To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he issued a heritage export licence for a Panzer iv/70 (V) main battle tank during 1998. [82194]

The information given on applications for heritage export licences is commercially sensitive and is given in confidence. The Government cannot, therefore, reveal details about objects which are the subject of applications. We are advised that it would also be an unwarranted invasion of privacy contrary to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) regulations and (b) guidelines he has issued relating to the export of military equipment which is over 50 years old. [82172]

An individual export licence is required on heritage grounds from my Department for firearms between 50 and 100 years old if valued at or above £39,600. All other arms and armour over 50 years of age and firearms more than 100 years old require an individual export licence on heritage grounds if valued at or above £20,000. In addition, the export of any goods covered by Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, the so called military list, requires an export licence from the Department of Trade and Industry regardless of monetary value or age.The booklet, "Export Licensing for Culture Goods: Procedures and Guidance for Exporters of Works of Art and other Cultural Goods", which is issued by my Department, sets out the export licensing requirements on heritage grounds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his assessment of the effect of recent changes to advance corporation tax on the tourism industry. [81803]

Local authority	Primary education SSA (£ million)	Estimated number of resident pupils aged 5 to 10	Primary education SSA per primary pupil (£/pupil)	Secondary education SSA (£ million)	Estimated number of resident pupils aged 11 to 15	Secondary education SSA per secondary pupil (£/pupil)
Bedfordshire	67.54	28,609	2,361	66.269	22,014	3,010
Buckinghamshire	79.231	33,522	2,364	80.276	27,230	2,948
Cambridgeshire	85.221	39,310	2,168	79.399	28,051	2,831
Cheshire	108.986	48,612	2,242	114.218	37,885	3,015
Cornwall	81.285	34,725	2,341	84.335	28,504	2,959
Cumbria	81.26	35,574	2,284	84.398	28,498	2,962
Derbyshire	118.175	53,463	2,210	116.069	41,188	2,818
Devon	105.727	46,262	2,285	103.297	36,721	2,813
Dorset	56.094	25,393	2,209	58.653	20,032	2,928
Durham	86.097	37,952	2,269	88.105	31,004	2,842

[holding answer 28 April 1999]: We have made no specific assessment of the effect on the tourism industry of the recent changes to advance corporation tax.The abolition of advance corporation tax from 6 April 1999, together with other recent changes in corporation tax, is aimed at stimulating greater high-quality long-term investment and will increase the attraction of the UK as a location for international companies. The removal of advance corporation tax, which gives all small to medium companies that pay dividends a significant cash-flow advantage, should benefit some of the many small firms which make up the tourism industry.As we outlined in our recent strategy, "Tomorrow's Tourism", we are committed to creating the right economic climate for enterprise and investment for the whole of the UK economy as well as the tourism industry; these corporation tax changes contribute to our central economic objective of promoting economic stability as a platform for long-term sustainable growth.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for shire counties (a) the education service-block Standard Spending Assessment for each county, divided by the total number of full-time-equivalent pupils financed by that county, (b) the primary education service-sub-block Standard Spending Assessment for each county, divided by the number of primary pupils financed by that county and (c) the secondary education service-sub-block Standard Spending Assessment for each county, divided by the number of secondary pupils financed by that county. [82206]

Data are not collected on the total number of full-time-equivalent pupils financed by a county.The calculations in the table for

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for each shire county (a) the difference between the education department budget and that county's education service-block SSA in 1998–99 and (b) that sum, divided by the total number of full-time-equivalent pupils financed by that education department. [82171]

Shire counties have reported budget education net revenue expenditure and their education SSA for 1998–99, as given in the table.

Education expenditure and provision
£000
Shire county	NRE (a)	SSA (b)	Difference (a-b)
Bedfordshire	154,077	154,036	41
Buckinghamshire	182,797	183,782	-985
Cambridgeshire	190,958	180,211	10,747
Cheshire	274,626	250,889	23,737
Cornwall	178,855	179,351	-496
Cumbria	196,334	186,095	10,239
Derbyshire	266,164	257,615	8,549
Devon	229,377	228,712	665
Dorset	139,140	126,485	12,655
Durham	205,287	194,502	10,785
East Sussex	165,774	164,718	1,056
Essex	501,848	496,599	5,249
Gloucestershire	199,057	202,724	-3,667
Hampshire	432,726	423,339	9,387
Hertfordshire	427,611	424,210	3,401
Kent	522,092	525,604	-3,512
Lancashire	464,394	444,776	19,618
Leicestershire	225,478	215,261	10,217
Lincolnshire	241,871	236,174	5,697
Norfolk	281,017	270,064	10,953
North Yorkshire	219,622	206,729	12,893
Northamptonshire	240,613	243,723	-3,110
Northumberland	122,689	123,315	-626
Nottinghamshire	298,863	280,512	18,351
Oxfordshire	201,628	207,934	-6,306
Shropshire	100,173	95,364	4,809

