To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the report of the Horizon Working Group on post office business issues submitted to the Cabinet Office in December 1999; and if he will make a statement. [104724]

The document concerned represents work in progress and contains commercially sensitive information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices there were in (a) Somerset and (b) the Yeovil constituency in each year from 1980 to 1999; and if he will make a statement. [104748]

I understand from the Post Office that they do not hold historic information on the numbers of post offices in each parliamentary constituency or local administrative area and that such information cannot readily be compiled.The Post Office advise that in October 1999 the number of post offices in Somerset was 234 and in the Yeovil constituency was 42.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals are being considered by his Department to help sustain and develop the viability of rural and urban sub-post offices. [105859]

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what training staff in his Department have received on the implications of the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales on their work in giving advice in response to inquiries. [106070]

The Government are making a substantial contribution to the costs of automating the entire post office counters network to strengthen the viability of the network as a whole. Automation will enable Post Office Counters Ltd. to offer substantial enhancements to the services it is able to offer to clients and customers which in turn will increase the attractiveness of post offices compared with other service delivery channels. In addition, the Performance and Innovation Unit in the Cabinet Office is carrying out an urgent study on the post office network.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under which section of the Companies Act 1985 he asked officials to investigate Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare in 1999. [106005]

I have never asked my officials to investigate Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will prevent recent proposed changes in the ownership of newspapers circulating in Wales. [105423]

I understand that the question refers to the proposal by Trinity Mirror plc ("Trinity Mirror") to acquire the newspapers and related assets of News Communications & Media plc. Under section 58 of the Fair Trading Act 1973, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's prior written consent is required before such an acquisition is made. I announced on 21 December that I was referring Trinity Mirror's application for consent to the Competition Commission. The reference, which was mandatory under the terms of the Act, does not prejudge the issues involved. The Competition Commission will investigate and report their findings to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State by 13 March 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much soya was imported from the USA to the UK in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998 and (d) 1999. [106092]

The available information is as follows:

Information and guidance on the implications of devolution on the work of the Department, including handling of correspondence and inquiries, has been promulgated to staff throughout the Department and placed on the Department's intranet. In addition, a number of seminars have been held to provide information to staff and to encourage discussion on the effect of devolution on their responsibilities. I have also written to all senior officials in DTI to remind them of the need to work with the devolved administrations in accordance with the arrangements set out in the Memorandum of Understanding and concordats (Command Paper Cm 4444, published on 1 October 1999) and in a bilateral concordat between DTI and the National Assembly for Wales which I expect to be published shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the new EU regional assistance map for the UK to be agreed. [106078]

Discussions with the Commission on the proposals for new Assisted Areas are continuing. We will announce the new map as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the payment of compensation to ex-coalminers and their widows in respect of emphysema and chronic bronchitis includes an element of compensation for pain and suffering; and if he will make a statement. [106074]

Compensation for successful claims in respect of chronic bronchitis and emphysema includes general damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those properties held by his Department and agencies responsible to him which are (a) wholly and (b) mainly unoccupied at present, giving locations and when they became so unoccupied in each case. [105307]

[holding answer 19 January 2000]: The information is as follows:

:To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the Manufacturing capacity of glass making in the UK, expressed in tonnes per day. [104766]

This Department has responsibility only for the lead crystal, container, scientific/technical and automotive glassware sectors. No such assessment of the manufacturing capacity in these industries has been undertaken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the medium-term demand for manufactured glass in Britain. [104765]

This Department has responsibility only for the lead crystal, container, scientific/technical and automotive glassware sectors. No such assessment of the medium-term demand for manufactured glass in Britain has been undertaken. However, independent reports suggest that the UK glassware market is being increasingly influenced by fashion and design as part of the general trend towards casual dining which has increased the demand for glassware products.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the economic impact of the moratorium on gas-fired power stations, including the direct and indirect impact on employment. [105160]

I am monitoring carefully the economic impact of the Government's policy of stricter consents for gas-fired power stations. In particular, I have received representations about the impact of the policy on proposals for industrial regeneration in local economies and the impact on employment in the oil and gas, power generation equipment and other sectors. However, the policy is necessary, as a temporary measure, to protect security and diversity of supply while the electricity market is reformed. It will be relaxed as soon as the reform programme has been undertaken and the distortions in the market have been removed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions have taken place between his Department and the DETR about reducing business rates in the North-West. [105272]

There have not been any discussions between the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions specifically about a reduction in business rates in the North-West. However, my Department has been involved in discussions about the arrangements for transitional relief and is also involved in the Government review of the system of revaluation of non-domestic rates in England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the Office of Fair Trading's investigation into BSkyB and cable. [105261]

The decision to undertake a competition review of BSkyB's position in pay television is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will investigate the prospects for independent petrol retailers. [105269]

DTI Ministers have no plans to investigate this particular market sector. In so far as there are any possible competition issues, it would be for the Director General of Fair Trading to investigate.The Director General last looked at the petrol market in 1998. He found that independent petrol retailers had suffered as a result of strong competition between the oil companies and the supermarkets, but overall the market was competitive and consumers were benefiting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he investigates regional monopolies of the sale of petrol by oil companies. [105270]

