To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what (a) advice and (b) training is given to judges to help them to deal with family cases in which there is an application by a party who faces an allegation of (i) domestic violence and (ii) sexual abuse to cross-examine the other party about those allegations. [204001]

Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board, an independent body chaired by Lord Justice Keene. In the Family Jurisdiction, where the alleged victim of domestic violence or sexual abuse is an adult, the alleged perpetrator who disputes the allegation is entitled to cross-examine the alleged victim. This is either in person if they are not legally represented, or by their advocate. The entitlement arises in the interests of justice and a fair trial. Where the alleged perpetrator exercises their entitlement to cross-examine, judges are taught of the need to balance the needs of justice with the needs of the alleged victims. Those needs of the alleged victim include not being subjected to any oppressive, insensitive, or unnecessarily prolonged questioning. If the alleged victim is a child, the child hardly ever gives evidence. His or her account is obtained earlier in an interview which is videoed.

All judges trying cases of this gravity will have been trained among other things in the need for that sensitivity, as well as advised about the impact of domestic violence and sexual abuse on their victims.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been raised by the Aggregate Tax in each quarter of its existence in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK. [204159]

HM Customs and Excise routinely publishes UK Aggregates Levy receipts at http://www.uktradeinfo.com in the Aggregates Levy Bulletin.

A breakdown of Aggregates Levy receipts by UK region is not available separately.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the deregulatory measure to raise the audit exemption threshold was contained in the list of 147 regulations for reform or removal referred to by the Chancellor in his Pre-Budget Report statement of 10 December 2003. [203890]

This deregulatory measure, which raised the audit exemption threshold to reduce the administrative burden on small companies, was not part of the list of 147 regulations for reform or removal referred to by the Chancellor in the 2003 Pre-Budget Report statement.

The statutory audit threshold measure was part of the original Regulatory Reform Action Plan published in February 2002. 147 referred to the number of new measures added to the Regulatory Reform Action Plan since the previous figure was publicised at Budget 2003; at that time the Chancellor had announced there were over 500 deregulatory measures.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on his meeting with representatives of Britain in Europe on 17 November 2004; what issues were discussed; whether civil servants were present; and in what capacity he attended. [204223]

The Chancellor attended Britain in Europe's board meeting on 17 November 2004, accompanied by his Private Secretary. A wide range of issues relating to Europe were discussed.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

(1) how many children in Pendle he estimates will benefit from the Child Trust Fund; [204085]

(2) how many children in Burnley he estimates will benefit from the Child Trust Fund. [204805]

All children born since 1 September 2002 in families awarded Child Benefit will receive a Child Trust Fund. In 2005–06 around 700,000 families will benefit from the Child Trust Fund across the country as a whole. No estimate is available of the number of children benefiting in Pendle. However, there were around 12,000 new births across Lancashire in 2003–04.

The CTF is intended to encourage parents and children to develop the savings habit. It will ensure that every child born since 1 September 2002, whatever their family background, will have access to a stock of assets from the age of 18, so they can invest in their future.

It will also help children and their parents to understand the benefits of saving and investment and how to engage with financial institutions.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assurances he obtained from Sir Nicholas Montagu that he would not be consulting with PricewaterhouseCooper's clients on tax matters prior to granting him permission to join PWC. [204024]

Sir Nicholas Montagu complied with the requirements of the Business Appointment Rules, and applied for permission to take up his part-time appointment with PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

In submitting his application, he stated that he would not advise on tax matters.

The appointment was approved under the Rules subject to the conditions that:

He should not be personally involved in lobbying, on behalf of PWC or its clients, the Inland Revenue for one year from his last day of service, and Government Ministers or officials in other Departments for six months from his last day of service; and

Acknowledging that it is not part of the job to which he is being appointed, he should stand aside from any discussion of, or giving advice on any tax related matters for two years from his last day of service.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue will reply to the letter of the right hon. Member for Birkenhead concerning his constituent, Miss Yardley. [204856]

The hon. Member wrote on 3 November 2004 and the Inland Revenue replied to him on 18 November and 8 December 2004.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Inland Revenue informers had their relationship terminated between 6 March 2000 and 28 July 2000; and how many Inland Revenue handling officers were posted elsewhere during this period. [204443]

The Inland Revenue does not keep any form of central record of persons providing information to them (informers). The Inland Revenue does keep central records of covert human intelligence sources. No relationship with a covert human intelligence source was terminated within the dates given. No Inland Revenue handler has been posted elsewhere.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the fishing industry of the proposed rise of 1p per litre in the rate of fuel duty for red diesel. [203979]

holding answer 13 December 2004

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor takes account of all relevant economic, social and environmental factors in determining duty rates.

The excise duty paid by the fishing industry on marine fuel used for navigation within community waters is fully repayable, so that it is, in effect, duty free.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the agricultural industry of the proposed rise of 1p per litre in the rate of fuel duty on red diesel. [203980]

holding answer 13 December 2004

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor takes account of all relevant economic, social and environmental factors for all sectors, including the farming industry, in determining duty rates. The Department for Trade and Industry estimate that agriculture accounts for only a small proportion of red diesel consumption.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 on the use of covert human intelligence sources by Inland Revenue. [204440]

The Inland Revenue's use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, including the use of covert human intelligence sources, is monitored annually by the Office of the Surveillance Commissioners and is also subject to internal monitoring.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who the (a) Commissioner of Inland Revenue and (b) Inland Revenue solicitor responsible for determining the impact of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 on the use of informers was. [204441]

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act does not govern the use of informers except where those informers are also covert human intelligence sources. I refer the hon. Member to my answer to his companion question (204440).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Inland Revenue conducted an impact assessment of the effects of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 on informers before its passage into law. [204442]

I believe the hon. Member is referring to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act. That Act is Home Office legislation. In accordance with normal practice the Home Office would have prepared a regulatory impact assessment on the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will place in the Library a copy of the research commissioned by the Association of British Bookmakers into fixed-odds betting terminals to which the Minister for Sport referred on 2 December in Standing Committee B, Official Report, column 382. [204207]

It is for the Association of British Bookmakers to decide when and how to publish the results of the research which it has commissioned; but we have drawn this request to their attention.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will break down the £200 million national funding for children's play announced by her predecessor in June 2001 by (a) financial year and (b) project; how much of the funding has been spent to date; and if she will make a statement. [203549]

The announcement to which the hon. Member refers related to round 4 of the New Opportunities Fund, and therefore future funding for play. The new approach to lottery funding with the establishment of the Big Lottery Fund means that the Government will no longer ring fence pots of money for particular activities such as play. However we still expect £200 million for play (across the UK) to come from the lottery over time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners aged over 75 years living in Coventry are entitled to a free television licence. [204003]

TV Licensing, who administer free television licences for people aged 75 or over as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. It is not therefore possible to estimate take-up of the concession on a local basis. However, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment in the Coventry North East, Coventry North West and Coventry South constituencies in 2003–04 was 17,650, according to Department for Work and Pensions records.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the guidance to be provided to local authorities on the provision of gambling and casino licences. [204491]

Clause 24 of the Gambling Bill provides for the Gambling Commission to issue guidance to local authorities about the exercise of their functions of the Bill, and to undertake consultation before doing so. We expect the Commission, when it is established, to take consultation forward as an early priority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total travel costs to her Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997. [203772]

holding answer 9 December 2004

All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules contained in the Department's staff handbook and all Ministerial travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government has published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government has also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House.

