To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what performance targets have been set for the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency for 1998–99. [37359]

Key Targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency for the financial year 1998–99. The targets build upon progress made by the Agency since it formed on 1 April 1997 and are as follows:1. Pay, allowances and pensions payments

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the basis on which (a) the £300 million for winter pressures in the NHS and (b) the £500 million additional NHS funding announced in the Budget were allocated between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. [36149]

[holding answer 25 March 1998]: £190 million of the £300 million allocated for winter pressures in the NHS was divided up according to the long standing Barnett formula. A further £80 million was allocated directly to the Department of Health to meet specific pressures in England. The remainder was found by the Department of Health through administrative savings.All of the £500 million additional NHS funding announced in the Budget was divided up in accordance with the Barnett formula.These amounts are in addition to the £1.2 billion that the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget in July 1997 which were also allocated in accordance with the Barnett formula.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the actual and estimated yield from duty on road fuel for the years (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000; and what the figure would be if the duty increased had been in line with the RPI. [35866]

[holding answer 23 March 1998]: The latest estimates of revenue from road fuel duties are £18.9 billion in 1997–98 and £21.2 billion in 1998–99.If the duty rates had increased in July 1997 and March 1998 in line with the 12 month RPI for September 1997 and September 1998 respectively, the estimates would have been £18.4 billion in 1997–98 and £19.6 billion in 1998–99.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what additional amount the retail prices index has risen since 1992 as a result of the imposition of petrol and diesel fuel excise duty increases compared with the increase that would have occurred if the duty increases had been limited to the RPI. [35512]

HM Customs and Excise estimate that the cumulative increase in the RPI as a result of increases in petrol and diesel duty rates since 1992 (including the 1992 increase) has been 1.36 per cent. Had the duty increases been limited to increases in RPI, the cumulative impact would have been 0.58 per cent. The additional amount is therefore 0.78 per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish (a) the number of places on each of his Department's non-departmental public bodies, (b) the

Body	Places (a)	Currently unfilled (b)	Resigned since 1 May 1997 (c)	Retired since 1 May 1997 (d)	Contracts not renewed since 1 May 1997 (e)	Remained in place since 1 May 1997 (f)	Total number appointed since 1 May 1997 (g)
Armed Forces Pay Review Body	8	0	0	0	0	8	0
Bank of England (Court of)	18	1	2	1	0	14	3
Board of Banking Supervision	9	0	1	0	0	6	2+(l1)
Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration Review Body	8	1	1	0	0	7	0
Financial Services Tribunal	20	0	0	0	0	20	0
Nurses', Midwives', Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine Review Body	8	1	1	0	0	7	0
Pharmacists' Review Panel	3	0	0	0	0	3	0
Policyholders Protection Board	5	0	0	0	1	4	l+(21)
Retail Price Index Advisory Committee2	26	—	—	—	—	—	—
Royal Mint Advisory Committee	11	0	0	2	0	9	2+(l1)
School Teachers' Review Body	9	2	0	0	0	7	0
Senior Salaries Review Body	10	1	0	0	0	9	0
Statistics Advisory Committee (ONS)	20	0	2	0	0	18	2
VAT and Duties Tribunals3	108	0	3	0	4	105	3
1 Re-appointments
2 RPI Advisory Committee is an ad-hoc committee—last convened in 1994.
3 The figures for the VAT and Duties Tribunals reflect a reduction in the number of appointments.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) pursuant to Table 3.3, Effects of Budget on number of families with high marginal deduction rates, in his Financial Statement and Budget report (HC620), if he will publish equivalent figures for families facing marginal deduction rates of (a) 50 per cent. or more and (b) 40 per cent. or more; [35528](2) pursuant to Table 3.3 of the Red Book, how many people have a marginal deduction rate of 68.5 per cent. or more on current arrangements; and how many will have a deduction rate of 68.5 per cent. or more under his proposals. [35862]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how many families will face a marginal deduction rate of between 50 per cent. and 60 per cent. (a) before and (b) after the introduction of working families tax credit. [36101]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families under the working families tax credit will have a marginal deduction rate of 50 per cent. or more; and how many currently have marginal deduction rates of 50 per cent. or more. [36416]

[holding answer 19 March 1998]: The information for the bodies listed in "Public Bodies", and for other NDPBs to which Treasury Ministers make appointments, is as follows:

[holding answers 20, 23, 24 and 26 March 1998]: The data requested are given in the table. It shows that the Budget has taken an important step towards tackling the unemployment and poverty traps. In-work incomes have increased, and the level at which families with 2 children start to pay effective income tax has risen from 25 per cent. to 50 per cent. of average earnings. The number of families facing very high marginal deduction rates has been reduced significantly. In those cases where families may face a higher MDR, they will still be better off.

