Written Statement of 28 November 2002

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Young Runaways
  The Minister for Social Exclusion and Deputy Minister for Women (Mrs. Barbara Roche)
  In March 2001 my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister asked the Social Exclusion Unit to lead a project"to make running away less likely, and to ensure that runaways' long and short-term needs are safely met".

  Today we are publishing the final report on young runaways. It sets out a practical package of measures to ensure that young runaways will get the extra help and support to keep them safe and to address their problems.

  Running away is a huge problem. Each year more than 77,000 young people run away: one in 14 will end up surviving by begging, stealing or getting involved in prostitution and drug-dealing. 20,000 each year are under 11 years old. Running away is a problem in itself but it can also mean that young people are more likely to suffer from social exclusion later in life with a higher risk of homelessness, crime and drug use.

  We are putting the systems in place to make sure no-one falls through the net. This report shows how services must join together to work for the young person at risk. Practical measures will help to prevent young people from running in the first place. If they do run they will have someone to locate and make contact with them, help to negotiate a way home, a safe place to stay and access to longer-term help.

  The report highlights how mainstream services need to work more effectively together to address the factors that can lead to running away and other problems. The Green Paper on Children at Risk announced in this House by the Prime Minister on 30 October will develop radical options for improving services for all children and young people at risk.

  Later today, I will be visiting Step Forward, a Safe in the City project that provides a range of effective services to this vulnerable group, to launch the publication of the runaways report.

  Copies of the report have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Resources (£000)

  Capital (£000)

  Change

  New DEL

  Of which: voted

  Non-voted

  Change

  New DEL

  Of which: voted

  Non-voted

  187,346

  3,722,729

  1,142,958

  2,579,771

  218,879

  1,040,515

  -15,607

  1,056,122

WALES

  Departmental Expenditure Limit
  The Secretary of State for Wales (Peter Hain)
  The Wales departmental expenditure limit will be increased by £62,325,000 from £9,283,912,000 to £9,346,237,000. The increase is a result of:

  (i) the take up of end year flexibility of £55,000,000 for the National Assembly for Wales.

  (ii) the take up of end year flexibility of £500,000 for the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales in respect of Administration Costs.

  (iii) additional provision of

  £2,356,000 consequential from DEFRA's claim on the reserve for local authority assistance in dealing with waste fridges
  (iv) net transfers from other government departments of £4,469,000.

  These transfers are as follows:
  (i) £1,188,000 from the Home Office for the Partnership Development Fund,
  (ii) £436,000 from the Home Office for cover administration costs of the Crime Reduction Unit
  (iii) £360,000 from the Home Office for Active Community Match Funding— Programme Grant
  (iv) £159,000 from the Department of Work and Pensions for New Deal training inspections
  (v) £1,335,000 from DTI for the Broadband Fund
  (vi) £34,000 from the Home Office for the Golden Jubilee Awards
  (vii) £557,000 from the Department for Education and Skills for Access Bursaries
  (viii) £400,000 from the Department of Trade and Industry for the Manufacturing Advisory Service

  The Wales Office administration costs limit will be increased by £500,000 from £2,330,000 to £2,830,000.

  The increase in DEL will be offset by transfers from other Departments, from the reserve or take up of end-year flexibility and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Winter Supplementary Estimates
  The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Patricia Hewitt)
  Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the Department of Trade and Industry's DEL will be increased by £406,225,000 from £4,357,019,000 to £4,763,244,000 and the Administration Costs limit will be increased by £17,483,000 from £405,704,000 to £423,187,000.

  Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital is as set out in the following table:
  41WS
  The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from

  RfRl

  (i) utilisation of £5,892,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for the Small Business Service Invest to Save Local Competitiveness project;

  (ii) utilisation of £11,000,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for Rover Task Force, of which £520,000 is to be transferred to the Department for Education and Skills for MG Rover training;

  (iii) utilisation of £40,000 from the Capital Modernisation Fund in respect of the Evidence Based Policy Fund project;

  (iv) of £40,000 from non-Voted Regional Development Agency expenditure to record increased voted Departmental expenditure on the Evidence Based Policy Fund project;

  (v) transfer of £105,000 from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in relation to the Farm Business Advice Scheme;

  (vi) transfer of £156,000 to British Trade International in respect of Japan Electronics Business Association and Pacific Rim Electronics Business Association;

  (vii) utilisation of £15,000,000 from the Departmental Unallocated Provision for the Partnership Fund (Partnership at Work with the TUC & CBI);

  (viii) transfer of £400,000 to the National Assembly for Wales for Manufacturing Advice Service for Regional Centre for Manufacturing Excellence in Wales;

  (ix) transfer of £116,000 from the Department for Education and Science for the Marine Skills Database Project;