Travel costs of special advisers who accompanied the Ministers overseas are included in the annual list the Overseas Travel by Cabinet Ministers. Other travel costs of special advisers are included in the officials' travel costs on the Department's accounting system and can be disaggregated only at disproportionate cost.

The following table shows expenditure on travel and subsistence by Ministers (domestic only) and officials in the Department from 1997–98 to 2003–04.

£

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment in which Muslim newspapers the Department advertises; and what kinds of advertising the Department places in Muslim newspapers. [201709]

In 2004–5 Defra is placing advertisements in the publications as listed. On this occasion, the department's objective in doing so is to reach and inform specific communities rather than religious groups, but all these publications are acknowledged as having a Muslim readership:

The Daily Jang

The Nation

Muslim News

Muslim Weekly

Notun Din

Surma

Janamot

Potrika

Bangla Post

London Turkish Gazette

Olay

Al Arab

Al Ahram

All the advertisements placed have been translated into the languages most appropriate for the readers of these newspapers. The advertising has been planned to promote the latest phase of Defra's personal food imports awareness campaign, 'If in doubt, leave it out!'. This campaign is part of a long-term strategy to increase awareness of the personal imports rules among the UK travelling public and to reduce the quantities of illegal food products being seized at UK ports and airports.

It was developed following independent research, which revealed that the rules relating to personal imports of food were relevant to black and minority ethnic communities within the UK, but that awareness of the legislation within these communities was not widespread. The communications activity is intended to reach and engage with black and minority ethnic communities through communications and media channels relevant to them.

Press advertising is only one communications option which the Department considers when planning a public awareness campaign and is evaluated alongside other paid and non-paid communications activity which may involve outreach work, distribution of bi-lingual printed materials and radio advertisements and/or features.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of refurbishing each ministerial private office was in the last two years. [202355]

In 2002–03 the four upper floors of 9 Millbank were refurbished at a total cost of £2.5 million. This project included three private offices for ministerial support staff.

No expenditure for refurbishing ministerial private offices was incurred in 2003–04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

(1) how many letters were returned to her Department marked as incorrectly addressed in each of the last 12 months; [203719]

(2) if she will place the recent departmental circular on the correct addressing of envelopes in the Library; [203720]

(3) how many recipients received her Department's circular on how to address envelopes; and what its circulation cost. [203721]

Many items of correspondence are returned to Defra, often because of incorrect or poor addressing by the senders in the first place. We endeavour to keep returned mail to a minimum. That is why an internal memo was issued recently to all Defra staff drawing attention to the need to address envelopes correctly. All Defra staff would have seen the memo in our weekly Office Notice. Drafting and circulating the memo took a couple of minutes and involved significantly less time than answering the hon. Gentleman's questions. Records of incorrectly addressed envelopes are not maintained because of disproportionate costs. As the memo was intended for internal use, there is no reason to place a copy in the House Library, but the text of the note was as follows:

Addressing of envelopes

Many letters or correspondence are being returned to the Communication Room (Post Room) as undelivered by the Royal Mail, this is not only time-consuming but also costly to both Defra and Royal Mail. The reason for these letters not to be delivered is as a result of incorrect or poor addressing of envelopes by the senders.

In order for us as a Department to keep to the spirit of sustainability and reducing waste, Corporate Support Branch (CSB) has therefore, decided to issue the following tip on addressing envelopes correctly:

When addressing outgoing mail, ensure that the address is typed or handwritten legibly. The address should ideally be kept parallel to the longest side of the envelope. The address must fall within the address clear zone. There must be a clear zone all around the address of 5mm. This must not encroach on other clear zones. There must be a clear zone of 5mm around the address block, including any customer barcode. The area around the address block must be kept clear of graphics, printing and variations in background to enable the Optical Character Reading (OCR) equipment to locate the address and obtain a clean address image.

Window Envelopes

There is no maximum or minimum size for a window. However the window size is constrained by the length of the address, font size, number of lines of the address, address boundaries and clear zones. In order to read and interpret the address, the automation equipment locates the position of the window and takes an image of the address. The complete address must be clearly visible through the window with a 5mm clear zone around it.

The message then refers the reader to advice in more detail on the Defra intranet.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what role is played by the two non-executive directors on her Department's management board; and what remuneration each receives. [204323]

The role of non-executives is to use their experience outside Government to bring an independent perspective and constructive challenge to all of the board's business, in particular to the areas of change management, performance management, and risk.

One of the non-executives is also chair of our Audit and Risk Committee. Other duties carried out by them include: co-chairing a performance management committee that analyses the Department's balanced scorecard, membership of the Ministerial Challenge Panel on regulation, and assisting the Senior Appointments Board in certain recruitment exercises and remuneration issues.

Their remuneration is £10,000 per annum (plus reasonable expenses).

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to introduce an automatic e-mail notification facility for announcements and publications issued by her Department and those public bodies reporting to her. [203684]

Defra has no specific plans at the moment to introduce an automatic e-mail notification service. We are currently working with our recently-appointed strategic IT supplier to review the ways that we supply information electronically to Defra's customers and to the public, and consideration will be given to the introduction of such a service as part of the review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what studies the Government has made of (a) sulphur dioxide and (b) nitrous oxide trading in the United States; and what conclusions it has drawn. [203666]

While the Government has not undertaken any specific studies on the US trading systems for SO₂ and NOx, the US experience in this area has informed the development of trading schemes to address emissions of greenhouse gases, in particular the UK Emissions Trading Scheme and the implementation of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. It has also informed work on implementation of the revised Large Combustion Plants Directive and has prompted the Government's call for the integrated pollution prevention and control Directive to be further amended so as to facilitate greater potential for emissions trading.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many dairy farmers there were in the UK in each of the last five years. [201131]

The following figures show the number of principal farmers, partners, directors and their spouses (if working on the holding) in England on holdings where dairy is the predominant activity. Figures for the other UK countries fall under the jurisdiction of the devolved authorities.

Notes:

1. A register improvement exercise increased the number of holdings in 2001. The 2000 figures for main and minor holdings are therefore not comparable with the later figures.

2. From 2000 we have maintained a combined database of all holdings .Prior to that, the census database was of main holdings only. A separate database was held of minor holdings but these were only surveyed once every five years or so.

Source:

June Agricultural Census

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers there were in the UK in each of the last five years. [201132]

The following figures show the number of principal farmers, partners, directors and their spouses (if working on the holding) in England and the number of holdings they are working on. Figures for the other UK countries fall under the jurisdiction of the devolved authorities.

Note:

A register improvement exercise increased the registered holdings in 2001. The 2000 figures for main and minor holdings are therefore not comparable with the later figures.

