To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from operators of mobility vehicles about the withdrawal of mobility breakdown cover by motoring organisations; and if he will make a statement. [120383]

We have received representations from a number of disabled people affected by the withdrawal of breakdown cover for these vehicles and we have discussed this issue both with the motoring organisations and with representatives of wheelchair manufacturers and suppliers. We will continue to support initiatives to offer a similar service in future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to encourage the development and use of practical alternatives to permanent tints of less than 50 per cent. light transmittance in motorcycle visors for daytime use only; and if he will make a statement. [119929]

I have called for standards bodies to encourage the development of visor designs that lend themselves to both day and night time use. I understand that the relevant technical committee at the British Standards Institution has decided that the matter should be brought to the attention of the corresponding technical committee at the International Standards Organisation.In addition, the Department is planning new research on motorcyclists' helmets and visors that, among other things, would include work to:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are for changes in the level of rail services in Scotland. [120076]

The Scottish Executive are responsible for funding and specifying services in Scotland provided under the ScotRail franchise. The Executive, together with the Strategic Rail Authority, are working towards the re-letting of the current franchise, which ends in 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his Answer of 12 May 2003, Official Report, column 128W, on railways, whether Thameslink has asked for approval from (a) the SRA and (b) Network Rail to exceed the prescribed journey times; and if he will list Thameslink core routes and prescribed permitted journey times. [117274]

The SRA have informed me that the information they gave me for the answer given on 12 May 2003 was incorrect. In consequence, the hon. Member was misinformed. I regret this has happened. The SRA have apologised for the error. The SRA have now told me that Thameslink have, in fact, requested and received approval from them to exceed the prescribed maximum journey times for the services listed in the table. The SRA have granted derogations as the prescribed journey times are being exceeded because of capacity constraints, and in several cases, because this allows services to be extended from Luton, where they would otherwise terminate, to Bedford. Network Rail does not prescribe maximum journey times.The approvals granted by the SRA are:

Minutes
Service	Prescribed maximum journey time	Actual journey time
Kings Cross Thameslink to Bedford (weekdays)
17.42	72	80
20.06	72	74
Kings Cross Thameslink to Bedford (Saturdays)
17.51	72	74
18.21	72	74
19.51	72	76
Blackfriars—Luton (weekdays)
09.05	49	50
09.32	49	50
Blackfriars—Luton (Saturdays)
17.27	48	49
17.57	48	49
18.27	48	49
18.57	48	49

The permitted journey times (for weekdays) specified for Thameslink's core routes are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what remit relating to sustainable development is (a) required of and (b) undertaken by his Department's (i) executive agencies, (ii) advisory non-departmental bodies, (iii) executive non-departmental bodies, (iv) tribunals, (v) public corporations and (vi) other bodies. [115730]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what remit relating to sustainable development is required by his Department's (a) executive agencies, (b) advisory non-departmental bodies, (c) executive non-departmental bodies, (d) tribunals, (e) public corporations and (f) other bodies. [116676]

All of the bodies for which my Department is responsible are committed to the objectives set out in the Government's overall strategy for sustainable development, "A Better Quality of Life" (Cm 4345), published in May 1999. In addition, they are expected to operate within the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 10 June 2003, Official Report, column 743W, on uninsured drivers, what the overall cost of uninsured driving was in Great Britain between 1997 and 2001; and what assessment has been made of the average increase in the insurance premium of a motorist in each of these years. [120042]

Estimates from the insurance industry show that, for the years 1997 to 2001 inclusive, the estimated cost of uninsured driving was £1,280 million. This is a running figure that includes cases arising from accidents that happened (and were settled) during those years and accidents occurring in previous years but only settled in those years.For the year 2002 the resulting increase in each motorist's insurance premium is estimated at between £15 and £30, however no figures are available for previous years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department is taking to address the issue of age discrimination. [109448]

The Northern Ireland Office aims to ensure that its staff are treated fairly and equally by promoting equal opportunities policies whereby no employee or job applicant is unfairly discriminated against either directly or indirectly on a number of grounds, including age. All staff are provided with a copy of this policy.In addition, in compliance with its statutory duty under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the Department has due regard to the promotion of equality of opportunity between persons in nine specified categories, which include persons of different ages. Both internal and outward focused policies and practices are screened to ensure that they do not have an adverse impact on any of the nine categories, including those of different ages.None of the Department's policies has age restrictions except in relation to retirement. Since 4 October 2002, Northern Ireland Civil Servants employed in the Northern Ireland Office have had the option of remaining in post up to the age of 65, subject to satisfactory performance and attendance. For Home Civil Service staff working in the Northern Ireland Office, the subject of retirement age is under review. Staff were made aware of the change of policy by means of a general circular issued on that date.For Home Civil Service staff working in the Northern Ireland Office, the subject of retirement age is under consideration.The 11 Departments within the Northern Ireland Administration refer the hon. Member to their answer to the hon. Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Dodds) on 18 March 2003,

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many asylum seekers are living in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Belfast, South. [119668]

I have been asked to reply.The information is not available in the form requested.The availability of information on the location of asylum seekers in the UK is currently linked to the support the asylum seeker receives. Asylum seekers in the UK either receive support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS), local authorities or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), or are supporting themselves.At the end of March 2003, 190

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the underspend by Departments in Northern Ireland for the year ending 31 March 2002 will not be carried forward to the next financial year. [119045]

The full amount of end-year flexibility (EYF) that Northern Ireland is entitled to carry forward from 2001–02 is being retained under the normal arrangements. Underspends to be carried forward into 2002–03 in respect of 2001–02 were originally based on an estimate of departmental spend made in the early summer of 2002. This has subsequently been revised to take account of actual departmental spend in 2001–02 and will be drawn down in 2003–04, subject to agreement by the Treasury.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the target is for efficiency savings in 2003–04 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit. [114112]

Within the Northern Ireland Office the efficiency target, built into last year's Spending Review outcome, requires the Department to continue to secure 2.5 per cent. efficiency savings annually in our core departmental administration costs. These core costs of £57.6 million represent 34 per cent. of the department's total administration cost limit.Within the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration the 2003–04 spending plans do not contain specific efficiency savings targets expressed in money terms or as a percentage of departmental expenditure limits. However, the drive to achieve greater efficiency is evidenced by the ongoing development and refinement of Public Service Agreements and Service Delivery Agreements. In addition, the key aim of the reform agenda and Departmental Reform Plans is to improve performance in terms of delivering better quality services to the public.All spending programmes and projects also remain subject to the completion of satisfactory scrutiny and analysis in respect of their value for money.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what costs were incurred by the Northern Ireland Civic Forum in the last 12 months; and how many times the body met during the same period. [116978]

I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave to question reference 100724. Since providing this answer, an additional £18,535 administration costs were met in 2002–03 for actions carried out by the Civic Forum prior to suspension.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on completing a pay audit in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies to measure any disadvantage in terms of remuneration for (a) women, (b) ethnic minorities and (c) people with disabilities; and if he will publish the results of such an audit. [117432]

An Equal Pay Review has been carried out by the Northern Ireland Office in respect of the Department and its agencies in order to identify any gender pay gap. The findings are currently being considered by the unions and we aim to finalise it in July 2003.The Equal Pay Review only examined gender pay. In parallel with this Review, we separately examined performance ratings of women, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities to measure any disadvantage in the operation of the performance management system.A copy of the action plan will be placed in the Library of the House once internal discussions are complete.The 11 Departments within the Northern Ireland Administration carried out a review of its pay and grading arrangements in 1998, which examined the gender gap between administrative grades, that are majority female, and professional and technical grades, that are predominantly male. We are in the process of implementing a programme of work arising from the review and this will be complete by April 2004. The need for a further equal pay audit that will also include other groups covered by section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 is currently under consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress on funding for organisations under the Peace II European Initiative in North Belfast. [119038]

No projects were funded during 2001. However, during 2002, 71 projects with a total value of £8 million were allocated funding under the Peace II Programme in the North Belfast area and 12 projects with funding of £1.5m have been approved in 2003 to date. The information relates to projects that have been allocated funding with a postal address in the North Belfast Parliamentary Constituency. Where the project address is incomplete, further analysis has been carried out on the applicant address. The figures, therefore, have been produced by first including those projects with a project address in Belfast North and then adding those where the project address is incomplete but the applicant address is in Belfast North. However, where it is apparent that the benefit of the project clearly falls outside North Belfast, these amounts have been excluded. Also, the impacts of any project may extend beyond the geographical location of the project itself.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the interest rate for borrowings is under the Reform and Reinvestment Initiative; and what the interest rate for PPP projects is. [119041]

The Reinvestment and Reform Initiative (RRI) is about tackling Northern Ireland's infrastructure deficit and improving and reforming public services. As part of the RRI, there is the power to access borrowing from the National Loans Fund (NLF). The Public Works Loans Board (PWLB) is the statutory body that facilitates all lending from the NLF and they publish the interest rates through their website on a daily basis (www.pwlb.gov.uk). The interest rate on any loan will be dictated by the prevailing rate at the time it is drawn down.It is not appropriate to consider PPP projects as borrowing by the public sector. Rather, the PPP approach allows additional resources to be levered in from the private sector sooner than is possible under conventional procurement, with additional benefits in terms of value for money and efficiency. While the cost of capital for the private sector may be higher than borrowing from Treasury, this is mitigated by other cost, risk and service advantages inherent in the approach. Value for money over the lifetime of the contract is the key concept.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether water charges are included for the purposes of determining convergence with local taxation in Great Britain under the Reform and Reinvestment Initiative. [119043]

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on the review called Reform of Public Administration. [119044]

The Review of Public Administration (RPA) was initiated by the Northern Ireland Executive in June 2002. The original work programme for the review envisaged final decisions being taken by the Executive in December 2003. The suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly has, however, affected this timetable. The RPA has continued with its scheduled programme of engagement, research and study visits, but I decided earlier this year not to go out to public consultation in advance of the elections to the Assembly, then scheduled for 29 May 2003. I am currently examining the options for the future conduct of the Review and intend to make an announcement in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who has been appointed to the Strategic Investment Board; and what the terms of their appointments are. [119040]

Five Directors have been appointed to the Strategic Investment Board. They are Mr. Tony Watson, Mr. James Stewart, Mr. Greg Sparks, Mr. Nigel Hamilton and Mr. Andy Carty. Mr. Watson has, additionally, been appointed as Chairman.The Directors have been appointed for a three-year period while the Chairman has been appointed for one year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the actions he (a) has taken and (b) is taking to ensure that the websites of his Department, its Agencies and non-departmental public bodies are accessible to partially sighted and blind people; and if he will make a statement. [118842]

The Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments, together with their Agencies and NDPBs, have:

(a) been following best practice as set down by the Office of the eEnvoy in the Cabinet Office, which requires adherence to international standards. These standards have ensured that pages on departmental websites can be read by 'screen reader' software, 'screen magnification' software or other assistive technologies which are commonly used by blind and partially sighted people; and

(b) during the current year, the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) will condense available guidance into a practical guide for designers that will ensure even greater consistency of approach. This work will include consultation with recognised disability interest groups such as RNIB. The planned introduction of web content management software by Departments will facilitate the conversion of site content for specialist devices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons lost their lives in conflict-related incidents in each year since 1973 and were the subject of a murder investigation conducted by the police; how many murders in each year were eventually the subject of a successful prosecution; and how many unsolved murders remain from each year. [118960]

The information cannot be provided in the format requested. Table A provides the number of murders for each year since 1973 and the number of these murders where persons have subsequently been charged. Table B provides the number of convictions for murders in each year since 1993. We are unable to provide data prior to 1993 as to do so would require a substantial manual exercise and would incur a disproportionate cost.

