To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of the use his Department, its agencies and public bodies will make of the powers relating to the authorised obtaining of communications data in Part I, Chapter II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill once the Bill is enacted. [119511]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department on 19 April 2000, Official Report, column 509W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the (a) estimated (i) capital and (ii) revenue cost of establishing and (b) projected staffing establishment of each local arm of the Learning and Skills Council in England for each of the next three years. [119254]

(a) Estimates of the capital and revenue costs of establishing each local Council are not available as these will depend on the outcome of individual negotiations in each area to secure premises and to establish teams of staff. We estimate the total transitional costs of moving to the new arrangements to be some £60 million to £65 million over the next two years (2000–02). Overall, we estimate that the new arrangements will from 2001–02 produce savings in administration of at least £50 million per year compared with the current position.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much each local education authority has spent per sixth form pupil in each of the last five years. [120256]

Although local education authorities produce budget and outturn statements for their expenditure on schools, information is not recorded in the form requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what was the total amount of Standards Fund expenditure allocated to further education in each year since June 1997–98 in England and Wales; [120597](2) if he will list the allocation of Standards Fund expenditure to further education by recipient in each year since 1997–98 for England and Wales; [120598]

The FE Standards Fund in England was introduced in April 1999. £35 million was allocated for 1999–2000; £98 million is earmarked for 2000–01 and £160 million for 2001–02.The data requested are as follows for 1999–2000:

£
FE Colleges	31,639,796
Other developmental expenditure (governor/principal training)	440,682
Basic Skills Quality Programme	350,000
Further Education National Training Organisation	500,000
Further Education Development Agency	1,750,000
Standards Fund Evaluation	300,000

A breakdown of the allocations provided to individual colleges has been placed in the Library.The Standards Fund expenditure allocated to further education in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to improve the pay and conditions of part-time lecturers in further and higher education. [121069]

Pay and conditions for FE and HE staff are an important issue, although the detailed arrangements are for employers to determine. We have increased the funding for higher education by over £1 billion over the four years to 2001–02. And we have made the biggest ever investment in FE, increasing funds from £3.1 billion in 1998–99 to £3.9 billion in 2001–02. We are encouraging employers and unions to work together on a sensible way forward under the improved circumstances we have created.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which Careers Service contractors hold (a) a Charter Mark, (b) an Investors in People award and (c) an International Standards Organisation registration. [120779]

The Careers Service accreditations are as follows:

• Charter Mark
• Calderdale and Kirklees Careers
• Career Connections
• Career Decisions
• Career Link
• Careers Partnership
• Cheshire Guidance
• Cornwall and Devon Careers
• Cumbria Careers
• East Lancashire Careers
• Essex Careers and Business Partnership
• Guidance Enterprises (Wakefield)
• Guidance Enterprises (York and North Yorkshire)
• Lifetime Careers Bolton, Bury and Rochdale
• Lifetime Careers Stockport and High Peak
• Lifetime Careers Wiltshire
• Oldham Careers
• Quality Careers
• St. Helens Career Services
• Somerset Careers
• Wigan Careers
• Investors in People
• 3S Strategies
• Calderdale and Kirklees Careers
• Cambridgeshire Careers
• CareerLink
• Career Path (Northamptonshire)
• Careers Bradford
• Careers and Education Business Partnership
• Central Careers
• CfBT Bedfordshire
• CfBT West London
• Cheshire Guidance Partnership
• City of Sunderland Careers
• Cornwall and Devon Careers
• County Durham Careers
• Derbyshire Careers
• Dorset Careers
• Enterprise Careers
• Essex Careers and Business Partnership
• Futures Careers Guidance
• Future Steps
• Guidance Enterprises (York and North Yorkshire)
• Guidance Enterprises (Wakefield)
• GuideLink Careers
• Hereford and Worcester Careers
• Hertfordshire Careers
• Humberside Partnership
• Learning Partnership West (Avon)
• Learning Partnership West (Gloucestershire)
• Leeds Careers
• Leicestershire Careers
• Lifetime Careers Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham
• Lifetime Careers Bolton, Bury and Rochdale
• Lifetime Careers Brent and Harrow
• Lifetime Careers Wiltshire
• Lincolnshire Careers
• London South Bank Careers
• Norfolk Careers
• Northumberland Guidance Company
• Oldham Careers
• Prospects Careers (Black Country)
• Prospects Careers (North London)
• Prospects Careers (South London)
• Quality Careers
• Search
• Sheffield Careers
• Shropshire Careers
• Somerset Careers
• Suffolk Careers
• Surrey Careers
• Sussex Careers
• Tyneside Careers Partnership
• VT Southern Careers
• VT West Sussex Careers
• Warwickshire careers
• Wigan Careers
• International Standards Organisation
• 3S Strategies
• Calderdale and Kirklees Careers
• Capital Careers
• Careers Partnership
• Cheshire Guidance
• City of Sunderland Careers
• Essex Careers and Business Partnership
• Future Steps
• Guidance Enterprises (York and North Yorkshire)
• Hertfordshire Careers
• Wigan Careers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the remaining provisions of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 will be implemented; and if he will make a statement. [121312]

We have decided that the final stage of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act should come into force on 1 October 2004. From that date, in addition to their current duties, service providers will have to take reasonable steps to remove, alter or provide a reasonable means of avoiding physical features which make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a service.I asked the National Disability Council to review the existing Code of Practice to take account of this final stage of the duties on service providers. A revised version of the Code and a Practical Guide for service providers were handed over to the Disability Rights Commission when it began operating on 25 April. Public consultation on the revised Code of Practice and Guide, and the Government's proposals for a small number of Regulations under the Act, starts on 8 May and will last for three months.The Commission will consider the views expressed in the consultation before preparing final versions of the Code and Guide.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will place in the Library a copy of the report by Sir Thomas Legg and Mr. Peter Bosworth on the case of Harmon v. House of Commons Corporate Officer. [120780]

