To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is with regard to (a) Ministers And (b) officials in his Department giving evidence to (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) Welsh Assembly and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document he gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to (1) Scottish parliament, (2) Welsh Assembly, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons Select committees. [7030]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 15 October 2001, Official Report, columns 1003–05W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on bringing forward the programme for the new aircraft carriers. [8425]

It would be imprudent to bring forward significantly the programme to build the two new aircraft carriers, especially given their size and complexity. Time spent now in assessing the developing designs, in step with decisions on the aircraft to be operated from the ships (including the Future Joint Combat Aircraft and the Future Organic Airborne Early Warning Aircraft) will allow us to optimise the design of the ship so that it best meets our future operational requirements. This assessment phase is due to complete in 2003, and the planned In Service Dates of the two carriers remain 2012 and 2015.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what action his Department is taking to ensure sub-contracting work for the alternative ships logistics to be built on the Rivers Tyne and Clyde is awarded to United Kingdom companies; [R] [8131](2) what proportion of the contract value of the alternative landing ships logistics to be built by Swan Hunters on Tyneside will be placed with north-east companies; and if he will list all United Kingdom and overseas subcontractors scheduled to receive orders of £500,000 and above. [R] [8130]

The Department's contract with Swan Hunter requires the company to maximise the use of competition when awarding sub-contracts for the build of the Alternative Landing Ships Logistic. However, the final choice of supplier must rest with Swan Hunter as the prime contractor. It is up to prospective UK suppliers to submit competitively priced bids to the prime contractor for equipment that meets the Ministry of Defence's requirements.Swan Hunter has so far placed only a small number of sub-contracts. While Swan Hunter has indicated that most sub-contract work is likely to be placed with UK companies, it is too early to say how much work will be placed with companies in the north-east.Negotiations are under way for the contract with BAE Systems Marine, Govan. The same conditions will apply to the sub-contract for the BAE Systems' vessel once a contract is agreed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the development of the Technology Readiness and Risk Assessment Programme; and if he will place a copy of an unclassified version in the Library. [10969]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 31 October 2001, Official Report, column 661W, to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions the Government have undertaken with the United States regarding the possible use of type 45 frigates as part of the USA's plan to develop a missile defence to protect the US and its allies. [10966]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the need for a light armoured vehicle for the armed forces; and if he will make a statement. [11500]

The lessons we have learned from recent operations have shown that the procurement priorities we set out in the Strategic Defence Review, and its overall focus, were broadly correct. We keep these priorities under review. As part of this we have considered the capability which can be offered by light armoured vehicles, and we assess that they will contribute importantly to our forces' ability to react rapidly to global events. I set out how we currently intend to deliver this capability in my answer to the hon. Member on 26 October 2001, Official Report, column 406W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if units have adequate fresh rations for the purposes of Swift Sword II; and if he will make a statement. [11504]

All forces deployed on Saif Sareea II had adequate fresh rations. Rations were scaled to provide five days fresh and two days Operational Ration Packs (ORP) in each seven day period with the ORP being consumed during training phases. The provision of rations on the exercise has proved extremely efficient and feedback from the forces and unit commanders has been positive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will make a down select decision on the Future Carrier Programme; and if he will make a statement. [11452]

[holding answer 30 October 2001]: We are currently in discussions about the CVF procurement strategy with both candidate prime contractors, BAE Systems and Thales Naval Ltd. We hope to be in a position to make an announcement about the way forward in the next few weeks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effects of the use of cluster bombs in Afghanistan; and how many of these have been used in the conflict. [11435]

[holding answer 30 October 2001]: Cluster bombs are the most effective weapon against certain targets and, while that remains the case, they will continue to be used in Afghanistan. As at 29 October, coalition forces had used cluster bombs against five targets: one terrorist camp and four Taliban military installations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the cost to the United Kingdom of the military action in Afghanistan; what estimate he has made of the weekly cost to the UK of (a) current and (b) planned deployment; and if he will make a statement. [11646]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 23 October 2001, Official Report, column 114W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what modifications are required to be made to British helicopters in order to enable them to undertake operations in Afghan air space. [11039]

Equipment deployed by UK armed forces on operations is modified as necessary to perform in the environment in which it is used.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the sale of Hawk aircraft to India; when he expects contracts to be signed; what other medium to long-term prospects he has identified for overseas sales of Hawk aircraft; and what discussions he has had with BAE Systems at Brough on the implications for employment at the plant of sales of Hawk aircraft. [11570]

[holding answer 31 October 2001]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 October 2001, Official Report, column 626, to the right hon. Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack). Progress with commercial negotiations is a matter for the company and the Indian Government. The Ministry of Defence maintains contact with BAE Systems on employment at Brough relating to sales of Hawk. The Government will continue to support BAE Systems in whatever way we can with the promotion of this first class aircraft in appropriate markets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to advancing an order for Hawk 127s as part of the RAF's Military Flying Training System. [11571]

[holding answer 31 October 2001]: We are closely examining our future flying training needs with a view to putting in place a system that will meet the needs of all three Services. We will give full consideration to purchasing Hawk 127 but this will be part of an analysis of all available options.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much Kevlar is stocked by British manufacturers of body armour; where Kevlar is manufactured; and if he will make a statement. [11569]

[holding answer 31 October 2001]: Kevlar is a Dupont Commercial brand name for one product line associated with the Aramid family of materials. Information on the total quantity of Aramid materials held commercially is not available to the Ministry of Defence as the companies concerned consider it Commercial in Confidence. Recent inquiries of these firms have however, indicated that they have sufficient stocks available to meet the MOD's requirements.Kevlar supplied to British manufacturers of body armour is manufactured by Dupont at their facility in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the tendering companies for body armour are British-based. [11567]

[holding answer 31 October 2001]: On the last tender exercise for body armour, all of the five companies invited to tender were British-based.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if body armour can be constructed of materials other than Kevlar. [11568]

[holding answer 31 October 2001]: Yes. Kevlar is a Dupont commercial brand name for one product line of the Aramid family of materials. Other manufacturing companies make their own Aramid fibres, for instance Twaron. Materials other than Aramids can be used for ballistic protection but have cost, weight and/or bulk limitations, which could affect individual performance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many suits of body armour are on order by his Department; and what estimate he has made of the need for body armour in view of land operations in Afghanistan. [11565]

[holding answer 31 October 2001]: There are no orders currently outstanding for body armour within the Department. There are currently sufficient stocks of body armour available to meet current planned deployments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what tenders are open for the supply of body armour; when they will be concluded; and how many companies he expects to tender. [11566]

[holding answer 31 October 2001]: One tender exercise is currently on-going for the supply of a sample quantity of body armour fillers and plates. Once these samples have been evaluated, Invitations to Tender will be issued to up to five UK-based companies within the next month.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how he will provide the cockpit training environment needed to train pilots for the Eurofighter Typhoon. [11572]

[holding answer 31 October 2001]: We intend that pilots should undertake both simulated training, provided as part of the Eurofighter Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids (ASTA) project, and live airborne training in two-seat and single-seat Eurofighter aircraft. A single source collaborative development, production and in-service support contract for ASTA was placed in April this year with Eurofighter GmbH, who will also provide the aircraft to be used for training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was (a) the mean time between failure rate of the FADEC system on the Chinook Mk2 in its first year of operational service and (b) the target figure agreed with the manufacturer; if his Department's contract with Textron Lycoming included a reliability warranty for the FADEC system; if this was met; and if he will make a statement. [11779]

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on (a) the reasons for and (b) the circumstances relating to the departure of the deputy head of the Ministry of Defence Police. [11766]

The contract of Mr. Tony Comben as Deputy Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Police was terminated on Wednesday 24 October 2001. I am withholding the reasons for his departure under Exemption 8 (Public Employment) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Mr. Comben's departure was completely unrelated to complaints against him from members of the public, currently being investigated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Combat Effectiveness Gender Study will be published. [11746]

I am currently considering the conclusions of a review on the employment of women in the armed forces and will make a further statement in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the number of staff employed by his Department by region and nation of the UK; and if he will make a statement. [6828]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 15 October 2001, Official Report, columns 1009–12W to the Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what biological or biologically derived samples have been supplied by the Defence and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down to (a) USA, (b) France, (c) Belgium, (d) Sweden, (e) Australia, (f) Germany, (g) Austria, (h) Spain, (i) Netherlands, (j) Norway, (k) Italy, (l) Japan and (m) Canada since 1990. [11502]

Since 1990 the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down has supplied in excess of one hundred biological or biologically derived materials to these countries for medical and veterinary research purposes.The majority of this material has been supplied under International Collaboration Research agreements relating to biological detection capability and potential medical countermeasures. However, it would not be appropriate to publish a list of the biological material supplied to these countries as this could reveal operational capabilities and deficiencies. I am therefore withholding this information in the interests of National Security under category 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the costings are for the Romanian acquisition of the two ex-Royal Navy 22 Batch Two frigates; how much the reactivation, refits training and long-term support package will cost; and if he will make a statement. [11782]

Negotiations concerning the disposal of ex-Ministry of Defence equipment involve matters of commercial and customer confidentiality. I am therefore withholding the information under Exemption 1 and 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to recommend a ban on the manufacture of cluster bombs by UK companies. [11884]

There are no plans to recommend a ban on the manufacture of cluster bombs by UK companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she will answer the question tabled by the hon. Member for Yeovil on 20 July [ref. 422]. [9960]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development replied to the hon. Member in her letter dated 1 October; a copy was placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations (a) her Department made to the Department of Trade and Industry and (b) she will make to the WTO Summit on providing developing countries with access to cheap medicines. [11465]

We work closely with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) among others on access to medicines. The UK Government are working with the European Union and others to ensure that the WTO's existing rules on intellectual property help developing countries gain access to medicine. This means making sure that new medicines are developed while at the same time allowing developing countries to take appropriate measures to protect public health in national emergencies.Intellectual property rights need to be part of wider action to address the problems facing developing countries in developing effective healthcare to all their citizens. That is why the UK strongly supports the global fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and why the Prime Minister asked me to form a high level working group to report back by May 2002 on what else needs to be done. On 8 October, I chaired the first meeting of the high level working group on access to medicines, at which Government Ministers and officials—including representatives from DTI—met with a range of key stakeholders to look at ways of increasing research and development into the diseases of the poor.The UK supports the development of a meaningful declaration on this issue at the Doha ministerial conference, which should affirm and clarify flexibilities within the TRIPS Agreement to allow developing countries to protect their public health needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department giving evidence to (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) Welsh Assembly and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document she gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to (1) Scottish parliament, (2) Welsh Assembly, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons Select committees. [7033]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, Official Report, 15 October 2001, column 1003W.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will urge the WTO to commit itself to achieving the international development targets at the next round of WTO negotiations. [11150]

The UK Government believe that the WTO should commit itself to achieving the international development targets. This would send a strong message that the WTO is part of the fight against poverty and that its promotion of trade liberalisation is a means for development, rather than an end in itself.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proposal the United Kingdom Government plans to make at the next multilateral round of WTO negotiations to ensure that it is a development round. [11479]

The UK Government are committed to pushing for a development round of trade negotiations at the WTO, to be launched at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha, Qatar, 9 to 13 November. This should bring substantial benefits to developing countries, particularly by increasing their access to markets for products of interest to them, such as agriculture and textiles. We are pushing for an agenda for the negotiations that will satisfy the varying needs of developing countries. Once such a round is launched we will continue to work hard for an outcome that will benefit the poor in developing countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on food security in southern Sudan for the next six months. [11159]

It is harvest time now in southern Sudan. Present indications for the next six months throughout most of the area look better than in some previous years. We will continue to monitor needs and respond accordingly.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to visit southern Sudan. [11158]

I am considering a visit to Sudan if it will help encourage progress towards peace.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many companies have registered to be learning providers under the Individual Learning Account scheme. [9685]

In England, 8,504 learning providers are currently registered with the Individual Learning Account Centre.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the proportion of state secondary schools which will be specialist schools by the end of 2003; and if she will make a statement. [11475]

By September 2003 we expect there to be at least 1,000 operational specialist schools. This will take the proportion of maintained secondary schools which have specialist designation to 32 per cent. By 2005 we plan for at least 46 per cent. of secondary schools to have specialist status. Over time we want to ensure that all maintained secondary schools which want to and are ready have the opportunity to become a specialist school as part of their strategy for school improvement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements have been made to ensure that schools with post-16 students do not lose income as a result of the Learning and Skills Council taking control of funding in 2002. [8846]

This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. I have therefore asked John Harwood, the Council's Chief Executive, to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and to place a copy of his reply in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action her Department took in recognition of Energy Efficiency Week. [11511]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment on 30 October 2001, Official Report, column 592W. As Energy Efficiency Week was aimed primarily at domestic energy use, and its environmental impact, no additional action was taken in recognition of the week. The Department does, of course, have a well-established and on-going commitment to energy efficiency across all its activities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps her Department plans to take to ensure community access is maximised in respect of wired up communities projects. [11207]

We are piloting the wired up communities initiative in 14,000 households in seven areas across England, including inner city, rural and coalfield communities. An evaluation report on this pilot phase is due to be published in spring 2002. Findings will be carefully considered before any decisions are made on how best to maximise community access to ICT. However, our existing policies also mean that by the end of 2002 there will be 6,000 UK online centres—.including 3,000 public libraries—operating across England to provide widespread community access to ICT facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what percentage of students achieved five A to C grades at GCSE in each local education authority in England in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001; and what the percentage change in performance was in each case; [10936](2) if she will list the schools in England where the percentage of students achieving fewer than five grades A to C was less than 25 per cent. in 2001; and for each school,

The Department will publish 2001 GCSE (and GNVQ equivalent) results for each local education authority in England in a statistical first release on 20 November and data for schools in England in the secondary school performance tables on 22 November. I will then write to my hon. Friend with the information he seeks and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the changes which have taken place within the export credit guarantee arrangements in the last four years. [9560]

The role of the Export Credits Guarantee Department, the UK's official export credit agency, was recently reviewed. Work on implementing the findings of the Mission and Status Review Report, presented to Parliament in July 2000, is currently well under way.The Review strongly reaffirmed ECGD's primary role in bringing economic benefit to the UK by helping UK exporters and investors to win valuable business abroad.It also set out an important agenda for change to ensure that ECGD works to help Government meet their international objectives, including those of sustainable development, human rights and good governance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her Department's submission to the performance and innovation unit's review of future energy needs. [9563]

My Department submitted an initial contribution to the PIU's Energy Policy Review on 1 August. The submission represented officials' preliminary analysis of some of the key issues that PIU will need to consider during their review. Its purpose was to stimulate debate about energy policy issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her policy on implementation of the EU fixed term contracts directive. [9564]

The Government held a public consultation early this year on the implementation of the fixed term directive and the responses received are currently being considered. The directive is due to be implemented by 10 July 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action her Department is taking to reduce the pay gap between men and women. [9565]

Denise Kingsmill's review of Women's Employment and Pay will be reporting very shortly, and we look forward to discussing her findings at a December conference. Government Departments are reviewing their pay systems and we are promoting action in local government. The Equal Opportunity Commission's model for voluntary pay reviews will also soon be available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to encourage co-operation between universities and the business community. [9566]

The Government's "Excellence and Opportunity" White Paper, published last July, set out a comprehensive range of actions to strengthen links between business and universities. Over £100 million has recently been awarded to Higher Education Institutions under these measures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what help she makes available for a person who wishes to start a business as a sole trader. [9568]

This Government are committed to promoting enterprise across society by increasing the number and quality of business start-ups.This is focused at a local level through the Small Business Service's Business Link network, which provides a comprehensive package of tailored high quality business support to meet the needs of all small businesses in their areas, including to those starting a business as a sole trader.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will introduce anti-discrimination legislation required by the EU directives. [9569]

We shall introduce new anti-discrimination legislation in time to meet the deadlines which we agreed in the Employment Directive: namely, 2003 for sexual orientation and religion; and 2006 for age.I am considering with colleagues across Government how best to introduce legislation on these issues while fulfilling our commitments on existing legislation on race, disability and sex discrimination. We shall publish a consultation document about our plans for new legislation within the next three months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has made of the miners' compensation scheme. [9570]

In total, more than £600 million has now been paid out. Progress on Vibration White Finger has been maintained, and there are clear signs of progress on respiratory disease. Well over 1,000 medical assessments are now being carried out each week. We expect to see the number of full and final offers increasing sharply over the next few weeks. I recognise the need for constant vigilance to ensure that improvements are sustained.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of miners' compensation claimants have received interim payments. [9572]

As at 14 October the Department has made 40,000 interim payments to respiratory disease claimants, and 40,000 to Vibration White Finger claimants. However, the Department is not able to quote these as a percentage of claimants as some claimants may have received more than one payment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the progress being made in processing miners' compensation claims. [9577]

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the progress of the miners' health compensation scheme. [9586]

I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham), on 1 November 2001, Official Report, column 997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many retired coal miners in each of the last five years died before industrial illness compensation was paid to them. [8508]

[holding answer 23 October 2001]: The number of coal miners whose date of death is after their date of claim, and who have not received any compensation, including interim payments, for respiratory disease is broken down as follows:

	Number of claimants who have not received any compensation for respiratory disease
1997	209
1998	805
1999	1,377
2000	1,486
2001	1,255

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further action she is taking to promote renewable energy. [9571]

We are about to introduce the Renewables Obligation which will provide a substantial long-term incentive to the renewable energy sector as a whole with the potential to create a market worth over £1 billion per annum by 2010. We are backing up our commitment to the Obligation with additional initiatives worth over £260 million over this and the next two financial years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is taking to ensure the future competitiveness of British manufacturing industry. [9573]

The favourable macroeconomic framework the Government have established, together with our policies to foster productivity and help firms innovate and grow, are the best way to ensure the future competitiveness of the UK manufacturing sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the potential of Glas Cymru to be a model for social enterprise. [9574]

My Department's Social Enterprise Unit, launched last month, will be examining a wide range of potential models for successful social enterprises.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance her Department is giving the textile sector. [9575]

My Department provides considerable financial and other assistance to the Textile and Clothing Industry. The focus for much of this assistance is the priorities identified by the industry itself in the report of the Textile and Clothing Strategy Group, "A National Strategy for the UK Textile and Clothing Industry", which was published in June 2000. Current priorities include support for the development of innovative technical textiles, the supply chain, the fashion industry, training and skills, e-commerce, and public procurement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action her Department has taken to support the regional economic competitiveness of the north-west after 11 September. [9579]

The North West Development Agency is preparing a report assessing the impact of the events of 11 September and its aftermath on the economy of the region and identifying what needs to be done. The events underline the importance of existing programmes of advice and assistance, and the urgency of the review of the Department of Trade and Industry's business support activities that I initiated earlier this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many sub-post offices have closed since April. [9580]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 986W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support she gives to small businesses. [9581]

The Government provide a wide range of help for small businesses, including support from the Small Business Service, which, through its national network of Business Link Operators provides information, advice, or access to experts on just about everything needed to start and run a business.Services include business planning, finance, regulation, marketing, exporting, employment issues, training and development, innovation, design and ICT and E-commerce.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures the Government have taken to expand broadband cabling at competitive rates in Wales. [9583]

