To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice his Department gives to persons who (a) need a passport urgently and (b) have not received their passport and are due to travel in the immediate future. [86971]

The Passport Agency is currently processing applications by customers' declared travel dates, and is meeting those dates for 99.99 per cent. of passports issued.In circumstances where a passport has not been received and an applicant is travelling within four days, the Agency's advice is to attend personally at the office to which the application was made. This should not be left to the last day in case there are problems with the application.Where the travel need is less pressing but still urgent my letter to hon. Members of 10 June gave contact telephone and fax numbers that should be used for urgent inquiries by passport applicants. Alternatively and as indicated in the Agency's any problems leaflet, applicants can write to Kevin Sheehan, the Agency's Director of Operations at Passport Agency Headquarters, Room 201, Clive House, Petty France, London SW1H 9HD.The Agency's policy is to reimburse applicants if unsatisfactory service causes them additional expense, for example through having to call personally at a passport office.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the incidence of doctors (a) refusing to authenticate applications for postal votes on medical grounds and (b) charging a fee for signing postal votes; and if he will make a statement. [87463]

There is no way in which such an assessment could be made. The legal position is that, under paragraph 37 and Schedule 9 of the National Health Service (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992, a doctor must issue certain certificates to his or her patients free of charge. These include attestations for absent votes, provided that they are required on grounds of physical incapacity. Anyone who has been charged a fee should in the first instance discuss the situation with the doctor concerned to determine if a refund is appropriate. If the matter cannot be resolved satisfactorily in this way, the patient should contact the local Family Health Services Authority, which has powers to investigate such complaints.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the statutory requirements which require the Electoral Roll number to be written on the ballot paper at elections; and if he will make a statement. [87504]

The provisions of Rule 37 of the Parliamentary Elections Rules (Schedule 1 of the Representation of the People Act 1983), which is also applied to European Parliamentary and local elections, requires a voter's electoral registration number to be written on the counterfoil of the ballot paper issued to that voter. Writing that number on the ballot paper would cause the voter to be identified. Under rule 47(1)(c), such a ballot paper would be liable to be declared void when the votes were counted.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders were enforced in May. [87011]

The information requested is not currently available from central data sources and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend the British Nationality Act 1981 to allow those born abroad to British women prior to 1 January 1983 to be deemed to have British nationality; and if he will make a statement.[87356]

Since February 1979, minors born abroad to British mothers have been able to acquire British nationality on application. Those born after 1 January 1983 are automatically British citizens at birth. It was decided in 1981 not to make these changes retrospective. We have no plans to alter the position.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to implement the fixed penalty offence of cycling on the pavement; and if he will make a statement. [87358]

We intend that it will come into force in August this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date investigators ordered a transcript of police radio messages in the Portadown area on the night of the attack on Mr. Robert Hamill; what measures have been taken to ensure the security of the original tape; if the transcript was made available to (a) prosecution lawyers and (b) defence lawyers, (c) the legal representatives of the Hamill family and (d) herself; and if she will place a copy in the Library. [86141]

[holding answer 9 June 1999]: The RUC have advised that the investigators obtained the original radio tape on 9 May 1997 and this was made available to the Director of Public Prosecutions as part of the RUC prosecution case. Transcripts were made available to the DPP and, under disclosure rules in criminal cases, to defence lawyers in the case R -v- Hobson. No transcripts have been made available to any other parties, including the Secretary of State's office. The original tape will be secured for future reference by the Chief Constable on its return to the RUC.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what dates US Federal Bureau of Investigation personnel have been in Northern Ireland in connection with the investigation of the death of Rosemary Nelson; and what has been their role in the investigation. [86142]

[holding answer 9 June 1999]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 16 June 1999, Official Report, column 140.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for the week ended Saturday 5 June the number of violent incidents involving paramilitary groups which took place in Northern Ireland, indicating how many involved (a) Loyalist and (b) Republican groups. [87161]

The number of security incidents during the period 30 May-5 June 1999 are shown:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for the week ended Saturday 29 May the number of violent incidents involving paramilitary groups which took place in Northern Ireland, indicating how many involved (a) Loyalist and (b) Republican groups. [87163]

The number of security incidents during the period 23–29 May 1999 are shown:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for the week ended Saturday 29 May the number of (a) punishment beatings and (b) punishment shootings which took place in Northern Ireland, indicating how many in each category were committed by (i) Loyalist and (ii) Republican groups. [87164]

The number of paramilitary attacks during the period 23–29 May are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for the week ended Saturday 5 June the number of (a) punishment beatings and (b) punishment shootings which took place in Northern Ireland, indicating how many in each category were committed by (i) Loyalist and (ii) Republican groups.[87162]

The number of paramilitary attacks during the period 30 May-5 June are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to her Department for written answer on a named day since 15 April; and what percentage of them received a substantive response on that day.[87317]

Between 15 April and 15 June my Department dealt with 58 named day questions of which 30, or 51.6 per cent., were given substantive answers on the day specified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sites of special scientific interest there were in Northern Ireland on 31 March; and what was their total area in hectares. [87269]

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Environment and Heritage Service under their acting chief executive, Mr. J. R. Lamont. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the range of sums paid per hour to solicitors in Northern Ireland in respect of legal aid payments; and what is the average taxed rate. [87377]

The hourly rate ranges from £24.25 in respect of travelling and waiting time for a Legal Advice and Assistance case to £64.50 in respect of advocacy by a senior solicitor in a Crown Court criminal case. The current hourly rate in civil cases is £66.50. Additionally for care and conduct these rates are subject to a percentage uplift which is normally in the range of 50 per cent. to 100 per cent.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the use of lindane as a pesticide. [87944]

The Government have noted the concerns raised about this compound and the assessment made by the Austrian authorities under the EU review of agricultural pesticides. The Government therefore asked the independent experts of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides to examine all the issues which have been raised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the women's organisations which have been consulted over proposed legislation by his Department during this session; and if their responses have been published. [86994]

We are committed to making sure that policies are inclusive and take full account of the needs and experiences of all those affected by them. Guidelines on Policy Appraisal for Equal Treatment, published in November 1998, commit policy makers to assessing how proposals affect different groups of people.We are making use of consultation, research projects and disaggregated statistics to identify the impact of policy on women. We routinely consult a wide variety of organisations on policy proposals. Within that process we are committed to including women's groups to ensure that the women's perspective is taken into consideration. As an example, a number of women's organisations, including the Women's National Commission, were consulted in connection with our proposals for ONE (formerly the Single Work-focused Gateway) and a summary of responses has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many ministerial cars there were for the use of his Department's Ministers in May 1997; and how many ministerial cars there currently are for the use of (i) his Department's Ministers and (ii) the Ministers of the new Scottish Executive; [86458](2) how many cars have been purchased for the use of Ministers of the new Scottish Executive. [86394]

The Government Car Service in Scotland provides or arranges the provision of transport for Ministers of UK Government Departments when in Scotland, senior members of the Scottish judiciary, and the most senior Departmental officials. Following the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and the appointment of Ministers of the Scottish Executive, the service has been made available also to the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, to Ministers of the Scottish Executive, and to Deputy Ministers.No cars have been purchased for the sole use of any users of the Government Car Service in Scotland. In May 1997 the Government Car Service in Scotland comprised 8 cars. However, to handle increased demand for services the fleet was expanded earlier this year by the addition of 3 cars, taking the total number to 11.From 1 July the provision of cars for the Scottish Executive by the Government Car Service in Scotland will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (i) written and (ii) oral questions were answered by his Department in 1998; and how many of them were on matters which will be the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament. [86360]

2,131 written and oral questions were answered by my Department in 1998. A breakdown in the format requested is not readily available and could be provided only by incurring disproportionate cost.My Department has indicated in written and oral replies to parliamentary questions answered after 26 January 1999 whether, following the transfer of functions, the issue will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his future role. [86341]

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Guildford (Mr. St. Aubyn) on 9 June 1999, Official Report, column 358.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will reply to the letter dated 30 March addressed to him and other Ministers by the hon. Member for Solihull. [86848]

After a thorough search, I regret that my Department could find no record of my having received a letter dated 30 March from the hon. Member.I have written to the hon. Member inviting him to send me a copy of the letter. I will then ensure that it is answered as quickly as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since 15 April; and what percentage of them received a substantive response on that day. [87332]

Forty five, of which 87 per cent. received a substantive response on the named day.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the companies based in the USA which have a presence in Wales indicating in each case the location and number of workers employed. [87459]

