To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if there are any proposals to amend the Welsh Departmental Expenditure Limit for 1999–2000. [97785]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XIV, Vote 1 (the Welsh Office, the Wales Office and the National Assembly for Wales) the Welsh Departmental Expenditure Limit for 1999–2000 will be increased by £124,972,000 from £7,092,517,000 to £7,217,489,000. The increase is the result of:

i) Net transfers of £7,866,000 from other Government Departments as detailed from vi) to x);

ii) A £14,700,000 increase in the provision for Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances;

iii) Provision of £235,000 for the Auditor General for Wales;

iv) An increase in provision of £4,300,000 as a result of the Dearing Review of Higher Education, and

v) The take up of end-year flexibility entitlement of £97,871,000.

There is also an increase in the provision for Welfare to Work of £923,000 as a result of the take up of end-year flexibility entitlement of £789,000. For further information relating to end-year flexibility see the answer given on 27 July 1999,

To ask the Solicitor-General what proposals there are to change the 1999–2000 Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs limits for the work of the HM Procurator General and Treasury Solicitor. [97787]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class V, Vote 6, the Departmental Expenditure Limit will increase by a net £264,000 from £7,175,000 to £7,439,000 whilst the Department's running cost limit will increase by £28,000 from £4,707,000 to £4,735,000.The increase in Departmental Expenditure Limit is partially due to an increase in capital expenditure (£236,000) which will be used to continue the expansion of IT systems within the Department. This will be met from end year flexibility provision as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 27 July 1999,

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new enrolments there were in each of the past three years into each of the agricultural colleges; and if he will make a statement. [94441]

The new enrolments on full-time and part-time courses at DANI Colleges for the last two completed academic years and for the present academic year to mid-October were as follows:

New full-time and part-time enrolments	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000
Enniskillen College of Agriculture	180	156	1155
Greenmount College of Agriculture and Horticulture	368	360	1348
Loughrey College—The Food Centre	184	161	1204
Total	732	677	1707
1 Enrolments to mid-October—further enrolments on part-time course still expected

Many college courses are of 2, 3 and 4 years duration and the overall student enrolment would be much greater than that indicated above.In addition to the full-time and part-time courses, the DANI Colleges provide a wide range of short courses of between half a day and 10 days duration for people working in the agri-food industry. The overall enrolment on these courses across the three Colleges for the last three academic years was:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the directorships held by each member of the Patten Commission on the Review of Policing in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [94350]

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he (a) has established and (b) published a baseline for policy appraisal against which to measure progress on equal treatment. [94862]

In preparation for the new European Union Structural Funds Plan for Northern Ireland 2000–2006, an ex ante appraisal has established baseline data on equal opportunities for men and women. This will be published as part of the documentation for the Plan. In addition to their primary function in relation to the Structural Funds Plan, this data may also be used for future policy appraisal, including impact assessments in relation to the promotion of opportunity, as required by Section 75 and Schedule 9 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in installing closed circuit television cameras in Portadown town centre; and at which locations have these cameras been installed. [95353]

[holding answer 26 October 1999]: The Royal Ulster Constabulary have advised that, subject to the successful completion of the work, the CCTV scheme in Portadown will be in operation by January 2000. Nine sites have been identified for the installation of cameras. They are:

1. West Street/Mandeville Street

2. Shillington Street/Mandeville Street

3. Woodhouse Street/Market Street

4. Magowan Buildings Car Park

5. William Street/Market Street

6. Pleasure Gardens/Bridge Street

7. Woodhouse Street

8. Bottom of High Street

9. Thomas Street/Market Street.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidelines are issued to Royal Ulster Constabulary officers in respect of securing and sealing scenes of crime for the purposes of forensic examination where serious assaults have occurred in public places; and if he will place a copy of such guidelines in the Library. [95354]

[holding answer 26 October 1999]: The RUC provides guidance on the preservation and examination of scenes of crime by way of a Force Order. This is an operational police document and it would therefore be inappropriate to place a copy in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the latest available crime clear-up rates, broken down by District Council area, in Northern Ireland. [95891]

[holding answer 28 October 1999]: It is not possible to provide the information by District Council area but the following table shows offences recorded and cleared by the RUC as a force, by Region, Division and Sub-Division:

Offences recorded and cleared 1998–99
	Crimes recorded	Crimes cleared	Clearance rate Percentage
Table 1: Force	76,644	20,711	27.0
Table 2: Region
Belfast	41,495	10,197	24.6
North	18,692	5,639	30.2
South	16,457	4,875	29.6
Table 3: Division
A	12,769	3,492	27.3
B	8,737	2,062	23.6
D	12,262	2,872	23.4
E	7,727	1,771	22.9
L	3,989	1,176	29.5
N	5,137	1,525	29.7
O	4,437	1,378	31.1
P	5,129	1,560	30.4
G	5,417	1,440	26.6
H	4,003	1,178	29.4
J	4,590	1,419	30.9
K	2,247	838	34.2
Table 4: Sub-division
Mountpottinger	2,077	532	25.6
Donegall Pass	3,631	783	21.6
Dunmurry	3,441	745	21.7
Musgrave Street	3,620	1,432	139.6
Grosvenor Road	2,346	567	24.2
Lisburn	2,801	836	29.8
Woodbourne	3,590	659	18.4
North Queen Street	2,019	457	22.6
Antrim Road	1,840	433	23.5
Antrim	2,139	450	21.0
Newtownabbey	3,034	656	21.6
Carrickfergus	1,476	412	27.9
Tennent Street	1,754	464	26.5
Bangor	3,009	714	23.7
Strandtown	3,041	641	21.1
Castlereagh	1,677	416	24.8
Enniskillen	1,261	417	33.1
Lisnaskea	478	175	36.6
Omagh	2,250	584	26.0
Strand Road	2,727	792	29.0
Strabane	1,106	337	30.5
Waterside	1,304	396	30.4
Coleraine	2,654	700	26.4
Limavady	954	385	40.4
Magherafelt	829	293	35.3
Ballymena	2,802	815	29.1
Ballymoney	1,097	339	30.9
Larne	1,230	406	33.0
Newtownards	2,345	614	26.2
Downpatrick	1,812	472	26.0
Newcastle	1,260	354	28.1
Armagh	1,371	391	28.5
Newry	2,632	787	29.9
Portadown	1,333	401	30.1
Lurgan	2,244	700	31.2
Banbridge	1,013	318	31.4
Cookstown	942	338	35.9
Dungannon	1,505	500	33.2
1 Includes Harbour Police

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason export licence application 6078 was not placed before the interdepartmental licensing committee on 12 October and 18 October; and if he will ensure that the application is processed as a matter of extreme urgency. [96481]

[holding answer 28 October 1999]: Export Licence Application 6078 was placed before the relevant interdepartmental committee on 18 October 1999. This application is being considered on its merits under the normal process to allow proper consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what quantities of spent fuel from Canada have been contracted for reprocessing at Sellafield; when the contracts were agreed; what arrangements exist for the repatriation of the reprocessed plutonium and radioactive waste; when the spent fuel arrived from Canada; and if it has been reprocessed yet. [96467]

The details and quantities of individual contracts, the timing of fuel deliveries and of reprocessing for specific customers as well as the detailed arrangements for returning plutonium and wastes to the country of origin are commercial and operational matters for BNFL and its customers. In understand from BNFL, however, that BNFL concluded a contract to reprocess a quantity of Canadian spent fuel in 1970 and that fuel covered by this contract has been delivered to Sellafield. Since 1976 all BNFL's contracts for reprocessing overseas spent fuel have contained options for the return of wastes to the country of origin. The Government's policy is that these options should be exercised. BNFL's overseas reprocessing contracts concluded prior to 1976 do not contain return of waste options.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what level of ECGD cover has been provided in relation to arms sales to Indonesia for each of the three most recent years for which there are records. [96586]

From the latest statistics available the value of defence related export credits to Indonesia for each of the past three years is as follows:

Year	£ million
1996–97	144
1997–98	17
1998–99	9

These figures include all ECGD covered business with defence buyers, including sales of non-lethal equipment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what checks are made and controls imposed by his Department on arms manufacturers and arms brokers before they are granted permission to advertise on his Department's website. [97389]

British Trade International brings together the joint work of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of Trade and Industry in support of UK trade and investment overseas and its TradeUK Internet website (www.tradeuk.com) has been created to help put UK suppliers in touch with overseas buyers. Over 57,000 firms are currently listed. The majority of UK firms' contact data is used under licence from a commercial database source but firms can also submit their own entries. Our current policy is to allow any firm in any sector involved in exporting for the UK to be listed, free of charge, on the TradeUK National Exporters Database. These firms are responsible for the information they supply and for its accuracy. It is clearly not in their interest to promote goods for which an export licence would not be granted. We are reviewing the guidance we provide to UK firms both in the TradeUK application form and on the website to make clear the need to comply with current export control legislation. We are also reviewing operational procedures with the TradeUK contractor.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about his plans for processing applications for regional selective assistance within the existing assisted areas map which is due to be replaced on 1 January 2000 in accordance with the EU Guidelines on Regional State Aid. [97784]

Under the European Commission's new regional aid guidelines all offers of Regional Selective Assistance under the existing Assisted Area map must be made by 31 December 1999. In order, therefore, to allow sufficient time for the processing of cases, no new applications for Regional Selective Assistance under the existing map will be accepted after 17.00 hours on 30 November 1999. This cut-off date will apply to applications across the whole of the GB map.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what changes will be made to the departmental expenditure limits and running cost limits for his Department, the Office for Telecommunications, the Office of Gas Supply and the Office of Electricity Regulation. [97781]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estate, the voted element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit for the Department of Trade and Industry will be increased by £53,901,000 from £3,127,781,000 to £3,181,682,000. This increase, which will be made to the net provision of Class IX Vote 1, results from:

(i) the take up of End Year Flexibility entitlements of £42,192,000, comprising £2,966,000 for capital, £9,226,000 for running costs and £30,000,000 for current expenditure, as announced by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 27 July 1999, Official Report, column 393;

(ii) the take up of the Department Unallocated Provision of £5,000,000;

(iii) the provision of £8,000,000 from the Reserve for a payment to the Post Office for Horizon re-negotiation costs;

(iv) the transfer of £250,000 in programme costs and £205,000 in running costs from the Home Office (Class IV Vote 1) as part of the Crime Reduction Programme; offset by:

(v) the transfer of £1,096,000 to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Class III Vote 1) to cover the administrative costs of the Regional Development Agencies;

(vi) the transfer of £500,000 to Northern Ireland in respect of the SMART scheme;

(vii) the transfer of £150,000 to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Class X Vote 2) for the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage in the agricultural sector.

Within this total the gross running costs limit will be increased by £14,994,000 from £373,606,000 to £388,600,000, which will include £5,563,000 transferred from the capital computer budget in respect of the Elgar Private Finance Initiative project.The take up of the End Year Flexibility entitlements of £42,192,000 and the £8,000,000 for the payment to the Post Office will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.Also, subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Department Expenditure Limit of Class IX Vote 8—the Office of Telecommunications—will be increased by £2,140,000 from £1,000 to £2,141,000 and the gross running costs limit will be increased by £635,000 from £11,661,000 to £12,296,000. These increases result from the take up of End Year Flexibility entitlements of £1,426,000, comprising £791,000 for capital, £635,000 for running costs, as announced by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 27 July 1999,

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those proposals examined by the Horizontal Questions Working Group over the past 12 months. [97147]

The Horizontal Questions Working Group has discussed a wide range of topics concerning the Single Market over the past 12 months including:

• Joint Work Programme of the three Presidencies (October 1998 and June 1999),
• Single Market Action Plan and plans for a new Single Market Strategy;
• The Karolus Programme of personnel exchanges between member states;
• Better regulation issues such as the Euro Business Test Panel and SLIM (Simplification of Legislation in the Internal Market);
• Cardiff Economic Reform Process;
• Integration of environmental aspects in the Internal Market;
• The application of the principle of mutual recognition of one member state's rules, standards and qualifications by another.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department and MAFF have completed their joint report on compensation for distant water trawlermen. [96902]

[holding answer 2 November 1999]: This matter remains under active consideration by Ministers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will estimate the cost to United Kingdom companies of increasing recovery targets from 50 per cent. to 75 per cent. as contained in the European Union's Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste; [97474](2) what assessment he has made of the European Commission draft review of the European Union Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste; and if he will make a statement. [97473]

The Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions are assessing the possible overall costs and benefits of the European Commission's early suggestions for revising EC Directive 94/62 on Packaging and Packaging Waste, including the suggestion to increase the targets from 50 per cent. to 75 per cent. At present, there is significant uncertainty about the possible costs and benefits. Both Departments are therefore consulting businesses and other interested parties in order to gather better information and data. This will enable the Government to prepare a Regulatory Impact Assessment to accompany the Explanatory Memorandum which will be submitted to Parliament when a European Commission proposal is published.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contribution the UK Government are making to the USA National Ignition Facility project at Lawrence Livermore Laboratories in California. [96436]

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to my predecessor's response on 5 July 1999,

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about what discussions he has had with his US counterpart about the use of hush-kit aircraft in the UK. [96924]

I have been asked to reply.The Deputy Prime Minister met the US Secretary for Transport Rodney Slater on 20 April. Officials in my Department have maintained contacts since then. Discussions about the use of hush-kit aircraft in the EU are continuing in various forums.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to ensure that the Benefits Agency has publicised the consequences of changes to benefit and pension entitlements over the last 14 years. [97308]

The Benefits Agency keeps its published information as up to date and accurate as possible. A specific review of all Benefits Agency leaflets, outstanding legislative changes and guidance to staff on decision making was undertaken earlier this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate, based on his Department's Family Resources Survey, for each of the last five financial years, the average level of (a) gross council tax bills and (b) net council tax bills as a percentage of household income, for the whole population and separately for pensioner and non-pensioner households. [96676]

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

Average Council Tax Bill as a percentage of average gross household income, by household type and year
	Pensioner households		Non-pensioner households		All households
	gross	net	gross	net	gross	net
1994–95	3.7	3.1	2.0	1.8	2.3	2.1
1995–96	3.7	3.1	2.0	1.8	2.3	2.1
1996–97	3.8	3.3	2.0	1.9	2.4	2.1
1997–98	3.9	3.4	2.1	1.9	2.4	2.2

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all performance targets set for his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies since May 1997, other than those listed in Public Service Agreements 1999–2002 [Cm 4181], stating in each case (a) the target to be reached and (b) the date by which it was to be reached. [94976]

[holding answer 1 November 1999]: The Department has set out the key performance targets on which it will be judged in its PSA, and the measures of success it will use in the Output and Performance Analyses (OPA) published in March this year.In addition, the Secretary of State sets annual targets for the Department's agencies. These targets are announced to Parliament by means of a written Parliamentary Question. A full list of the targets and target dates for the Department's agencies can be found in the Next Steps Report and in individual agency Business Plans. Performance against targets is also reported in agencies' Annual Reports. Copies of these documents can be found in the Library.These high level targets are supported at operational level by numerous other internal targets, in order to ensure delivery by individual units. Listing these targets would be inappropriate and would incur disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the shortest possible time between announcement and implementation of the annual uprating of benefits. [97556]

The Benefits Agency has a well established uprating plan that is currently based on the uprating announcement being made by late November/ early December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there are any proposals to amend his Department's departmental expenditure limit and running cost limits for 1999–2000. [97786]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XIII, Vote I Scotland and Transfers to the Scottish Consolidated Fund, the Departmental Expenditure Limit for 1999–2000 will be increased by £314,030,000 from £13,809,474,000 to £14,123,504,000.The increase will be offset by transfers of £6,074,000 from Environment, Transport and the Regions (Class III), of £73,000 from Wales (Class XIV), a net transfer of £1,259,000 from the Department of Social Security (Class XII), £1,177,000 to the Department of Health (Class IV), of £5,067,000 to Home Office (Class IV), of £957,000 to Education and Employment (Class I), the take up of end year flexibility as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 27 July 1999,

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle programme. [97922]

I am pleased to announce that the UK and Germany today signed a contract with ARTEC GmbH, a consortium including Alvis Vehicles Ltd. from the UK, for the development of a family of armoured utility vehicles, known in the UK as the Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle (MRAV). The MRAV programme will provide the British Army with a modern and flexible family of armoured utility vehicles that can operate in both high intensity conflict and in rapid response peace support and humanitarian operations world-wide.The contract represents a major step forward in European co-operation in armoured vehicles, and will be procured through the quadrilateral Organisation for Joint Armaments Cooperation known as OCCAR. This contract will help secure up to 500 manufacturing jobs within the UK supplier base over the life of the programme, the majority of which will be in the Telford area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the cost of the Landing Craft Utility Mk 10 programme; and if he will make a statement; [95799](2) what are the delivery dates for the production series Landing Craft Utility Mk 10 vessels. [95798]

The current delivery dates for the production of Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mk 10 vessels are:

Delivery date	Mk 10 vessel
2001
14 December	LCU 03
14 December	LCU 04
2002
31 March	LCU 05
31 May	LCU 06
31 August	LCU 07
31 October	LCU 08
31 December	LCU 09
2003
28 February	LCU 10

In addition to these vessels, two prototype vessels will have delivery dates of 25 November this year.The current cost of the LCU Mk 10 programme is £35 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the manufacture, purchase, deployment and export of (a) cluster bombs and (b) munitions containing depleted uranium; and if he will make a statement. [95677]

Cluster bombs and depleted uranium (DU)-based ammunition are purchased for the UK armed forces because they are currently the most effective weapons available to satisfy the military requirements for which they are deployed. Cluster bombs are used against armoured and soft-skinned vehicles, artillery, surface to air missile sites, anti-aircraft artillery or forces on the ground. DU-based ammunition is used because of its unique capability as a kinetic penetrator. It offers a significant operational advantage over all currently available alternative materials.Any applications for a licence to export these equipments are considered against the criteria which my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced to the House on 28 July 1997,

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on whether uranium-tipped weapons were used in Kosovo. [95865]

I can confirm that depleted uranium-based munitions were used by NATO forces during the Kosovo campaign.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to assist in the removal of undetonated land mines from Kosovo. [95973]

[holding answer 2 November 1999]: Since KFOR deployed, the UK has undertaken a great deal of work to ensure that Kosovo is made safe from unexploded ordnance (UXO) including undetonated Serbian land mines. The British Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams in Kosovo have been closely involved in marking minefields and clearing unexploded ordnance where it presents an immediate threat to life. All such sites in the UK-led sector of Kosovo have now been marked. KFOR as a whole has now cleared over 4,400 Serbian anti-personnel mines and 2,300 anti-tank mines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what existing WEU agreements with NATO will be incorporated into the EU. [96971]

A decision on agreements with NATO that will allow the EU to assume its responsibilities in respect of a Common Security and Defence policy is not expected until the end of the 2000—the timeframe agreed at the European Council meeting in June this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed in his Department in examining arms export licence applications. [97059]

[holding answer 2 November 1999]: Thirty people are currently employed full time in my Department examining export and promotion applications for military and dual-use items, and around a further fifty are involved on a regular basis as part of their duties. In addition, other staff may become involved as required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the health and safety incidents which have occurred at AWE Aldermaston since 1 October. [96986]

[holding answer 2 November 1999]: The data for October 1999 are still being compiled for inclusion in the fourth of AWE' s quarterly Environment, Safety and Health Reports for 1999, produced as part of their normal procedures for informing the Local Liaison Committee (LLC). I will place a copy of that report in the Library of the House as soon as it is available. I will also place a copy of the first quarter's report in the Library of the House along with copies of the second and third quarters' reports, due for release to the LLC on 10 November. as soon as they become available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received in the last 12 months on the RAF Chinook helicopter crash on Mull of Kintyre in 1994. [97235]

In the past 12 months there have been 40 parliamentary questions, 63 parliamentary inquires, an Early Day Motion and a short debate in the House of Lords. Some of these made representations and some sought information, which my Department was pleased to provide.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if regulations required under EU Directive 92/104/EEC (O.J. No. L404, 31.12.92, p.10) regarding health and safety of workers in the mineral extracting industries have been published in all EU member states; and if he will list those regulations together with their proposed implementation dates. [96456]

EU Directive 92/104/EEC has been implemented in the United Kingdom. Many of its provisions were covered in existing law. Those that were not, were implemented by:

• The Mines Miscellaneous Health and Safety Provisions Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No. 2005);
• The Mines Miscellaneous Health and Safety Provisions Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995 (SR 1995 No. 379);
• The Quarries Miscellaneous Health and Safety Provisions Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No. 2036);
• The Quarries Miscellaneous Health and Safety Provisions Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995 (SR 1995 No. 378);
• The Escape and Rescue from Mines Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No. 2870); and
• The Escape and Rescue from Mines Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 (SR 1999 No. 173).

It is for the European Commission to monitor the transposition of EU Directives across the Community and take appropriate action as necessary. The Commission publishes information on which Directives have been transposed on its CELEX database. This can be accessed on the parliamentary intranet at the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to update existing legislation on SSSIs. [96524]

The Government are committed to introducing legislation to improve the protection and management of Sites of Special Scientific Interest. We will take action as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to increase the penalties for those who breach the regulations governing SSSIs. [96592]

The Government are examining the level of penalties for damaging an SSSI, and has proposed that the Court should be able to impose unlimited fines where this is appropriate. We will take action as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what (a) groups and (b) organisations will be consulted during the south east-and east of England Regional Air Services Study. [97478]

The proposed Terms of Reference for the south-east and east of England Regional Air Services Study were published on 30 September 1999. Over 1,000 copies were distributed to interested individuals and organisations, all of whom were invited to comment. 250 have done so to date.An external reference Group has been set up to provide validation of the approach adopted by the study team and a source of expertise on a wide range of issues. Membership of the Group includes, among others, representatives from the aviation industry, local government organisations, environmental groups and business interests. A full list of participants is available if required.The south-east and east of England Regional Air Services Study is expected to take around two years to complete and will be followed by extensive public consultation on options arising from it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when BAA submitted the result of their feasibility study into a second runway at Gatwick to his Department; and if he will publish its findings. [97475]

BAA did not complete their study, which the previous administration had asked them to undertake, of less environmentally damaging runway options, such as a close parallel runway at Gatwick. We announced on 19 January 1998, Official Report, column 372, that we had asked BAA to put this work on hold so that we could review the issue in light of the integrated transport White Paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been spent through the Single Regeneration Budget in each of the last five years (a) in England as a whole and (b) in rural England. [97238]

The total amount spent in England through the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) since the programme began in 1995–96 is given in the table. It is not possible to break down the national expenditure totals to show how much has been spent on schemes in rural areas. However, under Round 5 of the SRB (the first round in which Regional Development Agencies were involved) more than one billion pounds was awarded to SRB Partnerships over the next seven years, of which it is estimated some 7 per cent. will go to wholly rural schemes or the rural parts of mixed area schemes.

Total SRB expenditure: England
Year	£ million
1995–96	136.4
1996–97	277.5
1997–98	458.8
1998–99	560.0
1999–2000	1714.1
1 Estimated

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions his Department has had with trade representatives over the proposed pesticide tax. [97255]

A consultants' report on the design of a tax or charge scheme for pesticides was put out to public consultation in March this year with an invitation to submit comments to the Treasury by June. Since then, I am not aware that my Department has held any meetings with trade representatives on this issue. Tax matters are of course the responsibility of the Chancellor.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if there are any proposals to amend his departmental expenditure limits and running costs limits for 1999–2000. [97830]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates for Class III, Votes 1, 2, 6, 8 and 11, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions' Departmental Expenditure Limits for 1999–2000 will change as follows. All references to the take-up of end year flexibility refer to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury's announcement of 27 July 1999, Official Report, column 393.(i) The DETR Main Programmes Departmental Expenditure Limit will be increased by £542,447,000 from £9,692,857,000 to £10,235,305,000. This increase reflects the net impact of a take-up of end year flexibility of £400,755,000; transfers out of the DETR Main Programmes Departmental Expenditure Limit of £11,278,000; and a call on the Departmental Expenditure Limit Reserve of £152,970,000. The changes are set out in greater detail below.(a) The changes for Class III, Vote 1 are as follows: £64,765,000 for expenditure in advance of EC receipts on European Regional Development Fund programmes incurred on behalf of this Department, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department for Culture, Media and Sports, and the Department for Education and Employment; take up of end year flexibility of £45,684,000 for programmes including the Major Repairs Initiative (£15,180,000), Single Regeneration Budget projects (£4,980,000), Regional Development Agencies (£4,111,000), initiatives in the UK construction industry following the Egan task force report and consultancies in Turkey (£3,750,000) and other smaller programmes (£17,663,000); a transfer of £7,500,000 from the non-Voted element of the DETR Main Programmes Departmental Expenditure Limit due to an increase in demand for disabled facilities grants; a transfer of £1,096,000 from Class IX, Vote 1 (Department of Trade and Industry: programmes and administration) to cover ex-Department of Trade and Industry staff costs in Regional Development Agencies; and a reduction of £6,009,000 as a result of the cash limit breach on Class VI, Vote 4 in 1998–99. A transfer of £8,978,000 from the DETR Departmental Unallocated Provision will be made to cover the rationalisation of the inherited sub-regional office structure and costs associated with ex-Departmental staff in Regional Development Agencies. There will also be inter-vote transfers of £72,900,000 to Class III, Vote 6 (Transport industries) to provide additional funding for London Transport and to reflect the transfer of responsibility within the Department for the Docklands Light Railway.(b) The changes for Class III, Vote 2 are as follows: inter-vote transfers of £5,944,000 from Class III, Vote 8 (Highways Agency) for multi modal studies and road user charging research; £94,000 from Class III, Vote 3 (Environmental protection and water) for work on petrol and diesel emissions testing; and £9,000 from the non-Voted element of the DETR Main Programmes Departmental Expenditure Limit for the National Travel Survey. There are also inter-vote transfers of £500,000 to Class III, Vote 3 (Environmental protection and water) for the Powershift project; £150,000 to Class III, Vote 6 (Transport industries) for a National Bus Summit, the Indian Transport seminar and a consultancy project; £200,000 to Class XIV, Vote 1 (Welsh Office, Secretary of State for Wales and payments to the National Assembly for Wales) for planning expenditure; £203,000 to Class XIII, Vote 1 (Scotland and transfers to the Scottish Consolidated Fund) for a Scottish travel awareness campaign; and £58,000 to Class IX, Vote 1 (Department of Trade and Industry: science) for a research project.(c) The changes for Class III, Vote 3 are as follows: a transfer of £4,425,000 to Class XIII, Vote 1 (Scotland and transfers to the Scottish Consolidated Fund) for the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme; a transfer of £1,387,000 also to Class XIII, Vote 1 (Scotland and transfers to the Scottish Consolidated Fund) for the work of the Energy Saving Trust; transfers of £48,000 and £44,000 respectively to Class XIV, Vote 1 (Welsh Office, Secretary of State for Wales and payments to the National Assembly for Wales) and Class XIII, Vote 1 (Scotland and transfers to the Scottish Consolidated Fund) for Welsh and Scottish regional energy efficiency publicity work; and a transfer of £94,000 to Class III, Vote 2 (Planning, roads, local transport and vehicle safety) for work on petrol and diesel emission measurement by the Transport Research Laboratory. There are also inter-vote transfers from Class III, Vote 2 (Planning, roads, local transport and vehicle safety) of £500,000 to the Powershift project; £1,200,000 from Class III, Vote 8 (Highways Agency) for the Powershift project; and a transfer of £2,400,000 from the DETR Departmental Unallocated Provision to meet demand led pressures on the Pneumoconiosis compensation scheme.(d) The changes for Class III, Vote 6 are as follows: an agreed claim on the Reserve of £152,970,000 to provide for payment of compensation to the National Bus Company Pension Scheme fund; take-up of £290,306,000 of end year flexibility to provide additional funding for London Transport, the Marchioness public inquiry, increased expenditure by the Marine Accident Investigation Board on Marine Environment High Risk Areas and the Docklands Light Railway. There will be inter-vote transfers of £150,000 from Class III, Vote 2 (Planning, roads, local transport and vehicle safety) for the National Bus Summit, the Indian Transport seminar and a consultancy project; £72,900,000 from Class III, Vote 1 (Housing, construction, regeneration, regional policy and countryside and wildlife, England) representing additional funding for London Transport and a transfer of responsibility within the Department for the Docklands Light Railway; and a transfer of £1,000,000 to the non-Voted element of the DETR Main Programmes Departmental Expenditure Limit for the re-introduction of Supplementary Credit Approvals for local authority ports.(e) The changes for Class III, Vote 8 are as follows: transfers of £5,944,000 to Class III, Vote 2 (Planning, roads, local transport and vehicle safety) for multi modal studies and road user charging research; a transfer of £1,200,000 to Class III, Vote 3 (Environmental protection and water) for the Powershift project; and an increase in provision of £1,000 to allow for additional Appropriations in Aid to be used.(f) Provision within the non-Voted element of the DETR Main Programmes Departmental Expenditure Limit will be decreased by £17,887,000 from £1,734,692,000 to £1,716,805,000. This reflects a transfer of £7,500,000 to Class III, Vote 1 (Housing, construction, regeneration, regional policy, and countryside and wildlife, England) due to an increase in demand for disabled facilities grants; and a transfer of £9,000 to Class III, Vote 2 (Planning, roads, local transport and vehicle safety) for the National Travel Survey. It also includes transfers from the DETR Departmental Unallocated Provision of £2,400,000 to Class III, Vote 3 (Environmental protection and water) to meet demand led pressures on the Pneumoconiosis compensation scheme; and of £8,978,000 to Class III, Vote 1 (Housing, construction, regeneration, regional policy and countryside and wildlife, England) to cover the rationalisation of the inherited sub-regional office structure and costs associated with ex-Departmental staff in Regional Development Agencies. There is a transfer of £1,000,000 from Class III, Vote 6 (Transport industries) for the re-introduction of Supplementary Credit Approvals for local authority ports.The net increase in the DETR Main Programmes Departmental Expenditure Limit will be offset by transfers to the Scotland Departmental Expenditure Limit; to the Wales Departmental Expenditure Limit; from the Department of Trade and Industry Departmental Expenditure Limit; and by a charge on the DEL Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.(ii) The Office of the Rail Regulator Departmental Expenditure Limit will increase by £1,133,000 from £1,000 to £1,134,000. This increase reflects the take-up of £1,133,000 running costs end year flexibility to meet increased in-year requirements associated with ongoing consultancy programmes and additional accommodation costs. The running cost limit will be increased by £1,133,000 from £8,900,000 to £10,033,000.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions his Department has had with trade representatives over the proposed pesticide tax. [97256]

HM Treasury Ministers and officials have held a number of recent discussions with trade representatives on the possible tax on pesticides. I met representatives of the British Agrochemicals Association on 25 October. These discussions, and the responses to the recent consultation on the design of a tax or charge scheme for pesticides, will be taken into account in the Government's consideration of its options.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the Customs and Excise departmental expenditure limit or running costs limit for 1999–2000. [97918]

There are currently no plans to change the overall Departmental Expenditure Limit of HM Customs and Excise. However, subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XVI, Vote 3 (HM Customs and Excise: administration) the Voted element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit will be increased by £14,270,000 from £897,293,000 to £911,563,000. The increase reflects changes arising from a barter deal transaction associated with the award of a PH contract for the provision of IT services. This increase will be offset by a matching reduction in the non-voted element.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the Office for National Statistics departmental expenditure limit/running cost limit for 1999–2000. [97920]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary Estimate for Class XVI, Vote 11 (Office for National Statistics) the DEL will be increased by £1,000,000 from £110,242,000 to £111,242,000 and the running cost limit by £4,437,000 from £102,208,000 to £106,645,000.The increase is the net effect of (a) the carry forward of £1,000,000 under the end year flexibility scheme as announced in the House of Commons by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 27 July 1999,

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the Treasury's departmental expenditure limit and running costs limits for 1999–2000. [97921]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XVI, Vote 1 (HM Treasury), the Departmental Expenditure Limit for 1999–2000 will be increased by £6,328,000 from £140,875,000 to £147,203,000.The increase is the net effect of the take up of running costs EYF (£2,000,000) to meet the additional costs of the Treasury's planned programme of work; capital EYF (£2,328,000) mainly due to an increased requirement for the Debt Management Office's cash management project; and from the Capital Modernisation Fund (£2,000,000) for the costs of examining policy options in relation to the Partnerships UK and for work associated with the passage of the Bill which will establish this new body.The running costs limit for HM Treasury will accordingly be increased by £11,748,000 from £56,965,000 to £68,713,000. The increase is mainly for work leading to the creation of Partnerships UK and the Office of Government Commerce, a direct recruitment campaign, consultancy costs on the project to refurbish the Treasury Building, the costs of the Public Services Productivity Panel, and a small increase for the Debt Management Office.The increases will be offset by transfers or charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the proceeds of the climate change levy will be used to encourage energy-saving measures. [96959]

In the March 1999 Budget it was announced that £50 million of the revenues from the £1.75 billion climate change levy would be used to provide direct additional support for energy efficiency measures and renewables, with the remaining £1.7 billion being recycled to business through a cut in employers' National Insurance Contributions. This additional support for energy efficiency measures represents a step change in the level of support provided by existing schemes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will make a decision on the plan to build a new hospital at Edgware. [94424]

Progress is being made by Barnet Healthcare National Health Service Trust on the completion of a full business case for this important development which will be progressed in line with the normal NHS planning process. A decision will follow completion of the business case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions he has taken to achieve 95 per cent. population coverage for measles, mumps and rubella immunisation. [96257]

We have set a national target of 95 per cent. coverage for the routine childhood immunisations (including MMR) by age 2. Adverse publicity about the safety of MMR vaccine led to uptake falling from an annual peak of 92 per cent. over the past 3 years. Recent quarterly data from the Public Health Laboratory Service show that this earlier fall appears to have stabilised. For the quarter April to June 1999, 88 per cent. of children at age 2 had received the vaccine (up to 0.4 percentage points on the previous quarter). Most encouragingly, the percentage of children immunised at age 16 months at August 1999 stood at 79.1 per cent., an increase of 3.5 percentage points on April 1999.Our recommendations on immunisation are based upon the advice of independent experts. All new evidence on the safety of MMR vaccine is carefully considered by independent groups of scientific and medical experts and subjected to the same rigorous scrutiny as was given to the evidence on which the advice to parents on protecting their children through MMR immunisation is based. The views of these independent experts, as well as those of experts from around the world, including the World Health Organisation, remain unequivocal that there is no evidence of any link between MMR vaccine and inflammatory bowel disease or autism.We aim to make factually accurate scientific information freely and widely available. As new scientific data has become available—for example, the publication in June of a further two new studies supporting the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and showing no evidence of links to autistic spectrum disorders or bowel problems—this has been widely publicised. The Chief Medical Officer regularly provides health professionals with summaries of the relevant pieces of research emphasising the safety of the vaccine. Ministers have addressed the concerns of the constituents of hon. Members both formally in the House, through correspondence and also through a series of meetings.The information provided to the public seeks to address anxious parents' calls for factually accurate scientific information and to provide support for doctors dealing with them. In considering what public information to provide, the Department has taken account of research conducted through the Health Education Authority (HEA) on parental attitudes to immunisation and the data on uptake of vaccines provided by the PHLS. The Department's activities on the MMR vaccine reflect the views of parents consulted through this research. The Department has worked with the HEA to provide leaflets for parents, factsheets for professionals and posters for surgeries that have been widely distributed.Locally, immunisation co-ordinators have been supported with information and material for use in health authority-based campaigns to publicise the facts about MMR vaccine.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what methods of depreciation his Department will apply in the current financial year to fixed assets in the preparation of departmental resource accounting balance sheets. [97038]

In the Department's resource accounts for the financial year 1999–2000, it is intended that fixed assets will be depreciated using the straight line method i.e. adjustments for changes in price aside, the same amount of depreciation will be charged each year over the life of an asset. This treatment is in line with HM Treasury's Resource Accounting Manual. The requirements in the Manual relating to depreciation methods will be underpinned by Financial Reporting Standard 15, "Tangible Fixed Assets", issued by the Accounting Standards Board.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many days off work have been taken by NHS employees each year since 1990 owing to sickness; how much this time off has cost the NHS; how many days off work have been taken by NHS employees each year since 1990 owing to stress; how much this time off has cost the NHS; what assessment he has made of stress levels among staff in the NHS; what proposals he has to reduce stress levels among NHS staff; and if he will make a statement. [97116]

According to a survey conducted by the Department in 1998–99 the average sickness absence rate for staff directly employed by National Health Service trusts was 4.6 per cent. This is equivalent to approximately 8 million out of the 176 million days worked each year by National Health Service staff. Details of the survey can be found in Health Service Circular 1999/229: 'Managing Violence, Accidents and Sickness Absence in the NHS' copies of which are available in the Library. Similar information for earlier years, and information about the overall cost and causes of sick leave, is not collected centrally, but may be held locally by individual National Health Service employers. We have agreed improvement targets for health authorities and NHS trusts to 'achieve year on year improvement in sickness absence rates' of 20 per cent. by 2001 and 30 per cent. by 2003.The management of sickness absence in the National Health Service is being monitored by the Department's Public Sector Productivity Panel. The aim is to identify the most efficient and effective ways to secure a successful approach to improving attendance in the NHS. The project will report in February 2000.The report of the Partnership for the Health of the National Health Service Workforce, chaired by the Nuffield Trust, identified that 10,000 working days are lost each year through medically certified mental illness, including stress related illness, in the NHS. The NHS Executive has issued a range of guidance aimed at improving the quality of working life for staff, including tackling violence, the provision of counselling services, improved health and safety and access to occupational health services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the correspondence between his predecessor and the former Chief Secretary during the last six months on the adequacy of the resources for the NHS. [97223]

All correspondence between Cabinet Ministers is confidential, as is made clear in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in England are receiving services under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983. [97289]

27,100 people were formally admitted to hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983 in 1998–99. Information on after-care services provided under section 117 of the Act is not held centrally. This is a matter for local and health authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to reject NICE recommendations for further commercially sponsored clinical trials in circumstances where his Department has already ruled out such trials as uneconomic. [97309]

The decision to fund, or not to fund a piece of research should continue to be taken case by case, but ultimately by the research funding body in question in accordance with their particular remit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many food poisoning cases in each of the last five years have been attributed to cheese made from (a) pasteurised and (b) unpasteurised milk; and what proportion of the total number of cases they represent. [97310]

Most cases of food poisoning are sporadic and in such cases it is usually impossible to identify a source for the infection. Even in the case of outbreaks, it is sometimes not possible to identify the source. Details of cases of food poisoning and the likely sources of infection identified are collected by the Public Health Laboratory Service and published in CDR Weekly.The number of cases of food poisoning where the sole vehicle identified has been cheese made from pasteurised and unpasteurised milk (the latter representing less than 1 per cent. of all cheeses manufactured) is set out in the table. Since these figures are based on laboratory reports they cannot be related to food poisoning figures based on statutory notifications. Data for 1994 and 1995 are unavailable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish his Department's criteria for distributing the additional funds recently announced for increasing spending on mental health. [97257]

Three main principles were used to guide the allocation of funds for the first tranche of new investment in 1999–2000:

An assessment of need, assessed partly by the weighted population score for each health authority (based on population, size, deprivation indices and other factors)

Evidence concerning the gaps in services gathered during a review of mental health services in 1996–97

The vision for safe, sound and supportive services described in the Government's strategy "Modernising Mental Health Services".

Criteria to be used for allocating funds in the next two years have yet to be decided.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria his Department uses to decide whether a patient is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and thus entitled to free treatment on the NHS. [97262]

Eligibility for free hospital treatment depends mainly on residence in the United Kingdom. With some exceptions, for example in accident and emergency departments, all new patients are asked if they have been living in the United Kingdom for the previous 12 months. Patients who have done so, with up to no more than three months absence during that time, will be eligible. Patients who have not lived in the United Kingdom for 12 months may still be eligible if either they are exempt from charges by virtue of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989 or, following a House of Lords ruling, if they can demonstrate that they are lawfully in the United Kingdom for a settled, identifiable purpose. It is unlikely that anyone intending to stay for less than six months would fulfil this criteria.General practitioners are encouraged to consider residency before accepting a patient for National Health Service treatment but are not bound by the same regulations. Under the National Health Service (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992 a GP does not have to accept any patient for NHS treatment unless specifically allocated by a health authority. The GP's decision does not automatically exempt the patient from charges for hospital treatment they may subsequently need.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the assets sold by his Department together with their values in each year from 1991–92 to 1998–99; and if he will estimate the value of assets planned to be sold in 1999–2000 and 2000–01. [96274]

Although information on individual sales of assets disposed of by the Department is not held centrally, the following information is available and relates to assets owned directly by the department:

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals there are to amend the departmental expenditure limit and running costs limit for 1999–2000. [97923]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class V, Vote 1 the Lord Chancellor's Department Departmental Expenditure Limit for 1999–2000 will be increased by £100,000 from £2,421,144,000 to £2,421,244,000. The increase is the effect of a transfer for £100,000 from the Home Office, relating to legal aid costs in respect of reducing volatile substance abuse—gas lighter refills.The running costs limit for the Lord Chancellor's Department will be increased by £5,386,000 from £496,817,000 to £502,203,000. The increase is in respect of funding for PFI projects in the civil courts and tribunals. This overall increase includes a reduction of £667,000 to gross running costs, with a matching reduction to running costs receipts in respect of a penalty for the running cost breach which occurred in 1998–99.The increases will be offset by a transfer from the Home Office Departmental Expenditure Limit, as well as receipts arising from asset disposals and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

To ask the President of the Council from what date hon. Members have been expected to pay for Audit Commission reports. [97142]

Hon. Members can obtain copies of Audit Commission reports, free of charge, from the Vote Office, through the usual procedures.

To ask the President of the Council what proposals she has for the Scottish Grand Committee to meet in Scotland. [97586]

No decisions have been taken about possible sittings of the Grand Committees next session.The Grand Committee is a useful mechanism for Scottish MPs to highlight UK-wide policies which have an impact in Scotland. As the hon. Member may be aware, in the Government's response to the Procedure Committee's Fourth report on Procedural Consequences of Devolution, it recognised that the role and procedure of the Grand Committees would have to be adapted in the light of experience with devolution. Decisions on future meetings will be taken in the light of this.

To ask the President of the Council if there are any proposals to amend the Privy Council Office Departmental Expenditure Limit/running costs limit for 1999–2000. [97831]

Subject to approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) for Class XVII, Vote 5 will be decreased by £296,000 from £2,166,000 and the running cost limit will be decreased by £296,000 from £2,502,000 to £2,206,000.The reduction in DEL and running cost limit is the net effect of increases to cover the salary and associated costs of the Parliamentary Secretary, Privy Council Office; and to meet the costs arising from my roles as cross Government spokesperson and as Leader of the House, offset by a payment to the Cabinet Office, Class XVII, Vote 1 of £480,000, reflecting the transfer of responsibility for the Lord Privy Seal's Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if there are any proposals to amend the Departmental Expenditure Limit and gross running costs limit for 1999–2000. [97783]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates for Class I, Vote 1 (Department for Education and Employment: programmes and central services) and Vote 3 (the Employment Service), the Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) for 1999–2000 (excluding Welfare to Work) will be increased by £120,664,000 from £15,671,526,000 to £15,792,190,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will undertake a review of funding for people with learning difficulties. [97258]

The Government are committed to providing high quality learning opportunities for people with learning difficulties. We will be publishing a consultation document on the Learning and Skills Council's funding system at the end of the year. It will seek views on the arrangements for funding across the range of the Learning and Skills Council's responsibilities, including the funding arrangements for people with learning difficulties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to make the University for Industry learning hubs co-terminus with regional development agency or sub-regional local learning and skills/small business service boundaries; and if he will make a statement. [97056]

[holding answer 2 November 1999]: It is Ufl Ltd.'s intention that as far as possible the boundaries of the Ufl hubs will be co-terminus with either sub-regional Learning and Skills Council and Small Business Service boundaries or with local Learning Partnership boundaries. It may not be possible to map this in every case but Ufl Regional Staff are working closely with Ufl hubs to ensure that a high level of coherence is achieved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he is collecting data on the number of people who leave the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds for employment but subsequently return to jobseeker's allowance after 13 weeks but within (a) 26 weeks and (b) 52 weeks. [95538]

Yes, data are collected on the number of clients who leave the New Deal for 18-to-24 year olds for employment and reclaim jobseeker's allowance both after 13 weeks but before 26 weeks and after 13 weeks but before 52 weeks.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what current proposals she has to assist Botswana. [95737]

We expect to spend around £3 million this year to support national development strategies which focus on helping to ensure an equitable distribution of the nation's wealth.Main current projects include improvements in sustainable livelihoods by providing better access to, and the use of, natural resources; improvement of the management of resources for primary education; development of distance learning materials, support for the electoral process and development of community policing. Botswana is also a partner in a regional initiative to tackle the spread of HIV/AIDS through increased awareness and improved treatment and prevention systems.Botswana also benefits through its membership of the South African Development Committee (SADC) from programmes to improve regional integration especially in the areas of HIV/AIDS, trade and customs reform, and improvements in the electoral process.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if there are any proposals to amend the departmental expenditure limit for 1999–2000. [97872]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class VIII Vote 1, the Department for International Development's Departmental Expenditure Limit for 1999–2000 will be decreased by £12,000,000 from £1,804,764,000 to £1,792,764,000. The decrease is the net effect of transferring the Chevening Scholarship Scheme from the Department for International Development to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent in each of the past five years in supporting initiatives to build democracy in other countries. [95752]

All FCO programme spending is justified in terms of the FCO's objectives. This includes commitment to spreading the values of human rights, civil liberties and democracy, the rule of law and good governance.Human Rights Project Fund (HRPF) is the FCO's dedicated fund for human rights projects around the world. Since the inception of HRPF in April 1998 the fund has allocated some £9.7 million to support over 300 projects (£5.05 million in financial year 1998–99 and £4.69 million so far in 1999–2000). Before the HRPF was established there was no comparable funding arrangement for the support of human rights.The FCO also provides support for democracy building in the form of grant in aid to the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, which exists to promote democratic development world-wide. In each of the past five years the department has contributed:

Year	£
1999–2000	4,000,000
1998–99	3,000,000
1997–98	2,713,650
1996–97	2,500,000
1995–96	2,500,000

Projects under a number of other FCO programmes and budgets contribute to a combination of objectives including, but not exclusively, the promotion of democracy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the EU has lifted sanctions against Libya while retaining the arms embargo; if the UN has retained an arms embargo; and if he will make a statement on Government policy on such sanctions and embargoes. [97145]

UN Sanctions against Libya, including the arms embargo, were suspended on 5 April 1999, following the UN Secretary-General's report to the Council that Libya had complied with the requirements of Security Council resolution 1192 and the Lockerbie accused had arrived in the Netherlands for the purpose of trial.On 16 April 1999 the EU suspended its measures implementing the UN sanctions. But it left in place EU measures, including an arms embargo, imposed in 1986 in response to Libya's general implication in terrorism. These measures, with the exception of the arms embargo, were lifted on 13 September 1999, in the light of the UN Secretary-General's report of 30 June 1999, in which he cited several elements suggesting that recent acts by the Libyan authorities were indicative of the Libyan Government's renunciation of terrorism. EU member states will keep the question of the arms embargo under review.The conclusions of a Government review of sanctions were announced to Parliament on 15 March 1999. The review found that sanctions, including arms embargoes, had an important role to play in responding to challenges to international peace and security, and should be tailored to fit the circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current human rights situation in Kashmir; and what representations he has made to the Indian Government. [97581]

