To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions a Merseyside (a) local authority officer, (b) community support officer and (c) person accredited by the Chief Constable has issued a fixed penalty notice for minor graffiti and fly-posting offences. [191327]

I have been asked to reply.

The number of fixed penalty notices issued is not held centrally. The power to issue such notices for minor graffiti or fly posting has not been used on Merseyside by Community Support Officers or accredited persons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 18–19 October; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. [195376]

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary and I represented the United Kingdom at a meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on 18 October 2004. The Scottish Minister for Environment and Rural Development was also present.

As this was the last Council expected to be attended by Commissioners Franz Fischler and David Byrne, the Council took the opportunity to pay warm tribute to the contribution that they had made during their time in office.

As to the agenda, the Council responded to a number of key questions arising from a Commission report on the simplification of the common market organisation in fruit and vegetables. I joined several delegations in noting that, while changes to the regime agreed in 1996 have had a positive effect, we need to look constructively at the scope for further changes, including increased flexibility and subsidiarity in the regime. Its impact on developing countries and on the Doha Development Agenda would also be important factors. We should be wary of further intervention in the market but we could look at the scope for promotion of fruit and vegetable consumption. The Commission will reflect upon the exchanges before tabling any proposals for further reform. Discussion will resume at official level.

The Council took note, without discussion, of discussions on the European Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming and agreed conclusions supporting a range of further actions.

On fisheries, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary emphasised the importance of consistent and effective enforcement of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), and welcomed the proposal for a Community Fisheries Control Agency. However, he emphasised that the Agency should act in a co-ordinating, not instructing role; that it should build on work to develop a regional input to the CFP; and that it should be cost neutral. Many delegations made similar points. Discussion will continue between officials.

The Council held an initial exchange of views in preparation for this year's negotiation on a fisheries agreement with Norway. My hon. Friend made clear the high priority the United Kingdom attaches to ensuring that the EU has access to the full amount of Arctic cod quota it is entitled to under the terms of the EEA Agreement, and identifying stocks that the EU can offer Norway in exchange without making use of mackerel which is a fully utilised quota stock. There was general agreement that the Commission needed to take a robust line with Norway. Further preparations for the negotiation will be taken forward by officials.

The Council held a policy debate on Commission proposals for recovery plans for hake and Norway lobster in the Cantabrian Sea and for sole stocks in the Western English Channel and Bay of Biscay. My hon. Friend made clear the United Kingdom's commitment to sustainable management of western Channel sole which is an important stock for fishermen in south-west England, but that we do not believe western Channel sole should be a recovery stock or that the Commission's effort control proposals are appropriate. He drew attention to the advice on this stock delivered by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) in August which suggests that this stock is less likely to be outside safe limits than other sole stocks, confirming the results of collaborative research carried out with commercial fishing vessels in the south-west. He called for inconsistencies between this advice and the most recent ICES draft advice to be clarified urgently. Other member states expressed a range of views on the recovery plan proposals. Discussions will continue among officials.

The Commission reported on the state of play on a number of important trade negotiations. On the WTO, Commissioner Fischler welcomed the framework agreement reached in Geneva in the summer as a basis for continued detailed negotiations which safeguard essential European interests. He also reported on the continuing attempts to make progress in the EU/Mercosur negotiations; on work to agree a tariff-only arrangement for reform of the banana regime; and on resolving outstanding negotiations with certain third country suppliers of rice. Among a long list of many other business items, I and several others supported a Danish request to consider how best to include low fat dairy products in the school milk programme. Several, mostly central European, member states drew attention to the problems on the EU cereals market following this year's harvest. Other matters raised were: the impact of the US Bio-terrorism Act, implementation of the reformed CAP in Denmark, state aid for weather damage in Lithuania, the co-existence of GMO and other crops, the impact on fishing of increased diesel prices in France and the EU/Angola Fisheries Agreement. The Commission tabled a written report on continuing BSE control measures. France reported on its action to deal with a recent case of rabies in an imported dog. Spain reported an outbreak of blue tongue disease in cattle in southern Spain and drew attention to a forthcoming conference on plant genetic resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what basis noise measurements will be taken to draw up a noise map for Heathrow. [195092]

Details of the proposed options will be put out to public consultation in due course. As yet, no decision has been taken as to who will be the competent authorities for the production of strategic noise maps for airports under Directive 2002/49/EC on the assessment and management of environmental noise (the Environmental Noise Directive), or the methodology to be used.

The pilot project to map Heathrow in terms of the noise indicator Lden and the annual daytime contours produced for the DfT are produced using the calculation model, ANCON. This model is validated from empirical noise measurements for the various aircraft types included in the model.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Department for Trade and Industry on its target for greenhouse gas emissions; and which is the lead Department in setting those targets. [195343]

holding answer 2 November 2004

The Spending Review 2004 reconfirmed the UK's targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 12.5 per cent. below 1990 levels in line with our Kyoto commitment and to move towards a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions below 1990 levels by 2010. These Public Sector Agreement (PSA) targets are shared jointly with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Transport. The Government also announced in last year's Energy White Paper that we would put ourselves on a path to cut our carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. by 2050.

The UK Climate Change Programme published in 2000 sets out the Government's approach to tackling climate change. It contains a framework of policies and measures intended to achieve the emissions reductions necessary to deliver the UK's commitment under the Kyoto Protocol and move towards the 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Progress towards the Kyoto Protocol commitment and national goals are discussed by Ministers regularly, in particular through the Sustainable Energy Policy Network, whose ministerial group oversees the delivery of the Energy White Paper commitments. The group is jointly chaired by my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her latest estimate is of total UK tonnage of carbon dioxide emissions; what proportion is produced by (a) aircraft transport, (b) road and rail transport and shipping in territorial waters, (c) coal burned in power stations, (d) oil burned in (i) power stations, (ii) domestic heating and (iii) industrial heating, (e) gas burned in (A) power stations, (B) domestic heating and (C) industrial heating, (f) orimulsion/shale oil burned in power stations and (g) industry, broken down by sector. [195672]

holding answer 2 November 2004

Total emission estimates of carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) in the UK in 2002 were 550,965,312 tonnes. The following table shows the proportion of these emissions that occurred from the sources listed. Figures quoted for oil and gas burnt by both the industrial and domestic sectors are total fuel figures for each sector, as it is not possible to disaggregate emissions to display heating only.

Orimulsion has not been burnt by any sector since 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what safeguards there are to ensure that primates imported into the UK under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species regulations are kept by people who have sufficient knowledge to care for and house the animals. [197043]

holding answer 8 November 2004

A CITES import permit may only be issued when certain conditions have been met. One of the conditions is that the scientific authority must be satisfied that the intended accommodation for an Annex A specimen (great apes, chimpanzees etc) at the place of destination is adequately equipped to conserve and care for it properly. For Annex B specimens (most other primates) documentary evidence that the accommodation is suitable must be provided.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will break down the budget set by her Department for public expenditure on wildlife, countryside and better regulation for financial years (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06 by programme. [196689]

The Department's plans for public expenditure on wildlife, countryside and better regulation for the two years 2004–05 and 2005–06 consist of the following programmes:

£ million

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will break down the budget set by her Department for public expenditure by the Rural Payments Agency on (a) the Over-Thirty Month Scheme, (b) direct payments under the Common Agricultural Policy and (c) other schemes for the financial years (i) 2004–05 and (ii) 2005–06 by scheme. [196692]

The current budget allocation that has been set by Defra for the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) for the 2004–05 financial year is as follows.

(a) Over-Thirty Month Scheme—£300 million

(b) Direct payments under the Common Agricultural Policy—£1,792 million

(c) Other schemes ¹ —£167million

The public expenditure for the RPA for the 2005–06 financial year is under consideration. The expenditure figures are before any reimbursement by the European Union.

¹ Other schemes total includes the following main schemes:

England Rural Development—£124 million

Structural Funds (European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund Guidance)—£27 million

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Surveillance—£15 million

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress on her policies and measures for reducing HFC emissions as outlined in paragraphs 72–76, section two, chapter four of Climate Change—the UK Programme (November 2000). [196288]

holding answer 8 November 2004

Good progress has been made in developing effective measures to reduce HFC emissions. Political agreement to an EC regulation on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases, and a directive amending Existing Vehicle Type Approval in relation to Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) in cars was reached in October 2004.

The regulation includes measures on: containment through responsible handling during use, recycling and end-of-life recovery; reporting on quantities produced, supplied, used and emitted; certain application specific bans on use and placing on the market. The directive includes a ban on the use of fluorinated gases with high Global Warming Potential (GWP) in MACs from 2011 (new vehicle types) and 2017 (all new vehicles).

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the conclusions of the Atkins report into the construction of the Jubilee River; and if she will make a statement. [195683]

holding answer 2 November 2004

Operational responsibility, including the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of the Jubilee River rests with the Environment Agency (EA).

I am advised that all independent reports so far, including the Atkins report, confirm that the effect of the operation of the Jubilee River on downstream water levels during flood events is minimal. The EA advise that the Atkins report recommended further investigations and survey work, particularly regarding the height of the river banks and further monitoring of flows while the scheme is being operated.

I understand that as a result of the report the EA will conduct surveys prior to consideration of further works to improve capacity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with waste disposal authorities on the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme; and what contingency plans she has put in place if local authorities fail to reduce landfill by their targets. [195344]

holding answer 2 November 2004

Ministers and officials in Defra have had extensive discussions with local authorities on the Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme ranging from bilateral meetings with individual councils through to regional roadshows aimed at all local authorities. In addition, local authority representatives sit on the Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme stakeholders group that discuses all issues in respect of the scheme.

