To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much his Department has spent on civil servants' transport in each of the last two years. [98710]

All travel undertaken by DTI civil servants complies with the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code. The Department maintains records on the travel and subsistence costs of civil servants, but does not break down separately the transport component of this. Budgets for travel and subsistence for DTI civil servants totalled £12.9 million in 1997–98 and £13.0 million in 1998–99.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what motor mileage allowance rates his Department offers to (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants using their own vehicles for official business; and what has been the cost of each in each of the last five years. [98711]

When travelling on official business, Ministers may use a private car instead of an official car, and claim mileage allowances in the same circumstances and on the same terms as civil servants within the DTI. Ministers and civil servants using their own vehicles for official business may claim the following Fixed Profit Car Scheme (FPCS) mileage rates (pence per mile):

Pence per mile
Car engine size	Up to 4,000 miles (standard rate)	Over 4,000 miles (lower standard rate)
Up to 1500cc	35	20
1501–2000cc	45	25
Over 2000cc	48	34

The DTI does not record expenditure on motor mileage separately from other travel and subsistence expenses paid when civil servants or Ministers undertake official business. To provide the information requested would entail disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies have gone out of business since May 1997. [98639]

[holding answer 22 November 1999]: There are no official statistics on the number of business closures. Collating them would impose too great a burden on business. Quarterly estimates from Barclays Bank show that there were 922,000 business closures in England and Wales in the 27 months between April 1997 and June 1999. This is the lowest total of any such period since 1990, and 26 per cent. lower than when closures peaked in the early 1990s.Other indicators confirm that business closures are lower than in previous years. There have been 97,700 company and individual insolvencies in England and Wales since April 1997, 32 per cent. fewer than when insolvencies peaked in the early 1990s. There were 155,900 VAT de-registrations in the UK in 1998, a fall of 5 per cent. on 1997 and the lowest total for five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the implementation of the OECD guidelines on multi-national enterprises will be on the agenda of November's WTO Seattle Round. [99247]

[holding answer 23 November 1999]: The OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises are under review in the OECD. There will be a report on the progress made for the OECD ministerial meeting in June 2000. Progress so far in the working group tasked with carrying out the review has been good, with broad agreement on how to bring the text of the Guidelines more up to date. There is also broad agreement that there has to be more effective implementation and wider dissemination of the Guidelines. We believe that the results of the review will make the Guidelines of greater relevance and use for business, other organisations and governments alike.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure an informed decision on the site for the new synchrotron. [99739]

I have considered the issues carefully and it is clear to me that on scientific and financial grounds the choice of a site for the new synchrotron lies between the two main sites of the Central Laboratory for the Research Councils: the Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire. There has been a number of studies looking at the project proposals and the sites. At the same time, however, the project has been evolving, for example with the announcement in August of the French Government's participation in the project and changing views on capacity requirements and technical solutions. I am, therefore, commissioning two further studies to inform a final decision on the site.First, I have asked the Director General of Research Councils to seek the views of synchrotron users on what they see as the key issues of relevance to a decision on the site for the new synchrotron.Second, we will be commissioning an external engineering survey and report on the two potential sites for the new synchrotron. I have asked for this report by early January to enable me to make a final decision in the light of all the evidence and announce it by mid January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been spent by his Department on external consultants and advisers since May 1997 funded from (i) his Department's programme provision and (ii) his Department's running costs. [99484]

[holding answer 24 November 1999]: Information on the budgets used for engaging consultants is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to publish the bilateral Concordat between his Department and the Scottish Executive. [100334]

The First Minister and I have today agreed the text of the Concordat between the Department of Trade and Industry and the Scottish Executive. Copies of the Concordat have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses, and the text will be available on the Department of Trade and Industry website.

To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to lay the Intelligence and Security Committee's Annual report before Parliament. [99858]

I am grateful to the Intelligence and Security Committee for their valuable work and their latest annual report. Following consultation with them over matters which could not be published without prejudicing the continuing operation of the intelligence and security agencies, I have today laid the report before Parliament. Copies of the report have also been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.The Government will respond formally to the report shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what has been spent by his Department on external consultants and advisers since May 1997 funded from (i) his Department's programme provision and (ii) his Department's running costs. [99490]

[holding answer 24 November 1999]: My Department has spent a total of £1,242,998, all from my Department's running costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for the Tourism Summit planned for the year 2000, as set out in the Government's tourism strategy document, "Tomorrow's Tourism". [100332]

The first Tourism Summit will be held in London on 1 March 2000. It will be a small and businesslike meeting of key Ministers and top industry representatives to review progress in implementing "Tomorrow's Tourism" and to decide what more Government should do to help the sustainable growth of tourism. It will be an important stage in a wider process of reviewing progress in partnership with the industry, particularly through the reconstituted Tourism Forum. We will publish the outcome of the Summit in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects to publish the bilateral concordat between his Department and the Scottish Executive. [100333]

I am pleased to announce that the concordat between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Scottish Executive has now been agreed. Copies of the concordat have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses, and the text will also be available on the Department's website.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the extent of (a) improvements in regularity and punctuality of service and (b) compliance with bus lane regulations, as the result of the pilot enforcement measures being tested on bus route 32 on the A5/Edgware Road corridor. [99277]

The intensive bus lane enforcement being piloted on bus route 32 is showing positive results:

(a) in rush hour traffic, London Transport Buses have reported bus journeys up to 11 per cent. faster; and,

(b) after four weeks the boroughs involved had reported a reduction in illegally parked vehicles of between 35 per cent. to 50 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what options are being considered for the long-term use of the Millennium Dome park-and-ride sites. [98966]

[holding answer 22 November 1999]: Although the Millennium Experience will be a car free event, it is acknowledged that some visitors will wish to make the first leg of their journey by car. The New Millennium Experience Company is therefore to manage a small number of formal park-and-ride facilities around London at which a limited number of visitors each day, who pre-book in advance, will be able to leave their vehicles before completing their journey on convenient public transport links.Whether in existing car parks or in specifically created sites, the park-and-ride capacity is temporary and required only for the duration of the Millennium Experience. The New Millennium Experience Company is not therefore considering options for the longer-term use of these sites.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures the Government are taking to improve the quality of bathing water. [99211]

