To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he discussed the structure, functions and membership of NATO when he met the US President and Secretary of State. [149700]

When my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met Secretary of State Powell in Washington on 6 February both agreed that maintaining NATO as an effective transatlantic military alliance is fundamental to European security.My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made it clear in his joint statement with President Bush on 23 February that this Government are committed to a stronger Transatlantic Alliance and that NATO will remain the essential foundation of transatlantic security.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to meet the new Israeli administration to discuss the middle east peace process. [149710]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to meet the new Israeli administration to discuss the Middle East peace process. [149735]

I have seen the Israeli Ambassador several times since taking up my post. I hosted a lunch for Eitan Bentsur on 15 February.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the middle east peace process. [149725]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the prospects for permanent peace in the middle east. [149734]

The cycle of violence is undermining the confidence of both sides in the peace process. I am encouraged by Prime Minister Designate Sharon's statement that he plans to continue with the peace process and to ease the conditions for Palestinians. However, the closures in the Occupied Territories breed resentment and fuel violence. The UK continues to urge both sides to take the steps needed to restore calm and re-engage in whole-hearted peace efforts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts he has had with the Israeli Government and Palestinian authority since the Israeli prime ministerial electron. [149738]

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met the new Israeli Ambassador on 14 February and Prime Minister Sharon's special envoy, Eitan Bentsur, on 15 February. He also met with the Palestinian General Delegate on 15 February.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Syrian regime about the sheltering of Aloïs Brunner. [149714]

We have not made representations to the Syrian Government about Aloïs Brunner. There is general agreement that he is almost certainly dead. Inquiries in recent years by the French and German Governments and by journalists have failed to produce evidence of his whereabouts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent talks held in Miami on the border dispute between Guatemala and Belize. [149715]

We welcome the talks between Belize and Guatemala held under the auspices of the Organisation of American States (OAS). After a constructive meeting in Miami on 16 and 17 January they signed a Plan of Action to implement an Agreement on Confidence Building Measures which they had agreed in Washington on 8 November 2000.At further talks in Washington on 5–7 February they agreed a process for addressing the substantive aspects of their border dispute. They have agreed to hold a Ministerial meeting in Washington on 21–23 May.We welcome the constructive spirit in which these talks are being conducted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Government of Turkey. [149717]

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary had a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Cem in the margins of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Vienna in November. They also met briefly at the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels in December, and are both attending the North Atlantic Council in Brussels today. FCO Ministers are also in regular contact with the Turkish Ambassador in London.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's role in processing export licences for sales to India; and how many such applications are currently awaiting processing by his Department. [149718]

As an adviser to the DTI, we consider all export licence applications on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and national export licensing criteria. In 2000, the FCO processed over 1,200 export licence applications for India. As of 20 February, the FCO was considering 34 Standard Individual Export Licence applications for India and 23 Open Individual Export Licences which included India as a destination.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the UK's relations with Egypt. [149719]

The British Government have excellent relations with the Government of Egypt. UK/Egypt trade relations are also very strong and continue to grow; we are now the largest non-Arab investor in Egypt. I visited Egypt last month.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had regarding the political situation in Ecuador. [149720]

I spoke to the Ecuadorean Ambassador about the political situation in his country when he called on me on 1 February.The Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir John Kerr, also held wide-ranging discussions with Ministers and senior officials when he visited Ecuador on 14–15 January.We have been following recent events closely and are pleased to note that the recent disputes between the Government and protesters over the economic reform measures have been settled.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Kashmir. [149721]

We have welcomed the recent developments in Kashmir, including the announcement by the Indian Prime Minister on 22 February to extend the ceasefire by Indian security forces until the end of May. We believe this indicates a commitment to finding a peaceful solution to the Kashmir conflict. We hope that the ceasefire, and the Pakistani Government's policy of maximum restraint, will help create the conditions for a settlement to be reached. We call on both Governments to continue to build on the desire for peace in Kashmir and resume their dialogue to find a solution. We also urge the militants to respond positively and end their violence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has received from other Governments regarding recruitment on behalf of the NHS of staff in their countries. [149722]

The recruitment of staff for the NHS is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and his Department. However, we have received a number of representations on the international recruitment of medical staff as part of our normal bilateral dialogues with other countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps (a) the UK and (b) the European Union are taking to tackle environmental pollution and nuclear contamination problems in the former Soviet central Asian republics. [149723]

We are aware that water quality is one of the major environmental problems in Central Asia. The UK, in co-operation with other international donors, is encouraging improved regional water co-operation. We will also be supporting a project in the Nura-Ishim river basin in Kazakhstan to reduce industrial pollution levels.We will be supporting a £600,000 project to produce a land use plan for the nuclear test site at Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan. We are also considering funding a decommissioning plan for the Aktau Nuclear Power Plant, and UK experts are transferring technical know-how to the plant.The EU is supporting various projects to tackle environmental problems in Central Asia, such as water management and air pollution. It is also helping to fund the safe enclosure of the Aktau plant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he plans to have with his European counterparts regarding the status of the EU charter of fundamental rights. [149724]

The Charter was proclaimed as a political declaration at Nice in December. It was agreed that the status of the Charter would be reviewed at the next Intergovernmental Conference in 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place on the agenda for the next IGC in respect of European integration. [149726]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place concerning the agenda for the 2004 IGC in relation to institutional reform. [149728]

A Declaration in the Treaty of Nice sets out four issues to be discussed by the next Intergovernmental Conference in 2004. These are a more precise delimitation of competencies between the European Union and member states, the status of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, simplification of the Treaties, and the role of national Parliaments in European architecture.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs it he will make a statement on the decision of Judge Guzman in Chile to bring charges against ex-President Pinochet in connection with the caravan of death. [149727]

