To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has concerning the deployment of British troops in Sierra Leone. [24369]

Our military training and assistance programme continues to make good progress towards its goal of developing a professional, accountable and effective Sierra Leone army, able to protect the security and integrity of Sierra Leone on its own. I announced in September that, following the completion of the work of British short-term training teams, our military presence would reduce to 360 shore-based personnel by January 2002, remaining at that level until April. Since then, it has been announced that presidential and parliamentary elections in Sierra Leone are to be held on 14 May 2002. I have therefore decided to maintain our presence at the force levels announced in September over the period of the elections. The International Military Advisory and Training Team will continue the military training and assistance task with the Sierra Leone army.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decision his Department has reached with regard to a replacement for the (a) Rover and (b) Leaf class tankers; when these replacements will be ordered; and how many are planned to be ordered. [23623]

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 28 March 2000, Official Report, column 77W, to the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford (Mr. Duncan-Smith) and on 3 May 2001, Official Report, column 717W, to the hon. Member for Grantham and Stamford (Mr. Davies).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is planned that the (a) Sea Harrier FA2 and (b) Harrier GR7 will be able to operate from the CVFs; and if he will make a statement. [23619]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 November 2001, Official Report, columns 380–81W to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many cruise missiles have been fired by Britain since 1983 (a) in conflicts and (b) for testing purposes; [21552]

[holding answer 11 December 2001]: UK submarines launched a number of Tomahawk land attack missiles during the Kosovo campaign and also during current operations in Afghanistan.I am withholding the precise number of cruise missiles fired in conflicts and for testing purposes in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information which relates to Defence, Security and International Relations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the annual running costs of the Trident submarines; and if he will make a statement. [18810]

[holding answer 5 December 2001]: I refer the hon. Member to the Strategic Defence Review Supporting Essay 5 dated July 1998, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Joint Strike Fighters the United Kingdom is planning to buy; what the projected cost and final delivery date is; and if he will make a statement. [23226]

Our current planning assumption is that 150 Joint Strike Fighters will be purchased to meet our requirement for a Future Joint Combat Aircraft. Final numbers will depend on the choice of variant and on the outcome of work to confirm future UK fast jet requirements. The estimated procurement cost would be up to £10 billion, dependent on numbers of aircraft required, variant selected and how it is to be supported through life. Under current planning assumptions, the last of the 150 aircraft would be delivered by the end of 2024.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much British involvement in the design, development and production of the Eurofighter has cost; what plans his Department has to purchase Eurofighters; and if he will make a statement. [23224]

The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence investment in the design, development and production of the Eurofighter programme, to 31 March 2001, totals £5,444 million. The order for the first tranche of aircraft, placed in 1998, includes 55 for the United Kingdom. Orders for the remaining aircraft are expected to be placed during 2003 and 2007. These orders will include 89 and 88 aircraft, respectively, for the United Kingdom, bringing our total purchase to 232 aircraft.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the report produced by the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down in 1973, entitled "Wind Speed and Miosis from Nerve Agents"; [22930](2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the report produced by the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down, in 1971 entitled "Estimation of the concentrations of nerve agent vapour required to produce measured degrees of miosis in rabbit and human eyes". [22933]

No. This document is classified Confidential. It contains an assessment of the effectiveness of nerve agent in field situations and the release of this report would assist potential proliferators. I am therefore

Date	Area visited	Issues
May 2000	Explosives handling area	Formal inspection of explosive handling activities
August 2000	Safety cell	Introduce new HSE Inspector
October 2000	Biomedical sciences	Routine preventative visit
November 2000	Biomedical sciences	Routine preventative visit
November 2001	Biomedical sciences	Routine visit to discuss high containment facilities

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer 9 April 2001, Official Report, column 364W, on Porton Down, if former service volunteers invited to visit Porton Down to view the original record books and discuss their experiences with current members of Porton Down staff are refunded for their travel expenses by his Department. [22875]

It is not Ministry of Defence policy to do so. However, some travel expenses were refunded when the Porton Down helpline was established in February 1998. Since November 2000, MOD policy has been to not refund volunteers' travel expenses on the ground that visiting Porton Down to view original records is a matter for the individual concerned and adds no further information to that previously communicated in writing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 15 November 2001, Official Report, column 824W, on Porton Down, if he will place in the Library copies of the (a) minutes, (b) agendas and (c) papers of the meetings between his Department's staff and the Medical Research Council on 2 and 3 August to discuss the epidemiological study into volunteers who took part in experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down. [22873]

These meetings were not of a kind to require formal documentation of this type. The only formal document relating to either of these meetings is a note of the meeting of 3 August which was included in the pack of papers distributed in advance of the Medical Research council seminar on 9 October to those who had shown an interest in putting forward proposals for research into the health of Porton Down volunteers. I will place a copy of my note in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel who took part in experiments at the chemical defence establishment at Porton Down have been given copies of technical reports relating to their own experiments since the establishment of the Porton Down helpline in February 1998. [22931]

There is no definitive list of the number of the volunteers who have received copies of technical reports. Volunteers who visit Porton Down are given withholding this information in the interest of national security under category 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the Health and Safety Executive has conducted formal inspections of the chemical and biological defence establishment, Porton Down, since 31 May 2000. [22934]

