What recent discussions he has had on the risk of the further spread of tuberculosis in cattle to England.[53143]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I regularly meet the Assembly Rural Affairs Minister to discuss a wide range of issues. Policy responsibility for bovine TB in Wales is a matter for my colleagues in the National Assembly, while in England it is the responsibility of Ministers in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Ministers and officials in the Assembly and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs maintain close contact on the issue.

With more than 6,000 cattle slaughtered in Britain in 2001, 2,000 of which were in Wales, this is a desperately serious issue for the dairy and cattle farmers of my Cheshire constituency, who are in the front line of the battle against the spread of bovine TB from across the border in Wales and the west midlands. Even the Labour—dominated Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has called for Government action. Should not the Minister now stop dithering and put in the resources necessary to combat the massive backlog of TB testing in Wales and England, following the suspension of the badger culling trials because of the disastrous foot and mouth epidemic? Why are the Government weak—kneed and complacent about the issue? They should resume the badger culling trials, vaccination research and the transmission tests.

The hon. Gentleman uses 20 words when he could manage with one. Bovine TB is just as likely to spread into Wales from England. Indeed, in Montgomeryshire, the type of TB commonly associated with Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and west Gloucestershire is prevalent. Bovine TB is a problem and it has been spreading. My colleagues in the Assembly and in DEFRA are taking the issue seriously, but it is important to stress that it does not pose the same contagious problem as foot and mouth disease. Resources are being put in to catch up with the backlog that the hon. Gentleman mentions, because the veterinary service had to be used to cope with the more immediate problem of foot and mouth. Measures have been put in place to restrict cattle movements and cattle on farms that are being restocked following foot and mouth culling are being tested. Key measures are in place to speed up matters, but it will take time. I admit to the hon. Gentleman that the problem will not be put right overnight.

There has been a serious outbreak of bovine TB in the Raglan and Llantrisant areas of my constituency and certain farmers have had their stock culled, while others are unable to trade or face serious movement restrictions on their livestock. Will my hon. Friend work with his colleagues in DEFRA and the National Assembly to do everything possible to halt the spread of bovine TB?

Yes, I will certainly do that, and I am aware of the problem in Raglan. Indeed, we have seen recent outbreaks in south Ceredigion, central Carmarthenshire, Montgomery and Denbigh. As I said earlier, resources are being made available to speed up the testing of cattle and I can assure my hon. Friend that colleagues in the Assembly and in DEFRA are wasting no time in doing everything that they can—including providing the resources—to tackle the problem.

The problem of bovine TB is a worrying issue for which the Minister has some responsibility. Is not it the case that Ministers have kicked farmers in the teeth by refusing to claim money from the European Union that would be a great help in addressing the problem? Why have the Government rejected the EU agrimoney package, which amounts to some £72 million? Does the Minister realise that farmers are under siege from all directions, including lower prices, bovine TB and the after—effects of foot and mouth? Now, thanks to his actions, they will be denied European help. The real reason the Government have refused the money is that the Treasury would have to part—finance it. Will the Minister see the Chancellor of the Exchequer and tell him to get out of his office in Whitehall, go to Wales, meet some Welsh farmers and apologise to them?

The right hon. Gentleman is right to underline the concern that we all feel about bovine TB and the impact that foot and mouth disease and other problems have had on the farming industry in the past 12 months. However, I can tell the right hon. Gentleman that the European Commission has yet to confirm how much agrimonetary compensation will be made available for the livestock sector. When the amounts have been confirmed, we will consider appropriate cases for payment. Spending on tackling the problem in Wales is now running at about £1.6 million. That shows that the Government are putting in resources to cope with the problem. As soon as we get information from the European Commission, we will consider where it might be appropriate to add further compensation.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told me today that a number of instances of TB have been traced to increased movements of animals around the country as a result of restocking and the reopening of animal marts? Is not it likely that badgers are not responsible for the new increase in cases as they stay in single, small habitats, whereas animals are being moved the length and breadth of the country? Should not we return to the position of a few months ago, when the numbers of animal movements were restricted? At that time, farmers were successfully and cheaply selling animals over the internet and by other means. Such methods did not cause suffering to animals, and avoided the extra risk of infection involved in going to animal markets.

I can tell my hon. Friend that I am given to understand that the most recent outbreak in Denbigh has been among cattle that have just been moved into the area. The Krebs badger culling trials started in 1998, and have been continuing. We expect the results in about 2004. It will then be up to the Government to consider whether those results prove that badgers have been a cause of bovine TB. There is a strong view in the farming community that badgers are responsible, but there are those in animal welfare groups who insist that they are not. Until we have substantive evidence, I cannot comment further.

Order. The House is getting very noisy. It is only fair to the Minister and those asking the questions that they be heard.

If he will make a statement on ministerial discussions on the effect of the Budget on health provision in Wales. [53145]

I have spoken with the Assembly's Minister for Health and Social Services about the increase to the Welsh block consequential on the increases on Government spending on health announced in the recent Budget. The resulting amount for the block for 2007–08 is some £1.8 billion over the next five years, and I am pleased to say that the Assembly intends to spend the full amount on health in Wales.

On 10 April—Hansard, volume 382, columns 3-4—the Secretary of State kindly agreed to ensure that the Minister for Health and Social Services in Wales was aware of the terrible bed shortages in Hereford hospital. Will the right hon. Gentleman say how he got on in those discussions?

We are still in correspondence, obviously, with the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services. The hon. Gentleman will know that the movement of patients, especially across mid—Wales, to hospitals in Hereford, Shrewsbury and elsewhere is very important. Arrangements are in place to deal with such matters. The hon. Gentleman may rest assured that, when we receive the result of our correspondence, I shall be back in touch with him.

I am sure that my right hon. Friend will agree that, in many instances, Wales leads the way. However, given the Budget announcements on health, will he urge the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services to follow the English example and have independent audit and inspection for health services in Wales to ensure complete transparency?

In both Wales and England, we understand the importance of ensuring that investment goes along with reform. We cannot achieve improvement in the health service unless those two factors go together. I have talked to the First Minister about such matters, and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Wales has also talked to the Minister for Health and Social Services. The Assembly Cabinet and the First Minister are, in principle, very content with and relaxed about the idea of ensuring that there should be a proper audit regime. That regime should be proactive, and not necessarily retrospective on its own. These matters will be discussed in the next few months when we deal with the legislation framing the bodies involved, but my hon. Friend may rest assured that the principles underlying the reforms of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health are the same as those that underlie what the Assembly wishes to do.

Will the Secretary of State say what is the logic in devolving health to the National Assembly for Wales and establishing an audit body that is responsible to this House?

I would have thought that the most important thing is that the patients come first in Wales or England. There is nothing wrong with people in Wales looking at best practice in health trusts in England, comparing notes and seeing what happens. It would be foolish if Wales, a country of 3 million people, did not look across the border to England to see what best practice occurs there. The hon. Gentleman is aware that in other respects, the Assembly is free to do what it wishes. At the end of the day, it is up to the Assembly to decide how best to implement health reform in Wales, but when it sees sensible reform here in England, it should include that as well.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that some excellent health care is provided to my constituents by, for example, the Countess of Chester hospital in Chester and the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District hospital in Gobowen? The sensible way ahead is for us to work together with English health authorities to bring about the best possible provision of care for my constituents.

I was conscious of that in my reply to the hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Wiggin), when I said the same thing. There is an important link between English health trusts on the border and Welsh health trusts. It is important that we learn from each other, and that applies in north Wales as much as in south Wales.

In recent days, we have learned the shocking news that patients heading for the accident and emergency unit at the Prince Philip hospital in Llanelli after 5 o'clock were diverted to other hospitals at Swansea and Carmarthen, miles away, because of a lack of anaesthetists, and that patients in need of life—saving pacemaker operations have to wait longer in Wales than those with a similar need in Poland because of a lack of heart specialists in Wales. Are the Government to blame or is the Welsh Assembly?

I would have thought that the Conservative party was to blame as well. [Interruption]. Tory Members hold up five fingers, but it was 20 years of Tory Government that led to the underfunding of the national health service.

Part of the problem is that we have heard all this before. When the right hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) was Secretary of State for Health, he said:

"waiting lists are rather like a supertanker. It will take time to slow them down, to stop them, to turn them round, but turn them round we will."—[Official Report, 17 November 1997; Vol. 301, c.35.]

The hon. Gentleman knows that the national health service in Wales will receive an extra £2 billion in five years' time. At present, the Assembly spends just over £3 billion on the health service. In five years' time, the figure will be nearly £6 billion. Of course we are putting the investment in, but the hon. Gentleman knows that to ensure that we achieve delivery and improvement, we have to reform the health service. Yet he and his colleagues voted against the reforms of the national health service in Wales in this Chamber some months ago. He cannot have it both ways. When will he tell us what proposals his party has to improve the health service in Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom?

When he last had discussions with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales on the aerospace industry in north Wales. [53146]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I regularly meet the First Minister to discuss a wide range of issues, including the aerospace industry in Wales.

My hon. Friend will appreciate that Airbus at Broughton, where many of my constituents work, along with other parts of the aerospace industry, could have faced problematic times post—11 September. Can he assure me that he is doing all that he can to provide continuing long—term support to the site and to the industry, and that he will bring pressure to bear on the Ministry of Defence to advance the orders for the A340 air tanker to bring further work to the site?

I know well my hon. Friend's commitment to the success of Broughton, and I am sure that he will welcome the good news of orders for the A340 from South African Airways and from Virgin. I take note of his point about the Ministry of Defence and the A340 air tanker, and I shall bring that to the attention of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

Is the Minister aware of the creation on 26 March this year of Aerospace Wales, which represents the £2 billion a year turnover and 20,000 jobs that the aerospace industry in Wales provides? Would he be willing to meet a cross—party delegation of MPs, Assembly Members and interested parties to talk about developing a coherent strategy and creating a brand for Aerospace Wales, and to discuss a coherent strategy for airports in Wales, which are badly in need of development?

As a Welsh Member of Parliament, I am conscious of the important impact of the aerospace industry throughout Wales. Indeed, it is a very big employer in my constituency and in adjoining constituencies. I would be happy to meet him and the group that he mentions, because it is important that we are all seen to be pulling together to ensure, after 11 September, that the aerospace industry is a success story. We have a great story to tell in Wales and a good work force. Investment is going in, and let us all pull together to make sure that the industry succeeds.

I, too, welcome the recent launch of Aerospace Wales in my constituency, which combines the manufacturing base in the north with the repair and servicing cluster of industries in the south. Does my hon. Friend agree that this is the time to invest in aerospace training skills in colleges such as Barry college in my constituency, not to cut back on capacity?

I know of my hon. Friend's support for the aerospace industry, and I agree with the point that he makes. I recently met in London a deputation of trade unionists from my area. They are passionately in favour of their company investing in reskilling and upskilling the work force so that it can meet the growing technological demands that the industry will face. I shall certainly do all that I can, working with colleagues in the Assembly and with Ministers to ensure that that is a success, and I am sure that my hon. Friend's college in Barry will make a contribution to that.

Does the Minister accept that the aerospace industry is not only United Kingdom—wide, but an international business? BAE Systems, the main player in the aerospace industry in the UK, is internationally based.

On the hon. Gentleman's last point, the Government stand on their record, which is unparalleled.

What discussions he has had with the Treasury as to the likely impact of measures recently announced in the Budget to improve the performance of the Welsh economy. [53147]

I have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor on a range of issues, including, of course, the Welsh economy. The Budget included a number of measures that will give a boost to the Welsh economy, including a 0 per cent. corporation tax starting rate, a 1 per cent. corporation tax cut for all small firms, research and development tax breaks for larger firms, further simplification of VAT for small firms and other modernising tax reforms. I am also pleased to note that Wales is posting the fastest fall in unemployment of any region or country in the United Kingdom.

I thank my right hon. Friend for his reply. There can be no doubt that the Budget has been a powerful stimulus to the development of the Welsh economy. Unemployment in Wales is indeed at an all—time low, but there are still areas of high unemployment, especially at the heads of the valleys in south Wales. Will my right hon. Friend give an indication and a commitment that the Government will continue to tackle those high rates of unemployment?

Of course I shall give that commitment. I represent a valley constituency myself and understand what my hon. Friend is saying. He is aware that the Assembly, as well as the Government, is doing its best to regenerate our south Wales valleys. In his constituency, for example, there have been 18 new inward investment projects, creating more than 1,000 jobs and safeguarding more than 100 jobs. The unemployment rate in his constituency has dropped, which is part of the general picture in Wales and means that unemployment in Wales is the lowest that it has been for 27 years— [Interruption.]

Order. I appeal again to the House to come to order. It is far too noisy.

Last Thursday, the Secretary of State told the House that inward investment was vital to the performance of the economy in Wales. Would he, therefore, care to comment on the fact that, as a proportion of the UK total, inward investment in Wales has collapsed from 19 per cent. in 1991 to only 11 per cent. last year? What has gone wrong?

I remember that the hon. Gentleman took part in the debate on Welsh matters last Thursday. He rightly pointed out the importance of indigenous firms and how they can help to regenerate the Welsh economy. However, I also point out to him that, this very year, the Assembly has the highest level of regional selective assistance grants for seven years; £130 million of RSA has gone into various companies; and 267 investment projects in Wales have benefited from that. There is a combination of two things: we need inward investment and we need to help indigenous industry. That is why, as I said earlier, more people are in work in Wales than at this time last year, despite the loss of manufacturing jobs.

The Secretary of State will be aware that in Blaenau Gwent we have some of the greatest poverty in Wales, with some of the highest unemployment and the lowest wages. He will also be aware that, in the next few weeks, Corns will finally close. When he meets the First Secretary will he ensure that the public moneys that he has just mentioned, and which are so generous this year, are directed to those areas in Wales where poverty is greatest, and are not lost, as is often the case, in Cardiff in general and Cardiff bay in particular?

I am very much aware of my hon. Friend's views on these matters. I believe that we can do both in Wales: we can see that the regeneration of our capital city goes ahead, while ensuring that we put proper resources into Blaenau Gwent and the other south Wales valleys. Only a Labour Government, working with a Labour Assembly, can do that.

If he will make a statement on student debt in Wales. [53148]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I meet regularly with colleagues to discuss a range of issues, including student finance.

Student debt has doubled since Labour came to power in Wales. Since the establishment of the Welsh Assembly, and with the support of the Liberal Democrats, the situation has deteriorated further. Is that appalling record the fault of the Welsh Assembly or is it something for which the Government are prepared to take the blame?

The hon. Gentleman must have forgotten that when his party was in power there was a considerable problem of student debt. We have reformed the whole system of student loans, making it much easier for students to access funds, and we have related the repayment to their earnings. The Government, working in partnership with the National Assembly, are aiming at their target, which is to increase the number of people entering higher education. The Government whom the hon. Gentleman supported never succeeded in doing that; we are going to achieve it. We will achieve it quite soon.

What recent discussions he has had with the Prime Minister of Israel. [53173]

I have had many discussions with Prime Minister Sharon over the past weeks and months.

I am sure that the Prime Minister would join me in condemning both the suicide bombing attacks that have taken place on Israel and the attacks on the Palestinian people by the Israeli armed forces. Will he, however, make it clear to Prime Minister Sharon that the only way to bring about a long—term, realistic peace in the region is for Israel to withdraw from Palestine; to accept United Nations resolutions on Palestinian self—determination; to allow an independent United Nations investigation into the massacres of Jenin; and to recognise a Palestinian state? Until that position has been achieved, will my right hon. Friend ensure that the British Government cease all arms sales to Israel?

I am sure that the whole House would like to join me in condemning totally the appalling outrage that has happened in Israel, in which 16 innocent people have lost their lives. That takes the total, incidentally, of Israeli civilians who have been killed since the beginning of March to 100. And for those people who sometimes do not understand the strength and depth of the feeling in Israel, I hope that this latest outrage reminds them of the precise extent of the pressure that Israel and Israeli people are under. At the same time, of course it is right, as my hon. Friend points out, that many Palestinians—many hundreds of Palestinians—too have lost their lives

Will the right hon. Gentleman of course express, when he next meets Mr. Sharon, the sympathy of the entire House for the latest outrage that has been perpetrated in Israel? Will the right hon. Gentleman also say how pleased we are that Mr. Sharon does seem to be moving towards some dialogue, and that we all hope that that will lead to peace within Israel?

We will of course study the documentation that has been provided by the Israeli Government. I believe, though, that what is important is that we have some means of ensuring that the claims about the Palestinian Authority and their complicity in acts of terrorism are properly adjudicated upon, so that we do not have claim and counter—claim every time one of these terrorist attacks occurs.

If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 8 May. [53174]

This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall have further meetings later today.

May I draw the Prime Minister's attention to the case of a 14—year—old boy in Sunderland who was shot in the back last week by an out—of—control youth with an air weapon and to the fact that the doctors are unable to remove the pellet from his back? Is my right hon. Friend aware that that is only the latest in a series of incidents involving air weapons and out—of—control youths? Does he think that the time has come for us to take a look at the regulation of air weapons?

I recognise my hon. Friend's interest in this area and his work in it, too. I should perhaps point out that, under the Firearms Act, it is already an offence to give an air weapon to a person under 14 or to sell one to a person under 17. It is also an offence for anyone to have a loaded air weapon in public. As my hon. Friend will know, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation has, in conjunction with the police, launched its own campaign on air weapon safety. However, I agree with my hon. Friend that this is a serious and growing problem, and in the context of doing everything we can to bear down on the issue of street crime and antisocial behaviour, we will certainly look urgently to see what more is required.

May I join the Prime Minister unequivocally in his comments on the tragedy today and condemn those who have perpetrated that outrage? May I also join him, without any gap whatever, in saying that the important need is for short—term security for those in Israel and for a settlement at the earliest opportunity?

"an honest, open style have made Stephen Byers a respected representative."

Of course I do.

Well, the Prime Minister might like to cast his mind back to February, when the Transport Secretary made a statement to the House. I remind him that it was entitled, "Resignation of Martin Sixsmith". Only yesterday, the Transport Secretary's own Department issued a statement saying,

"The Department accept that Martin Sixsmith … did not resign".

Because I do not accept that people were misled at all. [Interruption.] The facts were set out in Sir Richard Mottram's statement of 25 February, to which the Secretary of State referred in his statement of 26 February. It was clear that the Secretary of State had been told that Mr. Sixsmith had agreed to resign. It was equally clear that Mr. Sixsmith disputed that he had resigned. Therefore, the parties were not in agreement. Therefore, there had to be a negotiation. All of that was actually set out in Sir Richard's statement of 25 February and repeated by the Secretary of State on 26 February. Terms have now been agreed, and he has indeed departed.

Oh what a wondrous web we weave when first we practise to deceive. Let me remind the Prime Minister what the Transport Secretary actually said:

"The statement that I have made … reflects accurately the sequence of events that have taken place".

"I will be held to account for the comments that I make in the House".—[Official Report, 26 February 2002; Vol. 380, c. 574.]

For the simple reason that, if the right hon. Gentleman looks at the agreed statement, what blows a hole in his argument is that it makes it clear that any dispute with Mr. Sixsmith was in good faith. The right hon. Gentleman cannot rely on the agreed statement between the Department and Mr. Sixsmith on the one hand and dispute it on the other. It had been agreed in good faith, and, as the Secretary of State made clear on 26 February, Mr. Sixsmith was to leave on terms to be agreed. Those terms have now been agreed, and the truthful point is that the reason why the right hon. Gentleman wants to raise all these issues is that he has nothing to say about the serious issues of the day.

I really do think that the Prime Minister is keeping very bad company these days. Most people out there know that they would have been dismissed from their jobs for half of what the Transport Secretary has done. There is a different rule for this Government, however. I remind the Prime Minister that he said:

"This is your chance to get rid of the … lies, broken promises and sleaze … Please vote for Stephen Byers on 1 May."

It does not surprise me that, yet again, what the right hon. Gentleman wants to do is to raise any issue other than those that matter to people. As I said, both sides accept that any misunderstanding was in good faith. I suggest that we get on and debate the real issues concerning the people of this country—transport, health, schools, crime and the economy. On all those issues, of course, he has nothing whatever to say.

One more missed deadline, and still the Wembley project stumbles on. After this extra time, will there be a penalty shoot—out between Birmingham, Coventry and London? What does my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister have to say about the continuing debacle to the 85 per cent. of English football fans who live outside London? Does not this show that our party is still too susceptible to the metropolitan elite? Being told, "All's well apart from the finance," is like asking, "Apart from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the opera?"

First, let me thank my hon. Friend for that question. Secondly, there are those who make a perfectly good case for siting the national stadium in Birmingham, in Coventry or in other parts of the UK—

Bolsover.

Or, indeed, in Bolsover. But in the end, these are decisions for the Football Association. The only way that the Government can take this decision ourselves is if we end up financing the whole project. We do not intend to do that. It is therefore a decision for the FA. It has agreed the funding in principle, and it should be allowed to get on with that. The point that my hon. Friend makes about the siting of the stadium may be perfectly reasonable, but it is not a decision for the Government. It is for the FA, and it should be left with the FA.

On 27 February, the Prime Minister replied to me here that he retained full confidence in the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions because of his statement to the House on the previous afternoon. We now know that a vital aspect of that statement is materially inaccurate. Will he now explain to me, under his terms, how he still retains full confidence?

I gave the answer a moment ago. When the Opposition were all crowing about the agreed statement that had been made between Mr. Sixsmith and the Department, I pointed out that the statement makes it perfectly clear that any misunderstanding was in good faith and, therefore, the allegation that somehow the Secretary of State had misled Members of the House was wrong.

The reason for the statement from the Transport Secretary to which the Prime Minister referred was to correct the misleading impression that the Transport Secretary had given in an earlier television interview. How many goes does the Transport Secretary get? The Prime Minister is very fond of, "Three strikes and you're out." Should the Transport Secretary not be out?

No, Mr. Speaker, for the reasons that I have already given.

I recently met members of my local mountain rescue teams. This year is the International Year—[Interruption.] Obviously, there are supporters of my mountain rescue teams on the Opposition Benches. This year, the teams are busy promoting the international year of the mountain. Bearing in mind that many areas in mountain regions suffered badly as a result of foot and mouth, will my right hon. Friend join me in paying tribute to the skill and courage not only of the mountain rescue teams in my constituency—the Keswick and Cockermouth mountain rescue teams—but mountain rescue teams throughout Britain, who I am sure the whole House will agree do an absolutely fantastic job?

They do, indeed. I would like to congratulate my hon. Friend and his constituents on all the work that is done in Cumbria on mountaineering. I had an opportunity to see that myself last July when I visited the national mountaineering exhibition at Rheged. I remember it very well, and I was immensely impressed by the work that the teams do. I am sure that they will make a very valuable contribution to the United Nations international year of the mountain.

If the misunderstanding referred to earlier was in good faith, will the Prime Minister authorise the expenditure of public money to enable the Secretary of State for Transport to sue for defamation against The Daily Telegraph, which this morning described him as

"a liar, unfit for office in any government department"?

For the precise reasons that I gave, those allegations are false. I hope that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State goes on to deal with the issues that really concern the people of this country. I note that, when the Leader of the Opposition had the chance to ask me about transport, he did not ask one single thing about the performance of transport, but merely went on with this issue, with which I have already dealt.

In my constituency, a group of women have formed Mothers against Drugs, which is an admirable organisation that fights all forms of drugs, drug taking and drug pushing. However, a young mother came to see me with a despicable product known as "freekee drops", which her five—year—old had purchased from an ice cream van and with which the child had then mimicked the actions involved in taking drugs. The drops come in a packet shaped like a syringe.

I understand that this issue has been raised with the trading standards agency in Glasgow, where the issue first came to people's notice, and with the Food Standards Agency. I shall certainly look into the issue and get back to my hon. Friend. I understand the problem to which he draws attention. In particular, we must make sure that no young person is tempted into drugs through this route. That would obviously be wholly wrong and wholly inconsistent with everything else that we are trying to do.

The award of the Queen's Jubilee medal to members of Her Majesty's armed forces is welcome. However, is the Prime Minister aware that the Retired Officers Corps seems to have been overlooked? Given that many of those men and women have served upwards of 30 years and that they still serve Queen and country—often wearing uniform in military bases—will he use his influence to ensure that members of the Retired Officers Corps receive the Queen's Jubilee medal?

I understand entirely the point that the hon. Gentleman makes. He will know that members of the armed forces who retire are no longer serving members and become civil servants. That is the technical reason for the decision. I know that not many people are in those retired officer grades and it is worth looking into. However, the problem is whether there would be a read—across into other areas and instead of taking account of one very exceptional case, we end up having to take account of many other exceptional cases too. If I may, I will look into that and get back to the hon. Gentleman.

I welcome the Government's commitment to making parents accept responsibility for their children's behaviour. However, can the Prime Minister assure the House that any proposals to penalise parents will not disproportionately affect the poorest households while allowing better—off parents to escape relatively scot free?

I entirely agree that any proposal must be neutral in terms of the family's income. It is a question not of whether the family is middle class, poor or wealthy but of whether the parents have failed to exercise proper responsibility in respect of antisocial behaviour and truancy. I agree that we must ensure that the measures we take bear down on any families, irrespective of their level of income, who are allowing the situation to continue. My hon. Friend will know that there is much support, right across the country, for ensuring that we bear down in every way that we can on the menace of antisocial behaviour in our communities which causes so much needless distress.

Does the Prime Minister think it right that NHS patients waiting for tests for illnesses such as cancer or heart disease should be excluded from the official waiting list figures as they are right now?

I think the NHS waiting list figures should be the same under this Government as they were under the last Government and, as far as I am aware, they are exactly the same. We are applying the same tests in exactly the same way as the previous Government, which is what should happen.

Well, the National Audit Office made it quite clear that they are not the same, so let us get back to the facts. Some 250,000 people are waiting for angiograms, scans, endoscopies and body scans. The King's Fund says that, if anything, that is an underestimate. We know that hospitals up and down the country already collect those data, so why does not the Prime Minister simply answer this question: why does he not instruct his Health Secretary to include those people on the waiting lists as they should be?

Because the waiting list figures are done in precisely the same way as they always have been done. Of course I accept that people are waiting for treatment, but I point out to the right hon. Gentleman that there are now something like 25 per cent. more heart operations every year; there are 40 per cent. more cardiologists, and 20 per cent. more cancer consultants; and more than 90 per cent. of people with suspected cancer who are urgently referred by their GP see a consultant within two weeks, as opposed to just over 60 per cent. when we came to power. In addition, as regards the in—patient waiting list, virtually every single indicator is now in the right direction.

On the subject of money, has my right hon. Friend had a word with the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the past few days to ensure, as he said a little earlier, that everyone carries the same burden? Will the Chancellor introduce rules to change the Tories' 1993 Act that exempted certain people from having to pay inheritance tax? Will he bring the royal family into the net, in jubilee year?

Just for a moment there, I thought that that was going to be a helpful question. I am sure that the Chancellor has heard what my hon. Friend said, but I do not think that he will have anything to comment at this stage.

On the question of money again, does the Prime Minister care to reflect on a parliamentary written answer that he gave me on 10 April? Can he explain to the House why last year the Department of Health spent £93,000 on entertainment when the combined budget of No. 10 and Chequers was £21,000 less?

If anything really indicates the state of the Tory party, it is that question. I am sorry, I do not have a detailed record of the entertainment budget either of the Department of Health or of Downing street or Chequers, but I tell the House what I do have—I have a plan to get money into the NHS to improve the service for people. The fact that the hon. Gentleman used to ask me about how bad the health service was in his area but is now unable to do so is an indication of the progress being made.

In the last week, I have seen for myself in my constituency the success of drug treatment and testing orders, referral orders and the youth offending team, but in places such as Swanage and Portland, antisocial behaviour continues, along with complaints about the cost and bureaucracy of implementing antisocial behaviour orders. Is the Prime Minister confident that local authorities and the police have the tools necessary to deal with this scourge in our community?

Drug treatment and testing orders are a very important weapon in the hands of the courts which give people a very clear choice: if they repeatedly commit offences and are on drugs, they can either go to prison or take proper drug treatment. I have found from talking to magistrates around the country that those orders have been very successful where they have been applied; however, we need to start to extend the concept so that we make sure that where people who are drug addicts are charged with offences and have a criminal record, they also, if possible, receive drug treatment. Otherwise, they will be back out on the streets committing the same types of offences.

Why will the Prime Minister not commit to deliver to the people of my constituency the same standards of health care that people in other European countries routinely experience?

It is at about this time that one needs a planted question, I always feel.

I thank the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer for their visit to Belfast last Thursday. I very much welcome the investment and reform initiative that further consolidates the new institutions in Northern Ireland. Will the Prime Minister join me in welcoming the formal agreement between the Police Service for Northern Ireland and the Garda Siochana in the Republic of Ireland, which will facilitate the pursuit of terrorists and organised criminals? Will he, after 17 May—the date of the election in the Republic—have further urgent talks with the new Government of the Republic with a view to implementing fully outstanding matters from the Good Friday agreement: the north—south parliamentary forum, the north—south consultancy forum and the Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland? Will he undertake to pursue those vigorously?

We will of course pursue all aspects of the Good Friday agreement. The work that the Northern Ireland Policing Board has already done is remarkable. Although there is great concern in Northern Ireland at present—I am sure there is—for understandable and obvious reasons, there is a clear need to demonstrate clearly on behalf of all parties associated with paramilitary organisations that they have indeed given up violence for good, properly and totally. The agreement reached and announced last week by myself and the Chancellor, along with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, indicates the degree of progress that can be made when the political process is continuing and people have a chance to lead their lives in some sort of normality. I still believe, whatever the problems, that we have to carry on making progress, and I can certainly provide an assurance that we will do everything that we can to implement the remaining stages of the Good Friday agreement.