To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the Department for International Development's budget for Afghanistan was allocated to (a) Helmand province, and (b) other provinces of Afghanistan, in each of the past three financial years. [HL2369]

The amounts allocated to Helmand province and other provinces of Afghanistan by the Department for International Development (DfID), in the past three financial years, are provided in the table below.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the Department for International Development's budget for Afghanistan was allocated to each sector of development in each of the past three financial years. [HL2370]

The Department for International Development (DfID) publishes information on expenditure annually in Statistics on International Development, which is available online at http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Documents/publications/sid%202009/final-printed-sid-2009.pdf.

Details of the sums spent in each development sector in Afghanistan are available at http://www.dfid.gov. uk/Documents/publications/sid%202009/Bilateral-exp-recipient-country-sector-asia.xls.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official residence of the First Sea Lord during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) MPs, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2122]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official residence of the Second Sea Lord during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) MPs, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2123]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the Commander-in-Chief Fleet during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) MPs, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2124]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief Fleet during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) Ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) MPs, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2125]

The number of guests entertained, broken down as requested, is provided in the tables below:

Notes

1. The category of other senior officers includes military and civilian crown servants of 1* level and above.

2. Where an overseas guest was accompanied, their partner has been included under overseas visitors.

3. Where a guest in another category was accompanied, their partner has been counted under other VIPs.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the Adjutant General during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) Ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) Members of Parliament, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2218]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the Commander-in-Chief Land during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) Ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) Members of Parliament, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2219]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the Commander Allied Rapid Reaction Corps during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) Ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) Members of Parliament, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2220]

The number of guests, including those who attended working functions held at each official service residence, is broken down as requested in the tables below:

The Adjutant General did not occupy an official service residence in 2009. The figures provided are for those entertained at his home.

Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (HQ ARRC), the United Kingdom's NATO Rapid Deployable Corps, is a 3* HQ with a peacetime establishment of more than 400 multinational personnel from 15 partner nations.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the Commander-in-Chief Air during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) Ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) Members of Parliament, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2221]

The numbers of guests entertained at the official service residence of the Commander-in-Chief Air during 2009 are as follows:

* includes spouses of senior officers

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the Chief of the Air Staff during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) Ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) Members of Parliament, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2222]

The numbers of guests entertained at the official service residence of the Chief of the Air Staff during 2009 are as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel (Royal Air Force) during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) Ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) Members of Parliament, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2223]

The numbers of guests entertained at the official service residence of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief during 2009 are as follows:

* includes spouses of senior officers

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) Ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) Members of Parliament, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2275]

The numbers of guests entertained at the official service residence of the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff during 2009 are as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the Deputy Supreme Allied Command Europe during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) Ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) Members of Parliament, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2276]

The numbers of guests entertained at the official service residence of the Deputy Supreme Allied Command Europe during 2009 are as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the United Kingdom Military Representative to NATO during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) Ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) Members of Parliament, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2277]

The numbers of guests entertained at the official service residence of the United Kingdom Military Representative to NATO during 2009 are as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the Commander Joint Force Command Headquarters Brunssum during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) Ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) Members of Parliament, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2278]

The appointment of Commander Joint Force Command Headquarters Brunssum is not allocated to the United Kingdom and we are therefore unable to provide the information requested.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guests were entertained at the official service residence of the Deputy Commander Joint Force Command Brunssum during 2009 who were (a) royalty, (b) Ministers, (c) other senior officers, (d) Members of Parliament, (e) overseas visitors, and (f) other VIPs. [HL2279]

The numbers of guests entertained at the official service residence of the Deputy Commander Joint Force Command Brunssum during 2009 are as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money each department provides to the British Wind Energy Association; and for what purposes. [HL2463]

The department does not at present provide money to the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA), now RenewableUK.

The department does not maintain a central record of any funding provided to the BWEA from other parts of government.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they have given or plan to give to the family of Nassima Sadia, who was taken from the United Kingdom to Algeria in 2007. [HL2540]

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Child Abduction Section and our embassy in Algiers have provided consular assistance to Mrs Sadia since April 2006, when she reported that her husband had retained their daughter in Algeria.

We liaised with the Northern Ireland police and the Algerian authorities to help establish where Nassima was living and attending school. We provided Mrs Sadia with a list of English speaking lawyers and advised her to pursue the matter through the Algerian courts if she could not come to an agreement with her husband. In December 2009 we sent a UK court order concerning the case to the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs asking that it be sent to the relevant authorities so that appropriate action could be taken. We will continue to do all we can to help Mrs Sadia.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Children, Schools and Families Bill will place a requirement on Catholic, Jewish, Anglican and Muslim voluntary aided schools to provide children with details of abortion clinics and abortion referral agencies. [HL2447]

It will not. Schools will have to teach their pupils where and how to obtain health information. They will also be encouraged to teach their pupils how to access information about contraception and sexual health as part of their delivery of SRE, but whether and how they do that will be at their discretion.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many emergency service personnel from the United Kingdom have been deployed to assist in Chile following the recent earthquake. [HL2420]

There have been no United Kingdom emergency service personnel deployed to Chile in response to the recent earthquake. Chile has not asked for such assistance.

In line with what the Government of Chile have asked for, the UK has contributed £250,000 to the Chilean Red Cross and are flying in up to 1,200 tents.

To ask Her Majesty's Government when the partnership arrangement between the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council for access to SOCA's ELMER database was established; for what purpose it was established; for how long the arrangement is to run; and on how many occasions the Council has accessed the database. [HL2532]

The partnership agreement between SOCA and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council was signed on 30 April 2008. The agreement allows an accredited financial investigator in the council's consumer fraud team within trading standards to access the ELMER database for the purpose of combating consumer fraud. Access to the database is limited to accredited financial investigators. All partnership agreements are subject to review every two years and therefore the agreement with Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council will be reviewed in April 2010. The financial investigator at Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council has never accessed the ELMER database directly due to connectivity issues.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what public or private bodies other than the Government security services and the police have direct access to the ELMER database of the Serious Organised Crime Agency. [HL2533]

In addition to the police and the regional asset recovery teams (RARTs), the following public bodies have direct access to the ELMER database. This access is limited to accredited financial investigators within these bodies:

Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre;

Civil Recovery Unit, Scotland;

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills;

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;

Department for Work and Pensions;

HM Revenue and Customs;

National Policing Improvement Agency;

Royal Mail;

Serious Fraud Office;

Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency;

Social Security Agency, Northern Ireland; and

UK Border Agency.

To ask Her Majesty's Government in relation to the draft CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Order 2010, whether large organisations and the public sector will be expected to reach the same level of carbon reduction that the Borough of Woking did in the 1990s through use of combined heat and power. [HL2456]

The total carbon savings from the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme will be determined by the emissions cap which will apply from 2013. Analysis shows that by 2020 the scheme is expected to have delivered overall emissions savings of at least 4Mt CO₂ per year. In setting the cap Government will consider advice from the Committee on Climate Change, which will be delivered later this year. Government will also consider the available cost effective emissions savings from the CRC sector to ensure it contributes fully to our carbon budgets.

The cap on emissions will be set for the scheme as a whole, not at sector or organisation level. The method of carbon reductions will be determined by each participant.

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the fundamental review of the GB Security and Quality of Supply Standards for the planning and operation of the electricity transmission system to be completed and its proposals to be published. [HL2494]

The fundamental review of the GB Security and Quality of Supply Standard is a matter for National Grid in partnership with industry. I understand that they are seeking to prioritise the elements of the review, with the first outputs to appear this summer, which will among other things address the optimum transmission capacity to support wind generation.

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will decide whether to opt in to the proposal for a European Protection Order. [HL2416]

In order to exercise the United Kingdom's right to opt-in to this proposal, the Government must make a decision within three months of the proposal being presented to the council. The Government hope to be in a position to take a decision on whether or not to opt in to the proposal for a European protection order before Easter.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much Communities and Local Government, its predecessors and its agencies spent on (a) public relations consultants, and (b) public affairs consultants, in each of the past three years; and for what purposes. [HL2384]

All communications spend co-ordinated by the department's central communication directorate, including on public relations, is published at the time of the department's annual reports. For the most recent year I refer the noble Baroness to the department's website at www.communities.gov.uk/documents/corporate/ pdf/1298507.pdf.

No use has been made by the communication directorate of public affairs consultants.

Information relating to the department's agencies could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Department of Health and its agencies spent on (a) public relations consultants, and (b) public affairs consultants, in each of the past three years; and for what purposes. [HL2453]

Public relations companies are employed to support a very wide range of marketing and policy initiatives. This includes major public health behaviour change programmes (such as tobacco control, sexual health, flu immunisation, Change4Life, and drug and alcohol harm reduction programmes) in addition to communicating to the National Health Service workforce and supporting clinical campaigns. The figures below also include NHS Connecting for Health expenditure.

The work commissioned through public relations companies includes a wide range of marketing activity including advertorials, newsletter production, conference and event management, research, creation of content and photography and stakeholder relations activity.

Note: All costs exclude VAT

Final 2009-10 PR expenditure figures are not yet available as activity is still underway. Figures for the past three complete years have therefore been provided.

Information on the department's expenditure on public affairs consultants is not held centrally and cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

The department had two executive agencies during this period, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA).

The MHRA did not use public affairs consultants over the period specified.

NHS PASA did not use public relations or public affairs consultants over the period specified.

The department has a number of arms length bodies and several national programmes eg NHS Employers. Information for these bodies is not held centrally and cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many illegal immigrants have been found to be working for the Department for International Development and its agencies in each of the past five years. [HL2348]

No illegal immigrants have been found to be working for the Department for International Development (DfID) in each of the past five years.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many illegal immigrants have been found to be working for the Ministry of Justice, its predecessors and its agencies in each of the past five years. [HL2381]

People employed to work in government departments and their agencies, either directly or through a contractor, are required to satisfy requirements on identity, nationality and immigration status prior to the offer of employment.

There has been one occasion within the past five years where compliance checks found an illegal immigrant to be working for the Ministry of Justice in 2007. The individual was subject to a criminal prosecution for using false identification documentation and given a prison sentence.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many illegal immigrants have been found to be working for Communities and Local Government, its predecessors and its agencies in each of the past five years. [HL2382]

People employed to work in government departments and their agencies, either directly or through a contractor, are required to satisfy requirements on identity, nationality and immigration status prior to the offer of employment.

My department has no record of having employed an illegal immigrant in the past five years.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many consultant posts exist for the diagnosis and treatment of autism; and whether there are plans to increase that number. [HL2407]

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many health professionals working in primary care are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of autism; and whether they plan to increase that number. [HL2408]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the spread of professionals trained in the diagnosis and treatment of autism is proportionate to demand across the country; and what proposals they have for the distribution of those skills. [HL2409]

The number of consultant posts dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of autism is not held centrally, nor is the number of healthcare professionals trained in the diagnosis and treatment of autism.

We believe it is essential that autism awareness training is available to everyone working in health or social care. Actions in the autism strategy include a programme to develop training with health and social care professional bodies (backed by £500,000 investment). However, we do not set specific targets for how many people should be trained by when.

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 1 July 2008 (WA 28–9), what progress they have made towards the statutory regulation of clinical scientists, including clinical physiologists, as recommended by the Health Professions Council in 2004; and why the process has taken the time it has. [HL1851]

The department is committed to the regulation of healthcare scientists. The Future of the Healthcare Science Workforce—Modernising Scientific Careers: the Next Steps, published November 2008, set out proposals to transform the future training and career pathways of the healthcare science workforce, including proposals for a new regulatory framework for healthcare scientists. A copy of the document has already been placed in the Library.

We have established a United Kingdom Healthcare Science Regulation Liaison Group which will develop detailed proposals for regulating the healthcare scientist workforce, including clinical physiologists.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the means by which the writ of summons of an hereditary peer can be overridden or annulled. [HL2544]

The House of Lords Committee for Privileges confirmed in its first report of 2009-10 (HL 87) that a Writ of Summons cannot be withheld from a Peer who is otherwise entitled to receive it. Only legislation can override the entitlement.

The Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill would provide the House with a power to make Standing Orders under which it may resolve to expel or suspend a Peer. It also provides that where such a resolution is passed, any Writ of Summons already issued to the Peer would cease to have effect.

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Young of Norwood Green on 10 February (WA 154), what are the estimated net and gross annual export earnings for the higher education sector from overseas students attending publicly funded higher education institutions. [HL2659]

Gross export earnings for the HE sector were estimated to be over £5.3 billion in the 2007-08 academic year—this includes the international revenue earned directly by the universities together with the additional personal expenditure of international students and visitors.

£2.9 billion of this was direct income. The sources of this income are shown in the table

Source: UUK

These figures do not include income from international students studying below HE level, or those studying at HE level in further education institutions.

Equivalent information on international students attending private HE institutions is not held centrally. There are a number of private universities based in the UK whose students will benefit the UK to an extent, although these are not included in the above figures. No estimate is available for the net export earnings.

Source: “The Impact of Universities on the UK Economy”, Universities UK (2009)

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the answer by Lord Young of Norwood Green on 1 March (Official Report, House of Lords, col. 1187), what public information is provided on the functions of the Information Commissioner's Office in relation to unsolicited recorded telephone messages. [HL2495]

Among other things, the ICO is the UK's independent regulator of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003. The ICO is responsible for ensuring compliance with this legislation, including promoting and enforcing the lawful processing of personal data in relation to unsolicited recorded telephone messages and responding to any complaints that involve the processing of personal data.

The ICO produces a range of publications to inform individuals about their rights and the ICO's functions in relation to unsolicited marketing (including recorded telephone messages). It also publishes guidance for organisations on legislation and good practice. All of these publications are available on the ICO's website.

In addition, on 4 March 2010 the ICO issued updated guidance for political parties and candidates covering a range of communication techniques including telephone calls, including automated calls. The guidance applies to direct marketing campaigns, for example, encouraging individuals to vote for a particular party or candidate, and appealing for funds and support for campaigns.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the criteria by which Commissioners of the Infrastructure Planning Commission are recruited; and what are the professional and other qualifications and relevant experiences of each of the Commissioners so far recruited. [HL2484]

Commissioners have been appointed across a range of backgrounds following an open and transparent recruitment process. Copies of the job description and person specification for these posts, and biographies of those appointed, have been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask Her Majesty's Government which provisions of the Magna Carta remain in force in Scotland. [HL2518]

The Magna Carta is a legal charter which only applies to England and Wales.

To ask Her Majesty's Government which applications for NHS Foundation Trusts ministers approved to go forward to Monitor in (a) 2007–08, (b) 2008–09, and (c) 2009–10; and which of those applications have been approved by Monitor. [HL2514]

Applications for National Health Service foundation trust status supported by the Secretary of State to go forward to Monitor in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09, and (c) 2009-10; and the results of the assessment by Monitor, the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts, are given in the following table.

Notes:

1. Withdrew before final assessment: an application is treated as withdrawn if the applicant trust requests to be withdrawn from the process, or if the trust does not reactivate its application in a set timeframe. The effect of a withdrawal is to nullify the application in full. This means that there will no longer be an application for Monitor to consider. The support of the Secretary of State for the new application will have to be obtained before a new application can be made to Monitor.

2. Awaiting assessment by Monitor: Monitor has not completed its assessment of the NHS trust.

3. Deferred by Monitor: Monitor has discretion to defer consideration of an application to allow the NHS trust time to address issues arising since Secretary of State supported the application.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the categories of bonuses which have been available to officials of the Northern Ireland Office in each of the past four financial years; how much was allocated under each heading; and to how many officials. [HL2368]

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) operates three non-consolidated performance payment schemes: an in-year, special performance scheme (to reward particularly meritorious contributions during the year); an end-of-year performance payment scheme for staff below Senior Civil Service (to reward performance and delivery throughout the previous year); and a performance payment scheme for Senior Civil Service, which is an integral part of the pay arrangements in operation in all Whitehall departments.

Full details of non-consolidated performance payments made by the NIO in each of the past four years are shown in the following tables:

*This figure does not include payments made by the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Jerusalem Centre for Photography in Jenin, the Zakat Hospital in Tulkarem, the Prosthesis Factory in Qalqilia, the Islamic Relief for Care of Orphans in Tubas and Salfeit, the Nafha Society for Defence of Prisoners and Human Rights in Naablus, the School for Deaf Children in Ramullah, the Christian Wafa Charity Society in Bethlehem, or the Al-Aqsa School for Orphans in Hebron have previously received British or European Union funding. [HL2179]

We have no record of any of these organisations receiving government funding. The EU Commission has confirmed that it has not funded these organisations.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will issue a direction under Article 14 of the Town and Country Planning Act (General Development Procedure) Order 1995 (SI 1995/419) to Surrey Heath Borough Council restricting the grant of planning permission for the proposed mosque near the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst until the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has personally determined the application, in view of concerns about the possible association of the mosque with extremist organisations. [HL2391]

The Secretary of State will consider issuing an Article 14 direction at the appropriate time and if necessary, in order to allow time for him to consider whether or not he wishes to call in the applications for his own determination.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals are recorded on the police national computer. [HL2537]

The police national computer (PNC) contains records from a number of separate databases. Records of individuals are held on the names and drivers databases and as of 26 February 2010 these held 9,769,955 and 53,246,896 records respectively. Some of the names included in the figures quoted could be registered firearms certificate holders.

These data are normally used for management information only and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications.

These figures are also not mutually exclusive in that the same record may be included in more than one database.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which prisoners in custody in England and Wales are victims of rape or other sexual violence. [HL2466]

Prisons have a responsibility to keep prisoners and staff safe. The management of violence, including sexual violence, and its reduction is central to successful prison management. It is fundamental to the objectives of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and vital to achieving the broad aims of safer custody. NOMS has in place a local violence reduction strategy which is currently under review.

NOMS records numbers of all types of sexual assault incidents in prison but does not have a separate offence classification of rape. In the financial year 2008-09—the latest data available—124 sexual assaults were recorded on the NOMS incident reporting system. Analysis has shown that over 90 per cent of sexual assaults occur in male prisons. This figure includes proven and unproven allegations and is subject to change because some alleged incidents are removed or reclassified following further investigation.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made, or intend to make, a comparative assessment of the effects of religious anti-conversion laws in Indian states and the proposed anti-conversion legislation in Sri Lanka, and in particular their effects on freedoms protected by international human rights agreements to which the states are signatories. [HL2617]

We have not made a comparative assessment of the effects of religious anti-conversion laws in Indian states and similar legislation in Sri Lanka. The subject of anti-conversion laws in India has been raised in the context of the EU-India Human Rights Dialogue. Due to the dissolution of the Sri Lankan Parliament ahead of elections in April, the draft anti-conversion legislation has fallen into abeyance.

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the revised version of Working Together to Safeguard Children. [HL2414]

The revised Working Together to Safeguard Children statutory guidance is due to be published on 17 March.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to increase the number of male teachers in primary schools. [HL2290]

Yes, as male teachers are under-represented in primary schools recruiting them to teacher training is a priority. There are a range of activities, managed by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA), specifically designed to encourage men to train to be primary teachers including a marketing campaign, following up strongly the initial interest of any enquiries from men, and encouraging and supporting male applicants to complete the application process. The TDA has also commissioned research on the barriers that men face in getting onto primary initial teacher training. There has been an increase of 52 per cent between 2008-09 and 2009-10 in the number of men applying to take postgraduate courses to train to teach in primary.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their most recent estimate of (a) the costs, and (b) the total financial effects by income decile, of increasing the stamp duty threshold to £250,000 for (1) first-time buyers, and (2) all house buyers, for each of the next five years. [HL2261]

The estimated cost of increasing the stamp duty land tax threshold to £250,000 for first time buyers and all house buyers is given in the table below. These estimates are based on PBR 2009 forecasts of house transaction volumes and prices.

These estimates assume no allowance for behavioural change.

No information is available on the effects of increasing the stamp duty threshold to £250,000 by income decile.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the European Union negotiators dealing with Turkey's membership application have received assurances concerning (a) a timetable for constitutional and criminal justice reforms, including greater freedom of expression, (b) the implementation of international covenants ratified by Turkey, (c) internal democratic and civic dialogue, including with all national, religious and linguistic minorities, (d) the peaceful celebration in 2010 of the New Year (Newroz), and (e) reducing discrimination against women and better protecting them against violence and honour killings. [HL2526]

The European Commission monitors and reports on Turkey's progress towards meeting the criteria for EU membership. The latest Commission assessment was published on 14 October 2009.

The Commission has an ongoing dialogue with the Turkish authorities on human rights including gender rights, implementation of international obligations, and minority rights. In order to join the EU, Turkey must meet the membership criteria which requires stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and respect for and protection of minorities.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are giving to negotiations involving the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration for the return to Turkey of refugees from Iraq and elsewhere. [HL2527]

The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has offered assistance to facilitate the return of Turkish refugees from northern Iraq who are ready and willing to return to Turkey. They have proposed the signing of a tripartite agreement with the Turkish and Iraqi Governments, and the Turkish Government are considering their response. Discussions are ongoing, and at this point UNHCR has not asked for the intervention of the international community. The Turkish Government have put on hold further returns from Iraq and elsewhere, until April 2010 at the earliest.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Turkey about any effect of the return of refugees to Turkey on peaceful resolution of the Kurdish situation. [HL2528]

The UK Government do not plan to make representations to the Turkish Government at this time. It is difficult to judge what effect returning refugees might have on the resolution of the Kurdish issue in south-east Turkey as there are currently no substantial returns taking place.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will propose in the appropriate international fora the establishment of a professionally facilitated and independent process of conflict resolution between the Turkish authorities and representatives of ethnic, linguistic and other minorities. [HL2529]

The establishment of a professionally facilitated and independent process of conflict resolution would not be a credible option unless sought by the Government of Turkey.

We have offered bilateral assistance in the recent past based on our experience in Northern Ireland and this offer remains on the table, but to date, has not been taken up.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed with the Government of Turkey when the human rights package of 19 January by Turkey's Minister for the Interior will be fully implemented. [HL2530]

The UK Government have discussed the human rights package of 19 January with the Turkish Government. The timeline for full implementation is not yet clear.

The UK Government regularly raise human rights with the Turkish authorities, and my honourable friend the Minister for Europe, Chris Bryant, raised human rights with the Turkish Minister for EU Affairs, Egemen Bagis, during his visit to Istanbul on 16 January and again during Bagis's return visit to the UK on 8 February.

The UK Government wish to see the human rights package fully implemented. We have noted the progress made so far and support the continuation of these reforms.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the European Union presidency received a response from the Government of Turkey to their statement of 11 December 2009; and, if so, in what terms. [HL2531]

The UK Government are not aware of any formal response given by the Government of Turkey to the EU presidency's statement of 11 December 2009.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist universities in helping any staff who have to leave as a result of reduced budgets cuts by providing advice on job placements and retraining. [HL2457]

We see no reason why there need be significant job losses in higher education as a result of recent budget announcements. However, the UK has a comprehensive package of support for those facing redundancy. We have substantially increased funding to Jobcentre Plus to ensure it continues to provide personal help and advice to everyone who needs it.

Jobcentre Plus also operates the rapid response service, which tailors post-redundancy solutions to the needs of the local economy and local labour markets. The rapid response service works with businesses at a local level to identify skill shortages and to develop training and skills programmes to fill any gaps.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist universities to meet reduced budgets by introducing more cost-effective approaches to teaching. [HL2458]

We would expect all institutions in receipt of government funding to deliver teaching and learning in as cost effective a way as possible, particularly at time of restraint in public spending. In particular we would expect institutions to continue to develop innovative methods of delivery. However, we have tried as far as possible to protect front-line teaching by concentrating on increasing efficiency in administration and other non-essential services. In fact the real terms reduction in the Higher Education Funding Council for England's teaching grant for the 2010-11 academic year was just 1.6 per cent.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage universities to offer multi-disciplinary courses. [HL2459]

Multi-disciplinary courses have a key role to play in higher education. One of the strengths of English higher education is that institutions are autonomous, so it is for universities to decide which courses they teach. However, we want students and employers to have a say in what higher education programmes provide and we want universities to respond to their needs. We made clear in our framework for the future of higher education, Higher Ambitions, that we expect businesses to play a role in the design of higher education programmes. Higher Ambitions also commits to providing improved information for students and their families. This will help students to choose the course and institution that is right for them.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will examine how multi-disciplinary courses such as those in United States and Scottish universities could be introduced more widely in English universities. [HL2460]

Ultimately it is up to English universities, as autonomous institutions, to decide on the nature of their degree courses. However, the Government's framework for the future of higher education, Higher Ambitions, makes clear that we want both students and employers to engage with universities to ensure that courses are meeting their needs, including, where appropriate, by the provision of multi-disciplinary courses of study. Improved information for students about courses will help them to make informed decisions regarding the type of higher education course they wish to study.