Since May 2000 there have been five occasions when representatives of the Health and Safety Executive have visited Dst1 (formerly DERA) Porton Down. These are as follows:copies of records that refer to them personally and copies of other documentation, including technical reports, where they add relevant information to that already located in the volunteer record books. This is decided on a case-by-case basis. In addition, copies of reports are included with the letter sent to the volunteer, detailing their attendance, where deemed appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has made to the French authorities about the proposed building of a third airport for Paris on the Somme battlefields. [23598]

The Ministry of Defence has made no representations to the French Government about any proposals for a third airport for Paris.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost to the taxpayer in respect of the construction, including the amount paid to the shipyard and the cost of weapons and sensor systems, incurred by his Department of (a) HMS Argyle, (b) HMS Marlborough and (c) HMS Lancaster. [23621]

The information is not readily available. 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 list those (a) Army, (b) Navy and (c) Airforce bases (i) whose closure has been announced since 1997 and (ii) where significant amounts of land or buildings have been sold since 1997. [24019]

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 what discussions he has with other Government Departments when considering the (a) closure, (b) partial sale and (c) move of a military base. [24018]

While there are normally no formal discussions, as part of the decision making process for the closure, partial sale or move of a military base officials consider, where appropriate, the views of other Government Departments. However, as such decisions are primarily determined by operational requirements, the final decision rests with the Ministry of Defence.Officials are fully aware of the impact of such changes on local communities and it is the MOD's policy to initiate an early and close dialogue with the local authorities and the regional government offices concerned. While it is for local authorities to deal with local concerns, officials seek to take local aspirations into account as far as possible in identifying alternative uses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Sea Wolf systems are to be upgraded as part of the Sea Wolf MLU programme. [23617]

We currently plan to upgrade up to 46 systems.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role the Royal Ordnance factory in Chorley will play in defence contracts; and if he will make a statement. [23552]

Royal Ordnance Chorley passed from Government ownership in 1988 and now forms part of Royal Ordnance Defence (ROD), itself a division of BAE Systems. The Chorley site presently provides ROD with munitions sub-component manufacture, assembly and testing facilities. Although the future use and utilisation of any ROD site is a matter for the company, I can confirm that ROD is currently reviewing its overall manufacturing strategy and I understand that the company has recently made an announcement to this effect to its employees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the Shegaird radar tests affected low flying in west Somerset; and how many low flying aircraft were caught. [23550]

The RAF police use a Skyguard radar system to undertake covert monitoring of military low flying aircraft and to record their heights and speeds. The results of this monitoring show that military aircrew operate in a professional manner. Data from the Skyguard deployment to the Minehead area between 3–7 December are still being evaluated. 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 what deployment of British military personnel there is in Somalia; and if he will make a statement. [23640]

There are no British personnel deployed in Somalia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the operational welfare package for servicemen and women not based at camps South and Sha'ata during Exercise Saif Sareea II. [21743]

We have completed a First Impressions Report into the conduct of Exercise Saif Sareea II, which noted that there were some difficulties in delivering the Operational Welfare Package (OWP) to isolated detachments and to some units during the manoeuvre phases of the exercise. The report concludes that we should examine the requirement for a more mobile operational welfare capability but that, because there will always be limitations imposed by the essential nature of operations and exercises we should aim to deliver an OWP that can be provided within these constraints.Work to address these issues is under way and the conclusions will be incorporated into an evaluation and review of the OWP, which starts in February 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the Quinquennial Review of the Ministry of Defence Police Agency. [24370]

I announced terms of reference for Stage 1 of this review on 26 April 2001, Official Report, columns 307–08W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Regents Park and Kensington North (Ms Buck). The conduct and outcome of the review have not been connected with proposals relating to the MDP's jurisdiction in the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill.In line with central guidance on Quinquennial Reviews (QQRs), the central question for the review to date has been how far the Ministry of Defence continues to require the services of an in-house civil police force. The clear conclusion from Stage 1 of the review is that the MOD has a strong need for the MDP's services. Following careful analysis of the spectrum of crime risks facing the MOD, it is clear that the MDP provides by far the most cost-effective means of dealing with the most serious threats, of armed attack, public disorder, major theft and financial fraud. The study has clarified that the core role of the MDP is to apply civil police training and constabulary powers to combat these risks.The MDP will, however, continue to provide other policing services both within MOD, and as now to external customers on repayment terms. They will also continue for the foreseeable future to provide a source of trained police manpower to deploy overseas, where required, in support of foreign policy objectives, as currently in Kosovo.Although the new articulation of the MDP's core role focuses on specific categories of crime, this does not in any sense preclude the involvement of its officers in dealing with other types of offences on the Defence Estate, where it makes sense for them to do so.We have also concluded that the MDP should remain an Agency within the MOD, in view of the benefits of improved management and increased visibility and accountability which this has already delivered. Important work continues in Stage 2 of the QQR, including an examination of the role of the MDP in providing policing support to MOD married quarters, the number and day-to-day employment of officers held in reserve to deal with unforeseen contingencies, and the operation of the Ministry of Defence Police Committee.The QQR has underlined very clearly the vital importance of the MDP in helping to counter the risks to MOD of public disorder and armed attack. Sadly, the need for both these outputs has been highlighted recently by increased protest activity at certain Defence sites, and of course by the events of 11 September. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the officers of the force, and civilians who support them, for the crucial work they are doing during these challenging and dangerous times.I am placing a copy of the Stage 1 report in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what he attributes the increase in servicemen medically downgraded between August 2000 and November 2001; and if he will make a statement. [21739]

I assume that the figures to which the hon. Member refers are those given in my recent reply to him on 22 November 2001, Official Report, columns 369–70, and in a letter in response to a question from the right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Mr. Campbell) in September 2000, Official Report, column 749W, dated 27 July 2000. The key figures are as follows:

	RN/RM	Army	RAF
1 August 2000	2,510	9,144	3,796
1 August 2001	—	9,718	3,871
20 November 2001	3,678	—	—

Further work has now revealed that the November 2001 figure inadvertently included a group of some 850–900 personnel who do not fall within the 'medically downgraded' definition.Regrettably it is not possible, from data currently held centrally, to provide an analysis of the causes of the increases. Improving data and analysis in this area is a high priority, on which action is already in hand.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (1) pursuant to his answer of 12 December 2001, Official Report, column 861W, on prisoners of war in the Far East, if he will state the assumptions on which budgetary provision was made for his ex-gratia payment scheme for former British civilian internees of the Japanese; [23768](2) if he will place in the Library the

When the scheme was announced on 7 November 2000, Official Report, columns 159–70W, I advised the House that it was estimated that up to 16,700 people might be eligible for the ex-gratia payment for former Far East prisoners. This figure was the best estimate available and was based on an assessment of the numbers of those who had been held captive in each of the groups covered by the scheme and of the likely number of surviving members of those groups or surviving spouses where the former prisoner had subsequently died. The data were gathered from official records and from the associations representing former Far East prisoners. The estimate made for the number of surviving civilian internees and surviving spouses of deceased internees was 3,700 based on data provided by the Association of British Civilian Internees—Far East Region.I am withholding the further detail requested under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will establish an inquiry into the suspension of private contractors working at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, following a police investigation and drug-testing among those working on the decommissioning of nuclear warheads. [23394]

Safety at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), Aldermaston is paramount, and we are confident that it has not been compromised by the incident to which my hon. Friend refers. The decommissioning activities in this case related not to nuclear weapons, but to a redundant building. None the less, work was halted pending the outcome of a Ministry of Defence police investigation into allegations relating to drugs. This is now complete. No drugs were found during searches and no evidence emerged to support either further investigation or legal proceedings. AWE plc expect to resume the decommissioning shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many employees of (a) her Department and (b) agencies sponsored by her Department work in (i) London, (ii) areas benefiting from EU Objective 1 status, (iii) areas with Objective 2 status and (iv) other areas. [16115]

[holding answer 19 November 2001]: My Department employs 30 staff in London, 32 staff in an EU Objective 2 status area and 52 in other areas. No staff work in an EU Objective 1 area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if she will list those public bodies which are the responsibility of her Department and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000; [17604](2) if she will list those public bodies to which her Department appoints members and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000. [17603]

Public Bodies 2000 sets out information on non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), certain public corporations (including nationalised industries) and NHS bodies. There are four types of NDPB: executive NDPBs; advisory NDPBs; tribunal NDPBs; and boards of visitors to penal establishments. The next edition will be published around the end of the year. Information about task forces, annual reports and ad hoc advisory groups is set out in an annual report, published by the Cabinet Office. Copies of Public Bodies 2000 are in the Library of the House and this publication may be accessed via Cabinet Office's website (http://www. official-documents.co.uk/document/caboff/pb00/pb00.htm). Copies of the annual report on task forces and similar bodies have also been placed in the Library of the House and the annual report is being made available on Cabinet Office's website.The only public body for which my Department has responsibility is the Boundary Commission for Scotland, details of which are in Public Bodies 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans she has to propose legislation to permit the Scottish Parliament to amend the abortion law in Scotland. [22879]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to her answer of 6 November 2001, Official Report, column 91, to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Anniesland (John Robertson), when she plans to launch her consultation exercise on the size of the Scottish Parliament. [24542]

I have today issued the document "The size of the Scottish Parliament—a consultation". Copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses and are being sent to all MPs representing Scottish constituencies and Members of the Scottish Parliament. Views are sought on the case for retaining or ending the linking of Westminster and Holyrood constituency boundaries as provided in the Scotland Act 1998, in the light of the experience now gained of the Scottish Parliament. I am inviting responses by 29 March 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what his estimate is of the money owed to parents by absentee parents in the City of Durham; [13606](2) what his estimate is of how many CSA assessments will be being processed at the end of this financial year; [13607](3) how many cases in the Durham area have been dealt with by the CSA since it was established. [13609]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will set out an action plan to address the concerns expressed by the Comptroller and Auditor General in qualifying the 2000–01 accounts of the Child Support Agency. [15244]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the cost in (a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01 of compensation payments for maladministration by the CSA. [18994]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the performance target was for the CSA to reduce its outstanding work by 31 March; and if it was achieved. [19125]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if the CSA met its performance target in 2000–01 for the accuracy of the cash value of all assessments. [19124]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what funds allocated by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies are ring-fenced for specific purposes; and if he will list the allocations of funds involved. [22953]

In the 2000 Spending Review, and in subsequent discussions with HM Treasury, it was agreed that the following expenditure areas should be ring-fenced in respect of the current financial year:

	£ million
Welfare Modernisation Fund	404
Employment Opportunities Fund	1,055
European Social Fund	608
European Regional Development Fund	27
Invest to Save	24

With the formation of the Department for Work and Pensions the Chief Secretary to the Treasury decided to review the EOF arrangements, mainly on the grounds that as the overwhelming majority of the fund fell within DWP it presented the perfect opportunity to simplify arrangements. The EOF has now been transferred into the Department's DEL and the unallocated element transferred into a new Employment Development Fund, within the DWP's DEL.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the report of the Quinquennial Review of the Independent Living Fund will be published. [24544]

My right hon. Friend has received the report of the Quinquennial Review of the Independent Living Fund and I am pleased to announce that we are accepting all the recommendations made. In addition to the removal of the earnings rule and the increased capital limit announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 28 November, the report contains a number of other recommendations which we believe represent a significant improvement in ILF provision for severely disabled people. Along with the revised earnings and capital rules, the other recommended changes will be introduced in April 2002. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Government intend to publish a Bill to implement the recommendations of the report of the Criminal Justice Review of Northern Ireland, published in March 2000; and if he will make a statement. [22459]

A Justice (Northern Ireland) Bill to implement most of the recommendations of the Criminal Justice Review Group in its report, "Review of the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland", is receiving its First Reading today and will be published tomorrow.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list (a) the number of patients treated at hospitals in Northern Ireland as a result of paramilitary attacks, broken down by type of injuries and (b) the number and type of operations carried out on patients whose injuries have been received as a result of paramilitary attacks in each of the past five years, indicating the cost of treating such patients. [24101]

Responsibility for this matter has been devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and is therefore no longer a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the level of child poverty in (a) Wales and (b) the United Kingdom. [23982]

Child poverty and social exclusion are complex and multi-dimensional concepts, affecting many aspects of children's lives—including their living standards, health, housing, the quality of the environment, and opportunities to learn. The Government are committed to ending child poverty within 20 years. The Government's strategy for tackling child poverty and social exclusion is set out in the annual "Opportunity for all" reports. The third "Opportunity for all" report (Cm 5260) presents the latest information on the indicators used to monitor progress against this strategy.The National Assembly is seeking to complement UK measures with a range of policies and programmes designed to meet the specific circumstances and priorities of Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish an analysis of the responses to the consultation document, "Improving Health in Wales—Structural Change in the NHS in Wales". [22962]

No. That is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales. I understand that the assembly has prepared a summary of responses and deposited a copy in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales in respect of section 1 Part 1(1) of the Government of Wales Act 1998. [22826]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list those public bodies which are the responsibility of his Department and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000; [17616](2) if he will list those public bodies to which his Department appoints members and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000. [17615]

"Public Bodies 2000" sets out information on non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), certain public corporations (including nationalised industries) and NHS bodies. There are four types of NDPB—executive NDPBs, advisory NDPBs, tribunal NDPBs, and boards of visitors to penal establishments. The next edition will be published around the end of the year. Information about task forces, annual reports and ad hoc advisory groups is set out in an annual report, published by Cabinet Office. Copies of "Public Bodies 2000" are in the Library of the House. It can also be accessed via the Cabinet Office website (http://www.official-documents.co.uk/ document/caboff/pb00/pb00.htm). Copies of the annual report on task forces and similar bodies have also been placed in the Library of the House and it is being made available on the Cabinet Office website.I make appointments to the following public bodies which are not listed in "Public Bodies 2000":

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many appointments he has made to public bodies since 7 June; and how many are in his gift. [15488]

Information about numbers of ministerial appointments to public bodies is included in the Cabinet Office's annual report, "Public Bodies". Copies are placed in the Library of the House and the report is published on the Cabinet Office website. The next edition, which will include numbers of appointments at 31 March 2001, will be published around the end of the year.While there is no central record of appointments falling to me, the total is thought to be around 20. I have made no such appointments since 7 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of whether the distribution of grants is proceeding at a sufficient rate to ensure that all objective 1 money allocated to west Wales and Valleys will stay in Wales and will not have to be returned to the EU structural fund under the conditions of the mid-term target review in 2003. [22173]

I meet the Assembly Finance Ministers regularly and discuss progress on the objective 1 programme. I am told there is no question of money having to be returned to the European Commission. The Assembly expects to exceed the target of drawing down £176 million from the Commission by the first decommitment date of 31 December 2002.In addition, the Assembly has recently put in place new monitoring procedures to ensure that projects' sponsors claim their grant as quickly as possible after receiving approval. This will speed up the rate of programme spend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary on which projects in the Cynon Valley have been funded by west Wales and Valleys objective 1 funding since October 2000. [22174](2) what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary on the amount of EU objective 1 budget for west Wales and the Valleys that has been

The administration of structural fund programmes in Wales and individual project approvals under those programmes are matters for the National Assembly for Wales and its executive agency, the Welsh European Funding Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary as to whether sufficient match funding can be allocated to enable the full use of objective 1 funding to west Wales and the Valleys over the project period 2000 to 2006. [22176]

It is a condition of structural fund programmes that grant recipients meet a proportion of their project costs, in addition to the grant provided by the European Commission. This "match funding" does not all come from the Assembly budget but can be found from a wide range of different sources, for example, local authorities, voluntary organisations, lottery funding, colleges and training organisations and other public and private sector bodies.Nevertheless, the Government have allocated an additional £1.4 billion to the Assembly budget over the three year spending review period from 2001–04 to ensure that the Assembly has sufficient funds to provide match funding for the portion of objective 1 projects which require Assembly support. It is for the Assembly to decide how this additional funding is allocated among its programmes, but the First Minister has assured me on numerous occasions that no other Assembly budget has suffered to provide match funding for the objective 1 programme. The Assembly's budget for 2002–03 makes specific provision for match funding across a number of policy areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department is taking to support non-Burman ethnic groups in Burma. [22447]

British and European Community (EC) assistance in Burma is provided for a wide variety of humanitarian needs including the needs of refugees. DFID also provides funding for HIV/AIDS interventions. We are currently increasing our funding through selected INGOs and UN agencies to assist the most needy in Burma.The total UK humanitarian assistance provided to Burma in 2000–01 was £0.8 million. We have committed up to £2 million for humanitarian purposes for 2001–02. This includes funding for the needs of refugees/returnees and the war-affected, including ethnic minorities in the Thailand border areas. Last year we spent £0.2 million on HIV/AIDS; our commitment for this financial year is £1.6 million.Assistance provided to Burma through ECHO for the calendar year 2000 was euro 2 million or approximately £1.3 million (the same amount has been allocated for 2001). Assistance is delivered through European NGOs and focuses on health including HIV/AIDS, water and sanitation. Some assistance is provided to Burmese refugees in Thailand and for the protection of detainees in prison. The UK EC attribution for 2001 is 19 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the number of Afghan children in danger of dying this winter; and what steps she has taken to provide assistance. [23043]

Afghanistan has one of the worst infant mortality rates in the world with one in four children dying before the age of five. Every effort is being made to minimise the suffering of all vulnerable Afghans, including children. Humanitarian agencies, particularly the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF, continue to make good progress in transporting essential relief supplies to Afghanistan. However, some areas of Afghanistan are proving difficult to access because of continuing insecurity.My Department has so far allocated £7 million to UNICEF and other aid agencies to support their activities in the region, which are specifically focused on children.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the security situation in Afghanistan and its effect on the delivery of humanitarian aid. [22686]

United Nations agencies, particularly the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF, the Red Cross movement and NGOs continue to make good progress in transporting essential relief supplies into Afghanistan. Over the past month, WFP has delivered over 68,000 tonnes of food, exceeding its monthly target. International staff of humanitarian agencies have now returned to some areas of the country and are working with national staff to reach those in need of assistance. However, progress is heavily dependent on improved security. Some areas of Afghanistan are still proving difficult to access because of continuing insecurity.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the (a) protection and (b) assistance her Department is providing for Afghan refugees. [22688]

My Department is in regular contact with UNHCR at both field and headquarters level to try to ensure that resources are used effectively for the provision of assistance to Afghan refugees and the protection of their rights. We continue to do all we can to ensure that Afghan refugees are properly cared for and give neighbouring countries the necessary support to cope with the burden of refugees, for whom they have provided over a long period.We have committed £3 million to UNHCR's operations for refugees in response to the current crisis. This has included technical personnel, material and financial support. At the request of UNHCR, my Department has provided three relief flights to Iran and Pakistan transporting tents, shelter material and communications equipment. We have also provided a specialist site planner to UNHCR in Pakistan to assist with the setting up of new refugee campsites. In addition we are supporting a number of NGOs assisting refugees, including Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, Oxfam, and Save the Children.We have also provided £11 million to support communities in Pakistan most affected by influxes of refugees.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the outcome of the Reconstruction Afghanistan Conference in Islamabad; and if she will make a statement on the future of Afghanistan. [22687]

The recent 'Conference on Preparing for Afghanistan's Reconstruction' was attended by over 350 people including a large number of Afghans, as well as officials from my Department.The conference highlighted the need for security and stability to underpin reconstruction. We are fully committed to supporting Ambassador Brahimi and the United Nations system in their central role to help the people of Afghanistan and the new Interim Authority. A copy of our updated "Emergency Plan to Initiate Recovery" has been placed in the House Library. Further details of the conference can be found at www.reliefweb.int.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people were employed in her Department in each of the last four years. [23798]

The numbers of staff employed by DFID in each of the last four years were as follows:

Year	Number
1997–98	1,007
1998–99	1,095
1999–2000	1,280
2000–01	1,313

These figures do not include staff employed on contract terms in the UK and overseas.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries that allow child soldiers to be used in conflict within their countries receive financial assistance from the UK for aid projects. [22971]

It is difficult to say which countries "allow" the use of soldiers. Where non-state actors use children in armed conflict, this is usually in opposition to the Government of that country. Other countries may state that they do not use children, yet there are reports of children being used.The UK provides development assistance to countries that are committed to poverty reduction and who will use our assistance effectively. The protection of children caught up in armed conflict is an important aspect of our development assistance programmes, which can include, among other things, working with Governments to improve their human rights record. DFID is contributing, over a three-year period, £3 million to UNICEF to build its capacity to implement programmes which will prevent children becoming involved in, or otherwise being affected by, conflict, and £3 million to the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Children to support his work in reducing the impact of conflict on children, including the involvement of children in armed conflict. The work of these two institutions spans a wide range of countries in Africa, Asia and Europe.We also encourage the ratification of important international instruments such as the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child covering the involvement of children in armed conflict.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the countries with which her Department works on the issue of street children. [22974]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 4 July 2001, Official Report, column 214W.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions her Department has had with the Council of Europe to develop joint policies for the welfare and protection of children. [22973]

My Department has not had any recent discussions with the Council of Europe on child protection.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial assistance has been given by her Department to Sri Lanka in each of the last two years; for what projects; and where in Sri Lanka they were. [22975]

Full details of DFID's programme are contained in the table.

Projects/description	Start date	End date	Region
Primary Education Planning Project
To strengthen capacity of the national and provincial authorities to plan, manage, monitor and evaluate primary education programmes within an agreed policy framework	October 1996	March 2001	Country wide
Primary English Language Project
To improve the quality of teaching of basic English Language skills in Sri Lankan primary schools	April 1996	August 2002	Country wide
Primary Mathematics Project
To improve the quality of teaching and learning of mathematics in primary schools in Sri Lanka	March 1998	March 2003	Country wide
Education Co-ordination Project
To ensure that DFID funding TC projects in the education sector in Sri Lanka are well co-ordinated with those funded by the World bank and other donors	March 1997	August 2003	Country wide
Relief and Reconciliation Programme—SCF/Oxfam
To help meet the basic survival and emerging rehabilitation needs of communities affected by the civil conflict	April 1997	March 2001	Refugee camps
Oxfam Support to Country Programme
To build on Oxfam's emerging competencies in conflict analysis and grass roots work to facilitate the practical application of tools for transforming community dynamics. To enable people affected by poverty and conflict are better able to cope with, challenge and overcome the barriers sustaining their condition	April 2001	March 2002	Country wide
SCF Support to Country Programme
To ensure that the voices of marginalised and vulnerable children are heard and acted upon, in policy and practise, for the best interest of these children, in education, social protection, inclusion and emergencies	April 2001	March 2002	Country wide
Mother and Child Reproductive Health Project for Displaced Persons
Provision of three static clinics which also provide mobile health services to the displaced population	October 1995	December 2003	Vavuniya, Puttalum, Horowpathana
Mother and Child Reproductive Health Care in Mannar
Increase access to and utilisation of reproductive health services (in co-ordination with Government services among the displaced population and host community in Mannar)	September 1998	June 2003	Mannar
Strengthening Prospects for Peace in Sri Lanka
To enhance the prospects for a sustainable negotiated settlement by strengthening the capacity of senior cross party parliamentarians and other significant actors to contribute to the peace process	August 2000	August 2003	Colombo
International Humanitarian Law—A Peace Building Measure in Sri Lanka
To establish and support a respected group from within the international Buddhist community who will engage with senior Buddhist Clergy in Sri Lanka in International Humanitarian Law, trust-building, de-escalation and wider peace processes	November 2000	October 2001	Colombo

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department is giving to countries in the clearance of anti-personnel land mines; and if she will list the countries concerned. [22977]

DFID' s humanitarian mine action strategy is directed towards widening support for the anti-personnel land mines ban and helping developing countries to develop their own capacity to meet their Ottawa Convention obligations; supporting mines awareness and clearance programmes including, in particular, encouraging practical innovation to enhance safety and efficiency in operations; and strengthening international systems for co-ordination.DFID has allocated £10 million in the current financial year on humanitarian mine action. Additional resources are available for unforeseen emergency responses such as Afghanistan, for which we have committed a further £2 million for mine action. DFID funding is channelled increasingly towards international organisations (core funding as well as country-specific programmes). Additionally we fund projects bilaterally through NGOs and to a limited extent commercial demining organisations. The profile of expenditure in 2001–02 is expected to be:

Country/organisation	Amount (£ million)
Core funding
United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS)	1.0
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)	0.6
Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD)	1.0
International Testing and Evaluation Programme (ITEP)	0.4
Consultancy/advice	0.2
Mine Action Research	0.25
Kosovo, Cambodia, Georgia
HALO Trust	0.8
N. Iraq, Cambodia, Laos
Mines Action Group (MAG)	2.0
Bosnia
International Trust Fund	0.5
Cambodia, Laos
UNDP	1.0
Croatia
International Trust Fund	0.125
Kosovo
Bilateral via NGO and commercial demining organisations	2.0
Afghanistan, Ethiopia/Eritrea
UNMAS	2.0
Nicaragua
Organisation of American States	0.2
Total	112.0
1 Rounded

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial aid and advice her Department gives to countries to counter the spread of HIV/AIDS; and if she will list (a) the countries and (b) the financial help being allocated. [22972]

My Department supports comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, control and mitigation programmes. We continue to give greatest priority to prevention, but we also place emphasis on reducing the personal, social and economic impact of illness and death caused by the disease. We seek to support the development, strengthening and implementation of national strategies to combat HIV/AIDS and to provide assistance in the framework of such strategies.In 2000–01, my Department spent over £120 million on HIV/AIDS-related bilateral programmes in many countries, including:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times Mr. Graham Mills, a professional clay pigeon competitor has (a) been stopped by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and (b) had his house raided by Customs and Excise. [18534]

[holding answer 27 November 2001]: It would be inappropriate to disclose information about enforcement or investigation matters as provided in Exemption 4 (Law enforcement and legal proceedings) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out spending plans for the NHS beyond 2005–06 in the 2002 Comprehensive Spending Review; and if he will make a statement. [20335]

[holding answer 6 December 2001]: Arrangements for the 2002 Spending Review are set out in Chapter 6 of the pre-Budget report.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the yield from the upper rate of income tax for each of the years (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01, (c) 2001–02, (d) 2002–03, (e) 2003–04, (f) 2001–05 and (g) 2005–06; and if he will make a statement. [22477]

[holding answer 13 December 2001]: I refer the hon. Member to "Inland Revenue Statistics", table 3.4, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he plans to take in order to avoid avoidance of income tax liabilities by individuals who pay tax at the upper income tax rate of 40 per cent. by use of capital gains tax; and if he will make a statement. [23246]

The Inland Revenue will continue to apply existing legislation which ensures that income is charged to income tax.In addition, we will keep the position under close review and will not hesitate to take action to protect the income tax yield if new tax avoidance schemes for turning income into capital are introduced.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to allow the maturation, bottling and packaging of Scotch whisky to qualify for the climate change levy rebate scheme. [23254]

Eligible sectors are those covered by Parts A1 and A2 of Schedule 1 to the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Regulations. These sectors have a regulatory requirement to use energy efficiently, unlike other sectors. There are no current plans to change this definition.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to seek an amendment to the Holding and Movements Directive to permit spirits producers a defence of due diligence when consignments are lost. [23255]

The Scottish Affairs Committee, in its report published in November 2001, recommended that the Government look at a defence of due diligence when excise consignments are lost. The Government are considering their response to this report and will reply in due course.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the capital gains taper relief announced in the pre-Budget report will operate in relation to employee share schemes. [23763]

Where there is a chargeable gain on the disposal of shares acquired through an employee share scheme, taper relief is available for the qualifying holding period.This period usually starts when the shares are acquired. For shares acquired under options granted under Enterprise Management Incentives, it starts with the date of grant. For shares acquired under the Share Incentive Plan, it starts when the shares leave the plan.The business assets rate of taper relief is available to employees of trading companies who dispose of shares in their companies and to employees of non-trading companies who do not have a material interest in the company. Such employees will be able to benefit from the improvements to the taper which were announced in the pre-Budget report.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he has taken in response to the 1998 IMF Article IV, Consultation Concluding Statement, regarding tax expenditures; and if he will make a statement. [23757]

Estimates of the costs of the main tax reliefs in 2000–01 and 2001–02 are published twice a year: in the Budget and, at the time of the pre-Budget report, in the "Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs". Both documents are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the 2001 IMF Article IV consultation, Concluding Statement, regarding broadening the tax base; and if he will make a statement. [23756]

The Government keep all taxes under review and any changes will be made as part of the normal Budget process.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reform inheritance tax. [23762]

The Government keep all taxes under review and any changes will be made as part of the normal Budget process.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the expected cost to public funds is of raising United Kingdom expenditure on health to the EU average by 2005–06. [23597]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 5 December 2001, Official Report, column 329W, in response to his previous question on health expenditure.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the cost of printing, publishing and distributing the HM Treasury publication, "Reforming Britain's Economic and Financial Policy: Towards Greater Economic Stability"; how many copies of this publication are to be produced; what sales proceeds are anticipated; what the net estimated cost is; and if he will make a statement. [23245]

"Reforming Britain's Economic and Financial Policy" has been published commercially by Palgrave, the academic publishing division of Macmillan. Publication was on the basis that there would be no net cost to the Treasury.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the cost of each tax credit for each of the years 2001–02 to 2005–06; and if he will make a statement. [23248]

The projected costs of all tax credits, and the elements attributable to the R&D tax credit and the tax credit for clearing contaminated land, are shown in Table B 11 of the pre-Budget report. Figures for working families' tax credit and disabled person's tax credit are shown in Table B15.The projected costs of the children's tax credit are shown in Tables A.11 and A2.1 of the Financial Statement and Budget report issued in March 2001.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) two parent families and (b) lone parents (i) claimed and (ii) were eligible for child care tax credit in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [24031]

Estimates of the number of families receiving the child care tax credit within working families' tax credit (WFTC) are shown in the WFTC Quarterly Enquiries, copies of which are in the Library.No estimate is available of the number eligible for the child care tax credit.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households ceased to claim WFTC during 2000–01 due to an increase in income. [23990]

The reasons for families not renewing working families' tax credit awards are not known.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many recipients of (a) the WFTC and (b) DPTC worked (i) 30 hours and over and (ii) 16 hours and over in (A) 1999–2000 and (B) 2000–01. [23994]

Estimates of the number of hours per week worked by the main earners in families receiving working families' tax credit are shown in Table 6.2 of the WFTC Quarterly Enquiries, copies of which are in the Library.The total number of recipients of the disabled person's tax credit are shown in the DPTC Quarterly Enquiries, copies of which are in the Library. All recipients worked for at least 16 hours per week. The proportion working for at least 30 hours per week was 42 per cent. in 1999–2000 (including disability working allowance awards still current) and 46 per cent. in 2000–01.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost will be of replacing the national income from savings and investment with actual income earned in the calculation of tax credits. [24002]

Entitlement to the new tax credits proposed by the Tax Credits Bill will be governed by income measured over a tax year, rather than, as with existing tax credits, by the income of a much shorter period. The new tax credits will also be more flexible and responsive to change. There is therefore no direct comparison between the way in which the existing and the new credits treat income derived from capital. The detailed definition of the income to be taken into account for the purposes of the new tax credits will be set out in regulations under clause 7(8) of the Bill which will be laid before Parliament in due course.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment of the cost of child care he has used to determine the rate of the child care tax credit. [23996]

The current limits for eligible child care costs in the child care tax credit accord with available evidence on the costs of child care across the United Kingdom.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost will be of extending the child tax credit to those who cannot claim the children's tax credit. [23992]

The costs associated with the child tax credit will depend on the rates of and thresholds for that credit. These are a matter for the Chancellor's Budget statement.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) WFTC, (b) DPTC and (c) child tax credits on (i) wage rates and (ii) incentives for those in work to move to higher paid jobs. [23991]

Working families tax credit, disabled person's tax credit and the child tax credit are designed to make work pay and thereby help to provide employment opportunity for all. Independent estimates suggest that these and other measures such as the national minimum wage, the 10p rate of income tax and reforms to national insurance contributions will improve work incentives. The Government have put in place a comprehensive programme of monitoring and evaluation of these tax credits.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the child care tax credit on child care costs. [23995]

A comprehensive evaluation of the impact of the working families tax credit and the disabled person's tax credit—which will include an assessment of the impact of the child care tax credit element of both credits—is in progress. The programme of work spans several years and comprises qualitative and quantitative research and analysis.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the cost of new (a) IT and (b) telephone systems to deliver the proposed new tax credits. [24003]

The administrative costs associated with the child tax credit and the working tax credit will reflect the number of people receiving those credits. The number of people receiving the credits will depend on the rates of and thresholds for the tax credits, which are a matter for the Chancellor's Budget statement.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions the regulatory impact assessment on the Tax Credits Bill made about the number of claimants of (a) the working tax credit and (b) the child tax credit. [23999]

The Regulatory Impact Assessment assumes, for illustrative purposes only, that the current systems of support for children and workers are replicated.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of administering (a) the child tax credit and (b) the working tax credit. [24004]

The cost of administering the child tax credit and the working tax credit will depend on decisions about the rates of and thresholds for those credits. These are a matter for the Chancellor's Budget statement.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the fiscal impact of the Tax Credits Bill in accordance with section 23(b) of the Code for Fiscal Stability. [23993]

As stated in the pre-Budget report (paragraphs 2.43 and 2.44), the interim forecast does not take account of proposals where final decisions have yet to be taken on rates. This is consistent with the requirements of the Code for Fiscal Stability. The rates of and tapers for the child tax credit and the working tax credit are a matter for the Chancellor's Budget statement.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors he will take into consideration when determining (a) the taper and (b) rates of the different elements of the working tax credit and child tax credit as set out in clauses 9 and 11 of the Tax Credits Bill. [23997]

The Chancellor will take all relevant factors into account in reaching a view about the rates of and thresholds for the child tax credit and the working tax credit, as part of the wider Budget process.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he made of the number of reassessments a claimant of (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit would make in a year, in calculating the impact on businesses of the Tax Credits Bill. [24005]

The child tax credit will be paid direct to the main carer by the Inland Revenue and any adjustments to the amounts paid will not affect businesses. The extent to which payments of tax credits will be adjusted in the course of a year will be determined by the circumstances of claimants in individual cases and by the rates of and thresholds for the tax credits. Those rates and thresholds are a matter for the Chancellor's Budget statement.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of the Tax Credits Bill on the targeting of support for families with children. [24001]

The contribution that the proposed measures in the Tax Credits Bill will make to support families with children is considered in chapter 5 of the pre-Budget report.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the impact on the number of claimants of (a) increasing and (b) decreasing by 10 per cent. the top rate for (i) WFTC, (ii) DPTC and (iii) child tax credit. [23989]

There is no top rate for the working families tax credit or the disabled person's tax credit.It is estimated from household survey data that increasing or decreasing the level of the child tax credit by 10 per cent. would result in a change of something less than 30,000 in the number of eligible families.The sample size is too small to yield a more precise estimate.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the level of discrimination suffered as a consequence of employees claiming DPTC. [24000]

The notification and forms sent to employers use the generic term "tax credits" and do not contain any references to DPTC. Employers are therefore unable to distinguish between payments of DPTC or WFTC. Employers who discriminate against employees, are acting illegally.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received on the interim conclusions of the Wanless report on health funding; what representations he has received from other Government Departments; and if he will make a statement. [23249]

Consultation on Derek Wanless' interim report "Securing our future health: taking a long-term view" began on 27 November 2001. Several representations have already been received from a range of organisations and individuals. The Government will publish a full list of responses to the consultation when Mr. Wanless' final report is published.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received in respect of the harmonisation of civil service pay and conditions; what proposals he is considering in respect of the reform of civil service pay scales; and if he will make a statement. [21454]

I have received representations from the Council of Civil Service Unions (CCSU), proposing a national framework agreement on civil service pay. Discussions between the Treasury, the Cabinet Office and the CCSU are continuing to explore whether this would be useful in the context of existing pay arrangements which delegate responsibility for pay and grading to Departments and agencies. I have also received correspondence from hon. Members forwarding more than a hundred representations on this issue from their constituents. Departments and agencies have put forward proposals for reform of their pay scales during the current pay round, which are now being implemented.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reduce the VAT payable on telephone bills for pensioners; and if he will make a statement. [23330]

Long-standing agreements with our European partners permit reduced rates of VAT only for a prescribed list of goods and services. Telephone services are not included on this list.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further developments there have been in the Tax Law Rewrite Project. [24319]

The Tax Law Rewrite Project continues to make good progress. It will shortly be publishing its twelfth exposure draft, containing more draft rewritten clauses on employment income, pension and social security income. This will be published on the internet towards the end of this month and will be available in paper form early in the new year.The project has also now started work on rewriting the PAYE Regulations. Representative and professional bodies have suggested in discussion that it would be more helpful if the timetable for this work were revised to allow more time for consultation; and the regulations to be made well before the start of the tax year. In order to meet these suggestions I have agreed the project should now plan for the rewritten regulations to be made in the autumn of 2003, to come into force in April 2004.