To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for further research into depleted uranium; and if he will make a statement. [44012]

The Ministry of Defence has funded extensive research into DU munitions over many years. This work has been complemented by studies on the health and environmental consequences of the testing, development and battlefield use of DU munitions carried out by a range of governmental and non-governmental bodies in the UK and overseas. These studies, and the Royal Society's report, all indicate that the health risks associated with the battlefield use of DU are minimal, other than in a small number of very specific circumstances.Nevertheless, there are a number of areas where we believe that further research is desirable to enhance the database on which to make judgments weighing the potential loss of life arising from not using DU munitions in battle against any potential longer term impact on human health and the environment resulting from its use. Some research will aid MOD in any future test-range decommissioning.We therefore propose to carry out a programme of further research, which has been reviewed by the Royal Society, the Medical Research Council and the Natural Environment Research Council. We have given veterans' representatives early sight of the programme. The full details of our proposals have been placed in the Library of the House. They have also been published on the MOD's website.Much of the work is in line with the recommendations of the Royal Society's report. In particular, we propose to conduct an epidemiological study to identify any links between exposure to DU and ill health, and a critical review of literature relating to the effects of DU inhalation on the pulmonary lymph nodes. We also intend to study the ways in which DU is transported from the point of introduction into the environment to the point at which it has the potential to affect the health of plant, animal or human life. Furthermore, we have already begun research into the corrosion and dissolution rates of DU in typical corrosion environments and in controlled laboratory studies. We intend to consider a range of soil types and profiles and marine environments in this work.In addition, we propose to carry out research into the operational role of DU munitions and consider alternative penetrator materials. We aim to conduct a radiochemical analysis of DU rounds and examine contamination in the barrels used to fire DU round. Further to this, we aim to review and address work being conducted by others on biokinetic modelling related to uranic materials.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last four years. [27914]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 30 January 2002, Official Report, columns 405–06W.A contract for a departmental taxi service for departmental staff has been in place since November 2001. No contract was in place before this. Expenditure against this contract for the current financial year to 13 February is £2,036. An additional £597 has also been spent outwith this contract.The figures exclude any amounts spent on taxi hire outside of this contract and reclaimed by officials as travel and expenditure. That information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were employed in a press or public relations function in his Department on 1 January in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002. [39936]

The number of people employed in a press or public relations function in the central corporate communications organisation of the Ministry of Defence is shown in the following table:

Date	Number of staff
1 January 1998	33
1 January 1999	34
1 January 2000	47
1 January 2001	45
1 January 2002	54

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many press releases were issued by his Department (a) between 1 May and 31 December 1997 and (b) in each year from 1998 to 2001 inclusive. [40030]

The Ministry of Defence press office issues all press releases on defence policy matters. The information is shown in the following table:

	Press releases issued
1 May to 31 December 1997	161
1998	202
1999	276
2000	238
2001	150

The single services, agencies and regional defence press offices issue their own press releases. They also re-issue some defence policy press releases for local distribution. Accurate figures, which take account of any "duplicate" releases, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if all the evidence held by his Department at the time of the inquiry into HMS Sheffield was put before the inquiry; [R] [42609](2) how many representations he has received in the last three years regarding the re-opening of the inquiry into the sinking of HMS Sheffield; and if he will make a statement; [R] [42611](3) what evaluation he has made of the evidence gathered in the last 12 months into the sinking of HMS Sheffield; and if he will set up a new inquiry; [R] [42610](4) if all the statements taken from the crew were later presented to the Board of Inquiry into the sinking of HMS Sheffield; and if he will make a statement. [R] [42607]

As I informed the hon. Member in my reply of 9 July 2001, Official Report, column 365W, the Board of Inquiry into the sad loss of HMS Sheffield was conducted to the highest professional standards. It was the responsibility of the Board of Inquiry to ensure that it had all the information it needed to reach its conclusions about the loss of HMS Sheffield and to support its report and recommendations. This included interviews with 98 members of Sheffield's company. The Board had access to all available information and considered all the evidence that it believed to be relevant. As I informed the hon. Member previously, much of the information put before the Board of Inquiry remains classified. I am satisfied that the Board of Inquiry was conducted in a professional and proper manner and that no useful purpose would be served by re-opening this tragic incident. I am not aware of any representations other than those made by the hon. Member regarding the re-opening of the inquiry into the sinking of HMS Sheffield but this information would not be held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 1133W on departmental expenditure limits, if the change in the capital element of the defence departmental expenditure limit will be affected by the decision not to proceed with PPP for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency; and what effect the decision not to proceed with the PPP for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency will have on his Department's budget. [43391]

We are proceeding with the DERA PPP as announced in the House on 6 March 2002, Official Report, columns 313–14W. Therefore, the change in the Ministry of Defence's Departmental Expenditure Limit in anticipation of a successful PPP is unaffected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces are serving in the Gulf; and what has been the figure in each of the last four quarters. [41853]

The number of United Kingdom armed forces personnel serving in the Persian Gulf region fluctuates. Operational Detachments, Defence Attaches, Liaison Officers, Staff College students, training advisory teams and other service personnel are deployed, and their numbers are kept under review. In addition assets are regularly deployed and/or recovered for a variety of reasons; for example in September and October 2001 23,000 men and women were deployed to Oman for exercise Saif Sareea II.The number of Service personnel in the Gulf region at the beginning of March is approximately 2,100.Information relating to earlier periods is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops are based in Kuwait; and how this figure has changed in the last three months. [41855]

As at 12 March there are 494 Service personnel based in Kuwait. On 4 January this year there were 496.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans he has in place to reinforce British troop deployments in the Gulf to support a United States strategy of pursuing military action in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [41856]

We share the concerns of all responsible Governments about Iraq's relationship with terrorism as well as its development of weapons of mass destruction and the potential threat the Iraqi regime poses to the international community. We are conducting a range of contingency planning, to keep all of our options open. There has been no decision to pursue military action in Iraq.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the campaigns in Bosnia and Kosovo in terms of lessons for interoperability of equipment and personnel. [42950]