The Government have pressed for concerted action by the Environment Agency and the water companies to improve bathing water quality. This year compliance with the mandatory coliform bacteria standards of the Bathing Water Directive in England was the best ever, at 90.3 per cent. The Government also wants substantial additional investment under the current periodic review of water prices in England and Wales to increase mandatory compliance to 97 per cent. by 2005, together with a significant increase in compliance with the more stringent, guideline standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to include aircraft emissions in the UK greenhouse gases totals; and if he will make a statement. [99243]

[holding answer 23 November 1999]: Published UK greenhouse gas totals include emissions from domestic aviation. Emissions from international aviation are also reported with the UK greenhouse gas inventory, but are not included in the UK total in accordance with international guidelines. The allocation to countries of greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation is under consideration by the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in consultation with the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what further guidance he has given the Director General of Water Services in the context of his periodic review of water company price limits. [100178]

The Director General of Water Services, Ian Byatt, is currently engaged in a periodic review of water company price limits in England and Wales between April 2000 and March 2005. As part of the review, the Director General sought guidance from Ministers on the environmental and drinking water quality requirements to be placed on water companies during this period. This is an essential element in establishing the extent of companies' investment programmes and in turn enabling the Director General to fulfil his statutory duty to set price limits which enable the companies to finance the proper carrying out of their functions.In September 1998, the Government published "Raising the Quality", which set the strategic framework of environmental and quality standards for each of the main areas of investment. In March of this year, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate published material which had been endorsed by Ministers, setting out detailed requirements for each company at the level of individual investment schemes. In July, the Director General published draft price determinations and set out the assumptions on which these were based, including the size of the investment programme in each company.One area which has been the subject of subsequent debate is the size and phasing of the environmental programme. I have looked again at the programmes of each of the nine large water and sewerage companies in England. In the case of seven of these companies (Anglian, Northumbrian, North West, Severn Trent, Thames, Wessex and Yorkshire Water) I have reconfirmed my original guidance that the entire agreed investment programme should be completed by March 2005. This encompasses work on improving rivers and unsatisfactory intermittent discharges and in upgrading coastal sewerage and sewage treatment systems. For Southern Water, I have again reconfirmed my earlier guidance that the agreed investment programme should be completed by March 2005, save for a small proportion of the programme to improve rivers.The size of the investment programme for South West Water deserves special consideration, given the level of water bills in comparison to the remainder of the country and the scale of the environmental requirements which are necessary or desirable, particularly for coastal sewerage discharges. I have considered carefully the investment package which underlay the draft determination proposed by the Director General and have concluded that this strikes the appropriate balance between the pace of environmental improvements and the burden on water bill payers. I have also accepted the Director General's advice that a large scheme proposed by Wessex Water, designed to address low flow problems in the Hampshire Avon area deserves further study to identify the most cost-effective solution. A scheme will need to go ahead in the pricing period to address the environmental problems, once the studies are complete.I have asked the Director General, in his final determinations, to phase the investment programmes sensibly, taking into account my stated environmental priorities, such as the early improvement of large continuous coastal sewage discharges, together with schemes to benefit key bathing and shellfish waters, within the constraints presented by the need to ensure efficient financing and practical delivery. Further discussions will be necessary between water companies and the Environ ment Agency before the timings of individual schemes are finalised.The Director General also identified 63 of over 550 schemes designed to improve the quality of rivers, which he recommended should receive further study in terms of their costs and benefits before they go ahead. The Environment Agency has advised that for 14 of these schemes, the evidence suggests that no investment is necessary during the pricing period, given the current performance of the treatment works involved, while a significantly less expensive option has already been identified for one more scheme. On this basis I plan to instruct the Agency to take these 15 schemes forward. I intend to ask the Environment Agency to explore in more detail the benefits of the remaining schemes and to set them out in a way which will allow Ministers to judge these against improved information on costs from Ofwat and the companies concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been spent by his Department on external consultants and advisers since May 1997 funded from (i) his Department's programme provision and (ii) his Department's running costs. [99483]

[holding answer 24 November 1999]: Estimated expenditure on external consultants by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, funded from programme provisions and running costs since May 1997 to 30 October 1999:

£ million
Year	DETR spend on external consultants
Programme provision
May 1997–March 1998	2.65
April 1998–March 1999	2.37
April 1999–October 1999	0.01
Running costs
May 1997–March 1999	7.19
April 1998–March 1999	8.2
April 1999–October 1999	3.03

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the outcome of recent consultation on changes to the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997. [100179]

I have considered the advice of the Advisory Committee on Packaging as set out in Sir Peter Parker's letter to me of 22 December 1998, in particular as this relates to changing the percentage activity obligations for each of the four main sectors of the packaging chain. Following consultation on these proposed changes and other matters, and subject to Parliamentary approval, I propose to make a number of changes to the Regulations as set out.

(i) As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member for Elmet on 28 January 1999, Official Report, columns 335–37, I have accepted the advice of the Advisory Committee on Packaging to change the percentage activity obligations and I have now consulted on this recommendation more widely. I therefore propose to change the percentage activity obligations of three of the four main sectors in the packaging chain as follows:

Reduction in the convertor obligation from 11 per cent. to 9 per cent.

Increase in the packer/filler obligation from 36 per cent. to 37 per cent.

Increase in the seller obligation from 47 per cent. to 48 per cent.

The recent consultation paper discussed the option of requiring compliance plans from individually registered businesses. The Regulations currently require operational plans to be provided by compliance schemes to the relevant Agency showing how, over three years, they propose to meet the recovery and recycling obligations of their members. Earlier advice from the Advisory Committee on Packaging on this point recommended that, where there is a significant number of individually registered businesses, they, too should plan ahead and give thought to the steps that would need to be taken to meet the mandatory Directive in 2001. In 1998, there were some 890 individual registrations with the Agencies and some 800 in 1999.

I am also aware that there has been concern among businesses who are members of compliance schemes that there would be a higher rate of non-compliance among businesses pursuing this individual route. For 1998 this proved to be true, with around 200 individually registered businesses failing to provide compliance certificates as required and a number of these failing to take steps to comply with the recovery and recycling obligations. I believe that it is important that all those obligated under the Regulations should have to consider what infrastructural development might be needed to enable the UK to meet the mandatory Directive targets in 2001. At the same time, I am concerned to ensure that smaller businesses should not be faced with disproportionate administrative burdens. I am therefore proposing that businesses registered individually with an Agency who have annual turnover of more than £5 million, should provide a compliance plan to the relevant Agency upon registration and update this annually. We will be looking carefully at the new requirement in its first year of implementation to assess its effectiveness in improving compliance and the associated administrative burdens.

(iii) In my reply to the hon. Member on 28 January 1999, I announced that the financial turnover threshold test for 2000 would be "more than £2 million" thus excluding smaller businesses in the £1 million to £2 million turnover range from the scope of the Regulations. The recent consultation document discussed a number of threshold test scenarios to see whether it was going to be possible to exclude a further number of smaller businesses. However, the Government's view is that the optimum balance of costs and benefits is to be achieved by continuing with the proposed "over £2 million" financial turnover and "over 50 tonnes" packaging handled. I am glad to confirm that these are the two threshold tests that will apply from 1.1.2000 as this will exclude a number of smaller businesses from the scope of the Regulations.

(iv) In my reply to the hon. Member referred to above I also noted that the fee charged by the Environment Agency and Scottish Environment Protection Agency would rise to £900. Since that fee was calculated in mid-1998, the Agencies have had further experience of the monitoring that is required and have had feed-back from business as to the sort of monitoring programme that is wanted to ensure that free-riding does not provide some businesses with a competitive advantage and does not inhibit the achievement of the Directive targets in 2001. The Agencies fee will therefore rise to £950 with effect from 1.1.2000.

The Competition Act 1998 comes into force on 1 March 2000. As a result, the Government is proposing to simplify the Regulations and remove the special competition scrutiny regime to which those who propose to establish a compliance scheme are subject. All compliance schemes and individual businesses will, in any case, be subject to the Competition Act 1998 and the Office of Fair Trading can still investigate any compliance scheme which seems likely to have an anti-competitive effect.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received on the damage to Holy Trinity Primary School in Richmond caused by a block of ice falling from an aircraft on 19 November; and if he will make a statement on the action his Department takes to prevent such incidents [99647]

My Department has not received any such representations. Nor has the incident been reported to the Civil Aviation Authority.Most icefalls from aircraft are due to ice which has formed on the outside of the aircraft detaching itself as it descends into warmer air. The accumulation of ice may be caused by atmospheric conditions, or it may occur due to leakage from a faulty seal on one of the hose sockets used to load or unload liquid to the aircraft. Incidents are rare in relation to the volume of air traffic. In the last 12 months, 24 incidents have been recorded of icefall and 16 of other falling objects; this level of occurrence has not risen in the last five years, despite significant increases in traffic over that period.The Government take seriously all occurrences of ice and debris falling from an aircraft. The primary way to tackle the problem is to ensure that regulations on the safe manufacture and operation of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) aircraft are adhered to. There are many such regulations: for example, before aircraft can be entered on national registers they must meet the appropriate standards for design and construction of aircraft, including resistance to leakage of on-board water or toilet systems which is cause of the build up of ice on the exterior of aircraft.The CAA will investigate icefall incidents if possible, but it is not an easy process and it is extremely rare to confirm the origin of an icefall. The main focus has to be on striving to reduce the number of icefalls by encouraging the aviation industry to improve the relevant systems and procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the outcome of the consultation on the revaluation of non-domestic rates in April 2000. [100220]

Businesses have overwhelmingly supported the need for a transitional relief scheme to phase in changes in business rate bills, as proposed in our recent consultation paper. Following that consultation, I am pleased that we can announce today limits on the size of annual increases over all five years of the new rating list.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what equipment is included in table 1.13 of the UK Defence Statistics 1999. [98484]

The commodity breakdown in table 1.3 of "UK Defence Statistics 1999" is compiled from Customs and Excise data. Further details are given in the notes to the table and in Defence Statistics Bulletin 4, a copy of which is available in the House Library. A detailed breakdown of the equipment headings for each year in table 1.3 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the Boeing C-17 airlifter as a potential solution to the heavy lift requirement of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.[98726]

The Boeing C-17 is one of several options being considered to meet the RAF's requirement for heavy lift for both the short and long-term needs. We have yet to complete our assessment and I would not wish to anticipate the outcome.I hope to be able to make an announcement in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what equipment is included in table 9 of the Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls. [98487]

The list of major equipments in Table 9 of the 1998 Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls is taken from the UK's contribution to the UN Arms Register. The categories "Other Weapons including Small Arms" and "Total Value" are both taken from information collected by HM Customs and Excise. A list of the EU Customs Tariff Codes used in compiling the "Total Value" information is contained in Appendix B to the Report. The category of "Other Weapons including Small Arms" is made up of the goods listed under the three tariff codes 9301 0000 (military weapons, including artillery weapons, continuous rapid-fire weapons, rifles and carbines, and other projectile weapons), 9302 0010 (revolvers and pistols, 9mm calibre and higher) and 9302 0090 (revolvers and pistols below 9mm calibre).A more detailed breakdown of the equipment included could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the cost of the Medium-Range Trigat missiles to be delivered in 2003. [99417]

Our current estimate of the cost of Medium-Range Trigat missiles to be delivered in 2003 is £19 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the current programme for the industrialisation and production phases of the Trigat-MR ATGW; what changes have been made to the programme since 1 January; and if the project is on schedule; [99440](2) which countries have signed an agreement to participate in the industrialisation phase of the Trigat-MR ATGW programme; which countries he expects to sign; and on what date; [99438](3) what assessment he has made of the impact on

Germany, France and UK, as the major participants in the programme, have signed the MR Trigat Industrialisation and Production Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The Netherlands and Belgium have still to sign and we expect decisions to be made by both nations by early 2000, once their Governmental and Parliamentary procedures are complete. We are not able to give precise dates for these signatures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many women members of the Royal Navy were serving at sea on 1 November. [99525]

The number of women in the Naval Service serving at sea on 1 November 1999 was 784.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the loss of an RAF Tornado off the coast of East Lothian on 17 November; if he will ensure that the inquiry into this incident includes consideration of the extent of exclusion zones around nuclear installations; and if he will publish the inquiry report when it is completed. [99533]

A Board of Inquiry is under way to establish the cause of this accident. The safety of nuclear power stations is a matter for the nuclear industry, which would approach us to review the extent of avoidances if they thought that insufficient safety margins existed. Once the Board of Inquiry is complete, a Military Aircraft Accident Summary of the Board's report will be produced and placed in the Library of the House in the normal way.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which posts in the Infantry and Royal Armoured Corps women are excluded from; and by what criteria his Department makes decisions as to which posts are open only to men. [99326]

