To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) discussions she has had and (b) proposals her Department has put forward at Council of Ministers' meetings in respect of EU fraud; and if she will make a statement. [77781]

The Development Council most recently discussed EU fraud on 30 November 1998 in the context of allegations about the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO). The Government seek to ensure that anti-fraud considerations are taken fully into account when new policies are being developed and new or revised Regulations are on the table.Specific discussions on fighting EU fraud will be discussed at ECOFIN where the Treasury leads. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will provide details in answer to the hon. Member's question.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list what her Department's budget for the Commonwealth Development Corporation was or is for (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000. [77624]

The relevant figures are as follows:

Voted in estimates
£ million
	Payments to CDC	Receipts from CDC	Net provision
1997–981	23.286	33.276	-9.900
1998–992	35.919	35.919	0
1999–20003	38.670	38.670	0
1outturn
2 estimated outturn
3budget

Non-voted budget figures score as part of my Department's public expenditure figures. These reflect changes in CDC's cash deposits between year ends, not the absolute amount of cash balance which CDC holds. (A negative figure means an increase in cash deposits over the year). Relevant figures for the period in question are £12.5 million, -£15.2 million, and zero respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is her Department's expenditure or budgeted expenditure through the British Council for (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000. [77619]

In 1997–98 we provided a grant-in-aid of £29.8 million to support the British Council's development activities. In 1998–99 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) assumed responsibility for the Council's grant-in-aid and the resources set aside in the Department for International Development's (DFID) budget—some £30.3 million—have been transferred to the FCO.The Council also undertakes work for DFID under contract arrangements, typically project management. In 1997–98 the value of contracts which they won was £28.7 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much debt relief was granted by her Department in (a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99. [77622]

In 1997–98 the Department for International Development (DFID) approved new debt relief arrangements totalling £26.1 million. To date in 1998–99 a further £10.3 million of debt relief has been granted. In addition, over the past two years, we have foregone repayments of aid loans totalling £38.8 million under debt relief arrangements reached before April 1997.As well as cancelling aid debts owed to my Department, we have provided assistance to countries to help them meet their debt service payments. We have provided £10 million to Mozambique in 1997–98 and £16 million in 1998–99 for this purpose. For Tanzania we have provided £16.6 million in 1997–98 and £25 million in 1998–99, and we contributed £5 million to the Multilateral Debt Trust Fund for Rwanda in January 1999. Most recently, in March 1999, we contributed £10 million to the Trust Fund set up following Hurricane Mitch, to assist Nicaragua and Honduras meet their international debt service payments.DFID is also assisting the international financial institutions in providing debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. In June 1998, we contributed £6.3 million to the HIPC Trust Fund to assist the African Development Bank (AfDB) with its costs in providing debt relief for Uganda. We have pledged a further £30 million for the AfDB, £11 million of which is earmarked for Mali and Mozambique, who are expected to receive HIPC debt relief later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people were directly employed by her Department on 1 March. [77620]

Statistics are produced on a quarterly basis. As at 1 January 1999, the Department for International Development directly employed 1,130 staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 999 calls were received by each police force in each of the last five years. [77287]

The information requested is as follows:

AC2a total 999 calls received
	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98
Avon and Somerset	89,235	159,800	159,095	197,706	198,390
Bedfordshire	43,200	51,192	34,466	59,863	56,870
Cambridgeshire	53,504	58,805	73,923	79,332	82,541
Cheshire	75,094	80,035	90,243	94,953	102,2665
City of London1	0	0	0	0	0
Cleveland	67,398	84,346	87,253	89,061	86,318
Cumbria	33,985	34,729	37,047	37,749	36,206
Derbyshire2	49,457	n/a	94,632	96,746	103,413
Devon and Cornwall	102,391	121,798	148,381	165,013	175,942
Dorset	55,155	54,791	71,700	71,362	73,005
Durham	29,447	29,923	31,424	46,178	51,729
Dyfed-Powys	21,231	24,068	25,208	25,374	29,382
Essex	110,005	114,883	121,934	129,165	176,374
Gloucestershire	40,462	45,388	46,678	62,790	57,833
Greater Manchester	416,873	446,345	500,820	501,093	584663
Gwent	32,191	35,360	36,088	53,471	57,143
Hampshire	162,082	170,560	191,090	211,000	225,355
Hertfordshire	67,610	77,071	87,256	101,283	107,675
Humberside	85,632	88,402	87,653	95,238	106,042
Kent	130,015	141,769	161,149	170,908	168,849
Lancashire	71,986	102,984	156,349	132,194	177,088
Leicestershire	100,232	114,314	129,686	130,940	127,316
Lincolnshire	34,694	45,828	46,556	46,102	48,247
Merseyside	200,711	220,432	251,985	326,654	246,646
Metropolitan Police	1,347,207	1,538,385	1,681,620	1,772,871	1,875,381
Norfolk	37,143	48,984	56,261	63,684	69,852
Northamptonshire	25,027	32,256	55,994	60,028	69,581
Northumbria	213,369	224,569	222,835	229,478	227,129
North Wales	39,945	40,575	42,864	48,131	71,690
North Yorkshire	31,956	56,646	60,561	53,226	43,423
Nottinghamshire	119,489	115,695	129,831	147,739	156,239
South Wales	150,370	158,006	179,586	175,535	196,599
South Yorkshire	123,144	149,178	153,276	177,278	180,197
Staffordshire	58,935	65,266	74,900	76,400	87,737
Suffolk	27,521	30,253	56,112	60,951	61,961
Surrey	56,182	67,268	74,763	80,201	82,399
Sussex	94,251	138,265	151,652	162,452	172,250
Thames Valley	125,754	195,016	221,119	228,508	240,002
Warwickshire	43,468	48,870	54,921	60,861	63,503
West Mercia	80,894	98,539	99,012	110,688	111,924
West Midlands	358,009	412,211	455,056	462,052	479,112
West Yorkshire	267,786	323,081	348,120	342,199	353,125
Wiltshire	25,000	42,768	56,064	60,762	48,243
England and Wales Total2	5,297,040	26,088,654	6,881,163	7,297,219	7,670,039
1 Calls included in with the Metropolitan Police.
2 Figures for Derbyshire are missing for 1994–95 due to the installation of a new call logging system.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many warrants under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 were (a) in force on 31 December 1998 and (b) issued during the course of 1998 for (i) the interception of telecommunications, (ii) the interception of letters and (iii) in total. [77276]

