To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for taking forward the reform of juvenile secure accommodation. [75662]

I will be announcing on Monday how we intend to take forward our programme of reform for juvenile secure accommodation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Special Branch is empowered to disconnect telephone lines connected to organisations for the purpose of preventing possible subversion; whether explicit authorisation is required from him for such action; and if he will make a statement. [74855]

Special Branches are not empowered to disconnect telephone lines. The remit under which all Special Branches in England and Wales, as well as Scotland, operate is described in the Guidelines on Special Branch Work in Great Britain (published jointly by the Home Office and Scottish Office Home & Health Department, July 1994).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the remit of the Special Branch extends to monitoring pressure groups involved in campaigns against genetically modified food. [74856]

Pressure groups operating within the law are not the subject of monitoring by Special Branch or by any other law enforcement agencies. Special Branch may undertake inquiries either to meet the local policing needs in their force area or to assist the Security Service in carrying out its statutory duty under the Security Service Act 1989 for the protection of national security.The remit under which all Special Branches in England and Wales, as well as Scotland, operate is described in the Guidelines on Special Branch Work in Great Britain (published jointly by the Home Office and Scottish Office Home & Health Department, July 1994).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to protect witnesses mistakenly identified in the volume of appendices to the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report which has now been withdrawn; and if he will make a statement. [75001]

Witness protection in London is the responsibility of the Metropolitan Police. The Metropolitan Police assessed urgently the risks posed to the safety of individuals as a result of the publication of an unredacted version of Appendix 11 in the Stephen Lawrence report. The Metropolitan Police have put in place appropriate protection measures for those concerned. There has been a Home Office liaison officer on duty 24 hours a day since 26 February working with the police in Eltham to ensure that all individuals affected receive the protection that they need.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if police assistance will be available to the leak inquiry ordered by his Permanent Secretary into the unauthorised publication of extracts from the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report; and if he will make a statement. [75000]

It is for the independent investigator to determine what assistance may be required.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of withdrawing and reissuing the volume of appendices of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report; and if he will make a statement. [74999]

The figures requested are not yet available. I will write to the right hon. Member in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances people who are held in prison without bail and awaiting trial are allowed temporarily to leave the prison on compassionate grounds; whose responsibility it is to grant such leave; and if he will make a statement. [74997]

Under Rule 6 paragraph 8 of the Prison Rules 1964 (as amended), prisoners committed or remanded in custody for trial are not eligible to be considered by prison governors for temporary release.Prisoners are remanded to prison by the court under the specific provisions of the Bail Act 1976. It is, therefore, for the court to consider any fresh information that may lead to temporary release on compassionate grounds when a new application for bail is submitted.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what allowance for extra police officers he made in the Greater Manchester Police Force financial settlement for 1999–2000. [74826]

Greater Manchester Police will receive a funding increase of 3.0 per cent. in 1999–2000, which is above the national average. Following the funding settlement announced last month on 3 February 1999, Official Report, columns 618–19, I understand that the Greater Manchester Police Authority have agreed a budget of £382.5 million for 1999–2000, an increase of £11.8 million or 3.2 per cent. over 1998–99. It is for the chief constable to determine the numbers of officers in the force on the basis of the resources available to him.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what form the Police Scientific Development Branch produces an annual report outlining its activities; and if this report is available to members of the public.[74252]

The Police Scientific Development Branch no longer produces a separate annual report. However, the Branch's work is described in the Home Office Annual Report, and it also publishes technical reports on a number of its projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to issue information from his Department to help the public make an informed decision when they vote on the single currency. [73590]

Any plans by the Government to issue information during a referendum campaign on whether or not the United Kingdom should join the single currency would be made in light of the Government's response to the recommendations from the Neill Committee on the conduct of referendums and Parliament's approval thereto. The Government will announce their conclusions on those recommendations when I publish a draft Bill before the summer recess.

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will publish a list of (1) task forces and (2) policy reviews established by his Department since May 1997 which (a) had external members recruited by way of public advertisement, and details of any person so appointed and (b) engaged in public consultation exercises, and the form that these took. [74455]

Most task forces and reviews are short-term bodies established to give thorough consideration to important and difficult issues. External members are invited to sit on some reviews and task forces because they are able to contribute specific experience and expertise. In such cases, public advertising would be inappropriate and disproportionate. Of the task forces and reviews set up by my Department, none of them recruited external members by way of public advertising.On 25 March 1998, the Lord Chancellor announced a Review of Enforcement of Civil Court Judgments. The Review involves external members but they were not recruited by way of public advertisement. An initial public consultation paper was issued in June 1998 to a wide range of organisations with an interest in enforcement.Since 1 October 1998, appointments to those task forces which qualify for classification as advisory non-departmental public bodies have come within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will publish a list of (1) task forces and (2) policy reviews established by his Department since May 1997 which (a) had external members recruited by way of public advertisement, and details of any person so appointed and (b) engaged in public consultation exercises, and the form that these took. [74470]

On 12 June 1997, I established the review of the Crown Prosecution Service under the chairmanship of the right hon. Sir Iain Glidewell, a retired Lord Justice of Appeal. He was assisted by Sir Geoffrey Dear (a retired HM Inspector of Constabulary) and Mr. Robert McFarland (a retired Chief Executive of a multi-national company). Their Report was published on 1 June 1998.None of those individuals was recruited by way of public advertisement. The Review Team was a short-term body established to give thorough consideration to an important and difficult issue. Sir Iain Glidewell was invited to chair the Review because of his judicial experience and the two additional members of the team were selected because of their ability to contribute specific experience and expertise. Public advertising would have been inappropriate and disappropriate. It would have also delayed establishment of the Review.In February 1998, I established a Working Party to review the system of appointing Counsel to act for the Crown in civil cases and to monitor the use of advocates appointed to act. The Working Party was chaired by the then Solicitor-General (Lord Falconer QC) and included representatives from the Bar Council (Laura Cox QC and Lincoln Crawford), the two First Treasury Counsel (Philip Sales and Jonathan Crow) and officials from the Government Legal Service. I announced that I had accepted their recommendations on 30 July 1998.None of those individuals was recruited by way of public advertisement. The working party was a short-term body established to give thorough consideration to an important issue. The four external members were invited to sit on the working party because they were able to contribute specific experience and expertise. Public advertising would have been appropriate and disproportionate. A draft of the working party's report was sent to organisations with a specific interest in the subject, inviting their comments. The bodies consulted were the Bar Council, the Law Society, the Institute of Barristers' Clerks, the Association of Women Barristers, the Society for Black Lawyers, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the key milestones and their planned date for (a) his Department's and (b) his private office's 3 per cent. efficiency savings. [74650]

[holding answer 4 March 1999]: My Department's efficiency target is to achieve annual efficiency improvements of 3 per cent. (as a percentage of its operating costs efficiency baseline) each year from 1999–2000 to 2001–02. This target has not been applied uniformly across the Department, but has been disaggregated according to the scope to achieve efficiency in different budget areas. Progress in achieving this target is monitored by a steering group chaired by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces.Budget holders are required to identify the value and means of achievement of efficiency as part of my Department's annual planning processes. Total efficiency achieved will therefore be the sum of many hundreds of individual measures across the Department. Examples of some of the initiatives that will contribute towards the achievement of the Department's efficiency target were set out in section 4 of the Ministry of Defence's Public Service Agreement, published by HM Treasury in December 1998, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. Draft plans at present indicate the potential to achieve efficiency improvements valued at some £530 million in 1999–2000. The realism of these plans, and the level of cash savings they eventually produce, remains under scrutiny.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the Under-Secretary of State for Social Security, the hon. Member for Liverpool, Garston (Maria Eagle), of 22 February 1999, Official Report, column 28, on smart procurement, when the full transition plan will be completed; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [74823]

The Smart Procurement Initiative Implementation Team has recently delivered a report on its activities since September 1998 to the Steering Group chaired by myself. This includes a draft plan for the transition year, the very detailed and evolutionary nature of which does not lend itself to open publication. Over the coming weeks, I anticipate being able to announce achievements in the implementation of SDR measures, including the Smart Procurement Initiative. A summary of the Smart Procurement transition plan will be prepared and placed in the Library at that stage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice is given by his Department to trusts about their liability for injury to nurses and ancillaries arising from them lifting or moving patients; [73708]

(2) what advice is given to nurses and ancillaries in (a) hospitals and (b) domiciliary situations about the methods and extent to which they are authorised to lift or move patients; and if he will make a statement; [73707]

(3) if all trusts employing nurses and ancillary staff are required to insure them against injury arising from the lifting or moving of patients. [73706]

[holding answer 26 February 1999]: The Government are committed to improving the health, safety and welfare of NHS patients and staff.Insurance arrangements are a matter for National Health Service employers to determine locally. Staff who are injured in the course of their duties are entitled to payments from the National Health Service (Injury Benefits) Scheme for loss of earnings. They may also be entitled to compensation payments as a result of local insurance arrangements.National Health Service employers, like all employers, are required to comply with the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 and other statutory health and safety requirements.The National Health Service Executive issued guidance on 18 May 1998 on "The Management of Health, Safety and Welfare Issues for NHS Staff'. This guidance explains the obligations of NHS employers as well as giving advice on manual handling and other health and safety matters.The National Health Service Executive sponsored a series of seminars around the country last year on health and safety issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter of 29 January from the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West on appointments to health authorities and NHS trusts in the North West. [74834]

I replied to the hon. Member on 4 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each health authority in the West Midlands (i) the total funding allocation and (ii) the funding per capita for health services for each year between 1987 and 1999, indicating for each year the (1) planned and (2) actual funding allocation by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [74857]

Figures have been given for 1996–97 onwards as health authorities in their present form did not exist prior to that year.The following tables give, for each health authority in the West Midlands:

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number claiming each component of the disability living allowance, and the numbers within those groups (a) working and (b) not working, in each year since 1992. [75071]

Number of Disability Living Allowance recipients1 and estimated percentage in work2
	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998
Care component
Recipients (000)	475	684	825	995	1,172	1,317	1,401
Percentage working	—	—	8	8	9	—	—
Mobility component
Recipients (000)	858	1,078	1,224	1,398	1,556	1,690	1,757
Percentage working	—	—	7	7	8	—	—
Total3
Recipients (000)	1,019	1,248	1,400	1,589	1,768	1,926	2,014
Percentage working	—	—	7	8	8	—	—
1Numbers from administrative statistics taken at August of each year, rounded to the nearest thousand.
2Based on Family Resources Survey, which refers to financial years and excludes people in hospital and residential care. Information for earlier years is not available.
3Some recipients receive both components so numbers are less than the sum of the care and mobility recipients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of (a) the number of bereaved people who will no longer be able to claim incapacity benefit on the basis of their spouses' contribution record under the proposals in the Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill and (b) the consequent savings. [75002]

It is estimated that currently there may be up to 2,000 successful claims a year to Incapacity Benefit on the basis of a late spouse's contributions and that the proposals in the Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill may affect 1,500 people and save £1 million in 2001–02. No one already widowed at the point of change will be affected.

Information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.Disability Living Allowance is intended to provide help with the extra costs of care and mobility needs arising from disability. Since entitlement can continue irrespective of whether the recipient is in or out of work, statistics are not routinely kept on the numbers working. The table gives numbers of recipients and some broad estimates of the proportion in work, based on available data in the Family Resources Survey.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lone parents are currently claiming income support; and how many lone parents were claiming income support in September 1998. [75150]

The latest information available is that there were 955,000 lone parents claiming Income Support as at August 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lone parents there are in each decile of income distribution. [75149]

The information is in the table.The table shows the numbers of lone parents by decile or quintile of the income distribution. Their position in the income distribution is determined by the equivalised income of the household.

Number of lone parents by equivalised income decile or quintile, excluding the self-employed—1996–97
Thousand
	Before housing costs	After housing costs
Income deciles
Bottom decile	220	280
Second decile	400	550
Third decile	360	270
Fourth decile	240	200
Income quintiles
Third quintile	260	200
Fourth quintile	120	110
Top quintile	60	50
Total	1,660	1,660

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all the representations received in response to the Green Paper on the Child Support Agency. [75151]

We have received 1,564 written responses to the Green Paper. The Under-Secretary my noble Friend the Baroness Hollis of Heigham, has also held meetings with more than 40 organisations, academics and other groups with an interest in child support.Further details about responses to the consultation exercise will be made available when we bring forward our final proposals for reform.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 26 January 1999, Official Report, column 49, on income support, when he expects to publish estimates of non take-up of income-related benefits in 1996–97. [75070]

At present, work continues towards a revised set of figures for take-up in 1996–97. Publication is likely in May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the annual estimated saving arising from the operation of the habitual residence test from its introduction to date. [74748]

[holding answer 4 March 1999]: The best estimate of savings arising from the operation of the habitual residence test in the financial year 1997–98 is approximately £18 million. (This is an approximation since, by definition, we do not know the benefit entitlement of a person who fails the test).

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the total expenditure on the NIRS2 computer system has been to date; what the estimated total expenditure on completion of the NIRS2 computer system is; and what the original bid by Andersen Consulting for setting up the NIRS2 computer system was. [75182]

Payments for the NIRS2 service commenced from 13 July 1998. Expenditure to date has been £2.85 million. Andersen Consulting (AC) are contracted to provide the NIRS2 service until 5 April 2004. Due to the delayed go-live of the NIRS2 system, it is currently estimated that £39 million will be paid to AC for NIRS2 in that time. The bid submitted by AC for designing, developing, implementing and maintaining the NIRS2 service to 5 April 2004 was £44.8 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners are currently receiving income from a personal pension; and of those how many are also claiming means-tested benefits. [75068]

The information is not available.We would expect that there are relatively few people who are receiving pension benefits from their personal pension plans at present. The data available do not distinguish income from personal pensions from income from other types of pension.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many punishment beatings took place in each year since 1994; and how many have taken place since the Good Friday Agreement. [70108]

The following table illustrates the number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style attacks in Northern Ireland since 1994:

Year	Shootings	Assaults	Total
1994	122	70	192
1995	3	217	220
1996	24	302	326
1997	72	156	228
1998	72	144	216
10 April 1998 to 28 February 1999	65	150	215

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated annual cost of providing free travel on public transport for pensioners in Northern Ireland. [73984]

The Concessionary Fares Scheme in Northern Ireland is administered by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.It provides for unlimited travel at half-fare, at all times, on all scheduled services by road and rail throughout Northern Ireland for persons aged 65 and over, as well as children up to age 16 and war disabled pensioners. Registered blind people are entitled to free travel.Unfortunately, the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland does not hold a breakdown by 'group' of the current expenditure on the existing concessionary fares scheme. The total expenditure for 1997–98 was £9,078,768.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses were discharged from mental illness hospitals in Northern Ireland in the last year; and how many were admitted for a hospital stay more than once during the year. [74387]

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 4 March 1999, Official Report, columns 821–22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding the introduction of a levy on the copying onto tape of television programmes and music CDs; and if he will make a statement. [72218]

[holding answer 22 February 1999]: We are aware from a number of sources of the concerns of consumers and others that a draft EC Directive on copyright in the information society may require levies to be imposed on blank tapes. These concerns stem from proposed amendments to the Directive recently adopted by the European Parliament, which would require right owners to be compensated where exceptions to their rights permitting private copying are provided in national law. However, the outcome on the Directive is not yet clear since negotiations in the Council of Ministers are still at a relatively early stage, and it cannot be adopted until both the Council and the Parliament agree. In the UK, there is an exception allowing home recording of broadcasts to enable viewing or listening at a more convenient time, and we do not consider that a levy would be justified for this. The position on private copying of music CDs is different since in general there is no exception in the UK permitting this, and we envisage that it would remain subject to authorisation by right owners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress he has made in preparing legislation to promote electronic commerce. [75548]

The way we do business in the future is set to change dramatically. It is essential that Britain is at the forefront of these changes and building trust is crucial. The Government have set the ambitious goal of developing the UK as the world's best environment for electronic trading by 2002. I will shortly be appointing an e-envoy to push forward our strategy for achieving this. An important part of our strategy is the proposed legislation on Electronic Commerce, which I intend to present to Parliament later this session. I am publishing a consultation paper on the Bill today, and have placed copies in the Vote Office. I am determined to get this legislation right by developing it in consultation with industry and other interested parties, to provide a clear, consistent and predictable legal environment for business.Developing trust on-line, building public confidence in "electronic signatures" and clarifying their legal status are essential if we are to promote electronic commerce. Our proposed legislation will do this. It will start removing the legal barriers to using electronic means, instead of pen and paper, in everyday dealings—for example between people and Government, between businesses and customers, or between companies and their shareholders. It will also enhance confidence in the technologies which people can use to ensure that others cannot read their credit card data when they shop on line and businesses can use to ensure that sensitive information is not being read by competitors. Encryption is vital to this as a way of supporting electronic signatures as well as protecting the confidentiality of documents.However encryption poses a serious threat to the effectiveness of the agencies tasked with combating crime and threats to national security, who rely on legal access to both stored and communicated data. As, increasingly, such data become encrypted, they need access to the keys to unlock any material they lawfully obtain. We therefore intend to give those agencies legal powers to obtain encryption keys, under properly authorised procedures and on a case by case basis, wherever they are held. The powers will apply only to material which itself has been, or is being, obtained under lawful authority and will not extend the range of material to which agencies are allowed access. The procedures will contain strong safeguards.Much of what the Government have proposed has been broadly welcomed. However, there has been much debate about key escrow and third party key recovery—essentially ways of storing confidentiality keys or of recovering encrypted data. They allow critical data to be recovered both for business and other users of encryption for themselves or in response to authorised requests from law enforcement agencies. However, industry has argued that making this a requirement under the licensing scheme could hinder the development of electronic commerce in the UK.The Government have therefore decided to consult on the basis that this will not be a requirement for licensing. But law enforcement faces a serious problem. Government and industry have a common interest in fighting crime. The Prime Minister is therefore establishing a partnership with industry to identify ways of meeting law enforcement requirements while promoting the growth of electronic commerce. The Government are seeking ideas on how these dual objectives might be promoted via the licensing scheme or otherwise.Topics on which we are seeking views also include: legal recognition of electronic communications, exactly how the voluntary licensing scheme run by OFTEL for providers of cryptographic services licensing will work, the liability of service providers towards their customers and others, other possible changes to legislation to promote electronic commerce and the way the law enforcement provisions will affect licensed providers, unlicensed providers and other people.Taken together, the proposals in this paper, which will form the basis of our Electronic Commerce Bill, will give the UK the most attractive legal framework in the world for doing electronic business. The paper is available at:http://www.dti.gov.uk/CII/elec/elec-com.html

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the inward investment projects in Staffordshire which his Department has announced (a) since May 1997 and (b) between 1992 and 1997, giving in each case the (i) location, (ii) cash investment and (iii) number of jobs created; and if he will make a statement. [74547]

There is no obligation for foreign-ownedor—or indigenous—businesses to inform Government of the details of Inward Investment for reasons of commercial confidentiality. However, information collected by the West Midlands Development Agency, the regional development organisation, shows 59 cases of investment by foreign-owned companies in Staffordshire in the period from May 1992 to September 1998, of which 16 were since May 1997. Cumulative investment, where announced, totalled £644 million. Some 2,489 jobs were created and 7,985 safeguarded. Their records show that 21 of these investments were in the Tamworth area; 9 in Lichfield; 8 in Cannock; 7 in Burton-on-Trent and 6 in Stoke-on-Trent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the EU Commission's position on the Dutch and Italian Governments' challenge to the EU Patent Directorate COM (95) 661. [74493]

[holding answer 3 March 1999]: The European Commission, as a Community institution, is entitled to intervene in any case before the European Court of Justice. I am not aware that the Commission has made any such intervention in the Netherlands' action before the European Court of Justice, which action seeks to annul Directive 98/44/EC on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions. In addition, I am not aware that the European Commission has made any public statement on their position with respect to this case.The Netherlands have applied to the European Court of Justice seeking to annul the recently adopted Directive 98/44/EC on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions.As this Community legislation was adopted by the Council and European Parliament, it is these institutions, rather than the Commission who are parties to the action.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current practice of the UK Patent Office in awarding patents on (a) transgenic plants and (b) genes and genetic sequences derived from plants; and how many of each have been given in the last 12 months. [74474]

[holding answer 3 March 1999]: The United Kingdom Patents Act (1977) sets down the requirements which must be met to obtain patent rights and the United Kingdom Patent Office assesses patent applications to investigate whether they comply with these requirements. So, for example, according to the Act, patents may be obtained for all inventions which are new, not obvious and have industrial applicability. These criteria must be met by inventions from all fields of technology, including biotechnology. The Act also excludes certain matter from patent rights. This includes plant varieties as such, and discoveries, such as the mere discovery that a gene exists in nature with no accompanying technical step. Thus, patents may be granted for inventions involving the genetic manipulation of plants. Any decision by the Patent Office can be challenged in the Courts.Between the beginning of March 1998 and the end of February 1999, the Patents and Designs Journal have recorded the grant of two patents by the United Kingdom Patent Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about progress in negotiations between his Department and the National Federation of Retail Newsagents regarding regulations affecting newspaper delivery. [74626]

My Department has not been in negotiations with the National Federation of Retail Newsagents. I have previously stated that newspaper delivery boys and girls are not entitled to paid annual leave under the Working Time Regulations if they are below minimum school leaving age; anyone aged 16 or over who delivers newspapers is, like any other part-time worker, entitled to paid annual leave but only pro rata according to the hours they normally work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce employment protection for university scientific and medical researchers on short-term contracts. [74700]

The Employment Relations Bill now before Parliament will provide all employees with decent minimum standards in the workplace. It includes a proposal to abolish contractual clauses which allow those working under fixed term contracts lasting a year or more to waive the right to claim unfair dismissal at the end of the term.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to allow oil exploration and development off St. Kilda; and if he will make a statement. [74282]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) on 2 March 1999, Official Report, columns 693–95.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the organisations which Ministers have met since 1 August 1998 in connection with the Government's policies on women's issues. [73958]

I have been asked to reply.My noble Friend the Leader of the House of Lords and Minister for Women and I are responsible for delivering the Government's commitments towards women.Since 1 August 1998, we have met representatives from the following organisations in connection with women's issues:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the expenditure incurred by his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies on (a) the setting up and (b) the operation of websites, indicating the cases in which the expenditure has been above that budgeted; and if he will list for each website (i) the topics covered, (ii) the current average number of hits per month and (iii) the estimated expenditure on each website for each of the next three years. [70966]

[holding answer 15 February 1999]: My Department's website provides information on a wide range of topics, including copies of all Departmental publications.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a breakdown of planned expenditure by category for Scottish Enterprise in 2001–02; and if he will make a statement. [74242]

[holding answer 3 March 1999]: The gross planning figures for Scottish Enterprise in 2001–02 are as follows:

Gross plans: £ million
	2001–02
Business Development	140.6
Infrastructure	266.2
Administration	61.3

This breakdown will be aligned in due course with the new Scottish Enterprise strategic goals. These are supporting innovative and far sighted companies; stimulating positive attitudes to enterprise and learning, promoting inclusion and ensuring that Scotland is a competitive place in relation to its working and living environment.From 1 July, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reasons he has not yet replied to the questions from the hon. Member for Gordon, tabled on 1 February for answer on 4 and 8 February (refs. 69242, 69254, 69251, 69235, 69267, 69203, 69197, 69198, 69199, 69201. 69200); and if he will make a statement. [75060]

Question 69254 has been answered. The information requested in the remaining questions is currently being collated and will be provided to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from Sheriff Principal Risk about the exclusion of the Wick Sheriff Court from the list of outlying sheriff courts at which an enhanced fixed payment for summary criminal legal aid cases will be paid; and if he will make a statement. [75065]

Sheriff Principal Risk wrote to The Scottish Office suggesting that Wick and Fort William should be included in the list of courts which attract an additional distant courts payment. A letter was sent to the Sheriff Principal explaining the basis on which the list of distant courts was drawn up.The operation of the fixed payments regime will be closely monitored by the Tripartite Group, comprising The Scottish Office, the Law Society of Scotland and the Scottish Legal Aid Board. Monitoring will include the effect on rural courts. From 1 July 1999, legal aid in Scotland will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the average pay for Grade D nurses in the last 10 years; and if he will list the five NHS trusts that have the lowest pay awards for Grade D nurses for 1999–2000. [74995]

The information on average earnings available centrally is shown in the table. Data for earlier years are not available.From 1 April 1999 all Grade D nurses in NHS Trusts in Scotland on national contracts will receive the rates of pay recommended by the Review Body for 1999 –2000.

Average Gross Pay1 for Grade D nurses2 employed in the NHS in Scotland—Financial years ending 31 March 1996 to 31 March 1998
£
Year	Average gross pay
1996	14,997
1997	15,477
19983	15,847
1Gross Pay consists of employees basic pay, overtime, enhancements and any other allowances they receive. It excludes employers charges.
2The averages are based on the nurses who work on a whole time basis only, because of the difficulty in calculating a whole time equivalent denominator for part time nurses.
3Data for Dumfries and Galloway Community NHS trust and 11 trusts and health boards in the West of Scotland are missing for 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) acute, (b) geriatric, (c) mental illness, (d) learning disability and (e) maternity beds there were in each health board area in each year since 1994–95. [74989]

Information on the number of acute, geriatric, psychiatric, learning disability and obstetric beds in each Health Board for each year since 1994–95 is shown in the table.

NHS in Scotland—Average available staffed beds Years ending 31 March 1995–31 March 1998 and 9 months ending 31 December 19981
Year ending	Acute2	Geriatric3	Psychiatric4	Learning Disabilities	Obstetrics
31 March 1995
Argyll & Clyde	1,198	949	1,092	234	137
Ayrshire & Arran	1,075	600	658	134	109
Borders	339	210	239	6	28
Dumfries & Galloway	405	314	382	81	44
Fife	774	615	684	303	79
Forth Valley	592	669	622	526	95
Grampian	1,843	1,048	1,053	297	202
Greater Glasgow	3,721	2,387	2,144	665	295
Highland	738	370	391	106	82
Lanarkshire	1,600	960	988	440	124
Lothian	2,437	1,744	1,663	488	200
Orkney	91	51	—	—	8
Shetland	46	81	—	—	10
Tayside	1,589	879	1,069	189	131
Western Isles	100	97	51	—	18
Scotland	16,549	10,974	11,034	3,468	1,563
31 March 1996
Argyll & Clyde	1,147	943	1,076	226	138
Ayrshire & Arran	971	594	607	132	105
Borders	340	206	227	5	28
Dumfries & Galloway	416	269	367	86	44
Fife	754	541	657	303	68
Forth Valley	573	637	570	489	80
Grampian	1,804	1,033	988	286	194
Greater Glasgow	3,651	2,313	1,878	643	275
Highland	806	287	362	89	80
Lanarkshire	1,581	927	923	440	123
Lothian	2,317	1,643	1,631	467	195
Orkney	85	53	4	—	8
Shetland	46	80	—	—	10
Tayside	1,540	842	1,055	159	125
Western Isles	95	93	48	—	14
Scotland	16,126	10,459	10,392	3,325	1,487
31 March 1997
Argyll & Clyde	1,115	943	1,059	226	135
Ayrshire & Arran	908	604	527	130	89
Borders	350	196	201	6	28
Dumfries & Galloway	389	250	335	86	44
Fife	741	506	621	293	68
Forth Valley	556	637	530	454	83
Grampian	1,791	1,004	898	265	176
Greater Glasgow	3,588	2,125	1,655	617	272
Highland	812	244	284	76	80
Lanarkshire	1,551	893	898	433	107
Lothian	2,265	1,413	1,488	386	165
Orkney	89	46	10	—	8
Shetland	50	67	—	—	10
Tayside	1,459	782	1,027	169	120
Western Isles	106	66	45	—	14
Scotland	15,770	9,776	9,580	3,141	1,400
31 March 1998
Argyll & Clyde	1,108	988	1,080	226	132
Ayrshire & Arran	900	640	481	123	90
Borders	340	192	188	6	28
Dumfries & Galloway	395	221	331	86	43
Fife	713	485	581	250	68
Forth Valley	560	524	495	445	82
Grampian	1,788	883	801	247	172
Greater Glasgow	3,454	2,142	1,632	584	248

From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the average pay for chief executives for NHS trusts for the last 10 years; and if he will list the pay of the five highest paid chief executives of NHS trusts in 1998–99. [74994]

The first NHS Trust was established in Scotland in 1992. The current 47 Trusts were not in being until 1995. The information requested is only fully available from 1995–96 and is set out in the table.

£
Year	Average pay for chief executives
1995–96	63,490
1996–97	57,820
1997–98	68,680

Pay of the 5 highest paid chief executives
1995–96	1996–97	1997–98
89,000	91,000	93,000
85,000	90,000	89,000
85,000	85,000	85,000
83,000	83,000	84,000
80,000	83,000	83,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list his priorities for the reform of European Union institutions. [73571]

Our overriding priority is to ensure that the enlarged Union has institutions which are effective, accountable and transparent. We also attach particular importance to making the Commission's resource and personnel management practices more effective and transparent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the General Affairs Council held in Brussels on 22 and 23 February; and if he will make a statement. [73485]

1. The General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 22 February 1999 adopted the A points listed in document 6078/99 and noted the resolutions, decisions and opinions adopted by the European Parliament in its sessions of 11–15 January and 27–28 January listed in documents 5117/99 and 5120/99. Copies of the documents listing the A points and resolutions will be placed in the House Libraries as soon as they become available. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I represented the UK.