To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is planning to prepare for the return of Kosovan temporary asylum seekers to their original places of residence. [87303]

Officials in my Department and other Government Departments are meeting today with representatives from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organisation for Migration, the Refugee Council, the British Red Cross and Refugee Action to discuss how best to facilitate the voluntary return of Kosovar Albanians back to Kosovo. A number of these organisations in the voluntary sector have played a leading role in the reception, care and resettlement of the Kosovar Albanians and are, therefore, clearly well placed to advise on a number of the issues involved in returning them home. I believe we will be in a better position to devise a strategy for return once these initial discussions have taken place.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the annual cost of keeping (a) adults and (b) juveniles in prisons and young offenders' institutions broken down by category of prisoner. [87255]

The Prison Service does not calculate separately the cost of imprisonment by category of prisoner.The information in the table shows the average establishment cost per place in 1998–99 broken down by category of prison. Prisons with multiple functions (for example an adult male prison with a separate young offender wing) are categorised according to their dominant category.Establishment costs exclude capital expenditure and head office overheads. For this reason, the figures in the table are not comparable with the provisional Prison Service cost per place Key Performance Indicator figure for 1998–99 of £25,096.Figures are provisional and subject to validation by prisons.

Cost per place for prison establishments
£
Establishments function type	Average cost per place 1998–99
Male local	23,257
Dispersal	32,991
Category B	20,819
Category C	17,142
Male open	14,753

Cost per place for prison establishments
£
Establishment function type	Average cost per place 1998–99
Male remand centre	21,582
Male closed young offender	18,186
Male open young offender	18,975
Male juvenile	26,079
Female local	28,443
Female closed	26,860
Female open	16,018

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detained patients have been removed from the United Kingdom since 1983 under Section 86 of the Mental Health Act 1983. [87468]

Up to the end of 1995, 25 detained patients in all categories had been removed under section 86. Since then, one restricted patient has been removed. Figures for the removal of other categories of detained patients in the same period are not held, and the information sought could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in England and Wales where mandatory drug testing of inmates takes place. [87289]

All prisons in England and Wales undertake mandatory drug testing of prisoners.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture responded to his request for clarification regarding its report on the handling of deaths in police custody; and when he expects the reports to the published. [87343]

The President of the Committee replied on 8 March 1999 to a letter of 16 October 1998 from a Foreign Office official. We expect the report to be published if and when we have reached agreement with the Committee on the publication of material subject to legal professional privilege; and we are actively pursuing this.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to chief constables concerning the use of police helicopters over built-up areas during the hours of darkness. [87345]

None. Regulations covering the use of police helicopters are set out in the Police Air Operations Manual (POAM) issued by the Civil Aviation Authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Ministers in his Department have held meetings with Ministers and officials of the Irish Government since 1 January 1998, indicating the dates and locations of each meeting, the Ministers involved at each meeting and the names of the Irish Ministers and officials at each meeting. [87383]

The information requested is given in the table. There will additionally have been meetings, such as European Union Justice and Home Affairs Council meetings, at which both Home Office and Irish Ministers and officials would also have been present.

Ministerial meetings with Irish ministers and officials since 1 January 1998
	10 July 1998	10 December 1998	19 May 1999
Minister:	Lord Williams of Mostyn	Paul Boateng	Lord Williams of Mostyn
Location:	Home Office	Home Office	Home Office
Irish Minister:	Mr. Frank Fahey	Mr. Frank Fahey	—
Irish officials:	Mr. Mulligan (Irish Embassy in London)	Mr. David Smith (Department of Health and Children) Mr. John Kelly (Department of Education and Science) Mr. Paul Murray (Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform) Ms Caitriona Ryan (Private Secretary to Mr. Fahey)	Mr. Gerry Kearney (Department of Finance)
Purpose of meeting:	Meeting to discuss death of Edward Walsh	Meeting to discuss youth justice and child prostitution	Meeting of Freedom of Information Advisory Group

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for the latest year for which information is available, how many arrested persons were (a) referred to and (b) entered drug treatment programmes; and if he will make a statement. [874334]

This information is not currently held centrally. At present, there are around 127 face-to-face arrest referral schemes in England. The targets set recently under the drugs strategy by the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator include doubling the number of such schemes in the current year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost of publicity for the European Elections Vote Encouragement Project; what amount was spent on the Balloon Project; and what plans he has for the future use of the balloon. [87336]

The cost of the Government publicity campaign prior to the European Parliamentary elections was £3.5 million. The money was spent on television and press advertising and the leaflet drop to every household.The campaign did not include a balloon. The London Office of the European Parliament ran separate publicity events in which a balloon was used.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for the school year 1998–99, how many pupils were enrolled at Down High School; how many were (a) Protestants, (b) Roman Catholics and (c) of other religions; and how many applicants for entry to the High School at the beginning of this year were refused. [87184]

The information derived from the Annual School Census as at October 1998 in relation to Down High School is as follows:

School year 1998–99
	School census
(a) Protestant pupils	698
(b) Roman Catholic	46
(c) Other pupils	69
Total enrolment	813

Thirty-three applicants were refused admission in September 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the transfer procedure for 1999, how many pupils from (a) integrated, (b) controlled and (c) maintained primary schools have been accepted into Down High School; and how many of these pupils were in each of the grades of the transfer procedure. [87183]

The information in relation to admissions to Down High School in September 1999 is as follows:

(a) 2 pupils from integrated primary schools, 1 Grade A, 1 Grade B1;

(b) 114 pupils from controlled primary schools; 97 Grade A, 12 Grade B1, 1 Grade B2, 1 Grade C2;

(c) 9 pupils from maintained primary schools, 8 Grade A, 1 Grade B1; and 3 pupils from independent schools, 3 Grade A.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the hourly rate paid to solicitors acting for the families of those persons killed by the Army in Londonderry on 30 January 1972; by what procedures this sum was negotiated and agreed; and under which budget sub-headings provision for these sums is made. [87376]