Effect of Budget on number of families with marginal deduction rates of 40 per cent, or more1
(000)
Marginal deduction rate	Before Budget	After Budget
100 per cent, or more	5	0
90 per cent, or more	130	20
80 per cent, or more	300	200
70 per cent, or more	740	260
68.5 per cent, or more	760	810
60 per cent, or more	760	1,010

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are employed in Scotland by his Department, or executive agencies responsible to his Department; and where those staff are located. [36215]

The Treasurey, the Office for National Statistics and Royal Mint employ no staff in Scotland. The numbers and location within Scotland of the staff of Customs and National savings on 1 march 1998 are given in the table.

Area	Number
Customs & Excise
Aberdeen	203
Ayr	29
Campbeltown	1
Coatbridge	26
Dumbarton	29
Dundee	150
Dumfries	7
Edinburgh	340
Elgin	18
Fort William	1
Glasgow	379
Grangemouth	44
Greenock	126
Inverness	14
Islay	3
Kirkwall	3
Lerwick	12
Oban	5
Paisley	16
Prestwick	29
Stornaway	5
Ullapool	3
Wick	5
Total	1,449
Inland Revenue1
Aberdeen	140
Ayr	59
Buckie	15
Coatbridge	27
Cumbernauld	1,058
Dumbarton	21
Dumfries	51
Dundee	106
Dunfermline	30
Dunoon	18
East Kilbride	1,358
Edinburgh	1,228
Falkirk	30
Galashiels	19
Glasgow	654

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each member state of the European Union (a) the current functions performed in whole or in part by their central bank, (b) for each function, those bodies or persons responsible for decisions in respect of each and (c) to whom such bodies or persons are currently accountable. [37215]

The EMI convergence report, published in March 1998 in accordance with Article 109j(1) of the EC Treaty, provides a detailed account of the statutory duties of member states' national central banks and the extent of legal convergence with the Treaty.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made in transferring debt management responsibilities to the Treasury; and if he will make a statement. [37451]

The United Kingdom Debt Management Office (DMO) will be launched as an Executive Agency on 1 April 1998. From that date it will take over as the Government's agent for operations in the gilts market. Copies of the DMO Framework Document have been placed in the libraries of both Houses.I have set the following targets for the DMO for 1998–99:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pensioners currently hold private medical insurance policies; and what the figure was in April 1997. [37049]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Inland Revenue takes in circumstances where (a) a husband and wife cannot agree who should receive the working families tax credit and (b) one spouse claims the other is receiving the tax credit but keeping it to him or herself. [34887]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer where both members of a couple request that the working families tax credit be paid directly to them, which party's wishes will take precedence. [36093]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who will receive the working families tax credit in the event that a couple cannot agree on which of them should receive it. [36039]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances couples who are unable to agree as to how working families tax credit should be paid will receive the credit (a) via the pay packet of the person in paid employment and (b) paid direct to the non-employed mother. [36363]

[holding answer 17, 24 and 26 March 1998]: From April 2000 the Working Families Tax Credit will generally be paid through the wage packet. Couples will be able to choose which partner should receive the credit. The details of the new scheme, including the rules for dealing with particular situations, such as disagreements between partners, will be developed by the Inland Revenue over the coming months. Although the resolution of particular disagreements would, of course, depend on the specific facts of the case, the present presumption is that, where the couple disagree about which of them is to receive the credit, it would normally be paid to the partner who mainly cared for the children.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she intends to agree to a political settlement involving those parties with paramilitary links without those parties and the paramilitary organisations with which they are linked being committed to the Mitchell Principles and demonstrable progress being made along the parallel track which deals with disarmament. [35657]

[holding answer 23 March 1998]: All parties involved in the talks process have affirmed their total and absolute commitment to the Mitchell Principles. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear on 15 September 1997 in a joint statement with the Taoiseach both Governments would like to see the decommissioning of some paramilitary arms during the negotiations and believe this could be a major contribution to confidence-building and momentum towards agreement. There is no legal or technical obstacle to decommissioning. It should commence now.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will review the appropriateness of Government support for the British Amateur Rugby League Association, with particular reference to the association's rules on out of district transfers. [36609]

[holding answer 30 March 1998]: Central Government support for sport is channelled through the UK and English Sports Councils. As independent bodies established by Royal Charter, it is for the sports councils to determine what funding they make available to sports governing bodies.I have no power to intervene in the day-to-day affairs of properly constituted governing bodies of sport. I recognise that regional boundary areas can cause some problems, but it is for British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) to establish and implement rules and regulations which they consider to be in the best interests, both for individual players and for the game as a whole.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 26 February 1998, Official Report, column 322, what was the level of public funding to each of the sports organisations in the last year for which figures are available. [33544]

I am placing copies of this information in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many days' holiday he estimates were taken in the United Kingdom by UK residents in (a) 1995, (b) 1996 and (c) 1997. [36859]

According to the United Kingdom Tourist Survey, UK residents spent 302.1 million nights away from home on holiday in the United Kingdom during 1995, and 295.8 million nights in 1996. Information for 1997 is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will state the (a) percentage and (b) total amount of grant in aid awarded to museums and galleries in (i) London, (ii) England and (iii) Scotland. [36130]

[holding answer 26 March 1998]: Information for 1997–98 is in the following table. These figures exclude spending on museums and galleries by local authorities and universities and do not therefore reflect the true geographic balance of public resources.

	Grant-in-aid in 1997–98 (£ million)	Percentage of total
London1	185.20	77.5
of which:
DCMS2	184.70
MGC3	0.50
England (excluding London)	21.40	9.0
of which:
DCMS2	15.30
MGC3	6.10
Scotland	32.30	13.50
of which:
MGC3	0.02
SO4	32.30
Total	238.9	100.0
1 The data for London include the national museums situated there. and galleries situated there.
2 Department for Culture, Media and Sport (excluding MGC).
3 Museums and Galleries Commission (grant-in-aid from DCMS).This figure is not yet final.
4 Scottish Office.

The picture is somewhat distorted as most national museums and galleries are in London, accounting for £175.8 million (73.4 per cent. of the total). This is inevitable as London is our capital city. Removing this figure from the calculation results in a more even distribution of funding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many meetings have been requested with his Department's Ministers by (a) Labour and (b) Conservative hon. Members; and how many meetings have been granted in each category. [31297]

My Department does not maintain a record of meetings requested by hon. Members, although it is overwhelmingly our general policy to accede to them. I and my ministerial colleagues have had a number of formal meetings with hon. Members, individually and collectively, from all sides of the House. We also make ourselves available for informal discussions in the House and at the Department, personally and by telephone.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to promote awareness of tourism careers in schools. [36977]

It is important that students, careers advisers and parents are aware of the range of career opportunities there are in tourism. With that in mind, I was very pleased recently to launch Springboard UK, which is receiving pump-priming funding through the Government's Sector Challenge competition. Springboard will provide a national network of one-stop shop careers advice centres, and will work through schools, colleges and universities to ensure that students, teachers and career advisers have access to up-to-date information about the career opportunities in this fast growing sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the change in the total number of jobs in tourism-related industries in the year to December 1997 in (a) London and (b) the north-west of England. [36853]

The total number of employees in employment in tourism related industries fell between December 1996 and December 1997 by (a) 5.5% in London and (b) 6.4% in the north-west of England. This compares with a fall of 1.3% in Great Britain overall.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what evaluation he has made of the impact on the tourism industry of the hosting of annual party conferences in Blackpool. [36963]

None. However, the Government fully recognise the importance of the contribution which the business and conference sector makes to the wider tourism and hospitality industry. An industry-led working group is looking at what action might be taken to enhance that contribution. Its findings will inform my Department's forthcoming strategy for the sustainable growth of tourism.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the purpose is of the Development Awareness Working Group; and if she will list the members. [37167]

As set out in their recent White Paper on International Development, the Government attach great importance to increasing Development Awareness in the United Kingdom, and have now established a Development Awareness Working Group, chaired by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development. This will hold its first meeting today. The Group will advise DFID on the planning and implementation of its strategy on development awareness.The initial membership of the Group will be:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will publish the Development Awareness Working Group Strategy document. [37107]

The first meeting of the Development Awareness Working Group will consider an outline strategy paper which details our initial thinking at this stage. The paper will be developed in the light of the advice of the Group. Copies of the outline paper are however being placed this week in the libraries of both Houses as well as on the Department for International Development's internet site.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the amount her Department will spend in (a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99 through the Know How Fund; and which countries will receive such funding. [36846]

Expenditure through the Know How Fund in 1997–98 is estimated to be £90 million.In 1998–99 expenditure is expected to be in the region of £80 million.The Know How Fund provides support to the following countries:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when her Department's Country Strategy Papers will be made publicly available. [37081]

