To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the level of crimes being carried out by each of the main paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland. [222764]

All of the main paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland are engaged in organised criminality to varying degrees. Of the top 25 organised criminal gangs who operate in Northern Ireland, two thirds have links to paramilitary gangs with both loyalist and republican gangs engaging in a range of illicit activity including drugs, smuggling, extortion, armed robbery and intellectual property crime.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on terrorist group related crime in Northern Ireland. [222759]

Both loyalist and republican paramilitary groups are heavily involved in organised crime in Northern Ireland. The Organised Crime Task Force Threat Assessment published in May 2004 clearly indicated paramilitary involvement in organised crime. The Independent Monitoring Commission's report of 4 November also provided a clear assessment of the criminal activities of paramilitary groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of secondary school children in Northern Ireland are in single sex schools; and what the percentage was (a) five and (b) 10 years ago. [222765]

31 per cent. of post-primary pupils in Northern Ireland currently attend single sex schools. This compares to 34 per cent. five years ago and 37 per cent. 10 years ago.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the working age population of Northern Ireland is unemployed. [222766]

Seasonally adjusted figures from the Labour Force Survey for the period November 2004-January 2005 estimate that 3.4 per cent. of the working age population in Northern Ireland are unemployed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the peace process. [222767]

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the peace process. [222769]

I refer my hon. Friend and the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter) and Tewkesbury (Mr. Robertson), Official Report, column 868.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the work of the Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland. [222768]

The Assets Recovery Agency has set an objective that 80 per cent. of the cases pursued in Northern Ireland will focus on property obtained by, or in the hands of, paramilitaries and organised criminals. The agency met its operational targets in Northern Ireland last year and is set to meet or exceed its targets for this year.

To date the agency has received 73 referrals. Action has been completed in six cases at a value of £1,720,000 and action is under way in 12 cases, with a value of £4,176,507. A further 13 cases are under investigation and 23 are under assessment. The remaining 19 have been returned to law enforcement agencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he plans to take to broaden the religious and other value system education in schools in Northern Ireland. [222770]

The Religious Education Core Syllabus is intended to comprise about half of the teaching time for RE, allowing schools scope to include other religions and value systems if they wish. The revised core syllabus that has been drawn up by the four main churches in Northern Ireland addresses the study of other world religions. In addition, Citizenship education, which will cover issues such as religious diversity, is currently being rolled out to all post-primary schools and will become compulsory from September 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

(1) when the Code of Practice on access to information held by implementation bodies set up under the Belfast Agreement was (a) agreed and (b) published; [223145]

(2) how many of the implementation bodies set up under the Belfast Agreement have a Code of Practice on access to information held by them. [223146]

The North South Implementation Bodies Agreement 1999 provides that a code of practice on access to information will be drawn up by the Irish and Northern Ireland Ministers with responsibility for freedom of information for approval by the North/South Ministerial Council. That code is at an advanced stage of preparation and will be published for public consultation shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his estimate of the profitability of the (a) dairy, (b) beef, (c) pig and (d) poultry sectors of farming in the Province was in the last year for which figures are available. [223164]

The level of profitability of the main agricultural sectors is not calculated by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD). However, annual estimates are available of the contribution made by each sector towards the overheads and profitability of the agricultural industry, as measured by their aggregate sector gross margins.

The 2004 provisional sector gross margins are:

(a) £281 million for dairy cows and followers;

(b) £244 million for beef cattle, rearing and fattening;

(c) £23 million for pigs; and

(d) £23 million for poultry.

Detailed information on the value of outputs and costs included in the determination of the sector gross margins is given in the Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture 2004, which is available on the DARD website at www.dardni.gov.uk

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sources of assistance are available to the owners of fishing vessels under 10 metres in length; and what plans he has to extend this assistance to vessels under 10 metres. [223370]

The under 10 metre fleet are mostly small scale in shore vessels using static gear and not directly affected by the cod closure, therefore, there are no plans to extend assistance. Currently, grant aid is available to this sector under the Building Sustainable Prosperity, Small Scale and Coastal sub-measure which provides assistance for co-ordination, distribution and marketing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will use the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference to discuss with the Republic of Ireland the extent to which illegal immigrants are using the Republic of Ireland as a point of entry into the United Kingdom. [221338]

I have been asked to reply.

The British Government have no plans to raise this matter at a future meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. We discuss this issue with Ireland in other bilateral forums.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer in relation to the extension to Northern Ireland of the new National Sports Foundation. [223269]

I have had no discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer in relation to the extension to Northern Ireland of the new National Sports Foundation as detailed arrangements are still to be decided by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. I will, however, be consulting with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the matter in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the value of sales of surplus assets from his Department was in each year since 2000–01. [220958]

The value of sales of surplus assets from my Department (including its agencies but excluding NDPBs) is as follows:

This information is included in the departmental resource accounts, copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to improve traffic congestion at Sandyknowes roundabout on the M2 motorway in Northern Ireland. [223168]

The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.

Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mr. David Burnside, dated 22 March 2005

You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about what plans he has to improve traffic congestion at Sandyknowes roundabout on the M2 motorway in Northern Ireland. I have been asked to reply as these issues fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.

The recently published Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP) proposes modifications to the Sandyknowes roundabout incorporating full signalisation coupled with layout improvements to minimise conflicts between different traffic movements and afford greater priority to the strategic M2 and A8 movements. Roads Service is currently investigating various options to implement these proposals.

The M2 southbound from Sandyknowes junction through the Greencastle interchange to join the M5 is due to be widened to three lanes as part of Package 1 of Roads Service's DBFO Programme.

In addition, the Transport Assessment associated with a planning application for the Global Point Development at Ballyhenry, has identified a traffic impact on the Sandyknowes junction. Roads Service is working closely with the developer to reach agreement on the nature and extent of any mitigating measures required for the development.

I hope this information is helpful.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his plans are for improving road and rail links between the airport at Aldergrove and Belfast, with particular reference to the Dunsilly roundabout M2 link through Antrim town to the airport. [223171]

The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.

Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mr. Burnside, dated 22 March 2005

You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question, about what his plans are for improving road and rail links between the airport at Aldergrove and Belfast, with particular reference to the Dunsilly roundabout M2 link through Antrim town to the airport. (223171). I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.

You may recall that John Spellar, MP, in his letter dated 22 October 2004, assured you that the importance of Belfast International Airport as a transport hub was recognised by the Regional Development Strategy and the Regional Transportation Strategy. During preparation of the Regional Strategic Transport Network Transport Plan (RSTN TP), the transport links to Belfast International Airport were examined. However, it was considered that the three roads radiating out from the Killead roundabout provided good links to the strategic road network, servicing the Province and beyond. No additional road infrastructure was considered necessary during the life of the Plan.

The Antrim Road/Dublin Road between Belfast International Airport and Antrim does not offer a direct link to the Key Strategic Road Network and is not therefore, considered to be either a Key Strategic Corridor or Link Corridor, as defined in the Regional Development Strategy. However, the RSTN TP appraisal process included the examination of a new link road connecting the M2 Motorway/Rathmore roundabout to Belfast International Airport, and it is hoped that this proposal will be included, not only in Roads Service's Long Term Forward Planning Schedule, but also as a potential Transport Scheme in the forthcoming Antrim/Ballymena/Larne Development Plan, currently being prepared by the Department of the Environment's Planning Service. The inclusion of this scheme would afford protection of the route from any development that would be likely to prejudice future implementation of a scheme.

With regard to the Antrim Road/Dublin Road, which forms part of the route from the Dunsilly Roundabout to the airport, I can advise that Roads Service has identified a number of possible road improvements. The first of these, involving the realignment and widening of approximately 500m of carriageway, together with a right turn lane and improved visibility splays at the Dungonnell Road junction to Crumlin, is scheduled to start during the 2005/06 financial year.

The proposed improvements to the M2 motorway, which will be undertaken as part of Package 1 of Roads Service's DBFO Programme, will widen the existing carriageway to provide three lanes in the Belfast bound direction from Sandyknowes junction through the Greencastle interchange to join the M5. An additional lane will also be provided to carry 3 lanes through the Greencastle interchange in the northbound direction. The works will include the replacement of three of the bridges over the M2 motorway on this section of the route, i.e. Hightown Bridge, Collin Bridge, and Longlands Bridge.

With regard to improving rail links to the airport, I understand in the context of a new park and ride site near Templepatrick, that Translink would consider diverting the current bus service between Aldergrove and the Europa Bus Centre to enable a rail connection to be made there.

I hope this information is helpful.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reduce the contribution that aircraft make to greenhouse gas emissions; and if he will make a statement. [221749]

The Government's proposals to tackle the climate change impacts of aviation are set out in the Future of Air Transport White Paper (paragraphs 3.35–3.43).

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the A65 quality bus scheme submitted by Leeds city council and West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive; and when he expects to make a decision on funding for the scheme. [223526]

Ministers decided to ask regional bodies for a view on its priority. It is now for Leeds city council to determine which of the schemes they would want considered, and the justification for that decision.

Full consideration of regional views is currently expected to commence in time for the 2006 settlement. Local authorities would need to provide a strong case for the Department to reconsider schemes remitted to the region before those arrangements are in place.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether (a) his Department and (b) other Government Departments have responsibility within Wales for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004 (S.I., 2004, No.568). [223103]

The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004 apply to the whole of Great Britain.

These regulations are the policy responsibility of the Department for Transport. Competent authority functions are primarily shared between DfT and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The lead agency for enforcement of the regulations in Wales is the HSE. The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) and the Welsh police forces also have enforcement responsibilities under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding with the HSE.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the drafting process that was followed for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004 (S.I., 2004, No.568); and whether individuals from outside his Department were involved in the drafting. [223132]

holding answer 21 March 2005

Transport Ministers and the Chair of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) exchanged correspondence in 2000 and the HSC were invited to prepare the draft regulations. HSC instructed the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to undertake that task. HSE's policy and legal advisors prepared the regulations (including a regulatory impact assessment and full consultation exercise) and these were submitted to the DfT who agreed and made them on 1 April 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport

(1) what change in the local Government Finance Settlement would be necessary to reimburse local government in full for the costs of replacing the national minimum standards for concessionary travel schemes for people over the age of 60 with a 100 per cent. discount on bus fares; [223247]

(2) how much additional government expenditure would be required to introduce concessionary travel schemes for people over the age of 60 with a 100 per cent. discount on bus fares. [223248]

From April 2006, the Government are extending the existing statutory minimum requirement so that older and disabled people in England will be guaranteed free off-peak travel on their local bus services, with no charge for the pass. The Government will be providing an extra £350 million in 2006–07 for the local Government Finance Settlement for local authorities in England, to implement this measure. Total additional government expenditure will be £420 million, also including consequential payments to Wales and Scotland under the Barnett formula.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the average distance cycled per person in each year since 1980. [223591]

The National Travel Survey (NTS) shows the data requested in the following table.

Average distance cycled per person per year: 1985–86 to 2002–03

Source:

National Travel Survey, DfT.

Averages are taken over all the population living in households, not just cyclists. Equivalent information is not available for 1980–84 and 1987–88. Data are shown for three-year aggregates between 1999 and 2001 because of the smaller sample sizes during that period.

The NTS only collects data on travel by bicycle on the public highway and paved pathways with unrestricted access, and travel by bicycle off these routes will not be recorded. Trips by children's bicycles/tricycles intended as toys are not included.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of trespassing on his Department's property have been reported in (a) Leicester and (b) England since 1997. [222890]

The Department for Transport was formed in May 2002 and as a result the information provided only relates to the years 2002–03 onwards.

Comprehensive records on trespass are not kept by the Department and its six agencies. Where records are kept and are accessible without disproportionate cost the information shows that since 1 April 2002 there were 33 incidents of trespass in England but none in Leicester.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on (a) his de-trunking programme and (b) the level of resources transferred from his Department to local highway authorities for this purpose. [222482]

The information requested is as follows:

(a) The policy of transferring non-core trunk roads (de-trunking) to local highway authorities was first set out in the White Paper A New Deal for Transport published in July 1998. De-trunking allows the Highways Agency to concentrate on the operation of the strategic (core) trunk road network, whilst enabling local authorities to consider their own priorities for the improvement of non-core routes. The aim has been to transfer some 3,200 kms (30 per cent.) of the trunk road network (as it was in April 1999) to local authorities in a phased programme. To date more than three-quarters (around 2,500 kms) of the programme has been completed since April 2001.

(b) Prior to the de-trunking of a road, the Highways Agency and local authority agree an appropriate level of funding for annual routine maintenance and in some cases' outstanding capital maintenance projects. The methodology for calculating the funding has been approved by the Local Government Association to ensure a fair transfer of resources. In the years following de-trunking, the authority can also make supplementary bids for additional funds for capital maintenance projects (bridge replacement, resurfacing etc.) on de-trunked roads as part of the LTP process. In 2004–05 around £33.1 million of routine maintenance funds, and £31.6 million of capital maintenance funds were transferred from the Highways Agency to local authorities for all de-trunked roads.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fraudulent applications for driving licences there have been in each year since 1997. [223191]

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has been refining enforcement processes in this area over the last few years and reliable figures are only available from 2003. Over this period, DVLA referred on average about 40 suspected fraudulent driving licence applications every week to the prosecution authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was contributed by the General Lighthouse Fund to navigational aids in the territorial waters of the Republic of Ireland in each of the last 10 years; and what his estimate is of contributions over the next three years. [222411]

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 19 April 2004, . The figures for the 2004–05 financial year are not yet available.Official Report, column 311W

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport

(1) how much was contributed by the central fund to the Northern Lighthouse Board in each of the last 10 years; [222412]

(2) what the annual budget of (a) the Trinity House Lighthouse Authority, (b) the Commissioners of the Irish Lights and (c) the Northern Lighthouse Board was in each of the last 10 years. [222415]

The expenditure requirements of the three General Lighthouse Authorities are met from the General Lighthouse Fund. The annual expenditure figures available are set out in the following table. Expenditure figures for Trinity House Lighthouse Service prior to 1998 can be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

£000

⁽¹⁾ Approved budget

Sanctioned expenditure for Trinity House post 2004 includes the forecast cost of the redevelopment of Harwich buoy yard and offices and redundancy costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with negotiations with the Irish Government on the cessation of payments from the UK General Lighthouse Fund for the provision of navigational aids in Irish territorial waters. [222413]

The Irish Government's Department of Communication, Marine and Natural Resources have now stated that they have no objection in principle to participating in a review of the 1985 agreement. We are now developing proposals for their consideration as a matter of priority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue from light dues has been collected from ships calling at ports in (a) Scotland, (b) the Isle of Man, (c) England and Wales, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) the Republic of Ireland in each of the last 10 financial years. [222414]

The information requested is set out as follows for the years 1997 to 2004. We do not have the data broken down in this way prior to 1997.

£000

The figures are for general light dues and does not include income from UK fishing vessels and tugs.

The figures do not include any light dues refunds that were made.

The figures for ROI are shown in sterling after conversion from punts. Pre conversion figures shown as follows.

Republic of Ireland

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many transit and transfer passengers have used Heathrow airport in each of the last five years. [223041]

The following table shows the number of transit and transfer passengers who used Heathrow airport in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will reply to the letters of 24 February and 14 March from the hon. Member for Maidstone and the Weald regarding a meeting to discuss the Strategic Rail Authority's proposals for the Integrated Kent Franchise. [223734]

I replied to the right hon. Member's letters on 22 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the North Kerrier Home Zone project to be completed. [222657]

The council expects phase 1 of the works to be substantially complete by the end of April 2005. Further phases of the project are planned as funds become available. Cornwall county council is responsible for the development and implementation of the North Close Home Zone scheme and has received a grant of £460,000 from the Challenge fund.

In submitting their bid for the scheme, Cornwall county council underestimated the scale of the project. It has therefore only been possible to implement the first phase of the project from the grant funding available. The county council are planning to implement further phases from other funding streams in future years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received about unadopted roads on new estates. [222716]

The Department has received a small number of representations from people living on unadopted roads on new housing estates. In addition, I met with my hon. Friend the Member for North Durham (Mr. Jones) last December to discuss unadopted roads in other areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from Nottingham East Midlands Airport concerning its proposals for implementing noise controls. [222891]

Nottingham East Midlands Airport (NEMA) has indicated that it will address possible enhancements to its existing environmental mitigation measures in preparing its master plan. I understand that NEMA will go out to consultation on its draft master plan in the summer, with a view to publishing the final document around the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's plans are for (a) expansion and (b) night flight capacity at Nottingham East Midlands Airport. [222893]

This is a matter for the airport operator. We expect the airport operator to outline its proposals in its draft master plan, which is expected to be published for consultation in the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effects of decriminalised parking enforcement on the numbers of (a) traffic wardens and (b) parking enforcement officers in England. [223373]

The Government have encouraged local authorities to take over responsibility for parking enforcement from the police and police traffic wardens. This allows authorities to provide more effective enforcement and to match that enforcement to their local transport objectives. Over 150 local authorities are now responsible for decriminalised parking enforcement, with parking attendants carrying out the enforcement on the street. This policy of transferring responsibility to local authorities is reflected in Home Office figures for the number of traffic wardens in England and Wales for the years 1999–2000 to 2003–04 (the most recent year for which figures are available), which are as follows:

Comparable figures for parking attendants employed by local authorities are not

collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the proposed introduction of regional transport funding allocations; how many miles of (a) motorway and (b) trunk roads will be reduced from national to regional importance; what representations he has received on this proposal; and what discussions he has had with the (i) Chancellor of the Exchequer, (ii) Deputy Prime Minister and (iii) Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on these proposals. [222483]

In December 2004, the Government launched a consultation on proposals to establish regional funding allocations for transport, housing and economic development. As part of that consultation a number of routes have been classified as being of regional rather than of major national and international importance. This amounts to 520 miles of motorway and 2,185 miles of all-purpose trunk roads. The categorisation is being used to assist the identification of regional priorities for transport investment and does not represent a reduction in the status of these routes. Representations about the classification of routes have been received so far from some local authorities as well as the RAC Foundation, the Freight Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association.

The deadline for responses to the consultation was 10 March 2005. The Government are currently considering the responses received and will set out how it intends to proceed in due course. HM Treasury, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Transport have been working closely together at both ministerial and official level on the development of these proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department sold any surplus stock on the eBay auction website, in each year since 2000–01. [220938]

The Department has not used eBay to dispose of any surplus stock.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to prevent disruption to train services by adverse weather. [221721]

holding answer 15 March 2005

Network Rail advise that all its regions have plans and preparations in place for adverse weather and ensures that best practice is shared.

Network Rail is taking a range of actions to prevent disruption to train services in cold weather. Network Rail holds a winter preparation conference every summer to review performance during the previous winter and to start planning for the winter ahead.

Through these and other efforts, Network Rail has reduced the delays it causes to the network by 16 per cent. over the year ending 31 December 2004, compared to the preceding year. Delays in the autumn period (the 10 weeks from beginning of October to early December 2004) were reduced by 42 per cent. compared to the same period in 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on guidance given to companies on the application of working time regulations to the transport sector. [223456]

We have produced detailed guidance on the working time arrangements provided for in the Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005 (which implement EU Directive 2002/15/EC). We consulted on a draft version of the guidance last October and the finalised version is now posted on our website at www.dft.gov.uk/freight/rtd.

To ask the Prime Minister what steps the Government is taking to ensure the effective operation of the new out-of-hours GP service. [223399]

I have been asked to reply.

In January this year, the Government's national quality requirements came into force, ensuring that all patients have fast and convenient access to care, delivered by the most appropriate professional in the most appropriate place. This is supported by funding of £316 million, in this financial year, towards out-of-hours services. All patients can now access out-of-hours services with a single call to NHS Direct. Patients are guaranteed a home visit from a GP, if that is what they need.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to Dartmoor. [223401]

I have been asked to reply.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has no current plans to do so.

To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions since 20 December 2004 (a) officials and (b) special advisers in his office have met representatives of (i) Provisional Sinn Fein and (ii) the Provisional IRA; and if he will make a statement. [223534]

My officials and I have had frequent meetings with political parties in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with (a) Sir Ian Blair and (b) the UK security services regarding Sir Ian Blair's comments that terrorists may use the UK election day as a target date to attack the UK; and if he will make a statement. [223069]

It has been the practice of successive governments not to comment on specific security matters. Terrorist threats are kept under constant review and advice would be issued immediately if members of the public needed to take specific action.

To ask the Prime Minister which Government Department is responsible for patrolling UK waters for the detection of (a) narcotics, (b) illegal immigrants and (c) illegal importation of weapons. [223587]

The Government are committed to tackling drug trafficking, illegal immigration and illegal imports of weaponry. HM Customs and Excise are responsible for patrolling UK waters for the detection of narcotics and other assigned matters, including the illegal importation of weapons. They also assist the Immigration Service by patrolling against illegal immigration, assisted by the police, Royal Navy and HM Coastguard.

The Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill provides for the creation of a new Serious Organised Crime Agency which will lead the national fight against drug trafficking, people smuggling and the importation of illegal firearms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment her Department has made of the operations of companies charging for services to assist compliance with data protection legislation. [220079]

I have been asked to reply.

My Department does not have a statutory duty to provide protection to consumers who purchase services directed at helping them to comply with data protection legislation, and so no such assessment has been made. However, the Information Commissioner promotes the following of good practice by data controllers. For example, advice is offered as to what is necessary in order to notify with the Commissioner correctly, which can include taking professional advice. Information has been published on the activities of bogus notification agencies. More generally, the Information Commissioner also supports standards and guidance offered to the data protection user community, for example, by the British Computer Society, The National Computing Centre and the British Standards Institution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Coventry, South constituency, the effects on the constituency of changes to her Department's policy since 1997. [219535]

holding answer 7 March 2004

This information would only be available at disproportionate cost; therefore, I am unable to provide an answer to my hon. Friend's question: however, I can offer the following information about the Department's activities in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Coventry has benefited from capital investment in its industry from the Selective Finance for Industry in England (SFIE) programme (formerly Regional Selective Assistance—RSA). In the last five years, 22 companies have received a total of £12.4 million in SFIE offers which will enable these companies to make capital investments totalling £119.6 million. This investment will allow these companies to create 2,407 new jobs and safeguard a further 832 existing jobs.

Since January 2003 the Small Business Service in the West Midlands made 17 offers of grant to SME's in Coventry. The total value of the grants offered was £945,051 to support Grant for Research and Development (GRD) its predecessor SMART and for Enterprise Grant projects. In the last year, the Small Business Service has assisted a total of 1,695 companies and potential start-ups in the Coventry, South constituency.

122 companies in Coventry have benefited so far from the subsidised advice available from the West Midlands Manufacturing Advisory Service. Companies also benefit from investment by Advantage West Midlands (AWM) through the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Triangle High Technology Corridor; AWM's Cluster programme and funding through the Coventry and Nuneaton Regeneration Zone. This year alone, AWM has spent £34 million on projects across Coventry and Warwickshire which has achieved the following:

Coventry and Warwickshire

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many tribunal cases have been brought under the (a) Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 and (b) the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 since they came into force. [213524]

holding answer 4 February 2005

The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 and the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 came into force on 1 and 2 December 2003 respectively.

In the period December 2003 to 31 March 2004 in total 61 Employment Tribunal claims were registered by the Employment Tribunals Service relating to sexual orientation and 70 claims relating to religion or belief.

For the period 1 April 2004 to 28 February 2005 according to the data held in the Employment Tribunals Service's statistical database, 315 claims have been registered relating to sexual orientation and 265 claims relating to religion or belief. These figures will be included with others in the Employment Tribunals Service's Annual Report, which is due to be published and laid before the House in mid-July 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Consumer Committee met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement. [214298]

The EU Consumer Committee was in 2003 renamed the European Consumer Consultative Group (ECCG). Its meetings are attended by non-governmental consumer organisations. The UK is currently represented by Nick Stace of Which, and Susan Knox of Food Aware is the alternate member.

Details of ECCG meetings held during the Italian, Irish and Dutch presidency of the EU and who represented the UK are given as follows.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee of experts on the transit of electricity through grids met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement. [215902]

No such meetings took place. The relevant Directive—90/547/EEC—was repealed with effect from 1 July 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Contact Committee European Economic Interest Grouping met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement. [217893]

There were no such meetings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding the Medical Research Council has made available for research into kidney disease in each year since 1997. [222829]

The figures for MRC expenditure on research into kidney disease for the financial years requested are as follows:

The figures for the first three financial years are estimates, while those for the latter three financial years are actual expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the statistics relating to maternity pay, which, since 1997 (a) are no longer collected by her Department and (b) have had the way in which the figures are compiled changed. [221798]

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 17 March 2005, Official Report, column 423W by the Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for disabled people, my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Garston (Maria Eagle).

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department takes to support the UK music industry; and what action her Department takes to protect the intellectual property rights in the industry. [222472]

In addition to a range of business support solutions that apply to business generally, my Department has recently announced £0.5 million to promote the music industry in key markets like the US and China and, in response to advice from the music industry, UK Trade and Investment will be refocusing its resources and developing new strategies to help UK artists and companies enter the US market which is an export priority for the industry.

We have delivered legislative changes to strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights, including enhanced protection in the information society by UK implementation of the EC Copyright Directive (2001/29/EC). My noble Friend the Minister for Science and Innovation with responsibility for intellectual property, and my right hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for sponsorship of the music industry in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, jointly chair the Creative Industries Forum on Intellectual Property, which includes representatives of the music industry and which is exploring new opportunities for exploiting IP in the digital environment as well as concerns about protection for rights threatened by IP crime and online infringement. This builds on the IP Crime Strategy which was launched by my Department in August last year and our work to raise awareness about IP.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many workers in Newcastle-under-Lyme she estimates have benefited from the minimum wage. [223262]

Reliable figures cannot be produced for Newcastle-under-Lyme due to small sample size.

The DTI estimates that around 80,000 people in the North East have benefited from the October 2004 uprating of the national minimum wage. It is estimated that the October 2005 uprating will provide a guaranteed pay rise for around 80,000 workers in the North East. The DTI has based these estimates on the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings April 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are in place to protect consumers from phoenix companies. [216868]

The information requested is as follows:

Measures in place to protect consumers:

Disqualification:

Courts can disqualify directors from between two to 15 years if they are unfit. Phoenix" companies are particularly targeted and the courts take such cases very seriously. But hard evidence is needed in all cases.

Over 1,000 directors were disqualified in the period April 2004 to February 2005. Over 850 of these disqualifications involved directors offering an undertaking not to act as a director under the recently introduced (2001) new fast track process. It avoids the need for a court hearing where the director consents to a period of disqualification.

The Enforcement Hotline" was established in January 1998 to enable the public to report possible criminal activities by those who manage companies while disqualified. In the period April 2004 to February 2005, 152 calls were received by the Hotline, 82 of which were referred for investigation.

Prosecution:

Directors can be and are prosecuted for offences relating to phoenix" operations and on conviction they can, additionally, be disqualified from being directors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) Executive agencies within the remit of her Department have regional offices based on the Government offices for the regions' regional structure; and when the regional offices were established in each case. [219874]

The Department is lead sponsor for the eight Regional development agencies, the boundaries of which reflect the Government offices for regions' regional structure. The regional development agencies were established under the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. The London Development Agency is based in London and was established by the Greater London Act 1999. None of the Department's other agencies and NDPBs has regional offices based on the Government offices for the regions' regional structure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether she plans to refer the pricing of printer cartridges to the Office of Fair Trading; and if she will make a statement. [215355]

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is the independent competition regulator. It is responsible for deciding what action to take to promote effective competition and address anti-competitive behaviour. Anyone with evidence of anti-competitive conduct should pass that information to the OFT.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have benefited from child benefit in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the north-east and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. [223377]

Details of www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/child_benefit/menu.htm. Geographical analyses for 2004 are not yet available.(a) , (b) , (c) and (d) for November 2003 appear in Child Benefit Statistics. Geographical Analyses. November 2003". The latest figures available for (d) also appear in Child Benefit Quarterly Statistics. November 2004". These publications are available on the Inland Revenue website at

I understand from the Department of Work and Pensions that the numbers of families claiming child benefit between 1999 and 2002 (and the numbers of children in these families) were as follows:

⁽²⁾ Figures for Northern Ireland are not available on exactly the same basis, and hence the UK figure is unavailable.

Notes:

1. Figures are taken from a 100 per cent. sample of the child benefit centre.

2. In order to maintain anonymity of claimants, all 100 per cent. figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.

3. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

4. Produced by Information Directorate, DWP.

Figures for previous years are not available on the same basis.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which departments and agencies he expects to be able to make further reductions in civil service posts. [223772]

The planned levels of reductions in total and in detail were set out in the Spending Review 2004 White Paper, and are summarised in Chapter 2, Table 2.2.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 8 February 2005, Official Report, column 1406W, on Inland Revenue, on what date Inland Revenue commenced a review of its existing informers, and its practices relating to them, to ensure that it would be compliant with the provisions of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. [223192]

The Inland Revenue responded to an approach by the Home Office in 1999 prior to the passage of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, and informed them of the Department's continuing need to use information provider by informants and, in particular, that type of informant later classified as a Covert Human Intelligence Source by the Provisions of RIPA. The Inland Revenue asked staff in its Special Compliance Office to consider whether any of the informers then in use fell within the definition of a Covert Human Intelligence Source on 9 August 2001.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methods his Department uses to tackle tax evasion. [223071]

The Inland Revenue employs a twin-track approach to ensuring tax compliance by helping taxpayers to meet their obligations and dealing effectively with deliberate non-compliance. Central to that approach, the Revenue has a continuous and sophisticated programme of risk assessment directed at tackling tax evasion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the zero rate of VAT on new homes. [223355]

The Government keep all taxes under constant review.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from the European Commission regarding the zero rate of VAT on new homes in the United Kingdom. [223356]

I am not aware that any Treasury Minister has received any recent representations from the European Commission concerning the zero rate of VAT for new housing.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many suppliers are included on the list of pre-qualified suppliers maintained by the Office of Government Commerce's buying solutions; and how many are located in Wales. [223333]

OGC buying.solutions does not maintain a listing of 'pre-qualified suppliers.' Delivery of the products and services is via Framework Agreements and Managed Services contracts. The OGC buying.solutions supply base is 570, of which eight have registered offices in Wales.

In order to provide the appropriate service coverage to central Government and the wider public sector within Wales, the supply base may utilise regional offices or sub-contractors based within Wales. The Management Information submitted by each supplier does not include details of which office or sub-contractor is responsible for carrying out work in each region.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value to date is of secondary market equity sales in private finance initiative contracts. [222886]

The Government do not hold information on sales of equity stakes in PFI deals as these are transactions between two private sector entities. PFI contracts require that the identity of any new owner arising from such a transaction must be notified to the procuring authority of the PFI project. The Government undertake PFI for reasons of value for money, and the value of secondary private sector equity sales does not change the value for money case or the unitary charge paid for an individual project.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of each National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification was unmarried but lived with a partner in the last period for which figures are available; and what proportion of these couples had a child. [223122]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Andrew Tyrie, dated 23 March 2005

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for the proportion of cohabiting couple families in each National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC), and the proportion of these families that had a child. I am replying in his absence. (223122)

The most recent estimates of the number of cohabiting couples indicated that there were 2 million cohabiting couples in England and Wales in 2003. The proportion of these couples who have children is not available. No estimates are made for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The NS-SEC of families is not routinely published, but the Labour Force Survey can be used to provide estimated proportions of family types by NS-SEC. A table based on data from the first quarter of 2004 for the United Kingdom is attached. This table also shows the proportion of cohabiting couples who have children living with them. The data should be interpreted with some caution as the results are not standardised for age. The number of children an NS SEC category of cohabitants have will, in part, be determined by the age distribution of cohabitants in that category.

Proportion of cohabiting couple families in each NS-SEC and the proportion of these couples that had a child,United Kingdom, spring 2004^(3)(4)(5)

Percentage

⁽³⁾ A cohabiting couple family is a cohabiting couple on their own, or with their never-married children who have no children of their own. A small number of those cohabiting will actually be legally married but separated from their marriage partner.

⁽⁴⁾ NS-SEC is an occupationally based classification but has rules to provide coverage of the whole adult population. The family reference person has been used to assign the NS-SEC of the family. It does not follow that everyone in the family will be of the same NS-SEC as the family reference person.

⁽⁵⁾ A family with children can contain dependent or non-dependent children. Dependent children are defined as children under 16 years of age, or those aged 16 to 18 who are never-married and in full-time education.