Education expenditure and provision
£000
Shire county	NRE (a)	SSA (b)	Difference (a-b)
Somerset	175,236	165,321	9,915
Staffordshire	309,868	305,803	4,065
Suffolk	244,393	237,019	7,374
Surrey	335,735	338,400	-2,665
Warwickshire	188,986	178,047	10,939
West Sussex	266,085	254,555	11,530
Wiltshire	151,883	149,445	2,438
Worcestershire	187,820	187,843	-23

Data are not collected on the total number of full-time-equivalent pupils financed by a county. Education Net Revenue Expenditure covers a wider range of activities than school expenditure, so it would not be appropriate to present this information on a per pupil basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce competition into the market for street lighting connections; and what estimate he has made of the potential savings for local authorities from such competition. [82140]

This is a matter for the Director General of Electricity Supply. I understand that he has already conducted a consultation on this and related issues and is in the process of examining the options arising from that consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what grounds the Government Office for the South West issued an article 14 direction to the Stroud District Council in relation to the planning application (No. 98/1386) by Renishaw plc at New Mills, Wootton under Edge, Gloucestershire; and if he will reach his decision by 1 May. [82453]

An Article 14 Direction was issued in order to give the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions more time to consider the application by Renishaw, which was referred to him by Stroud District Council. He will reach a decision as quickly as soon as possible but is unable to give an undertaking that this will be done before 1 May.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made by the inter-departmental group reviewing the Government's existing arrangements for monitoring pesticide-related ill health. [82857]

The Review has been completed and a copy of the group's final report has been placed in both Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish a consultation document on his plans for changes in the arrangements for the application of public subsidy to the railways. [82629]

I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 20 April 1999, Official Report, column 479.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend the compensation arrangements for season ticket holders, with particular reference to the moving average punctuality statistics, when the rail company charters are next reviewed. [81513]

Changes to the compensation arrangements linked to average punctuality would be a matter for negotiation between Opraf and the train operating companies. Opraf's remit is to ensure that the standards set out in the Passenger's Charters are being met. Opraf cannot unilaterally require improvements. The moving annual average is still seen as a reasonably fair way of compensating season ticket holders for poor performance and there are no current plans to change it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what targets he has set for (i) the Driving Standards Agency, (ii) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, (iii) the Highways Agency, (iv) the Vehicle Certification Agency and (v) the Vehicle Inspectorate. [82894]

The key targets have been set for the agencies. They are included in the agencies' business plans, which include management objectives, performance indicators and key tasks, where appropriate to the agencies' business. Copies of the business plans will be placed in the Library in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what performance targets he has set the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre Executive Agency for 1999–2000. [82896]

The Agency's principal financial target for 1999–2000 is to achieve a minimum contribution to the Exchequer of £1,245,000.Operational targets have been set to increase occupancy of the three key conference areas as follows: Churchill Auditorium to 222 days; Fleming Room to 240 days; Mountbatten Room to 200 days.The Agency is also being required to achieve additional room hire revenue from banqueting of £175,000 and has the following key customer targets to meet:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what estimate he has made of the number of landlords in (a) Pendle, (b) Burnley, (c) Blackburn, (d) Rossendale, (e) Darwen and (f) Hyndburn whose rents are met from housing benefit; [82321](2) for each year since 1990, how many landlords received rent for their properties from housing benefit. [82320]

I have been asked to reply.The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

The total numbers of rent allowance cases in Pendle, Burnley, Blackburn, Rossendale, Darwen and Hyndburn (claims from tenants living in the private rented sector) in May 1998
Local authority	Rent allowance cases (private landlords, excluding housing associations)
Pendle	1,990
Burnley	2,670
Blackburn with Darwen	2,590
Rossendale	1,110
Hyndburn	2,100

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much central Government money was spent per capita in 1998 on helping schools meet special educational needs. [82212]

[holding answer 26 April 1999]: In the financial year 1998–99, the Scottish Office provided £6.5 million directly to seven grant-aided special schools in Scotland, and £1.2 million to support training of local authority staff working in special needs. It is not possible to express this in capita terms. Expenditure per pupil in local authority schools is the responsibility of each education authority. Local authority expenditure is supported by Aggregate External Finance. Such support is not specific to particular local authority services and it is for each authority to determine the allocation of all resources at its disposal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much central Government money was spent per capita in 1998 on grants to (a) voluntary aided schools and (b) voluntary controlled schools. [82214]

