To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with (a) BAA and (b) other airport companies about improving (i) the facilities and (ii) cleanliness at UK airports; and if he will make a statement. [221325]

holding answer 14 March 2005

Regular meetings with BAA and other airport operators present a good opportunity to discuss a range of airport issues. However, the refurbishment of existing airport facilities and routine methods of maintaining cleanliness are primarily matters for the operators to decide, with appropriate regard to all relevant health and safety legislation.

Enforcement arrangements are subject to local arrangements at each airport but generally the Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcement airside, while local authority inspectors are responsible for enforcement at terminal buildings and landside activities. Local authority inspectors are also responsible for enforcing food hygiene and food safety legislation throughout airports, and they consider health, safety and welfare issues affecting employees, including provision and adequacy of welfare activities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pensioners in Morecambe and Lunesdale he expects will benefit from free bus transport. [223475]

From April 2006, the Government are extending the existing statutory minimum requirement for concessionary fares so that people aged 60 and over and disabled people in England will be guaranteed free off-peak travel on their local bus services, with no charge for the pass.

In Morecambe and Lunesdale, all residents over 60 will benefit from free local bus travel. According to the 2001 census, there were then 20,223 pensioners (men aged 65 and over and women aged 60 and over) and 22,549 people over 60 in Morecambe and Lunesdale.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on congestion (a) charges and (b) penalty charge notices by the Department since the commencement of the congestion charging scheme. [213825]

Information on congestion charges and penalty notices incurred by vehicles provided to the Department by the Government Car and Despatch Agency is included in the response given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 28 February 2005, Official Report, column 957W.

The central Department has spent £1,168.87 on congestion charges incurred by civil servants on official business. This figure does not include the Department's agencies as they do not record the charges separately from other travel costs and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

The Department does not usually pay congestion penalty charges, as civil servants are personally responsible for such fines. One penalty of £40 was paid soon after the charge was introduced as the penalty was incurred as the result of a payments error.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport

(1) whether a full cost benefit analysis has been made of the need for a Crossrail station at Woolwich; and if he will make a statement; [223126]

(2) what consultation has been carried out to ascertain the views of people in southeast London on a Crossrail station at Woolwich; [223127]

(3) what assessment has been made of whether a Crossrail station at Woolwich would meet the Government's integrated transport criteria for new rail schemes; [223128]

(4) if he will ensure that the merits of a station at Woolwich are properly assessed before the Crossrail Bill is presented to the House; [223129]

(5) what estimate has been made of the costs of building a station at Woolwich after the Crossrail link to Abbey Wood has opened. [223130]

A Crossrail station at Woolwich was considered during the development of the project, but could not be justified on the current estimates of cost, passenger numbers and benefits. Crossrail will pass under Woolwich in deep tunnels and the cost of constructing an underground station would therefore be high. In view of this, powers have not been sought for a station at Woolwich in the Bill introduced into Parliament on 22 February 2005. However, the alignment of the tunnels has been designed so as to allow a station at Woolwich to be developed in the future, if it could be justified at that time. An area of land has also been safeguarded for this purpose.

No estimate has been made of the potential cost of constructing a station at Woolwich once Crossrail is operational. However, this would entail closure of the route from Custom House to Abbey Wood for a number of years, and therefore the cost would be greater than for construction before operation.

Cross London Rail Links Ltd., the company set up to develop and promote the Crossrail project, consulted widely including two 12-week rounds of public consultation on the project. During both rounds, public information centres were held at Woolwich and Abbey Wood, to provide information and seek residents' views. These were supported by mail drops to those potentially affected, newsletters, a dedicated website and a 24-hour telephone helpline.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport

(1) what safety issues (a) at stations and (b) on trains were considered prior to the publication of the Strategic Rail Authority's Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Study proposal to remove the all day Gatwick Express Service; [222162]

(2) what account the Strategic Rail Authority has taken of the safety report commissioned by BAA and submitted to the Strategic Rail Authority in consideration of its plans to remove the all day Gatwick Express; [222163]

(3) if he will make a statement on the changes proposed for the Gatwick Express Service set out in the Strategic Rail Authority's Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Study; [222164]

(4) what account the Strategic Rail Authority took of the expected increase in numbers of passengers using Gatwick airport outlined in the Air Transport Policy in its Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Study proposals to remove the all day Gatwick Express service; [222168]

(5) what assessment he has made of the expected change in road use that would ensue if proposals to remove the all day Gatwick Express Service, as set out in the Strategic Rail Authority's Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Study, are implemented. [222177]

The draft Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy does not propose removing the London Victoria to Gatwick airport service. It proposes keeping the fast Gatwick to Victoria services, and increasing their frequency from four to eight trains per hour. Services will be extended to cover south coast destinations. In developing the strategy the SRA reviewed a number of documents and data sources to understand future growth demands, this included The Future of Air Transport" White Paper. The SRA and Network Rail are continuing to work closely together regarding passenger handling issues at Gatwick airport station, and are considering the issues identified in BAA's safety assessment. Given that the RUS proposals aim to improve the performance and reliability of train services on the Brighton Main Line, making services more attractive to passengers, it is not expected to have an adverse effect on road congestion. The views raised in consultation will be taken into account before the final Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy is issued.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to waive penalty payments for train operating companies involved in industrial disputes. [221006]

Penalty payments are one aspect of franchising. Under the Railways Bill, responsibility for passenger rail franchising would pass to the Secretary of State for Transport and Scottish Ministers as appropriate. Whether and how these specific powers will be used in the future is an issue we will want to consider once Parliament has completed its consideration of the Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many recorded (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries there were on railway lines resulting from trespass in (i)Leicester and (ii) England and Wales in each year since 1997. [222892]

The Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) advises that between 1997 and 2004 there was one fatality (a confirmed suicide in 2000–01), but the provision of more specific detailed information in the form requested would entail disproportionate cost.