If local authorities fail to meet their landfill reduction targets the draft Regulations laid before this House on 13 October make provision for financial penalties. Local authorities are being encouraged to make full use of the flexibilities built into the Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme to avoid exceeding their allowances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to review the level of fines to be levied as a result of the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme Regulations 2004. [195345]

holding answer 2 November 2004

The draft Regulations laid before this House on 16 October 2004 set the penalty at £200 per tonne. This represents the most expensive option available to local authorities taking account of the marginal cost of landfill compared with the most expensive diversion option. Government will keep the level of penalties under review, taking account of changes in marginal costs or other factors. A full review of the operation of the scheme, including penalty levels, is planned for 2007.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will replace current arrangements for assisting water customers who have difficulty paying their bills with payments through the benefits and tax credit system. [195108]

holding answer 8 November 2004

A cross-Government steering group is reviewing the way in which lower income households are helped with their water and sewerage charges, in discussion with a range of stakeholders. A report will be published by the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 September 2004, Official Report, column 1676W, to the hon. Member for Guildford (Sue Doughty), on refrigerators, what measures she has taken to prevent the loss of ozone depleting substances from refrigerators during their working life. [190869]

holding answer 14 October 2004

EC Regulation 2037/2000 includes a requirement to take all precautionary measures that are practicable to prevent and minimise leakages of ozone depleting substances. This includes checking fixed equipment with a refrigerating fluid charge of more than 3 kg annually for leakages.

Domestic and small commercial refrigerators are manufactured with hermetic seals and so are designed not to leak.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) arrests, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there have been under the (i) Hares Act 1848, (ii) Night Poaching Act 1828, (iii) Game Act 1831, (iv) Game Licences Act 1860, (v) Ground Game Act 1880 and (vi) Deer Act 1991 in the last 30 years. [194304]

I have been asked to reply.

Information collected centrally on arrests is available only by main offence group for "notifiable offences" and does not extend to individual offence level.

The information contained in the table gives the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the: (i) Hares Act 1848, (ii) Night Poaching Act 1828, (iii) Game Act 1831, (iv) Game Licences Act 1860, (v) Ground Game Act 1880 and (vi) Deer Act 1991, England and Wales 1983 to 2002. Data for these offences prior to 1983 is not available on the Home Office Court Proceedings database.

Statistics for 2003 will be published on 18 November.

Number of defendants proceeded against and found guilty at all courts for certain offences, England and Wales, 1983 to 2002⁽¹⁾

⁽¹⁾ These data are on the principal offence basis.

⁽²⁾ Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the private finance initiative arrangements in which the Department is engaged; what the total cost of each arrangement is (a) over its lifetime and (b) in each year of its operation; and how the arrangement appears in the Department's public accounts. [193982]

The Department is engaged in three private finance contracts.

The Environment Agency, which is a non-departmental body of Defra, has let two public/private partnership contracts for flood risk management— (i) the Broadland Flood Alleviation Scheme in Norfolk and (ii) the Pevensey Bay Sea Defences in Sussex. Costs shown in the table are actual up to 2003–04 and estimates thereafter.

The Department has also agreed a private finance contract with Kajima plc for its offices at (iii) Brooklands Avenue, Cambridge. The site is shared and the contracted annual costs are apportioned between the site's occupants. Defra's accounts reflect the share of costs estimated to fall on the Department; the table shows the total contract costs.

£000

In determining the accounting treatment of PFI arrangements, the Department's Resource Accounts follow United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, including Financial Reporting Standards (FRSs) issued by the Accounting Standards Board (ASB). The specific guidance issued by the ASB for accounting for PFI is "Application Note F to FRS 5—Private Finance Initiative and Similar Contracts", as supplemented by the Treasury-issued "Technical Note No. 1 (Revised)—How to Account for PFI transactions".

The Department has also supported a number of PFI/PPP contracts which are not reportable in the Defra Resource Accounts, including infrastructure developments by British Waterways, the "SPIRIT" IT systems used by the Countryside Agency, and waste management schemes operated by the following local authorities:

Isle of Wight CC

Kirklees MBC

Hereford and Worcester CC

South Gloucestershire DC

Surrey CC

Leicester City

East London Waste Authority (partnership)

East Sussex and Brighton and Hove.

These are noted here for completeness but information on these contracts is not held centrally by the Department and is reported separately by the contracting bodies.

To ask the Prime Minister

(1) if he will list the 30 largest contracts awarded by his Office between (a) May 2001 and April 2002, (b) May 2002 and April 2003, (c) May 2003 and April 2004 and (d) May 2004 and the latest date for which figures are available, indicating in each case (i) the values of the contracts and (ii) the companies with which the contracts were placed; [196940]

(2) which non-accounting and non-information technology external organisations which had previously held contracts with his Office (a) won new contracts at the culmination of the existing contracts and (b) won new contracts after a period of inactivity with his Office in each of the past four years; [196941]

(3) which non-accounting and non-information technology external organisations have won new contracts with his Department in each of the past three years. [196942]

For these purposes my Office is part of the Cabinet Office. The specific information requested cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions on which he has met representatives of (a) US casino operators, (b) British casino operators and (c) casino operators from other countries to discuss gambling issues, broken down by date of meeting. [195072]

As my official spokesman made clear on Monday 1 November 2004, I have not had any meetings with the industry in connection with the Gambling Bill.

Since the publication of the report of the Gambling Review Body (Cm 5206) in July 2001, officials have undertaken an extensive programme of consultations with interested bodies about options and proposals for changes to gambling law in Great Britain. There have been two formal consultations, the first on the Review Body's report and the second on the draft clauses published for pre-legislative scrutiny in November 2003. In addition to these consultations, officials have corresponded with and met individual companies, trade associations, charities and other bodies concerned with the problem gambling or who benefit from lotteries, local authorities, trade unions, law enforcement agencies, academics and many other public bodies and individuals, including members of the public with an interest. These contacts, designed to ensure that the Government's policy proposals are sound and take full account of all relevant benefits, cost and risks, have involved both Ministers and officials. All meetings were undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

To ask the Prime Minister what contacts Mr.William Perrin of the Number 10 Policy Unit has had with companies involved in the (a) British and (b) US gaming industry in the past 24 months; and whether he has undertaken fact-finding visits in the United States in the company of employees of the (i) British and (ii) US gaming industry. [195391]

holding answer 1 November

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him, the hon. Member for Bromsgrove (Miss Kirkbride), and my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 28 October, Official Report, column 1392W.

Since the publication of the report of the Gambling Review Body (Cm 5206) in July 2001, officials have undertaken an extensive programme of consultations with interested bodies about options and proposals for changes to gambling law in Great Britain. There have been two formal consultations, the first on the Review Body's report and the second on the draft clauses published for pre-legislative scrutiny in November 2003. In addition to these consultations, officials have corresponded with and met individual companies, trade associations, charities and other bodies concerned with the problem gambling or who benefit from lotteries, local authorities, trade unions, law enforcement agencies, academics and many other public bodies and individuals, including members of public with an interest. These contacts, designed to ensure that the Government's policy proposals are sound and take full account of all relevant benefits, cost and risks, have involved both Ministers and officials. All meetings were undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

To ask the Prime Minister what records were kept of discussions with President Bush on the timing of going to war with Iraq during his visit to the US commencing on 7 September 2002. [195894]

Records of ministerial discussions and meetings are maintained in accordance with Cabinet Office Records.

To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer from the Solicitor-General of 26 October 2004, Official Report, columns 1104–05W, on Iraq, what sources he used to make his assessment of whether Iraq (a) made false statements or omissions in its declarations and (b) complied with and co-operated with the terms of UN Resolution 1441; which omissions and false statements in Iraq's declaration of December 2002 which he considered to be fact at the time (i) have been confirmed and (ii) have not been confirmed subsequently as fact; and if he will make a statement. [197544]

I refer my hon. Friend to paragraph 385 of the report of the Butler Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction (HC898).

To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister of New Zealand on the possibility of sharing diplomatic premises on the Pacific Islands; and if he will make a statement. [197652]

I have discussions on a wide range of issues with the Prime Minister of New Zealand. As with previous Administrations, it is not the practice of this Government to make public details of discussions I have with foreign Governments.

To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has held with the Russian Government on (a) terrorism and (b) Chechnya. [196774]

I regularly discuss a wide range of issues with President Putin. As with previous Administrations, it is not the practice of this Government to make public details of discussions I have with foreign Governments.

To ask the Advocate-General what discussions she has had with Scottish Ministers in relation to potential overlap with reserved matters in the establishment of a Scottish Human Rights Commission. [196313]

I have had no discussions with the Scottish Ministers regarding potential overlap with reserved matters in the establishment of a Scottish Human Rights Commission. My role is to give legal advice when appropriate.

Policy discussions on reserved matters relating to the creation of a Scottish Human Rights Commission are for the Scottish Executive Ministers, the Department for Constitutional Affairs and Department of Trade and Industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the staff of the Department in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 were people with disabilities. [196129]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on 9 November 2004, Official Report, column 619W.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Iraq. [197146]

Iraqi ministries, United Nations agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and Iraqi NGOs and citizens are providing emergency humanitarian assistance where people are affected by fighting. An Emergency Working Group has been established to coordinate these efforts.

DFID has committed £333 million to humanitarian assistance and reconstruction in Iraq since March 2003, contributing towards the progress that has been made in restoring essential services, delivering food rations, reopening hospitals and schools and beginning the process of longer-term reconstruction.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much UK spending on Iraqi reconstruction has been incurred to date; and how much is planned for the remainder of the current financial year. [197147]

Since March 2003 DFID has spent £113 million on humanitarian assistance and £127 million on reconstruction in Iraq. An additional £17 million had been allocated for Iraq from the joint DFID, FCO and MOD Global Conflict Prevention Pool (the GCPP). The MOD has spent around £20 million on Quick Impact Projects in Iraq. These projects, intended for immediate local effect, are primarily used as a means of creating an environment in troops can operate safely.

