To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what requirements were stipulated to contractors working on the refurbishment of Bellamy's cafeteria with respect to (a) hours of work, (b) noise levels of works and (c) dust levels; and if he will make a statement on when the work will be finished. [189525]

The contractor is required to comply with the Control of Noise (Code of Practice for Construction and Open Sites) Order 1984 Regulations and BS 5228, the Code of Practice for Noise Control on Construction and Demolition Sites. The contractor is further required to comply with any local authority restrictions. Construction methodology and timing of work are reviewed with the contractor on a regular basis.

The control of dust is covered by conditions in the contract relating to nuisance under which the contractor is required to take all reasonable precautions to prevent such nuisance. The contractor also has responsibilities under health and safety legislation.

One of the project's stipulations is that the work to refurbish Bellamy's Kitchen must be completed within the summer months when the House is in recess, including the two week September return; a period of some 10 weeks. Given the significant amount of work involved maximum flexibility has been afforded: 24 hours per day, seven days a week working is available.

The works were forecast to be completed by the return of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department has made in establishing a national fallen stock collection scheme; how many and what proportion of livestock farms have registered; and what plans she has for its future development. [190128]

The Board of the National Fallen Stock Company, in partnership with Government and the livestock industry, remain on target to launch the scheme this autumn. We will not know how many farmers will register until the scheme begins. Future development of the scheme is a matter for the Board but the Government are committed to providing £20 million over three years to help establish it on a firm footing.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what effects instability in Iraq is having on his Department's work on reconstruction. [190361]

Present levels of instability in Iraq have slowed the pace of reconstruction. However, DFID's programmes are designed to be flexible and responsive to the current difficult security environment. Extensive measures are in place to safeguard the well-being of DFID employees and contractors working in Iraq. In southern Iraq, we are about to complete a substantial programme of infrastructure rehabilitation; and capacity-building and employment generation projects are well under way. Capacity-building support to key Iraqi ministries in Baghdad, and support for civil society, the judiciary and independent media, are also continuing.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much from departmental sources was spent in Iraq from June to September. [190354]

In the four months June to September this year, DFID disbursed a total of £15.95 million on Iraq. £15.5 million of this was programme funds, and £0.45 million was administrative costs.

In the three months between the handover of power to the Iraqi Interim Government on 28 June and the end of September, DFID disbursed a total of £11.7 million, of which £11.35 million was programme funds and £0.36 million was administrative costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is giving to Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement. [190362]

UK development assistance to Ethiopia is increasing rapidly from £44 million in 2003–04 to £85 million in 2005–06. Half of our support is direct support to the Government of Ethiopia's budget to enable them to increase their pro-poor spending with additional cooperation focusing on food security, capacity building and education plus support to tackle HIV/AIDS.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has given to British dependencies and Commonwealth countries in (a) the Caribbean and (b) Central America affected by extreme weather conditions in the last year; and if he will make a statement. [190363]

Details of DFID's disaster relief to Caribbean countries that have been seriously affected by recent Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne were provided to the House in the oral statement of 14 September 2004 and written statement of 16 September 2004 by the Secretary of State for International Development. A further written statement, updating the House, was provided on 12 October 2004.

In addition to the responses to the recent hurricanes, DFID also provided some £420,000 of humanitarian assistance to Haiti, in May 2004, following severe flooding. This humanitarian assistance supported the flood relief and recovery programmes of Action Aid, Save the Children Fund and the World Food Programme for the provision of basic services, food, and water and sanitation interventions.

To ask the Secretary of State, Department for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of co-operation between his Department and the EU on aid projects. [190384]

DFID continually monitors and assesses cooperation with the European Union on aid projects. At a political level, the Secretary of State and I regularly meet with counterparts from other EU Member States and the European Commission. There is similar contact at an official level both at headquarters and field levels.

To ask the Secretary of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the outcome of his recent visit to Nigeria. [190385]

80–90 million Nigerian's live in poverty; only India and China have more poor.

Whether Africa attains the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) depends on Nigeria. Reforms are underway in Nigeria and there is an opportunity for change. The Government have launched their poverty reduction strategy and restored macroeconomic stability.

Donor and creditor support is critical to maintain the momentum of reform. DFID has doubled its aid to £70 million next year.

The UK is also committed to helping Nigeria to reach a sustainable solution to its debt problems through the Paris Club's Evian Approach.

To ask the Secretary of State, Department for International Development, if he will make a statement on his Department's agriculture strategy. [190387]

Following the launch of the 2003 Agriculture Policy Paper "Agriculture and poverty reduction: unlocking the potential", the Department for International Development has engaged in a consultative process seeking the views of others on ways to improve the effectiveness of our assistance to agriculture which will culminate in a new Agriculture Strategy Paper. This process has included an electronic forum that engaged over 550 participants and the development of 14 working papers providing material for the strategy. The first working papers are now available on our consultation website, and the remainder will be released shortly. DFID acknowledges the valuable input of NGOs, notably members of the UK Food Group, in this process. A summary draft of the strategy is being prepared, and we anticipate releasing this very shortly for wider consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State, Department for International Development, if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of aid given (a) through the EU and (b) bilaterally in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. [190388]

All EU member states, as well as the European Commission, are currently drawing up detailed reports on the contribution towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals. These are being prepared to a common format, agreed in advance, in order to allow comparisons to be drawn between the approaches and successes of each Member State, as well as the European Commission, in their respective development programmes.

The reports are due to be published later this year. There is no recent comparative analysis available at present which can match the thoroughness or comprehensiveness of these forthcoming reports.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on his Department's support programmes for alternative livelihoods in Afghanistan. [189941]

DFID's Alternative Livelihoods programme is an essential part of our overall strategy to reduce and eventually eliminate poverty in Afghanistan. It is also a key component of the fight against drugs. In 2003/04 DFID provided £6 million to our alternative livelihoods programme. We have budgeted for an additional £20 million over the next two years.

DFID is working with the Afghan Government to build the capacity of the key agricultural ministries (£2.1 million over three years) and have helped establish the Alternative Livelihoods working group, which acts as a forum for the Afghan Government, donors, UN Agencies and non-governmental organisations to co-ordinate activities and develop a strategic framework for the creation of sustainable alternative livelihoods.

DFID is funding pilot programmes in Badakshan (£1 million over two years) and Eastern Hazarajat (£3.7 million over four years) to develop agricultural and non-farm alternatives to poppy cultivation. These projects are being supported by a microfinance programme targeted at the rural poor (£3 million over two years) and a fund for practical research into alternative livelihoods (£3 million over three years).

DFID is also working with village development councils through the National Solidarity Programme (£13 million over three years) to help communities address their own development priorities. To date 5,947 village development councils have been elected, 3,258 projects have been approved and $29 million in block grants has been disbursed to fund community projects including the construction of roads, water supply systems, irrigation canals, hydro-power for electricity, public baths, schools and weaving facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action he is taking to try to prevent the loss of forest cover in Africa. [190386]

DFID supports developing countries in Africa to make forest resources contribute more effectively to poverty reduction. DFID's work aims to improve the livelihoods of poor people and to maintain—and increase where possible—the national and global public goods provided by forests. DFID is helping to develop forest policy, implement reforms, and strengthen forest governance in Ghana, Cameroon, Malawi, Kenya and South Africa.

DFID supports the Africa Forest Law Enforcement and Governance process to help raise awareness of the problems of illegal logging and the commitment to tackle them. In addition DFID invests about £29 million a year in the Global Environment Facility, a significant share of which is spent on forest conservation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the lenders on securing the return of two bark etchings and an Aboriginal ceremonial headdress on loan to the Museum Victoria in Melbourne, Australia; why such items have not been returned; and if she will make a statement. [189148]

[pursuant to her reply, 16 September 2004, Official Report, c. 1699–1700W]:

In my previous reply I stated that the current Emergency Declarations were due to expire on 18 September. This was incorrect. The Declarations in question expired on 14 September, and further Declarations were imposed on 15 September.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many cases of computer misuse there were in (a) her Department and (b) Ofcom this year to date; how many of those cases resulted in disciplinary action; and what measures are in place to (i) discourage and (ii) monitor computer misuse. [190262]

(a) There have been no cases of computer misuse in the Department to date this year.

All staff in the Department must sign our Acceptable Use Policy before e-mail or internet access is provided. The policy has to be signed off on an annual basis thereafter.

All use of departmental IT systems is monitored and filtering systems are in place to prevent access to unacceptable material.

(b) With respect to Ofcom, the matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom) as independent regulator. Accordingly, my officials have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to respond directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many information and communication technology specialists are in full-time employment in the Department. [189596]

401 information and communication technology specialists are in full-time employment in the Department for Transport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) the allocation of the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant to each local authority has been to date and (b) the percentage level each local authority has set for the revenue cost of an individual bus service to be met by the farebox before the subsidy is allocated to it. [190045]

The following table shows the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant allocations since its introduction in 1998. A table indicating the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant allocations awarded to authorities in each year since 1998–99 has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

It is for each authority to determine its own criteria for deciding whether particular services should be supported by the grant allocated to them, taking account of local needs and priorities and value for money. Information is not collected centrally on the criteria adopted by individual authorities. The percentage of cost met from the farebox is just one of the options available to authorities in this respect.

1998–99 to 2004–05

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the cost to benefit ratios of all the transport schemes which he has approved in principle within the last three years, including those agreed for implementation by Transport for London. [188031]

The Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) is one input into a decision about whether or not a project should go ahead. It shows those impacts that have established monetary valuations. There are often other significant impacts to which a monetary value cannot easily be attached, but which are accounted for when assessing overall value for money (vfm). Environmental and regeneration impacts for example could be very large and could alter the assessment of vfm from that implied by looking at the BCR alone. In some cases, where the other impacts of the scheme are sufficiently negative, a high BCR may not mean a scheme offers good vfm. Conversely, in other cases, where the positive impacts are sufficiently large a low BCR may not mean that the scheme offers poor vfm.

In addition to the value for money assessment, there are other considerations that affect whether a project should go ahead, including:

Practicality

Deliverability

Public acceptability

Distributional and equity impacts

Affordability and finance sustainability

The achievement of central government, local and regional objectives

The amelioration of identified problems

The following table reports the latest estimates available of the BCR of the transport schemes, which the Department for Transport has approved in principle or provisionally approved within the last three years.

For local schemes the local authority does a value for money appraisal of the scheme using the New Approach to Appraisal (NATA)—launched in 1998—and submits that to the Department for independent scrutiny. The appraisal is assessed by the Department, and the BCRs listed are the Department's own best estimate, using the evidence presented in the promoter's appraisal and the information uncovered during the Department's own assessment process.

The schemes were appraised in different years and due to changes in the Government's appraisal methodology during this period, the BCRs reported have not all been calculated on the same basis, so they are not directly comparable between schemes.

The list does not include those schemes agreed for implementation by Transport for London, since the decision to approve such schemes is the responsibility of the Mayor. The exception has been the Thames Gateway Bridge, where the Department have offered to provide some Private Finance Initiative (PFI) credits, and borough streetlighting PFIs. These are included in the table.

Notes:

1. Markham Employment Growth Zone: BCR -3.54

The Markham Employment Growth Zone originated as a response to the Coalfield Task Force's Report "Making the Difference—A New Start for England's Coalfield Communities". It is principally a regeneration scheme for the former colliery and surrounding land. The method of calculating the BCR does not capture the wider economic benefits that the scheme will deliver.

2. Ilkeston-Awsworth Link Road: BCR 0.81

Ilkeston-Awsworth Link Road is justified largely on environmental grounds. The method of calculating the BCR does not capture the environmental benefits that the scheme will deliver.

3. Ryde Esplanade Transport Interchange: BCR 0.36

Ryde Esplanade Interchange is the main entry point to the Isle of Wight. It is primarily aimed at improving the quality of facilities, increasing security and encouraging tourism, which accounts for 24 per cent. of the island's economy. The method of calculating the BCR does not capture these wider benefits the scheme will deliver.

4. Merseytram: BCR 1.1

The scheme has significant benefits that are not included in the monetised BCR. These include significant regeneration and social inclusion benefits, as well as beneficial impacts on air quality and greenhouse gases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's policy is on new urban underground schemes as a practical solution to future transport management. [189921]

It would be for local transport authorities, including Passenger Transport Authorities and the Mayor for London, to propose new urban underground schemes as part of their plans. Each scheme would need to be considered on the basis of its value for money, including its wider benefits, and affordability. The cost of such schemes means it is unlikely they would be justified except on corridors with the highest level of demand.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which departmental Ministers have responsibility for discussions with West Sussex county council about the costs of looking after Chagos Islanders arriving at Gatwick. [190153]

Officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Government Office for the South East, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department of Health, Department for Work and Pensions and the Prime Minister's Office met West Sussex county council on Thursday 30 September to discuss support for Chagos Islanders arriving at Gatwick airport.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will initiate an inquiry into the planning policies and procedures of the Corporation of London. [190161]

My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to initiate an inquiry into the planning policies and procedures of the Corporation of London. As local authorities are elected autonomous bodies, the Government do not routinely comment on or investigate their day-to-day administration of the planning system. Local authorities are accountable to their electorate, their Auditor, and ultimately to the Courts.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will meet the Royal Institute of British Architects to discuss the standards and quality of new buildings in historic areas, with particular reference to the City of London. [190157]

My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to discuss these issues with the Royal Institute of British Architects.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will meet representatives of the construction industry to discuss their responsibilities for quality building in historic areas, with particular reference to the City of London. [190158]

My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to discuss these issues with the construction industry.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) local authority and (b) private traveller sites there were in the Buckingham constituency in each year since 2002. [191071]

The Gypsy and Traveller Count collects data by local authority area rather than by constituency. However, the following data collected from Aylesbury Vale district council are available:

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many traveller (a) caravans and (b) families were on (i) authorised and (ii) unauthorised sites in the Buckingham constituency in each of the last three years. [191072]

The Gypsy and Traveller Count collects data by local authority area rather than by constituency. However, the following data collected from Aylesbury Vale district council are available:

Note:

Information relating to the Count carried out in July 2004 will be published shortly.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission to what grade of parliamentary pass staff working for the Parliamentary Resource Unit are entitled. [189275]

The staff working for the Parliamentary Resource Unit have a Members' Research Assistant photo-identity pass, either a 9B (permanent) or a 9D (temporary).

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what quantity of (a) glass, (b) paper, (c) cardboard, (d) plastic, (e) metal and (f) other materials have been (i) recovered and (ii) recycled from the waste stream of the parliamentary estate in each of the last three years; what percentage this represents of total waste in each case; what plans there are to increase the amount recycled; and if he will make a statement. [189755]

In the last three financial years the quantities of waste recycled were as follows:

⁽¹⁾ Extracted at incinerator. Not separately weighed.

Recycling means that an item is reused. Recovery means that the waste is utilised in some way, for example incineration to generate electricity. Percentages of waste recycled and recovered exceed Government targets, which are to recycle 25 per cent. and recover 40 per cent.

The Waste Recycling Steering Group meets regularly and works closely with its contractors to maximise the amount of waste which is recycled from the parliamentary estate.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what estimate he has made of the cost of the summer works programme in 2004; and what estimate he has made of what the cost would have been had the House not been sitting in September. [190008]

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West (Sir John Butterfill) on 12 October 2004, Official Report, column 203W.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost of the summer works programme in 2003 was; and what estimate he has made of what the cost would have been had the House not sat in September 2003. [190009]

The estimated cost of the summer works programme for 2003 was some £4.5 million and the estimate of the cost if the House had not sat in September was around £4.4 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many meetings of the Welsh Grand Committee there have been in each year since 1997; where the meetings were held; and what the subject matter of debate for each Committee meeting was. [189916]

There have been 27 meetings of the Welsh Grand Committee, of which, all except five have taken place in Westminster.

The meeting on 30 June 1997 took place in Mold; 5 May 1998 in Carmarthen; 13 July 1998 in Merthyr Tydfil; 22 February 1999 in Aberaeron; and 12 March 2001 took place in Cwmbran.

The following list gives the dates and subject matter:

30 June 1997—The Government's Programme for Wales

18 November 1997—North Wales and The Government's Proposals for a Welsh Assembly

16 December 1997—Government Expenditure in Wales 1998–99

5 May 1998—The Rural Economy in Wales

13 July 1998—New Economic Agenda in Wales

16 December Government Expenditure in Wales 1999–2000 and 2001–02

22 February 1999—Transport Policy in Wales

14 December 1999—Government's Legislative Programme

4 April 2000—Budget Statement

16 May 2000—Welsh Economy

20 June 2000—Social Exclusion in Wales

19 July 2000—Comprehensive Spending Review

11 December 2000—Queens Speech and the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Statement

13 February 2001—Building Safer Communities

12 March 2001—Budget Statement

3 July 2001—Government's Legislative Programme

28 November 2001—Pre-Budget Statement

24 April 2002—Budget Statement

16 July 2002—Draft National Health Service (Wales) Bill

21 November 2002—Government's Legislative Programme

5 December 2002—Pre-Budget Statement

24 June 2003—Economy in Wales

15 July 2003—Draft Public Audit (Wales) Bill

16 December 2003—Government's Legislative Programme and Public Expenditure in Wales

24 March 2004—Budget Statement

6 July 2004—Richard Commission

20 July 2004—Draft Transport (Wales) Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library his Department's report on the impact on Peterborough of asylum seekers. [187954]

So far as can be ascertained, no such report exists. Recent press references to such a report appear to relate in fact to a Peterborough council funding application which extracted comments from the city's own Community Safety Audit of 2003. In this application, asylum seeking was listed as one of a combination of factors affecting service provision.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in the Thames Valley area were convicted of or cautioned for drug offences in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002; and what proportion this represented of persons convicted of or cautioned for all indictable offences in the Thames Valley in each year. [189977]

Figures for the number of persons cautioned and found guilty for drug offences for Thames valley area for 2000 to 2002 are set out in the following table.

Number of persons cautioned or found guilty of drug offences and the proportion this represents of indictable offences, Thames Valley police force area, 2000 to 2002 1

⁽²⁾ These data are on the principal offence basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in the Thames Valley Police Force home area were dealt with for supply offences involving Class A drugs in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002. [189969]

Figures for the number of persons cautioned and found guilty for Class A drug supply offences in the Thames valley area for 2000 to 2002 are set out in the table.

The information is taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings and Cautions Database and relates to persons cautioned and found guilty for drug offences.

Table 1: Number of persons cautioned or found guilty for supply⁽³⁾ of Class A drug offences, Thames Valley Police Force area, 2000–02

⁽³⁾ Supply offences include possession with intent to supply.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the Government's outline business case for the future working of the Forensic Science Service. [188474]

It is not intended to publish the outline business case because of the need to maintain strict commercial confidentiality. However, a detailed summary will be submitted in evidence to the Science and Technology Select Committee, which has announced an inquiry into the Government's plans for the Forensic Science Service.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to improve the (a) accuracy, (b) quality and (c) legal integrity of warrants for detention of juveniles. [188235]

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been charged with using mobile telephones while driving since the law was introduced; and if he will make a statement. [189997]

Data on the numbers of people charged by the police are not collected centrally.

Data on police action (written warnings, fixed penalty notices and court proceedings) for 2003 on the new offence of driving while using a hand held mobile telephone will not be available until early 2005. Use of a hands free mobile phone is not part of the new specific offence.

2004 data will be published in autumn 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish a business case for the National Offender Management Service. [175827]

The case for the establishment of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is outlined in Patrick Carter's independent report "Managing Offenders—Reducing Crime" published along with the Government response "Reducing Crime—Changing Lives" on 6 January 2004. The draft detailed business case will be presented to the NOMS Programme Board on 22 November for discussion.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the role will be of the regional offender managers in the National Offender Management Service structure. [190114]

The Regional Offender Managers (ROMS) will have the critical task of implementing end-to-end offender management across prisons and probation. They will hold the budgets for prison and probation and commission services from both sectors, using contracts and service level agreements to manage performance. They will be developing further contestability across prisons and probation. In addition, they will develop and implement the regional reducing re-offending action plans and regional resettlement strategies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidance to (a) the police and (b) the Crown Prosecution Service on the appropriate time limit within which police officers should search premises, after a suspect has emerged, in relation to section 32 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. [187969]

As indicated in my earlier response to the hon. Member on 1 September 2004, Official Report, column 867W, paragraph 4.2. of Code of Practice B of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 sets out instruction on the use of powers under section 32 of PACE. That section provides that a constable may enter and search any premises in which a suspect was when arrested or immediately before they were arrested for evidence. Code B does not provide guidance of the meaning of "immediate" but we will consult on the need to expand on this when we next review the PACE Codes in summer 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) the average time served in prison under sentence, (b) the average time served in prison on remand, (c) the total time served in prison and (d) the average sentence length of receptions into prison under sentence for young offenders aged 18 to 21 was in each of the last five years. [187233]

Information on the average time served in prison by young offenders aged 18 to 21 discharged is readily available only for those under sentence as provided in the tables.

Average time served in prison under sentence by young offenders aged 18 to 20⁽⁴⁾ discharged from determinate sentences on completion of sentence or on licence, England and Wales

⁽⁴⁾ Also includes 21-year-olds classified as young offenders on discharge.

Average sentence length of receptions into prison of young offenders aged 18 to 20 under determinate sentences,England and Wales

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners declared themselves to be of a particular religion when they entered prison in the last 12 months; and which religions these were. [190121]

The religious affiliation recorded on the prison establishments IT system for prisoners first received into prison between July 2003 and June 2004 is shown in the table.

First receptions to prison establishments, by religion—England and Wales, July 2003 to June 2004

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of (a) attempted supply of illegal drugs and (b) use of illegal drugs were recorded in each prison in England in each of the last three years. [186525]

The following table provides details on attempts to supply drugs into prisons in the last three years.

Data are collated on a national basis. Information relating to individual prisons is not held centrally and I shall write to the hon. Member when it is available and place a copy in the Library.

Information on the use of illegal drugs in prisons is provided by the Mandatory Drug Testing programme. The following table sets out the total number of samples which tested positive in each of the last three financial years. Only random samples provide a comparative measure of performance.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) fixed penalty notices, (b) proceedings at magistrates courts and (c) written warnings for not wearing seat belts there were in England and Wales in 2003 and for each of the previous three years. [190025]

Available information on police action for the motoring offence of driving or riding in a motor vehicle while not wearing a seat belt for the calendar years 2000 to 2002 is given in the table.

2003 data will not be available until early 2005.

Fixed penalty notices, prosecutions and written warnings of driving or riding in a motor vehicle while not wearing a seat belt⁽⁵⁾, England and Wales, 2000–02

⁽⁵⁾ Offences under s.14(3) and 15(2) and (4) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the possible effects of (a) forward facing and (b) rear facing speed camera flash on a driver driving at night. [190098]

No forward or rear-facing speed camera is type approved until it has undergone rigorous testing against set specifications that ensures its reliability and safety. The peak intensity and duration of the flash are less than levels which are commonly encountered from other sources when driving at night.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the health and safety implications of speed cameras. [190099]

No speed enforcement equipment is type approved for use until it has undergone rigorous testing against set specifications by the Home Office Police Scientific Development Branch. This includes an assessment of health and safety factors to ensure that neither any operator nor any road user is put at risk by the operation of the equipment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the level of violent crime in Leicester was in each year since 1997. [186262]

Leicester is a Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area. Recorded crime data at CDRP level has only been published from 1999–2000 onwards. Violent crime comprises violence against the person, sexual offences and robbery. In 2003–04, at least 52 per cent. of all recorded violence against the person involved no injury.

The available information is given in the table.

Violent crime recorded by the police in Leicester

Note:

Numbers of recorded crimes are affected by changes in reporting and recording practice. In particular, changes to the counting rules in 1998 and the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002 led to an increase in the number of crimes recorded by the police.

The British Crime Survey (BCS) also provides data on the level of violent crime in England and Wales. However, due to the variability of specific offence figures at police force area level regional figures only are available. Data at regional level have been published as a rate per 10,000 adults since the 2001–02 BCS and are presented for the relevant region in the table.

Note:

The apparent difference between rates in 2002–03 and in 2003–04 is not statistically significant.

Source:

2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04 BCS interviews.

Half of all violent incidents reported to the BCS during 2003–04 did not result in injury to the victim. However, this does not mean that public concern about violent crime is unjustified or that the ordeal of victims is not traumatic, even if injury has not occurred.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons only a proportion of adverse incident reports are investigated by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency as stated in its Annual Report and Accounts 2003–04. [189259]

All reports of adverse incidents involving medical devices received by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are categorised according to the level of risk associated with the event.

Only the most serious of these incidents, involving actual, or the potential for, death or serious injury to patients or user, become the subject of in-depth investigations by medical device specialists within the MHRA. These are listed as "adverse incident reports—number investigated" in the MHRA's annual report.

Typically, it is these investigations that often lead to the publication of advice to the health service.

The majority of incident reports are subject to a standard investigation, led by the device manufacturer and supervised by the MHRA.

Minor incidents that do not require immediate action are recorded on the MHRA's surveillance database for "information only" and, along with all other reported incidents, are subject to a continuous process of trend identification and analysis.

Further details of medical device adverse incident reporting and investigation processes are published by the MHRA in Device Bulletin DB2004(01)—Adverse Incident Reports 2003. This contains more detailed figures for the calendar year 2003. A copy of this publication has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how air ambulance services used by the NHS are funded in (a) the East Midlands and (b) England; and if he will make a statement. [190244]

Since 1 April 2002, the cost of clinical staff on air ambulances has been met by the national health service on a continuing basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the latest available 12 month figures are for the proportion of the Department's redundant documentation, waste paper and card that is recycled; and if he will make a statement on the Department's recycling policy. [188692]

The Department's administrative estate has a cleaning contract, which encompasses waste management. Within this all-redundant documentation, paper and card is collected and processed for recycling.

The Department has an active sustainable development policy based upon the requirements of the framework for sustainable development on the Government estate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the meetings he held with representatives of (a) the food industry and (b) the advertising industry between 1 February and 1 May. [189687]

No such meetings have taken place in the period specified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 13 September 2004, Official Report, columns 1470–71W, on health public bodies, when decisions will be taken on how the savings from the Departmental review of arm's length bodies will be spent. [189890]

The resources freed up for frontline investment as a result of the review of arm's length bodies (ALBs) will be part of the normal budget allocation process in the light of the 2004 spending review settlement.

Planning for the implementation of the ALB review is underway and will involve ALBs, the devolved administrations and other interests. Implementation will be completed by 2007–08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what strategies his Department uses to involve members of the public in decision making in local health services. [189669]

holding answer 12 October 2004

We have established patients' forums to get the views of members of the public about health services and feed these back to national health service trusts. Primary care trust (PCT) patients' forums have a specific role to promote public involvement in local decision-making processes that affect their health.

There is also a statutory duty on NHS trusts, PCTs, NHS foundation trusts and strategic health authorities to involve the public in decision making in local health services. It is then up to local bodies to implement this duty in ways that best meet local needs. In addition, democratically elected councillors who are members of overview and scrutiny committees have the function of scrutinising all matters relating to the planning, provision and operation of health services in the area of the local authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many information and communication technology specialists are in full-time employment in the Department. [189586]

There are 120 information and communication technology specialists in full-time employment in the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision the Government is making to finance research projects into the (a) causes of, (b) consequences of and (c) treatments for mysthenia gravis. [189529]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire (Mr. Pickthall) on 4 October 2004, Official Report, column 1987W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to amend regulations relating to the packaging of prescription drugs and proprietary medicines, with particular reference to issues of child safety. [189302]

New legislation requiring the use of child resistant packaging was introduced in October 2003. Certain aspirin, paracetamol and iron-containing medicines must now be supplied in child resistant packaging. Medicines newly authorised must comply with the requirement now and for products already authorised, compliance must be achieved by October 2005. The Government will continue to keep the issue of child safety under review and if particular medicines are considered to pose a problem, the legal requirements may be revised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to make available to people who have had laryngectomies on prescription the base plate for the hands free valve. [188888]

A number of base plates are currently listed in part IX of the Drug Tariff and therefore may be prescribed through the national health service. Some of these are compatible for use with the hands free valve for people who have had laryngectomies. It is for appliance manufacturers to apply for their products to be listed as an appliance in part IX of the Drug Tariff to enable them to be prescribed under the NHS. A NHS trust or foundation trust may provide base plates free of charge where appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to regulate the sale of do-it-yourself PSA tests. [189569]

Prostate specific antigen test kits are in vitro diagnostic medical devices and as such they are regulated by the Medical Devices Regulations 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the salary costs to the Department were for employees working in public relations and publicity in each year since 1997. [183852]

Information on staff working in the Department's communications directorate in public relations and publicity in each year since 1997 to 2002–03 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The total expenditure on communications directorate staff in 2003–04 was £4.07 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) capital limits and (b) earnings disregards are for each income related benefit; and on what date each of the limits and disregards was first set. [188720]

The requested information has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency enforcement cases against self employed non-resident parents there have been in the last three years; and what percentage have been successful in recovering payment. [190270]

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Chris Ruane, dated 13 October 2004:

In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency enforcement cases against self employed non-resident parents there have been in the last three years; and what percentage have been successful in recovering payment.

We are unable to provide these figures as we do not record employment status on the relevant information system. However, I can tell you that the last 3 years:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total amount is of maintenance arrears outstanding in respect of self-employed non-resident parents who are subject to or awaiting CSA enforcement action. [190271]