To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the report on the handling of major Government IT projects will be published. [123285]

We are publishing the report "Successful IT: Modernising Government In Action" today, and have placed copies in the Libraries of the House.This Government are committed to delivering improvements and avoiding the mistakes of the past. The report makes a series of recommendations to put in place the pillars that support successful IT projects. They include measures to:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) if she will (a) place in the Library and (b) publish the papers prepared for the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations in its consideration of the case for the award of the General Service Medal for service in Northern Ireland between 14 August 1969 and a date to be agreed; [122550](2) if she will

I have been asked to reply.The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals is a committee established at the request of The Sovereign that reports directly to The Queen. I have therefore asked the Chairman of the Committee, Sir Richard Wilson, to write to my hon. Friend. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Prime Minister what requests he has received from overseas Governments for meetings in Britain between himself and representatives of these Governments between 19 May and 12 June; and which such meetings will take place. [122792]

[holding answer 19 May 2000]: It is established practice under exemption 1(c) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose information received in confidence from foreign Governments. As with previous Administrations, it is not our practice to provide information on calls until they are announced officially, both here and in the visitor's home country.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the official visits to Britain by senior representatives of overseas Governments which are due to take place between 19 May and 12 June. [122793]

[holding answer 19 May 2000]: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is organising the following official visits to Britain by senior representatives of overseas governments which are due to take place between 19 May and 12 June:

• President of Italy (31 May–1 June)
• President of the Philippines (1–5 June)
• State Secretary for Water, Hungary (29 May–2 June)
• Minister for Higher Education, Uzbekistan (5–8 June)
• Minister of Defence, Tanzania (1–3 June)
• Minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration, China (20–25 May)
• Vice Minister of Construction, China (22–28 May)
• Minister of the State Administration for Radio, Film and Television, China (28 May–1 June)
• Minister of Labour and Social Security, China (28 May–1 June)

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of progress in the establishment of community schools in Zambia. [121778]

Community schools in Zambia provide an important service for disadvantaged children. They have grown rapidly, from 53 in 1996 to 373 last year. My officials are working with the Ministry of Education and other donor partners to ensure that their needs are reflected in a joint education sector support programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Annual report of the Department for International Development, Cm 4610, para 4.22, relating to the part of DFID's budget spent through EC programmes, what procedures were used in accounting for this money by her Department. [121837]

The UK contribution to the European Union Budget, including development spending, is paid from the Consolidated Fund to an EC account held in the UK. These payments are administered by the Treasury.For our European Development Fund (EDF) payments, which are made quarterly, my Department is notified by the EDF of the required amount shortly before payment is required. It is made to DFID's euro account at the Bank of England. When the EDF need to call down these funds, they notify my Department, which writes to the Bank of England authorising transfer to the EDF account.Audit of all EC expenditure, including development programmes, is carried out by the Court of Auditors. I have access to their report, which is also scrutinised by the National Audit Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's priorities are in Rwanda for the financial year 2000–01. [122691]

Last week I made my third visit to Rwanda and saw for myself the progress being made by the Government and the people to overcome the legacy of genocide. I also saw evidence of the severe challenges which Rwanda must overcome if the Government's objectives for poverty elimination, peace and reconciliation are to be achieved. My Department's main priority in Rwanda for 2000–01 is to work with Government in a collaborative effort to meet these challenges.We will support Government's own efforts to develop the poverty reduction strategies needed to secure HIPC debt relief. We will provide flexible recurrent budget support to facilitate increased social sector spending, particularly on education and will expand our capacity building support to help Government strengthen its social sector planning and delivery mechanisms. We will be supporting Government's efforts to improve skills at all levels and will be helping Government take full advantage of new opportunities in the field of information and communications technology.We plan to hold development talks with Government later this year to discuss the detail of future UK support and to develop further the positive dialogue already established on a range of economic, social and political challenges facing Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance is provided by her Department for the Dalit community in India. [120299]

The Indian constitution provides dalits (scheduled castes) with a range of guarantees of equality and affirmative action. Yet, while policies and a wide range of government schemes exist to provide them with services, patchy implementation and discriminatory social attitudes continue to retard progress. DFID is working with government to improve services and to demonstrate and replicate systems to promote access for scheduled castes and other marginalised groups.For example, DFID supports the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP), which is designed to increase access to quality primary education for all, with special measures to reach scheduled castes and other marginalised groups such as scheduled tribes.We also support efforts to empower individuals and groups from scheduled castes and other marginalised communities. DFID's Poorest Areas Civil Society Programme aims to support civil society initiatives which empower poor people in the poorest districts to realise their rights. Scheduled castes will be a major target group for this programme which will support initiatives in five areas: self-governance; women's empowerment; policy advocacy; social cohesion; and self help to meet basic needs.

To ask the Solicitor-General how much his Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999–2000. [123251]

Nothing was spent on opinion research, by which is understood opinion research for marketing purposes, in the financial year 1999–2000.

To ask the Solicitor-General if he will list opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of his Department in the financial year 1999–2000 itemising (a) focus group research, (b) quantitative surveys and (c) other market research surveys and in each case stating when and where the results were published. [123252]

No opinion research projects were undertaken by my Department during the financial year 1999–2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the planned service life of (a) HMS London, (b) HMS Beaver, (c) HMS Boxer and (d) HMS Brave; and what was the forecast date for withdrawal from Royal Navy service, prior to the decision in the Strategic Defence Review to dispose of them. [121704]

The planned service for each ship was 18 years. The additional information is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what have been the running costs of each of the Royal Navy's Type 42 destroyers for each of the past five years. [121706]

The running costs of each of the Royal Naval's Type 42 destroyers for each of the past five years are contained in the following table. This includes repair and maintenance, manpower, fuel and other costs such as port and harbour dues. Year-on-year variations are largely attributable to refit periods.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what terms and conditions staff from the DERA workforce will be transferred to a new organisation after the split of DERA; if the conditions of service for those who remain will stay the same; and if he will make a statement. [122380]

Staff transferring to the NewDERA organisation would have their terms and conditions protected under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) regulations. This means that staff transferring to the private NewDERA organisation would transfer with their existing terms and conditions. The Cabinet Office "Statement of Practice on Staff Transfers in the Public Sector" covers the conditions of service for staff remaining in the Ministry of Defence. The principle is that these staff should be treated no less favourably than if TUPE regulations had been applied to them. These matters are part of the consultation process on DERA PPP which is currently underway and which is scheduled to be completed on 9 June 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the name, size and location of DERA-owned sites within the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement; [122378](2) what plans there are to sell part of the land held by the DERA estate before the part sell-off of DERA; and if he will make a statement. [122386]

This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the extent to which the part-privatisation of DERA will lead to (a) compulsory and (b) voluntary redundancies; and if he will make a statement; [122978](2) what arrangements have been put in place to meet the costs of possible redundancies at DERA following the part-privatisation. [122979]

It has never been an objective of the Public Private Partnership for DERA to reduce staff numbers and indeed the opportunities provided by this process to develop new markets for DERA's products should have a positive effect on job prospects.Staff numbers within DERA have varied in response to customer requirements and changes in the funding available for defence research. There has been such rebalancing in DERA over the last seven to eight years. This process is independent of PPP and would be expected to continue. As a general rule we would seek to avoid compulsory redundancies wherever possible. However, this would be subject to the need to ensure that the organisation can continue to meet the requirements placed by the Ministry of Defence and other customers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest position in respect of the two new aircraft carriers planned for the Royal Navy; what is his assessment of the costs of the programme; if the programme is up to date; and if he will make a statement. [122975]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Ilford, North (Ms Perham) and for Plymouth, Sutton (Mrs. Gilroy) on 17 April 2000, Official Report, columns 678–80.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme; and if he will make a statement. [122928]

The Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) was established in 1993 to provide as full a diagnosis as possible to UK veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict who are concerned about their health. The GVMAP continues to see new patients and to date 2,991 veterans have been seen. GVMAP offer patients an appointment within four to six weeks of referral.A management audit of the GVMAP was undertaken by King's Fund Health Quality Service in late 1998. This was concerned with all aspects of patient care and the service provided. The auditors were impressed with the organisation of the GVMAP and the enthusiasm and commitment of the staff to the provision of a high quality service. However, the auditors made a number of specific recommendations for improving the service. In January the Gulf Veterans Illnesses Unit published a report detailing the progress made by GVMAP in implementing the auditors' recommendations. The Royal College of Pathologists are in the process of reporting on the clinical procedures used at the GVMAP.A paper describing the clinical findings from the first 1,000 patients examined at the GVMAP was published in the British Medical Journal in January 1999. A follow-up paper on the next 1,000 patients will be submitted for publication shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is (a) the cost of and (b) the handover date for the new buildings at HQ Joint NBC Regiment at Winterbourne Gunner. [123117]

The new buildings at Winterbourne Gunner are to house the Defence NBC Centre. The approximate cost of these is £7 million and the handover date will be 12 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he held with (a) the county councils and (b) the district councils concerned before deciding to locate the Joint NBC Regiment at RAF Honington. [123115]

The appropriate local authorities for the areas concerned were informed at the end of March 1999 that a study was under way to determine the best long term location for the Joint NBC Regiment. We did not receive any representations from the local authorities following these letters. Had we done so, we would of course have given them due consideration. The appropriate local authorities are also being informed following my recent announcement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what new buildings will be constructed at RAF Honington, at what cost and over what time scale, to accommodate the Joint NBC Regiment; and if will make a statement. [123118]

It is likely that a new office block, training complex and hangar works will be required. Additional single living accommodation will also need to be built. The estimated maximum cost of these works is £9 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Joint NBC Regiment based at RAF Honington train at (a) DERA-CBD Porton Down, (b) Salisbury Plain Training Area and (c) elsewhere; and if he will make a statement. [123121]

The Joint NBC Regiment trains at Porton Down, Salisbury Plain and elsewhere, for example, on Stanford Training Area, close to RAF Honington.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if (a) secure voice communications and (b) secure information technology networks are in place between RAF Honington and Defence NBC Centre at Winterbourne Gunner. [123120]

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to release the Farringdon House Territorial Army Centre in North Cheam for use as accommodation for asylum seekers. [122840]

There are no plans for Farringdon Territorial Army Centre (TAC) in North Cheam to be used as accommodation for asylum seekers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many job losses have been announced in the past 12 months in the electricity generating and distributing industry; and what is his estimate of the impact on jobs in (a) the industry and (b) the Electricity Association that will arise as adjustments are made following changes brought about by the Utilities Bill and the new electricity trading arrangements. [122488]

[holding answer 16 May 2000]: No central figures are available on the number of job losses announced in the electricity industry over the past 12 months, nor is it possible to attribute any changes in the levels of employment which may occur in the future to either the Utilities Bill or the new electricity trading arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the oil fabrication yards in the UK which have access to (a) Objective 1 European funding, (b) Objective 2 European funding, (c) Objective 3 European Funding, (d) special programme funding and (e) assisted area status. [122834]

[holding answer 19 May 2000]: All of the main UK oil fabrication yards are in areas where European Structural Funds are available in the programming period beginning this year. The Objectives these areas qualify under are listed:

Harland and Wolff, Belfast is in the Northern Ireland special PEACE programme area.

Lewis Offshore, Stornoway and Barmac at Nigg and Ardersier are in the Highlands and Islands special transitional Objective 1 area.

Consafe Burntisland, Fife is in a transitional Objective 2 area.

