To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action her Department (a) has taken and (b) proposes to take to allow the EU's Natura 2000 designation to be extended to include sites with ancient trees. [173956]

Ancient trees can and do occur in candidate Special Areas of Conservation, which together with Special Protection Areas for birds form the Natura 2000 network. However, they are not included specifically either as a habitat type in Annex I, or a species in Annex II, of the Habitats Directive for which sites can be selected.The purpose of Natura 2000 designation is to conserve areas containing habitats and species of Community interest of high ecological and bio-diversity value, rather than their cultural or historical value. Where ancient trees are included within sites, their cultural value as well as their contribution to the biodiversity of the area is provided for.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will make a statement on the grounds for the ban on the import of queen bees from Hawaii; [174128](2) what evaluation her Department has made of the

New European Community legislation strengthening the animal health controls and certification requirements for the importation of bees from third countries came into effect across the Community on 27 December 2003. Its aim, in particular, is to protect the EU bee population from exotic pests and diseases.The new import controls include the requirement that consignments of queen honey bees will only be allowed into the Community from those third countries that have demonstrated the veterinary competence to certify bees for export, and provided that the notifiable diseases of bees in the EU—American foul brood, the small hive beetle and tropilaelaps mite—are also confirmed as notifiable throughout the exporting country. The specified third countries are listed in Part 1 to the Annex of Council Decision 79/542 and include the USA and Australia.To date, only Australia, New Zealand and Argentina have demonstrated to us that they are able to comply with the conditions provided in the legislation, and imports of queens from these countries are permitted. However, in the case of Hawaii, while it is our opinion that it does have a high bee health status, and, indeed, we have until recently permitted imports of queen bees from there, it is nevertheless a territory of the USA. The EU legislation is clear in its intention, and it is our understanding that the three notifiable diseases mentioned above are not yet notifiable throughout the USA as a whole. The Commission has stated that it is not prepared to treat Hawaii as separate from the rest of the USA for this purpose. We are therefore not free to authorise the importation of queens bees from Hawaii until the USA has demonstrated equivalence with the EU.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what representations her Department has made to the European Commission regarding the impact on users of hearing aids of the proposed Batteries Directive; [171353](2) what representations she has received from

The UK Government have made no representation to the European Commission about the impact of the proposed batteries Directive on batteries used in hearing aids. This is because proposals issued by the Commission for a new batteries Directive do not contain any requirement prohibiting the sale of batteries used in hearing aids.However, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted during their first reading of the proposal on 20 April in favour of an amendment, setting limit values for prohibiting the sale of all batteries that contain more than 5ppm of mercury by weight. The Government understand that because hearing aid batteries may contain more than 5ppm of mercury and 40ppm of lead, by weight, in a zinc air hearing aid battery, there is now concern as to a possible ban. However, the Government have not, as yet, heard from any organisations or manufacturers that may be affected, nor have they heard the reaction of the European Commission to the amendmentIt should also be noted that the European Parliament also voted on an amendment to exclude from the controls of the new Directive, batteries and accumulators placed in medical devices; namely, those designed to maintain vital functions, where uninterrupted functioning is essential and the batteries and accumulators can be removed only by qualified personnel. If this amendment were accepted, it would not be clear whether those hearing aid batteries containing more than 5ppm of mercury and 40ppm of lead would be excluded.HMG believes that the inconsistency between these two amendments is likely to be addressed by the European Parliament in its second reading. If the threshold limits proposed remained in the Directive and led to the prohibition of batteries contained in hearing aids, or indeed batteries contained in other medical devices, this would be opposed by the UK and, we believe, by other member states also.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from manufacturers of batteries regarding the proposed European Batteries Directive. [171356]

We have received representation from the British Battery Manufacturers Association (BBMA) and the European Portable Batteries Association (EPBA) who represent all major manufacturers of portable batteries. Also, we have held discussions with Collect Nicad who represent the manufacturers of nickel cadmium batteries.We expect to have further meetings with battery companies and other stakeholders now that the batteries consultation paper has been issued.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the Government will extend the 2010 deadline for the ban on beak trimming if no solution to the problem of cannabalism is found. [174200]

The Government are committed to banning the practice of beak trimming by the end of 2010. A beak trimming action group has been set up to carry forward an action plan to enable Defra to introduce this ban without compromising bird welfare. However, some form of review process prior to the 2010 ban is not unreasonable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the regulations governing incinerators used for on-farm disposal of chickens, with particular reference to (a) how often they will be inspected and (b) the cost to farmers of carrying out inspections. [174203]

On-farm incinerators which only burn animal carcases such as chickens, must comply with the relevant requirements of Regulation (EC) No. 1774/2002 and must also be approved in accordance with this Regulation.This regulation is enforced in England by the Animal By-Products Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/1482) (the ABPR).Under the ABPR, the State Veterinary Service is responsible for inspecting and approving incinerator plants in accordance with Regulation 1774/2002. Visits to non-SRM incinerators (such as those incinerating only poultry) will, in general, be carried out on a quarterly basis. However, additional inspections may be carried out should they be necessary.At present there is no cost for either the inspection or the approval of such plants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from small-scale producers of chickens requesting their exemption from the ban on on-farm disposal; and if she will make a statement. [174204]

The Department has received a number of such representations. However, the only exceptions from the ban on the routine on-farm burial or burning of animal by-products, in the UK, would be for remote areas (parts of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, the Scilly Isles and Lundy Island) and during outbreaks of notifiable disease if there were a lack of capacity at rendering plants and incinerators, or if transport of the carcases would spread disease.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that the difference in systems being adopted for single farm payments in England, Scotland and Wales does not lead to excessive trading in milk quotas and a reduction in dairy output in England; and if she will make a statement. [174136]

We are aware that some milk quota is moving out of England, since it will generate larger payments under the Single Payment Scheme in other regions of the UK but we are monitoring the situation. On the basis of current evidence, the scale of the movement does not seem to be great enough to justify any action.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Bootle have benefited from the Warm Front and Home Energy Efficiency Schemes. [171484]

The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 4,700 households in Bootle received assistance from the Scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in West Lancashire have benefited from the Warm Front and Home Energy Efficiency Schemes. [171496]

The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 2,400 households in West Lancashire received assistance from the Scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) assessment and (b) economic analyses have been conducted of the economic impact on English farmers of differing farm payment schemes under common agricultural policy reform in England, Wales and Scotland; and if she will make a statement. [174080]

Defra will publish shortly an analysis of the economic impact on the English farming industry of the single farm payment and the way in which the scheme will be operated in England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were employed, in full time equivalents, in the United Kingdom farming industry in each of the last three years; and what contribution was made by the farming industry to the United Kingdom economy as a percentage of GDP in that period. [174192]

The information requested is given in the table.

Calendar years	2001	2002	20031
Annual work unit (thousands)2	333	320	306
Agriculture's Gross Value Added (GVA) as a percentage of national GVA (current prices)	0.8	0.8	0.8
1 Provisional.
2 An annual work unit represents the equivalent of an average full-time person engaged in agriculture. Includes farmers, partners, directors and hired workers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she has taken as a result of the Foresight Programme on Flood and Coastal Defences. [167001]

The Foresight Programme on Flood and Coastal Defence was initiated by the Office of Science and Technology to provide a shared understanding of the challenges faced by a wide range of stakeholders and to assist in the development of a long-term policy response. Stakeholders have contributed to an action plan in response to the Foresight Report which seeks to build upon this shared understanding and provide a channel through which actions across and outside Government can be co-ordinated. I have agreed that the group of key stakeholders which I chair will meet in one year to monitor progress and consider the need for other actions.In order for this action plan to be effective, it must be responsive to change in circumstances and will require regular review. The initial plan focuses on immediate actions, the findings of which will influence longer-term activities. A key mechanism for responding to the challenges within the report will be Defra's new strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management, which is expected to be finalised early next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what constitutes a moderate risk of release of leachate from a landfill site into a surrounding sea or land area. [171526]

The Landfill Directive requires that a landfill must be situated and designed so as to meet the necessary conditions for preventing pollution of the soil, groundwater or surface water and ensuring efficient collection of leachate as and when required. In addition, the Groundwater Directive requires Member States to prevent the introduction of certain substances and to limit the introduction of certain other substances into groundwater so as to avoid pollution.The legislation in England that implements both these Directives is regulated by the Environment Agency and it is the Agency that would determine whether a likely release of leachate constituted an unacceptable risk, given the planned location of the landfill, using risk assessment techniques.For closed landfills that are controlled by a waste management licence, a risk based approach is also adopted by the Environment Agency. Monitoring of leachate, ground and surface waters is required to provide, amongst other things, that leachate controls are preventing pollution of the environment and, where unacceptable risks are identified, the need for measures to prevent, reduce or remove potential leachate pollution are assessed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what fines have been issued by courts following successful prosecutions for release of pollution from landfill sites in each of the last five years. [171533]

The Environment Agency has provided the following details of total levels of fines issued by the courts following successful prosecutions for release of pollution from landfill sites.Data are available for the calendar years 2000–03 as these are the years for which complete data is present on the database. As the database is not specifically searchable for offences at landfill sites, these figures have been generated by selecting records where the word "landfill" appears in the address of the site of an event.

£
2000	1—	183,000
2001	1—	91,500
2002	1—	127,750
2003	1—	51,000
1 Total fines for year

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she is taking to promote the minimising of packaging and the prevention of waste creation by (a) producers, (b) distributors and retailers and (c) consumers; and if she will make a statement. [174232]

There are currently two sets of Regulations that cover packaging in the UK, both of which encourage producers (including retailers) to minimise packaging. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 (as amended) are intended to increase the recovery and recycling of packaging waste. The amount of packaging waste producers have to recover and recycle is determined, in part, by the amount of packaging they handle. Therefore, businesses can save money if they reduce the amount of packaging they handle. The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 place a number of requirements on all packaging placed on the market in the UK, including a requirement that packaging should be manufactured so that the packaging volume and weight are limited to the minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety, hygiene and acceptance for the packed product and for the consumer.Both Regulations have actually led to decreases in packaging used around products. For example, less material is used now to make a plastic container than was used a few years ago. However, more still needs to be done to reduce the amount of packaging that is actually produced in the first place. I have asked the Advisory Committee on Packaging to work with industry to find solutions to this problem and to let me have recommendations for ways of encouraging businesses to further reduce the amount of packaging they use.Although legislation is a way of reducing packaging and increasing recycling, we would also encourage consumers to play a part. For example, if consumers made a point of choosing goods that are not heavily packaged, or bought 'loose' food rather than prepackaged, or used their own shopping bags or boxes, manufacturers would be more inclined to reduce the quantity of packaging on their products.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department has taken to ensure that the Environment Agency does not use the integrated pollution prevention and control licensing regime as a revenue stream. [174089]

The Environment Agency has powers under Section 41 of the Environment Act 1995 to charge for environmental licences, including pollution prevention and control permits. Charging schemes must be approved by the Secretary of State with the consent of the Treasury. Charging schemes have to be limited to the recovery of the amounts needed, taking one year with another, to recover the Environment Agency's costs of carrying out its regulatory functions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that charges for integrated pollution prevention and control licences are set at a reasonable level; and if she will make a statement. [174095]

The Environment Agency's Environmental Protection Operator and Pollution Risk Appraisal (EP OPRA) charging scheme is a risk based assessment system, which closely links regulatory effort to environmental risk. EP OPRA was approved by the Government after consultation with industry and is based on four elements: emissions, location, complexity and operator performance. The scheme allows the Agency to recover the costs of carrying out its statutory responsibilities under the Pollution Prevention and Control regime. In line with the "polluter pays principle", well run companies with low potential risk to the environment are charged less than poorly run ones with a high potential to pollute. The Agency must adhere to the Treasury's Fees and Charges Guide, which describes how charges for statutory services should be calculated. The Agency is due to publish a 'transparency document' shortly, which will provide more detail on the Agency's costs; this document will be subject to the approval of the Environment Protection Charges Review Group, which includes industry representatives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received about the proposed integrated pollution prevention and control licences governing ammonia levels and odour; and if she will make a statement. [174096]

Permits issued under the integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) system each relate to a specified industrial installation and must contain emission limits and other permit conditions in respect of any pollutant likely to be emitted in significant quantities from that installation. Both Defra and the Environment Agency are in regular contact with all the industry sectors covered by IPPC and with other stakeholders.One industry sector in which ammonia and odour emissions will be significant is the intensive rearing of pigs and poultry. IPPC permits for that sector may incorporate "Standard Farming Installation Rules", based on the application of Best Available Techniques which are described in a reference document published by the European Commission and in national guidance.The Environment Agency began a public consultation on an updated version of the Standard Farming Installation Rules on 12 May 2004. The responses to the consultation are due by 16 August 2004. The consultation document is available on the Environment Agency's website at http://www.environment-agencv.gov.uk/yourenv/consultations/775300/7versi

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what waste recycling levels were achieved by each European Union country in the last year for which records exist for each country. [174231]

Estimates for municipal recycling and composting rates for each available European Union country are listed in the table.

Municipal waste 2001
	Percentage recycled or composted
Austria	32.5
Belgium	57.7
Denmark	31.7
Finland	25.0
France	24.6
Germany	53.0
Greece	8.6
Ireland	12.9
Italy	24.4
Luxembourg	35.8
Netherlands	59.4
Portugal	4.2
Spain	28.4
Sweden	39.4
United Kingdom	12.7

These results are published on the Department's website. The full results can be found at: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/waste/wrkf08.html There may be some differences in definitions between countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which local authorities (a) met and (b) failed to meet the local authority recycling target. [174233]

Individual local authorities are required to meet Statutory Performance Standards for the recycling and composting of household waste in 2003–04 and 2005–06 only. The most recent data available, for 2002–03, show that 83 local authorities have already met or exceeded their 2003–04 target and six have met or exceeded their 2005–06 target.The names of these local authorities have been placed in the Library of the House. We Will not know whether the remaining local authorities have succeeded or failed against their 2003–04 targets until later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action (a) has been taken and (b) is being considered against local authorities that fail to reach the waste recycling targets. [174234]

The Government have always said that they will take seriously any failures by local authorities to achieve their Statutory Performance Standards for recycling and composting for 2003–04 and 2005–06.However our primary aim is to support local authorities in achieving the targets, and we have set up the Waste Implementation Programme in Defra to do exactly that.We will not know whether local authorities have succeeded or failed against their 2003–04 targets until later this year. Once that information is available, and where an authority has missed its target and demonstrates no commitment to improving its performance, the Government will consider using their formal intervention powers to drive improvement.I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 29 March 2004,

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which local authorities bid for funds under the waste management recycling challenge in each round; and which have been successful. [174235]

The lists of local authorities that bid for funds under the National Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund in rounds 1 and 2, which cover in 2002–03 and 2003–04 respectively, have been placed in the Library of the House. The lists for round 3, covering 2004–05, will be placed in the Library of the House shortly.Successful bids in all three rounds are also published on the Defra website and can be accessed via the following links:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who owns the sluice gates that lead into the tidal pond at the bottom of Borough Road, Queenborough, Isle of Sheppey.

I understand that Swale borough council are currently in the process of establishing the ownership of the land on which the sluice gates are located. These investigations will enable the council to establish, among other things, who is responsible for their maintenance. The council expect to conclude their investigations within a few weeks and I have asked them to inform my hon. Friend of the outcome.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the regulation of prices paid to farmers by supermarkets. [174208]

The price that supermarkets pay for their supplies, including those purchased direct from farmers, is a commercial matter. We have no plans to regulate this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from English Nature regarding (a) contaminated materials on Two Tree Island and (b) the management of the site. [171534]

No representation have been made by English Nature to the Secretary of State in respect of Two Tree Island landfill site. Since 2001, English Nature, as a statutory consultee on planning applications, has attended meetings about proposed developments to repair sea wall defences at two locations (NE corner & south) within the perimeter of Two Tree Island. English Nature has made formal representations to a planning application by Southend-On-Sea Borough Council in respect of the NE corner in 2004. No formal planning application has yet been received for the areas within Castle Point Borough Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions the Water Resources Act 1991 has been breached by release of contaminated material from Two Tree Island. [171535]

Since 1991, The Environment Agency and its predecessor body (The National Rivers Authority) have only had one report (12 October 1993 Councillor Peter Wexham, Borough of Southend-On-Sea) of a suspected breakout of landfill leachate in the area of Two Tree Island The investigating officer at the time of the incident indicates in the file note, that he was unable to substantiate the report, as he could not pin point the exact location of the suspected leachate breakout.The Agency does not routinely monitor Two Tree Island, but would investigate reports and concerns from external bodies including members of the public, as it normally does.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what basis she relies for refusing to answer questions relating to the responsibilities of the Environment Agency in respect to (a) public safety and (b) contamination from reaching the closed Two Tree Island landfill site into the Thames estuary; and if she will make a statement. [174127]

The licence for the disposal of waste on Two Tree Island was held by Essex county council until 1994 when the licence was rescinded. The land was owned by, and continues to be owned by, Southend-on-Sea borough council, who is also responsible for monitoring emissions from the site.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) short-term and (b) long-term solutions she plans to protect the (i) public and (ii) environment from leachate from the closed Two Tree Island landfill site. [1742228]

As noted in the response I gave on 12 May 2004, Official Report, column 344W, Southend-on-Sea borough council and Castle Point district council are responsible for the Two Tree Island landfill site. I understand, however, that the local authorities are planning to implement the recommendations contained in the report prepared by Halcrow Fox.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the results of the Environment Agency investigations into leachate from the closed Two Tree Island landfill site. [174229]

Detailed results of the Environment Agency's investigations into leachate from the closed Two Tree Island landfill site are already publicly available on the Agency's public register that is held at Swift House, Frimley Business Park, Camberley, Surrey, GU16 5SQ.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the landfill site on Two Tree Island was closed. [174229]

The Two Tree Island waste disposal site was used for landfill operations, reportedly from the 1930s until the 1980s. The licence for the activity was rescinded in 1994.

To ask the Leader of the House if he will propose a change to the standing orders of the House to make provision for statutory instruments to be amended; and if he will make a statement. [175551]

A change to the standing orders of the House would not be sufficient to allow amendment of statutory instruments: an amendment of each enabling power would be needed.In its 1996 report on Delegated Legislation, the Procedure Committee considered whether statutory instruments should be made amendable and recommended against, on the grounds that it would involve excessive complication, run directly counter to the past intentions of Parliament and would frustrate the very purpose for which delegated powers were given.Very little legislation currently in force allows for secondary legislation to be amended. An exception is proposed to be made in respect of emergency regulations under the current Civil Contingencies Bill. This reflects the exceptionally broad scope of the delegated powers conferred by the Bill and the circumstances in which those powers are likely to be exercised. A similar exception is made in the Emergency Powers Act 1920, which the Bill supersedes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money raised in fines from speed cameras during the last year for which records are available was spent in (a) West Sussex and (b) the East Worthing and Shoreham constituency. [175039]

The Sussex Safety Camera partnership joined the cost recovery scheme in October 2002. Details of partnership operations for 2002–2003 will be published shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the impact of (a) Blackpool borough council's previous relations with light rail contractors and (b) the lack of need to divert utilities as part of the proposed Blackpool light rail upgrade on the overall risk assessment of the Blackpool light rail bid in the light of the conclusions of the National Audit Office report, "Improving public transport in England through light rail", on cases of cost overruns in light rail schemes. [175504]

The Department will be taking both of these factors into account in its assessment of the level of 'optimism bias' to apply to the estimated capital costs of the project, to reflect possible cost overruns.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken to assess the relative costs and benefits of capital expenditure and revenue expenditure on transport. [173313]

The Secretary of State assesses each scheme on its merits, capital or revenue, against a range of appraisal criteria under the New Approach to Appraisal before taking individual investment decisions. Decisions must be consistent with the Government's overall spending allocations determined as part of the budgetary process. The Government meet their golden fiscal rule, so over the economic cycle, we only borrow to invest.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial support his Department gives to promote car clubs. [174867]

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 12 May 2004 Official Report, column 399W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken into the reduction in car journeys attributable to car clubs. [174869]

Last year the Department commissioned research into the influence of soft factors on travel demand. The final report, which will include a chapter on car clubs, is expected to be completed shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the local authorities which support car clubs. [174870]

The Department does not collect this information centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many officials in his Department and associated agencies have withheld details of their salaries and performance related pay in each year since 1997. [172086]

Since the Department was formed in May 2002, there have been seven officials, out of a possible total of 42, who have withheld details of salaries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to review the stopping distances of cars shown in The Highway Code. [175079]

The stopping distances shown in The Highway Code will be reviewed as part of the major revision of the code which will start later this year, including full consultation with all stakeholders with an interest in The Highway Code and road safety matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the impact of increasing time taken by commuter rail journeys into London on modal shift. [174074]

Minor timetable changes are regularly made to ensure timetables are robust and provide more reliable journey times for passengers. Where major timetable changes are proposed—for instance to address capacity problems—they invariably involve consultation with local or regional stakeholders.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of motoring has been in each year since 1997, expressed at today's prices. [175075]

The following table shows how the cost of motoring¹, as measured by the Retail Prices Index, has changed in real terms each year since 1997. The cost of motoring decreased by 4.8 per cent. between 1997 and 2003.

¹ "All motoring" includes the cost of purchase, maintenance, fuel, tax and insurance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total expenditure of the MOT computerisation project from its start was, broken down by (a) staff salaries, (b) office accommodation, (c) travel and subsistence and detached duty expenses and (d) fees to consultants. [173889]

The total costs incurred by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) on the MOT Computerisation project from its start are £13,362,000. Of this staff salaries account for £3,816,000; office accommodation £2,950,000; travel and subsistence and detached duty expenses £817,000; fees to consultants £3,615,000; and other costs £2,164,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect upon costs in the rail industry of regulations prepared by the Health and Safety Commission concerning rail safety. [1748813]

In accordance with Cabinet Office guidance first issued in 1999, all the railway safety regulations prepared by the Health and Safety Commission since then have been accompanied by Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs). Copies of all the RIAs were laid in the Houses of Parliament Libraries with the regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Freight on Track campaign. [174999]

The Government are committed to developing a competitive and efficient freight distribution system that supports economic growth while protecting the environment and recognise the economic importance and environmental benefits of rail freight to the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many containers and what tonnage of freight was carried by freight trains in each year since 1997. [175002]

The tonnage for freight carried by freight trains on a yearly basis is contained in the Strategic Rail Authority's publication National Rail Trends, which has been placed in the Library of the House. The number of containers moved is not reported in the publication as that information is commercially sensitive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the means of completing the road linking the A50 at the A514 junction at Chellaston with Wilmore Road in Derby. [174826]

The proposed link-road in question is a local road and as such is the responsibility of Derby city council. I understand that the scheme is to be appraised by the city council as part of a major transport study, currently under way, for the Derby Joint Local Transport Plan Area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of school buses in each local authority are fitted with seat belts. [175099]

The Department does not collect this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on providing rail and road links to ports. [175093]

We recognise the importance of good road and rail connections to ports and further improving access to them is an important objective of our 10-Year Transport Plan as well as being a significant issue for the regional planning process. Access to ports featured in several of the recent multi-modal studies and a number of the transport projects now being taken forward as a result of these studies will benefit ports related as well as domestic traffic

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of training is required for a ship security officer to be compliant with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. [174608]

The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code requires the ship security officer to have received training in accordance with the guidance given in Part B of the Code. The guidance lists 25 training topics.Ship security officers on UK registered ships are required to attend a training course that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has approved as meeting the Merchant Navy Training Board specification. 35 training providers have been approved to run ship security officer courses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 26 April 2004, Official Report, column 782W, not shipping, how control measures for ships that do not provide evidence of having an International Security Ship Plan will be enforced.171293

The Department for Transport's Transport Security Directorate (TRANSEC), in conjunction with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), are developing appropriate response procedures to deal with ships that fail to provide evidence of an International Ship Security Certificate when seeking entry into a UK port. Consultation is on-going with a number of Departments and agencies including the MOD, Police, and Customs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects digital tachographs to be introduced. [175402]

We do not expect the first digital tachograph to be type-approved until the end of this month at the earliest. Therefore, the first vehicles fitted with digital tachographs are unlikely to be on sale before the end of the year. This means that the current date of 5 August 2004 for mandatory fitting to all relevant new vehicles cannot be met. On 8 March, I announced that we would not enforce the August 2004 deadline in the UK. Since that announcement, the European Commission has proposed an EU-wide moratorium in the enforcement of mandatory fitting by member states until August 2005. We will continue to monitor developments and will make further announcements as and when appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the percentage change has been in the number of (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries on the roads of Bootle since 1997. [175490]

The available information relates to local authority areas. In the Sefton local authority area there were 10 deaths in road accidents in 1997 and 10 deaths in 2002, the latest year for which information is available. The number of serious injuries fell by 12 percent from 100 in 1997 to 88 in 2002. Estimates on the basis of parliamentary constituencies will become available in the summer, where I shall write to my hon Friend with figures for Bootle and place a copy of my letter in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the level of congestion on the M54 was in each year since 1997. [175076]

The Highways Agency does not currently take regular measurements of congestion levels on the M54. Once the agency's National Traffic Control Centre is fully operational by March 2005, information on journey times and speeds will become widely available.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how much (a) money and (b) aid in kind the UK has (i) pledged and (ii) delivered to date to (A) UNICEF and (B) the UN Industrial Development Organisation within the framework of the UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Colombia (HAP) 2003; and if he will make a statement; [174638](2) how much

The UK did not contribute funds or provide aid in kind to the United Nations Children Fund, UN Industrial Development Organisation, UN Population Fund, or UN High Commission for Refugees within the framework of the UN's 2003 Appeal for Colombia. I refer the hon. Member for Moray to the reply I gave him on the 18 May 2004, Official Report, column 867–68W, for details of the nature of DFID's response to this appeal.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the Department's medium-risk bilateral projects referred to on page 190 of the 2004 Departmental Report which have been evaluated as successful. [174116]

All low risk projects with a commitment value of £1 million or over only partly achieving their output purpose during 2003
Region	Title	Commitment
African Division
DFID Ghana
Ghana	Civil Service Performance Improvement Project Phase Two	5,602,000
DFID Kenya
Kenya	Approtech LTMIP	1,700,000
	Business Partnerships Programme Kenya (BPP)	2,000,000
DFID Malawi
Malawi	Support to National Democratic Institute	3,000,000
DFID Mozambique
Mozambique	National Health Plan—TC	1,433,000
	Demining in Mozambique: HALO Trust	3,908,048
DFID Southern Africa
Botswana	ACORD Ngamiland	1,681,000
South Africa, Republic of	SAUVA HIV AIDs	1,000,000
	Free State community policing.	1,920,000
DFID Tanzania
Tanzania	Parastatal Sector Reform Programme III	5,400,000
DFID Uganda
Uganda	Uganda Fish Farming	2,197,000
DFID Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe	Empowerment of Farm Worker Communities	1,614,778
DFID Ethiopia
Ethiopia	SCF Emergency Drought Relief Fik Zone	1,425,318
	Oxfam: Emergency Nutrition. Boloso Sorie	1,443,803
	Farm Africa: Farmer Research	2,654,235
Asia Division
DFID Bangladesh
Bangladesh	Research and Extn. In Farm Power Issues (REFPI)	1,623,000
	Rural Bridges Project	4,500,000
	Bridge Replacement Project	7,600,000
	GIDP—SCADA/MSIP—Gas Infrastructure Development	23,609,000
DFID India
India	Urban Public Health Engineers (MDSUPHO)	1,464,000
	West Bengal Reproductive Child Health Project	2,990,000
	West Bengal Sexual Health Project	4,780,000
	Reproductive Health Project Orissa	4,997,780
	Pub. Admin. Training Prog.	4,650,000

The medium risk projects, referred to on page 190 of DFID's Departmental Report, are listed on a table I have deposited in the Library called "DFID Medium Risk Projects: Written Question 174116". Each project is given a score ranging from one to five based on the likelihood of achieving their intended objectives. These scores are a forecast of success for projects of £1 million or more that have been in operation for at least two years. It records work in progress and is a twelve-month snapshot view on a particular date reflecting those projects that meet the above criteria. The table lists those projects that have a score of one or two.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the Department's low-risk bilateral projects referred to on page 190 of the 2004 Departmental Report that have not been evaluated as successful. [174117]

The low risk projects, referred to on page 190 of DFID's Departmental Report, are listed on the table below. Each project is given a score ranging from one to five based on the likelihood of achieving their intended objectives. These scores are a forecast of success for projects of £1 million or more that have been in operation for at least two years. It records work in progress and is a twelve-month snapshot view on a particular date reflecting those projects that meet the above criteria. The table lists those projects receiving a score in the range of three to five which means they will achieve only some of their objectives.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the (a) number and (b) location of Liberian refugees; and if he will make a statement. [175476]

In February 2004 the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated a total of 324,000 Liberian refugees in neighbouring countries; 147,000 in Guinea, 68,000 in Sierra Leone, 67,000 in Ivory Coast, and 42,000 in Ghana. It has since been estimated that up to 17,000 refugees have returned spontaneously to Liberia from these countries. With improved conditions, services and stability inside Liberia, UNHCR expects up to 100,000 of the remaining refugees to return by the end of 2004, and the remainder in 2005. DFID has assisted with the provision of services and support to refugees and internally displaced persons by providing £10.6m in humanitarian support in 2003 and 2004. DFID has committed a further £6m for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration, as an additional contribution to post-conflict recovery and the creation of conditions for a return to peace and stability.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how much expenditure is planned by his Department in the next three years for projects to work with young people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; [174554](2) if he will make a statement on the projects his Department is supporting in the Occupied Palestinian Territories specifically aimed at giving young people an alternative to violence and extremism; and at what cost in 2003–04. [174554]

The best way of giving young people an alternative to violence and extremism is to ensure they have a full and effective education with good prospects of future employment. DFID's support to the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) for which planned expenditure over the next three years is about £15 million per calendar year, provides substantial support to education and emergency employment creation. Over two thirds of UNRWA's annual budget is allocated for the education needs of Palestinian children in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. DFID provides project funding for UNRWA to help improve the school management by involving the local community. Planned funding is about £500,000 per year for the next two years.DFID recently agreed a £7 million contribution to the World Bank's Public Financial Management Reform Trust Fund to support the Palestinian Authority. This will have an indirect impact on supporting young people, as the money will help maintain public services including education and keep PA employees at work by paying salaries.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the level of disruption to the schooling and vocational education of young people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories over the last five years. [174556]

DFID has not commissioned any such research but monitors the level of disruption to education through regular contact with our Palestinian and international partners including the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Education, United Nations Relief Works Agency and Non Governmental Organisations. Many pupils and teachers now face difficulty in getting to school, which in effect reduces the number of full school days. There is also a reduction in the financial resources available for education as a result of the severe downturn of the Palestinian economy. The high priority given to education by Palestinian communities means that there has been no increase in the very low dropout rate, and only a small reduction in the high rate of enrolment of pupils in schools. The disruptions and violence nevertheless have a high psychological impact on students and on student achievement.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the statement released by South Africa's Deputy President Jacob Zuma's office on 11 May 2004; what his Department's assessment is of the scale of the problem highlighted by Mr. Zuma; and if he will make a statement. [174640]

The statement by South Africa's Deputy President Zuma's office, highlighted the extent of food insecurity and vulnerability in the Southern African region. At the 15 May Southern African Development Community Summit on Agriculture and Food Security in Dares Salaam the South African government announced a contribution of R 100 million (approximately £8 million) to help meet these needs. DFID welcomes this and believe that South Africa has an important role to play in improving food security in the region, including as a major food producer and grain market.Food security is a continuing challenge in Southern Africa. At the peak of the recent humanitarian crisis, the United Nations assessed that 15.2 million people (26 per cent. of the population) were in need of food aid. DFID spent over £88 million in 2002–03 in response to the Southern African food crisis (in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho). Acute needs appear to be lessening now as a result of improved harvests in many but not all countries, However, chronic poverty appears to have increased and more communities are now likely to become destitute as a result of variable rainfall or other shocks such as illness or loss of work.The impact of HIV/AIDS has placed a major burden on households and increased their vulnerability. Increasing food production is necessary but not sufficient, since many people do not grow their own food, and lack resources to buy food even if it is available. Increasing employment, land reform, better infrastructure and access to markets, and more private sector investment are also required.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Department had observers at the 2004 Southern African Development Community Heads of State and Government Summit on Agriculture and Food Security held on 15 May 2004 in Dar es Salaam; what reports of the (a) proceedings and (b) conditions of this summit he has received; and if he will make a statement. [174639]

The British High Commissioner in Tanzania attended the opening ceremony of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit on 15 May. The Summit launched an action plan to address the food security problems in the region. It emphasised the extent and depth of vulnerability in the region and the need for concerted international action on a wide range of issues. Member states re-endorsed their commitment to increase their financing to agriculture to 10 per cent. of national budgets within five years.The official communiqué sets out the agreed action and priority areas for short and longer-term support. DFID, in collaboration with partners, is supporting a number of programmes to address the issues discussed at the Summit. DFID's collaboration emphasises access to food, as well as increasing production; monitoring vulnerability and targeting vulnerable groups; and the important role of the private sector and regional trade. DFID welcomes SADC's renewed commitment to food security as a development priority.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what assistance his Department is providing with demobilisation disarmament and the reintegration of combatants in Sudan; [174774](2) what is the nature of the support being provided by his Department to assist reintegration in the Sudan. [174773]

Full demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration (DDR) of combatants will only take place in Sudan after a peace agreement has been signed between the Government of Sudan and Sudan People's Liberation Movement. However, as part of the international effort to promote successful DDR, DFID is currently supporting both the preparation and planning for full-scale demobilisation and the demobilisation of Child Soldiers.DFID has provided about £505,000 of assistance to UNICEF for child soldier disarmament and demobilisation, as well as the return, reunification and reintegration of vulnerable children. We have also provided about £312,000 of assistance to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for three DDR field advisers under their preparatory support for reintegration for former combatants and community based weapons reduction. In addition we are also providing a DDR adviser to act as a resource person to the Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in the IGAD-led peace talks, and to the international community through the UN Resident Coordinator for Sudan.Both DFID and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are also pressing the UN at the highest levels to ensure that DDR is given the utmost priority, and is fully supported during coming peacekeeping missions.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action his Department is taking to support the development of effective governance in Sudan. [174775]

DFID hopes that a framework peace agreement will emerge from the Sudan peace talks soon. DFID sees a sustainable and just peace as key to effective governance in Sudan so the United Kingdom has committed itself to supporting Sudan in implementing the peace agreement.One of DFID's objectives for the programme in Sudan is the development of effective public administration, security and judicial systems. To this end we are supporting policy development, for example, by helping the Sudan People's liberation Movement (SPLM) to develop good governance principles for the new Government of South Sudan. DFID is also working on plans to support capacity building on safety, security and accessible justice; on local government; and on public financial management. In addition we have financed a consultancy report on the development of policing in Sudan, and are considering support for security sector reform.

To ask the secretary of State for International Development what discussions (a) he, (b) members of his Department and (c) other members and representatives of the Government have had with (i)representatives of the World Food Programme (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), (ii) members and representatives of the Government of Zimbabwe and (iii) members and representatives of the Government of South Africa concerning the WFP and FAO's crop assessment missions recently cancelled by Zimbabwe officials; what assessment his Department has made of this incident; and if he will make a statement. [174641]

The Government of Zimbabwe's recent decision to cancel the crop assessment mission has been discussed extensively in numerous meetings in Harare involving DFID Zimbabwe, the British embassy, United Nations agencies, and other donors. Officials from DFID and the embassy, as well as the UN, have expressed concerns to the Zimbabwean Government. DFID and embassy officials have also discussed this issue with South African officials.The Government of Zimbabwe's cancellation of the mission means that there is no internationally accepted estimate of Zimbabwe's harvest, and their decision not to request international food aid means that normal advance planning processes will not take place. The Zimbabwean claim that they have produced 2.4 million metric tonnes (MT) of maize this year is simply not credible. The actual harvest is probably below 1.2 million MT, compared to a requirement of about 1.8 million MT. Given the significant shortage of foreign exchange in Zimbabwe, it will be difficult for the Government to import enough grain to fill this gap. Many poor and vulnerable people may therefore go very hungry, if not worse, as a result of these decisions.DFID Zimbabwe, in collaboration with other major donors and the UN system, will monitor the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe closely, while continuing to provide targeted food assistance and other humanitarian support to the most vulnerable sections of Zimbabwe society through NGO programmes which DFID is able to fund directly. DFID will press the Government of Zimbabwe to recognize the humanitarian need within the country and to collaborate with the international community to provide an apolitical and co-ordinated response.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the continuing need for international food aid to Zimbabwe. [174776]

The Government of Zimbabwe have decided to cancel the joint crop assessment mission with the UN which had started in late April. This means that there is no internationally accepted estimate of Zimbabwe's harvest. Their separate decision not to request international food aid means that normal advance planning processes for delivery of food aid will not take place. The Zimbabwean claim that they have produced 2.4 million metric tonnes (MT) of maize this year is simply not credible. The actual harvest is probably below 1.2 million MT, compared to a requirement of about 1.8 million MT. Given the significant shortage of foreign exchange in Zimbabwe, it will be difficult for the Government to import enough grain to fill this gap. Many poor and vulnerable people may therefore go very hungry, if not worse, as a result of these decisions.The UN and donors, including the UK, have expressed our concern to the Zimbabwean Government about their handling of the humanitarian situation. DFID, in collaboration with other major donors and the UN system, will monitor the position in Zimbabwe closely, while continuing to provide targeted food assistance and other humanitarian support to the most vulnerable sections of Zimbabwe society through NGO programmes which we are able to fund directly. DFID will press the Government of Zimbabwe to recognize the humanitarian need within the country and to collaborate with the international community to provide an apolitical and coordinated response.

To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what response he has received from churches to the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the extension of VAT for listed places of worship. [174918]

I and my colleagues in the Churches receive many indications of appreciation from parishes for the Chancellor's extension of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme to repay the full amount of VAT paid on repairs to listed church buildings after 1 April 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on activities and events that have taken place and are taking place in museums and galleries month. [174900]

Museums and Galleries Month comprises more than 1,100 special events that will attract an estimated 10 million people during May. The month shows that museums and galleries are becoming ever more interesting and accessible to all sections of society, and I congratulate the organisers and all those taking part.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to improve access to the cinema for small towns and rural communities. [174901]

The UK Film Council, the Government's strategic agency for film, oversees several strategies to improve access to cinema, including in small towns and rural areas.These include the establishment of a Digital Screen Network; the installation of audio-descriptive captioning in 78 cinemas to enhance the cinema-going experience of visually impaired people; continued funding for film societies; and a fund to help film clubs, societies and community groups to buy digital projection equipment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the take-up of rate relief support for amateur sports clubs. [174902]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Parmjit Dhanda),Official Report, column 1293.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance is available for the preservation of landmark buildings within small communities. [174903]

English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund run a number of grant schemes which provide assistance for the preservation of listed buildings of historic or architectural importance in both large and small communities. Additionally, English Heritage and local authorities provide advice on practical measures with preservation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects Ofcom to publish its code on television access services for people with hearing or sight difficulties. [174904]

I understand from OFCOM that they expect to publish the code in the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will report progress on London's bid for the 2012 Olympics. [174905]

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on progress on the Olympics bid for 2012. [174910]

On 18 May the International Olympic Committee announced that London had been accepted as a Candidate City for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, together with Paris, Madrid, New York and Moscow.London 2012 is now working on the completion of the Candidate files, which will be submitted to the IOC by 15 November 2004,

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans there are to hold Olympic events in Wales. [174907]

The bidding company, London 2012 announced the venues for the bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games on 16 January. The Olympic football competition will be held in stadia in Cardiff, Belfast, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle and London. There will be opportunities for sporting facilities across the UK to be used by national teams for training camps.In addition the Cultural Olympiad will take place across the UK over the four years up to and including 2012 and the 2012 Olympic Torch Relay is likely to involve every major city and town throughout the UK over several months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will announce the funding arrangements for community radio. [174906]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 5 March 2004 that £0.5 million pounds has been made available for community radio for each of the next two financial years. OFCOM will administer the fund.

to ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to promote participation in athletics; and if she will make a statement. [174908]

Athletics is benefiting from the Government's investment of £10 million into Club Links, which aims to increase the percentage of young people moving between School Sport Partnerships and governing body accredited clubs. This will build new, and strengthen existing, links between schools and clubs and increase participation opportunities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the future of the former King Edward VII convalescent home for officers, Osborne. [174909]

English Heritage has considered a range of options. A recent study suggests that the most feasible would be to convert the former convalescent home at Osborne House into a high quality hotel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of British live theatres are (a) equipped for and (b) operating equipment for audio-description of live performances; and if she will make a statement. [175015]

Arts Council England estimates that of the 283 theatres they fund in England, 53 (about 19 per cent.) are equipped with and operate their own audio description equipment. 11 additional theatres have their own equipment and use Vocaleyes, an Arts Council England funded organisation, to provide audio description. In the last 12 months, 12 additional theatres have used Vocaleyes for both their equipment and audio description service.Arts Council England has committed £165,000 to the core funding of Vocaleyes in 2005–06, an increase of 68 per cent. since 2003–04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account she has taken of representations from the circus industry in developing the draft guidance under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003. [175556]

We considered carefully the views expressed to us by, and on behalf of, the circus industry when drawing up the draft Guidance to licensing authorities which was laid before Parliament on 23 March. We have, in so far as possible, made the draft Guidance clearer in relation to circuses. We did not accept their case for exemption during the passage of the Licensing Bill, nor for amending the arrangements for temporary events. Further, it is not possible to create exemptions to the Licensing Act 2003 through the Guidance, as it cannot amend the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will delay further parliamentary consideration of the draft guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 until further representations from the circus industry due to be received on 27 May have been considered. [175557]

We want to see the Licensing Act 2003 implemented as soon as possible so that consumers, industry and local communities can benefit from the reforms. We do not, therefore, wish to delay Parliament's consideration of the draft Guidance to licensing authorities which was laid on 23 March. I do, however, understand the concerns of circuses and I look forward to meeting the hon. Member and circus industry representatives on 27 May to consider how to assist this important and popular part of our cultural heritage to adjust to the requirements of the new regime in a way that is as smooth and manageable as possible.

To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what information the Electoral Commission holds on the shortfall in electoral registration. [174920]

Last year, the Electoral Commission published research assessing the impact on levels of registration of new registration arrangements in Northern Ireland. I understand that the Commission does not currently hold up-to-date information relating to registration shortfalls in England, Scotland and Wales. However, the Commission is currently establishing a research project to identify the extent and nature of under-registration in Great Britain, as well as reviewing the operation and impact of rolling registration since 2001.

To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what arrangements the Electoral Commission has made for spot checks on households in all-postal voting areas. [174917]

While the Electoral Commission has a statutory duty to evaluate the pilot schemes in June, it has no operational role in the conduct of the elections. The Commission has advised Returning Officers of the post-election checks they might use to provide assurance of the security of postal voting, but has no plans to undertake any checks itself during the course of the election period as this could interfere with the conduct of the ballot.

To ask the Solicitor-General what the annual leave allowance is for each grade of Crown Prosecutor. [167303]

The annual leave allowance for all grades of crown prosecutor below the Senior Civil Service grade (SCS) is 25 days per year on entry to the department, and 30 days upon completion of 10 years' service. Crown prosecutors in the SCS and the Chief Crown Prosecutor grades, are entitled to 30 days' annual leave on entry to the department.

To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases in the Merseyside area were referred to (a) the Crown court and (b) a magistrates court in each year since 1997; and how many of those cases were subsequently discontinued. [173129]

The following tables show the number of cases received by CPS Merseyside in the magistrates courts and in the Crown court in each year since 1997. Magistrates courts receipts include cases referred to the Crown Prosecution Service by the police for pre-charge advice and non-criminal proceedings, as well as cases referred to the Service for prosecution. Crown court receipts include appeals and committals for sentence, as well as cases committed for trial.

1997		1998		1999		2000		2001		2002		2003
No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
47,080	—	45,557	—	47,969	—	49,158	—	42,307	—	46,876	—	48,383	—
5,451	13.1	5,550	13.7	6,502	15.2	6,759	15.9	6,084	16.3	5,447	14.0	5,584	13.9
3,138	7.6	2,112	5.2	3,434	8.0	3,042	7.2	2,255	6.0	2,260	5.8	1,749	4.4
41	0.1	39	0.1	48	0.1	11	0.0	7	0.0		0.0	67	0.2
47	0.1	56	0.1	81	0.2	78	0.2	85	0.2	88	0.2	110	0.3
946	2.3	673	1.7	457	1.1	708	1.7	622	1.7	520	1.3	647	1.6
25,603	61.7	26,374	65.0	25,615	59.9	24,487	57.6	23,173	61.9	24,706	63.4	25,088	62.4
4,226	10.2	4,137	10.2	5,012	11.7	5,883	13.8	3,989	10.7	4,985	12.8	5,834	14.5
2,051	4.9	1,662	4.1	1,619	3.8	1,541	3.6	1,200	3.2	945	2.4	1,114	2.8
9,623	23.2	8,430	20.8	10,522	24.6	10,598	24.9	9,053	24.2	8,315	213	8,757	20.3
31,880	76.8	32,173	79.2	32,246	75.4	31,911	75.1	28,362	75.8	30,636	78.7	32,036	79.7

1997		1998		1999		2000		2001		2002		2003
No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
5,022	—	4,854	—	4,411	—	4,569	—	3,947	—	4,183	—	4,518	—
447	10.9	637	14.8	443	12.7	589	16.0	687	19.0	654	18.0	686	18.9
45	1.1	123	2.9	188	5.4	123	3.3	142	3.9	123	3.4	78	2.2
56	1.4	52	1.2	49	1.4	61	1.7	64	1.8	75	2.1	85	2.3
273	6.7	253	5.9	259	7.4	263	7.1	330	9.1	299	8.2	301	8.3
2,969	72.4	2,843	66.0	2,178	62.6	2,330	63.2	2,062	56.9	2,105	57.8	2,151	59.3
313	7.6	397	9.2	363	10.4	323	8.8	338	9.3	384	10.5	324	8.9
821	20.0	1,065	24.7	939	27.0	7,036	28.7	7,223	33.8	7,757	37.6	7,750	31.7
3,282	80.0	3,240	75.3	2,541	73.0	2,653	77.9	2,400	66.2	2,489	68.4	2,475	68.3

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many separated parents have joint custody of their children; and if he will make a statement. [173556]

Since the Children Act 1989 was implemented in 1991, "custody" of a child has ceased to be a concept in the law of England and Wales. Under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989 a court has the power to make a residence order, being

"an order settling the arrangements to be made as to the person with whom a child is to live".

Section 1(5) of the Children Act provides that a court cannot make an order unless it considers that doing so would be better for the child than making no order at all ("the no order principle"). It follows that, if parents are agreed on the arrangements for their child, then it may be that the matter never comes before a court, or that, if it is before a court, the court considers that it is better for the child that no order be made. In other cases, such as those where there is no agreement between the parents, it is open to the court to make a residence order, if it considers that it is in the best interests of the child to do so. Such an order might be a "shared residence" order (so that the child lives with both parents, at different times, usually spending around half his time with each). The following table shows the latest available judicial statistics (2002). During 2002 a total of 103,191 section 8 orders were made in private law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects on the private sector of his Department's decision to reduce the amount it will offset against Connexions partnerships' VAT costs. [172650]

We have recommended that partnerships look to improve their tax efficiency. It does not automatically follow that this will have any effect on sub-contracting to private providers. The Department is monitoring how partnerships are dealing with the reduction in VAT transitional funding and we have made it clear that we expect them to continue to involve the private sector. We know that the lead body model is the most tax efficient and an increasing number of areas are adopting this, leaving private sector careers contracts in place.

To ask the secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received from private providers of Connexions services concerning his Department's decision to reduce the amount it will offset against partrnership's VAT costs. [172671]

In total my Department has received 12 representations from private providers about the decision to reduce the amount of transitional support to Connexions partnerships.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is his Department's policy to ensure that Connexions partnerships commit themselves to maintaining the pension benefits of private providers' staff if a partnership opts to shift from a sub-contracting operational model to a system of direct delivery and to incorporate the private providers' staff. [172676]