Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Thursday 9 November 2000

Social Security

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes will be made to his Department's Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs limit for 2000–01. [138175]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XII, Vote 2 and Class XII, Vote 3, the Department of Social Security Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £399,594,000 from £3,190,745,000 to £3,590.339,000.The increase of Class XII, Vote 3 is the net effect of additional Comprehensive Spending Review funding of £86,000,000 (running costs), an increase of £112,000,000 (running costs) associated with the move to ACT as the method of payment for all benefits, a take up of £40,026,000 (running costs) from the Departmental Unallocated Provision (which will not change the gross running costs limit), an increase of £37,946,000 (running costs) and £1,118,000 capital under the End Year Flexibility Scheme as set out in Table 7 of the Public Expenditure Out-turn White Paper Cm 4812 published on 18 July, an increase of £6,670,000 (running costs) for the administration costs of additional pensions work, an increase of £18,500,000 for the administrative costs arising from Budget 2000 measures, an increase of £9,000,000 (running costs) resulting from the Debt Recovery Scheme, an increase of £6,000,000 (running costs) arising from initiatives contained in the Grabiner report, an increase of £4,320,000 (running costs) associated with the Civil Service Modernisation programme, an increase of £750,000 (running costs) towards the administrative costs of ONE, an increase of £75,000,000 (capital) from the Welfare Modernisation Fund to help speed up IT modernisation, and an increase of £11,542,000 (capital) arising from the proceeds of a development gain under the PRIME initiative.Other changes result from a transfer of £2,374,000 (running costs) towards the administrative costs of Decision Making and Appeals offset by a corresponding increase on Class I, Vote 3 (Employment Services), a transfer of £1,199,000 (running costs) and £1,328,000 capital for the Resettlement Programme in Scotland, offset by a corresponding increase in the Scottish Executive, a transfer of £400,000 (capital) for expenditure on the London Rough Sleepers Unit, offset by a corresponding increase on Class III, Vote 1 (Housing, construction, regeneration, regional policy, planning and countryside and wildlife, England) and a transfer of £11,000 (running costs) in respect of Better Government for Older People, offset by a corresponding reduction on Class III, Vote 2 (Planning, roads, local transport and vehicle safety), (£6,000) and Class XVII, Vote 1 (Cabinet Office: administration) (£5,000).There is also an increase of £20,970,000 (running costs) associated with services provided to other Government Departments on a repayment basis, an increase of £47,021,000 (running costs) arising from increased payments of Value Added Tax on contracted-out services, an increase of £15,153,000 (running costs) associated with expenditure on sub let accommodation and an increase of £168,000 to meet the costs of overseas medical examinations. Appropriation in Aid increases by £169,152,000.Changes in the Welfare to Work provision arise from an increase of £975,000 under the End Year Flexibility Scheme as set out in Table 7 of the Public Expenditure Out-turn White Paper Cm 4812 published on 18 July, a reduction of £7,367,000 offset by a corresponding increase on Class 1, Vote 3 (Employment Service), an increase of £15,000 offset by a corresponding reduction on Class 1, Vote 1 (Department for Education and Employment: programmes and central services), an increase of £2,308,000 for costs associated with pilots and innovative schemes arising from the programme of measures to help people with a disability or long term illness move into or remain in work and an increase of £2,313,000 for expenditure on work focused interviews relating to the measures to help Lone Parents move from Welfare to Work.As a result of these changes the running costs limit of this Department will be increased by £277,792,000 from £2,941,730,000 to £3,219,522,000 and the running costs limit of the Welfare to Work programme will be reduced by £1,756,000 from £15,752,000 to £13,996,000.Changes to Class XII, Vote 2 arise from an increase of £37,430,000 under the End Year Flexibility Scheme as set out in Table 7 of the Public Expenditure Out-turn White Paper Cm 4812 published on 18 July and an increase of £2,500,000 associated with the administration cost of Budget 2000 measures.Increases will be offset by transfers or a charge to the DEL Reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Government Actuary (Report)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has received the report from the Government Actuary's Department under section 36 of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000. [138173]

The Report by the Government Actuary on the Cost of Uprating the Basic Retirement Pension in Line With the General Level of Earnings (Cm 4920) has been laid before Parliament today. Copies have been placed in the Library and are available for hon. Members in the Vote Office.

Benefit Rates

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the new rates of benefit proposed from April 2001. [138174]

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
Attendance Allowance
higher rate	53.55	55.30
lower rate	35.80	37.00
Child Benefit
only, elder or eldest for whom child benefit is payable (couple)	15.00	15.50
only, elder or eldest for whom child benefit is payable (lone parent)	17.55	17.55
each subsequent child	10.00	10.35
Child's Special Allowance
see note on Child Dependency Increase	11.35	11.35
Council Tax Benefit
Personal allowances
single
18 to 24	41.35	42.00
25 or over	52.20	53.05
lone parent—18 or over	52.20	53.05
couple—one or both over 18	81.95	83.25
Dependent Children
from birth to September following 16th birthday	30.95	31.45
from September following 16th birthday to day before 19th birthday	31.75	32.25
Premiums
family	14.25	14.50
family (lone parent rate)	22.20	22.20
pensioner
single	26.25	¹39.10
couple	40.00	¹57.30
pensioner (enhanced)
single	28.65	¹39.10
couple	43.40	¹57.30
pensioner (higher)
single	33.85	¹39.10
couple	49.10	¹57.30
disability
single	22.25	22.60
couple	31.75	32.25
enhanced disability premium single rate	5.95	¹11.05
disabled child rate	5.95	¹11.05
couple rate	8.60	¹16.00
severe disability
single	40.20	41.55
couple (one qualifies)	40.20	41.55
couple (both qualify)	80.40	83.10
disabled child	22.25	¹30.00
carer	14.15	¹24.40
bereavement	15.30	¹19.45
Non-dependant deductions
aged 18 or over and in remunerative work
gross income: £269 and above	6.95	6.95
gross income: £215–£268.99	5.80	5.80
gross income: £125–£214.99	4.60	4.60

The information requested is set out in the schedule. The annual uprating of benefits will take place in the first full week of the tax year. In 2001, this will be the week beginning 9 April.

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
gross income less than £125	2.30	2.30
others, aged 18 or over	2.30	2.30
Alternative maximum Council Tax Benefit		25% of Council Tax
second adult on IS or JSA (IB)		25% of Council Tax
second adult's gross income:
under £125		15% of Council Tax
£125 to £162.99		7.5% of Council Tax
Capital
upper limit	16,000.00	16,000.00
amount disregarded	3,000.00	3,000.00
amount disregarded o/60s		6,000.00
child's limit	3,000.00	3,000.00
upper limit of RC/NH	16,000.00	16,000.00
amount disregarded of RC/NH	10,000.00	10,000.00
Tariff income
£1 for every complete £250 or part thereof between amount of capital disregarded and capital upper limit
Earnings disregards
where disability premium awarded	15.00	20.00
various specified employments	15.00	20.00
lone parent	25.00	25.00
where the claimant has a partner	10.00	10.00
single claimant	5.00	5.00
where carer premium awarded	15.00	20.00
childcare charges (1 child) - maximum	70.00	70.00
childcare charges (2 or more children) maximum	105.00	105.00
Other income disregards
maintenance disregard	15.00	15.00
war disablement pension and war widow's pension	10.00	10.00
certain voluntary and charitable payments	20.00	20.00
student loan	10.00	10.00
student's covenanted income	5.00	5.00
income from boarders:
disregard the fixed amount (£20) plus 50% of the balance of the charge	20.00	20.00
30 Hr Adult Allowance in DPTC	11.25	11.45
30 Hr Adult Credit in WFTC	11.25	11.45
Expenses for subtenants
furnished or unfurnished	4.00	4.00
where heating is included, additional	9.25	9.55
Dependency Increases
Adult Dependency Increases
For spouse or person looking after children, with:
retirement pension on own insurance	40.40	¹43.40
long term incapacity benefit, unemployability supplement	40.40	41.75
severe disablement allowance	24.20	25.00
invalid care allowance	24.15	24.95
short-term incapacity benefit if beneficiary over pension age	38.80	40.10
maternity allowance/short-term incapacity benefit	31.50	32.55
Child Dependency increases, with; retirement pension, widows benefit, short-term incapacity benefit at the higher rate and long term incapacity benefit, invalid care allowance severe disablement allowance, higher rate industrial death benefit, unemployability supplement and short-term incapacity benefit if beneficiary over pension age²	11.35	11.35
Disability Living Allowance
Care Component
Highest	53.55	55.30
Middle	35.80	37.00
Lowest	14.20	14.65

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
Mobility Component
Higher	37.40	38.65
Lower	14.20	14.65
Earnings Rules
Invalid Care Allowance	50.00	72.00
Limit of earnings from councillor's allowance	59.50	60.50
Therapeutic earnings limit	59.50	60.50
Industrial injuries unemployability supplement permitted earnings level (annual amount)	3,094.00	3,146.00
War pensioners' unemployability supplement permitted earnings level (annual amount)	3,094.00	3,146.00
Adult dependency increases with
short-term incapacity benefit where claimant is
(a) under pension age	31.50	32.55
(b) over pension age	38.80	40.10
maternity allowance	31.50	32.55
retirement pension, long-term incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance, unemployability supplement where dependant
(a) is living with claimant	52.50	53.05
(b) still qualifies for the tapered earnings rule	45.09	45.09
retirement pension where dependent not living with claimant	40.40	43.40
long-term incapacity benefit and unemployability supplement where dependant not living with claimant	40.40	41.75
severe disablement allowance where dependant not living with claimant	24.20	25.00
invalid care allowance	24.15	24.95
Child dependency increases level at which CDIs are affected by earnings of claimant's spouse or partner
for first child	145.00	150.00
for each subsequent child	19.00	20.00
Guardian's Allowance	11.35	11.35
see note on Child Dependency Increase
Hospital Benefit
Personal allowances
single
16 to 24	41.35	42.00
25 or over	52.20	53.05
lone parent
under 18	41.35	42.00
18 or over	52.20	53.05
couple
both under 18	62.35	63.35
one or both over 18	81.95	83.25
dependent children
from birth to September following 16th birthday	30.95	31.45
from Sept. following 16th birthday to day before 19th birthday	31.75	32.25
Premiums
family	14.25	14.50
family (lone parent rate)	22.20	22.20

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
pensioner
single	26.25	¹39.10
couple	40.00	¹57.30
pensioner (enhanced)
single	28.65	¹39.10
couple	43.40	¹57.30
pensioner (higher)
single	33.85	¹39.10
couple	49.10	¹57.30
disability
single	22.25	22.60
couple	31.75	32.25
enhanced disability premium single rate	5.95	¹11.05
disabled child rate	5.95	¹11.05
couple rate	8.60	¹16.00
severe disability
single	40.20	41.55
couple (one qualifies)	40.20	41.55
couple (both qualify)	80.40	83.10
disabled child	22.25	¹30.00
carer	14.15	¹24.40
bereavement	15.30	¹19.45
Non-dependant deductions rent rebates and allowances
aged 25 and over, in receipt of Income Support or income based Job Seekers Allowance
aged 18 or over, not in remunerative work or gross income less than £84.00	7.40	7.40
aged 18 or over and in remunerative work
gross income: less than £84.00	7.40	7.40
gross income: £84 to £124.99	17.00	17.00
gross income: £125 to £162.99	23.35	23.35
gross income: £163 to £214.99	38.20	38.20
gross income: £215.00 to £268.99	43.50	43.50
gross income: £269.00 and above	47.75	47.75
Service charges for fuel
heating	9.25	9.55
hot water	1.15	1.20
lighting	0.80	0.85
cooking	1.15	1.20
Amount ineligible for meals
three or more meals a day
single claimant	18.65	18.95
each person in family aged 16 or over	18.65	18.95
each child under 16	9.40	9.55
less than three meals a day
single claimant	12.40	12.60
each person in family aged 16 or over	12.40	12.60
each child under 16	6.25	6.35
breakfast only—claimant and each member of family	2.25	2.30
Capital
upper limit	16,000.00	16,000.00
amount disregarded	3,000.00	3,000.00
amount disregarded o/60s		6,000.00
child's limit	3,000.00	3,000.00
upper limit for permanent resident of RC/NH	16,000.00	16,000.00
amount disregarded for permanent resident of RC/NH	10,000.00	10,000.00

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
Tariff income
£1 for every complete £250 or part thereof between amount of capital disregarded and capital upper limit
Earnings disregards
where disability premium awarded	15.00	20.00
various specified employments	15.00	20.00
lone parent	25.00	25.00
where the claimant has a partner	10.00	10.00
single claimant	5.00	5.00
where carer premium awarded	15.00	20.00
childcare charges	70.00	70.00
childcare charges (2 or more children)—maximum	105.00	105.00
Other income disregards
maintenance disregard	15.00	15.00
war disablement pension and war widow's pension	10.00	10.00
certain voluntary and charitable payments	20.00	20.00
student loan	10.00	10.00
student's covenanted income	5.00	5.00
income from boarders:
disregard the fixed amount (£20) plus 50% of the balance of the charge	20.00	20.00
30 Hr Adult Allowance in DPTC	11.25	11.45
30 Hr Adult Credit in WFTC	11.25	11.45
Expenses for subtenants
furnished or unfurnished	4.00	4.00
where heating is included, additional	9.25	9.55
Incapacity Benefit
Long-term Incapacity Benefit	67.50	69.75
Short-term Incapacity Benefit (under pension age)
lower rate	50.90	52.60
higher rate	60.20	62.20
Short-term Incapacity Benefit (over pension age)
lower rate	64.75	66.90
higher rate	67.50	69.75
Increase of Long-term Incapacity Benefit for age
higher rate	14.20	14.65
lower rate	7.10	7.35
Invalidity Allowance (Transitional)
higher rate	14.20	14.65
middle rate	9.00	9.30
lower rate	4.50	4.65
Income Support
Personal Allowances
single
under 18—usual rate	31.45	31.95
under 18—higher rate payable in specific circumstances	41.35	42.00
18 to 24	41.35	42.00
25 or over	52.20	53.05
lone parent
under 18—usual rate	31.45	31.95
under 18—higher rate payable in specific circumstances	41.35	42.00
18 or over	52.20	53.05
couple
both under 18	62.35	63.35
one or both 18 or over	81.95	83.25
dependent children
birth to September following 16th birthday	30.95	31.45
from Sept. following 16th birthday to day before 19th birthday	31.75	32.25

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
Residential Allowance
except Greater London	61.30	63.30
Greater London	68.20	70.45
Premiums
family	14.25	14.50
family (lone parent rate)	15.90	15.90
pensioner
single	26.25	¹39.10
couple	40.00	¹57.30
pensioner (enhanced)
single	28.65	¹39.10
couple	43.40	¹57.30
pensioner (higher)
single	33.85	¹39.10
couple	49.10	¹57.30
disability
single	22.25	22.60
couple	31.75	32.25
enhanced disability premium single rate	5.95	¹11.05
disabled child rate	5.95	¹11.05
couple rate	8.60	¹16.00
severe disability
single	40.20	41.55
couple (one qualifies)	40.20	41.55
couple (both qualify)	80.40	83.10
disabled child	22.25	¹30.00
carer	14.15	¹24.40
bereavement	15.30	¹19.45
Maximum amounts for accommodation and meals in
residential care homes
old age	221.00	225.00
very dependent elderly	256.00	261.00
mental disorder (not handicap)	234.00	238.00
special criteria satisfied	256.00	261.00
drug/alcohol dependence	234.00	238.00
special criteria satisfied	256.00	261.00
mental handicap	266.00	271.00
physical disablement
(a) (under pension age)	303.00	308.00
(b) (over pension age)	221.00	225.00
(c) (special criteria satisfied)	256.00	261.00
others	221.00	225.00
maximum Greater London increase	46.00	47.00
nursing homes
mental disorder (not handicap)	331.00	337.00
drug/alcohol dependence	331.00	337.00
mental handicap	337.00	343.00
terminal illness	330.00	336.00
physical disablement
(a) (under pension age)	373.00	379.00
(b) (over pension age)	330.00	336.00
others (including elderly)	330.00	336.00
maximum Greater London increase	51.00	52.00

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
Amounts for meals where these cannot be purchased within the accommodation (Daily Rate)
breakfast	1.10	1.10
midday meal	1.55	1.55
evening meal	1.55	1.55
Allowances for personal expenses for claimants in
private and voluntary residential care and nursing homes
personal expenses	15.45	¹16.05
dependent children
(a) under 11	6.15	6.25
(b) 11 to 15	9.00	9.15
(c) 16 to 17	10.40	10.55
(d) age 18	15.00	15.25
local authority (Part III) accommodation	67.50	¹72.50
of which, Personal Expenses	15.45	¹16.05
Allowances for personal expenses for claimants in: the Polish home Ilford Park
max. amount for accommodation and meals	373.00	379.00
personal expenses for claimant	17.35	17.35
personal expenses for partner	17.35	17.35
personal expenses for dependant children
(a) under 11	6.15	6.25
(b) 11 to 15	9.00	9.15
(c) 16 to 17	10.40	10.55
(d) 18	15.55	15.55
Housing costs
deduction for non-dependants aged 25 and over, in receipt of Income Support or income based Job Seekers Allowance aged 18 or over, not in work or gross income less than £84.00	7.40	7.40
aged 18 or over and in remunerative work:
gross income: £81 to £124.99	17.00	17.00
gross income: £125 to £162.99	23.35	23.35
gross income: £163 to £214.99	38.20	38.20
gross income: £215 to £268.99	43.50	43.50
gross income: £269.00 and above	47.75	47.75
Deduction for direct payments arrears of housing, fuel and water costs council tax and fines default, and	2.65	2.70
deductions for child maintenance (standard)	5.30	5.40
deductions for child maintenance (lower)	2.65	2.70
Arrears of Community Charge court order against claimant	2.65	2.70
court order against couple	4.10	4.20
Maximum rates for recovery of overpayments ordinary overpayments	7.95	8.10
where claimant convicted of fraud	10.40	10.80
Reduction in benefit for strikers	28.00	28.50
Capital
upper limit	8,000.00	8,000.00
amount disregarded	3,000.00	3,000.00
child's limit	3,000.00	3,000.00
upper limit of RC/NH	16,000.00	16,000.00
amt disregarded of RC/NH	10,000.00	10,000.00
upper limit o/60s		12,000.00
amount disregarded o/60s		6,000.00

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
Tariff income
£1 for every complete £250 or part thereof between amount of capital disregarded and capital upper limit
Disregards
standard earnings	5.00	5.00
couples earnings	10.00	10.00
higher earnings	15.00	20.00
war disablement pension and war widow's pension	10.00	10.00
certain voluntary and charitable payments	20.00	20.00
student loan	10.00	10.00
student's covenanted income	5.00	5.00
income from boarders:
disregard the fixed amount (£20) plus 50% of the balance of the charge	20.00	20.00
Expenses for subtenants
furnished or unfurnished	4.00	4.00
where heating is included, additional	9.25	9.55
Industrial Death Benefit
Widow's pension
higher rate	67.50	¹72.50
lower rate	20.25	¹21.75
Industrial Injuries Disablement Pension
18 and over, or under 18 with dependants
100%	109.30	112.90
90%	98.37	101.61
80%	87.44	90.32
70%	76.51	79.03
60%	65.58	67.74
50%	54.65	56.45
40%	43.72	45.16
30%	32.79	33.87
20%	21.86	22.58
Under 18
100%	66.95	69.15
90%	60.26	62.24
80%	53.56	55.32
70%	46.87	48.41
60%	40.17	41.49
50%	33.48	34.58
40%	26.78	27.66
30%	20.09	20.75
20%	13.39	13.83
Maximum life gratuity (lump sum)	7,260.00	7,500.00
Unemployability Supplement	67.50	69.75
plus where appropriate an increase for early incapacity
higher rate	14.20	14.65
middle rate	9.00	9.30
lower rate	4.50	4.65
Maximum reduced earnings allowance	43.72	45.16
Maximum retirement allowance	10.93	11.29
Constant attendance allowance
exceptional rate	87.60	90.40
intermediate rate	65.70	67.80
normal maximum rate	43.80	45.20
part-time rate	21.90	22.60
Exceptionally severe disablement allowance	43.80	45.20
Invalid Care Allowance	40.40	41.75

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
Jobseekers Allowance
Contribution based JSA—Personal rates
under 18	31.45	31.95
18 to 24	41.35	42.00
25 or over	52.20	53.05
Income-based JSA Single persons allowance
under 18	31.45	31.95
18 to 24	41.35	42.00
25 or over	52.20	53.05
lone parent
under 18—usual rate	31.45	31.95
under 18—higher rate payable in specific circumstances	41.35	42.00
18 or over	52.20	53.05
couple
both under 18	31.45	31.95
both under 18, one disabled	41.35	42.00
both under 18, with resp. for a child	62.35	63.35
one under 18, one 18–24	41.35	42.00
one under 18, one 25+	52.20	53.05
both 18 or over	81.95	83.25
dependent children
from birth to September following 16th birthday	30.95	31.45
from Sept. following 16th birthday to day before 19th birthday	31.75	32.25
Residential Allowance
except Greater London	61.30	63.30
Greater London	68.20	70.45
Premiums
family	14.25	14.50
family (lone parent rate)	15.90	15.90
pensioner
single	26.25	¹39.10
couple	40.00	¹57.30
pensioner (enhanced)
couple	43.40	¹57.30
pensioner (higher)
single	33.85	¹39.10
couple	49.10	¹57.30
disability
single	22.25	22.60
couple	31.75	32.25
enhanced disability premium single rate	5.95	¹11.05
disabled child rate	5.95	¹11.05
couple rate	8.60	¹16.00
severe disability
single	40.20	41.55
couple (one qualifies)	40.20	41.55
couple (both qualify)	80.40	83.10
disabled child	22.25	¹30.00
carer	14.15	¹24.40
bereavement	15.30	¹19.45

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
Maximum amounts for accommodation and meals in
residential care homes
mental disorder (not handicap)	234.00	238.00
drug/alcohol dependence	234.00	238.00
mental handicap	266.00	271.00
physical disablement
(a) (under pension age)	303.00	308.00
others	221.00	225.00
maximum Greater London increase	46.00	47.00
nursing homes
mental disorder (not handicap)	331.00	337.00
drug/alcohol dependence	331.00	337.00
mental handicap	337.00	343.00
terminal illness	330.00	336.00
physical disablement
(a) (under pension age)	373.00	379.00
others (including elderly)	330.00	336.00
maximum Greater London increase	51.00	52.00
Amounts for meals where these cannot be purchased within the accommodation: (Daily Rate)
breakfast	1.10	1.10
midday meal	1.55	1.55
evening meal	1.55	1.55
Allowances for personal expenses for claimants in private and voluntary residential care and nursing homes
personal expenses	15.45	¹16.05
dependent children
(a) under 11	6.15	6.25
(b) 11 to 15	9.00	9.15
(c) 16 to 17	10.40	10.55
(d) age 18	15.00	15.25
local authority (Part III) accommodation	67.50	¹72.50
of which, Personal Expenses	15.45	¹16.05
Housing costs deduction for non-dependants
aged 25 and over, in receipt of Income Support or income based Job Seekers Allowance
aged 18 or over, not in remunerative work or gross income less than £84.00	7.40	7.40
aged 18 or over and in remunerative work
gross income: less than £84.00	7.40	7.40
gross income: £84 to £124.99	17.00	17.00
gross income: £125 to £162.99	23.35	23.35
gross income: £163 to £214.99	38.20	38.20
gross income: £215.00 to £268.99	43.50	43.50
gross income: £269.00 and above	47.75	47.75
Deduction for direct payments
Deductions from JSA (IB) arrears of housing, fuel and water costs council tax and fines default	2.65	2.70
Deductions for Child Maintenance
deductions for child maintenance (standard)	5.30	5.40
deductions for child maintenance (lower)	2.65	2.70
Arrears of Community Charge court order against claimant	2.65	2.70
court order against couple	4.10	4.20
Deductions from JSA (Cont.)
Arrears of Comm. Charge, Council Tax, fines and overpayment recovery
Age 16–17	10.48	10.65
Age 18–24	13.78	14.00
Age 25+	17.40	17.68
Max. deduction for arrears of Child Supp. Maintenance
Age 16–17	10.48	10.65
Age 18–24	13.78	14.00
Age 25+	17.40	17.68

