To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he plans to publish details of the proposed expansion of community legal services. [45973]

The Lord Chancellor has announced that proposals for a Community Legal Service will be finalised by the beginning of next year, when a consultation paper will be issued.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 11 May regarding evidence from professional witnesses in housing eviction cases; and for what reason no acknowledgment was sent at the time. [46090]

My hon. Friend's letter was received by the Lord Chancellor's Department on 12 May and he should now be in receipt of my reply of 9 June. The Department's published target is to respond to all letters from hon. Members within 20 working days of receipt. The reply in this instance was provided within this target.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he will publish his consultation paper on a costs regime for fast-track cases. [47315]

The Lord Chancellor has today published a consultation paper on a cost regime for the fast track entitled "Justice at the Right Price" and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his meeting with Japanese prisoners of war on 10 June. [45812]

On 10 June I met the Chairman of the Japanese Labour Camps Survivors Association and the Chairman of the Association of British Civilian Internees Far East Region.

To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to publish the 1997 report of the Commissioner into the operation of the Interception of Communications Act 1985. [46255]

[holding answer 16 June 1998]: Shortly.

To ask the Prime Minister on what date he plans to publish the Government's report on progress on election pledges and other matters; and if he will make a statement. [46385]

[holding answer 18 June 1998]: The Annual Report will be published shortly.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will ensure that the powers of the Secretary of State for Wales in respect of the administration of the European Social Fund are comparable to, or greater than, those of the heads of Government regional offices in England; and if he will make a statement. [46703]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales already has responsibility for training policy in Wales, including the management of the European Social Fund.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy that there be an annual debate on the annual report presented to him by the Intelligence and Security Committee. [46712]

[holding answer 19 June 1998]:As my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House made clear on 4 June 1998, Official Report, column 507, in her reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) the Government intend to hold a regular debate on the intelligence and security services. The arrangements for any debate will be a matter for discussion and agreement through the usual channels and with the Intelligence and Security Committee.

To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to include disability within the future work programme of the Social Exclusion Unit. [46812]

Decisions on the future work programme of the Social Exclusion Unit will be announced in due course.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will ensure that no recommendation for an honour is made for anyone who minimises their tax liability by forming a company only for this purpose; and if he will make a statement. [46665]

[holding answer 19 June 1998]: I recommend people for honours on the basis of their achievement and service to others, in changing things and making a difference. Each case is considered on its merits, and all circumstances are taken into account. No recommendation would proceed if it brought the honours system into disrepute.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 2 February 1998, Official Report, column 476, when he expects to make an announcement in respect of the coordination within Government of animal welfare policies. [46971]

An announcement will be made as soon as possible.

To ask the Prime Minister what was the result of Her Majesty's Government's discussions with the Secretary-General of the Arab League on 18 June as to the feasibility of conducting a trial of the Libyan suspects for the Lockerbie bombing in a third country. [46959]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met the Secretary-General of the Arab League on 18 June. They agreed on the need for urgent progress in resolving the Lockerbie issue. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State stressed the need for early Libyan compliance with the requirements of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the total interest which accrued on prize moneys not claimed for the National Lottery in the last year. [45824]

I have asked the Director General of the National Lottery, who is responsible for regulating the operation of the Lottery, to write to my hon. Friend, and copies of his response will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what plans are being assessed by his Department relating to the 2006 World Cup bid in respect of the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium; [46252]

[holding answer 17 June 1998]: I am keeping a close watch on how the project is progressing. It is of importance not only to the long term domestic needs of sport in this country, but as an integral part of the bid to host the World Cup in 2006 and a future Olympic Games. Day to day dealings with the development partners are being carried out by the English Sports Council, which is providing £120 million of Lottery funding towards the project.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons have (a) creche facilities and (b) family rooms for use by visitors to prisons. [44706]

[holding answer 8 June 1998]: There are currently 66 prisons that provide a creche facility on either a full or part-time basis.Fifteen prisons provide family rooms for use by visitors, but most prisons will provide a room if a requirement is recognised. The Prison Service is about to embark on a review of visiting arrangements with a view to promulgating best practice.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to his Department in the last year for which figures are available of the provision of prisoner escort services; and if he will list the expiry date of each existing contract. [46239]

The contracted out court escort service cost the Prison Service £89 million in 1997/98. This represents a full year's operation in seven of the eight contract areas and partial operation in the last (the North of England). The contract for that area commenced in April 1997 but was implemented in two phases, with the second not starting until July.The contracts cover the transportation of prisoners, other than those in the highest security category (Category A), from prisons and police stations to court, their custody while there, and their return to prison. In addition, the contract for the North of England includes the option for the provision of hospital bedwatches, day attendance for medical treatment, compassionate home visits, etc. If an establishment exercises this option it meets the charges locally. These are not collated centrally and are not included in the above-mentioned costs.The expiry date for each contract is shown in the table. Contracts were let initially for either five or seven year periods but are renewable up to a maximum of fourteen years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reintroduce the system of fixed Home Office establishments for police officer numbers. [45840]

We have no plans to re-introduce the system of Home Office approved police establishments, which was abolished by the previous Government as one of the changes introduced under the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994 when the right hon. Member was Minister of State, Home Office. We are working with the police to ensure that the resources which the Government make available to them are used as effectively as possible, with a new emphasis on outputs and outcomes rather than on inputs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the extra costs incurred by probation services for every 1,000 extra added to the daily prison population; and if he will make a statement. [46259]

[holding answer 16 June 1998]: Increases in the prison population produce additional pressures on probation staff, whether they are seconded to prisons and funded by the Prison Service or working in area services and funded by probation grant, but there are too many variables to permit a simple translation of prisoner numbers into costs. However, we are taking workload attributable to pre- and post-release supervision requirements into account in determining what resources should be provided for the probation service.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responsibility the Metropolitan police has for the installation of closed circuit television schemes. [46369]

The Metropolitan Police has no statutory duty for the installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) schemes in public places. However, the Commissioner tells me that, in supporting such CCTV systems, the Metropolitan Police provides secondary monitoring to local CCTV initiatives. The police division in the borough covered by CCTV will have a "slave monitoring system", comprising monitors with a control function, capable of accepting pictures from a public place surveillance system. These systems are normally monitored from a local authority or other external CCTV primary monitoring control room. Where a police response may be required, information is passed to the police division for a decision on police action. This is the case for all the systems, bar those in Oxford Street where the primary monitoring is by police officers. The Metropolitan Police is currently involved in 30 systems, with a further 15 in the planning/installation phase.To reflect a positive lead for "Partnership in CCTV", the Metropolitan Police's Community Safety and Partnership Policy Unit has developed comprehensive guidance on Public Place CCTV schemes. The policy reflects the issue of privacy for the individual by promoting accountability and supervision while ensuring flexibility to fulfil the objectives of preventing and detecting crime.In addition, the Metropolitan Police uses video technology in a wide range of applications ranging from:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has evaluated on the relative re-offending rates of those convicted of sexual offences and those convicted of other categories of offence. [46492]

Information on known re-offending, as measured by reconvictions, is derived from regular samples drawn from the Offenders Index, a database of criminal careers maintained by the Home Office. The most recently published analysis of reconviction rates of those convicted of sexual and other offences appeared in Home Office Statistical Bulletins 5/97, "Reconvictions of prisoners discharged from prison in 1993", and Home Office Bulletin 6/97, "Reconvictions of those commencing community penalties in 1993".A fuller analysis of convictions and reconvictions for sexual offending was published in 1997 as Home Office Research Findings Number 55, "The prevalence of convictions for sexual offending".Copies of these publications are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to allow the disclosure of lost or spoiled evidence in criminal proceedings to be permitted as grounds for an appeal. [46293]

A defendant may appeal against conviction on indictment in England and Wales on grounds of law, fact or mixed fact and law. When considering such appeals, under section 23 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968, as amended, the Court of Appeal has unfettered discretion to receive evidence connected with the proceedings, including evidence heard at the trial, evidence available at the time of the trial but not adduced and fresh evidence which has come to light since the trial.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the postal and proxy vote application forms to reduce the possibilities of fraud. [46793]

The Working Party on Electoral Procedures, which I chair, is examining both postal and proxy voting procedures, including the application forms which are used. We will pay particular attention to the need to achieve a balance between accessibility and the prevention of abuse.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the species and numbers of animals ordered to be given euthanasia by the Home Office Inspectorate in (a) 1996, (b) 1997 and (c) 1998, owing to the level of suffering to which they were subjected; [46585](2) on how many occasions in

This information is not collected centrally.Under section 18(3) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, should a member of the Inspectorate consider that a protected animal is undergoing excessive suffering he may order it to be immediately killed by an appropriate method. This power rarely needs to be exercised.Section 10(1) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 requires that all personal licences shall contain an inviolable termination condition: any animal which is being or has been subjected to a regulated procedure and which is in severe pain or severe distress which cannot be alleviated must be humanely killed. However, the overwhelming majority of procedures cause only mild or moderate suffering. It is extremely rare that animals experience, or are allowed by licensees to experience, anything approaching severe pain or distress.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many current project licences are in operation relating to xenotransplantation experiments within the United Kingdom. [46583]

In view of the wide nature of the hon. Member's question, it will take some time to formulate a reply and I will write to him in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the designated establishments authorised to conduct xenotransplantation experiments on animals within the United Kingdom. [46582]

I cannot provide this information: section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 prohibits the disclosure of information given, or believed to have been given, in confidence. This requirement arises from, inter alia, the need to protect the safety of the scientists and institutions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the works to the windows at Lewes Prison, designed to contain noise, to be completed. [46561]

Work to windows in F Wing of Lewes prison is due to be completed by the end of July.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information his Department has obtained concerning the safety of Kurdish civilians in Northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement on his policy towards asylum applications from them; [46780](2) from what sources his Department gains information on the human rights situation in Northern Cyprus in order to evaluate asylum claims. [46781]

Every application for asylum is decided in accordance with the provisions of the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. Anyone who demonstrates a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion would be recognised as a refugee. Any rejected applicant has the opportunity to appeal to the Immigration Appellate Authority.The Home Office obtains information on the human rights situation in Northern Cyprus from a variety of sources, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the United States Department of State, and international organisations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Amnesty International. A country assessment on Cyprus, prepared by the Council Information and Policy Unit of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, has been produced and made publicly available. The assessment is one of 35 prepared to provide general background information for decision makers. Each assessment is attributed to source material and contains a bibliography. Assessments will be revised and updated approximately every six months.The Home office country assessment reports concerns about human rights abuses in Cyprus, including northern Cyprus. At this time, we have received no evidence to show that being of Kurdish ethnic origin alone would single a person out for persecution from either the "TRNC" ("Turkish Republic of Cyprus") authorities or the Turkish troops present in northern Cyprus.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many men have been convicted under the provisions of the Sex Offenders Act 1997, solely in respect of homosexual acts (a) with men over the age of 16 and under the age of 18 years and (b) where more than two persons were present; [46591](2) how many men have been convicted of an offence under section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 under the provision stipulating that privacy does not pertain where more than two people are present. [46592]

The Sex Offenders Act 1997 requires sex offenders, in the categories covered by the Act, to register details of their name and address with the police. The only offences created by the Act relate to failure to register or the supply of false registration information. These offences began to be identified separately on the Home Office Court Proceedings database from 1 January 1998, although the information recorded does not identify

Number of persons prosecuted at magistrates' courts and convicted1 at all courts for offences under Section 1 of the Indecency with Children Act 1960 and Sections 25 and 26 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956, England and Wales, 1986–96
Offence	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996
Gross indecency with children—s1 of the Indecency with Children Act 1960
Prosecutions	263	284	226	277	317	239	261	257	216	171	158
Convictions	243	248	246	219	276	219	228	203	189	155	162
Householder permitting girl under 13 years or under 16 years but 13 or over to use premises for intercourse—s25 and s26 of the Sexual Offences Act 19562
Prosecutions	4	7	10	6	7	3	9	8	—	4	4
Convictions	2	6	7	3	5	1	3	6	2	3	—
1 Includes persons proceeded against in earlier years or for other offences
2 Information collected centrally on the Home Office Court Proceedings database cannot identify the circumstances under s25 (relating to girls aged under 13) separately from those under s26 (relating to girls aged under 16 but 13 or over)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 6 April 1998, Official Report, columns 26–27, if he will report on progress in the consideration by the Criminal Cases Review Commission of the case of Mark Darren Day, convicted of murder on 26 March 1993. [46079]

I understand that Mr. Day's application has reached the stage of a detailed review, but the Commission is unable to say when it will conclude its consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to amend the Street

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list, for each of the past 10 years (a) the number of prosecutions under section 25 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 and (b) the number of convictions obtained; [46541](2) if he will list, for each of the past 10 years

Available information for 1986 to 1996 (latest available) is given in the table.Offences Act 1959 to distinguish between offences committed by adults and offences committed by children. [46539]

The Government believe that the criminal justice system should treat children who are involved in prostitution differently from women. The Government's primary concern is to protect and deter children, both boys and girls, from becoming caught up in prostitution and to recognise that they are frequently the victims of coercion and abuse.The Government have recently announced their intention to conduct a review of sexual offences and penalties. In the light of this, we will want to consider very carefully the laws relating to soliciting, for women and men and young boys and girls, but we do not believe that legalising child prostitution would help to protect children.Although the Street Offences Act 1959 does not distinguish women prostitutes from girl prostitutes, the numbers of girls who have been prosecuted or cautioned for soliciting offences is small. The police, together with children's charities and others, have developed guidelines to ensure that children involved in prostitution are treated as victims in need of welfare rather than as offenders.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to police forces in England and Wales on liaising with other agencies to make provision for young people to leave prostitution. [46543]

The general principles for inter-agency co-operation for the protection of children were set out in inter-departmental guidance issued under the Children Act 1989 to the police and other agencies in 1991. The Government are currently consulting on revised proposals for inter-agency co-operation to safeguard children.The Association of Chief Police Officers has also adopted best practice guidelines for the police that emphasise that children caught up in prostitution should normally be treated as victims and in need of help, rather than criminals. These guidelines were drawn up in discussion with the Children's Society and other agencies, the Department of Health and the Home Office, and emphasise the need for multi-agency partnerships, particularly with local social services, in dealing with child prostitution.These guidelines were piloted in Wolverhampton and Nottingham, where they are regarded as having been a success. The pilots are now being evaluated independently by the Home Office.My noble Friend Lord Williams of Mostyn announced on 30 March 1998,

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the law to increase sentences for those convicted of living off the immoral earnings of a child under 16. [46542]

The Government want to ensure that severe penalties are available for those involved in child prostitution. I have announced a review of all sexual offences and will be considering possible changes to such penalties in the context of that review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 will be implemented. [46230]

I have been asked to reply.Sections 4 and 5 of the Act are already in force. Subsections 1 and 2 of section 3 are also in force. Subsections 3–9 of section 3 will be brought into force when the work needed to finalise the relevant rules of court is complete. The final period of consultation closed on 12 June and the draft rules will very shortly be submitted to the appropriate rules committees. We expect both the rules and the commencement order for the outstanding provisions of the Act to come into force in September.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library all Government documentation relating to the first formal inquiry into the loss of the MV 'Derbyshire' regardless of whether it is legally privileged, and in particular the document entitled "Derbyshire Statement of Facts Giving Rise to the Formal Investigation". [45264]

The government documentation relating to the Formal Investigation into the loss of the MV 'Derbyshire' is not for publication as it contains internal advice to Ministers and correspondence with legal counsel. The document entitled "Derbyshire Statement of Facts Giving Rise to the Formal Investigation" was circulated to the interested parties in the Master Bundle of documentation for the Formal Investigation which began in October 1987. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what resources he has made available to promote research into green fuel technology. [45442]

A £60,000 "Life cycle" study of alternative road transport fuels, co-funded by the former Department of Transport and the Department of Trade and Industry, was published in March 1996. A further £1.2 million three year field trial of alternative fuels, funded by DETR, MAFF and DTI, aimed at quantifying their environmental benefits and viability in comparison with conventional fuels under UK conditions, has now been completed. Publication of the report is imminent.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what statistics he has collected on the numbers of (a) local authorities and (b) transport undertakings which have converted their fleets, in whole or part, to run on compressed natural gas, LPG and electricity. [46126]

We do not collect these statistics. However, we do collect statistics on the numbers of vehicle licensed by propulsion type. In 1997, 9,100 vehicles were registered as running on gas or petrol and gas, and 17,400 on electricity. Of the registered electric vehicles, the majority fell into the special concessionary group, which consists largely of plant and agricultural vehicles, and exempt vehicles (emergency vehicles, vehicles registered to disabled drivers and vehicles over 25 years old). Of the gas vehicles, 6,700 are private and light goods vehicles. The Natural Gas Vehicles Association estimate that 50–55 local authorities have one or more compressed natural gas vehicles in their fleet. The LPG association believe that several local authorities are using LPG, along with a number of fleet operators such as bus operators and the police. The Electric Vehicles Association state that a number of local authorities have ordered electric vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with companies operating depot-based vehicle fleets on the merits of converting vehicles to compressed natural gas. [46127]

Ministers have spoken about the merits of converting fleets to run on gas fuels on a number of occasions to audiences including large fleet operators and local authorities. In addition, the Government have provided £6 million of funding to the Energy Saving Trust for its three year Powershift programme which promotes the use of alternative fuels like compressed natural gas by providing grants of up to half the capital cost of converting a vehicle to run on alternative fuel, and put in place a number of fiscal incentives to encourage the use of gas fuels.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures his Department has undertaken since May 1997 to encourage local authorities to provide environmentally-friendly forms of public transport. [46044]

Under the National Air Quality Strategy, through the process of local air quality management, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that National Air Quality Strategy objectives are met in their areas. The Government have introduced a number of measures to encourage the use of more environmentally friendly public transport to help with this process. At the last Budget, 17 March 1998, Official Report, columns 1097–1112, the Chancellor announced that a graduated VED scheme for buses with an incentive of up to £500 for those vehicles meeting stringent emissions standards would begin on 1 January 1999. He also announced the creation of a greater duty differential between ordinary diesel and ultra low sulphur diesel, providing a greater incentive for operators to use this cleaner fuel, and that the Government will consult on how bus fuel rebate can better be targeted to help operators who run cleaner vehicles. The duty on road fuel gases was also frozen for the second successive budget.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if coaches will be directed to Greenwich from Central London via the Dartford Tunnel in the event of the Jubilee Line extension not being fully operational by the time the Millennium Dome opens. [45746]

London Underground Ltd. currently estimate that the Jubilee Line Extension (JLE) will be fully operational by Spring 1999. In the extremely unlikely event that the JLE is not fully operational by the end of 1999, there would be several potential alternative routes and transport modes for journeys to and from the Millennium Experience in North Greenwich. London Transport is considering such options in the context of contingency planning for any operating difficulties that may occur after it is open. The use of a direct coach service from Central London to the Dome may be an option, but it would be unlikely to be necessary to send all coaches via the M25, A2 and A102(M), although that will be the recommended route for coaches going to the Millennium Experience from outside the M25.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 9 June 1998, Official Report, columns 515–16, concerning London Underground, if the contracts drawn up with Price Waterhouse and Freshfields to provide, respectively, financial and legal advice are fixed price contracts; and what the value or estimated value is of these contracts. [46131]

The contracts which have been drawn up with Freshfields and Price Waterhouse to provide advice jointly to the Government and London Transport on implementing a Public/Private Partnership for London Underground are not fixed price contracts. For reasons of commercial confidentiality, it is not possible to give a figure for the estimated value of the contracts. We will, of course, report aggregate figures for the total cost of advice on implementing the Public/Private Partnership in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Government's local economic development and regeneration policies. [45852]

[holding answer 18 June 1998]: The Government are determined to join with local government, the voluntary and private sectors and local communities in a concerted attack against the multiple causes of social and economic decline—unemployment, bad housing, crime, poor health and a degraded environment.Regeneration policies will play a key part in this. The Government are therefore undertaking a comprehensive review of regeneration policies. A discussion paper on the future of regeneration—"The Way Forward"—has been produced as a result of this review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the role of the Private Finance Initiative in funding the new Scottish centre at Prestwick in relation to the proposed public/private partnership for funding air traffic control. [46440]

[holding answer 18 June 1998]: The operational requirement of the New Scottish Centre at Prestwick remains unchanged, and the centre is an integral part of the Civil Aviation Authority's two centre strategy—which the Government have endorsed. National Air Traffic Services Ltd. are moving towards contracting with their preferred bidder for the provision of the new centre, and the Government hope that the announcement of the public/private partnership will not delay its development.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when National Air Traffic Services will sign the contract for the new Scottish centre at Prestwick. [46443]

[holding answer 18 June 1998]: National Air Traffic Services and Sky Solutions, the preferred bidder, are now well advanced in negotiations. NATS will consult with the airlines before seeking CAA Board and Government approval to a contractual commitment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of occasions in the last (a) month and (b) six months when allegations have been made of overloads of the air traffic control system; and what has been the outcome of investigations. [46439]

[holding answer 18 June 1998]: From 17 May to 17 June 1998, there have been three overloads reported at the London Area Terminal Control Centre at West Drayton. For the calendar year to 17 June, there have been 22 overloads reported at that centre. There have been none at the Manchester and Scottish and Oceanic Control Centres. The Safety Regulation Group of the Civil Aviation Authority investigates the incidents. To date, reports have been made to National Air Traffic Services Limited (NATS) on 13 of the incidents. NATS implements all relevant recommendations following such incidents.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in relation to the proposed public/private partnership for National Air Traffic Services, what proportion of the 51 per cent. of the shares held in the private sector will be reserved for employees. [46446]

[holding answer 18 June 1998]: The Government are contemplating reserving up to 10 per cent. of the shares held in the private sector for National Air Traffic Services' employees.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of alternative options for the future funding of air traffic control services; and if he will publish the arrangements for consultation on the Government's preferred option. [46442]

[holding answer 18 June 1998]: The Government considered the following options:

Establishing National Air Traffic Services Ltd as a separate public sector body: this option was not feasible without significant relaxation of Government borrowing controls, and provided no real incentive to improve efficiency or drive the business forward;

Maintaining air traffic control provision as a subsidiary of the Civil Aviation Authority: this option provided no incentives for efficiency, would not separate regulation from service provision, and could not provide assurances as to the availability of funding for future investment to cater for demand;

Setting up a private sector trust along the lines of the Canadian model: this option would not generate real commercial incentives or disciplines, it would be difficult to ensure adequate accountability, and difficult to ensure against the emergence of dominant interests;

Establishing National Air Traffic Services Ltd as a private sector body providing air traffic control services under contract to the Civil Aviation Authority (the "privatised contractor"): this option did not effect any real separation between service provision and regulation, and there were additional concerns over a possible conflict of interest in the Civil Aviation Authority's being contract manager and regulator.

The Government intend to consult interested parties on the implementation of their decision in principle, and will publish a consultation paper shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what contacts, and when, his Department has had with (a) Stagecoach Aviation Ltd and (b) other commercial interests since 2 May 1997 about (i) turning RAF Northolt into a civil airport and (ii) increasing the number of civil aircraft movements or the stipulated operating hours for civil aircraft at RAF Northolt. [45291]

[holding answer 18 June 1998]: The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has had only once contact with commercial interests regarding RAF Northolt, notably by letter dated 20 May 1998, from Virgin Executive Jets.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many sites of special scientific interest there are; and what their approximate acreage is in the United Kingdom. [46694]

As at 17 June, there were 6,526 Sites of Special Scientific Interest in the United Kingdom covering approximately 2.17 million hectares (5.37 million acres).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list, with their approximate acreage, the sites of special scientific interest in Gloucestershire. [46695]

As at 17 June there were 119 Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire covering nearly 23,500 hectares (57,900 acres). I will send the hon. Member a complete site list with respective acreages.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many consignments of low enriched uranium have been air freighted on (a) passenger and (b) cargo airlines from the United Kingdom airports in each of the last 10 years; what quantities of nuclear materials were involved in (a) and (b); what safety arrangements have applied; what advance notice has been given to Ministers; and what plans there are to airfreight uranium from the United Kingdom over the next year. [46817]

My Department does not collect such data as requested. All air shipments of radioactive material to, from and within the United Kingdom must be made in accordance with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Class 7) which are given legal force in the United Kingdom by the Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations 1994 (SI No 3187) and Amendments 1996 (SI No 3100) and 1997 (SI No 2666). Prior notification of such shipments would be made only where so required by the Technical Instructions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of commercial proposals to run direct regional Eurostar rail services from Scottish and English regional cities to Europe. [46741]

Regional Eurostar rail services are a matter for London and Continental Railways Ltd. (LCR). The Government have, however, asked the consortium chosen by LCR to operate Eurostar to report by the end of the year on the feasibility of such services.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he plans to announce the list of trunk road schemes to be approved for construction simultaneously with the publication of the Integrated Transport Strategy White Paper. [46563]

No. The Roads Review will follow after the Integrated Transport White Paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce a United Kingdom vignette for road hauliers. [46551]

I have no plans at present to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his current estimate of his Department's expenditure on (a) national roads, (b) local roads and parking, (c) transport grants and (d) public transport in (i) the current financial year and (ii) the following two financial years. [46773]

The table gives my Department's expenditure plans for the current financial year in as close to the requested format as I am able to provide. The Government will publish their expenditure plans for the rest of the Parliament in the Summer, after the completion of the Comprehensive Spending Review.A more detailed breakdown of my Department's planned transport expenditure for 1998–99 can be found in the 1998 Annual Report (Cm 3906).

Planned transport expenditure for 1998–99
	£ million
National roads	1,349
Local transport (local roads and public transport)	1623
Other public transport	2,220
o/w
Support for national railways2	1,659
London Transport	523
Support for rural buses	38
Other transport grants3	42
1 Of this total, £449m has been allocated solely for local roads and £63m for public transport. The remaining £111m can be used on either roads or public transport according to local discretion. (DETR figures)
2Includes Metropolitan Railway Passenger Services Grant, support for residual British Rail activities, Deeds of Assumption Ltd. and support paid by the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising
3To prevent double counting, only includes those transport grants not included in other sections of the table. Total comprises £40m rail freight grants and £2m grants to local authorities for pre-DVLC pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much public money has been spent by the Environment Agency on (a) the River Wye Navigation Order application under the Transport and Works Act 1992 since the lodging of the application in April 1986 and (b) the River Wye Navigation Bye-Laws under the Water Resources Act 1991 application, since the lodging of the application in October 1994; and if he will make a statement. [46960]

The costs incurred by the Environment Agency and its predecessor body, the National Rivers Authority (NRA), in promoting an Order to become the navigation authority on the Rivers Wye and Lugg amount to approximately £450,000 since 1995 when the proposals were first put forward. The majority of these costs were incurred in preparing for and conducting the public inquiry following objections to the application submitted to the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales in March 1996.The costs incurred by the Agency and the NRA since the submission of the application for the confirmation of the River Wye Navigation Byelaws in September 1994 is approximately £114,000. The majority of these costs were incurred in preparing for and conducting a public inquiry into this application which ran immediately after the inquiry into the navigation authority application.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Government's policy regarding the use of the River Wye for leisure activities. [46958]

Subject to its environment and recreational duties, it is for the Environment Agency to draw up policies for individual rivers for which it is the responsible authority. The Government do not prepare such policies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many successful prosecutions there have been for civilian low-flying offences in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [46549]

The Civil Aviation Authority's Aviation Regulation Enforcement Division has carried out the following enforcement action against low flying offences in the years 1993 to 1997. Full figures are not yet available for 1998.

Year	Successful prosecutions
1993	11
1994	5
1995	5
1996	6
1997	4
1998 (so far)	4

In addition, in the same period, the Enforcement Division issued 12 formal cautions and 37 warning letters in respect of low flying offences. One prosecution for low flying is currently pending, and four other cases of alleged low flying are currently under investigation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 15 June 1998, Official Report, column 59, on the chairmanship of London Regional Transport, if he will publish his proposals for the method of recruitment to the post as soon as they have been determined. [46546]

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the job specification of the Chief Executive of London Regional Transport; and when the Chief Executive's personal annual objectives will be published. [46535]

The job specification for the Chief Executive of London Transport, including the objectives he is to deliver, are as follows:He has executive responsibility for all London Transport's activities, with the heads of each main executive arm reporting to him. His objectives for the next two years are:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 15 June 1998, Official Report, column 59, on bus companies' customer service standards, what advice he has given to London Transport on customer service standards. [46547]

The Government set London Transport quality of service targets, based on service performance and measures of customer satisfaction, for the London bus network.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 9 February 1998, Official Report, column 10, if he will make a statement on the discussions he has had with other Government departments concerning the consultation process he announced following the loss of the 'Sapphire% when he expects the consultation process to be completed; and if he will make a statement. [46486]

Other Government departments have made valuable contributions to the Consultation Paper on Fishing Vessel Accidents and the Recovery of Those Lost at Sea. The Consultation Paper will be issued shortly and the results of the consultation process will be announced before the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he proposes to take to improve standards in houses in multiple occupation. [47137]

We are determined to ensure that houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) are safe, providing acceptable living conditions and fulfilling our commitment to introduce a national licensing scheme. Work on drawing up proposals for licensing will be given priority in our plans for reforming the existing controls over HMOs. We will consult interested parties later this summer on how a licensing system should work and the standards that it should achieve.Our objective is to ensure that all HMOs meet the highest possible standards on fire and other health and safety risks. However, we need to set standards which are achievable and do not involve unnecessary or disproportionate burdens on HMO landlords, who might otherwise withdraw their properties from the market. We need also to ensure a consistent approach with other relevant legislation, including proposals by the Home Office for a universal fire safety duty.We have decided against introducing an interim Approved Code of Practice. We consider that our existing powers under the Housing Act 1996 do not enable us to produce an effective and workable code that would deliver the standards we want HMOs to achieve in the longer term. We are also reluctant to introduce two major changes within a relatively short period of time.Following consultation, we intend to publish the proposed standards for a licensing system and will issue guidance to local housing authorities on their application prior to the coming into force of the licensing requirements.Authorities which have adopted HMO registration schemes containing control provisions are likely to have similar powers under the proposed licensing scheme. We are therefore encouraging all authorities to adopt registration schemes now to facilitate the transition to licensing.We will be seeking views, as part of our consultation on licensing, on whether there should be a duty on landlords to maintain acceptable standards in addition to the licensing requirements. We will not be commencing section 73 of the Housing Act 1996 to place a duty on HMO landlords to keep their properties fit for the number of occupants, as we do not consider this duty to be workable in its present form.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many new defence attaché posts he plans to establish by 2000. [45235]

As with many other important issues affected by the Strategic Defence Review, we are undertaking a global review of our Defence Attaché coverage. We want to ensure that the number and location of our attaches meet our new security and defence requirements. It is too early to say at this stage what the conclusions might be.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to improve the quality of education and training in the armed forces. [45236]

The Armed Forces already spend substantial sums to ensure high-quality training for Service Personnel. As part of the Strategic Defence Review, we are considering the scope to improve further the education and training provided, and to ensure that the qualifications Service personnel receive are fully recognised and transferable when they return to civilian life.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next plans to visit the Royal Naval College to discuss its participation in the Greenwich millennium celebration. [45237]

I hope to visit the Royal Naval College soon to sign the head lease which will transfer responsibility for the site to the Greenwich Foundation. The extent of involvement in the Millennium celebrations is rightly a matter for the Foundation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to increase the use of joint organisations in the armed forces. [45238]

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 8 June 1998, Official Report, column 423, the MOD has signed a contract to build a new Joint Services' Command and Staff College at Watchfield. This reflects our commitment to joint training and to joint organisations more generally, one of the main themes of the Strategic Defence Review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the strategic defence review before the end of July. [45239]

A package of proposals has been submitted to the Cabinet. Once decisions have been taken, the Review's conclusions will be published in a White Paper as quickly as possible thereafter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the implications of the Defence Review for defence procurement. [45222]

I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, North (Mr. Rapson), Official Report, columns 683–84.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on arrangements for the disposal of RAF Finningley. [45240]

The RAF Finningley site has been marketed and two bids, both of which include proposals for civil aviation use, are currently under consideration. My Department continues to work closely with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Government Office for Yorkshire and Humberside so that a decision can be made as soon as possible which takes into account all the factors affecting this important regional site.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the circumstances under which inoculation of forces personnel should be compulsory. [45241]

Immunisation is vitally important for the protection of UK Service personnel against disease, in the context of public health threats as well as defence against biological warfare agents. At present, MoD policy is that immunisation for both purposes is voluntary, on the basis of informed consent. However, the means of protecting our personnel against such threats are continually reviewed and updated in the light of current circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the prospects of future service in the Scots Guards of Guardsmen Fisher and Wright. [45242]

No decision has been taken on the future in the Army of Guardsmen Fisher and Wright.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel are currently claiming benefits. [45243]

Except in a limited number of circumstances—for example, when personnel are serving overseas—entitlement to DSS benefits is normally a matter between individual Service personnel and the DSS, to which claims are made direct. Therefore, my Department has no overview of the extent of benefits being claimed by Service personnel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with other departments concerning the process of considering arms export licence applications. [45245]

Ministry of Defence officials are in daily contact with officials in other Departments, principally the Department of Trade and Industry, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development, as part of the process of considering export licence applications. Ministers occasionally discuss various export issues, including the process of considering such applications.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to (a) reorganise and (b) alter the role of the Territorial Army. [45246]

I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) earlier today, Official Report, column 686.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual cost of the Royal Yeomanry in its chemical defence role; and what would be the cost of giving the role to a similar-sized regular unit. [45247]

The annual cost of the Royal Yeomanry in the chemical defence role is £3.471m. Comparable costs for a similar sized regular chemical defence unit are not available. However, the costs of paying regular and TA soldiers to perform a particular role for a given period of time are broadly comparable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he intends to publish a White Paper on defence diversification; and if he will make a statement. [45248]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for defence diversification. [45251]

I refer my hon. Friends to the oral answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Delyn (Mr. Hanson), Official Report, column 683.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Chamber of Shipping to discuss co-operation between his Department and the chamber on defence issues; and if he will make a statement. [45249]

The Secretary of State for Defence has not yet met the Chamber of Shipping. However, the Ministry of Defence enjoys a close and productive relationship with the Chamber on defence issues, primarily through the auspices of the Shipping Defence Advisory Committee and its various working groups and sponsored discussions. The MOD looks forward to a continuing dialogue with the Chamber which will, I am sure, provide further opportunity to develop a better appreciation of our respective interests and concerns.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the capacity of the Army to sustain further indefinite operational commitments. [45252]

The Army is currently heavily committed in Northern Ireland and Bosnia. Our capacity to sustain further indefinite operational commitments would be subject to the specific circumstances pertaining at the time and the scale of the force envisaged.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sums have been generated by commercial exploitation levies since 1992. [46489]

Commercial Exploitation Levy receipts for the years 1991–92 to 1997–98 are as follows:

	£ million ex VAT
1991–92	34.5
1992–9293	15.0
1993–9294	39.8
1994–9295	33.0
1995–9296	21.9
1996–9297	90.5
1997–9298	54.0

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which countries have benefited from (a) the Defence Military Assistance Fund, (b) the Defence Policy Fund and (c) the Defence Sales Fund since 1988; and what criteria have been used for disbursements from (i) the Defence Policy Fund and (ii) the Defence Sales Fund. [46490]

I refer my hon. Friend to the letter from my hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces, sent to my hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd) on 7 May 1998, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. The letter sets out those countries which have received support from the Defence Policy Fund, the Defence Sales Fund, the Defence Military Assistance Fund and other centrally administered funds in the period since 1988.The Defence Policy Fund was an MOD-administered scheme to provide military assistance at no or a reduced cost to selected countries, generally outside the NATO area, in support of defence policy objectives. The criteria

Review	Chaired by	Date established
Review of the Contribution of Scientists and Engineers to the Public Understanding of Science, Engineering and Technology	Sir Arnold Wolfendale FRS	January 1995
Prior Options Review of the Royal Observatories	Professor Ian Halliday, University of Wales, Swansea	July 1995
The Scientific Group on the Environmental Impact of Deep-Sea Disposal of Offshore Structures	Professor John Shepherd, Southampton Oceanography Centre	October 1995
Prior Options Review of the Central Laboratories of the Research Councils	Dr. David Fisk, Chief Scientist, Department of the Environment	November 1995
Prior Options Review of Public Sector Research Establishments: Agriculture and Plant Science Steering Group1	Professor Tom Blundell, then Chief Executive, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council	November 1995
Prior Options Review of Public Sector Research Establishments: Marine and non-Marine Environment Steering Group2	Dr. Ian Graham-Bryce, Principal, University of Dundee	January 1996

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlay the decision not to court-martial Major Eric Joyce, Adjutant-General's Corps. [46302]

[holding answer 18 June 1998]: The decision on whether or not to prosecute a case referred to the Army Prosecuting Authority is made on the prospect of a realistic conviction based on the available evidence, and whether a prosecution is in the public and Service interest. These tests are essentially the same as those applied by the Crown Prosecution Service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on which date the resignation from the British Army of Major Eric Joyce, Adjutant-General's Corps, became effective. [46301]

[holding answer 18 June 1998]: No application has been received from Major Eric Joyce to retire from the British Army.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list, for each of the last four years, the departmental inquiries and reviews instigated by Ministers which have been chaired by individuals outside her Department; and in each case if he will give the date of establishment and the name of the chairman. [44365]

The DTI has initiated the following Inquiries and Reviews since May 1994 which have been chaired by individuals outside the Department.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many British employees she estimates are currently working for British companies abroad under contracts signed in the United Kingdom; and how many complaints were received by her Department from such employees about working conditions in the last year for which figures are available. [45474]

My Department collects no information on this subject and receives few complaints from British workers overseas.

UK structural funds allocations (including community initiatives)
million ecu, 1996 prices
	1989–1993				1994–99
	ERDF	ESF	EAGGF	Total	ERDF	ESF	EAGGF	FIFG	Total
Objective 1
Northern Ireland	522	405	174	1,101	896	468	247	20	1,631
Highlands and Islands	0	0	0	0	193	59	60	21	334
Merseyside	0	0	0	0	503	358	3	0	864
Total objective 1	522	405	174	1,101	1,621	909	299	0	2,829
Objective 5b
South West England	94	21	0	115	168	38	47	0	253
The Marches	0	0	0	0	26	10	8	0	43
Midlands Uplands	0	0	0	0	9	2	2	0	13
Northern Uplands	0	0	0	0	71	22	25	0	118
Lincolnshire	0	0	0	0	39	9	10	0	57
East Anglia	0	0	0	0	50	11	13	0	74
Rural Wales	137	21	1	159	131	38	41	0	210
Highlands and Islands	128	22	34	184	—	—	—	—	—
Dumfries and Galloway	15	2	0	17	41	8	7	0	57
Borders of Scotland	0	0	0	0	21	6	4	0	31
Central Scotland/Tayside	0	0	0	0	18	5	3	0	26
Grampian	0	0	0	0	29	6	5	0	40
Total objective 5b	375	65	35	475	602	155	165	0	922

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many special advisers, political advisers and other political appointees are working in her Department; at what annual cost to the public purse including recruitment costs, salaries, pensions and National Insurance contributions; and what was the position in the last full year of the last Government. [43316]

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the amount of (a) Objective 5b funding and (b) Objective 1 funding spent in the United Kingdom over the last five years, broken down by (i) counties and (ii) projects. [45670]

Figures showing funding by counties and projects are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.The table gives allocations for each of the United Kingdom's Objective 1 and 5b regions.

For details of the numbers of Special Advisers and the annual cost of employing them, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox) on 11 June 1998, Official Report, column 664.National Insurance contributions are excluded from this figure but are paid under the same rules and at the same time as for other civil servants. Information on the paybill costs for Special advisers within individual departments is not provided in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.Information on the cost of employing Special Advisers in previous years was given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 25 November 1997,

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects to receive undertakings from General Utilities plc about its material influence over Mid Kent Holdings plc. [46552]

On 15 May I announced my decision to accept undertakings offered by General Utilities PLC and SAUR Water Services plc following the adverse report by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) on their proposed bid for Mid Kent Holdings plc, published in 1997.Under the terms of the undertakings both companies have agreed not to be party, or give effect, to any joint arrangements in respect of Mid Kent which would give rise to a compulsory reference to the MMC unless the consent of the Secretary of State has been obtained.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the future of the Post Office, with particular reference to the ownership of the Royal Mail [46471]

As announced by my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade on 6 April 1998, Official Report, column 63, the Government are committed to the Post Office (including Royal Mail) remaining in the public sector and continuing to provide a universal postal service under a uniform tariff structure, with a nationwide network of post offices. Against that background, the Government are reviewing the Post Office's organisation, structure and financing with a view to ensuring that the Post Office can be given greater commercial freedom to enable it to compete effectively in the UK and overseas. We plan to present our proposals in the Autumn.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the progress made in the consideration of liberalisation of postal services within the European Union; when a new directive is expected; and if it will be subject to unanimity or majority vote. [46466]

The Postal Services Directive (97/67/EC) was adopted on 15 December 1997, for Member States to implement by February 1999. The Directive sets a maximum monopoly area for the provider of the universal service and a programme for further liberalisation. The Commission must table a proposal before the end of 1998 and the European Parliament and the Council must decide by 1 January 2000 on the further liberalisation to take effect from 1 January 2003. We would expect the basis of any Directive to be Article 100a which is subject to qualified majority voting.

To ask the President of the Council what representations she has received on increasing the time available for private Members' (a) debates and (b) legislation. [45257]

I have received a number of representation asking for more time on both private Members' debates and legislation.

To ask the President of the Council if she will increase the number of days provided for the consideration of private Members' Bills. [45258]

I have no plans to do so in the current session. The procedure for private Members' bills will be considered by the Modernisation Committee.

To ask the President of the Council if she will make a statement on the adequacy of Members' allowances in respect of office technology. [45259]