Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Friday 28 March 2003

Defence

Gibraltar

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Spanish Government since 1 January on (a) the use of military facilities in Gibraltar and (b) Gibraltar's status in NATO; and if he will make a statement. [104981]

[holding answer 27 March 2003]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has not held formal discussions with his Spanish counterpart since December 2001. As close allies, we maintain contact on a wide range of defence/security matters. There has been no change to Gibraltar's status as a United Kingdom base. However, we have recently offered military facilities in Gibraltar to NATO for use in Active Endeavour, a NATO-led operation providing protection for allied non-combatant shipping in the Mediterranean.

Iraq

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what use is being made of the British military base on Gibraltar in connection with the crisis in Iraq. [105247]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 24 March 2003, Official Report, column 12W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) staff and (b) funds will be under the control of his Department for post-conflict civil and military projects in Iraq; and if they will be at the disposal of any UK peacekeeping forces that may be established. [104033]

Officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development are currently discussing these matters. The precise scale of the task and the extent of the Armed Forces' responsibilities following operations in Iraq is being refined as this campaign develops.

Ulster Defence Regiment

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers have been killed in Northern Ireland by terrorists since 1973. [105216]

[holding answer 27 March 2003]: Since 1973 there have been 38 full-time members and 128 part-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment who have been killed as a result of terrorists activity in Northern Ireland.

Transport

Accidents (Daylight Saving)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the difference in the numbers of (a) fatal and (b) serious injury road accidents that would have occurred, had the UK adopted Daylight Saving of GMT/BST timetable in 1997. [104766]

The potential road safety implications of a change to Single Double Summertime have been previously investigated. A Government commissioned report by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), published in October 1998, concluded that if clocks were put forward a further hour over both the periods i.e. October to March and March to October, thereby making the evenings lighter, there could be a saving of over 100 deaths per year. The potential savings have not been mentioned again since then. But we are therefore aware of the potential road safety benefits. However, a wide variety of issues would have to be considered very carefully if a move to Single Double Summertime was to be considered, of which casualty savings is just one.Given the potential wide-ranging implications for Britain, the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) leads on Single Double Summertime. That Department reviews the issues from time to time. DTI have no plans for a review at present, but when the time comes, DfT will advise DTI of its findings.

Air Travel

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regulations there are as to the number of pieces, and sizes, of items of hand luggage which each passenger is entitled to take into the cabin of an aircraft. [105006]

Airline operators in the UK are required to follow the safety requirements set by the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure the safe storage of hand luggage during a flight. These require that all hand baggage be adequately and securely stowed, that it does not impede access to emergency equipment and that the maximum placarded weight in overhead bins is not exceeded.It is the operator's responsibility to establish baggage handling procedures that comply with these requirements, including as appropriate, any restrictions on cabin luggage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what statistics are collected on incidences of ill-health in the British population as a result of infection caused by travelling by plane. [104488]

None. The House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology's report on Air Travel and Health in November 2000 concluded that the risk of transmission of infection due specifically to being in the aircraft cabin environment was no greater than elsewhere, at least in relation to major illnesses, provided circulation and filtration systems are working properly. Systematic records of the numbers of passengers where health has been allegedly affected by air travel are, therefore, not kept.

Departmental Catering

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by the department in 2002. [104262]

My department came into being in May 2002. The department's catering services are contracted out, with the contractor recovering costs through the sale of services. Under the terms of the contract the department met the cost in 2002 of replacement equipment valued at £10,000.

Ertms

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Pendolino trains operated by Virgin plc will be fitted with ERTMS. [104990]

Pendolinos will not be delivered with ERTMS already fitted but they have been designed to accommodate it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of the introduction of ERTMS following the European Directive requirement that ERTMS be fitted on railway lines being upgraded; and if he will list those lines on which the system (a) has been and (b) has not been installed during upgrade. [104991]

In his written statement on 5 February 2003 the Secretary of State informed Parliament that he had accepted the Health and Safety Commission's advice that Level 2 of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is the best system for this country. This system, in a form suitable for the UK, is still at an early stage of development and not yet fitted to any UK line. Progress on UK development will continue through a single national programme that will be integrated and in step with European development of ERTMS and the associated specifications and operating rules.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when the installation of ERTMS will commence on high speed lines; [104992](2) what arrangements have been put in place to ensure that ERTMS is fitted where there is future upgrading of railway lines. [104996]

A single national programme for the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) will be drawn together by the Strategic Rail Authority to allow focused UK development of ERTMS. Implementation will be in accordance with a proper and affordable migration plan and in line with future upgrading of railway lines wherever possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the national programme for the development of ERTMS; and what its budget is. [104994]

The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is developing the programme. The SRA has £5.875 million set aside for its development in the 2003–04 budget.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what grounds he has rejected the setting of a statutory timetable for the installation of ERTMS as recommended by the Cullen report. [104997]

In his written statement on 5 February 2003 the Secretary of State informed Parliament that he accepted the Health and Safety Commission's (HSC) advice that the timetable for installing the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), contained in Professor Uff and Lord Cullen's joint inquiry into train protection systems, was not viable. A copy of the HSC advice is in the Library.

European Transport White Paper

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what impact he estimates the European Commission's White Paper: European Transport Policy for 2010: Time to Decide will have upon the (a) flexibility and (b) profitability of taxi cab drivers in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [104541]

The Government do not envisage that the proposals outlined in the European Commission's White Paper will have any direct impact on taxi cab drivers in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his Department will incorporate the proposals made in the Commission's White Paper: European Transport Policy for 2010: Time to Decide into domestic legislation to ensure that road safety is improved. [104542]

The Commission has indicated that the new road safety action programme promised in the White Paper will be published soon. The programme is expected to identify the measures the Commission believes are needed to achieve its overall objective of 50 per cent. fewer deaths on European roads between 2000 and 2010. The White Paper indicated that the Commission would monitor progress towards the 2010 year target and, if by 2005 progress was unsatisfactory, would come forward with new proposals. As and when such proposals are tabled, the Government will consider them carefully to determine that legislation at the European level is both appropriate and proportionate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that the financial cost of the proposals in the European Transport Policy for 2010 White Paper will not be carried by drivers in the UK. [104543]

The White Paper provides insufficient detail of the Commission's future plans to determine precisely what impact they might have in the UK. We shall need to look carefully at any formal legislative proposals which emerge before determining our final position. But, at this stage, we do not envisage any significant costs will fall directly on UK drivers.

London Underground

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of the central line closure on (a) businesses in London, (b) shops and stores in London and (c) galleries and theatres in London; and if he will make a statement. [103987]

My right hon. Friend and I are very much aware from the representations that have been made to us of the problems which customers and businesses are suffering as a consequence of the central line closure. We share their concerns about the considerable time it has taken to restore services and we recognise the great patience that those affected have already shown. Every effort must be made to minimise the continuing impact on Londoners. It is essential that, following the successful resumption of train services on the eastern part of the line on 14 March and, I am pleased to report, between Haling Broadway and Marble Arch on 24 March, the service is restored to other destinations. We will be keeping up the pressure for London Underground to deliver these improvements to the service at the earliest possible date.

Network Rail (Development Rights)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities have challenged Network Rail's assumption that they have permitted development rights to erect their 20 metre high masts on Railtrack land; and whether local authorities have been successful in insisting that planning permission must be sought. [104538]

As a railway undertaker, Network Rail has permitted development rights for the erection of such telecommunication masts on its operational land, required in connection with the movement of traffic by rail. If, however, the local planning authority believes that such development should not take place without specific planning permisison, it is open to the authority to apply to my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister for approval of a Direction under Article 4 of the General Permitted Development Order.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister advises that it knows of no applications for Directions under Article 4 of the General Permitted Development Order in relation to Network Rail's telecommunications masts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether planning permission is required for the erection of 20 metre high telecom masts on Railtrack and Network Rail land. [104768]

As a railway undertaker, Network Rail has permitted development rights for the erection of such telecommunication masts on its operational land, required in connection with the movement of traffic by rail. If, however, the local planning authority believes that such development should not take place without specific planning permission, it is open to the authority to apply to my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister for approval of a Direction under Article 4 of the General Permitted Development Order.

Rail Funding

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority on future funding of Rail Passenger Partnership schemes; and if he will make a statement. [104495]

My right hon. Friend has frequent discussions with the SRA on a range of issues, including the funding of the Rail Passenger Partnership Scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the Strategic Rail Authority Performance Fund schemes (a) which have commenced, (b) where feasibility studies (i) have been completed and (ii) are continuing, (c) which have been placed on hold and (d) have been cancelled, indicating in each case funding from the Strategic Rail Authority (A) awarded, (B) approved and (C) projected in 2003–04. [104500]

The Strategic Rail Authority has approved support from the Rail Performance Fund for 12 projects. Contracts are in place for six. The SRA investment is expected to be around £10 million. Grants are expected to total £7.5 million in 2002–03 and £2.1 million in 2003–04. In addition to the approved grants, 11 further formal bids are on hold. If these were approved the investment would total around £27 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the (a) amount and (b) source of funding (i) paid, (ii) contracted and (iii) agreed to be paid by non Strategic Rail Authority sources to supplement output statement (A) track and signalling, and (B) station schemes which have been (1) approved, (2) deferred and (3) cancelled; [104498](2) what discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority on the past and future undertaking of incremental output statement

(a) track and signalling and (b) station schemes; and if he will make a statement. [104499]

Ministers and their officials are in regular contact with the Strategic Rail Authority. The Authority is currently considering which schemes to take forward under the IOS programme and how these might be funded.

Rail Travel

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 13 March 2003, Official Report, column 259W, on railways, when he plans to publish the conclusion of his Department's investigations into personal security on trains. [104667]

The Department's current on-train security project is seeking to identify good practice and evaluate methods of engaging with the rail industry to encourage them to implement good practice.The results of this project will be considered by the Department later this year and will be published in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 4 February 2003, Official Report, column 141W, on the Rail Passengers' Council, if he will set a time limit for the Strategic Rail Authority to supply the information sought. [104410]

I understand that the Authority has now written to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those (a) councils and (b) rail passenger groups from which he has received representations since the publication of the Strategic Rail Authority Strategic Plan 2003: and what the nature of each representation was. [104497]

Since the publication of the SRA's 2003 strategic plan, the Department has received representations from a number of bodies, including Passenger Transport Authorities, local councils and rail passenger consumer bodies. They have commented on a wide range of topics in the strategic plan, including timetable changes, franchising policy, major projects, service quality, reliability, safety and funding priorities for the railway industry over the plan period.

Roads (Noise Reduction)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Highways Agency has to replace concrete surfaces with noise-reducing surfaces on motorways, with particular reference to the M6 motorway between junctions 12 and 13. [104895]

I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews; to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Kidney, dated 28 March 2003:

I have been asked by the Transport Minister, David Jamieson, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the use of noise-reducing surfacing on motorways and, in particular, the M6 motorway between junctions 12 and 13.

The Government's Ten Year Plan for Transport, announced in July 2000, gave an undertaking that by 2010 60% of the motorway and other trunk road network, including all concrete roads, would have lower noise surfaces.

When the Secretary of State announced his response to the Midlands and North West Multi-Modal Study last December, he also asked the Highways Agency to carry out further work on implementation and timing to enable a scheme to be brought forward for the widening of the M6 between junctions 1la and 19. While this may influence the timing of any resurfacing, the intention is that the concrete carriageway section between junctions 12 and 13 will be replaced with a lower noise surface.

I hope this is helpful. If you would like further information, the Highways Agency's Project Sponsor dealing with M6 widening is Nick Curwen. He can be contacted at our offices at Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham B15 1BL, or by telephone on 0121 678 8232.

Silverlink Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 13 March 2003, Official Report, column 359W, if lie will publish an assessment of the performance of (a) Silverlink services from Hatch End and Headstone Lane into Euston and (b) the Chiltern Line service from Sudbury Hill and Northolt Park into central London in (i) 1996 and (ii) 1997; and what investment has been made into stations at A) Hatch End, (B) Headstone Lane, (C) Northolt Park and (D) Sudbury Hill since 1996. [104998]

As stated in my answer of 13 March, the rail performance figures for each operator published in National Rail Trends and On Track are not broken down to route level, but reflect the performance of their services in aggregate.

Information on amounts invested at individual stations is not held centrally.

Special Advisers

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many special advisers in the Department (a) have left and (b) will be leaving to work in Scotland for the Labour Party in the forthcoming Scottish parliamentary elections. [103601]

The rules relating to special advisers' political activities are set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers. Further guidance in respect of elections for the Scottish Parliament is set out at paragraph 13 of the Guidance on Conduct for Civil Servants in UK Departments, published by the Cabinet Office on 10 March.The reasons for a special adviser's resignation are a private matter between the department and adviser, and are therefore exempt from disclosure under paragraph 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Information.

Tpws System

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the reduction of incidents of signals passed at red as a result of the introduction of TPWS. [104993]

The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) monthly reports of signals passed at danger (SPADs) record the number of occasions each month that the Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) is successfully activated. This is broken down between `interventions' where TPWS initiates braking before any action is taken by the driver and 'activations' where the driver has already started breaking for the signal but the train is travelling too fast at the over-speed sensor or has passed the stop located at the signal at red. There will also be cases where TPWS intervenes to stop the train passing a signal at red but these will not be recorded as part of the monthly SPAD reports. Copies of the HSE reports are in the Library.In the last 18 months there has been a 70 per cent. decrease in the most serious SPADs, although not all of this improvement is attributable to TPWS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of signals passed at red have occurred as a result of drivers cancelling the TPWS system since installation. [104995]

None, as it is not possible for the driver to switch off the Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS).

Vehicle Excise Duty

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of collecting vehicle excise duty in the latest year for which information is available. [104760]

The cost of collecting vehicle excise duty for 2001–02 was £110.5 million. This includes the cost of enforcement activities.

Vehicle Fleet

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what targets he has set for his Department and agencies to change to a vehicle fleet that is powered by alternative fuels; [103300](2) what steps have been taken to persuade Government Departments and agencies to switch to alternative fuelled vehicles in their fleets; [103303](3) how many vehicles are run by his

(a) Department and (b) agencies broken down by those powered by (i) liquid petroleum gas, (ii) reformulated natural gas (compressed or liquefied), (iii) electric battery, (iv) hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell, (v) methanol (internal combustion engine or fuel cell, (vi) cleaner gasoline (zero sulphur emissions), (vii) other alternative fuel, (viii) hybrid internal combustion and electrification; [103298]

(4) how many official ministerial vehicles in his fleet run on alternative fuels; and what plans he has to increase their number; [103301]

(5) what plans he has (a) to convert to alternative fuels and (b) to replace with new vehicles powered by alternative fuels vehicles in the fleet of his (i) Department and (ii) agencies; [103299]

(6) what plans he has to display on departmental vehicles powered by alternative fuels information to raise public awareness of the environmental, health and financial impact of vehicles powered by alternative fuels; [103302]

(7) what Government initiatives there are to encourage the conversion or replacement of vehicles in the fleets of Government Departments and their agencies to those using alternative fuels; and if he will make a statement. [103304]

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible within the Government for sustainable development policy, including 'Greening Government' issues.In July last year DEFRA launched the "Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate" which set targets to be achieved by 2006 for environmental performance including:

reducing road transport vehicle CO₂ by 10 per cent.

requiring at least 10 per cent. of all fleet cars to be alternatively fuelled.

To assist transport managers in Government Departments and Agencies to implement environmentally friendly transport strategies, my Department has produced "Driving towards a better environment—a guide to choosing and using cleaner vehicles", including comprehensive information on cleaner vehicles such as LPG, battery electric and hybrid vehicles. (No fuel cell vehicles are currently available on the market.) Advice and help is also available through my Department's 'TransportEnergy' Best Practice Programme.

In my own Department and its Agencies, we are already over half-way towards the 2006 target for alternatively fuelled cars set last year.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Mobility Advice and Vehicle Information Service and Vehicle Inspectorate (VI) use a total of 58 LPG vehicles representing 5.5 per cent. of the total fleet. However, the scope for further alternatively fuelled vehicles is limited by the emergency and specialist nature of their use. For example Highway Agency's vehicles are mainly motorway and winter maintenance vehicles including snowploughs or gritters and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's vehicles are used for emergency services and carry search and rescue equipment. LPG vehicles in the DVLA and VI fleets are badged to indicate that they are run on this cleaner fuel.

The Department has four ministerial cars leased from the Government Car and Despatch Agency, one of which uses LPG.

Trade And Industry

Employers Liability Insurance

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she proposes to take to protect manufacturing industry from excessive increases in employers' liability insurance. [105654]

The Government are very concerned by reports of significant rises in insurance premiums, and is undertaking a review, led by the Department for Work and Pensions(DWP), to assess the scale and nature of difficulties with the Employers Liability Insurance system. A wide range of key stakeholders and interested parties including representatives from the manufacturing sector has been engaged in the process. Further details of the review are available at wwwxlwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2002/health-safety/eli-review/indexWe are taking action to help manufactures facing difficult conditions in the global slowdown through the Manufacturing Strategy, which has been developed in partnership with industry. Further details on the Manufacturing Strategy can be found at the DTI website, www.dti.gov.uk/manufacturing/index.htm.dti

Employment Law (Over-65S)

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will amend employment legislation to provide statutory protections in respect of (a) redundancy and (b) unfair dismissal for employees over 65 years of age. [101881]

We intend to review upper age limits on statutory redundancy payments and general unfair dismissal claims in the light of responses to the next public consultation on age discrimination, due to be launched this summer.

