To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she proposes to take to encourage (a) operation and (b) development of combined heat and power plants. [101122]

A number of new support measures for CHP were announced in the Energy White Paper, recognising the important role that CHP has to play in helping the UK tackle climate change and the difficult market conditions the industry faces. Together with the measures set out in the draft "Government's Strategy for CHP to 2010", I believe that these will set the sector on course to achieve our target of 10GWe in 2010.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on recent progress made by (a) her Department and (b) the Environment Agency in implementing the recommendations made by the Committee of Public Accounts in its report on inland flood defence. [101123]

In their report, the Committee recognised that improvements had been made but rightly focused on areas where, in their opinion, we could do more. Many of their recommendations fall directly to the Environment Agency as the country's main provider of flood defences and because of its supervisory and flood warning responsibilities. We continue to work with them to address the Committee's recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on claiming money from the European Commission to tackle animal disease. [101124]

The Department's policy is to make an application on a UK basis in support of selected programmes for each year. The Commission Deadline for the submission of claims is 1 June, both for the submission of programmes for the following calendar year and for detailed claims for the past calendar year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Environment Agency about improving disabled access to beaches where flood defence work has taken place. [101128]

I have had no such discussions. However, I can say that the Environment Agency's Southern Region has commissioned safety consultants to undertake an R&D pilot study for the provision of disability access to EA coastal and fluvial defences.The report, only recently completed, proposes a common methodology for surveys on future provision of disability access. This work will contribute to a better understanding and awareness of the needs of disabled people and will further work required for developing policy.The Agency has also appointed recreation officers in all its regions and one of their roles is to champion access in the consideration of flood defence schemes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish legislation on compulsory horse passports; and if she will make a statement. [101129]

In the next few weeks I expect to issue for comment a draft of the legislation implementing the Government's decision that all equids must have passports, as required by EU legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether every country in the EU is implementing the Directive regarding horse passports; what recent discussions she has had with the European Commission on further derogation to exempt the UK from compulsory horse passports; what further consultation there will be with the UK horse industry on the implementation of the horse passport scheme; and if she will make a statement. [101253]

Commission Decision 2000/68/EC, must be implemented by all member states and there have been no discussions with the European Commission about exempting the UK from its requirements.A draft of the legislation for England implementing the requirements that all horses must have passports will be issued in the next few weeks for consultation. The draft will take account of the views expressed during the discussions with the horse industry that have already taken place.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of the forthcoming expansion of the European Union on the economic viability of the United Kingdom's fishing fleet. [101130]

We do not expect the forthcoming accession of new member states to affect the economic viability of the UK fishing fleet.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the money made available to fund flood protection in rural areas in 2002–03. [101133]

Defra provides grant aid on capital flood and coastal defence projects that meet specified criteria and an appropriate priority score. Decisions regarding which projects to promote and their timing rests with operating authorities. It is therefore not possible to say how much of the funding has been directed to rural areas until after the financial year has ended. The figures will depend on the definition of "rural areas", as many schemes classified as "urban" are to protect communities within what would normally be considered as rural areas. ODPM allocate funding to support local authorities' expenditure on flood defence on the basis of their past expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she last met the Environment Agency to discuss flooding. [101134]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, meets with the Environment Agency regularly to discuss a range of issues. The last time she met Sir John Harman and Baroness Young to discuss flooding was on 15 January 2003. I also hold meetings with the Environment Agency and flooding is discussed regularly. Our last meeting was held on 9 December 2002 and I am due to meet with them again later today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will commission further research on the impact of intensive rearing of broiler chickens on (a) human and (b) animal health. [101118]

The Government are committed to funding research to both protect the public and welfare of farmed animals. Defra currently spends £3.5 million per annum on research into food-borne zoonoses and £1.2 million per annum on poultry welfare and disease research. The Government are committed to the continuing development of a comprehensive Animal Health and Welfare Strategy which will help to inform future research priorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if her Department will raise the management of (a) forest products and (b) bushmeat at the forthcoming Africa Forest Law Enforcement and Governance Ministerial Conference in April. [101324]

I have been asked to reply.My Department will raise the subjects of the international trade in forest products and bushmeat at the Africa Forest Law Enforcement and Governance Ministerial Conference in April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which ministers and civil servants will attend the Africa Forest Law Enforcement and Governance Ministerial Conference in April. [101326]

I have been asked to reply.The UK will be represented by the Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development, her Private Secretary, DFID's Senior Forestry Adviser and a representative of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Environmental Security Team.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes she is proposing to the Common Fisheries Policy to tackle overfishing of white fish in the North Sea. [101125]

The Government stands ready to consider any proposals, beyond those already agreed, which will help to bring stocks back within safe biological limits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress her Department has made in implementing the Rural White Paper. [101126]

Defra is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Rural White Paper. Government continues to make good progress in delivering the commitments set out in the Rural White Paper. As of 31 December 2002, over 150 of these have been completed, or are in progress. Around 90 have targets for completion in the future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the risk of meat imports that carry foot and mouth virus. [101131]

Over the last year, the Veterinary Laboratories Agency has been undertaking a risk assessment to help us get a better understanding of the risk of meat imports being contaminated with foot and mouth, and infecting susceptible livestock in Great Britain. The final report is currently subject to quality assurance and peer review, prior to publication in the next few weeks.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the Social Exclusion Unit will publish its report on the education of looked-after children; and what the reasons are for the delay in publication. [99389]

I have been asked to reply.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in 2002. [101566]

My Department does not keep central records of this information, therefore the answer can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which company is running the HAZMOD Intranet (HI) project; how much has been spent on the project; when the project will go live; and if he will make a statement. [99381]

The HAZMOD Extranet (previously referred to as HAZMOD intranet) was a small pilot project, managed by a research group within the Home Office and subsequently the Cabinet Office, which investigated the access to maps by emergency planners and others using internet technology. The project lasted two and a half years and cost £175,000.Recent analysis undertaken by the Cabinet Office showed that better and faster approaches to securing the same information are now available elsewhere and are already in use by a range of organisations. The Government therefore consider that it can best support local authority emergency planners through the provision of advice on the development of geographical information systems. Emergency planners at the local level will also continue to draw data from Police Commanders, who have direct access to information from central Government.A letter explaining the position was sent on 24 February 2003 by the Cabinet Office to all the emergency planners involved in the project. The letter was also published on the UK Resilience website www.ukresilience.info.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the overseas trips made by himself and other members of his ministerial team in 2002; and what the (a) purpose and (b) cost was in each case. [101486]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what level of appraisal is required at each grade within the senior civil service; and if he will make a statement. [100590]

Each member of the Senior Civil Service is subject to an annual assessment by their manager based on the achievement of objectives, development of competences and use of professional skills. Their annual performance related pay award is based on this assessment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals she has for investigating the extent of competition among the big-four accountancy firms. [100758]

As a result of a recommendation in the Interim Report of the Coordinating Group on Audit and Accounting Issues(CGAA), the Office of Fair Trading has looked at the competition implications of the high concentration in the market for audit and accountancy services following the demise of Andersens. They concluded that there was no case for an immediate Competition Commission referral or market referral, but that the market should be kept under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has made of the existence of market dominance on the part of purchasers of perishable raw agricultural produce in the (a) dairy, (b) livestock meat, (c) arable, (d) poultry meat, (e) horticultural and (f) other sectors. [96954]

Issues of market dominance are for the competition authorities to analyse in the first instance. Dominance, and more particularly abuse of dominance by single firms is for the Office of Fair Trading to consider under the Competition Act 1998. Problems arising from collective dominance are more likely to be dealt with by reference to the Competition Commission (CC). Over the past four years, the CC has reported on three such references. On 10 October 2000, it reported on the supply of groceries from multiple stores. On its recommendation, the Government published a Code of Practice governing relations between the large supermarkets and their suppliers.On 22 December 2000, the CC published a report on the supply of fresh processed milk to middle ground retailers in Scotland and on 6 July 1999, the CC published a report on the supply of raw cow's milk in Great Britain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals she has for raising the audit threshold for small and medium-sized companies. [100907]

The Department is carrying out a programme of research to assess the impact of the previous increased to £1 million turnover in the audit exemption threshold. The information provided will be used to inform a further consultation proposed on whether the audit threshold should be increased or maintained at its current level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the consultancy services that auditors are not permitted to sell to their audit clients. [100526]

The UK system of auditor regulation is based on principles rather than rules. The key principles are that auditors should not perform management functions or make management decisions; that auditors should not audit their own work; and that auditors should not act as advocates for their clients. There is no list of banned services in the UK.The recently published Final Report of the Coordinating Group on Audit and Accounting Issues deals with the issue of the provision of non-audit services by auditors to their clients, in particular in Chapter 1 (auditor independence) and Chapter 2 (corporate governance and the role of audit committee).

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) local authority and (b) housing association tenancy agreements have been received by the Office of Fair Trading for investigation under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999. [100879]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, East (Ms Prentice), 11 February 2003, Official Report, column 650W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies have been forced to revise defective accounts by the Financial Reporting Review Panel; and how many auditors have been disciplined as a result. [100761]

Since 1991, 14 companies have been required to revise their financial statements by issuing corrected accounts after investigation by the Panel. Over 50 other companies have been required to take alternative corrective action in respect of defective accounts.The Panel always alerts the relevant professional bodies whose members have been involved in either the preparation or audit of accounts requiring correction. It is for these bodies to decide what action is appropriate. The Panel is informed of their decisions and is aware that disciplinary action is taken in appropriate cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the DTI inspectors' reports that have not yet been presented to Parliament but have been released to third parties. [100759]

Inspectors' reports are made to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, not to Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what financial contribution the Government will be making to the operations of the Financial Reporting Council and its associated bodies. [100830]

The Report of the Review of the Regulatory Regime of the Accountancy Profession (published on 29 January) recommended that

"the annual running costs of the independent regulator should be broadly shared by Government, business and the professional bodies".

Chapter 8 of the report, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses, looks at funding issues in detail. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made it clear in her Statement on 29 January, when accepting this recommendation, that while the Government will pay its share of core running costs, she also expects companies and the profession to contribute.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby's correspondence with her, if she will commission an independent inquiry into the liquidation of J S Bass Group of companies. [100910]

I am not persuaded that there are any grounds to justify the commission of an independent inquiry into the liquidation of John S Bass & Co. Ltd., or other companies in the same group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many accountants have been prosecuted by her Department for failure to report suspicions of money laundering to the National Criminal Intelligence Service. [100524]

I have been asked to reply.The table gives the number of defendants proceeded against in England and Wales for the offence of failing to disclose knowledge or suspicion of money laundering under section 52 of the Drug Trafficking Act 1994 during the period 1994 to 2001.It is not possible separately to identify which of these defendants are accountants in the statistics collected centrally.The Drug Trafficking Act offence has been replaced by section 330 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 which came into force on 24 February 2003. This new offence only applies to persons who suspect money laundering in the course of a business in the regulated sector. Accountants will be brought within the regulated sector by means of new Money Laundering Regulations to be made later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many receiverships, administrations and liquidations that commenced (a) more than 20 years ago and (b) more than 10 years ago have not been finalised; for what reasons they have not been finalised; and what steps her Department takes to ensure timely completion. [100828]

As of 31 January 2003 there were 18,585 liquidation cases open, of these 440 cases (2.4 per cent.) were over 36 months old. There is no information available for previous years.There is no information available for the length of time taken to finalise receiverships or administrations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff were employed by the Insolvency Service in each year since 1997, and how many were inspection staff. [100015]

		Revenue cost of abatement1
Fuel	Carbon	PM	NOx
LPG (conversion from new Euro III petrol)	3.2	63,000	920
LPG (conversion from new Euro III diesel)	4.6	700	50
Biodiesel (from recovered vegetable oil)	0.26–0.30	Some expected benefit. DfT plans to undertake further emissions testing work on this fuel.	No benefit
Biodiesel (from dedicated crops)	0.28–0.50	Some expected benefit. DfT plans to undertake further emissions testing work on this fuel.	No benefit
Bioethanol (from dedicated sugar and starch-rich crops)	0.28–0.50	1,200–1,800	No benefit
1 £ per kg—all figures approximate

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the incidents of (a) fatalities and (b) serious injuries recorded on the A27 between Lewes and Polegate in each of the last 10 years. [100772]

The numbers of staff employed in the Insolvency Service are published in the agency's Annual Report and Accounts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the Office of Fair Trading on its investigation into restrictive and anticompetitive practices with respect to the Rugby Football Union. [100240]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost per kilogram saved of (a) carbon dioxide emissions and (b) other harmful gases arising from (i) the lower duty on LPG, (ii) the lower duty on biodiesel and (iii) the proposed 20p reduction for bioethanol [100626]

[holding answer 5 March 2003]: There is a large number of factors influencing the cost of abatement of carbon dioxide and local air quality emissions. For example, the CO₂ life-cycle benefits of biofuels can be heavily influenced by the feedstocks, farming practices and processing methods used to manufacture the fuel. In addition, it should be noted that LPG is promoted primarily as a means of improving air quality rather than as a carbon-saving measure.However, illustrative figures have been set out for carbon and the main air quality pollutants, PM10 and NOx based on current fuel duty levels for LPG and the main biofuels, where reliable emissions data exists. These figures do not take account of the other benefits of fuel diversification, such as fuel security issues, agricultural diversification and quieter engines.

I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Tim Matthews to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the relationship between (a) the Warsaw Convention and (b) EC Regulation 2027/97 (Air carrier liability in the event of accidents) in (i) its present form and (ii) as it will be amended by EC Regulation 889/2002. [R][101149]

Council Regulation (EC) No. 2027/97 was adopted to provide a greater level of consumer protection than that found in the Warsaw Convention. Although the regulation applies in a different way to the Convention, legal advice presented by the European Commission at the time of adoption of the regulation indicated that the proposed Community legislation was compatible with the Warsaw Convention. Council and Parliament Regulation (EC) No. 889/2002 was adopted to align the provisions of Regulation 2027/97 with those of the Montreal Convention, except that the intention of Regulation 889/2002 is that it will apply to Community air carriers in respect of all carriage undertaken. Again, legal advice presented at the time of adoption of the amending regulation was that the proposed Community measure is compatible with both the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the different methods of securing compliance with the amended notice provisions of EC Regulation 2027/97 (air carrier liability in the event of accidents) which will apply after the Montreal Convention has come into force. [R][101150]

In the UK compliance with the information provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No: 2027/97 is secured by the Air Carrier Liability Order 1998. When the date of coming-into-force of Regulation 889/2002 (which is linked to the coming-into-force of the Montreal Convention) is known, the Air Carrier Liability Order will be amended to reflect the amended Community legislation. The sanction of a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale was thought to be more appropriate than withdrawal of the right to fly or an administrative fine.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he estimates the Internal Rate of Return

The capital costs of the options at Gatwick and Cliffe used for the economic and financial appraisals of SERAS packages 20 and 21 included 100 per cent. of the costs of the surface access schemes associated with the airport development. The surface access schemes and costs for the two and four runway options at Cliffe are specified in Table 11.3 of the SERAS Stage 2 report and for the two single runway options at Gatwick in Table 2.2 of the SERAS Stage 3 report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will be able to provide an assessment of the changes to passenger mileage travelled by (a) bus, (b) coach, (c) train and (d) private car in the counties surrounding London consequent on the introduction of congestion charging. [100746]

Transport for London will be assessing the effect of congestion charging on transport patterns within the London area, and intend to publish a comprehensive report early next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total cost of investment is in the refurbishment of Finsbury Park Station by (a) the Department and (b) other sources; and if he will make a statement on progress of the scheme. [100270]

I understand that London Underground Limited are currently reviewing options for refurbishing Finsbury Park station, in conjunction with Transport for London, the London Borough of Islington and Network Rail.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the Strategic Rail Authority to discuss the SRA Plan 2003, with particular reference to the proposals for the extension of London Underground's East London Line. [100896]

Ministers regularly meet the Chairman of the SRA to discuss a variety of matters. The business case for the East London Line Extension is currently being considered. I hope an announcement will be made shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the London Underground PPP, Consortia, and their component companies, for new legislation to restrain the Mayor of London and Transport for London in their operations; how he has responded; and if he will make a statement. [100997]

The Secretary of State is not proposing to legislate to constrain the Mayor or Transport for London in their operations, and has not received any representations that he should. The Government have proposed legislation, in the Railways and Transport Safety Bill currently before the House, to ensure that when London Underground is transferred to Transport for London, its contracts can continue to operate as intended.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the starting date is for full operation of the contract with Tube Lines and each of the two contracts with Metronet as part of the London Underground PPP; and if he will make a statement. [100998]

The contract with Tube Lines was completed on 31 December 2002. The Government expects the contracts with Metronet to be completed this spring.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the benchmarks relating to average performance on the London Underground are; how they were arrived at; if he will make a statement on their significance; at what level in relation to those benchmarks the infrastructure companies in the London Underground PPP can operate without incurring a penalty; and if he will make a statement; [101003](2) how the figures at the commencement of the London Underground PPP contracts for the measurement of

I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) on 19 December 2001, Official Report, columns 508–09W.The payment of refunds to passengers under London Underground's Customer Charter is not a matter for the infrastructure companies and is therefore not covered by the PPP contracts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to alter the period of the contract with the London Underground PPP Infrastructure Consortia; and if he will make a statement. [101749]

My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the United Kingdom will ratify the Montreal Convention.[R] [101151]

The United Kingdom will ratify the Montreal Convention when all 15 member states of the EU are in a position to do so simultaneously. Although the UK stands ready to deposit its instrument of ratification, a number of member states are not.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason public funds are being used to pay for the rectification of the shortage of power on the rail network in southern England; why the power supply problems were not realised at the time the order for new trains was placed; when the power supply upgrade will be completed; what effect he estimates this will have on the Government's target for increasing passenger traffic in the coming decade; and if he will make a statement. [100301]

The power supply upgrade is necessary to allow new trains to be introduced which will replace Mark 1 rolling stock, as required by the Railway Safety Regulations 1999. The Strategic Rail Authority is working with Network Rail on an approach to funding the upgrade that does not require the investment of public funds. The belated appreciation of the need for the upgrade reflected a failure of communication within the industry. The first phase of the power supply upgrade began in 2002 and is forecast to continue through to 2005. The upgrade is not in itself expected to affect the volume of passenger traffic on the network.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he gives to the Highways Agency on assessing road improvement schemes associated with accident black spots. [103393]

The Highways Agency are responsible for monitoring and analysing accidents on the Trunk Road network, and taking appropriate action. "Tomorrow's Roads—Safer for Everyone" gives guidance on the Governments safety strategy and sets casualty reduction targets for 2010, including those that are to be achieved by the Highways Agency.A number of techniques are used to analyse and assess prospective improvements, but it is for the Highways Agency to decide which are used to determine the types of road safety schemes and priorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new trains are on order to South West Trains; how many of the new trains are expected to enter service on schedule; and if he will make a statement. [100299]

South West Trains have 785 new vehicles on order. The first new trains are expected to enter service in spring 2003 subject to completion of all necessary testing. Thereafter new trains will enter service on a regular basis through to the end of 2004 subject to power supply availability.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will reply to the letter of 28 November 2002 from the hon. Member for Manchester, Central on the collection and recording of information on pupils' ethnic background. [100288]

My hon. Friend the Minister of State for School Standards replied to my hon. Friend's letter of 28 November 2002 on 28 February.

Number of CDLs by course type—1998
	Age range
	Under 20	20–29	30–39	40–49	Over 49	Total
Commercial and Professional	—	2	1	1	—	4
Computer Skills	1	2	2	1	—	6
Management	—	1	1		—	2
Driving Occupations	—	2	5	1	2	10
Post Graduate (other)	—	1	—	—	—	1
Sport Leisure and Tourism	—	—	1	—	—	1
Total	1	8	10	3	2	24

Number of CDLs by course type—1999
	Age range
	Under 20	20–29	30–39	40–49	Over 49	Total
Commercial and Professional	—	5	1	—	—	6
Computer Skills	—	3	5	—	—	8
Driving Occupations	—	1	1	1	1	4
Art and Drama	—	1	—	—	—	1
Environment Studies	—	—	1	—	—	1
Service/Selling occupations	—	—	—	—	1	1
Science and technology	—	—	2	—	—	2
Other	—	2	—	—	—	2
Total	—	12	10	1	2	25

Number of CDLs by course type—2000
	Age range
	Under 20	20–29	30–39	40–49	Over 49	Total
Commercial and Professional	—	1	—	—	—	1
Computer Skills	—	13	13	3	1	30
Health, Training, Welfare	—	2	—	—	—	2
Management	1	1	—	—	—	2
Driving Occupations		2	—	2	—	4
Art and Drama	1	2	—	—	—	3
Environment Studies	—	1	—	—	—	1
Flying Occupations	—	1	—	—	—	1
Science and technology	—	1	—	—	—	1
Other	—	6	—	1		7
Total	2	30	13	6	1	52

Number of CDLs by course type—2001
	Age range
	Under 20	20–29	30–39	40–49	Over 49	Total
Commercial and Professional	—	2	1	—	—	3
Computer Skills	—	16	7	4	—	27
Health, Training, Welfare	—	—	3	1	—	4
Management	—	1	—	—	—	1
Driving Occupations	—		1	3	—	4
Environment Studies	—	1	—	—	—	1
Sport/Leisure/Tourism	—	1	—	—	—	1
General Career Counselling	—	—	1	—	—	1
Total	—	21	13	8	—	42

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people obtained career development loans in Redcar and Cleveland in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age and (b) course studied. [101223]

The following tables show the number of people in the Redcar and Cleveland area who have been awarded a Career Development Loan (CDL), for every year since 1998. The tables break down the awards into age groups, and show the type of learning that the CDL was intended to help fund. Information is not collected on the actual course studied.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action is taken to publicise the availability of career development loans. [101224]

Since they were launched in 1988 Career Development Loans (CDLs) have helped over 180,000 people fund vocational learning to improve their career prospects. CDLs are publicised via the CDL website on the Department's website, by learning providers, and participating banks. Information is also available via learndirect, Learning and Skills Councils, Information Advice and Guidance partnerships and various publications such as the leaflet "money to learn", the BBC's Career Essentials booklet and CDL advertising posters sent to learning providers and Jobcentres. The most recent national press publicity campaign was carried out in 1998. As CDLs are being considered as part of the review of funding of adult learning, there are no plans to further publicise the programme at present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland (a) applied for and (b) obtained career development loans in each of the last five years; and what the rate of default is on repayment in each of the last three years. [101225]

The exact number of Career Development Loan (CDL) applications by people in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland is not known. The rate of successful applications varies between the banks, but the overall success rate is around 75 per cent. of applications received. The number of successful applications in each year since 1998 is as follows:

Number
1998	24
1999	25
2000	52
2001	42
2002	41

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance the Department gives for (a) rates of repayment and (b) income levels for the commencement of the repayment of career development loans. [101226]

Career Development Loans (CDLs) are commercial bank loans and the rates of repayment are decided by the participating banks. The banks have an agreement with the Department that the interest rate they charge will normally be no greater than the interest rate applicable to their normal personal loans, at the time that the CDL was granted.CDLs are not income-contingent therefore the Department does not give any guidance to the participating banks on income levels for starting repayment. However, an individual may be able to postpone the start of their repayments for up to 17 months if, when they are due to start repaying they are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if he will make a statement on the proposed funding for schools to employ classroom assistants; when this money will be paid; and how much each (a) primary and (b) secondary school in (i) Lincolnshire, (ii) Nottinghamshire, (iii) Leicestershire and (iv) Boston and Skegness constituency will receive; [95703](2) if he will make a statement on the proposed funding for schools to employ persons under the rural area student teacher placement apprenticeship scheme; when this money will be paid; and how much each

The Government are committed to remodelling the school workforce in support of high quality teaching and learning. As part of this process, we are providing sufficient funding to enable schools to recruit at least 50,000 new full-time equivalent support staff over the course of this Parliament. The overall increase in revenue funding for schools, after specific identified pressures have been taken into account, will be £1.1 billion in 2003–04, £2 billion in 2004–05 and £3 billion in 2005–06—schools will be able to use some of this additional funding for workforce reform, including recruiting additional teaching assistants and other support staff members, if they choose to. These increases in funding are in addition to existing school budgets which many schools are already using to remodel the school workforce and recruit new support staff. Decisions about how many support staff to recruit, and the roles they fulfil, will continue to be taken by individual schools.For 2003–04 we are making available to authorities a total of –268 million (at 50 per cent. grant rate) to specifically cover the costs of recruiting school support staff (including teaching assistants) and extra administrative help, particularly for small schools. Of this £4,254,627 will go to Lincolnshire, £4,343,284 to Nottinghamshire and £3,155,825 to Leicestershire. The grant must be fully devolved to schools but it will be for LEAs to decide how to devolve this funding to schools. We therefore have no information available on Boston and Skegness constituency or on individual schools.I am unaware of the rural area student placement apprenticeship scheme to which the hon. Member refers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangements are in place for departmental and Funding Council monitoring of the access arrangements to higher education institutions. [100156]

Access to higher education institutions is monitored through the Performance Indicators published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Government's policy is on the provision of disabled people's IT needs; and if he will make a statement. [98697]

[holding answer 25 February 2003]: All education and training provided through my Department, including IT training, is available to disabled people.Since the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 came into force in September 2002 it has been unlawful to discriminate against disabled students by treating them less favourably than others. In addition, responsible bodies have a duty to provide reasonable adjustments to provision where disabled students might otherwise be substantially disadvantaged. From September 2003 that duty will include adjustments involving the provision of auxiliary aids and services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many animals, broken down by species, are employed by the armed forces; and in what capacity they are used. [100369]

The Armed Forces employ 1,175 dogs and 452 horses. Dogs are categorised as Protection dogs, used to guard military installations etc and Specialist dogs, used to detect specific items, eg arms, explosives, drugs. Horses are all used in ceremonial roles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to change the restrictions on prospective soldiers who have served time in prison from joining the armed forces. [101164]

All three Services apply the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act in considering applications from ex-prisoners. At the present time there are no plans to change any restrictions on joining the armed forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the impact on the armed forces of the potential use of hand-held surface to air missiles on aviation security. [100718]

The lead responsibility for counterterrorism in the United Kingdom rests with the Home Office and the police. They work closely with the Department for Transport and the transport industries to counter threats against civil aviation and other transport mfrastmcture. As well as being responsible for the security of our own estate and assets, the Ministry of Defence provides support to the civil authorities ni responding to the terrorist threat, through the use of the Armed Forces and the provision of scientific and technical expertise. In particular, we have, on a number of occasions, provided support to the police in enhancing civil aviation security, most recently during the security alert at Heathrow last month. Similar support will be made available in future should the need arise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the current deployment is of British forces in Diego Garcia; and under whose command they operate; [100274](2) how many UK forces are normally deployed in Diego Garcia, broken down by rank; and how many, broken down by rank, are currently deployed. [101236]

The standard scheme of compliment of the Naval Party on Diego Garcia is 41 personnel, consisting of three officers, including Britmilrep, and 38 other ranks.The current deployed strength which carries out civil administration of the territory on behalf of the Commissioner for the British Indian Ocean Territory is 39 personnel. These personnel are currently under the operational command (OPCOM) of Commander-in-Chief Fleet, but on 1 April 2003 they will come under the command of the Chief of Joint Operations as part of a rationalisation of operational command responsibilities.The personnel broken down by rank is as follows:1 x Commander RN1 x Major RM1 x Captain RMOther ranks—Navy2 x Chief Petty Officers3 x Regulating Petty Officers12 x Leading Hands

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a new in-service date has been decided for the extended range ordnance/modular charge system; and if he will make a statement. [99803]

[holding answer 3 March 2003]: The In Service Date for the Extended Range Ordnance/ Modular Charge System is under review as a result of technical difficulties that have been experienced with the programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Ministry of Defence's (a) suggested and (b) average supervisory ratios for initial training are; and if he will make a statement. [100172]

I assume that by initial training the hon. Member is referring to both Phase 1 training (recruit training) and Phase 2 training (initial specialist training).There are two aspects of supervision: formal training class size and pastoral care out of working hours. The level of supervision varies accordingly, such that meaningful data on average ratios is not readily available. The Ministry of Defence does not currently recommend supervisory ratios.In the case of class size, while there are no formal guidelines, there is a general acceptance of a benchmark ratio of 1:16. Actual class size varies by Service and depends on the subject being taught, the nature of the training activity and the facilities available.For pastoral care out of working hours, individual commanders across the Services set the ratios they deem appropriate to meet the needs of recruits and their training organisations. However, there is general agreement that a ratio of 1:12 is appropriate for Phase 1 training and this is broadly in place across the Services. In the case of Phase 2 training, these ratios increase and there are wider differences in Service practice. Current ranges of Phase 2 pastoral care staff/trainee ratios are as follows:RN—1:25 to 1:50RM—1:12Army—1:40 to 1:75RAF—1:16 to 1:32The recent Appraisal of Initial Training by the Directorate of Operational Capability announced on 10 February 2003 recommended that central direction be introduced on supervisory ratios of initial training. An action plan was published at the same time to carry forward this and the report's other recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list IT contracts in his Department above £50 million in each of the last 10 years; what the inception date for each system was; when it became fully functional; when it became fully debugged; and what the cost of over-runs has been. [98997]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated total cost to the UK for its share of the Meteor programme is; what the total estimated cost was in (a) May 2002 and (b) December 2002; how many Meteor missiles will be procured by his Department; and how many missiles were on order in (i) May 2002 and (ii)December 2002. [99601]

The current estimated total cost to the United Kingdom for its share in the Meteor programme is £1.16 billion (at outturn prices); this is the same as the forecast in December 2002. The forecast in May 2002 was £1.13 billion. The £30 million increase is solely due to the transfer of 5 per cent. of the development programme workshare from Germany to the United Kingdom.The United Kingdom is currently the only nation to have placed an order for production missiles. I am withholding details on the numbers being procured in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which relates to Defence, Security and International Relations. However, our requirements have not changed since my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced (in May 2000) that Meteor had been selected to meet our Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) requirement. We expect to order additional quantities of Meteor on behalf of the other Partner Nations, once they have confirmed their production requirements.The Development and Production contract was placed with MBDA on 23 December 2002 and as such no missiles were on order in May 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the annual rate is at which his Department renews its vehicle fleet, by (a) volume and (b) percentage for each category of (i) vehicle, (ii) type of power unit, and (iii) type of fuel; [97972](2) what the annual rate is at which the Army renews its on road vehicle fleet, by

The Ministry of Defence's nonoperational fleet, which might be regarded as the road vehicle fleet, is supplied under the terms of a contract for service provision and the Department does not own the fleet.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what progress has been made, by (a) volume and (b) percentage for each category of (i) vehicle, (ii) type of power unit and (iii) type of fuel, on an annual basis, over each of the past three years, in renewal of his Department's vehicle fleet on a lower emission basis; [97973](2) what progress has been made, by

The Ministry of Defence operates a large and diverse vehicle fleet. The detailed information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Reducing vehicle emissions is a key transport issue, which has been agreed as a priority across Government. Against a baseline year of 2002–03, all Departments are aiming by 31 March 2006 to reduce road transport vehicle carbon dioxide emissions by at least 10 per cent. and requiring at least 10 per cent. of all fleet cars to be alternatively fuelled.Progress against these targets will be reported in the Sustainable Development in Government annual report. The first full report against the Framework will be in 2003, reporting against the baseline year of 2002–03.MOD is committed to complying with the letter and spirit of UK air pollution control policy and legislation, including that derived from EC Directives on vehicle emissions. A copy of the relevant Joint Service Publication—418—can be found in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the hulls of Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels of the (a) Leaf, (b) Rover and (c) Wave classes are categorised as (i) single, (ii) single reinforced and (iii) double. [98717]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RFA Ships have a double hull. [99146]

Royal Fleet Auxiliary Leaf and Rover Class vessels are single hulled and are fully compliant with current regulations and hold valid IOPP (International Oil Pollution Prevention) certificates.The Ministry of Defence's policy remains that, where practicable, we will comply with standards required by legislation. The implementation of a recent amendment to the regulations will, however, result in RFA tankers becoming non-compliant with MARPOL (the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973 and the Protocol of 1978). A programme is in place to replace progressively the RFA single hulled tanker fleet which, subject to sufficient funding being identified, will result in MOD reaching compliance by 2010.The WAVE Class has been built in accordance with current regulations for new tankers and are therefore double hulled.None of the current RFA Fleet is double-hulled. However, the two new WAVE CLASS RFAs, that are undergoing trials before they enter service this spring, have been built with double-hulls.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training and guidance is being given to British troops and hygiene units on the use of organophosphate pesticides in any potential conflict with Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [94733]

[holding answer 3 February 2003]: Guidance on the safe and effective use of pesticides, including organophosphate insecticides, is provided in the Joint Services Manual on Pest Control. This covers safety requirements including the use of protective equipment, and states that insecticides may only be used by appropriately trained personnel. Environmental health briefs are issued to British forces deploying to the Gulf region as part of routine preparations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British personnel are on peacekeeping duties, broken down by (a) regiment and (b) location. [101170]

There are presently some 3,400 British personnel deployed on peacekeeping operations throughout the world; some 500 are deployed to six UN operations, around 2,600 are deployed in support of NATO operations in the Balkans, and approximately 300 are deployed to Kabul as part of the International Security and Assistance Force(ISAF).The core of the United Kingdom's contribution to the UN Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) is provided by elements from 47th Regiment Royal Artillery. The United Kingdom's commitment to the Balkans includes a Battalion in Bosnia and Herzegovina, currently 1st Battalion The Royal Scots, and a Battalion in Kosovo, currently 1st Battalion The Staffordshire Regiment. The 21st Engineer Regiment provides a Squadron in Bosnia and 26th Engineer Regiment provides a Squadron in Kosovo. In Afghanistan, a Company from 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment will shortly provide the key United Kingdom contribution to ISAF.The bulk of Service personnel on peacekeeping duties are not deployed as part of formed regiments. They fulfil a variety of command, specialised and supporting roles, such as engineering, communications and logistics for formed national and multi-national headquarters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to change the number of personnel on peacekeeping operations in (a) Bosnia, (b) Kosovo, (c) Sierra Leone and (d) Afghanistan. [101171]

In Bosnia and Kosovo we intend to reduce by the spring to the levels my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced in September last year. In keeping with the reductions in SFOR (Bosnia) and KFOR (Kosovo) planned as part of NATO's review of peacekeeping operations, the United Kingdom is reducing its forces from some 4,350 troops in September last year to some 2,500 by the spring of this—some 1,500 in Bosnia and 900 in Kosovo.The UK provides 21 UK personnel to the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), which is responsible for providing assistance to the Government of Sierra Leone in order to maintain law, order, peace and stability throughout the country. There are currently around 14,000 troops in UNAMSIL, which is expected to draw down by mid-2004.There are currently no plans to reduce the number of personnel in Afghanistan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the £200 million to be received from the first stage of the PPP involving QinetiQ is net of the estimated £80 million restructuring costs; how much more he estimates the MOD will receive from the sale of QinetiQ (a) as a gross figure and (b) net of costs; whether the £80 million costs incurred is an increase on his Department's initial estimate for the PPP; and if he will make a statement. [99598]

The £200 million to be received from the sale of a stake in QinetiQ to The Carlyle Group is a gross figure. Of the approximately £80 million costs of the PPP process, around £58 million were incurred by either the DERA Trading Fund or by QinetiQ plc. The impact of these costs is shown in QinetiQ's accounts and would have been taken into consideration by the purchaser when valuing the company. The £200 million receipt from the initial transaction therefore already includes any adjustment resulting from these costs. The remaining £19 million costs incurred directly by the Ministry of Defence (in addition to some £3 million borne by the Dstl trading fund) should be deducted from the £200 million receipt in order to determine MOD's net proceeds from the transaction so far. It would however be misleading to view these costs solely in the context of the initial receipt as a significant proportion of them relate to the formation of QinetiQ as a separate commercial entity and consequently they need to be assessed against the total receipts from all stages of the PPP process.Any attempt to produce a precise estimate of likely proceeds or costs arising from the future sale of our remaining stake in QinetiQ would be purely speculative at this stage. The size of receipt is likely to be hundreds of millions of pounds, but will depend on the commercial success of the company as well as market conditions at the time of transaction. Although we anticipate that the sale will take place by means of a flotation in around three to five years, the final choice of timing and transaction will depend on value for money considerations. This choice will have an influence on the costs which are incurred.The total cost of £80 million is in line with the estimate given to the HCDC in May 2001. This estimate included an approximate expected cost of some £6.5 million for consultancy advice to MOD on the whole DERA PPP, but we now expect the final total for this element of the costs to be around £17 million. A significant proportion of this increase results from additional work necessary to respond to difficult market conditions. This included the need to keep open both the options of a flotation as well as a strategic partnership. Extra work was also carried out to analyse and apportion liabilities following loss of capacity in the insurance markets after the events of 11 September 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 15 January, Official Report, column 687W, on QinetiQ, when he expects his Department to receive payment of the £100 million outstanding. [99599]

When QinetiQ was created as a plc it purchased assets from the Ministry of Defence with a combination of shares and an obligation in the form of an interest bearing loan note to pay a further £150 million to the MOD. QinetiQ paid £50 million principal plus accrued interest in February 2002.As part of the transaction with The Carlyle Group, a further £50 million of the loan notes will be repaid before the end of this financial year (2002–03). The remaining £50 million is secured against property at Chertsey and will be repaid to the MOD as payments are received from the sale. The detailed timings of these payments are still the subject of commercial negotiations with potential purchasers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated market value of QinetiQ is; and what the value of the company was on 1July 2001. [99602]

Carlyle placed an overall enterprise value on the company of £500 million following a competitive sale process. The £500 million was based on the futurecash-flows of the business and did not take into account liabilities, other obligations or outstanding debt. The liabilities, other obligations and outstanding debt were £375 million leaving an equity value for the business of £125 million.When QinetiQ was vested as a plc in July 2001 it was required to purchase its assets from the Ministry of Defence. At this point there was no means to establish the market value of the business, and the price paid for the assets was based on the net book value of £495 million shown in QinetiQ's accounts. It is important to note that this figure does not reflect the value of QinetiQ as an ongoing business nor, given the very specialised nature of many of QinetiQ's assets, does it reflect their potential sale value on the open market.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the most recent pro forma accounts for QinetiQ. [99603]

QinetiQ was formed as a public limited company on 1 July 2001. In accordance with the Companies Act 1985 publication of accounts is the responsibility of the plc's management. The next full year accounting period end for QinetiQ is 31 March 2003 and QinetiQ's management will be required to publish these results within the timescales laid down in the Companies Act 1985. The Ministry of Defence cannot independently publish pro forma accounts for the plc.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which countries have refused the UK's armed forces overfly rights in the last three months; and what reasons were provided in each case. [100150]

There are currently no countries that have refused to grant the United Kingdom armed forces overflight rights. Diplomatic clearance is sought, through normal channels, on an individual basis for each flight.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 25 February, ref. 99186, where and how the RAF Continuous Attitude Survey was published in September 2002; and if he will make a statement. [101369]

The RAF continuous General Attitude Survey was published for limited internal use only in September 2002; a copy was not placed in the Library of the House. We are currently reviewing the range of survey material to release and appropriate ways of putting it in the public domain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the operational status is of RAF Fairford. [101172]

RAF Fairford is a NATO designated standby base made available to the United States Visiting Force. We have recently agreed to a US request to deploy 14 B-52 aircraft to RAF Fairford as part of our contingency planning designed to maintain the flexibility of our military options. The deployment does not represent a decision to take military action.The use of United Kingdom bases, including RAF Fairford, by US forces for combat operations against Iraq would be a matter for joint decision by the UK and US Governments at the appropriate time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many inquiries from (a) reservists and (b) the families of reservists he has received concerning miscalculation of their enhanced pay since being called up. [101231]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the (a) allowances and (b) enhanced pay paid to reservists were last increased. [101232]

Pay levels for members of the armed forces (including the reserve forces) are set by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB), whose annual report was published on 7 February 2003. A copy is available in the Library of the House. Its recommendations have been accepted in full, and will come into force on 1 April with the exception of the changes to Longer Separated Service Allowance (LSSA) and Longer Service at Sea Bonus (LSSB), which were implemented on I March.Those allowances not set by the AFPRB are reviewed biannually by the Ministry of Defence, with changes usually coming into effect in August.When called out into permanent service, reservists receive the same basic pay and allowances as their regular counterparts. In addition, members of the reserve forces whose civilian earnings are greater than their military pay may claim financial assistance under regulations set out in the Reserve Forces (Call-Out and Recall) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 1997 (Statutory Instrument 1997/309).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to lay orders before the House increasing the allowances and enhanced pay to reservists. [101233]

Directed letters setting out the new pay rates for reservists, as well as the levels of training bounty, were dispatched on 24 February. These reflect the recommendations of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body's report of 7 February, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.The regulations governing financial assistance for reservists ("The Reserve Forces (Call-Out and Recall) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 1997"—SI 1997/ 309) are currently under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British personnel are attached to the United Nations staff in South Korea. [101163]

One British Naval lieutenant is currently working for the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC) on a six month attachment. In addition, the Defence Attaché (a Brigadier) and the Naval/Air Attaché (a Group Captain) are accredited to UNCMAC in their capacities as Commonwealth Member of the MAC and Chief of the UK Advisory Group respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what timetable has been set for a decision on the upgrade and use of (a) RAF Fylingdales and (b) RAF Menwith Hill as part of the US Administration's Ballistic Missile Defence System. [99912]

As I informed the House on 5 February 2003, Official Report, columns 11–12WS, the Government has agreed to the US Administration's request to upgrade the early warning radar at RAF Fylingdales for missile defence purposes. The upgrade work is expected to begin towards the end of this year and take about two years to complete.In advance of the work beginning, the Government needs to negotiate a detailed agreement with the US covering both the upgrade itself and future arrangements for the upgraded radar, while the US also need to undertake comprehensive design work, site surveys, budgetary planning and other preparatory work.No request has been received for the use of RAF Menwith Hill for missile defence purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements exist for members of the US National Guard to be deployed at US bases in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [101235]

Any deployment of members of the US National Guard to bases made available to the US Visiting Force in the United Kingdom falls within the arrangements laid down by the NATO Status of Forces Agreement 1951.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment has been made of the impact of Amendment 3 of the Community Legal Services (Financial) Regulations 2001; and what assessment has been made of the impact on people with disposable incomes of between £263 and £695 per month. [100465]

Amendment 3 of the Community Legal Services (Financial) Regulations 2001 revised the financial eligibility criteria for Community Legal Service (CLS) funding. The primary intentions behind the eligibility reforms were to simplify the procedure for gaining Legal Representation (while broadly preserving the numbers qualifying), and to bring the eligibility level for Legal Help closer to that for Legal Representation.Data provided by the Legal Services Research Centre from its applicant survey showed that if we are to target the most needy, the gross income cap should be maintained and certain state benefits should be disregarded from the gross income test.The impact on people with a disposable income between £263 and £695 per month who are required to make a contribution to their funding has been limited. There has been no significant increase in the mean contribution required.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the market value is of each property owned by HM Land Registry; how many staff work in each office; and if she will make a statement. [99826]

The Land Registry's policy is to obtain a professional valuation of its freehold and long leasehold land and buildings every three years. In the intervening years, the figures are updated by "desktop" valuations. The last full valuation was carried out in January 2002 and the market value for each of the Registry's freehold buildings from that valuation is shown in the following table.

Freehold property	Market value 2002(£)
Southfield House, Durham	3,700,000
Earle House, Hull	1,640,000
Birkenhead House, Lytham	3,900,000
Old Market House, Birkenhead	3,550,000
Warton Camp, Lytham	4,400,000
Lincoln's Inn Fields	8,970,000
Forest Court, Tunbridge Wells	6,850,000
Brickdale House, Stevenage	6,000,000
Henlow Camp, Stevenage	150,000
St. Andrew's Court, Portsmouth	5,319,000
Plumer House, Plymouth	5,500,000
Drake's Hill Court, Plymouth	1,676,000
Ty Bryn Glas, Swansea	2,825,000
Manselton, Swansea	50,000
Parkside Court, Telford	4,195,000
Rosebrae Court, Birkenhead	4,985,000
Boldon House, Durham	3,400,000
Melcombe Court, Weymouth	5,400,000
Chalfont Drive, Nottingham	4,000,000
Westbridge Place, Leicester	4,500,000

The current staffing level at each of the Land Registry's offices is listed as follows. Part-time staff have been treated as whole units.