asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to receive the Office of Fair Trading's report on whether to make referral to the Competition Commission to investigate complaints of anti-competitive practices in the private healthcare insurance sector. [HL3296]

The decision to undertake an investigation into practices in the private medical insurance and healthcare market was taken independently by the Director General of Fair Trading (DGFT). It is a matter for him to decide whether to make a referral to the Competition Commission.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether coal has been, and is being, imported at prices which are significantly below the cost of production and transport; and what action is being taken to prevent this practice. [HL2833]

The Government are concerned that aid approved by the Commission under existing ECSC rules should not distort the market against unsubsidised producers in the ECSC market including those in the UK. The Government have complained to the Commission about the unfair practices of two subsidised German anthracite producers. In July 1998, after a prolonged investigation, the Commission ordered repayment of aid by the German companies involved. The Commission is currently investigating a complaint made by CPL Industries against the French company Carbonnages de France concerning the sale of foundry coke.In addition, the Government are encouraging the relevant authorities to look closely at imports of coal into the UK, where there is evidence of anti-competitive practices or unfair pricing behaviour. Complaints have been made by UK producers about the export of Polish house coal and industrial coal at prices below the relevant costs of production. The Government are discussing this with the Commission and the Polish authorities and exporters, and will consider what action is appropriate in the light of these discussions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is their intention to restore the outstanding lives of Royal Air Force engines, airframes and electronics to levels pertaining before the recent action against Yugoslavia. [HL3220]

With the air conflict now over, the Royal Air Force has begun to assess the implications of the intensive flying effort during the campaign, and to re-programme servicing to help to ensure that aircraft are able to achieve their forecast out-of-service dates.

asked Her Majesty's Govemrnent:Whether NATO intends to carry out a detailed and comprehensive survey of the social, political and environmental effects of the bombing campaign in Serbia identifying the effects of the various weapons used and as far as possible estimating the costs of reconstruction and rehabilitation which will fall to the Allies. [HL3263]

NATO will not be carrying out such an exercise. However, the United Nations Environment Programme and the UN Commission on Human Settlements have set up a joint task force to assess the environmental and health effects of the conflict. The European Union and the World Bank are taking the lead in assessing regional needs for reconstruction and recovery.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether NATO intends to carry out a detailed and comprehensive survey of the social. political and environmental effects of the bombing campaign in Serbia as far as possible to identify those aspects of the campaign which were not fully in accord with conventional humanitarian law. [HL3264]

The air campaign was carried out scrupulously in accordance with international law. There is, therefore, no need to carry out such a survey.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether NATO intends to carry out a detailed and comprehensive survey of the military effects of the bombing campaign in Serbia identifying the effects of the various weapons used. [HL3262]

NATO intends to conduct a comprehensive internal lessons-learned exercise which will take into account the effects of the bombing campaign.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will review the quality and accuracy of the information promulgated by NATO during the Kosovo campaign, and consider how far departure from strict accuracy in such operations should be permitted. [HL3265]

As far as the Government is aware, all statements made by NATO during the Kosovo campaign were based on the most accurate information available at the time.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether NATO propose to revise any of the statements made by them about the proportion of the Yugoslav forces which were destroyed or put out of action. [HL3266]

As far as the Government is aware, NATO has no intention of revising such statements, which were based on the most accurate information available at the time.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which force present in Kosovo is to be responsible for demilitarising the Kosovo Liberation Army; what demilitarising will involve now, and in the longer run; and whether only the Kosovo Liberation Army's heavy weapons are to be removed from them. [HL2990]

Under the terms of the undertaking signed with KFOR on 21 June, the KLA have agreed that they will follow the procedures established by COMKFOR for the phased demilitarisation of KLA forces in Kosovo.The KLA agreed that, within seven days from 21 June, their forces would gather in Assembly areas. Within 30 days from the same date, all prohibited weapons with the exception of small arms will be handed in. Automatic small arms will be handed in in phases over 90 days, after which time the Assembly areas will come under the full control of COMKFOR, and all KLA members have to cease wearing their uniforms and insignia. The KLA will then be demilitarised.Prohibited weapons are defined as any weapon 12.7mm or larger, any anti-tank or anti-aircraft weapons, grenades, mines or explosives, automatic and long barrelled weapons.I am placing a copy of the undertaking in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What figures or estimates they have, for the most recent three years available, that might give some indication of the amount spent on health and safety measures, pollution control, and other measures to improve the environmental or human costs and risks of production or employment. [HL3248]

Environmental spending by government, industry and households was estimated in 1990 to be £13,850 million, 2.5 per cent. of GDP. A survey of extraction, manufacturing, energy and water supply industries in 1994 suggested that environmental expenditure amounted to around £2,300 million. This survey is being repeated for 1997 and estimates will be published later this year.No national figures are available for spending by industry on health and safety. Costs of implementing new regulations are estimated but no estimates are available for compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act and previous legislation, nor the costs of investments which may in part be for commercial reasons in addition to improving workplace safety.Within government, the available information is:

£ million
	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98
Health and safety spending through the H&S Executive	217	219	218
Environmental protection and conservation spending by DETR (including the Environment Agency)	490	504	490

This does not include spending by other departments on health and safety and environmental protection.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 22 June (

Yes. The Highways Agency used the New Approach to Appraisal announced in the report on the Roads Review, A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England. The criteria used were developed in consultation with the Government's statutory advisers, including English Heritage.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What figure for the heritage value of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site the Highways Agency used in their choice of a preferred route for the A.303 through the Stonehenge World Heritage Site and how this compares with the figures proposed to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology document,

The POST report considered various methods of assessment of heritage value, including monetary methods. The department does not recommend a monetary approach to valuing heritage. The approach developed in the New Approach to Appraisal, which was used to assess this scheme, is broadly based on the concept of Environmental Capital, which involves making an objective and systematic record of the qualities and features of an area. The assessment score given to the heritage impact at Stonehenge, using the new appraisal method, was a large positive benefit.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What figure the Highways Agency used for the negative value (a) of the disruption that would be caused during the cutting and covering of a two-mile tunnel in the Stonehenge World Heritage Site to would-be visitors and others, and (b) of the permanent damage that this cutting and covering would cause to the World Heritage Site (including the permanent scar across the chalk landscape); and whom they consulted in developing their own figures. [HL3292]

The cost of disruption to would-be visitors and others of building a 2 km tunnel will depend on the precise method of construction used. That will be developed during the detailed design process in consultation with English Heritage and others. Particular care will be taken with landscape and ecological issues so as to avoid permanent scarring across the chalk landscape, and to carrying out restoration in a sensitive way. We are in discussion and will continue to work with English Heritage, the National Trust, English Nature and the Countryside Commission to achieve this.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Highways Agency has published the cost-benefit analyses of the alternative routes for the A.303; and what bodies or individuals it consulted over the quality of the figures and estimates that it used and of the long term effects on road traffic. [HL3293]

Yes. A number of analyses have been carried out over the years and these have been made available to the public. The one carried out in 1998 for the Roads Review was included in the Assessment Summary Tables published during the recent Public Consultation. Consultees included: English Heritage, the National Trust, the Environment Agency, English Nature, County and District Councils and many others.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Highways Agency has judged that the bored tunnel endorsed in 1994 by English Heritage and the National Trust as "the only feasible … route … which meets the essential requirements of this [Stonehenge] World Heritage Site" would provide no significant environmental benefits beyond those provided by the two-kilometre cut-and-cover tunnel: and, if so, on what grounds they based this judgement. [HL3294]

At an estimated £300 million, the cost of the bored tunnel was neither economic nor affordable and that is why it was not taken forward. It had few additional environmental benefits over the cut and cover tunnel and these were not considered to justify the additional costs. The cut-and-cover proposal is supported by, among others, English Heritage, English Nature and the National Trust and by the overwhelming majority of people who responded to the recent public consultation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether Under-Secretary Hassan Abdeen of the Government of Sudan has been granted a visa to enter the United Kingdom; and, if so, whether this is consistent with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1054 and the Government's commitment to an ethnically based foreign policy and promotion of human rights. [HL3273]

Dr. Abdeen did indeed visit London during the week beginning 21 June in order to inspect the Sudanese Embassy and to have talks about steps to normalise relations with the Sudan. As a result on 25 June, a statement was issued announcing the return of British staff to Khartoum. This will allow diplomats to take up the important work they were doing prior to their departure.UNSCR 1054 "restricts" the entry of officials of the Government of Sudan and hence all applications are considered on a case by case basis.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What planning is in hand and by whom to ensure that (a) the Danube is re-opened for international transport and (b) the broken bridges are rebuilt as soon as possible. [HL3003]

We are in close touch with all the countries of the region and with the international financial institutions, who are carrying out assessments of reconstruction needs, including damage to bridges. We have no plans to provide reconstruction assistance to Serbia as long as Milosevic remains in power.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What principles were observed in the allocation of areas within Kosovo to different national bodies of troops; whether, as envisaged at Rambouillet, but not in the eventual agreement approved by the United Nations Security Council, any NATO or Allied officials are currently holding out to the KLA the prospect of eventual independence for Kosovo; and whether the United Kingdom is supporting eventual independence for Kosovo or its incorporation in "Greater Albania". [HL3046]

KFOR sector boundaries in Kosovo follow as closely as possible opstina (municipality) boundaries. The sectors themselves were allocated on a voluntary basis as part of the force generation process.There was no mention of independence for Kosovo or of "Greater Albania" in the Rambouillet Accords. Under UNSCR 1244, it is for the international civil presence (now the UN Mission in Kosovo) to facilitate a political process designed to determine Kosovo's future status, taking full account of the Rambouillet Accords.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether Kosovo will be virtually "walled off' from Yugoslavia; and, if so, what implications would this have for the comprehensive reconstruction of the economic and social infrastructure of the Balkans. [HL3047]

UNSCR 1244 recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It also tasks the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self-government in Kosovo, taking full account of the Rambouillet Accords and to support the reconstruction of key infrastructure and other economic reconstruction. The detailed arrangements under which UNMIK will carry out its mandate under USCR 1244 are still being finalised.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the implications for the Palestinians of NATO's recent determination that refugees should be enabled to return to their homes and ancestral lands in areas of Euro-Atlantic responsibility such as the Mediterranean. [HL3050]

NATO's pursuit of the unconditional and safe return of refugees and displaced persons in the Kosovo context was specific to that situation.There is already an agreed framework for the resolution of the situation of the Palestinian refugees. Refugees are listed in the Oslo Declaration of Principles as one of the issues for permanent status negotiations. We hope those negotiations will start in earnest soon after the formation of the new Israeli government. The UK and EU partners are considering ways in which they might help the parties to achieve agreement on the refugee issue.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will confirm the reports in the Syrian newspaper al-Tishrin and on Syrian television that Lord Levy recently met President Asad of Syria as the personal representative of the Prime Minister; and, if he was not the personal representative of the Prime Minister, whether they are aware in what capacity this meeting took place. [HL3281]

Lord Levy visited Syria from 9–10 April, and Jordan and Syria from 5–10 June as a personal representative of the Prime Minister. He met President Asad on 7 June.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What, if any, official support was given by Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials to Lord Levy in connection with, or during, his visit earlier this month to the Syrian Arab Republic and to Jordan. [HL3282]

The official support given Lord Levy during his visit was of the same level we would normally provide for any important visitor.The FCO, through the Embassies in Amman and Damascus, liaised in advance with the respective governments on the timing of Lord Levy's visit. The Embassies in Amman and Damascus made programme arrangements, provided some accompanied transportation by road during the programme and accommodation at our Ambassadors' residences. The Embassy in Amman hosted a lunch for Lord Levy to meet Jordanian politicians and officials.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are working through NATO to ensure that sufficient skilled personnel are available in Kosovo to ensure safety in country areas as well as towns and main roads and to train local people in mine clearance and safe disposal of unexploded bombs. [HL3287]

We have been pressing at NATO and the UN for the speedy deployment of KFOR troops and civilian police to Kosovo. The full complement of KFOR troops should ensure security coverage throughout Kosovo. KFOR has been clearing mines from roads and buildings needed for operational purposes. The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) is responsible for humanitarian mine action throughout Kosovo. We are working closely with UNMAS and other NGOs. UNMAS has already begun its work, and training local people in mine clearance and safe disposal of ordnance will be part of its task. DfID has committed over £1 million so far, including substantial support for UNMAS' mine-clearance activities and the establishment of a UN Mine Action Co-ordination Centre in Pristina.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is still the case that "there is no general doctrine of hurnanitarian necessity in international law" as stated by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean in Written Answers on 16 November 1998 (

The position set out in the Answer I gave to the noble Lord on 16 November (WA 139), and reaffirmed in my Answer of 7 May (WA 114), remains unchanged.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the present status of the "equip and train" programme for equipping and training the army of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina by the United States mercenary firm, the funding of which is controlled by the United States State Department. [HL3177]

The "Train and Equip" programme is a bilateral matter between the US and the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Military Professional Resources Incorporated, the firm that conducts the Train and Equip programme, is a private sector company and is licenced by the US State Department. Her Majesty's Government are not involved in this programme. The programme has been suspended since April because of the lack of progress on an integrated Federation Army.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What representations they have received from the Haemophilia Society concerning the Written Answer given by the Baroness Hayman on 15 June (WA 18) about the distinction made between people with haemophilia infected with HIV and hepatitis C respectively during NHS treatment; and what action they are taking in response to these representations. [HL3354]

We have received a letter from the Haemophilia Society on this issue. However, the representations made by the society have not convinced the Government to alter their decision that haemophiliacs infected with hepatitis C through National Health Service treatment should not receive special payments. I will write to my noble friend addressing the specific points made by the Haemophilia Society.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether local authority food safety law enforcement officers who are dealing with a complaint from a member of the public about unfit meat where the nature or condition of the meat is such that it would be reasonable to assume that the cause of the unfitness was or should have been apparent at the time the carcass was inspected in the slaughterhouse, are empowered to enter the slaughterhouse from which that meat originated in order to check whether the control systems in place were and are adequate, in the context of a due diligence defence being offered by the seller of the meat; and whether they are empowered, in carrying out their investigations, to check the effectiveness of Meat Hygiene Service personnel and their procedures; and [HL3231]Whether local authority food safety law enforcement officers are empowered to enter slaughterhouses with a view to checking the standards of meat processing and supervision, in the course of investigations into outbreaks of food poisoning, where there are reasonable suspicions that the sources of contamination may reside in slaughterhouses. [HL3232]

An authorised officer of a food authority has the power to enter a slaughterhouse to ascertain whether there have been any contraventions of the Food Safety Act 1990, and to take action to ensure that food failing to comply with food safety requirements is dealt with appropriately. This would normally be done in close liaison with the Meat. Hygiene Service (MHS) and would take into account the controls operated by the MHS within the premises. Food authorities have no powers to check the effectiveness of MHS personnel or their procedures.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is appropriate for the headquarters of the proposed Food Standards Agency to be located in a building the ground floor of which is a branch of a national supermarket chain. [HL3308]

The building which is being leased to provide the headquarters for the proposed Food Standards Agency is part of a mixed office and commercial refurbishment and development in the Holborn area. In line with planning consents, the developer is letting the ground floor separately for retail use, including a retail chemist and a supermarket. The choice of tenants is a commercial matter for the developer, and it would have been inappropriate for the Government to attempt to influence his decision.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proportion of the annual income of the Meat Hygiene Service will contribute to the annual running of the proposed Food Standards Agency; and whether the agency would require additional funding if the Meat Hygiene Service was not absorbed into its structure. [HL3310]

The Government propose that the Meat Hygiene Service should become an Executive Agency of the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Its funding will thus be accounted for separately from that of the Food Standards Agency. Meat Hygiene Service charges collected under the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 cannot be used to fund non MHS activities, such as the FSA running costs.

asked Her Majesty's Government:By how much

Data collected by the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) shows that the number of laboratory confirmed cases of salmonella in England and Wales fell from 32,596 in 1997 to a provisional figure of 23,420 in 1998.Not all

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is their view that smoking by fictional characters in popular television soap operas such as Coronation Street and EastEnders is likely to cause young people to smoke. [HL3267]

The Government believe that viewers, especially children, should be protected from broadcast material portraying smoking as a glamorous or attractive activity. The regulatory codes therefore give guidance about the depiction of smoking and drinking in programmes. Programmes should not include smoking or drinking unless the context or dramatic veracity require it. Particular care is needed with programmes likely to be seen by children.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What evidence has been published in the last three years as to the carcinogenicity of dioxins of the type, and at the concentrations, thought possibly to be present in Belgian food products recently withdrawn from the market. [HL3246]

There are a number of compounds classed as "dioxins". The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, 1997) and the Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC, 1998) have reviewed the published evidence, from animal and human studies, for the carcinogenicity of 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), which is the most toxic of these compounds.The COC concluded that it would be prudent to assume that TCDD is a probable weak human carcinogen. The IARC concluded that TCDD should be regarded as a human carcinogen.There is no published evidence as to the human carcinogenicity of levels and types of the other "dioxins" which are thought to have predominated in contaminated Belgian foods.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the increases to the Special Adviser pay bands for 1999–2000; and how many advisers are in each pay band by department. [HL3470]

The minima and maxima of the Special Adviser pay bands have each been increased by 2.8 per cent. with effect from 1 April 1999, the same increase as for the Senior Civil Service pay bands. The three pay bands are now:

• Band A—£26,728 to £46,260
• Band B—£41,120 to £61,680
• Band C—£55,512 to £78,186

The number of Special Advisers in each pay band is as follows:

Department	Number in Bands
	A	B	C
No. 101	3	10	7
Agriculture, Fisheries & Food	1
Cabinet Office2		2	1
Chief Whip's Office		2
Culture, Media & Sport	1	1
Defence		1	1
Education & Employment3, 4	2	1
Environment, Transport & the Regions5		3	1
Foreign & Commonwealth Office		2
Health		1	1
Home Office		2
International Development	2
Leader of the House of Lords		2
Lord Chancellor's Department			1
Northern Ireland Office	2

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the terms of reference for the Law Commission's review of the law on double jeopardy. [HL3471]

Following the recommendation in the Report on the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary has today formally asked the Law Commission to undertake a review of the law on double jeopardy. The terms of reference for this review are:"To consider the law of England and Wales relating to double jeopardy (after acquittal), taking into account:recommendation 38 of the Macpherson Report on the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry that consideration should be given to permit prosecution after acquittal where fresh and viable evidence is presented;the powers of the prosecution to reinstate criminal proceedings;and also the United Kingdom's international obligations; and to make recommendations".

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many applications for asylum lodged before 1 July 1993, and between 1 July 1993 and 31 December 1995, respectively, remain to be decided. [HL3187]

The information requested is given in the table.

Asylum applications lodged up to 31 December 1995 outstanding as at 30 May 1999(1)
Applications	Number
Applications lodged before July 1993	3,975
Applications lodged from July 1993 to December 1995	16,180
1 Estimates rounded to the nearest five.

It is intended that the applications made before July 1993 be cleared by September 1999 and those lodged between July 1993 and December 1995 by April 2000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:By what date they expect to achieve their pledge to halve the time from arrest to sentence of persistent young offenders to 71 days. [HL3268]

In 1996 the average time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders was 142 days. The Government are committed to halving this by no later than March 2002. Progress so far is encouraging; the average had dropped to 106 days by December 1998. Work continues, in particular through extensions of local fast tracking schemes and the expected nationwide introduction this autumn of new case management provisions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why in some police force areas the average number of days from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders has increased between 1997 and 1998. [HL3269]

Whilst national performance so far has been encouraging we are concerned that some areas appear to be taking longer to deal with cases. Together with the Youth Justice Board we plan to explore the reasons in more detail with the local youth justice services. We will look at the effect individual cases can have on the averages for particular areas and the operation of and need for improvement in local fast tracking schemes.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many unaccompanied children reached the United Kingdom seeking asylum in each of the last 12 months; and whether they can state their countries of origin. [HL3274]

The available information is given in the following table.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What measures they will take to give effect to the recommendations of the Law Commission for England and Wales, as set out in its 33rd Annual Report, to take measures to address the backlog in Implementing them Commission's recommended reforms. [HL3212]

The Government will implement those Law Commission recommendations that it accepts when parliamentary time allows. The Government are also considering ways of finding a better match between the Law Commission's work and the Government's priorities for legislation.