Written Answers of 13 May 2004

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Fraudulent Compensation Claims
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affiairs what procedures exist to prosecute fraudulent farmers who make claims for compensation from the European Union for sheep destroyed during the foot and mouth crisis. [172488]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  [holding answer 11 May 2004]: Ordinarily the Investigation Branch of DEFRA would investigate such an allegation and pass the evidence gathered to the Criminal Advisory and Prosecution Division of DEFRA. Prosecution lawyers in that Division would review the evidence and if there were a realistic prospect of conviction and it were also in the public interest to prosecute DEFRA would commence criminal proceedings in the criminal courts.

  In the event of a conviction the prosecution would seek a compensation and/or confiscation order to compensate the loser for the financial loss and deprive the convicted person of the benefit from the offences proved.

  Hazardous Waste
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what studies she has undertaken to evaluate the risk of additional transportation of hazardous waste as a result of the closure of hazardous waste treatment centres. [168373]

  Mr. Morley
  The Government recognise that with the expected reduction in the number of landfill sites taking hazardous waste from July 2004, hazardous waste could travel further in the short term. Nevertheless, it is recognised that even under the present system significant amounts of special waste travel across the country. In 2002, 42 per cent. of hazardous waste crossed a regional boundary. Government have not commissioned any specific studies to evaluate the forthcoming changes on this specific issue. Clearly in the longer term, the implementation of the Landfill Directive requirements will see an increase in treatment costs, which in turn will provide a greater incentive for hazardous waste minimisation and the use of more sustainable treatment technologies.

  British Wildlife
  Mr. Rosindell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the health of Britain's wild animals. [169863]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  The broad stewardship of wildlife and specific policies on conservation and biodiversity are managed as part of Government's broader remit for the 472W
  environment. In addition, through the UK Veterinary Surveillance Strategy launched last year, we will develop a better overview and understanding of the health of the health of Britain's wildlife in relation to its impact on public health and other animals.

  Government, through its developing Animal Health and Welfare Strategy, recognises that there are a number of diseases of livestock where wildlife may act as a reservoir or a source of infection. Government has a role in science, research, intervention in some specific cases, and ensuring advice is available.

  The Veterinary Surveillance Strategy provides a framework for ensuring the potential risks posed by wildlife to public health (through zoonotic disease) or to farmed livestock (for example from migrating birds) are effectively identified and managed. The Strategy will also cover the impact of disease control policies for farmed livestock on wildlife and certain welfare issues involving the protection from cruelty.

  Where naturally occurring disease affecting animals in the wild occurs, Government have a role to ensure appropriate action is taken to monitor and manage the situation in accordance with the principles of the animal health and welfare strategy.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) when she intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 25 March with regard to Jenny Edwards; [172263]

  (2) when she will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 25 March, with regard to Jenny Edwards. [170703]

  Alun Michael
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State replied on 10 May.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 5 April with regard to Mr. Ian Boddison. [172264]

  Alun Michael
  I replied to the right hon. Member on 8 May.

  Departmental Annual Report
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the production of her Department'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. [171140]

  Alun Michael
  The DEFRA Departmental Report 2004 cost Defra £66,070. This cost was for designing, typesetting and proofing of the report.

  The Stationary Office Limited handled the printing of the document. They bore the full cost of printing and publishing of the document.
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  DEFRA does not have information on how many copies were printed and sold. The Stationary Office is not obliged to give us this information, and so soon after the Reports publication it does not yet have details of the number of reports sold. However they have been able to provide us with the numbers for the 2003 report, where they issued 514 copies.

  DEFRA has purchased and distributed 600 copies of the 2004 Report for its own use. The bulk of these have been made available to the Senior Civil Service and other staff on request. In addition copies were sent to Parliament and the Forestry Commission.

  The report is also freely available on the Department's intranet, which all staff can access. It is also available on DEFRA's website at: http://www. defra.gov.uk/corporate/deprep/default.htm.

  Fisheries
  Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 27 April 2004,Official Report, column 861W, on fisheries, which member states have (a) an historic entitlement and (b) an entitlement without an historic track record to fish within the UK six to 12 miles zone; and whether those entitlements are transferable to any fishing vessel from that nation state. [172459]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands have a historical entitlement to fish in the UK six to 12 mile zone. No other member states have access to this zone.

  Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub-regional Strategy
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans(a) her Department and (b) the Environment Agency have for new water and sewerage infrastructure to serve the Aylesbury area in the context of the draft Milton Keynes and South Midlands sub-regional strategy; and what the (i) time scale for and (ii) cost of such works will be. [172162]

  Yvette Cooper
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government are committed to ensuring that all the growth areas are equipped with the water and sewerage services and infrastructure necessary to guarantee the long-term health of these communities. To achieve this, we recognise the importance of involving the respective water undertakers and environmental regulators at an early stage in the development of proposals.

  The Environment Agency has previously (June 2003) provided companies with draft breakdowns of the indicative housing numbers by sub-region and company area, to assist in draft Water Resource Plans work. But given the varying and quickly evolving extent of information available, the Water Resources Planning Guideline (issued by the Environment Agency to companies on how they should produce their water resources plans) is not prescriptive about how companies should take account of the sustainable communities plan. However, the Environment Agency report
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  "Securing water supply" (November 2003) states that it will work with companies to understand the implications and that:
  'Where appropriate companies should ensure that they have included the latest proposals in the sustainable communities initiative in their plans'.

  The Environment Agency expects the water companies supplying the Milton Keynes/South Midlands area to provide their best available estimates of the impacts of the sustainable communities programme on their supply demand balance contained in their water resources plans. However, it is recognised that the next periodic review will have access to more definitive numbers.

  Woodcraft Folk
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether any of the Department's(a) present and (b) previous staff are members of the Friends of the Woodcraft Folk. [170753]

  Alun Michael
  There are no records of staff being members of the Friends of the Woodcraft Folk. Staff are not required to register their private interests, such as membership of clubs or societies, unless these bring them into direct conflict with their official duties. In these cases, staff must declare their interest to senior managers, who will determine how best to proceed on a case-by-case basis.

  DEFRA's staff are subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Code. This requires them to act with integrity, honesty, impartiality and objectivity in carrying out their duties and to conduct themselves in such a way as to deserve and retain the confidence of Ministers.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions have been held between her officials and Chichester district council about the Woodcraft Folk. [170755]

  Alun Michael
  The only discussions I am aware of relate to a campsite operated by the Woodcraft Folk in Lurgashall for which an approach was made for a camping exemption certificate. DEFRA has responsibility for camping exemption certificates under section 296 of the Public Health Act 1936. There were objections to the application and correspondence was received from the constituency MP and from MPs representing users of the campsite.

  My officials held a meeting with members of the Woodcraft Folk, Chichester district council and Lurgashall parish council on 9 June 2003 to discuss the Woodcraft Folk's application for a camping exemption certificate.

  The discussions demonstrated that there were differences of view regarding past usage of the site so I agreed to DEFRA's commissioning an independent mediator to facilitate a further discussion between the Woodcraft Folk and the two councils on 3 and 4 February 2004. In the light of the mediator's report, I agreed to issue a camping exemption certificate to the Woodcraft Folk for one year, subject to further discussion between the parties to resolve outstanding issues.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

  Early Retirement
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Leader of the House how many employees in his Office took early retirement, and at what total cost, in the last financial year. [172186]

  Mr. Hain
  In the last financial year no staff in my office have taken early retirement.

PRIME MINISTER

  Iraq
  Tom Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the United States Administration, and with whom, on the cases of abuse that have taken place against Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [173075]

  Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Prime Minister what changes to the(a) political and (b) military strategy in Iraq are being considered by the (i) UK Government and (ii) US Administration as a consequence of the International Committee for the Red Cross report in February 2004. [173219]

  The Prime Minister
  Both President Bush and I have made clear that any abuse of human rights, torture or maltreatment of civilians in Iraq is wholly unacceptable and all cases will be dealt with.

TREASURY

  Children's Fund
  Tim Loughton
  To ask The Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on his intentions for future funding for the children's fund. [172723]

  Mr. Boateng
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer said in his Budget statement that the children's fund will be continued to 2008 to allow a smooth transition to new children's trusts, which will be focused on preventative work and developed and delivered with the full engagement of the voluntary sector.

  Tax Burden
  Mr. Jack
  To ask The Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the distributional impact of the tax burden projections contained in the Financial Statement and Budget Report. [172724]

  Ruth Kelly
  The tax projections are based on macroeconomic assumptions set out in the Budget 2004 report. Estimating the distributional impact would require many more assumptions, which are unnecessary for our projections.

  World Debt
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask The Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he held with international Finance Ministers on tackling world debt at the spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank. [172725]
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  John Healey
  At the spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank, the Chancellor had various discussions with Finance Ministers. In addition to continuing to support countries in making progress through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, it was recognised that there was an urgent need to support countries as they emerge from conflict and progress towards participation in the initiative.

  It was also recognised that it was important to take forward work on the debt sustainability framework that the IMF and World Bank have proposed, in order to support long-term debt sustainability for poor countries.

  However, debt relief alone is not sufficient. All HIPC countries will need additional aid to meet the millennium development goals (MDGS). That is why the UK's proposal for an international finance facility is so important. It can provide the much-needed substantial increase in resources—in the form of grants, concessional loans, or further debt relief—needed to attain the MDGS.

  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what preparations he is making for discussions at the forthcoming meeting of the G7 Finance Ministers on tackling world debt. [172732]

  John Healey
  At the meeting of the G7 Finance Ministers, the Chancellor will be calling for the full implementation of the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative, including additional relief to be provided to countries that have suffered economic shocks, in a full and timely manner. The Chancellor will also be calling for the HIPC initiative to be extended to ensure that eligible countries—many of which are in the process of exiting from conflict—are able to benefit from debt relief.

  However, debt relief alone is not sufficient. All HIPC countries will need additional aid to meet the millennium development goals (MDGS.) The Chancellor will press the UK's proposal for an international finance facility, demonstrating that it can provide the much-needed substantial increase in aid—in the form of grants, concessional loans, or further debt relief—needed to attain the MDGS.

  International Finance Facility
  16. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations he has had with EU partners since 1 April regarding the international finance facility. [172726]

  John Healey
  The IFF proposal was discussed at the 8 April conference on Financing for Development which the Chancellor co-hosted with French Finance Minister Sarkozy, attended by representatives from over 55 countries including many of our EU partners. At the conference France reiterated its strong support for the initiative. We continue to build on this support with other EU countries in other fora.

  17. Ross Cranston
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made on the international finance facility as a result of spring meetings with the IMF and World Bank. [172727]
  477W
  John Healey
  Good progress has been made in taking forward the IFF proposal at the Spring Meetings with a number of countries expressing their support. Following the developing country statement at the 8 April conference, both the G24 and African Governors endorsed the IFF and called on donors to implement the proposal. The World Bank's interim paper on Financing Modalities found that the IFF is technically feasible and concluded that frontloading of aid holds considerable attractions. Communiqués looked forward to reviewing the on-going joint World Bank and IMF work on aid effectiveness, absorptive capacity and, results-based measurement mechanisms, such as an IFF, at the Annual Meetings in September 2004.

  House Prices
  19. Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what economic instruments are available to him to moderate the rise in house prices. [172730]

  Ruth Kelly
  In Budget 2003, the Chancellor noted that a reduction in housing market volatility would enhance macro-economic stability. He asked Kate Barker to review housing supply in the UK, and David Miles to review the UK mortgage market.

  At the time of Budget 2004, both reviews presented their final reports. The Government have welcomed their analysis and recommendations for action.

  As recommended in the Barker Review, the Government are implementing a programme of change to the planning system and to the delivery of development, consulting with stakeholders as necessary. The Government accept the case for releasing more resources to boost housing supply, improve affordability and lock in macro-economic stability, and will make a start in the forthcoming Spending Review.

  The Government endorse David Miles' conclusion that urgent reform is desirable to make the UK mortgage market work better for consumers in a number of areas. The FSA has in train reforms in the mortgage market, which will move to statutory regulation on 31 October. The Chancellor has asked the FSA to consider and report on the further reforms proposed by David Miles.

  Fuel Duty
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning his proposed increase in fuel duty. [172731]

  John Healey
  Treasury Ministers receive a wide range of representations about all areas of taxation policy, both in the run-up to and after the Chancellor's annual Budget statement.

  Financial Services Authority
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the(a) consultation papers and (b) other documents issued by the Financial Services Authority in each of the last five years, broken down by number of pages. [172901]
  478W
  Ruth Kelly
  The matters raised in this question are the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), whose day-to-day operations are independent from Government control and influence. The Chairman of the FSA has offered to write to the hon. Member shortly, addressing the matters raised. Every FSA consultation paper can be found by year of publication on the FSA's website, together with other FSA documents.

  Insurance Mediation Directive
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make a statement on implementation of the EU Insurance Mediation Directive(a) in this country and (b) elsewhere in the EU; [172839]

  (2) what new regulations will be required on insurance brokers in order for them to meet Financial Services Authority guidelines for the introduction of the Insurance Mediation Directive; [172938]

  (3) if he will reduce the fee structure for the Insurance Mediation Directive; [172840]

  (4) on what date the Financial Services Authority required authorisation of brokers under the Insurance Mediation Directive and whether this is common to all EU countries; [172937]

  (5) what assessment he has made of the impact on the number of insurance brokers of the introduction of the Insurance Mediation Directive. [172939]

  Ruth Kelly
  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.

  The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 requires the FSA to publish a cost-benefit analysis of its proposed rules and guidance. The FSA has published cost benefit analysis in each of its consultation papers, which includes analysis of the market impact on firms. These state that regulation might result in some reduction in the number of firms selling insurance. In particular they stated that some businesses for whom selling insurance was a marginal activity may withdraw from the market once subject to statutory regulation. However there will be thousands of firms in the market providing consumers with a wide choice. The FSA have estimated that around 20,000 new firms will come into regulation as a result of mortgage and general insurance regulation and the vast majority of these will be involved in general insurance business.

  The Government have consulted widely on the regulatory regime, publishing a public consultation document including draft regulations and a draft regulatory impact assessment in October 2002. Following analysis of the responses to the consultation, Parliament approved legislation on 24 June 2003. The activities to be regulated are: introducing, proposing or carrying out other work preparatory to the conclusion of contracts of insurance; assisting in the administration

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  and performance of such contracts, in particular in the event of a claim; and concluding contracts of insurance. In drawing up its rules for insurance mediation, the FSA has carried out extensive public consultation on its rules. Further information is available from the FSA's website, www.fsa.gov.uk.

  FSA regulation of insurance brokers will commence from 14 January 2005. This date is two years from the publication of the directive in the Official Journal of the European Communities. All member states have to implement the directive by this dare.

  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 fees charged are a matter for the FSA. Application fees for insurance intermediaries have been set following consultation with the industry and are based on the volume of business undertaken. Up to 50 per cent, discount is offered for an early application together with further discount if the application is made electronically. Smaller intermediaries seeking authorisation could pay a fee of only £500. If a firm is already authorised by the FSA for other regulated activities, the application fee it would pay for IMD activities is halved. The periodic annual fee which will be charged by the FSA for on-going supervision of authorised intermediaries following the commencement of regulation has not yet been set and will be the subject of a forthcoming consultation this summer.

  Monitoring the implementation of the IMD across the EU is a matter for the Commission. The UK has focused its efforts on the implementation of the IMD in the UK market. We do however have informal working level contacts with other member states.

  Labour Statistics (Bootle)
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed in tourism-related jobs in Bootle on the latest date for which figures are available. [173145]

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

  Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Joe Benton, dated 13 May 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about tourism-related jobs in Bootle. I am replying in his absence. (173145)

  The latest available data, from the 2002 Annual Business Inquiry, shows that the total number of jobs in tourism related industries in Bootle Parliamentary Constituency was 1,700. This total is obtained by combining figures for those working in the following industries, as identified by Standard Industrial Classification 2003:

  hotels

  restaurants

  bars

  activities of travel agencies

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  libraries, archives, museums etc.

  sporting activities

  other recreational activities.

  Military Expenditure
  Mr. Best
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers have sought to divert or withhold the proportion of their contribution going to military expenditure in the last three years. [167871]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Best
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations entitled 'peace tax returns' have been received by the Treasury. [167872]

  Dawn Primarolo
  We have no central record of the number of representations received entitled 'peace tax returns'.

  National Insurance
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the current unneeded surplus is in the national insurance fund. [172728]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the hon. Member to table two on page six of the report by the Government Actuary on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2004 and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Funds Payments) Order 2004 (CM6117).

  Any surplus contributions are used to buy gilts on behalf of the fund.

  Norwich Union
  Jim Dowd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Association of British Insurers in the last 12 months in relation to the service provided by Norwich Union to its policy holders. [173223]

  Ruth Kelly
  Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals as part of the process of policy development and analysis. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings, as provided for under Exemption 7(b) of the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information". Treasury meetings are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Code, as appropriate.

  Pensions
  Mr. George Osborne
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates the cost would be to the Exchequer under its proposed reform of pension taxation of imposing no annual limit on pension savings in the year 2006–07 and each of the subsequent three years. [172126]

  Ruth Kelly
  The annual allowance protects against large payments being made into a tax privileged pension scheme that might then be removed from the scheme without the imposition of tax. So there would therefore
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  be a cost attached to having no annual allowance under the proposed simplified pension regime—even if the lifetime allowance were retained.

  The size of this cost depends upon behavioural effects and any estimate of cost would inevitably be very broad-brush. However, given the potential additional pension savings from those in the top 1 per cent. of the earnings distribution, plus the possibility of the additional scope for tax avoidance or evasion, the cost to the Exchequer could be up to several hundred million pounds over this period.

  Stability and Growth Pact
  Mr. David
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made in discussions at a European level about the stability and growth pact. [172729]

  Ruth Kelly
  The Government continue to emphasise the need for a prudent interpretation of the stability and growth pact, taking into account the economic cycle, sustainability and the important role of public investment.

  The Government published alongside Budget 2004 a discussion paper comparing our British fiscal framework with the rules of the European Union's stability and growth pact, examining the principles, based on our experience, which should guide the evolution of fiscal policy.

  Statistics (Stockton, South)
  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Stockton South have benefited from the 100 per cent. tax exemption for the purchase of computer and internet equipment. [171467]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which was given to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Djanogly) on 5 May 2004,Official Report, column 1505W.

  VAT
  Claire Ward
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reduce VAT on devices which improve safety in the home. [171886]

  John Healey
  Member states are permitted only to introduce reduced rates of VAT from the prescribed list of goods and services as set out in Annex H of the EC Sixth VAT Directive. There is no general provision in Annex H for devices which improve safety in the home.

  But Annex H does allow a reduced rate for certain works to housing and the Government have used this to introduce a reduced rate of VAT for the grant-funded installation of certain security measures (for example window and door-locks and smoke alarms), when installed at the same time as energy saving materials or central heating systems also paid for by a qualifying grant. Qualifying grants are targeted at people aged 60 or over and those receiving specified benefits, so the related reduced rate is similarly well targeted at those who need help most.
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  The UK's existing zero rates also cover a number of measures that contribute to safety in the home, such as burglar alarms and security lights, but only if they are installed in new homes at the time of construction.

  A review of the reduced rate provisions is currently under way in Europe and the Government have made clear in these negotiations that we will not agree to the removal of any of our zero and reduced rate VAT derogations.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

  Historical Papers
  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether all the documents relating to the murder of Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson MP in 1922 are now in the public domain; and if he will make a statement. [170548]

  Mr. Leslie
  Records kept by several Government Departments relating to the murder of Field Marshall Sir Henry Wilson in London in June 1922 are available for public inspection in the National Archives. A search of the National Archives' electronic catalogue did not reveal any documents unavailable for public inspection.

  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether all official documents relating to Rudolf Hess are now in the public domain; and if he will make a statement. [170549]

  Mr. Leslie
  A search of the National Archives' electronic catalogue provides details of records relating to the career of Rudolf Hess originating from several Government Departments and now kept at Kew. All of this material appears to be available for public consultation. Since Mr. Hess did not die until 1987, it is quite possible that more material relating to him is still held in Government Departments, in accordance with the 30-year rule and other provisions of the Public Records Acts.

  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs which documents relating to the late Duke of Windsor are withheld from public inspection in the Public Records Office, broken down by category; and if he will make a statement. [170541]

  Mr. Leslie
  Many public records relating to the Duke of Windsor, including some concerning his career after the Abdication in December 1936, were made available to the public for the first time on 30 January 2003. Further information about these and other records relating to the Duke kept at the National Archives can be obtained from its electronic catalogue on the internet at http://catalogue.pro.gov.uk. A search of the catalogue has not revealed any reference to the Duke's career which is not available for public consultation.

  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether all the documents relating to the death of the late Duke of Kent in 1942, with particular reference to
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  the itinerary of his final projected journey, are now in the public domain and available for inspection; and if he will make a statement. [170544]

  Mr. Leslie
  The National Archives holds some correspondence and papers relating to the Duke of Kent's fatal air crash in Caithness in August 1942, mainly among the Air Ministry records. It is not aware of any significant body of material concerning this matter in other public archives.

  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs which documents referring to personalities and events relating to the conflict in Ireland between 1919 and 1923 are withheld from inspection at the Public Records Office; and if he will make a statement. [170545]

  Mr. Leslie
  There is a considerable amount of material relating to the conflict in Ireland during this period, mainly but not exclusively among the historical records of the Cabinet Office, the War Office, the Colonial Office and the Home Office, now kept at the National Archives. It is not possible to supply a definitive answer concerning the availability of all this material without incurring disproportionate cost, but initial searches in the National Archives' electronic catalogue indicate that only a very few of the relevant files are not now open to public inspection.

  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs which documents relating to the Irish plenipotentiaries who negotiated the Treaty of 1921 with the United Kingdom Government are withheld from pubic inspection in the Public Records Office; and if he will make a statement. [170546]

  Mr. Leslie
  There is a full official record of the negotiations between the British Government and the Irish plenipotentiaries, which resulted in the Treaty of 6 December 1921, among the Cabinet Office records now kept at the National Archives, in particular series CAB 21, CAB 24, CAB 27 and CAB 43. These records are open for public consultation.

  The Royal Irish Constabulary's file on Michael Collins, one of the leading plenipotentiaries, covering the period 1916–1920, is also publicly available (reference: CO 904/196).

  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs which documents that relate to Anthony Blunt are withheld from public inspection in the Public Record Office, broken down by category; and if he will make a statement. [170547]

  Mr. Leslie
  An initial search of the electronic catalogue relating to public records kept by the National Archives does not reveal any records relating to Anthony Blunt which are not open to public inspection. However, since he remained a prominent public figure until his death in 1983, it is quite possible that some material relating to him held by Government Departments has yet to be transferred to the National Archives, in accordance with the 30-year rule and other provisions of the Public Records Acts.

  British-Irish Council
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the role of the British-Irish Council is in monitoring and co-ordinating the implementation of the provisions of the Charter for Regional and Minority Languages. [168815]

  Mr. Lammy
  The British-Irish Council does not have a role in monitoring and co-ordinating the implementation of the provision of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages. This is a matter for the Council of Europe and each of the Charter's ratified signatories. (Out of the BIC Members, only the UK and Ireland are members of the Council of Europe, and the UK is the only ratified signatory to the Charter.)

  The British-Irish Council however has a sectoral working group looking at Indigenous, Minority and Lesser-Used Languages, led by the Welsh Assembly Government. The work of the BIC in this area will complement current UK initiatives in respect of the Charter.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs when he intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 25 March with regard to Mr. Martin Rathfelder. [172259]

  Mr. Lammy
  The Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor wrote to the right hon. Member on 4 May in response to his letter of 25 March.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the dispute with the Bar over legal aid in criminal trials. [169800]

  Mr. Lammy
  Very high cost criminal cases (VHCCCs) represent around 1 per cent. of all Crown court cases but take up (currently) around 51 per cent. of Crown court expenditure (£250–300 million). Over the last three years the percentage increase in the cost of the most expensive 1,000 criminal cases in each year has been 14 per cent. The new contracting scheme, which now applies to all these cases, introduces greater control and works on the basis of fixed rates for both barristers and solicitors. Cases are paid for as each stage is completed. That is an advantage from the lawyer's point of view over the former system where cases are on average paid two years after their start.

  The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and I are concerned about the refusal by barristers to take on some very high cost criminal cases (VHCCCs) under the contracting regime which now applies to all cases. We have therefore set up a Review Committee with the Bar and Law Society to examine the VHCCC regime and report by 28 May 2004. The committee also includes the Legal Services Commission, the Treasury and the Crown Prosecution Service. I am pleased to note that

  485W
  the Chairman of the Bar has written to his members to help ensure that the essential public interest priorities are met pending the outcome of the review.

  The VHCCC Review Committee met for the first time on 26 April, under the chairmanship of Ian Magee CB (Second Permanent Secretary at the Department of Constitutional Affairs, and Chief Executive, Operations with responsibility for legal aid). There was a useful exchange of views between the Bar, the Law Society, my Department and the Crown Prosecution Service and a programme of rapid work has been agreed, which should enable a full report to be prepared by 28 May.

  The Review Committee's terms of reference are:
  "To examine the workings so far of the very high cost criminal case regime and to make recommendations on how its procedures and structures might be improved to provide a better service to clients and a better system for those working within it.

  The Review should consider:
  the management and bureaucracy of the Scheme, including the balance between cost management and professional judgment;
  whether there are opportunities to rebalance payments in the scheme to address anomalies;
  the validity of the categories;
  whether there would be advantage in extending the upper threshold of the graduated fee scheme (i.e. whether the graduated

  The Review is to report on 28 May, unless parties agree to extend.
  There is no commitment on the part of the Government to fund any measures, which would have the effect of increasing overall legal aid expenditure. But if the length of cases reduces overall, this may be reflected in increased rates."

  Legal Aid (NHS Cases)
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many(a) patients and (b) patients' families have received legal aid support for disputes with NHS trusts in the last five years. [166692]

  Mr. Lammy
  The information requested is not directly available. The Legal Services Commission's computer systems do not record the status of the person receiving legal aid nor do they indicate who the dispute is against. However, the Commission is able to provide figures for the number of funding certificates where the Commission has granted Legal Representation for actual or potential clinical negligence proceedings. The figures are not necessarily reflective of the number of individuals involved:

  Number

  1998–99

  7,867

  1999–2000

  7,375

  2000–01

  7,329

  2001–02

  7,309

  2002–03

  6,307

  The Commission has figures for the pre-representation legal advice and assistance stage only from April 2001. These are as follows—again the figures are not necessarily reflective of the number of individuals involved:
  486W

  Number

  2000–01

  4,550

  2001–02

  4,903

  2002–03

  4,554

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Anti-social Behaviour
  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Solicitor-General which areas will be covered by the new anti-social behaviour prosecutors; and what mechanisms are in place for spreading best practice in combating antisocial behaviour. [172930]

  The Solicitor-General
  The twelve Areas covered by the new anti-social behaviour prosecutors are: Northumbria, Lancashire, South Yorkshire, Merseyside, Manchester, West Mercia, Birmingham, South Wales, Avon and Somerset, Sussex, Kent and London (North Sector).

  The specialist prosecutors will be responsible for prosecuting anti-social behaviour cases and seeking orders on conviction.

  Best practice is shared on a regular basis via a central project team and a dedicated Crown Prosecution Service intranet bulletin board. The expert prosecutors will be holding regular meetings with the Attorney General where they will circulate local good practice and feed back practitioner impact.

  Those CPS Areas not included in the scope of the current project have now appointed lead anti-social behaviour prosecutors.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Regional Tourism
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding for tourism has been made available to each regional development agency (RDA) in the current year; and how much of this funding each RDA passed on(a) to its regional tourist board, (b) to local authorities, (c) to local and regional businesses and (d) for use for marketing. [172389]

  Mr. Caborn
  In 2004–05, the RDAs will receive £3.6 million specifically for tourism as follows:

  Amount (£)

  Advantage West Midlands

  252,000

  East of England Development Agency

  543,000

  East Midlands Development Agency

  252,000

  North West Development Agency

  713,000

  One North East

  333,000

  South East Development Agency

  744,000

  South West Regional Development Agency

  403,000

  Yorkshire Forward

  360,000

  This money is ring-fenced for the Regional Tourist Boards until the end of 2005–06. Those regions which no longer work with an RTB have sought the Department's approval to pass the money to other designated tourism

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  delivery bodies. The RDAs will determine what objectives and targets the RTBs or other organisations should meet in return for the funds, working as appropriate with local authorities and businesses.

  In the North East, ONE has taken over the core functions of the former Northumbria Tourist Board, and will retain the funding on the basis that it is ring-fenced for this purpose. In the North West, the NWDA has established four destination management organisations to take over the role of the former NW Tourist Board.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Disabled Facilities Grant
  Gregory Barker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been carried out of the effectiveness of abolishing the Disabled Facilities Grant means test for children in Northern Ireland. [172874]

  Spellar
  The abolition of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) means-test for parents of children with disabilities came into effect from 16 February 2004. It is therefore too early for any assessment of effectiveness to be carried out. The working group which was set up to look at the matter considered the potential impact of the abolition in terms of cost to the Government and numbers who could be helped by the abolition. It was estimated that 25–30 applications for DFG are withdrawn each year due to the high contribution.

  Homelessness
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) homeless and (b) other people living rough there are in Northern Ireland. [171798]

  Mr. Spellar
  The exact number of people "living rough" is unknown. However, a survey early this year estimated that between 20 and 30 people who frequently use Housing Executive funded Outreach services could be regarded as "living rough". The survey did not, however, attempt to determine whether they were statutorily homeless or not. This is a very small percentage compared the number of households on the Housing Executive's waiting list registered as homeless which at 31 March 2004 stood at 5,287.

  Sports Grounds
  Lady Hermon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the status of the Safe Sports Grounds funding made available for essential health and safety work to stadia in Northern Ireland; and how much funding has been made available(a) in each of the past three years and (b) since January for this purpose. [170249]

  Angela Smith
  The Interim Safe Sports Grounds Scheme ended in March 2003 and the Sports Council for Northern Ireland is currently planning development of a new Sports Grounds Development Programme, the main purpose of which is to address the long-term health and safety deficiencies of major sports grounds in 488W
  Northern Ireland. Government funding made available for the health and safety work to Northern Ireland stadia in each of the last three financial years.

  £ million

  Financial year

  Amount made available

  2001–02

  0.5

  2002–03

  1

  2003–04

  Nil

SCOTLAND

  Chernobyl
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farms in Scotland, comprising what land areas and in what locations, have restrictions applied to them in respect of land use as a result of the residual radioactivity from the Chernobyl nuclear accident. [169878]

  Mrs. McGuire
  This is a devolved matter within the responsibility of the Scottish Executive, who are advised by the Food Standards Agency. However, the following table from the Food Standards Agency shows the number of farms in Scotland, their location and area of land covered by restrictions on the movement of sheep as a result of the residual radioactivity from the Chernobyl nuclear accident. There have been no restrictions on land use as a result of the Chernobyl accident.

  Restrictions in Scotland at 30 April 2004

  Number

  Number of Farms

  14

  Land Area (hectares)

  16,300

  Location

  1—

  1South West and Central Scotland.

  Departmental Expenditure (Entertainment)
  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his latest estimate is of the amount spent by his Department on official entertainment in each year from 1996–97 to 2004–05. [169103]

  Mrs. McGuire
  The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.

  Since that date the Office has spent the following on hospitality and entertainment:

  £000

  1999–2000

  110,638

  2000–01

  41,638

  2001–02

  25,789

  2002–03

  41,782

  2003–042

  25,969

  1Part-year cost.

  2Estimate.

  Note:

  Expenditure for 2004–05 is expected to be of a similar order to 2003–04.

  Nuclear Power Plants (Air Security)
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport in respect of the breach of the air exclusion zone around the Chapel Cross nuclear plant this year; and what steps have been taken to improve air security around the plant. [171650]

  Mr. Timms
  I have been asked to reply.

  My officials have discussed this matter with the Ministry of Defence, who have confirmed that no breach of the air exclusion zone at the Chapel Cross nuclear power station has taken place.

  Telephone Costs
  Mr. Peter Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his Department's expenditure on(a) fixed and (b) mobile telephones was in each of the last five years. [165967]

  Mrs. McGuire
  The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.

  Since that date the Office has spend the following on telephone costs.

  £000

  Fixed lines

  Mobile telephones

  1999–2000

  136,622

  16,760

  2000–01

  85,483

  14,275

  2001–02

  86,697

  11,850

  2002–03

  81,756

  7,216

  2003–042

  82,131

  6,646

  1Part-year costs.

  2Estimate.

  Note:

  The costs in 2000–01, 2001–02 reflect the additional expense of purchase mobile telephone equipment.

  Timber
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [167617]

  Mrs. McGuire
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Environment, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on 10 May 2004.Official Report, column 31W.

TRANSPORT

  British Transport Police
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British Transport Police officers have been assaulted while on duty in each year since 1997. [171902]

  Mr. McNulty
  The British Transport Police (BTP) have provided the following information on officers assaulted while on duty in each year since 1997:
  490W

  Number of Officers assaulted

  1997–98

  187

  1998–99

  184

  1999–2000

  194

  2000–01

  227

  2001–02

  227

  2002–03

  213

  2003–04

  267

  Car Sharing
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research his Department has conducted into car-sharing schemes; and if he will place copies of such research findings in the Library; [172290]

  (2) what plans his Department has to provide guidance for local transport plans relating to car-sharing schemes. [172291]

  Mr. McNulty
  Research into the effectiveness of car sharing and other travel plan measures was published in 2002 in "Making Travel Plans Work: Research Report", copies of which were placed in the Library.

  Last year, the Department commissioned research into the influence of soft factors on travel demand. The final report, which will include a chapter on car sharing, is expected to be completed shortly and copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Following a commitment made in the Government's Response to the Motorist's Forum Report on car sharing and car clubs on 3 December 2002, Official Report, column 72WS, the Department has commissioned research into best practice in setting up formal car sharing and car club schemes in closed communities. From the research, we will provide new guidance for local authorities, schools and employers on the effective implementation of car share schemes. The research and guidance is expected to be completed in October and copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the locations of high occupancy vehicle lanes are; and how long each lane is. [172293]

  Mr. McNulty
  There are high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes operating in two local authorities in England: two lengths of HOV lane in Leeds totalling 1.5 km and four lengths totalling 1.9 km in South Gloucester.

  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has collated on the effectiveness of high occupancy vehicle lanes. [172294]

  Mr. McNulty
  The HOV lanes on Stanningley Road in Leeds are included as one of the case studies in the Bus Partnership Forum's Resource Pack "Bus Priority—The Way Ahead" published by the Department in September 2003. This reports the results of an evaluation of the HOV lanes carried out by Leeds City Council.

  Dual Carriageways (Nottinghamshire)
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the construction of the A46 dual carriageway improvement between Newark and Widmerpool in Nottinghamshire to begin. [171518]
  491W
  Dr. Howells
  The future programme depends on funding and how quickly the various statutory processes can be completed but we currently expect that start of works will be in 2007 with the road opening to traffic in 2009.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the construction of the A453 dual carriageway improvement between Clifton in Nottinghamshire and Kegworth to begin. [171519]

  Dr. Howells
  The future programme depends on funding and how quickly the various statutory processes can be completed but we currently expect that start of works will be in 2008–09 with the road opening to traffic in 2011.

  East-West Rail Route
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the proposed Western Section (Oxford to Bedford) of the East-West Rail route. [172170]

  Mr. McNulty
  The East-West Rail Consortium (a group of local authorities along the route, working in partnership with the regional assembly and the regional development agencies) has now put forward an updated business case for the Bedford to to Bletchley section of the East West Rail Link. This proposal involves upgrading and re-opening the line between Oxford and Bedford. Officials at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are considering the updated business case, particularly in light of the potential impact of the scheme on the delivery of the Sustainable Communities Plan. The Strategic Rail Authority is also considering the Bedford to Bletchley business case. Any appraisal will need to be considered against other priorities — and in the context of the financial constraints on the industry at the present time.

  Light Rapid Transit
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will make an announcement of his decision on the Light Rapid Transit project between Fareham, Gosport and Portsmouth. [172376]

  Mr. McNulty
  A decision will be announced in due course.

  London Underground PPP
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which management consultants undertook work for(a) his Department and its predecessor and (b) London Underground in respect of the London Underground Public Private Partnership; and if he will list the total payments in each management consultancy company. [171222]

  Mr. McNulty
  During procurement of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) the Department and London Underground made joint use of external advisers wherever possible to keep costs to a minimum. Management consultants used on the PPP were PricewaterhouseCoopers, Arthur Andersen, PA Consulting, KPMG, Hornagold & Hills and Ernst & Young. The value of work done by individual consultants and advisers is commercially confidential.492W
  London Underground's total expenditure for all external advice on the PPP— including management consultancy legal, financial, engineering and operational advice— was £103.5 million. The Department had separately spent £1.5 million on external advice.

  MOT Computerisation
  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in the testing of the MOT computerisation system by VOSA and Siemens Business Systems. [172132]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Siemens Business Services have fully completed four cycles of Main System Test and are in the process of completing a fifth. Trial stage 1 (VOSA Acceptance Testing) is due to begin on 21 June 2004.

  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with the planned two-month volunteer MOT trial at 50 garages. [172133]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Trials at 45 stations are due to begin on 2 August 2004.

  Volunteers have been sought and applicants are being sifted. Those who have been selected to conduct these initial trials will be notified shortly

  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the MOT computerisation programme will be installed in 1,000 MOT garages as planned; when the service is due to go live; and when it will be rolled out to other MOT garages. [172134]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The service is due to be rolled out and trialled in 1,000 MOT stations from, 27 September 2004 onwards. These stations will trial the service in parallel with, operating the current test administration protocols.

  The service is due to be rolled out to all MOT stations, and go live, from 29 November 2004.

  John Thurso
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the planned series of MOT computerisation seminars will take place; and what these seminars are planned to do. [172135]

  Mr. Jamieson
  VOSA runs a series of national MOT seminars each year. The subject of the 2004 round of seminars was MOT Computerisation; they took place between January and April. The seminars facilitate two-way communications between VOSA and the trade on issues relating to MOT testing. No further seminars are planned before roll-out starts to all stations.

  Productivity and Costs
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is for(a) increasing the productivity and (b) cutting the costs of (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies. [172182]

  Mr. McNulty
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 10 May 2004,Official Report, columns 148–49W. The Department for Transport has been working on proposals to meet the Chancellor's efficiency target. These proposals will be finalised as part of the 2004 Spending Review.

  Public Transport (Wirral, South)
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the effect of investment in railway improvements over the next 10 years upon residents of Wirral South. [172693]

  Mr. McNulty
  Merseyrail which operates local services in Wirral, South is a consistently high performer. Residents of Wirral, South will also benefit from the West Coast Main Line upgrade and the new TransPennine Express franchise to make fast inter-city journeys out of Liverpool. The TransPennine Express franchise, which commenced in February secures investment of around £260 million, which will include the introduction of a new fleet of 100 mph diesel trains leading to increased capacity, improved service quality and performance across the region.

  Railway Crimes
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many crimes of a sexual nature were committed on the railways in each year since 1997. [171910]

  Mr. McNulty
  The British Transport Police (BTP) have provided the following information on how many crimes of a sexual nature were committed on the railways in each year since 1997:

  Total number of offences recorded

  England and Wales

  Scotland

  1997–98

  719

  37

  1998–99

  1,185

  29

  1999–2000

  1,079

  34

  2000–01

  1,009

  31

  2001–02

  1,020

  34

  2002–03

  1,003

  29

  2003–04

  1,120

  36

  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many arrests have been made by the British Transport Police on railway property in each year since 1997. [171911]

  Mr. McNulty
  The British Transport Police (BTP) have provided the following information on arrests made on railway property in each year since 1999; information is not readily available for earlier than 1999.

  Total number of arrests

  1999–2000

  6,393

  2000–01

  6,788

  2001–02

  7,049

  2002–03

  7,434

  2003–04

  8,151

  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many arrests have been made by the British Transport Police in each year since 1997 for suspected crimes committed on property other than the railways. [171912]

  Mr. McNulty
  The British Transport Police (BTP) have provided the following information on arrests made for crimes committed on property other than the railways since 1997.
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  Arrests made for other forces including Scottish forces

  Total number of arrests

  1997–98

  1,119

  1998–99

  1,513

  1999–2000

  1,174

  2000–01

  1,175

  2001–02

  1,000

  2002–03

  760

  2003–04

  1,224

  Railway Stations
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many stations are not served by at least one train in each direction on one or more weekdays each week; [171941]

  (2) which stations are not served by trains on

  (a) Saturdays and (b) Sundays; [171942]

  (3) which stations are served by one train a week in each direction; [171943]

  (4) which stations are served by fewer than 14 trains a week. [171944]

  Mr. McNulty
  The information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost because it would involve very detailed analysis of the National Rail Timetable, table by table.

  Railway Travel Bans
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many individuals have been banned from travelling on the railways in each year since 1997. [171905]

  Mr. McNulty
  The British Transport Police (BTP) has only had the power to apply for ASBOs (antisocial behaviour orders) since December 2003. Since then the BTP have successfully applied for 52 orders. There are also presently 30 suspects who have football banning orders that stop people from travelling on the railway on certain match days.

  Rural Bus Services
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the numbers of (i) rural bus services and (ii) rural bus passengers during the last five years. [172518]

  Mr. McNulty
  We monitor annually the number of services supported by local authorities with funds provided under the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant (RBSG) scheme and the number of passenger journeys made on these services. In 1998, the year the grant was introduced, it provided 850 new and enhanced services, rising to over 2,100 services in 2002–03. In 2002–03 26 million passenger journeys were supported in England through RBSG.

  We have commissioned research into the impact of the Department's two funding streams for rural bus services, RBSG and the Rural Bus Challenge. A report is on the Department's website
  495W
  We also monitor the accessibility of rural communities to bus services through the National Travel Survey. The latest Survey published in December 2003 shows 48 per cent. of rural households to be within a 10 minutes walk of an hourly or better bus service compared to 39 per cent. in the 1997–1999 Survey. This shows the position for all bus services, including those supported by RBSG.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Government funding has been provided for rural bus services in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [172519]

  Mr. McNulty
  The following table shows specific rural bus funding provided by Government since 1998 the year each of the funding schemes concerned were introduced:

  £ million

  Countryside Agency grants1

  Rural Bus Challenge2

  Rural Bus Subsidy Grant

  Total

  1998–99

  2.3

  11.4

  24.1

  37.8

  1999–2000

  3.3

  16.8

  32.0

  52.1

  2000–01

  4.8

  21.2

  32.3

  58.2

  2001–02

  7.5

  20.5

  41.2

  69.2

  2002–03

  13.5

  20.0

  47.3

  80.8

  2003–04

  35

  20.3

  48.4

  103.7

  1 Countryside Agency Grants 1998–2000 Rural Transport Partnership (RTF) and Rural Transport Development Fund, since 2001 RTF and Parish Transport Grant.

  2 Rural Bus Challenge funding awarded for projects typically lasting 2–3 years

  In addition local transport authorities use some of their general funding to subsidise socially necessary local bus services in rural areas, and Bus Service Operators Grant is paid to bus operators and community transport providers.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the expected level of subsidy for rural bus services for future years. [172520]

  Mr. McNulty
  As announced in the 2003 Budget, Rural Bus Subsidy Grant will continue until April 2006. Allocations to local authorities for 2005–06 will be announced in due course. Decisions on the grant beyond that year, and on the future of the Rural Bus Challenge scheme, will be announced following completion of the current review of bus subsidies and the Government's Spending Review.

  Shell Haven
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the risk relating to explosives remaining on the SS Richard Montgomery in the Thames from the possible operation of Shell Haven Port; and if he will make a statement. [172560]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The main Yantlet shipping channel is over 2 km from the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery, and is separated by the extensive Nore Sands sandbank. This whole area lies within Port of London Authority jurisdiction, and they have undertaken a risk assessment of the whole London 496W
  Gateway Project. This suggests that there would be no additional risk from vessel movements which could not be handled by the Vessel Traffic Services.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many special advisers and political advisers were employed by his Department and its predecessors in each year since 1997. [171962]

  Mr. McNulty
  The following table states the numbers of special advisers employed in the Department for Transport and its predecessors since 1997.

  Title of Department

  Number of special advisers in post

  2004

  Department for Transport

  1

  2003

  Department for Transport

  2

  2002

  Department for Transport

  2

  2001

  Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions

  2

  2000

  Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions

  1

  1999

  Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions

  1

  1998

  Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions

  2

  1997

  Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions

  2

  Speed Cameras
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cameras at legacy sites meet the Government's criteria for the siting of speed cameras; and if he will make a statement. [171892]

  Mr. Jamieson
  These safety camera sites were established before the current criteria for location of new safety cameras, under the guidance contained in the 1992 Circular 'Use of technology for traffic enforcement: Guidance on deployment', which asked highway authorities to base sites on systematic analysis of accident statistics, but did not set quantified criteria.

  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money raised through speed cameras has been returned to the Treasury in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. [171893]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Safety Camera Partnerships operating within the cost recovery scheme returned £6,281,051 of their receipts resulting from fixed penalty fines to the Treasury in 2001–02. The figures for 2002–03 will be available shortly. All fine receipts resulting from safety cameras operated outside the cost recovery scheme accrue to the Treasury. I am advised by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary that information on the amount of these receipts relating to convictions from safety cameras is not separately identifiable.

  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many legacy camera sites maintained cameras with film in them on 31 March. [171921]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Any safety camera housing may have a camera operating in it at any time, deployment of cameras around safety camera sites is a police operational matter.

  Timber
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [167619]

  Mr. McNulty
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Agri-Environment on 10 May 2004,Official Report, column 31W.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Bangladesh
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action the Department is taking to implement the aid and assistance work it is undertaking with regard to the Second Primary Education Development Programme in Bangladesh in other countries(a) within South East Asia and (b) in the rest of the developing world. [172501]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  The Second Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP2) in Bangladesh is distinctive in that it is part of a sector wide programme supported by all donors. It thus replaces all previous separate education projects funded by donors. It is Government led, with donor inputs coordinated by a joint donor office headed by the lead donor, the Asian development bank. DFID is one of the largest donors having approved £100 million over six years. The programme is focused on improving access and quality in primary education.

  PEDP2 is in the early stages of implementation. As the programme progresses we will disseminate lessons learnt to other parts of South East Asia and other developing countries where primary education is a priority sector. Harmonised support for sector wide programmes in education is DFID's preferred way of working and similar programmes are currently running, or being developed in, many of the over 30 developing countries, mostly in South Asia and in sub-Saharan Africa, where DFID supports primary education for all children.

  Burma (EU Sanctions)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of EU sanctions on Burma. [171692]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  The EU Common Position was strengthened last year, in response to the violent attack on and subsequent detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the National League for Democracy (NLD). DFID considers that the effect of EU measures do have a real impact on the military regime. They signal how seriously the EU takes the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) breaches of international standards of behaviour and helps to provide support for the pro-democracy forces.

  The EU Common Position aims to apply targeted sanctions against the regime to persuade the SPDC of the need for political progress, but as far as is possible, to avoid measures which hurt the ordinary Burmese people.
  498W
  In keeping with the EU Common Position, DFID spent £3.4 million during 2003–04 on initiatives largely focussed on HIV/Aids and health services for the poor and on refugees. DFID's future focus will be on these areas, as well as on food security, and quality basic education for poor people. DFID has consulted with the NLD about our approach and focus.

  Child Mortality (Pakistan and India)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the latest under five mortality rate is in(a) Pakistan and (b) India. [172455]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  The World Bank 2003 Development Indicators records the following for under five mortality:(a) 109 per 1,000 live births in Pakistan in 2001, and
  (b) 93 per 1,000 live births in India in 2001.

  Commission for Africa
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the budget is for the Commission for Africa, broken down by(a) staffing costs, (b) consultancy costs, (c) communication costs, (d) expenses and (e) other available budget headings. [172562]

  Hilary Benn
  The budget for the Commission for Africa will not be finally agreed until Commissioners have drawn up their work plans in consultation with the Commission for Africa Secretariat. This will take place over the coming month. Following these discussions the overall budget may increase and the allocation between budget headings change. The current breakdown over 14 months is:

  (a) staffing costs (including salaries, staff travel, training and office costs): £1,115,000;

  (b) consultancy costs: currently there is no budget heading covering consultancies, but we plan to use the £700,000 originally earmarked for Commissioners' staff for this purpose;

  (c) communication costs: currently there is no budget heading covering communication costs, though we have allocated £20,000 for the production of the final report;

  (d) expenses: staff travel is included within the staffing costs budget heading. The allocation for Commissioners' travelling expenses is £144,000;

  (e) Consultation meetings across Africa and elsewhere on the work of the Commission: £1,200,000;

  (f) Commission meeting costs (venue hire, meal booking, press conference costs, transcription, vehicle hire, security): £240,000.

  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how many people the Commission for Africa will employ when it is fully staffed; [172563]

  (2) how many people the Commission for Africa employs. [172561]

  Hilary Benn
  The Secretariat to the Commission for Africa currently consists of 14 full-time members of staff and is looking to recruit up to six more people over the next month, which will bring the staff total to 20. More staff may be recruited over the coming year to undertake expert analysis.

  Democratic Republic of Congo
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the outcomes were of the discussions that the Minister had with President Kabila, Vice President Ruberwa, Vice President Bemba and Foreign Minister Ghonda on his recent trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo. [172503]

  Hilary Benn
  I visited the DRC recently to discuss the transition process with the President and Vice-Presidents. We agreed that the TNG and the international community needed to focus on making the transition work by addressing the critical security issues and establishing the necessary stable environment for the elections planned for next year.

  Departmental Procurement
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of the(a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by his Department over the last five years is of British manufacture. [170803]

  Hilary Benn
  All procurement decisions are taken on grounds of value for money. Crockery, cutlery and glassware for our staff restaurants are purchased by our catering contractors, who have operated our current London staff restaurant for 2½years. All of the crockery and cutlery purchased was manufactured in Great Britain. Glassware is of French origin. Information regarding procurement by our previous contractors is not readily available and could be obtained only by incurring a disproportionate cost.

  Early Retirement
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many employees in his Department took early retirement, and at what total cost, in the last financial year. [172176]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  In the last financial year there were 19 early retirements from DFID. One retirement was on medical grounds with the remainder on compulsory terms.

  The total cost of these early retirements will be £1,609,274.97 of which £935,024.79 was paid during 2003–04.

  Education Workers (Overseas Recruitment)
  Tom Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department's overseas offices offer to UK-based recruitment agencies in the recruitment of education workers from overseas; and how many staff in his Department were involved in offering such assistance on the latest date for which figures are available. [171500]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  DFID overseas offices have not offered such assistance.

  Iraq
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received concerning the adequacy of firefighting outfits used by Iraqi firefighters; what assessment he has made of the 500W
  asbestos-lined suit they use; what plans he has to provide urgent and direct aid to upgrade the quality of the firefighters' outfit; and if he will make a statement. [172278]

  Hilary Benn
  DFID has received no information on, nor undertaken any assessment of, the adequacy of Iraqi fire fighters' suits. Our plans for assistance to Iraq do not include the upgrading of fire fighters' suits.

  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what arrangements are in place for accountability of the Coalition Development Fund for Iraq; what demands for accountability have been made by the Independent Monitoring Board; what the policy is of(a) the UK Government and (b) the Coalition Provisional Authority on each demand; what has happened to the £7.6 billion surplus from the oil-for-food programme which was transferred to the Coalition Development Fund; and if he will make a statement. [172280]

  Hilary Benn
  All funds in the Development Fund for Iraq are subject to audit by the International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB), created under UN Security Council Resolution 1483. The role of the Board is to ensure that the Development Fund for Iraq is used in a transparent manner for the benefit of the people of Iraq, and that export sales of petroleum, petroleum products, and natural gas from Iraq are made consistent with prevailing international market best practices. The Board consists of representatives of the UN, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

  DFID is unaware of any specific demands for accountability from the IAMB. As recorded in the statement following their 23 April meeting (www.iamb.info) the IAMB continue to work closely with the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and others in the achievement of their objectives.

  Surplus funds received from the oil-for-food programme, above those required to complete existing contracts, are paid into the Development Fund for Iraq. Like other funds, including oil revenues, seized and vested assets, their allocation is decided by the CPA Programme Review Board. These allocations are then subject to IAMB oversight.

  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Iraq. [172295]

  Hilary Benn
  In spite of continuing security problems, there is no widespread humanitarian crisis in Iraq. Iraqi Ministries, United Nations agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, NGOs and Iraqi citizens have been working together to assist people affected by the recent fighting in Falluja, and have made preparations for the provision of emergency humanitarian assistance, if required, in other parts of Iraq. An Emergency Co-ordination Group has been established to ensure the effective coordination of emergency assistance in Iraq. Its membership includes UN agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and NGOs.

  US$32 billion in grants and soft loans was pledged for the reconstruction of Iraq at the Madrid Donors' Conference in October last year. DFID has committed

  501W
  £278 million to humanitarian and reconstruction work in Iraq since the beginning of 2003. Over the last year, Iraqi Ministries, together with the Coalition Provisional Authority and aid agencies, have made significant progress in restoring essential services, maintaining the Public Distribution System for food rations, reopening hospitals and schools and beginning the process of longer-term reconstruction.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has received about the current humanitarian situation in Iraq. [172465]

  Hilary Benn
  I receive representations from many sources about assistance to Iraq. Since the 2003 conflict, most of Iraq's requirements have been for reconstruction rather than for immediate humanitarian assistance. At the Madrid Donors' Conference in October last year, the Government pledged a total of £544 million in assistance to Iraq for the three years from April 2003. DFID has so far committed £278 million in humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in Iraq since March 2003.

  Primary Schools (Pakistan and India)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the ratio is of girls to boys enrolled in primary school in(a) Pakistan and (b) India. [172456]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas: The World Bank 2003 Development Indicators record the following for the ratio of girls to boys enrolled in primary school:
  (a) 58 per cent. for Pakistan in 2000
  (b) 83 per cent. for India in 2000.

  Tuberculosis
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reasons there has been slippage on his Department's public service agreement target to increase the tuberculosis case detection rate above 70 per cent. [172452]

  Hilary Benn
  The target to detect 70 per cent. of (smear positive) Tuberculosis (TB) cases globally by 2005 was set by the World Health Assembly and forms the basis for DFID's public service agreement target. Much progress has been made. In 2002 an estimated 37 per cent. of estimated new smear positive cases were notified under the internationally recommended control strategy for TB (DOTS), an increase from 27 per cent. in 2001 and halfway towards the 2005 target.

  However, even with these encouraging recent trends at current progress the case detection rate will only be 50 per cent. by 2005. Concerted international action is needed to overcome challenges to scale up effective TB programmes in high burden countries, including strengthening political commitment, health systems, human resource capacity, primary health care provision, private sector and corporate sector contributions and working with poverty reduction strategies. DFID is committed to playing its role in accelerating progress towards the 2005 target as an active member of the Stop TB partnership.
  502W
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what the latest tuberculosis cure treatment rate is in each of the countries covered by his Public Service Agreement target. [172454]

  Hilary Benn
  The cure rates for tuberculosis in 2001, measured by Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) treatment success rate in countries where DFID has a Public Service Agreement are listed in the 2004 World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Control report. Figures for 2002 are not yet available.

  country

  Internationally recommended control strategy for TB (DOTS) treatment success rate (Percentage)

  Africa

  Ethiopia

  76

  Democratic Republic of Congo

  77

  Ghana

  42

  Kenya

  80

  Malawi

  70

  Mozambique

  77

  Nigeria

  79

  Rwanda

  161

  Sierra Leone

  80

  South Africa

  65

  Lesotho

  71

  Sudan

  80

  Tanzania

  81

  Uganda

  56

  Zambia

  75

  Zimbabwe

  71

  Asia

  Bangladesh

  84

  China

  96

  Pakistan

  77

  India

  85

  1 in 2000–01 figure not yet known

  Turkey/Armenia Border
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the Department's assessment is of the economic development effects of the opening of the border between Turkey and Armenia for(a) Turkey and (b) the Caucasus states. [172505]

  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  DFID has not made a detailed assessment of possible economic benefits of the opening of the border between Turkey and Armenia. In general, the opening of borders between states tends to lead to improved trade and economic growth. DFID's bilateral programme for the region promotes good-governance, conflict reduction and pro-poor economic growth. Successful implementation of these programmes will have a positive impact on the wider issues of cross border co-operation and trade.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the Department's most recent assessment is of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe. [172499]

  Hilary Benn
  There have been significant humanitarian needs in Zimbabwe for nearly three years as a result of the Government of Zimbabwe's misguided economic policies, including the poorly implemented
  503W
  fast track land programme. These needs are exacerbated by the effect of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and erratic rainfall.

  The current Emergency Operation of the World Food Programme and the general distributions by NGOs whom we fund directly are beginning to wind down as this year's crop is now being harvested. The harvest should temporarily make food available to the majority of the population.

  The Government of Zimbabwe have cancelled the joint crop assessment with WFP and FAO, claimed that they will produce 2.4 million MT of maize, and declared that international food aid will not be needed this year. The UK and other donors do not believe that the Zimbabwean Government's crop forecast is credible and regret the cancellation of the joint crop assessment which would have provided an internationally accepted basis on which to plan for humanitarian operations later this year. The UN and the rest of the international community have consistently made clear to the Zimbabwean authorities that their lack of transparency in dealing with humanitarian issues, including their plans to import food, makes it more difficult for us to respond effectively. We and other donors will nevertheless continue to work with the UN and other agencies to monitor the humanitarian position in Zimbabwe. Households most likely to be in need of assistance will be those with no access to land or income that are also affected by HIV/AIDS or include orphans, disabled children and the elderly.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Business Regulation
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 28 April 2004,Official Report, column 1151W, on business regulation, how many regulatory impact statements have been issued by her Department in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement. [171595]

  Nigel Griffiths: This information could only be obtained by a manual sift.