Table A: Security situation statistics for Northern Ireland, 1973–9 June 2003
	Number of persons murdered	Murders for which persons have been charged
1973	200	65
1974	187	76
1975	221	101
1976	266	107
1977	100	47
1978	70	30
1979	108	38
1980	65	25
1981	83	35
1982	85	39
1983	67	29
1984	49	10
1985	48	20
1986	55	7
1987	82	20
1988	84	30
1989	57	20
1990	68	19
1991	88	27
1992	79	23
1993	82	35
1994	61	18
1995	9	2
1996	14	5
1997	20	9
1998	54	11
1999	7	2
2000	18	3
2001	16	4
2002	12	1
20031	7	1
Total	2,362	859
1 To 9 June

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what differences there are between the death-in-service gratuities payable under the armed forces pension scheme and those payable in similar circumstances to members of the Brigade of Gurkhas; and if he will make a statement. [119685]

The death-in-service gratuity paid under the armed forces pension scheme varies according to whether or not the death is considered attributable to, or aggravated by, service. If the death is considered non-attributable, a tax-free basic death-in-service lump sum is payable, this is approximately equivalent to the individual's representative annual rate of pay. If the death is considered attributable to service, in addition to the basic death-in-service lump sum, a tax-free attributable gratuity is also payable; this increases the overall rate of death-in-service benefit to between one and 1½ times the individual's representative annual rate of pay.The pension and gratuity arrangements for Gurkha soldiers, which are different to those of the armed forces pension scheme, stem from the 1947 Tri-partite Agreement and are linked to Indian Army rates. An examination of these arrangements in 1999 resulted in substantially increased pension payments for all British Gurkha pensioners and enhanced gratuity provision in the event of death in service.Similar to the wider Army, the death-in-service gratuity payable to a Gurkha varies according to whether or not the death is considered attributable to, or aggravated by, service. If death-in-service is attributable then the Death-in-Service Gratuity payable to a Gurkha is the same as that paid to the equivalent rank in the wider British Army. If a death in service is not attributable, the normal provisions of the Gurkha pension and gratuities scheme apply, and the death element of the Death Cum-Retirement Gratuity is payable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce the outcome of the reviews of the war pensions and armed forces pensions scheme. [120003]

I expect to announce the outcome of the reviews of the armed forces pension and compensation arrangements before the summer recess.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what military assets, including personnel, in Iraq are being applied to provide medical treatment for Iraqi civilians; and for how long they will remain in place. [110760]

United Kingdom forces are required to provide, within their means and capabilities, medical treatment to Iraqi civilians. This ranges from emergency treatment conducted by any UK soldier, all of whom are trained in first aid, to more advanced emergency treatment at one of the four Regimental Aid Posts, to life saving surgery at the UK Field Hospital at Shaibah, southern Iraq. In addition, 1 Close Support Medical Regiment, consisting of approximately 250 personnel, is deployed across southern Iraq to provide an emergency first aid and ambulance capability.UK forces will provide medical treatment for as long as they remain in Iraq, although it is envisaged that reliance upon UK forces' medical capabilities will be reduced as Iraq's civilian medical infrastructure continues to improve.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what tonnage of unexploded ordnance used in the recent invasion of Iraq has been cleared up by UK-funded operations. [118024]

More than 87,000 items of unexploded ordnance and explosive ordnance and 79,000 rounds of small arms ammunition, mostly of Iraqi origin, were destroyed between the cessation of hostilities and 8 June 2003. We do not record the tonnage destroyed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the capacity of British medical assets in Iraq to deal with the needs of the Iraqi people. [119323]

The vast majority of injured Iraqis have been treated at Iraqi hospitals, and in the United Kingdom's area of operations we have made every effort to restore power, water and medical supplies to those facilities. All of the major hospitals in Baghdad and Basra are now functioning.However, where certain specialist skills have been required, Iraqis have been treated in UK medical facilities. In the very small number of cases where the necessary medical capabilities are not available in theatre, those Iraqis have been airlifted to UK hospitals for treatment. We will continue to provide medical treatment where possible for as long as UK forces remain in Iraq, although the requirement to do so will reduce over time as Iraq's civilian medical infrastructure continues to improve.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role DSACEUR will play in EU operations in the Congo region. [119103]

As envisaged at the Nice European Council in 2000, operational planning for EU-led operations without recourse to NATO assets and capabilities will be carried out within one of the strategic level headquarters available to the EU. As framework nation for the deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo, France is providing the Operation Headquarters in Paris which will be augmented by officers from participating nations including from the United Kingdom. NATO will be kept informed of the general progress of the operation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the (a) maximum and (b) average length of deployment is of TA consultants serving in the Defence Medical Service; and if he will make a statement; [118796]

[holding answer 12 June 2003]: Currently, we aim to deploy consultants in the Defence Medical Services (DMS) for no more than three months in any 12 month period. However, in some operational circumstances, this may not always be possible. In addition, under the terms of the Reserve Forces Act 1996, Reservists cannot be deployed for more than 12 months in any three years, unless they volunteer otherwise, and in the case of consultants their deployment patterns would be in line with that of their Regular counterparts.Information on the average length of deployment for consultants serving in the DMS is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 15 May 2003, Official Report, column 329W, on defence attachés, how many defence attachés are in place in each of the locations listed. [118656]

A total of 128 UK defence attachés/ advisers are currently deployed in 82 locations as follows:

Country	City	Number of attachés at post
Albania	Tirana	1 Army
Angola	Luanda	1 Army
Argentina	Buenos Aires	2 (1 Army, 1 RAF)
Australia	Canberra	2(1 RN, 1 RAF)
Austria	Vienna	1 Army
Bahrain	Manama	1 RN
Barbados	Bridgetown	1 RN
Belgium	Brussels	1 RAF
Brazil	Brasilia	2(1 RN, 1 Army)
Brunei	Bandar Seri Begawan	1 RN
Bulgaria	Sofia	2(1 RN, 1 Army)
Canada	Ottawa	2(1 RN, 1 Army)
Chile	Santiago	1 Army
China	Beijing	2(1 Army, 1 RAF)
Colombia	Bogota	1 Army
Congo DRC	Kinshasa	1 Army
Croatia	Zagreb	1 Army
Cyprus	Nicosia	1 Army
Czech Republic	Prague	2 (1 Army, 1 RAF)
Denmark	Copenhagen	1 RN
Egypt	Cairo	2(1 RN, 1 Army)
Ethiopia	Addis Ababa	1 Army
Finland	Helsinki	1 Army
France	Paris	3 (1 RN, 1 Army, 1 RAF)
Georgia	Tbilisi	1 RAF
Germany	Berlin	4 (1 RN, 2 Army, 1 RAF)
Ghana	Accra	1 Army
Greece	Athens	2(1 RN, 1 Army)
Guatemala	Guatemala City	1 Army
Hungary	Budapest	2(1 Army, 1 RAF)
India	New Delhi	2(1 Army, 1 RAF)
Indonesia	Jakarta	1 Army
Ireland	Dublin	1 Army
Israel	Tel Aviv	2(1 Army, 1 RAF)
Italy	Rome	3(1 RN, 1 Army, 1 RAF)
Jamaica	Kingston	1 Army
Japan	Toky	1 RN
Jordan	Amman	2(1 Army, 1 RAF)
Kazakhstan	Almaty	1 Army
Kenya	Nairobi	1 Army
Korea	Seoul	2(1 Army, 1 RAF)
Kuwait	Kuwait City	1 Army
Latvia	Riga	1 Army
Lebanon	Beirut	1 Army
Lithuania	Vilnius	1 Army
Macedonia	Skopje	1 Army
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur	2(1 RN, 1 Army)

Country	City	Number of attachés at post
Morocco	Rabat	1 Army
Nepal	Kathmandu	1 Army
Netherlands	The Hague	1 RN
New Zealand	Wellington	1 Army
Nigeria	Abuja	1 Army
Norway	Oslo	1 Army
Oman	Muscat	2(1 RN, 1 Army)
Pakistan	Islamabad	2(1 RN, 1 Army)
Philippines	Manila	1 Army
Poland	Warsaw	2(1 Army, 1 RAF)
Portugal	Lisbon	1 RN
Qatar	Doha	1 RAF
Romania	Bucharest	2(1 Army, 1 RAF)
Russia	Moscow	6(2 RN, 2 Army, 2 RAF)
Saudi Arabia	Riyadh	3(1 RN, 1 Army, 1 RAF)
Serbia and Montenegro	Belgrade	1 Army
Sierra Leone	Freetown	1 Army
Singapore	Singapore	2(1RN, 1 RAF)
Slovak Republic	Bratislava	2(1 Army, 1 RAF)
Slovenia	Ljubljana	1 Army
South Africa	Pretoria	2(1 Army, 1 RAF)
Spain	Madrid	2(1RN, 1 RAF)
Sri Lanka	Colombo	1 Army
Sweden	Stockholm	1 RAF
Switzerland	Berne	1 Army
Syria	Damascus	1 Army
Thailand	Bangkok	1 Army
Turkey	Ankara	2(1 Army, 1 RAF)
Uganda	Kampala	1 Army
Ukraine	Kyiv	2(1 RN, 1 Army)
United Arab Emirates	Abu Dhabi	1 Army
USA	Washington	8(3 RN, 3 Army, 2 RAF)
Uzbekistan	Tashkent	1 Army
Venezuela	Caracas	1 RN
Zimbabwe	Harare	1 Army

There are a total of four officers (two RN, two RAF) employed in Canada, Russia, India and USA as office managers; these are not accredited diplomatic posts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Hydrographic

	1 April 1997		1 April 1998		1 April 1999
Defence agency	Service	Civilian	Service	Civilian	Service	Civilian
Defence Analytical Services Agency	*	115	*	117	*	103
Defence Bills Agency	*	654	*	677	*	640
Defence Dental Agency	629	111	688	135	715	151
Defence Vetting Agency	*	54	*	341	*	338
Pay and Personnel Agency	*	898	*	850	*	675
Queen Victoria School	*	69	*	68	*	68
Grand total	629	1,901	688	2,188	715	1,975

	1 April 2000		1 April 2001		1 April 2002
Defence agency	Service	Civilian	Service	Civilian	Service	Civilian
Defence Analytical Services Agency	*	120	*	129	*	145
Defence Bills Agency	*	601	*	585	*	581
Defence Dental Agency	746	171	—	—	*	158
Defence Vetting Agency	*	355	*	344	*	262
Pay and Personnel Agency	*	628	*	647	*	665
Queen Victoria School	*	69	*	71	*	70
Grand total	746	1,944	*	1,776	*	1,881

The average number of staff employed by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office during the Financial Year ended 31 March 2003 was 940 compared with 907 in the previous year. The numbers include permanent and temporary staff and Service personnel. There are four staff employed at the Chart Maintenance Unit, Faslane, this is unchanged from 2002. The increase in numbers during the year ended 31 March 2003 primarily reflects the recruitment of additional trainee chart compilation personnel in anticipation of the future retirement of significant numbers of experienced staff.The personnel costs of the agency were £28.2 million during the Financial Year ended 31 March 2003 and £26.7 million in the previous year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who the top level budget holder owner has been of each of his Department's agencies since financial year 1997£98. [119625]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time equivalent (a) military and (b) civilian staff were employed in the (i) Defence Analytical Services Agency in financial years 1997–98 to 2001–02, (ii) Defence Bills Agency in financial years 1997–98 to 2001–02, (iii) Defence Dental Agency in financial year 1997–98, (iv) Defence Vetting Agency in financial years 1997–98 to 2001–02, (v) Pay and Personnel Agency in financial years 1997–98 to 2001–02 and (vi) Queen Victoria School in financial years 1997–98 to 2001–02. [119626]

The requested information is shown in the following tables:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether anti-ballistic missiles will be located in the UK once the Fylingdales radar base has been upgraded. [120178]

The upgrade of the radar at RAF Fylingdales does not of itself commit the United Kingdom Government to the acquisition or deployment of a missile defence system, and no such decision has been taken. The United States has not made any request to site interceptor missiles in the UK as part of its missile defence system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of upgrading the Fylingdales radar base will be; and what contribution to the upgrade the UK will be required to make. [120179]

The cost of the upgrade, including the installation of new equipment, will be met by the United States. The United Kingdom will continue to operate and support the radar. The upgrade is expected to have a minimal effect on these running costs, which are of the order of £20 million per annum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library (a) background papers, interim reports and the final report from the 1997 and 1999 Ministry of Defence reviews of the terms and conditions of service for Gurkhas, on pay and pensions, and (b) the Gurkha Pay and Pensions Manual. [119684]

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

Army (as at 1 May 2003)
Soldier Arm/Service	Trained Strength	Liability	Shortfall	Shortfall (percentage)
Royal Corps of Signals	7,601	7,805	-204	-2.6
Royal Logistic Corps	13,184	14,711	-1,527	-10.4
Royal Army Medical Corps	1,810	1,999	-189	-9.5
Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers	8,751	9,850	-1,099	-11.2
Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps	445	651	-206	-31.6

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to resume nuclear testing (a) to measure nuclear warhead stockpile stability and (b) to produce new design of nuclear weapons. [119549]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the armed forces on 11 June 2003, Official Report, column 917W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Alan Simpson).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that all official (a) correspondence, (b) reports and (c) documentation from his office uses the English spelling of words where this differs from the US version. [118867]

The Ministry of Defence adheres to the guidance produced by the Cabinet Office on the handling of ministerial and other correspondence which emphasises that appropriate arrangements should be in place to ensure that the quality of all replies is high. Similarly, we subscribe to the Cabinet Office guidance on plain written English. Departmental publications are prepared in line with the Guidance on the Work of the Government Information and Communication Service.The MOD supports and promotes the principles of plain English. We have in recent years won six awards for examples of good, clear written work in the Plain English Campaign's annual Government-wide "Inside Write" competition, claiming prizes in each of the last four competitions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the critical manning groups which have been identified in (a) the Army and (b) the RAF; and what the shortfall against requirement was in each case. [119450]

The critical manning groups identified in the Army and the RAF are shown in the following tables:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what rules of engagement apply to (a) the American National Guard and (b) the US security police personnel concerning protesters found on bases in the UK. [119500]

It is not our practice to comment on Rules of Engagement and that information is withheld under Exemption 1 (Defence, Security and International Relations) of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who owns Clarence House. [115780]

Clarence House, as part of St James' Palace, is held by the Queen as sovereign on behalf of the nation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Williams) of 16 December 2003, Official Report, column 531W, if she will list the redecoration and refurbishment work at Clarence House, including amounts paid for materials and labour. [115834]

Clarence House has not been subject to substantial refurbishment for 55 years, with most of the expenditure on the residential and office areas being required irrespective of who occupies it.A works total of £3.2 million excluding VAT is being spent from the grant-in-aid on the redecoration and refurbishment works at Clarence House. These include:

Work carried out	Total cost (£ thousand)
General builders work	445
Mechanical services and plumbing	428
Electrical services	410
Internal decoration	373
Specialist finished	250
Fire protection	150
Asbestos removal	110
Catering equipment	96
Scaffolding—Internal and external	85
Carpentry	80
Service lift and shaft	72
Removal of redundant services	64
External decoration	60
Window refurbishment	54
Cleaning and repairs	24
Structural steelwork	19
Replacement of roof lights	13
Total of redecoration and refurbishment works	2,733
Construction manager's fees, services and site facilities relating to this work	512
Total	3,245

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Williams) of 16 December 2003, Official Report, column 531W, if she will list the items to be moved as part of the spending allocated to Clarence House for removing, storing and reinstating contents. [115835]

The entire contents of Clarence House were removed by 19 removal lorries so that building works could take place. The items removed comprised domestic furniture, paintings, drawings and china.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who authorised the refurbishment and redecoration works at Clarence House, and on what date. [115836]

The refurbishment of Clarence House has been included for some years in the royal household's five-year maintenance plan approved by the Department. The royal household continues to keep the Department informed regularly of the cost and progress of the refurbishment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with whom the contents of Clarence House are insured; how much this costs per annum; and whether the cost is met by the civil list. [115837]

The Royal Collection insures the items that it owns against damage but not loss. None of the insurance costs for Clarence House were met from the Civil List.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the inhabitants of Clarence House in each year from 1997 to date. [115838]

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and a number of her personal staff lived in Clarence House between 1997 and Easter 2002. Much of it was used as offices for HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's household. Since that date the House has been unoccupied.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what has been the total rental income received from inhabitants of Clarence House from 1997 to date. [115839]

There has been no rental income received from inhabitants of Clarence House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the sums allocated to professional fees in respect of refurbishment and redecoration of Clarence House have been placed following a process of competitive tendering. [115840]

All professional fees over £5,000 in respect of refurbishment and redecoration of Clarence House, which were paid for out of Grant-in-aid, were tendered competitively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who decides the annual allocation of funds provided through the grant-in-aid. [115779]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State decides on the level of grant-in-aid for the Occupied Royal Palaces as part of the regular spending reviews. Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) are responsible for the maintenance of the Unoccupied Royal Palaces. The HRP receive no grant-in-aid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the annual sum provided to the grant-in-aid has been in each year from 1979 to date. [115781]

Grant-in-aid has been paid since 1991 when the Royal Household took over day-to-day responsibility for property services for the occupied royal palaces in England. The figures are as follows:

Financial year	Annual amount (£ thousand)
1991–92	23,936
1992–93	23,159
1993–94	19,805
1994–95	20,541
1995–96	20,440
1996–97	19,609
1997–98	16,409
1998–99	15,809
1999–2000	15,125
2000–01	15,000
2001–02	15,500
2002–03	15,400

2001–02 and 2002–03 include temporary funding of £500,000 and £400,000 respectively to enable the grant-in-aid to take over financial responsibility for the Court post office's postal and telegraph services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps are in place to ensure moneys allocated to grant-in-aid are spent in an environmentally responsible manner. [115782]

The Royal Households, including representatives from The Prince of Wales' and The Duke of Edinburgh's Offices, are members of a working group with representatives from environmental organisations including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, World Wildlife Fund and Forest Stewardship Council. The group looks at the way the Palaces can be more environmentally friendly, and at the Household's environmental policy to promote sustainability, and ensures that appropriate guidance is obtained and followed.The Royal Household has a policy of using timber from renewable sources for construction work. Other environmentally friendly activities include the construction of combined heat and power units at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle and a borehole for chilling the air-conditioning at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many community sports coaches will be created under the Community Sports Coaches Scheme in (a) 2003, (b) 2004, (c) 2005 and (d) 2006. [120402]

I expect the first phase of some 100 community sports coaches to be operational during the current financial year. Decisions on future phases will be made in the light of that experience. We remain committed to creating 3,000 community sports coaches to help develop sports skills across the country by 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the statement by the Minister for Sport on 28 February 2003, Official Report, column 543, when the regulatory impact assessment was (a) prepared and (b) placed in the Library. [120722]

DCMS prepared a Regulatory Impact Assessment on the National Lottery (Funding of Endowments) Private Member's Bill when it was first tabled. I said at the time of the Bill's Second Reading on 28 February 2003 that copies would be placed in the Libraries of both Houses, and this has now been done.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the statement on 28 February 2003 by the Minister for Sport, Official Report, column 542, if she will make available in the Library before 20 June 2003 a draft of the guidance to distributors on grants to endowment funds. [120720]

I announced on 28 February 2003 that, should the National Lottery (Funding of Endowments) Bill succeed, this Department would issue guidance to distributors on this matter, and that a draft of the guidance would be made available to Peers during the Lords stages of the Bill. The guidance is currently in the process of drafting, and we will want to consult distributors before finalising the text and making it available for parliamentary scrutiny.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her Department's annual funding allocation to Sport England for (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04, (c) 2004–05 and (d) 2005–06. [119951]

[holding answer 17 June 2003]: The Department of Culture, Media and Sport funding allocation to Sport England is shown in the following table:

Funding allocation to Sport England
	£000
2002–03	181,275
2003–04	262,595
2004–05	265,775
2005–06	265,775
1 Final provision.
2 Plans.

The allocation in 2002–03 includes £28 million funding to support the Manchester Commonwealth Games.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the (a) actual and (b) projected Sport England staff numbers are for (i) 2002–03, (ii) 2003–04 and (iii) 2004–05. [119958]

[holding answer 17 June 2003]: Sport England's actual and projected staff numbers are:

• 1 April 2002—498 (actual)
• 1 April 2003—418 (actual)
• 1 April 2004—240 (projected).

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what initiatives her Department is taking to promote sustainable tourism in rural areas. [120193]

This Department and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have a shared interest in promoting sustainable tourism in rural areas. Accordingly, we work closely to shape policy and develop initiatives for action. In creating VisitBritain, my Department took over the former English Tourism Council's responsibilities for promoting rural and sustainable tourism policy.As part of the Government's programme of tourism reform, the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) are, from April 2003, playing a stronger part in the strategic leadership of tourism, with the Regional Tourist Boards (RTBs) as their natural delivery partners. Guidance has been issued to the RDAs on how tourism should be covered in their Corporate Plans and Regional Economic Strategies, including the development of Regional Sustainable Tourism Strategies in partnership with RTBs, and sub-regional and local tourism organisations. Advantage West Midlands (RDA) will lead this process in the West Midlands, taking into account the tourism potential of rural areas, and in 2003–04, will receive £252,000 to pass on to the Visit Heart of England Tourist Board, subject to agreed targets and objectives.VisitBritain's current domestic marketing campaign, "Enjoy England", will benefit rural tourism businesses that depend largely on domestic tourism.The Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES), part of Defra's England Rural Development Programme, provides project-based support for diversifying the rural economy. The total RES budget is £152 million (50 per cent. co-financed by EU CAP Pillar 2 money) from 2000 to 2006. Tourism and leisure projects fall under

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to control the trade in bushmeat. [120201]

The trade in bushmeat in this country is controlled mainly through domestic legislation designed to protect animal and human health, although some species traded as bushmeat are also regulated under EU legislation implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Illegal imports of bushmeat are being tackled under the illegal imports Action Plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the European Commission's proposals for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. [120203]

The UK Government have strongly supported the aims of the European Commission's proposals on reforming the Common Agricultural Policy and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is currently heavily engaged in trying to secure a deal which will benefit farmers, consumers, the environment, developing countries and world trade.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the likely impact of the current Common Agricultural Policy reform proposals on the number of agricultural jobs in the UK. [120202]

The European Commission's CAP reform proposals to break the link between subsidies and production would enable producers to respond more directly to market signals. This may reduce employment in direct agricultural production, while creating new opportunities from diversified land uses. We estimate that the economic benefits from such restructuring could be worth €400 million per year in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the delegations which Ministers have met to discuss support for farmers of unsupported crops prior to the forthcoming CAP mid-term review. [118059]

My noble Friend Lord Whitty has had regular discussions on all aspects of the CAP reform proposals with a Contact Group comprising:

• British Retail Consortium;
• Country Land and Business Association:
• Countryside Agency;
• Countryside Alliance;
• English Nature;
• Environment Agency;
• Farm Animal Welfare Council;
• Farmcare;
• Food and Drink Federation;
• Home Grown Cereals Authority;
• Institute of Grocery Distribution;
• Meat and Livestock Commission;
• National Consumer Council;
• National Farmers Union;
• National Trust;
• OXFAM;
• Rural Development Agencies;
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds;
• Soil Association;
• Sustainable Development Commission;
• Tenant Farmers Association;
• Trade Union Congress; and
• Wildlife and Countryside Link.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has also discussed the proposals with a number of bodies represented on the Contact Group. In addition, officials have had a number of meetings with those specifically representing unsupported sector interests, including the Processed Vegetable Growers Association and the Blackcurrant Growers Association.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on family outgoings of (a) farm subsidies, (b) the effect of the Common Agricultural Policy upon food costs and (c) other rural subsidies. [120192]

Farm subsidies paid through the EU budget represent £4–£5 per week for a family of four and the Common Agricultural Policy is estimated to add £5–£6 per week to family food costs.Rural areas will benefit from many of the nationally available subsidies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her policy to combat fly-tipping. [120205]

The Government are committed to dealing with the serious and growing problem of fly-tipping.The Anti-social Behaviour Bill, currently before Parliament, includes measures that will help the Environment Agency and local authorities to trace and prosecute those responsible for fly-tipping.The Government are also considering other measures, details of which will be published later in 2003 and brought forward at the next legislative opportunity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress of the GM Public Debate. [120206]

The debate has already been a success in terms of generating discussion about GM. The initial regional launch events were well attended and further public meetings are now being organised. People can also participate via the debate website.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are planned (a) to discourage incineration of waste and (b) to encourage maximum recycling and recover. [120207]

The Government's Waste Strategy 2000 set national targets for the recycling or composting of at least 25 per cent. of household waste by 2005, 30 per cent. by 2010 and 33 per cent. by 2015. To underpin these national targets we have set challenging statutory recycling and composting targets for all local authorities in England.We encourage recycling above incineration, but incineration with energy recovery is more sustainable than landfill. We have no plans at present to discourage the use of this option, albeit that it is one option of waste management.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received regarding the use of bridleways by (a) motorcycles and (b) four-wheel drive vehicles. [120208]

I have received considerable representation about damage and nuisance from motorcycles and from four-wheel drive vehicles in a number of locations, but these have not been specific to bridleways. Many of the representations have focused on the damage done for instance on the Ridgeway or within Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the agricultural shows which will be attended by Ministers this season; and if she will make a statement on her policy with regard to ministerial visits to shows. [120197]

A provisional list of the agricultural shows which Ministers hope to attend this season is given in the table. Attendance can be affected by a variety of factors including business in the House.The Secretary of State and Ministers appreciate the value of attending agricultural shows and visit as many shows as their diaries allow. As it is not possible to visit all shows seeking ministerial support a rolling programme is adopted to ensure all regions of the country are visited each year.

Name	Event
Secretary of State
Lord Whitty	Royal Show
	Devon County Show
	Royal Cornwall Show
	East of England Show
	Royal Show
	Royal Lancashire Show
	Dairy Event
Mr. Morley	Royal Show
	Great Yorkshire Show
	CLA Game Fair
Mr. Michael	Royal Show
	New Forest & Hants County Show
	Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead
	British Equine Event, Stoneleigh
Mr. Bradshaw	Royal Show

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to abolish export subsidies for agricultural produce. [119188]

The World Trade Organisation Doha Declaration commits all member countries to negotiations aimed at reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies. The Government fully support this commitment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent by British consumers on foodstuffs in each of the last ten years, broken down by type of foodstuff. [119158]

Estimates of the amounts spent by consumers in the UK are provided by the Office for National Statistics. A table showing consumer expenditure estimates broken by type of foodstuff is as follows.

Consumer expenditure estimates of foodstuffs, 1992–2003
Units: £ billion
	Total food and non-alcoholic beverages (household expenditure)	Bread and cereals	Meat	Fish	Milk, cheese and eggs	Oils and fats
1992	45.7	6.6	10.0	1.7	6.2	1.1
1993	47.2	6.7	10.7	1.7	6.4	1.1
1994	47.9	6.7	10.5	1.7	6.5	1.1
1995	49.8	7.0	10.7	1.8	6.7	1.1
1996	53.0	7.5	11.6	2.0	6.9	1.2
1997	53.8	7.7	11.8	1.9	6.9	1.2
1998	55.2	7.9	11.7	2.0	7.0	1.2
1999	56.6	8.0	11.9	2.1	7.2	1.2
2000	57.7	8.1	12.3	2.2	7.5	1.2
2001	60.3	9.0	12.2	2.3	7.7	1.2
2002	61.7	9.4	12.6	2.4	7.6	1.1

Consumer expenditure estimates of foodstuffs, 1992–2002
Units: £ billion
	Fruit	Vegetables	Sugar and sweet products	Food products n.e.c.	Coffee, tea arid cocoa	Mineral water and soft drinks
1992	2.9	6.1	5.1	1.1	1.5	3.5
1993	2.9	6,2	5.3	1.1	1.5	3.6
1994	3.0	6.5	5.5	1.1	1.5	3.7
1995	3.1	7.2	5.6	1.1	1.5	3.9
1996	3.3	7.7	5.9	1.2	1.6	4.1
1997	3.6	7.6	6.1	1.3	1.6	4.3
1998	3.8	7.9	6.4	1.3	1.6	4.4
1999	3.9	8.2	6.5	1.3	1.7	4.6
2000	3.9	8.2	6.4	1.3	1.7	4.9
2001	4.0	8.5	6.5	1.4	1.9	5,7
2002	4.3	8.4	6.6	1.4	1.8	6.1

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people in (a) the Bury St. Edmunds constituency, (b) Suffolk, (c) Norfolk, (d) Essex and (e) Cambridgeshire are awaiting IACS payments; and what the average waiting time for payment was in the last year for which figures are available. [120410]

Data are not held at constituency level so there is no specific information available for the Bury St. Edmunds constituency. However, there are currently no payments outstanding for Suffolk, there are also no payments outstanding for Cambridgeshire. There is one payment outstanding in Norfolk and one in Essex under the 2002 Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS), both for reasons beyond the RPA's control. For 2002 main AAPS payments, the regulatory payment window ran from 16 November 2002 to 31 January 2003. 85.88 per cent. of claims by number were paid by 8 December 2002, and 98.25 per cent. by 31 January 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in her Department and non-departmental public bodies on implementing the requirements of the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000; and if she will publish the results of the monitoring required by the Act. [117623]

One of the key values of the Department is to treat everyone fairly and to encourage, value and recognise everyone's views and contributions. This applies to the public and our external customers as well as to our staff.Defra's draft Race Equality Scheme, published last year, covered core Defra and the two smallest Agencies, the Pesticides Safety Directorate and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. The remaining four Defra Agencies (the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research, the Central Science Laboratory, the Veterinary Laboratories Agency and the Rural Payments Agency) have each produced specific schemes and associated action plans.The draft Defra Scheme was the subject of a public consultation exercise in the autumn last year and has been revised in the light of comments received. A revised Race Equality Scheme will be published in the summer together with a report on progress of action, including the results of monitoring.The Departments non-departmental public bodies are expected to follow the lead of the core Department. I will write to my hon. Friend separately to provide information on the action that they are taking to respond to the general duty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what remit relating to sustainable development is required by her Department's (a) executive agencies, (b) advisory non-departmental bodies, (c) executive non-departmental bodies, (d) tribunals, (e) public corporations and (f) other bodies. [116678]

Central Departments and their Executive Agencies are covered by the 'Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate' and the targets it contains. Departments are responsible for encouraging and developing the integration of SD into the policy and operations of their associate bodies, ie executive agencies, advisory non-departmental bodies, executive non-departmental bodies, tribunals, public corporations and other bodies.In the Greening Government 1

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had on introducing broadband to schools on Exmoor in Somerset to comply with the Government's aim of all schools having broadband by 2005. [119611]

The Prime Minister has set a target for all schools to be connected to broadband by 2006. The Department for Education and Skills is working with the Regional Broadband Consortia, LEAs and schools to ensure this target is achieved. The Department has also had a range of discussions with a number of partners including telecoms companies and other Government Departments to identify cost-effective ways of providing broadband access for schools, regardless of geographic location.The Department has not had discussions regarding broadband for schools on Exmoor specifically; rather, discussions have focused on ensuring all schools in the region will be effectively connected by 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what measures are in place (a) to prevent bullying in schools and (b) to punish those found to be harassing their peers; [119604](2) what proposals he has to protect pupils found to be victims of bullying in schools; and if he will make a statement on how bullying can affect children; [119605](3) what guidance he gives on when schools should consider police intervention in a case of bullying; and in what circumstances pupils may be expelled for bullying; [119606](4) if he will make a statement on the protection of children from bullying while in school; and whether it is his policy that

Bullying is a serious problem that affects pupils' educational achievement and emotional well-being. All schools in England must treat the problem seriously, and are required to draw up written measures, which must be fully implemented, to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils.We have made available to schools a free information pack and video entitled "Bullying: Don't Suffer in Silence", which provides examples of good practice in preventing bullying. There is also a dedicated website at www.dfes.qov.uk/bullying, which offers help to pupils, parents and teachers and contains links to other websites. Anti-bullying work is part of our Behaviour and Attendance strategy and from this September it will feature within the new behaviour and attendance audits and training, which are being introduced into secondary schools as part of the Key Stage 3 strategy.Schools need to have a range of measures in place to protect their pupils—including pupils who have been bullied previously—from bullying. These are likely to include proper supervision during the school day and encouraging a culture of openness so that bullying cannot flourish unseen. Schools should do all they can to ensure that pupils do not feel they need to change school because of bullying. As far as the bullies are concerned, we have made it clear that, where necessary, those responsible for serious or prolonged bullying— including cases of violence, sexual assault or inciting racial harassment—can be permanently excluded.We have published guidance on the circumstances in which the police should be involved in cases of bullying in school. We encourage all schools to have effective links with the local police. The Safer School Partnerships established within our wider Behaviour and Attendance strategy, whereby police officers are based in some schools, will also help to prevent and deal with bullying.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many enhanced checks (a) have been carried out and (b) remain to be carried out in the academic year 2002–03 by the Criminal Records Bureau on (i) teaching staff, (ii) non-teaching

Support staff in maintained nursery, primary, middle and secondary schools special schools1 and pupil referral units in England— Full-time equivalents January of each year
Thousands
	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	20032
Teaching assistants3
Teaching assistants	35.5	38.8	39.3	45.3	55.6	57.3	73.1
Special needs support staff	24.5	26.0	29.5	32.4	37.7	46.7	46.8
Minority ethnic pupil support staff	1.2	1.5	1.5	2.1	2.5	2.5	2.5
Total	61.3	66.3	70.3	79.8	95.8	106.4	122.3
Administrative staff
Secretaries	27.6	28.5	29.1	30.2	30.6	25.6	24.7
Bursars	4.1	4.2	4.4	4.7	5.0	4.9	5.1
Other admin/clerical staff	7.5	7.3	7.7	8.3	10.7	19.3	20.8
Total	39.2	40.1	41.2	43.2	46.3	49.8	50.6
Technicians
Total	12.7	13.1	13.5	14.2	15.0	16.6	18.0
Other support staff
Matrons/nurses/medical staff4	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.8	1.7
Child care staff (boarding schools)5	3.4	3.4	3.1	3.3	3.2	3.2	0.4
Other6	18.7	19.7	22.1	23.1	27.4	39.3	32.3
Total	23.3	24.4	26.5	27.5	31.8	44.2	34.4
Total support staff	136.5	143.8	151.5	164.7	189.0	217.0	225.3
(Total excluding nursery schools)	134.1	141.5	149.0	162.1	186.3	214.2	222.4
1 Includes non-maintained special (and special and general hospital schools).
2 Provisional.
3 Includes nursery assistants in nursery schools.
4 Included with 'other' in nursery schools.

My Department does not hold this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what arrangements his Department has for the dissemination of educational information regarding environmental matters by way of the network of eco-schools in England; [118690](2) what assessment he has made of the contribution made by the eco-schools programme to the delivery of the citizenship curriculum. [118691]

We have no plans for utilising the network of Eco-Schools (run by EnCams Limited) as a dissemination mechanism for environmental education. The citizenship curriculum is deliberately flexible, allowing teachers to choose the delivery methods best suited to their pupil's needs and interests. The Eco-Schools programme is one of a number of methods schools employ to deliver citizenship.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many education support staff have been employed in each year since 1997; and what duties they carried out. [118256]

Information on the number of support staff is shown in the table. The deployment of support staff is a matter for individual schools. No information on this deployment is available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the target is for efficiency savings in 2003–04 expressed (a) in money terms and (b) as a percentage of the Department's expenditure limit. [114107]

My Department does not have a target in the terms expressed. The Department has value for money targets arising from the Government's spending reviews in 2000 and 2002 (SR2000 & SR2002). Following SR2000, schools can now meaningfully compare costs with one another and thus improve value for money year on year. We established a framework of Consistent Financial Reporting requiring all maintained schools to report their accounts in a standardised way, which has been operational since 1 April 2003. Following SR 2002, the Department is developing a challenging target covering minimum performance and value for money in FE colleges and other post-16 providers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much it cost to educate excluded children through (a) pupil referral units, (b) home tuition, (c) emotional and behavioural disorder day units, (d) emotional and behavioural disorder residential units and (e) other provision for excluded children in each year since 1995. [116635]

[holding answer 3 June 2003]: The information requested is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what change there has been an increase in applications for free school meals since the introduction of new rules in April. [119313]

The information requested is not currently available. The number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is collected in January each year via the Annual Schools' Census. As a result, trend data on the number of pupils known to be eligible for free meals since the introduction of new rules in April 2003 will not be available until 2004.