UIE, Clydebank and Greenock, Kvaerner Methil, Fife, Aker McNulty, South Shields, AMEC, Wallsend, Heerema, Hartlepool, Kvaerner, Teesside, Odebrecht, Teesside and SLP, Lowestoft are all in Objective 2 areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the employment levels in each of the UK's oil fabrication yards broken down by individual site in May (a) 1998, (b) 1999 and (c) 2000. [122833]

[holding answer 19 May 2000]: The employment level at each of the UK's fabrication yards is set out in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research his Department has undertaken into discrepancies between the numbers of (a) white entrepreneurs and (b) ethnic minority entrepreneurs obtaining business loans and other forms of financial assistance. [123085]

The experiences of ethnic minority businesses in the UK in raising finance are extremely varied and the nature of the problems they face are very complex. This is why the DTI, together with the Bank of England and the British Bankers Association is supporting an extensive new study into the finance needs of ethnic minority businesses.The study, which began in January, will survey 1,000 business owners from five ethnic groups in London, Birmingham, Leicester and Strathclyde over a two year period. It will address issues of perceived and actual discrimination.This high quality research over an extended time scale will provide the banks and the DTI with a solid foundation upon which to help all ethnic minority business to succeed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received in the past year from (a) citizens and (b) representatives of other EU member states concerning operations of the Sellafield nuclear plant. [121819]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has received representations from (a) three citizens and (b) four representatives, ie those holding an elected or Ministerial post, of other EU member states concerning operations at Sellafield in the past year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answers of 13 April 2000, Official Report, columns 273–76W and 8 May 2000, Official Report, column 282W, concerning employment tribunal claims, if he will provide the requested data (a) for Scotland and (b) separately for each employment tribunal region in England and Wales. [123124]

Some of the information is not available in the format requested. As the available information is contained in a number of detailed tables, I have asked the Chief Executive of the Employment Tribunals Service to write to my hon. Friend and place a copy in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many accidents there have been on the A40 over the last three years (a) in total and (b) between Witney and Oxford. [121817]

The following numbers of inquiry road accidents occurred on the total length of the A40 in the last three years for which national records are available: 1,303 in 1996, 1,374 in 1997 and 1,290 in 1998. On the single carriageway section of the A40, between the Wolvercote roundabout in Oxford and the eastern end of the Witney bypass at Hill Farm, there were 27 in 1996, 45 in 1997 and 27 in 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy to support a bid to give the Wolverhampton/Shrewsbury/Chester railway line a priority Trans-European Network status. [122739]

The Commission, in discussion with member states, is currently reviewing the need for revisions to the TEN guidelines which were adopted in 1996. We agree with the emerging conclusions that no major alterations should be made to the guideline maps at this stage other than those necessary to ensure consistency with the transport network maps that have been developed for the countries seeking accession to the EU. There is also a consensus that no changes to the list of 14 Priority TEN projects adopted by the European Council at Essen in December 1994 should be made at this time. There will be another review of the guidelines in 2005 and that might be the appropriate moment to look afresh at the guideline maps and the list of priority projects.Subject to parliamentary approval of the Transport Bill, future proposals for TEN status of railway lines in Great Britain will become the responsibility of the Strategic Rail Authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which (a) local authorities and (b) other organisations for which his Department has budgetary responsibility (i) have set up and (ii) are setting up projects to prepare for the UK adopting the euro; what these projects are costing each organisation; what the total cost to the Department is; and from which budget sums already spent have come. [122811]

An update on changeover planning in the public sector was given in the second Outline National Changeover Plan published on 9 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to publish the Government's policy on airports; and if he will make a statement. [123156]

We intend to produce an Air Transport White Paper which will provide a framework for the future of aviation and airports in the UK.The White Paper will not be produced until after we have taken a decision on the planning application for Terminal 5 at Heathrow. The planning inquiry concluded in March 1999 and the Inspector indicated that he expects to submit his report to the Secretary of State within two years. The Secretary of State will then need to consider the report and the Inspector's recommendations carefully before making decisions.The White Paper will also be preceded by a wide-ranging consultation document on aviation and airports; and by public consultations on the findings of the studies the Department is undertaking on air services and airports in all parts of the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with the Mayor of London about Government transport policy in London. [123155]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport and I met the Mayor on 16 May. We had a wide-ranging discussion of issues of mutual interest including transport. I look forward to following this up with a further meeting with the Mayor later this week.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the local authorities in England and Wales which have instituted changes to their executive structure since May 1997; and what new arrangements they have put in place. [123146]

We do not hold centrally any comprehensive listing of those councils which are changing their constitutions within the restrictions of current legislative framework. Until the Local Government Bill [Lords], currently before the House, is enacted, councils cannot adopt executive arrangements within the terms of the Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the (a) itinerary for, (b) purpose of and (c) cost of his recent visit to Washington D.C. [123135]

I visited Washington on 25–27 April in order to give a speech on climate change at the Pew Centre. I also met vice-president Al Gore, Environment Secretary Frank Loy, Transport Secretary Rodney Slater, several Senators, Dutch Environment Minister Jan Pronk and Australian Environment Minister Robert Hill. On 27 April I travelled from Washington to New York for a meeting of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development where I also met Jan Szysko the Polish Chair of the Climate Change Convention and Dr. Hassan Adamu the Nigerian Environment Minister and current chair of the G77 group of developing countries. I returned to the UK overnight on 27–28 April. All travel was in accordance with the Ministerial Code and my costs for the trip were approximately £6,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the disparity between groundwater regulation charges in England and Scotland. [123018]

In England and Wales, where the Environment Agency is responsible for authorisations under the Groundwater Regulation 1998 a single charge, equivalent to the initial £85 application charge payable at the inception of the scheme, will cover the first four-year period of groundwater authorisation. In Scotland, where the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency is the competent authority, charges under the Groundwater Regulations are a matter for the devolved Administration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many discounted tickets have been issued to visitors to the Millennium dome each week since 1 January. [121949]

[holding answer 12 May 2000]: Of the total number of tickets issued to date (10 May 2000), Group discount tickets account for 36 per cent. of the total. Further discounted tickets, relating to children, senior citizens and students account for 9.3 per cent. of the total tickets sold to date. The Millennium dome, like any other major visitor attraction, has an extensive ticket pricing structure incorporating a variety of attractive discounts for groups and individuals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of overseas visitors to the dome during the year from (a) EU countries, (b) the USA and (c) the rest of the world. [121951]

[holding answer 12 May 2000]: On the basis of a recent exit poll conducted at the dome, approximately 10 per cent. of visitors were from overseas. On the basis of information collected from call centres and web sales, these visitors have come from the following countries: European Union—73 per cent., Europe (non EU)—3 per cent., North America—19 per cent. and rest of the world—5 per cent. Of the EU countries, NMEC estimates that the top sellers are Benelux, France, Scandinavia, Germany and Ireland. There are certain to be additional overseas visitors who buy tickets direct from the dome upon arrival. NMEC does not at present ask these visitors their country of origin.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the key buildings for which his Department (a) submitted and (b) did not submit green transport plans by March. [122606]

[holding answer 18 May 2000]: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport submitted a green transport plan (or more properly transport plan) for all its key buildings in June 1999. The buildings, all in London, are: 2–4 Cockspur Street; Grove House; 7 St. James' Square; Oceanic House; 179a Tottenham Court Road: Also included were Haymarket House and Novello House, but these have since been vacated by DCMS. The Royal Parks Agency did not submit a formal transport plan, but have published measures for promoting green transport initiatives in their Green Housekeeping Policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the (a) publications and (b) events funded by the European Union to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Schuman declaration. [121512]

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the office of the European Commission in London.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the "Your Britain, Your Europe" campaign includes visits to schools; and what legal advice he took prior to such visits taking place. [121500]

I have visited several schools during the cross-party "Your Britain, Your Europe" campaign to exchange views with students about Europe and to meet staff and pupils involved in European projects. We saw no need to take legal advice prior to such visits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the parliamentary constituencies to be visited in the future by the "Your Britain, Your Europe" roadshow. [123092]

We have not yet finalised the itinerary for all my various forthcoming city visits. But I will invite MPs and MEPs of all parties to participate in events which take place within their constituencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what definition of the term eurosceptic was used by the Minister for Europe in speeches made during the "Your Britain, Your Europe" roadshow. [123094]

In various speeches, I have employed the term "eurosceptic" as the widely used description for certain sections of the media, NGOs and political parties which are opposed to the UK engaging constructively with EU partners or making a positive contribution to EU discussions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people his Department employs (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad to facilitate overseas defence sales. [122247]

[holding answer 16 May 2000]: Government support for defence equipment exports is co-ordinated by the Defence Export Services Organisation of the Ministry of Defence. Overseas, this work is normally carried out by Defence Attaches and Defence Sales Sections. Although FCO staff contribute towards this work in a number of ways there are no staff directly employed to facilitate overseas Defence Sales.The role of FCO departments in London is to provide advice to the Department of Trade and Industry on applications for export licences for defence equipment sales overseas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for information he received under the Open Government: Code of Practice on Access to Government Information in the last parliamentary Session; and how many were granted. [121856]

[holding answer 18 May 2000]: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 18 May 2000, Official Report, columns 216–17W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the key buildings for which his Department (a) submitted and (b) did not submit green transport plans by March. [122563]

[holding answer 18 May 2000]: The FCO submitted green transport plans for all key buildings in the UK including Old Admiralty Building, Old Public Offices and Hanslope Park.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost of hosting the Europe Day Open Day at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 9 May. [123088]

The Foreign and Commonwealth Open Day on 9 May, "Europe Day", was the first of a series of 12 open days the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is holding between May and July this year as part of the London String of Pearls Millennium Festival. The costs of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's participation in the Festival will be spread over the 12 open days and it is therefore not possible to calculate the cost of individual open days.The Diplomatic Missions in London of almost all the EU member states and all the applicants participated in the event and met their own costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the non-parliamentarians invited to participate in Europe Day events; for what reason they were invited; and if he will make a statement. [123089]

We invited several celebrities to join Europe Day events, including Tony Robinson and Frank Bruno. We also invited several MEPs drawn from each of the main parties to join our celebration of Europe's cultural diversity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the (a) nature and (b) substance of the European Debate which took place during the Europe Day Open Day at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 9 May. [123091]

The schools debate held at the FCO's "Europe Day" was a parliamentary-style debate. Six students, each from a different school, spoke for or against the motion: "This House believes there will never be a United States of Europe".

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria were used in the selection of schools invited to participate in the Europe Day Open Day at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 9 May. [123090]

In deciding which schools to invite to our Open Europe Day at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office we took a number of practical considerations into account, such as ease of travel and distance from the FCO. On that basis we contacted all secondary schools in Greater London and the Home Counties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on holding seminars for hon. Members; and if he will hold policy seminars on (a) Serbia and (b) Iraq. [123066]

We are happy to hold policy seminars for hon. Members where there is clearly a strong wish on the part of sufficient Members that we should do so. If my right hon. Friend would care to write to me with details of what he proposes we will give it due consideration.I and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my hon. Friend the Minister of State frequently debate Iraq and Serbia in this House. My hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Mr. Hain) also has regular contacts with bodies with an interest in Iraq, including the UN, NGOs, members of the Iraqi opposition and religious bodies. As Minister for Europe, I am in regular contact with similar organisations with an interest in Serbia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference held at the United Nations in New York. [122839]

We are delighted with the very positive outcome. It reaffirms the importance of the NPT as the cornerstone of global non-proliferation and disarmament efforts.The key elements from the final document are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the result of the police investigation of a listening device found in the vicinity of St. Jarlath's Church, near Blackwater, County Armagh. [118979]

It is not Government policy to comment on claims of this nature.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Guidelines on Health and Safety regarding the dimensions of the Royal Ulster Constabulary crest displayed on police vehicles came into force; when they were to be implemented; and by which Government Department these guidelines were prepared. [121256]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 23 March 2000, Official Report, column 628W.There are no specific Health and Safety guidelines on the dimensions of the Royal Ulster Constabulary crest on police vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many powdered milk tokens were provided by the Western Health and Social Services Board in the last 12 months for which figures are available and (a) what was their face value in (i) Limavady Council District, (ii) Londonderry Council District and (iii) Strabane Council District and (b) how many (i) chemists and (ii) other outlets provided this service in each of the council districts; and what checks he has carried out to determine whether only those chemists authorised to do so have returned such tokens for payment by the Board. [121254]

The Foyle HSS Trust and Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust within the Western Health and Social Services Board area accepted 109,821 powdered milk tokens in the 12 month period 1 January 1999 to 31 December 1999, which are the latest figures available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will implement the conclusions of the Criminal Justice Review; and if he will make a statement. [120701]

On 30 March the Secretary of State announced that there would be a six-month consultation on the recommendations contained in the report of the Review of the Criminal Justice system in Northern Ireland. An announcement of the Government's decisions on implementation, and a detailed timetable, will be made as soon as possible after the consultation period has ended.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many punishment beatings have been reported to the RUC in each month since April 1997. [121838]

The following tables show the recorded number of paramilitary style assaults and shootings by calendar year from January 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing the Draft Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy; how the Government intend to fund the delivery of the strategy; and if he will make a statement. [122098]

The Draft Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy was published for consultation in June 1999 by the Government's advisory body, the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group.No final conclusions on the Strategy, including costs, can be reached until the Group has presented its recommendations to Government.I understand that the Group expects to be able to do so within the next few months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the 1994–1999 round of Structural Funds for Northern Ireland was spent on nature conservation projects; what type of projects were funded; and if he will make a statement. [122096]

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Environment & Heritage Service under its acting chief executive, Mr. J. R. Lamont. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what use is being made of the RUC barracks building in West Belfast; what options are being considered as future uses for the building; and what plans he has to consult local residents about its use. [121869]

At present all police buildings in West Belfast are being used operationally and will continue to be used in this capacity for the foreseeable future. There are no plans at the moment to consult with local residents regarding the future use of these buildings.Public Representatives will be consulted over any future plans for policing in West Belfast.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many (a) cars and (b) commercial vehicles operated by his Department were manufactured (i) in the UK, (ii) in the EU and (iii) elsewhere. [122261]

[holding answer 17 May 2000]: The DfEE, including the Employment Service, operates 543 cars and 22 commercial vehicles. All vehicles are manufactured in the EU. No record is kept of which EU country the vehicle is manufactured in. The Department occasionally uses cars provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA). These are not included in the above figures. For information on cars provided by the GCDA, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 17 May 2000, Official Report, column 141W, by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to ensure members of ethnic minority groups are not discriminated against in entry to universities. [122787]

We are taking a range of measures to widen participation in Higher Education. The Higher Education Funding Council for England provides £18 million to Higher Education institutions through a 5 per cent. premium for students from disadvantaged areas. In his speech of 10 May 2000 to the AUT Conference, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced a further £4 million for this fund and set out a series of steps which we will be taking to put in place a coherent package of support in order to widen participation. We hope to make further announcements in the autumn. Many of the ethnic communities who need help most will benefit from these measures.We are also tackling the under-representation of ethnic minorities among teaching staff in Higher Education. In his letter of 23 November 1999 to the Funding Council, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State expressed his deep concern about the present position on equal opportunities for HE staff. He also stated that all institutions are expected to have acted upon the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education recommendations to have equal opportunities policies in place, that barriers to recruitment and progression should be removed and that institutions should be fully accountable for the implementation of these changes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the study by the Higher Education Funding Council on the likelihood of graduates from ethnic minority groups finding employment. [122788]

I am aware that the Higher Education Funding Council for England's preliminary work for the development of performance indicators confirms our own understanding that graduates from ethnic minorities are less likely to be in employment than white graduates with similar qualifications. This is not acceptable. The Government are actively committed to equal opportunity in employment and to tackling racial discrimination in the workplace.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what performance indicators he will use to measure the employment of graduates. [122789]

I will consider a range of measures of employment outcomes for graduates. I will pay particular attention to the institutional-level performance measure being developed, on the advice of a working group chaired by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, which relates to full-time home students with a first degree who have newly entered the job market. The measure will be based on the percentage of these students who are unemployed at 3 January of the academic year following their graduation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the contribution which Ms Pamela Relf made to teaching in state schools. [122939]

[holding answer 19 May 2000]: We learned with great regret of the death of Pamela Relf, who had been teaching for 36 years, and we extend our condolences to her family and colleagues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for what reason the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage launched by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State the hon. Member for Barking (Ms Hodge), on Thursday 11 May, accompanied by a Departmental Press Notice, was not available in the Library on Tuesday 15 May; when he expects a copy to be deposited; and to whom the guidance has so far been made available. [R] [122953]

[holding answer 19 May 2000]: I announced on 11 May the publication of the "Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage". This product, which addresses the early education of children, was produced jointly by my Department and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. It is intended primarily for early years practitioners and has been distributed widely to around 35,000 early years settings in the private, voluntary and maintained sectors. It has also been distributed to all other key stakeholders, including: Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships (EYDCPs) and local education authorities; teacher training and NVQ training organisations; other Government Departments including the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Offices; and a range of early years and teacher associations and early years professionals. The delay in making the guidance available to hon. Members in the House of Commons was a result of an administrative oversight, which was remedied as soon as it was brought to my attention. Copies of the guidance were placed in the Library two days later on 17 May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if, for the second wave of the Sure Start programme, he will list (a) the areas selected, (b) the basis upon which each of the areas was selected and (c) when each of the new schemes is due to commence. [123063]

A list of the local authority districts selected for the second wave of Sure Start is given. These were selected using DETR's Index of Local Deprivation augmented with two further measures: low birth weight babies and births to teenage mothers. The catchment area for the local Sure Start programme is chosen by partnerships formed by all those working with young children within the district. The criteria for selection are set out in the guidance for second wave programmes, a copy of which was placed in the Library, and include high levels of need for support services among local families. Second wave Sure Start partnerships have been asked to submit their final plans by 23 May. Most of these are expected to receive approval during the summer and be running in the early autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if, for the third wave of the Sure Start programme, he will list the areas which have so far been selected; when he expects the remainder of these areas to be selected; and when each of these new schemes is due to commence. [123064]

The districts for the third phase of Sure Start local programmes will be announced later this year taken local In the first and second waves it has local programmes about six to eight months to develop their plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what complaints were made against an ofsted inspector following the ofsted inspection of Middlefield primary school; [123109](2) if Mr. Piers Bilston is to be allowed to work as an ofsted inspector [123110]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each local education authority (a) if it has an early retire teachers and (b) if such a scheme has been terminated, the last year of its operation. [123111]

The framework within which local education authorities can offer early retirement to teachers is contained in the Teachers (Compensation for Redundancy and Premature Retirement) Regulations 1997(as amended). It is a matter for each local education authority to determine how best to make use of these arrangements in the light of local circumstances. No information is held centrally on the early retirement policies of individual local education authorities, but our records show that in 1998–99 all local education authorities, with the exception of the City of London and the Isles of Scilly, granted some early retirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each local education authority the (a) minimum age at which a teacher can be offered an early retirement package and (b) maximum enhancement that can be offered to individual teachers. [123112]

The provisions governing the early retirement arrangements for teachers are contained in the Teachers (Compensation for Redundancy and Premature Retirement) Regulations 1997 (as amended). The earliest age at which a teacher can be offered early retirement is 50; and the maximum enhancement payable is 10 years. These provisions apply to all local education authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many male teachers are still working at age 65 and female teachers at age 60 years in each local education authority as a percentage of the teachers employed by the local education authority. [123114]

The number and percentage of teachers in the maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special sector in England at March 1998 (provisional) are contained in the following table: