To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce training programmes for the judiciary on international human rights standards and on the jurisprudence of international human rights bodies. [38915]

This question was originally tabled for answer by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, but has been transferred to the Lord Chancellor's Department which has responsibility for judicial training in Northern Ireland.Arrangements for judicial training are undertaken by the Judicial Studies Board for Northern Ireland, which is serviced and funded by the Northern Ireland Court Service. On 20 February the Lord Chancellor delivered the Board's Annual Address on "The Incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights". The Board's current programme includes a series of training events on the Convention and future events are planned.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has recently received on the question of the payment of translators to and from the Welsh language in family courts; and if he will make a statement. [38018]

I have not recently received any representations about the payment of Welsh language translators, but I am aware that court staff occasionally receive representations about this. The Court Service will arrange and pay for translators in all family proceedings where necessary in county courts and the High Court. Magistrates courts are considering whether to introduce this facility.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 6 March 1998, Official Report, columns 788–89, concerning information, promotional marketing and opinion survey contracts, if he will provide a breakdown of the item 1999–2000, information meetings. [38447]

When Part II of the Family Law Act 1996 is implemented, all married people wishing to divorce will be required to attend an information meeting. A series of pilots are being run in a number of areas throughout England and Wales aimed at finding the best system for delivering the information meeting.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many representations he has received on the subject of contingency fees payable to lawyers; and if he will make a statement. [38453]

I do occasionally receive letters about contingency fees. However the Government propose to extend the types of proceedings for which conditional fee agreements are available. Those proposals were set out in the consultation paper Access to Justice with Conditional Fees which was published on 4 March. The consultation paper invited responses and thirty-five have been received to date.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he will take to ensure access to legal aid for children involved in personal injury claims. [38586]

The Government's proposed reforms to legal aid and conditional fees will increase access to justice for everyone, young or old. We believe that it will be possible for people regardless of age or financial standing to find lawyers to take P.I. cases through conditional fee agreements. It is important that we re-focus the Legal Aid Fund towards the areas where it can bring greatest help and do most good, and in which there is no alternative to publicly funded help with legal fees.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of the United Kingdom primary trunk road network is currently maintained to the 45HB standard. [39040]

[holding answer 20 April 1998]: For trunk roads in England, for which the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions has responsibility, our best estimate is that approximately 80% of the network is currently maintained to the 45HB standard.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will introduce measures to limit the generation of toxic smoke and fumes from building products. [39296]

The Building Regulations 1991 are intended to secure the health and safety of people in and around buildings, and paragraph B of Schedule 1 to the Regulations makes functional requirements to cover fire safety. Guidance on how these requirements may be met are given in Approved Document B, and, as far as materials used in construction are concerned, performance standards are set based on recognised test methods.With regard to the generation of toxic smoke and fumes from building products, there is no recognised method of test as yet that provides a practicable performance standard that would be satisfactory for regulatory purposes. Although the Single Burning Item test being developed in support of the Construction Products Directive does address smoke production, it does not consider toxicity.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his assessment of the level of compliance with the legislation relating to safety restraints for children in the rear of motor vehicles; if he will take steps to monitor compliance with the legislation; if he will introduce legislation to make the fitting of child restraints in the rear seats of motor vehicles compulsory; and if he will make a statement. [38931]

The Transport Research Laboratory survey seat belt wearing rates in motor vehicles twice yearly on behalf of the Department. The latest results—for October 1997—show that for children aged 0–4 years the wearing rate was 85% observed in all cars (ie including those not fitted with rear restraints), and that for children aged 5–13 years was 71%.We have no plans at present to make the fitting of child restraints in the rear seats of motor vehicles compulsory as this would be harsh on parents who depend on others for lifts, or who have older cars without rear seat belts or anchorage points. But, serious injuries to children can be significantly reduced if they are in a suitable seat restraint and we strongly recommend they should always be used wherever fitted. We are also planning a publicity campaign later in the year to encourage seat belt wearing, particularly in the rear of motor cars.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on developments on London Underground since his statement on 20 March. [39422]

I have decided to restructure the London Transport Board, bringing in a part-time non-executive Chairman. The present Chairman of London Transport (LT), Peter Ford, who is a full-time executive Chairman, has therefore been asked to vacate the chairman's job. Mr. Ford will therefore leave LT today.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those authorities where the business rate base represents more than 60 per cent. of the combined total of their business and council tax bases. [38573]

The information requested is in the table.Authorities where the business rate represents more than 60 per cent. of the combined total of their business and council tax bases in 1998–99.Based on estimated yield from the uniform business rate and assumed income from the council tax for standard spending.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list for each local authority in England, what the additional business rate would have been if a local business rate had varied by the same percentage in relation to the national business rate as the authority had budgeted for the council tax to vary in relation to CTSS; [38572](2) if he will list for each local authority in England which spends above SSA, what the additional business rate poundage would have been

I have today placed in the Library of the House a table showing the information requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list for each local authority what their average council tax in each band would have been if they had budgeted to spend at SSA in 1998–99; [38574](2) if he will list for each local authority

The information requested has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for each local authority the extent to which they are budgeted to spend at, above or below SSA in 1998–99. [38577]

The information requested has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance he has given (a) paediatricians and (b) general practitioners on the prescription of drugs to children which are not licensed for the treatment of children; and if he will make a statement; [36170]

Information on the use in practice of medicines which are not licensed for children is not collected centrally. Doctors have access to clinical guidance on the use of specific medicines which are not licensed for children—to enable them to have sufficient knowledge to take responsibility for treatment. Most medicines prescribed in these circumstances are used in accordance with practice established by specialists in the field, where there is evidence or a sound theoretical basis for the use of the medicine in children and where therapeutic benefit has been established. We do not propose to undertake an investigation but understand the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health is giving this matter further consideration. We shall be guided by any recommendations made by the College.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make osteopathy available on the NHS. [38324]

Health authorities are able to include osteopathy services within the range of health services commissioned to meet local health needs, if they wish to do so. Availability of osteopathic treatment within the National Health Service depends, therefore, on the decisions taken locally by health authorities and general practitioners about the clinical and cost effectiveness of such services, and the priority to be given to their provision in the light of other competing demands for the resources made available for local health needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many appointments to local health authorities and NHS trusts have been temporarily extended until the end of June. [39285]

The appointment of 283 chairmen and non-executive members of health authorities came to an end on 31 March 1998, 3 had already indicated that they wished to stand down. The remaining 280 were asked to accept a further 3 month appointment until a substantive appointment could be made and 250 have now done so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the (a) number and (b) proportion of remedial procedures for dealing with suspected pre-cancerous cervical conditions that reduce the likelihood of future pregnancies in the patients treated. [39160]

[holding answer 20 April 1998]: There is little evidence to suggest that any form of current treatment for suspected pre-cancerous cervical conditions identified by cervical screening, including destruction of cervical lesions by laser treatment and large loop excision of the cervical transformation zone, shows a significant adverse effect on fertility or on a woman's risk of having a miscarriage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will fund research for a vaccination against AIDS. [38765]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister for Public Health gave on 9 February 1998, Official Report, column 57.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions were issued for benzodiazepine drugs in the last year for which figures are available; and at what cost. [39282]

13.9 million prescription items for benzodiazepines were dispensed in the community in England in 1996. The net ingredient cost was £14.7 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's policy towards NHS trusts introducing car parking charges on hospital sites; and if he will make a statement. [39313]

Whether or not to charge for parking is a matter for hospitals to decide in the light of local circumstances—for example the space available for car parking and the location of the hospital. Where charges are introduced patients who are eligible to claim reimbursement of travelling expenses under the hospital travel costs scheme may have the charges reimbursed. Good practice guidance on the wider issues surrounding car parking in the National Health Service has been issued to all trusts in Health Facilities Note 21. Copies have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's policy towards the zero-rated VAT status of condoms; and what plans he has to seek to redefine condoms as medicinal devices under European legislation. [39314]

Policy on Value Added Tax is a matter for the Her Majesty's Treasury. Condoms fall within the definition of medical devices under the terms of the European Directive 93/42/EEC which is implemented in the United Kingdom by the Medical Devices Regulations (Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 3017). The UK has no plans to seek to redefine the status of condoms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the sixth annual report of the National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit. [39417]

The National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit's sixth annual report has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library. The report documents the Unit's findings in relation to sporadic, familial and iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) up to 30 April 1997 and in relation to new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (nvCJD) up to 1 January 1998.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 6 April 1998, Official Report, column 61, on utility markets, if the utility regulators will be given the same level of investigatory powers as the Office of Fair Trading under the Competition Bill. [38664]

[holding answer 20 April 1998]: Yes, in relation to their sectors.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what plans she has to increase the funding, over the next four years, to agencies which examine near earth objects; and if he will make a statement; [38954](2) what is the total Government provided funding for research into near earth objects in 1998–99; and if he will make a statement. [38953]

In this financial year, the DTI will spend some £50,000 on relevant activity including our contribution to a European Space Agency (ESA) study into improved monitoring of Near Earth Objects (NEOs) from space. In addition, the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) will spend £1.6 million this financial year on instruments for the ESA Rosetta mission. This will land a probe on the comet Wirtanen in 2011 and analyse the internal structure of the comet. Results from this mission are expected to inform work on monitoring and other aspects of the subject.The Government have no immediate plans for additional activity. Applications to support scientific studies of asteroids may be made to PPARC and will be assessed against other space science priorities.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has made to the regulators of utilities with respect to call-out charges. [38767]

I have made no representations to the regulators of the gas, electricity and telecommunications utilities with respect to call-out charges.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make it her policy to place on the agenda of the next European Energy Council meeting the issue of measures to combat nuclear materials and technology smuggling. [38728]

Issues relating to nuclear materials and technology smuggling—export controls, nuclear materials accountancy and control and physical protection—would, by virtue of competence falling to the Community under the Euratom Treaty for nuclear materials accountancy, or because the issues come under discussions held under the Common Foreign and Security Policy, normally fall within the remit of the General Affairs rather than Energy Council.However, because it is important to continue worldwide efforts to prevent and, when it occurs, combat nuclear materials and technology smuggling, discussion of an agreement on appropriate measures occurs primarily amongst G8 and within the IAEA. The Government believe these wider international fora remain appropriate for ensuring continuing effective collaborative international action.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list those police services in Scotland which monitor and record incidents of homophobic crime; [39209](2) if he will list, by police authority, the number of homophobic incidents recorded in each of the last five years; [39210](3) what estimate he has made of the under-reporting of homophobic crime; [39211](4) if he will list by police authority and by category of offence, the type of offences reported or recorded as homophobic crime. [39214]

Police Forces in Scotland do not record incidents of homophobic crime and from the information collected centrally from police forces, it is not possible to determine offences or incidents of homophobic crime. Consequently, I am not able to make any estimate of under-reporting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to increase the confidence of homosexual people in reporting crimes against them to the police. [39212]

The police are aware of developing trends in crime and can gear their response accordingly. For example, Lothian & Borders Police, in recognition of attacks against homosexuals, have for some time now had an officer with particular responsibility for liaising with gay and lesbian groups. This approach has encouraged the gay community to come forward with information about assaults which were not hitherto being reported to the police and has allowed the police to respond appropriately. Other Forces are following suit in the light of the scale of the problem in their respective Force areas. We will keep the matter under review in consultation with the Police.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will bring forward proposals for legislation based on the consultation paper, "Managing the Finances and Welfare of Incapable Adults". [38634]

No decision has yet been taken on when we shall be able to bring forward such legislation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the number of people following his Budget who will have (a) increased returns from employment and (b) reduced returns from employment; and if he will make a statement. [36378]

[holding answer 30 March 1998]: The Budget reformed the tax and benefit system in order to make work pay. It included a number of measures specifically designed to increase the return from work, such as:

The abolition of the entry fee in employee NICs which will mean all employees earning more than the Lower Earnings Limit will gain £66 per year.

The Working Family Tax Credit which will guarantee every family working full time an income of at least £180 per week.

The child care tax credit within WFTC, which will significantly boost in work incomes for many lone parents and two earner couples with children.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the forms of monitoring by (a) the Inland Revenue and (b) other agencies of owners' compliance with the undertaking they make in relation to publicity, access and entry under their terms of conditional exemption from inheritance tax on heritage property; when such monitoring last took place in respect of exempt (i) properties and (ii) works of art in (1) East Sussex, (2) West Sussex and (3) Brighton and Hove local authority areas; and in how many cases over each of the last 10 years exemption has been lost or deferred tax charged as a result of breaches brought to light by this monitoring. [36761]

Owners' compliance with their undertakings relating to tax exempt land and buildings is monitored on behalf of the Inland Revenue by the appropriate heritage advisory agency. As part of this monitoring, owners have to submit annual reports covering public access, publicity and other conditions of exemption; and there are on-site inspections every five years. In addition, the Inland Revenue separately review all cases at five yearly intervals.Public access and other conditions relating to exempt works of art and chattels are monitored directly by the Inland Revenue. Each case is reviewed every five years and there is an annual selective audit of objects to which public access is only by prior appointment.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if recipients of working families tax credit will receive the same entitlement to passported benefits as do recipients of family credit. [37851]

The current assumption is that those who are presently entitled to passported benefits because they receive Family Credit will continue to be entitled to such benefits when the WFTC is introduced.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of introducing a working families tax credit on (a) the level of employment and (b) the control total in the next four years. [38219]

[holding answer 8 April 1998]: The Government expect that their programme of tax and benefit reform to make work pay will, like its New Deals, help people move off welfare and into work.Whether or not any part of the WFTC should score in the Control Total has not yet been decided.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 1 April 1998, Official Report, columns 553–54, on the working families tax credit, in estimating the cost of the working families tax credit, how many recipients of (a) the working families tax credit and (b) the childcare tax credit are assessed in the cost estimates for (i) 1999–2000 and (ii) 2000–01. [39235]

[holding answer 20 April 1998]: Around 800,000 families are currently in receipt of family credit; it is estimated that about 400,000 more families will be eligible for the Working Families Tax Credit.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the (a) cost in 1998–99 and (b) full year cost of revalorising (i) the non-aged personal allowance, (ii) the personal allowance for those between 65 and 74 years and (iii) the personal allowance for those aged 75 years and over. [39291]

Estimated costs are given in the table.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the full year cost of transferring from a married person to their earning spouse an unused personal tax allowance where the former cares for an elderly or dependent relative; and if he will give this figure both on the basis that the married couples allowance (a) is and (b) is not, also given in these cases. [39289]

It is not possible to provide reliable estimates.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) by what amount the real value of the under 65 years married couples allowance will have fallen between 1990–91 and (a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000 taking account of the reductions in the rate at which the allowance is given and assuming that the allowance is increased in 1999–2000 in line with inflation; [39293](2) by how much the real value of the personal allowance will have increased between 1990–91 and

The information is given in the tables. These compare the level of the 1990–91 revalorised personal allowance and married couple's allowance against the actual level in 1998–99 and 1999–2000. It is assumed that allowances in 1999–2000 are indexed in line with an illustrative assumption of 3¼ per cent. given in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", March 1998.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the full year cost of giving all married people the option of transferring an unused personal tax allowance to their earning spouse; and if he will give this figure both on the basis that the married couples allowance (a) is and (b) is not also given in these cases. [39288]

The full year cost in 1998–99 of allowing married couples to transfer their unused personal allowance to their spouse is estimated to be £3.2 billion. However, if couples were given the choice between transferring their unused personal allowances but losing their MCA, or keeping their MCA and not transferring, the cost would be £2.1 billion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the full year cost of transferring from a married person to their earning spouse an unused personal tax allowance where that person's youngest child is (a) under five, (b) under 11 and (c) under 16 years at the beginning of the tax year; and if he will give these figures both on the basis that the married couples allowance (i) is and (ii) is not, also given in these cases. [39290]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Inland Revenue definition of millennium conversion expenditure used for taxation purposes; and to what extent the definition includes expenditure on the development of new systems. [39153]

The estimated cost of allowing married couples with children to transfer their unused personal allowance to their spouse are given in the table.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the (a) total and (b) yearly level of loan facilities provided by the European Investment Bank to the United Kingdom since 1993; and what are the corresponding figures for each other EU member state. [38889]

The table shows the total finance contracts signed (including individual and global loans) for the UK and other EU Member States for each year from 1993–1997 and in total.

The tax regime provides that only those expenses which are revenue, not capital, in nature and which are incurred wholly and exclusively for business purposes may be allowed as a deduction when calculating trading profits for tax purposes. The Inland Revenue view is that an in-house or contracted out software project to ensure that existing systems can be adapted for the millennium will always be a revenue matter unless it is part of a major new project instituting other changes and the project is of a capital nature. Small and medium businesses will benefit from the accelerated first year allowances announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the definition of workplace provision of childcare used by the Inland Revenue in determining whether contributions to childcare qualify as benefits in kind. [39149]

The tax treatment of child care benefits is explained in the Inland Revenue leaflet IR115 "Tax and Childcare". An article in issue 34 of the Inland Revenue's Tax Bulletin magazine, published on 20 April sets out the Inland Revenue's view on what is required to satisfy the conditions of the workplace nursery exemption (Section 155A ICTA 1988) where an employer gets together with others to provide child care.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the key assumptions used in the model of Oxford Economic Forecasts. [38888]

The Treasury monitors over 40 independent forecasts of the UK economy and periodically reviews aspects of the models used by the major forecasting institutions, including Oxford Economic Forecasting.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the planned expenditure on anti-smuggling, set out at table 3, page 19 of HM Customs and Excise Departmental report, 1998, (Cm 3918) is allocated to combat nuclear materials smuggling. [38730]

Planned expenditure on combating the smuggling of nuclear materials is included in the figures for Protection of Society in table 4 of page 28 of the Report (table 3 deals with UK revenue). This expenditure relates to the integral control of a wide range of prohibited and restricted items. I regret that it is not possible to disaggregate a figure for specific goods.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many instances of the smuggling into the United Kingdom of illicit nuclear materials have been detected since 1990. [38726]

Customs have detected no instances of the smuggling into the United Kingdom of illicit nuclear materials during the period since 1990.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list the herbal stimulants that are (a) regarded as food products and are zero rated for VAT and (b) regarded as stimulants and are subject to the standard rate of VAT; [38622]

A list of herbal stimulants is not held centrally, but the general rule for VAT purposes is that herbs supplied for culinary use are zero-rated. Decisions on the liability of herbal stimulants and remedies are taken case by case if they fall outside the guidance given in Customs and Excise VAT Notice 701/38, which sets out the liability of seeds and plants. The test is whether or not they are "food of a kind use for human consumption" within the normal meaning of those words.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 2 April 1998, Official Report, column 622, what plans he has to improve the methods used for the environmental assessment of budget measures for future budgets. [38823]

[holding answer 20 April 1998]: The Government will review the environmental assessment of Budget measures in time to inform future Budgets.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans his Department has to tackle tax evasion in the London Borough of Hackney. [38646]

[holding answer 20 April 1998]: The tax Departments have continuing programmes of counter-evasion work which cover all parts of the United Kingdom. Resources are deployed to detect evasion across the tax system with an emphasis on areas of high tax risk.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of people aged (a) 21 years and under and (b) 25 years and under who earn less than (i) £3.50 per hour and (ii) £4 per hour; what percentage of the working population this represents; and if he will make a statement. [38966]

[holding answer 20 April 1998]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the average weekly hours worked by (a) male and (b) female part-time workers, giving figures separately for married and unmarried workers. [38858]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what are the average weekly hours of work for (a) male, (b) female, (c) full-time and (d) part-time workers, and their average hours of overtime work, giving figures separately for workers (i) with dependent children aged over five years, (ii) with dependent children aged under five years and (iii) with no dependent children; [38851](2) what percentages of

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the numbers and percentages of (a) male and (b) female employees who are classed as homeworkers; and what is the breakdown by (i) industry and (ii) occupation. [38852]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) men and (b) women are employed under a flexi-time contract, giving figures separately for workers (i) with dependent children aged over five years, (ii) with dependent children aged under five years and (iii) with no dependent children. [38848]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) men and (b) women work only during school terms, giving figures separately for (i) those directly employed in education and (ii) other workers. [38849]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the number and percentage of jobs which are done on a job-share basis; and what percentage of job-shares are done by (a) men and (b) women. [38853]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of (a) male and (b) female employees worked part-time in (i) 1970, (ii) 1980, (iii) 1990 and (iv) the most recent available date; and what were their average hours of work. [38859]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the information in table 5 of Labour Market Trends, January 1997, volume 105, no. 1, p.LFSS. [38857]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the breakdown of the numbers of (a) male and (b) female employees working part-time by (i) marital status and (ii) industry. [38860]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many abortions were carried out on residents of the London Borough of Barnet in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many of these were (a) carried out in the NHS and (b) paid for by the NHS under an agency agreement. [39052]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the rate of exchange for sterling's entry to EMU will be determined. [39326]

In accordance with Protocol 11 of the Treaty on European Union, the UK Government have informed the Council that they do not intend to move to the third stage of economic and monetary union on 1 January 1999. The Government will consider the question of how the exchange rate for sterling's entry to EMU will be determined if and when we decide to join.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on how the forthcoming legislation reforming the regulatory system for financial services will affect the role of auditors and actuaries. [39559]

The relationship between auditors, actuaries and the regulators is an important feature of the supervisory system in the UK. The financial services regulators take into account the role and responsibilities of both auditors and actuaries when determining the appropriate nature and intensity of regulatory supervision both at firm and industry level. I intend that the proposed new legislation to be published in the Summer will build on, and strengthen, this special relationship.As now, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) will continue to be able to make rules requiring authorised firms to appoint an auditor where they are not already under a duty to do so. The legislation will also allow the FSA to make rules regarding the appointment of actuaries on the same basis. Where there is a need for an investigation or report on any aspect of an authorised firm's business, the FSA will continue to be able to either appoint, or require firms to use the services of, a qualified auditor, actuary or other professional.I also propose that the FSA's current powers to sanction auditors should be extended to cover actuaries. This will allow the FSA to disqualify an auditor or actuary from being the auditor or actuary of any firm regulated by the FSA for a specified period where they have failed to inform the regulator about matters of regulatory concern uncovered in the course of their duties. The provisions which disapply any confidentiality requirements an auditor might breach in passing on such information would also be extended to actuaries. Although I would expect this to be a little used power, it is vital that the FSA should be able to rely on auditors and actuaries, with their expertise and special access to information, to let them know of any such concerns.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the Bank's power to collect information for monetary policy purposes. [39560]

The Government's Response to consultation on the Bank's power to collect information for monetary policy purposes is published today. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish the statement on the 1998 Community Budget; and if he will make a statement. [39612]

I have today laid before Parliament the Statement on the 1998 Community Budget, entitled "European Community Finances". This White Paper is the eighteenth in the series. As in the past, it covers annual budgetary matters and includes details of recent developments in European Community financial management and in countering fraud against the Community Budget. It also describes the Community Budget for 1998 as adopted by the European Parliament, and the United Kingdom's gross and net contributions to the Community Budget between 1995 and 1998.I have placed copies of the White Paper in both Libraries of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those European Commission (a) newsletters, (b) magazines and (c) occasional publications to which his Department subscribes. [33666]

This Department subscribes to such European Commission newsletters, magazines and other publications as are necessary to support its work.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those compliance cost assessments published during the latest six month period. [39443]

The Government are committed to ensuring that regulations are necessary, give effective protection, balance cost and risk, are fair and command public confidence. In accordance with this, we require Departments to produce and publish CCAs for all regulatory proposals likely to have an impact on business, charities and the voluntary 'sector.I have presented to Parliament today a Command Paper listing 77 CCAs and regulatory appraisals incorporating CCAs published between 1 July 1997 and 31 December 1997. This is the eighth such Command Paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on access to information about EU aid projects. [38439]

The Commission and the Council are committed to the principle of allowing the public the widest possible access to documents held by the Commission and Council. Details on how to access information are contained in the Code of Conduct concerning public access to Commission and Council documents. This covers all types of information about a project, but does contain a list of exceptions—documents considered commercially or politically sensitive do not need to be released. This can include some aid documentation such as aid strategy agreements with third countries and project financing proposals put to the Management Committees (whose dealings are confidential).All commercial tenders (whether restricted or open) have to be published in the Official Journal which is available on the Internet: by this means a lot of information about aid projects is put into the public domain. The Commission is generally regarded as getting better at improving its efforts to provide information in this area too. However, although the principles on releasing information are the same across all the external relations Directorates General (DG) each can interpret them differently. This can cause confusion, but the establishment of the Common Services Directorate (SCOOP) should help to standardise procedures and increase transparency. There are also designated information officers in each DG for the public to contact.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the health implications of the use of manual vacuum aspiration for elective abortions in refugee camps; and if she will make it her policy that manual vacuum aspiration for elective abortions should not be used in such circumstances. [38638]

Where permitted by law and provided in line with appropriate medical practice, manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) can have a useful role in protecting the health of a woman who seeks to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. MVA is also a valuable technique for treating incomplete abortions, whether spontaneous or induced.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 March 1998, Official Report, column 391, to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe), for how long the review of the secure estate for juveniles has been in progress; and what is his current estimate of when the review will be published. [38579]

An initial review of juvenile secure accommodation has been undertaken as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review. The review began in September and was completed at the end of March. The Government are now considering the outcome of the review and expect to make a statement shortly. My right hon. Friend has made clear the Government's intention of bringing coherence to the secure estate while achieving greater flexibility and effectiveness in the use of the secure estate and this will require a good deal of detailed work. Our plans were set out in the White Paper "No More Excuses—A New Approach to Tackling Youth Crime in England and Wales", (Cm 3809, November 1997).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the provision of secure accommodation for young offenders. [38532]

Juveniles who are held in custody on remand or sentenced can be placed in secure accommodation provided by the local authority or by central Government in Prison Service facilities, Secure Training Centres or in the Youth Treatment Centre.The Government have undertaken an initial review of secure accommodation for juveniles as part of their Comprehensive Spending Review. This looked at the whole range of secure accommodation for children and young people. The Government are now considering the outcome of the review and expect to make a statement shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the Home Office circulars issued to (a) police forces, (b) police authorities and (c) the Association of Chief Police officers, in each of the last three years. [38662]

Home Office circulars are issued directly by the Home Office, not by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). Guidance issued by ACPO is a matter for them. Circulars to the police were issued by the Home Office in 1995, 1996 and 1997 and copies of each have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish Dr. Simon Holdaway's Home Office-funded report on why ethnic minority police officers were resigning prematurely; [39169](2) if he will implement the conclusions of the Home Office-funded report on the racialisation of the British police. [39171]

[holding answer 20 April 1998]: The report by Dr. Simon Holdaway and Dr. Anne-Marie Barron was published independently last year by Macmillan Press Limited under the title "Resigners? The experience of Black and Asian Officers".The decision that the report would not be published by the Home Office was taken in 1993. Its findings will be borne in mind. We are well aware of the need to ensure the retention of police officers from ethnic minorities and considerable work is being undertaken in the Home Office to understand the issues involved and to develop guidance for the police service in England and Wales.The recent thematic report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary is particularly helpful and chief police officers have been asked to consider how best to respond to its findings as a matter of urgency.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to appoint to the two vacant posts of Commissioner at the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales. [39663]

I am very pleased to announce that I have appointed Professor Kenneth George to serve as a Commissioner to fill one post and that my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Wales, has appointed Mrs. Susan Smith as a Commissioner to fill the other. Both appointments are effective until 31 December 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has obtained supporting the statement by the Director General of the Prison Service, broadcast on "Newsnight" on 25 March, concerning the relative likelihood of persons of Afro-Caribbean origins and persons of other ethnic origins suffering from positional asphyxia; and if he will publish this evidence. [39664]

An internal Prison Service report dated February 1996 identified a range of medical factors that would be likely to place an individual at greater risk of sudden death when being physically restrained and therefore liable to suffer from positional asphyxia. These include sickle cell disorders which more frequently occur in persons originating from regions of Africa or the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and India. This is a difficult area with differing expert views. The Prison Service will be commissioning further research into these important issues.I am placing a copy of the report in the Library. Since the report had not originally been intended for publication, sections which identify personal information about specific individuals have been removed.