To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will agree his concordat with the Scottish Executive and National Assembly for Wales. [102474]

I have today agreed concordats with the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly, which set out the principles governing our bilateral relationships. A copy of these has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he plans to procure additional high velocity missiles from Shorts Missile Systems of Belfast. [102475]

Type of aircraft	Main locations	Date first entered service	Life expectancy(approximate figures in years)
Bulldog	University Air Squadrons	1972	30
Dominie	Cranwell	1965	50
Jetstream	Cranwell/Culdrose/Yeovilton	1972	50
Hercules	Lyneham	1966	45
Hawk	Valley/Leeming/Boscombe Down	1976	35
Nimrod	Kinloss	1969	40
VC10	Brize Norton	1966	45
Canberra	Marham	1951	55
Sea King	Yeovilton/Prestwick/Culdrose/and on RN ships, RAF Search and Rescue Units	1969	45
Chinook	Odiham	1980	35
Puma	Benson and Aldergrove	1971	40
Gazelle	Wattisham/Disforth/Middle Wallop/Odiham/and other Army units	1974	45

I am pleased to announce that the Defence Procurement Agency has now signed a contract with Shorts Missile Systems for additional High Velocity Missiles for the Army. The contract is valued at around £200 million and will sustain around 550 jobs at Shorts Missile Systems, with a further 170 jobs also sustained across their sub-contractors in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what aircraft have been delivered for the use of British forces containing (a) PVC/Nylon wiring, (b) Poly-X wiring and (c) Kapton wiring; when the aircraft were delivered; and what is their life expectancy; [100926](2) how many British military aircraft contain

Listed are details of how many British military aircraft contain PVC/Nylon, Poly-X or Kapton wiring, together with the type and location of the aircraft concerned. Details are also provided about when the aircraft first entered service and their approximate life expectancy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what account he will take of allegations about unfair subsidies to South Korean shipyards using IMF loans when determining the outcome of the MOD competition for roll-on, roll-off ferries; and if he will make a statement. [100573]

Bids from four consortia to provide a strategic Sealift service are currently being assessed. The ships will be commercial standard roll-on, roll-off ferries, owned by the service provider. We have specifically asked bidders proposing overseas build to demonstrate that UK build would not be competitive on similar terms. If there is evidence of subsidies, this will be fully taken into account in our evaluation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to appoint a new Inspector of Kilts. [100903]

The Ministry of Defence has no such appointment and there are no plans to create one.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has made a re-assessment of the United Kingdom's anti-submarine requirements since the publication of the Strategic Defence Review. [101669]

The United Kingdom's anti-submarine warfare capabilities are kept under constant review in order to ensure that we maintain appropriate and balanced maritime forces. Since its publication, there has been no reason to revise the conclusion of the Strategic Defence Review, which confirmed a continuing decline in the likelihood of an open-ocean anti-submarine threat on the scale previously envisaged.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the conditions under which the United Kingdom stands ready to provide destroyers and frigates for peacekeeping operations, as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the United Nations; and if he will make a statement. [101672]

The decision to commit any of the forces declared to the UN in the Memorandum of Understanding remains a national one taken on a case-by-case basis. Factors that will be taken into consideration when deciding whether to contribute to a specific UN peacekeeping operation include the aim of the operation, a clear exit strategy, the safety of UK personnel, and the level of other commitments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of low level flying training in the United Kingdom in the light of experience in Kosovo. [101502]

Low flying remains an important military tactic. While the circumstances in Kosovo were such that there was no requirement for fast jets to fly at low level, that might not be the case in future operations elsewhere. Regularly carrying out practice sorties within the UK Low Flying System remains the most effective way to ensure aircrew have the high levels of readiness necessary to take part in operations at low level, should the need arise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to maintain an arms broker company list; and if he will make a statement. [101926]

We have no plans at present to maintain a list of arms broker companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies he is undertaking of theatre ballistic missile defence against land mobile missiles; and what is his target date for putting a theatre ballistic missile defence system into service. [102139]

The Strategic Defence Review concluded that the technologies related to ballistic missile defence are changing rapidly and it would be premature to decide on acquiring such a capability. This remains our policy. We continue, however, to monitor developments in the risks posed by ballistic missiles and in the technology to counter them, and we are contributing to NATO preparations for studies into the feasibility of theatre ballistic missile defence. The terms of reference for our national programme of studies were announced by my predecessor, now Lord Robertson, on 27 July 1999, Official Report, column 203W. These studies include issues concerned with defending against land-based, mobile, theatre ballistic missiles, as will the studies to be undertaken by NATO.

To ask the President of the Council when she will publish the latest results of the market research tracking public perception of the millennium bug. [102535]

I have placed copies of the Executive Summary of the October tracking research in the Libraries of the House.The latest results are broadly consistent with those for previous months, showing that anxiety among the public on this issue remains low.The results of the November tracking research will be published in the next few weeks and I will place copies of the Executive Summary in the Libraries of the House as soon as they are available.

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee when she expects the Committee to publish its revised proposals for re-opening the Line of Route during the Summer Adjournment. [102143]

I am pleased to advise the hon. Member that the Committee has now agreed new proposals, which will be published in the Committee's First Report of Session 1999–2000, entitled "Revised Framework for Re-opening the Line of Route during the Summer Adjournment". The Report, HC(1999–2000)98, will be published at 11.00 am on 13 December, and will be available to hon. Members in the Vote Office at that time.In view of his interest in this matter, I have arranged for a copy of the Report to be sent to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce legislation to prohibit companies from using existing pension funds to fund future pension responsibilities. [100599]

Decisions relating to the present and future management of occupational pension schemes are matters for the sponsoring employers and the trustees of the schemes, taking into account the requirements of the law and the trust deed and rules of the schemes. We will continue to monitor developments, but we have no plans to change legislation in this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the bilateral concordat between his Department and the Scottish Executive. [102473]

I am pleased to announce that the First Minister and I have agreed the text of the concordat between the Department of Social Security 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 departmental website.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the rates from April 2000 of income thresholds used for non-dependant deductions in housing benefit, income support and jobseeker's allowance, the earnings limit for dependants living with claimants of retirement pension, long-term incapacity benefits, severe disablement allowance and unemployability supplement, and the personal expenses allowance for claimants of jobseeker's allowance resident in local authority part III accommodation. [102742]

The income thresholds proposed for non-dependant deductions is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) on 29 November 1999, Official Report, column 13, by how much below 3.5 million he expects the number of pensioners on means-tested benefits will be reduced by 2050 as a result of the proposals in the Green Paper on the stakeholder pension and the second state pension. [102064]

By 2050, it is estimated that there will be around 15.8 million pensioners. Without a change to current policies it is estimated that approximately one in three pensioner units (which could be either a single person or a couple) would retire onto the means-tested minimum income guarantee. This would include some people who had worked or cared for someone throughout their working life.The proposals in the Government's Green Paper "Partnership in Pensions" are designed to ensure that someone with a full working life, or years covered by credits, will receive a pension on retirement above the minimum income guarantee.The impact of the proposals will depend on a variety of factors, including employment records and additional voluntary savings. Our proposals seek to promote behavioural changes through the spread of low cost funded second pensions, improved pensions education, and the greater reward in retirement from helping people under pension age move from benefits to work.For instance, with additional voluntary savings of 5 per cent., the figure of one in three pensioner units retiring onto the minimum income guarantee would fall to approximately one in five in 2050.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) of 29 November 1999, Official Report, column 7W, on means-tested benefits, if he will break down respectively the 8 million on means-tested benefits in 1997 and the 7.9 million expected to be on means-tested benefits (a) by those above or below pensionable age and (b) of those below pensionable age, the proportion in receipt of in-work benefits. [102062]

The information is in the tables.

The proportion of people above and below age 60, in receipt of one or more means-tested benefits as at May 1997
	Number
Proportion under age 60	60% (4.8 million)
Proportion age 60 and over	40% (3.2 million)
Proportion under age 60 in receipt of in-work benefits	16%

The estimated proportion of people in receipt of one or more means tested benefits or tax credits as for 2001–02
	Number
Proportion under age 60	64% (5.0 million)
Proportion age 60 and over	36% (2.9 million)
Proportion under age 60 in receipt of in-work benefits	26%

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1999, Official Report, column 54W, in each of the last 12 months, how many (a) existing beneficiaries have chosen to switch to automated credit transfer (ACT) as a proportion of those claiming each of the benefits payable by ACT and (b) new claimants as a proportion of those claiming each of the benefits payable by ACT have chosen to use ACT. [101938]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of high concentrations of houses in multiple occupation on local communities. [101050]

I am aware of concerns that have arisen in a few town and city neighbourhoods and am considering how these might be tackled. The Government are committed to introducing mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation when parliamentary time allows.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the effect on the number of passengers passing through London airports in 2015, based on the recent studies of the European Commission and assuming all EU countries applied a similar rate of tax, if a fuel tax on all airlines were imposed (a) at a rate of ecu 245 per 1,000 litres and (b) at the same rate as motor fuel excise (excise duty and VAT) in the UK. [101807]

We are currently reviewing the Commission's recent Communication and related study. We are also working, through the International Civil Aviation Organisation, to examine a range of market based options to limit or reduce emissions from aviation. It would be premature to focus on the effects of specific rates of tax on numbers of passengers at the London airports: no such proposals have been made.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the expected SSA per pupil is for (a) primary and (b) secondary pupils for each shire county education authority for the year 2000–01. [101829]

The information requested is in the table.

2000–01 Consultation SSA for primary and secondary education
£/pupil
	Consultation SSA 2000–01
County Council	Primary	Secondary
Bedfordshire	2,390	3,081
Buckinghamshire	2,390	3,093
Cambridgeshire	2,313	2,964
Cheshire	2,257	2,897
Cornwall	2,369	3,058
Cumbria	2,357	3,031
Derbyshire	2,266	2,923
Devon	2,345	3,038
Dorset	2,282	2,926
Durham	2,390	3,095
East Sussex	2,445	3,166
Essex	2,441	3,147
Gloucestershire	2,282	2,935
Hampshire	2,327	3,014
Hertfordshire	2,474	3,170
Kent	2,443	3,149
Lancaster	2,361	3,043
Leicestershire	2,202	2,848
Lincolnshire	2,359	3,041
Norfolk	2,378	3,052
North Yorkshire	2,332	2,983
Northamptonshire	2,308	2,974
Northumberland	2,332	3,014
Nottinghamshire	2,291	2,962
Oxfordshire	2,397	3,070
Shropshire	2,304	2,960
Somerset	2,310	2,984
Staffordshire	2,237	2,884
Suffolk	2,313	2,960
Surrey	2,436	3,127
Warwickshire	2,267	2,918
West Sussex	2,366	3,044
Wiltshire	2,292	2,971
Worcestershire	2,256	2,902

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what planning guidance he gives to local authorities on the development of sites for deep clamp processing in farm-based waste recycling. [101673]

There is no planning guidance relating specifically to the development of sites for deep clamp processing of farm-based waste recycling. General guidance on planning control over waste management facilities, including composting sites, is contained in PPG10. Guidance on development related to agriculture and to farm diversification is contained in PPG7.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what encouragement he gives to local authorities to give rate relief to community sports clubs; what statistics he collects in this regard; and if he will make a statement. [101721]

Local authorities have full discretion to award up to 100 per cent. rate relief to non-profit making organisations, including sports clubs that meet the qualifying criteria. The Central Council of Physical Recreation estimates that there are 150,000 voluntary sports clubs affiliated to the national governing bodies of sport in the United Kingdom. However, we do not hold centrally information on the number of clubs subject to non-domestic rates, their rateable values or their rates bills reflecting discretionary relief awarded by local authorities.We have been reviewing the arrangements under which local authorities may grant this relief to non-profit making sports clubs and expect to issue a consultation paper early next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for each district and unitary authority in (i) the South East Region and (ii) the Eastern Region, how many people were (a) registered homeless and (b) on the local authority waiting list for the last and current financial years. [101826]

Homeless households accepted by local authorities are those which, after investigation, were found to be eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need under part VII of the Housing Act 1996. The latest available information is given in the table, covering 1998–99 and the first quarter of 1999–2000 for homeless households.

	Homeless households accepted and in priority need
	1998–99	1999–20001	Number of households on the housing register at 1 April 1999
South East Region
Adur	294	79	1,162
Arun	192	58	689
Ashford	89	20	2,201
Aylesbury Vale	219	65	841
Basingstoke and Deane	146	2n/a	4,245
Bracknell Forest	73	21	1,308
Brighton and Hove	868	234	3,610
Canterbury	214	57	1,920
Cherwell	138	50	2,422
Chichester	88	24	2,148
Chiltern	124	34	667
Crawley	191	51	465
Dartford	86	26	1,575
Dover	107	31	2,231
East Hampshire	116	26	1,828
Eastbourne	466	99	1,753
Eastleigh	128	26	1,200
Elmbridge	188	35	1,976
Epsom and Ewell	72	14	537
Fareham	120	21	929
Gosport	254	61	1,167
Gravesham	84	21	1,847
Guildford	118	38	1,603
Hart	58	36	588
Hastings	140	30	1,490
Havant	324	71	2,714
Horsham	221	60	710
Isle of Wight	270	69	1,122
Lewes	189	42	818
Maidstone	114	39	959
Mid Sussex	205	31	1,418
Milton Keynes	537	185	2,835
Mole Valley	83	21	1,177
New Forest	293	66	1,383
Oxford	382	2n/a	3,099
Portsmouth	670	134	4,759
Reading	464	123	3,343
Reigate and Banstead	156	28	1,155
Rother	52	10	1,176
Runnymede	58	23	694
Rushmoor	188	2n/a	2,221
Sevenoaks	201	42	1,444

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will consult police and local authorities about amending paragraph 10 of the Removal and Disposal of Vehicles Regulations 1986 (SI 1986/183) so as to reduce the period before which notice must be affixed to vehicles about to be removed for destruction from seven to three days. [101719]

We have no plans to consult the police or local authorities on changing the period of notice they must give before removing abandoned vehicles. The existing regulations are intended to provide owners with safeguards against a local authority prematurely assuming a vehicle is abandoned and having it towed away for scrap. They also ensure that local authorities do not have to go to the unnecessary expense of removing and storing vehicles that may not, in the event, have been abandoned.We believe that the current legislation provides a good balance between the powers of the police and local authorities to deal with abandoned vehicles and the rights of vehicle owners.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in which years between 1979 and 1999 the Government's revenue support grant for Shropshire County Council increased by double the rate of inflation or more. [102137]

Revenue Support Grant (RSG) was introduced in 1990. Between 1990–91 and 1992–93, Shropshire County Council received no RSG directly; the grant was paid into the collection funds operated by billing authorities, and thus supported expenditure by all tiers of authorities.Only in 1994–95 was the increase in RSG of 11.06 per cent. more than twice the rate of inflation of 1.43 per cent., as measured by the GDP deflator. The increase in 1999–2000 in RSG and the county's share of national non-domestic rates of 6.01 per cent. was also more than twice the rate of inflation of 2.25 per cent. The change in RSG was affected in 1995–96 by the transfer of the RSG for police service to West Mercia Police Authority and in 1998–99 by the creation of Telford and the Wrekin as a separate unitary authority, thus precluding meaningful comparisons for those years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on Railtrack's applications for Orders under the Transport and Works Act 1992 in respect of the Thameslink 2000 Project. [102136]

Railtrack applied in September 1999 for an Order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 to revise the proposals contained in the November 1997 application for powers to improve and extend the Thameslink network. The Secretary of State has received a total of about 1,000 objections to both applications. In view of the range and nature of the objections he has decided that it would be appropriate to hold a public inquiry into this scheme. This will probably start in the spring of 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he is taking relating to foreign aircraft operating to the UK over the Millennium period. [102448]

My Department has issued foreign airlines with their normal operating permits for providing services to and from the UK. These permits are granted to airlines only if they comply with international safety standards. In view of the Y2K problem, my Department has taken the exceptional step of asking airlines to provide information confirming that flights would be free from any Y2K safety related risk. The airlines have been advised that, in the event of such information not being provided, the Department reserves the right to suspend their permits over the critical period.

National non-domestic rates—calculations of distributable amount for 2000–01
£ million
	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01
	Final outturn	Provisional outturn	Provisional outturn	Estimated in-year contribution
1. Income from Local lists
Multiplier (p)	45.8	47.4	48.9	41.6
Gross Rate Yield	13,493	13,839	14,158	15,067
(i) Reliefs
(a) Net Transitional Relief	-430	-482	-460	-737
(b) Empty properties	-934	-961	-944	-987
(c) Charitable	-495	-504	-520	-544
(d) Rural Shops and Post Offices	—	-2	-2	-2
(e) Discretionary	-17	-18	-32	-33
Net Yield after reliefs	11,617	11,872	12,200	12,764
(ii) Collection costs/reductions to contributions
(a) Costs of collection	-78	-79	-83	-83
(b) Losses on collection	-112	-109	-115	-120
(c) City of London offset	-7	-7	-7	-7
Total contribution in respect of year	11,420	11,677	11,995	12,554
(iii) Repayments/interest payments
Total adjustments	-291	-486	-270	-367
Net Local Yield	11,129	11,191	11,725	12,187
2. Income from Central list
Net Central List Yield	1,207	1,273	1,320	1,330
3. Income from Crown
Contributions in Aid
Net Crown Yield	469	440	396	410
Total NDR Yield	12,805	12,904	13,441	13,927
4. Exchequer Contributions
Total Exchequer contributions	400	360	310	415
Total NNDR pool payments (1+2+3+4)	13,205	13,264	13,751	14,342

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set out the basis of his calculations of the distributable amount of non-domestic rates for 2000–01. [102548]

The amount of non-domestic rates in England for 2000–01 to be redistributed to Local Authorities will be £15,400 million, although estimated payments into the pool in 2000–01 will be £14,342 million. The non-domestic rate poundage (multiplier) will be 41.6 pence. The Distributable Amount includes an allowance of £415 million for an Exchequer payment to the non-domestic rates pool, to compensate for the shortfall which would otherwise occur as a result of the regulations under section 58 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 and the transitional relief scheme, announced on 25 November 1999, Official Report, column 770.The calculation for 2000–01, and the prior-year figures on which this is based, are set out in the following table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by local education authority the number and percentage of 18-year-olds with five GCSE passes or equivalent in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999. [101519]

[holding answer 8 December 1999]: The numbers of 18-year-olds with five GCSE passes or equivalent in 1997 and 1998 for local education authorities in England are shown in the following table. Figures for 1999, other than those released last month in performance tables, are not yet available. It is not possible to provide percentages as these may be misleading—population estimates for local education authorities are based on the resident population, and the GCSE data are institution based. Percentages for individual local education authorities would therefore be distorted by students who are resident in one authority but who took their GCSEs in another.

Number of 18-year-olds with 5+A*-G GCSE/GNVQ
LEA	1997	1998
City of London	213	203
Camden	1,823	1,989
Greenwich	1,862	1,810
Hackney	860	924
Hammersmith and Fulham	1,060	1,224

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of employment agencies compliance with the Working Time Directive. [100527]

It is too soon to assess the level of compliance. Our revised employment agency regulations will help prevent bureaux acting in a way which denies workers their working time rights.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which EU member states have exempted small Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead businesses from the Working Time Regulations. [100546]

The Working Time Directive which has been implemented in Great Britain by the Working Time Regulations, requires member states to extend its provisions to all businesses regardless of size. Only workers in the excluded sectors (transport, doctors in training and offshore) are exempt.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his estimate is of the number of miners compensation claims which have been agreed. [100541]

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the number of compensation claims from retired miners that have been settled. [100561]

As at the end of November, the Department had made 4,186 full and final payments and 5,523 part payments to ex-miners suffering from Vibration White Finger. A further 584 full and final payments and 15,460 part payments have been made to ex-miners and their families suffering from respiratory diseases. To date the Department has made payments totalling some £89 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on inward investment to Merseyside. [100542]

Since May 1997 my Department has made 255 offers of Regional Selective Assistance in the Merseyside area, including 31 offers to overseas companies, creating or safeguarding nearly 18,000 jobs. Major inward investment successes have included Capital Bank and the new Jaguar X400 saloon.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many rules and regulations have been repealed since May 1997 by his Department to assist small businesses. [100543]

Between May 1997 and October 1999 my Department made 25 regulations that reduced costs on business, including small business.

We have taken many other actions to assist small businesses. For example, we have introduced legislation on late payment, we are setting up the Small Business Service, and we are consulting on proposals to raise the thresholds below which small companies are exempt from requirements to file full accounts and to have those accounts audited.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to encourage technical innovation in small businesses. [100560]

As indicated in the consultation document, "The Small Business Service—A Public Consultation" (URN 99/815), I intend to improve the coherence and customer-focus of my Department's support for small businesses by making most such support accessible through the Small Business Service. In addition, I have already announced that the Smart scheme has been expanded to a commitment of over £100 million over the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02 and its scope enlarged so that now even more small businesses will benefit from cash support for technology development and acquisition. The new Enterprise Fund will provide regional and high-tech venture capital funds for start-ups and small companies with growth potential. Also, my Department's funding for the TCS scheme is being doubled and we are creating a national network of Faraday Partnerships designed to support knowledge transfer to small businesses in particular.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the Government's energy policy. [100544]

The Government's overall energy policy objective, as set out in last year's White Paper, "Conclusions of the Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation and Government Response to fourth and fifth Reports of the Trade and Industry Committee" (Cm 4071), is

"to ensure secure diverse, and sustainable supplies of energy at competitive prices".