The Ministry of Defence constantly monitors the performance of our armed forces, including the interoperability of equipment and personnel. The process for collecting and analysing the lessons learned from operations is well proven. The results of our most recent analysis of operations in Kosovo can be found in the MOD publication "Kosovo: Lessons from the Crisis". This has already been placed in the Library of the House.We are alert to the need to fine-tune our procurement priorities to take account of operational lessons learned. This is done in co-operation and consultation as necessary with our allies and likely partners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure banking services are made available through the Post Office network; and if she will make a statement. [41916]

[holding answer 11 March 2002]: All the major banks have agreed to make their own basic bank accounts accessible at post offices. This agreement is now subject to detailed commercial negotiations between Post Office Ltd. and the individual institutions. The Post Office is also in discussion with the banks about wider access to their other bank accounts. These 'network' banking arrangements are strictly a commercial matter between the banks and the Post Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is taking to enable sub-postmasters to diversify the range of services available in their post offices; and if she will make a statement. [41915]

[holding answer 11 March 2002]: Post Office Limited continually seeks opportunities to widen the network's client base in order to develop new products and services which will benefit customers and to ensure a viable future for the post office network. The Horizon automated platform, in which the Government invested £480 million, and which computerised the whole of the post office network should help this expansion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advertising budget will be made available for marketing the proposed Universal Bank Account. [41929]

[holding answer 11 March 2002]: The delivery of the Post Office Card Account (POCA) is a commercial matter for Post Office Ltd. Accordingly, the Department of Trade and Industry will not be making any financial provision for its marketing or advertising.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what the average gap between men's and women's pay is in the Stockton, North constituency; [42395](2) what plans the Government have to collate statistics on the gender pay gap in the Stockton, North constituency. [42396]

The Office for National Statistics publishes data on men and women's pay in the New Earnings Survey (NES). However, in the case of Stockton, North constituency, the data are not sufficiently reliable for publication. Data are available for the north-east Government Office Region (GOR).According to the 2001 NES, average hourly pay for full-time employees, excluding overtime, in the north-east GOR, was £10.08 for men and £8.48 for women, a pay gap of £1.60 per hour.Current trends in women's individual incomes have been explored in two studies, published last year, by the Women and Equality Unit (WEU). Copies of these reports are available on the WEU website http://www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/research/publications/researchandpublications.htm.WEU Gender Briefing, which provides statistical briefing on the position of women compared with men in the labour market, is also available on the website http://www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/research/genderbriefing/home.htm.There are no plans to commission further research into the gap between men and women's pay in the north-east GOR.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans the Government have to commission data on the gender pay gap at regional and national levels; [41468](2) how the average gap between men and women's pay at regional and national levels is calculated. [41467]

Estimates of earnings by gender, region, and country of the UK are available from the annual New Earnings Survey (NES). Comparisons of gender pay differences are calculated by comparing estimates of average hourly earnings excluding overtime for full-time employees, for those employees whose pay was not affected by absence.Current trends in women's individual incomes have been explored in two studies, published last year, by the Women and Equality Unit (WEU). Copies of these reports are available on the WEU website: http://www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/research/publications/researchandpublications.htm.WEU Gender Briefing, which provides statistical briefing on the position of women compared with men in the labour market, is also available on the website: http://www/womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/research/genderbriefing/hom.htm.There are no plans to commission further research into the gap between men and women's pay at regional and national levels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to commission research into the gap between men's and women's pay in the Warrington, North constituency; and what the average gap is. [41441]

[holding answer 11 March 2002]: The Office for National Statistics publishes data on men and women's pay in the New Earnings Survey. However, in the case of Warrington North constituency, the data is not sufficiently reliable for publication. Data are available for the Warrington unitary authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of the pay gap between men and women in (a) Warrington, South and (b) the north-west region; and if she will commission research into the gender gap between men's and women's pay in these areas. [42691]

[holding answer 12 March 2002]: The Office for National Statistics publishes data on men and women's pay in the New Earnings Survey (NES). However, in the case of Warrington, South constituency, the data are not sufficiently reliable for publication. Data are available for Warrington Unitary Authority (UA) and the north-west Government Office Region (GOR).

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of rural-based businesses have broadband internet access; and what her expectation is for change in that percentage over the next five years. [42002]

[holding answer 12 March 2002]: The Government have not made an assessment of the number of rural-based businesses with broadband access. A map showing availability of broadband services in the UK was contained in the UK Online annual report and has been placed in the Libraries of the House. The report states that satellite and leased-line services are universally available and offer one of the solutions to the issue of rural provision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she plans to take to dispose of fixed wireless broadband local loop licences unsold at the end of the recent auction round. [41907]

An award process was opened on 15 October 2001 to give companies the opportunity to obtain the remaining fixed wireless licences in the 28GHz band when they consider that the time is right. Applications can be submitted at any time up until 14 October 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many small business service headquarters are situated in coalfield constituencies; [41820](2) how many small business services have sub-offices in coalfield constituencies. [41819]

The SBS provides business support through contracts with Business Link Operators, five of which are situated in or have sub-offices in coalfield constituencies, as defined by 1991 ward boundaries:

• Coventry and Warwickshire
• Derbyshire
• South Yorkshire
• Staffordshire
• Chamber Business Services (Wigan).

In total, 16 Business Link Operators cover the coalfield constituencies. These are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry further to her answer of 1 February 2002, Official Report, column 615W, on miners' compensation, what policy has been agreed for handling claims for loss of earnings from former mineworkers who are claiming for both respiratory disease and Vibration White Finger. [41969]

Where a former mineworker makes a claim for both respiratory disease and Vibration White Finger, VWF, and is entitled to loss of earnings or services, there may be overlap between the claims, which could result in double compensation. Discussions are currently taking place between the Department and the Claimants' Solicitors Group as to how to process these claims. The general damages element of these dual claims can be dealt with while discussions are in progress.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she intends to take to prevent the future exploitation of children by aid workers in Africa. [40245]

UNHCR has undertaken to increase security in the camps, improve aid distribution, introduce a code of conduct and improve reporting procedures. A full investigation is underway by the UN Office of Investigation and Oversight Services. The UN Secretary General and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees have declared a policy of "zero tolerance" for this kind of abuse. We shall monitor closely UNHCR's implementation and development of the Framework for Action it has adopted to ensure that the exploitation of children exposed in their recent report is stopped. We shall encourage all implicated organisations urgently to review their policies and to ensure that they have appropriate procedures in place to prevent the recruitment of individuals who might exploit their positions of power and trust, and to detect and remove any individuals found doing so.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what guidelines her Department issues to aid organisations working with children regarding sexual exploitation. [40241]

We do not issue specific guidelines to partners on the conduct of their staff. It is the responsibility to each agency to set and monitor its own code of conduct. We shall encourage those implicated in the recent UNHCR/Save the Children-UK report urgently to review their policies and procedures for the detection and prevention of any exploitation by their staff of their positions of power and trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much humanitarian aid the UK has sent to Angola in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement on (a) the humanitarian situation in Angola and (b) international efforts to alleviate the situation. [42521]

The UK has spent 595,000 in 1992–93; 13,240,000 in 1993–94; 8,158,000 in 1994–95; 11,101,000 in 1995–96; 5,898,000 in 1996–97; 1,500,000 in 1997–98; 2,500,000 in 1998–99; 3,236,000 in 1999–2000; 2,240,000 in 2000–01. The final figure for the current financial year is not yet available, but is likely to be similar to last year. The humanitarian situation in Angola remains dire. The UN estimates that over 4 million have been displaced from their homes due to the conflict there. Repeated international attempts to gain access to those most affected by the war were thwarted by the military actions of both sides. The recent death of the UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi provides an opportunity to find a lasting peace. The Government and UNITA must seize this chance to bring an end to the suffering of the Angolan people.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she is taking to achieve the target of universal primary education in Cameroon. [42766]

None. Our direct support to poverty reduction efforts in Cameroon is focused on the forestry sector and we have no plans to expand into other areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money her Department has provided to the Government of Cameroon (a) bilaterally and (b) multilaterally in each of the last five years. [42763]

We do not currently provide any budgetary support to the Government of Cameroon. Our direct assistance to Cameroon has been in the form of project-related support working with both Government and non-Government partners, mainly in the forestry sector.Bilateral expenditure in Cameroon over the last five years is as follows:

£ million
Financial year	Total DFID programme1
1996–97	2.2
1997–98	2.1
1998–99	1.9
1999–2000	2.4
2000–01	3.1
1 These figures do not include non-DFID debt relief

The UK's imputed share of multilateral assistance' given to Cameroon during 1995–99 (the latest year for which figures are available) is as follows:

$ million
Calendar year	EC	UN	World Bank
1995	4.4	1.7	0.6
1996	4.4	2.7	0.0
1997	2.4	1.8	0.6
1998	3.2	4.9	0.0
1999	5.7	5.3	0.0
1 Based on DAC figures

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what actions her Department is taking to combat Government corruption in Cameroon. [42762]

We are actively engaged in the preparation of a Forest and Environment Sector Programme, which will include measures aimed at combating corruption in the forestry sector. We also currently fund an independent monitor of illegal logging. This support recognises the importance of the forestry sector for the Cameroonian economy and for poverty reduction, but that corruption in this sector is a major problem. More generally my Department has supported the inclusion of benchmarks on good governance, as part of the assessment of Cameroon's eligibility for debt relief under the heavily indebted poor countries initiative, and will encourage full implementation of the poverty reduction strategy.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department is taking to bring good governance to Cameroon. [42761]

Our programme of support to Cameroon is focused on the forestry sector, which is acknowledged by Cameroon's interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper as being important for poverty reduction. We are actively engaged in the preparation of a Forest and Environment Sector Programme, which will include measures aimed at improving governance in the sector, and currently fund an Independent Monitor of illegal logging. We continue to play an active part in international community discussion of the Poverty Reduction Strategy process, which includes benchmarks on good governance.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the level of Government corruption in Cameroon. [42764]

We have done no independent assessment of the level of government corruption in Cameroon. However, it has long been recognised by the international community that steps need to be taken to reduce the high levels of corruption that have hampered Cameroon's development. The Poverty Reduction Growth Facility (PRGF) and the interim Poverty Reduction Strategy paper linked to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, include commitments by the Government of Cameroon to tackle corruption and improve governance.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of United Kingdom funds for reconstruction in Afghanistan have been allocated to micro-credit agencies. [42760]

At present, no United Kingdom funds for reconstruction in Afghanistan have been allocated to micro-credit agencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on mortality rates in refugee camps in Afghanistan in the last six months. [42765]

Comprehensive data on mortality rates in internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in Afghanistan are not available. However, as access has improved in Afghanistan, agencies have been able to provide better-targeted assistance and to monitor the situation more effectively. For example, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported a significant decrease in mortality rates at Maslakh camp outside Herat. An estimated 180,000 displaced persons, mostly from Ghor and Badghis provinces, have been living in Maslakh camp since September 2000. By December 2001, the crude mortality rate was 0.47 per 10,000 people: a death rate of approximately 50 persons per week. This figure has now halved to approximately 0.2 per 10,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the potential security concerns for refugees returning to Afghanistan. [42757]

The volatile situation remains a serious concern for refugees returning to Afghanistan. Sporadic fighting in some areas, continuing lawlessness, as well as the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance, continue to prevent unhindered access to parts of Afghanistan. Because of the precarious security situation in some parts of Afghanistan, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is cautioning Afghans against spontaneously returning to certain areas. Provinces and areas on UNHCR's 'caution' list include: Paktia, Khost, Zabul, Uruzgan, Nimroz, Helmand, Farah, bra Bora and Sholgara.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what provision is being made for the safety of refugees returning to Afghanistan. [42758]

The Afghan Interim Administration (AIA) and the international community are committed to improving the protection of at-risk civilians. This includes creating conditions conducive to the voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in safety and dignity to their places of origin. Our support to agencies such as UNHCR, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) will help contribute to this important objective.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action is being taken to improve provision of public health clinics in Afghanistan. [42756]

At the Tokyo conference, the Afghanistan Interim Administration (AIA) identified the restoration of basic services, through an urban reconstruction programme to restore utilities and support municipal authorities, as one of their main priorities. In line with this, the United Nations (UN) Country Team for Afghanistan has prepared the Immediate and Transitional Assistance Programme for the Afghan People 2002 (ITAP) which prioritises the health sector as a key focus within Afghanistan. This includes activities to improve the provision of public health clinics.My Department is continuing to channel support through the Red Cross movement and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who are focusing on the rehabilitation of hospitals and health care clinics in order to provide essential, primary health care. We have recently provided an additional £2 million to the UN World Health Organisation (WHO) for the provision of technical and material support to the Ministry of Public Health.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the number of refugees who have returned to Afghanistan in each of the last six months. [42759]

Since October 2001, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimate that approximately 330,000 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from neighbouring countries. There were no major returns in October 2001; approximately 65,000 Afghans returned during November and December 2001; over 100,000 in January 2002; approximately the same number in February 2002; and almost 65,000 people returned to Afghanistan from 1 to 10 March 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the progress made in achieving the international development targets, with particular reference to ending child poverty by (a) the UK and (b) the international community. [42674]

There are two child specific Millennium Development Goals, reducing the under five mortality rate and ensuring that children of both sexes will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. However all the MDGs clearly have significant impacts on child poverty.The contribution of the UK to making progress towards these targets is outlined in DFID's public service agreement. The results of our efforts so far will be published next month in our departmental report.Global progress towards the goals is set out in the joint UN and World Bank report 'A Better World For All.' The report indicates that significant progress has been made towards halving the proportion of people whose income is less than a dollar a day, a target that will greatly impact on child poverty. Progress has also been made on a more limited basis, on reducing child mortality rates and increasing in the numbers of boys and girls enrolled in primary school.The UN General Assembly has agreed to produce annual reports on progress in reaching the MDGs. This information should serve to motivate the international community and strengthen and better target the efforts made to support progress towards the MDGs. We are currently working with other donor partners, the UN, World Bank and Development Assistance Committee to increase the capacity of developing countries to monitor statistics on a country basis, to support international monitoring of the MDGs, and to enable developing countries to develop national strategies for poverty reduction and sustainable development on the basis of accurate and current information.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what proportion of the staff of her Department are (a) job sharing, (b) term working and (c) engaged in another form of flexible working. [42425]

Details of DFID's job sharers, and part time workers engaged in flexible working are contained in the following table. There is no central record of full time staff engaged in flexible working. We have no staff who are term working.

	Figure
Total number of staff in DFID headquarters1	1,597
Numbers of job share staff	18
Percentage of total job share staff	1.1
Numbers of staff engaged in other flexible working patterns	105
Percentage of total staff engaged in other flexible working patterns	6.6
1 London and East Kilbride

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much humanitarian aid has been given to (a) Iran and (b) the northern border states of Afghanistan formerly part of the Soviet Union in the last 12 months. [42954]

In the last 12 months, my Department has provided over £1.7 million of humanitarian assistance to Iran, primarily for the benefit of Afghan and Iraqi refugees. Our support, which has been channelled through UN agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), has focused on emergency food assistance, and improvement of health care and education services for Afghan and Iraqi refugees.In the same period, we have provided £2.2 million of drought relief assistance to Tajikistan. This has been channelled through UN agencies, the Red Cross and NGOs for food assistance, water and sanitation improvement, and livelihood and agricultural support.In addition, the £60 million that we have disbursed in response to the crisis in Afghanistan since September 2001 includes a number of regional grants to humanitarian agencies. A proportion of this amount has therefore been spent in countries neighbouring Afghanistan, including Iran and the northern border states of Afghanistan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 6 March 2002, ref. 40849, Official Report, column 395W, if he will conduct an internal analysis on the future of the various recurring annual direct and indirect (a) costs and (b) benefits arising from UK membership of the European Union. [42608]

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the General Affairs Council held in Brussels on 18–19 February; what the Government's stance was on each issue discussed, including its voting and record; and if he will make a statement. [42704]

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I represented the UK at the Council. The GAC adopted the "A" points listed in document 6220/02. It also noted the resolutions, decisions and opinions adopted by the European Parliament listed in document 5079/02 PE-RE 5. Copies of these documents have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. No formal votes were taken. Conclusions were reached by consensus on a number of issues, as follows.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on human rights abuses in Nepal. [42602]

We have not received any formal representations about human rights abuses in Nepal, although my officials are in contact with human rights NGOs and regularly discuss the situation with them.We are very concerned about reports of human rights abuses committee by the Maoists. NGOs estimate that they may be responsible for the summary execution of 400 civilians.We are aware of allegations in the Nepalese media of human rights abuses by the Royal Nepalese Army. We are concerned about this, and have made our views clear to the Government of Nepal: I myself did so during my visit to Kathmandu last month. Prime Minister Deuba has repeatedly stressed that abuses will not be tolerated. The Nepalese authorities have professed the need for improvement, and have undertaken to co-operate with the international community to achieve this.The British embassy's human rights adviser in Kathmandu is monitoring the human rights situation closely and developing strategies to assist the Nepalese Government and civil society in tackling human rights issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral statement of 4 March 2002, Official Report, column 130, by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, if he will make a statement on the status of the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine. [43561]

The People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) is not an organisation proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000. The group is none the less a terrorist entity which, for example, claimed responsibility for the assassination of Israeli Tourism Minister Ze'evy in October 2001. The Bank of England froze the assets of the PFLP in 2001 as a result of its involvement in terrorism.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Hawk aircraft have been exported to India in the last six months. [42767]

None.