All cap-badged posts in the Regular Infantry and Household Cavalry/Royal Armoured Corps are presently closed to women, on the ground of combat effectiveness. Women can, however, serve in all deployable posts that are attached to Regular Infantry and Household Cavalry/Royal Armoured Corps units (for example, as a member of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers cap-badged Light Aid Detachment). The Government are wholly committed to maximising employment opportunities for women in the Armed Forces, and to this end the Army is currently conducting a study into the effects of gender upon combat effectiveness, which is due to report to Ministers in 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress is being made by her Department in implementing alternative development in drug-producing regions of drug-producing countries. [99249]

Our Strategy for alternative development drug producing areas is set out in "Illicit Drugs and the Development Assistance Programme", a copy of which is in the Library. My Department is currently funding alternative development in the lower Huallaga valley in Peru and in the Chapare region of Bolivia through the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP). We have also been funding a project in the Dir district of Pakistan.There have been substantial reductions of coca in the Chapare region during 1998 and farm plans for agricultural diversification and soil conservation have been developed with farmers and are now being implemented. The project also involves several micro-projects, including strengthening women's groups and providing micro-credit to help the women produce flowers, vegetables and honey. Work in the Lower Huallaga valley is still in the early planning stages. The opium poppy has been virtually eliminated in the Dir district, partly through the introduction of alternative crops and development infrastructure.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what education projects her Department is supporting in Southern Sudan; and if she will make a statement. [99239]

We are not funding any education projects in Southern Sudan. Britain suspended bilateral aid to Sudan in 1991 following concern about the Government of Sudan's Policies on Human Rights, international issues and the continuing civil war. Substantial support for United Nations and NGO emergency programmes in Sudan continues. Sudan also benefits from DFID' s Civil Society Challenge (Global) Fund, which provides matching funding for a World University Service education initiative with the displaced of Sudan.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce the terms of reference of the Inquiry which he is establishing into the machinery for determining firefighters' conditions of service; and who will be undertaking it. [100430]

The terms of reference of the Inquiry are:

"To consider whether, and if so, what changes need to be made to the present procedures for determining the conditions of service (other than pay) and the working practices of firefighters employed by local authorities' fire brigades so as to secure best value, fairness at work, and effective procedures for the settling of disputes, and to report to the Secretary of State."

The Inquiry will be undertaken by Professor Frank Burchill, Professor of Industrial Relations at the University of Keele Professor Burchill will shortly be writing to interested parties seeking written evidence by 31 January 2000. I have asked Professor Burchill to let me have his report and recommendations by 31 March 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to consult on the regulations which he plans to put in place under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. [100431]

I have today placed in the Library copies of a consultation paper which sets out our proposals for those regulations which we intend to put in place under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. We are also sending copies of the document direct to interested groups and will make it available on the internet. The consultation period will end on 14 January 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to announce the allocations of police grant for individual police authorities in England and Wales for 2000–01. [100432]

I have today placed a copy of my proposals for the allocation of police grant for 2000–01 in the Library. I intend to implement these proposals subject to consideration of any representation I receive about them and to approval by the House.I am proposing to continue to allocate the greater part of police grant according to the police funding formula. I announced in my reply to the right hon. Member for East Devon (Sir P. Emery) on 2 November 1999, Official Report, column 118W, that I did not intend to make any changes to the funding formula in 2000–01.I am proposing that the Metropolitan Police Service should continue to receive additional funding in recognition of its distinct national and capital city functions. It has proved very difficult for the principal formula to take account of these special circumstances. As in previous years, a special payment of grant will be made to the Metropolitan Police Service over and above that available through the principal formula. I have set the amount of this special payment at £182 million.In addition, I am proposing to make special payments of grant to the following police authorities in 2000–01 in recognition of the additional costs which will be incurred as a result of the changes to the Metropolitan Police District boundaries:

	£ million
Essex	1.25
Hertfordshire	2.75
Metropolitan Police	0.50
Surrey	5.50

Other police funding proposals within the local government finance system are being announced today by my right hon. Friend the Member for North-West Durham (Ms Armstrong) and by the National Assembly for Wales. These proposals and mine would increase Total Standard Spending on the police in England and Wales by 3 per cent. or around £212 million over 1999–2000.I have also announced that new money will be made available through the Crime Fighting Fund to recruit 5,000 more police officers over and above the number forces would otherwise have recruited over the next three years commencing in April 2000. £35 million will be ring-fenced for this purpose in year one, with further sums being made available in years two and three. This money will be ring-fenced for front-line policing.The settlement also takes account of my commitment to improve police efficiency. I have set a target of 2 per cent. efficiency gains year on year for the police service from 1999–2000. By achieving these targets in 2000–01, police authorities can reinvest the savings to help meet front-line policing priorities. Police grant allocations in 2001–02 will depend on police authorities meeting the 2 per cent. efficiency targets which have been set. Authorities which fail to achieve the efficiency gain sought may be subject to an appropriate deduction from their resources.I expect police authorities in England to exercise restraint and sound financial management by setting budgets that are responsible, prudent and reasonable. We shall be monitoring the position very carefully. The National Assembly for Wales is responsible for exercising reserve powers to limit council tax increases in Wales.The effect of my proposals for each police authority for 2000–01 is set out in the table. It also shows the allocations approved by Parliament for 1999–2000.

£ million
	Allocation1
Police authority	1999–2000	2000–01
English Shire forces
Avon and Somerset	168.4	173.7
Bedfordshire	61.4	64.1
Cambridgeshire	74.8	77.2
Cheshire	109.0	111.9
Cleveland	81.7	84.7
Cumbria	60.1	62.2
Derbyshire	102.1	105.4
Devon and Cornwall	174.3	178.9
Dorset	70.1	72.4
Durham	81.3	83.9
Essex4	163.0	174.8
Gloucestershire	62.4	63.5
Hampshire	194.5	202.7
Hertfordshire4	100.0	117.3

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he will make for the payment of £50 per person for all asylum applicants who remain in the new support system for more than six months. [100433]

