Education and Skills does not collect any data on school milk provision.

  Ministerial Travel
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he last used a train in connection with his ministerial duties. [155165]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last used a train, in connection with his ministerial duties, on 24 February 2004. All ministerial travel on official business is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in "Travel by Ministers".

  National Recognition Information Centres
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what future roles he expects the UK's National Recognition Information Centres to play in(a) labour mobility and (b) the recruitment of international students; and what plans he has for the continuation of their work; [157360]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the use he makes of the UK National Recognition Information Centres' knowledge and experience of international education and training standards in the policy-making process; and what use was made of it in assessing UK education and training standards by global comparison, with particular reference to (a) teaching and (b) early years education. [157373]

  Alan Johnson
  The principal value of the UK National Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) and the UK National Reference Point for Vocational Qualifications (NRP) is to the individuals, universities, colleges, employers and wide-range of other organisations that use their advice on the comparability of international and UK qualifications. Through this work, the UK NARIC and the NRP play a key and continuing role in achieving student and labour mobility 1212W
  objectives, and in promoting UK qualifications overseas. The information they provide helps to inform policy-making across the education and training sectors, alongside other international comparators. The UK NARIC supports, in particular, the Prime Minister's Initiative to attract more international students to the UK by maximising the accessibility and transferability of international qualifications, by providing information for students, and by helping UK institutions to make sound admissions decisions.

  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the contribution he expects the UK's National Recognition Information Centres to make in the reform of European higher education through the Bologna process. [157361]

  Alan Johnson
  The UK Government work with the UK National Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) and other stakeholders on the development of the Bologna process of European higher education reform in the UK and to influence the debate on the way forward. Recognition of qualifications is key to achieving many of the goals of the Bologna process. Through its operation and network activities, UK NARIC already plays a vital and continuing role, building bridges between education systems and qualifications and in furthering recognition policies across Europe.

  Overseas Students
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to secure the repayment of tuition fees from European Union students after they graduate; and if he will make a statement. [158612]

  Alan Johnson
  The Student Loans Company (SLC) are responsible for ensuring repayments are made when they fall due, and have well established procedures for recovering loans from graduates living and working outside the UK. All students taking out a loan are required to sign a declaration agreeing to repay, even if they move abroad, and SLC have a range of sanctions that can be imposed on defaulters. Officials and SLC are exploring ways to ensure the most robust and effective loan recovery mechanisms are in place by the time the first graduate contributions from EU students are due to be collected.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of overseas students who will enter universities in England in the next five years. [158613]

  Alan Johnson
  The projected number of EU and non-EU overseas students in English Higher Education institutions in 2003/04 and 2004/05 as published in the Department Annual Report 2003 is shown in the table. These projections are based on a number of assumptions and should be treated with caution. The numbers include, on a headcount basis, full and part-time students on undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
  1213W

  Non-UK, EU and non-EU overseas resident students attending English universities (000)

  2003/04

  2004/05

  EU Students

  71

  74

  Non-EU Overseas Students

  136

  145

  Detailed projections for later years are currently being prepared, and will be published in the Department Annual Report 2004 this April.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Parliamentary Questions have been tabled to his Department since 1 January 2003, broken down by(a) ordinary written and (b) named day; what percentage in respect of (a) were answered within 10 working days; and what percentage in respect of (b) were answered by the specified date. [157517]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  Ministers take responses to Parliamentary Questions very seriously, and try to answer within the Parliamentary deadline wherever possible. Since 1 January 2003, 3,743 ordinary written questions have been tabled to the Department for Education and Skills, 72 per cent. of which were answered within 10 working days. 797 named day questions were tabled in the same period. We are unable to provide the percentage of those questions answered by the specified date without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Average class size1: Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton local education authorities position in January each year

  Hampshire2

  Hampshire3

  Portsmouth3

  Southampton3

  1997 Key Stage 1

  27.5

  —

  —

  —

  Key Stage 2

  28.2

  —

  —

  —

  Pupils aged mainly under 14 in maintained secondary schools

  23.9

  —

  —

  —

  1998 Key Stage 1

  —

  28.0

  27.8

  27.0

  Key Stage 2

  —

  28.6

  28.1

  28.8

  Pupils aged mainly under 14 in maintained secondary schools

  —

  24.3

  23.9

  23.5

  1999 Key Stage 1

  —

  27.8

  27.5

  27.0

  Key Stage 2

  —

  28.6

  28.7

  28.4

  Pupils aged mainly under 14 in maintained secondary schools

  —

  24.9

  24.8

  24.4

  2000 Key Stage 1

  —

  27.3

  26.1

  26.8

  Key Stage 2

  —

  28.7

  28.6

  28.6

  Pupils aged mainly under 14 in maintained secondary schools

  —

  25.0

  24.9

  23.4

  2001 Key Stage 1

  —

  26.3

  25.3

  26.2

  Key Stage 2

  —

  28.4

  28.2

  28.7

  Pupils in year groups 7, 8 and 9 in maintained secondary schools

  —

  25.0

  24.1

  24.4

  2002 Key Stage 1

  —

  26.0

  24.8

  26.7

  Key Stage 2

  —

  28.0

  27.6

  28.1

  Pupils in year groups 7, 8 and 9 in maintained secondary schools

  —

  25.0

  24.7

  23.5

  2003 Key Stage l3

  —

  26.2

  25.1

  26.2

  Key Stage 2

  —

  28.1

  26.9

  28.2

  Pupils in year groups 7, 8 and 9 in maintained secondary schools

  —

  24.9

  24.0

  24.5

  1Classes taught by one teacher

  2Before local government reorganisation

  3After local government reorganisation

  4Includes Reception classes to produce a coverage as close as possible to that available in previous years.

  Source:

  Annual Schools' Census

  1214W

  Problem Gambling
  Sue Doughty:
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if the Government will include problem gambling in the Personal Health and Social Education element of the curriculum; [158315]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the impact of problem gambling on educational achievement among 12 to 15 year olds. [158350]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  Through Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) all pupils should learn about responsibility and the consequences of their actions. Personal finance education, delivered through the framework for PSHE, enables pupils to develop financial responsibility and links financial decisions and actions with value judgements. Schools may choose to specifically address problem gambling, but we have no plans to require them to do so.

  No assessment has been made by the Department of the impact of problem gambling on education achievement of 12 to 15 year olds.

  Pupil Numbers
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the(a) average and (b) maximum class size in Hampshire was at Key Stage (i) 1, (ii) 2 and (iii) 3 for each year since 1997. [157286]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  The information requested is shown in the tables.
  1215W

  Maximum Class Size1: Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton local education Authorities position in January each year

  Hampshire2

  Hampshire3

  Portsmouth3

  Southampton3

  1997 Key Stage 1

  44

  —

  —

  —

  Key Stage 2

  39

  —

  —

  —

  Pupils aged mainly under 14 in maintained secondary schools

  37

  —

  —

  —

  1998 Key Stage 1

  —

  45

  38

  41

  Key Stage 2

  —

  38

  37

  37

  Pupils aged mainly under 14 in maintained secondary schools

  —

  36

  33

  34

  1999 Key Stage 1

  —

  47

  36

  36

  Key Stage 2

  —

  39

  36

  35

  Pupils aged mainly under 14 in maintained secondary schools

  —

  40

  33

  33

  2000 Key Stage 1

  —

  41

  34

  36

  Key Stage 2

  —

  38

  36

  37

  Pupils aged mainly under 14 in maintained secondary schools

  —

  44

  33

  35

  2001 Key Stage 1

  —

  33

  31

  31

  Key Stage 2

  —

  38

  36

  35

  Pupils in year groups 7, 8 and 9 in maintained secondary Schools

  —

  35

  35

  35

  2002 Key Stage 1

  —

  32

  30

  31

  Key Stage 2

  —

  37

  35

  36

  Pupils in year groups 7, 8 and 9 in maintained secondary schools

  —

  39

  34

  35

  2003 Key Stage 14

  —

  37

  30

  32

  Key Stage 2

  —

  37

  34

  35

  Pupils in year groups 7, 8 and 9 in maintained secondary schools

  —

  37

  34

  34

  1Classes taught by one teacher

  2Before local government reorganisation

  3After local government reorganisation

  4Includes Reception classes to produce a coverage as close as possible to that available in previous years.

  Source:

  Annual Schools' Censns

  School Meals
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Department's policy is on encouraging the provision of hot school meals. [158494]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  In guidance "Healthy School Lunches", produced to assist caterers to implement the requirements of the nutritional standards regulations, the Secretary of State strongly recommends that some hot food should be available. However, he does not have powers to require a school to provide hot food. The guidance can be viewed on our website: www.dfes.gov.uk/schoollunches.

  School Sports Facilities
  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to ensure that schools open their sports facilities to the wider community out-of-hours. [157763]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 2 March 2004,Official Report, column 884W.

  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in(a) England, (b) each region and (c) each Parliamentary constituency open their sports facilities for community use out-of-hours. [157766]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  We do not currently hold the data requested and they could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

  Schools Funding
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the administrative cost of the Standards Funds grants is for 2003–04. [159186]
  1216W
  Mr. Miliband
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were first identified as having special educational needs(a) before the start of compulsory schooling, (b) at primary school and (c) at secondary school in the last year for which figures are available. [157153]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  Information is not collected about numbers of children first identified as having special educational needs. However, figures are available for children for whom new statements were issued. The last year for which figures are available is 2002.

  During 2002, statements were made for the first time for 7,120 children aged under 5. 15,690 statements were issued for children aged 5–10 and 7,910 for children aged 11–19.

  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the distribution of children with special educational needs across maintained schools; and what impact publication of the arrangements made by local education authorities to monitor admissions of children with special educational needs has had on that distribution. [157175]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  The following table shows the distribution of children with special educational needs (SEN)—with and without statements of SEN—across maintained primary and maintained secondary schools in England.
  1217W

  Number and percentage of schools by percentage of pupils with SEN

  Primary schools

  Secondary schools

  Pupils with SEN

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  Up to 5 per cent.

  682

  3.8

  258

  7.5

  5 per cent. up to 25 per cent.

  13,864

  77.6

  2,616

  76.1

  25 per cent. up to 35 per cent.

  2,459

  13.8

  373

  10.9

  35 per cent. up to 50 per cent.

  761

  4.3

  170

  4.9

  50 per cent. and above

  95

  0.5

  19

  0.6

  Total number of schools

  17,861

  3,436

  Source:

  Statistics of Education—Special Educational Needs in England: January 2003 Issue Number 09/03, published November 2003

  Local Education Authorities' Admission Forums consider how well admission arrangements work locally, including arrangements for the admission of children with special educational needs. As Admissions Forums became mandatory only on 20 January 2003, it is too early to determine the impact they will have had on promoting protocols for the admission of these children.

  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress the Department has made in developing descriptions for types of special educational needs for use in the Pupil Level Annual Schools Census. [157177]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  Draft descriptions of types of special educational need were developed in autumn 2002. These were then sent to a sample of schools, local authorities and voluntary organisations for consultation at the end of November 2002. The descriptions were amended in the light of the responses received and the final version sent to local authorities in June 2003 and also placed on the Department's website.

  In September 2003, copies of the guidance were sent to all maintained and non-maintained schools to enable them to prepare for the Pupil Level Annual Schools Census in January 2004.

  There are eleven categories of need described in the guidance, grouped into the four main areas of difficulty set out in the SEN Code of Practice 2001. From January 2004, data on pupils type of need will be collected for all pupils with a statement of SEN and those at "school action plus".

  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have been awarded the Special Educational Needs Quality Mark; and how many have failed to meet the criteria for its award. [158089]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  The Government do not run a scheme of Special Educational Needs Quality Marks.

  Statemented Children
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to whom responsibility for the on-costs falls when a child has a statement and the child has quantified support of a given number of hours from a learning support assistant. [157359]
  1218W
  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  Local education authorities are under a statutory duty, by virtue of section 324(5)(a) of the Education Act 1996, to arrange the special educational provision specified in statements they maintain for children, unless a child's parent has made suitable arrangements.

PRIME MINISTER

  Katharine Gun
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had in the last 12 months with the(a) Department for Constitutional Affairs and (b) Attorney-General on the Katharine Gun case. [158095]

  The Prime Minister
  I had no discussions with the Department for Constitutional Affairs on this matter.

  I had no discussions with the Attorney-General. However, I was copied in on the "Shawcross Exercise", the process of which the Solicitor-General has already outlined to the House on 26 February 2004, Official Report, column 428.

  After the decision to discontinue the case had been made, the Attorney-General confirmed this to me.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had in the last 12 months with the Secretary of State for Defence on the Katharine Gun case. [158780]

  The Prime Minister
  None.

TREASURY

  Asthma
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths from asthma there were in(a) Greater London and (b) each London borough during the last five years. [158444]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Simon Hughes, dated 5 March 2004:

  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many deaths from asthma there were in (a) Greater London and (b) each London borough during the last five years. (158444)

  The latest year for which the figures requested are available is 2002. Figures for the five year period 1998 to 2002 are given in the attached table.

  Deaths from asthma1 in Greater London,2 and London boroughs,2,3 1998 to 2002, aggregated4

  Number of deaths

  Greater London

  850

  London Boroughs

  Barking and Dagenham

  17

  Barnet

  31

  Bexley

  21

  Brent

  38

  Bromley

  35

  1219W

  Deaths from asthma1 in Greater London,2 and London boroughs,2,3 1998 to 2002, aggregated4

  Number of deaths

  Camden

  17

  Croydon

  52

  Baling

  40

  Enfield

  33

  Greenwich

  27

  Hackney and City of London3

  24

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  10

  Haringey

  25

  Harrow

  23

  Havering

  20

  Hillingdon

  32

  Hounslow

  32

  Islington

  19

  Kensington and Chelsea

  14

  Kingston upon Thames

  19

  Lambeth

  32

  Lewisham

  32

  Merton

  35

  Newham

  34

  Redbridge

  26

  Richmond upon Thames

  27

  Southwark

  20

  Sutton

  37

  Tower Hamlets

  20

  Waltham Forest

  16

  Wandsworth

  22

  City of Westminster

  20

  1The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for 1998–2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) for 2001—2002. The codes used are listed below:

  Asthma-ICD-9 493; ICD-10 J45-46.

  Details of the effect of the change in classification in 2001 are described in a report published in May 2002:

  Office for National Statistics. Results of the ICD-10 bridge coding study, England and Wales, 1999. Health Statistics Quarterly 14 (2002), 75–83.

  2Usual residents of these areas.

  3City of London is included with the figure for Hackney to avoid disclosure of small numbers.

  4Deaths occurring in each calendar year.

  Money Laundering
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many alternative or parallel remittance brokers have been registered as money service businesses since the introduction of the Money Laundering Regulations 2001. [158899]

  Ruth Kelly
  Customs and Excise are required to keep a register of money service operators, under the 2001 Money Laundering Regulations. The register does not distinguish between conventional and alternative or parallel remittance brokers. To provide a breakdown of the overall number of businesses on the register would entail a disproportionate cost.

  Carers
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people providing unpaid care to people aged 65 and over. [158054]

  Ruth Kelly
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
  1220W
  Letter from John Pullinger to Sandra Gidley, dated 5 March 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the estimate of the number of people providing unpaid care to people aged 65 and over. I am replying in his absence. (158054)

  The General Household Survey (GHS), carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) asked a module of questions on care-giving in 2000 (the most recent year available). The GHS 2000 "Carers" report, showed that around 11% of adults in Great Britain (representing 4.7 million people) were caring for someone aged 65 and over. These estimates have been obtained by weighting the survey results to the relevant population estimates. As with any statistical sample survey, estimates from the GHS are subject to sampling variability.

  In 2000 as in previous years, 'carers' were defined as people who were looking after, or providing some regular service for, a sick, disabled or elderly person living in their own or another household. Certain types of caring have been excluded: caring for someone in the capacity of volunteer for a charity or other organisation, caring for someone receiving care in an institution, providing financial support only, and caring for someone with a temporary illness or disability (as defined by the respondent). It is not possible to identify from this data source whether carers were paid or unpaid.

  The 2001 Census asked a question about whether people provided unpaid care for a family member or friend, and for how many hours. Around 5.2 million people in England and Wales reported that they were providing unpaid care for a family member or friend, including over a million providing more than 50 hours a week. Around 950,000 people aged 65 and over provided care of this sort, including around 340,000 providing more than 50 hours a week. The Census did not collect information on the ages of those to whom care was given.

  Further information on carers from the 2001 Census and other sources is available on the National Statistics website at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nscl.asp?id = 8467

  Causes of Death
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the latest figures for the death rate from(a) cancer and (b) coronary heart disease are in (i) Greater London, (ii) each London borough and (iii) the UK; and what they were in 1997. [158403]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Simon Hughes, dated 5 March 2004:

  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the latest figures for the death rate from (a) cancer and (b) coronary heart disease in (i) Greater London, (ii) each London borough and (iii) United Kingdom; and what they were in 1997. (158403)

  The latest year for which the figures requested are available is 2002 and these are given, with figures for 1997, in the table.

  Death rates1 from cancer and coronary heart disease2 in Greater London,3 London boroughs3,4 and the United Kingdom, 1997 and 2002 5

  Age-standardised death rates per 100,000 population1

  Cancer

  Coronary heart disease

  1997

  2002

  1997

  2002

  United Kingdom

  203

  189

  163

  128

  Greater London

  201

  185

  145

  119

  London boroughs

  Barking and Dagenham

  216

  221

  179

  141

  Barnet

  177

  156

  133

  102

  1221W

  Deaths rates1 from cancer and coronary heart disease2 in Greater London,3 London boroughs3,4 and the United Kingdom, 1997 and 20025

  Age-standardised death rates per 100,000 population1

  Cancer

  Coronary heart disease

  1997

  2002

  1997

  2002

  Bexley

  211

  179

  142

  114

  Brent

  179

  171

  148

  118

  Bromley

  187

  171

  126

  92

  Camden

  188

  184

  116

  125

  Croydon

  197

  176

  120

  111

  Haling

  176

  159

  153

  121

  Enfield

  183

  171

  140

  108

  Greenwich

  230

  206

  165

  124

  Hackney

  211

  202

  174

  138

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  207

  203

  143

  100

  Haringey

  192

  176

  144

  134

  Harrow

  193

  153

  128

  105

  Havering

  202

  187

  152

  136

  Hillingdon

  205

  195

  141

  122

  Hounslow

  190

  194

  149

  126

  Islington

  219

  244

  15

  138

  Kensington and Chelsea

  194

  152

  97

  73

  Kingston upon Thames

  189

  180

  119

  99

  Lambeth

  223

  217

  149

  126

  Lewisham

  237

  197

  164

  130

  Merton

  199

  167

  131

  93

  Newham

  249

  196

  202

  163

  Redbridge

  176

  185

  147

  117

  Richmond upon Thames

  189

  168

  120

  90

  Southwark

  227

  222

  143

  127

  Sutton

  197

  173

  137

  105

  Tower Hamlets

  230

  239

  186

  180

  Waltham Forest

  185

  205

  180

  165

  Wandsworth

  220

  204

  160

  129

  City of Westminster

  209

  181

  115

  108

  1 Rates per 100,000 population standardised to the European Standard Population.

  2 The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for1997, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) for 2002. The codes used are listed as follows:

  Cancer (malignant neoplasms)—ICD-9 140–208; ICD-10 C00-C97,

  Coronary Heart Disease—ICD-9 410–414; ICD-10 120–125.

  3 Usual residents of these areas.

  4 Figures for the City of London are not presented in the table because the annual number of deaths is too small to calculate age-standardised mortality rates.

  5 Deaths occurring in each calendar year in England and Wales, and deaths registered in each calendar year in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Corporation Tax
  Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact upon

  Percentage of full time employees whose average hourly pay (including overtime) in 2003 fell below three stated thresholds

  Male employees' pay thresholds

  Female employees' pay thresholds

  All employees' pay thresholds

  Area

  £7.58

  £5.68

  £4.20

  £7.58

  £5.68

  £4.20

  £7.58

  £5.68

  £4.20

  Percentage of employees whose pay (including overtime) falls below threshold

  Great Britain

  26.4

  8.5

  1.2

  36.8

  14.7

  1.9

  30.3

  10.9

  1.4

  Greater London

  14.7

  5.3

  0.8

  18.1

  7.7

  1.6

  16.0

  6.2

  1.1

  London Boroughs

  City of London

  3.2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.6

  —

  —

  Barking and Dagenham

  17.6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18.6

  —

  —

  Barnet

  18.9

  —

  —

  26.0

  —

  —

  22.1

  8.7

  —

  Bexley

  28.1

  —

  —

  34.1

  —

  —

  30.3

  —

  —

  Brent

  19.1

  —

  —

  27.4

  —

  —

  22.5

  —

  —

  1222W
  existing prospective stock transfer associations of the Inland Revenue's decision to disallow certain repairs expenditure being offset for corporation tax purposes when housing stock has been transferred to stock transfer associations. [158039]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 4 March 2004]: The Inland Revenue has given its view of the implications for corporation tax of certain contracts developed by a major accountancy firm.

  Earnings
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of(a) male, (b) female and (c) all full-time workers in (i) Greater London and (ii) each London borough had hourly gross earnings (A) including and (B) excluding overtime of below (1) £7.58, (2) £5.68 and (3) £4.20. [158401]

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

  Letter from Colin Mowl to Simon Hughes, dated 5 March 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on the proportion of (a) male, (b) female and (c) all full-time workers in (i) Greater London and (ii) each London Borough which had hourly gross earnings (A) including and excluding overtime of below (1) £7.58, (2) £5.68 and (3) £4.20. I am replying in his absence. (158401)

  I attach two tables showing the average gross hourly pay including and excluding overtime.

  Average earnings are estimated from the 2003 New Earnings Survey (NES) and are provided for full-time employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was unaffected by absence during the pay period. The tables show earnings according to employees' place of work, rather than usual residence. This is the standard definition used for NES tables. The NES does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.

  The NES. carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in Great Britain. It is a one per cent sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn, (PAYE) schemes, but because of its sampling frame, it has difficulty capturing data on people with very low pay. It is therefore likely to under-represent relatively low paid staff earning below the tax threshold.

  The New Earnings Survey publication criteria ensures that all estimates are undisclosive and of reliable quality. A large number of estimates have been removed from the lists due to the suppression criteria. The information is based on the 2003 NES, the latest survey for which data are available. The area of Greater London is defined by grouping together all the boroughs of London.
  1223W

  Percentage of full time employees whose average hourly pay (including overtime) in 2003 fell below three stated thresholds

  Male employees' pay thresholds

  Female employees' pay thresholds

  All employees' pay thresholds

  Area

  £7.58

  £5.68

  £4.20

  £7.58

  £5.68

  £4.20

  £7.58

  £5.68

  £4.20

  Bromley

  39.3

  20.3

  —

  45.5

  25.2

  —

  42.1

  20.7

  —

  Camden

  9.0

  —

  —

  8.8

  —

  —

  8.9

  2.6

  —

  Croydon

  13.7

  —

  —

  29.3

  12.7

  —

  20.0

  8.6

  —

  Ealing

  22.7

  —

  —

  22.4

  —

  —

  22.6

  8.4

  —

  Enfield

  23.5

  —

  —

  27.1

  —

  —

  24.8

  7.6

  —

  Greenwich

  18.3

  —

  —

  33.8

  —

  —

  24.0

  —

  —

  Hackney

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  14.4

  —

  —

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  —

  —

  —

  10.1

  —

  —

  8.1

  —

  —

  Haringey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  17.5

  —

  —

  Harrow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  13.8

  —

  —

  Havering

  44.9

  18.7

  —

  45.6

  21.8

  —

  45.2

  20.1

  —

  Hillingdon

  13.9

  12.2

  —

  29.2

  14.0

  —

  18.8

  8.5

  —

  Hounslow

  16.7

  —

  —

  19.9

  —

  —

  17.9

  6.0

  —

  Islington

  7.3

  —

  —

  9.7

  —

  —

  8.2

  —

  —

  Kensington and Chelsea

  17.3

  —

  —

  19.2

  —

  —

  18.2

  7.4

  —

  Kingston upon Thames

  21.5

  —

  —

  20.3

  —

  —

  21.0

  —

  —

  Lambeth

  15.7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  13.2

  6.1

  —

  Lewisham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18.1

  —

  —

  Merton

  28.5

  —

  —

  38.3

  —

  —

  31.9

  12.8

  —

  Newham

  22.6

  —

  —

  30.8

  —

  —

  25.4

  —

  —

  Redbridge

  27.1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  23.1

  —

  —

  Richmond upon Thames

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18.8

  —

  —

  Southwark

  6.4

  —

  —

  8.7

  —

  —

  7.1

  3.3

  —

  Sutton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  17.2

  —

  —

  Tower Hamlets

  10.2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.1

  3.8

  —

  Waltham Forest

  22.8

  —

  —

  29.6

  —

  —

  25.6

  —

  —

  Wandsworth

  19.3

  —

  —

  17.3

  —

  —

  18.5

  —

  —

  City of Westminster

  12.6

  5.9

  —

  13.6

  5.2

  1.9

  13.0

  5.0

  1.1

  Percentage of full time employees whose average hourly pay (excluding overtime) in 2003 fell below three stated thresholds

  Male employees' pay thresholds

  Female employees' pay thresholds

  All employees' pay thresholds

  Area

  £7.58

  £5.68

  £4.20

  £7.58

  £5.68

  £4.20

  £7.58

  £5.68

  £4.20

  Percentage of employees whose pay (excluding overtime) falls below threshold

  Great Britain

  27.9

  9.5

  1.3

  37.4

  15.1

  1.9

  31.5

  11.6

  1.5

  Greater London

  15.2

  5.6

  0.8

  18.4

  7.9

  1.7

  16.5

  6.5

  1.2

  London Boroughs

  City of London

  3.2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.6

  —

  —

  Barking and Dagenham

  18.3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  19.6

  —

  —

  Barnet

  20.1

  —

  —

  26.0

  —

  —

  22.8

  9.4

  —

  Bexley

  29.5

  —

  —

  35.4

  —

  —

  31.6

  10.1

  —

  Brent

  18.6

  —

  —

  29.6

  —

  —

  23.1

  8.2

  —

  Bromley

  39.7

  16.9

  —

  45.5

  25.2

  —

  42.3

  20.7

  —

  Camden

  9.2

  —

  —

  8.8

  —

  —

  9.0

  2.7

  —

  Croydon

  14.8

  —

  —

  29.8

  13.8

  —

  20.9

  9.2

  —

  Ealing

  23.8

  —

  —

  22.4

  —

  —

  23.3

  8.4

  —

  Enfield

  24.9

  —

  —

  26.3

  —

  —

  25.4

  7.9

  —

  Greenwich

  18.3

  —

  —

  33.8

  —

  —

  24.0

  13.1

  —

  Hackney

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  14.0

  —

  —

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  —

  —

  —

  10.1

  —

  —

  8.5

  —

  —

  Haringey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18.5

  —

  —

  Harrow

  —

  —

  —

  18.3

  —

  —

  17.4

  —

  —

  Havering

  44.9

  18.4

  —

  45.6

  22.3

  —

  45.2

  20.3

  —

  Hillingdon

  14.4

  6.0

  —

  29.2

  14.0

  —

  19.2

  8.6

  —

  Hounslow

  18.7

  —

  —

  20.9

  —

  —

  19.6

  7.2

  —

  Islington

  7.7

  —

  —

  9.7

  —

  —

  8.5

  3.3

  —

  Kensington and Chelsea

  18.3

  —

  —

  19.2

  —

  —

  18.7

  7.4

  —

  Kingston upon Thames

  22.1

  —

  —

  20.3

  —

  —

  21.4

  —

  —

  Lambeth

  16.1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  13.6

  6.4

  —

  Lewisham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  19.1

  —

  —

  Merton

  29.2

  12.4

  —

  38.3

  —

  —

  32.4

  13.2

  —

  Newham

  23.4

  —

  —

  32.3

  —

  —

  26.5

  —

  —

  Redbridge

  28.0

  —

  —

  20.8

  —

  —

  24.5

  —

  —

  Richmond upon Thames

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  20.4

  —

  —

  1224W 1225W

  Percentage of full time employees whose average gross hourly pay (excluding overtime) in 2003 fell below three stated thresholds

  Male employees' pay thresholds

  Female employees' pay thresholds

  All employees' pay thresholds

  Area

  £7.58

  £5.68

  £4.20

  £7.58

  £5.68

  £4.20

  £7.58

  £5.68

  £4.20

  Southwark

  6.7

  —

  —

  8.7

  —

  —

  7.3

  3.7

  —

  Sutton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  16.7

  —

  —

  Tower Hamlets

  10.5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.5

  3.8

  —

  Waltham Forest

  22.8

  —

  —

  29.6

  —

  —

  25.6

  —

  —

  Wandsworth

  20.2

  —

  —

  17.3

  —

  —

  19.1

  —

  —

  City of Westminster

  12.8

  4.9

  —

  13.9

  5.2

  —

  13.3

  5.0

  1.2

  Great Britain and London

  This table provides an estimate of the proportion of (a) male, (b) female and (c) all full-time workers in (i) Greater London and (ii) each London Borough had hourly gross earnings (A) including overtime and (B) excluding overtime of below (1)£7.58,(2)£5.68 and (3)4.20.

  Notes:

  1. The definition of Greater London is the total of all London Boroughs.

  2. Information is provided for average gross hourly earnings including and excluding overtime to and relates full time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay period was unaffected by absence.

  3. "—" Data have been suppressed due to confidentiality or quality

  4. The New Earnings Survey release criteria currently require that any estimate:

  (a) of a mean is based on a sample size of at least 30 and that the associated standard error does not exceed 5 per cent.

  (b) of a quantile such as a percentile, quartile or median, or of a percentage, is based on a sample size of at least 10 and that the sample size is either at least 225 or that the relative standard error is less than 20%.

  5. Estimates are produced for those people who work in a borough.

  Source for earnings data:

  New Earnings Survey, April 2003

  Economic Activity
  Mrs. Humble
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the economic activity rate in the Blackpool, North and Fleetwood constituency was in(a) 1996–97 and (b) 2002–03. [157501]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Mrs. Joan Humble, dated 5 March 2004:

  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the economic activity rate in the Blackpool North and Fleetwood constituency. (157501)

  The table below shows the working age economic activity rates for the Blackpool North and Fleetwood constituency, covering the twelve-month periods ending February 1997 and February 2002. Information for the twelve month ending February 2003 is not yet available.

  Working age economic activity rates1 in the Blackpool North and Fleetwood Constituency

  12 month period ending February each year

  per cent

  1996–97

  71.8

  2001–02

  75.2

  1 Economic activity as a percentage of men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59.

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

  EU Regulatory Burden
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from industry regarding the burden of regulation deriving from the EU; and if he will list the regulations in question. [158852]
  1226W
  Ruth Kelly
  The Chancellor received a number; of representations about the regulatory environment for business, including from business organisations such as the Institute of Directors and the British Chambers of Commerce. None of these representations named specific EU regulations, although a joint letter from the BCC, FSB, IoD, CBI and FPB welcomed the joint EU Presidency Initiative on Regulatory Reform, announced on 26 January.

  The Government are considering carefully how best to implement the measures arising from the EU's Financial Services Action Plan (FSAP). Implementation of the FSAP needs to strike the right balance between not placing too great a burden on the financial services industry, whilst ensuring that consumers are adequately protected. The way to achieve this is through good consultation and cost benefit analysis and through adoption of the better regulation agenda generally.

  family Support
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will break down the projections for total support to families given in the 2003 pre-budget report for(a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05 by (i) child benefit, (ii) child tax credit, broken down by (A) family element, (B) child element and (C) disability, (iii) childcare credit, (iv) statutory maternity pay, (v) maternity allowance, (vi) maternity expenses and (vii) other support. [158059]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Pre Budget Report provided estimates of financial support for children through tax credits, Child Benefit and other benefits. The figures did not include expenditure on maternity related benefits. Information on expenditure on Child Benefit and other
  1227W
  benefits for children is published in the Benefit Expenditure Tables on the Department of Work and Pensions' website at www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/ expenditure.asp.

  Tax credit awards are based initially on a family's previous year income but the level of entitlement is determined by current year income. Estimates of expenditure on tax credits and on the components of tax credits are therefore subject to revision until awards are finalised after the end of the year. Updated estimates of expenditure on tax credits will be provided in the Budget.

  Financial Services Authority
  Jonathan Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints the Financial Services Authority has investigated from small businesses regarding banks; and if he will make a statement. [158355]

  Ruth Kelly
  The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is responsible for dealing with complaints from small businesses regarding banks. In the current financial year to date (to end February 2004) the FOS has investigated 205 complaints from small businesses about banking products.

  Mid-year estimates of the usually-resident population of London boroughs: 1998–2002.

  Thousands

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  Greater London

  6,968.8

  7,041.3

  7,104.4

  7,307.9

  7,355.4

  London Boroughs

  City of London

  6.1

  6.5

  6.9

  7.4

  7.8

  Barking and Dagenham

  158.9

  1617

  162.8

  165.9

  167.3

  Barnet

  304.6

  309.2

  310.9

  320.1

  320.4

  Bexley

  216.6

  217.1

  218.4

  218.8

  218.8

  Brent

  255.2

  255.8

  259.2

  270.4

  272.4

  Bromley

  290.5

  293.9

  294.6

  296.2

  296.8

  Camden

  182.3

  185.6

  191.4

  203.0

  207.0

  Croydon

  329.9

  328.6

  330.3

  335.7

  336.6

  Ealing

  292.1

  297.3

  298.4

  308.1

  308.4

  Enfield

  267.9

  270.0

  272.0

  277.7

  281.8

  Greenwich

  209.4

  209.7

  211.9

  217.8

  221.4

  Hackney

  190.7

  195.2

  199.1

  207.8

  210.2

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  153.3

  157.6

  160.6

  169.9

  173.3

  Haringey

  212.1

  215.1

  215.5

  221.9

  225.1

  Harrow

  206.4

  206.1

  206.9

  210.5

  211.6

  Havering

  225.1

  225.6

  225.0

  224.7

  224.2

  Hillingdon

  240.7

  242.1

  242.9

  245.9

  246.5

  Hounslow

  209.8

  211.5

  211.4

  216.4

  216.6

  Islington

  173.5

  173.2

  174.7

  179.8

  181.0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  139.0

  143.4

  150.4

  162.6

  165.1

  Kingston upon Thames

  141.6

  144.1

  145.5

  149.3

  150.2

  Lambeth

  259.2

  262.5

  264.2

  274.2

  271.9

  Lewisham

  245.3

  247.1

  247.8

  254.9

  253.8

  Merton

  180.9

  183.0

  185.5

  191.5

  192.3

  Newham

  231.6

  236.7

  240.7

  250.1

  254.0

  Redbridge

  236.1

  235.9

  237.5

  242.3

  244.0

  Richmond upon Thames

  167.9

  170.5

  170.8

  174.5

  174.4

  Southwark

  236.4

  239.3

  242.4

  251.1

  251.3

  Sutton

  177.2

  178.4

  179.3

  181.6

  180.9

  1228W

  London Population
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the size of the population in(a) Greater London and (b) each London borough was in each of the last five years; and what projections have been made for the next five years. [158447]

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

  Letter from John Pullinger to Simon Hughes, dated 5 March 2004

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the size of the population of Greater London and each London borough for the last five years and the projected population for the next five years. I am replying in his absence. (158447)

  Attached is a table showing the mid-year population estimates for Greater London and each London borough from 1998 to 2002.

  There are currently no official subnational population projections consistent with this series. The last official long-term subnational population projections were 1996-based and did not take into account the 2001 Census and subsequent revisions to the mid year population estimates. The Office for National Statistics is currently working on 2002-based subnational population projections, which will be consistent with these mid year estimates and will be published in August 2004.
  1229W

  Mid-year estimates of the usually-resident population of London boroughs: 1998–2002

  Thousands

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  Tower Hamlets

  187.1

  191.4

  193.9

  201.6

  206.8

  Waltham Forest

  219.2

  219.2

  218.7

  222.5

  223.2

  Wandsworth

  254.5

  256.7

  258.3

  267.5

  269.3

  City of Westminister

  167.5

  171.2

  176.3

  186.4

  190.6

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics

  Ministerial Direction
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions since 1 June 2003 he has been informed of a minister issuing a direction to an accounting officer as set out in paragraphs 14 to 17 of the Treasury document, The Responsibilities of an Accounting Officer; on what grounds each note was issued; and if he will make a statement. [158300]

  Ruth Kelly
  The Treasury has not been informed of any directions issued by Ministers to Accounting Officers under this guidance, since the reply I gave the hon. Member on 30 October 2003,Official Report, column 311W.

  Recruitment
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of recruitment of civil servants for the Department was in each financial year since 1996–97, broken down by(a) delegated or contracted out recruitment procedures and (b) recruitment procedures carried out by the Department. [158179]

  Ruth Kelly
  The costs of recruiting staff fall largely to individual teams, and are charged to team budgets. Therefore information on the total cost of recruiting staff is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Tax Returns
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individual tax returns have been filed online in each year since the service became available. [158041]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer my hon. friend the Financial Secretary gave him on 5 March 2003 Official Report, 1063W–64W, and the answers I gave to him on 9 September 2003, Official Report, 276W–77W and 15 January 2004, Official Report, 868W.

  Teenage Pregnancies
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many teenage pregnancies there were in(a) Greater London and (b) each London borough in each year since 2000. [158404]

  Ruth Kelly
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
  1230W
  Letter from John Pullinger to Simon Hughes, dated 5 March 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many teenage pregnancies there were in a) Greater London, and b) each London borough, in each year since 2000.1 am replying in his absence. (158404)

  The numbers of teenage pregnancies for London and for each London borough, for 2000 to 2002 (the latest year for which figures are available), are shown in the attached table.

  Conceptions to women aged under 18 by London borough: 2000–02

  Number of conceptions

  Area of usual residence

  2000

  20011

  20021

  England and Wales

  41,349

  40,966

  41,868

  London

  6,041

  6,201

  6,504

  Barking and Dagenham

  216

  215

  238

  Barnet

  154

  143

  183

  Bexley

  139

  181

  172

  Brent

  259

  236

  261

  Bromley

  160

  162

  177

  Camden

  134

  125

  138

  Croydon

  347

  336

  371

  Ealing

  203

  198

  187

  Enfield

  211

  249

  296

  Greenwich

  222

  272

  250

  Hackney and City of London3

  307

  305

  301

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  126

  135

  143

  Haringey

  273

  281

  310

  Harrow

  84

  98

  115

  Havering

  156

  134

  145

  Hillingdon

  181

  188

  206

  Hounslow

  160

  165

  158

  Islington

  172

  175

  172

  Kensington and Chelsea

  80

  80

  80

  Kingston upon Thames

  75

  67

  70

  Lambeth

  358

  375

  406

  Lewisham

  275

  272

  324

  Merton

  125

  126

  119

  Newham

  312

  334

  328

  Redbridge

  113

  160

  151

  Richmond upon Thames

  52

  48

  61

  Southwark

  314

  335

  346

  Sutton

  109

  112

  106

  Tower Hamlets

  189

  218

  184

  Waltham Forest

  214

  216

  230

  Wandsworth

  202

  173

  175

  City of Westminster

  119

  87

  101

  1 Provisional figure.

  2 Provisional estimate.

  3 City of London has been combined with Hackney due to its small numbers of usual residents.

  Trusts (Tax Treatment)
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the tax treatment of the property portion of trusts. [158821]
  1231W
  Dawn Primarolo
  As stated in the Pre-Budget Report the tax treatment of trusts is under review by the Inland Revenue. They have consulted with interested parties about simplifying and modernising trust taxation and an announcement about this will be made in the Budget.

  Unemployment (London)
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rate of unemployment in(a) Greater London and (b) each London borough was in each year since 1997. [158406]

  Unemployment rate1 in Greater London and London boroughs: 12 month period ending February each year

  Percentage

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  Greater London

  9.1

  7.9

  7.3

  6.9

  6.6

  Barking and Dagenham

  9.6

  10.2

  2—

  5.9

  6.4

  Barnet

  6.6

  5.4

  5.6

  5.9

  4.9

  Bexley

  5.4

  7.0

  7.3

  2—

  2—

  Brent

  12.6

  11.2

  7.5

  9.2

  9.4

  Bromley

  4.5

  5.5

  3.8

  3.7

  3.9

  Camden

  2—

  7.9

  6.5

  6.4

  8.2

  City of London

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  Croydon

  6.1

  5.8

  6.8

  5.3

  5.7

  Ealing

  9.5

  6.4

  7.7

  7.3

  6.3

  Enfield

  4.9

  7.2

  7.5

  5.5

  6.4

  Greenwich

  13.4

  10.6

  7.4

  9.8

  7.4

  Hackney

  21.5

  14.8

  13.8

  16.4

  12.2

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  9.1

  2—

  8.5

  2—

  6.4

  Haringey

  13.6

  12.2

  9.8

  12.7

  10.4

  Harrow

  5.7

  5.3

  6.0

  5.0

  2—

  Havering

  5.2

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  Hillingdon

  5.1

  2—

  5.4

  2—

  4.1

  Hounslow

  6.7

  2—

  2—

  2—

  5.6

  Islington

  14.0

  12.0

  11.8

  9.4

  9.3

  Kensington and Chelsea

  2—

  10.2

  10.3

  7.5

  6.1

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  2—

  2—

  2—

  4.4

  4.8

  Lambeth

  14.8

  7.6

  9.1

  9.6

  7.0

  Lewisham

  11.6

  8.3

  10.7

  6.9

  10.3

  Merton

  6.6

  7.1

  2—

  6.1

  2—

  Newham

  15.3

  16.7

  14.3

  13.5

  11.7

  Redbridge

  10.5

  8.6

  5.0

  7.4

  6.8

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  6.5

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  Southwark

  16.8

  13.4

  12.2

  12.1

  10.7

  Sutton

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  5.1

  Tower Hamlets

  19.7

  13.8

  9.4

  11.8

  12.3

  Waltham Forest

  10.6

  9.3

  7.7

  5.7

  6.9

  Wandsworth

  7.2

  5.0

  4.8

  5.7

  6.3

  Westminster, City of

  9.7

  10.9

  7.0

  8.6

  6.1

  1 The number unemployed as a percentage of the economically active population aged 16 and over.

  2 LFS sample of unemployed people too small for reliable estimate.

  Source:

  ONS Labour Force Survey.

  Working Tax Credit
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons delays are occurring in the payment of working tax credit for those who have changed jobs in Northern Ireland; what steps he is taking to eliminate these delays; and if he will make a statement. [158282]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 4 March 2004]: The Inland Revenue is not aware of problems leading to delays in payment when people change jobs in Northern
  1232W
  Ruth Kelly
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

  Letter from Len Cook to Simon Hughes, dated 5 March 2004:

  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on unemployment in London. (158406)

  The attached table gives unemployment rates for Greater London and for each London Borough, for each twelve month period ending in February from 1997 to 2002, the latest period for which information is available.

  As with any statistical sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability. This is a particular issue given the small sample sizes at borough level.

  Ireland. The Inland Revenue will be pleased to look into any individual cases where people consider that they have experienced delays.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  North Korea
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of food supplies in North Korea; and what steps his Department is taking to improve them. [157557]
  1233W
  Hilary Benn
  [pursuant to his reply, 3 March 2004, Official Report, c. 921 W]: The European Commission is funding targeted food aid to North Korea through the World Food Programme and other organisations. In January it agreed to give 5 million euros. The UK contributed around £680,000 to this, not £3,338,000 as stated in the previous answer.

  South Africa
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the land expropriation laws which are set to come into effect in South Africa in April. [159039]

  Hilary Benn
  The South African Constitution authorises expropriation of property under certain conditions for a public purpose or in the public interest. The Constitution specifically states that the public interest includes the nation's commitment to land reform.

  South Africa's approach to land reform has three main planks: the restitution of land rights to those unfairly dispossessed between 1913 and 1994; a programme of redistribution to transform the racial pattern of agricultural land ownership; and land tenure reform, including particularly reform of communal land tenure arrangements in the former homeland areas.

  The South African Government plan to introduce amendments to the Restitution of Land Rights Bill to allow the Minister for Lands to purchase, acquire or expropriate land for the purpose of a restitution award.
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  Under the restitution process most urban claims have been settled. South Africa is now addressing the more difficult and complex rural cases, involving overlapping and competing claims. The amendments are designed to assist in determining the outcome in the most intractable cases. Any land expropriated under this process will be for the benefit of those who have a legitimate claim on that land.

  Expropriation of land will be undertaken within the rule of law and will attract compensation in accordance with the Constitution of South Africa. The Amendments to the Bill require that the constitutional rights of the existing landowner/holder must be complied with and that the amount of compensation paid and the time and manner of payment must be agreed to by all parties, or by the Courts; and must be just and equitable, balancing the public interest and the interest of those affected.

  Temporary Staff
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff the Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; what percentage this is of total staff employed; and how much the Department or its predecessors paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in(a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04 to the most recent date for which figures are available. [158255]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID has no central record of agency workers employed in either of our two headquarter offices in London and East Kilbride. We have only limited information readily available on the total of agency workers employed, and their respective costs, for the last three financial years. To research and obtain detailed information requested would incur a disproportionate cost to the organisation.

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