Written Answers of 11 May 2004

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

  Department Annual Report
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Leader of the House how much the production of his Office's latest annual report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge. [171151]

  Mr. Hain
  My office does not produce an annual report. Its functions are included in the Privy Council Office's Departmental Report, details of which can be found on the Department's website (www.privy-council.co.uk/output/page40.asp).

  Departmental Procurement
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Leader of the House what percentage of the(a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by his Office over the last five years is of British manufacture. [170804]

  Mr. Woolas
  The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons was established in June 2003. Since then only a small amount of crockery and glassware has been purchased, and no cutlery. All the crockery was of British manufacture.

  In line with current Government policy the decision to purchase goods for the Office is taken on value for money grounds: restricting purchases to British-only goods would not necessarily achieve this.

  As a trading nation the UK has commitments under both EC and WTO procurement rules to ensure our access to export markets, and a 'Buy-British' policy would make UK companies less competitive by closing down likely export markets. One of the five principles underlying the EC Treaty is one of non-discrimination on the grounds of nationality and this would also exclude a 'Buy-British' policy. In these days of global markets it is increasingly difficult to determine whether goods are British.

  House Facilities
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Leader of the House what assessment he has made of the implications of the Independent Monitoring Commission Report for the use of House facilities by Sinn Fein. [170658]

  Mr. Hain
  The Government has already taken steps in respect of the financial assistance payable to Sinn Fein and the PUP, in line with the recommendation of the Independent Monitoring Commission. The IMC's recommendations made no mention of parliamentary facilities. We hope the next report on paramilitary 196W
  activity, due in the autumn, will reflect significant progress. But we will need to consider the implications of that report at that time.

  Sinn Fein Members
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Leader of the House how much has been paid to Sinn Fein since the decision by the House to pay allowances to Sinn Fein hon. Members who have not taken the oath. [171739]

  Mr. Hain
  Since 8 January 2002, Sinn Fein Members have been able to claim against the incidental expenses provision, staffing allowance and additional costs allowance. They can also claim certain free travel for themselves, their families and their staff; they can use centrally-provided computer equipment on loan without charge, and they can draw on centrally purchased stationery.

  Figures showing what each Member has spent against the allowances will be publicly available from the autumn of this year. Figures for the years in question are currently being compiled and checked by the House authorities.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Tyrannical Regimes
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to take further steps to improve international law and the structures of the UN to end tyrannical regimes. [171838]

  Mr. Rammell
  We are working with the UN Secretary-General's High Level Panel to improve the UN response to all threats to global and human security. The UN's International Tribunals and the International Criminal Court have shown that there is no impunity for the perpetrators of crimes against humanity. We also need to do more to develop an international consensus in favour of humanitarian intervention where it is justified.

  Middle East
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Mr. Sharon's disengagement plan and the realities on the ground to be taken into consideration in future negotiations. [171842]

  Mr. Rammell
  The UK welcomes Prime Minister Sharon's proposed withdrawal of all settlements from Gaza and four from the West Bank. We hope it will go ahead. As the Prime Minister said on 19 April, it is a statement of fact that final status negotiations cannot ignore the reality on the ground. But all final status issues, including borders and refugees, can be decided only by negotiations between the parties.

  Richard Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Israeli settlements in the west bank, Gaza, east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights are regarded as legal by the UK Government. [171846]
  197W
  Mr. Rammell
  We consider all settlements in the Occupied Territories to be illegal.

  Iran
  Hugh Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on bilateral relations with Iran. [171843]

  Mr. Straw
  Our policy towards Iran is one of constructive but critical engagement. We aim to support Iran's efforts to reform while continuing a robust dialogue on matters of concern such as Iran's nuclear programme, human rights record, and attitude to the fight on terrorism and the Middle East Peace Process. Ministers are in close contact with Iranian leaders on all these issues of concern; I last met my Iranian counterpart in London on 22 April.

  Julie Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support he has offered to President Khatami to reduce use of torture and repression in Iran. [171845]

  Mr. Rammell
  We remain seriously concerned at human rights violations in Iran, including the alleged use of torture. We welcome the statement by the head of the Iranian judiciary on 28 April that torture is forbidden and that confessions extracted through torture are not legal. We hope this will be reflected in practice throughout Iran. Ministers have raised human rights concerns with their Iranian counterparts bilaterally on many occasions and we have done so through the EU/Iran Human Rights dialogue. The EU has made clear that its relations with Iran can move forward only if Iran takes action to address our concerns in areas such as human rights.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affair what assessment he has made of the results of the referendums in Cyprus. [171844]

  Mr. MacShane
  We respect the outcome of both referendums and the right of the Greek Cypriots to say "no". However, we hope they will take time to reflect on the decision they made and consider whether it was the right one.

  The reunification of Cyprus remains the Government's objective. But there is no immediate prospect of a resumption of talks. We await the UN Secretary General's report on his Good Offices mission to Cyprus, which we expect later this month.

  Mr. Lyons
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the prospects for re-unification of Cyprus. [171776]

  Mr. MacShane
  I draw my hon. Friend's attention to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's written statement on 28 April 2004,Official Report, columns 44–46WS.

  Iraq
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions 198W
  he has held with Mr. Paul Bremer on the handover of sovereignty to the Iraqi governing council from the coalition provisional authority. [171847]

  Mr. Rammell
  The Foreign Secretary has discussed the political transition process with Ambassador Bremer during his visits to Baghdad, but the handing over of sovereignty to the Iraqi Governing Council has never been coalition policy. The coalition is committed to handing over sovereignty on 30 June to an Iraqi Interim Government, whose structure and composition will be decided by the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser, Lakhdar Brahimi after consultation with a wide range of Iraqis.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the most recent findings of the Iraq survey group. [171848]

  Mr. MacShane
  The most recent published findings of the Iraq Survey Group were contained in the report of the leader of the Group Charles Duelfer, on 30 March, a copy of the unclassified version of which was placed in the Library of the House. There is nothing that I can add to the Written Statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 31 March 2004,Official Report, column 94WS.

  Mr. Best
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made with investigations into Iraq's mass graves following the recommendations of the UK forensic team which visited Iraq last summer. [167870]

  Mr. Rammell
  Since the recommendations were made the UK has seconded four UK forensic experts to the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) who have been leading CPA efforts on mass graves. A Mass Grave Action Plan has been produced, which details how to deal with the hundreds of reported mass grave sites. A centralised system for reporting potential sites has been set up in co-ordination with the Human Rights Ministry. Around a quarter of reported sites have been assessed. Training seminars have been held in anthropology, archaeology, surveying, crime scene management and scene searching to build Iraqi capacity to undertake mass grave exhumations. A full equipment list for exhumations has been completed and equipment is on order. In addition, the Government has funded a forensic NGO, Inforce, to produce standard protocols and operating procedures to enable Iraqis and international teams to undertake this work to the same standards.

  Unfortunately, the mobility of the forensic team was severely restricted by the upsurge in violence and kidnappings in Iraq in early April. Security problems have been a major hindrance to them in doing their jobs, which include an unusually high level of travel outside of Baghdad. We have therefore withdrawn them temporarily from Iraq. The forensic team will be able to continue some of this work from outside Iraq. We hope they and other teams will be able to resume work on mass grave sites in Iraq shortly.

  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his Answer of 27 April 2004,Official Report, column 965W, on Iraq, if he will place a copy of the Transitional

  199W
  Administrative Law (TAL) agreed by the Iraqi Governing Council on 8 March, and the annexe to the TAL, in the Library. [171123]

  Mr. Rammell
  A copy of the Transitional Administrative Law has been placed in the Library of the House. The annexe will be added once it is completed.

  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 27 April 2004,Official Report, columns 964–65W, on Iraq, who will be consulted; what the consultation process will be prior to 30 June; and who will be eligible to vote to elect the Advisory Council. [171158]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  UN Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is leading consultations with a wide variety of Iraqis on the formation of an Interim Government. He is returning to Iraq this week to continue his consultations. He aims to make his recommendations on the structure and personnel of the Interim Government by 31 May. He will also continue consultations on his proposal for a National Conference to be held after 30 June, including the best method of selecting delegates to the Conference. The Conference will elect the Advisory Council, which will advise and monitor Ministers until elections to a Transitional National Assembly in January 2005.

  North Korea
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will condemn north Korea's decision to ban south Korean aid supplies crossing the land border during the recent emergency. [171850]

  Mr. Rammell
  We regret any unnecessary delay to the urgent provision of emergency humanitarian aid to victims of the Ryongchon explosion. We understand that the DPRK authorities have since decided to allow shipments of relief materials over land from south Korea and that these began on 7 May.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the arrest of the former Zimbabwean Finance Minister, Mr. Chris Kuruneri. [171851]

  Mr. Mullin
  We understand that Mr. Kuruneri is alleged to have externalised foreign currency. His arrest and the investigations into the allegations against him are a matter for the Government of Zimbabwe.

  Burma
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Burma and the representations he has made about the treatment of Aung San Suu Kyi. [171852]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Burma. The UK cosponsored a widely supported resolution at the UN Commission on Human Rights on 21 April which condemned human rights violations in Burma. We fully 200W
  support the efforts of Sergio Pinheiro the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma and regularly call on Burma's military regime to co-operate fully with him.

  I have repeatedly called on the Burmese regime to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest.

  Belarus
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Council of Europe's reports on the human rights situation in Belarus. [171129]

  Mr. Rammell
  The issues raised in the two Council of Europe reports on Belarus remain of serious concern. We welcome the reports and support their recommendations. Together with EU partners we will respond to the findings of the reports and consider what measures to take in light of the recommendations.

  China
  Mr. Laxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese Government concerning the arrest of the North Korean refugee Kang Byong-sop. [171525]

  Mr. Rammell
  The EU carried out a demarche on North Korean border crossers in February 2004 specifically to request safe passage to a third country for the Kang family. The case was also raised at the EU/China Human Rights Dialogue in February. However, the Kang family was repatriated to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in March.

  I raised the issue of China's treatment of DPRK border crossers with Zhang Zhijun, Deputy Director of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party, when we met in March. I also expressed concern about the treatment of the Kang family to Choe Tae Bok, a senior DPRK official, when he visited London during that month. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have made official representations to the Chinese and DPRK Ambassadors in London and also the Chinese authorities in Beijing about the repatriation. We expect the EU to take follow-up action shortly.

  Departmental Procurement
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the(a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by his Department over the last five years is of British manufacture. [170799]

  Mr. Rammell
  97 per cent. of all crockery, cutlery and glassware is British manufactured.

  Embassies
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the annual overall running cost was for the UK embassy in(a) Washington and (b) Paris in 2003–04; and how many staff were employed in each of these embassies. [170819]
  201W
  Mr. Rammell
  Final running cost figures for financial year 2003–04 will not be available until November 2004 at the earliest. I will send them to the hon. Member when they are. The number of staff at each post are as follows:

  FCO UK

  OGD1 UK

  FCO LE2

  OGD LE

  Washington

  63.00

  20.00

  158.50

  16.15

  Paris Embassy

  46.00

  15.00

  151.80

  4.40

  1Other Government Department

  2Locally employed.

  The figures reflect the total number of full-time equivalents and include part time positions.

  Internet Child Pornography
  Brian White
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what steps his Department has taken to export the UK model of co-operation between Government, police and industry to tackle child pornography on the internet; [166800]

  (2) what measures his Department is taking to increase international co-operation among law enforcement agencies to combat child pornography on the internet. [166802]

  Paul Goggins
  I have been asked to reply.

  While the Government have actively encouraged, and worked towards, the development of a partnership approach between the various agencies and organisations which deal with tackling child abuse on the internet in the UK, how this issue is dealt with by other jurisdictions is a matter for each individual country to consider. The Government have promoted the success of multi agency co-operation to tackle child abuse on the internet, using examples such as the Task Force on child protection on the internet, in speeches, at conferences, in the international fora it operates within, through ministerial and officials' visits overseas, and to the many visitors it receives with a relevant interest in this issue.

  There are a variety of mechanisms to assist in furthering international co-operation between law enforcement agencies on this issue. This may be through the provision of equipment and training to overseas law enforcement by UK agencies, or by the development and hosting of specialist training courses or conferences. For example, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and National Crime Squad recently co-funded a conference for international law enforcement experts, NGOs and officials concerning child abuse and the internet. The National Crime Squad is also engaged in a global initiative with partner countries currently comprising Canada, USA, Australia and Interpol which seeks to establish new and imaginative ways of combating and reducing child abuse on line, seeking to produce a virtual police presence which will ultimately make the internet a safer place.

  A problem for all law enforcement agencies is the identification of children featured in child abuse images. As part of a G8 strategy on Protecting Children from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet, the UK is leading the development of an international (not restricted to G8 countries) Child Image Database, housed at Interpol. It aims to act as a global repository of images
  202W
  of child abuse with the capacity to carry out automated analysis. It will be a significant tool for international law enforcement contributing to the identification of victims and offenders and analysis of images. The strategy also seeks to promote mechanisms for sharing information and best practice internationally to further protect from exploitation online.

  Kashmir
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Indian Government regarding elections for the Indian Parliament in Jammu and Kashmir this year. [171380]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The elections have been discussed with Indian Government Ministers in general terms but we have not made any formal representations to them regarding the current elections for the Indian Parliament in Jammu and Kashmir.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts in Pakistan and India regarding peace negotiations in Kashmir. [171381]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Both my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have discussed the recent moves towards dialogue between India and Pakistan with our counterparts in both countries during visits to the region between December 2003 and March 2004. The Foreign Secretary also issued a statement welcoming the breakthrough in relations between the two countries following the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation Summit on 6 January. A copy of the statement is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website: www.fco.gov.uk/policy/news/press-releases. We continue to take every opportunity to encourage the Indian and Pakistani Governments to build confidence through peaceful engagement that will, in time, lead to the resolution of all their outstanding differences, including over Kashmir.

  Ministerial Visits
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list visits made by each Minister in the Department between December 2003 and April 2004, broken down by(a) date, (b) constituency visited and (c) cost. [171571]

  Mr. Straw
  For details on overseas visits by Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers please refer to my answer to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 4 May 2004.Official Report, columns 1440–43W.

  No central record of costs for UK travel by FCO Ministers is kept. During the period December 2003 to April 2004, FCO Ministers made the following visits within the UK:

  The right hon. Jack Straw MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Destination

  Purpose of trip

  16 January 2004

  Cheltenham

  Visit to GCHQ

  29 April 2004

  Leeds

  To speak at the Leeds University Centenary Dinner.

  203W

  Denis MacShane, Minister of State

  Destination

  Purpose of trip

  4 December 2003

  London and Tunbridge Wells

  To promote awareness of EU enlargement

  7 January 2004

  Edinburgh

  Appear before the Scottish Parliament European Affairs Committee

  8 January 2004

  Perth, Glasgow and Dundee

  To promote awareness of EU enlargement

  2 March 2004

  Oxford

  To promote awareness of EU enlargement

  Mike O'Brien, Minister of State

  Destination

  Purpose of trip

  15 January 2004

  Stratford-on-Avon

  Address the British Chambers of Commerce Annual International Trade Conference

  5 February 2004

  Bosworth

  Meetings with members of Muslim communities

  9 March 2004

  Glasgow

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office Partnerships and Network Development Unit Seminar

  11 March 2004

  Cambridge

  Address the International High Technology Transfer Event

  24 April 2004

  Blaby

  British-American Business Council Spring Conference Dinner

  Chris Mullin MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

  Destination

  Purpose of trip

  11 February 2004

  Reading

  Visa Road Show

  10 March 2004

  Bradford

  Visa Road Show

  25 March 2004

  Cheltenham

  Attendance with HM Queen at the opening of the new GCHQ Building

  Bill Rammell MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

  Destination

  Purpose of trip

  21 March 2004

  Warwick

  Policy Forum

  3 April 2004

  Reading

  UNA Conference at Reading University

  Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, Minister of State:

  No UK visits were made between December 2003 and April 2004.

  Myanmar
  Mr. Laxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the EU Common Position on Myanmar/Burma. [171115]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The EU is willing to support national reconciliation in Burma, leading to the restoration of democracy and respect for human rights in Burma.

  The EU shares the view of a number of international partners that the best interests of the people of Burma continue to be served, in current circumstances, by a balanced approach of carefully targeted measures against those responsible for the obstruction of reform and progress, together with humanitarian support to ensure that the ordinary people a Burma do not suffer as a result of the damaging policies of their Government.
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  In these circumstances, the EU has decided to maintain the existing measures, as set out in the Common Position for 12 months. The EU stands ready to react proportionately to future developments in Burma, positive or negative, and will keep the situation under review.

  Mr. Laxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will press the UN for a full implementation of the resolutions that the General Assembly has passed on Myanmar/Burma. [171116]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We welcome the recent adoption of a resolution by the UN Commission on Human Rights criticising Burma's human rights record. The British Government encourages all the appropriate bodies of the UN to help bring about national reconciliation, respect for human rights and democracy in Burma. We fully support the efforts of the UN Secretary General's Special Representative to Burma, Tan Sri Razali Ismail, and the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights, Sergio Pinheiro, and call on Burma's military regime to co-operate fully with them.

  Paper Recycling
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. [171812]

  Mr. Rammell
  93 per cent. of copying paper supplied throughout the Department in 2002–03 contained at least 80 per cent. post consumer waste. This was reported in the Sustainable Development in Government 2nd Annual report 2003.

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. [171813]

  Mr. Rammell
  Our Publications and Print Services departments used a number of different papers in this period and the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost as detailed records were not kept. Current guidelines in our Publications and Print Services departments stipulate 75 per cent. post consumer waste content for publications paper.

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department expects to implement in full 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. [171815]

  Mr. Rammell
  We aim to meet the copying paper target by the autumn of this year.

  From the beginning of May this year we have been meeting the publications paper target.
  205W
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the Department's main suppliers of(a) copier paper, (b) stationery, (c) envelopes and (d) paper for reports; and what the (i) name of each paper used and the (ii) recycled and post consumer recycled content is in each case. [171816]

  Mr. Rammell
  Copier paper is supplied by the Sappi Heritage Paper Company. We do not have details of the names of each kind of paper used but it contains 80 per cent. recycled content of which 100 per cent. is post consumer waste.

  Stationery is supplied by Banner. We purchase numerous stationery items and our records do not allow for analysis of recycled content across the board. Banner has a strong environmental record, having been awarded the British Office Supplies and Services Federation Environmental Certificate every year since 1996. Many of the stationery items available to Foreign and Commonwealth Office customers have a high recycled content.

  Envelopes are supplied by Banner. All the envelopes are 80 to 100 per cent. recycled content with 60 to 85 per cent. post consumer waste.

  Premier Paper is our main supplier of paper for reports. We buy a variety of papers from them. Our Publications and Print Services teams' guidelines stipulate a minimum recycled content of 75 per cent. post consumer waste for publications paper.

  Sudan
  Mr. Laxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Sudan and what steps his Department is taking to encourage progress towards peace. [171117]

  Mr. Mullin
  We are seriously concerned about the human rights situation in Darfur, western Sudan. Civilian protection there remains a major concern, with reports of systematic attacks on civilians, including rape, pillage and destruction of livelihoods. The promotion of human rights throughout Sudan, through advocacy with the Government and support for NGOs, remains one of our priorities. We welcome the recent signing of a humanitarian ceasefire agreement. We are working with the parties and other members of the international community to try to get the ceasefire monitoring mechanism on the ground as soon as possible.

  Good progress has been made at the Sudanese peace talks in Kenya. Both sides have said that the peace process is irreversible and they are hopeful on reaching a final agreement very soon.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what peace proposals are being taken forward to bring an early end to conflict in Darfur, Sudan. [171388]

  Mr. Mullin
  The 8 April Ceasefire Agreement provides for a Commission to monitor the ceasefire, and for a role for the international community. We are in close contact with the parties and other members of the international community to try to help set up such a monitoring mechanism as quickly as possible. Officials attended an 206W
  African Union (AU) meeting about this in Addis Ababa on 19–20 April, and since then we have discussed the matter with the US and in the EU. An AU reconnaissance mission to Chad and Darfur began on 7 May. The mission includes representatives from the EU, the US and the UN, as well as the AU.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  British Wildlife
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial support her Department provides to charities working with Britain's wildlife. [169881]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The Department's principal direct support to charities working with Britain's wildlife is the Environmental Action Fund. In the period 2002–05, £4,115,782 has been provided to voluntary bodies to undertake 23 biodiversity projects. Other voluntary bodies working with Britain's wildlife have received funding for understanding and awareness projects, including education for sustainable development. Full details of the Environmental Action Fund grants can be found at: www.defraweb/environment/eaf/index.htm

  Voluntary bodies working with biodiversity in England also receive support from the funding provided to the Department's conservation agencies, English Nature, Environment Agency and Forestry Commission.

  In addition, the Department provides funding—usually through contractual arrangements—or voluntary wildlife bodies for particular purposes such as research and monitoring. Examples of funding of this sort in 2003–04 included £248,145 for the National Biodiversity Network, £72,981 for a mammal monitoring project and £25,000 to the Bat Conservation Trust to run a helpline and set up a database.

  Civil Servants
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list for each civil service grade within her(a) Department and (b) Department's executive agencies, the total number of staff employed, broken down by (i) gender, (ii) ethnic group and (iii) age group; and how many are registered disabled. [166391]

  Alun Michael
  Data on staffing levels in the Civil Service are collected by the Cabinet Office and published in Civil Service Statistics. A copy of Civil Service Statistics 2002 is available in the Library, and at www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics. The 2003 edition will be published in summer 2004.

  Data on staff in Defra and its Agencies for 2004 have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Co-operative Party
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Minister for Rural Affairs is a member of the Co-operative Party. [170756]
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  Alun Michael
  Yes. I am proud to have represented the Co-operative Party as well as the Labour Party since I was first elected as a Cardiff City Councillor in 1973 and as a Member of Parliament since 1987, in accordance with the long-standing formal agreements between the two parties at national level. I am one of 30 Labour and Co-operative MPs currently serving in the House of Commons and I represent Wales on the Party's National Executive Committee.

  Electric Shock Dog Collars
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the welfare implications of the use of electric shock collars for dogs. [170190]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The scientific evidence concerning the welfare implications of the use of electric shock collars for dogs is not conclusive. In the absence of conclusive evidence it would not be appropriate to make an assessment but we will carefully consider any further evidence that is produced.

  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on electric shock collars for dogs; and if she will make a statement. [170191]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The Department has received a number of representations both in support of and in opposition to the use of electric shock collars for dogs.

  Fly-tipping
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on fly-tipping of(a) the Landfill Directive and (b) the most recent rise in landfill tax. [167515]

  Margaret Beckett
  No formal assessment has been made of the effect on fly-tipping of implementing the Landfill Directive in England and Wales, or the £1 increase in the landfill tax rate for a tonne of active waste that occurred on 1 April this year. However, Defra is commissioning a comprehensive research project looking at the causes and incentives of illegal waste disposal that will result in a good practice guide focusing on pro-active, preventative policies. We expect the results of the research to be available in late 2005.

  Defra launched a consultation on its proposed Fly-Tipping Strategy on 23 February 2004.

  National Assembly for Wales
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions(a) she and (b) her ministerial colleagues held with National Assembly colleagues on each day in the week up to and including 24 February; and on which topics. [158359]

  Margaret Beckett
  [holding answer 3 March 2004]: My Ministerial colleagues and I have regular discussions with National Assembly colleagues, those of the Scottish Parliament and Northern Irish Ministers across a wide range of topics.

  Radioactive Contamination (Chernobyl Accident)
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms in England, comprising what land areas and in what locations, still have restrictions applied to them in respect of land use as a result of the residual radioactivity from the Chernobyl nuclear accident. [169877]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I have been asked to reply.

  There have been no restrictions on land use as a result of the Chernobyl accident. However, restrictions have been placed on the sale, movement and slaughter of sheep in areas affected by the Chernobyl accident, to prevent contaminated sheep meat from entering the food supply.

  The number of farms and area of land affected, as of 30 April 2004, are as follows:

  Number of farms—nine

  Land area (ha)—12,100

  Location—West Cumbria.

  Rolls-Royce Marine Power Operations
  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many representations have been received on the Environment Agency's proposed decision document relating to the operation of Rolls Royce Marine Power Operations, Derby in the consultation closing in January; and when she will reach a decision on their proposals; [171376]

  (2) whether objections have been received to the Environment Agency's proposed new authorisations for Rolls Royce Marine Power Operations, Derby and the related decision to end authorisation of disposal of radioactive waste at Hills Quarry, Crich in the consultation ending in January 2004. [171377]

  Mr. Morley
  Ministers have received 17 representations in response to Rolls Royce Marine Power Operation's applications for disposal of radioactive waste from the company's nuclear fuel production plant and the Neptune Reactor, Raynesway, Nuclear Licensed sites. These were all in relation to the disposal of solid low-level radioactive waste at Hilts Quarry landfill site.

  Ministers are currently considering the Agency's proposed decision document. An announcement will be made shortly.

  Sites of Scientific Interest
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidelines she issued to English Nature prior to English Nature's recent assessment of sites of special scientific interest. [171071]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  English Nature assesses the condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) according to common standards agreed for the UK through the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), and not on the basis of Government guidelines. Detailed standards for individual habitats and species are also prepared through the JNCC.
  209W
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what English Nature's policy is regarding informing relevant landowners of its intention to conduct assessments of sites of special scientific interest. [171072]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  English Nature will seek permission from an owner before entering onto land within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) to make a condition assessment. In the rare cases where permission is refused, or where ownership cannot be ascertained (four out of 4,699 assessments of SSSI units in 2003–04), English Nature has power of entry onto land to carry out condition assessments.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what English Nature's policy is on allowing relevant landowners(a) to see the information it holds on sites of special scientific interest and (b) to comment on it before it is published. [171073]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The English Nature website gives information on the conservation interest of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), and their condition. The ecological and geological information on SSSIs is generally available from English Nature, on request, under the Environmental Information Regulations. Owners and occupiers are welcome to offer comments on the information on SSSIs on the website. There is a comments section on the website, under the heading 'Contact Us'.

  Tobacco
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 28 April 2004 to question no.167068, to what uses the tobacco grown in EU countries is put; and what proportion was exported from the EU in the last period for which figures are available. [171184]

  Alun Michael
  Tobacco grown in the EU is used in the manufacture of tobacco products for consumption within the EU and for export.

  In 2002, production of tobacco in the EU was 334,000 tonnes. EU exports of raw tobacco to third countries were 189,131 tonnes (about 57 per cent. of EU production).

  Sources:

  1. Production data—FAO statistical database.

  2. Trade data—Eurostat.

  Woodcraft Folk
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what Government funding is provided to the Woodcraft Folk; what the purpose of that funding is; and what its constitution and governance arrangements are. [170752]

  Alun Michael
  The records for Defra's main funding streams to voluntary organisations show no payments to the Woodcraft Folk. We do not keep records of payments from other parts of Government.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the relationship is between the Woodcraft Folk and the Co-operative Party. [170757]
  210W
  Alun Michael
  As I was not aware of any relationship I have consulted the General Secretary of the Co-operative Party who has confirmed that there is no connection between the Party and the Woodcraft Folk.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Sea Bass
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it his Department's policy to source all sea bass used in catering outlets for which his Department is responsible from hand-line fishermen rather than pair trawlers. [167540]

  Yvette Cooper
  The purchasing policy of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister reflects the Government's policy. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 30 April 2004,Official Report, column 1344W.

  Deprivation Indicators (Newcastle)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the deprivation indicators for the electoral wards in the City of Newcastle as designated in 2003. [171157]

  Yvette Cooper
  There are 37 indicators underpinning the Index of Multiple Deprivation. These fall into seven separate dimensions of deprivation (income, employment, health, education, barriers to housing and services, crime and living environment). Further details on these indicators can be found in the full report on the Indices of Deprivation 2004, which is available at www.odpm.gov.uk/indices.

  While the Indices of Deprivation 2000 was produced at ward level, the new Indices—The Indices of Deprivation 2004—have been produced at Super Output Area, lower layer.

  A decision was taken to explore another base geography for the Indices to overcome the problems associated with frequent ward boundary changes and the inconsistency in the size of wards. This new base geography is intended to be more stable over time and more consistent in size. The decision to use Super Output Areas was taken after an extensive period of consultation.

  Super Output Areas cover between 1000 and 3000 people and are, in most cases, smaller than wards. They allow us to better identify small pockets of deprivation and provide a richer picture of local variations in deprivation. They will also help to ensure that the Government continues to focus its efforts on tackling disadvantage at those areas most in need.

  Electoral Commission Report
  Sue Doughty
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he received the report by the Electoral Commission on Guildford Borough Council Elections of 1 May 2003, The Integrity and Security Report; and when and in what form he will publish the report. [171747]
  211W
  Phil Hope
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 29 April 2004,Official Report, column 1226W. The statutory evaluation report referred to is the only report that the Electoral Commission has published on the all-postal pilot election held in Guildford in May 2003.

  Fire Service (Gloucestershire)
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) if he will make a statement on plans to remove the fire control from the Gloucestershire Tri-Service Centre at Quedgley; [172365]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the likely impact on the performance of the Fire Service of a move away from the Gloucestershire Tri-Service Centre at Quedgley; and if he will make a statement. [172366]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister announced on 4 March the Government's response to the consultation exercise on regional fire and rescue control rooms. The regional control centres will be able to communicate effectively with police and ambulance controls as well as with each other. They will provide a unified, resilient national network and enable enhanced service delivery by all Fire and Rescue Authorities. No decisions have yet been made on the location of the new regional control centres, and there are no specific plans in respect of any existing control rooms.

  Homelessness (Easington)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homeless persons applications were made to the District of Easington Council in(a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003; and how many were accepted and housed in each year. [170118]

  Yvette Cooper
  Information reported to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister by Easington District Council in relation to its activities under homelessness provisions of Housing Acts is in respect of households rather than persons. A summary of the latest data supplied by Easington DC is tabled as follows.

  Decisions taken by Easington DC in respect of applications by homeless households

  Applications

  Acceptances1

  Housed2

  2001

  166

  81

  49

  2002

  343

  178

  117

  2003

  756

  337

  81

  1Acceptances refer to eligible households found to be unintentionally homeless and in a priority need category.

  2The number of accepted households initially placed in temporary accommodation arranged by the local authority, or which accepted a placement in settled accommodation (such as a "Part 6" offer or a Qualifying offer of an assured shorthold tenancy). Excludes "homeless at home" cases.

  Source:

  ODPM quarterly PIE homelessness returns.

  Green Belt
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 30 April 2004,Official Report,
  212W
  column 1331W, on Green Belt, how many applications for development on Green Belt land have been refused planning permission since 1 May 1997. [172481]

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

  Housing Stock Transfer
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what conditions must be fulfilled before a council may apply to transfer management of its housing stock to an arm's length management organisation; and whether the council is required to demonstrate that it is performing to the Government's satisfaction. [172283]

  Keith Hill
  A local authority requires the approval of the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister under section 27 of the Housing Act 1985 to enter into an agreement for its housing stock to be managed by an Arm's Length Management Organisation (ALMO). The criteria for approval are set out in "Guidance on Arms Length Management of local authority housing" issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in March 2003. The performance of the local authority is not a relevant criterion, though the performance of the ALMO must be rated at least 2* (good) by the Housing Inspectorate to qualify for additional funding.

  Milton Keynes
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the last meeting of the Inter-regional Board on the Milton Keynes growth area was; what issues were discussed; and what the outputs were. [170142]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Milton Keynes and South Midlands growth area Inter-regional Board convened for the first time on 11 February 2004. The board contains senior representatives from the key organisations involved in delivering the MKSM growth proposals, and is designed to provide top-level oversight. The board is chaired by my noble Friend Lord Rooker and is scheduled to meet around three times a year. All meetings are open to the public. At the initial meeting the board discussed a number of issues, including infrastructure delivery and the MKSM public examination. The minutes of the meeting and news release are available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website.

  Roadside Advertising
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the cost to local authorities of administering schemes of roadside and roundabout advertising. [172106]

  Keith Hill
  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not made such an assessment.

  Telecommunications Masts
  Mr. David Amess
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many planning applications for mobile phone masts have been refused in Essex in the last 12 months; and if he will list the(a) applicants and (b) sites. [171097]
  213W
  Yvette Cooper
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  However, during September and October every year the mobile network operators write to every local authority with details of their network rollout for the year ahead. When they write to the local authority they also provide details of their existing sites within the local authority area. The hon. Member may want to contact the network operators for copies of their plans.

  Timber
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [167616]

  Phil Hope
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment on 10 May 2004,Official Report, column 31W.

DEFENCE

  Iraq
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on reports that the US Army has been firing on ambulances in Falluja. [171251]

  Mr. Ingram
  We are not aware of any incidents of Coalition Forces firing on ambulances.

  Service

  Rank

  Number

  Specialism

  AAC Aldergrove

  Army

  Lieutenant Colonel

  1

  Medical Officer

  Captain

  1

  Occupational Health Nurse

  Sergeant

  1

  Combat Medical Technician

  RAF

  Wing Commander

  1

  Medical Officer

  Flight Lieutenant

  1

  Medical Officer

  Flight Sergeant

  1

  Medical Admin

  Sergeant

  1

  Medical Admin

  Sergeant

  1

  Pharmacy Technician

  Sergeant

  1

  Practice Nurse

  Corporal

  2

  Medical Admin

  Corporal

  1

  Practice Nurse

  Junior Technician

  1

  Environmental Health Technician

  Medical Assistants

  6

  Medical Assistants

  Civilian

  1

  Civilian Medical Practitioner

  1

  Practice Nurse

  2

  Physiotherapists

  2

  Admin Officers

  3

  Admin Assistants

  AAC Wattisham

  Army

  Lieutenant Colonel

  1

  Consultant Aviation Medicine

  Major

  1

  Specialist Aviation Medicine

  Sergeant

  1

  Combat Medical Technician

  Corporal

  4

  Combat Medical Technician

  Lance Corporal

  5

  Combat Medical Technician

  Civilian

  1

  Civilian Medical Practitioner

  1

  Practice Nurse

  2

  Locum Physiotherapists

  214W
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken since the end of the Iraq war to monitor levels of uranium in(a) milk and (b) drinking water. [166869]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Ministry of Defence will provide advice on carrying out risk assessments on depleted uranium (DU) within urban areas and on long-term monitoring of DU in the environment, to the United Nations Environment Programme.

  Al Yamamah Contracts
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with BAE Systems regarding the proposed disposal of its shipbuilding business; and if he will make a statement. [170750]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Ministry of Defence has had one approach from BAE Systems to discuss procedure. However, no proposals have been received from the company regarding change of ownership or control of its ship building business.

  Army Air Corps (Medical Care)
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medical personnel are based at(a) AAC Aldergrove, (b) AAC Hereford, (c) AAC Wattisham, (d) AAC Middle Wallop and (e) AAC Netheravon, broken down by (i) service, (ii) rank and (iii) specialisation. [169987]

  Mr. Caplin
  The following tables detail the medical personnel based at AAC Aldergrove, AAC Wattisham, AAC Middle Wallop and AAC Netheravon broken down by service, rank and specialisation. I am withholding information for AAC Hereford under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
  215W

  Service

  Rank

  Number

  Specialism

  AAC Middle Wallop

  Army

  Lieutenant Colonel

  1

  Consultant Aviation Medicine

  Major

  1

  Specialist Aviation Medicine

  Sergeant

  1

  Combat Medical Technician

  Corporal

  1

  Combat Medical Technician

  Lance Corporal

  2

  Combat Medical Technician

  Civilian

  2

  Civilian Medical Practitioner (part-time)

  1

  F Grade Nurse

  1

  E Grade Nurse

  1

  Locum Physiotherapist

  7

  Civilian Medical Technicians

  AAC Netheravon

  Army

  Lieutenant Colonel (TA)

  1

  Consultant Aviation Medicine

  Colonel (Retired)

  1

  Regimental Medical Officer

  Sergeant

  1

  Practice Manager

  Corporal

  1

  Combat Medical Technician

  Lance Corporal

  1

  Combat Medical Technician

  Atomic Weapons Establishment
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on current and future research and development projects to be undertaken by the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, Berkshire. [170210]

  Mr. Ingram
  The research and development activities undertaken at AWE are designed to ensure the safe stewardship of the UK's stockpile of Trident warheads and our ability to maintain the capability necessary to meet the policy described in the 1998 Strategic Defence Review. As indicated in Paragraph 3.11 of the Defence White Paper of December 2003 (Cm 6041–1), this includes the need to take appropriate steps to ensure that the range of options for maintaining a nuclear deterrent capability is kept open until decisions are required on whether to replace Trident. This policy is consistent with our international treaty obligations. Research and development activities fall under four principal headings: computer simulation; hydrodynamics; high energy density plasma physics; and materials ageing. The precise nature and scope in the future of such programmes will depend on the outcome of the processes referred to in the December 2003 Defence White Paper.

  Civilian Staff
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time equivalent, permanent(a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilian staff are employed by his Department in the UK, excluding Trading Funds, Royal Fleet Auxiliaries and those on career breaks, long-term sick leave and secondments; what the equivalent figures were in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [170449]

  Mr. Caplin
  The number of full-time equivalent, permanent and casual, industrial and non-industrial civilian staff employed by the Ministry of Defence, excluding Trading Funds, Royal Fleet Auxiliaries and those on career breaks, long-term sick leave, secondments etc. as at the latest available date and for the last three years is as follows.
  216W

  Number

  1 March 20041

  1 April 2003

  1 April 2002

  1 April 2001

  Permanent non-industrial

  62,560

  59,910

  58,270

  58,700

  Permanent industrial

  13,800

  14,370

  16,490

  18,890

  Permanent total

  76,370

  74,280

  74,760

  77,580

  Casual total

  260

  1,140

  1,500

  1,200

  All staff

  76,630

  75,420

  76,260

  78,780

  1The increase in the numbers between 1 April 2003 and 1 March 2004 reflects an increase in the number of civil servants falling under the categories detailed in the question, rather than an increase in the total number of civilians working for the Ministry of Defence.

  Note:

  The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.

  Contract Cancellations
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure was incurred by his Department at the cancellation of(a) Counter Anti-Radiation Missile Suite, (b) Mine Detection and Neutralisation and (c) Microwave Landing System in 2003–04 cash terms. [170559]

  Mr. Ingram
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Defence Personnel (Vale of York)
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many departmental(a) civilian and (b) service personnel are based at (i) RAF Leeming, (ii) RAF Linton on Ouse, (iii) AAC Dishforth and (iv) Alanbrooke Barracks. [170002]

  Mr. Caplin
  Reliable data are not available centrally (except at Government Office Region level) and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Defence Projects
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name(a) customer one and (b) customer two for the (i) Advanced Air-Launched Anti-Armour Weapon, (ii) Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile, (iii) Airborne Stand-Off Radar Astute Class Submarine, (iv) Attack Helicopter WAH-64 Apache,

  217W
  (v) conventionally Armed Stand-Off Missile, (vi) Typhoon Extended Range Ordnance/Modular Charge System and (vii) Hercules C-130J projects. [170745]

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

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name(a) customer one and (b) customer two for the (i) Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft, (ii) Ground Based Air Defence, (iii) Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, (iv) Indirect Fire Precision Attack, (v) Light Forces Anti-Tank Guided Weapon Systems, (vi) Next Generation Anti-Armour Weapon and (vii) Terrier projects. [170746]

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

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name(a) customer one and (b) customer two for the (i) High Velocity Missile System, (ii) Landing Platform Dock (Replacement), (iii)Merlin HC Mk 3 Helicopter, (iv) Merlin HM Mk1 Helicopter, (v) Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle, (vi) Nimrod Maritime Reconnaissance and Attack Mk 4, (vii) Seawolf Mid-Life Update, (viii) Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedo and (ix) Sting Ray Lightweight Torpedo projects. [170747]

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

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name(a) customer one and (b) customer two for the (i) Swiftsure and Trafalgar Class Submarine Update, (ii) Tornado GR1 Mid-Life Update, (iii) Challenger II, (iv) A400M, (v) Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) (formerly Alternative Landing Ship Logistic), (vi) Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile, (vii) Typhoon Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids, (viii) Future Joint Combat Aircraft and (ix) Short Term Strategic Airlift projects. [170748]

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

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name(a) customer one and (b) customer two for the (i) Sonar 2087, (ii) Successor Identification Friend or Foe, (iii) Trojan and Titan, (iv) Type 45 Destroyer, (v) Skynet 5 Support Vehicle, (vi) Battlefield Light Utility Helicopter, (vii) Future Aircraft Carrier and (viii) Future Integrated Soldier Technology projects. [170751]

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

  Sea Bass
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his Department's policy to source sea bass used in catering outlets(a) in the armed services and (b) for which his Department is responsible from hand-line fishermen rather than pair trawlers. [167543]

  Mr. Ingram
  All food for use by the armed forces is sourced through a central food supply contract with a bespoke price list. Sea bass is not currently listed and is not supplied under the contract.
  218W
  Defra supports the sourcing of sea bass from sustainable fisheries and handlining, as an relatively low impact method of fishing, can play a part in ensuring fisheries remain sustainable. However, the last report in 2003 by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas on sea bass advised that the level of exploitation of the stock at that time was sustainable and did not recommend closure of the offshore pair trawl fishery. There are currently no restrictions at a United Kingdom or Community level on the method of fishing that can be used to target bass. In addition, to address the dolphin bycatch problem associated with the pair trawl fisher, Defra-funded trials of a separate grid device to reduce dolphin bycatch are currently taking place, with the cooperation of the fishing industry.

  In these circumstances, I do not believe that recommending a specific source of supply for bass could be justified at this stage.

  Equipment Contracts
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the date of contract signature for the(a) Typhoon Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids, (b) Future Joint Combat Aircraft, (c) Short Term Strategic Airlift, (d) Sonar 2087, (e) Successor Identification Friend or Foe, (f) Trojan and Titan, (g) Type 45 Destroyer and (h) Skynet 5 projects are; [170555]

  (2) what the date of contract signature for the (a) Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedo, (b) Sting Ray Lightweight Torpedo, (c) Swiftsure and Trafalgar Class Submarine Update, (d) Tornado GR1 Mid-Life Update, (e) Challenger II, (f) A400M (g) Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) and (h) Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile projects are; [170556]

  (3) what the date of contract signature for the (a) Hercules C-130J, (b) High Velocity Missile System, (c) Landing Platform Dock (Replacement), (d) Merlin HC Mk 3 Helicopter, (e) Merlin HM Mk 1 Helicopter, (f) Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle, (g) Nimrod Maritime Reconnaissance and Attack Mk 4 and (h) Seawolf Mid-Life Update projects are; [170557]

  (4) what the date of contract signature for the (a) Advanced Air-Launched Anti-Armour Weapon, (b) Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile, (c) Airborne Stand-Off Radar, (d) Astute Class Submarine, (e) Attack Helicopter WAH-64 Apache, (f) Conventionally Armed Stand-Off Missile, (g) Typhoon and (h) Extended Range Ordnance/Modular Charge System projects are. [170558]

  Mr. Ingram
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Equipment Costs
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the forecast cost was on 31 March 2003 for the Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) and Support Vehicle. [170359]

  Mr. Ingram
  Forecast costs for the Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) and Support Vehicle programmes were excluded from the published Major Projects Report 2003, due to commercial sensitivity. The situation remains unchanged. Negotiations with the Landing Ship Dock
  219W
  (Auxiliary) contractor are continuing, and the Support Vehicle Preferred Bidder is yet to be announced. I am, therefore, withholding this information under Exemption 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the forecast costs on 31 March 2002 were for(a) Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedo, (b) Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile, (c) Extended Range Ordnance/Modular Charge System, (d) Swiftsure and Trafalgar Class Submarine Update, (e) Landing Platform Dock (Replacement), (f) Hercules C-130J and (g) Seawolf Mid-Life Update; [170360]

  (2) what the forecast costs on 31 March 2001 were for (a) Short Term Strategic Airlift, (b) A400M (c) Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile, (d) Type 45 Destroyer Successor Identification Friend or Foe, (e) Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary), (f) Typhoon Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids, (h) Trojan and Titan Future Joint Combat Aircraft and (i) Sonar 2087. [170361]

  Mr. Ingram
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Equipment Service Dates
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the forecast in-service dates on 31 March 2001 were for(a) A400M Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile, (b) Successor Identification Friend or Foe, (c) Typhoon Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids, (d) Trojan and Titan and (e) Future Joint Combat Aircraft. [170362]

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

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the forecast in-service dates were on 31 March 2003 for(a) Sting Ray Lightweight Torpedo, (b) Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle and (c) Future Joint Combat Aircraft. [170364]

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

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the forecast in-service dates were on 31 March 2002 for(a) Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedo, (b) Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile and (c) Future Joint Combat Aircraft. [170365]

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

  Future Joint Combat Aircraft
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 22 March to the hon. Member for Chorley,Official Report, columns 548–49W on the Future Joint Combat Aircraft programme, what the original (a) estimated cost and (b) delivery date of the Joint Strike Fighter was; and what the current projected final cost is. [170470]

  Mr. Ingram
  The original estimated cost at the time of the US Defense Acquisition Board approval of the Systems Demonstration and Development phase of the Joint Strike Fighter was $33 billion. The current projected final cost of the phase is $41 billion.
  220W
  The original estimated delivery date, based on the Short Take Off/Vertical Landing variant of the aircraft, was 2010.

  IT Outsourcing
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when, during the process to outsource IT support and provision across his Department, he will provide to trade unions,(a) a risk strategy, (b) a scoping study, (c) an up to date procurement strategy, (d) a personnel impact study, (e) an intelligent customer strategy and (f) information on a public service comparator; and if he will make a statement. [168288]

  Mr. Ingram
  As previously agreed with the Council of Civil Service Unions (CCSU), a meeting is being arranged at a mutually convenient date to review the key risks identified within the Defence Information Infrastructure (DII) programme and their management. This meeting should have taken place by mid May. The DII Business Prospectus provides a comprehensive description of the intended scope of the programme. This was made available to the TUs on 3 April 2003.

  A copy of the Procurement Strategy Review Note was made available to the TUs on 3 April 2003. At the request of the CCSU, on 13 February 2004 a copy of comments provided by HM Treasury on the Review Note was also provided.

  A copy of the report produced at the end of the Personnel Impact Study was made available to TUs on 24 June 2003.

  The work on the Intelligent Customer Strategy is in its early stages with the plan for its production currently being formulated. It was agreed with the CCSU at a meeting on 16 February 2004 that they would be directly involved in its development. The plan should be sufficiently developed by 7 May to allow the TUs to see and comment on it.

  As the CCSU is aware, the work on the Public Sector Comparator is reaching a state of maturity that will enable it to be communicated to the TUs. Again, this is expected to be done by 7 May.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make it his policy to ensure that there is an in-house bidder for the support and provision of IT across his Department. [168292]

  Mr. Ingram
  No. A significant proportion of the Department's IT provision has been outsourced in recent years as part of wider initiatives to make greater use of the private sector in the provision of public services. The Department's policy is that when services already delivered under outsourcing arrangements are re-competed or rationalised, in-house bids should not normally be invited because the associated requirement for substantial reinvestment in management, training and support systems makes it unlikely that an in-house option would represent value for money. Where no in-house bid is invited, an estimate of the costs of a public sector option or a "status quo" option would normally be made, in order to provide a value for money benchmark.

  Joint Strike Fighter
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current weight of the standard take-off vertical
  221W
  landing version of the Joint Strike Fighter is; what the required weight at in-service date is; and if he will make a statement. [170353]

  Mr. Ingram
  Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) requirements are defined in terms of aircraft performance, which is the product of many factors, including weight, drag, and engine thrust. At current engine thrust and drag values, the Short Take Off/Vertical Landing variant of the JSF is some 3300 lbs overweight to meet its stipulated overall performance levels. Work is in hand in the United States to examine options to ensure that the overall performance requirements are met, addressing all possible options including a significant reduction in aircraft weight. This work will not mature in detail until early 2005, although an interim assessment of likely outcome in summer 2004 will enable performance against the United Kingdom's Key User Requirements to be preliminarily evaluated at that time.

  Media
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what contacts(a) Defence Ministers and (b) departmental staff had with the Deputy Political Editor of The Sun in the seven days prior to 6 May; [172580]

  (2) whether his Department authorised (a) Ministers and (b) spokesmen to disclose to (i) The Times, (ii) The Sun and (iii) other media that an announcement is shortly to be made concerning deployment to Iraq of Royal Marines; [172582]

  (3) if he will investigate the (a) ministerial and (b) departmental origins of stories in (i) The Times and (ii) The Sun on 6 May claiming to confirm a forthcoming announcement that Royal Marines are to be deployed to Iraq. [172583]

  Mr. Hoon
  All contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and Guidance on the Work of the Government Information Service. No decisions have been taken on the deployment of additional troops to Iraq. Should a decision be taken to commit additional forces to Iraq, I shall inform the House in the usual way.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect on service morale of imminent deployment plans to conflict zones being published in the Press. [172581]

  Mr. Hoon
  When decisions are taken on operational deployments units are informed in the proper manner, through the chain of command. Recent press comment has focused on speculation concerning the Royal Marines. Morale in the Royal Marines remains very good. The Royal Marines continue, as is usual, to focus on their professional preparations for a full range of training and operations. Media speculation does however, have a considerable impact on the morale of young Service families, particularly, as happened on this occasion, when wives and children are accosted by journalists outside schools.

  Procurement Contracts (Scotland)
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 11 March,Official Report, column 1654W, on Procurement Contracts (Scotland), what the average duration of the contract terms directly placed by his Department with companies based in Scotland was in each of the last four financial years; and what the (a) 10 longest and (b) 10 shortest running contracts were; and what the total value was of (a) and (b). [170433]

  Mr. Ingram
  Data necessary to respond fully to this question prior to financial year 2003–04 are not held centrally. However, in respect of these earlier years I am able to offer the following information based on the numbers of the new contracts previously reported:of the 724 new contracts let with companies based in Scotland during 2000–01, 205 of these contracts lasted less than one year and these 205 contracts had an average value of £9,000. 104 of the new contracts let with companies based in Scotland in 2000–01 were still running in 2003–04, and these 104 contracts had an average value of £15 million;
  of the 604 new contracts let with companies based in Scotland during 2001–02, 180 of these contracts lasted less than one year and these 180 contracts had an average value of £18,000. 110 of the new contracts let with companies based in Scotland in 2001–02 were still running in 2003–04, and these 110 contracts had an average value of £102 million;
  of the 600 new contracts let with companies based in Scotland during 2002–03, 292 of these contracts lasted less than one year and these 292 contracts had an average value of £410,000. 308 of the new contracts let with companies based in Scotland in 2002–03 were still running in 2003–04, and these 308 contracts had an average value of £20 million.

  Details of new contracts let with companies based in Scotland during 2003–04

  Contracts

  Number of new contracts

  458

  Total value of these new contracts

  £204 million

  Most valuable new contract let

  £40 million

  Total value of the 10 longest contracts

  £53 million

  Total value of the 10 shortest contracts

  £0.058 million

  Average duration of all new contracts let

  1282 days

  1 Refers to the average (mean) number of calendar days

  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2004,Official Report, column 1654W, on Procurement Contracts (Scotland), what the total projected annual cost of the procurement contracts his Department placed with companies based in Scotland in (a) 2002–03, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2000–01 was for each of the 10 years following the placing of the contracts; what the actual total cost was of the contracts placed in (i) 2002–03, (ii) 2001–02 and (iii) 2000–01 for the years for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. [170434]

  Mr. Ingram
  The information requested in respect of the total projected annual cost of procurement contracts placed by the Ministry of Defence with companies based in Scotland is not held centrally. These data could be provided only at disproportionate cost (Exemption 9 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information).

  Details of total payments made against contracts placed with companies based in Scotland up until 2003–04 are as follows.
  223W

  £ million

  Value of payments made in:

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  Contracts let before 2000–01

  480

  410

  290

  170

  Contracts let during 2000–01

  50

  110

  70

  50

  Contracts let during 2001–02

  —

  50

  150

  100

  Contracts let during 2002–03

  —

  —

  100

  300

  Contracts let during 2003–04

  —

  —

  —

  50

  Total

  520

  570

  610

  670

  Note:

  The figures are exclusive of VAT and have been rounded to the nearest £10 million.

  Refuelling Tanker Aircraft
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether CV(F) will carry air-to-air refuelling tanker aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [170351]

  Mr. Ingram
  The primary aircraft operating from CVF will be the future Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA), a role which will be undertaken by the Short Take Off Vertical Landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter. Should analysis prove it necessary, a refuelling capability could be provided by embarked JCA aircraft adapted for the task. There would be no requirement for the carrier to operate a different aircraft type for refuelling operations.

  Royal Tournament
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has(a) to reintroduce the Royal Tournament, (b) stage similar events and (c) support a private venture of a similar nature; and if he will make a statement. [169176]

  Mr. Ingram
  There are no plans to reintroduce the Royal Tournament, the ending of which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 25 October 1999,Official Report, columns 696–97W. Nor have we any plans to support a private venture of a similar nature.

  The Department has, however, continued to mount major set-piece events to demonstrate the capability of the armed forces. Under the umbrella of 'Defence 2000', the armed forces have helped stage the Royal Military Tattoo in 2000, the International Festival of the Sea in 2001, and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Celebrations in Portsmouth in 2002. The department has also continued to participate in a wide variety of smaller events such as open days, ships visits, county shows and showcase events such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Fairford Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT). We have also increased our presence in local communities and schools with the Service and Ministry of Defence Presentation Teams.

  The recent high level of operational commitments and the associated demands they have placed on Service personnel and their families, have caused us to review our continued involvement in events that could be regarded as discretionary. The large set-piece events of 'Defence 2000' have proved to be particularly demanding. Following our decision not to proceed with the planned events for 2003 and 2004, we have taken the opportunity to review our future strategy. As a result, we have now concluded that we will gain the greatest benefit by focusing our resources on supporting the well
  224W
  established single-service events such as RIAT, specific commemorations such as the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, and by making better use of our contribution to the many smaller events that take place across the length and breadth of the UK. These events, which tend not to be as manpower intensive, have proved to be excellent vehicles for cementing the relationship between the armed forces and local communities, and have done much to raise the overall profile of the Services.

  By building on these events, I am fully confident that the current high profile of the armed forces will be maintained. We have therefore decided not to continue with the Defence 2000 Series.

  Submarines
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the(a) expected and (b) latest possible in-service dates for the V class SSBN are; and if he will make a statement. [170328]

  Mr. Ingram
  No decisions have been taken on the decommissioning dates of the Royal Navy's Vanguard class nuclear submarines.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is regarding ownership of the United Kingdom's submarine building capability. [170749]

  Mr. Ingram
  The only United Kingdom facilities currently engaged in submarine building are those owned by BAE Systems Marine Ltd. at Barrow-in-Furness. The Government's special share in BAE Systems Marine Ltd. ensures that decisions affecting the ownership of these facilities cannot be taken without Government consent.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Seaport/Airport Security
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of UK(a) seaports and (b) airports will have radiation detection equipment installed by 1 July. [169962]

  Ms Blears
  We have implemented a Programme of work to introduce screening equipment at UK ports for detecting the illicit importation of radioactive materials that could be used by terrorists. By 1 July 2004 screening equipment will be in place at a number of major UK ports of entry. This is an on-going programme based on prudent contingency planning which is planned to be completed by March 2007. It would not be in the interests of national security to give details of the implementation programme.

  Air Weapons
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many gas-cartridge air weapons have been(a) surrendered to the police and (b) granted section 1 Firearms Certificates since the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 became law; and how many gas-cartridge weapons he estimates remain in circulation. [170721]
  225W
  Caroline Flint
  No running total has been kept centrally of the number of self-contained gas cartridge weapons surrendered or entered on a firearms certificate. This information is currently being collated by the police. In the absence of any previous requirement to record details of ownership it is not possible to say how many remain in circulation.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to ensure that ambulance drivers who are engaged in work of an urgent or emergency nature are neither penalised nor prosecuted for speeding; and if he will make a statement. [171035]

  Caroline Flint
  [holding answer 5 May 2004]: Provision already exists in law to protect drivers of vehicles being used for an ambulance purpose from prosecution for excess speed offences. This exemption is contained under section 87 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

  Car Stereos
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the use of Regulation 97 of the 1986 Road Vehicle Regulations to combat noise pollution emanating from car stereos. [170208]

  Caroline Flint
  Regulation 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 provides that no motor vehicle shall be used on a road in such a manner as to cause any excessive noise which could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care by the driver. I understand from the Association of Chief Police Officers that the police find the provision effective to deal with noisy car stereos. When enforcing the offence, police officers will give an oral warning to the driver, issue a fixed penalty notice or report for prosecution as appropiate.

  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the powers available to the police to combat noise pollution emanating from car stereos. [170209]

  Caroline Flint
  Regulation 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 prohibits the use of a vehicle emitting avoidable excessive noise.

  If in a particular case playing a stereo at excessive volume amounted to driving without reasonable consideration for others contrary to Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and was causing or was likely to cause alarm, distress or annoyance, the driver may be liable to having his vehicle seized by the police under the provisions of Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002.

  Care Custody System
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what level of integration of data he expects among the(a) Care Custody systems, (b) Police National Computer, (c) fingerprint database, (d) DNA database and (e) firearms database. [170725]
  226W
  Caroline Flint
  The NSPIS Custody and Case Preparation system will be interfaced with the Police National Computer. This interface will allow for the core data held on the NSPIS Custody and Case Preparation system to be transferred to the Police National Computer and for it to be automatically updated.

  The fingerprint, DNA and firearms databases will be integrated via the Police National Computer. Integration with the Police National Computer will allow for cross-checking in each of those databases.

  Citizenship
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether those seeking British citizenship are required(a) to know the words of the National Anthem and (b) have knowledge of the flags and patron saints of the nations of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [165330]

  Mr. Browne
  This knowledge is not currently required for registration or naturalisation as a British citizen. However, registrars and local authorities are encouraged to play the National Anthem at Citizenship Ceremonies.

  When brought into force, the provisions of section 1 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 will require applicants to demonstrate "sufficient knowledge" of life in the United Kingdom. Details of precisely what this will entail have yet to be finalised, but the focus will be on the practical knowledge new citizens will need to participate fully in UK society.

  Crime (Liverpool)
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the work of the Street Crime Unit in Liverpool. [170565]

  Ms Blears
  Robbery in Merseyside fell by 5 per cent. in 2002–03, compared to 2001–02. This has been achieved by effective partnership working across all agencies. Overall strategic, management of street crime is carried out by the Multi Agency Group. At an operational level, this is supported by Joint Agency Groups and the Robbery Reduction Team. In the Robbery Reduction Team, police and Crown Prosecution Service are co-located and the Premium Service is provided.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes are necessary to ensure the Liverpool Unit achieves the full benefits of co-location. [170566]

  Ms Blears
  The benefits can be seen in reductions in robbery in Merseyside. There were 5 per cent. fewer robberies in Merseyside in 2002–03 than in 2001–02. Merseyside aims to provide a good quality of prosecution, using the Premium Service approach. This involves the Crown Prosecution Service working closely with the police, with whom they are co-located, from an early stage of investigation to facilitate incisive progression of cases through the courts, with their co-operation.

  Drug Misuse
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public funds were spent on tackling drugs misuse in Sittingbourne and Sheppey in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 2003–04. [I70290]

  Caroline Flint
  Breakdown of financial allocation to local constituencies is not available to the Home Office. Funding is allocated to Drug Action Team (DAT) areas, in this case Kent DAT.

  The period 1997–98 pre-dates National Drug Strategy, accounting procedures mean that the 1997 figures are no longer available and that 1998 figures are not accessible by the DAT.

  In 2003–04 the total drugs allocation was £7,591,564. In order to ensure consistency figures supplied are based on funding streams associated with the National Drug Strategy and are readily verifiable. These funding streams are specifically targeted at tackling the harm caused to individuals, families and communities by the misuse of drugs. Other mainstream funding is made available at a local level, this varies and both in amount and origin as a result it is not possible to provide robust financial information.

  £

  2003–04

  Partnership Capacity

  124,425

  Treatment Pooled Budget

  4,780,000

  Through Care After Care Pump

  35,000

  Priming

  Building Safer Communities1

  1,858,242

  Young people

  793,897

  Total

  7,591,564

  1Contains non drug elements

  Emergency Services
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is with regard to drivers of emergency service vehicles who are captured on speed cameras contravening speed limits. [170736]

  Caroline Flint
  Vehicles being used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes are exempt from speed limits when observation of the limit on any specific occasion would hinder them fulfilling their purpose.

  The exemption is contained in section 87 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The exemption is not automatic. Speeding is dangerous and a driver in an emergency vehicle who exceeds the speed limit unnecessarily will be liable to a fixed penalty or prosecution.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to recompense(a) police authorities (b) fire and rescue authorities and (c) health trusts, for the annual costs of dealing with the paperwork which is triggered by their emergency vehicles captured on speed cameras contravening speed limits. [170737]

  Caroline Flint
  There are no plans to make it policy to recompense theemergency services for the costs of processing fixed penalty notices for speeding. Emergency service vehicles are already exempt from speed limits when to observe the limit on a particular 228W
  occasion would hinder their purpose. The exemption is however not automatic. The police enforce speed limits for everyone's safety on the road and where such a vehicle exceeds the limit unnecessarily a fixed penalty may be appropriate.

  We are however working closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers to ensure that emergency service vehicles caught speeding by automatic camera are not followed up unnecessarily when they can rely on this exemption.

  Fingerprints
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is regarding the recording of fingerprints for police use regardless of criminal conviction; and if he will make a statement. [170332]

  Ms Blears
  Under section 64 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, as amended, fingerprints taken from a person in connection with the investigation of an offence may be retained after they have fulfilled the purposes for which they were taken, but shall not be used by any person except for purposes related to the prevention or detection of crime, the investigation of an offence or the conduct of a prosecution.

  Identity Cards
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of UK residents have been a victim of identity fraud in each of the last five years. [170327]

  Mr. Browne
  It is not a criminal offence for a person simply to use another identity. However, false identities are often used to facilitate other offences such as deception and money laundering.

  The police do not generally record incidents of identity fraud because prosecutions are recorded for the offences facilitated by false identities.

  However, members of CIFAS, the UK's Fraud Prevention Service for the private sector, identified 74,000 cases of identity and impersonation fraud in 2002 and 101,000 in 2003.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the communication strategy to ensure engagement with the public regarding identity cards will be completed. [170528]

  Mr. Browne
  The identity cards communication strategy is an ongoing activity to ensure that the main audiences with an interest in the Identity Cards programme are kept up to date on progress and are informed how the programme may affect them. The communication strategy to engage the public will be regularly reviewed and developed alongside the programme's design, development and implementation to prepare for the roll-out of the first identity cards from 2007–08.

  Jean-Marie Le Pen
  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the recent visit of Jean-Marie Le Pen to the UK; and if he will make a statement. [169402]
  229W
  Caroline Flint
  None. It is a long-standing tradition in this country that people are free to gather together and to demonstrate their views provided that they do so within the law. Racism in all its forms damages communities and deserves the severest condemnation.

  London Crime
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on crime trends within the Metropolitan Police Authority area. [170492]

  Ms Blears
  The most recent figures published by the Home Office, for the year 2002–03, show that the total number of recorded crimes for the Metropolitan Police Service increased by 2 per cent. compared to the previous year, but that the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) inflated the figures in 2002–03 by 12 per cent.

  I understand that the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis recently published recorded crime statistics for the Metropolitan Police Service which showed a decrease in total recorded crime of 2 per cent. for the year ended March 2004, as compared with the previous year.

  The national crime statistics for all police forces for 2003–04 are due to be published in July.

  Mr. Hade Solemanpour
  Alistair Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis he refused a request to extradite to Argentina Mr. Hade Solemanpour, the former Iranian Ambassador to Argentina; and if he will make a statement. [167613]

  Caroline Flint
  The Argentinean request for Mr. Solemanpour's extradition was not supported by prima facie evidence sufficient to meet the requirements of UK law or of the treaty between our two countries. Accordingly, it was decided on 11 November not to issue an Order to Proceed against Solemanpour and to cancel the warrant for his provisional arrest.

  National Identity Register
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances the police could use the National Identity Register to establish an individual's identity without their consent. [170259]

  Mr. Browne
  The draft Identity Cards Bill published on 26 April provides that disclosure from the National Identity Register may be made to the police where it is in the interests of national security or for purposes connected with the prevention or detection of crime or for other purposes specified by order made by the Secretary of State.

  Disclosure of an audit trail of when an individual's entry in the National Identity Register has been checked could be authorised for purposes only connected with the prevention or detection of serious crime. Disclosure of information to Scottish police forces is not permitted in connection with crimes which are within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament.

  Parliament Square Demonstrations
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to offer alternative locations to demonstrators in Parliament Square. [169254]

  Caroline Flint
  None. It is open to demonstrators in Parliament Square to move to another location to continue their demonstration, provided they do so within the law.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with Westminster City Council regarding noise created by demonstrators in Parliament Square. [169255]

  Caroline Flint
  None. However, the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that there have been a number of discussions between the Metropolitan Police and Westminster Council on the use of byelaws to control noisy demonstrations in Parliament Square.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Metropolitan Police regarding the policing of the demonstrators in Parliament Square. [170214]

  Mr. Blunkett
  I have regular bilateral meetings with the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis where current issues about the policing of London are discussed.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days on average his Department took in Session 2002–03 to give a substantive answer to a parliamentary question for ordinary written answer; and what the greatest number of days taken to answer such a question was [155924]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  The Home Office does not maintain records in such a way that provides the information in the format requested without incurring disproportionate cost. The last published performance figures for the Home Office from 2001–02 showed that 39 per cent. of all PQs were answered within parliamentary deadlines.

  Every effort is made to reply to parliamentary questions within the parliamentary deadlines wherever possible. Consequently the Home Office is currently in the process of introducing a new PQ system, the electronic parliamentary questions system (ePQS) to better monitor and manage the Department's performance.

  The ePQS monitoring system has identified the bottlenecks in the PQ process and remedial action is being taken. As is usual with the introduction of any new IT system, performance has shown an initial decline. The benefits of ePQS are now being realised across the Department and performance is improving.

  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (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; [170772]
  231W
  (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. [170773]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  The Home Office does not maintain records in such a way that provides the information in the format requested without incurring disproportionate costs. During the period 2002–03 the Home Office received 7115 Parliamentary Questions. The Department has received 4040 Parliamentary Questions so far this session. The published performance figures for 2002–2003 showed that 37 per cent. of all Parliamentary Questions were answered within Parliamentary deadlines.

  Every effort is made to reply to Parliamentary Questions within the Parliamentary deadlines wherever possible. Consequently, the Home Office is currently in the process of introducing a new PQ system, the electronic Parliamentary Questions System (ePQS) to better monitor and manage the Department's performance.

  The ePQS monitoring system has identified the bottlenecks in the PQ process and remedial action is being taken. The benefits of ePQS are now being realised across the Department

  Prisons (Racial Incidents)
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many racial incidents were reported by prisoners during(a) 2002 and (b) 2003; and what assessment he has made of the thoroughness and effectiveness of the subsequent investigations. [155252]

  Paul Goggins
  For the period 2002–03, 5,089 racist complaints were recorded across all establishments (excluding the results of 14 women's prisons and Wormwood Scrubs where information was not available within the time scale of this question), of which 1,360 (26 per cent.) were substantiated.

  The substantiated complaints are broken down as follows:

  Staff on Prisoner complaints (277 substantiated)

  Prisoner on Prisoner complaints (666 substantiated)

  Prisoner on Staff complaints (384 substantiated)

  Staff on Staff complaints (33 substantiated).

  These figures are based on the recorded incidents logged by all establishments but further individual breakdown is not available.

  The responsibility of ensuring that investigations are carried out effectively rests with the Governing Governor of each establishment, or the Head of Group for Headquarters units. As part of their responsibilities the Race Relations Management Teams in each establishment, are involved in monitoring the investigations of racist complaints and their outcomes. The training for those carrying out incident investigations has been adapted to include specific details on how to deal with a race related complaint.
  232W
  The outcomes of these investigations range from extra training, disciplinary action, adjudication punishments for prisoners and, for five members of staff within this period, dismissal.

  It has been recognised in the joint Prison Service/CRE Race Equality Action Plan that further improvements need to be made with regard to the quality and thoroughness of the investigations of racial incidents and complaints.

  Consideration is currently been given to how independent/external agencies might provide some assessment of thoroughness in the handling of racial incidents. The formalisation of all racial incidents is also being looked at to ensure all issues are dealt with in establishments. There is also work being carried out to overhaul the current Racial Incident Reporting process.

  Racial Harassment
  Mr. Wyatt
  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 Sittingbourne and Sheppey. [170457]

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

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

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

  Figures for the number of prosecutions in Sittingbourne and Sheppey for this type of offence are not centrally available. Kent police figures for harassment offences (published by the Home Office under the requirements of S95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991) show a total of 339 recorded offences of this type in the Kent police area over the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02.

  Road Safety
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted in Sussex for use of mobile telephones while driving since the recent changes to the law were introduced; and what revenues have been collected in penalties from such prosecutions. [169861]
  233W
  Caroline Flint
  The specific offence of driving while using a hand held mobile phone came into effect on 1 December 2003. Use of a hands free mobile phone is not an offence.

  Data on police action (written warnings, fixed penalty notices and court proceedings) for the new offence of driving while using a hand held mobile telephone will not be available until the autumn of 2004.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his strategy is for enforcing legislation on the use of mobile phones while driving. [171096]

  Caroline Flint
  When use of a mobile phone while driving amounts to some other offence, such as failing to exercise proper control, it has always been enforced as that. Such enforcement will continue when appropriate. The specific new offence of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is designed to provide a simple, objective method of enforcement and prosecution, which does not depend in the same way on judgments of a driver's degree of control of a vehicle or carelessness. The Association of Chief Police Officers have welcomed it as such. How offences are enforced is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police.

  Sexual Offences
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs has to appoint a working group on drug rape; and if he will make a statement. [171025]

  Caroline Flint
  The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) keeps under review all drugs and their associated harms and risks. Currently, the ACMD has no plans to establish a specific Working Group on drug rape. However, if the issue requires the ACMD's consideration it can be raised as an agenda item at either the full Council meeting of the ACMD or at the meeting of the ACMD's Technical Committee. Previously, the ACMD have acted on this issue as highlighted through its recommendation that Gammahydroxybutrate (GHB), which is viewed as a 'date rape' drug be made a controlled drug under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

  Although the ACMD is not specifically dealing with this issue at the moment there is an Interdepartmental Ministerial Group on Sexual Offending. The purpose of the Group (broadly) is to promote and co-ordinate cross-government action on tackling sexual offending, and provide appropriate support for the victims of sexual crime. Furthermore, under s.61 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 it is an offence to administer a substance with the aim of stupefying/overpowering a person to engage in sexual activity. This is punishable by a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Greg Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much is being spent on the advertising campaign on promoting anti-terrorism launched by the Metropolitan police on 22 March. [165885]

  Ms Blears
  [holding answer 11 May 2004]: The costs for the "Life Savers" campaign is estimated at £266,000.
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  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will extend his powers to detain people he reasonably believes to be linked to terrorist groups to(a) groups other than al-Qaeda which pose a threat to United Kingdom security, (b) United Kingdom nationals who acquired nationality through (i) marriage and (ii) other routes, other than by birth, and (c) all United Kingdom nationals. [169797]

  Ms Blears
  Part 4 of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 was introduced to enable the detention of foreign nationals believed to be associated with terrorism but who cannot be removed from the country. My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary has no plans at present to extend these immigration powers.

  The Part 4 powers, however, lapse in November 2006. The question therefore arises as to what could or should replace them. The Discussion Paper "Counter-Terrorism Powers: Reconciling Security and Liberty in an Open Society", published on 25 February invites those with an interest in these issues to contribute their ideas to this debate by 31 August.

  Travellers
  Mr. Michael Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers regarding travellers. [170129]

  Ms Blears
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has regular meetings with the Association of Chief Police Officers and other police organisations.

  Issues concerning travellers are covered in these meetings.

  Websites
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost in(a) financial and (b) other terms was in (i) each financial year since 1997 and (ii) 2003–04 until the latest date for which figures are available of (A) developing and (B) maintaining (1) his Department's website and (2) each website for which his Department is responsible; and how many (C) unique hosts and (D) hits there were in each month for each website in (iii) each financial year since 1997 and (iv) 2003–04 until the latest date for which numbers are available. [155855]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  The information is as follows.

  Costs (Home Office) and page impressions

  The available information is shown in the table. For 1998 to 2001, it reflects expenditure on the corporate Home Office website only. Figures for 2001 onwards include all known Home Office funded web properties excluding Criminal Justice System (CJS) Online.

  Cost(£)

  Number of page impressions

  1997–98

  Not separately identified

  Not available

  1998–99

  Not separately identified

  Not available

  1999–2000

  40,614

  9,066,894

  2000–01

  58,170

  16,495,939

  2001–02

  1,576,214

  3,830,772

  2002–03

  11,643,356

  16,099,197

  2003–04

  2849,381.82

  332,690,512

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  1These figures include the cost of the site volcomgrants.gov.uk but no statistics of use are available.

  Caveats

  As they have evolved, the Home Office websites have used the most suitable statistical analysis software available. The figures shown above therefore represent the most accurate information available to us at the time of each reported statistic.

  Because members of the website team have not been employed exclusively on this work throughout the period, their costs have been excluded from this table.

  Information is not held centrally on websites that are managed independently of the main site.

  Unique Hosts

  42 including IND (main IND site, working in Britain and UK nationality sites) and Crime Reduction (38 excluding these) at March 2004. Figures not kept for previous years.

  2 To 5 March 2004, (excludes IND and Crime Red).

  3 To January 2004.

  The available information shown in the table for 1998 to 2001 reflects expenditure on the corporate Home Office website only. Figures for 2001 onwards include all known Home Office funded web properties excluding CJS Online.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Advisers/Consult ants
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on external consultants and advisers in each of the last three years. [171872]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 27 April 2004,Official Report, column 941W.

  Children
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the work of Plan UK in setting up day care centres in the Philippines to serve children of working parents. [171695]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  Through our Civil Society Challenge Fund DFID channels £246,669 of funding to an Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) project in the Philippines with Plan UK. This four year project has been running for two years. The project appears to be progressing well albeit a little more slowly than anticipated due to increased demands on partner organisations as a result of new legislation. A mid-term evaluation is scheduled to take place this year.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations he has received about the activity of girls in Nepal highlighting the problems of school attendance, alcohol consumption and smoking. [171696]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  Girls' education and school attendance in Nepal is a serious challenge. Around 25 per cent. of girls of primary school age are out of school, and only 3.25 per cent. of fully trained teachers are female. With other donors, DFID is planning to help the Government implement their Education for All basic and primary education programme. The main aim of the programme will be get an additional 477,000 236W
  children into school by 2009. Particular attention will be paid to recruiting more female teachers, and using block grants and other incentive measures to encourage schools to increase enrolment of girls.

  With regards to alcohol consumption and smoking, data on girls in Nepal is very thin and DFID is not actively involved in this area.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what study he has made of the role of children in Haiti in highlighting domestic violence. [171700]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  While DFID has itself made no study of the role of children and domestic violence in Haiti, the UK Government welcome the concern expressed for the countries 2.7 million children. Haitian children have seen their standards of health, education and protection, already among the lowest in the world, drop even further following the violent events earlier this year. The prevailing insecurity in Haiti continues to make children especially vulnerable to abuse and violence within the community and family structure.

  In recognition of this, the UK has provided £500,000 in support of the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), as part of a £1.9 million emergency assistance package approved in April. This is in addition to funds channelled through the EC for emergency assistance to the Haitian population.

  UNICEF's primary goal in Haiti, as elsewhere, is to protect and strengthen the rights of children. This is done through a series of activities tailored to local requirements, such as: awareness raising campaigns to discourage and prevent violence against children (particularly street children and domestic servants), the resumption of schooling and support to community groups for women and children.

  Given the evolving humanitarian situation, the UK has adopted a flexible approach with respect to its funding, enabling UNICEF to allocate UK resources to immediate priorities for children. In addition, the UK has ensured that its emergency strategy has informed and complemented that of the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO), for the benefit of Haitian communities.

  DFID's Civil Society Challenge Fund has also funded a project (£190,000, over five years) on Victims of Violence in Haiti which aims to support women through the constitution of a medical/psychological unit for victims of domestic violence.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations he has received about the activity of ex-child combatants in campaigning against the use of child soldiers in Sierra Leone. [171701]

  Hilary Benn
  I have not received any representations on this specific issue. In the past, DFID has provided core funding to the Office of the (UN) Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (OSRSG/CAAC), whose programme has included advocacy work using ex-child combatants. This was not, however, specific to Sierra Leone.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the development role that his Department is taking in Ethiopia. [172266]

  Hilary Benn
  The problems facing Ethiopia are immense. Almost one-half of its 70 million people live below the national poverty line. Hunger, HIV/AIDS and the need to provide basic services pose enormous challenges. On current plans, DFID is increasing expenditure from £19 million during 2003–04 to £85 million in 2005–06. This will include substantial direct budget support—while also targeting assistance to critical areas such as the struggle against food insecurity and HIV/AIDS and the need to improve basic education and health services. While our focus is on the long-term, we also continue to respond to immediate humanitarian needs as they arise.

  In addition to providing direct assistance to reduce poverty in Ethiopia, DFID officials are promoting more coordinated and poverty-focused donor activity. We are also involved in wider issues that could threaten development—such as the need for peace and security in the region.

  EU Peace Facility for Africa
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the involvement of his Department is in the EU's Peace Facility for Africa. [171678]

  Hilary Benn
  The Department for International Development has supported the European Union's establishment of a Peace Facility for Africa. DFID is engaged in discussions in the Council leading up to the approval of the Facility. DFID's support is in line with the G8-Africa Joint Action Plan and the Prime Minister's commitment to African peacekeeping.

  Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what technical support his Department plans to provide to(a) the Angolan Ministry of Finance, (b) Sonangol and (c) Endiama to help implement the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. [172081]

  Hilary Benn
  The UK Government are active in promoting greater transparency in revenue management in oil, gas and mining through the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

  DFID has provided an expert to participate in the World Bank's Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Review (PEMFAR), which is to make recommendations on how Angola can adopt transparent, internationally accepted practices in oil revenue management. If Angola is committed to increasing the transparency of their oil revenue management, DFID stands ready to provide further help in implementing EITI in collaboration with the World Bank. DFID would expect implementation to include engagement with Civil Society and with all the oil and mining companies operating in Angola—including Sonangol.
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  Given its size and growing importance we would expect the Government of Angola to initially focus on the oil sector, hopefully followed by the diamonds sector.

  Health Targets (Africa)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reasons his Department is off course to meet its health targets in Africa, as noted on page 180 of the 2004 Departmental Report. [171685]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID's Public Service Agreement indicators for health in Africa are linked to internationally agreed targets. DFID is one of a range of organisations which have made a commitment to these targets—others include national governments, other bilaterals and multilaterals.

  Targets to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health are particularly ambitious and challenging for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Many countries are seriously off- track and on current trends neither of the goals will be met by 2015.

  Child mortality has multiple and complex causes. Four diseases are responsible for nearly half of all child deaths, and malnutrition is an underlying cause for many of the rest. But other factors, such as economic decline, inequality, inadequate education for girls, lack of access to safe water and sanitation, and in some countries the HIV/AIDS epidemic plays a role too. Several African countries have also experienced conflict and civil unrest, which restrict progress in reducing child mortality rates.

  There has been little movement in rates of maternal mortality since 1990 and very recent progress is not easy to assess, due to lack of accurate data. Improving access to skilled care during delivery, and emergency obstetric care, where necessary, are key to reducing maternal mortality. The main constraints are weak and under-resourced health systems, in particular, the lack of appropriately skilled staff. Inadequate financing for health is a key constraint; current levels of spending in low-income African countries are way below what is needed to achieve the health targets. Addressing the broader determinants of poor health, and increasing health spend and the coverage and utilisation of interventions proven to reduce child and maternal mortality are both needed in order to make faster progress.

  DFID is stepping up efforts to tackle the child and maternal health targets and is working with partners to make progress on increasing access to effective health services, including comprehensive reproductive health services, particularly for poor people. DFID is working to tackle the shortage of skilled health workers and also contributes to interventions in other sectors: education, transport, and sanitation, which are also needed to bring improvements.

  Effective action requires, above all, political will to act. Great gains are likely when commitment to targets is translated into national poverty reduction strategies and budgets.

  India
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the value of the work of young filmmakers in India in drawing attention to(a) industrial pollution, b) early marriage, (c) child labour and (d) prostitution. [171702]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  Effective communication is an essential development tool. In India, we have not specifically assessed the role of young filmmakers in drawing attention to environmental and social issues. DFID supports awareness-raising, and advocacy on social issues through a variety of media, in line with the objectives in our recently published Country Assistance Plan.

  Infant Mortality
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the under five mortality rates for each of the 16 African countries covered by the Millennium Development Goal. [171679]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID's Public Service Agreement (PSA) sets objectives and interim targets to 2006 to help monitor progress in meeting the MDGs. The PSA focuses on key countries and the 16 key Sub-Saharan Africa countries are listed as follows with their associated under five child mortality rates (per 1000 live births) for 2001.

  Under 5 Mortality rate (per 1,000 live births)

  PSA Key Countries (Sub-Saharan Africa)

  year 2001

  Congo, Democratic Republic

  205

  Ethiopia

  172

  Ghana

  100

  Kenya

  122

  Lesotho

  132

  Malawi

  183

  Mozambique

  197

  Nigeria

  183

  Rwanda

  183

  Sierra Leone

  316

  South Africa

  71

  Sudan

  107

  Tanzania

  165

  Uganda

  124

  Zambia

  202

  Zimbabwe

  123

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the change in the under five mortality rate has been since 1997 in countries receiving his Department's health care assistance in(a) Asia and (b) sub-Saharan Africa. [171686]

  Hilary Benn
  The following table gives the change in under-five mortality rates between 1995 and 2001 in our main partner countries in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. These are the countries listed in our Public Service Agreement. Data for 1997 is not available from standard international sources so the nearest available date, 1995, is provided instead.

  Although progress has been mixed, many countries have seen improvements in under-five mortality rates. In Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal these improvements
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  have been dramatic with reductions of a quarter or more over the six-year period. On average there has been more progress in Asia than Africa.

  DFID provides assistance to the health sector through various different mechanisms. These include direct funding to the health sector and health projects, funding to the general government budget, and indirect funding to health related sectors and multi-lateral and Non-Government organisations. This makes it difficult to accurately identify all countries receiving our health care assistance, and our main partner countries are considered the most useful set for this purpose.

  Under-5 mortality rate Per 1,000 live births

  Country

  1995

  2001

  Percentage difference

  Asia

  Bangladesh

  1116

  77

  -34

  Indonesia

  66

  45

  -32

  Nepal

  120

  91

  -24

  China

  46

  39

  -15

  Pakistan

  125

  109

  -13

  Vietnam

  43

  38

  -12

  India

  104

  93

  -11

  Afghanistan

  257

  257

  0

  Cambodia

  120

  138

  15

  Average

  111

  99

  -11

  Sub-Saharan Africa

  Malawi

  216

  183

  -15

  Uganda

  145

  124

  -14

  Rwanda

  210

  183

  -13

  Ghana

  112

  100

  -11

  Mozambique

  215

  197

  -8

  Sudan

  115

  107

  -7

  Ethiopia

  183

  172

  -6

  Lesotho

  140

  132

  -6

  Nigeria

  187

  183

  -2

  Sierra Leone

  317

  316

  0

  Congo, Democratic. Republic.

  205

  205

  0

  Zambia

  202

  202

  0

  Tanzania

  164

  165

  1

  South Africa

  65

  71

  9

  Kenya

  111

  122

  10

  Zimbabwe

  90

  123

  37

  Average

  167

  162

  -3

  11993

  Source:

  World Development Indicators 2003

  International Finance Corporation
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the Department's stake is as a shareholder in the International Finance Corporation. [172507]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  The United Kingdom's capital stock in the International Finance Corporation is valued at US$121,015,000 that is equal to 5.3 per cent. of the total capital stock; this confers a voting power of 121,265 votes equal to 5.04 per cent. of total voting power.

  Iraq
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what the total value of(a) exports from and (b) imports to Iraq was in the 12 months immediately before the start of the recent conflict; [171205]
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  (2) what his estimate is of the total value of (a) imports to Iraq and (b) exports from Iraq in 2003–04. [171209]

  Hilary Benn
  Iraq oil exports through the Oil For Food programme (OFF) before the 2003 conflict were in the region of $10 billion per year. Imports, again through OFF, were approximately equal to exports less the administration costs of OFF and 5 per cent. of oil revenues which were set aside as reparations resulting from the 1991 Gulf War. Any trade outside OFF would have been illegal and unrecorded.

  Iraq's current oil exports are around 1.7 million barrels per day, which at present oil prices are expected to earn around $16 billion over a year. Reliable data on other exports and imports since the opening of Iraq's borders to trade after the 2003 conflict are not available.

  Microbicides
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has for further funding to ensure the Microbicide Development Programme Phase III effectiveness trials of candidate microbicides are completed and facilitate future product development. [171260]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  DFID is strongly committed to research and development and is proud to be the first government donor on microbicides. Women friendly technologies including microbicides will be an essential component of an effective HIV response enabling women to take control of their lives.

  Even an only partially effective microbicide to prevent sexual transmission of HIV could prevent 2.5 million deaths from AIDS every three years. DFID welcomes the fact that five clinical field trials of different microbicide candidates will be launched in 2004. It will be important to complete these trials in order to identify the most effective product.

  DFID is providing a grant of £16 million over five years (2001–2006) for the Microbicide Development Programme (MDP), co-ordinated by the Clinical Trials Unit of the Medical Research Council (MRC), and Imperial College. The programme is investigating the effectiveness of promising microbicide products, involving research centres in five African countries. DFID support accounts for over half of the projected costs.

  DFID has been in discussion with other donors concerning support to the current generation of phase III trials, including the MDP. At a meeting on microbicides in Washington last month, strategies were discussed for ensuring the completion of trials, how best to utilise the data collected and how to ensure new candidates were being brought into early clinical studies. DFID's forthcoming strategy on HIV/AIDS will set out how the department will work, including with other donors, to further the development of technologies to combat HIV/AIDS, including microbicides.

  Poverty Environment Partnership
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the members of the Poverty Environment Partnership. [171688]
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  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  The Poverty Environment Partnership is an organised donor network, with an open membership which includes bilateral and multilateral agencies, research institutes, and development banks with an interest in the issues. At the most recent meeting, which was held in February 2004, the membership was as follows:

  Bilateral donor countries/agencies:

  Belgium, Canada (CIDA), Denmark (DANIDA), Finland, Germany (GTZ), Ireland, Netherlands (DGIS), Norway, Sweden (SIDA), Switzerland (SDC), USAID, UK (DFID)

  Multilateral agencies:

  World Bank, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, International Monetary Fund, European Comission (DG ENV and DG DEV), United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, Food and Agriculture Organisation, World Health Organisation.

  Non-governmental Organisations/research organisations:

  Netherlands Institute for International Relations, Stockholm Environment Institute, World Resources Institute, World Wide Fund for Nature, IUCN—the World Conservation Union.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the analytical methods referred to on page 179 of the 2004 Departmental Report for the integration of poverty-environment issues into Poverty Reduction Strategy processes will be(a) finalised and (b) published. [171689]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  Relevant analytical methods for the integration of poverty-environment issues into Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRS) and other development planning processes are being produced by DFID unilaterally and in conjunction with other members of the multi-donor Poverty Environment Partnership. Much of this work is formally published, although some comprises "working documents" which will be refined and tested in the field prior to more formal dissemination.

  Examples of formal publications, which comprise analytical methodology and innovative developments within the issue, include "Linking Poverty Reduction and Environmental Management" (published July 2002), DFID Environment Guide (published June 2003), Environmental Fiscal Reform (to be published June 2004), OECD-DAC Guidance on Strategic Environmental Assessment (to be published late 2004).

  Examples of work that is on-going but which will not be formally published in the near future include DFID's work on the contribution of environmental resources to economic growth, and the extent to which environmental issues are a good entry point for tackling wider issues of pro-poor governance and democratic change.

  However, all work that is not formally published is still publicly available on DFID's website.

  Primary School Education
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of children is enrolled in primary school in(a) Bangladesh, (b) China and (c) India. [171703]
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  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  The latest available information on primary school net enrolment rates for the countries in question are as follows:

  Percentage

  Bangladesh1

  87

  China

  93

  India

  83

  1In addition, in Bangladesh, it is estimated that approximately 8 per cent. of primary age children are catered for in NGO schools.

  Source:

  World Development Indicators database

  The net enrolment ratio is the ratio of the number of children of official school age (as defined by the national education system, eg in China children can enter primary education at six or seven, so the data refer to children aged 7 to 11-years-old) who are enrolled in school to the population of the corresponding official school age.

  Sexual and Reproductive Health
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to increase the number of skilled birth attendants in sub-Saharan Africa. [171675]

  Hilary Benn
  A woman in Africa is over 100 times more likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth than is a woman in a developed country. Many millions more suffer ill health and long-term disability as a result of complications in pregnancy or childbirth. We now know that almost all deaths as a result of pregnancy and childbirth are avoidable when proven health interventions are available and women are able to use them. Improved coverage of skilled care at delivery and access to emergency obstetric care when necessary are key to reducing maternal mortality. In addition, over a third of maternal deaths could be avoided if effective family planning services and affordable, safe, legal abortion services were available and accessible. At present the health systems in most Africa countries are too weak and under-resourced to deliver these interventions.

  The Department for International Development is working with partners to identify and address constraints to progress with skilled attendance, and to support work to strengthen health systems that increase coverage and utilization of health services, including addressing issues such as human resource constraints and access to medicines.

  In addition, in an increasing number of countries, DFID's health assistance is provided through sector budget support or indirectly through general budget support. In these cases, DFID is increasingly explicit that sustainable child and maternal health outcomes need greater priority in many national planning and budgeting processes.

  Internationally, DFID also provides substantial support for research to improve the evidence base on safe motherhood and newborn health. DFID will continue to challenge and support the international system, in particular the UN, to play an effective role in improving peoples' health in Africa and will continue to
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  promote effective international partnerships that have a role to play, particularly the evolving partnership for Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the work of the New Generation Club on sexual health in Ecuador. [171697]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  DFID has had no contact with this organisation in Latin America.

  Tanzania (Anti-drugs Programme)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of anti-drugs programmes in Tanzania. [171694]

  Hilary Benn
  We are not currently funding anti-drugs programmes since these are not a priority for the Government of Tanzania. Therefore we have made no assessment of the effectiveness of anti-drugs programmes in Tanzania. The focus of our assistance to is on supporting the Government to implement their Poverty Reduction Strategy, now in its third year of operation. 75 per cent. of our development funding (£60 million in 2003) is now allocated directly to Government budgets for this purpose.

  Timber
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [167614]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  Timber procurement policy on timber is the responsibility of the Department of Food, Rural Affairs and the Environment. Defra has replied to the question about the funding of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET) indicating that it is in discussion with a number of Departments, including DFID. No decision has yet been taken about the funding of the second phase of CPET.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

  Judiciary (Ethnic Minorities)
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment he has made of the common barriers deterring applications from ethnic minority groups to the judiciary. [171309]

  Mr. Leslie
  The decision whether or not to seek judicial appointment is a personal one which may be influenced by a number of factors. It is possible that some applicants, irrespective of ethnicity or gender, may be deterred from seeking judicial appointment for a variety of reasons, such as:

  (a) a sense that the judicial appointments process is not sufficiently open or accountable;

  (b) limited access to sufficient information, at key stages in their profession, to enable them to make an informed decision about a potential career in the judiciary;

  245W

  (c) concerns that certain aspects of judicial office are incompatible with other commitments, for example that working patterns may not be "family friendly".

  The first issue will be addressed through the establishment of the new, independent Judicial Appointments Commission which will inspire a more diverse range of applicants through a more open, transparent and accessible system.

  In relation to the provision of information, the Department has for some time run a comprehensive outreach programme of events where officials and judicial office holders explain the appointments process and answer any questions. We also provide information de-mystifying the judicial appointments process either as a booklet; video or on our website. We are, however, looking at what else is needed, and when, to assist individual lawyers in deciding whether or not to pursue a judicial career.

  Finally, in terms of judicial working patterns, salaried part-time working has already been introduced for some judicial posts and we are investigating whether this can be extended to more. We are also undertaking a review of our policies to consider what more can be done to encourage a more diverse range of legal professionals to seek judicial appointment.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Television Service
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee if he will make Fox News available on the television annunciator service to hon. Members. [170583]

  Mr. Key
  Fox News cannot be made available at present as there are no spare annunciator channels. The annunciator is used by both Houses and any decision on changing the use of a channel is agreed by the Information Committees in both Houses. The Information Committee in this House has recently agreed that Channel 24 may be used for EuroNews. I understand that the Information Committee in the House of Lords will be considering the matter shortly.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Correspondence
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will reply in full to the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes, dated 25 February 2004, concerning tax rules for the British film industry, which was acknowledged on 1 March 2004. [172042]

  Estelle Morris
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State replied in full to the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes on 6 May 2004.

  S4C
  Mrs. Helen Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects the review of the funding of S4C to report. [171929]

  Estelle Morris
  We expect to receive the final report on the review of S4C later this month.

SCOTLAND

  Sea Bass
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to source all sea bass used in catering outlets for which his Department is responsible from hand-line fishermen rather than pair trawlers. [167536]

  Mrs. McGuire
  The Scotland Office has no responsibility for any catering outlets.

  Steel
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the supply of steel within Scotland for Scottish manufacturing industries. [167187]

  Mrs. McGuire
  There has been a rise in global steel prices in recent months and I am aware of the reports of difficulties in the steel supply market.

  However, the industry view is that although prices have increased, all types of steel remain available and I am advised that there is no shortage of supply from UK steel producers.

  Wind Farms
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received on the locating of wind farms in Scotland. [169972]

  Mrs. McGuire
  No such representations have been received. Decisions on proposed locations for particular wind power developments in Scotland are for local authorities and Scottish Ministers.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Regional Development Agencies
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the budget of each of the regional development agencies for 2004–05 is; how much each has spent in each year since 1999; and how much of this was spent on(a) staffing and (b) administration in each case. [171509]

  Jacqui Smith
  For eight of the Regional Development Agencies, their first full year of operation was 1999–2000. The London Development Agency was incorporated in 2000–01. The following table illustrates the Agencies' overall expenditure, and within these totals, expenditure on staffing and general administration between the years 1999 and 2004 provided from the Agencies' annual accounts.
  247W

  £ million

  1999–2000

  2001–01

  2001–02

  Regional Development Agency

  Total

  Admin

  Staffing

  Total

  Admin

  Staffing

  Total

  Admin

  Staffing

  Advantage West Midlands

  103

  5

  4

  113

  6

  6

  141

  6

  7

  East of England Development Agency

  30

  2

  2

  36

  2

  3

  55

  3

  4

  East Midlands Development Agency

  41

  5

  4

  67

  4

  4

  86

  4

  5

  London Development Agency

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  235

  6

  3

  266

  11

  5

  Northwest Development Agency

  141

  8

  6

  156

  8

  8

  270

  9

  9

  One NorthEast

  92

  10

  7

  98

  8

  8

  156

  9

  8

  South East England Development Agency

  63

  3

  3

  73

  4

  5

  97

  5

  6

  South West of England Regional Development Agency

  43

  5

  6

  62

  5

  6

  85

  6

  7

  Yorkshire Forward

  121

  7

  5

  125

  9

  6

  207

  7

  8

  £ million

  2002–03

  2003–04

  2004–05

  Regional Development Agency

  Total

  Admin

  Staffing

  Forecast Outturn

  Admin

  Staffing

  Indicative Budget

  Advantage West Midlands

  204

  7

  9

  247

  7

  11

  239

  East of England Development Agency

  88

  4

  5

  79

  4

  6

  96

  East Midlands Developments Agency

  101

  5

  5

  122

  7

  6

  120

  London Development Agency

  295

  17

  9

  317

  17

  13

  367

  Northwest Development Agency

  274

  11

  11

  332

  11

  15

  341

  One NorthEast

  193

  10

  9

  223

  9

  12

  235

  South East England Development Agency

  112

  7

  8

  141

  6

  10

  125

  South West of England Regional Development Agency

  103

  8

  8

  99

  8

  10

  120

  Yorkshire Forward

  211

  7

  10

  248

  7

  12

  263

  Notes:

  1. RDA Single Programme budgets are allocated on a full resource basis and final outturn figures are subject to external audit by the National Audit Office or, in the case of the LDA by Baker Tilly, after the end of the financial year, before annual accounts are approved. Final expenditure figures for 2003–04 are yet to be confirmed and forecasts have been provided by the Agencies. General administration and staffing costs for earlier years are derived from annual accounts.

  2. Overall expenditure for 1999 to 2003 and budget allocation figures for 2004–05—yet to be confirmed—are taken from Departmental records.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effect of recent trends in investment in renewable energy upon residents of Bootle. [171449]

  Mr. Timms
  As I far as I am aware recent trends in investment have not led directly to new renewables capacity in Bootle itself. The nearest development is the wind farm at Seaforth Dock, composed of six 600 kW wind turbines, which is a little over two miles away. However, this was constructed in 1999 under the then, 'Non Fossil Fuel Obligation'.

  For details of developments in the surrounding Liverpool area I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Crosby (Mrs. Curtis-Thomas) on 25 March 2004, Official Report, column 1109W and my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 28 April 2004, Official Report, column 1162SW.

  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effect of recent trends in investment in renewable energy upon the residents of Cambridgeshire. [170853]

  Mr. Timms
  As far as I am aware the following are renewable energy facilities that have been constructed within Cambridgeshire:

  A 1MW Landfill gas plant at March Landfill Site, built in 2002.

  A 1MW Landfill gas plant at Warboys, built in 2001.

  248W

  A 37MW Biomass plant at Elean Business Park, Sutton built in 2000.

  A 2.3MW Landfill gas plant at Cow Lane, Godmanchester, built in 2000

  A 2MW Landfill gas plant at Huntingdon, built in 1999.

  A 2MW Landfill gas plant at Dogsthorpe Landfill Site, Peterborough, which was built in 1995.

  A 2.1MW Landfill gas plant at Milton, built in 1993.

  A 225kW wind turbine at Kings Bush Farm, Huntingdon built in 1990.

  There are currently no proposals for new developments that fall under Section 36 of the 1989 electricity act. This requires developers to notify my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State of proposals for new generating capacity of greater than 50MW. However, proposals for developments that total less than 50MW in size are the responsibility of the Local Planning Authority.

  Businesses (Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new businesses have started up in Sittingbourne and Sheppey since 1997. [170291]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 2,700 in Kent County (which contains the constituency of Sittingbourne and Sheppey), in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and
  249W
  Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. There were 10,800 business start-ups in Kent County in 2003. Data for counties are not available for before 2003.

  DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Swale local authority (which contains the constituency of Sittingbourne and Sheppey) are shown below for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in Autumn 2004.

  VAT Registrations: 1997–2002

  Swale

  1997

  340

  1998

  315

  1999

  335

  2000

  355

  2001

  385

  2002

  330

  Source:

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

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

  Departmental Procurement
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the(a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by her Department over the last five years is of British manufacture. [170811]

  Ms Hewitt
  All crockery is of UK manufacture. Any cutlery and glassware purchased has been through UK suppliers and manufactured outside the UK.

  As a Government department we ensure that EU procurement rules are followed and these rules do not allow the specification of a particular country of origin except in very specific circumstances (such as for reasons of national security). Responsibility for procuring and maintaining stocks of crockery, cutlery and glassware for the DTI HQ restaurants and hospitality services lies with the catering contractor.

  Energy Bills
  Jon Trickett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many consumers she estimates have not received an energy bill from their current(a) electricity and (b) gas supplier over the last four years; [171485]

  (2) what regulations are in force to ensure that consumers receive energy bills that are (a) on time, (b) in an understandable format and (c) accurate; and if she will make a statement. [171486]

  Mr. Timms
  There is no licence condition to require suppliers to bill customers at a particular time, although suppliers are required to inform customers of energy used, on the basis of a meter reading or an estimate.250W
  However, certain standard licence conditions are relevant. Condition 17 requires that meters be read at least once every two years; condition 21 requires that customers be advised of their meter reference number at least annually, if not through a bill; condition 27 requires that they be told, at least annually, if not through a bill, about customer service codes; and condition 40 requires that they be told about Energywatch at least annually, if not through a bill. The regulation of gas and electricity supply, including the performance of suppliers against licence conditions, is the responsibility of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM). I understand that the Chairman of OFGEM will write to the hon. Member about the matters he has raised.

  Energy Supplies
  Mr. Best
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to promote private sector investment in renewable energy. [170281]

  Mr. Timms
  The importance of private investment going forward cannot be underestimated in achieving our renewables targets. The Renewables Advisory Board established the Finance and Investment Workgroup last year. I commissioned independent research into investor perspectives of renewables and concluded that investors believed that:The 2010–11 target, of 10.4 per cent. of electricity generated from renewables, would only be met if there is greater assurance on Government policy post 2010.
  Sustaining investor confidence is possible and within Government's control and principally requires promote action to firm up post-2010 targets.

  In response to this I announced on 1 December 2003 an extension of the Renewables Obligation target from 10 per cent. in 2010 to 15 per cent. in 2015.

  In addition, as part of the DTI's "It's Only Natural" renewables communication campaign, we held a high level seminar, on 26 April for senior representatives from banks, industry and the investment community to discuss the Government's commitment to renewables and to debate the issues facing investors. The event was well attended with over 120 delegates.

  European Directives
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the European directives implemented by her Department through national regulations in each year since 1990. [169166]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 28 April 2004]: This information could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

  Globalisation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of globalisation on UK(a) manufacturing and (b) services. [163567]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Department is drawing up a White Paper on trade and investment that will cover the causes of globalisation, its potential benefits for the UK and how best to address any adjustment challenges which may arise. This will be available in the summer.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Best
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further action she is planning to take to help small and medium UK manufacturing companies. [170285]

  Nigel Griffiths
  We will continue to make good progress in taking forward the Government's Manufacturing—the first such strategy for 30 years—which we developed in partnership with industry, trade unions and other stakeholders.

  The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), a key part of the Strategy, has been a great success since it was launched in 2002, providing easily accessible and practical advice to small and medium sized manufacturers in England and Wales. MAS helped manufacturing companies to see a seven-fold increase in added value from £5 million to £39 million during 2003.

  We will continue to help small and medium sized manufacturing companies utilise innovation, investment, best practice, and higher-level skills to succeed in the increasingly competitive global market through.

  Mark of Marks Scheme
  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how the Mark of Marks scheme will improve the quality of service in the domestic sector; [172466]

  (2) what the required criteria are for the Mark of Marks trade mark; and what role trade associations play in the scheme; [172467]

  (3) when the Mark of Marks scheme for the construction industry was established; what trades are involved in it; and what the level of take-up has been. [172469]

  Nigel Griffiths
  The Mark of Marks concept was developed under the Quality Mark umbrella in early 2003 to promote alignment of the membership requirements of the more reputable trade bodies and other organisations with Quality Mark. The scheme reflects the growing shift within the construction industry to embrace the quality ethos and promote better service to clients. The aim is to secure larger volumes of trades people by allowing members of industry bodies within Mark of Marks to be badged to consumers.

  Mark of Marks envisages flexibility in how standards are delivered and consumers protected. Industry bodies have a key role to play in ensuring delivery of quality to consumers. We have been discussing this concept with industry bodies and organisations in a range of sectors have expressed interest, including the gas, heating and ventilating, plumbing, roofing, general building, damp-proofing, glazing, paving and electrical sectors.

  Mayflower Buses
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action her Department will take arising from the collapse of the bus maker Mayflower; and if she will make a statement. [171355]
  252W
  Jacqui Smith
  Officials are in contact with the administrators and with the Regional Development Agencies and Devolved Administrations in the parts of the country in which Mayflower businesses are based. As soon as the new owners of the businesses are known we will contact them to discuss their plans and to ensure that they are aware of the support which could be available to take the businesses forward.

  The Department is aware of the widespread concern arising from the failure of Mayflower Corporation. It does have powers to investigate companies under the Companies Act and we are also consulting with other regulators.

  New Businesses (Oldham, West and Royton)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new businesses have started up in Oldham West and Royton since 1997. [170934]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 400 in Oldham Local Authority (which contains the constituency of Oldham West and Royton), in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 increase on the year before. There were 1,900 business start-ups in Oldham Local Authority in 2003. Data for local authorities are not available for before 2003.

  DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Oldham Local Authority (which contains the constituency of Oldham West and Royton) are shown in the table for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in Autumn 2004.

  VAT Registrations: 1997–2002

  Oldham

  1997

  480

  1998

  470

  1999

  465

  2000

  480

  2001

  440

  2002

  510

  Source:

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

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

  North Sea Oil
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her latest estimate is of North Sea oil reserves; and if she will make a statement. [169794]

  Mr. Timms
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 April 2004,Official Report, column 317W.

  NPL, Teddington
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the original estimated(a) cost and (b) completion date for the PFI project for the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington was; and what the current estimated (i) cost and (ii) completion date is. [169815]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 30 April 2004]: The original estimated cost for the construction of new facilities at the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington under the 1998 contract with the PFI contractor and its Design and Building Contractor was £82,012,200. The Availability Fee paid by my Department is based on this sum. We do not know the current estimated cost of construction. Since this is a PFI contract, the risk on cost overruns rests with the PFI and Design and Building contractors.

  The original completion date for the PFI project was 24 September 2001, and the PFI contractor currently estimates that the final completion date will be June 2006. Fifteen of the 16 modules in the new facilities have been handed over, but additional work is still needed by the PFI Contractor to bring modules into line with the Output Specifications; and, as a result of the delay, changes are needed to some of the new facilities to enable them to meet the current needs of NPL's scientific programmes. The contractor's estimated final completion date of June 2006 provides for the demolition of existing buildings at NPL, the construction of car parking space, and landscaping.

  Nuclear Materials
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 14 January 2004,Official Report, column 788W, on nuclear energy, what the Department's acceptable weight limits are concerning nuclear material unaccounted for; when these limits were adopted; and when they are due to be reviewed. [172094]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Nuclear material unaccounted for (MUF) is a recognised feature of accounting for nuclear material and is caused primarily by the uncertainties inherent in the techniques used to measure nuclear material. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) describes standards for the measurement uncertainty expected for closing a nuclear material balance in its Safeguards Glossary, and it publishes International Target Values (ITV) for uncertainties on measurements performed on nuclear material. These are used to determine whether a facility's measurement system meets international standards and are periodically updated by international experts to reflect currently achievable measurement capabilities and to incorporate newly developed measurement techniques and instruments. The values currently used were set in 2000 and were published by the IAEA in April 2001 as a Safeguards Technical Report (STR-327). This report is available from the IAEA in hardcopy only. However,254W
  most sections of the report can also be found at www.inmm.org/topics/contents/JNMMPaperITV.pdf. The values will be reviewed when international experts conclude a change is needed.

  All civil nuclear material in the UK is subject to Euratom safeguards and to the terms of the UK/Euratom/IAEA safeguards agreement. The European Commission's report on the operation of Euratom Safeguards in 2002, the most recent published, concluded that no evidence for the diversion of nuclear materials was found by the systematic evaluation of MUF reported by nuclear installations.

  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list nuclear materials unaccounted for at sites operated by(a) BNFL, (b) the UK Atomic Energy Authority and (c) URENCO since 1997; and if she will make a statement on Government oversight of private civilian nuclear facilities. [172093]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Material unaccounted for (MUF) figures are published annually by the nuclear industry. Copies of the figures published since 1997 were placed in the Libraries of the House on 21 January 2004,Official Report, columns 1233–34W in response to a written question.

  All civil nuclear material in the UK, irrespective of ownership, is subject to Euratom safeguards and to the terms of the UK/Euratom/IAEA safeguards agreement. The Safeguards Office of DTI is responsible for overseeing these international obligations.

  Post Office
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what research she has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the change in numbers of jobs, and the areas involved, which are likely to result from the proposal by Royal Mail to change its pricing structure from weight based charging to size based charging in (i) the photo finishing industry and (ii) other industries; [172516]

  (2) what recent discussions she has had with (a) Royal Mail, (b) the Post Regulator, (c) representatives of the photo finishing industry and (d) other business representatives on Royal Mail's proposals to change its pricing structure from weight based charging to size based charging. [172517]

  Mr. Timms
  The proposal by Royal Mail to introduce size-based pricing is a matter for the postal services regulator, Postcomm. Royal Mail's proposal is currently the subject of a full public consultation which runs until 27 July 2004. The consultation can be accessed on the Postcomm website www.postcomm.gov.uk

  As well as seeking views of other interested parties, a significant part of the consultation is to gather information from customers likely to be affected by size-based pricing. Following this consultation, Postcomm will produce a Regulatory Impact Assessment taking account of the comments received from customers, including the photo finishing industry.

  Regional Development Agency Funding (Lancashire)
  Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for
  255W
  Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on Regional Development Agency funding for Carnforth under the Market Towns Initiative. [170232]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 10 May 2004]: I have been advised by the Northwest Development Agency that it has issued guidance to Market Town Partnerships in the North West, including Carnforth, indicating that it is prepared to directly invest up to £1 million in each town.

  Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding the Regional Development Agency has spent or allocated to projects in Lancashire since the agency was created; and if she will list the(a) funding and (b) projects by constituency in order of amount of funding. [170233]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 10 May 2004]: I have been advised by the Northwest Development Agency that since its creation, NWDA has not collated data by sub-region or parliamentary constituency. Spend has been monitored by programme and/or activity, and many of the Agency's projects and schemes span several constituencies and local authority areas.

  As of April 2004, the Agency now has a three year investment strategy which will monitor budgeted expenditure by sub region.

  The NWDA has provided funding of over £500,000 to support the following projects in Lancashire:

  Preston Post Office

  Lancashire West Business Productivity

  Lancashire Tourism Partnership (SRB Round 3)

  Bacup and Stacksteads (SRB Round 6)

  Blackpool Challenge Partnership (SRB Round 6)

  Lancashire Small Sites Programme 2002

  Michelin Site, Burnley

  Pendle Economic Regeneration Programme (PERP)

  Fleetwood Marsh Nature Park

  Burnley Technology Centre

  Pavillions, Blackburn

  Cardwell Mill

  Rossendale Brownfield Land Project

  White Moss Business Park Phase 2

  Blackpool Regeneration: Talbot Road South

  Acquisition

  Green Business Parks (Lancs)

  Futures Park Managed Offices Bacup

  White Moss Business Park Investment Centre

  Skelmersdale Acquisitions

  Landgate and Moss Quarries

  Former Co Op Burnley

  ASP—N and W Lancs Core and Lancs ASP Activities

  256W

  Lancashire Rural Recovery Plan

  Lancashire LSC—Festival of Skills

  East Lancs Partnership (SRB Round 5)

  Clitheroe Market Town Initiative

  F D Sims Ltd

  Blackpool: Central Gateway Phase 1

  Erlson Engineering Ltd

  West Lancashire Investing in Business Programme

  Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the current position is regarding Regional Development Agency funding for the Midland Hotel and Central Regeneration Project in Morecambe; and when she expects the project will begin. [170234]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 10 May 2004]: I have been advised by the Northwest Development Agency that the Midland Hotel re-development project has been identified in the Agency's three year investment plan for 2004–07. Discussions are about to begin with the owner and developer, Urban Splash, about Agency funding support during that period. The Agency understand that Urban Splash intend to start work in the summer of this year.

  Renewable Energy (South Ribble)
  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effect of recent trends in investment in renewable energy upon residents of South Ribble. [171285]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 6 May 2004]: As far as I am aware recent trends in investment have not led to new renewable energy developments in South Ribble.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research her Department has conducted into the effects of late payments on small businesses; and if she will make a statement. [168984]

  Nigel Griffiths
  Specific research into the effects of late payment has not been carried out because this government has always recognised that late payment of debts can have serious effects on the cash flow of smaller companies, which is why we had a manifesto commitment to introduce a Late Payment Act to allow small businesses to:claim interest on late payment from other business or public sector bodies, allow creditors to claim a fixed sum of compensation to cover debt recovery costs should late payment happen. Compensation entitlements are: £40 for a debt of up to £999.99, £70 for a debt of between £1,000 and £9,999.99 and £100 for amounts over £10,000.

  This package of measures has had a positive effect on payment times. The Grant Thornton European Business Survey showed that the average time taken in the UK to settle accounts in 1997 was 49 days. By 2002 this had fallen to 41 days. By comparison, the average settlement time in our European neighbours was 50 days.
  257W
  A recent survey by the REL Consultancy Group looked at average days payable outstanding (DPO) and concluded that UK companies' payment performance stands at a commendable 33.6 days against 42.4 days for Europe as a whole, whilrcountries such as Italy (67.9) and France (63.4) perform considerably less well.

TRANSPORT

  Airports
  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he requires representatives of environmental organisations to be included on airport consultative committees. [172129]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Government does not specify the composition of airport consultative committees. However, an airport designated under s.35 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 must provide adequate facilities for consultation to those in the categories there specified, which include organisations "representing the interests of persons concerned with the locality in which the aerodrome is situated".

  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department has issued on the composition of airport consultative committees. [172130]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Department issued revised guidance on airport consultative committees, including matters relating to their composition, in December 2003. The guidance may be viewed on, and downloaded from, the Department's website.

  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which airports in England have airport consultative committees; and if he will list the members of each. [172131]

  Mr. McNulty
  The Department does not maintain a central register of consultative committees and the membership of each is a matter for the committee itself. 51 aerodromes are designated under s.35 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982, of which 43 are in England. I understand that all these have consultative committees, as may some aerodromes which are not so designated.

  Coastguard
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has(a) produced and (b) received a list of coastguard rescue centres that may be closed. [172385]

  Mr. Jamieson
  There is no list of coastguard rescue centres that may be closed.

  Driving Standards Agency
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Driving Standards Agency has spent on consultancy fees in each financial year since 1997. [171963]
  258W
  Mr. Jamieson
  In each financial year since 1997, the Driving Standards Agency has spent the following on consultancy fees:

  £

  1997–98

  586,000

  1998–99

  749,000

  1999–2000

  1,105,000

  2000–01

  751,000

  2001–02

  1,201,000

  2002–03

  1,128,000

  2003–04

  11,338,000

  1Currently subject to audit.

  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff were employed by the Driving Standards Agency to handle test booking enquiries, broken down by the number of staff dealing with(a) telephone inquiries and (b) internet inquiries in the last year. [171964]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Driving Standards Agency employs 166 permanent staff in two call centres to deal with practical test bookings and telephone inquiries. Some 100 employment agency staff are also currently employed to ensure that sufficient resource is available to meet the demand. One member of staff has dealt with internet inquiries since the introduction of the practical test internet booking facility in October 2003.

  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money the Driving Standards Agency received from Transport for London under its contract to test Hackney Carriage black cabs within London. [171969]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The Driving Standards Agency does not receive money from Transport for London under the contract for testing applicants for a hackney carriage licence. Instead, applicants pay the Agency directly for tests that they take. In 2003–04, the Agency conducted 847 tests at a cost of £55.30 a test, resulting in total revenue of £46,839.

  International Security Ship Plan
  Mr. Carmichael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward regulations in relation to enforcement of the International Security Ship Plan. [172386]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Enforcement of the new ship and port facility security regime agreed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in December 2002, including Ship Security Plans and International Ship Security Certificates, will be under the Ship and Port Facility (Security) Regulations 2004. These Regulations are currently being drafted and are expected to be laid before Parliament in early June, to come into force on 1 July at the same time as the IMO regime.

  Light Rail
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pedestrians have been involved in collisions with light rail vehicles in each year since 1997; and how many(a) deaths and (b) injuries resulted from such collisions. [171954]
  259W
  Mr. Jamieson
  The numbers of pedestrians killed or injured in collisions with Tram/light rail vehicles for each year since 1999, the first year for which figures are available, are shown in the following table.

  killed

  Injured

  1999

  0

  14

  2000

  0

  4

  2001

  0

  8

  2002

  2

  15

  Total

  2

  41

  Oldham West and Royton
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the percentage change in(a) deaths and (b) serious injuries on the roads of Oldham West and Royton has been since 1997. [170959]

  Dr. Howells
  The available information relates to local authority areas. In the Oldham local authority area there were 13 deaths in road accidents in 1997 and four deaths in 2002, the latest year for which information is available. The number of serious injuries fell by 33 per cent. from 85 in 1997 to 57 in 2002. Estimates on the basis of parliamentary constituencies will become available in the summer when I shall write to my right hon. Friend with figures for Oldham West and Royton and place a copy of my letter in the Libraries of the House.

  Road Traffic Accidents
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people(a) were seriously injured and (b) died in road traffic accidents in the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997. [171773]

  Dr. Howells
  The numbers of people killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents in the East Riding of Yorkshire for each year since 1997, are shown in the following table.

  Killed

  Seriously injured

  1997

  23

  241

  1998

  33

  270

  1999

  42

  258

  2000

  21

  260

  2001

  24

  266

  2002

  36

  286

  Total

  179

  1,581

  Shell Haven
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to report the result of the public inquiry into the Shell Haven Port inquiry. [172559]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The report of the public inquiry into the proposed London Gateway port at Shell Haven is under careful consideration. The report will be made public as soon as Ministers are able to announce their decision.

  Shipping (Straits of Malacca)
  Patrick Mercer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether ships are searched as a matter of course if they have passed through the Straits of Malacca en route to the UK. [170062]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The decision to invoke control measures, including ship searching is largely intelligence led.

  Statutory Off-road Notifications
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what procedures are followed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for issuing a reminder notice in the case of Statutory off-road Notifications. [172102]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) declarations are valid for 12 months. Approximately two weeks before expiry DVLA issues a notice to remind the motorist either to renew SORN or to tax the vehicle.

  Transport Direct
  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the consultants used to conduct work for the Department related to Transport Direct, broken down by(a) value of work and (b) nature of the work. [170868]

  Dr. Howells
  The following table provides this information.

  £000

  Nature of Work

  Value of Work

  Transport Direct Programme Management

  210

  Transport Direct Portal Project Management

  342

  Transport Direct Portal Technical Advice

  716

  Transport Direct Portal Contract Management

  179

  Research and Usability

  196

  Data Management

  215

  Management of Technical Standards

  8

  Development of an Evaluation Framework

  15

  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the Transport Direct information service to go online. [171945]

  Dr. Howells
  The Transport Direct service will become available to the public in July 2004. The service itself came online—under password protection—in December 2003, since when extensive data testing has been undertaken.

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Flook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which trunk road schemes have been placed by the Department of Transport before regional assemblies for consultation. [171991]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Regional Assemblies, or their predecessor organisations, have been consulted for their views on all trunk Road schemes considered as candidates for entry to the Targeted Programme of
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  Improvements, either as part of a wider public consultation process, through direct consultation between the Highways Agency and the relevant assembly or through their involvement in the multi-modal and road based studies which were set up following the 1998 Roads Review to examine proposals for major improvements to the motorway and trunk road network.

  Walking
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects his Department's partnership website on walking to go live. [172051]

  Dr. Howells
  A website for walking professionals, developed and run by a partnership of national walking organisations, went live on 31 March this year. It can be found at www.walk2l.com. My Department provided some financial support for the project.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Air Quality
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the air quality was in each of the last five years in towns and cities in Northern Ireland for which records are kept. [172064]

  Angela Smith
  The Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) of the Department of the Environment publishes an annual air quality monitoring report for Northern Ireland in partnership with the Chief Environmental Health Officers Group. The most recent report—for 2002—provides details of all air quality monitoring and results taken from district council and departmental monitoring sites. This report also draws together all the historical air quality monitoring data for Northern Ireland and includes trend analysis and discussion in relation to EU limit values and National Air Quality Objectives, where data permit.

  The report can also be accessed on the >EHS website. http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/environment/air/air.shtml

  Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.

  Body Piercing
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the regulation of body piercing and tattooing establishments in Northern Ireland. [172029]

  Angela Smith
  Powers for the regulation by district councils of tattooing and ear-piercing establishments in Northern Ireland are provided by Part V of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.

  Under this legislation, district councils may resolve to control tattooing and ear-piercing practices in their districts by requiring practitioners to register themselves and their premises with the district council. They may also make bye-laws concerning the cleanliness of registered premises and practitioners, and for the cleansing and sterilisation of instruments, materials and equipment with their district council.
  262W
  The Government intend to publish draft legislation for consultation later this year which would bring forward legislative proposals to extend these arrangements to body-piercing practices.

  Castlereagh College
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps were taken to ensure Castlereagh College's involvement in assisting employees of TK-ECC following closure of the factory at Dundonald; and if he will make a statement. [171029]

  Mr. Gardiner
  Following two meetings with TK-ECC Senior Management, officials from the Department for Employment and Learning co-ordinated an inter-Departmental Outreach Service at the company's premises, from 8 to 12 March. During the meetings it was indicated to the company that Castlereagh College was keen to provide additional support to the workforce; subsequently, formal contact was established between the company and the college.

  The company quickly established the Outplacement Centre, involving the Department for Employment and Learning, Invest Northern Ireland, Social Security Agency and the Inland Revenue in providing advice and guidance on their services, including referrals to jobs and training opportunities, benefit claims and entitlement, advice on business start-up and entitlement to tax credits. While it was the company's intention to engage with other interested organisations, including Castlereagh College, unfortunately, this did not transpire as the premises were vacated on 12 March, prohibiting intervention by these organisations.

  The Department for Employment and Learning's District Manager for South and East Belfast met, subsequently, with the Principal and Chief Executive of Castlereagh College to clarify the situation pertaining to the closure of TK-ECC and to establish agreed practices in the event of future redundancies occurring within South and East Belfast.

  Child Obesity
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the levels of obesity among children of school age; what steps he is taking to encourage exercise and healthy eating among school children; and if he will make a statement. [171985]

  Angela Smith
  Independent research carried out in 1996 reported that 16 per cent. of 13 and 14-year-olds were overweight. This figure included 3.5 per cent. of boys and 2 per cent. of girls, classified as obese. Additional research on levels of overweight and obesity in children in Northern Ireland is likely to become available in the near future.

  A task force is being established under the auspices of the Ministerial Group on Public Health to consider and

  263W
  evaluate options for tackling obesity in children and young people in Northern Ireland. The task force is expected to make recommendations on how levels of obesity in children should be assessed in future.

  Some £500,000 has been made available in 2004–05 for the promotion of physical activity and a new physical activity strategy and action plan will be issued for public consultation before the summer. The Department is also encouraging a healthy diet among school children through programmes such as the pilot, Fresh Fruit in Schools initiative. In addition, the Department of Education has recently launched a 12-month pilot scheme to improve the nutritional standard of school meals.

  Community Pharmacies
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of the Community Pharmacy Medicines Management Initiative. [171794]

  Angela Smith
  Training has been provided to enable 40 per cent. of pharmacies to deliver the service and this will be progressively extended. My Department will continue to work with key stakeholders to extend and consolidate the existing scheme to build further collaboration across the primary care team and the secondary care sector. In addition, the Department is working to develop a referral scheme to formalise patient referral from care providers to the community pharmacist for medicines management advice and guidance services.

  The roll-out of the service has been managed at Board level through provision of training and on-going encouragement. Linked to this, Boards are planning to put in place a number of facilitators to support practitioners to take on this new role. A regional facilitator will be appointed to establish a cohesive network with Board personnel to support further uptake of the scheme.

  Emergency Admissions (Ulster Hospital)
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what conclusions have been drawn from the Improving the Flow of Emergency Admissions project conducted at the Ulster Hospital; and if he will make a statement. [171755]

  Angela Smith
  The Eastern Health and Social Services Board initiated the Improving the Flow of Emergency Admissions project at the Ulster Hospital in January 2003. The project involves a systematic analysis of patient flows into and through the hospital, in order to identify critical bottlenecks in the system. It is a long-term project and work at the hospital is still on-going. Analysis of systems and processes has identified new ways of working and highlighted shortfalls in resources, which the Trust and the Eastern Board are working to address.

  The results of this project to date, along with the outcomes of similar projects elsewhere in Northern Ireland and in Great Britain, are being considered by the Department and will be the subject of discussions to be held at a regional workshop later this month. This workshop will aim to identify key principles learned
  264W
  from the project at the Ulster Hospital and elsewhere that can be applied more widely. These will be incorporated into a regional initiative to improve the flow of emergency admissions.

  Football
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what Government assistance has been provided for the Irish Football Association's(a) Give Bigotry the Red Card and (b) Football for All campaigns. [170243]

  Angela Smith
  Funding totalling £165,500 has been provided by the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council for the Football for All project which includes Give Bigotry the Red Card. This consists mainly of an award of £159,500 made under the EU Peace II Programme, which covers the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2005.

  Lupus
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to assist sufferers of lupus; and if he will make a statement. [171753]

  Angela Smith
  Rheumatologists throughout Northern Ireland manage patients with lupus, with input from other specialists as required. The management of any individual patient with lupus depends on the type of lupus, the nature of their disease and its severity. Specific services for lupus patients include a lupus clinic run by rheumatologists in Belfast, and management in a day ward for patients who require it. Lupus is also an area where there is significant research activity and clinicians working in this area have recently received funding from the Wellcome Foundation.

  Motor Cycling
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether motorcycle road racing clubs in Northern Ireland can avail themselves of the Safe Sports Grounds fund for essential work at road racing circuits. [170250]

  Angela Smith
  Motorcycle road racing clubs cannot avail themselves of funding from the Sports Council Safe Sports Grounds fund for essential work at road racing circuits as the Safe Sports Grounds Interim Scheme ended in March 2003. However, approximately £175,000 has been provided, via the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, over the past three years for essential safety work at road racing circuits. Moreover, motor sports clubs may be able to avail of funding for essential works from monies provided by the Sports Council to the two and four Wheel Motor Sport Steering Group Ltd., the umbrella group of motor sports governing bodies, for the development of motor sport as a whole in Northern Ireland.

  Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
  Mr. Dodds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who has(a) been appointed, (b) been dismissed, (c) resigned and (d) withdrawn from the

  (a) Appointed (and remuneration) to April 2004

  £

  Name of Commissioner

  Date appointed

  Current remuneration per annum

  Renumeration on starting per annum

  Total remuneration

  Professor Brice Dickson

  1 March 1999

  66,854

  55,000

  302,937

  Professor Christine Bell

  1 March 1999

  1—

  8,000

  28,832

  Margaret-Ann Dinsmore QC

  1 March 1999

  10,000

  8,000

  44,666

  Tom Donnelly

  1 March 1999

  10,000

  8,000

  44,666

  Reverend Harold Good QBE

  1 March 1999

  2—

  8,000

  42,999

  Professor Tom Hadden

  1 March 1999

  10,000

  8,000

  44,666

  Angela Hegarty

  1 March 1999

  1—

  8,000

  14,666

  Patricia Kelly

  1 March 1999

  10,000

  8,000

  44,666

  Doctor Inez McCormack

  1 March 1999

  1—

  8,000

  28,832

  Frank McGuinness

  1 March 1999

  2—

  8,000

  42,999

  Lady Christine Eames

  1 December 2001

  10,000

  8,000

  22,000

  Doctor Christopher McGimpsey

  1 December 2001

  1—

  8,000

  18,666

  Kevin McLaughlin

  1 December 2001

  10,000

  8,000

  22,000

  Patrick Yu

  1 December 2001

  1—

  8,000

  15,333

  1Resigned.

  2Term ended 29 February 2004.

  (b) Dismissed—not applicable.

  (c) Resigned

  Name of Commissioner

  Date resigned

  Angela Hegarty

  1 December 2000

  Professor Christine Bell

  9 September 2002

  Doctor Inez McCormack

  9 September 2002

  Patrick Yu

  7 July 2003

  Doctor Christopher McGimpsey

  3 November 2003

  (d) Withdrawn

  Name of Commissioner

  Remuneration per annum (£)

  Paddy Kelly

  10,000

  Frank McGuinness

  1—

  1Term ended 28 April 2004.

  Note:

  The Commissioner's salaries were raised from £8,000 to £10,000 from I April 2002.

  Brice Dickson's increments are as follows:

  Amount (£)

  19991

  55,000

  20002

  57,475

  20012

  60,004

  20022

  63,604

  20032

  66,854

  1Starting salary.

  2From April.

  Police Service
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what support his Department is providing to members of the full time police reserve of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to assist them in seeking other employment. [170563]

  Mr. Pearson
  Members of the full time reserve who leave the Police Service of Northern Ireland under the voluntary severance scheme have access to a range of career and outplacement services. The facilities provided by the Police Retraining and Rehabilitation Trust are also available to all full time reserve officers.266W
  Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission since its formation; and how much remuneration has been received in each case. [168169]

  Mr. Spellar
  The information is as follows:

  Public Health
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the cost to the health service in Northern Ireland of(a) tobacco smoking, (b) alcohol misuse and (c) other drug use in the last year for which figures are available. [171784]

  Angela Smith
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) In her 2000 Annual Report, the Chief Medical Officer estimated that the annual in-patient care costs to the HPSS of smoking related diseases were in excess of £22 million. Additional treatment costs associated with out-patient and primary care cannot readily be identified.

  (b) In the Report, "Reducing Alcohol Related Harm in Northern Ireland', it was estimated that, in 1997–98, the last year for which costs are available, the social costs to the HPSS amounted to £26.8 million pounds per year. This included the costs of occupied psychiatric and acute beds, general practice costs and responses to alcohol related harm.

  (c) In relation to other drug use, the information is not available in this format.

  Road Accidents (Compensation)
  Mr. Gregory Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public money has been spent on meeting compensation claims in relation to pedestrians who have had accidents on footpaths and roads in the ownership of the Department for Regional Development in each of the last five years. [172063]

  Mr. Spellar
  The IT records of the Department for Regional Development do not distinguish pedestrians from other claimants e.g. car passengers. It is believed, however, that the vast majority of claimants claiming against the Department for personal injury are pedestrians and relate to accidents on footpaths or roadways. The following table sets out the total
  267W
  compensation expenditure paid by the Department for Regional Development in relation to personal injury claims in each of the last five years.

  £

  2003–04

  4,882,718

  2002–03

  4,744,835

  2001–02

  3,069,728

  2000–01

  2,244,137

  1999–2000

  3,104,204

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to assist small businesses meet insurance costs. [171714]

  Mr. Gardiner
  The hon. Gentleman is aware that insurance is a "reserved" matter. HM Government are conscious that many businesses have been hit hard by significant price increases in the liability insurance market. They are committed to playing their part in helping business in this area.

  The Government's agenda for action at national and local levels is being directed towards improving the functioning of the insurance market, including promoting better risk management and health and safety practices in order to reduce premium costs.

  The Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment is working closely with the Federation of Small Businesses and the Insurance sector on the production of guidance for local businesses.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to reduce regulation on small businesses in Northern Ireland. [171715]

  Mr. Gardiner
  Government are aware of the potential problems faced by small businesses in complying with regulations.

  In December 2001, the Northern Ireland Executive approved the introduction of the Northern Ireland Better Regulation Strategy which actively seeks to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses, including revised arrangements for Regulatory Impact Assessments and the introduction of a Micro Business Test to assess the impact of any proposed legislation on businesses with less than five employees. It also requires Northern Ireland Departments to give businesses at least 12 weeks advance notice of any legislation and to provide appropriate guidance on implementation.

  I acknowledge fully the vital role of small businesses in the local economy and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment is striving to ensure that they benefit from the application of the Better Regulation Strategy.

  Toxic Materials (Illegal Dumping)
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he intends to take in relation to the illegal dumping of toxic material at the green area, Annadale Embankment, Belfast. [171236]
  268W
  Angela Smith
  Powers to deal with illegal dumping are enforced by a number of regulatory bodies including district councils, roads service and the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) of the Department of the Environment. The owners of land where waste has been unlawfully deposited also have responsibilities in the matter. I understand that quantities of waste material have been deposited at Annadale Embankment for the purposes of the 11 July bonfire celebration. Statutory bodies have encountered particular difficulties when endeavouring to deal with waste deposited for bonfire events. To address this, an Interagency Working Group on Bonfires was established by EHS in November 2003. The Report of the Working Group, with guidelines for communities in preparing and organising bonfire events, will be published and sent to all elected representatives in Northern Ireland, and to regulatory bodies involved in the control of bonfires, in the week commencing 17 May 2004.

  Legal action will continue to be taken by EHS, when evidence is available, relating to the disposal of commercial waste to bonfire sites by either waste producers or transporters.

  Translink
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the status of Translink is; and what the membership is. [171719]

  Mr. Spellar
  Translink is a brand name, introduced in 1996, of the integrated services of Citybus, Ulsterbus and Northern Ireland Railways. It is a subsidiary of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, which is a public corporation established under the Transport Act (NI) 1967 to oversee the provision of public transport in Northern Ireland.

  Transport Review Team
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the members of the Transport Review Team are; and when its report is due to be published. [171720]

  Mr. Spellar
  I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the Railway Review Group which was set up to gather information on the future needs and requirements of railways in Northern Ireland and is comprised of Officials from the Department for Regional Development, the Department of Finance and Personnel and Senior Translink Officials. The group has reported preliminary findings to me and it is my intention to issue a consultation document relating to the future investment needs in the coming weeks in order to inform the forthcoming spending review process.

  Victim Support
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been allocated to victim support groups in Northern Ireland since 2001–02; which groups are involved; how much each group received; on what basis the funding was given; and how funding is monitored. [159693]

  Angela Smith
  I have placed a table in the Library which lists the funding allocated and paid up to 31 March 2004 to groups and organisations involved in providing support for victims of the Northern Ireland
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  conflict. The table lists the groups and organisations that benefited, the amounts allocated and paid, the basis on which the funding was given and indicates how the funding is monitored.

TREASURY

  European Union
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons why the European Union accounts for 2002 have not been signed or approved by the Court of Auditors; and if he will make a statement. [172486]

  Ruth Kelly
  The Paymaster General made a full statement on these issues on 23 February 2004 during the debate in European Standing Committee B on the European Court of Auditors' annual report.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the number of recorded fraud cases within the EU in 2002; and how much money was lost in fraud within the EU in 2002. [172487]

  Ruth Kelly
  Member states are required to report irregularities detected in their own resources, agriculture and structural funds budget sectors to the European Commission and to the European Anti-Fraud Office. These figures are reported every year in the Commission's annual "Fight against Fraud" report. Reported irregularities may include suspected fraud cases, but the Commission does not publish an estimate of fraud. Irregularities rose during 2002 mainly because the heavy audit activity required at the closure of the 1994–1999 Structural Funds programming period led to the detection of a higher number of errors than is usually the case. Any money found to have been paid in error is normally recovered by the paying agency concerned.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the scope for reducing levels of fraud connected with the European Union budget. [172489]

  Distribution of Original Income, by quintile, 19931 to 2002–03—United Kingdom

  £ per year

  1993

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Quintile

  Income boundary2

  Original Income

  Income boundary2

  Original Income

  Income boundary2

  Original Income

  Bottom

  1,920

  2,040

  2,430

  6,880

  7,407

  7,786

  2nd

  5,020

  5,600

  6,080

  9,541

  10,136

  10,635

  3rd

  12,850

  13,390

  13,790

  13,351

  14,042

  14,505

  4th

  20,850

  22,240

  22,450

  19,095

  19,879

  20,393

  Top

  39,370

  40,330

  41,250

  Average for all households

  16,000

  16,720

  17,200

  270W
  Ruth Kelly
  The Government strongly supports measures to reduce fraud against the Community budget. The European Anti-Fraud Office, which was an initiative of the Chancellor, is now up to complement and is doing a good job in tackling fraud, especially in cross-border cases which require investigations in several member states. The Government played an active part in negotiating the new Financial Regulation, a major reform which introduced new levels of accountability. Better financial control regulations in the Structural Funds, and simplification of agricultural payments will also reduce the opportunities for fraud.

  Income Distribution
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the distribution of original income, by quintile, in each of the past 10 years. [171582]

  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 Willetts, dated 11 May 2004:

  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for the distribution of original income, by quintile, in each of the past ten years. (171582)

  Estimates in the following table are produced from the Office for National Statistics' analysis "The effects of taxes and benefits on household income" published on the National Statistics website on 6 May 2004 at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/taxesbenefits.

  The analysis includes measures of income inequality for the United Kingdom as a whole based on data from the Expenditure and Food Survey. There have been some changes in the underlying surveys and improvements in the methodology so caution is required when making direct comparisons between years.

  The table shows, for the UK, for 1993 to 2002/03, average original income received by all households and for each income quintile group where households are ranked by equivalised disposable income. For example, the 1st quintile boundary is the income level below which one fifth of households are estimated to lie. Equivalisation is a standard methodology that takes into account the size and composition of households and adjusts their incomes to recognise differing demands on resources.

  Original income is defined as income before government intervention i.e. from sources such as earnings, occupational pensions and investments. It does not include cash benefits such as the State Retirement Pension, Incapacity benefit, Working Families Tax Credit, child benefit or housing benefit.
  271W

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Quintile

  Income boundary2

  Original Income

  Income boundary2

  Original Income

  Bottom

  2,310

  2,520

  8,032

  8,507

  2nd

  6,450

  6,760

  11,344

  11,922

  3rd

  14,710

  15,530

  15,521

  16,342

  4th

  24,220

  25,980

  21,972

  23,457

  Top

  44,780

  47,610

  Average for all households

  18,490

  19,680

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  Quintile

  Income boundary2

  Original Income

  Income boundary2

  Original Income

  Income boundary2

  Original Income

  Bottom

  2,940

  2,840

  3,090

  8,785

  9,171

  9,790

  2nd

  7,260

  7,680

  8,820

  12,504

  13,173

  13,808

  3rd

  16,570

  17,170

  18,570

  17,193

  18,212

  19,029

  4th

  26,700

  27,920

  29,950

  24,259

  26,118

  27,109

  Top

  51,220

  54,400

  55,740

  Average for all households

  20,940

  22,000

  23,230

  2001–02

  2002–03

  Quintile

  Income boundary2

  Original Income

  Income boundary

  Original Income

  Bottom

  3,410

  4,030

  10,356

  11,196

  2nd

  9,140

  9,610

  14,670

  15,516

  3rd

  19,240

  19,320

  19,910

  20,860

  4th

  32,000

  33,080

  28,469

  29,575

  Top

  62,080

  60,310

  Average for all households

  25,180

  25,270

  11993 calendar year, 1994–95 to 2002–03 are financial years.

  2 Boundary point between equivalised disposable income quintiles.

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics, based on the analysis 'The effects of taxes and benefits on household income', published on the ONS website and in Economic Trends.

  Aviation Tax
  Mr. Best
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on demand forecasts for air travel of(a) taxing aviation fuel at the same level as motor fuel, (b) the aviation industry paying the social and environmental costs of air travel and (c) applying VAT to airfares. [168721]

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the additional revenue that would be raised, assuming no change in demand, if aviation fuel were taxed at the same rate as will apply to ordinary unleaded petrol for motor vehicles as from 1 September; [171362]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the additional revenue that would be raised, assuming no change in demand, if VAT at 17.5 per cent. or a sales tax at 17.5 per cent. were imposed on all domestic and international airline tickets for flights departing from UK airports. [171363]

  John Healey
  A discussion paper published jointly by HM Treasury and the Department for Transport in March 2003, entitled "Aviation and the Environment:
  272W
  using economic instruments", considered the role of economic instruments and the environmental costs of road transport. This was also considered in Air Transport White Paper, "The Future of Air Transport",

  published on 16 December 2003 and in chapter 5 of "Aviation and Global Warming", published by the Department for Transport on 10 February 2004.

  The Air Transport White Paper set out the conclusions of the Government's analysis, including our view that aviation should be brought within the EU Emissions Trading Scheme by 2008, as the most effective way of tackling the climate change impact. Along with other measures to tackle local environmental impacts, this will help to ensure that the air transport sector meets its environmental costs.

  The Government have not undertaken an analysis of the demand impacts of specific measures which are not legally possible, such as tax on fuel for international flights or VAT on air transport, but we are continuing to explore options for using economic instruments.
  273W
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the forecast revenue from air passenger duty is for 2004–05. [171365]

  John Healey
  Projected receipts from all taxes and duties are published in table C8 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC 301). The forecast for Air Passenger Duty in 2004–05 is £0.9 billion.

  Child Tax Credit
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many parents have(a) been eligible for and (b) received the higher child tax credit in respect of a child under one in each year since it was introduced. [171600]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The child tax credit, which includes a baby addition to the family element, and a disregard for families receiving income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance and who have a child aged under one, have been available from April 2003.

  Estimates of the numbers benefiting appear in Table 3.2 of "Child and Working Tax Credits. Quarterly Statistics. April 2004", and the footnote to that table. This document is available on the Inland Revenue website at: www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm No estimate of the number of families eligible for such help will be available until the Family Resources Survey for 2003–04 has been analysed.

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in South Ribble have received child tax credits. [171996]

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

  Demography
  Mr. David Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many mothers in each cohort since 1945 have had three or more children. [171601]

  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 Willetts, dated 11 May 2004:

  As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for the number of mothers in each cohort since 1945 who have had three or more children. (171601)

  Statistics on women by the number of children they have given birth to are not readily available. However, estimates can be produced using information from birth registrations and the General Household Survey, together with estimates of the population by age and sex. This exercise is only carried out for England and Wales.

  Summaries of these estimates are regularly published in the annual reference volume "Birth statistics (FM1)", but are normally presented in terms of proportions of women rather than numbers of women. However, I have supplied both the estimated numbers and proportions in the attached table.

  Cohorts of women born from 1958 onwards have yet to complete their childbearing. As each more recent annual cohort of women have successively more of their childbearing life remaining there are, therefore, successively fewer women who have had three or more children.
  274W

  Estimated number and percentage of women by year of birth who have had three or more children, based on births to 2002, England and Wales

  Thousand, per cent.

  Women born in year shown

  Year1,2,4

  Number with three or more children2,4

  Precentage with three or more children3,5

  Estimated number and percentage of women by year of birth who have had three or more children, based on births to 2002, England and Wales

  Thousand, per cent.