[holding answer 26 April 1999]: There are no such schools in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much central Government money was spent per capita in 1998 on (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools, (c) further education colleges and (d) universities. [82213]

[holding answer 26 April 1999]: Direct expenditure by the Scottish Office on the education of school pupils is limited to grants made available to Jordanhill School, two self-governing schools, and certain residential special schools. Grants are also made available for pupils at certain independent schools under the Assisted Places Scheme. Comprehensive information on the division of these resources between the primary and secondary sectors is not available. Expenditure per pupil in education authority schools is the responsibility of each education authority. Local authority expenditure is supported by Aggregate External Finance. Such support is not specific to particular local authority services and it is for each authority to determine the allocation of all resources at its disposal.The average central Government funding, in the form of grant to further education colleges in Scotland, per full-time equivalent student in financial year 1996-97 (the latest year for which final student data are available) was £3,418.Information is not held in the format requested for university students. However, based on the allocation to higher education institutions, including universities, made by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council in 1998-99, the main source of central Government funding, an estimate of spend per full-time equivalent student is £5,465. This does not include additional central Government money which individual institutions may access through a variety of programmes nor spending on the maintenance element of student support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of increasing the grant for pre-school education to cover four year old pupils whose parents wish to defer entry to primary school; and if he will make a statement; [81745](2) if he will list those local education authorities which are funding the pre-school education of four year old children whose parents have deferred entry to primary school until after the child's fifth birthday. [81746]

We believe that decisions on whether a child should have their entry to school deferred should be taken locally in consultation with the education authority so that the maturity and preparedness for school of each child can be taken into account on an individual basis. Anecdotal evidence suggests that around 5% of children have their entry to primary school deferred each year. The cost of financing these places through the pre-school education grant would be around £3.5m each year.We understand that all local authorities fund a number of children who have had their entry to primary school deferred.As from 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will provide a breakdown of the religious composition of (a) the training staff employed at each level and (b) the trainees at each Government training centre in Northern Ireland at the latest date for which figures are available. [82193]

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what targets he has set Companies House for 1999–2000. [83002]

I have set Companies House the following targets for the 1999–2000 year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has received a report by the Director General of Telecommunications for 1998, as required under section 55 of the Telecommunications Act 1984. [83003]

Yes. The fifteenth Report by the Director General of Telecommunications is being published today. It covers the period 1 January to 31 December 1998. Copies of the Report have been laid before each House of Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what targets he has set the Patent Office for 1999–2000. [83001]

I have set the Patent Office the following targets for 1999–2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what targets he has set his Department's Radiocommunications Agency for 1999–2000. [83000]

I have set the Radiocommunications Agency the following quality of service targets for 1999–2000 in respect of its licensing and enforcement activities, and correspondence. These are in addition to achieving an overall efficiency improvement of 2 per cent. over 1998–99.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research his Department is undertaking on the extent to which employers are seeking to avoid their obligations under the minimum wage legislation. [81541]

The Inland Revenue are enforcing the national minimum wage policy, and will supply this Department with data on all matters relating to compliance on a regular basis. In addition, we have asked the independent Low Pay Commission to monitor and evaluate the introduction and impact of the national minimum wage overall.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment he has made of the potential for underground gasification of coal seams under the North Sea as a source of energy for the United Kingdom; [82441](2) what assessment he has made of the potential use of oil and gas platforms to exploit the underground gasification of coal under the North Sea. [82442]

My Department published on 22 April Energy Paper 67, which set out the Government's policy on cleaner coal technologies for research and development, technology transfer and export promotion. The Energy Paper includes a detailed account of the potential of underground coal gasification for the UK and the main technology targets for future work in this area. Our planned future R and D work will include studies on the exploitation of underground coal gasification offshore in the North Sea. Copies of Energy Paper 67 have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what targets he has set his Department's National Weights and Measures Laboratory for 1999–2000. [82999]

I have set the National Weights and Measures Laboratory the following quality of service and efficiency targets for 1999–2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of tuition fees on applications for higher education from mature students. [81533]

The latest figures we have from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that the introduction of tuition fees had no negative effect on the total number of mature entrants to higher education in 1998. These figures show that an increasing number of mature students opt to enter higher education via part-time courses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to increase access to higher education by young people from inner-city areas. [81534]

We have enabled the funding council to allocate £30 million a year to promote wider participation by people from disadvantaged backgrounds, which will be allocated by postcode. We intend that Excellence in Cities-our action plan for inner city education-will drive up standards and raise pupils' aspirations, giving many more young people the opportunity to go on to higher education.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will next meet the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals to discuss the expansion targets for higher education. [81527]

I met with the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals on 17 March. The expansion issues for higher education were discussed at that meeting. We have no immediate plans for further meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps have been taken to increase the ability of popular schools to admit those children who have applied for a place. [81535]

It is for school admission authorities to fix admission limits for their schools. Where parental demand cannot be satisfied it is for the LEA or, in some cases the governing body, to consider whether to bring forward proposals to expand the school. In considering such proposals, the Secretary of State currently and, from 1 September 1999, the School Organisation Committee, will have regard, among other things, to parental preferences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of secure cycle storage facilities in schools and its effect on enabling children to cycle to school. [81536]

Survey information suggests that more children would cycle to school if there were better cycle storage facilities. We are considering ways of improving these facilities, and promoting safer routes and road safety training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what funds in addition to the standard spending assessment allocation have been allocated to schools for 1999–2000. [81537]

£1.7 billion has been allocated to benefit schools for 1999-2000 in addition to the Standard Spending Assessment allocation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the planned allocation of resources to central departmental spending for 1999–2000 and subsequent years. [81538]

Details are set out in the Departmental Report which was published on 24 March 1999 and a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to allow universities to charge top-up fees. [81539]

We have consistently said that top-up fees play no part in the Government's policy on higher education. To that end my right hon. Friend has imposed a condition on grant to the Funding Council to control such fees. Any institution charging top-up fees to students who have been assessed as eligible for fee support could incur financial penalties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to ensure that the additional resources allocated for education are spent on schools. [81540]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote in January to each English Local Education Authority to urge them to use all of the cash increase in the education SSA to support education services, especially the drive to raise school standards. We are monitoring the formal budget returns of authorities to see whether they have done this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the operation of the new deal in Leicester. [81542]

In the Leicestershire and Rutland Unit of Delivery the Employment Service are leading the delivery of the New Deal for long term unemployed adults and for lone parents. Fernly Business Services lead the delivery of the New Deal for young people and Pelcombe Training Ltd. is responsible for the pilot launched in November for those aged 25 and over. I am encouraged by some of the innovative approaches being developed and the efforts being made to engage a wide range of local organisations, particularly ethnic minority groups and employers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to support part-time students in higher education. [81543]

From September this year tuition will be free for part-time students on benefits, and from September 2000 loans of at least £500 will be available to part-time students on low incomes. We have already made Access Funds available to part-time students, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England provides a 5 per cent. premium on funding to higher education institutions for each such student.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps have been taken to support playgroups and pre-schools. [81544]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps have been taken to safeguard the voluntary sector's involvement in early years services. [81546]

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon (Ms Drown), Official Report, column 474.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress is being made in improving standards in early years education; and if he will make a statement. [81545]

Standards in early education are monitored through inspections by Ofsted. Work is underway on reviewing the desirable learning outcomes; creating a new framework of qualifications for those who work with young children; and reviewing the regulation of early education and day care. This will all contribute to further improvements in quality. In addition, Government funding for the training of early years staff has been made available through the Standards Fund and TECS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pupils he estimates will benefit from the new deal for schools. [81547]

Based on information supplied by Local Authorities in the third phase of the New Deal for Schools (NDS) programme, we calculate that 1.6 million pupils will benefit from the £340 million allocated recently for projects beginning in 1999–2000. Information on the number of pupils benefiting from the two previous New Deal for School rounds is not available, but we estimate that a further 1.6 million pupils have benefited from those rounds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to improve professional standards in the teaching profession. [81548]

We have already acted to establish new standards for Qualified Teacher Status, and for those completing their initial training after 7 May 1999, we are introducing an induction year. Newly qualified teachers will have to meet new Induction Standards. National training programmes are already on offer based on headship standards.Our Green Paper, "Teachers: meeting the challenge of change", published in December, set out major proposals to improve and strengthen the teaching profession. It makes important proposals to strengthen the teachers' pay structure, teacher appraisal and career and professional development, all of which will improve professional standards. Consultation has made clear that teachers and their professional bodies, initial teacher training providers, and other education bodies are keen to improve professional standards. The Government are now considering how to carry forward the proposals to create a modern and effective teaching profession for the benefit of all our children.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on progress made in providing funding for additional non-teaching assistants in schools. [81549]

As part of the Government's proposal to increase the number of teaching assistants by 20,000 full-time posts (or equivalent) by 2002, we have allocated £22.15 million in 1999–2000 for the Additional Literacy Support programme in primary schools. This will support the deployment of about 2,000 full-time equivalent classroom assistants nationally. In the years 2000–02, funding for the recruitment and training of a further 18,000 full time equivalent assistants will be made available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what criteria will apply to obtaining access to a learning mentor. [81550]

From September 1999, each secondary school pupil in the designated areas will have access to Learning Mentors, based in schools. Learning Mentors will be available to all who need them and will devote the majority of their time to individuals needing extra support in order to realise their full potential.We will be agreeing the detailed arrangements for deploying mentors with the relevant local education authorities in partnership with their schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the future structure and objectives of the careers service. [81551]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment announced his intention, on 10 March 1999, to publish proposals this summer concerning new local and national arrangements to develop lifelong learning and skills. The Secretary of State will consider, as part of this review, the future structure of the Careers Service in England. The Secretary of State's objectives for the Careers Service are set out in the "Careers Service Planning Guidance", a copy of which is lodged in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to encourage schools to support community education. [81552]

The Department is undertaking a range of initiatives to encourage school-community links-including guidance to be published later this year. The Schools Plus Policy Action Team will report in December on how best to use schools as a focus for community services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent representations he has received on the implementation of the Government's policy to reduce class sizes. [81553]

We have received a number of representations in various pieces of recent correspondence about the implementation of our policy to reduce infant class sizes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to appoint the Chair and Chief Executive of the proposed Disability Rights Commission. [83054]

The Disability Rights Commission Bill has received its Second Reading in the Commons, thereby indicating Parliamentary support for the principle of the Bill. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, has informed the Department that they may start the recruitment for a Chair and Chief Executive for the proposed Disability Rights Commission. The successful candidates will not be formally appointed to these positions until after the Bill has received Royal Assent.Parliamentary approval to this new service will be sought in the Summer Supplementary Estimate for the Department for Education and Employment Vote (Class 1, Vote 1). Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £100,000 will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.This expenditure is required to meet the cost of recruiting the Chair and Chief Executive. The urgency arises from the need to have both the Chair and Chief Executive in place as soon as possible after Royal Assent to ensure that public funds are properly protected and to enable their full participation in the planning process to ensure rapid progress to the establishment of Disability Rights Commission in April 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the current level of assessed parental income above which a student becomes eligible for (i) full and (ii) part payment of tuition fees; what plans he has to increase these threshold levels in line with inflation; what estimate he has made of the number of students who will become eligible for paying in full or in part their tuition fee if the threshold is not increased in line with inflation; and if he will make a statement. [82654]

For the 1998–99 academic year, parents with a residual parental income of less than £16,945 after allowable deductions are not assessed as due to make any payment towards the £1,000 tuition fee contribution. Thereafter, the level of the payment they are asked to make rises in line with their residual income. Parents are assessed as due to make the full contribution if they have a residual income of just over £27,000. The threshold levels have been increased in line with inflation for the 1999–2000 academic year. We estimate that around 30 per cent. of students, where parental income is taken into account, will continue to make no contribution towards the cost of their tuition. A further third will pay less than the full contribution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of state schools he estimates are connected to the National Grid for Learning; and what proportion of teachers in state schools he estimates are thereby able to use their own e-mail addresses. [81476]

The Department published last year the results of a survey of ICT provision in schools. Subsequent annual surveys will indicate the growth in number of schools with such connections, although the latest estimates of the number of primary, secondary and special schools in England with some form of internet access are also given in the table. The Government are committed to ensuring that all schools are connected to the internet by 2002.

Percentage of schools connected
	DfEE survey March 1996	DfEE survey March 1998	BECTa estimate February 1999
Primary	5	17	30
Secondary	47	83	90
Special	8	31	45

It is for schools to decide whether they make use of services and systems supporting an individual e-mail address for each teacher in the light of their own needs and development plans. The Department will be collecting and publishing figures relating to teachers' and pupils' personal e-mail addresses in the next "Statistical Bulletin on Information Technology in Schools". We expect to publish this information in November 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the average number of hours spent on PE training during teacher training courses. [82083]

It is the responsibility of initial teacher training (ITT) providers to decide what proportion of time should be spent on any particular subject in the courses they run. No information on the amount of time spent on PE, or any other subject, is held centrally and no estimates have been made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools did, at the request of the then Secretary of State, carry out a sample survey of 20 ITT providers between October 1996 and December 1997 to provide more information on the preparation of trainees for primary teaching, who were not PE specialists, to teach PE. He reported that on average postgraduate trainees had 23 hours of PE training and that undergraduates had 32 hours: which is a similar proportion of time to that allocated to other National Curriculum foundation subjects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the opportunity for the future development of higher education in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. [81515]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recognises the potential contribution the development of higher education could make to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We welcome the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative to develop plans for taking this forward.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on how many occasions special advisers travelled abroad in an official capacity accompanied by Ministers; what was the average cost of each trip per head for the accompanying adviser; and what were the places visited. [82432]

Between 2 May 1997 and 31 March 1999, my Special Advisers have accompanied me and other Ministers on visits abroad in an official capacity within Europe or on European Presidency business on 12 occasions. All travel complied with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code. The average cost per head of civil servants, Ministers and advisers on such trips was £546.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has for the future of his Department's Race Relations Advisory Service. [82330]

The Race Relations Employment Advisory Service will continue to play a key role in promoting to employers the benefits of race equality at work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the average time taken from beginning consideration of placing a teacher on List 99 to a decision being made. [82489]

In the year 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999, my Department concluded 448 misconduct cases. The average time taken to conclude those cases was nine months. In some of these cases the nature of the misconduct was not serious enough to consider placing the person on List 99. There can be enormous differences in the complexity of cases referred for consideration. Some straightforward cases are concluded very quickly while other, more difficult, cases take substantially longer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on how many cases decisions are currently outstanding as to whether a teacher should be placed on List 99. [82490]

My Department's Teachers' Misconduct Team currently has 451 cases which have been referred for consideration. In 159 of these cases the individual has been informed that the Secretary of State is considering placing them on List 99. In the remaining 292 cases, my Department is collecting information before coming to a decision as to whether List 99 action should be considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 21 April 1999, Official Report, column 557, if he will break down by region the calls received by the New Deal Hotline identifying (a) how many were from clients and how many from employers and (b) how many were (i) compliments and (ii) complaints. [82531]

The following table shows a breakdown, by Employment Service Regions, of the number of complaints received from employers and clients through the New Deal Hotline.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average delay in processing parole dossiers at the first application stage for prisoners in England and Wales on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [82448]

The parole timetable for determinate sentenced prisoners specifies that the review process should be complete, and the result notified to the prisoner, within 24 weeks of the scheduled start date for the review.The table shows the percentage of first review cases meeting the target and the average delay in the cases that missed the target over the past four quarters.

	Percentage of first review cases meeting 24 week target	Average delay in first review cases missing 24 week target
April 1998-June 1998	45.1	5.9 Weeks
July 1998-September 1998	57.9	6.3 Weeks
October 1998-December 1998	64.8	5.8 Weeks
January 1999-March 1999	74.6	6.3 Weeks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those elements of the Schengen supplementary accords, copies of which his Department had not received at the time of the indication he made to the Justice and Home Affairs Council of an intent to apply to join elements of the Schengen system; and when he expects to receive them. [82295]

Since my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced in his reply to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean), on 12 March 1999, Official Report, columns 380–82, the areas of the Schengen acquis in which the United Kingdom intended to seek participation, we have received the following further items of the Schengen acquis:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of requiring applicants who want to make complaints to the Parliamentary Ombudsman under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information to ask an hon. Member to submit their complaints. [82263]

The White Paper, "Your Right to Know", included an assessment of the arrangements for complaints to the Parliamentary Ombudsman under the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information" and concluded that successive Ombudsmen had proved effective in policing the Code. The White Paper also stated that, as part of our proposals for a Freedom of Information Act, the Government favoured a mechanism which is readily available and freely accessible. The draft Freedom of Information Bill, which I hope to publish shortly for consultation and pre-legislative scrutiny, is likely to propose a procedure which will allow a complainant to access the Information Commissioner directly, rather than through an hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve employment opportunities for ex-offenders; and if he will make a statement. [82454]

Improving offenders' employability and access to the job market is a priority for the probation service for 1999–2000. Probation services are actively involved in the delivery of Welfare to Work programmes, and developing strategies for generating employment, training and education opportunities for offenders, with a particular emphasis on literacy and basic skills provision. Over £3.1 million was spent by probation services in 1997–1998 in partnership with the voluntary sector on the provision of employment, training and education services for offenders.Much work has already been done and is continuing to be done to assist offenders in gaining the skills and qualifications necessary to help them in their search for work. Funding has also been made available to probation services under the Crime Reduction programme to develop screening and tutoring programmes to improve the basic skills of offenders. The projects will pilot and evaluate new approaches with the aim of putting the most successful approaches into practice across the country.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total expenditure on each allowance available to police officers, per police force and in total, in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [82456]

The total expenditure on all allowances, per police force, for 1994–95 to 1996–97, is set out in the table. No analysis of individual allowances is made. Information for subsequent years is not available.

Police expenditure on allowances
£000
	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97
Avon and Somerset	10,224	8,315	7,869
Bedfordshire	3,803	3,682	3,575
Cambridgeshire	3,739	4,323	3,489
Cheshire	6,763	6,493	6,647
City of London	5,748	5,586	3,654
Cleveland	4,910	4,696	205
Cumbria	3,095	3,077	2,863
Derbyshire	8,689	8,438	8,164
Devon and Cornwall	12,473	12,257	11,175
Dorset	4,250	4,201	4,245
Durham	3,770	3,687	3,664
Dyfed Powys	2,413	2,281	2,277
Essex	not available	not available	12,225
Gloucestershire	4,275	4,211	4,037
Greater Manchester	22,078	20,722	19,730
Gwent	3,930	3,930	4,254
Hampshire	13,867	13,613	13,086
Hertfordshire	6,155	6,042	5,624
Humberside	7,957	7,833	7,408
Kent	12,670	12,353	11,805
Lancashire	8,308	8,010	7,656
Leicestershire	6,329	6,088	5,848
Lincolnshire	not available	4,170	3,752
Merseyside	15,791	15,107	14,026
Metropolitan Police	150,836	150,178	142,967
Norfolk	6,096	6,008	5,234
North Wales	3,893	3,716	3,909
North Yorkshire	3,825	3,688	3,683
Northamptonshire	4,616	4,236	4,221
Northumbria	9,367	8,771	8,128
Nottinghamshire	7,824	7,518	7,107
South Wales	12,915	13,016	10,698
South Yorkshire	9,741	9,677	9,207

Police expenditure on allowances
£000
	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97
Staffordshire	7,473	7,399	7,385
Suffolk	5,118	5,004	4,733
Surrey	5,359	6,061	5,064
Sussex	9,241	9,053	9,049
Thames Valley Police	15,807	15,367	15,029
Warwickshire	4,554	4,550	4,591
West Mercia	7,691	7,531	7,283
West Midlands	25,897	24,747	23,515
West Yorkshire	17,481	17,003	16,631
Wiltshire	5,051	5,028	5,043
Total	484,022	477,666	460,755

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders serving custodial sentences have taken part in the New Deal scheme through the Prison Service; how many offenders completed the scheme and obtained employment following participation in the scheme; and if he will make a statement. [82455]

Offenders are not eligible for the New Deal while serving custodial sentences, but they can take part in the Prison Service's Welfare to Work programme for 18 –24 year olds running in selected prison establishments. This aims to improve their employability and help them gain the most from the New Deal Gateway, to which they have immediate access on release.In the 12 months from April 1998, 2,430 inmates joined the Prison Service programme in the 11 establishments piloting it, and 1,625 had completed it by the end of that period. Early results from an evaluation of the programme indicate that within 6 months of leaving prison, 28 per cent. of those who complete the programme go on to join the New Deal Gateway, compared with 11 per cent. of a control group. A survey of probation officers also indicates that 42 per cent. of programme completers have some employment and 6 per cent. go into education or non-New Deal training within four months of release. These percentages are similar to the control group.The programme is now continuing into its second year and the number of establishments has been increased to 13.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the civil servants who worked in No. 10 Downing Street, broken down by department, on (a) 1 April 1998 and (b) 1 April 1999; and if he will make a statement. [80059]

[holding answer 15 April 1999]: Civil servants working in No.10 Downing Street on the dates referred to were as follows:

	1 April 1998	1 April 1999
Private Office	11	12
Policy Unit	16	18
Press Office	11	14
Strategic Communications Unit	8	9
Appointments and Honours	7	9
Support Staff	84	89

To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the extent of collateral damage caused by NATO forces in Yugoslavia and of the percentage of bombs and missiles which miss their targets. [80616]

We both assess the risk of collateral damage in advance of UK airstrikes and monitor the results afterwards on a case by case basis. Our pilots train intensively to ensure the greatest possible accuracy in bombing attacks and NATO as a whole has made every attempt to reduce the risk of collateral damage. The cases of injury and death among civilians which have nevertheless occurred have been acknowledged by NATO and are deeply regretted. But the accidental civilian casualties caused —despite these stringent precautions—by NATO —bombing, contrast sharply with the deliberate and calculated slaughter of Kosovar civilians instigated by Milosevic in pursuit of ethnic cleansing.Under the terms of paragraph la of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, I am not prepared to release data on the percentage of bombs and missiles which miss their target. It would be wrong to assume that bombs and missiles which miss their target necessarily cause collateral damage.