  (x) an increase of £22,133,000 in non Voted Regional Development Agency expenditure offset by an increase in voted appropriations in aid of an equivalent amount to reflect additional receipts from several other government departments (mainly the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister);

  (xi) utilisation of £5,700,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for University Innovation Centres;

  (xii) utilisation of £4,600,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for additional funding to Ofcom;

  (xiii) transfer of £30,000 to the Home Office for Crimes Against Business;

  (xiv) transfer of £30,000 to the Department for Education and Science for Support for Enterprising Communities;

  (xv) transfer of £2,538,000 to the Scottish Executive for innovative schemes to extend broadband networks;
  42WS
  (xvi) transfer of £1,335,000 to the National Assembly for Wales for innovative schemes to extend broadband networks;

  (xvii) utilisation of £14,400,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for ISERBS;

  (xviii) transfer of £ 100,000 in relation to Invest UK DTI Funded Overseas the FCO;

  (xix) utilisation of £2,000,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for development of "Oracle Hi";

  (xx) transfer of £225,000 to the Scottish Executive in connection with Stop Now Orders (New Burdens);

  (xxi) utilisation of £2,000,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to increase the department's subscription to the International Atomic Energy Agency;

  (xxii) utilisation of £ 1,100,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to fund increased expenditure on the Partnership Training Fund manufacturing package;

  (xxiii) utilisation of £1,300,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to fund increased expenditure on the National Minimum Wage;

  (xxiv) utilisation of £2,000,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to fund increased expenditure on duty to consider flexible working;

  (xxv) utilisation of £900,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for legal costs;

  (xxvi) utilisation of £348,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement transferred from the Department for Education and Science for the Work-life Balance Invest to Save project;

  (xxvii) utilisation of £8,700,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to make an agreed programme to administration virement in support of ACAS, the Insolvency Service, coal health claims and the Office of Civil Nuclear Security);

  (xxviii) utilisation of £1,500,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to make an agreed programme to administration virement in support of the establishment of the Liabilities Management Authority;

  (xxix) utilisation of £4,500,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement in support of the establishment of the Liabilities Management Authority;

  (xxx) utilisation of £256,000 in administration costs in respect of the Evidence Based Policy Capital Modernisation Fund Project;

  (xxxi) utilisation of £548,000 of Invest to Save funding for Claims Handling in the Redundancy Payments Scheme (CHIRPS);
  43WS
  (xxxii) transfer of £3,230,000 in administration costs, £200,000 in programme and £7,005,000 in non Voted expenditure from the Cabinet Office to reflect Machinery of Government transfers in respect of Women and Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission;

  (xxxiii) utilisation of £300,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to fund National Weights and Measures Laboratory market development;

  (xxxiv) transfer of £3,319,000 from capital to administration in connection with British Trade International to fund IT development under the ELGAR PFI contract;

  (xxxv) utilisation of £6,700,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to increase non Voted Coal Authority expenditure for minewater liabilities;

  (xxxvi) utilisation of £5,800,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for the Competition Commission;

  (xxxvii) utilisation of £300,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to increase non voted expenditure of SITPRO;

  (xxxviii) removal from DEL of £5,000 in voted recoveries of coal health claim overpayments.

  RfR2

  (i) utilisation of £25,000 from the Departmental Unallocated Provision to increase Grant to the Royal Society for the foot and mouth enquiry;

  (ii) utilisation of £9,076,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for Knowledge Transfer;

  (iii) transfer of £75,000 to the Department of Health for Human Genetic Research;

  (iv) utilisation of £1,023,000 from the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for increased non voted expenditure by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council;

  (v) utilisation of £8,000,000 from the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to make an agreed capital to resource virement for non voted expenditure by the Medical Research Council;

  (vi) utilisation of £712,000 from the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to increase non Voted expenditure by the Medical Research Council;

  (vii) utilisation of £4,450,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to increase non Voted expenditure by the Natural Environment Research Council;

  (viii) utilisation of £5,352,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to increase non Voted expenditure by the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council;
  44WS
  (ix) utilisation of £83,000 of the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to increase non-voted expenditure of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

  2. There is also an increase in non-Voted expenditure on liabilities of £27,700,000 (£20,100,000 on the Coal Operating Subsidy, £2,000,000 on Enemy Property Claims, £2,900,000 on coal redundancy packages and £2,700,000 on compensation to trawlermen), and the removal from DEL of £357,400 of non voted expenditure on coal health liabilities and £399,895,000 of CFER receipts related to coal pension fund surpluses.

  The change in the capital element of the DEL arises from

  RfRl

  (i) utilisation of £1,400,000 capital from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for Rover Task Force;

  (ii) utilisation of £3,250,000 from the Capital Modernisation Fund project for business.gov;

  (iii) utilisation of £4,300,000 capital from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for University Innovation Centres;

  (iv) utilisation of £ 10,100,000 from the unused balance of the Department's capital end-year flexibility entitlement to offset a shortfall in launch aid receipts;

  (v) utilisation of £48,500,000 from the unused balance of the Department's capital end-year flexibility entitlement for the Rolls Royce Trent 600 and 900 projects;

  (vi) provision of £48,500,000 from the reserve for the Rolls Royce Trent 600 and 900 projects;

  (vii) utilisation of £2,700,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to fund increased expenditure on Parental Leave;

  (viii) utilisation of £700,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for the Employment Tribunals Service;

  (ix) utilisation of £233,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for the Employment Tribunals Service Capital Modernisation Fund project;

  (x) utilisation of £10,000 capital from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement transferred from the Department for Education and Science for the Work-life Balance Invest to Save project;

  (xi) transfer of £3,319,000 from capital to administration in connection with British Trade International to fund IT development under the ELGAR PFI contract;

  (xii) virement of £5,000,000 from non Voted Regional Development Agency expenditure to departmental capital for accommodation;

  (xiii) transfer of £15,000 from the Departmental Unallocated Provision (capital) to fund a grant to the UK Science Parks Association;
  45WS
  (xiv) utilisation of £8,500,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for the Competition Commission.

  RfR2

  (i) utilisation of £1,458,000 from the unused balance of the Department's resource end-year flexibility entitlement to make a virement to capital to fund increased non voted expenditure by the Natural Environment Research Council;

  (ii) utilisation of £4,358,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to fund increased non voted expenditure by the Natural Environment Research Council;

  Resources (£000)

  Capital (£000)

  Change

  New DEL

  Of which: voted

  Non-voted

  Change

  New DEL

  Of which: voted

  Non-voted

  1

  637

  -221

  858

  0

  804

  766

  38

  The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from the partial take up of £713,000 end year flexibility, of which £472,000 is required for additional consultancy, £91,000 for legal costs and £150,000 for an extension to the twinning with Poland programme under the EU's PHARE initiative. The increase will be offset by a corresponding increase in appropriations in aid.

  Resources (£000)

  Capital (£000)

  Change

  New DEL

  Of which: voted

  Non-voted

  Change

  New DEL

  Of which: voted

  Non-voted

  77

  48,245

  48,245

  0

  0

  2,398

  2,398

  0

  The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from the following:

  (i) the take up of end year flexibility of £77,000 in respect of the ring-fenced Invest to Save Budget approved by Parliament.

  (ii) the provision of a decrease of £717k in gross resources and (ii) Appropriations in Aid, resulting from a reduction in expected income from Competition Act notifications and recovered legal fees, the departure of minor occupiers from the building, and the end to the provision of common services to other departments. In addition, the reflection of changes in accounting policy on EC receipts to bring OFT in line with other government departments.

  The increases in the above Estimates will be offset by transfers or charges to the DEL Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of Public expenditure.

  Power Station (Marchwood)
  The Minister for Energy and Construction (Mr. Brian Wilson)
  I have today decided to grant consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to Marchwood Power Ltd for the construction of a 860 gas-fired power station at Marchwood in Hampshire. The station has also today been given clearance as a gas-fired station
  46WS
  (iii) utilisation of £790,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement to fund increased non voted expenditure by the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council;

  (iv) utilisation of £87,399,000 from the unused balance of the Department's end-year flexibility entitlement for the Joint Infrastructure Fund. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Office of Telecommunications DEL will be increased by £1,000 from -£222,000 to -£221,000 and the administration costs limits will be increased by £563,000 from £18,015,000 to £18,578,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital is as set out in the following table:

  Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Office of Fair Trading resource DEL will be increased by £77,000 from £48,168,000 to £48,245,000, and the administration costs limits will be increased by £77,000 from £48,985,000 to £49,062,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:
  under section 14 of the Energy Act 1976 and planning permission for the station has been deemed to be granted subject to 50 conditions agreed with the New Forest District Council and the Hampshire County Council.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Rights of Way
  The Minister for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael)
  I am pleased to announce that on 16 November The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (Commencement No.2) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/2833)(C.89), was made bringing into force the rights of way improvement planning provisions in sections 60 to 62 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 on 21 November 2002. We are now publishing the guidance to local highway authorities on planning improvements to their rights of way network, which takes account of responses to the consultation paper that we issued at the end of last year. The guidance is being sent out to all local authorities in England.

  The guidance clarifies the new duty on local authorities to make a strategic and forward-looking assessment of their rights of way network, thinking about how any shortcomings might be overcome by making use of the powers they already have. This new

  47WS
  approach will be of particular use in those areas that are tourist destinations, where the local economy is heavily dependent on the income that visitors bring. However, last year's foot-and-mouth outbreak showed just how important public rights of way are to rural businesses and communities generally.

  Access is also important to local people. Expanding our public rights of way network and improving access brings great health benefits. The changes don't have to be major. Sometimes the creation of a short connecting path is all that is necessary to provide a useful local cut through, to provide access to a local beauty spot, or to make the final link in a circular walk.

  Nor is it just about walkers. The rights of way network also provides access to the countryside for other types of users, and the planning process should look at how well they are catered for. One major aim is to increase provision for horse riders, carriage drivers and cyclists. We also want to increase access for those who cannot easily use all the current paths, particularly those with mobility problems and the blind or partially sighted.

  Some local authorities do an excellent job of maintaining and promoting their local footpaths but I know that there is concern that some local authorities fail to fulfil their existing duties and may be slow to plan for and implement their rights of way improvements. There are a number of ways in which we are trying to address these issues.

  First, we have given local authorities extra resources for the new obligations under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2002 and I wrote to every local authority in England to remind them that the resources are there in the local government support grant. It is for local authorities to achieve the intended outcome.

  Secondly, we are sponsoring the Countryside Agency to work with eight authorities, one from each region of England, to provide exemplar planning between October 2002 and October 2003. This will help to develop good practice and the lessons learned will be disseminated to other authorities at regular intervals. It is intended that this exemplar planning will demonstrate the value of planning to improve the network for people of all levels of interest, ability and experience.

  Finally, we want to achieve the long-term sustainability of the network while reducing the number of separate planning requirements. This is in line with the Government's wish to give local authorities additional freedoms and flexibilities. Rights of way improvement planning will therefore be incorporated into the local transport planning process from 2005 onwards, when the next 5-year Local Transport Plans are due to be produced. In this way we intend to ensure that the full importance of the rights of way is stressed in the light of the contribution it can make to transport, recreation and health. This will encourage a focused and joined up approach by local authorities. It is envisaged that rights of way improvement planning will be a distinct strand within the new Local Transport Plans. The revised Guidance on Full Local Transport Plans(planned for 2004) will cover this point.
  48WS
  In the meantime, local highway authorities should use the new guidance, being published tomorrow, to plan effective improvements to their rights of way network in line with their new duty. Under the provisions of section 60 to 62 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, local highway authorities are required by law to prepare the first rights of way improvement plans within five years. We suggest that local highway authorities prepare them earlier than this if possible. Indeed, it is encouraging to know that many authorities have already started on the planning process. This work will make a positive difference and will be every bit as valid after rights of way improvement planning is incorporated into the local transport planning process

  A copy of the commencement order and statutory guidance have been placed in the House of Commons Library. Further information can be found on the Department's website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/index.htm. A copy of the summary of the responses to the consultation exercise earlier this year is also on the website.

  Access to Land
  The Minister for Rural Affairs (Alun Michael)
  I am pleased to announce that we have decided that the new right for the public to walk on mountain, moor, heath, down and registered common land will be rolled out on a region by region basis. We are convinced that the best approach is to give walkers the right to walk in open countryside and on registered common land as early as possible. Rather than wait for the mapping process to be completed for the whole country, I intend to open up land in the first two regions, the South East and Central Southern England, to public access during the summer of 2004.

  This is a demanding timetable which requires conclusive maps for those regions to be available, restrictions on access and necessary exclusions to be in place and guidance and codes of practice to be available to walkers and landowners. It is most important that all these mechanisms are in force in each region before any access land is made available to the public to ensure that the interests of both land managers and walkers are safeguarded. We expect all access land to be opened not later than the end of 2005.

  Opening some access land more than a year earlier than originally planned shows our commitment to making the provisions of Part 1 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 a reality. Because of that Act, people will be able to walk on land in some of the most beautiful areas of the countryside that were previously off-limits and rural businesses in those areas will benefit from new trading opportunities.

  In bringing the new right of access into force, we have maintained a careful balance between the rights of walkers and the rights of land managers. It does not affect land managers' discretion to use or develop land as they think best, taking into account other regulations governing changes of land use. In the vast majority of cases it is likely to have very little impact on operational practices. Owners and occupiers will be able to close their land for up to 28 days each year for any reason, and to seek further restrictions or exclusions of access where necessary.

  Autumn Performance Report
  The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Margaret Beckett)
  The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' first autumn Performance Report was published on 27 November 2002. This report is a new requirement under the revised framework for Departments to report on progress towards their Public Service Agreement targets. Copies of the report have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

TRANSPORT

  SRA Board Appointments
  The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. Alistair Darling)
  I am pleased to inform the House, that I have appointed three new non-executive members to the board of the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA).

  Urmila Banerjee CBE, Janet Lewis-Jones and David Norgrove will be appointed for four years from 1 December 2002.

  These new appointments will greatly strengthen the board by bringing particular skills and understanding of the interface between Government and industry; consumer issues and perspectives, and financial management. My decision to appoint Janet Lewis-Jones was taken after consultation with the National Assembly for Wales in accordance with sections 202 (3) and 202 (5) of the Transport Act 2000. She is Welsh, lives in Wales and is therefore familiar with the special requirements and circumstances of Wales in relation to the railways.

  From December 1st, the SRA Board will consist of the following members:

  Board Member

  Expiry Date of Current Appointment

  Richard Bowker (Chair & Chief Exec.)

  November 2006

  David Quarmby (Deputy Chair)

  November 2004

  Lew Adams OBE

  November 2004

  Urmila Banerjee CBE

  November 2006

  David Begg

  April 2005

  Willie Gallagher

  April 2005

  David Grayson

  April 2005

  Pen Kent

  November 2004

  Janet Lewis-Jones

  November 2006

  Jeremy Mayhew

  April 2005

  David Norgrove

  November 2006

  All non-executive members receive annual remuneration of £14,190, with the exception of the Deputy Chair, David Quarmby and the Chair of the Audit Committee, Pen Kent, who receive £18,919.

HEALTH

  Autumn Performance Report
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Ms Hazel Blears)
  The Food Standards Agency's Autumn Performance Report, Cm 5694, was laid before Parliament today.

  Copies have been placed in the Library.

  NHS Pension Scheme
  The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. John Hutton)
  I have agreed with my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury that, from April 2003, the National Health Service pension scheme will assume its full liability for pensions increase costs. The change, which will bring the National Health Service into line with other public service schemes, will mean an increase in employer contributions from 7 to 14 per cent, of pay. Employee contributions will remain unchanged.

  The additional costs will be fully covered by a transfer of funds into the Department of Health's departmental expenditure limit (DEL) baseline. This will be extra funding, on top of expenditure plans announced in the last Budget, and is included in the Chancellor's pre-Budget Report made yesterday. This means there will be no reduction in the resources already earmarked for healthcare.

  Arrangements for increasing the employer contribution rate will be phased in with costs paid centrally from the Department's DEL in the first year. It is expected that employers will be charged the higher rate from April 2004.

  A Departmental working group has been remitted to develop detailed implementation plans for handling the transfer. Alongside the financial arrangements for transferring and allocating resources, it will look at the human resource aspects of the change. This will include improving recognition of the full value of National Health Service pension scheme in recruitment, retention and return to service as well as the full costs of employment.

  The new 14 per cent employer contribution rate is based on the Government actuary's emerging findings in his latest valuation of the National Health Service pension scheme. The Government actuary's report is expected to be published in the new year and copies will be placed in the Library.

  NHS Learning and Research
  The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. John Hutton)
  On 13 June 2002, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath) announced a joint Ministerial review of education, training and research in the National Health Service in order to ensure that new management structures are working effectively, and committed the Government to announcing the terms of reference for this review before the end of the year.
  51WS
  My noble Friend Lord Hunt, my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Lifelong Learning and Higher Education, Department for Education and Skills (Mrs Hodge), Ms Jane Hutt, Minister for Health and Social Services at the National Assembly for Wales and I have agreed the terms of reference. Prominent among the issues that led to the announcement of the review was that primary care trusts (PCTs) in their effort to deliver improved local patient care also focussed on education and research. The terms of reference directly tackle this concern and are, in the light of the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002, to:
  review the role of PCTs in ensuring the right balance is struck between care for NHS patients, learning and research;
  consider the responsibilities of PCTs in supporting research and learning across all health care professions in the NHS and identify those responsibilities that are proving difficult to achieve;
  report to Ministers by December 2003, including any recommendations for action that may be required to enable PCTs to discharge their responsibilities more effectively; and
  advise how the findings might inform the process of implementing local health boards in Wales and the Welsh Assembly's strategy on continuing professional development.

  In line with commitments already given by my noble Friend Lord Hunt, the review will:
  be carried out jointly by the Department of Health, Department for Education and Skills and the National Assembly for Wales;
  be overseen by Ministers from each Department;
  cover the full range of healthcare professions, including but not limited to doctors;

  Resources Change

  New DEL

  Of which voted

  Non-voted

  Capital Change

  New DEL

  Of which voted

  £'000 Non-voted

  Department of Health DEL 734,761

  53,992,685

  54,245,237

  -252,552

  -149,547

  2,348,945

  109,765

  2,239,180

  Food Standards Agency DEL 16,950

  133,988

  133,988

  0

  0

  637

  637

  0

  Total DH/ FSA Group DEL 751,711

  54,126,673

  54,379,225

  -252,552

  -149,547

  2,349,582

  110,402

  2,239,180

  The change in the resource element of the DEL for the Department of Health arises from: the take up of end year flexibility £404,844,000 for health authority and central allocations as set out in Table 6 of the public expenditure 2001–02 provisional outturn White Paper Cm 5574 published in July 2002; a change in the level of National Health Service trust depreciation £184,000,000; a net transfer from the Home Office of £3,900,000 comprising £1,824,000 for match funded social care projects, £938,000 community projects relating to assessment and treatment of people with severe personality disorder, £673,000 for a contribution towards the Victoria Climbie Inquiry, £450,000 for Broadmoor hospital pilot ward, £30,000 for a survey of smoking, drinking and drug use in young people, offset by £15,000 for a grant to Mediation UK to recruit volunteer service managers; from the Scottish Executive £385,000 for a contribution towards the Nursing Midwives Council; from the Office for National
  52WS
  report by December 2003, and
  provide an opportunity to consult widely, including with experts
  in the fields of health, education, and research.

  The review will be overseen, on Ministers' behalf, by the newly formed strategic learning and research advisory group for health and social care which has been set up specifically to improve and oversee joint working at the interface between the health and social care and education sectors at central government level, and which the Permanent Secretaries of the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills jointly chair.

  Departmental Expenditure Limits
  The Secretary of State for Health (Mr. Alan Milburn)
  Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) departmental expenditure limits (DELs) will be increased by £602,164,000 from £55,874,091,000 to £56,476,255,000 and the administration cost limits (ACL) will increase by £8,952,000 from £370,830,000 to £379,782,000. The Department of Health DEL will be increased by £585,214,000 from £55,756,416,000 to £56,341,630,000 and the ACL will increase by £6,136,000 from £318,527,000 to £324,663,000. The Food Standards Agency DEL will be increased by £16,950,000 from £117,675,000 to £134,625,000 and the ACL will increase by £2,816,000 from £52,303,000 to £55,119,000. The impact on resource and capital are set out in the following table.

  Statistics £130,000 (£127,000 administration costs) for the neighbourhood statistics programme; from the Department of Trade and Industry £75,000 (administration costs) for a contribution towards the costs of the human genetics commission.

  These increases are offset by a transfer to the Department for Education and Skills of £8,120,000 for drug prevention and the healthy schools programme.

  The Department of Health's administration cost limit has increased by £6.136,000 from £318,527,000 to £324,663,000. In addition to the changes detailed above there is a transfer of £7,500,000 for education and training, offset by £1,566,000 for hospital episode statistics, the disability equipment evaluation programme, the NHS appointments commission and the standing committee for hospitals of the European Union.
  53WS
  The increase in the FSA DEL is the result of take-up of end year flexibility of £16,950,000 (of which £2,816,000 is administration costs). The FSA manages it resource spend over the three year Government spending review period. This end year flexibility is needed to address future FSA and meat hygiene services funding pressures that have already been identified.

  As a result of these changes the gross administration cost limit for the FSA has increased by £2,816,000 to £55,119,000.

  The increases will be offset by inter-departmental transfers and take up of end year flexibility and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Farm Incomes
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr. Elliot Morley)
  I am pleased to report to the House that forecasts for this year suggest an encouraging rise in farm incomes, of 11 per cent (9 per cent in real terms), in comparison to 2001.

  We recognise that farmers are experiencing hard times, therefore any increase in incomes is welcome news. This is the second year running that there has been an increase— a reversal of a sharp decline since 1995, although we recognise this remains £2.99 billion below the yearly average for TIFF, for the period 1989 to 1994.

  These increases reflect the efforts of farmers to improve business performance. Government is playing its part by investing in the rural economy. There is a lot more to do, but we are working with the industry to create the right conditions for a sustainable and competitive future for farmers.

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Autumn Performance Report
  The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr. Andrew Smith)
  The Work and Pensions' Autumn Performance Report, which details the Department's progress against its Public Service Agreement objectives since spring 2002, has been published today. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Benefit Fraud Inspectorate
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Malcolm Wicks)
  The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate's (BFI) inspection report on Caerphilly County Borough Council was published today and copies of the report in English and Welsh have been placed in the Library.

  The report finds that Caerphilly County Borough Council does not have an up-to-date corporate document that sets out the aims and objectives for the benefit, service.
  54WS
  The council placed an emphasis on paying benefit quickly and the achievement of this compromised the aims of getting payments right first time and deterring fraud. From its sample, the report finds that 100 per cent of Rent Rebate and Council Tax Benefit, and 84 per cent of Rent Allowance claims were processed within 14 days of all information being available. The council had no backlogs of work to hinder the claims processing times. However, the council failed to routinely verify information and evidence in support of claims. Security was not an integral part of the administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. Caerphilly County Borough Council had not implemented the Verification Framework and had no plans to do so. From its sample, the report finds that the quality of verification was poor compared to the Verification Framework benchmark and that the gateway to the benefits system was weak.

  The report finds that the council effectively administered renewal claims and ensured continuity of benefit payments to claimants. However, over 1,000 claims were not renewed in 2000/01 and the council took limited action to establish the reasons.

  The council dealt with changes of circumstances promptly, pursued overpayments of benefit vigorously and had an effective rate of recovery. The council made use of legal action and debt collection agencies to recover debt where other recovery options had failed.

  The council investigated benefit fraud and had completed successful prosecutions. However, there was some scope for improvement in working with other organisations and in the quality and speed of investigations.

  Management reporting and risk analysis also needed improvement, as the lack of reliable management information and risk analysis impacted on the council's ability to effectively manage its benefit service and counter fraud activity.

  In 2000/01, Caerphilly County Borough Council administered approximately* £39.5 million in housing benefits.

  My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State is now considering the report and will be asking the council for its proposals in response to the findings and recommendations of the BFI.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

  Tenancy Deposits
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr. Tony McNulty)
  I am pleased to announce today the publication of a consultation paper on tenancy deposits. The research report on the pilot tenancy deposit scheme is also to be published in the week beginning 16 December. Summaries of both documents are also being published today. Copies of these documents will be placed in the Library of the House. The consultation paper will initiate a debate on what action might be taken to address disputes over tenancy deposits.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Winter Supplementary Estimate
  The Solicitor-General (Ms Harriet Harman)
  Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary

  Resources Change

  New DEL

  Of which voted

  Non-voted

  Capital Change

  New DEL

  Of which voted

  Non-voted

  £63,490,000

  £490,354,000

  £479,211,000

  £11,143,000

  £1,700,000

  £17,250,000

  £17,250,000

  0

  The Crown Prosecution Service's DEL will be increased by £60,190,000 from £402,978,000 to £463,168,000 and the administration costs limit will be increased by £59,990,000 from £282,059,000 to £342,049,000. The increase in the resource element of the DEL arises from a transfer of £58,490,000 resources and £1,700,00 capital from the Criminal Justice System Reserve. The increases will be funded from the Criminal Justice System reserve and therefore do not constitute a claim on the reserve. The increases in the resource and capital elements of the DEL arise from speeding up the reform of the CPS to allow it to contribute fully to criminal justice targets.

  The Serious Fraud Office DEL will increase- by £5,000,000 from £21,950,000 to £26,950,000 and the Administration Costs Limit will increase by £1,120,000 from £15,390,000 to £16,510,000

  This Supplementary Estimate provides additional resources for the administration costs and operational costs incurred by the Serious Fraud Office to fund higher than expected caseload activity and expenditure.

  The increases will be funded directly from the Consolidated Fund Contingency Reserve.

DEFENCE

  Royal Artillery Regiment
  The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Mr. Adam Ingram)
  We have been looking at how to optimise the Royal Artillery to meet the demands of the new security environment.

  The Army currently has two combined regular Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) (Phoenix) Regiments; 32 Regiment Royal Artillery based at Larkhill, Wiltshire and 39 Regiment Royal Artillery at Harlow Hill near Newcastle. Each of these regiments has two batteries of nine MLRS launchers, and one battery of three troops of UAVs (Phoenix).

  As a result of past successful deployments the capability of Phoenix has become more widely recognised and valued within the military command structure. It has, therefore, been decided that a revised structure would provide a better focus for UAVs. In line with the direction set in the New Chapter to the Strategic Defence Review this new structure will establish UAVs as a valuable asset for surveillance and intelligence
  56WS
  Supplementary Estimates, the Attorney General's Departments DEL will be increased by £65,190,000 from £442,414,000 to £507,604,000 and the administration costs limits will be increased by £61,110,000 from £307,588,000 to £368,698,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are set out in the following table:
  gathering in addition to being Royal Artillery target acquisition assets to support the Indirect Fire System. The impact on the Royal Artillery will be the separation of these capabilities and the creation of discrete regiments; UAV (Phoenix) at Larkhill and MLRS at Harlow Hill. The reorganisation will require inter-regimental moves of complete sub-units but will not have any significant impact on the overall numbers of personnel at each site.

  The Field Standard B2 variant of the Rapier missile system has reached the end of its useful life and will be withdrawn from service by 31 March 2003. The system is currently operated by 22 Regiment Royal Artillery, based at Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire. Following the withdrawal of the Rapier FSB2 equipment, 22 Regiment will undertake a tour in Cyprus, in the infantry role, during the second half of 2003 before it is disbanded in March 2004. Personnel from the regiment will be re-deployed to other Royal Artillery units to support the introduction of planned new "network-centric" capabilities as described in the New Chapter, including the Watchkeeper UAV.

  Our future Rapier air defence capability will be based on the more advanced Field Standard C model operated by 16 Regiment Royal Artillery and the Royal Air Force Regiment. The capability of 16 Regiment will be enhanced by the creation of a fourth battery. In addition, we plan to move 16 Regiment from Woolwich to Kirton-in-Lindsey in late 2004. It will then be close to both the Air Warfare Centre at RAF Waddington and the Joint Rapier Training Unit at Honington bringing a number of practical benefits.

TRANSPORT

  Streetwork (Halcrow's)
  The Minister for Transport (Mr. John Spellar)
  Regulations under section 74 of the New Road and Street Works Act 1991 came into force in April 2001. These allow highway authorities to charge utility companies for works in the street which overrun an agreed deadline.

  Following the implementation of these powers my Department appointed consultants, Halcrow, to monitor their effectiveness in reducing disruption on the highway. Copies of Halcrow's interim report were placed in the libraries of both Houses earlier this year.
  57WS
  Halcrow have now produced their first annual report on these powers: Assessing the Extent of Street Works and Monitoring the Effectiveness of Section 74 in Reducing Disruption. The report consists of two volumes; Volume 1 is the main report and Volume 2 contains accompanying tables and charts. Copies of each have been placed in the libraries of both Houses today.

HOME

  In Country Asylum Seekers
  The Minister for Citizenship and Immigration (Beverley Hughes)
  Following Royal Assent of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 on 7 November 2002 section 55 of that Act will be brought into force on 8 January 2003.

  From that date, if an applicant for support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) makes an asylum claim immediately on arrival at the port then support will be granted provided the other criteria for support are fulfilled. If the person fails, without a good reason, to make an asylum claim immediately at the port of arrival then support will be refused unless one of the exceptions applies.

  These exceptions cover families with children, those with special needs, those claiming asylum in country following a significant change in circumstances in their country of origin (provided they make their asylum claim at the earliest possible opportunity following that change of circumstances) and those who can show they would otherwise suffer treatment contrary to article 3 European Convention on Human Rights. Persons falling within these exceptions may be granted support (assuming they otherwise qualify for it) even if they have not claimed asylum on arrival at the port.

  But apart from these exceptions, we expect all single asylum seekers or couples without children who wish to claim asylum and who want MASS support to make an immediate application for asylum at the port of arrival. It will not be acceptable for an asylum seeker wanting MASS support to postpone making an asylum claim unless there is a very good reason for doing so. And even if there is a good reason for not claiming asylum immediately on arrival at the port, the person must claim asylum as soon as possible thereafter.

  The Secretary of State is prohibited by statute from providing support unless he is satisfied that the person claiming support has made the asylum claim as soon as reasonably practicable after arrival in the United Kingdom. In most cases, for those not within the exceptions, that will mean, claiming asylum immediately on arrival at the port.

LORD CHANCELLOR

  Freedom of Information Act
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (Yvette Cooper)
  My right honourable and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor has today announced that, in accordance with section 87 (5) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, he has laid before Parliament the annual report on the progress made in implementing the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Copies of the Report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. A copy of the Report on the review of legislation prohibiting the disclosure of information will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Access to Medicines Working Group
  The Secretary of State for International Development (Clare Short)
  The report of the UK Working Group on Increasing Access to Essential Medicines in the Developing World was published on Thursday 28 November 2002.

  The Working Group was chaired by the Secretary of State for International Development. It's members include representatives from the Department of Health, Department of Trade and Industry and HM Treasury, pharmaceutical industry leaders, representatives of the World Health Organisation, the World Trade Organisation, the European Commission, Charitable Foundations and the Ugandan High Commissioner.

  AIDS, TB and Malaria cause six million deaths a year— 10% of the world annual death toll. This means the loss of $120 billion value in work and productivity each year mostly in the developing world thus impoverishing families and countries that carry this disease burden. AIDS alone has reduced average national economic growth rates across Africa by 2 to 4 percentage points. Many of these deaths could be prevented with existing treatments— but— just one example— in Africa only one in three people have access to effective malaria treatment.

  The report proposes that pharmaceutical companies provide drugs at near to cost price for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria to the poorest countries, whose governments guarantee that tariffs are removed and reduced cost drugs will not be re-exported. Development agencies commit to working with such governments to develop basic health care systems capable of delivering the drugs to the people in need.

  Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of the House and are also available from the Vote Office and from the Department. It can also be accessed at: www.dfid.gov.uk.