On 31 January Judge Guzman charged ex-President Pinochet with being the co-author of 57 deaths and 18 kidnappings perpetrated by the so-called "Caravan of Death" in Chile. We believe that those responsible for such atrocities should be brought to justice and we support the Chilean authorities in their pursuit of the due process of Chilean law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of the international community in East Timor, with particular reference to the international court it has set up there. [149729]

With the full support of the international community, the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNAET) is establishing institutions and preparing the ground for elections and independence later in the year.We welcome recent progress made by the UNAET Prosecutor General in bringing to account those responsible for committing crimes in Fast Timor. We call on the UN, the East Timorese leadership and the Indonesians to build on their achievements and to maintain momentum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in the Philippines. [149731]

We are pleased to see the recent political crisis resolved peacefully, in accordance with the Philippines' democratic traditions. We note President Arroyo's pledges for good governance and poverty alleviation. We welcome her resumption of peace negotiations with the rebel groups. We look forward to working closely with her Administration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the United States Administration on proposed anti-missile defence systems. [149732]

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary recently held discussions in Washington with Vice-President Cheney, National Security Adviser Rice and Secretary of State Powell on a range of issues including National Missile Defence.These discussions, and those my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had last week with President Bush, clearly demonstrated the constructive approach being taken by the Bush Administration. The US Administration reaffirmed their commitment to a National Missile defence system but stressed their willingness to take their time to consult Allies, Russia and others. They confirmed that no decision had yet been made on the development or deployment of a specific system. It is therefore too early to assess any implications for the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the emerging dialogue between the Burmese regime and opposition figures. [149733]

We cautiously welcome reports that the Burmese regime have had a series of contacts with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. We hope that these will eventually be broadened to include the ethnic minorities and lead to a lasting peaceful solution to the political problems in Burma. But the UK will not soften its policy until there is real progress in Burma.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the US Government regarding the implementation of Plan Colombia by the Colombian Government. [149736]

We have had regular discussions with the US Government regarding the implementation of Plan Colombia. My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster intends to discuss developments in Colombia with the new US Administration in March, as well as development of the separate EU package.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo; and what topics were discussed. [149737]

My hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Mr. Hain) met the Chargé d'Affaires for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) when the DRC Foreign Minister visited the UK in December. The Special Representative for the Great Lakes met him on 2 February. On both occasions discussions focused on relaunching the Lusaka peace process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Pakistani Government concerning the arrest, detention and beating of two Christian young men for distributing the video film "Jesus" in Jacobabad. [149739]

We are aware that Khalid and Nasir Masih were arrested on 11 January for distributing videos and literature to the Christian community in Jacobabad. Our High Commission in Islamabad continues to raise our concerns over the position of religious minorities with the Pakistani authorities and maintains regular dialogue with Christian and human rights groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what goods subject to strategic export controls have recently been approved for export to Iraq. [151647]

Following consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Trade and Industry recently approved a licence to export computer equipment, including 10 Fujitsu Siemens Scenic ED-1170A computers and two Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook C-6545 Notebook computers, controlled under the Dual Use Items (Export Control) Regulations 2000, to Iraq for the use by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in its humanitarian activities. The export of these goods to Iraq has been approved by the UN Sanctions Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will publish the next report to Parliament on Hong Kong and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. [151648]

The eighth report in this series, covering the period July-December 2000, was published today and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House. A copy of the report is also available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website (www.fco.gov.uk). The report includes a foreword by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary. I commend the report to the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for March and the major European Union events for the period between 31 March and August. [151649]

The information is as follows.To date we have received the detailed agendas for the following Council meetings in March:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what stage it is Her Majesty's Government's policy to make representations against the use of the death penalty in cases of British nationals being tried overseas. [151836]

Our overriding objective is to avoid the execution of British nationals. We will now express our opposition to the death penalty and its use on a British national at whatever stage and level is judged appropriate from the moment when the imposition of a death sentence on a British national becomes a possibility. Our previous policy was to make these representations only when the judicial process had been exhausted.We have already taken action under the new policy in the case of Krishna Maharaj. Baroness Scotland, the Minister responsible for Consular matters, has written to the Florida State Attorney setting out the UK's opposition to the death penalty and requesting that the death sentence not be pursued in his case.

To ask the Prime Minister what meetings he has had with representatives of the chemical industry in the last 12 months; and what future health and environment legislation was discussed at them. [151298]

I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations, it is not my practice to provide details of such meetings.

To ask the Prime Minister what the total expenditure on 10 Downing street and the Prime Minister's office was, in (a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000; and what his estimate is for 2000–01. [151372]

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 21 July 2000, Official Report, column 347W and on 2 November 2000, Official Report, column 575W. The cost for the full year 1997–98 was £7.3 million. The cost of my Office from 1 April 2000 to 31 December 2000 was £8.3 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the North-East Derbyshire constituency, the effect on North-East Derbyshire of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [150885]

[holding answer 26 February 2001]: Details of the effects of a range of the Department's policies on the North-East Derbyshire constituency and on Derbyshire LEA have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent guidance has been offered to Government Departments on issues relating to devolution. [151646]

I am today placing in the Library two further Devolution Guidance Notes which have recently been completed: DGN5—"The Role of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Post-Devolution"—and DGN9—"Post-Devolution Primary Legislation Affecting Wales". These guidance notes will be made available on the Cabinet Office internet site at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans she has to change the 2000–01 departmental expenditure limit or running costs limit for the Cabinet Office. [151199]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates:The Departmental Expenditure Limit for Cabinet Office (Class XVII. Vote 1, Vote 3, Vote 4) will be increased by £1,290,000 from £260,259,000 to £261,549,000 and the gross running costs limit will be increased by £6,440,000 from £113,754,000 to £120,194,000.This is mainly to take account of the following changes:(a) A transfer payment from Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Class x, Vote 2) (£470,000) for digital certificates; a payment from Home Office (Class IV, Vote 1) (£559,000) for the News Co-ordination Centre and associated contingency arrangements; a payment from Ministry of Defence (Class VI, Vote 1) (£4,000) and Foreign Office (Class VII, Vote 1) (£52,000) for BBC monitoring service; and a payment to Privy Council Office (Class XVII, Vote 5) (£20,000) towards 2 Carlton Gardens.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times in each of the last five years there have been claims for unpaid pension contributions to company pension funds from the redundancy fund set up under the Employment Rights Act 1996. [150698]

The table shows the numbers of workers for whom claims for pension scheme contributions have been made against the National Insurance Fund.

Year	Number
1998	367
1999	414
2000	387

I regret that corresponding figures are not available for earlier years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when a decision will be taken on standby generation for the proposed Telehouse West building in the East India Docks. [151776]

I have today given clearance under Section 14(1) of the Energy Act 1976 to Telehouse Europe. Telehouse have been progressively developing their facilities at East India Docks. This standby facility, of around 30 MW, will supply the electricity needs of the proposed Telehouse West building in the event of a supply interruption. Such standby facilities are designed to ensure continuity of electricity supplies in the event of a partial of total it interruption.Copies of the press notice and decision letter are being placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will make appointments to the Chemical Weapons Convention National Authority Advisory Committee. [151779]

I have appointed Dr. T. D. Inch, formerly Secretary-General of the Royal Society of Chemistry, as chairman of this committee for a further period of four years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will relax ownership rules for local radio stations. [151550]

The White Paper "A New Future for Communications", which the Government published for consultation in December, states that we will consider, with the Radio Authority, the possibility of devising a new regime for radio ownership to replace the current rules. We will decide how to proceed in the light of responses to the White Paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the proceeds that would be realised from privatising Channel 4. [151547]

We have not estimated the proceeds that might be realised from privatising Channel 4.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people who were previously entitled to a £5 television licence have applied for the free television licence introduced in November 2000. [151447]

Applications for free television licences for people living in accommodation which qualifies for the Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) concessionary licence scheme are made by housing managers when existing ARC licences fall due for renewal, rather than by individual residents. Information provided by the BBC, which is responsible for the administration of both concessionary schemes, indicates that since November 2000 applications have been received from about 10,500 residential and nursing homes and sheltered housing schemes. A number of these applications have still to be processed but approximately 44,500 residents have so far benefited from a free TV licence. The renewal cycle for ARC licences is spread across the year, on a monthly basis, and the BBC expects approximately 500,000 residents to qualify in total.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to amend his Department's expenditure limit and running cost limit for 2000–01. [151777]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class XII, Vote 3, the Department of Social Security Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £66,361,000 from £3,590,339,000 to £3,656,700,000.The increase is the net effect of additional Comprehensive Spending Review funding of £30,000,000 (running costs), and an increase of £20,000,000 (running costs) for the additional costs associated with the winter fuel payments. Other changes result from a net transfer of £14,315,000 (running costs), mainly for the administration costs of the ONE project, offset by a corresponding reduction on Class I, Vote 3 (Employment Service), a transfer of £1,334,000 (running costs) for expenditure on New Deal for Communities, offset by a corresponding reduction on Class III, Vote 1 (Housing, construction, regeneration, regional policy, planning and countryside and wildlife, England), a transfer of £1,065,000 (running costs) for the cost of collecting expenses associated with road traffic accidents, offset by a corresponding reduction on Class II, Vote 1 (Hospital, community health, family health and related services, England), a transfer of £200,000 (running costs) towards the administrative costs of the Teenage Pregnancy Unit, offset by a corresponding increase on Class II, Vote 2 (Department of Health administration, miscellaneous health and social services, England), a transfer of £99,000 (running costs) towards the administrative costs of making winter fuel payments, offset by a corresponding increase in Department of Health and Social Services (Northern Ireland) and an increase of £173,000 (running costs) for the cost of collecting expenses associated with road traffic accidents in Scotland and Wales. There is also an increase of £7,206,000 (running costs) associated with services provided to other Government Departments on a repayment basis, an increase of £7,178,000 (running costs) arising from increased payments of Value Added Tax on contracted out services, an increase of £500,000 (running costs) associated with expenditure on sub-let accommodation, a reduction of £1,289,000 (running costs) following a reclassification to other current expenditure and an increase of £1,081,000 (other current expenditure) arising from increased secondments. Appropriation in Aid increased by £32,389,000.Changes in the Welfare to Work provision arise from an increase of £1,276,000 in the administration costs of measures to help unemployed people move from Welfare to Work, of which £776,000 is under the End Year Flexibility Scheme as set out in Table 7 of the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper, Cm 4812, published on 18 July 2000, an increase of £1,212,000 in the administration costs of measures to help people with a disability or long term illness move into or remain in work, a transfer of £156,000 towards the cost of the innovative scheme lead by the Prince's Trust in respect of the New Deal for Disabled People, offset by a corresponding increase on Class 1, Vote 3 (Employment Service) and a transfer of £306,000 towards the administrative costs of New Deal for Partners of Unemployed People, offset by a corresponding reduction on Class I, Vote 3 Employment Service.As a result of these changes and the reclassification of £6,500,000 to running cost related receipts the running cost limit of this Department will be increased by £58,799,000 from £3,219,522,000 to £3,278,321,000 and the running costs limit of the Welfare to Work programme will be increased by £2,638,000 from £13,996,000 to £16,634,000.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.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are claiming the minimum income guarantee in (a) Great Britain, (b) each region of Great Britain and (c) each parliamentary constituency. [151778]

