To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his April meeting with the management of Ford, Dagenham. [121070]

[holding answer 5 May 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I met with representatives of the Ford Motor Company at the end of March, and representatives of the car industry including Ford at a meeting with the motor industry in April. However, I have had no meetings with the management of Ford, Dagenham during April.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to offer to assist the authorities in Serbia to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission similar to that in South Africa; and if he will make a statement. [122336]

There is no prospect of the present Serbian authorities establishing a credible Truth and Reconciliation Commission. However, the UK Government have always stressed the importance of bringing to justice those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law in former Yugoslavia. To this end, we support the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY) by providing information and resources. In 1999 our contribution to the ICTY was assessed at £3.1 million.In Serbia, our active support for Serbian civil society and independent media includes support for projects in this field, including one media project which aims to draw on the experiences of South Africa. The issue of "Reconciliation with the Past" will be the subject of one of the UK funded New Serbia Forum series, which brings together Serbian experts from the democratic opposition to discuss the policies necessary for the post-Milosevic era.

To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee on which date the amendments to the Finance Bill, due to be debated on 2 May, were posted on the parliamentary intranet; and if he will make a statement. [122120]

This is a matter for the Deliverer of the Vote, but I am advised that the Notice of Amendments given up to and including Thursday 27 April 2000 for the Committee of the whole House on the Finance Bill was posted on the parliamentary intranet at 8.13 am on Friday 28 April. The Amendment Paper for the business of the Committee of the whole House for Tuesday 2 May, which was substantially the same as the previous paper, was posted on the parliamentary intranet at 9.34 am on Tuesday 2 May. If the hon. Member has any further queries on this matter, I would advise him to contact the Deliverer of the Vote.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place at the Royal Free Hospital to provide death certificates at weekends in respect of members of groups and communities who require them to arrange early burial or cremation because of their beliefs or culture; and if he will make a statement. [117840]

At the Royal Free Hospital, a doctor who knew the patient in life must sign a cause of death certificate. This is usually a junior doctor, if the death occurs out of normal hours. Once it has been completed, the body can be released to the funeral director who will obtain the death certificate from the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths. The Registrar's office opens from 9am–12:20pm every Saturday and they have an on-call system for Sunday registrations.In response to concerns that have been expressed by some religious groups, such as Muslims, that removal and burial can be unreasonably delayed where the death occurs at the weekend, I understand that the Home Office, which has a general responsibility for coroner arrangements, has asked coroners to ensure that they always take account of the religious feelings of the bereaved and deal with their concerns with understanding and sensitivity. Many coroners have discussed these issues with their local ethnic and religious communities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research his Department has sponsored as to whether the estrogenic dose from soy baby foods is in the range known to cause thyroid abnormalities; and if he will make a statement; [118340](2) if he will estimate by age the number of people in the UK, and the proportion of the population which this represents of their age group, who are thought to be at risk of thyroid disease; and what correlation these figures have with the consumption levels of these age groups of soy baby food products. [118342]

Thyroid dysfunction is common and it is thought that up to 5 per cent. of the population are affected by hyper- or hypo-thyroidism. There is no central statistical information to answer the question with regard to incidence or risk of thyroid disease.Following the 1996 advice of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT), a large programme of research was sponsored to specifically determine if soy infant formula carries any risk for infants. The Food Standards Agency is now responsible for this research.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many slimming clinics have closed as a result of the implementation by the Medicines Control Agency of the ban on the use of products containing amfepramone and phentermine; and how many jobs have been lost through such closures. [121109]

[holding answer 8 May 2000]: We do not have evidence that slimming clinics are closing, other than the one claim brought to our attention by the right hon. Member, following the withdrawal of amfepramone and phentermine from the market.The European Commission's decision to withdraw amfepramone and phentermine products became effective from 9 April 2000. Following a legal challenge, the European Court has suspended the European Commission decision to withdraw amfepramone products. As a consequence the licences for amfepramone products were reinstated on 18 April 2000 and amfepramone has again been available on the United Kingdom market since that date. The European Court has not currently made any decision to suspend the Commission's decision regarding phentermine, which remains withdrawn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of conventional farming methods on levels of food-related illness and the cost of treating food-related illness in the NHS. [118572]

There has not been any assessment carried out of the impact of conventional farming methods on the levels of food-related illness. Indeed, it is usually not possible to trace the source of sporadic cases of food poisoning (which constitute the majority of cases) to a specific food, let alone to a specific food producer.Although we have a good estimate of the total number of cases of infectious intestinal disease, and their cost to the National Health Service, it is not possible to say what proportion of this is foodborne. On the basis of a large study carried out in 1994–95, the cost to the NHS in England of treating illness due to the major food poisoning bacteria,

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a substantive answer to his letter of 28 March on behalf of his constituent Mrs. Drickett. [122332]

My right hon. Friend replied to the right hon. Member on 15 May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to promote research into and public awareness of causes and symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis; and if he will make a statement. [122395]

The chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis working group convened by the Chief Medical Officer to produce good practice guidance for the care and treatment of people with CFS/ME—will make recommendations about the need to identify and commission further research.The CFS/ME working group is also producing briefing notes. These are being distributed widely. The aim of the briefing notes is to inform people about the working group and the condition itself.Priorities for departmental research and development support for the development of policy are determined through discussions with policy colleagues, the Departmental research Committee and Ministers. In the National Health Service research and development programme, priorities take account of widespread consultation with those using, delivering and managing services, within a framework overseen by the central research and development committee for the NHS. In all cases, priorities for our budgets reflect analysis of the burden of disease, potential benefits and our priorities and take account of the responsibilities and work of other funders.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when, and on what terms, EU marketing consent was given for honey containing genetically modified pollen. [121699]

The European Commission, in response to questions from the European Parliament, has advised that honey containing trace amounts of pollen from genetically modified crops is not classified as a novel food, and may therefore be lawfully sold throughout the Community. Work carried out by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, a report of which is available in the Library, indicates that the amount of genetically modified material in honey is likely to be extremely small, at most no more than 0.00000000003g to 0.000000005g in a 500g jar.All GM crops intended for deliberate release in this country, and in the rest of the European Community, have to be thoroughly assessed for human and environmental safety before they are allowed to be planted. This assessment includes safety implications of any exposure to pollen through ingestion or inhalation from the air, or as a result of it landing on other crops.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Burns Committee to report. [121529]

I understand Lord Burns hopes to submit his report to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary by late spring.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there will be a coroner's inquest, with a jury, into the death of Jay Abatan. [122481]

I understand that the coroner will decide shortly whether to resume the inquest into the death. A jury would not be mandatory, but the coroner could summon one if she were satisfied that there was reason to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable on the circumstances of the death and investigations following the attack on Jay Abatan in Brighton in January 1999. [122480]

I have received a report from Sussex Police and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible. A copy of this letter will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animal trainers are licensed under the Performing Animals Regulations 1925; and if he will make a statement. [122303]

The Home Office has so far this year received notification of 61 trainers and exhibitors of performing animals currently registered with local authorities under the Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925. Local authorities were reminded last January of their obligation under the Act to copy related certificates of registration to the Secretary of State.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce new sentencing arrangements. [122565]

As part of our objectives of reducing crime and dispensing justice fairly, we have already put in place a comprehensive programme of work to reduce the rate of re-offending. This includes ensuring that the Prison Service and the probation service work more effectively together; improving the enforcement of community penalties; developing programmes, in custody and in the community; which are known to reduce re-offending (based on the "what works" strategy) and building on the opportunities which new technology opens up.Together these developments present an opportunity to consider possible new forms of sentences which better protect the public and reduce re-offending. In particular, they open up the possibility of a more flexible sentencing structure, in which the boundaries between custodial and community penalties are less rigid. However, the current legal framework established in the Criminal Justice Act 1991 may not be best suited to an approach of this sort. I have therefore decided to review that framework. The review will complement that of the criminal courts being conducted by Lord Justice Auld.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete the review of the 1999 European parliamentary elections. [122568]

The review has been completed and copies have today been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the recommendations for improvements made by the Chief Inspector of Prisons in his unpublished report on Lowdham Grange are to be implemented before the publication of the report. [121466]

The report was published on 27 April. In accordance with the protocol for handling inspection reports, the Prison Service will produce an action plan within 30 working days of publication of the report, addressing all the recommendations made by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons. It is not possible to say how many of the 127 recommendations were fully implemented before publication, but once the action plan has been completed and reviewed at Prison Service Headquarters, I will write to the hon. Member with a progress report on implementation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial penalties have been incurred at HMP Lowdham Grange since the prison opened; and what were the reasons for each penalty. [121465]

The information in respect of performance measures is shown in the table. There was a reduction in fee of £702.00 in respect of an unavailable prisoner place in June 1998. There have been no reductions in fees since February 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review his decision not to make contracts between his Department and private prison operators public; and if he will make a statement. [121464]

Unpriced copies of contracts between the Prison Service and companies operating prisons are available in the Library and can be obtained from the Prison Service for a small fee to cover administrative and printing costs. This policy is consistent with the Cabinet Office guidance on interpreting the Code of Practice on Access to Official Information and with the requirements of the European Union Procurement Directives.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial penalties have been incurred at HMP Altcourse since the prison opened; if he will list the reasons for each penalty; how many of the recommendations for improvements made by the Chief Inspector of Prisons in his report were implemented before the publication of the report; what conclusions were drawn from the recent security audit; by what date recommendations for improvement were implemented; and what penalties were incurred by Group 4 as a result of that audit. [121468]

Financial penalties totalling £212,728.23 were withheld for the period 1 December 1997 to 30 August 1998 for Altcourse prison. Of these, £195,000 have been calculated by converting the penalty points accrued during the period to a financial value in accordance with the performance mechanism contained in the contract. The amount also includes the sum of £17,728.23 which has been deducted from the contractor for 'doubling', in excess of permitted levels. There have been no financial penalties since 1 September 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has received from the European Commission in respect of powers exercised by virtue of any convention or treaty article concerning the standardisation of tests for accepting asylum applications to Governments of member states. [121631]

I am aware of no proposals from the European Commission concerning the standardisation of the criteria for the recognition of refugees, or for determining the member state responsible for determining an asylum claim made within the European Union. Such proposals would be consistent with the requirements of article 63 of the Amsterdam Treaty. However, the European Commission has to date produced only a discussion document on "Towards Common Standards on Asylum Procedures" and a working paper entitled "Revisiting the Dublin Convention". The latter seeks to initiate debate on the Dublin Convention as the first step towards developing Community legislation for determining which member state is responsible for considering an application for asylum submitted in one of the member states. The Government's view of this document can be found in the Home Office Explanatory Memorandum dated 10 May, deposited in the Library. The Government's view on the discussion paper "Towards common Standards on Asylum Procedures" can be found in the Home Office Explanatory Memorandum dated 26 March 2000 deposited in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to amend the Human Rights Act 1998 following the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the case of R v. Perry; what steps he is taking to prevent abuse of the type referred to in the judgment; and if he will make a statement. [121986]

[holding answer 12 May 2000]: The Human Rights Act 1998 gives further effect in United Kingdom law to most of the rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights, which successive governments and Parliament have abided by for the last 50 years. The Court of Appeal takes a robust approach to those who waste its time and the position should be no different when the Human Rights Act comes fully into force. All judges, lay magistrates and their legal advisers are being trained to deal with Convention points effectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial and other assistance is available at the time of release for prisoners freed by the Court of Appeal on grounds of wrongful conviction; and if he will make a statement. [121937]

Most prisoners when released from prison are given a discharge grant to help them meet their immediate needs. The position of prisoners discharged from court after a sentence has been quashed or reduced on appeal is that they would normally be entitled to a grant provided they have been in custody for at least nine days of their sentence.In cases of wrongful conviction where it has been decided that an individual qualifies for payment of compensation, he or she may then apply for an interim payment to help alleviate any immediate financial difficulties.Funding has been made available this year to enable a voluntary body, familiar with prisoner resettlement issues, to develop, on a national basis, an advice and counselling service specifically geared to the needs of successful appellants. We hope to be entering into discussions soon with possible providers of such a service. The Probation Service may also provide assistance on a voluntary basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances (a) asylum seekers, (b) persons granted asylum, (c) persons granted exceptional leave to remain and (d) other persons subject to immigration control may lawfully work in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [121812]

The circumstances vary according to the category.Asylum seekers who have not received a first decision on their asylum application within six months may apply to the Home Office for permission to work. Where written permission is granted, they will be able to take employment lawfully.Persons granted asylum are given indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom and as such have no restriction attached to their stay. They may seek whatever employment they wish and they do not need to seek permission from the Immigration Authorities to take employment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies and Executive agencies are currently on gardening leave. [121813]

Six officials in the Home Office (and none in our non departmental public bodies and Executive agencies) are currently on special leave with pay while awaiting a posting.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Corpus Juris and the EU InterGovernmental Conference. [120888]

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 15 May 2000, Official Report, column 51W.The Intergovernmental Conference should focus on the institutional reforms necessary to prepare the European Union for enlargement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what proportion of television viewers in Wales have access to Channel 4 television; and what plans he has to increase the availability of Channel 4 in Wales; [121930](2) what proposals he has to increase the availability of Channel 5 in Wales, other than via pay-for-access satellite; [121928](3) if he will make a statement on the availability of Channel 4 in Wales following the implementation of digital television. [121929]

The priority for the use of scarce frequency channels is to develop digital terrestrial television across the UK, rather than to extend analogue Channel 5 services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals he has to improve regional management and control of Channel 3. [122459]

These are matters for the Independent Television Commission. The Broadcasting Act 1996 empowers the Commission to vary a Channel 3 licence on a change of control if they consider it may be prejudicial to the regional character of the service. The Commission can take into account the extent to which managerial and editorial decisions are taken by persons employed in the licence area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the (a) start-up and (b) annual running costs to business of (i) the working families tax credit, (ii) the recoupment of the student loan and (iii) stakeholder pensions. [121071]

Details of costs arising from these measures are set out in the Regulatory Impact Assessments prepared by the relevant departments, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to implement the Gas Directive (98/30/EC). [122714]

I have today issued a consultation document outlining proposals for implementation of the 'downstream' aspects of the Gas Directive. This follows a parallel consultation document outlining proposals to implement those aspects of the Gas Directive which apply to upstream pipeline networks, which I issued on 30 March 2000, Official Report, columns 242–43W.The regime for the gas market in Great Britain, which has been fully open to competition since 1998, with regulated third party access to pipelines and requirements for non-discrimination, is generally well ahead of the requirements of the Directive. However, there are a number of areas where relatively limited technical amendments will be needed to ensure full compliance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Quinquennial Review of the Insolvency Service will take place; and what the terms of reference for the review will be. [122715]

I am launching the Quinquennial Review of the Insolvency Service today.The Government are committed to achieving better public services that are of higher quality and are more responsive to the needs of the people who use them. The services and functions provided by the Executive Agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are at the heart of this programme of continuous improvement and their effective delivery is a key element in the success of Modernising Government. Regular Agency and NDPB reviews are an important element in ensuring that we have in place the right structures to deliver the Government's agenda effectively and to provide a strong focus on improving their future performance.The terms of reference for the review of the Insolvency Service are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contingency plans the Government have in the event that the conditional offer to Phoenix by Burdale Financial, the subsidiary of First Union, of £200 million to finance the acquisition of Rover is withdrawn following due diligence; and if he will make a statement. [122244]

The financial backing which it has received for its bid is a commercial matter for the Phoenix Consortium. The Consortium has not sought Government finance for its proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to meet representatives of (a) Burdale Financial and (b) First Union to discuss the financing of the acquisition of Rover by Phoenix. [122242]

None. This is a commercial matter for the Phoenix Consortium.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the status of the offer to Phoenix by First Union of £200 million to finance the acquisition of Rover in respect of (a) due diligence and (b) an examination of the business plan of Phoenix; and if he will make a statement. [122241]