To ask the Prime Minister in what circumstances it is possible for intervention by a member state of the UN or a regional organisation in the territory of another UN member state to be authorised by the UN on the basis of a resolution passed by a majority vote in a specially convened session of the General Assembly; and if he will make a statement. [82665]

General Assembly Resolution 377(V) provides for the General Assembly, in certain circumstances, to make appropriate recommendations for collective measures for the maintenance of international peace and security. Details on the Resolution (known as the Uniting for Peace Resolution) are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Prime Minister on what authority a state, or regional organisation of states, can be empowered to intervene in the territory of another UN member state, under the United Nations Charter, on the basis of its intervention being in response to a humanitarian catastrophe; and if he will make a statement. [82667]

Under international law a limited use of force can be justifiable in support purposes laid down by the Security Council but without the Council's express authorisation when that is the only means to avert an immediate and overwhelming humanitarian catastrophe. Any such case would in the nature of things be exceptional and would depend on an objective assessment of the factual circumstances at the time and on the terms of relevant decisions of the Security Council bearing on the situation in question.

To ask the Prime Minister what proposals were conveyed by President Chirac to NATO partners in the months prior to the commencement of the bombing of Serbia by NATO forces with the objective of making Kosovo the first test of NATO/Russian understanding and collaboration; when such proposals were made; and if he will make a statement. [82666]

I am not aware of any such proposals.

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (i) liquidated and (ii) unliquidated default summonses were issued by Gravesend County Court in (a) 1997 and (b) 1998. [82300]

Gravesend County Court issued 841 liquidated and 151 unliquidated summonses in 1997. The figures for 1998 were 781 and 145 respectively.

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many default summonses were issued by Gravesend County Court between (a) 1 April 1997 and 30 September 1997 and (b) 1 April 1998 and 30 September 1998. [82301]

Gravesend County Court issued 528 default summonses between 1 April 1997 and 30 September 1997; and 478 default summonses between 1 April 1998 and 30 September 1998.

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on (a) the reform of the law relating to the mistake of law rule at common law and (b) the Law Commission report (1994 No.227) entitled "Restitution: Mistakes of Law, Ultra Vires Public Authority Receipts and Payments". [82308]

The House of Lords decision in Kleinwort Benson Ltd. v. Lincoln City Council last October means that it is no longer necessary to bring forward legislation to implement the first part of the Law Commission report No. 227 on "Restitution: Mistakes of Law, Ultra Vires Public Authority Receipts and Payments", which dealt with the common law aspects of mistake of law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate, for each of the next 20 years, the size of the gap in pounds per week between the basic state pension and the minimum income guarantee, assuming price indexation of the basic pension and earnings indexation of the minimum income guarantee. [82056]

We have announced our intention to update the basic state pension annually at least in line with prices, and to increase the minimum income guarantee over time, as resources allow, in line with earnings. The information requested on the basis of the assumptions stated in the question is in the table.

Difference between the basic state pension and minimum income guarantee for a single pensioner aged 65
Year	Difference (£)
1999	8.25
2000	9.35
2001	10.50
2002	11.70
2003	12.85
2004	14.05
2005	15.25
2006	16.50
2007	17.75
2008	19.00
2009	20.30
2010	21.60
2011	22.90
2012	24.25
2013	25.65
2014	27.00
2015	28.40
2016	29.85
2017	31.30
2018	32.75
2019	34.25

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a translation of his interview in the al-Sharq al Aswat Arabic language newspaper of 23 October 1998. [74139]

[holding answer 2 March 1999]: I have today placed a translation of the interview in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on policy with regard to future use of small arms trainer ranges by HM armed forces. [81776]

Small arms trainer ranges have proved a cost-effective way of training servicemen in rifle and, more recently, pistol marksmanship. The Ministry of Defence is considering expanding the role of the trainer ranges to encompass training in the use of a number of other close combat weapons and to improve training realism.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the small arms trainer ranges operational in the United Kingdom prior to the strategic defence review, indicating (a) regular, (b) TA and (c) Cadet Unit numbers catered for at each. [81779]

Small arms trainer (SAT) systems are currently operational at the following locations in the United Kingdom:

Army
Location	Quantity
Chilwell	2
Harrogate	2
Chepstow	1
Bulford	1
Dartmoor	2
Ripon	1
Windsor	1
Preston	2
Tidworth	1
Liss, Hants	1
Chester	1
Catterick	7
Middle Wallop	1
Omagh	3
Londonderry	1
Belfast	2
London	2
Chichester	1
Canterbury	1
Warminster	2
Inverness	2
Shorncliffe	1
Ballykelly	2
Colchester	1
Brawdy	1
Bovington	1
Shropshire	2
Co. Antrim	1
Surrey	1
Larkhill	1
Lydd	1
Lisburn	1
Nuneaton	1
Portadown	1
Arborfield	2
Cumbria	1
Dover	1
Aldershot	2
Ballykinler	1
Sandhurst	1
Holywood	1
Bicester	1
Glencorse	2
Waddington	1