The Government are working to ensure that broadband services are available in all parts of the country. To this end we are developing a strategy together with all interested parties. The £30 million fund for regional development agencies and the devolved Administrations is focused on extending broadband networks to those who are not offered access by the market, including in rural areas. In Wales, the National Assembly is carrying forward its own work on broadband in rural areas with our support and assistance. The Assembly First Minister made an announcement on 24 October regarding, investment to speed roll-out in the public sector.In addition, we are examining the scope for aggregating public sector demand in order to speed up the roll-out of broadband services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has for improving the rural post office network. [9584]

The Government are committed to providing transitional financial assistance to rural post offices and decisions on this will be taken following advice from the Postal Services Commission which is expected later in the autumn. In addition, implementation of the Performance and Innovation Unit recommendations, all of which were accepted by the Government, will help to modernise and sustain the whole post office network. We have made available a £2 million fund to support volunteer and community initiatives to maintain or reopen post office facilities in rural areas where traditional services would otherwise close.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what additional measures she plans to take to assist manufacturing industry. [9585]

My Department's support for manufacturing is wide-ranging; from schemes to encourage innovation and collaboration with the science base, to work with specific sectors on targeted programmes to enhance their competitiveness, to exporting services and regional and local support. I am strengthening assistance to manufacturing industry through our increased support for the regional development agencies to raise innovation, enterprise and skills. We are taking forward our announced initiative to provide a manufacturing advisory service, based on provision of services on a regional basis. We are also introducing measures to help workers develop their skills and increase their prospects of finding new employment if they lose their jobs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the function of the Embedded Generation Working Group is. [9562]

The Embedded Generation Working Group provided advice about access for small generators to distribution networks. It made its final report in June.Ofgem is presently consulting on regulatory issues arising from the report. A Co-ordination Group is being established to ensure that the wider recommendations are addressed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she has taken to ensure that pharmaceutical companies in the United Kingdom are not engaged in the production of biological weapons. [9576]

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 923, the legislative measures that he intends to introduce in the very near future to counter international terrorism threats. The legislation will include clauses to cover the intention to use, produce, possess or participate in unauthorised transfers of chemical and biological as well as nuclear and radiological materials.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what recent representations she has received on restrictive agreements in the newspaper distribution industry; and if she will make a statement; [11767](2) if she will ask the Director General of Fair Trading to investigate possible restrictive agreements in the newspaper distribution industry; and if she will make a statement. [11885]

Under UK competition legislation, the Director General of Fair Trading is responsible for monitoring markets and considering allegations of anti-competitive behaviour. The Director General has considered complaints about anti-competitive behaviour in the newspaper distribution industry but has so far taken the view that the industry is highly competitive overall. Representations received about restrictive agreements in the newspaper distribution industry have been passed to the Director General.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts regarding the mandatory use of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development guidelines for multinational companies. [11151]

None. The Government support the voluntary nature of the OECD guidelines and are not aware of any plans by EU partners to make them mandatory.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the trends are in the export and import of goods in the current year; and if she will make a statement. [9556]

The latest estimates of trend produced by the Office for National Statistics (based on data to August), show both the value of exports and imports falling in recent months. This follows record levels of trade in 2001 quarter 1.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action her Department took in recognition of Energy Efficiency Week. [11516]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment, on 30 October 2001, Official Report, column 592W. My Department is fully committed to supporting energy efficiency, achieving an improvement of some 50 per cent. in energy efficiency at standard prices in 1997–98 compared with 1990–91. An energy audit is currently under way with a view to making further improvements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if she will propose an amendment to the law to provide a definition of "Royal Family" for the purposes of Section 1(1)(c) of Schedule Al of the Registered Designs Regulations 2001; [11883](2) for what reason the Registered Design Regulations 2001 provide that registration of any representation or colourable imitation of any member of the Royal Family shall be refused registration under the Registered Designs Act 1949. [11936]

The Registered Designs Regulations accord with the views taken by Parliament when concluding the Trade Marks Act 1994, which implemented equivalent provisions of another directive. In particular, this provision is exactly equivalent to section 4(1)(c) of that Act, which specifies a public interest exception to trade mark protection.There is no statutory definition of "Royal Family" provided by the 1994 Act or these Regulations. It is a matter for the courts to decide how far this public interest exception to protection extends.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make an announcement on the Government's response to Ofgem's reports, 'The New Electricity Trading Arrangements-Review of the First Three Months' and 'Report to the DTI on the Review of the Initial Impact of NETA on Smaller Generators' of 31 August. [12614]

The Government believe that NETA has been a success in its own terms. The introduction of a more efficient regime into a more transparent, inclusive and efficient pricing system has meant that wholesale electricity prices are up to 25 per cent. lower than the artificially high prices that existed under the Pool arrangements. In addition, Ofgem's findings show rapid emergence of a strong and liquid forward curve—this will contribute to UK's longer-term security of energy supply by providing reliable longer-term price signals for investors to use in planning new generation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the number of cases dismissed by employment tribunals on the grounds that they were scandalous, frivolous or vexatious in each of the past 10 years. [9728]

[holding answer 24 October 2001]: It would not be possible to measure the number of cases dismissed by employment tribunals on the grounds that they were scandalous, frivolous or vexatious in each of the past 10 years.Such information is not available from the employment tribunals service database, which only records the outcome of each case and not the reasons for the outcome.However, survey evidence suggests that in 2000–01 there were between 2,600 and 5,200 tribunal cases where the applicant was advised against taking their case forward.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims under the Icelandic Trawlerman's Compensation Scheme have not been processed due to claimants sailing on Icelandic water vessels after 1979; and if she will make a statement. [10458]

There were 1,115 claims on hold from trawlermen who continued fishing after 1979 on vessels that formerly fished in Icelandic waters. I have decided to amend the rules of the scheme so that such fishing no longer disqualifies men from receiving compensation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the (a) benefits and (b) costs to the construction industry are of the aggregates tax. [10645]

[holding answer 30 October 2001]: I have been asked to reply.The environmental benefits of the aggregates levy will be more efficient use of virgin aggregate and a greater use of recycled alternative. This will reduce the environmental impacts of virgin aggregate extraction—such as damage to biodiversity and visual intrusion. In addition, all revenues raised will be recycled to business through a 0.1 percentage point cut in employers' national insurance contributions and a new £35 million sustainability fund aimed at delivering local environmental benefits to areas subject to the environmental costs of aggregates extraction.The levy will be charged at £1.60 per tonne on the commercial exploitation of virgin aggregates in the UK, including those imported from abroad. Aggregates exported from the UK will be exempt.A full regulatory impact assessment was published at the time of Budget 2000. The impact on the actual costs to the end user will be dependent on the commercial decisions of those in the supply chain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the occasions on which guidance has been given to Railtrack by Ministers or statutory bodies at national level since May 1997, indicating in each case the body concerned. [8949]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, the Strategic Rail Authority and the Rail Regulator have not given formal guidance specifically to Railtrack.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he had meetings with the Chairman of Railtrack between 25 July and 5 October. [9834]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met John Robinson, the Chairman of Railtrack, on 25 July, on 27 July at the Rail Delivery Group and on 5 October. As agreed by the Secretary of State and Mr. Robinson, officials held a number of meetings with Railtrack and their advisers during this period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the level of reserves the successor to Railtrack will require to support a BBB credit rating. [10437]

The appropriate level of reserves would be determined once the railway administrator has been able to assess Railtrack Plc's true financial position on the basis of a better understanding of its assets, liabilities and cost base.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the total amounts paid by Railtrack to (a) directors and (b) shareholders were in each year since privatisation. [10399]

(a) The Directors of Railtrack Group Plc received total remuneration of over £10.4 million for the period 1996–97 to 2000–01 inclusive. The annual breakdown is shown in the table.

Directors' remuneration
Year	£000
1996–97	1,386
1997–98	2,167
1998–99	2,046
1999–2000	2,153
2000–01	2,669

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions he has had with (a) Moodys, (b) S & P, and (c) other credit rating agencies concerning Railtrack and its successor; and if he will make a statement. [11128]

Officials have met with credit rating agencies as part of their overall objective of ensuring that the rail network continues to receive sufficient funding to operate on a normal basis during the administration of Railtrack Plc and, separately, to develop further the Government's proposals for a Company Limited by Guarantee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he plans to seek parliamentary approval for a voted loan to Railtrack plc in administration. [11219]

Parliamentary approval will be sought during the forthcoming Winter Supplementary estimates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will ensure the separation of the safety regulation from the ownership of the rail network following the creation of the successor to Railtrack. [10474]

The regulator for railway safety is the Health and Safety Executive. There are no plans to change this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what meetings his Department has held with financial institutions since the Railtrack administration announcement. [10764]

The Government have had meetings with their financial advisers, bondholders and with credit rating agencies to ensure that the rail network continues to receive sufficient funding to operate on a normal basis during the administration of Railtrack plc and, to discuss the Government's proposals for a Company Limited by a Guarantee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions with which institutions holding Railtrack bonds his Department has held discussions since the administration order; and if he will make a statement. [10761]

Officials of my Department were present at meetings organised by representatives of bondholders. A number of institutions would have been present at these meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what is the most recent guidance he has given to the Strategic Rail Authority on the 10 year plan target for rail freight; and what the original target was. [10441]

A key target of the Government's 10-Year Plan is for rail to achieve a significant increase in its share of the freight market by 2010.In pursuance of this and other targets for the railway, the Secretary of State published on 13 July this year draft directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority. This requires the authority, among other things, to secure increases in capacity to accommodate the expected growth in freight traffic.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he informed the Strategic Rail Authority of his Department's discussions with (a) passenger rail franchisees and (b) train operating companies to take over responsibility for operating and maintaining railway infrastructure in the areas where they run train services. [9831]

Officials have had meetings on such matters with train operators' representatives or their advisers at their request. These have not resulted in any changes in policy about which the Strategic Rail Authority needed to be informed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the first special purpose vehicle for investment in the rail infrastructure will be in operation. [10438]

Plans exist for special purpose vehicles to be created to undertake works in connection with the replacement of the South West and South Central passenger franchises and the development of the East London Line. Other opportunities also exist but are generally less well advanced at present. It is not possible at this stage to be specific about timing which is a matter for commercial negotiation among the parties involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what safety improvements have been suggested by Railtrack and the Highways Agency following the incidences of vehicles on the track at (a) Selby on 28 February, (b) Bletchley in Buckinghamshire on 24 August and (c) Wilsford in Lincolnshire on 30 August; what action has been taken as a result; and if he will make a statement on the funding of the improvements; [10904](2) what arrangements exist between Railtrack and the Highways Agency to co-ordinate provisions to prevent road vehicles getting on to railway tracks; [10910](3) if the vulnerability of the sites of the incidences of vehicles on the track at

The assessment of roads is an operational matter for the relevant highway authority, in consultation with the relevant rail authorities if a road crosses a railway.The Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions is the highway authority for the site at Great Heck, near Selby, where a vehicle left the road on 28 February 2001. I can confirm that the barrier provision at this site met all the relevant standards. On Monday 12 March this year the then Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Local Government and the Regions, my hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Keith Hill), announced in a PQ that the Deputy Prime Minister had asked the Highways Agency to review its standards for nearside safety barriers. He also announced that the DPM has asked the Health and Safety Commission to convene a working group that will look at the circumstances of incidents where vehicles have blocked rail lines and whether there are features in common that might have been prevented. When I have the reports from the Highways Agency and from the Health and Safety Commission, I will be able to consider what action needs to be taken by those responsible for the road and the rail infrastructure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects to announce a decision on implementing two-way access to the M5 at junction 10; and if he will make a statement. [10982]

The Highways Agency is proposing to carry out a route management strategy study on this part of the trunk road network, which will examine the role and performance of the M5 and include consideration of Junction 10 near Uckington in Gloucestershire.The study is expected to be commissioned around the turn of the year and will take approximately 12 months to complete.If the study concludes that alterations to the Junction are merited, the scheme would have to be adopted into the Highways Agency's programme, following consultation with, and a recommendation from the Regional Assembly. This is in line with procedures outlined in the Planning Policy Guidance Note 11 (PPG 11).Accordingly, it is not possible at this time to give a reliable prediction of when I may be able to make an announcement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on Heathrow Terminal 5. [10402]

No decision has yet been taken on the proposed fifth terminal at Heathrow. The applicants for planning permission and other interested parties will all be told of the decision in the usual way, and an oral statement will be made to inform Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will announce the Government's decision on Terminal 5. [11428]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will announce his decision on the proposed building of Terminal 5 at Heathrow. [11473]

No decision has yet been taken on the proposed fifth Terminal at Heathrow. The Secretary of State will announce his decision once he has completed his full and careful consideration of all the issues. The applicants for planning permission and other interested parties will all be told of the decision in the usual way, and an oral statement will be made to inform Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions he has had with the aviation industry regarding the safety of residents living under flight paths into Heathrow Airport. [11147]

The safety of residents living under flight paths into Heathrow Airport is best assured by the safety regulation of aircraft, operators and air traffic movements. The safety regulation of UK registered aircraft and operators and of air traffic control in UK airspace is the day-to-day responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The Authority has regular contacts with the aviation industry.In addition, following the attacks in New York and Washington, aviation security has been heightened at all UK airports. An urgent and thorough review of aviation security has also been undertaken, involving Government, the CAA and industry. This has looked at a wide range of measures aimed at enhancing aviation security and safety still further, for the benefit of both passengers and people on the ground.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to reduce environmental pollution from aeroplanes and aircraft fuels. [10559]

My Department is continuing to work with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and other interested organisations, both national and international, on a range of measures to further improve the environmental performance of aircraft. This includes developing and introducing better technologies, adopting more optimal operating practices, and devising economic incentives to encourage the use of cleaner aircraft. The Department is also supporting national and international research aimed at reaching a better understanding of the environmental impact of aviation and of the effects of possible action to mitigate it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what targets have been set by the Government for cutting evasion of vehicle excise duty from the introduction of the Stingray system in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the UK. [11234]

We have set a target of 700,000 successful cases against evasion of vehicle excise duty for Great Britain in 2001–02. The mobile camera system will help to achieve this demanding target.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the Stingray system is to be used throughout the country. [11236]

The national launch of the new mobile camera system took place in London on 11 October. The systems are now in use across the country.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the estimated cost is of implementing the Stingray system in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the UK. [11232]

The full cost of implementing the mobile camera system which will be used across the UK was around £2 million including the purchase of the equipment, staff and other costs. The units are mobile and will be displayed flexibly across the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what savings he estimates will arise from the introduction of the Stingray system. [11230]

We estimate that the new mobile camera system will generate around £9 million per annum in additional revenue from enforcement action against evaders and from increased voluntary relicensing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the estimated cost is of the advertising campaign for the introduction of the Stingray system. [11229]

The cost of publicising the VED enforcement campaign, including the new mobile number plate readers, was £640,000 for the national launch in London on 11 October and £240,000 in Scotland on 23 October. A further £1 million will be spent on additional campaigns involving the new system for the remainder of the UK over the rest of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans the Government have to monitor the effectiveness of the Stingray system; and if he will make a statement. [11235]

The effectiveness of the new mobile camera system will be monitored by: the number of unlicensed vehicles captured by the system; the number of successful cases pursued against VED evaders captured by the system; the penalties, fines and revenue recovered from those evaders, and the deterrent effect measured by the additional revenue received from induced relicensing as a result of the publicity campaigns.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the estimated running costs are for the Stingray system. [11231]

The estimated running costs for the 11 units of the mobile camera system is £1.2 million per annum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much of the £1.67 million allocated for research into methods for improving transport security has been specifically aimed at improving airport security in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the UK. [11424]

The benefits accruing from my Department's Research and Development programme for aviation security are equally available to all airports in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what expert advice he has received on the conclusions of the German Federal Research Organisation BaST on the compatibility of the Phase One and EEVC tests on vehicles designed for greater pedestrian protection. [11108]

We have had no specific advice. BaST recently highlighted the difficulty of designing for different headform sizes, particularly the 4.8kg and 3.5kg headforms. This is not a new issue, and it is one which industry would have been aware of when the negotiated agreement was originally prepared.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what expert advice he has received on the conclusions by the Dutch Ministry of Transport on the option by the EU for the draft negotiated agreement on vehicles designed for greater pedestrian protection. [11106]

We have not received any specific expert advice on this, but we understand that the Dutch favour going to a Directive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the draft negotiated agreement on vehicles designed for greater pedestrian protection will permit manufacturers to pass the EEVC tests instead of the Phase One industry tests. [11107]

Nature of funding	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02
Northampton borough council1
Revenue Support Grant (£ million)	7.322	8.080	7.550	7.249	7.772
Income from National Non-Domestic Rates (£ million)	6.021	6.171	6.674	7.548	7.359
South Northamptonshire
Housing Investment Programme (£000)	625	471	538	1,483	22,135
Capital Receipts Initiative	—	—	—	n/a	n/a
Northampton
Housing Investment Programme (£000)	2,520	1,959	2,131	6,720	9,100
Capital Receipts Initiative (£000)	529	1,590	1,653	n/a	n/a
South Northamptonshire
Housing Revenue Account Subsidy3 (£000)	807.27	—	—	—	817.05
Northampton
Housing Revenue Account Subsidy4(£000)	765.55	—	—	—	797.38
Northamptonshire county council allocations
Transport Supplementary Grant (£ million)	1.078	0.886	0.935	—	—
Transport Annual Capital Guideline (£ million)	1.078	0.886	0.935	—	—
Transport Block Supplementary Credit Approval (£ million)	1.300	1.369	2.236	5.089	11.866
Rural Bus Challenge Grant from 1999–2000 (£ million)	—	—	0.488	0.051	—
Rural Bus Subsidy Grant from 1998–99 (£ million)	—	0.697	0.697	0.697	0.890
1Northampton borough council 2001–02 settlement key figures
Standard Spending Assessment (SSA)
Total SSA—£20.6 million
Increase over 2000–01—£0.615 million or 3.1 per cent. (average for class authority 4.6 per cent.)
EPCS SSA—E20.108 million
Increase over 2000–01—£0.503 million or 2.6 per cent (average for class of authority 4.5 per cent.)
General grant
Total grant—£.15.131 million
Increase over 2000–01—£0.313 million or 2.1 per cent. (average for class of authority 3.9 per cent.)
Council tax 2000–01
Budget increase 3.4 per cent.—Band D council tax £145—Band D increase 5.9 per cent.
2Includes MRA
3Combined Management and Maintenance Allowance per dwelling 1.2 per cent. increase in cash terms but 8 per cent. in real terms.
4Combined Management and Maintenance Allowance per dwelling 4.2 per cent. increase in cash terms but 5.4 per cent. in real terms.

SRB Funding in Northamptonshire
Year	SRB Rd 1	SRB Rd 5	SRB Rd 6	Total
1997–98	1,548,796	—	—	1,549,045.63
1998–99	1,024,501	—	—	1,549,045.63
1999–2000	1,783,938	11,954	—	3,098,091.26
2000–01	1,485,000	70,678	14,925	1,572,603.00
2001–02	942,812	96,678	134,700	1,175,190.50

SRB Round 1—Northampton Partnership—Target area—Northampton wards of Dallington and Kings Heath, Delapre, Southbridge, Castle and St. CrispinSRB Round 5—Northamptonshire Connecting Communities—Target Area—whole countySRB Round 6—Target Area—Northampton wards of Dallington and Kings Heath, Castle and St. Crispin

The negotiated agreement, as drafted, does not specifically cater for this. However, it would be illogical if, in practice, vehicles which met the full EEVC Phase Two requirements were not permitted under Phase One.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Northampton, South constituency, the effects on Northampton of his Department's policies and action since May 1997. [11283]

The information is as follows: