To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis is amongst veterans of the Korean War; and how this compares with the incidence amongst the population as a whole. [62977]

The information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the programmes which it will be ultra vires for his Department to fund or have sole responsibility for after devolution; if he will list these programmes; and if he will make a statement. [63298]

Social Security, Child Support and pension matters are reserved to the Westminster Parliament by virtue of Head F of Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security will therefore remain responsible for these matters in Scotland after devolution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much is spent annually by his Department on research programmes in Scotland; and what proportion of this funding will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament after devolution. [63296]

Social Security, Child Support and Pensions are reserved matters, and the research associated with them will also remain this Department's responsibility after devolution. Therefore none of the funding attributable to research in this Department will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament.The cost of collecting data in relation to Scotland is an integral part of the cost of collecting data for Great Britain. The overhead costs of conducting the research are incurred on a Great Britain basis. It is not therefore possible to disaggregate the spending on research in Scotland from the total spending in Great Britain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list (a) by programme over £50,000 and (b) the total of spending by his Department in Scotland on the identifiable spending areas detailed in Table 7.6A of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 1997–98 (Cmnd 3601); which of these programmes will fall solely or jointly under the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament; and what arrangements are in place to transfer control of funds for these projects to the Scottish Executive or Parliament. [63297]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Swinney) on 4 November 1998, Official Report, column 615, which sets out identifiable expenditure on Social Security benefits in Scotland. It does not include the costs of administration in or in respect of Scotland, or certain elements, e.g. benefits paid overseas which cannot be attributed separately.Social Security is a reserved matter and expenditure on it will not therefore be the responsibility of the Scottish Executive or Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the future of the funding arrangements for supported accommodation. [63667]

We are publishing today a consultation document "Supporting People" proposing new funding arrangements for support services. The proposals arise from the Inter-Departmental review of funding for supported accommodation.Over the years Housing Benefit, which was designed to meet housing costs, has been used to meet other costs over which the Government have no control. As a result, Housing Benefit became the primary funding stream for support services that varied in standard from the very good to the very bad. There was no proper consideration of quality or standards.Nor has there been an effective over-arching strategy of the work of the various government departments involved, or ownership of responsibility for ensuring that vulnerable people receive the support they require. This has resulted in a focus on dealing with problems once they emerge, sometimes pushing people into more acute services than they might have originally needed.The new arrangements will enable many thousands of vulnerable people to get the cost-effective and high-quality services which they need.We propose to replace the current complicated arrangements with one single budget targeted specifically at support services. This will ensure that the Government meet people's basic housing costs and at the same time that vulnerable people get the quality help they need to meet their requirements. This will be administered at the local level by Local Authorities. The new single budget will be preceded by a new, time-limited, transitional Housing Benefit scheme which will be implemented when current regulations expire; these regulations were introduced to protect many thousands of vulnerable people whose support services were jeopardised by a Court ruling in July 1997.Our new proposals for delivering support to vulnerable people will operate in combination with community care, housing, and other existing policies to support vulnerable people in the community. Funding for support services will, for the first time, be clear and practical. This means that many vulnerable people—such as frail elderly people, people with mental health problems, and victims of domestic violence—will be able to remain independent within the community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much is spent annually by his Department on research programmes in Scotland; and what proportion of this funding will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament after devolution. [63287]

Nil.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Employment over the establishment of a new television education channel. [63316]

My Department is in regular contact with the Department for Education and Employment on a wide range of issues including broadcast educational material, and the Department for Education and Employment is discussing direct with broadcasters the development and broadcast of new specific digital educational services to support the GCSE National Curriculum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will write in response to the questions tabled on 4 November by the hon. Member for East Surrey. [63325]

I replied to the hon. Member in a letter dated 30 November and delivered to the House on 4 December 1998.

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his e-mail address. [62560]

Hon. Members can e-mail the Lord Chancellor's Department's Ministerial Correspondence Unit at: mcu.lcd@gtnet.gov.uk. Members of the public can e-mail the Department at: enquiries.lcdhq@gtnet.gov.uk.

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of reciprocal enforcement of maintenance orders; and if he will make a statement. [62357]

Officials from my Department frequently review the effectiveness of internal procedures for transmitting applications for the enforcement of maintenance orders between the UK and overseas authorities to discuss improvements to these reciprocal arrangements.