To ask the Prime Minister if the Government have taken a decision on future provision for long-range royal and ministerial air travel. [44087]

After 36 years' service the VC I Os were withdrawn from their ministerial transport role at the end of 2001. The royal family had ceased using the VC10 nine years ago. The Government considered a number of options for future long-range royal and ministerial air travel. These included chartering commercial aircraft, adapting an existing RAF aircraft, and procuring a new aircraft.The Government have decided that when a dedicated aircraft is needed it will charter a commercial aircraft. In line with current practice, any accompanying business-people or press will usually be asked to pay their share of costs. Where there are security concerns RAF planes will be used. We assess that this approach is likely to be the most cost-effective. In many cases a dedicated aircraft is not necessary and Ministers and members of the royal family will continue to travel on scheduled flights.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack) on 6 March 2002, Official Report, column 280, regarding social services spending, how much funding has been provided by (a) central Government and (b) local authorities through council tax in the last five years. [42636]

Social services funding is increasing by around 20.4 per cent. in real terms between 1996–97 and 2002–03; an average of 3.1 per cent. each year, compared with an average of 0.1 per cent. annual real terms growth between 1992–93 and 1996–97.Local government's social service responsibilities are funded through general grant as part of the local government finance settlement, ring-fenced grants provided by the Department of Health and local authorities through council tax. Decisions on the budgets local authorities allocate to particular services are for local authorities to make bearing in mind their statutory responsibilities, their priorities and the wishes of their electorate. It is not therefore possible to say how much funding for social services has been provided through council tax or general grant.General grant is distributed through standard spending assessments (SSA) formulae. The figures in the following table comprise personal social services SSA, which includes an assumed element for council tax, and ring-fenced grants paid by the Department of Health for social services in England. The figures exclude grants paid for social services by other Government Departments.

	£ million
1997–98	7,911.8
1998–99	8,479.8
1999–2000	8,862.9
2000–01	9,307.0
2001–02	9,957.2

To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will set out the procedure by which charities apply for receptions at 10 Downing street; [43306](2) if he will list the charities for whom receptions have been given at 10 Downing street since May 1997. [43305]

The programme of events at No. 10 is designed to give access to as many people as possible. Events cover a very wide spectrum of charities including NSPCC, Barnados, Sargent Cancer Care for Children, Shelter, Help the Aged, and smaller charities such as Kids, Saving Faces and Contact a Family.As has always been the practice, it is open to all charities to contact 10 Downing street to apply to hold a reception which is then considered. The guests lists are drawn up by the charity, which also funds the event.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if he will list the official visits to (a) Paris and (b) Brussels made by each Minister in his Department in 2001 and the mode of travel used; and what guidance is provided to Ministers in his Department on the choice of mode of travel for such visits; [38151](2) if he will list the official visits within the UK outside London made by each Minister in his Department in 2001, giving for each

Since 1999 this Government have published an annual list of all overseas visits undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Details of travel undertaken since 1 March 2001 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the current financial year. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House.All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.The additional detailed information requested in respect of UK travel is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the additional grants from the Scottish Executive in item lxxxi on page 8 of the Spring Supply Estimates. [40236]

The transfer of £1,293,000 to the Scottish Executive, reported at item lxxxi on page 8 of the Spring Supplementary Estimates, is in respect of rail freight facilities grant which, under section 211(4) of the Transport Act 2000, must be paid by the Scottish Executive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the extent of the gender pay gap among staff in his Department. [40997]

The Government have committed Departments and agencies to review their pay systems by April 2003 and prepare action plans to close any equal pay gaps. The Cabinet Office issued comprehensive guidance in January 2002 to assist in these reviews.In advance of the Cabinet Office guidance and in conjunction with the local trade union side an equal pay review was instigated in the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Central) during the 2001 pay round, following guidelines contained in the Equal Opportunities Commission's code of practice. The outcome of this review is subject to the Governments commitment to review pay systems by April 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many special advisers were employed by him and his predecessor (a) between 1 May and 31 December 1997 and (b) in each year from 1998 to 2001 inclusive; and what the total amount spent on special advisers by the Department was in each of those years. [41256]

The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions employed a total of six special advisers between 1 May and 31 December 1997 at a total salary cost of £77,470. In 1998 a total of seven special advisers were employed (of whom no more than six were in post at any one time) at a total salary cost of £142,152. In 1999 a total of seven special advisers were employed (of whom no more than five were in post at any one time) at a total salary cost of £158,400. In 2000 a total of five special advisers were employed at a total salary cost of £197,092. In 2001 a total of eight special advisers were employed (of whom no more than five were employed at any one time) at a total salary cost of £132,278.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whom he has recruited to replace Jo Moore. [41677]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) on 12 March 2002, Official Report, column 908W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether he consulted the Prime Minister on the future of Jo Moore after 11 September. [41283]

[holding answer 7 March 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Mr. Luff) on 17 October 2001, Official Report, column 1165.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what projection he has made of the number of flights at Heathrow Airport in each of the next five years. [41888]

The Secretary of State has imposed a condition on the planning consent for Heathrow Terminal 5, requiring that from the date the Core Terminal Building opens for public use, the number of occasions on which aircraft may take-off or land at Heathrow shall not exceed 480,000 during any period of one year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of airport capacity in the south-east of England over the medium and longer terms. [41945]

The South East and East of England Regional Air Services Study (SERAS) has evaluated a wide range of airport development options, providing different levels of capacity. A full public consultation on the short-listed options is scheduled for spring 2002. Decisions made following the consultation will feed into an aviation White Paper which we plan to publish later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the sites that are being considered for new airports within the south-east of England. [41963]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) on 12 March 2002, Official Report, column 922W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information he has collated on the breakdown of harbour traffic throughput in Shoreham in the last year. [42325]

[holding answer 11 March 2002]: In 2000, the latest year for which information is available, 1.8 million tonnes of traffic passed through the port of Shoreham. Of this, approximately 1.0 million tonnes were imports, 150 thousand tonnes exports and 0.6 million tonnes domestic traffic.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information he has received from Shoreham Port Authority about their (a) debt levels and (b) bulk cargo levels for export and import. [42314]

[holding answer 11 March 2002]: Information on debt levels at ports is not collected by my Department. In 2000, the latest year for which information is available, 0.7 million tonnes of bulk cargo were imported and 0.1 million tonnes of bulk cargo were exported.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) how much money has been allocated to disabled facilities grants in this financial year; [42544](2) how many disabled facilities grants have been processed for children in the last 12 months; [42542](3) how many disabled facilities grants have been processed for

The Government have allocated £87 million towards the expenditure by local authorities in England on Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) for 2001–02. This meets 60 per cent. of the total cost of such grants, the remaining 40 per cent. being met from elsewhere in local authorities' budgets. The latest estimate on the number of DFGs made in England is 28,097 for 2001–02. The Government do not collect data separately on the number of grants paid to adults or children.

Scheme	Allocation (£ million)	Purpose
Avon/Somerset/Gloucestershire	16.900	Joint training centre
Cornwall	12,257	Estate management and replacement of fire stations
Greater Manchester	4.790	Fire station/divisional headquarters
London	45.000	Management and maintenance of vehicles and operational equipment
North Yorkshire	6.360	Fire station/training centre

Revenue support based on the level of PFI credits is paid once the scheme has come into operation.£560,000 in total was paid in grant in 1997–98 to meet the development costs for fire service pathfinder schemes, including the ones listed in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 27 February 2002, Official Report, column 1370W, on fire authority funding, if he will list the recipients of the extra £53 million announced for emergency planning, stating in each case (a) the name of the fire authority, (b) the amount awarded and (c) the intended use of the money in each case. [42943]

The additional resources will be used to procure new equipment, including decontamination facilities and personal protective equipment for firefighters, and to meet training and other revenue costs. Decisions on the deployment of the equipment and allocation of the funding will be taken in the course of procurement. The equipment will include:

• Large volume decontamination shelters and showers
• Water management equipment
• Ancillary equipment eg to provide power, heat and light
• Radiation survey meters
• Personal dosimeters
• Protective clothing
• Masks and filters for respiratory protection
• Transport facilities
• Communications and IT support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many people are employed in the fire service (a) in total and (b) broken down by (i) age, (ii) gender and (iii) ethnic background. [42925]

At 31 March 2001 there were 49,685 uniformed staff and 6,703 non-uniformed staff employed in the fire services of England and Wales. There were 1,866 women employed in the uniformed sector and 4,032 women employed in the non-uniformed sector. There were 613 minority ethnic uniformed staff and 293 minority ethnic non-uniformed staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the recipients of money within the Fire Service under the private finance initiative, stating in each case (a) the amount awarded and (b) the purpose of the award. [42924]

PFI credits have been allocated to the following fire service schemes:All fire services in England and Wales are required to provide annually to Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate statistical information about personnel employed, analysed by gender and ethnic origin. Data on the composition of the work force broken down by age are not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what extra training has been provided for fire fighters since 11 September 2001, broken down by each fire authority. [42926]

Fire service personnel already receive training for dealing with terrorist and major incidents. Since 11 September fire authorities have been issued with guidance on mass decontamination methods. Additional funding is being provided and fire authorities are being encouraged to undertake training with other services and agencies. Details of specific training carried out by each fire authority are not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many housing association properties have been sold under the Right to Acquire provisions in each London borough in each year since the provisions came into force. [42968]

The Right to Acquire came into force on 1 April 1997. It gives eligible tenants of registered social landlords the right to purchase their rented home with the benefit of a discount. There have been 53 completed Right to Acquire sales in total from 1 April 1997 to the end of February 2002. 12 of these were in London boroughs, as follows:

	Completions
1999–2000
Redbridge	1
2000–01
Bexley	2
Croydon	1
Haringey	1
Newham	1
Waltham Forest	1

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many council properties have been sold under the right-to-buy provisions in each London borough in each of the last 10 years. [43946]

The information requested is included in the summary table referred to in my answer of 7 March 2002 to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney), Official Report, column 554W, which is available in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what changes in flight paths into Heathrow have taken place within the last year that have affected flight paths above Walthamstow; and whether they are permanent. [42945]

The Civil Aviation Authority has advised that apart from a short period following the terrorist attacks in New York on 11 September 2001 when there may have been a slight increase in the proportion of flights which overflew Walthamstow, there have been no changes to the flight paths into Heathrow in the past year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many Members his Department employs in its Regulatory Impact Unit; and if he will make a statement. [42933]

DTLR's new Regulatory Impact Unit was established in October 2001 and consists of four officials, two full time and two on a job-share basis.This is more staff than in previous years and the unit is now a dedicated resource that covers better/regulation/regulatory reform issues only.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Warrington, North, dated 21 November 2001. [43131]

I have written to my hon. Friend today and I apologise for the delay in replying.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Salisbury of 25 February 2001, Official Report, column 817W, for what reasons de-trunking negotiations on the A36(T) have been put on hold until early 2003. [43304]

The Secretary of State confirmed in February 2002 that following placement of an objection to de-trunking of the A46/A36 by the South West Regional Assembly a further study into the management of the route and the traffic problems related to the route in Bath would be commissioned shortly. Formal appointment of a consultant to undertake the work is progressing with interviews of those firms shortlisted taking place soon. Not until this study had been completed, December 2002 in the current programme, would Bath and North East Somerset Council agree to continue with de-trunking negotiations.There are four other local authorities involved in taking over sections of the route on satisfactory completion of de-trunking negotiations. No serious obstacles to completing negotiations successfully with these remaining four authorities have been identified. Although this might suggest that a piecemeal de-trunking of the route is possible this would not be in the public interest nor would this course of action answer the Regional Assembly's objection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact on the freight industry of the actions of people attempting to enter the United Kingdom illegally; and if he will make a statement. [43033]

