To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the pay settlements which have been reached for teaching staff in institutions of higher and further education in Scotland in (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97, (c) 1997–98 and (d) 1998–99. [56955]

Pay settlements for teaching staff in higher education institutions are set out in the table.

Percentage
	UCEA institutions	CSCFC institutions
1995–96	2.7	2.7
1996–97	2.9	2.9
1997–98	2.9	2.5
1998–99	1—	3.1
1 2 per cent. from 1 April and a further 1.8 per cent. from 1 October

The University and Colleges Employers' Association (UCEA) negotiates pay on behalf of the universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St. Andrews, Stirling and Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt University. The conference of Scottish Centrally Funded Colleges (CSCFC) negotiates pay for the remaining 11 Scottish higher education institutions.Pay settlements in the further education sector in Scotland are the responsibility of individual college boards of management. Details of the terms and conditions of each college settlement are not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to enable the courts, in cases of repossession of houses, to intervene in order to determine what is in the best interests of the family resident in the house, and if they can continue to live there under an acceptable financial arrangement. [58811]

[holding answer 17 November 1998]: There is nothing to stop a person with mortgage arrears offering to settle on terms acceptable to a creditor who is the holder of a standard security. However, should the creditor refuse the terms, the courts do not at present have any discretion about granting an order for ejection. I have no plans to change the law in this respect.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses or flats in Scotland have been repossessed by the mortgagee because of non-payment of mortgage in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [58812]

[holding answer 17 November 1998]: Data on the number of actual repossessions are not collected centrally. Figures in relation to the number of repossession orders granted by the courts have been collected by the courts since a revised system of collecting Civil Judicial Statistics was instituted on 1 January 1994. The figures from 1 January 1994 to 30 September 1998 are shown in the table. The figures for orders granted will however be higher than the number of repossessions completed.

Year	Repossession orders granted
1994	2,058
1995	3,554
1996	4,339
1997	4,305
1998 (to 30 September)	3,763

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the distance from St. Kilda that the protected seabird populations of gannets, fulmars, puffins, Leach's petrels, Storm petrels and Manx shearwaters feed. [59375]

I am advised by Scottish Natural Heritage that most birds from St. Kilda feed within 55km of the islands during the breeding season. They range throughout the Atlantic at other times of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what targets he has set for increasing the proportion of woodland areas in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland by 2010. [60106]

We are committed to increasing the area of woodland in Britain, but we have not set any specific targets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy regarding the sale of Forestry Commission woodlands. [59829]

As promised in our election manifesto, we have put an end to the large scale sales of Forestry Commission woodland. While the Commission will be able to buy and sell assets in order to manage its estate efficiently, any future woodland sales will be restricted to relatively small and isolated blocks of woodland which do not make a significant contribution to the Commission's objectives and are surplus to its requirements. Woodland which is important for public access will not be sold unless an access agreement is in place.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what proportion of those full-time new entrant students whose university or college tuition fees were paid for by the Student Awards agency for Scotland or its predecessor bodies received the maximum maintenance award in (a) 1968, (b) 1972, (c) 1977, (d) 1982, (e) 1987, (f)1992 and (g) 1997; what would have been the figures for 1997 if all points of the residual Income Scale for parental/spouse contributions had been increased by £10,000; and what would be the cost to public funds of such an increase. [60010]

[holding answer 16 November 1998]: The available information is set out in the tables.For academic years prior to 1997–98 it is not possible to distinguish between new entrants and continuing students. The information provided in Table 1 is based on all award holders in the year in question. The figures for 1992–93 and later include award holders on full time Higher National Certificate courses, whereas those for earlier years do not. Data for 1968–69 are not readily available.Table 2 sets out the available information on new entrant award holders in academic year 1997–98. It is based on provisional data which are subject to change.It is not possible to calculate the effect of an increase in the residual income scale for parental/spouse contributions by £10,000 as no information is held on the income distribution of those families claiming fees only awards. An increase in the residual income scale would mean that some of these students would become entitled to an award.

Students receiving the maximum maintenance award
Year	Number of award holders	Percentage of award holders
1972–73	12,280	27
1977–78	14,940	28
1982–83	19,857	35
1987–88	21,204	36
1992–93	36,561	41
1996–97	47,417	43

New entrants in academic year 1997–98 receiving maximum maintenance awards
Number of new entrant award holders	Number receiving full maintenance awards
42,135	18,896 (45%)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to alter the licensing laws to prevent or discourage petrol stations from selling liquor. [60354]

There are no plans to amend the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 under which a licensing board may, subject to certain statutory criteria, grant petrol stations an off-sales licence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the conclusions of Taskforce 2000 published on 11 November in respect of his Department's most recent quarterly return on plans and progress towards Year 2000 readiness. [60218]

