To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total expenditure was of the Casino Advisory Panel. (144724)

When the Casino Advisory Panel submitted its final report to the Secretary of State on 30 January 2007 its total costs were approximately £400,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total cost was of the Budd report on gambling. (144722)

Full details of the total cost are not readily available. However, the cost to DCMS of publication of the report of the Gambling Review Body (the Budd Report) was £12,200, as set out in the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells) to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo) on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 332W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what total costs were associated with the White Paper, A Safe Bet for Success—Modernising Britain's Gambling Laws. (144723)

Full details of the total cost are not readily available. However, the cost to DCMS of publication of the White Paper was £12,000, as set out in the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells) to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo) on 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 332W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what recent discussions (a) she and (b) her Department have had with companies which have bid for the utilities contracts for the Olympic games; (144109)

The utilities contracts for the Stratford city and Olympic games sites are being procured under a commercially confidential process by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). To maximise the commercial benefits of negotiation the names of those organisations that have submitted a bid are not widely known within the ODA and have not been released externally.

I can confirm that no DCMS Minister has held meetings with Thames Water, EDF energy or any of the companies which have bid for the utilities contracts for the Olympic games to discuss contracts and the requirements for the games.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) which bodies will be involved in making the decision on the contractors and companies which are awarded the utilities contracts for the Olympic games; (144111)

The utilities contracts for the Stratford city and Olympic games sites are being procured under a commercially confidential process by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).

Tenders are currently being sought and evaluated by the ODA, and in due course their recommendations for award will be considered by the Olympic Projects Review Group (OPRG), which includes representation from the Greater London authority (GLA).

The OPRG may then make recommendations to Ministers for formal approval to award the contracts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria she uses to decide which Olympic governing bodies of sport receive funding from her Department. (144596)

Decisions regarding the criteria for and funding of Olympic governing bodies of sport are made by the Sports Councils, not by Ministers.

UK Sport is charged with delivering UK success at the Olympic and Paralympic games. To achieve this it takes a ‘no compromise’ approach to its investment, targeting resources and activity at those athletes and sports deemed most capable of medal winning performances. Individual sports are allocated their funding through the UK Sport World Class Pathway programme, with the amount determined by a formula that includes results from the previous games and current rankings, as well as future medal potential and the identification of talent.

In addition, some Olympic sports are funded by Home Country Sports Councils in pursuit of their wider aims and objectives; for example, increasing participation in sport. In England, Sport England provides funding to 21 Olympic sports to support delivery of their four-year strategic plans at community level. The sports apply the funding they receive to deliver against a range of key performance indicators (KPIs). These KPIs include increasing the number of accredited clubs, the number of club members and the numbers of coaches and volunteers working within their sport.

Furthermore, as a part of the joint DfES/DCMS National School Sport strategy, Sport England also funds a total of 18 Olympic sports to support delivery of school club links and volunteer and leadership opportunities for young people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in his Department have been allowed to work from home for part of the week in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on his Department’s policy on home working. (143874)

The Wales Office values diversity and accommodates different work patterns including home working.

Over the past year a number of staff have followed a flexible working pattern, working the occasional day or half day at home, whether to suit personal circumstances or to assist in the completion of a specific task. One member of Wales Office staff has a more formal arrangement for home working.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people granted (a) temporary part-time, (b) temporary full-time, (c) permanent part-time and (d) permanent full-time contracts of employment in his Department in each of the last three years were (i) male, (ii) female, (iii) registered disabled and (iv) aged 55 years or over. (143904)

The Wales Office does not grant contracts of employment. Wales Office staff are either on loan from the Welsh Assembly Government or employed by the Ministry of Justice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of his Department's staff received a bonus in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007. (142716)

The figure for 2006-07 was 25 per cent. the figure is not yet available for 2007-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2007, Official Report, columns 921-22W, on elections: ballot papers, (1) who chaired the Electronic Counting Project Board that negotiated the contract to deliver an electronic counting service; (144350)

The Electronic Counting Project Board was chaired by the Scottish Executive's Head of Local Governance and Licensing Division.

We do not intend placing a copy of the electronic counting contract with DRS in the Library at present but we will review this after completion of the Electoral Commission's independent review of the May elections. We have made it clear that Mr Ron Gould and his review team will have access to all the documents they require, including those relating to e-counting.

The members of the Electronic Counting Project Board were: the Scottish Executive’s Head of Local Governance and Licensing Division, an official from the Scottish Executive's Local Democracy Team, the E-counting Project Manager, the Scotland Office's Head of Elections and Social Policy Branch and the Scotland Office’s Elections Policy Advisor, the Returning Officer for East Renfrewshire, the Deputy Returning Officer for Edinburgh City Council, Head of Elections at DRS Data Services Limited, Project Manager from DRS Data Services Limited, and a representative of Electoral Reform Services.

