To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the latest figures are for the amount of compostable material disposed of each year in England; how much is reclaimed and recycled as compost; and what plans she has to increase this figure. [187547]

The Municipal Waste Management Survey of local authorities in England for 2002–03, shows that 14.28m tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste was disposed of to landfill, and 1.2m tonnes composted. In addition 1.1m tonnes of paper and card were recycled. As yet there is no method of measuring the amount recycled through home composting.From the Environment Agency's National Waste Production Survey of a sample of 40,000 businesses, conducted in 1998, it is estimated that 2.78m tonnes of biodegradable industrial and commercial waste was disposed of to landfill, 0.85m tonnes composted and a further 4.75m tonnes of paper and card recycled.The Government are taking a number of steps to increase the amount of biowaste composted. For example, we have established the Waste Implementation Programme (WIP), to support local authorities in achieving the UK's Landfill Directive targets to divert biodegradable municipal waste from landfill. The Government have also established the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to create stable and efficient markets for recyclates, including organic material. WRAP is also running a home composting programme and has already organised distribution of over 60,000 composting bins to households in England. In addition Defra, through the Environmental Action Fund (EAF), has provided the Composting Association with £282,000 over three years to raise awareness of composting.These and other measures have seen the proportion of municipal biowaste composted rise to 32 per cent. of all municipal waste recycling in England in 2002–03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps she has taken to improve the United Kingdom's recycling performance. [186939]

Waste is a devolved issue. The Government have taken numerous steps to increase recycling in England. For example, national household waste recycling targets have been set, supported by statutory recycling and composting targets with an increase in funding for local government waste activities for each local authority. Government have also established the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to create stable and efficient markets for recycled materials across the UK.This specific action on recycling is supported by steps to move municipal waste management up the waste hierarchy. For example, in England, a Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme for local authorities is being developed and the Waste Implementation Programme (WIP) has been established, to support authorities in achieving the UK's Landfill Directive targets to divert biodegradable municipal waste from landfill. In addition, the Government have committed to increasing the UK Landfill Tax rate to £35 per tonne of active waste in the medium term.As a result of these and other actions the proportion of municipal waste being recycled in England has increased to 15.6 per cent. in 2002–03 and we expect to meet our 2003–04 national household waste recycling target of 17 per cent.Steps taken to increase recycling of non-municipal waste include amending the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997: new UK targets were set last year to raise overall recovery by obligated companies from 59 per cent. in 2003 to 63 per cent. this year and 70 per cent. by 2008, with the percentage to be achieved through recycling rising to 95 per cent. in 2007–08. We will also be announcing shortly a package, funded by Landfill Tax escalator receipts from business more resource efficient, to help business in England become more resource efficient.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Energy Efficiency Implementation Plan. [185904]

"Energy Efficiency: The Government's Plan for Action" was published on 26 April 2004. The Government estimate that the measures in the Plan will save over 12 million tonnes of carbon by 2010, saving consumers over £3 billion annually. Key measures in the energy efficiency plan include:

A new aim to save 4.2 million tonnes of carbon from households by 2010;

Double the level of Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC) activity from 2005 to 2011, subject to a review in 2007;

New fiscal measures announced in Budget 2004, including a tax allowance to encourage domestic landlords to invest in their properties;

New energy services pilots, through which energy suppliers can offer innovative energy efficiency packages to customers;

Information, advice and support through the work of the Energy Saving and Carbon Trusts;

Incentives to improve efficiency in industry including revised targets and extension of the scope of the Climate Change Agreements, together with the forthcoming EU emissions trading scheme;

Committed leadership by Government including a new commitment by central government to use only the best energy performance buildings; More emphasis on communicating with people about climate change.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) homes and (b) farm holdings have been unable to obtain insurance policies against flood damage in the last year for which statistics are available; and if she will make a statement. [186685]

Firm statistics will not be available from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) until later this year.Initial indications from the ABI are that insurers are maintaining cover for homeowners in high flood risk areas in all but a handful of cases.The ABI are not aware of any instances where renewal has been refused on farm holdings. Farm buildings in general do not tend to have flood insurance due to the nature of their construction and lack of foundations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what thresholds for GM contamination of non-GM seeds the Government intends to support within the EU. [187620]

We are awaiting revised proposals from the EU Commission on labelling thresholds for approved GM seeds in non GM seeds. The UK Government position on the proposals will be based on scientific advice, the practicability of the measures that would need to be applied to ensure that we could enforce the regulations, and recognition that any thresholds set for seeds must be achievable by seed producers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether changes to flood defence provision will be made to achieve efficiency savings as announced in the Spending Review, broken down by financial year. [185892]

The Environment Agency has agreed to deliver efficiencies in its flood defence activities of £15 million for each of the financial years covered by the 2004 Spending Review (2005–06 to 2007–08). These efficiencies will be achieved through better procurement practices, greater use of new technology and a reduction in the process costs of delivering the capital programme. These savings will offset the effects of inflation and increases in construction costs currently estimated at 4 per cent. per annum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will change the Warm Front scheme by (a) not time-limiting a second application where it is for heating which had not previously been claimed for and (b) allowing old and inefficient boilers to be replaced before they break down. [186062]

The Department is currently developing a Fuel Poverty Implementation Plan which will consider options for better targeting and will review the eligibility criteria and effectiveness of current measures offered under Warm Front.In response to the recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office we have introduced a pilot to establish how best households with intermittently and ineffective working boilers can be assisted by the scheme. The results of this pilot will be assessed later in the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria were used in making the decision to close the Exeter office of Watervoice; and what process was followed. [185771]

The original decision to close the Exeter office was based on a recommendation made by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in its report on the organisation and regional structure of the Consumer Council for Water. PwC recommended that the offices in Exeter and Bristol currently serving the south west and Wessex regions should be merged into one office and located either in one of the existing offices or at a new site in Taunton.However, we have since given very careful consideration to a number of representations received and reviewed the decision to close or relocate regional offices. We concluded that against the background of the representations and the current periodic review of water prices, the benefits for water customers in maintaining the existing regional system of consumer representation outweighs the benefits of rationalisation at this time.We now intend to leave it to the new CCW to consider PwC's recommendations and to decide, in the light of future circumstances what changes, if any, it wishes to make to its regional structure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what discussions he has had with (a) mobile telephone manufacturers and (b) car manufacturers on the safety of mobile phones in cars; [186393](2) what research his Department has carried out into technical solutions for blocking the use of hand-held mobile phones in cars. [186394]

Representatives of mobile phone and bar manufacturers have been involved in discussions with the Department for Transport on a new European Directive that will replace the current Directive 95/54/EC on electromagnetic compatibility. This requires cars to have a minimum level of immunity to interference such that electronic devices, including mobile phones, do not cause malfunctions of the vehicle's electronics.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on measures to improve the provision of emergency medical equipment on all UK aircraft. [187177]

UK Airlines carry first aid and emergency medical kits in accordance with common requirements established by the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA). The content of these kits is being reviewed following a proposal from the European Civil Aviation Conference for considering several improvements to the kits but granting some flexibility to meet an operator's route specifications. The UK supports these changes and will implement them once they have been adopted by the JAA following public consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what subsidies are paid to (a) Eurostar and (b) the Channel Tunnel Rail Link for the provision of their services; and where such subsidies are spent. [186765]

Information requested is as follows:

No subsidies are paid to Eurostar.

Government are providing grant support for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link project which is estimated to total £2.0 billion in present value terms (discounted at 6 per cent. real to January 1997) to support the costs of construction of the link and the provision of capacity for domestic services. This figure does not include possible amounts which may be provided by way of loan support or recovered in respect of land rentals and proceeds from property developments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Blue Badge parking scheme entitlement for those diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. [187754]

The Blue Badge Scheme is designed primarily to assist people with severe difficulty in walking, whatever the cause of their disability. People who are registered blind also qualify under the Scheme. Drivers with a severe disability affecting both arms may also be eligible. Local authorities, which are responsible for administering the Scheme, will decide on an individual's eligibility on the basis of these criteria. People with myasthenia gravis will be eligible for a badge if they meet the criteria.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent in the last year for which figures are available on office furniture. [186404]

The Department spent £1,506,715 on furniture during 2003–04 financial year.This expenditure included:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the closure of sub post offices at Newtown and Northfield End on the (a) flow and (b) volume of traffic passing through Henley. [187504]

None. The closure of sub post offices is in operational matter for Post Office Ltd. In terms of traffic flow and volume the local highway authority, in this case Oxfordshire County Council, will be required to take account of the impact on accessibility to public services, including post offices, during the preparation of their Local Transport Plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he has taken to improve access to public transport for pensioners. [186461]

We have significantly improved the concessionary fares scheme for older and disabled people who are now entitled to at least half-fare travel on local buses. We have also introduced a half-fare for people aged 60 and over on many long-distance scheduled coach services.Given the close correlation between disability and age, the regulations we have introduced to require new trains, buses and coaches to provide a range of features to improve access are also benefiting many older people. During the last three years over 1,400 new fully accessible rail vehicles have entered service and there will be over 1,000 more within the next year. Around 29 per cent. of buses seating over 22 passengers are already accessible, and in major cities the proportion is much higher.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what timetables are in place following publication of The Future of Transport for (a) the start of construction and (b) completion dates of (i) Thameslink 2000, (ii) East London Line Extension and (iii) Crossrail. [187539]

The timing of Thameslink 2000 depends on whether and when the necessary Transport and Works Act and associated powers are secured. Network Rail submitted revised applications in June 2004 which are likely to be considered by a public inquiry next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many transport-related projects on the (a) railways and (b) roads are running (i) on schedule and (ii) behind schedule. [186801]

There are nine major programmes of enhancement work currently contracted on the railways, each comprising many individual projects. Of these, eight are on schedule in line with the agreed works programme, and one is behind schedule.There are 16 major new road schemes currently contracted on the Strategic Road Network. 13 are on schedule to complete in line with the programme planned at Works Commitment stage, three schemes are behind schedule, one by several months and two by no more than six weeks.There are 27 major road and road maintenance schemes which are currently fully accepted within the local transport programme. Of these, 13 are on schedule to complete in line with the timetable planned at full acceptance stage. 14 schemes are behind schedule, some only marginally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how planned funding in the Government's transport strategy The Future of Transport will be allocated between transport modes. [187538]

Because of the timing of the Olympic bid the Secretary of State announced a funding settlement for the GLA transport grant through to 2009–10 in his statement to the House of Commons on 20 July.

Year	£million
2005–06	2,161
2006–07	2,383
2007–08	2,544
2008–09	2,528
2009–10	2,651

It is up to the Mayor to decide how to allocate the GLA Transport Grant between different modes. Other decisions relating to the 2004 Spending Review Settlement will be taken in due course.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the (a) set retirement age applying to all or most personnel and (b) maximum age beyond which applications for employment will not be considered is for each department of the House. [186374]

General conditions of service are House-wide rather than on a departmental basis. House of Commons staff normally work until the age of 65, which is currently the maximum retirement age. They may, however, retire at any time between 60 and 65 if they wish. Applications for most posts are accepted up to the age of 65 with the exception of casual appointments, where applicants may be appointed over the age of 65. House policy will be reviewed in the light of the age discrimination regulations, which we understand will come into effect in October 2006.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate the Commission has made of the marginal cost of recalling the House this September, and if he will make a statement. [186359]

The daily costs of sitting days in September are similar to those of sitting days at other times of year. Such costs include staff overtime, telecommunications and postal costs, together with infrastructure costs such as heating.As a result of having a shorter summer recess than in some previous years, some additional costs may arise from the need to interrupt some elements of the summer works programme. However, as the September sitting was taken into account when the programme was planned, the additional costs are relatively modest, estimated at around £88,000 against a total works programme spend of £19 million.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will make a statement on the methodology involved in the appointment of a new Sergeant at Arms. [187403]

The Serjeant at Arms is a Crown appointment, made on the recommendation of the Speaker. Following the announcement that the current Serjeant at Arms, Sir Michael Cummins, would shortly retire, the Speaker decided that the post should be advertised both internally and externally, in the national press. A recruitment board was set up under the chairmanship of the Clerk of the House. It included an external member, drawn from the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments' central list of independent assessors, and the hon. Member for North East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) as a representative of the Commission. The board agreed a long list of candidates for preliminary interviews by external recruitment consultants and, subsequently, a short list for final interviews, conducted by the board. As a result of this process, the Speaker recommended the appointment of Major General Anthony Peter Grant Peterkin, CB, OBE. His appointment was announced to the House on 20 July and he will take over from Sir Michael on 1 January 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she proposes to take against shops illegally selling amyl nitrate in the form of poppers, with particular reference to the products (a) Pure Gold, (b) Liquid Gold and (c) TNT. [178805]

I have nothing further to add to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office on 22 July 2004, Official Report, column 573W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the current levels of consumer credit card fraud; and what steps her Department is taking to tackle it. [186354]

I have been asked to replyThe Government do not collect figures on the cost of credit card fraud but the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS) estimates the cost of plastic card fraud on UK-issued cards in 2003 to have been £402.4 million, a decrease of five per cent. over the previous year.The Home Office provided £1.4 million over two years (towards a total cost of £5.6 million) to fund, jointly with the banking industry, a specialist police unit, the Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit (DCPCU). The pilot, which ran from April 2002 to April 2004, was successful in detecting or preventing significant fraud on the banks and card issuers. The Unit is continuing with full financial support from the industry. The Home Office continues to chair the Steering Group.We are also providing significant extra resources for fraud policing more generally. The Home Office and the Corporation of London have each agreed to contribute £1 million towards the cost of an expanded City of London Police fraud squad. The Home Office has also met capital start up costs of the new unit. This funding will enable the City of London Police to expand its fraud squad significantly and take a lead role in the investigation of fraud in London and the south east, including providing police resources for the majority of Serious Fraud Office cases.A great deal of fraud can be prevented if organisations have proper fraud prevention measures in place. Prevention initiatives therefore complement fraud investigation and prosecution.We have encouraged the financial and retail sectors to work towards early implementation of more secure systems to combat fraud, including the introduction of microchips into payment cards to help authentication, and the use of PIN codes in place of signatures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to end insurance discrimination for gay men based solely on sexual orientation. [187135]

The Government are aware of concerns about current imbalances in legislative provision for the different groups protected by discrimination legislation, which include gay men, and one of the first tasks of the proposed Commission for Equality and Human Rights will be to review the legislative framework to ensure that it meets the needs of a modern Britain.The Government are committed to improving equality and human rights for all in our society. This underpins our vision of a modern, fairer and more prosperous Britain. The creation of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights will help create a more equal and cohesive society.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what views she has received from publicly funded equality bodies on (a) the Government's proposal for a single equality body and (b) the proposals in the document Fairness for All. [187154]

The Government are currently assessing the response of the three public funded equality bodies and all the responses they have received in detail and will publicly respond in due course. Government will be assisted in this task by their independent advisory Task Force, which discussed the consultation responses on 7 September.The consultation following the release of Fairness for All officially closed on 6 August. Over 450 responses were received from a wide variety of stakeholders, interested groups and individuals, including those from the publicly funded equality bodies—the Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her assessment of the effect of new tax rules on shares held by academics set out in the Finance Act 2003 on the number of university spin-off companies being set up. [186332]

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of schedule 22 of the Finance Act 2003 on university spin-out companies. [186452]

The Government recognise the contribution that research-based entrepreneurial activity makes to this country and are committed to creating a clear fiscal environment that enables universities, public sector bodies and their researchers to grow companies based on their research.Inland Revenue, DTI and Treasury officials have been engaged in constructive dialogue with university and public sector spin-out sector representatives to provide certainty around the tax treatment of university/public sector employees who acquire such shares. This dialogue between officials and sector representatives has led to a joint Memorandum of Understanding regarding the tax treatment of one type of spin-out company shareholding structure and some companies are understood to have taken advantage of this model. Officials will continue negotiations with interested parties to ensure that an appropriate solution to the sector's difficulties is identified and ensure that there is no long-term adverse impact on spin-out activity.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) total budget, (b) departmental funding and (c) total cost to his Department of the Community Forum (i) is for the financial year 2004–05 and (ii) is estimated for financial years 2005–06 to 2007–08. [187563]

The total departmental budget for the Community Forum is £186,000.000 per year. This incorporates an annual budget of £150,000.00 and £36,000.00 for administrative support and management.This amount has been allocated for 2004–05 and will be made available for 2005–06 to 2007–08.Actual expenditure for financial year 2003–04 was £155,489.00. The estimated expenditure for 2004—05 will be £183,000.00.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what effect his Department's good practice guide to fly-posting has had on the residents of Leyton and Wanstead. [187744]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Good Practice Guide, "The Control of Fly-Posting", offers guidance to local planning authorities on how best to deal with the problem of fly-posting. No assessment has been made on the effect the guide has had on the residents of Leyton and Wanstead. This is a matter for Redbridge and Waltham Forest borough councils.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much funding was made available for the Suffolk Fire Authority (a) in 2004–05 and (b) in each of the last nine years. [187204]

The Fire Service in Suffolk is the responsibility of Suffolk county council. Net current expenditure on the Fire Service, as reported by the authority, for the last 10 years is tabled as follows:

	Amount (£000)
1995–96	12,683
1996–97	13,667
1997–98	13,593
1998–99	14,634
1999–2000	15,022
2000–01	15,900
2001–02	16,533
2002–03	17,627
2003–04	17,829
2004–05	18,690

The data are taken from the RS (outturn) forms for all years except 2004–05 when the data are taken from the RA (budget) form These forms are completed each year by individual local authorities.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter to him dated 2 August from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. H. Broadley. [187981]

I did so on 3 September.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made towards the introduction of a green landlords scheme as announced in the Budget. [187384]

The Chancellor announced in his last Budget the possible introduction of a "green landlord scheme" which would aim to incentivise landlords to invest to improve energy efficiency. The Government are considering the options available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many civil servants were employed by her Department and its related agencies in each year since 1997. [187276]

The table shows the number of staff in post on 1 April of each year since 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many Government officials will attend the Athens Olympic Games. [183552]

[holding answer 12 July 2004]: The Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport and myself attended the Olympic Games and both our Private Secretaries accompanied us on our visit. One press officer from DCMS was also present in Athens during the Olympics.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many Members of the Government will attend the Athens Olympic Games. [183553]

[holding answer 12 July 2004]: The Olympic Games in Athens was officially attended by four Members of Government—the Prime Minister, the First Minister for Scotland, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and myself.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what class of hotel Ministers and officials will stay in while attending the Athens Olympic Games. [183554]

[holding answer 12 July 2004]: Ministers and officials stayed at the following accommodation in Athens:

The British embassy;

A four and three star hotel;

The campus of the British School of Archaeology.

All arrangements were made with the BOA, benefiting from their negotiated tariffs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the Government are prepared to sell the Tote to a body other than the Racing Trust. [188287]

It remains the Government's policy to sell the Tote to the Racing Trust. Only if it proves impossible to effect such a sale on fair terms will the Government pursue other options.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the locations are of the detainees captured by British forces in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan and handed to the US. [183783]

All persons apprehended by United Kingdom Forces in Iraq and transferred to United States forces, and who are still in custody, remain in Iraq.The UK has not handed over to the US any persons apprehended in Afghanistan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions he has issued to the Royal Military Police on the application to them of the Human Rights Act 1998 (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad. [176324]

Training provided to the Royal Military Police on the Human Rights Act relates directly to the exercise of their powers of arrest, search and seizure etc., as members of the service police. These powers, applicable only in relation to persons who are subject to the Service Disciplinary Acts, are exercisable wherever the RMP serve, whether at home or abroad.During 2000, all RMP units received training on the implications of the Human Rights Act 1998, and changes in RMP arrest and custody procedures. Individuals joining the RMP since October 2000 have covered the same subject during their basic training, which includes relevant European Court of Justice (Strasbourg) Case Law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Typhoon/Eurofighter will enter into service at RAF Leeming. [186621]

The first two Typhoon bases will be RAF Coningsby and RAF Leuchars, the stations from which the Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor) aircraft currently operate. No decision has been taken on a third Typhoon base.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information his Department collects on the number of section 30 authorisations and dispersal orders made under the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003. [187221]

The powers became operational in January 2004. We are undertaking a data capture exercise on use of the powers under section 30 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003. The data will be available in the autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has commissioned regarding numbers of (a) arrests, (b) charges and (c) convictions of persons who are autistic or suffer from Asperger's Syndrome; and what guidelines he has issued to police forces regarding the questioning of autistic suspects. [186816]

No research of this kind has been commissioned by my Department and the data collected on arrests, prosecutions and convictions do not distinguish persons with particular disabilities.No specific guidance has been issued by the Home Office relating to persons with autism or Asperger's Syndrome. However, there are currently strands of work focused on improving police practice in relation to mentally ill individuals. These are outlined in the reply to the hon. Member's question on provisions in place to increase awareness in the Criminal Justice System of the behaviour patterns of people with communication related difficulties.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the community support officer scheme in Great Britain is expected to cost for the next five years; and what the expenditure was over the past five years. [186762]

The new Neighbourhood Policing Fund has made £50 million available for recruitment of additional Community Support Officers (CSOs) in this financial year in England and Wales. This fund will allow forces to recruit an additional 20,000 CSOs by March 2008 and details of the funding which will be made available to achieve this will be published in time for the 2006–07 planning round. Government expenditure on CSOs since they were first introduced in September 2002 amounts to £49.5 million up to the end of July 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the community support officer scheme in London is expected to cost the Government over the next five years; and what the expenditure was on the scheme in the last five years. [186764]

The new Neighbourhood Policing Fund has made £50 million available for recruitment of additional Community Support Officers (CSOs) in this financial year and all chief officers in England and Wales have been invited to bid for a share of this. This fund will allow forces to recruit 20,000 more CSOs by March 2008 and details of the funding which will be made available to achieve this will be published in time for the 2006–07 planning round.Government funding for CSOs in the Metropolitan police district amounts to approximately £23.5 million since CSOs were first introduced in September 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much training is required for community support officers; and what the training involves. [186769]

The length and scope of training for Community Support Officers (CSOs) is decided by individual chief officers. In most forces training lasts from four to six weeks and may include the use of powers, diversity, information gathering, first aid and tackling antisocial behaviour.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much it costs on average to train a new community support officer. [186906]

There is no standard cost of training new Community Support Officers (CSOs) as this varies between forces. The £50 million made available this year to fund new CSOs under the Neighbourhood Policing Fund includes £2,500 per CSO as a contribution to set up costs including training.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what remuneration is given to community support officers. [186908]

Remuneration of community support officers (CSOs) is a matter for individual forces to decide. The average amount paid to CSOs in 2003–04, including basic salary and allowances, was £19,591.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 July 2004, Official Report, column 750W, on databases, if he will list the bulk information exchanges which have taken place in the last two years. [187337]

The Police Information Technology Information Organisation has not made any bulk exchanges with foreign Governments or agencies in the last two years. However, a list of lost/found vehicles from the Police National Computer is sent to Interpol in Lyon, France via the National Criminal Intelligence Service on a daily basis excluding weekends.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what costs his Department has incurred on advertising and communication including contracts with public relations and advertising companies in each financial year since 1996–97. [180380]

[holding answer 28 June 2004]: The amount spent by the Home Office on communications including contracts was:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many road vehicles are operated by the Department and its agencies; how many personal injury accidents involving road vehicles operated by the Department have occurred within each of the last five years; and what the Department's policy is for managing work-related road safety. [185922]

There are currently 1,370 road vehicles operated by the Department and its agencies. The fleet listing by Department is as follows:

	Number
Prison Service	910
Forensic Science	84
Police	47
Immigration	287
Main HO	27
NASS	15

Information on personal injury claims lodged by staff in the Home Office and its agencies is not collated centrally, but is held by individual Departments/ agencies. However, the number of third-party personal injury claims against the Department within each of the last five years is as follows:

	Number
1999	7
2000	6
2001	5
2002	7
2003	4

To date in 2004 one third-party personal injury claim has been lodged against the Department.Following changes in legislation in December 2003, the Department issued policy guidance on the use of hand held and hands free mobile telephones. The Home Office is reviewing the instructions and advice held in the Transport Manual to cover all aspects of the management of work-related road safety.Until that work has been completed, general guidance derived from benchmark codes issued by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the Highway Code and the fleet industry continues to be provided on request.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of distraction burglary against adults over the age of 60 were reported in each year since 1997. [186615]

With effect from 1 April 2003, distraction burglary became a sub-category of "burglary dwelling" under the Home Office counting rules. Prior to that, data on the number of distraction burglaries recorded by the police were not routinely collected. However, data were collected from ad hoc surveys undertaken in 1998–99 and 2001 to 2003, which were reported in the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for the Vale of Clwyd (Chris Ruane) on 23 June 2004, Official Report, column 1415W.We plan to publish the figures for 2003–04 in October this year. Data broken down by the age of victim are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the costs of drug-related crime in each year since 1997. [186555]

Estimates of the costs of drug-related crime are not available annually. However, a recent study published by the Home Office provides estimates of the total economic and social costs of Class A drug use and puts these in the range of £10.1 billion to £17.4 billion for the year 2000. These costs include the costs of drug-related crime, which are estimated to fall in the range £8.8 billion to £15.8 billion. The costs of drug-related crime include victim costs and those accruing to courts, prisons and other parts of the criminal justice system.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the numbers of illegal (a) guns and (b) gun certificates that were used in legal ownership in each of the last 10 years. [185909]

[holding answer 22 July 2004]: Details of the legal status of firearms used in recorded crimes, and the illegal use of firearm certificates, are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) rifles and (b) shotguns that have never been legally held have been used in recorded crimes since January 2000; [186123](2) how many

Details of the legal status of firearms used in recorded crimes are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many banning orders were issued as a result of Euro 2004; [183785](2) how many England supporters were

As of 2 August 2004, the courts have imposed football banning orders on 38 individuals as a result of Euro 2004. Of these, 35 orders have been imposed as a result of individuals being intercepted by the police en-route to Portugal on the basis of evidence of previous involvement in violence or disorder, while three orders have been imposed on the basis of violence and disorder during the tournament. In addition, 48 individuals are currently subject to unresolved banning order proceedings as a result of being intercepted en-route to the tournament and eight individuals are subject to proceedings prompted by conviction of offences of violence and disorder in Portugal. The police may commence further proceedings in the light of evidence received from the Portuguese authorities. Updated information will be included in a detailed report on Euro 2004 to be submitted to Parliament in September.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reported incidents of race hate crimes there have been against (a) people with learning difficulties, (b) people with disabilities, (c) gays, lesbians and bisexuals and (d) transsexuals there have been in (i) St. Helens and (ii) England and Wales, broken down by region, in each year since 1997; and what percentage (A) were brought to court and (B) resulted in a successful prosecution in each case. [186909]

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent by the Metropolitan police on rental vehicles in each month since September 2003. [187063]

I understand from the Commissioner of the Metropolitan police that expenditure has been as follows:

	£000
September 2003	668
October 2003	965
November 2003	798
December 2003	603
January 2004	890
February 2004	998
March 2004	1,143
April 2004	877
May 2004	697
June 2004	1,026
July 2004	1,108

The monthly figures include both local (for borough operational command units) and corporate hire (covering centrally hired vehicles for special events).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional funding he will make available to Devon and Cornwall police to (a) enforce the Government's Alcohol Strategy and (b) continue funding police community support officers. [183749]

On 7 July 2004 the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers (APC0) announced that police in England and Wales would be working with their partners in a fresh drive to tackle alcohol-related crime and disorder. The enforcement campaign takes forward one of the recommendations contained in the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England that was published on 15 March 2004. Plymouth and Cornwall and Isle of Scilly (Newquay) police Basic Command Units (BCUs) from the Devon and Cornwall police force are taking part in the campaign. BCUs can apply to the Police Standards Unit in the Home Office for funding to assist them in undertaking enforcement activity during the campaign. Provisionally £2,500 has been allocated to Devon and Cornwall police force to fund enforcement activity in Newquay.As part of the Spending Review 2004 the Government made a commitment to recruit 20,000 Community Support Officers (CSOs) by 2008 and forces will be eligible for funding to help them meet this target. As yet it is too early to say how the additional funding for CSOs will be allocated. However, a new Neighbourhood Policing Fund will be provided to develop local policing teams across England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was in 2003–04 of policing in (a) Havering and (b) London. [186910]

The Metropolitan Police Service's (MRS) net budget requirement in 2003—04 was £2,207.8 million and the net budget for the City of London was £67.2 million. Distribution of resources within the MPS is a matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and the Metropolitan Police Authority.Resources are allocated directly to borough operational command units using the Service's resource allocation formula. In addition, borough units are able to call upon all-London Units (such as dog sections, Territorial Support Group, Traffic and Air Support Units) when operational priorities dictate.The Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis informs me that the budget for the Havering Borough Operational Command Unit in 2003–04 was £17.3 million. This reflects direct operational costs. The cost of specialist units, non-operational support units and all-London units providing service to Havering was additional and could only be calculated at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were employed by Suffolk police in each year since 1 April 1997. [187189]

On 31 May 2004 Suffolk constabulary had 1,293 police officers, 113 more than in March 1997. The table shows strength for each year since March 1997.

Suffolk constabulary—strength: March 1997 to May 2004
As at 31 March	Police numbers1
1997	1,180
1998	1,186
1999	1,190
2000	1,145
2001	1,133
2002	1,203
2003	1,253
2004 (31 May)	1,293
1 Source for 1997 to March 2003 is the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (RDS). May 2004 was collected separately outside of the normal data collection arrangements and has not been subject to the same validation as RDS data. Data collected by RDS for 31 March 2004 will be published shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what central Government funding was available for CCTV in each of the last seven years for the Suffolk Police constabulary area. [187193]

Since 2000 the Home Office has provided £960,936 to Suffolk for Close Circuit Television (CCTV) schemes, through the Crime reduction Programme's CCTV initiative.This breaks down as:CCTV Round 1 (2000–01—2002–03): £395,024CCTV Round 2 (2001–02—2002–03): £605,912

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how his Department measures the performance of the Security Industry Authority; [187344](2) what has been the budget of the Security Industry Authority in each year since 2001; [187345](3) when the Security Industry Authority proposes to implement the regulation of wheel clampers. [187350]

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) was established as a non-departmental public body on April 2003. Prior to this date the implementation unit formed part of the Home Office.The SIA budget for 2003–04 was £15.5 million. The expenditure incurred totalled £12.9 million.Full information is available in the SIA Annual Report and Accounts which is available in the House.The SIA expenditure budget for 2004–05 is £26 million.The Department has worked closely with the SIA throughout its development and a member of the sponsor department attends Board meetings. Annually the Minister agrees targets for the SIA, which are appropriate to the development stage reached. The targets for 2003–04 are included in their recently published Annual Report and Accounts together with a record of their significant achievements. The report and accounts are available from HMSO or can be viewed on the SIA website.The overall SIA Aims are set out in their agreed managerial and financial framework:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the average number of police officers deployed on witness protection schemes was in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by police force; [184959](2) what police resources have been allocated to witness protection schemes in each of the last five years, broken down by police force. [184960]

This information is not currently available. The Home Office, in conjunction with the Scottish Executive, the Northern Ireland Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers, has appointed an independent consultant to carry out an assessment of witness protection arrangements nationally. The assessment is covering all cases where witness protection is afforded by UK law enforcement agencies including the police. It will provide us with valuable information about the numbers and circumstances in which witness protection is provided and the amount of police time allocated to it.The assessment commenced on 2 January; it was announced in the White Paper "One Step Ahead—a 21st century strategy to defeat organised crime", which I published on 29 March. The assessment is due to be completed over the summer, and a final report will be available in the autumn.However, even after completion of this assessment, we are not intending to make available publicly any of this information below national level. Such information broken down by individual police forces is obviously operationally sensitive and could compromise the integrity of witness protection programmes and the officers who work on them.

To ask the Prime Minister how many rooms are set aside for (a) the use of smokers, (b) worship, broken down by religion and (c) nursing mothers and pregnant women in each building and set of offices for which his office is responsible. [187321]

For these purposes, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. My office has one smoking room. Rooms for worship, nursing mothers and pregnant women are shared with the Cabinet Office.

To ask the Solicitor-General what recent discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on the work of the Criminal Justice Board. [187722]

I have discussions with the Home Secretary on the work of the Criminal Justice Board at the Criminal Justice Board and also at the routine meetings of all criminal justice Ministers.

To ask the Solicitor-General what her policy is towards the prosecution of (a) anti-Semitic and (b) Islamophobic hate crimes. [187723]

The policy of prosecution of anti-Semitic and Islamophobic crime is set out in the CPS' policy document of July 2003,In all cases there are two tests: whether there is sufficient evidence for the court to convict; and whether a prosecution is in the public interest. It will usually be in the public interest to prosecute cases of racist, Islamophobic and anti-Semitic crime.

To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on the role of the Crown Prosecution Service in tackling animal rights extremism. [187724]

The Crown Prosecution Service takes very seriously the prosecution of animal rights extremists who commit criminal offences.There is now a co-ordinator for this work in each CPS area.The Attorney-General is a member of the inter-ministerial group tackling animal rights extremism and chairs the forum of the agencies who are engaged in dealing with this problem.

To ask the Solicitor-General what steps she is taking to keep victims informed of the progress of their cases. [187725]

The Government are working with the police, prosecutors and courts, as well as voluntary and community organisations to take steps to ensure that victims will be confident to report offences and give evidence in court where necessary. A central part of that effort is ensuring victims are kept informed at all stages of the case.

To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on the progress of the pilot schemes to involve the Crown Prosecution Service in the pre-charge investigation process; and whether time savings have been identified from such pilot schemes. [175512]

Following the charging pilots in 2002–3, and the legislative changes in the Criminal Justice Act 2003, the Crown Prosecution Service, in partnership with the police, arc implementing the charging arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hours a day of consultants' time on average was spent in the accident and emergency department at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital in the last year for which figures are available. [187506]

This information is not collected centrally.As at 31 March 2004, there were seven accident and emergency consultants within Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what public funding has been made available over the last three years for research into age-related disease; and what funding plans he has for the future. [186830]

The main agency through which the Government support medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC funds basic and clinical studies on health ageing and on the causes, prevention and treatment of a wide range of conditions that affect the elderly in particular. Details of MRC expenditure in this area are shown in the table.

	Amount (£ million)
2001–02	18.7
2002–03	27.9
2003–04	Not yet available

The Department funds research to support policy and to provide the evidence needed to underpin quality improvement and service development in the national sealth service. Spend by the Department's national research programmes on projects specifically related to the health of older people is shown in the table.

	Amount (£ million)
2001–02	1.7
2002–03	1.9
2003–04	1.9

In addition, the NHS reported spending £36.7 million in 2001–02 and £34 million in 2002–03 on research relating to older people from research and development support funding allocations. Information for 2003–04 is not yet available.Each of these areas of research activity is ongoing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the expenditure was on drug treatments for Alzheimer's disease patients in Reading, East for the latest year for which figures are available; [187015](2) how many patients are being treated for Alzheimer's disease in Reading, East; and how many of these are receiving drug treatment. [187016]

Information on the number of patients treated for Alzheimer's disease by individual primary care trusts (PCTs) is not collected centrally. Data on the number of prescription items dispensed in the community, and the net ingredient cost is collected by the Prescription Pricing Authority. The total number of prescription items dispensed for dementia drugs, and the net ingredient cost of these drugs, in the area covered by Reading PCT in 2003–04 is shown in the table.

Total number of prescription items and net ingredient cost for "Drugs for Dementia" (BNF 4.11, treatment of Alzheimer's Disease) dispensed in the community for Reading PCT in 2003–04
	Number of prescription items	Net ingredient cost(£)
Reading PCT	96	8,278
England total	392,652	34,217,012
Notes:
1. Prescription cost analysis (PCA) data covers all prescriptions items that are dispensed in the community in England. PCA data does not include items dispensed in hospitals or private prescriptions.
2. Drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease are classified in the British National Formulary section 4.11 (Drugs for Dementia) and include the drugs Donepezil, Rivastigmine, Galantamine and Memantine.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1)what the total expenditure on drugs available on the NHS for Alzheimer's disease was in Dartford in the latest year for which figures are available; [187025](2) how many Alzheimer's disease patients are being treated by primary care trusts in Dartford; [187026](3) how much was spent by the NHS on drug treatments for advanced Alzheimer's disease patients in Dartford in the latest year for which figures are available; [187027]what assessment his Department has made of the availability of drugs for patients with moderately severe to severe Alzheimer's disease in Dartford. [187030]

Information on the number of Alzheimer's disease patients being treated by individual primary care trusts (PCTs) is not collected centrally. Data on the number of prescription items dispensed in the community and the net ingredient cost are collected by the Prescription Pricing Authority. The total number of prescription items dispensed for dementia drugs and the net ingredient costs of these drugs, in the area covered by Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley PCT in 2003–04 is shown in the table.

Total number of prescription items and net ingredient cost for "Drugs for Dementia" (BNF 4.11, treatment of Alzheimer's disease dispensed in the community for Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley PCT in 2003–04
	Number of prescription items (Thousand)	Net ingredient cost (£000)
Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley PCT	1.2	105.5
England total	392.7	34,217.0
Notes:
1. Prescription cost analysis (PCA) data covers all prescription items that are dispensed in the community in England. PCA data does not include items dispensed in hospitals or private prescriptions.
2. Drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease are classified in the British National Formulary section 4.11 (Drugs for Dementia) and include the drugs Donepezil, Rivastigmine, Galantamine and Memantine.
3. Information on the number of patients receiving prescriptions for these drugs is not available, but numbers of prescription items of all prescriptions dispensed in the community in Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley PCT (this is not necessarily the same as where the drugs were prescribed) and the net ingredient cost (NIC) is provided.
4. Prescriptions are written on a prescription form. Each single item written on the form is counted as a prescription item.
5. The NIC is the basic cost of a drug. This cost does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charge income.
Source:
PCA data from the Prescription Pricing Authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1)what access (a) primary care trusts and (b) NHS trusts who failed to secure local multi-disciplinary team status for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis services within their zone have to these services; and if he will make a statement; [186743](2) what plans he has to extend specialist services and local multi-disciplinary teams for people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis to other areas; and if he will make a statement. [186746]

A central budget of £8.5 million for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME) service; runs from 2004 to 2006 and is intended to pump prime service development and start developing clinical services where none previously exist.In addition to providing this extra funding, we have also asked the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to develop guidelines for the diagnosis and management of CFS/ME.We have invested heavily in improving national health service services. Up to 2003–04, expenditure on the NHS has increased by an average of 6.2 per cent. in real terms each year since this Government came to power. NHS expenditure is set to further increase by an average of 7.2 per cent. in real terms over the five year period 2003–04 to 2007–08. Over three years, this will take the total spent on the NHS in England from £69 billion in 2004–05 to £92 billion in 2007–08.It is the responsibility of primary care trusts to decide how to use this extra funding to meet the needs of their populations, including those with CFS/ME.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much money the Government has invested in the study of myalgic encephalomyelitis since 1997; [186833](2) how much money the Government plan to invest in the study of myalgic encephalomyelitis over the next five years. [186835]

The information requested is shown in the table.

Actual and forecast expenditure on chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis since 1997
	£ million
Completed research projects	0.3
Current research	4.3

£4.2 million of the current research total has been allocated to two five year Medical Research Council trials announced in 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to make a financial contribution towards the start-up costs of (a) the provision of free cotton nappies for in-house use and (b) an awareness campaign to promote use of cotton nappies in the Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust; and if he will make a statement. [187480]

It is for individual units and trusts to decide on the practicalities of promoting the use of cotton nappies in their own maternity units. In line with our policy to devolve decision making to those at the front line of national health service provision I do not see a role in these decisions for a central Government Department. I understand that Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust does not provide any nappies at present unless it is an emergency situation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce testing of all newborn babies for cystic fibrosis. [186977]

Ministers have agreed to the implementation of a new national programme for newborn cystic fibrosis screening. About a fifth of babies born in England are currently offered screening for cystic fibrosis. At the request of the United Kingdom national screening committee, an implementation plan to support the national health service is being developed by the UK newborn screening programme centre, a collaboration between Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, the Institute of Child Health and the Institute of Education.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the long-term plans for the device evaluation service; and which agency will be responsible for its day to day management. [187119]

The device evaluation service is actively involved in both the Health Industries Task Force (HITF) and the review of the Department's arm's length bodies. A formal announcement about the service will be made together with HITF recommendations later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the proven side effects are of long-term consumption of analogue human insulin. [187054]

Clinical trials submitted at the time of licensing have examined the safety and efficacy of the human insulin analogues (insulin glargine, insulin aspart and insulin lispro) in diabetic patients treated for up to 12 months. Generally, the side effects observed with the human insulin analogues were similar to those seen with existing human insulins, with the most commonly observed side effects being hypoglycaemia, visual disturbance and injection reactions.The longer term safety of the use of human insulin analogues in routine clinical practice is closely monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Any possible new safety issue to emerge is evaluated and, if necessary, product information for prescribers and patients is updated.Full guidance on prescribing and use of human insulin analogues, including possible side effects is provided in the summary of product characteristics (the product information for prescribers) and the patient information leaflet. Key prescribing information is also included in the British National Formulary, which is made available by the Department to doctors and pharmacists.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of providing pensioners with a free annual (a) eye test, (b) dental check and (c) hearing test. [186455]

We restored entitlement to free sight tests for people aged 60 and over in 1999 and hearing tests have always been available free of charge for patients referred to a national health service audiology department. People on low incomes may be exempt from dental charges or may only have to pay a reduced charge. We estimate that patient income of some £23 million per year would be lost if dental examinations were made free to all people aged 60 and over.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of people who will claim under the free prescription NHS low income scheme; and if he will make a statement. [187490]

No such estimate has been made. In 2003–04, the Prescription Pricing Authority (PPA) received 731,000 claims for help from people in England, Scotland and Wales. Claims can cover more than one person and successful claims may confer entitlement for more than one year. Based on recent trends, the PPA expects the number of claims in the current financial year to be lower than last year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are for arrangements to promote public awareness of the changes in free prescriptions from 6 April. [187542]

The leaflet, "Help with Health Costs HC11 Quick Guide", which has been placed in the Library, notes that the threshold for full help with health costs has been increased. In addition a poster, prepared in conjunction with Citizens Advice, is currently being printed and Department of Work and Pensions staff have been told of the change via a joint income support/jobseekers allowance bulletin.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for additional general practitioner surgeries in (a) the constituency of Bury St. Edmunds and (b) Suffolk. [187199]

We have no current plans for additional general practitioner surgeries in the constituency of Bury St. Edmunds or Suffolk and there are currently no applications in the fourth wave for national health service local investment finance trust schemes in either Bury St. Edmunds or Suffolk.It is now for primary care trusts, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services, based on the specialised knowledge they have of the local community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation sub-group on hepatitis B is next planning to meet; and when it plans to make a decision on hepatitis B immunisation policy; [187169](2) when the Government plan to implement the World Health Organisation recommendation that all countries should adopt a hepatitis B universal mass vaccination programme. [187170]

A working group of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is currently reviewing the United Kingdom's hepatitis B immunisation programme. The group is planning to meet later this year and will report to JCVI early next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the effect on (a) numbers of beds available and (b) other resources of women having home births; [187556](2) what assessment he has made of the relative costs of an uncomplicated natural delivery at home and an uncomplicated natural delivery in hospital; and what assessment has been made in respect of individual hospitals. [187557]

The proportion of deliveries that takes place at home has been around 2 per cent. since 1995, having risen from less than 1 per cent. in the late 1980s. This is so small that it will have little effect on the availability of hospital maternity beds. The resource implications of women having home births will vary and are a matter for local national health service bodies.We have not made any assessment of the costs of deliveries in respect of any individual hospital. The average overall cost of a hospital and home birth normal delivery without complications or co-morbidities is shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost of the cleanyourhands campaign is for 2004–05. [186511]

The estimated cost of producing and distributing the campaign materials is about £370,000. Alcohol hand gels will be an extra cost. An economic assessment of the campaign suggests that if the success of the campaign pilot is replicated, £140 million will be saved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the new measures and procedures that have been introduced to stop the illegal removal of organs from deceased adults and children. [187082]

We are taking the following measures to stop the illegal removal of organs from deceased adults and children.The Retained Organs Commission (ROC) was set up in April 2001 to oversee the return of organs and tissues to families, and where requested, to provide advocacy to families and to advise trusts. The ROC issued its final report in March 2004 and this can be found at http:// www.nhs. uk/retainedorgans.The Government's Human Tissue Bill, which had its second reading in the House of Lords in July 2004, provides the regulation of removal, storage and use of human organs and tissue. The Bill also makes provision for the creation of a new body, the Human Tissue Authority (HTA), which will prepare statutory guidance on all matters within its remit, as set out in the Bill.Pending completion of the Bill's passage through Parliament and the establishment of the HTA, the Department published two documents in April 2003: "The Use of human organs and Tissue, An Interim Statement" and "Families and post mortems, A Code of Practice". These provide guidance on the use of human organs and tissue and recommended practice for ensuring consent is obtained for hospital post-mortems and for the retention and use of organs following a hospital or coroner's post-mortem. These publications can be found on the Department's website.The Department has also provided Section 64 grant funding to the National Bereavement Partnership to set up a helpline to support families and the general public affected by issues around post mortems and the possible retention of organs or tissues. This helpline will be able to provide essential information and advise those affected how they might take an inquiry forward with their local national health service trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from the parents of deceased children whose organs were retained without permission concerning the sensitivity of questions they have had to answer in pursuit of compensation. [187080]

The Department has not received representations from the parents of children whose organs were retained without permission concerning the sensitivity of questions they have had to answer in pursuit of compensation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the length of time that it has taken to compensate the relatives of those whose organs were retained without permission. [187081]

An offer of compensation was made in November 2002 to all relatives claiming in relation to organ retention. The offer was rejected and the case proceeded to court. Mr. Justice Gage decided on three test cases in a group litigation on 26 March 2004. A mediation date of 27 September has been set for further discussions with the NHS Litigation Authority and the claimants lawyers with a view to settling the claim.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many National Health Service trusts there has been a reduction of intensive care Special Care Baby Unit beds over the two years to August. [187559]

Data on the number of intensive care special care baby unit beds are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in reducing inequalities in life expectancy in each (a) local authority and (b) primary care trust area. [180276]

We are committed to achieving our public service agreement target on health inequalities:

"By 2010 reduce inequalities in health outcome by 10 per cent. as measured by infant mortality and life expectancy at birth".

The life expectancy aspect of the target is underpinned by a more detailed target:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists left the NHS in each year from 2000–01. [186477]

Information on the total number of dentists leaving the general dental service (GDS) or personal dental service (PDS) is shown in the table. The main reasons for the dentists leaving were retirement and short-term career breaks.

General dental service and personal dental service: number of leavers at 30 September each year, England and Wales
	Exits
2000	1,228
2001	1,257
2002	1,374
2003	1,256
Source:
Dental Practice Board.

The numbers of GDS and PDS dentists have increased from 16,722 at December 1997 to 19,278 at December 2003; an increase of over 2,500.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the latest average waiting time to have an infected wisdom tooth removed on the NHS is; and what targets he has set to improve waiting times for the removal of wisdom teeth. [187136]

In 2003, the mean waiting time was 91 days for extractions at national health service hospitals. In year 2000, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence advised that the surgical removal of impacted wisdom teeth should be limited to patients with evidence of pathology. Implementation of this advice and the expansion of the dental workforce announced by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, on 16 July should reduce the pressures on hospital dental departments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on NHS dentistry in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [187293]

The general dental service (GDS) is currently managed on a national basis as a non-discretionary service. Expenditure is not predetermined by allocations but is driven largely by patient demand and the activity of dentists. At present, neither primary care trusts nor dentists are allocated any specific GDS budgets or quotas. Actual spend since 1997 to date has been:

	Expenditure (£ million)
1997–98	959
1998–99	1,022
1999–2000	1,058
2000–01	1,130
2001–02	1,202
2002–03	1,263

Expenditure figures represent the Government's net spend on GDS after taking account of the contribution to costs from dental charges paid by patients. Figures from 1997–98 to 1999–2000 are cash based. Figures for 2001–02 onwards are resource based. Figures from 1998–99 include expenditure on new personal dental service pilot schemes.Expenditure figures for 2003—04 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals his Department has to ensure that when a person requires dental treatment they are clearly informed (a) whether a dental practice provides NHS treatment and (b) what the cost of non-NHS treatment they require will be; and if he will make a statement. [187606]

Since publication of the Office of Fair Trading's report, "The private dentistry market in the UK" (March 2003), we have been working with the General Dental Council (GDC) to strengthen the regulation of private dentistry. The GDC has published "Standards of Dental Practice", which requires that dentists give full information on proposed treatment and costs to patients to enable them to make well-informed decisions on the type of treatment they are to receive. We will also be amending the Dentists Act 1984 to give the GDC new powers to ensure the fitness to practise of dentists and to establish a scheme to investigate and resolve complaints about private dental treatment. The amendments will come into effect early in 2005.