To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Indian Prime Minister on the effects of the recent tsunami in India; [208891]

I have had no discussions with the Indian Prime Minister on the tsunami. Officials have of course been in contact with their Indian counterparts.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many items of civil service property within her Department are unaccounted for, broken down by type. [205583]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 17 January 2005, Official Report, column. 769W.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many tenders were let by his Department to external suppliers in financial year 2003–04; and what the value was. [209114]

The information on contracts awarded by the Cabinet Office cannot be obtained in the format required without incurring disproportionate costs.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants from the Cabinet Office have (a) faced disciplinary proceedings as a result of allegations of theft, (b) been charged with theft and (c) been dismissed following theft allegations in each year since 1997. [206403]

No Cabinet Office civil servants faced disciplinary proceedings or were charged or dismissed following theft during the period 1998–2004.

No information is available for 1997.

To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases were referred to Essex Crown Prosecution Service in each year from 2000; and in how many cases a decision to prosecute was made. [206934]

The following table shows the numbers of defendants' files submitted to CPS for the relevant years together with the total numbers of defendants prosecuted by CPS Essex.

The number of cases completed in any one year is unlikely to match the number received as incomplete cases are carried over, and dealt with, in subsequent years.

To ask the Solicitor-General how many requests the Attorney-General's office has received to date for the Attorney-General's advice to Government, and its preceding iterations, on the legality of invading Iraq. [208239]

As at 18 January 2005, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers has received 18 requests under the Freedom of Information Act for the advice given by the Attorney-General on the legality of the use of force against Iraq and related documents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the cost of refurbishments in his Department was in each year since 1997; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06. [205675]

The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. No refurbishment projects have been undertaken from that date and there is no planned expenditure for 2005–06.

There is an essential maintenance programme currently under way at Dover House, the Scotland Office headquarters building in London.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many credit cards for official expenditure are held by his Department. [206436]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many days sick leave were taken by civil servants in the Department in each year since 1997; and what the sickness absence rate was in each year. [204515]

The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.

Details of sick leave and absence rates for the Scotland Office are contained in "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service 2003" published by the Cabinet Office. The publication of the 2003 report was announced by written ministerial statement on 1 November 2004,Official Report, 1WS, copies of which were placed in the Libraries of the House.

The Scotland Office is committed to managing sickness absence effectively and to putting in place the recommendations of the recently published "Managing Sickness Absence in the Public Sector".

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many gyms are available to the staff in the Department; and what the cost of providing them was in the last year for which figures are available. [204369]

Staff of the Scotland Office have access to facilities in the buildings of the Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Scottish Executive. There is no cost to the Office for the use of these facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48-hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under Working Time Regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case. [204137]

The Working Time Regulations provide workers with the protection of a limit of an average of 48 hours a week working time over a fixed period, normally 17 weeks. Managers in the Scotland Office monitor staff working to identify those who may be close to or surpassing these limits but weekly records of hours worked are not routinely retained. No ministerial private office staff in the Office have signed a waiver under the Working Time Regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support the Government are offering the film industry in the North East. [209534]

In 2004–05, the Government-funded UK Film Council provided £400,000 grant in aid support to Northern Film and Media (NFM), the Regional Screen Agency for the North East. NFM also received £390,000 of Lottery funding. This money, together with contributions from other funding agencies, was spent on promoting and building a vibrant and sustainable moving image industry in the North East.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the contracts signed by her special advisers differ from the Model Contract for Special Advisers. [207275]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17 January 2005, Official Report, column 753W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales Government on proposals for changes to emergency services provision in Wales. [209934]

I discuss a wide range of issues with Assembly Ministers, including the emergency services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many homeless households on average were in (a) temporary accommodation and (b) bed and breakfast accommodation in Wales in each year from 1990–91 to the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales. [207968]

The information requested is shown in the following table.

Homeless households accommodated temporarily on 31 December ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

⁽¹⁾ 1990–96 data relate to the period when cases of homelessness were dealt with under the Housing Act 1985

⁽²⁾ From 1997 onwards cases are dealt with under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996. Households found to be eligible unintentionally homeless and in priority need.

⁽³⁾ Figures exclude the estimated 2,000 households made homeless in Colwyn as a result of the major flooding incident in February 1990, for whom no breakdown by action of local authority is available.

⁽⁴⁾ Figures exclude the estimated 237 households made homeless in Aberconwy as a result of the flooding incident in Llandudno during June 1993, for whom no breakdown by action of local authority is available

Source:

Welsh Office/Welsh Assembly WHO12 returns number

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the Ministerial engagements (a) out of London and (b) in London that he has cancelled since 1 January 2004. [209229]

There is no record kept of cancelled engagements in Wales Office Ministers' diaries. When engagements have had to be cancelled, wherever possible we try to re-instate them at a later date. All engagements are subject to ministerial and parliamentary business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many public swimming pools there are in Wales. [208792]

In November 2004 there were 129 public swimming pools in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what effect she expects the removal of Varroosis from the list of notifiable diseases to have on the health of (a) feral and (b) non-feral colonies of bees. [208365]

Removing Varroosis from the list of notifiable diseases is not expected to have any significant impact on bee health as the disease has been endemic in the UK for several years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her assessment is of the state of the honey industry in the UK; and how she expects it to change in the next five years. [208367]

In recent years, the value of honey production in the UK has fluctuated between £10 million and £35 million per annum. Production has ranged between 3,000 and 7,500 tonnes per annum. The contribution of the honey industry to the agricultural economy is difficult to measure since productivity depends on a range of factors. But, subject to the influence of environmental conditions, such as the weather and available flora, bee health and the interest in the craft of beekeeping, no marked change is expected in the next five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what she estimates to be the contribution made by the beekeeping industry to the agricultural economy; and what assessment she has made of how it will be affected by the proposed cut in the budget of the National Bee Unit for 2005–06. [208368]

An independent assessment, undertaken in 2001, estimated the value of beekeeping in England to the agricultural economy at around £120 million per annum. The proposed reduction in Defra's budget for the National Bee Unit will not apply until 2008. We are working with beekeeping associations to minimise any risks associated with this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent reports the Department has assessed relating to the reduction in the number of species of birds in the United Kingdom and the implications for the bird population of the United Kingdom. [207868]

Defra annually monitors the numbers of a whole range of birds, through the breeding bird survey. This survey, conducted and funded jointly by the British Trust for Ornithology, the RSPB and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, assesses trends in the numbers of common species of birds across the country. A range of other surveys, funded by these organisations, assesses trends in scarcer species. Annual reports are produced for each of the surveys, but summary information derived from them is contained in the report "The State of the UK's Birds 2003"¹ , which was published in July 2004.

This report revealed:

The UK wild bird indicator, a barometer of the fortunes of breeding birds in the UK, for all species showed a slight decline between 2000 and 2002, but has stayed relatively stable since the early 1980s.

Continuing decreases in species such as the lesser spotted woodpecker, willow tit and wood warbler.

Considerable mixed fortunes in the trends in commoner breeding birds with decreases in populations of turtle doves, corn buntings, house sparrows and starlings, but short term increases in tree sparrows, stone chats and kingfishers.

The report recognised encouraging progress towards meeting species' targets in the UK biodiversity action plan where concerted conservation action has resulted in increases in numbers of bitterns, corncrakes, stone-curlews and cirl buntings—all species that were at serious risk of extinction as recently as the mid-1990s. Whilst there is no reason for complacency, indications are that the dramatic rate of long-term decline in overall bird populations may have been halted.

¹ Eaton M.A., Noble D.G., Cranswick P.A., Carter N., Wotton S., Ratcliffe N., Wilson A., Hilton G.M., and Gregory R.D., 2004. The State of the UK's Birds 2003. BTO, the RSPB and WWT, Sandy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list countries in which there are confirmed cases of BSE; and whether export controls have been put in place (a) voluntarily and (b) compulsorily in each case. [208267]

The following countries have reported confirmed cases of BSE in indigenous cattle.

EU member states

UK

Italy

Austria

Luxembourg

Belgium

Netherlands

Denmark

Portugal

Finland

Spain

France

Czech Republic

Germany

Poland

Greece

Slovakia

Ireland

Slovenia

Non-EU countries

Switzerland

Liechtenstein

Canada

Israel

Japan

In addition, one case identified in the USA was imported from Canada.

Portugal and the UK have had an export ban imposed by EU law as a result of a high incidence of BSE. The ban on exports of cattle and their products from Portugal was lifted in December last year following the satisfactory demonstration by the Portuguese authorities to the EU Commission of adequate BSE controls and reduced BSE incidence. We have not been notified of any voluntary export controls by any of the countries listed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date a Government Minister was first informed of the existence of the video of Burnside Farm taken by Northumberland Trading Standards on 24 February 2001. [200215]

holding answer 29 November 2005

My noble Friend the Under-Secretary and my hon. Friend, the Minister of State saw extracts of the video when they were shown widely in the television news media at the time of Robert Waugh's trial in May 2002. The video was brought to Ministers' attention again as a result of the recent interest in it that was generated by pig swill campaigners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department possessed a copy of the video of Burnside Farm taken by Northumberland Trading Standards on 24 February 2001; and when the decision not to provide the video to the Anderson Inquiry was taken. [200217]

holding answer 29 November 2005

Defra has no record of being sent a copy of the video by Northumberland county council before February 2003. The report of the Lessons to be Learned Inquiry, chaired by Dr. lain Anderson, was published on 22 July 2002. Eye-witness evidence collected at Burnside Farm at the same time as the video was taken was provided to the Anderson Inquiry.

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

(1) whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the (i) Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and (ii) her Department had been informed of the existence of the (A) James Dring Report, (B) Northumberland Trading Standards video and report, (C) scientific test samples sent to Pirbright and (D) results of those test samples, in respect of the Burnside Farm, Heddon-on-the-Wall, foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001, (1) prior to and (2) during the period of the Dr. Iain Anderson FMD Inquiry in 2001–02; [202036]

(2) whether the (a) James Dring Report, (b) Northumberland Trading Standards video and report, (c) scientific test samples sent to Pirbright and (d) results of those test samples in respect of the Burnside Farm, Heddon-on-the-Wall, foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001 were (i) supplied to the Chairman of the Lessons to be Learned Inquiry in 2001 and (ii) the subject of minuted informal meetings in (A) the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and (B) her Department in (1) 2001 and (2) 2002; [202037]

(3) what assessment was made of the suitability of the (a) James Dring Report, (b) Northumberland Trading Standards video and report, (c) scientific test samples sent to Pirbright and (d) results of those test samples in respect of the Burnside Farm, Heddon-on-the-Wall, foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001, to be forwarded to Dr Iain Anderson for his inquiry in 2001–02. [202038]

Ministers were briefed about and had access to Mr. Dring's personal statement in the week beginning 8 March 2004. Officials knew about Mr. Dring's statement prior to and during the period of the FMD 2001: Lessons to be Learned Inquiry, chaired by Dr. Iain Anderson

Mr. Dring's personal statement was not submitted to the Lessons to be Learned Inquiry, as there was concern that the contents would have been prejudicial to Mr. Waugh's trial at which Mr. Dring was a witness of fact, rather than an expert witness, had the statement received publicity beforehand. The contemporaneous notes of Mr. Dring's visits to Burnside were given to Dr. Anderson. Mr. Dring also contributed fully to the investigations on the origins of the foot-and mouth (FMD) outbreak 2001, submitted by the then Chief Veterinary Officer to the Inquiry. This Origins of FMD report was based on wide-ranging evidence and rigorous investigation and was published by Dr. Anderson. Defra has no record of minutes of informal meetings being made or submitted to the inquiry.

Ministers and Dr. Anderson have said it was regrettable that the Mr. Dring's statement was not sent to the inquiry. However, Dr. Anderson has stated that had he seen Mr. Dring's statement at that time it would not have changed any conclusions or recommendations of his inquiry.

The circumstances surrounding Mr. Dring's visit to Burnside Farm were discussed with the Lessons Learned Inquiry Team on 4 March 2002; a note of the meeting was also published by Dr. Anderson.

Defra has known about the video since it was first being made in so far as a Veterinary Officer was present on Burnside Farm on 24 February 2001, when filming took place. We have no record of Ministers being expressly informed of the existence of the video until recently. The Under-Secretary became aware of the video when extracts were shown in the television news media at the time of Robert Waugh's trial in May 2002. It was brought to Ministers' attention again as a result of the media and parliamentary interest in the video that was generated by theFarmers Weekly in October this year. I am not aware of any associated report written by Northumberland county council.

The report of the FMD 2001: Lessons to be Learned Inquiry, chaired by Dr. Iain Anderson, was published on 22 July 2002. Defra has no record of being sent a copy of the video by Northumberland county council before February 2003. Northumberland county council did not release any copies of the video before the trial of Mr. Waugh in May 2002, after Dr. Anderson had stopped receiving evidence for his Lessons to be Learned Inquiry.

Officials were aware made aware of the scientific tests results on the samples taken at Burnside Farm, as soon they were available, resulting in Defra confirming disease on Burnside farm on 23 February. Details of the samples and the results of the tests are set out in the Origins of FMD report submitted to the Anderson Inquiry.

As set out in the Origins of FMD report, samples were taken at Burnside Farm on 22 February, which included epithelium samples from two pigs and 20 blood samples taken from other pigs on the premises. On 24 February further sampling was carried out when FMD experts from the Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright and an epidemiological team from Defra visited the farm. 88 per cent. of the 241 pigs blood sampled on that day were seropositive for FMD Type O antibodies.

I would also refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on 13 December about the video of Burnside Farm.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department first received (a) a video and (b) other documentary evidence from Northumberland Trading Standards Department in respect of the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak at Heddon-on-the-Wall. [202040]

Defra has no record of being sent a copy of the video by Northumberland county council before February 2003. We have not received any other documentary evidence from the council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many items of civil service property within her Department are unaccounted for, broken down by type. [205569]

The information supplied within the following tables does not include property lost or stolen from executive agencies. Data are only available from 2001–02, as the Department did not exist prior to that year.

In addition to the data given here, a number of cage traps have been damaged or lost as a result of action by animal right activists, and the calculated value since 2001–02 amounts to about £60,000.

The three attached tables comprise a summary sheet for the three years since the Department's inception supported by a workings sheet and detailed inventory of individual items.

Summary of items stolen or lost for years 2001–04

Items stolen or lost analysed by year and category

Inventory of items stolen or lost for years 2001–04

⁽⁵⁾ Not delivered.

⁽⁶⁾ Damage

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the hon. Member for Scunthorpe will reply to the letter of 1 September 2004 from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire. [207980]

I responded to the hon. Member on 12 January 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where the UK ranks in the Environmental Sustainability Index; and what the rankings are of other EU countries. [208224]

The UK ranks 91st in the current 2002 Environmental Sustainability Index. The ranks for other EU countries are shown in the table. We understand that an updated index is to be published by the end of February.

The UK and other countries believe this index is flawed and potentially misleading. It is an aggregated indicator that aims to weigh together many components into a single overall measure of "environmental sustainability", an approach that as yet is not scientifically robust. The choice of the components, and the way in which they are weighted together is largely subjective. A different choice of components or weights would give different results—amply illustrated by the fact that the previous edition of this index, based on a different selection of components, placed the UK 16th. Furthermore, there are still many areas where data are not sufficiently comparable between countries, or are simply not available and have been imputed. It should also be noted that the variables in this index tend to measure circumstances at a single point in time rather than trends or changes, therefore to the extent the index measures anything at all, it is based on the environmental situation which a country faces rather than its progress or performance in improving environmental sustainability.

2002 Environmental sustainability index rankings by EU country

Source:

Global Leaders of Tomorrow Task Force of the World Economic Forum in association with Yale Centre for Environmental Law and Policy and Columbia University www.ciesin.columbia.edu/indicators/ESI.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the infrastructure proceedings pending against the UK Government arising from the failure to comply with EU environmental directives, indicating those which relate exclusively to (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland. [208417]

I assume the hon. Member means infraction proceedings pending against the UK Government. At present there are three cases pending at the European Court of Justice on environmental directives, none of which is related exclusively to England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

The three cases are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) tonnage and (b) value of food was dumped by the food industry in landfill sites or incinerated because it had passed the sell-by date in the last year for which figures are available. [208200]

The data are not available in the form requested. The Government are currently consulting on a waste data strategy, designed to improve the quality of waste data in the interests of all potential users.

The Environment Agency's National Waste Production Survey (NWPS) of 20,000 businesses, conducted in 1998–99, produced the following estimates in respect of food waste:

However these figures only relate to that fraction of the waste that is definitely food. A considerable amount of food waste was also contained within the general and biodegradable category. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) estimate that the amount of food waste produced by the hotel and restaurant sector, for example, could be as high as 3 million tonnes per year.

From 1 January 2006 the Animal By-Products Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 will prohibit the use of landfill for the disposal of former foodstuffs containing material of animal origin which originate in food manufacturing and retail premises. Also, I understand that a number of multiple retailers have voluntary initiatives in place to make use of unsold food products.

The Government support diverting foodstuffs away from landfill and provides funding for various measures that offer value-for-money in terms of diverting waste from landfill.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to reduce food miles. [206814]

Defra has commissioned research on the impact of food transportation. The report of the study of "The Validity of Food Miles as an Indicator of Sustainable Development" will be published soon. I will write to my hon. Friend to inform him when the report is published.

Defra has also contributed funding, along with other stakeholders, to a Transport 2000 study to model various transport distribution scenarios for a 'basket' of three food products. The study examined whether a shift to sourcing these products more locally would lead to greater or fewer CO₂ emissions in the supply chain overall. Transport 2000 has recently published the results of this work in "Wise Moves—exploring the relationship between food, transport and CO ₂ ".

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the proposals outlined in the Haskins Report on the budget of the National Bee Unit; and if she will make a statement. [208002]

The Haskins Report made no proposals concerning the budget of the National Bee Unit, though this provision was one identified in Defra's Activity Baseline Review as an area where 20 per cent. savings (equivalent to £250,000 p.a.) could be realised from 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to change staffing levels at the Central Science Laboratory's National Bee Unit. [209184]

Staffing levels at the National Bee Unit will be affected by a reduction of 20 per cent. in funding for the Defra bee health programme from 2008. Detailed decisions are a matter for the Central Science Laboratory but we anticipate the reduction will impact most on seasonal bee inspectors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason an incorrect answer was given on 9 November to the hon. Member for South-East Cambridgeshire in reply to question 194308 in the last Session of Parliament. [200216]

holding answer 29 November 2005

Because it was based on the information available at the time. Further investigation revealed that two Defra officials were sent copies of the video by Northumberland county council at the beginning of February 2003. I corrected my answer to question 194008 as soon as I was informed of this in my pursuant answer to the hon. Member on 18 November 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what sanctions can be used against local authorities which have failed to test private water supplies for pesticides since 1991. [208310]

Local authorities have a duty in section 77 Water Industry Act 1991, to keep themselves informed of the wholesomeness and sufficiency of public and private water supplies to premises in their areas.

In addition, authorities have a duty in the Private Water Supplies Regulations 1991 to monitor at prescribed frequencies for pesticides in larger supplies, and to monitor for pesticides in smaller supplies from time to time in order to ascertain and record the extent to which pesticides are present.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate have inspected some local authorities' arrangements for monitoring private water supplies, including collation of information gathered about monitoring for pesticides.

Local authorities are subject to the courts' judicial control. It is for an individual affected to bring proceedings in appropriate circumstances.

An individual can also apply to the Local Government Ombudsman if he or she has an unresolved complaint.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research she has recently (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the ability of local authorities (i) to fund and (ii) to manage a 24 hour stray dog service, with particular reference to setting the level of fines for breaches of dog control orders. [208336]

The Local Government Association is currently evaluating the cost to local authorities of assuming sole responsibility for stray dogs, and any transfer of responsibility for dealing with stray dogs at night from the police to local authorities will be accompanied by an appropriate transfer of resources. Local authorities will not be expected to fund additional responsibilities for stray dogs from receipts from fixed penalties issued for breach of dog control orders.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much correspondence and of what nature, the Department has received in each of the last three years for which figures are available from producers and suppliers in respect of their relationship with large supermarket companies, with particular reference to contracts and the relationships throughout the supply chain. [208806]

Over the last three years the Department has received various pieces of correspondence from producers and suppliers on a range of subjects that will have mentioned in various context matters to do with their relations with large supermarket companies. However, the Department does not maintain a record of the amount of such correspondence received.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress on the Government programme for use of timber products which are legal and sustainably grown. [209377]

In July 2000 the Government made a commitment that its central Departments and their executive agencies would seek to purchase their timber and timber products from legal and sustainable sources. Since then the Government has commissioned research and advice on implementing this policy, undertaken consultation with stakeholders, raised the awareness of central Departments, promoted the policy to the wider public sector, published guidance and commenced the development of a central point of expertise on timber (CPET).

The Sustainable Development in Government Reports provide an indication of the progress being made by central Departments in England. The Third Annual Report 2004 reveals that certified products accounted for 71 per cent. of the money spent on construction timber and 78 per cent. of the money spent on manufactured timber products during the financial year 2003–04. Much of the uncertified timber purchased was supplied with some evidence of legal and sustainable sources. For the preceding financial year 2002–03 Departments reported that certified products accounted for approximately 50 per cent. of their spend on all timber products and that there was some evidence that much of the uncertified timber came from legal and sustainable sources.

The CPET is being developed in phases. Phase 1 was completed in November 2004 and provided an assessment of the extent to which five forest certification schemes provide Government buyers with assurance that legal and sustainable timber has been procured. Phase 2 of CPET will provide a help line service for public sector buyers and their suppliers. A pilot scheme is currently in operation and will provide information that will assist the Government in developing a full service. The Government expects the Phase 2 Help Line service to be operational before autumn 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will incorporate social criteria involving impacts on indigenous forest people into official programmes for responsible timber use. [209378]

The Government's timber procurement policy is aimed, in part, at helping to improve the well being of forest dependent peoples throughout the world. The Government is asking its timber suppliers to provide independent verification that their timber was legally harvested and preferably grown in well-managed forests. In many producing countries the forest laws will help to protect indigenous people's rights, customs and livelihoods. The application of certification scheme standards and equivalent standards that provide assurance of sustainable forest management will add to that protection in many instances.

The Government does not place contractual obligations on its suppliers to take direct action to protect indigenous people because the Government understands that to do so would be in contravention of EU procurement directives. EU procurement law prohibits the specification of criteria that are not strictly relevant to the performance of a contract. Specifications must relate to what is being procured rather than to the people or undertakings that produce what is being procured.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of municipal waste was (a) composted, (b) recycled and (c) sent to incineration facilities in (i) 2000–2001, (ii) 2001–02 and (iii) 2002–03; and what the equivalent figures were for (A) France, (B) Denmark, (C) the Netherlands, (D) Germany and (E) Austria. [206827]

The available data are shown as follows.

Municipal waste

n/a = Not available.

Note:

Waste statistics on EU countries are from the Eurostat website which can be accessed through http://europa.eu.int.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on average, how many kilograms of waste were (a) recycled, (b) diverted from landfill and (c) sent to energy from waste facilities per household in (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) Austria, (iii) Germany, (iv) Denmark and (v) Sweden in the last year for which figures are available. [206843]

The latest available data are shown as follows:

Notes:

1. Figures are shown per capita which is the usual basis for international comparisons.

2. Waste statistics on EU countries are available from the Eurostat website which can be accessed through http://europa.eu.int.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will make an announcement on the operation of the Waste Performance Reward Grant for 2005–06. [209154]

holding answer 17 January 2005

On 9 December 2004 Defra announced a three-year targeted waste performance and efficiency grant of £260 million to support new and more efficient ways to deliver waste reduction, increase recycling and diversion from landfill. As announced in Defra's five year strategy on 8 December 2004, £5 million of the 2005–06 allocation will focus specifically on local authority incentives for households to recycle and reduce waste. This Grant replaces the waste performance reward grant. Details of the grant, including allocations to individual local authorities, were made available on 9 December, and no further announcements are planned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average monthly cost to consumers is of (a) water services and (b) sewerage services in each water supply area in 2004–05 (i) in total and (ii) broken down by those who were (A) metered and (B) unmetered. [208226]

The following table shows the information for both metered and unmetered customers for water and sewerage services broken down by undertaker and in total. The figures are estimates based on forecast data provided to Ofwat by companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the size of the army will be after the proposed re-organisation; and what it was in 1997. [208418]

The strength of the Army, including the Gurkhas, will remain broadly as it is today at around 103,500 until full normalisation is achieved in Northern Ireland, when we expect it to reduce to around 102,000.

The corresponding figure for April 1997 was 101,360.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to require prior parliamentary approval of the placement of US interceptor missiles within British military bases. [207210]

There has been no request from the United States Government to base interceptor missiles anywhere in the United Kingdom. It has not been the practice of successive administrations to seek parliamentary approval for decisions of this type. The Government would in any case seek to ensure that Parliament had adequate opportunity for debate on issues relating to missile defence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) retained sites in Cyprus which the United Kingdom has returned since the written answer of 16 January 1995, Official Report, column 373W and (b) the location and function of each remaining retained site in Cyprus. [208428]

holding answer17 January 2005

The Larnaca bombing range is the only site that has been returned to the Republic of Cyprus since January 1995. This is identified as Serial B.8 on page 29 of the 1960 treaty documents, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

The location and function of the remaining retained sites are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what regulations Commander David Axon was removed from HMS Somerset in November 2004; what charges were laid against him; what procedures were adopted to hear and adjudicate on these charges; and what actions were taken as a result. [208753]

Commander David Axon was removed from command of HMS Somerset in December 2004 under regulation BR 8373, Article 2026, following allegations which constituted a breach of equal opportunities policy.

The findings and recommendations of the investigation were considered and acted upon in accordance with the procedures defined within BR 8373, Articles 2027 and 2028.

Commander Axon has now been re-appointed to a non-command post ashore.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether dolphins have been (a) used and (b) kept by the UK armed forces since 1975. [209470]

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a decision has been made on the future of the remaining Meteor jet at Llanbedr airfield. [208794]

Yes. The Ministry of Defence's Disposal Services Agency sold the aircraft by competitive tender in November 2004 to Everett Engineers of Sproughton, Ipswich.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which infantry regiments have the best record of retained manpower in the last 12 months. [208831]

I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial Army medical personnel (a) have been and (b) are deployed in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [207904]

1,325 Territorial Army (TA) medical personnel have been called up in support of operations in Iraq, and there are currently 75 TA medical personnel serving in Iraq.

These figures include members of the Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Army Dental Corps and Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) stopped searching for Iraqi weapons of mass destruction; what proportion of the ISG's cost was met by the United Kingdom; and what the total United Kingdom financial commitment, including salaries of British personnel involved, was to the ISG. [209160]

Following the conclusions of the comprehensive report of the special adviser to the Director Central Intelligence published on 30 September 2004, the Iraq Survey Group is no longer conducting an active programme of field investigations into weapons of mass destruction, but it does continue to investigate information relating to WMD as it becomes available.

The net additional cost of activities undertaken by UK personnel attached to the ISG has been met by the UK and is included in the published costs of Operation Telic. It is not possible to identify the net additional costs related solely to the work of the UK personnel in the ISG, or the proportion of total costs met by the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to investigate allegations of bullying and sexual assault made by former Coldstream Guardsman Jake Shrof. [208386]

An investigation into these allegations was carried out by the Royal Military Police. The resulting report and supporting evidence was considered by the Army Prosecuting Authority who determined that there was insufficient evidence to direct trial by court martial.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to review the financial resources available to the Meteorological Office; and if he will make a statement. [208875]

The Meteorological Office is a trading fund within the Ministry of Defence. It receives revenue through two main channels.

The Government centrally funds the National Met Programme, which underpins the UK's meteorological capability. The programme and the resources required are agreed annually with the Met Office. The programme and the Met Office's performance is kept under review by an independent group of commissioners who represent the interests of all stakeholder departments. The commissioners report directly to me on a biannual basis, and contribute to the overall financial planning and resource allocation processes in the Ministry of Defence.

It receives the second directly from customers in the public and private sectors, on agreed contractual terms. It is a matter for individual customer departments to keep the funds for their Met Office services under review in the course of normal business.

In addition, the Met Office can if required seek loans or similar types of one-off financial support from the Ministry of Defence, as its parent department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what disciplinary action has been taken against Private Terence Morrison in connection with the attempted murder of a 14-year-old boy in Belfast on 6 November 2004; and in what regiment Private Morrison serves. [208866]

This incident is subject to an investigation by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and it would be inappropriate to comment further. In accordance with data protection legislation, it is not our policy to confirm the unit in which a named individual is serving.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the factors were that influenced his decision to locate at RAF Aldegrove the court martial of six Royal Marine instructors facing assault charges connected with their conduct at Lympstone, Devon. [208857]

The Military Court Centre at Aldergrove was deemed to be the most appropriate venue to accommodate this trial. It is a purpose built courtroom with modern facilities and is sufficiently large enough to handle a trial involving six defendants, their counsel and numerous witnesses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many days sick leave were taken by civil servants in the Department in each year since 1997; and what the sickness absence rate was in each year. [204511]

The following tables show the numbers of days of sickness absence for non-industrials and industrials in the Ministry of Defence since 1997.

Number of days' sickness absence and the sickness absence rate for non-industrial civil servants in the Ministry of Defence 1997–2003 and financial year 2003–04

⁽⁷⁾ Excludes non-industrial Ministry of Defence staff in Trading Funds and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. Rates are from the Annual Report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service" which is published by the Cabinet Office.

⁽⁸⁾ Excludes non-industrial Ministry of Defence staff in Trading Funds and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. Rates are from UK Defence Statistics 2004 Table 2.35. Excludes obvious outliers.

⁽⁹⁾ The number of sickness days' absent is calculated using a staff year, which constitutes 225 working days (365 days less bank holidays, weekends and average annual leave) and corresponds to a full-time employee who has been continuously employed throughout the year. Those employees who have worked for only part of a year will be recorded as having worked a fraction of a staff year. For part-time staff, the staff year figure is based on the number of hours worked as a proportion of full-time hours.

⁽¹⁰⁾ Sickness absence days and rates are based on FTE working days lost. For example, if a part-time employee (working 50 per cent. full-time hours) is sick for seven calendar days, this is five working days lost and 2.5 FTE working days lost.

⁽¹¹⁾ There is no sickness absence information for non-industrial Ministry of Defence staff available for 2001 for data quality reasons.

Number of days' sickness absence and the sickness absence rate for industrial civil servants in the Ministry of Defence1997–2003 and financial year 2003–04

⁽¹²⁾ Sickness absence days and rates are based on FTE working days lost. For example, if a part-time employee (working 50 per cent. full-time hours) is sick for seven calendar days, this is five working days lost and 2.5 FTE working days lost.

⁽¹³⁾ Excludes industrial Ministry of Defence Staff in Trading Funds and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. Sickness absence records for industrial staff are not as robust as for non-industrial staff and the early years are marked as provisional.

⁽¹⁴⁾ Excludes industrial Ministry of Defence Staff in Trading Funds and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. Rates are from UK Defence Statistics 2004 Table 2.35. Excludes obvious outliers.

⁽¹⁵⁾ There is no sickness absence information for industrial Ministry of Defence staff available for 2000 for data quality reasons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers have participated in adventure training exercises in Tanzania since 10 November 2004; and from which regiments. [208384]

Some nine members of the Light Dragoons participated in adventurous training in Tanzania between 11–16 November 2004. There has been no further adventurous training undertaken by the British Army in the country since that date.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken to promote the integration of rail and cycle travel, with particular reference to off-peak periods; and what mechanisms exist for co-ordinating transport and public health policies in respect of cycling. [208521]

We expect train operators and Network Rail to encourage bike and rail journeys in order to enable the bicycle to be used as part of a longer journey and to reduce car use. The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) published their Cycling Policy last year. The policy states that: