To ask the Solicitor-General what the date was of publication of the last edition of "The Judge Over Your Shoulder"; what plans he has to update it; if he will place a copy of the most up to date edition in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [128929]

A third edition of "The Judge Over Your Shoulder" was published in March 2000. There are two versions: one essentially for administrators, and the other for lawyers.I am arranging for a copy of each version to be placed in the Library. They are also on the Treasury Solicitor's internet web site.

To ask the Solicitor-General which companies or partnerships have seconded staff to the Law Officers' Departments since May 1997; how many staff have been seconded; and who pays for seconded staff. [128470]

Secondments and attachments are part of the Interchange initiative, which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the civil service and other organisations. Before an Interchange can occur, all parties must be satisfied that no conflict of interest arises.Since May 1997, there have been no secondments of staff from outside the civil service to either the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers or the Treasury Solicitor's Department.Since May 1997, there have been four staff on secondment to the Serious Fraud Office. Two of the secondments had begun before May 1997. KPMG, Hacker Young, Pannell Kerr Foster (all accountancy firms) and Allen and Overy (a firm of solicitors) each sent one of their staff on secondment. The Serious Fraud Office bore all the cost of the staff member seconded from Allen and Overy and in the other cases made a major contribution to the cost.One person has been seconded to the Crown Prosecution Service from the Royal Bank of Scotland for a period of three weeks. The Royal Bank of Scotland bore the cost of this secondment.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to appoint persons with earnings below half average earnings as (a) members and (b) advisers to the Social Exclusion Unit. [128050]

The Social Exclusion Unit is staffed by a mixture of civil servants and external secondees. They come from a number of Government Departments and organisations with experience of tackling social exclusion. The members of the Unit range from New Dealers to an assistant Director of a local authority. Their previous earnings are not a factor in their appointment.Advisers to the Unit are on secondment, and are not paid for by the Unit. They are appointed for their expertise and experience.

To ask the Prime Minister which Ministers attended the session of the Bilderberg Conference in Sintra entitled, How Durable is the Current Rosy Complexion of European Politics; and what (a) written and (b) oral report of the Bilderberg Conference was submitted to him. [128134]

So far as I am aware, no Minister attended this conference.

To ask the Prime Minister what recent estimate he has made of the number of war crime murders committed in Kosovo, broken down by ethnic origin of victims (a) before NATO intervention, (b) after NATO air strikes commenced and (c) after the insertion of KFOR. [128108]

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia estimate that 10,000 Kosovar Albanians were killed in Kosovo between June 1998 and 12 June 1999. We broadly share this assessment. Of these we estimate 500 were killed before 20 March 1999. KFOR states 430 murders were committed in Kosovo between 12 June and 31 December 1999 across all ethnic communities. There are no official figures for this year, but estimates suggest six murders per week are committed in Kosovo.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations the Social Exclusion Unit has received on the effects of local authority cuts on the voluntary sector in Islington; and if he will make a statement. [127893]

[holding answer 28 June 2000]: The Social Exclusion Unit has to date received no direct representations about the effects of local authority cuts on the voluntary sector in Islington.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations he made to President Putin over the arrest of Vladimir Gusinsky. [128289]

We are following Mr. Gusinsky's case closely and have raised it with the Russian authorities on a number of occasions, to establish more details and to make them aware of the concerns the case has raised in the UK over media freedoms. We have also made it clear that if there is a case to answer it is important the due legal process is observed and that the judicial process is seen to be wholly independent.

To ask the Prime Minister when the annual report of the Commissioner appointed under the Intelligence Services Act 1994 will be laid before the House; and if he will make a statement. [129290]

A copy of Lord Justice Stuart-Smith's annual report for 1999 has been laid before the House today in accordance with section 8(6) of the Intelligence Services Act 1994. The confidential annex to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with section 8(7) of the 1994 Act.Lord Justice Stuart-Smith has served as Commissioner under the Intelligence Services Act since the role was created in 1994. This is his last report. I am very grateful to him for all his work as Commissioner.