To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 20 April 2007, Official Report, column 1060W, on House of Commons Commission: manpower, if he will list the 85 posts which carry salaries in excess of £60,000; and what the salary is of each post. (144167)

Information about senior staff with salaries in excess of £60,277 was placed in the Library in January in response to a question from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns), 11 January 2007, Official Report, column 652W. I will write to the hon. Member with further details. Current pay ranges for all staff can be found on the parliamentary intranet.

To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many car parking spaces there are on the Commons part of the parliamentary estate (a) in the underground car park and (b) elsewhere. (144356)

A total of 600 car parking spaces are available on the parliamentary estate, nearly 500 of which are in the New Palace Yard multi-storey underground car park.

To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission on what date the Commission last discussed implementation of the forthcoming ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces on the parliamentary estate; and if he will make a statement. (145052)

As the minutes published on the internet http://www.parliament.uk/about_commons/house_of_commons_commission_hccfm120307.cfm show, the Commission discussed smoking on 12 March 2007. The policy on the subject is set out in a written answer to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Doran) on 20 March 2008, Official Report, column 757W.

The Health Act 2006 introduces a ban on smoking in workplaces and enclosed or substantially enclosed public places from 1 July 2007. While the Act does not formally apply on the parliamentary estate, the Commission, on the advice of the Administration Committee, has decided that the House should comply with the principles of the legislation, as it is not desirable that those who work on or visit the parliamentary estate should be treated differently in this respect than in other workplaces and public places. The Commission recognises, however, that many who work on the estate are unavoidably present for long periods, particularly when the House is sitting. It is therefore desirable to make reasonable provision for those who wish to smoke to do so, provided that the health and safety of other users of the estate is not adversely affected.

With these principles in mind, the Commission has decided that smoking should cease to be permitted from 1 July 2007 in all internal areas of the House of Commons estate, including in bars and private offices. From that date smoking will, however, be permitted in four designated external areas: the Terrace, Commons Court (North West corner), North Terrace (between Portcullis House and Norman Shaw South), and in a designated area on the west side of Canon Row courtyard. Cigarette receptacles will be provided in these areas. “No Smoking” signs will be displayed at entrances to the buildings.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has increased its presence in (a) Syria, (b) Jordan and (c) Egypt to assist Iraqi refugees; and if he will make a statement. (143780)

We are very concerned about the humanitarian situation in Iraq and the increasing numbers of people who have been displaced due to ongoing violence.

DFID has not increased its presence in Syria, Jordan or Egypt in response to the refugee crisis. We continue to work closely with international humanitarian partners to ensure agencies are adequately resourced and equipped to respond to needs such as food, water, shelter and medical assistance.

To date, we have contributed £1.5 million to the UN high commission for refugees' (UNHCR) appeal to help refugees in neighbouring countries. This was part of a £10 million package, which we have provided so far this year, to help vulnerable people inside Iraq and those displaced to other countries in the region. In total, DFID has provided £125 million in humanitarian assistance to Iraq since 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on projects promoting democracy in each of the last three years. (142608)

DFID’s support to democracy programmes is part of our broader approach to good governance. One of the components of good governance is an open and transparent political system with strong political institutions. This means our democracy work includes support to civil society to improve their capacity to hold Governments to account; initiatives to build accountability into our health and education programmes to improve Government responsiveness to poor people; and work to strengthen political systems more broadly, including popular participation in the decision-making process. The latter includes direct support to elections and Parliaments.

In total, DFID's direct bilateral spend on governance programmes was £212 million in 2004-05, £322 million in 2005-06 and £286 million in 2006-07. Within this DFID spent £14 million directly on democratic elections in 2004-5, £17.1 million in 2005-06 and £15.5 million in 2006-7. Over the next five years, our support to governance will include an additional £100 million for the governance and transparency fund.

The aforementioned figures do not include our support to the UN, EU and other multilateral organisations some of which is used to fund governance and democracy promotion programmes. However, DFID does not hold details of what proportion of these contributions were used to assist with the promotion of democracy.

Note that the figures for 2006-07 are provisional estimates only.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people in his Department have been allowed to work from home for part of the week in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on home working. (143880)

DFID does not keep records of the number of home workers.

However, DFID operates a ‘one machine’ policy under which each member of staff chooses to be equipped with either a desktop computer or, subject to the approval of their Head of Department, a laptop computer. The laptop option enables staff to work from home or at other remote locations while travelling on behalf of the Department. Currently, 1,750 staff have been issued with laptops.

DFID is committed to improving work/life balance and accommodates a wide range of different work patterns including the use of home and remote working. DFID’s policy is set out both in the staff handbook, which is available to all staff electronically, and in two booklets, “Flexible Working”, and “Remote Working” which staff receive on appointment. In a recent management survey, 84 per cent. of staff strongly believed that their line managers actively support flexible working.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people granted (a) temporary part-time, (b) temporary full-time, (c) permanent part-time and (d) permanent full-time contracts of employment in his Department in each of the last three years were (i) male, (ii) female, (iii) registered disabled and (iv) aged 55 years or over. (143899)

DFID employs both UK-based civil servants and staff engaged overseas on local terms and conditions of service. I have provided a breakdown of the data for the categories requested for both amalgamated groups in the following tables. Table 1 shows all contracts awarded during the years 2004-06, inclusive, broken down by gender. Table 2 shows the same breakdown across the categories for those in the over 55 age range. During the same period seven staff with registered disabilities were awarded contracts. (One temporary, six permanent—of which one was part-time).

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of staff in his Department are (a) male, (b) female, (c) registered disabled and (d) aged 55 or over. (143916)

DFID employs both UK-based civil servants and staff engaged overseas on local terms and conditions of service. The following table shows the information which is available for both groups and for DFID as a whole. Information on gender, disability and age are all provided on a voluntary basis, and is incomplete for those staff engaged locally overseas. The response rate on disability in particular is very low. The percentages quoted are therefore based upon the numbers where we do have the relevant information, and the total percentage with a disability is for only our UK-based staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which destinations he visited in an official capacity between 17 May and 17 June. (144548)

I made no regional or overseas visits in an official capacity between 17 May and 17 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in 2006-07; what proportion of the total workforce they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid was; what the largest single payment was; and if he will make a statement. (143099)

The following tables give the number of bonuses awarded to DFID staff in 2006-07. All bonus payments are non-pensionable.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) services and (b) products his Department has procured from Remploy in the last 12 months; and at what cost. (143792)

The Department for International Development (DFID) has had no contracts with Remploy in the last 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation of the civilian population in Gaza following the takeover of the area's administration by Hamas; and if he will make a statement. (144328)

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) makes regular assessments of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Between 9 and 13 June, OCHA reported that 110 Palestinians were killed and over 550 injured. However, relative calm has now returned. People are out in the streets and shops are open.

The major concern among humanitarian agencies now is the movement of people and goods into and out of Gaza. Israel has allowed some humanitarian supplies to enter. Shortages of basic food supplies are likely to occur within days unless access is restored for private traders. The UK Government have called for the re-opening of the Kami crossing.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent violence in Gaza on the operations of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East; and if he will make a statement. (144329)

70 per cent. of Gaza’s population, around 1 million people, are registered as refugees and are eligible for support from the UNRWA. On 13 June the UNRWA suspended all operations in Gaza except for essential medical services and emergency food distributions. This followed the killing of two of its staff in intra-Palestinian violence. On 17 June, the UNRWA returned to full operations, but warned that its support programmes depended on regular humanitarian supplies through Gaza’s borders with Israel.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent reports he has received on the murder of aid workers in Sri Lanka; and what guidance his Department is making available for UK aid workers in Sri Lanka. (144482)

We have received several representations from the British and Sri Lankan NGO communities about the murder of two Red Cross workers on 2 June and the deaths of 17 workers from a French NGO in August 2006. We have raised the issue of humanitarian security with the Sri Lankan Government repeatedly and pressed for the perpetrators of these appalling crimes to be brought to justice.

The UK advises British nationals, including aid workers, against all travel to the north and east of Sri Lanka. Ultimately aid workers and the agencies that employ them are responsible for their own security. Staff at the British High Commission in Colombo meet representatives of the British NGO community on a monthly basis to share information on security and other operational issues. Aid workers are also encouraged to register their presence in Sri Lanka with the British High Commission. Where appropriate, the FCO will support British nationals who are caught up in conflict, civil unrest and natural catastrophes.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk of 7 June 2007, official report, column 685W, on Iraq: internally displaced persons, what form he expects the Iraqi Government's lead role in supporting Iraqi refugees outside Iraq to take; and if he will make a statement. (143949)

The most important thing that needs to happen in Iraq is an end to the spiralling violence responsible for the deteriorating humanitarian situation and increasing levels of displacement. The Government of Iraq have put dealing with security at the top of their agenda and we will continue to support them. Furthermore, it has primary responsibility to ensure the protection of its citizens.

At the April UNHCR Conference in Geneva, the Government of Iraq made a commitment to take the lead in providing support and security for their citizens, including those who have fled the country. In the first phase, they pledged $25 million to finance the establishment of migration offices in Jordan and Syria. These offices will support vulnerable Iraqis and help alleviate the burden of the influx of refugees on host countries. We will continue to press them to step up their response to the situation and develop their policy on how best to provide assistance.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department has provided to health systems in each of the last five years in (a) Mozambique and (b) China; and what the (i) objectives, (ii) time scales and (iii) funding were of such programmes. (144348)

DFID has actively supported the health systems in Mozambique for a number of years. DFID Mozambique provided support to the Technical Planning Unit within the Ministry of Health to facilitate development of a national health plan for the period 2000-05. DFID also funded the HIV/AIDS and Maternal Health Programme (2001-07) which aims to increase access to and use of good quality reproductive and sexual health services. DFID funding of the Essential Medicines programme (2000-06) aimed to improve the availability and rational use of essential medicines by strengthening procurement and distribution systems.

DFID is currently supporting the development of a Sustainable Distribution System for Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) for Malaria Prevention. The programme, which has a total allocated budget of £8.6 million, started in 2005 and is due to run until 2010. It builds upon the lessons learnt as a result of a pilot Malaria Prevention and Treatment project. DFID recently agreed a new five-year programme of support to the Ministry of Health for £3.7 million per annum. In 2006, DFID also signed a five-year £215 million programme of direct support to the budget of the Government of Mozambique, which helps provide additional funding for health systems. The total amount of bilateral DFID expenditure in the health sector in Mozambique is shown in the following table. This includes a notional proportion of DFID’s general budget support.

DFID has been working in the health sector in China since 1999. The focus has been on helping the Chinese Government to control HIV and AIDS, increasing the detection and cure rate for people suffering from tuberculosis, and reforming the health system so that poor people receive basic health services. The total amount of bilateral DFID expenditure in the health sector in China is shown in the following table.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps to facilitate the provision of health care free at the point of access in (a) Mozambique and (b) China. (144349)

It is for national Governments to decide their own policies in relation to user fees in health. However, because of our own UK experience and that of developing countries, DFID is committed to helping countries that want to remove charges at the point of delivery. The recent White Paper commits DFID to help partner Governments abolish user fees for basic health services and help them tackle other barriers to access, including discrimination against women.

DFID is working with the Government of China to facilitate the provision of free (or substantially subsidised by the Government) primary health care. China is formulating a major health policy to address inequity in the health system, of which free primary health care for all is likely to be an important feature. Meanwhile various health insurance programmes for urban and rural residents will be improved to provide better financial risk protection and reduce out-of-pocket payments on in-patient services.

DFID has supported China on rural and urban health and health policy capacity building since 1999. Our large and well designed pilots have provided evidence to Chinese policy makers on rural and urban health reform, which is now being used to inform the development of the new policies.

In Mozambique, services are already formally free for malaria, TB, HIV treatment, maternal health services and immunisation for children. The Government of Mozambique have already made a public commitment to look at the case for removing fees, at least for primary health care. DFID is now working closely with the Government of Mozambique to consider the practical implications of removing the remaining user fees. This includes: studying the expected implications for demand; considering how systems will need to be reinforced to support the change; and preventing illegal charging. If the Government of Mozambique make a decision to abolish more fees, DFID will support this, including through our continued financial support to the sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what occasions and from whom the UK has sought the return of monies misappropriated from UK aid programmes. (140735)

DFID is committed to ensuring that its resources are used only for the purposes intended. The Department’s Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy aims to ensure that resources lost through misappropriation are minimised, and that appropriate action is taken to recover such funds. A specialist Fraud Response Unit within DFID’s internal audit function coordinates DFID’s response to allegations of fraud and corruption, and provides support to management to strengthen systems and processes to prevent or detect future losses.

Where a loss relates to activities which are being managed on DFID’s behalf by an NGO, an international organisation or a similar partner with whom DFID has an ongoing relationship, the partner concerned will usually be required to absorb the loss and to complete delivery of the agreed development goals without additional DFID funding. Before agreeing to this course of action, DFID will first require adequate assurance that the weaknesses in the partner’s systems which allowed the losses to occur have been addressed. In other cases, the Department’s practice is normally to seek the repayment of the monies which have been misappropriated.

Where DFID cannot obtain the necessary assurance that a partner’s arrangements for preventing fraud and corruption have been strengthened, and hence that UK taxpayers’ monies will be properly safeguarded, future funding may be withheld or the relationship with the partner may be terminated.

The following table lists the cases, for the financial years 2004-05 to 2006-07 inclusive, where the UK has sought the return of monies misappropriated from UK aid programmes. This includes instances where there has been full or partial repayment to DFID of misappropriated funds, those where the partner organisation managing the activities on DFID’s behalf has absorbed the losses itself, and those where no recovery could be achieved.

During the same period, 2004-05 to 2006-07, DFID also had a smaller number of instances where misappropriation of UK funds could be proven but where effective recovery action was not practicable due to the particular circumstances of each case—for example, where the culprits could not be identified or subsequently absconded, or where the value of the loss was lower than the cost of any recovery action. For completeness, these cases are set out in the following table.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the restored EU funding to the Palestinian Authority will be directed to (a) the West Bank and (b) Gaza; and if he will make a statement. (144361)

On 18 June, EU Foreign Ministers discussed the resumption of assistance to the Palestinian Authority. They concluded that the EU should develop the conditions for urgent practical and financial assistance. The EU has not yet decided how this will be delivered. However, we will wish to ensure that assistance addresses the needs of Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what changes are planned to the operation of the Temporary International Mechanism for the delivery of aid to the Palestinian people following recent events in Gaza; and if he will make a statement. (144360)

No decisions have yet been taken on changes to the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) following recent events in Gaza. The TIM continues to provide support for the basic needs of Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Quartet recently extended the TIM until the end of September 2007.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial support has been given to the Presidential Parastatal Sector Reform Commission in Tanzania for (a) work in the area of water and sanitation and (b) other work in each year since 1994; on what dates technical assistance grants were given; what the aid funding was for each grant; and to whom consultancy contracts were awarded. (143944)

The Tanzanian Government established the Parastatal Sector Reform Commission (PSRC) in 1993 to reform and privatise loss-making public entities (including ports, railways and airlines). At the time, there were approximately 400 such entities, costing the Government US $100 million annually.

At the request of the Government of Tanzania, DFID provided a total of £7.1 million to the PSRC to support the divestiture of publicly-owned companies in Tanzania between 1992 and the end of our programme of support in March 2007.

DFID’s support helped to ensure that the privatisation process was implemented in a fair and transparent manner and that regulatory bodies were established to ensure privatised entities worked for the benefit of Tanzania. The assistance provided was used for the purposes of contracting advisory support for:

management of the privatisation process

broadening of share ownership—to afford Tanzanians greater opportunities to own shares in privatised entities

amendments to relevant enabling legislation and regulations, and supporting the development of suitable local regulatory capacity

Different companies were awarded contracts. All work was procured under prevailing Tanzanian Government procurement regulations. The grants provided were for:

Technical Assistance—total value of £6.1 million (from 1992-2007)

Development support—total value of £1 million (from 2003-07)

The contracts that were provided for work in the area of water and sanitation are set out in table 1 as follows.

The UK funded 10 contracts valued above £100,000 each in the period from 1992 to 2007 in support of PSRC. An additional 39 contracts of lesser value were awarded for smaller pieces of work—calculating the total value of these contracts would involve disproportionate cost. Table 2 sets out amounts and a description of the main grants and contractors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) mines, (b) mortar rounds, (c) projectiles by calibre, (d) missiles and (e) air dropped weapons were expended by members of UK armed forces as part of the NATO deployment in Afghanistan in each of the last six months. (142850)

I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the delay in the construction of the two new aircraft carriers for the UK has resulted in job losses at dockyards. (143442)

[holding answer 18 June 2007]: No date has been set for commencement of manufacture of the future aircraft carriers and there has, therefore, been no delay. The main investment decision will be taken when we are confident that we have a robust, affordable deal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on dockyards in the UK if the Government decide to collaborate with France in the construction of the proposed two new aircraft carriers for the UK; (143444)

[holding answers 18 June 2007]: We have always stressed that co-operation with France through industry-to-industry links may offer potential benefits to both nations. This was covered most recently when my noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support, Lord Drayson met with the trade unions and the Aircraft Carrier Alliance Chief Executive last month. It has been agreed with France that for co-operation to work, it must deliver cost savings and must do so without delaying UK or French programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the duties are of each defence dental personnel role; how many hours per week those in each role are expected to devote to the provision of dental care; and how many patients those in each role saw in each of the last five years. (138790)

I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) location and (b) number of personnel was for each operational deployment in 1997. (119056)

This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much HM Treasury has passed to the Ministry of Defence from monies received from Annington Homes in connection with sales of former Ministry of Defence housing and land in (a) the UK and (b) Colchester. (121129)

These monies enter a consolidated general cash account and are not paid back to the Ministry of Defence directly by Her Majesty's Treasury.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed service personnel have received a tax-free bonus for service in (a) Iraq, (b) Afghanistan and (c) the Balkans since October 2006. (142594)

The information broken down by operational theatre is not held within legacy service pay systems and the new Joint Personnel Administration system in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

As at 13 June 2007, some 46,333 armed forces personnel had received payment of the tax-free Operational Allowance. This figure includes payments to Army personnel for more than one operational tour and excludes payments after 31 March 2007 to deceased, discharged and special forces personnel for all three services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been undertaken on the vertical and horizontal centre of gravity position of each of the various types of Land Rover used by the armed forces. (141041)

The Department examined centre of gravity issues for Wolf Land Rovers when the Bowman communication system was introduced. The suspension on vehicles fitted for radios and Weapons Mount Installation Kits was improved by the fitment of a rear anti roll bar, which improved the vehicle’s stability.

Snatch Land Rovers have also been assessed to examine the effects on stability and performance by the fitment of armour and the variety of potential load configurations.

The latest Land Rovers, like other vehicles procured by the MOD, were subject to rigorous assessment through a military validation and trials period, prior to acceptance into service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution the UK has made to the study agreed at the NATO summit in Riga in 2006 on a collective alliance territorial missile defence system. (143941)

The missile defence feasibility study that was delivered to the NATO summit in 2006 was financed from NATO common funds to which the UK contributes. QinetiQ were part of the industrial consortium that undertook the work. In common with other NATO nations, the UK reviewed and commented upon the feasibility study, and contributes to the continuing discussions in NATO on the implications of missile defence for the alliance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have given authorisations in relation to monies (i) held in and (ii) transferred from a British Aerospace account at the Bank of England since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. (143088)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the role of the Paymaster General and her officials was in relation to the Bank of England account used for payments under the support services annexes to the Al Yamamah contract. (143182)

[holding answers 19 June 2007]: The Department is not aware of any such account.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value is of orders for urgent operational requirements placed in the last 12 months; and if he will list those items of equipment costing over £250,000. (143050)

Between 1 June 2006 and 31 May 2007 the total value of approved urgent operational requirements was some £810 million. As the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are still ongoing, much information regarding specific urgent operational requirements remains operationally sensitive and is withheld as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice the security of our armed forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much revenue his Department received from advertisements on his Department’s (a) public information leaflets and (b) public websites in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. (142729)

The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flights to overseas destinations were taken by (a) civil servants and (b) Ministers in his Department in each of the last three calendar years; and what the total cost of such flights was. (144936)

This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since 1999, the Government have published on an annual basis, a list of all overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500, as well as the total cost of all ministerial travel overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. Information for 2006-07 is currently being compiled and will be published before the summer recess. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code, the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to extend the eligibility for the issue of Veterans lapel badges to former members of the Women’s Land Army. (143507)

Although the Women’s Land Army included the word “Army” in its title, it was a civilian organisation formed to support agricultural production. While the Ministry of Defence acknowledges the importance of the efforts of all those who contributed to the country’s war efforts in 1914-18 and 1939-45, it is not responsible for the recognition of those who served in such civilian occupations. Nor would it be appropriate to extend to them eligibility for the armed forces Veterans badge which was instituted specifically as a mark of recognition of service in the United Kingdom’s armed forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts his Department has with private military and security companies for services provided in Iraq; what the value is of each such contract; what contracts are being (a) negotiated and (b) considered; what the expected value is of such contracts; and if he will make a statement. (132618)

For the purposes of this response I have taken the question to refer to armed security contracts.

The use of private mobility and security companies for the static guarding of empty buildings is currently being considered.

I also refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 5 March 2007, Official Report, column 1657W, to the hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (Derek Conway). No contracts are currently being negotiated between MOD and private military and security companies for services in Iraq.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the hon. Member for North East Milton Keynes’s constituent Mr. Ron Nield to be sent a reply to his letter to the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency. (138906)

If the hon. Member could provide me with Mr. Nield’s personal details (including service number if applicable), the date and subject matter of his letter and the address he wrote to I will be happy to provide him with the information he seeks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how many years the consortium awarded the private finance initiative for the Colchester garrison will have ownership of the land. (136841)

Under the terms of the Colchester garrison redevelopment contract RMPA Services PLC was granted a 150-year head lease over the land that forms the new garrison site. The Ministry of Defence retains overall ownership.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many fuel leaks were recorded aboard RAF Nimrod aircraft in the six months prior to September 2006. (142811)

Between the period 1 March 2006 and 31 August 2006 a total of 52 fuel leaks were reported on Nimrod MR2 and R1 aircraft. A fuel leak is defined as any leakage of fuel from aircraft couplings, pipes or fuel tanks. These did not compromise the safety of the aircraft and were rectified under normal maintenance procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the outcome of the North Atlantic Council defence ministers meeting on 14 and 15 June 2007. (144046)

[holding answer 19 June 2007]: NATO Defence Ministers discussed a range of issues including the continuing transformation of NATO’s capabilities, missile defence, and operational commitments in Afghanistan and Kosovo. Force planning issues were discussed at the annual meeting of the Defence Planning Committee in Defence Ministers’ Session, and nuclear planning issues at the Nuclear Planning Group.

In addition, Afghanistan’s Defence Minister, Abdul Rahim Wardak attended a special session of the North Atlantic Council together with the non-NATO nations contributing to the International Security Assistance Force. Allies underlined their commitment to the mission in Afghanistan, noted the progress that has already been made, and stressed the importance of Afghan ownership of security issues. The Council noted that the UN had been given a wider remit in the current Security Council Resolution and supported the efforts of the UN to maximise its impact and to expand its presence in the provinces of Afghanistan.

The Council also condemned the Taliban practice of deliberately endangering the civilian population of Afghanistan and underlined NATO’s commitment to avoiding civilian casualties.

A copy of the final communiqué of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers’ Session can be found at:

http://www.nato.int/docu/pr/2007/p07-070e.html

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funds have been held by the Defence Export Services Organisation in relation to the Al Yamamah defence contract since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. (143089)

The financial arrangements of the Al Yamamah programme are confidential between the two Governments. I am withholding details as they would, or would be likely to, prejudice international relations and harm the interests of the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to authorise the publication of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s reports on the Al Yamamah contract. (142299)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 8 December 2005, Official Report, column 1495W, to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynne Featherstone).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will publish the annexes to the Al Yamamah contract which cover support services; (142301)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which Ministers in his Department have been informed of payments made under the support services annexes of the Al Yamamah contract since 1997; (143183)

[holding answers 19 June 2007]: Agreements reached under the Al Yamamah programme are confidential between the two Governments. I am withholding details as they would, or would be likely to, prejudice international relations and harm the interests of the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether landing rights have been provided to Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia at RAF Brize Norton; and if he will make a statement. (143093)

A Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defence and Aviation registered aircraft used by Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia, HZ-124, has been granted landing rights at RAF Brize Norton. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 May 2007, Official Report, column 1053W, to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the status of the Technology Readiness and Risk Assessment Programme. (144013)

[holding answer 19 June 2007]: The Technology Readiness and Risk Assessment Programme was completed in July 2001; an unclassified summary of the work is available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what role (a) Anthony Bailey and (b) Eligo International played in the Academies programme; and what payments each received. (144543)

Anthony Bailey is on the governing body for Sheffield Park academy and Sheffield Springs academy, which are sponsored by the United Learning Trust.

Eligo International has no role in the Academies programme.

There have been no payments made by the Department to either Anthony Bailey or Eligo International.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of students entering (a) apprenticeships and (b) advanced apprenticeships were already in employment in each year since 1997. (128574)

Data on apprenticeships and advanced apprenticeships are collected on the Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC) individualised learner record (ILR). The work-based learning (WBL) ILR was collated for the first time in 2002/03 and figures are given from that time. The following table shows the number of learners starting advanced apprenticeships and apprenticeships each year who were in employment on the day before their training commenced as a percentage of all starts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will ensure that Ofsted involve young people with experience of care in its inspecting of care homes. (142311)

This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to my hon. Friend and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.

Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 15 June 2007:

Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, for reply.

You asked whether Ofsted would ensure that young people with experience of care are involved in its inspection of care homes.

Ofsted involves young people by seeking their views during inspection and through highly focused surveys and consultation exercises. Seeking the views of young people is part of the statutory duties of the new Ofsted and developing this further is explicitly outlined in our new Strategic Plan.

Following the expansion of our remit in April this year, Ofsted is working hard to bring together the very best from all four predecessor organisations. At this stage, we are focusing on creating a high quality inspection programme across our expanded remit. We are also looking to incorporate the changes made to the National Minimum Standards and develop this work further over the next few years. This development work will include a range and choice of different methods for all children in inspected services to feed in their views about inspection outcomes.

A copy of this reply has been sent to Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether any city academy school sites are owned by private sector interests. (141025)

[holding answer 7 June 2007]: We are aware of one case where the freehold of an academy site is held by a private sector organisation. In this case, the land has been leased to the local authority which in turn has leased it to the Academy Trust.

We do not maintain central records which record whether Academy Trusts have freehold or leasehold interests and who granted them. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

However, in all cases, the Academy Trust either owns the freehold of the site or will have been granted a lease of either 99 or 125 years. Where academies are being developed as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme, the Academy Trust will be granted a 125-year lease from the local authority which will commence upon completion of the building.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of all pupils aged five, six or seven have been taught in classes of 31 or more in each local education authority in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. (142155)

The information requested has been placed in the House Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average class size was for (a) secondary schools and (b) primary schools in Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland in each of the last 10 years. (143435)

The available information is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many learning support assistants there were in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each local authority area in each of the last 10 years. (141222)

The information is not available in the format requested.

Tables have been placed in the House Library showing the full-time equivalent number of teaching assistants employed in local authority maintained primary and secondary schools by local authority in each year from January 1997 to 2006 the latest information available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the scope for teaching citizenship outside places of education. (143816)

The post 16 Citizenship support programme encourages development of relevant curriculum models across a wide range of provider types (including work-based, and youth and community providers). The emphasis is on active participation in young people’s own communities. The Ofsted report on Citizenship found that the programme has been successful in showing what can be done in schools, colleges, youth centres and work-based training and recommended that such examples be shared more widely. This recommendation is being taken forward by the programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of (a) women and (b) men did not complete their degree in each of the last five years, broken down by the number of UCAS points on university entry. (144907)

Projected non-completion rates are released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) each year within the performance indicators in higher education publication.

The latest available non-completion projections are shown in table 1.

The 2004-05 figure will be released by HESA on 19 July 2007. These non-completion rates are not available broken down by gender or entry qualification. Drop-out is more likely to occur during the first year of higher education. The performance indicators also include non-continuation rates, which show the proportion of entrants who are not detected in higher education after their first year. The latest available non-continuation rates are shown in table 2.

The 2004-05 figure will be released by HESA on 19 July 2007. The 2002-03 and 2003-04 non-continuation rates are available broken down by entry qualification, as shown in table 3.

The 2003-04 non-continuation rate is available broken down by gender, as shown in table 4.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was paid in compensation to (a) pupils and (b) teachers by his Department in each year since 1997. (132382)

We have no records of any compensation payments made to pupils by the Department in the period since 1997. In 2003, a payment was made by the Department to a teacher assigned to the European Schools system in respect of the threshold pay that would have been paid had the teacher remained employed in maintained schools in England and Wales. The amount paid was £2,001. This answer has been provided on the assumption that it relates to payments to serving teachers. It therefore excludes any payments made under the Teachers’ Pension Scheme to retired teachers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which Ministers in his Department have been Criminal Records Bureau checked. (139185)

No DfES Minister is Criminal Records Bureau checked for holding ministerial office because such an office is not one of the excepted professions, offices, employments, work and occupations listed in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, as amended.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much capital expenditure there was in the education sector in Blackpool, North and Fleetwood in each year since 1997. (143974)

The Department maintains records of capital allocations on a local authority rather than a constituency basis, also not on an expenditure basis. This is because local authorities may have access to other capital resources, and they decide locally when and how resources should be spent. Capital allocations by the Department to Blackpool, North and Fleetwood in each year since 1997 are set out in the following table.

The nil figures in 1996-97 and 1997-98 reflect local authority re-organisation.

The drop in 2007-08 is due to the fact that no Targeted Capital Fund (TCF) allocations are being announced this year. However, £3.8 million TCF allocations in 2005-06, and £3.9 million TCF allocations in 2007-08, will result in phased expenditure over a three year period commencing in the year of TCF allocations, including 2007-08. Other changes, from year to year, are affected by local authority forecasts of pupil numbers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much capital expenditure there was in the education sector in West Lancashire constituency in each year since 1997. (143526)

The Department maintains records of capital allocations on a local authority rather than a constituency basis, also not on an expenditure basis. This is because local authorities may have access to other capital resources, and they decide locally when and how resources should be spent. Capital allocations by the Department to Lancashire in each year since 1997 are set out in the following table.

The increase in funding of £16.6 million in 2006-07, compared with 2005-06, is largely explained by Targeted Capital Fund schemes and a maintained boarding schools grant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of English as an additional language pupils in West Lancashire constituency. (143535)

The information is given in the following table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he next plans to review the allocation of ethnic minority achievement grant to Peterborough city council; and if he will make a statement. (144094)

The Government allocate resources to Departments on a three year cycle through spending reviews. DfES received its settlement for 2008-11 in the 2007 Budget. We are currently reviewing the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant allocation for the next spending review period and aim to make an announcement in the autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2007, Official Report, column 365W, on the Every Child Counts initiative, how many children are expected to participate in each tuition programme in each financial year until 2010-11; (144488)

The Department is planning two separate, but related one-to-one tuition programmes, which will raise standards in maths:

one-to-one tuition to help 300,000 children who have fallen behind in English and mathematics by 2010-11. Such support is being trialled in the ‘Making Good Progress’ pilot; and

a more intensive initiative specifically designed for early intervention in mathematics; a counterpart to the ‘Every Child a Reader’ literacy programme, on which we are already committed to nationwide roll-out.

The possibility of establishing a numeracy equivalent to Every Child a Reader was under consideration within the Department early in the new year, prior to the Chancellor’s announcement at the Confederation of British Industry on 15 May.

We are currently in the process of planning the scope, resources and roll-out of the early intervention programme and analysing which areas of maths require most support. This will include looking at the numbers of children expected to participate as well as costs of employing new staff.

Under the Making Good Progress pilot children who have been identified for tuition in either mathematics or English will be entitled to up to 10 hours of one-to-one support. We have not recommended a particular pattern of delivery but have suggested that this should be decided on an individual basis. We estimate that the tuition offered through Making Good Progress pilot will reach 10,750 children in each of English and Maths in each of 2007-08 and 2008-09. The comprehensive spending review provides for 300,000 children in each of English and maths in 2010-11. We are currently considering plans on how to build up to that number.

Funding of £20 million for implementation of the Making Good Progress pilot in the first academic year, 2007/08, was announced on 6 June along with details of participating pilot schools. There will be further funding for implementation in the second academic year which will be settled through the Comprehensive Spending Review process.

We will announce detailed allocations for the more intensive initiative in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2007, Official Report, column 365W, on the Every Child Counts initiative, on what date the Making Good Progress pilot was (a) first announced and (b) started. (144490)

The initial proposal for the Making Good Progress pilot was set out in the consultation document “Making Good Progress: How can we help every pupil to make good progress at school?” and launched on 8 January 2007. Following the consultation the list of participating schools and further details about the proposed pilot were announced on 6 June. The pilot, which will span two academic years, will begin in schools in September 2007 and finish in July 2009.