The Taskforce 2000 study is based on the most recent quarterly returns from Departments about their Year 2000 readiness. These have been available on the internet since early September. The results of the next quarterly review will be announced shortly to the House and copies of The Scottish Office's latest quarterly return will be placed in the Libraries of the House and published on the internet.I am pleased that the report assesses Year 2000 readiness in The Scottish Office as a low risk. However we cannot afford to be complacent about the task of ensuring that there will be no material disruption to public and other vital services as a result of the millennium date change.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many unemployed people have been successful in obtaining jobs through the regional selective assistance programme, in each of the areas to which RSA applies. [59871]

RSA is a scheme to increase or safeguard employment in the Assisted Areas throughout Great Britain. No figures are kept on how many of these jobs are filled directly from the unemployment register.Under the pilot "RSA Priority" initiative, launched on 22 May 1998 in 5 particularly deprived areas of Scotland, 4 companies have to date been offered the opportunity to receive additional grant if they employ residents of these designated areas. The projects are at too early a stage to obtain any information on the individuals who will fill the new jobs to be created.

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if the schedule of dates to fly the Union Flag has been made available to the Courthouse, Armagh City; if the Union Flag was flown at the Courthouse on Remembrance Sunday, and if he will make a statement. [59384]

A schedule of dates to fly the Union Flag was made available to staff at the Courthouse, Armagh City. However, due to an oversight the flag was not flown on Remembrance Sunday (8 November). Arrangements have been put in place to avoid any recurrence of this unfortunate mistake.

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the conclusions of Taskforce 2000 published on 11 November in respect of his Department's most recent quarterly return on plans and progress towards Year 2000 readiness [60213]

I regard the Year 2000 problem as an issue of the utmost seriousness and I take a close interest in the Department's programme. I welcome any independent assessment of progress. Although the Taskforce 2000 report contains some inaccuracies in its summary of the Department's current position, I am pleased to note its recognition of the overall competence with which the complex project is being managed.

To ask the President of the Council if she will ensure that independent audits are undertaken of the plans and progress of each Government department and agency in dealing with the Year 2000 date change. [60208]

We have already encouraged Ministers to arrange for some form of quality assurance of their Departments' and agencies' Year 2000 programmes to be carried out. It is for individual Ministers to consider what approach to auditing best suits the needs of their Departments and agencies and what bodies they should use to undertake the audits.

To ask the President of the Council how many civil servants are employed in the Year 2000 team in the Cabinet Office. [60310]

Ten.

To ask the President of the Council if she will publish the Government's contingency plans for dealing with the consequences of system failure caused by the millennium bug. [60203]

I have asked all departments and agencies to have initial contingency plans in place by January 1999. I will consult colleagues about how much of the detail of the plans could sensibly be put into the public domain at that time.

To ask the President of the Council what assessment she has made of the conclusions of Taskforce 2000 published on 11 November in respect of her Department's most recent quarterly return on plans and progress towards Year 2000 readiness. [60216]

Work on ensuring the Millennium compliance of the Privy Council Office's systems is being taken forward as part of the Cabinet Office's Year 2000 Programme. The Cabinet Office has a comprehensive Year 2000 programme in place and is making good progress in tackling the problem. The Taskforce 2000 report therefore rightly noted that the Cabinet Office's programme posed little cause for concern.

Accounting and other adjustments in table B12 of the Pre-Budget Report
£ billion
	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02
1. Non-trading capital consumption	6.8	7.1	7.3	7.6	7.9
2. VAT refunds	4.9	5.0	5.2	5.5	5.8
3. EC contributions	-5.9	-6.7	-5.9	-5.8	-5.8
4. Income tax credits	2.9	2.0	2.8	6.2	6.7
5. Other spending in AME	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2

To ask the President of the Council on what date the Government's Year 2000 contingency unit was established; what its objectives are; and to which Minister it reports. [60204]

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the Year 2000 Team within the Cabinet Office. The Prime Minister announced the establishment of the Year 2000 Team in answer to a Parliamentary Question on 30 March 1998, Official Report, columns 374-75.The objective of the team is to support the work of Ministers in driving forward action in the public and private sector, including the national infrastructure, to prevent damage from the failure of electronic systems related to the Year 2000 date change.The Year 2000 Team reports to me in my role as the Cabinet Minister responsible for the co-ordination of Government policy in response to the Millennium Bug.

To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what steps he has taken to improve energy efficiency in (a) heating and (b) lighting; and what plans he has to achieve further improvements in each of the next three years. [60152]

In the last three years we have spent more than £18,000 on energy conservation measures. The House has already achieved energy savings in excess of 15 per cent. and we expect to increase that saving to at least 20 per cent. when the project to modernise the main boilers in the Palace of Westminster is completed in August 2001.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a break-down of the accounting and other adjustments line in Table B12 of the Pre-Budget Report. [59097]

[holding answer 10 November 1998]: The table provides a breakdown of the accounting and other adjustments shown in table B12 of the Pre-Budget Report, with accompanying brief explanatory notes.Similar questions were answered on 22 July 1998,

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the policy of his Department on varying the cash plans of spending departments if inflation turns out to be significantly different from expected over the timescale covered by the Comprehensive Spending Review. [59421]

[holding answer 12 November 1998]: The Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report published in June made it clear that cash plans of spending departments will be reviewed only if inflation varies substantially from forecast. In responding to the Treasury Committee report on the EFSR the Government said that they will not consider reviewing the cash figures other than in the event of inflation varying by more than 1.5 per cent. cumulatively from the projections in the Comprehensive Spending Review. There is, of course, no presumption that any review would lead to any changes in Departmental cash plans.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he will use to assess the economic case for introducing the ten pence starting rate of income tax; and if he will make a statement. [59435]

[holding answer 12 November 1998]: As the Chancellor made clear in his statement on the Pre-Budget Report on 3 November 1998, Official Report, columns 681–88, the Government will introduce a 10 pence starting rate of income tax when it is economically right to do so. The new rate will be incorporated in the income tax system in the way that best meets the Government's objectives of improving work incentives and promoting a fair and efficient tax system.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the use of tax stamps to combat the smuggling of tobacco and alcohol. [60178]

The use of tax stamps was considered as part of the Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud Review carried out by Customs in partnership with the trade. A report of the Review was published in July this year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to (a) tax pensions lump sums and (b) remove the higher rate tax benefit on private and occupational pensions. [59887]

None.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of a bit tax on Internet access. [60260]

The Government see little merit in the idea of a bit tax on Internet use. Rather we support international efforts to ensure the proper and effective application of existing taxes to economic activity which is undertaken via the Internet.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 26 October 1998, Official Report, column 42, if he will publish the costs to public funds of introducing a tonnage-based tax on British shipping at rates comparable to those levied by other member states of the European Community, together with his estimate of the future trend in the yield from shipping taxes if the current tax regime is retained. [60097]

It would be disproportionately costly to produce a reliable estimate of the cost of introducing a tonnage tax for UK shipping. We do not produce separate forecasts of the tax yield from shipping companies.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received from (a) hon. Members and Peers and (b) members of the public regarding the proposed abolition of the ability of non-taxpayers to reclaim tax credits paid on investment income; and when he expects to announce his decision on whether non-taxpayers can continue to reclaim the tax credit from 6 April 1999. [60159]

The Government have received a number of representations on this subject and we will make an announcement as soon as we are in a position to do so.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact on non-income tax payers of the abolition of tax credits on dividends from April 1999. [60358]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 26 October 1998, Official Report, column 37.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy towards the charging of VAT on building land; and if he will make a statement. [60166]

[holding answer 17 November 1998]: The sale of building land is exempt from VAT unless the person selling it has made an election to tax the supply at 17.5 per cent. VAT.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the Arthur Anderson report on VAT on property; and if he will make a statement. [60167]

[holding answer 17 November 1998]: The report by Arthur Anderson was released by the European Commission last month and it is still being analysed by Customs and Excise. It is too early to make any assessment of its content.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's proposed Public Service Agreements. [58928]

As was made clear at the time of the announcement of the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review the Government place great importance on the public service agreements. The agreements will set out clear objectives, performance and efficiency targets for public services. They will be published next month.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what response there has been from businesses to the Euro Preparation Unit's offer of free fact sheets to help small and medium businesses prepare for the launch of the euro. [60307]

The Euro Preparation Unit's (EPU) business communication campaign on the euro, has proved highly effective in reaching its target audience of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The result of the EPU's direct mailing to 1.6 million SMEs was a response rate of over 10 per cent. This is around three times the industry norm. To date there have been requests for over 300,000 "business preparations for the euro" factsheet packs from businesses and key intermediary bodies.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the tax consequences of EMU. [60622]

In July the Government announced a consultation on the technical tax changes needed to prepare for the introduction of the single currency in other Member States. The consultation was based on some initial proposals which had been developed through earlier dialogue with market participants.In the light of comments received on the consultation, draft regulations have now been drawn up and are being published today. Copies have been placed in the Library. The Government are thus ensuring that business has every opportunity to ensure that the changes that will be enacted will meet its needs.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to modify the regulatory environment for pensions to encourage the private sector to make provision for low-cost, funded, second tier pensions; which of his Ministers is responsible for reviewing pensions regulation; and if he will make a statement. [59362]

[holding answer 12 November 1998]: I have been asked to reply.We are conducting a review into all aspects of pensions, including second tier pensions. One of the challenges for the review is to get the regulation of pensions right, so that people are confident their pensions are secure. We intend to publish a Green Paper on pensions later this year.

To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to make an official visit to East Anglia. [58909]

I have no immediate plans, but I hope to do so in the future.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the forthcoming vacancy on the Committee on Standards in Public Life. [60726]

I am pleased to announce that Professor Alice Brown has accepted my invitation to serve as a member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life in succession to Professor Anthony King who stood down from the Committee at the end of October.I should like to take this opportunity to thank Professor King for his valuable contribution to the work of the Committee over the past four years.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 18 November. [59870]

This morning I had meetings with Ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House today, I will have further such meetings later.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the total value of National Lottery awards given to projects in seaside towns in each of the last three years and what proportion of the total this represents. [58781]

It is not possible to provide a breakdown of National Lottery awards in seaside towns in each of the last three years without incurring disproportionate costs. The Department's website www.lottery.culture.gov.uk. contains details of all awards made to date.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what consultation there has been with (a) local residents and (b) other members of the public by the Royal Parks Agency about its plan to extend parking charges to weekends and bank holidays in (i) Hyde Park and (ii) Regent's Park; [58863](2) if he will list the organisations which the Royal Parks Agency consulted this year about its plan to extend parking charges to weekends and bank holidays in Hyde Park and Regent's Park; [58864]

[holding answer 9 November 1998]: Responsibility for the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. David Welch. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what duty the Royal Parks Agency has to consult local authorities when planning temporary road closures in the Royal Parks; [59778](2) if he will make it his practice to publish details of leases granted by the Royal Parks Agency to private companies of property in the Royal Parks. [59777]

Responsibility for the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. David Welch. I have asked him to arrange for replies to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the registers held by his Department which are open for inspection by (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public. [59740]

[holding answer 16 November 1998]: For both (a) and (b):

Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest;

Schedule of Ancient Monuments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what childcare provision is made available by his Department for the use of staff; what is the cost to parents of this childcare; how many parents used the facilities in the financial years (a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98; and what proportion of total staff used these facilities in the financial years (i) 1996–97 and (ii) 1997–98. [59717]

[holding answer 16 November 1998]: As part of an overall Equal Opportunities Policy the provision of childcare facilities within my Department is two-fold: (i) one nursery place for a child aged between 2 and 5 years at the Stepping Stones Nursery, based at Napier Hall, Pimlico. Parents currently contribute 50 per cent. of the cost of the nursery place at a rate of £79.00 per week.(ii) DCMS staff can also use places at the Westminster Holiday Playscheme which caters for children between 5 and 12 years old and which operates during all the main school holidays at various locations in Whitehall and Victoria. Parents currently contribute 50 per cent. of the cost of the playscheme at a rate of £8.40 per day.Four parents used the childcare facilities in each of the financial years 1996–97 and 1997–98. The proportion of total staff was 1.1 per cent.My Department is committed to developing its family friendly policies further. Childcare is only one element. Measures already in place to help staff to balance work and family life include: part time working, jobshare, flexi-time, homeworking, paid maternity, paternity and adoption leave, career breaks and special leave for domestic purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) which Football League clubs have applied for lottery money from the Sports Council of England for youth development schemes; [59939]

[holding answer 16 November 1998]: Sixty-nine Football League clubs are eligible for Lottery money under the Youth Football Development Programme, which is jointly funded by the FA Premier League and the Lottery Sports Fund. So far thirty one clubs have been awarded Lottery funding from the English Sports Council; fourteen clubs' applications are under assessment by the ESC; and three applications have been returned with a request for further information. No clubs have been turned down for funding under this scheme. The table sets out the awards that have been made to date.

FAPL/ESC Youth Football Development Programme
£
Club	Total project costs (1st year)	Lottery Sports Fund (1st year)	Lottery Sports Fund (4 years total)
Barnet	195,773	69,000	276,000
Brighton & Hove Albion	167,700	69,000	276,000
Bristol City	374,000	69,000	276,000
Bury	285,958	69,000	276,000
Chesterfield	259,817	69,000	276,000
Colchester United	171,050	69,000	276,000
Crewe Alexandra	301,731	69,000	276,000
Fulham	548,548	69,000	276,000
Huddersfield Town	200,361	100,181	400,722
Ipswich Town	686,204	69,000	276,000
Leyton Orient	200,318	69,000	276,000
Lincoln City	213,035	69,000	276,000
Manchester City	870,034	69,000	276,000
Millwall	394,000	69,000	276,000
Northampton Town	286,831	69,000	276,000
Norwich City	288,000	69,000	276,010
Notts County	226,154	69,000	276,000
Oldham Athletic	284,751	69,000	276,000
Oxford United	234,362	57,551	230,204
Peterborough United	737,199	69,000	276,000
QPR	812,080	69,000	276,000
Reading	219,673	69,000	276,000
Rotherham United	221,961	69,000	276,000
Sheffield United	219,703	48,372	193,488
Shrewsbury Town	182,704	58,834	235,336
Stoke City	266,348	69,000	276,000
Sunderland	540,892	69,000	276,000
Walsall	225,946	69,000	276,000
Watford	359,000	69,000	276,000
West Bromwich Albion	307,605	69,000	276,000
Wycombe Wanderers	185,075	69,000	276,000
Grand Total	10,466,773	2,127,938	8,511,750

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what are the requirements placed on the BBC to advertise senior executive appointments externally. [59937]

[holding answer 16 November 1998]: Under the terms of the Royal Charter and the Government's Agreement with the BBC, the BBC Governors are responsible for appointing the Director General and other senior members of staff. It is for the Governors to determine whether or not to advertise such posts externally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans there are for exhibitions in the buildings of the former Royal Observatory, Greenwich, during and after the millennium celebrations. [60103]

The Royal Observatory, Greenwich, has been a Museum, run as part of the National Maritime Museum, for the past forty years and there has been no recent change in status in this regard. Decisions on exhibitions at the Observatory are a matter for the National Maritime Museum Trustees and, given that the Observatory was extensively refurbished and updated in 1993, there are no plans for new displays during the Millennium year. The Museum will however be mounting a major exhibition on The Story of Time (exploring the changes and developments in the concepts of time throughout the ages across a number of different cultures) in the Queen's House, Greenwich.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what assessment he has made of the extent to which the computer systems in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies to which his Department is responsible will be modified and tested in relation to the millennium computer problem by January 1999; and if he will make a statement; [60128](2) what is his latest estimate of the total cost of tackling the millennium computer problem including the embedded chip problem in

[holding answer 17 November 1998]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Garston (Maria Eagle) on 21 October 1998, Official Report, column 1109, in which she announced the results of the latest quarterly review of Government Departments' and Agencies' progress in tackling the bug. This also covered key organisations within the wider public sector including the BBC. The information the hon. Member requests will be found in the copies of Departments' plans which have been published in the Libraries of the House. The results of the next quarterly review will be announced shortly to the House and the updates to quarterly plans will be placed in the Libraries of the House and on the internet.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the contingency plans drawn up by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies in relation to problems arising from millennium compliance including the embedded chip problem after 31 December 1999. [60129]

[holding answer 17 November 1998]: My Department is in the process of drawing up contingency plans in the event of problems arising from the millennium bug. My Permanent Secretary is in touch with all our sponsored bodies, both agencies and other public bodies, about this matter.An assessment of all the embedded systems in DCMS' buildings has been undertaken. Only one system has been found to be non-complaint and that has been replaced with an updated Year 2000 compliant system.All DCMS sponsored bodies have given assurances that this matter is incorporated in their Year 2000 compliance work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the problems which have arisen in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies for which his Department is responsible from millennium compliance; if he will make a statement on progress to date in tackling such problems; and what are the priority areas for remedial work. [60127]

[holding answer 17 November 1998]: My Department has completed over 75 per cent. of its Year 2000 compliance work. To date, no significant problems have been found. An assessment of all the embedded systems in DCMS' buildings has been undertaken. Only one system has been found to be non-compliant and that has been replaced with an updated Year 2000 compliant system.Problems arising in DCMS' sponsored bodies compliance work are not collated centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. However, quarterly progress statements supplied by our sponsored bodies can be found on DCMS' website (www.culture.gov.uk).

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the conclusions of Taskforce 2000 published on 11 November in respect of his Department's most recent quarterly return on plans and progress towards Year 2000 readiness. [60221]

I have noted the Taskforce 2000 report. My Department expects to be fully Year 2000 compliant by March 1999. The compliance programme has also been audited by my Department's internal auditors.The results of the next quarterly review will be announced shortly to the House and copies of DCMS' latest quarterly return will be placed in the Library and published on the Internet.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what consultations he is undertaking on the proposed better government White Paper. [58923]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office for what reasons the White Paper on better government has been delayed. [58924]

As I explained to the House on 21 October 1998, Official Report, columns 1267-68, the Government will publish a White Paper in the spring, setting out proposals for modernising government and joining up public services, to secure effective decision-making and services that work and respond to the people who need them. The Prime Minister has asked me to chair a Cabinet Committee to drive this agenda forward and the timetable remains firmly on course. I am keen to take into account a wide range of views and ideas in preparing the White Paper.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the progress of the better government for older people pilot projects. [58925]

The Better Government for Older People programme is a flagship project for joined-up Government. The 28 local pilots are developing an ambitious range of projects to improve the quality of public services for older people. We are also setting up a Learning Network to make sure many more authorities across the UK are able to share learning and experience with the pilots.As the number of older people in our society continues to rise, we will need increasingly to value and celebrate them for the experience they bring and the positive contribution they can make. This programme is a step in that direction and will make a real difference to the lives of older people as we enter the new Millennium.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the role of the Government Information Service. [58926]

The role of the Government Information and Communication Service is to communicate information about the policies and actions of the Government of the day. It does so through the media and through paid publicity campaigns, conducted in an economic and appropriate way, having regard to the need to be able to justify the costs as expenditure of public funds.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent discussions he has had with hon. Members on the mechanisms for the co-ordination of Government policy. [58929]

My role is to assist the Prime Minister and Ministerial colleagues in the implementation and co-ordination of Government policy and its effective presentation. The Government are interested in obtaining a wide range of views, and those of hon. Members are an important part of this process.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to use new technology to improve communication between Government and citizens. [58930]

A new strategic framework for electronic government services will be set out in the proposed White Paper on Better Government.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to visit Wales in the course of his duties. [58931]

I have no plans to visit Wales in the near future.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the delivery across departments of Government policy relating to genetically modified organisms. [58932]

The Government recognise the potential benefits offered by developments in biotechnology, but also the environmental and human safety issues which these raise.The new Ministerial Group on Biotechnology and Genetic Modification, which the Prime Minister has asked me to chair, will review our policies in this field and how they are delivered.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what use he will make of the first results from the people's panel in the development of public services. [58933]

We intend to use the results from the People's Panel to inform our decision-making on improving public services. The Panel is an important part of our drive to modernise Government and make public services more responsive to users.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what further changes he proposes to make in the deregulation process following the publication of the better regulation guide. [58935]

Following the publication of the Better Regulation Guide, the Government are establishing systems to monitor new regulatory proposals, as well as training and arrangements for regulatory reporting, in order to promote the better regulation process.The Guide does not affect availability or use of the Deregulation order making process and we will continue to put forward draft orders for consideration by the House of Commons Deregulation Committee and the Delegate Powers and Deregulation Committee of the House of Lords. The Government are also looking at the scope for reform of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what arrangements he is making in connection with public servants whose contracts have expired to avoid real or apparent conflicts of interest arising from their subsequent employment by the private sector. [58936]

Civil servants are bound by the business appointment rules, which govern the acceptance of offers of employment on leaving Crown service. The terms and conditions of service of other public servants are a matter for the relevant appointing authorities.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to inform hon. Members of the problems created by drug misuse in the United Kingdom. [58937]

The UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator will present to me in the spring his first Annual Report and Plan of Action against Drug Misuse. This will include a progress report on the strategy Tackling Drugs To Build a Better Britain which was launched in April. His findings and priorities for action will be made available in the Library.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on progress in the Government's anti-drug strategy following the appointment of the anti-drugs co-ordinator. [58938]

The Government's anti-drugs strategy Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain published in April this year established a framework for action over the next 10 years. The long term targets are to reduce drug misuse by young people, to reduce drug-related crime, to increase participation in drug treatment and to reduce the availability of drugs. Specific short and medium term targets will be in place by March 1999. Locally, Drug Action Teams are now drawing up action plans for 1999–2000. The UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator will assess progress and report annually to Government starting in March 1999.In September 1998, following the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review, the Government announced £217 million additional funding over the next 3 years for anti-drugs activities.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to ensure greater action against drugs by public authorities acting at community level. [58940]

Drug Action Teams are responsible for co-ordinating action against drugs at local level. They are drawing up local action plans to meet the objectives in the anti-drugs strategy Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain which are required to be with the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator by 31 December. The Government will provide £15 million over the next three years to support Drug Action Teams in their Co-ordination function, an increase of £1.5 million per annum.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what additional measures have been put in place to assist pro-active drug enforcement measures at points of entry; and if he will make a statement. [58854]

Customs together with other relevant enforcement agencies are currently reviewing their drugs enforcement policies and operational priorities in the light of the aims and objectives outlined in the Government's anti-drugs strategy Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain launched in April 1998. The UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator will be taking account of departments' forward plans in presenting his Annual Report and Plan of Action against drugs to Government.

£ million
Additional funding	1999–2000	2000–2001	2001–2002
PSS (purchase of community care services)	3	5	12.5
NHS: Health Authorities drug misuse special allocation Comprehensive provision for treatment of problem drug	12	18	20
between prisons and community	20	20	20
Voluntary Drug Testing in prison	2	5	5
Piloting of Drug Treatment and Testing Orders followed by comprehensive implementation subject to evaluation	1	20	40
Education and Prevention	1	1	1

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what strategies have been put in place since 15 October 1997 to support local projects involving (a) police, (b) local government, (c) schools and (d) businesses aimed at curbing the activities of dealers in illegal drugs; [58857](2) what additional measures have been put in place since the appointment of the Government's Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator to combat the

The Government's anti-drugs strategy "Tackling Drugs Together to Build a Better Britain" published in April this year established a framework for action over the next 10 years. The priorities in 1998–99 relate to developing the Key Performance Indicators which will measure progress in future years against the objectives outlined in the strategy. Drug Action Teams are undertaking work which will form the basis for action in 1999–2000 and following years to implement the strategy at a local level.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of the extra1 resources for the drug misuse budget is made up of assets seized from drug dealers following conviction for drugs trafficking. [58851]

In the White Paper "Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain", we announced that a proportion of assets seized from drug traffickers will be channelled back into anti-drugs programmes. Officials in the Cabinet Office, the Treasury, the Home Office and

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what level of funding is to be made available in 1998–99 on prevention and treatment services for drug misuse; and how much is planned to be spent on these services in each of the next three years; [58868](2) what proportion of the extra resources for the drug misuse budget are designated for

The Government's Comprehensive Spending Review on drugs found that in 1997–98, of the £1.4 billion total estimated expenditure on anti-drugs activities, 12 per cent was spent on prevention (including education) and 13 per cent was spent on treatment and rehabilitation. Similar levels of expenditure are expected in 1998–99. Additional funding available for three years from 1999–2000 is outlined in the table.other relevant departments are presently considering how this can best be achieved. The Government expect to make an announcement later this year about the amount available for the financial year 1999–2000, and the criteria on which it is to be distributed.The additional resources of £217 million made available under the Comprehensive Spending Review do not include assets recovered from drug traffickers.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many programmes to educate young people in the dangers of illegal drugs have been initiated since 15 October 1997. [58856]

The Government have continued to support a range of existing drug education programmes through, for example, the Department of Health's contract with the Health Education Authority, the Department for Education and Employment's Standards Fund and the Home Office Drugs Prevention initiative.The Government published their 10 year anti-drugs strategy in April following a review of all action to tackle drug misuse by the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator. Education is an essential part, and all future anti-drugs activity and expenditure by the Government are being developed in accordance with this strategy. A total of £19.5 million per year will help to support the development of effective programmes across the country.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what additional measures have been put in place to bring about a reduction in the international supply of illegal drugs; and if he will make a statement. [58852]

Reducing the availability of illegal drugs on our streets is one of the key objectives of the Government's strategy for tackling drugs misuse.International effort aims to reduce the flow of illegal drugs to the UK by reducing production of illegal drugs, improving the effectiveness of efforts to control the trade in illegal drugs and the chemical precursors used in their manufacture, and targeting drugs profits through effective international action against money laundering.Resources are targeted at the key producer and transit countries for drugs reaching the UK: in particular the Caribbean, Latin America, South West and Central Asia, and South Eastern Europe.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the increase in drug misuse in rural areas. [59765]

The Government take seriously any report that indicates drug misuse problems in rural communities. Accordingly, the Home Office Drugs Prevention Initiative has commissioned further research to inform drug prevention action in rural areas.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) if his Department will allocate funds specifically for tackling drug misuse in rural areas; [59766](2) what consideration will be given to the particular circumstances of rural communities in the implementation of the cross-departmental review of illegal drugs. [59764]

The UK Anti-Drugs strategy launched in April seeks to address the needs of both rural and urban communities. In September, I announced substantial additional funding of £217 million over the next three years, following the Drugs Comprehensive Spending Review to deal specifically with drug misuse issues. Drug Action Teams are responsible for tackling drug misuse locally and must determine local needs and spending priorities.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what further support is planned for the work of the drug action teams following the provision of extra resources within the Comprehensive Spending Review. [58982]

Of the £217 million additional funding for anti-drugs activities provided as a result of the Comprehensive Spending Review, £1.5 million over three years is to support the local coordination function of Drug Action Teams. The total central government support for local co-ordination by Drug Action Teams will be £15 million during the financial years 1999 to 2002. The Government are considering the views of Drug Action Teams on the allocation of this funding. Decisions will be announced later this month.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what step he is taking to ensure disabled access to Government publications. [58939]

The Central Office of Information (COI) provides a number of services to government departments to assist them in ensuring that their information material is accessible to people with disabilities. The COI's Informability Unit offers advice and consultancy on accessible information issues and also procurement of accessible formats. The Unit has published The Informability Manual, which is widely used throughout government departments and the private sector as a good-practice guide to making information accessible.The COI also produces two magazine services, one on audio cassette (Sound Advice), the other on British Sign Language and subtitling on video (Public Scene). These magazines are available to government departments and agencies to publicise details of current publications and campaigns to sensory impaired audiences. Both services are supplied free to organisations which relate to people with disabilities or literacy problems and act as disseminators of the information to their particular audiences.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the conclusions of Taskforce 2000 published on 11 November in respect of his Department's most recent quarterly return on plans and progress towards Year 2000 readiness. [60217]

For the purpose of this answer, the Prime Minister's Office is part of the Cabinet Office.The Taskforce 2000 report has rightly noted that no insurmountable problems are expected for the Cabinet Office and its agencies on plans and progress towards Year 2000 readiness. Detailed comments on Taskforce 2000's observations are as follows:Some non-critical systems have been rescheduled in the Cabinet Office central department but remain on target for completion by the second quarter of 1999. These systems are being replaced as part of the planned implementation of, and within the planned expenditure for, the Department's IT strategy.The Buying Agency's schedule is to have in place compliant versions of all business critical systems by 31 March 1999 and to stay within planned expenditure. Non critical systems are expected to be tested by the end of September 1999. Business continuity plans and end-to-end business process testing will be in place by January 1999.The Property Advisers to the Civil Estate's programme to make compliant business critical areas is well advanced. The slower programme to ensure compliance for non-critical areas, such as vacant surplus property, is also fully on schedule and will be completed by September 1999. This is consistent with the Agency's own advice to Government Departments issued in June 1997.The role of the Civil Service College is to help develop managerial and professional skills and promote best practice throughout Government in both management and key professional areas. It does not offer technical IT training courses. Nevertheless, it does and will continue to include Year 2000 issues in Systems Management and Project Management courses where appropriate. The Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (the relevant Cabinet Office Agency) offers a wide range of advice and guidance on Year 2000 issues to the public sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given to local authorities and the police regarding the operation of the House to House Collections Act 1939, with particular reference to soliciting householders for goods which they believe are for UK-based charity shops but which are exported for commercial gain. [59889]

Officials met representatives from the Charity Shops Group recently to discuss some of the problems identified in this area. Consideration is being given to whether there is a need for guidance to be given to the relevant authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure that Part III of the Charities Act 1992 is being enforced to control house to house collections. [59888]

Part III of the Charities Act 1992 has not yet been brought into force. I hope soon to be in a position to announce proposals for taking this matter forward.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason category A prisoners in Belmarsh prison are required to leave defence papers in their cell during a search. [60014]

Section 17.73 of the Prison Service Security Manual, a copy of which is in the Library, stipulates that, during a cell search, staff must examine legal correspondence thoroughly, in the absence of the prisoner, so far as is necessary to ensure that it is bona fide correspondence between the prisoner and a legal adviser and does not conceal anything else. This applies to all prisoners in all closed prisons.When searching cells, it is essential that prison officers search all items in the prisoner's possession. If legal documents are not searched there is a risk of other documents and small items, such as blades or drugs, being concealed.This policy has been tested in the Court of Appeal and I am satisfied that it is within the law.

Asylum applications1received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and initial decisions on applications, November 1996 to October 1998, for nationals of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia2
Principal applicants
	Applications			Decisions
	Total	Port	In country	Total decisions	Grants of asylum	Grants of ELR	Total refusals
1996
November	50	30	20	35	—	5	35
December	55	35	20	65	55	5	5

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers, claiming Kosovan origin are currently detained at (a) Campsfield House and (b) other immigration detention centres. [60013]

Regrettably, information on the number of detained asylum seekers who claim to be Kosovan can be obtained only by examining individual case records and is, therefore, available only at disproportionate cost.As there is no distinct nationality of Kosovan, those claiming to be Kosovan are usually to be found among nationals of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). Some claiming to be Kosovan are in fact Albanian.The number of each of these nationalities held in the five main centres on 17 November 1998 was:

	FRY	Albania
Campsfield House	8	15
Tinsley House	6	8
Harmondsworth	4	4
Haslar	4	9
Rochester	23	23
Total	45	59

These data include those detained under Immigration Act powers, whether or not they have claimed asylum at any time.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Kosovans (a) have applied for asylum, (b) have had an initial decision on their application, (c) are appealing against asylum decisions and (d) have been granted asylum or exceptional leave to remain in each of the last 24 months; and what formal or informal procedures are used to identify Kosovans. [60344]

The available information is on asylum applications and decisions for nationals of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and is given in the table. Although Kosovans are not separately identifiable, the vast majority of applicants from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia claim to be ethnic Albanians from Kosovo. I regret that there is no information available regarding nationals of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia appealing against asylum decisions.The determination of whether an applicant is an ethnic Albanian from Kosovo in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as claimed, is based on the information and evidence available in the individual case, including any documentation submitted and the outcome of any interview conducted. There is evidence that some of those claiming to be Kosovan are in fact from Albania.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long the programme of testing and evaluation he requires before cannabis can be made available on prescription will take; and what procedures will have to be gone through. [60104]

The Government's view is that cannabis should not be available on prescription unless or until the safety, quality and efficacy of a medicinal form have been scientifically established and a marketing authorisation issued by the Medicines Control Agency. In order to satisfy those requirements, I understand from the Medicines Control Agency that a product based on cannabis would have to go through carefully designed clinical trials, a procedure which all prospective new medicines have to complete. How long such procedures would take would depend on precisely how the trials were undertaken and the results which began to emerge during them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what, in each of the last five years, was the average level of fine issued in respect of each category of crime for which fines are used; and if he will make a statement. [60343]

The information is given in the table.The fine remains the most commonly used disposal of the courts and, as the figures in the table show, there has been an 11 per cent. increase in the level of fines over the five year period between 1993 and 1997.