To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to amend the Road Traffic Act 1984. [27461]

None. There is no such Act of Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 8 January 2002, Official Report, column 584W, on departmental consultants, if he will set out the criteria for determining that contracts let to (a) Arthur Andersen, (b) Ernst and Young, (c) Mercers Management Consulting and (d) Schroder Salamon Smith Barney, on matters relating to Railtrack should not be subject to open competition. [27206]

The issues involved were highly sensitive, involving discussions being conducted with Railtrack and their advisers on the basis of strict confidentiality.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 15 January 2002, Official Report, column 208W, on piracy, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) shipping and (b) port security measures in the United Kingdom. [29279]

The United Kingdom has a comprehensive security regime in place for maritime passenger operations.The basis of this security regime is the Aviation and Maritime Security Act (AMSA) 1990, which enabled mandatory measures to be introduced for the maritime industry. These measures are formally required by Directions served on the industry covering a range of security issues, including searching of passengers and vehicles, the establishment of Restricted Zones (in which only passengers and other authorised persons are allowed) and pass wearing.These Directions establish the security standards that the Government expect the industry to comply with, by ensuring that appropriate procedures are in place.Inspectors from my Department undertake a continuous and comprehensive system of compliance visits to passenger ports and also undertake ship inspections, to ensure that effective security regimes, in accordance with the Directions, are maintained. They are empowered to take enforcement action against harbour/ship operators if the required standards are not being met.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the condition of railway lines leading to nuclear power stations. [29497]

Maintenance of railway track leading to nuclear power stations which forms part of the Railtrack controlled infrastructure is the responsibility of Railtrack. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), through its HM Railways Inspectorate (HMRI), regulates health and safety on the railways. HMRI currently has a focus on track maintenance issues as one of its mandatory inspection programmes. HSE has advised me that HMRI is not aware of any specific problems at present with the condition of track leading to nuclear power stations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the requirements are for local authorities to prepare emergency plans for incidents involving trains carrying nuclear materials. [29498]

The responsibility to prepare emergency plans for transport of nuclear material by rail rests principally with the train operator, facility owner and infrastructure controller. They have a duty under The Packaging, Labelling and Carriage of Radioactive Material by Rail Regulations 1996 (RAMRail) to have emergency arrangements and to co-operate with each other so as to ensure effective co-ordination of their respective safety systems and procedures. Also under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 (REPPIR), carriers are required to prepare emergency plans and to consult with appropriate local authorities. Some types of consignment are exempt from these regulations, however, including material in packages which are designed and tested to meet severe accident conditions, and small quantities of material which present a very limited risk.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many incidents there have been where flasks carrying radioactive material on trains have been found to be over the permitted radiation level, broken down by location and level of radiation. [29488]

Such incidents are included in the annual reports to which I referred the hon. Member in my reply of 21 January 2002, Official Report, column 576W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the incidents in which trains carrying (a) radioactive material and (b) other nuclear materials have been involved which resulted in release of their materials in the north-west of England in the last six months. [30635]

There have been no such incidents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the Department's definition is of 'no significant radiological safety implication', as used in the report, Radiological Consequences Resulting from Accidents and Incidents involving the Transport of Radioactive Materials in the UK-200 Review, published in October 2001. [30555]

There is no formal definition of "significant" in the context of this report. A significant radiological consequence would be if radiation exposures approach or exceed the statutory limits. The radiological consequences listed in the report are much lower than this and are therefore not considered significant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of trains using Paddington station have (a) ATP and (b) TPWS in place. [30309]

Train protection systems are operational on all train services using Paddington station. First Great Western and Heathrow Express services are fitted with Automatic Train Protection (ATP) and Virgin Cross Country and Thames Trains services are fitted with the Train Protection and Warning Systems (TPWS).

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many officials responsible for the policy for council tax enforcement in his Department have, as part of their training and information gathering, (a) visited a money advice centre, a magistrates court and the High Court when they are hearing cases for committal for council tax arrears and (b) discussed the difficulties with council tax application forms with the applicants. [29533]

No such visits have been made. However, officials are in regular contact with the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Local Government Association and local authorities about enforcement matters. Last November, officials also met with representatives of the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust to discuss committal for local tax debts and are happy to meet other organisations and advice centres to discuss such matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many warrants for committal to prison owing to local tax arrears were issued in 1999. [29535]

Statistics on committal orders are published in The Institute of Public Finance Accountancy (CIPFA) Revenue Collection Statistics.For 1999–2000, their estimated total number of orders obtained but postponed on payment terms was 22,119, based on grossed up actual figures provided by 253 of 376 local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent guidance his Department has issued on the publication of statutory notices by local authorities in the local press. [30217]

None. We issued general guidance about planning notices in Circular 15/92, "Publicity for Planning Applications". This includes advice on the categories of planning application that must be advertised in local newspapers. Separate requirements to advertise planning appeals and called-in planning applications are set out in secondary legislation. The Government's recently published planning Green Paper "Planning: Delivering a Fundamental Change" indicates our intention to retain the requirement on planning authorities to advertise certain applications in the local press. However, we will review the requirement to publicise planning appeals and called-in planning applications with the aim of encouraging greater community participation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what recent guidance his Department has issued on consultation on (a) supplementary planning guidance and (b) the change of use of allotments; [30218](2) what recent guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the change of use of allotments. [30219]

In March 1998, my Department issued guidance to local authorities to ensure that the availability of statutory allotments are actively promoted before applications for consent to their disposal are submitted. We have since consulted on draft Planning Policy Guidance note: (PPG) 17, which sets out revised criteria against which applications for consent to dispose of statutory allotments are to be determined. We will shortly be issuing the revised guidance to the Government offices and local authorities.My Department, in conjunction with the Local Government Association, published: "Growing in the community: A good practice guide for the management of allotments" in June 2001. This guide provides comprehensive advice and good practice for local authorities on all aspects of allotment management. My Department has also recently published "Allotments: a plot holders guide", which provides advice to current and potential allotment plot holders.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to improve the inter-changeability of bus tickets on routes served by different bus companies. [30220]

We wish to encourage joint ticketing schemes between bus operators, aimed at making life easier for bus users.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will announce the results of the 2001 Rural Bus Challenge Competition. [31138]

I am pleased to announce today approval of the 58 projects listed which were submitted as bids by local authorities in this competition. This follows careful consideration of the 107 bids totalling more than three times the funding available submitted by authorities. Funding for the successful bids will total £20.5 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what arrangements he has made with regard to the allocation of the adjustment to the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services block, announced in the provisional local government finance settlement, to cover the cost of implementing refrigerator disposal regulations. [29117]

Pursuant to my answer of 22 January 2002, Official Report, column 718W, £6 million has been added to the upper tier sub-block of the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services Standard Spending Assessment for 2002–03 for the costs of implementing refrigerator disposal regulations for the period 1 January 2002 to 31 March 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether he intends to match the costs in the next financial year to Hertfordshire county council in complying with EC Regulation 2037/2000 on ozone depleting substances. [29360]

I have been asked to reply.In December we announced a payment of £6 million funding for local authorities to cover their costs until March 2002. We are continuing to assess the impacts of the regulation and will determine what further action is required beyond that.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what plans she has to encourage the provision of foreign language programmes on independently owned (a) television channels and (b) radio stations; [29094](2) what responsibility her Department has for the provision of foreign language

My Department has no responsibility for the provision of foreign language television or radio and the Government have no plans to intervene in the UK market for such services. The Independent Television Commission and the Radio Authority are responsible for regulating television and radio programme services, including foreign language services, provided from places in the UK.I have received one recent representation on this subject from the right hon. Member for Kensington and Chelsea (Mr. Portillo) about the withdrawal of Spanish, Italian and German channels by a cable operator. I understand that members of the public have very occasionally raised the issue with my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the expenditure of her Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in each of the last four years. [30086]

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport spend was as follows:

Type of publication	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02
Newspapers	9,135	8,747	10,800	12,221	13,432
Magazines	8,440	7,015	7,371	6,917	8,068
Periodicals	8,167	7,447	10,185	6,498	6,734
Total	25,742	23,209	28,356	25,636	28,234

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) when she last met representatives of the Football Association to discuss matters relating to violence associated with the game on and off the pitch, and if she will make a statement; [29749](2) what recent representations she has received about violence associated with football, and if she will make a statement; [29750](3) when she last met representatives of the Football Association to discuss the monitoring of legislation concerning travel by supporters to overseas games, and if she will make a statement. [29751]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received 14 representations concerning football-related violence over the last five months.The Secretary of State maintains a close relationship with the Football Association. She has not met the FA recently to discuss football-related violence or the monitoring of legislation concerning travel by supporters to overseas games as this is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.The Government have placed extensive legislation for tackling football hooliganism at the disposal of the police and the courts. The scenes witnessed in Cardiff and other grounds should be placed in a proper context. Our stadia remain among the safest and most secure in the world and there is no evidence of a return to the mass hooliganism that marred our national game in previous decades. The Government are not complacent. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary liaises closely with the police and football authorities in monitoring supporter behaviour and in assessing the impact and effectiveness of current legislation.The measures introduced by the Football (Disorder) Act 2000 empower the courts to impose banning orders on individuals who have previously caused or contributed to violence or disorder at football matches, where there are reasonable grounds to believe that making an order would help to prevent violence or disorder at future matches.The imposition of sporting sanctions for misbehaviour by players on the field of play is the responsibility of the football authorities. However, the Football (Disorder) Act 2000 applies to all individuals, irrespective of their profession.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Uxbridge, of 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 340W, on analogue switch-off, how access to digital equipment is determined. [30009]

[holding answer 24 January 2002]: As a target indicator of affordability, 95 per cent. of consumers should have access to equipment capable of receiving digital television services. The Digital Television Action Plan includes a specific action to conduct a comprehensive review of progress towards digital switchover, with particular reference to the accessibility, availability and affordability tests announced in September 1999. The review will refine the tests and report on how progress towards meeting them is to be measured. A first report is due by the end of March 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the Government have to make a UK bid for the 2012 Olympic Games; and if she will make a statement. [31315]

The decision on whether or not to launch a UK bid to host the Olympic Games is a matter principally for the British Olympic Association which has yet to decide whether to bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. It is current BOA policy that any UK bid should be based on London. The BOA's eventual decision will inevitably be influenced by public opinion both in London and across the UK, together with the views of London and central Governments.The BOA has formed a key stakeholders group involving my Department, the Greater London Authority, UK Sport and Sport England to discuss the prospects for a London bid. The key stakeholders group have appointed Arup consultants to undertake a cost-benefit analysis of bidding for and, if successful, staging an Olympic Games in London. The consultancy will form part of the on-going work that is assessing the viability and merits of a potential London Olympic bid for 2012.Arup consultants were appointed following a competitive tendering process. I have placed copies of the Invitation to Tender in the House Libraries. The consultancy will be jointly funded by DCMS, UK Sport, the London Development Agency and the British Olympic Association.This consultancy will include an assessment of the costs to public and private funds of bidding and—if successful—of staging a London Games. It will also contain a breakdown of the potential benefits that would accrue from the bid process and through subsequently hosting the event.The consultants are due to present their completed report to the funding bodies in early May. A decision on whether or not to publish the report will be taken once the extent of commercially confidential information it contains is known.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the appointment to the Armed Forces Pay Review Body of a replacement for Vice Admiral Sir Toby Frere KCB. [31313]

I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Vice Admiral Sir (Anthony) Peter Woodhead KCB to a three-year term. This appointment has been conducted in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointment's guidance on appointments to public bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United States personnel have visited the Atomic Weapons Establishment in each of the last three years; and from which United States departments and establishments these visitors have come. [28257]

The number of United States personnel who visited the Atomic Weapons Establishment in each of the last three years is shown as follows:

• 1999—there were 100 visits involving 365 different people
• 2000—there were 98 visits involving 384 different people
• 2001—there were 87 visits involving 296 different people
• (in each year a number of personnel visited more than once).

These visitors were from the following State departments or establishments:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many regulatory impact assessments have been produced by his Department since August 2001; and if he will list those produced (a) following initial consultation with affected parties about the most appropriate methodology for assessing costs and other impacts and (b) which set out full commercial impacts, including profitability, employment, consumer prices and competitiveness, as recommended in Good Policy Making. [28399]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office gave him on 17 January 2002, Official Report, column 483W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Joint Working Groups operating under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement; and how many Joint Working Group meetings have been hosted in the (a) UK and (b) USA under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement since May 1997. [29957]

The Joint Working Groups currently in existence under the terms of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement are:

Joint Working Group	Title
6	Radiation Simulation and Kinetic Effects
9	Energetic Materials
22	Nuclear Materials
23	Warhead Electrical Components and Technologies
28	Non-Nuclear Materials
29	Nuclear Counter-Terrorism Technology
30	Facilities
31	Nuclear Weapons Engineering
32	Nuclear Warhead Physics
34	Computational Technology
36	Aircraft, Missile and Space System Hardening
37	Laboratory Plasma Physics
39	Manufacturing Practices
41	Nuclear Warhead Accident Response
42	Nuclear Weapon Code Development
43	Nuclear Weapon Environment and Damage Effects

Since May 1997 the number of meetings connected with Joint Working Groups which have taken place in the UK and the US is:

	Meetings in the UK	Meetings in the US
1997 (May onwards)	64	79
1998	78	148
1999	78	123
2000	66	116
2001	61	120

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which United States departments and establishments were represented at the October 2000 meeting of JOWOG 32. [29958]

The JOWOG 32 meeting at AWE in October 2000 was attended by representatives from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of medical examination and assessment is required from those former and existing service personnel who are on the Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme. [30433]

The Ministry of Defence's Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) was established in 1993. As at 17 January 2002, 3,276 patients had been seen by GVMAP physicians. The GVMAP is located at St. Thomas's Hospital, London, and is open to all present and former service men and women or MOD civilians who believe that their health has suffered as a direct result of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict. Its two main purposes are:

to investigate patients' medical complaints, make a diagnosis as far as is possible, and recommend appropriate management, or provide reassurance if no illness is found;

to collate statistical information in an anonymised form as a resource for researchers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to put the Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme into independent administration. [30434]

None. Medical Assessment Programme physicians already have complete clinical independence from the Ministry of Defence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been allocated (a) to improve armed forces single living accommodation and (b) to upgrade married quarters in the last three years. [25704]

Over the last three financial years we have spent £283 million on upgrading single living accommodation, and £167 million on service family accommodation (SFA). A new Modernisation programme for single living accommodation was announced in March 2001 by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. Worth some £1 billion, its aim is the upgrading of over 30,000 bed spaces within five years of the appointment of a prime contractor. The Defence Housing Executive has a continuing programme to upgrade the core of stock of service families accommodation by the end of 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Army and (b) RAF personnel were medically downgraded on 1 April 2001; how many of these have postings which would require them to be operational or on rapid reaction duties if fit; and how many of these in each category are (i) awaiting an initial medical consultation, (ii) awaiting treatment following an initial medical consultation and (iii) receiving treatment. [28729]

As at 1 April 2001, there were 9,635 medically downgraded personnel in the Army, many of whom would be deployable on military operations although not at the front line. At the same date, there were 3,888 medically downgraded personnel in the RAF, who were considered unfit for any type of deployment. Information is not held centrally on the numbers of medically downgraded personnel who have postings which would require them to deploy overseas on operations or rapid reaction duties, or on the numbers receiving treatment, awaiting an initial medical consultation or awaiting treatment following an initial medical consultation. Such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the practical consequences resulting from bringing terrorism countermeasures within the remit of Article 5 of the Washington treaty and how this may affect NATO's commitment to guarantee the security of WEU member countries; and if he will make a statement. [29630]

The decision to invoke Article 5 following the terrorist attacks of 11 September was consistent with NATO's process of adaptation since the end of the cold war, and the alliance will continue adapting its capabilities to reflect changes in the security environment.All WEU member states and associate members are also members of NATO; the security of these states is guaranteed by NATO under Article 5 of the Washington treaty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 317W, on Nancekuke, whether there are records of equipment and materials being brought from overseas for use, storage and disposal at CDE Nancekuke. [29965]

There are no surviving records which detail the origin of equipment and materials used at the Chemical Defence Establishment. Nancekuke.However, records summarising the technical programme undertaken at Nancekuke indicate that in 1959, CN (chloroacetophenone) of both Belgian and Italian origin was transferred to Nancekuke. Some of the CN of Belgian origin was returned to Belgium during 1962 to 1967.Additional anecdotal evidence also implies that some of the nerve agent production plant built at Nancekuke contained equipment originating from Germany.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 21 January 2002, Official Report, column 555W, what criteria are laid down whereby operational requirements for the purchase of vehicles by the MOD police mean that the choice is not subject to competition. [30558]

Purchases of vehicles for the Ministry of Defence Police are made on the basis of obtaining best value for money. The MOD police can make a request for a particular make and model of vehicle for specific operational requirements. Each request is scrutinised and considered on its individual merits. Where no competition takes place, we would still expect to secure discounted

Trust	Capital value (£ million)	Anticipated date of contract signing	Anticipated operational date
University Hospital Birmingham	291	Autumn 2003	Spring 2008
Bradford Hospital	116	Summer 2004	Winter 2007
North Bristol Mental Health	68	Spring 2002	Winter 2005
Central Middlesex	56	Summer 2003	Summer 2005
East Kent	102	Winter 2004	Summer 2006
University Hospital Leicester	286	Winter 2005	Winter 2010
Lewisham	44	Spring 2004	Winter 2005
Peterborough	135	Autumn 2003	Spring 2007
Salford Trust—Hope Hospital	114	Winter 2003	Spring 2007
Tunbridge Wells	175	Autumn 2004	Autumn 2007
Wakefield and Pontefract	164	Summer 2004	Summer 2007
Whipps Cross—Forest Healthcare	184	Spring 2004	Summer 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private beds have been used by the NHS in the last five years. [13603]

According to data collected from independent healthcare providers by the Independent Healthcare Association, since November 2000 at least 75,000 patients have been treated in the independent sector, paid for by the national health service. This figure includes out-patient appointments, day cases and in-patient treatment. A breakdown by type of operation will shortly be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations have been cancelled in each quarter since 1997. [15062]

Data are collected on the number of operations cancelled at the last minute. The latest published figures are for Quarter 1 2001–02. Copies of Quarterly authority statistics on cancelled operations by health for the years requested are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of eligible children were vaccinated with the MMR vaccine in South Buckinghamshire in (a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000 and (c) 2000–01. [27118]

The information available about children immunised against measles, mumps and rubella is contained in the Statistical Bulletin "NHS Immunisation prices based on wider purchasing arrangements secured in a competitive environment. Typically requests for specific vehicles do not exceed 6 per year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects each of the 12 hospital developments, announced on 15 February, to be completed. [10790]

The table shows the current indicative timetables for the 12 new hospital developments which will be taken forward this year as announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 15 February 2001.Statistics, England: 2000–01". A copy of the bulletin is in the Library and can also be found on the Department of Health website www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0121.htm.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage was of patients waiting for in-patient treatment in the South Buckinghamshire health authority on 1 January in each of the years 1997 to 2002. [27117]

Information is not available relating to the 1 January each year, nor for South Buckinghamshire health authority. Information is available on the total number of patients waiting at the end of each quarter in Buckinghamshire health authority as shown in the table. Information for the third quarter of this year is not yet available.

Number of patients waiting in Buckinghamshire health authority
Quarter 3	Number
1997–98	16,154
1998–99	14,679
1999–2000	13,854
2000–01	13,535

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost is to the national health service of treating an in-patient in a national health service hospital for one week. [26744]

No information is kept centrally on the average costs of an in-patient week in hospital; the data are collected by condition. The cost of any stay will vary due to the nature of the condition being treated, the age of the patient and any pre-existing conditions that the patient may have.Cost information on in-patient, day case and out-patient treatments can be found on the Department's website www.doh.gov.uk. Copies of the publication reference costs 2000 are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies for new NHS dental patients are available in the Gosport constituency. [27152]

The information requested is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which trusts have more than 10 per cent. of patients waiting on in-patient lists placed on suspended lists and more than 2 per cent. of patients waiting more than 12 months on in-patient lists; and which of these trusts have been investigated by the Department of Health for waiting list irregularities in the light of recommendations from the National Audit Office. [27366]

The 13 trusts referred to in the National Audit Office report "Inappropriate adjustments to NHS waiting lists", which had more than 10 per cent. of patients waiting on in-patient waiting lists placed on suspended lists and more than 2 per cent. of patients waiting more than 12 months on in-patient waiting lists, are as listed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which areas the morning-after pill is available to (a) girls aged 14 and 15, (b) girls aged 12 and 13 and (c) girls under-12 without a doctor's prescription; and what measures are in place in each such area to address issues of child abuse. [28208]

All emergency contraception supplied to under-16s is a prescription only medicine (POM). This is provided under medical supervision which includes other health professionals supplying the POM product under patient group directions. Information collected centrally of the number or prescriptions for emergency hormonal contraception dispensed in family planning clinics and prescriptions dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors in England is included in my reply to the hon. Member on 23 January 2002, Official Report, column 965W.Health professionals providing contraception to under-16s do so within a legal framework established in 1986. This involves assessing the young person's competence to understand the choices they are making and whether the treatment is in their best interests. Health professionals, like any other professional whose work brings them into contact with children and families, should follow the Government's "Working Together to Safeguard Children" child protection guidance. This guidance sets out how all agencies and professionals should work together to promote children's welfare and protect them from abuse and neglect. It is intended to provide a national framework within which agencies and professionals at a local level—individually and jointly—draw up and agree upon their own more detailed ways of working together.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been set aside to compensate the children who survived the Bristol heart case affair. [27881]

[holding answer 17 January 2002]: All claims for compensation are assessed individually, on their merits. Any compensation payments made in relation to cardiac surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary will be handled in accordance with the arrangements in place for all other clinical negligence claims against national health service trusts and health authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases where children were left mentally disabled resulting from the Bristol heart cases (a) have been settled and (b) are outstanding. [27880]

[holding answer 17 January 2002]: There have been a total of 61 claims made in relation to children who are alleged to have suffered injury following cardiac surgery at Bristol Royal Infirmary. In two of these cases legal proceedings have been issued. Admissions of liability have been made in two other cases, but neither of these were subject to court proceedings. 24 cases have either been withdrawn or are unlikely to proceed. In the remaining 33 cases solicitors have been asked to provide further details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been paid out to date by way of compensation to families resulting from the Bristol heart cases. [27882]

[holding answer 17 January 2002]: A total of £1,900,000 has so far been paid out to date as compensation for claims relating to cardiac surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what process will be used to select managers for the proposed foundation hospitals. [29399]

Where appointments are necessary the normal national health service practices, based on fair and open competition, will be used.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate health spending per head of population by health authority in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02. [29318]

[holding answer 22 January 2002]: The expenditure by weighted head of population for each English health authority area for 2000–01 is shown in the table. Expenditure estimates for 2001–02 are not yet available.

Expenditure by health authorities and primary care trusts
Health authority	Expenditure by weighted head (£)
Avon HA	856.75
Barking and Havering HA	773.42
Barnet HA	959.87
Barnsley HA	766.50
Bedfordshire HA	779.74
Berkshire HA	804.46
Bexley and Greenwich HA	886.09
Birmingham HA	823.71
Bradford HA	769.58
Brent and Harrow HA	823.29
Bromley HA	971.74
Buckinghamshire HA	755.09
Bury and Rochdale HA	771.15
Calderdale and Kirklees HA	763.88
Cambridgeshire HA	786.94
Camden and Islington HA	1,067.88
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly HA	796.09
County Durham and Darlington HA	738.32
Coventry HA	802.56
Croydon HA	925.44
Doncaster HA	861.88
Dorset HA	1,023.69
Dudley HA	828.09
Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow HA	826.21
East and North Hertfordshire HA	803.66
East Kent HA	810.16
East Lancashire HA	740.66
East London and The City HA	869.91
East Riding and Hull HA	787.13
East Surrey HA	958.66
East Sussex, Brighton and Hove HA	827.74
Enfield and Haringey HA	817.53
Gateshead and South Tyneside HA	784.29
Gloucestershire HA	799.79
Herefordshire HA	761.71
Hillingdon HA	753.76
Isle of Wight HA	867.61
Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster HA	1,011.24
Kingston and Richmond HA	829.50
Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham HA	886.88
Leeds HA	869.94
Leicestershire HA	779.71
Lincolnshire HA	808.95
Liverpool HA	887.35
Manchester HA	869.02
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA	882.91
Morecambe Bay HA	1,346.04

To ask the Secretary of State for Health following the Competition Commission Appeal Tribunal's upholding of the Office of Fair Trading's findings against Napp Pharmaceuticals, what assessment he has made of the extent of similar abuses and their cost to the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [28705]

[holding answer 21 January 2002]: I will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the change in the number of civil servants working within the Scotland Office in the last 12 months. [30311]

At 31 March 2001 the Department had 107 staff in post. It currently has 114. Both of these figures are within the staffing levels planned for the Scotland Office in July 1999.

To ask the Advocate-General what criteria she takes into account in deciding to intervene in devolution issues; and what consideration she gives to the cost to public funds. [30556]

The vast majority of cases to date have involved human rights issues. The reasons for intervention will vary according to the circumstances and the criteria are not rigid. In considering intervention I always have very much in mind the need to avoid unnecessary delay in criminal proceedings and the cost of intervention to the public purse. I have taken the view that intervention should not be a routine matter. I might for instance intervene where the case raises human rights issues of serious concern to the Government and I am satisfied that these are more likely to be resolved satisfactorily with my intervention. Experience has shown that the vast majority of devolution issues are disposed of satisfactorily by the courts, without any need for my intervention and consequent public expense. Where cases reach the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, intervention is particularly apt because that is the final authority. But even in these cases my intervention may not be necessary. My role as Advocate-General is not to intervene in cases at any level, at significant public expense, merely because there is an interesting legal point being debated.

To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has raised proceedings in the Scottish courts on a devolution issue since the creation of her office. [29335]

I have not been responsible for the raising of any devolution issue proceedings in the Scottish courts. All issues concerning the competence of the actings of the Scottish Parliament, or the Scottish Ministers, have been resolved without any need for me to instigate court actions.

To ask the Advocate-General what proposals she has to review the role and function of the Advocate-General [30554]

My role and functions include a legal advisory role as Law Officer and statutory functions under the Scotland Act 1998. I cannot alter these responsibilities but regularly review how I carry them out, and have no current proposals for change. My office was created by Parliament less than three years ago and I have had to establish and develop it, determining what is required to be done and how to do it. In my advisory role, I have worked closely with the other UK Law Officers to ensure the Government get high quality legal advice, essential to their work. I have developed my role under the Scotland Act, in close co-operation with UK Departments, to seek to ensure that the Government have early warning of issues of competence of Bills of the Scottish Parliament or actings of the Scottish Executive, and can engage in constructive dialogue with the Scottish Executive to address them. Establishing and developing a new office of State is an exciting challenge. The creation of my office has also resulted in a Law Officer with Scottish responsibilities being available in the House of Commons for the first time since 1987.

To ask the Advocate-General if she will list occasions she has been requested by the Government to give advice on Scots Law since the general election. [29336]

I give Law officers' advice frequently and it is a major part of my work. I am precluded from providing further information because it is a long standing convention, adhered to by successive Governments and enshrined in the Ministerial Code, that neither the fact that the Law Officers have advised on a matter, nor the content of any advice which they may have given, is disclosed outside Government other than in exceptional circumstances. This is to protect the confidentiality of the legal advice given to the Government. I have explained this convention to Parliament on a number of occasions. In addition, my officials in the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General frequently advise Government Departments on Scots Law.

To ask the Advocate-General how many Bills of the Scottish Parliament she has referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council since the creation of her Office. [29337]

Since devolution in July 1999 my officials and I have examined 30 Bills in conjunction with relevant Government Departments at various stages during their progress through the Scottish Parliament in order to ensure that any problem of legislative competence is identified and resolved if possible, in order to try to avoid the need to refer a Bill to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The Bill may be outwith legal competence in a variety of ways, for example, if it relates to reserved matters, or relates to enactments protected from modification by the Scottish Parliament, or is incompatible with any of the rights of the European Convention on Human Rights or with European Community law. Thus far I am pleased to advise that any problems have been resolved, following legal advice when necessary, and after co-operation and dialogue. As a result I have not referred any Bill so far to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The existence of the power of referral and the work which is done in connection with that power is an essential part of the devolution settlement.

To ask the Advocate-General what the total cost of her Office has been in each year since its creation. [29338]

The office of the Advocate-General for Scotland was established on 20 May 1999 and since 1 July 1999 forms part of the Scotland Office with the office of the Secretary of State for Scotland. Not all the costs of the Scotland Office can be separately allocated to each of these two Offices.Between 20 May and 1 July 1999, the costs of the office of the Advocate-General were paid by the former Scottish Office. From 1 July 1999 to 31 March 2000 the identifiable costs of staff and related administration was £883,326; and in 2000–01 it was £1,265,215. Approximately half of the costs of the office relates to work on litigation and advisory work including the preparation of Bills carried out by lawyers from the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General on behalf of Government Departments other than the Advocate-General.

To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has (a) defended and (b) intervened in court proceedings raised by other parties. [29339]

I have not defended any actions under the Scotland Act 1998 as none have been raised against me under that Act. I have intervened in 21 court proceedings raised by other parties under the Scotland Act. Over 1,300 devolution issue cases have been intimated to me since May 1999 and my officials and I consider these in conjunction with interested Government Departments. As I have explained to Parliament on a number of occasions I intervene, as a UK Law Officer, only in special circumstances. Most cases are disposed of in the lower courts with no need for my intervention.

To ask the Advocate-General how many hits there were on the Advocate-General's page of the Scotland Office website between the general election and 1 January 2002. [29347]

From June 2001 to 31 December 2001, there were 2,493 hits on the Advocate-General's pages of the Scotland Office website.

To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has been requested by the (a) Attorney-General and (b) Solicitor-General to give advice on a matter of law since the creation of her Office; and if she will list them. [29340]

Requests for the Law Officers' advice come from Government Departments and not from the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General for England and Wales. The usual practice is that for requests for advice concerning matters of common interest to the whole United Kingdom, such as the application of European law or human rights issues, I advise jointly with the other United Kingdom Law Officers. Such advice is given frequently. The convention concerning the confidentiality of the Law Officers' advice applies and precludes me from providing details.

To ask the Advocate-General if she will list the Government Departments for whom the Legal Secretariat has provided legal services. [29341]

The Legal Secretariat does not provide legal services to Government Departments but assists me in my ministerial duties, such as preparing Law Officers' advice and Cabinet Committee work. The Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General provides legal services to most Government Departments. Clients include the Cabinet Office and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Home Office, the Department for International Development, the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, HM Treasury, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Office of Fair Trading, and the Scotland Office itself.

To ask the Advocate-General how many (a) advocates and (b) solicitors have been employed in the Legal Secretariat in each year since the creation of her office. [29344]

The complement of the Legal Secretariat in each of the years 1999, 2000 and 2001 has been three lawyers, all of whom have been solicitors.

To ask the Advocate-General if she will list the matters in which the Legal Secretariat participated in discussions between the UK Government and the Scottish Executive since the general election. [29346]

Members of the Legal Secretariat frequently participate in co-ordination meetings of officials involving representatives of the devolved Administrations as well as Government Departments. Such meetings most commonly concern the application of European Law, human rights and the devolution settlement to various subjects.

To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions she has appeared in court as Advocate-General since the general election. [29342]

Since June 2001 I have personally appeared in court in two cases. The first was Karl Anderson, Alexander Reid and Brian Doherty v. The Scottish Ministers and the Advocate-General for Scotland, which was a human rights challenge to the first Act passed by the Scottish Parliament, the Mental Health (Public Safety and Appeals) (Scotland) Act 1999. This case was heard over four days in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in July 2001 and followed my appearance personally in the case in the Inner House, heard over several days in May 2000.The second case was Kenneth Anthony Paton Mills and John Cochrane

To ask the Advocate-General how many pieces of correspondence her office has answered from non-government sources since the general election. [29343]

This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Advocate-General how many (a) advocates and (b) solicitors have been employed in the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General in each year since the creation of her office. [29345]

In the years 1999–2000 the complement of the Office of the Solicitor to the Advocate-General was 14 lawyers. In 2001 this increased to 16 lawyers. In each year one lawyer was an advocate and the rest solicitors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and skills how much was spent by (a) her Department and (b) bodies for which it is responsible on external public relations consultants in each of the last four years. [27388]

Expenditure by the Department on campaign extension activities through external public relations consultancies in the past four years is as follows. Information on expenditure by the Department's agencies is not held centrally.

Year	Campaign	Consultancy	Spend (£000)
1999	Reading and Literacy	Hill and Knowlton	1620
2000	Maths Year	COI	16
2000	Childcare helpline	COI	1
2000	Connexions	Kinross and Render	4
2000	Don't quit now	Beer Devies	196
2000	UK Online centres	Geronimo	63
2001	UK Online centres	Geronimo	52
2001	New Deal	Hill and Knowlton	46
2001	Connexions	Kinross and Render	42
2001	Foundation Degrees	QBO	114
2001	Childcare Recruitment	Barclay Stratton	90
2001	Work Life Balance	Fishburn Hedges	89
2001	Individual Learning Accounts	Shandwick International	110
2001	Widening Participation in Higher Education	Harrison Cowley	62
2002	Adult Basics Skills	Fishburn Hedges	2103
2002	Work Life Balance	Fishburn Hedges	217
2002	UK Online	Geronimo	290
2002	Aim Higher	Geronimo	2100
1 Figure includes general publicity activity, on organising roadshows and events. in addition to campaign extension work. A breakdown between categories is not available.
2 On-going campaign—figure shown is anticipated spend for year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what expenditure has been incurred by her (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies in each of the last four years on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; and if she will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each. [27953]

The Department commissions tightly focused market research to help develop and evaluate publicity campaigns. The spend in recent years was:

£
1998–99	1,408,908
1999–2000	1,687,050
2000–01	2,340,222
2001–021	1,256,121
1 To January 2002

It would be possible to list every one of these research projects only at disproportionate cost. However, some recent campaigns where strategic communications research or creative development research have been commissioned include the drive to widen participation in higher education, by encouraging under-represented groups to take up this option, the promotion of the relevance of science to teenagers, as part of Science Year, the child care recruitment campaign, the campaign to help those adults with basic skills gaps, and the promotion of foundation degrees and Modern apprenticeships. This research is subject to the usual strict rules that spending must represent good value for the tax payer and must not be used for party political purposes.The Department also conducts research to help us understand the education, skills and communication needs of our customers. It has sampled and consulted on the views of teachers, parents and other groups affected by the Department's policies on specific issues. For example, the project "Causes of truancy by pupils of compulsory school age" gathers the views of pupils, parents, school and LEA staff on the causes of truancy and what measures could be taken to address the issue. One of the aims is to examine the issue of absence that is condoned by parents. "A longitudinal study of factors contributing to variations in teacher effectiveness" will investigate the factors which contribute to the effectiveness of teachers at different stages of their career, working in a range of schools in different contexts, and how this changes over time. Part of this study is to track 300 teachers over three years measuring their effectiveness by pupil outcome measures and other qualitative techniques. Again it would not be possible to give details of every project without disproportionate cost.Information about opinion polls, focus groups and other forms of research commissioned by the Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by her Department in each of the last four years. [27957]

The estimated cost of buildings refurbishment carried out in my Department in each of the last four years is as follows:

£
Estimated cost
2000–01	4,604,749
1999–2000	3,928,406
1998–99	2,970,093
1997–98	1—
1 Unfortunately this information can be provided only at disproportionate cost

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many regulatory impact assessments have been produced by her Department since August 2001; and if she will list those produced (a) following initial consultation with affected parties about the most appropriate methodology for assessing costs and other impacts and (b) which set out full commercial impacts, including profitability, employment, consumer prices and competitiveness, as recommended in Good Policy Making. [28400]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, on 17 January 2002, Official Report, column 483W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether there is a barrier to a school's PFI partner sponsoring a bid for technology status by that school. [28353]

As stated in the criteria set out in the published guidance documents for each specialism, a PFI partner may provide all or part of the £50,000 sponsorship required to support a school's application for designation as a specialist school.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent research she has a commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect of pupil mobility on educational attainment. [29234]

The Department and the Nuffield Foundation supported a research project into pupil mobility, its effect on schools and educational attainment, conducted by the Migration Research Unit at University College London. The project was concluded in June 2000 and the final report published in September 2000. The first part of the research 'Pupil Mobility in Schools' is available from DfES Publications. The second part is available in full on the internet at www.geog.ucl.ac.uk/mru.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 5 December 2001, Official Report, column 426W, if she will break down the figures by vacancies in (a) nursery, (b) primary, (c) secondary and (d) special schools; and what the equivalent figures are for England. [30127]

Full-time teacher vacancies in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools reported by the Buckinghamshire local authority were as follows:

	January 1998	January 2001
Nursery	0	0
Primary	10	21
Secondary	14	33
Special	11	5
Total	35	59

Full-time teacher vacancies in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in England were as follows:

	January 1998	January 2001
Nursery	69	103
Primary	1,322	2,007
Secondary	968	2,586
Special	233	280
Total	2,592	4,976

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish her latest estimates of the percentage of secondary school pupils who are in specialist schools in each local education authority area in England; and if she will make a statement. [29218]