(holding answer 18 June 19991: Hourly rates for the work of the solicitors acting for the families of those killed by the Army in Londonderry on 30 January 1972 have yet to be agreed. The Bloody Sunday Inquiry's independent costs assessor is currently in negotiation with the solicitors, and the Tribunal awaits his advice on reasonable rates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 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. [87274]

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has brought forward no legislation during the current session.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 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. [87324]

Between 15 April 1999 and 16 June 1999, a total of 61 named day parliamentary questions were tabled for answer by my Department. Of these 27 (44 per cent.) received a substantive reply on the day requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list each Monopolies and Mergers Commission report received by his Department since June 1994 and give in each case (a) the date on which it was received, (b) the date on which it was published and (c) the date on which the Secretary of State's decision was announced, where it is different from (b). [87313]

I am placing in the Library of the House a list of the reports received in the Department from the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and the Competition Commission since June 1994, together with the dates on which they were received and the date on which they were published and a decision was announced.I am also making available a list of reports delivered by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission to sectoral regulators during the same period of time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish figures for the United Kingdom's stocks of plutonium and uranium at 31 December 1998. [87837]

I have today placed in the Library of the House figures for the United Kingdom showing national holdings of civil plutonium and uranium at 31 December 1998. These figures are published as part of the UK's continued commitment to improve transparency and openness in its management of our national holdings of civil plutonium and uranium.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 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. [86991]

The Government are committed to making sure that policies are inclusive and take full account of the needs and experience of all those affected by them. Guidelines on Policy Appraisal for Equal Treatment, published in November 1998, commit policy makers to assess how proposals affect different groups of people.Application of the guidance has been the responsibility of individual Departments. Within this Department we increasingly make use of consultation, research projects and disaggregated statistics to identify the impact of policy upon women. As an example, over 300 respondents commented on the family friendly employment rights proposals in the White Paper "Fairness at Work", including women's organisations and other groups with a strong interest in women's issues such as the Equal Opportunities Commission, Maternity Alliance, the Fawcett Society and the Women's National Commission. Responses were not made public but a list of respondents was placed in the Libraries of the House.Informal consultation is continuing prior to publishing the Parental and Maternity Leave regulations. Maternity Alliance, Parents at Work, the Equal Opportunities Commission, and TUC Equal Opportunities representatives have contributed to this process. There will be further public consultation on the draft regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations he has held with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, on extension of the Working Time Directive to include maritime sectors; what assessment he has made of the impact of the Directive on fisheries; and if he will make a statement. [87341]

The DTI has overall policy responsibility for working time and co-ordinates the Government's response to EC proposals in this area.DETR, which is responsible for marine safety issues including fishing vessels, has been extensively involved in developing Government policy on the proposals to extend the Working Time Directive to seafarers and sea fishing. MAFF has been extensively involved in developing Government policy on the proposals to extend the Working Time Directive to sea-fishing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures his Department takes to encourage businesses to trade with Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. [87626]

The services of British Trade International are available for exporters to the Republic of Ireland as they are for exporters to other West European countries. Activities include the Export Explorer scheme to encourage first-time exporters to visit the Republic; an Export Promoter to inform companies of the opportunities in the market and encourage them to trade with the Republic; and sectoral activities such as the provision of information stands at trade fairs in Ireland. Northern Ireland companies are eligible to use these services.British companies trade with Northern Ireland as they would with other parts of the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 14 June 1999, Official Report, column 5, relating to sea shipment of MOX fuel, if he will list (a) the dates on which the meetings to which he referred were held and (b) the officials who participated in the meetings. [87424]

Preparation of the transport plan took place over a period of several years and involved many meetings between officials of the different Governments involved. It would not be possible to provide a detailed list of these meetings without incurring disproportionate cost. The UK officials who participated were drawn from the DTI, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Directorate of Civil Nuclear Security.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to change the membership of (a) the Oil and Gas Industry Task Force and (b) its working groups. [87510]

We do not expect to change the membership of the Oil and Gas Industry Task Force, which is now preparing its report for publication in September. The Task Force has agreed that a successor group will be needed to ensure that continuing progress is made with the initiatives it is pursuing and it will be discussing what membership would be appropriate for its successor. The discussions will involve those with an interest in the Task Force's work. The Task Force will of course take account of representations made about membership.The membership of the workgroups is a matter for their joint industry and Government sponsors from the Task Force. Changes are made from time to time to reflect the particular issues that a workgroup is addressing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are in place to ensure representation on the Oil and Gas Industry Task Force of parties working in the southern sector of the North Sea oil and gas industry. [87511]

The persons invited to join the Task Force were chosen to ensure the membership included a wide range of oil companies, contractors, supplies companies and trade unions active in all sectors of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). This certainly includes the southern North Sea, where a number of the members have significant interests.The Task Force is developing proposals for reducing the cost base of UK oil and gas operations against the background of low oil prices and the particular characteristics of the various sectors of the UKCS. The initiatives developed and advantages gained will be relevant to oil and gas activity in all sectors and, furthermore, will improve the international competitiveness of the UK industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the criteria for the selection of personnel serving on the Oil and Gas Industry Task Force. [87509]

The Task Force has a high level membership drawn from industry and key Government Departments, including oil companies, contractors, suppliers, unions, DTI, Treasury, DETR and the Scottish Office. The membership was intended to reflect the broad spectrum of interest, while also being of manageable size.A key objective of the Task Force is to stimulate new oil and gas projects on the UK Continental Shelf; it was therefore necessary to ensure the participation of different types of oil companies with significant UK interests. The choice of the contractors and supplier companies reflects the breadth of the industry, with large, medium and smaller companies contributing at managing director level.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff and contracted staff have benefited from the introduction of a national minimum wage. [87613]

All House of Commons rates of pay are higher than the national minimum wage. Therefore, no staff of the House have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage. It is not possible to state how many contractors staff may have benefited, as the House does not keep records of the rates of pay of staff employed by contractors.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the largest percentage increase in (a) salary and (b) bonus payments paid to staff earning over £50,000 in the House of Commons in the last year for which figures are available. [87464]

[holding answer 18 June 1999]: (a) In the year 1999–2000, the highest percentage increase in salary to a member of staff earning over £50,000, including a special performance award, was 10.2 per cent. (b) The highest bonus or special performance award was equal to 5.4 per cent. of salary.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many House of Commons staff in the £50,000 to £200,000 salary range in the financial years (a) 1998–99 and (b) 1997–98 received percentage pay awards in excess of those given to non-Senior Civil Service grades. [87466]

[holding answer 18 June 1999]: There are four groups of House of Commons staff covered by separate pay settlements each year. They are the Senior Commons Staff (SCS), staff in the main structure (Pay Bands A to E), the Refreshment Department Catering Staff and the Works Directorate Craft Staff.The pay of the Senior Commons Staff is directly linked to that of the Senior Civil Service. The pay of the other groups is kept broadly in line with civil service rates of pay. The pay awards for staff in the SCS and Pay Bands A to E are performance related, whereas staff in the Craft and Catering Bands are paid a rate for the job.In the years 1997–98 and 1998–99, the percentage increases for most of the staff in Pay Bands A to E were higher than those for the SCS Staff. No staff in the SCS pay bands received a percentage increase higher than the highest percentage increases paid in Pay Bands A to E.In 1997–98 and 1998–99, the average percentage increases for staff in the Catering and Craft pay bands were higher than the average non-performance (new money) increases, excluding the self-financing performance elements, for the SCS and Bands A to E. Because of the operation of the performance systems, it is not possible to make meaningful comparisons of percentage increases on an individual basis.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many House of Commons staff earn more than £100,000 per year. [87465]

[holding answer 18 June 1999]: Only one member of staff of the House earns more than £100,000 a year. This information is published in the Commission's Annual Report.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Tooting (Mr. Cox), of 19 April 1999, Official Report, columns 420–21, regarding debt write-offs for outstanding loans, if she will list the loans written-off for Indonesia, in each case stating (a) the nature of the aid project, (b) the date on which the loan was written-off and (c) the reason for the loan being written-off. [85849]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer provided on 22 June 1998, Official Report, column 397. Balances of all Indonesian aid loans were written off in 1979. This was in support of a resolution by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in 1978, a statement on which was made to the House on 31 July 1978, Official Report, column 25. However, the consequential amount of annual debt relief is currently reported as expenditure in the year in which the payments would have been due. Details are set out in the publication 'Statistics on International Development', a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the countries included in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. [87291]

The list of countries eligible for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt Initiative was agreed by the international community in 1996, and identified the 40 poorest, most indebted countries. However, others may be included in HIPC if a good case can be made. For example, Malawi will now be considered for HIPC debt relief. Being on the list, however, entitles a country only to be considered for HIPC debt relief. Countries which are not part of HIPC can still obtain debt relief from official bilateral creditors who form the Paris club.

• Angola
• Benin
• Bolivia
• Burkina Faso
• Burma
• Burundi
• Cameroon
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Congo
• Equatorial Guinea
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Guyana
• Honduras
• Kenya
• Laos
• Liberia
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Mali
• Mauritania
• Mozambique
• Nicaragua
• Niger
• Rwanda
• Sao Tome Principe
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Tanzania
• Togo
• Uganda
• Vietnam
• Yemen
• Zambia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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 National Assembly for Wales. [86361]

Ministers at the Welsh Office answered 1,676 written and oral questions in 1998. A breakdown in the format requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.In written and oral replies to parliamentary questions answered after 27 January 1999 we have indicated those matters which will become a matter for the National Assembly on 1 July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for reform of the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [86343]

My right hon. Friend's vision for the NHS was set out in his statement to the House of Commons on 3 December 1998, Official Report, columns 1053–66, and in the measures that have been taken to improve the health of the population, devolve decision taking and encourage co-operation in the planning and provision of services.From 1 July, responsibility for this issue will fall to The National Assembly for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Sites of Special Scientific Interest there were in Wales on 31 March; and what was their total area in hectares. [87270]

On 31 March 1999 there were 962 Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Wales covering some 223,000 hectares, approximately 10.6 per cent. of the land area in Wales.Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many senior grades at the European Commission hold secondary employment; if he will list the directors-general so engaged, with the nature of their additional employment; and if he will make a statement. [86726]

We do not have information about individual cases. But officials working in the European Commission may not hold any secondary employment, whether gainful or not, without first obtaining permission. Staff regulations state that permission would be refused if the nature of the work would impair the official's independence or be detrimental to the work of the Communities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what reports Her Majesty's Government have received on the welfare of the following prisoners (a) Ye Kensheng (Xinyang Municipal Labour Educational Camp), (b) Xiao Minghai (Xinyang Municipal Labour Educational Camp), (c) Xu Dajiang (Xinyang Municipal Labour Educational Camp),(d) Zhang Jinchen (Xinyang Municipal Labour Educational Camp), (e) Wang Xuehua (Xinyang Municipal Labour Educational Camp), (f) Li Zhongchang (Nanhu Labour Educational Camp, Anhui), (g) Zhan Guohua (Hefei Labour Educational Camp, Anhui), (h) Li Liya (Nanhu Labour Educational Camp, Anhui), (i) Hou Feng (Nanhu Labour Educational Camp, Anhui), (j) Tian Lin (Nanhu Labour Educational Camp, Anhui), (k) Meng Qingli (Shangqiu Labour Educational Camp, Anhui), (l) Wu Guifang (Urumqi Labour Educational Camp, Xinjiang), (m) Guei Chuan-Lun (Bao-feng Labour Educational Camp, Xuan-zhou, Anhui), (n) Liu Hai-Kuan (Bao-feng Labour Educational Camp, Zuan-zhou, Anhui), (o) Zhang Wan-Bao (Bao-feng Labour Educational Camp, Xuan-zhou, Anhui), (p) Lin Ke-Wei (Nanhu Agricultural Labour Educational Camp), (q) Peng Shu-Xia (Women Labour Educational Camp in Hefei, Anhui) and (r) Wang Chuan-Bing (Qing-gang Detention Centre (of the PSB), Heilongjiang); and what representations Her Majesty's Government have made on their behalf to the Chinese authorities; [87257](2) what reports Her Majesty's Government have received on the welfare of the following prisoners