Under UK competition legislation, responsibility for investigating allegations of anti-competitive practices, abuse of monopoly position and restrictive trade practices lies with the Director General of Fair Trading.Any evidence of abuse of monopoly position, on a regional or national basis, should be passed to the Director General of Fair Trading.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to encourage the major clearing banks to agree agency banking services with Post Office Counters. [105330]

The Government have taken steps to put back on track the Horizon project to automate the post office network thereby establishing a platform for provision of on-line agency banking services at all post offices. However the extension of the provision of agency banking services at post offices is primarily a matter for commercial negotiation between the clearing banks and Post Office Counters Ltd.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the total tonnages of coal delivered to power stations in Great Britain in 1999, giving the breakdown between (a) collieries in England, Scotland and Wales and (b) deep mines and opencast. [105513]

Figures for 1999 as a whole are not yet available, but in the first three quarters of 1999 it is estimated that of the 24 million tonnes of coal delivered from collieries and opencast sites in Great Britain to UK power stations, about 15 million tonnes came from England, four million tonnes came from Scotland and less than one million tonnes from Wales with a further four million tonnes from small producers that cannot be readily allocated geographically. Of the 24 million tonnes about 13 million tonnes was deep mined and about 11 million tonnes opencast and recovered coal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much coal was imported into the United Kingdom in 1999 (a) in total and (b) from each country supplying coal to the United Kingdom. [105514]

Figures for 1999 as a whole are not yet available, but in the first three quarters of 1999, it is estimated that 14.6 million tonnes of coal were imported into the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of electricity supply cabling in urban areas of England is over (a) 25 years, (b) 35 years and (c) 50 years old. [105665]

Separate figures are not available for England. Percentages for Great Britain are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the electricity market had been opened up to competition as at July 1999 by each of the member states of the EU. [104886]

The latest information available from the Commission gives the position as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by what date he intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Wells concerning the business dealings of the hon. Member for Coventry, North-West (Mr. Robinson) and his Department's inquiries into those dealings. [104673]

I replied to the right hon. Member's letter today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by what date he intends to reply in full to the letters from the right hon. Member for Wells dated 15 July 1998, 23 November 1998, 26 November 1998 and 11 December 1998 concerning the activities of Hollis Industries plc, TransTec plc and AGB International plc. [104675]

My predecessor replied to the right hon. Gentleman's letters as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the report arising from his Department's investigations into Hollis Industries plc and the hon. Member for Coventry, North-West (Mr. Robinson). [104670]

These were confidential inquiries and in accordance with established practice and legal constraints I have no proposals to publish the findings of the investigation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the religious and political affiliations of each member of the Parades Commission. [106109]

Three members of the Parades Commission are from the Protestant community, three are from the Roman Catholic community and one is non-denominational. None has any active involvement with any political party.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many facilitators have been employed by the Parades Commission; how much has been paid (a) in total and (b) to each; and to what religious denominations they belong. [106108]

A team of 12 Authorised Officers, representing a balance in gender and religion, has been employed by the Parades Commission, through Mediation Network NI, since April 1998.The remuneration for 1998–99 was £7,000 per annum, based on a minimum of 80 days commitment per year. The remuneration for 1999–2000 was £7,200. The Commission has recently decided to extend the remit of the Authorised Officers to include education and community development and, accordingly, the days have been increased to a minimum of 100 days per annum with a commensurate increase in remuneration to £9,000 per annum. Since April 1998 to end December 1999 the total remuneration was £151,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what are the religious affiliations of the applicants for the post of Chairman of the Parades Commission; [106107](2) how many applications have been received for the post of Chairman of the Parades Commission. [106110]

Of the 45 applicants who recently applied for the post of Chairman of the Parades Commission. 18 were Protestant, 11 were Roman Catholic and 16 were from other denominations or did not specify.This information was obtained for the purposes of equal opportunities monitoring. It was not made available to the interviewing panel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made as to whether (a) the murder of Mr. Richard Jameson was carried out by a terrorist organisation and (b) that murder indicates that the ceasefire has been broken. [106102]

The Secretary of State keeps his judgment about the ceasefires under continual review, taking account of all the information he receives from his security advisers. It is the Government's view that the main ceasefires on balance are holding. If there is evidence that an organisation is not maintaining its ceasefire he will not hesitate to act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the cost to date of the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning. [106081]

Updated costs are currently available only to 30 September 1999. The total expenditure shared by the British and Irish Governments from September 1997 to that date was IR£2,528,047. The British Government's share of that was STG£1,005,029.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the dates of the meetings held between the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning and the representatives of each political party and terrorist organisation since the creation of the Commission. [106080]

That is a matter for the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is taking to prevent age discrimination in the training of solicitors. [105598]

