To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact of the new deal in Nottingham, North. [218096]

The new deal has succeeded in helping more than 1.2 million people into work, including more than 3,000 people in Nottingham, North. It has helped to reduce long-term adult unemployment by 82 per cent. and long-term youth unemployment by 68 per cent. in my hon. Friend's constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Coventry receive attendance allowance. [218097]

Some 8,200 people in Coventry were receiving attendance allowance on 31 August 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the latest take-up rates for income-related benefits. [218098]

Office for National Statistics data for the period 2002–03 were published on 8 February. The figures predate the introduction of pension credit. Nearly 1.8 million households were getting the minimum income guarantee in October 2003, but by December last year, over 2.6 million households—over 3.2 million individuals—were getting pension credit.

The latest departmental estimates for pension credit show that, in 2004–05, take-up is over 80 per cent. for those on the guarantee element, and could be as high as 90 per cent. for single women pensioners entitled to the guarantee element.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of services in Welsh provided by third parties acting on behalf of his Department. [218100]

DWP has adopted the principle that in the conduct of public business and the administration of justice in Wales it will treat the English and Welsh languages on a basis of equality. Some services are delivered through contracts with third parties or partnerships involving other Government Departments or the Voluntary Sector. In all such cases we ensure that our contractors and partners understand and abide by the provisions of the DWP Welsh Language Scheme. An assessment of services in Welsh forms part of the Department's standard contract monitoring processes and any failings identified will be dealt with under the terms of the individual contract.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the operation of the Child Support Agency. [218101]

We have acknowledged problems with the new IT system. The agency is working with EDS to resolve the problems. Work to stabilise the system is under way and it has already brought about improvements. We expect the remedial work to be completed later this year.

However, it is important that we remember that it is the responsibility of parents to support their children and there is nothing to stop them making their own arrangements to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received from (a) the National Assembly for Wales and (b) local authorities in Wales regarding the proposed closure of his Department's offices in Wales. [218104]

We have received a number of representations from Assembly Members and local authorities.

But the service we provide is not just about offices; and our innovative approach means that our customers, including sick and disabled people, no longer have to visit an office to access many of our services.

Massive investment of over £2 billion over four years since 2002 means that we can deliver more responsive services with fewer offices and with a more modern approach.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his plans for reforms of incapacity benefit; and what estimate he has made of the number of people who will find work as a result of his plans. [218105]

We have recently set out our plans for fundamental reform of incapacity benefits in our Five Year Strategy. We want to create a new framework of support for people who can return to work and offer greater security to those who face the greatest obstacles to doing so.

Our aim is to have the key elements of the package in place by 2008, but this will be dependent on being able to roll out Pathways to Work nationally first. We cannot yet make an estimate of the numbers who find work as a result of these reforms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proposed changes to the linking rules for existing receivers of incapacity benefit formed the basis of his Department's five year strategy. [215054]

As set out in the Department's five year strategy we are taking the opportunity to review a range of aspects of the linking rules with a view to improving their effectiveness in encouraging people on incapacity benefits to try a return to work.

We are considering proposals for change from a number of sources from both inside and outside the Department. We have agreed to look at the feasibility of making the incapacity benefit linking rules more flexible, for example by allowing automatic registration and a faster return to work after using the linking rules. We aim to make them simpler, less restrictive and easier to understand and use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his Department's progress towards full employment. [218088]

Since 1997 the number of people in work in the UK has risen by more than 2 million and the employment rate to 74.9 per cent., one of the highest figures on record.

However, we aim to go further—our long-term aspiration is to reach an employment rate of 80 per cent.—by maintaining economic stability and building on the success of our welfare reforms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have received (a) full and (b) partial grants from the Access to Work programme in each year since its introduction; and if he will make a statement. [209714]

Access to Work is a specialist disability programme which was introduced in 1994. It provides practical advice and support to help disabled people enter or stay in paid employment. The support is aimed at overcoming work related obstacles resulting from disability. It does this through a system of grants towards the cost of providing support. The amount of support available to any individual will depend on their work related needs resulting from disability. Grants made under the programme are not specifically categorised as full" or partial"

Information on the number of people helped each year since Access to Work was introduced is in the table.

Number of people helped each year since Access to Work was introduced

Note:

New beneficiaries are people who receive Access to Work Assistance for the first time ever within the financial year. Existing beneficiaries are people who received Access to Work assistance in a previous financial year, and continue to receive financial support. Existing beneficiaries in 1994–95 are people who were transferred to Access to Work from other programmes.

Source:

Jobcentre Plus internal Management Information

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioner households received (a) free TV licences, (b) winter fuel payment, (c) pension credit and (d) council tax benefit in (i) Lancashire and (ii)Chorley in 2003–04. [217594]

TV Licensing, which administers free television licences for people aged 75 or over as agents for the BBC, is not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over with entitlement to the winter fuel payment in 2003–04 was 63,590 in Lancashire and 5,065 in the Chorley constituency. These households would be eligible for free TV licences.

Information on the number of households in Lancashire and Chorley that received a winter fuel payment in 2003–04 is in the Library.

The most recent numbers of households and individuals receiving pension credit in Lancashire and Chorley are set out in the following table:

Notes:

1.Figures are rounded to the nearest five.

2.Pension credit—individuals comprise claimants and partners and may contain a small number of partners aged under 60.

3.Parliamentary constituencies and local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS directory.

4.The Pension credit figures are for December 2004.

5.Council tax benefit (CTB) data for pensioners can only be taken from an annual 1 per cent. sample. To provide these statistics at a lower than regional level would be subject to a high degree of sampling variation. Therefore county level figures for Lancashire are not available.

6.Parliamentary constituency level statistics are not available for CTB, therefore Chorley data cannot be supplied.

Source:

IAD Information Centre.

The information on council tax benefit (CTB) is not available in the format requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in the Bridgewater constituency were in receipt of means-tested benefits in (a) 1997 and (b) 2004. [217344]

The information requested is not available.

Income-related benefits include income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit and jobseekers allowance (income based). Housing benefit and council tax benefit figures are not available at constituency level.

Income support, jobseekers allowance (income based) and pension credit (from October 2003) data are available by parliamentary constituency as shown in the following table.

Thousand

Notes:

1.Figures are based on 1 per cent. and 5 per cent. samples and subject to a degree of sampling variation.

2.IS/JSA(IB) figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

3.Pension credit is guarantee credit only.

4.Beneficiaries are all claimants and partners aged 60 or over. This includes claimants aged under 60 where there is a partner aged 60 or over.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average cost is of a job obtained through the new deal since it commenced. [214847]

The average cost of helping an individual into work through new deal is £3,258.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what role the new deal is playing in north-east Wales in progress towards his targets for full employment. [218083]

The new deal has played a vital role in achieving one of the highest employment rates on record. Nearly 9,000 people have been helped into work through the new deal in north-east Wales, including more than 1,500 in Wrexham.

The employment rate in north-east Wales has risen by more than 6 percentage points since 1997 and by over 8percentage points to nearly 77 per cent. in my hon. Friend's constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled people living in the Greater London area have participated in the new deal for disabled people. [218204]

The available information is that a total of 8,940 people in the London Jobcentre Plus Region have started the new deal for disabled people since the start of the programme in July 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the financial assistance that will be available to people who have been affected by the wind-up of their pension scheme. [218375]

I refer to the written ministerial statement on the Financial Assistance Scheme, I gave on 22 February 2005, .Official Report, column 16WS

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pension service surgeries have been (a) cancelled and (b) earmarked for cancellation in Scotland as part of his Department's efficiency programme. [217080]

No local service information points, previously termed surgeries, have been cancelled nor are there any current plans to cancel local service information points as a direct result of the Department's efficiency programme.

At a local level, information points are subject to constant evaluation to ensure their viability and effectiveness. This means that information points may be withdrawn or be relocated depending on changing demands in the locality. The fact that an information point is useful today does not mean that it always will be. This is not new, is not related to the efficiency challenge and will continue to be a feature of the Pension Service local service operations.

The Pension Service will continue to meet the needs of customers by providing a wider range of different service offerings within information points (either on our own or in conjunction with our partners) supported by the telephony service offered by our pension centres and the face to face service offered by local service and partners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women received a state pension on the basis of their own contributions in (a) 1997 and (b) each year since 2001, broken down by region and county; how many of these pensions were (i) 50 per cent. or less, (ii) 75 per cent. or less and (iii) 75 per cent. or more of the basic pension rate. [216218]

The available information is set out in the tables. Information prior to 1999 cannot be broken down by region or county.

Numbers of female state pension recipients receiving a state pension based wholly or partly on their own national insurance contributions by government office region (GOR), county or unitary authority as at: March 2000; March 2001; March 2002; March 2003 and March 2004 -- Thousands

The number of women in Great Britain receiving a basic state pension based wholly or partly on their own national insurance contribution record -- Thousands

1.Numbers are taken from a five per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.

2.Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred and are expressed in thousands.

3.Totals may not sum due to rounding.

4.Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.

5.Numbers also refer to women who are receiving a basic state pension based on their own contribution record which is increased by using the contribution record of their husband or former husband. Numbers do not include women entitled to a basic state pension based on their own record which is then increased when they meet the conditions for a category D pension.

6.Category A basic state pension rates:

March 2000—£66.75;

March 2001—£67.50;

March 2002—72.50; March 2003—75.50; and

March 2004—£77.45.

Source:

IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample as at 31 March for the years shown

To ask the Prime Minister how many Government-sponsored official histories are in preparation; when each was commissioned; who the authors are; what the estimated date of completion is in each case; and what the estimated cost in each caseis. [218676]

The following official histories are currently in preparation:

In the financial year 2003–04 the cost of running the official history programme was £190,000. This includes fees and expenses of historians and research assistants and costs associated with publication, but excludes staff costs of Cabinet Office administrative support and accommodation-related overheads. In the case of the SOE histories no fee is paid for the authors' work, instead they seek recompense through royalties from their publishers.

To ask the Prime Minister whether the statement made by the Attorney-General on 17 March 2003 setting out his views on the legality of the use of armed force against Iraq was a summary of the advice received by the Government. [218322]

To ask the Prime Minister whether he had a role in the (a) framing, (b) drafting and (c) drawing up of the Answer given by the Attorney-General on 17 March 2003 on Iraq. [218595]

To ask the Prime Minister whether the summary of the Attorney-General's advice on the legality of the war in Iraq published in the Official Report on 17 March 2003 was drafted by (a) Downing street and (b) Cabinet Office officials. [218430]

I refer the hon. Members to the answer given by my right hon. noble Friend the Attorney-General, Lord Goldsmith, today.

To ask the Prime Minister whether the complete text of the Attorney-General's opinion on the legality of the invasion of Iraq was seen by the full Cabinet. [218540]

Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice and the proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet Committees is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

To ask the Prime Minister

(1) how many days he has spent overseas on official business in each year since 1997; [211247]

(2) when he will reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole on 24 January, reference 211247. [215730]

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the overseas trips he has made on official business or using official transport, since 1997, broken down by date. [211869]

Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year.

All travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, and the Civil Service Management Code.

Due to an administrative error the following was omitted from the list published in 1999: 2–26 August 1997—Italy and France.

To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the merits of altering the format of Prime Minister's questions. [218566]

None.

To ask the Prime Minister whether he has plans to bring forward proposals to alter the format of Prime Minister's questions. [218567]

No.

To ask the Prime Minister whether he has received representations from the public about the impression of the House given by the broadcasting of Prime Minister's question time. [218858]

The information is not available in the format requested. Given the volume of correspondence I receive covering a broad spectrum of issues, my office records letters by subject rather than by the view expressed.

To ask the Prime Minister what (a) matters he discussed and (b) decisions were reached at his breakfast meeting in Brussels with President Bush on 22 February. [217940]

I discussed a wide range of issues with President Bush, including the Middle East Peace Process, the UK's G8 presidency and Iraq.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultation process was undertaken with stakeholders prior to the announcement of changes to scientific resources available to support beekeeping. [216700]

None. The proposed 20 per cent. reduction in expenditure with the National Bee Unit was determined following an internal review of resource allocation across the whole of Defra.

The reduction will be concentrated on the field force of bee inspectors rather than the Unit's scientific services, which will be substantially maintained. The decision does not apply to the Department's spend on bee health research and development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the reason was for the reduction in the funding allocation to the Bee Health Programme at the National Bee Unit. [216911]

The budget for the Bee Health Programme in England was 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. The review examined all of the Department's existing activities and the resources available to them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research she has commissioned on the effectiveness of shook swarming as a means of controlling foulbrood. [216690]

National Bee Unit studies on the application of the 'shook swarm' technique with antibiotic for the control of European foul brood disease have already been subject to independent scientific peer review. It is our intention that the results from trials of the technique without the use of antibiotic should be independently assessed once enough data have been gathered and evaluated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what level of inspection of bee colonies she is proposing when European foulbrood is removed from statutory controls. [216691]

Once a decision had been made to remove a statutory enforcement role for control of European foul brood in England, inspections would no longer be targeted on this disease. However, the National Bee Unit would continue to offer advice to beekeepers on managing the disease through its extension programme. Apiary inspections would thereafter concentrate on maximising control of American foul brood disease and surveillance for notifiable exotic bee pests, including the small hive beetle.

Arrangements for bee health matters in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the respective devolved Administrations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the results of the Earth Observation Summit in Brussels on 16 February. [217762]

The Summit participants adopted a resolution on the future of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and the Global Earth Observation System of Systems. The resolution included endorsement of a 10-year implementation plan. The plan details the work needed to assess the capacity of existing observation systems, identify gaps in the global observational network, and to work with others to address those gaps and develop more coordinated and comprehensive systems. A further result was the issue of a communique" that emphasised the high priority that should be given to tsunami and multi-hazard warning systems within the GEOSS.

The UK endorsed the plan and the communique" along with the other 57 countries participating in GEO.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the monetary value of direct EU export subsidies for agricultural goods exported by the EU to Africa in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [217200]

Total expenditure on EU export refunds (subsidies) is as follows.

⁽¹⁾Data for 2003 refers to appropriations for commitments entered in the budget for 2003.

Sources:

Agriculture in the European Union" for 2000–03 and The Agricultural Situation in the European Union" for 1999.

However, information on expenditure on export subsidies is not available by destination country and thus subsidised exports to Africa are not separately identifiable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated revenue raised from (a) horse passports and (b) animal passports is. [217529]

The Government do not collect any revenue from the issue of horse passports. Charges are made by individual Passport-Issuing Organisations and retained by those organisations. The Government do not charge pet passports since any charges are a matter for the vets who issue pet passports to pet owners. No charges are made for cattle passports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the main export markets are for (a) beef, (b) lamb, (c) dairy products and (d) pork produced in England. [216568]

The following table shows UK exports of beef, lamb/sheep, dairy products, pork/bacon and ham by main export market for the 12 months to November 2004. Exports from England are not separately identified.

UK exports of specified commodities, December 2003-November2004

Note:

Data are subject to amendments until 30/06/2005

Source:

HM Customs and Excise

Data prepared by Trade statistics, Food Chain Analysis 3, DEFRA

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what quantity of (a) milk, (b) eggs, (c) beef and lamb, (d) chicken and (e) pork was imported to the UK from (i) the EU and (ii) outside the EU in the last period for which figures are available. [216566]

The following table shows UK imports of milk, eggs, beef, lamb/sheep, chicken, pork/bacon and ham from EU and Non-EU countries over the 12 months to November 2004.

UK imports of specified commodities, December 2003-November 2004 -- t'000

Note:

Data are subject to amendments until 30 June 2005

Source:

HM Customs and Excise

Data prepared by Trade statistics, Food Chain Analysis 3, DEFRA

Further information on the production and supply of agricultural commodities can be found at: http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/publications/auk/2004/excel. asp.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the timing of single farm payments to farmers entitled to receive them in 2005–06. [216646]

The payment window for the Single Payment Scheme is 1 December 2005 to 30 June 2006. The objective is to make as many payments as possible as early as practicable, within that window.

The Rural Payments Agency issued a News Release on 19 January confirming that the most probable date for payments to start is February 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how waste from schools is defined with respect to the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and what duties are incumbent on (a) waste authorities and (b) schools for the collection and disposal of waste from schools. [218307]

Section 75(5)(d) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 defines waste from premises forming part of a university or school or other educational establishment as household waste. In addition, Schedule 2 to the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992 classifies this waste as household waste for which a charge for collection may be made.

Section 45(1) of the 1990 Act places a statutory duty on waste collection authorities to arrange for the collection of household waste. Section 48(1) of the 1990 Act requires waste collection authorities to deliver for disposal to the waste disposal authority all waste which has been collected under section 45.

Section 51(1) of the 1990 Act requires waste disposal authorities to arrange for the disposal of the waste collected in its area by the waste collection authorities.

Schools may arrange for the collection of their waste with either the waste collection authority or any other person who is an authorised person" for the purposes of section 34 of the 1990 Act (the duty of care).

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date Newcastle upon Tyne city council applied for a grant for a gas from waste burning plant; what (a) volume and (b) type of materials are proposed to be gasified and burnt; what sum of money has been requested; and if she will place the application in the Library. [218033]

holding answer 24 February 2005

The Strategy Unit report Waste Not, Want Not" (published in November 2002) pointed out that new options for dealing with residual waste need to be developed and tested as landfill diminishes in importance. To address this issue, Defra's Waste Implementation Programme is currently delivering a programme of advice on and development of new technologies including pilots for more innovative waste management practices—providing detailed and impartial technical and operational data to inform future decision-making.

Defra's latest call for industrial research proposals or projects aimed at developing pilot scale treatment equipment closed on 30 November 2004. Project proposals are now being evaluated by an expert advisory committee, including representatives from the public, private, community, NGO and financial sectors against a range of key criteria. Full details of the evaluation process are available on the Defra website.

I can confirm that Newcastle city council has submitted a proposal for a pilot scale gasification and pyrolysis plant as part of the current bidding round on 29 November 2004. It would not be appropriate at this stage to release detailed information on any individual proposal as this would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of local authorities' industry partners. However, details of preferred bidders and information on their specific projects will be announced publicly in the spring.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on congestion of the suspension of bus lanes on Tyburn Road in Birmingham. [218012]

This is a matter for Birmingham city council and the Department has made no formal assessment of the impacts. I understand the city council is monitoring the traffic flows and will make the information available in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) applications for special authorisation orders were made and (b) special authorisation orders were granted under section 43 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [218493]

The table details the number of applications for special authorisation and the number of special authorisations granted.

These figures include applications and special authorisations that may have been granted, but have now expired. The total number of special authorisations currently in force is 208.

The increase in numbers in 2004 is attributable to short-term special authorisations granted for a single vehicle type. We would not expect this to occur again.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation he undertakes before issuing special authorisation orders for public service vehicles under section 43 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and if he will make a statement. [218494]

Section 43 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 does not require consultation before a Special Authorisation is issued.

However, key stakeholders are often consulted during the process to ensure that all parties are fairly represented. These would include the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), the Department's statutory advisers on disability issues, groups representing disabled people, trade bodies representing vehicle manufacturers and operators.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many public service vehicles are subject to current special authorisation orders granted under section 43 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; what percentage of all regulated public service vehicles this represents; and if he will make a statement. [218495]

An annual survey of vehicle operators carried out by the Department for Transport indicates that there are 9,770 regulated full size buses. Although there is no similar data for coaches, these are likely to represent an almost insignificant proportion of the regulated Public Service Vehicle fleet.

There are currently 208 buses and coaches operating under special authorisation representing approximately 2 per cent. of all regulated Public Service Vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the fines which have been issued under section (a) 40 and (b) 41 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and what plans he has to alter the enforcement procedure for vehicles that contravene public service vehicle accessibility regulations. [218234]

The Vehicle Operator and Services Agency of the Department for Transport has made no prosecutions to date for contravention of the public service vehicles accessibility regulations. Instead it has been found that close liaison between operators, manufacturers and the Department has been effective in resolving the few cases of non-compliant vehicles found within the public service vehicle fleet.

The current enforcement procedure generally requires a thorough inspection by a departmental certifying officer before each and every vehicle, falling within the scope of these regulations, is introduced into service. Subsequent in-service inspections can be carried out by VOSA as part of their ongoing targeted enforcement regime.

The Department continuously monitors its enforcement programme and has no evidence to suggest that current provisions are ineffective, and therefore has no plans to modify the enforcement procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish revised draft regulations for disabled parking permits. [218421]

We expect to consult on the draft amendment regulations this summer. These will make the following changes to the blue disabled persons parking badge scheme:

extend the scheme to children under the age of two with specific medical conditions requiring the transport of bulky medical equipment;

introduce temporary badges to those people with temporary mobility impairment which makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for them to walk and which is likely to last for a period of at least 12 months ;

modify the wording for the upper limb criterion;

change the wording on the badge to indicate the side to be displayed; and

reintroduce a hologram onto the badge as an additional security measure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the percentage of road length, broken down by highway category type, which should be considered for structural maintenance work in each local authority area in 2004. [218211]

Structural maintenance work on highways last year, as at any time, was a matter for the local authorities themselves to decide.

The Department recommends that local authorities maintain their roads in accordance with the code of practice for maintenance management Delivering best value in highway maintenance" published in 2001. In deciding on structural maintenance work authorities should pay regard, amongst other things, to the surface condition surveys of carriageways they are required to carry out annually. These produce the best value performance indicators 96, 97a and 97b (for principal, non-principal classified and unclassified roads respectively) that indicate the proportion of the network that should be considered for structural maintenance. ODPM will publish the 2004–05 results of these surveys for each English local authority later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much (a) income was derived from and (b) expenditure has been incurred by each local authority on parking, broken down by (i) charges and (ii) penalties where available, in financial year 2003–04. [218207]

Information on local authority parking income and expenditure for the financial year 2003–04 is not available. However, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intend to publish the information by the end of April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of public service vehicles are required to comply with public service vehicle accessibility regulations; and if he will make a statement. [218235]

An annual survey of vehicle operators carried out by the Department for Transport indicates that there are almost 80,000 public service vehicles operating in Great Britain. These comprise a range of vehicles, including minibuses, full size buses and coaches. Vehicle size, age, carrying capacity and type of operation will dictate which of these must meet the requirements of the public service vehicle accessibility regulations. This makes it impossible accurately to determine what percentage of public service vehicles are currently required to comply with the regulations.

Nevertheless, the regulatory impact assessment (RIA) carried out prior to the introduction of the PSV accessibility regulations predicted future changes in bus fleet composition, including reduced numbers of double deck buses and increased numbers of minibuses. It was estimated that by the time of full compliance, i.e. 2017 for buses and 2020 for coaches, almost 53,000 buses will fall within the scope of regulations, representing towards 95 per cent. of the bus fleet capacity at that time. Numbers of coaches were more difficult to predict but the RIA estimated that 1,250 vehicles would fall within the scope of regulations. This is likely to represent 5 per cent. of the total coach fleet in 2020.

However, the Department is currently discussing with industry whether it might be possible to extend the scope of regulations to include coaches used on tour services. If vehicles operated in this way were brought within scope of the regulations, this would result in a far greater proportion of accessible coaches in the fleet.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many persons were prosecuted for criminal acts committed on or against railway property in the last year for which figures are available. [218011]

The British Transport Police (BTP) have informed me that in the year April 2003–March 2004 a total of 12,189 people were prosecuted by the BTP in England and Wales. This figure represents all offences excluding revenue offences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport

(1) if he will set a completion date for the fitting-out of the Thameslink Box at St. Pancras station; [218638]

(2) when the Department expects to complete the fitting-out of the Thameslink Box at St. Pancras station. [218640]

The Department is committed to delivering the station fit-out, but needs to look further at the options for completing the work, including timing, before we can give the go-ahead. Consequently the Department has not set any dates for the start and completion of the work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the fitting-out of the Thameslink Box at St.Pancras station will cost. [218641]

The most recent projected cost of the fitting-out of the St. Pancras Midland Road station is approximately £60 million (at 2003–04 prices) which includes the fitting out, rail systems alterations and client costs required to make the station operational. This figure may change depending, for example, on future decisions on the scope and programme for the works.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason trust ports which are classified as public corporations have not produced resource accounts for 2003–04; and whether they will be required to do so for 2004–05. [218687]

Trust Ports are not required to produce resource accounts. This is a requirement of Government departments and Trading Funds only.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the final details of the Working Time Directive regulations applicable to road haulage operators. [218633]

I expect to be able to publish our formal guidance and table the implementing regulations before Parliament very shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what professional regulation applies to academy teachers. [217590]

Academies are registered independent schools. Like all independent schools, they are not bound by the legislation which requires teachers in maintained schools to register with the General Teaching Council for England (GTC), which is the professional regulating body for teachers in the maintained sector. However, as the vast majority of teachers within academies will have moved across from the maintained sector, most will already be registered with the council and are likely to remain so. We will be writing shortly to academies to clarify this issue and will certainly encourage them to continue to register existing staff with the council. Ultimately, however, this is a matter for individual teachers to decide.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many private faith schools there are in the West Midlands region, broken down by constituency. [217690]

The figures provided by independent schools at the last annual schools census for which figures are available, January 2004, are shown in the following table.

Independent schools: number of schools by faith -- January 2004