I have asked for the information to be prepared. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish the findings of the Waterhouse Inquiry into Child Abuse in North Wales. [87457]

The Tribunal of Inquiry has not yet submitted its report. It will be presented to Parliament as quickly as possible as soon as it is received.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in rank order by country the number of international overnight visits to Wales in each of the past 10 years. [87458]

The readily available information is for the years 1990 to 1997. The figures are estimates compiled by the Wales Tourist Board, based on sample survey results from the International Passenger Survey supplemented with estimates for the Irish Republic.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the countries which have (a)established consulates in Wales and (b)made inquiries about establishing consulates in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [87460]

The Republic of Ireland has recently established a Consulate in Cardiff. The following countries have established Honorary Consulates in Wales: Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Tunisia, and Turkey. I understand there are no requests at present from other countries to establish a Consulate in Wales.The establishment of a Consular presence in Wales by a particular country is a matter for the Government of that country. I can see that a Consular presence could bring many advantages to both countries. I would welcome any proposals to establish Consulate offices in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if a participant on a European Social Fund course of training is covered by the Department's Analogous Industrial Injuries Compensation Scheme. [85755]

Unemployed people participating in DfEE funded work-based training schemes which are receiving ESF assistance are covered by the DfEE's Analogous Industrial Injuries Scheme. Unemployed people who are participating in Work Trials, or the new deal, programmes supported by the Employment Service, are also covered by the scheme.The Analogous Industrial Injuries Scheme applies only to ESF courses where the matched funding comes from DfEE funding for programmes for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has already decided it may apply. People participating in other courses supported by ESF are not covered by the scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the maximum number of hours per week that a trainee on a European Social Fund training course can undertake without affecting his entitlement to receive jobseeker's allowance. [85752]

A jobseeker may undertake a training course, whether or not part-funded by ESF, providing he is not a full-time student and he continues to meet the Jobseeker's Allowance entitlement conditions. An Employment Service Adjudication Officer will determine, in each case, whether the jobseeker is a full-time or a part-time student.Under the Jobseekers Act 1995, a person must be available for employment in order to be entitled to JSA, and under regulation 11 of the Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations 1996, a part-time student may, in prescribed circumstances, be available for employment. The maximum number of hours of study a student can undertake and still be considered a 'part-time' student is not fixed by the Regulations in every case. Full-time student' is defined in regulation 1(3). Paragraph (b)(ii) of that definition specifies an FEFC funded course of more than 16 hours a week, but paragraph (b)(i) which deals with non-FEFC funded courses, does not specify a number of hours.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list, by local authority, (a) the number of pupils in classes of more than 30, (b) the percentage of pupils in classes of 31 or more,

The information is shown in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals there are to amend the departmental expenditure limit and gross running costs limit for 1999–2000. [86982]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates for Class 1, Vote 1 (Department for Education and Employment: programmes and central services and Vote 4 (Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools), the Departmental Expenditure Limit for 1999–2000 (excluding Welfare to Work) will be decreased by £30,800,000 from £15,702,326,000 to £15,671,526,000.The decrease is the result of a transfer of £30,800,000 to Class XIV, Vote 1 (the Welsh Office) to take account of the change to student support arrangements following the Dearing Review.The voted element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit (excluding Welfare to Work) will be increased by £46,200,000 from £14,350,774,000 to £14,396,974,000 as a result of the transfer mentioned above and a switch of £77,000,000 from credit approvals to Class 1, Vote 1 in connection with the provision of schools capital. The increase of £77,000,000 will be offset by a matching reduction in the non-voted element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit from £1,351,552,000 to £1,274,552,000.The Supplementary Estimates also include a transfer of £500,000 from Vote 1 to Vote 4 in connection with the inspection of nursery education for three-year olds. This transfer has no effect on the Departmental Expenditure Limit.The Departmental running costs limit (excluding Welfare to Work) will be reduced by £200,000 from £1,042,410,000 to £1,042,210,000 as a result of a switch of that amount into the Youth Advocates programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since 15 April; and what percentage of them received a substantive response on that day. [87329]

Between 15 April and 15 June, 132 parliamentary questions have been tabled to the Department for written answer on a named day; 81 per cent. received a substantive reply on that day.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans there are to promote overseas the quality of further and higher education in the United Kingdom and ease arrangements for international students to enter the United Kingdom and support themselves while studying. [87667]

My Department has been co-ordinating the Prime Minister's initiative to attract more international students to the United Kingdom. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have joined with me to develop a strategy that will help our institutions to compete in an increasingly competitive global marketplace, enhance the image of the UK overseas and help position the UK as a knowledge-driven economy.The strategy includes four main components. The first is the development of a "UK Education Brand" and marketing materials to promote the high quality of UK education. A world-wide marketing campaign will begin early in 2000. Second, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs aims to expand the Chevening Scholarship Scheme, increasing by at least 500 the number of scholarships awarded each year. Third, we will ease procedures on permission for students to work part-time and in vacations. With effect from 21 June 1999 international students will no longer be required to seek permission from Jobcentres to work part-time and in vacations, and sandwich course students will no longer require a work permit from my Department for their placement year. Fourth, updated guidance notes, designed to make entry requirements clearer, will be available for students and posted on the Internet. The British Council will work with entry clearance posts in a number of countries to streamline the visa application process for students who qualify to come here for study.Through this package of measures the Government will help UK education institutions to increase their marketing capability overseas and thereby increase international student enrolments. For international students from outside the European Union, the Government hope that these measures will allow institutions to increase the UK's market share of higher education students in relation to the major competitors of USA, Australia and Canada from 17 per cent. in 1996–97 to 25 per cent. in 2005 and to increase the number of further education students by 100 per cent. from some 25,000 in 1996–97 to 50,000 by 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the consultants employed over the past 18 months in connection with the Government's plans for teacher pay and teacher appraisal, indicating the terms of reference in each case and the total sum of consultancy fees paid; and how many of the consultants were paid over £50,000 for carrying out a research project. [87596]

Two consultancy contracts have been let in the last 18 months. The first was let to PricewaterhouseCooper. I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) on 25 May 1999, Official Report, columns 101–02. The cost of this work is commercial in confidence.We have subsequently issued a letter of intent to Hay McBer in respect of research into teacher effectiveness pending finalisation of the contract. This sets out the work to be undertaken. I have arranged for an extract from the letter to be lodged in the Library.The cost is commercial in confidence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he is taking to increase access to non-tidal navigable rivers by non-motor-powered river craft. [86863]

The Government sponsored Environment Agency and British Waterways, which between them are responsible for the majority of the country's navigable rivers and canals, continue to manage their waterways with all users in mind, as do other navigation authorities.The Environment Agency has successfully acted as honest broker on a number of rivers in England and Wales to help secure access agreements. The Agency continues to encourage the development of access agreements and currently chairs the Angling and Canoeing Liaison Group, which is developing a guide to the negotiation of access agreements. The guide will provide information for all likely parties who are seeking to achieve new access for canoeists, and other water sports and activities, to private waters. The Liaison Group expects to publish the guide in July.The Countryside Agency, Countryside Council for Wales and the Forestry Commission have been asked to consider access to other categories of open countryside, including river and canal banks, as part of the Government's commitment to introducing a statutory right of access on foot to the countryside. Their reports are expected to focus on the case for an extension of access on foot, but may also take into account access for other types of recreational users in the countryside, such as people using boats, cycles or horses.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will name the non-governmental consultees and advisers engaged by his Department to advise on the conduct of the research by London Economics into the Environmental Costs and Benefits of Aggregate Supply; and what his Department has paid to each for their services. [87098]

Following the recommendation of an independent review of the initial work by London Economics, the Phase 2 research was assisted by an international group of experts on those aspects of research design involving contingent valuation techniques.The group comprised: Ian Bateman of the University of East Anglia; Nick Hanley of the University of Edinburgh; Michael Hanemann of the University of California at Berkeley; Susana Mourato of Imperial College; Richard Ready of the University of Oslo; Toby Taper of MORI; and Ken Willis of Newcastle University.The total amount paid to members of the group was £41,898 including fees and travel expenses. Their contracts do not provide for publication of their individual remuneration without consent.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he received the final report by London Economics on the Environmental Costs and Benefits of Aggregates Supply. [87097]

Copies of the final report were submitted to the Department on 26 May 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many contracts were awarded to London Economics for their study of the environmental effect of mineral extraction; and what has been the total sum of money, including expenses, paid by his Department to London Economics for each of the contracts. [87195]

London Economics was paid £107,815 under a contract to carry out the study of the Environmental Costs and Benefits of the Supply of Aggregates published in April 1998. Further research, Phase 2 to be published in July 1999, has been undertaken under two contracts. £108,495 was paid under the first of these and £301,665 under the second contract. The latter includes over £200,000 paid to sub-contractors for survey work. The contract sums exclude VAT.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of cars sold in Britain in each of the past five years have been fitted with (a) airbags in the driver's seat only, (b) airbags in the driver's and front passenger seats, (c) airbags for rear passengers and (d) side-impact air bags. [86999]

Vehicle registration statistics do not yield this information. I understand that the majority of new cars sold in the UK now have drivers airbags fitted as standard equipment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the need to amend the law to provide for the validity of meetings of public bodies, and their subsequent decisions, conducted by tele-conferencing and related technology. [87134]

I am not aware of any problems in this area at present, but I will keep the position under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to increase the recycled content in soft tissue paper products. [87253]

In July 1998, the Government established a Market Development Group to consider the measures that could be taken to enhance the markets for recycled materials, including paper, and to develop proposals to help overcome any barriers. The Group considered a range of measures, including the use of economic instruments, quality standards and specifications for recycled goods and materials, and whether it is desirable to set mandatory levels of recycled content for specified goods.The Group has now finished its work and its report and recommendations for action will be published for consultation at the same time as the draft waste strategy.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce the new membership of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment; and if he will make a statement. [87766]

The new Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) has been appointed today. The committee consists of highly regarded scientists and technical experts (listed). Together they will form a well-balanced committee with the necessary range of expertise and views to provide sound advice on the risks to the environment and human health from the release of genetically modified organisms.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend planning regulations for telecommunications development. [87776]

I have today laid before Parliament an Order to make the amendments to the telecommunications permitted development rights granted under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (GPDO), which I announced on 16 November 1998, Official Report, column 343, in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley, East and Mexborough (Mr. Ennis). These include a new 42-day prior approval procedure for ground based masts and strengthened planning controls in Sites of Special Interest. Subject to Parliamentary procedures, the Order will enter into force on 9 July 1999.A Departmental circular, "Planning for Telecommunications", is being issued to accompany the changes made to the GPDO. The circular sets a clear policy framework for planning for telecommunications development to keep environmental intrusion to a minimum. We look to both local planning authorities and the industry to adopt a proactive approach to identifying the best environmental solutions for telecommunications development. Pre-application discussions between the parties will allow a constructive examination of different siting and design solutions for accommodating telecommunications development at the least environmental cost. The guidance also explains the scope of telecommunications permitted development rights and the operation of the revised procedures.Copies of the Order, the accompanying Regulatory Impact Assessment and the circular have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what ways Quality Protects management action plans will improve the quality of services for children with disabilities in England and Wales. [86377]

Last September, we announced new Government objectives for children's social services, one of which addressed the needs of disabled children. In their Quality Protects Management Action Plans (MAPS), local authorities were required to set out how they would address these national objectives and to set their own local objectives. All MAPs have now been evaluated by regional social services inspectorate. We shall shortly be publishing a National Overview Report setting out the key messages from this evaluation.We also consulted on the detailed sub-objectives supporting the main Government objectives, and I am grateful to those parents, voluntary and strategy organisations that responded. We plan to publish revised sub-objectives, including more addressing the needs of disabled children, later in the summer.The Department has commissioned the Council for Disabled Children to analyse this year's MAPS from the perspective of services for disabled children with a view to recommending further work to enable local authorities to achieve their Quality Protects targets. We are determined to raise standards in the provision of services for disabled children under the Quality Protects Programme. This is an important means of achieving the successful implementation of the Carers National Strategy as it affects parents and carers of disabled children.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what performance indicators his Department has developed to quantify improvements in services for disabled children. [86382]

Later this year, the Department will publish sub-objectives for children's services as part of the implementation of Quality Protects. These will include sub-objectives for disabled children. Performance indicators for disabled children will be developed in partnership with all those with an interest, as improved statistical information becomes available. The Department is introducing a new data collection around children in need from February 2000, which could provide the basis for such indicators.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children's homes accommodating fewer than four children there are in (a) the Somerton and Frome constituency and (b) Somerset. [87047]

[holding answer 17 June 1999]: Statistics are collected once every three years on the numbers of children's homes. At 31 March 1997, the most recent date that statistics were collected, there were no children's homes accommodating fewer than four children in the former shire county of Somerset. We do not have more recent information on voluntary children's homes in this category. Our latest information is that there are seven homes in Somerset, two of which are in the town of Somerton.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the arrangements are for the inspection and registration of children's homes accommodating fewer than four children; to whom the reports of routine and unannounced inspections are made available; how many unresolved concerns have arisen in such reports since May 1997; and what steps are taken to notify home authorities of concerns arising from such inspections which would affect children who are the legal responsibility of the home authority. [87048]

[holding answer 17 June 1999]: Children's homes accommodating fewer than four children are not registered and inspected if they are run for profit by private organisations. Homes which are run on a not-for-profit basis by voluntary organisations are registered and inspected by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.Voluntary children's homes are inspected by the social services inspectorate at least twice a year. One visit is announced in advance. The report of the announced inspection is published annually and the letter to the home reporting on the last unannounced visit is included in this publication. If there are any concerns about a home, additional inspections may be made.Statistical records are not kept of the unresolved concerns that have arisen in the reports of individual inspections of voluntary children's homes. The social services inspectorate follows up any unresolved concerns with the home concerned. Social services inspectors may inform the local authority which is looking after the child of any concerns which subsequently remain outstanding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions at a children's home accommodating fewer than four persons powers under section 47 of the Children Act 1989 have been used so that a child has been returned to the care of the home authority or to another institution. [87049]

[holding answer 17 June 1999]: The Department is not aware of any such occasions. A child that is looked after by a local authority and is placed in a children's home remains the responsibility of that local authority, irrespective of whether the child is placed in a children's home within or outside that local authority. The local authority may move a child without the need to refer to these powers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State's letter of 6 January, what action has been taken to prevent illegal and unregulated fishing in the Southern Oceans by means of (a) direct action through management of the fisheries around South Georgia and (b) the United Kingdom's involvement in the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources with particular reference to the South Atlantic tooth-fish. [87182]

The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) continue to enforce rigorously the fisheries licensing regime in the waters of its maritime zone, through a variety of means, including the presence of Fisheries Protection Vessels and aerial surveillance. The GSGSSI incorporates into its fishing licence conditions regulatory measures agreed under the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).New measures adopted in November 1998 at CCAMLR XVII, to address illegal and unregulated fishing, came into effect in time for the current fishing season in South Georgia. CCAMLR Parties are negotiating a catch documentation scheme to track international trade in tooth-fish and prevent imports of fish taken illegally. This scheme, plus additional measures, will be discussed further at CCAMLR XVIII in October. The UK has been actively involved in these negotiations. We will press for an early introduction of such a scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Sudan about separatism in south Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [87505]

Although we do not currently have British staff permanently in Khartoum, we maintain a regular dialogue with the Government of Sudan on a wide range of issues. The peace process in the Sudan is a priority for us and the issue of separatism arises in that context.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on reported bombing raids in southern Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [87117]

We have recently received reports by NGOs of aerial bombing in southern Sudan by Government of Sudan aircraft.In Oslo on 25–26 May, the Government of Sudan and the SPLA both confirmed their commitment to maintain the current humanitarian ceasefire in Bahr el Ghazal. We shall continue to press the case for peace in Sudan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning raids by Arab militia in southern Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [87116]

We have had a number of reports from UN agencies and other NGOs working in the field, of raids conducted by Arab militia groups in southern Sudan.In Oslo on 25–26 May, the Government of Sudan and the SPLA both confirmed their commitment to the basic humanitarian principles of Operation Lifeline Sudan as well as the need to maintain the current humanitarian ceasefire in Bahr el Ghazal. We shall continue to press the case for peace in Sudan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many employees of British Nuclear Fuels plc are employed by, or attached to, the British Embassy in the United States. [86959]

No employees of British Nuclear Fuels plc are employed by, or attached to, the British Embassy in Washington.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Iran concerning the arrest of thirteen rabbis, teachers and other members of the Jewish community of Shiraz. [87126]

We and our EU partners are concerned at reports of the arrest of 13 Iranian Jews. We have made our concerns known to the Iranian authorities and have stressed that we expect the detainees to be treated fairly under Iranian law. We and our EU partners will continue to watch developments closely and will take further action if necessary.