  The Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) is a paragraph that can be included in the Cabinet paper or ministerial letter to colleagues seeking collective agreement to a proposals that impacts on business.

  Call Centre Industry
  Mr. Best
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of future employment prospects in the UK call centre industry. [170284]

  Ms Hewitt
  My Department published on 6 May a report of the study we commissioned to look at the competitiveness of the UK call and contact centre industry. The study which covers a wide range of call centre issues forecasts that the UK industry is to gain around 200,000 jobs in the next three years, directly employing over a million people by 2007.

  Energy Supply
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with the governments of(a) Russia, (b) Algeria, (c) Qatar and (d) other countries, in connection with securing supplies of gas for importing to the UK; and if she will make a statement. [172545]

  Mr. Timms
  Chapter six of the Energy White Paper clearly lays out our policy with regard to the security of gas supplies for the UK. Para 6.5 states:"Our role is to continually monitor developments, and to create a competitive market place, including through good international relations, within which liberalised markets will deliver energy reliability."

  To this end my Ministers and officials have over the past year held a number of meetings with representatives of foreign governments.

  On June 26 2003 during the State Visit of President Putin of Russia we held the "Russia UK Energy Conference: Long Term Partners" bringing together politicians, officials and the private sectors from both countries to discuss possible areas for energy cooperation. The event culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in which the UK and Russia agreed to work closely together on the North European Gas Pipeline. During the visit I met with Deputy Prime Minister Kudrin and discussed a wide range of matters.

  This event was followed up by a UK Russia Energy Roundtable held in London on 3 March 2004 at which the public and private sectors of both the UK and Russia came together to share perspectives on the development of Russia's hydrocarbon reserves.

  On 2 October 2003, I announced the agreement of the key principles of a Framework Agreement with Norway which will among other things govern the building of a pipeline to supply Norwegian gas from the Ormen Lange field to the UK. It is anticipated that the agreement itself will be complete by the end of 2004 and the pipeline will become operational by 2007.

  On Thursday 26 February 2004 I met with Mr. Khelil, the Energy Minister of Algeria. The BP/Sonatrach joint venture aimed at bringing new supplies of LNG to the UK was among other matters discussed

  On Wednesday 10 March 2004 I met with the Qatari Minister of Energy H.E. Abdullah Hamad Al Attiyah. The possibility of Exxon Mobil supplying Qatari LNG to the UK on a long-term contract was amongst other matters discussed.

  I will lead a British Government delegation to the International Energy Forum to be held in Amsterdam from May 22 to 24 2004. This is a major opportunity for discussion on oil and gas security issues both on a bilateral and multilateral basis with representatives of key producing states.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in agreeing the future financial governance of the Export Credits Guarantee Department. [172733]
  505W
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  ECGD's governance arrangements have recently been strengthened with the creation of the new position of Chair of its Management Board, to work alongside the Chief Executive. Both these positions have recently been filled by appointees from the private sector, who will bring valuable commercial experience to ECGD. Further changes to financial governance will be put in place with the establishment of a Trading Fund; Ministers are presently considering the arrangements for this and an announcement will be made in due course.

  Invest-UK
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the resource budget of Invest-UK was in each year between 1999 and 2002. [171593]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The resource budgets of Invest UK (and its forerunner the Invest In Britain Bureau) for financial years 1999–2000 to 2001–02 were as follows:

  1999–2000
  £17.8 million, of which £11.1 million was allocated to grant in aid for Regional Development Agencies; £4.1million to Invest UK promotional expenditure, and £2.6 million to local running costs.

  2000–01
  £20.9 million, of which £12.2 million was allocated to grant in aid for Regional Development Agencies; £6.1 million to Invest UK promotional expenditure, and £2.6 million to local running costs.

  20011–02
  £21.0 million, of which £12.4 million was allocated to grant in aid for Regional Development Agencies; £5.7 million to Invest UK promotional expenditure, and £2.9 million to local running costs.
  12001–02 was the first year that departmental Resource Accounts were prepared on an accruals basis.

  Miners' Compensation Scheme
  Adam Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average number of coal health compensation claims settled each month was in(a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales since the scheme began; how many claims are awaiting settlement; and what the timetable is for settling outstanding claims. [170873]

  Nigel Griffiths
  As of 6 May 2004 the figures for Respiratory Disease are as follows:

  Month settled

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Total

  1996

  January

  2

  —

  3

  5

  1996

  February

  10

  1

  14

  25

  1996

  April

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1996

  May

  1

  —

  1

  2

  1996

  June

  3

  —

  —

  3

  1997

  September

  2

  —

  —

  2

  1997

  October

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1997

  December

  2

  2

  —

  4

  1998

  January

  1

  1

  —

  2

  1998

  February

  2

  1

  2

  5

  1998

  March

  12

  1

  2

  15

  1998

  April

  10

  —

  2

  12

  1998

  May

  18

  1

  1

  20

  1998

  June

  21

  —

  2

  23

  1998

  July

  36

  —

  4

  40

  1998

  August

  10

  —

  1

  11

  1998

  September

  5

  —

  37

  42

  506W

  Month settled

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Total

  1998

  October

  14

  1

  1

  16

  1998

  November

  12

  —

  —

  12

  1998

  December

  12

  —

  2

  14

  1999

  January

  10

  1

  3

  14

  1999

  February

  2

  —

  1

  3

  1999

  March

  28

  —

  3

  31

  1999

  April

  16

  —

  7

  23

  1999

  May

  22

  2

  18

  42

  1999

  June

  20

  —

  4

  24

  1999

  July

  46

  —

  13

  59

  1999

  August

  41

  —

  11

  52

  1999

  September

  91

  5

  93

  189

  1999

  October

  120

  21

  76

  217

  1999

  November

  157

  78

  63

  298

  1999

  December

  120

  36

  38

  194

  2000

  January

  344

  50

  63

  457

  2000

  February

  345

  13

  110

  468

  2000

  March

  346

  13

  104

  463

  2000

  April

  252

  23

  54

  329

  2000

  May

  161

  48

  48

  257

  2000

  June

  274

  50

  47

  371

  2000

  July

  253

  11

  61

  325

  2000

  August

  217

  17

  30

  264

  2000

  September

  190

  14

  31,235

  2000

  October

  140

  2

  19

  161

  2000

  November

  352

  19

  56

  427

  2000

  December

  794

  6

  100

  900

  2001

  January

  830

  16

  109

  955

  2001

  February

  779

  234

  79

  1,092

  2001

  March

  1,199

  164

  80

  1,443

  2001

  April

  623

  41

  58

  722

  2001

  May

  619

  46

  88

  753

  2001

  June

  441

  31

  90

  562

  2001

  July

  808

  47

  145

  1,000

  2001

  August

  717

  53

  125

  895

  2001

  September

  936

  41

  107

  1,084

  2001

  October

  1,091

  79

  128

  1,298

  2001

  November

  826

  86

  384

  1,296

  2001

  December

  645

  58

  208

  911

  2002

  January

  1,009

  70

  303

  1,382

  2002

  February

  1,179

  74

  452

  1,705

  2002

  March

  1,148

  66

  529

  1,743

  2002

  April

  1,272

  80

  520

  1,872

  2002

  May

  1,447

  85

  711

  2,243

  2002

  June

  1,033

  90

  981

  2,104

  2002

  July

  1,836

  138

  695

  2,669

  2002

  August

  1,386

  92

  653

  2,131

  2002

  September

  2,302

  143

  1,303

  3,748

  2002

  October

  3,066

  277

  1,836

  5,179

  2002

  November

  3,497

  383

  1,365

  5,245

  2002

  December

  2,167

  340

  1,211

  3,718

  2003

  January

  3,768

  277

  1,229

  5,274

  2003

  February

  3,472

  236

  1,172

  4,880

  2003

  March

  3,594

  273

  1,000

  4,867

  2003

  April

  3,091

  283

  910

  4,284

  2003

  May

  2,943

  302

  741

  3,986

  2003

  June

  3,159

  366

  1,007

  4,532

  2003

  July

  3,580

  256

  818

  4,654

  2003

  August

  3,164

  191

  992

  4,347

  2003

  September

  3,571

  347

  888

  4,806

  2003

  October

  4,254

  402

  906

  5,562

  2003

  November

  3,025

  366

  920

  4,311

  2003

  December

  3,006

  283

  670

  3,959

  2004

  January

  3,801

  238

  693

  4,732

  2004

  February

  3,525

  342

  585

  4,452

  2004

  March

  4,662

  397

  785

  5,844

  2004

  April

  4,074

  448

  701

  5,223

  Total Settlements

  92,059

  8,159

  27,303

  127,521

  Total Receipts

  426,470

  41,133

  90,480

  558,083

  Total Outstanding

  334,411

  32,974

  63,177

  430,562

  Notes:

  1. Total settlements include claims settled by denial/withdrawal.

  2. Claim receipts are those claims that are fully registered. These figures exclude claims registered partially on the website (yet to be fully registered within ICMS due to a submission error during input) and claims held within the holding policy (pool of claims

  507W
  accepted with minimum data, awaiting further information to permit cross referencing and duplicate checks prior to full registration).

  With regard to the timetable for settling outstanding claims, I refer my hon. Friend to House of Lords, Official Report, of 21 April 2004, column WA49.

  As of 6 May 2004 the figures for Vibration White Finger are as follows:

  Month settled

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Total

  1996

  January

  139

  2

  1

  142

  1996

  February

  2

  2

  —

  4

  1996

  April

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1996

  May

  3

  —

  —

  3

  1996

  June

  3

  —

  2

  5

  1996

  July

  2

  —

  —

  2

  1996

  August

  1

  1

  1996

  November

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1997

  February

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1997

  April

  15

  —

  14

  29

  1997

  May

  28

  9

  32

  69

  1997

  June

  89

  35

  23

  147

  1997

  July

  55

  56

  49

  160

  1997

  August

  54

  55

  27

  136

  1997

  September

  93

  41

  72

  206

  1997

  October

  33

  20

  13

  66

  1997

  November

  31

  13

  32

  76

  1997

  December

  23

  38

  11

  72

  1998

  January

  44

  18

  28

  90

  1998

  February

  50

  75

  107

  232

  1998

  March

  87

  29

  50

  166

  1998

  April

  58

  18

  40

  116

  1998

  May

  91

  18

  21

  130

  1998

  June

  75

  45

  32

  152

  1998

  July

  102

  68

  41

  211

  1998

  August

  47

  21

  23

  91

  1998

  September

  38

  40

  19

  97

  1998

  October

  100

  30

  8

  138

  1998

  November

  164

  27

  36

  227

  1998

  December

  179

  18

  12

  209

  1999

  January

  67

  6

  17

  90

  1999

  February

  38

  3

  3

  44

  1999

  March

  93

  1

  26

  120

  1999

  April

  180

  7

  15

  202

  1999

  May

  236

  22

  15

  273

  1999

  June

  185

  32

  24

  241

  1999

  July

  212

  16

  211

  439

  1999

  August

  288

  12

  76

  376

  1999

  September

  313

  16

  60

  389

  1999

  October

  360

  14

  130

  504

  1999

  November

  412

  19

  196

  627

  1999

  December

  382

  13

  173

  568

  2000

  January

  286

  49

  95

  430

  2000

  February

  280

  22

  36

  338

  2000

  March

  405

  32

  90

  527

  2000

  April

  245

  30

  61

  336

  2000

  May

  328

  53

  132

  513

  2000

  June

  431

  84

  153

  668

  2000

  July

  316

  104

  113

  533

  2000

  August

  350

  32

  76

  458

  2000

  September

  245

  43

  70

  358

  2000

  October

  374

  59

  122

  555

  2000

  November

  359

  22

  68

  449

  2000

  December

  217

  15

  48

  280

  2001

  January

  296

  26

  78

  600

  2001

  February

  414

  61

  98

  573

  2001

  March

  584

  38

  116

  738

  2001

  April

  455

  153

  99

  707

  2001

  May

  583

  80

  104

  767

  2001

  June

  525

  37

  94

  656

  2001

  July

  740

  68

  211

  1,019

  2001

  August

  771

  43

  179

  993

  2001

  September

  745

  51

  133

  929

  2001

  October

  1,994

  109

  413

  2,516

  2001

  November

  492

  45

  136

  673

  508W

  Month settled

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Total

  2001

  December

  395

  32

  100

  527

  2002

  January

  1,113

  134

  270

  1,517

  2002

  February

  1,467

  59

  175

  1,701

  2002

  March

  2,391

  56

  292

  2,739

  2002

  April

  3,944

  119

  467

  4,530

  2002

  May

  1,987

  113

  446

  2,546

  2002

  June

  1,057

  54

  181

  1,292

  2002

  July

  1,157

  48

  149

  1,354

  2002

  August

  910

  34

  135

  1,079

  2002

  September

  683

  36

  154

  873

  2002

  October

  1,343

  85

  182

  1,610

  2002

  November

  1,102

  129

  256

  1,487

  2002

  December

  1,393

  45

  294

  1,732

  2003

  January

  1,954

  54

  452

  2,460

  2003

  February

  1,610

  58

  319

  1,987

  2003

  March

  2,390

  112

  504

  3,006

  2003

  April

  1,767

  115

  244

  2,126

  2003

  May

  3,074

  143

  284

  3,501

  2003

  June

  2,930

  115

  225

  3,270

  2003

  July

  2,868

  74

  360

  3,302

  2003

  August

  2,077

  82

  182

  2,341

  2003

  September

  2,111

  146

  201

  2,458

  2003

  October

  2,921

  80

  166

  3,167

  2003

  November

  2,496

  122

  299

  2,917

  2003

  December

  2,344

  84

  114

  2,542

  2004

  January

  2,444

  75

  181

  2,700

  2004

  February

  1,410

  64

  130

  1,604

  2004

  March

  1,606

  79

  295

  1,980

  2004

  April

  1,696

  106

  183

  1,985

  Total Settlements

  70,450

  4,748

  11,604

  86,802

  Total Receipts

  137,158

  11,480

  20,936

  169,574

  Total Outstanding

  66,708

  6,732

  9,332

  82,772

  Most general damage claims for VWF should be settled in 2005 with most claims for Services settled in 2007.

  Nuclear Installations
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has received on the adequacy of protection measures against malevolent adversaries and terrorists at nuclear installations. [173342]

  Mr. Timms
  My officials are in frequent contact with the Office for Civil Nuclear Security about security arrangements and the protection of civil nuclear sites.

  It is not Government policy to disclose the substance of those discussions and assessments, since such information may be of potential use to terrorists. However, the Director of Civil Nuclear Security publishes an annual report on the state of security in the civil nuclear industry and the effectiveness of security regulation. His next report is due this summer.

  Post Office Closures
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many sub-post offices have been closed in(a) Cambridgeshire and (b) the constituency of Huntingdon in each year since 1997. [172632]

  Mr. Timms
  I am advised by Post Office Ltd. that data on post office closures by county or Parliamentary constituency is not available in the form requested as the company does not require this data for its operational purposes. However, I understand that since March 2000 the company has recorded details of post office closures
  509W
  on the basis of Government region and in the East of England region as a whole, the numbers of net closures were as follows:

  Region: East of England

  Number

  2000–01

  70

  2001–02

  21

  2002–03

  33

  Post Office Ltd. produces statistics on post office closures on a quarterly basis. The latest data on net closures by region currently available for year 2003–04 is to the end of December 2003. Data for the quarter to end March 2004 is expected shortly. There were 61 net closures of post offices in the East of England region to the end of December 2003. These figures include a total of 55 closures in the East of England region under the urban reinvention programme since its commencement in late 2002.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to make it obligatory for renewable energy developers to deliver community benefit. [170174]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 12 May 2004]: I have no plans to do so. However the Department is commissioning a study of the actual and potential impact of community benefits schemes on the deployment of renewable, especially wind, energy projects.

  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken to facilitate negotiations between renewable energy developers and local communities affected by wind farm development regarding the calculation and delivery of community benefit. [170175]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 12 May 2004]: The community impact of wind farm developments, and any possible compensating benefits, should be addressed through the planning process in the normal way.

  The Department is commissioning a study of the actual and potential impact of community benefits schemes on the deployment of renewable, especially wind, energy projects.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the effect of trends in renewable energy upon residents in Wirral, South. [170378]

  Mr. Timms
  As I far as I am aware recent trends in investment have not led directly to new renewables capacity in Wirral South itself. For details of developments in the surrounding Liverpool area I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Crosby (Mrs. Curtis-Thomas) on 25 March 2004,Official Report, column 1109W, my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 28 April 2004, Official Report, columns 1162–63W and my hon. Friend the Member for Bootle (Mr. Benton) on 11 May 2004, Official Report, column 248W.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Accountancy Services
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the(a) nature and (b) value was of all contracts, consultancies or other services placed with the accountancy firms (i) Deloitte & Touche, (ii) Ernst & Young, (iii) KPMG and (iv) PricewaterhouseCoopers since 2000–01 by the Department and its agencies. [166090]

  Yvette Cooper
  Since the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established on 29 May 2002, the value of contracts placed with the suppliers detailed in the question are listed as follows, along with the values of those let by agencies. The nature of all the contracts can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  £

  ODPM

  Deloitte & Touche

  1,279,920

  Ernst & Young

  12,120,102

  KPMG

  3,329,904

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  5,108,650

  The Planning Inspectorate

  KPMG

  156,921

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  17,625

  The Fire Service College

  Deliotte & Touche

  9,037

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  68,258

  The QE2 Conference Centre has not placed any contracts with the consultancy firms in question.

  Deprivation
  Richard Burden
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what arrangements are being made with(a) local authorities and (b) other agencies to publish by district council information on pockets of deprivation identified by the new index of deprivation. [172028]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Indices of Deprivation 2004, published on 26 April, contains information on small pockets of deprivation. These are known as super output areas and cover between 1,000 and 3,000 people. The published information contains a rank and score for each super output area as well as the local authority and Government office region in which it is located.

  Fire Service
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to ensure that fire services for which their departments are responsible are aware of the Government's commitment to a change agenda following the Independent Review of the Fire Service. [172524]

  Mr. Raynsford
  My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister meets with Cabinet colleagues on a regular basis. Ministers and officials of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are also in regular contact with colleagues from other Government Departments in the
  511W
  course of Government business, including matters relating to the modernisation agenda for the Fire and Rescue Service.

  Grahame Park
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether Barnet council is meeting the terms of his Department's grant for neighbourhood wardens for Grahame Park; and if he will make a statement. [153840]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Government Office for London have pursued the issue of whether Barnet council has complied with the terms of their funding in 2003–04. It is the understanding of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister that they have done so. We have been advised however that since August 2003, Barnet has not been supporting the eight street wardens and four neighbourhood wardens for annual leave, sickness and training under the scheme. Also because of where the base station has been located, wardens were spending 30 minutes of their duty at the beginning and end of the day travelling to and from Grahame Park. Funding from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for wardens schemes in Barnet began in December 2000 and ceased on 31 March 2004. Future funding is a matter for local agencies. Over 80 per cent. of the first round of warden schemes have already secured ongoing funding.

  Green Belt
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 30 April 2004,Official Report, columns 1331–32W, on Green Belt. (1) if he will estimate how much land was used for such developments in (a) 1999 and (b) each year since 2001 for which figures are available; [172478]

  (2) if he will estimate how much land was used for such developments in (a) 1999 and (b) each year since 2001 for which figures are available;. [172479]

  (3) if he will estimate the number of such developments in (a) 1999 and (b) each year since 2001 for which figures are available. [172480]

  Keith Hill
  The answers referred to gave the full extent of information currently available. Land Use Change Statistics are derived from Ordnance Survey's map revision process. In urban areas Ordnance Survey records mostly change within six months of the development taking place but in rural areas there can be up to five years between a change taking place and its recording by Ordnance Survey. Early estimates of percentages of dwellings that are on previously developed land and of dwellings per hectare on new developments have been found to be robust and are published early. Totals of land or dwellings, however,

  Local authorities

  1985–86

  Basildon; Brent; Camden; Greenwich; Hackney; Haringey; Islington; Lambeth; Leicester; Lewisham; Portsmouth; Sheffield; Southwark; Thamesdown

  1986–87

  Basildon; Camden; Greenwich; Hackney; Haringey; Islington; Lambeth; Lewisham; Liverpool; Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Southwark; Thamesdown

  1987–88

  Basildon; Brent; Brighton; Camden; Gateshead; Greenwich; Hackney; Haringey; Hounslow; Islington; Lambeth; Lewisham; Middlesbrough; Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Newham; North Tyneside; Sheffield; Southwark; Thamesdown; Tower Hamlets

  1988–89

  Basildon; Camden; Ealing; Greenwich; Hackney; Haringey; Hull; Lambeth; Lewisham; Liverpool; Manchester; Middlesbrough; Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Southwark; Thamesdown; Tower Hamlets; Waltham Forest

  1989–90

  Camden; Greenwich; Hackney; Lewisham; Southwark; Thamesdown; Tower Hamlets

  512W
  continue to increase as further data come in and at present only the 2000 figures are close enough to their final values to be published. There was a particular problem with the 1999 data, which is incomplete and will remain so.

  Housing Stock Transfer
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proposals he has for bringing housing in local housing authorities where tenants have voted against stock transfers or Arms Length Management Organisations up to the decent homes standards specified in Labour's 2001 manifesto. [172282]

  Keith Hill
  Where local authorities need additional funds over and above the substantial increases this government has made to funding for council housing, they have three options, establishing an Arms Length Management Organisation, using the Private Finance Initiative or transfers or their stock to a registered social landlord. If tenants reject all of these options then we will respect their decision. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no proposals for providing additional resources above the three options. It is for local authorities with their tenants to work through the Options Appraisal process and to reach a decision from the options available.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the standard spending assessment for youth and community in(a) Cambridgeshire and (b) the constituency of Huntingdon (i) was in each of the last five years and (ii) is for 2004–05. [172635]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Youth and Community block is a sub-block within the Education service block and was introduced in 2003–04. In the same year the Government replaced Standard Spending Assessments (SSA) with Formula Spending Shares (FSS). Huntingdonshire is a district council and does therefore not provide Education services. The Youth and Community FSS figures for Cambridgeshire are:

  £

  2003–04

  4,036.647

  2004–05

  4,211.442

  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which local authorities have been capped in the last 25 years. [172931]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The local authorities capped each year in England were:
  513W

  Local authorities

  1990–91

  Avon; Barnsley; Basildon; Brent; Bristol; Calderdale; Camden; Derbyshire; Doncaster; Greenwich; Hammersmith and Fulham; Haringey; Hillingdon; Islington; Lambeth; North Tyneside; Rochdale; Rotherham; Southwark; St. Helens; Wigan

  1991–92

  Basildon; Bristol; Greenwich; Ipswich; Lambeth; Langbaurgh; Middlesbrough; Milton Keynes; Norwich; Reading; Somerset; Stoke; Warwickshire; Wirral

  1992–93

  Basildon; Cheltenham; Gloucester; Gloucestershire; Greenwich; Hillingdon; Lambeth; Langbaurgh; Middlesbrough; Warwickshire

  1993–94

  Castle Point; Gloucestershire; Harlow

  1994–95

  Langbaurgh; Sheffield; Slough

  1995–96

  Norwich; Barnsley; Sheffield; Newcastle upon Tyne; Devon; Gloucestershire; Shropshire

  1996–97

  Cambridgeshire; Oxfordshire

  1997–98

  Oxfordshire; Somerset; Warwickshire

  1998–99

  Derbyshire

  Capping legislation was originally introduced in 1984. More flexible reserve capping powers were taken in 1999. These have not been used until this year. My Statement in the House on 29 April 2004, Official Report, column 1019, sets out the action the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is taking this year.

  Diana Organ
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the standard spending assessment for youth and community services in Gloucestershire(a) was in each of the last four financial years and (b) is for 2004–05. [169874]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The youth and community block is a sub-block within the education service block and was introduced in 2003–04. In the same year the Government replaced standard spending assessments (SSA) with formula spending shares (FSS). The youth and community FSS figures for Gloucestershire are:

  £

  2003–04

  4,138,595

  2004–05

  4,303,748

  Ministerial Visits
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 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. [171572]

  Yvette Cooper
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Afghanistan
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest estimate is of the number and percentage of registered voters for the pending national election in each province of Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [172091]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  According to the Afghanistan Joint Electoral Monitoring Body, as of 6 May a total of 2,033,568 Afghans (approximately 20 per cent.) have been registered to vote, of whom 30 per cent. (615,818) are women. Following is a regional breakdown.
  514W

  Regional breakdown

  Number

  Central

  837,650

  East

  299,416

  North East

  150,790

  South East

  49,844

  Central Highlands

  46,576

  North

  212,568

  South

  143,846

  West

  292,878

  Phase I of voter registration (in Kabul and regional centres) has been completed. Phase II (designed to reach more rural areas) was launched on 1 May.

  The UK is committed to supporting the electoral process. Last year we contributed £10.55 million to support election registration. We have pledged a further £0.5 million for voter education and £2.77 million to support preparations for the elections themselves.

  British Citizens (Imprisonment Abroad)
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens were imprisoned abroad in each of the last three years, broken down by country of imprisonment. [171254]

  Mr. Mullin
  The total number of British citizens detained overseas in the last three years is:

  Number

  2002–03

  7,861

  2001–02

  7,499

  2000–01

  8,428

  I have placed a breakdown by country of imprisonment and British Posts for 2002–03 in the Library of the House. It would incur disproportionate costs to provide a breakdown by country for those detained in 2001–02 and 2000–01. However, the following tables show those British Posts recording the highest numbers of British citizens detained for the last three years:

  2000–01

  Post

  Numbers detained

  Percentage of British citizens detained compared to all overseas Posts

  Country

  Ibiza

  2,006

  24

  Spain

  Malaga

  394

  5

  Spain

  Tenerife

  296

  4

  Spain

  Orlando

  296

  4

  USA

  515W

  2000–01

  Post

  Numbers detained

  Percentage of British citizens detained compared to all overseas Posts

  Country

  Lille

  292

  3

  France

  Los Angeles

  253

  3

  USA

  New York

  229

  3

  USA

  Sydney

  220

  3

  Australia

  Alicante

  216

  3

  Spain

  Houston

  155

  2

  USA

  Total

  4,357

  52

  —

  2001–02

  Post

  Numbers detained

  Percentage of British citizens detained compared to all overseas Posts

  Country

  Ibiza

  1,531

  20

  Spain

  Orlando

  492

  7

  USA

  Tenerife

  318

  4

  Spain

  Lille

  272

  4

  France

  Los Angeles

  257

  3

  USA

  New York

  243

  3

  USA

  Kingston

  230

  3

  Jamaica

  Palma

  229

  3

  Spain

  Athens

  190

  3

  Greece

  Sydney

  164

  2

  Australia

  Total

  3,926

  52

  —

  2002–03

  Post

  Numbers detained

  Percentage of British citizens detained compared to all overseas Posts

  Country

  Malaga

  619

  8

  Spain

  Orlando

  546

  7

  USA

  Houston

  391

  5

  USA

  Los Angeles

  384

  5

  USA

  New York

  327

  4

  USA

  Tenerife

  315

  4

  Spain

  Sydney

  246

  3

  Australia

  Alicante

  231

  3

  Spain

  Palma

  227

  3

  Spain

  Dublin

  225

  3

  Ireland

  Total

  3,511

  45

  —

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens were sentenced to life imprisonment abroad in each of the last three years, broken down by country of imprisonment; and how many of these sentences were revised on appeal. [171256]

  Mr. Mullin
  The number of British Nationals detained in prisons overseas is collected on a quarterly and annual basis by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The data is not categorised by the length of sentence received and only represents those prisoners who have asked the local authorities to inform the British consulate of their arrest or who request consular assistance.

  Burma
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Department's516W
  assessment is of (a) the Burmese Government's seven point road map to democracy and (b) the proposed national constitutional convention. [172511]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We are encouraged by the State Peace and Development Council's plans to reconvene the National Convention on 17 May to draft a new constitution, the first step of the road map outlined by Prime Minister Khin Nyunt on 30 August 2003. But it is essential that the National Convention is an inclusive, transparent process with a clear time frame. All political parties and ethnic groups should be invited to join the Convention, and to select their representatives freely. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all other National League for Democracy (NLD) members should be released immediately to allow them to prepare their approach to the National Convention.

  Without the participation of the NLD, the Convention will lack all credibility. There must be full freedom of debate and speech in the Convention and freedom of activity and association for political parties and ethnic groups. This includes ensuring that the 104 principles of the previous National Convention (1993–1996) are open for debate. Freedom from prosecution for views expressed on the Convention must be guaranteed.

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Department has had with the Burmese Government regarding the(a) recent opening of the National League for Democracy's headquarters in Rangoon and (b) the continued closure of its other offices. [172513]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We welcome the recent opening of the National League for Democracy's (NLD) headquarters in Rangoon. We have repeatedly called on the Burmese regime to re-open all NLD offices throughout Burma.

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions have taken place with the Burmese Government regarding the possible release of Aung San Suu Kyi. [172515]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We have repeatedly called on the Burmese regime to fully release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners and to allow them to play an active role in national reconciliation in Burma.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 6 April with regard to Mr. Mehrat Din and Muhammed Aqdas Din. [172250]

  Mr. MacShane
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary replied on 28 April.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of policy entrants to his Department in each of the last five years attended public or independent schools. [172116]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The information requested is in the following table.
  517W

  Policy entrants

  Percentage from independent schools

  1999

  60

  2000

  64

  2001

  48

  2002

  24

  2003

  37

  The recruitment section records school information as "independent" (which includes public schools) or "comprehensive".

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who the members of the Departmental Board are, broken down by(a) gender, (b) race or ethnicity, (c) whether they attended public or independent school and (d) whether they attended Oxford University or Cambridge University; and how long each has been in post. [172117]

  Mr. Straw
  The Data Protection Act prevents us from providing information about the ethnicity or race of individuals. The members of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Board, and the background information requested, as published in Who's Who, is as follows:Sir Michael Jay—Sir Michael has been in his current post for two years. He was educated at Oxford and London Universities, and Winchester College.
  Sir Stephen Brown—Sir Stephen has been in his current post for two years. He was educated at Sussex University, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Leeds Grammar School.
  John Sawers— John Sawers has been in his current post for one year. He was educated at Nottingham University, and Beechen Cliff School, Bath.
  Kim Darroch—Kim Darroch has been in his current post for one year. He was educated at Durham University, and Abingdon School.
  Martin Donnelly—Martin Donnelly has been in his current post for two months. He was educated at Oxford University and Saint Ignatius College.
  William Ehrman—William Ehrman has been in his current post for two years. He was educated at Cambridge University, and Eton.
  Richard Stagg—Richard Stagg has been in his current post for one year. He was educated at Oxford University, and Winchester College.
  David Warren—David Warren has been in his current post for three months. He was educated at Oxford University, and Epsom College.
  Simon Fraser—Simon Fraser has been in his current post for two years. He was educated at Cambridge University, and St. Paul's School.
  Simon Gass—Simon Gass has been in his current post for three years. He was educated at Reading University, and Eltham College.

  The Board also has two non-executive members, Allan Gormly, Chairman of BPB Industries, and Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Director of Corporate Affairs, Tesco plc.

  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office needs to be, and to be seen to be, representative of the diverse UK population as a whole; we are committed to achieving this and now have 21 female and two minority ethnic heads of posts. But we are aware that we have some way to go.

  Iraq
  Mrs. Iris Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government supports the establishment of a United Nations mediator to Iraq. [171810]

  Mr. Rammell
  The Government supports a vital and developing role for the United Nations in Iraq. The UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser, Lakhdar Brahimi, is already playing an important role building an Iraqi consensus on the formation of an Interim Government by 30 June. We welcome his proposals and look forward to working with him and the people of Iraq on developing them. We also welcome the role of Carina Perelli, Head of the UN's Elections Assistance Division, whose proposals for the preparations for elections in early 2005 have been agreed by the Iraqi Governing Council.

  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will encourage those responsible for the final Iraq constitution to amend the constitution so that the target of 25 per cent. of women in political positions in the interim constitution becomes a minimum requirement. [172201]

  Mr. Rammell
  The Transitional National Assembly will be formed by democratic elections by early 2005. The Transitional Administrative Law stipulates that the electoral law shall aim to achieve the goal of having women constitute no less than one quarter of the National Assembly. The members of that Assembly will draft the Iraqi constitution, which will then be ratified by a referendum. We would expect democratically-elected members to ensure appropriate representation of women and we will ensure they are fully aware of the Government's policy of encouraging this.

  Libya
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government has made to the Libyan Government concerning the sentencing to death of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor for allegedly infecting children with HIV; what discussions the Government has held with European partners on this matter; what plans the Government has to raise this matter at the UN Commission on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement. [172667]

  Mr. Straw
  My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean telephoned Libyan Foreign Minister Shalgam on 9 May to express our concern at the verdict. The EU Troika met Mr. Shalgam during the EuroMed Ministerial in Dublin on 6 May to highlight the EU's concern at the court's decision and underline that a satisfactory resolution to this case is a factor in the further improvement of Libya's relations with the EU. I spoke immediately after the verdicts were handed down to Bulgarian Foreign Minister Passy to offer our support. The next session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights will take place in spring 2005. The Government will consider nearer the time whether action in that forum is appropriate.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions have taken place with the Nigerian Government regarding the issue of people trafficking. [172512]

  Mr. MacShane
  The British High Commission in Abuja is in regular contact with the Nigerian National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons to identify ways to intensify co-operation to prevent trafficking in human beings. President Obasanjo has recently appointed a Special Assistant on Trafficking who is charged with establishing a National Strategy.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with EU partners on the situation in Darfur; and if he will make a statement. [172664]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 12 May 2004]: The situation in Darfur was discussed at the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council on 26 April. Since then it has also been discussed by the Political and Security Committee, the Africa Working Group and the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Working Group. Our Ambassador in Khartoum, as a member of the local EU Troika, took part in a demarche on the acting Foreign Minister on the subject of Darfur on 8 May.

  I met the Sudanese Foreign Minister, Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail on 11 May in London.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the relationship between the Janjaweed militias and the Sudanese Government in Darfur. [172666]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 12 May 2004]: According to reports from the UN and non-governmental organisations, the Janjaweed militias have been operating in close coordination with the forces of the Government of Sudan. The Secretary of State for International Development and I made clear to the Sudanese Foreign Minister, during his visit on 11 May, that the Sudanese Government has an obligation to protect its civilians and must act now to rein in the Janjaweed militias.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent report commissioned by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation in Darfur. [172696]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 12 May 2004]: The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has recently issued a report on its visit to Darfur, western Sudan. The Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights briefed the Security Council on the content of this report on 7 May, highlighting the seriousness of the humanitarian and human rights situation in Darfur. We are studying the recommendations in the report and considering the best way in which to take these forward.

  We have called on all parties to abide by the cease-fire and stop targeting civilians. I met the Sudanese Foreign Minister on 11 May and made clear that the human rights abuses and breaches of international humanitarian law are unacceptable and must stop, and
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  that the Sudanese Government has a responsibility to rein in the Janjaweed militias which are responsible for many of the worst atrocities.

  Sudan
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent vote in the UN Human Rights Commission concerning the human rights situation in Western Sudan, with particular reference to the Government's position on the two defeated amendments to the Human Rights Commission's decision on the Sudan moved by the United States. [172665]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 12 May 2004]: The language of the Commission on Human Rights decision on Sudan was disappointingly weak. But it was a better outcome than last year, as the decision mandates an independent expert to provide formal international scrutiny of the human rights situation in Sudan. The EU insisted on the establishment of an independent expert to carry out this work. Such international scrutiny has been lacking since the end of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur when the EU-sponsored Sudan Resolution was defeated at last year's Commission on Human Rights.

  We fully supported the draft EU Item 9 Resolution on Sudan, but Commission on Human Rights procedure meant that an alternative draft decision on Sudan, tabled by the African Group under a different agenda item, took precedence. We also supported the two amendments to the decision proposed by the US, but these were defeated in a vote.

  Syria
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Department has had with the Syrian government regarding the recent arrest of the lawyer and human rights activist Aktham Naisse. [172506]

  Mr. Rammell
  We regularly raise our concerns about Syria's human rights record, bilaterally and in conjunction with EU partners. Our Ambassador to Damascus was a member of the EU Troika which demarched the Syrian government on the arrest of Aktham Naisse on 26 April 2004.

  Vietnam
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions the Department has had with the Vietnamese Government regarding human rights abuses against the Central Highlands minority Christian population. [172509]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I raised human rights and the situation in the Central Highlands with the Vietnamese government during my visit to Vietnam in March. We are very concerned about the recent violence in the region, and the reported deaths of several protesters. Our Ambassador in Hanoi expressed our concern to the Vietnamese government on 16 April and I subsequently discussed the issue with the Vietnamese Foreign Minister on 4 May, and with Deputy Foreign Minister Le Van Bang, whom I met in London on 5 May. The EU has also made representations, calling on the
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  Vietnamese authorities to respect fully international human rights standards in their response to demonstrations; to allow the international community access to the area; and to address the grievances of the ethnic minority people in the Central Highlands.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  Apprenticeships
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding will be made available for the establishment of(a) Young Apprenticeships, (b) Pre-Apprenticeships, (c) Apprenticeships and (d) Advanced-Apprenticeships in the next financial year. [172975]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  For Young Apprenticeships £3.5 million is available in the programme's first academic year 2004/05. Funding of Apprenticeship programmes post 16 are a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many residents of Stockton, South have undertaken apprenticeships in each of the last five years. [171456]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The information requested is not available at parliamentary constituency level. However, figures are available for Learning and Skills Council (LSC) areas and, prior to the creation of the LSC, Training and Enterprise Council (TEC) areas. The following table shows the number of starts on modern apprenticeships in Tees Valley LSC area between April 2001 and the end of July 2003, as well as the number of starts from April 1998 to March 2001 in Tees Valley TEC area.

  Time period1

  TEC/LSC

  Advanced MA

  Foundation MA

  April 1998 to March 1999

  Tees Valley TEC

  1,700

  400

  April 1999 to March 2000

  Tees Valley TEC

  1,900

  3,100

  April 2000 to March 2001

  Tees Valley TEC

  2,100

  3,300

  April 2001 to July 2002

  Tees Valley LSC

  1,000

  3,200

  August 2002 to July 2003

  Tees Valley LSC

  900

  2,600

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

  Note:

  All figures rounded to nearest 100.

  Maintained primary and secondary schools1: number of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils taught by one teacher Position as at January each year

  Maintained primary

  Maintained secondary

  Number of pupils in classes of 31 or more

  Number of pupils in classes of 31 or more

  Wigan parliamentary constituency

  Total pupils in all classes

  Number of pupils

  percentage of pupils2

  Total pupils in all classes

  Number of pupils

  percentage of pupils2

  1997

  7,130

  3,260

  45.7

  4,890

  220

  4.5

  2003

  6,320

  1,290

  20.8

  5,470

  700

  12.7

  2004 (provisional)

  6,320

  1,300

  20.5

  5,630

  800

  14.2

  1Includes middle schools as deemed.

  2 Percentage of pupils in those classes expressed as a percentage of pupils in the sum of constituent items and the total.

  Note:

  Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10, therefore there may be discrepancies between all classes taught by one teacher.

  Source:

  Annual Schools' Census

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  Sources:

  TEC Management Information.

  LSC Individualised Learner Record.

  Bootle Schools
  Mr. Benton
  Te ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in Bootle deemed to be failing since 1997 have since reached satisfactory standards. [172022]

  Mr. Miliband
  One school in Bootle has been deemed to be failing since 1997 and has subsequently reached satisfactory standards.

  Bullying
  Sarah Teather
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many instances of bullying were recorded in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Brent in each year since 1997; and what the average figures for (i) English borough councils and (ii) London boroughs were in each year. [172811]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Data on bullying are not collected centrally and there is no reliable basis for an estimate of prevalence. However, any level of bullying is too high and we are determined to help schools to tackle the problem. Our guidance pack 'Bullying: Don't Suffer in Silence' and the. anti-bullying Charter and the anti-bullying website www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying offer detailed advice on preventing and addressing bullying. In November 2003 I launched our anti-bullying Charter for schools, which schools are now signing. It is accompanied by a summary of effective practice to help schools review and enhance their anti-bullying policies. The Charter was launched at the first of a series of regional conferences which have been running since November 2003 and culminate with a final conference in June. These conferences are an opportunity for schools and other partners to share good practice on this issue. Details of the conferences can be accessed online at www.teachernet.gov.uk/antibulling

  Class Sizes (Wigan)
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Wigan were taught in classes of more than 30(a) in 1997 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available. [169283]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  The information requested is shown in the table, final figures for 1997 and 2003 plus latest provisional figures for 2004 have been provided.

  Classics
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which secondary schools in the maintained sector in England offer(a) Ancient Greek and (b) Latin at A level. [172441]

  Mr. Miliband
  The DfES does not have on information which schools offer individual subjects. We can only identify those schools where pupils were entered for a subject in a particular year.

  There are eight maintained secondary schools where at least one student attempted an A level in Greek in the academic year 2002–03. The schools are:

  The Camden School for Girls

  St. Francis Xavier's College, Liverpool

  Weatherhead High School, Wallasey

  Easingwold School, York

  Ripon Grammar School

  Reading School

  Colchester Royal Grammar School

  Lancaster Royal Grammar School

  There are 84 maintained secondary schools where at least one student attempted an A level in Latin. The schools are:

  The Camden School for Girls, Camden

  The London Oratory School, Hammersmith and Fulham

  The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial RC School, Kensington and Chelsea

  The Henrietta Barnett School, Barnet

  St Michael's Catholic Grammar School, Barnet

  Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, Bexley

  St. Olave's and St. Saviour's Grammar School, Bromley

  Drayton Manor High School, Baling

  The Latymer School, Enfield

  St. Ignatius College, Enfield

  The Tiffin Girls' School, Kingston upon Thames

  Tiffin School, Kingston upon Thames

  Ilford County High School, Redbridge

  Woodford County High School, Redbridge

  Nonsuch High School for Girls, Sutton

  The John Fisher School, Sutton

  King Edward VI Handsworth School, Birmingham

  King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls, Birmingham

  Old Swinford Hospital, Dudley

  Wolverhampton Girls' High School, Wolverhampton

  Archbishop Blanch Church of England Voluntary Aided High School A Technology College, Liverpool

  St. Francis Xavier's College, Liverpoo1

  The Blue Coat School, Liverpool

  Manor High School, Sefton

  Chesterfield High School, Sefton

  West Kirby Grammar School, Wirral

  Weatherhead High School, Wirral

  St. Anselm's College, Wirral

  Thornleigh Salesian College, Bolton

  Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Trafford

  Loreto Grammar School, Trafford

  St. Anthony's Catholic Girls' School, Sunderland

  Ripon Grammar School, North Yorkshire

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  Ermysted's Grammar School, North Yorkshire

  All Saints RC School, York

  Dr. Challoner's High School, Buckinghamshire

  Aylesbury Grammar School, Buckinghamshire

  Wycombe High School, Buckinghamshire

  The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

  Bournemouth School, Bournemouth

  St. John's School and Community College, Wiltshire

  Reading School, Reading

  Kendrick Girls' Grammar School, Reading

  St. Bernard's Convent School, Slough

  The King's School, Peterborough

  Devonport High School for Boys, Plymouth

  Chelmsford County High School for Girls, Essex

  King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford, Essex

  Colchester Royal Grammar School, Essex

  Colchester County High School for Girls, Essex

  Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School, Essex

  Southend High School for Boys, Southend on Sea

  Maidstone Grammar School, Kent

  Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School, Kent

  The Judd School, Kent

  Dartford Grammar School, Kent

  Cranbrook School, Kent

  The Archbishop's School, Kent

  Tonbridge Grammar School for Girls, Kent

  Dover Grammar School for Boys, Kent

  The Rochester Grammar School for Girls, Medway

  Lancaster Royal Grammar School, Lancashire

  Stroud High School, Gloucestershire

  Hitchin Boys' School, Hertfordshire

  Hitchin Girls' School, Hertfordshire

  Freman College, Hertfordshire

  Watford Grammar School for Boys, Hertfordshire

  Watford Grammar School for Girls, Hertfordshire

  The Bishop's Stortford High School, Hertfordshire

  Boston High School, Lincolnshire

  Spalding High School, Lincolnshire

  Spalding Grammar School, Lincolnshire

  Caistor Grammar School, Lincolnshire

  The Henry Box School, Oxfordshire

  Wheatley Park School, Oxfordshire

  Northgate High School, Suffolk

  Oxted School, Surrey

  George Abbot School, Surrey

  Stratford-upon-Avon Grammar School for Girls A Specialist Language College, Warwickshire

  Kenilworth School and Sports College, Warwickshire

  Rugby High School, Warwickshire

  Chichester High School for Girls, West Sussex

  Hazelwick School, West Sussex

  Bishop Luffa Church of England School, Chichester, West Sussex

  Correspondence
  Mr. IIlsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills under what circumstances the Minister for Lifelong Learning and Higher Education received a copy of the letter written by the hon. Member
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  for Barnsley, Central to Professor Boucher, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, dated 26 January. [171105]

  Alan Johnson
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Departmental Policies
  Linda Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will set out, with statistical information relating as closely as possible to the constituency of Ilford, North, the effect of his Department's policies on Ilford, North since 1997. [164884]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The constituency of Ilford, North falls within Redbridge local education authority. Where the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) can or does collect information by constituency, it has been provided.

  Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, my Department is investigating ways in which we disseminate information about the effects of our policies at a local level. We hope to have systems to facilitate this in place later this year.

  Children, Young People and Families

  Early Education

  All 3 and 4-year-olds are now guaranteed a free, part-time, Government funded, early education place if their parents want it throughout England. We understand that the current early education participation rate in the Redbridge authority is around 68 per cent.

  Child Care

  There has been a major expansion in child care provision since 1997. We only have figures at local authority level. Since April 1999 we had created, by March 2004, over 3,200 new child care places benefiting over 5,800 children in Redbridge.

  Children's Social Services

  Children's social services in the constituency are delivered by Redbridge council which is a two star social services authority, with services for children and families assessed as serving most people well with promising prospects (as published in the Annual Review of Performance Reports, issued by the Chief Inspector of the Social Services Inspectorate).

  Disadvantaged Area Programmes

  Some of our key programmes for young children and families target the most disadvantaged communities. We have created three Neighbourhood Nurseries in the constituency with 136 new places. There are no Sure Start local programmes or Early Excellence Centres within the constituency. Redbridge intends to create four children's centres at least one of which is likely to be in Ilford, North.

  Connexions

  Connexions, the Government's front line support service for all young people aged 13–19, is providing advice, guidance and support to young people in Ilford, North constituency through East London Connexions Partnership. Since its launch in June 2002, young people aged 13–19 have had access to support and advice on a range of issues to help them participate and achieve in education, employment and training and to reach their full potential as adults.
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  Youth Services

  Although not recently inspected by Ofsted, Redbridge Youth Service has used the findings of an independent inspection based on the Ofsted Framework and the Government's requirements within Transforming Youth Work to reconfigure the service during 2003/04. The 2004–05 plan, although still draft, demonstrates a commitment to achieving the performance measures required by Transforming Youth Work: Resourcing Excellent Youth Services.

  Extended Schools

  The Department is supporting the rollout of up to 240 full service extended schools by 2006, so that there will be at least one in each LEA area. Redbridge LEA will be developing one full service extended school from this year.

  Schools

  Recurrent Funding

  The estimated1 increase in per pupil funding in Redbridge in real terms from 1997–98 to 2004–05 is £700 compared with the national average of £880.

  Capital Funding

  Redbridge LEA had an allocation of £13.1 million (including £3.2 million which is devolved directly to schools) for 2003–04 compared with £9.9 million in 1996–97. Redbridge LEA has been allocated £16.1 million for 2004–05. Some Voluntary Aided allocations have still to be included for 2004–05.

  School Performance Tables

  Key Stage (KS) figures can be found at on the DfES website at: www.dfes.gov.uk/performancetables

  Class Sizes

  The number of 5, 6 and 7-year-olds in classes over 30 has fallen from 2,331 in 1997 to 95 by January 2003.

  Teachers

  Since 1997 (to 2003) there are 370 more teachers (FTE), 429 more teaching assistants and 548 more support staff.

  Specialist Schools

  There are nine Specialist Schools in Redbridge LEA.

  Beacon Schools

  There are two Beacon Schools in Redbridge LEA.

  Primary Strategy Leadership

  10 primary schools in Redbridge LEA are part of the Primary Strategy Leadership programme this year. Additional schools will be selected by the LEA to enter the programme in 2004/05.

  Leadership Incentive Grant

  There is one secondary school in Redbridge in receipt of LIG, the Loxford School of Science and Technology. This is a high-performing school which receives LIG because more than 35 per cent. of its pupils are eligible for Free School Meals.

  Behaviour Improvement Projects

  All secondary schools in Redbridge LEA receive support from the Behaviour and Attendance strand of the Key Stage 3 Strategy, including a behaviour audit and training materials and support from specialist LEA-level consultants. Primary schools in the area receive

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  support through the Primary National Strategy's Behaviour and Attendance Pilot, which includes a primary behaviour audit and curriculum and training materials with special focus on children's social, emotional and behavioural skills.

  14–19 Education

  The Government's strategy for 14–19 education and training, set out in "14–19: opportunity and excellence", will provide all young people with the opportunity to continue their education in different settings, including schools, colleges, and the workplace.

  The impact of the 14–19 agenda on Ilford, North includes:

  Strategic Area Reviews (StARs)

  In April 2003, all local Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs) started strategic area reviews (StARs) of post-16 LSC-funded provision. These reviews aim to achieve the right mix of provision in an area to improve participation, raise attainment and improve learner choice. StARs will ensure that there is the breadth of opportunity and quality of provision to meet the needs of learners, employers and communities.

  All local LSCs have been gathering information, reviewing provider missions, and consequently building an understanding of each provider's role and the provision on offer. The next step is to develop strategic options.

  In the case of Ilford, North, and its local LSC, London East, progress is good and work continues with developing borough profiles and strategic proposals.

  To support the StAR process, and to provide local providers with a clear understanding of what the local learning and skills priorities are, LSC London East are producing an over arching strategic framework document.

  The LSC London East has, in addition to the StAR process, conducted a survey to test its assumptions about what young people, adults and employers want from education.

  Vocational Provision

  London East LSC currently has four work-based learning providers delivering vocational programmes in the constituency of Ilford, North.

  Learners in the borough have access to all of the remaining 42 work-based learning providers in the London East portfolio. Within a reasonable travelling distance they can gain entry to over 40 occupational areas ranging from Accounting, Engineering, Childcare, Retail, Hospitality and Catering and Information technology.

  Educational Maintenance Allowances

  Redbridge is not an EMA pilot area. However the scheme has now been launched nationally and all eligible students in England can apply for EMA for academic year 2004/05.

  Higher Education

  The number of 18 to 20-year-olds entering full-time Higher Education courses, are as follows.
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  Redbridge LEA

  Number

  1997

  1,317

  1998

  1,366

  1999

  1,389

  2000

  1,604

  2001

  1,648

  2002

  1,799

  Adult Education

  The Local Labour Force Survey shows that in Ilford, North:
  The proportion of working age people qualified to at least level 4 rose from 17.4 per cent. in 1999 to 21.1 per cent. in 2002.
  The proportion of working age people qualified to at least level 2 rose from 59.5 per cent. in 1999 to 64.3 per cent. in 2002.
  The proportion of working age people without any qualification rose from 11.5 per cent. in 1999 to 14.7 per cent. in 2002.
  The proportion of working age people who received job related training in the last four weeks has fallen from 12.3 per cent. in 1999 to 9.4 per cent. in 2002.
  1Includes provisional estimates of grants and allocations still to be confirmed. Total funding per pupil aged 3–19 includes Education Formula Spending (EFS) and all relevant grants in the DfES Departmental Expenditure Limits but, for comparability, exclude the pensions transfer to Learning and Skills Council and EFS in 2003–04 and 2004–05. Real terms at 2002–03 prices.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Newcastle East and Wallsend constituency, the effects on Newcastle, East and Wallsend of his Department's policies and actions since 1997. [166879]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The constituency of Newcastle Upon Tyne, East and Wallsend covers part of both Newcastle upon Tyne and North Tyneside local education authorities. Where the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) can or does collect information by constituency, it has been provide

  Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, my Department is investigating ways in which we disseminate information about the effects of our policies at a local level. We hope to have systems to facilitate this in place later this year.

  Children, Young People and Families Early Education

  All 3 and 4-year-olds are now guaranteed a free, part-time, Government funded early education place if their parents want it throughout England. We understand that the current early education participation rate in the Newcastle upon Tyne authority is around 100 per cent. and in the North Tyneside authority 94 per cent.

  Child Care

  There has been a major expansion in child care provision since 1997. We only have figures at local authority level, but at March 2004 we had created over 4,200 new child care places since April 1999, benefiting over 7,500 children, in Newcastle upon Tyne, and over 4,300 new places benefiting over 7,700 children in North Tyneside.
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  Children's Social Services

  Children's social services in the constituency are delivered by two councils—Newcastle and North Tyneside. Newcastle is a three star social services authority with services for children and families assessed as serving most children well with excellent prospects. North Tyneside is a one star council with services for children and families assessed as serving some children well with promising prospects. These judgments are set out in the annual review of Performance Ratings for Social Services in England published by the Chief Inspector of the Social Services Inspectorate in November 2003.

  Disadvantaged Area Programmes

  Some of our key programmes for young children and families target the most disadvantaged communities. The constituency contains three Sure Start local programmes, two in Newcastle (West Walker and Fossway) and one in North Tyneside (Wallsend). The West Walker programme is also linked to the Walkergate Early Years Centre Early Excellence Centre. Wallsend and West Walker also have Neighbourhood Nurseries which, along with another two standalone projects, have created 131 new places in the constituency. Both authorities are now working on their plans for children's centres which will build on this existing provision. Newcastle upon Tyne intends to create nine centres and North Tyneside six, two of which have already been designated.

  Connexions

  Connexions, the Government's front line support service for all young people aged 13–19, is providing advice, guidance and support to young people in Newcastle Upon Tyne, East and Wallsend constituency through Tyne and Wear Connexions Partnership. Since its launch in April 2002 young people aged 13–19 have had access to support and advice on a range of issues to help them participate and achieve in education, employment and training and to reach their full potential as adults.

  Youth Services

  There are two local authority youth services in Newcastle upon Tyne, East and Wallsend: Newcastle; and North Tyneside. Both services have been subject to Ofsted inspections in recent years, and in both significant weaknesses were found. But both local authorities have responded positively, increasing their investment in their youth services. They have also revised and updated many of their procedures and have fully embraced the Transforming Youth Work agenda.

  Extended Schools

  The Department is supporting the rollout of up to 240 full service extended schools by 2006, so that there will be at least one in each LEA area. Benfield School in Newcastle LEA has been developing as a full service extended school from 2003–04.

  Schools Recurrent Funding

  The estimated1 increase in per pupil funding in real terms from 1997–98 to 2004–05 is £920 in Newcastle upon Tyne and £940 in North Tyneside compared with the national average of £880.
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  Capital Funding

  North Tyneside LEA had an allocation of £11.5 million (including £2.6 million which is devolved directly to schools, £2.4 million in targeted Capital funding and £0.5 million in VA Targeted Capital funding) for 2003–04 compared with £1.4 million in 1996–97. North Tyneside LEA has been allocated £6.7 million for 2004–05. Some Voluntary Aided (VA) allocations have still to he included for 2004–05.

  Newcastle LEA had an allocation of £16.3 million (including £3.4 million which is devolved directly to schools and £5 million for VA Targeted Capital funding) for 2003–04 compared with £1.0 million in 1996–97. Newcastle LEA has been allocated £69.7 million for 2004–05 (including 360 million in PFI credits). Some VA allocations have still to be included for 2004–05.

  School Performance Tables

  Key Stage (KS) figures can be found at on the DIES website at: www.dfes.gov.uk/performancetables

  Class Sizes

  In North Tyneside LEA the number of 5, 6 and 7-year-olds in classes over 30 has fallen from 2,183 in 1997 to 0 by January 2003.

  In Newcastle upon Tyne LEA the number of 5, 6 and 7-year-olds in classes over 30 has fallen from 2,964 in 1997 to 63 by January 2003.

  Teachers

  In North Tyneside LEA the number of teachers (FTE from 1997 to 2003) is unchanged. However there are 110 more teaching assistants than in 1997 and 345 more support staff than in 1997.

  In Newcastle LEA the number of teachers has risen by 50 (FTE from 1997 to 2003). However there are 246 more teaching assistants than in 1997 and 434 more support staff than in 1997.

  Specialist Schools

  There are eight specialist schools in Newcastle upon Tyne LEA and seven specialist schools in North Tyneside LEA.

  Beacon Schools

  There are six beacon schools in Newcastle upon Tyne LEA and eight beacon schools in North Tyneside LEA.

  Primary Strategy Leadership

  17 primary schools in Newcastle upon Tyne LEA and 13 primary schools in North Tyneside LEA are part of the Primary Strategy Leadership programme this year. Additional schools will be selected by the LEAs to enter the programme in 2004/05.

  Leadership Incentive Grant

  There are 11 secondary schools in Newcastle upon Tyne in receipt of LIG and 11 secondary schools in North Tyneside in receipt of LIG. All are eligible for LIG because they are part of the Excellence in Cities programme.

  Behaviour Improvement Projects

  All secondary schools in Newcastle upon Tyne and North Tyneside receive support from the Behaviour and Attendance strand of the Key Stage 3 Strategy, including a behaviour audit and training materials and support from specialist LEA—level consultants. In addition, four secondary schools and 27 primary

  531W
  schools in Newcastle upon Tyne and four secondary schools and 15 primary schools in North Tyneside participate in the Behaviour Improvement Programme, which provides more intensive support for schools facing the greatest challenges.

  14–19 Education

  The Government's strategy for 14–19 education and training, set out in "14–19: opportunity and excellence", will provide all young people with the opportunity to continue their education in different settings, including schools, colleges, and the workplace.

  The impact of the 14–19 agenda on Newcastle Upon Tyne, East and Wallsend includes:

  16–19 Area Inspection (14–19 from March 2003)

  16–19 Area Inspections were introduced in 1999 as a key means of securing improvements in learning for young people. Both Newcastle Upon Tyne and North Tyneside have had a 16–19 area inspection, copies of their Ofsted reports can be found on their website www.ofsted.gov.uk.

  With Tyne and Wear LSC in the lead, local partners have developed Action Plans for both areas, which have been accepted by Ministers. Tyne and Wear LSC are responsible for the implementation of both action plans, which are still ongoing.

  In the autumn, Newcastle will under-go a further Area Inspection of 14–19 learning which will be undertaken jointly by Ofsted and the ALI. The LSC Tyne and Wear and the LEA will be jointly asked, along with local partners to prepare and implement an Action Plan, following the 14–19 Area Inspection.

  Strategic Area Reviews (StARs)

  In April 2003, all local Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs) started strategic area reviews (StARs) of post-16 LSC-funded provision. These reviews aim to achieve the right mix of provision in an area to improve participation, raise attainment and improve learner choice. StARs will ensure that there is the breadth of opportunity and quality of provision to meet the needs of learners, employers and communities.

  All local LSCs have been gathering information, reviewing provider missions, and consequently building an understanding of each provider's role and the provision on offer.

  In LSC Tyne and Wear's area there were five 16–19 area wide inspections between spring 2000 and spring 2002, including for Newcastle and North Tyneside (the local authority areas in which the constituency of Newcastle East and Wallsend falls). As a result of these inspections both authorities, in conjunction with the local LSC and many other partners in the Learning Partnerships, produced and are now implementing 14–19 strategies. The objectives of these strategies align perfectly with that of the LSC's Strategic Area Review process.

  In both authorities, learning providers work in partnership on a wide range of learning issues, to deliver a learner entitlement for all young people. Over the last three years both authorities have seen an upward trend in participation and attainment at both GCSE and post-16 levels.
  532W
  The StAR process for LSC Tyne and Wear in relation to 14–19 provision is, therefore, one which builds on this effective partnership work, rather than proposing structural reorganisation.

  Vocational Provision

  Learners in Newcastle have easy access within the city to 21 work-based learning providers delivering a wide range of vocational programmes covering occupational areas/sectors which are significant to the sub-regional economy including Business and Administration, Construction, Engineering, Health and Care, Hospitality, ICT, Retail. These programmes are available at a range of levels, from Entry to Employment through Foundation Modern Apprenticeships to Advanced Modern Apprenticeships and, increasingly, to 14–16 learners as part of their individual learning programme.

  Four work-based learning providers are based in North Tyneside offering Business Administration, Construction, Engineering, Hair and Beauty, Hospitality and Catering programmes, as well as a very significant amount of Entry to Employment programmes and provision for learners with learning difficulties. Like Newcastle the provision in North Tyneside is appropriate for employment opportunities in the Tyne and Wear area.

  In the compact sub-region which comprises LSC Tyne and Wear learners from both of these local authority areas have access to more than 60 providers of work-based opportunities.

  Educational Maintenance Allowances

  There is one Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) pilot area in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend. The pilot scheme has been in operation in North Tyneside since September 2000. In its first year the EMA provided financial support for 800 students and in each subsequent year 1,500 students have benefited from the scheme. In the financial year 2003–04 a total of £1.3 million in EMA payments were made for eligible students living in North Tyneside.

  The scheme has now been launched nationally and all eligible students in England can apply for EMA for academic year 2004/05.

  Higher Education

  The number of 18 to 20-year-olds entering full-time Higher Education courses, are as follows:

  Newcastle upon Tyne LEA

  North Tyneside LEA

  1997

  826

  746

  1998

  925

  772

  1999

  956

  821

  2000

  1,001

  769

  2001

  1,242

  698

  2002

  1,269

  651

  Adult Education

  The Local Labour Force Survey shows that in Newcastle upon Tyne, East and Wallsend:
  The proportion of working age people qualified to at least level 4 rose from 15.8 per cent. in 1999 to 21.1 per cent. in 2002.
  The proportion of working age people qualified to at least level 2 has fallen from 65.2 per cent. in 1999 to 62.7 per cent. in 2002.
  The proportion of working age people without any qualifications rose from 18.3 per cent. in 1999 to 19.4 per cent. in 2002.

  533W
  The proportion of working age people who received job related training in the last four weeks rose from 7.5 per cent. in 1999 to 12.5 per cent. in 2002.
  1Includes provisional estimates of grants and allocations still to be confirmed. Total funding per pupil aged 3–19 includes Education Formula Spending (EPS) and all relevant grants in the DfES departmental Expenditure Limits but, for comparability, exclude the pensions transfer to Learning and Skills Council and EPS in 2003–04 and 2004–05. Real terms at 2002–03 prices.

  Departmental Procurement
  Michael Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of the(a) crockery, (b) cutlery and (c) glassware procured by his Department over the last five years is of British manufacture. [170798]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  The percentage of crockery, cutlery and glassware procured by my Department over the last five years, which is of British manufacture is as follows:

  (a) crockery 90 per cent.

  (b) cutlery unknown country of origin not displayed

  (c) glassware 0 per cent.

  Education Services (Bootle)
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Bootle have benefited from the Excellence in Cities programme; and what the per pupil spending was in each year since the programme's inception. [172682]

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

  Number of children

  Total EiC expenditure1 (£)

  Spend per pupil (£)

  2000–01

  4,219

  373,916

  88.63

  2001–02

  7,846

  1,150,998

  146.70

  2002–03

  7,821

  1,297,269

  165.87

  2003–04

  7,825

  2,498,105

  319.25

  Note:

  All funding figures supplied by Sefton Excellence in Cities Coordinator.

  The increase in the number of pupils benefiting from EiC from 2001 onwards is due to the schools in the Education Action Zones in the area coming under the control of the Sefton EiC Partnership.

  The large increase in the rate of EiC funding in 2002–03 is due to the extra funding provided through the Behaviour Improvement Programme and the increase in 2003–04 is due to the introduction of the Leadership Incentive Grant.

  Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools1: school meal arrangements Position as at January each year—Edmonton Parliamentary Constituency

  Number on roll

  Number of pupils taking free school meals

  Percentage taking free school meals

  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

  Maintained Nursery and Primary

  2001

  10,703

  2,556

  23.9

  2,977

  27.8

  2002

  10,686

  2,540

  23.8

  3,046

  28.5

  20032

  10,616

  2,611

  24.6

  3,097

  29.2

  Education Statistics (Manchester)
  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what public funding has been spent on adult(a) literacy and (b) numeracy in Manchester, Blackley in each of the last five years. [172889]

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

  £000

  Basic skills

  Key skills

  April 2001 to July 20011

  8,925

  2,598

  August 2001 to July 2002

  15,369

  3,586

  August 2002 to July 2013

  27,258

  4,210

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

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

  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in Manchester, Blackley deemed to be failing since 1997 have since reached satisfactory standards. [172890]

  Mr. Miliband
  One primary school in Manchester, Blackley has been deemed to be failing on two inspections since 1997 and placed in special measures twice. Following the second designation, the requirement for special measures was removed in June 2003.

  Free School Meals (Edmonton)
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children received free school meals in the constituency of Edmonton in(a) 1991–92, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2003 [169304]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  [holding answer 5 May 2004]: The available data on free school meals is shown in the table. Information for 1991–92 is not available at Parliamentary Constituency level.
  535W

  Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools1: school meal arrangements Position as at January each year—Edmonton Parliamentary Constituency

  Number on roll

  Number of pupils taking free school meals

  Percentage taking free school meals

  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

  Maintained Nursery and Primary

  2001

  5,791

  822

  14.2

  1,282

  22.1

  2002

  5,964

  727

  12.2

  1,258

  21.1

  20032

  5,822

  738

  12.7

  1,189

  20.4

  1 Includes middle schools as deemed.

  2 Includes dually registered pupils and boarding pupils.

  Source:

  Annual Schools' Census

  GCSEs
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 15 and 16-year-olds in Wigan achieved five or more GCSEs at grade A* -C or GNVQ equivalent in each of the last seven years. [169287]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is as follows:

  Percentage of 15-year-old pupils1 achieving five or more grades A.*-C at GCSE/GNVQ

  Percentage

  Academic year

  Wigan

  England

  1997

  44.8

  45.1

  1998

  43.2

  46.3

  1999

  45.7

  47.9

  2000

  46.7

  49.2

  2001

  47.1

  50.0

  2002

  49.3

  51.6

  2003

  50.7

  52.9

  1 GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year

  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the GCSE results in the constituency of Edmonton were in(a) 1991–92, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2003. [169305]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 5 May 2004]: The information requested is as follows:

  Percentage of 15-year-old pupils1 achieving five or more grades A* -C at GCSE/GN VQ

  Academic year

  Edmonion parliamentary constituency

  England

  1991/92

  42.4

  38.3

  2001/02

  42.4

  51.6

  2002/03

  44.0

  52.9

  1GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 15 and 16-yearolds in South Ribble achieved five or more GCSEs at grade A* -C or GNVQ equivalent in each of the last seven years. [171981]
  536W
  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is as follows:

  Percentage of 15-year-old pupils1 achieving five or more grades A *-C

  Percentage

  Academic year

  South Ribble

  England

  1997

  54.7

  45.1

  1998

  53.9

  46.3

  1999

  56.0

  47.9

  2000

  61.0

  49.2

  2001

  59.5

  50.0

  2002

  61.5

  51.6

  2003

  63.7

  52.9

  1 GCSE/GNVQ results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

  Higher Education (Specialist Courses)
  Sir Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students enrolled on specialist textile and clothing education courses in universities and colleges in each of the last 15 years for which figures are available. [167591]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The following table shows the number of enrolments on fashion and textiles courses in further education colleges from 1995–96 to 2002–03 inclusive. Figures for earlier years are not available due to changes in data collection methods. Figures for higher education enrolments to textile and clothing education courses are not held centrally.

  Enrolments 'on fashion and textiles' courses in further education sector colleges in England: 1995–96 to 2002–03

  Number of enrolments1

  1995/96

  7,890

  1996/97

  9,970

  1997/98

  9,600

  1998/99

  7,960

  1999/2000

  7,410

  2000/01

  6,480

  2001/02

  6,210

  2002/032

  4,990

  1 Council-funded further education only.

  2 Provisional.

  Note:

  Numbers are rounded to nearest 10.

  Source:

  LSC Individualised Student/Learner Record

  Key Stage 2
  Chris Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupils achieved each level for

  Percentage of pupils achieving each level

  D

  A

  F

  B

  N

  W

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  English

  20031

  1

  1

  —

  3

  2

  —

  —

  1

  17

  48

  27

  2002

  1

  1

  —

  3

  2

  —

  —

  1

  17

  46

  29

  2001

  1

  1

  —

  3

  2

  —

  —

  1

  17

  46

  29

  2000

  1

  2

  —

  4

  2

  —

  —

  1

  20

  47

  23

  1999

  0

  2

  —

  3

  2

  —

  —

  1

  20

  48

  22

  1998

  0

  2

  —

  4

  2

  —

  —

  1

  26

  48

  17

  1997

  0

  3

  —

  4

  2

  —

  —

  1

  26

  48

  16

  1996

  0

  3

  2

  —

  —

  0

  1

  6

  30

  45

  12

  Mathematics

  20031

  0

  1

  —

  3

  2

  —

  —

  1

  20

  44

  29

  2002

  1

  1

  —

  2

  2

  —

  —

  1

  20

  46

  27

  2001

  0

  1

  —

  2

  2

  —

  —

  1

  22

  45

  25

  2000

  0

  2

  —

  3

  2

  —

  —

  1

  20

  45

  26

  1999

  0

  2

  —

  3

  2

  —

  —

  1

  23

  45

  24

  1998

  0

  2

  —

  3

  3

  —

  —

  1

  31

  42

  17

  1997

  0

  3

  —

  3

  2

  —

  —

  2

  28

  44

  18

  1996

  0

  3

  2

  —

  —

  0

  1

  5

  34

  40

  14

  12003 results are pronisional.

  Notes:

  A—represents pupils who were absent.

  D—represents pupils who have been disapplied under section 364/365 of the Education Act.

  B—represents pupils who were assessed by teacher assessment only.

  N—represents pupils who took the tests but failed to register a level.

  W—represents pupils who are "working towards" level 1 but have not yet achieved the standards needed for level 1.

  F—represents pupils who have failed to register a level for reasons other than absence.

  Mayoral Meetings
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on what dates(a) he and (b) his predecessor has held official meetings with the Mayor of London since July 2000; and what the subject of each meeting was. [171437]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  [holding answer 10 May 2004]: Ministers from the Department for Education and Skills have met the Mayor of London from time to time and discussed a variety of subjects relating to education and skills.

  Residential Experiences
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his address to the NASUWT conference, if he will make a statement on funding support for residential experiences for school children. [171057]

  Mr. Miliband
  Many schools already offer opportunities for residential experience for their students. My Department is looking at how residential opportunities can contribute to more young people taking advantage of extra curricular activities. As a starting point a map of existing residential opportunities will be established. I will also reflect fully on further advice from the Tomlinson Group on 14–19 reform about young people developing broader skills through wider activities.
  538W
  (a) literacy and (b) numeracy at Key Stage 2 in each year since the introduction of SATs. [172934]

  Mr. Miliband
  The information requested is:

  Safe Routes to Schools Programme
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of schools(a) in Bolton, North East, (b) in Greater Manchester and (c) in England have implemented initiatives under the Safe Routes to Schools programme. [172601]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I have been asked to reply.

  Local transport plan annual progress reports submitted by local authorities at the end of July 2003 showed that by the end of March 2004 (a) they did not expect any schools in the area covered by Bolton metropolitan borough council to have either a safe route to school or a school travel plan in place; (b) they expected 260 schools in Greater Manchester to have at least one safe route to school and 167 to have a school travel plan in place; and (c) they expected over 3,800 schools nationally to have at least one safe route to school and over 3,500 to have a school travel plan in place. Local transport plan annual progress reports do not enable us to identify the numbers of safe routes to school and school travel plans by constituency area.

  Although no schools in Bolton currently have a safe route to school or school travel plan in place, I understand that at least seven local traffic calming schemes have been implemented within the immediate environs of schools, one school has prepared a drafts school travel plan and several others have expressed an interest in developing a plan.

  School Buildings
  Mr. Caton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost was of outstanding repairs to school buildings identified by the 2003 Asset Management Survey; and when he will publish the full results of that survey. [171241]

  Mr. Miliband
  The data supplied to the Department by English local education authorities and derived from their condition assessments of school buildings show maintenance requirements of approximately £8,000 million. This figure includes outstanding repairs and work needed over a five year period from the dates of the assessments. The Department has been working with authorities to resolve data quality issues and will shortly publish analysis of the data.

  Central government capital support for investment in school buildings has increased from under £700 million in 1996–97 to £4.5 billion this year and will rise further to over £5 billion by 2005–06. Progress is being made year-by-year in improving the quality of the school building stock.

  School Exclusions
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what reports he has received on the exclusion of disruptive children from schools during Ofsted inspections. [172375]

  Mr. Miliband
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not received any reports of disruptive children being excluded during Ofsted inspections.

  Pupils may be excluded only for disciplinary reasons, in response to serious breaches of a school's discipline policy, and if allowing the pupil to remain in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or others in the school.

  An exclusion which is not carried out in accordance with the formal procedures set out in regulations and guidance would be illegal.

  School Locations
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils live more than three miles away from the school that they attend, broken down by region. [167866]

  Mr. Miliband
  [holding answer 26 April 2004]: The information requested is shown in the table.

  Numbers of pupils living more than three miles1 from the maintained primary and secondary schools2 that they attend—January 2003

  Primary Number of school population travelling more than three miles

  Secondary Percentage of school population travelling more than three miles

  Number of school population travelling more than three miles

  Percentage of school population travelling more than three miles

  North East

  5,996

  2.6

  22,703

  12.5

  North West

  17,045

  2.7

  62,996

  13.3

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  12,909

  2.8

  51,235

  14.6

  East Midlands

  14,931

  4

  58,757

  19.6

  West Midlands

  17,648

  3.6

  54.095

  14.2

  540W

  Numbers of pupils living more than three miles1 from the maintained primary and secondary schools2 that they attend—January 2003

  Primary Number of school population travelling more than three miles

  Secondary Percentage of school population travelling more than three miles

  Number of school population travelling more than three miles

  Percentage of school population travelling more than three miles

  East of England

  21,386

  4.7

  88,607

  22.9

  London

  14,576

  2.3

  55,741

  13.2

  South East

  30,805

  4.7

  114,785

  22.5

  South West

  19,891

  5

  78,074

  23.9

  England

  155,187

  3.7

  586,993

  17.8

  1Distances calculated are straight line.

  2Includes middle schools as deemed.

  Source:

  Pupil Level Annual Schools' Census.

  Schools (Outdoor Pursuits)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he last discussed access to outdoor and adventurous activities for young people with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. [171604]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  Outdoor and adventurous activities is one of six areas of activity for which programmes of study have been drawn up within National Curriculum Physical Education. The Secretaries of State for Education and Skills and for Culture, Media and Sport have regular bilateral meetings at which a range of issues are discussed, including provision for PE and school sport.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to promote adventure holidays and outdoor pursuits in schools; and if he will make a statement. [171606]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  The extent to which schools incorporate adventure holidays, and outdoor pursuits in their provision (beyond the provision for outdoor and adventurous activities within National Curriculum Physical Education), is at their discretion. The Department will reflect fully on further advice from the Tomlinson Group on 14–19 reform about young people developing broader skills through wider activities.

  Secondary Schools (Cambridgeshire)
  Mr. Djanogly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacant secondary school places there were in Cambridgeshire, broken down by(a) school year group, (b) district and (c) establishment, at the start of the spring term of school year 2003–04. [172637]

  Mr. Miliband
  The following table shows the number of surplus secondary school places in Cambridgeshire broken down by individual establishment. The figures state the position at the beginning of the calendar year beginning 2003 rather than the school year.

  We do not collect surplus place data by school year group, or borough or district area.
  541W

  Number of surplus places in secondary schools in Cambridgeshire at January 2003

  School name

  Surplus

  Bottisham Village College

  40

  Impington Village College

  61

  Swavesey Village College

  128

  Parkside Community College

  0

  Chesterton Community College

  122

  Coleridge Community College

  223

  Cottenham Village College

  114

  Melbourn Village College

  176

  The Cromwell Community College

  174

  Sir Harry Smith Community College

  5

  Witchford Village College

  38

  The Manor Community College

  281

  The Netherhall School

  156

  St. Ivo School

  13

  Ernulf Community School

  103

  City of Ely Community College

  244

  The Neale-Wade Community College

  34

  Hinchingbrooke School

  65

  Ramsey Abbey School

  0

  St. Bede's Inter-Church Comprehensive School

  21

  Gamlingay Village College

  54

  Bassingbourn Village College

  37

  The Queen's School

  198

  Sawtry Community College

  0

  Comberton Village College

  158

  Sawston Village College

  90

  Ailwyn Community College

  3

  Longsands College

  27

  St. Peter's School

  243

  Soham Village College

  36

  Union Village College

  32

  Total

  2,876

  Teacher Numbers
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) teachers, (b) support staff and (c) teachers in secondary schools there were (i) in 1997 and (ii) on the latest date for which figures are available in (A) the London borough of Waltham Forest and (B) the London borough of Redbridge. [171992]

  Mr. Miliband
  The tables show the total number of full-time equivalent regular teachers in all maintained schools, support staff in maintained schools and regular teachers in maintained secondary schools in January 1997 and 2003 in the two local education authorities requested.

  Redbridge LEA

  Regular teachers

  Support staff

  Regular secondary teachers

  1997

  2,100

  600

  1,060

  2003

  2,470

  1,140

  1,300

  Waltham Forest LEA

  Regular teachers

  Support staff

  Regular secondary teachers

  1997

  2,010

  740

  840

  2003

  1,940

  1,230

  890

  1Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools.

  Sources:

  Annual School Census (support staff) and the annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies (618g) (teachers).

  Teacher Workload
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the change in teacher workload since the publication of Red Tape and Bureaucracy in Schools; and what progress has been made against the targets announced in the document. [171828]

  Mr. Miliband
  The main means by which teacher workload is monitored is through the regular diary surveys undertaken for the Office for Manpower Economics. Last year's survey was conducted in March 2003. The most recent one was conducted in March 2004, with results available in the autumn. The March 2003 survey showed some reductions in hours, but this was obviously too early to draw any conclusions. The "Making a Difference—Red Tape and Bureaucracy in Schools Second Report" was published in March 2003. The Report included 125 separate outcomes to be completed up to September 2005, of which 79 have now been completed.

  The Implementation Review Unit (IRU) panel of 12 experienced practitioners drawn from schools across England was established in April 2003 to ensure that the bureaucratic and workload implications of both new and existing policies are kept under rigorous review, and to advise how red tape and bureaucracy can be minimised. Their first annual report was published on 30 April 2004, which provides an assessment of the progress that has been made, including the introduction of a system within the DfES to assess the impact of new initiatives before they, are introduced. The report is available at www.dfes.gov.uk/iru.

  Teenage Pregnancy
  Mr. Hopkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures are being taken in schools to(a) promote the safer sex message and (b) reduce unplanned pregnancies. [172577]

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  Teaching about safer sex is a key element of the Government's sexual health strategy and is covered by our Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) guidance which was sent to all schools in July 2000. All maintained secondary schools have a statutory responsibility to teach SRE including sexual health, contraception and the range of advice and support services which are available.

  Effective SRE should ensure that young people understand the reasons for delaying sexual activity, including unwanted pregnancies, and give them the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions.

  Truancy (Nottinghamshire)
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average truancy rate for secondary schools in Nottinghamshire was in each of the last five years. [171517]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  The information requested is as follows.
  543W

  Percentage of half days missed due to unauthorised absences for secondary schools in Nottinghamshire

  Academic year (September-May)

  Percentage

  1998

  1.49

  1999

  1.38

  2000

  1.34

  2001

  1.24

  2002

  1.30

  2003

  1.49

  Unemployed Graduates
  Mr. Simmonds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many graduates claimed unemployment benefit for(a) one to three months, (b) four to six months, (c) seven to nine months and (d) 10 to 12 months directly after graduation in each year since 1997. [172628]

  Alan Johnson
  Administrative data relating to claims of jobseekers' allowance in the year after graduation are not available.

  Information on economic activity more generally is collected, though not at the detailed level requested. The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects data on the employment position of students six months after graduation, through the annual First Destination Survey. Summary results are available in the relevant Statistical First Releases which are placed in the House of Commons Library.

  The Department also commissioned the Institute of Employment Research to analyse the early careers of 1995 graduates. The published report1 provides more detail of labour market transitions in the first year post-graduation. This research is currently being extended in an analysis of 1999 graduates which we expect to be published later this year.

  1Elias, P. & K. Purcell (1999) Moving On—Graduate Careers Three Years After Graduation DfEE-CSU-AGCAS-IER

  Universities
  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) when his Department will agree the new criteria for degree-awarding powers and university title in England and Wales; [172288]

  (2) whether the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has extended its moratorium on the grant of new degree-awarding powers to institutions in Wales. [172289]

  Alan Johnson
  A moratorium on new applications for Degree Awarding Powers (DAP) and University Title (UT) was put in place for institutions in England and Wales last year as we consulted on revised criteria for DAP and UT. In a written ministerial statement on 16 March 2004,Official Report, column 16WS, I announced that we would be holding further discussions on renewable DAP and a paper will be issued on 14 May 2004. A copy of this paper will be placed in the House Libraries and will also be available on the Department for Education and Skills website. We hope to finalise new criteria for DAP and UT in England and Wales by this summer.

  Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made in reducing the number of adults without a NVQ level 2 or equivalent qualification by 2010; and if he will make a statement. [172976]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  Good progress is being made to reach our 2010 target of reducing by 40 per cent. those without a level 2 qualification (NVQ level 2 or equivalent). According to the Labour Force Survey, the reduction realised as of autumn 2003 was 5.4 per cent. from the autumn 2001 baseline. The interim milestone for 2006 is that there should be 1 million more adults in the workforce with full level 2 or better than in 2002. Autumn 2003 figures show an increase of 187,000 adults with at least a level 2 compared to the autumn 2002 baseline.

  These figures are broadly in line with the planned trajectories for meeting the PSA targets for both 2006 and 2010.

  The Skills Strategy White Paper (published July 2003) includes a wide range of interlinked measures to remove barriers to learning, support participation for individuals and increase the amount of training undertaken with employers. It set out our intention to introduce a new entitlement for any adult in the labour force to have access to free tuition for their first full level 2 qualification. We are working with the LSC on phasing in the level 2 entitlement, with phase one in 2004–05 and full rollout beginning the following year.

  In September 2003, we started piloting the new Adult Learning Grant in ten local LSC areas, which offers up to £30 per week to adults on low incomes studying full-time for a first full level 2 qualification. Over 3,000 ALG applications have been received and over 2,000 awards have been made to learners. From September, we are doubling the size of the current pilot by extending the ALG throughout the SE and NE regions, as part of linked trials of key initiatives announced in the Skills Strategy.

  There are currently 12 Employer Training Pilots (ETPs) which are testing new financial support measures to improve access to training and enable employees to attain basic and level 2 skills. By mid April over 49,000 learners and nearly 9,000 employers were engaged. The expansion of ETPs was announced in the Budget and ETPs will now be available in 20 LSC areas in England.

  We believe that these and other related measures in the Skills Strategy will enable us to accelerate the trajectory towards meeting these targets.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Advisers/Consultants
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 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. [171874]
  545W
  Maria Eagle
  The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in 2002. Expenditure for years 2000–01 and 2001–02 is for the former Department of Social Security.

  £ million

  2000–01

  104.7

  2001–02

  169.5

  2002–03

  291.5

  Benefit Claimants (Over-50s)
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of claimants of disability benefits aged between 50 and state pension age worked immediately prior to their claim, in each year since 1997, broken down by region; and if he will make a statement. [172540]

  Maria Eagle
  Information is not available on whether people worked immediately prior to claiming disability living allowance or industrial injuries disablement benefit. Both of these benefits can be paid to people in work, as well as to those who have stopped work or never worked.

  Carers' Allowance
  John Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of abolishing the overlapping benefit rule in respect of carers' allowance for(a) women over 60 years and (b) men and women over 65 years. [171344]

  Maria Eagle
  The gross cost of exempting all pensioners over 65 in receipt of carers' allowance from the overlapping benefits rule would be around £200 million. After adjusting for offsets in income-related benefits the cost would be around £130 million1. Exempting women only, aged 60 and over, would cost £155 million (£100 million after adjustments), although our commitment to the European directive on equal treatment would of course prevent us from introducing such a measure.

  These costs do not take account of the introduction of pension credit where carers' allowance is taken fully into account but an additional amount may be awarded in respect of the caring.

  Neither do the figures take account of the behavioural effect of carers who have not claimed a carer's allowance but who would be induced to do so if the overlapping benefits rules were amended as suggested.

  1Estimates use benefit rates for 2003–04 and are based on a 100 per cent. extract of claims for carers' allowance taken from the carers' allowance computer system for May 2003, a 5 per cent. extract from claims recorded on the income support computer system in 2003 and a 1 per cent. extract of housing benefit/council tax benefit claims of May 2001.

  Departmental Annual Report
  Norman Lamb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the production of his Department'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. [171159]

  Maria Eagle
  The Department for Work and Pensions latest departmental report was published on 29 April 2004. Final expenditure figures are not yet available, but the costs of production incurred by the Department are estimated to be £38,897. Publishing costs are met by the publisher, TSO (The Stationery Office), and do not fall to government.

  1,500 copies of the report were produced, of which 1,160 were for the Department's use. Distribution details are set out in the following table. The report is also available free of charge on the departmental website.

  The production and sale of remaining copies of the report are matters for the publisher. Meaningful information about the number of copies of the 2004 report sold at the cover price of £27 is not yet available as publication is so recent.

  Recipients

  Number of copies distributed free of charge

  House of Lords

  50

  House of Commons

  200

  Chair of the Treasury Select Committee

  1

  Chair and members of Work and Pensions

  Select Committee

  23

  Opposition spokesmen

  4

  Social Security Advisory Committee

  15

  HM Treasury and Cabinet Office

  3

  Health and Safety Commission/Executive

  10

  Departmental staff

  854

  Total

  1,160

  Departmental Appointments
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been employed on 13 week casual appointments in his Department in the last 12 months, broken down by agency; and if he will make a statement. [171591]

  Maria Eagle
  The information is in the table.

  Thirteen week casual appointments during the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004

  Business area

  Number

  DWP Corporate Centre

  0

  Jobcentre Plus

  138

  The Pension Service

  5

  Child Support Agency

  1

  Disability and Carers Service

  13

  The Appeals Service

  0

  Total

  157

  Departmental Computers
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to update computer(a) hardware and (b) software standard packages used in his Department. [166370]

  Mr. Pond
  By June this year we will have completed the modernisation of the desk top infrastructure across the Department. This has involved replacing almost all existing desktop hardware, and supporting file and print servers, upgrading the networks and delivering a standard set of software applications and packages

  In future, in common with standard industry practice, IT equipment and services will be updated in line with ongoing business needs, with value for money being an important factor in determining how and when any updates take place. Additionally, our strategy and thinking will be informed by opportunities presented by advances in technology, benchmarking against industry standards and consultation with our existing suppliers and other Government Departments.

  Departmental Pay
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of his Department's staff earn less than two-thirds of male median earnings. [170584]

  People receiving disability living allowance (DLA), attendance allowance (AA) and industrial injuries disablement benefit (IIDB), as a percentage of the population of Great Britain and broken down by benefit combinations and Government Office region

  Thousand

  Region

  Total

  Percentage of population

  DLA only

  DLA and IIDB

  DLA and AA

  DLA, AA and IIDB

  All

  4,172.2

  7.3

  2,408.9

  102.7

  14.3

  0.8

  North East

  250.7

  10.0

  141.3

  13.0

  0.8

  2—

  North West

  625.4

  9.3

  381.1

  18.1

  2.1

  10.2

  Yorkshire and Number

  391.2

  7.9

  235.7

  10.1

  0.9

  10.1

  East Midlands

  308.8

  7.3

  170.3

  10.2

  0.9

  10.1

  West Midlands

  412.3

  7.8

  230.5

  10.6

  1.6

  10.1

  East

  320.4

  5.9

  170.7

  6.1

  1.3

  2—

  London

  383.3

  5.2

  240.4

  4.4

  1.1

  2—

  South East

  389.0

  4.8

  210.9

  6.5

  1.8

  2—

  South West

  323.3

  6.5

  163.0

  5.2

  1.2

  10.1

  Wales

  322.7

  11.1

  194.8

  9.0

  1.1

  10.2

  Scotland

  444.8

  8.8

  270.1

  9.5

  1.5

  2—

  Thousand

  Region

  AA only

  AA and IIDB

  IIDB only

  All

  1408.1

  19.2

  218.2

  North East

  67.2

  2.1

  26.3

  North West

  191.4

  2.7

  29.8

  Yorkshire and Number

  117.2

  2.1

  25.2

  East Midlands

  104.5

  1.9

  20.8

  West Midlands

  146.9

  2.1

  20.6

  East

  126.7

  0.8

  14.7

  London

  126.4

  0.7

  10.4

  South East

  148.7

  0.9

  20.3

  South West

  137.4

  1.3

  15.2

  Wales

  102.5

  2.6

  12.6

  Scotland

  139.2

  2.1

  22.5

  548W
  Maria Eagle
  The information is in the table. The figures reflect the first stage of the DWP 2003 pay award. The numbers of staff earning below two-thirds of the male median will reduce when the second stage of the award is paid with May 2004 salaries.

  DWP

  Under £6.00 ph

  Over £6.00 ph

  Total staff

  Total staff in post (Number)

  26,902

  117,536

  144,438

  Percentage of total

  18.6

  81.4

  100

  Notes:

  1 The Median of Male Gross Earnings (all employees) is £9.07 according to the Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey for Winter 2003–04. Two-thirds is therefore £6.00.

  2. DWP data is taken from the February 2004 payroll.

  3. DWP salaries include allowances, but not overtime as the hourly rate calculations from which the numbers are derived are based on DWP standard contractual hours.

  4. The standard contractual hours used for the figures are 41 for full-time staff in the London pay zones, 36 for part-time staff in the London pay zones, 42 and 37 respectively for staff working outside these areas.

  Disability Benefits
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people are on disability benefits, broken down by(a) benefit and (b) region; and if he will make a statement. [171587]

  Maria Eagle
  The information is in the following tables.

  1Figures are less than 500 and subject to a high degree of sampling variation.

  2Denotes nil or negligible.

  Notes

  1 Figures taken from a 5 per cent. sample at 31 August 2003 for AA and DLA and at 30 September 2003 for IIDB.

  2 Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred.

  3 From November 2002, the methodology for producing these figures was changed to allow statistics to be published much sooner. This has resulted in a small increase in the reported caseload. This is because some cases which have actually terminated but have not yet been updated on the computer system are now included.

  4 Population Figures used to produce the percentages are mid 2002 for population of all ages. Source: Office for National Statistics.
  549W
  5. DLA is payable to all ages, if claimed before 65. IIDB is payable to working age claimants. AA is only payable on new claims to those aged 65 plus. There remain a number of AA claims in payment from before 6 April 1992, which were not converted to DLA with the introduction of the new scheme, which explains why some people still receive a combination of DLA mobility component and AA for their care costs.

  The total for AA does not match published individual benefit statistics as published AA statistics use rating factors to take account of late terminations.

  Source:

  IAD Information Centre.

  Departmental Website
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of maintaining his Department's website was in the last 12 months; how many staff are responsible for the maintenance of the website; and how many hits it received in the last 12 months. [170589]

  Jane Kennedy
  Development of the DWP website is carried out by the Department's own in-house web team who are responsible for its production, management and maintenance. It is not possible to quantify internal costs for the site

  There were no contracted or quantifiable costs for the Department's website in the last 12 months.

  The department's IT contractor provides hosting of departmental sites, and provision of web hosting services. However, internet services are not accounted for separately and it is not possible to disentangle these costs.

  The equivalent of five full-time members of staff maintain the site.

  The site attracted 77,031,942 hits in the last 12 months.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Goodman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will publish an assessment of the incapacity benefit pilots; and if he will make a statement. [172855]

  Maria Eagle
  We will be publishing reports at intervals during the course of the evaluation of the incapacity benefit pilots, although the full and final impact assessment will not be available until early 2007. From later this year onwards, qualitative findings on areas such as personal advisers and customer experiences of the reforms will be published. An interim assessment of the impact of the incapacity benefit pilots will also be available in summer 2005. In parallel we will be assessing direct feedback from those responsible for, and participating in, the pilots in order to further improve the effectiveness of the support available, and apply appropriate lessons more widely.

  Occupational Pension Schemes
  Vera Baird
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will fund compensation for members of occupational pension schemes who have suffered serious loss and will not be eligible for the Pension Protection Fund. [172712]
  550W
  Malcolm Wicks
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Guildford (Sue Doughty) on 26 April 2004,Officia1 Report, column 848W

  Pension Protection Fund
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether(a) the Chairman, (b) the Chief Executive and (c) the staff of the Pension Protection Fund will be in pensionable employment liable for the levy to the Pension Protection Fund. [172929]

  Malcolm Wicks
  As a part of the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) employment terms and conditions the Chairman, the Chief Executive and the staff of the Pension Protection Fund will have the opportunity to join the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme. This is in line with the pension provision currently provided for OPRA staff. The Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme, along with other similar schemes, is a funded public service pension scheme with a crown guarantee and therefore will not be required to pay the pension protection fund levies.

  Public Awareness Campaigns
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what public awareness campaigns have been undertaken by his Department since 2001; and what the cost was of each. [170587]

  Maria Eagle
  During 2003–04 the Department for Work and Pensions ran a number of initiatives alerting people to their rights, responsibilities and entitlements through public awareness campaigns. Details of these campaigns and their respective costs are in the table.

  2003–04 campaign

  Publicity expenditure (£)

  Future Pensioners/Informed Choice

  2,700,000

  Pensioners' Guide

  1,250,000

  Pension Credit

  15,580,000

  The Pension Service

  2,650,000

  Direct Payment

  12,474,000

  Direct Payment road show

  480,000

  Fraud

  9,362,000

  Winter Fuel

  938,000

  Council Tax Benefit

  652,000

  New Deal

  7,600,000

  Jobcentre Plus awareness

  531,000

  Jobseeker Direct help-line

  1,700,000

  Jobcentre Plus employer marketing

  1,016,000

  Age Positive

  946,000

  DDA Awareness

  300,000

  Notes:

  1. All costs exclude VAT

  2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.

  3. Information campaigns costing under £250,000 and the details of highly localised publicity activity by the Department's customer-facing businesses have generally not been included as a disproportionate cost would be incurred in compiling these figures.

  A breakdown of publicity spend for 2001–02 and 2002–03 can be found in the Department's annual reports, copies of which are in the Library.

  Unemployment Statistics (Over-50s)
  Paul Holmes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many and what proportion of people between the age of 50 and state pension age were
  551W
  not in work in each year since 1997, broken down by gender; and if he will make a statement; [172531]

  (2) how many and what proportion of people were in work immediately before reaching state pension age in each year since 1997, broken down by gender; and if he will make a statement; [172534]

  (3) what percentage of people between the age of 50 and state pension age were long-term unemployed in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [172535]

  Ruth Kelly
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr Holmes dated 13 May 2004:

  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about employment and unemployment. I am replying in his absence. (172531, 172534, 172535)

  The attached tables provide the information requested for the three months ending in February each year from 1997 to 2004. Table 1 shows the numbers of people in employment by gender at an age one year less than the State retirement age. Table 2 shows the numbers of people by gender, aged between 50 and State retirement age, who were not in employment. Table 3 shows the numbers of people by gender, aged between 50 and State retirement age, who were unemployed for. 12 months or longer.

  All estimates are taken from the ONS Labour Force Survey. As with any statistical sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey are subject to sampling variability.

  Table 1: Numbers and proportion of people in employment immediately prior to State retirement age, United Kingdom, three months ending February each year from 1997 to 2004

  Thousand, percentage

  Men aged 64 and women aged 59

  Men aged 64

  Women aged 59

  Number

  Percentage1>

  Number

  Percentage1

  Number

  Percentage1

  1997

  235

  414

  102

  38.0

  132

  44.5

  1998

  209

  38.4

  90

  36.7

  118

  39.8

  1999

  226

  41.1

  92

  36.6

  134

  44.9

  2000

  218

  39.9

  95

  34.6

  123

  45.3

  2001

  250

  42.0

  103

  36.1

  147

  47.5

  2002

  258

  43.7

  102

  39.2

  157

  47.2

  2003

  274

  43.5

  106

  36.7

  168

  49.3

  2004

  318

  50.1

  123

  45.1

  195

  53.9

  1As a percentage of population in the relevant age and gender group.

  Source:

  ONS-Labour Force Survey

  Table 2: Numbers and proportion of people not in employment1 aged between 50 and State retirement age, United Kingdom, three months ending February each year from 1997 to 2004

  Thousand, percentage

  Men aged 50–64and women aged 50–59

  Men aged 50–64

  Women aged 50–59

  Number

  Percentage2

  Number

  Percentage2

  Number

  Percentage2

  1997

  2,836

  35.8

  1,527

  33.1

  1,309

  39.5

  1998

  2,855

  34.9

  1,532

  32.3

  1,323

  38.5

  1999

  2,833

  33.7

  1,520

  31.3

  1,313

  37.1

  2000

  2,896

  33.8

  1,578

  31.9

  1,318

  36.5

  2001

  2,842

  32.7

  1,526

  30.4

  1,316

  35.7

  2002

  2,849

  32.3

  1,533

  30.3

  1,316

  35.1

  2003

  2,777

  31.2

  1,491

  29.2

  1,286

  34.0

  2004

  2,715

  30.3

  1,448

  28.1

  1,268

  33.3

  1 Not in employment refers to people who are either unemployed or economically inactive.

  2 As a percentage of population in the relevant age and gender group.

  Source:

  ONS-Labour Force Survey.

  552W

  Table 3: Numbers and proportion of people who are long-term unemployed1 aged between 50 and State retirement age, United Kingdom, three months ending February each year from 1997 to 2004

  Thousand, percentage

  Men aged 50–64and women aged 50–59

  Men aged 50–64

  Women aged 50–59

  Number

  Percentage2

  Number

  Percentage2

  Number

  Percentage2

  1997

  183

  2.3

  142

  3.1

  41

  1.2

  1998

  133

  16

  102

  2.1

  31

  0.9

  1999

  127

  1.5

  97

  2.0

  30

  0.8

  2000

  104

  1.2

  86

  1.7

  18

  0.5

  2001

  95

  1.1

  79

  1.6

  16

  0.4

  2002

  83

  0.9

  63

  1.2

  20

  0.5

  2003

  81

  0.9

  62

  1.2

  19

  0.5

  2004

  71

  0.8

  53

  1.0

  18

  0.5

  1 Long-term unemployment refers to people who are unemployed for over 12 months.

  2 As a percentage of population in the relevant age and gender group.

  Source:

  ONS-Labour Force Survey.

  Websites
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost of the websites of(a) his Department and (b) executive agencies of his Department was in the most recent year for which figures are available. [160019]

  Jane Kennedy
  Development for the DWP website, agency and other campaign websites is carried out by the Department's own in-house web team who are responsible for production, management and maintenance of all sites.

  Contracted and quantifiable costs are included in the following information for Jobcentre Plus and The Pensions Service websites, however it is not possible to quantify internal costs for the Department's and Child Support Agency sites.

  The department's IT contractor provides hosting of departmental websites, and provision of web hosting services. However, internet services are not accounted for separately and it is not possible to disentangle these costs. Web hosting is included within the quantified costs for the Jobcentre Plus:

  Organisation

  URL

  Costs for 2002–03

  DWP

  www.dwp.gov.uk

  No external costs

  CSA

  www.csa. gov.uk

  No external costs

  Jobcentre Plus

  www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

  1£763,285

  The Pension Service

  www.thepensionservice.gov.uk

  £188,093

  1 Includes quantifiable web hosting costs and links to Job Bank jobs database e-Service.

  Widows' Pensions
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the advice he gives to those(a) public and (b) private pension schemes which will allow a recipient to keep a widow's pension in the event of re-marriage. [172853]

  Malcolm Wicks
  In the private sector, provision of widows' and widowers' benefits is a matter for pension scheme rules. It is up to trustees to decide what information is given to members. Where a scheme is contracted out, it must provide for widows' and
  553W
  widowers' benefits, but it is down to individual schemes to decide whether such payment should cease on re-marriage

  Most public service schemes have statutory rules which require widows' and widowers' pensions to terminate on re-marriage or cohabitation.

  The Local Government Pension Scheme introduced widows' and widowers' pensions for life from April 1998.

  Since October 2002 the new Civil Service pension scheme has provided for survivor pensions to be paid to unmarried partners; the costs of these benefits are being met by higher member contributions. At the same time the requirement to terminate widows' and widowers' pension on remarriage or cohabitation was removed.

DEFENCE

  Apprenticeships
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there will be apprenticeships in the Royal Navy in the future; and if he will make a statement. [172859]

  Mr. Caplin
  There are no plans to change the training of Royal Naval personnel in respect of apprenticeships in the future. The Royal Navy will continue to encourage personnel to gain external qualifications through accreditation with civilian organisations as this is a positive recruiting initiative and provides a well trained civilian work force for the future

  The training delivered to over 90 per cent. of personnel in the Royal Navy is eligible for the award of an apprenticeship as defined by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Currently over 3,200 personnel are working towards a Level 2 qualification.

  BAE Systems
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Government's relationship with BAE Systems; and what assessment he has made of the ways in which it can be improved. [171801]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 10 May 2004]: Her Majesty's Government have a professional relationship with all defence contractors, and senior company officials meet regularly with the Ministry of Defence, and other Government departments.

  The MOD has set up Key Supplier Management (KSM) programmes to work with all major suppliers to improve performance from both the supplier and customer points of view.

  Civilian Staff
  Angus Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian staff are employed(a) by Ministry of Defence Trading Funds and (b) as Royal Fleet Auxiliaries; how many of his Department's civilian staff are on (i) career breaks, (ii) long-term sick leave and (iii) secondments; and if he will list these numbers (A) for the whole of the UK, (B) for Scotland and (C) for Wales. [170450]
  554W
  Mr. Caplin
  The number of full-time equivalent, permanent, industrial and non-industrial civilian staff employed by the Ministry of Defence Trading Funds and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries in the whole of the United Kingdom, in Scotland and in Wales, as at the latest available date:

  1 March 2004

  Trading funds

  Royal fleet auxiliaries

  Total UK Of Which:

  11,280

  2340

  Scotland

  540

  n/a

  Wales

  2,470

  n/a

  The number of full-time equivalent, permanent, industrial and non-industrial MOD civilian staff on career breaks and secondments for the whole of the United Kingdom, for Scotland and for Wales, as at the latest available date:

  1 March 2004

  Career breaks

  Secondments

  Total UK Of which:

  510

  220

  Scotland

  10

  —

  wales

  —

  —

  Information on the numbers of long-term sick leave for 2003 is not yet available. I will write to the hon. Member when it has been collated and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Defence Medal Offices
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many staff are employed at defence medal offices, broken down by(a) sex and (b) those employed on a (i) permanent, (ii) fixed-term and (iii) casual basis; [172035]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the number of experienced staff who are prepared to transfer from Droitwich Spa to RAF Innsworth after the closure of the Army Medal Office. [172038]

  Mr. Caplin
  As at 10 May 2004, the following staff were employed at the four Defence Medal Offices.

  Sex

  Permanent

  Fixed term

  Casual

  Total

  Army Medal Office

  29 female

  52

  2

  1

  55

  26 male

  RAF Medal Office

  6 female

  12

  0

  3

  15

  9 male

  RM Medal Office

  6 female

  7

  0

  0

  7

  1 male

  RN Medal Office

  11 female

  11

  0

  1

  12

  1 male

  —

  —

  —

  89

  The Investment Appraisal assumed nine staff would transfer from Droitwich to Innsworth to build upon the existing cadre of experienced Innsworth based RAF Medal office staff. Until the current staff preference exercise is completed at the end of May, no further assessment can be made as to the number of experienced staff prepared to transfer from Droitwich to Innsworth.
  555W
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the timetable is for the closure of the Army Medal Office in Droitwich Spa; [172039]

  (2) if he will make a statement on his plans to minimise disruption in the issuing of medals normally issued by the Army Medal Office in Droitwich Spa during the period of its closure and relocation to RAF Innsworth. [172040]

  Mr. Caplin
  My written statement on 20 April 2004,Official Report, column 12WS, made clear that this will be a phased operation. The phased closure is part of the risk reduction strategy to counter the temporary disruption in the issuing of medals that may occur during the actual move.

  Project name

  ISD

  Ocean Survey Vessel (HMS SCOTT)

  June-1997

  Skynet 4 Stage II

  May-1998

  PtarmiganMapps (Deployable Trunk Communications System)

  December-2000

  Medium Support Helicopter Aircrew Training Facility (MSHATF)

  April-2001

  Verticle Launched Anti-tank Munition (Shielder)

  May-2001

  COBLU-RN Communications Electronic Surveillance Measures

  July-2001

  Joint Command System (Logistics)

  August-2001

  Tractor Wheeled Earthmoving Medium

  August-2001

  C-17—Strategic Airlift

  September-2001

  Joint Operations Command System

  September-2001

  CHUB (Classified project)

  November-2001

  High Frequency Broadcast Modernisation

  December-2001

  SCAD 101 (submarine counter-measures acoustic devices)

  December-2001

  SCAD 200 (submarine counter-measures acoustic devices)

  December-2001

  ASRAAM (Advanced Short-Range Air to-Air Missile)

  January-2002

  BOWMAN Personal Role Radio

  January-2002

  Replacement Precision Approach Radar (RPAR)

  March-2002

  RAF Command Control and Information System (RAF CCIS)

  March-2002

  Sea King MK7

  March-2002

  Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (CATT)

  May-2002

  Lynx Mk 7/9 Aircrew Training Service

  May-2002

  Radar Type 996

  May-2002

  Sea Dart IR Fuze

  July-2002

  SA80 Modification

  August-2002

  PSC 504—portable sitcom terminal

  September-2002

  Tactical Communications Digitisation Programme

  November-2002

  JTIDS (Joint Tactical Information Distribution System) into the SeaKing (w) Mk 7

  December-2002

  Area Weapons Effects Simulation (AWES)

  January-2003

  Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service (TSTS)

  January-2003

  Range Airborne Instrumented Debriefing System (RAIDS)

  January-2003

  Auxiliary Oiler

  March-2003

  Attack Helicopter Conversion Training (for aircrew, groundcrew and maintenance technicians)

  April-2003

  RORO—Strategic Sealift

  April-2003

  Secure Comms for the RAF

  April-2003

  Man-Portable Chemical Agent Detector (MCAD)

  May-2003

  Typhoon (agile combat aircraft)

  June-2003

  Heavy Equipment Transporter

  July-2003

  Landing Platform Dock (Replacement)

  July-2003

  DLH Offboard Active Decoy

  September-2003

  Survey Vessels (HMS ECHO)

  September-2003

  AH Crew and Special-to-arm collective training

  November-2003

  General Key Management

  November-2003

  Integrated Biological Detection System (IBDS)

  November-2003

  Directional Infra-Red Counter Measures (DIRCM)

  December-2003

  Very Low Frequency Received Signal Service

  December-2003

  Land System Reference Centre—Internet Protocol

  January-2004

  All Terrain Vehicle (Platform)—Viking

  February-2004

  BOWMAN—Tactical Communication system

  March-2004

  Hunt Mid-Life Update—Sonar Type 2193

  March-2004

  Successor Identification Friend or Foe (SIFF)

  March-2004

  Defence Projects
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all(a), category A, (b) category B and (c) category C projects of his Department that have achieved their in-service date since 31 March 1997; and when the in-service date was achieved. [170560]

  Mr. Ingram
  A list of all Category A, Category B and Category C equipment projects procured by the Defence Procurement Agency and achieving in-service date is set out in the following table. Details prior to 1 April 2001 are incomplete as project information before that time is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Departmental Executive Agencies
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list place in the Library copies of the annual report and accounts for the(a) Fleet Air Arm Museum, (b) Royal Marines Museum, (c) Royal Naval Museum, (d) Royal Navy Submarine Museum, (e) National Army Museum and (f) Royal Air Force Museum for financial years 1997–98 to 2001–02. [172123]

  Mr. Caplin
  Yes.

  Equipment Service Dates
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the forecast in-service date was on 31 March 1997 for the Advanced Air-Launched Anti-Armour Weapon; [170366]

  (2) what the forecast in-service date was on 31 March 1998 for the High Velocity Missile System; [170367]

  (3). what the forecast in-service date was on 31 March 1999 for the (a) High Velocity Missile System and (b) Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile. [170368]

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

  Royal Naval Engineering Artificer
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason the title of Royal Naval Engineering Artificer is to be replaced by Engineering Technician; and whether there will be a change in the standards expected of occupants of the post. [172858]

  Mr. Caplin
  A review of the structure, organisation and training of both the Warfare and Engineering Branches of the Royal Navy is currently taking place. It is probable that the term Engineering Technician will be adopted for all members of the Engineering Branch below the rank of Commissioned Officer, replacing the Artificer and Mechanic titles currently in use. The title Artificer no longer adequately describes the professional role that those personnel undertake in the modern Navy. Replacing them with Engineering Technicians will align the Navy with the standards of competence published by the Engineering Council United Kingdom, and refresh the image of this key role against increasingly competitive recruitment market forces.

  The fleet continues to require highly trained and experienced personnel to provide the necessary technical support to ensure that the Royal Navy delivers its full range of operational capability. An expected outcome from the current review is that training will be better targeted through a career, and that naval Engineering Technicians who complete the training satisfactorily will be awarded a Foundation Degree, reflecting the comprehensive set of skills that they will possess.

  Saudi Armed Forces Project Office
  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place between BAE Systems and the Department regarding the Saudi Armed Forces Project office of the Ministry of Defence between 2000 and 2002; when these discussions took 558W
  place; what the nature of each discussion was; what the outcome of each was; and if he will make a statement. [171609]

  Mr. Ingram
  The saudi Armed Forces Project, which is a part of the Ministry of Defence, is responsible for fulfilling the MOD's obligations in respect of the Al Yamamah (AY) programme. This includes monitoring the progress and performance of the programme prime contractor, BAE Systems, in the delivery of goods and services supplied to the Saudi Armed Forces. In this role and as the Department's focal point for AY matters, there is daily contact between members of the Project and representatives of BAE Systems on a wide range of issues affecting the performance of the AY contracts.

  Support Vehicles
  Mr. Laxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the reliability of the Oshkosh support vehicles currently deployed in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [171575]

  Mr. Ingram
  I assume that the Oshkosh support vehicles to which you refer are the Heavy Equipment Transporters. A fleet of 16 was deployed to Iraq in November 2003, and their reliability is assessed on a monthly basis against Key Performance Indicators. To date, these have all been achieved.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to promote the delivery of sustainable development within Government. [171804]

  Mr. Caplin
  The Ministry of Defence fully supports the Sustainable Development in Government Initiative. We have been working actively with the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the development of targets in respect of the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate.

  For each of the Framework targets published to date (environmental management systems, travel, water, biodiversity and energy), the Department has published a statement within the timeframe required, outlining the steps it will take to address the targets.

  The MOD contributes data to the annual Government Report on Sustainable Development report produced by DEFRA. Details of the Department's progress are available in the 2nd Annual Report (2003). The MOD will be producing an annual sustainable development report in November 2004.

  We are also engaged in the current review of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy.

  In addition MOD is working on its own Sustainable Development Strategy.

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with his Department's Sustainable Development Strategy. [171805]

  Mr. Caplin
  The Ministry of Defence has been developing its own Sustainable Development Strategy (which will support its activities) based on the Government's existing strategy. We intend to publish a summary version in the near future.
  559W
  In addition to its own Strategy, MOD contributes to the wider framework for sustainable development on the Government estate led by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. MOD has published a statement for each of the framework targets published to date (environmental management system, travel, water, biodiversity and energy) outlining the steps it will take them to address them.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total strength of the Territorial Army was on 1 May; how many of its members are deployed abroad; and in which countries. [172118]

  Mr. Caplin
  The information requested is not yet available. For the most recent figures relating to the strength of the Territorial Army (TA) and numbers deployed, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 April 2004,Official Report, column 728W, to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock).

  The countries in which members of the TA are currently deployed are Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan.

  Timber
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [167626]

  Mr. Caplin
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to her on 10 May 2004,Official Report, column 31W, by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Environment and Agri-Environment.

  Weapons Testing
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether(a) his Department, (b) non-departmental public bodies or executive agencies responsible to his Department and (c) consultants contracted to his Department used non-human primates in experiments to test the effects of weapons in each of the last three years. [170996]

  Mr. Ingram
  The only work carried out or sponsored by the Ministry of Defence on non-human primates is that undertaken by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, (an agency of MOD) which has during the last three years conducted work using non-human primates to assess the effects and significance of human exposure to nerve agents and to develop medical countermeasures as appropriate. Additionally, work has been conducted in collaboration with allies to evaluate the performance and safety of protective countermeasures, for example, new vaccines against biological warfare agents.

  Young Service Personnel (Deaths)
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the UK armed forces under the age of 18 have died while serving in each of the last 10 years. [171799]
  560W
  Mr. Caplin
  Between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 2003, 28 regular armed forces personnel under the age of 18 have died in service. These deaths occurred in the following years:

  Deaths in regular armed forces personnel aged under 18 years

  Number

  1994

  0

  1995

  3

  1996

  2

  1997

  0

  1998

  3

  1999

  5

  2000

  2

  2001

  5

  2002

  4

  2003

  1

  Total

  28

CABINET OFFICE

  Buckingham Palace Garden Parties
  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to his answer of 26 April, to Question ref 168814, on garden parties, whether an exception has been made in the last 10 years to the policy of not permitting nominations for Commonwealth citizens to be made on the nomination form used by hon. Members. [169727]

  Mr. Lammy
  I have been asked to reply

  The arrangements under which Commonwealth citizens are nominated by their High Commissions for invitations to Royal Garden Parties have been in place for well over 10 years. I am not aware of any exceptions having been made.

  Green Minister
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the meetings his Department has been present at regarding the delivery of sustainable development across Government as coordinated by the Ministerial Sub-committee of Green Ministers. [167740]

  Mr. Alexander
  Departmental officials regularly attend meetings to discuss the delivering of sustainable development across Government.

  As regards to Cabinet Committee business, it is established practice under exemption 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose such information.

  Recycled Paper
  Norman Baker
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 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. [167733]

  Mr. Alexander
  Since August 2002 all printing contractors used by the Cabinet Office use the cross-departmental framework contract for the supply of
  561W
  recycled paper for printed publications. Paper supplied is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum post consumer waste content of 75 per cent.

  Shareholder Executive
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what consultations have been conducted by the Shareholder Executive on corporate finance and governance; and which of these consultations have been published. [171616]

  Mr. Alexander
  The Shareholder Executive has conducted a wide range of consultations on shareholder and governance issues, including with shareholding departments, companies owned by Government and other relevant parties outside Government. The Shareholder Executive is using these consultations to inform its work to improve Government's performance as a shareholder.

  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the(a) resource budget, (b) administration cost and (c) staff numbers of the Shareholder Executive were for 2003–04; and when the annual report will be published. [171617]

  Mr. Alexander
  The resource budget allocated to the Shareholder Executive for 2003–04 was £2.2 million. The outturn administration cost, currently estimated at £1 million, reflects the Shareholder Executive being created only part way through the year. At the 31 March 2004, there were 12 members of staff in the Shareholder Executive. The Shareholder Executive is an integral part of the Cabinet Office and its activities are covered by the Cabinet Office's annual report.

  Timber
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the Office plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [167623]

  Mr. Alexander
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to her by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Mr. Morley) on 10 May 2004,Official Report, column 31W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Ethnic Minorities
  Keith Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to bring the number of employees from ethnic minority backgrounds in(a) the Police Service and (b) the judiciary into line with ethnic breakdown of the population in Britain. [171081]

  Ms Blears
  The Government are committed to achieving a culturally diverse workforce in the police service that is representative of the local communities it serves. We are engaged with the leadership of the police service in addressing diversity and promoting race equality in the areas of recruitment, training and development.
  562W
  We are pursuing a number of positive initiatives to improve representation in the police service. We have introduced national recruitment, assessment and selection processes that are fair and transparent and designed to weed out applicants with racist attitudes. Within this, we are encouraging, for example, all forces to use members of their minority communities as assessors in their selection processes.

  In January we launched a new action plan "Breaking Through—Promoting Minority Ethnic Employment in the Police Service" to help forces focus on steps to improve recruitment, retention and progression of ethnic minorities.

  We have recently conducted advertising aimed at ethnic minorities and have produced a new ethnic minority recruitment leaflet for forces. Our relaunched police recruitment website encourages applications from ethnic minorities and women.

  In terms of the Judiciary, my right hon. noble and learned Friend, the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor has introduced a bill to create a new, independent, Judicial Appointments Commission which will inspire a more diverse range of applicants through a more open, transparent and accessible system. The Department is also examining whether other barriers exist to deter applicants from minority groups, while continuing to run its comprehensive outreach programme.

  Active Communities Unit
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who the recipients of grants made by the Active Communities Unit were in(a) 2003–04 and (b) in each of the previous five years. [171064]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  A full listing of Active Community Unit grant recipients in 2003 04, and in each of the previous five years, has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Active Communities Unit's budget is for 2004–05. [171066]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  The Active Community Unit's budget for 2004–05, rounded to the nearest million pounds, is currently £84 million. In addition, the unit is responsible for £57 million of the Futurebuilders Fund, which is being distributed by an independent provider under contract to the Home Office.

  Antisocial Behaviour
  Mr. Damian Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) anti-social behaviour orders, (b) curfew orders and (c) other measures have been used to ban individuals from railway stations without intent to travel in each year since 1997. [171904]

  Ms Blears
  (a) Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs)—Introduced under the Crime and Disorder Act (1998) ASBOs have been available to the courts since 1 April 1999. The statistical database does not identify the type of restriction imposed on orders.
  563W
  (b) Curfew Orders—It is not possible from the information collected centrally to identify the individual requirements of Curfew Orders imposed at magistrate's courts and the Crown Court.

  (c) Other measures—British Transport Police advise that it is their policy to ask for extended conditions to keep offenders of the railway when a Football Banning Order (FBO) is applied for. Currently there are 30 subjects whose FBO has conditions stopping persons from travelling upon the railway.

  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued against businesses in each of the last five years, broken down by region. [172427]

  Ms Blears
  Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) cannot be made against businesses, they can only be made against named individuals.

  Asylum/Immigration
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors prevent his Department from removing failed asylum seekers from the UK to(a) Afghanistan, (b) Iraq, (c) Somalia, (d) Zimbabwe and (e) Eritrea. [164109]

  Mr. Browne
  All asylum and human rights claims are considered on their individual merits in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Should a claim be refused and any appeal before the independent Immigration Appellate Authority be unsuccessful, it means that for that individual it is safe to return.

  We have an agreement with the Afghan Authorities which enables us to return significant numbers of Afghan failed asylum seekers to Afghanistan each month.

  We have also reached an agreement with the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq to begin enforced returns of Iraqi failed asylum seekers.

  We are currently working on the practicalities of the returns programme, and will commence returns as soon as these arrangements are finalised.

  We are currently facilitating the return of those Iraqis who wish to go home through the International Organisation for Migration.

  We also have a returns agreement with the Somaliland authorities and have also begun to return small numbers of failed asylum seekers to Somalia.

  We are currently in discussion with the Eritrean Government on improving the issuing of re-documentation to Eritrean nationals who we wish to return.

  The only country to which, as a matter of policy, we do not at present generally enforce the return of failed asylum seekers is Zimbabwe. This policy is based not on asylum or human rights reasons but on our view that in the wider context of the Government's position on Zimbabwe, it would be inappropriate forcibly to return failed asylum seekers applicable at this time.
  564W
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms are in place to ensure asylum decisions affecting nationals of EU accession countries, including outstanding cases where an initial refusal was given but which are subject to further process, are expedited after 1 May when National Asylum Support Service and local authority provision for such asylum seekers ends. [167327]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 26 April 2004]: In relation to the small number of asylum seekers who may not yet have received an initial decision on their asylum application, these cases will be dealt with as a priority. Nationals of EU accession countries who have outstanding appeals against the decision to refuse their asylum claim will be advised of their rights as EU nationals and invited to withdraw their appeals. If they do not formally withdraw their appeals and are issued with a residence permit, their appeal will automatically be treated as abandoned.

  In relation to the ending of support on 1 May, the National Asylum Support Service (MASS) wrote to all NASS-supported cases on 5–6 April and all interim cases on 16 April informing them of their options, namely that they can work, become otherwise self-supporting, or leave the UK.

  John Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have(a) applied for and (b) been refused help under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. [171346]

  Mr. Browne
  The information requested is not available and could be produced only at a disproportionate cost.

  When it is not possible for a failed asylum seeker to return to their country of origin following a negative decision, an application may be made for support under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, which came into force on 11 November 1999. There are no published statistics on the number of failed asylum seekers who have applied, and have been accepted or refused, for accommodation under Section 4.

  Information on the number of asylum seekers supported by the National Asylum Support Service is published quarterly. The next publication covering the first quarter of 2004 (January to March) will be available on 25 May on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl.html

  John Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have applied for judicial review in the last 12 months; and how many have been(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful in their application. [171347]

  Mr. Browne
  Information on the number of asylum seekers who have applied for judicial review, for the latest 12-month period for which data are available, are given in the table. The table shows the total number of applications, decisions and grants of permission to apply for judicial review as well as the outcomes of judicial review hearings. Decisions do not necessarily correspond to applications for permission to apply for judicial review in any given period. Only a small proportion, nine per cent. of applications for permission to apply for judicial review were granted in 2002.
  565W

  Application for Judicial Review, and outcomes, excluding dependants, 20021

  Applications for permission to apply for Judicial Review2

  Applications

  3,075

  Decisions3

  2,980

  of which:

  Granted permission on to apply

  260

  Percentage of applicants granted permission to apply4

  (9)

  The outcome of judicial review hearings2

  Allowed5

  Total

  25

  As percentage of total determined

  (30)

  Dismissed6

  Total

  60

  As percentage of total determined

  (67)

  Withdrawn

  Total

  5

  As percentage of total determined

  (3)

  1Provisional figures

  2Figures based on Administrative Court data. Figures (other than percentages) rounded to the nearest 5 with *=1 or 2

  3Decisions do not relate to applications in any given period

  4The number of which granted leave to move as a percentage of decisions

  5The decision of the respondent (in this case, the Home Office or the Immigration Appeal Tribunal) was quashed. These figures include consent order where the JR was conceded by the respondent

  6The decision of the respondent was upheld

  Statistics on judicial review are published annually; data covering 2003 are due to be published towards the end of August 2004. Copies of the most recent publications are available from the Library of the House or on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice. gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Immigration and Nationality Directorate caseworkers dealt with asylum claims in each of the past three years; what the(a) target and (b) actual maximum case load was in each year; what staff turnover was in each year; how many days' work was lost through sickness in each year; and what provision has been made for staff to receive stress counselling. [170104]

  Mr. Browne
  During 2003 there were 570 full time equivalent staff employed as asylum caseworkers in post. This compares with 556 and 632 caseworkers during 2002 and 2001.

  The Home Office's Public Service Agreement (PSA) target for 2003–04 was to ensure that 75 per cent. of new substantive asylum applications (excluding withdrawals and third country cases) were decided within two months. This was an increase from the 65 per cent. and 60 per cent. targets met in 2002–03 and 2001–02 respectively, and reflects the Government's commitment to, and success in, speeding up the initial decision-making process.

  The total number of applications received during 2003, 2002 and 2001 was 49,370, 84,130 and 71,025 respectively.

  The number of asylum applications awaiting an initial decision as of December 2003 was 24,500 (the latest date for which published figures are available), the
  566W
  lowest level for 10 years. This compares to 42,200 and 41,300 for 2001 and 2002 respectively and is a significant reduction from the 1997 level of 51,795.

  Information on the number of asylum applications outstanding and the timeliness of initial decisions is published quarterly on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl.html.

  Data are not recorded for staff turnover or absenteeism of caseworkers in contrast to other members of staff within the Home Office and would be available only at disproportionate cost. Sickness absence for the Home Office is recorded and published by the Cabinet Office.

  Advice, support and counselling on dealing with stress is available to all members of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. This is provided through the Home Office Health and Welfare Service.

  Annabelle Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many EU citizens have been removed from the United Kingdom in each year since 1997 in circumstances where they are deemed to be unable to support themselves and are an unreasonable burden on the state, broken down by EU member state. [161402]

  Mr. Browne
  Information on the number of EU nationals removed from the UK and on the personal circumstances of theose people who are removed is not available.

  Under EEA regulations an EU national can be removed and excluded from the UK if it is decided that their removal is justified on the grounds of public policy, public security or public health. Any right of residence is subject to that individual demonstrating that they can exercise a specific treaty right to reside.

  The number of people removed from the UK in 2003 is due to be published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2003" on the Home Office web-site at the end of August. www.homeoffice.gov uk/rds/immigrationl.html

  Brain Fingerprinting
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 5 May 2004,Official Report, column 1541W, on brain fingerprinting, if he will evaluate the effectiveness of brain fingerprinting technologies that monitor the involuntary electrical waves emitted by the brain. [172049]

  Ms Blears
  There are no plans at present for the Home Office to evaluate brain fingerprinting technologies. However claims about the effectiveness of this technology will be considered in the Police Science and Technology Strategy Group with a view to deciding whether any research should be considered.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter to him from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 5 April with regard to Mrs. Rahmat Bibi. [171780]
  567W
  Mr. Blunkett
  I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 12 May 2004.

  Crime
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in(a) overall recorded crime, (b) recorded violent crime, (c) burglaries and (d) vehicle thefts in Oldham, West and Royton has been since 1997. [170954]

  Ms Blears
  The information requested is not available centrally.

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

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in(a) overall recorded crime, (b) recorded violent crime, (c) burglaries and (d) vehicle thefts in South Ribble has been since 1997. [171658]

  Ms Blears
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  South Ribble is a Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area. Data at CDRP level has only been published from 199902000 onwards. Detailed statistics at CDRP level are available for 2002–03 on the new Home Office website: http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change since 1997 is in West Lancashire in(a) overall recorded crime, (b) violent crime, (c) burglaries and (d) vehicle thefts. [171722]

  Mr. Blunkett
  The information requested is not available centrally.

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

  Crimes Against Business
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the prosecutions brought as a result of National Criminal Intelligence Service operations in the last 10 years related to crimes against business. [172287]

  Ms Blears
  Prosecutions brought as a result of National Criminal Intelligence Service operations cannot be identified in the court proceedings statistics collected centrally.

  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on which dates he met small and medium sized enterprises and manufacturers to discuss crimes against business in(a) 2001, (b) 2002, (c) 2003 and (d) 2004. [172413]
  568W
  Ms Blears
  My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, Junior Ministers and officials in the Home Office have many meetings with small and medium sized enterprises and manufacturers to discuss a range of business crime issues.

  Recently we have established a Small Business Forum with members from a wide range of organisations to hear at first hand the particular crime problems small and medium sized enterprises face, and to develop and implement practical and effective measures to reduce those crimes.

  Departmental Response Times
  David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of(a) Written Answers, (b) replies to hon. Members' written correspondence and (c) public correspondence with his Department was (i) seen and (ii) cleared by special advisers before being published in 2003–04. [170530]

  Mr. Blunkett
  Special Advisers in this Department have access to material produced by permanent civil servants in accordance with paragraph 14e of the "Model Contract for Special Advisers". Ministers approve answers to all Parliamentary Questions and replies to hon. Members' written correspondence. They also approve replies to public correspondence except that dealt with directly by permanent civil servants.

  Entry Clearance Standards
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Statement of 30 March,Official Report, column 1433, on entry clearance standards, whether (a) the hotline and (b) the website he announced has been set up. [172439]

  Mr. Browne
  I can confirm that the telephone hotline and website have been set up as announced by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 30 March 2004,Official Report, column 1433.

  Hirst v. UK
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take in response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Hirst v. United Kingdom concerning a violation of Article 3 Protocol 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights. [172394]

  Mr. Leslie
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government have noted the judgment and intends to request that the case be referred to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in accordance with Article 43 of the Convention.

  Identity Cards
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many biometric identifiers will be used on national identity cards. [170261]

  Mr. Browne
  There has been no firm decision made on how many biometric identifiers will be used on the identity card.
  569W
  These decisions will be made in the light of work under way on the feasibility of different technologies and the design of processes around identity enrolment and verification.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the relationship between the proposed National Identity Register and the proposed population register. [170343]

  Mr. Browne
  Legislation on Identity Cards—A Consultation (CM 6178) explains that the National Identity Register and the population register are separate but complementary proposals. The Home Office is working closely with the Registrar-General for England and Wales on the development of the two proposals.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what(a) preparatory work and (b) testing he is planning to assess the (i) requirements for the design of identity cards and (ii) arrangements for application. [170348]

  Mr. Browne
  Over recent months the Home Office has been in wide ranging discussions with both the public and private sectors about their potential requirements for the ID cards scheme. As explained in CM 6178—Legislation on Identity Cards— A Consultation, this will now be followed by a programme definition phase. We intend to undertake volume testing from 2007 that will cover the end to end process.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the application process for identity cards will be(a) monitored and (b) assessed. [170349]

  Mr. Browne
  Legislation on Identity Cards— A Consultation (CM 6178) invites views on the governance options of the scheme.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what alternative eye technologies his Department investigated before concluding that the iris should form the basis for an identity card. [170552]

  Mr. Browne
  Both retina and iris recognition were considered by the National Physical Laboratory in their evaluation of biometric technologies. It has not yet been decided that iris recognition will be used in the identity card scheme. The feasibility of using iris recognition for identity cards is under investigation.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which companies are being considered as potential suppliers of systems for issuing identity cards. [170814]

  Mr. Browne
  The Home Office has not yet made any decision about which companies would be considered potential suppliers of systems for ID Cards.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the categories of private sector organisations that will be able to apply for accreditation to access the National Identity Register under the Draft Identity Card Bill; and whether this includes overseas(a) private sector organisations and (b) governments. [173010]
  570W
  Mr. Browne
  No decisions have yet been taken on the precise arrangements for accreditation of businesses or other organisations seeking verification of an individual's identity from the National Identity Register.

  Identity Theft
  Brian White
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the international standards of biometric data were agreed; and how many countries have agreed them. [173050]

  Mr. Browne
  In May 2003 the Air Transport Committee of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) agreed world-wide standards for the introduction of biometrics in travel documents to protect against fraud and forgery. ICAO is a United Nations organisation with 188 contracting states.

  Brian White
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what standards the new passport biometrics will be required to meet; and whether they are compliant with US standards. [173051]

  Mr. Browne
  The Air Transport Committee of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) agreed that the primary biometric identifier should be a facial image stored on a contactless radio frequency chip. Also that additional biometrics may be used by nations on a bi-lateral basis; fingerprints and iris being agreed for this purpose. These standards were accepted and endorsed by the Committee as the globally interoperable standard and implemented through the International Standards Organisation (ISO), Standards Committee SC37. The USA along with the UK are active participants in this standards work.

  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place for staff in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to raise matters of concern with(a) their superiors and (b) ministers. [160515]

  Mr. Browne
  [holding answer 11 March 2004]: Home Office staff can raise concerns or matters of conscience either with the Head of Department or confidentially with a nominated official outside their line management chain and, if still dissatisfied, have the right to raise the matter with the Civil Service Commissioners. If events develop so rapidly that it is not possible to follow this procedure, staff may write to the Head of Department who will advise the Departmental Minister, if applicable, and inform the Head of the Home Civil Service. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced on 30 March column 1433 that a telephone hotline would be set up alongside the existing procedures for staff to raise concerns or matters of conscience.

  National Identity Register
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he proposes to ensure that information stored on the National Identity Register concerning and individuals' address is up-to-date. [170260]
  571W
  Mr. Browne
  The draft Identity Cards Bill published on 26 April includes a requirement under clause 12 for an individual to whom an ID card has been issued to notify prescribed changes which affect the accuracy of the Register. This will help to ensure compliance with the Fourth Principle of the Data Protection Act 1998 which states that personal data should be accurate and, where necessary, kept up-to-date.

  Drivers are already used to the requirement to notify a change of address to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and we expect that people will want to keep their details up-to-date otherwise their card will be less useful to them. Failure to update prescribed details may result in the imposition of a civil penalty not exceeding £1,000 under clause 12(6).

  Online Advice
  Andrew Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is available online giving guidance to people from EU accession states on living and working legally in the UK. [165055]

  Mr. Browne
  Full guidance about the rights and responsibilities of accession nationals wishing to work and live in the United Kingdom for accession nationals was published on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate websites, www.workingintheuk.gov.uk and www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk on 27 April 2004.

  Police
  Mr. Mark Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers were employed by the Metropolitan Police on 1 January 2004. [170871]

  Ms Blears
  On 1 January 2004 the Metropolitan Police Service employed 1157 Community Support Officers.

  Mr. Mark Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fully qualified police officers were employed by the Metropolitan police on(a) 1 May 1997 and (b) 1 January. [170872]

  Ms Blears
  Information on police numbers is collected quarterly. The Metropolitan Police Service had 26,677 police officers on 31 March 1997. This had increased to a record number of 29,441 officers on 31 December 2003. All police officers are available for duty from the day of joining the force.

  Additionally the Metropolitan police had 12,093 police staff and 1,431 Community Support Officers at the end of December 2003.

  Mr. Mark Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the total Metropolitan police uniformed force is accounted for by police community support officers. [170997]

  Ms Blears
  The Metropolitan Police Service does not keep records of which Police Officers and staff members are currently working in uniform. The table shows the total strength of Police Officers, Staff, Traffic Wardens and Community Support Officers as of 1 January 2004. Community Support Officers account for 2.7 per cent. of the total strength of the force.
  572W

  Personnel

  Strength

  Police officers

  29,886.27

  Police staff (excluding CSOs and Traffic Wardens)

  11,772.59

  Traffic Wardens

  543.30

  Community Support Officers

  1,157.14

  Total

  43,359.3

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) traffic police, (b) mounted police, (c) police dog handlers, (d) armed response team officers and (e) Criminal Investigation Department officers there are in Lancashire. [171232]

  Ms Blears
  Published information on police strength by police force area is available for rank, gender and ethnicity but not function. Figures on Police Strength for March 2003, were published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 11/03, copies of which are available in the library or on the internet site: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hosbpubsl.html.

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in full-time police officers in South Ribble has been since 1997. [171659]

  Ms Blears
  South Ribble is in the Southern Basic Command Unit (BCU) of Lancashire Constabulary. BCU strength figures are only available for March 2002 and 2003. The information is given in the table.

  Strength

  Percentage change

  31 March 2002

  462

  —

  31 March 2003

  500

  +8.2

  Racial Equality Councils
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the racial equality councils that have been successful in securing section 44 funding; and what the total funding allocation was. [169737]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  The Commission for Racial Equality notified applicants of its funding decisions on Thursday 6 May.

  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many racial equality councils are estimated to be in danger of closure as a result of recent allocations of Commission for Racial Equality section 44 funding for 2004–05. [172860]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) advises me that following its initial assessment based on grant previously awarded and local knowledge, potentially up to 11 racial equality councils may be in danger of closure. In the event of closure or significant reduction in services provided, CRE staff will work with local councils, Government Offices and Local Strategic Partnerships where appropriate to ensure there is local ownership, support and continuity of services in the areas affected.
  573W
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons the Commission for Racial Equality has decided to grant its section 44 funding to groups other than racial equality councils. [172861]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  Section 44 of the Race Relations Act 1976 sets out the purpose for which grant may be awarded. It does not prescribe which types of bodies may receive financial assistance and therefore does not limit such assistance to racial equality councils.

  We warmly welcome the Commission for Racial Equality's policy of using the Getting Results programme to support any innovative project which is making a difference to race equality and race relations within its local community.

  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were received for Commission for Racial Equality section 44 funding in each of the last five bid rounds. [172862]

  Fiona Mactaggart
  The Commission for Racial Equality is collating this information. The chair of the CRE will write to my hon. Friend in due course.

  Small Retailers
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how much has been spent through the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas initiative in each year since 2001, broken down by region; [172429]

  (2) what targets are in place to measure and assess projects undertaken as part of the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme; [172430]

  (3) when he will publish the review of the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme. [172431]

  Ms Blears
  The £15 million from the Capital Modernisation Fund for the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas initiative was made available as follows; 2001–02—£3 million; 2002–03—£6 million; and 2003–04—£6millon. A small amount was set aside for administration and evaluation, with the regional allocations as follows:

  £

  Region

  2001–02

  2002–03

  2003–04

  Total

  Eastern

  196,620

  393,475

  393,475

  983,570

  East Midlands

  236,060

  471,052

  471,052

  1,178,164

  London

  454,720

  910,515

  910,515

  2,275,750

  North East

  248,530

  496,244

  496,244

  1,241,018

  North West

  470,670

  942,209

  942,209

  2,355,088

  South East

  246,500

  493,580

  493,580

  1,233,660

  South West

  194,300

  389,604

  389,604

  973,508

  Wales

  190,820

  381,257

  381,257

  953,334

  West Midlands

  333,210

  666,182

  666,182

  1,665,574

  Yorkshire and Humber

  327,410

  655,882

  655,882

  1,639,174

  All the funding, other than a small amount in the region of £250,000 due to slippage on some projects in 2003–04, has been fully disbursed. This equates to 1.7 per cent. of the total capital allocation.

  Individual projects are developed by local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in conjunction with Regional Home Office Directors. Part of this process is
  574W
  to ensure adequate local targets have been set and systems put in place to measure performance against them.

  The evaluation of the scheme will pull out key best practice and learning points from eight case studies, plus four other regional sites. The evaluation will examine ways in which the scheme has impacted upon businesses, such as changes in levels of retail crime; fear of crime among businesses and their customers; business viability; partnership working; and improved security behaviour among businesses.

  We hope to publish the full evaluation of the Small Retailers scheme later this year.

  Stolen Goods
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the role of(a) pawnbrokers and (b) shops dealing in second hand goods in providing a market for stolen goods; and if he will make a statement. [172400]

  Ms Blears
  In 1998, Dr. Mike Sutton produced, on behalf of the Home Office, a report entitled 'Handling stolen goods and theft a market reduction approach'. This identified five distinct markets for stolen goods, one of which was commercial outlets such as pawn brokers and second hand goods shops.

  Under the Targeted Policing Initiative (part of the Crime Reduction Programme, which ran from 1999 to 2003), we provided funding totalling around £1.4 million to projects in Stockport, Kent and West Mercia aimed at reducing the market in stolen goods. The second hand goods trade was just one of several distribution channels for stolen goods that these projects targeted. In particular, the Stockport and Kent projects used local legislation, which regulates second hand goods outlets Under the terms of the Kent and Medway Acts 2001, Kent and Medway Councils must also present the Home Office with a report on the working provisions of the Acts by 1 December, which will subsequently be laid before Parliament.

  The Home Office has also commissioned the University of Kent to evaluate the effectiveness of these and similar pieces of legislation and we are planning to lay a summary of the results of this research before Parliament at the same time.

  We are also aware of further research that is being undertaken into thieves' preferred method of disposing of stolen property and we will be looking to see what this adds to our existing knowledge.

  Our programme of work to drive down the market for stolen goods includes, amongst other things, activities aimed at those pawn brokers and other second hand goods outlets that deal in stolen property.

  Stolen Vehicles
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to make the drivers of stolen vehicles that have been immobilised remotely and which cause an accident legally responsible for any liability. [172048]
  575W
  Ms Blears
  There are no plans to bring forward such legislation.

  Although the remote stopping of moving vehicles is technically possible, achieving this in a way that is safe and secure is some way off. Further research is being conducted into this technology and this will include the examination of legal liability issues.

  Stowaways
  Lembit Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of undetected stowaways entering the UK in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [160372]

  Mr. Browne
  There is no official estimate of the number of clandestine entrants to the UK.

  Illegal entry action is initiated against those people who are detected having entered or attempting to enter the country clandestinely or by means of deception, either verbal or documentary.

  The available figures include those people who were identified as having entered the country clandestinely, they are not separately identifiable as such information would only be available by examination of individual case-files at disproportionate cost.

  Wormwood Scrubs
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been taken to identify and interview members of staff of HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs who were employed in the months leading up to and including the day of the death of John Boyle in December 1994, who may have witnessed or been involved in bullying and abusive behaviour. [155659]

  Paul Goggins
  [holding answer 2 March 2004]: Mr. Boyle's death at HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs in December 1994 predates current Prison Service policy for investigating deaths in custody and, from the information currently available, there is no evidence to suggest that an investigation was conducted. However, staff working on the Segregation Unit on the day of Mr. Boyle's death were asked to submit incident reports at the time. A coroner's inquest into Mr. Boyle's death, for which several members of staff were called as witnesses, returned an open verdict in May 1995.

HEALTH

  Animal Welfare
  Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines his Department issues for experimentation on non-human primates in order to improve cures to illnesses shared by primates and humans; and what plans he has to introduce alternatives to the use of primates in medical research. [170995]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, no animals can be used in scientific procedures if alternatives are available and primates can only be used if no other species are suitable 576W
  and readily obtainable. Every effort will continue to be required to minimise primate use and find alternatives where practicable. The United Kingdom legislation regulating animal experiments is widely regarded as the toughest in the world. The Government's policy is never to allow the use of great apes.

  The Medical Research Council (MRC) has established the Centre for Best Practice for Animals in Research (CBPAR) as part of its continuing commitment to high standards in laboratory animal use and welfare. Following consultation with vets, scientists, experts in primate welfare, and animal welfare organisations, CBPAR has developed guidelines on best practice in the accommodation and care of primates used in scientific procedures. These guidelines have now been published and will shortly be available on the MRC website at www.mrc.ac.uk.

  Baby Food
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what evidence he has collated of a link between consumption of high sugar content baby foods and obesity in children; and if he will make a statement; [170252]

  (2) what plans he has to require baby food labelling to show prominently the sugar content; [170253]

  (3) what representations he has received on the labelling of baby foods to show sugar content. [170254]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  We have not collated evidence of a link between consumption of high sugar content baby foods and obesity in children.

  Labelling rules for baby foods are agreed at European Union level. The presence of sugar added as an ingredient to baby foods must be declared as an ingredient—as part of the list of ingredients appearing on the product label.

  Additional specific labelling requirements for these foods require the actual amounts of certain nutrients present, such as protein, fat and carbohydrate, to be declared. However, a declaration of the actual amounts of sugar present is not mandatory and there are no plans to introduce such a requirement at this time.

  There have been no representations on the labelling of sugar content for baby foods over the past year.

  Bounty Packs
  Mrs. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Bounty packs were distributed to new mothers within maternity units in Britain in each year since 1995. [171042]

  Dr. Ladyman
  This information is not collected centrally. Bounty is an independent commercial organisation that distributes free product samples and packs containing information to expectant and new mothers.

  Care Homes
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many anonymous complaints about care homes have been received since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [171607]
  577W
  Dr. Ladyman
  The Department does not collect information on complaints about care homes. Since April 2002, all care homes in England have been regulated by the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC), which was replaced by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) in April 2004. The NCSC and CSCI collects information about complaints.

  I understand from the Chairman of CSCI that the number of anonymous complaints about care homes recorded on the Registration and Inspection database are as shown in the following table.

  Number

  2002–2003

  1596

  2003–2004

  1914

  Departmental Staff (Drugs)
  John Mann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of his Department's employees received counselling for drug use in 2003. [171626]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Department has a contract with Corecare to provide a counselling service for its employees. Corecare received no requests from the Department's employees requesting counselling for drug use in 2003.

  Emergency Services
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many administrators are involved, and at what annual cost in each trust, in dealing with the resulting paperwork from emergency service staff captured on speed cameras contravening speed limits; [170729]

  (2) on how many occasions in each of the last 12 months ambulances on emergency calls in each health trust area have been captured on speed cameras contravening speed limits. [170731]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  However, the Department is aware that speeding tickets issued to ambulances on emergency journeys are creating extra administration costs in some areas. Officials have already had useful discussions with the Home Office and are working closely with them to provide a workable solution.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Home Affairs on the annual cost to health trusts of dealing with the paperwork generated by ambulances on emergency calls captured on speed cameras contravening speed limits. [170730]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Department is aware that speeding tickets issued to ambulances on emergency journeys are creating extra administration costs in some areas. Officials have already had useful discussions with the Home Office and are working closely with them to provide a workable solution.

  Gender Pay Gap
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health 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. [171620]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The Department, and its agencies do not employ any staff in Southampton, Eastleigh, Winchester or Romsey, except for the NHS Estates agency which employs 15 staff in Winchester.

  It conducts an equal pay assessment each time a new employee is appointed or when an existing employee is promoted and the proposed salary has to be agreed by the chief operating officer who conducts a "benchmarking" exercise via the human resources department.

  Gloucestershire Tri-Service Centre
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was spent on setting up the Gloucestershire Tri-Service Centre at Quedgley; when it became fully operational; and if he will make a statement. [172364]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  [holding answer 11 May 2004]The Gloucestershire Tri-Service Centre has been fully operational since April 2003. It was set up with £2.6 million of funding from the Government's Invest to Save budget. The local fire, police and ambulance services jointly contributed a further £1.9 million.

  Health Development Agency
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the effect on residents of Manchester, Gorton of the Health Development Agency; [167377]

  Jim Dobbin
  if he will make a statement on the effect on residents of Heywood and Middleton of the Health Development Agency; [168494]

  Mr. Benton
  if he will make a statement on the benefits for residents of Bootle of the Health Development Agency; [170537]

  Tony Cunningham
  if he will make a statement on the effect on residents of Workington constituency of the Health Development Agency; [170715]

  Mr. Neil Turner
  if he will make a statement on the effect on residents of Wigan of the Health Development Agency; [169351]

  Mr. Hendrick
  if he will make a statement on the effect on residents of Preston of the Health Development Agency; [168105]

  Mr. Pike
  what assessment he has made of the effects on residents of Burnley of the Health Development Agency; [167955]

  Mr. Meacher
  if he will make a statement on the benefits for residents of Oldham, West and Royton of the Health Development Agency; [170894]

  Mr. Burrow
  if he will make a statement on the benefits for residents of South Ribble of the Health Development Agency. [171670]
  579W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The work of the Health Development Agency (HDA) is focused on service delivery that supports the whole of the region's public health development.

  The HDA manages the national healthy school standard, which is part of the Government's national strategy to reduce health inequalities for children.

  The North West HDA organised the largest ever regional public health conference in March 2004 to address the problem of obesity. Over 300 regional public health professionals, including representatives from health services responsible for Gorton, will have learned of the latest obesity data for the region and will collaboratively plan a regional obesity action plan. The workshop will draw together best practice from across the region and in addition to the HDA guidance on obesity, this will provide the basis for local and regional work to tackle obesity in the coming years.

  The North West HDA is currently working with the North West public health observatory and the regional cancer registries to review the main causes of cancer related deaths across the region.

  The HDA, in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University and the North West Public Health Observatory, is currently completing a regional report Alcohol: A Situational Analysis for the North West.

  Health Funding (Manchester)
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on health in Manchester. Gorton in each of the last seven years. [167380]

  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 Gorton, has increased from £582.33 in 1997–98 to £992.61 in 2002–03 (the latest year

  NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff in the Greater Manchester strategic health authority area as at 30 September each specified year

  headcount

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  5,701

  5,796

  5,956

  6,248

  6,589

  7,029

  7,170

  5J5

  Oldham PCT

  n/a

  n/

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  122

  133

  QC9

  West Pennine HA

  1

  1

  1

  2

  4

  n/a

  n/a

  REX

  Oldham NHS Trust

  347

  346

  360

  393

  417

  n/a

  n/a

  REZ

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  244

  249

  243

  259

  308

  n/

  n/a

  RM4

  North Manchester Healthcare

  281

  288

  306

  323

  337

  340

  315

  RMN

  Bury Health Care NHS Trust

  216

  225

  230

  242

  267

  n/a

  n/a

  RW6

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  900

  853

  n/a—not applicable

  Source:

  Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list times for the residents of Oldham, West and Royton in the last seven years. [170886]
  580W
  available). This does not represent the total expenditure per head as an element of health expenditure cannot be identified by SHA area.

  Health Services
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Oldham, West and Royton are receiving drug treatment. [170958]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In 2000–01, there were 737 people receiving drug treatment in Oldham. This is the latest available data. Data broken down by drug action team for 2001–02 and 2002–03 has not yet been finalised and published.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many senior citizens in Oldham, West and Royton have access to free eye tests; [170882]

  (2) how many residents in Oldham, West and Royton aged over 60 years have benefited from the abolition of charges for eye tests. [170883]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Figures for the number of sight tests by constituency, or senior citizens are not collected centrally.

  In 2002–03, the total number of national health service sight tests paid for patients aged 60 and over in Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority was 189,900. The total number eligible for free sight test for those aged 60 and over was 493,100.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS(a) doctors and (b) nurses there were in Oldham, West and Royton in each of the last seven years. [170884]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS(a) therapists and (b) scientists there were located in Oldham, West and Royton in each of the last seven years. [170885]

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

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information is not collected on a constituency basis but at national health service trust level. The information is shown in the table.
  581W

  Patients waiting for elective in-patient admission

  Patients waiting for admission by months waiting

  NHS Trust

  Total number of patients waiting for admission

  Less than 3 months

  3–5 months

  6–8 months

  9–11 months

  12–14 months

  15–17 months

  18+ months

  March 1997

  Oldham NHS Trust

  8,436

  3,837

  2,293

  1,339

  967

  —

  —

  —

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  4,464

  2,472

  868

  577

  374

  173

  —

  —

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  5,787

  2,961

  1,506

  708

  427

  157

  22

  6

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  2,223

  1,471

  399

  196

  120

  37

  —

  —

  March 1998

  Oldham NHS Trust

  8,332

  3,954

  1,976

  1,650

  736

  16

  —

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  4,684

  2,702

  924

  581

  305

  132

  40

  —

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  6,002

  2,911

  1,253

  827

  528

  308

  175

  —

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  2,437

  1,581

  375

  251

  128

  91

  11

  —

  March 1999

  Oldham NHS Trust

  7,338

  4,156

  1,904

  895

  315

  67

  1

  —

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  4,168

  2,351

  873

  484

  257

  167

  36

  —

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  4,699

  3,342

  737

  369

  148

  76

  27

  —

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  2,153

  1,210

  367

  240

  127

  158

  51

  —

  March 2000

  Oldham NHS Trust

  6,484

  4,012

  1,364

  682

  371

  50

  5

  —

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  4,032

  2,102

  841

  568

  330

  130

  61

  —

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  4,262

  3.131

  653

  230

  150

  78

  20

  —

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  2,103

  1,218

  341

  219

  164

  105

  56

  —

  March 2001

  Oldham NHS Trust

  6,427

  4,092

  1,478

  601

  213

  43

  —

  —

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  4,039

  2,456

  876

  397

  249

  45

  16

  —

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  4,016

  2,884

  680

  303

  119

  27

  3

  —

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  1,916

  1,250

  367

  181

  118

  —

  —

  —

  March 2002

  Oldham NHS Trust

  6,297

  3,830

  1,631

  611

  225

  —

  —

  —

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  4,530

  2,675

  1,029

  527

  254

  45

  —

  —

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  4,008

  2,804

  795

  265

  114

  30

  —

  —

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  2,045

  1,411

  336

  218

  78

  2

  —

  —

  March 2003

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  15,872

  10,226

  3,607

  1,575

  464

  —

  —

  —

  February 2004

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  15,892

  9,720

  4,536

  1,491

  145

  —

  —

  —

  Source:

  Department of Health form KHO7 and monthly monitoring.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of patients with suspected cancer in Oldham, West and Royton saw an NHS consultant within two weeks in each of the last seven years. [170887]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information is not collected on a constituency basis but at national health service trust level. Information from 2000–01, the earliest available, is shown in the table.

  Waiting times for first consultant out-patient appointment for suspected cancer following urgent general practitioner referral

  Seen within two weeks

  Quarter

  NHS trust

  Percentage

  Number

  2000–01

  4

  Oldham NHS Trust

  93.3

  167

  4

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  99.0

  200

  4

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  93.9

  200

  4

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  97.1

  374

  2001–02

  1

  Oldham NHS Trust

  94.8

  181

  1

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  97.8

  224

  1

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  94.9

  242

  1

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  96.1

  345

  2

  Oldham NHS Trust

  96.4

  162

  2

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  93.0

  227

  2

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  90.6

  298

  2

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  99.0

  385

  582W

  Waiting times for first consultant out-patient appointment for suspected cancer following urgent general practitioner referral

  Seen within two weeks

  Quarter

  NHS trust

  Percentage

  Number

  3

  Oldham Trust

  98.9

  181

  3

  Rochdale Healthcaoe NHS Trust

  99.6

  235

  3

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  94.7

  286

  3

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  99.5

  398

  4

  Oldham NHS Trust

  98.5

  197

  4

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  99.5

  209

  4

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  99.7

  302

  4

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  450

  2002–03

  1

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  98.8

  1,215

  2

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.1

  1,240

  3

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  98.4

  1,325

  4

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  95.8

  1,190

  2003–04

  1

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  92.2

  1,214

  2

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  94.9

  1,174

  3

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  97.6

  1,276

  Source:

  Department of Health form QMCW.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on NHS waiting times for heart surgery in Oldham, West and Royton. [170888]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There was one patient waiting more than nine months for heart surgery in the Oldham Primary Care Trust irea at 30 June 2002. No patients have waited more than nine months since this date.
  583W
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents in Oldham, West and Royton awaiting heart surgery have had the option of choosing an alternative hospital for quicker treatment in the last 12 months. [170889]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the levels of elective admissions to the NHS in Oldham West and Royton in the past five years. [170890]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information is shown in the table.

  Primary care trust of responsibility, 5J5 Oldham PCT count of in- year selective admissions (waiting list, booked and planned cases) NHS hospitals, 1998–99 to 2002–03

  In-year admissions

  1998–99

  34,871

  1999–2000

  37,389

  2000–01

  34,386

  2001–02

  30,932

  2002–03

  29,988

  Notes:

  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.

  Average daily number of available beds, by sector, Oldham NHS trust, 1996–97 to 2002–03

  All specialties (excluding day only)

  General and acute

  Acute

  Geriatric

  Mental illness

  Learning disability

  Maternity

  Day only

  1996–97

  764

  579

  441

  138

  124

  —

  61

  73

  1997–98

  740

  554

  554

  —

  125

  —

  60

  65

  1998–99

  756

  573

  573

  —

  116

  —

  66

  73

  1999–2000

  764

  582

  582

  —

  116

  —

  66

  73

  2000–01

  768

  586

  586

  —

  116

  —

  65

  81

  2001–02

  818

  642

  642

  —

  113

  —

  63

  72

  2002–03

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Source:

  Department of Health form KH03.

  Average daily number of available beds, by sector, Oldham NHS trust, 1996–97 to 2002–03

  All specialties (excluding day only)

  General and acute

  Acute

  Geriatric

  Mental illness

  Learning disability

  Maternity

  Day only

  1996–97

  670

  513

  401

  112

  99

  9

  49

  22

  1997–98

  638

  482

  361

  121

  98

  8

  49

  23

  1998–99

  645

  490

  389

  100

  98

  9

  49

  22

  1999–2000

  656

  522

  401

  120

  87

  8

  39

  22

  2000–01

  657

  520

  385

  135

  94

  8

  36

  25

  2001–02

  631

  488

  83

  405

  94

  8

  41

  31

  2002–03

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Source:

  Department of Health form KH03.

  584W
  Ungrossed Data

  Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).

  Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Strategic Health Authority (SHA) Data Quality

  PCT and SHA data was added to historic data-years in the HES database using 2002–03 boundaries, as a one-off exercise in 2004. Data quality of PCT of GP practice for 1998–99 is poor, with a high proportion missing values where practices changed or ceased to exist. Users of time series analysis including these years need to be aware of these issues in their interpretation of the data.

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many rapid access chest pain clinics there are in Oldham, West and Royton. [170891]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There is a rapid access chest pain clinic at the Royal Oldham Hospital, part of the Pennine Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trust.

  The clinic is meeting the national service framework two-week target for patients to be seen from date of referral by general practitioner.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there is a diagnostic and treatment centre located in Oldham, West and Royton. [170892]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There is no treatment centre in Oldham West and Royton. A treatment centre is planned for Trafford Healthcare national health service trust.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS beds were available in Oldham, West and Royton in each year since 1997. [170893]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested is shown in the tables.
  585W

  Average daily number of available beds, by sector, Oldham NHS trust, 1996–97 to 2002–03

  All specialties (excluding day only)

  General and acute

  Acute

  Geriatric

  Mental illness

  Learning disability

  Maternity

  Day only

  1996–97

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1997–98

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1998–99

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1999–2000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2000–01

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2001–02

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2002–03

  2,321

  2,142

  2,142

  —

  —

  —

  179

  153

  Source:

  Department of Health form KH03.

  Average daily number of available beds, by sector, Oldham NHS trust, 1996–97 to 2002–03

  All specialties (excluding day only)

  General and acute

  Acute

  Geriatric

  Mental illness

  Learning disability

  Maternity

  Day only

  1996–97

  740

  582

  398

  184

  97

  12

  49

  10

  1997–98

  720

  568

  568

  —

  91

  10

  51

  8

  1998–99

  686

  553

  553

  —

  83

  10

  39

  10

  1999–2000

  658

  539

  539

  —

  78

  10

  31

  8

  2000–01

  653

  534

  534

  —

  78

  10

  31

  8

  2001–02

  667

  529

  529

  —

  84

  10

  44

  11

  2002–03

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Source:

  Department of Health form KH03.

  Average daily number of available beds, by sector, Oldham NHS trust, 1996–97 to 2002–03

  All specialties (excluding day only)

  General and acute

  Acute

  Geriatric

  Mental illness

  Learning disability

  Maternity

  Day only

  1996–97

  849

  669

  669

  —

  134

  —

  46

  23

  1997–98

  826

  633

  633

  —

  137

  —

  56

  20

  1998–99

  766

  625

  625

  —

  108

  —

  33

  20

  1999–2000

  766

  617

  617

  —

  99

  —

  49

  31

  2000–01

  755

  617

  617

  —

  99

  —

  38

  22

  2001–02

  680

  638

  638

  —

  —

  —

  41

  34

  2002–03

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Source:

  Department of Health form KH03.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on(a) heart disease and (b) cancer care in Oldham, West and Royton in each of the last five years. [170895]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested is not collected centrally. Allocations of funding for particular treatments are matters for the local primary care trust.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of women in Oldham, West and Royton with suspected breast cancer saw a specialist within two weeks in each of the last five years. [170896]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information is not collected on a constituency basis but at National Health Service Trust level. The information is shown in the table.
  586W

  Waiting times for first consultant out-patient appointment for suspected breast cancer following urgent general practitioner referral

  Quarter

  NHS trust

  Percentage

  Number

  1999–2000

  1

  Oldham NHS Trust

  100.0

  8

  1

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  39.6

  19

  1

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  81.8

  45

  1

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  85.0

  34

  2

  Oldham NHS Trust

  100.0

  n/a

  2

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  64.1

  25

  2

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  90.6

  29

  2

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  97.1

  66

  3

  Oldham NHS Trust

  100.0

  n/a

  3

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  70.6

  24

  3

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  75.0

  30

  3

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  58

  4

  Oldham NHS Trust

  100.0

  22

  4

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  88.9

  32

  4

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  94.5

  52

  4

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust100. 0

  64

  2000–01

  1

  Oldham NHS Trust

  88.9

  32

  1

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  84.1

  37

  1

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  98.7

  74

  1

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  77

  587W

  Waiting times for first consultant out-patient appointment for suspected breast cancer following urgent general practitioner referral

  Quarter

  NHS trust

  Percentage

  Number

  2

  Oldham NHS Trust

  97.5

  77

  2

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  72

  2

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS. Trust

  89.9

  71

  2

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  77

  3

  Oldham NHS Trust

  93.8

  76

  3

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  77

  3

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  93.9

  77

  3

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  93

  4

  Oldham NHS Trust

  97.1

  68

  4

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  71

  4

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  98.6

  70

  4

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  88

  2000–02

  1

  Oldham NHS Trust

  98.7

  76

  1

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  85

  1

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  98.6

  68

  1

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  105

  2

  Oldham NHS Trust

  98.7

  75

  2

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  95.9

  71

  2

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  91.3

  94

  2

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  93

  3

  Oldham NHS Trust

  100.0

  106

  3

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  93

  3

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  79

  3

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  108

  4

  Oldham NHS Trust

  100.0

  84

  4

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  54

  4

  North Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  66

  4

  Bury Healthcare NHS Trust

  100.0

  107

  2002–03

  1

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.4

  357

  2

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.7

  357

  3

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.0

  383

  4

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  97.7

  334

  NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff in the Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority area by organisation as at 30 September each specified year

  headcount

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  2001

  2002

  2003

  Q13

  Cumbria and Lancashiie SHA total

  3,352

  3,486

  3,595

  3,706

  3,759

  3,893

  4,279

  5F2

  Chorley and South Ribble PCT

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  93

  124

  147

  5F3

  West Lancashire PCT

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  45

  48

  59

  QC1

  South Lancashire HA

  2

  2

  1

  4

  1

  1—

  1—

  RJU

  Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust

  211

  218

  216

  222

  169

  1—

  1—

  RJV

  West Lancashire NHS Trust

  183

  177

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  RMF

  Preston Acute Hospitals MHS Trust

  378

  410

  435

  460

  468

  1—

  1—

  RW5

  Lancashire Care NHS Trust

  1— 1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  260

  259

  RXN

  Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  603

  726

  1 Not applicable

  Source:

  Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of suspected cancer patients in South Ribble saw an NHS consultant within two weeks in each of the last seven years. [171276]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Information from 2000–01, the earliest available, is shown in the table.
  588W

  Waiting times for first consultant out-patient appointment for suspected breast cancer following urgent general practitioner referral

  Quarter

  NHS trust

  Percentage

  Number

  2000–04

  1

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  98.0

  389

  2

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  98.1

  366

  3

  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.6

  449

  Note:

  Where patient numbers are below six, the Department does not publish figures in order to avoid patients being identifiable due to low numbers. Where this would apply, the table reads n/a.

  Source:

  Department of Health form QMCW.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on health in Oldham, West and Royton in each of the last seven years. [170897]

  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 Oldham West and Royton, has increased from £582.33 in 1997–98 to £992.61 in 2002–03 (the latest year for which data is available). This does not represent the total expenditure per head, as an element of health expenditure cannot be identified by SHA area.

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS(a) therapists and (b) scientists were located in South Ribble in each of the last seven years. [171274]

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

  Waiting times for first consultant out-patient appointment for suspected cancer following urgent GP referral—South Ribble

  Seen within two weeks

  Quarter

  NHS trust

  Percentage

  Number

  2000–01

  4

  Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust

  98.8

  320

  2000–01

  4

  Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  100.0

  158

  2001–02

  1

  Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust

  98.5

  336

  2001–02

  1

  Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  100.0

  204

  589W

  Waiting times for first consultant out-patient appointment for suspected cancer following urgent GP referral—South Ribble

  Seen within two weeks

  Quarter

  NHS trust

  Percentage

  Number

  2001–02

  2

  Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust

  99.1

  325

  2001–02

  2

  Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  100.0

  231

  2001–02

  3

  Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust

  100.0

  428

  2001–02

  3

  Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.6

  252

  2001–02

  4

  Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust

  100.0

  406

  2001–02

  4

  Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  100.0

  291

  2002–03

  1

  Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust

  100.0

  435

  2002–03

  1

  Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.7

  312

  2002–03

  2

  Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.9

  822

  2002–03

  3

  Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.4

  822

  2002–03

  4

  Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  100.0

  783

  2003–04

  1

  Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  99.9

  843

  2003–04

  2

  Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  98.9

  887

  2003–04

  3

  Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  100.0

  990

  Source:

  DH form QMCW.

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on NHS waiting times for heart surgery in South Ribble. [171277]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There were eight patients waiting more than nine months for heart surgery in Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust area at 30 June 2002. No patients have waited for more than nine months since this date.

  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS(a) doctors and (b) nurses there were in Bootle in each of the last seven years; and if he will make a statement. [169264]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Flook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents in Taunton awaiting heart surgery have been offered the option of choosing an alternative hospital for quicker treatment in the last 12 months. [172012]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many senior citizens in Wigan have access to free eye tests;[169343]

  (2) how many residents in Wigan aged over 60 years have benefited from the abolition of charges for eye tests. [169344]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Data for the number of sight tests by constituency or by the number of senior citizens are not collected centrally.

  The total number of National Health Service sight tests paid for by the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority in 2002–03 for patients aged 60 and
  590W
  over was 180,900. The total number eligible for a free sight test for those aged 60 and over was 493,100. Sight tests cannot be equated to the numbers of patients.

  Macular Degeneration
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are being made for the funding and delivery of photo dynamic therapy treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration in the Peninsula Strategic Health Authority area; and whether they comply with National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines. [171584]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  [holding answer 10 May 2004]: In line with our policy to shift the balance of power, responsibility for the funding and delivery of health services now rests with primary care trusts (PCTs). In the South West Peninsula strategic health authority area, the Peninsula Local Specialised Commissioning Group is leading on the implementation of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines on photodynamic therapy on behalf of its PCTs. Photodynamic therapy is currently provided by the South Devon Healthcare National Health Service Trust at Torbay Hospital and the service will be expanded from June to accept referrals from across the Peninsula. In addition, consideration is being given to involving some other hospitals in the area so as to improve local access to this service.

  ME
  John Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve the provision of essential services for severely affected sufferers of ME. [171343]

  Dr. Ladyman
  On 20 January 2004, I announced new services for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, (CFS/ME), funded by a £8.5 million cash injection. This money will see the creation of 12 new CFS/ME centres and 28 local support teams throughout England in the coming months.

  Local teams are expected to develop a network of services (health, education and social services) for those more severely affected who may be house-bound or bed-bound. The Department also provides funding to support the work of voluntary organisations working with people with CFS/ME.

  In addition, in response to a request from the Chief Medical Officer, the Medical Research Council produced a research strategy on CFS/ME on 1 May 2003.

  The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has been commissioned to develop clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of CFS/ME. These guidelines will underpin the training of health professionals, ensuring people with this condition receive sound advice and support and will address a range of issues including assessment and diagnosis, adjustment and coping, symptom management and the use of rehabilitation strategies to optimising functioning and achieving greater independence.

  Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub-regional Strategy
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which(a) individuals and (b) organisations will be consulted by those charged with carrying out the studies commissioned by the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Health and Social Care Sub-Group; [172168]

  (2) what the (a) terms of reference and (b) intended date for completion is of each of the studies mentioned in paragraph 53 of the Cross-Government Statement (matters 1, 2, 3, 4) on the draft Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy that the Miltion Keynes and South Midlands Health and Social Care Group has commissioned; and who is responsible for carrying out each one; [172169]

  (3) when he intends to publish a 30-year health and social care vision for the Milton Keynes and South Midlands sub-region, as mentioned in paragraph 98 of the Cross-Government Statement (matters 1, 2, 3, 4) on the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy. [172172]

  Yvette Cooper
  I have been asked to reply.

  The studies commissioned by the Milton Keynes South Midlands Health and Social Care Sub-group have been funded through the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Growth Areas Fund. These studies cover two workstreams. The first workstream is to examine how the interaction between health and the built environment can inform best practice in developing sustainable communities in the MKSM Growth Area. The second workstream is focusing on the delivery of health and social care services in response to the proposed growth in housing and population. The studies will provide a 30 year health and social care vision for the sub-region with a development plan and action plan to achieve the vision. The studies are due to be completed in June 2005.

  The Chief Executive of the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Strategic Health Authority is the Chair of the Sub-Group. A full-time Project Director has also been appointed for the studies and to co-ordinate consultation activity.

  The Sub-group has comprehensive representation from the health community, including the representatives of the relevant Primary Care Trusts, local authority social care departments, the three Strategic Health Authorities; the three Regional Public Health Groups of the Department of Health; the three Workforce Development Confederations (WDCs) and from NHS Estates. In addition a stakeholder reference group has been formed which will enable emerging ideas to be tested with a wide range of stakeholders, including health service users. This currently includes representatives from the local NHS Trusts, local authority Health Scrutiny Committees and patient representatives, and the intention is to expand its scope to include District Councils, Local Strategic Partnerships, independent sector service providers, and other interested groups.

  Official Meetings (Mayor of London)
  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on what dates(a) he and (b) his predecessor
  592W
  have held official meetings with the Mayor of London since July 2000; and what the subject of each meeting was;[171436]

  (2) if he will list the official meetings he and his predecessor had with the Mayor of London since July 2000 to discuss health matters in London, and the dates and subject of each meeting. [172207]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  [holding answers 10 May and 11 May 2004]: My right hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) and my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Health (Mr. Hutton) met the Mayor of London from time to time and discussed a variety of subjects relating to health.

  Productivity
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out his policy for increasing the productivity and cutting the costs of his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies. [171732]

  Ms Rosie Winterton
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Financial Secretary to Her Majesty's Treasury on 10 May,Official Report, columns 148–49W.

  Radiation
  Bob Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential health risk from exposure to low-level(a) ionising and (b) non-ionising radiation; and if he will make a statement. [170822]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government is advised on the potential health risks from ionising and non-ionising radiation by a variety of bodies. The NationalRadiological Protection Board (NRPB) provides statutory advice to Government (www.nrpb.org). The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) provides advice on health effects of radiation at the levels encountered in the general environment. Low-level internal radiation emitters are the remit of the Committee Evaluating Radiation Risks from Internal Emitters and it is due to report to COMARE in the autumn of 2004. The risks from exposure to low-level internal emitters are also regularly reviewed by international organisations, such as the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation.

  In addition, the Department runs its own radiological protection research programme in the area of low-level radiation exposure (both ionising and non-ionising), that provides information on the quantification of the risk to public health and the implementation of appropriate preventative measures. Research specifically aimed at investigating the potential health effects of mobile phone technology was set up in 2001 under the mobile telecommunications and health research programme.

  For non-ionising radiation, the NRPB has recently reviewed the scientific evidence relating to possible adverse health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields in the frequency range 0–300GHz (Documents of the NRPB: Vol 15, No 3, 2004). This document provides

  593W
  the basis of NRPB advice on quantitative restrictions on exposure and other measures to avoid adverse effects. It is available on the NRPB web site.

  Sexual Health/HIV
  Mr. Hopkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV; and what assessment he has made of its impact on the sexual health of young people in the UK. [172575]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The national strategy for sexual health and HIV, which is closely linked to the Government's teenage pregnancy strategy, identifies young people as a priority group for action to improve sexual health. The Government's 'Sex Lottery' and teenage pregnancy media campaigns are raising awareness among young people of sexually transmitted 594W
  infections (STIs), and how to avoid them. We are also tackling the most common STI through our national chlamydia screening programme, which already covers a quarter of primary care trusts in England, and is being rolled-out across the rest of the country.

  Vaccinations
  Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on ensuring that there is an adequate provision of serum for children whose parents opt for individual inoculations rather than the combined MMR. [171743]
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Department does not supply single vaccines. It provides the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine because it provides the most effective protection against three potentially serious diseases. The availability of single vaccines is an issue for the private clinics who offer them.

  Irish Language Agency
  Irish Language Agency
  Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
  Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
  Ulster Scots Academy
  Ulster Scots Academy
  Residential Property
  Residential Property
  Electoral Register
  Electoral Register
  Midwives: Independent Practitioners
  Midwives: Independent Practitioners
  National Drug Strategy
  National Drug Strategy
  Consumer Council for Water
  Consumer Council for Water
  Single Railway Track: South-west
  Single Railway Track: South-west