To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to announce new appointments to the Committee on Standards in Public Life; and if he will make a statement. [137420]

I have appointed two new members to the Committee.The right hon. Member for North-West Norfolk (Mrs. Shephard) DL MP takes up appointment as the Conservative Party nominee in succession to the right hon. Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market OBE. Baroness Maddock takes up appointment as the Liberal Democrat Party nominee in succession to Lord Goodhart QC. Both appointments are for three years in the first instance.The right hon. Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market and Lord Goodhart are both stepping down from the Committee on completion of their second terms of appointment. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them both for the valuable work they have undertaken on the Committee over the last six years, and the significant contribution they have made to improving standards in public life.

To ask the Prime Minister how much was spent on (a) maintenance, (b) renovation, (c) council tax and (d) running costs of residential properties used by the Prime Minister and officials in each year since 1997. [134696]

For running costs and the cost of maintenance, renovation and council tax of residential properties in Downing street, I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 22 July 2002, Official Report, column 804W, and on 28 February 2002, Official Report, columns 1443-44W.Expenditure on routine maintenance work to the flat above No. 11 Downing street for 2001–02 was £32,949.Final figures for 2002–03 are not yet available.For Chequers, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for north Devon (Mr. Harvey) on 13 February 2003,

To ask the Prime Minister (1) with whom he has communicated to try to find a way in which he can disclose certain information given to him and the Prime Minister of the Irish Republic by General de Chastelain; and what the responses have been; [136948](2) pursuant to his statement of 22 October 2003,

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sevenoaks (Mr. Fallon) at Prime Minister's Questions on 29 October 2003, Official Report, column 300.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will make regulations to allow cameras to be used to enforce bus lanes outside London; and if he will make a statement. [136362]

Section 144 of the Transport Act 2000 enables regulations to be made so that local authorities outside London can enforce bus lanes using cameras to detect vehicles being driven in them illegally. The work on the preparation of the regulations including resolving relevant legal points has taken longer than expected but the Department for Transport and the Department for Constitutional Affairs hope to be able to make the relevant regulations later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase the number of MOT testers; and if he will make a statement. [136183]

None—there is no evidence to suggest that there is a shortage of qualified MOT testers. Currently there are around 19,500 MOT testing stations with 50,000 testers. There is no restriction on the number of garages that can apply to become MOT testing stations and, once designated, garages can employ as many MOT testers as they wish.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects trains from Liverpool to London to travel at speeds of 125 mph. [136453]

[holding answer 4 November 2003]: It is expected that the modernisation of the West Coast Main Line will enable train services, including those from London to Liverpool, to travel at speeds of up to 125 mph from the autumn of 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the safety implications for road users of speed cameras. [136082]

On 11 February 2003 the Department published an independently produced evaluation report of the two-year trial of the safety camera cost recovery system. This showed a 35 per cent. reduction in those killed or seriously injured at camera sites, equating to around 280 people and a 4 per cent. reduction in those killed or seriously injured across the pilot areas, equating to around 530 people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce further regulations on the fitness of individuals to drive. [136085]

We have an on-going research programme into fitness to drive, the results of which will help inform the Secretary of State's Honorary Medical Advisory Panels in relation to their advice on the driver licensing standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is introducing to reduce the numbers of children under the age of 16 who are killed or receive a serious head injury as a result of a cycling accident. [136422]

We have produced a large body of material on cycle safety aimed at younger children promoting the use of cycle helmets as well as other cycle safety messages such as conspicuity and training. We have also developed a Cycle Sense campaign aimed at teenagers that was launched on 21 May this year. The campaign encourages teenagers to wear cycle helmets and consists of posters and a new cycle sense website.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will comply with the Cabinet Office's guidance on consultation when consulting on the detailed regulations which accompany the Traffic Management Bill. [136802]

We will comply with Cabinet Office guidance when consulting on any such regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to consult the utilities companies on the detailed regulations that will accompany the Traffic Management Bill. [136803]

We will be consulting widely not only with utility companies, but also with local authorities and other relevant bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers exist to authorise security staff at United Kingdom airports to examine passengers' luggage, by force if necessary, without the knowledge or consent of the passenger; and how many times they have been exercised in the past 12 months. [136796]

Aerodrome managers and aircraft operators are directed through secondary legislation, made under the Aviation Security Act 1982, to examine passenger baggage to a standard sufficient reasonably to ensure that no prohibited articles are taken into a restricted zone or onto an aircraft. Where passengers refuse to permit such an examination, the baggage is not allowed to pass beyond the point of search. If the baggage is not accompanied by its owner, and x-ray screening of a bag has not resolved all doubts, the aircraft operator is permitted by direction to search the bag by hand. Searching unaccompanied hold baggage by hand is therefore rarely necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions there have been by British Transport Police for acts of vandalism on (a) on tube trains, (b) in tube stations and (c) on tube lines in each of the last 10 years. [136524]

Vandalism is not classified as a crime group but the offence of criminal damage is the closest equivalent. Prosecutions are a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service. However, the BTP have provided the information in Table 1 regarding the number of people arrested, summonsed or charged with criminal damage in the past six years, which is the maximum period for which reliable data are available. Table 2 shows the total number of criminal damage offences reported and cleared for the last 10 years. Table 3 gives a breakdown for criminal damage offences reported and cleared, split between tube stations, tube lines and tube trains for the last four years, the maximum period for which reliable data are available.

Table 1
Time period (1 October-30 September)	Number of Persons Arrested Charged/Summonsed for criminal damage offences
1997–98	92
1998–99	75
1999–2000	82
2000–01	98
2001–02	64
2002–03	152

Table 2
Criminal Damage Offences (1 April-31 March)	Reported	Cleared
2002–03	925	119
2001–02	725	139
2000–01	693	136
1999–2000	697	135
1998–99	715	173
1997–98	896	336
1996–97	780	187
1995–96	978	191
1994–95	1,042	154
1993–94	1,391	122

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what action has been taken to bring more people from science and technology backgrounds into the Civil Service on secondments as recommended by the Council for Science and Technology in its review in 1999 of Science and Technology Across Government. [133944]

The Government are committed to developing a modern, flexible and outward focused Civil Service that works in partnership with all sectors of society. A key tool in meeting that commitment is the Interchange initiative, which promotes and encourages

Main farm type—1993 to 2002: June agricultural census—England
Main farm types	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997
Cereals	20,443	20,212	19,960	20,379	21,085
General cropping	13,318	13,031	12,909	12,828	11,696
Specialist fruit	1,589	1,578	1,408	1,435	1,492
Specialist glass	3,472	3,346	3,034	2,808	2,743
Other horticulture	3,593	3,307	2,990	2,858	3,227
Specialist pigs	2,441	2,342	2,137	2,080	2,236
Specialist poultry	2,903	2,801	2,445	2,557	2,959
Mixed pigs and poultry	129	121	111	110	152
Dairy—LFA	3,797	3,673	3,421	3,213	2,996
Dairy—lowland	16,987	16,906	16,211	15,691	15,011
Specialist sheep—SDA	2,641	2,524	2,390	2,320	2,318
Specialist beef—SDA	1,805	1,725	1,737	1,703	1,618
Mixed cattle and sheep—SDA	3,537	3,395	3,257	3,003	2,843
Cattle and sheep—DA	3,365	3,266	3,129	2,941	2,866
Cattle and sheep—Lowland	31,880	32,589	31,024	31,173	30,878
Cropping and dairy	1,714	1,615	1,604	1,578	1,634
Cropping cattle and sheep	6,155	6,221	6,256	6,128	5,858
Cropping pig and poultry	1,191	1,161	1,109	1,106	1,118
Cropping and mixed livestock	633	666	658	572	602
Mixed livestock	2,009	1,940	1,799	1,896	2,121
Specialist mushrooms	173	183	167	155	146
Specialist hardy nursery stock	1,094	1,077	1,126	1,188	1,104
Specialist set-aside	1,309	1,238	1,104	1,044	937
Specialist grass and forage	17,563	18,260	16,506	16,638	16,897
Specialist goats	520	512	355	359	337
Specialist horses	8,301	8,879	8,590	9,149	9,166
Non-classifiable—fallow	401	406	296	283	285
Non-classifiable—other	459	452	379	443	452
All types	153,422	153,426	146,112	145,638	144,777

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many agriculture and horticulture holdings in the United Kingdom there were which were mainly (a) beef, (b) dairy, (c) sheep, (d) pigs, (e) poultry meat, (f) poultry egg, (g) fruit and vegetables, (h) flowers and other non edible crops, (i) energy crops, (j) arable, (k) mixed and (l) other in each of the last 10 years for which records are available. [135769]

Agricultural and horticultural holdings are classified annually from the June agricultural and horticultural census into 27 different types.For the last 10 years the figures are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many aquaculture research projects were commissioned by her Department from the Ardtoe Marine Farming Unit in each year since 1997; and what the (a) subject and (b) cost of each project was. [136157]

[holding answer 3 November 2003]: Aquaculture research projects commissioned by Defra from the Sea Fish Industry Authority's Marine Farming Unit at Ardtoe since 1997 are as follows:

• FC0107—environmental control of halibut broodstock and rearing procedures for feeding larvae; 1993–98; total cost £515,400;
• FC0905—halibut egg and early larval rearing; 1998; total cost £20,000;
• FC1011—development strategy for the UK shellfish cultivation industry; 2000–01; total cost £45,000; and
• FC1140—economic evaluation to assess the output potential of the UK shellfish cultivation industry; 2000; £45,000.

Details of Defra research projects may be viewed at the following website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/research/project.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the REACH proposals for regulation of the chemical industry. [136681]

The Government is committed to the new EU Chemicals Strategy, which aims to improve protection for human health and the environment. The new EU Chemicals Strategy is trying to address the fact that thousands of chemicals have been used for many years without adequate information about their hazardous properties or what risks are involved in their short-term and long-term use. In doing so, the proposal for new chemicals legislation, which was adopted by the European Commission on 29 October 2003, should create greater transparency and help identify chemicals of concern.In the forthcoming negotiations the UK has three overarching objectives:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) farmers, (b) partners, (c) directors and (d) spouses were engaged in dairy farming in each of the last five years. [135745]

Data for the total number farmers, partners, directors and spouses combined are collected annually from the June agricultural and horticultural census as a total. Figures are not available for each item.For the last five years the figures are:

Farmers, directors, partners and spouses on holdings with a dairy herd June agricultural census—England
Number
1998	47,591
1999	47,151
2000	43,150
2001	40,702
2002	40,906

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many dairy farmers have left the industry in the last 10 years for which records are available. [135770]

Data on the number of farmers leaving the dairy industry are not collected by Defra. From the June Agricultural and Horticultural Census, we can provide the numbers of farmers, partners, directors and spouses. From these figures it will be possible to determine the net difference year on year.For the last 10 years the figures are:

Farmers, directors, partners and spouses on holdings with a dairy herd June agricultural census—England
Farmers, directors, spouses, partners
1993	50,402
1994	49,592
1995	47,515
1996	46,150
1997	48,066
1998	47,591
1999	45,151
2000	43,150
2001	40,702
2002	40,906

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library papers submitted by her Department to the European Commission on (a) changes to the Date Based Export Scheme and (b) moderate risk status; and how many representations her Department has made to the Commission regarding these papers subsequently. [134660]

Copies of the papers submitted will be placed in the Library of the House.The Secretary of State has discussed these issues with Commissioner Byrne on a number of occasions, most recently on 22 September at the informal Agriculture Council at Taormina. Defra officials have also met Commission officials on a number of occasions, and are in regular contact with them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the 100 farmers who received the largest direct production payments in the last year for which information is available; and how much each received. [132452]

We are unable to supply information on individual payments under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 unless such details are allowed by any of the exemptions to the Act. If such exemptions can be identified, then further consideration can be given to the request.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress that has been made by her Department to meet the outcomes of the Earth Summit in Johannesburg. [136112]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 1 September 2003, Official Report, column 845W, which noted that the Government would be presenting an overview of progress against commitments made at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development. That progress report, which covers actions across Government, has now been published and is available at: http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/eac-wssd/progress.htm

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs what research she has commissioned into coexistence on a commercial scale between GM and non-GM crops that takes account of the interactions and relationships between seed contamination, volunteers, spillage and cross-pollination. [136234]

Defra has commissioned a number of studies relevant to co-existence to complement those undertaken by others. These include a report published in 2000 by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany on crop separation distances needed to achieve specified cross-pollination thresholds. Details of other studies including studies on cross-pollination between GM and conventional crops and between GM crops and wild relatives and studies on the persistence and weediness of GM crop volunteers are available through the Defra website a: www.defra.gov.uldenvironment/gm/research/index.htm The European Commission also published a major research study on this subject last year, available at: www.jrc.es/home/publications/publication.cfm?pub = 1044 The body of literature was also recently reviewed by the GM Science Review Panel as part of the GM Dialogue, and their final report is available at: www.gmsciencedebate.org.ukThe Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission has been analysing possible approaches to co-existence and is due to submit a report to the Government later this month. We will consider this issue further in the light of that report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the petition from residents within the Havering area opposing GM crops. [136475]

We have no record of receiving the specific petition to which the hon. Member refers, but the Government certainly recognise that people have concerns on this subject. We already have strict and transparent safety controls on GM crops, along with clear labelling rules to ensure consumer choice. The Government are now considering the outcome of the GM public debate that they have sponsored and will make a response to this in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with (a) industry representatives, (b) the Food Standards Agency and (c) others in respect of the regulatory framework which applies to (i) mobile slaughter operators and (ii) the livestock farmers who employ them. [136263]

The public health aspects of the slaughter of animals for human consumption are a matter for the Food Standards Agency. The Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 (as amended) require that no person shall carry on the business of a slaughterhouse unless the premises are licensed under the Regulations. Furthermore the Regulations also require that no person shall sell fresh meat for human consumption unless it has been slaughtered in a licensed slaughterhouse. Consequently it is unlawful for a mobile licensed slaughter man to kill and dress an animal for human consumption outside of licensed premises. At a meeting in February this year, at which Defra officials were present, the Agency explained the regulatory framework to representatives of the National Farmers Union. Subsequently officials from both the Department and the Agency participated in a meeting arranged by the Union, at which representatives of the Union and former mobile slaughter operators were present, to discuss how the framework could apply to the licensing of mobile slaughterhouses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from (a) industry representatives and (b) others in respect of regulations which apply to mobile slaughter operators. [136264]

The National Farmers Union, Members of Parliament and members of the public have been in contact with the Department about the regulatory framework that applies to the slaughter of animals for human consumption and in particular the private kill of animals on farm.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to introduce an outright ban on pair trawling for bass; and what assessment she has made of the use of separator grids to preserve dolphin wildlife in the United Kingdom. [134849]

[holding answer 28 October 2003]: Defra-funded trials to reduce cetacean bycatch in the offshore bass fishery have demonstrated that separator grids are a viable means of minimising dolphin bycatch in this fishery. The very significantly reduced mortality rate overall in this trial compared with observations on boats over previous years is extremely encouraging. Two animals died in 82 hauls over a seven-week period beginning in March this year, a significant reduction in what is normally observed to be the case. In observations elsewhere in the fishery without the grid deployed, 28 dolphin casualties were recorded in 49 hauls.On the basis of these results, we will be moving forward from trialling the separator grid to deploying the gear in the fishery. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the grid and adjust as necessary. If an effective reduction in small cetacean bycatch cannot be maintained through the use of the grid, I do not rule out other options such as closure of the offshore-bass fishery.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received in the last six months about the eradication of genome groups under the scrapie plan; and if she will make a statement. [135378]

Defra has regular contact with stakeholders to discuss a wide range of issues relating to the National Scrapie Plan. Among these are a bi-annual stakeholder forum and various ad hoc industry focus group meetings to discuss and assist in the development of proposals and initiatives to further improve and enhance the National Scrapie Plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of sheep annual premium payments were paid more than two months late in England in the last 24 months. [135380]

As detailed in the table, 0.15 per cent. of 2001 Sheep Annual Premium Scheme (SAPS) claims and 0.18 per cent. of 2002 claims were paid two months later than their respective scheme year payment deadlines.

	Scheme Year
	2001	2002
Total claims received	30,363	27,083
Claims paid two months later than the EU payment deadline1
Number	46	49
Percentage	0.15	0.18
1 These relate claims under query.

The payment window for SAPS 2003 opened on 16 October 2003. To date, 98 per cent. of claims have been paid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the implications for tenant farmers of rural development for rents under the revised Common Agricultural Policy. [134842]

The biggest implication for tenant farmers arises from the decoupling of support from production. This will mean that all farmers, including tenants, will have more flexibility in terms of what they produce. This is because the support they receive will no longer be dependent on the types of crop or livestock they farm. Taking the reforms as a whole, it is difficult to forecast the precise effects reform might have on rents. However, where tenants continue to farm and claim support the requirement for land will continue to underpin the land rental market. Further work is planned in this area and we hope to make the results generally available in due course.

To ask the Minister for Women, what steps she is taking to help regional development agencies to encourage women to participate in the labour market. [136670]

The Regional Development Agencies have a remit to promote skills, enterprise and labour market participation in their regions. All of these, including the provision of child care, are relevant to women's participation in the labour market.

To ask the Minister for Women, if she will make a statement on progress with the equal pay audits in Government Departments. [136671]

The Government have made a commitment for Civil Service departments and agencies to undertake equal pay reviews and prepare action plans. Action plans representing 99 per cent. of the Civil Service have now been received by the Cabinet Office.

To ask the Minister for Women, what action she is taking to ensure that Iraqi women are fully involved in all plans for the (a) reconstruction and (b) Government of Iraq. [136672]

To ask the Minister for Women what steps she is taking to ensure that Iraqi women play a part in the leadership of Iraq. [136668]

Two weeks ago I met Dr. Raja Khuzaai, one of the two female members of the Iraqi Governing Council. In July I met the US Special Envoy, Amb. Bremer, in Baghdad. I impressed on him the importance of women's full involvement in the emerging political structures—this includes the Constitutional reform process.I have pledged my full support for the establishment of an Iraqi Women's Higher Council—a non-governmental advisory body on women's issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions she has held with employers in the engineering sector regarding their plans for investment. [136687]

I have benefited from a number of opportunities, both in writing and in person, to discuss a wide range of issues with representatives of the engineering sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action she has taken to ensure that there is a high take-up of the new rights for parents of young children. [136688]

The package of new laws implemented this April provides parents with more choice and more support about how they balance work and childcare in ways that benefit everyone: employers, employees and children. The Government have produced a wide package of support to promote take-up including guidance and case studies in booklets on the web. National adverts at the time of implementation and in October have ensured a high level of awareness. In addition, we have supported other bodies such as the Federation of Small Businesses and Fathers Direct, to produce their own material.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to increase research and development expenditure in the regions. [136691]

All regions stand to benefit from the action taken by the Government to boost public R&D through the last three spending reviews and to

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure that all (a) demolition contractors and (b) waste removal companies have insurance cover. [136692]

Employers Liability is a statutory insurance. Enforcement for non-compliance is undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive. The Government have been actively working with stakeholders to reform and improve the existing enforcement arrangements.If the hon. Member has details of any company breaking this statutory requirement, he should forward the details to the HSE.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the contracts for consultancy and other work carried out by Bechtel in each year since 1997, stating in each case (a) the nature of the work, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the duration of the contract; and if she will make a statement. [135901]

[holding answer 3 November 2003]: The Department has placed one direct contract with Bechtel since 1997. The work covers the provision of technical support and assistance to the Department's Liabilities Management Unit in carrying out its remit to prepare the ground for the creation of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The Department paid Bechtel £8.044 million for its work in 2002–03. The contract was placed on 10 June 2002 for a two-year duration, with options to extend for a further period of up to five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she has taken to increase availability of broadband in the more disadvantaged areas of the UK [136682]

Broadband is available to 80 per cent. of households in the UK which is higher than in Italy, France and the USA. The DTI is working with the Devolved Administrations (DAs) and Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) to extend the availability of broadband still further. We have given them £30 million for pilot schemes to extend the availability of broadband. This has stimulated further regional schemes worth at least £377 million over 2000–06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on Government action to encourage fair trade initiatives. [135508]

I strongly support the aims of the Fairtrade movement. It gives a clear indication to consumers that disadvantaged producer groups in developing countries receive a minimum price above that offered by mainstream markets.A real strength of the Fairtrade movement has been in raising awareness among mainstream retailers about the importance of managing supply chains to maximise benefits to the poor, and in raising public awareness of important development issues surrounding trade. That is why the Government, through the Department for International Development (DFID) has provided £500,000 in support of UK development awareness and education campaigns centred on Fairtrade over the past two years. My hon. Friend the Minister for Corporate and Social Responsibility met business leaders last year to encourage greater take-up of Fairtrade products. I have ensured that Fairtrade tea and coffee is made available throughout the DTI offices and many of my Cabinet colleagues have responded to my urging to do likewise.The Fairtrade market, despite recent rapid growth, remains small (£63 million in 2002). Through DFID's support for initiatives such as the Ethical Trading Initiative (£1.3 million over three years 2002–04)—an alliance of UK retail companies, NGOs and trade unions working to improve labour conditions in the supply chains of its corporate members—we are able to contribute to improving the working conditions under which £100 billion of goods are produced each year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to launch a public awareness programme after the introduction of the fireworks regulations. [136286]

A communication strategy to make those affected aware of the new regulations is in preparation and will be finalised when the timing and details of the regulations are decided.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions her Department has had and plans to have with (a) police forces and (b) local authorities about the implementation of the new fireworks regulations and their enforcement. [136287]

The Department has had preliminary discussions on fireworks regulations both to come into force before the end of the year and those regulatory proposals scheduled for implementation later on, in 2004.Specifically, with respect to

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is her policy that the sections of the Fireworks Act 2003 that concern anti-social behaviour and fireworks should be in force by Christmas [135922]

The Department will implement two provisions of the Fireworks Act 2003 by the end of this year—those concerned with the antisocial use of fireworks. Those are:

• a prohibition on the possession of fireworks in public places by those under the age of 18; and
• a prohibition on the possession of category 4 fireworks by the general public.

Other aspects of the Act concerned with both supply and other antisocial behaviour issues we intend to implement by the summer of 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on investment by Indian businesses in the UK. [136693]

There are more than 440 Indian investments in the UK with 19 new investments last year creating 316 new jobs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) proportion and (b) volume in financial terms of manufacturing conducted by companies registered in the UK (i) was carried out within the UK in 1993 and (ii) is carried out within the UK now; and what estimate her Department has made of the (A) proportion and (B) volume in (x) 2004, (y) 2008 and (z) 2013. [135081]

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken to encourage young people to work in the manufacturing sector. [135505]

Through the Government's National Skills Strategy we are working closely with all sectors of industry, and other stakeholders, to ensure that employers have access to the right skills to support their businesses and organisations. This is complemented by recent changes to the National Curriculum to add

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to improve levels of manufacturing business investment. [136690]

By maintaining a stable macroeconomic climate, together with measures such as reforming capital gains tax, making permanent enhanced capital allowances for small and medium sized firms, and introducing the R& D tax credit, we are providing a climate conducive to investment for the long-term in UK manufacturing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with Ofgem on the guidance they give to (a) hon. Members and (b) constituents on difficulties in obtaining responses from the Customer Relations Department of npower. [R] [136801]

Ministers at the DTI have not had any recent discussions on these matters with Ofgem. Constituents who have had difficulty in resolving problems with gas and electricity suppliers should, in the first instance, contact the statutory consumer body, the Gas and Electricity Consumer Council (Energywatch), not Ofgem.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the proposed directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions as approved by the European Parliament on 24 September; and if she will make a statement. [136202]

[holding answer 3 November 2003]: In considering the best ways to encourage innovation in the UK, the Government believe that a fair and effective intellectual property system, for software as well as for other areas of technology, plays a central part in developing and protecting new ideas. The aim of the UK Government and the European Commission, in the proposed directive on software patents, is to clarify the position on patentability of computer-implemented inventions and confirm that only those inventions that involve a technical contribution can be protected by patents. We believe that this is beneficial for industry and consumers alike.We continue to listen to the concerns of those who oppose the granting of patents in this field, and we believe that the Government's approach offers the best balance of protection for the industry and for users of software. The directive is now before a working group of the Council of Ministers where representatives from EU member states, and the Commission, will consider the amendments made by the Parliament and in due course submit it to the Council itself for its consideration. We will await the comments of the working group and the Commission before finalising our position.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the planned nuclear decommissioning authority will be given powers to renegotiate existing reprocessing contracts with British Energy when it takes over the ownership and management of the THORP reprocessing plant at Sellafield. [135626]

Legislation will be brought forward to establish the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) as soon as parliamentary time permits. We intend that the N DA will come into effect in April 2005.The NDA will take responsibility for those liabilities and assets currently owned and managed by BNFL at the THORP reprocessing plant. As the required legislation has not yet been introduced, it would be wrong to comment on what role the NDA might have in respect of contracts between BNFL and British Energy.In her statement to the House on 28 November 2002, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry made clear that the Government would need to contribute significantly to British Energy's historic nuclear fuel liabilities that are managed by

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to improve the provision of business advice to owners of small businesses in London. [136619]

During the first six months of the current financial year, Business Link for London has worked with over 31,887 businesses, this compares to the corresponding period of the previous financial year (2002–03) when 16,432 businesses were assisted, this being a 94 per cent. increase, including 23 per cent. that are Black or Minority Ethnic businesses.Business Link for London has an agreed Delivery Plan with the Small Business Service to provide a high quality business advice and support service to small and medium sized businesses (SM Es) in London.Client satisfaction levels are currently at 83.1 per cent. (Quarter 2 result 2003–04), a 5.1 per cent. raise in satisfaction levels compared to the corresponding period in the previous financial year, showing that the quality of service is improving as well as the numbers receiving the service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make it her policy to increase the level at which the Government underwrite the Small Loans Guarantee Fund. [136618]

The Small Firms Loan Guarantee (SFLG) was extensively revised in April 2003 as part of the DTI's transformed business support programme. The changes, including a new guarantee level of 75 per cent for all eligible businesses and additional sector coverage including retail and catering, simplified the SFLG and widened its scope. From 1 April 2003 to 30 September 2003 take-up increased by 40 per cent over the same period last year. The DTI continues to monitor the operation of the SFLG to ensure that it remains relevant and accessible to small businesses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the state of the technological sector in the United Kingdom. [135511]

During the course of the Innovation Review, my officials have produced a detailed economic assessment of the UK's innovation performance. This includes data and analysis on the technological performance of UK based firms.This assessment will be published shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what safeguards UK courts have in place to ensure that evidence presented before them has not been obtained under duress; and if he will make a statement. [132644]

I refer my hon. Friend to my answer given on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 102W.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter to him dated 14 August from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. Khalid Rahtin. [133842]

I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 3 September 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter to him dated 2 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to facilities for the disabled. [133843]

I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 23 October 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many targets he has set for each local criminal justice board in 2003–04. [133485]

For the year 2003–04 and in the context of the Criminal Justice System Public Service Agreement, each local criminal justice board has been set the following targets:

A nationally set target to increase by five per cent. the number of crimes for which an offender is brought to justice—this is also known as the 'narrowing the justice gap' target.

The 'Narrowing the Justice Gap' target includes two further locally set sub-targets:

To increase the number (within a range of five-15 per cent.) of offences brought to justice committed by the core group of persistent offenders.

To reduce the proportion of ineffective trials with locally set targets contributing to a required national level of improvement of 27 per cent. in both Crown court and magistrates courts over the three-year course of the target.

A nationally set target to improve the level of public confidence in the criminal justice system—where a national six per cent point improvement is sought over the three-year course of the target.

Outside of the Criminal Justice System Public Service Agreement, local boards have also been set the following targets for the year 2003–04:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment was made of the increase in running costs to the Criminal Records Bureau that necessitated the recent increase in fee levels; [131815](2) what the changes were since 1993 in fees from the Criminal Records Bureau to local authorities for applications for posts in the education and social care sectors. [131819]

The Criminal Records Bureau began operating in March 2002. Initially, the fee for both Standard and Enhanced Disclosures was £12 (with Disclosures issued free of charge to volunteers). We made it clear that the Bureau would eventually become self-financing through the fees that it charged and that the fees would be reviewed regularly. With effect from 1 July 2003, the fee for Standard Disclosures has risen to £24 and for Enhanced Disclosures to £29. A copy of a Regulatory Impact Assessment containing more detailed information has been placed in the Library.The Disclosure fee is determined by a combination of CRB costs and the volume of applications. The deferment of the introduction of Basic Disclosures has inevitably meant that the volumes of Disclosures issued has been less than forecast, thereby pushing up the unit cost of producing each Disclosure. In addition, the CRB has experienced some increase in costs, for example, as a result of the introduction of the paper application channel in response to customer demand. The CRB's planned expenditure in 2003–04 is £75 million (on the basis of a projected demand for 2.3 million Disclosures) as compared with an outturn of £59 million in 2002–03 (when some 1.5 million Disclosures were issued).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the average time taken to assess a Criminal Records Bureau application in the education and social care sectors was in the last quarter for which figures are available; [131816](2) what the backlog is of Criminal Records Bureau assessments in education and social care. [131817]

The specific information that my hon. Friend has asked for on processing times for applicants in the education and social care sectors is not available from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) systems. The CRB does monitor and report on the average time to deal with all Disclosure applications, but its systems do not break this information down by sector.Likewise, the number of applications from individual sectors that are still awaiting a disclosure is not available. At present, however, the Bureau is processing in excess of 90 per cent. of all Enhanced Disclosures in four weeks and 90 per cent. of all Standard disclosures in two weeks. These performance figures are available on the CRB website: www.crb.gov.uk

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reduce the time taken for Criminal Records Bureau checks to be carried out on new staff in care homes. [133272]

Over 90 per cent. of Standard and Enhanced Disclosures are now issued within two and four weeks respectively, exceeding current service standards. These have been set based on experience gained of this complex operation. The current targets are realistic but challenging. They will be kept under review.We are determined to continue to improve the efficiency of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the quality of the service it provides to its customers. Measures are currently under consideration in light of the recommendations of the Independent Review Team appointed by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary which are designed to reduce processing time.As the independent regulator, the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) has the responsibility to ensure that care homes meet all their statutory obligations. It has stated clearly that where CRB clearances are not in place, and provided that the welfare of care home residents is protected, it will apply its discretion on the use of its enforcement powers on a case by case basis. The NCSC issued a press release on 22 September 2003 setting out its approach to CRB checks for care home staff. A copy is available on the NCSC's website at www.carestandards.org.uk.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received in the increase in fees for security checks charged by the Criminal Records Bureau. [133384]

We have received—both direct and through right hon. and hon. Members—a significant number of representations. These have chiefly concerned two issues: the size of the increases in fees, which reflect increased unit costs and the need for the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) to move substantially towards a target of being self-financing by 2005–06; and the short notice of the increases which reflected the need to reduce the possibility of a surge in demand which could have had a detrimental effect on the CRB's operation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he gives on the way the police deal with the perpetrators of domestic violence. [130990]

Home Office circular 19/2000 gives guidance on police handling cases of domestic violence.The National Centre for Policing Excellence (NCPE) is currently developing updated guidelines for police handling of domestic violence cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how the funding announced in January for domestic violence projects will be allocated; [134912](2) in which financial year he will allocate the money announced in January for domestic violence projects; [134913](3) when funding for domestic violence projects will be transferred from his Department to crime and disorder partnerships; whether the funds for prevention domestic violence will be ring-fenced; whether prevention of domestic violence will remain a priority for the Department under the new funding arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [134960]

Domestic violence accounts for around 25 per cent. of violent crime and tackling it effectively remains a priority for the Home Department.In February this year my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced a £14 million funding package for domestic violence over a three year period. The first allocation from this funding—announced in May—was of over £2 million this year to domestic violence projects set up under the Crime Reduction Programme's Violence Against Women initiative. This included Gloucestershire's 'Co-ordinated Community Response' to domestic violence. This funding was to help these projects ensure that their services are work of local agencies and that they can secure sustainable ongoing funding for the longer term.Further funding over the three years will be allocated to help improve local action on domestic violence through Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs). A 'mapping exercise' of CDRP activity on domestic violence has recently been conducted to help inform these further allocations. We will be making announcements on this shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the trade in heroin emanating from Afghanistan since the defeat of the Taliban; and if he will make a statement on the trends in volumes of heroin arriving in the United Kingdom from Afghanistan. [135856]

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement on 30 October 2003 regarding the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) survey results for the 2003 opium poppy crop in Afghanistan,

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is being done to combat the international drugs trade, particularly that emanating from countries of concern; and if he will make a statement on its impact upon the United Kingdom. [136478]

I have been asked to reply.The FCO's commitment to tackle international drug trafficking is set out in its Public Service Agreements. In line with the Government's 10-year drugs strategy, '1998–2008: Tackling Drugs Together to Build a Better Britain', the FCO's priority is to reduce the availability of Class A drugs in the UK. Through the Drugs and Crime Fund (£9.9 million in the financial year 2003–04), the FCO assists law enforcement and other agencies in key production and transit countries to improve their capability to disrupt the flow of Class A drugs to the UK.About 95 per cent. of the UK's heroin comes from Afghanistan. Afghanistan's National Drug Control Strategy, agreed earlier this year, has set the target of eliminating opium poppy by 2013. The UK is investing £70 million on sustainable measures over the next three years to support implementation of that strategy. Additional staff are being deployed to Kabul to assist in the implementation. I will be co-hosting, with President Karzai and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), an international conference in Kabul in February next year to boost further the international counter-narcotics effort in Afghanistan.In the financial year 2002–03 the FCO provided over £5 million in counter-narcotics related assistance to priority countries in South America and the Caribbean where illegal drugs are produced or trafficked. This assistance included funding for HMCE drug law enforcement training, provision of drug detection equipment, assessment of local law enforcement communications equipment and contributions to UNODC projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being taken to halt the illegal importation of fireworks, in particular through the internet. [136958]

I have been asked to reply.Talks are already under way between DTI and the principal Departments that deal with importation and storage issues, that is, Customs and Excise and HSE, respectively.The Department under the new Fireworks Act 2003 will bring in a raft of measures by the summer of 2004 and which will include a requirement on importers to provide information about their imports. The purpose of this would be to better track fireworks imports to help ensure that they are destined for legal (licensed) distribution and supply outlets.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed Public-Private Partnership regarding the Forensic Science Service will require legislation. [132404]

The transformation of the Forensic Science Service into a Public-Private Partnership will require the revocation of the Forensic Science Service Trading Fund Order 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on purchasing and upgrading IT equipment by his Department (a) in 2003 and (b) in 2002; and what this cost per employee. [135895]

The information requested is in the following table:

	Time period	Totals (£)
Part FY	01 January 2002–31 March 2002	36,464,010
Full FY	01 April 2002–31 March 2003	13,017,585
Part FY	01 April 2003–30 September 2003	9,127,403
		58,608,998

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (a) in what circumstances and (b) for which criminal offences a jury trial may be refused to a person charged with a criminal offence. [135019]

There are presently no circumstances in which a person charged with a criminal offence may be refused jury trial.Certain offences are triable only on indictment, and must be heard by a judge and jury. Summary offences—which constitute the overwhelming majority of criminal cases—are triable only in the magistrates' courts unless they fulfil certain conditions (for example, because they are related to an indictable-only offence). Other offences are triable either way:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time prison officers were employed by Her Majesty's Prison Service in the East Riding of Yorkshire on 1 September in each of the last three years. [136469]

There are two prisons managed by Her Majesty's Prison Service (public sector prisons) in the East Riding of Yorkshire: Everthorpe and Hull prisons. Information on full-time officers employed at these prisons in each of the last three years is shown in the table.

	Full time officers in post
Establishment	1 September 2003	1 September 2002	1 September 2001
HMP
Everthorpe	124	120	125
HMP Hull	342	307	242

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in the prison population has been in each of the last 10 years; and what the percentage change in numbers of prison officers has been in each year in the same period. [129604]

The information requested is given in the following table. Figures are for England and Wales. Figures exclude those in privately managed prisons.

Year (as at end March)	Percentage change in prison population compared to previous year	Percentage change in number of prison officers compared to previous year
1994	10.3	-1.5
1995	4.4	2.0
1996	4.4	0.7
1997	10	-5.5
1998	7.8	1.7
1999	-2.5	1.8
2000	0.4	0.9
2001	-0.6	-1.3
2002	6.2	-3.0
2003	4.6	2.3

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to maximise the number of witnesses to crime who (a) come forward and (b) stay with a case to its conclusion. [134054]

[holding answer 23 October 2003]: The Government published in July this year a national strategy to deliver improved services to victims and witnesses. It recognises that ensuring witnesses come forward and give evidence in court is essential for the effective administration of justice.The Criminal Procedure (Attendance of Witnesses) Act 1965 and the Magistrates' Court Act 1980 already provide for a witness summons to be issued if the court is satisfied that the witness is likely to be able to give or produce material evidence but will not do so voluntarily. On 3 October we published a consultation paper and invited responses by 2 January 2004 to a proposal to introduce a greater element of compulsion in securing the attendance of witnesses in court.The Government have introduced a range of special measures to assist vulnerable witnesses to give their evidence in court, including video recording, live links, the use of intermediaries and communication aids. The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 provides the legislative framework for these measures and a phased implementation programme began on 24 July 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will take steps to seek to improve school leavers' understanding of the business environment. [136615]

We are already taking steps for this goal. The introduction of work-related learning in September 2004 as a statutory requirement at Key Stage 4 for 14 to 16 year-olds will help improve pupils' understanding of the diversity and function of business and its contribution to national prosperity. As part of this, from 2005 all Key Stage 4 pupils will be offered the equivalent of five days' enterprise activity, which will develop enterprise capability. This will add to their existing learning opportunities through the PSHE and citizenship curriculum and activities such as work experience placements, industry days and employer mentoring schemes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the schools in Bath and North East Somerset which have benefited significantly from the Government's capital initiatives since 1997. [136319]

All schools in Bath and North East Somerset have benefited significantly from capital investment, as we introduced Devolved formula capital for all schools in 2000–01. For a typical primary school of 250 pupils this is worth £21,900 in 2003–04, rising to £25,500 in 2005–06. A typical secondary of 1,000 pupils would receive £74,900 in 2003–04, rising to £87,250 in 2005–06.As the majority of capital funding is now allocated to local education authorities by formula, so that they can fund locally agreed priorities, the Department does not collect detailed information about the work carried out. This should be held locally. Overall capital investment is set to rise from £3.8 billion this year to over £5 billion in 2005–06, compared with under £700 million in 1996–97.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will estimate how many support staff were employed by schools in Bath and North East Somerset in (a) 1997 and (b) 2003. [136333]

Support staff numbers in maintained schools in England by local authority are shown in table 19 of the Schools Workforce in England statistical first release (SFR) of 9 September 2003. A copy of this SFR has been placed in the Library. The table is also available on the statistics section of the DfES website at: http://www.dfes gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000411/index. shtml

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many full-time equivalent teachers there were in Bath and North East Somerset in(a) 1997, (b) 2001 and (c) 2003. [136334]

Full-time equivalent teacher numbers in maintained schools in England by local authority are shown in table 15 of the Schools Workforce in England statistical first release (SFR) of 9 September 2003. A copy of this SFR has been placed in the Library. The table is also available on the statistics section of the DfES website at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000411/index.shtml

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what proportion of 15-yearolds in Bath and North East Somerset in 2002–03 entered for GCSE or equivalent examinations; [136340](2) what proportion of 15-year-olds in Bath and North East Somerset in

The statistical information for Bath and North East Somerset requested in the two questions 136340 and 136341 is detailed in the table:

	Percentage of:
Academic Year	15-year-old Pupils who entered for 1 or more GCSE/GNVQ	15-year-olds achieving 5 or more grades A*-C GCSE/GNVQ	15-year-olds achieving 1 or more gradesA*-G GCSE/GNVQ
1997	96.4	51.3	95.3
1998	97.2	53.2	96.5
2003 (provisional)	97.1	59.7	95.9

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary teacher vacancies there were in the East Riding of Yorkshire on 31 October of each year since 1997. [136058]

Vacancy data as at October are not collected. The following table shows teacher vacancies in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in the East Riding of Yorkshire at January of each year.

Full-time vacancies in the East Riding of Yorkshire:
	Nursery and Primary	Secondary
1997	0	0
1998	1	0
1999	4	0
2000	2	0
2001	0	6
2002	12	12
2003	0	5

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the average class sizes of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Haltemprice and Howden for the current academic year. [136060]

Figures on average class sizes for primary and secondary schools for this academic year are not yet available. Monitoring of all class sizes is carried out via the information collected in the Annual Schools Census in January of each year.As at January 2003, the average sizes of classes taught by one teacher in primary schools and secondary schools in Haltemprice and Howden were 26.8 and 22.2 respectively.The national figures for primary and secondary schools were 26.3 and 21.9 respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupils are eligible for free school dinners in each constituency, listed in descending order. [136282]

The information requested has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many students were admitted to higher education from each social group in each academic year since 1997; [133701](2) how many applicants to higher education there were from each social group in each academic year since 1997. [133702]Alan Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 3 June 2003,

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many 14 year-olds in Bath and North East Somerset were eligible to sit Key Stage 3 tests in 2002–03. [136316]

The total number of Key Stage 3 eligible pupils in 2002 and 2003 in Bath and North East Somerset were:

• 2003 (Provisional)—2,219
• 2002–2,189