The solicitor's profession is independent and self-regulating. It is for the Law Society, in the first place, to set and to apply any requirements in respect of the training of solicitors.Meanwhile, the Government are committed to tackling age discrimination across the board. On 14 June 1999, the then Minister of State for Employment and Disability Rights launched the Code of Practice for Age Diversity in Employment, with supporting guidance for employers. It is aimed at all employers, including solicitors' firms. Although it is non-statutory, the Code sets the standard for non-ageist approaches to recruitment, training and development, promotion, redundancy and retirement.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what action he is taking to reduce smoking in his Department. [105797]

My Department has a well established "Smoking Policy" designed to provide smoke-free working conditions for those staff who want them, while offering limited, designated, smoking facilities for smokers and help for those who wish to stop smoking.Recent Health Awareness events held in various areas of the Department were designed to encourage staff to consider the effect of their life styles on their health, including exercise, diet, smoking and drinking habits. Further such events are currently being considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list, for each of contracts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 for the M60 motorway between Denton and Middleton (a) the original price, (b) the cost of the completed contracts and (c) the estimated final cost of the remaining contracts; [104425](2) when he expects the M60 between Denton and Middleton to be completed; and if it will be opened in phases or in its entirety. [104426]

I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Peter Nutt, to write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the mileage in the Greater London area that has been constructed for use as cycle routes. [104792]

The total length of the London Cycle Network routes implemented at 1 April 1999 is some 755 miles.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) when the first meeting of the Sustainable Development Commission will take place; and how often the Commission will meet; [104786](2) how many permanent staff the Sustainable Development Commission will employ; [104787](3) if he will list the membership of the Sustainable Development Commission; [104788](4) what is the proposed budget of the Sustainable Development Commission; and how much of it will come from public funds. [104789]

The Sustainable Development Commission, which will replace the existing UK Round Table and British Government Panel on Sustainable Development, is expected to begin work in the spring. It will be for the Commission to decide the frequency and timing of its meetings along with its other working arrangements. The DETR will provide funds for administrative support for the Commission which will have about 15 members, and a Secretariat that permits an increase on current staffing for the two existing advisory bodies, which currently have six permanent staff. A proposed budget of £492,000 has been allocated for the Commission for 2000–01. It will be open to the Commission to encourage others to contribute support, for example, by providing staff on secondment. The process of appointing members is under way in accordance with the guidance laid down by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will introduce pilot no-car days in the UK. [104837]

No. Our view is that it is for local authorities to decide whether they want to introduce no-car days, taking into account local circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many complaints have been received by the Public Carriage Office regarding London taxi drivers who have refused to carry blind passengers with guide dogs in the last year; [105203](2) if he will estimate how many passengers with guide dogs are carried by London taxi drivers per year. [105204]

The Public Carriage Office has no recorded complaints of London licensed taxi drivers refusing to carry guide dogs in the last year.Neither the Public Carriage Office nor the Department monitors the number or proportion of taxi journeys in London involving passengers with guide dogs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidelines his Department has issued for the gritting of roads in icy conditions. [105056]

[holding answer 17 January 2000]: The Highways Agency aims to provide a winter maintenance service of de-icing and snow clearing which, as far as possible, allows the safe movement of traffic on motorways and all purpose trunk roads in England, and keeps delays and accidents caused by adverse weather to a minimum. Their maintenance agents undertake the operational management of this service following the guidelines in the Highways Agency Trunk Road Maintenance Manual: Volume 2, Routine and Winter Maintenance Code.For local authority roads, the Code of Good Practice for Highway Maintenance produced by the local government associations in England and Scotland in 1989 provides advice on systems to predict freezing conditions at Appendix 4.7. A partnership project between DETR, the Local Government Association, the Welsh Assembly, and DOE(NI) is currently considering the revision of this code.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to announce the outcome of his consultation on the proposed spending limits for London Mayoral and Greater London Assembly candidates and his decision on whether candidates will have free mailshots; and if he will make a statement. [105282]

We are considering the comments we received on our proposed limits to the spending of Mayoral and Assembly candidates in GLA elections. We will announce our conclusions in a written answer shortly. The limits will be set in an order subject to affirmative resolution.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was his Department's budget for road maintenance in each of the last 10 years. [105704]

[holding answer 18 January 2000]: Motorway and trunk road maintenance is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. The Highways Agency (an executive agency of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions) carries out this function on the Secretary of State's behalf.The responsibility for maintenance of local roads rests with local highway authorities. Central Government funding for routine maintenance of local authority roads is provided through the highways maintenance element of the Revenue Support Grant (RSG). This is distributed by the Highways Maintenance Standard Spending Assessment (HMSSA).Funding for structural maintenance of local authority principal roads and bridges has been provided through Transport Supplementary Grant (TSG) until 1999–2000. In the future it will be provided by the Local Transport Plan capital settlement.The provisions for the last 10 years were:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 1 December on behalf of his constituent, Mr. Hall. [105922]

This letter was sent to the Highways Agency for advice. They transferred the papers to the Government Office for the East of England for reply. Because of a clerical error this transfer was not completed. However the papers are now receiving urgent attention and my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Transport will reply shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for public investment in the Tyneside Metro. [104829]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what orders his Department has made under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 in each year since 1994; and what plans it has to introduce such orders. [106087]

The five orders my Department has made under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 are listed in table A. We continue to look for opportunities to use such orders to remove legislation where we can. Three areas where we expect to take action are listed in table B.

The Deputy Prime Minister announced the go-ahead for the extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro to Sunderland and South Hylton on 13 December last year. In addition to ERDF funding we expect to support at least £35 million of expenditure on the scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to publish the revised guidance to support Part B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations; and if he will make a statement. [106529]

I have today published the 2000 edition of the Approved Document to Part B of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 1991. The Building Regulations (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1999, which amended Part B, were laid before Parliament on 21 December 1999. The 2000 edition of the Approved Document offers ways of meeting these revised requirements of the Building Regulations. The amendment Regulations and the 2000 edition of the Approved Document will both come into force on 1 July 2000.There are a number of changes in this guidance, which was last published in 1992. Many of them have been to address areas where the guidance has become outdated, or where the guidance has needed clarification. In addition the guidance now contains information specifically relating to schools and gives guidance on sandwich panel construction.Some new issues have also been introduced in the 2000 edition of the Approved Document. The revised Approved Document includes guidance on fire alarm and fire detection systems within all relevant buildings and not just dwellings, as was the case in the 1992 edition of the Approved Document. The revised Approved Document now suggests that within a dwelling all habitable rooms within storeys not more than 4.5 metres above ground level should be provided with an emergency egress window. Guidance has also been added to deal with means of escape from storeys within buildings other than dwellings which are also used for the consumption of food and/or drink by customers. This follows two fatal fires in department stores where it has been shown that people in a cafe are not so quick to respond to a fire alarm compared to the other general shoppers.As announced on 14 December 1999 by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning, the revised Approved Document now includes a provision for compartmentation or sprinkler protection in single storey retail buildings with a floor area exceeding 2000m

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the recommendations in the report of the external audit of the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme have been implemented. [106501]

The Ministry of Defence response to the recommendations in the report of the audit of the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) has now been completed. A very small number of issues remain outstanding but the response explains why this is so and what action is being taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding the implementation of the immunisation programme against biological warfare agents for United Kingdom forces during the Gulf conflict 1990–91. [106493]

The Government's "New Beginning" policy statement set out the way forward for addressing the health concerns of Gulf veterans and included a commitment to establish a Fact Finding Team to look into the implementation of the anti-biological warfare immunisation programme during the Gulf conflict. Their work has now been completed and I am today publishing a paper entitled "Implementation of the immunisation programme against biological warfare agents for UK forces during the Gulf conflict 1990–91". Copies of the report have been placed in the Library of the House.The publication of this paper reaffirms the Government's commitment to ensuring that Gulf veterans should have access to whatever information the Ministry of Defence possesses which might be relevant to their illnesses.The deficiencies in the implementation of the 1990–91 anti-biological warfare immunisation programme have been, and continue to be, addressed in improvements to our current arrangements. When we again deployed to the Gulf in 1998 our immunisation programme was unclassified, all troops were fully briefed using standard material, the nature of the threat and the vaccine were described in detail and all records were updated, showing that the lessons of 1990–91 have been learned.The report found that the voluntary nature of the immunisation programme operated as intended in the majority of units and locations. It confirms that no unusual or previously undisclosed immunisations were given during the Gulf conflict and also explains the codewords which were sometimes used for the vaccines.Uptake of the anti-biological warfare immunisations in the early stages of the programme was high. Over 75 per cent. of all personnel deployed to the Gulf region are likely to have had anthrax and pertussis immunisations, and in many units this approached 100 per cent. Uptake of the second anthrax and pertussis immunisations and the first plague was less and varied between and within formations. Uptake of the third anthrax and the second plague immunisation was rare.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the suggested exposure of United Kingdom troops to chemical warfare agents in A1 Jubayl on 19 January 1991. [106495]

The 1997 "A New Beginning" policy statement set out a number of commitments to help address the health concerns of Gulf Veterans. One of these commitments was to review specific incidents of suggested biological or chemical warfare exposures. As part of this commitment I am today publishing a paper entitled "A Review of the Suggested Exposure of UK Forces to Chemical Warfare Agents in A1 Jubayl on 19 January 1991". A copy will be placed in the Library.As a result of our review of the available information we assess that UK troops were not subject to attack or exposed to chemical warfare agents at A1 Jubayl on 19 January 1991. Although it is not possible to give a single comprehensive explanation for all the events that took place on the morning of 19 January we conclude from the available information that the indications of the presence of Chemical Warfare agents were false alarms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the relationship between organophosphate pesticides and the illnesses suffered by some veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict following recent reports from the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment and the Institute of Occupational Medicine. [106496]

The COT report, published in November, concluded that neuropsychological abnormalities can occur as a long term complication following acute organophosphate (OP) poisoning, particularly if the poisoning is severe. Persistent peripheral neuropathy (disorders of the peripheral nerves) may occur, but not generally at a level which would give rise to symptoms. The body of evidence gives little support to the hypothesis that low-level exposure to OPs can cause chronic disease of the nervous system. However, the report notes that there remains a question over whether a small proportion of subjects may be at increased risk of clinically significant disease following low level exposure and recommends further research in this area.The Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) report on the relationship between OP sheep dips and illness in exposed sheep farmers and dippers found the critical exposure factor to be contact with concentrate dip: much higher rates of symptoms, predominantly of a sensory nature, were reported among those who had been principal concentrate handlers. There is a very limited evidence that long term low-level exposure to organophosphates leads to long term neurotoxic effects.The conclusions from these reports are in line with the findings of the Defence Scientific Advisory Council's (DSAC) Working Party report, the publication of which I announced on 20 October 1999 and which reviewed existing literature on the long term neurotoxicity of anticholinesterases. It concluded that high doses of organophosphates may have long term effects on the peripheral nervous system, but that there is limited evidence about long term toxic effects following low doses.During the Gulf conflict very few UK service personnel would have handled concentrated OPs. Those that did would have been Environmental Health Officers or technicians, or individual regimental hygiene duties personnel who were appropriately trained in procedures and the use of equipment. There was no evidence of acute organophosphate poisoning or of subsequent unusual ill health arising in this small group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Duke of York Royal Military School for the financial year 1999–2000. [106545]

The Chief Executive of The Duke of York's Royal Military School has been set the following key targets for 1999–2000:

• To achieve 100 per cent. of GCSE passes at grades A^* to G.
• To achieve five or more GCSE passes at grades A^* to C; 1999–2000 target is 86 per cent.
• To achieve 88 per cent. of A level passes at grades A to E.
• To achieve three or more A level passes at grades A to E; 1999–2000 target is 80 per cent.
• To achieve 34 per cent. of A level passes at Grades A and B.
• To achieve 100 per cent. award rate for GNVQ Advances and BTEC National Diploma courses.
• To achieve places in higher education for at least 80 per cent. of sixth form leavers.
• To achieve a pupil per capita cost of no more than £12,922.
• To generate income of at least £475,000.
• To achieve at least 270 applications for September 2000 intake.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Annex to the Presidency Conclusions of the European Council held in Helsinki relating to three new military committees under that Council, (a) what is the specific purpose of each and how it relates to the others, (b) what instructions have been sent by the Council to the Secretary General or High Representative of each in respect of his function and duties and (c) what the lines of accountability are. [105131]

I have been asked to reply.The Helsinki European Council set the framework for the political and military structures that will be necessary for the EU to decide and act on security and defence matters. These bodies are a standing Political and Security Committee (which will handle the full range of Common Foreign and Security Policy issues), the Military Committee and the Military Staff. The incoming Portuguese Presidency was tasked, together with the EU Secretary General/High Representative, to carry this work forward. The terms of reference, guidance and accountability for each body will thus be developed in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many retirement pensioners in Heywood and Middleton aged 75 or over (a) will benefit and (b) will not benefit from free TV licences. [105198]

Figures are not available for the number of people aged 75 or over in Heywood and Middleton. However, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his pre-Budget statement on 9 November 1999, Official Report, columns 883–91, everyone aged 75 or over will receive their television licence free of charge from this autumn. We shall announce full details of the scheme shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will take steps to ensure that all pensioners receive free TV licences. [105414]

As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 9 November 1999, Official Report, columns 883–91, from this autumn, everyone aged 75 or over will receive their television licence free of charge. The Government are introducing this concession for older pensioners because, as a group, they are more likely to rely on television as their window on the world and to be on low incomes. We have no plans to extend the concession to all pensioners, but we are considering the Davies report's recommendations on the existing concessionary television licence scheme in the light of responses to the public consultation and will announce our conclusions shortly.

To ask the Prime Minister if those dealing with the media in (a) his Office and (b) other ministerial offices, (i) ever, (ii) routinely and (iii) always record conversations with journalists; and for what period (1) unofficial and (2) official recordings are preserved. [106036]

It is now standard practice to tape press briefings given by the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman and other Downing street Spokesmen and a written record is circulated around Whitehall Departments, an innovation introduced by this Government. A record is kept on file.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer from the Secretary of State for Defence to the hon. Member for Craydon, South of 10 January 2000, Official Report, column 97W, if he will place in the Library the speech given by his Policy Unit adviser on Europe and Defence, Mr. Liddle, to the French-German-UK Seminar at the Institut de Haute Education de la Defense Nationale, Paris in November 1999. [104803]

I am advised that Mr. Liddle's talk was not transcribed. I am therefore unable to consider the hon. Member's request.

To ask the Prime Minister what discussions took place between EU Commission officials and the Prime Minister of Turkey on the Ilisu Dam Project during the 48 hours prior to his attendance at the Helsinki Summit. [105592]

I have no responsibility for any discussions which the European Commission officials may enter into. However, I am advised that officials of the Export Credits Guarantee Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are not aware of any discussions on the Ilisu Dam project taking place between European Commission officials and the Prime Minister of Turkey during the 48 hours prior to his attendance at the Helsinki Summit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the Government's plans are in respect of salaries and conditions in higher education. [103688]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on university staff salaries. [103706]

The pay and conditions of staff in higher education are a matter for the employers not the Government. The Bett Report into higher education pay and conditions, published in June 1999, made a number of recommendations for restructuring the sector's terms and conditions. It will be for the higher education employers to consider how these recommendations can be implemented.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures the Government have taken to support schools in reducing he number of exclusions. [103690]

Last July we issued new guidance on 'Social Inclusion: Pupil Support' which includes practical preventive strategies, based on good practice, to help schools deal with behaviour problems. This is backed up with nearly £500 million over three years for projects to prevent exclusions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what role will be played by business on the Learning and Skills Council. [103691]

As the LSC Prospectus published before Christmas says, business will have a key role in the new Learning and Skills Council. We intend that at least 40 per cent. of the new Council's members will come from the private sector, and we will be looking to people with business experience to chair the national and most local Councils. In addition, the LSC's local arms will work closely with the new Small Business Service on workforce development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his plans for the Learning and Skills Council. [103713]

On December 14 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment published a detailed Prospectus for the LSC. Subject to the passage of the Learning and Skills Bill, we expect the Learning and Skills Council to be in full operation from April 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to improve the quality of education for secondary school pupils. [103692]

An agenda for raising educational standards for secondary school pupils was laid out by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment at the North of England conference on 6 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what structures exist to facilitate communication between his Department and small businesses. [103693]

My Department communicates with small business primarily through small business representative bodies, and through intermediary organisations like Training and Enterprise Councils, Business Links, National Training Organisations and enterprise agencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to address pockets of low expectations and low skills in rural constituencies. [103694]

We are committed to addressing low expectations and low skills wherever they are found. That is why we are setting targets at school and LEA level and creating a new system of post-16 learning that is responsive to local needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps his Department is taking to broaden participation in the labour market. [103695]

The Government's Welfare to Work programme is the biggest ever initiative to help more people participate in the labour market and get back into work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps are being taken to promote the code of practice on age discrimination in the workplace. [103696]

The Code has been well received, with over 40,000 copies being issued since its launch in June. Copies of the Code of Practice were sent to Chambers of Commerce; Training and Enterprise Councils; Local Authorities; National Training Organisations; Trade Associations and 5000 businesses. Advertisements about the Code have appeared in Citizens Advice Bureaux; Jobcentres; local libraries and in a calendar sent to 120,000 small firms. Advertisements have also appeared in a range of publications aimed at management and personnel professionals.I will be making an announcement next month on further plans for promoting its key messages.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to propose legislation to guarantee legal rights of access for the disabled to education and training. [103697]

We announced our intention on 13 December to bring forward legislation to give people with disabilities equal access to schools and further, higher and adult education. The provision of training is generally already covered by Part 11 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) where it concerns employees, or Part III of the DDA where it constitutes a service to the public, depending on the particular circumstances of the disabled person and the provider.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment his Department has made of the role of mobility within city boundaries in matching jobseekers to vacancies. [103699]

My Department recognises that increasing the mobility of jobseekers is critically important in helping people to find jobs, and employers to find people. The Employment Service has developed a comprehensive strategy to address mobility issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what support and advice has been given to schools to improve the rate of attendance by pupils. [103700]

We are investing £500 million over three years on projects tackling truancy and school exclusion and other initiatives to get children back into school and learning. To support this major investment, we issued new guidance to schools in July 1999 entitled "Social Inclusion: Pupil Support", which includes evidence on what works in increasing attendance rates at school.On 1 November 1999 we also issued our strategy document "Tackling Truancy Together" which sets out our further proposals for helping to reduce unauthorised absence from school. We are currently considering the many responses we received to the proposals in that document, and will make an announcement soon on what further action we want to take to help reduce unauthorised absence from school.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his plans for funding the further education sector. [103701]

In November 1999 1 announced an additional £365 million for further education in 2001–02, bringing funding to nearly £3.9 billion, a 7.7 per cent. rise in real terms over 2000–01. A consultation document which we published on 11 January sets out how the Learning and Skills Council will fund post-16 education and training from April 2001. Further Education will continue to play its key role in improving the skills base of the country.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to raise standards in the further education sector. [103710]

Higher standards in further education colleges are being promoted through the Further Education Standards Fund which comprises £275 million over the three years from 1999–2002. The Government will also continue to promote high standards in Further Education through new legislation in the Learning and Skills Bill, which includes provision for improved post-16 inspection arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many 16 to 19-year-olds are receiving full-time education in (a) school sixth forms, (b) sixth form colleges and (c) general further education colleges. [106014]

The latest provisional figures for 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education in England are for end of calendar year 1998. They are shown in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to encourage changes in employment practices to facilitate the combination of employment with family responsibilities. [103703]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress is being made in developing a campaign to encourage changes in employment practices to bring about a better balance in people's lives between work and home. [103712]

Our campaign will be delivered in partnership with leading employers and others. It will promote good practice that both benefits the business and enables employees to balance work and home better. Details are currently being finalised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to assess the independence of external examiners in the higher education degree process. [103705]

My right hon. Friend has no such plans. External examiners are contracted by, and answerable to, the autonomous higher education institutions who appoint them. The institutional reviews undertaken by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education look at a range of issues relating to external examiners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to make it easier for firms to notify vacancies to the Employment Service and to obtain information on vacancies posted. [103707]

From Autumn 2000 the Employment Service will be introducing a new set of IT-based gateways to give its customers convenient, user friendly access to its services. Employers will benefit from having their vacancies displayed to a much wider range of jobseekers through touchscreen kiosks in Jobcentres and elsewhere, and on an Internet Jobsbank. Notifying Jobcentres will be made easier for employers by providing them with a single national telephone number and internet-based links.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on progress made under the new deal for young people in meeting the target of moving 250,000 young people into jobs. [103708]

With over 169,000 young people having found jobs to the end of October 1999, the trend indicates that we will meet the manifesto commitment to move 250,000 young people into work under the New Deal for Young People. The success of the New Deal so far will be built on by extending further help with basic skills and personal presentation to young people who will benefit, particularly the most disadvantaged. The 60 per cent. cut in long-term youth unemployment since May 1997 is good news for our young people and for the prosperity of the country.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to reform the standard spending assessment distribution per pupil to reduce disparities between local education authorities. [103709]

The Government announced in November 1998 a three year review in partnership with local government to look for a way of distributing revenue support grant which is simpler, more stable, more robust and fairer than the present arrangements for SSAs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the impact of anti-smoking and anti-illegal drugs education programmes on reducing drug use. [103711]

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 21 December 1999, Official Report, column 555W, in which I announced plans for a long-term study on the effectiveness of drug education.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of the funds allocated to schools for the implementation of Curriculum 2000 will be allocated to sixth forms with fewer than (a) 50, (b) 100, (c) 150 and (d) 200 pupils; and what will be the method of allocation. [104849]

The Education Standard Spending Assessment for 2000–01 takes into account the estimated additional recurrent costs of successfully implementing the forthcoming reforms to post-16 qualifications in LEA maintained schools. It is for individual local education authorities to decide how to allocate resources to the schools they maintain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the progress to date of the New Deal for those aged over 50 years. [103702]

New Deal 50plus has made an excellent start in nine selected areas of the country. People aged over 50 who have received one of a number of benefits for six months or more are eligible for a package of advice and other support including a cash employment credit to help them back into work. By early January over 350 people had found work with the support of New Deal 50plus. Many of those finding work so far through this New Deal have been out of work and on benefits for a long time. We will launch New Deal 50plus across the whole country in April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make it his policy that Ofsted inspectors will, as a matter of course, meet the trade union representatives during an inspection. [103704]

This is a matter for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, Chris Woodhead. I have asked him to write to my hon. Friend and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps she has taken to benchmark the extent of on-line Government services in the United Kingdom against other countries, with particular reference to the US and Australia. [105187]

The Government are very keen to learn from good examples of international electronic service delivery. There are a number of very interesting examples of developments in this area not just in the USA and Australia, but in other countries. We intend to publish a report in the summer that will set out the results of our research and indicate what lessons we can learn from exemplars of international best practice.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to introduce the use of the Internet for (a) VAT payment, (b) passport renewal, (c) renewal of television licenses, (d) renewal of vehicle licences and (e) Government procurement contracts; and what targets exist for Internet based transactions in these areas. [105249]

As part of our Modernising Government programme we announced in our Action Plan, published in July 1999, that we would provide six-monthly reports on our progress in delivering Government services electronically. The second of these reports was recently published on the Central Information Technology Unit (CITU) website (http://www.citu.gov.uk). Copies of these reports are available in the Libraries of the House.I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, North (Helen Jones), on 17 January 2000,

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what representations she has made to the Commissioner for Public Appointments regarding the date of publication of her report on appointments to NHS trusts and health authorities. [106018]

None.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she expects the Commissioner for Public Appointments to publish her report on public appointments to NHS trusts and health authorities. [106019]

The publication of the report is entirely a matter for the Commissioner. However, I understand that a press release issued by the Commissioner's office on 17 January 2000 stated that the Commissioner will announce her findings and recommendations in early March.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what were the numbers of registered drug misusers in Gloucestershire (a) 1997 and (b) 1999. [105552]

The Addicts Index was discontinued by the Home Office in 1997. The following table shows the number of drug misusers presenting to treatment agencies in the Gloucestershire Health Authority area. Figures for the six month period ending September 1999 are not yet available.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what measures she is taking to counter the increase in numbers of people registered as drug misusers in Gloucestershire. [105551]

The Government's strategy for tackling drug misuse was set out in the White Paper "Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain" in 1998. The Government backed this ten-year strategy by allocating an extra £217 million for anti-drugs work as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review. This includes an additional £70.5 million for health and local authorities over the next three years for drug treatment services and £18 million to support drug prevention activities, particularly among young people. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has also announced a further £20 million for the expansion of Arrest Referral Schemes to help drug-misusing offenders obtain treatment. The Gloucestershire Drug Action Team is responsible for co-ordinating local implementation of the strategy.

