To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make available (a) to the Trade and Industry Committee and (b) to the Plaintiff before the JDS Tribunal in the case of Gerald James file bundles 120 and 121 in respect of Astra Commission payments. [101460]

[holding answer 7 December 1999]: Any request for information received from the Trade and Industry Committee would be carefully considered. I understand that the proceedings before the JDS Tribunal in the case of Gerald James were concluded on 8 December 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have put in place for the taking and keeping of minutes of meetings between Ministers and people outside his Department. [102362]

Decisions on the format of minutes of meetings will depend on the nature of the discussion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what consultations he has had with British Nuclear Fuels plc concerning the quality control procedures covering MOX plutonium fuel manufactured at Sellafield for export to Japan; and what representations his Department has received from (a) Japanese customer companies and (b) the Japanese Government in respect of the monitoring of MOX fuel; [102176](2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the reports provided to his Department in the past year by BNFL concerning safety and quality assurance of MOX plutonium fuel. [102180]

Ministers were concerned to learn of falsified quality control data at BNFL's Sellafield MOX Demonstration Facility. The Government have insisted that the company co-operate fully with investigations both by the Japanese customer and regulator and by the HSE's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.No representations have been received by my Department from BNFL's Japanese customers. Inquiries from the Japanese Embassy about the data falsification were referred by my Department to HSE (Nil) with a request to respond direct. With HSE's agreement, I am placing a copy of their reply to the Embassy in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the effects of the proposed EU Directive on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society on (a) library and archive services, (b) UK library and archive privileges and their extension to digital copying, (c) lawful copying and use of libraries and archives and (d) music reproduction; and if he will make a statement on the inclusion in the proposed EU Directive of the exhaustive list of exceptions to the restricted acts. [102542]

While we do not think that the effects of the draft Directive would be particularly problematic in the case of archival operations, we are concerned about its potential impact on library services and privileges. Our concerns stem chiefly from the exhaustive list of exceptions, which we have always felt is unnecessarily prescriptive and inflexible, and have been increased by European Parliament amendments, largely accepted by the Commission, which seek to restrict further the exception provisions. In particular, these amendments make photocopying and research exceptions in the Directive subject to "fair compensation" for right owners, exclude printed music from the photocopying exception, and limit the only specific library exception to copying for conservation purposes.Overall, our aim is to ensure that it remains possible to achieve a fair and reasonable balance between the interests of right owners and those of users, such as in the library and archive sectors, and we are therefore pressing strongly for much greater flexibility in the exception provisions. Negotiations on the Directive are still some way from conclusion, and we hope that it will prove possible to obtain improvements, particularly since several other member states share many of our concerns about the approach on exceptions. Moreover, we are aware of the potential conflict between exceptions and the use of technical protection measures by right owners, and, like other member states, are seeking to achieve an appropriate balance in this area also.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the projected costs of the Competition Commission for the financial years (a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01. [102751]

Forecast net expenditure for the Competition Commission for these financial years is as follows:

(a) 1999–2000: £8.3 million

(b) 2000–2001: £9.0 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the projected costs of the Postal Services Commission for the year 2000–01. [102754]

We anticipate that the costs of the Postal Services Commission (PSC) for the year 2000–01 will be in the region of between £2 million and £4 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to make a decision regarding suppliers of the A3XX and A400m projects; and if he will make a statement. [102523]

[holding answer 14 December 1999]: Airbus has been a major success story of European co-operation, and it is important that the UK continues to be involved in it. British companies benefit from the success of Airbus programmes, not only by supplying to BAE SYSTEMS, the UK partner in Airbus, but also to the French, German and Spanish partners. Procurement choices are the commercial decisions of those companies. Over 400 UK sub-contractors and suppliers are currently working on Airbus programmes.BAE SYSTEMS has applied for launch investment. In assessing this application, we have looked at the potential benefits for the UK economy as a whole to be secured by this programme. It represents the sort of high-tech knowledge based manufacturing which the Government are keen to encourage. This high level of innovation and technology has benefits which cascade throughout the supply chain.The Future Transport Aircraft competition is being organised by the Ministry of Defence. However, I am well aware of the industrial significance of this project to BAE SYSTEMS and the UK supply chain. My Department has liaised closely with MOD on this, and the decision (expected in the New Year) will properly take account of industrial factors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to monitor and control the use of telephone pornography services offered by telecommunications providers. [102838]

Telephone pornography services are offered using the Premium Rate Service (PRS) charging mechanism. The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) has responsibility for regulating PRS, through its Code of Practice. ICSTIS can apply sanctions, ranging from fines to disconnection and barring from service provision, to service providers which breach the Code. ICSTIS and the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) are currently reviewing the regulatory framework for PRS to ensure that consumers continue to benefit from the right level of protection.The ICSTIS Code requires all providers of services to abide by a number of provisions covering decency, and requires that promotional material does not reach those for whom the service concerned may be inappropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on Scottish and Southern Energy's proposal to build a new gas-fired power station at Britannia Zinc Ltd., Avonmouth. [103464]

I have decided not to grant consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to Scottish and Southern Energy plc for a 100 MW combined cycle gas turbine generating station at Britannia Zinc Ltd., Avonmouth. The application will be put on hold unless an interested party satisfies the Secretary of State that it should be determined at this stage.This decision has been taken in accordance with the policy set out in the White Paper entitled, "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). I would be prepared to review the decision, if requested, when the stricter consents policy announced in the White Paper is relaxed.This is the 15

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the instruction he gave earlier this year to the Export Credits Guarantee Department to establish a bond guarantee scheme for cashmere exports to the US. [103465]

In March of this year, the dispute between the EU and the US over the EU's banana regime led to the US requiring the posting of bonds in respect of potential additional customs duties for certain categories of EU goods, including cashmere knitwear, pending the decision of the WTO arbitrator. Given the potentially devastating effect this could have had on the UK cashmere industry, the Government decided to establish a limited scheme, to be administrated by the Export Credits Guarantee Department, to indemnify cashmere exporters against losses arising from these bonds and additional customs duties.ECGD's Accounting Officer advised me that, in his judgment, the risk involved in giving such guarantees under Section I(1) of the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991, could not be accepted under ECGD's normal underwriting criteria.However, in view of the importance which Ministers attached to ensuring the future of the UK cashmere industry, I instructed him to make such guarantees available.Cashmere was subsequently removed from the list of affected goods and I can now report that the scheme has been closed down and that ECGD has not been and will not be required to pay any claims.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government are in a position to respond to the recommendation by the Trade and Industry Committee in its Second report of Session 1998–99 on Strategic Export Controls (HC 65) that, prior to the passage of new legislation, consideration be given to laying any new orders made under the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939 before the House. [103547]

We have considered the Committee's recommendation on this matter and concluded that, pending the introduction of new primary legislation which will provide for parliamentary scrutiny of secondary legislation on strategic export controls, as proposed in the Strategic Export Controls White Paper, any further Orders made under the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939 will be laid before both Houses of Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on the proposal by Scottish Power Plc to build a combined heat and power station at Hythe, Hampshire. [103561]

I have today given clearance under Section 14 of the Energy Act 1976 to EniChem UK Ltd. and Scottish Power plc's notification to build a 45 MW gas-fired combined heat and power station at the EniChem works, Hythe. The decision has been taken in accordance with the policy set out in the White Paper entitled "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).Copies of the Press Notice and the clearance letter are being placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to amend the law on equal pay. [102724]

I have been asked to reply.We are tackling the gender pay gap through a range of action, including encouraging less gender stereotyping in subject choices and career choices at work. We will ensure the right legislative framework is in place which complies with our European obligations, and we will consult on changes to Tribunal procedures to speed up and simplify equal pay claims.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of workers being paid less than the national minimum wage. [102723]

I have been asked to reply.The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the projected costs of Ofgem for the financial years (a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01. [R] [102756]

I have been asked to reply.This information is contained in a consultation document recently published by Ofgem, "Office of Gas and Electricity Markets Plan and Budget, April 2000-March 2001", copies of which are available in the Library. Financial Decisions on Ofgem's budget for 2000–01 have not yet been taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of road accident deaths in each of the last 10 years involved (a) excess alcohol, (b) drugs and (c) both. [100043]

The percentage of persons killed in accidents where one driver or rider involved was over the legal alcohol limit in each of the last ten years was as follows:

Percentage
1989	15
1990	15
1991	14
1992	16
1993	14
1994	15
1995	15
1996	16
1997	15
1998	13

Statistics are not available for road accident deaths involving drugs or both alcohol and drugs. The Department has recently completed a three-year sample survey of the incidence of drugs in road accident fatalities for which interim results were released in February 1998. These showed that 6 per cent. of all road users (including drivers, riders, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists) had measurable traces of medicinal drugs and 16 per cent. had traces of illicit drugs (mainly cannabis). The results also showed that 19 per cent. of the sample of drivers and riders killed had taken illicit drugs and consumed alcohol over the legal limit. A full report on the research will be available next year.The presence of drugs in an accident victim is not evidence of accident causation, although there may be an association. The picture is further complicated by cannabis, because traces can remain in the body for four weeks or more after use, long after it has ceased to have any effect.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend the guidance given in Circular 1/93 from his Department to local highway authorities about local speed limits; and if he will make a statement. [98729]

It is likely that the speed review that is due to report shortly will result in some changes to that guidance.

Duration	Line	Station(s)	Reason
Since 1995	Central	Ongar and North Weald	Insufficient use to warrant remaining open
Since 1995	Piccadilly	Aldwych	Insufficient use to warrant remaining open
1995-April 1998	Northern	Mornington Crescent	Lift replacement
1995–98	East London	Shoreditch, Wapping, Rotherhithe, Surrey Quays, New Cross and new Cross Gate	Work to upgrade the line, improve the signalling and Thames tunnel
Early July-late October 1996	Northern	London Bridge, Borough and Kennington	Work on tunnel segments
November 1996-July 1997	Bakerloo	Lambeth North	Tunnel strengthening under the Thames
21–30 October 1999	Bakerloo	Queens Park to Harrow and Wealdstone	Track replacement (Railtrack work on Silverlink tracks that are shared with the Underground)
Spring 2000	Bakerloo	Edgware Road	Lift replacement
April 2000 (15 April-1 May)	Victoria	Pimlico, Vauxhall and Brixton	Track works to replace life-expired cross-over at Brixton

The future closures are still provisional and subject to further planning and more detailed consideration. Major works which have only resulted in partial station closures or service disruption have been excluded.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many escalators are not in use at London Underground stations, indicating the stations affected and the length of time escalators have not been in use. [101602]

This is an operational matter for London Underground. However, I understand that at 14 December 1999, 35 escalators out of 381 were out of service^1,2.These are as follows:

Date went out of service	Station
13 July 1999	Baker Street
5 November 1999	Bethnal Green
2 December 1999	Bethnal Green

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance his Department issues to local authorities regarding compensation payments to victims of sexual abuse. [100238]

There is no specific guidance issued to local authorities on this issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of station closures on each line of the London Underground from 1995 to 1999 and the projected station closures over the next 12 months, indicating the reason for closure in each instance. [100947]

[holding answer 6 December 1999]: This is an operational matter for London Underground. I understand that the detailed information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost as it would include:

Closures as a result of operational issues (within or outside London Underground's control).

Weekend engineering work.

However, the following table summarises past and future major planned station closures:

Date went out of service	Station
24 September 1999	Camden Town
28 May 1999	Chancery Lane
23 June 1999	Charing Cross
3 October 1999	Clapham North
24 November 1999	Clapham South
30 November 1999	Heathrow Airport
28 May 1997	Holborn
2 November 1999	Holborn
3 June 1999	Hyde Park
19 November 1999	London Bridge
29 March 1999	Manor House
26 November 1999	Manor House
1 September 1999	Notting Hill Gate
6 October 1999	Notting Hill Gate
19 June 1999	Old Street
24 September 1999	Old Street
3 May 1999	Oxford Circus
12 August 1999	Oxford Circus
24 November 1999	Piccadilly Circus
24 September 1999	Shepherds Bush

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to raise the minimum age for holding a driving licence. [101353]

[holding answer 6 December 1999]: The training and testing of young and newly qualified car drivers is one of the issues being addressed in the Government's review of road safety strategy. The Government have considered a range of measures which might contribute to improving driving standards and road safety. The Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee recently suggested a minimum period of learning before a car driving test may be taken, and others have suggested changes in the minimum driving age for provisional and/or full licences. However, the Government have not yet reached a conclusion on these matters. We intend to have completed work on a new Road Safety Strategy early in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what arrangements (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have put in place for the taking and keeping of minutes of meetings between Ministers and people outside his Department. [102378]

Decisions on the format of minutes will depend on the nature of the discussion.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for each of the buildings under his Department's control, how many rooms are set aside for (a) ethnic minority religious use, (b) pregnant and nursing mothers and (c) smokers. [102442]

My Department does not keep a breakdown by building. Our policy is to make rooms available on request for religious use and pregnant and nursing mothers. The latest information is that we have 102 rooms dedicated for use by smokers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the gender audit of public transport commissioned by his Department. [102479]

The gender audit will be used to assist transport planners and operators to develop and implement transport plans and systems that meet women's transport requirements and encourage sustainable development. We are hoping to publish the audit in early 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 2 December 1999, Official Report, column 277W, on the uniform business rate, when he expects information on the projected yield of the uniform business rate in England for 2000–01 to be available. [102812]

The information on each individual local authority's projected yield from uniform business rates in 2000–01 will be available by the end of March 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will establish a research group to provide advice on sleep-related incidents across the transport modes. [102506](2) what assessment he has made of the number of road crashes in which sleep is a contributory factor; and if he will make a statement; [102503](3) what advice he plans to issue to drivers to reduce the incidence of sleep-related road crashes; [102505](4) what research his Department is undertaking into sleep-related road crashes; [102504]

The Department began a major research programme on fatigue in December 1992, conducted at Loughborough University. The first phase included a comprehensive study of HGV and car drivers. The results suggested that, for car drivers in particular, tiredness is a principal factor in around 10 per cent. of accidents.The next phase of the research looked at the relative effectiveness of possible counter measures to tiredness, to ensure that drivers have the best possible advice on how to minimise the risk of a sleep-related accident. Recommendations derived from this work have since been incorporated into the Highway Code.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce his decision on calling in the application for his determination and examination by a public inquiry in respect of the planning application by Asda Stores Ltd. for the redevelopment of the Queensway Hall site in Dunstable town centre; and if he will make a statement. [101981]

[holding answer 13 December 1999]: We are still considering whether call-in of this application would be appropriate. I will ensure that the decision is made within the next two weeks. In reaching our decision we will have regard to the Government's policy on call-in, set out in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the then Minister for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning on 16 June 1999, Official Report, column 138W.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are the projected costs for the Rail Regulator for the financial years (a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01. [102752]

1 am advised by the Office of the Rail Regulator that the latest estimated outturn of the cost of running the office for 199–-2000 is £10 million. Provision for 2000–01 was set at £9 million in last year's Comprehensive Spending Review. All expenditure by the Office is offset by licence fees recovered in accordance with the Railways Act 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are the budgeted costs of Ofwat for the financial years (a) 1999– 2000 and (b) 2000–01. [102746]

The Office of Water Services (Ofwat) is a non-Ministerial Government Department statutorily independent of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. It is financed by Parliament through licence fees received from the regulated water and sewerage companies.Ofwat's expenditure profile for the years 1993–94 to 2001–02 is given in figure 22.a of the DETR Departmental Annual Report 1999, Cm 4204. Planned expenditure for 1999–2000 is £11.9 million. Planned expenditure in 2000–01 is £12.7 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many drivers of Hackney carriages in Greater London have had their licences revoked in each of the last five years. [102451]

The number of licensed taxi drivers in London (Metropolitan Police District) who have had their licences revoked¹ over the last five years is as follows:

	Total number of revocations
1994	35
1995	34
1996	41
1997	25
1998	54
1999(January-November)	23

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what public transport will be operational between Central London and the Millennium Dome on (a) 31 December and (b) 1 January. [102801]