European State Aid Rules

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had within the European Commission about compliance with European state aid rules in relation to payments made to (a) LG Electronics and (b) LG Semiconductors for their operations in Newport, South Wales. [105611]

The Department, working closely with the Welsh Assembly Government, is in on-going contact with the European Commission on various aspects of these projects.

Manufacturing (East Yorkshire)

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people were employed in the manufacturing sector in the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997. [105195]

The Annual Business Inquiry (employee analysis) gives the following information on the number of people employed within the manufacturing sector in the East Riding of Yorkshire:

Year	Number of employees
1998	22,434
1999	21,181
2000	20,536
2001	18,314

Source:

ONS, Annual Business Inquiry

RDA and internet website address	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02
Advantage West Midlands (www.advantagewm.co.uk)	365	312	-40
East of England Development Agency (www.eeda.org.uk)	-47	193	703
East Midlands Development Agency (www.emd.org.uk)	822	258	-239
Northwest Development Agency (www.nwda.co.uk)	-3223	3,889	4,327
One North East (www.onenortheast.co.uk)	1,091	1,154	2,213
South East England Development Agency (www.seeda.co.uk)	681	0	0
South West of England Regional Development Agency (www.southwestrda.org.uk)	-183	131	130
Yorkshire Forward (www.yorkshire-forward.com)	-255	692	-2,719

Timber

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much plywood from Indonesia was imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last three years. [105388]

According to information from HM Customs and Excise, UK imports of plywood from Indonesia were as follows:

	Value £ million	Thousand cubic metres
2000	52.8	216.6
2001	68.6	285.3
2002	52.8	237.0

Plywood is defined by headings 634.11, 634.12, 634.31, 634.39, 634.41 and 634.49 of the Standard International Trade Classification. revision 3.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what quantity of Indonesian timber door blanks have been imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last three years. [105389]

According to information from HM Customs and Excise, UK imports of timber doors, their frames and thresholds from Indonesia were as follows.

Comparable data for previous years, including 1997, are not available and information from the 2002 Annual Business Inquiry is not yet available.

Regional Development Agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what level of surplus has been accrued by each Regional Development Agency in each year since their inception. [105049]

Information on the income and expenditure of each of the Regional Development Agencies, including on surpluses carried forward, is set out in an annual report. Copies are placed in the Library and the most recently published are available on the internet. The following table shows, according to the audited annual reports and accounts of the Development Agencies for 2000–01 and 2001–02, surpluses or deficits carried forward, in £000s for each of the Regional Development Agencies from their inception. The London Development Agency is not included since it is a local government body and similar information is not available.

	Value £ million	Thousand metric tonnes
2000	26.6	22.9
2001	24.9	23.1
2002	25.7	23.0

Timber doors, their frames and thresholds are defined by heading 635.32 of the Standard International Trade Classification, revision 3.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Burundi

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Burundi. [105077]

We remain committed to supporting the Arusha process and the transitional government institutions. We are concerned that, despite the 2 December 2002 ceasefire agreement, fighting has continued in Burundi and the FNL remain outside of the peace process.The early deployment of the African Mission is central to the success of the ceasefire agreement and the smooth transition of power after the May 1 hand over.

We stand ready to assist financially. We are encouraged that President Mbeki of South Africa has said that he expects the African Mission to start deploying in Burundi in the week beginning 31 March.

Entry Clearance

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when entry clearance officers in (a) Moscow, (b) Belgrade, (c) Beijing, (d) Kolutta (Calcutta), (e) Dusseldorf, (f) Cairo, (g) Algiers, (h) Nicosia, (i) Lagos and (j) Accra ceased using the pre-assessment procedure for visa applications. [105027]

Neither (a) Moscow nor (i) Lagos have ever operated a pre-assessment system. The remaining Posts ceased using the pre-assessment as follows; (b) Belgrade—September 2002, (c) Beijing—July 2000, (d) Kolkata (Calcutta)—October 2002, (e) Dusseldorf—July 2002, (f) Cairo—July 2002, (g) Algiers—August 2002 (opened full visa service June 2002), (h) Nicosia—March 2003 and (j) Accra—September 2002.

Henry Olonga

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will use his discretion to expedite a visa for Mr. Henry Olonga. [105412]

It is not our usual practice to disclose details of individual entry clearance cases in a public forum. I will write separately to the right hon. Member about this case in the next few days.

Treasury

Banking

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many suspicious transactions have been reported by banks to the authorities in the last three years; and of these how many have been investigated by the authorities. [104894]

I have been asked to reply.The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) monitors whether the financial disclosures it receives and forwards to law enforcement agencies are of value to those agencies.For the calendar years 2000, 2001 and 2002 NCIS received 18,408; 31,251 and 56,126 disclosures respectively, which were forwarded to law enforcement for action as necessary. Of these, NCIS received feedback on 8,060; 13,464 and 10,619 disclosures respectively of which 5,187, (64 per cent.); 11,009 (82 per cent.) and 8,125 (77 per cent.) replies indicated that the reports had assisted law enforcement efforts.

Birmingham Mint

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he plans to take to ensure that the Birmingham Mint can continue in business; and if he will make a statement. [105414]

None. There is no automatic government role in the event of an insolvency.

Tax Credits

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the Eastern region will benefit from working tax credits. [105159]

[pursuant to his reply, 27 March 2003, c. 446]: As explained in paragraph B41 of the pre-Budget Report in November 2002 (Cm 5664), in operating the conventional accounting rules for the national accounts, the Government follows OECD guidelines which mean that the new tax credits will not be counted as public expenditure to the extent they are less than or equal to the tax liability of the household.Sir John Bourn, the Comptroller and Auditor General, has not, as far as I am aware, offered any views on the accounting treatment of tax credits in the national accounts, although the Chairman of the Statistics Commission, Sir John Kingman, has raised questions over the classification of tax credits. I refer my hon. Friend to an answer given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor) on 16 July 2002,

Official Report, column 255W.

Treasury Entertainment Fund

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the limits are on use by (a) team leaders and (b) managing directors in HM Treasury of the Treasury Entertainment Fund. [105188]

I am sending the full text of the guidance to the hon. Member and placing a copy in the Library of the House.

Culture, Media And Sport

Correspondence

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport why she has not replied to the letter to her dated 4 February from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms A. Tucker. [104877]

I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 25 March 2003, Official Report, column 160W.

Lottery

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list for each of the National Lottery distributory bodies (a) the total amount made available since the inception of the lottery, (b) the total amount that has been awarded and (c) the total amount so far drawn down. [105013]

The information requested is shown in the following table. The information on total awards made has been supplied by the distributing bodies.

£
Distributor	Total funds available	Total awards made	Total drawn down
Arts Council of England	1,864,191,612.22	1,790,600,000.00	1,622,212,652.78
Film Council	115,017,630.03	65,518,199.00	42,443,232.55
Arts Council NI	72,910,617.08	54,961,107.00	37,438,543.79
Scottish Arts Council	206,431,883.13	187,765,313.19	158,778,919.69
Arts Council of Wales	121,613,575.81	113,735,299.41	91,096,719.79
Community Fund	2,439,659,817.65	2,500,173,404.00	2,137,823,165.79
Heritage Lottery Fund	2,554,613,228.91	2,229,000,000.00	1,541,094,941.13
Millennium Commission	2,320,184,037.78	2,160,273,034.00	2,097,128,686.00
New Opportunities Fund	1,633,614,555.31	1,806,141,000.00	774,341,438.04
Sport England	1,966,630,913.12	1,964,000,000.00	1,692,530,000.00
Sports Council NI	66,694,103.61	54,243,692.00	45,143,072.06
Sport Scotland	216,732,795.63	193,678,224.00	138,121,807.07
UK Sport	87,888,447.60	153,000,000.00	84,287,386.00
Sports Council for Wales	119,115,836.60	105,000,000.00	85,971,457.76
Scottish Screen	11,518,222.86	12,158,000.00	9,075,032.38

In addition to the figure shown in the awards column, which represent contractually binding 'hard' commitments, distributing bodies have also entered into other 'soft' commitments, which are not yet subject to a formal binding arrangement but which they have every expectation of fulfilling.

Education And Skills

Departmental Events

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place ,on non-departmental premises in the last 12 months, broken down by title, purpose, date and cost. [104281]

The Department organises a large number of events for different target audiences and purposes each year, ranging from small scale workshops to introduce practitioners to new procedures or initiatives, to larger scale events to promote policy initiatives or present the bigger picture of the Department's activities to external partners and opinion formers.Examples of these during the past year range from a series of small local events to disseminate good practice in meeting the needs of autistic children, to a consultation exercise on 14–19 education that involved 57 workshops for every secondary headteacher in England.Records of all such events sponsored by the Department are not held centrally and the information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Education Formula Spending Share

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what Education Formula Spending Share funding was awarded to each local education authority in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04. [105573]

The following table contains the information requested.

The figure for 2003–04 is not fully comparable with the figure for 2002–03. The figure for 2003–04 includes funding transferred into EPS from grant and to take account of the increase in contributions to the Teachers' Pension Scheme. Neither figure includes funding transferred to the Learning and Skills Council for Sixth Form funding.

£ million
LEA	2002–03 SSA (net of LSC)	EFSS 2003–04
City of London	1.016	1.208
Camden	91.831	93.754
Greenwich	136.485	151.207
Hackney	118.650	132.150
Hammersmith and Fulham	71.459	76.252
Islington	102.674	113.782
Kensington and Chelsea	45.461	50.674
Lambeth	128.970	142.892
Lewisham	141.943	157.132
Southwark	147.899	165.158
Tower Hamlets	161.752	176.716
Wandsworth	103.945	116.908
Westminster	73.699	83.826
Barking and Dagenham	96.889	106.432
Barnet	145.283	161.443
Bexley	119.727	126.488
Brent	133.351	149.714
Bromley	138.057	153.335
Croydon	165.281	179.195
Baling	142.773	159.914
Enfield	157.421	171.527
Haringey	128.522	133.318
Harrow	95.327	108.298
Havering	113.099	122.663
Hillingdon	122.183	138.905
Hounslow	114.796	127.487
Kingston upon Thames	58.219	65.601
Merton	72.137	80.649
Newham	187.411	208.566
Redbridge	128.545	140.860
Richmond upon Thames	60.366	67.451
Sutton	87.323	97.614
Waltham Forest	127.870	137.772
Birmingham	547.963	611.093
Coventry	143.609	159.414
Dudley	137.592	153.587
Sandwell	147.969	163.695
Solihull	98.009	108.733

£ million
LEA	2002–03 SSA (net of LSC)	EFSS 2003–04
Walsall	131.352	144.376
Wolverhampton	119.004	131.449
Knowsley	91.945	97.184
Liverpool	244.682	262.079
St. Helens	82.548	91.697
Sefton	129.628	143.036
Wirral	156.840	170.521
Bolton	128.976	142.568
Bury	81.040	92.268
Manchester	228.616	250.240
Oldham	118.287	131.331
Rochdale	107.301	120.110
Salford	104.429	114.452
Stockport	117.761	131.572
Tameside	107.532	119.470
Trafford	97.584	107.136
Wigan	138.839	155.742
Barnsley	97.984	109.298
Doncaster	142.809	158.244
Rotherham	124.664	140.803
Sheffield	219.061	244.594
Bradford	246.421	271.815
Calderdale	95.057	106.521
Kirklees	181.541	205.956
Leeds	311.541	344.629
Wakefield	143.188	159.475
Gateshead	82.793	90.588
Newcastle upon Tyne	115.325	126.648
North Tyneside	83.086	91.795
South Tyneside	75.521	80.846
Sunderland	138.199	150.164
Isles of Scilly	1.421	1.572
Bath and NE Somerset	65.834	74.783
City of Bristol	145.955	162.239
North Somerset	73.801	83.098
South Gloucestershire	101.588	118.357
Hartlepool	47.093	51.732
Middlesbrough	73.911	75.619
Redcar and Cleveland	72.760	78.886
Stockton on Tees	89.792	97.600
City of Kingston-Upon-Hull	128.348	139.163
East Riding of Yorkshire	132.453	149.624
North East Lincolnshire	81.652	88.551
North Lincolnshire	72.610	80.349
North Yorkshire	238.707	269.443
York	65.921	72.280
Bedfordshire	175.766	195.468
Luton	101.902	113.660
Buckinghamshire	208.516	234.133
Milton Keynes	101.141	114.917
Derbyshire	304.656	344.677
City of Derby	107.694	120.418
Dorset	147.437	166.542
Poole	51.693	56.974
Bournemouth	60.518	65.856
Durham	217.390	240.962
Darlington	44.884	50.355
East Sussex	200.595	224.032
Brighton and Hove	94.765	103.266
Hampshire	519.792	580.127
Portsmouth	84.006	90.334
Southampton	99.170	106.872
Leicestershire	247.670	278.946
Leicester City	146.833	163.946

£ million
LEA	2002–03 SSA (net of LSC)	EFSS 2003–04
Rutland	13.675	15.597
Staffordshire	341.713	383.181
Stoke-on-Trent	110.634	122.440
Wiltshire	176.741	204.482
Swindon	82.110	92.771
Bracknell Forest	43.889	49.414
Windsor and Maidenhead	55.952	61.883
West Berkshire	66.131	76.271
Reading	51.231	57.546
Slough	65.789	72.180
Wokingham	63.034	73.327
Cambridgeshire	212.734	246.277
City of Peterborough	84.253	95.804
Cheshire	281.651	316.351
Halton	63.310	68.797
Warrington	85.742	95.734
Devon	271.206	305.810
City of Plymouth	112.898	122.063
Torbay	52.838	58.176
Essex	594.676	666.813
Southend	78.706	86.565
Thurrock	71.354	78.641
Herefordshire	70.498	79.723
Worcestershire	214.235	238.182
Kent	615.702	688.026
Medway	129.748	141.401
Lancashire	515.742	565.688
Blackburn with Darwen	77.666	87.347
Blackpool	63.288	70.653
Nottinghamshire	321.193	356.033
City of Nottingham	125.919	138.615
Shropshire	113.686	128.122
Telford and Wrekin	76.413	85.056
Cornwall	207.965	232.347
Cumbria	208.538	233.226
Gloucestershire	234.367	263.692
Hertfordshire	492.779	537.570
Isle of Wight	59.156	64.834
Lincolnshire	279.289	314.323
Norfolk	319.965	355.408
Northamptonshire	280.442	320.718
Northumberland	132.272	147.578
Oxfordshire	244.579	273.306
Somerset	201.714	226.566
Suffolk	270.871	303.357
Surrey	408.314	456.402
Warwickshire	205.114	235.089
West Sussex	307.713	343.725
England	22,502.768	25,013.909

Education Standards (East Riding)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupils achieved each appropriate level in each key stage for all subjects in the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997. [105285]

The information requested is shown in the following tables.

Key Stage 1 Test Results—East Riding of Yorkshire (811) Percentage of pupils achieving each level
	Reading task level
Year	X	A	D	W	1	2C	2B	2A
1997	27	0	0	2	13	18	22	17
1998	29	0	0	2	13	18	20	17
1999	33	0	0	1	13	14	20	19
2000	31	0	0	2	12	15	21	18
2001	32	0	0	2	10	15	20	21
2002¹	31	0	0	2	11	14	20	21

Reading Comprehension test level
Year	X	A	D	L	2C	2B	2A	3	4
1997	15	0	0	5	19	19	15	27	0
1998	15	1	0	3	16	16	21	28	0
1999	14	0	0	3	15	17	17	32	0
2000	14	0	0	2	15	20	18	31	0
2001	12	0	0	2	13	20	21	31	0
2002¹	13	0	0	1	13	19	22	31	0

Writing test level
Year	A	D	W	1	2C	2B	2A	3	4
1997	0	0	4	11	34	27	15	8	0
1998	0	0	4	10	33	27	16	10	0
1999	0	0	4	10	27	29	18	12	0
2000	0	0	3	9	28	29	19	11	0
2001	0	0	3	6	26	31	20	13	0
2002¹	0	0	3	7	26	32	19	13	0

Spelling test level
Year	X	A	D	L	2	3
1997	3	0	0	31	51	14
1998	6	1	0	24	49	19
1999	13	0	0	12	49	25
2000	12	0	0	14	53	20
2001	9	0	0	10	56	24
2002¹	10	0	0	9	56	26

Maths test level
Year	A	D	W	1	2C	2B	2A	3	4
1997	0	0	1	10	20	21	26	20	0
1998	1	0	2	11	24	22	20	20	0
1999	0	0	2	8	23	22	22	23	0
2000	0	0	2	6	16	24	25	26	0
2001	0	0	2	6	13	24	25	30	0
2002¹	0	0	1	6	14	20	28	31	0
¹ 2002 figures are based no provisional data
Notes:
X—represents pupils who were not required to be entered for the reading comprehension test and/or the spelling test and pupils not the reading task because they achieved a level from the reading comprehension tests at Level 3.
A—represents pupils who were not assessed due to absence.
D—represents pupils who have been disapplied under section 364/365 of the 1996 Education Act.
W—represents pupils who are 'working towards' Level 1, but have not yet achieved the standard needed for Level 1.

Key Stage 2 Test Results—East Riding of Yorkshire (811) Percentage of pupils achieving each level
English test level
Year	D	A	B	N	2	3	4	5	6
1997	0	3	3	2	1	25	51	15	0
1998	0	2	2	1	1	26	49	19	0
1999	0	2	3	2	1	18	51	23	0
2000	0	2	2	1	1	15	50	29	0
2001	0	1	2	1	1	16	49	29	0
2002¹	1	1	2	1	1	16	48	30	0

Maths test level
Year	D	A	B	N	2	3	4	5	6
1997	0	2	2	2	1	26	49	18	0
1998	0	2	2	2	1	30	47	17	0
1999	0	2	2	2	1	19	49	25	0
2000	0	2	2	1	1	20	48	26	0
2001	0	2	2	2	1	22	48	24	0
2002¹	1	1	2	1	1	19	48	27	1

Science test level
Year	D	A	B	N	2	3	4	5	6
1997	0	3	1	1	1	21	56	18	0
1998	0	2	1	1	1	19	58	18	0
1999	0	2	1	0	0	14	53	29	0
2000	0	2	1	0	0	8	53	35	0
2001	0	2	1	0	0	7	55	35	0
2002¹	0	1	1	0	0	7	50	40	0
¹ 2002 figures are based on provisional data.

D—represents pupils who have been disapplied under section 364/365 of the 1996 Education Act.

A—represents pupils who were not assessed due to absence.

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

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

Key Stage 3 Test Results—East Riding of Yorkshire (811) Percentage of pupils achieving each level
	English test level
Year	D	A	B	N	3	4	5	6	7	8	EP
1997	0	5	4	2	3	25	37	18	4	1	0
1998	0	4	3	4	3	16	35	26	8	1	0
1999	0	4	4	2	2	16	41	25	5	1	0
2000	0	6	3	2	2	19	42	22	5	1	0
2001	1	3	2	2	3	16	36	25	11	1	0
2002¹	0	3	3	2	2	16	35	25	11	2	0

Maths test level
Year	D	A	B	N	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	EP
1997	0	4	1	1	0	8	19	26	28	13	0	0
1998	0	5	0	1	0	9	20	25	27	12	1	0
1999	0	5	0	1	0	7	18	24	28	15	1	0
2000	0	4	1	0	0	6	19	25	25	18	2	0
2001	0	4	0	1	0	6	16	25	25	19	3	0
2002¹	0	3	1	1	1	7	16	22	29	18	3	0

Science test level
Year	D	A	B	N	2	3	4	5	6	7	3	EP
1997	0	5	0	1	0	5	21	34	27	6	0	0
1998	0	5	0	2	1	7	24	32	22	7	0	0
1999	0	4	0	0	0	6	26	35	21	5	0	0
2000	0	4	0	1	0	7	21	33	27	6	0	0
2001	0	4	0	0	0	5	16	36	29	8	1	0
2002¹	0	3	0	0	0	5	17	36	25	11	1	0
¹ 2002 figures are based on provisional data.

D—represents pupils who have been disapplied under section 364/365 of the 1996 Education Act.

A—represents pupils who were not assessed due to absence.

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

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

EP—represents exceptional performance beyond level 8.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many examination papers were remarked and upgraded in the East Riding of Yorkshire in the last academic year for which figures are available; and what the figures were for the preceding three academic years. [105290]

The answer can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Examination Markers

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what target each of the (a) Edexcel, (b) OCR and (c) AQA exam boards has set for the recruitment of examination markers for 2003; and what progress each exam board has made towards its target. [104840]

The recruitment process is being overseen by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.Awarding bodies have been working to recruit the number of markers they anticipate will be needed to deal effectively with the likely number of entries for the summer examinations. The closing date for entries for the summer 2003 examinations was 21 March. By mid April, Edexcel, OCR and AQA will know whether they have recruited the necessary number of markers or whether they need to take further action in particular subjects.Last December we announced that we were making an additional 6 million available to QCA to ensure that the 2003 examinations are delivered accurately and effectively, with particular attention paid to ensuring that there are sufficient examiners.

Latin

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will take steps to prevent a decline in the number of schools teaching Latin. [105193]

The National Curriculum requirement is that all maintained secondary schools should offer one of the working languages of the European Union—French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Swedish, Modern Greek, Portuguese. Over and above that, it is for schools to decide which and how many additional languages they choose to offer.The Department is keen to promote the diversification of languages. The introduction of our specialist language colleges for example is broadening the range of languages being taught.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of students took Latin at A-level in (i) 1980 and (ii) 1990. [105409]

The percentage of students taking Latin GCSE, and the percentage taking Latin A-level in each of the specified years is as follows:

	GCSE	A-level
2000	1.7	0.5
1992	2.1	0.9
1980	4.9	2.1

The number of students who took Latin at GCSE and A-level is as follows:

	GCSE	A-level
2000	9,594	1,160
1992	11,351	1,511
1980	26,547	2,575

Note:

Figures for 1992 are provided instead of 1990 as figures for this year are unavailable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of GCSE students took Latin GCSE (or 0-level as appropriate) in (a) 1980 and (b) 1990. [105410]

The percentage of GCSE students who took Latin GCSE are as follows:

GCSE
	Percentage
1992	2.1
1980	4.9

The number of GCSE students who took Latin GCSE is as follows:

GCSE
	Number
1992	11,351
1980	26,547

Note:

Figures for 1992 are provided instead of 1990 as figures for this year are unavailable.

Private Finance Initiative

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what mechanisms there are for resolving disputes between schools and local authorities over the level of PFI unitary charges. [105262]

There are no specific statutory mechanisms for resolving disputes between schools and local education authorities about the funding of PFI projects. There are general provisions in the Education Acts under which complaints against local education authorities, or disputes between local education authorities and school governing bodies, may be referred to the Secretary of State. It is of course open to LEAs and governing bodies to establish agreed local mechanisms for resolving disputes, and there is much to be said for this way of proceeding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will make a decision on Barnet Council's proposed PFI plan for school buildings; and if he will make a statement. [105443]

The London borough of Barnet was one of 56 Local Education Authorities which submitted an expression of interest in the current schools PFI bidding round. All the expressions of interest received have been assessed against the published criteria. The decisions on which proposed projects will be supported have now been taken and will be announced on Monday 31 March.

Pupil Spending

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the spending per head on pupils in (a) Suffolk, (b) Norfolk and (c) Essex was in each year since 1997. [104832]

The information requested is contained in the following table:

LEA name	Pre-primary and primary education	Secondary education	Pre-primary and primary and secondary education
1996–97
Essex	2,210	3,500	2,470
Essex	²—	²—	²—
Norfolk	2,020	3,130	2,400
Suffolk	2,230	2,610	2,430
1997–98
Essex	2,100	3,590	2,400
Essex	²—	²—	²—
Norfolk	2,130	3,070	2,450
Suffolk	2,160	2,630	2,400
1998–99
Essex	²—	²—	²—
Essex	2,300	3,570	2,560
Norfolk	2,170	3,090	2,480
Suffolk	2,260	2,680	2,480
1999–2000
Essex	²—	²—	²—
Essex	2,280	3,090	2,630
Norfolk	2,260	3,030	2,560
Suffolk	2,430	2,670	2,560
2000–01
Essex	²—	²—	²—
Essex	2,520	3,160	2,800
Norfolk	2,480	3,220	2,780
Suffolk	2,630	2,810	2,720
2001–021
Essex	²—	²—	²—
Essex	2,730	3,430	3,040
Norfolk	2,830	3,290	3,020
Suffolk	2,860	3,110	3,000
¹ Provisional
² Essex was subject to Local Government reorganisation.

Notes:

1. NCE includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by LEAs.

2. Financial data are drawn from the ROI forms up to 1998–99 and from the DfES section 52 outturn statements from 1999–2000.

3. Pupil data are drawn from the Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

Teacher Vacancies

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies in maintained (a) nursery schools, (b) primary schools and (c) secondary schools there were in (i) England and (ii) each local education authority in each year since 1997. [104597]

[holding answer 24 March]: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Teachers' Pay

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the additional cost is to each local education authority of the 2.9 per cent. national teachers' pay award announced on 7 February in the (a) financial year 2003–04 and (b) school year 2003–04. [105570]

We do not have data on the position of teachers on their pay scales by each LEA. However, in the case of London authorities, where the recommendations have been more costly, we have made a grant available of £11 million to 18 authorities where we estimated that genuine affordability issues arose. We are also centrally meeting the costs of the recommendations for threshold and supporting the costs for post threshold teachers in inner London at a further cost of £30 million.

Work And Pensions

Citizens Advice Bureaux

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of claim packs issued by the Department refer claimants to citizens advice bureaux. [105655]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to her on 28 February 2003, Official Report, column 759W.

Benefit Fraud

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of benefit fraud in the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997. [105281]

Our most recent estimate is that £2 billion is lost annually through benefit fraud in Great Britain. This estimate cannot be broken down for individual areas or years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the incidence of organised fraud in connection (a) with each benefit and (b) in total was in each year since 1977; and if he will make a statement. [92298]

Information on the incidence of organised fraud is not available. However, the information available on the number of investigations carried out and the resulting prosecutions by Counter-Fraud Investigation Division (Operations), who deal exclusively with organised fraud, is in the table. Records are not held prior to 1998–99.

Number of investigations carried out and resulting prosecutions by Counter-Fraud Investigation Division (Operations), 1998 to 2003
Year	Number of investigations authorised	Successful prosecutions
1998/99	1,088	Not known
1999/00	516	361
2000/01	732	255
2001/02	500	272
April 2002 to February 2003	516	190

Source of Information:

Counter Fraud Investigation Division Operations

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent measures he has taken to reduce fraudulent claims for benefits. [96532]

Our strategy for combating benefit fraud focuses on making correct benefit payments in the first place; ensuring payments are adjusted as circumstances change; detecting when payments go wrong and taking prompt action to correct them with appropriate penalties to prevent a recurrence.Jobcentre Plus is providing a more comprehensive and integrated service for all benefit claimants. One-to-one interviews create a personal environment where the full and accurate details of a claim can be established and customers can be reminded of their responsibility to notify us of changes to their circumstances.We have made excellent progress in the fight against fraud and error. By March 2002 we had reduced fraud and error in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance by 24 per cent compared to 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of benefit fraud in Portsmouth, South; and if he will make a statement. [97275]

Our most recent estimate is that £2 billion is lost annually through benefit fraud in Great Britain. This estimate cannot be broken down for individual areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many fraud referrals there were (a) in the six months before the Targeting Fraud campaign and (b) during the Targeting Fraud campaign; and how many there have been since the Targeting Fraud campaign. [92500]

We receive reports of suspected fraud from three main sources:

members of the Department's own staff, who have reason to suspect that a person claiming benefit may not be telling the truth about their finances, employment or other personal details (for example whether they have support from a partner).

research, including data matches of information held by the Department or legally accessed by the Department from other sources (for example, information held by the Inland Revenue on income or capital).

concerned members of the public who send a message to the Targeting Fraud website or write to or telephone the Department.

The major phases of the Targeting Fraud campaign were in March, September and November 2001, January and March 2002. The primary objectives of the campaign are to reinforce honest behaviour, to create a climate of intolerance to benefit fraud and to undermine its social acceptability, rather than specifically to invite fraud referrals. Evaluation shows that public attitudes are moving in a positive direction as a result of the campaign.The information requested on the number of fraud referrals is in the table.

Number of fraud referrals per month between October 2000 and November 2002
Month ending	Number of fraud referrals¹
October 2000	63,232
November 2000	64,334
December 2000	41,228
January 2001	62,013
February 2001	63,219
March 2001	67,384
April 2001	56,395
May 2001	59,052
June 2001	57,891
July 2001	59,858
August 2001	56,095
September 2001	49,749
October 2001	66,057
November 2001	58,254
December 2001	36,951
January 2002	57,263
February 2002	57,051
March 2002	52,833
April 2002	52,177
May 2002	53,722
June 2002	42,492
July 2002	55,375
August 2002	45,975
September 2002	46,862
October 2002	55,012
November 2002	48,437
¹Figures include benefit and instrument of payment referrals but exclude General Matching Service referrals.

Source:

Fraud Information By Sector system.

British Sign Language

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his written statement of 18 March 2003, Official Report column 41WS, on British Sign Language, what the discrete programme of initiatives to promote British Sign Language will consist of. [104638]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the statement on British Sign Language, 18 March 2003, Official Report column 41WS, what initiatives are planned to support this statement. [104639]

We have said that we will be working with organisations of and for deaf people to progress the programme of initiatives to support the statement, and will be inviting their input on some of the detail. Among our priorities are to raise awareness, particularly among employers and service providers, of the communication needs of deaf people who use BSL and to increase opportunities for people to learn BSL to a professional level and become interpreters.

Child Support

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of cases being assessed under the existing Child Support Agency formula where his proposed arrangements for phasing to assessment under the new formula, when implemented, will involve a transitional period of (a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years, (d) four years and (e) five years or more; and if he will estimate the number of cases where the transition is likely to be immediate. [99729]

The information is contained in the following table.

Year	Percentage of cases due to pay full new scheme liability
Immediate effect	18
By start of year 2	69
By start of year 3	78
By start of year 4	84
By start of year 5	89
By start of year 6	¹100
¹ This figure will include a small group of cases where the final step in the move to the new scheme liability will be greater than any of the steps in earlier years.

Notes:

1. These figures are based on data from August 2001, and represent the position on the day of the scan.

2. Based on a 5 per cent. scan of CSCS, and therefore may be subject to sampling error.

3. The figures are for open and live cases with a full maintenance assessment.

4. This table includes all cases which will be phased. This may be for amounts higher or lower than they are already paying.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the (a) prevalence and (b) causes of occupational stress in the (i) Child Support Agency and (ii) Benefits Agency. [93664]

Our information identifies that between April 2003 and December 2003:

(i) 9 per cent. of absenteeism was caused by stress syndrome in the Child Support agency; and

(ii) 10 per cent. of absenteeism was caused by stress syndrome in Jobcentre Plus.

Individuals do not generally say whether the cause of their stress is work related or home related. Our Employee Assistance Providers suggest that it is generally a combination of both.

Departmental Catering Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by the Department in 2002. [104266]

Subsidies of various sizes for canteen facilities are provided in around 150 of our 1,800 offices at a cost of £3.6 million in the financial year 2002–03.

Disabled Job Seekers (Computer Access)

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action is being taken to ensure that software for audio transcription on computers is available to disabled persons preparing to seek work but for whom English is not a mother tongue in a range of suitable vernacular languages. [104791]

Jobcentre Plus takes all appropriate steps to ensure that its services are accessible for everyone, including people with health problems and disabilities and those with English as a second language.It is not always possible to provide access to electronic services requested by a jobseeker. However, where this is the case, Jobcentre Plus Advisers will work with the individual to find an alternative means of providing the same or better level of service.

Disablement Awards

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to amend the medical examination criteria for disablement awards for chronic bronchitis and emphysema and for vibration white finger. [103468]

We have no current plans to change the medical examination process for Prescribed Disease D12, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council are currently carrying out a review of Prescribed Disease All (commonly known as vibration white finger) and a report is expected later this year. We will consider carefully any recommendations made in that report.

Domestic Violence

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was paid to victims of domestic violence in social fund grants in each year since 1997 for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [105046]

The discretionary Social Fund provides help with unexpected or occasional costs which vary widely in their nature, to a wide range of client groups, including in some cases, the victims of domestic violence.The available information is in the table.

Amounts of community care grants paid as a result of domestic violence, 1998–99 to 2001–02
Year	Amount awarded (£)
1998–99	6,200,000
1999–2000	5,900,000
2000–01	5,300,000
2001–02	5,400,000

Notes:

1. Reliable information is not available for 1997–98

2. The information relates only to those people who have been awarded community care grants specifically as a result of domestic violence. Community care grants may also have been awarded for other reasons to other people who have been the victims of domestic violence.

3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100,000.

Source:

DWP Social Fund Policy Budget Management Information System.

File Stores

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of his Department's files went missing temporarily or were lost in (a) his Department's file stores and (b) private sector contractors in each year since 1997. [98846]

The information is not available in the format requested.

Health And Safety (Work Place)

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he is making to ensure a healthy work environment for employees. [98639]

The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are responsible for ensuring that risks to people's health and safety from work activities are properly controlled. However, the duty to ensure a healthy working environment for employees lies with employers, as set out in the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974.HSC/E has developed a cross-governmental long-term occupational health strategy, Securing Health Together. The strategy will raise workplace standards in occupational health, both preventing risk and promoting retention and rehabilitation. The strategy includes targets to cut the number of days lost due to work related-ill health and to improve the opportunities for rehabilitation. A key aspect of Securing Health Together is its focus on partnership working between HSE, other Government Departments, the devolved Administrations, local groups, trade unions, industry groups and professional bodies. More detailed information can be found in HSC's Strategic Plan 2001–04 and HSC's Business Plan 2002–03.

Housing Benefit

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people had their housing benefit restricted as a result of (a) single room rent and (b) local reference rent in each London borough in each year since 1998. [105093]

Housing Benefit Management Information System data provided by local authorities show the numbers of tenants in the deregulated private rented sector whose claims to housing benefit are assessed under the local reference rent and single room rent schemes. These data do not distinguish between cases where rent is restricted following a rent officer determination and those where it is not (for example because the actual rent is sufficiently low, or the person claiming has transitional protection).However, using information from rent officer statistics, it is possible to estimate the proportion of deregulated private rented sector cases referred by local authorities where housing benefit would be restricted if the overall claim was successful. The latest available estimates for the years 1997–98 to 2000–01 have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 30 January 2003, Official Report column 1009W, on housing benefit, if he will commission research into the impact of the July 2001 changes to the single room rent restriction to housing benefit in those areas that will not be used as pathfinders for the new standard local housing allowance. [105149]

The Department has commissioned research in the current wave of the Local Authority Omnibus Survey on the impact of the July 2001 changes to the single room rent restriction to Housing Benefit. The results of the research are expected to be available in the Autumn. The Local Authority Omnibus Survey covers all local authorities that administer Housing Benefit in England, Scotland and Wales.

Pension Credit

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 10 March 2003, Official Report column 94W, on the state pension, what assumptions on take up of the pension credit he made in coming to his answer; what other assumptions not listed in the footnotes were made for the purpose of arriving at his answer; and if he will make a statement. [103816]

In arriving at the answer previously given, the minimum income guarantee was assumed to remain in place at recent take-up rates; and the saving from not introducing pension credit was assumed to be worth £2 billion in its first full year, based on a planning assumption of around 70 per cent. take-up by case load.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures the Department has taken to publicise the pension credit. [105199]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to all MPs on 17 March outlining how we are planning to ensure Pension Credit take-on is completed successfully. To support the take-on of Pension Credit a marketing campaign has been developed that seeks to address the specific needs of pensioners and those who support them such as family and friends.The core of the campaign involves contacting all pensioner households by direct mail and inviting them to make their applications by telephone. In this way we can support and complete the application form for them. The Pension Service will start writing to pensioner households to invite applications in April 2003 and plans to complete this activity in June 2004. This systematic approach will be supported by regional and national advertising around the launch of Pension Credit in October when it becomes payable.By working with local partners the Pension Service will be able to help vulnerable pensioners or those who need to overcome barriers that might prevent them from applying.To ensure pensioners do not lose out, a 12 month backdating provision will exist until October 2004. This will allow applications to be backdated to October 2003 where entitlement exists.

Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) percentage and (b) number of newly retired pensioners receive their pension by order book, broken down by nation and region. [105614]

The percentage and number of newly retired pensioners receiving their pension by order book as at 25 January 2003, and split between nation and region is shown in the following table.The figures reflect those pensioners who have retired in the last 12 months and are aged 60 (women) and 65 (men). There are also some pensioners who have also recently retired who are older than the minimum retirement age, but have deferred their retirement. We are unable to identify these people.

	Pensioners aged 60/65
Nation/Region	Paid by OB	Percentage
North East	8,500	44.7
North West	18,927	36.1
Yorkshire and Humberside	13,659	35.5
East Midlands	10,697	31.9
West Midlands	14,327	33.8
East of England	10,395	23.5
London	9,081	23.4
South East	12,834	20.4
South West	11,531	27.2
England	109,951	29.38
Wales	10,768	45.2
Scotland	14,997	37.6
GB Total	135,716	31.0

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) percentage and (b) number of pensioners receive their state pension by order book, broken down by (i) region and (ii) constituency. [105616]

The percentage and number of pensioners receiving their pension by order book as at 25 January 2003, and split between region and constituency has been placed in the Library.

Rent Levels

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the change has been in average (a) single room rent and (b) younger persons rent in Scotland, England and Wales since March 2002. [100752]

The information is not available.

Sure Start Maternity Grants

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Sure Start maternity grants of the full amount have been awarded since 16 June 2002, broken down by region. [105044]

Since the capital limits for Social Fund Sure Start Maternity Grants were abolished on 8 October 2001, all new awards have been for the full amount.The amount of the Sure Start Maternity Grant was increased from 300 to 500 for applications made on or after 1 April 2002, where the expected date of confinement or date of birth or adoption of the child(ren), or of a parental order was 16 June 2002 or later.The table shows the numbers of awards made in England, Scotland and Wales between 1 April 2002, the prescribed date for claiming the higher rate, and 31 May 2002, followed by awards made between 1 June 2002 and 28 February 2003. The figures will include some awards of 300 for children born or adopted before 16 June. They will also include some cases where an award of £300 was originally awarded because a child was due on or before 15 June but born after that date. Applicants were able to claim an extra £200 to represent the difference between the lower and higher rates.

Sure Start Maternity Grant awards in England, Scotland and Wales between 1 April 2002 and 28 February 2003
Period	England	Scotland	Wales
1 April 2002 to 31 May 2002	33,000	3,000	2,000
1 June 2002 to 28 February 2003	150,000	15,000	10,000
Total	184,000	18,000	13,000

Notes:

1. Data are not available by Government Office Region.

2. Data are only available for whole months.

3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000 and may not sum due to the rounding.

Source:

DWP Social Fund Policy Budget Management Information System

Two Ticks Symbol (Buckingham)

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) private companies, (b) charitable and voluntary and (c) public sector organisations in the Buckingham constituency have adopted the two ticks symbol. [104688]

The available information is in the following table.

Number of current disability symbol users in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire broken down by type of employer
Local employer	47
Council or local authority	10
Voluntary organisation or registered charity	17
Major or national organisation	8
Government Department	1
Total	83

Note:

Information is collected by area of disability service provision and is not available broken down by constituency. Figures in the table relate to the local disability service area, "Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire" which includes the constituency of Buckingham.

Source:

Disability Symbol database

Violence At Work

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many instances of work-related violence there were in (a) Jarrow Constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) North East and (d) UK in each year since 1997. [103561]

The number of instances of work-related violence reported to the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities under the Reporting of Injuries, Dangerous Diseases and Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 for South Tyneside, the North East and Great Britain, since 1997 is set out as follows. Figures are not available for Jarrow as the constituency is not identifiable in HSE and local authority systems.

Location/year	Fatal	Major	Over three days ¹	Total
North East
1996–97	—	21	115	136
1997–98	—	21	103	124
1998–99	—	18	157	175
1999–2000	—	33	213	246
2000–01	—	40	209	249
2001–02²	—	37	218	255
South Tyneside
1996–97	—	2	6	8
1997–98	—	4	4	8
1998–99	—	1	8	9
1999–2000	—	2	10	12
2000–01	—	3	4	7
2001–02²	—	—	7	7
Great Britain
1996–97	2	712	4,131	4,845
1997–98	—	682	4,422	5,104
1998–99	1	644	4,662	5,307
1999–2000	—	719	5,333	6,052
2000–01	3	823	5,635	6,461
2001–02²	4	779	5,116	5,899
¹ These incidents result in an absence from work of more than three days
² Provisional

Health

Recruitment

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by the NHS on agency nurses in (a) England and (b) each region, broken down by NHS trust, in 2001–02; and what proportion of the nursing wage bill this represented in each case. [95866]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much each hospital trust spent on agency recruited (a) nurses and (b) doctors, in the last 12 months; and how many posts this represents expressed as a percentage of total salary budgets. [100548]

The latest information that is available is for 2001–02, and has been placed in the Library.National health service trusts, which host NHS Professionals, the organisation that provides temporary staff for the NHS, include the expenditure for agency staff in their accounts and financial returns. The trusts are St. Mary's NHS Trust Paddington, Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust, West Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, John Radcliffe NHS Trust, East and North Herts NHS Trust and North Bristol NHS Trust. NHS trusts that use the services of NHS Professionals are recharged for these services and will also include these payments in their own accounts and financial returns. This results in the expenditure being double counted in the annual financial returns of NHS trusts and accounts for higher than average returns for trusts hosting NHS Professionals.

Bed Blocking (North Staffordshire)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce bed blocking in North Staffordshire. [104148]

Representatives from the four North Staffordshire primary care trusts met together with Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire County Council over the last month to discuss arrangements for increasing the number of available beds in North Staffordshire. A series of measures has been agreed including extra funding from uncommitted joint health and social care funds. Five beds have also been made available at Weston Coyney Assessment Centre (a residential home covered by South Stoke PCT) and qualified professional support will be provided by the local PCTs through the intermediate care team.

Bed Numbers (Hull And East Yorkshire)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds there are in the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust. [104525]

The average daily number of available beds for 2001–02 for Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust was 1,437.

Source:

Hospital Activity Statistics, Department of Health

Care Beds

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the 5,000 extra intermediate care beds in the NHS Plan (a) have been provided and are in use,(b) are part of schemes that are in procurement and (c) are still to be designated. [105002]

By the end of December 2002 (latest figures available), there were approximately 3,300 extra intermediate care beds, compared with 1999–2000. Over the two years 2002–03 and 2003–04, £66 million has been made available to fund intermediate care capital development schemes. This funding will deliver a total of approximately 1,800 additional intermediate care beds. Around 150 of these beds became operational by December 2002 and are therefore included in the December 2002 figures. Recent trends in the underlying growth in the number of intermediate care beds indicate that the NHS Plan target will be met.

Care Homes (De-Registration)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from organisations representing residents in care homes about the planned de-registration of homes; and if he will make a statement. [100681]

We have not received any representations from organisations which only represent residents in care homes.However, we have received a small number of representations from organisations which both represent service users and provide residential care. The organisations we have had representations from are, Sunrise and Focus Housing Association—both of which are seeking to set up supported housing schemes.In both cases, local inspectors are meeting with the providers to discuss the key concerns and explore ways forward. We are keeping a watching brief on these areas and are awaiting the National Care Standards Commission's determination.

Cbrn Attack

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to distribute to all UK citizens public information packs on personal protection in the event of chemical, biological, radioactive or nuclear attack; and if he will make an assessment of information packs recently produced by private sector firms. [105295]

[holding answer 27 March 2003]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary gave on 10 March 2003, Official Report column 69W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the extent to which the independent healthcare sector has been involved in his preparations for a chemical, biological or radiological terrorist incident. [104162]

The independent healthcare sector has not been involved in these preparations.

Children In Prison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries of children in prison are recorded on the deaths and serious injuries database. [104215]

The Department's database of serious cases records information relating to deaths and serious injuries of children where abuse and/or neglect may have been a factor. It does not identify which serious incidents occurred in a prison establishment.The prison service maintains a database of deaths and incidents of self-harm which take place in prisons.

Correspondence

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he will reply to the letters of the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam, references (a) Lammy/NSF/280103/MP, (b) StHelierfinance/090103/MP, (c) Specialised/061102/MP and (d) Blears/NSF/280103/MP. [99455](2) when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam, ref.

(a) Lammy/NSF/280103/MP, (b) St Helierfinance/090103/MP, (c) Specialised/061102/MP and (d) Blears/NSF/280103/MP. [105213]

[holding answers 27 February 2003 and 27 March 2003]: Replies were sent to the hon. Member as follows:

Lammy/NSF/280103/MP—17 March.
StHelierfinance/090103/MP—4 March.
Blears/NSF/280103/MP—17 March.
Specialised/061102/MP—The Department has no record of receiving this correspondence and the Correspondence Team has requested a copy of this correspondence.

Delayed Discharges

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many times the way the information on delayed discharges is collated has been changed in the last year for (a) Suffolk West PCT and (b) Central Suffolk PCT; and for what reasons; [104835]

(2) what criteria are used by his Department when putting together centrally collected delayed discharge figures. [104826]

In the last year the basis of the information collected nationally has changed to patients of all ages, rather than only patients over 75 years and from April 2002 the data have been collected by primary care trust area instead of the former health authorities.The information collected via the Department's Service and Financial Framework Report returns is based on the following definition of a delayed discharge.

"A delayed discharge occurs when a patient is ready for transfer from an 'acute' bed, but still occupying an 'acute' bed in a hospital. The patient being ready for transfer when a clinician in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team have decided both that the patient no longer requires to occupy an 'acute' hospital bed and is safe to be transferred".

Dentists

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices are taking on new NHS patients in (a) the constituency of Bury St. Edmunds, (b) Suffolk, (c) Norfolk, (d) Essex, (e) Cambridgeshire and (f) England. [104808]

The number of general dental service practices recorded on the www.nhs.uk website as taking on new national health service patients in the constituency of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and England at 24 March 2003 is shown in the table.

General Dental Service: Number of dental practices taking new NHS patients at 24 March 2003
	Practices accepting:
	Charge exempt adults	Charge paying adults	Children
England	3,991	3,639	5,027
Bury St. Edmunds Constituency	4	4	4
Suffolk	35	35	37
Norfolk	54	48	69
Essex	219	217	260
Cambridgeshire	32	31	62

Source:

www.nhs.uk website

Patients seeking to register with a dentist can access information on the dental practices taking on new patients by contacting NHS Direct, their local primary care trust or by accessing the www.nhs.uk website.

Departmental Creche Facilities

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what creche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost. [104301]

The Department does not provide creche facilities for its staff.There is an on site nursery for members of staff at the Department's Leeds office, which is provided at the rate of £20.34 per day.

For other members of staff, the Department provides childcare allowances towards the cost of nursery care. It also provides a holiday playscheme subsidised at the rate of £10 per day for children of staff members, who are of school age, during the holidays.

The budget for the allowances and for running the playscheme last year was £270,000.

Departmental Events

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-Departmental premises in the last 12 months, broken down by title, purpose, date and cost. [104277]

This information is not collected centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Website

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost of his Department's website was in the last 12 months; and how many hits it received in the same period. [104201]

The cost of the Department of Health's website over the last 12 months is shown in the table.

£000
Financial year	Hosting and maintenance	Website development	Estimated staff costs¹	Total costs
2001–02	73.32	245.9	407.6	726.8
2002–03(projected to 31 March 2003)	²165.12	46	511.44	722.56
¹Based on agreed Civil Service staff costs (including salaries, common services etc.)
² This includes £16,840 in migration and set-up costs incurred on switching internet service providers in Jun,2 2002.

The increase in hosting and maintenance charges between 2002 and 2003 was caused by:

An increase in the number of databases made available online during the period. Hosting for each was charged separately until June 2002.

Annual changes to the Office of Government Commerce's (OGC) charging arrangements for website hosting and maintenance.

When the OGC shut down its hosting facility in 2002, the Department had to seek an alternative sen/ice provider from the private sector.

The number of visits to the Department's static HTML website between July 2002 and February 2003 was 13,049,238. This averages at 843,654 visits per month. In both January and February this year the number of visits topped 1 million. It should be noted, however, that this figure does not include visits to any of the 65 domino databases, which form part of the Departments' site. Hit counts for these databases are currently unavailable.

Since the Department switched to a new hosting provider in June 2002, comparable usage figures for proceeding months are unavailable.

External Reports

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list (a) the title and subject, (b) the total cost to his Department and (c) the commissioned author or organisation of each external report commissioned by his Department in each year since 1997. [103717]

This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Gp And Primary Care Trust Lists

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individual GP practices and primary care trusts (a) have been and (b) are being investigated by the NHS Counter Fraud Department for removing from their lists children not immunised against MMR. [99183]

The National Health Service Counter Fraud Service (NHS CFS) investigates all matters of fraud and corruption in the NHS. Since 1999 NHS CFS has completed 1,026 investigations. There have been 157 successful prosecutions and 212 successful civil and disciplinary cases. None of these cases related to general practitioner practices and primary care trusts removing from their lists children not immunised against MMR.We do not comment on whether investigations in a specific area may or may not be currently taking place.

The latest information that is available is for 2001–02 and has been placed in the Library.National health service trusts, which host NHS Professionals, the organisation that provides temporary staff for the NHS, include the expenditure for agency staff in their accounts and financial returns. The trusts are St. Mary's NHS Trust Paddington, Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust, West Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, John Radcliffe NHS Trust, East and North Herts NHS Trust and North Bristol NHS Trust. NHS trusts, that use the services of NHS Professionals are recharged for these services and will also include these payments in their own accounts and financial returns. This results in the expenditure being double counted in the annual financial returns of NHS trusts and accounts for higher than average returns for trusts hosting NHS Professionals.

Investors In People

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of (a) hospital trusts, (b) primary care trusts and (c) other health trusts have Investors in People status. [104956]

Information on Investors in People is not collected centrally. However, the National Health Service Improving Working Lives (IWL) Standard which was launched in October 2000, is a commitment by NHS employers to create well managed, flexible working environments which support staff, promote their welfare and development, and respect the need for a balance between work and their home life. All acute trusts and many other NHS organisations are currently working towards accreditation to Practice status'. The IWL initiative dovetails with other initiatives such as Investors in People.

