To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will estimate the effect on the number of recipients of family credit of cutting the taper to (a) 65 per cent., (b) 55 per cent. and (c) 50 per cent. [12814]

The information is in the table:

Level of taper (per cent.)	Increase in number of family credit recipients (000s)
65	35
55	175
50	285

1. Results are derived from the Policy Simulation Model based on the 1995–96 Family Resources Survey, uprated to 1997–98 caseload levels.2. Caseload effects are rounded to the nearest 5,000 claimants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will amend the rules for backdating of disability living allowance and attendance allowance to ensure that arrears from an any grounds or any time review can backdate the claim from the time of the claim. [12847]

The changes introduced in April 1997 inadvertently limited payment of arrears as a result of an "any grounds review" (requested within three months of a decision) on disability living allowance, disability working allowance and attendance allowance. Extra-statutory payments were made until amending regulations came into force on 13 October 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has for changing the regulations relating to social fund payments following the Social Security Commissioner's decision in the case of Mr. O'Flynn. [13299]

Amending regulations were laid yesterday. Earlier this year, the Social Security Commissioner decided that the provision, which restricted entitlement to a funeral payment provided the funeral took place within the United Kingdom, infringed European Community law.The changes bring the legislation into line with European Community law. Where someone is living in this country, but originally came from another EEA country, they may be able to claim help with funeral expenses if they satisfy the existing eligibility criteria which apply to all other claimants. They may be able to get help if, and only if, the deceased person also lived here. Under the changes they will be able to claim if the funeral takes place in another EEA country. However, the amount paid will be limited to the amount which would have been paid had the funeral taken place where the deceased had lived in the United Kingdom.A further change has been made to bring the provision into line with European Community law. The person arranging the funeral may also get help with travel costs to arrange or attend the funeral, but the amount allowable would not exceed the amount which would have been paid if the funeral had taken place locally.A number of other minor changes have been made to restore, or clarify, the original policy intention.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his Department's policy on the provision of standing areas at those football grounds where it is currently prohibited; with which bodies he has consulted; and if he will make a statement. [12955]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: There has been a great deal of debate recently about the re-introduction of standing accommodation for spectators at premier league and first division grounds. As my hon. Friend the Minister for Sport made clear in a statement last week, the Government have no plans to review the policy which requires clubs in the premier league and the first division to be all-seater, but which allows clubs in the second and third divisions of the Football League to retain some standing accommodation subject to stringent safety requirements.The Taylor report identified all-seating as the factor which contributed most to spectator safety. We are, of course, prepared to listen to comments made about the provision of spectator accommodation, consulting relevant bodies such as the Football Licensing Authority as necessary, but we should be very careful before considering any change of policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason there was a delay from June 1996 to May 1997 in implementing a system of three-monthly health reviews of prisoners detained in special secure units; what is the agreed format and content of these reviews; how many prisoners have been examined to date; and what percentage of the total special secure unit population this represents. [12605]

The special secure unit operating standards were amended in January 1997 to provide that the health of prisoners detained in SSUs should be formally reviewed at three-monthly intervals. Detailed discussion about the content and format of health reviews and related disclosure issues were not concluded until April 1997. Instructions were issued to prison medical officers and the first reviews took place in May 1997.The process of formal review does not replace the existing arrangements for the health care of prisoners in SSUs which is comparable to that elsewhere in the prison service. The three-monthly reviews are designed to collate information gathered over the review period, assess the health of each prisoner, identity any areas of concern and initiate any necessary remedial action. Reports from outside specialists may be commissioned where necessary. A summary of the three-monthly review report along with any health care recommendations is given to each prisoner.In May 1997 there were 23 exceptional risk prisoners held in SSUs. Reviews were carried out on all of these prisoners. There are now only six exceptional risk prisoners in England and Wales, all of whom are held in the Whitemoor SSU. Subsequent reviews have been carried out on these prisoners.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average total cost per year of maintaining a prisoner in a special secure unit. [12606]

The average total cost¹ per prisoner place in a special secure unit is estimated to be approximately £61,000 per annum for the year ending 31 March 1997, the period for which the last detailed analysis was carried out.

¹ Average total cost represents the cost per SSU accommodation place certified to hold prisoners in an establishment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently held in special secure units; for how long each prisoner has been held in such units; and what is the nationality of each such prisoner. [12607]

The table shows the six prisoners held in the special secure unit at Whitemoor. There are currently no other prisoners held in SSUs.

Nationality	Offence	Time spent in SSU
American	Conspiracy to murder	2 years 7 months
Colombian	Customs evasion	4 months
British	Armed robbery	9 years 3 months
Cypriot	Customs evasion	4 years 2 months
Irish Republic	Importation of drugs	1 year 11 months
British	Importation of drugs	1 year 11 months

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has made provision for those detained during Her Majesty's pleasure to have their cases considered by the Parole Board at oral hearings. [13297]

The Parole Board Rules 1997, which were made on 6 October 1997 under section 32(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, came into force on 6 October. A copy of the rules has been placed in the Library.The rules apply to those detained during Her Majesty's pleasure and to all discretionary lifers, including those sentenced under section 2 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whom he intends to appoint to the vacant post of commissioner at the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England. [13300]

I am very pleased to announce that we have appointed Mr. Michael Lewer QC to serve as a Commissioner at the commission. His appointment is effective until 31 December 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the business plan for the Prison Service for 1997–98. [13301]

I am publishing today the Prison Service's business plan for 1997–98, including the key performance targets I have set.I recognise the pressure under which the service is now operating. The audit of resources which I published on 25 July made it clear that the key assumptions on which the service had been planning for the current year, particularly the size of the prison population, have already been overtaken. I announced on 24 July an increase in Prison Service funding this year and next year to help meet these pressures. At the same time, work underway as part of the comprehensive spending review, the study of ways of closer working between the Probation and Prison Services—which I announced on 16 July—and other policy developments in the criminal justice field will all have long-term implications for the service, which makes long-term planning difficult.For these reasons, I have decided not to publish a three-year corporate plan this year. Instead I am publishing a business plan which sets out clear targets and priorities for this year but does not significantly change the longer-term objectives previously set for the service and focuses on the need to accommodate the prison population safely while maintaining balanced, positive regimes so far as possible. I will shortly discuss with the Director General the priorities and direction for the service for the next three years, which will be reflected in the corporate plan for 1998–2001.The plan includes the performance targets against which the service has been operating so far this year. The majority will require some improvement on last year's performance, but I recognise that the further rapid rise in prisoner numbers so far this year, well ahead of the assumptions made when the plan was drafted, will have an impact on performance.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis prisoners will be transferred between United Kingdom jurisdictions and the islands, following the introduction of schedule 1 to the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997. [13304]

The Government attach considerable importance to enabling prisoners to maintain family ties while serving their sentences. As part of a number of measures to facilitate family contact, there is provision for prisoners to transfer to another United Kingdom jurisdiction, or to one of the islands, where they have close family members.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the document "Corpus Juris" sponsored by the Directorate General (Financial Control) of the European Commission; what Her Majesty's Government's policy is on this document; and if he will place a copy of the document in the Library. [12813]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: We understand that the document in question is a discussion paper with no formal status. We disagree with many of its recommendations which are incompatible with the legal traditions of this country. However, for any of them to have effect, they would need to be proposed formally and agreed unanimously in the Council. I understand that an English translation of the document should be obtainable from the European Commission. I am arranging for copies to be obtained and placed in the Library as requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Enfield, Southgate (Mr. Twigg) of 30 July, Official Report, columns 261–62, what is the linkage between section 20 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 and other early release provisions; and if he will make a statement on his grounds for not implementing section 20; [12727](2) pursuant to his answer of 30 July,

We decided not to implement the release and post-release supervision provisions set out in sections 10–26 of the 1997 Act on the grounds that they were unnecessarily complicated. Our preferred approach is that the courts should be required to spell out in open court what a sentence means in practice, based on the existing release and supervision arrangements provided for by the Criminal Justice Act 1991.The principle of extended supervision of sex offenders is one which the Government fully support. However, the arrangements for extended supervision of sex offenders in the 1997 Act cannot be brought into effect independently of other provisions in part II of the Act which we believe would create overly complex arrangements. That is why we intend to bring forward fresh provision to do this in the Crime and Disorder Bill. This will give the courts the same powers in respect of maximum post-release supervision as section 20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will grant relief to domestic customers in respect of sewerage charges in 1998–99. [13374]

Yes. I have set aside £29.7 million for this purpose. This sum represents a saving to average band D households of between £17 and £20 in 1998–99. The sum is in line with the previous Government's expenditure plans. This relief, first introduced in 1996, is a transitional arrangement which is to be phased out by April 1999. We shall pay grant to water authorities to compensate for the charge income they will forgo in 1998–99. Of this some £9.0 million will be available to the East Authority, £7.4 million to the North Authority and £13.2 million to the West Authority. The necessary order will be laid before Parliament shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list each of the functions relating to payment for goods or services supplied for which her Department is responsible indicating the management systems purchased, all subcontractors involved in the work; co-operative arrangements with other Departments; and the costs of the systems and processes in the last year for which figures are available. [12559]

My Department has an in-house payment system which processes most payments made in the UK in respect of goods or services supplied under the aid programme. Payments are authorised by the spending departments, which are mainly overseas. After input and review by headquarters staff in the UK these payments are then recorded, checked and cleared for issue by the accounts department in our East Kilbride headquarters. The accounts department's total running costs for 1996–97 were £819,000 but not all these costs related to the processing of payments for goods and services. It would involve disproportionate expense to make a reliable estimate of spending departments' and other headquarters' costs covering only this aspect of work.In addition, my Department employs five procurement agents: these agents include in their fee a sum to cover payment to suppliers. This fee covers all aspects of procurement agents' services and agents do not separate out that element of their fee which covers payment to suppliers.Financial aid to partner Governments under the terms of loan or grant agreements is made by Crown Agents Financial Services which charged £589,000 for this service in 1996–97. Some payments are also made overseas by embassies and high commissions on our behalf.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has made in respect of the financial irregularities noted by the Court of Auditors in its special report concerning the decentralised system for the implementation of the PHARE programme between 1990 and 1995. [12503]

We maintain regular contacts with the commission (DG1A) in order to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of PHARE implementation and financial control procedures. We agree with the findings of the report and will maintain pressure for improvements.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what are the current levels of aid to Kenya; and how much is provided to (a) the Government of Kenya and (b) non-governmental organisations. [12553]

British aid to Kenya in 1996–97 was about £25 million, 40 per cent. of which was provided through non-government channels.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will provide support to human rights monitors in Kenya. [12551]

My Department has offered to provide finance to assist with an election observing programme by three well-respected non-government organisations in Kenya.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she next expects to meet representatives of the Kenyan Government to discuss human rights issues. [12550]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development met President Moi and Finance Minister Mudavadi in Nairobi on 6 October 1997. During these meetings she explained Britain's commitment to the elimination of poverty in poorer countries and our intention to work with those Governments which are themselves committed to taking the full range of measures necessary to achieve this aim including the improvement of human rights. She has no plans to meet representatives of the Kenyan Government.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if all state schools are registered for VAT, and what the differences are between VAT treatment for (a) local education authority schools, (b) grant-maintained schools and (c) private educational facilities. [12776]

Local Education Authority schools are covered by the VAT registration of their parent local authority. Other schools may be registered for VAT in respect of non-education activities. Education itself is exempt from VAT, so no school has to charge VAT on its provision of education.There are some differences between different types of school in respect of recovery of VAT incurred on their expenditure. Local Education Authority schools can recover all VAT under the special provisions made for local authorities; other schools cannot, though grant-maintained schools are compensated for this by central Government grant, and independent schools can take non-recoverable VAT into account in setting the level of their fees.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his proposals for reform of financial services regulation. [13096]

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has decided that the new single regulatory organisation is to be called the Financial Services Authority. This name has been adopted by the body formerly known as the Securities and Investments Board.The draft legislation to be published next summer will include draft statutory objectives for the Financial Services Authority. These are expected to include objectives in the following areas:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the European Commission proposals to adopt a new procedure concerning the implementing measures relating to indirect taxation, as observed in IP/97/653. [12504]

In common with most other member states, the UK is committed to the maintenance of unanimity in the Council as the basis for EC decision-making on indirect tax matters. The UK is thus opposed to the European Commission's proposals.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the arrangements for the taxation of expatriates. [12845]

All aspects of the UK tax system are kept under regular review.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to be able to publish the National Assets Register. [12581]

The Government is currently working towards the completion of the National Asset Register and hopes to publish it in the second half of November 1997.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make it his policy to protect Britain's zero rates of VAT during negotiations on stage III of economic and monetary union; [12841](2) what action he will take to ensure that Britain's zero rates of VAT are protected under European Commission plans to harmonise VAT rates. [12842]

Although the European Commission aspires to the further harmonisation of VAT rates as part of its suggested programme for a "common system" of VAT, there are no current legislative proposals on rates. The UK's zero rates are fully safeguarded under existing EC VAT law, and any change requires the unanimous agreement of member states. We are committed to retaining the right to keep our existing zero rates and there is no question of being forced to give them up.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the real change in total public expenditure for (a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99 consequential on the higher gross domestic product deflators announced in the Budget. [12477]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: In the July Budget, the projections for General Government Expenditure were increased in cash terms by £0.4 billion in 1997–98 and by £4.1 billion in 1998–99 compared with the figures published in the November 1996 Budget. An additional £1.2 billion was provided for Health and £1 billion for Education in 1998–99. Forecasts for the GDP deflator were also increased. In 1995–96 prices, the July projections for General Government Expenditure were lower than those in the November 1996 Budget by £2.6 billion in 1997–98 and £1.5 billion in 1998–99.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer where Nordic gold for single currency coinage will be mined; which companies will be involved; and if his Department will undertake research on the ecological effects of the mining and refining involved. [12517]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: There are no plans for single currency coinage for circulation to contain gold.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of members of closed pension schemes with no sponsoring employers who will be adversely affected by the Budget changes to the value of tax credits. [12838]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: We have no detailed information concerning the membership of closed pension schemes with no sponsoring employers.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to compensate members of the closed pension schemes with no sponsoring employers whose weekly income has fallen as a result of the Budget changes to the value of tax credits. [12837]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: No.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the role of her Department in determining dividend guidelines relating to BNFL; when the guidelines were last reviewed; and what factors were taken into account in determining such guidelines. [12938]

Dividend policy is reviewed from time to time by my Department, in consultation with the Treasury, the most recent being in 1995, when the basis of calculating the dividend was changed from a current cost accounting basis to a historic profit after tax basis. A number of factors are taken into account in determining dividend policy, including the need for the Government, as shareholder, to earn a reasonable rate of return on its investment.

						Gender
Grade	Permanent	FTA	Casual	Standby	Secondment	Male	Female
Grade 6	0	2	0	0	2	4	20
Grade 7	1	8	0	4	51	57	7
SEO/SSO/SPTO1	1	2	0	0	2	4	21
Higher Executive Officer	2	0	0	0	3	3	22
Executive Officer	1	4	1	0	0	2	4
Administrative Officer	13	5	143	0	0	56	105
Administrative Assistant	2	1	49	0	0	19	33
Insolvency Examiner G	0	0	0	0	2	2	20
Investigations Officer	6	4	0	0	0	10	0
Administrative Trainee	7	0	0	0	0	5	2
Higher Executive Officer D	6	0	0	0	0	4	2
Higher Scientific Officer D	3	0	0	0	0	1	22
Lawyers	11	0	0	0	1	4	8
Legal Trainees	2	0	0	0	0	1	21
Senior Research Officer	2	0	0	0	0	1	21
Assistant Economist	6	0	0	0	1	4	3
Assistant Statistician	1	0	2	0	0	3	20
Typist	0	0	13	0	0	0	13
1 Senior Executive Officer/Senior Scientific Officer/Senior Professional and Technical Officer.
2 Note that ethnic data has been suppressed for those grades where numbers recruited are five or less, to avoid the possibility of identifying individuals.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what contact has taken place between officials of her Department and representatives of BNFL since 1 May. [12950]

The Department maintains regular contact with BNFL on a wide range of issues.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when her Department last approved BNFL's corporate plan; what period it covered; and if it indicated that mixed oxide fuel is to be manufactured by BNFL at Sellafield. [12942]

BNFL's 1996 Corporate Plan was approved in November 1996. It covered the period from April 1996 to March 2000. The Plan, and the Company's 1996 Annual Report and Accounts, indicated that Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel continues to be manufactured at Sellafield.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will publish summary information on DTI recruitment for calendar year 1996, and the use of permitted exceptions to the principles of fair and open competition and selection on merit, as required by the civil service commissioners' recruitment code. [13302]

It is DTI policy that recruitment is carried out on the basis of fair and open competition and selection on merit, subject to the exceptions permitted by the Civil Service Commissioners. My Department has systems in place which ensure that the principles of fair and open competition are understood and followed, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code. These systems are subject to internal check by The DTI's Internal Audit.The DTI's Executive Agencies and the Government Office network make separate arrangements for publishing recruitment data, and the following table and narratives describe only Headquarters recruitment.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she has received the fifth annual reports of the recognised supervisory bodies for company auditors under part II of the Companies Act 1989. [13303]

I have received the fifth annual reports of all the recognised supervisory bodies for company auditors, and have placed copies in the Library. My Department will be discussing the contents of the reports with the bodies as necessary.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what evidence concerning the operations of Lloyd's of London in 1982 has been passed by her Department to the Serious Fraud Office since the end of June 1997. [12976]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: My officials received a number of papers relating to Lloyd's which were passed to the Serious Fraud Office for their consideration.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what costs have been incurred to date by the United Kingdom Government as amicus curiae in cases involving Lloyd's of London in the United States courts. [12975]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: The costs of individual activities undertaken by the Government in pursuit of its regulatory responsibilities in respect of Lloyd's of London cannot be separately identified, and the resources devoted to producing them would be disproportionate.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what changes his Department proposes to make to the current system of judicial appointments. [13296]

It is essential in the public interest that the judiciary at every level is of the highest possible quality. Appointments will continue to be made strictly on merit, after the independent views of the judiciary and the legal profession have been taken into consideration by the Lord Chancellor; and appointment to full time office normally made only after satisfactory service in a part time judging.Nevertheless, improvements can be made. I intend to present an annual report to Parliament on the operation of the judicial appointments system. The first report will cover the period 1998–99. I also intend to end the system of appointment to the High Court bench only by invitation and to invite applications for appointments to the High Court bench, so that all with judicial ambitions can be assured that their cases are properly considered.I propose to ensure appropriate flexibility in part-time sittings arrangements where, for example, women or men have taken career breaks for family reasons. My officials are developing plans to ensure that those who sit part-time may be able to concentrate their sittings into a shorter period of time than at present. By this means these career breaks will not, so far as practicable, impede career development.I intend to increase the upper age limit for appointment as Assistant Recorder from 50 to 53 in future competition rounds. Raising the age limit to 53 will widen the pool of potential applicants. The normal period of service as an Assistant Recorder and Recorder, before appointment to the Circuit bench, is five to seven years and an appointment to the Circuit bench at or around 60 would enable the judge to serve for a minimum of 10 years before retiring at 70.In the longer term I intend to review whether an Ombudsman should be appointed with power to examine fully complaints from anyone who feels unfairly treated by the appointments process; and to review the appointment procedures for deputy High Court judge appointments. I have recently appointed two solicitors, direct from the profession, to act as deputy High Court judges. This has not happened before. I also intend to review the scope to improve arrangements for appraisal of performance of the part-time judiciary, not least to improve the assessments of their performance which contribute to my decisions on applications for full-time office.Since becoming Lord Chancellor I have decided to involve in the process of shortlisting judicial candidates for interviews both judges and lay members who will have, in advance, a summary of the views expressed in consultation about every applicant. An additional 28 lay members have been appointed to assist in the shortlisting and interviewing of candidates for a range of judicial appointments including those of Circuit judge, District judge and Assistant Recorder. I have taken steps to promote work on equal opportunities, in conjunction with the legal profession, which I will announce shortly. I have required that any allegation of misconduct made in the course of consultation about a judicial candidate must be specific and subject to disclosure to the candidate.So far as the magistracy is concerned, I have increased for the first time the upper age limit for appointment as a lay magistrate to 65, so as to draw from the pool of the age group 55 to 65 to achieve a better social and political balance on the bench. This age group includes many who may have taken early retirement. I have also opened the magistracy to blind candidates on an experimental basis.I believe that these positive measures will strengthen the openness, flexibility and effectiveness of the arrangements for judicial appointments. I do not rule out further measures in due course. I earlier announced (23 June 1997,

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what action his Department proposes to take in respect of the Law Commission's report on mental incapacity. [13097]

The Law Commission's Report on Mental Incapacity is a thorough and detailed examination of the current law. It provides a coherent framework for reform. The Government recognises, however, that the Report addresses sensitive issues on which strong personal views may be held.The Government does not consider that it would be appropriate to legislate in this area without fresh public consultation. It therefore hopes to issue a Consultation Paper by the end of the year seeking views on the full range of the Law Commission's recommendations.The Law Commission's Report does not make any recommendations concerning euthanasia. The Government is of the certain view, in line with the House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics, that euthanasia cannot be sanctioned in any circumstances. The Consultation Paper will therefore not seek views on this subject.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons the EU Commission has placed restrictions on the size of nectarines which may be sold. [12337]

The EU Marketing Standard for nectarines has been in place since 1990.There is substantial over-production of nectarines, brought about largely by the Intervention (withdrawal) system. The Commission has sought to tackle this to some extent by limiting the size of the fruit that can be marketed and thus intervened (withdrawn), thereby limiting the cost to EU taxpayers. Although the EU regime for fresh fruit and vegetables has only recently been reformed, with significant reductions in the amount of produce that may be withdrawn, ultimately we would prefer to see an end to the withdrawal system.The establishment of minimum sizes helps to ensure that only nectarines which are sufficiently developed, and able to ripen, are available to the consumer.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Councils held on 22 and 23 September in Brussels and on 20 and 21 October in Luxembourg; and if he will make a statement. [13295]

I represented the United Kingdom at meetings of the European Union Agriculture Council on 22–23 September and 20–21 October. I was accompanied at the October Council by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, Lord Sewel.At the September Council, EU Agriculture Ministers followed up their informal discussions of early September on the Commission's proposals to reform the common agricultural policy which have been made as part of Agenda 2000. On this occasion, discussion focused in particular on rural development, environmental and structural policy. Member states reaffirmed the importance of an active rural development policy to assist the transformation of European agriculture; there were, however, differences of view in the Council on the funding of rural and structural measures in the future. I stressed the importance to the United Kingdom of setting the proposals on rural development clearly in the context of changes to the market mechanisms of the CAP, on which the Commission's Agenda 2000 proposals represented an important first step. I also emphasised the need to foster alternative rural enterprises as the source of new employment possibilities in the countryside in the future.The Council of Ministers also heard reports from the Commission on progress in negotiations on veterinary and plant health equivalence agreements with third countries; and noted the Commission's intention to lodge an appeal in the WTO dispute concerning hormones in beef. In a brief discussion of BSE, I reported to the Council the steps I have taken in the United Kingdom, both legislative and administrative, to tighten up our measures to counter illegal exports of beef and beef products from the UK. These were welcomed in the Council.I pressed the Commissioner and the Presidency to provide an early opportunity for the Council to discuss the present state of the beef market, on the basis of the Commission's promised report, to decide whether the short term market adjustment schemes agreed in 1996 were working effectively.I also raised in the Council the UK's serious concerns about the impact of the recent WTO Appellate body ruling on the EU bananas regime in so far as its affects access by ACP Caribbean banana producers to EU markets. I urged the Commission to reach a rapid and equitable solution to the problems flowing from the WTO ruling which would not only respect WTO obligations but allow the EU to meet its commitments to the ACP and in particular on Caribbean trading partners under the Lomé Agreement.At the October Agriculture Council, discussion concentrated on the market reform proposals contained in Agenda 2000. I argued for the removal of production controls in the form of quotas and compulsory set aside and for a lowering of support levels to bring EU prices closer to world market prices and I argued that transitional arrangements should begin soon. The Council will resume its discussion on this crucial issue in November. A letter from the President of the Agriculture Council to the President of the European Council on employment policy in rural areas was approved by Ministers.In a debate on the Commission's report on the beef and veal markets, I expressed doubts about the efficacy of the early marketing scheme for veal in reducing production on the EU market, and urged the Commission to make a further cut in the premium paid under the calf processing scheme. The Council reached political agreement upon changes to the system of support for producers of durum wheat. Under the compromise which was agreed by qualified majority (Greece, Sweden and Denmark opposing), the additional aid paid for durum wheat in

	560–609 kg	610–659 kg	660–709 kg	710–759 kg	Over 760 kg	Totals
Liveweight
Cows	27,250	21,351	12,010	5,230	2,582	68,423
Other	2,700	1,960	1,138	702	1,448	7,948
Deadweight
Cows	24,889	22,886	18,531	13,149	16,643	96,098
Other	2,328	1,863	1,402	1,042	3,952	10,587
Totals	57,167	48,060	33,081	20,123	24,625	183,056

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the outcome was of the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission held on 20 to 24 October in Monaco; and if he will make a statement. [13294]

The International Whaling Commission's 49th annual meeting was held in Monaco from 20 to 24 October. The United Kingdom delegation was composed of officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, traditional producing areas was reduced, and the maximum area eligible for aid in each member state determined. Five thousand hectares will be eligible in the United Kingdom.The Council discussed the Commission's green paper on the general principles of food law in the EU, in which I emphasised the UK Government's commitment to attaining very high levels of food safety. The Council also took note of Commission reports on genetic resources, BSE, and the state of play on veterinary and plant health negotiations with their countries.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average weight of cattle slaughtered under the over-30-months cattle slaughter scheme; and what proportion of the cattle slaughtered under the scheme exceeded that average weight. [10159]

[pursuant to his answer, 31 July 1997, c. 433]: The average weight of cattle slaughtered under the OTMS is as follows:

	Average weight (kgs)	Percentage exceeding average weight
Cows	600	47
Bulls	802	47
Heifers	549	49
Steers	632	49
All animals	604	47

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle weighing (a) between 560 and 609 kg, (b) between 610 and 659 kg, (c) between 660 and 709 kg, (d) between 710 and 759 kg and (e) over 760 kg live weight have been slaughtered under the over-30-months cattle slaughter scheme during 1997. [10160]

[pursuant to his answer, 31 July 1997, c.433]: The information requested is as follows:Fisheries and Food, assisted by officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and representatives of environmental organisations and veterinary experts. I attended the first day of the conference and took the opportunity to meet with representatives of the environmental organisations and the chairman of the IWC.At this meeting we made clear the United Kingdom's continued opposition to commercial whaling. We stressed that the UK does not believe that there is any justification for any whaling to take place, other than some subsistence whaling by indigenous peoples, and would like to see all other forms of whaling ended. We believe whaling does not serve any genuine need and involves unacceptable cruelty. We also emphasised our continuing support for the current moratorium on commercial whaling. I am pleased to say that a request by Japan for a quota of 50 minke whales, which we and many others considered would have breached the moratorium, was again defeated.Before the meeting, Ireland had indicated that it intended to put forward a number of ideas for consideration. At the meeting Ireland explained that it was concerned that the inability of the IWC to reach agreement on fundamental issues relating to whale conservation made progress on this impossible and might lead to the break-up of the IWC. It wished, therefore, to explore whether there was any scope to reach an agreement between those opposed to and those in favour of whaling.With this objective, Ireland suggested:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Naval Bases and Supply Agency for 1997–98. [13094]

The chief executive of the Naval Bases and Supply Agency has been set the following key targets:

1. To complete 92 per cent. of assisted maintenance periods for vessels to time, budget and standard.

2. To supply 92 per cent. of available material to rectify operational defects on vessels within required delivery dates.

3. To establish the NBSA cost per materially available vessel day by establishing a baseline for the unit cost of vessel repair and maintenance, and then setting targets for reducing this cost.

4. To complete integration of the Portsmouth naval base and director supply (south) management structures, and to consolidate the corporate management structure of the agency by reviewing opportunities for rationalisation of the HQ structure.

5. To establish the agency account via the CAPITAL Project, including the provision of an executive information system to meet business requirements, by March 2000. Progress report in March 1998.

6. To achieve year-on-year efficiency improvements of 2.3 per cent.

7. To achieve full accreditation of Investors in People by phased implementation by 2000. Progress report in March 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total cost per year to his Department of each member of (a) the Territorial Army and (b)the volunteer reserves. [13092]

The information requested is set out in the table rounded to the nearest £100. The figures are calculated from the overall cost of the reserve force concerned for the financial year 1996–97 and its average membership for that year. They exclude provision for items whose costs cannot be identified separately from those incurred for the regular services.

	£
Territorial Army	6,100
Royal Naval Reserve	6,700
Royal Marines Reserve	7,300
Royal Auxiliary Air Force1	7,400
1Figures relate to those personnel who could be called out to perform an operational role: they do not include RAF volunteer reserve (civilian component), RAF volunteer reserve (training) or RAF volunteer reserve (university air squadrons).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the current cost of the reserve forces, by type. [11023]

[pursuant to his reply, 29 July 1997, c. 183]: I regret that my previous answer was incorrect because further information has been brought to light. The revised information for financial year 1996–97 is in the table. These figures exclude provision for those items whose costs cannot be identified separately from those incurred for the regular forces.

	£ million
Royal Fleet Reserve	0.04
Royal Naval Reserve	17.5
Royal Marines Reserve	6.6
Territorial Army Commando Units	1.8
Army Reserve	0.6
Territorial Army	341.3
Royal Air Force Reserve	0.4
Royal Auxiliary Air Force	9.5

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money is allocated to maintaining the Territorial Army in the current financial year; what is this sum as a percentage of the defence budget; and what the allocation will be in (a) cash and (b) as a percentage of the defence budget in the next three financial years. [8183]

[pursuant to his reply, 16 July 1997, c. 234]: I regret that my previous answer was incorrect because further information on the costs of the Territorial Army has been brought to light. When this additional expenditure is taken into account it shows that the overall cost of the Territorial Army for financial year 1997–98 now stands at some £340.4 million (not £334 million) which still represents about 1.6 per cent. of the defence budget. This figure excludes provision for those items whose costs cannot be identified separately from those incurred for the regular Army.The allocation of funds for the Territorial Army in the next three financial years will be determined as part of the MOD's long term costing, which is the process by which the Department recosts and adjusts its internal plans. The Department's internal plans represent projections and assumptions, which inform advice to Ministers on the affordability of particular elements of the defence programme, and it has been the policy of successive Governments not to publish detailed information arising from this. Accordingly, I am withholding the information requested in the second part of the question which constitutes internal discussion and advice, under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future management of the Army's equipment support. [13093]

I have instigated a formal review of the Army's Equipment Support in order to determine whether agency status or other options for equipment support, including privatisation, contractorisation or partnering arrangements with Industry would best meet the Army's requirements.Comments and contributions from those with an interest in the equipment support services provided by the Director General Equipment Support (Army) on behalf of the Quartermaster General Army will be welcomed and should be sent by 7 November to:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received the report of the inspection of the Ministry of Defence Police by Her Majesty's inspector of constabulary; and if he will make a statement. [13095]

My right hon. Friend has received the report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary on the Ministry of Defence Police. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses in England and Wales were recruited from (a) the Irish Republic and (b) Northern Ireland in each of the past five years. [12608]

The information requested is not collected centrally. I refer my hon. Friend to the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for statistics about nurses registered to practice in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the agreement reached on quota hopping was not included in the Amsterdam treaty. [12129]

I refer the hon. Member to the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 18 June, Official Report, columns 331–44, at Amsterdam. Not a single member state was willing to support the protocol to the treaty proposed by the previous Administration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what practical measures will be taken to ensue that new countries are helped to join the European Community. [12131]

The European Commission has proposed reinforcing the pre-accession strategy for Central European applicants to the European Union. This should lead to better targeted financial and technical assistance to help the applicants prepare for EU membership. The European Council will adopt a position on these proposals at Luxembourg in December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the expansion of the European Union. [12145]

I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer that I gave today to the hon. Member for West Lancashire (Mr. Pickthall).

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards Kashmir. [12132]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards Kashmir. [12135]

We are deeply concerned by the continuing conflict in Kashmir and support the search for a just and lasting solution. We condemn the acts of terrorism and the abuses of human rights which bring suffering to the population. We call for an end to all external support for violence in Kashmir. We welcome the dialogue between India and Pakistan and urge them to pursue meaningful talks on Kashmir and the other issues that divide them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he expects will be Britain's (a) gross and (b) net contribution to the European Union's budget for common foreign and security policy matters for the year 1998–99. [12133]

The EC Preliminary Draft Budget (PDB) for calendar year 1998 makes provision for commitments of up to 30 Mecu (i.e. about £22.1 million) for CFSP actions. Britain's gross contribution is approximately 15 per cent. of the total budget, i.e. up to £3.32 million depending on the prevailing exchange rate. Britain does not benefit directly from CFSP expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the areas in which the European Court of Justice has gained jurisdiction under the terms of the Amsterdam treaty. [12134]

We believe that if the European Union is to work properly, the Court of Justice must have strong, if carefully circumscribed, powers. The new Treaty involves a limited extension of ECJ jurisdiction in a way which respects this balance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the peace process in Bosnia. [12136]

I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer that I gave today to the hon. Member for North-East Derbyshire, (Mr. Barnes).

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his assessment of progress in the middle east peace process. [12139]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the middle east peace process. [12141]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received regarding the middle east peace process. [12148]

I refer hon. Members to the oral answer that my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden).

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives he has put forward to try to solve the impasse over the re-unification of Cyprus. [12142]

We intend to remain active and creative in support of the UN Secretary-General's mission of good offices on Cyprus.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on human rights in Indonesia. [12143]

We remain concerned about the human rights situation in both Indonesia and East Timor. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the situation during his visit to Indonesia in August.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to reduce incidents of fraud in relation to the EU budget. [12144]

We are committed to reducing fraud against the EU budget. Tackling fraud and financial mismanagement will be a priority for our Presidency next year and we will be announcing a package of measures which we intend to take forward.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Taiwan. [12146]

While we have no diplomatic relations with Taiwan, we value our commercial and cultural ties. We welcome expanding trade links, the growing number of Taiwanese students and tourists who visit, and increasing Taiwanese inward investment in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UN reform package. [12147]

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made clear at the UN General Assembly last month our strong support for the Secretary-General's reform package. It will give the UN the flexibility, competence and efficiency it needs for the next century. We are now working for its early endorsement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to improve communications between national parliamentarians and EU institutions. [12149]

We support closer contacts between national parliamentarians, in line with its commitment to enhance the role of national parliaments in the EU. The development of such contacts is principally a matter for national parliaments to pursue. I understand that the House authorities are considering the question of representation at the European Parliament and/or in Brussels for the House of Commons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Cuban Government on relations with the European Union and the United Nations. [12150]

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met the Cuban Ambassador at the Diplomatic Reception in June and the Ambassador called on my noble Friend Baroness Symons, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, on 26 June. Officials frequently discuss with the Cuban Government their relations with the European Union and the United Nations.We and EU partners share the goal of a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba. We favour constructive engagement, not isolation. The EU adopted a Common Position on Cuba on 2 December 1996, reaffirming the EU's commitment to constructive engagement and to promoting political, economic and human rights reform in Cuba. This was presented to the Cuban Government on 21 July and we look forward to furthering this dialogue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made on international controls on weapons proliferation to the strategic defence review. [12114]

We have worked closely with the Ministry of Defence on all aspects of the Strategic Defence Review. We remain committed to maintaining and, where necessary, strengthening international controls on weapons proliferation. We are working in the relevant international fora to this end.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the United Kingdom Government are offering to the Kenyan election process. [12335]

Provided we are satisfied that there is the prospect of free and fair elections in Kenya, we will seek to contribute to international and local monitoring of them. Our exact plans have yet to be finalised.We welcome reforms which will be relevant to electoral conditions agreed by the Inter-Parties Parliamentary Group in Nairobi and President Moi's acceptance of them. We look to all concerned to observe both the letter and the spirit of the reforms in the conduct of the elections themselves.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the Kenyan Government. [12336]

We have made clear to the Government of Kenya our views on the conditions that need to be established to ensure that the forthcoming Presidential and legislative elections are free and fair. We have welcomed reforms agreed by the Inter-Parties Parliamentary Group in Nairobi and President Moi's acceptance of them. We have urged that the necessary legislative and other measures be taken quickly to allow sufficient time for full implementation before the elections. We look to all concerned to observe both the letter and the spirit of the reforms in the conduct of the elections themselves. We have also made clear our concerns about human rights in Kenya, and about the economic issues which led the IMF to allow Kenya's Enhanced Statement Adjustment Facility to lapse.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the enrolment at (a) Brooklands primary school, Dundonald, and (b) Dundonald primary school at the beginning of the academic year 1997–98; how many pupils applied for places for that year; and how many applications were refused. [12772]

The enrolment numbers at the beginning of the academic year 1997–98 for Brooklands primary school and Dundonald primary school were:

Brooklands Primary School: 602

Dundonald Primary School: 588

There were 104 applications for Brooklands primary school of which one was refused. There were 84 applications for Dundonald primary school and no refusals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the enrolment at (a) Movilla high school, Newtonards, (b) Regent House grammar school and (c) Glastry high school at the beginning of the academic year 1997–98; how many pupils applied for places for that year and how many applications were refused; and if she will make a statement about the future provision of places at (a) to(c). [12773]

The information requested is set out in the table.

1997–98 school year
	Number of applications received	Number of applications refused	Actual enrolment
Movilla High School	199	21	888
Regent House School	270	59	1,422
Glastry College	102	none	583

Movilla high school has been refurbished and extended to cater for an enrolment of 900 pupils. A capital scheme is planned to increase the size of Regent House grammar school to cater for 1,470 pupils. Glastry high school has the capacity to cater for 697 pupils.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to provide a school at Lanark way, Belfast. [12893]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: The need for a new replacement primary school for pupils in the St. Paul's parish of West Belfast has been under consideration for some time. A number of possible options for the location of the school are being examined. These include a site adjacent to Lanark way-Springfield road, Belfast. However, no decisions have been taken. The outcome will be informed by consultations with relevant interests and the conclusions of an economic appraisal to determine the most cost-effective method of meeting the educational needs of the pupils in the area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has for development at Lanark way, Belfast. [12894]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: The Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) recently agreed the sale of three sites at Lanark way for commercial/industrial use. The Department plans in the near future to place on the open market a further area of 1.6 hectares for development purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which directorates have achieved benchmarking in the Central Services Agency. [12890]

The information requested is as follows:

• Regional Supplies
• Medical and Ophthalmic Directorate
• Finance and Administration Directorate
• Human Resources Directorate

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff, broken down by their perceived religion, were employed in the Central Services Agency, Adelaide street, Belfast, in each of the last two years. [12888]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: Based on the agency's fair employment monitoring returns for 1995 and 1996, the information is as follows:

	1995	1996
Male Protestant	102	88
Male Roman Catholic	83	72
Male not known	11	7
Female Protestant	183	167
Female Roman Catholic	147	141
Female not known	10	7

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many directors there are in the Central Services Agency, Adelaide street; and what is their perceived religion. [12891]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: Of the agency's eight directors, four are perceived Protestant, three are perceived Roman Catholic and for the eighth the information is not known—the person is on secondment from the Department of Health and Social Services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the schools sending pupils for work experience to the Central Services Agency, Adelaide street, Belfast. [12889]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: The information is as follows:

• St. Genevieve's comprehensive school
• St. Louise's comprehensive school
• Belfast institute of further and higher education

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many senior officers in the Central Services Agency are perceived to be Protestant though claim to be non-Christian. [12892]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: The agency does not know how many senior offices are perceived to be Protestant though claim to be non-Christian—this information is not collated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many primary school pupils transferred to Belfast grammar schools in 1997 from the Bangor and Ards area. [12752]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: One hundred and eighty children transferred from primary schools in the North Down and Ards borough council areas to grammar schools in Belfast this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to chapter 8 of the Prison Service annual report, what were the actual reductions in the cost of running the service in 1995–96. [12966]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: In 1995–96 there was a reduction in the total cost of the Northern Ireland Prison Service of £700,000 over the previous year. The equivalent figure for 1996–97 was £100,000 higher.The reduction referred to in chapter 8 of the annual report for 1996–97 was primarily due to a recategorisation of part of the expenditure within the total cost, as well as a smaller sum reflecting lower staff-related costs consequent on the closure of Belfast prison.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what public funding has been provided for the arms commission established in Northern Ireland; what are the salaries of those appointed to the commission; and what is the current annual budget for the arms commission. [12785]

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: No annual budget has yet been determined for the independent international commission on decommissioning which was established on 24 September. However, in the UK capital and running costs, including salaries, are estimated to be some £1,200,000 until the end of May 1998. Most of the running costs will be shared equally with the Government of the Republic of Ireland who have provided the commission with an office in Dublin.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the students selected for the Training and Employment Agency sponsored programme in the United States of America are from Northern Ireland, broken down by religious denomination. [12771]

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the impact of non-indigenous trees on native species forming climax woodland; and what account of detrimental impact on native species is taken when considering tree preservation orders. [12496]

The Department has not commissioned any research directly, but the impact of non-native species on semi-natural vegetation is an active area of research by universities and others, including the statutory conservation agencies. Examples include work recently commissioned by English Nature on the recovery of ground flora of ancient broadleaved woodland following conifer removal, and work at the Oxford Forestry Institute on the interaction of sycamore and ash.Tree preservation orders are made by local planning authorities to protect selected trees and woodlands in the interests of amenity. In deciding whether or not to make orders in respect of non-native trees, authorities are not required to consider the likely impact on native species.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has published the 1996–97 annual report of the Director of Transport Security. [13298]

Copies are available in the House Libraries.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has, on what time scale, to set up a sustainable development unit within his Department. [12710]

The Government's sustainable development unit was set up on 7 July 1997 in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. It reports to the Deputy Prime Minister and has a Government-wide remit to promote sustainable development.Its main tasks in the new parliamentary Session are to lead a review of the UK sustainable development strategy, with extensive public consultation, and to take forward the "greening Government" initiative in conjunction with a strengthened system of Green Ministers.

England and Wales: real levels of average unmeasured water and sewerage charges to households (at 1997–98 prices)
(£)
	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
Anglian	145.92	146.40	160.94	166.30	163.52	163.46	166.85	179.33	187.22	192.24
Dŵr Cymru	142.97	147.15	154.22	147.87	160.91	160.76	164.73	175.82	182.92	190.04
Northumbrian	113.77	105.23	111.49	111.30	114.84	121.67	137.14	139.48	135.32	137.37
North West	112.21	113.63	119.53	121.18	118.42	117.59	121.19	131.25	136.68	141.23
Severn Trent	116.52	121.45	125.13	125.76	123.52	120.32	120.54	128.87	134.05	138.77
Southern	136.78	131.32	144.56	148.40	147.18	147.69	148.88	158.12	163.84	169.10
South West	161.02	163.61	170.41	166.61	160.71	163.76	165.99	176.97	177.93	179.92
Thames	112.34	117.08	114.58	120.74	124.57	130.32	136.29	140.78	138.33	139.87
Wessex	153.21	171.55	167.14	161.40	155.27	151.84	151.98	161.34	171.82	177.39
Yorkshire	115.39	118.01	125.25	126.72	129.18	128.05	128.99	139.26	145.94	151.46
England and Wales	123.17	125.86	132.76	132.92	132.72	134.05	136.46	145.26	148.96	153.15

(£)
	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98
Anglian	201.59	218.36	229.30	241.78	256.27	270.02	286.02	298.28	302.89	307.47
Dŵr Cymru	200.29	205.95	218.08	231.05	246.68	261.33	278.26	279.63	281.24	283.09
Northumbrian	140.85	150.19	159.46	174.51	181.07	191.50	204.63	208.92	212.69	216.79
North West	148.01	154.64	161.58	168.84	175.86	186.67	197.75	205.88	214.39	221.52
Severn Trent	145.36	148.72	157.55	164.28	172.76	179.95	195.34	199.16	204.47	207.10
Southern	172.39	174.35	179.76	192.08	197.47	202.19	215.34	227.65	236.09	245.23

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the real level of average household bills for water and sewerage in Great Britain as a whole and for each region of Great Britain in each year since 1978. [12831]

No figures are available for the average unmeasured household bill for water and sewerage in Great Britain as a whole. No fully valid comparison is possible between water services bills in England and Wales and in Scotland, where the administrative and funding arrangements for water services have been and are quite different.I am advised by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that in Scotland the real levels of average water and sewerage charges for the years 1989–90 to 1996–97 are as given in the following list. Information is not yet available for the current year, or for the period prior to 1989–90.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list his Department's priorities for the United Kingdom presidency of the European Union. [12970]

The forthcoming presidency of the European Union will provide an excellent opportunity for the UK to lead discussions on a wide range of important environmental and transport issues. Discussion of the many possibilities are currently taking place and I will write to my hon. Friend when final decisions on the departmental priorities have been decided.