On 27 February I announced (Official Report, 26WS) that we had been considering the timetable for the forthcoming consultation about night restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports and that we had decided to consult shortly on an interim proposal to extend the present night restrictions regime at those airports for a further year, to October 2005. This consultation paper is published today.The policy background to the night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted is changing. New European Community legislation is coming into effect; the Government is awaiting the outcome of a long running European Court of Human Rights case about an earlier night restrictions regime at Heathrow Airport; and we are continuing with our major consultation "The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East" which refers to aspects of night noise policy.In view of these developments, as the consultation paper explains, we propose to continue the current night restrictions regime at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted for a further year, until 30 October 2005. We propose that the movements limits and noise quota for both the winter and summer seasons remain the same as for the respective seasons for each airport in the year from 26 October 2003 to 31 October 2004.The consultation paper also commences consideration of some of the general principles and policies underlying the night restrictions; in particular, the present policy of having common arrangements at all three airports and the broad issues relating to the possible extension of the night quota period (currently 2330–0600).It also explains how we intend to take forward the results of two reviews relating to the classification of aircraft for night restrictions purposes and how we intend to take forward the results of a separate review of the departure noise limits and the related noise monitoring arrangements.The consultation will close on 11 July. Copies of the consultation paper are available in the House Library. All responses will be taken into account. Subject to those responses, we aim to announce our decision on the proposals for 2004–05, by 31 October 2003. Responses on other matters covered in this consultation paper will be taken into account in developing proposals for the next night restrictions regime for consultation, in due course. They will also be taken into account as appropriate in the forthcoming Air Transport White Paper.

I am pleased to announce that the ninth Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, entitled "Defining the Boundaries within the Executive: Ministers, Special Advisers and the permanent Civil Service", has been published today by the Committee.Copies are available in the Vote Office and the Libraries.

I would like to inform members of the House how the Department will report on the performance of the Regional Development Agencies, including the London Development Agency which reports to the Mayor of London.RDAs are funded through the cross departmental Single Programme funding mechanism known as the Single Pot. Attached to the Single Pot is a set of challenging targets which were agreed with the RDAs, and in the case of London, with the Mayor.RDAs' achievement against their Tier 3 milestone (output) targets will be reported to the House twice yearly. This will be shortly after the RDAs have submitted their reported achievements against the output targets for the first six months of the financial year and again at the end of the year.More information about the performance monitoring framework for the RDAs is available on the DTI website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/rda/info/index.htm.

In my written Statement on Friday 4 April, I announced that we would be making available £800 million to local authorities from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) in 2004–05 and 2005–06 as part of our strategy to revitalise England's poorest neighbourhoods and create places where people want to live, not leave.

Following changes made to the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill, I am writing today to all Members in the English regions outside London to follow up my earlier letter about the soundings exercise on the level of interest in holding a referendum about establishing an elected regional assembly. Voters in two-tier local authority areas will now have a say about the form of unitary local government relating to their area that would be introduced if an elected assembly is established.Those who have already responded to this exercise are also being contacted again. In both cases, we are making it clear that we will consider further evidence or comments if people's views have changed in light of the amendments. We do not expect this to cause many people to change their minds about their response to the soundings exercise, but if people have changed their minds we would be happy to receive further views, information and evidence on this matter. If their response remains the same, they do not need to take any action-their original response will be considered as before. Additionally, any individual or organisation who did not previously submit comments, but now wishes to put forward views, information or evidence on the level of interest in a referendum can do so.Copies of the revised pro-forma have been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses. They are also available from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website via http://www.odpm.gov.uk. Responses to this additional phase of the soundings exercise are requested by 16 May, since the Secretary of State is likely to take his decision shortly after that.

Following announcement of the Climate Change Levy, an energy tax that came into force on 1 April 2001, the Government agreed that companies in energy intensive industries could enter into 10-year energy efficiency agreements in return for an 80 per cent reduction in the levy rate. Forty-four sector associations signed agreements, representing over 5,000 companies, who operate over 12,000 individual facilities.The first target period ended on 31 December 2002 and companies that met the terms of their agreements were re-certified on 1 April 2003 for the reduced rate of Levy payments for the two forthcoming financial years.There were a total of 5,742 "target units" in the Agreements when the results were submitted by sector associations in February 2003. (A target unit is one or more facilities that share a single target) Overall, 5,042 target units were re-certified, or 88 per cent. of the total. This represents a total of 10,500 facilities. Of the 700 target units that were not re-certified, 581 dropped out of their agreement or did not return information to their sector association and 219 failed to meet their targets.The CCAs as a whole saved 13.5 million tonnes of CO

The Ministry of Defence's Contract for the provision of new jetties in support of the Royal Navy's nuclear submarine fleet at HM Naval Base Clyde was awarded on 31 March 2003 to AMEC plc.

Further to the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 2 April, I can now set out the way in which we intend to implement a service to allow families to send packets free of charge to troops deployed in the Gulf. This service will be limited to letters and packets of up to 2kg in weight and will be implemented when the operational situation allows. The priority at this time must remain the operational requirements of our Service personnel.The system will allow families to send addressed letters and packets to individuals serving in the Gulf through Post Office Counters free of charge. The Royal Mail Group will transport these parcels to British Forces Post Office (BFPO) at Mill Hill. BFPO will arrange onward transportation to the Gulf and distribution in theatre. Mechanisms are being put in place to handle the anticipated increase in mail. Further details will be announced nearer the time when we are ready to implement the new procedures.For the free service to work for the benefit of all, I would ask families to restrict the number of packets they send in order that the system does not become overwhelmed, thus creating delays in delivery of mail.This scheme is aimed only at those closest to the Service personnel who are serving in this operation. We will not be providing a service for packages which do not have a named recipient. This will help to ensure that the new scheme for letters and packets is well targeted without overloading the logistics support network and delaying vital messages and packages from loved ones. For those who might wish to show more general support for our troops I would encourage contributions to the UK Forces Gulf Fund (details available at http://www.ukforcesgulffund.org and 0800 107 0200) which has recently been set up to allow the public to support those injured as a result of their deployment in support of military operations in the Gulf, and the families and dependants of those who have been killed.

I am today publishing the fourth annual report to Parliament on UK operations at the IMF, "Growth, Stability, Poverty Reduction: the UK and IMF 2002". Copies are available in the Library of the House.

I have today published our document Widening Participation in Higher Education, which sets out our plans to safeguard access and widen participation in Higher Education, giving more help and opportunities to all our people to achieve of their best.We face an historic problem in our society: the under-achievement of many people who come from less advantaged backgrounds. In 2000, just 18 per cent. of young people from the lower three socio-economic groups were benefiting from Higher Education, compared with 48 per cent. of young people from the higher three socio-economic groups.Education must be a force for opportunity and social justice. Whilst meeting the challenge of expanding Higher Education, we need to ensure fair access and equality of opportunity for all those who have the potential to benefit from it, irrespective of their background, schooling or income. Universities have a crucial role to play in this task. They need to identify, encourage, admit and support to graduation all those who have the potential to succeed.The evidence set out in Widening Participation in Higher Education suggests that the principal barriers to access to Higher Education are attainment, aspiration and application.We are tackling the attainment gap with a range of initiatives, from the very earliest years onwards, to improve standards and widen opportunities. The Sure Start programme aims to improve the health and well-being of families and children in deprived areas from the very beginning. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have led to significant advances in achievement for all groups at primary school level since 1997 but more so for children from disadvantaged homes. Our planned 14–19 reforms will improve standards and choices, and our Success for All programme is reforming Further Education by raising standards of teaching and learning.We are already working to raise aspirations through the successful Aimhigher programme. Many universities are also taking imaginative actions to ensure that more people with real talent apply to university. However, of those students who obtain A level passes corresponding to 30 UCAS points, those from the three higher socio-economic groups are significantly more likely to apply for places at the longest established universities than those from the lower groups. Therefore, universities and colleges could do more to raise aspirations and encourage a broader range of applications.Although application rates differ by social class between different types of universities, acceptance rates from those applying are much closer. Admissions to universities are a matter for universities themselves and generally they operate in a way that is fair. Admissions should always be on merit—irrespective of class, background or school attended—based on an applicant's achievements and potential. A-levels are the single most important way for assessing merit but universities are increasingly using a range of other ways to help them make admissions decisions. The Government has asked Professor Stephen Schwartz, Vice Chancellor of Brunei University to lead a team to identify good practice in admissions. We expect one of the results of this work to be a statement of principles about admissions which we hope all universities will adopt. Universities wanting to charge a higher variable tuition fee will wish to demonstrate to the Office for Fair Access that they subscribe to these principles.There are also concerns that the proposed introduction of variable tuition fees poses a risk to widening access. The Government plans to take a range of measures to address this, including the re-introduction of a maintenance grant and abolishing up-front tuition fees. Nevertheless, it is also important that universities which wish to increase their fees play their full part in preserving and widening access.For that reason, the Government proposes to legislate when Parliamentary time is available to require institutions wishing to increase their fees in excess of the standard fee (currently £1,100) for any of their courses to draw up an access agreement. Agreements will fall to be approved by a new Office for Fair Access (OFFA), which will be separate from but supported by HEFCE. OFFA will operate within a legal and policy framework established by the Government but will exercise its independent judgement in applying this framework. I will send the head of OFFA an initial letter, together with revisions from time to time, setting out OFFA's statutory duties and how they are to be met.The access agreement will cover a five-year period and will set out the fee levels the institution wishes to levy (up to a maximum of £3,000 from 2006); the bursaries and other financial support available; the outreach work to be undertaken by the institution with schools and colleges to help raise the level of attainment, aspirations and applications; and the institution's own milestones for assessing progress in widening participation. An Individual university's admissions policies and procedures will be outside the remit of the access agreement and OFFA. OFFA will monitor implementation of the access agreements and make an annual report to Parliament.There will be no targets or quotas set by the Government. We are working to ensure that everyone who has the ability to participate in Higher Education does so, if we are to expand to meet our future economic needs without sacrificing quality.There will be a period for comment until 2 June 2003.Copies of the document will be placed in the Library and will be available in the Vote and Printed Papers Office.