Mrs Della Bond

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will give a full response to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield's letter to the Minister of State responsible for long-term care, dated 8 October 2002, ref PO1017531, in respect of Mrs. Della Bond, Birmingham. [104774]

[holding answer 25 March 2003]: A reply was sent to my hon. Friend on 24 March.

Older People (Falls Prevention)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent in England on the prevention of (a) all injuries as a result of a fall, (b) hip fractures and (c) osteoporosis among older people in 2002–03. [100114]

The information requested is not available centrally.

Perinatal Deaths

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what data his Department has collated on the contribution of sub-optimal care factors to perinatal deaths in England in the last five years; [103785](2) what steps his Department is taking to review standards of

(a) ante-natal and (b) perinatal care in England in relation to perinatal (i) mortality and (ii) morbidity; [103784]

(3) what data his Department has collated on factors contributing to perinatal deaths in England over the last five years. [103786]

Standards for both ante-natal and perinatal care have been under continual review. The Department's programme of work to review and improve specific aspects of ante-natal care include issuing Clinical Guidelines developed by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), which address monitoring through pregnancy (the most important sub-optimal care factor identified). NICE guidance has been issued on:

the use of electronic foetal monitoring
induction of labour
the routine use of Anti-D prophylaxis for rhesus negative pregnant women

NICE are currently developing clinical practice guidelines on routine antenatal care including screening. The full scope and progress report is available on the NICE website at http://www.nice.org.uk. The expected date of issue is October 2003.The greatest preventable sub-optimal care factor associated with low birthweight and compromised health in babies is smoking during pregnancy. This practice is often aligned with disparities between the life chances of families living in poverty, and those living in more affluent circumstances. The Sure Start initiative was established in April 1999 to tackle these inequalities from the earliest stages. As a part of this programme midwives are actively involved in working to help pregnant women and their partners to give up smoking. The aim is to achieve, by 2004 and in the 500 Sure Start areas, a 10 per cent. reduction in mothers who smoke during pregnancy.

Standards have also been under review since 1992, through the agency of the Confidential Enquiry into Stillbirths and Deaths in Infancy (CESDI) which is funded by the Department of Health. CESDI collects and analyses data on deaths in late foetal life and through infancy in order to explore any areas of suboptimal care, and to use the findings to reduce the risk of deaths. Further consideration is being given to the collection of data on morbidity. CESDI reports are available in the Library and are also accessible on the CESDI website www.cesdi.org.uk/. Moreover continuing work on developing a Children's National Service Framework including maternity services will set national standards of care for ante-natal, intra-partum and post-natal services.

Prison Health Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Health into what category (a) HM Pentonville Prison, (b) HM Holloway Prison and (c) HM Feltham Prison fall, under the traffic lights performance monitoring system for prison health care centres. [105176]

The prison health traffic lights performance ratings for these establishments at the end of December 2002 were as follows:

Her Majesty's Prison Pentonville—amber;
HMP Holloway—amber
HM Young Offenders Institution and Remand Centre, Feltham—green.

Telemedicine

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made with the evaluation of Phase I of the introduction of telemedicine at Kidderminster hospital. [104885]

An external evaluation of telemedicine support for the Kidderminster Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) was undertaken in April 2001, after six months use.The key findings were:

The system use was high initially but was reducing, in line with the experience of other MIUs, where use declined as nursing staff became more confident and experienced in dealing with a range of conditions.

The system had been very valuable in supporting the transition to MIU.

Most of the benefits set out in the business case for telemedicine had been delivered.

Voluntary/Charitable Organisations

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the voluntary organisations to which his Department has made grants in the last year. [105662]

The Section 64 General Scheme of grants, under the Health and Public Services Act 1968, is the Department's main support for national voluntary organisations working in the health and social care fields. Information about the grants awarded has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the (a) voluntary and (b) charitable organisations with which his Department held discussions in the past 12 months. [100729]

Given the very large number of discussions, at both official and ministerial level with a wide range of voluntary and charitable organisations, it is not possible to list them all.

Waiting Times

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how average waiting times for (a) consultation with a consultant and (b) elective surgery have changed in the past six years. [91468]

Between March 1997 and March 2002 the number of people waiting over 26 weeks for their first out-patient appointment fell from 70,700 at end March 1997 to 1,200 at end March 2003, and less that 700 at end December 2002.The table shows the estimated median time waiting, in weeks, for in-patient admission in England at the end of March 1997 to March 2002 and the latest position. Over this period the number of people waiting over 15 months for in-patient admission fell from over 5,700 at the end March 1997 to 224 at end March 2002, and eight at end December 2002.

In-patient (commissioner based)	Estimated median wait in weeks
March 1997	13.21
March 1998	14.87
March 1999	12.86
March 2000	12.87
March 2001	12.57
March 2002	12.66
December 2002¹	12.46
¹Latest published quarterly data

Source:

Department of Health form KH07

West Midland South Strategic Health Authority

To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason the West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority has lent £7.5 million to the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust; over what period the loan will be repaid; and what conditions attend to the loan. [105528]

The West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority has co-ordinated cash movements between national health service organisations in order to temporarily assist the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. There are no conditions attached but the cash movement is linked to the trust having a financial and cost strategy in place. Repayment is planned by the end of April 2003.

Home Department

Nightclubs

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to require nightclubs to replace glass bottles with plastic; and what estimate he has undertaken of the number of injuries caused in or close to nightclubs by glass bottles used in violence. [104749]

No estimates are available of the number of injuries caused in or close to nightclubs by glass bottles used in violence. However, the latest results from the British Crime Survey (BCS) estimate that a glass or bottle was used as a weapon in six per cent of all violent crime incidents. Research based on the 2000 BCS found that one in seven incidents of stranger violence and one in 10 incidents of acquaintance violence in pubs and clubs involved either a bottle or a glass.We have no plans at present to introduce legislation to require the replacement of glass bottles with plastic. But we remain concerned about the high level of injuries that occur when glasses and bottles are used as weapons in drink-related situations in and outside licensed premises and other drinking establishments, and we intend to see that this problem is effectively tackled.The Licensing Bill Guidance that has been published in draft by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport will make it clear that it will be open to the licensing authority (i) to impose conditions to address violence of this form if the police foresee problems, and (ii) where this form of violence has taken place on licensed premises, to impose a specific condition following a review of the premises licence. There will be a range of conditions that a licensing authority could impose on a premises, including one that they make use only of plastic vessels. In the most serious cases the licence itself can be revoked.The Home Office published three research reports on alcohol-related crime on 25 March 2003. An evaluation of the "Tackling Alcohol-Related Street Crime (TASC) Project" in Cardiff and Cardiff Bay found that alcohol-related assaults were cut by 4 per cent. and targeted policing cut incidents by 41 and 36 per cent. in and around two specific clubs. This proves that effective steps can be taken to cut the amount of drunken violence.

Drug Driving

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of accidents caused each year by driving under the influence of drugs. [104590]

Studies have shown an increase over recent years in the number of people killed in road accidents who have traces of an illegal drug in their body. Cannabis is by far the most commonly found. Traces of cannabis can, however, remain in the body for up to four weeks, long after it has ceased to have any effect. The extent, nature and duration of impairment in any particular case are not wholly certain. Driving while unfit through drugs, whether legal or not, is an offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988. The police receive training in Drug Recognition Techniques (DRT) and Field Impairment Testing (FIT) that can be carried out at the roadside to enforce this legislation. DRT allow officers more easily to assess impairment by the physical signs. FIT are simple divided attention tests which the police can ask a driver to take to assess his concentration and ability to perform easy tasks which an unimpaired driver should have no difficulty performing. DRT and FIT results better inform a police officer's decision whether to arrest the driver. The Government are committed to making it obligatory for drivers to undertake FIT when required.

Inspections (Police)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed by (a) HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, (b) the Police Standards Unit and (c) the Police Complaints Authority in each year since 1997; and how many were directly involved in inspections in each case. [104696]

The number of staff employed by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), the Police Standards Unit (PSU) and the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) in each year since 1997 is as follows:

Unit	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
HMIC	82	83	85	95	102	106
PSU	0	0	0	0	17	59
PCA	64	60.5	65	73	79.5	96

Over this period it is estimated that an average of 80 per cent. of HMIC staff were directly employed on inspections. For 2002–03 this equates to 88 staff.

	March						September
	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2002
Police officer strength	1,180	1,186	1,190	1,145	1,133	1,203	1,228
Special constables	379	397	420	391	349	308	n/a
Civilian staff	522	583	594	600	621	692	n/a

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) full time police officers, (b) special constables and (c) civilian police support staff there were in the Suffolk constabulary in each year since 1997; and what the ratio per head of population was in each case. [104814]

	March						September
Eastern region	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2002
Bedfordshire
Police officer strength	1,094	1,079	1,041	1,028	1,036	1,069	1,086
(100,000 population)	(200)	(197)	(189)	(185)	(184)	(189)	(192)
Civilian staff	484	523	483	490	491	524	n/a
(100,000 population)	(89)	(95)	(87)	(88)	(87)	(93)	n/a
Cambridgeshire
Police officer strength	1,302	1,291	1,274	1,237	1,296	1,362	1,398
(100,000 population)	(188)	(184)	(179)	(172)	(179)	(187)	(197)
Civilian staff	607	574	586	503	614	733	n/a
(100,000 population)	(87)	(82)	(82)	(70)	(85)	(100)	n/a
Essex^*
Police officer strength	2,961	2,928	2,891	2,806	2,897	2,946	2,958
(100,000 population)	(197)	(193)	(190)	(183)	(179)	(181)	(185)
Civilian staff	1,199	1,252	1,273	1,348	1,447	1,571	n/a
(100,000 population)	(80)	(83)	(84)	(88)	(89)	(96)	n/a
Hertfordshire^*
Police officer strength	1,759	1,740	1,724	1,767	1,922	1,825	1,902
(100,000 population)	(205)	(202)	(198)	(201)	(184)	(174)	(184)
Civilian staff	818	831	835	890	935	1,121	n/a
(100,000 population)	(95)	(96)	(96)	(101)	(90)	(107)	n/a

PSU and PCA do not undertake inspection work.

Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) funded and (b) unfunded public sector pension schemes for which his Department, its agencies and its non-departmental public bodies are responsible; when the last actuarial valuation was of each scheme; what the value was of the assets at the last actuarial valuation of each scheme; what deficit is disclosed by the last actuarial valuation of each scheme; and if she will make a statement. [104916]

The police pension scheme is an unfunded pension scheme with no assets or deficit requiring actuarial valuation. However, the Government Actuary's Department estimated as at 31 March 2001 that the liability in Great Britain for the police pension scheme was about £25 billion.

Police Numbers

The table gives number of police officers, special constables and civilian support staff in the Suffolk constabulary from 1997 to 2002.

The table gives numbers of police officers and civilian staff and the rate per 100,000 population for police forces in the eastern region.

	March						September
Eastern region	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2002
Norfolk
Police officer strength	1,432	1,430	1,381	1,381	1,420	1,468	1,481
(100,000 population)	(185)	(184)	(176)	(175)	(178)	(183)	(186)
Civilian staff	603	646	648	655	694	819	n/a
(100,000 population)	(78)	(83)	(83)	(83)	(87)	(102)	n/a
Suffolk
Police officer strength	1,180	1,186	1,190	1,145	1,133	1,203	1,228
(100,000 population)	(180)	(179)	(179)	(171)	(168)	(177)	(184)
Civilian staff	522	583	594	600	621	692	n/a
(100,000 population)	(80)	(88)	(89)	(89)	(92)	(102)	n/a
^* These forces have been affected by the boundary changes which took place in April 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has undertaken on the density of police officers in the UK per (a) area and (b) head of population; which of these studies contained international comparisons; and if he will make a statement. [104430]

The Home Office produces annually national, statistics on the density of total police officers and constables per head of population.The latest data available are contained in "Police Service Strength England and Wales, 30 September 2002" Home Office Online Report 23/03. The average number of police officers for England and Wales per 100,000 population (including National Crime Squad (NCS), National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS), and other secondments) was 252.6. Figures for 31 March 2003 will be published in due course.An international comparison of police officer density per 100,000 population was conducted by the Home Office for the period 2000 (See table.) These data will be updated in future.

Country	Police Officers per 100,000 population 2000^1,2
Austria	330
Belgium	183
Denmark	195
England and Wales	235
Finland	154
France	397
Germany	262
Greece	426
Ireland	302
Italy	169
Luxembourg	300
Netherlands	269
Norway	192
Portugal	481
Spain	312
Sweden	181
Switzerland	201
Australia	228
Canada	184
New Zealand	185
USA	238
Japan	208
Korea	204
Turkey	190
India	134

¹ Police officers only, not civilians.

² Or nearest available year.

Note:

Direct comparisons of the police service in different jurisdictions can be difficult due to differences in the type of duties carried out by the people included in the total number.

Prisoners (Self-Injury)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the prevalence of self-injury in prison. [104216]

I have been asked to reply.Prison Health and the prison service's safer custody group keep the prevalence of self injury in prison under regular review. The prison service routinely collects statistics from establishments about self-inflicted deaths and self harm. After research had demonstrated a problem with under-reporting of self-harm, a new, simpler and standardised method for recording and reporting such incidents was introduced from 1 December 2002, which, when piloted, had been shown to produce more reliable data. The number of incidents of self-harm reported during the first three months the new form was in operation was 3143.

Environment, Food And Rural Affairs

Abandoned Vehicles

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to give further help to councils in (a) support and (b) funding to remove abandoned vehicles. [105501]

We will be publishing a consultation document later this spring on reducing the statutory notice periods for vehicles abandoned on private land.We are providing £2.7 million through the Invest to Save budget to enable local authorities to have free on-line access to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) vehicles database. This will enable local authority officers to make immediate decisions about the actual status of apparently abandoned vehicles and thus get them cleared away more quickly. To date out of 239 local that have expressed interest in authorities an joining, 57 have been linked to the database.Local authorities can now take on DVLA's wheelclamping powers to help them tackle unlicensed vehicles. 5 local authorities now use these powers: the London Boroughs of Croydon and Newham, Southend-on-Sea, Hastings and Middlesbrough. Liverpool, Luton and Doncaster should be taking on the powers during the 2003–04 financial year. Discussions are currently taking place with 12 other local authorities.Local authorities will be running more Operation Cubits where all the different enforcement agencies cooperate to deal with vehicles that are unlicensed, abandoned or dangerously or illegally parked. To date more than 6,000 abandoned unlicensed vehicles have been targeted as a result of Operation Cubits with over 4,000 vehicles crushed. More operations are planned.We are progressing reforms to the vehicle registration system to ensure that in future all vehicles can be traced to the correct keeper. Section 19 and schedule 5 of the Finance Act 2002 cover vehicle registration. They seek to help tackle the blight of abandoned vehicles, reduce vehicle crime, reduce tax evasion and benefit the honest motorist by enabling the Secretary of State for Transport to introduce new licensing legislation which will improve the integrity of the vehicle record.Further legislation through detailed regulations will be necessary to give full force to the provisions in the Finance Act. A Modernising Vehicle Registration Implementation Board has been established to advise on these matters and consists of representatives of the motor industries, motorists' organisations, the insurance industry and the police, as well as officials. We are also consulting widely among the various interests to ensure that no one is unfairly affected by these measures. The intention is to deal with those who commit crimes or abandon vehicles, not to target honest and law abiding motorists.DTI, who have the lead in implementing the End-of-Life Vehicles Directive, are transferring £25 million per annum to local authorities under the "New Burdens" arrangements, for the years 2003–04, 2004–05, and 2005–06, to meet additional costs which might be incurred in dealing with abandoned vehicles.

Fisheries

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the contribution of recreational sea angling to the UK economy. [104017]

We do not currently have estimates of the contribution of sea angling to the UK economy. For this reason, we are in the process of commissioning a study entitled 'Research into the Economic Contribution of Sea Angling1. This project is at the tender stage at present, and is expected to report early in 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Scottish-based trawlers targeting whitefish have been recorded as fishing in the statistical rectangle 39E4 in the past three months. [103944]

44 Scottish based fishing vessels were recorded as targeting whitefish in rectangle 39E4 between 1 December 2002 and 28 February 2003. Of these, 33 were trawlers of an overall length greater than 10 metres. The remaining 11 were small-scale coastal vessels of a length of 10 metres and below.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the implications of reform of the Common Fisheries Policy for recreational sea angling. [104013]

The UK pressed strongly throughout the reform negotiations for increased emphasis on stakeholder involvement in decisions on fisheries management. This was reflected in the agreement at the Council to set up Regional Advisory Councils to provide a voice for the fishing industry and other stakeholders—such as recreational sea anglers—in decisions on fisheries management.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what account she has taken of the interests of sea anglers in discussions of reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. [104014]

The Government recognise sea anglers as stakeholders in the management of fish stocks and as such they were consulted fully on the Commission's proposals for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the extent to which other EU member states have exempted parts of their countries from the ban on the on-farm burial of fallen stock. [103763]

No such assessment has been made. It is for individual Member States to inform the Commission of the areas that they wish to categorise as being remote for the purposes of applying for a derogation to permit on-farm burial.

Agriculture

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the contribution of agriculture to the national GDP was in each of the past 10 years (a) in total, (b) by region, and (c) by farm type. [104910]

[holding answer 25 March 2003]: The information is currently available only at the total level; this is given in the following table:

(a) UK Agriculture percentage contribution to total economy Gross Value Added (Current prices)
	Percentage
1993	1.6
1994	1.5
1995	1
1996	1
1997	1
1998	1
1999	0
2000	0
2001	0
2002 (provisional)	0

(b) Regional gross value added estimates were withdrawn by the Office for National Statistics in December 2002 following the discovery of errors in the Annual Business Inquiry data. Revised estimates are due to be released later in the spring.

(c) The information is not available by farm type.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what quantity of food products, in real market value, were (a) exported from and (b) imported to the UK in each of the past 10 years. [104912]

[holding answer 25 March 2003]: The following table shows the value of UK trade (exports/imports) of food, feed and drink products, in real market value (at 2002 prices) for 1993 to 2002.

£ billion
	Exports	Imports	Trade Gap
1993	10.2	17.2	-7.0
1994	11.1	18.1	-7.1
1995	11.9	19.3	-7.4
1996	11.6	20.5	-8.9
1997	11.2	19.3	-8.1
1998	10.0	18.4	-8.5
1999	9.5	18.3	-8.9

Percentage
	Beef and Veal	Mutton and Lamb	Liquid milk	Butter	Cheese	Cream	Condensed milk	Skimmed milk powder
1993	100	116	100	71	72	136	127	148
1994	112	111	100	69	69	142	125	152
1995	114	110	100	69	70	136	141	157
1996	89	102	100	68	68	147	130	107
1997	77	97	100	79	67	144	130	141
1998	83	101	100	78	64	151	136	127
1999	80	104	100	71	63	146	127	180
2000	79	100	100	64	63	137	111	-527
2001	72	78	100	63	66	134	105	111
2002	72	84	100	69	68	148	114	117

Note:

Consumption includes products placed in store and therefore products released from the store count as negative consumption. The exceptional figure shown for Skimmed Milk Powder in 2000 resulted from high levels of stocks moving out of intervention for export.

Agriculture And Fisheries Council

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council held on 17 and 18 March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. [104558]

My noble Friend, Lord Whitty, Under-Secretary, represented the United Kingdom at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels on 17 and 18 March 2003. Ministers with agriculture and fisheries responsibilities in Scotland and Wales were also present.The Council continued its consideration of CAP reform, addressing questions from the Presidency on the proposals for cereals, milk and rice and for rural development. The UK argued for bringing the EU closer to world market conditions; supported the lines of

£ billion
	Exports	Imports	Trade Gap
2000	9.0	17.4	-8.4
2001	8.6	18.3	-9.7
2002	8.8	18.7	-9.9

Note:

2002 data are provisional and subject to amendment.

Source:

HM Customs and Excise Data prepared by Statistics (Commodities and Food) Accounts and Trade, ESD, DEFRA

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of cattle and sheep products consumed in the UK was produced domestically in each of the past 10 years. [104911]

[holding answer 25 March 2003]: Data relating to the national origin of the actual products consumed is not available. However, it is possible to calculate the UK production as percentage of the total new supply for use in the UK (home production plus imports less exports). This will, naturally, result in figures being greater than 100 per cent. for those products where UK production exceeds home consumption.Data are provided in the following table for cattle and sheep products for the 10-year period 1993 to 2002.the Commission proposals for reducing support; but argued against the proposed extension of dairy quotas to 2015. On rural development, the UK argued for a redistribution of modulated funds that would be fair and forward looking; we reiterated the case for flat rate modulation of direct payments and urged the Commission to look for ways of increasing the funds available for rural development programmes.The Commission updated the Council on the agriculture negotiations in the World Trade Organisation, noting that a second draft of the so-called Modalities paper was expected later in the week and that the EU remained ready to negotiate with trading partners. There was no discussion.The Council reached a compromise on phasing out the use of the pesticide Aldicarb, permitting some specific uses in certain member states, including the UK, to continue until the end of 2007. The UK supported the proposal.

There were no substantive fisheries items on the agenda.

Under AoB, the Netherlands reported on its efforts to contain an outbreak of avian influenza. Portugal reported the discovery of certain illegal veterinary medicine residues in poultry. France reported on an initiative proposed by the President of France to improve agricultural trade relations between the EU and sub-Saharan Africa. France also drew attention to the impact of rising fuel prices on the fisheries sector.

In reply to Denmark, the Commission said that it would shortly propose amendment of the interim cod recovery programme agreed in December in respect of the definition of 'days at sea'. The definitive cod and hake recovery measures proposal would however be delayed, possibly until May.

Animal Diseases

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the Animal By-Products Regulations with particular reference to (a) contiguous culls and (b) mass burials of livestock in (i) a future outbreak of foot and mouth disease and (ii) other infectious disease outbreaks. [103644]

[holding answer 20 March 2003]: The Animal By-Products Regulation will permit the burial of livestock during outbreaks of a List A notifiable disease, such as foot and mouth, if there is a lack of capacity at rendering plants and incinerators or if transport of the carcases would spread disease.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to deal with a keeper of livestock who refuses to inform the authorities in the event of a possible diagnosis of animal disease. [104144]

A keeper of livestock who fails to report animals having or suspected of having a notifiable disease is liable to prosecution under animal health legislation. Prosecution action is for the local authorities, with whom we liaise.

Animal Movements

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the most recent change in allowing animal movements; and what effect she estimates the change has had on the risk of the spread of animal diseases. [104767]

The recent change—which reduced the standstill from 20 to six days for cattle, sheep and goats—took account of the emerging findings from the risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis of animal movement standstill. A report of those findings, and a supporting document explaining our decision to reduce the standstill, have been placed in the Library and published on the Defra website.The emerging findings from the risk assessment indicated that in some circumstances a 20-day standstill would be more effective that a six-day standstill in limiting the size of an outbreak but that in the majority of scenarios the differential benefit between a six and a 20-day standstill is relatively small. In cost benefit terms a six day standstill gave a positive net benefit in almost all of the scenarios studied. To counter-balance the increased risk created by the reduction in the standstill period to six days, we have removed most of the exemptions which applied when the 20-day standstill was the general rule and we are consulting on a number of proposals aimed at improving biosecurity and disease detection, for possible introduction later this year.The second phase of the analysis is now under way and is due to report at the end of May. We will take account of the final reports—and any other new evidence—when deciding what rules should apply from 1 August and beyond.

Badgers (Tb)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice her Department gives to farmers who find TB-infected badgers on their land; how farmers should dispose of the carcase of a badger which has died of TB; and if she will make a statement. [105246]

[holding answer 27 March 2003]: It is unlikely that farmers would be able to tell whether badgers found on their land, either alive or dead, were suffering from, or had died of, bovine tuberculosis. At present there is no reliable live test to check for the disease in badgers. The presence of the bovine TB causative organism (M. bovis) is established by postmortem examination and the bacteriological culture of samples.Government are carrying out a badger culling trial in areas of the south and west of England to establish the role of badgers in transmission of bovine TB to cattle and to find out whether badger culling is an effective or sustainable control mechanism. There is insufficient evidence to sanction badger culling outside of the trial areas and this has been made clear to farmers. Defra has encouraged livestock producers to apply basic biosecurity measures to minimise contact between cattle and wildlife, for instance by raising feed and water troughs off the ground and securing farm buildings, particularly feed stores and cattle housing, against entry by wildlife.In relation to carcase disposal, wild animals are currently exempt from the scope of the 1999 Animal By-Products Order. However, from 1 May 2003 the EU Animal By-Products Regulation will require wild animals suspected of being infected with diseases communicable to humans, such as bovine TB, to be disposed of at an approved plant using one of the following methods:

1. incineration;

2. rendering followed by incineration; or

3. pressure rendering followed by landfill.

A limited survey is being carried out on the carcases of badgers killed in road traffic accidents (RTAs) in Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Dorset. The objective of the survey is to determine whether RTA data can provide an accurate indication of the prevalence of M. bovis in badgers by comparing it with data from the badger culling trial.

If farmers in the counties listed find a badger carcase on their land which has been killed in a road accident they can contact the survey co-ordinators, Central Science Laboratory (CSL), using a freephone number, to arrange collection. Precise details of the location of the carcase will need to be provided.

Cetacean Bycatch

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will raise the issue of cetacean bycatching at the next meeting of the Council of Fisheries Ministers; [104026](2) if she will work with appropriate bodies to put in place new measures for the introduction of a strategy to reduce incidental bycatch in European waters by early 2005; and if she will make a statement; [104024](3) if she will work with appropriate bodies to maintain progress with implementation of existing proposals for international monitoring for cetacean bycatches in order to put in place a scheme by early 2004. [104025]

My noble Friend Lord Whitty raised the need for urgent action on the issue of cetacean bycatch at the January Council of Minister' meeting. In addition I have also raised this issue with Commissioner Fischler on a number of occasions both in writing and in personal contacts.I recently launched a consultation document outlining a UK bycatch response strategy. This was developed by Defra in partnership with the Devolved Administrations and other appropriate bodies, and sets out the extent of our knowledge of bycatch in UK waters and makes proposals for action to address the bycatch problem. The document has been placed in the Library of the House.I have also recently written to the Commission to press for urgent action to widen observer coverage off the south west coast where a number of other member states' vessels fish. I was pleased that the Commission included a commitment to take action in this area in papers produced as part of the recent reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. Commissioner Fischler has sent an encouraging reply sharing the UK's concern and agreeing a need to act at Community level but I will continue to press for concrete proposals for positive action in advance of 2004–05 in response to our recent approaches.

Carcase Collection Service

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the biosecurity risks associated with a national carcase collection service. [103762]

No formal assessment has been made of the biosecurity risks of a national carcase collection service. However, we would expect that only those collectors who follow agreed biosecurity procedures would be allowed to participate in such a scheme. Animal By-Products legislation already controls the collection, storage and transportation of animal by-products, including animal carcases, it also requires records to be kept of any consignment of animal byproducts to assist in the auditing and traceability of this material.

Combined Heat And Power

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the initiatives undertaken by her Department since its inception to promote combined heat and power. [104552]

Since the inception of this Department, we have added to existing measures in support of our target of at least 10,000 megawatts of installed Good Quality CHP by 2010 as follows:

Extension of the Climate Change Levy exemption to all Good Quality CHP electricity outputs;

Eligibility of leased assets for Enhanced Capital Allowances;

Reduction in VAT on certain grant-funded domestic micro-CHP installations to 5 per cent. and

The £50 million, 2-year, Community Energy grant programme.

Additionally, we will introduce the following new support measures announced in the recently published Energy White Paper:

require significant evidence that power station consent applicants have considered all economically viable options for CHP and community heating;

emphasise the benefits of CHP and community heating whenever planning or sustainable development guidance is introduced or reviewed;

work with Ofgem to ensure a level playing field under NETA for smaller generators, including CHP;

set targets for use of CHP in the Government Estate;

explore incentivising CHP within any expansion of the domestic Energy Efficiency Commitment from 2005;

support field trials designed to evaluate the benefits of micro-CHP;

invite the Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust to review their current and future programmes to ensure they reinforce delivery of our CHP target; and

work on a framework for pilot projects within the UK Emissions Trading Scheme for which CHP projects may be eligible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is in respect of the introduction of a combined heat and power obligation. [104553]

Detailed consideration of a CHP Obligation has concluded that it would not provide carbon savings in a cost-effective way. We are aware of widespread industry support for such an obligation to help achieve our 2010 target of at least 10,000 megawatts of installed Good Quality CHP. Although we believe the target to be challenging we still believe it is within reach. Together with those measures already in place, the measures announced in the Energy White Paper will help reinforce its achievement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the ability of the private sector to achieve the targets for combined heat and power contained in the Energy White Paper. [104556]

Ministerial meetings with the CHP industry together with responses to last year's draft CHP Strategy consultation exercise provide a good insight into the ability of the private sector to help us achieve our target of at least 10,000 megawatts of installed Good Quality CHP by 2010. These meetings and the consultation responses formed an important input to the CHP measures in the Energy White Paper which, together with those measures already introduced, will help reinforce achievement of the CHP target.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on the Government's target to double the present capacity of CHP to 10,000MWe by 2010. [105286]

At the end of 2001, installed CHP capacity had risen to 4801 MWe from 4632MWe the previous year. More up to date data on the progress made to meet the Government's target of 10,000MWe of installed Good Quality CHP will become available when the annual Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) is published in July 2003 by DTI. We believe that the CHP support measures detailed in the draft CHP Strategy taken together with the measures recently announced in the Energy White Paper have the potential to significantly help the CHP industry and set us on course to meet the 2010 target.

Covent Garden Market Authority

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the annual cost is to her Department of the Covent Garden Market Authority; what the value is of its assets; for what reasons it is in public ownership; and if she will make a statement. [105132]

[holding answer 27 March 2003]: The cost to Defra of sponsoring the Covent Garden Market Authority in 2001–02 was £65,000. The Authority's balance sheet at 31 March 2002 shows assets totalling £13,522,529.The Covent Garden Market Authority is a public corporation established by Act of Parliament in 1961 to acquire the horticultural wholesale market then located at Covent Garden and to improve the facilities there. In 1966 a further Act made provision for the transfer of the market to its present site. Since 1990, it has been Government policy to disengage from the market. Its future is now being considered in the light of the report of the Review of London Markets commissioned by the Department and the Corporation of London last year.

Departmental Buildings

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list each building owned by her Department in London, with the estimated market value in each case; and if she will make a statement. [105131]

The Department does not own freehold any buildings in central London. Leasehold properties do not have market values that can be attributed to them in the Department's accounts.

Most of the London buildings occupied by the Department are held on leases. Four buildings are occupied under administrative agreements with other Government Departments who manage a leasehold interest. All the Department's central London buildings are listed:

Nobel House, Smith Square, London SW1
Ergon House, Horseferry Road, London SW1
9 Millbank, London SW1
1A Page Street, London SW1
Cromwell House, Dean Stanley Street, London SW1
3–8 Whitehall Place, London SW1
10 Whitehall Place, London SW1
55 Whitehall, London SW1
Eastbury House, Albert Embankment, London SE1
Crimscott Street, London SE1
19/29 Woburn Place, London WC2
Market Towers, London SW8
Ponton Road, London SW8

English Nature

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2003, Official Report column 639W, on English Nature, if she will estimate (a) the administrative cost for English Nature broken down by Government Region for financial year 2003–04 and (b) the amount spent in English Nature's Headquarters on the regions for financial year 2003–04. [104699]

English Nature's baseline Grant in Aid for 2003–04 will be £62.884 million. Of this, in so far as spending in the Government Regions, the following expenditure has been estimated:

£000
Government regional office	Estimated expenditure in 2003–04
East Midlands	1,476
East of England	2,465
London	288
North East	1,054
North West	1,909
South East	2,847
West Midlands	1,450
South West	3,789
Yorkshire/Humberside	1,622
Total	16,900
National (amount spent in EN HQ on the regions)	16,579
Overall total	33,479

Environment (Discharges)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 12 December 2002, Official Report column 435W, on Discharges into the Environment, when the hon. Member for Lewes will receive the letter referred to. [105670]

I responded to the hon. Member on 26 March.

Environment Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the annual cost of the Environment Agency has been in each year since its inception. [105053]

The annual expenditure of the Environment Agency since its inception is as follows:

£ million
1996–97	562.9
1997–98	603.8
1998–99	593.0
1999–2000	617.9
2000–01	640.2
2001–02	702.6
2002–03	¹758.2
¹ planned

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people worked for the Environment Agency in 2002 in (a) England and (b) Somerset. [105522]

In 2002, 10,824 people worked for the Environment Agency, of whom 301 worked in the agency's three offices in Somerset.

Farm Incinerators

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her Answer of 11 February 2003, Official Report column 642W, on farm incinerators, whether she has received clarification from the European Commission about the incineration of specified risk material in incinerators operating at less than 50kg per hour; and if she will make a statement. [103739]

Following receipt of an opinion from the EU Scientific Steering Committee, the European Commission has now proposed further measures to permit the incineration of specified risk material in incinerators operating at less than 50kg/hour.From 1 May the incineration of SRM in such incinerators must comply with these measures as well as those measures already in the Animal By-Products Regulation.

Food Chain (Terrorist Threat)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with her US counterpart about (a) the terrorist threat to the food chain and (b) relevant counter-terrorist measures. [104906]

[holding answer 25 March 2003]: The Department is monitoring developments on this subject, including the actions taken in the United States, and during my most recent visit to Washington last month Secretary Veneman was able to update me on US legislation to protect the US food chain from bioterrorism.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice she has given to (a) food producers, (b) processors and (c) providers about practical steps to protect the food chain against terrorist attack. [104907]

[holding answer 25 March 2003]: The UK has a highly effective food supply chain, providing wide consumer choice. The food retailers have robust and resilient business continuity plans to deal with any threat of disruption. Defra works closely with all parts of the industry to ensure that Government support is provided in the event of a part of the industry needing it in order to maintain supply to any part of the chain. The Government have a range of contingency plans in place to respond to a wide range of terrorist threats including those from chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials. These plans are exercised and reviewed on a regular basis.

Foot And Mouth Disease

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to impose valuations for the purposes of compensation upon those affected by a major animal disease outbreak in the manner proposed by the Committee of Public Accounts. [104035]

The Department is undertaking a fundamental review of the compensation regime for all notifiable animal diseases. The review will take account of the lessons learnt from the 2001 outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease and the comments in the Committee of Public Accounts's report on the outbreak. In the meantime, the Department has set up a list of approved valuers and issued each a set of instructions. In addition four monitor valuers have been appointed to advise the Department on further guidance to issue during an outbreak of a major notifiable animal disease and to oversee valuations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to change the contiguous cull policy of the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak. [104037]

Each disease outbreak is different and the strategy in tackling each particular outbreak will depend on its circumstances. The Government set out their position in their Response to the Reports of the Foot and Mouth Disease Inquiries (Cm 5637), including the role vaccination could play. We are consulting on a 'decision tree' for FMD control strategy and hope to publish a revision shortly. We are also considering arrangements for an evaluation of the 2001 contiguous cull.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on the idea of insurance-based cover for farmers in the event of a major animal disease outbreak. [104038]

The Government have considered this idea in a working group with farmers and insurers. A combination of a levy and voluntary top up insurance could provide the basis for a way forward. Work is in hand on detailed proposals but at a relatively early stage. The intention is to launch a wide-ranging consultation exercise in summer 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the funds that DEFRA is withholding from companies who were tasked to undertake the foot and mouth disease clean-up. [104039]

Defra is withholding close to £90 million from companies who performed, or who claim to have performed, services in connection with the foot and mouth disease outbreak.Contractual arrangements put in place by the Department involve accounting and auditing processes whereby invoices are received and must be verified, substantiated and agreed by the Department.In this regard, Defra is pursuing actively Recommendations 12 and 13 of the NAO Report on the 2001 Outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease available on the NAO website at: http//www.nao.gov.uk/publications/naoreports/01–02/0102939.pdf.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with (a) other Government Departments,(b) local authorities and (c) the tourism industry on contingency planning for a major animal disease outbreak. [104040]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not met with organisations to discuss contingency planning arrangements for a major animal disease outbreak.However, officials have met regularly with stakeholders including representatives from other Government Departments and local authorities and have consulted some elements of the tourism industry in order to develop Defra's Foot and Mouth Disease Contingency Plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that there is greater consistency between the performance of different disease control centres in the event of a major animal disease outbreak. [104042]

As part of further improving the response of the Department to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, the existing State Veterinary Service Operational Instructions are being consolidated into a web based document, capturing and collating experiences gained during 2001. This will be available to all Defra and co-opted staff to enable a consistent response based on best practices identified during and following the last foot and mouth outbreak and will also be publicly available with Defra's Foot and Mouth Disease Contingency Plan.In addition, contingency planning exercises are being held in the local animal health offices to familiarise staff with the required procedures and check the application of the instructions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the protocol extant during the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak which stated that local movement reduction controls were preferable to a national control. [104043]

Under EU and national legislation it is mandatory to impose a local movement ban when FMD is confirmed. A national movement ban is discretionary. The current FMD Contingency Plan states that a GB wide national movement ban will be put in place immediately the first case of FMD is confirmed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on why average compensation values for cattle and sheep increased during the foot and mouth disease outbreak. [104044]

Average compensation values increased during the foot and mouth outbreak because, as the number of animals slaughtered increased, it was claimed the notional market value for the replacement stock rose, on the basis of supply and demand. It was further claimed as the supply was reduced, especially in some areas of the country, the market value went up. In the absence of a functioning market this is based on assumption and is clearly unsatisfactory. Under the Animal Health Act 1981, the professional valuers employed by the Department had to value the animals at the market value immediately before they were slaughtered. The issue of compensation mechanisms for livestock is under review as recommended by the Public Accounts Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish her latest advice on the use of vaccinations to fight the spread of foot and mouth disease. [104049]

Prophylactic (routine) use of vaccination against foot and mouth disease has been prohibited under European Union legislation since 1992. There is no available vaccine which can provide lasting protection against all strains of the virus. Under the proposal for a revised EU Foot and Mouth Disease Directive which is currently under negotiation, prophylactic vaccination would remain prohibited, but emergency vaccination would be an option from the start of any outbreak. Emergency vaccination would be used in conjunction with other control measures such as the slaughter of infected and suspect animals, movement restrictions and biosecurity. The Government's policy is that the use of emergency vaccination would be considered from the start of any future foot and mouth outbreak, and that preferably this would be vaccination to live.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what powers her Department has to enforce a national movement ban on animals on the first day of a major animal disease outbreak; and what power it had prior to the last foot and mouth disease outbreak. [104050]

The powers are contained in Part IV, Articles 30 and 31, of the Foot and Mouth Disease Order 1983, which allow for the establishment of a controlled area. These powers were available prior to the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak and remain extant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice her Department has (a) sought and (b) given regarding the closure of footpaths in the event of another animal disease outbreak on the scale of the last foot and mouth outbreak. [104051]

We have drawn up a protocol containing Government guidance on the restrictions on public access to the countryside that should be imposed in any future outbreak of foot and mouth disease or other similar animal diseases. The protocol, which is based on and accompanied by a veterinary risk assessment, forms an annex to the revised version of Defra's Foot and Mouth Disease Contingency Plan to be laid before Parliament very soon. Like the Contingency Plan, it will be a living document and will be reviewed regularly.In drawing up this protocol, we sought advice from the Countryside Agency, the Local Government Association, the County Surveyors' Society and other Government Departments. The protocol has now been published for full public consultation and will be updated in the light of the responses we receive. Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the House Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what powers her Department has to call in military support in the event of another foot and mouth disease outbreak. [104052]

Procedures relating to the involvement of the Armed Forces in a future outbreak of foot and mouth disease are clearly set out in Defra's Foot and Mouth Disease Contingency Plan, which is on the Defra website.The Plan identifies that aid would be authorised by Defence Ministers and provided under the 'Military Aid to the Civil Authorities' (MACA) arrangements, subject to other commitments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the mass burial sites which (a) have not been used and (b) were significantly under used as a result of the foot and mouth disease outbreak. [104045]

Further to the statement in the response to the reports of the Foot and Mouth Disease Inquiries by the Government and the Welsh Assembly Government, the Department has undertaken a review of all seven mass burial sites. It has concluded that it needs to retain ownership or occupation, and responsibility for management and monitoring, of the five operational sites, that is, those where carcases remain buried, for the next 10–15 years, or until the possibility of any potential risk to the environment or public health is sufficiently reduced.Non-operational areas with no strategic value, will be disposed of achieving best value for money, or, in the case of the Eppynt ranges, returned to the Ministry of Defence.As part of the planning and control process, to agree proposals for the restoration and long-term management of these sites, the Department is involved in consultation and continuing discussion with relevant local authorities, and community groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the confirmed causes of foot and mouth disease, by percentage of cases. [104143]

Final checking of the sources of infection and method of spread is not yet complete. Current readily available information on the most likely method of spread for confirmed cases of FMD in 2001 is as follows:

Percentage
Airborne	0.9
Milk tanker	0.6
Infected animals	4.5
Other fomite	0.6
Person	3.6
Other vehicle	1.4
Swill (suspected)	¹0.1
Local²	78.4
Under investigation	9.8
¹ Less than one case
² Local is defined as spread between infected premises with 3 km of each other where more than one possible conveyor of infection has been identified including people, vehicles and machines

Note:

Does not add up to 100.00 per cent. due to roundings

Fuel Poverty

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) which of her Department's public service agreements relate to fuel poverty reduction; and what progress has been made in achieving them; [104166](2) what training is undertaken by individuals providing advice to households under the Warm Front scheme; and what formal qualification verifies that the adviser is a skilled and competent person; [104170](3) in how many cases private sector landlords have been obliged to repay costs of heating and insulation installations as a result of properties that have benefited from Warm Front no longer being occupied by eligible tenants; [104168](4) what funding

(a) was available for the Warm Front scheme in 2001–02 and 2002–03 and (b) will be available in 2003–04; how such funding relates to the annual budgets set out in the statement of 30 November 2000, Official Report column 765; and if she will make a statement; [104164]

(5) what resources are expected to be expended on domestic energy efficiency improvements over the next three years through (a) the Warm Front Programme, (b) the Energy Efficiency Commitment, (c) capital budgets of local authorities and (d) registered social landlord energy efficiency programmes; [104172]

(6) what assessment has been made of the administration costs incurred by the two Warm Front scheme managers in terms of (a) cost effectiveness and (b) efficiency programmes; [104167]

(7) if she will estimate how many households would be taken out of fuel poverty if their properties were to be improved by the average SAP rating achieved by Warm Front and Warm Front plus assistance; [104163]

(8) how many households are eligible for (a) Warm Front grants and (b) Warm Front plus grants; and by how many these numbers would be increased if there were to be 100 per cent. take up of the qualifying benefits; [104171]

(9) what progress has been made in establishing a common definition of fuel poverty for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; [104169]

(10) what research has been carried out into the match between fuel poverty and eligibility for Warm Front assistance; and if she will make a statement. [104165]

The PSA agreement relating to fuel poverty reduction in England, is included under Defra's objective 5, which is to promote sustainable management and prudent use of natural resources domestically and internationally. The PSA target is ["to reduce fuel poverty among vulnerable households by improving the energy efficiency of 600,000 homes between 2001 and 2004".] Good progress has been made against that target with around 500,000 households having received assistance so far.All surveyors are trained to either City and Guilds 6,176 or National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 2 for energy efficiency awareness. Eaga's surveyors are trained to HNC/HND level for technical knowledge for buildings e.g. cavity wall insulation requirements, and customer service skills is provided to NVQ level 2. TXU's surveyors receive in-house training for customer service, first aid and health and safety.For the period June 2000 to October 2002, 28 private sector landlords were required to repay the costs measures installed under Warm Front.The annual budgets published 30 November 2000,

Official Report column 765 were the amounts allocated to tackle fuel poverty in England for the 2000–04 financial years, the bulk of which was to be spent on Warm Front. Expenditure on fuel poverty activity in 2001–02 was £202 million, of which £197 million was spent on Warm Front. The level of funding for 2002–03 for fuel poverty is £167 million. The level of funding for 2003–04 is still under discussion. However, the Government remain committed to meeting the PSA target of assisting 600,000 vulnerable homes by 2004 and the wider ranging requirements set out in the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy published November 2001, which, is underpinned, by the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000. Under the Energy Efficiency Commitment for 2002–05 (EEC), electricity and gas suppliers are required to meet targets for the promotion of improvements in domestic energy efficiency. We expect the costs of EEC for the next three years, which falls on the energy suppliers, to be around £465 million. Capital budgets of local authorities and registered social landlord energy efficiency programmes are the responsibility of the Deputy Prime Minister.

The two Warm Front Scheme Managers were appointed following UK Public Procurement Rules and Regulations on the basis of price tendered. The recommendation to appoint Eaga Partnership and TXU Warm Front Limited was unanimously approved as offering best value by the Tender Selection Panel. The fees paid to the Scheme Managers consist of a fixed monthly element and a variable amount paid for each household where work has been completed and invoiced. The level of expenditure on administration of the scheme is a matter of commercial confidentiality.

Assuming an average SAP increase of 19 points per property and based on the 1998 Energy Follow Up Survey data, it is estimated that the percentage of households in fuel poverty based on full income (including Housing Benefit or ISMI) and basic income (excluding Housing Benefit or ISMI) would fall to 9 per cent. and between 14–15 per cent. respectively. This compares with 16.4 per cent. and 22.3 per cent. respectively at the time of issue of the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy. However, it should be noted that while some properties may receive measures leading to a smaller SAP gain others may achieve a greater gain.

The number of households eligible for Warm Front cannot be obtained from the information collected on benefits by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Inland Revenue. Figures on eligibility and take up of benefits are collected on the basis of benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. Benefit units do not correspond directly to households as there may be more than one benefit unit per household, whether that is because an individual is on more than one benefit or more than one recipient of a benefit is occupying the same household.

The procedures used in estimating the take-up of a single benefit cannot be extended to combined benefits without making considerable assumptions/judgments. The figures produced would therefore be highly unreliable and due to the complexity involved would be achieved at highly disproportionate costs.

Estimates of take-up of individual income-related benefits (income Support, Minimum Income Guarantee, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance) are produced by the Department for Work and Pensions . A report containing the latest statistics, entitled "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 1999/2000", is held in the Library.

In the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy, published November 2001, the Government gave a commitment to working towards a consistent definition of fuel poverty across the UK. Whilst some progress has been made, there is not yet uniformity.

In Scotland, the definition is now broadly in line with that agreed for England. One difference that remains is that the satisfactory heating regime for elderly and infirm households is set at 23°C in the main living area compared to the English definition of 21°C. The Welsh Assembly is still considering the position with respect to the definitions of income. They will monitor the number of households in fuel poverty using the same definition as in England. Northern Ireland's definition of fuel poverty will be subject to consultation.

We are currently carrying out a review of Warm Front to look what it has delivered; the issues faced such as the link between fuel poverty and eligibility for assistance under Warm Front, solutions found, examples of best practice and future priorities. A report of that review will be produced during 2003.

Illegal Imports

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many copies of her Department's leaflet for travellers, 'Don't Bring Back More than You Bargained For', have been (a) published and (b) distributed; by what means the leaflets were distributed to travellers; and when the most recent distribution was. [103755]

545,000 copies of the 'Don't Bring Back More Than You Bargained For' leaflet have been printed.In total 272,533 have been distributed to date, via various channels including: independent travel agents, travel retailers, airlines. airports, GPs surgeries, dentists, NHS hospitals, post offices, health clinics/day hospitals, health education units, public libraries, school/college/university libraries, Citizens Advice Bureaux, chemists, veterinary surgeries, environmental health officers, law centres/solicitors and the general public.Copies of the leaflet continue to be available on request from Defra publications.Leaflets are not the only method we are using to get the message across, for example we are advertising on 7 million ticket wallets for long haul destinations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many notices under Regulation 24, for the seizure of products of animal origin that have been illegally introduced, were issued in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02, and (c) 2002–03. [103758]

Defra has been notified of the following seizures of products of animal origin under Regulation 24. Little or no data were available centrally prior to April 2001.

1 April 2001—31 March 2002: 2,078
1 April 2002—17 March 2003: 6,804

Office Of Water Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were employed in the Office of Water Services in each year since 1991–92; and if she will make a statement. [105130]

[holding answer 27 March 2003]: The figures relate to full-time equivalent members of staff employed in the Office of Water Services.

As at 31 March	Number
1992	129
1993	150
1994	178
1995	167
1996	190
1997	177
1998	180
1999	211
2000	198
2001	210
2002	217
2003	233

Pesticides

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 11 March 2003, Official Report column 1148W, on pesticides, for what reasons the use of metalaxyl and permethrin were rescinded by the EU; and for what reasons they remain approved in the UK. [1036451

[holding answer 20 March 2003]: Under Directive 91/414/EEC all pesticides which have been on the market since July 1993 will be reviewed to ensure they continue to meet modern safety standards. Decisions have already been taken to revoke the approval for a number of substances including metalaxyl and permethrin.In the case of metalaxyl the main approval holder withdrew its support for commercial reasons in favour of a newer pesticide, metalaxyl-m. As a result other notifiers wishing to support the pesticide through the EU Review no longer had access to all the necessary data. The Commission, therefore, took the decision to withdraw metalaxyl at a meeting in October 2002. Once the Commission Decision has been published in the

Official Journal Member States will have six months from the date of publication to withdraw approvals.

Permethrin was also not supported through the EU Review for commercial reasons. As a result approvals for permethrin were revoked in 2001 with the exception of forestry uses. In recognition of the fact that permethrin has important uses in forestry and there are currently no alternatives available the Commission has allowed this use only to continue until 31 December 2003 at the latest.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 11 March 2003, how many residues of the substances have been found in foodstuffs, by type, since the rescinding of their use; what proportion of residues were found in foodstuffs from (a) the UK and (b) abroad; and what actions were taken as a result. [103689]

[holding answer 20 March 2003]: Of the 22 substances listed in the reply of 11 March, of residues, only five of them have been detected since their approval was rescinded. The results are as follows:

Commodity	Number of samples with residues	Origin
Cyhalothrin
Sugar snap peas	2	Imported
Grapes	1	Imported
Celery	3	Imported
Fenvalerate
Grapes	2	Imported
Lindane
Cheese	1	Imported
Beef mince	1	UK
Beef sausage	1	UK
White chocolate	6	Imported
Propham
Processed potatoes	1	Imported
	1	UK

Commodity	Number of samples with residues	Origin
Quintozene
Herbs—parsley	2	Imported
Lettuce	5	UK

Of the 26 residues found, eight (31 per cent.) were of UK origin and 18 (69 per cent.) were imported.

No further action was taken as none of the residues found exceeded permitted maximum residue levels (MRLs) and risk assessments conducted showed that there were no concerns for human health.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 11 March 2003, Official Report columns 145–7W, on pesticides, for what reasons the substances were rescinded; and how many of the substances are produced in the UK. [103690]

[holding answer 20 March 2003]: Pesticides can have their approvals revoked for various reasons but in practice revocation mostly results because the approval holder takes a commercial decision to no longer market their products.There have also been cases where approvals have been revoked because of either safety or environmental concerns. Those revoked in the UK as a result of the EU review programme are: lindane, quintozene, fentin hydroxide and fentin acetate.Some active substances have also been banned under the EC "Prohibition Directive" due to their persistence in the environment. These include chlordane, 2-methoxymethylmercury acetate, mercuric oxide, mercurous chloride and phenylmercury acetate.In the UK Anti-Cholinesterase Review carbofuran, chlorfenvinphos, disulfoton, etrimfos, propoxur, carbaryl, fenitrothion, heptenophos, ethiofencarb, mephosfolan, methomyl, phosalone, pyrazophos, trichlorfon, thiometon, diazinon and quinalphos were not supported. In the EU review the active substances not supported to date include ferbam, propham, benomyl, fenvalerate, monolinuron, tecnazene and zineb.The approvals for products containing phorate were revoked in the UK because they did not comply with the EC Maximum Residue Regulations.The Department does not hold details of those substances listed in our previous answer, given on 11 March, that are produced in the UK, as this information is not required for regulatory purposes.

Rivers (Eutrophication)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to reduce the incidence of eutrophication in rivers. [104545]

On 27 June 2002, Official Report columns 1005–06W, the Secretary of State announced the identification of a further 25 river bodies in England as Sensitive Areas (Eutrophic) under the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations.

As a result discharges from relevant sewage treatment works to these areas will receive more stringent treatment by the end of 2008. This highest level of treatment involves reducing the amount of phosphorus in waste water discharges to limit eutrophication.

This announcement brought the total number of river and freshwater sensitive areas in England to 100 where further measures are being taken to protect and improve these waters.

Further control of industrial discharges to limit nutrient pollution that can contribute to eutrophication is applied by the Environment Agency through discharge consents.

Also, Defra is currently undertaking a review to identify the most cost effective action to reduce agricultural diffuse pollution of water and help to tackle eutrophication and other environmental problems in rivers and other waters.

State Veterinary Service

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to expand the State Veterinary Service. [104036]

There are currently no plans to expand the State Veterinary Service (SVS). The SVS running costs budget in 2003–04 is comparable with that for the year ending 31 March 2003.

Warm Front Grants

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will amend the rules governing eligibility for Warm Front grants to include the pensioner credit. [105255]

We intend to prepare changes to the Scheme Regulations to take account of the introduction of the Pension Credit in October 2003.

Water Industry

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure customers are not subject to blanket charges set by water companies to dispose of surface water. [104090]

Every water company must set out their charges in a charges scheme, approved by the Director General of Water Services (Ofwat) before they may be implemented. Charges for the disposal of surface water have, in the past, been shared by all sewerage customers. The then Secretary of State issued guidance to Ofwat in 2000 under the Water Industry Act 1999, supporting the provision of rebates for customers whose surface water does not flow into public sewers. Ofwat report that all companies now offer rebates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place to ensure that consumers are provided with an explanation and breakdown of their waste water charges. [104091]

The Director General of Water Services (Ofwat) as the independent regulator, regulates companies' charges. The then Secretary of State gave guidance to Ofwat under the Water Industry Act 1999, that bills should explain to customers each element of the charge and set out the separate costs for each of these. Ofwat has undertaken monitoring exercises to ensure that all companies do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to ensure Anglian Water repays its customers who overpaid the company when a water rate reduction was in place. [104092]

Neither Ofwat nor the Government can require water companies to offer retrospective rebates of surface water drainage charges for past years, provided such charges were made in accordance with legal requirements in force at the time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she next plans to meet representatives from Anglian Water to discuss (a) fair charging and (b) consumer concerns about a water rate reduction. [104105]

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State meets water company representatives from time to time. At present, she has no plans to meet representatives from Anglian Water. Water companies charges are regulated by the Office of Water Services (Ofwat), which must, in turn, have regard to Government guidance. The guidance expects water charges to be fair and affordable, transparent and customer focused.

International Development

Civil Service Travel

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what grades in the civil service in her Department are allowed to travel by air (a) first class and (b) business class at public expense when on official duties. [104974]

Within the constraint that all staff are required to use the most efficient and economic means of travel commensurate with meeting operational needs, civil servants working in the Department for International Development (DFID) are, when travelling on official duty, entitled to the class of air travel set out in the following table.

Structure
	Members of the SASC¹group		Other grades
	Up to 2½ hours	Over 2½ hours	Up to 2½ hours²	Over 2½ hours
Business/Economy	Business	Business	Economy	Business
First/Business/Economy	Business	Business	Economy	Business
First/Economy	Economy	First	Economy	Economy
¹ Senior Appointments Selection Committee.
² Staff who are not members of the SASC Group can fly Business Class between Glasgow and London This makes use of a special airline deal under which a Business Class fare is obtainable more cheaply than the standard Economy fare.

Departmental Website

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total cost of her Department's website was in the last 12 months; and how many hits it received in the same period. [104191]

The cost of the DFID website (www.dfid.gov.uk) for the period March 2002 to February 2003 was £74,999, excluding staffing and other centralised costs. The total number of hits received for the same period was 26,070,460.

Humanitarian Aid (Ministry Of Defence)

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether funding allocated for her Department has been spent on humanitarian aid by the Ministry of Defence. [105114]

DFID funds have not been provided to the Ministry of Defence.

Iraq

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department will liaise with the Iraqi Reconstruction Group of professional Iraqis in this country in advancing her work in the post-conflict reconstruction of Iraq. [105054]

It is too soon to begin detailed consultations on the reconstruction of Iraq. Our first priority is to secure a UN mandate which will be required to provide legal authority for the reconstruction effort, and to make possible the engagement of the International Financial Institutions and the wider international community. The Government are holding ongoing discussions with key partners to ensure such a mandate is put in place.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which nations have contributed to the UN Humanitarian Appeal for Iraq. [105076]

The UK, the US, Japan, Australia, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Germany, Greece, Norway, Finland and Denmark have so far allocated funds to the UN appeal for Iraq.The appeal up to now has been to fund preparation for the crisis. We expect an appeal for significant sums for implementation to be issued shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the Governments of (a) Syria, (b) Kuwait and (c) Jordan regarding their provision for refugees from war in Iraq; and if she will make a statement. [105102]

The UK Government have been in close contact with Governments in the region on a range of issues. The office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been in contact with countries in the region to remind them of their obligations, with regard to refugees, under the Geneva conventions.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with which humanitarian agencies her Department has discussed the humanitarian consequences of a possible war in Iraq; and if she will make a statement. [105103]

My Department has been having discussions on Iraq humanitarian issues with UN agencies, the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement and NGOs for several months. We are continuing to liase closely.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which UN agency is responsible for internally displaced people within Iraq. [105107]

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is responsible for Internally Displaced People (IDP) in the centre and south of Iraq while the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is responsible for IDPs in the north of Iraq.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the levels of food supplies required to replace the Oil for Food programme. [105108]

The immediate priority post-conflict must be to get the Oil-For-Food (OFF) programme back up and running, not to replace it. Preparations are in hand for a new Security Council Resolution to allow the UN Secretary General to take charge of the programme. We expect a draft resolution to be tabled very soon.The UK has meanwhile been in discussion with the UN humanitarian agencies, Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement and international NGOs to determine what resources they require to procure food to cover any temporary gap in the OFF programme. The UN is currently planning on a medium case scenario under which up to 10 million people may require food assistance during and immediately after conflict. We have committed £50 million to support the preparations of these partners (covering food and other relief). This includes £8 million for the World Food Programme. We have set aside a further £160 million for the immediate humanitarian response and are considering further assistance in line with emerging humanitarian needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the amount of clean water and shelter stockpiled for Iraqi refugees. [105109]

The situation is changing daily; the latest information can be found in DF1D's Iraq updates which are available in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what actions her Department is taking to facilitate increased co-operation between UK aid agencies and the US for delivering humanitarian relief to Iraq. [105110]

Officials from DFID are co-operating with a number of partners over humanitarian relief to Iraq: UN agencies; NGOs; the Red Cross/ Red Crescent movement; and donors, including the US. We are encouraging co-operation between the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Kuwait-based Humanitarian Operations Centre to facilitate information sharing. We have seconded two people to UNOCHA and have committed 150,000 of funds to them.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if she will make a statement on the co-operation between allied forces in Iraq and humanitarian aid agencies; [105112](2) if she will make a statement on the operation of safe havens and humanitarian aid corridors within Iraq. [105111]

The UN office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Coalition's Humanitarian Operations Centre in Kuwait are providing advice to humanitarian aid agencies in the region. Allied forces are currently discharging their humanitarian obligations in accordance with Geneva/ Hague conventions. Once a permissive environment has been established, responsibility will pass to the relevant humanitarian agencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with (a) the United States and (b) the United Nations on the future of the Kurdish people within a post-conflict Iraq. [105115]

We have on-going discussions with the US and the UN about the plight of all groups in Iraq, including the Kurds. 'We are committed to maintaining the territorial integrity of Iraq. It will be important to ensure a stable and representative Government are established in a post-conflict Iraq which respect and protect the people of Iraq.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many refugee camps have been established within Iraq. [105116]

The authorities in northern Iraq have prepared a number of camps for internally displaced people in the North. Sites have provisionally been selected in other parts of the country. Refugee camps are being prepared in surrounding countries. The situation is changing daily; the latest information can be found in DFID's Iraq updated which are available in the House of Commons Library.

Malawi

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her policy is on aid for Malawi. [105534]

My Department will publish the Malawi Country Assistance P1 an for 2003–04 to 2005–06 within the next few weeks. A copy will be placed in the House of Commons Library.Our aim is to support Government of Malawi Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) goals, to deliver sustainable services to the poor and to help mitigate risks that threaten to derail these processes. A significant part of UK assistance will be aimed at improving Government systems. DFID will concentrate on health, education, rural livelihoods and Safety Security and Access to Justice. Measures to help ensure food security and to combat HIV/AIDS will form a major part of the programme.

Un Agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department estimates to be the annual recurrent costs of maintaining a high level of preparedness for UN agencies. [104362]

The UN agencies do not provide detailed figures on the cost of their contingency planning and preparedness. The majority of DIFID's regular support to UN agencies is provided as packages of assistance focused on capacity building and institutional strengthening, under the terms of its Institutional Strategy Papers.In the financial year 2002–03, DFID provided approximately £27.2 million of support to UN agencies to strengthen their ongoing preparedness for emergent crises, Contributions per agency were as follows:

	£ million
UNHCR	14
UNICEF	3.3
UNDP	4.3
OCHA	4.5
WFP	1.1

By strengthening these agencies organisationally, DFID is also helping them to provide a more rapid and effective response both at headquarters and in the field. In particular, DFID's partnerships with OCHA, UNDP, UNICEF and WFP all include elements which aim to have a clear impact on their levels of preparedness. Our contribution to OCHA is designed to develop its capacity to develop and co-ordinate humanitarian response and capacity, £2 million of our contribution to UNDP is used to develop the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery's capacity to support UNDP Country Offices in the event of an emerging crisis and a further £2 million has been provided to UNICEF for strengthening of emergency response and preparedness. We have also provided additional support to specific agencies in preparation for the Iraq crisis.

World Food Programme

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the amount of food aid required by the World Food Programme; and how much has been distributed to the Occupied Territories. [105147]

The World Food Programme's (WFP) current Emergency Operations Programme covers the basic food needs of 500,000 of the most vulnerable Palestinians until June 2003. It estimates a requirement of food to the value of $18 million. The appeal is fully funded. WFP report that in February over 2,200 metric tonnes of WFP food aid was distributed. Current in-country stock is over 2,000 metric tonnes.

Deputy Prime Minister

Council Tax (East Riding)

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of unpaid council tax in the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997. [105280]

Central Government do not currently collect information on the level of council tax arrears owed to English local authorities. Figures are, however, collected by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, which it publishes annually in its Revenue Collection Statistics series. Those that are available for the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997 are tabled as follows.

East Riding of Yorkshire
£000
Financial year	In-year council tax arrears as at 31 March	Previous years' council tax arrears as at 31 March	Total council tax arrears as at 31 March
1996–97	¹—	¹—	¹—
1997–98	4,210	2,080	6,290
1998–99	2,718	2,461	5,179
1999–2000	2,766	2,896	5,662
2000–01	3,361	1,741	4,832
¹Estimates for 1996–97 are not available

Following discussions with local government, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will, however, be collecting information from English billing authorities on the level of council tax arrears on the QRC4 return for each financial year from 2002–03.

Dorneywood

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many weekdays in 2002 Dorneywood was used for Government business. [97372]

(1)

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many times he has been in residence at Dorneywood since June 2001; and on what dates; [97476](2) what the cost to public funds of entertainment at Dorneywood was in each of the last 10 years. [97398](3) if he will list the

(a) dates, (b) nature and (c) cost of official engagements held by (i) him and (ii) other departments of government at Dorneywood since June 2001. [97477]

My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's use of Dorneywood is consistent with the terms of the Dorneywood Trust. The information on costs requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has entertained only at public expense at Dorneywood once when the Indian Environment Minister visited for tea in 2001. All other entertainment has been paid for out of my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's personal funds.

Local Authority Powers (Drug Dealers)

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on powers available to local authorities to remove tenants convicted of drug dealing. [104176]

The Housing Act 1996 provides a ground for possession where the tenant or their associate has been convicted of using the dwelling for immoral or illegal purposes (such as drug dealing from the premises) or has committed an arrestable offence in the locality of the tenancy.Furthermore, the Home Office published an Anti-Social Behaviour White Paper on 12 March which proposes to give police the power to close down premises—rented, owner occupied or otherwise—where Class A drugs are being sold or used and where this has resulted in serious nuisance to the local residents and wider community.

Region	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
East Midlands	3,924	5,099	5,363	4,511	3,878	5,185
Eastern	3,911	4,393	4,461	4,129	3,986	4,433
London	13,067	18,596	21,071	19,800	21,834	19,127
Merseyside	1,087	1,269	1,793	1,719	3,789	1,542
North East	1,970	2,285	3,003	2,353	2,353	2,660
North West	5,883	5,506	6,804	6,318	5,456	5,797
South East	6,076	6,635	6,996	5,519	6,085	5,948
South West	2,939	3,245	3,655	2,549	2,041	3,441
Wales	2,036	2,593	3,075	3,090	3,079	3,439
West Midlands	4,639	5,255	6,755	6,145	7,556	6,023
Yorkshire and Humber	4,333	4,825	5,747	5,448	5,563	5,103
England and Wales	49,865	59,701	68,723	61,581	65,620	62,698

Ministerial Meetings

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list for each official meeting he has held at his official residences since June 2001, (a) who were the attendees, (b) what subjects were discussed and (c) what were the dates; and if he will place the visitor books from his official residences in the Library. [94307]

My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister holds meetings at his official residences when necessary. Information relating to the detail of these meetings is not disclosed under exemption 2 and 7(b) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information.

Repossessions

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many repossessions there have been in each region in each year since 1997. [104179]

I have been asked to reply.Figures for the number of possession proceedings executed since 1997 are provided in the table.

Volume 402: debated on Friday 28 March 2003

Written Answers To Questions

Defence

Gibraltar

Iraq

Ulster Defence Regiment

Transport

Accidents (Daylight Saving)

Air Travel

Departmental Catering

Ertms

European Transport White Paper

London Underground

Network Rail (Development Rights)

Rail Funding

Rail Travel

Roads (Noise Reduction)

Silverlink Services

Special Advisers

Tpws System

Vehicle Excise Duty

Vehicle Fleet

Trade And Industry

Employers Liability Insurance

Employment Law (Over-65S)

European State Aid Rules

Manufacturing (East Yorkshire)

Timber

Regional Development Agencies

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Burundi

Entry Clearance

Henry Olonga

Treasury

Banking

Birmingham Mint

Tax Credits

Treasury Entertainment Fund

Culture, Media And Sport

Correspondence

Lottery

Education And Skills

Departmental Events

Education Formula Spending Share

Education Standards (East Riding)

Examination Markers

Latin

Private Finance Initiative

Pupil Spending

Teacher Vacancies

Teachers' Pay

Work And Pensions

Citizens Advice Bureaux

Benefit Fraud

British Sign Language

Child Support

Departmental Catering Services

Disabled Job Seekers (Computer Access)

Disablement Awards

Domestic Violence

File Stores

Health And Safety (Work Place)

Housing Benefit

Pension Credit

Pensions

Rent Levels

Sure Start Maternity Grants

Two Ticks Symbol (Buckingham)

Violence At Work

Health

Recruitment

Bed Blocking (North Staffordshire)

Bed Numbers (Hull And East Yorkshire)

Care Beds

Care Homes (De-Registration)

Cbrn Attack

Children In Prison

Correspondence

Delayed Discharges