It is not possible to raise with the Chinese authorities each individual case of concern that is brought to our attention, such as those of the Christian "house church" worshippers listed by my hon. Friend. But we do take every opportunity to raise individual cases, both bilaterally and in conjunction with our EU partners.My predecessor, the late Member for Leeds, Central, did so when he visited China in April. In addition, through our continuing bilateral and EU/China human rights dialogues, we have expressed our deep concern to the Chinese authorities about the harassment and detention of Christians who worship in "house churches". We will continue to encourage China to look upon religion as fulfilling a basic human need and not as a threat.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which states have indicated their consent to the visit and search regime for merchant vessels suspected of breaching the Yugoslav embargo; what total proportion of global shipping tonnage this represents; what measures he is taking to increase the number of countries giving their consent; and if he will make a statement. [87335]

NATO forces in the Adriatic continue to monitor shipping entering FRY ports, while the EU oil embargo remains in place. A number of non-EU and non-NATO states, including some of those frequently used for flags of convenience, have expressed their willingness to comply with the embargo. However, their consent to a visit and search regime will not be sought formally while NATO plans are kept under review in the light of recent political developments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to make submissions to the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague concerning actions carried out by order of former President Suharto of Indonesia in East Timor. [87494]

We have no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with how many countries the UK (a) exchanges ambassadors or high commissioners and (b) maintains other types of representation; and if he will make a statement. [87418]

The UK has resident Ambassadors or High Commissioners in 143 countries. We maintain diplomatic and consular relations with a total of 183 countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports are submitted by the Ambassadors for British Business. [87652]

There is no requirement for the Ambassadors for British Business to submit reports. However, Ambassadors for British Business generally provide informal feedback to Ministers and officials on the events in which they have participated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sites of special scientific interest there were in Scotland on 31 March; and what was their total area in hectares. [87271]

On 31 March 1999 there were a total of 1,448 sites of special scientific interest in Scotland covering 919,597 hectares.From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact of his proposed extension of the Dornoch Firth and Morrich More sites as candidate special areas of conservation under the EC Habitats Directive on the Tain mussel fisheries. [87450]

The Scottish Office has assured the managers of this fishery that, as currently prosecuted, it forms a sustainable part of the management of the Dornoch Firth and Morrich More candidate Special Area of Conservation.From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) for what reasons the Driving Standards Agency plans to recruit a further 85 examiners in 1999; [86247](2) what effect current trends in demand for driving tests are having on examiner staffing levels. [86245]

The Driving Standards Agency closely monitors demand for driving tests. The forecast level of demand for practical driving tests in 1999–2000 is similar to 1998–99, at 1.4 million. However, the introduction of the longer driving test, with examiners conducting seven rather than eight tests a day, means each examiner conducts 12.5 per cent. fewer tests. Taking account of retirements, the Agency estimates that it will need to recruit 80 to 85 examiners during 1999–2000. They will be recruited on a contract basis to enable the Agency to respond flexibly to fluctuations in demand.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what future changes are planned for the driving test centre estate; and what assessment he has made of the effect of these on present levels of public service. [86223]

The Driving Standards Agency keeps the practical test centre estate under review as part of the business management. Any changes will be considered on their merits, with a view to increasing the efficiency of property use whilst improving customer service.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many contractual examiners are currently employed by the Driving Standards Agency; and under what circumstances they are used. [86244]

The Driving Standards Agency currently employs 157 contract driving examiners nationally, on a variety of three-yearly contracts. Some staff are guaranteed a minimum of one day's work per month, while others may be working full time. The amount of work on offer is determined by local demand for driving tests and the need to cover absences in the permanent examiner workforce. The Agency plans to standardise existing contracts as they come up for renewal.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Driving Standards Agency will conduct comparative studies of driving test arrangements in other countries in order to identify and evaluate best practice. [87153]

The Transport Research Laboratory is reviewing the practical car driving test. This includes an examination of arrangements in other countries. A final report is expected next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will introduce arrangements for self-regulation in the driving test industry. [87151]

No. We regard it as essential that the public can have assurance that we issue driving licences only after candidates have passed statutory tests that are conducted in a fair, consistent and independent manner.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will establish mobile driving test centres for local areas whose test centres have been closed. [87152]

Occasional driving test centres are used in some of the more remote parts of the country where the demand for tests is very low. But we have no plans to use mobile centres in areas where permanent test centres have been closed. The decision to close a permanent test centre is taken only after careful consideration has been given to the availability of other centres in the locality.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make financial compensation available to approved driving instructors whose businesses have been affected by driving test centre closures. [87148]

We have no plans to pay compensation to driving instructors when a test centre closes. The demand for their services relates to where their pupils live, rather than the particular location of a driving test centre.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the improvements his Department has made in local services provided by the Driving Standards Agency following closures of driving test centres. [87150]

Savings achieved from restructuring the test centre estate in 1998–99 have helped pay for eight new test centres and the new driving test booking system.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to reform the Independent Complaints Advisory Service. [86263]

The Department has appointed an independent complaints adviser to investigate complaints about the Department's agencies. There are no plans to change these arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will introduce legislation to permit the impounding of commercial vehicles used without a goods vehicle operator's licence; and if he will make a statement. [86395]

The Earl Attlee has introduced a Bill in another place which would give powers for the impounding of illegally operated heavy goods vehicles. A consultation exercise carried out by my Department last year showed that there was overwhelming support for an impounding scheme and the Government will therefore support this Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review the provisions of Section 116 of the Highways Act 1980 to allow local authorities to apply to magistrates for the closure of alleyways to reduce anti-social behaviour. [86867]

This matter is being considered in the context of an on-going review of road traffic regulation law.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment the Environment Agency has made of the release of allergenic material caused by the movement of grain within the dock system at Seaforth. [86833]

It is presumed that the question relates to the release of allergenic material to air. The Environment Agency is responsible for assessing releases to air from processes requiring authorisation under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Agency confirms that at the present time there are no processes dealing with grain within the Seaforth dock area that are authorised under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.Releases to the air from these processes would therefore fall within the remit of Sefton Borough Council Environmental Health Department and/or the Port Authority. The Agency is not involved in this process.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress is being made in establishing the Strategic Rail Authority. [86989]

The shadow Strategic Rail Authority has been operational from 1 April. We are committed to establishing a statutory Strategic Rail Authority at the earliest legislative opportunity.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the average weight of a loaded lorry as found by the weighbridge inspectors (a) in the latest year for which figures are available, and (b) (i) five years, (ii) 10 years and (iii) 20 years before that year. [87012]

Enforcement officers from the Vehicle Inspectorate do not retain weight records of vehicles weighed, unless the vehicle is overloaded. The records held are not kept in a central database. It is not possible, therefore, to provide the information requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what response he has received from the Rail Regulator on the merits or otherwise of direct funding for Railtrack; and if he will make a statement. [86749]

[holding answer 15 June 1999]: The Deputy Prime Minister asked the Rail Regulator to advise on the advantages and disadvantages of direct funding. That advice has been received and we will announce our conclusions in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the total investment planned by Railtrack, excluding moneys for maintenance and renewal, over the next five years intended to increase freight movements by rail. [86434]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with Railtrack concerning the capital development plan and public investment in it; and if he will make a statement. [86892]

[holding answers 15 and 16 June 1999]: Railtrack's proposals for investment in the rail network over the next 10 years—for both passenger and freight—were set out in its 1999 Network Management Statement (NMS), published in March. The Rail Regulator is currently considering whether the investment proposed in the NMS meets the reasonable requirements of the industry and its funders. In doing so the Regulator will take into account the views of the industry and the shadow Strategic Rail Authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions 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. [87326]

Since 15 April, 298 questions have to date been tabled for answer on a named day. 68 per cent. have received a substantive answer on that day.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to reverse the decline in the lapwing population; and if he will make a statement. [87277]

My Department is working with MAFF to assess the impact of changing farming practices on the lapwing. A 5-year project, involving collaboration between MAFF and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Game Conservancy Trust (GCT) and the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, is investigating the role of pesticides and other factors in the decline of farmland bird species.The Government also fund agri-environment and other schemes to encourage farmers to provide conditions which will benefit breeding lapwing. The Government are committed to a continuing expansion of areas under the major agri-environment schemes is making an extra £40 million available over three years for these schemes in England.In addition MAFF has commissioned research into:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many London borough councils provide housing accommodation for homeless people within their borough. [87288]

Under the homelessness legislation, all local housing authorities must provide accommodation for eligible households who are unintentionally homeless and in priority need, if no suitable alternative accommodation is available in the district. Accommodation provided must be within the authority's own district, so far as is reasonably practical. Information about the location of accommodation provided under the homelessness legislation is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number and percentage of private sector landlords who are members of a trade association of landlords. [87350]

The Department does not have this information.However, we know that the National Federation of Residential Landlords has 42 affiliated landlord associations covering some 10,000 members and that the Residential Landlords Association has 560 individual landlord members. Additionally, the British Property Federation has over 500 members, which include companies, individuals and associations, who own, manage and invest in and develop property in the commercial and residential sector. Overall there are some 2 million privately renting households and the median number of lettings in a landlord's portfolio is seven.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the costs of bringing up to standard the housing stock in (a) Burnley, (b) Pendle, (c) Blackburn, (d) Hyndburn and (e) Rossendale. [87351]

The Department has not made specific estimates of the cost of bringing up to standard the housing stock in these areas.As part of the annual Housing Investment Programme round, local authorities provides estimates of expenditure required on capital work to bring the housing stock they own into a satisfactory condition. The table provides these estimates for the above local authorities at 1 April 1998.Authorities do not supply similar estimates for the private sector or stock owned by registered social landords.

Local Authority estimates of the need for capital work to the council housing stock, at 1 April 1998
Local Authority	£000
Burnley	35,965
Pendle	4,562
Blackburn with Darwen	90,599

Local Authority estimates of the need for capital work to the council housing stock, at 1 April 1998
Local Authority	£000
Hyndburn	16,865
Rossendale	49,606

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful prosecutions have been brought against persons operating an unlicensed tip in each year since 1992. [87346]

Records for prosecutions by waste regulation authorities before their functions were transferred to the Environment Agency in April 1996 are not held centrally by the Agency. Whilst the results of prosecutions by the Agency since April 1996 are held centrally, the information is neither available on a database nor is it possible for the Agency, at reasonable cost, to distinguish between prosecutions for unlicensed tipping and other prosecutions under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many sites of special scientific interest there were in England on 31 March; and what was their total area in hectares. [87272]

As of 31 March, there were 4,045 Sites of Special Scientific Interest in England, covering 1,035,821 hectares.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects work to begin on the Polegate bypass scheme. [87174]

I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much has been paid to contractors in respect of the Polegate bypass scheme to date. [87173]

The overall levels of compensation are close to being finalised with those tenderers who submitted tenders for the cancelled Weald and Downland DBFO Project, which included the Polegate Bypass scheme among others. Interim on-account payments totalling £5.0m (including VAT) have been made.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ensure that the appointments of parish council representatives are confirmed in time for the annual meeting of the Northumberland National Park Authority on 23 June. [87507]