Existing Country Strategy Papers (CSPs) are available now. However, following the White Paper on International Development new papers are being prepared for all those bilateral country programmes over £10 million and other significant development programmes. These will be prepared over the next year and they will become publicly available as they are finalised. The first papers will be available in the Summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff are employed in Scotland by her Department, or executive agencies responsible to her Department; and where those staff are located. [36210]

The Department currently employs 406 permanent and pensionable staff and 21 casual staff in Scotland. All these staff are located at the Department for International Development, East Kilbride.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what subjects she proposes to raise at the Second Asia Europe Meeting. [36845]

I have been asked to reply.The agenda of the Second Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 2) will be finalised by the Leaders themselves on the eve of the Summit. We expect ASEM 2 to have a wide-ranging political dialogue. The Asian financial crisis will be a priority in our economic discussions. The Summit will also produce outcomes in areas that matter to the peoples of our two regions, particularly education, child welfare and environment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of Mr. Hans Koschnik in the European Commission; what budget he has been allocated; and to which Directorate General he has been allocated. [36975]

I understand that Mr. Hans Koschnik is not employed by the European Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government intend to complete the ratification of the Ottawa Treaty on the banning of land mines. [36835]

We intend to ratify the Ottawa Convention as soon as the Parliamentary schedule allows for the passage of the necessary legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) of 13 March 1998, Official Report, column 402, what discussions he held with the Department for Education and Employment on the use of schoolchildren to promote the United Kingdom's presidency of the European Union prior to launch; and what subsequent representations he has received from that department. [37007]

As I said in my answer to the hon. Member the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 13 March 1998, Official Report, column 402, the intention behind the activities for young people which we have organised is not to use children to promote the Presidency, but to encourage them to become involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the use of children to launch events commemorating the UK Presidency of the European Union in British embassies in EU countries. [36976]

One British embassy in another EU country invited children to an event marking the start of our Presidency of the EU. Our Embassy in Stockholm organised a tea-party to which the Ambassador invited his EU colleagues, asking them to bring a child who would like to "represent" the younger generation of their country. The children were not used to launch the event, but were invited to attend and meet their ambassadors and one other.Other than this specific event, many of our embassies in the EU regularly involve local school children in debates, competitions, open days and so on, to help increase their understanding of modern Britain and to explain where Britain stands on a range of issues. At the moment, these obviously include the Presidency.In addition, all our EU embassies are finding attachments for the prize winners in the FCO's Ambassador for a Day competition.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards territorial issues in Kashmir; and what steps he has taken to resolve disputes in this area. [36999]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Peterborough (Mrs. Brinton) and for Luton, North (Mr. Hopkins) on 28 October 1997, Official Report, columns 795–96. We shall continue to encourage the governments of India and Pakistan in their dialogue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received in respect of human rights abuses in Algeria from (a) non-Governmental organisations and (b) members of the public; and if he will make a statement. [36855]

I met representatives of the United Nations Association, Amnesty International, the Refugee Council and the Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture on 25 February to discuss their concerns about the human rights situation in Algeria. I will meet them again today (31 March) along with a representative of Human Rights Watch. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I receive a large number of letters from members of the public about Algeria which reflect similar concerns.We continue to be concerned about allegations of human rights violations in Algeria, and raise these concerns as part of our ongoing dialogue with the Algerian Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has initiated as President of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in respect of human rights in Algeria; and if he will make a statement. [36973]

In January 1998, I led an EU troika to Algeria. During that visit and subsequently, we have continued to encourage the Algerians to accept a visit by UN Special Rapporteurs to Algeria as well as allow greater access for the international media.We continue to be concerned about the allegations of human rights violations in Algeria, and raise these concerns as part of our ongoing dialogue with the Algerian Government.

To ask the Attorney-General how many people are currently employed by the Crown Prosecution Service, broken down to show the number of (a) lawyers and (b) civil servants, by grade. [36305]

As at 28 February 1998, the Crown Prosecution Service employed 2,094 lawyers and 3,995 administrative staff. By level, these staff are broken down as:

Staff	People in post	Full time equivalent
Lawyers level
Senior civil service	40	40
Level E	125	124
Level D	221	214.5
Level C	1,675	1,542.5
Legal trainees	33	32
Total	2,094	1,953
Administrators level
Senior civil service	6	6
Level E	20	20
Level D	31	31
Level B	1,535	2,247
Level A	2,403	1,426
Total	3,995	3,730

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has (a) to reduce the number of car parking spaces available for use by staff and (b) to introduce charges for staff using workplace car parking spaces. [32461]

[holding answer 3 March 1998]: Car parking for use by staff of my Department is kept under regular review. In the last 12 months, 82 car parking spaces in Edinburgh city centre have been given up.Our proposals for a sustainable, effective and workable transport policy appropriate to the needs of Scotland will be set out in the forthcoming UK and Scottish Integrated Transport White Papers. Against that background, my Department is considering how best to develop Green Transport Plans for its key office buildings. We will consider in that context whether to review the feasibility and appropriateness of any further reductions in workplace car parking spaces and the introduction of charges for their use by staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the measures relating to the work of secondary teachers in Scotland which his Department has implemented in the last 10 years. [35838]

[holding answer 27 March 1998]: Over the last 10 years, numerous statements of policy on school education and substantial guidance have been issued to education authorities and schools. It is not possible, without disproportionate cost, to identify all measures which may have related, to a greater or lesser extent, to the work of secondary teachers. Scottish Office Education Department Circular No. 5/1995 covering guidance on education provision following local government reorganisation is already in the Library. I have today arranged for a supplementary list of school education circulars, covering the period for 1995 to the present date, to also be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action the Government propose to take in response to the Scottish Law Commission report on Boundary Walls (HC584); and if he will make a statement. [37341]

The Government have decided to accept the recommendations contained in the Scottish Law Commission Report on Boundary Walls. The Commission have concluded that the existing law is clear and seems widely accepted since there has been no recent case law and little pressure for change. The law provides for the maintenance of a boundary wall as a whole while at the same time allowing each owner to make full use of this own section of the wall. The Commission have therefore recommended that there is no need for legislation to either re-state or amend the present law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the criteria for deprivation payments to GPs, with particular reference to the criteria used to decide the percentage of a GP's list attracting deprivation payments; and what reviews he has undertaken or plans of the criteria relating to that percentage. [36716]

For the purposes of the deprivation payments scheme in Scotland, the Jarman Index is applied to enumeration districts. Scotland uses 7 variables of the index: unemployment; numbers of elderly people living alone; household overcrowding; under 5s; single parent households; residents in ethnic minority households; and numbers who have moved house. The application of the index results in a score being given for each enumeration district which are then classified as areas of high, medium or low deprivation. A score of 50 or more indicates an area of high deprivation, 40 or more an area of medium deprivation and 30 or more an area of low deprivation. Each Health Board when calculating deprivation payments looks at each patient on a GP's medical list and pays the GP the relevant amount for the enumeration district in which the patient lives.There are no plans to review the deprivation payment scheme in Scotland at present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current level of deprivation payments to GPs; and what increases in that level are planned. [36717]

The estimated amount payable in respect of deprivation payments in Scotland for the financial year ending 31 March 1998 is £4.976 million. The estimated amount payable for the financial year 1998–99 is approximately £5.1 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums will be paid as deprivation payments to GPs in the (a) West Fife, (b) Central Fife and (c) North-east Fife localities in the forthcoming financial year. [36718]

The information requested is shown in the table.

Projected deprivation payments (£s)1 to GPs in Fife Health Board in financial year ending 31 March 1999, by locality
	Total	Payment by level of deprivation
	Payment	High	Medium	Low
Fife Health Board	257,738	66,369	74,166	117,203
West Fife	97,724	29,286	25,413	43,025
Central Fife	136,923	32,646	41,254	63,023
North-East Fife	23,091	4,438	7,499	11,154
1 Payments have been estimated using the number of patients as at 1 April 1997 in areas classified as deprived and the appropriate fees for 1998/99.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 17 March 1998, Official Report, column 576, for what reasons the Cairngorms Partnership stipulates that members of its advisory board appointed by local authorities should be the convenor of the local authority. [37108]

The Chairman of the Cairngorms Partnership has invited representatives at the highest level from those agencies with a key role to play in implementation of the Management Strategy, including the Convenors of the relevant local authorities, to form an Advisory Board. Membership of the Board is a matter for the Chairman of the partnership.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the key performance targets for Her Majesty's Land Registry, the Public Record Office, the Public Trust Office and the Court Service executive agencies for 1998–99. [37453]

The following tables set out the key performance targets that the Lord Chancellor has set for Her Majesty's Land Registry, the Public Record Office, the Public Trust Office and the Court Service for 1998–99.

HM Land Registry Key performance indicators and targets 1998–99
Indicator	Target
Financial
Return on average capital employed	3%
External Financing Limit	£0
Efficiency1
Cost per unit in real terms	£25.87
Cost per unit in cash terms	£30.21
Charter Standards
Speed
Percentage of office copy and official search applications handled within two working days and	98%
Percentage of office copies and official searches processed in 3 working days	100%
Percentage of all registrations processed in 25 working days	80%
Accuracy
Percentage of registrations handled free from any error	98.50%
Percentage of customers responding to the Annual Survey who perceive the accuracy of registrations to be excellent or good	Better than 90%
Development of Land Registration
Implementation of concessionary fees under the Land Registration Act 1997	1 April 1999
Percentage of computerised titles in the Land Registry	94%
Percentage of computerised titles plans in the Land Register	29%
Number of scanned pages of filed documents (millions)	4.30m
Number of Direct Access service account holders at the end of the year	1,500
Implementation and evaluation of the National Land Information Service Bristol Conveyancing Pilot	by 31 March 1999
1 Land Registry measures its efficiency through reductions in cost per unit in real terms against a unit cost baseline of 1992–93 when it was first set up as a trading fund. The inflation factor for the cost per unit in cash terms is derived from the GDP indices announced by HM Treasury in March 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available the Police Research Group's report, Phoenix Data Quality. [37335]

Yes. I am placing a copy of the report in the Library today.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will appoint new members to the Animal Procedures Committee. [37336]

I am pleased to announce the appointment of four new members with effect from 1 April:

Dr. David Clark, head of Unilever's Environmental Safety Laboratory;

Dr. Maggy Jennings, head of the Research Animals Department at the Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals;

Dr. Gill Langley, scientific adviser to the Dr. Hadwen Trust for Humane Research; and

Professor John Martin, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at University College London.

I expect to make further appointments later in the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisoners will be released on home detention curfew. [37337]

Most prisoners serving sentences of between three months and four years will be eligible for consideration for release on home detention curfew. To be released, they must first pass a risk assessment and have a suitable release address.The detail of the risk assessment is still being worked out and will need to balance properly any potential risk posed by the prisoner's release on home detention curfew against the risks involved in retaining prisoners in custody until their automatic release date when the curfew is not available.Prisoners will be assessed on the basis of their potential threat to the public and the probability of their reoffending or failing to comply with their conditions of curfew. Prisoners who have demonstrated a successful record of temporary release would normally be expected to be suitable for release on home detention curfew. The risk assessment will also make clear, however, that prisoners convicted of offences to which Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 applies will not be released upon home detention curfew, save where there are exceptional circumstances, as this group of prisoners present a particular type of risk. We will, of course, keep this policy under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the arrangements for responding to parliamentary question sand correspondence from hon. Members relating to the work of the Police Information Technology Organisation following its change in status on 1 April. [37338]

With the implementation, on 1 April 1998, of the remaining provisions of Part IV of the Police Act 1997, the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO), hitherto part of the Home Office, will become an executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB). As an NDPB, PITO will henceforth be independent of the Home Office although, as the responsible Minister, my right hon. Friend will be accountable to Parliament for the overall efficiency and effectiveness with which the Organisation carries out its statutory functions.In recognition of PITO' s new independent status, hon. Members are invited to write direct to the Organisation's Chairman, Sir Trefor Morris, if they have any questions or concerns about the information technology or procurement activities undertaken by PITO on behalf of the police service or other customers, or about its administration. Sir Trefor's address is: Police Information Technology Organisation, Room 504, Horseferry House, Dean Ryle Street, London SW1P 2AW.My right hon. Friend and I will naturally continue to be responsible for answering Parliamentary Questions, unless they relate solely to PITO's activities in Scotland, in which case the Secretary of State for Scotland would be responsible. Advice on the administration and/or activities of PITO may be sought from the Organisation in order to answer Parliamentary Questions. Where an hon. Member asks a Parliamentary Question on matters concerning the day-to-day operation of the Organisation, my right hon. Friend or I will usually reply to the effect that the Chairman will write direct to the hon. Member concerned.Turning to Ministerial correspondence, if either my right hon. Friend or our Scottish Office counterparts, receive correspondence from hon. Members about matters which fall within PITO's area of responsibilities, we will normally reply to the effect that the correspondence has been forwarded to the Chairman with a request that he replies personally to the hon. Member concerned. Hon. Members will continue to receive a full Ministerial reply where the correspondence involves wider policy consideration.I will write to all hon. Members setting out these arrangements. A copy of my letter will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to publish proposals for modernising the Police and Fire Service pension schemes. [37339]

Consultation documents on the two pension schemes have been published today. I have placed copies in the Library. Copies are also being sent to police forces and fire services, police and fire authorities, the police staff associations and the fire service unions in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. They have been invited to comment by 31 July 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the responsibility for funding boards of visitors and the Boards of Visitors' Secretariat. [37340]

Responsibility for funding Boards of Visitors and the Secretariat will be transferred from the Home Office to the Prison Service with effect from 1 April. There are in practice no tangible business links between the work of Boards and the core Home Office and the transfer will enable Boards to be funded appropriately. This change will in no way affect the independence of Boards. Prior to reaching a decision the Government consulted the National Advisory Council for Boards of Visitors.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to replace the current application forms for foreign nationals wishing to apply for leave to remain in the United Kingdom. [37342]

The current application forms expire on 14 April 1998. Revised versions of the seven existing forms have been prescribed. These will be valid until 14 October 1998. From today until 14 April 1998 applications may be made on either the newly prescribed forms or the existing versions. Only the newly prescribed versions may be used for applications made on or after 15 April 1998. The new forms will be available shortly from the Application Forms Unit on 0181 760 2233 and copies have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the arrangements for responding to parliamentary questions and correspondence from hon. Members relating to the work of the National Criminal Intelligence Service and the National Crime Squad following their establishment on 1 April. [37358]

The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS), which is currently part of the Home Office, will be placed on an independent statutory footing on 1 April in accordance with Part I of the Police Act 1997. NCIS will continue to have a United Kingdom-wide remit. The National Crime Squad will be created on 1 April in accordance with Part II of the Police Act 1997 and will replace the six existing Regional Crime Squads in England and Wales. The accountability arrangements for both services are similar to those for police forces. Each will be maintained by a Service Authority performing the same role as a police authority for a police force.NCIS and the National Crime Squad will both be under the direction and control of a Director General holding the rank of chief constable. In recognition of their operational independence, hon. Members should write to the Directors General if they have any questions or concerns about the operations or day to day management of NCIS or the National Crime Squad. The Director General of NCIS is Mr. John Abbott QPM NCIS, PO Box 8000, London SE 11 5EN. The Director General of the National Crime Squad is Mr. Roy Penrose OBE QPM, National Crime Squad, PO Box 2500, London, SW1V 2WF.The Service Authorities will be responsible for securing that NCIS and the National Crime Squad are efficient and effective. They will provide strategic direction and oversight, leaving the day to day management of NCIS and the National Crime Squad to the Directors General. Any questions about the role of the Service Authorities should be addressed to their Chairman, the right hon. Sir John Wheeler JP DL, PO Box 2600, London SW1V 2WG.My right hon. Friend and I will answer Parliamentary Questions and Ministerial correspondence about NCIS and the National Crime Squad on the same basis as for police forces. We will, of course, deal ourselves with any questions about the exercise of the Secretary of State's powers or responsibilities in relation to the two services or wider policy issues. If such questions relate solely to the activities of NCIS in Scotland or Northern Ireland, it may be appropriate for the relevant Secretary of State to respond. Where other general information is sought, we shall provide it if available. We shall usually reply that questions about how the Service Authorities or the Directors General exercise their specific responsibilities are for those bodies or individuals to answer.I will write to all hon. Members to set out these arrangements. A copy of my letter will be placed in the Library, together with copies of the first service plan for NCIS and the National Crime Squad.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the road traffic offences for which the police, or other agents, are entitled to levy spot fines; and what plans he has to extend this to other such offences. [37111]

There is no system of "spot" fines for road traffic offences in the United Kingdom, but the police (and, in some instances, their traffic wardens) may issue fixed penalty notices in respect of some offences. The recipient of a fixed penalty notice must pay the penalty (normally £20 or £40) within 28 days or request a court hearing if issue of the notice is disputed.Section 51 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 enables the Secretary of State to provide by order for existing offences to become fixed penalty offences for the purposes of the Act. Schedule 3 to the Act, as amended by two Fixed Penalty Offences Orders (Statutory Instrument 1990/335 and Statutory Instrument 1992/345), lists these offences. A copy of the Act and amending legislation is in the Library.The Government plan to add the following road traffic offences to the fixed penalty system later this year:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to publish the report of the Chief Inspector of Prisons relating to his unannounced visits to (a) Tinsley House in August 1997 and (b) Campsfield House in October 1997. [37122]

The reports of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons relating to his planned, routine inspection of Tinsley House and his unannounced inspection of Campsfield House are in the process of being printed and we expect to be in a position to publish them in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from (a) the Immigration Service and (b) the Chief Inspector of Prisons regarding (i) the content and (ii) the date of publication of the Chief Inspector of Prisons' report on Campsfield House Detention Centre. [37125]

Detailed responses to the report's recommendations have been prepared by the Immigration Service, after consultation with Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, and put to my right hon. Friend for consideration. He will make a statement in response to the report at the time of publication. The Chief Inspector of Prisons has made no representations to my right hon. Friend on the content or the date of publication of the report. However, a provisional timetable for publication is now in place.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract between Group 4 and the Immigration Service for the running of Campsfield House. [37121]

The contract between Group 4 and the Immigration Service is commercially confidential and it would not be proper to disclose all its details.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Immigration Service regarding (a) the content and (b) the date of publication of the Chief Inspector of Prisons' report on Tinsley House Detention Centre. [37123]

Detailed responses to the report's recommendations have been prepared by the Immigration Service, after consultation with Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, and put to my right hon. Friend for consideration. He will make a statement in response to the report at the time of publication.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects claim ref. HER 10750 to be settled under the firearms compensation scheme. [36672]

The claim with the police reference number HER 10750 was received in the Firearms Compensation Section on 3 October 1997. As claims are being dealt with in date order, we would predict that the Option A and B elements are likely to be processed in around four weeks' time. The Option C elements, which will require individual consideration of the evidence of value provided, will be dealt with at a later date.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the cases since 1980 of Metropolitan police officers applying to the industrial tribunal with claims of racial abuse or discrimination, giving the officer's rank, the dates of claim and of settlement or decision, the result, the award if any, the costs of the police, the costs of the claimant paid by the police, whether the officer was offered or accepted full reinstatement and whether the officer was reduced to half pay or no pay before the end of the case. [36731]

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.However, he tells me that there are currently 19 race tribunal actions outstanding on the part of 16 officers.

	Number
Ranks of Officers
Inspector	1
Sergeant	2
Constable	13
Total	16
Status of Officers
Working within Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)	8
Left the MPS	3
Sick absence—full pay	3
Sick absence—reduced pay due to Regulation 46 of Police Regulation 1995	2

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what regulation applies to the private security industry. [37053]

No statutory regulation currently applies to the private security industry. We intend to introduce statutory regulation of the private security industry as soon as possible but we will not be able to bring forward early legislation, as we warned before the election. We have recently completed a consultation exercise with the industry and others on the best way to provide a comprehensive, effective and streamlined system for the whole of the private security industry. It is clear from the responses that there is general support for our approach from the industry itself as well as from other respondents and we hope to put forward firm proposals later this year. In the absence of statutory regulation, the industry has taken steps to regulate itself. Several independent Inspectorates exist, inspecting companies to relevant British Standards and the international quality standard BS EN ISO 9000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the bilateral agreements with Norway and the Republic of Ireland to allow domestic courts to impose restriction orders on those convicted of football offences abroad were agreed. [37075]

The Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Norway) Order 1996 (Statutory Instrument Number 1634) and the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in the Republic of Ireland) Order 1996 (Statutory Instrument Number 1635) both came into force on 1 August 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the levels of punishment for crimes committed under the Football Offences Act 1991. [37074]

The Labour Charter for Football published in 1995 proposed that the threshold for the offence of indecent or racist chanting under section 3 of the Football (Offences) Act 1991 should be lowered to catch chanting by an individual as well as chanting in concert with one or more others. The Football Task Force Report entitled "Eliminating Racism From Football" has endorsed that proposal. We are awaiting a suitable legislative opportunity to introduce this amendment but would look for the practical recommendations contained in the Task Force Report as a way forward until such time as a suitable opportunity arises.We are presently conducting a review of all football-related legislation to see whether any further changes should be made.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted murderers placed under hospital orders under the terms of the Mental Health Act 1983 have been released under supervised discharge to the local authority area in which they resided prior to their conviction. [36223]

The information is not available in the form requested, and such information as is centrally retained could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list planned expenditure on hospitality for April and May, indicating the date, location and purpose of each event. [35111]

For these purposes, my answer covers major events planned for April and May which will be paid for from the Cabinet Office's votes. This includes expenditure by the Prime Minister's Office, the Minister without Portfolio's Office as well as the Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service. It is not possible to provide a comprehensive estimate for total expenditure on Ministerial hospitality as the majority of these events will not be finalised until nearer the time.The Prime Minister is planning to host ten major events, ranging from informal receptions to formal dinners, half of which are related to the G8 Heads of Government meeting.