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will establish designated courts to deal with environmental issues. [62537]

There are no plans to establish separate environmental courts. However, cases involving environmental issues will benefit, along with all other cases, from the regime of judicial case management to be introduced in April.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made over the last five years (a) within his Department, (b) in conjunction with other Government departments and (c) in conjunction with European bodies towards developing systems involving the use of new technology for safety-related road traffic law enforcement and the administration of penalties. [62544]

Road traffic law enforcement and the administration of penalties are mainly matters for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. However, my department, in conjunction with his, is interested in the potential of new technology to support its road safety and environmental objectives. To that end it has an extensive research programme and is also supportive of a wide range of research in the UK and in Europe which seeks to develop practical applications of new technology for road traffic law enforcement and the administration of penalties. Examples of this are the research projects on vehicle speed control being conducted on behalf of the Department by the Motor Industry Research Association and the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, and the field trials conducted in Sweden and the Netherlands evaluating different systems and technologies to control vehicle speeds externally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to publish Lord Donaldson's report on command and control of major pollution incidents; and if he will make a statement. [62937]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the report by Lord Donaldson relating to the 'Sea Empress' incident will be published. [63044]

We received Lord Donaldson's report on his review of marine salvage and intervention and their command and control on 20 November. Consideration is being given to the publication of the report.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much housing benefit was paid to council tenants (a) in the UK and (b) of Portsmouth City Council in each of the last three years; and in each case, what proportion of that amount was funded from council rents. [63026]

The information requested is shown in the following table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the percentage and area of brownfield sites in the North West where the cost of reclamation is likely to make the site uneconomic for housing development. [63047]

The information requested is not currently available. Phase 1 of the National Land Use Database project, which we launched in May 1998, covers vacant and derelict sites and other previously developed land which may be available for redevelopment. Officials are currently working with English Partnerships, local authorities and the Ordnance Survey to collect the information for this first phase. Initial results should be available by the end of March 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the levels of capital investment by Railtrack for each year since it was established; what the figures were for comparable capital investment by British Rail in the five years before privatisation; and if he will make a statement. [62600]

Railtrack was established on 1 April 1994 and privatised on 20 May 1996. The table shows annual total rail infrastructure investment between 1989–90 and 1997–98.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what steps he is taking to encourage motorists to use appropriate safety measures for child passengers; [62933](2) what plans he has to encourage motorists

The Department's leaflet "Seat Belts and Child Restraints" which provides advice on the law, on selecting the right child restraint and on wearing by pregnant women is widely available. Advice is also provided in the 1996 version of the Department of Transport publication "Choosing Safety", published by the Stationery Office. Copies of both documents are in the Library of the House.In the longer term, a standard method of attaching child restraints to cars will make fitting more straightforward. The UK has taken a leading role in the development of the ISOFIX system, which would provide standard attachment points on both child restraints and cars. We are keen for this system to be adopted as the European norm.Following the successful campaign last July to encourage rear seat belt wearing we are considering further advertising in 1999. Surveys by the Transport Research Laboratory show an increase in rear seat belt wearing (children and adults) from 67 per cent. in April 1998 to 72 per cent. in October 1998, the highest figure yet reported by these regular surveys.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to encourage GNER to increase the speed and regularity of its services. [62983]

The franchise agreement, which governs the provision of services, includes a Passenger Service Requirement (PSR) which specifies a minimum level of service which GNER must plan to provide. The PSR includes maximum acceptable intervals between services and maximum acceptable end-to-end journey times. What services operate over and above the PSR is a matter for GNER. Ministers are considering recommendations from the Franchising Director about the future provision of capacity for East Coast Main Line services, and will make a statement about that in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what monitoring his Department has carried out regarding redevelopments of school playing fields called in under the statutory consultee process. [62972]

Planning applications to develop school playing fields which are called in for the Secretary of State's determination are handled in the first instance by the Government Offices for the Regions. Four applications have been called in since June 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of (a) road, (b) rail and (c) water traffic can be attributed to the transportation of waste; and if he will make a statement. [62428]

[holding answer 8 December 1998]: Waste accounted for some 7 per cent. of the total tonnage of domestic waterborne freight in 1997. No information is currently available for the percentage of road and rail traffic accounted for by waste. This limited information will be taken into account in the follow up to the Department's consultation paper "Less Waste, More Value".

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how much is spent annually by his Department on research programmes in Scotland; and what proportion of this funding will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament after devolution; [63278](2) if he will list

Under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998, the Scottish Ministers will assume responsibility for a range of devolved functions which will in part depend on secondary legislation which has yet to be passed. My Department is reviewing its programmes, including the research components, in the light of the Scotland Act. It is too early to say to what extent programme expenditure which is currently administered by the Department may relate to functions which will transfer to Scottish Ministers. Work is taking place to establish the extent of any such expenditure and to assess the needs for any consequential transfer of funds to the Scottish Ministers. For the total spending by the Department in Scotland I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for North Tayside (Mr. Swinney) on 4 November 1998, Official Report, column 615.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the (a) environmental benefits and (b) costs to rural businesses of a pesticide tax. [63450]

The Department has commissioned extensive research work on the feasibility of an economic instrument to assist in delivering the Government's pesticide minimisation policy. This has included assessment of the potential environmental benefits of such an instrument, of the impacts on and costs to relevant agricultural sectors and on the manufacturers and distributors of pesticides.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to publish the explanatory notes to the Greater London Authority Bill. [63305]