To ask the Prime Minister when the annual report of the Commissioner appointed under the Security Service Act 1989 will be laid before the House; and if he will make a statement. [129291]

A copy of Lord Justice Stuart-Smith's annual report for 1999 has been laid before the House today in accordance with section 4(6) of the Security Service Act 1989. The confidential annex to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with section 4(7) of the 1989 Act and in line with the Commissioner's recommendation.Lord Justice Stuart-Smith has served as Commissioner under the Security Service Act since the role was created in 1989. This is his last report. I am very grateful to him for all his work as Commissioner.

To ask the Prime Minister when the annual report of the Commissioner appointed under section 8(1) of the Interception of Communications Act 1985 will be laid before the House; and if he will make a statement. [129292]

A copy of Lord Nolan's report for 1999 has been laid before the House today in accordance with section 8(7) of the Interception of Communications Act 1985. The confidential annex to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with section 8(8) of the 1985 Act and in accordance with the Commissioner's recommendations.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the decision by the European Commission to decrease the export refunds for hatching eggs. [126821]

[holding answer 19 June 2000]: The small change to the export refund for hatching eggs introduced in May was in response to a reduction in the euro/dollar exchange rate. To ignore such currency movements when considering export subsidies would be a breach of WTO requirements and would not represent effective use of EU funds.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has received on the lowest percentage of GM contamination that can be practically tested for in ostensibly GM-free seed supplies. [126861]

[holding answer 19 June 2000]: I am aware of possible analytical techniques which could be employed for detecting the presence of GM material in non-GM seeds, but have not received specific advice on the lowest level of GM contamination which can be reliably identified in non-GM seed. This question is being considered in the context of the on-going discussions taking place within the EC and the OECD on the methods of detection of GM seeds in non-GM seed.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Department gave on the prosecution of Christopher Bowman for selling beef on the bone. [126909]

[holding answer 20 June 2000]: The prosecution of Mr. Bowman was conducted by North Yorkshire County Council. The role of my Department in the case, therefore, was simply to supply evidence not advice.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of EU funds provided for the promotion and marketing of high-quality beef and veal was spent in Scotland in 1999–2000. [127696]

In 1999–2000, the UK's allocation of EU funds for the promotion of quality beef and veal was £968,000. Of this, £168,000 (17 per cent.) was spent on promoting and marketing quality beef and veal in Scotland.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how he intends to meet expenditure relating to payments of claims following judgment against the UK in the Factortame case. [129296]

Parliamentary approval to expenditure arising from the Factortame case is being sought in the Main Estimate for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Class X, Vote 2). Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £9.735 million is being met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 3 February 2000, Official Report, column 721W, on day-old chicks, if he will list each of the countries within and outside the EU from which day-old chicks were imported in 1999, and the numbers imported from each country. [113186]

[pursuant to her reply, 8 March 2000, c. 721–22W]: The figures for the number of day-old chicks imported into the United Kingdom from the European Union (EU) in 1999, contained several inaccuracies. The table should read as follows:

Thousand
1999	Number of chicks imported
EU countries
Austria	9
Belgium	45
Germany	100
Denmark	411
France	3,103
Republic of Ireland	1,464
Netherlands	58
Total	5,190
Non-EU countries
USA	174
Canada	18
Total	192

To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what plans the Church of England has for monitoring the schools that participated in JC2000. [128076]

There is no formal church mechanism for monitoring schools which have taken part in JC2000, but I am very glad that thousands of schools did join in.The hon. Member is to be congratulated on the success of JC2000 which, as a member of the Committee, I am delighted to be associated with. JC2000 has been one of the most significant pieces of Christian input into the Millennium celebrations across the country. The pupils and teachers involved clearly enjoyed the project and I have no doubt that taking part has affected many young people's understanding of the Christian nature of this Millennium year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will release the full underlying data set to be used in compiling the new Index of Local Deprivation. [127560]

The current review of the Index of Local Deprivation is on-going. This final index will include local authority district level scores and ranks. The scores and ranks at the ward level will be published at the same time and will be available for each domain of deprivation. The summary report will contain details about where to obtain, sometimes at a charge, the underlying data used to construct the 33 indicators.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he plans to make an announcement about the new Index of Local Deprivation before 30 July. [127562]

An announcement will be made to the House about the new Index of Deprivation as soon as the Government have completed their consideration of the responses to the consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if his Department will establish a comprehensive academic peer review of the new Index of Local Deprivation specifically to consider the methodological basis of the proposals. [127561]

The 1999 Review of the Index of Local Deprivation is being carried out by the University of Oxford. In addition to the review being overseen by an inter-department steering committee, the University of Oxford has consulted an advisory panel (with over 40 members) throughout the review. The advisory panel has consisted of a large number of peer academics both inside and outside of the University of Oxford, as well as local authority officials, research professionals and others.The University of Oxford has also facilitated extensive consultation throughout the 1999 Review. Respondents to the consultation have included other government departments, local authorities, research organisations, academics and other organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the accuracy of London Underground's statistics on attributable delays; and if he will make a statement. [128042]

I am assured that the methodology and data used by London Underground Ltd. (LUL) to measure attributable delays are reliable. Attribution is undertaken by experienced operating representatives with the corroboration of their engineering counterparts. LUL have a vested interest in getting attribution right since analysis of such information is a vital tool in identifying causes of delays and monitoring the success of remedial action taken to prevent them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many motorcycles are registered in each (a) constituency and (b) local authority area. [128031]

The DETR receives data on the number of licensed vehicles from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency every quarter. The data are comprehensive enough to enable detailed geographical breakdowns, and data for each local authority area are attached. Sufficient information is not available to produce the data for constituencies.All vehicles with a motor cycle, scooter or moped body type classification are included. The most recent published data are for end of December 1998. Data for 1999 will be published in Vehicle Licensing Statistics on July 20.

Motor cycles, scooters and mopeds licensed as at 31 December 1998
	Thousand
The North
Cumbria	8.1
Darlington UA	1.2
Durham	4.7
Hartlepool UA	0.7
Middlesbrough UA	1.0
Northumberland	3.6
Redcar and Cleveland UA	1.6
Stockton-on-Tees UA	1.9
Tyne and Wear	7.0
Yorkshire and The Humber
East Riding of Yorkshire UA	6.1
Kingston upon Hull UA	3.7
North East Lincolnshire UA	2.4
North Lincolnshire UA	3.7
North Yorkshire	10.1
South Yorkshire	12.8
West Yorkshire	21.5
York UA	4.1
East Midlands
Derby UA	3.2
Derbyshire	12.7
Leicester City UA	2.0
Leicestershire	11.3
Lincolnshire	12.9
Northamptonshire	10.5
Nottingham	2.4
Nottinghamshire	11.5
Rutland UA	0.7
East Anglia
Cambridgeshire	10.9
Norfolk	18.0
Peterborough	2.5
Suffolk	15.5
The South East
Bedfordshire	6.3
Bracknell Forest	1.9
Brighton and Hove UA	2.6
Buckinghamshire	7.7
East Sussex	8.0
Essex	22.6

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the outcome of the Environment Council held in Luxembourg on 22 and 23 June; and if he will make a statement. [128030]

I represented the UK at the Environment Council in Luxembourg on 22 June 2000, accompanied by Sarah Boyack, Scottish Executive Minister for Environment and Transport. Political agreement was reached on two proposals, along with one set of Council Conclusions.Agreement was reached on two important air quality measures which will deliver significant reductions in transboundary pollutants contributing to problems of acidification and ground level ozone (summer-time smog) throughout the European Union. The first, the National Emissions Ceilings Directive, sets national emission ceilings for 2010 on four air pollutants (sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, volatile organic compounds and ammonia). I agreed to ceilings of 585, 1,167, 1,200 and 297 thousand tonnes respectively for each of the pollutants. A second common position, on an amendment of the 1988 Large Combustion Plants Directive, sets stricter limit values for emissions of oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide and dust from new plant. For existing (pre-1988) plant, limit values will need to be applied from 2008, or equivalent overall reductions achieved through a National Emissions Plan. However, plant with less than 20,000 hours operating life remaining on 1 January 2008 may be exempted. This agreement will see a reduction in acidifying emissions, while flexibility for industry, particularly the power sector, is safeguarded.In advance of the Sixth Conference of Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change, due to take place at The Hague in November, Council Conclusions were agreed setting out the EU position on some of the key issues. Ministers agreed that eligibility for the Clean Development Mechanism should be on the basis of a positive list of safe environmentally sound projects, which excluded nuclear, and that the use of carbon sinks such as forests should not be extended, unless concerns about their scale, scientific and other uncertainties were addressed. The Conclusions also welcomed a Commission communication on a proposed European Climate Change Programme, and its Green Paper on Emissions Trading.The Presidency gave brief progress reports on proposals to promote sustainable urban development and to establish a priority list of dangerous substances of European significance whose release to the aquatic environment should be controlled. The Presidency also summarised the environmental legislation adopted under the co-decision procedure during the last six months, and highlighted the

increasing importance of this procedure in the Presidency' work. Final outcomes were agreed on six dossiers: a Decision to monitor the CO

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions took place between his Department's (a) Ministers and (b) officials and members of SERPLAN prior to the vote by SERPLAN on house-building in the South-East on 12 June; and if he will list the members of SERPLAN involved in each case. [128163]

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I held a meeting with members of SERPLAN on 24 May 2000. 22 planning authorities from across the region attended. Throughout the consultation there have been a number of meetings with a wide range of interest groups including economic partnerships and environmental groups, some of which would have included members of SERPLAN.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he will be taking to monitor the (a) number of abandoned vehicles on public highways and private property and (b) cost to individual local authorities of removing abandoned vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [128465]

There are no plans at present to maintain official records of such cases. The existing arrangements with local authorities will be reviewed as we develop proposals for implementing the proposed European End-of-Life Vehicles Directive in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made on the establishment of tenant compacts; and if he will make a statement. [128340]

Local housing authorities are expected to introduce tenant participation compacts from 1 April 2000. I have myself witnessed the signing of these compacts in recent months. We have recently commissioned a major policy evaluation programme of research to look at how best value in housing and compacts are being introduced and developed across the country. The project is expected to run for three to five years; the initial findings will feed into policy development on these issues and will be available next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) by what date he requires the population data for Lincoln, in order to calculate the standard spending assessment for the coming three financial years; and if he will make a statement; [128366](2) what progress the Office for National Statistics has made in assessing the impact of internal migration on the population in Lincoln, with special reference to the requirements of the standard spending assessment for the coming three years. [128338]

The method of revenue grant distribution in future years depends on the outcome of the review of revenue grant distribution now taking place. A Green Paper will be published later this summer setting out options for revenue grant distribution. This follows open and lengthy discussions between representatives of local and central government.Grants for 2001–02 will be based on the existing standard spending assessment (SSA) system. We announced in the White Paper "Modern Local Government—In Touch With The People", that during the review we intended to keep up to date the data on which grants are based. This would mean that grants for 2001–02 would use the Registrar General's estimates of population at 30 June 1999. These data should be available by 3 October 2000, the deadline for most data for use in the 2000–01 SSA calculations.The Registrar General continually looks for ways of improving his population estimates. I understand that his estimates for 30 June 1999, due to be published in August, will incorporate improvements to the internal migration component of the estimates that have been discussed with local government and other experts. The estimates will include new migration estimates for the previous year based on the new data source. This increases the population estimate for Lincoln for mid-1998 by over 200. I am aware that this matter and others have been the subject of recent correspondence between the council and the Office for National Statistics. The council had been concerned that the improvements would not be made until information from the 2001 census was available. The Registrar General does not intend to wait until then.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received from Lancaster City Council about amending the compulsory licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation operating in Morecambe. [128355]

None, though we are aware that the City Council have been considering various aspects of their current registration scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many houses in multiple occupation there are in Morecambe and Lunesdale. [128356]

Based on the information given to my Department by Lancaster City Council in July 1999, there are 1,800 houses in multiple occupation in the local authority area.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much additional funding has been allocated by the Government to Lancaster City Council for improving the quality of social housing since 1 May 1997. [128354]

The capital allocations for housing investment made to Lancaster City Council since 1997–98 are given in the table. The additional resources we have made available for housing investment were mainly distributed through the Capital Receipts Initiative in the years up to 1999–2000. In 2000–01 the extra resources were included in the Housing Investment Programme (HIP) allocation following the introduction of the single housing capital pot.

£000
Year	HIP	CRI	Total
1997–98	1,814	279	2,093
1998–99	2,002	1,014	3,016
1999–2000	2,238	1,101	3,339
2000–01	3,942	—	3,942

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made in consultation with industry to implement

speicies	Units of estimation	England	Date of estimate
Honey Buzzard	Pairs	112–34	111997
Red Kite	Pairs	157–61	11997
White-tailed Eagle	Pairs	No breeding population	11997
Marsh Harrier	Females	1127–145	11997
Hen Harrier	Territorial pairs	219	21998
Montagu's Harrier	Females	19–12	11997
Goshawk	Pairs	3120	11997, 3, 41994, 51993

The consultation on the draft climate change programme ended on 2 June and we are currently analysing the responses made. Once this exercise has been completed we will begin to develop these proposals further in consultation with industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from industry in respect of the new policy on reduced dependence on HFC use, as set out in paragraphs 17 to 20 in the draft UK Climate Change Programme. [128449]

The Government have received over 100 responses to the consultation on the draft climate change programme on HFCs. These responses are currently being analysed and the final climate change programme, which will be published later this year, will take account of the issues raised during the consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will increase the Housing Corporation's approved development spending for rural areas. [128894]

Decisions on the future level of the Housing Corporation's approved development programme spending will depend on the outcome of this year's spending review. The Government's future policy on rural housing will be set out in the forthcoming Rural White Paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his estimate is of the number of raptors of each species (a) breeding and (b) resident in England. [128825]

[holding answer 3 July 2000]: A Raptor Working Group was set up in 1995 to consider issues arising from perceived conflicts between the recovery of some bird of prey populations and their impact on game birds and moorland management and on racing pigeons. Earlier this year, the group submitted its final report, which includes estimates of raptor population sizes. The figures are taken from the report and show the best estimates of sizes of breeding population for birds of prey in England using data and information, where possible, from published sources. The total number of birds of prey will be greater than these estimates in the post-breeding season owing to the number of fledged young and other non-breeding individuals.Copies of the report have been deposited in the House Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the provisional timetable for the establishment of a South Downs National Park. [129115]

The Countryside Agency is responsible for designating National Parks, subject to the confirmation of a designation order in each case by the Secretary of State. The agency currently estimates that a designation order for a National Park in the South Downs might be submitted to the Secretary of State in spring 2002. This timetable reflects the significant tasks to be addressed, including the identification of a boundary and making recommendations on the most effective administrative arrangements. The agency will be consulting local interests extensively on these matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Chief Executive of Advantage West Midlands. [129037]

I understand that, with effect from Friday 30 June, the contract of Advantage West Midlands' Chief Executive, Tony Cassidy, was ended by mutual consent.Advantage West Midlands will now seek to recruit a replacement. I am informed that in the meantime, the post will be filled on a temporary basis by John Edwards, regeneration director of Advantage West Midlands, and previously Chief Executive of the Rural Development Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the hon. Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters of (a) 8 March, (b) 6 April, (c) 5 May, (d) 1 June and (e) 29 June relating to her constituent Miss Haley Cresswell. [128918]

My reply was sent on 29 June. I am sorry the hon. Member had to wait so long for this reply. The correspondence raised issues of wider concern.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what monitoring his Department undertakes of Private Finance Initiative contracts undertaken by local government; and if he will make a statement. [129205]

Following endorsement by the inter-departmental Project Review Group, progress on prospective schemes is monitored to ensure that the final contract conforms with the approved business case. Following contract signature, the Department will be notified of when service payments commence. Payments and grant paid to the local authority are then monitored and subsequently audited by the Audit Commission. It is important that lessons are learnt from existing contracts. All authorities are required to share non-commercial documentation with other local authorities procuring similar projects, and lessons are used in the production of standardised contract documentation and other best-practice guidance.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the Government's response to the consultation on proposals for a Quality Assurance programme for combined heat and power. [129295]

I announced the key decisions on the proposals following consultation in my statement to the House on 17 May. I have today placed the Government's full response to the consultation in the Library of the House. It will also be available on the DETR and CHPQA websites, and printed copies of the response are being sent to all those who commented on the CHPQA proposals.I am grateful to those who responded to the consultation, and for the valuable contribution from CHP users and suppliers and other interested parties. CHPQA has been designed to assure and improve the quality of CHP and stimulate CHP growth.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on actions taken following the finding of a cache of arms in Antwerp in February 1999, in respect of the UK companies involved; what prosecutions have occurred; and what measures have been enforced to prevent repetition of similar arms dealing. [128111]

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister set out in answer to a similar question from the hon. Gentleman on 14 July 1999, Official Report, columns 239–40W, we have no information on the seizure of an arms consignment in February 1999 in Antwerp. But we are aware that a shipment of goods originating in Germany, destined for Eritrea, was seized by Belgian Customs authorities in Antwerp in August 1998. The matter remains with the Belgian courts. No charges have been brought as yet.A resumption of fighting between Ethiopia and Eritrea on 12 May led to the adoption of UN Resolution 1298 on 18 May, co-sponsored by the UK, imposing on both countries a mandatory arms embargo and a ban on the provision of related technical assistance or training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 8 June 2000, Official Report, column 308W, on the Step Change Project, if he will list the membership of the Ministerial Group for European Co-ordination and make a statement on MINECOR' s activities. [128779]

[holding answer 3 July 2000]: The Ministerial Group for European Co-ordination works to achieve greater co-ordination of the presentation of Her Majesty's Government's European policies in the UK and overseas, and monitors the Government's efforts to develop closer co-operation with the EU partners/applicants.A list of current members of MINECOR has been deposited in the Library. The devolved administrations are also represented at MINECOR.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received concerning attacks by Jihad warriors on the village of Duma, North Moluccas and on the number of casualties which resulted. [128856]

We understand that between 100 and 158 people were killed and over 200 injured in the raid on the village of Duma on 19 June. The media reported that large numbers of armed extremists attacked the village, shooting at random and burning over 300 homes. The Regional Military Commander subsequently ordered the security forces to secure the area. On 26 June, President Wahid declared a state of civil emergency in Maluku; since then the situation appears to be calmer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 5 June 2000, Official Report, column 43W, on QMV, if he will place the UK Government's written contribution to the meeting on 2 May in the Library. [128169]

[holding answer 3 July 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 12 June 2000, Official Report, column 441W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of reinforced co-operation on EU matters; [128120](2) what position the United Kingdom has taken in the IGC discussions on the issue of extending qualified majority voting to EU participation in the work of the WTO as set out in document CONFER 4780/00. [128129]

[holding answer 3 July 2000]: The Government's position is clearly set out in the White Paper "IGC: Reform for Enlargement".

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position the United Kingdom has taken in the IGC discussions on the issue of creating new specific legal bases for the areas covered by Article 308, as set out in the document CONFER 4780/00. [128130]

[holding answer 3 July 2000]: As the Government have made clear, this IGC is about reform for enlargement of the EU. In this context, we are sceptical about the need to look at specific legal bases for areas covered under Article 308.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the supply of demining equipment to non-Governmental organisations in Kosovo. [129387]

We have approved the export to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) of protective body armour to Danish Church Aid and European Landmine Solutions, organisations engaged in humanitarian demining activities on behalf of the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK).These goods are on the Military List. UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1160 (1998) prohibits the supply of arms and related material to the FRY. However UNSCR 1244 (1999), provides for the sale or supply or arms or related material for use by the international civil and security presence in Kosovo. We have notified the UN FRY Sanctions Committee of this export and they have raised no objection. The export of this equipment underlines UK support both for the peaceful reconstruction of Kosovo and the work of the UN Mines Action Programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning difficulties in the dairy industry; and if he will make a statement. [126971]

I meet the First Secretary on a weekly basis and we discuss a wide range of issues including the dairy industry. Recently we have welcomed the removal of dairy hygiene charges in England and Wales. and at the Prime Minister's Agriculture Summit at the end of March some £2.3 million extra agri-monetary compensation was awarded to Welsh dairy farmers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many departmental telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems. [127403]

My Department does not use interactive voice response systems on any of its telephone lines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent consultations he has had with the Ministry of Defence over the use of Welsh ports as emergency Z-berths for nuclear submarines. [127577]

The Ministry of Defence does not have, nor does it plan to have, any emergency Z-berths in Welsh ports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of angler-caught (a) salmon, (b) grilse and (c) sea trout caught in Wales in each of the last five years; and what his estimate is of the number of each of these categories of fish taken by seals in Welsh waters in each of these years. [128855]

[holding answer 3 July 2000]: In Wales in the last five years the number of angler-caught (a) salmon, (b) grilse and (c) sea trout were:

Declared rod catch of sea trout from Welsh rivers, 1995–99
	Number
1995	10,754
1996	13,123
1997	13,914
1998	24,401
1999	24,629

Estimated number of grilse and MSW (multi sea wintering) salmon (corrected for under-reporting at a 10 per cent. increase) in Welsh rod catch, 1995–99
	Salmon (MSW)	Grilse
1995	1,491	3,070
1996	2,287	3,728
1997	1,119	2,865
1998	895	3,863
1999	1,065	2,339

An estimated 40 per cent. of salmon and 50 per cent. of sea trout are returned (1999 figures) by Welsh anglers. Official statistics and estimates of fish taken by seals are not maintained.Responsibility for fisheries was transferred to the National Assembly for Wales from 1 July 1999 within the 12 nautical miles of fishing water surrounding the coast, as defined by the Government of Wales Act 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many employees of his Department and its agencies have been recruited from the New Deal; and what percentage this represents of total staff.[129094]

My Department has 42 full-time staff and one part-timer. One member of staff has been recruited from the New Deal, representing 2.35 per cent. of total staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for (a) England and (b) each local education authority the number of additional free early years education places that would be required to meet the Government's target of free places being available for 66 per cent. of three-year-olds by 2002. [126810]

[holding answer 21 June 2000): 190,000 additional new free early years education places for three-year-olds will be made available using the £390 million allocated by the Government. This will allow us to meet the national target of providing 66 per cent. of all three-year-olds in England with a free place.We are currently seeking to target those children in most social need. To this end different targets have been set with local authorities to reflect their position on the Government's Index of Local Deprivation.Based upon 1998 participation levels, the table shows the estimated number of new places which would be required in each local education authority area to take the number of free places available in that authority to the national target level of 66 per cent. It also shows our estimate of the percentage of three-year-olds in each area who will have a free place by April 2001.

LEA Name	New Places required to reach national target of 66 per cent.	Percentage of children expected to have free places by April 2001
Barking and Dagenham	0	81.9
Barnet	695	51.0
Barnsley	502	79.3
Bath and North-East Somerset	899	18.9
Bedfordshire	1,986	27.4
Bexley	669	44.9
Birmingham	2,611	88.5
Blackburn with Darwen	557	80.7
Blackpool	850	77.9
Bolton	246	79.7
Bournemouth	851	41.9
Bracknell Forest	984	11.8
Bradford	0	83.3
Brent	494	81.7
Brighton and Hove	907	71.3
Bristol	588	70.5
Bromley	2,022	16.0
Buckinghamshire	3,392	13.2
Bury	602	44.2
Calderdale	416	64.6
Cambridgeshire	3,504	18.7
Camden	518	80.7
Cheshire	2,953	31.3
City of London	2	64.0
Cornwall	2,575	48.7
Coventry	639	81.3
Croydon	1,276	57.4
Cumbria	1,091	48.5
Darlington	0	89.0
Derby	466	72.8
Derbyshire	2,420	40.5
Devon	3,807	17.2
Doncaster	67	80.7
Dorset	2,456	12.3
Dudley	274	60.9
Durham	0	76.9
Ealing	0	79.7
East Riding of Yorkshire	1,546	29.6
East Sussex	3,025	13.0
Enfield	1,235	67.4
Essex	8,740	12.4
Gateshead	266	80.7
Gloucestershire	4,355	12.0
Greenwich	245	84.2
Hackney	739	86.4
Halton	335	80.2
Hammersmith and Fulham	297	80.5