To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent percentage increases there have been in the daily rates charged for planning inspectors conducting inquiries into local plans and other planning inquiries; and if he will make a statement. [61188]

I have asked the Planning Inspectorate's Chief Executive, Mr. Chris Shepley, to write to the right hon. and learned Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the policies applied by English Partnerships when deciding whether to fund development proposals affecting sites of special scientific interest are to be reviewed following the release of the consultation paper on better protection and management of SSSIs. [61006]

English Partnerships is currently reviewing all aspects of its environmental policy, including that on development proposals affecting SSSIs. This review is taking account of the commitments set out in my department's consultation document "Better Protection and Management of SSSIs", that Government Departments and agencies publish statements of commitment, or sign appropriate memoranda of understanding with DETR, in relation to the obligation to secure the protection and positive management of special sites for which they are responsible.The review will result in the production of new internal guidance, which will include more specific advice on how the Agency operates on land close to, or within, SSSIs and other environmentally sensitive areas. A copy of this will be placed in the Library of the House when available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many tenant representatives there are on the Housing Sounding Board. [61427]

I established the Housing Sounding Board in December last year to discuss a number of housing issues. Members of the Board have a wide range of experience in housing and related issues and serve in a personal capacity. The current members are:

• Chris Holmes, Shelter
• Alan Kilburn, formerly of Home Housing Association
• Steve Mycio, Manchester City Council
• Mike Ockenden, Barclays
• Anne Power, London School of Economics
• Heather Rabbatts, Lambeth Borough Council
• Steve Wilcox, University of York and HACAS
• Neale Coleman, Paddington Consultancy Partnership
• Steve Hilditch, Paddington Consultancy Partnership.

As the Board nears the end of its first year, I am reviewing its future purposes and membership. As part of that review, I will be considering tenant and other representation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what would have been the additional increase in the council tax at Band D of each local authority in 1998–99 if the proposed council tax limitation scheme had been introduced this year, assuming the limit had been set at five per cent. over 1997–98. [61666]

We have abolished crude and universal capping and have not proposed a council tax limitation scheme for 1999–2000 or subsequent years. We will be taking reserve powers to limit council taxes in the Local Government Bill published on 1 December 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will confer upon charter trustees and town councils the powers contained in section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972 in respect to the conferring of honorary freedoms. [61833]

No. I am advised that for my right hon. Friend to extend the powers in section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972 to include charter trustees and town councils would he unusual, unexpected and inappropriate. We have no plans for further legislation in this field.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the outcome of his meeting with train operating companies. [61938]

The Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Transport in London and I met representatives from the rail franchisees and Railtrack on November 26. The meeting was frank and constructive. It represented a significant first step aimed at delivering improvements to passengers.The Government believe, and the industry accepts, that the target must be progressive, year-on-year improvement in performance. Measures identified to improve service in the short term included the recruitment and training of 800 drivers and the introduction over the next year of 500 new vehicles, of which about half will be additional to the current fleet. There will be a wider-ranging National Railways Summit next February to build on measures and actions identified at this first meeting.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the research on the effect of aircraft noise on sleep disturbance which his Department has commissioned, indicating sites chosen for noise trials. [61974]

We have commissioned a research trial on the effect of aircraft noise on sleep disturbance. This trial is to assess analytical techniques and methodology, and their limitations, to help us decide whether to proceed with a full-scale study either of sleep prevention or of total sleep loss, and to determine what should be included in any such study. The trial will involve taking measurements of people sleeping in their own homes and will be based at Manchester Airport, which provides a suitable combination of densely populated communities close to the airport with a spread of aircraft noise throughout the night. It may be extended to Heathrow if actual noise levels in the early morning at Manchester prove insufficient for the purposes of the trial. No specific sites have been selected yet. The steering group for the study includes representatives of the consultative committees from Manchester, Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, along with the airport management, airlines and environmentalists.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to include provision for spending on tourism in the Standard Spending Assessment. [61086]

The element of the Standard Spending Assessments for Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services (formerly known as "Other Services"), makes allowance for spending on a group of services which includes tourism.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Government are taking to help small and medium businesses improve their environmental performance. [62215]

By setting up a single environment and energy helpline (0800 58 57 94), the Government are making it very much easier for SMEs to find out how they can improve their environmental performance. The Helpline, which will be run under the auspices of the Government's Energy Efficiency and Environmental Technology Best Practice Programmes, will come into operation today. It will provide callers with free access to:

impartial best practice information

up to two hours telephone assistance from an energy or environment expert; and, where it would be beneficial

on-site technical advice, where this would be beneficial and worthwhile.

Small and medium businesses are an important part of the UK economy. There are about 3M firms, 80,000 of which employ 20 to 250 people. They employ around 4 million people and have a turnover of £4 billion. They are also responsible for one-third of the carbon dioxide emissions from business and a significant proportion of other waste. Smaller companies therefore have a significant role to play to help meet our climate change targets.There can be significant benefits in improving environmental performance for companies of all sizes. On average, a fifth of energy and a quarter of a company's waste can be avoided cost-effectively. Saving resources saves money and improves competitiveness—gain, not pain. The Government's two Best Practice Programmes provide authoritative advice on how to improve environmental and energy efficiency performance. For business, there are competitiveness advantage. And, for everyone, there are environmental advantages. The Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme, for example, has helped to save energy worth around £650 million a year and consequently 3.25 million tonnes of carbon—across the nation.To ensure this new initiative is a success, the helpline will be closely co-ordinated with Government Office Regional Energy and Environmental Management Contacts (REEMCs), Business Links, green business clubs, the Energy Saving Trust's Energy Efficiency Advice Centres, the Environment Agency's regional offices, Training and Enterprise Councils and local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has held with (a) Greenwich Council, (b) London Underground and (c) the Port of London Authority over contingency plans for transport to the Millennium Dome. [61980]

My hon. Friend the Minister for Transport in London, through her Millennium Access Co-ordination Group, asked London Underground Limited to lead the production of contingency plans for transport to the Millennium Dome, and keep the group informed of progress. Progress was presented to the group in October, at which time there was discussions on how the work was progressing and next steps.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Franchise Director has taken to involve the train rolling stock companies in supplying Connex's rolling stock replacement needs. [61877]

The two train operating companies franchised to Connex will have to replace or modify certain trains to meet their commitments to the Franchising Director and any requirements of the Health and Safety Executive. How they achieve this is a matter for the companies.