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
Maximum rates for recovery of overpayments in JSA (IB)
ordinary overpayments	7.95	8.10
where claimant convicted of fraud	10.40	10.80
Reduction in benefit for strikers	28.00	28.50
Capital
upper limit	8,000.00	8,000.00
amount disregarded	3,000.00	3,000.00
child's limit	3,000.00	3,000.00
upper limit of RC/NH	16,000.00	16,000.00
amt disregarded of RC/NH	10,000.00	10,000.00
amt disregarded o/60s		6,000.00
upper limit o/60s		12,000.00
Tariff income £1 for every complete £250 or part thereof between amount of capital disregarded and capital upper limit
Disregards
standard earnings	5.00	5.00
couples earnings	10.00	10.00
higher earnings	15.00	20.00
war disablement pension and war widow's pension	10.00	10.00
certain voluntary and charitable payments	20.00	20.00
student loan	10.00	10.00
student's covenanted income	5.00	5.00
income from boarders:
disregard the fixed amount (£20) plus 50% of the balance of the charge	20.00	20.00
Expenses for subtenants
furnished or unfurnished	4.00	4.00
where heating is included, additional	9.25	9.55
Maternity Allowance
New standard rate	60.20	62.20
MA threshold	30.00	30.00
Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis, and Miscellaneous Diseases Scheme and
The Workmen's Compensation (Supplementation)
Total disablement allowance and major incapacity allowance (maximum)	109.30	112.90
Partial disablement allowance	40.40	41.75
Unemployability supplement	67.50	69.75
plus where appropriate increases for early incapacity
higher rate	14.20	14.65
middle rate	9.00	9.30
lower rate	4.50	4.65
Constant attendance allowance
exceptional rate	87.60	90.40
intermediate rate	65.70	67.80
normal maximum rate	43.80	45.20
part-time rate	21.90	22.60
Exceptionally severe disablement allowance	43.80	45.20
Lesser incapacity allowance
maximum rate of allowance	40.40	41.75
based on loss of earnings over	53.55	55.30
Retirement Pension
Category A or B	67.50	¹72.50
Category B (lower)—husband's insurance	40.40	¹43.40
Category C or D—non-contributory	40.40	¹43.40
Category C (lower)—non-contributory	24.15	24.95

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
Additional pension		3.30%
Increments to:
Basic and additional pensions		Increase by: 3.3%
Contracted out deductions (CODs) (Pre Apr '88 earnings)
Graduated Retirement Benefit (GRB)
Increments to CODs (April 1988—March 1997 earnings)	0.00	0.30%
[3.0 per cent, paid by schemes]	0.00
Graduated Retirement Benefit (unit)(pence)	8.77	9.06
Graduated Retirement Benefit (Inherited)		Increase by: 3.3%
Addition at age 80	0.25	0.25
Severe Disablement Allowance
Basic rate	40.80	42.15
Age-related addition (from December 1990)
Higher rate	14.20	14.65
Middle rate	9.00	9.30
Lower rate	4.50	4.65
Statutory Maternity Pay
Earnings threshold	67.00	72.00
Lower rate	60.20	62.20
Statutory Sick Pay
Earnings threshold	67.00	72.00
Standard rate	60.20	62.20
War Pensions
Disablement Pension (100% rates)
officer (£ per annum)	6,053.00	6,251.00
other ranks	116.00	119.80
Age allowances
40%–50%	7.75	8.00
over 50% but not over 70%	11.95	12.35
over 70% but not over 90%	17.00	17.55
over 90%	23.90	24.70
Disablement gratuity
specified minor injury (min.)	738.00	762.00
specified minor injury (max.)	5,513.00	5,695.00
unspecified minor injury (min.)	306.00	316.00
unspecified minor injury (max.)	7,169.00	7,406.00
Unemployability allowance
personal	71.65	74.00
adult dependency increase	40.40	43.40
increase for first child	9.85	9.70
(See note on Child Dependency Increase)
increase for subsequent children	11.35	11.35
(See note on Child Dependency Increase)
Invalidity allowance
higher rate	14.20	14.65
middle rate	9.00	9.30
lower rate	4.50	4.65
Constant attendance allowance
exceptional rate	87.60	90.40
intermediate rate	65.70	67.80
normal maximum rate	43.80	45.20
part-time rate	21.90	22.60
Comforts allowance
higher rate	18.80	19.40
lower rate	9.40	9.70

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
Mobility supplement	41.70	43.10
Allowance for lowered standard of occupation (maximum)	43.72	45.16
Exceptionally severe disablement allowance	43.80	45.20
Severe disablement occupational allowance	21.90	22.60
Clothing allowance (£ per annum)	149.00	154.00
Education allowance (£ per annum)(max.)	120.00	120.00
War widow's pension (further details in schedule WWP)
Widow (private)	87.55	90.45
Widow (NCO)	87.55	90.75
Widow—Officer (£ p.a. max.)	5,415.00	5,594.00
Childless widow u-40 (private)	20.25	¹21.75
Childless widow (NCO)	20.55	¹21.75
Childless widow (Officer max. £s pa)	5,415.00	5,594.00
Supplementary Pension	57.07	58.95
age allowance
(a) age 65 to 69	10.00	10.35
(b) age 70 to 79	19.20	19.85
(c) age 80 and over	28.60	29.55
children's allowance increase for first child (See note on Child Dependency Increase)	14.35	14.30
increase for subsequent children (See note on Child Dependency Increase) Orphan's pension	15.85	15.95
increase for first child (See note on Child Dependency Increase)	16.20	16.20
increase for subsequent children (See note on Child Dependency Increase)	17.70	17.85
Unmarried dependant living as spouse (max.)	85.50	88.40
Rent allowance (maximum)	33.10	34.20
Adult orphan's pension (maximum)	67.50	69.75
Widower's pension
private (max.)	87.55	90.45
officer (£ per annum) max.	5,415.00	5,594.00
Widow's Benefit
Widow's payment (lump sum)	1,000.00	1,000.00
Widowed mother's allowance	67.50	¹72.50
Widow's pension
standard rate	67.50	¹72.50
age-related³
age 54 (49)	62.78	¹67.43
53 (48)	58.05	¹62.35
52 (47)	53.33	¹57.28
51 (46)	48.60	¹52.20
50 (45)	43.88	¹47.13
49 (44)	39.15	¹42.05
48 (43)	34.43	¹36.98
47 (42)	29.70	¹31.90
46 (41)	24.98	¹26.83
45 (40)	20.25	¹21.75

Social Security Benefit Rates
(Weekly rates unless otherwise shown)
	Rates 2000	Rates 2001
Bereavement Benefit (from 9 April 2001)
Bereavement Payment (lump sum)		2,000.00
Widowed Parents Allowance		¹72.50
Bereavement Allowance		¹72.50
age-related
54		¹67.43
53		¹62.35
52		¹57.28
51		¹52.20
50		¹47.13
49		¹42.05
48		¹36.98
47		¹31.90
46		¹26.83
45		¹21.75
¹ Benefit increased by more than RPI/Rossi
² NB—The Overlapping Benefits Regulations provide for the rate of child dependency increases, guardian's allowance and child special allowance to be adjusted where the increase or allowance is payable for the eldest eligible child for whom Child Benefit is also payable. The weekly rate of the increase or allowance is reduced by the differential (less £3.50 from April 2000) between the rate of Child Benefit payable for the oldest eligible child and that payable for a subsequent child.
³ For deaths occurring before 11 April 1988 refer to age-points shown in brackets.

Winter Fuel Payment

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many additional households are entitled to the Winter Fuel Payment as a result of (a) eligibility being extended to men aged 60 to 64 years and (b) the inclusion of other groups of people not receiving a state pension or other benefit. [138205]

An estimated 900,000 households will be newly eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment this winter. Of these, an estimated 850,000 contain a man aged 60–64 and a further 50,000 contain someone of pensionable age who is not in receipt of a State Pension or other qualifying benefit.

Notes:

1. Estimates are based on the 1998–99 Family Resources Survey.

2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 50,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioner households are entitled to the Winter Fuel Payment. [136319]

Last winter, 1999–2000, around 10 million pensioners in over 7.5 million households benefited from Winter Fuel Payments.Following a ruling by the European Court of Justice, on 16 December 1999, we changed the conditions of eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment scheme. In essence, the scheme was extended and Winter Fuel Payments became payable to men as well as women from age 60, and the need to be in receipt of a qualifying benefit was removed.

State Pension

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people over the State Pension age (a) have no entitlement to the basic State Pension and (b) are not entitled to the full value of the basic State Pension. [138207]

An estimated 460,000 people of pensionable age in Great Britain have no entitlement to the basic State Pension. A further 890,000 people in receipt of the basic State Pension are not entitled to the full value of the Category A pension (in the case of men and single women) or the full Category BL rate (in the case of married women).

Notes:

1. Estimates are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to sampling error.

2. Estimates are rounded to the nearest 10,000

Source:

Pension Strategy Computer System at 31 March 2000.

Minimum Income Guarantee

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) of 31 October 2000, Official Report, columns 349–50W, (a) how many people have been sent letters inviting them to apply for the Minimum Income Guarantee and of these (i) how many tear-off slips have been returned and (ii) how many of the letters have resulted in a successful claim and (b) how many people have contacted the Minimum Income Guarantee helpline and as a result (i) how many claims have been submitted as a result of a helpline inquiry and (ii) how many of the helpline inquiries have resulted in a successful claim. [137525]

Around 500,000 pensioners have requested claim forms or contacted the Minimum Income Guarantee helpline. The campaign is still in progress so comprehensive data are not yet available on the complete number of successful claims awarded. Of those processed half have been successful.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the average award of Minimum Income Guarantee which has been paid to the pensioners who have started to receive the Minimum Income Guarantee as a result of his Department's current take-up campaign. [137408]

Pensioners who have made successful claims as a result of the Minimum Income Guarantee take-up campaign are better off by around £20.

Housing Benefit

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the reasons for the fall (1) in new Housing Benefit claims determined within the statutorily required period of 14 days between 1998–99 and 1999–2000; and what plans he has to halt this decline; [137064](2) in Housing Benefit renewal claims determined within the statutorily required period of 14 days, between 1998–99 and 1999–2000; and what plans he has to halt this decline; [137065](3) in new Council Tax Benefit claims determined within the statutorily required period of 14 days, between 1998–99 and 1999–2000; and what plans he has to halt this decline. [137066]

Recently published summary statistics for Great Britain indicate that the number of claims for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit that have been determined within 14 days has fallen. We are determined to secure improvements in Housing Benefit administration and have introduced a number of measures which will help to achieve this.We have set Best Value performance indicators from this April designed to ensure that authorities provide their communities with a faster, more accurate Housing Benefit service which is more secure against fraud, and which provides value for money and takes account of the views and needs of clients. Authorities are required to set challenging targets against these indicators and demonstrate that they are achieving year on year improvements in the standard of service they provide.The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate is conducting an ongoing programme of inspections of local authorities, encouraging them to develop action plans to improve administration and tackle fraud and error. Best practice guidance, developed through this programme, has been made available to all local authorities. As at 3 November 2000, the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate had published reports on over 70 local authorities. We have made it abundantly clear to all local authority Chief Executives that where the Inspectorate finds evidence of persistent failings, we will use our powers to direct the authority as to the improved standards it is to attain and the timescales for achieving them. We issued the first such Directions in August 2000.We are making better use of IT to speed up administration and reduce the scope for fraud and error. Many millions of paper forms previously sent by the Benefits Agency to local authorities through the post are now sent electronically, significantly reducing the time taken just to transfer information.We have made significant progress. Our Housing Green Paper, published in April, set out how we can take this further. We are currently studying the responses to the Green Paper and will announce our decisions shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the amount of Housing Benefit which is currently owing to housing associations as a result of delays in the administration of Housing Benefit. [136318]

[holding answer 6 November 2000]: We keep in touch with the National Housing Federation about Housing Benefit owed to the tenants of housing associations and other registered social landlords. However, the Department does not hold information on the amount of benefit which might be involved. We are currently looking at what further steps might be taken to improve the administration of Housing Benefit.

Maternity Benefits

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have been eligible for the maternity payment and the Sure Start maternity grant, and how many people have received each of these benefits, in each month since May 1997. [134552]

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

Maternity payment and Sure Start maternity grant awards
Month
Maternity payment
May 1997	16,700
June 1997	17,328
July 1997	17,914
August 1997	14,765
September 1997	17,042
October 1997	17,158
November 1997	15,058
December 1997	13,979
January 1998	17,277
February 1998	15,491
March 1998	15,733
April 1998	14,713
May 1998	14,488
June 1998	16,281
July 1998	16,568
August 1998	13,965
September 1998	16,052
October 1998	15,355
November 1998	14,774
December 1998	12,830
January 1999	15,593
February 1999	14,557
March 1999	16,050
April 1999	14,421
May 1999	14,155
June 1999	15,720
July 1999	14,530
August 1999	13,863
September 1999	15,069
October 1999	14,384
November 1999	14,819
December 1999	11,258
January 2000	14,978
February 2000	14,695
March 2000	13,935
April 2000	7,254
May 2000	5,217
June 2000	3,724
July 2000	2,233
August 2000	978
September 2000	165

Maternity payment and Sure Start maternity grant awards
Month
Sure Start maternity grant
April 2000	3,583
May 2000	10,846
June 2000	13,954
July 2000	13,971
August 2000	15,117
September 2000	15,235

Notes:

1. Maternity payment figures May 1997 to March 1998 may contain very minor inaccuracies because of computer programming parameters.

2. Figures from April 1998 to September 2000 represent the number of initial awards plus the number awarded on appeal, reduced by the number of payments returned to the Department.

3. Maternity payments and Sure Start maternity grants must actually be claimed in order for an award to be made, therefore details of those who might have been eligible but did not claim are not available.

Title	Period of issue	Period ending	Date of release
Imminent Publications
Child Benefit Quarterly Statistics	Quarterly	August 2000	9 November 2000
Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry	Quarterly	August 2000	23 November 2000
Fraud and error in claims for Income Support and JSA	Annual	October 1998 to September 1999	29 November 2000
Fraud and error in claims for Income Support and JSA	Annual	April 1999 to March 2000	29 November 2000
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit	Quarterly	September 2000	7 December 2000
Appeal Tribunal Statistics	Quarterly	June 2000	7 December 2000
Take-up of Income Related Benefits	Annual	1998–99	8 December 2000
Client Group Analysis—Quarterly Bulletin on the Population of Working Age on Key Benefits	Quarterly	May 2000	14 December 2000
Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance	Quarterly	August 2000	14 December 2000
Social Security Statistics	Annual	2000	14 December 2000
Jobseeker's Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiry	Quarterly	August 2000	14 December 2000
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Quarterly Summary Statistics	Quarterly	August 2000	21 December 2000
Disability Care and Mobility Benefits	Quarterly	August 2000	18 January 2001
Client Group Analysis of the Population Over State Pension Age	Bi-annual	May 2000	18 January 2001
Statistical Summary	Quarterly	December 2000	18 January 2001
Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics	Quarterly	November 2000	15 February 2001
Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry	Quarterly	November 2000	22 February 2001
Retirement Pension Summary of Statistics	Bi-annual	September 2000	15 March 2001
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Quarterly Summary Statistics	Quarterly	November 2000	29 March 2001
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Annual Summary Statistics	Annual	May 2000	26 April 2001
Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics	Quarterly	February 2001	17 May 2001
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Quarterly Summary Statistics	Quarterly	February 2001	21 June 2001
Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics	Quarterly	May 2001	16 August 2001
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Quarterly Summary of Statistics	Quarterly	May 2001	18 October 2001
Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics	Quarterly	August 2001	15 November 2001
Provisional Publication Dates
Child Benefit Quarterly Statistics	Quarterly	November 2000	8 February 2001
Abstract of Statistics for Social Security Benefits and indices of prices and earnings	Annual	2000	22 February 2001
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit	Quarterly	December 2000	8 March 2001
Appeal Tribunal Statistics	Quarterly	September 2000	15 March 2001
Jobseeker's Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiry	Quarterly	November 2000	15 March 2001
Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance	Quarterly	November 2000	22 March 2001
Client Group Analysis—Quarterly Bulletin on the Population of Working Age on Key Benefits	Quarterly	August 2000	29 March 2001
Statistical Summary	Quarterly	March 2001	9 April 2001
Disability Care and Mobility Benefits	Quarterly	November 2000	19 April 2001
Child Benefit Quarterly Statistics	Quarterly	February 2001	17 May 2001
Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry	Quarterly	February 2001	24 May 2001
Jobseeker's Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiry	Quarterly	February 2001	14 June 2001
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit	Quarterly	March 2001	14 June 2001
Appeal Tribunal Statistics	Quarterly	December 2000	14 June 2001
Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance	Quarterly	February 2001	21 June 2001
Client Group Analysis—Quarterly Bulletin on the Population of Working Age on Key Benefits Working Age	Quarterly	November 2000	24 June 2001
Family Resources Survey report	Annual	1999–2000	July 2001
Statistical Summary	Quarterly	June 2001	8 July 2001
Disability Care and Mobility Benefits	Quarterly	February 2001	19 July 2001

Departmental Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 18 January 2000, Official Report, column 427W, if he will list the publication dates of statistics to be released by his Department and agencies in the next 12 months. [137176]

The information in the table relates to statistics published by the Department under the National Statistics banner.Although many of the dates are provisional at this stage, final release dates will be notified in the National Statistics Update issued by the Office for National Statistics in the month prior to the publication. This is in line with DSS release practice.

Title	Period of issue	Period ending	Date of release
Tax Benefit Model	Annual	2001	29 July 2001
Child benefit Quarterly Statistics	Quarterly	May 2001	9 August 2001
Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry	Quarterly	May 2001	23 August 2001
Jobseeker's Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiry	Quarterly	May 2001	13 September 2001
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit	Quarterly	June 2001	13 September 2001
Appeal Tribunal Statistics	Quarterly	March 2001	13 September 2001
Retirement Pension Summary of Statistics	Bi-annual	March 2001	13 September 2001
Client Group Analysis—Quarterly Bulletin on the Population of Working Age on Key Benefits	Quarterly	February 2001	30 September 2001
Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance	Quarterly	May 2001	20 September 2001
Statistical Summary	Quarterly	September 2001	14 October 2001
Disability Care and Mobility Benefits	Quarterly	May 2001	18 October 2001
Child Benefit Quarterly Statistics	Quarterly	August 2001	8 November 2001
Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry	Quarterly	August 2001	22 November 2001
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit	Quarterly	September 2001	6 December 2001
Jobseeker's Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiry	Quarterly	August 2001	13 December 2001
Appeal Tribunal Statistics	Quarterly	June 2001	13 December 2001
Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance	Quarterly	August 2001	13 December 2001
Client Group Analysis—Quarterly Bulletin on the Population of Working Age on Key Benefits	Quarterly	May 2001	16 December 2001
Release Date to be Determined
Pensioners Income Series 1999–2000	Annual	1999–2000	To be determined within next 12 months
Households Below Average Income Statistics	Annual	1999–2000	To be determined
Client Group Analysis of the Population Over State Pension Age	Bi-annual	November 2000	To be determined
Social Security Statistics	Annual	2001	To be determined
Take-up of Income Related Benefits	Annual	1999–2000	To be determined sometime 2001

Age Allowances

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the current value of the (a) Christmas Bonus and (b) 25p age addition for pensioners aged over 80 years would be if they had been uprated in line with prices since their first introduction. [137526]

I refer the hon. Member to the written answers I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 14 April 2000, Official Report, columns 301–04W.

Benefits Expenditure

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 30 October 2000, Official Report, column 261W, on benefits expenditure, if he will reproduce the table on the assumption that working families tax credit is a means-tested benefit. [137300]

The information is in the table.

Contributory, means-tested with tax credits and other benefits as a proportion of total benefits and tax credits
Percentage
	Contributory	Means-tested	Others
1995–96	46	36	18
1996–97	46	35	19
1997–98	46	34	20
1998–99	47	33	20
1999–2000	47	32	22

Note:

Working families tax credit and disabled persons tax credit have been included in the means-tested benefits. This causes a 1 per cent. increase in the proportion of means-tested benefits for 1999–2000 to 32 per cent.

Source:

Departmental report 2000, Spending Review 2000.

Social Fund

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of people in each sub-region who were turned down for social fund budgeting loans in 1999–2000 on the grounds that they already had excessive levels of outstanding debt. [134514]

On 5 April 1999 we introduced major changes to the budgeting loan scheme, which have made it fairer, more objective and quicker and easier for customers to use. Applications are decided according to a few simple facts relating to the applicant's length of time on benefit and the size of their family, taking into account the level of budgeting loan debt they may already have. Because loans are repayable, applicants no longer have to justify their reasons for needing a loan or provide information about what they will spend it on.During 1999–2000 the scheme provided more help to more people than ever before. The number of applications for budgeting loans increased by 26 per cent. to almost 1.7 million. The number of successful applications increased by 9 per cent., with 82,000 more people receiving help than in 1998–99. Expenditure rose by 15 per cent. to almost £400 million, an increase of £52 million over the amount spent in 1998–99. And, for the first time since the fund started in April 1988, over 1 million budgeting loans were awarded in a year.The significant increase in applications inevitably led to an increase in the number that were refused a loan—38 per cent. of applications were refused compared to 33 per cent. in 1998–99—an increase of only 5 percentage points.As part of the April 1999 changes, the wide-ranging reasons for refusal, which had existed previously, were radically simplified and reduced. As a result, a new reason for refusal, which only applies to people with social fund debt, has been introduced. Those with existing debt of half or more of their maximum possible loan amount are restricted from having further loans until their outstanding debt drops below that level, at which point they are free to re-apply. The scheme therefore does allow limited access to further loans while previous loans are still being repaid but without encouraging people to run up and maintain high levels of debt. It would not be fair to allow the cash-limited budget to be monopolised by people continually topping-up their loans to the maximum at the expense of other applicants.By limiting access by those with existing social fund debt, the scheme is able to offer loans to all applicants who satisfy the qualifying conditions and who have no debt. While benefiting all family types this change has enabled more single people to access the scheme, the group most likely to have been refused a loan on priority grounds under the previous scheme.Budgeting loan applications refused between April 1999 and March 2000 because of the level of existing budgeting loan debt are given in the table by Benefits Agency Area Directorates. For completeness the table also includes the number of awards made.

Budgeting loans: awards and refusals because of existing budgeting loan debt 1999–2000
Benefits Agency Area Directorate	Awards	Number of refusals
East London and Anglia	79,195	24,280
Chilterns	63,356	18,986
London South	98,896	28,754
West Country	56,713	18,333
Mercia	75,515	28,075
West Midlands	78,388	26,778
Wales	70,917	27,338
North West Coast	109,800	38,231
Greater Manchester	76,537	27,121
Yorkshire	99,980	35,978
Tyne Tees	88,850	34,283
West of Scotland	82,918	32,105
East of Scotland	61,139	22,167
Total	1,042,204	362,429

Defence

Far East Prisoners Of War

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if ex-gratia payments to former prisoners of war in the Far East will include civilians. [136528]

I refer the hon. Member to the statement in the House on 7 November 2000, Official Report, columns 159–170.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Far East prisoners of war are still living; and what estimate he has made of the numbers residing in East Lancashire. [136554]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which my hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces gave him on 18 January 2000, Official Report, column 398W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on compensation for former PoWs of the Japanese; and what estimate has been made of the numbers involved. [137344]

I refer my hon. Friend to my statement in the House on 7 November 2000, Official Report, columns 159–70.

Meteorological Office

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future location of the Meteorological Office. [138176]

The Met Office has recognised for some time that its existing accommodation in Bracknell is becoming increasingly expensive and unsuitable for its future business needs. The overwhelming conclusion of the business case, produced to examine the options, showed that a new site with purpose built accommodation was the best way of meeting its long-term needs and those of its customers. The Met Office plans to relocate by March 2003.Following a thorough search and careful evaluation of potential sites throughout the United Kingdom, the Met Office selected four—Beaufort Park in Bracknell, Shinfield Park in Reading, Exeter Business park and Norwich Research Park—that it felt could best meet its needs. After detailed consideration of many factors, including cost, staffing issues, proximity to customers and other key stakeholders, planning and environmental issues, Exeter Business Park has been chosen as the preferred site.This has not been an easy decision since all four shortlisted sites had obvious strengths. Nevertheless, the Met Office is certain that Exeter is the best location from which to build a secure and successful future.The two consortia with whom the Met Office is negotiating over the provision and ongoing maintenance of the new accommodation will now work up detailed proposals for the Exeter site; tenders are due to be submitted to the Met Office by the end of February 2001 and a contract is expected to be placed by June 2001.

Trade And Industry

Export Controls

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he received between November 1999 and November 2000 on (a) the timing and (b) the content of strategic export controls legislation from (i) non-Governmental organisations including voluntary and charitable groups, (ii) commercial interests, companies and trade organisations and (iii) other categories; and if he will make a statement. [136601]

The Government have received a large number of representations, mostly from individuals and non-governmental organisations, but also from businesses and business organisations, in the period in question. Representations have supported proposals for new strategic export control legislation and called for that legislation to be introduced soon. A number of representations have raised different aspects of strategic export controls, including arms trafficking and brokering and licensed production overseas. The Government have undertaken a thorough review of proposals for new strategic export control legislation on the basis of the White Paper (Cm 3989) published in July 1998. We shall announce the outcome of that review shortly. In addition I have announced that the proposed new legislation will include a system of licensing for arms trafficking and brokering. This is a significant change and we are currently considering the details of this. We intend to announce the outcome in the near future.

Small Businesses

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action is being taken to help people who are (a) aged 50 and over and (b) aged under 25 years, and who are not working to set up their own businesses. [136698]

[holding answer 7 November 2000]: The Small Business Service was launched in April this year to provide information, advice, or access to experts, on all aspects of running a business. The services are available to anyone wishing to set up or run their own business irrespective of age.In addition, the SBS is working with PRIME (The Prince's Initiative for Mature Enterprise) with a view to supporting that organisation's plans to enhance access to finance for unemployed over 50s seeking to start in business.The Government also continue to provide support for programmes and initiatives to help the creation of an enterprise culture in the country. This includes support for schemes such as Young Enterprise which aim to double to 200,000 the number of pupils benefiting from enterprise courses in our schools and colleges.