Details of the number of fatalities and injuries resulting from railway trespass in Great Britain since 1997 are set out in the following table. HMRI advises that the provision of trespass data for England and Wales since 1997 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Railway fatalities: Trespass and Suicides Great Britain,1 April 1997 to 31 December 2004

⁽¹⁾Covers the period 1 April 2004 to 31 December 2004 only; and is provisional and may be subject to change.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured in road accidents involving car occupants unexpectedly requiring to leave their vehicle at the roadside in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [222255]

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many traffic commissioners have undertaken training with the Judicial Studies Board in each year since 2000. [223116]

All newly appointed traffic commissioners and deputy traffic commissioners attend the Tribunal Skills Development Programme organised by the Judicial Studies Board.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what disciplinary procedures apply when claims of misconduct against a traffic commissioner are substantiated. [223117]

Paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 to the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 provides that a Traffic Commissioner may be removed from office by the Secretary of State for Transport on the grounds of inability or misbehaviour.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role his Department's legal team plays in reviewing and deciding what information is to be released to the Law Society in respect of a complaint against a traffic commissioner relating to the commissioner's conduct. [223119]

Where a body such as the Law Society makes a request for the release of information from the Department, the request will be considered on a case by case basis. The Department's legal team may be requested to advice as necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his Department's practice to indemnify traffic commissioners in any actions brought against them for damages. [223120]

It is the policy of my Department to indemnify traffic commissioners in any actions brought against them in relation to the exercise of their statutory functions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether traffic commissioners are required to notify their Department if they have business connections or other involvement with (a) haulage contractors, (b) coach operators and (c) transport consultants. [223121]

Paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 provides that if a traffic commissioner acquires a financial interest in a transport undertaking which carries passengers or goods by road within Great Britain, he or she must notify the Secretary of State for Transport within four weeks of the acquisition.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission how many accidents occurred at the House of Commons premises in each of the last five years involving (a) members of the House of Commons Service and (b) members of the public. [222565]

The Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Service records and analyses information on the numbers and types of recorded injury accidents affecting those who work on or visit the Houses of Parliament. The following table outlines the statistics for the House of Commons for the past five years:

The slight increase in injury accidents to members of the public in 2004 may reflect the large increase in numbers of visitors on organised public tours.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission whether the Commission publishes the data for the number of accidents at work involving employees of his Office; and if he will make a statement. [222580]

Since the House adopted a health and safety risk management strategy in 1999, accident rates have fallen steadily. An annual figure of 372 injury accidents in 2000 dropped to 172 in 2004. During the same period the number of injuries resulting in lost time from work fell from 43 to 15 incidents, indicating that more recent accidents are generally of lesser severity. A number of initiatives are under way to target hazards which may lead to accidents.

Statistical information on the numbers and types of recorded injury accidents for the House of Commons is available from Parliament's Occupational Health Safety and Welfare Service, and is reported to the House's Health and Safety Committee on a quarterly basis. The Committee analyses the information for trends and considers options of future strategy to help improve safety performance and further reduce accident figures. An article on accident statistics over the past five years is scheduled to be published in the next issue of the Parliamentary staff magazine, 'In House'.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what arrangements for monitoring accidents at work involving members of House staff are in place; and if he will make a statement. [222630]

All injury accidents are required to be recorded on Parliament's Incident Reporting Form in line with accident reporting procedures. Once reported an accident investigation takes place to identify root causes and put in place any reasonably practicable measures to prevent or reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

Copies of each accident report are sent to the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Service (OHSWS). OHSWS produce reports and statistical analysis of injury accidents on a quarterly, annual and rolling basis for the House's Health and Safety Committee. Trend analysis and risk assessment further identifies problem areas and helps development of appropriate strategy to improve safety performance and reduce future accident figures.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburghand Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the marginal cost is of processing an early day motion; and how this figure is calculated. [222678]

Costs of processing Early Day Motions (EDMs) include the time of Clerks in vetting the motion, costs of staff entering the data and costs of printing and publication, which depend on the number of times motions are reprinted. EDMs vary in size and complexity and the number of names added to them may be one or many. Processing and printing EDMs is only one of a number of tasks carried out by the staff involved and no realistic disaggregation can be made which can give a cost, marginal or otherwise, of all aspects of processing a single EDM. The best estimate available of the overall costs of printing and publishing Early Day Motions in 2003–04 is £573,000, giving an average cost per EDM of £263.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is giving to the Government of Kyrgyzstan to help it establish a framework for dealing with mentally ill patients in psychiatric institutions. [223201]

The Department for International Development (DFID) is part of a multi-donor effort to help the Kyrgyz Government develop and fund a health sector strategy for the next 10 years. This comprehensive strategy will include work on mental health.

This assistance is part of DFID's broader programme of support to the Kyrgyz Republic that includes: technical assistance to support the reform of public administration; support for combating HIV/AIDS; strengthening poverty statistics; support for rural livelihoods, water and sanitation.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development

(1) what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) the economies and (b) the environment of Third World countries of oil extraction; and if he will make a statement; [222622]

(2) what support his Department gives to Third World countries with regard to oil extraction; and if he will make a statement. [222623]

The Department for International Development (DFID) does not directly fund oil extraction in developing countries. We do support the World Bank's involvement in the extractive industries. The oil and gas extractive industries form a very small part of World Bank Group's lending portfolio. Investments are subject to high social and environmental safeguards that set a standard for the industry at large, as set out in the World Bank Extractive Industries Review published in 2004.

We recognise that revenues from oil and gas resources can potentially support economic growth and social development that may lead to reduction in poverty. In some countries, however, the large revenues generated from oil and gas production have been associated with corruption, conflict and increased poverty.

The Prime Minister launched the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in September 2002. It seeks to increase the transparency of payments to Governments by oil, gas, and mining companies; and the transparency in use of revenues by Governments. DFID has led an international coalition of Governments, industry and international organisations, both within and outside countries hosting significant extractive industries, to improve transparency and reporting of revenues. Nine developing countries have committed themselves to implementing the principles of the EITI, with a further four African countries making new commitments at a London conference on 17 March 2005. The World Bank is actively participating.

DFID monitors and comments on the environmental and social impacts of projects and programmes funded by the World Bank and other International Financial Institutions (IFIs), where we have stakeholder obligations as contributors. In some cases we have commissioned independent studies to improve our understanding of key economic and environmental issues and evaluate how they are being addressed. One example is the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline. We have also kept in close touch with the issues raised by the proposed Sakhalin Island 2 oil pipeline development in Russia.

DFID is working with others (including the IFIs) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on improved environmental assessment procedures for use at the planning stages of new projects and programmes. This will include the application of such procedures to large-scale projects in oil extraction, where these are funded by the IFIs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 14 March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. [222546]

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, and I represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels on 14 March 2005. Ministers responsible for fisheries and agriculture in Northern Ireland and Scotland were also present.

The Council agreed a proposal concerning establishment of an EU Fisheries Control Agency, which the European Council had previously agreed to sit in Spain. We were able to support a compromise proposal for commission representation on the Agency's administrative board.

The Commission reported progress in negotiations with the Russian Federation to agree certain plant and animal health controls. While the UK has not so far been among the member states most affected by Russian requirements, it was encouraging that progress was being made to resolve the remaining differences.

The main item for discussion at this Council was Rural Development. The presidency focused discussion on a small number of issues in the current proposal to revise the Rural Development Regulation, principally focusing on the LEADER reserve and inviting ments on the Rural Development Strategy which it is planned to table in June. I reiterated the importance we attach to devoting at least half of the financial resources under the Regulation to environmental work, expressed some doubt as to the level of the LEADER reserve proposed and supported others in giving a general welcome to the likely shape of the strategy framework.

The Commission presented a progress report on implementation of the EU forestry strategy. Member states took note.

The Commission also presented proposals for EU measures to address market crises through new risk management techniques in the industry. This was a brief presentation, with substantial discussion planned for later in the year. The Commission made it clear that it opposed extending any kind of generalised safety net provision such as that found in the current beef regime. It also indicated that the use of any modulated funds would only be possible in the context of rural development programmes and measures that were compatible with the WTO Green Box.

Under Any Other Business, we raised the question of cetacean by catches and the need for greater protection of dolphins. The Commission undertook to call for international research on the subject to be accelerated. Portugal drew attention to the difficulties that prolonged drought had caused in its rural areas.

Over lunch, the Commission updated Ministers on the WTO agriculture negotiations. I welcomed recent progress and reminded the Council of the importance of making progress in good time for the Hong Kong Ministerial in December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the Environment Council on 10 March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. [221922]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State attended the Environment Council on 10 March 2005.

The main outcome of the Council was the adoption of two sets of conclusions. One set forms a contribution from the Environment Council to the Spring European Council (scheduled for the 22 and 23 March 2005) and is a response to four Commission communications: the Mid-Term Review of the Lisbon Strategy, the 2004 Environmental Policy Review, an initial review of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy and a report on implementation of the Environmental Technologies Action Plan. The second set of conclusions represents the Environment Council's recommendations to the Spring European Council on climate change, specifically medium to long term emission reduction strategies and targets.

Council conclusions on the Environment Council's contribution to the Spring European Council were adopted after a full discussion. Almost all delegations supported the presidency text and emphasised that environmental protection and economic growth went hand in hand. The Secretary of State supported the idea of a statement of principles for sustainable development, but emphasised that these should be integrated into the revised EU Sustainable Development Strategy. In this context, the Secretary of State referred to the recently published UK Sustainable Development Strategy, an executive summary of which was circulated to delegations.

Council conclusions on climate change were adopted following a debate. The conclusions reaffirm the December 2004 Environment Council conclusions, referring to the global nature of climate change and the requirement for international co-operation, and to recent scientific research under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations required to meet the 2degrees centigrade objective. Drawing on this research, the conclusions suggest the consideration of pathways to 2020 and 2050 for greenhouse gas emission reduction in developed countries. The agreed text makes clear that the EU wishes to explore the future framework with others and that the language on emissions reductions is an evidence-based assessment rather than a prescriptive call for action. The conclusions also invite the European Commission to continue its analysis of costs and benefits of reduction strategies, including the costs of inaction.

Council adopted a Decision on a negotiating mandatefor the second Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters, which is scheduled for 25–27 May 2005 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Council also adopted a negotiating mandate in preparation for the second meeting of the parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, scheduled for 30 May-3 June 2005 in Montreal. The negotiating mandate was adopted under qualified majority voting procedures, following a presidency compromise which included the addition of UK-proposed wording.

Council conclusions were adopted in preparation for the first conference of the parties to the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants, which is scheduled for 2–6 May 2005 in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The presidency thanked the UK for chairing the preparatory work for this conference on its behalf. Council conclusions were agreed unanimously following a small amendment to reflect the concerns of two delegations.

Minister John Ashe (Antigua and Barbuda), Chair of the 13th Session of the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD 13), briefed the Council on preparations for the next session which will take place on 11–22 April 2005. An exchange of views followed, in which member states and the Commission stressed the importance of links between CSD 13 and the Millennium Review Summit to be held in September.

Under Other Business, the presidency gave an update on negotiations on the REACH chemicals strategy and Belgium presented items on the import of wild birds and illegal logging. Germany raised the proposed Services Directive, arguing that country of origin rules presented a threat to national environmental standards, and should not result in levelling down, a view which was supported by some other member states. The Commission referred ministers to the recent statements to the Competitiveness Council and European Parliament on this issue, and other delegations took the view it was too early for Environment Council to discuss the scope of this measure. Austria, with support from a number of member states, raised an issue concerning the Commission's approach to national safeguard actions in relation to GM maize variety MON 810. The Netherlands set out concerns about the possible dilution of EU standards in a current review of the automotive industry ('CARS 21') and the Czech Republic announced a forthcoming conference on Acid Deposition.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she takes to ensure that regulatory impact assessments of new policies accurately reflect the economic effects of high environmental standards. [222385]

Since 1 April 2004 all new policies have been accompanied by a regulatory impact assessment (RIA). The RIA replaced the integrated policy appraisal (IPA). All RIAs must include an assessment of the environmental and social costs and benefits, in addition to the economic costs and benefits of a new regulation. The full RIA for all policies which affect businesses must also include an assessment of the impact on competition within UK markets.

The majority of UK environmental legislation derives from Europe. Defra and the UK Government are promoting the Better Regulation agenda in Europe, including the use of detailed impact assessments for all policy proposals. The UK will be using its EU presidency to advance this work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2005, Official Report, column171W, on fisheries, what the weights were of the discards estimates. [215340]

The tonnage equivalents of the percentages given in response to the hon. Member's previous question are set out in the following table.

Estimates (in tonnes) of discards for the Scottish North Sea fleet and for a representative sample of the English North Sea fleet

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make the reduction of cetacean deaths in European fisheries a priority for the UK's Presidency of the European Union. [222859]

The UK objectives for its Presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2005 include promoting action to protect vulnerable species and habitats with a view to the long term management of healthy fish stocks and the protection of the marine environment. We will also seek to further integrate environmental considerations into fisheries management. These objectives should provide opportunities to address cetacean deaths in fisheries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many UK fishing vessels are expected to start the deployment of pingers to prevent porpoise deaths in set net fisheries in the North Sea in June; and if she will bring forward the mandatory deployment of pingers to prevent porpoise deaths in set net fisheries in the English Channel and Celtic Sea. [222860]

Council Regulation (EC) no. 812/2004 requires, inter alia", pinger usage from 1 June 2005 on vessels of 12 metres and over in the North Sea (ICESdivision IV) when using bottom-set gillnets or entangling nets where the mesh size used is greater than or equal to 220 mm.

The number of vessels that are expected to fall into this category is eight. This figure is based on those involved in the fishery in 2004 but does not take into account movements into and out of the fishery.

The Council Regulation requires the mandatory usage of pingers in the English Channel and Celtic Sea with effect from 1 January 2006 and 1 January 2007 respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department is spending this year and how much was spent in each of the past three years on deployment trials to test the practicality and durability of various pinger models in gillnet and tangle net fisheries off southwest England; and when results are expected from these trials. [222888]

A total of over £88,000 has been committed to funding for pingers trials. This was £12,000 in 2003–04 provided by the Sea Fish Industry Authority and £76,000 in 2004–05 with £19,000 from SFIA.

Results are expected by the end of August 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she plans to take to address concerns about potential health risks from irradiated material to people living near Sandside Bay, Caithness. [221739]

holding answer 14 March 2005

This is a devolved issue concerning a site in Scotland and therefore a matter for the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA).

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the merits of publishing the original Nirex list of potential sites' suitability for the burial of nuclear waste. [222083]

The Nirex site list information comes from a historic and abandoned programme. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) does not hold the Nirex site list information. Future policy for the long-term management of the UK's higher activity radioactive waste is currently being considered under the Managing Radioactive Waste Safety" programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress of the preparation of a fluvial strategy for the River Dove. [222179]

The Environment Agency is undertaking a flood risk management strategy for the River Dove catchment.

I understand that following consultation on the scoping report in April 2004, the Environment Agency undertook a preliminary strategic review (PSR) of the current flooding situation on the River Dove. This enabled further studies to focus on areas at risk of flooding and key issues.

The PSR highlighted a number of flooding problems in the catchment as well as the potential need for a flooddefence scheme at Scopton and Hatton. It also questioned the limitations of the existing hydraulic model and surveys of the river.

In response to this, the Environment Agency is currently undertaking an aerial survey of the river. This will enable improved modelling of the flood plain between Rochester and the confluence with the River Trent, including key tributaries. The agency expect the model to be available from August 2005. It will be used to assess the viability of catchment wide strategic solutions to the flooding problems.

The updated hydraulic model will also be used by the Environment Agency's development control and flood warning teams in their ongoing programmes of continual improvements to their standards of service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many sites of special scientific interest there were in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997. [223149]

The figures for the number of sites of special scientific interest in Shrewsbury and Atcham borough in each year since 1997 are:

⁽²⁾One more than previously reported in 2001 due to improved mapping and boundary definition.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many licences have been issued under (a) section 16(1)(k) and (b) section 16(3)(h) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act1981 in each of the last 10 years. [220243]

holding answer 8 March 2005

The number of licences issued under(a) section 16(1)(k) ¹ and (b) section 16(3)(h) ² of the Wildlife and presented in the following table.

¹ For the purposes of preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, [fisheries or inland waters],

² For the purposes of preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber or any other form of property or to fisheries.

⁽³⁾Up to 18 March

The analysis of licences issued during the previous five years involves a disproportionate cost and has not been supplied.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assistance is being provided by his Department to local authorities to enable them to carry out their duties under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 in respect of (a) local business continuity and (b) threats to telecommunications networks. [222235]

I have been asked to reply.

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 requires relevant local authorities to put in place internal business continuity plans and to provide advice and assistance to local businesses and voluntary organisations in relation to business continuity management. The Government held a public consultation on the supporting regulations and guidance between December to March, and will publish the revised package shortly.

The National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) provides guidance to local authorities about the threats to telecommunications systems and building their resilience. The NISCC guidance enables local authorities to make informed decisions about resilience in their dealings with telecommunications service providers.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the 2,000 homes for key workers announced under English Partnerships' London-wide Initiative are included in the 15,000 homes being built under the First Time Buyer Initiative. [223280]

Of the 2,000 affordable homes for sale to be delivered under English Partnerships London-wide Initiative pilot, 1,000 will be made available under the First Time Buyers Initiative announced in January.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many social rented homes have been (a) built and (b) acquired through the private finance initiative mechanism that will be expanded under Sustainable Communities: Homes for all. [223282]

Through the private finance initiative (PFI) so far 51 social rented homes have been built and 150 homes have been acquired. Within the next three years the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects a further 387 social rented homes to be built through PFI schemes that reached contract signature in 2004.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects the first property constructed under the First Time Buyers Initiative to be completed. [223289]

English Partnerships are currently developing the business plan that will underpin the delivery of 15,000 homes under the First Time Buyers Initiative.

It is envisaged that the first homes constructed under the scheme will be completed in 2006.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will establish criteria for the First Time Buyers Initiative that ensure the homes are prioritised for key workers and others on incomes at or below the average for the region. [223292]

I refer the hon. Member to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Public Service Plan 'Homes for All', presented to the House on 24 January of this year. Paragraphs 4.7 and 4.8 set out our proposals regarding decisions on eligibility criteria for the First Time Buyers Initiative. Copies of the Plan are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers (a) regional housing boards and (b) regional chambers will have to set (i) targets and (ii) policy for the demolition of homes in their regionalstrategies. [216651]

None. However it is essential that the evidence base and analysis that underpins the regional housing and spatial strategies reflect the levels of demolition needed to tackle problems of over-supply or obsolete stock.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many council houses there were in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997. [223148]

The following information is provided from Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council's housing investment programmes as required by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (and its predecessors) for the relevant years.

Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council undertook a large scale voluntary transfer of its housing stock to a registered social landlord on the 1 October 2001. Therefore, figures for subsequent years are not available.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what capacity he is attending the MIPIM Property Conference in Cannes on 8–11 March; what estimate he has made of his (a) travel costs and (b) accommodation costs for the conference; and which officials will accompany him. [221440]

My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister attended the MIPIM Property Conference to engage some of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's most important stakeholders in helping to create sustainable communities, and deliver affordable housing.

Since 1999 the Government have published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Information for 2004–05 will be published in due course.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister

(1) if he will list those local authorities which have undertaken (a) arm's length management organisation, (b) large scale voluntary transfer and (c) private finance initiative programmes with regard to their social housing provision; [223049]

(2) how many and what percentage of local authorities have not yet chosen their preferred route for meeting the Decent Homes Standard; and if he will list them; [223050]

(3) which local authorities are still undertaking Options Appraisals. [223051]

Lists have been made available in the Library of the House that show which authorities have chosen an arms length management organisation (ALMO), stock transfer, a private finance initiative (PFI) scheme, or retention, with regard to their social housing provision. Not all of these authorities have implemented their chosen option yet, or are on an approved programme

135 authorities are yet to have their options appraisal, determining their preferred route for meeting the decent homes standard, signed off. A list of these authorities has also been made available in the Library of the House.

Some authorities appear in more than one list as they have chosen multiple solutions for their stock.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his recent decision to relax performance requirements for housing associations for access to gap funding will affect the applications from (a) Tower Hamlets and (b) North East Lincolnshire. [223209]

The change will not affect applications for gap funding from North East Lincolnshire and Tower Hamlets. A gap funding agreement has been signed with Shoreline Housing Partnership in respect of the housing transferring from North East Lincolnshire council. Discussions will take place with housing associations who have sought gap funding to support the transfer of housing from the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many of the new social rented homes that will be delivered through the expanded private finance initiative by 2007–08 will be provided in each Government Office region. [223281]

The 2004 Spending Review allocated £1.22billion private finance initiative (PFI) credits to the Housing PFI programme. As yet the Office of theDeputy Prime Minister does not know where the provision of new social rented homes will be in the regions. The assessment of bids for the SR04 allocation is still underway but an announcement on the outcome is scheduled in spring 2005.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of social rented homes which will be built in 2004–05 with the proportion of capital receipts from Right to Buy sales retained by local authorities. [223284]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not keep information on the use to which the proportion of capital receipts from Right to Buy sales retained by local authorities is put. Local authorities may use these receipts for any capital purpose they see fit.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his decision to withdraw support from the private finance initiative scheme to bring part of the council housing stock in the London borough of Camden up to the Decent Homes Standard. [223285]

The reasons for the decision was a lack of confidence that there was effective management of costs or timetable and that the project did not represent value for money. The evidence was:

substantial overrun in the procurement timetable

four-fold increase in the funding requirement (£119 million in PFI credits in 2005 up from £30 million in 2000)

a large part of the negotiations were with a single bidder

the possibility of further cost increases contract signature.

The project still has an allocation of £55 million PFI funding available.

Officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are working with Camden on the way forward.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the costs incurred by (a) the London borough of Camden and (b) his Department in the four years of preparatory development work on the Decent Homes Standard private finance initiative in that authority. [223286]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made no estimate of these costs. The London borough of Camden estimated that it had spent £1.6 million on preparing for the housing private finance initiative (PFI) scheme for the Chalcots Estate in its press release on 23 February this year. We do not apportion costs to individual PFI casework.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 26 January 2005, Official Report, column 433W, on council housing, how much of the £2,687 million generated from the sale of council housing in those areas in 2003–04 with-debt local authorities (a) were required to set aside and (b) were allowed to use. [223298]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not hold information on the value of housing capital receipts set-aside in 2003–04 as a result of Right To Buy disposals.

To ask the Solicitor-General what assessment she has made of the implications for UK audit practices of European Court of Justice Case C-255/01, reference OJ C300 vol 47 of 4 December 2004, with particular reference to equivalence of professional qualifications for professional auditors dealing with European Community funds. [207105]

The Department of Trade and Industry has taken up the issues raised by the case with the European Commission in the context of the new proposed 8th Company Law Directive on Statutory Audit of Annual Accounts and Consolidated Accounts. It hopes to resolve these issues, which could potentially affect a small number of auditors in the UK and from other EU member states, in this context.

To ask the Solicitor-General how many complaints were received by her Department about decisions of the Crown Prosecution Service in 2004. [218708]

The Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers established a correspondence unit on 1November 2004 to handle the large amount of correspondence it receives.

It is not possible to ascertain with any degree of accuracy what proportion of the correspondence received relates to complaints about CPS decisions. Individual files would have to be checked for content which would incur disproportionate costs.

To ask the Solicitor-General what records are kept of the proportion of cases submitted by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service that are deemed not to have a realistic prospect of successful prosecution. [218709]

Since April 2004, the Crown Prosecution Service has recorded, for each case subject to a pre-charge decision in which the final decision was not to prosecute, the reason for that decision. Table 1 shows this information for the period April-December 2004, divided into evidential reasons and public interest reasons, together with the more exact reason allocated within each of these general categories.

Similarly, the Crown Prosecution Service records the reason for its decision to drop prosecutions after a defendant has been charged. This information is shown at Table 2, which covers the period January-December 2004. As well as cases in which either evidential or public interest reasons weighed against a prosecution, Table 2 also shows the number of cases in which a prosecution could not proceed, for example because the victim retracted or refused to give evidence, and a number of other reasons.

On both tables cases deemed not to have a realistic prospect of conviction are those shown under evidential reasons.

Table 1: Reasons for no prosecution 2004

Table 2: Reasons CPS dropped prosecution: 2004

To ask the Solicitor-General if she will list the (a) documents and (b) other written material released to date by her Department under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and what categories of information her Office has refused to release. [220637]

To date my Department has released the following documents:

(1) In relation to my noble and learned Friend the Attorney-General's advice on the legality of the use of force against Iraq:

25 October 2002;(a) A letter from me to Graham Allen MP,

14 March 2003;(b) A letter from the Prime Minister to Charles Kennedy MP,

14 March 2003 from the Legal Secretary to the Law Officers to the Prime Minister's Private Secretary;(c) A letter dated

15 March 2003 from the Prime Minister's Private Secretary to the Legal Secretary to the Law Officers;(d) A letter dated

21 March 2003 from a judge at the Manchester Crown court;(e) A letter dated

15 April 2003 sent on behalf of the Attorney-General to the Crown court judge;(f) A letter dated

16 April 2003 from the Crown court judge;(g) A letter dated

9 May 2003 from Lord Alexander QC;(h) A letter dated

21 May 2003 in reply to Lord Alexander;(i) A letter dated

29 July 2003;(j) A letter from the Attorney-General to David Hughes,

27 August 2003;(k) A letter from me to Tam Dalyell MP,

29 August 2003;(l) A letter from the Attorney-General to Graham Allen MP,

3 November 2003;(m) A letter from the Attorney-General to Graham Allen MP,

4 November 2003;(n) A letter from the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers to the PS/Foreign Secretary,

15 November 2004;(o) A letter from Baroness Symons to Baroness Williams,

14 December 2004(p) A letter from the Attorney-General to Benedict Birnberg,

25 February 2005 on the process leading up to the Attorney-General's written answer to Parliament on 17 March 2003;(q) A statement by the Attorney-General of

(2) In relation to the Attorney's appearance before the Butler Review:

4 May 2004, on the resignation of Ms Elizabeth Wilmshurst from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office;(a) An extract from a briefing note prepared for the Attorney-General's oral evidence session,

(b) An extract from a document entitled Key Extracts from Butler Report to Draw On (undated), on the same subject;

(c) A note submitted to the Review entitled Procedures for the Provision of Law Officers' Advice to the Government;

(3) A paper setting out my noble and learned Friend the Attorney-General's Ministerial Superintendence of the Army Prosecuting Authority;

(4) An extract from the minutes of a meeting of the Attorney-General with the Serious Fraud Office;

56).

My Office has not released information which we have judged exempt from disclosure under the Act, notably but not exclusively in relation to Sections 23 (information supplied by or related to bodies dealing with security matters), 27 (international relations), 35(formulation or development of Government policy, including the specific exemption at Section 33(1)(c) for Law Officers' advice) and 42 (legal professional privilege).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) injuries and (b) deaths have been reported as a direct result of airgun incidents in each of the last eight years. [221784]

Statistics on the number of crimes recorded by the police in which an air weapon was reported to have caused injury are contained in Table2.06 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 02/05 'Crime in England and Wales 2003–04: Supplementary Volume 1: Homicide and Gun Crime'. Table 2b of that publication gives the available statistics on fatal injuries reported to have been caused by an air weapon. Copies of this publication are available in the Library and it is also available on the Home Office website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb0205.pdf

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants worked at (a) Prison Service headquarters, (b) Probation headquarters and (c) National Offender Management Service headquarters on 31 December 2004; what the estimated numbers are for 31 December 2005; and if he will make a statement. [220390]

The new National Offender Management Service (NOMS) headquarters, alongside the National Probation Directorate and the Prison Service headquarters, is being redesigned. Comparable information on staff numbers across all three headquarters on 31 December 2004 is not available; but on 22 November 2004 there were 641 full-time equivalent posts in NOMS headquarters, 2,250 in Prison Service headquarters, and 305 in the National Probation Directorate. The number of civil servants within each total is not separately identified.

A proposal, including the allocation of staff to directorates, has been put forward to staff and trade unions for their comments.

The new headquarters is being planned for April 2005, and I will write to my hon. and learned Friend once the design of the new headquarters has been agreed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what functions within the National Offender Management Service were not previously carried out by either the prison or probation services; and if he will make a statement. [220473]

The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has been established within the existing legislative framework of the Prison and Probation Services. While NOMS has no new statutory functions, a provision in the recently published Management of Offenders and Sentencing Bill will establish sentence planning and review as a core offender management function.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff working for theNational Offender Management Services (NOMS) are situated at (a) NOMS headquarters, (b) Prison Service headquarters and (c) Probation Service headquarters. [220475]

The Prison Service headquarters and the National Probation Directorate both form parts of the National Offender Management Service.

The new National Offender Management Service headquarters, alongside the Prison Service and Probation Service headquarters, is being redesigned. A proposal, including the allocation of staff to Directorates, has been put forward to staff and trade unions for their comments. The new headquarters is being planned for April 2005 and I will write to the hon. Member once the design of the new headquarters has been agreed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff have been transferred from (a) Her Majesty's Prison Service and (b) the Probation Service to the National Offender Management Service. [220478]

The new National Offender Management Service (NOMS) headquarters, alongside the Prison Service and Probation Service headquarters, is being redesigned. A proposal, including the allocation of staff to directorates, has been put forward to staff and trade unions for their comments. The new headquarters is being planned for April 2005.

It is intended to effect formal staff transfers from the Prison Service and from the National Probation Directorate into NOMS headquarters on 31 March. Iwill write to the hon. Member once the design of the new headquarters has been agreed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff based at (a) Prison Service and (b) Probation Service Headquarters work for the National Offender Management Service. [220516]

The Prison Service headquarters and the National Probation Directorate both form parts of the National Offender Management Service.

The new National Offender Management Service headquarters, alongside the Prison Service and Probation Service headquarters, is being redesigned. A proposal, including the allocation of staff to Directorates, has been put forward to staff and trade unions for their comments. The new headquarters is being planned for April 2005 and I will write to my hon. Friend once the design of the new headquarters has been agreed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for developing the responsibilities of regional offender managers under theNational Offender Management Service; and what the timetable is for that development. [218794]

Regional Offender Managers (ROMs) will be key figures in the line of accountability running from those actually managing offenders to the National Offender Manager. They will have a crucial role to play in commissioning services needed to reduce re-offending.

ROMs are already working with local probation boards in establishing the offender management model for community sentences and overseeing the separation of offender management and interventions within probation areas. Budgets for 2006–07 for offender management in probation areas will be agreed by the ROMs; budgets for 2006–07 for public sector intervention services in probation areas will be agreed by the director of probation and the ROMs; budget allocation for prisons for 2006–07 within each NOMS region will be agreed by the director general of prisons and the ROMs. The ROMs are working with a range of stakeholders to put in place regional reducing re-offending strategies during 2005

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what administrative support there will be for regional offender managers in each regional area under the National Offender Management Service structure. [218795]

The Regional Offender Managers will initially have two staff to provide administrative support. As their role and responsibilities grow, the staffing requirements will be reviewed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effects of the introduction of the National Offender Management Service on (a) the level of centralised control, (b) community engagement and (c) accountability in the Probation Service. [222508]

The establishment of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) now provides clear leadership and accountability for the performance of all the correctional services and for reducing re-offending. The effectiveness of the service will depend upon relationships between NOMS and its various partners at the local, regional and national level. This is a key feature of the feasibility work currently under way on organisational models for NOMS.

In addition, the creation of NOMS offers a unique opportunity to sustain and expand existing community sector work with offenders. A draft strategy The Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector in the National Offender Management Service" has recently been published for consultation and is available on the Home Office website.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department

(1) where each regional offender manager will be based; and if he will make a statement; [221580]

(2) what work has been undertaken to identify possible office sites for each of the regional offender managers; and if he will make a statement. [221581]

It is intended that the offices for the Regional Offender Managers will provide the best possible access for their region, and deliver best value for money. They may be co-located with other parts of the National Offender Management Service, other government offices or at new locations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated annual cost is for the operation of the Office of the National Offender Manager; and if he will make a statement. [221583]

The budget for the Office of the National Offender Manager (not including the budgets for the Regional Offender Managers) for 2005–06 is yet to be finalised but the indicative budget for 2005–06 has been set at £0.214 million resource.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 8 December 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. Ayesha Siddiqui. [212276]

I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 3 February 2005, Official Report, column 1008W.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department

(1) when he will reply to the letter dated 17 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. Thembelani Chinyoka; [212282]

(2) when he will reply to the letter dated 17 November 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mrs. Thembelani Chinyoka. [215106]

I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 1 February 2005, Official Report, columns 822–23W.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 1 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Lily Beverley. [212283]

I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 1 February 2005, Official Report, columns 822–23W.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 6 December 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mrs. Sama Manzoor Ahmed. [215108]

I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 1 February 2005, Official Report, column 823W.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 30 December 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Dwight Swanson. [217047]

I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 85W.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in enabling the Criminal Cases Review Commission (a) to obtain documents and information from abroad and (b) to interview witnesses overseas. [218713]

This issue has been considered, but there is currently no statutory basis on which the Criminal Cases Review Commission can request evidence from overseas. Legislation would therefore be required.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 1 March 2004, Official Report, column 1098W, on cycling, if he will make it his policy to record centrally how many cyclists involved in road accidents were reported as cycling without lights. [221684]

I have been asked to reply.

Personal injury road accident data in Great Britain are collected by the police and reported to the Department for Transport using the STATS 19 accident report format. From the 1 January 2005 the police were asked to record contributory factors to road accidents as part of the STATS 19 form. Among the factors included are Impairment or Distraction—Not displaying lights at night or in poor visibility" and Impairment or Distraction—Cyclist wearing dark clothing at night". The contributory factor data will become available in the summer of 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make available the resources needed to implement the Government's policy of increasing the maximum penalty for dangerous driving from two to five years' imprisonment. [222348]

holding answer 17 March 2005

The Government have a commitment arising from theReview of Road Traffic Penalties to increase the maximum penalty for dangerous driving.

It is our intention to implement this measure as part of a package of measures arising from the Consultation on the Review of Road Traffic Offences involving Bad Driving. This Consultation paper was published on 3 February and the consultation exercise will close on 6 May.

The funding for, and implementation of, this package will be agreed once the assessment of the consultation has been completed later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts in his Department have been granted to (a) EDS, (b) Fujitsu and (c) EDS and Fujitsu jointly in each of the last two years; whether they were open to competition; for what they were granted; for how much, and over what period of time; and if he will make a statement. [211620]

(a) The Home Office has not awarded any contracts to EDS in the financial years 2002–03, 2003–04 or 2004-YTD.

(b) Information held by the Home Office on contracts awarded to Fujitsu in the financial years 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004-YTD is as follows:

NCIS awarded two consultancy contracts to Fujitsu following a competitive tender exercise under the OGC S-CAT Framework Agreement. Details are as follows:

April 2002-September 2003 Project Mercury—which was a project to deliver the roll out of windows 2000 across NCIS. The total amount of expenditure over the period with Fujitsu for their delivery of services to the project was £597,375.

A feasibility study for a fire arms tracking database over 2002–03 was commissioned but this was funded via Concerted Inter-agency Drug Action (CIDA) totalling £32,630. (three month project February 2003-April 2003)

The Commercial Directorate placed two orders for various IT hardware via the G-CAT framework on behalf of the National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC):

21 October 2002. Total value including VAT: £92,217.

01 July 2003. Total value including VAT: £6,286.

The Commercial Directorate awarded a consultancy contract for the production of Test and Validation Strategy for Mental Health Unit (MHU) Case-working Application on behalf of the Information Management and Technology Unit (IMTU). This was competed via the S-CAT framework, details are as follows:

Purchase Order: PO4390201 Award of contract: 07 September 2004 Delivery on/by 15 September 2004

Total value including VAT: £9,743.

The Commercial Directorate placed an order for various IT hardware via the Suspect Index (S.I.) Supply Agreement on behalf of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND). Details are as follows:

Purchase Order: PO5419301 Award of contract: 11 January 2005 Delivery on/by: 22 February 2005

Total value including VAT: £675,042.

The Prison Service awarded a contract for the provision of IT equipment and software for the Prison Service's Technical Architects Solution Centre in 2004–05. The total cost was £35,000 and was procured through a competition with G-Cat suppliers.

(c) The Home office did not grant any joint contracts to EDS and Fujitsu in the financial years 2002–03, 2003–04 or 2004-YTD.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's policy is on the wearing of the kirpan by Sikh employees. [222540]

holding answer 18 March 2005

The Criminal Justice Act 1988 makes it an offence for a person in a public place to have a bladed or sharply pointed article—other than a small folding pocket knife—without good reason. The onus is on the knife carrier to show they have a good reason for carrying it. However, the Act exempts Sikhs from criminal prosecution on the ground that the kirpan is a religious article. Article 13 of the Treaty of Amsterdam and the Human Rights Act also protect the right of individuals to follow their chosen religion.

Sikh employees are permitted to wear the kirpan.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has commissioned on the variation in the rate of successful completion of drug treatment and testing orders between participants maintained on (a) methadone and (b) buprenorphine in (i) Somerset and (ii) England. [222527]

holding answer 17 March 2005

Unfortunately, this information cannot be provided as there are no records held centrally relating to this research.

However, in April 2005 The National Treatment Agency (NTA) will publish detailed information on clients in structured drug treatment during 2003–04. Although, not relating specifically to Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTO) this research will give an accurate overview of the completion rates of individuals who have been engaged in different types of drug treatment and will include those on DTTOs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the HomeDepartment how many drug dealers have been prosecuted in (a) Leeds and (b) Leeds West in the last 12 months; and how many of these were part of Operation Crackdown. [222238]

Data on drug offenders are collected at police force area only and are therefore not available in the format requested. The most recent Drug Offenders statistics, relating to 2003, were published on 1 March 2005 and are available on the Home Office website.

Operation Crackdown was launched on 10 January 2005 and in this limited timeframe few of the people arrested and charged as a result of the operation will have completed their passage through the criminal justice system. Information on prosecutions following Operation Crackdown is therefore not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug dealers from (a) Leeds and (b) Leeds West have been jailed in each of the last 10 years, broken down by type of drug; and if he will make a statement. [222246]

Information on the number of offenders receiving custodial sentences for dealing offences is only available for England and Wales as a whole and not for individual constituencies. Data on trends in the number of drug dealers in England and Wales being imprisoned between 1994 and 2003 are provided in the table.

Number of persons imprisoned for specified drug dealing offences in England and Wales, 1994 to 2003

Source:

Supplementary Tables of Drug Offenders in England and Wales 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners who absconded from Kirkham open prison in 2004 remain unlawfully at large. [205628]

holding answer 20 December 2004

158 prisoners absconded from Kirkham open prison in 2004. Of these, 17 remain unlawfully at large.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future of HMP The Weare. [219709]

The decision about the future of HMP The Weare was announced on 9 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost of carrying out the maintenance and repairs to HM Prison Weare which would ensure it received its next certificate of seaworthiness. [222535]

holding answer 17 March 2005

Work to refit and repaint HMP The Weare was in the existing maintenance programme and was scheduled to begin later this year. This work had been estimated to cost around £1.1 million and was due to be completed in time for the next inspection for the certificate of seaworthiness in May 2006. This work is now on hold as a result of the announcement to close HMP The Weare.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the maintenance costs for HM Prison Weare were in each year since 1997. [222536]

holding answer 17 March 2005

The maintenance costs for The Weare prison since 1997 are comprised of three discrete elements; the vessel-specific facilities management contract, local maintenance allocation and other major maintenance costs. The first two can be broken down as follows:

£000

⁽⁴⁾Has been increased in certain years through allocation from Prison Service area funding.

⁽⁵⁾Actual figures estimated as not readily available.

There have also been other major maintenance requirements at The Weare since 1997. These include re-painting, preservation work, a link span modification and the refit for the previous sea-worthiness certificate. In total these maintenance costs were in the order of £1 million over this period.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sources of Government funding other than National Offender Management Services regional funding are available for (a) the Centre for Adolescent Rehabilitation and (b) other organisations undertaking similar work in support of Government objectives. [220525]

The Centre for Adolescent Rehabilitation (C-FAR) has had central grant funding of £720,000 committed by the Home Office.

In 2001 £20,000 was provided towards the cost of evaluation. In 2002 and 2003 £150,000 was provided in grant each year and in 2004 a grant of £400,000 was agreed, with £250,000 to be paid in 2004–05 and, a further £150,000 in 2005–06. C-FAR has also received funding from Supporting People, which is a central Government fund administered through the Devon county council and from housing benefit. C-FAR has also applied for or planned to apply for funding from the Learning and Skills Council (Department for Education and Skills and Jobcentre Plus (Department for Work and Pensions), the Safer and Stronger Communities Fund (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has a grant programmes for organisations working in rural areas.

Other organisations undertaking similar work in support of Government objectives working on a regional basis would be eligible to apply for funding from most of the above sources. The exception would be NOMS central funding as organisations working at a regional or local level would normally be expected toapply for funding from the prison or probation service regionally or locally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking to target persistent offenders. [222552]

The Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) Strategy is at the heart of the Government's efforts to reduce crime and disorder.

This strategy, which was launched by the Prime Minister in March last year, looks to target not only existing prolific offenders but also those young people who are on the cusp of a prolific offending lifestyle. The strategy has three strands:

prevent and deter—to stop young people becoming prolific offenders;

catch and convict—tackling those who are already prolific offenders; and

rehabilitate and resettle—working to increase the number of offenders who stop offending by offering a range of supportive interventions.

This multi-agency approach to offender management built on, and replaced, the previous persistent offender scheme. Since September 2004 PRO schemes have been established across all parts of England and Wales. These schemes allow local partners, like the police, prisons and probation to concentrate their joint efforts on monitoring and rehabilitating the relatively small number of people who have been identified locally as causing most harm to their communities and to themselves.

Over 9,000 existing prolific offenders have been identified by schemes across England and Wales. In addition, around 5,000 young people have been identified as suitable for support as part of the prevent and deter strand.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what average weekly pay was available to prisoners serving a prison sentence was in England and Wales in 2003–04; and if he will make a statement. [218206]

This information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportional cost. It is for Governors to set the rates of pay for their establishment, against national criteria and minimum rates of pay, in a way that reflects their regime priorities.

These rates are set out in Prison Service Order 4460. The minimum employed rate of pay is £4 per week.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on recent incidents of prisoners absconding from HMP Prescoed; whether any of them were sex offenders; whether each has been recaptured; and whether any committed offences while out of prison. [221876]

Since 1 October 2004 three prisoners have absconded from Frescoed prison. One prisoner, who absconded on 6 October 2004, was a sex offender and was recaptured the next day without having committed any offences. Two prisoners absconded on 25 February 2005. Neither was a sex offender, and one has been recaptured. There is no indication that the recaptured prisoner committed any further offence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of expenditure per person on lunches for prisoners being held in prisons in England in each year from 1991–92 to 2005–06; what proportion of the food utilised was UK produce in each year; and if he will make a statement. [222147]