To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners how many special licences were granted in each year since 1997. (133131)

These figures are not held by the central Church institutions but I understand from the Office for National Statistics that the figures for 1997 to 2004 (the latest year for which figures are available) are as follows:

To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what assessment he has made of the impact on church income from the gift aid scheme of a reduction in the basic rate of tax following the Budget statement. (132575)

We estimate that the reduction in the basic rate of tax will reduce the income of parishes up and down the country by about £7.7 million.

We do, however, welcome the fact that the Chancellor will consult the charitable sector about measures to increase the take-up of Gift Aid. We also welcome his undertaking to consider in the run-up to the Spending Review what other financial help could be given to churches.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to revise planning guidance, regulations or circulars on tall buildings in London. (129193)

There is no Government planning guidance, regulations or circulars specifically on tall buildings in London, though the Mayor of London sets out policies on tall buildings in his London Plan. In addition, the Government are currently consulting on draft directions for 11 protected vistas being proposed by the Mayor in his London Views Management Framework.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people living (a) in Colchester local authority area and (b) outside the Colchester local authority area are on the Colchester housing transfer list; and what the figures were in 1997. (133373)

Information regarding housing transfers is not held centrally. However, local authorities in England report the numbers of households (not people) on their housing waiting list as at 1 April in their annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix returns. I refer the hon. Member to my reply given today UIN 133374.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people living (a) in Colchester local authority area and (b) outside the Colchester local authority area are on the Colchester housing waiting list; and what the figures were in 1997. (133374)

Local authorities in England report the numbers of households (not people) on their housing waiting list as at 1 April in their annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix returns. However, the information is not broken down by whether the household is living within or outside the local authority district.

The number of households on Colchester borough council’s housing waiting list, as at 1 April each year, is published on the Communities and Local Government website in Table 600. The link for this table is given as follows:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/embedded_object.asp?id::=l163853

Not everyone on the waiting list is necessarily in urgent housing need. The waiting list includes those who consider social housing as their preferred or one of a number of housing options, and those who decide to get on to the waiting list ladder before they need or want to move house—particularly where the priority system is heavily based on waiting time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what percentage of those voting in each large scale voluntary transfer ballot voted (a) for and (b) against transfer in each of the last three years. (131052)

The information requested is as follows.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities make an additional charge on council house rents to pay for street wardens. (127659)

We do not collect information centrally on local authority funding for particular warden schemes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes she expects to be upgraded in Westminster under the Decent Homes Initiative over the life of the programme; and how much she expects the Government to have spent on the programme over its lifetime. (126445)

In the City of Westminster there are 12,407 homes owned by the local authority and managed by City West Homes the Council’s arm’s length management organisation. The Government have allocated £74 million in supported capital expenditure to City West Homes between 2002 and 2006 for its decent homes programme.

Local authorities started reporting on decent homes in 2002. Between 2002 and 2006 the number of non-decent council homes in Westminster was reduced by 9,665. At 1 April 2006 there were still 1,182 non-decent council homes. Data by local authority for registered social landlords (RSLs) have only been collected since 2005. Between 2005 and 2006 the number of non-decent RSL homes was reduced by 167. At 1 April 2006 there were still 1,706 non-decent RSL homes.

The decent homes programme also covers non decent homes in the private sector occupied by vulnerable households but we do not hold these data at the local authority level.

The cost per house of meeting the decent homes standard varies across the country and the Department does not collect those figures separately. Some local authorities are refurbishing the houses in their area significantly above the decent homes standard. What the improved standard is and how it will be achieved will be determined by local circumstances and the level of resources that can be brought to the programme locally. The Government expect over £31 billion to be spent on refurbishing council homes by 2010, this includes local authorities’ own investment and raising houses above the decent homes standard.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department and its predecessor spent on (a) consultants and (b) advertising in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06. (130102)

In respect of the spend on consultants I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by Baroness Andrews to Lord Smith of Clifton on 18 May 2006, Official Report, column WA61.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the estimated total budget is of the Home Condition Report database. (129252)

The Home Condition Report Register is provided under a concession agreement so there is no cost to Communities and Local Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many individuals have completed a sale to part-own or own their social home under the Social Homebuy scheme; (129227)

33 Social Homebuy sales were completed up to the end of February 2007 and there are 575 applications in the pipeline. The sales are mainly from the four first housing association pilots.

41 housing associations and two local authorities have now begun offering the scheme to their tenants as part of the Social Homebuy pilot. We expect a further 37 housing associations and six more local authorities to do so by April 2007.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the percentage of private homes in (a) England and (b) each region which have carbon monoxide levels higher than those deemed safe by the World Health Organisation. (131017)

While data are collected for carbon monoxide emissions and carbon monoxide related fatalities, no statistics are routinely collected about carbon monoxide levels in homes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what projections the Government have made of the future net financial position of housing revenue authorities over the next five years on the basis of current policy. (128319)

[holding answer 19 March 2007]: This Department does not make forecasts of future net financial positions on a local authority basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the cost of providing new houses for key workers by (a) purchase assistance, (b) purchase from housing associations and (c) construction of (i) social housing and (ii) council housing. (119833)

The Government offer specific housing assistance to key workers in areas experiencing problems of recruitment and retention difficulties under the key worker living (KWL) scheme. The scheme operates in London, the south east and east of England. Key worker living funding is divided between Open Market HomeBuy (equity loans to purchase properties on the open market) and new build products such as New Build HomeBuy (shared ownership of newly built homes) and intermediate rent (where the rent is set at a level between that charged by social and private landlords).

On 2 October 2006 Open Market HomeBuy was re-launched in partnership with four mortgage lenders. Half of the equity loan is provided by Government and half by the mortgage lender. This reduces the level of public sector subsidy required making it possible to help more people into different forms of shared ownership. The average grant per unit for key worker Open Market HomeBuy completions in the current financial year prior to the re-launch of the product was £39,687. Currently the average grant rate per unit for key workers that have purchased under the new Expanded Open Market HomeBuy product is £26,762.

The estimated average grant per unit for New Build HomeBuy properties in the three key worker living regions under the national affordable housing programme for 2006-2008 is £34,623.

We do not collect data on key worker access to social rented properties. The average cost of providing a social rented unit nationally was £133,941 of which £62,000 was the average public subsidy in the form of grant. Statistics are not collected on the construction costs specifically of new council housing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to bring forward proposals to establish a common definition of community land trust in statute law. (127160)

The Department is currently examining what further action may be required to facilitate development of the community land trust model.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department has made of the effect of Planning Policy Statement 3 on the number of dwellings that will be built on greenfield sites in the south-east. (131622)

No specific assessment has been made of the effect of Planning Policy Statement 3: “Housing” on the numbers of dwellings likely to be built on greenfield sites in the south-east. This will depend on the decisions of local planning authorities in identifying suitable locations for housing to meet the needs of households in their areas, as well as their wider planning policies, especially in relation to the density of housing development.

PPS3 gives local planning authorities the tools and flexibilities they need to ensure that priority is given to the development of brownfield sites, including by taking stronger action to bring more brownfield land back into use, by setting targets and trajectories for brownfield development which reflect local circumstances, and by managing the release of land over time to deliver against those targets and trajectories.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new homes in the south-east were built on windfall sites in each year between 2001 and 2006. (131624)

This information is not held by the department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for the collation of data for the next English Housing Survey. (129273)

The Department currently conducts two continuous housing surveys: the Survey of English Housing and the English House Condition Survey. However, these are to be merged into a single survey, the English Housing Survey, which will start in April 2008 with fieldwork conducted throughout the year.

The proposed timetable for the publication of annual reports from the existing surveys is:

English House Condition Survey annual reports are published every May. The report for 2005 will be published in May 2007.

The timetable for publishing outputs from the new English Housing Survey has not been finalised. Some preliminary reports based on the first survey year (2008-09) may be published towards the end of 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether her Department is (a) gathering and (b) compiling data on individual homes for its housing surveys. (129275)

The Department conducts two continuous housing surveys, the Survey of English Housing and the English House Condition Survey. Both are sample surveys that involve interviewing households at randomly selected addresses in England. Property inspections are also conducted as part of the English House Condition Survey.

In accordance with the National Statistics Code of Practice, no information is published that would enable individuals or their addresses to be identified. Moreover, the identities of participating households are anonymous; and their addresses are known only to the survey teams.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects to make available to local authorities that part of this year’s local authority Business Growth Initiative awards which has been withheld; and what assessment she has made of the impact on local authority budgets of the withholding of those awards. (132747)

As we have previously announced, in the three years to 2007-08 local authorities will receive up to £l billion through the Local Authority Business Growth Initiative. We have abolished the ceiling but due to judicial reviews brought by Corby and Slough borough councils, this year payments have been scaled back to 70 per cent. of their value to protect the important incentive this scheme creates for authorities both in this year and next year. Authorities received £316 million this year which is more than two and a half times the £126 million of grant paid last year and 50 more authorities received LABGI grant this year than last.

There is therefore a detrimental effect on local authorities due to the action of Slough and Corby councils. I have made no assessment of this impact.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) whether, under Planning Policy Statement 3, open land associated with an airfield and used for recreational aviation will be potentially subject to development; and if she will make a statement; (131225)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Ashford (Damian Green) on 19 February 2007, Official Report, column 500W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 12 March 2007, Official Report, columns 152-3W, on public footpaths, whether the requirements placed on local planning authorities in respect of changes to rights of way also apply in respect of the proposed creation of new public footpaths, cycleways and bridle paths. (128111)

The proposed creation of new public footpaths and bridleways is covered by the Public Paths Orders Regulations 1993, as set out in the answer given to the hon. Member for Colchester on 12 March 2007, Official Report, column 152-3W.

There are three ways of creating new cycle tracks:

(a) New cycle tracks can be created under powers in section 24(2) of the Highways Act 1980. Planning permission is usually required for this.

(b) Cycle tracks can be created by converting an existing footpath, or part of a footpath, by an order made under the Cycle Tracks Act 1984, to which the Cycle Tracks Regulations 1984 apply. These require consultation with one or more organisations representing persons using the footpath, any local authority, parish council or community council whose area the footpath is situated, statutory undertakers and the local police.

(c) Cycle tracks can also be created by converting part of the footway (the pavement adjacent to a road) by an order under the Highways Act 1980. There are no statutory procedures for footway conversions, but proposals are advertised by site notices and notices in local newspapers, following the appropriate council resolution.

Advice on the conversion of footpaths and footways is contained in Local Transport Note 2/86 “Shared Use by Cyclists and Pedestrians” and advice on the establishment of new cycle tracks is to be found in Local Transport Note 1/89 “Making Way for Cyclists”, which also provides advice on footway conversion notices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many regional assemblies are reviewing their social, economic and environmental partners membership; and at what cost. (131207)

Regional assemblies as voluntary bodies decide their own composition so long as a minimum of 30 per cent. of their members represent social, economic and environmental partners as set down in their letters of designation. Regional assemblies will review their membership following local government elections each year. The south west and east of England regional assemblies are currently undertaking a review of their regional stakeholder members. This is being undertaken in the ordinary course of business at no additional cost.

The Yorkshire and Humber assembly has recently commissioned a study into the role of social, economic and environmental partners, with the aim of ensuring that all partners are supported in helping deliver the broad objectives agreed by the region. The total cost of the work is £7,900.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which social, economic and environmental partners receive (a) subscription and (b) grant money from the East of England Regional Assembly; and at what total cost. (132245)

The East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) does not pay subscriptions to partnerships, nor does it provide grants for which organisations can apply. However, as part of its purpose to promote the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the region, it does contribute its funds towards a range of initiatives undertaken by regional partners.

In 2006-07 EERA allocated approximately £150,000 towards the work of regional organisations which carry out social, economic or environmental initiatives, £75,000 of which was allocated to the East of England Sustainable Development Round Table and its associated Climate Change Partnership. Similar amounts are proposed for 2007-08. Further details of projects or partners which have received support from EERA are contained in its Annual Business Plans available at the EERA website.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for how many Rentcharge payers the Government Office for the North West has arranged to receive Rentcharge redemption in each of the last five years. (127904)

In the period 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2006, the National Rentcharge Unit received 1,786 applications for redemption. Of these, 214 are still under consideration, 667 were redeemed and 905 were not redeemed.

A regional breakdown is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers housing associations and trusts have to impose a two-year moratorium on the selling of houses under right-to-buy legislation. (130610)

Social landlords have no general power to suspend the right-to-buy. However, the availability of the right-to-buy may be affected either by demolition plans or by the tenant’s own behaviour.

Where there are plans to demolish the property, service on the tenant of an initial demolition notice suspends the right-to-buy by preventing the tenant from forcing the landlord to complete the sale. Once a final demolition notice has been served, the right-to-buy no longer arises. An initial demolition notice can last up to five years. The final demolition notice must specify, demolition within 24 months (but may be extended by direction of the Secretary of State).

A landlord may also seek an order from the court suspending the right-to-buy for a specified period on the grounds of antisocial behaviour by the tenant. A tenant may not compel a landlord to complete a right-to-buy sale if an application for a demotion order, or for a suspension order or possession order on the grounds of antisocial behaviour is pending against him or her. In addition, where a tenant is in arrears of rent the landlord cannot be forced to complete the sale so long as payment of the arrears remains outstanding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 22 February 2007, Official Report, column 871W, on the Olympic games, what estimate has been made of how the £1.5 billion benefit to the London economy from the games will be apportioned between the London boroughs. (132500)

The likely economic benefit to individual London boroughs of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games is not yet known. DCMS and our Olympic partners are continuing to analyse and evaluate the many economic, social, cultural and sporting benefits for London, and all sections of the UK, from hosting the games.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that south west London boroughs share in the (a) economic, (b) social and (c) sporting benefits arising from the 2012 Olympic Games. (132580)

The Olympic Board has agreed that the Mayor will be responsible for delivering the games' social, economic and environmental benefits for London, as well as improving sports participation at community and grass roots level for all Londoners. As a result, the Greater London Authority (GLA), on behalf of the Mayor, has co-ordinated the preparation of a detailed delivery plan for each of the Olympic sub-objectives relating to London, looking at how potential benefits can be realised for all boroughs, including those located in the south west

These plans include the summer of sport competitions, the employment and skills taskforce and the pre-volunteer programme, for which Croydon is a pilot borough.

In addition, Wimbledon will host the Olympic tennis tournament in 2012.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people were charged for television licence evasion in Lancashire in each of the past five years. (127097)

I have been asked to reply.

Local information on charging is not centrally held.

Data on the number of persons proceeded against at magistrates court and found guilty at all courts for offences relating to television licence evasion in the Lancashire police force area in the years 2001 to 2005 can be found in the following table.

Court proceedings data for 2006 will be available in the autumn of 2007.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library (a) the Defence Analytical Services Agency statistical information and (b) feedback from (i) users and (ii) claimants on the analysis of the first year of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. (132291)

I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement of 19 March 2007, Official Report, column 31WS. A copy of the report is available in the Library of the House. The report is also available on the Service Pensions and Veterans Agency (SPYA) website:

http://www.veterans-uk.info/pdfs/afcs/afcs_evalreport0506.pdf

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether guidelines exist on how far in advance of deployment a battalion’s flight dates should be confirmed; and if he will make a statement. (131982)

Formal guidelines are laid down on how far in advance flight dates should be confirmed to battalions. Defence Instructions and Notices number 03-020 states that detailed itineraries and arrangements for all tasks are to be issued, generally two weeks before the task date. In practice, however, for operations and exercises, battalions are normally given at least 10 to 30 days notice of departure.

In all situations the guiding principle is to give soldiers as much notice as possible of likely departure dates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the Directorate of Army Personnel Strategy following its examination of factors which lead to drug use among soldiers referred to in the answer of 17 May 2006, on armed forces (drug offences), Official Report, columns 952-3W. (132212)

The Directorate of Army Personnel Strategy's examination of factors which lead to drug use among soldiers is not yet complete. I will consider placing a copy of the report in the House Library when it becomes available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what munitions testing has been undertaken of the ERBS M85 cluster bomb; and what the failure rate is of the self-destruct mechanism. (131014)

[holding answer 18 April 2007]: There have been a number of trials of the 155 mm L20A1 Extended Range Bomblet Shell, which contains M85 bomblets. When the totality of test and acceptance firings is analysed over the life of the munition, the average bomblet failure rate is approximately 2 per cent. As part of its ongoing quality and performance regime the MOD continues to actively monitor the performance of this system and explore ways of reducing the failure rate still further in partnership with the supplier.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel were redeployed to (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan within (i) one month, (ii) two months, (iii) three months, (iv) four months, (v) five months, (vi) six months, (vii) one year and (viii) two years of completing their last deployment in each of the last three years. (128237)

Deployment figures are currently provided at aggregate levels based on manual returns. They are not available in central individual level databases. As such these data could not be collated without incurring disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason UK forces operate north of Baghdad; and if he will make a statement. (132619)

UK forces operate in and around Baghdad, including north of the city, in order to provide support to coalition operations, mentoring and training of Iraqi Security Forces and the provision of Force Protection to UK military and civilian personnel based in and around the city.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of militia infiltration into the Iraqi Police Service; what risk this poses to joint patrols; and if he will make a statement. (131980)

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 16 April 2007, Official Report, column 157W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether he has received representations on the safety of Nimrod aircraft from fleet flight crew since September 2006; (126588)

Representations has been defined as parliamentary questions and letters from third parties to Ministers.