The information has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on the Norwich, North constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [151141]

The Department's policies and initiatives have made a significant contribution to the Government's overall objectives of:

Eradicating child poverty in 20 years, and halving it within 10;

Promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age while protecting the position of those in greatest need; and,

Combating poverty and promoting security and independence in retirement for today's and tomorrow's pensioners.

These goals are being pursued nationwide and our achievements are set out in our annual "Opportunity for all" reports. Our second report, "Opportunity for all—One year on: making a difference" (CM4865, September 2000) sets out what progress has been made in the past year, as well as highlighting what more needs to be done. Nationwide statistical information is necessarily more complete than constituency level data, but the following provides a comparative guide to the effect of the Department's policies and actions in Norwich, North since May 1997.Measures in our first four Budgets will lift over 1 million children out of poverty. These include record increases to Child Benefit and Working Families Tax Credit, increases in the income-related benefits, the minimum wage and tax changes.Child benefit will be worth £15.50 a week for the eldest child and £10.35 a week for other children from April 2001: nationally about 7 million families receive child benefit, and in Norwich, North 11,145 families benefit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many complaints were made against the Benefits Agency in regard to Disability Living Allowance in each of the last three years; how many such cases have been investigated by the Ombudsman; in how many cases was compensation awarded; and what the (a) highest and (b) average level of compensation was. [150594]

The administration of Disability Living Allowance is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when Mr. Smith of Ferndown will receive his Winter Fuel Payment; and when Mrs. Smith will receive her Winter Fuel Payment for 1998 and 1999. [151433]

The administration of Winter Fuel Payments is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor' s Department on how many occasions the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) discussed potential conflicts of interest with the Permanent Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he was the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department. [150664]

It is the normal practice of the Permanent Secretary to discuss with Ministers, when they are appointed, whether they have any potential conflicts of interest. Such discussions took place with my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) when he became Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department. Chapter 9 of the Ministerial Code sets out the circumstances in which Ministers should take the advice of their Permanent Secretary if they identify a potential conflict of interest. Such matters are confidential between the Permanent Secretary and the Minister concerned.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans there are to extend public funding for proceedings before the VAT and Duties Tribunal, the General and Special Commissioners of Income Tax and the Protection of Children Act Tribunal. [151775]

The Lord Chancellor has today issued for consultation a direction which extends publicly funded representation to some tribunals: certain proceedings before the VAT and Duties Tribunal, certain proceedings before the General and Special Commissioners of Income Tax and all proceedings before the Protection of Children Act Tribunal.The direction will authorise the Legal Services Commission to fund legal help and legal representation in these proceedings, subject to applications passing the statutory tests of an applicant's means and the merits of the case.The Commission will be able to fund representation in proceedings before the VAT and Duties Tribunal and the General and Special Commissioners of Income Tax, in the minority of those proceedings which concerns the imposition of penalties which may be considered criminal in ECHR terms. This will ensure that the Government's commitments under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights are met in full.Although the Protection of Children Act Tribunal does not impose financial penalties, we consider that the overwhelming importance of the proceedings to the individuals involved means that legal representation should be provided at public expense to those who cannot afford it.The consultation period will last one month. We intend to bring in the new arrangements with effect from 2 April 2001. Copies of the direction have been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the cost of works carried out to the building at 1A Page street, Westminster, since his Department took occupation of it; and what proportion of these costs was met at public expense. [151463]

Works carried out by the Department at public expense since we took occupation total £615,883 (including fees for surveyors etc. and VAT). Of this, £228,376 will be recovered from the developer for remedial work which we have carried out on his behalf to minimise disturbance to staff in the building. The non-recoverable work was necessary to provide facilities for the workgroups in the building and to meet the changing needs.The developer and his contractor continue to be responsible for all external areas of the building (including the glazing) and are responsible for correcting defects. We have no details of the cost of this remedial work, which is not at public expense.

				£ million
	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04
Grant and supplementary credit approvals for capital improvements, catchment plant ect,	71	96	106	114
Emergency response and repair	5	7	—	—
Other (including storm tide forecasting service)	6	6	8	8
Total	82	109	114	122

These increases provide evidence of the Government's commitment to sustaining flood and coastal defences.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reimburse local authorities for their expenditure on supporting unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. [151650]

I have today laid before the House a Special Grant Report which sets out the arrangements for reimbursing local authorities in England for the costs of supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children as a result of their duties under the Children Act 1989.The Special Grant Report explains the areas of expenditure which will be eligible for the grant and the time scales for local authorities to make their claims.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect on the British beef industry of the EU Commission proposals on beef to go before the Council of Ministers on 26 and 27 February; and if he will make a statement. [151122]

[holding answer 26 February 2001]: The Commission proposals are for a seven point plan to address the serious disruption of the beef and veal market resulting from the BSE crisis.The Commission's stated aim is to limit production in order to reflect the fall in demand for beef in many EU member states. The impact on the UK beef industry of these proposals is currently being evaluated, taking into account its special characteristics and the importance of safeguarding our extensively reared, grass fed production.

To ask the Minister of Apiculture, Fisheries and Food what the total expenditure by his Department on flood prevention was for (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02, (c) 2002–03 and (d) 2003–04; and if he will make a statement. [150419]

Following increases in both of the last two spending reviews and the announcements of an additional £51 million in November and a further £6.6 million in January, the current MAFF spending plans for flood defence and coast protection are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) for what reasons maternity grants for asylum seekers are issued in the form of vouchers; [150964](2) for what reasons maternity grants in the form of vouchers for asylum seekers are deemed to expire after one month. [150965]

[holding answer 26 February 2001]: The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 ends asylum seekers' entitlement to all social security benefits and is replaced by a system of support in kind, with small cash payments. The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) has on a phase basis assumed responsibility for supporting all new eligible asylum seekers and this support is provided mainly by way of vouchers. The maternity payment is provided in the same way.The maternity payment vouchers have a four week expiry date because the maternity grant is provided to assist with the initial costs of provision for a new baby.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his strategic policy team was established; which of its reports are placed in the public domain; how many departmental or non-departmental special advisers participate in its work; how many regular (a) non-departmental and (b) departmental staff participate in its work; and how many of these work for the unit on a full-time basis. [150369]

The Head of the Strategic Policy Team took up post in April 2000. The rest of the team was then recruited, the last member joining in October 2000.The team is an integral part of the Home Department, producing research and advice for Ministers. Its first major piece of work has been co-ordinating the production of "Criminal Justice: The Way Ahead", which was laid before Parliament on 26 February.The team comprises eight departmental members of staff, seven of whom are full time. It employs one full time agency secretary. Where it examines issues cutting across more than one Department, it may involve staff from other Departments or from outside Government on secondment for the length of the project in question. For example, in its current work on criminal justice, it has received secondments for short periods of two officials from the Lord Chancellor's Department and one from the Crown Prosecution Service.Special advisers contribute to the team's work as necessary in the same way as to that of other parts of the Department, and consistent with the Model Contract for Special Advisers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy that time spent considering a previous unsuccessful application for naturalisation should be deducted from the average waiting time for a decision in a subsequent naturalisation application. [150376]

[holding answer 15 February 2001]: Where the normal criteria for granting priority are met, a subsequent application would normally be started ahead of its turn in the queue. In some instances the work done on the initial application may facilitate determination of a second application.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total gross running cost to his Department was in the last 12 months of entertaining by (a) Ministers and (b) officials. [149046]

The provisional total gross running cost to my Department in the last 12 months to 31 January 2001 of entertainment by Ministers was £6,234 and by officials was £160,095. Modest hospitality is Provided for official visitors and guests, for example overseas delegations, in circumstances which are beneficial to the interests of the Department and in discharge of my responsibilities as a Cabinet Minister.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reported cases involving domestic violence there were in England and Wales during the last 12 months. [151013]

Domestic violence is not separately identified in recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office. However, estimates for the numbers of domestic violence offences in 1999 are available from the 2000 British Crime Survey (BCS). Figures are also available from returns submitted to Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary relating to domestic violence "incidents' notified by police forces in England and Wales (whether or not they are subsequently recorded as crimes).The best estimate from the BCS is that there were 761,000 offences of domestic violence in 1999. Returns from the police indicate that there were 398,670 incidents notified to the police in 1999–2000. The BCS figure is higher than that from police 'incident' returns because not all victims will report what happened to the police. The BCS figure is an estimate only. As it is derived from a sample, it is subject to sampling error. Also, some respondents may be unwilling to reveal experience of domestic violence to interviewers. A different—more confidential—approach to measuring domestic violence in the 1996 sweep of the BCS produced higher estimates than from the conventional approach, as used to derive the 761,000 incidents in 1999.The BCS and police figures cover incidents against men and women. In the BCS, 74 per cent. of the offences involved women as victims (around 560,000 incidents). This information is not available from the police "incident' returns.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent reports he has received from Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary on the cost-effectiveness of police trawling investigations relating to child abuse allegations. [151277]

There have been no reports from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary on the cost-effectiveness of child abuse investigations. The police have a duty to investigate all allegations of child abuse fully and thoroughly, and in accordance with the law. It is for individual Chief Constables to decide on the most appropriate methods of investigation in each case.I have been in discussion with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary about what more can be done to ensure that the procedures in place for conducting these very difficult investigations are fair and robust.ACPO are currently drawing up a manual for Senior Investigating Officers working in child abuse cases, which will include a section on good practice in tracing potential witnesses and obtaining corroborative evidence. This will provide detailed operational guidance on how to conduct such investigations, while recognising that investigators must follow emerging evidence and treat each case on its merits. In parallel with this, an inter-agency working group is currently reviewing the procedures for investigating the abuse of children in care or looked after children in the context of taking forward the Government's response to the Waterhouse Report "Lost in Care". This review will lead to the development of practical, procedural guidance to the police and social services on the handling of complex abuse investigations.Both sets of best practice guidance should be completed by the end of March. Together they will provide a coherent policy framework for how to conduct child abuse investigations, building on best practice drawn from around the country and ensuring that the necessary procedures are in place to safeguard against the risk of false allegations

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the Boards of Visitors which have published their annual report in each of the last five years. [151495]

Boards of Visitors annual reports are not published documents. They are made to the Secretary of State who permits the Board to publish their annual report, if they wish, subject to the removal of any material which is confidential. Boards are, however, encouraged to publish their reports and the Boards which have done so over the past five years are shown in the table.

Board	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Acklington	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
Albany	No	No	No	No	No
Aldington	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	3—
Altcourse	2—	2—	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ashfield	2—	2—	2—	2—	Yes
Ashwell	No	No	No	No	Yes
Askham Grange	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Aylesbury	No	No	Yes	No	Yes
Bedford	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Belmarsh	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Birmingham	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Blakenhurst	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Blantyre House	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Blundeston	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Brinsford	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bristol	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Brixton	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Brockhill	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Buckley Hall	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bullingdon	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Bullwood Hall	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Camp Hill	No	No	No	No	Yes
Canterbury	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
Cardiff	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Castington	No	No	No	No	Yes
Channings Wood	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Chelmsford	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Colchester	2—	Yes	3—	3—	3—
Coldingley	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cookham Wood	No	No	No	Yes	No
Dartmoor	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Deerbolt	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Doncaster	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Dorchester	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Dover	No	No	No	No	Yes
Downview	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Drake Hall	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Durham	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
East Sutton Park	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Eastwood Park	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Elmley	No	No	No	No	No
Erlestoke	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes

Board	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Everthorpe	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Exeter	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Featherstone	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
Feltham	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ford	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Forest Bank	2—	2—	2—	2—	Yes
FostonHall	2—	2—	Yes	Yes	Yes
Frankland	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Full Sutton	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Garth	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gartree	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Glen Parva	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gloucester	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Grendon/Spring Hill	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Guys Marsh	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Haslar	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hatfield	No	No	Yes	No	Yes
Haverigg	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hewell Grange	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
High Down	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Highpoint	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Hindley	No	No	No	No	No
Hollesley Bay	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Holloway	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Holme House	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hull	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Huntercombe	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Kingston	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Kirkham	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Kirklevington Grange	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lancaster Castle	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lancaster Farms	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Latchmere House	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Leeds	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Leicester	No	No	Yes	Yes	1—
Lewes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Leyhill	No	No	No	No	Yes
Lincoln	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lindholme	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Littlehey	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1—
Liverpool	No	No	Yes	Yes	1—
Long Lartin	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lowdham Grange	2—	2—	Yes	Yes	1—
Low Newton	No	No	No	1—	1—
Maidstone	No	No	No	No	Yes
Manchester	No	No	No	No	1—
Moorland	No	No	Yes	Yes	1—
Morton Hall	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
The Mount	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	1—
New Hall	No	Yes	Yes	No	1—
Northallerton	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
North Sea Camp	No	No	No	No	1—
Norwich	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	1—
Nottingham	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	1—
Onley	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Pare	2—	2—	Yes	Yes	1—
Parkhurst	No	No	Yes	Yes	1—
Pentonville	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	1—
Portland	No	No	Yes	Yes	1—
Preston	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	1—
Ranby	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Reading	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Risley	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Rochester	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Shepton Mallet	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Shrewsbury	No	No	Yes	Yes	1—
Stafford	No	No	Yes	Yes	1—
Standford Hill	No	No	Yes	Yes	1—
Stocken	No	No	No	Yes	1—
Stoke Heath	No	Yes	No	No	Yes
Styal	No	No	No	No	1—
Sudbury	No	No	No	No	1—
Swaleside	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	1—

Board	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Swansea	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	1—
Swinfen Hall	No	No	Yes	Yes	1—
Thorn Cross	No	No	No	Yes	1—
Usk/Prescoed	No	Yes	No	Yes	1—
The Verne	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Wakefield	No	No	No	No	1—
Wandsworth	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	1—
Wayland	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	1—
Wealstun	No	No	No	Yes	1—
Weare	—2	Yes	Yes	Yes	1—
Wellingborough	No	Yes	Yes	No	1—
Werringlon	No	No	Yes	No Report	1—
Wetherby	Yes	No	No	No	1—
Whatton	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	1—
Whitemoor	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	1—
Winchester	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	1—
Wolds	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	1—
Woodhill	No	No	Yes	No	1—
Wormwood Scrubs	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Wymott	No	No	Yes	Yes	1—
1Not yet received
2Prison not open
3Prison closed

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to the answer of the Minister for the Cabinet Office of 1 December 2000, Official Report, columns 47–48W, what costings of (a) Liberal Democrat and (b) Conservative Party policies his Department has (i) undertaken and (ii) co-ordinated in the previous 12 months; and if he will place copies of such costings in the Library; [146673](2) if special advisers in his Department have been involved in

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith), on 14 February 2001, Official Report, column 183W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts that exist between Serco and the Department, its executive agencies and associated public bodies; and if he will list those which have existed in the last three years. [151350]

The information is not readily available in the form requested. However, since 1 April 1998, the Ministry of Defence has placed 107 contracts with Serco companies, of which 69 are extant. I will write separately to my hon. Friend with a list of such contracts and will place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House. The information sought on the number of contracts placed by the Department's executive agencies and associated public bodies with Serco companies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence his Department has (a) collated and (b) evaluated regarding the burning of mustard gas at military establishments and its effect upon neighbouring civilian populations. [148906]

Following the decision by the United Kingdom to abandon its offensive chemical weapons capability in 1956 there was a requirement to dispose of the stockpile of the chemical blister agent mustard which had been built up at the time of World War II.In accordance with the practice of the day these stockpiles were burnt in either open pits or incinerators. No evaluations were made at the time of the effects on neighbouring civilian populations. However, the RAF has conducted extensive research into its historical disposal of chemical weapons.Today any historical chemical weapons which are recovered are taken to CBD Porton Down for safe disposal. Part of the disposal process of any of these weapons which contain mustard includes incineration. This is undertaken in an on-site incinerator which meets all the standards set by the Environment Agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what checks are carried out on (a) batches of depleted uranium raw material and finished ammunition and (b) imported ammunition; [150081](2) what checks are undertaken to ensure that depleted uranium used for ammunition manufacture is not contaminated with other radioactive materials. [150080]

It has long been known in the scientific community, the nuclear industry and by the Ministry of Defence that depleted uranium (DU) might contain minute traces of isotopes other than U-238, U-235 and U-234.Two types of DU based ammunition are in-service with British Forces: the UK manufactured 120mm anti-armour round and the US manufactured 20mm RN Phalanx round.My Department procures all ammunition to given specifications. It is the manufacturers' responsibility to establish the suitability of raw materials used in manufacture.Phalanx ammunition is sold to the UK via the US Department of Defence (DOD). All of DOD's DU comes from three Department of Energy (DOE) gaseous diffusion plants: Paducah, Kentucky; Oak Ridge, Tennessee; and Portsmouth, Ohio. All three of these plants received recycled uranium that contained trace amounts of transuranics.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the personnel who have contracted malaria as a result of deployment to Sierra Leone did not receive anti-malarial treatment until they were in Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [150672]

As of 21 February, there were 113 confirmed cases of malaria among Service personnel who deployed to Sierra Leone. On the basis of the investigations undertaken by my Department, of these 113 cases, there are no more than 10 personnel who did not receive their anti-malarial treatment until after arriving in Sierra Leone. In all but one case this was as a result of their deploying at very short notice. Within 24 hours of these personnel arriving in theatre, however, the French drug Savarine was procured locally and distributed. Steps were immediately taken to procure Mefloquine, the preferred anti-malarial treatment, from the UK and all personnel taking Savarine transferred to Mefloquine within four days. The other individual was temporarily absent from his unit on duty just prior to deploying and missed the issue of Mefloquine. He was issued with Mefloquine as soon as the problem came to light between two to five days after his arrival in theatre.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 February 2001, Official Report, column 631W and his subsequent letter, (1) if he will list the serviceability targets for each year from 1995 to 2001 inclusive for (a) Warrior variants, (b) Challenger 1, (c) Challenger 2, (d) Saxon variants, (e) AVF 430 variants, (f) Sabre, (g) Striker, (h) Scimitar, (i) Spartan, (j) Sultan, (k) Samaritan and (l) Samson; and if he will make a statement; [151037](2) on what date the decision was made to change the system of fully operational serviceability targets for the Army tank fleet from readiness in 24 hours to immediate availability; for what operational reasons; and if he will make a statement. [151038]

[holding answer 26 February 2001]: The decision to change the system of reporting equipment availability was taken in May last year. The change was made following the adoption of the Formation Readiness Cycle which places different units in the Army at different readiness states. Some of these states require equipment to be available immediately (ie capable of undertaking the task to which it has been allocated), while for others a much longer lead time will be acceptable.The serviceability targets for the equipment types listed by the right hon. and learned Member, which reflect this change in the reporting system, are shown in the table.

Percentage
Vehicle type	Serviceability target 1995–2000	Immediate availability target 2000 to date1
Warrior Variants	75	75
Challenger 12	80	80
Challenger 23	80	80
Saxon Variants	70	70
AFV430	70	70
Sabre	70	70
Striker	70	70
Scimitar	70	70
Spartan	70	70
Sultan	70	70
Samaritan	70	70
Samson	70	70
1This target is set by the Equipment Managers and applies to all vehicles regardless of the readiness state of the Unit to which they are allocated.
2Challenger I withdrawal programme is almost complete.
3Challenger 2 was introduced into service in 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received concerning planned job redundancies at BAE military manufacturing plants in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [150724]

[holding answer 26 February 2001]: Since the announcement by BAE Systems concerning restructuring was made on 10 January 2001, my Department has received a number of representations. At the time of the announcement the company said that it was not in a position to state how their cost reduction measures would effect each site within their business or impact upon employment. We have asked the company to keep us informed, and are monitoring the situation closely.

To ask the Secretary Of State for Defence when he will announce the conclusions of the Review of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. [151044]

We have concluded the internal phase of our Review of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme and I hope to make an announcement shortly on arrangements for public consultation on the resulting proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the annual expenditure incurred at RAF Fylingdales has been in each year since 1997; and if he will indicate under which budget heading in his Department's expenditure plans the investment in Fylingdales is listed. [151597]

The annual expenditure incurred at RAF Fylingdales for each year since 1997 was some £12 million for 1997–98, £11 million for 1998–99 and £13 million for 1999–2000. It was charged to the Strike Command Top Level Budget, detail, of which can be found in the relevant year's Supply Estimates for the Ministry of Defence, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will take steps to suspend the import of French beef until French herds are proved to be BSE-free; and if he will make a statement; [144101](2) if the Government will impose a precautionary ban on French beef imports until an assessment can be made of the risks to the consumer. [144390]

[holding answer 8 January 2001]: The Government are advised on matters of food safety by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).The FSA has examined the issue of the safety of beef from France. Dr Christl Donnelly cf Imperial College, London has made an assessment of the risks to the consumer from BSE arising from imports of French beef. The results were published in "Nature" on 14 December 2000. The study concluded that if the United Kingdom's over-thirty-month (OTM) rule is fully enforced there is virtually no risk from BSE in French beef imported into the UK. If the OTM rule is only 75 per cent. enforced, then risks posed by British and French meat sold in the UK would be the same. The FSA estimates that OTM enforcement levels in the UK are above 75 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investigation the Food Standards Agency has undertaken concerning the scientific grounds for banning French beef imports. [144336]

[holding answer 8 January 2001]: The Government are advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that its decision not to recommend a ban on the importation of beef from France is based on two key regulatory requirements, namely the controls on specified risk materials (SRM), and the over-thirty-month (OTM) rule, and on a scientific assessment of the risks of BSE associated with French beef.European Union rules, which took effect from 1 October 2000, now require the removal of SRM from beef carcases in the country of origin, and United Kingdom legislation prohibits the import of beef containing SRM. The OTM rule prohibits the sale for human consumption of beef from animals over the age of thirty months at time of slaughter. This rule applies equally to beef from cattle that are slaughtered in the UK (with minor exceptions) and to imported beef (again with minor exceptions).The scientific assessment of the risks of BSE to consumers in the UK arising from French beef was given in a study by Dr. Christl Donnelly of Imperial College London. The results of that study were published in "Nature" on 14 December 2000. The study concluded that if the OTM rule is fully enforced there is virtually no risk from French beef imported into the UK. If the OTM rule is only 75 per cent. enforced, then risks posed by British and French meat sold in the UK would be the same. The FSA estimates that OTM enforcement levels in the UK are above 75 per cent.The FSA continues to keep the position under constant review, taking account of the latest available scientific and other information. The FSA will issue revised advice whenever necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) membership, (b) duration, (c) itinerary and (d) cost were of the recent Food Standards Agency mission to France to investigate BSE controls. [144342]

[holding answer 8 January 2001]: The Food Standards Agency has advised that the delegation from the agency which met officials of the French Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to discuss BSE controls in France comprised David Statham (Director of Enforcement), David Noble (then Director of Legal Services), Chris Lawson (then Head of Meat Hygiene Division), Peter Hewson (Head of HQ Veterinary Team), Leone Austin (then Head of Media Relations), Jane Downes (Acting Director of Veterinary Services, Meat Hygiene Service) and David Carruthers (Head of the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy food safety branch). The delegation was accompanied by David Barnes (First Secretary (Agriculture)) from the British Embassy in Paris and an interpreter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those animals besides cattle and sheep, which are being investigated by the Food Standards Agency for the presence of BSE and TSEs. [144871]

[holding answer 11 January 2001]: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that it does not carry out any surveillance for BSE or other Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies in any animals, apart from cattle aged over thirty months entering the food chain. The testing of any other animals for the presence of these diseases is a matter for the Agriculture Departments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to stop the import of BSE-contaminated meat; and if he will make a statement. [149471]

The Government are advised on matters of food safety by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).British consumers are protected against the dangers of BSE in beef by two key measures: the controls on specified risk materials (SRM), and the over-thirty-month (OTM) rule.It is illegal to import beef with any SRM attached. Where imported beef with SRM attached is discovered, it is seized by the relevant enforcement authorities and either destroyed or returned to the supplier, depending on the circumstances involved. Following the discovery of remnants of spinal cord in a number of consignments of beef imported recently from Germany, the FSA has instructed the Meat Hygiene Service and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland to ensure that all consignments of beef imported from Germany are now inspected in licensed meat plants. The FSA has also written to local authorities to advise them that all meat plants under local authority supervision which are likely to receive consignments of German beef should be subject to further random checks, in which any beef from Germany should be inspected.The OTM rule prohibits the sale for human consumption of beef from animals over the age of thirty months at time of slaughter. This rule applies equally to home produced and imported beef, with the exception of beef from 14 specified non-EU countries with no history of BSE. In November 2000 the FSA instructed local authorities and the Meat Hygiene Service to step up their OTM rule enforcement checks in respect of imported beef. The responses from the enforcement authorities show a high level of compliance with the OTM rule.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the numbers of wheelchairs (a) supplied and (b) kept in storage in Cornwall in the last year for which figures are available. [147835]

5,523 residents in Cornwall have a wheelchair issued by the Disablement Services Centre at Derriford Hospital. In 2000, 1,680 wheelchairs were issued of which 50 per cent. were new and 50 per cent. reconditioned. A number of wheelchairs are held in store at any one time, in the course of transfer to new users, or during repair.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of beef imports from Germany are subject to BSE checks of the kind that resulted in the recent discovery of specified risk material contamination in Northern Ireland. [147860]

[holding answer 30 January 2001]: As a general rule, fresh meat imported into the United Kingdom from other European Union member states is subject only to random spot checks at places of destination. The responsibility for ensuring that only meat which complies with EU hygiene and BSE controls is exported to other member States rests with the competent authorities in each member state.However, following the discovery of remnants of spinal cord in a numbei of consignments of beef imported recently from Germany. the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has instructed the Meat Hygiene Service and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland to ensure that all consignments of beef imported from Germany are now inspected in licensed meat plants. The FSA has also written to local authorities to advise them that all meat plants under local authority supervision which are likely to receive consignments of German beef should be subject to further random checks, in which any beef from Germany should be inspected.In addition, the FSA has also vigorously taken up the problem of the contaminated beef with both the European Commission and the relevant German authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Blackpool Victoria Hospital Trust will receive the capital investment to develop its new cardio-thoracic facilities. 147240]

[holding answer 31 January 2001: The recommendations for developing cardiac services across the north-west have been accepted in full. Discussions are now progressing well with a view to developing the business case for the Specialist Cardio-Thoracic Centre which will be based at the Blackpool Victoria Hospital. It is hoped that the nrw unit will be operational by 2005, subject to the availability of capital.