These are commercial matters for the Phoenix Consortium. It would not be appropriate to comment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the prospects for Honda's involvement in the future of the Rover plant. [122243]

None. This is commercial matter between Honda and the Phoenix Consortium.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has had with the Turkish Government regarding the Ilisu Dam Project. [120897]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has not had any discussions with the Turkish government regarding the Ilisu Dam project. As part of its normal procedures, the Export Credits Guarantee Department has had discussions with the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI), the Turkish authority responsible for the project; the most recent meeting took place in London in February.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times his Department has met representatives of the Defence Manufacturers Association since 1997. [122245]

My Department maintains a regular dialogue with the Defence Manufacturers Association (DMA) on sectoral and export issues. Many of the meetings between officials in my Department and the DMA are informal or during the course of other events and no central record is kept. In 1997, the then Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for Small Firms addressed the DMA's Annual General Meeting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the development of the Youth Service in Wales and the Learning and Skills Bill [Lords]. [121238]

The Government have introduced amendments to the Learning and Skills Bill to enable the National Assembly to develop, together with local authorities and others, an enhanced youth support service for young people in Wales.

To ask the Solicitor-General if he will call for a report from the Crown Prosecution Service on its actions following the attack on Jay Abatan in Brighton in January 1999. [122482]

I have received an initial report about this case from the Crown Prosecution Service. I am now making further inquiries and will provide as substantive answer as soon as I am able.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assumptions he made about the number of asylum seekers living in south east England when he prepared his response to the Crow report. [120255]

The Department's household projections are only one of several factors which informed the Proposed Changes to draft Regional Planning Guidance for the south east. I refer the hon. Member to my answer below—which clarifies the relationship between population projections in which assumptions about asylum seekers are made and the Department's household projections.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assumptions he has made in his Department's projections of future population and household formation trends about the number of asylum seekers in England. [120276]

[holding answer 2 May 2000]: National population projections are prepared by the Government Actuary's Department and published jointly with the Office for National Statistics. A description of the assumptions in the 1996-based national population projections can be found in "National Population Projections: 1996-based" (ONS series PPG2 No. 21, published by TSO). These included a long-term asylum seeker assumption of 5,000 a year to the UK, virtually all of whom were assumed to settle in England. This assumption has subsequently been revised.The 1996-based national population projections were an input into the Department's household projections, the latest of which is published in "Projections of Households in England to 2021", a copy of which is in the Library. No other information about asylum seekers in England was used in producing the household projections.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list, in respect of the A6 trunk road through Dove Holes, Derbyshire, for each of the last 10 years, (a) the number of (i) fatalities and (ii) injuries recorded in road accidents and (b) the number of speeding offences detected in the 30 mph zone; and what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the recently implemented traffic calming measures there. [121053]

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 when he will reply to the letter of 28 February from the right hon. Member for Fareham about (a) the effect of the 1994 Land Tribunal Judgment in the case of Batchelor v. Kent County Council and (b) the action he intends to take following that judgment. [120983]

I replied to the right hon. Member's letter of 28 February on 15 May. My reply sets out the current position on the area of the compensation code that featured in the Batchelor case and of the compulsory purchase policy review which has been considering the whole question of compensation for compulsory purchase. I apologise for the delay, which was caused by problems with our ministerial correspondence tracking system.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what communications he has received from (a) the European Commission and (b) other sources concerning the compatibility with the public ownership and funding of those agencies now operating in the United Kingdom of European Commission proposals to create a single European Airspace and European Air Safety Agency. [121638]

DETR received in January 2000 a copy of the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament entitled "The creation of a single European sky"—EM No. 13735/99 COM(99) 614 final.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which Treaty Articles, Regulations and Directives relating to the control of air traffic within the European Union will (a) permit and (b) prohibit, a continuation of the current ownership of and mode of control in the airspace of the United Kingdom. [121630]

By virtue of Article 295 of the Treaty of Rome, provisions made by the European Union under the Common Transport Policy must not prejudice the rules in member states governing the system of property ownership.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of total aircraft movements in the United Kingdom were handled by National Air Traffic Services on the most recent date for which figures are available. [121751]

In 1999, NATS handled 46 per cent. of all aircraft movements in or out of the 60 UK airports for which data are available. In addition, NATS handles all flights between UK airports and aircraft over-flying the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many passengers used licensed airports in the United Kingdom during 1999; in how many of those airports National Air Traffic Services was provider of air traffic control; and where such airports were. [121750]

In 1999 there were almost 170 million terminal passengers at the 60 UK airports for which data are available. NATS provided ATC services at 10 of these airports:

• Aberdeen
• Belfast International
• Cardiff
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow
• London Heathrow
• London Gatwick
• London City
• London Stansted
• Manchester.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the providers of flight information air traffic control services to the aircraft in the open flight information regions. [121752]

All Air Traffic Control (ATC) Units, both civil and military, are required to provide flight information services (FIS). This service is provided at the London and Scottish Air Traffic Control Centres by dedicated FIS controllers. At other ATC units, the provision of FIS is one of the primary responsibilities of all air traffic controllers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the operation of the procedures and the timescale for the introduction of the Cabinet system of Government in local councils. [121485]

The Local Government Bill [Lords], now before the House, provides for councils to adopt a new constitution with a separate executive. If the Bill is enacted, we expect that, under normal circumstances, all councils will have adopted a new constitution by May or June 2002 at the latest. We have now published for consultation revised drafts of the proposed guidance and regulations on new constitutions for councils; copies are available from the Vote Office and have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the driving test centres in South London. [121974]

There are 14 driving test centres in the Greater London constituencies south of the Thames at:

South Norwood; Wallington (Mint House); Wallington (Old Town House); Morden; Southfields; Sutton; Belvedere; Bexley Heath; Hither Green; Sidcup; West Wickham and Surbiton.

There are two test centres in Croydon, one conducting tests for learner lorry and bus drivers, the other for learner car drivers.The test centres at Southfields and Surbiton are to be relocated to a new site at Tolworth-Surbiton from 8 June and Southfields from early September.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with Gloucestershire County Council regarding proposals to remove through traffic on the A40 through Cheltenham. [122007]

The Secretary of State has held no such discussions. This is a matter for the County Council to consider within the context of its Local Transport Plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he [his Ministers or his officials] (a) approved and (b) were informed of the wording of the instructions to voters on the supplementary vote system used in the election for Mayor of London that were (i) printed on ballot papers, (ii) displayed in polling stations and (iii) to be given orally to voters; what discussions he [his Ministers or his officials] have had with, and what representations he has received from (1) the Greater London Returning Officer, (2) Ministers and officials in the Home Department and (3) other persons regarding the wording of the instructions used at the election for Mayor of London; and if he will make a statement. [121814]

In March, a Greater London Returning Officer (GLRO) was appointed to oversee the running of the first GLA election. In addition 14 constituency Returning Officers (CROs) were appointed to take the poll in their areas.The wording of the instructions to voters printed on the mayoral ballot paper and displayed in polling station were prescribed in the Greater London Authority Elections (No. 2) Rules (SI 2000/427), which were approved by Parliament. No representations have been made to Ministers about the wording of the instructions; I understand that a small number of representations have been made to the GLRO.The GLRO will be discussing experience of the election arrangements (which included a number of innovations) with the CROs, and will let me have his conclusions in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received regarding the transportation of hazardous loads by road in tunnels. [121724]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will restrict the transportation of dangerous and hazardous goods to rail; and if he will make a statement. [121723]

Consignors of dangerous goods may choose the mode of transport most appropriate for their needs, provided that they comply with the relevant safety requirements. As demonstrated in the 1992 Health and Safety Commission Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances report on the major hazard aspects of the transport of dangerous substances, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, there is no evidence that one mode of transport is generally more dangerous than another.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the police authorities of England in order of their Band D council tax precept for the financial year 2000–01. [122009]

Band D council tax precepts issued by English police authorities for 2000–01, listed in order of the amounts set, are given in the table:

£
Police authority	Council tax (Band D)
GLA—police	91
Lincolnshire Police	86
Dorset Police	84
Cumbria Police	84
Staffordshire Police	83
Merseyside Police	81
Northamptonshire Police	80
Surrey Police	79
Gloucestershire Police	78
Warwickshire Police	78
Wiltshire Police	76
West Mercia Police	74
Norfolk Police	72
Derbyshire Police	71
Hertfordshire Police	68
Essex Police	68
Leicestershire Police	68
Avon and Somerset Police	68
Bedfordshire Police	67
Cleveland Police	66
Nottinghamshire Police	65
Greater Manchester Police	63
Lancashire Police	63
Cambridgeshire Police	62
Suffolk Police	61
Cheshire Police	61
Thames Valley Police	60
Humberside Police	60
South Yorkshire Police	59
Devon and Cornwall Police	59
West Yorkshire Police	59
North Yorkshire Police	57
Kent Police	56
Sussex Police	56
Hampshire Police	55
West Midlands Police	55
Durham Police	53
Northumbria Police	52

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of growth in housing in West Oxfordshire over the next 20 years. [121816]

The level of house building in Oxfordshire is set through Regional Planning Guidance for the South-East (RPG9). The next round of this guidance is currently being prepared by my Department, taking into account the first draft prepared by the local authorities in the region, and also responses made to this draft. We have now published the latest set of proposed changes and are currently inviting comments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement regarding Government policy towards the ivory trade and elephant poaching, following the recent agreement of countries attending the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species meeting. [122141]

[holding answer 15 May 2000]: The Government support the co-operative arrangements for elephant conservation between the African range states which have developed at a series of special dialogue meetings over the last five years, sponsored by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the UN CITES Secretariat. The latest dialogue meeting took place in Nairobi immediately before the CITES Conference and was, like the previous meetings, partly funded by my Department. Senior UK officials attended the meeting. The Nairobi dialogue agreed arrangements for each African region to participate in two systems which underpin future elephant management and trade: the Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) and the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS). The dialogue paved the way for the compromise reached at the CITES Conference itself.The main features of the compromise are that the elephant populations of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, estimated at a total of 192,000 animals, are now listed on Appendix II of the Convention. This means that managed trade in elephant products of these four populations is agreed to be scientifically sustainable according to the criteria laid down under CITES. However there are still concerns among a number of African states—which we share—about resuming further commercial trade in raw ivory at present, particularly as we cannot yet assess the full impact of last year's experimental ivory auctions on elephant poaching levels, both in Africa and Asia. We therefore welcome the decision reached as part of the compromise which sets zero quotas for the export of ivory from southern Africa.MIKE and ETIS are expected to provide comprehensive information to enable the next CITES Conference in 2002 to decide whether controlled ivory trade can safely be resumed, and whether the conservation benefits of such trade outweigh any remaining risks. The European Union, with the support of the UK, is considering a grant of 4 million Euro to MIKE. The UK has already provided £60,000 towards the cost of ETISThe Government appreciate the role played by responsible non-Government organisations, particularly the World Wide Fund for Nature and Fauna and Flora International, in obtaining such a successful outcome in Nairobi.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the standard spending assessment per head of population for each English county for (a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000 and (c) 2000–2001, ranked from highest to lowest; and if he will make a statement. [122238]

Three tables have been placed in the Library giving the standard spending assessment per head of population for each English county for 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01 respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 9 May 2000, Official Report, column 360W, on Railtrack, under what statutory provisions Railtrack is required to consult before creating a safety company; with whom it will consult; and what are the terms and timetable for the consultation. [122457]

Arrangements for consultation by Railtrack before the proposed safety company assumes any safety responsibilities and in respect of other requirements for the company's operation are expected to be specified in modifications to its Network Licence. The Rail Regulator will consult shortly on his proposals for these modifications before the nature of the obligations are finalised. These would be imposed under the Railways Act 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what evidence he has assessed which indicates that potentially damaging residues from medicinal drugs are contaminating waterways and drinking water sources. [121528]

Last year the Environment Agency commissioned a review of human pharmaceuticals in the environment for completion by the end of May. This will report on the information available on such substances in the environment, their occurence, fate and ecological effects and will provide a basis for further work. The Department has also funded extensive monitoring for drug residues in drinking water sources since the 1970s. Although certain common drugs have been detected at very low concentrations in some drinking water sources, current drinking water treatment processes are effective in removing them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has decided to publish his 10-year transport plan before the end of July. [122485]

As with all such departmental reports, we will publish the plan when it is ready.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Rail Regulator will conclude his review of access charges. [122486]

It is the Rail Regulator's present intention to publish his final review notice on access charges in early September 2000, subject to the outcome of the consultation announced on 14 April, the deadline for responses for which is 26 May.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many of the recommendations made by the Urban Task Force in the report, "Towards an Urban Renaissance", have been implemented; and if he will make a statement. [122167]

The Urban Task Force report, "Towards an Urban Renaissance", made more than 100 recommendations about how to revitalise our towns and cities. It formed an excellent contribution to the debate on how to reverse the social, physical and economic decline that many of our urban areas have faced in recent decadeThe Government are looking at the report's conclusions in detail as we prepare for the forthcoming White Paper on urban policy. But we, and others, have already addressed around a quarter of the recommendations including:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made with the setting up of an advisory body on performance standards in building control. [122679]

My Department and the National Assembly for Wales have joined the Association of Corporate Approved Inspectors, the Construction Industry Council, the District Surveyors Association and the Local Government Association in signing a Memorandum of Understanding that establishes a new Building Control Performance Standards Advisory Group.The Advisory Group's terms of reference are:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the final shortlist for the proposed uses for the Millennium Dome after the millennium celebration will be announced. [122718]

The Government have announced today that two proposals have been selected to advance to the final stage of the competition. Detailed proposals and indicative financial offers were invited from bids shortlisted in January. These two bids were chosen from a strong field of five bids remaining in the competition.The bids in the final shortlist are:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was (a) the cost of producing the Langholm report into raptors and (b) the cost of compensation that had to be paid to landowners. [120378]

I have been asked to reply.The subject matter is now devolved. However, the Game Conservancy Trust and the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology carried out a study between 1992 and 1996 of grouse populations on Langholm and other moorland estates in response to concerns about the impact of birds of prey on the number of grouse available during the annual shooting season. The results, published in 1997 as "Birds of Prey and Red Grouse", cost £400,000; the study was funded and guided by a consortium of those with an interest in the subject, which included Scottish Natural Heritage, Buccleuch Estates, RSPB and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.The study was undertaken for research purposes: no compensation was paid to landowners.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish the report of the independent Husbandry Panel on Cattle TB. [122717]

The Panel's report is published today. Copies are being placed in the Parliamentary Libraries and will be made widely available. We would like to thank Dr. Clive Philips, the Panel Chairman, and his colleagues for their work. The Government will now consider the Panel's recommendations in consultation with the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB and other interested parties before deciding how best to take them forward.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many prosecutions for Integrated Administration and Control System fraud his Department has initiated since 1997; and how many of them have resulted in a guilty verdict. [122394]

.: Since 1997 there have been 15 prosecutions for fraud against CAP schemes falling under the IACS umbrella. Of these 14 were found guilty, one not guilty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Defence Transport and Movements Agency for the financial year 2000–01. [122567]

The Chief Executive of the Defence Transport and Movements Agency has been set the following Key Targets for 2000–01:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency for the financial year 2000–01. [122569]

The Chief Executive of the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency has been set the following Key Targets for 2000–01:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the British Forces Post Office agency for the financial year 2000–01. [122570]

The Chief Executive of the British Forces Post Office agency has been set the following Key Targets for 2000–01:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the average annual cost of employing 10,000 MOD civilians. [121805]

£169 million. In calculating this figure, it has been possible to take account of Pay, Employer's Related National Insurance Contributions and Pensions contributions only. Any calculation of overheads such as rents, rates, utilities costs, food, office equipment and services could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to extend the remit of the National Radiological Protection Board's study of the incidence of multiple myeloma among veterans of the UK's atmospheric nuclear test programme in the 1950s. [121980]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for South Derbyshire (Mr. Todd) on 28 February 2000, Official Report, column 34W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) advertised and (b) actual number of days on which army live firing took place within each of the three ranges in the Dartmoor National Park for the year ended 31 December 1999. [121515]

The advertised and actual number of days on which the Armed Services fired on each of the three firing ranges in the Dartmoor National Park for the year ended 31 December 1999 is as follows:

	Advertised	Actual
Okehampton	78	40
Willsworthy	205	131
Merrivale	137	83

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of frigates and destroyers that are operating without the Lynx helicopter. [121603]

[holding answer 11 May 2000]: At present, there are no frigates and destroyers on current operations without their dedicated Lynx flight. However, 10 other frigates and destroyers are presently at sea on other tasks, such as exercises and training, without their Lynx helicopters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what air interception capability will exist for Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft upon the exhaustion of the aircraft's air to air missile armament. [121676]

[holding answer 11 May 2000]: None. However, it is unlikely that a cannon would be of use in such a scenario as the risk would remain that aircraft could be engaged by missiles from well outside the gun's range.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much was spent by each service and Ministry of Defence agency on new buildings and land in each of the past three years; [121597]

[holding answer 11 May 2000]: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the Mauser 27mm cannon specified for the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft will be installed in aircraft of Tranche 1 of the production programme for the Royal Air Force; [121683](2) if the Royal Air Force will procure Mauser 27mm cannon to fit to its Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft with a corresponding stock of spares and ammunition. [121677]

[holding answer 11 May 2000]: The Mauser 27mm cannon will be installed in Tranche 1 Eurofighter aircraft for the royal Air Force. However, we are not planning to procure stocks of spares or ammunition following our decision not to use the gun, or to fit it to subsequent tranches of aircraft.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instruction he gave to the Defence Sales organisation of his Department on the inclusion of Mauser 27mm cannon in Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft for sale to the Greek Air Force. [121679]

[holding answer 11 May 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State of Defence has given no instructions to officials concerning the weapons configuration for Eurofighter sales to the Greek Air Force. This is a matter for the Greek Government and Eurofighter GmbH with which they are negotiating the sale.I welcome the benefits to the UK Defence Industry that the proposed sale will bring and my Department will continue to support that sale through the Defence Export Services Organisation, providing advice and assistance where we are able.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment was made of the cost effectiveness of Mauser 27mm cannon armament for the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft of the Royal Air Force in (a) airspace policing in peacetime and (b) ground attack missions. [121678]

[holding answer 11 May 2000]: We have assessed that the minimal operational utility of the Mauser cannon on Eurofighter in any role is outweighed by its support, fatigue and training cost implications, particularly given the capability of the advanced short-range air-to-air missiles with which the aircraft will be armed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the benefits of commonality of armament and interoperability for the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft in the four nation production programme. [121682]

[holding answer 11 May 2000]: Potential benefits in commonality and interoperability between the four partner nations are a fundamental consideration when taking decisions on the Eurofighter programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what combat advantages will be derived for Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft from the elimination of the Mauser 27mm cannon not possessed by the equivalent gun equipped aircraft in service with the Italian, German and Spanish air forces. [121684]

[holding answer 11 May 2000]: The advantages in deleting the Mauser cannon from our Eurofighter aircraft derive from avoiding the support, fatigue and cost implications which we would otherwise have to bear. These implications more than outweigh the minimal combat value in retaining the gun, particularly given the advanced short-range air-to-air missiles with which Eurofighter will be armed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if RAF aircraft have used cluster bombs against targets in the (a) southern and (b) northern Iraq no-fly zones. [122230]

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what preparations her Department is making for the UN Millennium Summit in September. [121517]

The Millennium Summit will be an important opportunity for the world's leaders to put the International Development Targets for poverty elimination at the top of the international agenda. The emphasis on poverty elimination in the Secretary General's Millennium Report provides a good starting-point for discussion of this issue at the Summit. My officials will discuss with the UN Information Centre (UNIC) in London whether there are opportunities around the Millennium Report and Summit to raise awareness in the UK of the poverty elimination agenda and the UN's role. My Department, with the FCO, is providing funding for representatives from the least developed countries to attend the Millennium Forum, which will bring together the views of civil society world-wide as a contribution to the Summit.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she estimates Zambia will reach its (a) decision point and (b) completion point in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. [121779]

I hope that Zambia will reach its Decision Point under the revised Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative within the next nine months. We are disappointed that only five countries have, so far, come forward under the revised Initiative, and are pleased that, as we advocated, the World bank and IMF have agreed to set up a joint committee to oversee the implementation of HIPC. In order to reach its Decision Point and begin to receive debt relief, there are also actions that Zambia has to undertake. The Government have already begun work on developing their interim poverty reduction strategy, which I welcome. They also need to agree quickly and implement a programme of economic reform with the IMF.In revising the HIPC Initiative last year, it was agreed that Completion Points would be "floating", that is, the requirement would be for countries to fulfil agreed conditions, rather than reaching Completion after three years. It is too early to say, at this stage, when Zambia will reach its Completion Point. I continue to emphasise that, in our view, the main condition for a country to complete the HIPC process should be the production of a high quality poverty strategy, based on sound analysis and extensive consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will have discussions with mycologists at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh before endorsing a programme submitted by the UN International Drug Control Programme for field trials of fusarium oxysporum as a weapon against coca growing in Columbia and Peru. [121080]

My Department has not been asked either to endorse or fund the UNDCP's research into the use of fusarium oxysporum as a control agent against coca crops in Colombia. My officials have, however, discussed the planned research with mycologists widely in the UK, including at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. I understand that UNDCP are working closely with the UN Environmental Programme to ensure that all precautions are taken and that risks are eliminated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many police forces in Scotland have the Crown as part of their (a) crest and (b) cap badge. [121463]

The crest of the Scottish police service incorporates the Crown. The eight Scottish police forces have a common cap badge incorporating a representation of the Scottish police service crest. Two of the eight forces (Lothian and Borders Police and Fife Constabulary) have individual crests in the form of a coat of arms granted by the Lord Lyon. Both of these also incorporate the Crown.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the number and value of (a) bids and (b) grants made in each of the last three financial years for which figures are available, for each (i) area-based and (ii) other regeneration-related initiative for which his Department is responsible. [119801]

[holding answer 20 April 2000]: The information is not available in the format requested for all potentially relevant initiatives. The Department has adopted a range of approaches to provide support for those individuals most affected by deprivation, because we recognise that competitive bidding is not always the most effective method. The following examples demonstrate that range:

in the bidding process for Education Action Zones we received 60 bids for the 25 available places in the first round of Education Action Zones and 123 bids for the 50 available places in the second round for which 48 places were actually awarded. First round zones receive £750,000 in Government grant per year with the zone expected to raise a further £250,000 sponsorship from the private sector. Second round zones receive grant of £500,000 with a further £250,000 available on a pound for pound matched funding basis for every pound sponsorship raised from the private sector;

the Neighbourhood Support Fund(NSF) will annually help at least 15,000 of the most disaffected and disengaged 13 to 19-year-olds to re-connect with education, training and employment opportunities. Between 1999–2000 and 2001–02 £60 million will be made available to support some 700 NSF projects that will test the effectiveness of a variety of approaches to re-engaging the disaffected young. Some of these do not involve competitive bidding. The individual members of the Learning Alliance (CSV, NACRO, Rathbone CI, and the YMCA), will be funding NSF projects directly via their local affiliates in the 40 target areas, at a total annual cost for projects of £2 million. The National Youth Agency (NYA), working closely with local authority youth services, will identify potential NSF projects and then select the most promising to fund. The NYA is currently processing applications for NSF support from more than 150 community/voluntary organisations, with a total value of approximately £5 million. The NYA aims to fund 80 projects per annum at a combined yearly cost of £3 million. The Community Development Foundation (CDF) has invited competitive bids from community and voluntary groups and has received more than 1,300 applications for NSF funding, with a total value of around £26 million. Some 400 projects have been approved to date. The CDF will eventually support about 600 projects, at an annual cost of £12 million;

Excellence in Cities(EiC) is not a traditional bidding programme. Forty-seven local authorities, responsible for city schools, have been invited to become part of the programme and are guaranteed funding provided they meet quality assessment thresholds;

the approach for establishing Employment Zones involved an open and competitive bidding process to run a commercial operation where bids were assessed, against published criteria, by independent consultants;

to support early years education, we are making specific grants available to Local Education Authorities (from September 1999–March 2002) to almost double the number of three year olds in early education places. While this new money is not geared towards any regeneration initiatives it is being targeted on those children with greatest social need. This money does not form part of any bidding process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what recent representations he has received regarding the exclusion of barristers from the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; [120782](2) what plans he has to amend the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to include barristers; and if he will make a statement. [120781]

[holding answer 8 May 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State received a report on 13 December 1999 from the Disability Rights Task Force, set up by the Government to consult and advise on how to implement comprehensive and enforceable civil rights for disabled people. In its final report, the Task Force made over 150 recommendations. On 13 December, my right hon. Friend announced that the Government would be bringing forward legislation to give effect to the education recommendations of the Task Force. On 30 March, the Government issued an interim response to the report's recommendations in the areas of local government, health and social services, housing, the environment and participation in public life.Also on 30 March, I informed the House in a written reply that the Government are still considering a number of the recommendations that would require legislative changes to the DDA. One such recommendation is that the employment provisions of civil rights legislation should cover barristers. The Government's final response to the report will be made in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the outcome of the Social Affairs Council held in Brussels on 8 May; and if he will make a statement. [121570]

I represented the UK at the Employment and Social Affairs Council held in Brussels on 8 May. There were two items on the agenda: the Broad Economic Guidelines 2000 (BEGs), prepared by Economic and Finance Ministers (ECOFIN) in accordance with Article 99 of the Treaties establishing the European Community; and Article 13 (non-discrimination).In the discussion on the Broad Economic Guidelines, the UK supported the emphasis on structural reform, but argued that more attention should be given to tackling social exclusion. The Presidency undertook to write to ECOFIN summarising the views of the Employment and Social Affairs Council and said that he had received an assurance that ECOFIN would not be invited to finalise its draft of the BEGs until it had received the views of the Council.The Presidency reported on the negotiations on the two proposed Directives and the action programme brought forward under Article 13(non-discrimination). The Presidency noted that a number of issues remained to be resolved but hoped to register progress at the SAC on 6 June.