Consumer Policy Institute

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with the Consumer Policy Institute. [137257]

[holding answer 7 November 2000]: Last June I met with several members of the National Federation of Consumer Groups to discuss their future plans. One of their action points was the creation of the Consumer Policy Institute.Professor Geoffrey Woodroffe, who leads the Institute, was present at that meeting and gave me a briefing on the aims of the Institute. I understand that the Institute has now been established and wish it well in the future.

Broadband Telecommunications

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he plans to put in place to limit potential interference from broadband telecommunications systems, such as an asymmetric digital subscriber line; and if he will make a statement. [138155]

ADSL technology will allow broadband data services into people's homes and offices over the local telephone network. It is an important technology in the development of the information society and e-commerce. However, because it operates at radio frequencies over cables which may become unbalanced and hence radiate, there is a risk of interference to medium wave broadcasting and to some aeronautical and other services. There is a difficult balance to strike as we want DSL and other similar broadband technologies to be deployable widely, but we cannot allow undue interference.My Department has therefore been consulting over a standard to be put in place to limit interference from these technologies. Taking due account of the various representations—and they have been strong on all sides—we have decided to adopt the limits in the so-called February draft standard published by the Radiocommunications Agency (RA). I will be making Regulations to implement this standard in due course. Safety of life radio services will be protected as the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 allows immediate close down of interference sources where the Regulations are breached. Officials will also be putting in place a complaints procedure for domestic consumers experiencing broadcast interference from DSL. This procedure will be worked up in consultation with the Radio Authority, the BBC and the radio industry. The Director General for Telecommunications proposes to place an obligation on the operators of DSL systems to take all reasonable steps to remedy any interference caused.The Government believe that this balanced package will provide a high level of protection to existing spectrum users while allowing deployment of new technology without undue constraint. We will undertake a review in two years—less if necessary—to assess whether the level in the standard has been appropriately set and to decide the timing of any future reviews. We will make the standard tougher if necessary. The review itself will cover the number of unresolved complaints. Further research is being undertaken by the RA on the cumulative effects of DSL as it rolls out and this will further inform our review.

Renewable Energy

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost is of the projects approved under the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation for (a) waste incineration, (b) offshore wind, (c) onshore wind, (d) solar power and (e) barriers; and if he will make a statement. [137395]

No payment is made under the Non Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) until approved projects are commissioned.Total project costs and costs to the Fossil Fuel Levy in the year to August 2000 for commissioned projects in these technologies were:

£million
	Total costs	Costs to Levy
(a) Waste Incineration	22.3	10.1
(b) Offshore Wind	Nil	Nil
(c) Onshore Wind	13.5	7.0
(d) Solar Power	Nil	Nil
(e) Tidal Barriers	Nil	Nil

No projects relating to solar power or tidal barriers have been approved under NFFO. One project relating to offshore wind has been approved under NFFO, but no expenditure under NFFO has yet arisen.

There will be no further NFFO rounds as the Government plan to impose a new renewables obligation on all electricity suppliers, but existing contracts will be protected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what position Her Majesty's Government have adopted on the definition of renewable energy being negotiated for the European Union Draft Renewable Energy Directive; and if he will make a statement. [137393]

The Draft Directive on the promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market proposes an indicative UK target of 10 per cent. of electricity consumption to be generated from renewable energy sources by 2010. This indicative target is in line with the UK's policy as described in "The Renewables Obligation Preliminary Consultation" document, published on 5 October 2000. In negotiations the Government's position is to ensure that the Directive's definition of renewable energy is wide enough for the UK to achieve the Directive's indicative target within the UK's policy framework for renewables and the detailed mechanisms for the obligation on which we are currently consulting.

Pirate Radio Transmitters

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list for each of the last five years, in respect of interference with aeronautical radio communications by pirate radio transmitters, (a) the number of reported cases, (b) the number of prosecutions brought by the Radio Communications Agency and (c) the sentences applicable to such offences; and if he will make a statement. [137572]

The Department's Radiocommunications Agency take seriously any interference to authorised radio communications. Where the interference has implications for the safety of life the Agency has a target to respond within 24 hours.Reports of interference to aeronautical radio communications are not usually specific as to the source. However, the Agency has seized pirate radio transmitters identified as being the source of interference to aeronautical radio communications on the following number of occasions in each of the past five years.

Year	Numbers
1996	5
1997	19
1998	10
1999	8
2000¹	2
¹ To date

The number of persons prosecuted in each of the past five years where there was evidence that the pirate radio station had caused such interference is as follows:

Year	Numbers
1996	0
1997	2
1998	0
1999	2
2000¹	6
¹ To date

The maximum penalty for the use of radio transmitting equipment contrary to the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 is a fine of £5,000 and six months' imprisonment on conviction at the magistrates court and an unlimited fine and two years' imprisonment on conviction at the Crown court. In both instances the court can also order the forfeit of anything used in the commission of the offence. In 1999 one of those convicted was sentenced to 28 days' imprisonment and this year two of those convicted were sentenced to six months' and four months' imprisonment respectively.

Road Fuel

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he is providing to ensure continuing availability of road fuels in the event of disrupted supplies. [137529]

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced on 29 September that members of the Fuel Supply Task Force had signed a Memorandum of Understanding to put in place more robust systems to avoid disruption of fuel supplies. He further told the House on 2 November that the Task Force was putting in place measures aimed at ensuring, in the event of future disruption, the delivery of fuel to petrol stations, with priority for essential users; better preparation for disruption by local authorities and other essential users; the protection of food depots and other potential targets and the keeping open of major roads.The Task Force continues to meet to discuss whether further measures need to be taken to ensure that the disruption caused by the recent protests is not repeated.

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what changes will be made to the Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs for his Department, British Trade International, the Office of Fair Trading, the Office of Telecommunications, and the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets. [138153]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the voted element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit for the Department of Trade and Industry will be increased by £87,800,000 from £3,503,716,000 to £3,591,516,000, the non-voted element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit will be increased by £11,885,000 from £118,752,000 to £130,637,000. In addition and the gross running costs limit will be increased by £11,913,000 from £401,002,000 to £412,915,000.

The net provision of Class IX, Vote 1 will be increased by £87,799,000, which results from:

(i) the take up of end-year flexibility of £64,154,000 comprising £7,654,000 for running costs and £56,500,000 for current expenditure, of which £11,500,000 will be added to the provision for Enemy Property and £45,000,000 to that for Nuclear Decommissioning;

(ii) additional provision of £12,500,000 for compensation to distant water trawlermen;

(iii) additional provision of £25,000,000 from the Government's Capital Modernisation Fund, of which £15,000,000 is for the Small Business Service Gateway project and £10,000,000 for the Information Society Initiative getting SMEs on line project;

(iv) additional provision of £3,810,000 from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund of which £3,410,000 will be added to the running costs provision for Section D and £400,000 to that for Section G;

(v) the transfer of £17,215,000 in gross provision and £15,000 in appropriations in aid to British Trade International, (Class IX, Vote 4) in respect of the programme expenditure of Invest UK, formerly the Invest in Britain Bureau;

(vi) the transfer of £1,166,000 to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, (Class III, Vote 1) in respect of the administrative costs of the Regional Development Agencies and the London Development Agency;

(vii) the transfer of £536,000 in gross provision to the Innovation budget from the National Assembly for Wales, (Class XIV, Vote 1);

(viii) the transfer of £165,000 in programme expenditure from the Home Office (Class IV, Vote 1) to the Innovation budget for crime reduction activities;

(ix) the appropriation in aid of receipts from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, (Class X, Vote 2) of £8,500,000 in respect of the Farm Business Advice Service and an equivalent increase in the gross provision of the programme budget of the Small Business Service who will be responsible for delivering this service;

(x) an increase of £22,545,000 in the gross expenditure provision for the Radiocommunications Agency, which is offset by an equivalent increase in the appropriations in aid provision;

(xi) other movements between sections of the Vote.

The net provision of Class IX, Vote 2 will be increased by £1,000, which results from:

(i) the take up of end-year flexibility of £11,850,000 for the Science Enterprise Challenge Scheme comprising £2,500,000 for capital expenditure and £9,350,000 for current expenditure. This is offset by a reduction in voted capital expenditure of £11,884,000 in respect of the Joint Infrastructure Fund;

(ii) running costs transfers of £110,000 from the Home Office, (Class IV, Vote 1) to fund a foresight panel on crime reduction and £75,000 to the Department of Health, (Class II, Vote 2) for the Office of Science and Technology's share of the Human Genetic Commission's Secretariat.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the voted element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit for British Trade International, Class IX, Vote 4, will be increased by £18,233,000 from £67,410,000 to £85,643,000. This increase in net provision results from:

(i) the take up of end-year flexibility entitlements of £1,033,000 for current expenditure, as announced by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in Table 7 of the 1999–2000 Public Expenditure White Paper (Cm 4812);

(ii) the transfer from the DTI Programmes and Administration Vote (Class IX, Vote 1) of £17,215,000 in gross provision and £15,000 in appropriations in aid in respect of the programme expenditure of Invest UK, formerly the Invest in Britain Bureau, whose transfer to British Trade International from the Department of Trade and Industry was announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade on 24 May 2000, Official Report, columns 522–523.

British Trade International is the joint responsibility of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. In addition, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Departmental Expenditure Limit for the Office of Fair Trading, Class IX, Vote 8, will be increased by £6,824,000 from £25,676,000 to £32,500,000 and the gross running costs limit will be increased by £5,024,000 from £25,490,000 to £30,514,000.

These changes result from:

(i) the take up of end-year flexibility of £854,000;

(ii) additional provision of £1,800,000 for work arising from the implementation of EC directives on Distance Selling and Injunctions, and Unfair Contract Terms;

(iii) additional provision of £450,000 for changes to work on Mergers;

(iv) additional provision of £750,000 for the review of the Professions;

(v) additional provision of £1,800,000 for appropriations in aid resulting from the shortfall in notification fees arising from the Competition Act 1998;

(vi) the transfer of £1,070,000 from the baseline of the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate in respect of the payment of rent for Fleetbank House;

(vii) additional provision of £100,000 from the Cabinet Office Modernisation Fund in support of diversity awareness training for the Office of Fair Trading and the Office of Telecommunications.

In addition, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary token Supplementary Estimate, the Departmental Expenditure Limit for the Office of Telecommunications, Class IX, Vote 9, will be increased by £1,000 from £2,400,000 to £2,401,000 and the gross running costs limit will be increased by £559,000 from £12,589,000 to £13,148,000. These changes result from partial take up of end-year flexibility carry forward of £179,000 and an increase of £380,000 to address increased regulatory action. These increases will be offset by a compensating increase in appropriations in aid.

Also, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Departmental Expenditure Limit for the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, Class IX, Vote 10 will be increased by £671,000 from £1,000 to £672,000. The increase reflects the net effect of additional provision for expenditure on the introduction of the New Electricity Trading Arrangements (NETA) and relocation costs, largely offset by higher VAT refunds and increased receipts from energy companies. The net increase represents the take up of end-year flexibility. The gross running costs limit for the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets will be increased by £13,300,000 from £62,115,000 to £75,415,000. The increase reflects the increase in expenditure on NETA, partially offset by the increase in VAT refunds.

All of the above increases will either be offset by transfers or charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Fuel Poverty

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of (1) the effect of changes in heating oil costs on Government targets to reduce fuel poverty; [136919](2) the role played by heating fuel oil costs in progress made on tackling fuel poverty. [137104]

The latest available figures¹ suggest that about 3 per cent. of households in England have oil-fired central heating. The figures also indicate that 2 per cent. (around 80,000 households) of those in fuel poverty in 1996 had oil-fired central heating. In the four years from the second quarter of 1996 to the second quarter of 2000, there has been a 9.25 per cent. rise in real terms in the price of heating oils.The Government recognise that recent increases in heating oil prices may have adversely affected those households using this fuel, including those in rural or isolated areas. While the numbers affected are relatively small, compared to the total number in fuel poverty, the Government recognise that fluctuations in prices can take people in and out of fuel poverty.The Government will be consulting on its draft strategy to tackle fuel poverty later this year.

¹ English House Condition Survey 1996.

Nuclear Power Stations

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of UK electricity was provided by nuclear power stations for each of the last 10 years. [137216]

Nuclear power stations accounted for the following percentages of electricity supplied in the UK by major power producers:

Year	Percentage from nuclear
1990	21
1991	22
1992	24
1993	28
1994	28
1995	27
1996	28
1997	29
1998	29
1999	28

Source:

Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics, 2000 (Electricity supplied is measured net of use for pumping at pumped storage stations)

Oil Licensing Agreements

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the factors underlying his decision to announce a further round of oil licensing agreements. [137174]

The decision to announce the 19^th round of offshore petroleum licensing was taken having regard to the United Kingdom's future energy needs and the investment and employment benefits that would derive from the development of any petroleum discoveries.

The Secretary of State will consider and apply the EU Habitats directive when deciding whether to grant licences in the round. Licence awards will be based on an applicant meeting certain geological, technical and environmental criteria. The results of an extensive public consultation on an assessment of the impact of oil and gas activities on the marine environment of the area of the UK Continental Shelf between the Shetland and Faroes Islands will be taken into account in any decision-making.

Industrial Diseases (Compensation Claims)

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cases of (a) emphysema, (b) pneumoconiosis, (c) other respiratory illness and (d) vibration white finger claims (i) have been processed and (ii) are outstanding; and what assessment he has made of the length of time needed to complete the outstanding claims. [136960]

The Department has received over 124,000 claims for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which encompasses all regulatory disease claims, excluding those made solely for pneumoconiosis. Claims for COPD are continuing to come in at a rate of around 1,000 a week. In addition the Department has registered nearly 113,000 claims for vibration white finger (VWF).Claims for pneumoconiosis are made under a British Coal scheme which commenced in 1979, for which the Department assumed responsibility in April 1998. Under the scheme nearly 86,000 claims have been received.Of these, 3,300 claims for COPD; 85,600 claims for pneumoconiosis; and 17,500 claims for VWF have been settled in full and final settlement (includes both offers and denials).Not all aspects of compensation for COPD and VWF are settled—some are being negotiated with the solicitors representing the claimants, and some are with the Court. The Department is therefore not able to offer full and final settlements in many cases, but wherever possible, we are making interim payments. Some 22,300 interim payments have been made to COPD claimants, and a further 17,500 interim payments have been made to VWF claimants.In total the Department has made payments totalling nearly £260 million to COPD and VWF claimants. In addition, lump sum payments of over £137 million have been made under the British Coal scheme to pneumoconiosis claimants—some claimants also receive weekly payments.Some 120,000 COPD claims and 94,000 VWF claims remain outstanding. Claims for pneumoconiosis are processed on a continuing basis and only 350 claims remain outstanding.On COPD an original estimate of two to three years was given to assess all the existing claimants but this is kept under review in view of the escalating number of claims. We are giving priority to claims from those most old and ill, widows and those most likely (on the basis of initial testing) to have emphysema. If these claims were processed in the normal way through the courts it would take 10–15 years.

On vibration white finger, we aim to have carried out initial assessments on the existing claimants by the end of next year. A further assessment may be required for those claimants seeking compensation for loss of services but this is still under consideration.

Eu Combustion Plants Directive

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to the European Commission concerning the EC directive on large combustion plants. [137551]

My Department works closely with others, in particular the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, to ensure that business interests are properly factored into the development of policy on the protection of the environment, at both national and European levels. My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment has represented the views of Her Majesty's Government in the process of reaching a Common Position on the revision of this directive at the June meeting of the Environment Council.

Treasury

Third-World Debt

16.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations his Department has received about the alleviation of the debts of countries with a large number of HIV/AIDS cases. [135964]

The Government receive frequent representations on this issue which was discussed along with other pressing development concerns, for example at the recent meeting of Commonwealth Finance Ministers in Malta where I represented the UK.Tragically HIV/AIDS is a serious problem, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In response the Government continue to press for faster, wider and deeper debt relief, are significantly increasing our aid spending and, as announced in the pre-Budget Report, we will be doing urgent work into ways to encourage the research and development of new vaccines for HIV/AIDS and the other major diseases so badly affecting developing countries.

Aggregates Tax (Glass Industry)

17.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the aggregates tax on the glass industry. [135965]

Since the sand used in the manufacture of glass will be relieved from the levy, I do not expect it to have an adverse impact on the glass industry. Indeed, the levy will encourage use of waste glass as an alternative to primary aggregate.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas

18.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his Department' s plans to encourage the use of LPG fuel. [135966]

We support the use of liquid petroleum gas because of its environmental benefits over petrol and diesel. We do so in two ways—first, a substantially lower rate of duty on LPG, the rate being frozen again for next year; and, second, support for the Powershift programme, helping people to convert their vehicles to LPG.

Employment

19.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of full employment. [135967]

The modern definition of full employment is the Government's aim of employment opportunity for all. The Government's long-term economic ambition is that by the end of the decade there will be at least three quarters of the working age population in employment. Macroeconomic stability is a prerequisite to achieving this aim, combined with microeconomic policies to ensure an effective, secure transition from welfare into work.The Chancellor announced in Chapter 4 of pre-Budget Report 2000 a further range of measures, which build on existing employment programmes in order to reach full employment.

Business Taxation

20.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from representative organisations of commerce and industry about his policies on business taxation. [135968]

We have received a number of representations from business organisations on the pre-Budget Report and Budget, including the Confederation of British Industry, the British Chamber of Commerce and the Institute of Directors.

24.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy for business taxation. [135975]

The Government's policies on business taxation are set out in the Financial Statements and Budget Statements, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

27.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the consequences for business of tax changes since 1997. [135978]

35.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the additional taxes payable by businesses since May 1997. [135986]

All changes to the tax system are included in the relevant Budget Reports. These are available in the Library of the House.

Higher Rate Tax

21.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much an increase in top-rate tax from 40p to 50p in the pound would raise if that were applied to those earning over £250,000 per annum. [135969]

The full-year yield from raising the top rate of income tax to 50 per cent. on taxable income of over £250,000 is £1.5 billion in 2001–02.The estimate is based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and is consistent with the March 2000 Budget.

Industrial Tribunals

22.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on negotiations with the Society of Registration Officers regarding its access to industrial tribunals in unfair dismissal cases. [135973]

Current legal proceedings may conclude that this access is available. If this does not transpire, the Government are committed to making such access available. The Registrar General will pursue an Order under the Employment Relations Act 1999 if this proves necessary to give registration officers access.

Public Spending

23.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to relate the level of public spending to economic growth. [135974]

The Government's expenditure projections are set out in Table B13 of the pre-Budget Report.

Unemployment

25.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the revenue consequences of the changes in unemployment levels since May 1997. [135976]

The extent to which higher employment affects Government revenues will depend on a number of assumptions, in particular the extent to which higher employment reflects permanently higher output growth. Research published by the Treasury indicates that a 1 per cent. increase in output relative to trend increases the ratio of Government receipts to GDP by about 0.2 per cent. after one year. This is equivalent to an increase in receipts of about £6 billion.

Low Pay

26.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to increase the take-home pay of those in low paid work. [135977]

Measures introduced during this Parliament have provided significant extra help for those in low-paid work.The National Minimum Wage, introduced in April 1999, is estimated to have increased the wages of 1.5 million low-paid workers.The new 10p starting rate of income tax has halved the marginal tax rate for 1.9 million low-paid working people, and reforms to employee National Insurance Contributions mean that one million people no longer have to pay NICs.Through the Working Families Tax Credit, the Government are giving additional support to over 1.1 million working families with children who are now receiving on average £30 more per week compared to old Family Credit.These measures demonstrate the Government's commitment to increase the incomes of people in low-paid work and to ensure that work pays more than benefit. By the end of this Parliament, a family on half average earnings—£12,500—and with two children will be £2,600 a year better off as a result of the tax and benefit reforms.

Living Standards

28.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on changes in household living standards since April. [135979]

Living standards for a single-earner family on average earnings with two children are expected to increase by 10 per cent. in real terms over the Parliament. For a single-earner family on half average earnings with two children, living standards have increased by 18 per cent. in real terms over the last year.

Fuel Prices

29.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reduce the impact of increased fuel prices for people on low incomes and rural dwellers. [135980]

The Chancellor announced a package of measures in his pre-Budget Report which will be of benefit to both people on low incomes and those living in rural areas.

Pensioners (Savings Limit)

30.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his review of financial support for pensioners with special reference to the savings limits disregard. [135981]

The Government announced in the Budget that the savings limit in the Minimum Income Guarantee will double next April from £3,000 to £6,000. Today the Secretary of State for Social Security is publishing a consultation document outlining plans for a Pension Credit from 2003 to reward low and modest income pensioners who have worked hard to save for their retirement.

Family Taxation

31.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the net change to tax on families payable in this Parliament as a result of his Budget measures so far. [135982]

As a result of personal tax and benefit measures introduced during this Parliament, by April 2001, on average families with children will be £850 a year better off. The direct tax burden on a single-earner family on average earnings with two children is expected to fall from 20.9 per cent. in 1997–98 to 18.6 per cent. in 2001–02—it's lowest level since 1972.

Disabled Person's Tax Credit

32.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how any people in the north-west have claimed the Disabled Person's Tax Credit since October 1999. [135983]

The number of individuals and families in the north-west in receipt of the Disabled Person's Tax Credit at the end of August 2000 is provisionally estimated at 3,900. This compares with 2,800 in receipt of the Disability Working Allowance at its peak, in July 1999.

Fiscal Intervention

33.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost to the UK of the intervention to purchase euros and the additional purchase of euros by his instruction to the Bank of England to sell gold. [135984]

The $2.1 billion proceeds from the gold auctions held to date have been reinvested in interest-bearing foreign currency assets broadly in the proportions 40 per cent. dollars; 40 per cent. euros; and 20 per cent. yen.The only intervention undertaken, since the euro was launched, was on 22 September 2000 when 85 million was purchased against sterling.To provide a short-term snapshot of the value of these investments would not be meaningful as it would reflect distortions arising from short-term fluctuations in asset prices and currencies.

Pre-Budget Report

34.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what impact his proposals in the pre-Budget statement will have on the incomes of women and children. [135985]

As a result of personal tax and benefit measures introduced over this Parliament, by April 2001:

on average, women will be £400 a year better off, compared to £290 a year for all individuals;

families with children will be £850 a year better off;

a family with two young children on income support will be £1,500 a year better off;

a lone parent with two young children in work on £12,500 a year will be £2,600 better off.

Some of the major changes that affect women and children are:

the introduction of the Working Families Tax Credit, which is already helping around 1.1 million families;

changes to the National Insurance Contributions system which will remove around 750,000 women and 250,000 men from NICs liability by 2001–02;

a 26 per cent. real terms increase in Child Benefit over the Parliament.

Payroll Giving

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost to date of the give-as-you-earn scheme; and what estimate he has made of the likely cost over the next three years. [135950]

The cost of the Payroll Giving scheme since it was introduced in 1986 has been published in Inland Revenue Statistics on an annual basis. The total cost of the scheme up to April 2000 was £53 million. The estimated cost until April 2003 is around £60 million.

The Economic Secretary launched a £2 million promotional campaign in October this year to encourage more employers and employees to become involved in Payroll Giving. We aim to double donations by April 2003 to more than £60 million a year.

Family Incomes

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what change there has been in the income of an average working family (a) before and (b) after tax since May 1997. [135951]

The before-tax income of a single-earner family on average earnings with two children is expected to increase by 6 per cent. in real terms over the Parliament. After tax, it is expected to increase by 10 per cent. in real terms.

Tax Credits

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rates and thresholds to the Working Families Tax Credit and the Disabled Person's Tax Credit will be from April 2001. [138179]

The main WFTC and DPTC rates and income thresholds will be increased in line with indexation from April 2001. There will be further increases aimed at helping disabled people. The information requested is contained in the table.

Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) and Disabled Person's Tax Credit (DPTC)
£ per week
	2000–01	2001–02
WFTC—basic tax credit	53.15	54.00
DPTC—single person basic tax credit	55.15	56.05
DPTC—lone parent/couple basic tax credit	84.90	86.25
30-hour tax credit (for both WFTC and DPTC)	11.25	11.45
Child tax credits (for both WFTC and DPTC)
Under 16	25.60	26.00
16–18	26.35	26.75
Disabled Child Tax Credit (for both WFTC and DPTC)	22.25	30.00
Enhanced Disability Tax Credit (lone parent/couple)	n/a	16.00
Enhanced Disability Tax Credit (single person)	n/a	11.05
Enhanced Disability Tax Credit (child)	n/a	11.05
WFTC income threshold	91.45	92.90
DPTC income threshold—single person	71.10	72.25
DPTC income threshold—lone parent/couple	91.45	92.90

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to his Department's departmental expenditure limits and running costs limits for 2000–01. [138054]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates for Class XVI, Vote 1 (HM Treasury) and Class XVI, Vote 3 (HM Treasury: Office of Government Commerce), the Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £17,230,000 from £246,793,000 to £264,023,000.

The increase for Class XVI, Vote 1 (HM Treasury) is the net effect of the take up of end-year flexibility (EYF) of £1,000,000 comprising £980,000 for other current provision and £20,000 for capital, and provides for the drawing of £1,300,000 from the Capital Modernisation Fund for the continuing costs associated with the setting up for Partnerships UK; and an increase in running costs of £541,000 to draw down the monies allocated from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund. The running costs limit for HM Treasury will accordingly be increased by £541,000 from £63,523,000 to £64,064,000.

The increase for Class XVI, Vote 3 (HM Treasury: Office of Government Commerce) is the net effect of the take up of EYF for PACE of £15,000,000 comprising £14,175,000 other current provision and £825,000 for running costs for expenditure related to the disposal of vacant property; the take up of EYF for CCTA of £797,000 comprising £686,000 other current provision and £111,000 for capital due to costs related to increased business; an increase in running costs of £325,000 to draw down the monies allocated from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund for OGC Headquarters; and a reduction in other current provision to record two transfers, of £663,000 for the cost of ownership of Harmsworth House to Class IV, Vote 3 (Charity Commission), and of £1,070,000 for the cost of ownership of Fleetbank House to Class IX, Vote 8 (Office of Fair Trading). As a result of take up of £825,000 EYF and drawing down £325,000 from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund, the running costs limit for HM Treasury Office of Government Commerce will accordingly be increased by £1,150,000 from £23,402,000 to £24,552,000.

The increases will be offset by transfers or charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Mortgage Repayments

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the average household in mortgage repayments were current interest rates at the average level between 1992 and 1997. [135971]

If mortgage interest rates were now at their average level between 1992 and 1997, the average mortgage holder would be paying about £480 more a year in mortgage interest than they currently are.

Fuel Duties

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the level of fuel duties; and if he will make a statement. [135970]

The Government have received representation from many different organisations and groups as well as a large number of letters from members of the public.All were carefully considered in the run up to yesterday's pre-Budget Statement.

Macdougall Report

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the conclusions of the Macdougall report regarding the share of GDP to be raised and spent centrally in any currency zone. [136416]

Agenda 2000 agreements confirmed that a ceiling of 1.27 per cent. of Community GNP would continue to apply for member states' contributions to the EC budget and this will remain.

Tax Definitions

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will define the terms (a) tax harmonisation and (b) tax co-ordination. [136414]

The only reference to tax harmonisation in the European Communities Treaty is in Article 93 which provision formed part of the revised Treaty under the Single European Act signed in 1986.A reference to co-ordinated action to tackle harmful tax competition was contained in the ECOFIN Council conclusions of 1 December 1997. These conclusions followed a period of discussion initiated by the Commission at the Verona informal ECOFIN in April 1996.

Endowment Policies

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of (a) how many endowment policies sold on the basis that they would on completion pay off home loans will now not do so and (b) the total shortfall; what steps he is taking to address this issue; and if he will make a statement. [136973]

The selling and marketing of endowment policies is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). In a progress report published on 3 October, the FSA estimated that some 60 per cent. of the 11 million endowment policies in force might not meet their targets. The total value of the policies in force, and the projected shortfall, are not held centrally.

Working Families Tax Credit

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the number of recipients of the Working Families Tax Credit. [137388]

I refer my right hon. Friend to my answer given to the hon. Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) on 26 October 2000, Official Report, column 196W.

Capital Gains Indexation

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 28 July 2000, Official Report, column 1016W, on capital gains indexation, if he will revise his estimate (a) giving yields for the next five financial years assuming that asset values are constant in real terms, and (b) giving yields for the next five financial years assuming that retirement relief is reintroduced at its previous level and asset values are constant in real terms. [136296]

Consistent with the assumptions of the March 2000 Budget forecast, the net revenue yield from re-introducing indexation and abolishing taper is estimated to be £400 million for the first year, or £350 million if retirement relief were reinstated also, most of which would be received in the following year. Further information in the form requested on the yield for subsequent years can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Alcohol And Tobacco Fraud Review

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which recommendations of the Alcohol and Tobacco Fraud Review have not been fully implemented. [135877]

Sixty-four of the recommendations have been implemented, including 14 which have been implemented by other means than that directly envisaged in the report, and three of which have been implemented in part; four will not be progressed and work is continuing on a further 23. A schedule reporting progress on each of the recommendations has been placed in the Library of the House.

Environment, Transport And The Regions

De-Trunking Programme

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what additional resources the Government will allocate to local authorities from 2003 following the Government's de-trunking programme. [136428]

De-trunking of non-core routes will be phased over a number of years with the first significant transfers taking place in 2001–02. We are committed to ensuring a fair transfer of resources from the Highways Agency to local authorities, which will take on responsibility for de-trunked roads. Arrangements have been agreed with the Local Government Association for ensuring such a transfer takes place. This will involve the making of special grants for routine maintenance and issue of supplementary credit approvals for capital maintenance when the roads are actually transferred. These arrangements will operate pending the outcome of the review of local government finance for which options were set out in our green paper "Modernising Local Government Finance" published on 19 September.

Street Lighting

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number and percentage of street lighting columns that are unsafe and require replacement within the next 12 months. [136426]

DETR are aware that, of the 5 million street lighting columns in England, 27 per cent. (1.3 million) are more than 30 years old now. However, the Department does not currently have sufficient information to determine the number of columns which are unsafe.

Local authorities have agreed that a national condition survey for street lighting should be introduced, and that information from this should be used to compile a national inventory. Progress on this is still at an early stage although local authority representatives have agreed to submit proposals to DETR.

The Highways Agency consider that current funding levels are sufficient to allow them to maintain the condition of the trunk road network at a level where there is no backlog of maintenance (either for structural maintenance or for street lighting).

Road Noise (A5)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects the A5 at Wibtoft on the Warwickshire and Leicestershire border to be resurfaced to reduce traffic noise. [136284]

The A5 at Wibtoft was resurfaced about five years ago. I would not expect resurfacing to be required until around 2006. As announced previously, lower noise surfaces will be used for virtually all future surfacing work on trunk roads.

Flooding (Lewes)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make available funds towards the repair of listed buildings and other buildings in the conservation area of Lewes affected by the recent flooding. [136569]

[holding answer 6 November 2000]: Emergency financial assistance is available for local authorities under the Bellwin scheme to help with uninsurable clear-up costs following a disaster or emergency in their area which involves destruction of, or danger to, life or property.Government compensation is not generally available to private household or businesses following storms and flooding. These are insurable risks, and successive Governments have taken the view that to underwrite insurable costs would remove any incentive for people to take out appropriate insurance cover and would penalise those who had acted prudently.Bellwin schemes are intended to prevent an undue burden falling on local taxpayers as the result of local authorities taking immediate action to safeguard life or property, or to prevent suffering or severe inconvenience, in their area or among its inhabitants. Grant is normally paid at a rate of 85 per cent. on authorities' qualifying expenditure above a threshold but for the present emergency grant will be paid at 100 per cent. of amounts above the threshold. The threshold is the provision that a prudent authority might reasonably be expected to make for contingencies and emergencies (approximately 0.2 per cent. of its revenue budget).

In the case of the recent flooding the following adaptations to the Bellwin scheme will apply:

assistance under Bellwin will be available for all authorities making valid claims resulting from the October/November floods and storms;

Government support above the threshold will be increased from 85 per cent. to 100 per cent. but there is no change to the 0.2 per cent. threshold or to the definition of eligible costs;

valid claims will be settled within 15 working days of receipt by the Department of a valid grant claim form;

claims for payments in advance of audit reports being received by the Department may be made; and

claims for grant of less than £10,000 will be accepted on presentation of details of expenditure certified by the Chief Financial Officer and will not require a separate audit report.

Lewes District Council inquired about assistance under the Bellwin scheme the day following the initial floods. We are ready to trigger that assistance and officials await the detailed claim. We will consider all applications speedily and sympathetically against the criteria that apply in these circumstances.

Hatfield Derailment

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for how long the Health and Safety Executive has required its buffet carriage to be left on the railway at Hatfield. [137204]

The Health and Safety Executive did not require the GNER buffet carriage to be left on the accident site at Hatfield. Inspectors gave instructions to Railtrack Ltd. on 19 October that the damaged carriage should be taken to Crewe for examination along with the other coaches and locomotive.

Deprivation Indices

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the index of deprivation by ward as it relates to (a) the West Midlands area and (b) Coventry, South; and what plans there are to address the inequalities highlighted. [136578]

[holding answer 6 November 2000]: The Indices of Deprivation 2000 (ID2000) revises, extends and updates the 1998 Index of Local Deprivation. It is based on 33 ward level indicators of deprivation covering six domains: low income, employment deprivation, education and training deprivation, poor health and disability, poor housing and poor geographical access to services. Because it is based on ward level information it is more effective than previous indices in identifying pockets of deprivation across England and is a more effective means of targeting help at the most deprived areas. The indices show that there are 69 wards in the West Midlands in the 10 per cent. most deprived wards in England, of which five wards are in Coventry and two wards (St. Michael's and Binley and Willenhall) are in Coventry, South. The indices are considered to be the best means of measuring area deprivation currently, but will be kept under review and revised when significantly better information for small areas becomes available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the recent deprivation indices produced by his Department, by ward. [136699]

[holding answer 7 November 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to him earlier today, column 345W.

Damascus House

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Government Office for London will make a decision on the planning application for Damascus House, Mill Hill. [136940]

The Secretary of State's decision on whether he should call in the planning application for his own determination is at an advanced stage and will be issued shortly.

Oil Industry

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations his Department made to the Department of Trade and Industry regarding the recent decision to hold a new round of oil licensing. [137173]

My Department will be making representations in due course in response to the consultation paper issued by the Department of Trade and Industry on 25 October.

Single Regeneration Budget

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 1 November 2000, Official Report, column 451–56W, concerning the single regeneration budget, if he will provide details of the geographical area covered by each bid. [137117]

[holding answer 7 November 2000]: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

National Air Traffic Services

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the timetable is for developments in the National Air Traffic Services PPP from 3 November until the completion of the process. [137507]

The Government announced the three consortia to go forward to the next stage of the bidding process on 3 November. These three bidders for the role of Strategic Partner in the NATS PPP will have until early next year to prepare final and binding bids. The Government will then evaluate these bids with a view to selecting a preferred bidder. Subject to the passage of the Transport Bill, the Government's firm intention is to have the PPP in place in the spring of 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what criteria Raytheon failed to satisfy in their bid to be considered as the strategic partner under the National Air Traffic Services PPP. [137506]

Raytheon's indicative bid to be considered as Strategic Partner in the NATS PPP was submitted to the Government on a confidential basis. As such it is not appropriate for the Government to release details of the content of that bid. All bids received were evaluated against a comprehensive set of evaluation criteria that were made available to bidders in the tender documentation. DETR officials and its advisers have subsequently discussed the evaluation exercise and the reasons behind its decision not to accept the indicative offer submitted by Raytheon with the company.The Government have in the past publicly stated that their firm intention was to select three bidders from those who submitted indicative offers to be taken forward to the next stage of the bidding process. That is what the Government have done and we announced our shortlist on 3 November 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide an analysis of the component expenditure underlying the projected investment of £1,300 million required over 10 years for National Air Traffic Services. [137504]

The Government do not make forecasts for NATS' capital expenditure. Earlier this year NATS produced its first ten year investment plan, for the period 2000–10, and it is still consulting with its customers on this document. The views of the successful bidder for the role as NATS' strategic partner will of course be taken into account, and the form, timing and appropriateness of the plan will be reviewed by the CAA before it is approved. The final plan will be issued around the middle of next year.The Government believe that the Public/Private Partnership for NATS is the best way to deliver the investment needed. It will provide the additional management expertise to ensure that NATS' capital programme is achieved on time and on budget for the benefit of NATS' customers and for the Government as shareholder.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the incidents of NATS software and systems failure since 31 July 2000, indicating the duration and severity of their effects. [137528]

The Flight Data Processing System (FDPS) at West Drayton has failed three times since 31 July. On none of these occasions was safety impaired. These failures were:

(i) On 12 August 2000, FDPS was suspended for one hour and thirteen minutes following the rejection of an incorrect flight plan. This resulted in the imposition of short term restrictions which necessitated some flights being held at London airports;

(ii) On 3 November 2000, FDPS was suspended for 17 minutes following the rejection of a flight plan. This resulted in six aircraft being delayed by 30 minutes; and

(iii) On 4 November 2000, controllers noted FDPS was failing to print accurate data strips for flights using Stansted. A decision was taken to revert to a previous version of the software known to be free of faults. This took 2 hours and 10 minutes to install successfully and during this period aircraft experienced delays of up to one hour.

NATS is planning to correct the failure in the software which caused the printing error as soon as possible. In spite of these failures, FDPS continues to perform well with both the performance and robustness of the system having been enhanced since the major failure on 17 June.

Area Cost Adjustment

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the basis of the funding formula for area cost adjustment in Kent for 2001–02 will be based on 1998 figures. [137377]

We have not yet taken a decision on whether to update the area cost adjustment to reflect the data from the 1999 New Earnings Survey. An announcement will be made in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he plans to amend the calculation of the area cost adjustment to reflect data from the 1999 New Earnings Survey. [137531]

We have not yet taken a decision on whether to update the area cost adjustment to reflect the data from the 1999 New Earnings Survey. An announcement will be made in due course.

Telecommunications Masts

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many responses he has received to the Consultation Paper on Telecommunication Mast Development; and from whom; [136857](2) if he will place copies of responses received to the Consultation Paper on Telecommunication Mast Development in the Library; [136858](3) when he will announce the action he proposes to take following the public consultation on telecommunication mast development. [136859]

By the end of the day, 7 November 2000, we had received 301 responses in total. Of these 45 were from members of the public; 230 were from local authorities and other public bodies; 18 were from mobile phone companies and associated businesses; and eight were from hon. Members. The Department is currently analysing the responses. We will announce any changes as soon as practicable. Copies of all responses, other than those where the respondent has indicated that the response is to be treated as confidential, will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Floods

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he was informed of the report into flood dangers by the Flood Hazard Research Centre at Middlesex University. [137400]

My Department received in July 2000 a copy of the "National appraisal of assets at risk from flooding and coastal erosion", a report produced for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by Halcrow Maritime, HR Wallingford and the Flood Hazard Research Centre. It was circulated at the same time to all Regional Flood Defence Committee Chairmen, Regional Directors of the Environment Agency and Chief Executives of all local authorities in England.

The report presents a generalised overview of assets at risk in order to inform investment planning for flood and coastal defence. It demonstrates that some 10 per cent. of the population of England live within areas potentially at risk from flooding and property worth over £200 billion is also potentially at risk. It also confirms the value for money of past and present investment in flood and coastal defence but concludes that existing practices for undertaking and funding flood and coastal defence should be reappraised.

The results were used to inform the Spending Review 2000 and have been taken into account in the revision of the new draft planning guidance on development and flood risk in PPG25, which we issued for consultation in April 2000 and hope to publish in final form in December this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had in the past six months with Ministers of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about flood defence; and if he will make statement. [137399]

Policy responsibility for flood defence rests with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has had several recent discussions with Ministers from MAFF and other Departments to consider how the country can be better placed to deal with extreme weather events.

"Are You Doing Your Bit" Campaign

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how he plans to measure the success of the 'Are You Doing Your Bit' campaign; and if he will make a statement. [137396]

Both quantitative and qualitative research, looking at awareness, motivation and actions by individuals, have been commissioned to measure the campaign's impact and inform the campaign's strategic approach.Monthly tracking research, in particular, helps us to measure public reaction carefully. Recent findings have been very encouraging and demonstrate that the campaign is raising public awareness of environmental actions with attitudes and actions becoming more positive:

nine out of 10 people recognise the campaign;

seven out of 10 said that the advertising made them think they should be doing their bit; and

intentions to act are being converted into action with over seven out of 10 saying they have started or increased the frequency of campaign actions in the last 12 months.

In addition to data from the more formal research activities outlined above, the campaign has also generated many successful partnerships with commercial organisations, with campaigners in similar fields, and with many local authorities. Feedback from these has been overwhelmingly positive, and the Government's commitment and approach are welcomed.

Flooding (Devon)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will respond to the request by Devon county council in respect of the exemption from Council Tax penalties sums given to the Environment Agency for flood defence works in excess of the relevant SSA. [137527]

We will reply to Devon's request of 6 November when we have had time to consider the implications, particularly with regard to the Local Government Finance Settlement. The timetable for the Local Government Finance Settlement is expected to be similar to last year's.

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will implement section 37 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to require licensed taxi drivers to carry guide and hearing dogs in their taxis and to do so without charge. [138052]

I am pleased to announce that from 31 March 2001 all licensed taxi drivers in England and Wales will be under a duty to carry guide, hearing and other prescribed assistance dogs in their taxis and to do so without additional charge.From 1 December 2000 local licensing authorities will be able to consider applications from taxi drivers and to issue certificates of exemption to those applicants who they consider merit a medical exemption.I have laid before the House the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Taxis) (Carrying of Guide Dogs etc.) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000. The Regulations prescribe three additional categories of dog to which Section 37 duties will also apply and deals with the notice which must be displayed by taxi drivers who are exempt on medical grounds from Section 37 duties.Full guidance is being sent to all local licensing authorities and a leaflet to all licensed taxi drivers informing them of these new duties and the arrangements for medical exemption. Copies of these documents will be placed in the House Library.I understand that the Scottish Executive will be introducing similar requirements for Scotland.

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans there are to amend his departmental expenditure limits and running costs limit for 2000–01. [138178]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates for Class III, Votes 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions' Departmental Expenditure Limits for 2000–01 will change as follows. All references to the take-up of end-year flexibility refer to the Public Expenditure 1999–2000 Provisional outturn White Paper presented to Parliament by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 18 July 2000 (Cm 4812).(a) The DETR Main Programmes Departmental Expenditure Limit will be increased by £253,541,000 from £10,861,342,000 to £11,114,883,000. This increase reflects the net impact of a take-up of end-year flexibility of £142,703,000; net transfers into the DETR Main Programmes Departmental Expenditure Limit of £838,000 and a call on the DEL Reserve of £110,000,000. The changes are set out in greater detail as follows:(i) The changes for Class III, Vote I are as follows: take-up of End-Year Flexibility of £80,728,000 is to be distributed between a range of established and new programmes, including: £17,589,000 for the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and £8,477,000 for the Coalfields Enterprise Fund; Housing Corporation (£13,173,000 for the Major Repairs Initiative and £224,000 for the Approved Development Programme); £5,300,000 for Disabled Facilities Grants; £400,000 for housing defects grants; £5,000,000 for regeneration projects facilitated by the Social Exclusion Unit; £1,000,000 for 'Supporting People' (housing projects); £3,772,000 for English Partnerships; £3,800,000 for Housing Action Trusts; £850,000 for Rural Development Commission wind up costs; £40,000 for Nature Conservancy Council pensions; £202,000 for Single Regeneration Budget (mainly Manchester regeneration); £3,825,000 for private housing renovation grants; Regional Development Agencies (£3,000,000 for redundant building grant and £500,000 for restructuring costs); £2,500,000 to support the coal industry (regeneration costs); £2,000,000 for Neighbourhood Wardens; £1,762,000 for the Countryside Agency (including costs of £62,000 relating to Dacre House); £1,372,000 for Urban Development Corporations post-wind up costs; £1,111,000 for housing research; £1,500,000 for the launch of a register of competent and reliable builders and £1,000,000 for other construction-related expenditure (Partners in Innovation and advisory work in connection with the effects of Turkish earthquakes); £587,000 for home improvement agencies and £225,000 for the home improvement agencies' co-ordinating body; £545,000 for home buying and selling; £94,000 for City Challenge; £400,000 for EC spatial planning; £155,000 for grants to voluntary bodies through the Special Grants Programme; £50,000 for Gypsy Sites Grant; £50,000 for local authority funding of pilots for lettings; £20,000 for the Joint National Conservation Committee internet website; and £250,000 to cover planning costs related to the demolition of Sandown Hall.Additional calls on the DEL Reserve are required for Housing Corporation capital projects (£50.000,000) and for Regional Development Agencies (£60,000,000). A further net increase of £1,332,000 arises from the following inter-vote transfers; transfers into Class III, Vote 1 of £400,000 from Class VII, Vote 3 (Department of Social Security, administration) to the Housing Corporation in respect of resettlement funding; £1,166,000 from Class IX, Vote 1 (Department of Trade and Industry: programmes and administration) for Regional Development Agencies' administration costs (including £70,000 specifically for the London Development Agency); £492,000 from Class IV, Vote 1 (Home Office administration, police, probation, immigration and other services, England and Wales) for Rough Sleepers Unit administered private sector grants; and transfers out of Class III, Vote 1 of £426,000 to Class III, Vote 3 for the Energy Saving Trust, and £300,000 to Class III, Vote 2 for minicab licensing.(ii) The changes for Class III, Vote 2 are as follows: The take-up of end-year flexibility of: £53,824,000 for British Rail Grant (£18,000,000), civil aviation services (£15,000,000); multi modal studies (£3,000,000); Railtrack's Docklands Light Railway Royal Mint street claim (£14,500,000); London new year's eve celebration costs (£3,000,000); the transport statistics programme (£224,000); and the Mobility Unit (£100,000). A further net increase of £292,313,000 from the following inter-vote transfers: £278,325,000 from Class III, Vote 11 in respect of the Strategic Rail Authority; £14,390,000 from Class III, Vote 7 for multi modal studies (£10,000,000), road user charging (£1,500,000) and costs associated with London programmes which have transferred to Transport for London (£2,890,000). £300,000 from Class III, Vote 1 for the start up costs of minicab licensing; £150,000 from Class II Vote 1 (Department of Health) for Mobility Centres; £9,000 from Class IX, Vote 1 (Department of Trade and Industry) for VAT associated with the Framework 5 Helpline project; £784,000 to Class III, Vote 3 for various Environmental projects; £56,000 to Class IX, Vote 1 for the Framework 5 Helpline project; £6,000 to Class XII Vote 1 (Department of Social Security) for the National Listening Event for older people and £15,000 to the Class XIII, Vote 1 (Scottish Executive) for Scottish ports. An additional increase of £6,367,000 from non voted credit approvals for grant funding of the Sunderland Metro Main Extension (£5,417,000), World Squares (£650,000) and Mobility Centres (£300,000) partially offset by a transfer of £3,500,000 to non voted provision for Ports supplementary credit approvals.(iii) The changes for Class III Vote 3 are as follows: The take- up of end-year flexibility of £6,936,000 for the implementation of the Climate Change Levy (£1,750,000), the Mersey Basin Campaign (£136,000), for the computer upgrade work for pollution emergency response services (£200,000), for costs arising from the implementation of the European Groundwater Directive (£2,000,000), clearance of the navigation backlog (£1,000,000), the Financial Management and Policy Review efficiency study (£100,000), for the British Waterways for the effective launch of The Waterways Trust (£500,000) and for an out of court settlement of a personal injury case (£1,250,000). A further net increase of £1,310,000 arises from the following transfers into the vote: transfers from Class III. Vote 2 for research work undertaken on the Environmental Efficiency Best Practice Programme (£647,000) and on the Environmental Protection research and monitoring (£137,000), transfer from Class III, Vote 1 for work to be undertaken by the Energy Saving Trust (£426,000) and a transfer from non-voted contaminated land Supplementary Credit Approvals for training work (£100,000). There is also a transfer provision to Class VIII, Vote 1 for contribution to Environmental Know How Fund (£2,000,000).(iv) The changes to Class III, Vote 7 are as follows: A transfer of £14,390,000 to Class III Vote 2 made up of £10,000,000 for Multi-Modal Studies, £1,500,000 for Road User Charging Research and £2,890,000 settlement with the Greater London Authority. Draw down of £368,000 from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund, of which £348,000 is an increase in running costs provision and take-up of £200,000 of running costs end-year flexibility.(v) The changes in Class III, Vote 8 are as follows: An increase of £630,000 which comprises: £303,000 transfer from Class IV, Vote 1 (Home Office Crime Reduction Programme) to support DVLA's vehicle crime reduction initiatives, an allocation of £385,000 from the Civil Service Reform Modernisation Fund and an increase in Appropriations in Aid of £58,000 offset by a reduction in CFERS to reflect the reclassification of sale of anonymised data receipts.(vi) As a consequence of the changes to Class III, Vote 7 and 8, the DETR gross running cost limit has been increased by £1,226,000 from £700,928,000 to £702,154,000.(vii) The change to Class III, Vote 11 is a transfer of £278,325,000 to Class III, Vote 2 for the establishment of the Strategic Rail Authority.(viii) Provision within the non-Voted element of the DETR Main Programmes Departmental Expenditure Limit will be decreased by £2,252,000 from £2,652,400,000 to £2,650,148,000. This reflects: £615,000 transfer to Class III Vote 3 for contaminated land work by the Environment Agency (£100,000), transfer of £500,000 from the Local Government DEL for Isles of Scilly water credit approvals, take-up of £215,000 end-year flexibility for air quality SCAs and £2,867,000 from Class HI Vote 2 comprising a transfer of £3,500,000 for Ports supplementary credit approvals and transfers to Class III Vote 2 of £6,367,000 for grant funding of the Sunderland Metro Main extension (£5,417,000), World squares (£650,000), Mobility Centres (£300,000). Also a take-up of £800,000 end-year flexibility transferred to DfEE for credit approvals issued to Derby City council.(ix) The net increase in the DETR Main Programmes Departmental Expenditure Limit will be offset by transfers to; the Department of Trade and Industry Departmental Expenditure Limit, Department of Social Security Departmental Expenditure Limit, Scotland Departmental Expenditure Limit, Department for International Development Departmental Expenditure Limit; from the DETR Local Government Departmental Expenditure Limit, Department of Social Security Departmental Expenditure Limit, Department of Trade and Industry Departmental Expenditure Limit, Home Office Departmental Expenditure Limit, Department of Health Departmental Expenditure Limit and by a charge on the DEL Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.(b) The DETR Local Government Departmental Expenditure Limit will be increased by £8,430,000 from £35,352,718,000 to £35,361,148,000. This increase is the net effect of a take-up of end-year flexibility of £8,630,000, and a transfer of £500,000 to the DETR Main Programmes Departmental Expenditure Limit, partially offset by transfers from DCMS of £300,000. The changes are set out in greater detail as follows:(i) The changes for Class III, Vote 4 are as follows: increased provision for the Local Government Commission (Section B) by £340,000 in respect of mapping costs and for Best Value Intervention by £1,410,000 (offset by a reduction in payments to the Audit commission for work in connection with Best Value Inspection and by drawing on the end-year flexibility entitlement for DETR's Local Government Departmental Expenditure Limit in Cm 4812); increased provision for Local Government Research and Publicity (Section C) by £1,280,000, comprising publicity costs in relation to Best Value and grant distribution, offset by savings on Valuation services (Section A), Best Value Inspection (Section B) and an increase of £180,000 in Appropriations in Aid; increased provision for London governance by £4,400,000 (Section D) to reflect revised estimates for the costs of preparing for the Greater London Authority and associated bodies offset by drawing on the end-year flexibility entitlement for DETR's Local Government Departmental Expenditure Limit announced in Cm 4812 and by £300,000 transferred from Department of Culture, Media and Sport; provision of £494,000 for emergency financial assistance to local authorities in connection with flooding emergencies (Section H) offset by saving on Section A and by drawing on the end-year flexibility for DETR's Local Government Departmental Expenditure Limit announced in Cm 4812; reclassification of certain direct current expenditure in Section B as direct capital expenditure and certain capital expenditure in Section C as current grants and transfers.(ii) Provision within the non-Voted element of the Local Government Departmental Expenditure Limit will be increased by £3,135,000 from £135,952,000 to £138,087,000. This reflects a take-up of end-year flexibility of £3,635,000 and the transfer of £500,000 to DETR's Main Programme DEL.(iii) The net increase in the DETR Local Government Departmental Expenditure Limit will be offset by a charge on the DEL Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.(c) The Office of Water Services Departmental Expenditure Limit will increase by £611,000 from -£45,000 to £567,000 and it's running cost limit will be reduced by £1,214,000 from £12,391,000 to £11,177,000.(i) This change for Class III, Vote 10 will be partly effected by the take-up £485,000 of end-year flexibility comprising £40,000 for capital and £445,000 for running costs etc. The supplementary also includes a claim on the Departmental Expenditure Limit Reserve of £126,000 in respect of part of the pension costs of the former Director General of the Office of Water Services.The increase in the Office of Water Services Departmental Expenditure Limit will be offset by a charge on the Departmental Expenditure Limit Reserve and will therefore not add to the planned total of public expenditure.(d) The Office of the Rail Regulator Departmental Expenditure Limit will increase by £78,000 from £1,000 to £79,000 and its running cost limit will be increased by £78,000 from £13,690,000 to £13,768,000.(i) This change for Class III, Vote 9 will be effected by the take-up of £78,000 running costs end-year flexibility to meet increased requirements associated with the Competition Act and Ladbroke Grove inquiry.The increase in the Office of the Rail Regulator will be offset by a charge on the Departmental Expenditure Limit Reserve and will therefore not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Red Routes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many instances of illegal parking on Red Routes in London have been recorded, and how much was spent on policing them, in each year since their inception. [135911]

I have been asked to reply.I understand that the Metropolitan police have issued the following number of Fixed Penalty Notices for illegal parking on Red Routes in London:

1992–26,136
1993–22,130
1994–22,166
1995–23,362
1996–37,303
1997–50,235
1998–98,289
1999–108,659
2000–48,197 (January-March).

For the financial years 1999–2000 and 2000–01, the Metropolitan police have budgeted about £19 million for Red Route enforcement. Budget information for the previous years is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

President Of The Council

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the President of the Council what proposals she has to amend the Privy Council Office Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs limit for 2000–01. [137634]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate for Class XVII, Vote 5, the Privy Council Office Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) for 2000–01 will be increased by £373,000 from £2,578,000 to £2,951,000 and the running costs limit will be increased by £373,000 from £2,618,000 to £2,991,000.The increase in the DEL is to fund the new Business Co-ordination Unit (BCU) (£320,000) which I announced on 11 May 2000,

Official Report, column 433W, and to take up money granted from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund (£53,000).

The increase will be a charge on a DEL reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Cabinet Office

Electronic Communications Act

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what use has been made of the powers in section 8 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000. [138177]

The Electronic Communications Act 2000 contains in section 8 a power to amend legislation by statutory instrument, to authorise or facilitate electronic communication or storage. The first order laid before Parliament under this section is the Companies Act 1985 (Electronic Communications) Order 2000 amending company law, of which a draft was laid before the House on 23 October under the affirmative resolution procedure.The second order to be laid before Parliament is planned to be an order by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and the Regions, to allow electronic communication between the Department of the Environment; Transport and the Regions (DETR) and local authorities of Housing Revenue Account subsidy determinations and decisions.In her memorandum submitted to Parliament during the passage of the Electronic Communications Bill in January 2000, my hon. Friend the Minister for Small Business and E-Commerce said:

the Government envisage that the first Order would be subject to an affirmative resolution, but that Orders under clause 8 would normally be subject to a negative resolution. After the first Order therefore the affirmative resolution procedure would be used only exceptionally, with any Orders that raised major issues of principle.

As no major issues of principle are raised by the DETR order, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and the Regions proposes to make it subject to the negative resolution procedure. This will enable it to come into force in time for the annual determination of Housing Revenue Account Subsidy. In this case it is likely to be made, and could come into force, before the company law order.

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans she has to change the 2000–01 Departmental Expenditure Limit or running cost limit for the Cabinet Office. [137363]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates:The Departmental Expenditure Limit for Cabinet Office (Class XVII, Vote 1 and Vote 3) will be increased by £51,988,000 from £194,960,000 to £246,948,000 and the gross running costs limit will be increased by £18,192,000 from £95,562,000 to £113,754,000. Also the net running costs limit will be decreased by £3,000,000 from £2,827,000 to -£173,000.This is mainly to take account of the following changes:

(a) A transfer payment from Inland Revenue (Class XVI, Vote 5) (£15,000,000) towards development of the Government Gateway part of the Corporate IT Strategy for Government; and a payment to the Department of Social Security: administration (Class XII, Vote 3) (£5,000) in respect of Inter-Ministerial Group on Older People.

(b) An investment in the Modernising Government agenda and Cabinet Office Action Plan (£2,788,000) to be funded from the Invest to Modernise Fund; an investment is the infrastructure for e-government, including the Knowledge Network, as part of the Corporate IT Strategy to be funded from the Capital Modernisation Fund (£21,000,000).

(c) The Cabinet Office has taken up end-year flexibility (£13,205,000) from its entitlement (£24,388,000) as set out in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper Cm 4812 published on 18 July 2000. This is to fund ongoing activities within the Cabinet Office including establishing the e-Envoy and funding slippage in programmes from the previous year.

The increase will be offset by transfers or charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Internet Access

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what percentage of the United Kingdom population has internet access at home; what plans she has to extend home internet access; and how she intends to achieve such goals. [135816]

Seven million UK homes, 28 per cent., are now connected to the internet with almost one million new homes going on line in the last quarter.We will continue to follow telecommunications competition policies that have helped the UK become the cheapest country in Europe for unmetered off-peak internet access, and among the cheapest for metered off-peak access. The rapid growth of digital TV in the UK—21 per cent. of UK households currently subscribe—will also increase home internet access.In addition, the Department for Education and Employment is piloting ways of providing low-cost recycled computers to unemployed people and those with low incomes.

Education And Employment

Learning And Skills Council

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will issue his strategic guidance to the new Learning and Skills Council. [138053]

I have today sent my remit letter to Bryan Sanderson, the chairman of the Learning and Skills Council, setting out my strategic vision and the key priorities for the first three years of the LSCs operation. Copies of the remit letter have been placed in the Library.

Area Cost Adjustment

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if the formula for Area Cost Adjustment for Kent schools for 2001–02 will be based on 1998 figures. [137378]

Ministers are currently considering a decision on this issue and will make an announcement in due course.

Teacher Vacancies

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by LEA in descending order the percentage of (a) teaching posts currently vacant and (b) children attending schools in the LEA entitled to free school meals. [137371]

The information requested is contained in tables, copies of which have been placed in the House of Commons Library.The number of regular teachers in maintained schools increased by 6,900 between January 1998 and January 2000.

A DfEE survey of maintained secondary schools in England in the first week of September 2000 indicated that there were about 1,000 secondary teacher vacancies; the equivalent figure at January 2000 was 1,200.

General information on schools has recently been published in a statistical volume 'Statistics of Education—Schools in England 2000', a copy of which is available from the Library, or alternatively can be accessed on the Department's statistical website www.dfee.gov.uk/statistics.

Civil Servants (Relocation)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 16 May 2000, Official Report, column 100W, on the relocation of civil servants, when the contract with Cendant Relocation (UK) Ltd. was last renewed; where the contract was advertised; and what the length and value of the contract is. [137170]

The contract with Cendant Relocation (UK) Ltd. was last renewed on 23 March 2000. The contract was put out to competitive tender on the basis of nine national and locally sourced companies. The contract is for a period of three years. The contract value is dependent upon the number of departmental staff who use the service offered by Cendant.

Teacher Contracts

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance he gives to local education authorities on providing written contracts; and what redress an employed teacher has against a local education authority that fails to provide a contract of employment. [137101]

My right hon. Friend has not given any guidance to local education authorities on the provision of written contracts of employment. He has given guidance to school governing bodies about their obligation to provide a written statement each year to teachers of how their pay has been determined.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what statutory provisions govern the provision of written contracts by local education authorities on the (a) part-time and (b) full-time employment of teachers. [137100]

Local education authorities are under the same requirements as other employers to provide written particulars of employment to employees. In addition, authorities, or the governing bodies of schools with delegated budgets, are required under the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document to provide written statements each year to teachers of how their pay has been determined.

Pupil Referral Units

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions he has had with disaffected young people about the framework and curriculum of pupil referral units. [137084]

Officials from my Department regularly meet disaffected young people, including as part of the recent review of the Social Inclusion: Pupil Support Standards Fund grant. We are also reviewing standards at pupil referral units (PRUs) and are arranging to meet pupils who have been excluded from school to find out from them what worked in PRUs. Ofsted inspection of PRUs usually includes discussion with students about the education they receive. The recently established Children's and Young People's Unit is considering how we can increase the involvement of children and young people in the design and delivery of policies and services that affect them.My officials are also working with a number of voluntary sector partners to develop innovative programmes for disaffected pupils.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what guidelines he has issued on pupil/teacher ratios in pupil referral units; [137083](2) what guidance he has given pupil referral units about reintegrating pupils into mainstream education; [137080](3) what special training is given to staff working in pupil referral units. [137078]

As part of comprehensive guidance covering pupil attendance, behaviour and exclusion my right hon. Friend issued detailed guidance in July 1999 on staffing and training in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) and re-integration into mainstream education of pupils attending PRUs.Staff in PRUs must be qualified teachers. Teachers in their induction year may require additional training in meeting the needs of difficult and disruptive children. A PRU's management committee should help identify staff development needs and the local education authority should provide opportunities for career development and in-service training. Training should include national curriculum courses, behaviour management and, where relevant, guidance from subject advisers on the curriculum.Following exclusion, an individual re-integration plan should be drawn up for the pupil. Where possible, excluded pupils should be re-integrated as quickly as possible. It is expected that primary pupils will be re-integrated within one term. By 2002 all excluded pupils must be offered full-time education.Staffing levels in PRUs should allow time to plan for individual pupils; helping pupils' re-entry into education or employment; building relationships with pupils and parents and administrative tasks. It is considered good practice for a PRU always to have at least two members of staff on site. In 2000 the pupil: teacher ratio in PRUs was 4.3 compared to 4.5 in 1999.The money available from the Social Inclusion: Pupil Support Standards Fund Grant to help schools and local education authorities tackle poor behaviour and provide education outside school for those who have been excluded will increase tenfold from £17 million in 1996–97 to £174 million in 2001–02.Copies of the guidance mentioned above, DfEE Circulars 10–99 (Chapter 7) and 11–99 (Chapters 4 and 5), are available in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many young people (a) are receiving and (b) have received an education in a pupil referral unit in each of the last three years; [137081](2) how many pupil referral units there are in

(a) England, (b) Nottingham and (c) Nottinghamshire. [137082]

Provisional figures for 2000 show that there were 8,479 pupils registered at pupil referral units (PRUs). This compares with 7,530 in 1997, 7,740 in 1998 and 8,263 in 1999. This means an increase of nearly 1,000 places since 1997. In addition, the number of pupils dually registered at both school and PRU increased from 4,166 in 1998 to 4,586 in 2000.Latest figures show that there are nearly 300 PRUs in England. Nottingham City LEA has two PRUs. Nottinghamshire LEA has four PRUs. A number of LEAs are amalgamating pupil referral units to bring them under one management structure in order to rationalise and improve provision. As indicated above, there has been an increase in the scale of provision for pupils at PRUs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what criteria are used to evaluate the effectiveness of pupil referral units. [137079]

OFSTED inspects pupil referral units (PRUs) using the framework of inspection for schools, adapted for PRUs. The inspection includes looking at quality of teaching; pupils' progress; management and value for money. Following an OFSTED inspection, the LEA must prepare a written action plan, in consultation with the management committee of the PRU and the teacher in charge. A recent OFSTED analysis of inspection reports from 38 inspections undertaken in 2000–01 highlights: improved teaching; improved pupil progress and achievement; better management; better value for money and some improved accommodation.

Class Sizes (Leicestershire)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to ensure that Leicestershire LEA meets his target that no infant is taught in a class size of 30 or more by September 2001. [137058]

For the huge majority of infants, the Government have secured early delivery of their pledge to limit infant class sizes to 30 pupils. In September 2000, as few as 30,000 five, six and seven-year-olds remained in infant classes of 31 or more. The figure in January 1998 was 485,000. The pledge is supported by over £600 million, and allocations so far to Leicestershire LEA amount to nearly £4 million—enough to support 71 additional teachers this year, and 24 additional classrooms. This has enabled the authority to make steady progress towards meeting the pledge: in September 2000, over 94 per cent. of five, six and seven-year-olds in Leicestershire were in infant classes of 30 or below, compared with 89 per cent. in September 1999. The figure in January 1998 was 78 per cent.

School Playing Fields

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will provide a breakdown by region of the number of state schools which sought approval from his Department for the sale of playing fields between 1990–2000. [136752]

[holding answer 6 November 2000]: The information is not available in the form requested.Prior to October 1998 only grant-maintained schools were required to seek consent from the Secretary of State before selling any land. Since the introduction in October 1998 of section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, local authorities and governing bodies of all maintained schools, including foundation schools, have been required to obtain the Secretary of State's consent before disposing of playing fields or any part of a playing field. The Secretary of State will grant such approval only if the application meets the tough criteria against which all applications are considered.Before the change in the law, local authorities could and did sell playing fields as and when they chose to do so. An estimated 40 playing fields a month were sold in this way under the previous Government.Since October 1998 there have been 180 applications from local authorities and governing bodies to sell a playing field or part of a playing field. The following table provides a breakdown of these applications by local education authority.

Table showing by local education authority the number of applications for consent to the sale of playing fields from 1 October 1998 to 6 November 2000
Local education authority	1998	1999	2000
Barking and Dagenham	—	—	—
Barnet	1	—	—
Barnsley	—	—	1
Bath and North East Somerset	—	1	—
Bedfordshire	—	1	—
Bexley	—	—	1
Birmingham	—	—	—
Blackburn with Darwen	—	—	—
Blackpool	—	—	—
Bolton	—	—	—
Bournemouth	—	—	—
Bracknell Forest	—	—	1
Bradford	—	—	1
Brent	—	—	—
Brighton and Hove	—	—	—
Bristol	1	—	—
Bromley	—	—	—
Buckinghamshire	—	4	4
Bury	1	1	—
Calderdale	—	—	1
Cambridgeshire	—	—	—
Camden	—	—	1
Cheshire	1	6	1
Co. Durham	—	2	2
Cornwall	—	—	1
Coventry	—	1	—
Croydon	—	1	—
Cumbria	—	4	1
Darlington	—	—	—
Derby City of	—	—	—
Derbyshire	1	1	2
Devon	—	2	—
Doncaster	—	—	1
Dorset	1	—	1
Dudley	—	—	—
Ealing	—	1	—
East Riding of Yorkshire	—	—	—
East Sussex	—	1	—
Enfield	—	—	—

Table showing by local education authority the number of applications for consent to the sale of playing fields from 1 October 1998 to 6 November 2000
Local education authority	1998	1999	2000
Essex	1	1	1
Gateshead	—	—	—
Gloucestershire	—	1	2
Greenwich	—	—	—
Hackney	—	—	—
Halton	1	—	—
Hammersmith and Fulham	—	1	—
Hampshire	—	1	5
Haringey	—	—	—
Harrow	—	—	—
Hartlepool	—	—	—
Havering	—	—	—
Herefordshire	—	—	—
Hertfordshire	—	2	3
Hillingdon	—	—	—
Hounslow	—	—	—
Isle of Wight	—	—	—
Isles of Scilly	—	—	—
Islington	—	—	—
Kensington and Chelsea	—	—	—
Kent	—	4	4
Kingston upon Hull	—	—	—
Kingston upon Thames	—	—	—
Kirklees	—	1	—
Knowsley	—	—	—
Lambeth	—	—	—
Lancashire	1	3	1
Leeds	—	1	—
Leicester, City of	—	—	—
Leicestershire	—	—	—
Lewisham	—	—	—
Lincolnshire	—	—	—
Liverpool	—	—	—
London, Corporation of	—	—	—
Luton	—	—	—
Manchester	—	1	2
Medway Towns	—	—	—
Merton	—	—	—
Middlesbrough	—	—	—
Milton Keynes	1	2	—
Newcastle	1	2	1
Newham	—	—	—
Norfolk	—	1	1
North East Lincolnshire	—	—	—
North Lincolnshire	—	—	—
North Somerset	1	—	—
North Tyneside	1	—	—
North Yorkshire	1	3	—
Northamptonshire	—	—	1
Northumberland	—	2	1
Nottingham	—	2	1
Nottinghamshire	—	2	1
Oldham	—	—	—
Oxfordshire	—	2	1
Peterborough	—	—	1
Plymouth	—	—	—
Poole	—	—	—
Portsmouth	—	—	—
Reading	—	—	—
Redbridge	—	—	—
Redcar and Cleveland	—	—	—
Richmond upon Thames	—	—	—
Rochdale	—	1	—
Rotherham	—	—	—
Rutland	—	—	—
Salford	—	2	—
Sandwell	—	—	—
Sefton	—	—	—
Sheffield	—	1	—
Shropshire	—	1	—
Slough	—	—	—

Table showing by local education authority the number of applications for consent to the sale of playing fields from 1 October 1998 to 6 November 2000
Local education authority	1998	1999	2000
Solihull	—	—	—
Somerset	—	2	—
South Gloucestershire	—	—	—
South Tyneside	—	—	—
Southampton	—	1	—
Southend-on-Sea	—	—	—
Southwark	—	—	—
St. Helens	—	—	—
Staffordshire	—	2	—
Stockport	—	—	—
Stockton-on-Tees	—	—	—
Stoke-on-Trent	—	—	—
Suffolk	—	—	—
Sunderland	—	—	—
Surrey	3	6	3
Sutton	—	—	—
Swindon	—	—	—
Tameside	—	—	2
Telford and Wrekin	—	1	—
Thurrock	—	—	—
Torbay	—	—	—
Tower Hamlets	—	—	—
Trafford	—	—	1
Wakefield	2	2	—
Walsall	1	1	2
Waltham Forest	—	—	—
Wandsworth	—	1	—
Warrington	—	—	—
Warwickshire	1	6	4
West Berkshire	—	—	—
West Sussex	1	3	1
Westminster	—	1	1
Wigan	—	3	3
Wiltshire	—	2	1
Windsor and Maidenhead	—	1	—
Wirral	—	—	—
Wokingham	—	—	—
Wolverhampton	1	1	—
Worcestershire	—	—	—
York	—	—	1
Total	23	94	63

Note:

School playing fields means school playgrounds and other pupil recreation and social areas as well as grassed playing fields. It also means small areas of playing fields as well as whole playing fields.

Teacher Training

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make it his policy to include English and maths key skills qualifications within the curriculum 2000 programme at an equivalent level to GCSE English and maths for the purpose of initial teacher training. [135929]

It is for initial teacher training (ITT) providers to decide which qualifications meet the Secretary of State's entry requirements and can be accepted, including those relating to the key skills of communication and application of number. Qualifications must, however, be of the equivalent standard to a GCSE grade C, or above.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many trainee teachers were recruited to initial teacher training courses from 1995–96 to 2000–01, broken down between (a) primary and secondary trainees, (b) undergraduate and postgraduate and (c) secondary by subject; and if he will list the Government's target for teacher recruitment in each category. [134344]

Data on recruitment to initial teacher training (ITT) courses starting in 2000–01 for each provider in England are not yet available. I hope they will be shortly. I will write to the hon. Member with the information as soon as possible, and will place a copy of the response in the Library.

Teacher Recruitment

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many new teachers were recruited in the last academic year. [134713]

The numbers of full-time and part-time teachers recruited to the maintained sector in England during the two most recent financial years for which data are available are shown in the table:

	1997–98	1998–99
New entrants	23,000	21,200
Re-entrants	29,300	27,500
Total entrants	52,300	48,700

All numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100.The number of retirements from teaching was unusually high in 1997–98 because of changes to the Teachers Pensions Scheme introduced by the previous Administration in 1997, which meant that more teachers than usual had to be recruited for September 1997.The number of regular teachers in the maintained sector has increased by 6,900 since January 1998 and by 3,400 since January 1999.The gap between the spending plans of the previous Administration and the increase in unavoidable pay, price and other pressures facing schools in 1998–99 was equivalent to employing 25,000 fewer teachers. But as a result of the extra £835 million increase in both education SSA and revenue support grant, teacher numbers (including supply teachers) increased by over 4,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many physics graduates were recruited into teacher training in 2000–01. [134348]

Wales

Electricity Supply

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of Welsh electricity supply was provided by nuclear power stations for each of the last 10 years. [137217]

I have been asked to reply.

The electricity supply in Wales is mainly provided through the national grid and it is not possible to distinguish separately the source of the electricity.

Electricity produced by the one nuclear station in Wales (Wylfa) (the second station, Trawsfynydd, closed in 1993) may be consumed in England while nuclear electricity generated in England, Scotland or France can be consumed in Wales. In 1999 Wylfa's output to the national grid was 7.2 TWh while electricity consumption in Wales is estimated to have been 16 and 17 TWh.

Departmental Expenditure Limit

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals there are to amend his Department's Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01. [138051]

The Wales Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £114,572,000 from £7,693,663,000 to £7,808,235,000. The increase is a result of:

(i) the take up of end-year flexibility entitlement of £94,895,000;

(ii) net transfers to other government Departments of £252,000;

(iii) additional support of £15,309,000 for Hill Farmers and agriculture resulting from the Agriculture Minister's statement of 30 March 2000; and,

(iv) a final allocation from the Capital Modernisation Fund of £4,620,000.

The increase includes the following transfers:

(i) £1,100,000 to Class III, Vote 1 for cattle herd registration;

(ii) £1,068,000 from Class I, Vote 1 for mature student bursaries;

(iii) £150,000 from Class IV, Vote 1 for locks for pensioners;

(iv) £536,000 to Class IX, Vote 1 for Sector Challenge; and,

(v) £166,000 from Class IV, Vote 1 for Crime Prevention.

The balance will be met by a charge on the Departmental Expenditure Limit Reserve for the take-up of end-year flexibility entitlement and the additional agriculture provision. The Capital Modernisation Fund monies will be met from the central CMF budget. None of these changes will therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

China

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the timetable and process of review of the UK/China human rights dialogue. [135766]

We conduct formal sessions of the UK/China human rights dialogue twice a year. The next session is scheduled to take place in February 2001.We keep the dialogue process under continuous and critical review. Our object is to develop the most effective way of helping to improve human rights in China. As far as the dialogue itself is concerned, we look for ways to make it more effective, and to identify areas where we can work with the Chinese to improve the observance of human rights in specific areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government will reach a decision on sponsoring a resolution on human rights in China and Tibet at the 57 United Nations Commission for Human Rights. [135769]

The Government will review their position towards a resolution on China at the 57th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights (March 2001) following the next rounds of the UK/China and EU/China human rights dialogues, both scheduled to take place in February 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the UK Government made to the troika concerning the human rights content of the EU/China summit. [135768]

The position taken by the troika on the question of human rights in China at the EU/China Summit on 23 October was based on discussions among partners in September ahead of the EU/China Human Rights Dialogue on 29 September. The Government play an active role in setting the direction for EU policy towards the human rights situation in China, including the identification of key concerns and strategy for meetings with the Chinese authorities.

Qualified Majority Voting

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy relating to (1) (a) the balance of responsibilities between the EU and UK Government and (b) the proposals to the change to qualified majority voting in relation to the choice of Common Foreign and Security Policy representatives (Article 23(2)); [136054](2)

(a) the balance of responsibilities between the EU and United Kingdom Government in relation to mixed agreements and (b) the proposals to change to qualified majority voting on mixed agreements (New Article 300 (8)); [136043]

(3) (a) the balance of responsibilities between the EU and UK Government and (b) the proposals to the change to qualified majority voting in relation to the Common Foreign and Security Policy international agreements (Article 24); [136053]

(4) (a) the balance of responsibilities between the EU and HM Government and (b) the proposals to the change to qualified majority voting in relation to association agreements (Article 300 (2)); [136047]

(5) (a) the balance of responsibilities between the EU and UK Government and (b) the proposals to change to qualified majority voting in relation to the co-operation measures under Title IV (Article 66). [136052]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 30 October 2000, Official Report, columns 234–38W.

Press Rebuttal Unit

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) of 6 March 2000, Official Report, column 499W, if he will estimate the cost to date of providing (a) rebuttals of press articles on Europe and (b) his Department's Euro-myths web page; who selects the items which require a rebuttal; and from where he obtains the information to be used in the rebuttals. [136102]

I correct press articles which contain factual inaccuracies about Government policy towards Europe or our membership of the EU drawing on information held by the FCO and other Government Departments. These correctives are sent to the publication concerned and are now also published on the FCO website. There are no dedicated FCO staff assigned to this task. The only dedicated costs are of faxing or e-mailing the corrective letters, ie the cost of a local telephone call.

Euro

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the constitutional issues relating to the euro; and on what dates. [136387]

The Secretary of State meets his Cabinet colleagues on a regular basis and discusses a wide range of issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account the Government will take of the results of the Danish referendum in the timing of a possible UK referendum on replacing the pound with the euro. [136256]

As the Prime Minister has said, this decision is a matter for the Danish people and does not change the UK Government's position. We are in favour, in principle, of joining a successful single currency, but in practice the five economic tests must be met. Should Government and Parliament recommend joining, the final decision should be for the British people in a referendum.

European Superpower

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date it became the Government's policy to support the creation of a European superpower. [136514]

This Government have long supported a Europe which can be a superpower in its economic and political strength. The Government are firmly opposed to the establishment of a federal superstate, as the Prime Minister made clear in Warsaw in October.

Un Human Rights Inquiry Commission

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to request that the Human Rights Inquiry Commission established by the UN Human Rights Commission (a) includes forensic and ballistic experts and (b) is given the means to conduct their investigations. [136454]

The Human Rights Inquiry Commission has yet to be endorsed by a special session of the Economic and Social Council to be convened in New York.

(a) It is for the UNCHR Inquiry Commission to decide who the members should be and what skills will be required.

(b) It is our understanding that a voluntary contribution has already been offered by a third party to ensure the investigations could be conducted successfully.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures Her Majesty's Government will take to support the investigation of the Human Rights Inquiry Commission established by the UN Human Rights Commission to collect information about violations of human rights and international law committed by the Israeli occupying power in the occupied Palestinian territories since 28 September. [136452]

The Human Rights Inquiry Commission has yet to be endorsed by a special session of the Economic and Social Council to be convened in New York.However, we strongly encourage both Israelis and Palestinians to take action on any human rights abuses that might have been committed during the recent troubles. We would expect both sides to co-operate fully with an internationally approved human rights inquiry.

British Council

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future role of the British Council in Zambia. [136642]

The British Council has recently completed a strategic review of its operations around the world. It will continue to operate in Zambia with a focus on governance and education. The Council will retain its public information centre which, through modern internet facilities, will offer ready access to the widest possible range of information. Additional support services will be provided from a regional hub in Zimbabwe. Having recently visited Lusaka, I can vouch for the excellent work the Council is doing in Zambia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future role of the British Council in Malawi. [136641]

The British Council has recently completed a strategic review of its operations around the world. It will continue to operate in Malawi with a focus on governance and education. The Council will retain its public information centre which, through modern internet facilities, will offer ready access to the widest possible range of information. Additional support services will be provided from a regional hub in Zimbabwe. Having recently visited Lilongwe, I can vouch for the excellent work the Council is doing in Malawi.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are applied when appointing the Chairman of the British Council, with particular reference to the political views of candidates. [136238]

No criteria are applied relating to the political views of candidates when appointing the Chairman of the British Council. The criteria used include: an impressive record of achievement in the candidate's chosen field: a high level of strategic and representational skills with the vision and flair to inspire and enthuse; an international perspective and sympathy with the Council's aims; and a personal presence commensurate with the international profile of the appointment.

Whaling

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have for placing sanctions on Japanese vessels in connection with scientific whaling. [136803]

We have expressed our total opposition to the Japanese Government on numerous occasions. The UK would need to discuss any proposal for trade sanctions against Japanese vessels in connection with Japan's research whaling programme with our EU partners, since external trade matters fall within the competence of the EU. In addition, there are currently no Japanese fishing vessels operating within UK domestic waters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with the Government of Japan concerning their decision to expand the scientific whaling programme to the Southern Ocean Sanctuary; and if he will make a statement. [136938]

In our numerous discussions, the Japanese Government have been left in no doubt as to our total opposition to their expanded whaling programme in the North Pacific and their continued research whaling in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary. Both the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State have raised this issue with their Japanese counterparts. As Minister responsible for whaling issues, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food spoke very powerfully against the Japanese decision at the last IWC meeting in Adelaide in June.

International Criminal Court Treaty

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken with other European Union member states to resist efforts by the United States to create an exception for US nationals in the International Criminal Court Treaty. [137324]

We have made clear to the US, both bilaterally and with our EU partners, our concerns about their proposal. We continue to hope the United States will come on board in support of the International Criminal Court. A court with the United States as a member would be very much stronger. However, any solution to their concerns must, if it is to receive support, respect the integrity of the Rome Statute and maintain the effectiveness of the court.

Pakistan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the military Government of Pakistan on its programme for returning to democracy. [137386]

We continue to press Pakistan's military regime for the early and credible timetable for the restoration of democracy. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and his colleagues of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group strongly underlined this to Pakistan's Foreign Minister during their meeting in New York on 15 September.

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to amend his Department's Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs limit for 2000–01. [138156]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class VII Vote I, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £96,723,000 from £1,113,610,000 to £1,210,333,000 and running cost limit will be increased by £17,989,000 from £513,993,000 to £531,982,000. The increase is the net effect of:(i) additional provision of £73,935,000 on Section B for UK contributions to United Nations Missions in the former Yugoslavia (includes UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo) and the former Soviet Union, United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (Iraq), United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission, United Nations Mission for the Referendum on Western Sahara, United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor, United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, the United Nations International Criminal Tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the European Community Monitoring Mission and Western European Union Police Mission in Albania;(ii) take up of end year flexibility of £16,264,000 for running costs and £4,799,000 for capital expenditure;(iii) a successful bid of £1,725,000 against the Capital Modernisation Fund approved by the Chief Secretary.

Belize

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken in response to recent territorial claims on Belize by Guatemala; and if he will make a statement. [137325]

The UK has encouraged both parties to remain in constructive talks under the auspices of the Organisation of American States, in order to find a peaceful resolution to the border dispute.The UK continues to support Belize's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will provide legal assistance in Belize's efforts to demarcate its land and maritime. We continue to make our views clear to both sides.

Export Controls

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he received between November 1999 and November 2000 on (a) the timing and (b) the content of strategic export controls legislation from (i) non-Governmental organisations including voluntary and charitable groups, (ii) commercial interests, companies and trade organisations and (iii) other categories; and if he will make a statement. [136604]

I refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry today. (UIN 136001)

Eu Enlargement

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries for which it is Government policy that they should ultimately be permitted to join the European Union. [136230]

There are currently 13 candidates for membership of the European Union (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey).In addition, as Articles 49 and 6(1) of the Treaty on European Union make clear, membership of the European Union is open to any European state which respects

the principals of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.

This includes the countries of the Western Balkans who are all potential candidates for EU membership.

International Development

Civil Servants (Relocation)

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which relocation companies hold contracts with her Department for the relocation of civil servants; when the contracts were last renewed; where the contracts were advertised; and what the length and value of each contract is. [137196]

Crown Worldwide Ltd. provide relocation services to my Department for staff taking up or returning from assignments overseas. A three year contract, with the option of a two year extension, was signed in April 1998. It was advertised in October 1997 in the International Freight Weekly, EU Journal, Government Opportunities and the Daily Telegraph. The option for the two year extension was taken up in May 2000 and the contract will expire on 31 March 2003. The contract has no financial value, we pay for services provided. There is no contractual arrangement for relocation within the UK and staff are required to seek competitive tenders from three companies.

Misuse Of Aid

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of corruption in projects administered by the United Nations. [136627]

The Board of Auditors, whose membership currently includes the UK Comptroller and Auditor General, acts as external auditor of the accounts of the UN, its funds and programmes.

Expenditure

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what changes will be made to the Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs limit for her Department in 2000–01. [138012]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, for Class VIII, Vote 1: Department for International Development, the Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £8,546,000 from £2,113,186,000 to £2,121,732,000 for voted expenditure giving a total of voted and non-voted expenditure of £2,759,768,000. The running cost limit for the Department for International Development will be increased by £3,985,000. The increase is the net effect of:

an increase of £2,560,988 in respect of the carry forward of underspends from 1999–2000 on the International Development Vote;

a DETR transfer of £2,000,000 in respect of the environmental know how fund;

an allocation of £485,000 under the civil service modernisation fund allocation to the running costs budget;

the drawing down of £3,500,000 from our running costs entitlement to end-year.

The increase will be met by transfers or from the DEL reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Great Lakes

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement about the development of a regional policy for the Great Lakes region of Africa. [136458]

We are strongly involved in supporting Rwanda's recovery and development and in supporting Uganda's development. We are also very supportive of the Lusaka peace process. We hope to support other countries' lead in Burundi. We have decided to undertake some analysis in the Department to deepen our understanding of the regional context. It would be an exaggeration to call this a regional policy.

Horn Of Africa (Drought)

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the drought in the Horn of Africa region. [136623]

The UN Special Envoy of the Secretary General for the drought in the Horn of Africa, Ms Catherine Bertini, visited Kenya and Ethiopia between 17–23 September. She found that there has been progress in addressing the effects of drought in the Horn of Africa region since April; food and non-food assistance provided through the United Nations, non-governmental organisations and Government has prevented a famine and set the foundation for recovery. Almost 1 million tonnes of food was delivered to drought affected people in the Horn of Africa countries between January and August 2000. She reported that the crisis is not over and millions of people are still at risk, and recommended that relief needs in the region should be reassessed this month with a new Interagency Relief Drought Appeal for the Horn of Africa being issued in December. We continue to respond to needs as they arise.

Cambodia

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding her Department has given in each of the last three years to Cambodia, indicating the projects for which aid was given; what recent request she has received for aid for flood relief; and if she will make a statement. [137323]

Cambodia	1997–98 (£000)	1998–99 (£000)	1999–2000 (£000)	Total (£000)	Status
Secondary English Teaching Project (CAMSET 1 and II)	808	764	863	2,090	Active
Phnom Penh Urban Poverty Project, Phase I	281	238	280	799	Complete
Health Sector Reform Project, Phase II and III	256	790	964	1,793	Active
Social Marketing of Contraceptives, Phase I and II	252	777	239	1,226	Active
Reproductive Health/Family Planning and Sexual Health	800	509	55	1,809	Complete
Malaria Project, Phase II	362	61	—	423	Complete
CONCERN Rural Development Project	—	—	117	117	Active
Support for Elections—UNDP Trust Fund	—	448	40	488	Complete
Support to Illegal Logging Unit	—	—	200	200	Complete
HIV/AIDS Care in the Community Support	63	12	28	28	Active
VSO EQIP (Education) Project	—	—	11	11	Active
Small Grants Scheme: Projects	102	120	120	342	Active
UNDP Reconciliation Project, Anlong Veng	—	150	—	150	Complete
Demining	—	200	—	200	Complete
Humanitarian Mine Action	442	693	2,810	3,945	Active
Joint Funding Scheme	694	629	522	1,845	Active
Other	712	171	364	1,247	Active
Total	4,772	5,562	7,058	17,392

We have allocated £1.25 million to alleviate the suffering of flood victims in Cambodia. This includes £250,000 through the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), £500,000 through UNICEF and £500,000 for international non-governmental organisations. In addition, Cambodia will benefit from a part of the £600,000 allocated to the IFRC flood appeal for the Mekong region. We have contributed a further £125,000 as our share of the EU humanitarian aid package.A detailed statement on our support for development in Cambodia is contained in the Country Strategy Paper published in March this year. A copy is in the House of Commons Library.

Fishing (West Africa)

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the impact of fishing by western countries off the coast of West Africa on development in that region. [136622]

The Government have provided substantial support to countries of the West African region for the implementation of the international Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. This is a five-year programme which is being delivered through a partnership with the FAO and countries of the region. It will strengthen West African countries' capacities to manage their coastal fisheries. It is focused on the needs of small-scale, artisanal fishers and programme resources will be available to support those communities' impacted by the activities of foreign vessels.We are also undertaking a series of studies of the impact of foreign fishing on West Africa.

The table provides the detail on our funding and projects in Cambodia:

Health

Synthetic Human Antibody Research

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long he estimates it will take successfully to complete his Department's synthetic human antibody research; what is the estimated cost of completing the remaining research in the project; and if he will make a statement. [135691]

The Department is not undertaking synthetic antibody research.

Rothbury Community Hospital, Northumberland

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest estimate of the date by which work will have commenced on the new Rothbury Community Hospital, Northumberland. [136552]

The new community hospital at Rothbury is part of Phase II of the redevelopment of Wansbeck General Hospital. The Full Business Case for the scheme is in the final stages of approval and a decision is expected very soon. Until then, however, a definitive start date cannot be given.

Tinnitus

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the therapies and pharmacological solutions available on the NHS to counter the effects of tinnitus; and if he will commission research on this subject. [136202]

There are a number of therapies available to treat tinnitus. While maskers are available, which emit sounds that counteract the tinnitus noises, treatment currently focuses on an cognitive approach to the problem such as relaxation techniques to reduce stress levels, and listening to surf sound tapes to cover the tinnitus noises. Many patients manage their condition without medical intervention.There is currently no pharmacological solution available to treat tinnitus.The main agency through which we support medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). MRC always welcomes high-quality applications for support into any aspect of human health and these are judged in open competition with other demands on funding. Awards are made according to their scientific quality and importance to human health.The Department currently has no plans to commission any research on tinnitus in relation to its Policy Research Programme and National Health Service research and development programmes.

Nhs Patients

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instruct the Chief Executive of the NHS to provide patients with the option of a disclaimer allowing them to refuse treatment in private units. [137110]

The option of a disclaimer allowing patients to refuse treatment in private units is unnecessary.The concept of consent is implicit in the relationship between the general practitioner and the patient. The current Patient's Charter sets out the right

to be referred to a consultant acceptable to the patient, when the GP thinks it is necessary.

This means that the GP will advise of the consultant(s) he/she considers will give the best medical treatment, on the basis of clinical need and the expertise available, and the patient can choose which of those offered are acceptable.

If a patient is offered National Health Service treatment, which the GP in his/her professional opinion considers necessary, in a setting which the patient finds unacceptable and the patient decides not to take up that treatment, that is their choice.

Private Hospitals (Standards)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures the Government are taking to ensure high standards of (a) medical care, (b) personal care and (c) hygiene and cleanliness in private hospitals. [136842]

Independent healthcare is currently regulated under the Registered Homes Act 1984. We recognise the deficiencies with the present system and that it has not kept pace with the developments in independent healthcare over the past two decades. We are therefore putting in place a new modern regulatory framework for the independent healthcare sector, through the Care Standards Act 2000. One of the main elements of the Act is to establish a new independent body, the National Care Standards Commission, which will regulate independent hospitals to proper modern standards. The Act will put in place a regulatory system that will ensure the delivery of quality services, proper accountability by the provider, and flexibility to allow the regulatory framework to respond to developments in the healthcare field.

To ensure consistency and quality of service provision, the Commission will inspect against national minimum standards currently being developed for private acute hospitals having regard to those standards which already apply to National Health Service hospitals. This will ensure that patients can have confidence in the quality and safety of medical and personal care, hygiene and cleanliness. The development of the national minimum standards is being undertaken in consultation with patients, providers, inspectors, healthcare professionals and specialists. Once the standards are developed they will be the subject of a full public consultation in April 2001.

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to amend his Department's and the Food Standards Agency's departmental expenditure and running costs limit for 2000–01. [138157]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates for Class II, Votes 1 and 4 the overall Departmental Expenditure Limit for Class II which includes the Department of Health and the Foods Standard Agency, will be increased by £61,213,000 from £45,029,542,000 to £45,090,755,000.Of this increase the Department of Health Departmental Expenditure limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £49,616,000 from £44,948,272,000 to £44,997,888,000. The increase is the net effect of changes to Class II, Vote 1 (Hospital, community health, family health and related services, England) of £48,357,000 made up £50,000,000 from HM Treasury's Capital Modernisation Fund for Modernising Coronary Heart Disease services. In addition the following transfers will take place; £1,357,000 from the Scottish Executive, (£47,000) for the High Security Infectious Diseases Unit and (£1,310,000) for Out of Area Treatments. The overall increase is partially offset by a transfer of £3,000,000 to Class I, Vote 1 (Department for Education and Employment) for the Queen Mary Westfield Tomlinson merger.An increase of £1,256,000 for Class II, Vote 2 (Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health and personal social services, England) is the net effect of transfers (detailed below) and £6,500,000 take-up of end year flexibility (as set out in Table 7 of the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper "Cm 4812" published on 18 July 2000) and £1,795,000 (running costs) from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund, transfers of £75,000 (running costs) from Class IX, Vote 2 (Department of Trade and Industry: science) for the human genetics commission and £36,000 from Class IV, Vote 1 (Home Office administration, police, immigration and other services, England and Wales) for central treatment fund pilot projects. The overall increase is partially offset by transfers of £4,000,000 to Class I, Vote 1 (Department for Education and Employment: programmes and central services) for the standards fund, £3,000,000 to Class IV, Vote 1 (Home Office administration, police, immigration and other services, England and Wales) for unaccompanied asylum seeking children and £150,000 to Class III, Vote 2 (Environment, Transport and regions: Planning, roads, local transport and vehicle safety) for mobility centres.

Within the Departmental DEL there is also a transfer of £11,837,000 from Class II, Vote 2 (Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health and personal social services, England) to Class II, Vote 1 (Hospital, community health, family health and related services, England).

The Department of Health's gross running cost limit will be increased by £1,870,000 from £300,620,000 to £302,490,000 as detailed above.

The take-up of non-voted supplementary credit approvals for personal social services (DoH/LACAP) in England has increased by £3,000 from £18,700,000 to £18,703,000 in respect of take up of end-year flexibility entitlement as mentioned above.

The Food Standards Agency Departmental Expenditure limit will also be increased by £11,597,000 from £81,270,000 to £92,867,000. The increase is the net effect of the take-up of end-year flexibility of £8,366,000 (of which £1,000,000 is running costs) from the Department of Health, an allocation of £375,000 (of which £280,000 is running costs) from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund and transfers of £2,856,000 from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food comprising £1,600,000 (of which £350,000 is running costs) to cover set up costs of the Agency which fell in 2000–01 rather than 1999–2000 as originally planned, and £1,256,000 (of which £1,125,000 is running costs) for the additional responsibilities taken on by the Agency

The Food Standards Agency's gross running costs limit will increase by £2,755,000 from £104,835,000 to £107,590,000 as detailed above.

All increases will either be offset by transfers to or from other Departmental Expenditure Limits (detailed above) or charges to the DEL Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Social Services (Overspending)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports he has received this year from the Association of Directors of Social Services regarding overspending by local authorities on personal social services; and what the conclusions were of these reports. [137122]

I have not formally received a report from the Association of Directors of Social Services on this matter. However, the Department is in close touch with officers of the Association on a wide range of topics. The conclusions of any work by the Association on levels of spending on personal social services are a matter for the Association.

Community Hospitals

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the role of community hospitals in the NHS 10 year national plan. [137404]

The National Health Service Plan announced a major programme of investment in intermediate care and related services to promote independence and improved quality of care for older people.

As part of this investment, there will be 5,000 extra intermediate care beds by 2004, and the Plan makes it clear that some of these will be in community hospitals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what consideration he gave to the PFI bid to build a new community hospital in Lymington as a separate project from other community hospitals; [137403](2) for what reasons he rejected the PFI bid to build a new community hospital in Lymington; [137405](3) if he will make a statement about the future of the proposed new community hospital at Lymington. [137402]

Each private finance initiative (PFI) scheme is considered on its own merits and will only be approved if it is clearly demonstrated that the PFI option delivers better value for money to the National Health Service and the taxpayer when compared to the publicly funded alternative.Despite intensive efforts by the NHS, the Lymington Community Hospital PFI proposal did not produce a viable value for money solution. It was therefore decided to terminate negotiations with the PFI preferred bidder.The local NHS will now conduct a review with all key stakeholders to assess possible options to deliver the required facilities in Lymington. The outcome will be announced as soon as possible.

In-Patient Treatment

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were waiting for in-patient treatment for (a) cancer, (b) heart disease and (c) HIV and hepatitis in each of the last 10 years in the (i) Sutton and Cheam constituency and (ii) Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Health Authority. [134984]

[holding answer 6 November 2000): We do not hold all of the information in the format required. Data are collated by health authority as opposed to parliamentary constituency.Waiting lists for in-patient treatment for heart disease are held under cardiothoracic surgery and cardiology waiting lists. The figures for Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth are as follows. Data were collected only from 1996–97 onwards.

Total number of inpatients waiting for ordinary/daycase admission as at 31 March
Year	Cardiology	Cardiothoracic surgery
1996–97	260	84
1997–98	347	194
1998–99	313	156
1999–2000	350	149

Information on in-patient waiting times is collected by consultant speciality. Treatment for cancer, HIV and hepatitis is carried out in a number of specialities and the numbers waiting for treatment are therefore not identifiable separately.

Fresh Fruit And Vegetables

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the access to fresh fruit and vegetables to those living in areas with limited shopping facilities. [136587]

[holding answer 6 November 2000]: The National Health Service Plan published in July set out our plans to increase access to fruit and vegetables and make a healthy diet a real choice for everyone. We will work with producers, retailers and others to increase provision and access to fruit and vegetables, particularly in deprived communities, schools and hospitals.Five local five-a-day pilot initiatives are already underway in Sandwell, Somerset, Airedale and Craven, County Durham and Hastings. These projects aim to increase access to fruit and vegetables across the whole population, but all have a particular focus on improving access to fruit and vegetables for the worst off. The pilots are being carefully evaluated. Based on the lessons from these pilots, and evidence of effective interventions to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, these local initiatives will be developed across the country.The National School Fruit Scheme will make a free piece of fruit available to school children aged four to six each school day. Pilots will examine the practicalities of the scheme before national roll-out begins.

Hospital Mortuaries

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisation is responsible for setting the necessary minimum standard for hospital mortuaries. [137232]

[holding answer 7 November 2000]: Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd. (CPA) oversees accreditation of National Health Service pathology laboratories which include standards for mortuary and post mortem facilities. In addition, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carries responsibility for mortuaries in the same capacity as for any other hospital facility. The HSE's Health Services Advisory Committee is currently revising its publication "Safe working and the prevention of infection in the mortuary and post-mortem room".

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the NHS hospital mortuaries which fail to meet necessary minimum standards. [137236]

[holding answer 7 November 2000]: Hospital mortuaries are accredited as part of the National Health Service pathology services and are not separately identified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to establish that NHS hospital mortuaries meet the necessary minimum standard. [137233]

[holding answer 7 November 2000]: National Health Service pathology laboratory services have responsibility for the standard of hospital mortuaries, as part of accreditation. The Department supported the development of Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA) Ltd., the main accreditation body in the United Kingdom. CPA sets standards for laboratory services, inspects laboratories, including mortuaries, against the standards and reports to hospital chief executives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 2 November 2000, Official Report, column 603W, (1) when he expects remedial action to be taken to bring the mortuary at Trafford General Hospital to the necessary minimum standard; [137237](2) what funding will be provided to achieve the necessary minimum standards at the mortuary of Trafford General Hospital. [137238]

[holding answer 7 November 2000]: £8,550 was made available in 1998 to ensure that the mortuary at Trafford General Hospital met the minimum standards. As part of this process, work carried out included:

internal and external decoration;
work on the body stores (including replacement panels and thermometers);
a full steam clean;
a repair to the roof; as well as
a revamp of the relatives' viewing area.

Trafford Healthcare National Health Service Trust is now in the process of developing a business case for a new mortuary and has the support of the North West Regional Office of the NHS Executive, in doing so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 2 November 2000, Official Report, column 603W, what inquiries he has made into the reasons why expenditure on the mortuary at Trafford General Hospital in 1998 failed to bring the facility to the necessary minimum standard. [137239]

[holding answer 7 November 2000]: As a result of the funding made available in 1998, the current mortuary facilities at Trafford General Hospital do meet the minimum standards.Salford and Trafford Health Authority is satisfied that the facilities at Trafford General Hospital do not pose a risk to patients and staff alike. As in the rest of the hospital, infection control procedures are in place and are monitored regularly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the NHS hospital mortuaries which have been visited by Ministers in his Department since May 1997. [137240]

[holding answer 7 November 2000]: None of the current Ministers at the Department have so far been able to visit an NHS mortuary as part of their visits to the service. We will though keep this possibility in mind for future visit programmes.

Hospices

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what resources he plans to make available to help fund hospices.; [137251]

(2) if hospices will be eligible for financial help as part of the Government's commitment to cancer services. [137252]

[holding answer 7 November 2000]: We are committed to providing an additional £50 million for hospices by 2004 as announced in the National Health Service Cancer Plan published on 27 September. This will bring the total NHS spend on hospices to £150 million, which will be equal to the amount provided by the voluntary sector. The £50 million investment will be used to end inequalities in access to specialist palliative care and enable the NHS to make a more realistic contribution to the cost hospices incur in providing agreed levels of service.In order to ensure that the additional funding is allocated effectively and equitably, we will work with hospices and the NHS to define the core components of palliative care services.In addition to the £50 million there will be a further New Opportunities Fund initiative for community palliative care services over the period 2001–05. A consultation document was be published on 8 November 2000.

Osteopaths

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the working of the Osteopaths Act 1993 and the composition of the Council. [137118]

[holding answer 7 November 2000]: Members of Parliament raised a number of concerns about the operation of the Osteopaths Act and the composition of the General Osteopathic Council during an Adjournment debate in Westminster Hall on 25 October 2000. I undertook to investigate these concerns and am now doing so.

Cancer Screening Programmes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many lives are estimated to have been saved in each of the last three years in (a) Coventry, South and (b) nationally by (i) breast screening programmes, (ii) cervical screening programmes and (iii) cancer screening programmes. [136582]

[holding answer 6 November 2000]: There are currently two national screening programmes, for breast cancer and cervical cancer, and a pilot study which is investigating screening for colorectal cancer.No statistics are available to show how many lives were saved by breast and cervical screening in Coventry, South in the last three years.Research published in 1999 estimated that the NHS Cervical Screening Programme saved over 8,000 lives between 1988 and 1997. It is estimated to have prevented up to 3,900 cases of cervical cancer each year.No information is available on how many lives have been saved in total by all the cancer screening programmes.

Culture, Media And Sport

Ministerial Engagements

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions he has made official visits to (a) the opera and (b) the ballet since May 1997. [136392]

Since May 1997 I have attended 20 operas and six ballet performances in an official capacity. I have also attended numerous opera and ballet performances privately.

Sports Clubs

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received about (1) tax relief and exemptions for community and amateur sports clubs; and if he will make a statement; [135649](2) charitable status for community and amateur sports clubs; and if he will make a statement. [135648]

Since 21 June 2000, I have received representations from the following sports clubs and organisations regarding both tax exemptions and charitable status for community and amateur sports clubs; Sefton Sports Council, Thanet Local Sports Council, Waltham Forest Sports Council, Chelsfield Park Lawn Tennis Club, Blackpool and Fylde Fullbore Pistol and Rifle Club, Portcastrian Rugby Club, Saltash Rugby Football Club, Lymm Rugby Football Club, York Cricket & Rugby Union Football Club. I have also received a number of letters from members of the public. The CCPR and Sport England have also made representations on the benefits of tax exemptions as well as a number of MPs and sport people.

Lee Valley Stadium

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions (a) he and (b) the Minister for Sport have had with (i) members and (ii) representatives of the International Olympic Committee about the suitability of the proposed Lee Valley Stadium as a venue for track and field athletics and the opening and closing ceremonies of a London Olympic Games; and if he will make a statement. [134844]

[holding answer 26 October 2000]: Apart from discussions with Craig Reedie, in his capacity as Chair of the British Olympic Association, neither myself nor my right hon. Friend have discussed the proposed Lee Valley Stadium with representatives of the International Olympic Committee.

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to amend his Department's Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs limit for 2000–01. [138172]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XI, Vote 1, the DCMS Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) for 2000–01 will be increased by £15,679,000 from £1,014,886,000 to £1,030,565,000 and the running costs limit by £2,284,000 from £32,972,000 to £35,256,000.This is to provide for the use of £2,240,000 of the proceeds from the sale by the British Library of 25 Southampton Buildings for meeting commitments under the Comprehensive Spending Review to various national museums and galleries; and for the use of £521,000 of the sale proceeds for meeting commitments against research, surveys and other services; to provide £2,500,000 for the development of Culture On-Line; to take up DEL end-year flexibility of £10,405,000 on programme expenditure as set out in Table 7 of the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper (Cm 4812) published on 18 July 2000; a transfer of £950,000 from the Department for Education and Employment (Class I, Vote 14) for awards to dance and drama students; a transfer of £300,000 to the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions (Class III, Vote 4) for the maintenance of Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square following the transfer to the Greater London Authority from 1 October 2000; a payment of £210,000 from the Department of Trade and Industry (Class IX, Vote 1) for Sector Challenge funding of media projects; to take up DEL end-year flexibility of £1,448,000 on running costs expenditure as set out in Table 7 of the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper (Cm 4812) published on 18 July 2000; a transfer of £676,000 from the Cabinet Office for modernising Government expenses; and to provide for receipts of £1,816,000 from the National Lottery Distribution Fund to meet additional costs of the National Lottery Commission in the appointment of a new Lottery operator and the implementation of the licence.The increases will be offset by transfers, savings or a charge on the DEL Reserve, and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Scotland

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals there are to amend the Scotland Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs limit for 2000–01. [138204]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XIII, Vote I Scotland and Transfers to the Scottish Consolidated Fund, the Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) for 2000–01 will be increased by £428,073,000 from £14,877,655,000 to £15,305,728,000. As I previously announced to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee on 29 March 2000, the net running costs limit for the Scotland Office will be increased by £1,047,000 from £5,455,000 to £6,502,000 (net of receipts of £120,000).The changes in DEL include the take-up of end-year flexibility of £444,418,000, offset by a reduction of £32,583,000 for the recovery of European Structural Funds provision drawn forward from 2000–01 and other adjustments agreed in the context of Spending Review 2000; and transfers from the DEL reserve of £8,500,000 for additional funding for the Forestry Commission for lower than expected timber sales, and £150,000 for the Giving Age.

Also included in the revised DEL are transfers to and from other Government Departments amounting to a net increase of £12,619,000. These include;

(i) £13,454,000 from DfEE (Class I, Vote 1) for the Open University;

(ii) £2,527,000 from DSS (Class XII, Vote 3) for resettlement programmes;

(iii) £1,900,000 to MAFF (Class X, Vote 1) for cattle herd registration costs;

(iv) £120,000 to DSS (Class XII Vote 2) for housing benefit for intercalating students;

(v) £1,310,000 to DH (Class II, Vote 1) for the costs of Scottish residents treated in England.

The increase in DEL will be offset by transfers from other Departmental Expenditure Limits or from the DEL Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Prime Minister

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to change the Cabinet Office: Security and Intelligence Services Vote Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01. [138154]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Departmental Expenditure Limit for Class XVII, Vote 2 will be increased by £18,486,000 from £771,100,000 to £789,586,000 and the gross running cost limit will be increased by £10,455,000 from £412,193,000 to £422,648,000.The change is to effect the transfer of £687,000 from the Modernisation of Government Fund, the take up of the Treasury contribution of £16,790,000 towards a capital project, the take up of running costs end-year flexibility of £500,000 and the take up of other current expenditure end-year flexibility of £509,000.There will be an increase in Appropriations in Aid of £2,968,000 and a net increase in other current expenditure of £6,877,000.The increases in provision will be offset by increased receipts or charged to the Reserve and therefore will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Strategic Export Controls

To ask the Prime Minister what representations he received between November 1999 and November 2000 on (a) the timing and (b) the content of strategic export controls legislation from (i) non-Governmental organisations including voluntary and charitable groups, (ii) commercial interests, companies and trade organisations and (iii) other categories; and if he will make a statement. [136603]

I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the answer given to him today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

Northern Ireland

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to amend his Department's Departmental Expenditure Limits and the Northern Ireland Office expenditure limits for 2000–01. [138027]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XV, Vote 1 the Northern Ireland Office Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £96,362,000 from £1,025,202,000 to £1,121,564,000. The running costs limit will be increased by £37,490,000 from £227,371,000 to £264,861,000.An increase of £36,465,000 is required for costs associated with the implementation of the Patten Report, an additional £36,300,000 to cover prison officer redundancy costs, an increase of £1,390,000 in respect of costs arising from the Good Friday Agreement and £25,174,000 is required to cover increased costs of compensation payments under the various compensation schemes. Additionally £1,733,000 will be transferred from the Northern Ireland Departments DEL to cover costs incurred during the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Northern Ireland Departments DEL decreases from £5,201,636,000 to £5,199,903,000.At the time of the presentation of the Main Estimates the Northern Ireland Office DEL was overstated by £4,700,000 and this has been included in the revised DEL stated.These increases will be offset by a transfer from the Northern Ireland Departments DEL and a charge on the DEL Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Solicitor-General

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Solicitor-General what plans he has to amend the Law Officers' Department's Departmental Expenditure Limit and running costs limit for 2000–01. [138194]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates for Class V, Vote 4 (The Crown Prosecution Service) and Class V, Vote 6 (HM Procurator General and Treasury Solicitor) the Law Officers' Departments' departmental expenditure limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £18,486,000 from £351,061,000 to £369,547,000.The Crown Prosecution Service's running costs limit will be increased by £15,540,000 from £229,625,000 to £245,165,000. This increase is required to fund diversity and equality issues, a performance improvement programme, training for the Human Rights Act 1998 and pilots on direct communication of prosecution decisions with victims. An increase in capital expenditure of £2,650,000 will be used to fund joint CPS/police criminal justice and trial units, modernisation of the CPS information technology infrastructure and better integration with police IT systems.

HM Procurator General and Treasury Solicitor's running costs limit will increase by £260,000 from £6,172,000 to £6,432,000. The increase in running costs is to facilitate action being taken by Treasury Solicitor's Department as part of their Modernising Government Action Plan. The increase in capital expenditure of £36,000 will be used to fund continued expansion of the Department's IT systems.

The increases will be partly offset by a transfer of £4,650,000 from the Home Office, an allocation of £1,500,000 from the Capital Modernisation Fund, an allocation of £1,000,000 from the Invest to Modernise Fund and the surrender of £36,000 of the Law Officers' Departments' end year flexibility of £4,565,000 as set out in Table 7 of the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper Cm. 4812 published 18 July 2000. The remainder of the expenditure will be charged to the Reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Road Noise (A5)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the noise nuisance level to local residents of the surface of the A5 at Wibtoft on the Warwickshire/Leicestershire border. [136945]

I have been asked to reply.The noise level on the A5 at Wibtoft has been calculated at 75.77db(A). This is below the defined noise level of 80db(A) which forms part of the sift criteria for dealing with traffic noise on existing trunk roads. May I refer the hon. Member to the written answer on noise mitigation given on 22 March 1999,

Official Report, columns 50–51W.

Gm Food

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been taken to ensure that prohibited GM foods do not enter the UK market. [137349]

I have been asked to reply.The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has written to food manufactures, retailers and local authorities pointing out that it is an offence under the Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients Regulations 1997 to sell foods containing non-approved genetically modified ingredients. Prosecution is a matter for local authorities.

Flax And Hemp

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if subsidy for growing flax and hemp is paid to farmers on the basis of the area harvested or the area planted. [135502]

[holding answer 1 November 2000]: The amount of flax and hemp subsidy paid is based on the smallest total area declared by the grower on the following documents:

the IACS declaration (area planted)
the Cultivation Declaration (area emerged)
the Harvest Declaration (area harvested).

The areas declared may be subject to a reduction following field inspections by officials of the Agriculture departments.

Sheep Dips

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the chemicals licensed for the purpose of dipping sheep; and what research he has carried out into the effects of each of these chemicals, and the solutions contained in them, used for dipping sheep, on (a) humans, (b) soil and aquatic life and (c) sheep, with particular reference to genetic damage caused. [136207]

The exact formulations of veterinary medicinal products are subject to commercial confidentiality. The only active ingredients authorised for use in sheep dips in the UK are diazinon, flumethrin, cypermethrin, high-cis cypermethrin and amitraz.No veterinary medicine is authorised in the UK unless it meets statutory criteria for safety, quality and efficacy. This includes assessments of the risk to humans, to animals and to the environment. All of the active ingredients currently authorised for use in sheep dips have been through such assessments and have been shown to be non-genotoxic in a range of suitable assays.

Baytril

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the resistance conferring antibiotic Baytril used in treating growing turkeys and chickens. [137179]

Baytril 10 per cent. Oral Solution is an authorised veterinary medicinal product. It is used only under veterinary supervision to treat bacterial diseases of the respiratory and alimentary tracts in turkeys, broilers, broiler breeders and replacement chickens. No veterinary medicinal product may be marketed in the UK unless it meets stringent criteria of safety, quality and efficacy. For any new antibiotic, data are required to demonstrate the possibility of the development of resistance in susceptible organisms.The advice of the independent Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) will be sought urgently on the decision by the US Food and Drug Agency's Center for Veterinary Medicines to prohibit the use in poultry of enrofloxacin, the active ingredient of Baytril. Action will be taken on the advice of the VPC.

Farm Incomes

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average farmer's income (a) in Wales and (b) broken down by the smallest regional level for which figures are available, in each of the last five years. [136839]

The information requested is given in the table. The data are not available at a smaller regional level.

Table 1: Average net farm income for full-time farm businesses in Wales
Net farm income (average per farm)	£000
1994–95	11.6
1995–96	23.2
1996–97	18.7
1997–98	11.4
1998–99	5.8

Source:

Farm Business Survey

Flooding (Lewes)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he proposes to take to aid the business community affected by the recent floods in Lewes. [136567]

[holding answer 6 November 2000]: I have the utmost sympathy for all those affected by the flooding but no Government assistance is available, either to householders or businesses, as flooding is an insurable risk.I have written to my hon. Friend the Paymaster General to bring to her attention the concerns expressed by the hon. Member, during the Adjournment Debate on 25 October, about deadlines for VAT and tax returns.

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to amend the Forestry Commission's Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01. [138192]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class X, Vote 3 (Forestry Commission) the Forestry Commission's Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £18,040,000 from £58,025,000 to £76,065,000 £12,600,000 of the increase is the net effect of a fall in receipts from sales of timber offset by savings in other net expenditure, and a further £740,000 has been awarded from the Civil Service Modernisation Fund. These increases totalling £13,340,000 will be a a charge on the Departmental Expenditure Limit Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.An award of £4,700,000 from the Capital Modernisation fund brings the total additional requirement to £18,040,000.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes are proposed to the Departmental Expenditure Limit for his Department for 2000–01. [138191]

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will be increased by £205,550,000 from £1,157,390,000 to £1,362,859,000.The increase is the net effect of an Intervention Board (IB) increase of £5.393 million arising from delayed costs associated with IT systems and services, the introduction of facilities to UK traders across certain schemes to receive payment in euros in line with the ministerial statement of November 1998 and increased levels of charges paid to agents; and MAFF increases of £54.3 million to implement the Action Plan for Farming; £2.669 million for successful projects under Modernising Government initiatives; £30 million in lieu of End-Year Flexibility (EYF); transfers from the Scotland Office (SERAD) and the Wales Office (NAWAD) totalling £3 million relating to work on the Cattle Herd Registration Scheme; £13 million for implementing the Agenda 2000 reforms; and £9.735 million to repay advances from the Contingencies Fund and a further £90.309 million provision in respect of payments in 1999–2000 and 2000–01 arising out of the Factortame Judgment. These increases are offset by transfers to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) totalling £2.856 million, being their share of MAFF's EYF and funding for work transferred to the Agency following its formation in April 2000.Within the DEL there will be a transfer of £14 million from MAFF to IB to cover the costs of the Pig Welfare (Disposal) Scheme.

Chardon Ll Hearing

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Chapman) of 1 November 2000, Official Report, columns 472–73W, if he will make a further statement on the Chardon LL Hearing. [138193]

In agreement with Agriculture Ministers in the devolved Administrations, we have asked Mr. Alun Alesbury—the person appointed to conduct the Hearing—to consider adjourning the Chardon LL Hearing until further notice pending further consideration of the testing system used by France to establish distinctness, uniformity and stability.Details of the French testing system were given in the MAFF press notice of 31 October. Other member states in the EU also rely on French data, and the views of the Commission on the status of the French procedures are being sought.

Trawlers

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many trawlers operate under the UK flag with quota; and what was the figure in May 1997. [137418]

As of May 1997 there were some 7,546 licensed UK fishing vessels, of which 2,360 were over 10 metres in overall length. In October 2000 the number of licensed vessels was 6,690, of which 1,939 were over 10 metres.

Cod Catch

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of cod caught in British waters is caught and landed by British trawlers. [137419]

The information requested is not recorded.

The United Kingdom has 47 per cent. of the EC cod quota in ICES area IV (North Sea), 53 per cent. in ICES area VI (West Scotland), 43 per cent. in ICES area VIIa (Irish Sea) and 8 per cent. area VIIb-k (English Channel and Western approaches).

Fish Conservation

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he will take to conserve stocks of (a) John Dory, (b) anchovy, (c) pilchard and (d) bream. [137417]

The revised EC Technical Conservation Regulation 850/98 which came into operation on 1 January 2000 imposes the following requirements for the species named:

Species	Towed gear mesh size¹ (mm)	Fixed gear mesh size¹ (mm)	MLS² (cm)
John Dory	80–99	—	—
Anchovy	16–31	—	—
Pilchard	16–31	10–30	11
Bream	80–99	—	—
¹ These bands represent the minimum mesh allowed
² Minimum landing size

Home Department

Far East Prisoners Of War

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many former prisoners of war in the Far East are still alive and reside (a) in the constituency of North West Norfolk and (b) the county of Norfolk. [136796]

[holding answer 6 November 2000]: I have been asked to reply.I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which my hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces gave on 18 January 2000,

Official Report, column 398W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice).

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for changes to the 2000–01 departmental expenditure limits and running costs limits within his responsibility. [138028]

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the Departmental Expenditure limit, which covers Class IV Vote 1 (Home Office administration, police, probation, immigration and other services, England and Wales) and Vote 2 (Prisons, England and Wales), will be increased by £756,420,000 from £8,110,836,000 to £8,867, 256,000. The running costs limit will be increased by £177,549,000 from £2,176,135,000 to £2,353,684,000.The changes are the net effect of the following transfers: £1,000,000 from the DEL Reserve for a project to develop criminal justice IT interface systems; £273,000 to the Lord Chancellor's Department (Class V Vote 1) in respect of a project to develop criminal justice IT interface systems; £150,000 from the Capital Modernisation Fund for funding criminal justice system interface development; £150,000 to the Crown Prosecution Service (Class V Vote 4) for criminal justice system interface development; £275,000 to the Department of Trade and Industry (Class IX Vote 1) in respect of crime reduction programmes; £166,000 to the Welsh Assembly (Class XIV Vote 1) for crime reduction teams; £3,000,000 from the DEL Reserve for confiscated assets; £45,000 to the Department for Education and Employment (Class 1 Vote 3) in respect of the evaluation of the progress drug project; £150,000 to the Department for Education and Employment (Class 1 Vote 3) in respect of the recovery employment project; £1,118,000 from the Capital Modernisation Fund for expenditure on DNA; £492,000 to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Class III Vote 1) for the rough sleepers initiative; £36,000 to the Department of Health (Class II Vote 2) for central treatment fund pilot projects; £352,000 from the Capital Modernisation Fund for grant to the Police Information Technology Organisation for the interface development fund; £303,000 to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (Class III Vote 8) for improvements in the motor registration system; £150,000 to the Welsh Assembly (Class XIV Vote 1) in respect of locks for pensioners; £1,500,000 from the DEL Reserve in relation to the setting up of the Electoral Commission; £150,000 from the DEL Reserve in respect of cross funding for voluntary bodies; £5,556,000 from the DEL Reserve for the Kosovo humanitarian evacuation programme; £666,000,000 from the DEL Reserve for asylum support including unaccompanied asylum seeking children; £113,000 to the Lord Chancellor's Department (Class V Vote 1) in respect of the Immigration Services Tribunal; £3,000,000 from the Department of Health (Class II Vote 2) for asylum support to unaccompanied asylum seeking children; £5,000,000 from the DEL Reserve for research relating to crime reduction programme and anti drugs strategy; £6,000,000 from the DEL Reserve for administrative support costs; £3,747,000 from the civil service modernisation fund; £16,000,000 from the DEL Reserve for the Kosovo special grant; £46,000,000 from the DEL Reserve for police modernisation.The increase in the Department's running costs limit is the net effect of the following transfers: £728,000 from the DEL Reserve for a project to develop criminal justice IT interface systems; £273,000 to the Lord Chancellor's Department in respect of a project to develop criminal justice IT interface systems; £110,000 to the Department of Trade and Industry in respect of crime reduction programmes; £166,000 to the Welsh Assembly for crime reduction teams; £596,000 from the DEL Reserve in relation to setting up the Electoral Commission; £167,252,000 from the DEL Reserve for asylum support; £113,000 to the Lord Chancellor's Department in respect of the Immigration Services Tribunal; £6,000,000 from the DEL Reserve for administrative costs; £3,635,000 from the civil service modernisation fund.These changes will be offset by transfers or a charge on the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Controlled Drugs

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to issue guidance to Ministers in his Department on disclosing information relating to the use of controlled drugs. [136481]

I have no such plans.

Myra Hindley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters he has received (a) supporting and (b) opposing the continued imprisonment of Myra Hindley, since May 1997. [136388]

Prison Service records show that since May 1997 a total of 754 letters have been received from members of the public about Myra Hindley's case. Information on the number of letters which have supported or opposed her continued imprisonment is not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Police Visibility (Public Places)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with ACPO about improving the visibility of the police in public places. [136463]

I announced to the ACPO Rural Policing Conference in Lincoln on 6 November that I am discussing with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities, how each police authority might better inform the public about the steps it is taking to maintain and improve police visibility and effectiveness in all parts of England and Wales.

Com (2000) 495

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards delineating along national lines areas of competence in which each state may determine future criminal law rules, in the context of 13.2 of Corn (2000) 495. [136470]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to his previous questions about Corn (2000) 495 on 1 November 2000, Official Report, column 519W. At present, we see difficulty in laying down rigid or binding rules for preventing conflicts of jurisdiction between the European Union member states. The experience of Eurojust will help the member states to determine what action is required, if any.

Metropolitan Police

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the head of the Recruitment Task Force of the Metropolitan police about his policy on recruiting people previously rejected as below standard. [136477]

I can confirm that no Home Office Minister or official has had any discussions with the Head of the Metropolitan Police Recruitment Task Force.

I understand however that the Metropolitan Police Service's (MPS) Recruitment Task Force has conducted a full review of the minimum standards applied to recruitment with the intention of bringing MPS standards into line with other police forces in the United Kingdom. This has resulted in significant changes being made to align standards to make them more focused to the current needs of the Service and address issues of equal opportunities.

The MPS's guidelines on age, qualifications, convictions, debts, tattoos and employment history requirements have been amended. As a result, applications made during the previous 12 months have been revisited and a number of applicants previously rejected have been invited to resume their applications to join the MPS as a constable.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the (a) establishment and (b) actual available officer numbers for each Metropolitan police divisional force for the last year period for which statistics are available; and if he will make a statement. [134990]

[holding answer 6 November 2000]: The information requested has been provided by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service. Each division of the Metropolitan police has a Police Budgeted Workforce Total which is set at 1 April. The divisional strength figures are those for 31 October 2000. Actual divisional strength fluctuates because of wastage and recruitment variations.At the end of October 2000, the Metropolitan police had 25,267 police officers. Those not assigned to Divisions, of which there are 8,855, are on other duties, such as specialist squads, traffic division and other centralised operational support and organisational support functions. Many of these officers will in their other functions be available to enhance the policing of divisions.

Metropolitan police: Budgeted workforce total and actual strength
Division	Police budgeted workforce total¹	Actual police numbers at 31 October 2000¹
City of Westminster	1,580	1,519.4
Kensington and Chelsea	557	522.5
Hammersmith and Fulham	517	490.7
Camden	671	646
Islington	554	528.9
Harrow	295	283.5
Brent	602	584.2
Barnet	517	483.3
Ealing	611	593.3
Hillingdon	376	356.5
Haringey	533	529.2
Hackney	673	644.7
Tower Hamlets	548.5	524.3
Waltham Forest	453	431.6
Redbridge	390	381.3
Havering	320.2	295.6
Newham	582.6	566.7
Barking and Dagenham	278.5	257.8
Enfield	478	450.6
Southwark	801	769.7
Lewisham	584	571.2
Bromley	440	415.8
Greenwich	586	568.2
Bexley	310	301.4
Croydon	549	560.7

Metropolitan police: Budgeted workforce total and actual strength
Division	Police budgeted workforce total¹	Actual police numbers at 31 October 2000¹
Sutton	254	267.6
Lambeth	875	849.2
Richmond upon Thames	260	254.7
Hounslow	411	400.5
Kingston upon Thames	257	247.5
Merton	290	275.5
Wandsworth	555.3	541.6
Total	16,709.1	16,113.7
Heathrow Airport²	304	298.3
Divisional Total	17,013.1	16,412
¹ Figures are full-time equivalents
² These police posts are paid for by Heathrow Airport Plc.

European Elections

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the reasons for the low turnout at the 1999 European elections. [136412]

The 'Review of the European Parliamentary Elections 1999', published by the Home Office in May this year, includes a lengthy assessment of the causes of the low turnout at that election. A copy is available in the Library; it is also accessible on the Home Office website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Eu Administrative Law

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those areas of administrative law for which he supports the establishment of common minimum standards at EU level. [136467]

Where the European Union (EU) Treaties provide for EU-level co-operation in areas of administrative law, the United Kingdom would support measures based on the establishment of common minimum standards on a case-by-case basis where they provided the most appropriate means of co-operation.

Scarman Centre

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what links the Scarman Centre has with police forces in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [136466]

The Scarman Centre has various formal and informal links with United Kingdom police services.The Scarman Centre provides accreditation and some academic input for the International Commanders Programme, which is run by the International Police Studies Department at National Police Training, Bramshill. The Centre also provides the academic framework for the new-style Accelerated Promotion Course (APC) which began in September 2000 and will be the awarding body for the MSc in Police Leadership and Management which may be awarded to students who successfully complete the whole APC programme.The Scarman Centre has links with West Midlands Police who are providing consultancy to a Department for an International Development funded research project being conducted in Russia on crime reduction. The Centre also has links with the Metropolitan Police who are providing consultancy to a Foreign Office funded research project being conducted in the Ukraine on community policing.The Scarman Centre maintains informal contacts for the purposes of research with a number of police forces in England and Wales.Under the terms of the Home Office contract with Ionann Management Consultants Limited for the provision of Community and Race Relations training to the police service, the Scarman Centre is providing independent research and evaluation of the effectiveness of the Community and Race Relations training and consultancy being provided by Ionann.In addition the Scarman Centre has police officers enrolled on its degree programme in policing, criminal justice, security management and risk, crisis and disaster management.

Young Offenders Institutions

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the average number of out of cell hours for juveniles and young offenders on remand in each young offenders unit in England; [136657](2) what is the average number of out of cell hours for convicted juveniles and young offenders in Feltham Young Offenders Unit and for each of the other young offenders units in England. [136547]

The Prison Service does not collect separately the number of out of cell hours for sentenced and remand prisoners.The table gives the average weekday time out of cell for September 2000 for all prisoners in those establishments in England which hold male juveniles or young offenders. Figures are provisional and subject to validation by prisons.

Establishment holding male juveniles or young offenders	Average hours out of cell weekdays¹
Altcourse	13
Ashfield	12
Aylesbury	8
Brinsford	6
Castington	9.9
Chelmsford	8
Deerbolt	10.1
Doncaster	11
Dorchester	11
Dover	8.3
Exeter	8
Feltham	8
Forest Bank	12
Glen Parva	5.1
Gloucester	9
Guys Marsh	8
Hatfield	13.3
Hindley	7.2
Hollesley Bay	²—
Hull	8.5
Huntercombe	9
Lancaster Farms	7.2
Lewes	9.3
Moorland	9
Northallerton	6.4

Establishment holding male juveniles or young offenders	Average hours out of cell weekdays¹
Norwich	8.6
Onley	11.5
Parc	8.4
Portland	10.3
Reading	8.2
Rochester	8
Stoke Heath	10
Swansea	9
Swinfen Hall	10.1
Thorn Cross	12.5
Wetherby	10
Werrington	10.8
¹ September 2000
² Not appropriate—open prison

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the offences for which juveniles and young offenders on remand in Feltham Young Offenders Unit have been charged over the last two years. [136653]

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is held on the previous convictions of remand and convicted prisoners in Feltham Young Offenders Unit. [136524]

Details of previous convictions are obtained either from the court or from the Police National Computer and held on the individual prisoner's file.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of juveniles and young offenders in Feltham Young Offenders Unit sharing a cell designed for one person (a) at the latest date for which figures are available and (b) for each quarter since 1999. [136659]

The information is in the table:

	Number
September 1999	78
December 1999	0
March 2000	26
June 2000	24
2 November 2000	24

Only young offenders share cells designed for one person.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many juveniles were on remand in Feltham Young Offenders Unit in each quarter since January 1999; and what percentage they constitued of the total number of prisoners; [136651](2) how many offenders between 18 and 21–years-old are on remand in Feltham Young Offenders Unit for each quarter year since January 1999 in

(a) actual terms and (b) as a percentage of the total number of prisoners. [136667]

The information requested is given in the table.

Population¹ of young offenders on remand² at HMP Feltham
	Age		Percentage of total population in HMP Feltham
Date/last day of month	15–17	18–21	15–17	18–21
1999
31 March	111	275	13	33
30 June	126	261	16	33
30 September	112	337	14	41
31 December	100	283	13	37
2000
31 March	91	286	12	38
30 June	164	288	23	40
30 September	166	293	23	40
¹ Provisional figures
² Includes untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies he has conducted into the benefits of staffing young offender units with officers specifically trained in child and youth care. [136548]

There have been no formal studies of the benefits of training staff who work with young offenders in child and youth care. However, both the Prison Service and the Youth Justice Board recognise the value of ensuring that staff working with young offenders have appropriate training.Joint training, commissioned by the Youth Justice Board, has been undertaken by staff working with young offenders in the juvenile secure estate. This included Youth Offending Team staff as well as those working in Prison Service establishments, Local Authority Secure Units and Secure Training Centres.The recruitment process for new prison officers to work in the under-18 estate has also been enhanced with additions to the competence questionnaire which forms part of the application form, and additional exercises at the job simulation assessment centres.The Prison Service also trains staff in understanding adolescence through a programme designed by the Trust for the Study of Adolescence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines his Department has issued on the sharing of cells by inmates in young offender institutions. [136658]

Prison Service policy on cell sharing and the separation of different classes of prisoner remains as set out in Instruction to Governors 48–1995 issued on 11 May 1995, a copy of which is in the Library.Following the murder in March of a young offender in his cell by his cellmate in Her Majesty's Young Offender Institution Feltham, the establishment immediately introduced a risk assessment system to try to prevent a recurrence. The Prison Service has refined that system in the light of experience with a view to introducing it at other prison establishments.More generally, we are currently looking at several ways to make prison establishments as a whole safer places. The Prison Service will shortly be launching the safer prisons standard which emphasises this "whole prison" approach: it will not only set out required actions on the reduction of violence and bullying in establishments, but will also look at the care of prisoners and staff/prisoner relationships.The Prison Service has also improved the way in which the risk posed by individual prisoners is conveyed. The revised Prisoner Escort Record (PER), which accompanies every prisoner from court or when they are moved from another prison, is used to highlight different risk factors, including violence, potential hostage taking, racist behaviour or crimes such as stalking/harassing or sexual offences. The new guidance issued at the same time highlights the importance of ensuring this information is passed as soon as possible to the relevant staff and is used to inform decisions about, for instance, first night risk assessment and accommodation issues.

Stasi (British Agents)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of whether all information relevant to British secret Stasi agents has been made available by the United States from its Operation Rosewood archive; [136248](2) if he will make a statement about Security Service investigations into the monitoring of

(a) pro-NATO activists and (b) the former Social Democratic Party by British Stasi agents; [136252]

(3) what use was made of information gained in Operation Rosewood to acquire further evidence against British Stasi spies in order to pursue prosecutions; [136266]

(4) if files obtained by the UK security services showing the identities of British agents of the Stasi will be preserved for the future use of historians; [136267]

(5) for what reason no action has been taken against any British agents now known to have covertly worked for the East German Intelligence Service. [136250]

I can add nothing further to the written answer that I gave the hon. Member on 2 November 2000, Official Report, column 610W. On the question of the release of Security Service files into the public domain, I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for City of Chester (Ms Russell) on 29 July 1998, Official Report, columns 251–54W. It would not be appropriate to comment further on the work of the security and intelligence agencies.

Police (Lancashire)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 4 April 2000, Official Report, column 445W, on Lancashire Police, what changes in (a) to (d) have occurred since 4 April. [136860]

The Lancashire Constabulary does not have a target establishment. I understand from the Chief Constable that there were 3,229 police officers in the Lancashire Constabulary on 6 November 2000. She has also told me that on the same day, 165 police officers were recorded by the Constabulary as absent from duty through sickness and 135 officers had formal restrictions placed upon the range of duties they are physically or psychologically able to perform. This latter figure does not include temporary arrangements made locally within the force as and when required.

The number of officers reported to be on light duties has changed significantly since the figure reported in my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary's answer to the right hon. Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack) on 4 April 2000, Official Report, column 445W. The Chief Constable informs me that this is due to changes in the definition of light duties by the force, which now also defines recuperative and restricted duties as "light duties".

Certificate Of Identity

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in which countries with which the UK maintains diplomatic relations, the Home Office Certificate of Identity is accepted as a valid travel document by the relevant authorities; [135758](2) if he will urgently replace, for grantees of exceptional leave to remain, the Home Office Certificate of Identity with a travel document accepted by all other EU member states. [135998]

The Home Office Certificate of Identity (CID) is a travel document issued to foreign nationals, other than refugees, who are resident in the United Kingdom and cannot obtain a passport from their national authorities. This type of document is not issued under an international convention but on a discretionary basis. The CID, which guarantees the holder return to the United Kingdom, has traditionally been widely accepted for travel and, as far as I am aware, still is. However, it is for the authorities of each country to decide whether they will accept the CID as a valid form of travel document and, in this connection, I am aware that a number of European Union partners are no longer doing so. My officials are in discussion with colleagues from the European Union countries concerned in order to identify their particular concerns and, if possible, give assurances, which might encourage them to accept the CID for travel.There are no proposals to replace the CID, which was created specifically to meet the travel needs of that category of foreign national described. The issue is one of acceptability of the document rather than replacement and it is that which we are addressing with our European partners.

Firearms

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action the Government are taking to reduce the availability and use of illegally held firearms; and if he will make a statement. [135808]

[holding answer 30 October 2000]: The Government are committed to supporting the police and Her Majesty's Customs in their work to combat illegal firearms. Measures that form part of our strategy to deal with illegal firearms include:

Good security of legally held firearms to prevent them from being stolen;

Stricter controls on de-activated weapons to prevent them being restored to working order. The Firearms Consultative Committee (FCC) has put forward a range of proposals for improving controls on deactivated firearms;

Proactive intelligence gathering on sources of weapons used in crime through the Forensic Science Service (FSS), the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) and HM Customs and Excise;

Stronger intelligence sharing between the enforcement authorities and the reputable gun trade;

Targeted policing measures against particular groups of criminals associated with armed violence, for example known armed robbers;

Local and possibly national amnesties to reduce the number of illegal guns in the 'grey market' which might fall into criminal hands;

The establishment of a national database of certificate holders and the possibility of recording the registration details of all legally-held firearms.

The Government are also supporting international efforts to negotiate a United Nations protocol against the illicit manufacture of and trafficking in firearms.While firearms crime is a serious problem, it remains a small proportion of overall crime figures. Action against illegal firearms should not and will not be taken in isolation from other criminal activities that may be linked with the illegal possession of firearms, for example the drugs trade.

Asylum Seekers

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to encourage the return of Kosovans from the UK to Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [136797]

Since the peace agreement was signed in Kosovo in June 1999, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has judged that it is safe for the majority of Kosovan Albanians to return to Kosovo.The focus of Government policy toward those Kosovan Albanians who came to the United Kingdom either under the Humanitarian Evacuation Programme (HEP) or independently has been and continues to be to encourage and assist their voluntary return to Kosovo. To this end a permanent Kosovan voluntary assisted return programme was funded which ran from 26 July 1999 to 25 June 2000. This has been followed by a general voluntary assisted returns programme open to all nationalities including Kosovans which provides returnees with advice and a return air ticket.

Labour Conference, Brighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much grant was given to Sussex Police for the cost of policing this year's Labour Party Conference at Brighton. [136551]

The Sussex Police Authority will receive a special grant of up to £1.6 million towards the additional costs they expect to incur in connection with the policing of this year's Labour Party Conference. The grant will be paid on receipt of the Police Authority's formal claim. This is normally received towards the end of the financial year.

Travellers

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to amend the law relating to travellers. [136410]

Chapter 5 of the joint Home Office and Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions guidance document "Managing Unauthorised Camping" has been revised and published in order to clarify the confusing issue of "toleration" of unauthorised encampments of travellers. Further research is being undertaken into the effectiveness of the guidance, which will inform any further changes.While I would not rule out new legislation if that proved necessary to deal with nuisance and crime associated with unauthorised encampments, I am not at present convinced that changes in the law are required.

Money Laundering

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the organisations under his control which he will assign to the National Centre for Combating Money Laundering as set out in section B.8 of the Justice and Home Affairs Meeting on 17 October. [136472]

The joint Council of European Union Justice, Finance and Interior Ministers, held in Luxembourg on 17 October, endorsed the need for the fight against money laundering to be conducted on the basis of a multi disciplinary and co-ordinated preventive and repressive approach. The joint Council also concluded that, if this were appropriate, this objective should be achieved in Member States through the creation, or strengthening, of national multi-disciplinary bodies specifically dedicated to the fight against money laundering. The Government are satisfied that in the United Kingdom these objectives are fully met by the Economic Crime Unit of the National Criminal Intelligence Service and that no organisational or other changes will be necessary.

Banking Secrecy

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the effect on banking secrecy of the conclusions of the Justice and Home Affairs Council of 17 October. [136386]

The joint Council of European Union Justice, Interior and Finance Ministers on 17 October reaffirmed the view that bank secrecy should not be able to be invoked in the member states to frustrate criminal investigations. The Government fully share that view and, under United Kingdom law, evidence can be obtained, if necessary by means of a court order, regardless of any question of bank secrecy.

Political Groups (Foreign Funding)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to investigate funding of political groups in the UK by foreign intelligence agencies, with particular reference to the former Communist Party of Great Britain. [136265]

The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill will ban the foreign funding of political parties in the United Kingdom.

Cannabis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health on the advantages and disadvantages of legalising cannabis. [136233]

I have had no such discussions.

Hinduja Family

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account he took of the investigations into the involvement of members of the Hindiya family in the Bofors scandal in India, when he approved G. P. Hindiya's and S. P. Hindiya's applications for British citizenship in 1998 and 1999. [136264]

I presume the hon. Member is referring to the applications for naturalisation made by Mr. G. P. Hinduja and Mr. S. P. Hinduja.We were aware of allegations involving members of the Hinduja family made in 1990 but no action had been taken regarding them, by the time the decisions were made.

Freemasons

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that police officers must disclose whether they are freemasons. [136276]

My right hon. Friend will make a decision about this following the current Home Office consultation of the police service about how to make acceptable arrangements for registration and disclosure of freemasonry membership by police officers. A copy of the consultation document has been placed in the Library.

Wheel Clamping

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce measures to regulate wheel clamping on private property. [136668]

In the White Paper "The Government's Proposals for Regulating the Private Security in England and Wales", issued last year, we announced proposals to regulate wheel dampers as part of a package of statutory measures for the private security industry as a whole. We have been considering the responses we received to the White Paper and will introduce legislation as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Race Relations (Amendment) Bill

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the provisions of the Race Relations (Amendment) Bill will alter the responsibilities of chief officers of police to ensure that ethnic officers and civilian staff have fair treatment and equal opportunities for promotion and for allocation to specialist units. [137205]

The provisions of the Race Relations (Amendment) Bill will, once enacted, impact upon the responsibilities of Chief Officers of Police in a number of ways. First, they will make it unlawful for them and their officers to racially discriminate when enforcing the law. They are already covered with regard to their employment function and to the extent to which they provide goods, facilities and services. Secondly, Chief Officers of Police will be made vicariously liable for acts of racial discrimination by officers under their direction and control. Thirdly, Police Authorities are made subject in the Bill to the new duty to be placed upon specified public authorities to work towards the elimination of unlawful racial discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups. This duty will cover functions performed by Chief Officers' of Police other than operational ones by virtue of their implementation of Policing Plans under the Police Act 1996. Consideration is currently being given to whether Chief Officers of Police should be listed themselves in respect of their operational functions which fall outside those plans, using the order making powers contained at section 71(5) of the Bill.The Bill will therefore reinforce the responsibilities of Chief Officers of Police to ensure that ethnic minority police officers and civilian staff and, indeed, members of the public are not discriminated against on racial grounds.

Duke Of Buccleough

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available records relating to the wartime internment of the Duke of Buccleough; and if he will make a statement. [136949]

I understand that the Home Office does not hold any records relating to the Duke of Buccleough.

Stop And Search Powers

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for each of the police forces which have declared areas for use of stop and search powers under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 during this year, what has been the largest area to which the powers have been applied. [137171]

This information is not collated centrally. Use of powers under section 60 is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police.

Oakington Reception Centre

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum cases have been housed in Oakington reception centre; and what the outcome was of the decisions made in these cases. [136920]

Since the Oakington reception centre opened on 20 March, it has housed 1,935 principal applicants and 310 dependants up to 27 October. At that date, 1,611 decisions had been made on the asylum claims lodged by the applicants, of which 1,595 were refused and 16 granted either refugee status or exceptional leave.

Criminal Certificates

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the three new criminal certificates will be required by (a) a person seeking employment as a teacher in a primary school, (b) a person applying for employment with the police service and (c) a person seeking a position of responsibility within the Scout Movement; and if he will make a statement. [136801]

[holding answer 6 November 2000]: Part V of the Police Act 1997, under which the Criminal Records Bureau is being established, does not impose a requirement for criminal record checks. The type of certificate for which a person will be eligible will essentially be determined on a case-by-case basis, measuring the particular circumstances of a position against the criteria. A school teacher would plainly be eligible for the highest level of certificate—an enhanced criminal record certificate—under the criterion of regularly caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of persons aged under 18.Many within the Scout movement would also be eligible for the enhanced level of certificate, although the matter would depend upon the precise nature of the duties and responsibilities. In practice, it is expected that police officers will continue to be subject to separate vetting arrangements, which include additional and more vigorous checks not appropriate to most other occupations.

Criminal Offence Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal offences were reported in (a) England and (b) Wales in each of the last 10 years in areas defined as rural and urban. [136745]

[holding answer 6 November 2000]: Details of crime reported to the police are not available. Figures of crimes recorded by the police are collected by police force area. These can include both urban and rural areas, and it is therefore not possible to give the figures requested for crime recorded by the police in rural and urban areas.However, the British Crime Survey (BCS) does draw a distinction between rural and urban areas. As the sample size in Wales is insufficient to provide a reliable estimate for the area, the figures given are for England and Wales as a whole. The BCS asked about crime reported to the police but estimates of these over time in rural and other areas would also be insufficiently reliable. The figures are on a per capita basis for selected offences since 1991, and are as follows:

BCS incident rates 1991–99 for burglary, vehicle-related thefts and violent crime
	1991	1993	1995	1997	1999
Burglary incidents per 10,000 households
Rural	368	481	468	429	343
Non-rural	781	976	938	859	662
Vehicle-related thefts per 10,000 vehicle owning households
Rural	1,660	1,983	2,052	1,503	1,207
Non-rural	2,912	3,152	3,006	2,368	1,947
Violent crime incident rates per 10,000 adults
Rural	396	511	621	597	462
Non-rural	739	1,017	1.108	887	876

Note:

For the purposes of BCS analyses, rural areas are identified by according ACORN—(A Classification of Residential Neighbourhoods) categories. ACORN classifies households according to the demographic, employment and housing characteristics of the surrounding neighbourhood. Rural areas are defined as those areas falling into Acorn types 1 to 9, and 27.

Source:

British Crime Survey 1992–2000

Railway Vandalism

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the railway operating companies about graffiti vandalism of rolling stock. [134996]

None. However, I understand there is regular liaison between the British Transport Police and train operating companies on this issue.

Property Hot Spots

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police authorities have been classified as property hot spots as part of his plan to assist with police recruitment. [137414]

No such classification is used in relation to plans to assist police recruitment.Forces are receiving assistance through the Crime Fighting Fund, which will enable them to recruit 9,000 police officers over and above the number they had otherwise planned to recruit over the three years commencing April 2000.The first ever national advertising campaign aimed at supporting local police recruitment was launched on 30 August. It will be a three-year campaign.

Lord Chancellor's Department

Court Service

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what work has been undertaken since 1996 for the Court Service by (a) Information Initiatives and (b) Myriad. [137322]

Since 1996, Information Initiatives and Myriad have undertaken the following work for the Court Service:

(a) Information Initiatives: supporting specific IT projects in the Royal Courts of Justice; assisting in the project which set up the Court Service HQ network (SOAP); supporting the Court Service HQ network; assisting in the implementation of the Court Service managing agents system (MANIFEST); assisting the development of a word-processing interface for the Public Trust Office system (TARA); consulting on an Immigration Appeals system; and working on Y2K issues.

(b) Myriad: advising on aspects of a PFI contract; providing support to the Crown court system (CREST); and to the County court system (CASEMAN); supporting the Court Service HQ network (SOAP); working on Y2K issues; assisting with the business case for the jury summoning system (JUROR); carrying out initial work on a bid for the Capital Modernisation Fund; and assisting with IT on the Crown Court Programme.

Departmental Expenditure Limits

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to amend his Department's departmental expenditure limit and running costs limit for 2000–01. [138180]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class V, Vote 1, the Lord Chancellor's Department Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £113,252,000 from £2,525,609,000 to £2,638,861,000. The increase is the net effect of take up of End Year Flexibility entitlement of; £10,000,000 to fund additional costs relating to new tasks undertaken by the Legal Services Commission; £6,000,000 to meet publicity and information costs for the Community Legal Service; £6,000,000 in respect of costs for the Public Trust Office Change Programme; £8,600,000 in respect of start up costs for the Children and Family Court Advisory Service and Support Service; £1,900,000 in respect of costs for the Libra project; £1,925,000 for the Invest to Save Budget payment to the Land Registry; £1,586,000 relating to asylum costs; a transfer from the Home Office of £113,000 in respect of contribution towards costs of the Immigration Services Tribunal; a transfer from the Home Office of £273,000 in respect of PHOENIX, a project funded by the Invest to Save Budget; £1,355,000 in respect of an award from the Invest to Modernise Fund; and £75,500,000 from the DEL Reserve to meet additional costs on asylum and immigration.The running cost limit for Lord Chancellor's Department Class V, Vote 1 will be increased by £53,409,000 from £541,908,000 to £595,317,000. The increase is caused by take up of End Year Flexibility entitlement of; £4,000,000 to meet publicity costs for the Community Legal Service; £6,000,000 in respect of costs for the Public Trust Office Change Programme; £5,300,000 in respect of start up costs for the Children and Family Court Advisory Service and Support Service; £1,900,000 in respect of costs for the Libra project; £1,586,000 relating to asylum costs; a transfer of £6,400,000 from capital grants expenditure to meet costs in respect of the Libra project; a transfer from the Home Office of £113,000 in respect of contribution towards costs of the Immigration Services Tribunal; a transfer from the Home Office of £273,000 in respect of PHOENIX, a project funded by the Invest to Save Budget; £1,355,000 in respect of an award from the Invest to Modernise Fund; £3000,000 in respect of a correction to the accounting treatment for sundry income and £26,182,000 from the DEL Reserve to meet additional costs on asylum and immigration.The increases will be offset by transfers from the Home Office Departmental Expenditure Limit, take up of End Year Flexibility entitlement, an award from the Invest to Modernise Fund and charges on the DEL Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

Volume 356: debated on Thursday 9 November 2000

Written Answers To Questions

Social Security

Departmental Expenditure Limits

Government Actuary (Report)

Benefit Rates

Winter Fuel Payment

State Pension

Minimum Income Guarantee

Housing Benefit

Maternity Benefits

Departmental Statistics

Age Allowances

Benefits Expenditure

Social Fund

Defence

Far East Prisoners Of War

Meteorological Office

Trade And Industry

Export Controls

Small Businesses

Consumer Policy Institute

Broadband Telecommunications

Renewable Energy

Pirate Radio Transmitters

Road Fuel

Departmental Expenditure Limits

Fuel Poverty

Nuclear Power Stations

Oil Licensing Agreements

Industrial Diseases (Compensation Claims)

Eu Combustion Plants Directive

Treasury

Third-World Debt

Aggregates Tax (Glass Industry)

Liquefied Petroleum Gas

Employment

Business Taxation

Higher Rate Tax

Industrial Tribunals

Public Spending

Unemployment

Low Pay

Living Standards

Fuel Prices

Pensioners (Savings Limit)

Family Taxation

Disabled Person's Tax Credit

Fiscal Intervention

Pre-Budget Report

Payroll Giving

Family Incomes

Tax Credits

Departmental Expenditure Limits

Mortgage Repayments

Fuel Duties

Macdougall Report

Tax Definitions

Endowment Policies

Working Families Tax Credit

Capital Gains Indexation

Alcohol And Tobacco Fraud Review

Environment, Transport And The Regions

De-Trunking Programme

Street Lighting

Road Noise (A5)

Flooding (Lewes)

Hatfield Derailment

Deprivation Indices

Damascus House

Oil Industry

Single Regeneration Budget

National Air Traffic Services

Area Cost Adjustment

Telecommunications Masts

Floods

"Are You Doing Your Bit" Campaign

Flooding (Devon)

Disability Discrimination Act 1995