To ask the Attorney-General what approach prosecutors take to reliance on inferences which may be drawn from silence during police questioning at a time when the suspect is denied access to legal advice, having regard to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in John Murray v United Kingdom. [62217]

The Government intend to introduce the necessary legislation in the forthcoming Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Bill and this legislation will be extended to Northern Ireland, by way of negative resolution Order in Council, to ensure that the domestic law which was at issue in Murray v United Kingdom is fully compatible with our obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights. As an interim measure, I have today promulgated to prosecuting authorities guidance about the handling of cases where the evidence available to the prosecution would include such inferences as might be drawn from the accused's silence in the circumstances covered by Sections 34, 36 and 37 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (and corresponding provisions in Northern Ireland) when the suspect has been denied access to legal advice at the time of questioning.A copy of the guidance has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Its effect is that the prosecution should not seek to rely on inferences drawn from silence before access to legal advice had been granted. In the event that a court, of its own volition, indicates an intention to draw any such inferences, its attention would be drawn to the judgment in the John Murray case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much expenditure in 1996–1997 can be associated directly with security activities in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) the Falklands and (c) the remaining United Kingdom dependent territories. [61696]

Expenditure directly associated with security activities cannot be distinguished from that on other activities. The following costs of the military presence provide a broad guide to the overall level of commitment in 1996–97:

• (a) Northern Ireland £505 million.

This figure relates to the costs incurred by the General Officer Commanding, Northern Ireland. It thus excludes related elements of expenditure, incurred elsewhere within Class I Votes, which are not separately identified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the approved complement was of the Territorial Army Reserve in (a) May 1979 and (b) May 1997. [60859]

The Territorial Army established as of 1 May 1997 was 59,000 posts, excluding Non Regular Permanent Staff. Establishment figures for the year 1979 are not available as records of that time only detail the strength of the TA, which was 59,400 in May 1979.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the impact his announcement on the future of the TA will have on manpower levels in Chelmsford. [61887]

There are currently 136 Territorial Army posts in Chelmsford. The restructuring of the TA will reduce this figure to 120.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what precautions are available to (a) forces personnel, (b) officials and (c) Ministers in his Department travelling overseas and facing the risk of hepatitis A infection; [61053]

[holding answer 27 November 1998]: Members of the Armed Forces, Defence Ministers and officials travelling overseas and facing the risk of hepatitis A infection are offered immunisation against the disease in accordance with advice issued by the Department of Health. Gamma globulin (Known as human normal immunoglobulin) would be offered, in addition to hepatitis A vaccination, for short notice visits to areas of significant risk when protection is required within 10 days of the first dose of hepatitis A vaccine. Advice on appropriate immunisation is available from MOD medical staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the British participants in the defence industry seminar organised by the Italian presidency of the Western European Union in conjunction with the Rome ministerial meeting; and if he will make a statement. [60978]

[holding answer 27 November 1998]: My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, accompanied by officials from the MOD and one from the Department of Trade and Industry, attended the seminar in Rome on 17 November. Representatives of the British defence industry were also present. The seminar considered the issues surrounding the restructuring of European defence industry, both within Europe and in relation to the global market. Among those present were members and observer countries of the Western European Armaments Group and representatives of the European defence industry and European Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civil and (b) military personnel are employed at (i) the Clyde Submarine Base, Faslane and (ii) the Royal Naval Armaments Depot, Coulport. [61844]

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate how many (a) direct and (b) indirect civilian jobs rely upon the Trident programme currently; and how many will in (i) 2000, (ii) 2010 and (iii) 2020. [61846]

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed by the atomic weapons establishments at (a) Aldermaston, (b) Burghfield and (c) Blacknest. [61845]

AWE plc currently employ 4,055 staff at Aldermaston, 544 at Burghfield and 13 at Blacknest. These figures exclude Hunting-BRAE staff, contractors and sub-contractors, Ministry of Defence Police and other MOD employees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civilian and (b) military personnel are employed at (i) the Royal Dockyard, Rosyth and (ii) the Royal Dockyard, Devonport. [61847]

The Royal Dockyards at Rosyth and Devonport were privatised in January 1997 and are now owned by Babcock Rosyth Defence Limited and Devonport Management Limited, respectively.In addition to the Dockyard companies' workforce, the following Ministry of Defence employed personnel also work at the Royal Dockyards (based on the latest information available):

	Civilian	Military
Rosyth Royal Dockyard	459.5	50
Devonport Royal Dockyard	208.5	15

To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the statement by Mr. Denis Halliday, the former United Nations Humanitarian Co-ordinator in Iraq, in Middle East International of 13 November, a copy of which has been given to him, that the policy of the United Kingdom and United States of America towards Iraq is incompatible with the Charter of the United Nations. [61694]

[holding answer 30 November 1998]: Sanctions on Iraq were imposed under and in accordance with the UN Charter.The latest report by the UN Secretary General on the "oil for food" programme, published on 19 November, notes that the programme continues to have a positive effect on the living conditions of the Iraqi people.

To ask the Prime Minister what the composition and terms of reference are of the Cabinet Committee on Productivity and Competitiveness mentioned in the Pre-Budget report. [62254]

I have asked my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to chair a new Cabinet Sub-Committee on Productivity and Competitiveness. The composition and terms of reference for this Committee are:

• Ministerial Sub-Committee on Productivity and Competitiveness EA(PC)
• Composition
• Chancellor of the Exchequer (Chair)
• Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
• Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Secretary of State for Education and Employment
• Minister for the Cabinet Office
• Secretary of State for Scotland
• Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
• Secretary of State for Wales
• Terms of Reference
• "To consider measures to improve the productivity and competitiveness of the United Kingdom economy".

To ask the Prime Minister when the Government first announced that they planned to introduce a closed-list system in respect of elections to the European Parliament. [61841]

When the European Parliamentary Elections Bill was published and introduced on 29 October 1997, it set out the precise nature of the proposed system.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements are being made for the registration and licensing of the maximum continuous engine power of fishing vessels; and if he will make a statement. [62219]

On 17 December 1997, Official Report, columns 345–46, I announced that Fisheries Departments planned to introduce from 1 January 1999 phased arrangements for recording maximum continuous engine power on fishing vessel licences.Following that announcement, the arrangements for the recording of maximum continuous engine power have been the subject of detailed consideration by Fisheries Departments, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). Since the fishing vessel licensing regime operated by Fisheries Departments is dependent on vessel characteristics as registered by the Registrar of Shipping and Seamen, part of MCA, parallel changes will be introduced in the arrangements for registering fishing vessel engine power. These changes have also been discussed with representatives of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, the Northern Ireland Fishermen's Federation and the Scottish Fishermen's Federation as part of a wider review of UK fishing vessel licensing.We are now writing to advise all fishing vessel owners and licence holders of the new arrangements.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes he proposes to make in the arrangements for the licensing of pelagic freezer trawlers and pair trawling; and if he will make a statement. [62218]

In July 1998, Fisheries Departments issued a consultation document seeking comments on proposals to assist pelagic freezer trawling including the aggregation of whitefish with pelagic licences and pair trawling with vessels from other Member States. The proposals attracted wide-ranging comments from the fishing industry.After careful consideration, it has been decided to introduce a time-limited scheme for the introduction or replacement of pelagic freezer trawlers. Any person may introduce a pelagic freezer trawler into the UK fleet by aggregating Category A whitefish licences and/or category A pelagic trawler licences with existing Category A pelagic freezer trawler or purse seine licences or licence entitlements, provided:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to ensure that the European Code of Conduct on the arms trade is adopted into UK law; and what plans he has to make arms brokering to arms embargoed countries a crime. [61492]

The EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, which was an Anglo-French initiative, was adopted by the EU General Affairs Council on 8 June. However, as our own national arms export criteria are not legally binding, the UK Government felt that it would not have been appropriate or realistic to press our partners to sign up to a legally binding instrument to give effect to similar criteria at the EU level.The Government already impose controls on trafficking and brokering under the United Nations Act 1946 where this is necessary to implement a binding United Nations decision. In addition, the White Paper on Strategic Export Controls, which was published on 1 July, contains proposals to extend controls on trafficking and brokering in several areas, including to countries subject to other types of embargo, whether as a result of non-binding decisions of the UN or decisions of the EU, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe or the UK Government. This would mean that, as is already the case for binding UN arms embargoes, it would be an offence for persons in the UK or UK persons abroad to be involved in trafficking or brokering in controlled goods to countries subject to these other types of embargo, without a valid licence. The use of a licensing system, rather than imposing an outright ban, would enable the Government to sanction such transfers on the rare occasions that they are desirable (e.g. the transfer of equipment to peacekeeping forces in an embargoed destination).

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he intends to take to ensure that the Council of Ministers Working Group on arms exports agrees a common list of items be controlled by the EU Code. [61495]

I have been asked to reply.The CFSP Working Group on Conventional Arms Exports is taking forward work to agree a common list of military equipment covered by the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports. The UK is playing an active role in this work with a view to ensuring its successful conclusion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he intends to take to ensure that there is clear and transparent annual reporting of the different types and amounts of weapons covered by arms export licences granted and denied by (a) the UK and (b) other European Union countries. [61493]

I have been asked to reply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives he has taken to encourage the start-up and growth of Afro-Caribbean-owned businesses. [61177]

The Government seek to provide a stable economic environment which encourages the start-up and growth of businesses from all sectors of the population.Business Link Services are aimed at the needs of the local business community. In areas where there is a high proportion of Afro-Caribbean businesses, issues of particular concern to them must be addressed.As part of the Enhanced Accreditation Criteria (launched April 1998) Business Link partnerships must now demonstrate that Business Link advisers have the appropriate background for dealing with their client base and that the Business Link Board is representative of the business community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he proposes to ensure future participation by United Kingdom companies in the projected market increase for software and other digital product sales over the Internet. [61832]

The department is building on existing mechanisms such as the Software Business Network (SBN), Trade UK and the Northern Ireland Growth Challenge (NIGC) which currently support companies in these emerging areas. Our intention is to create in the UK the best environment in the world in which to trade electronically by 2002. We will introduce legislation during this session of Parliament to help to build confidence in electronic commerce.Further measures will be announced in the forthcoming White Paper on Competitiveness.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements are in place to authorise the export of controlled dual-use goods by the United Kingdom Government. [62290]

On 27 November, the Export Control Organisation of my Department issued an Open Licence which permits the export to any destination, subject to the conditions of the licence, all dual-use goods specified in any entry in Annexe I to Council Decision 94/942/CFSP or in Schedule 2 to the Dual-Use and Related Goods (Export Control) Regulations, where the export is by the Crown. A copy of the licence has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress the Government have made in reviewing their policy on minewater pollution from abandoned mines. [62291]

The Government have reviewed their policy on water pollution from abandoned coal mines. I have written to the Chairman of the Authority setting out my views, and my commitment to the Authority's programme of preventing and treating significant water pollution from long-abandoned mines.The Authority should also give a high priority to carrying out appropriate research, monitoring and preventive work and early treatment into pollution from more recently abandoned mines. These activities will be carried out in close collaboration with the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The Coal Authority will have a separate minewater budget within its Grant-in-Aid to ensure that the Authority's other activities do not adversely affect its minewater programme, and that any emergencies can be dealt with.The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Welsh Office and the Environment Agency, and the Scottish Office and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency are monitoring recently abandoned non-coal mines where there is a risk of pollution, with a view to taking appropriate action where no private operator is legally liable.Copies of my letter to the Chairman of the Authority have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce security standards to meet the challenge posed by information warfare techniques to United Kingdom telecommunications. [61671]

Information warfare, like all criminal behaviour, impacts upon any organisation or business which makes use of information technology. The development of a British Standard BS 7799, which focuses on the Code of Practice for Information Security Management, introduced in 1994 was spearheaded by the Department to promote good information security management. The DTI is currently developing, with BSUDISC and industry, c:cure, a scheme which will allow organisations, of all sizes and sectors, to measure and demonstrate that their information security management system is compliant against BS 7799.Standards will also be an integral part of the EU's Electronic Signature Directive, and of the proposed UK legislation to support our policy on cryptography, but, of course, no matter what is made available, the use of these standards and the adoption of appropriate security controls is a commercial decision for businesses to make.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what awards have been made in the 18 Seaward Round of Petroleum Licensing; and what plans he has for future licensing rounds. [62292]

Creative and innovative proposals are key features in the award of licences on 78 of the 82 blocks applied for in the 18th Round of Seaward Petroleum Licensing. The awards are made to a total of 44 companies, of which 22 are operators of one or more of the blocks.The applications received showed that companies are still thinking creatively and generating innovative proposals to identify significant new prospects in the North Sea. Despite more than 30 years of exploration activity in the area, there was strong competition for attractive blocks and clear evidence that companies are prepared to look beyond traditional areas and the tested strata to find new resources.The willingness of companies to test innovative thinking with both further technical analysis and early drilling where appropriate confirms that the industry still sees the North Sea as an exploration area with significant potential in undiscovered reserves. I believe that the open basis of this round—the first to allow companies to bid for almost any unlicensed blocks in mature areas of the United Kingdom Continental Shelf—encouraged companies to develop innovative ideas and bring them forward as licence applications.When the 18th Round was launched in June this year, our expectation was that most applications would focus on acreage close to existing developments or infrastructure, where any discoveries were likely to be brought on stream as rapidly as possible in order to prolong the life of current assets.In the event, a majority of the applications received reflected this pattern, and there was strong competition for several blocks, but an unexpected—and very pleasing—number of other applications were received which identified strata and structures with previously unrecognised hydrocarbon potential.Some of these concepts were developed in blocks which have been licensed and explored for conventional targets before. Twelve of the blocks awarded have not previously been licensed. Eight of these are granted to the Shell/Esso partnership whose application stood out for its creative approach.Two of the blocks applied for—48/19d and 210/20c—have been divided between competing applicants. This will allow presumed extensions of adjacent fields—Anglia and Otter respectively—into the new acreage to be appraised and brought into production as soon as possible, while at the same time maximising exploration of the remaining area.I look forward to seeing the successful applicants moving forward to explore their new holdings, and to develop any new reserves they may discover.I expect to make a further announcement about a 19th Seaward Round next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the cost of the current advertising campaign urging business to prepare for the euro. [61017]

I have been asked to reply.The Euro Preparations Unit's communication campaign on the euro is specifically targeted at ensuring that UK businesses especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), are aware of the implications of the introduction of the single currency from 1 January 1999. The campaign involved press advertising in July, direct mailing to 1.6 million SMEs, supported by TV commercials in September, and further press and radio advertising in October.The television, press and radio elements of the campaign cost approximately £4.75 million. This figure does not include VAT.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the number of people likely to benefit from the introduction of the national minimum wage in each parliamentary constituency. [61804]

I have been asked to reply.The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the United Kingdom's contribution is to multilateral donor projects in Zimbabwe in (a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000. [61852]

The total multilateral official development assistance received by Zimbabwe in 1996, the last year for which figures are available, was £61.6 million. The UK's imputed share was £6.9 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the projects sponsored by her Department in Zimbabwe for (a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000, giving their value and expected expiration date. [61851]

Projects where the Department for International Development's commitment is over £0.5 million are listed. Figures for expenditure in 1998–99 and 1999–2000 are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the IMF's decision to suspend aid to Zimbabwe. [61853]

We understand that the IMF are seeking clarification of the Government of Zimbabwe's budget commitments before the IMF Board considers release of further tranches of the Standby Arrangement.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Foreign Secretary concerning the provision of aid to Zimbabwe. [61858]

I have regular meetings with the Foreign Secretary on a range of issues including events in Zimbabwe.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the good governance criteria the Government have for assessing Zimbabwe's eligibility for assistance from her Department. [61854]

Our approach to good government is set out in the White Paper 'Eliminating World Poverty', and embraces democratic accountability, the protection of human rights and the rule of law.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the Zimbabwe Government's land reform programme up to 1 December 1997. [61855]

The Government of Zimbabwe's land reform programme began after Independence in 1980. So far, the programme has benefited some 70,000 families. An evaluation by the then ODA in 1988 showed that the resettlement had shown a good rate of return, but had little impact on the poverty in the communal areas. Poverty also exists in the new resettlement areas. The Government of Zimbabwe established a Commission of Inquiry into Appropriate Agricultural Land Tenure Systems (the 'Rukuni Commission') which in 1994 made recommendations on tenure, subdivision, administrative decentralisation, and land taxation, among other issues. These recommendations are for consideration as part of the second phase of the Government's Land Reform and Resettlement Programme. In November 1997, the Government of Zimbabwe notified 1,471 landowners of their intention compulsorily to acquire further land.Her Majesty's Government have made it clear since May 1997 that there is a strong case for land redistribution in Zimbabwe but that we will provide support only if the programme is part of a wider poverty reduction strategy, is transparent and pro-poor and complies with Zimbabwean law on land acquisition and compensation.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the United Kingdom's contribution is to multilateral donor projects in Mozambique in (a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000. [61857]

The total multilateral official development assistance received by Mozambique in 1996, the last year for which figures are available, was £236 million. The UK's imputed share was £18.6 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the projects sponsored by her Department in Mozambique for (a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000, giving their value and expected expiration dates. [61856]

The details requested are as follows:

Project	Commitment (£ million)	Expiry date
Zambezia Agricultural Development Project	7.75	2001
Zambezia Feeder Roads	7.06	2000
NGO '70:30' Scheme	2.00	2000
Programme Aid	20.00	1999
Assistance for Customs	9.30	1999
Secondary English Teaching	2.36	2002

Figures for expenditure in 1998/9 and 1999/2000 are not available. I will send the hon. Member a copy of DFID's recently published Country Strategy Paper for Mozambique.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the progress of the emergency relief operation in the countries affected by Hurricane Mitch. [61417]

The immediate life-saving phase of the emergency operation is over. However, there are continuing relief needs. We are helping with the response as part of the internationally co-ordinated relief effort. Our contribution to date has been well received.We will continue to monitor closely the situation in the region through our Embassies and the United Nations. We are also keeping in touch with the UK based representatives of those countries affected by Hurricane Mitch and with the non-governmental organisations providing assistance. I have sent an expert team from my Department to the region to review the relief effort and consider what further support we might provide for continuing emergency assistance. They will report back to me later this week.The needs of the region for immediate and medium-term reconstruction will be discussed at an emergency Consultative Group meeting, convened by the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington on 10–11 December, involving all the key donors, both multilateral and bilateral. My Department will be represented. We are currently considering how to refocus our development assistance programme for Central America to address the needs of recovery and reconstruction.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the current humanitarian situation in Kosovo. [61414]

A Department for International Development mission visited Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Albania between 16–26 November to assess conditions on the ground and the state of aid co-ordination. A humanitarian disaster has been averted, but the situation remains serious and must be monitored carefully. The internally displaced persons who were living out of doors are now back under shelter. The international response is generally adequate to meet current emergency needs of displaced people and refugees for food, blankets, stoves, mattresses and fuels. It is vital that the current level of humanitarian operations is maintained over the winter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will encourage the use of designated police liaison officers to complement the provisions for the protection of sites of wrecks under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. [60867]

As a result of recent allegations of offences under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, my Department will be writing to all relevant local constabularies clarifying the legal position in relation to the 1973 Act, and giving details of existing designated sites within their area of responsibility.We welcome the proposal for local constabularies to set up designated police liaison officers, and are examining how this can best be taken forward.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what changes he is planning to the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. [60866]

There are no plans to amend the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 before the proposed transfer of responsibility for underwater archaeology to English Heritage announced in my Department's Departmental Spending Review. English Heritage may carry out a review of the operation of the 1973 Act after the transfer of responsibility has been carried out.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce the Government's response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of John Murray v. the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [62171]

In the case of John Murray v. the United Kingdom, the European Court of Human Rights held that it was a breach of Article 6 of the Convention to deny the applicant access to legal advice in circumstances where inferences could be drawn from his silence during questioning. The Government have concluded that the only sure way to prevent a repetition of the circumstances which prevailed in the Murray case is to amend the relevant legislation and the Codes of Practice made under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 and the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996, so as to prohibit the drawing of inferences from silence when a suspect is questioned at a police station while denied access to legal advice. The Government therefore intend to introduce the necessary legislation in the forthcoming Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Bill, and this legislation will be extended to Northern Ireland by way of Negative Resolution Order in Council.In the interim, the Government will take such steps that are possible, without legislation, to ensure that no one is put in the same position which arose in the Murray case. My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General will shortly be issuing guidance to prosecutors and, in parallel, my Department and the Northern Ireland Office will shortly be issuing a circular to the police. This guidance will seek to ensure that the usual practice will be for suspects to have access to legal advice before being interviewed at a police station. Where access to legal advice is denied, the police will be encouraged to put inference-bearing questions again after the suspect has been given the opportunity to obtain such advice. Additionally, prosecutors will be advised not to seek reliance on inferences drawn from silence before access to legal advice was granted. I am arranging for a copy of the guidance to the police to be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases since his appointment he has exercised his discretion to grant leave to remain in the United Kingdom to foreign nationals resident in the United Kingdom on the grounds of compassionate circumstances. [61992]

I regret that information on this particular reason for granting leave to remain is not collected separately. Applications for leave to remain on compassionate grounds are considered in the light of the particular circumstances at that time and of any concessionary policy under which the original leave may have been given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to (a) speed up his Department's handling of applications for passports and visas and subsequent appeals and (b) to improve the handling of related complaints from hon. Members. [61085]

The UK Passport Agency provides passport services for British nationals in the United Kingdom, and I have set the following service standard target for 1998–99:

To process properly completed straightforward applications within a maximum of 15 working days in April, and 10 working days for the remainder of the year.

In seeking to meet this target, the Agency will give priority to customers' travel needs, aiming to meet declared travel dates for at least 99.99 per cent. of passports issued.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations, other than those made by or on behalf of a person awaiting a decision, he can take into account in the exercise of his discretion in extradition cases. [61866]

Section 13(4) of the Extradition Act 1989 places a duty on the Secretary of State to consider any representations made to him by a person who has received notice that the Secretary of State is contemplating making an order for his return to a foreign state under section 12 of the Act.There is no equivalent provision in the Act for representations before the issuing of an Authority to Proceed: I shall be guided in my handling of representations, made for and against the issue of an Authority to Proceed, by general principles of fairness.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his role in extradition procedures; and what factors he takes into account in deciding whether or not to exercise his discretion. [61848]

Section 7(4) of the Extradition Act 1989 provides that, on receipt of an extradition request:

"the Secretary of State may issue an authority to proceed unless it appears to him that an order for the return of the person concerned could not lawfully be made, or would not in fact be made, in accordance with the provisions of this Act".

Factors which the Secretary of State takes into account when deciding whether to issue an authority to proceed are therefore the relevant extradition arrangements with a foreign state, the general restrictions on return provided for in section 6 of the 1989 Act in respect of his discretion as to whether he would ultimately make an order for the return of any person who has been committed by the court under section 9 of the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requests he has received for the exercise of his discretionary powers in the case of Augusto Pinochet; and when he received them. [61865]

On 21 October, the Extradition Section received a request from Senator Pinochet's legal representatives to exercise my discretion under section 8(4) of the Extradition Act 1989. Since 25 November, the Extradition Section at the Home Office has received a number of representations, for and against the issuing of an Authority to Proceed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has made to the Bow Street Magistrates regarding the timetable of proceedings in the case of Augusto Pinochet. [61863]

One of my officials wrote to the Deputy Chief Clerk of Bow Street Magistrates' Court on 20 November and on 26 November. The letter of 26 November asked the Magistrate, when setting a date for receipt of an Authority to Proceed, to take into account the fact that I had received notice that I would be receiving representations for and against the issue of an Authority to Proceed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the timetable for the exercise of his discretion in the case of Augusto Pinochet. [61864]

The Bow Street Magistrate, under section 9(5) of the Extradition Act 1989, has fixed Friday 11 December as the date by which I should decide whether to issue an Authority to Proceed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding Augusto Pinochet following the judgment of the House of Lords in Regina v. Burtle and Commissioner of Police on 25 November. [61867]

By the end of Monday 30 November, the Extradition Section at the Home Office had received a number of representations, for and against the issue of an Authority to Proceed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions he has consulted the Secretary of State for Health on the issue of mentally disordered offenders and mentally ill patients who are a potential threat to the community and themselves; and if he will make a statement. [61156]

My right hon. Friend and I discuss this matter regularly and our Departments have together been closely examining the opportunity for developing a new framework of law and management for both the mentally ill and those with personality disorders. This is a complex and difficult area, but we hope to make an announcement shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions the contract points requirements have been exceeded at Campsfield House detention centre in each year since its establishment; and if fines (a) have been imposed and (b) are currently being considered. [61158]

Unlike contracts between the Home Office and the private sector for the management of some prisons, neither the present contract nor previous contracts for the management and operation of Campsfield House immigration detention centre contain any provision relating to the award of points for contractual performance. Therefore, there has not been, and presently cannot be, any question of exceeding a points requirement at Campsfield House, nor has there at any time been any question of points-related financial penalties.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reform the law relating to dancing on Sundays. [60998]

I am considering proposals, put to me on behalf of the industry concerned, for relaxing the constraints imposed by the Sunday Observance Act 1780 on commercially organised dancing on Sundays. I hope to be able to announce the outcome before too long now.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women were refused admission to a mother and baby unit in (i) 1998, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 1996; and if he will list the prisons and the racial origin of the women. [61020]

The information requested is given in the table.

Women prisoners refused admission to a mother and baby unit
Refused	1998	1997	1996
Holloway	6 (3 white, 2 black, 1 unknown	7 (4 black, 3 white)	8 (racial origin not known)
New Hall	2 (1 black, 1 white)	Not known1	Not known1
Styal	2 (1 black, 1 white)	0	0
Askham Grange	0	1 (white)	0
1 Records not available

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases are awaiting determination by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. [61488]

I understand that, at the end of October, 1,015 cases were awaiting review by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, and 456 cases were under active review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact on young children's dental health of introducing water fluoridation in Wales. [61479]

The Welsh Office is well aware of oral health benefits conferred by topping up the existing fluoride levels in public water supplies to 1 part per million. The dental decay rate of children aged five years in Anglesey was reduced by 50 per cent. after fluoridation was introduced there in the mid fifties. However, since withdrawal of the last of the Anglesey fluoridation schemes in 1991, there has been a 168 per cent. increase in tooth decay.Dental decay is increasingly recognised as a disease of childhood and deprivation, and water fluoridation is an ideal and simple way in which to improve oral health.The recent consultation on the Green Paper 'Better Health, Better Wales' drew considerable support for fluoridation and the Welsh Office is considering the responses in conjunction with other UK Health Departments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the drop-out rate for participants in the New Deal in Wales. [61471]

The New Deal offers a flexible package of support which can last from a few days to over a year, according to individual need. The latest revised information provided by the Employment Service shows that 10,800 young people joined the New Deal in Wales between January and September, of whom nearly 2,700 had left by the end of September.Almost 1,600 young people left the New Deal to take up unsubsidised jobs (59 per cent. of all leavers). Just under 500 others had left for a range of other reasons (for example to transfer onto other more appropriate benefits; to move from their localities; or to enter other training programmes or full-time education). The remaining 590 left for initially unknown destinations, although follow-up surveys by the Employment Service have revealed that many of these young people have actually found work without informing their New Deal Personal Advisers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his plans are for the new Welsh agri-environment scheme, Tir Gofal. [62216]

I am submitting a formal application to the European Commission for approval by the Rural Structures Committee. This contains the technical details of the scheme and budget projections for the first five years.In the light of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), I have made provision of £1.4 million in 1999–2000, £4 million in 2000–01 and £7 million in 2001–02. This allows for 600 new agreements each year at an average cost of just over £5,000 a year per agreement. Payments to farmers are expected to begin in 2000–01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what were (a) the target number and (b) the actual number of responses to his Department's New Deal public information campaign; and if he will make a statement. [61689]

The marketing campaign is designed to raise employer awareness of New Deal and their willingness to take on unemployed people rather than to achieve a given number of responses. Neverthelesss, the New Deal Information Line and Website have received almost 150,000 responses as well as many more directly to local Jobcentres. Employer awareness of New Deal has been driven up from 34 per cent. pre-campaign to 83 per cent. now.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what has been the total expenditure and the breakdown of expenditure on (a) public opinion research, (b) television, radio and newspaper advertising and (c) direct mail incurred by his Department and agencies on the New Deal Public information campaign; and if he will make a statement. [61688]

Expenditure on the national New Deal advertising campaign to 30 November 1998 totalled £11,854,032. Of that, £203,738 has been spent on public opinion research, £9,376,206 on television, radio and newspaper advertising and £325,890 on direct mail.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate his Department has made of the number of jobs provided under the New Deal arrangements by (a) the BBC, (b) the ITV companies and (c) S4C. [61613]

Specific information concerning individual employers' job vacancies and recruitment practices is a matter for those employers; but we are actively encouraging television and radio companies, like others, to recruit through the New Deals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many claimant representatives there are on each of the New Deal task forces and advisory groups. [61428]

There are no claimants on the national New Deal Task Forces or the Advisory Group to the UK Task Force, but there are representatives of bodies who have campaigned on behalf of claimants and unemployed people.There are claimant representatives on some local New Deal strategic partnerships but comprehensive information on the people involved is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the purpose of the Service Development Fund included in the Comprehensive Spending Review. [61878]

Within the total Comprehensive Spending Review settlement for MEE and local government Education Standard Spending, the Government have created the Service Development Fund to ensure the right balance of funding between the existing agenda and those areas where policy is still being developed. Allocations from this Fund will be conditional on agreement to initiatives which build on essential reforms and offer the best value for money.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance he has given to local education authorities on the relative merits of three tier and two tier systems; and if he will make a statement. [61660]

We have not given any guidance to local education authorities on the relative merits of three tier and two tier systems. Schools should be organised to deliver the highest possible standards of education and to reflect parental preference. Local Education Authorities and school governing bodies are best placed to decide on the most effective pattern of provision within their areas, taking account of local circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list those local education authorities which are failing to process draft statements of SEN within the legally required period; and if he will set out the action taken by his Department with each such authority and list the responses of each authority. [61975]

Figures showing the time taken by all education authorities to produce draft statements in 1996–97 were published by the Audit Commission in March this year. These showed that most LEAs were failing to produce a significant proportion of their statements within the statutory time limits. The Government's Programme of Action for meeting special educational needs, published last month, made it clear that we are committed to achieving a substantial improvement in LEAs' performance and will continue to challenge under-performing LEAs; and that we intend to require LEAs to publish information about the time taken to complete statutory assessments and statements. In addition, we will shortly be providing LEAs with guidance on good practice in this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have accessed the Disability Task Force web page since its launch. [61876]

Since the Disability Rights Task Force web page was launched in February this year, it has been visited by just over 7,000 people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the expenditure on the New Deal for lone parents in each employment service region. [61963]

The total regional expenditure that has been brought to account for the delivery of the New Deal for lone parents up to 31 October 1998 is £4.94 million. This is broken down by the nine ES regions as follows:

Employment Service regions	£
Northern	311,364
Yorkshire and the Humber	436,657
East Midlands and Eastern	394,299
London and South East	1,194,803
South West	565,457
Office for Wales	424,430
West Midlands	433,962
North West	691,453
Office for Scotland	491,717
Total	4,944,142

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will announce the full membership and terms of reference of the Scottish Fee Support Review Committee to be appointed under the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998. [62172]

Further to my reply of 23 July 1998, Official Report, column 658, I and my right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for Scotland for Wales and for Northern Ireland are pleased to announce the membership of the Scottish Fee Support Review Committee. The Chairman will be Sir George Quigley, as already announced. Lord Bums, Professor Michael Hamlin and Sir Philip Jones have also agreed to serve as members. Terms of reference for the Committee have been placed in the Library.The evidence on admissions this year shows an increase in the number of students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland entering Scottish institutions this autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will publish information held by his Department on the number of (a) further education and (b) university students, broken down by institution, who are diagnosed as dyslexic. [60959]

The available data for higher education students in each higher education institution in the UK are shown in the table. These data are based on self-assessment by students and may differ from the number of students diagnosed as dyslexic. Information on further education students, broken down by institution, who are diagnosed as dyslexic is not held centrally.

Full-time and part-time HE students in the UK as at December 1997
Students who reported themselves as having dyslexia
Institution	Number of students
The Open University	404
Cranfield University	30
Royal College of Art	6
College of Guidance Studies	0
Institute of Advanced Nursing Education	0
Bishop Grosscreste College	15
Bretton Hall College of Higher Education	17
Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education	138
Central School of Speech and Drama	13
Chester College of Higher Education	30
Canterbury Christ Church College of Higher Education	49
University College of Ripon and York St. John, North Yorkshire	34
College of St. Mark and St. John	30
Darlington College of Arts	16
Edge Hill College of Higher Education	33
Falmouth College of Arts	53
Harper Adams Agricultural College	55
Homerton College	15
Kent Institute of Art and Design	74
King Alfred's College, Winchester	64
Liverpool Institute of Higher Education	60
The London Institute	78
Loughborough College of Art and Design	6
University of Luton	211
Nene College	69
Newman College	3
North Riding College	12
Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication	5
Roehampton Institute of Higher Education	99
Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama	14
Royal Academy of Music	4
Royal College of Music	7
Royal Northern College of Music	3
Southampton Institute	235
St. Martin's College	35
St. Mary's College	16
Trinity and All Saints College	1
Trinity College of Music	1
Westminster College	19
Surrey Institute of Art and Design	36
Worcester College of Higher Education	31
Anglia Polytechnic University	71
Bath College of Higher Education	34
Bolton Institute of Higher Education	72
Bournemouth University	155
The University of Brighton	148
The University of Central England in Birmingham	161
The University of Central Lancashire	49
Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education	117
London Guildhall University	139
Coventry University	192
University of Derby	233
The University of East London	39
The University of Greenwich	154
The University of Hertfordshire	242
The University of Huddersfield	38
The University of Humberside	117
Kingston University	133
Leeds Metropolitan University	165

Full-time and part-time HE students in the UK as at December 1997
Students who reported themselves as having dyslexia
Institution	Number of students
Liverpool John Moores University	150
Manchester Metropolitan University	170
Middlesex University	188
De Montfort University	77
The University of Northumbria at Newcastle	134
The University of North London	134
Nottingham Trent University	215
Oxford Brookes University	245
University of Plymouth	230
University of Portsmouth	171
Sheffield Hallam	175
South Bank University	75
Staffordshire University	33
The University of Sunderland	87
The University of Teesside	122
Thames Valley University	54
The University of the West of England, Bristol	291
Chichester Institute of Higher Education	47
The University of Westminster	66
Wimbledon School of Art	22
The University of Wolverhampton	109
Gwent College of Higher Education	61
The North-East Wales Institute of Higher Education	14
Cardiff Institute of Higher Education	63
University of Glamorgan	50
Swansea Institute of Higher Education	24
Trinity College, Carmarthen	0
University of Abertay, Dundee	21
Edinburgh College of Art	36
Glasgow School of Art	32
Moray House Institute of Education	12
Northern College of Education	4
Queen Margaret College	33
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama	9
St. Andrew's College of Education	4
The Scottish College of Textiles	10
The Robert Gordon University	57
University of Paisley	63
Glasgow Caledonian University	57
Napier University	95
Aston University	45
The University of Bath	40
The University of Birmingham	112
The University of Bradford	65
The University of Bristol	43
Brunei University	124
The University of Cambridge	57
City University	88
The University of Durham	79
The University of East Anglia	82
The University of Essex	56
The University of Exeter	125
The University of Hull	72
The University of Keele	31
The University of Kent at Canterbury	120
The University of Lancaster	36
University of Leeds	255
University of Leicester	76
The University of Liverpool	98
Birkbeck College	59
Goldsmith's College	61
Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine	26
Institute of Education	0
Kings College London	104
London Business School	1
London School of Economics and Political Science	9
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine	1
Queen Mary and Westfield College	57
Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine	6
Royal Holloway, University of London	48
The Royal Veterinary College	3
St. George's Hospital Medical School	1
The School of Oriental and African Studies	12

Full-time and part-time HE students in the UK as at December 1997
Students who reported themselves as having dyslexia
Institution	Number of students
The School of Pharmacy	0
United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St. Thomas's	20
University College London	84
Wye College	17
London University—Senate institutes	1
Loughborough University of Technology	117
The University of Manchester	90
The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne	128
The University of Nottingham	166
The University of Oxford	103
The University of Reading	113
The University of Salford	116
The University of Sheffield	91
The University of Southampton	241
The University of Surrey	69
The University of Sussex	57
The University of Warwick	62
The University of York	48
University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology	44
University of Edinburgh	262
University of Glasgow	122
University of Strathclyde	90
University of Aberdeen	110
Heriot-Watt University	62
University of Dundee	106
University of St. Andrews	73
The University of Stirling	8
Scottish Agricultural College	36
St. David's University	61
The University College of Wales, Aberystwyth	71
University College of North Wales, Bangor	177
University of Wales College of Cardiff	81
University College of Swansea	36
University of Wales College of Medicine	11
Welsh College of Music and drama	16
Queen's University of Belfast	44
The University of Ulster	98
The University of Wales, Registry	0
Westhill College	23
Writtle College	44
Northern School of Art and Design	35
Northern School of Contemporary Dance	12
Cumbria College of Art and Design	3
Total	12,860

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reasons his Department is proposing a voluntary code of practice for the management of complexes of retirement flats owned by their occupants. [61083]

Following representations to Ministers about the management of some owner occupied sheltered housing developments, the Scottish Office convened a meeting of interested parties in July 1996. At the meeting, representatives of developers, management companies, owners and other organisations such as Age Concern Scotland and the Scottish Consumer Council, agreed that a working group should be established to consider a voluntary code that would set out a framework for good practice in the management of owner occupied sheltered housing developments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the voluntary code of practice for the management of complexes of retirement flats owned by their occupants will include provisions relating to (a) major repair funds, (b) complaint procedures, (c) terms in deeds of conditions, (d) adherence to these conditions and (e) the implementation of an arbiter's award by managing agents. [61084]

The detailed provisions of the proposed voluntary code of management practice are still under consideration by the working group established by the Scottish Office. However, it is currently envisaged that there would be clauses relating to major repair funds and complaints procedures. The terms of deeds of conditions, adherence to these conditions and the implementation of awards by arbiters are essentially legal matters to be resolved between the parties concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact upon crofters and other small producers of the costs of disposing of spent sheep dip as proposed under the Groundwater Regulations; and if he will make a statement. [61849]

A copy of the Regulatory Impact Assessment in respect of the Groundwater Regulations 1998 was placed in the Library of the Houses of Parliament on 11 November. The Assessment notes that, in England and Wales, compliance costs for a typical farmer are likely to be £100 recurring costs per annum with non-recurring costs of £85. Broadly similar costs are expected for Scotland.On 26 November, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued for public consultation their proposals for charges under the Regulations. Under the terms of section 42 of the Environment Act 1995, the approval of the Secretary of State must be obtained before a charging scheme is made. In determining whether or not to approve the scheme the Secretary of State must consider any representations or objections duly made to him and not withdrawn. He must also have regard to the desirability of ensuring that the amounts recovered by the Agency by way of the prescribed charges are the amounts which taking one year with another, need to be recovered by the Agency to meet such of the costs and expenses which it incurs in carrying out its functions as he may consider appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions the Government have had with (a) Highland Council and (b) Dornoch Academy about bringing the school back into local authority control; and if he will make a statement. [61850]

The Scottish Office has had continuing constructive discussions with both Dornoch Academy and Highland Council, particularly in relation to the school's annual grant. The Government remain committed to repealing the self-governing schools legislation. This, however, will now be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the transfer to Moray House College of Education of the East Suffolk Road student hostels; what investigation he has made of the events surrounding this transfer and the accounting procedures involved; and if he will make a statement. [61703]

I have received representations concerning the transfer to Moray House College of Education of the East Suffolk Road student hostels. A comprehensive reply has already been provided. In October, the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department received further representations, on the issue that the transfer of the student hostels to Moray House in 1979 was not correctly undertaken. Since then, officials have received numerous further representations from the same person, as have the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.Officials are looking into the matters raised in the recent allegations. I shall write to the hon. Member when their consideration of this is complete.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reasons the new Housing Partnerships Initiative precludes local authorities in Scotland from investing the funding available in local authority owned stock without transferring ownership of this stock outside the local authority. [61678]

The new Housing Partnerships Initiative aims to promote community ownership and secure private sector finance for affordable housing. Local authorities receive separate capital allocations for works to their own stock.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how his figure for the cost of abolishing tuition fees in Scotland was arrived at; over what period it applies; what the annual figures are; and what assumptions underlie the calculation. [61710]

I am not entirely clear which figure is the subject of the question. The Scottish Office Education and Industry Department has commissioned independent research on the long term savings arising from the recent changes in policy on student support, including the introduction of a means-tested private contribution towards the cost of tuition and the replacement of grants by loans. I have arranged for a copy of an abstract of the results to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to implement the Nitrates Directive in respect of water bodies, rivers and their catchments which exceed the limit of 50mg/1 of dissolved nitrates; and if he will make a statement. [61699]

This Directive is being implemented and we already monitor at all surface water and groundwater locations used for drinking water abstraction.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has received from Scottish Natural Heritage in respect of applications for licences for the killing of barnacle geese on the Island of Islay; and if licences will be issued for land within areas designated as special protection areas under EU Directive 79/409/EEC. [61700]

Advice has been given by Scottish Natural Heritage on the likely effect of limited licences to shoot barnacle geese in specified areas on Islay. Two licences to prevent serious agricultural damage have been issued for a limited period where no other satisfactory solution was available. These licences allow a maximum of 50 barnacle geese to be shot in areas designated as Special Protection Areas under EU Directive 74/409/EEC. The effect of the licensed shooting on the farms and the goose populations will be carefully monitored, and the results will be taken into account before any further licences are issued to farmers on Islay.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recommendations he has received from the National Goose Forum relating to geese on Islay. [61701]

None. The National Goose Forum is not due to report on a national policy framework for managing potential conflicts between geese and agriculture until Summer 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if the actual and estimated savings quoted by his Department for the Benefit Integrity Project are savings that incorporate the full costs of the investment and running costs of the Project; [60982](2) if he will make a statement on the accounting procedures used by his Department in calculating the savings generated by the Benefit Integrity Project. [60981]

The administration of the Benefit Integrity Project is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what (a) the original assumptions were and (b) the current savings assumptions are for the Benefit Integrity Project in (i) 1997–98 and (ii) 1998–99; what factors were taken into account in the revision of savings assumptions for the Benefit Integrity Project for 1997–98 and 1998–99; and if the costs of the Benefit Integrity Project include the costs of appeals following decisions made under the scheme. [60983]