[holding answer 18 June 1999]: Results from the elections for parish council representatives in all seven English National Parks are currently being received in the Department. They will be considered by the Secretary of State as quickly as possible. It is unlikely that the appointments will be made by 23 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made on the review of the definition of wood recovery in respect of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 from 1 January 2000. [87683]

From 1 January 2000, wood packaging—including pallets and tea chests—will be covered by the Regulations. Obligated businesses will be required to recover a specified amount of wood packaging based on the quantity which they handled in the preceding year. There is no separate recycling obligation for wood.The Environment Agency is currently considering the types of activity which may be regarded as 'recovery' in respect of wood packaging. It is anticipated that from 1 January 2000, a number of wood reprocessors will be accredited by the Agency and be able to issue Packaging Waste Recovery Note (PRNs) as evidence of recovery.The Environment Agency is working with the Timber Packaging and Pallet Confederation (TIMCON) to establish the weight of wood packaging, providing an average figure for each of the common pallet types. Such agreement is necessary because of the moisture content of a pallet varies throughout its life sometimes by as much as 50 per cent. An agreement on weights will help to make the Regulations easier to work with for obligated businesses and regulators alike. It is anticipated that a protocol will be agreed during the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many miles of canal towpath are used by cable companies for their transmission network. [87649]

British Waterways manages 2,000 miles of canals and inland waterways in England, Scotland and Wales. There are 1,600 miles of canal towpath and around 450 miles are used by cable companies for a variety of communication purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the outcome was of Stage II of the Financial Management and Policy Review of the Local Government Commission for England; and if he will make a statement. [87903]

I have today placed in the Library a copy of the Report on Stage II of the Financial Management and Policy Review of the Local Government Commission for England (LGC), which I announced on 17 November 1997, Official Report, column 9. I have also placed in the Library a copy of the Action Plan for implementation of this Report's recommendations.The report makes a number of detailed recommendations on the internal management of the LGC and the way the Periodic Electoral Reviews are carried out. These recommendations have been accepted and are being implemented as set out in the Action Plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend Planning Policy Guidance Note 6 in respect of out-of-town shopping developments; and if he will make a statement. [87770]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made on reviewing the local government finance system; and in particular what research is being undertaken in support of the review. [87965]

My Department has let five contracts. Two cover research into the use of prudential indicators to regulate local authority borrowing, and a non-statutory scheme for debt provision. The other three contracts are in support of the review of the Revenue Grant Distribution System and comprise an opinion survey of local authorities, comparative lessons from approaches and developments in other countries, and potential new data sources for use in grant distribution. Further details of these projects are given in the Department's 1999/2000 Local and Regional Government Research. programme Annual Newsletter, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.The Government plan to publish a consultation paper on local government finance in spring 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department has allocated for each of the last three financial years for (a) research into and (b) the treatment of autism; and if he will make a statement. [87010]

The Department has not directly commissioned national research on autism recently but a new research initiative on learning disabilities will be launched in the autumn which may attract proposals for research into autism.The Department also manages the National Health Service research and development levy which is used to support research and development to the NHS in hospitals, general practice and other health care settings, and to fund the NHS research and development programme.Management of much of the research supported by the NHS research and development levy is devolved and details of expenditure at project level are not collected routinely by the Department.Project details of work directly funded by the Department or supported through the NHS research and development levy can be found on the National Research Register (NRR), copies of which are available in the Library. The NRR lists over 30 projects concerning autism for which the Department will be providing support funds.In addition, the Medical Research Council (MRC)—which receives most of its income via grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry—funds medical research as part of the Government's funding of the science and engineering base.The figures for the expenditure by the MRC on autism over the last 3 years are:

Year	£000
1995–96	770
1996–97	825
1997–98	905

The MRC have also recently made 2 major awards to researchers in the field (spend for which will not yet be reflected in the figures). These are: Professor P. A. Jacobs (Universities of Cambridge and Southampton) £1,100,000 over five years; and Professor A. Bailey (Institute of Psychiatry)£1,800,000 over four years.The Department does not specifically allocate resources for the treatment of autism. It is for health authorities to decide how best to use the resources that have been allocated to them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to investigate the use of the drug Secretin for treating sufferers from autism; and if he will make a statement. [87009]

I understand that Secretin has been used by a number of professionals in the treatment of autism particularly in the United States. However, it is not licensed for use for that purpose either here or in the United States. We are keeping the developing situation in the United States under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the NHS trust and health authority appointments which were not made by the due date and which remained outstanding on 1 June. [87334]

All health authority appointments due on 1 April 1999 were completed on time. A small number of appointments to National Health Service trusts and health authorities which expired in 1998 remain vacant. Details are given in the table.

List of health authority and national health service trust appointments which expired in 1998 and for which no appointment had been made by 1 June 1999
Region/Body	Number of chairs	Number of Non-executives
Eastern
Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS
Trust	0	1
North West
Liverpool Women's Hospital
NHS Trust	0	1
Wirral Hospital NHS Trust	0	1
Northern and Yorkshire
Calderdale and Kirklees Health
Authority	0	1
London
City and Hackney Community
Services NHS Trust	0	1
Croydon Community Health
NHS Trust	0	1
Enfield Community Care NHS
Trust	0	1
Trent
Central Nottinghamshire
Healthcare NHS Trust	0	1
Grantham and District Hospital
NHS Trust	0	1
South East
East Surrey Health Authority	0	1
South West
Gloucestershire Ambulance
Service NHS Trust	0	1
Royal United Hospital Bath
NHS Trust	0	1
West Midlands
Birmingham Heartlands and
Solihull (Teaching) Hospitals
NHS Trust	0	1
Walsall Community Health
NHS Trust	0	1
Total	0	14

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he proposes to reply to letters from the hon. Member for Colchester of 22 April, 18 May and 3 June in respect of the future of cancer services in Colchester. [87355]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State replied to the hon. Member on 17 June 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research the Government have commissioned into Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in the last three years; [87500](2) what money the Government have provided for research into Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in each of the last five years; what assessment he has made of the need for further research into dementia; and if he will make a statement. [87499]

The Government fund health and medical research in a number of ways.The Department funds research and development to support their work on policy development and evaluation in health and social care. The Department also manages the National Health Service research and development levy which is used to support research and development of relevance to the National Health Service in hospitals, general practice and other health care settings, and to fund the NHS research and development programme. In addition, the Medical Research Council (MRC)—which receives most of its income via grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry—funds medical research as part of the Government's funding of the science and engineering base.Priorities for departmental research and development support for the development of policy are determined through discussion with policy colleagues, the Departmental Research Committee and Ministers. In the NHS research and development programme, priorities take account of widespread consultation with those using, delivering and managing services, within a framework overseen by the Central Research and Development Committee for the NHS. In all cases, priorities for our budgets reflect analysis of the burden of disease, potential benefits and Government priorities, and take account of the responsibilities and work of other funders.The MRC has recently made a number of substantial investments in the area of dementia. A new centre Development Grant in Brain Ageing has been awarded in partnership with the University of Newcastle and will examine the pathology and diagnosis of dementia—this will commence next year. In addition, the Multicentre Study of Cognitive Function on Ageing is an on-going major 10 year study funded in collaboration with Department of Health.In addition the MRC has supported 53 projects on Alzheimer's/dementia in the last three years. Copies of the list have been placed in the Library. MRC spend has been as follows:

Year	£000
1994–95	3,795
1995–96	5,703
1996–97	4,780
1997–98	5,549
1998–99	6,050

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue advice to the residents in the areas from which the solar eclipse can be witnessed on the precautions to be taken when viewing it, to avoid damage to their sight. [87312]

[holding answer 18 June 1999]: We have supported the optical professions in producing a leaflet "Observing Solar Eclipses—Taking care of your sight", which will be distributed to tourist information centres, libraries, optical practices and other locations places to which the public have ready access. A summarised version of the leaflet has already been made available to general practitioners and we will shortly be sending the same information to schools with details of how copies of the leaflet may be obtained.We are collaborating with the press and other media in further publicising advice on how to view the sun safely and have let them know that they are free to reproduce the contents of the leaflet.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations he has received regarding possible dangers to sight that may be caused by the August solar eclipse; [87469]

(2) if he will publish details on how Government information regarding eclipse safety can be accessed on the Internet; [87479]

(3) what consultations he has had with (a) broadcasters and (b) newspapers regarding publicising the dangers to ocular health of the solar eclipse; [87482]

(4) what discussions he has had with the Department for Education and Employment regarding informing pupils of the dangers of the August solar eclipse before the end of the school year; [87470]

(5) what advice he has issued to family doctors and other Health Service personnel regarding the treatment of injuries caused as a result of the solar eclipse; [87471]

(6) what advice he is planning to issue to parents regarding the dangers of the solar eclipse; [87472]

(7) what plans he has to encourage the use of indirect pinhole projectors by children wishing to observe the solar eclipse; [87473]

(8) what advice he intends to issue regarding the safety of solar viewers whose safety has not been authorised by optical bodies; [87474]

(9) what plans he has to advise users about the safety of solar filters or spectacles; [87480]

(10) what plans he has to warn people about the dangers of viewing the solar eclipse through binocular projection; [87475]

(11) what public advertising campaigns he intends to commission on the dangers of the solar eclipse; [87476]

(12) what advice he has been given regarding damage to the retina caused by the solar eclipse; and what plans he has to publicise the fact that retina damage occurs in a painless manner. [87478]

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the College of Optometrists and the Royal National Institute for the Blind were among the first bodies to advise us of the need for guidance on viewing the eclipse. We agreed to help them with the production and distribution of a leaflet, "Observing Solar Eclipses—Taking care of your sight", which is published on 23 June for distribution to tourist information centres, libraries, optical practices and other places to which the public have ready access.In summary, the leaflet warns that looking directly at the sun is very dangerous. The radiation could permanently damage the eye. The safest way to view the eclipse is indirectly with, for example, a pinhole projection viewer. If people ignore this advice and decide to use a solar filter or a pair of eclipse spectacles, they do so at their own risk. They would be well advised to buy the device from a reputable outlet and ensure that it had a CE mark to show it had been approved under the Personal Protective Equipment Directive and also ensure that it came with full instructions for use, that it fitted closely to the face and that the lenses were not scratched or damaged. Even with covers for the eyepiece, binoculars and telescopes are dangerous because they can still expose the eye to excessive radiation.We have arranged with the Department for Education and Employment for a summary of the advice to be included in the July edition of the "Spectrum" journal, which is sent to all heads of schools and chairs of governors. A summarised version of the leaflet has already been made available to all general practitioners and hospital doctors.The College of Optometrists will publish the leaflet on their web site: www.College-optometrists.org and see that reference to it is included in the main Internet indexes.We recognise that the media have a key role in educating the public on the risks to sight from the sun and we are collaborating on a series of news items in the period up to 11 August.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the August solar eclipse will be visible in each county in the UK; and what plans he has to publicise this information more widely. [87477]

The Royal Greenwich Observatory has, by way of illustration, calculated the percentage of eclipse as follows: Cornwall and Devon 100 per cent., London 95 per cent., Manchester 90 per cent., Newcastle 85 per cent., Dundee 80 per cent., Western Isles 75 per cent., West Orkneys 70 per cent. The leaflet which the optical professions are producing notes the variable effect, but the risks from viewing the sun directly are the same whatever degree of partial eclipse.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of consultant eye surgeons who will be (a) on duty and (b) on call during the day of the August solar eclipse. [87481]

The information requested is not available centrally, but I am confident that the contingency planning undertaken by health authorities and National Health Service trusts will ensure that hospital eye departments are appropriately staffed on 11 August. However, it would be misleading to give any impression that radiation damage to the eye is treatable. In most cases there is some recovery of sight in the months which follow the injury but, if visual acuity is permanently affected, the only help available is through the prescription of an optical appliance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of hospital food which is thrown away annually in England and Wales. [87281]

The information requested is not available centrally. However, National Health Service trusts have been advised to monitor food waste regularly and record the value of waste against explicit targets to demonstrate that food budgets are properly used.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many cases under section 86 of the Mental Health Act 1983 the Mental Health Review Tribunal has refused to give its approval to removal since 1983. [87467]

The information requested is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to abolish the single room rent limits for housing benefit; and if he will make a statement. [87175]

We are currently examining all the available research evidence, including our own research, to ascertain the impact of rent restrictions on tenants and the private rental market. We will take account of the findings in our current review of Housing Benefit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the expenditure in each of the last five years on the provision of help with mortgage interest payments for (a) all income support claimants and (b) lone parents receiving income support. [87176]

The information is in the table.

Income Support (all cases) in Great Britain with mortgage interest 1993–98
Year	Number of claimants	Estimated annual expenditure £ million
1993–94	550,000	1,137
1994–95	517,000	995
1995–96	488,000	996
1996–97	377,000	671
1997–98	295,000	501

Income-based jobseeker's allowance (all cases) in Great Britain with mortgage interest 1996–98
Year	Number of claimants	Estimated expenditure £ million
1996–97	94,000	99
1997–98	67,000	144

Income Support (lone parents) in Great Britain with mortgage interest 1993–98
Year	Number of claimants	Estimated annual expenditure £ million
1993–94	120,000	280
1994–95	120,000	274
1995–96	116,000	291
1996–97	101,000	233
1997–98	86,000	201

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 8 June 1999, Official Report, column 303, on widows, what advice he has received on the availability of full-time paid work for widows aged 45 to 60 years entering the job market in different parts of the country. [86940]

[holding answer 14 June 1999]: The availability of full-time paid work for widows aged 45 to 60 years will depend on local labour market conditions. Nationally, the total number of people in work has reached 27 million and unemployment has fallen to its lowest level in 19 years with 1.285 million out of work and claiming benefits.We are committed to tackling age discrimination in employment and have recently published its code of practice on "Age Diversity in Employment". The impact of the code will be evaluated and this will inform future plans for legislation in this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) for what reasons travel expenses to medical examinations for war pension claimants were changed; [84857](2) when he plans to review travel expenses to medical examinations for war pension claimants. [84856]

The administration of the War Pensions Agency is a matter for its Chief Executive, Mr. Gordon Hextall. I have asked him to write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Benefits Agency Security and Investigation Service staff are employed in each administrative region; how many job vacancies in the Service currently exist in each region; and how many of these have existed for more than a year. [86901]

Operational matters are the responsibility of the Chief Executive, Peter Mathison. He will write to my right hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has for setting a target for employers to take on a specific percentage of disabled employees. [86626]

We have no plans to introduce such a target for employers. The 3 per cent. quota scheme, established under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944, was appropriate before there was any specific legislation to give disabled people individual rights not be discriminated against in employment. Under Part II of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 disabled people can now seek redress through Employment Tribunals if they believe they have been discriminated against at work.We are raising awareness of these rights through our current National Disability Campaign, which was launched on 9 June 1999 by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment. The Campaign aims to encourage more understanding of the barriers and discrimination that disabled people face, highlighting that costs can be low and benefits high when employing disabled people. We believe that these measures, along with the proposed establishment of a Disability Rights Commission, will help improve employment opportunities for disabled people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment 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. [87186]

The Government are committed to making sure that policies are inclusive and take full account of the needs and experience of all those affected by them. Guidelines on Policy Appraisals for Equal Treatment in November 1998 commit policy makers to assessing how proposals affect different groups of people. Application of the guidance has been the responsibility of individual Departments. Within this Department we are making use of consultation, research projects and disaggregated statistics to identify the impact of policy upon women.

To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what account the ethical investment working group takes of scripture in reviewing the commissioners' ethical investment policy. [86570]

The commissioners' ethical investment policy is exercised in the context of their duty to manage their inherited assets to provide financial support for the clergy of the Church of England, especially in area of need and opportunity.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the latest agenda of the Agriculture Council of 14 to 15 June, prior to the meeting. [86831]

The Agenda for the June Agriculture Council covers the following items:

Approval of the list of "A" Items

Contamination of certain foodstuffs by Dioxins—Information by the Commission

Commission proposals on the prices for agricultural products (1999/2000)

Proposal for a Council Regulation supplementing, in respect of livestock production, Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs

Proposal for a Council Directive laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens kept in various systems of rearing

Commission Communication to the Council on Bananas

Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) No 2377/90 laying down a Community procedure for the establishment of maximum residue limits of veterinary medicinal products in foodstuffs of animal origin.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on (a) the new vaccination and identification systems and (b) the process for approving the laboratories in the EU, which will be necessary before the introduction of the new pet transport regulations. [86239]

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for South-East Cambridgeshire (Mr. Paice) on 15 June 1999, Official Report, column 120.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what his assessment is of the consequences of a ban for the time being on the placing of genetically modified seed varieties on the National Seed List. [87022]

[holding answer 16 June 1999]: The purpose of the National List system is to establish that varieties of agricultural seeds, which are proposed for addition to the List, are distinct, uniform and stable as well as showing an improvement in agronomic performance over varieties already on the List.The Government's policy is not to accept entry of any genetically modified variety on to the National List unless it has obtained the necessary clearances under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and regulations made under it, relating to environmental and safety aspects. It would, however, be outside the scope of the National List system to introduce a general ban on the addition of genetically modified varieties.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he will take to publish as early as possible the results of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission inquiry into the selling of raw milk in Great Britain. [86699]

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry alone is responsible for deciding when the MMC report should be published and what the Government's response to any recommendations should be. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath) on 6 May 1999, Official Report, column 1069.