To ask the Solicitor-General what action he is taking to reduce smoking in his Department. [105793]

The Law Officers' Departments have different policies on smoking in offices, reflecting the different buildings and the results of locally based decisions. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has a general no smoking policy. Staff may not smoke in their own rooms. The provision of a separate smoking room is a matter for managers to decide locally, taking into account the interest of staff. CPS HQ is in two buildings. In the London office, the number of smoking rooms has been reduced to one and in the York office, there is no separate smoking room. Information about the provision of separate smoking rooms in the CPS's 42 Areas is not available centrally.The Counselling and Support Service of the CPS advertises the now annual National No Smoking Day (in their in-house publication "Inform") and offer literature to assist anyone wishing to give up smoking.The Treasury Solicitor's Department has a policy of restricting and confining smoking to clearly defined areas. The Department's Health and Safety Advisory Committee is currently reviewing the policy and will in due course be making recommendations.The Serious Fraud Office accommodation is non-smoking although a small smoking room is provided. Free health screening checks have recently been made available to all staff and these will make staff more aware of the dangers of smoking.In the Law Officers' Legal Secretariat smoking is not permitted in any of the meeting rooms or the shared offices. Smoking is restricted to a smoking room. Staff are encouraged and supported in giving up smoking.

To ask the Solicitor-General what reports he has received concerning the disappearance of William Beausire in Santiago in 1974; and what requests he has received for a private prosecution. [106029]

Solicitors acting for a number of individuals applied for Law Officer consent to prosecute Senator Pinochet for offences of torture and hostage taking. The papers included reference to William Beausire. On 11 February 1999, the then Attorney-General considered the application and took advice from Treasury Counsel. The solicitors were advised that consent to prosecute was declined. The basis of that decision is that the relevant legislation is not retrospective and the material supplied by the solicitors in support of the application provided insufficient admissible evidence to justify a prosecution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the number of asylum seekers and refugees seeking places in Scotland. [104808]

At present, local authorities in Scotland give support to between about 150 and 200 new asylum seekers each year.In addition, in 1999, 349 refugees from Kosovo came to Scotland under the Kosovo Humanitarian Evacuation Programme.

To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee when the delays in connecting hon. Members to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other Government Departments via the House switchboard will be remedied; what the cause is of the delays; and when the House authorities became aware of the problem. [106053]

This is an operational matter falling within the remit of the Head of Telecommunications. I have therefore asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 25 November 1999, Official Report, column 179W, for what reason he has failed to fulfil the undertaking to reply shortly to the letters dated 4 August, 10 September and 14 October, from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. Cleveland Savory. [104466]

I am sorry for the delay in replying to my right hon. Friend. I am looking into the matter and will write to him this week.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters dated 21 September, 27 October and 2 December 1999 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Ahmed Said Mohammed Aderi. [104455]

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary wrote to my right hon. Friend on 17 January 2000. I am sorry for the delay in replying.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters to him dated 21 September, 27 October and 2 December 1999 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. Muhidin Abdul Rahman. [104454]

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary wrote to my right hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Gorton on 19 January 2000. I am sorry for the delay in replying.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters dated 21 September, 27 October and 2 December 1999 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. N. Askander. [104456]

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary wrote to my right hon. Friend on 17 January 2000. I am sorry for the delay in replying.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 30 November on behalf of his constituent, Mrs. Djukic. [105921]

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary wrote to the right hon. Member on 18 January 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 25 November on behalf of his constituent, Mr. Reeves. [105924]

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary replied to the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire's letter of 25 November 1999 on 14 January 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment the Government have made of the impact of fathers' involvement in childrearing on the behaviour and attainment of their sons and daughters; and if he will make a statement. [104876]

There is strong evidence that fathers play a critical role in bringing up children. Boys who have no contact with their fathers are more likely to underachieve at school. Supporting fathers is an important part of the Government's family policy. We have also provided fathers with the right to parental leave, and those in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit and some other benefits will receive income support while taking the leave to make it a viable prospect for all parents. Under the Family Support Grants programme, a number of voluntary organisations have been funded to develop work specifically with fathers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each police authority in England the percentage of net expenditure in (a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98 and (c) 1998–99 which was funded by (i) council tax, (ii) police grant and (iii) other grants. [105258]

The information requested on council tax and police grant, which has been compiled from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy's Police Statistics, is set out in the table. Information on the percentage of net expenditure funded by other grants is not readily available.