Copies of the Explanatory note were published, today.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what current use is made of the sea stores property at Yate, owned by the Property Services Agency; and what plans he has for its future use. [63256]

This property is in fact owned by the Highways Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to announce the results of the audit of the UK safety oversight system carried out by the International Civil Aviation Safety Organisation in April 1998; and if he will make a statement. [63665]

The United Kingdom was one of the leading nations in pressing the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to set up, in 1995, a programme of voluntary safety assessments of its member states. The objective of this programme was to seek to ensure that ICAO Contracting States are adequately discharging their responsibilities for safety oversight in certain specific areas: aircraft operations, the licensing and training of personnel and aircraft airworthiness.This Government took the initiative in December 1997—the first major aviation state to do so—of asking ICAO to assess the UK safety oversight system. The audit took place from 14–24 April, this year, and focused to a large extent on the role of the Civil Aviation Authority. The final Report, which was agreed with ICAO on 30 October, finds that the

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress since the Roads Review on the Targeted Programme of Improvements and the programme studies. [63666]

My noble Friend the Minister for Roads and Road Safety announced today that we are able to provide further details of the construction programme for the schemes included in our Targeted Programme of Improvements listed in A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England.As previously stated by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport, on 31 July 1998,

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will announce the results of the consultation exercise on the changes to the right to buy maximum discount. [63772]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will announce the results of the consultation exercise on the changes to the right to buy maximum discount. [63807]

We intend the Right to Buy scheme to continue, and that eligible tenants should continue to buy at substantial discounts. The annual cost of the scheme to the taxpayer is currently around £400 million a year at net present value. Tenants are, and will continue to be, eligible to claim up to 60 per cent. discount on a house and 70 per cent. discount on a flat, but we want to provide value for money to the taxpayer so the maximum cash limit of £50,000 will be reduced.We announced plans on 28 July 1998,

To ask the President of the Council how many people in her Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if she will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within Government. [62825]

None of the current staff of my department is on secondment from a private company.

To ask the President of the Council if she will list the special advisers in her Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. [62834]

The Special Advisers in my Department are Ms Sheila Watson and Ms Nicci Russell. They support me on the full range of issues for which I am responsible. It would be inappropriate to give details about their individual levels of security clearance.

To ask the President of the Council if she will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups her Office has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. [62807]

My department has no task forces, review panels, or advisory groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide figures for the last five years relating to the prescribing on the NHS of the drug Ritalin to treat children with attention deficit disorder. [62975]

The number of National Health Service prescription items dispensed in the community and the net ingredient cost for methylphenidate hydrochloride are given in the table. Information about prescriptions dispensed in hospitals are not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning a compulsory registration system for operating theatre practitioners; and if he will make a statement. [62115]

[holding answer 3 December 1998]: We have received a representation from the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland concerning a proposed compulsory registration system for operating theatre practitioners. The representation is now being considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which UK health authorities are meeting their target levels for the number of delayed discharges. [62976]

There are no national targets levels for the number of delayed discharges for health authorities. Health authorities may set targets, but these are locally managed.Established good practice in hospital discharge seeks to balance the needs and wishes of patients and their carers with the requirement to make the most effective use of available resources. It is in no-one's interest for patients to stay in hospital for longer than they need to and hospital discharge procedures need to be sensitive to individual needs. Delays in discharge can reflect a variety of factors and these will vary between health authorities, depending on a variety of factors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private sector children's homes in East Sussex have been visited by social services inspectors in the last six months. [63032]

In the last six months East Sussex County Council Inspection Unit has visited the two private children's homes in East Sussex registered under the Children Act 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of backdating the pension arrangements for widowers of female doctors so that they are in line with the pension arrangements for widows of male doctors. [62509]

The capitalised cost of backdating widowers' pensions to 1972 based on 1994–95 salaries has been estimated at around £350 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will amend the pension rights of the widowers of female doctors to make them equivalent to the pension arrangements made for widows of male doctors. [62510]

The National Health Service pension scheme provides the widowers of female doctors with the same pension rights as widows of male doctors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he met Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub to discuss the future of Harefield Hospital; and if he will make a statement. [63267]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub on Tuesday 1 December 1998 to talk about services in West London and the regulation of clinical perfusionists. The Department recognises and pays tribute to the work undertaken by Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub and his colleagues at Harefield Hospital. My right hon. Friend gave Sir Magdi his assurance of the Government's determination not to allow planning blight to set in while the longer term reconfiguration of services was considered. The consequences of any reconfiguration of services would be properly explored. Any service changes at Harefield Hospital will be subject to full public consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter dated 2 November concerning constituents: reference POH(2)5608/16. [63177]

I replied to my hon. Friend today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the local authorities which have informed him about the number and percentage of men and women councillors; if he will give the number and percentage of men and women councillors in each case; and if he will list those local authorities which have not informed him. [63254]

Copies of the information requested have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the costs of compensating servicewomen who left the services as a consequence of pregnancy (a) in each year since 1990 and (b) in the coming financial year. [62180]