Defence Ministers did not receive any official representations on the safety of the Nimrod fleet or the use of fuel lines on Nimrod aircraft from January 2006 to September 2006. Looking back beyond this date could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.

Since September 2006, whilst Defence Ministers have received official representations on the safety of Nimrod aircraft from members of the public, none of these referred to the use of fuel lines on the aircraft. I have no evidence to suggest that any of these representations were from serving flight crew.

In recent weeks the Department has received three requests under the Freedom of Information Act on the safety of Nimrod aircraft and on the use of fuel lines on the aircraft. There is no evidence to suggest that any of these requests are from serving flight crew.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many letters the Veterans Agency has written to personnel in March 2007 waiting for (a) war disablement pensions and (b) Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments; and if he will make a statement. (131721)

We do not hold specific data on the total number of letters sent to those claiming war disablement pensions and payments under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2007, Official Report, column 701W, on science: curriculum, (1) what consultation has taken place on the content of the national curriculum planning guidance; (130264)

As part of the consultation on the secondary curriculum review, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is seeking views on general draft supporting materials. The materials have been designed to be used on the website and can be found at:

http://www.qca.org.uk/secondarycurriculumreview/

An extract has been placed in the House Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he expects (a) the information from the National Equine Database to be available to members of the public and (b) members of the public to be able to retrieve (i) statistics on the number of racehorses slaughtered each year, (ii) the ages of racehorses at the time of slaughter and (iii) the reasons for the slaughter of racehorses. (131245)

The National Equine Database (NED) was developed to hold centrally the information confined in horse passports. This is to prevent theft and aid the early recovery of horses and, in terms of veterinary surveillance, help control equine disease outbreaks.

The NED system has been enhanced to hold pedigree, performance, evaluation and grading information on each horse born or resident in the UK with a passport. The enhanced system will be called NED Online and will be available for the public to use. Some of the information will be free and some will be available for a fee, although horse owner names and addresses are confidential to the Government. Currently, when a horse is slaughtered, basic equine identification information is collected including the passport issuing body (for racehorses this would be Weatherbys) and submitted to NED. However, not all horses with a Weatherbys passport race.

As NED Online develops, its facilities will continue to improve in line with users’ requirements. However, there are no plans as yet to enable members of the public to retrieve details of slaughtered racehorses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received of recent attacks by Muslim extremists against the judiciary in Bangladesh. (132566)

We are aware of reports that the prosecutor in the trial of leading militants has been shot. However, no individual has been charged and we are not aware of any militant organisation having claimed responsibility.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response she plans to make to the conclusions of the recent UN mission to the Central African Republic and Chad on the measures needed to bring peace and stability to eastern Chad. (132030)

[holding answer 18 April 2007]: We are very concerned about the humanitarian situation in eastern Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) and the spill over of violence from Darfur. We take every opportunity to call on the Governments of Chad and Sudan to implement their commitments to respect each other's borders and honour their obligations to protect their citizens.

On 27 February, Assistant Secretary-General Hedi Annabi briefed the UN Security Council, in closed consultations, on the Secretary-General's recommendations for deployment of a UN peacekeeping force in Chad and CAR following a second Technical Assessment Mission to the two countries.

The UK will continue to work with the UN and partners on the Security Council to create the necessary conditions for a UN mission to Chad and CAR, as called for under UN Security Council Resolution 1706. On 16 April my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary stated to the Security Council that agreement is needed for a UN peacekeeping operation in Chad.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has (a) made to the EU and (b) received on the negotiations on economic partnership agreements with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. (132066)

The Government are working closely with the European Commission who are negotiating economic partnership agreements on behalf of the EU, EU member states and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. They listen carefully to the views of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) while doing so to ensure that these agreements are truly development-focused and designed to deliver long-term development, economic growth and poverty reduction in ACP countries.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is leading the UK representation on these negotiations supported in its work by the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

Recent representations:

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development met with ACP Ministers and negotiators in November 2006.

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade met NGOs on 11 January. He and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, meet with them three to four times a year.

As part of the Trade Policy Consultative Forum my right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade meets quarterly with NGOs and the business community to discuss a variety of trade policy issues—Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) usually feature on the agenda; the next meeting will be in May.

DTI and DFID officials met with Richard Bernal, Caribbean negotiator, on 14 March.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development met with ACP and EU Ministers in Bonn on 1 March at the EU-ACP Joint Ministerial Trade Committee.

DTI officials met with Peter Thompson, Director-General Trade in charge of EPAs on 26 March.

UK officials have discussions with the Commission and other EU member states on a daily basis/at/around ACP and 133 meetings and in the margins.

Also, UK officials meet with officials from other member states on a quarterly basis.

DTI, DFID and FCO officials met with NGOs on 17 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will list the individuals who are not UK citizens who were awarded honours in the period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007, indicating in each case the (a) date of announcement, (b) honour in question and (c) reason for the award. (131058)

[holding answer 16 April 2007]: As the information requested is lengthy, I will arrange for it to be placed in the Library of the House and will arrange for a copy to be sent directly to the hon. Member.

As honorary awards to citizens of countries where Her Majesty the Queen is not Head of State are not formally announced, the date of the Queen's formal approval of such awards has been given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received on the recent police beatings of the chairman of the Maldivian Democratic Party and the political situation in the Maldives; and if she will make a statement. (132964)

Our high commission in Colombo, also accredited to Maldives, has been in regular contact with the Maldivian Government and with officials of Maldivian Democratic Party about the arrest and treatment of Mohammed Nasheed. Mr. Nasheed has now been released. We have made clear to the Government that any allegations against the police should be investigated fully and transparently. Law enforcement agencies should abide by the rule of law and any measures to maintain law and order should be proportionate.

The recent collapse of the inter-party talks in Maldives was a setback for the reform agenda. Our high commissioner in Colombo has urged the parties to resume formal talks as soon as possible and to work together constructively to accelerate the implementation of the Roadmap for Reform Agenda.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further measures she plans to support at the UN and within the EU in order to put pressure on Sudan to abide by its agreements and accept the hybrid AU-UN peacekeeping force. (132027)

[holding answer 18 April 2007]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary chaired a meeting of the UN Security Council on 16 April to take stock of recent international efforts on Darfur, and to make the case for further measures to pressure the Government of Sudan and rebel movements to abide by their agreements. During that meeting she welcomed the announcement by the Government of Sudan the same day accepting deployment of a heavy support package, and called on them to accept the rapid deployment of a full African Union-UN hybrid force, as well as an immediate ceasefire and a resumption of the political process. If they do not, we will be forced to press for tougher measures, including further targeted sanctions and an expansion of the arms embargo.

Following UK lobbying, the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council adopted strong conclusions in January and in March on the need for Sudan to abide by its international obligations. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister wrote to Chancellor Merkel on 21 March to reiterate this ahead of the 25 March European Council. We continue to press the EU to maintain this position.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to provide respite support for carers as referred to in paragraph 5.55 of the Our Health, Our Care, Our Say health White Paper. (131924)

We plan to issue guidance to local authorities in the summer of 2007 to help them design services based on principles that reflect best practice in the provision of planned emergency cover. We are making £25 million available to support implementation of the guidance from October 2007. The funds are additional to the £185 million carers’ grant which helps local authorities support carers through the provision of much needed breaks. The new money is intended to ensure that cover is available in the event of a crisis or an emergency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made of the number of people diagnosed with bowel cancer as a result of participating in the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. (131163)

[holding answer 16 April 2007]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Billericay (Mr. Baron) on 22 March, Official Report, column. 1128W. These are the latest available figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the demand for FOB testing kits outside the 60 to 69 age range for the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. (131164)

[holding answer 16 April 2007]: 3,383 men and women aged 70 and over had opted in to the NHS bowel cancer screening programme as at 23 March 2007.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions patients who met current acceptance criteria for restorative dentistry at Birmingham Dental Hospital have not been given a referral on the ground that there was not the capacity within the NHS waiting list target times for the patient to be seen. (131049)

[holding answer 16 April 2007]: The information requested is not centrally collected. However, the Department has made it clear that clinical priority must be the main determinant of when patients are treated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children received orthodontic treatment in each year between 2002 and 2006; and how many have received such treatment in 2006-07. (129017)

Information is provided for the years ending March 2002 to March 2006. Information for the year ending March 2007 is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents in Northamptonshire were registered with an NHS dentist (a) in April 2006 and (b) in the most recent month for which figures are available. (131572)

[holding answer 16 April 2007]: The information requested is not held in the format required.

Registration data no longer form part of the data available under the new national health service dental contract; the new measure is patients seen within the last 24 months and is available at primary care trust level. In response to part (a), data are available as at 31 March 2006. In response to part (b) the latest data available are as at 31 December 2006.

Both datasets can be found in annex 3 of the “NHS Dental Statistics for England quarter 3: 31 December 2006” report, which is available in the Library and is available at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental06q3

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents in (a) Kettering, (b) Wellingborough, (c) Corby, (d) Northampton South, (e) Northampton North and (f) Daventry constituency were registered with an NHS dentist (i) in each year since 1997 and (ii) in the latest month in the most recent year for which figures are available. (131575)

[holding answer 16 April 2007]: Constituency level registration data from 31 March 1997 to 31 March 2006 are contained in annex C of “NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report England: 31 March 2006” which is available in the Library and also at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dwfactivity.

Registration data no longer form part of the data available under the new national health service dental contract; the new measure is patients seen within the last 24 months and is available at primary care trust level. This latest data available are as at 31 December 2006. This information is contained in annex 3 of the “NHS Dental Statistics for England Quarter 3: 31 December 2006” report, which is available in the Library and also at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental06q3.

Constituency level data are no longer available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish the report of the Implementation Review Group on the first 12 months of the NHS dental reforms. (131331)

[holding answer 16 April 2007]: The Department plans to publish a report on the first 12 months of the reforms once we have full year data. The first year data are likely to be available in June. The report will take into account the main issues discussed by the Implementation Review Group so far.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost was of publishing the Partnership Agreement - An agreement between Department of Health, NHS Employers and NHS Trade Unions published on 28 February. (127836)

The total cost of publishing the “Partnership Agreement - An agreement between Department of Health, NHS Employers and NHS Trade Unions”, published on 28 February, was £1,464.00 plus VAT.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in her Department who participated in (a) involuntary and (b) voluntary staff exit schemes in each year since 1997-98 were paid between (i) £0 to £25,000, (ii) £25,001 to £50,000, (iii) £50,001 to £75,000, (iv) £75,001 to £100,000 and (v) over £100,000; and if she will make a statement. (131554)

For the period prior to the financial year 2005-06, data could be established only at disproportionate cost. A breakdown of sums paid in financial years 2005-06 and 2006-07, specific to the Department, is given in the following tables.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date she expects the new contract for staff and associate specialist doctors to be implemented. (133048)

NHS Employers and the British Medical Association have submitted proposals to the Government on a new contract for staff grade and associate specialist doctors. In line with the arrangements for all public sector pay proposals, those proposals are currently under consideration by the Public Sector Pay Committee of the Cabinet Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her predecessor’s statement of 28 September 2004 on the integrated drug treatment scheme for prisons, what funding has been spent in each year since the annual £40 million budget was announced; how many and what percentage of prisoners have received drug treatment via the programme; and whether the March 2008 target for allocating effective treatment services will be met.

Caroline Flint [pursuant to the reply, 22 March 2007, Official Report, c. 1131W]: Implementation of the integrated drug treatment system (IDTS) commenced in 2006.

The current year’s investment in IDTS totals £17 million. This comprises £12 million from the Department and £5 million from the Home Office. This will fund IDTS implementation in 45 prisons, allowing some 24,000 prisoners to receive treatment via the programme by March 2008. (127241)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many medical staff in the English NHS received all or part of their medical training in Scotland. (128340)

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Primary Care Trust on future provision of health services for families with under fives previously provided through Surestart funding. (133049)

This is a matter for the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Primary Care Trust (PCT) which has been working productively over the past year with the Cornwall county council’s children’s services to ensure that there has been no reduction in service delivery and that there is now a focus on the modernisation of service delivery.

NHS South West confirms that Sure Start funding has enhanced the partnership working at the frontline of service delivery in Cornwall, providing a joint agency contribution to delivering the five “Every Child Matters” outcomes. The PCT continues to work in partnership with the county council to address the multi-disciplinary needs of children who have used these services in the past and aims to deliver equitable and sustainable services across the whole of the county.

I understand that a review of children’s health services will be announced at the primary care trust board meeting on 30 April 2007 and the hon. Member may wish to engage with the PCT for further information on this matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many directors of public health were medically qualified in each year since 1997. (131327)

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many isolation units were closed in each of the last three years; in which hospitals; what the extent was of the consultation procedure prior to closure in each case; and if she will make a statement. (131102)

Information on the number and use of isolation units is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 14 March 2007, Official Report, columns 438-40W, on hospitals: waiting lists, what percentage of those waiting for (a) out-patient appointments waited longer than 11 weeks, (b) diagnostic tests waited longer than 13 weeks and (c) in-patient appointments waited longer than 20 weeks in the most recent period for which figures are available; and when her Department expects to receive data relating to March 2007. (131884)

At the end of February 2007, 1.8 per cent. of patients waiting for a first out-patient appointment had been waiting longer than 11 weeks; 5.5 per cent. of patients waiting for an in-patient admission had been waiting longer than 20 weeks; and 19.3 per cent. of patients waiting for one of the 15 key diagnostic tests on which monthly data are collected had been waiting more than 13 weeks.

Of the over-13-week diagnostic waits, 62 per cent. were for audiology assessments. Plans to address this were published on 6 March in “Improving Access to Audiology Services in England”.

March 2007 in-patient and out-patient data will be published on 4 May 2007. March diagnostic data for the 15 key tests will be published on 16 May 2007. The March census of diagnostic waits, which covers other long wait tests, will be published in July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were waiting for inpatient treatment as given by the commissioner-based waiting list in each year since March 1994 until the most recent period for which figures are available; and how many patients were waiting (a) over three months, (b) over six months, (c) over nine months and (d) over 12 months in each period. (131928)

The figures are shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients on inpatient waiting lists were seen within six months in each year since 1990, as given by (a) the Hospital Episodes Statistics database and (b) Korner data. (131944)

The figures are shown in the table.

It should be noted that Korner data measures the numbers still waiting at the end of a period, while Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) measures the time waited for patients admitted during a year. HES figures do not take into account periods of suspension for medical and social reasons.

The table shows that 90 per cent. of patients admitted during the financial year 2005-06 had waited under six months. The six-month standard was in place from the end of December 2005, and therefore the HES figures for 2005-06 only reflect only one quarter where the standard was in place.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 17 July 2006, Official Report, columns 244-5W, on avian influenza, what information her Department holds on (a) the fatality rates for the pandemic influenza outbreaks of (i) 1918-19 (H1N1), (ii) 1957 (N2N2) and (iii) 1968 (H3N2) and (b) the equivalent fatality rates amongst humans catching animal variations of each virus. (131162)

[holding answer 16 April 2007]: Contemporary Ministry of Health estimates of deaths in England and Wales were 200,000 for 1918-19 and 30,000 for 1957. Contemporary estimates for the 1969-70 pandemic are around 80,000. The fatality rates for humans catching the animal variations of each virus is not known.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what exercises were conducted to test the UK’s preparedness for an outbreak of pandemic flu; when each was conducted; and if she will place in the Library the evaluations of these exercises. (129906)

The Department funds the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to undertake regional and national exercises to prepare the health community in England to respond to an influenza pandemic.

Local and regional exercises

1. 23 June 2005—Exercise Arctic Sea

2. 21 September 2005—Exercise Aurora

3. 28 October 2005—Exercise New Day

4. 8 January 2007—Exercise Athena

National exercises

5. 14 and 15 June 2006—Exercise Shared Goal

6. 1-2 to 30 January and 19 and 20 February 2007—Exercise Winter Willow

European Union exercise

1. 23-24 November 2005—Exercise Common Ground

The reports for Exercise New Day, Exercise Aurora and Exercise Arctic Sea have been placed in the Library and are also available on the HPA website at:

www.hpa.org.uk/hpa/erd/erd_exercises.htm

The report on Exercise Athena will be published later in the year, and copies will be placed in the Library when available.

Exercise Common Ground, a European Commission (EC) commissioned and HPA-run influenza pandemic exercise, was undertaken with participants that included the EC and European Union member states. The final report is on DG-SANCO of the European Commission website at:

ec.europa.eu/health/ph_threats/com/common.pdf

Evaluation reports for national exercises, such as Exercise Shared Goal and Exercise Winter Willow, are not formally published. However, the lessons identified through national exercises are taken forward and inform national policy where appropriate through TIDO (Prepare), the official committee on resilience.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her Department's central planning assumption is for the (a) clinical attack rate and (b) case mortality rate in an outbreak of pandemic influenza. (131952)

The Government's current planning assumptions are based on a range of possible clinical attack rates of between 25-50 per cent. and overall case fatality rates of 0.4-2.5 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what checks are performed on qualifications claimed by applicants under the new procedures for junior doctor hospital appointments. (127201)