To ask the Leader of the House what evaluation he has made of the proposals put forward by the Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) in respect of the relative powers of national Parliaments. [138068]

I am aware of COSAC's Contribution of 7 October, and have noted that it proposes that all Parliaments within the EU should hold simultaneous debates on the Commission's legislative and work programme. I shall consider further, in discussion with colleagues, what forum might be most appropriate for debate of the Commission's programme.I note that the Contribution also endorses the provisions in the draft constitutional treaty for direct transfer of Commission documentation to national Parliaments and for an "early-warning mechanism" by which national Parliaments would be able to present a reasoned opinion if they felt that legislative proposals breached the principle of subsidiarity. The Government strongly support these provisions.

To ask the Solicitor-General what guidance the Attorney-General has issued to judges in respect of the appropriateness of agreeing to injunctions to prevent a potential libel. [138582]

The Attorney-General has not issued any such guidance.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost was to his Department for (a) ministerial cars and drivers, (b) taxis, (c) train travel, (d) the use of helicopters, (e) airline tickets and (f) chartered aeroplanes in each year since 1997. [123088]

The responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car Despatch Agency. I asked its Chief Executive, Mr. Nick Matheson to write to the hon. Member. A copy of his letter has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Totnes of 16 June and 30 July concerning Dr. Walter King of Dart Sensors Ltd, Totnes, Devon; and what the reasons are for the delay. [132590]

[holding answer 20 October 2003]: A reply was sent directly to Dr. Walter King of Dart Sensors in September. I apologise that due to an administrative oversight, a copy was not sent to the hon. Member at the time. A copy of this letter has now been forwarded to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many litres of champagne were imported from France in each year since 1992. [138102]

Data on UK imports of champagne are given in the table.

UK Imports of champagne from France
1992	11,097,820
1993	14,327,108
1994	17,805,364
1995	14,029,225
1996	15,633,002
1997	16,361,152
1998	18,145,100
1999	24,201,937
2000	14,386,442
2001	17,245,344
2002	24,398,314

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what interim measures she plans to put in place to tackle discrimination on the grounds of (a) sexual orientation, (b) religious belief and (c) age in advance of the establishment of a Commission for Equality and Human Rights in 2006. [137465]

Regulations to prohibit discrimination at work on the grounds of sexual orientation and religion or belief come into force on 1 and 2 December 2003. We are working to ensure that employers, individuals and intermediaries have access to information and advice about the Regulations. A guide to the sexual orientation and religion or belief regulations has been available on the DTI website since the summer. Acas has just published practical workplace guidance on implementing the new legislation, after extensive consultation with a wide range of bodies concerned with employment issues, including the TUC and CBI.This guidance has been available in draft form on the Acas website since the summer. In addition, DTI is raising awareness with intermediaries, including through regional events and by making available funds for which organisations from advisory, faith and lesbian, gay, bisexual backgrounds have been able to bid to provide relevant training. Acas are conducting a programme of training for intermediaries and employers.We are currently considering the position for the age strand, which is due to come into force in October 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether atheists are to be entitled to the same holiday allowance as religious employees under forthcoming EU legislation. [137611]

The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) 2003 regulations, which come into force on 2 December 2003, do not introduce rights for additional time off but will prohibit discrimination on grounds of religion or belief (including atheism). Employers will be required to treat people in an even handed way. If staff want time off for religious festivals employers will have to consider it in the way they would any other request for leave.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, under the proposed European legislation to protect homosexual employees from discrimination, employers will be expected to identify the sexual orientation of their staff. [137645]

No, other than in the very limited circumstances where being of a particular sexual orientation is a genuine occupational requirement for a job. If such a case arises, the employer may have to ask applicants and employees about their sexual orientation in order to find out if they are able to perform the functions of the job in question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if she will make a statement on the proposed Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003; [137609](2) if she will make a statement on the proposed Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003. [137610]

The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) and Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, which come into force on 1 and 2 December 2003, are a major step forward in combating discrimination at work.For the first time the Regulations will put in place protection against discrimination and harassment on the ground of sexual orientation and religion or belief in workplaces in England, Scotland and Wales. The Regulations were developed following widespread consultation since 2000 and they implement the Employment Discrimination Directive of November 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the impact of the Energy Chapter of the Draft EU Constitituion on private sector investment in the North Sea oil and gas fields; and what representations she has received. [137650]

The Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the draft Constitution on the Department's powers to regulate recovery of hydrocarbons from the UK Continental Shelf. The potential impact of such changes on future private sector investment is a matter of some debate— not least owing to the changing roles of established players and a number of new entrants. There is considerable Community competence already in the field of energy, and a number of Directives and Regulations have been brought forward in the areas of energy and environment, often under qualified majority voting. Nevertheless, the Government will only agree to an extension of competence in energy policy if it is consistent with the UK interest, and a number of organisations with UK oil and gas interests have made representations to Ministers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what impact she estimates the Energy Chapter of the Draft EU Constitution will have on the North Sea oil licensing regime. [137722]

EU competence in energy matters, including natural resources, will fall under Article 111–157 of the draft Constitutional Treaty, with voting by qualified majority. There is considerable Community competence already in the field of energy, and a number of Directives and Regulations have been brought forward in the areas of energy and environment, often under qualified majority voting. There is a carve out to preserve "Member State's choice between different energy sources and the general structure of its energy supply", where our understanding is that the EU would have to act by unanimity. Discussions on the draft Treaty are continuing in the framework of the Intergovernmental Conference: the UK Government would not agree to any proposals that was inconsistent with UK energy interest.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what effect she estimates the proposed energy chapter in the European Union constitution will have on licensing arrangements for the exploitation of the UK's offshore oil and gas. [137760]

EU competence in energy matters, including natural resources, will fall under Article 111–157 of the draft Constitutional Treaty, with voting by qualified majority. There is considerable Community competence already in the field of energy, and a number of Directives and Regulations have been brought forward in the areas of energy and environment, often under qualified majority voting. There is a carve out of preserve "Member State's Choice between different energy sources and the general structure of its energy supply", where our understanding is that the EU would have to act by unanimity. Discussions on the draft Treaty are continuing in the framework of the Intergovernmental Conference: the UK Government would not agree to any proposal that was inconsistent with UK energy interests.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the arms export licences applied for, and her decision on each, for export of arms to Morocco in each of the past five years; and what her policy is towards such applications. [136512]

Details of all relevant export licences issued and refused are published by destination in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls, copies of which are available from the Libraries of the House. For the period between 1 January 2003 and 31 October 2003 details are set out in the tables, as the 2003 Annual Report is not due for publication until next year:Three Standard Individual Export licences (SIELS) were issued to end users in Morocco in that period. The export licences covered a range of items with various ratings, are set out as follows.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what checks are in place to ensure that licensed strategic exports of arms to Morocco do not get used in the Western Sahara. [136726]

When assessing strategic export licence applications to Morocco, the Government carefully consider the risk that the goods may be used in the Western Sahara.The criteria that we use to assess all strategic export licence applications specifically set out our commitment to take account of the risk of the goods being used aggressively against another country or being used to assert by force a territorial claim. We do not issue any export licences where a clear risk of such use exists. We use information, from a variety of sources, to monitor the use of UK-origin defence equipment overseas. We take very seriously any reports of misuse.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the implications for safety of industrial action at BNFL's Sellafield nuclear site. [137612]

The Department is in regular contact with HSE's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII), the regulator of safety at licensed nuclear sites, regarding safety issues during the proposed industrial action at Sellafield. The site operator and the trade unions have given clear commitments to ensure safety is not prejudiced by any industrial action.NII have reviewed BNFL's contingency arrangements and are satisfied that they provide an adequate framework for safety cover. An enhanced team of NII Inspectors will be on site during normal working hours and will be carrying out safety related inspections during the strike in key areas to ensure minimum manning is in place and that contingency plans are followed. BNFL's risk assessments are also being examined to ensure adequate provisions are in place.Standby emergency response arrangements will remain unaffected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many small businesses she estimates do not have broadband access; and if she will make a statement; [137301](2) if she will make a statement on her Department's plans to increase broadband access in the small business sector. [137304]

Information on the number of small businesses that do not have broadband access is not held by my Department. Research for the DTI shows that 80 per cent. of homes and businesses in the UK are located in areas, that have access to a mass-market broadband solution.Encouraging the provision of broadband access to the whole of the UK is one of the Government's top priorities. For example, DTIs plans include:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the involvement of British Nuclear Fuels, through their Westinghouse subsidiary in the USA, in the development of new low yield nuclear weapons. [137641]

The Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC) is a subsidiary of Westinghouse Government Services Company (WGS), in which BNFL has a 40 per cent. passive economic interest. WSRC and WRS are pursuing potential business opportunities in US defence programmes. BNFL's business interests on US DOE sites through its subsidiaries relate to the environmental clean up market such as managing the solid waste program at the Savannah River Site, and not the weapons production business. BNFL is precluded by US Department of Energy (DOE) Security Agreements from involvement in the US defence programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons the change to the Gas Act Order made by a letter by Ofgem on 1 April 1999 was not entered onto the public register until 8 January 2003. [138597]

This is a matter for Ofgem.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the 20 universities (a) which have taken out the most patents in the UK and (b) with the highest incomes raised through the development of patented products, broken down by amount raised in the past 20 years; and if she will list the 10 most commercially successful patents from British universities, giving the name of the product and the amount of income generated. [133825]

Patent Office databases are not structured to provide information on categories of applicants for patents. Generating the data would involve disproportionate cost. Some limited information on numbers of patents filed and income generated by UK universities is available from the Higher Education Business Interaction (HE-BI) survey but only for the last three years. This information was gathered on the basis that it would remain confidential due to its commercially sensitive nature, and as such may not be divulged.The Government have asked Richard Lambert to examine how the long-term links between business and British universities can be strengthened to the benefit of the UK's economy. The full set of responses from institutions (who have given the review team permission to publish) is available on the Review's website (www.lambertrevlcw.Q-rR.uk) and the final report, will be submitted to Government shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with BNFL in respect of the company's involvement with the Pebble Bed modular reactor (PBMR) in South Africa; what information BNFL supplied to her Department on its research collaboration on the PBMR; and if she will make a statement. [138067]

I can confirm that BNFL has participated in the PBMR project since 2000, is discussing with its contractual partners how the project will move forward and is keeping my Department in touch.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2003, Official Report, column 252W, on power cuts, when she expects to publish the reports detailed in her Answer. [138025]

Ofgem and DTI are undertaking separate, but co-ordinated, investigations into the recent power cuts in London and Birmingham. PB Power was commissioned to investigate a number of technical issues which will help inform these investigations. PB Power's findings will form part of Ofgem's final investigation report, due to be released by the end of this year.The conclusions and recommendations of the Engineering Inspectorate's investigation will not be published without the consent of the companies involved, where such consent is required by section 105 of the Utilities Act 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if she will make a statement on (a) Postcomm's access proposals to Royal Mail and (b) the precedent it would set for other third party access; [138302](2) what the reasons are for Postcomm's conclusion that the overall effect of their proposals concerning access points and prices would be contribution neutral; [138312](3) what proposals Postcomm has suggested to stop cream-skimming, if the access plans concerning Royal Mail are accepted; [138303](4) what assessment Postcomm made of the legal precedent set by its access proposals to Royal Mail; [138304](5) what the reasons are for Postcomm's proposals that Royal Mail should be contractually bound to deliver 98.5 per cent. of UK mail's items on the due date of delivery; and from where this figure was derived; [138306](6) if she will make a statement on the effect of increased competition on the Royal Mail's system of cross-subsidies; [138310](7) if she will make a statement on Postcomm's proposed access cost; [138311](8) what evidence she has assessed with respect to Postcomm's conclusion that its access plans are revenue neutral; [138314](9) what proposals Postcomm has suggested to discourage Royal Mail's large customers from seeking direct access to their facilities. [138315]

Access pricing and the related regulatory issues are a matter for the regulator, whose primary responsibility is to ensure the provision of a universal postal service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on (a) the proposal of Postcomm to allow Royal Mail's competitors direct access to their delivery offices and (b) the effect that this would have on the Three Year Renewal Plan, including (i) single daily delivery and (ii) simplified sorting. [138305]

This is a matter for Postcomm, whose primary responsibility is to ensure the provision of a universal postal service.It is for Royal Mail to make representations to Postcomm about the impact of the regulator's proposals on its business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on Royal Mail's proposal that a minimum entry level of 1,000 items to a single access point should be set. [138307]

Access pricing is a matter for Postcomm and it is for them to consider Royal Mail's proposal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on how Postcomm's proposals concerning third party access by UK mail to Royal Mail's pipeline will effect its primary duty of protecting a universal service at a uniform tariff; and if she will make an assessment of the effect that the third party access will have on Royal Mail's long-term viability, with particular reference to its Three Year Renewal Plan. [138308]

Access price determination is a matter for Postcomm. It is for Royal Mail to assess the impact on its business and to make representations to Postcomm.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who the new Chair of Postcomm is; and if the new Chair will be asked to review the third party access proposals concerning Royal Mail. [138309]

The new Chair of Postcomm is Nigel Stapleton.Access pricing and the related regulatory issues are a matter for the regulator, whose primary responsibility is to ensure the provision of a universal postal service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on Royal Mail's analysis of the effect on its profits of the access determination proposed by Postcomm. [138313]

It is for the Royal Mail Board to analyse the potential impact on its profits and to make representations to Postcomm.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small businesses went (a) into liquidation and (b) bankrupt in each quarter since quarter 4, 1996–97. [137427]

The official insolvency statistics published by the DTI are not broken down by size of business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cases were considered by the Telecommunications Ombudsman in the last year for which figures are available; how many cases were (a) upheld and (b) rejected; what the average time taken was to consider cases; and the average cost per case. [137195]

The Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman (Otelo) is an independent, industry-funded dispute resolution service which handles complaints from consumers about telecoms companies. This is a matter for Otelo and I have asked the Ombudsman to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the number of third generation mobile telephone masts that will be required in (a) Somerset, (b) Devon, (c) Dorset, (d) Wiltshire and (e) Cornwall. [136900]

It is not possible to give a reliable estimate of the number of new masts that will be needed to fulfil the obligations of the 3G licensees, either in total or by area. The number of masts required in an area will be affected by the level of consumer demand for 3G services, by commercial decisions related to the design of the networks, by the physical topography and by the requirements of planning authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what the Government's policy is on whether the United States vessels now en route to Hartlepool should continue their voyage; [137142](2) what action she plans to take to manage the environmental risk posed by former United States naval vessels in British waters pending the resolution of the court proceedings due in December; [137700](3) assessment she has made of the implications for the work of

[holding answer 10 November 2003]: Following discussions on Friday 7 November, between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Secretary Mineta of the US Department of Transportation, it has been decided that for safety reasons, the first two ships currently on the way to the UK will continue to Hartlepool for safe storage, pending return to the US. This decision was taken after consideration by the Environment Agency and Government Departments of alternative storage sites. No other site is able to take the ships safely at short notice.The US authorities have been told that the proposed shipment of these vessels to Hartlepool for dismantling cannot be completed consistent with international rules and Community law. In this situation the law requires the ships to be returned to the United States. However, the immediate return to the United States of the first two ships, which are now approaching the Channel, would be impracticable, not least because of concerns about the weather.When the ships arrive at Hartlepool, the Environment Agency will place requirements on them to ensure the environment is fully protected and that the ships remain ready for return to the USA. No work is permitted on the ships given the current court injunction.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contingency plans have been made by the Environment Agency to deal with United States vessels bound for decommissioning at Hartlepool if they are unable to enter the port. [137146]

[holding answer 10 November 2003]: The port authority concerned, PD Teesport, has confirmed that the vessels would be permitted to enter the port.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at what level in (a) the Environment Agency and (b) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs September's modification to Able UK's waste management licence was approved.[137698]

[holding answer 10 November 2003]: The Environment Agency is the regulator of waste management issues in England and Wales. The modification was approved and signed by the local Environment Manager with specific responsibility for Teesside, in accordance with Agency procedures. The decision to sign the modification was cleared with the local Area Manager and appropriate Agency Directors.The Government have no direct role in the approval of applications for waste management licence modifications, though there is a right of appeal to the Secretary of State should a licence modification application be rejected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the waste management licence originally issued by the Environment Agency to Able UK covered the dismantling of ships. [137699]

[holding answer 10 November 2003]: No. The original licence issued by the Environment Agency for the site at Hartlepool did not specifically cover the dismantling of the ships. However, the licence authorises the dismantling of offshore structures, and any associated plant and equipment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the implications for the UK of their proposals to eradicate bovine TB. [136093]

We have announced a review of the TB strategy for Great Britain. In developing the strategy, one of the important questions we will need to consider is how realistic a goal total eradication of the disease would be within the 10-year period over which the strategy will apply, and the most appropriate ways of achieving it. We expect to go out to public consultation on the strategy around the end of year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the agencies that have responsibilities for planning for the consequences of climate change on coastal areas; and if she will make a statement. [137391]

All agencies whose areas of work and influence will be affected by climate change, in coastal areas and elsewhere, have a responsibility to plan for the consequences of those changes.Development planning in coastal areas is the responsibility of local planning authorities, while land and shoreline management is the responsibility of land owners, the Environment Agency and local athorities.This Department provides guidance and assistance to planners in coastal areas by funding the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP), other research and development programmes and by promoting the production of Shoreline Management Plans which are designed to assist local planners in making decisions on future development and coastal defence needs over a 30–100 year period, taking account of natural processes and climate change effects. The Department has provided guidance on sea-level rise allowances for design of coastal defences since 1989 and these were confirmed this year in the light of the UKCIP 2002 climate-change scenarios.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the area of coastal land that will be lost owing to the impact of climate change by 2050. [137392]

Estimates made by the Department suggest that some 400,000 ha of agricultural land and about 1 million properties are currently at risk of flooding from the sea. These all depend on coastal defences. In addition some 5,000 ha of agricultural land and 75,000 properties are at risk of coastal erosion. An assessment for Defra in 2001 suggested that the economic risk of coastal flooding could increase up to fivefold by the latter half of the century without any adaptation of defences. However, any loss of coastal land would depend almost entirely on the strategic coastal defence decisions made for each risk area.The Office of Science and Technology's Foresight project on flood and coastal defence is currently examining the factors that drive change in flood and coastal erosion risk, but it has not made any estimates of land loss.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the insurance industry regarding the insurance costs arising from climate change; and if she will make a statement. [137393]

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is involved with the work of the Defra-funded UK Climate Impacts Programme, which helps stakeholder organisations assess how they might be affected by climate change, so that they can develop adaptation strategies.In addition, there have been extensive discussions with ABI over the past few years on the Government's flood management policy, the background to which includes awareness that future climate change could enhance flood risks in some areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers there were in dairy farming in each year since 1992, broken down by (a) conventional and (b) organic farming. [137381]

Data for the total number of farmers, partners, directors and spouses combined are collected annually from the June agricultural and horticultural census as a total. The following figures relate to holdings where dairy is the predominant activity, a breakdown between conventional and organic farming is not available.

Total farmers, partners, directors and spouses (full and part-time) in England on dairy type holdings
	Number
Main holdings only
1992	40,464
1993	35,665
1994	39,744
1995	37,844
1996	36,656
1997	35,104
1998	34,405
1999	33,216
Main and minor holdings
2000	31,418
2001	29,732
2002	30,014

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many contracts involving the dismemberment of foreign ships have been entered into by breakers' yards in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years. [137067]

Records are only available for those ships that are notified under the transfrontier shipment of waste control system. In the last five years, only one contract has been entered into by a breakers yard in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library copies of the assessments made by the Environment Agency of the environmental risk of the project by Able UK to decommission and recycle American ships in Hartlepool. [137188]

I will arrange for copies of the assessment to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Department spent on (a) maintenance, (b) renovation, (c) council tax and (d) running costs of residential properties used by Ministers and officials in each year since 1997. [134690]

The amount spent on residential properties for Ministers and officials for the 2002–03 financial year is as follows:

	Costs for 2002–03
Maintenance	0
Renovation	0
Council tax	0
Running costs	276,398.01

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether in the GM farm scale evaluations (a) commercially useful yield, (b) starch and (c) dry matter measurements of the final GM maize crop were independently obtained to confirm whether the use of this herbicide regime would allow an economically viable crop to be grown. [137656]

Such measurements were not made. The GM and conventional maize in each field evaluation were compared at every stage of growth and results were only included in the analysis where these correlates of yield were comparable and consistent with the protocol requiring 'cost-effective weed control'.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what yield penalty she predicts for GM crops if they are grown in the future using the management and herbicide regimes employed during the Field Scale Evaluation programme. [136804]

[holding answer 6 November 2003]: Any new variety of a GM crop which has been approved for cultivation under Directive 2001/18 also has to comply with the relevant seeds legislation before it can be added to the National List or the EU common catalogue of plant varieties. The new variety must conform with certain requirements which include an assessment of its value for cultivation and use. The yield achieved in commercial cultivation of a crop depends on many factors including the particular variety chosen, the management system, the quality of the farmland, weather conditions and so on. Therefore predictions cannot be made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on (a) research into the overall efficacy of the Liberty (GA) herbicide regime in the Farm Scale Evaluation of GM maize and (b) research in the UK and other countries on the rate of development of resistance to the herbicide Liberty in common weeds. [136805]

[holding answer 6 November 2003]: The published results of the farm-scale evaluations present the most in-depth study of the efficacy of Liberty (GA), as used in the evaluations, ever conducted. For full details see Heard et al. 2003; "Weeds in fields with contrasting conventional and genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops. 1. Effects on abundance and diversity"; Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (B). 358 (1439): 1819–1832. A copy of this journal has been placed in the Library.As part of the procedure to issue consent for the release of a herbicide tolerant GM crop the applicants must present evidence that the use of the associated herbicide (eg Liberty in this case) does not lead to environmental harm through the development of resistance in common weeds. This includes a consideration based on any available research findings. The issue of weed resistance to herbicides is not unique to GM crops.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measurements of GM crop yield were made during the recently completed Farm Scale Evaluation research programme to assess the commercial viability of the herbicide regimes adopted. [136806]

[holding answer 6 November 2003]: The FSE research team measured surrogates of crop yield rather than yield directly. In particular these included repeated measurements of crop development for both the GM and non-GM crops. The data show little difference between the GM and non-GM. For further details see Champion et al. (2003) "Crop management and agronomic context of the Farm Scale Evaluations of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant crops". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (B). 358 (1439): 1801–1818. A copy of this journal has been placed in the Library.The FSE research team compared the crop development with the audited management practices and concluded that the trials of the GM crops in the FSE were consistent with cost effective weed control. The scientific probity of this conclusion was independently verified by the publishing journal and endorsed by the scientific steering committee who advised Ministers accordingly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) herbicide mixes and (b) levels of application per hectare she proposes to permit for commercial cultivation of GM maize; and whether these differ from the levels used in the farm scale evaluations. [136807]

[holding answer 6 November 2003]: All pesticide products are approved on an individual basis. Only when we are satisfied that a pesticide is safe for the proposed use will approval for that use be granted. Growers may only use approved herbicides in a mixture in compliance with the statutory conditions of approval for each of the products.In practice throughout the farm-scale evaluations growers used the herbicide glufosinate ammonium alone on the GM maize fields.The recommended individual and maximum permitted application rates of the herbicide glufosinate ammonium used on GM maize in the farm-scale evaluations were defined by the conditions of the simulated product licence that formed part of the experimental pesticide approval. This specified a maximum permitted rate of 8 litres per hectare and a recommended individual rate of 4 litres per hectare, depending on the weeds present and their growth stage. Application was permitted until the nine-leaf stage of maize. Before glufosinate ammonium could be used on a commercial scale on GM maize it would need full pesticide approval. In seeking approval the necessary data package would have to be supplied by the applicant and be subjected to the considerations of human and environmental safety which have been established for all pesticide uses. Any approval given would specify recommended and maximum application rates in the same way as the experimental permit. These conditions would be determined by the Pesticide Safety Directorate taking due account of advice from their expert advisory committee the Advisory Committee on Pesticides.Where appropriate we shall be seeking to specify the management systems for the cultivation of GM crops through the conditions imposed with the consent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when during the GM farm scale evaluations she was informed that neither the use of Liberty alone on GM maize nor the use of Atrazine on the non-GM control crop would replicate the herbicide use and management regimes which would be used in commercial plantings in the UK in future years. [136808]

[holding answer 6 November 2003]: The farm-scale evaluations were set up to assess the relative impact on wildlife of GM and non-GM management of four crops, based on practices current at the time. They were not set up to investigate the impact of any potential future management changes for either crop, although they will provide an invaluable baseline in our understanding of any such future changes.The decision to phase out Atrazine in the EU was taken on 3 October 2003, over a year after the completion of the last maize field trials. During the time of the trials (1999–2002) conventional maize practice predominately involved the use of Atrazine; this therefore formed a large part of the sample of FSE fields.In 2002 some evidence emerged that farmers in the US often mixed Atrazine with glufosinate ammonium for use on GM maize crops. In the FSE, farmers of GM maize used glufosinate ammonium alone. The industry asserted that the UK and US differed in conditions and that glufosinate ammonium alone was typical of the likely practice in the UK. The scientific steering committee, whose role it is to advise me on the conduct of the FSE, considered that in the absence of evidence either way to justify the need for Atrazine to be used in conjunction with glufosinate ammonium in the UK that trials would continue as before. Accordingly, I was not advised that any action was necessary.Now that Atrazine is being phased out it clearly will not be permitted on any fodder maize crop, GM or otherwise. However, the issue of whether other licensed herbicides could be mixed with glufosinate ammonium on GM crops remains.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she will take to protect organic farming from possible effects of GM crops. [137261]

We will consider the co-existence of GM and organic crops in the light of guidelines issued by the European Commission and a report we expect to receive shortly from the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent bilateral meetings she has had with the United States Department of Agriculture at which the subject of GM crops was discussed; and if she will make a statement. [138216]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State from time to time discusses issues raised by genetically modified crops with her counterparts from the United States and other nations. However, there have been no recent bilateral meetings with the US Department of Agriculture on this issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) the Scottish Executive and (b) the Welsh Assembly on the regulation of GM crops. [138217]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I hold regular discussions with our counterparts in the Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly Government on a range of issues, including GM crops.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Government makes of the environmental impact of trophy hunting of endangered animals around the world; what steps the Government is taking to encourage the control of hunting of endangered species; and if she will make a statement. [137548]

The United Kingdom is a Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which regulates the trade in endangered species including those threatened by trophy hunting.The Convention is implemented within the EU by means of Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97. The European Commission closely monitors the trade in CITES species and where scientific advisers judge that trade would be detrimental to the survival of a particular species in the wild, measures may be taken to suspend such trade.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to introduce protection for meadowland. [137291]

All uncultivated and semi-natural land is protected by the Environmental Impact Assessment (Uncultivated Land and Semi-natural Areas) Regulations 2001 (S.I.No 2001/3966). In addition, many meadows are protected by statutory designation as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. We also provide payments to farmers under agri-environment schemes for positive management and in some cases restoration or recreation of hay meadows.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support Ministers have given to the National Fruit Show (The Marden Fruit Show) since 1997. [134138]

[holding answer 27 October 2003]: Ministers have given no direct support to the National Fruit Show. However, exhibits at the show have illustrated how the fruit sector has benefited from Defra-funded research, including the breeding and development of new varieties, issues relating to storage and pest control, and the publication of best practice guides. Growers are also able to take advantage of funding opportunities that exist through England Rural Development Programme schemes, the Agriculture Development Scheme and the Organic Farming Scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) plans she has and (b) targets she has set to reduce fat and oil contamination in the public water system. [137252]

Changes to guidance to the Buildings Regulations recommend that measures to control grease should be installed in commercial hot food premises. There are no requirements in these Regulations or in water legislation that relate specifically to disposal of oils and fats from dwellings. However, under general provisions in section 111 of the Water Industry Act 1991, it is an offence for a person to empty into a public sewer, or any drain or sewer connecting with a public sewer, any matter which is likely to injure the sewer or drain, to interfere with the free flow of its contents or to affect prejudicially the treatment and disposal of its contents. Any person who is found guilty of an offence is liable to a fine or imprisonment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of household waste was recycled in each year between 1985 and 1995 in England. [136780]

Government do not have this information. However, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy have published the following percentage recycling rates for England and Wales:

	Percentage recycled
1983–84	0.8
1991–92	2.6
1993–94	3.4

The Department's Municipal Waste Management Survey was first carried out for the year 1995–6. Since this survey's publication the recycling percentage given for 1995–6 has been adjusted in an attempt to make it more accurate, to 6.4 per cent. for England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what statutory investigatory powers the Department has; which ones will be superseded by use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000; and what plans she has for removing these legacy powers.[136126]

There is no equivalent of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 codifying the investigatory powers of Defra investigators. There is a patchwork of powers. In relation to a range of offences Defra investigators (and inspectors) have fairly standard statutory powers to enter and inspect business premises, powers to inspect and copy business documents and powers to require provision of information in relation to the conduct of the business —all these powers are normally set out in the specific legislation which creates the offence under investigation. Investigators have a surviving common law right to seize and retain any evidence relating to suspected offences. For some suspected offences a search warrant is also available eg under the Medicines Act 1968.None of these powers was superseded by any powers in RIPA 2000 and so there are no plans for removing `legacy powers'.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money the United Kingdom has received from the EU under the Stewardship Scheme in each of the last three years. [137258]

The Countryside Stewardship Scheme in England has received the following EU funding:

£ million
	2001	2002	2003
Total	9.4	15.7	22.0
of which:
EAGGF	9.4	11.5	10.7
Modulation	0.0	4.2	11.3

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the recent proposed investment programme and water bill charges for the period 2005 to 2010 by South West Water. [135144]

The Government have noted the proposed investment programme and bill charges for South West Water for the period 2005 to 2010. These figures are drawn from South West Water's own draft business plan for the 2004 periodic review of water price limits and represent the company's opening bid in what will be another 12 months of challenge, decisions and negotiation by the regulator Ofwat.Full assessments of all company draft business plans will be made following receipt of guidance from the economic, environmental and quality regulators in early November and these assessments will underlie the Secretary of State's Principal Guidance, which will be issued early next year. The Secretary of State's initial guidance to the Director General of Ofwat, setting out the Government's early objectives for the review, was published in January this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with water companies on the adequacy of future supplies; and if she will make a statement. [137562]