Compensation payments to Servicewomen who left the Armed Forces because of pregnancy began in August 1992. Payments followed applications to industrial tribunals after the High Court ruled that to discharge women from the Armed Forces on the grounds of pregnancy was in breach of the European Equal Treatment Directive. The following amounts in compensation were awarded in each of the financial years shown:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. [62842]

The two Special Advisers employed by my Department are Alasdair McGowan and Bernard Gray.They advise me on the full range of issues for which I am responsible. They are subject to the usual security clearance arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information is made available to doctors treating Gulf War veterans in relation to any exposure they may have had to materials which may have been toxic or hazardous, with particular reference to depleted uranium. [63033]

Any Gulf veteran who is concerned that his or her health has been adversely affected by Service during the Gulf conflict, including possible exposure to depleted uranium (DU), is entitled to seek a referral to the MOD's Medical Assessment Programme (MAP) for a full medical assessment. During this assessment, MAP patients receive a standard set of tests and are asked by the examining MAP physician to provide detailed information about possible factors, including DU, to which they may have been exposed during the Gulf conflict. Following the assessment, the examining physician will write to the doctor who referred the patient to the programme, to provide diagnostic information and recommend any appropriate treatment. It is then that doctor's responsibility to take forward and monitor the treatment as he or she would for any other patient. For veterans who have left the Armed Forces, their doctor will normally be a GP and any recommended treatment will therefore be carried out within the NHS.In consultation with the Department of Health and the health departments of the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland Offices, the Ministry of Defence has produced an information pack with the intention of providing General Practitioners and other health professionals with information which they may find useful in dealing with Gulf veterans' health concerns. This pack includes summaries of what is known about a number of possible factors to which veterans may have been exposed during their service in the Gulf, including DU. It also includes an overview of research which has been carried out in areas related to Gulf veterans' illnesses, together with a bibliography of key papers. The information pack has been placed on the MOD's internet site and is available in hard copy on request. My Department is currently considering how best to ensure further than this information reaches its target audience. A copy of the pack has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Scammel Commander tank transporters loaded with Challenger I and Challenger II tanks meet the regulatory requirements in (a) Holland and (b) Germany; how many infringements have been reported in 1998; and if he will make a statement. [62072]

[holding answer 8 December 1998]: Formal clearance is sought from both the Dutch and German authorities when moving these vehicles along specified routes and at agreed times. There have been no infringements of the requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) chemicals used (i) for ground maintenance and (ii) in the training of troops in chemical warfare and (b) training activities that took place on each day between 1 and 9 September at Sennybridge Army Field Training Centre. [62654]

[holding answer 9 December 1998]: A number of non-toxic chemicals are used at Sennybridge Army Field Training Centre (AFTC) for the purposes of ground maintenance and training troops in chemical defence.The approved chemicals used for ground maintenance are ROUNDUP, GARALON, and occasionally ASULOX.During exercises to train troops for defence against chemical warfare, white smoke, CS Gas (Orthoclorobenzlidenmalononitrile), Chemical Agent Training Mixture Polyethyleneglycol 300, and Amyl Acetate are used, the latter to prove respirators prior to use.The Nuclear Biological and Chemical Battle Run, the area of Sennybridge Training Area used for training in chemical defence, was used by 3 Commando Brigade, the Royal Marines for training on 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 September 1998. The remainder of the training centre was used for a number of infantry patrolling, live firing, and other tactical training exercises over the period in question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the acquisition by China of land-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles and long-range cruise missiles was taken into account in the Strategic Defence Review. [62921]

Yes. These issues were fully considered in the Strategic Defence Review (Cm 3999) published in July 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which regiments will be available to participate in the ceremonies for the opening of the Scottish Parliament; and what plans he has to ensure prominence is given to Scottish regiments and bands based in Scotland in the procession and ceremonies. [63304]

Initial planning has only recently begun for the ceremonies to mark the opening of the Scottish Parliament and it is not yet possible to confirm which regiments will participate. However, the 1st Battalion The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the 1st Battalion The Black Watch will be assigned to public duties in Scotland during the summer of 1999 and it is likely that the soldiers who take part in the opening ceremony will be drawn from these regiments. It is anticipated that music for the occasion will be provided by Scottish military bands.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the terms of reference for the Armed Forces Pay Review Body. [63669]

The Terms of Reference for the Armed Forces Pay Review Body have been revised, as follows, to reflect the key considerations of the Comprehensive Spending Review White Paper.The role of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body is to provide independent advice to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Defence on the remuneration and charges for members of the Naval, Military and Air Forces of the Crown.In reaching its recommendations, the Review Body is to have regard to the following considerations:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grant applications his Department has received from the Hinduja group of companies since 1 May 1997; and what grants have been paid. [62239]

[holding answer 3 December 1998]: We have no record of the Department receiving any application for grant from the Hinduja group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Maples) of 7 December 1998, Official Report, columns 70–71, for what reasons the Minister of State was required to return from Liverpool to London for an urgent meeting. [63308]

The Minister of State was required to attend an unscheduled meeting with the Prime Minister and the then President of the Board of Trade.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the occasions since 1 May 1997 on which Ministers in his Department have taken flights in chartered private aircraft; what were the relevant origins and destinations; what was the cost to public funds on each occasion; and what were the reasons such a mode of travel was authorised. [63336]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Maples) on 19 November 1998, Official Report, columns 889–90.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money allocated to the United Kingdom for specific Objective I projects since 1994, has been (a) returned and (b) renegotiated for later use, because of the failure of agreed projects to materialise in the agreed time. [63154]

All structural funds money allocated to the United Kingdom under Objective 1 since 1994 has been to programmes which cover the period 1994–99. No money from these programmes has been returned or renegotiated for later use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on (a) the definition of the conditions laid down by the European Union in respect of Objective I structural funding, requiring an undertaking by the recipient member state Government to a substantial commitment to substantial spending over the whole period in delivering an agreed programme within the Community Support Framework and (b) the United Kingdom Government's interpretation of that definition. [63156]

The European Union structural funds contribute only a proportion of the costs of individual projects. It is for Member States to ensure that matching funding is in place. In the United Kingdom, this responsibility lies with the end beneficiary.Additionality is also a requirement of the structural funds regulations, and must be verified in respect of the whole territory covered by each Objective within each Member State. This means that UK expenditure on activities eligible for co-financing from the structural funds has to be maintained at least at the same level during the current programming period of 1994–99 as in the previous programming period. The United Kingdom has been able to demonstrate this to the Commission's satisfaction on an annual basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce further decisions on outstanding applications to build new gas-fired power stations. [63809]

I have today announced the following decisions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies his Department carried out into the impact of a pesticides tax on the costs of small and medium-sized distributors of such products. [63268]

My Department has been closely involved with the extensive research work which DETR has commissioned on the feasibility of an economic instrument to assist in delivering the Government's pesticides minimisation policy. The research has included assessment of the effects of such an instrument on the competitiveness of distributors.My Department has not carried out any separate studies, but has asked the British Agrochemicals Association to work with the UK Agricultural Supply Trade Association, to provide information on the structure of the industry in order to further assess the impact on distributors and manufacturers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will list (a) by programme over £50,000 and (b) the total spending by his Department in Scotland on the identifiable spending areas detailed in Table 7.6A of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 1997–98 (Cmnd 3601); which of these programmes will fall solely or jointly under the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament; and what arrangements are in place to transfer control of funds for these projects to the Scottish Executive or Parliament; [63282](2) how much is spent annually by his Department on research programmes in Scotland; and what proportion of this funding will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament after devolution; [63281](3) what assessment he has made of the programmes which it will be ultra vires for his Department to fund or have sole responsibility for after devolution; if he will list these programmes; and if he will make a statement. [63283]

Under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998, the Scottish Ministers will assume responsibility for a range of devolved functions which will in part depend on secondary legislation which has yet to be passed. My Department is reviewing its programmes, including the research components, in the light of the Scotland Act. It is too early to say to what extent programme expenditure which is currently administered by the Department may relate to functions which will transfer to Scottish Ministers. Work is taking place to establish the extent of any such expenditure and to assess the need for any consequential transfer of funds to the Scottish Ministers. For the total spending by the Department in Scotland, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for North Tayside (Mr. Swinney) on 4 November 1998, Official Report, column 615.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what new guidelines he plans to issue in respect of women prisoners applying for admission to the mother and baby unit in Holloway Prison; [63171](2) what are the current guidelines for women prisoners to apply for admission to the mother and baby units in

The women's policy group of the Prison Service are conducting a review of principles, policies and procedures for mothers and babies in prison. The review will be completed by 31 March 1999. The review, with recommendations for a future strategy, will be submitted to the Director General by 31 March 1999. This review will be published. A copy of the current guidance is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to review procedures for the repatriation of prisoners serving a sentence in England and Wales to their country of origin; and if he will make a statement; [63050](2) how many foreign prisoners were repatriated to their country of origin in

Details of prisoners who have been transferred from England and Wales to foreign jurisdictions under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons over the period in question, and, of these, the numbers transferred to the Republic of Ireland, are set out in the table.No prisoners were transferred from England and Wales under the Commonwealth Scheme for the transfer of Convicted Offenders or the United Kingdom's bilateral prisoner transfer agreements with Egypt, Thailand and Hong Kong.Procedures for handling applications from prisoners in England and Wales who wish to serve out their sentence in their own country, including the criteria and arrangements for their removal, are kept under regular review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales were transferred under the Council of Europe Convention on the transfer of sentenced prisoners during (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997 and (d) 1998 to date; and how many of these prisoners emanated from the Irish Republic; [63039](2) how many foreign nationals serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales are nationals of countries to which repatriation of prisoners from the United Kingdom may take place under the terms of the Council of Europe Convention on the transfer of sentenced prisoners. [63037]