The Commissioner appointed under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 publishes figures on the number of interception warrants issued by the home Secretary in his annual reports. In his report for 1998, (which will shortly be presented to the Prime Minister) the Commissioner will record the following numbers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for warrants under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 were refused in each of the last five years. [77278]

The information requested is not available. Each application for interception of communications is subject to careful scrutiny at a number of stages before a warrant is issued. The application is submitted by a very senior officer following scrutiny within the Agency concerned. Within my Department, it will normally be examined by officials at four successive levels of seniority before being presented to me for approval. I examine each application carefully before issuing the warrant.At any stage in this process the case may be, and on occasion is, referred back to the applicant agency for clarification or further detail. This may, and occasionally does, result in a decision that the application should be withdrawn or that a warrant should not be issued. Records are not kept in a form which would enable the information requested to be extracted without disproportionate cost. But given the very careful scrutiny which I have described, it is seldom necessary for the Home Secretary to refuse to issue a warrant.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the consequence of incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights into United Kingdom law for the use of police and security service surveillance methods; and if he will make a statement. [77293]

Surveillance by the police and security service must be carried out in a way compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights to which the United Kingdom adheres, even before its incorporation into United Kingdom law. My Department is currently considering whether further changes are needed to the framework of controls on the use of surveillance.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, by date, the number of people who have been turned away after queuing at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on each day after 1 February. [77809]

From 1 February to 4 March, all callers attending the Immigration and Nationality Directorate Public Caller Unit (PCU) were seen by an officer. On Wednesday 4 March, following a disturbance by certain individuals in the queue, it proved necessary to close the doors to the public early. In the light of the incident it was decided that for Health and Safety reasons and for a temporary period, only the first 400 callers would be allowed in to the PCU each day. This restricted service was also in operation on 5, 8 and 9 March whilst managers considered how to provide better facilities for callers. I regret that figures were not kept of the number of callers turned away during those four days.Since 10 March, additional temporary accommodation has been used and all callers to the PCU are again being seen on the day by a member of staff. I am informed that the PCU is now dealing with more people each day than it was in the second half of last year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints he has received about the operation of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate since 1 January. [76962]

There has been an increase in complaints about the operation of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) following the introduction of the new caseworking arrangements in IND headquarters in Croydon and the disruption caused by the relocation of about 900 staff and 200,000 files. However, the numbers of complaints are not recorded.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were in post in each constabulary in Wales (a) in April 1997 and (b) at the latest available date. [77554]

The information requested is set out in the table:

Force	31 March 1997	30 September 19981
Dyfed-Powys	1,005	1,013
Gwent	1,243	1,254
North Wales	1,369	1,395
South Wales	2,976	2,946
Total	6,593	6,608
1Latest date for which figures are available

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of training court welfare officers in each of the last two years; and what training was made available to such officers. [77556]

The total spent on centrally supported training for family court welfare officers was £68,950 in 1997–98 and £65,710 in 1998–99. This training took the form of a modular learning programme for staff new to family court welfare work. Additional training has been provided by individual probation services, but figures for the amounts spent are not held centrally. There is also a training manual, "An introduction to the work of the family court welfare service", which was prepared in 1996 by the Association of Chief Officers of Probation, and a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is provided to (a) court welfare officers and (b) relevant members of the judiciary on parental alienation syndrome. [77558]

The training material provided for family court welfare officers covers the psychology of children in separating families. The training of members of the judiciary is a matter for the Lord Chancellor.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) for what reasons Her Majesty's Government have not ratified the Council of Europe: Protocol of amendment to the European convention for the protection of vertebrate animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes; and if he will make a statement; [77988](2) for what reasons Her Majesty's Government have not ratified the Council of Europe's European convention for the protection of vertebrate animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes; and if he will make a statement. [77285]

The United Kingdom signed, but postponed ratification of European Convention ETS 123 at the request of the European Commission. Through an agreement brokered during the United Kingdom's Presidency of the European Union in 1998, the way has been cleared for the Community and member states to accede to the Convention by 1 January 2000.We intend to lay instruments of accession to meet this timetable. This will include ratification of the Amending Protocol. As part of our preparation, we are canvassing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those people he has appointed to public bodies since 1 November 1998, indicating the positions to which they have been appointed and if they receive remuneration. [76417]

The information showing appointments to public bodies between 1 November 1998 and 28 February 1999 is shown in the tables.I am unable to publish the names of those appointed to the Boards of Visitors in England and Wales because of concerns for their personal safety, but I can say that 100 new appointments were made between 1 November 1998 and 28 February 1999. These posts are not remunerated.

Table showing people appointed to Home Office public bodies between 1 November 1998 and 28 February 1999 who are remunerated
Name of body	Name	Position
Horserace Betting Levy Appeals Tribunal	Mr. Brian Waters1	Member
Police Discipline Appeals Tribunal	Mr. Michael Bennett	Member
	Mr. John Burrow	Member
	Mr. Martin John Wale	Member
Commission for Racial Equality	Ms Shushila Patel	Member
Police Complaints Authority	Mrs. Molly Meacher	Deputy Chair
	Ms Mehmuda Mian	Member
Criminal Injuries Compensation Board	Mrs. Suzan Matthews QC	Member
Parole Board	Mrs. Mollie Weatheritt	Member
1 Re-appointment

Table showing people appointed to Home Office public bodies between 1 November 1998 and 28 February 1999 who are not remunerated
Name of body	Name	Position
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs	Mrs. Joy Barlow1	Member
	Mr. Raj Boyjoonauth1	Member
	Mr. Alexander Cameron1	Member
	Dr. William Clee1	Member
	Dr. Michael Donmall1	Member
	Dr. Anthony John Duxbury1	Member
	Professor Griffith Edwards1	Member
	Dr. Laurance Gruer1	Member
	Ms Lorraine Hewitt1	Member
	Mr. Roger Howard1	Member
	Professor Ronald Jones1	Member
	Professor Malcolm Lader	Member
	Professor Otto Meth-Cohen1	Member
	Mr. Michael Narayn-Singh1	Member
	Dr. Diana Patterson1	Member
	Dr. Roy Robertson1	Member
	Dr. Sue Ruben1	Member
	Mr. Ian Sherwood1	Member
	Professor Gerald Stimson1	Member
	Professor John Strang1	Member
	Mr. Peter Walker1	Member
Animal Procedures Committee	Professor Ronald Anderson1	Member
	Professor Christopher Atterwill	Member
	Mr. Michael Baker	Member
	Professor Grahame Bulfield	Member
	Professor Stephen Clark	Member
	Professor Paul Flecknell1	Member
	Mr. Alan Holland	Member
	Professor Colin Johnston	Member
	Dr. Ian Purchase1	Member
	Professor Genrvra Richardson	Member
Alcohol Education and Research Council	Professor Donald Broom	Member
	Baroness Shreela Flather1	Chair

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many fires there were in domestic premises in (a) 1997 and (b) 1998; [77199](2) how many fires were started by arson in

In 1997, the United Kingdom fire service attended a total number of 86,400 primary fires (those involving property or casualties) which were of malicious or suspected deliberate ignition. The number of arson offences recorded by the police in England and Wales for the same period was 31,500.The total number of dwelling fires attended by the United Kingdom fire service was 72,200. Data for 1998 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refugees who have been granted asylum are currently resident in Britain; and what percentage are known to be in receipt of means-tested benefits. [76605]

I regret that information regarding the number of refugees currently resident in the United Kingdom is not available.It is possible to say how many people are granted asylum in any one year, but not whether they have remained in the United Kingdom. Some refugees decide to go back to their country of origin when circumstances improve. Nor is it possible to determine the percentage of refugees in receipt of means-tested benefits.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers of refugees seeking asylum in the United Kingdom by (a) nationality and (b) country of origin in (i) 1996, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 1998. [R] [76751]

The requested information is given in the table. I regret that information on the country of origin is not held centrally and could be collated only at substantial cost.

Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by location of application, by nationality,1996 to 1998
	1996	1997	1998
Europe
Bulgaria	305	545	165
Cyprus	615	495	90
Poland	900	565	1,585
Romania	455	605	1,015
Former Soviet Union	1,400	2,015	2,820
Turkey	1,495	1,445	2,015
Former Yugoslavia	1,030	2,260	7,980
Others	275	1,220	2,075
Total	6,475	9,145	17,745
Americas
Colombia	1,005	1,330	425
Others	765	1,495	550
Total	1,765	2,825	975
Africa
Algeria	715	715	1,260
Angola	385	195	150
Cameroon	105	175	95
Democratic Republic of Congo	680	690	660
Ethiopia	205	145	345
Gambia	245	125	45
Ghana	780	350	225
Ivory Coast	125	70	95
Kenya	1,170	605	885
Liberia	330	205	70
Nigeria	2,900	1,480	1,380
Rwanda	80	90	280
Sierra Leone	395	815	565
Somalia	1,780	2,730	4,685
South Africa	40	50	65
Sudan	280	230	250
Tanzania	225	90	80
Togo	50	30	60
Uganda	215	220	210
Zimbabwe	130	60	80
Others	450	445	895
Total	11,290	9,515	12,380

Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by location of application, by nationality,1996 to 1998
	1996	1997	1998
Middle East
Iran	585	585	745
Iraq	965	1,075	1,295
Lebanon	145	160	155
Others	455	515	595
Total	2,150	2,335	2,785
Far East
Afghanistan	675	1,085	2,395
Bangladesh	645	545	460
China	820	1,945	1,925
India	2,220	1,285	1,030
Pakistan	1,915	1,615	1,975
Sri Lanka	1,340	1,830	3,505
Others	275	265	650
Total	7,885	8,570	11,940
Other and Unknown Nationalities	80	105	190
Grand total	29,640	32,500	46,015

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) appeals were lodged against deportation by overstayers and others not lawfully in the UK and (b) immigration/asylum appeals there were in total, in the last full year for which figures are available; and how many of those appeals were allowed in each case. [76579]

In 1998, the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) received a total of 24,720 appeals to immigration adjudicators. Of these, 15,440 related to applications for asylum and 9,275 to other immigration cases.In the same period, 25,320 adjudicator appeals, in asylum cases, were determined by the IAA. It is estimated that of these, 2,355 were allowed. I regret that information regarding the number of non-asylum appeals allowed is not available.With regard to appeals lodged against deportation by overstayers and others not lawfully in the United Kingdom, information at this level of detail could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration detainees there were at the latest date for which figures are available in (i) immigration detention centres and (ii) prison establishments who (a) had been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK, (b) were awaiting removal following a recommendation for deportation made by a court, (c) were awaiting removal having exhausted all appeal rights and (d) who were not within the above categories. [76614]

The available information, on all persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers in immigration detention centres and prisons in the United Kingdom as at 31 January 1999, is given in the table. The detailed information requested can be obtained only through the examination of individual case records and is, therefore, available only at disproportionate cost.

Persons recorded as being in detention1 in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers as at 31 January 1999 by place of detention
Location	Total detainees
Immigration detention centres
Campsfield	183
Dover Harbour	15
Harmondsworth	91
Heathrow's Queen's Building	15
Manchester Airport	16
Tinsley House	147
Prison establishments
Bedford	2
Belmarsh	16
Blakenhurst	3
Brixton	8
Bullingdon	2
Canterbury	10
Dorchester	3
Edinburgh	5
Feltham	2
Haslar	130
High Down	23
Holloway	15
Holme House	3
Leeds	2
Lewes	2
Longriggend	16
Maghabberry	2
Magilligan	7
Manchester	3
Norwich	3
Pentonville	6
Rochester	191
Swansea	2
Wandsworth	9
Woodhill	2
Wormwood Scrubs	16
Other prison establishments	12
Total	962
1 Excluding persons detained in police cells (other than at Dover)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants in his Department have been invited to waive the Working Time Directive requirement to work less than 48 hours a week on 17 consecutive weeks; how many civil servants in his Department have refused to waive the requirement; and what is the total cost of compliance with the Directive. [76806]

No figures of the kind sought by the hon. Member are currently available. The standard terms and conditions of service for staff employed by the Home Office are well within the limits set by the Working Time Regulations. The Regulations do not require employers to keep records of the number of workers who refuse to sign an opt-out agreement and no central records are kept by the Home Office. Compliance costs are not kept centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the representations he received on which he based his statement under section 1g (1)(a) of the Human Rights Act 1998 with respect to the provisions of the Immigration and Asylum Bill. [76973]

No. The statement was based on internal advice which is exempt from disclosure in accordance with the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 22 February 1999, Official Report, column 121, if he will list the dates and locations of the meetings he has had with the US Attorney General since 1 June 1998. [77152]

In the period covered by the Question, I have not met personally with the United States Attorney-General. However, I have chaired one meeting of G8 counterparts on 16 December 1998, which was conducted by video conference, at the request of Janet Reno, and spoken with her by telephone from time to time.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information was obtained by unauthorised persons gaining access to the West Yorkshire Police internal communications system; and what assessment he has made of the current security of the system. [76977]

I understand that an individual gained access to the West Yorkshire Police voicemail system and was able to access messages left on voicemail boxes that had not been password protected. He also gained access to the Crimestoppers Line.The security of the communications system is an operational matter for West Yorkshire Police. I understand they have implemented a number of security measures to prevent further breaches. Calls to the Crimestoppers line now go directly to a manned extension and are no longer on the internal voicemail system.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if votes will be published by constituencies as well as by regions in the European elections. [77758]

Votes will be counted at Westminster Parliamentary constituency level though the regulations will provide that where the same person is acting returning officer for two or more constituencies he or she will be able to combine them for counting purposes. Local results will be communicated to the regional returning officers who will perform the seat allocation calculation for each of the 11 regions.The results of all local counts will be made public as well as the final regional result.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of the West Mercia Police Force police officer posts for 1998–99 were vacant at the latest available date; and what was the average length of such vacancies. [77324]

[holding answer 18 March 1999]: It is for the Chief Constable to determine the number of police officers in the force, within the resources available. I understand from the Acting Chief Constable of West Mercia that there are 2,063 budgeted posts in the force. On 1 March the force had 52 full-time equivalent vacancies. The average number of vacancies in 1998–99 has been 45, which represents 2 per cent. of the budgeted posts available. It is not possible for the force to provide information on the average length of a vacancy during 1998–99.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire can expect a reply to his letter of 19 January on behalf of his constituent, Sir Stephen Hastings. [77445]

[holding answer 18 March 1999]: I am sorry that the right hon. Member did not receive an earlier reply to his letter. A full reply was, however, sent on 16 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will name the Ministers in his Department who are regular users of electronic Red Boxes. [76175]

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office on 16 March 1999, Official Report, column 651.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he held with pensioners' groups before increasing the minimum income guarantee for pensioners; and if he will make a statement. [77363]

We meet representatives of pensioners' organisation regularly to discuss a broad range of issues. We are determined that even the least well off of today's pensioners should share in rising national prosperity, and the proposed increase from next April in line with earnings will build further on the significant boost we are giving to the incomes of these pensioners this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners who will have an income below the minimum income guarantee level who will not qualify for the minimum income guarantee. [77552]

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mrs. Gilroy) on 11 March 1999, Official Report, column 346.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners he estimates will be ineligible for the minimum income guarantee, following the Budget, due to the level of their savings; and if he will make a statement. [77362]

This information is not currently available. Estimates of the number of pensioners ineligible for the Minimum Income Guarantee due to the level of their savings are based on the data used to produce the published estimates of take-up of income-related benefits. These estimates are currently being revised following the discovery in December of an error, the effect of which was to understate income brought to account. The estimates will be republished in May. We will then be in a position to provide an answer to this question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are estimated to be eligible for benefits under the minimum income guarantee for pensioners aged (a) 60 to 74 years, (b) 75 to 79 and (c) over 80 years, (i) in total and (ii) by gender. [75858]

The information is not currently available in the form requested.In total, we estimate there are approximately 1.5 million pensioners in receipt of Income Support who will be eligible for the Minimum Income Guarantee in 1999–2000. Additionally, we estimate there are between about 400,000 and 700,000 pensioners who are not claiming Income Support but who would be entitled to it if they claimed. The estimate is provisional, as revised estimates of the take-up of income-related benefits are currently being worked on.We will in a position to provide final estimates and the breakdown requested in May, when revised estimates of the take-up of income-related benefits are due to be published.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security who will be undertaking the Minimum Funding Requirement review; and if he will list all those involved in the review. [77553]

The Pensions Board of the Faculty and Institute of Actuaries have been asked to carry out the review in partnership with this Department. The Department is also advised by the Government Actuary. The Pensions Board may decide to set up technical working groups to research particular aspects. The Confederation of British Industry, Trades Union Congress, National Association of Pension Funds and the Association of British Insurers have been invited to comment on the scope of the review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many recruitment or contracting companies have been required to administer statutory sick pay to workers they contract to other companies since 1998; and what has been the consequent average additional annual (i) premiums for professional indemnity, public liability and employee's liability insurance and (ii) time which a company has had to spend administering the new rules. [77807]

The legislation governing the payment of Statutory Sick Pay to employees engaged on short-term contracts has remained unchanged since 1982. Those provisions were clarified in a Court of Appeal judgment in October 1996 and further guidance to reflect that judgment was issued to employment agencies in 1998. Information on the effect, if any, on insurance premiums and the amount of time on which a company has to spend administering the scheme is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the percentage of those pensioners who are entitled to claim income support who actually do so. [77364]

The latest available figures suggest that between 68 per cent. and 79 per cent. of pensioners entitled to Income Support actually claim it. These figures are, however, a provisional estimate following the discovery of an inaccuracy in the published estimates of take-up of income-related benefits. Work continues towards a fully revised set of figures to be published in May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the (a) number and (b) proportion of widows in each region and nation who are in receipt of occupational pension payments. [76106]

The information is in the table.

Number and proportion of widows in receipt of occupational pension by Government Office Region/Home Nation (1996–97)
Government Office Regions (excluding NI)	Number of widows (000s) in receipt of occupational pension	Percentage of widows in receipt of occupational pension
All widows	1,760	50
North East	100	53
North West and Merseyside	210	46
Yorkshire and the Humber	190	54
East Midlands	120	48
West Midlands	170	50
Eastern	150	48
London	170	42

Number and proportion of widows in receipt of occupational pension by Government Office Region/Home Nation (1996–97)
Government Office Regions (excluding NI)	Number of widows (000s) in receipt of occupational pension	Percentage of widows in receipt of occupational pension
South East	240	55
South West	160	53
England	1,490	50
Wales	110	52
Scotland	160	48

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of including entitlement to extended payments of housing benefit to those moving into work who had been in receipt of incapacity benefit alone. [77239]

The cost of including entitlement to extended payments of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit to all those moving into work who had been receiving Incapacity Benefit is estimated at £3.4 million. Of this £2.3 million is in respect of claimants on Income Support and Incapacity Benefit and £1.1 million in respect of those on Incapacity Benefit without Income Support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what interest rate has been paid to persons who opted out of SERPS and who normally receive a lump sum for investment in their private pension scheme, during the delay in issuing payments by his Department's computer systems. [77658]

I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) on 2 March 1999, Official Report, columns 710–11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) pursuant to his answer of 10 March 1999, Official Report, columns 250–51, on Select Committee reports, if he will list the occasions on which Ministers discussed the contents of Social Security Committee reports or draft reports of the deliberations of the Committee with members of the Social Security Committee prior to their publications; [77810](2) pursuant to his answer of 10 March 1999,

There have been no occasions on which I, or my ministerial colleagues, have discussed reports or draft reports with members of the Social Security Committee prior to their publication.Also, other than embargoed copies of Social Security Committee reports, issued under House of Commons Standing Orders, neither civil servants nor the special adviser have discussed reports or draft reports prior to their publication. I see no reason or basis for an investigation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to stop the import of meat grown abroad in conditions not allowed in the UK. [76737]

All consignments of fresh meat imported into the UK, whether from other EU member States or third countries, must have been produced in accordance with the harmonised Community rules laid down in Council Directive 64/433/EEC. Products not subject to Community rules may be imported only if they comply with our national rules. Food which fails to meet food safety requirements can be refused entry into the UK or it can be seized under the Food Safety Act 1990.Trade implications of any suspension of imports are a matter for the EU Commission. Any action taken or imposed must be in accordance with the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement of the World Trade organisation.From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average full time pay without overtime of (a) teachers, (b) local authority manual workers, (c) council APT and C staff and (d) council chief officers in (i) 1998–99, (ii) 1993–94, (iii) 1988–89, (iv) 1983–84 and (v) 1978–79, in 1998–99 prices. [76620]

The information requested is not available centrally, nor is it readily available from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what resources he is providing to enable councils to fund pay increases for (a) teachers and (b) other local government employees. [76750]

Over the next three years the Government are to provide an extra £530 million in support of Scottish local authorities' revenue expenditure. This represents real terms increases in each of the next three years. It is the responsibility of local authorities to decide how to allocate the money available to them and to meet the cost of pay increases from within their overall resources.From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the percentage pay increases agreed in Scotland for (a) teachers, (b) local authority manual workers, (c) council APT and C staff and (d) council chief officers in each year since 1993–94. [76624]

The information requested is as follows:

percentage
Year	Teachers	Local authority manual workers	APT and C	Chief officers
1993	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5
1994	2.3	2.3	2.3	2.0
1995	2.0	2.2	2.2	2.3
1996	3.0	2.9	2.9	2.9
1997	2.5	12.5	12.5	2.5
1998	3.0	3.0	3.0	3.0
1Or £4 per hour minimum if greater

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the members of the committee established under Lord MacLean to review the sentencing and treatment of serious violent and sexual offenders. [78296]

The following have accepted my invitation to serve on Lord MacLean's Committee:

• Mr. Andrew Brown, Chief Constable, Grampian Police
• Mr. David Burns QC, Advocate
• Dr. Derek Chiswick, Consultant Psychiatrist, Edinburgh Healthcare NHS Trust
• Professor David Cooke, Professor of Forensic Psychology, Glasgow Caledonian University
• Mr. Douglas Crawford, Depute Director of Social Work, Renfrewshire Council
• Ms Jeane Freeman, Parole Board member, Chief Executive, APEX
• Professor Christopher Gane, Professor of Scots Law, University of Aberdeen
• Mr. William Gilchrist, Regional Procurator Fiscal, North Strathclyde
• Mr. Roger Houchin, Governor, Barlinnie Prison
• Mr. Murray Macara, Solicitor Advocate, Beltrami and Co.
• Mr. Jamie Malcolm, Nursing Officer, Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland
• Dr. Linda Treliving, Consultant Psychotherapist, Dundee Healthcare NHS Trust
• Sheriff Charles Stoddart, Director of Judicial Studies.

Arrangements for taking evidence will be announced later.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will issue instructions to Ministers on the actions to be taken following unauthorised receipt of (a) drafts and (b) final unpublished versions of Select Committee reports; [77846](2) pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border, 16 March 1999,

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Spelthorne (Mr. Wilshire) on 1 March 1999, Official Report, column 531.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the agenda for the forthcoming EU Political Committee meeting of 22 March. [77161]

The agenda for the 22 March Political Committee has not yet been decided. As has been the case since 1970, draft agendas for Political Committees are not usually circulated until a few days before the meeting takes place, and are often amended up to the last minute.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the agenda for the forthcoming EU Special European Council of 24 to 25 March. [77159]

The timetable for the Agenda 2000 negotiations was agreed at the end of the UK Presidency when the Cardiff European Council concluded that there should be political agreement on the package no later than March 1999. The purpose of the Special European Council is to meet that timetable. The negotiations are being conducted on the basis of a Presidency paper which sets out the issues for discussion. The Presidency regularly updates this document as negotiations progress. A copy of the latest version was placed in the Libraries of both Houses today.

