To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 936W, regarding the 1973 report prepared at Porton Down, on what dates the Ethics Committee overseeing the human experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment scrutinised this experiment; and if he will place in the Library copies of the papers of the committee which relate to the discussion of this experiment. [43477]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the report produced by the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down in 1985 entitled "Pyridostigmine pre-treatment and neuromuscular transmission in man—a study using single fibre electromyography". [43445]

Yes. This technical note reports preliminary results and analysis. The full results and final conclusions of the work in which Service volunteers who had been exposed to a low dose of Sarin and monitored over a number of years using single fibre electromyography have already been published entitled: "Single fibre electromyographic changes in man after organophosphate exposure" (Human and Experimental Toxicology 1996, 15, 367–75).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a list of the common and chemical names of the vesicants which have been tested on Service volunteers at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down during the Service volunteer programme; and if he will list the numbers of Service volunteers who were tested with each of these vesicants. [43452]

At present there are no definitive figures detailing the numbers of Service volunteers who have been exposed to vesicant agents or all the agents which were used. However, it is believed that some 8,000 individuals have participated in studies which have involved the use of the following two vesicants:

Sulphur mustard; chemical name 2–2'-di(chloroethyl) sulphide

Lewisite; chemical name 2-chlorovinyl dichloroarsine.

In addition, a small number of volunteers may have been exposed to the following two vesicants during the Service volunteer programme:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the BUTEC and Rona test and evaluation ranges, and if he will make a statement. [44428]

The BUTEC and Rona ranges are Ministry of Defence facilities operated by QinetiQ under contract to MOD. They provide a comprehensive range of test and evaluation facilities, for which the MOD has a continuing requirement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the quality difference between shells manufactured in (a) the USA and (b) the UK by BAE Systems. [43392]

All munitions, irrespective of the country of manufacture, must meet the Department's same high quality requirements and rigorous safety standards before entering service with the UK armed forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what means he plans to apply benchmark prices to munitions. [43394]

Benchmarking is already an integral part of the Framework Partnering Agreement (FPA) between Royal Ordnance Defence (ROD) and the MOD. A specific Benchmarking Working Group, comprising both MOD and ROD staff, has been established within the FPA and currently uses two techniques to monitor benchmarking. These techniques are comparative analysis and performance analysis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long-term security of supply for explosives is defined in the Framework Partnering Agreement between his Department and ROD. [43396]

The Department entered into a Framework Partnering Agreement with Royal Ordnance Defence in 1999. Long-term security of supply is not specifically defined within the agreement; however, both parties are committed to a long-term relationship and continuous dialogue on matters of mutual interest, including security of supply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much explosive used by his Department was bought from the USA in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [43393]

In the last 12 months, the Ministry of Defence has not bought explosive substances from the USA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the ROD Framework Partners Agreement includes the plant in Bridgwater; [43399](2) pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2002,

The Royal Ordnance Defence (ROD) facility at Radway Green is explicitly included in the Framework Partnering Agreement because of the organisational structure of the Company. Beyond this, individual ROD facilities are not specifically included or excluded from the Agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the training exercises that have

		Year and frequency
Formation training (non-firming exercises)	Formation/unit	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Extended period operational training	HQ Northern Ireland	0	0	0	0	8
Exercise Eagles Eye	16 Air Assault Brigade	0	0	0	0	1
Exercise Eagles Strike	Queens Own Yeomanry	0	0	0	1	0
Operational training	5 Airbourne Brigade	0	0	1	0	0
Exercise Northern Lights	3 Royal Marines Commando	0	0	1	0	0
Exercise Swift Hawk	5 Army Air Corps	0	0	8	4	1
Exercise Executive Stretch	107 Brigade	0	1	2	1	0
Individual training	Infantry Training Centre Catterick	2	6	11	7	2
Exercise Deep George	1 Reconnaissance Brigade	2	0	0	0	2
Field firing	39 Regiment Royal Artillery	2	0	0	0	0
Field firing	32 Regiment Royal Artillery	0	1	0	0	0
Field firing	101 Regiment Royal Artillery	0	0	1	0	0
Field firing	9 Royal Irish Regiment	0	0	3	0	0
Field firing	A Company Kings Own Scottish Borderers	0	0	1	0	0
Field firing	3 Squadron Royal Air Force	0	0	0	4	0
Field firing	A Company Black Watch	0	0	0	1	0
Non-firing exercises	Officer Training Corp Glasgow	1	0	0	0	0
Non-firing exercises	C Company Lowland Volunteer	1	1	0	0	0
Non-firing exercises	Scottish Yeomanry	1	0	0	0	0
Non-firing exercises	105 Air Defence Regiment Royal Artillery	2	0	0	0	0
Non-firing exercises	4/5 Irish Rangers	1	0	0	0	0
Non-firing exercises	27 Transport Regiment	0	1	0	0	0
Non-firing exercises	245 Provost Company	0	1	0	0	0
Non-firing exercises	Campbell College	0	1	0	0	0
Non-firing exercises	4/5 Royal Irish	0	1	0	0	0
Non-firing exercises	Royal Ghurka Rifles	0	1	0	0	0
Non-firing exercises	24 Field Ambulance	0	1	0	0	0
Non-firing exercises	3 Royal Highland Fusiliers	0	1	0	0	0
Non-firing exercises	152 Field Ambulance	0	0	1	2	0
Non-firing exercises	Scottish Transport Regiment	0	0	2	0	0
Non-firing exercises	9 Royal Irish Regiment	0	0	3	0	0
Non-firing exercises	162 Squadron Royal Corps of Transport	0	0	1	0	0
Non-firing exercises	United States Navy SEALs	0	0	1	0	0
Non-firing exercises	101 Regiment Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers	0	0	1	0	0
Non-firing exercises	52 Lowland Regiment	0	0	0	1	0
Non-firing exercises	204 Field Ambulance	0	0	0	1	0
Non-firing exercises	Royal Marines Reserves Scotland	0	0	0	0	1
Non-firing exercises	Officer Training Corps (Northumbrian)	0		0	0	1