The Environment Agency is the statutory body which has a duty to secure the proper use of water resources in England and Wales.Since the Water Summit in 1997, there have been a number of developments in terms of securing long-term future water resources. Each water company in England and Wales has produced a water resources plan setting out how it proposes to maintain the supply and demand balance of water for the next 25 years. These plans were assessed by the Environment Agency and are reviewed on an annual basis.As part of the fourth periodic review of water company prices, water companies are submitting updated water resource plans to the Environment Agency. The agency will report to Ministers on these plans as part of their advice for the fourth periodic review. The Ministerial guidance for the periodic review will be published in early 2004, and cover any related water supply issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to reduce the importation of wild caught (a) parrots and (b) other birds into the UK. [135811]

The international trade in all parrots and many other species of wild birds is strictly regulated under Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97, which implements the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) within the EU. It is an offence to import CITES specimens without the appropriate documentation and trade is only permitted if we are satisfied that the specimens have been lawfully acquired and that the trade will not be detrimental to the wild populations of the species concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the numbers of wild caught (a) parrots and (b) other birds brought into the UK broken down by each country from which these imports originated in each of the last five years for which records are available. [135812]

The available information is set out in the attached tables: Table A for parrots, Table B for other birds.

Table A
Imports of parrots
Country	Year	Number
United Arab Emirates	2001	1
Angola	1999	1
Argentina	1998	120
	1999	410
	2000	441
	2001	58
Australia	2002	3
Benin	1999	1
Democratic Republic of Congo	1999	1
	2000	1
Congo	2002	1
Cote D'lvoire	2002	200
Cameroon	1998	410
	1999	2,065
	2000	700
	2001	600
	2002	2,200
Egypt	2000	1
Ghana	2000	1
Gambia	2001	1
Guinea	1998	2,274
	2001	600
	2002	534
Guyana	1998	1,192
	1999	1,308
	2000	1,115
	2001	2,702
	2002	2,655
Indonesia	1998	182
Kenya	1998	1
	1999	1
	2000	1
	2001	1
Mali	1999	1
	2001	200
	2002	550
Mauritius	2000	1
Malaysia	1998	620
	2002	228

Table A
Imports of parrots
Country	Year	Number
Nigeria	1998	2
	1999	1
	2001	1
Nicaragua	2001	115
	2002	854
New Zealand	1998	40
Panama	1998	1
Peru	2002	249
Paraguay	1998	2
	2002	1,961
Senegal	2001	200
Surinam	2002	723
Total		25,531

Table B
Imports of other birds
Country	Year	Number
Argentina	1998	2
Democratic Republic of Congo	2001	6
Congo	2000	8
	2001	2
Cameroon	1998	11
	2001	19
	2002	33
Cape Verde Islands	2002	5
Ghana	2001	31
Guinea	1999	30
	2000	8
	2002	50
Guyana	1998	62
	1999	51
	2000	95
	2001	100
	2002	67
Iceland	1999	1
Indonesia	2000	1
Kazakhstan	1999	3
Nicaragua	2001	6
	2002	21
Netherlands	2000	1
Norway	1998	12
Peru	1999	13
	2000	56
	2001	5
	2002	12
Poland	2002	1
Paraguay	2002	387
Russian Federation	1998	10
	1999	33
Surinam	2002	14
Tanzania	1998	16
	1999	24
	2000	6
	2002	35
South Africa	1998	1
	2000	2
Total			1,240

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of wild caught (a) parrots and (b) other birds imported into EU countries in each of the last five years. [135818]

Our CITES records show that the number of wild caught parrots imported into the UK in each of the last five years were as follows.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of Government support for the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species on the volume in trade of wild caught (a) parrots and (b) other birds imported into (i) Europe and (ii) the UK since the UK signed the Convention.[135820]

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) aims to protect certain plants and animals by regulating and monitoring their international trade to prevent it reaching unsustainable levels. Currently CITES regulates international trade in over 30,000 species, of which approximately 25,000 are plants. The Convention came into force in 1975, and the UK became a party in 1976. Pre-Convention figures concerning the importation of parrots and other birds are not available.No specific study has been made of the impact of the Convention on the trade in these species. However, all EU member states are required to provide annual reports on the trade in CITES species. These are closely monitored by the European Commission, and powers are available to enable member states to take urgent action in the event that a particular pattern of trade is judged to be unsustainable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the two grey wolves for which the former Department of the Environment issued a permit for importation from Canada in 1991 were (a) from a Canadian zoo and (b) from a wild population; which zoo was the intended British destination; whether grey wolves were classified as an endangered species in Canada in 1991; whether the wolves were imported; and if she will make a statement. [138046]

[holding answer 11 November 2003]: The Department issued a licence on 9 December 1991 for the importation of two wolves from Canada. In response to the specific points raised the answers are as follows:

(a) The wolves came from a Canadian ranching operation which does not appear to be a zoo

(b) The animals were captive bred not taken from wild populations and were brought into Howletts Zoo for breeding purposes.

At the time of import wolves were listed upon Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Appendix II species are defined as species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases of work-related stress have been reported in her Department in each of the last three years; how much compensation has been paid to employees; how many work days have been lost due to work-related stress, and at what cost, what procedures have been put in place to reduce work-related stress, and at what cost; and if she will make a statement. [136854]

Defra has received a total of two centrally reported cases of work-related stress among staff over the past three years. No compensation has been paid in these cases. Our current sickness absence system does not differentiate between stress and work-related stress.The Department has set a target to reduce the number of working days lost from work-related injury and ill-health by 30 per cent. by 2010. This mirrors the Revitalising Health and Safety Strategy target.Defra was established in June 2001. Since then, the Management Board has established a sub-committee on Stress which recommended a number of actions. The Stress Policy was updated and relaunched this year.It is not possible to quantify the cost of this strategy without detailed analysis of all work groups which is not practicable.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will calculate the amount in taxation he has levied from pension funds since May 1997. [138339]

The amount of tax paid by pension funds since May 1997 is not held centrally. However, the Government do provide £13 billion in net tax relief every year for pension funds.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with African Finance Ministers on debt and the millennium development targets. [138342]

I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer the Chancellor gave my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Valerie Davey), earlier today, Offical Report, col. 409.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to public funds of tax relief on private medical insurance was in the last year for which figures are available. [138343]

The cost of tax relief on private medical insurance premiums in the last full year the relief was given, 1996–97, was around £110 million.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how his projections for public sector borrowing have changed since the 2002 Budget. [138344]

An interim forecast update for the public finances will be published in the pre-Budget Report as usual.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the issues he raised at the recent ECOFIN Council meeting in Brussels. [138345]

The Chancellor of the Exchequer attended the meeting of ECOFIN Ministers on 4 November. Discussion covered France's Excessive Deficit under the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP), an initial exchange of views on the proposed Transparency directive and taxation of Savings.ECOFIN also endorsed an Economic Policy Committee paper on the impact of ageing on public finances, and agreed conclusions on the role of customs in controlling external borders.Prior to the meeting there was a breakfast discussion of pension reform in the context of the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines, and a formal dialogue with all the Candidate Countries.Over lunch, Finance Ministers discussed the economic and finance elements of the Intergovernmental Conference. The Chancellor, in particular, stressed that tax harmonisation and EU control over fiscal policy would be damaging for Europe's economic interests.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for future rates of National Insurance Contributions; and if he will make a statement. [138346]

Any changes to National Insurance rates will be announced, as usual, at the time of the pre-Budget Report.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he intends to take to improve independent evaluation of compliance with Government economic targets. [138347]

The Government's key economic targets are contained within the Treasury's latest Public Service Agreement (PSA), agreed as part of the 2002 Spending Review (SR2002). The Technical Note for these targets, published on the HM Treasury website, sets out exactly how performance will be judged, and the National Audit Office will validate the data systems underpinning each of the SR2002 PSA targets at least once during its lifetime. Furthermore, many of the key data used to measure performance against these targets are published as National Statistics, and thus compiled in accordance with the National Statistics Code of Practice.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) personal and (b) business euro accounts had been opened at the latest date for which figures are available. [138099]

The latest quarterly review by the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS) identified that, as at end September 2003, there were around (a) 76,000 personal, and (b) 116,000 corporate euro bank accounts held in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total cost was of (a) setting, (b) monitoring and (c) measuring the performance targets for his Department in 2002–03; and how many and what grades of civil servants monitor these targets. [137948]

Government Departments, agencies and NDPBs
Inland Revenue	Key performance targets for the Inland Revenue are agreed as part of the Spending Review. The performance targets for 2003–06 were published in the Inland Revenue Spring Departmental Report 2003 (Cm 5925), Performance against targets is reported regularly.
HM Customs and Excise	Key performance targets for HM Customs and Excise are agreed as part of the Spending Review and the latest set were published in spending Review 2002: Public Service Agreements 2003–2006 (Cm 5571). The department monitors progress towards the target along with HM Treasury and progress is reported regularly. The department has no agencies or NDPBs.
Office of Government Commerce	The Office of Government Commerce does not have separate PSA targets, they are included within HM Treasury targets.
Office for National Statistics	Key performance targets for the Office for National Statistics were set as part of the Spending Review 2002 and are monitored as part of departmental performance management. They are published on the National Statistics website www.statistics.gov.uk/about_ns/ONS/2002_ spending_review_sda.asp.
The Royal Mint	Key performance targets for the Royal Mint are detailed in their Annual Report for 2002–03 (Cm821). Ministers set these performance targets on the advice of HM Treasury in consultation with its Shareholder Panel and the Royal Mint. The Royal Mint, the Treasury and its Shareholder Panel, including through meetings with the Minister, monitor achievement of these targets.
The Debt Management Office	The Debt Management Office's performance targets are published in its annual business plan. The targets are developed jointly by the Debt Management Office and HM Treasury and approved by Treasury Ministers, Performance against the targets is monitored by the Debt Management Office and reported on a regular basis.
The Valuation Office Agency	The Valuation Office Agency currently has eight key performance indicators that are underpinned by 20 specific targets, These are published in the Forward Plan 2003–2008, Targets are approved by the Paymaster General and announced in Parliament. The monitoring of achievement against these targets takes place by staff at all levels under the direction of the management board and are subject to internal audit by their parent department the Inland Revenue.
National Savings and Investments	National Savings and Investments is an Executive Agency of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and as such agrees its performance targets within the Spending Review and annual planning process. These targets are published in its Departmental Report
Government Actuary's Department	The Government Actuary's Department's performance targets are published in its annual business plan. The targets are developed in consultation with the relevant HMT Spending Team and are discussed on an annual basis. Achievements against these targets are also reported in its Spring Departmental Report.

Performance targets for the Chancellor's departments were agreed as part of the Spending Review 2002. The monitoring and measurement of these Public Service Agreement targets forms part of departmental performance management. Performance management is an integral part of the day-to-day running of the departments, and as such it is not possible to separate out specific costs. The monitoring of progress towards, and performance against, the Chancellor's department's PSA targets is undertaken by staff at all levels of the organisation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the performance targets that (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are required to meet; and if he will specify for each target (i) who sets it and (ii) who monitors achievement against it. [137964]

Key performance targets for Her Majesty's Treasury are agreed as part of the Spending Review and the latest set were published in Spending Review 2002: Public Service Agreements 2003–2006 (Cm5571). Targets measure progress towards objectives. Performance is reported regularly, both in the Departmental Report, the Autumn Performance Report and on the HM-Treasury website at http:// www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/performance/Treasury.cfm.Information on the performance targets of the Chancellor's other departments along with the agencies and non-departmental public bodies is given in the following table.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of the change in employers' national insurance contributions in the shipping industry. [138326]

A Regulatory Impact Assessment covering the effects of the recent change in liability for employers' national insurance contributions on the shipping industry was published on the 18 September, when the relevant regulations were laid before Parliament.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Guildford of 3 November 2003, Official Report, columns 457–58W, on timber, what environmental criteria his Department has specified in respect of banknote manufacture, with particular reference to use and reuse of water. [138581]

The Bank of England issues banknotes in England and Wales on behalf of HM Treasury.The contracted supplier of banknotes to the Bank of England is De La Rue International (DLR). DLR sources the paper from an internal subsidiary, Portals Ltd. based at Overton in Hampshire.Banknote paper manufacture is subject to a PPC (Integrated Pollution and Prevention Control) permit, which among other criteria addresses the efficient use of water. The relevant enforcement authority is the Environment Agency.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reduce VAT on goods purchased by charitable organisations for export to deserving causes in developing countries. [137515]

Charities do not bear the cost of VAT on goods purchased for export outside the European Community. Charities are entitled to register for VAT and reclaim any VAT they are charged on goods they buy for export to developing countries.This includes any VAT charged on the goods themselves and VAT charged on any other costs associated with the export of the goods.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional resources his Department plans to use to counter drug misuse. [137822]

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced a major increase in overall direct annual funding that will underpin the Government's updated Drug Strategy on 3 December 2002 as follows.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he gives to police forces on action to be taken against motorists who drive vehicles with densely blacked out windows; and if he will make a statement. [137394]

The blacking out of vehicle windows is governed by the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. Regulation 32 prescribes minimum light transmittance (vlt) values, through the windscreen and to the windows to either side of the driver.In order to clarify the legislation applying to vehicle window tinting we plan to amend regulation 32 to make it clear that the vlt values apply not only to the 'glazing' itself but also to any 'tint' or 'tinted film' applied to the glazing. The Association of Chief Police Officers are aware of this proposed amendment.The enforcement of construction and use offences is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. The police recognise the importance of such enforcement and ensure that these offences receive appropriate attention. They are aware of guidance employed by the Vehicle Operator Services Agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action the Immigration Crime Team is taking to target criminals who fraudulently obtain passports; and how many fraudulent applications for passports have been detected after the passport has been issued in the last five years. [131764]

The remit of the Immigration Crime Team (ICT) is to tackle serious and organised immigration crime including, where relevant, identity fraud and theft. Since its inception in January 2002 it has conducted three major operations into identity fraud. Others are under development. The first concerned the identity theft of British passports and led to the arrest of 29 persons in a series of co-ordinated raids. The second involved the arrest of two men for the manufacture and supply of forged British passports and the dismantling of their criminal enterprise. Both pleaded guilty, one received a five year sentence and the other 18 months. The operation resulted in one of the largest ever seizures of high quality forged passports believed to have a street value of over £2 million. The third operation is currently sub judice.Such operations are complex, involving lengthy investigation and demanding a high level of inter-agency co-operation. The ICT operates as part of Reflex, the Government's inter-agency task force created to combat organised immigration crime. Targeting identity fraud is a key priority for Reflex and while the ICT has been at the forefront of major operations other successes have been recorded by other Reflex partners. For example using Reflex funding the Metropolitan police have established a joint intelligence unit under Operation Maxim involving the Immigration Service and UK Passport Service (UKPS) with a remit to investigate identity fraud alongside related criminality.UKPS records the number of fraudulent passport applications which have been detected after passports have been issued. Figures for passports detected in each of the last five years are shown as follows:

	Number
1999	153
2000	179
2001	161
2002	1,360
2003 to date	489

The significant increase in cases detected in the last two years is a result of the UKPS' access to infant death data and greater proactivity in tackling fraud. The UKPS is taking forward a range of initiatives to improve fraud prevention and detection. These include better arrangements for the recording and dissemination of lost, stolen and recovered passport information; increasing the professionalism of its fraud and intelligence units; changing the law to make passport fraud offences arrestable; investigating the use of biometrics to improve passport security; and using from February 2004 secure delivery for the despatch of all passports; and finally continuing to work actively with law enforcement agencies to apprehend, disrupt and dismantle the activities of those involved in passport fraud.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the Criminal Justice Bill on the size of the prison population. [136255]

The projected net effect on the prison population of the implementation of the provisions to reform the sentencing framework is an increase of about 1,000 by 2009. These measures include the generic community sentence and more flexible types of custody such as intermittent custody, custody minus and custody plus. The long-term impact, once all these provisions have been implemented and sufficient time has passed for their full effects to be seen, is estimated to be an increase in the prison population of about 500.Of the other parts of the Bill that have any significant impact, the firearms offences provisions in the Bill will provide for a mandatory minimum custodial sentence for unauthorised possession of a prohibited firearm. The estimated effect on the prison population of the implementation of these provisions, and the implementation of the provision providing for an increase in penalties for certain driving-related offences causing death, is an increase of about 500 in the prison population.The life sentence provisions in the Bill will provide for the determination of a minimum custodial term in relation to mandatory life sentences. It is unlikely that the effect of these provisions on the prison population will be felt for at least a decade.The restriction on bail for drug users will be piloted in selected court areas. This provision aims to reduce re-offending by encouraging drug-misusing offenders into effective drug treatment programmes. Part of the pilot evaluation will focus on the likely impact of this measure on the prison population if it were to be extended more widely. A further study is being conducted to assess the likely effect on the prison population of the introduction of a presumption against the grant of bail to defendants who have failed to surrender.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason the four shadow commissioners, and the shadow chief inspector, of the Commission for Social Care Inspection are based in the South East of England; and for what reason no shadow commissioners have been appointed from other regions. [135663]

The appointments of the shadow chair and commissioners of Commissioner for Social Care Inspection were made by the independent NHS Appointments Commission, not by Ministers. The shadow chair and commissioners appointed the shadow chief inspector.These appointments have been made on the basis of ensuring that the best available people are appointed. It was important to ensure that the commissioners together were able not only to provide an appropriate range of experience and skill, but also diversity of background. Geographical origin was one of a number of factors considered. The fifth commissioner, who was appointed after the first four, is based in Sheffield and the shadow chair comes from Cheshire.The appointment of the shadow chief inspector, as for any chief executive appointment, took no account of geographical origin as this was not regarded as relevant. As it happens, the chief inspector is from the North of England where he has spent much of his career.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter of 1 October from the hon. Member for Walsall, North regarding a constituent, ref: P0103700. [138381]

A reply was sent to my hon. Friend on 12 November 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients over 65 remain in an NHS hospital as a result of delayed discharge. [137450]

4,170 adult patients remained in an acute hospital bed on any one day as a result of delayed discharge in June 2003. 3,150 of these patients were aged 75 or over.

To ask the Prime Minister what the cost was to his Department for (a) ministerial cars and drivers, (b) taxis, (c) train travel, (d) the use of helicopters, (e) airline tickets and (f) chartered aeroplanes in each year since 1997. [123072]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) gave him today, at column 397–98W.

To ask the Prime Minister if the Secretary of State will make it his policy to require the House of Lords Appointments Commission to give applicants for a people's peerage reasons for their rejection. [138512]