To ask the Prime Minister how many representations he has received from the United States Government on genetically modified organisms since 1 May 1997; on what dates each representation was received; in what form each representation was made; and from which United States department each originated. [77113]

None.

To ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken to meet the CRE's leadership challenge. [76963]

I accepted the CRE's Leadership Challenge on 12 May 1998.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 20 January 1999, Official Report, column 484, when he expects to issue an updated report on the results of military action against Iraq. [77589]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence sent an updated report on the results of Operation Desert Fox to all Members of the House on 18 January 1999.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library his reply to the letter from K. M. Kirk of Paphos, Cyprus, of 20 December 1998, about Iraq. [77355]

[holding answer 18 March 1999]: As far as I am aware, the most recent correspondence I have had from Mr. J. M. Kirk was a letter from him dated 3 March 1998.

To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to reply to the letters sent to him by the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe on 14 January and 3 March. [77662]

I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Windsor (Mr. Trend) on 17 March 1999, Official Report, column 706.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy that no information from the Patten Commission on policing which is not in the public domain will be shared with (a) any other Government and (b) any private group. [77583]

The Commission on Policing is independent. Its terms of reference, set out in the Good Friday Agreement, require it to "consult widely and to report no later than Summer 1999". It is not for the Government to say what the Commission should discuss or with whom. The Commission's report will be made public in its entirety and implementation of its recommendations will be discussed with the political parties and the Irish Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she expects the Patten report on policing in Northern Ireland to be published. [76739]

The Belfast Agreement states that the Independent Commission on Policing should report no later than the Summer of 1999. The Government look forward to receiving the report, which is expected within the timescale established by the Agreement.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those Governments with whom the United Kingdom Government to Government service and contract agreements allow for payments in oil; and for what dates such agreements were made. [71811]

[holding answer 16 February 1999]: Payments in oil to the UK Government for supplying goods or services are not precluded under existing rules provided they represent the most cost effective and practical method. It is a matter for individual Government Departments to negotiate appropriate contracts after considering each case on its merits. Because of this, no centralised records are kept of the agreements reached.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she plans to hold with the Chairman of the Northern Ireland Consumer Committee on Electricity and the Regulator concerning the report published by Northern Ireland Electricity into the storm on 26 December 1998; and the implementation of the recommendations. [76642]

None at present. Consumers' interest are being pursued vigorously by the Director General of Electricity Supply who is considering the Northern Ireland Electricity report on the storms. He will be discussing his conclusions with both the company and the Chairman of the Consumer Committee for Electricity and then publishing a consultation paper seeking the views of consumers on the action programme proposed by Northern Ireland Electricity. Ministers have requested a further report from and discussion with the company later in the year on progress with the action programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of the report from Northern Ireland Electricity published on Thursday 4 February into the storm of 26 December 1998. [76643]

Protection of consumers' interests is primarily a matter for the independent Director General of Electricity Supply for Northern Ireland. He is considering the report by Northern Ireland Electricity on the recent storms; will meet with the company and the Chairman of the Consumer Committee for Electricity; and then publish a consultation paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children have been born with (a) Downs Syndrome and (b) other abnormalities in each health and social services board in each of the last 10 years. [76641]

The table provides figures for the number of births of babies with Downs Syndrome and other selected congenital malformations notified in Northern Ireland and each Health and Social Services Board area for the years 1986 to 1996 (the latest year for which figures are available).

Northern Ireland
Year	Anencephalus	Hydrocephalus	Spina Bifida	Downs Syndrome
1986	17	8	37	41
1987	20	11	43	39
1988	9	8	27	27
1989	5	113	20	151
1990	5	12	21	132
1991	5	14	22	52
1992	2	11	20	29
1993	2	10	11	31
1994	3	6	19	29
1995	3	10	12	25
1996	6	5	8	38
1 For 1989 and 1990 individual figures for health and Social Services Board areas do not sum to Northern Ireland figures due to additions to the Northern Ireland total being made by the Department of Medical Genetics. These amendments are not available at Board level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what impact the Chancellor's Budget statement will have on health care provision in Northern Ireland. [76744]

The Chancellor's Budget statement confirmed the Government's continuing commitment to modernise the NHS. I am equally determined that health services in Northern Ireland are equipped to provide a first class service, and am considering how this can best be achieved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is her estimate of the cost of (a) the Northern Ireland Assembly, (b) each of the 10 departments of Government and (c) the offices of the First and Deputy Ministers in the first full year of their operation. [76837]

This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Assembly Commission recently estimated the operating costs of the Assembly at £36 million in 1999–2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many biological scientists are employed in each hospital in Northern Ireland; what are the qualifications required for such work; and what are the salary scales for such posts. [76884]

Clinical Scientists are employed in pathology laboratories in the following Northern Ireland Health and Social Services Trusts:

	Number
Belfast City Hospital	35
Green Park	1
Mater Infirmorum Hospital	2
Royal Group of Hospitals	26
Ulster Community and Hospitals	1
United Hospitals	2

The basic entry qualifications to the grade of Clinical Scientist is a First or Second Class Honours degree.There are three grades of Clinical Scientist, the salary scales of which are set out in the following table.

Clinical scientists: Grades and spine points, effective 1 December 1998
Grade	Spine points	Salary £
A	01	13,290
	02	13,822
	03	14,375
	04	14,949
	05	15,546
	06	16,169
	07	16,817
	08	17,486
B1	09	18,188
	10	18,915
	11	19,671
	12	20,458
	13	21,276
	14	22,127
	15	23,013
	16	23,931
	17	24,891
	18	25,885
	19	26,919
	20	27,998
	21	29,118
	22	30,283
	23	31,494
	24	32,753
	25	34,065
C	26	35,426
	27	36,844
	28	38,318
	29	39,851
	30	41,443
	31	43,102
	32	44,825
	33	46,620
	34	48,485
	35	50,424
	36	52,443
	37	54,539
1 Individual posts will be assigned a payscale of three consecutive points within the range 09 to 25 on the spine

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants in her Department have been invited to waive the Working Time Directive requirement to work less than 48 hours a week on 17 consecutive weeks; how many civil servants in her Department have refused to waive the requirement; and what is the total cost of compliance with the Directive. [76803]

To date members of the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments and agencies have not systematically been invited to waive the 48 hour limit. However, a small number of staff who have been identified as working regularly in excess of the 48 hour average limit have signed the waiver. There have not been any refusals.The cost of the introduction of some minor modifications to existing administrative procedures, particularly record keeping, cannot readily be identified. No additional staffing requirements have been identified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his written answer of 16 February 1999, Official Report, column 730, (1) if he will give the total amount of annual fees which is payable to (a) Labour, (b) Liberal Democrat, (c) Conservative and (d) independent councillors appointed to NHS trusts or health authorities since 1 May 1997; [72623](2) if he will list the numbers of councillors of each political party appointed to each NHS trust or health authority since 1 May 1997; [72624](3) if he will list the health authorities and NHS trusts to which each named individual has been appointed, indicating in each case whether the appointment is as

[holding answers 22 February and 1 March 1999]: Copies of the following information have been placed in the Library.A list of all individuals appointed to chairman and non-executive positions on National Health Service trust or health authority boards since 1 May 1997 and who were known to be councillors at the time of their appointment. The listing shows their appointment by name, NHS trust or health authority, political party and whether they were appointed as chairman or non-executive member; and a list of the same information but grouped according to the trust or health authority concerned.These listings include the names of 12 individuals who were not discovered by the database search of 15 February and reported in my answer of 16 February.Chairmen receive remuneration in one of three bands according to the turnover of their NHS trust or the allocation made to their health authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pensioners will be eligible for free eye prescriptions in (a) the Medway towns and (b) Chatham and Aylesford in April. [75553]

From 1 April 1999, everyone aged 60 and over will be eligible for free National Health Service sight tests. We cannot make population estimates for areas within local authority boundaries. We estimate that there are some 40,000 people aged 60 and over resident in the area of the Medway Unitary Authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what weighting he will give to regional needs when deciding which universities will benefit from the proposed allocation of an additional 1,000 medical school places; [75924](2) in deciding where to allocate the proposed additional 1,000 medical school places, he will conduct an impact assessment on the consequences for

The responsibility for allocating medical student places in England lies with the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).A joint implementation group has been established to take forward this work. The objectives, which were approved by Ministers, have been placed in the Library. The group wrote to all universities in England on 8 January 1999, inviting them to submit bids for a share of the extra medical student places by 12 March 1999. The group will consider all proposals received, and make recommendations to the HEFCE, which will announce the allocations later in the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the future of private sector care homes for the elderly. [75920]

The Government's policy in this area was set out in the White Paper "Modernising social services".The commissioning of long-term residential care is a matter for local authorities. The Government have no ideological view as to the choice of private or public ownership. What is important is that the arrangements made by authorities should be based on judgments about best value and optimum outcomes for individual users.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to raise in the EU Health Council the health effect of EU policy in relation to tobacco growers. [76935]

We expect the German Presidency to include an item on tobacco on the agenda of the Health Council meeting on 8 June 1999. The Commission will report on progress made in implementing the recommendations of its 1996 report on the Community's role in combating tobacco consumption, which includes the issue of tobacco production in the European Union. We intend to indicate our support for co-ordinated action.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times since 1 January 1996 UK chief medical officers have discussed the issue of CS sprays at meetings of their group. [77115]

The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers meet on an informal ad hoc basis and there is no record of any discussion of CS spray at any of their meetings which have taken place since 1 January 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by NHS region the termination payments made by (a) NHS trusts and (b) health authorities to (a) chief executives, (b) other board members and (c) senior managers, for each of the last five years. [76476]

[holding answer 15 March 1999]: The information available is shown in the tables.The only data collected centrally for National Health Service trusts relate to the total 'Compensations for loss of office' within the category of 'Executive Director's Remuneration'.The only data collected centrally for health authorities and family health service authorities relate to the total 'Compensations for loss of office' within the category of Non-Executive Director's Remuneration', and to `Compensations for loss of office' for 'Chief Executive'. The figure for chief executive will be included within the overall total for non-executive directors.Information was not collected for health authorities and family health service authorities in 1993–94.Separate data are available for 'senior managers' however it is included here in those figures relating to NHS trusts.