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to the hon. Member for Broxbourne (Mrs. Roe) on 19 April 2000, Official Report, column 502W, in which I said that the action is still sub judice. The Commission has decided not to release the report at present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the lowest operational attitude at which the C130J aircraft is cleared to fly in the RAF. [120410]

[holding answer 3 May 2000]: While the C 130J is being introduced into service and development of its full tactical capability continues, the lowest operational altitude for which it is cleared is 2000 ft, except for take-off, visual circuits, instrument approaches and landings. Clearance for low level operation will follow when trials work is complete.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of the use his Department, its agencies and public bodies will make of the powers relating to the authorised obtaining of communications data in Part I, Chapter II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill once the Bill is enacted. [119518]

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the Home Secretary on 19 April 2000, Official Report, column 509W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include standards relevant to the provision of domiciliary services to deafblind people, including communicator-guide and intervenor services, in the domiciliary care standards under development by his Department. [120414]

We are currently considering the needs of all those receiving domiciliary services with a view to publishing a consultation document later this year. The standards will be the minimum core standards required for registration with the National Care Standards Commission. However, providers should be able to demonstrate that appropriate personal care is delivered to the required standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to consult deafblind users of domiciliary care services, including communicator-guide and intervenor services, in relation to the setting of domiciliary care standards. [120415]

We are currently considering the needs of all those receiving domiciliary care services with a view to publishing a consultation document later this year. A core steering group and a wider reference group have developed the draft national minimum standards and a User Forum was held in January 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include standards relevant to deaf blind people in the care standards for residential services for adults. [120416]

We are planning to include standards relevant to deaf blind people in the national standards for care homes for adults with disabilities and special needs. Relevant interests have been consulted. The standards are being drafted and will be published for consultation later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) spending per head on social services was in each of the last three years and (b) standard spending assessment per head for social services was in each of the last three years and is for 2000–01, in (i) Devon and (ii) England. [120828]

The available information is given in the table.

£
	Gross expenditure on personal social services per head of population1		Standard spending assessment3 for personal social services per head of population1
	Devon2	England	Devon2	England
1996–97	191	189	131	141
1997–98	206	203	142	150
1998–99	210	219	141	158
1999–2000	—	—	147	167
2000–01	—	—	155	176
1 Mid year population estimates with 1998 mid year estimate used also for 1999–2000 and 2000–01.
2 On 1 April 1998 Plymouth and Torbay became separate unitary authorities; expenditure in these areas is included in the Devon expenditure and SSAs for 1996–97 and 1997–98 but excluded from the Devon expenditure and SSAs for 1998–99 onwards.
3 Standard Spending Assessments (SSAs) are not comparable with actual expenditure. SSAs represent the unhypothecated resources provided to local authorities for social services. They include any expenditure funded from charges or from Department of Health grants or other grants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter dated 2 December 1999 from the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed about access to specialist alcohol services in the North-East. [121065]

My right hon. Friend replied to the right hon. Member on 4 May.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the report of the inquiry into the machinery for determining firefighters' conditions of service. [121340]

I announced in the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Colne Valley (Kali Mountford), on 12 April 2000, Official Report, column 226W, that I had received professor Burchill's recommendations and was consulting upon them. 1 very much welcomes his proposals for improving the working of the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades and the positive reaction there has been to them. I have now arranged for the report of the inquiry to be published today as a Command Paper and for copies to be placed in the Library. I am asking for further comments from interested parties on the detail of the report and its recommendations to reach me by the end of this month.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the Criminal Records Bureau Corporate and Business Plans. [121341]

I have today published the Criminal Records Bureau Corporate and Business plans for 2000–05, and copies have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the UK Passport Agency's Corporate and Business Plans. [121342]

I have today published the United Kingdom Passport Agency's Corporate and Business Plans and copies have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers he has to ban demonstrations by individuals and organisations with records of violent conduct, destruction of property and vandalism; and if he will make a statement. [121000]

Under section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986, a chief officer of police may apply to the district council for an order prohibiting marches or processions which he reasonably believes may result in serious public disorder, serious damage to property or serious disruption to the life of the community. Such an order requires my consent. In London, the Commissioners of Police may apply direct to me as Home Secretary for such consent. The chief officer may also attach conditions to such marches and to public assemblies. There is no power to prohibit peaceful public assemblies.Section 14A of the 1986 Act similarly enables a chief officer to apply for and order prohibiting trespassory assemblies within a specified area, if he reasonably believes that such an assembly may result in serious disruption to the life of the community or in significant damage to land or buildings of historical, architectural, archaeological or scientific importance. This power applies only to areas to which the public has no right of access or only to a limited right of access.Such bans do not apply to specified individuals or groups, but in considering applications I will give due weight to the police assessment of the potential for disorder or disruption to the community, including any available information on the groups likely to be involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she expects the famine relief funded by her Department to be distributed in Ethiopia. [118816]

Since January, we have committed over 24,000 metro tonnes (MT) of food aid to be provided through the ICRC and international non-governmental organisations. Most of this has been distributed or is in the process of being distributed. The distribution of the remaining 5,400MT is expected to start at the beginning of June.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with her EU and UN counterparts concerning the use of the Lokichokio World Food Programme airfield in Northern Kenya for providing assistance to Ethiopia. [120767]

[holding answer 4 May 2000]: The World Food Programme have no plans at present to use Lokichokio airfield. If a large scale air operation is needed WFP would consider Lokichokio among a number of options. Its use would depend on its cost effectiveness.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the long-term development aid projects her Department supports in Ethiopia; and if she will make a statement. [120768]

[holding answer 4 May 2000]: Our bilateral development programme is currently running at about £4 million to £5 million a year. We are supporting the following activities:

• Police Training
• Public Expenditure Review/Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.
• Governance Fund
• Technical Co-operation Training Programme
• Ethiopian Roads Authority Contract Capacity Building
• EU Food Security/Employment Generation Schemes Expert
• DFID Food Security Field Manager
• Support to the Ethiopian Food Security Reserve
• Review of the Ethiopian Food Security Reserve
• Community Water Development Project—Phase II (Save the Children Fund)
• Review of Rehabilitation Programme (Overseas Development Institute)
• Prevention and Independent Monitoring of Disposal of Obsolete Pesticides
• DPPC Food Aid Targeting Guidelines Preparation (Save the Children Fund)
• Rapid Appraisal of Pastoral Emergency Response Interventions
• DFID Small Grants Scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department has contributed to the UN appeal for Ethiopia launched in January; and on what dates her Department provided the funds. [120765]

[holding answer 4 May 2000]: Both the UN Appeal and the Government of Ethiopia Appeal in January 2000 identify priorities for assistance. The £7.3 million we have committed since January 2000 is targeted on these priorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the amount of food aid necessary to replenish Ethiopia's food reserves; and how much food aid was pledged by the EU to Ethiopia's food reserves in (a) 1998,(b) 1999 and (c) 2000. [120763]

[holding answer 4 May 2000]: We understand that the physical stock in the Reserve currently stands at 90,000 metric tonnes (MT) of food. The United States, World Food Programme and the EU expect to provide a further 200,000MT by the end of July. The EU have pledged 110,000MT for the Food Reserve, which will be delivered by July 2001. The EU repaid 89,267MT to the Food Reserve in 1998 and 61,293MT in 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts concerning the provision of food aid to replenish Ethiopia's reserve stocks. [120757]

[holding answer 4 May 2000]: Our officials have been in close contact with EU officials to monitor the replenishment of Ethiopia's reserve stock. At January 2000 the EU owed 84,000 metric tonnes (MT). They have since repaid 16,000MT and are confident that they will be able to repay the total amount by the end of July this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which long-term development aid projects her Department supports in Zimbabwe; and if she will make a statement. [120766]

[holding answer 4 May 2000]: DFID is currently supporting the following long-term projects in Zimbabwe:

• Women's Civic Education (£0.987 million: 1999–2002)
• Empowerment of Farm Worker Communities (£1.6 million: 1999–2002)
• Wills and Inheritance Laws (£0.86 million: 2000–03)
• Bikita Integrated Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (£2.725 million: 1995–2001)
• Lupane Integrated Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (£3.54 million: 1996–2002)
• Rural Water Point Upgrading/Rehabilitation (£0.873 million: 1998–2001)
• Small Dams Rehabilitation (£1.96 million: 1997–2001)
• Agricultural Services and Management (£5.75 million: 1999–2002)
• Assistance to Department of Veterinary Services (£0.9 million: 1998–2001)
• Credit for the Informal Sector (£1.3 million: 1995–2002)
• Takura Investments (£0.426 million: 1996–2001)
• Agribusiness Entrepreneur Network and Training (£0.492 million: 1997–2001)
• Assistance to Developing Enterprises Project Team (£1.4 million: 1997–2001)
• Bulilima-Mangwe Water Supply and Environmental Rehab. (£0.311 million: 1998–2001)
• Community Based Maintenance of Water Points in Binga (£0.243 million: 1998–2001)
• Social Marketing of Condoms (£2.8 million: 1996–2001)
• Sexual Health Project (£9.2 million: 1994–2000)
• Privatisation Agency Support (£2.2 million: 1998–2001)
• Zimbabwe Police Organisational Development (£6.438 million: 1997–2002)
• Rural District Council Capacity Building (£10.6 million: 1996–2001)
• Civil Society Land Resettlement Challenge Fund (£5 million: 2000–04).

We have suspended the following project:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will publish details of trade and aid projects her Department has approved for Zimbabwe between (a) June 1997 and December 1997, (b) January 1998 and December 1998 and (c) January 1999 and April 2000; and if she will make a statement. [120758]

[holding answer 4 May 2000]: The Aid and Trade Provision was closed to new applications when this Government took office in May 1997. Only one outstanding project has been approved for Zimbabwe since May 1997, and no others are under consideration. This project, initiated by the previous administration but approved in September 1998, was for the supply of 1,500 Land Rover Defenders to the Zimbabwe Republic Police. It was suspended in April 2000 since the conditions of the grant are not currently being met by the Zimbabwe Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of motorway route miles in England are unlit; what plans he has to increase the provision of motorway lighting; and if he will make a statement. [120080]

Approximately 70 per cent. of the motorway network in England is unlit.Lighting is provided in high accident areas. The decision on whether to provide lighting is based on an assessment carried out in accordance with the DETR "New Approach to Appraisal". This covers an economic assessment of the capital, maintenance and energy costs against the potential savings as a result of the reduction in night time personal injury accidents; and an assessment of environmental impacts.Apart from this, there is no programme to extend road lighting to unlit sections of motorway. The situation is kept under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people have been killed in road accidents on motorway hard shoulders in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [120078]

The data requested are given in the table.

Casualties killed on entering or leaving a hard shoulder of motorway: Great Britain 1994–98
	On lay-by/hard shoulder	Entering lay-by/hard shoulder	Leaving lay-by/hard shoulder	All hard shoulder
1994	8	0	3	11
1995	8	3	0	11
1996	7	3	0	10
1997	4	0	1	5
1998	13	3	1	17

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the ratio of field inspectors to policy inspectors in the Health and Safety Executive. [120388]

[holding answer 2 May 2000]: HSE has no "policy inspectors" as such. The ration of field inspectors to inspectors employed in non-field posts in the Health and Safety Executive is around 7:1.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will consult with hon. Members on the United Kingdom strategy for the June 2000 OSPAR Conference in Copenhagen, prior to finalising the UK submission. [120711]

I have regularly set out in a written parliamentary answer the main lines which the United Kingdom delegation will take at the annual meetings of the OSPAR Commission for the protection of the marine environment of the North East Atlantic. I intend to continue this practice for the next annual meeting in June in Copenhagen. If any hon. Members have any points that they would wish the Government to take into account in this context, I shall be glad if they will let me know, so that I can consider them. I would be happy to receive a delegation of MPs to discuss this.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will instruct the Franchising Director to take particular account when granting the franchise for the East Coast main line, of companies which propose to increase the number of direct train services between Hull and London. [120646]

The Instructions and Guidance the Deputy Prime Minister gave the Franchising Director in September last year set out six criteria for him to take into consideration when assessing bids for new franchises. They are: the commitment of existing franchise operators to performance, customer services, innovation, investment and efficiency; the extent to which extra or earlier investment can be obtained; the extent to which better performance can be secured; the extent to which integrated transport measures can be achieved; the extent to which passengers will be given a greater voice in the level and standard of services and; affordability and value for money to the tax payer. The Franchising Director announced on 14 March the shortlisted bidders for the East Coast Main Line franchise. I understand that he is having separate discussions about improved services to Hull.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions further to his answer of 18 April, Official Report, column 456W, on the North Wales Main Line, if he will place a copy of the study produced by Virgin Trains in March 1999 in the Library. [120730]

:[holding answer 2 May 2000]: The study was in fact produced in March 1998. I am unable to place a copy in the Library as it remains commercially confidential.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the amount that British farmers have paid in groundwater charges in each of the years since the charge was introduced; and what his forecast is of the figures for the current year and each of the next three years. [120563]

[holding answer 3 May 2000]: During the transitional period of the Groundwater Regulations 1998, from 1 January to 31 March 1999, the Environment Agency received over 12,000 applications from farmers in England and Wales for groundwater authorisations representing a total of around £1 million. From 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 the Agency received a further 131 applications amounting to total charges of around £12,000. Around £870,000 has been paid by farmers to the Agency as annual "maintenance" charges in respect of authorisations. This will be reimbursed following the announcement, in March, of the Government's Agriculture Strategy. The total charges payable for the current and subsequent years will depend on the number of applications made by farmers for authorisations, though the Agency's current estimates would indicate total charges to farmers for new applications of up to £300,000 for 2000–01. The administration of the Regulations in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has to encourage cities to introduce car-free Sundays. [120842]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will reply to the letter dated 14 December 1999 from the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, regarding the proposals to introduce cabinet-style committees in the National Park Authority. [121064]

I replied to the right hon. Member on 4 May.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the reports he commissioned into (a) the efforts previously made by the Department to locate the wreck of the FV Gaul and (b) the results of the examination of graves found in Northern Russia will be published. [121343]

Both of the reports by Roger Clarke, formerly Director of Shipping and Ports in my Department, are published today and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.Roger Clarke's report on the Department's previous efforts to locate the wreck of the Gaul identifies lapses of corporate memory both in my Department and in the Ministry of Defence, in the latter instance following the destruction of files. We deeply regret these mistakes, and any distress they may have caused, particularly to the families of those lost with the Gaul.Roger Clarke makes a number of recommendations on these and other matters regarding the location and examination of marine casualties. We intend to act on all his recommendations, and our responses to each of them have also been placed in the Library.His second report deals with the investigation of a number of graves in Northern Russia which may have contained the remains of victims of the Gaul. DNA samples were taken but no match has been found. Roger Clarke's report details the way this onerous investigation was undertaken. Details which identify those who provided DNA samples have been deleted from the published report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will set targets for the world class performance sportsmen and women for the Sydney 2000 Olympics, and publish them before 1 September. [121042]

It is not for Ministers to set such targets. We have asked UK Sport for information and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as it is available, placing copies of my letter in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many athletes who gained world class performance status in 1999 achieved personal best performances at the World Athletics Championships in 1999; [121040](2) how much money has been spent on the world class performance programme by Sport England and the UK Sports Council

We have contacted UK Sport to request the information required, and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as it is available, placing copies of my letter in the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in the north-west (a) registered and (b) deregistered for VAT in each year since 1992. [119847]

The number of businesses in the north-west which registered and deregistered for VAT since 1992 is as follows:

Calendar year	Registrations	Deregistrations
1992	17,326	21,370
1993	16,412	20,752
1994	15,174	18,600
1995	18,699	17,154
1996	18,269	14,196
1997	20,455	15,308
1998	20,510	14,130
1999	20,094	12,818

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will desegregate by income decile the number of families receiving (a) 0 to 10 per cent., (b) 11 to 20 per cent., (c) 21 to 30 per cent., (d) 31 to 40 per cent., (e) 41 to 50 per cent., (f) 51 to 60 per cent. and (g) 61 to 70 per cent. of child care costs through the Working Families Tax Credit. [120608]

[holding answer 2 May 2000]: Insufficient data on income are provided by applicants for the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) to allocate them between decile groups of income as conventionally defined for such analyses. Also, household survey data available for analysis do not yet cover families receiving the tax credits, and sample numbers may in any case be too small for reliable estimates to be made in the detail requested.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if in (a) the initial determination and (b) each subsequent determination of a working families tax credit claim the (i) number and (ii) age of children is checked against child benefit records. [120054]

[holding answer 20 April 2000]: The number and ages of children from child benefit records can be checked by officers assessing any application for WFTC, and this is normally done if child benefit information is omitted from the WFTC application form, or if conflicting information has been supplied by the WFTC applicant.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made on the refurbishment of the Treasury building. [121311]

Ministerial approval of plans for the refurbishment of the Treasury building under the private finance initiative was announced by the former Chief Secretary on 27 July 1999, Official Report, columns 400–01. Under the terms of the project agreement signed last year, the Treasury's private sector partner, Exchequer Partnership plc (EP), is responsible for a number of risks, including obtaining town planning and listed building consents and securing the funding to finance the works. Both conditions have now been satisfied and the deal has therefore reached financial close. Work is planned to start on site on 17 July (the date of granting vacant possession of the Park end of the building) with completion in August 2002.The contract, which is for 37 years and one month from vacant possession, provides for the Treasury to pay an annual payment (the Unitary Payment) to EP in return for fully serviced accommodation to performance standards specified in advance. The Unitary Payment has been fixed in real terms at £14.037 million in March 1999 prices and will be up rated annually in line with the retail prices index.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the progress made by the Rover Task Force. [121344]

The Rover Task Force has published its interim report, which is available in the Libraries of the House and the Vote Office. A final report is expected to be published by the end of June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government have sought EU approval for paying rescue aid to a bidder for Rover. [120826]

No requests for aid has been received in respect of a bid for Rover.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Regional Selective Assistance originally proposed for BMW/Rover will be available for new projects in the West Midlands to replace Longbridge employment. [120855]

When I set up the Rover Task Force on 17 March, I announced that a Government contribution of £129 million, which was originally offered to BMW in the form of Regional Selective Assistance, will now be available to support other, good quality projects in the region.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment he has made of the level of financial backing possessed by the Tower bid for Rover; [120854](2) what recent estimate he has made of the extent of job losses

The details of any successful bid for Rover, and hence the effects on employment, will not be known until agreement is finally reached with BMW.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Government's policy is towards the (a) Alchemy and (b) Towers consortium bids for Longbridge. [120827]

The Government have consistently stated that we want to see the best possible deal for Rover workers, suppliers and dealers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assurances the Government have received from BMW about (a) the future of the Rover plant at Cowley and (b) the timing of the sale or closure of the Longbridge plant. [120825]

The future of Longbridge is the subject of commercial negotiations at the moment. BMW has stated that the future of its operations at Cowley are secure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what estimate he has made of the amount of money needed from (a) all sources and (b) public funds to continue Rover production at Longbridge; [120857](2) what rescue aid the Government are prepared to offer for Rover. [120858]

Commercial negotiations are still continuing over the future of Rover Group, including future production at Longbridge. No request for Government financial support has been received from any party to the negotiations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Towers Consortium has (a) applied for regional selective assistance or other Department's grants or (b) indicated to his Department that it will be applying. [120549]

[holding answer 2 May 2000]: No application for Government grants or aid, or indication of a forthcoming application, has been received from the Towers Consortium.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) meetings and (b) conversations he has had with (i) the principals and (ii) other representatives of (1) Alchemy Partners, (2) the Towers Consortium and (3) BMW since 31 March. [120092]

A number of meetings and conversations have taken place.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the regional selective assistance offered to BMW/Rover was intended to cover revenue losses. [120821]

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recommendations made by the Trade and Industry Committee in its seventh report of 1995–96 have been (a) implemented and (b) are in the process of being implemented. [119781]

[holding answer 20 April 2000]: Of the 12 recommendations, those implemented comprise numbers 1, 2 and 11. Recommendation numbers 8 and 12 are in the process of being implemented.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what fines British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. has had to pay in each year since 1971, arising from safety and environmental breaches at Sellafield, Chapelcross, Springfields and the magnox nuclear stations. [120714]

The fines paid by BNFL for safety and environmental breaches since 1971 are as follows:

Year/prosecution	Fine (£)
1978
Fatal accident, Chapelcross	200
1980
Accident to Radiographer, Sellafield	500
1983
Overladen motor vehicle, Springfields	200
1983
Beach discharge incident, Sellafield	10,000
1989
Site transfers of fuel without functioning instrumentation package and alarm system, Sellafield	1,000
1990
Accident resulting in injury to contractor, Chapenhurst	1,500
1990
Discharge of trade effluent into Black Beck, Sellafield	800
1990
Discharge of trade effluent into River Calder, Sellafield	1,200
1991
Disposal of radioactive waste from HMS Inskip, Springfields	7,500
1992
Breach of Site Licence Condition (Unauthorised Override Incident), Sellafield	6,000
1994
Breach of Site Licence condition (Internal Flask Movement), Sellafield	15,000
1996
Radiological contamination of contractor, Sellafield	25,000
1997
Non-radiological (Pipe Bridge) incident, Sellafield	20,000
1997
Caustic Soda release into Calder River, Sellafield	32,500
1998
Solvent release to trade drain to River Ribble, Springfields	20,000
2000
Failing to take proper care when working with asbestos—Oldbury	5,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the locations of the medical assessment centres in Scotland being used for conducting (a) spirometry and (b) other tests required in connection with the payment of compensation for respiratory diseases. [120793]

Spirometry testing has been conducted at four centres in Scotland, in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Lochore (Fife) and Drongan (Ayr). In addition to the 4,080 spirometry assessment carried out at centres, the Department has also assessed 346 claimants in their homes.The centres at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Lochore have now been fully adapted for the more detailed medical requirements of the main Medical Assessment Process (MAP), along with a new centre in Ayr itself. The future needs for additional MAP centres will be kept under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual costs were of the medical assessment centres in Scotland used to provide medical tests to compensation claimants suffering respiratory diseases in each of the last three years. [120794]

In March last year, the DTI awarded the contract to carry out the national programme of spirometry to Healthcall Services Limited. To date DTI have paid Healthcall £155,090 in fees to test claimants in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what payments have been made in 1999–2000 under the Enterprise Fund announced in the 1998 White Paper; [121007](2) for what reason total provision for the Enterprise Fund given on page 198 of Cm 4611 differs from estimated outturn given on page 41. [121006]

The net estimated outturn for the Enterprise Fund in 1999–2000 (£48.5 million on page 41 of Cm. 4611) is consistent with the figures shown on page 198 (£57.88 million) which are gross, and from which must be deducted the figures for the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme Premium Receipts and Recoveries shown on page 199 (£9.38 million).Total actual payments in 1999–2000 under the Enterprise Fund, updated since the publication of the estimates in the Expenditure Plan Report, were £38.62 million (gross).

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the output of cars at Ford's Dagenham plant in the last 12 months. [120996]

In 1999 the Dagenham plant produced 190,977 vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he received a grant application from Ford for its Dagenham plant. [120815]

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what estimate he has made of potential job losses at Dagenham if Ford ceased car manufacture there; [120822](2) what his policy is on proposals to take over car manufacture at Dagenham; [120994](3) what discussions he has had with Ford about the ending of car making at its Dagenham plant; [120816](4) what recent discussions he has had with Ford concerning competitiveness in car manufacturing in

I and my officials maintain regular and close contacts with Ford on a whole range of issues.Ford is currently undertaking a review on the whole of their European operations. The outcome of the review is not known and no announcements are expected until after the review has been completed. Any comment at this stage on possible implications for any of Ford's UK operations would therefore be premature and counterproductive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has (a) to aid and (b) make grants to Dagenham in the event of car manufacture ceasing there. [120824]

Ford is currently undertaking a review on the whole of its European operations. The outcome of the review is not known and no announcements are expected until after the review has been completed. Any comment at this stage on possible implications for any of Ford's UK operations would therefore be premature and counterproductive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he (a) has had in the last two months and (b) plans in the next three months with the EU over the block exemption of motor distribution from the competition regime. [120811]

My officials have discussed the issues raised by the cars block exemption with their counterparts in the Commission's Competition Directorate on several occasions in the past two months. They intend to remain in close contact with the European Commission in the coming months on this issue. I have also raised the matter personally with Commissioner Monti and will continue to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to announce the changes required in motor car distribution following the Competition Commission report. [120814]

I announced my proposals on 10 April when I published the Competition Commission report on the supply of new cars.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under which programmes he plans to pay grant to the coal industry in the next two years. [120817]

As this is a new scheme, a separate programme will be established.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to discuss grants to the coal industry with the EU. [120818]

Discussions have already taken place and will continue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce the amount of grant that is available for the coal industry over the next two years; and what factors will determine the level of grant to be paid. [120819]

I refer the right hon. Member to my statement to the House on 17 April 2000, Official Report, column 697.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason the planned expenditure on regional selective assistance for 2000–01 given on page 62 of Cm 4611 differs from total provision given on page 201. [121002]

The total gross provision for regional selective assistance in 2000–01 given on page 201 of Cm 4611 (£125.25 million) includes provision for the Enterprise Grant scheme. The figures on page 62 have been separated into individual lines on the Enterprise Grant scheme (£9.0 million) and the main Regional Selective Assistance programme (£116.3 million).

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how much of the difference between total provision of, and estimated outturn spending on, regional selective assistance in 1999–2000 results from the delay in agreeing a legal regional selective assistance map; [121003](2) for what reason the estimated outturn spending on regional selective assistance given on page 62 of Cm 4611 differs from the total provision given on page 201. [121001]

I refer the right hon. Gentleman to footnote (a) on page 62 of Cm 4611 which states that the difference resulted from a number of large projects failing to reach their trigger points for grant because of slower than expected progress.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of the offers of regional selective assistance cited on page 59 of Cm 4611 have been delayed by the absence of a legal regional selective assistance map. [121005]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent estimate he has made of the cost of returning unused plutonium MOX fuel from Japan; which Government Departments are responsible for making arrangements for such a return; and what storage facilities exist at (a) Sellafield and (b) other UK nuclear facilities to store such fuel. [120254]

A decision on the future of the MOX fuel in Japan remains to be agreed with the Japanese Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the impact on carbon emissions of the Restricted Consents Policy for new gas-fired electricity generation (a) for the last two years, and (b) for the next two years. [119677]

No such calculations have been made.Our White Paper, "Conclusions of The Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation and Government response to fourth and fifth Reports of the Trade and Industry Committee", Cm 4071, stated that it was not possible to quantify the impact of the new energy framework on emissions. This is because the aim of the policy is not to achieve any particular outcome in terms of fuel mix in generation, but to create a level playing field so that all forms of generation can compete equally and as a temporary precautionary measure to ensure the artificial encouragement for new gas plant that has arisen from distortions to the electricity market does not artificially undermine security and diversity of supply.I announced on Monday 17 April that I would be lifting the stricter consents policy in October 2000 as soon as the new electricity trading arrangements were in place. The Government are determined to meet the UK commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 12.5 per cent. below 1990 levels in 2008–12. The stricter consents policy and the timetable for its lifting are entirely consistent with meeting that target, and with moving towards our goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. on 1990 levels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state (a) the resident unemployment and (b) the number of existing manufacturing jobs in each of the electoral wards of the North-East Region which were (i) included in and (ii) excluded from the European-aid approved map in recent changes. [120206]

The information on resident unemployment counts has been placed in the Library of the House. Due to commercial confidentiality the majority of the information on manufacturing jobs is not available at individual ward level. Where such information is available, it has been incorporated within the tables on unemployment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the policy of (a) the EU and (b) the United Kingdom Government towards paying grant for trading losses by manufacturing businesses. [120860]

Any grants paid by the EU Governments to manufacturing companies must fall within the EU State aid rules, which are detailed in Volume 2a of "Competition Law in the European Community", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the grants to TRW/Lucas Varity Filtronics, mentioned on page 59 of Cm 4611, have been delayed in payment. [121004]

There have been no delays in making payment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many RUC detectives are engaged in the investigation into the deaths of 29 people in Omagh on 15 August 1998. [114716]

The number of officers actively engaged in this investigation has varied at different times to meet the needs of inquiries. All appropriate resources have been made available throughout the investigation. I am advised that there are currently 20 detective officers working full-time on the inquiry team.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the cost to the latest available date of the RUC investigations into the Omagh Bomb. [114894]

This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his Department's policy is on (a) advertising and (b) acknowledging company sponsorship on the websites of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies; which companies (i) have placed advertisements and (ii) are acknowledged as sponsors on those websites; how much revenue has been received for each financial year since 1997 from such advertisements and sponsorship; and if that revenue has been retained within the budget of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies. [119555]

The Northern Ireland Civil Service policy on web advertising and sponsorship has not yet been published but will follow the line which has been developed by the Central Information Unit in the Cabinet Office which is as follows:

Government sites are permitted to carry advertising. In designing pages, departments and agencies should ensure that advertisers' branding does not detract from the effectiveness and appearance of their own branding or that of the government as a whole. Particular attention should be given to avoid any implication of endorsement of products or services or of contradiction between government messages and those of advertisers.

Only two Northern Ireland departmental websites carry the logos of companies. The Roads Service traffic camera site contains the logo of Peregrine Associates; and the Greenmount Agricultural College web page carries logos of the Northern Bank Group, Richardsons Fertilizers, Thompsons and United Dairy Farmers.No revenue was, or is being, received from the inclusion of these logos.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions Ministers in his Department have met (a) representatives of trade unions at Harland and Woolf shipyard, (b) officials of the Department of Economic Development and (c) lay members representing the trade unions at Harland and Woolf to discuss the future of the shipyard; when the last such meeting was held; and what future meetings are planned. [120497]

Since October 1999 Ministers, including those in the Northern Ireland Executive, have had three main meetings with representatives of trade unions at Harland and Woolf and a series of meetings with Departmental officials to discuss matters in relation to the shipyard.The most recent Ministerial meeting with trade unions was on 23 March 2000. Ministers receive written briefings from officials on at least a weekly basis and meetings with officials will take place as required. Future meetings with trade unions and officials will take place as necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date the report of the Investment and Finance Cross Sector Working Group was placed on the Strategy 2010 web site; on what dates (a) the summary of that report and (b) the report of the Inward Investment sub-group were removed; and for what reason the latter document was removed. [120587]

The report of the Investment and Finance Working Group. which includes an executive summary, was placed on the website in November 1999.The Inward Investment report was an interim discussion document produced by the Exports and Marketing Working Group. It was replaced by the Group's final report in November 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the sale price of the Ambassador's residence in Sandycove, Dublin; what was the purchase price of the house in Rathfarnham, Dublin, which is to be used as the Ambassador's residence; and if he will make a statement. [119326]

[holding answer 20 April 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my late right hon. Friend, Derek Fatchett, the then Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on 14 January 1999, Official Report, column 254W, in respect of the Glencairn estate in Dublin. It is not our policy to reveal details of price and other terms agreed in such transactions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for (a) visitors' visas, (b) student entry clearance and (c) settlement have been made at the British Embassy in Lima in each of the last three years; and what proportion of each has been successful. [120744]

The number of non-settlement visa applications for 1997, 1998 and 1999 were as follows:

Year	Received	Issued	Refused
1997	3,347	3,257	90
1998	3,839	3,680	159
1999	3,581	3,567	189

These figures include the following number of student applications:

Year	Received	Issued	Refused
Student
1997	235	213	22
1998	266	219	47
1999	299	248	48
Settlement
1997	40	39	1
1998	45	43	2
1999	61	59	1

The 1997 and 1998 figures are available in the Library of the House in the publications "Entry Clearance Global Statistics". The 1999 figures will be placed in the Library soon.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff are employed at the British Embassy in Lima to deal with applications for entry clearance. [120743]

The entry clearance section of the British Embassy in Peru is staffed by five officers of whom two are UK-based and three locally engaged. One officer is devoted full-time to entry clearance work; the remainder share entry clearance duties with other responsibilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the British Overseas Territory Citizenship Bill in draft. [120731]

[holding answer 2 May 2000]: Officials are continuing to work on the principles to be addressed in the Overseas Territories Bill, which will include the grant of British citizenship to British Dependent Territories citizens. We are considering the options for its publication. Our priority is to introduce the Bill into the House as soon as Parliamentary time becomes available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will meet Hans von Sponeck to discuss the effect of sanctions on Iraq. [120861]

No. Our priority is to improve the humanitarian situation by getting the best out of the "oil for food" programme while we work to get Iraq to move towards the suspension and eventual lifting of sanctions. To that end we maintain a close dialogue at all levels with the UN officials presently responsible for running the "oil for food" programme. I myself discussed the humanitarian situation and the "oil for food" programme with the Head of the Office of the Iraq programme (Mr. von Sponeck's former superior), Mr. Benon Sevan, in New York on 25 April. I see no need for a dialogue with Mr. von Sponeck, who has made his views quite clear and who is no longer involved in the practical efforts to improve the humanitarian situation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the visit of the Prime Minister of Japan to Britain on 3 May. [121066]

The Japanese Prime Minister visited the United Kingdom as part of a tour of G8 countries. He had useful discussions with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on priorities for this year's G8 Summit in Okinawa.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will exert pressure on the Iranian Government to respect the human rights of Iranian Jews, Baha'is and Christians. [121193]

We and our EU partners have regularly raised with the Iranian authorities our concerns over a number of human rights issues, including treatment of religious minorities in Iran. While concerns remain we will continue to raise these issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Peru regarding the persecution of Christians in that country; and if he will make a statement. [121008]

The Peruvian Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government respect this. We have received no reports of religious persecution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what trade deals he was able to facilitate on his visit to India. [120552]

I have been asked to reply.During his visit to India in January, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry witnessed the signature of two partnership agreements with Indian companies involving two enterprising British firms, Gemini Dataloggers of Chichester and Antech International of Suffolk. These partnerships were fostered under Enterprise Initiative: India, a new British Trade International trade development scheme offering help and support to UK companies seeking business in key India States. He set a target of the creation of 200 such partnerships. He also supported several UK companies in their pursuit of project business, and set a target for a 20 per cent. increase in bilateral trade.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the cost of extending the Calf Processing Aid scheme beyond 1 August 1999 to the latest possible date allowed under European Union rules. [120601]

The estimated cost of continuing to run the scheme until 31 December 1999 would have been about £24 million.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the responses of European Union member states to the consultation exercise undertaken by the European Commission in connection with the forthcoming Directive on Food Supplements; and what assessment he has made of such responses in terms of their (a) consistency with and (b) opposition to United Kingdom policy and practice. [115796]

I have been asked to reply.Member states' responses to the Commission's discussion paper on dietary supplements have not been published. Our view is that consumers should be allowed the greatest possible amount of choice consistent with adequate health protection, but there is limited support for this position from other member states. Most believe that controls on supplements should be based on the premise that the dose supplied should be restricted to a level close to that needed to ensure an adequate intake of nutrients.The Food Standards Agency has recently circulated a preliminary draft text of the Directive on Food Supplements to interested parties for information. A formal consultation and parliamentary scrutiny will be initiated when a formal proposal has been adopted by the Commission.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the explanatory booklet, pursuant to his Oral statement of 7 December 1999, Official Report, column 706, concerning the England Rural Development Plan has been published. [120639]

Yes.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the cost to farmers of the decision that uninhabitable properties will be liable for council tax. [120576]

My Department is not in a position to estimate the cost to farmers of the decision to place a 12 month limit on the exemption from council tax where unoccupied dwellings need major repair works to render them habitable or are undergoing structural alteration. Local authorities are responsible for administering the council tax and only they could identify the owners of such homes in their areas.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the level of funding provided by

Funding £000
Type of funding	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04
MAFF Contract	1,021	455	356	300	300	300	1—
Sector Challenge	487	884	441	128	0	0	0
Agriculture Development Scheme (Benchmarking)	0	0	0	100	0	0	0
Action Plan for Farming Package	0	0	0	1,8002	0	0	0
Total Aid	1,508	1,339	797	2,328	300	300	0
1 The current MAFF contract runs until 31 March 2003. No decisions have been taken on an extension beyond that date.
2 Includes £600,000 from the support announced for hill farmers.

Lantra also receives funding from other Government Departments including the Department for Education and Employment, and from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, the devolved administrations and the European Commission.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the delay in the implementation of the Krebs trials has resulted in a reduction in projected Government expenditure on the trials. [120602]

No. The expenditure will be incurred over a longer period.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the agrimonetary compensation in the dairy sector will be paid to the lessee where quota is leased. [120600]

Yes.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the cost to British farmers of implementing (a) the Nitrates Directive and (b) the Waste Framework Directive. [120561]

The Regulatory Appraisal, published when the Action Programme for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (England and Wales) Regulations 1998 were laid before Parliament, gave an estimated total annual cost of £4.4 million and an estimated total capital cost of £7.5 million for implementing the Action Programme measures in the existing 68 zones in England and Wales.The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has lead responsibility for the Waste Framework Directive.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the level of funding from the the Government for the National Training Organisation for the Landbased Sector in each of the last three years, the current year and each of the next three years. [120568]

MAFF Funding for Lantra, the National Training Organisation for the landbased sector is as follows:Government Agricultural Development Scheme and its successor schemes in each of the last three years, the current year and in each of the next three years. [120564]

MAFF Funding for Lantra, the National Training Organisation for the landbased sector is as follows:

Funding £000
	Type of funding
Year	MAFF contract	Sector challenge	Agriculture development scheme1	Action plan for farming package	Total aid
1997–98	1,021	487	0	0	1,508
1998–99	455	884	0	0	1,339
1999–2000	356	441	0	0	797
2000–01	300	128	100	21,800	2,328
2001–02	300	0	0	0	300
2002–03	300	0	0	0	300
2003–04	3—	0	0	0	0
1 (Benchmarking)
2 Includes £600,000 from the support announced for hill farmers.
3 The current MAFF contract runs until 31 March 2003. No decisions have bene taken on an extension beyond that date.

Lantra also receives funding from other Government Departments including the Department for Education and Employment, and from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, the devolved administrations and the European Commission.