asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list separately the member states, the associated states and those that have observer status in the Western European Union (WEU); and whether they will indicate the main differences, in rights and obligations under the treaty, between the three categories of membership. [HL941]

I will write to the noble Lord separately with the information he has requested.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Government's servers and routers are adequately protected from a "pingstorm" attack. [HL997]

The counter-measures in place have been carefully designed and are adequate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the cost of staffing the Millennium Dome on Millennium Eve and on New Year's Day. [HL1018]

The cost of the hosts employed at the Dome on Millennium Eve and New Year's Day were £87,711 and £215,138 respectively. Other staff of the New Millennium Experience Company worked on both days but did not receive any additional payment to their normal monthly salary which would have been paid in any case.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the cost of staffing the Millennium Dome site between 31 December 1999 and 31 January 2000. [HL1019]

The cost of staffing the Millennium Dome site between 31 December 1999 and 31 January 2000, inclusive, was approximately £6,410,912.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many designers awarded contracts by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) have received payments that were (a) greater than, (b) the same as, and (c) less than the sum specified under the terms of the contract. [HL1024]

Payments are being made in all cases according to contractual terms. Some invoices are the subject of normal issue resolution procedures.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the total sum that has been paid by the New Millennium Experience Company in overtime payments since the commencement of the Millennium Dome project. [HL1025]

The total sum paid by the New Millennium Experience Company in overtime since the start of the Millennium Experience Project (March 1997) is £677,418.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the total sum that has been paid by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) in compensation since the commencement of the Millennium Dome project to contractors and designers whose employment or contract has been terminated by the NMEC. [HL1026]

No termination payments have been made by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) to contractors or designers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the legal dispute between the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and Koch Hightex (the company involved in the roofing contract) has been resolved; and what have been the legal costs incurred to date by NMEC in connection with this dispute. [HL1053]

The dispute between the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and Koch Hightex remains unresolved. NMEC's legal costs to date have been £170,000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the life expectancy of the displays in each of the zones at the Millennium Dome. [HL1054]

The life expectancy of the displays in each zone varies both between and within different zones. The zone infrastructure, for example, conforms to building regulations and therefore meets the normal minimum 25 years' life expectancy. In respect of displays, exhibition equipment or installations within zones the design contracts specified that they should be operational for the entire duration of the Millennium Experience.

asked Her Majesty's Government:With respect to the Living Island zone at the Millennium Dome, on how many occasions during January were the machines available for public use out of action for a period of more than one operational day. [HL1056]

The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is working to ensure that all initial teething problems encountered following the dome's opening in January are dealt with swiftly. The company has in place an ongoing programme to deliver improvements to the zones, including modifying the machines for public use to make them more robust. Although on some occasions the machines in the Living Island zone ("Hit the Target" and the Arcade games) were out of order for more than one operational day, NMEC's dedicated onsite maintenance team aims to repair out-of-action machines on an hour-by-hour basis as well as overnight.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that, in the light of the new procedure for the publication of updated notes on clauses (which provide an extrinsic source of statutory interpretation), the disadvantages of judicial recourse to parliamentary debates for the purpose of construing ambiguous legislation outweigh the benefits of the rule in

The explanatory notes now provided alongside Bills and Acts are intended to assist the reader of legislation. In introducing them, the Government did not aim to create an "extrinsic source of statutory interpretation". If the notes are successful in the purpose of helping the reader, they may of course be read by judges as well as by others. The Government's view is that it is for the courts to decide what material they should take into account.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish the response they receive from the chairman of the New Millennium Experience Company to their request for a written account of the circumstances surrounding the replacement by Pierre-Yves Gerbeau. [HL1076]

The Government have not requested such an account from the chairman of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC). I understand however that the Millennium Commission, in approving the financial package offered to Miss Page, asked for further information. The commission's approval was required by virtue of the terms and conditions of its grant to NMEC.