We are concerned about the abuses of human rights which bring suffering to the population of Kashmir, and have urged an improvement. We also call for an end to all external support for violence in Kashmir. The late Derek Fatchett raised the human rights issue with the Indian Home Minister during his visit to India in November last year. Senior officials have raised the issue at various levels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there are any proposals to amend the departmental expenditure limit/running costs limit for 1999–2000. [97871]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates for Class VII Vote 1 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Departmental Expenditure limit for 1999–2000 will be increased by £59,218,000 from £1,112,022,000 to £1,171,240,000 and the running costs limit has been decreased by £1,000,000 from £531,968,000 to £530,968,000. The increase is the net effect of:

(i) additional provision of £36,702,000 on Section B for UK contributions to United Nations Missions in the former Yugoslavia (includes UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo) and the former Soviet Union, United Nations Special Commission on Iraq, United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission, United Nations Mission for the Referendum on Western Sahara, United Nations Police Mission in Haiti, United Nations Mission in East Timor, United Nations Observe Mission in Angola, United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Central African Republic, United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone, the United Nations International Criminal Tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the European Community Monitoring Mission and Western European Union Police Mission in Albania. This is partially offset by a reduction of £1,000,000 in Section A;

(ii) an increase in provision of £3,000,000 to support an independent media in Serbia, civil society in Serbia and to continue the provision of forensic teams to the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia;

(iii) a transfer of £12,000,000 to Section A from DOD (Class VIII, Vote 1), in respect of Chevening Scholarship;

(iv) take up of end year flexibility of £8,516,000 for assistance to Sierra Leone as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to House of Commons on 27 July 1999, Official Report, column 393.

The increase will be offset by a transfer from another Departmental Expenditure Limit (DfID) and a change on the DEL Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions about the funding of regional museums. [95135]

[holding answer 25 October 1999]: I have not had discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions about the funding of regional museums. However, funding from DCMS is available indirectly through the Area Museums Councils (which received a total of £4 million in 1998–99, most of which was given to individual museums and galleries). Through the Museums and Galleries Commission, the Department provides funds for the PRISM Fund (71 grants worth £292,567 in 1998–99) and the V&A Purchase Grant Fund (227 grants worth £1 million) which assist regional museums in acquiring objects for their collections. For the first time, this Government have been able to provide £15 million over three years (1999–2002) to pre-eminent regional collections through the Designated Museums Challenge Fund.In addition, the Heritage Lottery Fund supports regional museums through the Capital Grants Programme and the Museums and Galleries Access Fund (£7 million).

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement about his powers and responsibilities in relation to regional museums. [95137]

[holding answer 25 October 1999]: Apart from the museums sponsored by my Department, Ministers do not have specific powers and responsibilities in relation to regional museums (some of which are independently run, while others are administered by local authorities). The Department's responsibility is to play a strategic role in championing the interests of the museum sector as a whole.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if there are any proposals to amend his Department's expenditure limit and running costs limit for 1999–2000. [97782]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XI, Vote 1, the DCMS Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) for 1999–2000 will be increased by £2,821,000 from £993,137,000 to £995,958,000 and the running costs limit will be increased by £902,000 from £32,972,000 to £33,874,000.This is to provide £2,023,000 for minor increases in provision for various sectors of the Vote taking up the DEL end year flexibility on programme expenditure as announced by the then Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 27 July 1999,

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in what way the Millennium Commission is promoting its activities around the country. [97212]

This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I will reply to my hon. Friend in my capacity as Chairman of the Commission, and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the methods of depreciation his Department will apply in the current financial year to fixed assets in the preparation of departmental resource accounting balance sheets. [96922]

In accordance with the Treasury's Resource Accounting Manual and with Financial Reporting Standard 15: Tangible Fixed Assets, issued by the Accounting Standards Board, my Department has adopted the following methods of depreciation.Depreciation is applied at rates calculated to write off the value of freehold buildings and other tangible fixed assets by equal instalments over their estimated useful lives. Lives are in the following ranges:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proposals there are to change the 1999–2000 Departmental Expenditure Limit or running costs limits for the Cabinet Office. [97833]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) for the Cabinet office will be increased by £16,881,000 from £301,820,000 to £318,701,000 and the running costs limit has been increased by £5,122,000 to £115,018,000.The increase is mainly to take account of the following:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for changes to the 1999–2000 departmental expenditure limits and running cost limits within his responsibility. [97832]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will be increased by £11,319,000 from £7,752,125,000 to £7,763,444,000. The running cost limit will be increased by £1,561,000 from £2,136,392,000 to £2,137,953,000. A separate running cost limit of £163,000 will be established for expenditure on Welfare to Work.The changes in Class IV, Vote 1 are the net effect of the following transfers: £455,000 to the Department of Trade and Industry (Class IX, Vote 1), £50,000 to the Welsh Assembly (Class XIV, Vote 1), £1,499,000 to Prison Service (Class IV, Vote 2) in respect of the Crime Reduction Programme; £100,000 to the Lord Chancellor's Department (Class V, Vote 1) in respect of a new offence to reduce volatile substance abuse; £28,000 to the Treasury Solicitors (Class V, Vote VI) in relation to extending the Attorney-General's powers on unduly lenient sentences; £700,000 from the DEL Reserve in respect of a contribution to the Active Community Initiative; £10,000 to Department of Health (Class II, Vote II) as contribution towards a research programme; Neutral payment of £3,000,000 from the Lord Chancellor's Department (Class V, Vote 1) in respect of the Confiscated Assets Fund; £15,000 to the Prison Service (Class IV, Vote II) in respect of secondment costs; £5,067,000 from the Scottish Office (Class XIII, Vote 5) in respect of the balance due following a reduction in the level of contribution by the Scottish Office (Class XIII, Vote 5) in respect of the balance due following a reduction in the level of contribution by the Scottish Office towards Criminal Injuries administration and compensation costs from 13 per cent. to 11 per cent.; £7,000,000 from the DEL Reserve in respect of administration costs for the Asylum Seekers Directorate; £305,000 to the Department of Health (Class II, Vote II) in respect of drugs related research; Neutral payments of £100,000 from the Department of Health, £100,000 from the Department for Education and Employment, £100,000 from the Lord Chancellor's Department and £36,000 from the Welsh Assembly in respect of a contribution towards grant in aid for the National Family and Parenting Institute; Neutral payment of £12,000 from the Cabinet Office in respect of contribution towards grant in aid for Youth Net.The changes in Class IV, Vote 2 are the net effect of the following transfers: £500,000 to the Department of Health (Class II, Vote 2) for the running costs of the Prison Health Policy Unit and the Prison Health Task Force; £1,499,000 from the Home Office (Class IV, Vote 1) in respect of the Crime Reduction Programme; and £15,000 from the Home Office (Class IV, Vote 1) to cover a secondment to the Mental Health Unit. In addition, the Supplementary Estimate gives effect to the take up of £173,000 for Welfare to Work DEL under the end year flexibility scheme entitlements announced by my right hon. Friend the then Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 27 July 1999,

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the cost of additional staff for the Support Agency described in point 368 of the Explanatory Notes to the Immigration and Asylum Bill was included in point 359; and what the estimated staff costs for the Support Agency are. [97139]

The question refers to paragraphs in the Explanatory Notes, published on 9 February 1999. A further set of Explanatory Notes were published on 18 June 1999 to accompany the introduction of the Immigration and Asylum Bill into the House of Lords.Paragraph 368 of the Explanatory Memorandum suggested that the Asylum Seekers Support Agency would require between 100–200 additional staff. Since then, further work has been done to identify the appropriate size of the body to administer the new support arrangements. We have also taken account of revised forecasts for applications for asylum. Our latest estimates are that the new body to administer the support arrangements will need 512 full-time equivalent staff.The costs of the staff were not included in the support costs listed in paragraph 359 of the Explanatory Memorandum. It is now expected that the staff costs will be of the order of £11.5 million per year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the estimates in point 359 of the Explanatory Notes to the Immigration and Asylum Bill were determined; and what assumptions were made underlying those calculations. [97138]

The question refers to a paragraph in the Explanatory Notes which were published on 9 February. A further set of Explanatory Notes were published on 18 June when the Immigration and Asylum Bill was introduced into the House of Lords.A budget of £350 million for 1999–2000, £300 million for 2000–01, and £250 million for 2001–02 was provisionally allocated for asylum support costs in the Comprehensive Spending Review in July 1998. These figures were determined from the Asylum Costs model which calculates support costs on the basis of a number of assumptions including the number of asylum applications. Details of this model including its assumptions were set out in the document "Asylum Seeker Support—estimates of public expenditure" which was published on 22 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested in connection with activities related to each State Visit in the last three years. [97263]

Within the Metropolitan Police Area, no-one was arrested in connection with activities related to the State Visits by the President of Israel (February 1997), the President of Brazil (December 1997), the Emperor of Japan (May 1998), the President of Germany (December 1998), or the President of Hungary (June 1999), and 15 people were arrested in connection with activities related to last month's State Visit by the President of China. Of these, five were released by the arresting officer without any further proceedings. Information for other police force areas is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who was appointed to investigate recent allegations of bullying in relation to nursing staff at HMP Liverpool and on whose authority; who set the terms of reference for the inquiry; what guidance was given on the conduct of the inquiry and the compilation of the report; and to whom he intends the report will be made available in its entirety. [97281]

The area manager for Merseyside and Manchester appointed Mr. R. S. McColm, then deputy governor grade at Manchester prison and now deputy governor at Wymott prison, and a trained senior investigating officer, to conduct the investigation. The area manager did so on his own authority, but he had discussed the matter with the operational director and the then Director General. The area manager set the terms of reference for the inquiry. The terms of reference directed Mr. McColm to conduct the investigation in accordance with Prison Service Instruction to governors 37/1994, a copy of which is available in the Library, and to take account of the Prison Service guidance on "Combating harassment and discrimination".On the question of disclosure, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I have her on 27 October 1999,

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to begin the national implementation of the framework for final warning schemes, reparation orders, action plan order, child safety orders, parenting orders, and youth offending teams; and if he will make a statement on the piloting of these schemes. [97307]

Pilots of the final warning scheme, reparation order, action plan order, child safety order, parenting order and youth offending teams under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 began in 10 areas in September 1998 and will run for 18 months. Subject to the experience of the pilots, the Government expect to implement nationally the provisions in the 1998 Act for youth offending teams in April 2000 and for the final warning scheme and new court orders in 2000–01. The pilots are being evaluated by a team led by Sheffield University. The Government expect to receive an interim report on the progress of the pilots shortly and this will be published in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the local authorities which have used (a) local child curfew schemes, (b) anti-social behaviour orders and (c) court-ordered secure demands. [97306]

Applying to establish a local child curfew scheme is optional for local authorities, to be considered in the light of the wider crime and disorder reduction strategy developed under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and of the outcome of local consultation. No applications have yet been received.Information on the number of anti-social behaviour orders made is not held centrally, but we are aware of seven orders made since 1 April 1999. Two were applied for by Liverpool City Council, one by North Somerset District Council and one by the London Borough of Camden. In addition, two were applied for by Derbyshire Constabulary and one by West Mercia Police.Remands direct to local authority secure accommodation are made by the courts without an application from a local authority. Information on the use of court-ordered secure remands since 1 June 1999 is being collected from local authorities. I will write to my right hon. Friend as soon as it has been assembled.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the European Commission to publish a draft directive on racism and xenophobia. [97286]

This matter is due to be discussed by the College of Commissioners on 10 November. However, I understand that there is a full agenda and it is possible that this item may not be reached, in which case it will be deferred to their next meeting on 16 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of asylum seekers who are currently (a) supported by local authorities and (b) in receipt of social security benefits. [97584]

The latest information estimates that in August 1999, local authorities in London were supporting approximately 52,000 asylum seekers, including dependants. Figures for asylum seekers not supported by London boroughs are not available at present.The latest information from the Department of Social Security (DSS) shows the estimated number of asylum seekers/other urgent case payment cases currently in receipt of Income Support or Jobseeker's allowance as at May 1999, is 47,000 (excluding dependants).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the state of millennium compliance in (a) the Passport Agency and (b) the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. [97287]

All business critical systems within the United Kingdom Passport Agency have been prepared for millennium compliance. No risks of material disruption to the infrastructure process as a result of millennium date change have been identified.The three business critical systems within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate have been prepared for millennium compliance. Business continuity plans have been prepared and tested in event of failure of the systems or supporting infrastructure.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he had made, at the time of his announcement of 16,000 police recruits on 30 September, of the number of officers who would leave the service over the next three years. [97234]

[holding answer 4 November 1999]: It is not possible to make such a projection. This is because of the uncertainty surrounding the number of officers who take early retirement on medical grounds or who leave the service before normal retirement age for other reasons. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, to the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Wilkinson) on 29 October 1999, Official Report, column 1023.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the submissions made to the Home Office Working Party on Electoral Procedures by the two main consumer credit reference agencies; and if he will make a statement. [97431]

No. But the hon. Member may wish to ask the agencies concerned if they would agree to his doing so.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates his Department has made of the effect the proposals by the Home Office Working Party on Electoral Procedures on commercial access to the electoral register would have on (a) costs to and employment in the direct marketing and mail order industry and (b) fund raising by charities; and if he will make a statement. [97432]

An extract of estimates by some businesses and charities of the costs that would result to them from a complete withdrawal of commercial access to the electoral register was attached as Annexe M of the Working Party's report, published on 19 October. The Working Party took note of these estimates in concluding that, in the wider economic interests of the United Kingdom, it would be wrong wholly to withdraw electoral registration data from commercial use. In the light of the recommendations in the report, further submissions with revised and detailed costings are being prepared by businesses, and my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will take these into account when considering the way forward on this issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the nature of the Tampere discussions pertaining to Corpus Juris. [96574]

Motoring offences resulting in a curfew order under section 12 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991—July 1995 to June 1997
Offence	July to December 1995	January to June 1996	July to December 1996	January to June 1997	Total (July 1995 to June 1997)
Driving whilst disqualified	3	9	19	34	65
Driving with excess alcohol	—	2	7	8	17
Driving whilst unfit through drugs	—	—	—	1	1
Failure to provide a specimen	—	—	—	1	1
Taking a vehicle without consent (TWOC)	1	1	6	6	14
Aggravated TWOC	—	—	2	7	9
Allowing oneself to be carried in a TWOC vehicle	—	—	—	1	1
Aggravated allowing self to be carried in a TWOC vehicle	—	—	—	1	1
Vehicle interference	—	1	—	3	4
Dangerous driving	—	—	—	2	2
Traffic offences	—	—	1	—	1
All motoring offences	4	13	35	64	116

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister reported to the House in his statement on 19 October 1999, Official Report, columns 253–65, "Corpus Juris" was not a topic for discussion at the Tampere European Council, nor did the European Council endorse any of the specific proposals in "Corpus Juris" such as creating a European penal code or a European public prosecutor. There was a brief discussion on whether to examine one Corpus Juris proposal, the idea of creating a European Public Prosecutor, concerned only with protecting the financial interests of the Community, but this was not pursued. The conclusions of the European Council were aimed at achieving

"better compatibility and more convergence between the legal systems of member states".

In particular, the European Council concluded that the principle of mutual recognition, put forward by the United Kingdom, should become

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for which motoring offences curfew orders and vehicle forfeiture can be used; and how often these court disposals have been used for motoring offences in each of the last three years for which data are available. [96637]

Curfew orders under section 12 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 are available for any offence for which a community penalty is appropriate. This provision has been piloted from July 1995 in seven areas, and will be made available throughout England and Wales from 1 December. The available data on the use of these provisions relate to the period July 1995 to June 1997.