To ask the Prime Minister when he will respond to the Intelligence and Security Committee's Inquiry into Intelligence, Assessments and Advice prior to the terrorist bombings on Bali on 12 October 2002. [99878]

I am today laying before the House the Government's response to the Intelligence and Security Committee's Report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the level of grant which would need to be provided to householders to enable them to install a micro-combined heat and power plant instead of a high-efficiency boiler without incurring additional costs; what the carbon dioxide savings from such an installation would be; and what the savings to the householders' fuel bills would be [98668]

At present it is not possible to accurately estimate the level of grant needed or the savings in carbon dioxide or fuel bills as, to date, no manufacturer has brought a fully trialled and tested micro combined heat and power product on to the market.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on encouraging industry to invest in developing (a) micro combined heat and power, (b) domestic heat pumps and (c) other technology that could reduce emissions of CO2 in the long term [98670]

Government is keen to encourage the development of low carbon technologies. We are working closely with industry in fora such as the Distributed Generation Co-ordination Group to remove any technical or legislative barriers to the development of micro-CHP. We will also support field trials designed to evaluate the benefits of micro-CHP. In addition, the Carbon Trust supports the development of a low carbon economy in the UK and their Low Carbon Innovation Programme provides loans, grants and financing for a wide range of innovative low carbon projects, which can include domestic heat pumps, micro-CHP and other technologies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 20 January to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Andrew George), Official Report, column 93W, on agricultural exports, if she will place a copy of (a) the letter from the Minister of State for International Trade and Investment and (b) the ERM Consultancy report in the Library. [97925]

I have been asked to reply. I have placed a copy of the ERM Consultancy Report in the Libraries of the House. However I will not publish the letter from my noble Friend, Minister of State. It is not the practice to publish such letters, under Exemption 2—Internal advice and discussion, of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with which European fisheries ministers she has had discussions regarding cetacean bycatch in the last 12 months; and what the outcome of each communication was. [96734]

I have raised this issue several times with Commissioner Fischler, both in person and in writing. Most recently, I wrote to him earlier this month, reinforcing the intervention made by the UK at the January meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council and pressing in particular for wider observer coverage off the South West coast where a number of other member states' vessels pursue the pelagic fishery. I have also written to the French minister and spoken individually to ministerial colleagues from Spain, Germany and Denmark. The outcome has been, progressively, the inclusion of action on cetacean bycatch firstly in the Commission's roadmap on CFP reform and secondly in the action plan on environmental matters under the CFP, and publication of the Commission's discussion paper on the reduction of cetacean bycatch in December 2002. I shall continue to fund our scientific work and to press for action, with a view to securing concrete proposals from the Commission and then their adoption by the Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial assistance is available to councils in which areas are flooded in 2003. [98286]

I have been asked to reply.The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has in place financial arrangements known as the Bellwin Scheme to assist Local Authorities, including police and fire authorities, in England in emergencies. (In Wales these arrangements are dealt with by the National Assembly for Wales which operates similar arrangements). Assistance is available to authorities to help with uninsurable clear-up costs following a disaster or emergency in their area which involves destruction of, or danger to, life or property. In March last year the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister wrote to all authorities reminding them of the existence of the scheme and advising them how to go about getting assistance under it.Under this scheme authorities are themselves responsible for the first tranche of expenditure on emergency work. The amount each authority affected will be expected to find is just 0.2 per cent. of its annual budget. Expenditure above that will be eligible for 85 per cent. assistance from Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the volume of reprocessing radioactive waste that will arise over the next 10 years from the reprocessing of British Energy-owned spent nuclear fuel at Sellafield. [95267]

There are contracts for the reprocessing of about 65 per cent, of the spent fuel from British Energy's advanced gas-cooled reactors. If all of the spent fuel was reprocessed, conditioned waste volumes are estimated to be a maximum of about 28,000 m³ of low-level waste, 14,000 m³ of intermediate-level waste and 470 m³ of high level waste. An estimate of the amounts to be reprocessed in the next 10 years is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the populations of (a) white, (b) hammerhead and (c) thresher sharks in each of the last 15 years; and what measures her Department is taking to protect shark populations. [98001]

The Department has made no assessment of populations of white, hammerhead or thresher sharks, as these species are rare in UK waters. I am concerned at the decrease in shark populations, and so have been working to protect sharks at national and international level. In particular I have pressed for early adoption of a strict measure based on the Commission's welcome proposal to restrict shark finning; I have also introduced measures to protect the basking shark under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and secured improved international protection for basking sharks through strengthened CITES listing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on European Union funding for the advertising of tangerines. [98419]

In 2001 a programme for the promotion (including advertising) of oranges, Clementines, and mandarins in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Romania and Bulgaria was approved under Council Regulation 2702/1999 (measures to provide information on, and to promote, agricultural products in third Countries). In 2002 a programme for the promotion, within the European Union, of oranges and Clementines was approved under Council Regulation 2826/2000 (information and promotion actions for agricultural products on the internal market). The Community contribution will have been 50 per cent. of the costs for both programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the humanitarian consequences of war against Iraq, with special reference to medical aid. [98733]

The Iraqi people are already very vulnerable, their coping strategies worn away by years of misrule. Any disruption to their current situation could lead to a serious humanitarian crisis. The Government is committed to minimising the suffering of the Iraqi people. In the event of military action a key priority will be to re-establish critical humanitarian infrastructure as quickly as possible, including the Iraqi hospitals, clinics, sanitation facilities and water treatment plants which already suffer from a terrible lack of maintenance. The medical risks of the use of chemical and biological weapons are horrendous. Most traditional deliverers of medical aid are not adequately prepared for the worst case scenarios.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she last met representatives of the Kurdish people to discuss human rights in Iraq. [98737]

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office regularly meets with representatives of the Kurdish people to discuss a wide range of issues, including human rights.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on humanitarian aid to southern Africa. [98734]

Southern Africa continues to suffer from a major humanitarian crisis. 14.4 million people in six countries receive help from the international community. More than half of these are in Zimbabwe, where UK programmes alone are feeding almost 2 million people.The international response to this crisis has prevented large-scale deaths and we are now confident that adequate supplies are available until the April harvests and that the position in many of these countries will improve. However, the disastrous economic policies in Zimbabwe mean that massive food aid will still be needed there.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she next expects to meet Commonwealth colleagues to discuss international aid efforts to Zimbabwe. [98736]

I have no current plans to discuss international aid efforts with commonwealth colleagues. The international community is responding to the humanitarian crisis within the context of a UN coordinated effort. I have recently discussed the crisis with the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy, Mr James Morris. I have also written to OECD colleagues to urge further support.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the level of aid pledged by the international community for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. [98738]

The needs assessment done quickly in late 2001 has now been refined in the National Development Framework (NDF). A sustained international effort is required.At the donor conference held in Tokyo in January 2002, the international community pledged $4.5 billion for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Pledges covered periods of between 1 and 5 years. Since Tokyo, almost $2 billion has been disbursed. The Development Forum scheduled for mid-March will present the NDF for the coming 2–3 years and provide an opportunity for renewal of international support and multi-year pledges.At Tokyo the UK pledged £200 million over five years for both humanitarian and reconstruction assistance. We have already disbursed £65 million in the current financial year, and remain committed to Afghanistan in the long term.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she is taking to improve the availability of clean and affordable water in developing countries. [98739]

(a) in pounds sterling (£ million)
1997–98	1998–99	1999–00	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
45	47	45	70	100	50

and

(b) as a percentage of DFIDs annual budget
1997–98	1998–99	1999–00	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
2.2	2.2	2.0	2.6	3.2	1.5

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department is taking to support Fairtrade Fortnight. [99360]

My department is providing £120,000 to the Fairtrade Foundation over three years(2001–2003) in support of its efforts to target new groups through its annual Fairtrade Fortnight campaigns. These help to

My Department recognises the key role that water plays in poverty reduction and is committed to assisting those in the developing world to assess and manage their water resources in a more equitable and sustainable way. Currently, 1.2 billion people globally have inadequate access to safe water and the situation is likely to worsen by 2025 when nearly two-thirds of the world's population will be living in countries of significant water stress. My Department along with other members of the international community have strongly committed to improving access to drinking water and sanitation while working to strengthen the management of water resources for effective and equitable service delivery and these must now be implemented.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding her Department is giving to education projects in overseas countries in 2002–03. [98740]

Figures for expenditure for this financial year—2002/03—are not yet available. However, it is expected that they will be comparable to expenditure for 2001/02.Of DFID's bilateral aid programme allocable by sector, the amount spent on education projects in 2001/02 was £112 million. This figure represents expenditure on projects specific to the education sector but does not capture the full extent of our efforts as it excludes multi-sector projects and programmes, strategic funding to civil society organisations and budget support and balance of payments. Also excluded are activities funded through multilateral channels.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's Contingency Reserve was (a) in pounds sterling and (b) as a percentage of the annual DFID budget for each year from May 1997. [99315]

The size of DFIDs Contingency Reserve for each year since 1997 was:raise consumer awareness of development issues in international trade as well as highlighting ways in which consumers can act to make a difference.In addition, DFID has provided £168,930 over three years (from 1999 to 2002) in support of Fairtrade Foundation's year round media work, helping it to raise awareness of the "FT mark" and what it stands for.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many times since 2001 she has taken flights on departmental duties in the UK; how many of these were (a) charter flights, (b) first or club class and (c) by helicopter; and who accompanied her on each trip. [95387]

Since January 2001 I have taken three flights on departmental duties in the UK. They were business class. I have not taken any flights by charter or helicopter.I was accompanied by my departmental Private Secretary in each case.All travel was undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with the French government regarding the sale to France of UK aircraft carrier designs; and if he will make a statement. [93348]

[holding answer 27 January 2003]: We have made clear to the French Government our view that the best way forward for United Kingdom/French co-operation on a range of carrier issues is at the industry-to-industry level. To facilitate the transition to such industry-to-industry co-operation, three official groups have been established and their work has been carried forward since the France/United Kingdom summit on 4 February 2003 and the UK CVF down-selection decision. This work includes potential future co-operation on procurement issues and information interchange. The last such meeting took place on 13 February 2003. During the course of discussions, we have provided France with some basic design information, to help them decide the best way forward for their own programme.The carrier is also regularly mentioned in more general discussions between Ministers and other members of our two Ministries of Defence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the amount of camouflaged clothing that has been issued to members of the Armed Forces that are on standby to go to the Gulf; and what the Government's policy is towards members of the armed forces purchasing driving licences prior to finding out if they will be driving vehicles. [98973]

We are taking measures to ensure that our Armed Forces have all the equipment they need to do any tasks required of them. The specific information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Where a member of the Armed Forces is required to drive as part of his or her duties and does not already hold an appropriate licence, the cost of any licence or permit required will be met or reimbursed from public funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rounds of depleted uranium ammunition are due to be fired during the current testing programme at Dundrennan firing range; over what period of time this firing will take place; what calibre of ammunition the DU rounds will be; what environmental safeguards have been projected and been implemented for this kind of testing; and if he will make a statement. [97046]

192 CHARM 3 depleted uranium rounds (120 mm anti-tank rounds) were fired at the Dundrennan range on 3–6 February 2003. With regard to environmental safeguards, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 February 2003, Official Report, column 463W, to the hon. Member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (Mr. Duncan).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy warships (a) are and (b) are due to be placed in a state of extended readiness; and for what purpose in each case. [98232]

HMS Bridport and RFA Sir Geraint are currently in extended readiness. HMS Triumph and HMS Glasgow are currently planned to go into extended readiness in 2004, and HMS Invincible in 2006. Decisions to place vessels in extended readiness reflect the capabilities that are required to meet current and contingent operational requirements. These plans are subject to regular review, and vessels that are in extended readiness may be reactivated periodically to cater for unforeseen contingencies and thus allow efficient maintenance of current fleet outputs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters he plans to buy in the next three years, broken down by (a) type and (b) arm of the armed forces. [98293]

We will take delivery of the outstanding 31 Apache Helicopters for the Army Air Corps during 2003 under an existing contract. In addition, contracts for the RAF to operate four Bell 412s in Cyprus and for the Army to operate three Bell 212s in Belize will come into effect this year, on a commercially owned, military registered basis.It is likely that a number of further helicopter acquisition programmes will be approved over the next three years, but decisions have yet to be taken on the number and type of platform to be purchased or on their delivery schedules.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with European allies on collaboration on targeting of smart weapons. [87929]

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the Airborne System for Target Recognition, Identification and Designation (ASTRID), the embryonic European collaborative defence programme involving the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain. In September 2002 signature was obtained on the four nation Statement of Intent, this expresses a commitment to create a common programme through the development of a Joint User Requirement Document and a Memorandum of Understanding. Working level discussions to further both these initial objectives are continuing.

To ask the Solicitor-General what changes in unit payments for electricity have resulted from the switch by her Department to purchasing renewable energy which is exempt from the Climate Change Levy. [96483]

A holding reply was given on 11 February 2003.None of the departments for which the Attorney General is responsible—the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers—have yet switched to purchasing renewable energy.

To ask the Solicitor-General when the (a) Crown Prosecution Service's, (b) Serious Fraud Office's and (c) Treasury Solicitor's Department's service delivery agreements for 2003 to 2006 will be published. [94110]

[holding answer 4 February 2003].The Crown Prosecution Service will publish its Strategic Plan for the period 2003–2006, and a Business Plan for 2003–2004, before the end of March 2003. These plans set out what the CPS will be doing to deliver its Public Service AgreementThe Serious Fraud Office will publish agreed service delivery targets before the end of March 2003.The service delivery agreement for the Treasury Solicitor's Department will be published in April 2003 alongside its Business Plan for 2003–2004. The service delivery targets and how they will be met is a key feature of that Business Plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his Answer of 10 February 2003 to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk), Official Report, column 620W, on world oil prices, what estimate he has made of the effect of (a) a short conflict in Iraq and (b) a prolonged conflict in Iraq on the underlying supply and demand situation for oil. [99133]

No decision has been taken to launch military action against Iraq. Iraqi oil production currently stands at around 2.5 million barrels per day only 3 per cent. of total world oil production and of which only around 1.5 to 2 million barrels per day is exported. There are a number of other factors such as the weather, supply from other countries, etc which affect the underlying demand and supply balance of the oil market: e.g. OPEC producers are likely to increase their production to cover any loss of Iraqi supply; seasonal oil demand is reducing; and the International Energy Agency has general arrangements in place to take international action, including release of stocks, in case of a supply disruption.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research has been completed on the Severn barrage. [98287]

Between 1978 and 1994 the Government supported a number of studies under its Tidal Energy Research and Development Programme. Specifically, an assessment of the feasibility of a Severn barrage was published in 1981 as Energy Paper 46¹. Between 1983 and 1985 an Interim Study² assessed the technical and financial viability of a Severn barrage leading to a further programme of research reported in 1989 as Energy Paper 57³.Between 1990 and 1993 further environmental and regional studies were carried out. In 2001 a study was commissioned to examine the merits for a re-appraisal of the Severn barrage. The report was published in early 2003 and can be seen at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/renewables/severn.shtml

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the impact on the environment of the working time directive in respect of carbon dioxide emissions; and if she will seek a derogation from this Directive in respect of the quarrying and construction industries. [99142]

I have made no such assessment, having received no representations on the matter, and do not intend to seek any derogations on these lines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is taking to ensure transparency in the credit card market. [93835]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, North and Leith (Mr. Lazarovicz), on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 366W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what areas have been targeted for the pilot scheme targeting over-18s throwing fireworks in the street; and how many fixed penalty notices have been issued. [96972]

I have been asked to reply.Penalty notices for 11 disorder offences, including that of throwing fireworks in the street, are being piloted in four police force areas: West Midlands, including the British Transport Police; Essex; North Wales; and Croydon division of the Metropolitan Police. The pilots will be evaluated prior to a decision being made on rolling out the scheme nationally. Detailed data on the numbers of penalty notices issued will be included in this report, which will be published.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list (a) the grant schemes operated by her Department, and (b) the sums of money made available to stimulate new technology in (i) solar power, (ii) heat pumps used for space and water heating purposes, (iii) combined heat and power and micro-chip, (iv) micro-wind power, (v) bio-mass driven electricity generation and (vi) other low, or zero-carbon technologies used for generating heat or electricity. [98671]

The technology stimulation schemes being operated by the Department and the sums of money available are set out as follows:

£million
Offshore wind electricity generation: (including £10 million from the New Opportunities Fund)	74
Biomass driven electricity and heat generation (including £36 million from the New Opportunities Fund; and £34 million for biomass heat)	66
First phase of Major Solar Photo voltaics (PV) Demonstration Programme	20
"Clear Skies" scheme for community and household projects (including solar water heating, heat pumps, micro-wind and micro-hydro)	10
Wave and Tidal Energy Demonstration Projects	5

The Department is also making available £19 million per year for the New and Renewable Energy programme which provides research grants for renewable energy projects.DEFRA leads within Government on combined heat and power (CHP) and provides support, as set out as follows:

£million
Community Energy to install and refurbish community heating networks, mainly based on CHP	50
Energy Crops Scheme to establish energy crops for biomass heat, CHP and electricity generation and to set up producer groups for growers of short rotation coppice	29
Bio-energy infrastructure scheme to develop biomass supply-chains	3.5

In addition, the Carbon Trust's Low Carbon Innovation Programme can provide, inter alia, grants across a wide range of innovative low carbon projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received on the future growth of the market for automotive liquid petroleum gas. [98642]

Ministers and officials have regular contact with representatives of the Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) industry, (including those concerned with automotive LPG such as the LP Gas Association) vehicle manufacturers, and other stakeholders.In the UK we have over 75,000 vehicles running on LPG, and the market is currently growing at a rate of some 30,000 vehicles per year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will respond to the request from the right hon. Member for Wokingham of 17 June 2002 for information held on the right hon. Member by the Department. [98715]

The information requested was sent to the right hon. Member on 21 February 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has collected about cancellations of rail services by First North Western Trains during the past 12 months. [99353]

In the last 12 months First North Western were scheduled to provide 438,735 train services of which 12,937 or 2.95 per cent. were cancelled. This figure does not include services which were withdrawn as part of a published emergency timetable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he reconciles the Strategic Rail Authority's goal of a 50 per cent. growth in passenger traffic between 2000–01 and 2010–11 with the Strategic Rail Authority's planning forecast, as reported in their Strategic Plan, that passenger rail travel will be 25 to 35 per cent. greater in passenger kilometre terms than it was at the beginning of the 10 year plan period. [98978]

50 per cent. is a target. The SRA's Strategic Plan gives a snapshot of potential growth. 25–35 per cent. is a current forecast. It is liable to change.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional allocations for transport infrastructure he has made to support the increase in the numbers of homes and new communities planned for the Thames Gateway London area, as set out in the Deputy Prime Minister's Sustainable Communities Plan. [98621]

Substantial improvements in transport in the Thames Gateway have already taken place, and significant additional resources are already committed or planned for further improvements.We are now considering how far and to what timescale we should seek to develop the Thames Gateway further, including the funding implications of the infrastructure required and how those who benefit from new development might contribute to the cost of this infrastructure. We will set out in due course the level of development the Government would like to see in the Gateway and is prepared to support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much producing his Department's latest Annual Report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge. [90893]

The cost of producing the Department's latest Annual Report was £20,200; the number of copies printed is a matter for the Stationery Office; most copies which were sold are believed to have been bought at a discount by libraries and similar institutions with subscriptions for Command Papers; copies of the report have been provided to hon. and right hon. Members representing Welsh constituencies and some hon. and right. hon. Members with particular Welsh interests, some other Government Departments, the Welsh Assembly and internally within my Department; fewer than 100.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list consultations his Department has conducted since it was established; and when each consultation (a) opened and (b) closed. [97429]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 26 September 2002, Official Report, column 209W.Since that date consultations have taken place on:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales by what e-mail address members of the public may contact (a) him and (b) each of the Ministers in his Department; and for each e-mail address if he will state (i) the date it became active and (ii) the number of e-mails received in each month since activation. [97446]

Both I and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State may be contacted at wales.office@wales.gsi.gov.ukThis address has been active since 1 November 2000. Statistics for the amount of mail received are not routinely kept. However in January 2003 it received 131 e-mails.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when and by whom Gwydyr House headquarters were valued for the purposes of the National Asset Register; what his latest valuation of this property is; and if he will make a statement. [91700]

Gwydyr House was valued on 31 March 2000 by GVA Grimley, Chartered Surveyors; £1.7 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what sales of heritage assets and antique assets have been made by his Department since May 1997; if he will list other assets; and if he will estimate the total sales proceeds. [92411]

No such sales have taken place since my Department was created in July 1999. As a non-executive Department, the Wales Office assets are restricted to its headquarters accommodation (a listed building) and furniture and other office equipment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list IT contracts in his Department and its predecessors above £50 million in each of the last 10 years; what the inception date for each system was; when it became fully functional; when it became fully debugged; and what the cost of over-runs has been. [98998]

1 refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave my right hon. Friend the Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 17 July 2001, Official Report, column 125W.The total cost will now be £64.4 million, reflecting the growth in the number of users over the life of the system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many laptop computers were used by (a) Ministers and special advisers and (b) officials in his Department in each year since 1995; how many were (i) lost and (ii) stolen; what their cost was; and if he will make a statement. [98706]

Since the creation of the Wales Office in 1999 there have been no losses or thefts of laptops. During the time of the Welsh Office, there was the loss of ancillary cabling equipment for a laptop total cost of which was £107.00.There are currently two laptops allocated to Ministers and special advisers; two allocated to officials and one available for use when the Cabinet Office Briefing Room COBR has been convened.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which overseas delegations and overseas ambassadors met Welsh Office Ministers in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [89950]

Since the Wales Office was established on 1 July 1999, Ministers have met the following overseas delegations or ambassadors:

• 1999
• Japanese Ambassador
• American Ambassador
• Belgian Ambassador
• 2000
• Belgium Ambassador
• Delegation from Lower Saxony, Germany
• Delegation from Nigeria
• Delegate from the American Embassy
• Bavarian State Minister for Euro Affairs
• 2001
• Delegations from the Government of the Czech Republic
• Delegate from American Embassy
• Hungarian Ambassador
• Delegation from the Spanish Government.
• Delegation from Slovakia
• 2002
• Spanish Ambassador
• Danish Ambassador
• Slovakian Ambassador
• Delegate from American Embassy
• 2003
• Canadian High Commissioner
• Delegation of Polish MPs

There were also receptions and other occasions where informal meetings may have taken place with overseas representatives, but no record of these meetings has been kept.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his estimate is of the total expenditure by his Department on ministerial travel (a) in the UK and (b) abroad, in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03(estimated); and if he will make a statement. [92486]

The information is as follows:

(a) Detailed information requested in respect of UK travel is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

(b) I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what (a) products, (b) goods and (c) services were (i) bought and (ii) sold online by his Department in each of the last five years. [97447]

None since the creation of my Department in July 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each (a) year and (b) quarter from 1995–96 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [92487]

The Wales Office does not record its press release count on a quarterly basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his estimate is of the real rise in the total of public spending on the Welsh Office between 1999–2000 and 2001–02; and if he will make a statement. [89959]

Expenditure at 1999–2000 prices (as measured by the GDP deflator at market prices) was £1.485 million in 1999–2000 and £3.368 million in 2001–02, an increase of £1.883 million.This increase primarily reflects the fact that the Wales Office was only in existence for three-quarters of 1999–2000 and was still recruiting its staff for much of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Wales Office's Service Delivery Agreement for 2003 to 2006 will be published. [94107]

Rather than producing a separate Service Delivery Agreement, the Wales Office will cover its main elements in its departmental reports, which are published each spring.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many statutory instruments have been issued by his Department in each calendar year since 1979. [89843]

The Wales Office was formed on 1 July 1999. The information from 1999 onwards is as follows:

Number
1999	1
2000	1
2001	4
2002	2

This excludes a number of Orders in Council the drafting of which is the responsibility of my Department and a number of statutory instruments of which my predecessor was a joint signatory.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the expenditure of his Department on (a) the North Wales Child Abuse Tribunal and (b) the expenses of the Lord Lieutenant in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [89923]

In 2001–02, expenditure on (a) the North Wales Child Abuse Tribunal was £66,000 and (b) Lords-Lieutenant's expenses were £17,000.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which quarries in Northern Ireland are paying aggregate tax, broken down by constituency. [99331]

There are 112 quarry companies in Northern Ireland registered for aggregates levy. A breakdown by constituency is not available but these are broken down by county as follows:

• Belfast—4
• Antrim—14
• Armagh—12
• Derry—15
• Down—23
• Fermanagh—9
• Tyrone—35

In addition there are quarries in Northern Ireland which are owned by companies in other parts of the UK for aggregates levy.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reports he has received on (a) the policy of insurance companies regarding people who have recovered from cancer and who are seeking life insurance and (b) the impact of such policies on securing a mortgage. [99343]

None. But if the hon. Member has specific concerns perhaps he would he write to me.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on discussions his Department has had with the retread tyre industry regarding the Climate Change Levy. [99232]

As part of the normal process of contact with business, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Treasury ministerial team meet a variety of businesses and business organisations and hear a range of representations. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer said in his answer of 11 February 2003, Official Report, columns 114–15, in line with previous Administrations, it is not this Government's practice to provide details of the meetings and discussions they routinely have with a wide range of organisations.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the additional cost to the Treasury in each of the five years from 2006 if all Universities in England and Wales implemented the proposed graduate contribution at the highest level of £3,000 per annum in respect of all eligible students assuming (a) that student numbers remain at the current level and (b) that the Government achieves its target of 50 per cent. participation in higher education. [98631]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 6 February 2003, Official Report, column 396W, on higher education, what research his Department commissioned to conclude that the proposals included in the White Paper would have a positive impact on the economy; and if he will publish the research. [99127]

The Treasury has not commissioned any external research as part of the formulation of the White Paper proposals. However as part of the process of policy development, the Government makes various analyses. In accordance with Exemption Two (internal discussion and advice) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information such advice is not usually disclosed.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment the Inland Revenue has made of the trends in revenues from (a) the special investigation, (b) late filing, (c) company non compliance, (d) pre SA intelligence work, (e) company aspect enquiries, (f) non business SA inquiries and (g) section SA investigations, non compliance and full business reviews; and if he will make a statement. [94879]

The total revenue from the Inland Revenue's work in these areas increased from £865 million in 1999–2000 to £990 million in 2000–01 and again to £1,090 million in 2001–02. The trends in revenue are therefore firmly upwards.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 4 February 2003, Official Report, column 185W, on tobacco smuggling, what the costs of the research undertaken for (a) the 2000 report on tobacco smuggling and (b) the 2002 reports were; and if he will make a statement. [97251]

A mixture of internal and external research was undertaken for the 2000 report "Tackling Tobacco Smuggling" and the two reports published by Customs and Excise in November 2002. The estimated cost to HM Customs and Excise of the external research used in "Tackling Tobacco Smuggling" is £55,000. The estimated cost to HM Customs and Excise of external research used in the two reports published by HM Customs and Excise in November 2002 is £100,000. No estimate is available of the cost of the internal research. The measures announced in "Tackling Tobacco Smuggling" were expected to yield additional revenues of £435 million (in 2000–01), £1,120 million (2001–02), £1,630 million (2002–03), and £2,015 million (2003–04).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of the HM Treasury stress audit carried out in 1999; and what plans there are to carry out another such audit. [93449]

The stress audit carried out in 1999 cost 40,901.05. The Department will be carrying out a follow up audit in April 2003.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the amount of tax unpaid each year since 1995–96, broken down by (a) tax avoidance,(b) tax evasion, (c) late payment and (d) other causes; and if he will make a statement. [95429]

No reliable overall measure is available in relation to tax evasion and avoidance. In the last 10 years, in proportion to the tax involved, tax unpaid at the end of the Inland Revenue's accounting year has approximately halved, and tax remitted or written off has reduced from around 2 per cent. to around 0.3 per cent. The figures for tax unpaid and tax remitted or written off are set out each year in the Inland Revenue's Annual Report, copies of which are in the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the tax burden is on a single earner family on average earnings with two children, claiming the working families tax credit. [98254]

As set out in Table 13.10 of the 2002–03 Tax Benefit Reference Manual, which is placed in the House of Commons Library, the direct tax burden on a single earner family on male mean earnings with two children was 18.7 per cent. in 2002–03, lower than it was in 1997–98 or any previous year since 1972–73.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy that increased multilateral debt relief for Zambia be dependent on the privatisation of (a) the Zambia National Bank, (b) the power utility Zesco and (c) the telephone company Zamtel. [98586]

Multilateral debt relief for Zambia is provided through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under the HIPC initiative a country receives interim debt relief on payments due when it reaches Decision Point and subsequently the debt is irrevocably cancelled at Completion Point. The UK supports this internationally agreed policy.To reach Decision Point and demonstrate its commitment to poverty reduction, a country must prepare an Interim-Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). To reach Completion Point it needs to develop a full PRSP, and usually make progress in implementing it for one year.The PRSP is drawn up by the country, with the participation of civil society, to show how debt relief and other resources will be targeted on reducing poverty. The country must also be on track with its IMF programme for which there will be a range of conditions, for example on macro-economic stability or public sector management. The IMF is committed to ensuring that the social impact of key macro-economic reforms is analysed to ensure that reforms are designed appropriately and negative consequences addressed. For example, the IMF carried out an analysis of the possible social impact of the privatisation of the Zambia National Bank and the Zambian Government plans to develop a strategic plan that will consider the future of rural branches and design an appropriate institutional structure for rural services, which might include seeking technical and financial assistance from donors for the purpose.Hence to reach Completion Point countries must demonstrate a commitment to poverty reduction and economic reform by meeting key conditions (or Completion Point triggers). These conditions may include privatisations or reforms that address the effectiveness and financing of parastatal companies, and thus support the country's strategy for reducing poverty.For Zambia the key conditions, for multilateral debt relief through the internationally agreed HIPC initiative, include progress in combating HIV/AIDs, education and health sector reform along with macroeconomic and structural reforms. The Completion Point triggers in relation to the Zambia National Bank and the power utility Zesco require the issuance of international bidding documents for the sale of a majority (controlling) interest. The telephone company Zamtel no longer has a domestic monopoly, and while the sale of a substantial share is part of Zambia's overall poverty reduction strategy it is not a Completion Point trigger.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders broke the terms of their bail conditions last year and were not recaptured; and what action he is taking to reduce this number. [96007]

In 2001, about 77,700 people who had been bailed to appear at court failed to do so, representing 13 per cent. of defendants at magistrates' courts and 10 per cent. of Crown Court defendants (13 per cent. overall). Figures are not available for what proportion of those failing to appear were subsequently re-arrested and brought back to court, or how many defendants broke the terms of bail conditions.The Government is working with criminal justice agencies to reduce the number of defendants who fail to surrender to bail and to ensure that failure to surrender is dealt with robustly by the prosecution, the courts and the police. In particular we are examining what more can be done to ensure effective enforcement of bench warrants.It is important that bail should be used appropriately, and the Government keeps the legislation relating to bail under review in order to ensure that it does everything possible to ensure this. The Criminal Justice Bill now before Parliament makes several changes, including extending the prosecution's right to appeal against a decision by magistrates to grant bail.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers whose applications are awaiting determination have received work permits in each of the last three years. [94481]

Where an employer applies for a work permit for an overseas national who is already in the United Kingdom, the Home Office will first consider whether the application meets the criteria of the work permit arrangements before considering whether, under the Immigration Rules, the overseas national may be granted leave to remain for the purpose of work permit employment. If the overseas national has an outstanding application for asylum, the usual course would be to defer consideration of granting leave to remain for the purpose of work permit employment until the overseas national's asylum application was resolved.However, the outcome of the initial consideration of the application against the work permit criteria is recorded on a separate database to that which holds the immigration application against the work permit criteria is recorded on a separate database to that which holds the immigration status and it is, therefore, not possible to match the data on these separate databases in order to provide the information requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct a review of persons granted (a) exceptional leave to remain and (b) indefinite leave to remain in the last five years; if he will assess whether any such persons have breached the conditions of their leave as part of the review; and if he will make a statement. [98644]

[holding answer 25 February 2003]: Grants of exceptional leave to remain (ELR) are not normally subject to conditions, and indefinite leave to remain (ILR) cannot be made subject to conditions. The question of a breach of conditions attached to such leave does not therefore arise.The cases of those granted ILR are reviewed if they come to serious adverse notice. The cases of those granted ELR are considered when they apply for further leave, or if they come to serious adverse notice in the

Offenders whose breaches1 of original community sentence or order were proved to the satisfaction of the court by type of sentence or order breached and the proportion breaching original orders—England and Wales
Numbers and percentages
			2000			2001
	Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
Number of offenders breaching orders
Community rehabilitation order2	10,699	2,759	13,458	10,512	2,816	13,328
Supervision order	741	142	883	968	170	1,138
Community punishment order2	15,956	1,375	17,331	14,805	1,314	16,119
Attendance centre order	1,332	127	1,459	870	105	975
Community punishment and rehabilitation order2	6,457	620	7,077	6,279	638	6,917
Curfew order	409	64	473	674	87	761
Reparation order	38	5	43	127	42	169
Action plan order	102	19	121	340	75	415
Drug treatment and testing order	35	3	38	614	109	723
Total community sentences	35,769	5,114	40,883	35,189	5,356	40,545

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in (a) his Department and (b) other bodies are working (i) full-time and (ii) part-time in connection with the removal of rejected asylum seekers from the UK. [98647]

[holding answer 25 February 2003]: The Home Office liaises with a number of different Government Departments and external agencies when dealing with the removal of failed asylum seekers. For example we have links with the Lord Chancellor's Department, Police, Inland Revenue, Department of Works and Pensions and local authorities.In total, 12,155 staff work within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. There are 3,969 staff working within the Integrated Casework Directorate, which deals with casework and decision making for asylum, after-entry, nationality and work permits, and 6,213 in the Immigration Service.We estimate that around 1,220 full time equivalents are working on direct operational activity and 1,260 providing support to operational activity. Around a further 170 full time equivalents are working on intelligence and 160 on contact management.A breakdown of how many staff both in the Department and in other agencies specifically dealing with failed asylum claims may be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of (a) men and (b) women serving community sentences in the last two years breached the terms of their sentence. [93303]

The information requested for England and Wales for the years 2000 and 2001 is contained in the table.Data for 2002 is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to propose amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill to deal with the use of joint enterprise to reduce a charge of murder by parents or carers of children to a charge of child cruelty. [97858]

We are considering what measures may be needed to deal with Joint Enterprise, in addition to those already contained in the Bill. The legislative timetable may not permit the measures to be finalised in time for inclusion in the Criminal Justice Bill. If this is the case, we will legislate at the earliest opportunity.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidance has been given to local authorities about the safety-testing of non-monolithic memorials without approved ground anchor fixing; [98951](2) what action he plans to take to ensure that new memorials are installed to the code of practice produced by the National Association of Memorial Masons. [98950]

As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member for Westbury (Dr. Murrison) on 27 January 2003, Official Report, Column 622W, we hope to be in a position to issue appropriate guidance later this year in the light of the consideration currently being given to these matters by a Home Office-chaired group of relevant representative and professional organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which overseas students paying the full overseas student fee are required to re-register home addresses under the foreign national rules; and why they are required to do so. [99091]

Overseas students who are "relevant foreign nationals" and who have been granted leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for a period exceeding six months are normally required to register with their local police force, and to notify them of any subsequent change to their home address. The purpose of the registration scheme is primarily to provide the Security authorities with information about foreign nationals. Countries whose citizens are "relevant foreign nationals" for the purposes of the scheme are listed at Appendix 2 to the Immigration Rules (HC395), as amended by Cm3953.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the budgets of police authorities over each of the last five years. [91884]

	1998–99(£m)	1999–2000(£m)	%change	2000–01(£m)	%change	2001–02(£m)	%change	2001–02(£m)Adjusted	2002–03(£m)	%change
Avon and Somerset	164.8	173.3	5.2	181.2	4.6	189.7	4.7	185.6	196.1	5.7
Bedfordshire	61.3	63.4	3.4	66.8	5.4	70.7	5.8	69.2	72.6	4.9
Cambridgeshire	70.8	75.2	6.2	79.5	5.7	84.1	5.8	82.3	90.8	10.4
Cheshire	105.0	111.1	5.8	115.1	3.6	121.8	5.8	119.1	125.0	4.9
City of London	57.3	57.1	-0.3	57.9	1.4	59.7	3.1	58.5	60.4	3.2
Cleveland	79.3	83.3	5.0	86.5	3.8	90.7	4.9	88.8	95.7	7.8
Cumbria	61.9	64.5	4.2	67.4	4.5	70.6	4.7	69.1	72.7	5.2
Derbyshire	98.8	106.5	7.8	111.1	4.3	117.0	5.2	114.4	123.6	8.0
Devon and Cornwall	164.7	175.9	6.8	182.4	3.7	191.1	4.8	186.9	198.4	6.1
Dorset	72.6	77.4	6.6	81.0	4.7	84.6	4.4	82.7	87.9	6.2
Durham	77.0	81.3	5.6	84.0	3.3	87.7	4.3	85.8	89.2	4.0
Dyfed Powys	52.8	55.7	5.5	59.0	5.9	62.9	6.6	62.3	65.3	4.8
Essex	163.6	169.5	3.6	183.1	8	194.8	6.4	190.6	198.5	4.1
Gloucestershire	62.4	66.0	5.8	68.6	3.9	72.2	5.2	70.6	75.0	6.2
Gr. Manchester	365.7	382.5	4.6	393.6	2.9	411.1	4.4	402.3	415.3	3.2
Gwent	67.9	71.4	5.2	76.1	6.6	80.7	6	79.9	84.4	5.6
Hampshire	187.1	196.5	5.0	204.7	4.2	216.2	5.6	211.5	227.5	7.6
Hertfordshire	96.0	101.6	5.8	121.2	19.3	129.3	6.7	126.5	132.7	4.9
Humberside	110.0	114.3	3.9	118.9	4	128.2	7.8	125.4	131.6	4.9
Kent	176.1	184.2	4.6	193.1	4.8	206.7	7	202.2	214.6	6.1
Lancashire	174.4	181.3	4.0	189.6	4.6	198.0	4.4	193.7	202.0	4.3
Leicestershire	101.1	106.3	5.1	110.2	3.7	116.4	5.6	113.9	122.6	7.6
Lincolnshire	65.8	69.7	5.9	72.6	4.2	76.1	4.8	74.4	77.1	3.7
Merseyside	239.6	247.0	3.1	253.7	2.7	271.7	7.1	265.9	268.6	1.0
Metropolitan Police	1,777.5	1,836.2	3.3	1,830.0	-0.3	1,980.1	8.2	1,941.9	2,037.7	4.9
Norfolk	81.0	86.9	7.3	91.5	5.3	98.4	7.5	96.3	104.4	8.4
Northamptonshire	66.1	70.4	6.5	73.4	4.3	76.8	4.6	75.1	81.6	8.6
Northumbria	202.6	212.6	4.9	218.4	2.7	227.6	4.2	222.7	228.6	2.6
North Wales	75.2	79.6	5.9	84.0	5.5	89.5	6.5	88.5	93.5	5.6
North Yorkshire	74.4	78.0	4.8	81.0	3.8	85.9	6	84	93.1	10.9
Nottinghamshire	122.9	129.6	5.5	133.9	3.2	140.3	4.9	137.2	145.2	5.8
South Wales	166.9	170.0	1.8	179.1	5.4	188.9	5.5	187.0	195.0	4.3
South Yorkshire	165.1	173.3	5.0	179.7	3.7	187.2	4.2	183.1	191.4	4.5
Staffordshire	117.2	122.2	4.3	127.0	3.9	134.3	5.7	131.3	137.0	4.3
Suffolk	65.8	69.9	6.2	72.9	4.3	77.6	6.4	75.9	81.2	6.9
Surrey	88.8	93.4	5.2	119.9	28.4	122.4	2.1	119.7	128.6	7.4
Sussex	161.4	168.0	4.1	174.5	3.9	183.9	5.4	179.9	189.8	5.5
Thames Valley	217.4	229.1	5.4	238.3	4	252.1	5.8	246.6	259.3	5.1
Warwickshire	52.8	55.9	5.9	58.9	5.4	62.4	5.9	61.	65.8	7.8
West Mercia	110.3	116.5	5.6	125.7	7.9	133.2	6	130.3	144.4	10.8
West Midlands	367.2	380.9	3.7	394.6	3.6	410.7	4.1	401.8	415.5	3.4
West Yorkshire	278.2	289.1	3.9	301.4	4.3	314.1	4.2	307.3	323.9	5.4
Wiltshire	65.6	68.9	5.0	72.0	4.5	75.6	5.0	74.0	77.6	4.8
Total	7,132.40	7,445.50	4.4	7,713.4	3.6	8,173.0	6.0	8,005.30	8,421.2	5.2

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the budget of each police force in England was spent on pension funds in 2002–03. [98903]

The proportion of Net Spending Requirement of each police authority in England estimated to be spent on police pensions in 2002–03 is as follows. Information on civilian contributions is not held.

Police Pension Expenditure as Proportion of Net Spending Requirement in 2002–03
English authorities	Proportion (percentage)
Avon and Somerset	17.6
Bedfordshire	12.8
Cambridgeshire	12.8
Cheshire	14.1
Cleveland	15.6
Cumbria	16.6
Derbyshire	12.9

Information on police authority budget requirements in England and Wales for the last five years and annual percentage changes are set out in the table. Police Authorities have until 1 March 2003 to set their budget requirements for 2003–04.

Police Pension Expenditure as Proportion of Net Spending Requirement in 2002–03
English authorities	Proportion (percentage)
Devon and Cornwall	14.8
Dorset	15.2
Durham	13.3
Essex	13.4
Gloucestershire	15.5
Hampshire	12.3
Hertfordshire	10.9
Humberside	13.6
Kent	13.8
Lancashire	15.1
Leicestershire	13.6
Lincolnshire	17.5
Norfolk	12.7
Northamptonshire	10.7
North Yorkshire	17.0
Nottinghamshire	16.5
Staffordshire	14.1
Suffolk	15.0
Surrey	11.1
Sussex	15.7
Thames Valley	10.9

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the re-registration fees for relevant foreign nationals are in each police authority area. [99094]

The standard police registration fee of £34 applies to each police authority area. Relevant foreign nationals will generally only be charged a £34 fee for re-registration if they have been absent from the UK for more than one year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of street crime offenders with drug problems are fast-tracked into drug treatment services within 24 hours of their arrest or release from custody; [92111](2) what proportion of street crime offenders with drug problems who were fast-racked into drug treatment services within 24 hours of their arrest or release from custody have subsequently re-offended. [92115]

Tackling the causes of offending is an integral part of the street crime initiative. To this end, provision exists for those who are arrested for a street crime offence and who are drug dependent, whose offence is linked to their drug dependency and who are willing to access treatment to do so within 24 hours of release into the community (whether on bail, following release from custody, or on receipt of a community sentence following a custodial remand). Participation is voluntary and not all those misusing drugs make use of the scheme. Delays in accessing treatment beyond 24 hours can be explained in some cases by release occurring over a weekend or by offenders simply not keeping initial appointments.Of those who have, to date 62 per cent. of the reported individuals entered treatment within 24 hours of release. 15 per cent. were seen within two to three days, and 21 per cent. were seen between four to seven days. The remaining three per cent. were seen between one to two weeks after release from custody.Information on re-offending by those accessing drug treatment under the Street Crime Initiative is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 10 February 2003, Official Report, column 535W, on permits, if he will break down the figures for 1996 to 2001 by applications granted (a) in country and (b) in the UK; and whether the dates referred to are calendar years. [99115]

[holding answer 25 February 2003]: The number of in-country and out-country work permits issued in the last seven years are given in the table:

Year	In-Country	Out-Country
1996	12,609	25,647
1997	14,219	30,739
1998	18,096	35,866
1999	21,048	39,695
2000	28,982	59,669
2001	47,755	73,072
2002	64,396	71,755

The dates referred to are calendar years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer of 10 February 2003, Official Report, column 542W, on the intensive supervision and surveillance programme, how many young offenders have taken part in the intensive supervision and surveillance programme since 2001; and what the re-offence rate is. [98907]

3,570 young people have started on the programme. Reconviction rates are not yet available. The programme is being evaluated by Oxford University: the final report with reconvictions is due in March 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the spending per head on pupils in Nottingham, North was in 1997; and what the spending per head was in the latest period for which figures are available [98326]

The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local education authority areas. The available information for Nottinghamshire and Nottingham City local education authorities is contained in the following tables.