Source:

June Agricultural Census

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases have been brought against her Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what the cost has been in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments. [202365]

The whole point of the incorporation of the European Charter on Human Rights into domestic law was to allow human rights considerations to be considered fully at every level of the legal system as a matter of course rather than having to be considered separately and laboriously as a single issue. Not surprisingly, the great majority of cases brought against the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs involve human rights only when they are brought in support of other litigation—as a 'backstop' claim.

As a result this makes any human rights elements to a case very hard to count separately. The subjects of the convention rights themselves are, to a very great extent, already actionable in existing domestic law.

For these reasons it would not be possible to apportion costs and compensation payments as requested without reviewing every single case handled by this Department since October 2000, which would give rise to disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of (a) pork, (b) bacon and (c) ham sold in UK supermarkets is (i) British produced and (ii) bears the Meat and Livestock Commission's Quality Standard Mark. [203124]

Proportions are set out in the following table:

Percentage

However, in addition to the above figures several large supermarkets¹ currently supply 100 per cent. British fresh pork, but do not carry the Quality Standard Mark. The British Pig Executive (BPEX) is working closely with them to encourage the use of the QSM on their packaging.

¹ Waitrose, Marks and Spencer and Budgens supply 100 per cent. British fresh pork, and Morrisons supply predominantly British fresh pork.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the size of the UK pig herd was in (a) 1994, (b) 1999 and (c) 2004. [203126]

The following figures show the size of the pig herd in England. Figures for the other UK countries fall under the jurisdiction of the devolved authorities. Numbers for 2004 are currently provisional, final figures are due to be published on 16 December 2004.

Source:

June Agricultural Census

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations her Department has received regarding the impact of pork imports on domestic pig production. [203157]

We are aware of the British Pig Industry's concerns surrounding the impact of pork imports, not least following the recent British Pig Executive (BPEX) report. This report sought to illustrate the additional cost and detrimental market effects on UK pig producers in achieving high welfare standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the membership is of the (a) Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards, (b) Zoos Forum, (c) Advisory Committee on Pesticides and (d) Farm Animal Welfare Council; what the (i) cost of salaries and expenses to members and (ii) running costs of each body were in the last year for which figures are available; and how many staff are employed to service each body. [203100]

The membership of each of these bodies and the figures that are available are listed, subject to the qualifications.

(i) Membership is accurate as at 31 March 2004

(ii) The total cost of salaries and expenses paid to members and the running costs for each committee are included with Defra's accounts but are not separately identifiable. I have included the remuneration levels, as at 31 March 2004 and the total sponsorship cost to the department (which would include remuneration and expenses of members, administrative costs, research funding and any other cost to the department directly related to the sponsorship of the body) for the last financial year.

(iii) Departmental staff service these bodies alongside a range of other duties but it is not possible to identify their numbers separately.

Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards

Prof. Stephen Holgate (Chair)

Prof. Jon Ayres

Prof. Peter Blain

Dr. Peter Baxter

Dr. Paul Cullinan

Mrs. Ann Davison

Prof. Richard Derwent QBE

Dr. Jonathon Grigg

Prof. Roy Harrison QBE

Prof. Francis J. Kelly

Dr. Geoffrey Pigott

Dr. Alison Searl

Mr. John Stedman

The Chair receives £193.64 per day, members receive £149.35 per day

Defra expenditure on remuneration—£17,000

Zoos Forum

Mr. Nick Jackson MBE (acting chair)

Mrs. Suzanne Boardman

Dr. Sue Dale-Tunnicliffe

Mr. Alastair Grant

Mr. Andrew Greenwood

Dr. Heather Hall

Mr. Raymond Ings

Dr. James Kirkwood

Mr. Stewart Muir

Dr. Miranda Stevenson

Ms Mary Talbot-Rosevear

Mr. Tim Thomas MBE

Mr. Peter Wearden

Chair and board members are unpaid

Defra expenditure on sponsorship—£15,240.68

Advisory Committee on Pesticides

Prof. David N M Coggon (Chair)

Dr. David Nicholas Bateman

Dr. John Cherrie

Mr. James Clarke

Dr. Richard Charles Clutterbuck

Prof. Gareth Edwards-Jones

Dr. Clifford Elcombe

Dr.Ian Grieve

Mr. Vyvyan Howard

Ms Rosaline Howell

Prof. David W. Macdonald

Dr. Lorraine Maltby

Prof. Graham Anthony Matthews

Ms Diane McCrea

Dr. Patricia Rose McElhatton

Dr. Daniel Osborn

Prof. Robert Henry Smith

Mr. Christopher Stopes

Dr. Vinod Tohani

Dr. Rosemary Waring

Chair receives £199 per meeting, the members receive £156 per meeting

Defra expenditure on sponsorship—£104,000

Farm Animal Welfare Council

Dr. Judy Macarthur Clark CBE (Chair)

Mr. Ian Douglas Baker

Mrs. Rosemary Berry

Mr. John Alexander Campbell Don

Prof. Peter Roderick English

Mr. Graham Godbold

Mr. Edmund Charles Michael Harper

Mr. David C Henderson

Mr. James William Hook

Prof. Alistair Burnett Lawrence

Mrs. Ruth Layton

Mr. Stephen Andrew Lister

Mr. Gareth Jones Lloyd

Mr. Richard Maunder

Prof. John Peter Mcinerney

Prof. David Morton

Miss Miriam Jane Parker

Dr. Martin James Potter

Rev. Prof. Michael Reiss

Mrs. Barbara Smith

Mr. Selwyn Michael Vaughan

Mrs. Meryl Ward

Chair receives £199 per day, members receive £125 per day

Defra expenditure on sponsorship—£412,654

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the membership is of the (a) Government-Industry Forum on non-Food Uses of Crop, (b) Hill Farming Advisory Committee for England, Wales and Northern I reland, (c) Independent Advisory Group on Cattle TB, (d) Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council, (e) Pesticides Residue Committee, (f) Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee, (g) Sustainable Development Education Panel, (h) Veterinary Products Committee, (i) Veterinary Residues Committee and (j) Water Regulations Advisory Committee; what the (i) cost of salaries and expenses to members and (ii) running cost of each body was in the last year for which figures are available; and how many staff are employed to service each body. [203809]

The membership of each of these bodies and the figures that are available are listed, subject to the qualifications.

(i) Membership is accurate as at 31 March 2004

(ii) The total cost of salaries and expenses paid to members and the running costs for each committee are included with Defra's accounts but are not separately identifiable. I have included the remuneration levels, as at 31 March 2004 and the total sponsorship cost to the department (which would include remuneration and expenses of members, administrative costs, research funding and any other cost to the department directly related to the sponsorship of the body) for the last financial year.

(iii) Departmental staff service these bodies alongside a range of other duties but it is not possible to identify their numbers separately.

The Government-Industry Forum on non-Food Uses of Crops the Sustainable Development Education Panel and the Water Regulations Advisory Committee have been wound up and the Hill Farming Advisory Committee and the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee are both currently in abeyance.