I announced during the passage of the Immigration and Asylum Bill that where asylum seekers remained on the main support system in part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (which is due to come into effect on 1 April) for more than six months through no fault of their own, they would be eligible for an additional payment of £50 per person in order to obtain replacement items such as clothes, shoes and other essentials. This payment will not be available to those who are on the statutory interim arrangements (in schedule 9 to the Act), nor will it apply to those who are in receipt of social security benefits. The six-month period will not begin until an asylum seeker has been accepted for support under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.Asylum seekers will need to apply for the additional provision setting out the length of time that they have been in the support system and indicating the items which they need to replace. This information will act as a prompt to the payment of the additional provision, but also as a survey to enable us to review the amount to be paid and the purposes for which it is to be used. Once an application has been received, due consideration will be given provided there is no evidence that the asylum applicant has failed to comply with the asylum support procedures or has actively sought to frustrate or delay progress on the asylum application.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to letters to the Asylum Directorate from Powell and Co., dated 17 May, 17 June, 8 July, 17 September and 19 October, concerning a constituent (Home Office reference D282723) of the hon. Member for Erith and Thamesmead; and if he will make a statement. [99771]

Following receipt of Powell and Co. solicitor's letter of 17 May, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) replied in June. There is no trace of any further letters. IND have telephoned the solicitors in order to resolve the matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters to him dated 4 August, 10 September and 14 October from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Cleveland Savory. [99768]

I am very sorry my right hon. Friend has not received a reply to his letters. I will be writing to him shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters to him dated 15 July and 16 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Y. Belarbi. [99769]

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary wrote to my right hon. Friend on 23 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters to him dated 12 August, 16 September and 14 October from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms L. M. Mtato. [99767]

I wrote to my right hon. Friend today. I am sorry for the delay in replying.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the (a) target response time and (b) average response time for written inquiries to the Asylum Directorate. [99770]

The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) answer general written inquiries on a wide range of issues. The statistics available do not distinguish asylum-related inquiries from others. The IND does not keep statistics on the average response time for this correspondence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the European Council to consider the Commission's proposals to transfer to the Commission competence for the implementing provisions of the Eurodac Regulation. [98732]

It is understood that these proposals are to be considered at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 2 and 3 December 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct a national review of the care of vulnerable young prison inmates in young offenders centres. [98673]

A review was carried out of all forms of secure accommodation for young offenders and young people held on remand as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). As a result, a programme of reform of the current arrangements was announced by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in a reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Stretford and Urmston (Ms Hughes), now the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on 29 July 1998, Official Report, columns 255-56W. This included the provision of £51 million to improve accommodation and regimes for under-18-year-olds in prison custody. These resources will provide for a new distinct estate for 15 to 17-year-old boys and enhanced regime standards to operate within it. This will support the delivery, from April 2000, of the new custodial sentence for under-18-year-olds under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, the Detention and Training Order. The new regime standards emphasise the importance of safeguarding the welfare of the young person, recognising the needs and vulnerability of this age group.In addition, three units are being created within Young Offender Institutions for young people sentenced under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 to meet their special needs where relevant.The review also resulted in a new central co-ordinating role for the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales. From April 2000, the Board will be responsible for the commissioning and purchasing of places in all forms of juvenile secure accommodation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what national initiatives have been introduced to reduce drug-related crime in each year since 1992. [98595]

National initiatives to reduce drug-related crime introduced since 1997 include the piloting of the new Drug Treatment and Testing Order, for which around £60 million has been earmarked for national roll-out next year, an additional £76 million over the next three years for tackling drug misuse in prisons and up to £20 million over the next three years to promote the development of arrest referral schemes to get drug misusing offenders into treatment.No information is available on initiatives prior to that date.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the initiatives taken between 1992 and 1997 on Merseyside to reduce drug-related crime. [98592]

A record of the initiatives that have been taken on Merseyside between 1992 and 1997 to reduce drug-related crime is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in what percentage of cases where a defendant has opted for trial by jury the defendant has subsequently pleaded guilty before the case was heard for each year since 1980; [99403](2) for each year since 1980, in respect of defendants who have opted for trial by jury and then changed their plea to guilty before the case was heard, what percentage of such defendants had no previous criminal conviction. [99405]

Statistics on pleas in the Crown Court are collected centrally, but they do not record whether the defendant elected for trial or was directed by magistrates. However, there is some information available from the baseline data collected by the Home Office in 1998 for the evaluation of the pilot schemes to reduce delay in the criminal justice system. In a sample of nearly 1,000 cases in the six pilot areas, about 60 per cent. of those who elected for the Crown Court pleaded guilty before the trial started.Separate Home Office research conducted in 1989-90 suggested that nearly 90 per cent. of those who elected for jury trial and were convicted had previous convictions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to take any action over the parading this year by extreme right-wing groups at the Cenotaph, and over the possibility of such parades in the future. [99276]

It is the role of the Metropolitan police to control demonstrations and marches to preserve the peace, uphold the law and to prevent the commission of offences. Police tactics and decisions on how to achieve these objectives are a matter for the independent operational judgment of the Commissioner. There is, of course, a balance to be struck between protecting the rights of those undertaking lawful activities and the rights of demonstrators and marchers. Violent activity or inciting racial hatred are not legitimate forms of protest and the police and the courts have the power to deal with these offences under the provisions of the Public Order Act 1986. The investigation of complaints about incitement of racial hatred or other public order offences rests with the police as part of their general duties in the enforcement of criminal lawAny planned march for next year will be considered by the police, who have the power to impose conditions or, if they believe that conditions would be insufficient to prevent public disorder, to seek the Secretary of State's permission to ban the march.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prosecutions there have been in each of the last five years for the sale of fireworks to children; and if he will make a statement; [99293](2) how many prosecutions there have been in each of the last five years for selling unsafe fireworks; and if he will make a statement. [99294]

Information held centrally on the Home Office Court Proceedings Database does not identify separately the offence of "selling of gunpowder to children" under section 31 of the Explosives Act 1875 from other summary offences under the Explosives Acts.The Database shows no defendants proceeded against for the triable either-way offence of selling unsafe fireworks (section 32 Explosives Act 1875—Sale of gunpowder to be in closed packages labelled) from 1994 to 1998 inclusive.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to implement the recommendations resulting from his Department' s research into the cost of policing in rural areas; and if he will make a statement; [99224](2) when he intends to announce details of the police funding formula for 2000–01; [99227](3) what was the cost of his Department's research into the sparsity element of the police funding formula; [99226](4) what were the main conclusions of the recent research into the cost of policing in rural areas. [99225]

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to the right hon. Member for East Devon (Sir Peter Emery) on 2 November 1999, Official Report, column 118W.The needs of police forces with sparsely populated rural areas are already taken into account in the current police funding formula. The research study found that there were additional costs involved in the policing of sparsely populated rural areas and recommended that the police funding formula should be changed to reflect these costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which bodies have been consulted concerning relevant draft legislative proposals on mutual recognition of judicial decisions; what will be the purpose of the measures in the programme proposed by the European Council relating to this subject; and if he will list the purpose of each measure of primary legislation, and its title, required to put the programme into effect. [99410]

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Office on 3 November 1999, Official Report, column 194W.

To ask the President of the Council if she will make a statement on progress in dealing with the Millennium bug. [99724]

I am pleased to update Members with the results of the November monthly review of progress in tackling the Millennium bug across Government. The completed questionnaires will all be placed in the Libraries of the House and published on the internet as normal. This report follows on from my statement to the House on 28 October. I am also reporting on preparedness across the national infrastructure, including key services delivered by the wider public sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve protection of the public from bogus, dangerous and unethical health professionals covered by the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine. [98493]

We understand that the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM) publishes the names of all practitioners who have been subject to disciplinary proceedings and notifies employers of any practitioner who has been struck off. We have emphasised to National Health Service employers their responsibility for verifying the registration of prospective employees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have to order a study to be made on the effect of CS spray on detained persons who are apparently mentally ill; and if the Government will ensure that the use of CS spray on detained persons in such circumstances is suspended pending such a study. [98450]

The independent Committee on Toxicity recommended follow-up studies on persons sprayed with CS spray. This work is being taken forward by the Home Office and the Department and will aim to take into account any current use of neuroleptic medication. We have no other plans to order a study pending the outcome of this work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on civil servants transport in each of the last two years. [98695]

The amount spent on civil servants transport in the Department was £6.369 million in 1997–98 and £5.670 million in 1998–99.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of births were delivered by Caesarian operation in each (a) maternity unit, (b) health trust and (c) health authority in England in the last year for which figures are available. [98499]

The information requested has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were employed at (a) York Health Services NHS Trust, (b) Northallerton Health Services NHS Trust and (c) Harrogate Health Care in (i) 1999, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1997. [99053]

The information requested is in the tables.Unvalidated figures for 1999 indicate a steady position in both Harrogate and Northallerton with an increase in both head count and whole-time equivalents of qualified nurses in York.The figures have fallen in Harrogate due to the completion of the new Harrogate District Hospital and the closure of Harrogate General Hospital.All three trusts are provided with pre-registration nurse education by the University of York. Commissions for training places at York University have increased as follows:

Year	Number
1996–97	174
1997–98	187
1998–99	202
1999–2000	222

NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): nurses,
qualified and unqualified, by specified trusts, as at 30 September
each year
1997		1998
Trusts	hc1	wte2	hc1	wte2
Total	3,850	2,820	3,400	2,620
Harrogate Health Care NHS Trust
Total	920	730	900	690
Qualified	650	530	650	520
Unqualified	270	200	250	170

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the outcome was of the Health Council held in Brussels on 18 November; and if he will make a statement. [99515]

I attended the Health Council on 18 November in Brussels on behalf of the United Kingdom.The new Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, David Byrne, presented the Commission's fourth report on health protection in other Community policies and his ideas on the future Community public health strategy. This information was welcomed by Ministers and a Council Resolution on health protection in other Community policies was then adopted. The Commissioner reported on the adoption by the Commission of a proposed directive on the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products, which includes changes to the labelling and tar content of tobacco products. Commission reports on progress achieved in relation to public health protection from the harmful effects of tobacco and on developments on the negotiations taking place on the World Health Organisation' s tobacco framework convention were presented. Following an open debate on the general policy of reduction of tobacco consumption, Council Conclusions were adopted on combating tobacco consumption. A Council Resolution was adopted on mental health promotion and progress was noted on a Resolution on antibiotic resistance to be adopted by the Agriculture Council in December. The Presidency reported on health issues beyond the present European Union borders, including: health in the applicant countries; health questions related to the Northern Dimension and the common strategy on Russia; and the euro-mediterranean conference of Health Ministers to be held in December. The Council noted that Conclusions had been adopted at a previous Council on the importance of co-operation with the applicant countries in the sphere of public health. The Commission reported on its plans for a new exchange of letters with WHO to encourage effective working relations. Commissioner Byrne reported on his wide-ranging plans to transform the Community's approach to food safety, including plans to establish a European food agency. The Council took note of progress reports on two pharmaceutical directives covering clinical trials and medical devices. Under any other business, the Netherlands raised its concerns about the impact on domestic health care systems of recent European Court of Justice cases about access to health benefits in other countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to NHS trusts concerning paid adoption leave for NHS staff. [99404]

Special Leave for domestic, personal and family reasons, including adoption situations, is covered in Section 12 of the General Whitley Council Handbook. This covers those staff on nationally negotiated contracts. Copies of the handbook are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if the forthcoming guidance on continence services will seek to eliminate existing regional variations in standards of care and create a national minimum standard of continence care; [99305](2) if the forthcoming guidance on continence services will remove the existing ambiguity over the rights of people in residential care to receive a full NHS continence service; [99304](3) if the forthcoming guidance on continence services will ensure that health authorities

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 1 November 1999, Official Report, column 50W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances NHS policy determines whether an individual is entitled to continence services.[99306]

Anyone with a continence problem will normally approach their general practitioner in the first instance. The GP will then decide what steps to take to treat their continence problem. This can include referral to a continence nurse specialist for appropriate treatment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the arrangements for the accountability of general practitioners; and to whom they are accountable. [99275]

General practitioners provide medical services to patients under statutory arrangements with a health authority. They are accountable to the health authority for the proper discharge of their obligations under their National Health Service terms of service set out in the National Health Service (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992. General practitioners, like all other doctors, are also accountable to the General Medical Council.We have recently published for consultation "Supporting Doctors, Protecting Patients". This contains proposals for preventing, identifying and dealing with poor performance of doctors. Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the Library. In addition, the General Medical Council is working towards the introduction of revalidation, to ensure that the continued inclusion of a doctor's name on the Medical Register represents an assurance that the doctor has kept up to date in his or her chosen field of practice and remains fit to practice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when a Minister in his Department will answer the letter of the hon. and learned Member for Harborough dated 29 September addressed to the right hon. Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Ms Jowell) dealing with certain inquiries from a constituent, Mrs. Constance Foreman of Leicester. [99461]

I replied to the hon. and learned Member on 22 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of fuel poverty and cold-related illnesses on (a) overall NHS spending, (b) winter admission rates, (c) public health and (d) death rates. [99111]

