Written Answers of 5 May 2004

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Serious Fraud Office
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Solicitor-General what recent discussions the Serious Fraud Office has had with its EU counterparts. [169969]

  The Solicitor-General
  The Serious Fraud Office has ongoing operational contact with its EU counterparts. The SFO uses its investigation powers under the Criminal Justice Act 1987 to provide mutual legal assistance to other EU member states.

  The Serious Fraud Office's Head of Policy recently attended a meeting at Eurojust and there are regular contacts between SFO senior staff and senior OLAF officials.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

  Administration Estimate
  Mr. Burnett
  To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the reasons were for the reduction in the Administration Estimate from 2000–01 to 2001–02, as indicated in Table 4 of the Commission's Annual Report for 2001–02; and what the final administration accounts outturn figure for 2002–03 was. [169406]

  Sir Archy Kirkwood
  The reduction in the net cash required was due, in the main, to the decrease in expenditure on Portcullis House following its completion.

  The resource outturn for 2002–03 on the House of Commons Administration Estimate was £180.0 million and the corresponding net cash requirement was £138.3 million. Further information can be found in the published House of Commons: Administration Resource Accounts 2002–03 (HC67).

  Electricity Consumption
  Norman Baker
  To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 19 April 2004,Official Report, column 236W, on electricity consumption, what factors underlie the increase in consumption between 1997 and 2003; and what steps the commission is taking to reduce electricity consumption. [169864]

  Sir Archy Kirkwood
  Underlying factors include the increase in size of the Parliamentary Estate, increased use of office equipment and improvements in environmental controls, such as ventilation, air extraction and air-conditioning, to meet new 1488W
  regulations. Energy awareness and good housekeeping are regularly promoted and the estate is maintained to a high standard; for example the main Palace chillers were replaced recently with modern high efficiency plant.

  Security of Communications
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make a statement on security of communications in the House against eavesdropping in respect of developments in Bluetooth technology. [169801]

  Sir Archy Kirkwood
  The House of Commons authorities have taken a cautious approach to the introduction of wireless technology within Westminster because of security concerns. No services using wireless technologies will be offered until these concerns have been addressed.

  I understand that the Bluetooth function available on some mobile telephones could allow access to data and services on such phones. If phone owners are concerned about this potential vulnerability, they should disable the Bluetooth option using the menus on the handset.

  The Parliamentary Communications Department sent an e-mail with this advice to all network users on 30 April.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Departmental Expenditure (Entertainment)
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her latest estimate is of the amount spent by her Department on official entertainment in each year from 1996–97 to 2004–05. [168999]

  Mr. Caborn
  All expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government guidance.

  The following table shows expenditure on entertainment by the Department. In a change to previous practice, figures from 1997–98 onwards are presented on an accruals basis. In 2002–03 changes were made in the way entertainment expenditure was captured to include associated staff costs following the contracting out of the hospitality service. Figures for 2004–05 are not available at present.

  £

  1996–1997

  41,000

  1997–1998

  15,269.81

  1998–1999

  24,496.51

  1999–2000

  33,359.78

  2000–2001

  51,666.75

  2001–2002

  32,586.56

  2002–2003

  87,150.29

  2003–20041

  78,144.29

  Notes:

  1Provisional, pending finalisation of annual accounts.

  Departmental Procurement
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of the
  1489W
  (a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by her Department over the last five years is of British manufacture. [170796]

  Mr. Caborn
  Over the last five years, DCMS has procured the following;

  (a) Crockery: 100 per cent. British Manufactured

  (b) Cutlery: 100 per cent. British Manufactured

  (c) Glassware: 80 per cent. British Manufactured

  New Opportunities Fund
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much of the New Opportunities Fund is being provided to support children with special needs; and if she will make a statement. [170614]

  Estelle Morris
  The information is not collected in the way requested. However, a number of the New Opportunities Fund's programmes focus on children with special needs and I have asked the Chair of the Fund to write to the hon. Member with further details. I will arrange for copies of the letter to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Talented Athlete Scholarships
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much public funding has been spent on the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme; what sums are committed for(a) the current year and (b) future financial years; how many students are expected to be supported in 2004–05; and if she will make a statement. [171043]

  Mr. Caborn
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: Exchequer funding of £3 million annually has been allocated to delivering the Talented Athletes Scholarship Scheme in 2004–05 and 2005–06. This year is the first round of the programme in which we are looking to help about 1,000 young talented athletes continue to develop in their performance sport alongside taking up employment or continuing with tertiary education. The first bursaries will be announced in early summer and the scholarships later in September.

WALES

  European Structural Funds
  Julie Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had concerning the potential impact in Wales of changes in European structural funds after 31 December 2006. [169191]

  Mr. Touhig
  My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with colleagues across Government and with the Assembly about a number of issues, including European Structural Funds.

  Dredging (Dee Estuary)
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with English local authorities and environmental bodies regarding dredging in the Dee Estuary. [169192]
  1490W
  Mr. Hain
  Regulation of the Port of Mostyn's dredging proposals is a matter for the National Assembly, the Environment Agency, and the Department for Transport. The Environment Agency is advised in England by English Nature, and in Wales by the Countryside Council for Wales. English Nature has agreed that the Countryside Council for Wales should represent it in discussions on these proposals.

  Civil Service
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales concerning the relocation to Wales of civil service jobs. [169193]

  Mr. Hain
  The First Minister and I have had and will continue to have regular discussions.

  We will be working closely to pitch for as many of the jobs allotted for relocation to come to Wales—where we have a record second to none in providing a home for civil service jobs.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent representations he has received from small business organisations in Wales regarding start-up schemes. [169194]

  Mr. Touhig
  My right hon. Friend and I have regular meetings with small business organisations. The Government and the Assembly have created an extremely supportive environment to start up, grow and run a business.

  Waiting Lists
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about progress in reducing waiting times. [169195]

  Mr. Touhig
  I regularly meet the Assembly Health Minister concerning the health service in Wales: waiting times is one of the topics that we frequently discuss.

  The most recent Assembly quarterly waiting time statistics illustrates huge improvements in long waits for patients. There has been a 71.9 per cent. fall in the number of patients waiting over 18 months for inpatient treatment and a fall of over 36 per cent. in waiting times of over 18 months for an out-patient appointment.

  Miners' Compensation
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the(a) latest activities of the Welsh monitoring sub-group for the miners' compensation scheme in Wales and (b) latest figures for disbursements under the scheme. [169188]

  Mr. Touhig
  The Welsh Sub-Group of the Coal Health Claims Monitoring Group, which I chair, meets on a regular basis and will next meet on 24 May to discuss progress of miners compensation in Wales.
  1491W
  To date, £300 million for respiratory disease and over £106 million for vibration white linger have been paid out to ex-miners and their families in Wales—bringing the total under both schemes to well over £400 million.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Anderson Inquiry
  Mr. Boris Johnson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether the final report of the mission, entitled "DG (SANCO)/3367/2001—MR Final", carried out from 1 to 5 October 2001 by the European Commission Food and Veterinary Office, was submitted to the Anderson Inquiry into foot and mouth disease; [166757]

  (2) whether the Department's Inquiry Liaison Unit was informed of the final report of the mission, entitled "DG (SANCO)/3367/2001—MR Final", carried out from 1 to 5 October 2001 by the European Commission Food and Veterinary Office. [166758]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  There is no record of the final report, "DG (SANCO)/3367/2001—MR Final", being received by the Department's Inquiry Liaison Unit and it was not sent to the Anderson Inquiry on foot and mouth disease. However, Dr. Anderson did meet the EU Commission to discuss the foot and mouth 2001 outbreak and the lessons learned. Defra also provided the Inquiry Liaison Unit with a submission, which was passed to the Anderson Inquiry, which plotted the legislative changes, and gave copies of the legislation and the Department's working instructions, since the last foot and mouth outbreak in 1967. The submission included a copy of Council Directive 80/217. As I made clear in the Adjournment Debate on 16 March 2004, we believe that 80/217 was properly implemented in the UK. The application by this Government was consistent with previous administrations.

  Aridity Index
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the aridity index was, broken down by country in(a) 1975, (b) 1985, (c) 1995 and (d) 2002. [165813]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The aridity index is currently being developed as an index of desertification risk for Mediterranean areas by Spanish and Portuguese academics and supported by European research funds. It is an index of the average water available in the soil, defined as the ratio between mean annual precipitation and mean annual evapotranspiration. The research work is scheduled for completion by the end of 2004.

  Breckland Farmland SSSI
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the success of the stone curlew within the Breckland Farmland Site of Special Scientific Interest is measured. [165144]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  [holding answer 19 April 2004]: The stone curlew population will be assessed for the whole of the Breckland pSPA, which includes Breckland Farmland SSSI. This assessment is based on annual
  1492W
  counts and is considered by English Nature in conjunction with available information on the UK population and distribution trends, to assess whether the pSPA is continuing to support the numbers of stone curlews for which it has been selected and make a contribution to the Favourable Conservation Status of the species across Europe.

  The conservation objective for Breckland pSPA is to maintain in favourable condition the habitats of the internationally important population of stone curlew. To date, the successful recovery of the stone curlew within the pSPA can be measured by the increase in numbers of breeding pairs since the start of the recovery project in 1985 and that the target of 200 pairs set in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan for the numbers of breeding pairs was achieved two years ahead of schedule and continues to rise.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the legal costs to date associated with the Breckland Farmland Site of Special Scientific Interest and the proposed Breckland Special Protection Area are(a) excluding costs relating to legal challenges and (b) including costs relating to legal challenges; and what other costs to date have been incurred by (i) English Nature and (ii) her Department. [165130]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The legal costs to date associated with the Breckland Farmland Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the proposed Breckland Special Protection Area incurred by English Nature are:(a) excluding costs relating to legal challenges, approximately £10,000; and (b) including costs relating to legal challenges, approximately £250,000, both amounts are subject to VAT.

  The first amount (a) includes legal advice concerning the SSSI notification process and letters of objection together with legal representation at the English Nature Council meeting in July 2001. Included within the costs at (b) is the cost of the High Court proceedings as incurred by English Nature in the legal challenge brought by the hon. Patrick Fisher and the Trustees of the Hon. P.V Fisher's Children's 1986 Settlement.

  With regard to any other costs incurred by (i) English Nature, I regret that these would be obtainable only at disproportionate cost but would cover the time provided by various members of staff involved in the proceedings. The costs incurred by (ii) Defra are negligible as the Department is not a party to the proceedings brought over Breckland Farmland SSSI.

  Energy Efficiency (Wirral, South)
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimates she has made of the potential carbon savings that will be achieved in the UK as a result of implementing the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive by(a) 2010 and (b) 2020. [165280]

  Phil Hope
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government support the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and propose to transpose it into law through the Building Regulations. It requires member states to set standards, to require the provision of

  1493W
  certificates, and to inspect boilers and air conditioning systems. It does not include specific carbon saving measures, and therefore no estimates of savings have been made. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is confident however that implementation of the directive will heighten energy efficiency in the public's mind, and hence lead to improvements in buildings producing carbon savings in due course.

  EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 26 April; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. [169477]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  I represented the United Kingdom at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 26 to 27 April 2004.

  After several hours of talks, the Irish Presidency concluded that it was not possible to identify a compromise proposal on the welfare of animals during transport that would command the support of a qualified majority of member states, and so the meeting concluded without agreement on that dossier. There are no plans to resume discussion of it. This outcome was disappointing for the Government, which had supported the Presidency's efforts to find a compromise that represented a genuine improvement in animal welfare over the current rules.

  On the approvals process for genetically modified organisms, there was no qualified majority of member states, either in favour of or against, the approval of sweetcorn from Bt11 maize for consumption in the EU. Under the rules of procedure for such approvals, the Commission is now able to take a decision under its own responsibility, from 1 May.

  Denmark reported on measures it has taken in response to dioxin levels in salmon fished in the Baltic Sea. Slovakia and Poland raised concerns about the rules on the carry-over of agricultural stocks on enlargement, which are designed to prevent speculation but which they consider to be over-bureaucratic. In response to a request from Denmark and Austria, the Commission indicated that it would bring forward a proposal within the next few weeks on thresholds for the adventitious presence of genetically modified material in seeds.

  Farming
  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what extra subsidy schemes severely disadvantaged area farmers may apply for. [169078]

  Alun Michael
  I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Malden and East Chelmsford (Mr. Whittingdale) on 17 March 2004,Official Report, column 271W.
  1494W
  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what headage of livestock is registered in Cumbria. [169079]

  Alun Michael
  The total livestock figures for Cumbria, according to the latest available census returns, are as follows:

  Number

  Cattle and calves

  446,241

  Pigs

  31,875

  Sheep and lambs

  1,951,139

  Goats

  1,620

  Horses

  5,163

  Deer

  493

  Poultry

  2,392,240

  Source:

  June 2003 Agricultural Census

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms there are in Cumbria [169095]

  Alun Michael
  The number of registered agricultural holdings in Cumbria was 7,969 at the 19 April 2004.

  The number of holdings in Cumbria as at the June 2003 Census was 7,849.

  Source:

  Farm Survey System 19/4/04, June Agricultural Census 2003.

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether Cumbrian farmers will be subject to different cross-compliance measures from Scottish farmers. [169097]

  Alun Michael
  Agriculture is a devolved matter, allowing the Scottish Executive to tailor policies where appropriate and permitted under the relevant regulations.

  Currently there are public consultations on possible cross-compliance measures in England and Scotland. Officials continue to work closely in the design and implementation of CAP reform policies, including cross-compliance, to develop complementary measures wherever possible.

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether farmers in severely disadvantaged areas in Cumbria will be subject to different cross-compliance measures from farmers not in severely disadvantaged areas in Cumbria. [169098]

  Alun Michael
  Defra launched its consultation on proposed and possible measures for implementation of cross-compliance in England on 29 March 2004. Final decisions on cross-compliance will be taken after careful consideration of responses.

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average difference in payments between 2005 and 2013 will be for farmers(a) in severely disadvantaged areas, (b) not in severely disadvantaged areas and (c) in Scotland. [169099]
  1495W
  Alun Michael
  Under the flat-rate system for allocating Single Farm Payment entitlement in England, the mean payment rate within each region will be similar between 2005 and 2013 even though individual payment rates will change during this transition. In Scotland, under the historic approach, both the mean and individual payment rates will change little over time. In both countries, however, some variation may arise from year to year due to movements in the prevailing exchange rate used to convert from euros and different rates of deduction for the national reserve, modulation and financial discipline.

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what effect the lower rate severely disadvantaged areas allowance will have on numbers of livestock in Cumbria. [169101]

  Alun Michael
  From 2005 decoupling will break the link between subsidy and production in the UK and cause farmers to reassess their farming operation and production decisions. Decoupling is not affected by the method chosen for allocating entitlement to the Single Farm Payment. The impact of decoupling on production patterns and livestock numbers is very difficult to assess. There are several studies on the Defra website that examine this at the UK level but there are no assessments by county.

  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what differences in cross-compliance requirements will exist between farms in different regions in England; [168034]

  (2) what differences in cross-compliance requirements will exist between farms in severely disadvantaged areas and non-severely disadvantaged areas. [168035]

  Alun Michael
  Defra launched its consultation on proposed and possible measures for implementation of cross compliance in England on 29 March 2004. Decisions on cross compliance will not be determined until all responses have been considered carefully.

  Fisheries
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has responded to the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit recommendation that she should designate the sea bass stock for recreational use; and if she will make a statement. [165929]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  "Net Benefits", the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report giving recommendations for a sustainable and profitable future for UK fishing, was published on 25 March. These recommendations are presented as the basis for Her Majesty's Government, the Devolved Administrations, the fishing industry and all other stakeholders to determine future action. In response, the Fisheries Departments in the UK will engage intensively with stakeholders to develop by the end of 2004 an action plan for change and a timetable for its delivery. Defra has set up a dedicated team to 1496W
  advance this work. The need to balance the needs of the recreational and commercial sectors is one of the many important issues that were identified in the report and will be covered.

  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many UK fishing vessels will be required to use pingers in gillnet fisheries in areas IV and VII under the provisions of the new Regulation agreed at the Fisheries Council on 22 and 23 March, on the basis of current fishing effort; [168244]

  (2) what proportion of UK fishing effort will be exempt from the pinger requirement on the basis of the exclusion of vessels smaller than 12 metres under the provisions of the new Regulation agreed at the Fisheries Council on 22 and 23 March. [168246]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The new Council Regulation to address cetacean bycatch will require pinger usage on vessels of 12 metres and over in ICES divisions VIId, e,f,g,h and j when using bottom-set gillnets or entangling nets. In ICES Area IV and division IIIa, the pinger requirement will apply to vessels of 12 metres and over using bottom set gillnets or entangling nets where the combination of net lengths used does not exceed 400 metres or where the mesh size used is greater than or equal to 220mm. The data are not available to isolate definitively the number of vessels falling into the latter categories; it is only possible to identify the total number of vessels of 12 metres and over using bottom set gillnets and entangling nets in the areas concerned. On this basis, and using 2003 fishing data, the number of UK vessels required to use pingers would be 63.

  Bearing in mind the same caveats, the proportion of UK fishing effort (i.e. days at sea) using bottom set-nets and entangling nets exempt from the pinger requirement would be approximately 80 per cent. It should be noted, however, that this calculation does not take account of the length of net deployed by those covered by the pinger requirements which is a significant factor affecting bycatch rates.

  Hops
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what definition her Department uses of(a) hedgerow hops and (b) standard hops under the new single payment regime. [168147]

  Alun Michael
  For the purposes of the Single Payment, no distinction is drawn between different types of hops.

  Orchards
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what definition her Department uses of an orchard; [168145]

  (2) at what tree density her Department defines woodland as an orchard. [168146]

  Alun Michael
  There is no general definition of an orchard. Under present arrangements, densities above
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  50 trees per hectare have been regarded as ineligible for the purposes of claiming CAP subsidies and this is likely to continue in respect of the Single Payment.

  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government will take to protect old varieties of apples if traditional orchards do not qualify for half subsidy. [168149]

  Alun Michael
  Old varieties of apple are protected in the National Fruit Collection and the conservation of traditional orchards is funded through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.

  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which EU member states subsidise orchards. [168150]

  Alun Michael
  There is no provision within the Common Agriculture Policy for subsidies to orchards. However, member states may, in certain circumstances, allow the forage area within grazed orchards to be used in support of a Single Payment Scheme claim and make payments under rural development and conservation measures.

  Rats
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government are taking to control the rat population. [169892]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 puts the responsibility for the enforcement and monitoring of rodent control with local authorities. Water companies, like other owners and occupiers of land, have a duty of carrying out the necessary control measures when ordered to do so by local authorities.

  Should local authorities fail to discharge their responsibilities under the 1949 Act, Defra has certain default powers to initiate action, and has oversight of the water companies who undertake control of infestations in sewers and water supplies. The Department of Health is responsible for advising on the health aspects of infestations. Our Departments liaise closely to ensure co-ordinated Government action is taken as necessary.

  The Government take this matter seriously. Defra, along with the Department of Health, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Local Government Association (representing the local authorities), Water UK (representing the water companies), Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and Central Science Laboratory, participate in the National Working Group on Rats in Sewers. The aim of the group is the development of an ongoing co-ordinated rodent control strategy.

  Defra is also undertaking a research and development programme, to develop or encourage the development of cost-effective, humane and environmentally acceptable methods of managing rat populations. This is due to be completed in March 2007. The Department also monitors the level of commensal rodent presence through the English House Condition Surveys, undertaken by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
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  This is the only large-scale random survey of commensal rodent presence.

  A rat control technical advice leaflet and a range of others on similar topics are available from the mammal and bird licensing and advice pages of the Defra website (these are located at: www.defra.gov.uk/wildlifecountryside/vertebrates) and from Defra's National Wildlife Management Team.

  Tenancy Reform
  Mr. Drew
  Te ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on recent discussions with the Association of Chief Estates Surveyors and Property Managers in Local Government, with specific reference to tenancy reform and estate disposal and restructuring. [169741]

  Alun Michael
  As part of the Government response to the report of the Tenancy Reform Industry Group, my noble Friend the Lord Whitty met representatives of the Association of Chief Estate Surveyors and Property Managers in local government on 7 April together with representatives from the Local Government Association and farming organisations, to discuss county farms.

  The Government value the contribution that the county farm system makes to the tenanted farming sector and the opportunities it provides for new entrants to pursue a career in agriculture. The Government share the concerns of the Tenancy Reform Industry Group about the potential adverse impact that continuing sales of statutory smallholdings might have in the longer term.

  The meeting of 7 April discussed a number of issues stemming from the report of the Tenancy Reform Industry Group. This included the regulatory framework under which local authorities provide for statutory smallholdings and the way in which local authorities manage their county farm estates. The meeting also considered the way forward for county farms and how best to maintain a modern and efficient service for the future.

  Veal Crates
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has made to the European Commission on the use and regulation of veal crates; and if she will make a statement. [169748]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  We have not made any recent representations on veal crates. In the UK there has been a unilateral ban on the use of close-confinement veal crate systems since 1990. The EU banned new veal crate systems from 1994. Systems existing before that date were granted a transitional period that permitted their use until 2006. From 2006 all such systems will be banned throughout the EU.

TREASURY

  National Statistics
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many suicides were recorded in the UK in each of the last 10 years for(a) children and (b) adults. [169895]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 5 May 2004:

  The most recently available information is for 2002. In routine statistics, ONS defines suicides as deaths from suicide and deaths from "injury undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted". In adults it is likely that most of these latter deaths are cases where the harm is self-inflicted but there was insufficient evidence to prove that the deceased deliberately intended to kill themselves so the Coroner returns an open verdict. This may not be the case in children, however, where open verdicts may not relate to self-inflicted injury. Therefore, figures for suicide and injury undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted are given separately in the attached table for the calendar years 1993 to 2002.

  Note that, for this purpose, children have been classified as persons aged under 15, with adults aged 15 and over. This is to achieve consistency with previous published analysis.1

  1Brock A and Griffiths C. Trends in suicide by method in England and Wales, 1979 to 2001. Health Statistics Quarterly 20 (2003), 7–18.

  Number of deaths from suicide1and injury undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted,2in (a) children3and (b) adults4—United Kingdom, 1993 to 20025

  Children3

  Adults4

  Calendar year

  Suicide1

  Undetermined injury2

  Suicide1

  Undetermined injury2

  1993

  14

  36

  4,449

  1,815

  1994

  13

  26

  4,368

  1,722

  1995

  10

  22

  4,305

  1,802

  1996

  6

  25

  4,160

  1,691

  1997

  7

  28

  4,136

  1,822

  1998

  6

  19

  4,383

  1,774

  1999

  5

  17

  4,443

  1,751

  Total number of conceptions, and number terminated by abortion, by month of conception for women of all ages England and Wales, 1997 to 2001.

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Month of conception

  Total conceptions

  Conceptions terminated by abortion

  Total conceptions

  Conceptions terminated by abortion

  Total conceptions

  Conceptions terminated by abortion

  January

  68,474

  15,090

  70,830

  15,996

  66,243

  14,756

  February

  59,661

  12,703

  60,239

  13,597

  58,867

  13,142

  March

  65,927

  13,651

  65,469

  14,302

  66,405

  14,853

  April

  64,721

  14,318

  63,996

  14,997

  63,504

  14,813

  May

  68,598

  15,204

  66,065

  14,974

  63,658

  14,400

  June

  65,226

  13,617

  65,889

  14,755

  63,287

  14,572

  July

  67,517

  14,127

  67,162

  15,069

  65,316

  14,596

  August

  66,731

  13,543

  66,897

  14,261

  64,831

  14,003

  1500W

  Number of deaths from suicide1and injury undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted,2in (a) children3and (b) adults4—United Kingdom, 1993 to 20025

  Children3

  Adults4

  Calender year

  Suicide1

  Undertermined injury2

  Suicide1

  Undertermined injury2

  2000

  9

  21

  4,282

  1,673

  2001

  7

  12

  4,006

  1,725

  2002

  8

  16

  4,059

  1,664

  1Deaths with a verdict of suicide were defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes E950–E959 for the years 1993 to 2000 for England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and for 1993 to 1999 for Scotland, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60–X84 for the years 2001 and 2002 for England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and for 2000 to 2002 for Scotland (which also includes Y87.0).

  2Deaths with a verdict of injury undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted were defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes E980–E989 for the years 1993 to 1999 for Scotland and for the years 1993 to 2000 for Northern Ireland, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes Y10-Y34 for the years 2000 to 2002 for Scotland (which also includes Y87.2), and the years 2001 to 2002 for Northern Ireland. Data for England and Wales were defined using ICD-9 E980–E989 excluding E988.8 and ICD-10 Y10–Y34 excluding Y33.9 where the Coroner's verdict was pending.

  3Children were classified as persons aged under 15 to be consistent with previous analysis.6

  4Adults were classified as persons aged 15 and over to be consistent with previous analysis.6

  5Data for England and Wales are for deaths occurring per calendar year. Data for Scotland and Northern Ireland are for deaths registered per calendar year.

  6Brock A and Griffiths C. Trends in suicide by method in England and Wales, 1979 to 2001. Health Statistics Quarterly 20 (2003), 7–18.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many conceptions resulted in termination in each year since 1997, broken down by month; and if he will make a statement. [170092]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Amess, dated 5 May 2004:

  The most recent year for which figures are available is 2001.

  The total number of monthly conceptions and conceptions terminated by abortion for women of all ages, in England and Wales, 1997 to 2001 are given in the attached table.
  1501W

  Total number of conceptions, and number terminated by abortion, by month of conception for women of all ages England and Wales, 1997 to 2001.

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Month of conception

  Total conceptions

  Conceptions terminated by abortion

  Total conceptions

  Conceptions terminated by abortion

  Total conceptions

  Conceptions terminated by abortion

  September

  64,943

  13,250

  66,692

  14,223

  63,865

  14,278

  October

  70,393

  14,971

  69,075

  15,106

  65,797

  14,566

  November

  66,952

  14,016

  65,145

  14,007

  65,106

  14,343

  December

  71,218

  16,011

  69,520

  16,094

  67,085

  16,267

  Total

  800,361

  170,501

  796,979

  177,381

  773,964

  174,589

  2000

  20011

  Month of conception

  Total conceptions

  Conceptions terminated by abortion

  Total conceptions

  Conceptions terminated by abortion

  January

  66,116

  15,183

  67,873

  15,794

  February

  61,406

  13,927

  58,089

  13,665

  March

  65,566

  15,157

  63,188

  14,867

  April

  61,101

  13,991

  59,642

  14,067

  May

  64,791

  15,181

  65,256

  15,773

  June

  62,811

  14,606

  62,501

  14,835

  July

  61,893

  13,617

  62,104

  13,831

  August

  65,458

  14,308

  65,339

  15,067

  September

  62,641

  13,918

  61,812

  13,763

  October

  65,011

  14,431

  66,363

  15,031

  November

  64,044

  14,704

  64,595

  14,840

  December

  66,117

  15,339

  66,669

  15,302

  Total

  766,955

  174,362

  763,431

  176,835

  1Provisional.

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics.

  Child Tax Credit
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in the Huntingdon constituency are in receipt of child tax credit. [170849]

  Ruth Kelly
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Burton (Mrs. Dean) on 15 March 2004, Official Report, column 98W.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Oldham West and Royton have received child tax credit. [170900]

  Ruth Kelly
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Burton (Mrs. Dean) on 15 March 2004,Official Report, column 98W.

  Citizen Information Project
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress on(a) the Citizen Information Project and (b) the objectives of the UK Population Register. [170336]

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

  Letter from Dennis Roberts to Mr. Nick Gibb, dated 5 May 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on progress on the Citizen Information Project and the objectives of the UK Population Register. I am replying in his absence. (170336)

  The objective of the Citizen Information Project (CIP) is to put in place a common government infrastructure to enable the sharing of basic contact information (name, address, date and place of birth, sex, date of death (where relevant)) about citizens.
  1502W
  This should lead to improved accuracy of the information held, more effective and efficient delivery of public services, and greater convenience and empowerment for citizens across the lifetime of their dealings with the state. It should also improve the base of statistical information underpinning the development and implementation of government policy.

  CIP is being managed by the General Register Office, part of the Office for National Statistics. It is being taken forward as a staged project, subject to regular Ministerial review. A feasibility study was completed in 2003, and approval to proceed to the next stage of work (project definition) was announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 6 January 2004. In the project definition phase we will explore a range of options for delivering the project's aims, taking account of ongoing developments in related areas of work, including in particular the Identity Cards programme being led by the Home Office.

  Departmental Procurement
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the(a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by his Department over the last five years is of British manufacture. [170810]

  Ruth Kelly
  The Treasury's catering service has been contracted out for several years and the cutlery, crockery and glassware used in providing that service has been procured by the suppliers of that service.

  Employment
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many job vacancies there were in the Huntingdon constituency in(a) 1997 and (b) 2003. [170855]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jonathan Djanogly, dated 5 May 2004:

  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about job vacancies in Huntingdon parliamentary constituency.

  According to Jobcentre Plus administrative records the number of unfilled vacancies in the Huntingdon travel-to-work area was 866 on average during 1997. This represents only a proportion of all the vacancies available, as not all vacancies are notified to Jobcentres.

  Jobcentre vacancy statistics were withdrawn from National Statistics in September 2001 as a result of distortions to the data, which occurred following the introduction of new administrative procedures by Jobcentre Plus. Comparable figures for vacancies in 2003 are therefore unavailable.
  1503W
  Results from the ONS Vacancy Survey were released as National Statistics from July 2003, but are not available for local areas.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the(a) change and (b) percentage change was in full-time permanent jobs in Wirral, South from 1997 to 31 December 2003; [170302]

  (2) how many new jobs have been created in Wirral, South since 1997. [170303]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Ben Chapman, dated 5 May 2004:

  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about full-time jobs and jobs created in Wirral South. (170302, 170303)

  While statistics of new jobs created are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes, in numbers of jobs, from year to year.

  The following table shows the information requested, relating to all jobs and full-time jobs, in Wirral South, for 1997 and the latest year available, 2002. No information is available about whether the jobs were permanent.

  Number of full-time employees and total number of employees1in Wirral South parliamentary constituency: 1997 and 2002

  Number, percentage

  Number of employees

  Full-time

  Total

  1997

  16,000

  22,700

  2002

  16,500

  23,800

  Change from 1997 to 2002

  Absolute

  500

  1,100

  Percentage

  3.0

  4.9

  1Employee jobs only, not self-employed jobs.

  Source:

  1997; Annual Employment Survey, resealed 2002; Annual Business Inquiry (ABI).

  Gift Aid
  John Barrett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 23 April 2004,Official Report, column 686W, on gift aid, what assessment he has made of the effect of the abolition of gift aid claims on day memberships on donations to charities. [170046]

  John Healey
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 30 March 2004,Official Report, column 1351 W, and 23 April 2004, Official Report, column 686W, and the answer my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave him on 4 March 2004, Official Report, column 1042.

  In last year's pre-Budget report, the Chancellor announced changes to the Gift Aid rules which aim to maintain the principles of Gift Aid as a scheme designed to encourage donations to charity.

  The Inland Revenue is consulting closely with affected charities in the heritage and conservation sectors on how this may best be achieved, and to ensure that there are no unintended side-effects.
  1504W
  These so-called "Day Membership" schemes do not generate additional donations, but merely reclassify admission fees as donations on which Gift Aid is then claimed. The changes are therefore not expected to reduce the total amount received from individuals by these charities in donations and admission fees, although the gift aid tax relief from the Government would no longer be claimable.

  Household Debt/Income
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the average(a) household debt per annum and (b) household monthly income in each year since 1997 in Greater London, broken down by borough. [170494]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Simon Hughes, dated 5 May 2004:

  As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on average household debt per annum, and average household monthly income for the boroughs of Greater London. (170494)

  The Office for National Statistics does not compile estimates of household debt below the UK level. Similarly estimates of quarterly household income are only available at the UK level. No estimates of monthly income are compiled.

  ONS has published gross disposable household income (GDHI) at current prices at the NUTS1,2 and 3 sub-national geographies. An explanation of how boroughs fit into these geographies is provided in the attached annex. These estimates were last published on 26 March 2002 and are presented in the table below. This data set runs from 1995 to 1999 and is consistent with the 2001 National Accounts. The estimates are available at. http:// www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/article.asp?ID=128&Pos=2&Col Rank=l&Rank=224

  Gross disposable household income per year NUTS1 and NUTS2 areas in London, 1997–99

  £ per head

  Area

  1997

  1998

  1999

  London

  11,485

  11,811

  12,207

  Inner London

  12,089

  12,363

  12,935

  Outer London

  11,110

  11,467

  11,748

  At the NUTS3 geographic level, data was only of sufficient quality for ONS to publish estimates of household income on a three year average basis. These are presented as indices relative to the UK average.

  Index1of gross disposable household income (GDHI) per year NUTS 1, NUTS2 and NUTS3 areas in London, 1997–99

  £ per capita (average over whole period)

  Area

  GDHI Index

  London

  121

  Inner London

  127

  Inner London—East

  106

  Inner London—West

  164

  Outer London

  117

  Outer London—East and North East

  112

  Outer London—South

  120

  Outer London—West and North West

  119

  1Index value is 100 for the UK as a whole.

  1505W

  Annex

  NUTS-3

  LAU 1 level/Boroughs

  Inner London—West

  Camden, City of London, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Wandsworth, Westminster.

  Inner London—East

  Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Lambeth, Newham, Southwark, Lewisham, Tower Hamlets.

  Outer London—East and North East

  Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Enfield, Greenwich, Havering, Redbridge, Waltham Forest.

  Outer London—South

  Bromley, Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Sutton.

  Outer London—West and North West

  Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Richmond upon Thames.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in Wirral, South qualified for the 10p rate of income tax in each year since its introduction.[170275]

  Ruth Kelly
  All income taxpayers benefit from the 10p starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes estimates there were around 10,000 state retirement pension age taxpayers in the Wirral South constituency in 2000–01 and 2001–02. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.

  IT Equipment (Tax Exemption)
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in the Huntingdon constituency have benefited from 100 per cent. tax exemption for the purchase of computer and internet equipment. [170843]

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Oldham West and Royton have benefited from the 100 per cent. tax exemption for the purchase of computer and internet equipment. [170901]

  Ruth Kelly
  We regret that the information is not available to estimate the number of businesses in a given constituency which have benefited from the 100 per cent. first year capital allowances for the purchase of information and communication equipment.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Wirral, South have benefited from the 100 per cent. tax exemption for the purchase of computer and internet equipment. [170301]

  Ruth Kelly
  The information requested is not available.

  Job Creation (Huntingdon)
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many jobs have been created in the Huntingdon constituency since 1997; [170850]
  1506W
  (2) What the (a) change and (b) percentage change was in full-time permanent jobs in the Huntingdon constituency from 1997 to 31 December 2003. [170851]

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

  Letter from Dennis Roberts to Mr. Jonathan Djanogly, dated 5 May 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about full-time jobs and jobs created in Huntingdon. I am replying in his absence.

  While statistics of jobs created are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes, in numbers of jobs, from year to year.

  The attached table shows the information requested, relating to all jobs and full-time jobs, in Huntingdon, for 1997 and the latest year available, 2002. No information is available about whether the jobs were permanent.

  Number of full-time employees and total number of employees1in Huntingdon parliamentary constituency: 1997 and 2002

  Full-time

  Total

  Number of employees

  1997

  36,900

  50,000

  2002

  36,900

  52,500

  Change from 1997 to 2002

  Absolute

  0

  2,500

  Percentage

  0.0

  5.0

  1Employee jobs only not self-employed jobs.

  Source:

  1997; Annual Employment Survey, rescaled 2002; Annual Business Inquiry (ABI).

  Ministerial Meetings
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list(a) the official meetings he has had with the Mayor of London since July 2000 and (b) the dates and subject of each meeting. [170570]

  Ruth Kelly
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: The Chancellor has had no official meetings with the Mayor since July 2000.

  Mr. B. Bentley (Child Benefit)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long it took to finalise the claim for child benefit submitted by Mr. B. Bentley of Quigley Street, Birkenhead; and if he will make a statement on his policy of transferring child benefit to grandparents when they become the main carer of the child. [170656]

  Ruth Kelly
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: The Inland Revenue is statutorily debarred from disclosing information relating to the affairs of individuals. Exemption 15 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information applies.

  The rules governing the transfer of child benefit from one person to an other are contained in the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992. Where a

  1507W
  child's parent voluntarily relinquishes entitlement to child benefit in favour of the child's grandparent, the grandparent will be entitled from the day following the last day the benefit was paid to the parent.

  National Minimum Wage
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many young people aged 16 or 17 he expects will be entitled to the national minimum wage in(a) Greater London, (b) each London borough and (c) the United Kingdom in 2004–05. [170495]

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

  Letter from Dennis Roberts to Mr. Simon Hughes, dated 5 May 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about national minimum wage. I am replying in his absence. (170495)

  Information about entitlement to the national minimum wage is not available. However, estimates for the number of employees aged 16 and 17 from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) provide an upper limit for the number of people emitted to the national minimum wage.

  The table below gives estimates of the number of employees aged 16 and 17 in the United Kingdom and in Greater London for the three month period ending February 2004. They include a small, but not measured, number of people enrolled on apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship schemes who are not entitled to the minimum wage.

  Ordinary written questions tabled

  Answered within a working week1

  Names day questions tabled

  Answered on the nominated day

  2002–03

  November 2002

  203

  158

  67

  54

  December 2002

  168

  138

  108

  73

  January 2003

  476

  360

  62

  45

  February 2003

  295

  210

  58

  47

  March 2003

  442

  363

  43

  31

  April 2003

  277

  176

  52

  29

  May 2003

  298

  246

  37

  24

  June 2003

  340

  248

  58

  35

  July 2003

  253

  164

  31

  20

  August 2003

  0

  0

  0

  0

  September 2003

  181

  139

  39

  30

  October 2003

  253

  205

  40

  32

  November 2003

  160

  143

  25

  18

  Total

  3,346

  2,550

  620

  438

  2003–04

  November 2003

  53

  50

  7

  7

  December 2003

  245

  205

  60

  52

  January 2004

  304

  253

  43

  27

  February 2004

  252

  201

  46

  37

  March 2004

  346

  267

  102

  55

  April 2004

  139

  102

  19

  10

  Total

  1,339

  1,078

  277

  188

  1The Treasury's database records whether ordinary written questions are answered within a working week rather than five sitting days. Which can be several days longer.

  John Thurso
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to question 163123 tabled on 18 March, on meetings with the Chairman of the Strategic Rail Authority. [170870]

  Mr. Boateng
  I did so on 28 April 2004,Official Report, column 1114W.
  1508W

  Number of employees aged 16 and 17 in the United Kingdom and in Greater London

  Three month period ending February 2004 Employees aged:

  Area

  16 and 17

  16

  17

  United Kingdom

  602,000

  227,000

  375,000

  Greater London

  34,000

  11,000

  23,000

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics

  As with any statistical sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability and the sample size is too small to provide comparable estimates for London Boroughs with any reliability.

  Parliamentary Questions
  John Thurso
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many(a) Ordinary Written and (b) Named Day Questions his Department received in (i) the 2002–03 and (ii) this parliamentary session up to the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by month; [170764]

  (2) what proportion of (a) Ordinary Written Questions to his Department were answered within five sitting days of tabling and (b) Questions for a Named Day received a substantive answer on that day in (i) 2002–03 and (ii) this parliamentary session up to the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by month. [170765]

  John Healey
  The information is given in the following table:

  Pensions
  Mr. George Osborne
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the Exchequer would be under its proposed reform of pension taxation of imposing no lifetime saving allowance on pension savings in 2006–07 and each of the subsequent three years. [170235]
  1509W
  Ruth Kelly
  There would be a cost attached to having no lifetime allowance under the proposed simplified pension regime. The size of this cost depends upon behavioural effects and any estimate of cost would inevitably be very broad-brush. However, given the potential additional pension savings from those in the top 1 per cent. of the earnings distribution, the cost to the Exchequer could be up to several hundred million pounds over this period.

  Public Spending
  John Mann
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he expects to meet his target of having achieved a modest surplus across the current economic cycle ending in fiscal year 2005–06. [171292]

  Ruth Kelly
  The UK public finances are underpinned by two fiscal rules: the sustainable investment rule and the golden rule. The golden rule states that over the economic cycle, the Government will borrow only to invest and not to fund current spending. Progress against the rule is measured by the average annual surplus on the current budget measured as a ratio to GDP over the economic cycle.

  The average surplus on the current budget between 1999–2000, which is the Government's provisional judgment of the start of the current cycle, and 2005–06 when the Government project the economy will return to trend, as stated in the Budget 2004 (HC 301), table 2.6 page 34, is 0.1 per cent. of GDP. On this basis, the Government are on track to meet the golden rule.

  Small Businesses (Shrewsbury)
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many small businesses re-registered for VAT in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997; [170636]

  (2) how many new VAT registrations of small companies there were in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997. [170637]

  John Healey
  Statistics published by the Small Business Service for total VAT registrations for the Shrewsbury and Atcham area from 1997 are shown in the following table:

  New registrations

  Total registrations1

  1997

  270

  2,975

  1998

  270

  3,015

  1999

  250

  3,050

  2000

  270

  3,070

  2001

  265

  3,090

  2002

  290

  3,130

  2003

  n/a

  3,185

  1Start of year.

  However, total VAT registration data do not capture all business start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to register if they fall below the compulsory VAT registration threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. There were only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises registered for VAT at the start of 2002.
  1510W

  Tourism (Wirral)
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed in tourism-related jobs in Wirral, South on the latest date for which figures are available. [170304]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Ben Chapman, dated 5 May 2004:

  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about tourism-related jobs in Wirral South. (170304)

  The latest available data, from the 2002 Annual Business Inquiry, shows that the total number of jobs in tourism related industries in Wirral South was 2,100. This total is obtained by combining figures for those working in the following industries, as identified by Standard Industrial Classification 2003:

  hotels

  restaurants

  bars

  activities of travel agencies

  library, archives museums etc

  sporting activities

  other recreational activities.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of unemployment was in each year since 1997 in Wirral, South. [170276]

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

  Letter from Dennis Roberts to Ben Chapman, dated 5 May 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in his absence. (170276)

  The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions. However, the LFS sample size is too small to give reliable estimates of unemployment in the Wirral South Constituency.

  ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for local areas including parliamentary constituencies.

  The table below gives the annual average number of JSA claimants for the Wirral South constituency for each year since 1997.

  Annual average number of JSA claimants Wirral South constituency, 1997–2004

  Number of claimants

  1997

  1,860

  1998

  1,433

  1999

  1,335

  2000

  1,229

  2001

  1,008

  2002

  923

  2003

  848

  1511W
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the unemployment figures were in the constituency of Edmonton for(a) 1991–92, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2003. [169302]

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

  Letter from Dennis Roberts to Mr. Andrew Love, dated 5 May 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in his absence. (169302)

  The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions. However, the LFS sample size is too small to give reliable estimates of unemployment in the Edmonton Parliamentary Constituency.

  ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for local areas including parliamentary constituencies.

  The table below gives the annual average number of JSA claimants for the Edmonton constituency for the years 1991, 1992 and 2001 to 2003.

  Annual average number of JSA claimants, Edmonton constituency, years as shown

  Number of claimants

  1991

  4,118

  1992

  5,468

  2001

  2,284

  2002

  2,185

  2003

  2,301

TRANSPORT

  Buses
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will allocate additional funds to local authorities to introduce free bus travel for(a) those of pensionable age and (b) those with disabilities; [169786]

  (2) if he will allocate additional funds to local authorities to enable subsidised fares for (a) those of pensionable age and (b) those with disabilities to be made available at all times. [169787]

  Mr. McNulty
  We have no plans to allocate additional funds to local authorities to introduce free bus travel, or to extend subsidised fares, for pensioners and disabled people to all times.

  The current statutory minimum requirement for concessionary travel in England introduced in 2001 ensures half fares for pensioners and disabled people on local buses for journeys made after 9 30 am. From April 2003, we extended concessionary travel schemes to men aged 60 to 64, bringing them into line with women of the same age. We provided funding to Focal authorities to cover the additional costs of implementing these initiatives. Local authorities may make more generous provision, including free travel on buses and trains, or for concessionary travel at all times, at their discretion in the light of their own financial priorities and local circumstances. Also, from May 2003, we have provided
  1512W
  additional funding to enable half-fares to be made available on many scheduled long-distance coach services for people aged 60 years and over and for disabled people.

  Off-shore Wind Farms
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the extent of interference with maritime navigational instruments from wind farms placed in UK territorial waters. [168262]

  Mr. Darling
  The Government will examine the extent of interference with maritime navigational instruments caused by wind farms. We will want to draw on international experience, for instance in Denmark, and also learn as much as possible from our own installations. We will use the offshore wind farm at North Hoyle as a test facility to provide input into the study. We intend to begin work as soon as possible so that the results are known before any consents to build wind farms under the second round of offshore development.

  Piracy
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to issue an advice leaflet to the crews of British flagged ships concerning how best to defend themselves against piracy. [170055]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Detailed guidance already exists in the form of Marine Guidance Note MGN 241 (M)—(Measures to Counter Piracy, Armed Robbery and other acts of Violence against Merchant Shipping), published in November 2002 and issued to over 16,000 UK mariners. There are no immediate plans to re-issue the guidance but this is being kept under review.

  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he has taken to help British flagged ships that sail(a) near Malaysia and (b) through the Straits of Malacca defend themselves against piracy. [170056]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I refer the hon. Member to my earlier answer given today (ref 170055). The Department for Transport has issued comprehensive guidance to UK mariners regarding the measures that UK flagged vessels should take to defend against acts of piracy while passing through the Malacca Straits. Additionally, the DfT will be represented at the International Maritime Bureau's (IMB) Piracy conference being held in Kuala Lumpur at the end of June. We will be highlighting and making a persuasive case for a more robust and coordinated international effort to crack down on piracy in the world's main hotspots such as the Straits of Malacca.

  All British flagged ships are required under the new International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code to appoint a Ship Security Officer (SSO) and submit a Ship Security Plan (SSP) to the DfT. Officials examine these plans and verify them on board prior to issuing the International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC), if appropriate. SSPs and vessels have to meet UK security standards and the plans contain many elements of good security practice, which help SSOs ensure ships are adequately protected.
  1513W
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of piracy were reported as having taken place against British vessels in 2003. [170063]

  Mr. Jamieson
  There were 17 incidents of piracy reported by the IMB against British vessels in 2003. This figure includes incidents against vessels flagged in UK and its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.

  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of piracy were discovered at UK seaports by(a) UK border controls and (b) the Royal Navy in 2003. [170064]

  Mr. Jamieson
  There were no incidents of piracy discovered at UK seaports in 2003 by either UK border controls or the Royal Navy. There were also no piracy related incident reports for the UK, and the IMB annual report confirms that no such incidents were recorded for 2003.

DEFENCE

  Accommodation
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to his answer of 1 April 2004,Official Report, column 1604W, on accommodation costs, what the housing needs of the Service personnel living in private rented accommodation are; [169472]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 1 April 2004, Official Report, column 1604W, on accommodation costs, what plans he has to provide sufficient service accommodation in the Greater Portsmouth area to obviate the need for service personnel to rent in the private sector. [169444]

  Mr. Caplin
  All families housed in Substitute Service Family Accommodation (SSFA) in the Portsmouth area at present are in need of 4-bedroomed houses. Two PFI projects will provide a total of 148 x 4-bedroomed houses at the former HMS Daedalus site in Gosport, which should eliminate the need for privately rented accommodation, even allowing for an expected increase in Portsmouth-based personnel. The new properties are scheduled to be constructed within about 18 months.

  In addition, there is currently a need for Substitute Single Service Accommodation in Portsmouth, for personnel temporarily displaced by Project EMMA, a major project replacing 1960s tower blocks with new accommodation, projected to provide a suitable level of accommodation for many years to come. A Portsmouth Single Living Accommodation Study is on-going, designed to assess the single accommodation need in the Portsmouth area and ensure that best use is made of existing accommodation.

  Aircraft Carriers
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the benefits of full-sized aircraft carriers. [161245]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Strategic Defence Review concluded that the current Invincible class carriers should be replaced by two larger, more versatile, aircraft carriers capable of carrying a more powerful embarked air 1514W
  component. The carriers would have broad utility across a range of roles, consistent with the focus of maritime forces towards rapid deployment operations and wider power projection.

  Size is not, however, an end in itself and the Department has not sought to fix the dimensions of these new aircraft carriers during the Assessment Phase of the CVF project. Parameters such as the ships size will instead reflect the design needed to meet the level of capability sought. It is to be expected that the design, and therefore size, 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.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the BAE Systems and Thales partnership is still his preferred prime contractor for the aircraft carrier programme; what alternatives are under consideration; when the appointment will be confirmed; and if he will make a statement. [166013]

  Mr. Ingram
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence Announced on 30 January 2003, the best means of delivering the carrier programme is via an alliance approach involving BAE Systems, Thales UK and the Ministry of Defence.

  The alliance approach remains the best way to deliver the programme within the time and cost parameters, and we continue to engage in discussions on the alliancing strategy to determine roles and responsibilities. Ministers are currently considering proposals on the overall CVF programme, the alliance strategy, and on when to proceed to the Demonstration and Manufacture phases.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to ensure that(a) the entire value of future aircraft carriers will be spent in the UK and (b) in the event that overseas suppliers are necessary, 100 per cent. of the value of such contracts will be offset by purchases from the UK. [167641]

  Mr. Ingram
  It is intended that the Future Aircraft Carriers will be acquired in accordance with defence industrial policy and also to provide the armed forces with the equipment they require at the best value for money for the taxpayer. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 January 2003,Official Report, column 404W to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle).

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make it his policy to ensure that the final assembly and integration of modules of all future aircraft carriers will be at a UK shipyard; and if he will list the UK shipyards which have this capability; [167642]

  (2) if he will list those companies which he has assessed as having the capability to construct the principal modules which will make up future aircraft carriers. [167643]

  Mr. Ingram
  In accordance with Government policy for the construction of Royal Navy warships, the Future Aircraft Carriers will be built in UK shipyards. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 30 January 2003, a combination of four UK shipyards potentially offer the best way forward to build and
  1515W
  assemble the vessels: BAE Systems Naval Ships at Govan, Vosper Thornycroft at Portsmouth, Swan Hunter on Tyneside and Babcock BES at Rosyth. We have not, however, ruled out the involvement of other yards and facilities depending on the build strategy that is selected. Final decisions on the potential four shipyards and other manufacturing; facilities will be made based on achieving value for money while taking due cognisance of capability, capacity and resources across the UK shipbuilding industry

  Airfield Support Services Project
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which officials involved in he preparation of Fire Study 2000 have also been involved with(a) the preparation of the Public Sector Comparator and (b) the evaluation of bids for the Airfield Support Services Project. [167250]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Airfield Support Services Project (ASSP) is seeking to achieve the most viable and cost effective solution for the provision of airfield support and wider fire services without compromising operational effectiveness and/or safety. Separately, Fire Study 2000 (FS 2000) investigated the potential for improved delivery of Defence Fire Services (DFS). The results of this study have been used to inform the ASSP Public Sector Comparator (PSC).

  No official involved in the preparation of the FS 2000 report was a member of the ASSP PSC Working Group. Officials from the Defence Fire Service Headquarters did provide advice to the ASSP Team on what FS 2000 savings were appropriate to the ASSP and an official who was a member of the FS 2000 Project Team also provided subject matter advice for the technical evaluation of industry proposals.

  Armoured Mobility
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve armoured mobility for(a) the Army and (b) the Royal Marines; and if he will make a statement. [165384]

  Mr. Ingram
  There are a number of ongoing projects that improve the armoured mobility of the Army and Royal Marines.

  We have procured appliqué mine blast and ballistic protection kits for the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)) vehicles. We have also procured eight Supacat TEMPEST Mine Protected Vehicles (MPV) to deliver a Counter Mine Vehicle (CMV) capability. Both of these capabilities; are deployed on current operations.

  We are procuring 401 Future Command and Liaison Vehicle (FCLV) with an approved In Service Date (ISD) of November 2007 to provide protected tactical mobility for Combat, Combat Support and Combat Service Support Arms within the Army.

  There are three vehicle programmes that will significantly improve the capability of the Royal Engineers' armoured mobility. We are procuring 33 TITAN vehicles to deliver the Armoured Vehicle Launcher Bridge (AVLB) capability and 33 TROJAN vehicles to deliver the Armoured Vehicle Royal
  1516W
  Engineer (AVRE) heavy breaching capability; both have approved ISDs of December 2006. Additionally, we are procuring 65 TERRIER vehicles to deliver the Armoured Engineer Tractor (AET) capability with an approved ISD of December 2008.

  A preliminary assessment has been made of the options to meet the Armoured Battlegroup Support Vehicle (ABSV) requirement in our armoured units. We are also studying the concept of a Warrior Mid Life Improvement programme. No final decisions have yet been made on these programmes and the ISDs will not be set until they pass their main gates.

  We are currently completing the Concept Phase for the procurement of a family of network-enabled, medium-weight armoured vehicles to deliver the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) capability. The In-Service Date for FRES will not be endorsed until the main investment decision, but on current plans, the intention is to introduce early variants into service around the end of the decade.

  For the Royal Marines we are in the process of delivering 108 All Terrain Vehicle (Protected) VIKING vehicles, which includes Troop Carrying, Command and Repair and Recovery Vehicles.

  Asset Tracking
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made in acquiring an asset tracking system for the armed forces; and if he will make a statement. [165564]

  Mr. Ingram
  Asset tracking comprises a family of capabilities which allows visibility and management of inventory. Of these capabilities, Consignment Tracking and the Management of the Deployed Inventory were consistently identified as areas requiring attention from Lessons Identified from Operation Telic. After urgent investigation, we identified areas for investment and a number of recommendations to further improve the Ministry of Defence's consignment tracking capability, including that TAV (-) should be retained and formally supported. These recommendations are currently being considered.

  Additionally, two other projects which contribute to Asset Tracking, Management of the Joint Deployed Inventory (MJDI) and Management of Materiel in Transit (MMiT) have been initiated.

  Atomic Co-ordinating Offices
  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff are employed in the Atomic Coordinating Offices in London and Washington; and what their civil service grades are. [166579]

  Mr. Ingram
  There are three staff employed in the Atomic Control Office, London and five staff in the Atomic Co-ordinating Office, Washington as follows:Atomic Control Office London
  1 x Band D, 2 x Band E2.
  Atomic Co-ordinating Office Washington
  1 x B1, 1 x B2, 1 x Band D, 1 x El, 1 x Locally Employed Civilian.
  1517W
  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the annual running costs are of the Atomic Co-ordinating Offices in London and Washington; and out of which budget they are taken. [166580]

  Mr. Ingram
  The annual running costs of the Atomic Control Office, London and the Atomic Co-ordinating Office, Washington are some £70,000 and £400,000 respectively. The costs of the London office fall to the Chief Scientific Adviser's Top Level Budget (TLB); the costs of the Washington office fall to the Centre TLB.

  Defence Budgets
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the(a) defence procurement budget and (b) military research and development budget for each year from 1996–97 to 2005–06 (planned); and if he will make a statement. [156607]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Ministry of Defence's cash outturn on defence equipment procurement for 1996–97 to 2000–01 is published in the United Kingdom Defence Statistics 2001 and 2002.

  £ million

  Resource

  Capital

  Defence Procurement Agency (DPA)

  Major Customers' Research Budget(MCRB)

  Defence Procurement Agency

  Major Customers' Research Budget

  2001–02 outturn

  2,710

  414

  4,356

  0

  2002–03 (estimated outturn)1

  5,033

  417

  4,385

  1

  2003–04 (plans)

  1,968

  449

  4,617

  0

  2004–05 (plans)

  2,262

  454

  4,920

  0

  2005–06 (plans)

  2,221

  465

  5,656

  0

  1The figures up to 2002–03 have not been restated to reflect a change in the Treasury Discount Rate and are therefore not directly comparable to the plan years.

  The figures are presented differently in the Government's Expenditure Plans and Defence Statistics. The Government's Expenditure Plans define "procurement" expenditure as Defence Procurement Agency spending plus the Major Customers' Research Budget. The Major Customers' Research Budget represents money allocated for non-nuclear research, which forms part of the MOD's total net Research and Development expenditure. Defence Statistics shows total MOD net expenditure on Research and Development.

  Defence Fire Service
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed in the Defence Fire Service; and how many of these have indicated a willingness to become sponsored reserves in the event that the public sector comparator solution is selected for the Airfield Support Services Project. [167645]

  Mr. Ingram
  There are approximately 1,300 personnel based in the United Kingdom who are employed by the Defence Fire Service. A survey carried out in spring 2002 for Fire Study 2000, which has been used to inform the Public Sector Comparator for the Airfield Support Services Project, identified 420 fire fighters willing to become sponsored reserves.
  1518W
  Our cash outturn for research and development for 1996–97 is published in "UK Defence Statistics 2001". Outturn figures for 1997–98 to 2001–02 are in UK Defence Statistics 2003. R&D outturn for 2002–03, on the same basis, is published in the MOD "Annual Report and Accounts 2002–03". R&D plans for 2003–04 and 2004–05 are published in the "Office of Science and Technology Forward Look 2003". Figures are not yet available in this form for 2005–06.

  £ million

  Equipment procurement

  Total MOD Research and Development (R&D)1

  1996–97

  9,494

  2,144

  1997–98

  9,373

  2,314

  1998–99

  10,281

  2,140

  1999–2000

  10,094

  2,272

  2000–01

  10,408

  2,240

  2001–02

  —

  2,057

  2002–03

  —

  2,734

  2003–04

  —

  2,579

  2004–05

  —

  2,629

  1From 2000–01 these figures are calculated on a resource basis.

  Details of the MOD's "procurement" resource and capital outturn for the years 2001–02 to 2002–03 and plans from 2003–04 to 2005–06 are set out in The Government's Expenditure Plans for the MOD 2003–2004 to 2005–2006 (Cm 5912):

  Eurofighter Typhoon
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the position of each Eurofighter Typhoon partner in respect of when they will be ordering their Tranche II aircraft. [170108]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 30 April 2004]: It is not appropriate to comment on the position of our partner Eurofighter Typhoon nations in respect of their orders for Tranche II aircraft. The international arrangements for the project require that all four nations must agree the order before it can be placed on their behalf by the responsible NATO procurement agency.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his partners in the Eurofighter Typhoon Project about the UK being allocated the building of the 18 aircraft destined for Austria; and if he will make statement. [170109]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 30 April 2004]: The Secretary of State for Defence has had no discussions with partners in the Eurofighter Typhoon project about the United Kingdom being allocated the building of the 18 aircraft destine, for Austria. Austria has ordered 18 Typhoons from Eurofighter GmbH and the role of national contractors in their construction has yet to be decided.
  1519W

  France Campaign 1940
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to commemorate the 64th anniversary of the contribution made by the 51st Highland Division who were captured at St. Valery-en-Caux. [169918]

  Mr. Caplin
  The valour of the 51st (Highland) Division at St. Valery-en-Caux is legendary. It is, however, Government policy to sponsor commemorations only for Jubilees of the Sovereign's Accession and 50th and 60th anniversaries and centennials of events of the greatest national significance. Nevertheless it is open to the successor units of those which fought at St. Valery to organise their own commemorations if they wish.

  HMS Vanguard
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what safeguards will be in place for citizens of the Devonport area when the nuclear reactor of HMS Vanguard is fired up after her Long Overhaul Period (Refit). [166902]

  Mr. Ingram
  The nuclear reactor of HMS Vanguard is currently undergoing detailed inspection, revalidation and overhaul as part of the refit, and will be subject to rigorous testing prior to being operated. These measures are taken to ensure the safety of the reactor, and hence the safety of the workforce and members of the public. They are identical to those applied to all nuclear reactor systems towards the end of a refit where the submarine has been refuelled. All aspects of this work are subject to detailed safety justification and Devonport Management Limited (DML), as the nuclear site licensee, requires the prior approval of the UK's independent regulators, the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, for all nuclear operations at Devonport Royal Dockyard. In addition, authorisation to operate refuelled nuclear submarines requires the approval of the Ministry of Defence's internal regulator. In the highly unlikely event of a nuclear incident, Devonport is covered by a site emergency plan, which is jointly prepared by DML and MOD. There is also an off-site emergency plan for which Plymouth City council is responsible.

  Iraq
  Jeremy Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the number of unexploded cluster bombs and bomblets that remain in Iraq having been dropped by British military operations. [166415]

  Mr. Ingram
  To date, around 930,000 individual items of unexploded ordnance have been cleared from the Multi-National Division (South East) Area of Operations. This figure includes around 5,800 items of submunitions, however this category is not broken down further into type of submunition or county of origin. Therefore it is not possible to quantify the number of unexploded cluster bombs and bomblets that remain in Iraq having been dropped by British military operations.
  1520W
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department has implemented to(a) trace and (b) recover munitions containing depleted uranium used by British forces in Iraq. [166871]

  Mr. Ingram
  An initial survey of the region has been started to mark known sites for clearance. Surface lying depleted uranium (DU) fragments are being removed from the battlefield as they are discovered.

  The Ministry of Defence has provided the coordinates of targets attacked by British forces using DU ammunition to the United Nations Environment Programme which will assess DU levels as part of its post-conflict environmental survey of Iraq when the security situation allows.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that all investigations into alleged abuses by Coalition Forces in Iraq are conducted by a body that is(a) competent, (b) impartial and (c) independent. [166936]

  Mr. Ingram
  Formal investigations into alleged cases of misconduct by members of the UK Armed Forces are conducted by the Royal Military Police who are competent, impartial and, in exercising their constabulary powers, fully independent of the Army chain of command.

  Investigations into allegations against members of other Coalition partners' Armed Forces are a matter for them to comment on.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that the findings of all investigations into alleged abuses by United Kingdom forces in Iraq are made public. [166937]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 February 2004,Official Report, column 45W to the hon. Member for Carmarthen, East and Dinefwr (Mr. Price).

  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements exist for the sharing of information between United States military forces and(a) British forces and (b) the United Kingdom diplomatic representation to the Coalition Provisional Authority respectively, in respect of Iraqi civilians (i) killed and (ii) injured by military activities by US forces in Iraq. [167403]

  Mr. Ingram
  We liaise closely with all our partners in the International Coalition on a range of issues but casualties allegedly caused by other than UK Forces are a matter for the relevant partner nation to comment on.

  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what attempts have been made to ascertain the number of Iraqi civilians(a) killed and (b) injured by British forces in Iraq since 1 May 2003. [167421]

  Mr. Ingram
  UK units report all confirmed fatalities of which they are aware arising from incidents in which they were involved and we have put in place a mechanism for central collation of unit reports. However, it is not always possible to confirm whether fatalities or injuries have occurred during a particular incident. For example, in some incidents we believe Iraqi dead and/or injured may have been taken away by their compatriots before UK forces could investigate. In other incidents UK forces have been forced to withdraw
  1521W
  before any Iraqi fatalities and/or injuries could be confirmed. Consequently, we have no reliable means of assessing the completeness of the information.

  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many students in full-time employment have interrupted their studies to serve with reserve forces in Iraq and the adjoining theatre over the last 24 months; [169225]

  (2) how many students in full-time employment now serving with reserve forces in Iraq and the adjoining theatre interrupted their studies in order to do so. [169224]

  Mr. Caplin
  Generally, it is Ministry of Defence policy to grant an exemption from or deferral of call-out for reservists who are in full-time education if such an exemption or deferral is sought. Therefore, the overall number of individuals who have served or who are serving in Iraq and who were in full time education prior to call-out is thought to be very small. Precise figures are not held centrally, as this would require a trawl of computer records and an examination of individual personnel files to establish the information requested. This could be done only at disproportionate cost.

  Kinnegar Army Base
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Kinnegar Army base at Holywood, County Down. [170031]

  Mr. Ingram
  Kinnegar is listed in the security normalisation annex of the Joint Declaration, as one of the locations where, in the context of a peaceful society, the regular garrison in Northern Ireland might be based.

  Manning Control Points
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria are used to identify soldiers for manning control; whether this information is readily available to soldiers on a regular basis as well as on entrance of contract; and if he will make a statement. [167841]

  Mr. Caplin
  The Notice Paper, a statutory document given to all new recruits, contains details of the soldier's Terms of Service and it states that a soldier's future employability will be reviewed after six, nine and 12 years' Colour service and that he or she may be discharged if their service is no longer required.

  Commanding Officers are notified of those soldiers who will reach a Manning Control Point (MCP) within the next 15–18 months. At that stage, the soldier's career and employment potential will be reviewed taking into consideration: length of service, rank, trade and long term potential. Following this review, a soldier being considered for discharge by MCP is sent a letter, giving a minimum of 12 months notice. At this point, he or she is asked to sign a certificate to agree that they have been warned about their potential discharge.

  Individual cases are then considered by the Army Personnel Centre against the prevailing manning situation within their Career Employment Group. Thus individuals are assessed for quality and employability against their peers and the required structure for their trade.

  Merlin Helicopter
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Merlin helicopters have been lost since their original delivery; for what reasons; and what plans he has for their replacement. [167644]

  Mr. Ingram
  Two Royal Navy Merlin Mk 1 aircraft have been lost since the Merlin entered service with the United Kingdom armed forces. The first crashed into the sea off north-west Scotland in October 2000 following the loss of both the main and tail rotor control. The second crashed at RNAS Culdrose on 30 March this year. The cause of this accident is still being investigated

  These helicopters will be replaced from the Departmental fleet, which allows for the loss of aircraft in service with front line commands.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the procedure is for acquiring spares for Merlin helicopters; and if he will make a statement. [168561]

  Mr. Ingram
  Merlin helicopter spares are acquired in the same way as those for the majority of other aircraft used by the United Kingdom armed forces. Spares requirements are calculated at regular intervals throughout the year based on activity levels, deployment patterns and mission types. Predicted requirements are then compared with current spares holdings and current orders from industry and the difference is the future requirement. The process of spares ordering and distribution is managed by the Defence Logistics Organisation working closely with the relevant front line command to meet current and predicated requirements.

  MOD Land
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what account he takes when releasing Ministry of Defence land for development of the needs of(a) his Department and (b) the local community; and if he will make a statement. [169175]

  Mr. Caplin
  The interests of the Ministry of Defence are protected by ensuring that the disposal of surplus land and buildings (which are released only where there is no alternative defence use) is conducted in accordance with "Government Accounting" regulations—normally by means of sale on, the open market with the benefit of outline planning permission or a planning brief. This necessarily involves consultation with the local planning authority and ensures best value for taxpayers generally.

  In the case of the closure of major facilities, it is normal practice for officials in Defence Estates to work closely with the relevant local authorities, and to liaise with recognised local community bodies as part of the disposal process. We seek to take local aspirations into account wherever Possible.

  Naval Engineers
  Chris Grayling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason his Department is replacing the post of engineering artificer in the Navy with the post of engineering technician; and what difference there will be in the qualifications required for the new post. [166689]
  1523W
  Mr. Ingram
  A review of the structure, organisation and training of both the Warfare and Engineering Branches of the Royal Navy is currently taking place. It is probable that the term engineering; technician will be adopted for all members of the engineering branch below the rank of Commissioned Officer, replacing the artificer and mechanic titles currently in use. The title artificer no longer adequately describes the professional role that those personnel undertake in the modern Navy. Replacing them with engineering technicians will align the Navy with the standards of competence published by the Engineering Council United Kingdom, and refresh the image of this key role against increasingly competitive recruitment market forces.

  No change is anticipated to the entry qualifications for Naval Engineering Technicians Men and women will be able to join with a range of academic qualifications that span those for today's mechanics and artificers. Once they have completed basic training, engineering technicians will progress according to their abilities, with the most able continuing to have opportunities for promotion to the officer corps.

  Naval Procurement
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of through-life programmes to accompany future naval procurements. [166536]

  Mr. Ingram
  Each project is required to maintain a Through Life Management Plan which explains how the particular equipment will be supported through to the end of its life. This is subject to regular scrutiny throughout the equipment's life and in particular, as part of the Main Gate business case submission.

  The support through life for major future naval equipments is assessed against the Warship Support Agency's Maritime Support Strategy element. This forms part of the Defence Logistics Organisation sponsored Support Solutions Envelope.

  Nimrod MRA4
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the Nimrod MRA4 aircraft programme; and when a decision will be made on approval for the production phase of aircraft numbers four to 18.[166901]

  Mr. Ingram
  The agreement reached with BAE Systems in February 2003, embodied in a formal contract amendment on 23 February this year, has put the Nimrod MRA4 programme on a much sounder footing for the future. Under the restructured contract, design and development and manufacture have been separated as far as possible, to ensure that technology is adequately de-risked before making further

  NATO Rank codes and UK Service Designations

  Royal Navy1

  Royal Marines1

  Army

  Royal Air Force

  OF 10

  Admiral of the Fleet

  —

  Field Marshal

  Marshal of RAF

  OF 9

  Admiral

  General

  General

  Air Chief Marshal

  OF 8

  Vice Admiral

  Lieutenant General

  Lieutenant General

  Air Marshal

  OF 7

  Rear Admiral

  Major General

  Major General

  Air Vice Marshal

  OF 6

  Commodore

  Brigadier

  Brigadier

  Air Commodore

  OF 5

  Captain

  Colonel

  Colonel

  Group Captain

  OF 4

  Commander

  Lieutenant Colonel

  Lieutenant Colonel

  Wing Commander

  1524W
  commitment to production price and schedule. Whilst risks and challenges remain, the development and production of the first three Nimrod MRA4 aircraft to be used in the flight trials programme is well under way and we are making good joint progress towards first flight this summer. Long lead item work continues on aircraft 4–18; a decision to exercise the option in the contract for full production is dependent on design maturity and price negotiation and is expected next year.

  Officer Numbers
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the(a) establishment and (b) strength of all ranks above OF 2 in the (i) Royal Navy and (ii) RAF was on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [161059]

  Mr. Ingram
  As at 1 January 2004, the trained strength and requirement for all ranks above OF 2 in the Naval Service and RAF are shown as follows. The tables show figures for each equivalent NATO rank and these are set out as follows:

  Naval Service1

  Rank

  Trained strength

  Requirement

  Surplus/Deficit

  OF 9

  4

  3

  +1

  OF 8

  7

  10

  -3

  OF 7

  30

  28

  +2

  OF 6

  99

  91

  +8

  OF 5

  280

  270

  2—

  OF 4

  1,080

  1,200

  -120

  OF 3

  2,460

  2,530

  -70

  All OF 3 and above

  3,950

  4,130

  -180

  1Naval service figures include Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

  2Less than five.

  RAF

  Rank (1)

  Trained strength

  Requirement

  Surplus/Deficit

  OF 6 to OF 91

  120

  100

  +20

  OF 5

  320

  250

  +70

  OF 4

  1,150

  940

  +210

  OF 3

  2,550

  2,430

  +120

  (2)

  Specialists2

  390

  400

  -20

  (3)

  All OF 3 and above

  4,530

  4,130

  +400

  1The Trained Manpower Requirement (TMR03) does not break down the requirement by individual rank for OF 6 (Air Cdre) and above.

  2Specialists are excluded from (1) and shown separately as a total of all OF 3s and above. Due to the way Specialists are posted, a rank breakdown is not readily available. Specialists are in the following branches: Medical, Med Spt, Dental, Chaplains, Legal and Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service.

  Note:

  All figures over 100 and any derived from these figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

  1525W

  NATO Rank codes and UK Service Designations

  Royal Navy1

  Royal Marines1

  Army

  Royal Air Force

  OF 3

  Lieutenant Commander

  Major

  Major

  Squadron Leader

  OF 2

  Lieutenant

  Captain

  Captain

  Flight Lieutenant

  OF 1

  Sub-Lieutenant

  Lieutenant/2nd Lieutenant

  Lieutenant/2nd Lieutenant

  Flying Officer/Pilot Officer

  OF(D)

  Midshipman

  —

  Officer Designate

  Officer Designate

  1The Royal Navy and the Royal Marines together make up the Naval Service.

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the differences between strength and establishment of officers in the Army. [161060]

  Mr. Ingram
  A comparison between current liability and current strength of Army officers is shown as follows:

  Rank

  Liability

  Strength1

  General/Lieutenant General

  7

  17

  Major General

  27

  43

  Brigadier

  175

  184

  Colonel

  546

  561

  Lieutenant Colonel

  1,579

  1,713

  Major

  4,540

  4,723

  Captain

  4,850

  4,465

  Lieutenant/2nd Lieutenant

  1,876

  1,680

  1As at January 2004.

  The difference at Major and above is largely because the liability consists only of Army posts. Tri-Service rotational and competition posts and certain international appointments, for example to NATO, are not tied to British Army officers and therefore do not form part of the liability. In practice the Army does not carry a substantial surplus of officers, although there is provision for small margin to cover those in training and on resettlement prior to retirement.

  The difference at Captain and below is due to a combination of factors. In recent years, the output from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, which is affected by both input and throughput, has not achieved the target. The number of junior officers is therefore lower than the requirement. The RMAS output target is now being met. Some posts are rank-ranged. In these instances the liability is shown against the lower rank although the incumbent may be of a higher rank. Officers holding temporary acting rank are shown against the strength at the higher paid rank.

  Overseas Military Students
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sums of money involved in training of military students for foreign Governments were(a) paid, (b) waived and (c) written off in each of the last three years; and which countries were involved. [168618]

  Mr. Ingram
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Parachute Regiment
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of premature voluntary release applications(a) received and (b) approved in the last 12 months in (i) 1 Para, (ii) 2 Para and (iii) 3 Para; and if he will make a statement. [169306]
  1526W
  Mr. Caplin
  The number of Premature Voluntary Release (PVR) applications received from soldiers in the Parachute Regiment between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2004 was:1st Battalion Parachute Regiment—702nd Battalion Parachute Regiment—653rd Battalion Parachute Regiment—60

  All soldiers have a right to PVR once they have served the minimum engagement period, and provided they give appropriate notice. Information is not held centrally on the proportion of these applications that were subsequently withdrawn, but across the Army withdrawals amounted to some 38 per cent. of the total in the same period.

  PVR information for officers is not currently broken down by unit, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the strength of the Parachute Regiment at(a) 1 April 2003 and (b) 1 April 2004 and the estimated strength for 1 April 2005; and if he will make a statement. [169307]

  Mr. Caplin
  As at 1 April 2004, the strength of the Parachute Regiment was 1,740. The corresponding figure on 1 April 2003 was 1,795. These figures exclude personnel from other units temporarily attached to the Parachute Regiment.

  Projected strength for 1 April 2005 is not expected to differ significantly from the current level.

  Postal Services
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to review the provision of free postage for troop parcels for forces serving in Iraq. [167998]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement of 27 February 2004,Official Report, column 70WS, and subsequent answers of 5 March 2004, Official Report, column 1155W, to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock), and 1 April 2004, Official Report, column 1605W, to the hon. Member for Mid-Norfolk (Mr. Simpson).

  A series of reviews were undertaken by the Ministry of Defence between July 2003 and February 2004 which concluded that the scheme should be extended to April 2004 when it was judged that the complete Operational Welfare Package and Expeditionary Forces Institute support would be in place. There are no further plans to review the provision of free postal packets to the Iraq theatre of operations.

  I should also point out that the British Forces Post Office rate for a 2 kg postal packet to Iraq (equivalent to

  1527W
  the Royal Mail First Class Inland Rate) was £7.23. From 1 April 2004 the Royal Mail Group has reduced this charge to £6.89 and the British Forces Post Office has reduced its charge in line with this.

  Radar
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes he proposes to the system of radar cover; and if he will make a statement. [165059]

  Mr. Ingram
  Options for future air defence radar cover are currently being considered. No decision has been taken.

  RAF (Medical Personnel)
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vacancies exist for medical personnel at(a) RAF Leeming, (b) RAF Linton on Ouse, (c) RAF Dishforth and (d) Alanbrooke Barracks, broken down by (i) service, (ii) rank and (iii) specialisation; and if he will make a statement on his plans to fill those vacancies. [169990]

  Mr. Caplin
  The following vacancies exist for medical personnel, broken down as requested:

  Vacancies—4

  Base—RAF Leeming

  Service—RAF

  Rank—2 aircraftsmen, 2 civilians (1 part-time)

  Specialisation—2 medical assistants, (1 physiotherapist, 1 part-time nurse)

  AAC Dishforth and Alanbrooke Barracks, both Army bases, have no service vacancies. A military medical post at Flight Lieutenant level is currently vacant at RAF Linton on Ouse but is being filled by a civilian GP.

  With the exception of one gapped medical assistant post, which can be managed within existing resources, action is in hand to fill all of these vacancies.

  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medical personnel are based at(a) RAF Leuchars and (b) RAF Coningsby, broken down by (i) service, (ii) rank and (iii) specialisation [169994]

  Mr. Caplin
  The following tables show the numbers of medical personnel based at RAF Leuchars and RAF Coningsby broken down by rank and specialisation. All are RAF personnel.

  RAF Leuchars

  Numbers of Medical Personnel

  Rank

  Specialisation

  1

  Squadron Leador

  Medical Officer

  1

  Squadron Leador

  Medical Officer (Full Time Reserve Soldier)

  1

  Civilian

  Civilian Medical Practitioner

  1

  Flight sergeant

  Medical Admin FS

  1

  Sergeant

  Medical Administration

  2

  Corporal

  Medical Administration

  10

  Aircraftsman

  Medical Assistant

  1

  Sergeant

  Pharmacy Technician

  2

  Sergeant

  Staff Nurse Registered General Nurse

  11

  Flight Lieutenant

  Medical Support Officer 612 Squadron

  1

  Sergeant

  Medical Administration

  1From July 2004

  1528W

  RAF Coningsby

  Numbers of Medical Personnel

  Rank

  Specialisation

  1

  Wing Commander

  Medical Officer

  1

  Warrant Officer

  Medical Administration

  1

  Sergeant

  Medical Administration

  2

  Corporal

  Medical Administration

  5

  Aircraftsman

  Medical Administration

  11

  Corporal

  Staff Nurse Registered General Nurse

  22

  Civilian

  Physiotherapist Civilian

  1

  Civilian

  Nurse Civilian

  1Currently deployed

  2One post covered by two part time personnel

  RAF Sealand
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the impact on the local community of the loss of jobs at RAF Sealand in Flintshire: and what further plans he has for RAF Sealand. [169773]

  Mr. Ingram
  RAF Sealand was covered by a study into the future location of the RAF's Air Combat Service Support Units and other minor units. As I announced in my Written Ministerial Statement of 23 April 2004, (Official Report), column 3OWS, I am inclined, subject to Trade Union consultation, to accept an option which would see the closure of RAF Sealand by April 2006. This would result in the loss of around 100 civilian jobs. The Defence Aviation Repair Agency which is located on the same site would not be affected. Any land that becomes surplus to requirements will be handled in accordance with usual procedures.

  I would expect the impact on the local community of the closure of RAF Sealand to be negligible as Flintshire has an expanding economy and a low unemployment rate.

  Royal Gibraltar Regiment
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's intentions are on the funding for the Royal Gibraltar Regiment; and if he will make a statement. [168851]

  Mr. Ingram
  A study into the missions, tasks and formation of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment is on-going. No final decisions have yet been taken. This study is part of the Ministry of Defence routine reviews/studies process. HQ British Forces Gibraltar and the Commanding Officer of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment are working closely to determine the most effective outcome.

  Second Hand Equipment
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the second hand equipment sold to each country in the last year for which records are available. [167069]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 February 2004,Official Report, columns 14–15W to my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Harry Cohen).
  1529W

  Special Forces
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the(a) SAS and (b) SBS have (i) applied and (ii) been accepted for premature voluntary retirement in each month of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [167852]

  Mr. Ingram
  It is the Ministry of Defence's practice not to release information regarding United Kingdom Special Forces. I am therefore withholding details under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Trident Nuclear Warhead
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the latest safe in-service date for the British Trident nuclear warhead is; and if he will make a statement.[170331]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Strategic Defence Review noted the need to ensure that Trident could remain an effective deterrent for up to 30 years. The Ministry of Defence sponsors a comprehensive science and technology programme at the Atomic Weapons Establishment to ensure that the Trident warhead remains both safe and reliable throughout its service life.

  Typhoon
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to announce the second tranche of orders for Typhoon. [165459]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 February 2004,Official Report, column 1634W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice).

  United States Laboratories (UK Research)
  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work is carried out by(a) the Sandia National Laboratories, (b) the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories and (c) the Los Alamos National Laboratories on behalf of the United Kingdom Government. [166583]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Ministry of Defence and the Atomic Weapons Establishment maintain collaborative contact with Sandia National Laboratories, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, and the Los Alamos National Laboratories under the 1958 UK/US Mutual Defence Agreement (Cm 537, as amended).

  This contact, which may include the placement of specific work packages with the US facilities by or on behalf of HMG, principally relates to the stockpile stewardship programmes that ensure the continued safety and reliability of the UK's nuclear weapons stockpile. It would be contrary to the interests of national security to give further details of such activities, which I am therefore withholding under Exemption 1 (Defence, Security, and International Relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  US Forces (Service Charges)
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total income received for services rendered to the US visiting forces and their agencies was in 2003. [167744]

  Mr. Ingram
  The total receipts from invoices raised for services rendered to the United States visiting force and their agencies in the calendar year 2003 is £204.2 million. Most of this is in the form of direct reimbursement for the US visiting force works programme and civilian staff costs.

  US Global Posture Realignment Process
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has received regarding changes in numbers or strength of US forces based in the UK as part of the US Global Posture Realignment process; and if he will make a statement. [169135]

  Mr. Ingram
  Her Majesty's Government have been consulted but it would be inappropriate to speculate on the impact that the United States Global Posture Realignment process may have on US forces based in the United Kingdom until the US Government make an announcement.

  US/UK Mutual Defence Agreement
  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British personnel are stationed in the United States as part of the 1958 US/UK Mutual Defence Agreement; and where they are located. [166578]

  Mr. Ingram
  Numbers of United Kingdom personnel stationed in the United States under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement vary in line with operational and other requirements. The current number is five, all am the Atomic Co-ordinating Office in the British embassy in Washington DC (this figure includes a Locally Employed Civilian).

  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel are employed in the renegotiation of the 1958 US/UK Mutual Defence Agreement; and what the estimated cost is of renegotiation. [166581]

  Mr. Ingram
  A number of Ministry of Defence personnel are involved in renegotiating the 1958 US/UK Mutual Defence Agreement as part of their normal duties, and FCO personnel will be involved in its ratification. The colt of the renegotiation is primarily the cost of this staff effort. Since this task represents only a small proportion of individuals' workloads, it is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the collective cost of their time.

  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the exchange of information and visit reports that have occurred in the last 12 months as part of the 1958 US/UK Mutual Defence Agreement. [166584]
  1531W
  Mr. Ingram
  In the last 12 months, exchanges of information by visit and reports have occurred under the following subject headings: Radiochemistry; Safety and Security; Safety Assessment Methodology; Intelligence; Non-Proliferation arid Arms Control Technology; Enhanced Surveillance; Facilities and Infrastructure; Senior Visits; the Atomic Weapons Establishment Support Contract; and Miscellaneous.

  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people visited(a) the Pantex Plant in America, (b) the Sandia National Laboratories, (c) the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, (d) the Los Alamos National Laboratories, (e) the Nevada test site and (f) the Rocky Flats plant on behalf of the United Kingdom Government in the last 12 months as part of the 1958 US/UK Mutual Defence Agreement. [166585]

  Mr. Ingram
  During the 12 months to 31 March 2004, there was a total of 190 visits by UK personnel to these sites under the 1958 US/UK Mutual Defence Agreement. The number of people visiting was as follows:

  (a) the Pantex Plant: 41

  (b) the Sandia National Laboratories: 205

  (c) the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories: 116

  (d) the Los Alamos National Laboratories: 219

  (e) the Nevada test site: 11

  (f) the Rocky Flats Plant: 0.

  These figures include personnel making more than one visit, and visits to several sites during a single trip.

  Warships
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answers to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Soames) of 25 March 2004,Official Report, column 949W, and 14 April 2004, Official Report, column 16W, on warships, what reasons the refit of HMS Triumph was not programmed to begin on the expiry of the reactor certificate. [167942]

  Mr. Ingram
  The submarine refit programme is driven by the need to maintain the required number of submarines available to the fleet, while taking account of the requirement for submarines to refuel periodically. This programme is delivered in the most cost effective manner through a single stream rebelling capability at Devonport for Swiftsure and Trafalgar Class submarines (SSNs), of which HMS Triumph is one. Therefore, on occasion, a submarine may be berthed alongside for a period of time prior to the start of its refit. This is the case with HMS Triumph, whose refit will begin in summer 2005, once the SSN refitting and refuelling dock is vacated by HMS Talent. This programme accords with the Ministry of Defence's long term plan, which will continue to deliver sufficient submarines at high readiness to maintain defence outputs.
  1532W

  Wind Farms
  Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department issues guidelines in relation to planning applications for wind farms to be located within a certain distance of military installations involving radar. [169488]

  Mr. Caplin
  I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Asthma
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to encourage local health and social care groups to adopt asthma as a particular interest among long-term conditions; and if he will make a statement. [169659]

  Angela Smith
  One of the key actions set out in Priorities for Action 2003–04 required Local Health and Social Care Groups (LHSCGs) to develop at least one project to increase the capacity of primary care to address chronic diseases, such as diabetes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma and coronary heart disease, in the primary care setting to reduce pressure on the hospital sector.

  It is a matter for the Groups, based on their assessment of local need, to decide which of these chronic diseases is a priority in their local area. To date none of the projects undertaken focus specifically on asthma but some of the projects covering respiratory illnesses in the widest sense should bring some benefits to asthma sufferers.

  I should also add that the Department is currently working to put in place a strategy to identify how the full spectrum of respiratory service provision, including asthma care in the primary care setting, should be configured up to 2010.

  Autism
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research he has collated on the earlier diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders in the Province; and if he will make a statement. [167718]

  Angela Smith
  There has been no DHSSPS funded research undertaken in Northern Ireland on the earlier diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases have been dealt with by the Child Support Agency in Northern Ireland in each of the last two years. [170481]

  Mr. Spellar
  Over the last two years the Child Support Agency's (CSA) live load has consisted of 33,000 cases, representing some 50,000 children.

  In order to maintain the existing caseload and administer new applications in each of the last two years

  1533W
  the CSA has carried out the following activities:

  Case activities

  2002–03

  2003–04

  Applications cleared (in year)

  8,703

  8,184

  Change of circumstances processed

  13,972

  12,803

  Account inquiries handled

  52,424

  51,410

  Cases requiring debt management

  12,129

  13,594

  The total child support maintenance collected by the Agency in each of the last two years is as follows:

  Collections(£)

  2002–03

  12,520,000

  2003–04

  12,645,000

  Conservation Area Status
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what effect the designation of conservation area status has upon the protection of trees within its boundaries. [170033]

  Angela Smith
  The effect of conservation area status is to prohibit the cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting, wilful damage or wilful destruction of those trees in the conservation area that are not already protected by a Tree Preservation Order. Anyone carrying out such works is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £30,000, or on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

  A person may, however, serve notice upon the Department of the intended works and may carry out such works, either with the consent of the Department or after a period of six weeks from the date of the notice but before the expiry of a period of two years from that date. The Department may also decide, however, to protect the tree or trees in question by applying a Tree Preservation Order before the expiry of the six-week period.

  District Policing Partnerships
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Dungannon and South Tyrone District policing partnership will be established. [170480]

  Mr. Pearson
  Dungannon and South Tyrone District Policing Partnership (DPP) is the only one of the 26 DPPs yet to be established.

  After very careful consideration over a period of time, and following consultation with the Northern Ireland Policing Board, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, decided to issue on 2 February a letter of direction to the Mayor of Dungannon and South Tyrone borough council requiring the council to establish its DPP. This action was in accordance with Section 15 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, which sets out the steps to be taken when a council has failed to set up a DPP. The letter that issued on 2 February gave the council two calendar months to reconsider its position.
  1534W
  The council have sought and obtained two extensions to this deadline and the new deadline for the council to comply with the direction is 28 May. It is hoped that the council will use this further period to reconsider their position and establish the DPP.

  Dublin/Monaghan Bombings
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has studied in relation to the extent of British security service involvement in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974. [169075]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  As part of the Government's endeavours to helping Mr. Justice Barron's inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings as fully as possible, my predecessors and I examined all the potentially relevant information uncovered in the files of this Department and other Departments and agencies. There was no information to indicate that the British security forces were involved in the bombings, or that they were aware of the perpetrators' plans in advance. Had such information been uncovered, it would have been passed to Mr. Justice Barron.

  Environment and Heritage Service
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on how the Environment and Heritage Service, Northern Ireland has fulfilled its obligations towards The Priory, In Holywood, County Down. [170034]

  Angela Smith
  Holywood Priory was scheduled for protection in 1932 under the 1926 Ancient Monuments Act and was re-scheduled in 1986 under the Historic Monuments Act (NI) 1971.

  The Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) has carried out regular inspections of the condition of the Priory. Condition reports have recorded little evidence of deterioration. However, a need to remove some potentially damaging vegetation was identified. North Down Borough Council, the owners responsible for the care of The Priory, have been made aware of this and have removed the vegetation.

  Under Policy BH1 of Planning Policy Statement 6—"The Preservation of Archaeological Remains of Regional Importance and their settings"—EHS has also advised Planning Service on various planning applications in the area which affected this site and/or its setting.

  European Parliamentary Elections (Northern Ireland) Regulations
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the European Parliamentary Elections (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2004 were first made available in the Vote Office. [170247]

  Mr. Spellar
  Copies of the European Parliamentary Elections (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2004 were first made available in the Vote Office on 18 March 2004.

  Fair Employment (Complaints)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many formal complaints
  1535W
  alleging breaches of fair employment and equal opportunity legislation have been made to the Office of Industrial Tribunals and the Office of Fair Employment Tribunals in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004 to date. [170405]

  Mr. Spellar
  The information is as follows.

  Number of Complaints

  Complaints registered with Fair Employment Tribunal

  Equal Opportunity complaints registered with Industrial Tribunals

  2002

  481

  1,014

  2003

  466

  942

  2004 (to end of March)

  175

  280

  Free Fares for Senior Citizens
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have used the Free Fares for Senior Citizens scheme on public transport in Northern Ireland since its introduction; and how many people used the previous discounted fares scheme over an equivalent time period leading up to the introduction of the Free Fares for Senior Citizens scheme. [169761]

  Mr. Spellar
  Free travel for Northern Ireland residents aged 65 and over was introduced in October 2001. Translink do not have information about the number of people who have used he scheme since its introduction, but do have records of the number of passenger journeys undertaken. Those records show that 17,620,940 free passenger journeys were undertaken on Ulsterbus and City bus services between October 2001 and April 2004. Figures are not available for Northern Ireland Railways for this period.

  Translink have advised that passenger journey figures are unavailable for half fare concessions prior to October 2001.

  Gastroenteritis Outbreak
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) admissions, (b) operations and (c) other procedures were postponed at each of the hospitals in the province as a result of the April outbreak of gastroenteritis; and if he will make a statement. [169656]

  Angela Smith
  The information requested on admissions, operations and other procedures could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  A total of 896 bed days at the Ulster hospital and 149 bed days at the Antrim hospital were lost as a result of the gastroenteritis during April. All elective surgery was cancelled at the Ulster hospital between 6 April and 26 April.

  The impact of a gastroenteritis outbreak on services will depend on many factors including the level of the infection in the community, the proportion of affected staff, the clinical areas involved, the layout of hospital design, and the general pressures experienced by the trust.
  1536W
  The control measures being followed in the Ulster hospital are those recommended in national UK guidelines "Management of hospital outbreaks of gastroenteritis due to small round structures viruses". These include isolation of affected patients and exclusion from work of affected staff members, ward closure to new admissions, enhanced hygiene measures and domestic cleaning, restrictions on visitors, close monitoring of all wards and information and advice to staff, patients and visitors. The current outbreak of the virus is now showing signs of abating, wards are being reopened to patients and elective surgery is again being performed.

  Leggatt Report
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to bring into effect in Northern Ireland the recommendations of the Leggatt Report in the Review of Tribunals. [166138]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. Leslie), on 1 April 2004,Official Report, column 1656W.

  Pensions Payment
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change in numbers of pension payment order books at post offices in Northern Ireland was between 2002 and 2003. [170483]

  Mr. Spellar
  The decrease in numbers of pension books at post offices in Northern Ireland between 2002 and 2003 is 23.000.

  Personal Protection
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to withdraw personal protection from(a) members of the judiciary and (b) others in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [169745]

  Mr. Pearson
  The level of personal protection provided to individuals in Northern Ireland is an operational matter which the Chief Constable keeps under constant review. In line with Part II, Paragraph 4f of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information—"Information whose disclosure could endanger the life or physical safety of any person, or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes"—
  it would be inappropriate to comment further on such issues.

  Police Fund
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the staff and administrative costs associated with the operation of the Police Fund have been in each year since its introduction, broken down by main budget heading. [170219]
  1537W
  Mr. Pearson
  I have been advised by the Police Fund that the establishment and running costs associated with the operation of the Fund from 25 January 2002 to 31 March 2004 are as follows:

  £

  Period from 25 January 2002 to 31 March 2003

  Period from 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004

  Personnel Costs

  210,563

  251,916

  Accommodation Costs

  13,202

  14,777

  General

  106,351

  58,121

  Administrative Expenses

  Total

  330,116

  324,814

  It should be noted that the figures for 2003–04 are subject to the annual external audit, which will commence on 1 June 2004.

  Police Service
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legal obstacles prevent formalised police exchanges between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Garda Siochana; and if he will make a statement. [170562]

  Mr. Pearson
  With the coming into force of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (Secondment) (Garda Siochana) Regulations 2004, there is no legal obstacle in the United Kingdom jurisdiction which would prevent police exchanges between the Police Service Northern Ireland and the Garda Siochana.

  When I raised the subject at the meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference on 21 April, I was assured that the Irish Government is currently working up reciprocal regulations to support secondments.

  Roads
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the estimated cost is of providing a dual carriageway between the Toome bypass and the City of Londonderry. [170486]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has written directly to the hon. Gentleman in response to this Question.

  Letter from Dr. McKibbin to Mr. Gregory Campbell, dated 4 May 2004:

  You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about the estimated cost of providing a dual carriageway between the recently constructed Toome by-pass and the City of Londonderry. I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.

  The estimated cost of providing a dual 2-lane carriageway road between the end of the Toome by-pass and Londonderry would be in the region of £300 million to £400 million.

  I hope this information is helpful.

  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the estimated cost is of providing a dual carriageway between the existing dual carriageway on the A26 and Glarryford and Coleraine. [170487]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has written directly to the hon. Gentleman in response to this Question.
  1538W
  Letter from Dr. McKibbin to Mr. Gregory Campbell, dated I May 2004:

  You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding the estimated cost of providing a dual carriageway between the existing dual carriageway on the A26 and Glarryford and Coleraine. I have been asked to reply as. this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.

  The estimated cost of providing a dual 2-lane carriageway road with at-grade junctions on the A26 between the end of the existing dual carriageway at Glarryford and Coleraine would be in the region of £130 million to £180 million depending on the standard of the road provided.

  I hope this information is helpful.

  Timber
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether has Department plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [167615]

  Mr. Pearson
  There are currently no plans for Northern Ireland Departments to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber.

  TK-ECC Plant
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the assistance he can give to workers recently made redundant at the TK-ECC plant, Dundonald; and what meetings have been(a) held and (b) arranged with representatives of the workers regarding future employment prospects. [165909]

  Mr. Spellar
  Following meetings with TK-ECC Senior Management on 25 February and 3 March 2004, officials from the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) took the lead in co-ordinating an inter-Departmental Out reach Service at the company's premises at Dundonald from Monday 8 to Friday 12 March. Representatives from DEL, Invest NI, Social Security Agency and the Inland Revenue provided advice and guidance on a wide range of services including referrals to jobs and training opportunities, benefit claims and entitlement, advice on business start-up and entitlement to tax credits.

  The primary objective of the Outreach Service was to secure alternative employment for as many of the work force as possible. In excess of 150 people were subsequently submitted to job vacancies with a further 120 receiving information and advice on training opportunities. In addition, Invest NI entered into discussion with 36 employees, 25 of whom were seeking to start their own business, with a further 11 seeking general business advice and direction. Invest NI also held preliminary discussions with the Managing Director of TK-ECC who was investigating the possibility of a new business venture. To date this has not progressed beyond the preliminary stage.

  UK General Lighthouse Fund
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what discussions he has had with other Government Departments regarding the cessation
  1539W
  of payments from the UK General Lighthouse Fund for the provision of navigational aids in Irish territorial waters; [168239]

  (2) what discussions he has had with the Irish Government regarding the cessation of payments from the UK General Lighthouse Fund for the provision of navigational aids in Irish territorial waters. [168240]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The General Lighthouse Fund meets the cost of providing aids to navigation services for the British Isles as a whole, but the Government shares UK shipping industry concerns about the imbalance in the amounts of light dues collected in the UK and in Ireland. Since we reiterated in January our commitment to renegotiate the current level of funding from Ireland there have been further discussions at official level between the Department for Transport and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. and with the Irish Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. The Northern Ireland Office will also be involved as the dialogue progresses.

  Ulster-Scots Agency
  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the(a) procedure and (b) timescale for filling the vacant post of Chairman of the Ulster-Scots Agency. [170784]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Under the Implementation Bodies Agreement of 8 March 1999 made between the British and Irish Governments, the North South Ministerial Council fill the vacancy left by Lore Laird's resignation as Chairperson of the Ulster Scots Agency.

  During suspension, such decisions are taken by the British and Irish Governments under the Agreement made between the two Governments is on 19 November 2002.

  No timescale for any such appointment has yet been set.

  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the reasons given by the Chairman of the Ulster-Scots Agency for his resignation. [170785]

  Angela Smith
  In a letter of resignation to the North South Ministerial Council on 23 April, Lord Laird stated that a lack of official support and public funding for the Ulster-Scots Agency were the reasons. This I refute.

  The Budget for the Agency has trebled since 2000 to a current level of £1.7 million which is an 11 per cent. increase on last year's budget. This is within a care and maintenance arrangement as agreed by North South Ministerial Council.

  My Department continues to work closely with the Ulster-Scots Agency in support of their work.

  Youth Football
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial assistance was given to the promotion of youth development programmes in Northern Ireland football during 2003. [165996]
  1540W
  Angela Smith
  The amount of financial assistance that was given to the promotion of youth development programmes in Northern Ireland during 2003 was £903,768. This amount was provided via the Departments of Culture Arts and Leisure, Finance and Personnel, Enterprise Trade and Investment and Social Development. The figures include £804,995 from the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure for the 2003–04 financial year.

  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further developments have been made in relation to the agreement reached regarding the assistance offered to the Irish Football Association to develop football in Northern Ireland. [169934]

  Angela Smith
  Discussions are ongoing between my officials, the Sports Council for Northern Ireland (SCNI), the Irish Football Association (IFA) and the Irish Football League (IFL) about arrangements for the provision of DCAL assistance offered to the IFA to develop football in Northern Ireland. In addition, I have approved the terms of reference for a SCNI-led Soccer Strategy Implementation Group, the membership of which will include senior representatives of the IFA. Steps are also being taken to arrange a first meeting of this group.

  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to promote youth football in Northern Ireland. [168470]

  Angela Smith
  The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) has made available, via the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, £1.6 million for the promotion of youth football in Northern Ireland. Under this programme, 25 youth Football Development Centres, based at clubs, have been established across Northern Ireland. In addition, youth football is one of the key components of the soccer strategy initiative.

  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether measures to promote youth football in Northern Ireland are dependent on the implementation of the soccer strategy. [168472]

  Angela Smith
  Current measures supported by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL), through the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, to promote youth football in Northern Ireland are not dependent on the implementation of the Soccer Strategy. The development of youth football in the future will be closely linked to the successful implementation of the Soccer Strategy process.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Anti-terrorism Legislation
  Ross Cranston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Ms King) on 8 March 2004,Official Report, columns 1256–57W, on anti-terrorism legislation, if he will collate information on the religious background of those detained under UK anti-terrorism legislation. [166428]
  1541W
  Mr. Blunkett
  I do not believe that the religion of an individual is relevant to whether or not they may have been involved in terrorism.

  In respect of all detentions under anti-terrorism legislation, there is no requirement for detainees to provide information pertaining to their religion. This data is therefore not collated centrally and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost.

  Ross Cranston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 669W, on the Terrorism Act 2000, if he will update the figures. [166813]

  Mr. Blunkett
  Police records show that since 11 September 2001, 562 people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 and that 97 of those have been charged with offences under that Act (please note that two persons previously reported as originally charged under the Terrorism Act 2000 had their charges amended during the prosecution process) resulting in 14 convictions.

  53 people have been released directly into the custody of the immigration services. (Please note that the difference of one here is the result of a review, which identified an erroneous earlier report from a Constabulary.) A further 99 of those arrested under the Act have been charged under other legislation.

  280 individuals were released without charge or further sanction. Information on any further action taken is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Asylum and Immigration
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what he estimates the cost to central Government Departments of the medical inspection of immigrant service is in 2003–04. [156836]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to him today.

  Brain Fingerprinting
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evaluation he has made of brain fingerprinting technologies that monitor the involuntary electrical waves emitted by the brain. [169294]

  Ms Blears
  None.

  Car Crime
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of remote immobiliser technologies on reducing car crime. [166845]

  Ms Blears
  It is too early to make an assessment because the introduction of these technologies by the industry has been delayed until there is resolution of liability issues.
  1542W
  It is suggested that these legal liabilities include, liability for technology or system malfunction and who would take responsibility for vehicles that are remotely immobilised and subsequently causes an accident.

  Charitable Status
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to withdraw charitable status from groups that are raising money in the UK and channelling it to extremist and terrorist groups in India. [158060]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  This is a matter for the Charity Commission as the Government Department responsible for the regulation of charities in England and Wales. The Director of Operations will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

  Clamping Companies
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Security Industry Authority to introduce regulations to control the activities of clamping companies. [170964]

  Ms Blears
  On current plans the Security Industry Authority expects to commence regulation of vehicle immobilisers by the end of 2004.

  Criminal Records Bureau
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate he has made of the number of existing home care staff who will require Criminal Records Bureau checks; [166008]

  (2) how many ex sting care home staff had enhanced level Criminal Records Bureau checks processed by 29 February; what percentage this constitutes of the total number of existing care home staff; and if he will make a statement. [166018]

  Ms Blears
  As at 29 February, a total of 85,062 Disclosure applications from existing care home staff had been processed by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). This figure is made up of 80,327 Enhanced Disclosures and 4,735 Standard Disclosures. As at 21 April, the number of applications processed had risen to 105,765 out of a total received of 115,532.

  There are no reliable figures to indicate what percentage of over all existing staff this represents, because initial estimates from the Department of Health were that checks would need to be carried out on 250,000 existing staff. However discussions with the care sector suggest that there is a high turnover of staff in this sector, and as a result the actual figure could be at least 20–40 per cent. lower.

  In September 2003, the Department of Health issued its schedule to employers and owners in the care sector on the reintroduction of the previously postponed checks on existing care home staff. Initially, employers were asked to send application forms to the CRB by 31 December 2003. Because the number of applications received by that date were low and following discussion

  1543W
  between the Criminal Records Bureau, the Home Office and the Department of Health, this date was extended to 29 February 2004.

  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have(a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five and (f) more than five registrations with the Criminal Records Bureau. [167975]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 23 April 2004]: I believe that the question refers to the number of people who have applied for more than one Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). I am unable to provide an answer, because the CRB's computer system does not hold this information centrally.

  Unit

  Description of Contract

  (FSS) Forensic Science Service

  Facilities Management—Lambeth 1/7/02–1/6/05 with an option to extend the contract for a further period of 24 months.

  (UKPA) United Kingdom Passport Agency

  Building Work. Counter/Reception refurbishment in Glasgow.

  (HMPS) Her Majesty's Prison Service

  Cleaning contract at HMP Long Lartin until 2004. Staff mess catering contract at HMP Long Lartin 30/4/01–29/4/04. Catering framework agreement under Phase 2 Project for Staff Messes and Visits Halls. Roofing contract at HMP Parkhurst. Roofing contract at HMP Leicester. Cameron House conversion contract at HMP Norwich. Works contract at HMP Ranby. Works contract at HMP Hindley. Roofing contract at HMP Hindley. Refurbishment contract at HMP Lewes. Installation of call system contract at HMP Exeter.

  (NPD) National Probation Directorate

  Facilities Management Services—National Probation Service (NPS) North Division Estate commencing 1/1/03. Facilities Management NPS West Division Estate commencing 1/4/03. Both contracts fixed for three years with options to extend both by four times, six month periods to a maximum of five years each

  Departmental Staffing
  John McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of his Department's work force are non-civil servants, separately identifying(a) consultants and contractors,

  Agency staff (including non-civil servant inward secondees)

  Total staff

  Percentage

  Immigration and Nationality Department

  1,298

  14,240

  9.1

  United Kingdom Passport Service

  47

  2,627

  1.8

  Centrally managed core Home Office

  300

  4,208

  7.1

  Forensic Science Service

  90

  2,615

  3.4

  Prison Service Agency

  300

  47,427

  0.6

  Note:

  Inward Seconded staff who are civil servants are counted against normal staff counts; staffing returns for the Home Office Annual Report excludes agency staff.

  John McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to his Department of contracted professional services was in each of the last five years. [163633]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  [holding answer 31 March 2004]: The cost for contracted professional services for the Core Home Office in each of the last five years is as follows:

  Custodial Sentences
  Mrs. Ann Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women were given a custodial sentence by courts in London in each month since January 2003. [168780]

  Paul Goggins
  Statistics on court proceedings for 2003 will be published in the autumn.

  Departmental Contracts
  Mrs. Helen Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contracts have been awarded to the company Mitie by his Department since 2000; and what arrangements were put in place for collective bargaining. [166595]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  The available information held by the Home Office on the contracts awarded to MITIE since 2000 is as set out in the following table:

  (b) secondees from other Government bodies and(c) temporary agency staff. [163631]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  [holding answer 31 March 2004]: Contributions have been received from areas of the Home Department, including agencies, as follows:

  £

  1999

  15,132,974

  2000

  33,130,017

  2001

  47,177,217

  2002

  58,509,500

  2003

  73,762,761

  1545W
  The Stage 2 RAB Resource DEL for the Home Office over the same period was:

  £

  1999–2000

  7,076,102,000

  2000–01

  8,398,131,000

  2001–02

  10,261,856,000

  2002–03

  11,088,502,000

  2003–04

  11,836,009,000

  Expenditure expressed as a percentage of the Home Office DEL during the last five years was as follows:

  Percentage

  1999–2000

  0.21

  2000–01

  0.39

  2001–02

  0.46

  2002–03

  0.53

  2003–04

  0.63

  The Immigration and Nationality Directorate accounted for around half of the cost for each financial year.

  Drug Rehabilitation Treatment
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the waiting times for drug rehabilitation treatment for each drug action team in England were for each year from 1995–96 to 2003–04; and if he will make a statement. [163881]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The National Treatment Agency (NTA) has collected information on waiting times for all drug treatment modalities from 2001 for drug action teams. This is available on the NTA's website at http:// www.nta.nhs.uk/programme/performance information popup. htmf#related.

  In December 2001, the NTA developed a programme to tackle growing waiting times, setting targets on the maximum acceptable length of waits. Average waiting times have fallen in all treatment categories from between five to eleven weeks in December 2001, to two to five weeks in October 2003.

  Gloucestershire Probation Board
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the membership of the Gloucestershire Probation Board is; and what the duration of that membership is. [168309]

  Paul Goggins
  There are currently 13 members on the Gloucestershire Probation Board, including the Chief Officer and Chair.

  At present, there are two vacancies on this board. One new member has been selected and is awaiting pre-appointment clearance. The remaining vacancy is for a judicial representative who will be approved by the Department of Constitutional Affairs.
  1546W
  The Board may have a maximum of 15 members, and the term of appointment for all member appointments is three years, with the exception of the Chief Officer who is appointed on a permanent basis.

  Interception of Communications
  Gregory Barker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many warrants have been authorised for the interception of telephone conversations, e-mails and postal mail in each of the last 10 years. [167078]

  Ms Blears
  The figures for the number of interception warrants issued in the last 10 years are published annually in the Annual Reports of the Interception of Communications Commissioner initially appointed under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 and now under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Copies are available in the House of Commons Library

  Offender Management
  Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Chief Executive of the National Offender Management Service to appoint the first Regional Offender Manager for the new service. [168838]

  Paul Goggins
  Advertisements for Regional Offender Manager posts appeared in the media from 18 April. Interviews of candidates will begin in early June as soon as possible after which the first appointments will be made.

  Mrs. Ann Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether regional offender managers will be required to(a) locate prisoners and (b) purchase places for prisoners, as close to their homes as possible. [168783]

  Paul Goggins
  Regional offender managers will assess individual offenders on a case-by-case basis and prescribe interventions appropriate to that offender. Wherever possible, the location of a prisoner's home will be taken into consideration.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Ms Shipley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Stourbridge on 2 March, reference 158991. [165942]

  Ms Blears
  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 31 March 2004,Official Report, column 1419W.

  Parole
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were recalled to custody having been released on home detention curfew in each of the last 12 months. [168025]

  Paul Goggins
  The number of persons recalled to custody having been released on Home Detention Curfew (HOC) in each of the last 12 months is given in the following table.
  1547W
  Reasons for recall include breach of HDC conditions, change of circumstances (for example, where a subject has involuntarily lost their curfew address or has withdrawn consent to be monitored) and being charged with a new offence.

  Numbers recalled from and on home detention curfew England and Wales April 2003 to March 2004

  Recalled

  On HOC

  April 2003

  226

  3,135

  May 2003

  213

  3,112

  June 2003

  196

  3,174

  July 2003

  215

  3,262

  August 2003

  207

  3,772

  September 2003

  272

  3,682

  October 2003

  288

  3,574

  November 2003

  230

  3,613

  December 2003

  272

  3,779

  January 2004

  284

  3,523

  February 2004

  264

  3,444

  March 2004

  259

  3,602

  Policing/Crime Statistics
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much public funding has been spent on CCTV security cameras in Preston since 1997. [169697]

  Ms Blears
  Preston borough council has been allocated a total of £276,228 specifically for CCTV schemes since the introduction of CCTV funding in 1999. This was for two schemes under round two of the initiative.

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage change in full-time police officers in Wigan there has been since 1997. [169333]

  Ms Blears
  Information on strength at Basic Command Unit (BCD) level is collected annually and reflects the position at the end of March. Information on BCD strength is only available from 2002.

  Between March 2002 and March 2003 police strength for the Wigan BCU increased by 6.9 per cent. (from 442.5 to March.473.0). The deployment of officers to BCUs is a matter for the Chief Constable (Michael Todd) and within the Wigan BCU deployment of officers is a matter for the Divisional Commander.

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much public funding has been spent on CCTV security cameras in Wigan since 1997. [169337]

  Ms Blears
  Since 1997, the Home Office has provided £1,604,450 to Wigan metropolitan borough council for CCTV schemes.

  Prisoners
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many life sentence prisoners were(a) in Category C conditions and (b) in open conditions on (i) 31 March and (ii) 31 March in each of the last five years. [168026]
  1548W
  Paul Goggins
  The number of life sentence prisoners held in(a) Category C prisons and (b) Open prisons on 31 March 2004 and in each of the last five years is given in the table.

  Population of lifers in Category C and open prisons, 31 March

  Category C

  Open

  1999

  767

  314

  2000

  782

  354

  2001

  870

  304

  2002

  884

  375

  2003

  966

  397

  2004

  1,014

  400

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are expected to be released from custody(a)on home detention curfew, (b) on parole and (c) at the end of their sentence in each of the next 12 months. [168029]

  Paul Goggins
  Estimated figures for the number of prisoners expected to be released from custody on(a) home detention curfew (HOC), (b) on parole, and (c) at the end of their sentence, are not available. The numbers released on parole and HDC depend on the size and make-up of the prison population, general policy and individual decisions on early release.

  The number of prisoners released from custody on HDC, recommended for parole, and the total number of discharges in 2002 can be found in tables 10.7, 10.1 and 3.13, 4.11 and 5.8 respectively of the publication 'Prison Statistics England and Wales 2002'. A copy of this publication is available in the Library.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of prisoners were assessed for basic literacy and numeracy in 2003–04; and what the rates were for each of the last 10 years. [169093]

  Paul Goggins
  All establishments provide an induction programme, screening and initial assessment of each offender's basic skills.

  We are able to provide figures from 2001, but do not hold data for the past 10 years.

  Prisoners' basic skills assessments

  2001–02

  114,831

  2002–03

  118,800

  2003–04

  123,941

  The number of sentenced prisoners received into prisons for the same period (not including recalls, non-criminals or fine defaulters) is:

  Number

  2001–02

  91,978

  2002–03

  94,807

  2003–04

  192,247

  1Final year figures yet to be confirmed

  Information is not collected and held centrally for each individual prisoner. Accordingly it is not possible

  1549W
  to express these figures as a proportion of annual throughput. Assessment figures would also include non-sentenced prisoners.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners aged(a) under 18, (b) 18 to 25, (c) 26 to 35, (d) 36–60 and (e) over 60 years were released to no fixed abode in each of the last 10 years. [169137]

  Paul Goggins
  The available information, from large-scale resettlement surveys of sentenced prisoners nearing release conducted in November-December 2001 and March-April 2003, is contained in the following table. Comparable information for preceding years is not available.

  Proportion of prisoners without accommodation arranged on release, by prisoner type

  Resettlement survey

  2001

  Percentage 2003

  Male young offenders (aged 18–20)

  23

  10

  Adult males (aged 21 or over)

  34

  30

  Females

  41

  38

  Total

  33

  29

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) suicides, (b) attempted suicides and (c) incidents of self-harm by serving prisoners there were in each of the last 10 years. [169089]

  Paul Goggins
  The numbers of self-inflicted deaths and numbers of incidents of self-harm in prisons in England and Wales are provided in the following table:

  Calendar year

  Number of self-inflicted deaths

  Number of incidents of self-harm (not available pre -1998

  1994

  61

  —

  1995

  59

  —

  1996

  64

  —

  1997

  68

  —

  1998

  84

  3,207

  1999

  91

  3,721

  2000

  81

  5,227

  2001

  73

  7,486

  2002

  95

  9,745

  2003

  94

  116,223

  1In December 2002, a new form for reporting self-harm was introduced across the prisons estate, which is known to have improved reporting practices. Please note therefore that much of the increase in reported self-harm in 2003 may have resulted from the change in reporting procedures rather than reflect an actual increase in incidence of self-harm.

  Suicidal intent is not easy to establish. The reasons why people self-injure are highly complex, and it is difficult to distinguish between acts of self-harm that were attempts at ending life, and those which occurred for other reasons. It is not possible, therefore, for the Prison Service to extrapolate from the data recording incidents of self-harm those acts that may have been attempts at suicide.

  Central to the suicide prevention strategy that I announced on 31 March is the need to reduce the level of distress in prisons and to promote the well being of all staff and prisoners. The strategy has strong support from partner agencies and external organisations, and is being developed in close partnership with the
  1550W
  Department of Health. The Prison Service has also been developing a separate but related self-harm management strategy.

  Charles Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the prison population has been diagnosed as suffering from dyslexia. [169132]

  Paul Goggins
  Past research suggests that the proportion of prisoners suffering from dyslexia could range from four to over 17 per cent. The new prison dyslexia project, currently under way in Yorkshire and Humberside, is designed to provide an authoritative answer to the quest ion of the incidence of dyslexia and related learning disabilities among the prison population. A full report is expected at the end of the summer.

  All establishments provide screening and initial assessment for prisoners. Potential dyslexia indicators can be identified through them. New diagnostic assessments for prisoners, to be administered after initial assessment by a specialist teacher, will offer guidance on when to refer learners for a full dyslexia assessment with an educational psychologist or other appropriately trained person.

  Prisons
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask tile Secretary of State for the Home Department when the results of the audit to identify foreign nationals sentenced to a term of imprisonment will be available. [164404]

  Paul Goggins
  An audit by the Prison Service began in January to ensure that all relevant information on foreign national prisoners that it holds in its custody had been passed to the Immigration Service. This is particularly important for those who will be eligible for the Early Removal Scheme (ERS).

  As this audit concerns the confirmation of personal data on prisoners between the Prison and Immigration Services there are no plans to make the results publicly available.

  Probation Service
  Ross Cranston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the change in gross pension provision for the(a) National Probation Directorate and (b) National Probation Service (Local Area Boards) will be following the publication of the Spring Supplementary Estimates for 2003–04. [168462]

  Paul Goggins
  The Spring Supplementary Estimates for 2003–04 do not make any change in pension provision for either(a) the National Probation Directorate or (b) the local Probation Boards of the National Probation Service.

  Staff in the National Probation Directorate are part of the Civil Service Pension Scheme. Staff in local Probation Boards are part of the Local Government Pension Scheme and the actuarial rate for employers' contributions was set in 2001 for the financial years 2002–03,2003–04 and 2004–05.

  Racial Harassment
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers, preventing racial harassment have been introduced since 1997; and how many times these powers have been used in Birkenhead. [166486]

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

  Figures for the number of prosecutions in Birkenhead for this type of offence are not cent rally available. Over the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02, Merseyside Police recorded a total of 434 harassment offences.

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

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

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers preventing racial harassment have been introduced since 1997; and how many times these powers have been used in Manchester Gorton. [167468]

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

  Figures for the number of prosecutions in Manchester Gorton for this type of offence are not centrally available. Over the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02, Greater Manchester police recorded a total of 2,075 harassment offences.

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

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

  Racism Action Plan
  Lembit Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role his Department envisages for the Racial Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland in the creation of a wider UK National Action Plan against Racism; and if he will make a statement. [167335]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  The Government are committed to implementing the outcomes of the Durban World Conference against Racism in a way that makes sense in the UK, given our long track record in tackling racism, inequality and discrimination. Many of the activities identified in the Durban programme of action are already under way throughout the UK.

  The Home Office is currently developing a UK strategy on race equality and community cohesion. The Northern Ireland Administration is developing its own race equality strategy in respect of its areas of devolved responsibility, and both parties are working together to ensure coherence between the two strategies. We will continue to consult widely as this work develops. The Government are looking at our Durban commitments as part of our development of the strategy.

  Roger Sylvester
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether public funds will be available to any of the eight police officers for their possible appeal against the inquest verdict that the death of Mr. Roger Sylvester in custody was an unlawful killing. [169891]

  Ms Blears
  The Court of Administration has now approved the application for a full Judicial Review of the verdict of unlawful killing reached by the inquest into the circumstances surrounding Roger Sylvester's death.

  The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) has agreed to pay the officers' legal costs arising from the Judicial Review but only if it can also fund relevant costs to the Sylvester family. This matter is to be considered at an MPA meeting on 7 May 2004.

  Serious and Organised Crime Agency
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the annual budget for the Serious and Organised Crime Agency will be; [166461]

  (2) what (a) functions and (b) funds are being transferred from the National Criminal Intelligence Service to the Serious Organised Crime Agency. [166596]

  Ms Blears
  Proposals for the Serious Organised Crime Agency were set out in the white paper 'One Step Ahead: A 21st century strategy to defeat organised crime' (Cm6167), published on 29 March. The new Agency will bring together the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS), the National Crime Squad (NCS), the investigative and intelligence work of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise (HMCE) on serious drug trafficking and the recovery of related criminal assets, and the Home Office's responsibilities for organised immigration crime The National Criminal Intelligence Service currently works on behalf of all United Kingdom law enforcement agencies, providing strategic and tactical intelligence on serious and organised crime,
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  nationally and internationally. These functions will be undertaken by the Serious Organised Crime Agency once it is fully operational.

  The Serious Organised Crime Agency will be funded by the Home Office as an executive non-departmental public body; provision will be determined through the Spending Review 2004 process.

  Sex Offenders Register
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been(a) added and (b) registered in total on the Sex Offenders Register in each year since its establishment, broken down by gender. [169106]

  Paul Goggins
  The notification requirements of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 (often known as the sex offenders register) came into force on 1 September 1997. These requirements have been be updated and strengthened through the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

  Until 2001, data on the number of sex offenders were collated on a national basis from the police national computer. However, this arrangement was overtaken following the introduction of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) and the requirement on each police and probation area to produce annual reports detailing the work undertaken to safeguard the public and manage dangerous offenders in the community.

  The MAPPA reports also include statistics on the number of offenders who are subject to the notification requirements. The 2001–02 reports state that on 31 March 2002 there were 18,513 registered sex offenders living in the community. The 2002–03 reports state that on 31 March 2003 there were 21,413 registered sex offenders living in the community. It is not possible to state the gender breakdown of these statistics.

  The Violent and Sex Offenders Register (ViSOR), currently being developed by the Police and Information Technology Organisation, will have greater capacity to store information on sex offenders and provide statistics on the number of convicted sex offenders.

  Solvent Abuse
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate the Prison Service has made of the number of serving offenders who have suffered from solvent abuse. [169062]

  Paul Goggins
  The Prison Service has no data on which to base any such estimate. Healthcare staff will manage any physical or psychological symptoms associated with solvent abuse. CARATs drug workers will address solvent abuse where it is part of polydrugmisuse.

  The Substance Misuse Standard being developed by the Youth Justice Board will place a particular emphasis on solvent abuse, which tends to be more prevalent among younger people.
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  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much police authority funding has been granted to voluntary sector bodies to provide training in solvent abuse among children. [169067]

  Ms Blears
  This information is not held centrally.

  Stop and Search
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to he answer of 6 January 2004,Official Report, column 328W, on stop and search, how many arrests resulted from the 56 searches conducted between 6 March and 27 April 2003 under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in the vicinity of RAF Fairford. [166992]

  Ms Blears
  There were no results resulting from the 56 searches conducted between 6 March and 27 April 2003 made under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

  Terrorism Arrests
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether those detained on 19 and 20 April in Manchester in connection with alleged terrorist activity are(a) linked to Al Muhajiroon and (b) Supporters of Sharia; and if he will make a statement. [167992]

  Mr. Blunkett
  Your will be aware that the investigation involving those arrested on 19 April 2004 in Manchester, and in some cases re-arrested subsequently, is ongoing. Therefore it would be inappropriate for me to comment.

  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the(a) nationalities and (b) immigration status were of people arrested on suspicion of terrorist offences in each of the last five years; [167960]

  (2) how many people arrested under anti-terrorist legislation have been identified as illegal immigrants in each of the last five years; [167961]

  (3) how many people arrested under anti-terrorist legislation in each of the last five years are current or former asylum seekers in the United Kingdom; [167962]

  (4) how many people have been (a) arrested, (b) charged and (c) convicted under anti-terrorist legislation in each of the last five years, broken down by offence; [167963]

  (5) how many people were arrested in November and December 2003 on suspicion of terrorist offences, broken down by offence; what their (a) nationalities and (b) immigration status are; and how many are current or former asylum seekers in the United Kingdom. [167967]

  Mr. Blunkett
  information on nationality and immigration status can be a key part of the investigation of terrorist offences and the police and Immigration Service work closely together in these cases. I legislated in the Nationality, immigration and Asylum Act 2002 to make it easier to deport foreign nationals who have committed serious offences.
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  This information is now being collated centrally for statistical purposes but is not available for the years listed by the right hon. Member. It would, however, be disproportionate to require the police and courts to obtain, verify and record this information in all cases.

  The available evidence suggests that only a small number of foreign nationals, asylum seekers or refugees commit serious crimes.

  We are currently awaiting a breakdown of the available figures on arrests, charges and convictions from the Metropolitan police. I will write to the right hon. Member and place a copy in the Library once these have been received.

  UK Border Controls
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether EU Directives prevent the UK from establishing UK border controls and customs points in other EU nation states. [169963]

  John Healey
  I have been asked to reply.

  There is no EU Directive preventing the UK agreeing with another member state to carry out customs controls in their territory.

  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to staff UK customs points outside UK borders. [169964]

  John Healey
  I have been asked to reply.

  UK Customs have only one staffed customs point outside the UK and that is at Coquelles in France dealing with Channel Tunnel shuttle traffic. There are no plans to operate customs points elsewhere outside the UK.

  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has held discussions with his counterparts in other countries(a) in the EU and (b) elsewhere with regard to mutual co-operation concerning the establishment of manned customs points for the UK outside UK borders. [169965]

  John Healey
  I have been asked to reply.

  There have been no discussions regarding the establishment of staffed customs points outside UK borders.

  Extremist Websites
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he plans to take to combat(a) recruitment and (b) fundraising through extremist and racist websites; and if he will make a statement. [168005]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  We have discussed these and attendant issues with the police, the Information Commission and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), all of whom are aware of the kind of websites he describes.

  It is already an offence to incite others to commit any criminal offence. Under the Public Order Act 1986, it is also an offence to use threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or distribute material which is threatening or abusive so that another person believes
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  that immediate unlawful violence will be used against them or they will be caused harassment, alarm or distress.

  It is important that existing laws be used where breaches of the criminal law occur. Anyone with concerns should make them known to the relevant authorities and to the IWF.

  We are currently working on an e-crime strategy which will include consideration of issues like these.

  Young Offenders
  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young offenders were given a custodial sentence by courts in Wales in each month since January 2003. [168207]

  Paul Goggins
  Statistics on court proceedings for 2003 will be published in the autumn.

  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) young offenders and (b) juveniles were given a custodial sentence by courts in London in each month since January 2003. [168637]

  Paul Goggins
  Statistics on court proceedings for 2003 will be published in the autumn.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Departmental Policies (Sustainable Development)
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what steps he is taking to deliver sustainable development within Government; [165669]

  (2) what progress has been made on his Department's Sustainable Development Strategy. [165670]

  Mr. Pond
  DWP is continuing to develop a Sustainable Development Strategy to support its Policy Statement. Details of the range of targets that the Department, including all of its agencies, are working to deliver are available to all staff via the Department's internal intranet.

  DWP continues to publish specific target related strategies on its website, as targets within the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate are rolled out. A fully comprehensive strategy will be published once this process is complete. Progress on these targets and other related actions is, and will continue to be, published annually in the Department's Annual Sustainable Development Report.

  The Department continues to make steady progress in the delivery of sustainable development. The two officials groups with responsibility for the delivery of the aims and objectives of the Department, as detailed within the DWP Sustainable Development Policy Statement, are continuing the work of fully embedding sustainability within processes across the whole range of businesses. Progress is again reported in the Department's Annual Sustainable Development Report.

  Departmental Stationery
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the Department's main suppliers of(a) copier paper, (b) stationery, (c) envelopes and (d) paper for reports; what the name of each paper used was in each case; and what the (i) recycled and (ii) post-consumer recycled content of each type of paper is. [165642]

  Mr. Pond
  The main suppliers of copier paper to the Department for Work and Pensions are Guilbert, Banner, Glenmore Lomond, Premier Paper and the Paper Company.

  The core recycled paper offered by all suppliers is "Evolve Office" which is made from 100 per cent. post consumer waste, although Guilbert also offer an own brand product "Recycled 3500", which is made from 80 per cent. post consumer waste.

  The main suppliers for desk-top stationery are Guilbert and Banner, who also supply envelopes.

  Reports that are produced and used internally use copier paper, (suppliers listed above). External reports are produced from papers supplied by Aspect, Astron Group, Belmont Press, British Loose Leaf, Corporate Document Services, Charisma, Cherry Print, COI, Colibri, Deanprint, Homer Brothers, Midland Regional Printers, Newtown Printers, Pickards, Print & design Factory, Print Art and Design, Print Solutions UK, Rosehill Press, Sandy Press, Slater Press and Trafford Press.

  Disabled Workers (Oldham, West and Royton)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on measures introduced to improve the working conditions of disabled workers in Oldham West and Royton in the last seven years. [170949]

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

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

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

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

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

  EU Social Chapter
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the effect of the EU Social Chapter on the residents of Heywood and Middleton. [168530]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  I have been asked to reply.

  The residents of Heywood and Middleton have benefited from the EU Social Chapter by having their employment rights extended to include:
  the right to Parental Leave which gives parents the right to 13 weeks unpaid leave at the birth or adoption of a child;
  the entitlement of part-time workers to the same pro-rata terms and conditions of employment as full time workers, thereby removing any discrimination and improving the quality of part-time jobs;
  the provision that once a prima facie case has been made in an employment tribunal claim, the burden of proof is placed on the defendant (usually the employer), who will need to demonstrate that sex discrimination has not occurred;
  rights under the Fixed Term Work Directive that provide equal treatment and prevent abuse of fixed term contracts;
  rights under the European Works Council Directive which requires companies with at least 1000 employees in total and at least 150 workers in each of the two Member States, to establish structures for consulting workers on issues that affect them and;

  In addition, the Information and Consultation of Employees Directive to be implemented in the UK by March 2005, establishes a right to new minimum standards for workforce communication and involvement in large firms.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) raid Star Alliance consultants to advise on the restructure and re focusing of the Health and Safety Commission and HSE. [166862]

  Jane Kennedy
  [holding answer 26 April 2004]: The Health and Safety Executive employed the Star Alliance to assist with its change and modernisation programme at a cost of £1.088 million. This included the design and implementation of workshops for all staff to embed new values and behaviours; a leadership development and

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  training programme for all senior staff; advice on a new communications function and strategy; research on stakeholder and public attitudes; and developing and strengthening the organisation's change management capabilities.

  Incapacity Care Allowance
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the incentives to work for those in receipt of incapacity care allowance and seeking part-time work with earnings over £4,000 per annum. [167177]

  Maria Eagle
  [holding answer 22 April 2004]: Since April 2000, people who participate in work trials and placements approved and arranged through Jobcentres can retain their incapacity benefits. Under the new Permitted Work rules for incapacity, benefit, introduced from April 2002, recipients can earn up to £20 a week for an unlimited period, or work for less than 16 hours a week and earn up to £72 a week for 26 weeks. This can be extended for a further 26 weeks if progress is being made towards work of 16 hours a week or more. Those doing supported permitted work can earn up to and including £72 a week for an indefinite period. This earnings limit has been increased to its current level from £48 per week in 1998 to keep pace with increases in the National Minimum Wage.

  Recipients of carer's allowance are not required to be available for, and actively seeking, work as a condition of entitlement to the allowance. However, working age carers living in Jobcentre Plus areas are required to attend, where possible, a work focussed interview, and are encouraged to keep in touch wit a the labour market.

  Incentives to work for carer's allowance recipients who are seeking part-time work with earnings of over £4,000 per year are provided by the earnings rule which enables them to retain the allowance if their net earnings do not exceed £79 a week after deduction of allowable expenses. These include income tax, national insurance contributions, half of their superannuation contributions and some of the cost of providing care for the disabled person the recipient cares for and/or for the recipient's children whilst the recipient is at work. The earnings limit is set at the same amount as the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions and is increased each year.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of recipients of incapacity care allowance who are(a) in employment, (b) of working age but not employed and (c) of working age, not employed hit seeking work. [167178]

  Maria Eagle
  [holding answer 22 April 2004]: Incapacity benefits provide a source of income for people of working age with health conditions or disabilities. There are around 2.7 pillion people with such conditions claiming incapacity benefit, severe disability allowance, income support or national insurance credits. More than 37,000 recipients of incapacity benefit and SDA currently do some permitted work whilst receiving the benefit. In addition,
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  the Labour Force Survey suggests around 3 per cent. of those receiving these benefits have looked for work within the last four weeks.

  As at 30 November 2003, some 32,500 recipients of carer's allowance were in employment and a further 365,000 working age recipients of the allowance were not employed. Although recipients of the allowance are not required to be available for, and actively seeking, work as a condition of entitlement to it, around 1,000 recipients were also claiming jobseeker's allowance and, hence, actively seeking work. There may be others who are actively seeking work, but do not use the services of Jobcentre Plus.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many recipients of incapacity care allowance there were in each of the last five years. [167179]

  Maria Eagle
  [holding answer 22 April 2004]: The information is in the table.

  Incapacity benefits and carer's allowance recipients

  Incapacity benefit

  Thousands Carer's allowance

  1999

  2,637.5

  379.8

  2000

  2,677.9

  397.6

  2001

  2,705.1

  376.2

  2002

  2,710.1

  402.7

  2003

  2,720.5

  418.7

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and are expressed in thousands.

  2. Incapacity benefit figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample taken at the end of November each year.

  3. Carer's allowance figures for 1999, 2001 and 2002 are based on a 5 per cent. sample taken at the end of December each year, figures for 2000 are estimated and figures for 2003 are based on a 5 per cent. sample taken at the end of November.

  4. Figures include people receiving incapacity benefit, credits only cases and people in receipt of severe disablement allowance.

  Source:

  DWP information centre

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will reply to Question 160679, tabled by the hon. Member for Northavon on 8 March 2004. [169392]

  Mr. Pond
  A reply was given to the hon. Member on 28 April.

  Pathways to Work
  Mr. George Osborne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what independent evaluation of the Pathways to Work pilot programme has been undertaken. [168847]

  Maria Eagle
  The first tranche of Pathways to Work pilots were launched in October 2003 and the second tranche in April 2004. An independent evaluation of the pilots has been commissioned and will be carried out by independent research organisations managed by DWP analysts.

  Mr. George Osborne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what role there is for(a) private companies and (b) voluntary organisations in the delivery of Pathways to Work. [168848]
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  Maria Eagle
  Seven Pathways to Work pilot areas are now operational; they are managed and run by Jobcentre Plus with additional specialist services provided from a number of sources.

  The New Deal for Disabled People plays a key role in helping people on incapacity benefits into employment with support provided by organisations from the private, voluntary and public sectors. Jobcentre Plus also has contracts with private and voluntary organisations to deliver specialist disability employment programmes such as Work Preparation, Workstep, and Work Based Learning for Adults.

  In addition, the Pathways to Work pilots provide condition management programmes in conjunction with NHS Primary Care Trusts to help people with health conditions to better manage their condition and help them successfully return to work. Primary care Trusts can commission services from local providers, from public, private or voluntary sectors, in order to meet specific requirements.

  Pension Schemes
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if the Government will require solvent employers to make up any shortfall to the full buy-out value of an employer funded pension scheme that has been promised to members as their pension entitlement when the scheme is wound up, regardless of the date when the wind-up commenced. [169869]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The Government have already announced its intentions on "full buy-out" and has introduced Regulations that bring about a significant change to the protection afforded to scheme members.

  The Occupational Pension Schemes (Winding Up and Deficiency on Winding Up etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 were introduced to strengthen members' protection when a salary-related occupational pension scheme, subject to section 75 of the Pensions Act 1995, starts to wind up while its sponsoring employer is solvent.

  The Regulations mean that the debt on the employer is calculated on the basis that the scheme should be able to meet the full costs of winding up and the full benefits that scheme members have accrued and expect to receive. The Regulations will ensure that members are more likely to receive the pensions they expect.

  The Government expect sponsoring employers of pension schemes to take their obligations seriously and act in the spirit of the Government's stated intentions. However, the Government will not be requiring employers whose schemes started to wind up before 11 June 2003 to make up any shortfall in these schemes to the "full buy-out" level. To do so would mean that the Regulations affected schemes that started to wind up before the employer, trustees or other relevant parties were aware of the new requirements. It is possible that for some employers such a change could place a significant financial imposition on them that they had not budgeted for.

  Pensions
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which categories of contracted out rebates are(a) paid out in tip form of reductions in the rate of national insurance contributions payable by an employee or employer and (b) paid directly into pension funds. [170980]

  Malcolm Wicks
  For Defined Benefit Occupational Schemes, the whole of the contracted-out rebate is paid through a reduce ion in the National Insurance contribution. For Defined Contribution Occupational Schemes, part of the contracted-out rebate is paid as a reduction in the National Insurance contribution and part is paid by the Inland Revenue direct to the scheme at the end of the relevant tax year. For Appropriate Personal Pensions Schemes (the term applied to personal pension schemes that can be used to contract out), the whole of the rebate is paid by the Inland Revenue direct to the scheme at the end of the relevant tax year.

  Recycled Paper
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of copying paper used by the Department in 2002–03 was from recycled sources; and how much post-consumer waste this paper contained. [165671]

  Mr. Pond
  The UK Sustainable Development in Government Second Annual report shows that in the year ended 31 March 2003 recycled paper accounted for 3 per cent. of the value of desk top paper purchased by the Department for Work and Pensions. The post consumer waste element of that recycled paper was 80 per cent. or more.

  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of paper for printed publications used by the Department in 2002–03 was from recycled sources; and how much post-consumer waste this paper contained. [165672]

  Mr. Pond
  The UK Sustainable Development in Government Second Annual report shows that in the year ended 31 March 2003 recycled paper accounted for 41 per cent. of the value of paper for printed publications purchased by the Department for Work and Pensions. Subsequent information shows that these figures are inaccurate, and that the percentage of recycled paper made from post consumer waste is actually 10 per cert. We are working to identify the discrepancies in figures and progress will be reported on in the Department's annual Sustainable Development Report, and the annual Sustainable Development in Government report

  Paul Holmes
  To a the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures he has put in place to ensure that his Department meets the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled, with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content. [165673]
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  Mr. Pond
  The existing contract for the supply of office paper offers a mix of six different papers, of which two are recycled. An exercise is currently under way that will move the Department's office paper solely to recycled, which will have a minimum of 80 per cent. of post consumer waste, by early 2005.

  Progress will be reported on in the annual Sustainable Development in Government report and in the Department's own annual Sustainable Development Report.

  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures he has put in place to ensure that his Department meets the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that all paper for printed publications bought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled, of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post-consumer waste. [165674]

  Mr. Pond
  Procurement units within the Department for Work and Pensions have been made aware of the quick win target for the purchase of paper for printed publications.

  New print contracts are currently being developed that will include options for recycled paper and progress will be reported on in the annual Sustainable Development in Government report and the Department's own annual Sustainable Development Report.

  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what date his Department expects to attain the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that(a) all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content and (b) all paper for printed publications bought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled, of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post-consumer waste. [165675]

  Mr. Pond
  An exercise is currently under way within the Department for Work and Pensions, which will be completed by early 2005, to move supply of core office copier paper to 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum content of 80 per cent. post consumer waste.

  The Department is currently working to identify a common approach and policy, to enable us to meet the quick win targets for printed publications.

  Progress on both these areas will be reported on in future Department for Work and Pensions Annual Sustainable Development Reports and the Governments Sustainable Development in Government Annual Report.

  Sure Start
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mothers in Wigan have taken up the Sure Start maternity grant. [169314]

  Mr. Pond
  The available informal ion is in the table.
  1564W

  Sure Start Maternity Grants for Wigan Jobcentre Plus District

  Year

  Applications

  Awards

  2000–01

  1,205

  1,055

  2001–02

  1,369

  1,209

  2002–03

  1,785

  1,405

  2003–04

  2,055

  1,385

  Notes:

  1. Data are not available by Parliamentary Constituency. Wigan Parliamentary Constituency is part of Wigan Jobcentre Plus District, which was previously called Wigan and Leigh Social Fund District.

  2. Data are given for all applications and awards, irrespective of whether the application was made by the mother or her partner.

  Source:

  DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System

  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mothers in Preston have taken up the Sure Start maternity grant. [169725]

  Mr. Pond
  The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the tables.

  Sure Start maternity grants

  Applications

  Awards

  Preston social fund district

  2000–01

  1,276

  1,106

  2001–02

  1,536

  1,305

  2002–03

  1,836

  1,531

  2003 April

  152

  95

  Lancashire West Jobcentre Plus district

  2003 May to March

  4,866

  3,710

  Notes:

  1. In May 2003, Preston social fund district was combined with Blackpool social fund district and parts of South West Lancashire and, Lancaster and South Cumbria social fund districts to form Lancashire West Jobcentre Plus district. The data for the two different areas are not comparable.

  2. SSMGs were introduced on 27 March 2000. The very small number of cases for 1999–2000 have been excluded for data protection reasons.

  3. Data are given for all applications and awards, irrespective of whether the application was made by the mother or her partner.

  Source:

  DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mothers in Manchester, Gorton have made use of the Sure Start maternity grant. [167350]

  Mr. Pond
  The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the tables.

  Sure Start maternity grants in Manchester Central Social Fund district

  Applications

  Awards

  2000–01

  1,102

  986

  2001–02

  1,200

  1,065

  2002 to December

  984

  858

  1565W

  Sure Start maternity grants in Manchester Jobcentre Plus district

  Applications

  Awards

  2003 January to March

  1,039

  889

  2003–04

  4,708

  3,635

  Sure Start maternity grants in area covered by Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale, and Bolton and Bury Jobcentre Plus districts

  Applications

  Awards

  2001–01

  8,548

  7,076

  2001–02

  10,197

  8,036

  2002–03

  12,138

  9,274

  2003–04

  12,715

  9,411

  Notes:

  1. Data are not available by parliamentary constituency.

  2. Manchester Gorton parliamentary constituency used to be part of Manchester Central Social Fund district and is now part of Manchester Jobcentre Plus district. The latter was formed in January 2003 from Manchester Central, Manchester South and Manchester Trinity Social Fund districts, together with part of Oldham Social Fund district. The data for the Social Fund district are not directly comparable with that for the Jobcentre Plus District.

  3. In a set of interlocking boundary changes which took place in January 2003, six Social Fund districts were reorganised into the three Jobcentre Plus districts of Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale, and Bolton and Bury. For comparison purposes, data is given for the area covered by these three Jobcentre Plus districts. These data are shown for comparative purposes.

  4. Sure Start maternity grants were introduced on 27 March 2000. The very small numbers of cases for 1999–2000 have been excluded for data protection reasons.

  5. Data are given for all applications and awards, irrespective of whether the application was made by the mother or her partner.

  Source:

  DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  Adoption
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made on improving the(a) efficiency, (b) speed and (c) effectiveness of the Child Adoption Service; and if he will make a statement. [167203]

  Margaret Hodge
  In February 2000 the Prime Minister announced a review of adoption by the Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU). The PIU identified key problems and made recommendations in its report, published in July 2000.

  Following this review the Government implemented a raft of measures to help improve the adoption service. The Government have:
  set an adoption target for the year ending March 2005 for an increase of 40 per cent. in the number of adoptions of looked after children. The baseline for this target is the 2,700 adoptions arranged during the year ending March 2000. Up to the year ending March 2003 there had been an increase of nearly 30 per cent., with 3,500 children being adopted from care;
  published statutory National Adoption Standards setting out clear timescales for adoption agencies to make decisions about children and prospective adopters;
  1566W
  set up an Adoption and Permanence Task Force to identify problems in service delivery and to strengthen and promote best practice. The task force has worked with many local authorities to develop and improve their adoption services;
  developed an Adopter Recruitment Toolkit and a video for adoption agencies to support their local recruitment of prospective adopters;
  established an Adoption Register for England and Wales to help identify potential links between children needing families and those waiting to adopt, and so widen the pool of potential adopters for children;
  introduced the Ad option and Children Act 2002, which received Royal Assent on 7 November 2002. The Act overhauls the outdated 1976 Adoption Act and modernises the whole existing legal framework for domestic and inter-country adoption.

  The Government have already implemented the following key provisions of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (the Act):
  1 June 2003: restrictions on adoptions from overseas;
  31 October 2003: adoption support for adoptive families;
  1 December 2003: parental responsibility for unmarried fathers who jointly register the birth of their child with the mother;
  1 April 2004: advocacy services for children and young people.

  The first phase of the independent review mechanism, which will cover prospective adopters whose adoption agency is minded not to approve them, became operational on 30 April 2004. We expect the provisions on Independent Reviewing Officers to come into force in September 2004.

  A series of consultation documents are being published this year on other provisions in the Act. Copies will be available in the Library.

  The regulations, court rules and guidance required to implement the core of the Act should be in place by the end of 2004. After a period for preparation and training, we expect the legislation to come into force in September 2005.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of birth parents who wish to establish contact with children given up for adoption; and how he proposes to help them. [169043]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Adoption and Children Act 2002 (the Act) provides for two new access to information frameworks, which could facilitate contact between an adopted adult and his birth relatives. The Government are now consulting on the draft regulations and guidance to implement the provisions in the Act, and a copy of the consultation document is in the Library. Section 98 of the Act provides for access to information in relation to adoptions made before the commencement of the Act and sections 56 to 65 of the Act provide the framework for access to information in relation to post-commencement adoptions.

  According to statistics from the Registrar General's Office, approximately 875,000 people have been adopted since the commencement of the Adoption Act 1926. It is only possible to speculate how many people may choose to exercise their right to apply for information under section 98 of the Act. When the numbers of birth parents and other relatives are

  1567W
  considered, there could be over two million people who might have an interest in applying or who may be the subject of an application.

  The Government anticipate that there will be an initial surge of applications from those who have been waiting for section 98 of the Act to be implemented. Some adoption stakeholders have suggested that this could amount to around 20,000 to 30,000 initial applications. The Government intend the framework for section 98 to be implemented in two stages to help registered adoption support agencies, adoption agencies, the Registrar General and the courts manage the initial demand for services. We are consulting on this specific point as part of the overall consultation for the regulations and guidance on access to information and we will carefully consider the responses.

  £000

  April 2001 to July 20011

  August 2001 to July 2002

  August 2002 to July 2003

  LSC Area

  Basic skills

  Key skills

  Basic skills

  Key skills

  Basic skills

  Key skills

  London North

  8,753

  985

  14,099

  1,395

  18,829

  1,921

  London West

  13,671

  858

  24,013

  1,629

  29,303

  1,652

  London Central

  18,207

  1,119

  38,694

  1,733

  38,130

  1,204

  London East

  14,746

  1,476

  31,412

  2,114

  39,783

  2,367

  London South

  5,758

  998

  13,241

  1,488

  15,398

  1,728

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

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

  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what public funding has been spent on adult(a) literacy and (b) numeracy in Preston in each of the last five years. [169683]

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

  Lancashire Learning and Skills Council (LSC)

  £000

  Basic skills

  Key skills

  April to July 20011

  3,370

  1,270

  August 2001 to July 2002

  6,577

  1,857

  August 2002 to July 2003

  7,815

  1,948

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

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

  Adult Education
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what public funding has been spent on adult(a) literacy and (b) numeracy in Greater London, broken down by local education authority, in each of the last five years. [170497]

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

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what public funding has been spent on adult(a) literacy and (b) numeracy in Wigan in each of the last five years. [169277]

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

  £000

  Basic skills

  Key skills

  April to July 20011

  8,925

  2,598

  August 2001 to July 2002

  15,369

  3,586

  August 2002 to July 2003

  27,258

  4,210

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

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

  Apprenticeships
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many residents of Wigan have undertaken apprenticeships in each of the last five years. [169364]
  1569W
  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The information requested is not available at parliamentary constituency level. Nor is the information available on a consistent geographical basis over the last five years.

  However, the table shows the number of starts on modern apprenticeships in the Greater Manchester Learning and Skills Council (LSC) area between April

  Time period

  TEC/LSC

  Advanced MAs

  Foundation MAs

  April 1998 to March 1999

  Bolton and Bury CCTE

  800

  600

  Manchester

  2,400

  700

  Oldham CCTE

  400

  300

  Rochdale CCTE

  500

  100

  Stockport and High Peak1

  800

  100

  Wigan CCTE

  700

  300

  April 1999 to March 200

  Bolton and Bury CCTE

  900

  1000

  Manchester

  2,800

  1,800

  Oldham CCTE

  500

  500

  Rochdale CCTE

  500

  600

  Stockport and High Peak1

  700

  700

  Wigan CCTE

  700

  600

  April 2000 to March 2001

  Bolton and Bury CCTE

  700

  1,200

  Manchester

  3,200

  2,600

  Oldham CCTE

  500

  700

  Rochdale CCTE

  400

  700

  Stockport and High Peak1

  800

  1,000

  Wigan CCTE

  900

  800

  April 2001 to July 2002

  Greater Manchester LSC

  4,800

  9,800

  March 2001 to July 2002

  Greater Manchester LSC

  2,900

  6,800

  1TECs reported the figures in financial years. LSC reports figures in academic years. The first LSC 'year' was 16 months in order to bring the financial year figures into line with academic years

  Source:

  TEC management information

  LSC Individualised Learner Record

  Denotes:

  TEC also became part of Derbyshire LSC

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many residents of Burnley have undertaken apprenticeships in each of the last five years. [167939]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The information requested is not available at parliamentary constituency level. Nor is the information available on a consistent geographical basis over the last five years. However, the following table shows the number of starts on modern apprenticeships in the Lancashire LSC area between April 2001 and the end of July 2003, as well as the number of starts from April 1996 to March 2001 in the two TECs that amalgamated into Lancashire LSC—ELTEC and LAWTEC.

  Time Period1

  TEC/LSC

  Advanced MA

  Foundation MA

  April 1998 to March 1999

  ELTEC

  1,000

  400

  LAWTEC

  1,600

  100

  April 1999 to March 2000

  ELTEC

  800

  1,100

  LAWTEC

  1,900

  1,800

  April 2000 to March 2001

  ELTEC

  900

  1,300

  LAWTEC

  1,800

  2,100

  April 2001 to July 2002

  Lancashire

  LSC

  1,900

  4,100

  1570W
  2001 and the end of July 2003, as well as the number of starts from April 1996 to March 2001 in the six Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) that amalgamated into Greater Manchester LSC—Bolton and Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and High Peak and Wigan.

  Time Period1

  TEC/LSC

  Advanced MA

  Foundation MA

  August 2002 to July 2003

  Lancashire LSC

  1,500

  3,300

  1TECs reported the figures in financial years. LSC reports figures in academic years. The first LSC 'year' was 16 months in order to bring the financial year figures into line with academic years.

  Source:

  TEC Management Information

  LSC Individualised Learner Record

  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many residents of the Uxbridge constituency have undertaken apprenticeships in each of the last five years. [168990]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The information requested is not available at parliamentary constituency level. Nor is the information available on a consistent geographical basis over the last five years. However, the following table shows the number of starts on modern apprenticeships in the west London Learning and skills Council (LSC) area between April 2001 and the end of July 2003, as well as the number of starts from April 1996 to March 2001 in the three Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) that amalgamated into West London LSC—Focus Central London, north west London and west London.
  1571W

  Time period1

  TEC/LSC

  Advanced MAs

  Foundation MAs

  April 1998 to March 1999

  Focus Central London2

  1,700

  500

  North west London

  400

  300

  West London3

  1,300

  1,000

  April 1999 to March 2000

  Focus central London2

  2,300

  1,200

  North west London

  400

  500

  West London3

  1,000

  1,400

  April 2000 to March 2001

  Focus central London2

  2,500

  1,900

  North west London

  500

  500

  West London3

  1,100

  2,100

  April 2001 to July 2002

  West London LSC

  900

  1,800

  March 2001 to July 2002

  West London LSC

  600

  1,200

  1TECs reported the figures in financial years. LSC reports figures in academic years. The first LSC 'year' was 16 months in order to bring the financial year figures into line with academic years.

  2Parts focus central London TEC became parts of central London and east London LSCs

  3Part of west London TEC became part of south London LSC

  Source:

  TEC management information LSC Individualised Learner Record

  Autism
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to develop education facilities for children with(a) autism and (b) Asperger's syndrome. [168970]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Government are playing its part in raising awareness of autism and working in partnership with the voluntary sector and others to improve provision. Some children with autism benefit from mainstream provision, others from specialist provision. The SEN legislative framework and accompanying guidance helps schools and LEAs to support children with autism in the right setting. Children with autistic spectrum disorders, including those with Asperger's syndrome, are benefiting along with others from the considerable additional resources for education and the increase in spending on special educational needs.

  My Department has issued, jointly with the Department of Health, guidance from the Autism Working Group to help providers plan and make good quality provision for children with autistic spectrum disorders. In February, we published "Removing Barriers to Achievement—the Government's Strategy for Special Educational Needs." (www.teachernet.gov.uk/senstrategy). The strategy sets out our long term vision for the education of children with special educational needs and a programme of action which incorporates a range of measures to support improvements in provision for these children and young people. These include an Inclusion Development Programme to support partnership projects involving education, health and social care, voluntary organisations, higher education institutions, special and mainstream schools, and early years settings to develop and pilot effective practice. Autistic spectrum disorders will be one of the key areas the programme will focus on initially. The strategy sets out a clear future role for special schools and recognises the part they play in making specialist provision for children with severe and complex needs, including many, with autism and Asperger's syndrome.

  CAFCASS
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what guidance 1572W
  he has given to CAFCASS on its response to the court of appeal ruling, Thorpe, Rix and Arden, 24 October 2002, on the failure of CAFCASS to meet its requirements under European Convention on Human Rights Articles 6 and 8. [167632]

  Margaret Hodge
  The decision to which the question refers, known as Re T (contact: alienation; permission to appeal) [2002] EWCA Civ 1736 and [2003] 1 FLR 531, did not in fact rule on "the failure of CAFCASS to meet its requirements under the European Convention on Human Rights Articles 6,8" as stated. The Court of Appeal (Lord Justice Thorpe) did, however, indicate that there were issues for the Government and judiciary to consider, including the services CAFCASS can be expected to provide "in order to assist the forensic process to satisfy Convention standards?"

  No guidance has been issued from the Department of Constitutional Affairs or the Department for Education and Skills to CAFCASS on this matter.

  Child Care (Wigan)
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if he will make a statement on the number of children in Wigan who have benefited from the National Childcare Strategy; [169281]

  (2) how many child care places have been created in Wigan since 1997. [169363]

  Margaret Hodge
  From April 1999 to December 2003 Wigan local authority created 5,072 new child care places helping some 9,169 children. This shows an increase in the stock of child care places, taking into account turnover, of 2,853 helping some 5,245 children.

  Computer Learning Centres
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Capital Modernisation Fund computer learning centres have been established in Wigan. [169290]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  There are 21 Capital Modernisation funded centres in Wigan.

  Education Funding
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been
  1573W
  allocated to schools in Heywood and Middleton for information and communications technology since 2001. [168512]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 27 April 2004]: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to his question on funding spent on computers for schools in Rochdale in each of the last seven years on 29 April 2004, Official Report, column 1258W.

  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what public funding has been spent on adult(a) literacy and (b) numeracy in Stalybridge and Hyde in each of the last five years. [168761]

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

  £000

  Basic skills

  Key skills

  April to July 20011

  8,925

  2,598

  August 2001 to July 2002

  15,369

  3,586

  August 2002 to July 2003

  27,258

  4,210

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

  From the information available to the LSC it has not been feasible to obtain estimates at constituency level or separate figures by subject without incurring disproportionate cost. Likewise it has not been feasible to obtain comparable figures for periods before April

  Table (a) Ufi

  Funding allocated—centrally (£000)

  Financial year

  1990–2000 17 months 1 Actual

  2000–01 12 months Actual

  2001–02 12 months Actual

  2002–03 12 months Actual

  2003–04 12 months Actual

  2004–05 12 months Budget

  (a) Marketing2

  1,969

  8,224

  9,767

  10,126

  10,156

  8,721

  (b) Consultants

  560

  741

  1,117

  1,637

  2,927

  389

  (c) Advertising2

  2,990

  12,474

  12,727

  8,652

  11,112

  9,542

  (d) Administration

  9,408

  12,418

  17,309

  20,106

  21,435

  25,007

  (e) Buildings3

  841

  1,104

  1,120

  1,263

  1,473

  1,631

  1Ufi Limited's first statutory reporting period was 17 months to 31 March 2000. The figures used are consistent with information filed with Companies House.

  2The figures provided for 2004–05 have not been finalised and the analysis is based on the 2003–04 ratio.

  3Accommodation related costs such as rent, rates, facilities management.

  (ii)Learning and Skills Council

  This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. I have therefore asked Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, to write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and to place a copy of his reply in the Library.

  (iii)Connexions Service

  (A)Central

  (a) and (c)Marketing and Advertising

  The following table shows the amounts allocated in each year since the launch of Connexions in April 2001
  1574W
  2001 when the Skills for Life strategy was launched and the LSC was formed, but information shows it was considerably less than at present.

  Education Expenditure
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been allocated for(a) marketing, (b) consultants, (c) advertising, (d) administration and (e) buildings for (i) the University for Industry, (ii) the learning and skills councils and (iii) the Connexions service, broken down by (A) centrally and (B) locally-allocated funds, in each year since 1997. [167575]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information is as follows: (i)Ufi

  Ufi, launched in 2000, receives an annual grant from my Department which funds their infrastructure and operating costs such as product development. My Department does not specify the exact amount of money which should be allocated by Ufi on individual items. Figures halve however, been provided in Table (a) following which show the funds expended by Ufi for marketing, consultants, advertising, administration and buildings provided on a central basis in each of the financial years since 1999. Much of the marketing developed centrally is also used locally by Ufi/learndirect centres and hubs. Marketing and advertising at local level does however remain the responsibility of Ufi/learndirect hubs and centres, many of which are private organisations who set their budgets accordingly. No central information is held on this local expenditure. Also, Ufi uses consultants to support the development of the national Ufi/learndirect network and does not allocate consultancy budgets at local level.

  for centrally-managed marketing and advertising activity in support of the Connexions Service.

  (b) Consultants

  No funding is allocated specifically for spending on consultants either nationally or regionally. However, consultants are engaged where this is judged to be the most cost-effective method of achieving objectives.

  (d) Administration

  Table (b) following shows the amounts allocated in each year since the launch of Connexions in April 2001

  1575W
  for the salaries and associated administrative costs of staff managing Connexions and a range of associated initiatives. In addition, the table also shows those amounts allocated to regional Government Offices for the salary and associated administration costs of their staff managing Connexions.

  Table (b) Connexions service

  Funding allocated—centrally (£000)

  Financial year

  1990–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  2004–05

  (a) Marketing

  —

  —

  1,000

  1,900

  850

  1—

  (b) Consultants

  —

  —

  2n/a

  2n/a

  2n/a

  2n/a

  (c) Advertising

  —

  —

  4

  1,678

  2,861

  tbc

  (d) Administration Head Office3

  —

  —

  5,637

  5,784

  6,098

  tbc

  Government Office

  —

  —

  2,500

  2,750

  2,625

  2,500

  (e) buildings

  —

  —

  4n/a

  4n/a

  4n/a

  4n/a

  1No allocation.

  2No element of funding is earmarked specifically for this purpose.

  3Head Office (HO) administration figure; cover the costs of all staff working on Connexions and a range of associated policies and programmes. It is not possible to disaggregate the costs of staff working specifically in support of Connexions.

  4It is not possible to disaggregate costs of HO/GO staff working on Connexions.

  (B) Local

  Local Connexions Partnerships have the flexibility to use their funding in a way which best meets local needs; no part of the funding that is allocated to them is ring-fenced for specific activities or purposes such as administration, buildings, marketing, advertising or consultants.

  Excellence in Cities
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Manchester, Gorton have benefited from the Excellence in Cities programme; and what the per pupil spending was in each year since the programme's inception. [167446]

  Mr. Miliband
  The table shows the number of children in Manchester, Gorton benefiting from EiC, and the annual spend per pupil for the years in question.

  Number of children

  Total EiC expenditure1(£)

  Spend per pupil (£)

  1999–2000

  2,511

  2132,000

  52.57

  2000–01

  4,714

  246,545

  52.30

  2001–02

  4,437

  621,273

  140.02

  2002–03

  4,368

  617,778

  141.43

  2003–04

  4,361

  1,204,434

  276.18

  1All funding figures supplied by Manchester Excellence in Cities Team.

  2Estimate.

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

  Field Study
  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education arid Skills (1) if he will estimate the number 1576W
  (e) Buildings

  It is not possible to disaggregate the building costs associated with DfES Head Office staff working on Connexions from the costs of other Departmental staff using the same head office building, nor those costs associated with Government Office staff working on Connexions from those associated with other Government Office staff.

  of (a) primary and (b) secondary pupils who attended at least one (i) field study and (ii) residential field study course in 2002–03; [170411]

  (2) whether he plans to make attendance on a field study course a compulsory part of the National Curriculum. [170413]

  Mr. Miliband
  The Department does not collect information on the number of students attending field study centres on day or residential visits.

  The geography curriculum already requires pupils to be taught to use fieldwork skills, which must be developed during investigations outside the classroom. We have no plans to make attendance on a field study course a compulsory part of the National Curriculum.

  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the impact of field study courses on pupil performance. [170412]

  Mr. Miliband
  This information is not collected by the Department.

  Further Education
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students in further education failed to complete their course in each year since 1997. [167874]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) routinely present the data in terms of retention rates for qualifications—some learners will be enrolled on more than one qualification. The retention rate is calculated as the number of qualifications completed divided by the number started (excluding transfers). The following table shows the retention rates for further education sector colleges and external institutions for each year since 1997–98.
  1577W

  Retention rates in LSC funded further education (%)

  Year in which qualification was due to be completed

  Institution type

  1997/98

  1998/99

  1999/2000

  2000/01

  2001/02

  Further Education Colleges

  81

  80

  78

  80

  83

  External Institutions

  n/a

  76

  77

  80

  82

  All institutions

  n/a

  79

  78

  80

  83

  n/a=not available

  Source:

  Individual Student Record

  Health Declaration Certificates
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the signature requirements for nursery staff for the Ofsted health declaration certificates are; and if he will reimburse staff for the cost of obtaining a signature from a general practitioner for this certificate. [169758]

  Margaret Hodge
  The health declaration certificate signature requirements for nursery staff are a matter for the Office of Standards in Education (Ofsted) and I have asked HM Chief Inspector for Schools, David Bell, to write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of his letter in the Library. There are no plans to reimburse the cost of obtaining a signed general practitioner's declaration to nursery staff that may require one.

  Hospital Education
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance his Department has produced on the education of children in hospital; and when this guidance was last updated. [170314]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: In November 2001 the DfES jointly with the Department of Health issued the statutory guidance, "Access to Education for children and young people with medical needs". The guidance sets out national minimum standards of education for children who cannot attend school because of their medical needs, including children in hospital. There are no current plans to update the guidance. However, the Department have been working to ensure that the guidance is implemented.

  In June 2003 joint DfES/NHS Estates Guidance was also issued offering advice on the design of education accommodation in hospital settings. The guidance is designed to assist the process of designing excellent education provision in hospital settings whether new of refurbished.

  Number of children looked after at 31 March, and percentage of those who had been continuously looked after for at least 12 months1,2

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  England

  49,300

  69

  49,600

  67

  50,500

  67

  51,200

  69

  London

  9,220

  68

  9,140

  69

  9,200

  68

  9,000

  71

  Inner London

  4,760

  71

  4,750

  71

  4,820

  70

  4,720

  74

  Camden

  275

  75

  260

  76

  260

  68

  270

  69

  City of London

  0

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Greenwich

  285

  75

  280

  81

  295

  72

  330

  73

  Hackney

  485

  75

  480

  74

  490

  72

  485

  71

  1578W

  Learning and Skills Council
  Charles Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total budget of the Learning and Skills Council has been in each year since its establishment; and what it is for 2004–05. [169975]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The budgets allocated to the Learning and Skills Council in each year since its establishment and for 2004–05, as notified in the relevant Grant Letters to the LSC are as follows:

  £ million

  2001–02

  5,536.000

  2002–03

  7,310.890

  2003–04

  8,095.374

  2004–05

  8,674.103

  The Learning and Skills Council budget however, is subject to in-year changes which have altered the final position as follows:

  £ million

  2001–02

  to 5,501.507

  2002–03

  to 7,612.954

  2003–04

  to 8,420.535

  2004–05

  to 8,693,613

  Looked-After Children
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many looked-after children there have been in(a) Greater London and (b) each London borough in each year since 1994; and what proportion of children have been continuously looked after for at least 12 months in (i) Greater London and (ii) each London borough [168881]

  Margaret Hodge
  [holding answer 27 April 2004]: The information requested is shown in the following tables.
  1579W

  Number of children looked after at 31 March, and percentage of those who had been continuously looked after for at least 12 months1,2

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  345

  75

  325

  78

  325

  66

  305

  76

  Islington

  370

  72

  370

  77

  380

  70

  400

  72

  Kensington and Chelsea

  220

  58

  235

  66

  235

  75

  210

  78

  Lambeth

  705

  72

  735

  68

  715

  74

  670

  78

  Lewisham

  495

  72

  455

  71

  480

  71

  475

  74

  Southwark

  550

  69

  580

  71

  590

  71

  570

  78

  Tower Hamlets

  375

  78

  380

  60

  360

  79

  355

  48

  Wandsworth

  385

  64

  385

  62

  380

  65

  375

  71

  Westminster

  265

  65

  275

  67

  305

  60

  275

  78

  Outer London

  4,465

  65

  4,390

  67

  4,385

  66

  4,280

  68

  Barking and Dagenham

  180

  63

  145

  77

  135

  75

  135

  76

  Barnet

  180

  59

  170

  66

  180

  64

  180

  69

  Bexley

  120

  59

  115

  62

  130

  59

  145

  44

  Brent

  410

  66

  365

  78

  345

  75

  330

  72

  Bromley

  220

  61

  240

  66

  240

  68

  250

  71

  Croydon

  350

  64

  310

  62

  340

  59

  330

  65

  Ealing

  360

  71

  360

  76

  345

  80

  370

  71

  Enfield

  195

  66

  200

  67

  200

  72

  200

  71

  Haringey

  545

  61

  495

  61

  360

  69

  315

  74

  Harrow

  120

  62

  125

  65

  150

  59

  150

  69

  Havering

  155

  64

  160

  70

  150

  64

  130

  69

  Hillingdon

  185

  55

  245

  46

  310

  57

  255

  60

  Hounslow

  240

  72

  230

  69

  250

  64

  255

  71

  Kingston Upon Thames

  105

  71

  100

  71

  90

  72

  85

  73

  Merton

  170

  70

  165

  71

  185

  63

  170

  70

  Newham

  385

  61

  410

  67

  415

  66

  395

  65

  Redbridge

  105

  68

  125

  50

  125

  49

  145

  49

  Richmond upon Thames

  75

  61

  80

  61

  90

  51

  75

  59

  Sutton

  115

  67

  110

  62

  110

  68

  125

  65

  Waltham Forest

  245

  69

  235

  72

  235

  69

  235

  74

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  England

  53,300

  69

  55,500

  70

  58,100

  70

  58,900

  73

  London

  9,090

  69

  9,590

  69

  10,400

  68

  10,910

  70

  Inner London

  4,630

  70

  4,820

  71

  5,150

  71

  5,370

  71

  Camden

  295

  59

  300

  64

  330

  72

  315

  77

  City of London

  0

  0

  -

  0

  5

  -

  -

  -

  Greenwich

  375

  72

  425

  68

  465

  66

  510

  64

  Hackney

  445

  70

  480

  73

  490

  77

  495

  74

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  295

  68

  340

  62

  365

  63

  395

  52

  Islington

  405

  72

  465

  70

  545

  70

  530

  79

  Kensington and Chelsea

  215

  71

  225

  70

  215

  68

  235

  63

  Lambeth

  630

  78

  655

  69

  735

  71

  775

  75

  Lewisham

  490

  68

  465

  77

  495

  65

  545

  72

  Southwark

  600

  71

  610

  75

  600

  75

  655

  76

  Tower Hamlets

  265

  63

  250

  67

  280

  73

  270

  68

  Wandsworth

  350

  73

  325

  78

  345

  76

  365

  69

  Westminster

  270

  70

  270

  68

  290

  68

  265

  77

  Outer London

  4,455

  67

  4,775

  68

  5,240

  65

  5,540

  68

  Barking and Dagenham

  145

  71

  210

  71

  235

  66

  285

  59

  Barnet

  185

  68

  215

  66

  265

  55

  285

  60

  1580W 1581W

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Bexley

  180

  58

  180

  69

  200

  66

  205

  73

  Brent

  310

  72

  325

  67

  295

  76

  320

  70

  Bromley

  235

  73

  250

  60

  250

  70

  295

  73

  Croydon

  330

  78

  365

  77

  395

  71

  480

  60

  Ealing

  350

  75

  370

  65

  430

  73

  410

  76

  Enfield

  210

  57

  255

  66

  250

  76

  275

  68

  Haringey

  350

  69

  355

  66

  435

  59

  460

  63

  Harrow

  145

  56

  155

  73

  175

  43

  180

  59

  Havering

  135

  77

  135

  51

  165

  55

  150

  77

  Hillingdon

  305

  63

  310

  56

  385

  53

  420

  70

  Hounslow

  260

  66

  240

  80

  255

  65

  320

  65

  Kingston Upon Thames

  95

  81

  100

  67

  105

  63

  95

  67

  Merton

  180

  68

  195

  71

  185

  70

  180

  77

  Newham

  445

  58

  480

  75

  485

  68

  480

  73

  Redbridge

  155

  54

  145

  61

  145

  66

  140

  77

  Richmond Upon Thames

  80

  71

  95

  52

  110

  51

  110

  62

  Sutton

  115

  62

  130

  63

  145

  69

  155

  78

  Waltham Forest

  250

  77

  265

  68

  325

  61

  295

  63

  2002

  2003

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  Number looked after3

  Percentage continuously looked after for at least 12 months

  England

  59,700

  72

  60,800

  73

  London

  11,390

  70

  11,740

  72

  Inner London

  5,420

  73

  5,350

  75

  Camden

  355

  64

  345

  63

  City Of London

  5

  —

  5

  —

  Greenwich

  540

  68

  555

  71

  Hackney

  460

  87

  455

  90

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  435

  68

  390

  75

  Islington

  485

  77

  480

  77

  Kensington and Chelsea

  240

  65

  240

  65

  Lambeth

  710

  78

  645

  83

  Lewisham

  550

  77

  565

  75

  Southwark

  655

  75

  680

  76

  Tower Hamlets

  330

  60

  330

  75

  Wandsworth

  365

  68

  365

  71

  Westminster

  285

  65

  305

  63

  Outer London

  5,970

  67

  6,390

  70

  Barking and Dagenham

  350

  68

  385

  67

  Barnet

  330

  65

  380

  67

  Bexley

  225

  64

  230

  69

  Brent

  360

  66

  355

  74

  Bromley

  325

  74

  310

  74

  Croydon

  575

  67

  680

  70

  Ealing

  380

  79

  410

  76

  Enfield

  300

  61

  310

  71

  Haringey

  465

  60

  520

  58

  Harrow

  165

  71

  160

  91

  Havering

  160

  72

  165

  57

  Hillingdon

  420

  62

  460

  60

  Hounslow

  340

  75

  320

  79

  Kingston Upon Thames

  80

  60

  85

  60

  Merton

  200

  65

  175

  72

  Newham

  550

  63

  675

  66

  Redbridge

  175

  66

  150

  65

  Richmond Upon Thames

  125

  73

  115

  81

  Sutton

  150

  79

  165

  89

  Waltham Forest

  300

  61

  340

  74

  1Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements

  2Figures between 1 and 5 inclusive have been suppressed and replaced by a hyphen (-)

  3National figures have been rounded to the nearest 100. Regional figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. All other figures have been rounded to the nearest 5

  Source:

  Children Looked After by Local Authorities, Year Ending 31 March 2003

  1582W 1583W
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of children with parents who have learning disabilities were taken into care in each year since 1996 in(a) Greater London and (b) each London borough. [168882]

  Margaret Hodge
  [holding answer 27 April 2004]: This information is not collected centrally.

  Marriage and Relationship Support
  Andrew Selous
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for what reasons the funding application to the Marriage and Relationship Support programme by Care for the Family for a National Couple Support Network was turned down. [168162]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Care for the Family (CFF)— National Couple Support Network application was a partnership bid involving CFF and two other organisations. The objective of this project was to network with registrars and other agencies to access couples preparing for marriage and/or requiring relationship support. Although a strong bid both in presentation and concept, the application was rejected because of an overlap with pilot projects currently being funded by through the Marriage and Relationship Support (MARS) Grant programme.

  Nurseries
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education arid Skills how many new nurseries have been established in Birkenhead since 1997. [167647]

  Margaret Hodge
  Wirral metropolitan borough council is responsible for determining local need for nursery provision in Birkenhead and holding information on current provision. Under the Neighbourhood Nurseries scheme 348 new nursery places have been created in the Wirral, of which 175 are in Birkenhead.

  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education arid Skills how many new nurseries have been established in the London borough of Hillingdon since 1997. [168989]

  Margaret Hodge
  The London Borough of Hillingdon is responsible for determining local need for nursery provision in Hillingdon and holding information on current provision. Under the Neighbourhood Nurseries scheme 8,737 new nursery places have been created in London, of which 70 are in the Hayes Early Years Centre in the London borough of Hillingdon.

  Pathfinder Areas
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he expects to announce the results obtained in the 14 to 19 Pathfinder areas. [169453]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Report '14–19 Pathfinders: An Evaluation of the First Year' was published in January. A copy is available on the 14–19 pathfinders website www.dfes.gov.uk/14–19pathfinders and can also be accessed at www.dfes.gov.uk/research/
  1584W
  The second year's evaluation of the complete pathfinder programme, including Warrington's and the other phase two ones which started last September, is currently being undertaken. The Report is expected to be published in February 2005. In the meantime, we are monitoring all pathfinders 1 progress through their termly reports which they are required to submit as a condition of their receiving grant. We publish these periodically on the pathfinders website.

  Post-16 Education
  Martin Linton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the names of the members of the working party on provision of post-16 education and training; how many times it has met; and what its remit is. [166718]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The Working Group on 14–19 Reform was established in spring 2003, to develop proposals for the long-term reform of 14–19 learning. Its members are: Mike Tomlinson CBE (Chair); John Berkeley OBE, Senior Fellow and Director National Apprenticeship Monitoring Unit, SEMTA (Sector Skills Council for science engineering and manufacturing technologies); Simon Culmer, Operations Director, Cisco Systems UK and Ireland; David Eastwood, Vice Chancellor, University of East Anglia; Carmel Flatley (up to June 2003), Director of HR and Training, McDonald's Restaurants Ltd; Ian Ferguson (from July 2003), Chairman Data Connection Ltd.; Dr. Helen Gilchrist CBE, Principal, Bury College; Edward Gould, Master, Marlborough College; John Guy, Principal, Farnborough 6th Form College; Carolyn Hayman OBE, Chief Executive, the Foyer Federation; Colin Hilton, Executive Director, Liverpool City council: Professor David Melville CBE, Vice Chancellor, University of Kent; David Raffe, Professor of Sociology of Education, University of Edinburgh; Jennifer Slater, Principal, Northallerton College; Ken Spours, University of London Institute of Education; Kathleen Tattersall OBE, former Director General, Assessment and Qualifications Alliance.

  The Working Group has met 13 times to date. It was set up in spring 2003, following publication of "14–19: Opportunity and Excellence", the Government's strategy for reform of 14–19 learning, and asked to make proposals for reforms to achieve:
  strengthened structure and content of full-time vocational programmes, and to offer greater coherence in learning programmes for all young people throughout their 14–19 education;
  assessment arrangements for 14 to 19-year-olds that are appropriate to different types of courses and styles of teaching and learning, with the overall amount of assessment manageable for learners and teachers alike; and
  a unified framework of qualifications that stretches the performance of learners, motivates progression, and recognises different levels of achievement.

  Pupil Attainment (London)
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of 11-year-old pupils in London, broken down by local education authority, have reached level 4 in(a) mathematics and (b) English in each of the last seven years. [170496]
  1585W
  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is as follows:

  Key Stage 2 test results for 1997–2003 (provisional), analysed by local education authority and Government Office Region

  Percentage of pupils achieving level 4 or above

  20031

  2002

  2001

  2000

  English

  Maths

  English

  Maths

  English

  Maths

  English

  Maths

  London GOR

  75

  71

  73

  72

  74

  70

  72

  70

  City of London

  97

  79

  93

  89

  86

  75

  79

  75

  Camden

  77

  73

  72

  70

  76

  73

  72

  70

  Hackney

  62

  58

  65

  65

  62

  60

  61

  60

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  77

  75

  74

  76

  77

  74

  72

  70

  Haringey

  66

  64

  65

  66

  67

  64

  63

  61

  Islington

  69

  68

  68

  67

  64

  65

  69

  66

  Kensington and Chelsea

  83

  78

  80

  79

  80

  79

  83

  80

  Lambeth

  71

  66

  67

  67

  68

  66

  68

  65

  Lewisham

  73

  69

  69

  66

  71

  65

  68

  65

  Newham

  66

  65

  63

  68

  65

  64

  64

  63

  Southwark

  69

  61

  66

  62

  65

  61

  65

  61

  Tower Hamlets

  73

  70

  70

  67

  72

  69

  67

  68

  Wandsworth

  74

  66

  73

  72

  74

  67

  72

  68

  Westminster

  78

  76

  77

  77

  77

  76

  77

  76

  Barking and Dagenham

  70

  68

  69

  73

  72

  72

  71

  70

  Barnet

  80

  78

  81

  79

  81

  77

  81

  78

  Bexley

  77

  69

  75

  72

  78

  71

  77

  72

  Brent

  75

  70

  74

  75

  74

  72

  74

  72

  Bromley

  83

  78

  80

  77

  81

  75

  80

  76

  Croydon

  77

  70

  74

  71

  75

  70

  73

  70

  Ealing

  76

  72

  74

  74

  76

  72

  72

  70

  Enfield

  76

  71

  73

  74

  74

  71

  72

  68

  Greenwich

  69

  66

  68

  66

  64

  61

  63

  62

  Harrow

  81

  76

  80

  79

  78

  74

  80

  76

  Havering

  80

  78

  80

  78

  79

  75

  78

  75

  Hillingdon

  80

  74

  78

  77

  81

  75

  78

  74

  Hounslow

  75

  72

  71

  71

  73

  69

  72

  69

  Kingston upon Thames

  81

  76

  80

  77

  80

  76

  80

  76

  Merton

  75

  66

  73

  68

  74

  66

  75

  69

  Redbridge

  77

  73

  78

  75

  77

  72

  76

  73

  Richmond upon Thames

  87

  82

  84

  83

  85

  81

  84

  81

  Sutton

  81

  76

  80

  78

  80

  72

  80

  74

  Waltham Forest

  69

  68

  66

  65

  68

  63

  66

  65

  England (all schools)

  75

  73

  75

  73

  75

  71

  75

  72

  Percentage of pupils achieving level 4 or above

  1999

  1998

  1997

  English

  Maths

  English

  Maths

  English

  Maths

  London GOR

  68

  67

  64

  56

  60

  59

  City of London

  81

  81

  89

  85

  80

  80

  Camden

  69

  70

  62

  58

  60

  65

  Hackney

  53

  55

  52

  47

  48

  49

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  63

  60

  61

  54

  58

  61

  Haringey

  60

  61

  56

  49

  55

  54

  Islington

  65

  65

  58

  51

  56

  57

  Kensington and Chelsea

  73

  74

  69

  58

  67

  66

  Lambeth

  62

  63

  56

  48

  52

  52

  Lewisham

  63

  63

  59

  52

  55

  54

  Newham

  54

  59

  51

  45

  48

  47

  Southwark

  58

  57

  54

  46

  50

  50

  Tower Hamlets

  58

  62

  51

  45

  47

  51

  Wandsworth

  65

  63

  64

  56

  61

  59

  Westminster

  70

  71

  69

  62

  63

  63

  Barking and Dagenham

  65

  68

  60

  54

  52

  54

  Barnet

  76

  76

  73

  66

  70

  68

  Bexley

  72

  68

  68

  59

  68

  65

  Brent

  67

  70

  64

  60

  61

  60

  Bromley

  77

  74

  73

  66

  74

  72

  Croydon

  71

  68

  66

  57

  63

  61

  Ealing

  70

  70

  66

  57

  62

  60

  Enfield

  67

  68

  66

  56

  59

  59

  Greenwich

  58

  59

  52

  48

  50

  51

  Harrow

  76

  72

  74

  65

  70

  69

  Havering

  78

  76

  71

  65

  71

  67

  Hillingdon

  75

  70

  68

  64

  66

  66

  Hounslow

  70

  67

  63

  57

  61

  57

  Kingston upon Thames

  79

  76

  73

  67

  72

  68

  Merton

  69

  68

  66

  53

  58

  55

  1586W 1587W

  Percentage of pupils achieving level 4 or above

  1999

  1998

  1997

  English

  Maths

  English

  Maths

  English

  Maths

  London GOR

  68

  67

  64

  56

  60

  59

  Redbridge

  72

  71

  70

  61

  65

  59

  Richmond upon Thames

  83

  81

  79

  74

  76

  75

  Sutton

  78

  73

  68

  61

  70

  66

  Waltham Forest

  62

  60

  60

  51

  57

  54

  England (all schools)

  71

  69

  65

  59

  63

  62

  1Provisional

  Pupil Behaviour
  Charles Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what projects his Department has initiated to improve the behaviour and attendance of pupils in schools; and what the total budget for each of the projects is. [170026]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  [holding answer 30 April 2004]: The present Government spending on behaviour and attendance related activities and projects since 1997 is set out in the table.

  Grant/scheme

  Year

  Amount (£ million)

  Behaviour Grant

  1997–98

  10.4

  1998–99

  11.4

  Schools Inclusion:

  Puulic Support Grant (SIPS)

  1999–2000

  28.5

  2000–01

  69.1

  2002–03

  84.5

  Behaviour Improvement Programme

  2002–03

  50

  2002–03

  85

  KS3 Behaviour and Attendance Strand

  2003–04

  24

  Primary Behaviour and Attendance pilot

  2003–04

  5

  Positive Activities for Young People funding

  2003–04

  24

  Funding to EiC areas for Learning Support Units and Learning Mentors

  1999–2000

  17

  2000–01

  69

  2001–02

  103

  2002–03

  121

  2003–04

  134

  In December 2002, the Secretary of State launched the Improving Behaviour and Attendance Programme, a coordinated programme with various universal projects including the behaviour and attendance strand of the Key Stage 3 strategy, which provides all secondary schools with audit and training materials and consultancy support (and a primary strategy currently being piloted); new legislation is the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill to reinforce parental responsibility for behaviour and attendance, national truancy sweep campaigns; and the anti-bullying charter. Certain targeted schools, such as those in EiC and high street crime areas, receive more intensive support through the Behaviour Improvement Programme. BIP provides assistance to those most in need, though Learning Mentors; Learning Support Units; multi-agency Behaviour arid Education Support Teams; and police in schools.

  Pupils (Continence Problems)
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the extent to which continence problems are a factor for exclusion in schools. [171131]
  1588W
  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  This information is not available. My Department started to collect data on the reasons for exclusions from summer term 2003, but this does not pick up any continence or other medical-related exclusions. Pupils should only be excluded from school in response to serious breaches of the school's behaviour policy and if allowing the pupil to remain in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or others in the school.

  Return-to-work Skills
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many women in Wigan have visited an information and communications technology training centre in order to learn skills to return to work. [169361]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  In the period October 20031—March 2004, 5,200 people visited a UK online centre in Wigan; 2,912 (56 per cent.) of these people were women. Since Learndirect was launched in 1999, 6,066 people from Wigan have enrolled on a Learndirect course. 3,331 (55 per cent.) of these people were women. Of the total number of women who enrolled on a course, 8 per cent. did so in order to learn skills to return to work.
  1Please note the complete statistics are not available for UK online prior to September 2003 as the DIES did not collect these data on a centre-by-centre basis.

  Rights of Access (Fathers)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the legal framework underpinning the rights of access for fathers to children following marital breakdown. [168412]

  Margaret Hodge
  [holding answer 27 April 2004]: The Children Act 1989 establishes the legal framework within which most separated parents are able to reach agreement about arrangements for the future of their children without recourse to the courts. However, it is open to any parent to apply for a contact or residence order, regardless of whether the parents are (or have been) married to each other. In all questions that come before the court about the upbringing of a child, including issues of residence and contact, the court is required to treat the welfare of the child concerned as its paramount consideration. In considering contact applications, the court will decide on the facts of each individual case what is in the best interests of the child. There is no automatic "right" of contact for either fathers or mothers. The interests of the child come first.

  The Government have no plans to amend the Children Act 1989 in relation to this core principle.
  1589W
  The Government recognise that the facilitation and enforcement of contact orders is a serious issue. I refer the hon. Member to the announcement I made on 19 March regarding the Government's response to the Children Act Sub-Committee Report 'Making Contact Work', and to the on-going work on the facilitation and enforcement of contact by the Department of Constitutional Affairs.

  School Computers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how much public funding has been spent on computers for schools in Oldham, West and Royton in each of the last seven years; [170925]

  (2) how much money has been allocated to schools in Oldham West and Royton for information and communications technologies since 2001. [170931]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My Department does not collect information on school spend on computers at constituency level. However, Oldham, West and Royton is in Oldham LEA and in the last seven years schools in Oldham have benefited from the following funding through the Standards Fund grant for ICT (including match funding from the LEA):

  Allocation to Oldham LEA (£)

  1998–99

  570,322

  1999–2000

  651,147

  2000–01

  1,132,641

  2001–02

  1,244,258

  2002–03

  1,826,832

  2003–04

  1,828,641

  2004–05

  2,329,471

  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how much public funding has been spent on computers for schools in Bootle in each of the last seven years; [171125]

  (2) how much money has been allocated to schools in Bootle for information and communications technology since 1997. [171297]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My Department does not collect information on school spend on computers at constituency level. However, Bootle is in Sefton LEA and in the last seven years schools in Sefton have benefited from the following funding through the Standards Fund grant for ICT (including match funding from the LEA):

  Allocation to Sefton LEA (£)

  1998–99

  587,146

  1999–2000

  813,934

  2000–01

  955,931

  2001–02

  1,350,818

  2002–03

  1,890,315

  2003–04

  1,925,992

  2004–05

  2,492,326

  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on computers for schools in Preston in each of the last seven years. [168124]
  1590W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My Department does not collect information on school spend on computers at constituency level. However, Preston is in Lancashire LEA and in the last seven years schools in Lancashire have benefited from the following funding through the Standards Fund grant for ICT (including match funding from the LEA):

  Allocation to Lancashire LEA (£)

  1998–99

  2,500,000

  1999–2000

  1,627,867

  2000–01

  5,576,036

  2001–02

  6,483,142

  2002–03

  8,983,493

  2003–04

  9,169,124

  2004–05

  11,892,478

  School Results
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what procedures are used to(a) collect information on the results of (i) SATs, (ii) GCSEs and (iii) A levels from schools and (b) prepare that information for publication. [170312]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: We do not collect test and examination results direct from schools. The National Curriculum test results for Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 are provided to the Department by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's National Assessment Agency (NAA). The NAA collect those results from the External Marking Agencies at the same time as the results are issued to schools. Similarly, GCSE and A level examination results come to the Department from the Awarding Bodies at the same time as the results issue to students and schools.

  To enable publication of accurate information in the school and college performance tables, we collate the test and examination results achieved by pupils and ask schools to check (and if necessary amend) the information held centrally by the Department. This relieves schools of the burden of providing all the information direct, while enabling verification that our data and calculations are correct prior to publication.

  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps have been taken to assess the validity of the methodology for producing school value-added results; and how the results have been verified. [170313]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: The methodology used by the Department for producing school VA results has been arrived at after a long process of development. This was initiated by the "National Value added project" commissioned by SCAA (a forerunner of QCA) which reported in 1997. The project, carried out by leading academics at Durham university, showed that it was valid to measure school value added using progress between Key Stage tests and public examination results.

  The findings of this project were used to develop a detailed methodology for the Autumn Package, which has been used by schools for self-improvement from 1998 onwards, and then piloted for the Performance Tables with a sample of schools within each key stage. As part of each stale of piloting, there was an extensive

  1591W
  evaluation process including discussing both methodological and practical issues with the pilot schools. This showed that that the methodology was broadly understood arid accepted as valid by schools. There followed a full consultation exercise, before rolling out publication of a key stage to all schools.

  At an early stage in this process the methodology was discussed at a meeting of the Education subgroup of the Royal Statistical Society.

  In producing the value added measures each year, the underlying pupil data on prior and current attainment is provided to schools for checking, to ensure that all results are accurate and have been matched correctly.

  Schools (Acts of Worship)
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he is taking to ensure that schools meet their obligations in respect of daily acts of worship. [169805]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  As part a the basic school curriculum, all maintained schools must provide a daily act of collective worship for all its registered pupils. Schools' compliance with this statutory requirement is considered as part of school inspections. Inspectors are required to report formally on compliance and their overall judgment on governance will take this matter into account.

  I am currently considering a range of proposals that are intended to help schools deliver their statutory responsibility on collective worship, and will announce the way forward in due course.

  Teachers TV
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what reports he has received on the impact of the Teachers TV pilot; and whether he expects it to go live as planned in August. [170463]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: The Teachers TV pilot was comprehensive, testing 44 programmes during February and March with a sample of circa 1,000 teachers, heads, governors and classroom assistants. We have recently received the research data.

  Once we have analysed the data from the research we will announce a decision on whether we will be proceeding to full channel launch. We expect to do this in June.

  Truancy
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if he will make a statement on the measures the Government are taking to deal with truancy; [169950]

  (2) what the most recent figures are for truancy rates. [169951]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Truancy is measured as the percentage of half school days missed due to unauthorised absence and stands at 0.70 per cent. for 2002/03. This is an improvement on the 2001/02 level of 0.72 per cent. and is equivalent to around 1,300 more pupils back in school each day. The 2002/03 level of 1592W
  school attendance of 93.17 per cent. is the highest ever recorded since national records began in 1993/94. These data indicate that the Department's Behaviour and Attendance Strategy, launched in December 2002, is making a positive impact on truancy. For example, 125 of the secondary schools supported by the targeted Behaviour Improvement Programme reduced truancy by 0.09 percentage points between 2001/02 and 2002/ 03—almost five times the national average. The programme is being evaluated and the good practice identified will be disseminated more widely. In this school year, we have made behaviour and attendance audit materials and training for staff available to every secondary school and we are piloting materials for primary schools in 25 local education authorities. In addition to providing support and good practice, for schools and their pupils, we are making it clear that we do not tolerate any unjustified absence from school. Since December 2002, national truancy sweeps have stopped over 50,000 pupils out of school, almost 40 per cent. of whom were judged to be truanting and, in about half of cases, the truant was with a parent. We have therefore introduced new measures, such as the Fast Track to Prosecution system and parenting contracts and penalty notices, to promote and reinforce parental responsibility for their child's school attendance.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  HIV/AIDS
  Sir Archy Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) whether combating the spread of AIDS in Africa will be a UK priority during its period of chairmanship of the G8 in 2005; [170514]

  (2) whether combating AIDS in Africa will be a UK priority during its presidency of the EU in 2005. [170599]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  In December 2003 the Government published their "Call for Action on HIV/ AIDS". The document was the first stage in stepping up our efforts to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic and sets out our clear intentions to provide high-level political leadership, to push for more resources to be made available and to work together more effectively with other donors. The Call for Action also signalled that HIV/AIDS, with a special focus on Africa, would be a centrepiece for our Presidencies of both the G8 and of the EU in 2005. DFID is currently developing ideas about how best to use our G8 Presidency to promote accelerated international action on HIV/AIDS.

  Sir Archy Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what joint activity within the EU is being undertaken to combat AIDS in Africa. [170598]

  Hilary Benn
  Joint European Union (EU) actions to combat AIDS in developing countries are carried out within the framework of the European Commission's Programme for Action (PfA), entitled: "Accelerated action on HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB in the context of poverty reduction". The PfA entails a series of actions to increase the impact of existing interventions to combat HIV/AIDS; increase the affordability of key
  1593W
  pharmaceuticals; and encourage investment in research for the development of global public goods to tackle HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria.

  In order to help increase the affordability of medicines the EC supports the provisions of the Doha declaration on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The EC supports a strategy of tiered pricing of essential pharmaceuticals, whereby consumers in developing countries pay only for the basic production costs of patented drugs plus a modest mark-up. During the last two years the tiered pricing concept has become widely accepted within the EU. A major achievement was the adoption in May 2003 by the Council of a Regulation to avoid trade diversion into the EU market of certain key medicines, sold at reduced prices in developing countries.

  In terms of increasing investment in research and development of specific global public goods to tackle HIV/AIDS and other diseases affecting the poorest, substantial resources have been allocated from the Research Framework Programmes for HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB research, including the establishment of the new European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) initiative. More information on the PfA is available at //europa.eu int/comm/development/body/eu_africa/docs/maladies_transmissibles_en.pdf.

  The EU is committed to increasing the impact of interventions to tackle HIV/AIDS. However, progress has been slow in terms of increased support for health. Notwithstanding the large price reductions obtained since the adoption of the PfA, only few have access to anti-retroviral medicines, and to effective TB and malaria interventions. The proportion of national budgets devoted to health, and donor support needs to be increased.

  Globally, the EC has been proactive in addressing the issues covered by the PfA, for example in the context of the G8, at EU/US summits, and at the EU/African Union Forum. The Commission also contributes to and is an active Board Member of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM). HIV/AIDS is among the priority development issues in the 2004–06 multi-annual strategic programme agreed by EU Heads of Government at the December 2003 European Council. The UK will prioritise HIV/AIDS and Africa during its Presidency next year. DFID is co-ordinating it's work closely with initiatives planned under the other five Presidencies during the 2004–06 period.

  Malaria
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of predicted fatalities from malaria among(a) key workers, (b) pregnant women and (c) children under five years in Sub-Saharan Africa in each year between 2004 and 2014; and if he will make a statement; [170300]

  (2) what recent assessment his Department has made of the change in the level of malaria fatalities in Sub-Saharan Africa. [170299]
  1594W
  Hilary Benn
  The Department for International Development has not made any estimates of the predicted fatalities among different groups of people from malaria. DFID looks to the World Health Organisation to provide a technical lead on such questions.

  Great progress was made in reducing malarial mortality in the 1970s and 1980s, yet many parts of Africa are now seeing an increase in the number of deaths from malaria. Malaria is Africa's leading cause of child mortality and constitutes 10 per cent. of the continent's overall disease burden. Approximately 3000 people die from malaria each day in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

  A key cause of the recent rise in malaria deaths is an increase in resistance to antimalarial drugs, and the lack of affordable alternatives. In addition the capacity of health systems in Sub-Saharan Africa is often inadequate to respond effectively to malaria.

  Nonetheless, malaria remains a disease that is preventable, treatable and curable. This Department remains strongly committed to meeting the Millennium Development Goal to halt and begin reversing the incidence of malaria by 2015, recognising the importance of malaria, not just in terms of disease burden, but also the potential it has to undermine economic growth and human development.

  Since 1998 DFID provided in excess of £110 million to support malaria control activities globally and at country level. At the global level this includes support to Roll Back Malaria; a $280 million commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (which will fund distribution of insecticide impregnated bed nets and appropriate ant-malarial medication); support to the Medical Research Council; support to the Malaria Consortium Resource Centre; and initiatives to help find new low-cost malaria treatments,

  DFID also supports malaria control activities at country-level through our bilateral county programmes, either through direct support to the health sector or through general budget support. DFID is committed to supporting national governments and their partners to help ensure that effective drugs and commodities including effective anti-malarial drugs are accessible to the poor. Since 1997 DFID has committed £1.5 billion to strengthen health systems to deliver vital drugs and health care treatment.

  Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many(a) domestic and (b) international representations his Department has received since 2002 concerning opposition to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. [170981]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  The Department for International Development received the following representations on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline:609 letters, either direct from a member of the public, or from/via an MP, or from an NGO,
  3,529 emails,
  8,587 campaign cards,
  and 11 Parliamentary Questions.
  1595W
  DFID also holds meetings with interested parties in the UK. Although some of the representations DFID has received relating to the Baku-Tbilisi- Ceyhan pipeline were from international organisations and individuals, the great majority ware from within the UK. Unfortunately our systems do not allow us to determine exact numbers of domestic and international representations without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Microfinance Projects
  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money his Department spent on microfinance or microcredit projects(a) in total and (b) by continent in each year since 1997. [170465]

  Hilary Benn
  Access to financial services for people living in poverty is a critical condition for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Since 1990, DFID has been working, with many partners in the UK and overseas to broaden access for poor people to financial services, including microcredit.

  In addition to specific programmes that have microfinance as the central activity, DFID has supported many programmes within which microcredit has played a small but important role. In addition DFID has provided funds for research into microfinance, and innovation funding for new microfinance products. DFID has not maintained a central register of these various applications of funding for microfinance over the past 15 years.

  Since 1997, DFID has spent or committed in excess of £150 million on programmes where microfinance has been a core activity. Of this sum, approximately £70 million has been spent or committed in Africa, with the most of the remainder funding microfinance programmes in South Asia, East Asia, Russia and the Caribbean.

  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what discussions his Department has had with(a) the United Nations Development Programme and (b) other UN departments in advance of the United Nations Year of Microcredit in 2005; and if he will make a statement; [170466]

  (2) what discussions he has had with external organisations regarding the promotion of microfinance and microcredit as a priority during (a) the Prime Minister's Commission for Africa over the next 12 months and (b) the UN Year of Microcredit 2005. [170512]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID, alongside other donors, has for many years actively supported the development of policies and institutions to extend the outreach of sustainable microcredit and other financial services to the poor. As an active member of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), an international agency of 29 donors promoting best practice globally in the microfinance industry, DFID has been instrumental in linking CGAP with the organisers of the International Year of Microcredit.
  1596W
  The UN Capital Development Fund, and the UN's Secretariat's Department of Economic and Social Affairs, will jointly co-ordinate the preparation activities of UN system for the International Year of Microcredit. DFID officials have met with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) Secretariat staff on three occasions in the last six months. In addition DFID has facilitated discussions between CGAP and UNCDF with the objective of enhancing joint messages on microfinance, and possibly jointly participating in events during the year.

  DFID officials have also met with Citigroup, one of the private sector sponsors of the year, and plan to meet with other international and UK organisations currently involved in the provision of microfinance overseas.

  DFID is committed to the growth of small enterprise, and issues of trade and growth are being considered as among the UK's priorities for the Presidency of the G8 in 2005. The first meeting of the Commission for Africa is being held on the 4 May, and this meeting will consider themes and priorities for detailed study. Support for promoting private sector development to accelerate the continent's growth is clearly a likely topic, and such support may have linkages with financial sector development objectives.

  Following additional debate with other donors, and through CGAP, the UK will further contribute to the preparations for the International Year of Microcredit. Following very recent discussions, Consultative Group on Aid for the Poorest (CGAP) has issued a set of "Key Microfinance Messages for the UN Year of Microcredit" as a contribution to international knowledge messages for dissemination during the International Year. DFID plans to support specific UN Year events in the UK next year, and hope to finalise and announce them in the autumn of this year.

  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which 20 non-governmental organisations working in(a) Africa and (b) Asia received the highest amount of grant from his Department for microfinance or microcredit projects in each year since 1997. [170467]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID provides financial support according to local needs and circumstances. DFID does not maintain figures to provide detailed comparisons between NGOs. A small NGO, with a few thousand borrowers living within a small locality, might benefit as much from a small DFID development grant as a large microfinance NGO, with hundreds of thousands of borrowers, might from a more significant grant.

  In Asia, many local NGOs have benefited from grants provided by DFID and other donors to "apex" organisations such as PKSF in Bangladesh, and the Small Industries Development Bank of India. DFID has also provided significant support directly to large NGOs in Bangladesh such as BRAG and Proshika, and to the Aga Khan Foundation in Pakistan.

  In Africa, DFID has supported both UK, international, and local microfinance NGOs. International organisations supported include Opportunity International, CARE International, Oxfam, and World Vision. Local NGO microfinance organisations supported include CETZAM in

  1597W
  Zambia, WEDCO in Kenya, and Concern in Malawi. Others include Sinapi Aba in Ghana, K-REP in Kenya, and CRESCE in Mozambique.

  DFID is seeking to build financial systems that work for the poor. NGOs are not the only route to achieve successful financial services. Private banks and other commercial institutions can also provide useful financial services on a sustainable basis, and informal mechanisms, such as rotating savings and credit clubs also have an important role to play, particularly in hard to reach locations. Finally, savings and credit cooperatives, in many developing countries, serve more poor clients than microfinance organisations. It is therefore important for DFID to support many players in the financial sector so as to achieve sufficient outreach to poor people, and to ensure financial sustainability.

  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has undertaken on the effectiveness of(a) microfinance and (b) microcredit programmes in (i) specific African countries and (ii) other developing world countries; and if he will make a statement. [170542]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID agrees that microfinance is a powerful weapon against poverty, and that access to financial services enables poor people to both increase their incomes, and to reduce their vulnerability to external shocks. DFID is committed to ensuring that microfinance is used effectively, both to create sustainable institutions, and to impact on the livelihoods of poor people.

  DFID has commissioned microfinance impact assessment surveys in many African countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. Similarly, DFID has supported impact assessment in Bangladesh, India, Russia and other countries in Asia and Europe. DFID has also commissioned substantial international research activities into microfinance.

  Several UK academic institutions, such as the Institute of Development Studies in Sussex, are continuing this tradition of detailed research into the impact of microfinance. With the assistance of other international partners, such as the Ford Foundation, microfinance impact research more recently has been examining the wider impact of microfinance, in other words its impact on the local and national economy rather than just the impact on households participating in direct microfinance.

  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many women and children(a) worldwide and (b) in Africa his Department estimates have been lifted out of poverty as a result of microfinance or microcredit programmes (i) in total and (ii) in each year since 1995. [170543]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID has supported microfinance for many years, as a means to allow poor people in developing world to escape poverty. However, microfinance is not a magic solution to the problem of poverty in the developing world. Even where detailed impact assessment has shown that microcredit has assisted a household to, say, increase its income to a level about a national "poverty line", there are invariably many factors at work simultaneously. The 1598W
  status of education and health, whether local markets function well, and the development of skills and competition, will all have a part to play in reducing poverty.

  DFID does not seek to estimate figures on poverty reduction by type or cause. In its 2003 "State of the Microcredit Summit Campaign Report", figures collected from some 2,500 microcredit institutions globally indicate that they have reached some 42 million clients among the poorest people in their countries. According to this source, of these poorest clients, 79 per cent. were women.

  On a regional basis microfinance is reaching many more people in Asia than in Africa. The challenge of expanding the outreach of financial services for poor people in Africa cannot be left to specialist microfinance institutions alone. Non-hank institutions such as post offices, savings and credit cooperatives, and building societies already reach many more people than microfinance organisations. Commercial banks are also expanding their outreach in many cases in Africa. DFID's objective it to contribute to the widening of the whole financial sector so as to better serve poor people in Africa.

  Safe Water Projects
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the(a) names and (b) funding amounts of projects aimed at improving access to safe clean water funded (i) directly, (ii) on a multi-lateral basis and (iii) on a bi-lateral basis by his Department in the last two years. [167771]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID's overall aim is to reduce global poverty and promote sustainable development, in particular through achieving the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). DFID's goal in the water sector is to enable poor people to lead healthier and more productive lives by helping to increase and sustain their access to safe drinking water supply and appropriate sanitation.

  The recent Water Action Plan shows that DFID's total bilateral expenditure on water and sanitation was £82 million in 1999–00, £91 million in 2000–01 and £87 million in 2001–02. These levels represent around 6 per cent. of DFID's total bilateral aid budget respectively in each year. DFID channels a significant proportion of its assistance through multilateral organisations such as the World Bank and UN organisations (£1.3 billion in 2001–02). DFID's contribution to multilateral spending on water and sanitation is estimated at around £40 million per annum.

  The information on DFID's regional based development assistance to the water sector is currently being updated and will be available later this year. DFID's key focus at the moment is taking the Water Action Plan forward to help achieve the MDG's.

  Water and Sanitation
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what analysis he has made of the implications of the World Bank Report, Global Development Finance 2004 for(a) public and (b) private financing of water and sanitation

  1599W
  infrastructure in developing countries, and if he will ensure that his Department's budget for 2005 to 2008 provides the UK's full share of the increases in public financing indicated as necessary by that report. [170036]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  The Department for International Development (DFID) endeavours to consider all of the latest information on the world 1600W
  economy and development finance, including the World Bank's Global Development Finance 2004. This information informs DFID policies and the methods that it uses to provide funding to developing countries, including for the water and sanitation sector. It also informs the budgeting process, and will therefore be considered in relation to DFID's budget for 2005 to 2008.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Buildings (Energy Performance) Directive
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made on implementing the EC directive on the energy performance of buildings; and if he will make a statement. [170971]

  Phil Hope
  Considerable progress has been made with preparing our proposals for implementation, which will be published this summer as part of the wider consultation on proposed amendments to the energy efficiency provisions in the Building Regulations. As indicated in the 2003 Energy White Paper, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister aims to bring these amendments into effect by the end of 2005 as part of our programme to reduce carbon emissions, and also in order to implement the Directive by the due date of 4 January 2006.

  Camping Sites (West Sussex)
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions she has had on exempting camping sites in West Sussex from revised planning controls. [170754]

  Keith Hill
  While DEFRA has policy responsibility for campsite certificates, under section 269 of the Public Health Act 1936, the responsibility for planning policy on campsites lies with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

  Currently, Part 27 of the "Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995" permits the use of land and the erection of tents by members of certain recreational organisations for the purposes of recreation or instruction, unless the land in question is a building or within the curtilage of a dwelling house.

  The hon. Member will appreciate, however, that I am not able to comment on specific cases due to the appellate nature of the First Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister.

  Housing
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how the change in the level of council funding for housing has affected the residents of Wigan since 1997. [169267]

  Keith Hill
  Since 1997 allocations of capital funding to local authorities for housing purposes have risen consistently by about 15 per cent. per annum on average. This includes the Major Repairs Allowance we introduced in 2001–02 specifically for the improvement of local authority stock alongside the Decent Homes standard which sets out minimum standards to be met 1602W
  by 2010. Wigan's allocations in the period 1997 to 2003–04 have risen by over 645 per cent. Wigan and Leigh Housing, an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO), was set up on 1 April 2002 to manage and maintain council homes on behalf of Wigan council.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of how the change in the level of council funding for housing has affected the residents of Oldham, West and Royton since 1997. [170877]

  Phil Hope
  Since 1997 allocations of capital funding to local authorities for housing purposes have risen consistently by about 15 per cent. per annum on average. This includes the Major Repairs Allowance we introduced in 2001–02 specifically for the improvement of local authority stock alongside the Decent Homes standard which sets out minimum standards to be met by 2010. Oldham's allocations in the period 1997 to 2003–04 have risen by over 430 per cent. following the creation of First Choice Homes Oldham, an arms length management organisation which manages and maintains council properties on behalf of Oldham council. These allocations have been supplemented by the announcement of £53.5 million to be made available to the Oldham/Rcchdale Housing Market Renewal pathfinder project between 2003£04 and 2005£06.

  Mortgage Repossession Orders
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the number of(a) home owners, (b) private tenants and (c) other occupiers who become homeless as a result of mortgage repossession orders in each of the last 10 years. [170634]

  Keith Hill
  Annual figures for the total number of repossession orders made since 1997 are as follows:

  Number

  1997

  57,056

  1998

  66,055

  1999

  60,194

  2000

  52,081

  2001

  45,723

  2002

  39,748

  2003

  39,732

  About three in five of such orders are usually suspended, and need not result in actual repossession so long as the borrower complies with the repayment arrangements set out in the suspended order. When an order is not suspended the parties can still negotiate a compromise to avoid repossession.

  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the support provided by central and local government to homeowners facing mortgage repossession orders in 2003. [170635]
  1603W
  Keith Hill
  229,000 people were assisted through income support for mortgage interest in 2002–03 at a cost of £320 million. Local housing authorities have a duty to ensure that advice and information about homelessness and prevention of homelessness are available free of charge to anyone in their areas.

  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the number of mortgage repossessions carried out in each of the past 10 years. [170646]

  Keith Hill
  The following figures cover UK mortgage lending by Council of Mortgage Lenders members. The figures for repossessed properties include those that were voluntarily surrendered.

  Properties repossessed by the lenders during the period

  Number of mortgages at the end of the period

  Number

  Percentage

  1993

  10,137,000

  58,540

  0.58

  1994

  10,410,000

  49,210

  0.47

  1995

  10,521,000

  49,410

  0.47

  1996

  10,637,000

  42,560

  0.40

  1997

  10,738,000

  32,770

  0.31

  1998

  10,821,000

  33,870

  0.31

  1999

  10,981,000

  29,990

  0.27

  2000

  11,169,000

  22,860

  0.20

  2001

  11,243,000

  18,280

  0.16

  2002

  11,360,000

  11,970

  0.11

  2003

  11,458,000

  7,630

  0.07

  Planning
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department issues to ensure that local authorities take account of economic importance in planning decisions. [170380]

  Keith Hill
  A number of planning policy statements set out the important role which planning policies and decisions can play in promoting sustainable economic growth, for example, draft Planning Policy Statement 1—Creating Sustainable Communities—on which we are currently consulting. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently working on a revision of Planning Policy Statement 4—Planning for Economic Development—on which we expect to consult later in the year.

  The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill has been amended to require the applicant in respect of a development which is designated as a major infrastructure project, to prepare an economic impact report if the Secretary of State directs. Details on the form and content of such a report will be set out in secondary legislation on which we will consult in due course.

  Regional Assemblies
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the value of the contract with Robson Brown for each component of the Your Say campaign. [169257]
  1604W
  Mr. Raynsford
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 April 2004,Official Report, column 366W. With reference to the main components of the Your Say campaign, Robson Brown spend to date and projected future spend is as follows:

  £

  (a) Production and distribution of leaflets

  45,305

  (b) Posters

  120,000

  (c) Broadcast media

  438,560

  (d) Newspaper advertising

  54,894

  (e) Events

  67,303

  1TBC.

  These are not final costs. At this time, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is still awaiting final estimates for further paid activity, in particular any outdoor, and press activity.

  Regional Government
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the(a) cost was in 2003 and (b) projected cost is over the next three years of staffing and infrastructure for each of the eight regional assemblies; and how each is funded. [166893]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Regional Chambers are voluntary bodies and not agencies or arms of the Government. They have specific responsibilities that are supported through the provision of Government grant, including: scrutiny of the work of the Regional Development Agency; acting as the Regional Planning Body; and the development and articulation of a representative regional voice.

  For the financial years 2003–2004 and 2004–2005 the levels of grant allocated to each Chamber are set out in the following table:

  Grant £

  Chamber

  2003–04

  2004–05

  East of England

  1,874,000.00

  2,112,000.00

  East Midlands

  1,631,000.00

  2,056,000.00

  North East

  1,408,000.00

  1,708,000.00

  North West

  1,837,000.00

  2,536,000.00

  South East

  2,186,000.00

  3,280,000.00

  South West

  1,613,000.00

  2,101,000.00

  West Midlands

  1,671,000.00

  2,071,000.00

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  1,655,000.00

  1,923,000.00

  Total

  13,875,000.00

  17,787,000.00

  Grant allocations for future years have not yet been agreed. In regions where elected regional assemblies are set up, the designated responsibilities of the Regional Chamber will pass to the new assembly, and Government grant will cease to be made to the Chamber.

  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not hold information on the staffing and infrastructure costs incurred by each Chamber.

  Some Chambers also receive funding from other sources within the region, including their constituent local authorities, through their payment of membership subscriptions.

  Retained Distribution Centre
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the annual cost of his retained distribution centre was in 2003–04. [169261]

  Yvette Cooper
  The annual cost of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's distribution centre was some £620,000 in 2003–04. This included £343,000 for fulfilling requests for ODPM publications and £277,000 for distributing other material to specific target audiences for individual projects.

  Roadside Advertising
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what advice his Department offers local authorities regarding the sale of roadside and roundabout advertising. [171122]

  Keith Hill
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not give specific advice to local authorities regarding the sale of roadside and roundabout advertising.

  Scottish Power
  Mr. George Osborne
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on what occasions in the last two years Ministers in his Department have had meetings with representatives of Scottish Power. [164252]

  Yvette Cooper
  Neither my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister nor any other Minister in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has held meetings with representatives of Scottish Power UK Plc, on issues relating to the commercial interests of the company, during the last two years.

  Supporting People Overspend
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will identify by local area the impact of the savings expected to be made to meet the requirements of the Supporting People overspend. [167891]

  Yvette Cooper
  There has been no overspend of the Supporting People budget. The Supporting People budget was fixed at the total level of funding spent on housing related support as at the 31 March 2003 and has been capped. Given that the budget was much higher than predicted, the Government launched an Independent Review into the programme to look at value for money issues. The review found that £1.8 billion was too much to pay for the legacy programme with the result that the Government required authorities to make a small level of efficiency savings. The majority of these savings have been re-allocated back into the programme to pay for new supported schemes that came on stream in 2003–04.

  Undeveloped Land
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will publish figures for the estimated amount of undeveloped land zoned for industrial use in England. [171110]

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

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

  1911 Census
  Mr. Horam
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs when the contract was signed(a) to digitise and (b) to micro film the returns for the 1911 Decennial Census of population for England and Wales; when the census returns for 1911 will be made available to the contractors; and if he will make a statement about the progress which has been made with the 1911 Census project. [169821]

  Mr. Leslie
  The National Archives is beginning to develop plans so that the public will enjoy the widest possible access to the 1911 census returns for England and Wales when they are released in 2012. At the present time no contract for the digitisation or microfilming of the census returns has been signed.

  House Repossessions
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many house repossessions there have been in each region per quarter since 2002. [171164]

  Keith Hill
  I have been asked to reply

  The number of properties repossessed by lenders was 11,970 in 2002 and 7,630 in 2003. These figures cover UK mortgage lending by Council of Mortgage Lenders members and include properties that were voluntarily surrendered. Figures are not published on a regional or quarterly basis.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Ethiopia (Anuak People)
  Ann McKechin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government propose to take pursuant to Article 2 of the 2004 Stockholm International Forum Declaration regarding the Anuak people of Ethiopia. [170047]

  Mr. Mullin
  We are concerned about the violence in Gambella and the loss of life among the Anuak people there. Our ambassador in Addis Ababa raised our concerns with the Ethiopian Prime Minister on 13 April and I plan to raise the matter with Prime Minister Meles in London on 5 May.

  EU Constitution
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what rights will be afforded to elected regional assemblies and parliaments under the proposed draft EU Constitution. [170183]

  Mr. MacShane
  The draft Constitutional Treaty does not intervene in member states' internal constitutional arrangements. However, the draft Constitutional Treaty does introduce a mechanism for national parliaments to monitor the application of subsidiarity, and provides for national parliaments to consult regional parliaments with legislative powers on the application of that mechanism.

  Iraq
  Sir Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries to which Iraqi oil has been sold, stating the volume in each case; and if he will make a statement. [169156]

  Mr. Straw
  The Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) is the body responsible for the sale of Iraqi oil on the international market. Information on the countries to which Iraqi oil has been sold since April 2003 and the volume in each case has not been published by the SOMO and is not in the public domain.

  Information on the countries to which Iraqi oil was sold before April 2003 under the Oil for Food programme is available on the US Department of Energy—Energy Information Administration website at http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/ipsr/t417.xls.

  Liberia
  John Barrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the success or otherwise of the demobilisation effort in Liberia; and if he will make a statement. [169901]

  Mr. Mullin
  The UN Mission in Liberia restarted the disarmament and demobilisation of all sides in the Liberian conflict on 15 April 2004. 18,415 fighters had already been disarmed since the conflict ended. Since April a further 4,924 former combatants have entered the disarmament and demobilisation process. There have been no reports of any major security incidents. In the long term, the real test will be how effectively those who have been disarmed and demobilised can be reintegrated and rehabilitated back into Liberian society.

  Sudan
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consult other members of the United Nations Security Council with a view to a resolution under Chapter VII of the Charter to address the situation in Darfur, Sudan. [169440]

  Mr. Mullin
  On 8 April the Sudanese Government and the Sudan Liberation Movement and Justice and Equality Movement signed a ceasefire agreement.

  Our priority now is to encourage the parties to implement the agreement. We do not consider that a Resolution under Chapter VII of he United Nations Charter would be appropriate. However we remain in close contact with other Security Council members about Darfur. The UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs briefed the Security Council about Darfur on 2 April, and we expect that there will be another briefing soon.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what developments have been made to establish a clear international mechanism to monitor(a) the attack on civilians and (b) the access of agencies providing humanitarian assistance in Darfur, Sudan. [169325]
  1608W
  Mr. Mullin
  The 8 April Ceasefire Agreement provides for a Ceasefire Commission, with a role for the international community. We hope that such a monitoring mechanism will help ensure the protection of civilians and also the effective disbursement of humanitarian assistance. We are in close contact with the parties and other members of the international community, including the African Union, to try to help set up such a monitoring mechanism as quickly as possible. The AU chaired a meeting on this matter in Addis Ababa on 19–20 April, and we understand that they are currently in consultation with the parties. We are in almost daily contact with the Government of Sudan and the Darfur groups about the crisis in Darfur.

HEALTH

  Drug Services
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest estimate is of the number of clients being managed by each drug service in England; and if he will make a statement. [163899]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Department does not collect this information centrally.

  The latest national data for December 2003 show that there are 140,900 drug misusers in treatment, a 41 per cent. increase on the 1998–99 baseline. These figures indicate that we are on track to meet the Government's target of doubling the numbers of drug misusers in treatment by 2008.

  Food Additives
  Phil Sawford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to encourage the(a) reduction and (b) removal of additives from food. [166616]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that legislation on food additives is harmonised throughout the European Union. Food additives are only authorised following a rigorous safety assessment by independent scientific experts.

  As part of the authorisation process limits are established to restrict the level at which an additive can be added to food. These legal limits are set to ensure that safety levels are not exceeded and that additives are only added at the minimum level necessary to achieve their intended technological function.

  When additives are used in food, they must be declared in the list of ingredients, either by name or E number. There are no plans to encourage the removal of additives from food.

  Abortion
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pregnancies have been terminated at four weeks gestation in the last five years for which statistics are available; and if he will make a statement. [169011]
  1609W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Terminations performed at four weeks gestation in England and Wales.

  Number

  1998

  264

  1999

  290

  2000

  185

  2001

  169

  2002

  187

  Source:

  Statistics Division, Department of Health.

  The most common gestation period at which terminations are carried out is eight weeks.

  Agency Nurses (Weston Area)
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was spent by the Weston Area Health NHS Trust on agency nurses in each year since 1997. [167525]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The table shows expenditure by the Weston Area Health National Health Service Trust for non-NHS nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff from 1997–98 to 2002–03.

  Expenditure (£)

  1997–98

  82,802

  1998–99

  138,981

  1999–2000

  164,014

  2000–01

  506,890

  2001–02

  1,306,195

  2002–03

  2,239,507

  Source:

  Annual financial returns of NHS Trusts1997–87 to 2002–03

  Autism
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of autistic spectrum disorder sufferers of working age who are in full-time employment. [167713]

  Maria Eagle
  I have been asked to reply.

  We have made no estimate of the percentage of people living with autistic spectrum disorder of working age who are in full-time employment.

  Blood Transfusion
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when the revised approach to the Better Blood Transfusion Strategy will be published; [163478]

  (2) what progress has been made in implementing the Better Blood Transfusion Strategy. [163479]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Since the publication of the Health Service Circular 2002/009, "Better Blood Transfusion—Appropriate Use of Blood", in July 2002 we have seen some improvements including greater participation in the serious hazards of transfusion reporting system and an increase in the number of hospital transfusion committees. As indicated by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health in his 1610W
  statement to the House on 16 March, the Chief Medical Officer is producing a revised approach to better blood transfusion and work on this is under way.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to identify whether there is a causal connection between the donor and recipient of the blood transfusion where a variant vCJD transmission may have occurred. [163613]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  A paper by Llewelyn CA.et al (2004); Lancet; Vol.363, pp 417–421 reported more details of the possible link between a donor and a recipient of blood where variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) transmission may have occurred. The paper has been placed in the Library. This paper concluded that human prion diseases, including vCJD, may be transmissible through blood transfusion but that through the study only of natural disease can evidence of an actual iatrogenic (caused by medical examination or treatment) risk be identified. With the current extent of scientific knowledge, it is unlikely it will be possible to prove that there was a definite causal link between donor and recipient.

  Breastfeeding
  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on promoting breast feeding in 2001–02 and 2002–03. [166465]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Department produces a number of educational resources and promotional materials to communicate positive messages about breastfeeding to mothers, families, friends, health professionals and others in the community. The materials are available year round but are actively promoted during the national breastfeeding awareness week in May of every year. The awareness week is also the focus of specific regional promotional events.

  In addition, during 2001–02, the Department spent just under £1 mill ion as part of the infant feeding initiative, which provided support for 79 best practice community-based projects on breastfeeding and funded two part time national infant feeding advisers as well as other work related to promoting breastfeeding. The Department continues to have a national infant feeding adviser and the 79 projects have been evaluated. The evaluation will form the basis of best practice guidance to health professionals; to be launched at this year's awareness week from 9 to 15 May.

  The total spend on promotion of breastfeeding is shown in the table.

  Amount spent (£)

  2001–02

  1,115,000

  2002–03

  263,000

  Capio Healthcare (Newcastle)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the(a) value and (b) target capacity for the independent treatment centre awarded to Capio Healthcare in Newcastle is; what types of treatment it will offer; and when he expects the treatment centre to be functioning. [168700]
  1611W
  Mr. Hutton
  The treatment centre at Newcastle is part of the independent sector treatment centre spine chain. The final contract has not yet been signed. It is expected that the treatment centre will open in April 2005 and will provide approximately 1,600 procedures per year for five years across a range of specialties including hernia repair, skin surgery, breast surgery, varicose vein, and ear, nose and throat and oral surgery; and 2,000 associated outpatient assessments.

  Carcinogen Exposure
  Vera Baird
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the Committee on Carcinogenicity's conclusions were concerning the relative safety for young girls and adult women of exposure to dioxins through the vagina; [168993]

  (2) what basis the Committee on Carcinogenicity concluded that (a) exposure to dioxins through the vagina would be a form of background exposure and (b) safe exposure to dioxins through the vagina should be measured on the basis of daily levels of absorption. [168951]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 27 April 2004]: The risk assessment of exposure to dioxins in young girls and adult women through the vagina has not been considered by the committee on carcinogenicity in food, consumer products and the environment.

  Chlamydia
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether it is possible to introduce chlamydia screening for all women aged 16 to 24 years immediately; and what the possible barriers to providing such screening are; [164862]

  (2) if he will estimate the cost of providing chlamydia screening for (a) all women aged 16 to 24 years, (b) all women over 16 years, (c) men aged 16 to 24 years and (d) all men; [164864]

  (3) if he will estimate the cost in 2003–04 of treating complications in chlamydia, including the cost of treating infertility; and if he will make a statement. [164871]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 25 March 2004,Official Report, column 1066W, which set out the reasons why the nationally chlamydia screening programme is being phased in rather than implemented immediately.

  Estimates of the cost of providing chlamydia screening for the groups stated are not available.

  An estimate of the cost in 2003–04 of treating complications in chlamydia, including the cost of treating infertility is not available.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 25 March 2004,Official Report, columns 1065–66W, on chlamydia screening, what the cost of implementing the programme in each of the primary care trusts has been so far; and what estimate he has made of the cost oft he third phase of the programme. [165676]
  1612W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The chlamydia screening programme incorporates 26 programmes, covering consortiums of 84 primary care trusts (PCTs). The cost of implementing each programme varies, dependant upon the size and the number of tests the programmes plans to undertake. The cost of implementing the programme in each PCT is not available, but the total estimated costs of the first three years of the chlamydia screening programme, from 2000 to 2003, are £13.5 million. The estimated costs for the third phase of the programme are £5.5 million over three years.

  Competent Authorities (EU Accession States)
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the European Commission proposes to take in relation to accession states which are not compliant with their EU obligations, with particular reference to requirements on regulation and training in the health professions. [165903]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Commission's assessment is that training in all the acceding countries will meet minimum requirements after 1 May. It is for the Commission to determine what action to take in relation to any acceding countries which do not meet these requirements.

  Diagnostic Testing
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to encourage the use of diagnostic tests in(a) general practitioner surgeries and (b) pharmacies to reduce referrals to secondary care; and if he will make a statement. [169710]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department is committed to improving access to diagnostic services in primary and community settings to prevent inappropriate hospital visits.

  Work is under way to develop the role of practitioners with special interests in primary care to undertake outpatient appointments and to help improve access to diagnostics and treatment. The National Primary and Care Trust Development Programme is providing specific support to strategic health authorities and primary trusts to help expand the range of services provided locally.

  The new contractual framework for community pharmacy, once agreed, will recognise the increasing role community pharmacies are playing in providing access to diagnostic testing.

  Elective Admissions (Manchester)
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the levels of elective admissions to the NHS in Manchester, Gorton in the past five years. [167389]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information is not collected on a constituency basis, but at National Health Service trust level. Data for NHS trusts are shown in the table.
  1613W

  In year elective admission Episodes for Manchester NHS trusts, 1998–99 to 2002–03

  NHS Trusts

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  Central Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  49,071

  47,969

  46,217

  n/a

  n/a

  Central Manchester and Manchester Children's Hospital NHS Trust

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  55,824

  58,663

  Notes:

  1. N/A—not available.

  2. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).

  3. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) Department of Health

  Elective Surgery
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has made available on the maximum amount of time that a patient seeking elective surgery should have to wait(a) for an appointment with a consultant and (b) for an operation following that consultation before being offered the choice of faster treatment in an alternative hospital. [170657]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: The NHS Plan sets out the maximum waiting time targets for consultant led services. As at 1 April 2004, the current maximum waiting time standard for first outpatient appointment following a referral from a general practitioner or general dental practitioner is 17 weeks. The maximum waiting time for inpatient admission following the decision to admit by the consultant is nine months.

  Choice of hospital for patients who are expected to wait longer than six months for elective surgery is being rolled out between April and August this year. "Guidance (Choice of Hospital, Guidance for PCTs, NHS Trusts and SHAs on offering patients choice of where they are treated)" issued in July 2003 sets out the responsibilities of national health service organisations in delivering choice of hospital to patients waiting longer than six months.

  The guidance advises that patients who are expected to wait more than six months for elective surgery should be contacted at the earliest opportunity and certainly before they have waited five and a half months. Patients may need to be contacted earlier to allow an offer of faster treatment.

  Strategic health authority plans for the implementation of choice of hospital for patients waiting longer than six months set out the local arrangements for offering patients faster treatment in an alternative hospital.

  Erectile Dysfunction
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the recorded incidence of erectile dysfunction was, broken down by age group, in the last year for which figures are available. [168445]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  We do not hold information centrally about diagnosis of erectile dysfunction.

  Food Labelling
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Secretary of State has to replace sugar and carbohydrate labelling of food products with the glycaemic index. [167650]
  1614W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Nutrition labelling rules are agreed at European Union level and there are currently no proposals to introduce requirements to replace sugar and carbohydrate labelling of food products with a declaration of the glycaemic index.

  The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends that the amount of carbohydrate and sugar present be given as part of the nutrition label of a food product, even when such information is not required by law. Research shows that consumers value this information and would prefer it to be accompanied by an indication as to whether the level is high, medium, or low. The FSA is developing advice on how this might be done.

  Health Infrastructure Funding
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the health infrastructure developments in England funded through the European Investment Bank in the last five years. [169806]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 30 April 2004]: In England, the European Investment Bank has part funded the private finance initiative (PFI) schemes at Dudley Group of Hospitals National Health Service Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (Blackburn) and Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust.

  Health Ombudsman
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the guidance which his Department has given strategic health authorities for reviewing long-term care assessments in the light of the Ombudsman's report. [169230]

  Dr. Ladyman
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: No official guidance was issued. A suggested process to assist strategic health authorities was provided, copies of which have been placed in the Library. All strategic health authorities now have systems in place to review past continuing care cases.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to the answer of 1 March 2004,Official Report, column 703W, on Health Ombudsman's Report (Long-term Care), in which areas of the country the reviews of this issue have (a) been fully completed and (b) not been fully completed; [169231]

  (2) when he expects all the cases of people suspected of wrongly paying for their long-term care following the Health Ombudsman's report on the subject will be (a) reviewed and (b) resolved; [169232]
  1615W
  (3) how many of the reviews of long-term care have been completed; whether the deadline of the end of March 2004 was met; and when he expects all the reviews to be completed. [169233]

  Dr. Ladyman
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: All strategic health authority areas have some investigations outstanding. The Department has set no new time-scales for the completion of currently outstanding cases, or any further cases which may arise, but the national health service is expected to complete them all in a thorough and timely manner.

  Health Services (Birkenhead)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the effect on residents of Birkenhead of the Health Development Agency. [166568]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The work of the Health Development Agency (HDA) is focussed on service delivery that supports the whole of the region's public health development.

  The HDA manages the national healthy school standard, which is part of the Government's national strategy to reduce health inequalities for children. The regional management of the programme is delivered in partnership with Sefton local education authority.

  The North West HDA organised the largest ever regional public health conference in March 2004 to address the problem of obesity. Over 300 regional public health professionals, including representatives from health services responsible for Birkenhead, learned of the latest obesity data for the region and collaboratively planned a regional obesity action plan. The workshop drew together best practice from across the region and in addition to the HDA guidance on obesity, this will provide the basis for local and regional work to tackle obesity in the coming years.

  The North West HDA is currently working with the North West public health observatory and the regional cancer registries to review the main causes of cancer related deaths across the region.

  The HDA, in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University and the North West public health observatory, is currently completing a regional report, "Alcohol: A Situational Analysis for the North West".

  Healthy Eating
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with the fast food industry regarding super size fast food portions and their effect on health. [160793]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The potential impact of super sized food on diet and health is recognised and we are committed to improving the dietary intakes of the whole population. I, and my officials, have met regularly with industry and their trade associations, as well as individual stakeholders, as part of the development of the food and health action plan. The consultation 1616W
  process on the public health White Paper will provide further opportunities for discussions with all stakeholders.

  Hip Operations
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hip operations in(a) North Yorkshire and (b) Sheffield he calculates could be done for £30,000 on the basis of the costs of such operations since January. [140571]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Figures are not available for the costs of such operations for the period commencing January 2003. However, based on the average cost for the financial year 2001–02, eight primary hip replacement operations could be carried out for £30,000 in national health service trusts in North Yorkshire. Six primary hip operations could be carried out for £30,000 in Sheffield.

  Source:

  Reference Costs 2002, Department of Health.

  Hospitals (Alert Status)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals were on(a) red alert and (b) amber alert status in the last month; and if he will make a statement. [167408]

  Mr. Hutton
  This information is not held centrally. The Department does not use the terms amber or red alert. Some acute trusts use the terms to indicate how busy they are and consequently what escalation procedures need to be taken to reduce pressures. Such escalation procedures are locally agreed and activated by the trusts themselves. The Department does not routinely collect information on when escalation procedures are activated.

  Immigrant Medical Inspections
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what additional and earmarked funds are made available to support the medical inspection of immigrants at(a) Heathrow and (b) other ports in England; and which bodies are in receipt of those funds; [156837]

  (2) what costs towards the medical inspection of immigrants service are met (a) from central Department of Health budgets, (b) through budgets held by the Health Protection Agency and (c) by primary care trusts from their standard allocations. [156838]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  No data are collected centrally on the costs to the national health service of providing medical inspectors to carry out medical examinations of prospective entrants to the United Kingdom.

  Some other costs associated with medical inspection were met by the Department of Health, up to and including 2002–03, as shown in the table. From 2003–04, the budget from which these costs are met has passed to the Health Protection Agency.
  1617W
  A Cabinet Office review is considering the issue of imported infections and immigration, including health screening. We will consider when this review is completed whether any changes are needed to funding arrangements in support of medical inspection.

  £

  Port

  Who is reimbursed

  Total for 2002–03

  What is reimbursed

  Heathrow

  London borough of Hillingdon

  2,005,768

  Rent and administration costs, including clerical staff

  Gatwick

  Crawley borough council

  753,597

  Rent and administration costs, including clerical staff

  Stansted

  Uttlesford district council

  81,004

  Rent and administration costs, including clerical staff

  Manchester

  Manchester City council

  49,528

  Rent and administration costs, including clerical staff

  Dover

  Maidstone Weald PCT (meeting expenses previously met by the local authority)

  35,195

  Administration costs, including clerical staff

  Waterloo

  Home Office

  5,745

  Rent and utilities

  Hull and Goole

  Hull and Goole Port health authority

  4,888

  Rent and utilities

  Newhaven

  Brighton and Hove City primary care trust (meeting expenses previously met by the local authority)

  1,340

  Rent and utilities

  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how port health responsibilities are reflected in the funding formula for primary care trusts; [156840]

  (2) whether primary care trusts hosting ports were subject to the same level of top slice as other primary care trusts when the Health Protection Agency was first established. [156849]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Revenue funding is allocated to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the basis of a weighted capitation formula which is used to calculate PCTs' target shares of available resources based on population size, age distribution and additional need and the cost of providing services. The formula does not take into consideration specific responsibilities such as port health. An explanation of resource allocation is in the booklet, "Resource allocation: weighted capitation formula". Copies of this booklet are available in the Library.

  The 2003–04 baselines for all PCTs were adjusted to take account of functions to be transferred to the Health Protection Agency, before the allocations were made for that year.

  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost in 2003–04 to the Hillingdon Primary Care Trust is for(a) employing staff at the Health Control Unit at Heathrow and (b) other added burdens created by the airport; and what additional central moneys are provided to cover these costs. [156842]
  1618W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Hillingdon primary care trust estimates the cost of employing the clinical staff at Heathrow airport Health Control Unit at around £750,000 in 2003–04. It is not possible to disaggregate accurately other coats associated with the airport. No additional central moneys are provided to cover these costs.

  Immunisation
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into(a) treatment of brain damage as a whole and (b) treatment of brain damage caused by immunisations. [166824]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Department funds the national health service research and development programme, which aims to identify NHS needs for research and to commission research to meet those needs. Commissioning is undertaken through national programmes of research such as the health technology assessment (HTA) programme and new and emerging applications of technology (NEAT) programme.

  The HTA programme published "General health status measures for people with cognitive impairment: learning disability and acquired brain injury" in April 2001 as a monograph on the HTA website at www.ncchta.org after a project of a similar name completed at the University of York. The project cost just over £35,000. The NEAT programme has six projects with some bearing on treatment for brain damage; two have just ended. The total cost of the six projects is just over £1 million.

  There is no ongoing specific research into the treatment of brain damage caused by immunisations.

  The Medical Research Council (MRC), the main agency through which the government supports medical and clinical research, spent £835,000 in 2001–02 on brain injury research. The MRC also has a large portfolio of research relevant to the workings of the brain in both its normal and damaged state. The MRC supports a large amount of basic underpinning work on how the brain responds to injury of all types (including stroke) and neural regeneration, which will inform research on rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury.

  Inappropriate Prescribing
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the doctor s struck off by the General Medical Council's Professional Conduct Committee in each of the last 10 years for inappropriate prescribing of drugs to drug addicts, the year they were struck off, and the town or city in which their surgery or clinic was situated. [169293]

  Mr. Hutton
  This information is not collected centrally, but can be obtained from the General Medical Council, which is an independent statutory body.

  Inventures
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current status is of Inventures; when staff are to be transferred to a new company; and if he will make a statement. [169126]
  1619W
  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 27 April 2004]: The future of Inventures and its employees is still being considered. For the time being, Inventures retains its current status as the trading arm of NHS Estates, an Executive agency of the Department.

  Mersey Regional Ambulance Service
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, (1) if he will place in the Library the conclusions of Pearl Brown's report into the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service; [165341]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 10 March 2004, Official Report, column 1606W, on NHS trust documents, what changes of policy took place between the date the Department obtained copies of the lone worker policy of the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service and the date it was asked to place a copy of Ms Pearl Brown's report in the Library; what his policy is on the documents and types of documents his Department is prepared to obtain at the request of honourable Members when those documents are not among those it routinely collects; why the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has been able to obtain a copy of Pearl Brown's report; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that recommendations made in Pearl Brown's report are implemented. [165479]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 19 April 2004]: There has been no change to the Department's policy on obtaining National Health Service documents. The Department would not generally seek to obtain copies of documents or information which it did not already hold. This approach is in line with the Open Government Code of Practice on Access to Government Information and is consistent with the relationship between the Department and NHS organisations following the Shifting the Balance of Power initiative.

  The requested documents were provided because they were publicly available. The Pearl Brown report on the management of the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service is a confidential document. At the time of commissioning the report, Pearl Brown agreed that the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority (SHA) would receive a copy.

  The report was commissioned solely by the trust, and neither the Department nor the Cheshire and Merseyside SHA had any input to it. The responsibility for implementing the recommendations of the report lies with the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

  Musculoskeletal Disease
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include the management of musculoskeletal pain within the terms of the new general practitioner contract; and if he will make a statement. [166205]

  Mr. Hutton
  Changes to the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) of the new General Medical Services Contract will be negotiated between the NHS Confederation and the British Medical Association, following recommendations from an independent,1620W
  United Kingdom wide review group. The independent review group will decide what disease areas to consider for addition to the QOF.

  NHS Property Sales
  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the cost to the Department was of the decision to terminate the sale of surplus NHS properties to Miller/HBOS, including costs borne by the potential acquirer, for which the Department will have to pay compensation; [168346]

  (2) what discussions the Department has had with Miller/HBOS about the compensation for costs incurred on the aborted property transaction. [168347]

  Mr. Hutton
  Discussions about levels of compensation are continuing. Once concluded any sums agreed will be declared in the Department's accounts.

  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when Miller/HBOS were advised that the deal to sell them the surplus NHS sites would no longer go ahead. [168348]

  Mr. Hutton
  Miller/Halifax Bank of Scotland were formally informed by NHS Estates that they would not be proceeding with the proposed real estate partnership on 19 December 2003.

  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the proceeds of the sale of surplus NHS sites to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be; what they would have been under the aborted sale to Miller/HBOS; when the receipts will be received; when they would have been received from Miller/HBOS, and how many affordable houses(a) will be built and (b) would have been built on the site under the aborted sale to Miller/HBOS. [168349]

  Mr. Hutton
  Negotiations concerning the proposed real estate partnership with Miller/Halifax Bank of Scotland had not concluded when the decision was taken not to proceed and it is not possible to say what the final terms would have been, nor the timings of any payments.

  Discussions are still underway with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) on the timing of any transfer and the market value of the sites.

  The number of affordable homes to be built on those sites which are transferred will be determined by the ODPM and the planning process.

  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the current owners of each of the surplus NHS sites to be sold to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. [168352]

  Mr. Hutton
  All the properties are owned by the Secretary of State for Health, other than a small number where a leasehold interest is held.

  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that the proceeds of the sale of each of the surplus NHS sites should be given to the relevant local primary care trust or other local NHS trusts. [168353]
  1621W
  Mr. Hutton
  No. All of the sites to be transferred to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have been identified as surplus for some time. The cost of managing surplus properties rests with central budgets and these are credited with the benefit of any receipts.

  Cash surpluses are added to normal allocations and passed out to the benefit of the entire national health service.

  Mr. Hoban
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the proceeds of the sale of surplus NHS sites to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be(a) retained by the Department for use on (i) capital and (ii) revenue projects that it specifies and (b) allocated to the local NHS trust in the areas where land sales will take place. [168354]

  Mr. Hutton
  Proceeds from the sale of surplus land are treated as capital receipts. The net sale receipts, after holding and sale costs have been paid, is added to the overall capital allocations and passed out to the national health service. No funds are earmarked for use either locally or nationally.

  NHS Usage Statistics
  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of people using the NHS in(a) 2005 and (b) 2010 who will be above retirement age. [165878]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Government Actuary's Department forecasts that in 2005 16 per cent. of the population will be aged 65 or over, and in 2010, 17 per cent.

  Older people will typically make greater use of the national health service (NHS). In 2000–01 people aged 65 or over accounted for approximately 41 per cent. of total expenditure, despite accounting for only 16 per cent. of the population (Office for National Statistics). Assuming the same pattern of use, a similar proportion of NHS expenditure will be accounted for by patients aged over 65 in 2005, with perhaps a small rise by 2010. Derek Wanless, in his interim report on the long-term demographic and medical trends that will affect the health service, "Securing our future health: taking a long-term view", November 2001, commented that "the impact of ageing on future expenditure is likely to be comparatively small compared to other cost drivers".

  Nursing Provision
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) district nurses, (b) health visitors and (c) midwives there were in each Greater London NHS Trust in each year since 1997, broken down by (i) headcount and (ii) whole-time equivalent. [168941]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Obesity
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of excess deaths linked to obesity in each of the last five years. [169048]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested is not available.
  1622W
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many different anti-obesity drugs are prescribed in the NHS; [169049]

  (2) how many prescriptions for obesity drugs have been issued in each of the last five years. [169057]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In 2003, six different chemical entities of drugs used in the treatment of obesity were dispensed in the community in England. However, Orlistat and Sibutramine (the two National Institute for Clinical Excellence-appraised drugs) accounted for virtually all the items (99.96 per cent. of total items).

  The table shows the number of prescriptions for obesity drugs issued in the last five years.

  Thousand

  Number of prescription items (obesity drugs)

  1999

  148.1

  2000

  162.3

  2001

  470.3

  2002

  738.9

  2003

  690.0

  Source:

  Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) data from the Prescription Pricing Authority.

  Heart Disease and Cancer
  James Purnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on(a) heart disease and (b) cancer care in Stalybridge and Hyde in each of the last five years. [168770]

  Helen Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the revenue expenditure figures for NHS(a) heart disease and (b) cancer care in Warrington South was in each of the last five years. [168687]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Funding is allocated to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. It is for PCTs, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on(a) heart disease and (b) cancer care in Heywood and Middleton in each of the last five years. [168489]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Stalybridge and Hyde (James Purnell) and for Warrington South (Helen Southworth).

  Radon Gas
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of cases of lung cancer in England caused by radon gas. [169712]
  1623W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  As with all types of cancer, it is not possible to attribute individual cases of lung cancer to a particular cause. However, from the known radiation risks, the National Radiological Protection Board has calculated that exposure to radon gas causes approximately 2,500 lung cancer deaths per year in the United Kingdom.

  Residence Criteria
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the NHS residence criteria are for entitlement to treatment; [169915]

  (2) on what occasions NHS staff are required to ask patients to state their country of residence. [169917]

  Mr. Hutton
  Anyone who is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom is entitled to receive free National Health Service treatment, subject to certain statutory charges, such as prescription charges.

  General practices check details of an individual's ordinary residence or previous registration before deciding whether to accept the person as a registered patient, either on a permanent or temporary basis. This is set out in Regulations and Guidance. For hospital services, Regulations require the NHS trust providing treatment to establish whether a person is ordinarily resident or if not, whether they are exempt from charges under a number of categories of exemption or liable to be charged. Guidance issued in April 2004 makes clear that in order to establish ordinary residence all patients should be asked the same residence-based baseline questions whenever they begin a new course of hospital treatment.

  Shared Service Centres
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 19 April 2004,Official Report, column 268W, on shared service centres, what assessment he has made of whether these services can be rolled out more quickly. [169654]

  Mr. Hutton
  An assessment of whether the rollout of shared service centres can be made more quickly is being undertaken at present. Whether this is practicable will depend on the anticipated level of demand from the national health service, the potential for new centres to be opened up and the timing of when existing accounting systems become obsolete. It is anticipated a decision will be made before a preferred bidder is appointed.

  Smoking
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in encouraging smoking cessation; and how much was allocated to each health trust for such services in the last year for which figures are available. [167858]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  We are making good progress in helping smokers to stop smoking Latest figures show that, between April and September 2003, around 129,800 people set a quit date through the national health service stop smoking services, and over 68,600, or 53 per cent., had remained quit at four week follow up.
  1624W
  Health service circular 2002–012, issued on 18 December 2002, set out the financial allocation to NHS stop smoking services in primary care trusts for 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06. A copy of the circular has been placed in the Library.

  Solvent Abuse
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into the extent of solvent abuse by children. [169029]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Information on volatile substance abuse (VSA) among young people aged 11–15 years is collected in an annual national survey of secondary school children commissioned by the Department. Latest information is given in the statistical release, "Drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England in 2003: headline figures", which was published on 31 March 2004.

  The Department funds the Department of Public Health Sciences at St. George's Hospital in south London to collect statistics on deaths associated with the abuse of gas fuels, aerosols, glues and other solvent based products. It produces an annual statistical summary of data. The sixteenth annual report highlighting mortality statistics for 2001 was published on 21 July 2003.

  The Department also funds the National Children's Bureau, which is working with `Childline' to analyse calls to the helpline on VSA. This work will provide qualitative data on issues relating to young people's misuse of volatile substances, which will also inform policy and practice on VSA.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of deaths of children caused by solvent abuse in each of the last 10 years. [169058]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Statistics, collected by St. George's Hospital Medical School on behalf of the Department, on the number of deaths of children by volatile substance abuse for the last available 10 years, are shown in the table.

  Number of deaths of children under 18 years by volatile substance abuse

  Deaths

  1992

  39

  1993

  30

  1994

  21

  1995

  32

  1996

  35

  1997

  29

  1998

  16

  1999

  25

  2000

  17

  2001

  25

  Source:

  St. George's Hospital Medical School: 16th Annual Report on Trends in Death Associated with Abuse of Volatile Substance 1971–2001—Key findings for 2001

  St. George's Hospital (Morpeth)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much land at St. George's Hospital, Morpeth, is to be transferred to English Partnerships for housing development; and what the(a) housing capacity and (b) value of the transferred land is. [168698]

  Mr. Hutton
  Discussions are currently underway to finalise the value of the properties to be transferred to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The area of land in St. George's Hospital which is included in the transaction is approximately 95 hectares. The housing capacity will be for determination by the new owners.

  Surgical Site Infections
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many surgical site infections there were in the NHS in(a) England, (b) each region and (c) each NHS trust in each year since 1997. [167431]

  Mr. Hutton
  These data are not available but aggregated data from the Health Protection Agency's voluntary surveillance system have been published in "Surveillance of surgical site infection in English Hospitals 1997–2002". Copies have been placed in the Library. This is also available at: http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/SSIreport.pdf.

  Surplus Property Sales
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the sale of surplus NHS properties and Inventures to the Miller/Bank of Scotland Partnership. [169122]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 27 April 2004]: Following a decision by the Department not to pursue a real estate partnership with Miller /Halifax Bank of Scotland, an agreement in principle was given to transfer the surplus land to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). It was considered that a transfer of the property portfolio to ODPM would enable a greater emphasis to be given to addressing Government policy priorities for sustainable communities.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the(a) transfer value and (b) size by hectare is of each of the surplus NHS properties to be transferred to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister outlined in his news release of 7 April. [169123]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 27 April 2004]: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department have agreed in principle to the transfer of the portfolio but the details of the transaction and the price to be paid have still to be settled. The land is currently being independently valued.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what valuations were used in determining the value of surplus NHS sites to be transferred to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and from what date. [169124]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 27 April 2004]: The terms of the transfer will be informed by the market value of the sites involved. An independent valuation is
  1626W
  underway to determine an overall value for the portfolio of sites. Sites will be physically transferred as and when they become vacant.

  Thimerosal
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what vaccines used in the UK contain Thimerosal; [162711]

  (2) when the use of Thimerosal as a preservative in vaccines was discontinued in the UK. [162712]

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when the Government gave a commitment to phase out the use of thimerosal in whooping cough vaccine; [162205]

  (2) for what reason whooping cough vaccine containing thimerosal is still being used in the United Kingdom; [162206]

  (3) whether his Department has consulted (a) the US, (b) Japan, (c) Sweden, (d) Australia and (e) Spain as to the reasons why they have ceased using whooping cough vaccines containing thimerosal; [162207]

  (4) when the Government plan to phase out thimerosal in whooping cough vaccine. [162208]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 18 March 2004]: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has written to manufacturers of vaccines used in the United Kingdom to alert them to the need to phase out the use of thiomersal in vaccines where possible. This follows advice from the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA), endorsed by the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), to phase out use of thiomersal, wherever possible, as a precautionary recommendation aimed at limiting avoidable exposure to mercury compounds.

  Manufacturers are actively developing research programmes to eliminate, substitute or reduce thiomersal in vaccines, and to develop new thiomersal-free vaccines. This may take time, because manufacturers need to ensure that thiomersal-free vaccines are safe and effective.

  The UK currently uses a wholecell containing whooping cough vaccine (which contains thiomersal) because this vaccine offers the best protection against the disease. Whooping cough is a serious disease in young babies that can lead to death. Also, there is strong evidence that thiomersal in vaccines does not cause neurological damage to children and the CSM continues to advise that the balance of benefits and risks of thiomersal-containing vaccines is overwhelmingly positive. The UK wi11 move to thiomersal-free vaccines when an equally effective alternative becomes available.

  Other countries have moved to acellular whooping cough vaccines because they cause lower levels of adverse reactions, such as a sore arm, in older infants than wholecell vaccines. In the UK, this is not an issue, as babies receive the vaccine when they are young.

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Thiomersal (also known as thimerosal) is present in the following childhood vaccines: the combined diptheria-tetanus-wholecell pertussis and Haernophilus Influenzae vaccine for
  1627W
  primary immunisation and the combined diptheria/tetanus vaccine used for boosting teenagers. Details of the vaccines used in the childhood immunisation programme can be found in the national health service Factsheet, Thiomersal and vaccines.

  Other vaccines that contain thiomersal are: Anthrax vaccine, some hepatitis A vaccines, some hepatitis B vaccines, some influenza vaccines and the diptheria-tetanus-wholecell pertussis vaccine.

  The use of thiomersal in vaccines has not been discontinued in the United Kingdom. The European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) recommended in 1999 that vaccine manufacturers phase out use of thiomersal wherever possible. This was a purely precautionary recommendation aimed at limiting avoidable exposure to mercury compounds. EMEA acknowledged that there was no evidence of harm caused by thiomersal in vaccines. The Commit tee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) endorsed this recommendation in 1999 and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation also supports the EMEA statement. There is strong evidence that thiomersal in vaccines does not cause neurological damage to children and the CSM continues to advise that the balance of benefits and risks of thiomersal-containing vaccines is overwhelmingly positive.

  In line with the EMEA recommendation, manufacturers are actively developing research programmes to eliminate, substitute or reduce thiomersal in vaccines. This may take time because manufacturers are required to ensure that the replacement or elimination of thiomersal does not affect the safety or efficacy of the final vaccine.

  Treatment Facilities (Manchester)
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many rapid access chest pain clinics there are in Manchester, Gorton. [167390]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  A rapid access chest clinic is located at Manchester Royal Infirmary, part of the Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals National Health Service Trust.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there is a diagnostic and treatment centre in Manchester, Gorton. [167391]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There is no treatment centre in Gorton. A treatment centre is located at Withington Hospital, part of South Manchester University Hospitals National Health Service Trust.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Manchester Gorton are receiving drug treatment. [167465]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In 2000–01, there were 3,652 people receiving drug treatment in Manchester. This is the latest available data. Data broken down by drug action team for 2001–02 and 2002–03 are currently being finalised.

  Tuberculosis
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 12 February 2004,Official
  1628W
  Report, column 1700W, on tuberculosis, when the review of imported infections and immigration will be published. [169138]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) on 8 March 2004,Official Report, column 1334W.

  Waiting Lists
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of women in Heywood and Middleton with suspected breast cancer saw a specialist within two weeks in each of the last five years. [168490]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information is not available in the format requested. The following table shows how many and the percentage of suspected breast cancer patients, seen within two weeks of urgent referral by a general practitioner, at the Pennine Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trust and its predecessor organisations for each quarter since the first quarter of 1999–2000. Earlier figures are not available.

  Waiting times for first consultant outpatient appointment for suspected breast cancer following urgent GP referral

  Quarter

  NHS Trust

  Percentage

  Number

  1999–2000

  1

  Oldham NHS Trust

  100.0

  8

  1

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  39.6

  19

  1

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  81.8

  45

  1

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  85.0

  34

  2

  Oldham NHS Trust

  100.0

  n/a

  2

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  64.1

  25

  2

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  90.6

  29

  2

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  97.1

  66

  3

  Oldham NHS Trust

  100.0

  n/a

  3

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  70.6

  24

  3

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  75.0

  30

  3

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  58

  4

  Oldham NHS Trust

  100.0

  22

  4

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  88.69

  32

  4

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  94.5

  52

  4

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  64

  2000–01

  1

  Oldham NHS Trust

  88.9

  32

  1

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  84.1

  37

  1

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  98.7

  74

  1

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  98.7

  74

  2

  Oldham NHS Trust

  97.5

  77

  2

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  72

  2

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  89.9

  71

  2

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  77

  3

  Oldham NHS Trust

  93.8

  76

  3

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  77

  3

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  93.9

  77

  3

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  93

  4

  Oldham NHS Trust

  97.1

  68

  4

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  71

  4

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  98.6

  70

  4

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  88

  2001–02

  1

  Oldham NHS Trust

  98.7

  76

  1

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  85

  1

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  98.6

  68

  1629W

  Waiting times for first consultant outpatient appointment for suspected breast cancer following urgent GP referral

  Quarter

  NHS Trust

  Percentage

  Number

  1

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  105

  2

  Oldham NHS Trust

  98.7

  75

  2

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  95.9

  71

  2

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  91.3

  94

  2

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  93

  3

  Oldham NHS Trust

  100.0

  106

  3

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  93

  3

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  79

  3

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  108

  4

  Oldham NHS Trust

  100.0

  84

  4

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  54

  4

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  66

  4

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  107

  2002–03

  1

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.4

  357

  2

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.7

  357

  3

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.0

  383

  4

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  97.7

  334

  2003–04

  1

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  98.0

  389

  2

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  98.1

  366

  3

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.6

  449

  Note:

  Where patient numbers are below six the Department of Health does not publish figures in order to avoid patients being identifiable due to low numbers. Where this would apply, the table above reads n/a.

  Source:

  Department of Health form QMCW.

  Helen Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of women in Warrington South with suspected breast cancer saw a specialist within two weeks in the last year. [168688]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information is not available in the format requested. The table shows the number and percentage of suspected cancer patients, seen within two weeks of urgent referral by a general

  Patients waiting for elective in-patient admission

  Patients waiting for admission by months waiting

  Month end

  Total number of patients waiting for admission

  Less than 3 months

  3–5 months

  6–8 months

  9–11 months

  12–14 months

  15–17 months

  18 + months

  March 1997

  Central Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  12,313

  5,778

  2,622

  1,920

  1,223

  616

  133

  21

  March 1997

  Manchester Children's Hospitals NHS Trust

  2,801

  952

  728

  528

  510

  79

  4

  —

  March 1998

  Central Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  12,531

  5,813

  2,454

  1,676

  1,217

  885

  486

  —

  March 1998

  Manchester Children's Hospitals NHS Trust

  3,260

  985

  908

  617

  666

  74

  10

  —

  March 1999

  Central Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  11,266

  5,654

  2,191

  1,614

  975

  622

  210

  —

  March 1999

  Manchester Children's Hospitals NHS Trust

  2,742

  849

  753

  542

  472

  118

  8

  —

  March 2000

  Central Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  11,040

  5,026

  2,489

  1,703

  1,039

  533

  250

  —

  March 2000

  Manchester Children's Hospitals NHS Trust

  2,639

  801

  687

  523

  370

  218

  40

  —

  1630W
  practitioner, at the North Cheshire Hospital national health service trust and its predecessor organisations for each quarter since 1999–2000. Earlier figures are not available.

  Waiting times for first consultant outpatient appointment for suspected cancer following urgent GP referral

  Quarter

  NHS Trust

  Percentage

  Number

  1999–2000

  1

  Halton general hospital

  89.3

  25

  1

  Warrington hospital

  96.3

  105

  2

  Halton general hospital

  80.0

  8

  2

  Warrington hospital

  91.2

  103

  3

  Halton general hospital

  97.4

  37

  3

  Warrington hospital

  86.2

  81

  4

  Halton general hospital

  100.0

  30

  4

  Warrington hospital

  96.9

  94

  2001–01

  1

  Halton general hospital

  100.0

  30

  1

  Warrington hospital

  92.8

  77

  2

  Halton general hospital

  100.0

  26

  2

  Warrington hospital

  93.3

  98

  3

  Halton general hospital

  100.0

  25

  3

  Warrington hospital

  94.7

  126

  4

  Halton general hospital

  100.0

  37

  4

  Warrington hospital

  100.0

  113

  2001–02

  1

  North Cheshire hospital

  95.2

  159

  2

  North Cheshire hospital

  89.0

  195

  3

  North Cheshire hospital

  95.8

  137

  4

  North Cheshire hospital

  92.6

  162

  2002–03

  1

  North Cheshire hospital

  74.7

  145

  2

  North Cheshire hospital

  90.0

  243

  3

  North Cheshire hospital

  100.0

  181

  4

  North Cheshire hospital

  100.0

  155

  2003–04

  1

  North Cheshire hospital

  100.0

  184

  2

  North Cheshire hospital

  100.0

  141

  3

  North Cheshire hospital

  100.0

  169

  Source:

  Department of Health form QMCW.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change's there have been to NHS waiting list times in the last seven years for the residents of Manchester, Gorton. [167385]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested is shown in the table.
  1631W

  Patients waiting for elective in—patient admission

  Patients waiting for admission by months waiting

  Month end

  Total number of patients waiting for admission

  Less than 3 months

  3–5 months

  6–8 months

  9–11 months

  12–14 months

  15–17 months

  18 + months

  March 2001

  Central Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  10,742

  5,056

  2,432

  1,451

  826

  606

  371

  —

  March 2001

  Manchester Children's Hospitals NHS Trust

  2,634

  831

  603

  552

  373

  231

  44

  —

  March 2002

  Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust

  13,213

  6,028

  3,333

  2,136

  1,216

  500

  —

  —

  March 2003

  Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust

  10,822

  5,605

  2,832

  1,701

  684

  0

  0

  0

  February 2004

  Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust

  9,176

  6,487

  2,316

  373

  —

  —

  —

  —

  source:

  DH form KH07 and Monthly Monitoring

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents in Manchester, Gorton awaiting heart surgery have had the option of choosing an alternative hospital for quicker treatment in the last 12 months. [167388]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information is not collected centrally.

  Waiting Lists/Times
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to record and publish waiting times for both diagnostics and treatment for all types of conditions. [169714]

  Mr. Hutton
  Data are not collected specifically on waiting times for diagnostic tests. However, depending on the setting in which the procedure takes place, patients waiting for diagnostic procedures may be included within the central waiting list returns.

  This is because waiting time data are collected on the consultant's main specialty, not by procedure. Diagnostic procedures may be included as part of the official returns as either an in-patient/day case, or as an out-patient—if it was the patient's first appointment with a consultant.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Loan Repayments
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make the provision of an analysis of a customer's ability to repay a loan an obligation on the lender; and if she will make a statement. [170640]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  Our proposed reforms to the current law on extortionate credit bargains (which we will introduce when parliamentary time permits) will include a new test relating to unfair credit transactions. This new test will enable agreements to be more effectively challenged, and creditors who do not want to expose themselves to such challenges must ensure that the loans they make are not unfair. Responsible lending is a key part of this, and while the Government do not propose a 'one size fits all' regime for all credit providers, lenders will be expected to undertake enquiries that are proportionate in the circumstances.

  Bankrupt Businesses
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research her Department has undertaken into the number of UK businesses that have gone bankrupt as a result of being unable to meet their pensions obligations. [168891]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The Department does not hold any statistical data which would enable it to undertake any research into whether any UK businesses have entered a formal insolvency procedure as a result of being unable to meet their pension obligations.

  Banned Products
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consumer products have been banned from sale in the United Kingdom since 1994, stating in each case(a) the product, (b) the manufacturer or retailer and (c) the reason for the action taken. [168976]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael) on 11 March 2004,Official Report, column 1685W.

  Businesses (Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of women in Sittingbourne and Sheppey have taken 26 weeks' maternity leave since 1997. [170294]

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

  In addition, there will be some women who will qualify for maternity leave but not SMP (because they do not meet the earnings criteria) and similarly some

  1633W
  who qualify for SMP but not leave (because they are employed earners for the purposes of SMP but not employees in order to qualify for leave).

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effects on residents of Sittingbourne and Sheppey of new rights for night-shift workers. [170296]

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

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

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

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

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of Sittingbourne and Sheppey qualify for paid leave entitlements. [170297]

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

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

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of Sittingbourne and Sheppey have benefited from a reduction of the working week to 48 hours. [170298]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The Working Time Regulations provide workers with the right to refuse to work more than 48 hours on average, if they do not want to. Numbers for Sittingbourne and Sheppey are not available, however it has been estimated that around 400,000 workers resident in the South East stood to benefit from the introduction of the weekly working time limits in 1998.

  Christmas Day Working
  Mr. Best
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she has taken to ensure that employers allow workers to celebrate Christmas Day with their families. [170283]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  Christmas Day is one of eight bank holidays in the UK each year. Employers are not obliged to give their workers time off on Christmas Day in addition to their paid annual leave, but many do so. Those workers not receiving bank holidays in addition to paid annual leave, can use some of their annual leave entitlement to cover bank holiday periods. The Working Time Regulations provide all workers with four weeks paid annual leave pro rata.

  However, the Government always tries to encourage employers to give their workers time off to celebrate Christmas Day and is especially keen for major retailers not to open on this day. The Government supports the Christmas Day (Trading) Bill, which would prevent major retailers opening on this day.

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will request the Insolvency Service and Small Business Service to carry out a study into the operation of insolvency law and practice in the construction industry to determine whether measures should be taken to protect small businesses from insolvencies among their creditors and customers. [168916]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  There are no plans for the DTI to carry out a study of this kind but the Specialist Engineering Contractors' Group has consulted the Department about the possible form of a study it is proposing to carry out in this area. We are yet to hear whether the study is under way but will assist as appropriate.

  Consumer Credit Applications
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what new measures will be introduced by the Office of Fair Trading for improving the fitness checking of consumer credit licence applicants through access to criminal records. [170520]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  New procedures for checking criminal records are due to be introduced by the OFT this year. The OFT is currently finalising arrangements for the introduction of these new measures which will be announced later this year.

  Consumer Safety
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have(a) died and (b) been injured due to faulty or dangerous consumer goods in each year since 1994, stating the (i) product and (ii) manufacturer or retailer in each instance and (iii) the action taken by her Department. [169167]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  [holding answer 28 April 2004]: Home accident data do not distinguish unsafe products as such, nor the manufacturer or retailer of the products involved. However, research commissioned by the Department on a sample of 11,998 accidents in four

  1635W
  separate years during the 1990s which included follow-up interviews with accident victims found that only 1.6 per cent. of fatal home accidents, 0.4 per cent. of serious injuries and 0.6 per cent. of minor injuries could be attributed solely to a fault with a product, including older products that had not been maintained or serviced properly or which had been used in a damaged condition. This represents approximately 60–70 home accidental deaths and 15,000.

  Employment Rights Advice Booklets
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2004,Official Report, columns 962–63W, to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones), on employment rights booklets, at which of the three meetings of the practitioner group in June, July and October 2002 the members of the group were asked for their views on reducing the number of departmental employment rights advice booklets and leaflets in hard copy. [167281]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The practitioner group met on a number of other occasions. They discussed DTI reducing the number of publications available in hard copy on 19 June 2003.

  Estate Agents
  Claire Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans site has to regulate estate agents. [170369]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The Department is currently considering the Office of Fair Trading report on estate agents, which includes recommendations about the future regulation of the industry. We aim to publish a response by 18 June 2004.

  EU Enlargement
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the likely effectiveness of the new competition system in Europe after enlargement. [168971]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The new EC Regulation on Competition was drafted with the specific objective of ensuring effective application of competition law across the EU after enlargement. The Commission is committed to reporting on the effectiveness of the new regulation five years after it comes into effect. Both the Commission and the European Competition Network will be monitoring the effectiveness of the new competition system on an on-going basis.

  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how consistency in compliance with new competition rules in Europe will be ensured across the EU after enlargement. [168972]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The National Competition Authorities of all member states are represented on the new European Competition Network which is working to ensure that the new EC Regulation on Competition is applied consistently. The Commission always has the option of taking up any case in which it feels that the ECN are not operating appropriately.
  1636W
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the new competition system in Europe is doing to protect small businesses in local communities from being forced to close as a result of competition from larger businesses. [168973]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  There are prohibitions on anticompetitive agreements and the abuse of dominance in competition law at both the EC and UK level. Through these prohibitions, competition law provides remedies to protect all businesses, including small businesses in local communities, from anti-competitive trading practices.

  EU Social Chapter
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effects of the EU Social Chapter on the residents of Sittingbourne and Sheppey. [170295]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The residents of Sittingbourne and Sheppey have benefited from the EU Social Chapter by having their employment rights extended to include:the right to Parental Leave which gives parents the right to 13 weeks unpaid leave at the birth or adoption of a child;
  the entitlement of part-time workers to the same pro-rata terms and conditions of employment as full-time workers, thereby removing any discrimination and improving the quality of part-time jobs;
  the provision that once a prima facie case has been made in an employment tribunal claim, the burden of proof is placed on the defendant (usually the employer), who will need to demonstrate that sex discrimination has not occurred;
  rights under the Fixed Term Work Directive that provide equal treatment and prevent abuse of fixed term contracts;
  rights under the European Works Council Directive which requires companies with at least 1,000 employees in total and at least 150 workers in each of the two member states, to establish structures for consulting workers on issues that affect them and;

  In addition, the Information and Consultation of Employees Directive to be implemented in the UK by March 2005, establishes a right to new minimum standards for workforce communication and involvement in large firms.

  Export Licences
  Sir Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the UK arms export licences to Indonesia approved in 2004. [169153]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Since 1997 the Government has published an Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls containing details of all UK export licences by destination.

  Details of export licensing decisions taken in 2004 will be recorded in the 2004 Report.

  Family Friendly Employment Laws
  Mr. Best
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of family friendly employment laws in the past 12 months. [170286]
  1637W
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The DTI has collected evidence from a number of sources to help in assessing the impact of the new employment laws which came into force in April 2003.

  Between December 2002 and April 2003 fieldwork was carried out for two DTI Work-Life Balance studies. Data was collected from employers and employees to provide a baseline for future evaluation of the impact of the new flexible working law. Details of the results can be found at www.dti.gov.uk/er/emar.

  In the first six months after implementation, CIPD and Lovells conducted research into flexible working which indicated that over a quarter (28 per cent) of employers had seen an increase in the total number of requests since April 2003. Seven in ten of the employers surveyed said they were willing to consider flexible working requests from all staff—not just those with children under six. 68 per cent. of employers believed that the opportunity to work flexibly had a positive effect on employee attitudes and morale. Full results are at www.cipd.co.uk.

  The Department commissioned questions on flexible working over a number of months in the Office of National Statistics Omnibus survey. The data was collected between September 2003 and February 2004. The results demonstrated that in the last year, around 900,000 parents have asked for a change in their working hours, equating to a quarter of all parents with children under six.

  Eight out ten often (77 per cent.) of those requests were granted in full, with a further one in ten (nine per cent.) partly accepted, or a compromise reached.

  Since April 2003, the proportion of flexible working requests being declined has nearly halved—from 20 per cent. before April 2003 to 11 per cent. after, which suggests that the regulations have increased employers' willingness to consider requests seriously. The full report is available at www.dti.gov.uk/er/inform.htm.

  Data on the impact of the changes to maternity pay and leave, as well as paternity and adoption pay and leave will become available in the summer, extracted from PAYE returns to Inland Revenue due in May.

  The Department continues to work with key intermediaries, such as Working Families and Maternity Alliance, to gather evidence through member/supporter surveys. It has also organised a series of roundtable events, currently being held around the country, which are engaging with parents and employers directly. The findings from this ongoing work will feed into the evidence base for a review of the impact of the legislation in 2006.

  Holiday Misdescribing
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints were made to the Director General of Fair Trading concerning the misdescribing of holidays by tour operators or travel agents in each year since 1997; how many such complaints were investigated by the Director General of Fair Trading in each year; and how many were upheld in each year. [168869]
  1638W
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The OFT has not kept statistics of the numbers of complaints made to it about misdescriptions of holidays by tour operators or travel agents. In most such cases consumers are in dispute with the operator or agent and will be seeking redress for breach of contract and disappointment. In general they seek advice from their local trading standards service. They can also seek help from the Association of British Travel Agents which offers conciliation and arbitration services to help resolve disputes with its members.

  The numbers of consumer complaints made to trading standards departments about misleading claims, lack of availability, or lack of information relating to holidays in the UK and abroad, and, more specifically, about such claims made by travel agents, to 31 December 2002, is as follows:

  Holidays in UK and overseas

  Travel agents

  Total

  1997

  7,244

  1,022

  8,266

  1998

  7,234

  939

  8,173

  1999

  6,980

  1,824

  8,804

  2000

  6,818

  1,321

  8,139

  2001

  119,129

  1,374

  20,503

  2002

  7,820

  1,262

  9,082

  1Complaints in 2001 include a large number of consumer complaints about a single company that was operating a nationwide scam. The Company's activities have ceased.

  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints have been made to the Director General of Fair Trading concerning the conduct of travel agents and travel operators in each year since 1997; how many such complaints were investigated by the Director General of Fair Trading in each year; how many were upheld in each year; and how many and which, travel agents and travel operators have been banned as unfit to practice by the Director of Fair Trading since 1997. [168870]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The OFT has not kept statistics of the number of complaints made to it about the conduct of travel agents and tour operators. Generally consumers complain to their local trading standards services. While not specifically about the "conduct" of travel agents and tour operators, the total numbers of consumer complaints about holidays in the UK and abroad, and complaints about travel agents, made to trading standards from 1997 until 31 December 2002, are presented in the following table:

  Holidays in UK and overseas

  Travel agents

  Total

  1997

  18,387

  2,211

  20,598

  1998

  18,805

  1,984

  20,789

  1999

  16,523

  3,445

  19,968

  2000

  16,463

  3,192

  19,655

  2001

  33,531

  3,304

  36,835

  2002

  17,812

  2,887

  20,699

  Members of the Association of British Travel Agents whose conduct is in question are subject to its disciplinary code. The OFT has powers under the Enterprise Act 2002 to prevent conduct, such as breaches of contract or breach of the law, which harms the collective interests of consumers.
  1639W
  The OFT does not have the power to ban travel agents and tour operators. However travel agents or tour operators that offer credit agreements must apply to the OFT for a licence. The OFT considers whether a trader is a fit person to hold a licence and can remove a licence if it regards a trader as no longer fit. Worldscape.Net Limited, an internet package holiday company, was refused a consumer credit licence in 2003.

  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) complaints have been received, (b) complaints have been investigated and (c) prosecutions have been made under the (i) Package Travel Regulations and (ii) Timeshare Act 1992 in each year since 1992. [169374]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The Department has no enforcement powers in respect of either the Package Travel, Package Holiday and Package Tour Regulations 1992 or the Timeshare Act 1992. We do not investigate individual complaints under either statute.

  Generally, consumers complain to their local trading standards service who do have the powers to enforce elements of these Acts. The trading standards service collates statistics of complaints made to them. They are unable to provide figures from this sector which reflect action under specific pieces of legislation.

  The Office of Fair Trading maintains a register of returns of convictions under consumer protection legislation. Regrettably, however, the register is currently being upgraded and is incapable of producing accurate figures of the type requested at present. The Office of Fair Trading will write to the hon. Member when this information is accessible.

  Maternity Leave
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of women in Preston have taken 26 weeks maternity leave since 1997. [169669]

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

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

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of women in Wigan have taken 26 weeks maternity leave since 1997. [169319]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  Take-up of maternity leave is not recorded centrally. It is possible to make an estimate of the numbers of women taking maternity leave based on employer returns to Inland Revenue for payment of Statutory Maternity Pay (since 2003 this has covered the 1640W
  first 26 weeks of leave). Figures for the take-up of SMP are not available on a regional basis, but nationally around 300,000 women receive SMP each year.

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

  Miners' Pension Fund
  Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the Trustees of the Miners' Pension Fund protect(a) the pension and (b) the bonuses paid from inflation. [168566]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Members of the Mineworks' Pension Scheme and the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme should receive inflation linked increases to both their basic pensions and their bonuses to September 2006 and January 2008 respectively.

  National Minimum Wage
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers in Preston have benefited from the national minimum wage. [169671]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for the constituency of Preston. However, based on the Office for National Statistics' Low Pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the North West stood to benefit from the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in April 1999. Between 130,000 and 160,000 people were expected to have benefited from the October 2003 uprating of the National Minimum Wage.

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers in Wigan have benefited from the national minimum wage. [169318]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  It is not possible to provide estimates specifically for the constituency of Wigan. However, based on the Office for National Statistics' Low Pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the North West stood to benefit from the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999. Between 130,000 and 160,000 people were expected to have benefited from the October 2003 uprating of the national minimum wage.

  Night-shift Work
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the benefits to residents of Preston of new rights for night-shift workers. [169668]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The Working Time Regulations came into force on 1 October 1998. The regulations limit working time to 48 hours per week averaged over a 17-week reference period. For night workers the limit is eight hours per day on average, including overtime where it is part of a night worker's normal hours of work. There is no opt-out from the night working time limit.
  1641W
  Night workers are entitled to 11 hours rest between working days, one day's rest per week, and a 20-minute in work rest break if the working period is longer than 6 hours.

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

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

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the benefits to residents of Wigan of new rights for night shift workers. [169321]

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

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

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

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

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the benefits to the residents of Oldham West and Royton of new rights for night-shift workers. [170940]

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

  Night workers are entitled to 11 hours rest between working days, one day's rest per week, and a 20-minute in work rest break if the working period is longer than six hours.
  1642W
  All night workers should be offered a free health assessment before they start working nights and thereafter at regular intervals for as long as they are working nights. The health assessments should take account of the nature of the work and the restrictions on a worker's working time under the regulations. Workers who suffer from problems as a result of working at night should, as far as practicable, be offered alternative day work.

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

  Paid Lease Entitlement
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of Wigan qualify for paid leave entitlements. [169322]

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

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

  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of Preston qualify for paid leave entitlement. [169667]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  All workers resident in Preston qualify for paid annual leave entitlements; at least 4 weeks as set out in the Working Time Regulations. While all women are entitled to 26 weeks ordinary maternity leave, only those who meet the eligibility criteria will be able to claim statutory maternity pay for that period.

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

  Parental Leave
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many men have(a) requested and (b) received paternity leave in connection with the birth or adoption of a child born, matched or placed after 6 April 2003; and if she will make a statement on the success of the take-up of this entitlement; [169298]

  (2) how many women have (a) requested and (b) received maternity leave in connection with the birth or adoption of a child born after 6 April 2003; and if she will make a statement on the success of the take-up of this entitlement. [169300]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  [holding answer 29 April 2004]: Take-up of paternity, maternity and adoption leave is not recorded centrally. It is possible to make an estimate of the numbers of mothers taking maternity leave based on employer returns to Inland Revenue for payment of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) which show that around 300,000 women receive SMP each year.
  1643W
  In addition, there will be some women who will qualify for maternity leave but not SMP (because they do not meet the earnings criteria) and similarly some who qualify for SMP but not leave (because they are employed earners for the purposes of SMP but not employees in order to qualify for leave).

  It will similarly be possible to estimate the numbers of parents taking paternity or adoption leave based on employer returns to Inland Revenue for payment of Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) and Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP). Those returns are not due until 19 May 2004 and until the Inland Revenue complete processing them later in the year it will not be possible to provide the figures requested.

  Postal Vote
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to introduce measures to ensure that postal vote ballot forms are efficiently despatched and returned to electoral returning officers in Inner London for the European, Mayoral and Greater London Assembly elections on 10 June; and if she will make a statement. [170271]

  Phil Hope
  I have been asked to reply.

  Under the applicable election rules and regulations, the Greater London Returning Officer has overall responsibility for organising and running the GLA elections (which include the Mayoral election) and, in 2004, the European Parliament elections in the London region, and Constituency Returning Officers in London have responsibility for the issue and receipt of postal ballot papers for both the GLA and European Parliament polls.

  The rules stipulate that instructions to the voter should be included on the back of the Declaration of Identity form accompanying each ballot paper sent to postal voters in the GLA and European Parliament elections. Voters will receive a postage paid envelope for the return of their ballot papers by post. They are instructed to return ballot papers to the returning officer without delay by no later than the close of the poll, and have the option of delivering them instead to certain polling stations on polling day.

  Product Recalls/Safety
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many consumer product recalls there were in each year since 1994, broken down by(a) item, (b) manufacturer or retailer, (c) product category, (d) cause of recall and (e) cost of product; [168977]

  (2) how many product recalls in each year since 1994 were a result of (a) customer complaints to (i) manufacturers, (ii) trading standards and (iii) other, (b) accidents to consumers, (c) manufacturers' or retailers' decisions other than in the circumstances of (a) and (b) and (d) other circumstances; [168978]

  (3) what estimate she has made of (a) the number of companies with recall policies and (b) the cost to business of recalling a product. [168979]
  1644W
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  This information has not been collected on a regular basis. However research commissioned by my Department into product recall (URN 99/125) estimated that in the period 1990 to 1996 there was an average of 42 consumer product recalls per annum. Over the period electrical goods accounted for 47 per cent. of recalls, non-electrical toys 17 per cent, childcare articles seven per cent., clothing seven per cent., houseware four per cent., furniture four per cent., gas appliances three per cent., personal care products three per cent. and others nine per cent. The main hazards for which recalls were made were electrical 25per cent, choking 15 per cent., fire/overheating 15 per cent., loosening or collapse 13 per cent., fracture nine per cent., electric shock six per cent., sharp object four per cent. and others 14 per cent. There is no corresponding information available about the names of the manufacturers or retailers involved or on the cost of the product.

  Customer complaints were the main trigger for 71 per cent. of product recalls, while eight per cent. resulted from contacts made by trading standards officers following complaints made to them by consumers.

  The research also shows that two thirds of the companies interviewed had recall policies.

  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on(a) the effectiveness of product recalls and (b) what her Department is doing to increase that effectiveness. [168980]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The effectiveness of a product recall depends on a number of factors including the type of product, its value and the way in which the recall is communicated to consumers. In November 1999 the Department, in conjunction with the Confederation of British Industry and the British Retail Consortium, published a guide ("Consumer Product Recall—A Good Practice Guide" URN 99/1172) aimed at helping businesses take prompt action to recall unsafe products from consumers.

  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies have been(a) investigated for manufacturing or selling unsafe products and (b) prosecuted since 1994; if she will state the (i) manufacturer or retailer and (ii) product in each instance; and how many companies have been prosecuted for failing to withdraw a product, stating the (A) manufacturer or retailer and (B) product in each instance, since 1994. [169148]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The number of prosecutions for breaches of consumer product safety legislation in the period 1 April 1993 to 31 March 2003 totalled 2,1841.

  Further information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost by polling each of the 220 individual local authority trading standards departments.

  1Source:

  Consumer Safety Reports laid under S42 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987.

  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on implementation of the General Product Safety Directive. [169150]
  1645W
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The Department is in the process of transposing the General Product Safety Directive 2001. This is a difficult process, which we need to get right. It is taking time because of the complexity of some of the new provisions, especially the wording of the last resort power to order product recall. Here we are seeking to ensure that the provision is implemented in a way that is responsive to the needs of consumers while remaining balanced and proportionate to the risk. There have also been delays at the European Commission in providing guidance to support some important practical aspects of the Directive.

  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions since 1994 a manufacturer has appealed against a decision to recall a product; and in each instance if she will state the(a) outcome and (b) costs to her Department. [169151]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  Recalls in the UK are currently undertaken on a voluntary basis, so the decision whether to recall a product is one for the manufacturer or distributor. The legislation that transposes the revised General Product Safety Directive (2001 /95/EC) will introduce a mandatory recall power in the UK for the first time. Following transposition producers will continue to be encouraged to act voluntarily where necessary. There are already powers for enforcement authorities to require companies to withdraw unsafe products from sale.

  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what occasions her Department has(a) given information to other countries regarding a product being recalled in the UK, stating the (i) product, (ii) manufacturer or retailer and (iii) the countries notified and (b) received information from other countries regarding a product recall, stating the (A) product, (B) manufacturer or retailer and (C) action taken by her Department. [169152]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  There are no historic records available on when and whether the UK has notified other countries of a voluntary recall undertaken by producers here or of recalls undertaken overseas and notified to us. However since January 2004 when the revised GPSD (2001/95) requires notification of both voluntary and compulsory measures the UK has received one notification from Germany about a voluntary recall. This concerned a children's jigsaw puzzle presenting a choking hazard. The Department has circulated the alert to the local authority trading standards departments.

  Regulatory Impact Assessments
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will estimate the cost of maintaining an up-to-date schedule of regulatory impact assessments, with working lists to the relevant documents. [166453]

  Nigel Griffiths
  It is estimated that it would cost £1,000 to establish the page and add the Department's current and most recent Regulatory Impact Assessments. Maintenance costs are estimated as £1,200 per annum. The Department's Better Regulation Team has put work in train to create such a schedule on the Departmental website.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government has taken to help small businesses in Preston since 1997. [169679]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The Business Link Operator for North and West Lancashire has provided assistance to 3,523 enterprises in the Preston Constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service (SBS) was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 Business Link Operators (seven in the North West) to provide Business Support to small and medium sized enterprises from April 2001. Before this date Government support to businesses was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the Small Business Service does not have access to this data.

  1,024 of the 3,523 were pre-starts up enterprises, and in addition have provided assistance regarding Investors in people, specialist Business Advice, International, and E-Commerce.

  Seventeen companies have received and accepted offers of grant under the Research and Development Scheme (R & D) since 1997 to the value of £2,939,146.

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government have taken to help small businesses in Wigan since 1997. [169316]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The Business Link Operator for North Manchester has provided assistance to 1,981 enterprises in the Wigan constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service (SBS) was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 Business Link Operators (seven in the North West) to provide business support to small and medium-sized enterprises from April. 2001. Before this date Government support to businesses was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the Small Business Service does not have access to this data.

  The type of assistance provided by the Business Link Operator to the 1,981 enterprises include business finance, environmental, workforce development, international, innovation technology and design, micro support, E-services, high growth, supply chain, and other account management assistance.

  Ten companies have received and accepted offers of grant under the Research and Development Scheme (R&D) since 1997 to the value of £530,540.

  Sixteen companies haw, received and accepted offers of grant under the Enterprise Grant Scheme since 1997 to the value of £689,500. The Enterprise Grant Scheme closed from the beginning of April 2004.

  Social Chapter
  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the benefits of the EU Social Chapter for the residents of Preston. [169670]
  1647W
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The residents of Preston have benefited from the EU Social Chapter by having their employment rights extended to include:the right to Parental Leave which gives parents the right to 13 weeks unpaid leave at the birth or adoption of a child;
  the entitlement of part-time workers to the same pro-rata terms and conditions of employment as full-time workers, thereby removing any discrimination and improving the quality of part-time jobs;
  the provision that once a prima facie case has been made in an employment tribunal claim, the burden of proof is placed on the defendant (usually the employer), who will need to demonstrate that sex discrimination has not occurred;
  rights under the Fixed Term Work Directive that provide equal treatment and prevent abuse of fixed term contracts;
  rights under the European Works Council Directive which requires companies with at least 1000 employees in total and at least 150 workers in each of the two member states, to establish structures for consulting workers on issues that affect them and;

  In addition, the Information and Consultation of Employees Directive to be implemented in the UK by March 2005, establishes a right to new minimum standards for workforce communication and involvement in large firms.

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effect of the EU Social Chapter on the residents of Wigan. [169320]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The residents of Wigan have benefited from the EU Social Chapter by having their employment rights extended to include:the right to Parental Leave which gives parents the right to 13 weeks unpaid leave at the birth or adoption of a child;
  the entitlement of part-time workers to the same pro-rata terms and conditions of employment as full time workers, thereby removing any discrimination and improving the quality of part-time jobs;
  the provision that once a prima facie case has been made in an employment tribunal claim, the burden of proof is placed on the defendant (usually the employer), who will need to demonstrate that sex discrimination has not occurred;
  rights under the Fixed Term Work Directive that provide equal treatment and prevent abuse of fixed term contracts;
  rights under the European Works Council Directive which requires companies with at least 1,000 employees in total and at least 150 workers in each of the two member states, to establish structures for consulting workers on issues that affect them and;
  in addition, the Information aid Consultation of Employees Directive to be implemented in the UK by March 2005, establishes a right to new minimum standards for work force communication and involvement in large firms.

  Thin Film Technology
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the levy is for thin film technology 1648W
  monitors and televisions imported to the UK; and whether the levy is standardised throughout the EU. [170039]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The import duty on imports into the EU on thin film technology monitors and televisions is 14 per cent. The Levy is standardised throughout the EU.

  Working Time Directive
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of the Huntingdon constituency have benefited from a reduction of the working week to 48 hours. [170848]

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

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of Oldham West and Royton have benefited from a reduction of the working week to 48 hours. [170942]

  Mr. Sutcliffe
  The Working Time Regulations provide workers with the right to refuse to work more than 48 hours on average, if they do not want to. Numbers for Oldham West and Royton are not available, however it has been estimated that around 100,000 workers resident in Greater Manchester stood to benefit from the introduction of the weekly working time limits in 1998.

  Mr. Hendrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents in Preston have benefited from a reduction of the maximum working week to 48 hours. [169666]

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

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residents of Wigan have benefited from a reduction of the working week to 48 hours. [169323]

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

  Island of Ireland and British Isles: East/West Links
  Island of Ireland and British Isles: East/West Links
  North/South Ministerial Council
  North/South Ministerial Council
  Sudan: Darfur
  Sudan: Darfur
  United Kingdom: Written Constitution
  United Kingdom: Written Constitution
  Asylum and Immigration Legal Aid
  Asylum and Immigration Legal Aid
  Election Material: Freepost
  Election Material: Freepost
  Hepatitis C Infection: Ex Gratia Payments Scheme
  Hepatitis C Infection: Ex Gratia Payments Scheme
  NHS Foundation Trusts: Independent Regulator
  NHS Foundation Trusts: Independent Regulator
  Overseas Dentists
  Overseas Dentists
  Civil Service Appointments: Political Interference
  Civil Service Appointments: Political Interference
  Focus Groups: Government Expenditure
  Focus Groups: Government Expenditure
  Ministers and Officials: Cost of Overseas Visits
  Ministers and Officials: Cost of Overseas Visits
  United Kingdom-Libya Air Services Agreement
  United Kingdom-Libya Air Services Agreement
  Devolved Administrations: Ombudsman Procedure
  Devolved Administrations: Ombudsman Procedure