The Government recognise that the current disruption to channel tunnel rail freight services caused by would-be illegal immigrants attempting to board these trains on the continent is causing severe hardship to many businesses in this country which depend on these services. We are pressing the French Government at the highest levels to ensure that sufficient police resources are applied to address the problem so that normal freight services can resume as soon as possible.There is no evidence to date that the actions of people attempting to enter the United Kingdom illegally have had any significant impact on UK road freight operations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 27 February 2002, Official Report, column 1371W, on electronic voting, whether he undertook an assessment of the relative ability of different age groups to access electronic voting before introducing the pilot schemes. [43352]

The Electoral Commission's evaluation of the electronic voting pilots will include an assessment of the impact of electronic voting on different age groups within the electorate. The traditional voting arrangements will remain available on 2 May for all voters in the areas where electronic voting is being trialed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many planning applications for developments in areas of outstanding natural beauty have been called in since 1997; and how many of those were approved. [43390]

We estimate that about 30 planning applications for developments in areas of outstanding natural beauty have been called in since 1997 and that, of those, around one-fifth have been approved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions by what means nominations were sought for places on harbour boards on the Isle of Wight; how many appointments he has made to such bodies since 1997; who the appointees were; and what were their terms of office. [43353]

The Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions is not aware of any "labour boards" on the Isle of Wight. There are a number of bodies responsible for local economic and work force development activities on the Isle of Wight, but none has national appointment processes, all being locally developed in response to the local need.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he plans to sign documents for the public private partnership with London Underground. [41292]

If a final decision is taken to proceed, PPP contracts for the modernisation of London Underground will be signed by London Underground, not the Secretary of State.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of changes to the contracts to operate train lines under the proposed PPP scheme since 7 February; [42813](2) who is responsible for determining

[holding answer 12 March 2002]: The proposed PPP contracts are for the modernisation of the Underground's infrastructure. London Underground will continue to operate the entire tube network, including trains.London Underground is responsible for the contracts. London Underground has confirmed that it intends to take a final decision, including in relation to value for money, following completion of consultation with the Mayor and Transport for London.I and my officials have been kept informed throughout development of the contracts. In taking any decisions that fall to me in my capacity as Secretary of State I will take into account all the relevant factors. I will, in particular, consider whether any changes to the contracts will affect my three key principles: that there is no privatisation, that safety is not compromised and that the contracts offer value for money.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his estimate is of the required investment in the railway network for (a) safety and (b) repairs over the life of the Government's 10-year plan. [41304]

All of the rail investment contained in the 10-year plan and SRA strategic plan contributes in some way to achieving our objectives of a better, safer and more reliable railway. It is not possible to provide a specific estimate for these categories.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what requirement will be placed on (a) the train operating companies and (b) the successor company to Railtrack to employ people with qualifications from the National Rail Academy. [42810]

[holding answer 12 March 2002]: The issue of qualifications will in part be addressed through the 'Framework for Skills' 18-Point Action Plan. It is likely that the National Rail Academy will have a key role to play in relation to standards and qualifications. However, its precise role and the relationship with the Rail Industry Training Council, the existing National Training Organisation and the prospective Sector Skills Council have yet to be determined.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) when the proposed National Rail Academy will be brought into operation; [42808](2) how much money has been allocated for

[holding answer 12 March 2002]: The Government have made available £33.5 billion to improve the railways of which £500,000 is being allocated by the Strategic Rail Authority to develop a number of training initiatives during this year. There is currently no fixed establishment date for the National Rail Academy and it is likely that it will evolve progressively from a number of current initiatives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the skills shortage in the rail industry in terms of (a) numbers of people and (b) skill areas. [42809]

[holding answer 12 March 2002]: The progress report on the delivery of the Framework for Skills for the Rail Industry provides at Annexe 4 an analysis of the occupations in which there are skill shortages. The report is available on the Department for Education and Skills website—www.dfes.gov.uk/railindustry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guidance he has issued to the SRA in respect of the creation of special purpose vehicles for rail projects; and if he will place it in the Library. [42838]

[holding answer 12 March 2002]: On 29 June 2001 I issued draft Directions and Guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA). These would direct the SRA to consider the use of Special Purpose Vehicles to undertake rail infrastructure works (section 8.2) and require the SRA to detail in its strategy how and by when such projects will be introduced (section 7.4). A copy was placed in the House Library at the time of their publication.

To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee what measures he is taking to improve remote access to PDVN for hon. Members' constituency staff; and what recent assessment he has made of the reliability of access to the network. [43127]

I fully recognise the need to improve the reliability of remote access services for hon. Members' constituency staff. As a short-term measure, the Parliamentary Communications Directorate has tested an upgrade to the existing remote access software (Citrix) and plans to make it available shortly to all hon. Members.

Statutory instrument	Power transferred
2000–01
S.I. 2000/1563	The Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers, etc.) Order 2000
S.I. 2000/3251	The Scotland Act 1998 (Cross-Border Public Authorities)(Adaptation of Functions etc.)(No. 2) Order 2000
S.I. 2000/3253	The Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers, etc.)(No. 2) Order 2000
S.I. 2001/954	The Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers, etc.) Order 2001
2001–02
S.I. 2001/3504	The Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers, etc.)(No. 2) Order 2001

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans she has to amend the Scotland Act 1998. [41418]

At present, I have no plans to amend the Scotland Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she last discussed the future of the Scotland Act 1998 with the Scottish Executive. [41417]

I discuss a range of issues with the First Minister at our regular meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations she has received on It is expected that this upgrade will improve the performance of the remote access service, within the limitations of the Citrix product.The question of remote access for constituency staff is a matter for the President of the Council and is being pursued in the context of the changes to hon. Members' allowances which were agreed by the House on 5 July 2001. I understand that the House is in the final stages of placing a contract to provide Members with improved access to the Internet and to the Parliamentary Data and Video Network (PDVN) via a commercial Internet Service Provider (ISP). Once the necessary administrative, financial and technical elements are in place, Members' constituency offices will be able to connect directly to the PDVN using a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which will allow broadband access (such as ADSL where available) as well as ISDN and dial-up services. It is hoped that a pilot of the new service will take place in July 2002, and I am optimistic that this long-term solution will provide considerable benefits for hon. Members and their staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list powers transferred by her Department to the Scottish Executive under provisions of the Scotland Act in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02. [39330]

[holding answer 28 February 2002]: Powers transferred to the Scottish Executive between the specified dates are set out in the following statutory instruments:vehicle speed limits on the A76 trunk road for

I have received no representations on this matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on Government policy on the future for nuclear power stations in Scotland. [41593]

The future role of all forms of power will be considered in the Energy White Paper which was referred to by the Prime Minister in his foreword to the Cabinet Office Energy Review publication.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations she has had with representatives of the Scottish Executive regarding a public inquiry into the foot and mouth outbreaks in Scotland. [41470]

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has announced two independent inquiries into the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 2001. The "Lessons Learned" inquiry has been asked to make recommendations on the handling of any future major animal disease outbreak. The Royal Society has been asked to investigate the transmission, prevention and control of epidemic outbreaks of infectious disease in livestock, and to make recommendations. The "Lessons Learned" inquiry and the Royal Society inquiry both extend to Scotland, and the Scottish Executive has presented views to both inquiries. The inquiries will report to Ministers in the Scottish Executive as well as to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations she has had with Scottish Executive Ministers and European Union officials on a public inquiry into the foot and mouth outbreaks in Scotland. [41416]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Bridgwater (Mr. Liddell-Grainger).The European Commission will be kept in touch with the progress of these inquiries.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on the payment of relocation expenses to staff in his Department. [41018]

Students from England aged 18 accepted for entry to full-time undergraduate courses in the UK by previous educational institution
	Academic year of entry to higher education
	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02
Maintained schools
17-year-olds in previous year studying in maintained schools1	131,700	132,500	137,100
18-year-olds accepted for entry from maintained schools2,3	64,100	64,900	68,200
Percentage proceeding to HE from maintained schools	49	49	50
Independent schools
17-year-olds in previous year studying in independent schools1	36,000	35,000	35,200
18-year-olds accepted for entry from independent schools2	19,100	18,300	18,800
Percentage proceeding to HE from independent schools	53	52	53
FE colleges
17-year-olds in previous year studying in FE colleges1	183,700	183,100	184,900
18-year-olds accepted for entry from FE colleges2	37,700	38,100	40,800
Percentage proceeding to HE from FE colleges	21	21	22
1 Age as at August 31
2 Age as at September 30
3 Including city technology colleges and sixth form centres

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will replace the boards responsible for setting examinations in schools by a single board. [40730]

Cabinet Office policy is to reimburse approved costs that are necessarily and unavoidably incurred as a result of relocation. Levels of reimbursement are agreed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the availability of funding in the management unit to which an individual is attached.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress the Government have made towards their target of 50 per cent. of young people entering higher education. [40728]

We are making excellent progress towards meeting our ambitious but realistic target of participation in HE. The target is informed by our analysis of labour market needs over the next decade and by our determination to ensure opportunity for all throughout the education system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the proportion of students from secondary modern schools who went on to higher education in each of the last three years. [40740]

Information on the number of pupils from secondary modern schools who go on to HE is not held centrally.The available information, showing the previous type of educational institution of students accepted for entry to full-time undergraduate courses, is shown in the table. However, not all students who enter HE do so directly after they have left full-time education at 18; some spend a period in employment before returning to study, and others take a gap year to broaden their experience. Around a third of young people enter full-time higher education by the age of 20, including those who enter at ages 18, 19, and 20.

We have no plans to replace the current structure in England with a single board.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the operation of exam boards. [40736]

Millions of examination papers are taken by students in England and Wales each year. It is a massive and complex task to set and manage this number of exams—and a task that the awarding bodies generally perform to a high standard.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to promote engineering as a career; and if she will make a statement. [40731]

The Government recognise the importance of engineering to the success of our economy.To this end we have just launched a new science and engineering ambassadors programme as part of Science Year.In addition, we have recently announced a new campaign to promote modern apprenticeships to young people and employers. Currently the engineering manufacturing sector has the largest number of young people undertaking advanced modern apprenticeship training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the results of the recent inspections of further education colleges. [40732]

Of the 64 college inspections carried out to date under the new regime, results have been published for 29 colleges. It is early days and conclusions so far are tentative. There have been some good results but there is still some way to go to achieve consistent quality.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations she has received from teaching unions about devolving teachers' pay and conditions to the National Assembly for Wales. [40733]

My right hon. Friend has received no such representations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers are expected to progress up the post-threshold pay spine this academic year. [40748]

Progress on the upper pay scale is by performance points awarded by individual schools. Teachers on point one of the upper pay scale since September 2000 become eligible to move to point two from September 2002. The number moving to point two will be determined by the number of performance points schools decide to award.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent research she has commissioned into the effect of performance-related pay on teachers' morale. [40750]

The Department's evaluation of the first round of performance threshold assessment included a MORI survey of teachers in a sample of schools. The results were summarised in the written evidence submitted by the Department to the School Teachers' Review Body in September. This is available on the DFES website: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/Teachers_Pay_Evidence_STRB_2001 and http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/Teachers_Pay_STRB_Supplementary_Evidence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will issue guidance to schools on the advancement of teachers on the upper pay scale. [40749]

Progression on the upper pay scale is by performance points awarded by individual schools. Guidance on awarding such points was included in the Department's guidance on teachers' pay and conditions sent to all schools in September.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent meetings she has had with the National Association of Head Teachers to discuss performance-related pay. [40737]

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) and my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Ian Lucas) by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, on 14 March 2002, Official Report, column 1003.