Note:

Due to rounding, percentages may not total to exactly 100.

Source:

Labour Force Survey, Office for National Statistics.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 76W, on tax credits, how many complaints were received by the MP tax credits complaints team (a) by post and (b) by telephone in (i) January and (ii) February. [223595]

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer

(1) what the projected total managed expenditure for (a) 2007–08 and (b) 2011–12 is; [223362]

(2) what the projected annually managed expenditure for (a) 2007–08 and (b) 2011–12 is; [223363]

(3) what the projected total departmental expenditure limits for (a) 2007–08 and (b) 2011–12 are. [223364]

Plans for Total Managed Expenditure (TME), including Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) and Annually Managed Expenditure (AME), up to 2007–08 are set out in Chapter C of Budget 2005.

Illustrative long-term fiscal projections for 2010–11 and beyond were set out in the 2004 Long-term Public Finances Report" and were updated in Annex A of Budget 2005.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer

(1) how many people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK received working families tax credit; [223658]

(2) how many people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have received child tax credit since its inception. [223660]

The numbers of families receiving working families tax credit in the areas requested appear in Working Families' Tax Credit and Disabled Person's Tax Credit Statistics. Geographical analyses".

Estimates of the numbers of in-work families in these areas receiving child tax credit at various dates since July 2003 appear in Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics. Geographical analyses". However, these estimates are based on a sample of families and are subject to sampling uncertainty. These publications can be found on the Inland Revenue website at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer

(1) what the level of (a) unemployment and (b) long-term unemployment has been in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997; [223048]

(2) what the level of youth unemployment in the North East was in each year since 1997. [223105]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Stephen Hepburn, dated 23 March 2005

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about unemployment. I am replying in his absence. (223048, 223105)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from the Labour Force Survey following International Labour Organisation definitions. Tables 1 and 2 provide the available information. In table 2, long-term unemployment figures are available for the years 1999 to 2004 but not for earlier years.

As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability.

ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). Table 3 gives the annual average numbers of young people aged 18 to 24 years old resident in the North East region claiming JSA. Table 4 shows the annual average numbers of all JSA claimants resident and those claiming for over 12 months in the Jarrow Parliamentary Constituency, South Tyneside Local Authority, the North East region and the United Kingdom. The figures for both tables 3 and 4 are for the years 1997 to 2004.

Table 1: Youth Unemployment1 among residents of the North East Region

⁽⁶⁾ Unemployed people aged 16 to 24.

Source:

ONS Labour Force Survey

Table 2: People resident in Jarrow parliamentary constituency, South Tyneside local authority and North East Region and the United Kingdom by duration of unemployment

n/a = Data not available.

⁽⁷⁾ Estimates for these areas are based on very small sample sizes and are subject to a very high degree of sampling variability. Changes from year to year, especially, should be treated with caution.

⁽⁸⁾ Those unemployed for one year or more.

⁽⁹⁾ Estimate not given in order to protect respondent confidentiality.

Source:

ONS Labour Force Survey

Table 3: JSA claimants resident in the North East region

Source:

Jobcentre Plus Administrative system

JSA claimants resident in the Jarrow parliamentary constituency, South Tyneside local authority, the North East Region and theUnited Kingdom

Source:

Jobcentre Plus Administrative system

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer

(1) how many young unemployed people there were in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 2001; [223154]

(2) how many people were unemployed in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 2001; [223155]

(3) how many long-term unemployed people there were in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 2001. [223183]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Paul Marsden, dated 23 March 2005

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about unemployment in Shrewsbury and Atcham Parliamentary Constituency. (223183, 223154, 223155)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from the Labour Force Survey following International Labour Organisation definitions. Table 1 provides the requested information for the twelve-month periods ending in February each year from 2001 to 2004.

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

ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (ISA) for local areas including Parliamentary Constituencies. Table 2 gives the annual average number of JSA claimants, the total claiming for over 12 months and those aged 18 to 24 years claiming Jobseeker's Allowance benefits resident in the Shrewsbury and Atcham Parliamentary Constituency for each year since 2001.

Table 1: Unemployed people resident in Shrewsbury and Atcham parliamentary constituency

⁽¹⁰⁾ Refers to all those aged 16 plus who are unemployed.

⁽¹¹⁾ Refers to those unemployed for more than 12 months.

⁽¹²⁾ Refers to those aged 16–24 who are unemployed.

⁽¹³⁾ Estimate not given to protect individuals' confidentiality.

Note:

These estimates are based on very small sample sizes and are subject to a very high degree of sampling variability. Changes from year to year, especially, should be treated with caution.

Source:

ONS—Labour Force Survey

Table 2: JSA claimants resident in the Shrewsbury and Atcham parliamentary constituency

Source:

Jobcentre Plus Administrative system