Independent Scientific Group on TB in Cattle

Mr. John Bourne (Chair)

Prof. Christl Donnelly

Sir David Cox

Prof. George Gettinby

Prof. John Peter Mcinerney

Prof. Ivan Morrison

Dr. Rosemary Woodroffe

Chair receives £185 per day, members receive £153 per day

Defra expenditure on sponsorship—£200,000

Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Committee

Lady Sheelin Virginia Knollys (Chair)

Cllr. Stewart Stacey

Ms Jane Barron

Cllr. Michael John Bruton

Mr. David Brian Dare

Mrs. Carol Davenport

Mrs. Helen Green

Mr. Tony Hirst QBE

Dr. Christine Johnstone

Mr. Wyndham Mitchell

Mr. David Morgan

Mr. Mike Palmer

Dr. David Pattison

Mr. John Richard Pomfret

Mrs. Audrey Smith

Dr. Nigel John Willby

Mrs. Fiona Willis

The chair receives £197.25 per day, the members are unpaid

Defra expenditure on sponsorship—£50,000

Pesticide Residues Committee

Dr. Ian Brown (Chair)

Mr. Ian Finlayson

Ms Morven Mceachern

Ms Hazel Philips

Prof. Andrew Gordon Renwick

Mr. Graham Philip Ward

Ms Maura Wilson

The chair receives £159 per day, the members receive £125 per day

Defra expenditure on sponsorship—£65,000

Veterinary Products Committee

Mr. David Skilton (Chair)

Dr. Alistair Boxall

Prof. Tar-Ching Aw

Dr. Andrew John Bradley

Dr. Paul George Brantom

Dr. Sarah Margaret Elizabeth Cockbill

Mrs Rosemary Vivien Collingborn

Prof. Barry Cookson

Dr. Susan Dawson

Prof. Michael Joseph Day

Dr. Jonathan Elliott

Dr. John Gilleard

Mrs. Sheila Jessie Graham

Dr. Peter Greaves

Dr. Raymond John Heitzman

Dr. Leigh Marian Henderson

Dr. Leonard Stephen Levy

Mr. Stephen Andrew Lister

Dr. William John Mccaughey

Mr. Frederick McKeating

Prof. Andrea Mary Nolan

Prof. Stuart Reid

Prof. Bertus Karel Rima

Prof. Howard Norman Ernest Stevens

Dr. John Paul Thompson

Mr. John Harold Verrall

Mr. Anthony Edward Wall

Dr. Jason Weeks

The chair receives £245 per meeting, members receive £194 per meeting

The running costs are met by the industry and not Defra

Veterinary Residues Committee

(Chair vacant)

Mrs. Dorothy Ann Craig

Mr. John Ambrose

Prof. Keith G. Anderson

Prof. Alan Boobis

Dr. Paul George Brantom

Mr. Neil Richard Cutler

Prof. Julie L. Fitzpatrick

Dr. Keith Lawrence

Dr. William John Mccaughey

Mrs. Freida Stack

Dr. Brian Geoffrey Vernon

The chair receives £193 per meeting, members receive £151 per meeting

Defra expenditure on sponsorship—£51,300

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the membership is of the (a) Air Quality Expert Group, (b) Apple and Pear Research Council, (c) Committee of Investigation for Great Britain, (d) Committee on Agricultural Valuation, (e) Committee on Products and Processes for Use in Public Water Supply, (f) Consumers' Committee for Great Britain under the Agriculture Marketing Act 1958, (g) Darwin Advisory Committee and (h) Expert Group on Cryptosporidium in Water Supply; what the (i) cost of salaries and expenses to members and (ii) running costs of each body was in the last year for which figures are available; and how many staff are employed to service each body. [203810]

The membership of each of these bodies and the figures that are available are listed, subject to the qualifications as follows.

(i) Membership is accurate as at 31 March 2004

(ii) The total cost of salaries and expenses paid to members and the running costs for each committee are included with Defra's accounts but are not separately identifiable. I have included the remuneration levels, as at 31 March 2004 and the total sponsorship cost to the Department (which would include remuneration and expenses of members, administrative costs, research funding and any other cost to the Department directly related to the sponsorship of the body) for the last financial year.

(iii) Departmental staff service these bodies alongside a range of other duties but it is not possible to identify their numbers separately.

The Apple and Pear Research Council is no longer in existence and the Committee of Investigation for Great Britain, the Committee on Agricultural Valuation and the Consumers Committee for Great Britain are all currently inactive.

Air Quality Expert Group

Professor Mike J Pilling (chair)

Professor Helen Apsimon

Dr .David J Carruthers

Mr. David C Carslaw

Dr. Roy N Colville

Professor Richard Derwent OBE

Mr. Stephen R Dorling

Professor Bernard Fisher

Professor Roy Harrison OBE

Dr. Mathew R Heal

Professor Duncan P H Laxen

Dr. Sarah J Lindley

Dr. lan S Mccrae

Mr. John Stedman

The chair receives £193.64 per day (up to a maximum of 40 days per year) and members receive £149.35 (up to a maximum of 20 days per year)

Defra expenditure on sponsorship—£74,000

Committee on products and processes for use in public water supply

Mr. Owen Hydes OBE (chair)

Mr. Stephen Robjohns

Mr. Anthony Lloyd

Mrs. Joy Fraser

Dr. John B Greig

Professor Roger F Stokes

Mr. Geoff R Tute

Mr. Robin M Walls

The chair receives £230 per day, members receive £196.

Defra expenditure on sponsorship—£107,500

Darwin Advisory Committee

Professor David Ingram (chair)

Dr. Mark Collins

Professor Dianne Edwards

Professor David Goode

Professor David McDonald

Dr. Eimear Nic Lughada

Dr. Melanie O'neill

Professor Philip Rainbow

Professor, lan Swingland

Miss Kerry ten Kate

The chair and members are unpaid

Defra expenditure on sponsorship—£3,712

Expert group on cryptosporidium in water supply

Professor lan Bouchier (chair)

Dr. C Benton

Dr. R Chalmers

Mr. D Clapham

Professor M Farthing

Mr. T Hall

Professor P Hunter

Dr. R Joce

Dr .C Ramsay

Mr. R Robinson

Professor H Smith

Dr. J Stuart

The chair and members are unpaid

The group has recently gone through a period on inactivity and therefore there are no figures on expenditure on sponsorship.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated public expenditure on the regional climate change partnerships in England was in the latest year for which figures are available. [203560]

The regional climate change partnerships are stakeholder-led groups which determine their own work programmes on the impacts of climate change and adaptation. The Department funds the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) to help UK organisations assess and prepare for the impacts of climate change. UKCIP works with the regional climate change partnerships, but the partnerships do not receive direct funding from this source. However, many other national, regional and local level public sector organisations are represented in the partnerships, providing varying amounts of both financial and in-kind resource. Private sector organisations are also represented.

It was developed following independent research, which revealed that the rules relating to personal imports of food were relevant to black and minority ethnic communities within the UK, but that awareness of the legislation within these communities was not wide spread. The communications activity is intended to reach and engage with black and minority ethnic communities through communications and media channels relevant to them.

Press advertising is only one communications option which the Department considers when planning a public awareness campaign and is evaluated alongside other paid and non-paid communications activity which may involve outreach work, distribution of bi-lingual printed materials and radio advertisements and/or features.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what evaluation she has made of the threat of flooding to Sellafield from the River Calder; and what assessment she has made of the relevant flood maps produced by the Environment Agency. [202811]

I understand the Environment Agency has carried out a thorough evaluation of the threat of flooding to Sellafield from the River Calder using their most accurate modelling techniques. More detailed site specific modelling work has now been made available which takes account of the heavily engineered channel that improves conveyance to the River Calder running through the site.

This evaluation will be used to update the flood map on 10 January 2005. The new outline will show the area of site predicted to be at flood risk to be significantly reduced and limited to a 0.1 per cent. risk of a flood occurring in any one year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to fund the establishment and maintenance of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [204109]

The UK central Government Departments and devolved Administrations have agreed that Defra should proceed to invite tenders for a service provider to set up and operate a central point of expertise on timber (CPET) help line. This will be Phase 2 of CPET and we plan to invite tenders in the spring of 2005.

Defra has already commissioned consultants ProForest to operate a pilot help line. This is planned to finish by the end of March 2005 and will help Defra to draw up the contract terms and conditions for the full help line service.

Bidders for the CPET help line will be invited to offer proposals that will include income generation through fees and charges. It remains to be seen whether and to what extent income generation is a viable proposition but the Government have earmarked funds to underwrite the service for its first three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what projects local authorities are undertaking to reuse household wood. [200473]

holding answer 1 December 2004

The Department does not hold information on all the projects local authorities are undertaking to recycle waste products such as household wood. However the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) "RecycleWood" programme does hold a map of self-nominated organisations that offer services and facilities for collecting and processing wood waste and this is available through WRAP'S website, http://www.wrap.org.uk/.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairswhat measures she is taking to ensure that the polluter pays principle applies to the collection and management of municipal waste; which 10 local authorities have the (a) highest and (b) lowest recycling rates; and which political parties control each of these authorities. [203660]

Government applies the polluter pays principle to the collection and management of municipal waste by enabling local authorities to charge for the collection of commercial and industrial waste and bulky or heavy items of household waste. Landfill tax is payable on all municipal waste landfilled.

The 10 local authorities with the highest and lowest recycling and composting rates in England are given in the following table, with percentages achieved for 2002–03, which are the most recent audited data available. The table also shows the current political control in these local authorities.

⁽¹⁾ These data are published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and are available at www.bvpi.gov.uk. The level of household waste recycling and composting in local authorities is the sum of Best Value Performance Indicator 82a and 82b (percentage of household waste sent for recycling and composting respectively).

⁽²⁾ Information on party political control has been obtained from councils' websites or by direct contact with the authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the tax component of the recent increase in water rates is. [203673]

Changes to Corporation Tax on water companies from 1 April 2004 will contribute about £5 to the increase in the average household water and sewerage bill in England and Wales for the period 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2010. The effect on each company, which depends on its tax position, is set out in 'Future water and sewerage charges 2005–10: final determinations', published by Ofwat on 2 December 2004, which is in the Library of the House.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost was of running each official residence for which her Department is responsible in the last year for which figures are available. [204423]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford, (Mr. Prisk), 1 November 2004, Official Report, column 129W.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office

(1) what the cost of receptions and parties hosted by Ministers in her Department in their official residences has been since 1997; [204533]

(2) if she will list overnight guests to official residences in her Department since 1997. [204532]

Ministers in the Cabinet Office do not have an official residence.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the projected (a) resource budget, (b) staff numbers and (c) running costs are of (i) the Regulatory Impact Unit and (ii) the Better Regulation Task Force for 2004–07. [203891]

The Regulatory Impact Unit budget (resource and running costs) for 2004–05 is £3.5 million and of this, £550,000 is for the Better Regulation Task Force.

As at the 1 April 2004, 62 staff were working in the Regulatory Impact Unit and of these, nine worked in the Better Regulation Task Force Secretariat.

The projected budget and staff numbers for 2005–06 to 2007–08 will be finalised following completion of the Cabinet Office's business planning round in 2005.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 2 December 2004, Official Report, column 252W, on public engagements, whether he fulfilled public engagements in (a) September and (b) October. [204864]

No. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I previously gave him on the 2 December 2004, Official Report, column 252W.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Cabinet Office special advisers have written to external (a) bodies and (b) individuals in their official capacity since May 1997. [204301]

Special Advisers contacts with external bodies and organisations are undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

To ask the Prime Minister

(1) what action has been taken to address the recommendation in paragraph 585 of Lord Butler's Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction concerning the use of new information systems to bring together sources of expertise in Government on proliferation; and if he will make a statement; [205013]

(2) what action has been taken to address the recommendation in paragraph 604 of Lord Butler's Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction that the intelligence community review their conventions; and if he will make a statement; [205014]

(3) what action has been taken to address the recommendation in paragraph 600 of Lord Butler's Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction concerning the size, resources and career structure of the Assessments Staff; and if he will make a statement. [205015]

I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 15 November 2004, Official Report, column 54WS.

To ask the Prime Minister what action has been taken to address the concerns expressed in paragraph 611 of Lord Butler's Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction, concerning Government procedures; and if he will make a statement. [205017]

I refer the hon. Member to my statement of 20 July 2004, Official Report, column 195–207.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what capital expenditure has been at the Lagan Valley hospital in each year since 1997. [204018]

The information in respect of capital expenditure at the Lagan Valley hospital in each year since 1997, is detailed in the following table:

Capital expenditure at the Lagan Valley hospital from 1997–98 to 2003–04

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is his policy that the Capital Formula Review should redistribute resources in line with population changes; and when the new formula will be applied. [204115]

The capitation formula has always taken account of population changes. The impact of such changes has to be considered alongside the changes in the other factors in the formula in determining the speed of implementation of shifts in the resource allocation pattern. The public consultation period for the new formula finished on 30 November 2004. My officials are currently considering the responses, and I intend to make a decision on the implementation of a revised formula in the New Year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many departmental files have been destroyed in each of the past five years. [203304]

The Northern Ireland Departments have not compiled statistics of files destroyed and such figures would be available only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes have been promulgated in each of the past five years to the guidelines or other criteria for the retention or destruction of departmental files. [203305]

Following consultation with Northern Ireland Departments, the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland issued the Northern Ireland Records Management Standard (NIRMS) in 2002 as records management guidance for those Departments. It was augmented in 2003 with 'Guidelines on Information Audits and Disposal Schedules'. The guidance supports the carrying out of Departmental and PRONI responsibilities under the Public Records Act (NI) 1923.

As a Whitehall Department coming under the Public Records Act 1958, the Northern Ireland Office receives its formal records management advice from The National Archives (formerly the Public Record Office). The National Archives is developing on an on-going basis a range of guidance for Whitehall Departments. Therefore the NIRMS guidance does not apply to that Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fire-related (a) injuries, (b) accident and emergency attendances, (c) ambulance calls, (d) fire service call-outs and (e) police calls were reported over the Halloween period in the Province in each of the last 10 years. [202044]

The number of fire-related injuries, ambulance calls and fire service call-outs that were reported over the Halloween period in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years is detailed in the following table. Information about accident and emergency attendances by reason is not collected centrally and the number of police calls could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

n/a=not available

Source:

(a) Hospital Inpatient System; (c) Northern Ireland Ambulance Service; (d) Fire Authority for Northern Ireland.

The Halloween period has been taken to be 11 October to 8 November in each year.

Information for(a) relating to 2004 is not available.

Information for(c) relating to 1995 and 1996 is not available due to changes in information technology systems.

Information for(d) 1995–98 is not readily available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what pieces of legislation passed in the last 30 years that the Department is responsible for remain to be brought into force, broken down by year of enactment. [200445]

pursuant to his reply on 1 December 2004 (Official Report, c. 138W

The information provided contained some factual inaccuracies. The correct answer is as follows:

The following list sets out a broad overview of Acts of Parliament from 1997 for which the Northern Ireland Office is responsible and parts of which remain to be brought into force. The following list does not include provisions which have never been in force and are now repealed or spent.

The Northern Ireland Act 1998

All in force, apart from

Schedule 13 paras

1—Minor and Consequential Amendments —Repealed (never in force)

10—Minor and Consequential Amendments—Repealed (never in force).

Sch. 13 paras

16—Repealed

18—Repealed

Sch. 15—Repeals—Not in force, apart from in cases of exception mentioned in the schedule.

Justice (NI) Act 2002

Part 1

S1—Guarantee of continued judicial independence—not yet commenced.

S2—Introductory—not yet commenced

S3—Judicial Appointments Commission—not yet commenced

S4—Appointment to most senior judicial offices—not yet commenced

S5—Appointment to listed judicial offices—not yet commenced

S6—Removal from most senior judicial offices—not yet commenced

S7—Removal from listed judicial offices—not yet commenced

S8—Tribunals for considering removals—not yet commenced.

S9(12)—Lay magistrates—not yet commenced

S10—Transfer of functions of justices of the peace—not yet commenced

S11—Transfer of functions of lay panellists—not yet commenced

S12—Role of LCJ—not yet commenced

S13—Presiding county court judge—not yet commenced.

S14—Presiding resident magistrate—not yet commenced

S15—Presiding lay magistrate—not yet commenced

S16—Complaints about holders of judicial office—not yet commenced

S20—Crown Solicitor—not yet commenced

Part II

S22—Attorney General—not yet commenced

S23—Terms of appointment of Attorney General—not yet commenced

S24—Removal of Attorney General—not yet commenced

S25—Participation of Attorney General in Assembly proceedings—not yet commenced

S26—Annual Report by Attorney General—not yet commenced

S27—Advocate General—not yet commenced

S28—Functions of Advocate General—not yet commenced

S29—Public Prosecution Service—not yet commenced

S30—Director of Public Prosecutions—not yet commenced

S31—Conduct of prosecutions—not yet commenced

S32—Discontinuance of proceedings before a court appearance—not yet commenced

S33—Consents to prosecutions—not yet commenced

S34—Police Complaints—not yet commenced

S35—Information for Director—not yet commenced

S36—Exercise of functions by and on behalf of Service—not yet commenced

S37—Code for Prosecutors—not yet commenced

S38—Equality and non-discrimination—not yet commenced

S39—Reports by Director—not yet commenced

S40—Superintendence and removal of director—not yet commenced

S41—Transfer of functions etc—not yet commenced

S42—Independence of Director—not yet commenced

S43—Appointment and removal of Director by Attorney General—not yet commenced

S44—Interpretation—not yet commenced

Part III

S50—Law Commission—not yet commenced

S51—Duties of Commission—not yet commenced

S52—Reports etc.—not yet commenced

Part IV

S53(6)—Aims of youth justice system—not yet commenced

S56—Custody care orders—not yet commenced

S63—Extension of youth justice system to 17 year olds—not yet commenced

S64—Juvenile justice centre order for 17 year olds—not yet commenced

S65—Consultation about detention—not yet commenced

Part V

S67—Flying of flags at court houses—not yet commenced

S72—Local community safety partnerships—not yet commenced

S73—Constitutional of rules committees—not yet commenced

S76—Exceptional legal aid—not yet commenced

S78—Power to abolish court service—not yet commenced

Part VI

S82—Excepted matters: new institutions—not yet commenced

S83—Reserved matters: new institutions—not yet commenced

S84—Assembly Acts about judiciary, law officers and prosecutions—not yet commenced

S85—Minor and consequential amendments—not yet commenced

S86—Repeals and revocations—not yet commenced

Schedules

S1—Listed judicial offices—not yet commenced

S2—Judicial Appointments Commission—not yet commenced

S3—Appointment to listed judicial offices—not yet commenced

S4—Functions of justices of the peace—not yet commenced

S5—Transfer of functions to LCJ—not yet commenced

S7—Functions of Advocate General—not yet commenced

S9—Law Commission—not yet commenced

S11—Extension of youth justice system to 17 year olds—not yet commenced

S12—Minor and consequential amendments—not yet commenced

S13—Repeals and revocations—not yet commenced

The Police (NI) Act 2003

District Policing Partnerships

Section 15 (1)—(5)—Independent members: declaration against terrorism—not in force.

Section 16 (1)—Independent members: disqualification— not in force

Section 19 (1)—Facilities establishment of Belfast district policing partnership's sub-groups and deals with their composition and functions.

Police functions and Service

Section 26 (1)—(3)—Protected disclosures by police officers—not in force.

Searches and Samples

Section 41 (1)—Intimate searches—not in force.

Section 42 (2)—(5) Intimate samples—not in force.

Schedule 1—Belfast—not in force

Schedule 4—repeals and revocations—not in force apart from exceptions

Justice (NI) Act 2004–12–14

S1—Transfer to LC of functions relating to JAC—not yet commenced

S2—Membership of the Commission—not yet commenced

S3—Duty of Commission to secure judiciary reflective of the community—not yet commenced

S4—Appointment of LCJ and LJs of appeal—not yet commenced

S5—Removal or suspension from listed judicial offices—not yet commenced

S6—Duty of the DPP to refer certain matters to police ombudsman—not yet commenced

S7—Influencing a prosecutor—not yet commenced

S8—Guidance for CJ organisations on human rights standards—not yet commenced

S16—Court security—not yet commenced

S1—Transfer to LC of functions relating to NI JAC—not yet commenced

S3—Court security—not yet commenced

S4—(partially)—Repeals—not yet commenced

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average weekly working hours for the junior ranks of the full-time Home Service Royal Irish Regiment were between October 2003 and October 2004. [203546]

I have been asked to reply.

While some information on working patterns for full-time members of the Home Service Battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment is held by individual battalions, the information is not held in the format requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients who have been listed as high priority are on the waiting list for a stair lift, broken down by health trust area. [204113]

The information requested is as follows.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the revised start dates are of construction of (a) the A1 Dishforth to Barton upgrade and (b) the Haydon Bridge bypass. [204998]

The information is as follows.

Al Dishforth to Barton upgrade

This scheme is included in a list of 33 schemes announced by the Highways Agency on 1 December 2004 that are planned to start construction by April 2008.

A69 Haydon Bridge bypass

The A69 Haydon Bridge bypass and 13 other schemes are identified as being on routes of predominantly regional rather than national importance. Ministers wish to engage with regional and local stakeholders in identifying priorities for these schemes within overall transport investment. Subject to regional priorities and funding, these schemes should be considered for a start of works from 2008 onwards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport

(1) when he plans to launch the public consultation on plans to widen the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon; [204540]

(2) for what reasons the public consultation on plans to widen the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon has been delayed. [204541]

Public consultation on proposals for the A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton improvement is now expected to start in spring 2005.

The public consultation has been put back to allow more time for the Highways Agency to consider an alternative proposal to the scheme recommended by the Cambridge to Huntingdon Multi Modal Study (CHUMMS). The alternative has been put forward as a result of consultations with local authorities in preparation for the public consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total external spending by his Department was on private finance initiative (PFI) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. [202419]

The Department for Transport (including Executive Agencies) expenditure on external Private Finance consultants was £12,571,700 in 2003–04 and £7,595,500 to date in 2004–05.

The Department does not retain information on the full-time equivalent consultants these figures represent, or on the number of billed consultant hours. Consultants are appointed on a variety of terms only some of which are based on staff numbers or time. These reasons also prevent us from calculating an average cost per consultant.

The firms employed by the Department over this period were:

Atis Real Weatherall, Atkins Management Consultants, WS Atkins, Aukett, Berwin Leighton Painser, Bullen, Carl Bro IBI, Close Resources, Deloitte, Denton Wilde Sapte, Ernst and Young, Flint and Neill, Halcrow, Hays Accountancy Personnel, Hedra, IBM UK, Jacobs, JKL and Hide Recruitment, John Matchett, Mott MacDonald, MVM Recruitment, Nabarro Nathanson, Office of Government Commerce, Owen Williams, Panell Kerr Forster, Partnerships UK, Pell Frischmann, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Project Management Recruitment, Qinetiq, Turner and Townsend, Willis, Yale Consulting and Yale Data Management Consultants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total external spending by his Department was on public-private partnership (PPP) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. [202429]

The Department for Transport (including Executive Agencies) expenditure on external PPP consultants was £23,995,700 in 2003–04 and £14,377,300 to date in 2004–05. This total includes expenditure on PFI consultants.

The Department does not retain information on the full time equivalent consultants these figures represent, or on the number of billed consultant hours. Consultants are appointed on a variety of terms only some of which are based on staff numbers or time. These reasons also prevent us from calculating an average cost per consultant.

The firms employed by the Department over this period were:

Atis Real Weatherall, Atkins Management Consultants, WS Atkins, Aukett, Berwin Leighton Painser, Bullen, Carl Bro IBI, Citigroup, Close Resources, CMS Cameron McKenna, Credit Suisse First Boston, CTRL Discretionary Purchase Auditor, CTRL Technical Disputes Panel, Deloitte, Denton Wilde Sapte, Dresdener Kleinwort, Ernst & Young, Flint & Neill, Halcrow, Michael Hamilton, Hays Accountancy Personnel, Hedra, Hyder Consulting, IBM UK, KHHD, Jacobs, JKL & Hide Recruitment, John Matchett, Mott MacDonald, Mott Parsons Gibb, MVM Recruitment, Nabarro Nathanson, Office of Government Commerce, Owen Williams, Panell Kerr Forster, Partnerships UK, Pell Frischmann, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Project Management Recruitment, Qinetiq, Turner & Townsend, Willis, Yale Consulting and Yale Data Management Consultants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he takes to advise the public on the possible effects on driving whilst taking (a) benzodiazepines, (b) tricyclic antidepressants and (c) anti histamines; and if he will make a statement. [204022]

Doctors and pharmacists should provide information on the effects on driving when dispensing prescriptions or other medicines. The current licensing system places a legal obligation on the applicant/licence holder to notify The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) of any medical condition which may affect their fitness to drive.

DVLA provides advice to medical professionals through its "At a Glance Guide to the Current Medical Standards of Fitness to Drive", which is available on the Agency's website ( www.dvla.gov.uk).

The Department is presently researching the attitudes of UK health professionals about providing 'fitness-to-drive' advice to the public. This includes an examination of advice given in relation to medication.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last met the Chairman of the Board of the European Railway Agency; and if he will make a statement on (a) the work of the Agency and (b) its relationship to the work of (i) the Strategic Rail Authority, (ii) the Office of the Rail Regulator and (iii) other bodies working within the railway industry which have statutory powers. [204124]

There are no plans to meet the Chairman of the Board of the European Rail Agency.

The principal roles of the European Rail Agency established under Council Regulation 881/2004 are:

to propose draft Technical Specifications on Interoperability (TSIs) (taking over from an industry co-ordinated process);

to propose Common Safety Measures (CSMs) and Common Safety Targets (CSTs) which are brought into force through a comitology process;

to undertake technical examinations on request from the Commission, on the compatibility of new national safety rules with TSIs or CSMs, and to submit an opinion to the Commission if it considers that any rule is incompatible with TSIs or CSMs, or does not allow CSTs to be reached;

to provide, on request, technical opinions on safety-related matters referred to it by national regulatory bodies.

The Agency was effectively only established in May 2004, following the adoption of Regulation 881/2004 on 29 April 2004, and has yet to start work. It is established as an advisory body for the European Commission with no autonomous executive powers, and therefore has no regulatory or statutory role in the UK.

The TSIs, CSMs and CSTs replace existing industry-developed standards methods and targets rather than UK statutory provisions or regulatory roles. Enforcement of compliance with TSIs is the responsibility of the national Safety Authority.

David Waboso from the Strategic Rail Authority is the UK Government's representative on the Administrative Board of the Agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what target his Department sets for the maximum acceptable time to respond in full to a parliamentary question; and what percentage of answers given by his Department failed to meet this target in each parliamentary Session from 1997–98 to 2003–04. [202561]

The effective handling of parliamentary questions is an issue to which I and ministerial colleagues attach great importance.

This Department aims to answer named day questions on the day specified and ordinary written questions within five working days of them appearing on the Order Paper.

The information provided is in respect of the period since the formation of this Department on 29 May 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the trunk road network has been resurfaced with quieter surfaces pursuant to the policy announced on 17 October 2001; and what percentage will be resurfaced in each of the next three years. [203791]

holding answer 9 December 2004

: The Highways Agency estimates that overall 27 per cent. of the trunk road network has been resurfaced with quieter surfaces. The Highways Agency is currently reviewing the programme for quieter surfaces over the next three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the schemes for resurfacing concrete trunk roads with quieter materials which were announced by the Highways Agency on 17 October 2001 have been completed; and at what cost. [203792]

holding answer 9 December 2004

The announcement on 17 October 2001 detailed a list of concrete road schemes planned for resurfacing, together with confirmation that further studies were underway to identify additional sites that met the criteria for quieter surfacing.

19 schemes have been completed at a total cost of £141.6 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the trunk roads with concrete surfaces which have been opened since June 1988; what the results were of noise surveys in respect of each; and whether the actual noise levels recorded were significantly higher than those predicted at the time of the public inquiry. [203993]

holding answer 13 December 2004

The surveys that the Highways Agency undertook on trunk roads with concrete surfaces opened since June 1988 measured the average noise levels arising from vehicles and compared these with the average predicted noise levels used at public inquiry, or public consultation where no inquiry was required. The differences between measurements and predictions for these roads are given in the following table:

The criterion of significance applied to differences in noise levels is 3 dB and this criterion was met by eight of the roads surveyed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's publicity budget for road safety is in the current year; and what his Department's expenditure on road safety publicity was in each of the last seven years. [203989]

holding answer 13 December 2004

The Department's publicity budget for road safety has increased from circa £6 million in 1997 to a budget of £14.1 million in this fiscal year, reflecting the increased commitment to publicity outlined in "Tomorrow's Roads Safer for Everyone" which was published in 2000 and set out the Government's road safety strategy and casualty reduction targets for 2010.

The current Department for Transport was created in May 2002. Road safety publicity figures to support the THINK! road safety campaign were £14.9 million and £13.4 million in 2003–04 and 2002–03 respectively. Given Departmental reorganisations, individual figures for each of the last seven years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents resulted in (a) death and (b) serious injury in the most recent year for which figures are available; and in how many cases (i) the victim was aged under 15 and (ii) a driver over the age of 70 was involved. [203904]

In 2003, there were 3,247 road traffic accidents that resulted in at least one fatality. Of these, 269 involved at least one casualty aged under 15, and 251 involved at least one driver or rider aged over 70.

There were 28,913 road traffic accidents in 2003 that resulted in at least one serious injury (but no fatalities). Of these, 3,847 involved at least one casualty aged under 15, and 1,129 involved at least one driver or rider aged over 70.

Personal injury road accident data in Great Britain are collected by the police and reported to the Department using the STATS 19 accident report format. Results are published in detail in "Road Casualties Great Britain—Annual Report". The report for 2003 was published on 30 September 2004 and a copy placed in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what proportion of road traffic accidents the victim was (a) a pedestrian and (b) a cyclist in the last period for which figures are available, broken down by age. [203905]

The information requested is shown in the following tables.

Accidents involving at least one pedestrian casualty: GB 2003 -- Accidents/Percentage

⁽³⁾ Accidents involving pedestrian casualties as a percentage of all accidents involving a casualty of that age group.

Accidents involving at least one pedal cyclist casualty: GB 2003 -- Accidents/Percentage

⁽⁴⁾ Accidents involving pedal cyclists casualties as a percentage of all accidents involving a casualty of that age group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his latest estimate is of the number of (a) fatal, (b) serious and (c) non-serious injuries thought to have been caused by mobile phone use by (i) cyclists and (ii) other road users in a year. [203956]

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the powers under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 to carry out roadside drug tests will be utilised; and if he will make a statement. [203990]

holding answer 13 December 2004

Section 6B(2) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (as amended by the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003) requires the Secretary of State to issue a Code of Practice that trained police officers must use when administering roadside preliminary impairment testing, such as the 'walk and turn test'. This will be issued shortly to all police forces in Great Britain and will enable them to require drivers to take part in such testing, which is designed to help officers reach a judgment whether a driver may be impaired.

The police will be further assisted in dealing with suspect drivers when they are able to undertake preliminary testing at the roadside for the presence of drugs under section 6C of the Act. That requires equipment that must be type approved. The specification for type approval is in preparation by the Home Office who hope that it will be finalised in the first half of next year. Once devices are type approved, the police will be able to use them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people killed in motor accidents in each of the last 10 years had illegal drugs present in their body at the time of the accident; and how many of these were (a) vehicle drivers, (b) vehicle passengers, (c) motor cyclists, (d) cyclists and (e) pedestrians. [203991]

holding answer 13 December 2004

This information is not collected by the police. A study by TRL Ltd. on behalf of the Department and published in 2000 surveyed a sample of fatal road accident victims for the presence of drugs, and alcohol, from 1996 to 2000. That gave figures for the victims covered by the study where traces of any drugs (legal and illegal) were found in their body. The figures reproduced in the table are taken from that study. The presence of drugs is not evidence of accident causation, though there may be an association. The full report (TRL495) is available on-line at www.trl.co.uk/1024/mainpage.asp?page=141.

All drug use: by road user group

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport

(1) how much public expenditure has been spent in each financial year since 1997–98 on search and rescue activities, broken down by (a) civil aeronautical and (b) maritime activities; [201204]

(2) how many members of staff were working in each financial year since 1997–98 on search and rescue activities, broken down by (a) civil aeronautical and (b) maritime activities. [201205]

The Department for Transport has overall policy responsibility for both maritime and civil aeronautical search and rescue in the UK search and rescue region. The organisation of search and rescue is an amalgam of civil, military, maritime and aeronautical assets. The difficulty of separating these different aspects should be borne in mind when considering this answer.

The public expenditure for maritime search and rescue is given in the following table for the period since the Maritime and Coastguard Agency was established. The very substantial contributions to maritime search and rescue made by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution are not included.

⁽⁵⁾ Capital expenditure is not included.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency had the following numbers of staff working on maritime search and rescue activities.

Number

⁽⁶⁾ All available uniformed coastguards , full-time equivalents.

Note:

These are the average numbers of staff employed during the year. The data for 1997–98 refer to HM Coastguard.

The Ministry of Defence provides declared search and rescue facilities to cover military operations, exercises and training with the UK Search and Rescue Region. Although these resources are established for military purposes, it is the Ministry's policy to render assistance whenever possible to other persons, aircraft or vessels in distress. In addition to the expenditure given above my Department reimburses the Ministry of Defence for the costs of using some of its military assets for civil aeronautical and maritime search and rescue. Since 1998–99 this has amounted to an average of £1.7 million each year.

The Department does not fully distinguish between public expenditure on civil aeronautical and maritime search and rescue. Additionally, the Ministry of Defence make further contributions to civil aeronautical and maritime search and rescue but the data is not held centrally, and to calculate it could only be done at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether departmental special advisers have made speeches in their official capacity since May 1997. [203494]

The Department was formed in May 2002. Since then, special advisers have not given any speeches in their official capacity. If speeches were to be made these would be conducted in accordance with the Code of Conduct for special advisers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on the increases in car park charges at rail stations run by South Eastern Trains; and if he will make a statement. [203018]

The Secretary of State and the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) have received correspondence about car park charges at stations run by South Eastern Trains. While certain key fares are regulated through the SRA's franchise agreements with train operators, car parking charges are not. The Government therefore have no locus in the matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much per commuter mile was paid by Thameslink to the Government in each of the last three years; what the total payments from Thameslink have been in each of the last three years; if he will change the contractual arrangements with Thameslink so that such contributions from commuters are not required; and if he will make a statement. [203640]