To ask the Leader of the House whether hon. and right hon. Members will be allowed to remain remotely connected to the parliamentary network during a Dissolution of Parliament. [142800]

I understand that the Information Committee will be examining Dissolution arrangements in due course.

To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) on 27 November 2003, Official Report, column 129, what the change in demand for the Members' Dining Room has been since the change in sitting hours of the House. [143580]

I inadvertently gave a figure of five per cent. for the increase in demand for the Members' Dining Room since the new sitting hours came into effect. The correct figure was 0.5 per cent. based on a comparison of covers served in January-October 2003 against January-October 2002. I am grateful for this opportunity to correct the record.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs when he plans to release the 1911 decennial population census for England and Wales. [141913]

The 1911 census returns, now in the custody of the National Archives, are currently closed for 100 years by Lord Chancellor's Instrument no. 12 of 1966, on the grounds that the information was supplied in strict confidence. s5(2) of the Public Records Act 1958 provides for the extension of the normal 30-year closure period in such cases. The National Archives is, therefore, currently considering ways of making the 1911 census data generally available to the public at the end of the 100 year closure period.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent on barristers' fees for criminal legal aid in 2002–03; and how much of this was attributable to payments to Qcs. [141418]

Spending on barristers fees in the Crown court and above during 2002–03 was £317.36 million and £1.4 million for assigned counsel in the magistrates court. £0.4 million was also paid to counsel (both assigned and unassigned) for residual work not covered under the General Criminal Contract. It is estimated that of this amount, £76 million was paid to QCs. It is not possible to give a precise figure because the type of barrister is not always recorded.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps the Legal Services Commission is taking to ensure adequate provision in Wales for legal advice in relation to matrimonial disputes. [142408]

In order to ensure adequate provision of legal advice across Wales in all categories of law, including matrimonial disputes, the Legal Services Commission (LSC), the Legal Services Committee for Wales, and the local Community Legal Service Partnership monitor provision on a regular basis. Where gaps in provision are identified, the LSC can re-allocate the number of publicly funded legal matters which suppliers can start in any particular category of law, in order to meet priority needs. In addition, the LSC has just announced that solicitors in England and Wales can start an additional 20,000 legal matters by April 2004.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether it is his policy that the proposed Supreme Court for the UK should sit outside London on (a) an occasional and (b) a permanent basis. [142709]

It is envisaged that the main permanent base of the Supreme Court will be in London; however, no final decision has yet been taken. That would not preclude the court sitting elsewhere in the United Kingdom from time to time when it is judged appropriate to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much money was spent by the Government on assisting small businesses in Wales in 2002–03. [142076]

The Welsh Assembly Government provides financial support for small businesses. The majority of this is supplied by the WDA, which contributed more than £75 million in 2002–03. In addition UK Government supports small businesses through cost saving initiatives such as R&D tax credit, the improvement of the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme and raising the audit threshold for SMEs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Home Department about the police grant for Wales. [142077]

My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with colleagues about matters affecting Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Education Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales Government concerning the funding of higher education courses in England for students from Wales. [142078]

Welsh students are currently eligible to apply for fee remission grants to cover tuition costs and for income contingent loans for living costs. From 2004–05, students will also be eligible for the new HE grant of up to £1,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with (a) the Treasury and (b) the National Assembly for Wales Government on the outcome of the Yvonne Watts v Bedford Health Authority case on the Treasury block grant for Wales under the Barnett formula. [142079]

As the Government is appealing against the ruling in this case, it would not be appropriate for me to speculate on the final outcome of the case. However, funding for the NHS in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales, which is free to allocate resources from within the block grant as it sees fit. The Government has no current plans to review the Barnett formula which has produced fair and transparent settlements over the years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about flooding in Wales. [142080]

My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with Assembly Secretaries about issues affecting Wales, including flooding and flood prevention measures. The Assembly has recently consulted on new flood defence management arrangements for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about police funding in Wales. [142081]

My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with colleagues about matters affecting Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many community support officers there are in Wales. [142082]

Funding has been made available for 113 Community Support Officers in Wales.In July I met with a group of Community Support Officers based in my own constituency who are already coming to be recognised as a valuable part of the local policing team.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has made to the Boundary Commission for Wales about the fifth general review of parliamentary constituencies in Wales. [142083]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 was; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. [142363]

The Wales Office was established in 1999. Since then the Department has not purchased or sold any works of art. However, my office does showcase a collection of Welsh artwork loaned to both our offices in Gwydyr House and Cardiff by the Government Art Collection and National Museums and Galleries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what visits (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department (i) have made and (ii) plan to make using public funds in connection with the Big Conversation; how many civil servants accompanied each Minister in respect of such visits; what the cost to public funds was of visits by (A) each Minister and (B) civil servants in connection with the Big Conversation; and if he will make a statement. [143158]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday as Leader of the House of Commons, at column 355W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the average council tax in Wales is in 2003–04. [142575]

Figures published by the National Assembly on 25 March show that the average band D council tax for 2003–04 is £837.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales to ensure Wales plays its part in meeting the commitment to the EU Landfill Directive target of 25 per cent. of 1995 levels by 2010. [140815]

My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with Assembly Secretaries about matters affecting Wales. In June 2002, the Assembly published a comprehensive national waste strategy for Wales: "Wise about Waste". It contains challenging targets for local authorities to increase their recycling and composting of municipal waste to 40 per cent. by 2010. The Assembly has also issued guidance to local authorities to assist the development of their own municipal waste management strategies. There has been some early and encouraging progress showing significant increases in recycling and composting: for example eight authorities have reported achieving the initial 15 per cent. target for 2003–04 by 2002–03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with colleagues in the National Assembly for Wales Government on the repatriation of European funds. [140538]

I have regular discussions with colleagues in the National Assembly for Wales on the future of European structural funds, and I am keeping abreast with the latest developments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Treasury on the repatriation of European structural funding. [140539]

I have regular discussions with the Treasury on the future of European structural funds, and I am keeping abreast with the latest developments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the Welsh gross domestic product per capita figures are since 1990. [141162]

The available information is given in the following table. Gross value added (previously known as gross domestic product) is only available at the prevailing price levels in each year.Gross value added per capita in Wales, current basic prices:

Per capita
£
Amount
1990	7,212
1991	7,450
1992	7,742
1993	8,106
1994	8,565
1995	9,020
1996	9,427
19971	9,860
19981	10,273
19991	10,593
20001	10,987
20011	11,396
1Provisional.
Source:
Office for National Statistics, regional accounts

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many jobs have been created in Wales since 1997 in (a) the public and (b) the private sector. [141161]

Comparing the 12 months to August 2003 with 1997, there has been an increase of 49,000 people employed in the public sector and 61,000 employed in the private sector in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many visits he has made to Bangor in his capacity as Secretary of State for Wales. [142574]

I regularly visit different parts of Wales and have been to Bangor twice in my capacity as Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the meeting he had with health officials on 7 November on the future of the Neath Port Talbot Hospital. [141164]

I attended this meeting as a constituency engagement as the Member of Parliament for Neath.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with his colleagues in the National Assembly for Wales Government on the organisation of events to commemorate Owain Glyndwr in 2004.

I have regular meetings with Assembly Secretaries on a range of issues affecting Wales.I understand that a number of organisations have made representations to the National Assembly about this anniversary. The assembly is considering how the event should be commemorated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh regiments he has visited in 2003.

I recently met Brigadier lain Cholerton prior to him taking up his new post as commander of the senior royal regiment of Wales. I also met with his predecessor. We discussed the possibility of a visit in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who determines the (a) prices, (b) specifications and (c) standards of the items set out in the Al Yamamah contract; and by what procedures prices, specifications and standards are revised. [142584]

Al Yamamah is a Government-to-Government agreement. Its content and all revisions are negotiated and agreed between officials of the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabian Governments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what liaison he has had since 3 November with the Serious Fraud Office on the allegations made by Mr. Edward Cunningham relating to the Al Yamamah programme. [142113]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many bearskins the Army has purchased in each of the last five years; and whether these bears are (a) killed in the wild and (b) farmed for their skins. [141855]

A total of 694 bearskin caps have been procured over the last five years.

Calendar year	Caps procured
1998	54
1999	166
2000	232
2001	63
2002	179
Total	694

The pelts used in the manufacture of bearskin caps are purchased through a licensed agent and imported under licence from Canada. We understand from manufacturers that the pelts are supplied from bears hunted as part of the quotas established under the Canadian Provinces' conservation plans.One bear pelt can make on average between one and two caps. A cap refurbishment programme has been in place since 2001 with the aim of reducing the requirement for new caps to a minimum. A total of 430 caps have been refurbished since this programme began.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role Ministry of Defence Police officers have had in the reopened police investigation of deaths at Deepcut barracks; and how many potential witnesses were canvassed and interviewed by military personnel in the investigations into the deaths of (a) Mr. Sean Benton, (b) Cheryl James, (c) Mr. Geoff Gray and (d) Mr. James Collinson. [143128]

In response to a request from Surrey Police, two Ministry of Defence Police Detective Constables were seconded to the Surrey Police team for the duration of their investigation into the Deepcut deaths. During the secondment the two officers have been at all times under the full operational control of that Force. The details of the investigations are matters for the Surrey Police.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the (a) costs and (b) offsetting receipts of government-to-government defence export programmes are included in the administration and sales promotion expenses of the Defence Export Services Organisation staff in the central Top Level Budget. [142416]

The costs and offsetting receipts of government-to-government defence export programmes are included in the Administration and Sales Promotion expenses of the Defence Export Services Organisation staff in the Central Top Level Budget. Details of these expenses are published in Table 11 (Export of Defence Equipment) of Cmd 5912, the Government's Expenditure Plans (Ministry of Defence) 2003–04 to 2005–06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the contracts will be awarded for the second tranche of the Eurofighter project; how much the contracts will be for; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay. [142303]

Intense work is under way involving our partner nations and industry to enable contracts for the second tranche of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to be placed as soon as possible. The cost to the United Kingdom is expected to be of the order of £5,000 million. Under the original schedule, the contracts had been due to be placed during 2003 but the programme, including the delivery of Tranche 1 aircraft, has been subject to delay. We are determined to ensure that Industry's proposals for Tranche 2 are soundly based to deliver capability to a schedule against which the Royal Air Force can plan with confidence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the planned interchangeability of weapons between the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft ordered by the four partner nations. [141978]

It will be physically possible to fit and operate any weapon that has been integrated with Typhoon on any nation's Typhoon aircraft, although not all nations would necessarily have the airworthiness clearance and training to use any weapons. There are currently no plans for one nation to use weapons bought by another.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether gun safety indicators will be fitted to the RAF's operational Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. [141979]

We currently have no requirement for Typhoon to be armed with a gun. For overall armament safety there is a Remote Position Indicator for the Master Armament Safety Switch (MASS), which removes power from all the armament systems on the aircraft, and confirms to the groundcrew, before they approach the aircraft, that the MASS has been set to safe.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the speed limitations caused by the external carriage of weapons on the Eurofighter Typhoon; and whether the merits of an internal weapons bay in this respect have been assessed. [141980]

Assessments have been carried out to determine the flight limitations necessitated by the thermal effects of high-speed carriage of weapons on the Eurofighter Typhoon. The merits of an internal weapons bay were assessed during the early design phase of the aircraft. However, this arrangement was rejected because the aircraft was designed primarily for the air superiority role where the rapid availability of weapons mounted on external pylons offers greater operational advantage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the weapons suspension points on the RAF's operational Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft will be compatible with Military Standard 1760; and if he will make a statement. [141982]

All the weapons suspension points on the RAF's operational Eurofighter Typhoon will be compatible with Military Standard 1760.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a competition process is intended between bidders for a mid-life update to the RAF's Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [141983]

Typhoon's incremental acquisition strategy means that enhancements to the aircraft's capabilities will be incorporated progressively after its initial entry into service. It is too early in the Typhoon programme to consider whether a formal mid-life update for the aircraft might be needed or how it might best be achieved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the implications are for the UK's acquisition of air tanker aircraft of the US Department of Defense's re-examination of the equivalent programme. [142779]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made in finalising the contractual arrangements between his Department and BAe Systems in respect of the acquisition of Hawk 128 Advanced Jet Trainers. [141990]

Good progress has been made to date with BAE Systems. A contract for risk reduction activities is expected to be signed before the end of the year. Negotiations towards a final contract for Hawk 128 continue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the C-130K Hercules airframes, giving the out-of-service dates of each. [142604]

[holding answer 8 December 2003]: Based on current predictions it is expected that the RAFs Hercules C-130K fleet will be retired around the end of this decade. The out of service dates for individual aircraft have yet to be decided.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work is planned to upgrade the C-130K fleet; whether this will include upgrading of the wings; and what effect such upgrades will have on the out-of-service dates of each aircraft. [142638]

On current plans it is expected that the RAF's Hercules C-130K aircraft will be progressively withdrawn from service from around the end of this decade to be replaced by A400M aircraft. Consequently there is no upgrade programme for the C130K fleet. However, a small number of aircraft have had their capabilities enhanced to meet the demands of recent operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. This did not include upgrading of their wings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the supply to Israel of (a) weapons and (h) machine parts that can be used to enhance that country's (i) nuclear and (ii) biological weapons capability. [142335]

I have been asked to reply.As with export licence applications for all other countries, licences for the supply of strategic goods to Israel are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Export Licensing Criteria. The criteria ensure that proper consideration is taken of the risk of the goods being used for either internal repression or external aggression. The assessment includes careful consideration of the possible, as well as the stated, end-use of any equipment supplied.The Government would not issue an export licence that was in contravention of the criteria.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when the public private partnership/private finance initiative project for the provision of MoD marine navigational aids is to be concluded; and what the cost to the Department has been;[142535](2)if he will list the parties involved in the public private partnership/private finance initiative project for the provision of MoD marine navigational aids; [142536](3)what consultation he has had with

The future provision of Marine Services, which includes work relating to marine navigational aids, is the subject of a PPP/PFI Acquisition programme. These services are currently provided by Serco Denholm, under a Government Owned-Contractor Operated (GOCO) arrangement and by the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service (RMAS). The RMAS are currently responsible for the laying/recovery and annual maintenance of some 205 navigational buoys around the coast of the British Isles. Under current plans, the design authority for navigational buoys and the supply of related mooring materials will also be transferred to the successful bidder.Invitations to Negotiate have been issued to Serco Denholm Ltd and a consortium led by Babcock Naval Services Ltd. The RMAS have also been given the opportunity under the Acquisition programme to compete for a package of work similar in scope to their current portfolio. Announcement of the preferred option is planned in early 2005 with the conclusion of the PPP/PFI programme expected in Autumn 2005.Maintenance of MOD navigational buoys represents a small part of the future provision of Marine Services programme and it is not possible to identify separately the management costs for this aspect alone.Discussions took place with the General Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs), Non-Departmental Public Bodies sponsored by the DIE, in 2001 to determine whether there was scope for the GLAs to take over the maintenance and upkeep of MOD UK navigational buoys. However, it was subsequently decided not to proceed as such an arrangement would provide little benefit to the MOD. No further discussions on this matter have taken place either with public or private sector bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the industrial members of the National Defence Industries Council; what the criteria are for their appointment; and if he will make a statement. [141843]

The industry members of the National Defence Industries Council (NDIC) currently are:

Sir Richard Evans: Chairman, Defence Industries Council and Chairman, BAE Systems plc

Mr. Andrew Davies: Vice President Defence, Intellect

Mr. Martin Jay: President, Society of Maritime Industries

Sir David Lees: Chairman, GKN plc

Mr. Nick Prest: Chairman, Defence Manufacturers Association

Mr. Gordon Page: President, Society British Aerospace Companies

Dr. Sally Howes: Secretary, Defence Industries Council

Mr. Simon Frost: Chairman, Claverham Group

Mr. Alex Dorrian: Chief Executive Officer, Thales Defence Ltd.

Mr. Colin Green: President of Defence Aerospace, Rolls-Royce plc

Mr. Tony Pryor: Chairman Devonport Management Ltd., and Chief Operating Officer Europe and Africa, Kellogg Brown and Root

The NDIC is the senior body that provides a focus for regular consultation between the Ministry of Defence and industry on questions of defence supply and procurement of mutual concern, and defines areas for joint study.Appointment to the NDIC is at the discretion of the Secretary of State. The industry membership comprises the senior representatives of the four main trade associations, senior industrialists, representatives of the service sector and representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises, who are invited on an individual basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether BAE Systems sought the advice of the (a) Ministry of Defence and (b) the Defence Export Services Organisation on whether commissions for Shaik Hamad bin Jassin bin Jaber al-Thari were legitimate in connection with a defence equipment package for Qatar signed in 1996. [142412]

No evidence has been found in available records of advice being sought from the Ministry of Defence (including the Defence Export Services Organisation) on the question of commission payments in connection with a defence equipment package for Qatar signed in 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the armed forces recruitment budget was spent in (a) England, (h) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [142676]

The total recruiting budget for each Service in each year since 1997–98 was as follows:

£ million
	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
RN/RM	25.4	28.5	28.7	30.8	33.1	29.9
Army	53.9	48.1	53.0	55.2	65.5	71.8
RAF	27.4	30.6	27.4	28.2	29.7	31.0

The proportion of the recruiting budget spent by country was:

Percentage
	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
RN/RM
England	81	81	81	80	81	81
Wales	6	6	6	6	5	6
Scotland	11	11	11	12	12	11
Northern Ireland	2	2	2	2	2	2
RAF
England	27	25	29	29	29	29
Wales	2	2	3	oJ	3	3
Scotland	4	4	5	5	5	5
Northern Ireland	3	1	1	1	1	1

The remainder of the budget was taken up by National recruiting campaigns and Central costs. The Army's recruiting budget is managed centrally and cannot be broken down in the format requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial Army personnel are serving in the Balkans. [143345]

As at 1 December 2003, 182 Territorial Army personnel were mobilised for service in the Balkans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why new shoulder weapons pylons were not procured for the upgrade of Tornado GR1 aircraft to GR4 standard; and if he will make a statement. [141981]

The shoulder weapon pylons on the Tornado GR1 were upgraded to Tornado GR4 standard as part of the Tornado GR1 mid-life upgrade programme. There was therefore no requirement to procure new shoulder weapon pylons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list significant (a) accidents and (b) fires on RFA Argus within the past six months. [143259]

There have been no accidents on RFA Argus in the last six months. However, the ship is currently undergoing a refit and on 2 December a small fire occurred during work on her boiler. Damage was limited to the boiler and Argus is expected to return to service, as planned, early next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what help he can offer pensioners who have lost money because the occupational schemes of their insolvent employers have been administered under the Pensions Act 1995 since 6 April 1997. [142110]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the Government's policy is on establishing a compensation fund for payments backdated to 1997 to pension scheme members who would be entitled to final salary pensions where the scheme (a) has been wound up and (b) is being wound up where there are insufficient assets fully to meet the scheme pension liabilities; [142378](2) what proposals the Government have to make the proposed Pension Protection Fund retrospective from the introduction of the Pensions Act 1995. [142382]

The Government have great sympathy for the pension scheme members who have suffered pension losses due to their insolvent company's scheme winding up underfunded. These cases have highlighted the need for urgent action so that their situation can be avoided in the future. This is why we are amending the priority order, introducing the Pension Protection Fund and strengthening the employer debt by introducing the full buy out provision.When the introduction of the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) was announced on 11 June 2003,

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the Government's policy is in relation to the protection of pension rights on employer insolvency under Article 8 of the EU Insolvency Directive of 1980; [142373](2) if he will make a statement on how the Government has complied with Article 8 of the EU Insolvency Directive of 1980. [142374]

Our policy in relation to Article 8 of the EU Insolvency Directive of 1980, is to safeguard certain contributions that members pay into occupational pension schemes.We meet our obligations under Article 8 of the Insolvency Directive, as successive Governments have done since it was adopted in 1980. Under the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Pensions Scheme Act 1993, the Redundancy Payments Directorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, makes insolvency payments from the National Insurance Fund (NIF) to qualifying former employees. The amounts payable from the NIF are subject to statutory upper limits. In addition, the Pensions Act 1995 requires salary-related schemes to meet the Minimum Funding Requirement (MFR), and provides for a statutory priority order for the distribution of a scheme's assets if a scheme, that is required to meet the MFR, winds up.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the Government's estimate is of the number of final salary pension funds that (a) have been wound up and (b) are being wound up since the introduction of the Pensions Act 1995; and how many of those employers were (i) solvent and (ii) insolvent at the time of winding-up; [142375](2)what estimate the Government has made of the total value of pensions lost since 1997 as a consequence of final salary pension schemes that

The Pensions Schemes Registry (PSR), administered by the Occupational Pension Schemes Regulatory Authority (OPRA), holds information on the number of final salary schemes which are currently in the winding-up process and the number of schemes which have entered and completed winding-up. The registry database is, however, limited in a number of ways as described in the footnote. Consequently, it does not provide all the information requested, though it nevertheless remains the most comprehensive source of information available on the aggregate number of pension schemes in the UK.According to the PSR's most recent data, around 1,400 private sector final salary schemes were in the winding-up process at the beginning of September, and around 4,800 private sector final salary schemes have completed winding-up. The data does not permit any further analysis on whether these schemes have commenced/completed winding-up prior to 1997 or 1995.It is not possible to split the above by whether they are connected to a solvent or insolvent employer. No alternative data source exists to provide this information. Also, the information collected does not facilitate analysis by region or constituency. As regards estimating the value of pensions lost (due to winding-up), this is also fraught with numerous difficulties. The extent of loss depends on many different factors—such as the maturity of the scheme (that is, the age profile and retirement status of members), and the funding position before starting winding-up. The latter in turn is highly sensitive to investment decisions and conditions in the financial markets. With no information to draw on at an aggregate level, we are unable to comment on the extent of scheme under-funding and losses arising from wind up. The PSR, as mentioned, was not designed originally for the purposes of such analysis, and therefore does not provide information on scheme funding positions and costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate the Government has made of the cost of paying compensation backdated to 1997 for pension scheme members who would be entitled to final salary pensions where the scheme is (a) wound up and (b) being wound up and where there were insufficient assets to fully meet the scheme pension liabilities. [142379]

It is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of a compensation arrangement without a range of assumptions, including assumptions about the nature and level of compensation to be provided, the number of people covered and the degree of underfunding in their pension schemes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Government's policy is on the guarantee of members' future pension benefits of existing final salary pension schemes in the period before the introduction of the proposed Pension Protection Fund. [142383]

The Pensions Act 1995 makes provision for the payment of compensation to trust-based occupational pension schemes in cases of dishonesty. The compensation scheme should provide some help where the sponsoring employer is insolvent and the value of the scheme assets has been reduced as a result of dishonesty.There is legislation currently in place that provides that, when a salary-related occupational pension scheme winds up, any deficiency in the pension fund becomes a debt on the employer. The Government have issued draft regulations designed to strengthen this protection. They state that where a scheme is wound up and the sponsoring employer is solvent, the employer should ensure that there are sufficient funds in the scheme to meet the full costs of the rights accrued by scheme members, unless doing so would put the company itself at risk.The current legislation provides a statutory priority order for distribution of assets on wind-up. We have issued draft regulations on a revised statutory priority order that will ensure that the degree of protection offered will reflect the length of time a member has been contributing to the scheme.We are planning for both sets of regulations to come into force in early 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Government's policy is on protecting the accrued pension rights inherent in the value of money transferred into employer defined benefit occupational pension schemes from other schemes, to prevent loss of these sums as a consequence of employer insolvency. [142385]

The current legislation which applies when a defined benefit occupational pension scheme winds up does not differentiate between accrued pension rights that have been transferred into a scheme, and other accrued rights that are already in the scheme. We have no plans to alter this position.We have announced a package of measures to protect all members of defined benefit occupational pension schemes when their employer becomes insolvent. These include the introduction of the Pension Protection Fund and refinements to the priority order.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans the Government have to reduce the time taken to wind up final salary pension schemes. [142386]

In April 2002, we introduced legislation to speed up the time taken to wind up pension schemes. Trustees are required to make regular progress reports to the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (Opra). Opra can direct that action is taken by those responsible if it considers that the winding up is being unreasonably delayed. Other people involved in running the scheme are required to tell Opra if there are no trustees so that consideration can be given to appointing a trustee. And trustees can apply to Opra for an order to modify the scheme so that it can be wound up.In addition, there will be proposals in the recently announced Pensions Bill for the introduction of a more hands-on role for the new Pensions Regulator which will be based on risk analysis. This approach will further facilitate the winding up of schemes and will provide welcome support for trustees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what comparative studies the Government has carried out to establish how the cost of providing annuities to employer final salary schemes in wind-up can be of best value to scheme members. [142387]

The Government have not carried out studies into the use of annuities when a final-salary scheme is in wind-up. When a pension scheme is in wind-up, its trustees seek to discharge the scheme's liabilities, using annuities to secure pensioners' incomes.

Benefit/Scheme	Administration	Department	Passported by Pension Credit Guarantee Credit	Passported by Pension Credit Savings Credit alone
Assisted Prison Visits	England, Scotland and Wales	Home Office	Yes	No
Court Fees Exemption	England and Wales	Department for Constitutional Affairs	Yes	No
Dental Treatment	England, Scotland and Wales	Department of Health	Yes	No
Discretionary Grant for the Disabled	England	Office of the Deputy Prime Minister	Yes	No
Discretionary Grant for the Disabled	Wales	Welsh Assembly	Yes	NO
Home Energy Efficiency Scheme	England	Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs	Yes	Yes
Home Energy Efficiency Scheme	Scotland	Scottish Executive	Yes	Yes
Home Energy Efficiency Scheme	Wales	Welsh Assembly	Yes	Yes
Improvement and Repair Grants	Scotland	Scottish Executive	Yes.	No
Milk Tokens for Pregnant partners	England, Scotland and Wales	Department of Health	Yes	No
Optical Vouchers and Sight Tests	England, Scotland and Wales	Department of Health	Yes	No
Seat Belts—no need to pay for medical evidence for exemption	England, Scotland and Wales	Department for Transport	Yes	No

Legal Aid—Pension Credit Guarantee Credit and Pension Credit Savings Credit will be disregarded in the assessment for financial eligibility for Legal Aid.People who qualify for a guarantee credit only or who qualify for a guarantee credit and a savings credit will generally get help through Housing Benefit towards all of their eligible rent payments, provided these are reasonable, minus deductions for any non-dependants living with them.People who receive only the savings credit will not be entitled to full Housing Benefit. Instead, the amount of Housing Benefit they receive will depend upon their income (including their savings credit), their personal circumstances and the amount of their eligible rent. However, the personal allowances used in the Housing Benefit calculation have been enhanced to reflect the maximum savings credit figure. This will ensure that people do not lose the gains from the savings credit in the calculation of their Housing Benefit. This enhancement will apply to all Housing Benefit claimants, aged 65 or over, irrespective of whether they are receiving the maximum savings credit or no savings credit.Welsh further education tuition fee remission policy is at the discretion of the Further Education College. People in receipt of Pension Credit may (subject to the other criteria) be eligible for a payment from the Social Fund.People in receipt of Pension Credit have access to the Social Fund subject to the criteria which apply to the different types of Social Fund payment available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners (a) have requested,

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the passported benefits for (a) Guarantee Pensions Credit, (b) Savings Pension Credit and (c) Council Tax Benefit. [142658]

The principal passported benefits for Pension Credit Guarantee Credit and Pension Credit Savings Credit are in the following table.

The Pension Service is primarily a telephony-based service delivered through a network of pension centres across the UK. However, for a variety of reasons, not all older people are able to conduct their business in this way and require either a home appointment or an appointment at a location convenient to them. These customers are referred to local service. During October 2003 (latest available statistics), 45,925 such customers were referred to local service from pension centres and 43,601 received home appointments.There are no 'waiting lists'. The standard for local service is that customers will be offered a convenient home or surgery appointment within 10 working days. Latest available statistics show that this standard is being met in 96.1 per cent of cases. Home visits are sometimes postponed by the customer while relevant documents are obtained or to enable a relative to be present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what means the policy for purchasing timber and timber products of (a) the Department, (b) the Appeals Service, (c) the Child Support Agency, (d) JobCentre Plus and (e) the Pension Service ensures that they are obtained from legal and sustainable sources. [141343]

The Department's PFI Estates Partner—Land Securities Trillium—supplies the majority of timber products for the Department and all its executive agencies. They were made aware of the requirement to purchase timber from legal and sustainable sources in September 2000, by e-mail and during the regular progress meetings that are held between the Department and Land Securities Trillium.Land Securities Trillium provide an annual report to the Department, giving information on all their suppliers, the type of timber product supplied and details of all supporting verification. This report is then subject to independent verification.The roll out of the new Jobcentre Plus service means that there are some contracts for refurbishment of sites that are being let outside of the Department's main PFI estates contract. Details of the model contract specification were circulated to the relevant procurement team. A requirement for evidence of the sustainability of timber was included within all contracts. The Department is currently reviewing what evidence has been supplied to date.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps are being taken to encourage men aged between 60 and 65 to apply for the winter fuel allowance for the 2003–04 winter. [142833]

Each year, we are able to identify most men who are likely to become newly eligible for a winter fuel payment using current departmental records and they are sent claim forms automatically with an invitation to make a claim.An extensive publicity campaign is carried out from June each year and continues throughout the year. The campaign includes: advertisements in national and local press; a leaflet and poster made available in a variety of venues, a dedicated Winter Fuel Payment Helpline and information on the internet.Where a person needs to claim, it is up to them whether they do so. They have until 30 March 2004 to make their claim for this winter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what targets have been set for the number of men aged between 60 and 65 to apply for the 2003–04 Winter Fuel Allowance. [142834]

We expect all those entitled who are not paid automatically, including men aged between 60 and 64, to claim their entitlement to Winter Fuel Payments. In order to achieve full take up we issue claim forms to all those in the target group and publicise the availability of Winter Fuel Payments.So far 172,790 claim forms have been issued to men aged 60–64 for this winter. All those who need to claim have until 30 March 2004 to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what plans he has to revise the qualifying week for winter fuel payments; [142835](2) for what reason his Department chose 21 September as the final qualifying date for the 2003–04 winter fuel payment. [142836]

There are no current plans to change the winter fuel payment qualifying week.The qualifying week is set in legislation for the third week in September to enable the Department to establish the correct amount of winter fuel payment and make automatic payments to the vast majority of those entitled at the time the payment is most needed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many winter fuel payment claim forms have been issued in 2003 in the Perth constituency; and how many claim forms have been submitted. [142654]

The number of winter fuel payment claim forms issued so far this year to people who are likely to become eligible for a winter fuel payment in the Perth constituency is 696, and of those 446 have been returned.We are publicising the availability of winter fuel payments and how to obtain a claim form. Those who need to claim for this winter have until 30 March 2004 to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Winter Fuel Payment claim forms have been issued in 2003 in (a) Merseyside and (b) St. Helens; and how many claim forms have been submitted. [142716]

The number of Winter Fuel Payment claim forms issued so far this year to people who are likely to become eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment in Merseyside is 31,005, and of those 20,698 have been returned.The number of Winter Fuel Payment claim forms issued so far this year to people who are likely to become eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment in St. Helens is 2,133, and of those 1,547 have been returned.We are publicising the availability of Winter Fuel Payments and how to obtain a claim form. Those who need to claim for this winter have until 30 March 2004 to do so.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what regulations are in place to ensure the safe (a) installation and (b) operation of domestic central heating systems, with particular reference to preventing pollution from oil leakages; [143068](2) what quality standards apply to domestic central heating oil storage tanks in

Evidence from the English House Condition Survey indicates that there are around 700,000 oil fired domestic heating installations in England.Part J of the Building Regulations covers the pollution risks associated with the installation of domestic oil fired central heating. Ways of meeting the requirement are conveyed in Approved Document J (2002) and include compliance with BS 5410 (1997 amended 2001): Code of Practice for Oil Firing—Part 1: installations up to 45 kW output capacity for space heating and hot water supply purposes, providing secondary containment where a risk assessment indicates this is necessary, and labelling storage systems with what to do if an oil spill occurs. BS 5410 refers to BS 799 Part 5 (1987): Specification for oil tanks for steel tanks and to the industry (OFTEC) standard OFS T100 (1995) Polyethylene oil storage tanks and bunds for distillate fuels. OFTEC has since published OFS T200 as their specification for steel tanks.The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001, SI 2001:2954 provide minimum standards for domestic tanks where the storage capacity is in excess of 3,500 litres. There are no other regulations specifically covering the prevention of oil pollution from oil leakages arising from the operation of domestic oil fired central heating systems. However, it is a statutory offence to cause or knowingly permit the pollution of "controlled waters" (which includes ground and surface waters) under the Water Resources Act 1991.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance he has issued to English Partnerships in respect of the criteria used in determining allocations to assist housing-led regeneration schemes outside housing market pathfinder renewal areas; and if he will make a statement. [140941]

English Partnerships' remit was set out in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's "Sustainable communities: building for the future" which was published earlier this year.EP's priorities for expenditure include:

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will amend the financial model used by the Boundary Committee in assessing the costs of reorganising local government in the three northern regions to include (a) transitional, (b) opportunity and (c) ongoing costs of change. [142222]

No. The model used by the Boundary Committee looks at the "cost of being in business"—that is, the recurring costs that an authority must incur regardless of the level of service that it provides. Other costs and savings that will result from re-organisation are heavily dependent on the policy decisions of the elected representatives of individual councils and cannot, therefore, be used for modelling purposes without making assumptions about the decisions that will be taken by authorities that have yet to be created. The cost of being in business, being less dependent on such assumptions, provides a sounder basis on which to make comparisons.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to collect centrally the costs of any reorganisation of local government; and if he will make a statement. [142225]

It is too early to say what the cost of and potential long-term savings from reorganisation might be. It will depend ultimately on the pattern of unitary authorities introduced following referendums and on decisions that the new unitary authorities take about their organisational structure. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will discuss how any costs will be funded with local authorities and the Local Government Association nearer the time.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will respond to the bids for resources from the market renewal pathfinders; and if he will make a statement. [142994]

The nine market renewal pathfinders are each required to submit a strategic scheme to outline their proposals on how they plan to spend the Housing Market Renewal fund that they are bidding for and address the issues of low demand. These schemes are assessed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in negotiation with the pathfinder and independently scrutinised by the Audit. Following successful negotiations and a satisfactory report from the Audit Commission the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will allocate a proportion of the Housing Market Renewal Fund to a scheme.£125 million has already been allocated to the Manchester Salford pathfinder for implementation of its scheme over the next two and a half years. Strategic schemes from two other pathfinders, Newcastle Gateshead and Merseyside, have been received and are being assessed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Audit Commission. Others are expected over the next few months.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to change the voting system in reorganised single tier authorities which may be established following the referendums on regional assemblies; and if he will make a statement. [142572]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans for reorganisation to affect the voting systems in English local government.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received from organisations in the North West urging the Government to extend the powers and functions of the proposed regional assembly; and if he will make a statement. [142798]

Since it was announced which regions would proceed first towards referendums on 16 June 2003 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has received four representations from organisations in the North West region asking the Government to extend the powers of the proposed regional assembly. In addition three individuals urged greater powers.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what circumstances the Government will overrule a local council's decision as to a property's exemption from the right to buy scheme. [142909]

My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister may overrule a Council's decision in relation to the Right to Buy in only one circumstance.Under paragraph 11 of Schedule 5 of the Housing Act 1985, a landlord may deny a social tenant's application to buy his or her home on the grounds that the dwelling is particularly suitable for occupation by the elderly, having regard to its location, size, design, heating system and other features, and if it was let to the tenant or a predecessor in title of his for occupation by a person who was aged 60 or more (whether the tenant or a predecessor or another person). In determining whether the dwelling is particularly suitable, no regard shall be had to the presence of any feature provided by the tenant or a predecessor in title of his.Paragraph 11(4) provides that the question shall be determined by the Secretary of State if the tenant applies to him within the period of 56 days from notification of the landlord's decision. If on receiving such an appeal, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister considers that the property does not meet the criteria set out in paragraph 11, he can determine that the Right to Buy application should proceed. The main points on which my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister will normally expect to be satisfied before determining that a property is in fact particularly suitable for occupation by the elderly are set out in Department of the Environment Circular 13/93. They are that:

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local council decisions on exemption from the right to buy scheme he has overruled since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [142910]

Secure tenants denied the Right to Buy by their landlords under paragraph 11 of Schedule 5 of the Housing Act 1985, on the grounds that their homes are particularly suitable for occupation by elderly persons, may appeal to my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister. The numbers of such appeals determined since 1997 are set out in the table (the figures do not include invalid or withdrawn appeals):

	Appeals accepted	Appeals refused	Total
1997	46	106	152
1998	53	121	174
1999	70	150	220
2000	55	120	175
2001	53	179	232
2002	71	243	314
2003 (as at 4 December)	112	303	415

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to make smoke alarms in rented property a legal requirement. [142776]

The Housing Bill 2003 provides that a local housing authority can impose as a condition for a house in multiple occupation to be licensed under Part 2, or for any house subject to selective licensing under Part 3 of the Bill, that the property is equipped with smoke alarms. Schedule 4 of the Bill provides that it is mandatory condition that where smoke alarms are installed they are properly maintained.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will respond to the Select Committee on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's recommendation that a tenancy deposit scheme should be introduced; and if he will make a statement. [142866]

The government published its response to the Select Committee on 10 November 2003.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will establish a fast track procedure to enable tenants' deposits withheld by private landlords after the termination of their contract to be speedily returned. [142867]

As indicated by the government's response to the Select Committee on the Housing Bill of 10 November 2003, we are considering detailed proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage the take-up of apprenticeships. [141885]

[holding answer 8 December 2003]: The Government are wholly behind Modern Apprenticeships as a high quality work-based learning option for young people. We are fully committed to implementing the reforms recommended by the Modern Apprenticeships Advisory Committee under Sir John Cassels, which included a major boost to the marketing of MAs, and to more recent Skills Strategy announcements. Under Sir Roy Gardner a business-led Modern Apprenticeship Task Force is taking a key role in promoting MA to employers and thereby contributing to increased take-up. We have adopted a PSA target for 2004 of 28 per cent. of young people entering a Modern Apprenticeship before the age of 22. We have made sufficient resources available to ensure that we meet this target and are on course to achieve it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to introduce a

Maintained primary, secondary and all special schools: number of permanent exclusions
	1999/2000		2000/01		2000/02
Number	Percentage1	Number	Percentage1	Number	Percentage1
Portsmouth, South constituency
Primary2	0	0.00	0	0.00	0	0.00
Secondary2	9	0.17	10	0.19	4	0.07
Special3	0	0.00	0	0.00	0	0.00
Total	9	0.07	10	0.08	4	0.03
England
Primary2	1,226	0.03	1,436	0.03	1,451	0.03
Secondary2	6,713	0.21	7,305	0.23	7,741	0.24
Special3	384	0.40	394	0.41	343	0.36
Total	8,323	0.11	9.135	0.12	9,535	0.12
1 Number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of school population.
2 Includes middle schools as deemed.
3 Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the paper by the hon. Members for The Wrekin (Peter Bradley) and for Southampton, Test (Dr. Whitehead) on the funding of higher education; and if he will publish his assessment. [142539]

I shall be writing to my hon. Friends concerning their proposal. A copy of this letter will be placed in the House Library in due course.

Employers are already required to report to the Health and Safety Executive incidents, including ones resulting from acts of physical violence, which cause injuries to staff resulting in more than three days' absence from work. Local education authorities and other employers of school staff also have their own reporting arrangements. The Government have no plans to add to these systems.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many senior civil servants in his Department are disabled expressed in actual terms and as a percentage of FTE staff. [143067]

My Department has two senior civil servants who have declared a disability. This equates to 1.3 per cent. of FTE staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children have been excluded from (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special schools in (i) Portsmouth, South and (ii) England in each year since 1999–2000. [141348]

The information requested is shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will meet the vice chancellors of (a) South Bank University, (b) University of Glamorgan and (c) University College Wales, Newport to discuss the future of higher education. [142540]

I have frequent meetings with vice chancellors in which our proposals for the future of higher education are discussed. However, as a devolved matter, issues related to higher education institutions in Wales such as the University of Glamorgan and University College Wales are a matter for the Welsh Assembly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many universities he expects will be in a position to offer bursaries to students from poorer backgrounds under the Government's new higher education funding proposal; [142902](2) what his estimate is of the percentage of students from poorer backgrounds who could qualify for a bursary under the new higher education funding proposals. [142956]

We are considering and discussing the contents of access agreements and the duties of the Office for Fair Access, and will make a statement in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what grants OFFA will be involved in distributing and on what basis; and where its funding will come from. [143072]

We have no plans for the Office for Fair Access to distribute any grants. It will be a regulatory body, not a funding body.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is his policy to intervene to prevent universities charging the full top-up fee to its students. [142516]

We propose that all universities will be able to charge variable fees of up to 3,000 from academic year 2006/07, provided they have an Access Agreement approved by the Office for Fair Access.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received from (a) student representative bodies and (b) the university sector in Scotland on the subject of top-up fees. [142730]

My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from various stakeholders in Scotland on the subject of variable fees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what written representations he has received from the First Minister of Scotland on the subject of top-up fees. [142765]

[holding answer 8 December 2003]: My right hon. Friend has had a number of discussions with the First Minister of Scotland on the subject of variable fees and other higher education issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he plans to link the threshold for repayment of tuition fees to (a) the cost of living and (b) average earnings. [143176]

We will set out the Government's policies on repayment thresholds for student loans in the new year in the Regulatory Impact Assessment, which will set out the financial implications of the policies announced in the Higher Education White Paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what consultation there has been with mature entrants to university on the impact of variable tuition fees. [142601]

The Department has received a number of representations from a variety of sources following the publication of the White Paper. We have taken steps to stimulate debate about the future of higher education among all interested groups. We want to encourage able students of all ages to take advantage of a university education. Under our proposals for variable tuition fees, every graduate would repay according to their personal financial circumstances regardless of their age.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many universities have indicated their intention to waive fees for students embarking on (a) science, (b) engineering and (c) mathematics degrees; and if he will make a statement. [142785]

It will be for higher education institutions themselves to decide what level of fees they set for each of their courses from 2006/07 onwards, between £0 and £3,000. I would expect them to consider a range of factors in doing so, including the likely impact of their decisions on demand by students for their courses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of average earnings the threshold for repayment of a student loan was at (a) the time it was introduced and (b) the latest date for which figures are available. [143175]

The first point at which borrowers could be required to repay income contingent loans was April 2000. At that time the threshold of £10,000 was 44 per cent. of average earnings (£22,475¹). In April 2003 the threshold (£10,000) was 40 per cent. of average earnings (£25,134¹).

¹ As used in the setting of the repayments threshold for mortgage style student loans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Government's estimate is of the cost of defending the legal action that the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation and Amicus brought in relation to the implementation of Article 8 of the 1980 European Insolvency Directive. [142502]

I have been asked to reply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with (a) UK firms and (b) representatives of the accountancy profession on the decision to raise the audit exemption threshold to £5.6 million; and if she will publish the minutes of such meetings. [140884]

On 11 July 2003 the Government published a consultation document on the proposal to increase the audit exemption threshold. The consultation document was sent to some 870 organisations, businesses and individuals, including UK firms and representatives of the accountancy profession. There were 90 responses of which 35 were from UK firms and II from bodies representing the accountancy profession. A summary of the responses is available on the Department's website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/cld/ published.htm

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the change in cost to UK businesses of the reduction in the timescale for rotation of audit partners from seven to five years. [140885]

The regular rotation of audit partners plays an important role in upholding auditor independence. The Government welcomed the recommendation by the Coordinating Group on Audit and Accounting Issues (CGAA) last January to reduce the timescale for the rotation of the lead audit partner from seven to five years. The professional audit bodies implemented the recommendation immediately through revised guidance. They pointed out that audit firms would incur some costs in terms of familiarisation and planning (which would vary according to size of firm) in moving to the new five year cycle, but agreed with the CGAA that, as the requirements only relate to firms that are auditing listed and public interest entities, the benefits in terms of safeguarding auditor independence from the client outweighed any such transitional costs.Meanwhile the Auditing Practices Board have drafted a new ethical standard which formalises the reduction from seven to five years, and are currently consulting on this and other ethical standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the number of businesses employing more than (a) five people, (b) 50 people, (c) 100 people and (d) 250 people in St. Helens in each year since 1992. [141306]

I have been asked to reply.The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.