asked Her Majesty's Government:For what reason the search facility on the 10 Downing Street website is restricted to inquiries dating from 1 January 1999. [HL1120]

The 10 Downing Street website allows users to search for material contained in the whole of the website archive without any date restrictions. It also contains a second facility to allow searches within specific parts of the site and between specific dates. Until the process of ensuring that relevant material from the old site has been transferred to the new archive is finished, this second facility only allows dates after 1 January 1999 to be specified. Once the transfer is complete the specific search facility will be extended back to May 1997.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why their policy statement

This policy statement dates back to 1998 and is not currently contained in the site's archive. It should be added in due course as the archive is extended back to May 1997.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they anticipate that hypertext mark-up language (HTML) links from departmental websites to the new 10 Downing Street website will be updated. [HL1122]

Links to the 10 Downing Street website's home page do not require updating since the address of the site remains the same. Where links existed to specific parts of the site, these will need updating. Departments are being asked to check their websites for any such links and to update them as necessary. All links should be updated shortly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 3 February (

The Human Rights Act 1998 has preserved parliamentary sovereignty. UK courts will not be able to set aside primary legislation that is incompatible with the convention rights; instead the higher courts will, by schedule, be able to make a declaration of incompatibility. Section 19 provides for one of two sorts of statements to be made: either a statement to the effect that a Bill is compatible with the convention rights or a statement that the Minister is not able to make such a statement but that the Government nevertheless wish the House to proceed with the Bill. There is no such statutory framework in respect of European Community law.

asked Her Majesty's Government:To what extent the Strategic Communications Unit has editorial control of the 10 Downing Street website. [HL1150]

A member of the Strategic Communications Unit acts as editor for the site. Material is prepared and sub-edited by two other members of the unit. All three are established civil servants.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 17 February, what various reasons other than the improvements to the No. 10 website account for the 35 per cent increase in the running costs of the Strategic Communications Unit. [HL1151]

I am grateful to the noble Earl for tabling this Question as it allows me to offer my apologies for inaccuracies in the Answer given to him on 31 January (Official Report, col. WA 12) arising from inadequate checking of figures.The correct figures for the total expenditure of the Strategic Communications Unit are as follows: £77,633 in 1997–98 (during which year the SCU was only functioning for approximately three months); £716,672 in 1998–99; and £839,440 in 1999–2000 (budgeted, not actual expenditure).The rise between expenditure in 1998–99 and the budget for 1999–2000 is approximately 17 per cent. Of this, approximately 86 per cent is due to the additional costs of the redesign and relaunch of the No. 10 Internet site, including the replacement of outdated computer equipment and the creation of two additional established Civil Service posts.Excluding website costs, the rise between expenditure in 1998–99 and the budget for 1999–2000 is 2.3 per cent. There are several reasons for this rise, including a rise in other pay costs due to annual pay increases and the upgrading of one post from Band A to SCS; an increase in spending on books and magazines; and an increase in travel and subsistence costs.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proportion of the Strategic Communications Unit's annual running costs can be attributed to the input to the unit by special advisers. [HL1152]

There are two special advisers employed in the Strategic Communications Unit. To provide the information requested by the noble Earl would enable an estimate to be made of their salaries. In line with the practice of previous administrations, the salaries of individual special advisers are not disclosed as this would breach the privacy of the individuals concerned. The only exceptions are the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, the Prime Minister's Chief Press Secretary and the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator, whose salaries are outside the special adviser three-band pay structure.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the comments made by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 16 February (H.L. Deb., col. 1220), whether the Strategic Communications Unit is bound by the same guidelines that apply to the Government Information and Communications Service. [HL1153]

The Strategic Communications Unit is subject to the Guidance on the Work of the Government Information and Communication Service and the Civil Service Code.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are satisfied that the Strategic Communications Unit, in common with the Government Information and Communications Service, is an effective and honourable part of the Civil Service (H.L. Deb., 16 February, col. 1220). [HL1154]

Yes.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What role the Strategic Communications Unit has in respect of the dissemination of government information; and how the role complements the work of the Government Information and Communications Service. [HL1155]

The role of the Strategic Communications Unit and the way in which that role complements the work of the Government Information and Communications Service is set out in the Mountfield report on the Government Information Service, published in November 1997.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many persons are held in detention under the immigration Acts; of these how many are held pending deportation; whether as many as 6,000 persons have been detained during any recent 12-month period; how many current detainees are held in HM prisons; and how many of those in prison were asylum-seekers with undecided cases. [HL1027]

I expect to be in a position to send the noble Lord a substantive reply by 14 March.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have for making the best possible use of the 700 or so available places in Category D (open) prisons; and in particular whether they are considering women's wings or complete conversion of some prisons to female use. [HL1100]

In September 1999 the Director General of the Prison Service announced a review of five open prisons. For some time there has been a significant upward trend in the prison population indicating the need to provide more places in secure accommodation, including provision for female prisoners. Also, because of the introduction of home detention curfew, there were indications that fewer open places would be required.The review will take into account the projected need for open places as the prison population continues to rise and the most efficient way of providing the places required. The review is specifically required to evaluate the proposal to rerole Morton Hall male open prison to a female closed prison. The outcome of the review will be known later in the spring.To ensure sufficient female capacity next financial year, four ready-to-use units at existing female establishments are planned. Over the longer term, a new 450-place female prison at Ashford, near Heathrow, and an additional 360 female places as part of the proposed 840-place prison at Peterborough are planned.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have for HM Prison Armley following an adverse report from the Board of Visitors. [HL1101]

The report from the Board of Visitors raised a number of concerns for Ministers and for the Prison Service. Action has already been taken to address these concerns and the governor of Leeds will continue to ensure that further progress continues over the coming months.My right honourable friend the Minister of State at the Home Office (Mr Boateng) wrote to the chairman of the Board of Visitors on 6 January in response to the report outlining the significant progress made at Leeds in improving conditions for prisoners. I will arrange for a copy of this letter to be placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the approximate cost of testing each patient for presence of depleted uranium in their body. [HL823]

The MoD estimates that the cost of obtaining and testing a sample of urine from each veteran who participates in the testing proposed in the draft protocol to test for depleted uranium will be approximately £3,500, excluding Ministry of Defence overheads.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Ministry of Defence is buying meat or meat products from France; if so, how many of what type; and whether the meat is produced to the same standards in terms of feed and housing as meat produced in the United Kingdom. [HL971]

The supply of food to our Armed Forces is contracted out to "3663" (formerly trading as Booker Foodservice). The Ministry of Defence requires the company to seek the best price in the open market consistent with meeting out quality standard. We also require it specifically to give full consideration to British products, which we look to it to buy wherever they are competitive. Currently all beef for consumption by our UK-based service personnel is British. In addition, 100 per cent of our pork and almost 50 per cent of our bacon and gammon are being sourced in the UK. All products must meet our quality standard and must comply with all relevant UK, EC and other legislative requirements, including prescribed welfare standards, which govern home and imported products, and this is regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food. Currently our contractor is sourcing the following meat products from French suppliers, on cost grounds:

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the digitised communication system known as Bowman will be installed in troop vehicles; and when it will be in service. [HL1066]

Bowman will be installed in troop vehicles in time to meet the in-service date, which we expect to be in late 2003/early 2004.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What percentage of expenditure on healthcare in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the Netherlands is attributable to administrative costs in each case. [HL1051]

The latest available figures (1996–97) reported by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development are 1½ per cent for France, 6½ per cent for Germany and 4½ per cent for the Netherlands. However, these figures are not reported on a consistent basis, so to make direct comparisons would be misleading.Compared to other health systems in developed countries, the National Health Service is efficient with, for example, shorter lengths of stay in hospital and more intensive bed usage. Studies have also shown it enjoys relatively low administrative costs. Management costs are expected to constitute 4.7 per cent of net NHS expenditure in England for 1999–2000. This compares to some 5.5 per cent when the Government came into office. The Government are delivering on their manifesto pledge that a greater proportion of every pound spent on the NHS will go on patient care not bureaucracy.The Government are committed to saving £1 billion from bureaucracy over the five years from 1997–98. We are on course to do so—by the end of 1999–2000 almost £0.5 billion will have been saved from administration for investment in patient care.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What immediate steps they intend to take to deal with the backlog of state pensions that have not been paid to new pensioners. [HL945]

State pensions are being paid to new pensioners within the normal clearance target timescales. However, due to problems relating to the introduction of the NIRS2 computer system, the additional pension component is not being paid immediately in some cases. The Benefits Agency has put in place contingency arrangements to make clearical calculations of the additional pension component to retirement pension where appropriate. Extra staff have been provided for this.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in the light of the Prime Minister's address to the National Farmers' Union Annual General Meeting on 1 February and in particular his statement "I do not rule out futher measures to help [the pig industry]", they have plans to reintroduce the subsidy paid to the rendering industry for the disposal of pig offal which was withdrawn in 1998. [HL1013]

The Government have no plans to do so. As the Prime Minister also said on 1 February, any investment by government must be linked to long-term change in the structure of the industry and be part of an agreed overall strategy. The re-introduction of the subsidy to the rendering industry would meet neither of those criteria.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will bring an action in the French courts in order to open up the French market to British beef; and, if not, why not. [HL1036]

The French action is in breach of European law. The Commission has a special role and special powers under the EC Treaty to ensure that member states abide by EU law. It has already begun legal proceedings against the French Government for their failure to lift their ban on the import of British beef. The UK Government have made it clear to the Commission that they expect these proceedings to be pursued vigorously.In the light of this, the Government do not intend to bring a separate action in the French courts. To bring an action would add complication, and the French courts would undoubtedly refer the matter to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The Government do not believe that this separate action would bring about an earlier settlement to the dispute.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider the common agricultural policy is delivering each of the five objectives contained in Article 33 of the Treaty of Rome, and in particular ensuring a fair standard of living for the agricultural community; and, if the answer is no, what steps they are taking to put right such a failure to ensure a treaty obligation. [HL1052]

The common agricultural policy, as currently structured, does not serve farmers, consumers and taxpayers well. That is why the Government pressed for a radical reform of the common agricultural policy throughout the Agenda 2000 negotiations. We continue to push for further reform.

asked Her Majesty's Government:By what date they will send out the guidance notes for the harvest in the year 2000 on the integrated administration and control system (IACS) of the common agricultural policy. [HL1080]

The documentation pack enabling farmers to make their 2000 IACS area aid applications, which includes an information booklet setting out guidance notes, will begin to be sent out to applicants in England by the end of February and to applicants elsewhere in the United Kingdom shortly thereafter.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the known toxicological effects of epichlorohydrin on the central nervous system, mitochondria, kidneys and liver; and what are its known mutagenci and carcinogenic properties and the effects upon humans of acute and chronic exposure. [HL1084]

Epichlorohydrin was evaluated under the International Programme on Chemical Safety and the report (Environmental Health Criteria 33) was published in 1984. Animal studies indicated that the central nervous system did not appear to be the most significant target. The kidney was particularly sensitive to the toxic effects of epichlorohydrin and degenerative changes in the liver were also reported. The degenerative changes of the kidney described in rats and mice were not reported in humans.Epichlorohydrin is mutagenic in most short-term assays and carcinogenic in long-term studies in experimental animals when administered by inhalation, orally or by subcutaneous injection. It can also sensitise the skin.The EHC evaluation concluded that epichlorohydrin is a possible human carcinogen.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 1 March 1993 (

The stabiliser was epichlorohydrin, which acted as a water scavenger in diazinon-based sheep dips, preventing the formation of toxic degradation products such as SULPHOTEPP.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the stabiliser epichlorohydrin is, or has ever been, used in any other products containing diazinon; and, if so, which. [HL1087]

No currently authorised diazinon-based veterinary medicinal or pesticide product contains epichlorohydrin and records show that no expired diazinon-based pesticide contained epichlorohydrin. Identifying whether any previously licensed veterinary medicinal product contained epichlorohydrin could only be done at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received advice from the National Museums Directors' Conference on the question of the United Kingdom's proposed accession to the UNIDROIT Convention on stolen and illicitly exported artefacts; and, if so, what that advice was. [HL938]

In a letter dated 24 June 1998, Dr Alan Borg, the chairman of the Conference of Directors, National Museums and Galleries expressed the conference's support of the UK acceding to the UNIDROIT Convention.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in the light of the Government of the United States' imposition of emergency import restrictions upon Khmer sculptures in view of the ongoing pillage in Cambodia of sites such as Angkor, they will consider the imposition of similar restrictions upon the import of such materials into the United Kingdom; and under what legislation such restrictions could, if found desirable, be imposed. [HL939]

Her Majesty's Government have no plans to impose import restrictions upon Khmer sculptures. If it was found desirable to do so, such restrictions could be introduced by modifying the open general import licence issued under the Import of Goods (Control) Order 1954 (as amended), a statutory instrument made under the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939 as amended by the Import and Export Control Act 1990.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Victoria and Albert Museum, following the recovery of two oil sketches by John Constable in January, has discovered how the sketches were stolen in November 1998; and whether such an incident could happen again. [HL976]

The theft and recovery of the two oil sketches by John Constable from the V&A are the subject of police investigation and possible legal action. Until this process is concluded, it would not be right to provide further details. The museum has reviewed security and has taken additional measures to diminish the risks of a future theft.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How often the security of works of art in the national museums is reviewed; and how their security arrangements compare with other national museums outside the United Kingdom. [HL977]

The security of works of art in national museums is kept under continuous review as part of the prudent stewardship of such national assets.Expert advice on security matters is available to museums from the Museums and Galleries Commission. The MGC believes that the United Kingdom compares favourably with the rest of Europe and most of the rest of the world as regards the amount of investment in security arrangements.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 3 February (

The ICT training for teachers programme is designed specifically to train state primary and secondary school teachers in the use of ICT in their subject teaching under the national curriculum. Non-maintained schools, including non-maintained special schools, do not have to follow the national curriculum and are therefore not within the priority group targeted by the initiative.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to their launch of the Supporters Direct scheme on 27 January, in what circumstances would supporters be able to take a majority stake in a football club as a result of the introduction of the scheme. [HL1057]

The Supporters Direct Unit, when fully operational later this year, will provide advice and assistance to those supporters groups in England which would like to establish supporters trusts as a means of taking a financial stake in their football club. The unit will provide assistance in establishing such trusts but will not be involved in the direct purchase of shares, and nor will any funding be provided by the unit for share purchases.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the findings of the Women's Unit's research into women's incomes over their lifetime which was commissioned in spring 1999. [HL1135]

:A report on women's incomes over their lifetime was published on 21 February. Copies have been placed in the House Library.The research set out to examine the key features of women's incomes, drawing on existing research and undertaking new analysis. While we have information about income comparisons between individuals at particular points in time, these do not tell us about the impact over women's lifetimes of the pattern and level of their earnings, the effect of the tax and benefits systems and the importance to women's incomes of transfers within families. This new report examines these issues and shows the significant income a woman can expect to forgo over her lifetime in comparison with a man with an equivalent level of education, irrespective of motherhood. The report then analyses the further income forgone by women who have children. In both cases the report highlights the significant impact a woman's level of academic achievement will have on her earnings.The Government will be looking at the implications of these findings on future policies.