  Women born in year shown

  Year1,2,4

  Number with three or more children2,4

  Percentage with three or more children3,5

  Women who have completed their, fertility

  1945

  107

  33

  1946

  107

  33

  1947

  126

  30

  1948

  118

  31

  1949

  108

  30

  1950

  104

  30

  1951

  99

  30

  1952

  98

  30

  1953

  100

  30

  1954

  100

  30

  1955

  100

  30

  1956

  102

  30

  1957

  107

  30

  Women who have not yet completed their, fertility

  1958

  109

  30

  1959

  109

  30

  1960

  112

  30

  1961

  114

  29

  1962

  114

  28

  1963

  112

  27

  1964

  109

  26

  1965

  104

  25

  1966

  99

  23

  1967

  92

  22

  1968

  83

  20

  1969

  74

  18

  1970

  63

  16

  1971

  56

  14

  1972

  46

  12

  1973

  37

  10

  1974

  29

  8

  1975

  22

  7

  1976

  16

  5

  1977

  11

  4

  1978

  8

  3

  1979

  6

  2

  1980

  3

  1

  1981

  2

  1

  1982

  1

  0

  1983

  0

  0

  1984

  0

  0

  1985

  0

  0

  1986

  0

  0

  1987

  0

  0

  1988

  0

  0

  1The years of birth shown are by necessity approximate, since births pre 1963 are available only by calendar year of occurrence and age of mother at childbirth. For instance, women aged 32 giving birth to children in 2002 could have been born in either 1969 or 1970; for convenience, however, such women are here regarded as belonging to the 1970, cohort.

  2Women who have completed their fertility to age 45, population shown at age 45.

  3Percentage of women of all parities in given cohort at age 45.

  4Women who have not yet completed their fertility (have not reached age 45) The populations shown are at age they have completed by 2002, for example the 1970 cohort is at age 32.

  5 percentage of women of all parities in given cohort at age reached in 2002.

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics

  Economic Indicators
  John Mann
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimates are for gross domestic product growth rates for fiscal years 2004–05 and 2005–06 in(a) France, (b) Germany, (c) Japan and (d) the United States. [171357]

  Ruth Kelly
  HM Treasury does not publish GDP growth forecasts for individual countries other than for the UK. Forecasts for GDP growth in the G7 and Euro area can be found in table B1 of the 2004 Financial Statement and Budget Report.

  A number of international agencies, banks and market analysts publish country-specific forecasts. For example, forecasts of GDP growth for France, Germany, Japan and the US can be found in the OECD's Economic Outlook No 74, December 2003, table 1 of the statistical annex.

  John Mann
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he expects the size in percentage terms will be of budget deficits in fiscal years(a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06 in (i) France, (ii) Germany, (iii) Japan and (iv) the United States. [171358]

  Ruth Kelly
  HM Treasury does not publish projections of budget deficits for individual countries other than the UK. Projections on a calendar year basis, to 2005, for France, Germany, Japan and the US are available from a number of sources. The latest OECD figures are published in its "Economic Outlook" No. 74, December 2003, table 28 of the statistical annex.

  John Mann
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the percentage of the workforce employed in the public sector over the last 20 years in(a) France, (b) Germany, (c) Japan and (d) the United States. [171359]

  Ruth Kelly
  Definitions of public sector employment vary between countries, but Government employment as a percentage of total employment is a comparable and publicly available indicator. The OECD releases data on Government employment as a percentage of total employment through its Economic Outlook database. Data from 1980 for France, Germany, Japan and the US are presented in the following table.

  Government employment, percentage of total employed

  Percentage

  France

  Germany

  Japan

  US

  1980

  19.6

  14.4

  8.8

  16.4

  1981

  20.1

  14.6

  8.8

  16.0

  1982

  20.5

  14.8

  8.7

  15.9

  1983

  20.8

  15.0

  8.6

  15.7

  1984

  21.7

  15.0

  8.7

  15.3

  1985

  22.0

  15.0

  8.7

  15.3

  1986

  22.4

  14.9

  8.5

  15.2

  1987

  22.7

  14.9

  8.5

  15.1

  1988

  22.5

  14.7

  8.3

  15.1

  1989

  22.5

  14.6

  8.1

  15.2

  1990

  22.5

  14.2

  8.1

  15.5

  1991

  22.8

  13.4

  8.1

  15.8

  1992

  23.3

  13.5

  8.1

  15.9

  1993

  24.0

  13.4

  8.2

  15.8

  1994

  24.1

  13.2

  8.4

  15.7

  1995

  24.1

  12.8

  8.3

  15.6

  1996

  24.3

  12.7

  8.2

  15.4

  1997

  24.1

  12.4

  8.3

  15.2

  276W

  Government employment, percentage of total employed

  Percentage

  France

  Germany

  Japan

  US

  1998

  23.7

  12.1

  8.3

  15.1

  1999

  23.4

  11.1

  8.3

  15.2

  2000

  23.0

  11.4

  8.5

  15.2

  2001

  22.7

  11.1

  8.4

  15.4

  2002

  22.8

  11.1

  8.6

  15.7

  2003

  22.9

  11.1

  8.6

  15.6

  John Mann
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how income tax receipts as a percentage of the total tax take have varied over the last 20 years in(a) France, (b) Germany, (c) Japan and (d) the United States. [171360]

  Ruth Kelly
  The OECD publishes figures for "Taxes on personal income as a percentage of total taxation" for each of its member countries, in its annual Revenue Statistics publication (OECD Revenue Statistics 1965–2002, October 2003 edition, p.78, Table 11). A copy of this publication is available in the Library of the House.

  Employment
  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the(a) change and (b) percentage change was in the number of full-time permanent jobs in South Ribble from 1997 to 31 December 2003; [172151]

  (2) how many new jobs have been created in South Ribble since 1997. [172152]

  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. Borrow, dated 11 May 2004:

  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about full-time jobs and jobs created in South Ribble. (172151,172152)

  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 South Ribble Parliamentary Constituency for 1997 and 2002, the latest year for which information is available.

  Information is not available about whether the jobs were permanent.

  Number of full-time employees and total number of employees1 in South Ribble parliamentary constituency, 1997 and 2002

  Full-time

  Total

  Number of employees

  1997

  19,700

  26,600

  2002

  22,100

  30,800

  Change from 1997 to 2002

  Absolute

  2,400

  4,200

  Percentage

  12.5

  15.9

  1Employee jobs only, not self-employed jobs.

  Source:

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

  EU Insurance Mediation Directive
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the timetable is for the introduction of the EU Insurance Mediation Directive; and what consultation he has had with the insurance industry on its potential impact; [171417]

  (2) what the definition is of the term insurance business as used on page five of the Financial Services Authority booklet entitled High street firms: application pack for mortgage and general insurance businesses, with regard to the introduction of the EU Insurance Mediation Directive; [171418]

  (3) what measures he is putting in place to protect (a) smaller companies and (b) individual brokers in the lead up to the introduction of the EU Insurance Mediation Directive, with specific reference to costs; [171428]

  (4) what the rationale is for the introduction of the EU Insurance Mediation Directive; and how consumer choice will be guaranteed under its provisions; [171429]

  (5) what alternatives for a suitable regulatory body for the monitoring of the EU Insurance Mediation Directive were considered before the Financial Services Authority was appointed to this role. [171430]

  Ruth Kelly
  The IMD is being implemented across the EU and will come into force in the UK on 14 January 2005. The Government has consulted widely on the regulatory regime, publishing a public consultation document including draft regulations and a draft regulatory impact assessment in October 2002. Officials attended a wide range of meetings, working groups and conferences to consult on implementation. The FSA has carried out extensive public consultation on its rules.

  In implementing the Directive the Government and the FSA have worked closely with the industry to design a regulatory regime that takes account of market practice, and does not load the industry and ultimately the consumer with unnecessary costs. Both the Government and the FSA have been concerned to minimise the impact on smaller firms and sole traders. The Government also largely implemented the exclusions permitted in the Directive for travel insurance sold as part of a package, and for extended warranties.

  Application fees have been set by the FSA according to the volume of business that a firm undertakes, so are cheapest for the smaller firms. The FSA have developed an approach to authorisation that is as streamlined and straightforward as possible. In terms of the wider costs to firms, the FSA have published detailed cost benefit analyses, based on surveys of firms' costs and asked for comment. Where these have revealed that the costs are thought to be disproportionate and/or under-estimated, the FSA have responded in their final decisions. The UK has the largest insurance industry in Europe. Implementing the IMD is a key step in completing the single market in financial services, and will enhance consumer protection in an important sector of financial business. The UK market for selling insurance is competitive with many players giving customers wide choice, and this will continue in the new regime. Already thousands of firms have applied to the FSA for authorisation for the new regime.
  278W
  The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 set up the FSA as the single regulatory body for a range of financial services, including the regulation of insurance. The Government therefore decided the FSA, as the single financial services regulator, was the most appropriate body to regulate insurance mediation. For many firms this will simplify and streamline regulation compared to the alternative of a separate regulator for insurance mediation. Intermediaries selling a range of other financial services products, such as pensions, mortgages, or investments, as well as general insurance, will come under the FSA as a single regulator, minimising compliance costs.

  The Directive requires the regulation of a range of insurance mediation activities. The activities to be regulated are introducing, proposing or carrying out other work preparatory to the conclusion of contracts of insurance; concluding contracts of insurance; and assisting in both the; administration and performance of such contracts, in particular in the event of a claim. The Directive applies to such activities in relation to contracts of insurance, The FSA application pack notes that shortened terms have been used in the pack in four instances. One of them is "insurance business" and refers to "insurance mediation activity in respect of non-investment insurance contracts." Further details of the FSA's regulatory regime can be found on their website at www.fsa.gov.uk

  Euro Preparations
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on which dates the(a) Standing Committee on Euro Preparations, (b) Scottish Euro Preparations Committee, (c) Wales Euro Preparations Committee and (d) Northern Ireland Euro Preparations Committee met; if he will publish the minutes of the meetings; and what the cost to public funds has been of euro preparations. [171578]

  Ruth Kelly
  The Chancellor's Standing Committee on Euro Preparations last met on 23 October 2003. Minutes of all Standing Committee meetings are available on the Treasury's euro website, www.euro.gov.uk. An update on the work of the Scottish, Wales and Northern Ireland Euro Preparations Committees, including the timing of recent and forthcoming meetings, was published in Chapters of the spring report on euro preparations, on 29 April 2004. Minutes of the meetings are available at www.dfpni.gov.uk (Northern Ireland), www.wales.gov.uk (Wales) and www.scottishsecretary.gov.uk (Scotland). Details of expenditure on changeover planning were included in the third outline National Changeover Plan, published on 9 June 2003. Copies of the document are in the Library of the House.

  Gender Pay Gap
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the pay gap between men and women employed by his Department and its agencies in(a) Southampton, (b) Eastleigh, (c) Winchester and (d) Romsey. [171631]

  Ruth Kelly
  HM Treasury and its agencies do not have any staff employed in the locations mentioned.
  279W
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the average earnings of(a) men and (b) women in Hampshire. [171634]

  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 John Denham, dated 11 May 2004:

  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what assessment has been made of the average earnings of (a) men and (b) women in Hampshire. (171634)

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

  The 2003 NES estimates that the total average weekly earnings of full-time adult employees in Hampshire were £549,10 for males and £399.50 for females. Please note that these estimates relate to the administrative county of Hampshire, which excludes the unitary authorities of Portsmouth and Southampton.

  More detailed information on earnings in each of these areas is available in the published tables from the 2003 NES. The relevant estimates can be found in table A22.5 for males and A23.4 for females, and are available on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/NES2003_Analyses_By_Region/NES2003_Analyses_By_Region.pdf

  The NES, carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in Great Britain. It is a 1 per cent. sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes, but because of its sampling frame, it has difficulty capturing data on people with very low pay. It is therefore likely to under-represent relatively low paid staff earning below the tax threshold.

  The New Earnings Survey publication criteria ensures that all estimates are undisclosive and of reliable quality. A number of estimates have been removed from the published tables for these reasons.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in South Ribble have qualified for the 10 pence rate of income tax in each year since its introduction. [171997]

  Dawn Primarolo
  All income taxpayers benefit from the 10 pence starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes estimates there are about 8,000 and 6,000 state retirement pension age taxpayers in the South Ribble constituency in 2000–01 and 2001–02 respectively. However, year on year comparisons should be treated with caution because of sampling variation. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.

  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in Bootle qualified for the 10 pence of income tax in each year since its introduction. [172340]

  Dawn Primarolo
  All income taxpayers benefit from the 10 pence starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes estimates that there are about 4,000 state retirement pension age taxpayers in the Bootle constituency in 2000–01 and 2001–02. Estimates should be treated with caution because of sampling variation. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.

  Insurance Policies
  John Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to prevent banks and insurance companies from selling unsuitable insurance policies to pensioners; and what redress can be offered to customers in such circumstances. [171772]

  Ruth Kelly
  The selling of qualifying contracts of long-term insurance (broadly speaking long-term insurance policies that are not pure protection products) is already regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Any firm which makes a recommendation to a customer must ensure that the contract is suitable to the customer's demands and needs, and this applies to pensioners as to other consumers.

  The FSA will regulate the selling of general insurance contracts from 14 January 2005. This regime will also introduce suitability standards such that any firm which makes a recommendation to a customer must ensure that the contract is suitable to the customer's demands and needs. This also applies to pensioners as to other consumers.

  International Accounting Standards Board
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposed changes by the International Accounting Standards Board to IAS39 on dormant accounts held by retail banks. [171995]

  Ruth Kelly
  When new International Accounting Standards come into force for listed groups in the EU at 1 January 2005, retail banks will need to ensure that they comply with those standards rather than existing UK accounting standards across all aspects of their business.

  Pensioner Taxation
  John Mann
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how tax income from pensioners has changed over the last 20 years. [171311]

  Dawn Primarolo
  It is not possible to separate out income tax from capital gains tax.

  Stamp Duty
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has(a) to raise the level for which stamp duty is not payable on domestic property transactions in deprived wards and (b) increase the number of wards which can have stamp duty exemption under his scheme; and if he will make a statement. [171446]

  John Healey
  There are currently no plans to raise the threshold. The Government keeps all aspects of the tax system under regular review, including the rates and thresholds of Stamp Duty Land Tax.

  There are currently no plans to revise the qualifying wards.

  Statistics
  Mr. Roger Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of
  281W
  (a) aspartame, (b) monosodium glutamate and (c) saccharine imported into the UK in processed foods in each year since 1989. [172348]

  John Healey
  HM Customs and Excise are responsible for the collection of data on imports. It is not possible to identify the amount of these products imported into the UK in processed foods from the data held.

  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many job vacancies there were in Stockton South in(a) 1997 and (b) 2003. [171464]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Ms Dari Taylor, dated 11 May 2004:

  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about job vacancies in Stockton South. (171464)

  According to Jobcentre Plus administrative records, the number of unfilled vacancies in the Middlesbrough and Stockton travel-to-work area was 1,830 on average during 1997. This represents only a proportion of all the vacancies available, as not all vacancies are notified to Jobcentres.

  Figures are not available for Stockton South alone because the vacancies are allocated to local Jobcentres, not according to constituency boundaries, and because of the practice of notifying some vacancies centrally with one Jobcentre taking vacancies for others in the same district.

  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.

  Results from the ONS Vacancy Survey were released as National Statistics from July 2003, but are not available for local areas.

  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of unemployment was in Stockton South in each year since 1997. [171468]

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

  Letter from John Pullinger to Ms Dari Taylor, dated 11 May 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in his absence. (171468)

  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 a reliable picture of changes over time of unemployment in the Stockton South Constituency.

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

  The table as follows gives the annual average number of JSA claimants for the Stockton South constituency for each year since 1997.

  Annual average number of JSA claimants

  Stockton South constituency, 1997–2003

  Number of claimants

  1997

  3,201

  1998

  2,756

  282W

  Annual average number of JSA claimants

  Stockton South constituency, 1997–2003

  Number of claimants

  1999

  2,780

  2000

  2,575

  2001

  2,183

  2002

  2,032

  2003

  1,884

  Statistics (West Lancashire)
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many job vacancies there were in(a) 1997 and (b) 2003 in West Lancashire. [171493]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Colin Pickthall, dated 11 May 2004:

  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about job vacancies in West Lancashire. (171493)

  According to Jobcentre Plus administrative records the number of unfilled vacancies notified to Jobcentres in Lancashire West Jobcentre Plus District was 4,730 on average during 1997. This represents only a proportion of all the vacancies available, as not all vacancies are notified to Jobcentres.

  Figures are not available for West Lancashire alone because the vacancies are allocated to local Jobcentres, not according to constituency boundaries, and because of the practice of notifying some vacancies centrally with one Jobcentre taking vacancies for others in the same district.

  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.

  Results from the ONS Vacancy Survey were released as National Statistics from July 2003, but are not available for local areas.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new jobs have been created in West Lancashire since 1997. [171495]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Colin Pickthall, dated 11 May 2004:

  As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about jobs created in West Lancashire. (171495)

  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 most recent year for which data are available is 2002. There were 35,900 employees in the West Lancashire constituency in 2002 compared to 33,800 in 1997, a net increase of 2,200 jobs during this period. All figures are rounded to the nearest 100, which can introduce rounding error.

  The figures provided relate to employee jobs only. with self-employed jobs excluded, and are taken from the rescaled Annual Employment Survey (1997) and the Annual Business Inquiry (2002)

  Tax Coding
  Mr. Flook
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many notices of coding sent out in January to March for the 2004–05 tax year included car and fuel benefits attributable to the company car scheme which ceased in 2002–03. [167587]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The rules of the company car scheme changed in 2002–03. All the notices of coding issued between January and March for the 2004–05 tax year that included car and fuel benefits correctly included them under the new scheme. However, around 468,000 of the coding notices containing car and fuel benefits were incorrect because the rates for 2003–04 were mistakenly used instead of those for 2004–05. Amended notices of coding with revised figures to correct the error were issued in February before the 2004–05 codes were brought into operation.

  Tax Repayments
  Mr. Caton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reasons were for the decision to limit the option of receiving Inland Revenue tax repayments by cheque to people without bank accounts. [172128]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The principal reasons for restricting the options for the method of repayment were to improve the level of service given to customers, to improve efficiency around the repayment process, and to improve the security of the payment.

  By making a repayment electronically direct to a bank or building society account, the customer is able to have earlier use of the money than if a cheque had been sent through the post. An electronic repayment also has lower processing cost both for the Inland Revenue and the banking sector; and reduces the risk of the payment being intercepted.

  But if the customer is unable to accept the repayment electronically, a cheque can be issued.

  Timber
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [167620]

  John Healey
  I refer my hon. Friend to an answer provided by my hon. Friend the Minister for Environment and Agri-Environment yesterday,Official Report, column 31W.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of unemployment was in South Ribble in each year since 1997. [172011]

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

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Borrow, dated 11 May 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in his absence. (172011)
  284W
  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 South Ribble Constituency.

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

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

  Annual average number of JSA claimants, South Ribble constituency, 1997–2003

  Number

  1997

  1,281

  1998

  1,038

  1999

  1,034

  2000

  921

  2001

  763

  2002

  759

  2003

  740

  Working Tax Credit
  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the stoppage or reduction of payment of the child care element of the working tax credit in response to earlier overpayments of child tax credit. [171646]

  Dawn Primarolo
  None. In a case where both working and child tax credit have been awarded and the child care element is payable, the family would be entitled to the maximum amount of child tax credit so we would not expect the situation to arise.

  Tax credit awards are adjusted during the year so as to pay out the right amount for the year and prevent overpayments arising. The Inland Revenue's approach to dealing with tax credit overpayments is set out in a Code of Practice, "What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?", available on the Inland Revenue's website or as a leaflet.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  British Sign Language Interpreters
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to increase the number of qualified British Sign Language/English interpreters. [171012]

  Maria Eagle
  The lack of tutors at the higher levels is recognised as being a significant blockage in the system to recruit and train BSL/English interpreters. On 4 May, I announced we were putting in place a programme of work to support the Government's position statement on British Sign Language (BSL) and had raised the original funding allocation by a further half million to £1.5 million. One of the two priorities this work will address is helping establish a framework to support BSL tutors, for example by providing on-line training material and developing tutor support packs. These measures will, over time, assist an increase in interpreting provision.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 5 April with regard to Mrs. Robina Abaid. [172265]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The letter has been transferred to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I am sorry that due to an oversight it was not transferred earlier.

  Pension Credits (Devon and Cornwall)
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many eligible pensioners he estimates are not claiming(a) pension credits and (b) council tax credit in Devon and Cornwall, broken down by constituency. [171579]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The information is not available in the form requested. Estimates of numbers of people eligible are not available at any level lower than that of Government office region. However, the information in the tables gives the numbers of pension credit and council tax benefit recipients aged 60 and over in Devon and Cornwall for the latest dates for which figures are available. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 21 April 2004,Official Report, columns 21–22, we have published the latest monthly pension credit progress report with information up to the end of March. The report, which is available in the Library, is accompanied by tables showing the number of pension credit households and corresponding individuals in each constituency in Great Britain.

  Table 1: Pension credit recipients in Devon and Cornwall, 31 March 2004

  County

  Pension credit recipients (households)

  Devon

  30,615

  Cornwall

  26,090

  Note:

  Figures are rounded to the nearest five.

  Table 2: Council tax benefit recipients aged 60 and over in Devon and Cornwall, 31 August 2003

  Thousand

  County

  Council tax benefit recipients (households)

  Devon

  26.1

  Cornwall

  22.0

  Notes:

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

  2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred and expressed in thousands.

  3. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated.

  4. Council tax benefit totals exclude any second adult rebate cases.

  5. "Aged 60 and over" refers to cases where the claimant and/or partner are aged 60 or over.

  Pensions
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 23 April 2004,Official Report, column 709W, on pension forecasts, which (a) employers and (b) pension providers delivered combined pension forecasts in each year since their introduction. [171101]
  286W
  Malcolm Wicks
  The names of the employers and pension providers providing combined pension forecasts in each year since their introduction are set out in the table.

  Pilot years

  AXA (Provider)

  DWP PCSPS

  EMAP

  J Sainsbury plc

  Merseyside Pension Fund

  NPI

  Prudential (Provider)

  2002–03

  Bacon and Woodrow

  Durham County Council

  EMAP

  J Sainsbury plc

  Misys

  Moore Stephens

  Nationwide Pension Fund

  2003–04

  Aberdeen City Council

  Adidas

  Aircraft Research Association Limited

  Albany International Limited

  Alusuisse Holdings

  Amcor Flexibles UK Limited

  Aspen plc

  Automated Packaging

  Babcock Engineering Services

  BAe Royal Ordnance

  Barnet CC

  Black Mountain International Limited

  BOC Group

  Brachers

  Cable & Wireless

  Capita Hartshead

  Caterpillar UK Limited

  Countrywide ASSD Caspil (Provider)

  Countrywide ASSD Vax (Provider)

  DS Smith Group Pension Scheme

  Durham County Council

  DWP Cheshire

  DWP PCSPS

  EMAP

  Field Group plc

  FMC Chemicals Pen/Plan

  FMC Corp (UK) Pen/Plan

  Gallaher Limited

  Goldsmith Group plc

  IBM Pensions Systems

  Imeche

  Imerys

  J Sainsbury plc

  Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society

  London—Scottish Fund

  London Borough of Haringey

  London Borough of Wandsworth

  Menzies Distribution Limited

  Meridan

  Ministers Pension + Insurance Fund

  287W

  Misys

  Molins

  Moore Stephens

  Nationwide Pension Fund

  NEC Staff Pension Scheme

  Nortel Networks UKPEN Trust Limited

  Northern Lighthouse Board

  Oxford Instruments

  Peacock Group 1988 Pen S

  Prudential (Provider)

  Reliance Mutual

  Rexam plc

  RMC

  Royal Society of Medicine

  Sabmiller plc

  Scottish and Newcastle plc

  Serco plc

  Shilling Communications

  South Yorkshire Pens Auth

  Steel Plate and Sections Limited

  Stock Exchange Centralised P/F

  Terrapin International Limited

  Thames Water

  Vencel Resil Limited

  Woodgate Fulfilment Limited

  WS Atkins Plc

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 23 April 2004,Official Report, column 709W, on pension forecasts, how many individuals have received a combined pension forecast; and how many of that number have received a forecast on (a) one, (b) two, (c) three and (d) more than three occasions. [171102]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The informal ion requested is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows.

  DWP has supplied 1,120,048 state pension forecasts to employers or pension providers for inclusion in combined pension forecasts. However the number of individuals who have received combined forecasts will be less than the total number of forecasts issued. This is because:

  all of the employers and providers currently delivering combined pension forecasts issue them annually to their scheme members and therefore some individuals will have received more than one forecast over the period since the service has been available;

  some individuals may receive a combined forecast from more than one pension provider.

  Retirement Pensions
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of abolishing the requirement on recipients of retirement pensions to have made national insurance contributions for at least 25 per cent, of their working life. [172432]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The information is not available in the format requested.
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  However, we estimate that it would cost around £95 million in 2004–05 if recipients of graduated retirement pension and/or additional pension were to be paid basic state pension where they have less than 25 per cent, of the required qualifying years.

  Notes:

  1. The estimated cost has been provided by the Government Actuary's Department.

  2. As data are not available on the individual contribution records of those people who have contributed for less than 25 per cent, of their working life, the estimate is based on the assumption that nine years national insurance contributions have been paid, or credited, thus the estimate is the maximum potential cost.

  3. The figures are for Great Britain and overseas.

  Sure Start
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mothers in Heywood and Middleton have taken up the Sure Start maternity grant. [168543]

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mothers in Oldham, West and Royton have taken up the Sure Start maternity grant. [170952]

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

  Applications

  Awards

  Sure Start maternity grants for West Pennine social fund district

  2000–01

  1,807

  1,591

  2001–02

  2,363

  1,794

  2002 to December

  2,213

  1,689

  Sure Start maternity grants for the area covered by Oldham and Rochdale Jobcentre Plus district

  2003 January

  Not available

  325

  2003 February and March

  682

  435

  2003–04

  4,251

  3,059

  Notes:

  1. Heywood and Middleton parliamentary constituency and, Oldham, West and Royton parliamentary constituency used to be part of West Pennine social fund district and are now part of Oldham and Rochdale Jobcentre Plus district. The latter was formed in January 2003 from part of Oldham social fund district and part of West Pennine social fund district. The two areas for which data is given above are thus different, and the data is not comparable.

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

  3. Data is 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

  Quality Protects
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent on the Quality Protects programme in each of the last three years, broken down by region; and if he will make a statement. [170179]
  289W
  Margaret Hodge
  Allocations to support Quality Protects were made to Local Authorities via the Children's Services Grant. Children's Services Grant allocations are set out by region in a table which has been placed in the Library.

  Quality Protects was a five year programme launched in 1998 with the aim of improving the management of delivery of children's social services. It focused on working with some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children in society; children in need, children looked after by local authorities, young people leaving care, children in the child protection system and disabled children. From April 2004, the funding for quality protects was incorporated into local authorities' funding for children's social services.

  Bootle Schools
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of pupils in Bootle reached the(a) mathematics and (b) English standard in each of the last seven years. [172023]

  Mr. Miliband
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I have given to the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Mr. Collins) on 10 May 2004,Official Report column 34W.

  Capital Modernisation Fund (South Ribble)
  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been allocated to South Ribble from the Capital Modernisation Fund. [171999]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Department for Education and Skills does not hold this information centrally. Capital Modernisation Fund has been allocated by project and not by area.

  Child Care
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many(a) Sure Start centres and (b) early excellence centres have been created in Manchester, Gorton; [167451]

  (2) how many new nurseries have been established in Manchester, Gorton since 1997. [167452]

  Margaret Hodge
  Sure Start Hyde Road Local Programme covers the majority of the Gorton constituency and is currently under development. It was approved by the Sure Start Unit with indicative capital funding of £1,250,000 in May 2003 and the programme is expected to submit their capital plan for this money in the summer. No Early Excellence Centres have been created in Gorton since 1997.

  Manchester City Council is responsible for determining local need for nursery provision in Gorton and holding information on current provision. Under the Neighbourhood Nurseries scheme 534 new nursery places have been opened in Manchester, although none of these fall within Gorton constituency.
  290W
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to improve the provision of childcare for(a) children from minority ethnic groups, (b) children with special needs and (c) children with disabilities. [171366]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Government are committed to inclusive practice and this principle underpins our strategic guidance to local authorities. Local authorities are required to have policies for equality in developing Early Years and childcare services.

  My Department funded four pilot programmes in local authorities during 2003–04 to develop practical ways of ensuring equal access to Early Years and childcare settings for ethnic minority families and recently held a conference to disseminate the findings.

  All settings in receipt of nursery education funding are required to appoint one of their staff as a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and local authorities have received specific funding for this purpose over 2004–05 and 2005–06. Every authority is expected to appoint a network of Area Special Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) with a ratio of one Area SENCO to every 20 non-maintained settings delivering funded early education. These coordinators are responsible for training and supporting setting-based SENCOs and other childcare staff to meet the needs of disabled children.

  Removing Barriers to Achievement, the Government's strategy for SEN, outlines further actions that Government and our partners will take to improve childcare provision for children with special needs or disabilities. We are taking a range of actions on improving information for the parents of disabled children, improving the co-ordination and responsiveness of childcare services and training the childcare workforce so that children's needs are met.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the funding streams and grants which are available to providers of childcare in respect of children over eight years; and for each one, what the expenditure was in each year for which the scheme has been in existence. [171602]

  Margaret Hodge
  There is no grant funding available or statistics collated exclusively for providers of childcare in respect of children over eight years. What providers can access is resources available to provide childcare for children from three to 14, and up to 16 for children with special needs. The key funder of out of school childcare has been the Lottery through the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) Out of School Programme since its inception in 1999.

  While figures cannot be broken down year on year, from April 1999 to March 2003, NOF grant awards totalled over £270,857,247 million in England. This is because the process of NOF grant funding was based on a rolling allocation of set periods of time rather than an annual award.

  From August 2003, local authorities bid direct to the Department as part of the new Sure Start Out of School Programme launched in 2003. In 2003/04, grants allocated from Sure Start provided £19 million for out of school care. For 2004/06, £1.2 billion has been

  291W
  allocated to local authorities to support the growth of childcare and Early Years services. This includes funding to create 250,000 new childcare places, some of which will be out of school places.

  In 2003/04, £2.73 million has been made available to support the childcare element of the main extended schools programme. For 2004/05, this figure has grown to £7.6 million.

  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places have been created in Bootle since 1997. [171298]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Department is unable to provide details of child care places, for Bootle. However, from April 1999 to March 2004 Sefton Local Authority created 3,590 new child care places helping some 6,440 children. This shows an increase in the stock of child care places, taking into account turnover, of 2,009 helping some 3,700 children.

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the number of children in South Ribble who have gained from the National Childcare Strategy. [171666]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Department is unable to provide details of childcare places for South Ribble. However, from April 1999 to March 2004, Lancashire local authority created 22,581 new childcare places helping some 39,808 children. This shows an increase in the stock of childcare places. taking into account turnover, of 9,826, helping some 17,631 children.

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new nurseries have been established in South Ribble since 1997. [171667]

  Margaret Hodge
  Lancashire county council is responsible for determining local need for nursery places in South Ribble and hold information on current provision. Under the Neighbourhood Nurseries scheme, 799 new nursery places have been created in 22 nurseries in Lancashire, and a further two nurseries providing 106 places are planned. None of these nurseries are within South Ribble constituency.

  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of ChildcareLink. [171306]

  Margaret Hodge
  The ChildcareLink programme consists of two separate parts—The ChildcareLink Phoneline and the ChildcareLink website:

  ChildcareLink Telephone Help Line

  Set up in 1999, the ChildcareLink phoneline provides a signposting service for callers looking for information on child care and early years. The majority of callers are directed to their local Children's Information Service (CIS).

  The phoneline covers England and Scotland and is available from 8 am—8 pm Monday to Friday and from 9 am—12 pm on Saturday. These hours offer a service that is accessible to people who do not have the time to look for child care in the 9 am—5 pm working day. Being national, the service also provides a useful service for those looking for child care outside their local area.
  292W
  The phoneline has a high level of usage and received approx 33,170 calls in 2003.

  ChildcareLink website

  Set up in 1999, the ChildcareLink website provides details of registered childcare provision across England and Scotland. The service enables users to look for details of registered child care in their local area as well as giving them access to supporting information that would assist them in their search, such as advice on how to pay for child care, and a description of the different types of child care on offer.

  The website is available 24 hours a day and, being national, the user is not limited to look only for child care in their local area but can search across the whole of England and Scotland.

  The website has a high level of usage and received approx 1.1 million visits during 2003 encompassing over 70 million hits.

  Education Funding
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many(a) Sure Start centres and (b) early excellence centres have been created in Oldham, West and Royton; [170913]

  (2) how many new nurseries have been established in Oldham, West and Royton since 1997. [170914]

  Margaret Hodge
  There are five Sure Start local programmes in Oldham: Sure Start Hollinwood; Sure Start Westwood; Sure Start Werneth; Sure Start Coldhurst and Sure Start Glodwick, St. Mary's and Higginshaw. Of these five programmes, three are based within Oldham, West and Royton: Sure Start Westwood, approved in January 2002; Sure Start Coldhurst approved in December 2002 and Sure Start Werneth which was approved by the Sure Start Unit in March 2003. No Early Excellence Centres have been created in Oldham since 1997.

  Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council has responsibility for determining local need for nursery places in Oldham and holding information on current provision. Under the neighbourhood nurseries scheme 477 new nursery places have been created in Oldham, with 216 of these places being based within Oldham, West and Royton.

  Oldham MBC is currently developing plans to implement children's centres in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards; Oldham will be included in these plans.

  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) free nursery and (b) pre-school places were available for (i) three and (ii) four year olds in the Huntingdon constituency in each of the last seven years. [170846]

  Margaret Hodge
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Figures on the number of free nursery education places taken up by three and four-year-olds in Cambridgeshire local education authority area are shown in the table.

  The latest figures on provision for 3 and 4-year-olds in England were published in a Statistical Bulletin 'Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2003' which is available on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.
  293W
  From April 2004, six months ahead of our original target, all three-year-olds in England whose parents want one, are eligible for a free, part-time early education place.

  Children's Fund
  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many(a) Sure Start centres and (b) Early Excellence centres have been created in Stockton, South; [171452]

  (2) how many new nurseries have been established in Stockton, South since 1997. [171454]

  Margaret Hodge
  There are five Sure Start local programmes in Stockton-on-Tees: Sure Start Hardwick, Mile House and Roseworth; Sure Start Newtown, Portrack and Tilery; Sure Start Parkfield and Victoria; Sure Start Mandale Village and Stainsby and Sure Start Billingham. Of these five programmes, two are based within the Stockton, South constituency: Sure Start Mandate Village and Stainsby and Sure Start Parkfield and Victoria, both approved by the Sure Start Unit in December 2002. There are no Early Excellence Centres in Stockton-on-Tees.

  Stockton-on-Tees borough council has responsibility for determining local need for nursery provision in Stockton and holding information on current provision. Under the neighbourhood nurseries scheme, 340 new nursery places have been created in Stockton, with 100 of these places being based within Stockton, South.

  Stockton-on-Tees borough council is currently developing plans to implement children's centres in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards; Stockton, South will be included in these plans.

  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) free nursery and (b) pre-school places were available for (i) 3 and (ii) 4-year-olds in Stockton, South in each of the last seven years. [171453]

  Margaret Hodge
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Figures on the number of free nursery education places taken up by 3 and 4-year-olds in Stockton-on-Tees local education authority area are shown in the table.

  The latest figures on provision for 3 and 4-year-olds in England were published in a Statistical Bulletin Provision for children under five years of age in England-January 2003' which is available on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsaateway/.

  From April 2004, six months ahead of our original target, all 3-year-olds in England whose parents want one, are eligible for a free, part-time early education place.

  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many childcare places have been created in Stockton, South since 1997; [171455]

  (2) how many children in Stockton, South have gained from the National Childcare Strategy. [171477]
  294W
  Margaret Hodge
  The Department is unable to provide details of childcare places for Stockton, South. However, from April 1999 to March 2004, Stockton-on-Tees local authority created 3,401 new childcare places helping some 5,838 children. This shows an increase in the stock of childcare places, taking into account turnover, of 1,776, helping some 3,081 children.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and what the arrangements are for allocating money from the Children's Fund in Newcastle-upon-Tyne; what criteria are applied; and what the audit arrangements are. [166537]

  Margaret Hodge
  Children's Fund resource is allocated according to a formula that takes into account the number of children and young people in an area, and also the levels of deprivation in that area.

  Children's Fund partnerships in 2003–04 had an over-allocation built in to their budgets. This was to ensure that underspends built up in the programme overall would be used up. However, this has now resulted in a projected overspend in the programme. To keep the programme overall within its financial limits this year the Department for Education and Skills held a mid year review of expenditure. This identified underspends in the programme and as a result revised budgets were agreed to some partnerships for the remainder of 2003–04. Decisions at the mid year review were revisited where they compromised partnerships' ability to meet contractual obligations, or were likely to cause unplanned staff redundancy or premature closure of services.

  My Department has identified new resources from outside the Children's Fund which means that the total budget for partnerships this year will be £160 million. This is only slightly below the originally notified total allocation of £164.6 million. As such, the allocation for the Newcastle-upon-Tyne partnership has been reduced from £1.25 million to £1.215 million. I have also agreed that they can carry forward any underspend from previous years, where this can be shown to maintain services that continue to deliver value for money and bring benefit to local communities.

  All partnerships must have an accountable body, which is ultimately responsible for the spending of the Children's Fund grant. The accountable body must undertake audit requirements as set out in the terms and conditions of grant, with which all of the Children's Fund partnerships must comply.

  Children's Information Services
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of children's information services. [171304]

  Margaret Hodge
  Figures provided by CISs for 2003 showed that they are dealing with almost 24,000 inquiries per week—over a million per year.

  Although parents' surveys have suggested low usage, it appears that many parents may not necessarily be aware that they are being helped by CISs, which are often seen as being part of the host organisation e.g. the local authority or voluntary organisation involved.
  295W
  CISs services are aimed at anyone seeking childcare or other Sure Start services, but there is a strong emphasis on reaching people without existing networks of contacts through outreach work with groups who find it hard to access childcare services.

  The CIS Strategy, published in November 2003, sets out clear delivery standards and requires CISs to work toward achieving "model CIS" status by 2006. All CISs have been set targets for further improving numbers of weekly inquiries by 2006.

  Computer Learning Centres
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Capital Modernisation Fund computer-learning centres have been established in Oldham, West and Royton. [170926]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Four Capital Modernisation Funded UK online centres have been established in Oldham, West and Royton.

  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) teachers and (b) families in Bootle have benefited from the Computers in Reach programme. [171127]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Computers Within Reach (CWR) scheme closed on 31 October 2001 having delivered over 24,000 recycled computers to people in 22 pilot areas, at a cost of £7.1 million over two years. Those eligible were in receipt of certain working age benefits or a State Pension with minimum income guarantee.

  At the same time as funding was made available for the Computers within Reach scheme, funding was also provided for the Computers for Teachers programme. For teachers who met certain criteria, this programme subsidised the cost of a computer, It was subsequently replaced by the current Laptops for Teachers scheme which dispensed with subsidies, and through which sufficient funding will be provided to enable two thirds of teachers to receive a laptop by March 2006.

  Of the 24,000 computers delivered through the Computers within Reach scheme, approximately 3,000 were for people in the Liverpool area, including those in and around Bootle.

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many families in South Ribble have benefited from the Computers Within Reach scheme; and how many teachers have benefited from the Computers for Teachers programme. [171978]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Computers Within Reach (CWR) scheme closed on 31 October 2001, having delivered over 24,000 recycled computers to people in 22 pilot areas, at a cost of £7.1 million over two years. Those eligible were in receipt of certain working age benefits or a state pension with minimum income guarantee.

  At the same time as funding was made available for the Computers Within Reach scheme, funding was also provided for the Computers for Teachers programme. For teachers who met certain criteria, this programme subsidised the cost of a computer. It was subsequently replaced by the current Laptops for Teachers scheme,
  296W
  which dispensed with subsidies, and through which sufficient funding will be provided to enable two-thirds of teachers to receive a laptop by March 2006.

  South Ribble was not one of the pilot areas for the CWR scheme.

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Capital Modernisation Fund computer learning centres have been established in South Ribble. [171979]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  15 Capital Modernisation Fund UK online centres have been established in South Ribble.

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on computers for schools in South Ribble in each of the last seven years. [171980]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My Department does not collect information on school spend on computers at constituency level. However, South Ribble 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

  Computers (Bootle)
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in Bootle have received a computer to assist in seeking employment or retraining. [171305]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  At present no centrally funded schemes exist which provide people with a free or low cost computer to assist in seeking employment or retraining.

  Computers within Reach
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) teachers and (b) families in Oldham, West and Royton have benefited from the Computers within Reach programme. [170927]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Computers within Reach (CWR) scheme closed on 31 October 2001 having delivered over 24,000 recycled computers to people in 22 pilot areas, at a cost of £7.1 million over two years. Those eligible were in receipt of certain working age benefits or a state pension with minimum income guarantee.

  At the same time as funding was made available for the Computers within Reach scheme, funding was also provided for the Computers for Teachers programme. For teachers who met certain criteria, this programme

  297W
  subsidised the cost of a computer. It was subsequently replaced by the current Laptops for Teachers scheme which dispensed with subsidies, and through which sufficient funding will be provided to enable two thirds of teachers to receive a laptop by March 2006.

  Oldham, West and Royton was not one of the pilot areas for the CWR scheme.

  Early Years Education
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what Government expenditure on early years education was in each year since 1997, broken down by main budget heading. [171302]

  Margaret Hodge
  From April 2003, all funding to support the delivery of early years education was consolidated within the under-fives sub-block of each LA's Education Formula Spending Share (EFSS)—the main source of education funding. Prior to that time, provision in the private, voluntary and independent sectors together with new places in the maintained sector was funded through separate ring-fenced grant and existing places in the maintained sector were funded through the Standard Spending Assessments (SSAs). Expenditure on early education and funding for the under-fives block was as follows:

  £

  Early education (expenditure)

  Under-fives block (funding)

  1997–98

  637

  562

  1998–99

  134

  1,170

  1999–2000

  150

  1,280

  2000–01

  247

  1,340

  2001–02

  224

  1,490

  2002–03

  326

  1,620

  2003–041

  42

  2,600

  1Provisional.

  Notes:

  Outturn figures for early education in 2003–04 are provisional. Final figures will be available later in 2004.

  Funding for the under-fives block in 2003–04 includes an apportionment of the pensions transfer into EFSS.

  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many nursery managers are qualified to NVQ level 3 or above. [171368]

  Margaret Hodge
  According to the 2001 Childcare Workforce Survey, 78 per cent. of nursery managers were qualified to NVQ level 3 or above. Results from the 2003 survey are due to be published shortly.

  Mathematics

  English

  Manchester, Gorton

  England

  Manchester, Gorton

  England

  Number of pupils achieving Level 4 +

  Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 +

  Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 +

  Number of pupils achieving Level 4 +

  Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 +

  Percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 +

  2003

  659

  61

  73

  690

  64

  75

  2002

  711

  64

  73

  688

  62

  75

  2001

  628

  61

  71

  638

  62

  75

  2000

  612

  60

  72

  621

  61

  75

  1999

  584

  55

  69

  593

  56

  71

  1998

  456

  43

  59

  548

  52

  65

  1997

  526

  49

  62

  568

  53

  63

  298W
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skill; if he will make a statement on recruitment and retention of staff in the nursery and childcare sectors. [171371]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Government are committed to increasing both Early Years provision and the quality of that provision. We have already created new childcare places for 1.6 million children and are now committed to creating at least 250,000 new places for 450,000 children by 2006. Recruiting and retaining sufficient numbers of good quality staff to support this expansion is essential and we are helping early years' employers to do so.

  Over the next two years, we are providing local authorities with £129.9 million for workforce development, including £14 million to support recruitment in their local areas. Our childcare recruitment campaign has been running since 2000 and has been successful in raising the profile of job opportunities in the sector. To date, we have received over 200,000 responses to the campaign.

  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many childminder inspections were carried out by Ofsted's Early Years Directorate in each year since 2000. [171372]

  Margaret Hodge
  The number of childminder inspections carried out by Ofsted is a matter for the Office of Standards in Education (Ofsted) and the HM Chief Inspector for Schools, David Bell will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of his letter in the Library.

  Education (Heywood and Middleton)
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new nurseries have been established in Heywood and Middleton since 1997. [168495]

  Margaret Hodge
  Rochdale City Council is responsible for determining the local need for nursery places in Heywood and Middleton and currently holds this information. 235 new nursery places have been opened in Rochdale under the Neighbourhood Nurseries scheme, of which 25 places are in Heywood and Middleton.

  Educational Attainment
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of 11-year-old pupils in Manchester, Gorton reached level four in(a) mathematics and (b) English in each of the last seven years. [167438]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is as follows:
  299W
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils in England have achieved five GCSEs A*-C including (a) mathematics, (b) English and (c) mathematics and English in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency. [167567]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

  Free Nursery Places (Croydon)
  Richard Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether Croydon council is in breach of its obligations in the provision of free nursery places for three-year-olds. [171448]

  Margaret Hodge
  Section 118 of the School Standards Framework Act 1998 places a duty on all LEAs to ensure sufficient nursery education for children of the prescribed age. They must also have regard to a Code of Practice which makes clear that, with effect from 1 April 2004, and six months ahead of target, all three-year-olds are entitled to receive a free part-time place for at least six terms prior to compulsory school age. Croydon council has yet to confirm that all three-year-olds will receive that entitlement in full. I have asked my officials to investigate the matter and to work closely with the local authority officials to ensure that parents and children in Croydon are able to benefit fully from the free entitlement.

  Information Technology Training
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many women in Oldham, West and Royton have visited an information and communications technology training centre in order to learn skills to return to work. [170929]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  In the period October 20031—March 2004, 1,717 people visited a UK online centre in Oldham, West and Royston, 962 (56 per cent.) of these people were women. Since learndirect was launched in 1999, 2,931 people from Oldham, West and Royton have enrolled on a learndirect course. 1,634 (56 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.
  1 Please note the complete statistics are not available for UK online prior to September 2003 as the DfES did not collect this data on a centre-by-centre basis.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in Oldham West and Royton have received a computer to assist in seeking employment or retraining. [170930]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  At present no centrally funded schemes exist which provide people with a free or low cost computer to assist in seeking employment or retraining.

  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many women in Bootle have visited an information and communications technology training centre in order to learn skills to return to work. [171124]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Seven Capital Modernisation Funded UK online centres have been established in Bootle.
  300W
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Capital Modernisation Fund computer-learning centres have been established in Bootle. [171126]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Seven Capital Modernisation Funded UK online centres have been established in Bootle.

  Learning Disabilities
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children with learning disabilities are educated in mainstream schools; and if he will make a statement. [170608]

  Margaret Hodge
  The provisional figures from the pupil level annual schools census for January 2004, published on 29 April, show that 148,200 pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs are being educated in maintained mainstream nurseries, primary schools or secondary schools.

  The provisional figures also show that 1,137,600 pupils with SEN but without statements are being educated in maintained mainstream nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools.

  Section 312 of the Education Act 1996 states that children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

  Local Authority Care (Children)
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) boys and (b) girls are looked after by local authorities (i) in total, (ii) in foster care and (iii) in children's homes. [169040]

  Margaret Hodge
  The information requested is provided in the table as follows.

  Number of children looked after in total, in foster placements and in children's homes at 31 March 2003, by gender

  Number of Children Looked After at 31 March 20031

  Boys

  Girls

  Total

  England

  33,600

  27,200

  60,800

  Foster Placements

  22,000

  19,100

  41,100

  Children's Homes2

  4,300

  2,400

  6,600

  Other Placements3

  7,300

  5,800

  13,100

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

  2 Children's homes include secure units, homes and hostels but excludes residential schools.

  3 Includes children who are placed for adoption, with parents and in residential schools. Also includes those living independently or in residential employment and other accommodation.

  Source:

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

  Medical Students
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students who are aged under 21 years and have less than the equivalent of three grade Cs at A level he expects to be recruited for courses leading to registration with the General Medical Council and subsequent practice as a doctor in(a) the academic year 2004–05 and (b) subsequent years. [168186]
  301W
  Alan Johnson
  The information is not held centrally. Admission of students to medical, and other, courses is a matter for individual institutions. However, latest figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that, of those students aged under 21 with A levels entering undergraduate courses in Pre-clinical medicine in 2002/03, only 95 (or 3 per cent.) had A level tariff scores equivalent to less than 3 grade Cs.

  National Childcare Strategy
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many childcare staff have been employed through the National Childcare Strategy to support disabled children; and if he will make a statement. [1170609]

  Margaret Hodge
  We do not collect information in the form requested. All childcare settings in receipt of funding for nursery education are required to appoint a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) whose role is to support children with disabilities or special needs and to advise other staff in the setting.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will reply to the questions tabled by the hon. Member for Hertsmere(a) on 20 April, references (i) 168185, (ii) 168186, (iii) 168202, (iv) 168203 and (v) 168204 and (b) on 23 April, reference 168913. [172362]

  Alan Johnson
  I have issued a response to the hon. Member's question 168186 today. Responses were provided to 168185 on 6 May 2004,Official Report, column 1767w and 168202, 168203 and 168204 on 10 May 2004, Official Report, columns 37–38w.

  Pupils (Continence Problems)
  Dr. Murrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what psychological support is available in schools to help children with continence conditions. [171135]

  Margaret Hodge
  The joint DfES/Department of Health guidance, "Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs: A Good Practice Guide", is designed to help schools draw up policies on managing medication in schools and to put effective systems in place to support individual pupils with medical needs.

  Individual schools are best placed to decide on arrangements to meet the needs of their pupils and may decide that a counselling service, for example, would best serve the interests of a child experiencing anxiety or depression as a result of continence difficulties. Children may also receive help from specialist mental health professionals, many of whom will be located within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.

  Reading
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action his Department is taking to promote reading in schools; and if he will make a statement. [169930]
  302W
  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  The Government is committed to raising standards of reading in our schools and to promoting an enjoyment of reading among young people.

  The National Literacy Strategy has transformed standards of reading in our primary schools. This was confirmed by the publication last year of the 'Progress in International Reading Literacy Study', which reported that England's 10 year olds achieved the third highest standards of reading in the world. It also reported that the literacy strategy had introduced primary school pupils to a wider range of reading texts and that pupils in England had the highest use of real books and reading schemes in the classroom.

  Building on this improvement is a key aim of our strategies for primary and secondary schools and we are also working closely with the National Literacy Trust on a range of activities to encourage children to read for pleasure.

  School Computers
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the computer to pupil ratio is in(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in the East Riding of Yorkshire. [171785]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is not available centrally. Figures for England, which were derived from a sample of schools, are shown in the table. Average number of pupils1 per computer (used solely or mainly for teaching and learning purposes) by type of school in England (year ending March 2003).

  Maintained schools

  Primary

  Secondary

  2003

  7.9

  5.4

  1Full-time equivalent numbers of pupils

  The latest information on ICT in schools was published in Statistical Bulletin 'Survey of Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2003', which is available on my Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.

  School Standards
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many and what percentage of pupils in Oldham West and Royton reached the(a) mathematics and (b) English standard in each of the last seven years; [170921]

  (2) how many and what percentage of 11 year old pupils in Oldham West and Royton reached level four in (a) mathematics and (b) English in each of the last seven years. [170922]

  Mr. Miliband
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I have given to the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Mr. Collins) on 10 May 2004,Official Report, column 34W.

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many and what percentage of pupils in Wigan have reached the(a) mathematics and (b) English standard in each of the last seven years; [169285]
  303W
  (2) how many and what percentage of eleven year olds in Wigan reached level four in (a) mathematics and (b) English in each of the last seven years. [169286]

  Mr. Miliband
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I have given to the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Mr. Collins)on 10 May 2004,Official Report, column 34W.

  School Transport (London)
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children have used home to school transport in Greater London, in each of the last five years, broken down by local education authority. [170500]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is not collected by my Department. However, a joint survey conducted in 2003 by the Confederation of Education Service Managers (ConfEd) and DfES into the number of pupils receiving free home to school transport in 2001/02 is reported in the following table:

  LEA number

  LEA name

  Pupils1 receiving free home-school transport (2001/02)

  201

  City of London

  38

  202

  Camden

  680

  203

  Greenwich2

  0

  204

  Hackney2

  0

  205

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  253

  206

  Islington

  111

  207

  Kensington and Chelsea

  610

  208

  Lambeth

  1,585

  209

  Lewisham

  1,636

  210

  Southwark2

  0

  211

  Tower Hamlets

  688

  212

  Wandsworth

  440

  213

  Westminster2

  0

  301

  Barking and Dagenham2

  0

  302

  Barnet

  1,741

  303

  Bexley

  1,005

  304

  Brent

  697

  305

  Bromley2

  0

  306

  Croydon2

  0

  307

  Ealing

  2,151

  308

  Enfield

  1,758

  309

  Haringey2

  0

  310

  Harrow2

  0

  311

  Havering

  1,250

  312

  Hillingdon

  2,342

  313

  Hounslow

  480

  314

  Kingston upon Thames

  843

  315

  Merton2

  0

  316

  Newham

  446

  317

  Redbridge

  2,916

  318

  Richmond upon Thames

  644

  319

  Sutton

  1,459

  320

  Waltham Forest

  476

  Total

  24,249

  1 Primary, secondary, special school and other pupils.

  2 Did not respond.

  Solvent Abuse
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which projects dealing with solvent abuse among children have been awarded funding from the Children's Fund; and how much was awarded to each. [169060]
  304W
  Margaret Hodge
  The Department does not directly monitor the number of projects in receipt of Children's Fund which deal with solvent abuse. Of the 4,665 projects in receipt of Children's Fund in the period July to September 2003 (the most recent period for which complete data is available) 398 were for services that worked in areas involving substance misuse. Other projects will work to educate and support children, young people and their families about the misuse of a range of substances, which in many cases will include solvents.

  With regard to the funding that each of these projects receives, this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost and so is not included in this reply.

  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money has been allocated to schools in Stockton South for information and communication technologies since 2001. [171457]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My department does not hold information on school level allocations for information and communication technologies. However, Stockton South is in Stockton-on-Tees and since 2001 schools in Stockton-on-Tees have benefited from the following funding through the Standards Fund grant for ICT (including match funding from the LEA):

  Allocation to Stockton-on-Tees LEA (£)

  2001–02

  921,142

  2002–03

  1,308,008

  2003–04

  1,333,573

  2004–05

  1,745.924

  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many women in Stockton South have visited an information and communications technology training centre in order to learn skills to return to work. [171458]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  In the period October 20031—March 2004, 4,848 people visited a UK online centre in the Stockton South constituency. 2,714 (56 per cent.) of these people were women.

  Since learndirect was launched in 1999, 3,819 people from the Stockton, South constituency have enrolled on a learndirect course. 1,441 (38 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.
  1 Please note the complete statistics are not available for UK online prior to September 2003 as the DfES did not collect this data on a centre-by-centre basis.

  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Capital Modernisation Fund computer-learning centres have been established in Stockton, South. [171459]
  305W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  12 Capital Modernisation Funded UK online centres have been established in Stockton South.

  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of 11 year old pupils in Stockton South reached level four in(a) mathematics and (b) English in each of the last seven years. [171472]

  Mr. Miliband
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I have given to the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Mr. Collins) on 10 May 2004,Official Report, column 34W.

  Sure Start
  Tony Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has further to develop Sure Start programmes in the Workington constituency, with particular reference to rural areas. [171618]

  Margaret Hodge
  [holding answer 10 May 2004]: Local authorities are currently developing children's centres as the next phase in the Government's strategy to deliver better outcomes for children and families. Funding has been allocated to Cumbria county council to develop children's centres in their 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards by March 2006, building on existing Sure Start local programmes and other provision. The local authority has determined the location of its children's centres. In the Workington constituency, one major new children's centre will be established in Workington. Children's centres are also being developed from the existing Sure Start West Allerdale rural local programme based around Maryport town and from the existing North Allerdale mini rural Sure Start covering Aspatria and Silloth. Both of these children's centres will continue to serve rural areas within the Workington constituency.

  Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS): Staff with a specialty in Anaesthetics

  numbers(headcount)

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  December 20031

  All Staff

  6,731

  6,939

  7,178

  7,517

  8,056

  8,511

  n/a

  of which:

  Consultants

  2,955

  3,136

  3,293

  3,549

  3,822

  4,053

  4,127

  1 All data as at 30 September each year, except for 2003 December where data is at 31 December.

  n/a-not applicable.

  Source:

  Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

  The number of consultant anaesthetists increased by 1,172, or 40 per cent, between September 1998 and December 2003.

  Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Trust
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the financial position of Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Trust. [169782]

  Mr. Hutton
  Unaudited information on in-year financial forecasts is subject to exemption two of the code of practice on access to Government information.

  Child Care (West Lancashire)
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many childcare places have been created in West Lancashire since 1997. [171491]

  Margaret Hodge
  The Department is unable to provide details of childcare places for West Lancashire. However, from April 1999 to March 2004, Lancashire local authority created 22,581 new childcare places helping some 39,808 children. This shows an increase in the stock of childcare places, taking into account turnover, of 9,826, helping some 17,631 children.

HEALTH

  Drug Treatment
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Wigan are receiving drug treatment. [169339]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In 2000–01, there were 882 people receiving drug treatment in Wigan. This is the latest data available. Data broken down by drug action team for 2001–02 and 2002–03 has not yet been published.

  Abortions
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on medical instruments which are used in abortions in each year since 1994; and if he will make a statement. [169935]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  This information is not held centrally.

  Anaesthetists
  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many anaesthetists have been employed in the NHS in each of the last five years. [170429]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  The audited information in respect of the 2003–04 financial position of all national health service trusts will be published in their individual annual accounts and will be available centrally in autumn 2004.

  Cancer
  Mr. Burstow
  To Ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department plans to repeat the NHS cancer patients survey; and if he will make a statement. [169716]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The responsibility for carrying out future patient surveys now rests with the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection. The
  307W
  Commission is looking at a number of factors before deciding when the next cancer patient survey will take place.

  The recently published secondary analysis of the cancer patient survey to identify variations within and between trusts on various cancer types will be used to inform plans for any future surveys. Copies of the report are available in the Library, and on the Department's website.

  In addition to this work, the National Audit Office (NAO) will be publishing a report later in 2004 on improving the patient experience of cancer services in England. As part of this study the NAO have carried out a cancer patient survey. This report forms part of a suite of three NAO studies on the delivery of cancer services. The first of these studies 'Tackling Cancer in England—Saving More Lives' was published on 19 March 2004.

  Cancer Services
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to resolve the patient pathway delays for cancer patients identified by the National Audit Office in its recent report on cancer services. [163987]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the. hon. Member to the response I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, North (Dr. Gibson), today.

  Cancer Treatment
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures he is taking to encourage patients to seek medical attention when they have suspicious symptoms which may be cancer; and if he will make a statement; [164232]

  (2) what plans he has to extend the national cancer clinical audits to all major cancers; [164238]

  (3) what plans he has to ensure that each general practitioner receives a copy of the updated referral guidelines for patients with suspected cancer when they are published; [164233]

  (4) what plans he has to ensure that waiting times for radiotherapy are monitored at the local level using standardised national measures; [164234]

  (5) what plans he has to develop a mechanism to audit the time taken for assessment and treatment of patients who are referred routinely by general practitioners and subsequently diagnosed with cancer; [164236]

  (6) if the Department of Health will issue guidance to primary care trusts on the provision and role of administrative support for multi-disciplinary teams providing cancer services; [164237]

  (7) if extra resources will be made available to hospitals providing radiotherapy and radiology services in order to assess local need for extra staff and facilities. [164240]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The primary purpose of the national health service cancer plan is to save more lives. Reducing waiting times is key to achieving this. The ultimate goal in the NHS Cancer Plan is to offer patients a maximum one-month wait from an urgent referral for suspected cancer to the beginning of treatment. Where patients wait longer, this should be because of the needs 308W
  of the diagnostic process or their personal choice, not because of in-built delays in the system of care. We hope to achieve this goal by 2008. There is a series of milestones towards this goal: By 2005, there will be a maximum one-month wait from diagnosis to treatment for all cancers. By 2005, there will be a maximum two-month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to treatment for all cancers.

  Progress towards these targets is being achieved through increased investment, additional staff working in new ways, installing new radiotherapy and diagnostic facilities and streamlining of cancer care pathways for all cancer patients through the cancer services collaborative 'Improvement Partnership'.

  The Department will take the National Audit Office report's recommendations into account as we further develop and improve cancer services. The report will be discussed in detail at a Committee of Public Accounts hearing scheduled for 16 June 2004. Sir Nigel Crisp, chief executive of the NHS and Professor Mike Richards, national cancer director, have been called to give evidence at the hearing. The government will respond to the Committee's subsequent report in the form of a Treasury Minute.

  Chest Pain Clinics
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many rapid access chest pain clinics there are in Bootle. [170074]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There is no rapid access chest pain clinic in Bootle. There is a rapid access chest pain clinic located at Aintree Hospitals National Health Service Trust.

  Children (Chronic Illness)
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children developed type II diabetes in each year since 1998. [169476]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what ways the National Service Framework for chronic conditions will specifically address children with chronic illness. [169480]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The national service framework (NSF) for long term conditions will aim to improve the standard of services for people with neurological conditions and also address some of the common issues that can promote independence for people living with a disability or long term condition. The NSF will focus on people of working age but will also look at ensuring people can move smoothly between different services regardless of their age or if they move to another geographical area.

  The NSF for children, young people and maternity services will address the needs of all children, young people, pregnant women and families. It will set standards covering a broad range of services, including the management of chronic conditions.
  309W
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of children are needle phobic; and what estimate he has made of the percentage of children who would take-up a needle-free insulin delivery system. [169484]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The research suggests that in children and young people with diabetes the prevalence of self-reported needle phobia is around 10 per cent.. The take up of needle-free insulin delivery systems would depend on their suitability for use by the individual involved.

  Chronic Dehydration (Children)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the prevalence of chronic dehydration amongst children; and if he will make a statement. [169705]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Information on the prevalence of this condition is not collected centrally. The importance of children having access to a wholesome supply of drinking water is recognised in guidance relating to schools, and within advice issued by the Department on nutrition and maintaining a healthy life style.

  Conference Attendance
  Mr. Burnett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) days and (b) half-days were spent by NHS staff attending conferences in each year since 1996–97, broken down by (i) clinicians and (ii) non-clinicians. [169459]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 29 April 2004]: The Department does not hold this information centrally.

  Continuing Care Eligibility Criteria
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 19April,Official Report, column 180W, on eligibility criteria, how many individual cases were granted recompense. [169721]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The Department expects to make information on the number of cases granted recompense available in due course.

  Coronary Angioplasty
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of a coronary angioplasty was in each NHS hospital trust in England in the latest period for which figures are available. [168595]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Demographics
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the likely impact on health services in Hendon(a) generally and (b) with reference to Edgware hospital of the expected population growth in (i) Barnet, (ii) Harrow and (iii) Brent; and if he will make a statement; [169783]

  (2) what changes he expects in the number of patients requiring health services in Hendon over the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [169798]
  310W
  Mr. Hutton
  The responsibility for determining local need for health services in Hendon lies with Barnet Primary Care Trust (PCT).

  Barnet PCT is carrying out a health impact assessment on the projected increases in population, which will inform decisions about local services including those provided at Edgware hospital.

  Dentistry
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children under the age of 18 were given mercury fillings in England(a) in 2004 up to the latest date for which figures are available and (b) in each of the last five years. [169589]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The table shows the number of children under the age of 18 who were given mercury fillings in the general dental service (GDS) in England.

  Number of individual children given mercury fillings in the GDS

  Year ending March

  Number of individual children treated

  2000

  528,193

  2001

  520,845

  2002

  510,202

  2003

  503,129

  2004

  494,257

  Source:

  Dental Practice Board

  The figures do not includes mercury fillings given in other dental services such as the personal dental service, community dental services and hospital dental services.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children aged under 18 years had the removal of wisdom teeth funded by the NHS in 2003–04. [169637]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The most recent information on the number of children aged under 18 years who had the removal of wisdom teeth funded by the national health service in 2003–04 in England and Wales is shown in the table. The figures cover patients treated in the general dental service, personal dental service and hospital dental service.

  Number of patients aged under 18 who had a wisdom tooth extracted during the year ending March 2004

  Number of patients

  General dental service or personal dental service patients

  12,047

  Hospital dental service patients

  2724

  1 In England and Wales 2003–04.

  2 In England 2002–03.

  Source:

  Dental Practice Board and Hospital Episode Statistics.

  The figures do not cover those patients treated in the community dental service.

  Elective Admissions
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the levels of elective admissions to the NHS in Heywood and Middleton in the past five years. [168493]
  311W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Information on the numbers of elective admissions to the relevant national health service trust is shown in the table.

  Count of in-year elective admissions, 1998–99 to 2002–03 (admission method = 11,12,13) by provider North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust, Oldham NHS Trust and Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  Provider

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  2002–03

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  21,450

  24,409

  24,519

  24,782

  —

  Oldham NHS Trust

  30,093

  31,393

  30,369

  27,237

  —

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  —

  —

  —

  —

  83,193

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  19,082

  18,977

  20,373

  17,439

  —

  Bury Health Care NHS Trust

  19,003

  19,577

  18,831

  13,274

  —

  Note:

  1. An in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the datayear. Periods of care on-going at the end of the datayear (unfinished admission episodes) are included. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.

  2. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health

  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the levels of elective admissions to the NHS in Bootle in the past five years. [170075]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested is not collected on a constituency basis but at national health service trust level. The information is shown in the table.

  In year elective admission episodes 1998–99 to 2002–03

  Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust

  1998–99

  30,363

  1999–00

  31,063

  2000–01

  32,959

  2001–02

  32,437

  2002–03

  33,401

  Notes:

  Ungrossed Data:

  Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).

  In-year admissions:

  An in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the datayear. Periods of care ongoing at the end of the datayear (unfinished admission episodes) are included. 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.

  Health Services
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on NHS waiting times for heart surgery in Bootle. [169262]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In March 1997, there were 138 people waiting nine months, and 40 people waiting over 12 months, for heart surgery at the cardiothoracic centre—Liverpool National Health Service Trust. The latest available figures show that, in February 2004, there were no people waiting nine months and over for surgery.

  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there is a diagnostic and treatment centre located in Bootle. [169266]
  312W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There is no treatment centre in Bootle. A treatment centre is located at the Aintree Hospital National Health Service Trust.

  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS(a) therapists and (b) scientists were located in Bootle in each of the last seven years. [170538]

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

  NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff in each specified organisation as at 30 September each specified year

  South Sefton PCT

  Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust

  Headcount Total

  1997

  n/a

  393

  393

  1998

  n/a

  415

  415

  1999

  n/a

  470

  470

  2000

  n/a

  500

  500

  2001

  n/a

  507

  507

  2002

  19

  482

  501

  2003

  19

  555

  574

  n/a = Not applicable.

  Source:

  Department of Health Non Medical Workforce Census.

  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many senior citizens in Bootle aged over 60 years have benefited from the abolition of charges for eye tests; [170539]

  (2) how many senior citizens in Bootle have access to free eye tests. [170540]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Data for the number of sight tests by constituency or by the number of senior citizens is not collected centrally.

  The total number of sight tests paid for by Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority in the year 2002–03 for the aged 60 and over category was 201, 180. The total number eligible for a free sight test for those aged 60 and over was 507,080. Sight tests cannot be equated to the number of patients.
  313W
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS(a) doctors and (b) nurses there were in the Huntington constituency in each of the last seven years; and if he will make a statement. [170852]

  Dr. Ladyman
  Information on the number of doctors and nurses in the Huntington constituency in each of the last seven years has been placed in the Library.

  Nationally, more staff are returning to the NHS:

  With over 3,000 nurses and midwives in training since 1999.

  With over 15,800 former nurses, midwives and health visitors returned since 1999.

  With over 3,600 expressions of interest in the flexible careers scheme.

  Golden hello scheme—3,500 beneficiaries since April 2001.

  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average general practitioner list size was in Greater London, broken down by national health service trust, in each of the last 10 years. [170506]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information on the average list sizes in London has been placed in the Library. Information by primary care trust is only available from 2001.

  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of funding for sexual health services in North Tyneside was in each year since 1997. [170422]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Funding is allocated to primary care trusts on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health in equalities and modernising services.

  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) private dentists and (b) NHS dentists there are in North Tyneside; and if he will make a statement. [170423]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Information on the number of dentists in North Tyneside who are working wholly privately is not available.

  The table shows the number of primary care national health service dentists in North Tyneside.

  National health service: Number of dentists in North Tyneside as at 30 September 2003

  Number of Dentists

  Primary Care Trust

  General Dental Service

  Personal Dental Service

  Community Dental Service

  North Tyneside

  PCT

  62

  5

  2

  Notes:

  1. GDS dentists are dentists whose main work is in North Tyneside. PDS dentists exclude dentists already counted as GDS dentists.

  2. Dentists in the General Dental Service include Principals, Assistants and Vocational Dental Practitioners. These figures are on a headcount basis rather than whole time equivalent (wte) basis and therefore take no account of part-time working.
  314W
  3. These figures exclude 127 dentists working in the Hospital Dental Service in Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals Trust, which covers a wider area than North Tyneside.

  Source:

  Dental Practice Board and Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pensioners living within the North Tyneside Primary Care Trust area benefited from free eye tests in(a) 2002 and (b) 2003. [170424]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Data for the number of sight tests by constituency or by the number of senior citizens is not collected centrally.The total number of sight tests paid for by Northumberland, Tyne and Wear strategic health authority in the year 2002–03 for those aged 60 and over was 50,860. Source:
  Department of Health Statistics.

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on health in Wigan in each of the last seven years. [169353]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information is not available in the format requested. Expenditure per weighted head in the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area, which includes the constituency of Wigan, has increased from £582.33 in 1997–98 to £992.61 in 2002–03, the latest year available. This does not represent the total expenditure per head as an element of health expenditure cannot be identified by SHA area.

  Healthy Living Centres
  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many healthy living centres(a) have been built, (b) are being built and (c) are planned. [170416]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Healthy living centres (HLCs) all vary in the approaches that they use and the settings in which they work. In some cases, the HLC will be a building, but in others it will be a network with a range of projects taking place in a number of different locations within a neighbourhood.

  Of the 257 HLCs in England, 54 schemes have received capital grants for building. Of these, 26 have been built, 17 are in the process of being built and 11 are planned.

  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total cost to date of healthy living centres. [170418]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In total, £300 million was made available by the New Opportunities Fund for healthy living centres across the United Kingdom, of which £233 million was for England.

  To date, 257 awards, worth £204 million, have been made in England.

  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many healthy living centres are run directly by local authorities. [170419]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Healthy living centres have been established as a partnership between a range of different organisations.
  315W
  Sixty six healthy living centres in England are led by local authorities (LAs). LAs are listed as partner organisations in 210 of the 257 healthy living centres in England.

  Hospital Land Sales
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is toward land sales of sites at(a) Edgware hospital and (b) Colindale hospital; and what assessment he has made of the implications for such sales of (i) anticipated population growth, (ii) changes in demand for car parking at Edgware hospital and (iii) the availability of affordable housing in the area (A) generally and (B) for key workers. [169764]

  Mr. Hutton
  The responsibility for disposal of land at Edgware hospital and Colindale hospital lies with Barnet Primary Care Trust (PCT), and with Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Services National Health Service Trust respectively. In accordance with long-term local plans the PCT and the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Services NHS Trust are disposing of surplus land at Colindale and Edgware hospitals. The land sales are being managed locally to ensure the need of the local NHS are met. The PCT and the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Services NHS Trust will take into account the identified factors in disposing of land and any requirements of the local authority in terms of affordable housing.

  Human Embryos
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether an application for a licence to create human embryos by cell nuclear replacement has been submitted to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. [169473]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  From 7 May 2004, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) will publish the titles and lay summaries of research licence applications on its website.

  The HFEA has received one application for a licence to create human embryos by cell nuclear replacement. The title and lay summary are as follows:
  Title—Derivation of human embryonic stem cell lines using nuclear transfer and parthenogenically activated oocytes.
  Centre—Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life.
  Lay summary—It is recognised that human embryonic stem cells offer a great potential for therapies for many diseases such as diabetes. These stem cells are derived from embryos which are created for in-vitro fertilisation treatment, but which are not suitable for treatment. If stem cell treatments are to reach their full potential we need to derive stem cell lines which are genetically similar to the recipient so they will not be rejected. This may require the application of techniques such as nuclear transfer and parthenogenic activation. Nuclear transfer involves the transfer of genetic material from adult skin cells to eggs which have had the cell's nucleus removed. Parthenogenic activation involves an egg being artificially stimulated by chemical or electronic means in order to make the egg start embryo development. The present application is to undertake some of the initial studies that are needed to understand methods that will develop this technology.

  Mental Health Provision
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) consultant psychiatrists, (b) mental health nurses and (c) primary care mental health workers are employed in each Greater London NHS trust; and how many of these work (i) part time and (ii) full time. [168939]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Mobile Phones
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his Answer of 21 April 2004,Official Report, column 646W, on mobile phones, if he will evaluate the research on the dielectric property of cells by Bo Sernelius of Linkoping University, Sweden. [170176]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The paper by Bo Sernelius is a recent contribution to the scientific literature and is a theoretical study. It is one of many papers appearing in scientific journals that may have relevance either directly, or as in this case indirectly, to understanding the interaction of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields with people.

  The author of the paper considers the findings indicate the need for further work on the measurement of dielectric properties of materials and specifically cautions against interpreting the findings of the study as evidence that mobile phones are harmful.

  The publication of work such as this emphasises the need for continuing research and evaluation into the possible health effects of mobile phone technology. This paper and others will continue to be considered by expert review groups such as the National Radiological Protection Board's independent advisory group on non-ionising radiation, which authored the most recent review of the subject in January 2004.

  National Service Frameworks
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress towards the National Service Framework milestone for strategic and operational plans to include the development of an integrated falls service. [170628]

  Dr. Ladyman
  I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Forest of Dean (Diana Organ) today.

  Neonatal Intensive Care
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intensive care beds for newborn babies are operational in each hospital trust in England. [169054]

  Dr. Ladyman
  This information requested has been placed in the Library.

  NHS Staff (Assaults)
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts have(a) met the targets for reducing assaults on staff, (b) failed to meet those targets and (c) reported an increase in such assaults in the latest period for which figures are available. [169462]
  317W
  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: A Health Circular issued in 1999, entitled Working Together, required health bodies to have systems in place to record incidents of violence and aggression against national health service staff and set targets for reducing violence and aggression by 20 per cent. by 2001 and by 30 per cent. by 2002. These targets were incorporated in the Improving Working Lives standard in October 2000.

  As part of the Working Together initiative, the Department undertook a national survey to identify the reported incidents of violence and aggression. The first survey, conducted in 2000–01, identified 84,214 incidents. The following survey, conducted in 2001–02, showed an increase on the previous year to 112,000 incidents.

  Figures from the Department for 2002–03 show a three per cent. increase in reported incidents to 116,000 on the previous year.

  The National Health Service Security Management Service (SMS) assumed policy and operational responsibility for the management of security in the NHS in April 2003. This remit includes work previously carried out under the NHS Zero Tolerance campaign. In November 2003, the SMS introduced a new framework for tackling violence against NHS staff, including consistent definitions of physical and non-physical assault and a national reporting system for physical assaults. The SMS is currently developing robust methodologies to identify the true nature and scale of the problem of violence—to measure both the perception as well as the reality.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the number of assaults on NHS staff who work in clients' homes; and if he will make a statement. [169463]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: The national health service Security Management Service (SMS) assumed policy and operational responsibility for the management of security in the NHS in April 2003. This remit includes work previously carried out under the NHS "Zero Tolerance" campaign.

  In November 2003, the SMS introduced a new framework for tackling violence against NHS staff. A number of key practical reactive and proactive measures were introduced, among which was the development and implementation of a national syllabus for conflict resolution training to be delivered to all NHS frontline staff, with the aim of giving them the necessary skills and expertise to defuse aggressive situations before they become violent incidents.

  The new national reporting system for physical assaults will allow hard accurate information about the nature of the problem to be gathered and analysed for the first time so that further practical solutions can be developed and implemented.

  The SMS is exploring how best technology and other interventions can be used to better protect staff, particularly those who work alone in the community. A device based on mobile phone technology is being trialled that is designed to allow the member of staff to
  318W
  covertly summons assistance when faced with a threatening situation and automatically transmit their location so that appropriate help can be given.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of assaults on NHS staff which take place(a) in clients' homes, (b) in isolated units and (c) at night. [169464]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 4 May 2004]: Statistics on the number of assaults on national health service staff taking place in clients' homes, isolated units and at night have not been collated centrally.

  The NHS Security Management Service (SMS) assumed policy and operational responsibility for the management of security in the NHS in April 2003. This remit includes work previously carried out under the NHS "Zero Tolerance" campaign.

  In November 2003, the SMS launched a new national system for the reporting and recording of physical assaults. Part of its purpose is to gather hard accurate information about the nature of assaults on NHS staff so that appropriate solutions can be developed to minimise the risk of them reoccurring.

  NHS Staff (Manchester)
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS(a) doctors and (b) nurses there were in Manchester, Gorton in each of the last seven years. [167383]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Northumbria NHS Trust
  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to improve accident and emergency services at hospitals within the Northumbria NHS Trust since 1997. [170420]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The following steps have been taken to improve accident and emergency services at Northumbria Healthcare:Opening a rapid assessment and treatment unit.
  Expansion of the A&E consultant team to 10 consultants at the North Tyneside General Hospital and Wansbeck General Hospital.
  A major refurbishment and extension of the two A&E departments.
  Opening of a dedicated minor injuries area.
  Development of a dedicated emergency nurse practitioner services at both hospital sites.
  Development of an emergency nurse practitioner services in community hospitals.
  Introduction of care facilitators across the trust to reduce delays during hospital care and to help co-ordinate the patient's journey.

  The emergency services collaborative has also helped to redesign systems and unnecessary steps out of the patient pathway. This is being continued under the Improving Partnership in Hospitals programme.

  Osteoporosis
  Diana Organ
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he expects the first National Service Framework osteoporosis milestone to be achieved by April. [169872]

  Dr. Ladyman
  The national service framework for older people requires integrated falls services to be in place locally by April 2005. This should include appropriate links to osteoporosis. The Department will be monitoring formally the 2005 milestone at strategic health authority (SHA) level as this is included as one of the key targets in Improvement, Expansion and Reform, the priorities and planning framework for 2003–06. All SHAs except one currently report that the April 2005 target will be achieved in their area. The Department has offered support to this SHA.

  Pharmacy Services
  John Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library copies of responses to the consultation on proposals to reform and modernise the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992 in relation to the proposed exemption of large shopping developments from the control of entry requirements for retail pharmacy services. [157513]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  [pursuant to her answer, 8 March 2004, Official Report, c. 1334W]I regret my previous response was incorrect. The number of responses to the Department's consultation on proposals to reform and modernise the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1993 should have been 267.

  Radiographers
  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many radiographers have been employed in the NHS in each of the last five years. [170430]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  NHS hospital and community health services: qualified radiographers in England as at 30 September each specified year

  Total qualified radiography staff

  Diagnostic radiography1

  Headcount Therapeutic radiography

  1999

  12,330

  10,839

  1,491

  2000

  12,489

  11,036

  1,453

  2001

  12,706

  11,163

  1,543

  2002

  13,031

  11,489

  1,542

  2003

  13,344

  11,687

  1,657

  1 New occupation codes for healthcare scientists were introduced in 2003. As a result, a small number of staff previously included under diagnostic radiography are now classified within medical physics.

  Source:

  Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.

  Serotonin
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions have been issued for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for(a) children and (b) adults in each of the last 10 years. [169897]
  320W
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  Information on the total number of prescription items of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) dispensed in the community in England and the estimated number of prescription items of SSRIs dispensed in the community in England to children and adults are shown in the table. Figures for the total number of SSRI items are provided for the last 10 years (1994 to 2003). However, the Department does not have information on the estimated numbers of prescription items dispensed to children or adults available before 1999.

  Total number of prescription items of SSRIs, and estimated number of prescription items of SSRIs dispensed to children and adults which were dispensed in the community in England, 1994 to 2003

  Total number of prescription items of SSRIs and estimated number of prescription items of SSRIs dispensed to children and adults which were dispensed in the community in England, 1994 to 2003

  Thousand

  Estimated number of prescription items dispensed to:

  Total number of prescription items

  Children

  Adults

  1994

  2,681.2

  1—

  1—

  1995

  3,807.8

  1—

  1—

  1996

  5,136.0

  1—

  1—

  1997

  6,555.8

  1—

  1—

  1998

  7,581.6

  1—

  1—

  1999

  8,929.4

  100

  8,800

  2000

  10,442.5

  110

  10,000

  2001

  12,085.1

  150

  12,000

  2002

  13,304.0

  170

  13,000

  2003

  13,816.9

  110

  14,000

  1 Information for groups of patients not required to pay a charge (e.g. children) prior to 1999 is not available.

  Notes:

  1. PCA data covers all prescription items that were dispensed in the community in England. It does not include items dispensed in hospitals or private prescriptions.

  2. Information for groups of patients not required to pay a charge (e.g. children) is based on a 1 in 20 sample of all exempt prescriptions dispensed in the community. The information for children and hence adults is therefore an estimate and subject to sampling errors. To reflect this the figures have been rounded appropriately. (Figures over 100,000 are rounded to the nearest 10,000. Figures over a million are rounded to the nearest 100,000, and figures over 10 million are rounded to the nearest million.) Rounding applies to exemption data only. The total number of SSRI prescriptions is an actual figure (not an estimate) and has not been rounded. The number of items dispensed to adults was estimated by subtracting the estimates for children from the total SSRI items. Hence, rounding also applies to the adults.

  3. Due to rounding, the sum of the components may not equal the total items.

  4. Data on exemption categories for SSRIs is only available from 1999. The exemption data for children and adults for 1999 and 2000 is not strictly comparable with data for 2001 onwards. Exemption data for children and adults from 2001 is based on a 1 in 20 sample of all exempt prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists, appliance contractors and dispensing doctors. Exemption data for 1999 and 2000 is based on those dispensed by chemists and appliance contractors only and excludes those dispensed by dispensing doctors. No exemption figures for dispensing doctor for 1999 and 2000 are available but the figures presented are the best estimates of the total figure for children and adult prescriptions. This does not apply to the total number of SSRI prescription items—data for all years includes all items dispensed in the community (including dispensing doctors).

  5. Children are defined here as children aged under 16 and young people in full-time education aged 16,17 or 18.
  321W
  6. The exemption data is identified from the box ticked on the back of the prescription form and relies on the form being completed correctly which may not always be the case.

  7. SSRIs are defined in the British National Formulary (BNF) paragraph 4.3.3.

  8. Data in the table is in thousands.

  9. Definition of prescription item: Doctors write prescriptions on a prescription form. Each single item written on the form is counted as a prescription item.

  Source:

  Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) data from the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA).

  In-patient waiting lists by Commissioner for Bottle residents

  Waiting list in months

  Quarter

  Name

  TWL

  0–21

  3–51

  6–41

  9–111

  12–141

  15–171

  1996–07

  4

  Sefton HA

  9,239

  4,046

  2,247

  1,531

  1,166

  246

  3

  1997–08

  4

  Sefton HA

  8,975

  4,204

  1,952

  1,328

  984

  367

  80

  1998–09

  4

  Sefton HA

  7,967

  4,031

  1,634

  1,142

  745

  325

  90

  1999–2000

  4

  Sefton HA

  7531

  3,603

  1,773

  1,158

  644

  237

  116

  2000–01

  4

  Sefton HA

  7,436

  3,987

  1,638

  971

  455

  278

  107

  2001–02

  4

  Sefton HA

  7,155

  3,837

  1753

  1,002

  464

  99

  0

  Month

  Name

  TWL

  0–21

  3–51

  6–41

  9–111

  12–141

  15–171

  2002–03

  March 2003

  South Sefton PCT

  3,917

  2,581

  841

  369

  726

  0

  0

  2003–04

  December 2003

  South Sefton PCT

  3,689

  2,744

  689

  230

  26

  0

  0

  1 Not seen

  Source:

  Department of Health QF01

  Out-patient Commissioner waiting list data

  GP referral to Consultant waiting list in weeks

  Name

  13 to 251

  26 +1

  1997–08

  Sefton HA

  1,936

  243

  1998–09

  Sefton HA

  2,153

  911

  1999–2000

  Sefton HA

  2,241

  883

  2000–01

  Sefton HA

  1,358

  779

  2001–02

  Sefton HA

  1,141

  0

  Name

  13–171

  17–211

  21–261

  26 +

  March 2003

  South Sefton PCT

  218

  85

  0

  0

  September 2003

  South Sefton PCT

  441

  102

  0

  0

  1 Not seen

  Source:

  Department of Health QM08R

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list times in the last seven years for the residents of Bootle. [170080]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Information most closely associated with place of residency is not collected on a constituency level, but at a health services commissioner level. The data in the tables is given for Sefton health authority for the period 1997–2002, and for South Sefton Primary Care Trust for 2003.

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