The numbers of prisoners transferred from England and Wales to foreign jurisdictions under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, over the period in question, and of those, the numbers transferred to the Republic of Ireland, are set out in the table.No prisoners were transferred from England and Wales under the Commonwealth Scheme for the Transfer of Convicted Offenders or the United Kingdom's bilateral prisoner transfer agreements with Egypt, Thailand and Hong Kong.On 30 September 1998, the number of sentenced prisoners held in establishments in England and Wales recorded as being nationals of the 41 countries to which repatriation from the United Kingdom is possible under the terms of the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons was 1,424.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 November 1998, Official Report, column 41, if the figures for the total number of offences referred to the police for prosecution by prison governors in each year contained in table 2 are directly comparable; for what reason no figures are available for 1993; what assessment he has made of the increase in the number of offences in prison; and if he will make a statement. [63084]

The figures quoted in my response of 9 November are not directly comparable, as information for 1992–95 relates to cases referred by prison governors to the police which resulted in a prosecution, while figures for 1996 and 1997 relate to the number of cases referred to the police for prosecution but where the outcome is not known.Comparable, revised figures regarding the number of cases referred to the police by prison governors but where it is not known if a prosecution resulted are given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the net operating cost figure for contracted out prisons per place per annum which is contained in the HM Prison Service Annual report for the last financial year was calculated; and if he will make a statement. [63049]

The statistical information about contracted-out prison costs shown on page 56 of the Prison Service Annual Report for 1997–98 was calculated by dividing the "net operating costs" by either the "average baseline certified normal accommodation" or the "average prisoner population". The data shown for individual prisons listed—Blakenhurst, Buckley Hall, Doncaster, and The Wolds—are correct. Unfortunately, the summary figures shown have been distorted by including the average Certified Normal Accommodation and average prisoner population data for the contracted prisons—Altcourse, Parc, and Lowdham Grange—which opened towards the end of the operational year. This error has also carried forward into the summary table shown on page 55 of the Report. I have arranged for corrected copies of these tables to be placed in the Library.Despite these errors, the contracted-out prisons continue to provide good value for money. But, perhaps more importantly, the figures shown that the gap between the contracted-out prisons' costs and public sector prisons' costs continues to reduce.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much police time was expended investigating the complaint of the right hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) of assault and robbery in Brixton on the evening of 26 October, broken down by rank of officer involved. [62875]

The Commissioner tells me that some 656 hours of local officers' time were spent on the investigation, as set out in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what loans Wackenhut has received from HM Prison Service in connection with prison workshops at HMP Coldingley; and if such loans have been repaid; [62928](2) what plans there are for the repayment of loans and debts owed to the Prison Service in respect of workshops at HMP Coldingley; [62925]

A loan of £105,000 was made to Wackenhut (UK) Ltd. in April 1998, of which £52,500 has been repaid. The Prison Service has asked for immediate repayment of the outstanding amount, together with amounts relating to utilities costs, which are payable by Wackenhut under the terms of the contract.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the efficiency of operation of laundry, metal workshop and sign-making facilities at HMP Coldingley since 1997. [62926]

The Prison Service is awaiting the production of audited accounts by the contractor, Wackenhut (UK) Ltd. to enable a full assessment to be made.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Wackenhut have paid HM Prison Service for plant and machinery used by them at workshops at HM Prison Coldingley since November 1997. [62930]

The contract with Wackenhut (UK) Ltd. for the management of the Coldingley Prison industries does not require a payment from the company for industrial plant and machinery.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requests Wackenhut have made for renegotiation of the contract for providing workshops at HMP Coldingley. [62927]

Wackenhut (UK) Ltd. have expressed interest in re-negotiating the terms of the contract. The Prison Service is considering this.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals were serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales at the most recent available date. [63038]

The latest available provisional information is for 30 September 1998. On that date, there were 3,545 sentenced foreign nationals (3,206 males and 339 females) in prisons in England and Wales.Information on the number of sentenced foreign nationals in prisons in England and Wales is published in "Prison statistics England and Wales" (Table 6.4 of the 1997 edition, cm 4017), a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the steps taken within the European Union to promote a common criminal justice system; and if he will make a statement. [62639]

Neither the Commission nor any of the member states has tabled formal legislative proposals for a common criminal justice system in the European Union. The proposals which have been made are contained in a research study entitled "Corpus Juris", published in 1997 under the aegis of the European Commission, which recommends common penal rules and procedures to protect the financial interests of the European Community, and also the creation of an office of European Public Prosecutor. A further study is now being carried out for the Commission on the feasibility of these proposals.Although the Government fully share the objective of fighting fraud against the Community budget, we disagree with many of the recommendations of the "Corpus Juris" study. None of the recommendations have been submitted to the Council of the European Union, but if this were to happen, unanimous agreement would be needed for them to be adopted and come into effect. The Government see no prospect that it could support proposals for a common criminal justice system.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what letters or circulars have been issued by his Department to police authorities, chief constables or local police partnerships recommending what should be included in local crime and disorder strategies. [62876]

The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 does not specify what should be included in the crime and disorder reduction strategies. This is a matter for local decision by the local authority and police, in partnership with a wide range of other bodies and in consultation with the community as a whole, based upon the priorities to emerge from local crime and disorder audits. The Home Office has, therefore, made no recommendation in this respect, although guidance dealing inter alia with the process of strategy development was issued to partnerships and other interested parties in July 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in response to the consultation paper on modernisation of the Gaming Act 1968. [63027]

We went out to consultation on 5 August on proposals to relax certain controls imposed by the Gaming Act 1968 on casino membership, advertising and jackpot machines. The consultation period ended on 21 October.We received 37 responses, mostly in support of the proposals. We are discussing matters of detail with the industry and aim to make our intentions known in the New Year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will consult the National Association of Local Councils about the implementation of the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 as they affect town, parish and community councils in England and Wales. [62931]

Home Office officials corresponded with, and talked to, representatives of the National Association of Local Councils during the early Parliamentary stages of the Crime and Disorder Act. I would, of course, welcome the opportunity to further discuss the implications of the Act with representatives from the National Association of Local Councils, if they so wish.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the assisted prison visits scheme. [63768]

The assisted prison visits scheme exists to help prisoners maintain contact with their close relatives and partners. The scheme was established in 1988. To qualify for assistance in meeting the costs of travel to and from the prison, the visitor must be in receipt of a low income benefit as administered by the Benefits Agency.The scheme does not distinguish between married and non-married partners, but financial assistance is extended to same-sex partners only at the expense of support for a prisoner's family members. In consequence, some prisoners, including young offenders, do not receive visits from parents or close relatives.The Government are keen to encourage all prisoners to maintain family ties, and believe that same-sex partners should be treated fairly by the Prison Service. Therefore, both partners and relatives will, in future, be able to receive assistance with the cost of visiting, within the qualifying conditions of the scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much is spent annually by his Department on research programmes in Scotland; and what proportion of this funding will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament after devolution. [63290]

The principal responsibilities of the Home Office in respect of the police, probation, fire and prison services, and in respect of the criminal justice system, relate only to England and Wales. Almost all the research conducted by the Home Office concerns, in one way or another, the operation in future of these services and systems in England and Wales. In view of the separate Scottish legal system, research in these areas has been the responsibility of the Scottish Office and the question of a transfer does not arise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) by programme over £50,000 and (b) the total spending by his Department in Scotland on the identifiable spending areas detailed in Table 7.6A of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 1997–98 (Cmnd 3601); which of these programmes will fall solely or jointly under the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament; and what arrangements are in place to transfer control of funds for these projects to the Scottish Executive or Parliament. [63291]

Work is in train to identify areas in which it might be appropriate to effect a transfer of funds. I will make a statement in the Official Report when this work has been completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the programmes which it will be ultra vires for his Department to fund or have sole responsibility for after devolution; if he will list these programmes; and if he will make a statement. [63292]

The position is being examined in the light of the Scotland Act 1998 and work is in train to identify cases where it may be appropriate to transfer functions. I will make a statement in the Official Report when the work reaches a conclusion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate she has made of the number of people in Northern Ireland who will benefit from the introduction of the minimum wage. [62261]

Current estimates indicate that some 57,000 employees in employment in Northern Ireland will benefit directly from the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will place a copy of the judgment in the judicial review case of Floyd and Palmer in the Library; and if she will ensure that the provision of reading and writing materials for suspects held under counter or anti-terrorist legislation is dealt with in the review of legislation presently in progress. [62264]

I have made arrangements for the Lord Chief Justice's Judgment in the Judicial Review case of Damien Floyd and Pauline Palmer to be placed in the Library of the House today. There is no statutory requirement for the provision of reading and writing materials for detainees held under the emergency legislation. However, the consultation paper on new counter-terrorism legislation will open for discussion the general regime for the detention of terrorist suspects, and interested parties will have an opportunity to comment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been paid during each of the last 10 years in compensation to persons wrongly convicted; and what was (a) the highest, (b) the lowest and (c) the average sum awarded. [62267]

During the relevant period, the total amounts of compensation paid to persons whose convictions have been quashed were, by year:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps she has taken to make available the published guidelines on compensation for miscarriages of justice to interested parties. [62268]

The guidelines on compensation for miscarriages of justice are automatically made available to the legal representatives of all persons the Secretary of State has determined to be eligible for such compensation. They are also available on request to other interested parties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people whose convictions have been quashed over each of the last 10 years have (a) applied for and (b) received compensation. [62266]

(a) The numbers of persons who have applied for statutory compensation after their convictions had been quashed during the relevant period were, by year:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will (a) list designated police stations and their approximate location, (b) indicate the number of interview rooms currently available in each and (c) estimate and break down the cost of fitting one room in each station with video recording equipment, indicating capital costs for equipment, building works (alterations), installation and running costs for the first year and subsequent years. [62262]

Designated police stations and the number of interview rooms available in each are shown.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what response has been made by the RUC Chief Constable to the request of the Independent Commissioner for the Holding Centres that he be given copies of court papers served in the course of judicial review cases involving the holding centres. [62265]

This matter was raised in the Independent Commissioner's fifth Annual Report, with the recommendation that the applicant be ordered to serve the Independent Commissioner with the appropriate Court papers. As there is no provision in the Rules of the Supreme Court to allow for this, it was suggested that the Commissioner take the matter up directly with the Chief Constable. I am advised that the Chief Constable has not received any request from the Commissioner to be given copies of court papers in the circumstances described.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans her Department has to contract with the armed services to provide emergency cover over the millennium period; and what estimate she has made of the cost of that cover. [62571]

At present no Government Department can have firm plans involving military support over the millennium period because these will need to be considered in a co-ordinated manner and priorities identified if the demand is too great. The Ministry of Defence have invited Departments to identify by Easter 1999 predictable demands. By then most Departmental plans should be advanced enough to enable potential problems, which may require military aid, to be identified.At this stage no estimate can be made of likely costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is her e-mail address. [62877]

The E-mail address for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is mm@nics.gov.uk.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many planning applications of a residential and commercial nature have been made in the

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the special advisers in her Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. [62848]

My Special Advisers are Nigel Warner and Andrew Lappin and they advise me on the full range of issues for which I am responsible.Special Advisers are subject to the usual security clearance arrangements. It is not appropriate to give details about particular individuals level of security clearance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list (a) the steps she is taking to increase public confidence in police complaints procedures, (b) the measures taken to assure complainants that they may supply information confidentially and without fear of intimidation and (c) in cases where an interview is required to obtain further information, what choices are offered to a complainant with regard to (i) the time, date and location of interview, (ii) the gender of interviewer and (iii) whether a non-uniformed or civilian interviewer is preferred. [61970]

[holding answer 9 December 1998]:(a) The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 provides for the establishment of a new office of Police Ombudsman to handle complaints against the police. The Ombudsman will have complete control of the complaints process. The Ombudsman will independently investigate all serious complaints against the police and will decide how others Lagan Valley Regional Park, within the Borough of Lisburn, since the commencement of the Lagan Valley Regional Park Local Plan; and how many of these applications have received planning permission. [62904]

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Planning Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. T. W. Stewart. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many certificates have been issued under section 42 of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 in each year since its enactment. [61971]

[holding answer 9 December 1998]: This information is not recorded centrally but a check of our records shows that 43 certificates have been issued, in respect of 39 individuals, under section 42 of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976. The table gives a breakdown by year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate she has made of the level of benefit fraud within the social security system; and what plans she has to tackle it. [63176]

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. Chris Thompson, and I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans his Department has to contract with the armed services to provide emergency cover over the millennium period; and what estimate he has made of the cost of that cover. [62574]

The Scottish Office has no specific plans for involving the military over the millennium period. There are procedures in place, however, through the standing military aid arrangements, which would be invoked in the event of any requirement for assistance.It is quite normal for military aid to be sought by local authorities, particularly over the winter, but as yet it is too early to identify any specific requirements which they or other bodies may have over the millennium period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the cost of treatments for Aids-related conditions over the next financial year. [62529]

Health Boards in Scotland are expected to meet the cost of such treatments from within the general allocations of funds provided to them each year. In order to assist Boards in planning services for HIV/AIDS patients, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently set up an expert group to recommend treatment protocols and to estimate the numbers of HIV/AIDS patients likely to be eligible for treatment with the new anti-retroviral drugs in the next few years. The group's report should be available shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to prepare a strategy for forestry in Scotland. [63808]

Forestry is an important part of the rural scene in Scotland. Its importance will grow as timber production doubles over the next 15 years and Scotland's forests and woodlands become more valuable for recreation and wildlife. We believe that it is important to have a strategy for forestry in Scotland which will provide a context for forestry policies and programmes. This will ensure that forestry integrates well with other aspects of the rural economy and plays its full part in the future well-being of Scotland.Clearly, the Scottish Executive will want to determine the form and content of a Scottish Forestry Strategy. Nevertheless, we consider that it would be helpful to prepare an issues paper which could form the basis for consultation on a strategy.We have therefore asked the Forestry Commission to set this work in hand, in liaison with other relevant Government Departments and Agencies, with a view to publishing an issues paper early next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues regarding the transfer of funding for United Kingdom programmes operating in Scotland where sole or joint responsibility transfers to the Scottish Parliament or Executive; if he will list the projects he has identified as being within the sole or joint competence of the Scottish Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [63302]