Present plans are to spend a further £67 million this financial year on reconstruction and £7 million from the GCPP.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of households in Iraq have clean potable water supplied to them. [195843]

Estimates suggest that immediately after the 2003 conflict, 60 per cent. of urban and 30 per cent. of rural populations had access to safe water. Considerable work has taken place since May 2003 to improve the quality, quantity and reliability of water supplies.

In Basra the water supply system is now better than before the 2003 conflict. Informal estimates by the former Coalition Provisional Authority indicated that in southern Iraq water supply coverage increased by 10–15 per cent. from May 2003 to July 2004. Further work on restoring water treatment plants has continued since July. In Baghdad, specialists from the USA are working with local government officials to improve water treatment throughout the city. Drinking water is also supplied by bottle and from tankers.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on independent research on Afghanistan since 2001; and if he will make a statement. [197148]

DFID has spent £2,222,905 on research undertaken by independent organisations in Afghanistan since September 2001. This has included research into food security, alternatives to poppy production, private sector development and analysis of the budget and budgetary process.

The results of this research have been shared with the Afghan Government, international donor community and non-governmental organisations working in Afghanistan and is helping to shape development policy and practice.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development he will make a statement on humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. [197151]

In common with many donors, DFID is now focusing the majority of it's support to Afghanistan on reconstruction efforts, however we continue to make funds available for humanitarian assistance. In the current financial year DFID has made £3 million specifically available for humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan. Our main focus is assistance to refugees and Internally Displaced Persons; both in their temporary accommodation and to assist them in their return home, and to this end we will be providing £2.5 million to the UNHCR and £0.5 million to the International Organisation for Migration.

In addition to planned assistance, we continue to monitor the on-going humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. DFID have recently made a further £3 million available for drought-affected areas in the south and west of the country, following the recent appeal from the Afghan Government and UN agencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the level of aid given to Nigeria in 2003–04. [197149]

In 2003–04, DFID's aid to Nigeria was around £32 million. The EC (to which DFID contributes) gave about £9 million.

Nigeria is making good progress: The economic team put in place by President Obasanjo is vigorously pursuing reform: Nigeria recently launched a strategy for poverty reduction; is fighting corruption; and it has implemented sound macro-economic policies.

Support is critical to sustain this momentum, and Nigeria is severely under-aided. It receives only $1–2 per capita in aid compared with a Sub-Saharan average of $21. We are therefore doubling our aid to £70 million in 2005–06, and supporting a sustainable solution to Nigeria's debt problems.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the consequences of the proposed European Constitution on the executive powers and responsibilities of his Department. [197150]

The new Constitutional Treaty does not have any direct impact on DFID's role and responsibilities in the field of development cooperation. The Treaty reconfirms development cooperation as an area of shared competence between the Union and its member states.

We welcome the fact that the new Treaty gives strong prominence to poverty reduction as the main aim of its development actions, and to the principle of better coherence between the Union's external policies and its development policies.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his assessment is of the contribution being made by faith-based NGOs in tackling housing and poverty issues in east Africa. [197152]

Faith-based organisations play an important role in East Africa, both in rural and urban areas. In informal settlements they often provide leadership to enable slum dwellers to organise themselves in dealing with concerns over land, infrastructure and services. This sometimes brings them into conflict with municipal authorities and vested interests. The poor have limited access to resources and services, and the support and voice offered by faith-based organisations is highly valued.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on his Department's work in the Palestinian territories. [197153]

DFID is working with partners to help end conflict and create a viable Palestinian state that will reduce poverty. A Country Assistance Plan for Palestinians, published in July, provides a comprehensive statement of DFID's planned work in the Palestinian Territory over the next two years. Its central themes are enhancing the prospects for peace, promoting better Palestinian governance institutions and systems and making international aid and development assistance more effective.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects his Department is supporting in Burma. [197154]

We are currently supporting the following projects in Burma: Health Unlimited's work to enhance basic health care of Kachin and Wa refugees; the United Nations Development Programme Joint Programme for HIV/AIDS; the Burmese Border Consortium Relief Programme; the International Committee of the Red Cross; and the BBC World Service Trust Drama Project on HIV/AIDS.

Our total bilateral expenditure during the current financial year is expected to be £6.4 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of the UK's GNP has been spent on the international aid budget in each year since 1997 for which figures are available. [196816]

The percentage of the UK's Gross National Income (GNI) spent on official development assistance (ODA) in each year from 1997 to 2003 is shown in the following table.

UK ODA as percentage of GNI: 1997 to 2003

Note:

We have used GNI rather than GNP because the new system of National Accounts (SNA 1993) co-sponsored by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) and other major international organisations broadened the coverage of Gross National Product and it was renamed Gross National Income.

Source:

Statistics in International Development 2004, Table 16.1

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the latest five year survival rate is for (a) prostate cancer and (b) breast cancer in (i) the Hemsworth constituency, (ii) the Wakefield area and (iii) England are; and if he will make a statement. [197258]

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

Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Jon Trickett, dated 10 November 2004

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the latest available figures of five year survival for(a) prostate cancer and (b) breast cancer in (i) Hemsworth constituency, (ii) the Wakefield area and (iii) and England. I am replying in his absence.

The latest available survival statistics for prostate cancer and breast cancer at the sub-national level are for patients 31 December 2001. These data are available for West Yorkshire strategic health authority, which contains Wakefield West and Eastern Wakefield primary care trusts. Data are not available for the Hemsworth constituency.¹ diagnosed during 1994–96 and followed up to

Five-year age standardised relative survival (%) for patients diagnosed in 1994–96 and followed up to 31 December 2001: Wakefield strategic health authority and England⁽³⁾

⁽³⁾ Adults aged 15–99 years.

⁽⁴⁾ The 95% confidence intervals (CI) show the range of uncertainty around each survival rate.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which non-accounting and non-information technology external organisations have won new contracts with (a) his Department and (b) executive agencies for which he is responsible in each of the past three years. [196905]

Over the last three years, the Chancellors' Departments have awarded a large number of contracts, varying in value and covering a wide range of goods and services (other than accounting and IT). Details of every individual contract could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, details of contracts of significant value (i.e. over £100,000) have been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many properties are on lease from the Crown Estate; how many of these are on lease for (a) 75 years or over, (b) 50 to 74 years and (c) 25 to 49 years; and how many houses are on lease from the Crown Estate for £1 million or more. [195133]

The Crown Estate has over 10,000 leases and licences covering both land and properties.

(a) Approximately 1,900 leases are for over 75 years.

(b) Approximately 1,000 leases are for between 50–74 years.

(c) Approximately 1,800 leases are for between 25–49 years.

The Crown Estate has 15 houses with leases valued at over £1 million.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many electors were on the electoral roll in each constituency in the London borough of Wandsworth in each year since 1997. [196729]

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

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 10 November 2004

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question regarding electoral roll numbers for parliamentary constituencies in the London borough of Wandsworth. (196729)

The table below show these figures for the constituencies of Battersea, Putney and Tooting over the period 16 February 1997 to 1 December 2003, taken from our published annual electoral statistics tables.

Electoral roll totals for parliamentary constituencies in the London borough of Wandsworth, 1997 to 2003 1,2

⁽⁵⁾ Owing to data quality issues, no electoral data were published for parliamentary constituencies in 2000.

⁽⁶⁾ In a number of areas, including Wandsworth, 2002 electoral data could not be split between constituencies within a borough. Consequently no figure for 2002 is shown.

Source:

ONS

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer

(1) what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the taxation of pre-owned assets on equity release schemes; [194291]

(2) whether the reversion scheme equity release plan will be affected by the changes made in the Finance Act 2004 to the taxation of pre-owned assets. [194292]

We will ensure that the pre-owned assets measures have no impact on the full range of bona fide equity-release schemes with arms-length providers, while continuing to bear down on schemes aimed merely at avoidance. The Inland Revenue are in discussion with equity release providers to define what provision is needed to ensure this. We will be making further announcements about the pre-owned asset regulations following the conclusion of the current consultation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer

(1) what measures he plans to implement to protect (a) fishermen and fisheries and (b) farmers from rising fuel bills; and if he will make a statement; [196912]

(2) what measures he plans to put in place to restrict the increase in the price of industrial diesel; and if he will make a statement. [196913]

Oil prices have been volatile and high during this year. On 1 October, the Chancellor issued a statement identifying four steps to reduce the risk of high oil prices denting confidence and pushing up inflationary pressures. Firstly, OPEC must continue to take necessary action to return prices to levels consistent with global prosperity. Secondly, actions are needed to improve the transparency and efficiency of the oil markets. Thirdly oil producing countries need to promote sustainable investment in their reserves and productive capacity. Fourthly, all countries must promote greater energy efficiency and develop new sources of energy.

Oil price rises affect the whole of the UK economy, and therefore are not limited to specific sectors. The Chancellor takes account of relevant economic, social and environmental factors when deciding taxation policy.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from Hertfordshire police authority on funding of services; and if he will make a statement on the funding of (a) Hertfordshire and (b) other shire counties. [197139]

The 2002 spending review provided for record growth in spending on crime, justice and communities, from £16.5 billion in 2002–03 to £20.5 billion in 2005–06. The 2004 spending review has built on this progress by embedding the Government's success in delivery and further increasing spending in these areas by £3.5 billion by 2007–08, compared to 2004–05. The Home Secretary is due to announce specific policing allocations for 2005–06 shortly.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the levels of Gross Value Added per employee in the (a) manufacturing sector and (b) private services sector were for each year from 1997 to 2003 in Great Britain. [196865]

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

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Trimble, dated 10 November 2004

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the levels of Gross Value Added per employee in the manufacturing sector and in the private services sector for each year from 1997 to 2003 in Great Britain. (196865)

The table below shows the index levels of UK manufacturing output per job for each year from 1997 to 2003.

Manufacturing output per job index (2001 plus 100)

We do not produce private services sector productivity. Total services industries output per job is available on the National Statistics website as part of the release of experimental statistics on services sector productivity. The web address of the latest release of service sector productivity is given below:

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=9339.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to reduce the level of income tax evasion. [196778]

The Inland Revenue has a programme of risk assessment directed at tackling income tax evasion. In addition, in Budget 2003 and again in 2004 the Government funded a package of further compliance initiatives. These included work on tackling evasion via offshore trusts and improving the inflow of information to the Inland Revenue. The proposed formation of HM Revenue and Customs, by merging Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise, will further enhance the effectiveness of the work currently undertaken by those departments.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of (a) men and (b) women of each age from 50 to 70 years were in work on the latest date for which figures are available. [194849]

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

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Willetts, dated 10 November 2004

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment. (194849)

The attached table provides the percentages of men and women at each age from 50 to 70 who are in employment.

These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.

People aged 50–70 in employment, 12 months ending in August 2004, United Kingdom -- Percentage⁽⁷⁾

⁽⁷⁾ Percentage of people in the relevant age and gender group who are in employment.

Source:

ONS Labour Force Survey.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs have been created in the Pendle constituency since (a) 1997 and (b) 2001. [197035]

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

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 10 November 2004

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about jobs created in the Pendle constituency. (197035)

While statistics of new jobs created are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes, in numbers of jobs, from year-to-year.

The attached table shows the information requested, relating to jobs in Pendle, for 1997, 2001 and 2002, which is the latest year available.

Number of employee jobs with workplace in the Pendle parliamentary constituency; 1997, 2001 and 2002⁽⁸⁾

⁽⁸⁾ Excludes self-employed jobs.

⁽⁹⁾ The 1997 to 2002 change and 2001 to 2002 change has been rounded to the nearest hundred separately from rounded levels for 1997, 2001 and 2002.

Source:

1997 rescaled Annual Employment Survey; 2001–2002 Annual Business Inquiry

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that increases to Inland Revenue mileage allowances for social service volunteer drivers reflect fuel price increases; and if he will make a statement. [196291]

Volunteer drivers are not taxed on payments to reimburse them for costs of using their own cars. For convenience, organisations can reimburse volunteer drivers using the statutory approved mileage allowance rates that apply to employees generally. But, if the actual costs of using their own car exceed the rates, volunteer drivers can be reimbursed the higher amount without giving rise to a tax charge.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost would be to the Treasury in a year of a reduction in VAT on all home repair maintenance and improvement works to (a) 12 per cent. 10 per cent. and (c) five per cent. [197450]

Customs do not collect data on VAT from individual goods and services, therefore no such estimates are available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what commodities have been subject to changes in the rate of VAT since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [197216]

Details of changes to the rate of VAT on supplies of goods and services are published annually in the Financial Statement and Budget Report (FSBR), which is available in the Library of the House.

In addition, clarification of the VAT treatment of specific goods and services, including clarification of the boundaries for zero or reduced rates, results from court judgements and decisions of the VAT Tribunal. A full list of these minor changes for the period since 1997 could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the number of hours in the average working week has been in each year since 1992; what figure was used for the number of workers in each year for the purposes of that calculation; and what the total number of hours worked in the economy was in each of those years. [194834]

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

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Willetts, dated 10 November 2004

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment. (194834)

The attached table from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides the information requested for the three-month period ending August each year from 1992 to 2004. Average actual weekly hours are calculated using the number of people in employment who have reported hours of work. This employment figure excludes a small number of people on Government supported training and employment programmes who, in the Labour Force Survey reference week, were attending college and were not asked for their hours of work.

These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.

Actual weekly hours worked, three months ending in August each year from 1992 to 2004 seasonally adjusted

⁽¹⁰⁾ Average and total hours worked in the reference week are calculated including overtime and excluding lunch breaks.

2 See text of answer for explanation of these employment figures.

⁽¹¹⁾ Total actual hours for all people are calculated as the sum of hours for men and women separately.

Source:

ONS Labour Force Survey

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact on patient confidentiality in relation to NHS records of the transfer of optical and dental patients from Boots Opticians laser eye clinics and Boots dental clinics to Optical Express; and if he will make a statement. [197374]

A number of the optical and dental treatments provided by Boots plc are on a private basis and therefore outside the scope of national health service services. Where Boots or Optical Express (DCM optical Clinic and Matland Ltd.) are providing services to NHS patients, they will be required to comply with NHS standards of patient confidentiality as part of their contracts with the NHS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the properties occupied by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2004; and what the (A) area and (B) annual rental value (1) in aggregate and (2) in each case was in each year. [196073]

holding answer 4 November 2004

The properties occupied by the Department and its agencies in 1997 and 2004 are as follows.

1997

Department

Bartholomew House, Birmingham

Berkeley Square, Bristol

Canons Park, Stanmore

Chalfont Drive, Nottingham

Cressington House, Liverpool

Eastbourne Terrace, London

Eileen House, London

Fulwood House, Sheffield

Glenthorne YTC, Birmingham

Hannibal House, London

Government Offices, Hinchley Wood

John Snow House, Durham

Ladywood House, Birmingham

Market Towers, London

Block A Millennium Business Park, Warrington

Block B Millennium Business Park, Warrington

Premier Buildings, Nelson

Quarry House, Leeds

Richmond House, London

St. James Place House, Nottingham

Skipton House, London

Tarrant House, Milton Keynes

Tynebridge Tower, Gateshead

Wellington House, London

West Point, Manchester

West Riding House, Leeds

Westward House, Bristol

Agency

Canons Park, Stanmore

Chantry House, Chester

Crown House, Hitchin

East Grinstead House, East Grinstead

Furness Drive, Poulton-le-Fylde

Hesketh House, Fleetwood

Government Offices, Hinchley Wood

Market Towers, London

Prudential House, Leeds

Trevelyan Square, Leeds

Wheelchair Evaluation Centre, Blackpool

2004

Department

Belgrave Road, London

Berkeley Square, Bristol

Canons Park, Stanmore

Chalfont Drive, Nottingham

Dominions House, Bristol

Eileen House, London

Ferguson House, London

Hannibal House, London

Heron House, London

Government Offices, Hinchley Wood

IAA Building, Manchester

Kierran Cross, London

Market Towers, London

Block A, Millennium Business Park, Warrington

New Kings Beam House, London

Palace Yard Mews, London

Premier Buildings Nelson

Quarry House, Leeds

Richmond House, London

Skipton House, London

Tynebridge Towers, Gateshead

Wellington House, London

Agency

Bartholomew House, Birmingham

Canons Park, Stanmore

Chantry House, Chester

Crown House, Hitchin

Dominions House, Bristol

Dudley, Birmingham

Flockton House, Sheffield

Government Offices, Hinchley Wood

Greycoat Place, London

Highcroft Lodge, Winchester

Hunter House, York

Lightfoot Street, Chester

Lisbon House, Leeds

Millennium House, Sheffield

Market Towers, London

Newbridge Hill, Bath

3 North Terrace, Newcastle

Palace Yard Mews, Bath

Premier House, Reading

Prudential House, York

Trevelyan Square, Leeds

Victory House, Cambridge

West Solarium, Cambridge

Wheelchair Evaluation Centre, Blackpool

Windsor House, Harrogate

10 Woodside, Plymouth

The areas and annual rentals are shown in the following table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS sight tests have been taken by individuals over 60 years in each year since 1999. [190914]

holding answer 14 October 2004

The table shows the number of national health service sight tests paid by health authorities (HAs) and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2004.

General ophthalmic services: number of sight tests paid byHAs/PCTs in England for patients aged 60 and over for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2004

Sight tests cannot be equated to the numbers of patients. Although most people do not need a repeat sight test within the year, some patients suffering from medical conditions are advised to have re-examinations sooner.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 4 October 2004, Official Report, column 1965W, on disabled people, if he will renew central Government funding for disability charities. [196722]

The Government will continue to fund charities and other voluntary sector organisations through our section 64 programme.

Decisions about 2005–06 bids will be made shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on recruitment and retention in domiciliary care services. [196295]

The Department does not employ social care domiciliary workers and it is the responsibility of the employers to tackle problems of recruitment and retention, but the Government are taking a lead with employers in a range of initiatives to deal with the problems. These include additional funding to employers to facilitate joined up working and human resource development, new types of worker pilot schemes and a new national information service.

For the second consecutive year, we are investing £1.5 million in a national social care recruitment campaign. The next television campaign is planned for January 2005 and will run for four weeks into early February. The previous television campaign, in February and March 2004, attracted over 80,000 contacts. All callers to the information service were either sent a suitable careers publication or, if they had an immediate interest in applying for a job, they were transferred to their nearest Job Centre Plus contact.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that health and social care professionals carry out a full assessment of capacity about the matter in question when planning or providing health and social care to someone whose capacity is in doubt. [194735]

holding answer 10 November 2004

The Mental Capacity Bill takes a functional approach to capacity. The question of who assesses an individual's capacity will depend on the particular decision to be made. The more serious the decision, the more formal the assessment of capacity may need to be.

For most day-to-day decisions, the carer most directly involved with the person at the time the decision has to be made will assess the person's capacity. Formal processes are rarely required, unless the assessment is challenged or there is reason for doubt. Whoever assesses capacity must be prepared to justify his or her findings.

Where consent to medical treatment or examination is required, the doctor proposing the treatment must decide whether the patient has capacity to consent and should record the assessment process and findings in the person's medical notes.

If a person's capacity to do something is disputed, or there is serious doubt, it is a question for the court to decide. Cases referred to the new Court of Protection will require evidence of the assessment of capacity. The code of practice will set out possible situations when a formal assessment of capacity is required and examples of where cases may be referred to the court.