To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals there are to exempt local employment trading schemes from benefit calculations undertaken by local government. [18930]

Local government does not undertake any benefit calculations on behalf of my Department. For information on benefit calculations undertaken on behalf of the Department for Social Security, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security, my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on planning regulations in respect of the building of telecommunication masts in the countryside. [19331]

Planning regulations governing the building of telecommunications masts in the countryside are found in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. This grants a general planning permission for certain telecommunications masts providing

the mast is erected by a telecommunications code system operator licensed by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under the Telecommunications Act 1984;

the mast does not exceed 15 metres in height;

the mast is not erected in a National Park, area of outstanding natural beauty, conservation area, or the Broads; and

the mast is not refused prior approval by the local planning authority within the period allowed under the Order. The authority must be given the opportunity to say whether they wish to approve, within 28 days, details of the mast's siting and appearance. The authority may refuse approval if they consider there to be a serious threat to amenity.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many fatalities have occurred as a result of accidents on the A38 in Cornwall in each of the last 10 years. [19250]

The numbers of fatalities on the A38 in Cornwall in the past ten years are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many (a) special advisers, (b) task force members and (c) review body members his Department employs; what is the total salary and benefits of (a) to (c); and what was the equivalent cost prior to 1 May. [19302]

There are six paid special advisers in DETR. Two of these are employed on a part time basis each working for half of the week. Prior to 1 May, there were four special advisers in the Department of the Environment and one in the Department of Transport. Special Advisers are paid within a range of £24,349 to £73,484. Their salaries are negotiated individually and are confidential within this range. Details are not provided in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.DETR sponsors eight task forces and review panels. The members of these bodies are drawn from bodies including local authorities. The voluntary sector, industry, green bodies and academics. Some members are unpaid or are paid expenses only. Where members are paid their fees are negotiated individually and remain confidential. Information on the membership of task forces and review panels prior to 1 May is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many local government posts are subject to regulations on political activity; and how many officials have been disciplined under these regulations in each of the last three years. [19256]

I understand that about 47,000 local government posts in England and Wales are politically restricted under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Information on the number of officials who have been disciplined under these regulations is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what account is taken of PPG Note 22 in determining applications for visible power generation in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty. [19564]

Local planning authorities are expected to have regard to relevant published statements of national planning policy, including Planning Policy Guidance notes, in the exercise of their planning functions. PPG22 states that in assessing proposals in designated areas there is a need to take full account of the specific features or qualities which justified designation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on current expenditure on the modernisation of the London underground service; and if he will list the current modernisation projects. [19810]

London Transport expect to invest some £324 million in the Underground network in 1997–98 (excluding investment in the Jubilee Line Extension and in Private Finance Initiative projects). We are looking urgently at public-private partnerships for the Underground in order to increase this level of investment substantially and to create a modern, reliable Underground system.Among the larger projects completed or in progress this year are the installation of a new signalling and control system on the Central Line, the refurbishment of the East London Line, the modernisation of stations at the southern end of the Northern Line (including Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway) and investment in new trains for the Northern Line under a PFI contract with GEC-Alsthom.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the standard spending assessment per head of population for each English shire county in ascending order (a) for 1996–97 and (b) under the draft 1998–99 settlement. [19944]

The figures for shire counties are shown in the tables enclosed. Note that the provisional 1998–99 and settlement 1996–97 Standard Spending Assessment figures are not comparable owing to changes in local government responsibility and local government reorganisation affecting Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Derbyshire, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Hampshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire and Wiltshire in 1997 and Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Devon, Essex, Hereford and Worcester, Kent, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Shropshire in 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will require operators of major airports to display signs in languages in addition to English. [19788]

[holding answer 9 December 1997]: No. The UK follows the Recommended Practice on international signs contained in the Chicago Convention, Annex 9, provision 6.9, published jointly by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the International Maritime Organisation for use at airports and Ports. Among the general principles set out in the joint publication (Document 9636) are that as far as possible symbols should be used without words on signs at airports and Ports.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what resources have been allocated for the campaign to deter drink-driving over the Christmas period. [19843]

[holding answer 9 December 1997]: The Department has allocated £1.9 million to the 1997 Christmas Drink/Drive campaign. The campaign uses national television supported by cinema and radio advertising. Print material for use in pubs, clubs and restaurants and by road safety officers has also been distributed.The Department's campaigns have over the years helped to change the general public's attitude to drink driving to a point where such behaviour is no longer generally acceptable. Deaths have fallen from 1,643 in 1979 to 540 in 1993 and remain steady at this level.This year's campaign takes a new approach and addresses those drivers who deceive themselves that they know how much they can drink and still be safe to drive, and who fail to recognise the increased risk they pose to themselves and other road users.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will appoint a new Chairman of the Rural Development Commission; and what criteria he will apply in making the appointment. [19748]

[holding answer 9 December 1997]: We will appoint someone to chair the Commission, as soon as possible. Criteria include appropriate knowledge and experience, and the ability to take up the appointment without too much delay.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce regulations governing the carriage of survival suits on board all United Kingdom registered fishing vessels. [19554]

The 1993 Protocol to the International (Torremolinos) Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, though not yet in force, will require the carriage of immersion suits on larger new vessels. Its provisions will be applied within the European Union during 1999 by means of a Directive for a harmonised safety regime for fishing vessels of 24 meters in length and above. Accordingly, we will introduce regulations to require the carriage of immersion suits on new vessels of 24 meters in length and above. We have no plans to extend this requirement to other UK registered fishing vessels without further consultation with the industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress he has made towards the introduction of measures to improve the safety of coaches and minibuses with particular reference to the transit of school children; and what additional measures he has evaluated. [19689]

Seat belts already have to be provided for children being taken on organised trips in coaches first used after 1 October 1988 and in all minibuses. From 10 February next year this requirement will also apply to older coaches.We take the adequacy of seat belts very seriously. We are therefore proposing that all belts in minibuses and coaches are checked at the annual MOT test, and also that the Vehicle Inspectorate include the condition of all minibus and coach seat belts in the random roadside inspections which they carry out. We have consulted on details and hope to announce shortly how we intend to take this forward.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the risk of terrorist activity associated with the United Kingdom's export of mixed oxide fuel. [18496]

I have been asked to reply.Measures designed to minimise the risk of terrorist activity directed against nuclear materials in transit are reviewed constantly in the light of the risk assessments by the government's security experts.All international movements of nuclear material carried out by the UK comply fully with the requirements of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and with the international guidelines on physical protection published by the IAEA.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many licences have been rescinded by the Traffic Commissioners, following inquiries, over the last six months. [19691]

During the 6 months ended 30 September 1997 the Traffic Commissioners revoked a total of 73 goods vehicle operator and public service vehicle operator licenses following disciplinary Public Inquiries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to introduce proposals for numeracy hours for schools; and if he will make a statement. [19753]

Numeracy and literacy are at the centre of the Government's drive to raise standards in schools. The Numeracy Task Force was set up in May and is expected to publish a consultative report in January. The length and content of teaching time for mathematics in primary schools will be covered in the report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of the internal departmental guidance on the dissemination of information; and if he will make a statement. [16298]

The Department has no specific internal guidance about the dissemination of information but it has made available to its staff details of the Six Central Government Standards for correspondence, appointments, information, consultation, complaints and access. The third of these deals with providing information about services.In general terms, the Department follows the Conventions of Central Government Publicity and Advertising in all of the information it makes available to the public via publicity materials and campaigns. It also follows the centrally agreed rules (currently being revised) for the Government Information Service when it supplies information to the media.Finally, the Department's staff have been made aware of the requirements of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information to ensure openness.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to safeguard training provision in the road haulage industry. [16679]

In July this year, the Road Haulage and Distribution Training Council was recognised by the Secretary of State as a National Training Organisation, one of a growing network of National Training Organisations currently being established. NTOs have the key responsibility for developing education and training arrangements in their sectors. TECs play a major role in the provision of training and contract with employers and training providers in that sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what provision has been made in the current year for out-of-school hours activities (a) in general and (b) by training and enterprise councils. [19107]

The Department makes funds available for after-school childcare under the Out of School Childcare Initiative (OSCI). The Initiative is delivered locally by Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) who have drawn up strategic plans which best meet the needs of their local labour market. For 1997–98 we made £4.1 million available under OSCI to create 7,200 new places.We have made a further £50 million available for OSCI over the next five years as part of the £300 million investment in childcare announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. For 1998–99, this means that funding has more than doubled (from £4.1 million to £10.1 million) and will create 20,000 new places. The Initiative has already created some 78,000 places and offers parents, especially women, the opportunity to participate more fully in the labour market by increasing the supply of good quality, affordable out of school childcare.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the proposed arrangements to means test parents or spouses for the payment of tuition fees; what procedure will be adopted for parents or spouses of EU students; and if he will make a statement. [19185]

New entrants to higher education in 1998–99, including EU students, who are eligible for a mandatory award will be eligible for assistance with their fees if they are from a lower income family. A parental or spouse's contribution to the award will be assessed by the student's local education authority in accordance with the provisions in the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations for 1998–99 which will be laid before Parliament in due course. The means test arrangements will be the same as for 1997–98, subject to any changes which may be needed to ensure that it applies properly to EU citizens, and will ensure that the assessed contribution will be no greater in real terms than this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his Department's current estimate of the proportion of businesses which are exempted from the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 due to the exemption under the legislation for employers with fewer than 20 employees. [19352]

Around 95 per cent. of private employers have fewer than 20 employees and are therefore exempt from the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. There are also many businesses which have no employees and are therefore not covered by the Act's employment provisions.On 3 December, I announced the beginning of a review of the exemption provision, including a wide-ranging consultation exercise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what arrangements are in place for OFSTED to report to him on the range and quality of games offered as part of the PE curriculum. [19487]

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools reports to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on schools' compliance with the National Curriculum. This includes the National Curriculum for physical education, in which games is a compulsory area of activity for all five to 16 year-olds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportions of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools are providing two hours or more per week for physical education; what proportions of (a) and (b) offer extra-curricular sport; and what is the average time spent on extra-curricular sport in (a) and (b). [19473]

This information is not collected or held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the expenditure per student on capital projects within the further education sector for each year from 1978–79 to 1998–99. [17402]

It is not possible to give figures since 1978–79 on a comparable basis. The following figures show capital expenditure in £s per full-time equivalent student in further education in England since the establishment of the FE sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will give details of the support that will be available to students in England and Wales through mandatory awards and student loans in the academic year 1998–99. [20568]

The total level of support available to students through grant and loan together in 1998–99 will be 3 per cent. higher than for 1997–98 in line with forecast price increases. I am placing a Memorandum in the Library giving full details of the new grant, loan and fee rates for 1998–99. These rates will be incorporated in the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations and the Education (Student Loans) Regulations to be laid before Parliament in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the 1996–97 annual report of the President of the Special Educational Needs Tribunal will be published; and if he will make a statement. [20567]

The report has been published today and copies have been placed in the Library.I welcome the report. It demonstrates that the SEN Tribunal has achieved a great deal over the last year and has continued to meet and improve upon its targets for dealing with appeals.The Tribunal provides a valuable and independent mechanism for considering appeals. It is to the credit of all those working for the Tribunal—the President, members and staff—that it has gained a reputation for fairness and impartiality, whilst also ensuring that its hearings are as informal as possible.A great deal has been achieved over the three year life of the Tribunal and I am confident that it will continue to build on its excellent record.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if teachers working in the independent sector will be required to register with the appropriate general teaching council. [19851]

It will be open to teachers in independent schools who have Qualified Teacher Status to choose to register with the GTC but they will not be required to do so for the purposes of continued employment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what circumstances (a) non-practising teachers and (b) retired teachers will be allowed to register with the GTC; and how he proposes to collect their fees. [19849]

Retired or non-practising teachers will be free to choose to register with the GTC, provided they have Qualified Teacher Status, but will not be required to do so. We shall look to the GTC, when established, to decide how their registration fees will be collected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on consultation with teachers at school level on the introduction of national education initiatives. [19992]

The Government recognises the key role teachers have to play in raising standards in schools. All major consultation documents have been sent to schools as well as to the teacher associations. They responded in kind: 1,800 teachers or groups of teachers responded to the White Paper "Excellence in schools".

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to involve existing head teachers in the new professional headship qualification; and if his Department will fund in full the training costs for existing head teachers. [19850]

The National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) is designed for aspiring head teachers rather than those already in post. We have asked the Teacher Training Agency to develop a separate training programme for existing head teachers, based on the same standards as the NPQH, for introduction from September 1998. Support for heads following the training programme will be available through the Standards fund at the normal 50 per cent. grant rate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress has been made in providing nursery for four-year-olds. [19993]

Seventy-nine Local Education Authorities have in place an interim Early Years Development Plan which demonstrates how, through partnership between the maintained, private and voluntary sectors, a free good quality early education place is available for all four year-olds whose parents want one. By April 1998 all will have Early Years Development Plans in place, showing how places for four-year-olds in their areas will be secured through partnership by September 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about negotiations with the companies involved in the payment of commissions to Gordon Foxley relating to defence contracts. [20507]

On 31 July 1997, Official Report, columns 466–67, I announced that a settlement had been reached with the second of the three companies involved in the Foxley case, Junghans GmbH of Germany, under which the company paid an agreed sum in redress to the Ministry of Defence. The company became eligible from that time to be considered for Ministry of Defence orders, but normal commercial relations were not to be resumed for some months while the operation of the agreement was monitored. I am pleased to report that the company has continued to co-operate fully with the MOD since that date, including provision of full access to their relevant accounting records, and has satisfied us in respect of its management arrangements and approach to future contracts. We have therefore decided to resume normal commercial relations with the company.MOD officials have had positive discussions with Simmel, the other company involved in the Foxley case, against whom proceedings are still in train.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ministerial announcements have not been made, in the first instance to the House; and of those how many were (a) speeches to outside bodies, (b) press releases, (c) press briefings and (d) made by other means, since 1 May; and if he will make a statement about his Department's policy in respect of making public ministerial announcements. [18894]

[holding answer 3 December 1997]: All major policy announcements are made to Parliament first when it is sitting. Since 1 May, my Department has made over 50 announcements by Press Release, including some relating to public speeches and Parliamentary announcements. Press briefings are often held to give further explanation to an announcement. In some cases, the importance of the subject matter may not warrant the issue of a Parliamentary announcement, a press notice as well as a press briefing or mention in a speech.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decision he has reached on the future of Her Majesty's yacht Britannia. [20508]

I have decided that Britannia should be preserved for the wider public benefit, subject to the conclusion of satisfactory arrangements to safeguard her future appearance and use. Following an initial sift earlier this year on a wide range of proposals, seven very imaginative ideas have been considered in detail. I am grateful to all the organisations for their enthusiasm and hard work. Two proposals have been assessed as offering the best prospects for successful preservation, namely those for Edinburgh (Forth Ports plc) and Manchester (Peel Holdings plc). These two proposals stood out from all the rest with firm, costed plans for the appropriate preservation and care of Britannia, and finance already in place. Detailed discussions will begin on these with a view to a final decision in the Spring. Her Majesty the Queen has been kept closely advised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals his Department has for the future ownership of sites at RAF Quedgeley; and what is the current status of the development brief on options for the sites. [19688]

RAF Quedgeley consists of several sites. The Main Site, is currently being advertised for sale inviting expressions of interest for the freehold on a Joint Venture basis. Gloucester City Council have identified the Main Site as being potentially suitable for redevelopment and are preparing a Planning Brief for the site and surrounding area. The brief will identify the opportunities and constraints for redevelopment.The outlying sites, known as No. 2, 4 and 6 Sites, were marketed earlier this year. Site Nos 2 and 6 have been sold. We expect to exchange Contracts for Sale shortly in respect of Site No. 4.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) number and (b) type of British Army weapons and of what description have been lost, stolen or otherwise unaccounted for in Northern Ireland in each of the past 10 years; how many of these weapons are believed to have fallen into the hands of (a) Republican and (b) Loyalist paramilitaries; and how many have been recovered subsequently. [19496]

The figures currently available relating to the numbers and types of British Army weapons lost, stolen or otherwise unaccounted for in each of the past 10 years is set out in the table below. These include the number of weapons believed to have fallen in the hands of (a) Republican and (b) Loyalist paramilitaries and the number of weapons recovered subsequently.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will consider using Lottery funds available for athletics to revive the British Athletics Federation or create a successor body. [19773]

UK Athletics 1998, an interim successor body to the British Athletics Federation, was announced on 28 November. The United Kingdom Sports Council is proposing to make a significant investment through its Exchequer funding to support the body during its envisaged 12 months' life. The Government welcomes the formation of this new body and very much hopes that the consultation process which the new body is to manage will be the first step to establishing the most effective structures for athletics in this country. I am pleased that the United Kingdom Sports Council has been able to assist with this process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to help the British Athletics Federation to extend professional athletics coaching throughout the country. [19772]

A grant of £1.46 million has been awarded to British athletics by the National Lottery Sports Fund for their World Class Performance Plan, an agreed development programme for 195 of our top athletes. This includes provision for the employment of a Performance Director and four Technical Directors, as well as support for 18 National Event Coaches. This will ensure that our top athletes have access to the professional coaching they need to achieve greater success on the world stage. A separate stand-alone company has been established to receive the Lottery Grant and manage the programmes set out in the World Class Performance Plan.The British Athletics Federation is currently in administration following a High Court decision on 13 October to appoint Insolvency Practitioners to advise on its future administration. As part of the process for setting up a new governing body, the Trustees of its interim successor, UK Athletics 1998, will be examining how new structures for coach education can be established so that in future athletes at all levels receive appropriate coaching.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of (a) the number of jobs in the UK directly related to the duty free sector and (b) the value of UK spirit sales in the duty free sector in (i) the UK and (ii) the rest of the EU in the last year for which figures are available. [19747]

[holding answer 9 December 1997]: Information requested is not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answers of 13 November 1997, Official Report, columns 620–21, and 2 December 1997, Official Report, column 167, if he will model the effect on the number of people of working age who face combined marginal rates of withdrawal of tax, national insurance contributions and means-tested benefits of (a) under 50 per cent., (b) 50 to 59 per cent., (c) 60 to 69 per cent., (d) 70 to 79 per cent., (e) 80 to 89 per cent. and (f) 90 per cent. or above of introducing a 10 pence starting rate of income tax on (i) the first £1,000, (ii) the first £1,500 or (iii) the first £2,000 of taxable income if no other changes were made to the tax and benefit system. [19501]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 2 December 1997, Official Report, column 167.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the progress being made towards completion fo the Comprehensive Spending Review. [19938]

The Comprehensive Spending Review is proceeding in accordance with the timetable I indicated in my announcement on 11 June. I expect the Review to conclude next summer.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the timing of the production of Government expenditure plans from 1999–2000 onwards, in relation to the timing of the announcement of the results of the Comprehensive Spending Review. [19937]

The conclusions of the Comprehensive Spending Review will inform the new set of public expenditure plans for 1999–2000 onwards. The Review is on course to report next summer.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the medium-term trend rate of growth of the economy. [19956]

The recent Pre-Budget Report (Cm 3804) sets out some of the key elements of the Government's approach to raising the trend rate of growth of the economy. Appendix A of the report includes a separate section on trend growth (paragraphs A08–A16).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the risks to the economic outlook for growth and inflation, as set out in the "Pre-Budget Report". [19934]

As an indication of the degree of uncertainty surrounding the economic outlook, table A3 of the Pre-Budget Report includes average errors in autumn forecasts over the past ten years.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the per cent. of GDP which will be accounted for by non-North Sea taxes and national insurance contributions in the financial year 2001–02; and if he will list the ratio for each year since 1975. [19931]

Figures for non-North Sea taxes and social security contributions as a percentage of non-North Sea GDP from 1970–71 to 1998–99 were given in table B9 of the Pre-Budget Report. Projection for later years are as follows:

• 1999–2000: 37.7
• 2000–2001: 38.1
• 2001–2002: 38.5

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy on the use by departments of monies realised by disposal of surplus departmental assets; if departmental spending plans will be adjusted by the Treasury to offset such receipts; and if he will make a statement. [19952]

I refer the hon. Member to the measures set out in my answer of 24 November to my hon. Friend the Member for East Ham (Mr. Timms) when I announced the publication of the National Asset Register on 24 November, Official Report, columns. 359–60.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department first published its intention to apply the standard rate of VAT to incontinence products. [19716]

[holding answer 8 December 1997]: The wholesale supply of incontinence products has been standard-rated since 1973. Supplies have been zero-rated since 1984 when made direct to handicapped persons, but this relief has been manipulated as part of an avoidance scheme designed to gain a tax advantage. The Value Added Tax (Drugs, Medicines and Aids for the Handicapped) Order 1997, laid before Parliament on 18 November 1997, has restored the position.Supplies of incontinence products remain VAT-free to the user, either under the NHS or as part of healthcare in the private sector.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations he undertook and representations he received concerning the proposals in the Value Added Tax (Drugs, Medicine and Aids for the Handicapped) Order 1997 (S.I., 1997, No. 2744). [18977]

[holding answer 3 December 1997]: The Order addresses a number of tax avoidance arrangements. Full consultations were therefore not undertaken. However, this Government announced its intention to legislate on 13 August 1997. Customs conducted very limited consultation, including with the health Departments. The Order was amended following their comments.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will restate Table B4 of Cm 3804 to show for (a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98 and (c) 1998–99 updated figures based on the accounting definitions and measurement conventions of the previous plans as published in Cm 3601. [19265]

[holding answer 8 December 1997]: The following table shows table B4 of Cm 3804, the Pre-Budget Report, based on the accounting definitions and measurement conventions used in Cm 3601, Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 1997–98.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish an expanded version of table B4 of Cm 3804 to show (a) a disaggregation of the Control Total in each year by Department as in table 1.2 of Cm 3601, but adjusting for machinery of government and classification changes, and separately identifying releases from the Reserve for 1997–98 and 1998–99, (b) the use of windfall tax proceeds for uses other than Welfare to Work spending and (c) lottery-financed spending separately from other adjustments identified in the reconciliation of GGE(X) and GGE. [19266]

[holding answer 8 December 1997]: The following table shows the figures for table B4, with the departmental elements of the Control Total and lottery-financed spending identified separately. Differences from previous plans, which are allocations from and benefits to the Reserve, are identified separately for 1997–98 and 1998–99. Further details on these changes are set out in the answer I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for East Ham (Mr. Timms). Figures for spending financed by the windfall tax were set out in table 2.1 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report July 1997, HC85.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table, revising table S2.6 of the Pre-Budget publication, The Economy and the Public Finances; Supplementary Material, to show (a) changes between the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1997–98 and FSBR July 1997, (b) changes between FSBR July 1997 and the Pre-Budget Report November 1997 and (c) changes between FSBR 1997–98 and the Pre-Budget Report: November 1997. [19269]

[holding answer 8 December 1997]: Table A shows the changes between the 1997–98 FSBR (published in November 1996) and the July 1997 FSBR. Table B gives changes between the July 1997 FSBR and the November 1997 Pre-Budget Report. Changes between the 1997–98 FSBR and the November 1997 Pre-Budget Report are given in table C.