[holding answer 22 November 1999]: Fuel poverty and cold homes can exacerbate a number of illnesses such as asthma in children and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in older people. However, poor health can be influenced by a large number of causes other than cold housing. Poverty, unemployment and unhealthy life styles are examples of interacting factors that can have at least as great an effect. Therefore, while we clearly recognise that fuel poverty and cold homes undoubtedly contribute to ill health, it is not possible accurately to assess the direct impact on winter admissions, public health, death rates or the level of National Health Service expenditure incurred.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what payment is made by the Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust and the Southampton Community Hospitals NHS Trust to undertakers for the removal of bodies out of hours under the existing contractual arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [99103]

Southampton University Hospitals National Health Service Trust is forecasting payment of between £20,000 to £23,000 and Southampton Community Health Service NHS Trust an estimated £10,000 this year as part of their contracts with local undertakers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what concentrations of uranium have been measured in the tracheo-bronchial lymph nodes of people in (a) West Cumbria and (b) other regions of England in each of the last three years. [99284]

No measurements of concentrations of uranium in tracheo-bronchial lymph nodes have been undertaken in the last three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what date the Food and Drink Federation has told him that it expects to complete its review of the purpose and usage of sodium; and what timetable the Government have set for the food and drink industries to achieve a considerable reduction in the salt content of processed food. [99460]

We understand that the Food and Drink Federation is expected to complete its review by the end of the year. Once the report is available, we propose to explore with the FDF the scope for reducing the levels of salt in processed foods.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many copies of the consultation document, "Fit for the Future?", have been (a) printed, (b) applied for, and (c) distributed; [99303](2) if he will extend the period for consultation on the document, "Fit for the Future?". [99302]

On 8 September the Department published the consultation document "Fit for the Future?". 5,000 copies were printed. The document was also placed on the Department's website on the internet where people can access it immediately.1,500 copies of "Fit for the Future?" were distributed to a wide range of representative organisations and individuals for consultation nationally. The circular which accompanied the distribution clearly stated that the consultation document could be freely reproduced by all to whom it was addressed.An additional 3,500 copies were sent to the Department's distributors to send to people who requested a printed copy of the consultation document.The high demand for printed copies of "Fit for the Future?" led to stocks being exhausted in mid November leaving a backlog of orders, currently approximately 1,000, with more being received.In the circumstances, an additional 5,000 copies of "Fit for the Future?" have been printed and these are now being issued. A letter is being sent with these copies giving recipients until 21 January 2000 to comment on the consultation document.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to combat tuberculosis. [99425]

[holding answer 23 November 1999]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 19 October 1999, Official Report, columns 468–69W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria were used to appoint members of the expert advisory group on human cloning. [99754]

Individuals were invited to serve on the expert group in the light of their personal expertise in appropriate areas of science and medicine, including genetics, cell biology, reproductive biology, veterinary medicine, haematology, surgery and molecular biology. Three additional members were appointed for their expertise in ethics and law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the supply of anaesthetists and theatre staff in cardiac surgery. [99328]

We do not plan centrally the numbers of anaesthetists in cardiac surgery nor the numbers of theatre staff generally. It is for individual National Health Service trusts and health authorities, who are accountable for the quality of the services they provide, to determine the number, grade and mix of staff they will require to deliver quality services in their area.Currently, there are enough specialists training in anaesthetics for there to be around 1,280 extra qualifying for consultant posts by 2005. At national level, numbers of higher specialist trainees in anaesthetics have been reviewed recently and we are satisfied there are sufficient to meet NHS demands for consultants over the next few years.The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease will be published shortly. This will reinforce the priority we attach to tackling coronary heart disease and set the service context within which health authorities and trusts will plan their staffing needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what motor mileage allowance rates his Department offers to (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants using their own vehicles for official business; and what has been the cost of each in each of the last five years. [98693]

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office pays motor mileage allowance at three main rates in the United Kingdom.

• Public Transport rate of 24.8 pence per mile.
• Standard rate (paid when official or public transport is not readily available):
  • up to 4,000 miles a year at 39.5 pence per mile.
  • over 4,000 miles a year at 22.0 pence per mile.

Ministers, when travelling on official business, may use a private car instead of an official car, and claim mileage allowance in the same circumstances and on the same terms as officials.Details of expenditure on mileage allowances are not held centrally and it would involve disproportionate cost to obtain this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe summit in Istanbul. [99591]

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary represented the United Kingdom at the Summit meeting of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe on 18-19 November in Istanbul. The meeting agreed a Charter for European Security, an adapted Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, and a revised Vienna Document on confidence and security building measures. Copies of these documents and the Summit Declaration will be placed in the Library of the House.The Charter for European Security sets out principles for future security co-operation in Europe and improves the operational capabilities of the Organisation, particularly in response to crises. It also reinforces the immediate and legitimate interest of all participating states in the implementation of their commitments undertaken within the Organisation.The Summit welcomed the signature of an adapted Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. The adapted Treaty will provide a greater degree of military stability through strict limitations, increased transparency and lower permitted levels for conventional forces in its area of application. My right hon. Friend made it clear that UK ratification would depend on the level of compliance of all states within the agreed limits.The revised Vienna Document incorporates various decisions taken since 1994. The Forum for Security Co-operation also agreed to study the contribution that the Organisation might make to the international effort to curb the spread of small arms and light weapons.The situation in Chechnya was a key concern at the Summit. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the issue intensively in a range of meetings with other Ministers, including the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation. The Russian Delegation eventually accepted a passage in the Summit Declaration saying that a political solution to the situation in Chechnya was essential and that the assistance of the Organisation would contribute to achieving that goal. The Declaration also welcomed the agreement of the Russian Federation to a visit by the Chairman-in-Office to the region and reaffirmed the existing mandate of the Organisation's Assistance Group to Chechnya.The Summit also welcomed the separate bilateral agreements between the Russian Federation and the Republics of Georgia and Moldova under which all Russian forces will withdraw from Moldova by the end of 2002 and two of the four Russian bases in Georgia will be closed by 1 July 2001.The Summit Declaration draws attention to the Organisation's important role in early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation in its area, including particularly the work of the High Commissioner on National Minorities and the Organisation's missions in the field. The Declaration confirms that the Organisation will continue to play an important part in the consolidation of peace in Kosovo.Austria will assume the Chairmanship-in-Office of the Organisation in year 2000. The Summit agreed that Romania would succeed Austria in year 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will apply economic sanctions against Indonesia if its Government does not take immediate and effective steps to disarm the militia whose activities are preventing refugees from returning to East Timor. [99548]

We have made it clear to the Indonesian Government that swift action to accelerate the return of displaced East Timorese to their homes is essential for Indonesia to regain its international standing. We continue to urge them in this; our Ambassador in Indonesia pressed the point during his visit from 1-4 November when he met senior local political leaders and pro-integrationists. We understand that the TNI and INTERFET are now co-operating more closely. 92,000 refugees are now reported to have returned to East Timor.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has completed his review of National Insurance contributions for 2000–01. [100398]

I have completed the annual review under section 141 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. In addition to the reforms to the National Insurance contributions announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his March 1999 Budget, I propose the following changes to take effect from 6 April 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will estimate the cost and number of beneficiaries of increasing the earnings limit for invalid care allowance from £50 to (a) £75, (b) £100, (c) £125 and (d) £150; [98463](2) if he will estimate the cost and number of beneficiaries of creating two levels of invalid care allowance, one at a lower rate, set at the level of short-term NI benefits and paid to all carers for the first three months and thereafter to carers giving fewer than 35 hours of care a week; and one at a higher level set at the level of the basic retirement pension available after three months to all carers giving more than 35 hours of care a week. [98461]

The information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost and number of beneficiaries of continuing to pay invalid care allowance after care ends for (a) four weeks and (b) eight weeks. [98464]

The estimated cost of continuing to pay Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) after entitlement ceases for four weeks is £10 million in 2000–01 with an estimated 50,000 gainers; and after entitlement ceases for eight weeks is £20 million in 2000–01 with an estimated 50,000 gainers.For those who are most vulnerable and in greatest need, income is already protected via the income-related benefits, despite the loss of ICA when caring ends.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will estimate the cost of extending the entitlement to invalid care allowance to all people of pensionable age who provide more than 35 hours a week of care (a) at its current level and (b) if it were set at the same level as the minimum income guarantee; [98465]

If all other Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) conditions of entitlement are met, the estimated cost' of extending (ICA) new claims to over 65s is £5 million in 2000–01, with 35,000 gainers. In addition, and for pensioner recipients only, raising ICA to the level of the Minimum Income Guarantee (currently £75) is £105 million (after income related benefit offset) in 2000–01, with 250,000 gainers.It is estimated that the consequent extension of carer premium entitlement to those aged over 65 would cost £15 million in Income Support (IS) in the year 2000–01

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much his Department has spent on civil servants transport in 1995–96 and 1996–97. [98716]

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.All travel undertaken by DSS staff complies with the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code.

Expenditure on civil service transport
Year	Expenditure (£)
1995–96	24,158,110
1996–97	21,147,786

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate (a) the current number of people in receipt of residential allowance and the projections for (i) 2005, (ii) 2010 and (iii) 2015 and (b) the cost in each case, assuming uprating continues as before. [98458]

At May 1999, the estimated number of Income Support claimants in receipt of Residential Allowance is 195,000. The estimated annual expenditure on the Income Support Residential Allowance is £612 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of households in Wales were in receipt of (a) income support and (b) family credit at the most recent date for which figures are available. [98497]

The information is not available in the format requested. However, it is estimated that as at May 1999, 9.8 per cent. of the adult population of Wales were in receipt of Income Support and an estimated 2.1 per cent. of the adult population of Wales were in receipt of Family Credit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost and number of beneficiaries of increasing the capital threshold for income support entitlement from £8,000 to (a) £10,000, (b) £20,000, (c) £30,000, (d) £40,000, (e) £50,000 and (f) £60,000. [98466]

The information is in the table.

Cost and number of beneficiaries of increasing the capital
threshold for income support entitlement for people not living in
residential care or nursing homes
Income Support upper capital limit (£)	Number of benefiaries	Income Support costs (£ million)
10,000	10,000	25
20,000	25,000	50
30,000	25,000	50
40,000	25,000	50
50,000	25,000	50
60,000	25,000	50

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his statement on page 157 of the pre-Budget report, if he will give figures for the effect on social security spending in each of the years (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02 as a result of (i) the revised assumption for unemployment, (ii) the reassessment of future rents and (iii) lower projected disability benefit caseloads. [99400]

The information is in the table. The figures are consistent with those published in the November 1999 Pre-Budget Report, and show expenditure in Great Britain.

£ million
	1999–2000	2000–01	2000–02
Revised assumption of unemployment	-1,170	-2,200	-2,380
Reassessment of future rents	-110	-260	-410
Lower projected disability benefit caseloads1	-250	-585	-920
1This figure covers changes in projected caseloads for Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, and Severe Disablement Allowance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what sum will be expended on disregarding war pensions when calculating income-related benefits for each local authority in England and Wales in the current financial year; and if he will make a statement; [99384](2) what sum was expended on disregarding war pensions when calculating income-related benefits for each local authority in England and Wales over each of the last three financial years; and if he will make a statement.[99386]

Information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available has been placed in the Library.The table shows the amounts expended by each local authority in England and Wales, within their own discretionary schemes, when disregarding war pensions in the calculation of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit for the years 1996–97 to 1998–99, which is the latest information available. These amounts are funded from an authority's own resources.In addition to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit expenditure by local authorities on discretionary schemes, there is further central Government expenditure on statutory disregards in Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. Details of this expenditure are not available for each individual authority and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what level of disregard is offered for claimants in receipt of war disablement or war widows pensions against income-related benefits for each local authority in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [99385]

The information requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the outcome of the Labour and Social Affairs Council held in Brussels on 12 November; and if he will make a statement. [98507]

I represented the Secretary of State at this meeting of the Council.The Council discussed the employment package for the second time. Further discussion will take place at the Employment and Social Affairs Council and the Joint Council with ECOFIN on 29 November. A final version of the package is due for submission to the Helsinki European Council on 11–12 December.The majority of the Council supported the joint Opinion of the Employment and Labour Market Committee and the Economic Policy Committee which advocated minimum change to this year's Guidelines.The Presidency said that the text of the Joint Employment Report was now largely agreed. The Commission agreed to continue its efforts to address UK concerns over references which appear to misrepresent UK policy and were unacceptable to the UK in a text that was to be jointly agreed.The Presidency agreed to examine any requests of delegations for further changes to their recommendations, but would do so in a manner compatible with the principles contained in the joint Opinion of the Employment and Labour Market Committee and the Economic Policy Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils in class sizes of more than 30 in January 1993 and January 1994. [99580]