Eskmeals is not used in support of training activities for any of the three services. The site is owned by the Ministry of Defence and operated by QinetiQ who provide test and evaluation services in support of the UK armed forces on a variety of medium to heavy calibre weapon systems.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the changes necessary to open up his Department's land to disabled people; and if he will make a statement. [44639]

A pilot audit was undertaken using the BT millennium miles scheme that led to the upgrading of a track and path to improve wheelchair access, and more are planned. New paths have been constructed at

The training exercises (broken down by type of training) that have taken place on Kirkcudbright training area within the last five years, and the formations or units that have been involved are shown in the table:Sennybridge, including one that will permit wheelchair access. This, together with paths at Lulworth, and Elstead Common, Longmoor, is promoted as "Easy-going Trails" in the fourth edition of "Walks on MOD Lands" and in the "Access" section of the DE website.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the public annually used the public access areas on his Department's land in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [44638]

No comprehensive surveys have been carried out to establish the numbers of visitors who access the defence estate, However, in January 2002, as a first step in meeting the targets set by the estate strategy "In Trust and on Trust" (published in June 2000), pilot visitors surveys were carried out at the Aldershot training area and Willsworthy Ranges. These provided promising results, but need to be developed further before they are used elsewhere at suitable Ministry of Defence sites.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment has been made of public access to his Department's land; and if he will make a statement. [44637]

There is a presumption in favour of access to the defence estate wherever this is compatible with operational and military training uses, public safety, security, conservation, and the interests of Ministry of Defence's tenants. This policy was set out in 2000 in the estate strategy "In Trust and on Trust" together with a number of objectives in respect of access and recreation.A number of pilot studies have been carried out in furtherance of those objectives: at Willsworthy Ranges and Aldershot training area on visitor numbers, and two at Lulworth, on path conditions and applying the BT millennium miles scheme. This led to the upgrading of tracks at Lulworth to improve wheelchair access. Similar studies will be carried out elsewhere. A fourth edition of the booklet "Walks on MOD Lands", was published and the updated "Access" section of the defence estates website went live in November 2001.These initiatives have been developed in conjunction with a variety of external stakeholders, and reflect the Ministry of Defence's continuing commitment to improving public access to the defence estate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are taken to ensure that complaints from service personnel and their families about the suitability or condition of his Department's housing is investigated and dealt with, what targets the DHE has in dealing with complaints; what the level of achieving these targets was in the last year; what steps are being taken to improve the complaints procedure; and if he will make a statement. [44967]

The Defence Housing Executive (DHE) has a formal procedure for investigating and resolving complaints about Service Families Accommodation (SFA), which is publicised in the Occupants Handbook. A copy is available in each family quarter. The current targets are to acknowledge written complaints within one working day and to send a full response within 10 working days.In the first nine months of the current reporting year, which started on 1 April 2001, the DHE responded to 95 per cent. of all written complaints within the target times. Complaints procedures are currently under review as part of the development of DHE's customer care strategy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many cases of suspected property fraud in the provision of his Department's housing have been taken to court in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [43006](2) what incentives have been provided for private companies to

No cases of suspected fraud relating to the provision of housing by the Defence Housing Executive (DHE) have gone to court since 1997. However, a case of property fraud has been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for advice, with a view to criminal prosecution. Two additional cases of suspected fraud have been referred to the Defence Fraud Analysis Unit (DFAU) for investigation and may come to court in the future.No incentives are paid to private companies to detect and report suspected fraud. The Ministry of Defence has a policy of zero tolerance to fraud and this is impressed upon contractors. Companies are expected to produce their own anti-fraud policy statement when tendering for contracts.To date, for the period beginning 1997, the MOD police have no record of any assets having been frozen in suspected property fraud cases associated with the provision of accommodation by the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military officers are expected to be present at the Queen's Golden Jubilee festivities; of that number, how many will be there for the purpose of (a) protection/security, (b) marching in the parade and (c) performing music; and if he will make a statement. [44583]

I am withholding details of protection or security operations in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. A Golden Jubilee Festival is due to take place in central London on the afternoon of the 4 June 2002 at which the armed forces will play an appropriate part. However the details are still being finalised with the organisers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for which MOD contracts Israeli companies are bidding as (a) prime contractors and (b) as teaming partners; and in the case of the latter, with which companies they are teamed. [45185]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with the memorial to service personnel killed since the Second World War; and if he will make a statement. [44480]

Pursuant to the answer I gave on 20 March 2002, Official Report, column 313W, I regret that a paragraph was omitted from the answer in error. The answer should have included the following paragraph. Those members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the Merchant Navy who were killed in conflict zones while in direct support of the armed forces will also be included on the memorial.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if submissions are being made by the House of Commons Commission to the review being carried out by the Committee on Standards in Public Life on the future appointment of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and related matters; and if he will make a statement. [44996]

The House of Commons Commission has been invited to contribute to the inquiry by the Committee on Standards in Public Life, and will do so.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his office in each of the last 10 years. [42446]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 19 March 2002, Official Report, columns 267–68W.

To ask the Prime Minister what advice has been given to civil servants on the conduct of Government business during the forthcoming elections to local councils on 2 May. [46033]

The Government have issued guidance to civil servants on the principles which they should observe in relation to the conduct of Government business in the period before the forthcoming elections.The guidance stressed that civil servants should conduct themselves in accordance with the Civil Service Code and is based on the need to maintain the political impartiality of the civil service and the need to ensure that public resources are not used for party political purposes.The guidance will come into force on 11 April.Copies of the guidance have been placed in the Library of the House, and are also available from the Vote Office.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make an announcement about the appointment and reappointment of surveillance commissioners under Part III of the Police Act 1997. [46090]

In accordance with Section 91 of the Police Act 1997, after consultation with the Scottish Ministers, I have agreed to appoint and re-appoint the following surveillance commissioners to assist Sir Andrew Leggatt, the chief surveillance commissioner. There are three commissioners for England and Wales, two for Scotland and one for Northern Ireland. However, the remit of each commissioner covers the whole of the United Kingdom so that any commissioner can act in jurisdictions other than his own.I have appointed from 1 November 2001, as a commissioner the Right hon. Lord Sutherland, who served as a judge of the Court of Session from 1985 to 2001, for a period of three years.I have also re-appointed as commissioners:Sir Charles McCullough who was appointed as surveillance commissioner in 1998 and is re-appointed for a further three years from 1 November 2001. He served as a High Court judge of the Queen's Bench Division from 1981 to 1998;The right hon. Sir Michael Hutchison who was appointed as surveillance commissioner in 1998 and is re-appointed for a further three years from 1 November 2001. He served as a Lord Justice of Appeal from 1995 to 1999;Lord Bonomy who was appointed as surveillance commissioner in 1998 and is re-appointed for a further three years from 1 November 2001. He has been a judge of the Court of Session since 1997;The right hon. Sir John MacDermott who was appointed as surveillance commissioner in 1998 and is re-appointed, 1 November 2001, until 1 October 2003.The commissioners are appointed under the provisions of Part III of the Police Act 1997. The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 extended the commissioners remit. Since the authorisation of intrusive surveillance operations forms a key component of the Government's response to serious and organised crime, I attach considerable importance to these appointments and I am delighted that the commissioners have accepted their appointments. In conjunction with Sir Andrew Leggatt, their substantial judicial experience, particularly of the criminal justice system, will provide independent oversight of surveillance operations, which although operationally important, must also be subject to stringent safeguards.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on plans for celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen's accession to the throne. [46091]

I announced on 29 January 2002, Official Report, column 205W, the programme of visits and other events throughout the United Kingdom from May to August this year, which will be undertaken by Her Majesty and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, to mark the Golden Jubilee.I am, therefore, pleased to be able to announce further details of the programme of Jubilee visits to the London boroughs which they will carry out during the summer of this year. Although the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will not be able to visit every borough, their itinerary will enable them to meet as many Londoners as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals she has to stop bribery and corruption in arms deals involving UK firms. [42855]

This Government are not prepared to treat corruption as a necessary part of doing business, whether the deal involves arms or not.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she intends to take to assist social entrepreneurs. [42858]

A range of measures to support and develop social enterprises, and the people who work in them, will be included in the Social Enterprise Strategy I intend to publish after Easter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on the construction industry. [42859]

Government and industry are taking forward three policy initiatives designed to increase the overall productivity and competitiveness of the UK construction industry.First, Rethinking Construction. In partnership with the industry we are using demonstration projects, case studies and best practice dissemination to prove the business case for change and to provide practical means by which companies can improve their productivity and competitiveness and clients can demand products that actually enhance their own performance. We have agreed to continue the initiative until April 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her policy on entitlement to payment for bank holidays. [42862]

Entitlement to time off on bank holidays depends on an employee's contract of employment. However, under the Working Time Regulations, employees are entitled to a minimum of four weeks' leave per year with pay. They may use part of this entitlement to take time off on bank holidays, subject to their employer's agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will implement the recommendations of the Scott report on export licensing. [42863]

The Bill responds to the Scott report's key recommendations that the existing export control should be replaced with legislation that:Sets restrictions on the Government's power to control exports;Gives Parliament the power to scrutinise orders introduced under export control legislation.In addition the Bill gives the Government important new powers to control trafficking and brokering in arms, and the transfer of sensitive technology by intangible means.Lord Scott has welcomed the Bill, commenting that "for the first time in some 50 years there are proposals for export controls which will have constitutional and democratic respectability." (Lord Scott made this comment during the Bill's Second Readings in the House of Lords—

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to promote knowledge transfer between the university sector and British industry. [42864]

The Government's two White Papers, "Excellence and Opportunity", published in July 2000, and "Opportunity for All", published in February 2001, set out our science and innovation policy for the 2P' century, and include a comprehensive range of measures to help promote knowledge transfer between the university sector and British industry. We are making excellent progress.We are considering, as part of the Government's spending review, how to further develop these initiatives to build on universities' potential as drivers of growth in the knowledge economy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to help the Welsh steel industry. [42865]

My Department and the National Assembly for Wales work closely with the steel industry to provide support to improve the sector's competitiveness. The Welsh Assembly co-ordinates the All-Wales Steel Task Force with the aim of promoting the industry as well as dealing with the consequences of restructuring.My Department has supported a number of industry-led initiatives which benefit companies in Wales and elsewhere in the UK. The Metals Industry Competitive Enterprise (MICE) aims to introduce lean manufacturing techniques throughout the sector. Welsh companies are among those who have already taken advantage of this important initiative. In February I announced funding for the new National Metals Technology Centre (NAMTEC) which I hope will play an important role in ensuring the UK metals industry as a whole remains a world leader in innovation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the British steel industry. [42873]

The UK steel industry has experienced difficult trading conditions in recent years and many jobs have been lost through restructuring and cost cutting. However, the industry has an excellent productivity record, produces a wide range of high quality products and has a well trained work force helping it compete against international competition at home and overseas. We are determined to stand by the industry in combating the recent unjustified US action to impose prohibitive import tariffs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people were employed in the UK steel industry in each of the last 20 years. [44777]

The number of people employed in the UK steel industry in each of the last 20 years was:

	1Thousand
1982	74.5
1983	63.7
1984	61.9
1985	59.0
1986	55.9
1987	54.9
1988	55.1
1989	53.8
1990	50.8
1991	45.1
1992	40.8
1993	39.2
1994	38.1
1995	37.9
1996	36.5
1997	35.2
1998	32.5
1999	28.9
2000	25.5
2001	222.0
1 Number employed at end of year on European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) iron and steel activities.
2 Estimated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to publicise the services available at local post offices. [42867]

This is an operational matter for Consignia.I have however been informed by Post Office Ltd. that extensive marketing and advertising are undertaken to raise awareness of new and existing products offered through the post office network.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received on the rural postal network. [43846]

I refer the hon. Member for the Vale of York to my answer on 11 February 2002, Official Report, column 69W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to maintain the network of sub-post offices in urban neighbourhoods. [42872]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to the hon. Member for Hertsmere earlier today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what she is doing to increase use of broadband technology. [42869]

The Government strategy to drive broadband rollout and take up was set out in the UK Online annual report published in December 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many homes and businesses have a broadband connection. [42874]

Oftel's broadband brief published in February 2002 reported that there were over 146,000 ADSL end-users and 196,000 cable modem end-users. Take-up is growing rapidly, with a growth of over 500 per cent. over the last year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to raise with the WTO the tariff on exports of menswear from the United Kingdom to the United States; and if she will make a statement. [42870]

This issue will be addressed as part of the market access negotiations within the WTO Doha Development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received following the publication of the energy report by the performance and innovation unit on clean coal technology; and if she will make a statement. [42871]

To date we have received no representations following the publication of my Department's review on Government support for cleaner coal technology demonstration plant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has, in coordination with European partners, for targeted trade sanctions on US products. [42875]

The Government fully support the European Commission's request for consultations with the US, including seeking compensation for the damage to EU trade by the US measures. We will await the outcome of these consultations before reaching any final view on other responses to the US measures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her statement of 15 November 2001, Official Report, column 1000, on the WTO, what progress has been made in consultations with the Philippines on trade issues in relation to Mindanao. [42876]

Although the Government do not have a bilateral aid programme with the Philippines, the Philippines does receive considerable support from other donors and from multilateral organisations, including the World bank and the Asian Development bank, both of which receive funds from the Government. These multilateral resources should enable the Government of the Philippines to tackle poverty and achieve faster growth, provided that a sound policy environment can be maintained.If the Mindanao train project is sound and requires concessional resources, multilateral finance should be available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the decision to set a deadline on new claims to the compensation scheme for current and ex-miners suffering from vibration white finger. [42877]

The number of new claims registered under the scheme is declining and this has led to reduced opening times for many testing centres. The Department is keen to ensure that existing claims are assessed and settled as soon as possible. In consultation with the Claimants' Solicitors Group the Department has agreed a cut-off date of 31 October 2002. This has been advertised in local and national press.Once the scheme is closed, claims may still be accepted by solicitors and processed as personal injury claims.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received about the cost impact of the climate change levy on the competitive position of manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom. [42878]

The Department has received a number of representations from business about the climate change levy.The Government are keeping in touch with business on the levy to monitor initial experience with its operation. Primary responsibility for the levy lies with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she takes to integrate environmental concerns into her Department's policies. [42879]

DTI's aim is to ensure that environmental concerns are brought into the mainstream of the Department's policy-making and operational management, within the wider context of promoting sustainable development.The effectiveness of DTI's procedures for environmental screening and appraisal of policies were reviewed last year by a member of the Foresight Environmental Appraisal Task Force and the Department's internal audit. New guidelines are being finalised which will be published on DTI's website.DTI's Estates and Facilities Management Directorate run an environmental managements system accredited to ISO 14001 covering DTI's HQ Buildings. It incorporates monitoring, control and regular audits to ensure the continued effectiveness of the system and to track progress towards targets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her policy on British science. [42868]

Our policy is to ensure that we continue to maintain and develop a world class science and engineering base for the UK, and take steps to ensure that it makes the greatest possible contribution towards economic growth, productivity, sustainable development and improved quality of life.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on shipbuilding. [42860]

My Department continues to work closely with the shipbuilding industry to assist it in its efforts to improve its international competitiveness, employment and training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the responsibility has been of Mr. Nigel Devereux during his secondment to her Department; what policy formulation Mr. Nigel Devereux has been involved in; and if she will make a statement. [43687]

Mr. Nigel Devereux has held the position of Head, Downstream Oil since May 2000 in which role he deals with issues relating to the refining and marketing of petroleum products, including the formulation of policy in these areas.All secondments into the Department are undertaken within the principles of the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code and are subject to formal contractual arrangements covering detailed terms including issues of conflict of interest.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what regulations there are to ensure that retail products are labelled to indicate if animal experimentation had taken place in the production process. [43997]

[holding answer 20 March 2002]: Animal testing is only carried out in the UK where it is necessary to ensure the health and safety of consumers i.e. before a new pharmaceutical product is placed on the market. Even in these cases some of the world's most stringent requirements for laboratory animal welfare and licensing must be fully complied with.The UK does not test finished cosmetic products or their ingredients on animals and has not done so since 1998. The Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 1996, which implement the European Cosmetics Directive have a voluntary measure which allows claims about animal testing to be made if a manufacturer so chooses. There are no other regulations on product labelling with regard to animal testing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to update labelling laws on animal testing to ensure consumers can make informed purchasing decisions. [43971]

I have no such plans.Under the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 1996 manufacturers may refer to testing on animals in the labelling but any reference must state clearly whether the tests carried out involved the cosmetic product itself or its ingredients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will set out the Government's policy on (a) nanotechnology, (b) biotechnology and (c) manufacturing industry; and if she will make a statement. [43579]

[holding answer 19 March 2002]:(a) Nanotechnology—This Government recognises that nanotechnology has the potential to transform the UK industry base. We are focusing on strengthening the research base through new collaborative programme in our leading universities. Our current spend through the Research Councils on nanotechnology is worth over £30 million a year.We are also encouraging industry to use this investment to underpin its own research. We particularly wish to see dynamic new firms being spun out from the research base through the use of the £100 million support for seed capital funds, entrepreneurship and incubation that we have made available to the universities and public sector research establishments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement as to her Department's inquiries into the (a) flotation and (b) collapse of Claims Direct. [41166]

The Department has powers to conduct confidential inquiries into companies and these are exercised when there is good reason to do so in the public interest. The Department does not comment on the affairs of companies that are or have been the subject of inquiries under the Companies Acts. However Claims Direct Plc issued a press notice on 23 July 2001 confirming that it was providing information to the DTI under Section 447 of the Companies Act 1985.The Department does not know of any reason to suggest Claims Direct Plc has "collapsed".

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account she takes of sustainable development issues in export licensing. [42861]

All relevant export licence applications are considered on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. This includes the compatibility of the arms exports with the technical and economic capacity of the recipient country, taking into account the desirability that states should achieve their legitimate needs of security and defence with the least diversion for armaments of human and economic resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research she has undertaken on systems which allow people to opt out of receiving unsolicited faxes; and if she will make a statement. [42856]

We consulted widely about this when we were considering how to implement the Telecommunications Data Protection and Privacy Directive in 1999.No-one may send an unsolicited fax for direct marketing purposes to an individual subscriber without the subscriber's prior consent. Nor may anyone send such a fax to corporate subscribers if they have registered with the Fax Preference Service, or if they have told the direct marketer not to send them any further faxes. These regulations are enforced by the information commissioner.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) which schemes submitted to Advantage West Midlands in the last 12 months have been ruled ineligible as a result of EC state aid rules; [43487](2) what recent representations she has received in respect of EC state aid rules. [43486]

No projects have been ruled ineligible on state aid grounds alone. Some have given rise to state aid concerns which require them either to be amended so that they do not constitute aid or so that they fell within the block exemption regulations. Other schemes, or their UK funding streams, may need to be or are being notified to the commission so that their compatibility with the EC treaty can be determined. I have received representations from Members of Parliament and businesses about the state aid rules. It is important that the rules are respected but also that they should not inhibit unnecessarily regeneration of urban centres.

To ask the Minister what proportion of her time she spends in each week on matters relating exclusively to women; and if she will make a statement. [42885]

My roles as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Minister for Women are inextricably linked, since women are almost half the workforce, account for a third of new business start-ups and make the majority of decisions as consumers. As Minister for Women I concentrate on issues of work: life balance, narrowing the gender pay gap and women's entrepreneurship, working closely with my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office.

To ask the Minister what steps she is taking to encourage women to take up careers in science and engineering. [42886]

We are raising awareness of the opportunities for women through promotional material such as SPARK magazine, ambassador and role model campaigns and by encouraging girls to try for themselves science, engineering and IT in several ways: computer clubs, the WISE Campaign Outlook programme and endorsing the "take our daughters to work" day on 25 April. We are also looking at DTI schemes to ensure that they do not inadvertently exclude women who want to return to science and engineering careers.

To ask the Minister if she will make a statement on the impact of flexibility at work on productivity growth in Britain. [42887]

Greater flexibility at work can boost productivity by enabling employees to balance work and family responsibilities, thus improving recruitment, retention and motivation and reducing absenteeism. More flexible working hours also enable the business to meet customers needs more effectively, for instance through longer opening hours.

To ask the Minister what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Equal Pay Act 1970. [42888]

The Equal Pay Act had a significant impact in reducing the pay gap from 37 per cent. in 1975 to 18 per cent. today. It has been effective in providing legal protection against pay discrimination but also in challenging the culture of undervaluing women.We are taking forward action to tackle the complex underlying factors behind the pay gap including promoting a voluntary approach to pay reviews among employers through the Castle Awards and with the help of the Fair Pay Champions, carrying out pay audits in Government Departments, and taking forward recommendations from the Kingsmill Review.

To ask the Minister for Women what research her Department is undertaking on the gap between men and women's pay. [42881]

The Women and Equality Unit published a comprehensive report called "The Gender Pay Gap" on 5 December 2001. It found that the key causes of the gender pay gap were: women having less work experience and lower levels of qualifications; part-time work; differences in travel patterns; and occupational and workplace segregation.

To ask the Minister what representations she has received about celebrating International Women's Day. [42889]

On International Women's Day I spoke at a conference and exhibition in Leicester which was attended by women from the many different communities across the city.I also received invitations from the London borough of Waltham Forest and the UK Association for the UN Development Fund for Women.My hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office marked the occasion by announcing the Castle Awards which will reward employers work in tackling equal pay issues and help narrow the gender pay gap.

To ask the Minister for Women what assessment she has made of the obstacles preventing those mothers who want to return to work from doing so. [42882]

The Government have identified a number of obstacles which may deter mothers who want to return to work, including the difficulties of balancing work and family life, access to child care facilities, difficulties making work pay, skills becoming out of date and lack of confidence. We are promoting a range of measures to tackle these issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many requests have so far been received in 2001–02 for information in accordance with the Government's Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. [24780]

For the period 31 January 2001 to 28 February 2002 seven requests have been received for information in accordance with the Government's Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the resource implications in 2001–02 of the Memorandum of Understanding and supplementary agreements. [24777]

There are no separately identifiable costs relating to the Memorandum of Understanding and supplementary agreements. Any work would be carried out by staff as part of their normal duties and I would expect the costs to be small.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the expenditure of her (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies on newspaper advertising by title in each year since 1997. [26983]

The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. Since that date, expenditure on newspaper advertising was as shown in the following table:

Period/newspaper	Expenditure (£)
1 July 1999 to 31 March 2000
Sun (Scotland)	3,643.00
Aberdeen Press and Journal	3,290.00
Dundee Courier	3,277.00
Scotsman	3,290.00
Daily Record	7,403.00
Herald	4,113.00
1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001
Sun (Scotland)	7,520.00
Sunday Herald	6,630.00
Aberdeen Press and Journal	15,002.00
Daily Record	15,040.00
Dundee Courier	17,434.00
Scotsman	17,146.00
Herald	18,753.00
Scotland on Sunday	12,859.00
News of the World	4,759.00
Sunday Mail	11,104.00
Sunday Post	7,465.00
Sunday Times	12,521.00
1 April 2001 to 31 January 2002
Sunday Herald	2,143.00
Aberdeen Press and Journal	13,886.00
Daily Record	31,080.00
Sun (Scotland)	1,487.00
Dundee Courier	17,420.00
Scotsman	14,781.00
Herald	20,487.00
Scotland on Sunday	4,286.00
Sunday Mail	7,050.00
Sunday Post	4,976.00
Scottish Farmer	1,555.00
Campbeltown Courier	117.00
Lloyds List	552.00
Ballymena Times	162.00

Most of the advertising costs relate to electoral registration publicity and information on postal voting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list the instances in which her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies failed to pay valid invoices within 30 days or after the agreed credit period in the financial year 2000–01. [32024]

In the financial year 2000–01 my Department received 3,716 invoices in respect of goods and services and 3,709 (99.7 per cent.) were paid within 30 days.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total cost was of rebranding her Department following its name change after devolution. [31960]

The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. Costs of £2,140 were incurred for changes to signage at Scotland Office buildings in Edinburgh and London and there were minor additional costs for stationery items.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total expenditure of her Department on IT systems and support in each year from May 1997 to date; how many IT contracts have been let in each of those years; of the other main contracting party in each of those contracts, how many have been

	Title	Circulation	Cost (£)	Purpose
1999–2000	Assessment of the Voter Education Campaign for the Scottish Parliament	Scotland Office Website and available to purchase from the Stationery Office	18,950	Commissioned to assess the effectiveness of the Voter Education campaign for the Scottish Parliament elections in 1999
1999–2000	The Scotland Office Departmental Report	Published on the Scotland Office website and presented to Parliament	2,000	This is published jointly and presented to parliament by the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. It explains the Department's aims, objectives and gives details of expenditure plans.
1999–2000	The Scotland Office Resource Accounts	Laid in Parliament by the Secretary of State for Scotland	150	These accounts report expenditure by the Department in resource terms.
2000–01	The Scotland Office Departmental Report	Published on the Scotland Office website and presented to Parliament	2,200	This is published jointly and presented to parliament by the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. It explains the Department's aims and objectives and gives details of expenditure plans.
2000–01	The Scotland Office Resource Accounts	Laid in Parliament by the Secretary of State for Scotland	2,300	These accounts report expenditure by the Department in resource terms.

	Title	Circulation	Cost (£)	Purpose
2000–01	Comparisons of Motoring Taxation Costs Across Europe— report by Colin Buchanan and Partners	Published on the Scotland Office website and placed in the House of Commons Library.	4,500	This report provides a breakdown of costs for Scotland and the Scottish Highlands and Islands to allow a comparison of these specific areas with other parts of the EEA.
2000–01	Scotland Office Charter	Published on the Scotland Office website and printed copies are available on request.	125	Sets out the Department's commitment to providing high quality and efficient services in line with the Service First Initiative.
2000–01	Scotland Office Winter Supplementary Estimate	Presented to Parliament by command of Her Majesty.	2,200	This is the official request to parliament for additional resources.
2001–02	Friends of Scotland	Copies circulated to a wide range of individuals and groups	4,171	To publicise the Friends of Scotland Initiative which seeks to promote the image of a modern, outward-looking Scotland and harness the goodwill that exists towards Scotland.
2001–02	The Size of the Scottish Parliament—A Consultation	MPs and MEPs for Scottish constituencies. MSPs, the Scottish Executive, the Electoral Commission, DTLR and groups representing civic Scotland. Also available on the department's website	1,007	To consult as widely as possible on whether the number of MSPs in the Scottish Parliament should be reduced in line with the current provision of the Scotland Act, or whether the link between Westminster and Holyrood constituencies should be broken.

The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. The Department's IT systems and support is provided by the Scottish Executive. Costs were as follows:

• 1 July 1999 to 31 March 2000: £63,046
• 2000–01: £188,594
• 2001–02 (to date): £142,174.

The Scotland Office has let no IT contracts during this period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list the publications issued by her Department in each of the last four years; and what the (a) circulation, (b) cost and (c) purpose of each was. [34198]

The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999. Since then, the Department has issued the following publications:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total cost to her Department was for accountancy services in each of the last four years. [34171]

The Scotland Office was established in its present form on 1 July 1999.Accountancy services to the Department are provided by the Scottish Executive, as required, and detailed costs are not available. The Scotland Office has not used external accountancy services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list, for 1997–98 and for each subsequent financial year, the amount spent (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad by (i) her Department, (ii) its agencies and (iii) its non-departmental public bodies on (1) providing mobile telephone equipment, including handsets and other associated equipment, (2) telephone calls made using such equipment and (3) telephone calls made using privately owned mobile telephones but subsequently reclaimed by (x) Ministers and (y) staff. [34405]

The information is not held in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State of Scoland if she will list for 1997–98 and for each subsequent financial year, including the current year to date, the amount spent by (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on (i) food and (ii) alcohol, indicatin how much was spent on guests, and how much in respect of (A) Ministers and (B) staff, broken down to show how much was provided directly by her Department and how much reclaimed. [34487]

The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by her Department and which took place on non-Departmental premises in each of the last four years giving the title, purpose, date and cost of each. [34295]

The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment has been made of the effect of the Working Time Directive on her Department's employees; how many employees are working in excess of 48 hours per week; what steps she is taking to reduce this number; and if she will make a statement. [35895]

The standard terms and conditions of service for staff in the Scotland Office fall within the limits set by the working time regulations. At present I have no staff who have opted to sign a waiver disapplying the 48 hour limit. Persistent working in excess of 48 hours per week would be discouraged and my Department advocates flexible working patterns in line with the Government's work-life balance policies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to her answer of 22 November 2001, Official Report, column 407W, on fair trade goods, if she will review during Fair Trade Fortnight the amount of fairly traded goods used in her Department. [35454]

My Department did not participate directly in Fair Trade Fortnight. The Government are contributing through the Department for International Development, which is providing £120,000 to the Fair Trade Foundation over three years (2001–2003) in support of its efforts to target new groups through its annual Fair Trade Fortnight campaigns. When the opportunity arises, fair trade goods are used.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action the Government are taking to help eradicate (a) debt and (b) child poverty in the third world. [43932]

The UK has played a major role in tackling the unsustainable debt burden of the poorest countries. We led the way in securing the revision of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, which was agreed in September 1999. Up to US$100 billion debt could be written off for the 42 HIPC countries. So far, 26 countries have qualified for this exceptional relief. These countries will receive more than US$60 billion worth of debt relief, reducing their debts by more than two-thirds on average. We hope that more countries will qualify for debt relief but substantial further progress will be difficult, as many of the remaining HIPC countries are either affected by conflict or have severe governance problems.The UK goes further than is required under the HIPC Initiative and provides 100 per cent. relief on its bilateral debts to countries once they qualify, and holds any debt repayments 'in trust' in the meantime. The Government have already cancelled their aid debts to all the poorest countries, not just HIPC. The UK is also the second largest contributor (US$306 million) to the HIPC Trust Fund to help international financial institutions meet their share of HIPC costs.We seek to reduce the poverty of children, which causes suffering to today's children and jeopardises the well-being of future generations, by working to address the cause of poverty and deprivation in the families and communities in which they live. Support for children's rights to basic health care, education, nutrition, shelter, protection from violence and abusive labour, along with sustainable livelihoods for their parents, is central to our work towards the millennium development goals.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action the Government are taking to persuade the World bank to change loans to heavily indebted poorer countries to grants. [43933]

We are firmly opposed to any suggestion that World bank highly concessional loans should be converted to grants. The International Development Association (IDA) of the World bank provides very concessional loans which are paid back over 40 years with a 10 year grace period and low service charge. Such loans are highly effective in helping countries to reduce poverty and are complemented by grant resources provided by other agencies. Any move to change IDA loans to grants would undermine the effectiveness of IDA and its future financi1al integrity.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial aid her Department has provided to Pakistan in the current financial year; and what she plans to allocate in the next financial year. [45864]

By the end of the financial year, 31 March 2002, my Department will have provided £20 million of budget support to Pakistan. Next year, I plan to allocate £40 million. This is a slight change from the planned disbursement I announced to Parliament last December, and reflects the pattern of resource availability in my Department. Our overall commitment to provide £105 million financial aid over three years remains unchanged.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if her Department is in a position to make an assessment about the likely humanitarian impact of military action against Iraq before any military action is taken; and if she will make such a study prior to military action. [44299]

No decisions have been taken on any military action against Iraq.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which organisations have provided her Department with reports on the current humanitarian situation inside Iraq. [44298]

DFID has access to reports on the current humanitarian situation from a number of agencies working in both northern and central/southern Iraq. These include the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as a number of NGOs.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 13 March 2002 ref. 40655 on cluster bombs, what estimates she has received from UNMAS on the number of (a) cluster bombs used and (b) unexploded bomblets located at the sites where cluster bombs were used in Afghanistan. [44391]

UNMAS estimate that 1,152 Cluster Bomb Units have been used in Afghanistan. (b) UNMAS estimate that there are up to 14,000 unexploded bomblets as a result. The accuracy of this estimate cannot be confirmed until more clearance work is undertaken and/or actual weapons used and target information is received from the Coalition.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the organisations to which the Government have given money for the purposes of mine clearance in 2001–02, specifying the amount given in each case. [43876]

The table gives the figures requested.

Estimated final outturn 2001–02
Organisation	£
The HALO Trust (bilateral)	1,150,000
Mines Advisory Group (MAG) (bilateral)	1,000,000
United Nations Mine Action Service (UNIMAS)	5,000,000
UNICEF (Mines Awareness)	500,000
International Trust Fund for De-mining—Bosnia	500,000
Organisation of American States (Nicaragua de-mining)	189,000
BACTEC de-mining (Kosovo)	15,000
DSL (Kosovo)	750,000
ELS (Kosovo)	22,000
QinetiQ	100,000
UNDP	2,100,000
Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian De-mining (GICHD)	1,000,000
Cranfield Mine Action	221,000
Landmine Monitor	30,000
DISARMCO (Research and Development)	61,000
ERA (Research and Development)	117,000
	12,605,000

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what Government expenditure was on humanitarian mine clearance in 2001–02, broken down by country. [43877]

Estimated Government expenditure for 2001–02 on mine action programmes by country is indicated in the following table:

Country	Amount (£)
Afghanistan	3,150,000
Eritrea	694,540
Nicaragua	189,000
Cambodia	1,000,000
Northern Iraq	206,137
Jordan	197,402
Laos	300,000
Georgia	500,000
Bosnia	500,000
Croatia	326,529
Kosovo	2,000,000
Global contribution to UNMAS and UNDP	2,600,000

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by the Government on (a) humanitarian mine clearance, (b) commercial mine clearance, (d) military initiative mine clearance, (d) mine awareness, (e) victim assistance and (f) research and development for mine clearance in 2001–02. [43878]

Estimated disbursements for 2001–02 are as follows:

£ million
	2001–02
(1) Humanitarian Mine Clearance	110.2
(2) Mines Awareness	0.5
(3) Research and Development	1.3
1 Also includes some integrated mine awareness activities. As programmes are often integrated separate costs of awareness are not available. Specific mine awareness activities are undertaken with UNICEF as shown at item two.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government (a) have taken and (b) plans to take to respond to the Action Plan of the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries. [44360]

The Government are working to implement the action plan of the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in a variety of ways both through out bilateral programmes and our multilateral work. Over the past four years, we have increased the proportion of aid allocated to least developed countries, as a proportion of our bilateral country resources, from 33 per cent. to 45 per cent.We are supporting the Commonwealth Secretariat's Trade and Investment Access Facility to deliver a range of activities designed to strengthen the capacity of least developed Commonwealth countries to address trade issues. We also continue to work with multilateral organisations including the United Nations and the European Commission to ensure that the momentum generated by the third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, on key issues such as trade, aid untying and financial issues is maintained in follow-on international conferences. These include the current Financing for Development conference in Monterey (18–22 March) and the forthcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.We consider it important to see the third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries as part of an on-going process of developing a partnership for poverty eradication between developing countries, including least developed countries, and the international community. We will therefore continue to work with our partners to build on the positive achievements made on recent initiatives such as the European Union's "Everything But Arms" agreement and the Development Assistance Committee's recommendations on untying, both of which were strongly supported by the UK, to ensure that least developed countries can achieve sustained economic growth and development.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with the Government of St. Helena; and if she will make a statement. [43865]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development has had no recent discussions with the Government of St. Helena. DFID officials do have regular contact and last met members of St. Helena's Executive and Legislative Council earlier this month during their visit to the UK to discuss air access.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid was given to St. Helena in each of the last six years for which figures are available. [43870]

Expenditure figures for UK development assistance to St. Helena in each of the last six years for which figures are available were:

£ million
	Total DFID programme
1995–96	9,267
1996–97	7,990
1997–98	8,765
1998–99	8,805
1999–2000	9,362
2000–01	10,116

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on progress towards the construction of an airfield on St. Helena. [43871]

A "Comparative Study of Air and Sea Access" was published last July. A copy of the report was placed in the House of Commons Library. It identified various options, which have since been under consideration by the St. Helena Government. As part of that process, the views of the islanders have been sought. The outcome has been a majority preference in favour of possible air access in future, as an alternative to replacing St. Helena's dedicated passenger and supply ship. Island representatives have recently visited the UK to discuss air access and will be reporting their discussions to the St. Helena Government at the beginning of April.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many members of staff of her Department are members of the Territorial forces; and if she has a strategy to encourage members of staff to become members of the Territorial forces. [44070]

This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. We have no particular plans to encourage members of staff to become members of the Territorial forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many members of staff at her Department are Justices of the Peace; and if she has a strategy for her Department to encourage members of staff to become Justices of the Peace. [44553]

This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. We have no particular plans to encourage members of staff to become Justices of the Peace.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many members of staff at her Department are locally elected democratic representatives; and if she has a strategy for her Department to encourage members of staff to become locally elected democratic representatives. [44542]

This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. We have no particular plans to encourage members of staff to become locally elected democratic representatives.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she was informed of the application for an export licence for the sale of an air defence system to Tanzania. [39830]

[pursuant to her reply, 8 March 2002, c.684W]: I apologise for the error contained in my reply. The answer should have read:

The applications were first drawn to my attention in October 2000, not October 2001.

To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what discussions he has had with the Church Commissioners about possible financial assistance to ethnic community religious groups in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [43942]

My hon. Friend will know from my answer of 30 November 2001 that in 2000—the latest year for which audited figures are available—the Commissioners made available £160 million to support the work of the Church of England, including a share to support the stipends of the serving ministry, targeted particularly on areas of need and opportunity. Within the Church of England there are many parishes with ethnic community religious groups that the Church seeks to serve.The Church of England cultivates its connection with minority faith communities through its Inter Faith Concerns Group and has also contributed financially to the work of the Inner Cities Religious Council.The Commissioners do not have a remit for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are serving prison sentences imposed by courts martial; and which prisons they are held in. [41363]

Provisional data show that on 31 January 2002 27 prisoners were serving prison sentences imposed by courts martial.

Prisoners sentenced by courts martial
Prison name	Male	Female
Acklington	1	—
Aylesbury	1	—
Blundestone	3	—
Chelmsford	2	—
Deerbolt	1	—
Drake Hall	—	1
Guys Marsh	2	—
High point	—	1
Hollesley Bay	1	—
Holme House	1	—
Kirklevington	1	—
North Sea Camp	1	—
Stocken	1	—
Stoke Heath	1	—
Wakefield	1	—
Wayland	3	—
Wealstun	2	—
Wymott	3	—

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what work on development of an entitlement card, other than for asylum seekers, is being conducted in his Department; and what measures have been adopted to co-ordinate this work with the Department of Social Security. [40863]

[holding answer 7 March 2002]: A small unit has been established in my Department to draft the consultation paper which I announced on 5 February 2002 and to manage the consultation exercise. Some of the detailed work on how a scheme might operate is being undertaken in partnership by the United Kingdom Passport Service and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.My officials are working closely with colleagues in a number of Government Departments including the Department for Work and Pensions which is represented on a group of senior officials chaired by the Cabinet Office which has overseen the work at official level.