[holding answer 14 December 1999]: There will be no public transport to the Dome on 31 December. For security reasons there will be a traffic exclusion area around the Dome (which will not be open to the public). Bus routes will be subject to local diversions and North Greenwich station will also be closed to the public.The first public viewing of the Millennium Experience opens at noon on 1 January to a limited audience of 20,000 people. North Greenwich station re-opens at 09:00 on 1 January, from which time a Sunday service of approximately one train every 6-12 minutes will operate on the Jubilee Line. The 188 bus service, which operates between Russell Square and North Greenwich station, recommences with a Sunday service from 10:00. Normal Sunday services will recommence on rail lines from central London from 11:00, at which time the two new Millennium Transit bus services will also commence operation between Charlton and Greenwich rail stations and the Dome.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the surrender policy for waste management licences issues by the Environment Agency has been launched; and if it is his policy that licence holders who are waiting to surrender their licences having ceased trading should be required to continue paying for operating licences while the agency considers its surrender policy. [102980]

The Environment Agency wrote to licence holders to provide advance notice of the launch of its surrender policy on 1 October 1999. The Agency's letter explained that, after staff training to ensure consistent implementation, the policy would be used from 1 January 2000 to determine surrender applications. Licence holders have a legal obligation to pay subsistence charges while a licence remains in force.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the Government's target is for increasing the percentage of the total market for soil improvers and growing media supplied by non-peat material. [103021]

A target was set in MPG 13 "Guidelines for Peat Provision in England" of 40 per cent. of the total market requirements for soil improvers and growing media to be supplied by non-peat materials by 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his Department's policy is on the purchase and use of peat for its own operations and activities; and what performance target his Department has set to reduce current peat use. [103024]

The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions' policy on all slow renewables such as peat is to substitute them with organic waste such as compost, manure, leaf mould, bark chipping and coir. This policy is included in the DETR Greening Operations Policy Statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of the total market for soil improvers and growing media was supplied by non-peat material in 1998. [103022]

Non-peat materials accounted for 32 per cent. of the total market in 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a copy of the recent report of his Department's peat working group.[103025]

Three copies were placed in the Library on 1 December 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Government are on track in meeting their target for increasing the amount of non-peat material sold as soil improvers and growing media. [103023]

There has been a slow but steady increase in the proportion of non-peat material used as soil improvers and growing media. In 1993, 28 per cent. of the total market was met by non-peat materials. This increased to 29 per cent. in 1997 and 32 per cent. in 1998. The report of the Working Group on Peat Extraction and Related Matters published last month identified short-term measures which could be taken to increase the rate of uptake of non-peat materials. If the producers and retailers of growing media respond in the matters of labelling, dilution and developing performance standards for peat and alternatives, I am confident we have a good chance of meeting this target.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when Mr. Peter Parkman, Chelmsford Borough Council Enforcement Officer, will receive a reply to his letter of 24 September to Peter Alsop of the Transport Commissioner's Office, Cambridge, concerning regulations governing small buses. [102867]

A substantive reply was sent to Mr. Parkman on 30 September. A further letter dealing with the one outstanding point has now been sent.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the rights of appeal for local people who consider that their ideas of best value are being ignored by their local authority. [103027]

The Local Government Act 1999 places best value authorities under a statutory duty to consult with local people as to how the duty of best value can be met after 1 April 2000. This is reinforced by a requirement to consult with business and other interests in considering alternative ways of providing services.There is no explicit right of appeal, as the Government take the view that where there are conflicting views it is for best-value authorities to judge how the duty is to be met in the light of all the relevant circumstances. They will be expected to provide a clear rationale for the decisions which they reach, and to justify these to local people every year in their Best Value Performance Plans and to independent auditors and inspectors acting on behalf of local people. All local authorities are ultimately accountable to local people through the ballot box.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he has issued to local authorities about determining best value in relation to letting contracts for services. [102996]

Guidance to best-value authorities was published by my Department on 14 December (DETR Circular 10/99). This makes clear that authorities should establish a clear policy on the evaluation and assessment of alternative ways of delivering high-quality services at acceptable costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which district councils in Wiltshire have met his target for recycling (a) domestic and (b) industrial waste. [102871]

(a) There is no recycling target which each individual local authority is expected to meet. There is a national goal to recycle or compost 25 per cent. of household waste as soon as possible, hopefully by 2005. By 2010 we hope to see 30 per cent. of household waste being recycled or composted, and in the longer term we hope to see a third of all household waste being dealt with in this way.Under our Best Value Initiative, performance indicators are being developed for local authority waste services. From these, authorities will be expected to derive targets for their own performance on waste, having regard to any national goals we set in the forthcoming National Waste Strategy. I emphasise, though, that local targets should take account of local assessments of the Best Practicable Environmental Option, and will not therefore necessarily be at the same level as our national goals. I fully expect some authorities to put forward targets that exceed those that we propose, and others to put forward lower targets.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what criteria must be met to achieve Secure Station status; and which stations in Wiltshire have been awarded such status. [102874]

The Secure Stations Scheme is designed to improve and standardise good security practices at all overground and underground stations. To become an accredited Secure Station, each station operator needs to work with their local British Transport Police Crime Prevention Operator to ensure that their station meets the national standards on design and management to cut down crime. Operators also have to conduct an independent passenger survey to see whether passengers feel safe at the station and provide evidence that crime rates are low.No stations in Wiltshire have yet achieved Secure Stations status.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he intends to give local housing authorities on preparing business plans for their housing stock as part of the Government's new financial framework for local authority housing. [103347]

As part of our plans to introduce resource accounting to local authority housing finance, I have today published for consultation draft guidance for local housing authorities on preparing business plans.The new financial framework will help authorities to take a more businesslike approach to the management of their housing stock, and business plans are a key part of the framework. The draft guidance and the associated models show how authorities can identify and assess alternative strategies for managing, maintaining and investing in their housing assets. I hope that authorities will take the opportunity to comment on the draft guidance and will look constructively at how it can be used to make the best use for current and future tenants of their housing assets.Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he proposes to announce the outcome of the consultation on proposals to tackle overhanging debt arising from a housing transfer. [103348]

I am announcing today the outcome of the consultation on how we propose to tackle overhanging debt which arises when the capital receipt from a housing transfer is less than the attributable housing debt.A consultation paper issued by the Department in August set out four alternative approaches to helping authorities deal with the overhanging debt: continuing to pay subsidy, through either the Housing Revenue Account or Revenue Support Grant subsidy schemes; providing a one-off payment to assist with the repayment of the debt; and transferring the debt to the acquiring landlord. The consultation paper made clear that the Government's preference was for the one-off payment option.The majority of the responses supported our proposals to provide assistance to the local authority to repay its housing debt. We propose to implement this option.I have placed in the Libraries of the House and the Vote Office copies of a guidance note setting out the detailed arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will announce the allocation of capital resources for expenditure on local transport infrastructure in 2000–01. [103349]

This is the second year of the three-year £2.4 billion package for local transport under the Comprehensive Spending Review, including £700 million of additional expenditure.The total allocation for 2000–01 will be £754.9 million, which will provide for major improvements to local transport infrastructure.Schemes approved or provisionally approved include innovative proposals for integrating public transport, providing greater travel choice; new bypasses to take through traffic away from local communities, improving their quality of life.We have also made provision of £301 million for highway maintenance—up 24 per cent. on this year's figure and in line with our commitment to reverse previous cuts in this area. In addition, we have increased general allocation for public transport, minor road improvements, walking, cycling and safety schemes.In addition, we are providing an extra £18 million for local authorities to improve public transport ahead of the introduction of congestion charging or workplace parking schemes.Local Transport Plans replace the Transport Policies and Programmes regime, and are the cornerstone of our integrated transport policy. They provide for a longer-term, more strategic approach and greater certainty of funding for Local Authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the Government's response to the report on the Railways Bill by the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee. [103369]

I am today presenting as a Command Paper (CM 4538) the Government's response to the Select Committee's report on the Railways Bill (HC 827).The Committee's report has informed the revised railway provisions now included in the Transport Bill. Our response also covers the Committee's recommendations which did not relate directly to the Railways Bill. We will make a substantive response on transport safety regulation to the Committee when we have received and considered the results of our transport safety review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce the first Beacon Councils; and if he will make a statement. [103538]

We intend to announce the Beacon Councils for 2000–01 on Monday 20 December. We will publish the First Report of the Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils, at the same time as the announcement giving details of the Panel's recommendations on Beacon Councils, together with a brochure "The Beacon Council Scheme: Where to Go and What to See", setting out the best practice the Beacons have to offer. Copies of the two publications will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how he proposes to carry out the review of offences relating to the entry into the sea of noxious, poisonous or polluting matter following marine casualties, which he announced in response to Lord Donaldson's report on salvage and intervention and their command and control. [103550]

My right hon. Friend has decided that the review should have the following terms of reference:

To review the basis of, and the systems for, prosecutions in the United Kingdom for offences related to the entry into the sea of noxious, poisonous or polluting matter following marine casualties. The Review will consider how these systems should reflect the public interest of having appropriate sanctions available under the criminal law in cases where such entry occurs while not discouraging appropriate prevention, salvage and clean-up operations.

The Review will focus on offences under Part III of the Water Resources Act 1991 in respect of England and Wales and Part VI of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, in so far as they relate to entry of such matter resulting from marine casualties and their associated salvage and clean-up operations.The Review will also consider, in so far as it is appropriate to do so, the offence of public nuisance (including the statutory nuisance procedure) and offences relating to the entry of such matter from ships in cases which may not in themselves represent or follow marine casualties.The results of the Review will also, if possible, take account of the outcome of the appeal against sentencing of Milford Haven Port Authority following its prosecution in connection with the Sea Empress casualty.The Review will be carried out by a consultant, Mr. Colin Ingram, working under the supervision of a team of DETR officials. Since the Merchant Shipping legislation is a reserved matter, while the water legislation is a devolved matter, this team will need to work in close co-operation with the devolved administrations. All organisations that are known to have an interest will be invited to make submissions to the review. The invitation will also be posted on the DETR website, and we shall welcome other submissions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he is taking to make more effective use of roadside speed cameras; and if he will make a statement. [103549]

A number of pilot schemes to test new funding arrangements for speed and traffic light cameras will start on 1 April 2000. This will increase the number of cameras deployed, further deter speed and red light running and thereby achieve the Government's road safety objective. Each pilot scheme will involve Local Authorities, Magistrates Courts, the police, and in some cases the Highways Agency and Crown Prosecution Service. The schemes will be based in eight police areas: Essex, Northampton, Thames Valley, Nottingham, South Wales, Cleveland, Lincolnshire and Strathclyde. In the light of the results of the pilot schemes, consideration will be given to the extension of the funding arrangements nationally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review the separation distances between genetically modified crops and non-genetically modified crops, including the farm-scale trials; and if he will list the proposed revised distances for each crop. [99534]

I have been asked to reply.My Department has secured a commitment from the industry group SCIMAC to review on a regular basis its guidelines for growing GM crops, which were published in May 1999, but as yet there are no proposals for revised separation distances. We are convening another meeting between the GM and organic sectors to discuss safeguards for organic production, including separation distances between GM and organic crops.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress was made on a common foreign and security policy at the Helsinki summit. [100990]

[holding answer 13 December 1999]: European Union Heads of Government at Helsinki agreed Conclusions on a number of subjects under the Common Foreign and Security Policy, including on South-Eastern Europe, the Middle East Peace Process, human rights, and Macao. They also adopted a separate Declaration on Chechnya. In addition, they agreed Conclusions adopting two Presidency reports, one on Strengthening the Common European Policy on Security and Defence and one on Non-Military Crisis Management, as part of a strengthened common European policy on security and defence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he (i) has had and (ii) plans to have, with (a) the Government of Morocco and (b) Polisario to discuss the situation in Western Sahara and the UN referendum process [102491]

During my visit to Morocco between 30 November and 2 December I discussed the Western Sahara in several high-level meetings with Moroccan Ministers. FCO officials meet regularly with the Polisario in London, New York and the refugee camps in Tindouf.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the result of the review of Government policy on supporting pleas for clemency by British nationals imprisoned abroad. [103371]

We have reviewed our policy on making representations about the convictions and sentencing of British prisoners abroad to the authorities of the countries where they are detained.At present we consider making such representations if, when all legal remedies have been exhausted, the British national and their lawyer have evidence of a miscarriage or denial of justice.We are extending this to include those cases where fundamental violations of the British national's human rights had demonstrably altered the course of justice. In such cases, we would also consider supporting their request for an appeal to any official human rights body in the country concerned, and subsequently giving advice on how to take their cases to relevant international human rights mechanisms.We have decided not to change the policy on supporting clemency pleas. We will continue to base these pleas only on compassionate grounds, namely where a prisoner is terminally ill or when a close relative is terminally ill and their death will leave children or elderly relatives with no one to care for them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions the Government have had with the Nepalese Government regarding the incidence of bonded labour in Nepal; and what representations his Department has made to the Nepalese Government to ratify ILO Convention No. 29. [102807]

The British Embassy and DFID office in Kathmandu are both actively involved in helping the Nepalese to address the issue of bonded labour. DFID Nepal is working to develop a strategy for realising the rights of the poorest and most disadvantaged people in Nepal.The ILO in Kathmandu has confirmed that the Nepalese Government is in the process of ratifying ILO convention 29. It is hoped that it will be ratified within the next six months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will make representations to Pakistan and India requesting them to undertake surveys, at federal, provincial and district level, of the number of bonded labourers in each of these countries. [102808]

We are deeply concerned by all forms of bonded labour. I raised the issue with Indian Ministers during my visit there in November. We have also raised our concerns with Pakistan. We have welcomed the steps which the Governments of India and Pakistan have taken to reduce child labour. We have no plans to ask them to undertake surveys on this issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to increase the number of students studying in the UK and ensure that the target number of students from (a) China and (b) Hong Kong by 2000–01 will be met.[102701]

I have been asked to reply.In June 1999 my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced an initiative to attract to the UK an extra 75,000 international students by 2005. The target relates to students who do not warrant a home fee classification. China and Hong Kong have priority in this initiative but recruitment targets have not been set for particular countries.The initiative includes four main components. First, a world-wide marketing campaign, using a "UK Education Brand" and marketing materials to promote the high quality of UK education, will begin early in 2000. There will be enhanced promotion activity in many regions, including China and Hong Kong, where British education exhibitions, clearing missions and MBA fairs are planned. Second, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs aims to expand the Chevening Scholarship Scheme, with up to 1,000 extra scholarships awarded each year. Third, we have made it easier for international students to work part-time and in vacations. Fourth, visa and entry procedures are being made more user-friendly for students. Through this package of measures the Government are helping UK education institutions to increase their marketing capability overseas and thereby increase international student enrolments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Naval vessels made overseas visits during the last 12 months; and if he will list (a) the countries visited and (b) the length of each visit. [102709]

Ship	Exercise	Reason for withdrawal
HMS Invincible	JFTEX	Redeployment to Gulf
HMS Northumberland	Aurora 99	Redeployment as Atlantic Patrol Task (North)
HMS Ledbury	Usbaltops	Change to maintenance dates
HMS Gloucester	Argonaut 99	Operational tasking
HMS Newcastle	Argonaut 99	Operational tasking
HMS Cattistock	Open Spirit	National tasking
HMS Montrose	Northern Lights	Operational tasking
HMS Monmouth	Northern Lights	Revised training schedules
HMS Fearless	Northern Lights	Deployed to Mediterranean
HMS Ocean	Northern Lights	Deployed to Mediterranean
HMS Edinburgh	Northern Lights	Deployed to Mediterranean
HMS Sandown	Sandy Coast	To accommodate Gulf Deployment
HMS Edinburgh	Falcon Nut	Operational tasking
HMS Westminster	Flotex	In Year Budget Management Measure

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if a D Notice has been issued in respect of Flight-Lieutenant Deborah Burns, Royal Air Force. [102568]

The six standing Defence Advisory Notices are concerned with matters of national security, and are not issued in response to individual cases. No Notice has been issued therefore, nor invoked, in respect of Flight-Lieutenant Burns.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what incidents have involved RAF Chinooks in the last two weeks of November; and if he will make a statement. [102565]

[holding answer 13 December 1999]: Between 14 and 30 November there have been 12 reported incidents involving RAF Chinooks. Eleven of these were minor day-to-day occurrences but one incident, which occurred during a training exercise on 25 November 1999 and involved damage to the rear of the aircraft, is being investigated by a RAF Board of Inquiry. Nobody was injured. After carrying out a preliminary assessment the Board reported that they had no urgent recommendations to make affecting the Chinook fleet as a whole. Their investigation is continuing and a summary of the Board's final report will be placed in the Library of the House in the normal way.

I am placing in the Library of the House a list of visits to overseas ports made by Royal Navy vessels between 1 January and 13 December 1999. In addition ships deployed under the Atlantic Patrol Task (South) and the ice patrol vessel HMS Endurance make frequent visits to the UK South Atlantic Overseas Territories.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 December 1999, Official Report, column 560W, concerning the withdrawal of naval vessels from planned exercises, if he will list (a) the exercises the vessels were withdrawn from and (b) the reasons for withdrawal. [102714]

The RN withdrew ships from the following exercises for the reasons stated:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on troop levels in Bosnia. [103548]

NATO has agreed to revise arrangements for manning the headquarters in the UK sector of SFOR. We have worked closely with our Dutch, Canadian and Czech partners on plans. This will allow a reduction in UK forces in Bosnia from around 3,300 to some 2,000 in the course of next year, while fully maintaining the operational effectiveness of SFOR. This reduction is in addition to the withdrawal of some 900 UK troops announced in late October, and will further reduce overstretch in the British Army.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has obtained regarding the number of veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict that have died, and the underlying causes of death; and if he will make a statement. [103469]

The Ministry of Defence has reviewed its own records and has found that between 1 April 1991 and 22 November 1999 (the latest date for which information is currently available) there were 413 deaths of UK armed forces Gulf veterans (out of a total of 53,462 deployed). The causes of death for 387 of the deaths have been determined and are set out in the table. Sufficient information on the causes of death in the remaining 26 cases is not currently available; work is continuing to establish this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many road traffic accidents involving (a) civilian vehicles and (b) military vehicles driven by forces personnel, and handled by the Royal Military Police, have been the subject of (i) summary trials and (ii) Courts Martial in each of the last three years. [102870]

Figures for such accidents involving forces personnel reported to the Royal Military Police are available only for 1996, 1997 and 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the annual cost of the STANOC centre at Larkhill; which police forces they have assisted in the past two years; and what charges STANOC have made; [102872](2) if he will list

The Annual cost of The Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Night Observation and Counter-surveillance Centre (STANOC) is £0.24 million.The Centre gives assistance to the police and other Government Departments under the provisions of Military Aid to the Civil Powers, and to Industry. Assistance to the police and other Government Departments is provided without charge. The Centre charges industry for help and advice on matters relating to private venture work and work in pursuit of overseas contracts; advice to industry on UK MOD matters is given without charge. I am withholding the information on the specific charges levied in each case under section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. I can report, however, that total recoveries since 1 January 1998 amount to £9,882. It is not possible accurately to break the figures down for each year as much of the work carried out by the Centre spans the whole period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many planned exercises involving (a) the Royal Navy, (b) the Army, (c) the RAF and (d) reserve forces were cancelled or went ahead without UK involvement in each of the years 1996 to 1999 indicating in each case (i) the name of the planned exercise, (ii) the estimated cost of each planned exercise to his Department had UK forces taken part, (iii) the actual cost after cancellation and (iv) the reason for cancellation; and if he will make a statement.[102679]

I will write to the right hon. and learned Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if all Royal Naval vessels are free of asbestos in (a) cabins, (b) engine rooms and (c) elsewhere; and if he will make a statement. [102625]

Royal Naval vessels do contain asbestos, but in all cases there is suitable protection to safeguard the personnel on board. my Department is pursuing a comprehensive programme to eliminate asbestos wherever practicable and soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to re-organise 160 (Wales) Brigade Headquarters at Brecon Barracks. [102839]

There are no current plans to reorganise 160 (Wales) Brigade Headquarters. However, the role and function of the Headquarters will be addressed as part of a wider review of all regional brigades throughout Land Command. This review will commence in January 2000 and is scheduled to report by Easter 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have put in place for the taking and keeping of minutes of meetings between Ministers and people outside his Department. [102366]

Decisions on the format of minutes of meetings will depend on the nature of the discussion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for each of the buildings under his Department's control how many rooms are set aside for (a) ethnic minority religious use, (b) pregnant and nursing mothers and (c) smokers. [102330]

No rooms are currently set aside for ethnic minority religious use or pregnant and nursing mothers within buildings occupied by my Department, although appropriate arrangements can be made if necessary. One room is set aside for smokers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in each of the last five years and the current year to date how many illegally held (a) shotguns, (b).22 rifles, (c) rifles of greater calibre than.22, (d) handguns and (e) other firearms were seized by the police in each police force area in Scotland. [102163]

This information is not held centrally and could be extracted by police forces only with considerable effort and at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many homicides were committed in Scotland using (a) shotguns, (b) rifles, (c) handguns and (d) other firearms in each police force area in Scotland in each of the last five years and the current year to date; and how many homicides were committed with the use of a legally held firearm used by the owner, broken down by the type of weapon used, over the same period [102164]

The following table details the number of homicides committed in Scotland using (a) shotguns, (b) rifles, (c) handguns and (d) other firearms in each police force area in Scotland in each of the last five years and the current year to date. Current year information relates to January to March 1999 only. Information on the number of homicides committed with the use of a legally held firearm used by the owner is not collected centrally.

Number of homicides recorded by the police in which a firearm was alleged to have been used by police force area and main firearm used, Scotland, 1994—Quarter 1, 1999
Police force area	Shotgun	Rifle	Pistol/revolver	Other firearms1	Total
1994
Northern	—	1	1	—	2
Fife	1	—	—	—	1
Lothian and Borders	—	—	1	—	1
Strathclyde	1	1	1	2	5
Total	2	2	3	2	9
1995
Tayside	1	—	—	—	1
Strathclyde	1	—	1	8	10
Total	2	—	1	8	11
1996
Northern	1	—	—	—	1
Grampian	1	—	—	—	1
Tayside	1	—	—	—	1

Renfrewshire Council2
provider	Number of placements available	project	Nature of provision
Action Environment Ltd.	22	CARTS Valley and Planning	Construction of Footpaths along banks of river, building walls and carrying out hard landscaping for local community wood project.
Heatwise	24	Home Insulation	Installing loft insulation in customers' homes, maintenance and care of tools and communication with customers.
Heatwise	20	Classroom Assistants	Helping to prepare people to apply to become classroom assistants in primary schools.
1Excluding East Renfrewshire

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the cost of registering an elector on the electoral register in Scotland; and what is the cost of entering a name to correct an omission from the register. [102546]

The estimated overall cost of registration of electors in Scotland is in the region of £4 million per year, or just under a pound per elector. The cost of making a single correction to the electoral register would not be very much greater than the cost of registering an elector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what projects are currently being undertaken by the New Deal Environmental Taskforce in the constituencies of Greenock and Inverclyde and West Renfrewshire; and if he will make a statement. [102624]

The projects currently taking place in Greenock and West Renfrewshire are:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she will publish "Public Bodies 1999"; and if she will make a statement. [103463]

"Public Bodies 1999" was published earlier today. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House."Public Bodies 1999" provides a range of statistical information on over 1,500 public bodies and over 35,000 public appointments. It focuses primarily on non-departmental public bodies, but also includes information on nationalised industries, certain public corporations and those NHS bodies to which Ministers make appointments. "Public Bodies 1999" is UK-wide in its coverage and includes information on those public bodies which now operate in devolved areas in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland."Public Bodies 1999" shows that the Government are making steady progress in reducing the overall number of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). The number of such bodies now stands at 1,057—a reduction of 6 per cent. over the 1997 total of 1,128."Public Bodies 1999" also shows that the Government are succeeding in increasing diversity among those serving of the board of public bodies. As at 1 September 1999, 33 per cent. of public appointments were held by women and 4.7 per cent. were held by members of ethnic minorities. This compares favourably to September 1997, when 32 per cent. of public appointments were held by women and 3.6 per cent. by members of ethnic minorities. We will continue working hard to encourage more women and more members of ethnic minorities to take up positions in public life.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what percentage of the total workforce in her Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps she is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in her Department. [102739]

Making a dramatic improvement in diversity is a central part of the civil service reform programme. We are taking action across the civil service to address the under-representation of ethnic minorities particularly at senior levels. We have set a target to double the number of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds in the senior civil service to 3.2 per cent. by 2004–05.The Cabinet Office is putting in place measures to help achieve corporate action, including: the appointment of an outreach worker who is working with university ethnic minority groups to build a better understanding of the opportunities in the Fast Stream; appointing a Senior Adviser to establish further pools of secondees and potential recruits and act as a source of advice to departments; planning to hold a civil service ethnic minority careers fair annually.The Cabinet Office, as an organisation, has developed and is implementing, a Diversity Action Plan, which includes objectives and actions for setting targets for recruitment and selection; retention; and progression of under-represented groups, strengthening links with ethnic minority communities (open-days and seminars), summer work placements for school pupils, and a mentoring scheme for Cabinet Office staff and external ethnic minority undergraduates.As at 1 April 1999 9.02 per cent. of permanent staff in the Department were of ethnic minority origin.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 6 December 1999, Official Report, column 372W, what part of the benefit payment modernisation programme will not be completed until 31 December 2005; and when the computerisation of the entire Post Office network will be completed. [103000]

Within the Payment Modernisation Programme, the Department will move away from paper based methods of payment to payment by Automated Credit Transfer (ACT), a more modern secure and efficient way of paying benefits.It is envisaged that the migration of customers from orderbooks and girocheques to ACT will take place over a two year period beginning in 2003 and completing in 2005. This will be managed carefully and in a way that will not put at risk the efficient distribution of benefit payments. Benefit recipients who wish to do so will continue to be able to access their benefits in cash at post offices.The automation of the network of almost 19,000 post offices is due for completion in 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his timetable for issuing draft regulations on stakeholder pensions. [102507]

We aim to issue draft regulations on stakeholder pensions for consultation early next year, in advance of the regulations being laid by around Easter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many companies are currently engaged in firm negotiations with the Government to introduce stakeholder pensions. [103001]

The pension and financial services industry is involved in the consultation process on the detail of stakeholder pensions policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many claimants receive (a) retirement pension and (b) other benefits from post offices in each Scottish parliamentary constituency; [102691](2) what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners and other benefit claimants who do not have bank accounts; and what assessment he has made of the impact on such claimants of his plans to pay benefits directly into claimants' bank accounts; [102748](3) what estimates he has made of the number of

The information requested is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows.As at 31 August 1999, the total number of customers in receipt of Retirement Pension and Widows Pension in Great Britain, receiving their pension through the post office was 5.6 million.As at 31 August 1999, the number of customers in Great Britain in receipt of benefits (other than Retirement Pension and Jobseeker's Allowance) receiving their benefit through the post office was around 11.6 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people he estimates will reach retirement age and begin to claim the state retirement pension between 12 September 1999 and 12 January 2000. [102632]

The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is as follows.It is estimated that around 180,000 people will reach State pension age between the 12 September 1999 and 12 January 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the (a) number of claimants and (b) cost of cold weather payments in the (i) Inverness, East, Nairn and Lochaber and (ii) Ross, Skye and Inverness, West constituencies in (1) 1997, (2) 1998, (3) 1999 and (4) 2000. [101960]

The administration of the Social Fund is a matter for Peter Mathison the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend.