To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will rule out amending to 15 per cent. the Government's 2010 target for reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. [148613]

[holding answer 19 January 2004]: The Government today published for consultation its draft National Allocation Plan for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. In doing so, we reaffirmed our commitment to our domestic goal to move towards a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide of 20 per cent. on 1990 levels by 2010.The UK Climate Change Programme sets out the policy framework to ensure that we meet our Kyoto target and move towards the domestic goal. We are committed to reviewing the Programme this year, which will provide an opportunity to introduce new policies and measures, or to strengthen existing ones, if the conclusion is that more needs to be done to achieve the domestic goal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how her Department is working to ensure that the UK fulfils its obligations under the Montreal Protocol. [148006]

[holding answer 19 January 2004]: The UK signed and ratified the Montreal Protocol in 1987, and has since ratified the four other amendments, London (1990) Copenhagen (1992) Montreal (1997) and Beijing (1999). The Community has implemented its obligations under the Montreal Protocol through EC Regulation 2037/2000, which is directly applicable in UK law. This Regulation has put in place an accelerated phase-out programme on the supply and use of ozone depleting substances, as EU member states were keen to move faster than the Protocol. A statutory Instrument has been introduced which creates offences and sets penalties for any breaches of the ozone regulation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the audited amount of (a) plutonium and (b) uranium at each nuclear energy facility which was unaccounted for in each year since 1997. [148500]

I have been asked to reply.In accordance with international practice, the inventory difference that occurs when the result of a physical inventory of nuclear material is compared with the book inventory is referred to as MUF ('material unaccounted for'). The difference may be negative (an apparent loss) or positive (an apparent gain). MUF is a recognised feature of accounting for nuclear material and is caused primarily by the uncertainties inherent in the techniques used to measure nuclear material. MUF figures at UKAEA, BNFL and Urenco sites are published annually by the industry. Copies of the figures published since 1997 have been placed in the Library of the House. There is no evidence to suggest that there have been any real losses or gains of nuclear material.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason she has made no oral statement to the House on an environmental matter since July 2002. [148586]

I take very seriously the importance of keeping the House properly informed across the whole range of my broad portfolio of responsibilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003 were not published until 14 January; and if she will delay their entry into force. [148980]

The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 were not published until 14 January due to delays caused by the Christmas holiday period. However, the Regulations came into force on 1 January 2004, as intended.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the criteria are for designating a wild species of animal as protected. [148656]

Every five years the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) advises Government on which animals should be legally protected by listing on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. JNCC reported to Government with its recommendations in September 2002, which included full protection for this species. The next stage is for Government to conduct a public consultation based on these recommendations, which will occur in spring 2004. Following this consultation, the Secretary of State will decide on the changes to be made to the schedules and these will be implemented by Statutory Instrument.For a species to be recommended for scheduling one of the eligibility criteria in each of the Sections A to D below should be met:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has undertaken of the impact on drink-related accidents of lowering the legal limit of alcohol for drivers from 80 mg to 50 mg; and for what reasons he has not introduced a lower alcohol in blood limit. [147927]

The Government considers that strengthened enforcement of existing controls, combined with publicity and education, is the appropriate basis for dealing with drink-drive accidents and casualties. The Government carried out an analysis of the possible savings in road traffic casualties from a reduction in the legal alcohol limit for the purposes of the 1998 consultation document "Combating Drink Driving: Next Steps", a copy of which is in the House Library. This estimated that a reduction in the limit to 50mg/100m1 could save around 50 fatalities per year, but was based on a number of assumptions about accident causation and individual driver compliance. We have also considered more recent published research into the potential impact of lowering the limit, the results of which appear to be inconclusive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) injuries and (b) fatalities of employees of shipping companies there were in each year since 1997, broken down by company. [148486]

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), a separate branch within the DfT, records injuries and fatalities to crew of UK vessels.Regulation 9(1)(e) of The Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 1999 has the effect of preventing the disclosure, for any purpose other than the investigation, of any report of an accident provided to the MAIB, including the names of the ship owners. However, where an investigation has been ordered by the Chief Inspector, regulation 10 provides that a report is to be made publicly available. The following table therefore shows figures only for injuries and fatalities to crew of UK registered merchant vessels for which investigations have been concluded and a report published, as at 16 January 2004.

Owner Name	(a) Injuries	(b) Fatalities
1997
Alderney Shipping Co Ltd.		1
J. R. Rix and Sons Ltd.		1
Lowline Ltd.	6
Orcargo		1
Princess Cruises Inc.	1
Vector Offshore Ltd.	1
Viking Standby Ltd.	1
Total	9	3
1998
P&O European Ferries	2	1
P&O Stena Line Ltd.		1
Total	2	2
1999
RFA		1
Lowline Ltd.		1
Nomis Shipping Ltd.	2
Total	2	2
2000
P&O European Ferries	2
P&O Stena Line Ltd.	1
P&O Stena Line Shipmanagement Ltd.	4
Shetlands Islands Council		1
Total	7	1
2001
Eidesvik Shipping UK Ltd.		1
Princess Cruises		1
Turk Phoenix Ltd.		1
Total		3

Owner Name	(a) Injuries	(b) Fatalities
2002
Cunard Line Ltd.	1	1
P&O North Sea Ferries Ltd.	1
Total	1	1
2003
Hanson Aggregates Marine Ltd.		1
Total	1	0

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) injuries and (b) fatalities to workers on ships there were in each year since 1997. [148487]

Figures for the number of crew killed and injured on UK registered merchant vessels, reported to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch of DfT by 15 January 2004, are as follows:

	Killed	Injured
1997	5	329
1998	2	320
1999	4	278
2000	3	305
2001	3	287
2002	5	301
2003	2	261

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions, in each year since 1990, powers to direct a ship to leave UK waters have been used, giving in each case the reason for the direction. [148848]

The powers to direct a ship to leave UK waters have only been used on one occasion. On 19 July 1999, a direction was issued to the MV Rainbow Warrior for the purpose of securing the safety of the ship and of other ships, persons on the ship and other ships, and other persons and property.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further sanctions are available to his Department to recover fines where an airline has been banned from United Kingdom airspace due to non-payment of fines. [148960]

The recovery of charges due under Carriers Liability legislation in respect of passengers arriving in the United Kingdom without the required documents is the responsibility of the Home Office. Such charges may be recoverable through the courts as a debt. However, if a carrier was not operating to the United Kingdom, the enforceability of a court's judgment would be a relevant consideration in deciding whether to pursue this course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will reduce the charges levied on users of British airspace as a result of the transfer of responsibility for aviation safety regulation from the UK CAA to the European Aviation Safety Agency. [149596]

Regulation (EC) No. 1592/2002, establishing the European Aviation Safety Agency, applies to the design, production, and airworthiness of aircraft and aircraft products, together with associated personnel and organisations. It has no bearing on the way British airspace is managed or the charges levied with respect to the use of British airspace.The Agency took up its safety regulatory duties on 28 September 2003, and for the time being, has authorised national aviation administrations, including the UK CAA, to carry out tasks on its behalf under national charging schemes. Until the Agency has established its own staff and processes, including a Regulation on fees and charges, we cannot estimate the precise effect on the work of the CAA. The CAA intends to review with UK industry the impact that EASA will have on the costs of its Safety Regulation Group and the associated charges to UK industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his plans to work with the Office of Fair Trading to clarify the position on the ability of bus companies and local authorities to offer through ticketing arrangements permitting cross-boundary travel by encouraging reciprocal arrangements. [148277]

These matters are regularly discussed between my right hon. Friend and the Chairman of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of (a) the number of people driving on roads in England and Wales without adequate insurance cover in each of the last five years and (b) trends in driving without insurance in recent years. [148738]

Current estimates from the insurance industry are that there are about 1.25 million motorists driving while uninsured. No estimates are available for earlier years. Figures for convictions for uninsured driving show an average yearly increase of 1.2 per cent. since 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the average cost to the insurance premium holder in each of the last five years of driving without insurance. [148740]

For the year 2002 the cost to each motorist's insurance premium is estimated at between £15 and £30. However, no figures are available for previous years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department has issued to airlines in respect of flight paths that take commercial aircraft above 30,000 feet. [148589]

The Department has not issued any guidance. When designing air traffic services routes, airspace planners are bound by the provisions of guidance material contained in the ICAO Air Traffic Services Planning Manual—Doc. 9426. In addition, the operational approval and aircraft certification given by the Civil Aviation Authority to aircraft operators covers the operation of aircraft at all phases of flight at any level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what environmental assessment has been made of the (a) benefits and (b) disbenefits of commercial aircraft flying at (i) 20,000, (ii) 25,000, (iii) 30,000 and (iv) 35,000 feet. [148590]

No specific assessment has been made of the benefits and disbenefits of flight al these altitudes. However, research jointly undertaken by DLR (the German aerospace agency) and Manchester Metropolitan University within the European research project, TRADEOFF, looked at the hypothetical impact of reducing cruise altitudes on contrail coverage and its radiative forcing (a measure of the climate impact), as well as the effect of increased fuel consumption (and hence CO² emissions). The research concluded that flying at lower cruise altitudes reduced contrail formation but increased fuel consumption.Any detailed assessment would have to explore these trade-offs further. The research was not intended to suggest changes in operating practices, which would need full international agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to argue, in his discussions with the Government of Kazahkstan, that a charter service from Uralsk to Amsterdam cannot be considered as a replacement for a service from Uralsk to London; what recent discussions he has had on this matter; and if he will make a statement. [149485]

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 14 January 2004, Official Report, column 745W.We are pursuing this matter with the Kazakh Government. Our objective is to ensure that the services offered by airlines meet passenger demands and that no unreasonable obstacles are put in the way of those services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) why he has initiated a regulatory impact assessment on the funding of his Lower Airspace Radar Service; and if he will make a statement; [149597]

The Secretary of State has not initiated a regulatory impact assessment on this matter as funding of the Lower Airspace Radar Service (LARS) is the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) through its Directorate of Airspace Policy.I understand that the CAA will shortly be issuing a consultation document setting out the options for the future funding of the service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the proportion of congestion on roads in England and Wales which is caused by poorly planned and lengthy street works carried out (a) by utilities and (b) by or on behalf of highway authorities. [145530]

[holding answer 5 January 2004]: The Department does not hold figures for the proportion of congestion cause by street works that are poorly planned or lengthy, whether carried out by utilities or highway authorities. However, Transport Research Laboratory figures indicate that all types of road and utility works cause around 10 per cent. of congestion on the Highways Agency's Trunk Road and Motorway system. The proportion of this carried out by Utility Companies is under 2 per cent.The Department does not hold equivalent figures for local roads. Relatively little utility apparatus is located under motorways and trunk roads. Therefore, congestion caused by utility works on local authority roads will be significantly higher than the equivalent figure for Highways Agency roads given above.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the Highways Agency's budget was spent on road maintenance projects in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003. [149147]

The proportion spent in 2002–03 and forecast to be spent in 2003–04 is about 46 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what major improvements are planned to the trunk road network. [148927]

The Highways Agency's Targeted Programme of Improvements (TPI) to the trunk road and motorway network currently comprises 72 schemes each costing more than £5 million. These are:

• A1 (M) Ferrybridge—Hook Moor (under construction)
• A1(M) Wetherby—Walshford (under construction)
• A2—Cobham Phase 1 (under construction)
• A2 Bean—Cobham Phase 2
• A2/A282 Dartford Improvement
• A5 Weeford—Fazeley Improvement
• A10 Wadesmill Colliers End (under construction)
• A14 Rookery Crossroads Grade Separated Junction
• A21 Lamberhurst Bypass (under construction)
• A34 Chieveley/M4 J13 Improvement (under construction)
• A63 Selby By-pass (under construction)

• A120 Stansted—Braintree Improvement (under construction)
• A249 Iwade—Queenborough Improvement
• A303 Stonehenge
• A421 Great Barford By-pass
• A500 City Road and Stoke Junction Improvement
• M25 J12–15 Widening (under construction)
• M60 J5–8 Widening (under construction)
• A1 1 Attleborough By-pass
• All Fiveways—Thetford Improvement
• A47 Thorney By-pass
• M6 Carlisle to Guardsmill extension
• A63 Melton Grade Separated Junction
• A14 Haughley New St—Stowmarket Improvement
• A3 Hindhead Improvement
• A38 Dobwalls By-pass
• A595 Parton—Lillyhall Improvement
• A1 Peterborough—Blyth Grade Separated Junctions
• M62 Junction 6 Improvement
• A46 Newark—Widmerpool Improvement
• A30 Bodmin Indian Queens
• A483 Pant—Llanymynech Bypass
• A5117/A550 Deeside Park Junctions Improvement
• A419 Blunsdon
• A66 Temple Sowerby and Improvement at Winderwath
• AI Dishforth to Leeming
• A1 Bramham—Wetherby (Including Wetherby By-pass)
• A1 Leeming to Barton
• A64 Rillington By-pass
• M40/A404 Handy Cross Junction Improvement
• A47 Blofield to North Burlingham Dualling
• A66 Greta Bridge to Stephen Bank Improvement
• A66 Carkin Moor to Scotch Corner Improvement
• A428 Caxton Common to Hardwick Improvement
• A30/A3 82 Merrymeet Junction
• A66 Long Newton Junction
• A1 Stannington Junction (under construction)
• A69 Haydon Bridge By-pass
• A419 Commonhead Junction
• M4 Junction 18 Eastbound Diverge
• M5 Junctions 17–18 Northbound Climbing Lane
• M5 Junctions 19–20 Southbound Climbing Lane
• M5 Junctions 19–20 Northbound Climbing Lane
• M1 Junction 19
• A14 Ellington—Fen Ditton Improvement
• A57/A628 Mottram in Longdendale, Hollingworth and Tintwistle By-pass
• A45/A46 Tollbar End Improvement
• M1 Junction 6a to 10 Widening
• M1 Junction 10 to 13 Widening
• A1 Morpeth to Felton Dualling
• A1 Adderstone to Belford Dualling
• A1/A19/A106 8 Seaton Burn Junction Improvement
• A19/A184 Testos Grade Separated Junction
• A505 Dunstable Northern Bypass (A5 to M1 Link)
• A421 Bedford to M1 Junction 13
• A21 Tonbridge to Pembury
• M40 Junction 15 (Longbridge)
• A64 Colton Lane Grade Separated Junction

• A590 High and Low Newton By-pass
• M20 Junction 10A
• A30 Garland Cross to Chiverton Cross
• A30 Temple to Higher Carblake Improvement

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how sums of money raised in fines from speed cameras in Essex which have exceeded the totals spent on purchasing and operating speed cameras in Essex have been spent in each of the five years prior to 2001–02; and whether these sums have been allocated to another Department. [149383]

[holding answer 20 January 2004]: Prior to the start of the cost recovery system to fund safety camera activity in 2000–01 all revenue from speeding fines was passed to the Consolidated Fund at HM Treasury.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answers of 6 January 2004, Official Report, columns 215W and 216W, and his answer of 13 January 2004, Official Report, columns 676–7W, how the £520,357, that was collected in fines from speed cameras that was not spent in purchasing and operating speed cameras in Essex in 2001–02, was spent; and whether this sum was allocated to another Department. [149384]

[holding answer 20 January 2004]: Under the netting off scheme the amount returned to the safety camera partnership can only cover the cost of purchasing and operating safety cameras. The rest is passed to the Consolidated Fund at HM Treasury.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has made representations to Transport for London regarding (a) reliability and (b) comfort, under each of the PPP contracts for the London Underground. [149014]

The Department for Transport has not made specific representations to Transport for London on either of these issues. I have regular meetings with the Mayor for London, London Underground and Transport for London. At these meetings a wide range of issues are discussed, including the operational performance of the Underground and the delivery of improvements to the network.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary on the devolution of higher education funding for students to the National Assembly for Wales. [148359]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wrexham (Ian Lucas) today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of the national minimum wage in Wales. [148360]

Around 60,000 people in Wales stood to benefit from the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in April 1999 and for the increases since.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with North Wales police authority about reducing the numbers held in police cells in north Wales. [148361]

My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with representatives of the police forces in Wales.Cells are normally used only to accommodate people who need to be held in custody by the police. Occasionally, prison inmates are held overnight because they cannot reach their prison by a reasonable time, or to facilitate their return to court the next day.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the Barnett formula. [148362]

I have regular meetings with the First Minister to discuss funding arrangements for Wales. The Barnett formula is a means of calculating changes to the Welsh Block from its historic base.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales Government on the funding of the NHS in Wales. [148357]

I have met the First Minister and the Assembly Health Minister in recent weeks to discuss the NHS and health provision in Wales.Since 1997, funding for the NHS across the UK has increased; in Wales the 2004–05 budget for health will be almost 95 per cent. more than in 1996–97.In Wales, as in the rest of the UK, this has resulted in greater numbers of doctors and nurses, improved services and more patients being treated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated aggregate costs incurred by the three bidding consortia for the Airfield Support Service Project are. [149057]

Actual costs incurred by the three bidding consortia are not known to the Department and are a matter for the consortia themselves.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the 1992 National Audit Office report about the A1 Yamamah programme. [149510]

[holding answer 20 January 2004]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 February 2003, Official Report, column 735W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he intends to make in relation to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme and compensation to ensure that (a) a beneficiary is guaranteed five years' worth of payments notwithstanding earlier death and (b) lump sum payments to give effect to such guarantee are not taxed at a 35 per cent. rate. [149152]

The decision of the new Armed Forces Pension Scheme includes a provision to allow a lump sum payment to a spouse or partner of up to five years' pension payments, less the lump sum received on retirement and pension payments up to the date of death, if a member dies after retirement but within five years of the pension coming into payment. The Government propose in "Simplifying the taxation of pensions: the Government's proposals", published on 10 December 2003, that such payments should be taxed at 35 per cent. The Ministry of Defence will be considering the benefit proposal further in the light of the taxation arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the budget for army combat arms training was in each month since January 2001. [148870]

[holding answer 19 January 2004]: Army combat arms training has been taken to encompass individual training for all personnel at Phase 1 (initial) training (which will include individuals who go on to serve in non-combat arms), and individual training at phase 2 (specialist) and phase 3 (career and development) training for personnel serving in the Royal Armoured Corps, the Royal Artillery, the Infantry, and the School of Army Aviation. LAND Command undertakes collective training for the whole Army but cannot identify specific costs associated with such training for combat arms. The sums shown include an element for HQ Admin costs etc., which cannot easily be separated out, but exclude all salary costs of trainees, which are accounted for separately. The figures are as follows:

Month	£ million
April 2001	27.599
May 2001	28.447
June 2001	31.833
July 2001	30.378
August 2001	26.729
September 2001	27.676
October 2001	28.505
November 2001	29.591
December 2001	29.585
January 2002	29.409
February 2002	28.914
March 2002	30.046

Month	£million
April 2002	29.777
May 2002	31.053
June 2002	31.142
July 2002	31.429
August 2002	30.959
September 2002	30.589
October 2002	31.957
November 2002	31.251
December 2002	31.126
January 2003	33.256
February 2003	29.879
March 2003	31.905
April 2003	32.660
May 2003	32.836
June 2003	27.767
July 2003	32.421
August 2003	28.732
September 2003	29.089
October 2003	32.559
November 2003	32.034
December 2003	28.318
January 2004	31.626
February 2004 (projected)	31.573
March 2004 (projected)	31.225

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many army musicians were obliged to down-rank on transferring to the Guards regiments from other regiments; and what effect this down ranking will have on these soldiers' pensions. [148963]

Transfer to bands of the Guards Division is voluntary. Seventeen army musicians who volunteered to transfer and are still serving accepted reversion to the rank of Musician as a condition of transfer. Reversion in rank has not been a condition of transfer since April 2003.Reversion in rank may affect an individual's pension award. Rank for the purpose of assessing pension entitlement is calculated by taking the highest paid rank held for an aggregate of two years or more during the last five years reckonable service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial restrictions have been placed on army recruiting. [148869]

[holding answer 19 January 2004]: None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will provide a substantive reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes of 24 November 2003 about Mrs. Iris Griffiths of Kingsbridge and the Defence Export Services Organisation, which was acknowledged by his Department on 2 December 2003. [148721]

[holding answer 19 January 2004]: My noble Friend Lord Bach wrote to the hon. Member on 15 January 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civilian and (b) service posts in his Department in Gibraltar will be (i) transferred to the private sector and (ii) removed. [148458]

Headquarters British Forces Gibraltar is currently evaluating the most cost-effective method of delivering janitorial, catering and transportation services. Although under review, at this stage no decisions have been made to transfer posts to the private sector.Routine local resource management plans are to make a reduction of 23 civilian and one service posts, over the next four years. We envisage that this will be achieved by a combination of natural wastage and voluntary early retirement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what statistical data his Department collates on the rate of marital break-up among forces personnel. [148150]

Each service records, on individual pay and personnel documents, the marital status of its personnel using different marital categories. Analysis of marital break-ups and divorce rates is carried out on an ad hoc basis by analysing changes to the marital status of personnel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the application of standards in the UN Basic Principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials for law enforcement duties conducted by UK military personnel in Iraq. [141686]

The practices adopted by United Kingdom military personnel in Iraq are consistent with the UN Basic Principles for the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials, despite the fact that we are operating in circumstances rather different from those in which it was intended to be applied.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mechanisms are in place to ensure the (a) impartiality and (b) independence of investigations into non-combatant deaths in Iraq. [141687]

In exercising their constabulary powers the Royal Military Police (RMP) are independent of the Army's chain of command. At the conclusion of any RMP investigation, a report together with supporting evidence is submitted to the appropriate commanding officer and to the Army Legal Services—ALS. ALS will then advise the commanding officer whether there is a prima facie case for disciplinary action. In serious cases, ALS will advise the commanding officer on the procedure for referral to a higher authority and, if appropriate, on to the Army Prosecuting Authority—APA. The APA is statutorily independent of the chain of command. The independence of the APA was confirmed in the European Court of Human Rights in the Cooper Case last December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the soldier's card issued to forces serving in Iraq. [147676]

The soldier's card contains information about the Rules of Engagement. It is not our practice to comment on Rules of Engagement and I am withholding information regarding their contents under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts let to private contractors for the supply and support of UK troops in Iraq, stating in each case the nature and value of the contract; and if he will make a statement. [148004]

[holding answer 19 January 2004]: I am withholding the information requested in accordance with Exemption 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information as it is commercial in confidence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 8 January, Official Report, column 453W, on Iraq, when the Iraq Survey Group is to make its final recommendations. [148035]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 January 2004, Official Report, column 538W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Glenda Jackson).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his strategy is for ensuring that children in Iraq do not come into contact with depleted uranium. [148055]

British forces are taking the following actions to minimise the risk posed to civilians by Depleted Uranium (DU):

DU fragments on the surface are being removed from the battlefield as they are discovered.

Local people have been warned through signs and leaflets that they should not go near, or touch, any debris they find on the battlefield.

