To ask the Minister without Portfolio how much money has been confirmed in commercial sponsorship for the Millennium Experience. [31247]

[holding answer 24 February 1998]: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) yesterday.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance exists for the purchase of furniture for judges' lodgings; whether price ranges are included; and whether there is specific advice on the purchase of beds. [30234]

No central guidance exists for either furniture standards or prices and there is no specific advice on the purchase of beds. Generally furniture requirement for judges' lodgings are identified and purchased locally. The furniture is usually provided to match the existing style and decor of the building.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 12 February 1998, Official Report, column 300, on Queen's Counsel, what steps he plans to take to ensure that all consultees reply. [30394]

My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has no plans to take steps to ensure that all consultees reply. In making his decisions on silk applicants, he relies only on the views of those consultees who know the applicants well enough to make the necessary assessment of their abilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Government will publish their consultation paper on Access to the Open Countryside. [31325]

I am pleased to announce that the Government are issuing today their consultation paper setting out proposals for giving people greater access to the open countryside in England and Wales. Copies have been placed in the Library of both Houses.The consultation paper reflects the Government's determination to fulfil their manifesto commitment to give greater freedom for people to explore our open countryside.Our proposals have the potential to benefit the millions of people who already enjoy, or who will in future enjoy, walking in the countryside. Current arrangements for access to areas of open countryside, rather than rights of way, have not been used extensively and are not generally well understood. In many cases, people are understandably confused about the areas of land on which they are entitled to walk or the circumstances under which they may do so. We need to secure more and better quality access with greater clarity and certainty for all concerned.Our proposals are about giving greater access to open countryside, not to developed or cultivated land. Our first priority is to increase access to mountain, moor, heath, down and registered common land. In total, these cover no more than 12 per cent. of the land in England and Wales. We also wish to see more access to other areas of open country such as woodland, cliffs and foreshore, and will introduce measures to encourage this if necessary.In developing our proposals, we intend to ensure that a proper balance is struck between the rights and responsibilities of those who will benefit from greater access and of others affected by it. We are determined that those who will enjoy greater access should be responsible: the countryside and people's property and livelihoods must continue to be respected and properly protected. The Government recognise the need for sensible restrictions on the freedom of access to take account of the genuine needs of owners and other users of the land. Similarly, we recognise that access to some areas or at some times needs to be limited for reasons of health or safety, nature conservation, or archaeology.We are prepared to consider all options, including voluntary arrangements, for achieving our objective of substantially greater access, and will consider carefully all responses to the consultation paper before reaching a decision on the best way forward. Assessment of the costs and benefits of different options will be a key part of our consideration. Costs to Government (central and local), to owners and occupiers, and to the relevant statutory agencies will certainly be taken into account in considering how best to proceed. We do not expect that management of greater access will have major financial implications as, in most places, no changes will need to be made to accommodate walkers. We shall be making an environmental assessment and regulatory appraisal of our proposals, as necessary.We are keen to ensure that the consultation process provides a genuine opportunity for all those interested to put forward their own ideas and views. We shall be allowing three months for consultation, ending on Friday 5 June. As well as considering written responses to the paper, we plan to hold meetings with organisations representing walkers, farmers and other owners and occupiers, and others with an interest. We shall also be drawing on the experience and expertise of the relevant statutory agencies and local authorities in firming up our ideas, and may need to consult further on some issues before announcing our conclusions, which we hope to do later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 26 January 1998, Official Report, column 15, what was the make, model and cost of the new official car acquired since 1 May; and for which Minister it has been acquired. [27702]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: The car is a Jaguar 4.0i LWB, which has been provided for the use of the Deputy Prime Minister. The capital cost of the car was met by the Cabinet Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will take steps to reduce the amount of fats from catering outlets entering the sewerage system. [30468]

Under the Water Industry Act 1991, the water companies are responsible for management of their sewerage systems and discharges to them. It is an offence under the Act to interfere with the free flow of a sewer.I understand that water companies undertake a number of initiatives to control the amount of fats entering the sewerage system. These range from educational initiatives to prevent careless disposal of fats, encouragement of installation of fat traps to prevent entry into the sewerage system and development of technology to break down fats once they have entered the system.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the feasibility studies undertaken to improve the A49 between Shrewsbury and Ludlow. [30784]

I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many (a) road traffic accidents, (b) resultant fatalities and (c) resultant injuries were recorded on the A49 between Shrewsbury and Ludlow for each year since 1977.[30783]

The information requested is available from 1979 and is shown in the table.

Accidents and casualties on the A49 between Shrewsbury and Ludlow: 1979–1996
		Severity of casualty
	All accidents	Fatal	Injured	All casualties
1979	96	4	129	133
1980	73	11	103	114
1981	57	4	82	86
1982	62	2	83	85
1983	50	1	87	88
1984	66	1	99	100
1985	76	11	111	122
1986	61	3	80	83
1987	69	4	100	104
1988	73	0	126	126
1989	73	3	101	104
1990	90	6	136	142
1991	54	2	73	75
1992	65	7	101	108
1993	48	4	72	76
1994	53	8	84	92
1995	44	3	91	94
1996	45	3	58	61
Total	1,155	77	1,716	1,793

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to sign the Kyoto Protocol. [30744]

It is our intention that the UK will sign the Kyoto Protocol at an early date. We are in discussion with our EU colleagues with the aim of maximising the participation of Member States and the Community in signing the Protocol at the same time, before the end of the UK Presidency of the EU at the end of June.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to what depth the site of the Millennium Dome has been cleared of contaminants. [30516]

The depth of contamination on the site to be occupied by the Millennium Dome varied widely. The majority of contamination was contained within the surface layer, which varied between 2 and 4 metres in depth. In isolated instances the contamination extended up to a maximum of 14 metres. The treatment applied to each part of the site depended on the type and depth of the contamination. No part of the site was treated to a depth of less than 2 metres and in places the treatment extended to 14 metres.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what contaminants were present on the Millennium Dome site. [30515]

A large proportion of the Millennium Dome site has been chemically contaminated to varying degrees as a result of former industrial activities, principally the generation of coal, gas and associated by-products. By-products include the manufacture of sulphuric acid and ammonium sulphate fertiliser in a dedicated chemical works as well as the production of coal tar and a range of organic chemicals such as benzene and naphtha in a separate tar works.As a result, the principal contaminants found on the site were:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many acres of land are covered by the Contaminated Land Register; [30946](2) if he will make a statement on the future of the Contaminated Land Register. [30948]

There is at present no contaminated land register. Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (inserted by section 57 of the Environment Act 1995) will place a duty on enforcing authorities to maintain registers containing prescribed particulars of enforcement action taken with respect to contamination and of remediation works carried out on that land. I would also refer the hon. Member to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mrs. Ellman) of 22 December 1997, Official Report, column 439.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the total amount spent on derelict land grant in the last five years. [30947]

My Department ceased to accept further applications for Derelict Land Grant (DLG) in March 1994 when the programme ended. Since April 1994, transitional arrangements have been in place whereby English Partnerships make payments to local authorities on behalf of the Secretary of State for all DLG projects which had been approved at that time. Annual payments have, inevitably, decreased, with an annual breakdown as follows:

• 1993–94 £103.780 million (paid by former DOE)
• 1994–95: £84.633 million
• 1995–96: £65.402 million
• 1996–97: £25.000 million
• 1997–98: £18.000 million (estimated outturn).

Since April 1994 all DLG applications from local authorities have been handled within the framework provided by English Partnerships' overall development programme (Investment Fund), largely as part of its Land Reclamation and Partnership Investment Programmes. The operation of this Fund places greater emphasis on flexible partnerships and funding mechanisms and on maximising private investment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the extent of public liability in the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. [30937]

The Government are committed to grant payments worth £1.8 billion NPV overall. If London and Continental Railways are unable to fulfil their obligations under the CTRL Development Agreement awarded to them by the previous Government, Eurostar (UK) Limited, its assets and liabilities, would revert to the Government. This would include accumulated debt worth in the region of £400 million, which would be met from future Eurostar revenues.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library the development agreement signed between the Government and London and Continental Rail ways. [31031]

Reasons of commercial confidentiality prevent copies of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Development Agreement with London & Continental Railways (LCR) being placed in the Library. The previous Government issued a memorandum about the Development Agreement and other contracts with LCR in March 1996. Copies were placed in the Library at that time.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the reduction of road freight transport from the North West and West Midlands Regions to mainland Europe that would be achieved by (a) the completion of the high speed rail link from the Channel Tunnel to central London, connecting to the West Coast main line and (b) a scheme between the Channel Tunnel and Ebbsfleet; and if he will make a statement. [31192]

No such assessment has been made. The Channel Tunnel Rail Link is primarily intended to provide for passenger services, though it would also facilitate rail freight both directly and through freeing capacity on existing lines.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) on what date the Standing Committee on the Code of Practice on Conservation, Access and Recreation last met; how many times it has met; and what reports it has made on the operation of the code; [31005]

(2) what plans he has to standardise the process of independent validation of conservation, access and recreation reports produced by the water industry; [31006]

(3) what plans he has to review the Code of Practice on Conservation, Access and Recreation to take account of the Environment Act 1995. [31007]

The Standing Committee has so far met seven times, the latest meeting being in November 1995. A report by the Standing Committee on the effectiveness of the Code of Practice was published in July 1993. Annual reports by the water companies on their conservation, access and recreation activities are considered by the Standing Committee, which includes representatives from the main conservation and sports bodies. There are no plans at present to change this process. The Code of Practice is currently being reviewed, with a view to producing a revised Code later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the annual salary of each member of the Board of the National Air Traffic Services. [31186]

National Air Traffic Services Ltd. formed its own Board, separate from that of the Civil Aviation Authority, in April 1996. My Department holds information on salaries only for those members of the NATS Board who are also members of the CAA Board. These members are the following:

Mr. Malcolm Argent: (2 days per week)

Mr. Derek McLauchlan: (Full time until June 1997, when he was replaced by Mr. Semple)

Mr. William Semple: (Full time—appointed 1 July 1997)

Mr. Anthony Herron: (2 days per week)

Mr Roderick Lynch: (2 days per month).

I have listed Mr. McLauchlan's salary for the last five years of his appointment in a separate reply. The salaries of the other NATS Board Members for which my Department holds information, since the Board was set up in April 1996, are as follows:

£
Member	Salary 1996–1997	Salary 1997–1998
Mr. M. Argent	45,441	46,804
Mr. W. Semple	100,000	103,000
Mr. A. Herron	46,575	47,972
Mr. R. Lynch	7,886	8,122

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the annual salary paid to Derek McLauchlan for each of the last five years of his employment as Chief Executive of National Air Traffic Services. [31185]

Mr. McLauchlan was the Chief Executive of National Air Traffic Services Ltd until June 1997. His annual salary for each of the five years leading up to his departure from NATS Ltd was as follows:

• 1992–1993: £83,200
• 1993–1994: £84,450
• 1994–1995: £86,140
• 1995–1996: £87,000
• 1996–1997: £87,870.

Full details of the emoluments of Board Members of the Civil Aviation Authority are set out in the CAA's Annual Report and Accounts. These documents are available in the House Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the emission levels of cars manufactured in Japan to run on low sulphur fuels imported into the United Kingdom for sale as second-hand cars relative to cars manufactured in the EU; and if he will make a statement. [30721]

[holding answer 23 February 1998]: None. The proportion of such second-hand cars compared with cars manufactured directly for the EU market is very small. Any disparity between emissions levels will decline markedly from the year 2000, when new EU fuel standards are due to be introduced.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when Mornington Crescent London Underground station will be reopened. [30953]

This is an operational matter for London Underground Ltd, but I understand that they are aiming to re-open Mornington Crescent station towards the end of next month.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many of his officials attended conferences (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) overseas; and how many and what percentage made (i) oral and (ii) written contributions to the matters under discussion in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [31177]

These data are not held centrally and cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost. Officials attend and speak at conferences as appropriate to fulfil their duties.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to investigate the profits levels of train rolling stock leasing companies. [31008]

My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced on 21 January that he had asked the Rail Regulator to conduct an urgent and wide-ranging inquiry into the operation of the rolling stock market. The Regulator has been asked specifically to examine the scope for the rolling stock companies to abuse their market power either through excessive pricing, through inadequate investment in new or refurbished rolling stock or more generally through their response to the requirements of train operators to secure improvements in performance. The Regulator has been asked to report by the middle of April. The Government will then consider, in the light of the Regulator's recommendations, whether further action should be taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps have been taken by his Department in conjunction with the trades unions and Employers' Federation to promote improved health and safety practice at work. [30829]

I am kept regularly informed by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC), whose members include representatives of both employees and employers organisations, of measures and action taken to promote improved health and safety practice in the workplace. Much of HSC's work is done in consultation with their industry advisory committees which encourage the joint participation of all representative organisations in the improvement of health and safety at work and draw on the expertise and advice available on both sides of industry. These committees give the problems of particular industries close and more detailed attention.I have recently allocated to the HSC/E an extra £4.5 million and I look forward to receiving their Plan of Work for 1998/99 which sets out detailed proposals of how resources will be used to achieve their aims and key priorities for the coming year. One of the HSC's key priorities will be to improve health and safety at work by promoting the full participation of key intermediaries and principal stakeholders, namely employers, employees and their representatives.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from Abbey National Plc on the subject of the current Energy Efficiency Bill. [31010]

The Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Angela Eagle) will shortly reply to a letter about the Energy Efficiency Bill which Abbey National Plc sent to my hon. Friend the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what will be the (a) timetable and (b) scope of the national debate on the achievement of the Government's (i) legally binding target set at the Kyoto conference and (ii) own target for reductions in CO2 emissions by 2010; who will be consulted; and when and how the Government will report on it. [31011]

The Government plan to publish a consultation paper on delivering their climate change targets in the summer. This will focus on our legally binding target under the Kyoto Protocol, but will also discuss policies that could help to go beyond that target and deliver our domestic aim. We have already started to consider a range of options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions with key players. We will continue this debate in the run up to publication of the consultation paper and afterwards, as we develop our national programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will amend the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions Order 1994 (SI 1519) to add the words "Except Cycles" to No Entry signs. [29588]

No. We do not believe it is generally safe or desirable to allow or encourage cyclists to ride past No Entry signs. We recommend that, wherever possible, a segregated cycle facility should be provided at the entry to a contraflow cycle lane. The Traffic Signs Regulations (which are made by Ministers in England, Wales and Scotland acting jointly) already contain positive signs to indicate that pedal cycles only may use particular routes, as well as signs to indicate that motor vehicles are prohibited from certain routes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many responses have been received so far to the consultation on the revised Highway Code. [29589]

We have received some 420 responses to date.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of airline passengers and flight crew aboard (a) United Kingdom aircraft and (b) aircraft flying to and from the United Kingdom injured by turbulence while not wearing their seatbelts in each of the last five years. [31255]

The Civil Aviation Authority does not hold information on injuries occurring on foreign registered aircraft. The number of injuries to passengers and flight crew on United Kingdom registered aircraft resulting from turbulence in each of the last five years is listed in the table. None of these injuries were serious. It is not known whether or not those injured were wearing seat belts.

	Passengers	Cabin crew
1993	0	10
1994	2	5
1995	2	13
1996	4	9
1997	18	29

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of incidents in each of the last five years where turbulence has affected United Kingdom air carriers. [31256]

The Civil Aviation Authority require reports of turbulence encounters by UK registered aircraft when they result in an injury to an occupant of the aircraft or if the commander of the aircraft deems a "turbulence check" of the aircraft to be necessary. The number of reports of turbulence encounters involving UK registered passenger aircraft received by the CAA in each of the last five years is as follows:

Year
1993	46
1994	84
1995	74
1996	49
1997	86

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to privatise the remaining trust ports. [31252]

We have no proposals to compel the privatisation of any of the remaining trust ports. We will consider on their merits any applications for voluntary privatisation put forward by individual trust ports under the Ports Act 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from members of the Railways Pension Scheme 1994 concerning errors made in the computation of their pension rights; and if he will make a statement. [31027]

Since the General Election, we have received 3 queries from members of railway pension schemes about their pension entitlements.The administration of the Railways Pension Scheme, including the computation of members' pension entitlements, is a matter for the Scheme's independent trustee, the Railways Pension Trustee Company Limited. The Scheme has a formal procedure for settling any disagreements in accordance with statute. Members wishing to use it should write to the Scheme's managers, Pensions Management. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no locus to intervene.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will arrange for the full drainage area plan for the Eldwick/Gilstead area of Bingley, West Yorkshire to be (a) published, (b) placed in the Library and (c) made available to the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council Planning Authority. [30617]

The information requested is not available centrally.Under section 199 of the Water Industry Act 1991, sewerage companies are required to keep records of the location of every sewer vested in the company. Section 200 of the 1991 Act places a duty on sewerage companies to provide local authorities with copies of those records and any modifications to them. They are also required to make sewer records available for public inspection free of charge.Highway drainage records are kept by the relevant Highway Authorities and can be inspected at the local offices during normal working hours. With regard to the A650 trunk road which passes through Bingley, highway drainage records can be inspected at the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council offices in Keighley, West Yorkshire.The Environment Agency collects information on the risk of flooding from rivers or the sea under the provisions of Section 105(2) of the Water Resources Act 1991. Information on design flood levels can be obtained from the Agency's regional office. Such flood plain surveys are principally to provide guidance on flood risk to inform decisions by the local planning authority on development in flood plains. Internal Drainage Boards may hold similar information about their districts, and this would normally be made available on request.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many planning applications were considered by the Environment Agency in their role as statutory consultee in the last full year for which records are available; and on how many occasions the Environment Agency registered formal advice to local planning authorities to reject applications on the grounds of potential watercourse pollution. [30795]

In 1996–97, the Environment Agency was consulted on 104,847 planning applications by English and Welsh local planning authorities on both a statutory and non-statutory basis. The Agency advised local planning authorities to reject the application on the grounds of potential watercourse pollution in an estimated 250 cases. The Agency does not collect separate figures on statutory as opposed to non-statutory consultations nor are applications affecting watercourses always recorded separately.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when his Department's headquarters at Marsham Street are to be (a) vacated and (b) demolished. [31259]

My Department plans to vacate 2 Marsham Street by the end of May 1998. It will be handed back to Property Advisers to the Civil Estate, who will decide its future.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Inland Revenue SA330 forms were issued between 1 and 19 February. [31097]

[holding answer 24 February 1998]: SA330 forms were sent to around 150,000 tax agents in respect of around 4 million taxpayers. The forms provided summary details of whether taxpayers had settled their 1996–97 tax liability for agents to check against clients' records.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers are currently entitled to (a) the basic personal allowance, (b) the married couple's allowance, (c) the non-aged married couple's allowance and (d) the additional personal allowance. [31248]

[holding answer 24 February 1998]: It is estimated that, in 1998–99, some 26.2 million income taxpayers will receive the personal allowance. In addition to this, many more individuals will be kept out of tax by their personal allowance. Around 10.8 million individual taxpayers will benefit from the married couple's allowance, of which 9.6 million people will get the non-aged married couple's allowance. About 840,000 will receive the additional personal allowance.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the Government's policy on tackling the debts of the poorest nations. [29632]

The Government are firmly committed to supporting debt relief for the poorest countries, including the relief offered under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. In the IMF and World Bank Executive Boards, we have actively supported granting HIPC relief to Uganda, Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Guyana. We have also pressed for movement on other potential beneficiaries, including Mozambique. We have offered to provide up to $10 million to help Mozambique achieve debt sustainability on top of debt relief and assistance the UK has already committed.Last September, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his Mauritius Mandate statement, called on the international community to commit itself to dealing with the problem of unsustainable debt burdens faced by some poor countries once and for all. This represents a challenge for both creditors and debtors. Creditors should ensure that relief mechanisms are sufficiently flexible to deal with all cases. Debtors should show a commitment to sound economic policies, with a focus on productive expenditures such as basic healthcare and primary education, and demonstrate transparent and accountable decisionmaking. Debt relief is necessary to allow such countries to continue to implement such policies, which are aimed at increasing the pro-poor economic growth that is needed for lasting poverty reduction.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those visits made within the United Kingdom since 1 May on which (a) he and (b) other Ministers within his Department have been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code indicating (i) those persons accompanying and (ii) the cost to public funds. [23752]

[holding answer 19 February 1998]: None.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the expenditure of his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies on external consultants in (i) 1995–96, (ii) 1996–97, (iii) 1997–98 to date and (iv) 1997–98 full year; and if he will also estimate the cost savings resulting from the employment of such consultants for each of the above years. [26572]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: Figures for expenditure are as in the table:

£000
	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98 (to date)	1997–98 (full year)
Customs & Excise	18,700	18,200	13,200	17,500
Inland Revenue	29,500	6,655	3,585	5,100
National Savings	858	1,564	2,700	4,200
Office for National
Statistics	n/a	2,100	1,200	2,300
Treasury	611	924	997	1,100

The Office for National Statistics was created on 1 April 1996. The Royal Mint has spent a total of £0.3 million on external consultants over 1995–98.Consultants are employed not only to reduce costs but also to increase Departments' effectiveness; or to carry out specialised tasks for which Departments neither have nor need the staff to carry them out themselves. They have therefore contributed in several ways to Departments' output; and to the cash reductions in the spending of the Chancellor's Departments in recent years.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current estimate of the expenditure of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on hospitality since 1 May 1997. [27730]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: The current estimate of expenditure on hospitality is:

£000
Inland Revenue (including Valuation Office Agency)	198
Customs & Excise	298
HM Treasury	94
National Savings	11
Office for National Statistics	58
Royal Mint	33

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has responsibility, in (A) 1995–96, (B) 1996–97, (C) 1997–98 to date and (D) 1997–98 full year.[26574]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: Empty properties has been taken to mean fully vacant buildings.

£ million
Department	1995–961	1996–97 Annual cost	1996–97 Total value	1997–982 Annual cost	1997–982 Total value
Inland
Revenue	—	0.2	1.0	1.9	2.0
Customs and
Excise	—	0.8	1.0	0.8	0.9
1 Prior to 1.4.96 responsibility for the disposal of vacant space fell to Property Holdings for the Common User Estate.
2 No distinction has been made between the current year to date and the full year.

HM Treasury, National Savings, the Office for National Statistics or the Royal Mint do not have any empty property.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what allocations from the contingency reserve for 1998–99 to departments have been approved over the last two months and for what purpose; what is the current amount of the contingency reserve for 1998–99; and if he will make a statement. [30507]

[holding answer 23 February 1998]: I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member of 10 December 1997, Official Report, columns 562–64. The next forecast of the Reserve for 1998–99 will be published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report in March.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by his Department in (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97, (c) 1997–98 to date and (d) 1997–98 full year; and if he will make a statement. [26576]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: No building refurbishment has been carried out by the Treasury in the years 1995–96 to 1997–98 other than an essential electrical wiring replacement programme in the headquarters building at a cost of £80,000 to date during 1997–98.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost of Ministerial overseas travel in his Department in (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98 to date.[26577]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: The cost of Ministerial overseas travel for the Treasury for the years requested is as listed.

• 1995–96: £59,150
• 1996–97: £52,641
• 1997–98 (to date): £34,846.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the European Commission review of the scope of reduced VAT rates. [30687]

[holding answer 23 February 1998]: The European Commission's recent analysis of the present VAT rates structure and application of reduced VAT rates within the Community concludes that there is no significant distortion of competition brought about by the disparities in VAT rates between Member States. The report makes no formal proposals for revision of the current list of supplies of goods and services which may be subject to reduced rates.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list occasions when he has raised the issue of a wider relief of VAT on energy saving materials with other member states of the EU. [30689]

[holding answer 23 February 1998]: We have advised the Commission that we intend to explore the possibility of a reduced rate of VAT for energy saving measures carried out under certain Government-funded schemes and to explore the possibility of a reduced rate with wider application than European law presently allows.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions the Financial Secretary's office has had with the City of London Corporation since 1 January. [30930]

[holding answer 23 February 1998]: My office has had no discussions with the City of London Corporation since 1 January.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the increase in pension contributions British business will need to make to replace the extra tax levied on funds in the last Budget in a full year. [30613]

[holding answer 23 February 1998]: It is for companies and their pension funds to decide the level of their contributions.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made towards cancelling the debt burden of Mozambique as part of Britain's contribution to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. [30926]

[holding answer 23 February 1998]: The UK has consistently supported a full and final exit for Mozambique from its debt burden under the HIPC initiative. On 17 February, the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for International Development pledged to provide a bilateral contribution of up to $10 million to help Mozambique to this end. This money is in addition to the debt relief agreed through the Paris Club of Government Creditors and other assistance that the UK has already committed.A final agreement is currently being negotiated at the IMF and World Bank in Washington.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the proposals the Government is making on writing off Third World debt. [30267]

[holding answer 23 February 1998]: The Government are fully committed to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative that was launched by the IMF and World Bank in September 1996. In his speech to Commonwealth Finance Ministers in Mauritius last year, the Chancellor called on the international community to commit itself to dealing with the problem of unsustainable debt burdens faced by the world's poorest countries once and for all. He urged creditors and debtors to undertake concrete action in order to ensure that at least three-quarters of the twenty countries, initially identified by the World Bank and IMF as probably needing debt relief under HIPC initiative, have had decisions on the size and timing of their relief by the year 2000. The Government propose to continue their efforts to ensure that this target is met.In the IMF and World Bank Executive Boards, we have actively supported debt relief under the HIPC initiative for the four countries that have so far had decisions—Uganda, Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Guyana. The Government have also taken a lead in pressing for action to help another indebted country, Mozambique. We have offered to provide up to $10 million to help Mozambique achieve debt sustainability on top of the debt relief and assistance that the UK has already committed.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of windfall tax receipts in (a) 1997–98 and (b) in total. [31263]

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Carmarthen, West and Pembrokeshire, South (Mr. Ainger) on 12 February 1998, Official Report, column 378.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the areas that he has chosen to pilot the proposal in the Crime and Disorder Bill [Lords] to introduce a drug treatment and testing order. [31738]

My hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Joyce Quin) announced in a speech to a conference in York organised by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation this afternoon that the pilots will take place under the management of Merseyside, South-East London and Gloucestershire Probation Services.Thirty six probation areas expressed an interest in managing the pilot of the drug treatment and testing order. All the proposals were well thought out and enthusiastic and the choice was therefore far from clear-cut.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts for public opinion research his Department has awarded since 1 May; if he will indicate the (a) purpose, (b) cost, (c) value and (d) duration of each contract; and which companies (i) bid for and (ii) were awarded each contract. [28872]

[holding answer 10 February 1998]: None. However, the British Crime Survey, which is not "public opinion research" and is primarily used to measure crime against households through interviews with the general public, does include questions about attitudes. The current sweep asks respondents about their attitudes to punishment, the police and victim support.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the implications of Articles 29 to 42 of the Treaty on European Union as amended by the Amsterdam Treaty for police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters; and what information he has made available to Parliament and the public on this subject; [30523]

(2) what consultations he has had with police authorities on the consequences for their operations and duties of Articles 29 to 42 of the Treaty on European Union as amended by the Amsterdam Treaty; and if he will place in the Library the records of those consultations; [30524]

(3) what assessment he has made of the implications of articles 29 to 42 of the Treaty on European Union; and what plans he has to publish information on their impact on police operations and on the judicial system in the United Kingdom. [31080]

Articles 29 to 42 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), as amended by the Treaty of Amsterdam, will replace Title VI of the TEU by new provisions concerned with developing common action between member states in the fields of police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters and preventing and combating racism and xenophobia. The new provisions introduce changes, in particular as regards the scope of the common action to be developed, the legal instruments to be used and the role of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice. There are also provisions enabling member states to establish closer co-operation between themselves, and on the future role of Europol. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the European Communities (Amendment) Bill, and ratification by all member states of the new Treaty, the Government will seek to participate fully in all aspects of work under the new provisions, consistently with United Kingdom national interests.The Treaty of Amsterdam was published as a Command paper (Cm 3780) in October 1997. Detailed written statements which cover all aspects of the Treaty have been provided to Committees of both Houses, made available to hon. Members and placed in the Library. Additionally, similar information has been provided to members of the public on request. The Treaty of Amsterdam has, of course, been debated at length in this House.The police are routinely consulted, through a wide range of contacts which will not necessarily be recorded, on aspects of European Union business which have consequences for them. In particular, the Association of Chief Police Officers are closely involved in relevant discussions and negotiations with our European partners, and often attend meetings to provide advice and support.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects reports to be made on the investigations into the conduct of the South East Regional Crime Squad. [30449]

[holding answer 23 February 1998]: There is no current investigation into the conduct of the South East Regional Crime Squad (SERCS) as a whole. Individual SERCS officers may become the subject of complaint, allegation or report. In such circumstances, the Co-ordinator of SERCS would normally invite an appropriate police force within his region to conduct an investigation.I have been advised that there are currently seven such inquiries being undertaken by the Metropolitan Police. These investigations are at different stages and their completion dates will depend on the particular circumstances of each case. Three of the seven were instigated by SERCS management. The inquiry which has received most publicity was set in motion after surveillance logs were found to be missing during a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court. SERCS was inspected by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary during February 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his current estimate of the expenditure of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on hospitality since 1 May 1997. [27800]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: Expenditure on official hospitality by the FCO, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies for the period 1 May 1997 to 31 December 1997 was as follows:

FCO (£000)	Agencies (£)	NDPBs (£000)
6,533	619	690

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the expenditure of his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies on external consultants in (i) 1995–96, (ii) 1996–97, (iii) 1997–98 to date and (iv) 1997–98 full year; and if he will also estimate the cost savings resulting from the employment of such consultants for each of the above years. [26661]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: Spending on external consultants' by the FCO, its executive agency and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs):

£ million
	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98 to date	1997–98
FCO	17.65	11.80	10.80	15.36
Agency	—	0.06	—	—
NDPBs2	0.05	0.03	0.06	0.08
1 As defined in the 1994 Efficiency Unit Scrutiny.
2 Excludes the British Council, for whom figures could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The bulk of FCO consultancy spending is for technical expertise on capital projects and information technology, often for infrastructure projects, designed to promote overall efficiency. Where savings are achieved, the work of external consultants is only one factor to be taken into account. Quantified annual cost savings for such work are therefore not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the cost of Ministerial overseas travel in his Department in (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98 to date. [26666]

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: The total cost of FCO Ministerial overseas travel, including attendance at international conferences, in 1995–96 and 1996–97 was as follows:

• 1995–96: £1,496,109
• 1996–97: £2,145,345.

1997–98 expenditure, as at 31 December 1997, stood at £1,185,507.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the need for travellers to purchase holiday insurance, with particular reference to activity holidays; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of holiday insurance packages sold with activity holidays; and if he will issue guidance to holidaymakers with regard to insurance packages for activity holidays. [28139]

[holding answer 9 February 1998]: We have made no assessment of holiday insurance packages but strongly recommend in our consular publicity material that all travellers abroad take out adequate comprehensive insurance. It is essential that the cover includes medical evacuation, especially for activity holidays.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 11 February 1998, Official Report, columns 248–49, if he will list the dates and destinations of the overseas visits undertaken by special advisers at public expense. [30286]

Since 1 May 1997, a Special Adviser has accompanied me and other FCO Ministers on the following overseas visits:

Date	Destination
1997
7 May	France, Germany
18–19 May	USA
19–20 May	Netherlands
5–6 June	Sweden
16–17 June	Netherlands
20–23 June	USA
27 June-1 July	Hong Kong
7–9 July	Spain
28–30 July	Bosnia, Croatia
28 July-3 August	Egypt, Occupied Territories, Israel
21–25 September	USA
7–8 October	Gibraltar
20–21 November	Luxembourg, Switzerland
25–28 November	Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland
1998
13–16 January	Israel, Occupied Territories
14 January	France
10–13 February	Oman, UAE, Egypt

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government have taken to secure reparations from Iraq for Kuwait under United Nations Resolution 687. [30979]

The Government of Kuwait have made their own claims for reparations through the UN Compensation Commission in Geneva.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken in the last year in pressing for Saddam Hussein to be indicted as a war criminal. [30980]

We have on several occasions made clear our support for the INDICT campaign which calls for Saddam Hussein to be brought to account in an appropriate court.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of (a) the volume of oil sold by Iraq since the introduction of UN sanctions, (b) the net price paid to Iraq and (c) the comparative free market price for oil. [30762]

[holding answer 23 February 1998]: On 19 February, the UN estimated that, under UNSCR 986, 119.5 million barrels of oil had been sold, under UNSCR 111, 126.9 million barrels and under UNSCR 143, 38.9 million barrels.The UN estimates the revenue from these sales at US$2.15 billion, US$2.125 billion and US$0.48 billion respectively.Prices implied by these revenue figures are US$17.99, US$16.75 and US$12.34 respectively. The fall in prices is in line with the fall in oil prices generally over the period in question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the work the Government have commissioned on opinion research or focus groups concerning people's views on Iraq; what were the terms of reference; to whom each contract was awarded; what was the cost of each contract; and if he will publish in full the transcripts and conclusions of each piece of research. [30945]

[holding answer 23 February 1998]: We have not commissioned any survey concerning views on Iraq. We have, however, taken careful note of the results of opinion polls published in the UK press.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reasons other members of the (a) United Nations Security Council and (b) European Union Council of Ministers, who oppose a military attack on Iraq, have given to Her Majesty's Government for their opposition to such action. [30982]

The agreement reached by the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, was the culmination of intensive diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis with Iraq. But as the Secretary General himself stated at his press conference in Baghdad, progress was achieved only because diplomatic efforts were backed up by the credible threat of military force.The vast majority of EU Member States and most Security Council members have said publicly that they would not rule out the use of force against Iraq if efforts to secure a diplomatic solution failed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will deposit in the Library a copy of the response by the United Kingdom representative to the letter of 16 July 1997 of the Dutch permanent representative in connection with the Schengen Agreement and the Amsterdam Treaty. [31048]

It would not be appropriate to publish this piece of diplomatic correspondence between Her Majesty's Government and another Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy regarding (a) human rights and (b) the treatment of Roma people in those European countries likely to be in the next group to join the European Union. [31073]

We have made clear our commitment to place human rights at the centre of foreign policy. We will be strict in ensuring that EU applicants comply with the Copenhagen political criteria, including the

"respect for and protection of minorities".

This is why we support strongly all efforts to address shortcomings in the treatment of minorities in EU applicant countries, both through bilateral Know How Fund projects and our contributions to the Phare Programme. We have also been working bilaterally with several Central European Governments to help them implement measures to improve the position of the Roma and other minorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his officials attended conferences (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) overseas; and how many and what percentage made (i) oral and (ii) written contributions to the matters under discussion in the last 12 months for which figures are available.[31176]

The information sought is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the board of Premier Oil Ltd, in relation to their participation in the Burma-Thailand gas pipeline. [31076]

We do not encourage UK companies to trade with Burma and urge them to think carefully before doing so, pointing out the political and human rights situation in Burma. I made this policy clear to Charles Jamieson, Chief Executive of Premier Oil, when we met on 17 December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the proportion of Burma's GNP being spent on armaments and instruments of repression. [31077]

The Burmese Government do not release any detailed figures on expenditure on arms, but we estimate that at least 30% of Burma's GNP is spent on general defence expenditure. The EU's Common Position on Burma includes a full-scale arms embargo, the suspension of all defence links and the suspension of non-humanitarian aid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 16 February 1998, Official Report, column 489, for what reasons it is not his policy to list the British manufacturers of equipment found by inspectors in Iraq. [31273]

Staff located outside Greater Belfast area
Department	Total			Non-industrial only			Grade 6 and above
	1995	1996	1997	1995	1996	1997	1995	1996	1997
DANI	2,000	1,836	1,839	1,239	1,123	1,165	4	4	2
DED	785	786	740	735	737	701	2	2	2
DENI	562	585	579	560	583	577	70	70	71
DFP	291	271	261	291	271	261	6	6	6
DHSS	2,046	1,966	1,864	2,046	1,966	1,864	—	—	—
DOE	3,422	3,328	3,149	2,417	2,311	2,257	14	15	14
NIO	1,161	1,184	1,156	1,039	1,057	1,034	3	3	3
Total	10,267	9,956	9,588	8,327	8,048	7,859	99	100	98

It is not our practice to reveal the identity of British manufacturers whose equipment has been found by UNSCOM in Iraq, because it is UNSCOM' s practice to disclose such information to Governments on a confidential basis when it considers this may assist its investigations. That confidentiality must be maintained if UNSCOM is to be able to follow up information on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programmes effectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he held on human rights issues during his visit to Saudi Arabia; and what was the response of the Saudi authorities. [30772]

[holding answer 24 February 1998]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary held talks with Prince Saud A1 Faisal, the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister, during his visit to Saudi Arabia on 5 February. The purpose of his visit was to discuss the current crisis in the Gulf.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors underlay the policy of the United Kingdom Government to oppose the inclusion of the use of nuclear weapons as a war crime under the jurisdiction of the proposed International Criminal Court. [31032]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson), to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. McCabe) on 10 February 1998, Official Report, columns 139–40.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for each Government Department the total number of (a) posts, (b) non-industrial posts and (c) Grade 6 and above posts (i) outside the Greater Belfast area and (ii) more than 30 miles from Belfast on 1 April of each year since 1995. [30840]

Information in the form requested is readily available only in respect of Northern Ireland Civil Servants at 1 September each year and is as follows:

Staff located 30 miles outside Belfast
Department	Total			Non-industrial only			Grade 6 and above
	1995	1996	1997	1995	1996	1997	1995	1996	1997
DANI	1,585	1,409	1,377	920	785	791	3	3	2
DED	428	427	396	398	396	375	—	—	—
DENI	104	108	102	104	108	102	—	—	—
DFP	159	144	141	159	144	141	2	2	2
DHSS	1,461	1,390	1,326	1,461	1,390	1,326	—	—	—
DOE	2,019	1,856	1,784	1,349	1,212	1,186	6	7	7
NIO	657	616	618	603	560	564	—	—	—
Total	6,413	5,950	5,744	4,994	4,595	4,485	11	12	11

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for 1 April 1995 the total number of Grade 6, and above, Civil Service posts located (a) outside the Greater Belfast area and (b) more than 30 miles from Belfast, stating in each case the percentage of the total number of Grade 6 posts represented. [30841]

Information in the form requested is readily available only in respect of Northern Ireland Civil Servants at Grade 6 level and above at 1 September 1995 and is as follows:

	Number (%)
Number located outside Greater Belfast area (percentage of Grade 6 posts and above in NICS)	99 (19)
Number located more than 30 miles from Belfast (percentage of Grade 6 posts and above in NICS)	11 (2)

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the (a) total number and (b) percentage of Civil Service jobs located (i) inside and (ii) outside the Greater Belfast area at 1 April in each year since 1995. [30859]

Information in the form requested is readily available only in respect of Northern Ireland Civil Servants at 1 September each year and is as follows:

	Number located inside Greater Belfast area (percentage of NICS)	Number located outside Greater Belfast area (percentage of NICS)
1 September 1995	17,003 (62%)	10,267 (38%)
1 September 1996	16,852 (63%)	9,956 (37%)
1 September 1997	16,629 (63%)	9,588 (37%)

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the (a) total number and (b) percentage, of non-manual Civil Service jobs located outside the Greater Belfast area at 1 April in each year since 1995. [30860]

Information in the form requested is readily available only in respect of non-industrial Northern Ireland Civil Servants at 1 September each year and is as follows:

	Number located outside Greater Belfast area	Percentage of NICS total
1 September 1995	8,327	35
1 September 1996	8,048	34
1 September 1997	7,859	34

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the (a) total number and (b) percentage, of Civil Service jobs located more than 30 miles from Belfast at 1 April in each year since 1995. [30861]

Information in the form requested is readily available only in respect of Northern Ireland Civil Servants at 1 September each year and is as follows:

	Number located more than 30 miles from Belfast	Percentage of NICS total
1 September 1995	6,413	24
1 September 1996	5,950	22
1 September 1997	5,744	22

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the (a) total number and (b) percentage, of non-manual jobs located more than 30 miles from Belfast at 1 April in each year since 1995. [30862]

Information in the form requested is readily available only in respect of non-industrial Northern Ireland Civil Servants at 1 September each year and is as follows:

	Number located more than 30 miles from Belfast	Percentage of NICS total
1 September 1995	4,994	21
1 September 1996	4,595	20
1 September 1997	4,485	19

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how she will secure equity of treatment between regional electricity companies seeking access to the domestic gas supply market and gas companies seeking to take advantage of competition for domestic electricity supply. [24325]

[holding answer 21 January 1998]: I understand that OFFER and OFGAS have issued proposals which the companies are considering.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answers of 3 February 1998, Official Report, column 611 and 9 February 1998, Official Report, column 95, if her Department will withdraw the statement that the BEUA are advisers to the right hon. Member for Wokingham. [29604]

[holding answer 16 February 1998]: No. I have already written to the right hon. Gentleman.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the impact on the levels of imports of foreign coal if the 1.2 per cent. sulphur dioxide emissions target is to be met. [30494]

The Environment Agency has issued a Consultation Document setting out proposals for the new sulphur dioxide targets. My Department is currently considering these.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects to bring forward proposals for the regulation and development of broadcasting telecommunications and data. [30403]

[holding answer 19 February 1998]: The Government are currently considering these issues and expect to initiate a consultation process shortly.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the legal opinion given to the Canadian Government on reservations under the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [29958]

The Government will make their own assessment of the MAI, taking legal advice where necessary.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what forms of social protest will be prohibited under the Protection from Strife clause of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [30582]

None.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment the Government have made of the impact on civil liberties of the provisions of the Protection from Strife clause of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [30581]

The Protection from Strife clause concerns compensation to be given to investors whose investments are damaged during strife. It will have no impact on civil liberties.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research her Department has undertaken to investigate the means whereby (a) workers, (b) consumers and (c) others affected by the activities of foreign investors can bring disputes to the Multilateral Agreement on Investment dispute settlement mechanism. [30590]

Investors, like others, are subject to the national laws of the countries in which they operate. Therefore, there is no need for workers, consumers or others to use the Multilateral Agreements on Investment's (MAI) dispute settlement mechanism for disputes against investors.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will seek to delay the finalisation of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment negotiations until the Department for International Development's assessment of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment's impact on poor countries has been completed. [30587]

The Department for International Development's study on the MAI and developing countries will be ready in good time before the conclusion of the MAI negotiations.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to consult British companies in respect of competition from foreign companies that are exempted from the provision of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [30591]

The Department has consulted British business extensively throughout the negotiations on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). The competitiveness of UK companies will not be adversely affected by the Agreement. Foreign companies, like domestic ones, will continue to be covered by UK and EU competition law. The MAI will place obligations on states, not on companies; the question of exemption for foreign companies does not arise.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the exemptions from the proposed provisions of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment sought by members of the OECD. [30586]

The UK's draft list of exceptions has already been placed in the Library. It includes exceptions for broadcasting, fishing, marine and air transport, and financial services. The draft lists from other countries have been tabled in confidence; it would not be appropriate for the UK to make them public.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research she has undertaken on the possible effects of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment on regional development policies within the United Kingdom. [30585]

The Multilateral Agreement on Investment's main purpose is to limit discrimination against investors on the grounds of their nationality. It will not constrain regional development policies.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to take into account the views of Government and non-governmental organisation experts from developing countries in assessing the impact of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment on developing countries. [30588]

The Department has taken part in consultations organised by the OECD with experts from developing countries and NGOs on Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). The Department for International Development has also consulted NGOs on the study it is undertaking on the development implications of the MAI.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has made in relation to participation by Premier Oil Ltd in the Burma-Thailand gas pipeline.[31078]

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has made no representations in relation to the participation of Premier Oil Ltd. in the Burma-Thailand gas pipeline.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects to end the moratorium on gas-fired power-stations. [30941]

[holding answer 23 February 1998]: The President has announced that she proposes to defer decisions on contents for power stations pending the outcome of DTI's review of energy sources for power generation but that she is prepared to consider, on their merits, reasoned requests for exceptions to be made in particular cases. The review is expected to reach conclusions before the end of June.