To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the number of farm businesses in receipt of compensation during the foot and mouth epidemic which have since (a) been sold and (b) ceased to trade as farms. [54341]

[holding answer 7 May 2002]: No formal assessment has been made of the number of farm businesses in receipt of compensation during the foot and mouth epidemic which have since (a) been sold and (b) ceased to trade. However, an informal survey conducted by the Department in February 2002 suggested that 6 per cent. of farmers whose animals had been infected with foot and mouth disease intend to move out of farming.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the EU Committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress and implementation of the directives on waste is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; when it is next due to meet; what the UK representation on it is; whether any experts nominated by the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [60390]

The Committee's mandate is determined by Articles 17 and 18 of the Waste Framework Directive. Article 9 of the Hazardous Waste Directive and Article 11 of the End-Of-Life Vehicles Directive. In summary, its mandate is to assist the European Commission to adapt aspects of those Directives in the light of scientific and technical progress.The Committee met on 6 July 2001, 30 January 2002 and 22 May 2002. The UK's representation is determined by the agenda for each meeting but the basic representation is usually two officials.The Scottish Executive have not nominated any experts to attend the Committee's meetings. However, my officials work closely with the Scottish Executive on waste management issues, including those dealt with by the Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what investigations she has made into alternative ways of disposing of unwanted (a) hazardous and (b) nonhazardous items; and if she will make a statement. [60100]

[holding answer 10 June 2002]: The EU Landfill Directive bans the landfilling of:

Liquid waste.

Waste which in the conditions of landfill is explosive, oxidising, corrosive, flammable or highly flammable.

Chemical substances from R&D or teaching, e.g. unidentified or new laboratory residues whose effects on man or the environment are not known.

Hospital and other clinical wastes arising from medical or veterinary establishments which are infectious.

Whole used tyres from 2003 and shredded used tyres from 2006.

Any waste that does not fulfil the waste acceptance criteria.

Some of the wastes banned from landfill are not generally landfilled at present. For those that are, research for the Department concluded that there were sufficient alternative disposal systems (in use or planned) to cope with the large volume of organic process waste streams requiring diversion from landfill. Examples given included:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letter of 11 September 2001 from the hon. Member for Torbay on behalf of Mr. Moore of Paignton. [58921]

A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 12 November 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letter of 28 November 2001 from the hon. Member for Torbay on behalf of Mr. Jones of Torquay. [58924]

The hon. Member's letter was transferred to the Department for Trade and Industry as the issues it raised are the responsibility of that Department. My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Energy and Industry (Mr. Wilson) replied on 12 March 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to rationalise the main funding schemes in the uplands to provide a simplified system of support for farmers in these areas. [59705]

The Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food recommended that the long-term aim for less favoured area support should be an integrated tiered payment scheme reflecting environmental and social benefits, actual cost of landscape, wildlife and access maintenance and the economic difficulties of traditional hill farming. The Government will take full account of this recommendation in reviewing the hill farm allowance and the current agri-environment schemes. In addition, plans are being drawn up for a small farmers scheme which will provide a simplified claims procedure for small farmers in the uplands and lowlands.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what was the

Table 2: Number of fishermen 1997–2000
Year		England and Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland	United Kingdom
1997	10m and under	5,129	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Over 10m	4,300	n/a	n/a	n/a
	All vessels	9,429	8,194	981	18,604
1998	10m and under	5,045	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Over 10m	4,066	n/a	n/a	n/a
	All vessels	9,111	7,771	1,007	17,889
1999	10m and under	4,100	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Over 10m	3,596	n/a	n/a	n/a
	All vessels	7,696	7,330	935	15,961
2000	10m and under	4,185	n/a	n/a	n/a
	Over 10m	3,121	n/a	n/a	n/a
	All vessels	7,306	6,092	686	14,084

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what regional organisation her Department has; and if she will list the counties and unitary authorities in each region in (a) 1997 and (b) 2002. [58934]

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was created in June 2001 from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and parts of the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Home Office.In relation to MAFF in 1997 there were nine regional service centres carrying out work for the Ministry. There were also three regional areas for the State Veterinary Service, and offices in Scotland and Wales. The counties for each of these offices are laid out in the table. The unitary authorities are not included in this table due to the disproportionate cost of providing such information in the requested form.On 1 April 2001 the regional service centres were dissolved and the Rural Development Service was established with eight regional offices to take forward the

[holding answer 10 June 2002]: Accurate estimates of the value of jobs in the inshore fishing industry are not available. Vessels under 10 metres in length comprise most of the UK inshore fleet, and Table 1 shows the value of landings made by these vessels for 1997 to 2001. The available data on jobs in the fishing industry cover only numbers of fishermen working on vessels. The information is given in Table 2; information for vessels under 10 metres is available only for England and Wales.

Table 1: Value of landings by the under-10m fleet, 1997–2001
Year	Value (£ million)
1997	60.0
1998	69.1
1999	56.0
2000	48.2
2001	50.1

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the potential carbon savings are in the EU as a result of the proposed energy performance of buildings directive expressed in tonnes of carbon dioxide. [45138]

[holding answer 21 March 2002]: The European Union Final Energy Demand by sector and by fuel in 1997 (Mtoe) indicated that 40.7 per cent. of final energy demand would come from buildings¹. A further review by the European Union² reviewed existing energy

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what recent meetings she has had with her EU counterparts to discuss regulation of GM crops; and if she will make a statement; [58128](2) what recent meetings she has had with her counterparts in the EU at which plans to change the procedure for approval of GM foods and seeds within the EU was discussed. [58547]

The Secretary of State attended Environment Council in October 2001, at which the proposed regulations on traceability and labelling of food and feed products derived from genetically modified organisms were discussed. She also attended the Agriculture Council on 23 October, at which the proposed regulations for GM food and feed and the proposed regulations on traceability and labelling were discussed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what bilateral meetings she and her officials have had with the United States Department of Agriculture at which the subject of GM crops was discussed; and if she will make a statement. [58127]

The Secretary of State visited the USA in December 2001 and April 2002 and discussed GM crops in meetings with her counterparts. There have recently been discussions of an informal nature at official level with USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Agricultural Research Service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many press releases have been issued by her Department in each month of 2002. [59481]

Our records show that the DEFRA Press Office have issued a total of 169 press releases in the first four calendar months of 2002.

Press releases issued
January	44
February	33
March	48
April	44
Total	169

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the cost to the Environment Agency and local authorities of sandbag deployment in areas experiencing and prone to flooding in each of the last five years. [59271]

The cost of sandbag deployment is highly variable and is not recorded separately from other costs of dealing with flooding emergencies. For example, in emergency situations, bags can be supplied full or empty. They may be filled manually on site or by bagging machines, if access to the problem area is easy. Alternatively, they may be filled at a central depot and transported by road or air, as for example occurred in the north-east during autumn 2000.The information requested is therefore not available and cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures the Government are taking to ensure that international aid given to Zimbabwe is linked to (a) allowing UN observers into the country and (b) land reform. [60190]

There are no links between our humanitarian aid, which is managed outside of Government channels, and land reform. The UN already has a large presence in Zimbabwe implementing emergency programmes. This includes the presence of food programme monitors in 19 districts. Our aid for Zimbabwe is confined to humanitarian assistance, and the prevention and mitigation of HIV/AIDS.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which resolutions were supported by the UK representatives at the recent annual session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. [58628]

I have been asked to reply.This year the Commission passed over 100 resolutions. The UK supported (through co-sponsorship and in votes) 72 resolutions including those on the death penalty, a draft optional protocol to the Convention Against Torture, rights of the child, freedom of expression, torture and the rights of persons with disabilities. We also co-sponsored initiatives on countries including Iraq, Burma, Sudan, Cuba, East Timor, Cambodia, Colombia and Israel and the Occupied Territories.I will send the hon. Member a full voting record, which shows how each country voted on each resolution and the outcome of the texts. A copy will also be placed in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the outcome of the recent annual session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. [58630]

I have been asked to reply.Promotion of human rights is at the heart of our foreign policy. The Commission on Human Rights is the UN's main human rights forum. The UK is committed to playing a major role at CHR, and has been one of its most active and committed members since its inception in 1946. The recent session adopted over 100 resolutions on human rights issues. The UK actively supported over 70 of these. Particular achievements were resolutions on a draft optional protocol to the Convention Against Torture, the death penalty, rights of people with disabilities and rights of the child, and the Commission's condemnation of human rights violations in Burma, Iraq, Sudan, Cuba and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We were, however, disappointed by the lack of progress in some areas, including racism, and the reluctance of the Commission to condemn human rights violations in some parts of the world, including Zimbabwe, Iran and Chechnya. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs addressed the plenary of this year's Commission on 18 April. A copy of his speech can be found on the FCO website.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has made to the Governments of India and Pakistan regarding their policy on land mines. [59852]

I have been asked to reply.Since July 1998, when the United Kingdom became a state party to the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines, we have lobbied all users of land mines, including India and Pakistan, to ratify the Convention. Both states claim political and defence reasons for not doing so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the GNER franchise will next be advertised. [59355]

I have been asked to reply.The current franchise agreement expires in April 2005. The Strategic Rail Authority will put arrangements in place for awarding a new franchise, in good time and in the light of progress on the development of the proposed East Coast Main Line infrastructure upgrade.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) whether inspection bodies operating in the UK railway systems are accredited by UKAS; [59168](2) whether UKAS accredited personnel certification is used for those undertaking track maintenance and safety; [59166](3) if the sub-contractors employed by Railtrack operate quality management systems certified by UKAS accredited certification bodies. [59167]

I have been asked to reply.I understand that there are currently no certification bodies accredited by UKAS for railway specific purposes. UKAS will provide advice to the Strategic Rail Authority on the appointment of notified bodies under the Railways (Interoperability) (High-Speed) Regulations 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list (a) the contractors and (b) sub-contractors responsible to Railtrack for maintenance of the track for each operating zone; what changes have taken place since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [59325]

I have been asked to reply.My Department does not hold the information requested, which are operational matters for Railtrack.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport. Local Government and the Regions whether (a) he and (b) his officials have met directors of Network Rail since they announced their bid for Railtrack. [59357]

I have been asked to reply.It is not the normal practice of the Government to discuss details of meetings or discussions with private individuals or companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether train operating companies' driving staff are required to carry, and complete when they judge necessary, report forms detailing irregularities, incidents and other matters related to safe operation of the railways which are the responsibility of rail companies, their contractors and their sub-contractors. [58860]

I have been asked to reply.Train operating companies have various reporting forms on which drivers record delays and other incidents as they occur. Drivers submit these written reports to their line management at the earliest opportunity and before signing off duty. These forms usually have a section that prompts action by the train operator's management to inform Railtrack of incidents as necessary.Drivers are required to report to the signaller all incidents that have an immediate effect on the safety of train operation or on the operation of the line. Reports are made at the time of the incident by either cab secure radio or signal post telephone.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions (a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) his officials have had with the Solicitor-General on the case for a corporate manslaughter charge arising from the Paddington rail crash since 20 May. [59819]

I have been asked to reply.None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment (a) his Department and (b) the Strategic Rail Authority has undertaken of the ability of station operators to conform with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [59634]

I have been asked to reply.The Strategic Rail Authority published its code of practice "Train and Station Services For Disabled Passengers" on 6 February 2002. The Authority is currently reviewing each train operators Disabled People's Protection Policy (DPPP) against its code of practice and its DPPP guidance to identify where current facilities need to be improved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has received the report of the rail industry interview process carried out by Mercer Management Consulting. [61250]

Following the High Court's decision to place Railtrack plc into administration last October, the Government wanted the development of railway policy to be based on a full understanding of the issues facing the rail industry. The Government therefore commissioned Mercer Management Consulting to manage a series of interviews with rail industry stakeholders to gather views about all aspects of the UK railways. Mercer kept the Government informed of the views expressed throughout the process and has now produced a report summarising the key messages heard. This has been made public today, and copies have been placed in the House Libraries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which of the Uff-Cullen recommendations have been implemented. [59356]

I have been asked to reply.The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) published the first action plan/progress report, indicating firm commitments to implement the recommendations of the Joint Inquiry into Train Protection Systems, on 27 September 2001. A copy is available in the House Library. The HSE are currently analysing progress towards implementation of the recommendations with the intention of publishing a further progress report before the end of July 2002. A copy will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the planning inquiry at Dibden Bay will report. [60425]

The inquiry is currently timetabled to finish at the end of this year. On that basis we are expecting to receive the inspector's report in the latter half of 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library copies of the evidence that his Department has given to the planning inquiry at Dibden Bay. [60415]

My Department has not supplied any evidence to the Dibden Bay inquiry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guidance he gives to local authorities and to elected mayors on the timing sequence of traffic lights on trunk roads to ensure that congestion is minimised. [59107]

I have been asked to reply.The Highways Agency issues advice on the safety-related timings for traffic signals. These are contained in their Design Manual for Roads and Bridges.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will take steps to introduce during non-rush hour periods traffic lights which have a light vehicle flow which are switched to show only a flashing amber light in each direction. [59184]

I have been asked to reply.We do not think this is appropriate. A short flashing amber stage is already used at Pelican pedestrian crossings and has a specific meaning—if there are no pedestrians on the crossing the driver may proceed with caution. The same signal sequence cannot safely be used to indicate a different message.The adoption of this proposal could confuse drivers and increase the likelihood of accidents at junctions, particularly those where the visibility of crossing traffic is limited, for example, by difficult junction geometry.It is believed that the flashing amber sequence was introduced in the USA to help counter the inherent inefficiencies of fixed-time signals, particularly at off-peak times. As most traffic signals in the UK are traffic responsive, there would be little if any improvement in efficiency from adopting this proposal because our traffic signals are able to respond to varying traffic demands without compromising road safety.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the arrangements to secure rail freight through the channel tunnel; and who will pay for them. [59069]

I have been asked to reply.It is for the French railway industry and public authorities to ensure that rail freight through the channel tunnel is not disrupted by incursions into the Frethun freight yard. SNCF has just announced investment of euro 7.5 million to improve physical security measures at Frethun. I understand that this will be funded by Reseau Ferre de France.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made by (a) the Health and Safety Executive and (b) the Civil Aviation Authority of the operation of the new air traffic control centre at Swanwick; if he will place copies of related documentation in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [60400]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 10 June 2002, Official Report, columns 759–60W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on recent safety levels at the Air Traffic Control Centre in Swanick with special reference to reports of the (a) Health and Safety Executive and (b) Civil Aviation Authority. [60272]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 10 June 2002, Official Report, columns 759–60W.The Civil Aviation Authority, the air safety regulator, remains satisfied that there are no breaches of the CAA safety regulations nor is flight safety affected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken by the Department to monitor the effects of the implementation of the EU working time directive in the maritime sector. [60165]

[holding answer 10 June 2002]: When the directive is implemented in the UK the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, as the competent authority, will be responsible for enforcing its provisions and monitoring its operation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress the Department is making in implementing the EU working time directive in the maritime sector. [60167]

[holding answer 10 June 2002]: Regulations are in preparation to implement the directive in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the need in implementing the EU working time directive to include measures to limit the maximum number of hours worked in the maritime sector. [60166]

[holding answer 10 June 2002]: In implementing the working time directive in the maritime sector the UK, like several of its EU partners, has elected to apply the option within the directive of specifying the minimum hours of daily and weekly rest which must be provided to seafarers. The maximum number of hours which may be worked each day and each week can be calculated by reference to these minima.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what benchmarks are laid down for staffing levels in PTAs. [60677]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what planned works there are on the (a) A68, (b) A696 and (c) A7 between Newcastle and Edinburgh; [60644]

I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) cars, motorbikes and vans, (b) lorries and (c) camper-vans and caravans used the (i) A68, (ii) A696 and (iii) A7 between Newcastle and Edinburgh on an average day in the last 12 months. [60645]

The available information on the average numbers of vehicles per day on the A696/A68/A7 route between Newcastle and Edinburgh in 2000, is given in the table:

Vehicle type	Number
Cars	5,041
Motorcycles	68
LGV (vans)	639
HGV (lorries)	446

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road haulage vehicles were inspected by the vehicle inspectorate in each of the last three years. [60457]

Information about the vehicle inspectorate's enforcement activities for the three years to the end of March 2001 is published in the inspectorate's Effectiveness Report 2001, a copy of which has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what resources were provided for inspections of road haulage vehicles with regard to overloading and vehicle drivers' hours offences, in each of the last three years. [60456]

Traffic examiners (TEs) carry out weighings and check compliance with drivers' hours legislation as part of their duties. The vehicle inspectorate (VI) employed 175 TEs in 1999–2000 and 2000–01. The number of TEs increased to 209 at the end of 2001–02 in response to additional funding from the Road Haulage Forum. In addition to VI's network of permanent weighbridge sites, a number of mobile weighpads were introduced in 2000–01 which have improved VI's ability to target its checks. Work will be done in 2002–03 to test electronic tachograph analysis equipment which will improve the examiner's ability to detect drivers' hours and other offences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much in the last financial year for which figures are available each local authority in England and Wales has raised from the issuing of (a) parking permits, (b) parking meters and (c) pay and display systems. [55797]

I have been asked to reply.Separate statistics on local authority income from parking permits, parking meters and pay and display systems are not collected centrally. A table showing the expenditure on and income from parking for local authorities in England in 2000–01 has been placed in the Libraries of the House. Local authorities in Wales spent £10.72 million on parking and received income of £16.58 million in 2000–01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers the administrators of Railtrack have to sell (a) major stations, (b) other property and (c) other land assets independently of the remainder of the rail network. [60650]

In accordance with section 59 of the Railways Act 1993, the railway administration order made in respect of Railtrack plc directs that the affairs, business and property of the company shall be managed by the administrators for the achievement of the purposes of the administration order. The purposes of the order include transferring the network undertaking as a going concern and ensuring that the management of the rail network can be properly carried on pending a transfer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many full-time engineers were employed by Railtrack who worked on (a) maintenance and (b) enhancements and projects on 24 September 2001; how many there are; and how many have joined the company since 5 October 2001. [60653]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 24 May 2002, Official Report, column 617W. Further information is not held in the form requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve the vehicle registration system. [60884]

Some months ago the Department undertook a review of the vehicle registration system in partnership with the insurance industry. Research was undertaken by the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science, University College London (JDI). The review examined ways of enhancing the accuracy of databases, improving enforcement arrangements and providing more reliable services to benefit all motorists. The JDI report made 11 recommendations. The first of these, the introduction of continuous registration, has already been accepted and enabling provisions have been included in the Finance Bill. The details of those provisions and the other recommendations will be discussed in detail with stakeholders prior to implementation. I have made available copies of the JDI report in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many kilometres were cycled per person in each of the last three years. [60455]

The latest data available, from the National Travel Survey, cover the average distance cycled for those living in Great Britain for the years 1998, 1999 and 2000:

	Distance cycled per person per year (kilometres)
1998	58
1999	68
2000	59

The volatility of the single year figures is likely to be a result of the relatively small sample sizes and the geographical clustering of the sample. Cycling patterns over individual years are also very dependent on the weather.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the average carbon dioxide emissions for a motorist using their car in the last 12 months in the UK. [60427]

In 2000 (the latest year for which data are available), it is estimated that average carbon dioxide emissions from cars in the UK were three tonnes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many international flights there were from the UK (a) over the North Atlantic, (b) to other EU countries and (c) to other world destinations in each quarter of the last five years. [60655]

The number of international flights from the UK (a) over the North Atlantic (b) to other EU countries and (c) to all other world destinations in each quarter of the last five years is shown in the table. Flights are attributed only to their final overseas destination and not, if any, to intermediate destinations. There were a similar number of international flights arriving in the UK.

Flights from the UK over the North Atlantic1
	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4
1997	8,786	11,053	12,782	10,677
1998	9,840	12,226	13,782	11,674
1999	10,733	12,730	14,208	12,103
2000	11,380	13,256	14,550	12,332
2001	11,442	13,597	14,171	10,897
1 Flights to USA and Canada

Flights from the UK to other EU countries
	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4
1997	77,409	92,483	99,661	86,195
1998	83,351	99,510	109,436	93,357
1999	89,997	106,602	117,345	99,812
2000	97,906	115,318	127,260	105,324
2001	100,194	119,921	130,702	102,997

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines he has issued to the CAA on the relationship between the number of flights (a) over the North Atlantic, (b) to other EU countries and (c) to other world destinations, and the level of the price cap that the CAA places on the fees that NATS charges airlines. [60656]

I have issued no guidelines on these matters to the CAA. Although the initial price cap on NATS was set by the Government, as is usual when a public entity is transferred to the private sector, the CAA is the economic regulator of NATS and the Government do not interfere with its discharge of its economic regulatory duties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money has been set aside as part of (a) the SRA Plan and (b) the 10-Year Plan for the implementation of the EU directives on interoperability on the high speed network. [60413]

Neither the 10-Year Plan or the SRA Strategic plan identify specific sums for implementing the high speed interoperability directive which does not, in itself, require projects to be initiated. However, new high speed projects will have to comply with the Directive and the cost of implementation will he taken into account when those projects are developed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the costs of implementing the EU directives on interoperability on the high speed network. [60411]

I refer the hon. Member to the regulatory impact assessment produced in support of the Railways (Interoperability) (High-Speed) Regulations 2002 implementing the high-speed interoperability directive, a copy of which was placed in the Libraries of the House on 25 April 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the percentage of the possible costs for implementing the EU directives on interoperability on the high speed network, that will be borne by (a) the Government, (b) the successor to Railtrack, (c) the SRA, (d) freight rail companies and (e) passenger rail companies. [60412]

No assessment has been made of the potential allocation of costs arising from implementation of the high speed interoperability directive which does not, in itself, require projects to be initiated. However, new high speed projects will have to comply with the directive and, to the extent that this results in costs being incurred by network or train operators (which will vary from project to project), those costs will be taken into account in the railway funding and charging regime in the usual way.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the non-departmental bodies attached to his Department that have a responsibility for transport issues, listing their responsibilities in each case. [60422]

The main non-departmental public bodies whose responsibilities are transport issues, are:

The Commission for Integrated Transport's remit is to provide independent advice to Government on the implementation of the integrated transport agenda, to monitor developments across transport, environment, health and other sectors and to review progress. Its responsibilities are UK-wide in respect of those matters reserved to the UK Government after devolution to

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and it also advises Government on all aspects of integrated transport policy in England.

The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee advises Government and industry on the transport and built environment needs of disabled people.

The Northern Lighthouse Board and Trinity House Lighthouse Service provide marine aids to navigation to make transport safer.

The Strategic Rail Authority's purposes are set out at section 205 of the Transport Act 2000.

The Traffic Commissioners have responsibility in their geographical area for the licensing of operators of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and of buses and coaches (PSVs); the registration of local bus services; and disciplinary action against drivers of HGVs and PSVs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what incentives he has given to encourage bus companies to convert their fleets to use more environmentally friendly fuels. [60642]

	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–011
Overturning or serious damage to a tank while conveying by road prescribed dangerous substances, or the uncontrolled release or fire involved the substance being conveyed	28	21	26
Uncontrolled release or escape of a dangerous substance, or a fire involving the dangerous substance, when being conveyed by road in a vehicle	24	44	74
Rail accidents involving vehicles transporting dangerous goods	11	4	4
1 Provisional

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the (a) numbers and (b) percentage of residents who were not registered on the electoral register in (i) the UK, (ii) Greater London and (iii) Enfield in each of the last five years. [58972]

I have been asked to reply.Data on which to make such an estimate are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much public expenditure was incurred in organising the 2001 general election in (a) the UK, (b) Greater London and (c) Enfield; and if he will make a statement. [58967]

I have been asked to reply.The funds made available to acting returning officers to conduct the 2001 general election were as follows:

The Government have introduced a range of measures to encourage environmentally friendly buses. These include: lower fuel duties for cleaner fuels; reduced vehicle excise duty for buses that meet tighter emissions standards; and grants from TransportAction for buses that run on cleaner fuels or are fitted with pollution reducing technology. In addition the Green Fuels Challenge programme is supporting, through duty exemptions, hydrogen fuel cell buses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) road and (b) rail accidents there have been in each of the last three years which involved vehicles transporting dangerous or hazardous materials. [60663]

The number of road and rail accidents notified to the Health and Safety Executive under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations for 1995 for the past three years is:Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce proposals to change the pensions rules to remove the ability of companies to take contribution holidays from their employees' pension schemes. [51377]

The Government do not have any plans to change the rules about, or to prevent firms from taking, contribution holidays from their defined benefit pension schemes. Under Inland Revenue rules, pension funds that are funded in excess of 105 per cent. of their liabilities must take action to reduce that surplus. That action might take the form of improved benefits for members, contribution holidays for members or sponsoring employers, or a taxable return to the employer.It is for the individual scheme (trustees) to decide how best to deal with a fund surplus according to the particular circumstances of each scheme.The Pensions Act 1995 provides that before any surplus is returned to an employer, all current and future pensions in payment should be increased annually in line with the retail prices index up to a maximum of 5 per cent. In addition, trustees have to satisfy themselves that the use of the surplus is in the interest of the members, and that members should be notified of the proposal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the development of statutory money purchase illustrations and composite annual pension benefit statements. [59063]

We have been working closely with the Faculty of Actuaries and the Institute of Actuaries to produce regulations and guidance that will mean people paying toward money purchase benefits will, starting in April 2003, receive an annual illustration of what their future pension might be. Regulations were laid before the House on 20 May, and a technical memorandum has been published on the Faculty of Actuaries and Institute of Actuaries website.This is an important development that will help people plan more effectively for retirement.The combined pension forecasting service, that gives information about state and private pensions together, was launched in October 2001 at the industry's annual pensions show. Since that date, the service has been open to all pension providers to register their interest in participating.We are also looking at the feasibility of a composite pension forecast, where information about state pension would be combined with details of private pensions from more than one provider. This is still at a very early stage, but we are working closely with the office of the e-envoy and people in the pensions industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of (a) civil service, (b) executive agencies and (c) non-departmental public body jobs under the remit of his Department are located in Scotland; and how many of each have been relocated to Scotland since May 1997. [56304]

Information on the number and percentage of Department for Work and Pensions jobs in Scotland as at 1 April 2002 is in the following table.None of these posts have relocated to Scotland since May 1997.

	Number of posts	Percentage of total DWP
Executive agencies	12,255	12.2
Independent statutory bodies	0	0
Others	1,192	6.2

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many calls have been dealt with by the anti-fraud hotline in the last year for which figures are available; how many cases of suspected fraud have been reported to the hotline; how many of these cases have been investigated; how many of them have led to a successful prosecution; and how many of them have led to a custodial sentence. [56417]

The National Benefit Fraud Hotline receives over 17,000 calls a month, resulting in more than two prosecutions a day.The available information is in the table.

National Benefit Fraud Hotline 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002
	Number
Number of calls received	205,999
Number of cases of suspected fraud reported1	161,052
Number of resulting investigations	108,986
Number of resulting benefit rate changes	26,385
Number of prosecutions so far	768
Number of resulting custodial sentences	3Not available
1 Including referrals received by telephone, e-mail and post.
2 Figures include increases and decreases and can relate either to fraud, client error or official error.
3Information is not collated centrally on the number of custodial sentences arising from investigations as a direct result of calls to the hotline.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received about changing the eligibility for winter fuel payments when couples separate after the eligibility date; and if he will make a statement. [58393]

Queries are received from time to time regarding revised entitlement to benefits following a change in a person's circumstances. However, entitlement to a winter fuel payment is based on the individual's circumstances in the qualifying week. Changes of circumstance occurring after that date are irrelevant but could affect entitlement to a winter fuel payment the following year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent steps he has taken to develop his Department's strategy to help older people. [59650]

In developing the Department for Work and Pension's strategy to help older people, the creation of the Pension Service is a major step forward. The Pension Service has a customer focus that will provide support to pensioners via 26 pension centres, backed by a local service providing face to face contact to those pensioners unable to use the telephone.Over the next 18 months the Pension Service will develop and implement the Government's new pension credit, which will provide additional income for some 3.9 million pensioners.In addition to this the Pension Service is working closely with other Government Departments, local authorities and voluntary organisations to improve services to older people. Groups such as Better Government for Older People and Partnerships Against Poverty are helping the Pension Service to develop its strategies and service while local partnerships, for example through Care Direct, are being pursued to provide a more joined up service to pensioners.For those older people not yet ready to retire, Jobcentre Plus will continue to provide support with new deal 50 plus and work to change employers attitudes to older people through the age positive campaign. In the longer term the Government will be legislating against age discrimination in employment by 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the answer from the Secretary of State for Health of 21 May 2002, Official Report, column 302W, on smoking, if he will estimate the savings to public funds relating to pension payments as a consequence of premature deaths among smokers. [60267]

The information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what data he has collated on the proportion of people earning above £10,000 per year who have been contracted out of SERPS and the state second pension over the past three years. [60486]

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals (a) receive SERPS and (b) have contributed to SERPS but are yet to receive any pension. [60487]

The latest figures available show that 6.24 million people were in receipt of an additional pension from SERPS'.The latest available information is that around 22.2 million people under state pension age have built up some entitlement to an additional pension from SERPS

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) mean and (b) median payment of SERPS has been in the five most recent years for which he has data. [60488]

The information is in the table.

Mean and median amounts of additional pension (SERPS)
£ weekly
	Mean amount	Median amount
31 March 1997	10.90	6.87
31 March 1998	11.82	7.42
31 March 1999	13.10	8.35
31 March 2000	14.37	9.25
31 March 2001	15.13	9.64

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many pensioners he expects will be receiving SERPS in (a) five (b) 10 and (c) 15 years' time; [60489](2) what the

The information available is in the following table.

	People in receipt of additional pension1(million)	Mean amount of additional pension1(£ weekly)
2007–08	8.6	19.60
2012–13	9.9	21.70
2017–18	10.6	23.05
1 SERPS and the state second pension.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of pupils were omitted from the calculation of the LEA average in KS2 performance tables in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001 because they met the criteria of having English as an additional language, being new to English schooling and having joined their primary school during years 5 or 6 in each. [60038]

The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what number and percentage of pupils were allowed additional time for completion of KS2 tests in 2002 because of special needs or EAL needs for each LEA. [60039]

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority collects information on special arrangements, including the use of additional time, from local education authorities at pupil and school level. The information for 2002 is currently being collected and figures will be available at the end of June 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the areas where reorganisation of 16 to 19 provision has taken place in each year since 1997, listing in each case the general further education colleges, sixth form colleges and school sixth forms involved. [60040]

The information requested is contained in tables, copies of which I have placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the proposals under consideration involving changes to the organisation of 16 to 19 provision. [60044]

The Department has been informed of the following proposals for schools to open new, or close existing, sixth forms for which we understand a decision has not yet been made by the local School Organisation Committee:

Name of school	LEA
Proposals to establish new sixth forms
The Giles School	Lincolnshire
Proposals to close sixth forms
Batley High School for Boys	Kirklees
Colne Valley High School	Kirklees
St. Thomas Becket RC High School	Knowsley
Stratford Foundation School	Newham
Tideway Community School	East Sussex

Information held by the Department on proposals for the reorganisation of colleges in the FE sector is as follows:

A proposal for Teesside College and Middlesbrough College to merge and to form Middlesbrough College has been submitted by the LSC to the Secretary of State.

A feasibility study has been completed into the possible merger of Oxford College and North Oxfordshire College. The LSC has proposed that an area wide review of provision should be carried out before any decisions are made.

Additionally, the organisation of 16–19 provision is reviewed in those local areas where a recent Area-Wide inspection has so recommended. In such cases the Learning and Skills Council is required to agree an Action Plan with local partners, before seeking Ministerial approval.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the target proportion of pupil days to be lost through absence was for (a) each LEA and (b) England in each year since 1997. [59117]

[holding answer 10 June 2002]: There is no target proportion of pupil days to be lost through absence for England. In the past local education authorities have only set targets for unauthorised absence through their Education Development plans. Local education authorities were asked to set new targets for the proportion of pupil days lost in their Education Development Plans this year, these targets will apply to the academic years 2002–03 and 2003–04. Education Development Plans are published by local education authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many letters were received by each Minister in her Department in each month since June 1997. [59315]

The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the volume of Members' correspondence received by departments. The Report for 2001 was published on Friday 24 May (22 May 2002, Official Report, column 326W). Copies of previous reports are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued to appeals panels on overturning head teachers' decisions to exclude (a) bullies and (b) racist bullies. [60132]

Earlier this year we consulted publicly on a draft revised version of the guidance on the use of exclusion in our Circular 10–99 'Social Inclusion: Pupil Support'. This made clear that the Secretary of State would normally regard it as inappropriate to reinstate a pupil permanently excluded for (among other things) persistent and defiant behaviour—which would encompass bullying including racist bullying. All forms of bullying need to be dealt with firmly by schools. We cannot direct appeal panels to take particular decisions in particular cases, but we have made clear that they should also consider the impact that a reinstatement might have on other members of the school community.

To ask the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister what council tax and non-domestic rates collection rates were achieved by English billing authorities in 2001–02. [61296]

I am publishing today figures showing that English councils have collected an extra £40 million in council taxes this year by simply improving on council tax collection rates. The figures show the good start of a joint initiative launched last year by us and the Local Government Association (LGA), to help poorly performing councils improve their collection rates.English councils had collected £12.84 billion in council taxes for 2001–02 by the end of March 2002. The figures represent 96.1 per cent. of the £13.36 billion collectable. This is an increase of 0.3 per cent. on the previous year.We recognise that council tax collection has therefore improved slightly, and that many councils are making a great effort. However, half a billion pounds was still uncollected last year. We recognise that this is money that could have been spent on local services and we believe there is still room for improvement. The Council Tax Collection Help Team which we set up with the LGA last year will continue its work to identify and tackle barriers to better performance and encourage good practice.We also recognise that the in-year collection rate does not provide the full picture of the work authorities put in to collecting council tax. We will also be collecting and publishing authorities' levels of arrears and performance in collecting them.The councils showing the best improvements in their performance include Hackney Council, which improved its collection rate from 67.8 per cent. during 2000–2001 to 74.0 per cent. this year, an increase of 6.2 percentage points; Lambeth Council, which improved its collection rate from 82.0 per cent. during 2000–2001 to 86.5 per cent. this year, an increase of 4.5 percentage points; and Southwark Council, which improved its collection rate from 87.1 per cent. during 2000–2001 to 90.2 per cent. this year, an increase of 3.1 percentage points.Other improving councils include North Hertfordshire, an increase of 2.8 percentage points, Waltham Forest, an increase of 2.6 percentage points, Castle Point, an increase of 2.5 percentage points, South Gloucestershire UA, an increase of 2.5 percentage points, and Oxford City, an increase of 2.4 percentage points.In addition, figures show that £14.42 billion in non-domestic rates for 2001–2002 had been collected by the end of March. This represents 97.9 per cent. of the £14.74 billion collectable, an improvement of 0.5 percentage points on last year.Background note "Information for the Minister (Not for the public domain)".

To ask the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister how and when he intends to consult on new formulae for distributing general grant to local authorities in England. [61295]

We will consult publicly on the new system over the summer, ahead of implementing change in the 2003–04 Local Government Finance Settlement. The consultation document will include the principles for the new system and will show the effects of a range of possible options for each formula. We intend to start the consultation by mid-July.

To ask the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister what plans his Department has to include in the Indices of Deprivation statistics on access to local services and public transport for those over 65 and 75 years in the most deprived wards; and whether indicators on age-related issues will be included in the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit's review of how the Indices of Deprivation may be developed. [60623]

The Indices of Deprivation (ID 2000) has been developed to provide a measure of how deprived a particular area (ward or local authority district) is relative to the rest of the country.The current 'Access to Services' domain measures the extent to which people have poor geographical access to certain key services. Three of the indicators included in the domain (access to post offices, large food shops and doctors surgeries) measure geographical access to services for people on low incomes (ie claimants of means-tested benefits). As such, this will include pensioners who are eligible for income support payments.The ID 2000 has been designed to reflect deprivation as experienced by all age groups, including the elderly. The forthcoming review on the further development of the indices will continue to maintain this objective.

To ask the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister how many home-owners there were in (a) 1979, (b) 1997 and (c) at the latest date for which figures are available; and what percentage of the population this represented at each of these dates. [60792]

Consistent estimates of the number of owner occupied households are not available before 1981. For England, the information requested for 1981, 1979 and 2000 is given in the following table.

Owner occupied households in England
Year	Owner occupied households (thousand)	All households (thousand)	Percentage of owner occupiers
1981	9,860	17,225	57
1997–98	13,940	20,250	69
2000–01	14,437	20.660	70

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many households were made homeless by house fires in each of the last six years. [60434]

Precise information is not collected centrally. Data presented in the quarterly Statistical Release on Statutory Homelessness includes the number of households accepted by local authorities where homelessness was due to an emergency (table 3), but this does not distinguish cases involving house fires. Copies of the latest Statistical Release, issued on 14 March 2002 and covering the period to end December 2001, are available in the Library.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people were (a) killed and (b) injured in house fires in the UK in each of the last six years, broken down by (i) deliberate and (ii) accidental fires. [60433]

The following table shows the number of people killed or injured in deliberate and accidental dwelling' fires in the UK between 1995 and 2000.

	Deliberate fires2		Accidental fires
	Deaths3	Injuries3	Deaths3	Injuries3
1995	78	1,932	481	11,176
1996	76	2,026	488	12,163
1997	65	2,019	497	12,877
1998	59	2,152	454	12,827
1999	65	2,068	398	12,556
20004	51	2,326	396	12,065
1 Including caravans, houseboats and other non-building permanent dwellings.
2 Includes those fires where deliberate ignition is merely suspected.
3 Including brigade casualties.
4 Data for 2000 are provisional. Death figures have been estimated to take account of revisions expected to occur as a result of checks made against death certificates later in the year.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many house fires there were in each of the last six years broken down by (a) deliberate and (b) accidental fires in each fire authority. [60437]

The information is contained in the table.