Military vehicles known to have been hit by DU munitions within the southern sector of Iraq under British military control have been clearly marked.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed in the Iraq Survey Group. [148064]

On 16 January 2004, there were 1,272 people employed in the Iraq Survey Group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the 9,100 ISO containers used for Operation TELIC are missing and unaccounted for by his Department. [148868]

[holding answer 19 January 2004]: To date 9,595 ISO containers have been supplied in support of Operation TELIC. Of this number 5,793 currently remain in use on the operation.The balance of 3,802 have either been returned, re-tasked or are awaiting return to either the MOD or to the leasing companies as appropriate.At present we have 73 containers, 0.76 per cent. of the original amount, unaccounted for. It is expected that the next information update from theatre will identify the locations of the majority of these containers and that they will either be in transit or have been re-tasked.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what number and percentage of Army Medical Service reserve personnel have left the service following Operation Telic. [149350]

Although we do not hold figures for the number of people leaving the Army Medical Services Territorial Army (AMS TA) overall, I can confirm that 240 Professionally Qualified Officers, from Role 3 reserve medical units (field hospitals) have left the TA over the last 12 months. This represents approximately 13 per cent. of these units. Very few of these individuals gave Operation Telic, or the risk of mobilisation, as their primary reason for leaving. Over the same period, approximately 300 people joined the same units.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the other national contingents under the command of 3 (UK) Division; [143729](2) if he will list the countries involved in the Multinational Division (South-East) (MND(SE) in the South Iraq provinces of Basra, Maysen, Dhi Qar and Al Muthanna. [143730]

3 (UK) Division formally handed over headquarters duties to the Multinational Division (South East) on 28 December 2003.In addition to United Kingdom forces the following nations currently contribute a combined total of around 5,200 personnel to the Multinational Division: Italy; Denmark; Norway; Netherlands; Czech Republic; Portugal; Romania; New Zealand; Lithuania; Japan and Iceland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the failure rate of the bomblets in the cluster munitions his Department purchased from BAe Systems in 2003; whether the use of these munitions in Iraq has contributed to the assessment; and if he will make a statement. [146431]

No cluster artillery shells purchased from BAe Systems in 2003 were used in Iraq during Operation Telic. The ammunition used during Operation Telic was from a procurement made in 1996. No assessment of cluster artillery shells was carried out in Iraq.However, each batch of these munitions procured is subject to acceptance proof firing. This requires a statistically viable sample of each batch to be fired and monitored. The area is then searched by the manufacturer's Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel to identify and report any bomblet failures. All ammunition lots we have procured have met the requirements. Other testing involves a random sample of the Self Destruct Fuze being independently tested by the manufacturer prior to assembly. Again, all these fuzes have met the requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contractors' bid costs have been refunded in full, or in part, as a result of procurement competitions being terminated or substantially altered since 1997; in how many cases compensation has been paid; what the total value of such payments is; and if he will make a statement. [147957]

The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost (Exemption 9 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information).In the event that a procurement competition was terminated or substantially altered consideration would be given, on a case-by-case basis, to whether to reimburse bid costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) full-time reservists with full commitment contracts, (b) full-time reservists with limited commitment contracts, (c) full-time reservists with home commitment contracts and (d) volunteer reservists have been called out on active duty in each year since 1997; and what the average active duty service time has been for each category. [148669]

The Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) commitment was established in 1998.The numbers of FTRS personnel called out for permanent service by the Royal Navy (including Royal Marines) and Royal Air Force since 1998 are detailed in the following table. The Army does not keep a separate record of FTRS personnel called out for permanent service.

	FTRS full commitment	FTRS limited commitment	FTRS home commitment
1998	0	0	0
1999	0	0	0
2000	0	0	0
2001	2	2	0
2002	3	2	0
2003	18	56	0

These figures do not include those personnel who, as part of their FTRS commitment, served on operations.We have been unable to distinguish between the forms of service that reservists were undertaking when mobilised. Therefore, the figures detailed as follows cover all reservists mobilised.

	Number of reservists mobilised
1997	980
1998	840
1999	1,400
2000	1,120
2001	920
2002	1,720
2003	9,550

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many married quarters (a) were released to Annington Homes in each year since 1996 and (b) are projected to be released in each of the next five years; what the location is in each case; and what factors influence decisions on releases. [146516]

Within the Defence Housing Executive's (DHE) overall disposal programme, the following numbers of properties have been handed back to Annington Homes, following the sale of the bulk of the family estate in 1996:

	Properties
1997	8
1998	1,366
1999	1,188
2000	2,679
2001	2,640
2002	2,366
2003	1,513

At the time of the overall sale and leaseback in 1996, 2,373 properties were released to Annington Homes. Subsequently, a total of 11,760 properties have been handed back at over 300 sites across England and Wales. A further 560 properties are due to be handed back by the end of March 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial Army serving in (a) 2 Signals Brigade and (b) its subordinate units have been mobilised during Operation Telic. [149422]

One hundred and sixty six members of the Territorial Army who serve in either 2 Signals Brigade, or its subordinate units, have been deployed on Operation TELIC.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 277W, how many and what percentage of contracts issued by his Department since August 2002 which involved the use of wood have not complied with the Defence Contract Condition (DEFCON) 691. [148847]

The Ministry of Defence places in excess of 30,000 contracts per annum. MOD commercial staff are advised to include the Defence Contract Condition (DEFCON) 691 in all relevant contracts that may involve the supply or consumption of timber. However, if it is clear that performance of contracts does not involve the supply or consumption of timber, then DEFCON 691 need not be called up. The MOD does not keep central records of the number of contracts, which contain DEFCON 691.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he and his officials have had with the Department for Education and Skills on the impact of the introduction of top-up fees on service sponsorships for university places. [149042]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the introduction of top-up fees on the provision of service sponsorships for university places. [149043]

No assessment has yet been made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department's approach to the human rights issue in Chechnya includes representations to the Chechen Government. [149160]

The UK's representations over human rights in Chechnya have, to date, been made to representatives of the Russian Federal Government, rather than to local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial support the United Kingdom has given to the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee; and if he will make a statement. [149096]

The UK has not given any financial support to the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee. However, we are aware of their valuable work restoring the old city of Hebron, and have in the past lobbied the Government of Israel to ensure the Committee's work is not obstructed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli Government concerning the welfare of animals denied access to Palestinian pasture lands since the construction of the security wall. [148902]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 19 November 2003, Official Report, column 1054W. As we made clear then, we have serious concerns about the impact of the fence on the daily life of those Palestinians directly affected. We are particularly concerned at the impact the establishment of a closed zone has had on access to basic services, including health and education in the area, and on the ability of Palestinian farmers to cultivate farmland and care for their livestock.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what correspondence he has received since 1 July 2003 on the coming into force of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families; and what steps remain to be taken before UK ratification of the Treaty. [149249]

The Government have received communication from a variety of sources seeking UK ratification. However, we have no plans to ratify the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. The scope of the Convention is wider than the UK's existing immigration laws. Incorporating it into UK law would imply fundamental changes to our legislation and would undermine the UK's system of frontier control.The Government consider they have already struck the right balance between the need for immigration control and the protection of the interests and rights of migrant workers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts are being made to assist (a) Rwanda and (b) Burundi to bring those guilty of crimes against humanity to justice; and if he will make a statement. [148856]

We are working with the Rwandan Government to develop and begin implementation of a strategy for legal and judicial reform; implement the "gacaca" process of local justice in all provinces: and work constructively with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. In Burundi, during 2003–04 we are contributing £5.7 million towards the cost of the African Union's peace-keeping force. We are also encouraging the UN to look at ways in which the international community can support post-conflict justice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is being provided to (a) Rwanda and (b) Burundi to fight terrorism; and if he will make a statement. [148857]

We are not providing direct assistance to Burundi and Rwanda to fight terrorism, but we are helping Rwanda with security sector reform and looking at the possibility of doing so in Burundi. We currently assess the threat from international terrorism in Burundi and Rwanda as low, but this is kept under careful review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support is being provided to efforts to initiate the peace process in Burundi; and if he will make a statement. [148859]

The UK has increased its engagement in Burundi since the signing of the Arusha agreement in 2000, providing both political and financial support. We are working with the EU, UN and regional partners to consolidate the peace process to support peace-building activities, including the African Mission in Burundi, and long-term recovery and poverty reduction.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy on the use of sunset clauses in legislation; and which Acts containing such clauses relevant to his Department were passed in each year since 1997. [149331]

Whether a sunset clause is needed in legislation depends on the circumstance of each Bill. In the case of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), much of our legislation is to implement HMG's international obligations, so if those obligations do not have a specific time limit, a limit in our domestic legislation would not be appropriate. No Acts of Parliament since 1997 for which the FCO is responsible contained a sunset clause.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the deadlines were for payment of regular budget contributions to the United Nations for each year since 1993; and when the United Kingdom made these payments in each year. [148667]

The United Nations Secretariat issues invoices for contributions to the Regular Budget at the end of December each year, following the conclusion of General Assembly business in the fifth committee. Contributions are due within 30 days of receipt of invoice.The Foreign and Commonwealth Office pays 25 per cent. of its assessed contribution in January and the remaining 75 per cent. in April, in keeping with Treasury rules on expenditure which falls across financial years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with representatives of (a) the UN, (b) the Government of Morocco and (c) the Polisario concerning the future government of the Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement. [148299]

We regularly discuss the situation in Western Sahara with our contacts at all levels in the United Nations, the Moroccan Government and the Polisario.Most recently, my noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean discussed Western Sahara and other issues with the Moroccan Deputy Foreign Minister, Fassi-Fihri, at his request when he was in London on 6 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has received from Zimbabwean journalists on issues surrounding freedom of the press in that country. [149159]

The British Embassy in Harare has regular contact with a wide range of journalists in Zimbabwe, including those from independent newspapers. I met a senior delegation from the Daily News during their November 2003 visit to the UK. We condemn the Government of Zimbabwe's attempts to block press freedoms in Zimbabwe, and the state-sponsored violence and human rights abuses which accompany their misguided policies. We will continue to do all we can to defend freedom of speech and of the press in Zimbabwe.

To ask the Minister for Women if she will make a statement on the number of women holding directorships in FTSE 100 companies; and what this represents as a percentage of the total number of directors. [148398]

[holding answer 15 January 2004]: The number of female directorships has reached 101 in 2003, up by 20 per cent. on the previous year. Women now account for 9 per cent. of FTSE 100 board members and nearly 4 per cent. are in executive roles.The Higgs and Tyson reports, which the Government commissioned last year, looked at a number of aspects for improving the overall performance of company boards. The Higgs Review reported on how the quality, independence, and effectiveness of non-executive directors may be strengthened; and the Tyson Report subsequently considered how companies could pursue recruitment of directors from broader and more diverse backgrounds.The Government strongly support all efforts to improve the diversity and effectiveness of company boards. Since November, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Minister for Women and Equality and I have been meeting Chairs, Chief Executives and senior figures from business to raise awareness about the business case for greater diversity on UK boards and to gather examples of good practice already in place, which we plan to disseminate further to companies, professional bodies and executive recruitment firms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the expected timetable is for the draft Gambling Bill after the consultation period ends. [149482]

After taking account of the recommendations of the Joint Committee, which is now scrutinising the draft Bill, and of the points made in our wider public consultation on its provisions, we intend to amend its provisions as necessary and to introduce a Bill as soon as parliamentary time permits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people employed in her Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. [148631]

This information is not held within the Department and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. For civil servants generally, sick absence may be allowed on full pay for up to six months. Departments are responsible for paying Statutory Sick Pay to staff for up to 28 weeks as a proportion of their full pay.

To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners when he expects the publication of the first report of the McClean Review into clergy terms of service to the Archbishops' Council. [149477]

The report of the McClean Group will be published and copies sent to members of the Church of England's General Synod on 23 January. A copy will be placed in the House of Commons Library and I will also ensure my hon. Friend receives one.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has made to President Bush about assistance for families of British victims of events on 11 September 2001 in pursuing inquiries into those events. [149500]

We have had extensive discussions with the US Government, at many levels, about circumstances surrounding the events of 11 September 2001. An independent commission of inquiry in the US into pre-11 September intelligence is also taking place.The Government remains ready to help UK relatives of 11 September victims in their dealings with the US Government in any way that we can.

To ask the Prime Minister whether the United Kingdom has shared with the United States Administration and US intelligence services the information on alleged Iraqi attempts to procure uranium from Niger, to which he referred in his letters of 1 September 2003 and 28 October 2003 to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent. [149538]

Exchanges between UK intelligence officials and their opposite numbers in the US are confidential and it would not be appropriate to provide any farther details beyond those we have already provided.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment has been made of the impact of the aggregates levy since its introduction on the quarrying industry in (a) the East Midlands and (b) the United Kingdom; [148961](2) when the level of the aggregates levy was last reviewed; [148962](3) what assessment he has made of the impact the aggregates levy has had since its introduction on

An update on the Government's current assessment of the impact of the aggregates levy was in the pre-Budget report (Cm 6042). Monitoring of the aggregates levy takes the form of a rolling programme of research and analysis of data as it becomes available. It encompasses all regions of the UK and it takes account of data from specific research, such as the Government-commissioned Symonds Report on the levy's impact in Northern Ireland, as well as information from business organisations, individual companies, environment groups and site visits by officials.Emerging evidence suggests that overall primary aggregates extraction has fallen since the levy's introduction; for example, the total outputs from the Annual Minerals Raised Inquiry for Great Britain for 2002 show a decrease of 5.7 per cent. on the 2001 figures. While there are a number of factors affecting extraction levels, it is clear that the levy has played a significant part in encouraging that reduction.The rate of the aggregates levy is reviewed annually as part of the Budget process.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) percentage rate and (b) actual tax revenue for air passenger duty was in each year since 1994. [149224]

(a) Air passenger duty is not set as a percentage rate but as a monetary amount. Current air passenger duty rates are as follows.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amounts (a) the Welsh Block and (b) the Scottish Block has been changed as a consequence of change in public funding for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew through the operation of the Barnett formula for each of the last six years. [148309]

Changes in the Welsh and Scottish Blocks are determined through the Barnett formula, details of which were published in the Statement of Funding Policy in July 2002. The Barnett formula provides the devolved Administrations with aggregate increases reflecting a population share of overall increases in UK Government Departments' provision.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the level of charitable donations from the United Kingdom to developing countries in each of the last five years. [149156]

The Government conduct a survey every year of non-Governmental organisations which provide assistance to developing countries. Aid flows from voluntary agencies are estimated from a statistical inquiry conducted annually by DfID in line with current survey control policy. The following table sets out the figures for the years 1998 to 2002.

Expenditure by voluntary organisations in developing countries
£ million
	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Total expenditure	397	495	534	456	482
of which:
Officially funded	143	175	170	207	221
Funded by other UK agencies	1	22	9	24	26
Privately funded	253	298	354	225	235

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the number of employees in his Department who have a disability, broken down by disability type. [148995]

5,247 of the 98,770 staff employed by the Treasury, Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise have declared a disability.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letter dated 5 November 2003 from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding EU children's clothes VAT plans. [149781]

I replied to the hon. Member on 14 January.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made of the effects of widening the VAT reduction to 5 per cent. on energy saving materials; [149099](2) if he will take steps to allow a stamp duty rebate at time of purchase for homebuyers installing energy efficiency measures; [149098](3) if he will introduce a new tax allowance for private landlords investing in energy efficiency. [149100]

The Government are committed to improving household energy efficiency, as part of their programme to meet Energy White Paper targets. The Government routinely evaluate the impact of policy initiatives, including environmental tax measures. The Government have a long-standing commitment to pursue EU changes to permit a reduced rate of VAT for the DIY installation of energy saving materials, and have already applied a reduced rate of VAT for the installation of materials in certain other circumstances. The Government consulted on further measures to improve household energy efficiency in 2003, including a tax allowance for private landlords investing in energy efficiency. The Government also invited views on other possible policy initiatives. Responses were published and are being taken into account in further policy development. In the pre-Budget report (Cm 6042) we confirmed that we believe that there is a case for the further use of economic instruments as part of a package of measures to promote energy efficiency. A further announcement will be made around Budget 2004.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission on combating the evasion of excise taxes within the European Union. [148479]

Treasury Ministers and officials from the Chancellor's Departments hold discussions with the European Commission and their counterparts from other EU member states on a wide range of issues, including the effective operation of the EU excise system.

To ask the Chancellor of the Ex chequer what plans he has to increase the duty on liquefied petroleum gas; and if he will make a statement. [149417]

In his Pre-Budget Report in December 2003 (Cm 6042), the Chancellor announced that the Government will gradually increase the duty rate for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) over the next three years, setting duty differentials on a path towards a level commensurate with the fuel's environmental benefits. Consistent with the Government's commitment to give three-year certainty on duty differentials for alternative fuels, the duty differentials for LPG for the next three years will be announced in Budget 2004.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue's Code of Practice 26 will be made available to members of the public at local tax offices. [146331]

Code of Practice 26, "What happens when we have paid you too much tax credit?", is available to claimants via Inland Revenue Enquiry Centres. It is also available online at: www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/ leaflets/credit.htm.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the terms and conditions relating to (a) loans made by the International Monetary Fund to third world countries and (b) debt cancellation. [149471]

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) lends to low-income countries through the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF), a lending instrument offering softer terms than conventional IMF lending. Loans under the PRGF are based on a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), which is prepared by the country in co-operation with civil society and other development partners, in particular the World Bank. The UK believes that IMF loan conditions should reflect only what is necessary for the success of a program, to ensure the protection of IMF funds, and to meet the core requirements of the Fund's mandate. Conditions should be appropriate for a particular country. This is upheld in new guidelines on conditionality introduced by the IMF in September 2002 and the UK will work to ensure these guidelines remain appropriate and that they are upheld in practice.The UK continues to be fully committed to the rapid and full implementation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative to ensure that it delivers a robust exit from unsustainable debt for the world's poorest countries. To change the underlying dynamics of those countries in which debt indicators are deteriorating, it is important that—in addition to receiving debt relief—countries implement the reforms necessary to allow them to grow faster, to increase poverty reduction expenditure and to enable them to diversify their export bases and better absorb macroeconomic shocks, such as a decline in specific commodity prices. So far 27 countries have started to receive debt relief under the initiative, worth over US $70 billion. To be eligible for the HIPC Initiative, countries must be eligible for highly concessional assistance from the World Bank and the IMF, face an unsustainable debt situation after the full application of traditional debt relief mechanisms (such as application of Naples terms under the Paris Club agreement), and must make a commitment to poverty reduction through the implementation of a Poverty Reduction Strategy.The HIPC Initiative has an important role to play in maximising the resources available for poverty reduction in developing countries. However, unless there is an increase in the volume of resources available from donors to poor countries, additional debt relief would simply reallocate resources from one form of financing to another, and from non-HIPC poor countries to HIPC countries, without adding to the overall financing available for poverty reduction. Furthermore, all HIPC countries would still need additional aid to meet the Millennium Development Goals even if all of their debt from the World Bank and IMF were cancelled. That is why the UK's proposal for an International Finance Facility is so important. It could provide the much-needed substantial increase in resources which debt relief alone would not achieve and which could be disbursed by way of grants and additional debt relief.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make a statement on the implementation of existing VAT Directives relating to the care of listed places of worship; [149491](2) what fiscal incentives his Department provides to support the maintenance of historic buildings; what plans he has to increase this support and if he will make a statement. [149490]

In accordance with the rules laid down in the EC Sixth VAT Directive, the repair and maintenance of listed places of worship, and of all other buildings, is standard-rated for VAT purposes.We have been negotiating hard with our European Partners to extend the categories of permitted reduced VAT rates to include the repair and maintenance of listed places of worship. Although at this time the future of these negotiations is uncertain, it remains one of the Government's objectives to achieve such a reduced rate.In the meantime we continue to provide support through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which provides an equivalent reduction in the cost of these repair projects. In his Pre-Budget Report the Chancellor announced that funding for the grant scheme is in place for a further two years, until the end of March 2006.As well as the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, the Government provides a range of fiscal incentives to support the maintenance of historic buildings, including exemption from inheritance tax for heritage maintenance funds. The Government keeps all taxes under review and any changes are considered by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of the annual Budget process.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the figures listed in Table 8.6b and 8.13b of the Corrigendum to Chapter 8 of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2003, what assessment he has made of the per capita cost of providing a parity of service provision in each region and nation of the United Kingdom with a view to determining which region/nation is receiving (a) more, (b) less and (c) the correct level of funding in each service programme. [149455]

Spending by the devolved administrations is determined by the principles set out in the Statement of Funding Policy published by the Treasury in July 2002. Spending by region is determined by departments; there is no single allocation formula. Spending is determined according to the circumstances of the particular spending programme.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he plans to make to determinants of the grant, other than the Barnett Formula, paid to the Scottish Executive in 2004. [149633]

The Government's spending plans for 2004–05 were published in the 2002 Spending Review White Paper (Cm 5570). The grant to the Scottish Consolidated Fund for 2004–05 will be published in the Scotland Office chapter of the Department for Constitutional Affairs 2004–05 Departmental Report.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many community and amateur sports clubs are registered for tax relief; [149366](2) what steps he is taking to promote the package of tax concessions available to community and amateur sports clubs; [149367](3) if he will estimate the number of community and amateur sports clubs eligible for tax concessions. [149368]

It is estimated that between 30,000 and 40,000 clubs might be eligible to apply for registration as a community amateur sports club (CASC). As at 16 January 2004, 587 CASCs had been registered. A list of registered clubs is published on the Inland Revenue website, and is updated on a monthly basis.In the Pre-Budget Report (Cm 6042) the Chancellor announced the Government's intention to double the Corporation Tax thresholds below which registered CASCs are exempt from tax. This will mean that clubs with a trading turnover of less than £30,000 and gross property income of less than £20,000 will pay no Corporation Tax. The measure will be introduced in the next Finance Bill.Clubs registered in England and Wales will also receive mandatory rates relief of 80 per cent. with effect from 1 April 2004. Local authorities can increase this relief to 100 per cent. at their own discretion. These measures will help clubs raise funds to improve facilities for participating in sport, by reducing the burden placed upon them.The Inland Revenue, in partnership with the Central Council of Physical Recreation; Bates, Wells & Braithwaite; Deloitte & Touche and others, held a series of regional seminars in 2003 to promote the CASC scheme. The Inland Revenue continues to work closely with representative bodies to encourage awareness of the scheme among their members.The Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport also wrote to all Members of Parliament, including my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Reed), in December, encouraging them to promote the scheme to amateur sports clubs in their constituencies.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was derived in 2002–03 by Government Departments and agencies from use of the 0870 telephone number which charges callers. [149599]

Information about the use of 0870 services by Government Departments and agencies is not held centrally.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Thames Gateway Bridge will be included in the comparator expenditure for the purposes of allocations under the Barnett Formula; and how much additional money will go to the devolved administrations as a result. [149643]