To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 March 2005, Official Report, columns 793–94W, on planning, what the (a) location and (b) name of each of the contested planning developments is; how much was spent on mounting and defending the challenge in each case; what the final outcome of each case was; and what the effect on the timescale of each project was. [224499]

The Legal Services Commission (LSC) were only able to identify six cases in the answer of 22 March 2005, Official Report, columns 793–94W. This does not include possible judicial reviews because the LSC does not record figures for judicial review by way of type of application.

Different Departments record their information in different ways, therefore the Government have been unable to match the records for all of these six cases without incurring disproportionate costs. However, the following information has been obtained from the LSC, the Planning Inspectorate and the Treasury Solicitors:

It is not possible to predict what the effects on the time scale of each project was. However, I can give the following dates from the cases that we have been able to cross-reference:

Hounslow, Middlesex: The original planning decision was made on 23 January 2001 and the redetermination decision was issued on 16 December 2004.

Otterton, Devon: The decision allowing the appeal was issued on 14 August 2003 and was upheld by the court on 1 March 2004.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs

(1) what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to increase the number of crimes for which an offender is brought to justice to 1.2 million by 2005–06 will be met; [219137]

(2) what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to reduce the proportion of ineffective trials. [219140]

Progress against these targets is set out in the Department for Constitutional Affairs' autumn performance report (Cm 6391) which was presented to Parliament in December 2004.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to increase the number of crimes for which an offender is brought to justice to 1.25 million by 2007–08 will be met. [219138]

Plans to deliver this public service agreement target, which was announced as part of the 2004 spending review and came into effect on 1 April 2005, are currently being developed. Progress will be covered in the departmental report 2005 and the autumn performance report 2005 both of which will be laid before Parliament later this year.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the total education and training budget of the Department is for 2005–06. [218036]

Substantive answer from David Lammy to John Mann:

PQ 05/476—DCA Education & Training Budget

You tabled a Parliamentary question, ref 218036, to my Department last session. You asked what the total education and training budget of the Department is for 2005–6.

For DCA staff training the total allocation is £4.4m.

The major business customers for training (e.g. the new Her Majesty's Courts Service) are in the process of agreeing their Business Plans that inform their staff education and training needs. Therefore not all of this expenditure can be precisely broken down at present. The areas that can be are:

£650,000—Leadership and Management programmes—developing the DCA's senior managers leadership skills;

£600,000—Professional Skills for Government—cross-governmental qualifications in Corporate/Specialist, Policy and Operational skills;

£400,000—IT and Business skills—supporting operational staff by maximising their use of IT and their knowledge of the DCA's business to deliver effective services to the public;

£300,000—Continuing Professional Development for Lawyers;

£300,000—Diversity Awareness—ensuring the staff in the Department understand the diverse needs of the society they serve—their customers and their colleagues;

£100,00—First Aid training—ensuring legal obligations are fulfilled for qualified first-aiders to provide support and possibly life-saving assistance to colleagues and the DCA's customers.

As an Investor In People (IiP) employer the DCA provides active support to the continuing education and development of all staff. At the March 2004 IiP assessment, the DCA was praised on its approach to leadership and diversity—recognised as important cornerstones for delivering high quality services.

I have placed a copy of this letter in the libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 16 March 2005, Official Report, column 301W, on Iraq, whether it was on his instructions that the Attorney-General went to Washington in relation to the legal situation relating to war against Iraq on 21 and 22 July 2003 to have talks with the US Defense Department General Counsel and the Australian Justice Minister. [224703]

The Attorney-General's visit to Washington in July 2003 did not relate to the military action in Iraq. As the Attorney-General made clear in a statement issued on 22 July 2003, he had discussions with senior representatives of the US Administration about the British detainees in Guantanamo Bay with a view to ensuring that the detainees, if prosecuted, were guaranteed fair trials in accordance with international standards and to make clear the Government's opposition to the death penalty.

To ask the Prime Minister when he was first informed that Professor Christopher Greenwood QC had been retained by the Government to assist in relation to legal issues arising from the Iraq conflict. [224332]

Counsel are routinely retained by the Government on the advice of the lead Department(s).

To ask the Solicitor-General

(1) on how many occasions Professor Christopher Greenwood was paid by the Attorney-General's office for legal opinions on the legality of military action against Iraq; and how much was paid in each case; [224701]

(2) what guidance Professor Christopher Greenwood was given about appearances in the print and broadcasting media in relation to opinions about the legality of the Iraq war which he provided to the Prime Minister. [224702]

As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Llew Smith) of 8 March 2005, Official Report, column 1639W, and the hon. Member for Ceredigion (Mr. Thomas) of 4 April 2005, Official Report, column 1224W, Professor Christopher Greenwood QC was not instructed to advise on whether the war in Iraq would be lawful.

To ask the Prime Minister whether the article to which he referred in his reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, South of 22 October 2003, Official Report, column 636, was that of Professor Christopher Greenwood, QC, published in The Times, on 22 October 2003. [224055]

Yes.

To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to her answer of 8 March 2005, Official Report, columns 1638–39W, on environmental crime, for what reasons the Crown Prosecution Service does not generally prosecute in cases of environmental crime. [223518]

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not generally prosecute in cases of environmental crime because, within England and Wales, the Environment Agency and local authorities generally do so instead.

The Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 requires the CPS to take on the prosecution of criminal proceedings instituted by a police force. Police forces do not generally investigate allegations of environmental crime, as successive governments have given powers to agencies other than the police and CPS to enforce environmental legislation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of the family element of the child tax credit would have been in 2005–06 if it had been uprated (a) with earnings, (b) with prices and (c) at the same rate as the child element since the introduction of the child tax credit. [224678]

holding answer 4 April 2005

The value of the family element in 2005–06, had it been uprated as described in the question since its introduction in 2003–04, would be as follows:

(a) £590

(b) £585

(c) £640.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will provide a response to the hon. Member for Bassetlaw regarding the tax credits of Graeme Edward Aitkins of Sunnyside, Worksop. [224878]

There is no record of any correspondence received from the hon. Member about his constituent. The Inland Revenue wrote directly to the hon. Member's constituent on 30 March 2005.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the areas in Scotland which he expects to gain public sector jobs under the Lyons review, as indicated in his Budget statement. [224737]

Of the workforce relocations referred to by the Chancellor in Budget 2005, 90 jobs are going to East Kilbride and 120 to Glasgow and Dundee. It will be for Departments to decide the destination of further relocations.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met Sir Ronald Cohen to discuss official Government business. [214025]

Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of individuals and organisations as part of the process of policy development and analysis. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's usual practice to provide details of all such meetings. Treasury meetings are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Code, as appropriate.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the percentage of shared ownership house purchase price that is eligible for stamp duty. [224877]

The Government keep all taxes under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in the context of BBC -charter renewal on the role of the broadcasting of sport in promoting Wales. [224377]

The renewal of the charter presents an opportunity to preserve the BBC as a strong independent broadcaster.

It plays an important part in the national life of Wales—not least in its excellent coverage of sport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet and National Assembly for Wales colleagues on future investment in the aerospace industry in Wales. [224378]

I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues and the First Minister on a number of issues, including the very successful aerospace sector in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the possible future use of Meridian trains on the Holyhead to Euston rail route. [224379]

My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues about matters affecting transport in Wales. I understand that the Strategic Rail Authority has written to stakeholders, including hon. Members representing north Wales constituencies, to consult them about future service levels, particularly beyond 2008, when the physical infrastructure works on the West Coast Main Line will be complete. Various options for improving the frequency of services, and types of rolling stock are being considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales Government regarding inward investment into Wales. [224381]

I have regular discussions with the First Minister on a variety of subjects, including the promotion of Wales as a business location. Wales is in a strong position to take advantage of increasing global trade, and benefit rapidly from new ideas, management techniques and production methods.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the First Secretary to discuss strategies to combat antisocial behaviour in (a) Wales and (b) Aberavon. [224382]

My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with Assembly colleagues on matters affecting Wales.

Police forces and partner organisations in Wales are increasingly using the wide range of powers, which we have put in place, to tackle antisocial behaviour.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the First Secretary to discuss strategies to combat antisocial behaviour in (a) Wales and (b) Ogmore. [224383]

My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with Assembly colleagues on matters affecting Wales.

Police forces and partner organisations in Wales are increasingly using the wide range of powers, which we have put in place, to tackle antisocial behaviour.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the oral answer of 2 March 2005, Official Report, column 1150, on Coal Health Claims Monitoring Group, if he will break down the payments made to ex-miners by (a) respiratory disease and (b) vibration white finger compensation schemes. [224202]

Figures available at the time of my oral reply showed that a total of over £344 million had been paid out in Wales for respiratory claims and over £122 million for vibration white finger (VWF). This brought the total paid out in Wales since the start to over £467 million.

Since my reply, these figures have increased, with over £347 million paid out for respiratory disease and over £123 million for VWF.

This is an increase of £3 million, bringing us to a combined total of over £470 million paid out in Wales for both schemes so far.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when a decision will be made regarding the Port of Mostyn's application to dredge the Dee Estuary. [223029]

Decisions on the Port of Mostyn's proposals are matters for the National Assembly for Wales, the Environment Agency and the Department for Transport.

The regulators are considering a range of complex issues, including environmental factors. It is not possible to say when a decision will be reached.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales on joint initiatives to increase the numbers of medical staff in Wales. [219379]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Newark (Patrick Mercer) earlier today, at Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has held with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales Government regarding the management of wildlife on the Dee Estuary. [224380]

My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with Assembly Ministers. The Dee Estuary is a candidate 'Special Area for Conservation' under European Habitat Regulations. It includes two nature reserves and seven Sites of Special Scientific Interest. It supports a large bird population over the winter, and has a number of rare plants and animals, including 12 internationally important bird species.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will reply to the letter of 18 November 2004 from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford, concerning Mr. East of Essex County Cricket Club. [224477]

holding answer 4 April 2005

The original letter from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford was not received in the Department. My office has however obtained a copy of the letter and I replied to the hon. Member on 5 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of Sport England's Exchequer grant in aid was spent on (a) staff costs, excluding those for national centres, (b) administrative costs, (c) publicity promotions and communications, (d) grants to national governing bodies, (e) grants to Sportscoach UK, (f) sports science and sports medicine, (g) national centres, (h) grants to other national sports bodies, excluding national governing bodies and (i) regional support, in each year from 2002–03 to 2005–06. [224522]

The following table provides the percentage of Sport England's grant in aid spent on the costs listed(a) to (i).

Percentage

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which Minister from his Department will be attending the Commission on Sustainable Development in New York in April. [214552]

The Department will provide expert and senior policy support to the representatives of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who lead on this issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he intends to reply to the letter dated 10 January from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. O. Brobdan, sent again on 22 February. [224864]

DFID has no record of a letter dated 10 January, from the right hon. Member on behalf of Mr. O. Brobdan. A reply to the letter of 22 February was issued on 5 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the payments and grants made by the Government to each local authority in Scotland to reimburse the costs of supporting asylum seekers in each year from 1996–97 to the establishment of the Scottish Executive. [217878]

Immediately prior to 1 April 1999, the budget for support of asylum seekers was split between the then Department of Social Security and the Department of Health. The Department of Social Security was responsible for supporting applicants who made their application at a port of entry until such times as an initial decision was recorded on the claim for asylum. The Department of Health picked up the costs of supporting those claiming asylum after entry and also appellants (including those who made their original application on arrival).

The budget for adult and family asylum seekers transferred to the Home Office on 1 April 1999. The budget for unaccompanied asylum seeking children transferred to the Home Office on 1 April 2000.

For information on the costs to the Government in relation to asylum seekers prior to 1999–2000, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 9 May 2000, Official Report, column 331W by the then Home Secretary. The figures contained in the answer are global, and cover the entire of the UK. They cannot be broken down further into areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the planned (a) capital and (b) resource budget for his Department is for 2011–12. [223438]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 4 April 2005, Official Report, column 1170W by my hon. Friend, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland

(1) if he will list the occasions between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 when special advisers attended meetings with external representatives at which Ministers were not present; [210549]

(2) if he will list the speeches his special advisers made in an official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004, broken down by date. [210561]

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 10 February 2005, Official Report, column 1648W to questions 203460 and 203493.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria he has set for class R exemptions from council tax for narrow boat resident owners. [224870]

A mooring occupied by a boat which is somebody's sole or main residence is deemed to be a "dwelling" for council tax purposes and will therefore attract a council tax liability in the same way as other domestic types of property. Under class R of the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992 (as amended) a dwelling consisting of a mooring which is not occupied by a boat is exempt from council tax.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what arrangements he has in place to monitor the building control and inspection procedures of the National House Building Council; and if he will make a statement. [224911]

As approved inspectors, the National House Building Council has to satisfy the Construction Industry Council's requirements to continue to practice as a building control body. They are also obliged to apply 12 standards specified in our "Building Control Performance Standards" handbook.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has held with Cheshire county council on the removal of unlawfully placed roadside advertising. [224724]

No recent discussions have been held with Cheshire county council on this subject.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has held with other Departments on the potential for distraction caused by temporary wheeled billboards placed next to motorways. [224725]

Officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have had regular contact with the Department for Transport and the Highways Agency on the road safety aspects of siting advertisements alongside motorways.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much central funding has been invested in (a) social and (b) council housing in (i) the Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) England in each year since 1997. [224722]

Details of the capital allocations made for housing investment in South Tyneside, the north-east region and England as whole since 1997–98 are tabled as follows. Information is not readily available for the Jarrow constituency.

£ million

⁽¹⁾ Housing Annual Capital Guidelines/Supported Capital Expenditure and Capital Receipts Initiative—funding to support local authorities overall housing capital programmes.

⁽²⁾ For maintaining and improving council housing.

⁽³⁾ Funding to support long-term strategies for tackling low demand/abandonment.

⁽⁴⁾ Resources provided to registered social landlords for new/replacement affordable housing.

⁽⁵⁾ Allocations to local authorities for disabled facilities grants, private sector renewal grant and cash incentive schemes; there are no longer separate allocations for the last two of these.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take steps to ensure that a new heat grid and combined heat and power plants are installed as part of his sustainable communities plan for the Thames Gateway. [224715]

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Companion Guide for Planning Policy Statement 22 (planning for renewable energy) highlights the benefits of using renewable-powered CHP schemes in developments.

In addition, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced that, from April 2006, all publicly funded new homes in the Thames Gateway will subscribe to the Code for Sustainable Buildings, which will bring new buildings up to world-class environmental standards. The Code will set out clearly specified performance based criteria for energy efficiency, rather than stipulating particular methods. Flagship projects using the code will be demonstrated in the Thames Gateway by both the public and private sectors before being rolled out nationally.

To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission when the Electoral Commission's Corporate Plan for 2005–06 to 2009–10 was approved by the Speaker's Committee. [224972]

The Electoral Commission's Corporate Plan for 2005–06 to 2009–10 was approved by the Speaker's Committee at its meeting on 2 February. The plan was laid before the House by the Speaker, on behalf of the Speaker's Committee, on 24 March as House of Commons Paper No. 347. Copies are available in the Vote Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will estimate the number of workers in the building industry (a) directly employed by agencies and (b) subcontracted to building firms. [219953]

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

Letter from Len Cook to Dr. John Pugh, dated 6 April 2005

As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about employment in the building industry. (219953)

Information is available from the Labour Force Survey about people working in temporary employment in the building industry who give their reason for not being in a permanent job as being an "agency worker". During the three months ending November 2004, an estimated 11,000 people were classified in this category.

Further information relating to workers in the building industry who were directly employed by agencies or subcontracted to building firms, is not available.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East dated 5 January 2005 and 25 July 2004 regarding a constituent, Mr. Christopher Yeomans. [216586]

A response to the 25 July 2004 letter (which covers the letter of 5 January 2005) will be sent out in the first week in April. It appears that due to an administrative error this was not responded to earlier.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Argyll and Bute, dated 22 November 2004 and 31 January 2005, concerning a constituent who had lodged a claim against British Coal and her Department. [224739]

I have answered the hon. Member's letter today. I apologise for the delay.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has made to the European Commission on ACP countries retaining national and regional autonomy in Economic Partnership Agreements with the EU. [221269]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 21 March 2005, Official Report, column 575W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many EU (a) regulations and (b) directives covering matters within the responsibility of her Department have been repealed since 1 April 2004. [224570]

The European Commission publishes information on the repeal of EU regulations and directives in its simplification progress reports. Its last report was published in June 2004. The next report will cover the period since 1 April 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

(1) what action the Government are taking to secure the best outcome for regions in the UK from negotiations regarding the European Convergence (Objective 1) Programme post 2006; [224497]

(2) what action the Government will take to support regions which risk losing eligibility for European convergence funding in the post 2006 programme because of the effect of enlargement upon allocation of Extra Regio. [224498]

The Government set out their approach to the negotiations on the future of the EU structural and cohesion funds in their consultation document, "A new Regional Policy for the United Kingdom", of March 2003 and in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry's two written statements to Parliament of 17 September and 11 December 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with representatives of (a) the textile industry, (b) clothing manufacturers and exporters, (c) the Scottish Executive and (d) Scottish Enterprise regarding small and medium-sized enterprises participating in exhibitions and missions in export markets under the support for exhibitions and seminars abroad scheme; and if she will make a statement. [217959]

The textile and clothing industries have made representations to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and other Ministers about changes to the support for exhibitions and seminars abroad scheme from 2006–07. UK Trade and Investment has consulted industry and Scottish Development International on the detail of these changes, which aim to focus assistance on the small and medium-sized enterprises who can benefit most, namely new-to-export companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grants are available to individuals who want to provide their own electricity independent from the national grid. [217515]

The DTI provides capital grants to individuals to encourage the uptake of small scale renewable technologies to generate electricity through the Clear Skies programme and the Major PV Demonstration programme. Grants are also provided by the Scottish Executive through the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff in each regional development agency work on supporting exporters in the (a) civil aerospace, (b) agriculture, horticulture and fisheries, (c) airports, (d) automotive, (e) biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, (f) business and consumer services, (g) chemicals, (h) clothing, footwear and fashions, (i) communications, (j) construction, (k) creative and media, (l) education and training, (m) electronics and IT hardware, (n) environment, (o) financial services, (p) fire, police and security, (q) food and drink, (r) giftware, jewellery and tableware, (s) healthcare and medical, (t) household goods, furniture and furnishings, (u) leisure and tourism, (v) marine, (w) mechanical engineering and process engineering, (x) metallurgical process plant, (y) metals and minerals, (z) mining, (aa) oil and gas, (bb) ports and logistics, (cc) power, (dd) railways, (ee) software and computer services business-to-business, (ff) sports and leisure infrastructure, (gg) textiles, interior textiles and carpets and (hh) water sectors. [203950]

Support for exporters in England is the responsibility of UK Trade and Investment, which has agreed with the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) to operate as their international trade arm. Through this relationship, UKTI funds a network of over 270 International Trade Advisers (ITAs) who provide support and advice on international trade to businesses within each region. The delivery of UKTI trade services for each region is in line with the Regional International Trade Strategy (RITS), which is closely linked to the Regional Economic Strategy, and drawn together by UKTI and the RDA, in consultation with business representatives, to reflect regional priorities. Therefore, the number of ITAs working in a particular sector will depend on the varying regional sector priorities as reflected in each RITS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the responsibilities of each of the regional development agencies are with regard to inward investment. [224080]

holding answer 4 April 2005

The Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) alongside the development agencies of the devolved Administrations and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) comprise the UK's inward investment network. UKTI leads and guides the network. It funds the RDAs to enable them to provide a tailored service to potential inward investors in co-operation with UKTI, to attract inward investment to the UK and to maintain and expand that investment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many regulations have been repealed by her Department since 1 October 2004. [224621]

Since 1 April 2004, DTI regulatory reforms which have reduced burdens on business include:

Repeal of the Trading Stamps Act by Regulatory Reform order, expected to produce annual administrative cost savings of £0.5–£1.5 million.

Modernisation of the Competition regime completed in 2004; this will reduce compliance costs for business, generating annual savings to business of up to £1.5 million.

Administrative simplification to reduce burdens on directory publishers, saving business £1 million per year: through the Directory Publishing—reducing and simplifying regulations (Amends Unsolicited Goods and Services Act).

Wireless Telegraphy (Register) Regulations 2004; together with the Communications Act 2003 these will generate £5.4 million savings per annum to business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will recalculate the figures placed in the Library following the answer to the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Mr. Flight) of 26 May 2004, Official Report, column 1715W, on adult disadvantages, to include retirement on 31 December 2004. [224659]

The information is not currently available. The calculations referred to are based on figures published by UBS Global Asset Management. Figures for 2004 are expected to be published in June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the payments and grants made by his Department and its predecessors to each local authority in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland to reimburse the costs of supporting asylum seekers in each year from 1996–97 until the transfer of responsibility to the Home Office. [217876]

No payments or grants were made to local authorities specifically in respect of asylum seekers, including those subsidies for housing benefit or council tax benefit. Although asylum seekers may have been eligible for housing benefit and/or council tax benefit, estimates of the proportion of subsidy payments which relate to asylum seekers for each local authority are unavailable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Milton Keynes are in receipt of carers allowance. [224129]

The administration of carers allowance is a matter for the chief executive of the disability and carers service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Vivien Hopkins to Dr. Phyllis Starkey, dated 6 April 2005

You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Milton Keynes are in receipt of carers' allowance. The Minister for Disabled People, Maria Eagle MP, promised you a substantive reply from the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service.

The information available for Milton Keynes, as at 30th November 2004 and broken down by constituency, is as follows.

Note:

Figures taken from a 100 per cent. sample at 30 November 2004.

Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.

Entitlement includes people in payment, as well as those with underlying entitlement but not actually receiving payment because of the overlapping benefit rules.

Source:

Information Directorate.

I hope this is helpful.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) financial and (b) other support is available for the carers and family members of people suffering from dementia. [224197]

Carers have access to the full range of social security benefits depending on their individual circumstances. Carers of severely disabled people in receipt of attendance allowance or the middle/highest rate of disability living allowance care component may be entitled to carer's allowance.

The Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 gives carers a right to an assessment of their needs, and gives local councils a mandatory duty to support carers by providing services such as short breaks. The Carer's Grant funds provision of such services and breaks, and will be worth £185 million in 2005–06.

The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 which comes into force on 1 April 2005 places a duty on councils to inform carers, in certain circumstances, of their right to an assessment of their needs:

provides that when assessing a carer's needs, councils must take into account whether the carer works or wishes to work, undertakes or wishes to undertake education, training or leisure activities; and

facilitates co-operation between authorities in relation to the provision of services relevant to carers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to encourage (a) independent living and (b) independent advocacy for disabled people. [224561]

The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for financing the Independent Living Funds which currently benefits some 16,400 severely disabled people and also acts as sponsor for the Motability scheme which helps finance personal transport for some 378,000 disabled people.

In addition, independent living is one of the key areas addressed in the recent Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report "Improving the life chances of disabled people" a copy of which is available in the Library. The report sets out a vision that by 2025 disabled people will have the full opportunities and choices necessary to enable them to improve their quality of life. Among the proposals are a range of measures including new individual budgets, together with better advice and advocacy support. This is a cross-Government report, and this Department will be coordinating the overall implementation action.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the average core annual pension entitlement of the 15,000 occupational pension scheme members who will be covered by the Financial Assistance Scheme's provisions for those within three years of retirement age. [212305]

We shall not have full information on members' entitlements under their schemes until their schemes are close to completing wind up.

As announced in my ministerial written statement of 4 April 2005, Official Report, columns 126–28WS, we are also in the process of consulting on the details of how "core pension entitlement" will be determined for the purposes of the FAS. The detailed definition will be subject to the outcome of the consultation and until it is finalised we are unable to estimate the average entitlement for these scheme members.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

(1) if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make company directors legally responsible for health and safety breaches within their companies; [224211]

(2) what assessment he has made of the effects on the number of convictions for breaches of health and safety legislation of the absence of legally binding duties for health and safety on company directors; [224212]

The Government believe that there is already an appropriate balance of legislative and non-legislative responsibilities on directors in relation to health and safety and have no immediate plans to legislate.

However, we have asked the Health and Safety Executive to assess the effectiveness of the current measures in place concerning director responsibilities for health and safety, to review all the available evidence and to report its findings together with recommendations by December 2005. The issues raised by my hon. Friend will be considered as part of that assessment.

Once this review has been completed, the Government will be in a position to reconsider the issue of further legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the most common reasons are that people of working age claim income support; and how many claimants there were in each category for the last year for which figures are available. [224671]

The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the following table.

Income support claimants of working age in Great Britain by client group: February 2004 to November 2004 -- Number

Notes:

1. Caseload figures have been rounded to the nearest.

2. Working age refers to men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59.

3. 'Aged 60 or over' are cases where the claimant and/or partner is 60 or over.

4. Disabled category refers to claimants aged under 60 with a disability premium and not in receipt of a pensioner premium.

5. Lone parents are claimants aged under 60 with dependants and not in receipt of a disability premium or pensioner premium.

6. Others are those who do not fall into any of the other three categories.

Source:

Information Directorate, 5 per cent. samples.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households will be eligible for winter fuel payments in 2005–06 but will not be eligible for the special £200 payment in respect of council tax. [224673]

holding answer 4 April 2005

We forecast that 8.4 million households will be eligible for a winter fuel payment in 2005–06, of these it is estimated that 3.5 million will not be eligible for the £200 council tax payment. This comprises:

1.7 million households where no one in the household is aged 65 or over.

1.8 million households where the eldest occupant is aged 65 or over and eligible for full council tax rebate because they are in receipt of the guarantee element of pension credit. Of these, 1.5 million households where the eldest occupant is aged 70 or over will however be eligible for the £50 payment for living expenses announced in the Pre-Budget Report.

Source

Forecasts based on DWP administrative data and GAD population estimates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average (a) council tax benefit and (b) housing benefit payment to pensioners was in the last period for which figures are available. [224672]

The average council tax benefit payment to claimants over 60 is £11.90 a week.

The average housing benefit payment to those claimants over 60 is £48.98 a week.

Notes:

1. The figures are based on a one per cent. sample and subject to a degree of sampling variation. 2. Council tax benefit data excludes any second adult rebate cases. 3. Housing benefit data excludes extended payments. 4. The figures are rounded to the nearest penny. 5. The figures refer to cases where the claimant and/or partner are aged 60 or over.

Source:

Housing benefit and council tax benefit management information system, annual one per cent. sample, taken in May 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of pregnant women in York qualified for statutory maternity pay in (a) 1997 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available. [224644]

The information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

(1) what the average length of time taken for a work-focused interview was in 2004; [222627]

(2) how many work-focused interviews have been conducted since the new deal programme was introduced in 1998; and in how many cases participation in the new deal ended with such an interview. [222628]

The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Lesley Strathie to Paul Holmes, dated 6 April 2005

The Secretary of State has asked David Anderson, Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, to reply to your questions asking what the average length of time taken for a Work Focused Interview was in 2004, how many Work Focused Interviews have been conducted since the first New Deal programme was introduced in 1998 and in how many cases participation in the New Deal ended with such an interview. I am replying on behalf of Mr Anderson as one of the Directors of the Jobcentre Plus Board.

Up to 60 minutes is allowed for a Work Focused Interview (WFI) although actual timings will vary. Evidence shows that in practice 40 minutes is sufficient to complete an initial WFI, with the balance of 20 minutes available if required, for supporting activity such as referral to jobs, the New Deal or other appropriate provision.

Customers making a claim for Jobseeker's Allowance are required to attend WFIs, at the start and at set intervals throughout their claim, as a condition of their claim.

WFIs for lone parents were introduced in October 2000 for lone parents making new or repeat claims to Income Support in three pathfinder areas and were then introduced nationally on 30 April 2001.

WFIs for customers claiming Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer's Allowance or any Bereavement Benefit were introduced as part of the rollout of Jobcentre Plus integrated offices from October 2001. WFI conditionality requires customers making a claim for these benefits to attend a WFI at the start of their claim and at set intervals throughout their claim and, as such, are not part of any mandatory or voluntary New Deal although referral to such a programme may be the outcome of a WFI. Currently WFI conditionality for these benefits operates in around 50 per cent. of Jobcentre Plus offices but we expect rollout to be complete by the summer of 2006.

The available information is that, since 2001, there have been 3,209,000 WFIs that have been conducted at the outset of a claim.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the areas in which he has co-ordinated Government policy; when he set himself the task of so doing in each case; what his objectives were; what the outcomes were; and which Government Departments were involved. [224740]

I was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by the Prime Minister in September 2004.

I have a cross-Government role in the co-ordination of Government policy. I am also responsible for the work of the Strategy Unit and the Policy Directorate.

As a result I have been involved in a wide range of policy issues including those covered by the Cabinet Committees of which I am a member.

Detailed information about the development of Government policy is not routinely disclosed.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office

(1) what steps he has taken in the last four years to increase the number of applications received from members of the British Sikh community for public appointments to (a) local and (b) national decision-making bodies; [224494]

(2) what assessment he has made of progress since June 2001 in increasing the number of public appointments to (a) local and (b) national decision-making bodies of members of the British Sikh community; and what estimate he has made of the number of such appointments since that date. [224496]

The Government remain committed to encouraging applications for public appointments from all sections of society. Data are not collected centrally on applications and appointments from more specific groups, but the Cabinet Office does monitor progress on the Government's broader targets to ensure that the make-up of the boards of public bodies is representative in terms of gender, ethnicity and disabled people. The latest report, "Delivering Diversity in Public Appointments 2004", published on 16 December 2004 shows that the proportion of public appointments held by people from a minority ethnic background was 7.7 per cent. in 2004, up from 7.4 per cent. in 2002. The report also sets out targets set by individual Departments and action plans to achieve those targets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the voting system in place for the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Afghanistan. [224487]

The choice of voting system for the Afghan parliamentary elections scheduled for 18 September is single non-transferable vote. The Government of Afghanistan concluded that this was the only system the Afghan people would immediately recognise as democratic. The challenge now is to ensure that elections are as well-organised and transparent as possible. The UK and other international partners are offering support to the Government of Afghanistan to ensure the success of the elections.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made regarding anti-Semitic incitement to the governments of (a) Iran, (b) Syria and (c) Egypt. [223710]

We remain deeply concerned at continuing anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric from senior figures in the Iranian regime. Senior UK officials discussed this most recently with representatives of Iran's Supreme National Security Council on 2 February. We have also pressed the Iranian authorities on many occasions to address international concerns about Iran's links to groups undermining the Middle East Peace Process through violence.

We have raised the issue of anti-Semitism with the Egyptian and Syrian authorities in the past, but have not had occasion to do so recently.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department took to consult business organisations regarding the lifting of the arms embargo on China. [224341]

Ministers and officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have had frequent contacts with individual companies and representative business organisations regarding the future of the EU arms embargo on China. These discussions are continuing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK nationals are under sentence of death in China; and what steps the Government are taking to assist in these cases. [224623]

In February 2003, two British nationals (Overseas) were sentenced to death in China. We have not been granted consular access to these British nationals, nor have we received any information about them from the Chinese authorities.

In March 2003, my noble Friend Baroness Amos, the then Minister responsible for consular matters, wrote to the Vice Minister of the Chinese Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) and requested that the sentences be commuted to terms of imprisonment. We did not receive a response. In February 2005, the British Embassy in Beijing wrote to the MFA requesting an update on these two cases. We are awaiting a response.

We are resolutely opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. We will continue our enquiries about these British nationals and will make representations on their behalf at every appropriate opportunity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated (a) 19 January with regard to Mr. Fernando, (b) 17 February with regard to Mr. Rashid, (c) 14 February with regard to U. Ilyias and (d) 23 February with regard to Anthony Leroy Thompson. [224359]

My right hon. Friend wrote to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary with regard to Mr. Fernando on 18 January and my hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Douglas Alexander) replied on 27 January.

The letter from my right hon. Friend with regard to a Mr. Rashid is dated 14 February and I replied on 24 February.

There is no record of a letter dated 14 February from my right hon. Friend to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with regard to U Ilyias. The last correspondence on this was the Foreign Secretary's reply of 13 January.

The Foreign Secretary replied to my right hon. Friend's letter of 23 February with regard to Anthony Leroy Thompson on 31 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 20 January from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Hina Khalid. [224362]

A reply was sent to my right hon. Friend on 1 April. I apologise for the delay.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the impact on the (a) security and (b) humanitarian situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwandan Joint Border Verification Mechanism established in the Pretoria peace accord of September 2002; and if he will make a statement. [224577]

The Joint Verification Mechanism (JVM) between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda did not become operational until December 2004. It has been a useful confidence-building measure, and combined with the strengthened mandate and more robust approach of the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, is helping to maintain pressure on the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda, who declared in Rome on 31 March that they would disarm. We call on them to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) financial and (b) logistical assistance the UK has offered (i) directly, (ii) through the EU and (iii) through the UN Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo to (A) the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and (B) the government of Rwanda for the activation and implementation of the Joint Border Verification Mechanism between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and if he will make a statement. [224578]

We worked closely with the UN and the Governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, exerting political pressure to ensure that this important confidence-building measure was established, and continue to provide political support, encouraging both sides to use the Joint Verification Mechanism (JVM) to investigate allegations.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUC) provides logistical and secretariat support to the JVM. The UK's financial contribution to MONUC was an estimated £36 million in financial year 2004–05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimates he has made of the number of armed forces active in Eastern Congo that are not under the command of either the Government of Congo or the UN. [224627]

Recent United Nations estimates suggest that there are around 15,000 militiamen in Ituri and around 20,000 Rwandan Hutu (Forces Democratiques de Liberation de Rwanda) rebels in the Kivu provinces. There is also a smaller number of other foreign armed fighters in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Central government control of troops nominally under its command is tenuous in eastern DRC. Some groups, although officially part of the DRC armed forces, operate independently of the army command structure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

(1) from whom he sought legal advice regarding the incorporation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights within the EU constitutional treaty; [224269]

(2) from whom he sought legal advice on changes to the qualified majority voting rules of the EU set out in the constitution for Europe. [224271]

There is a strong public interest in ensuring that a Government Department, in the process of formulating policy, is able to act free from external pressure in deciding whether it seeks legal advice, at what stage, and from whom. Accordingly, it is not the Government's practice to indicate on which issues, or from whom, legal advice has been sought.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

(1) what procedures he expects would be followed if (a) France, (b) the Netherlands and (c) the UK were to fail to ratify the constitutional treaty; [224274]

(2) what his policy will be should (a) France and (b) the Netherlands fail to ratify the constitution for Europe following its referendum. [224312]

Under the terms of the EU constitutional treaty, it is the separate obligation of each of the 25 signatories of the constitutional treaty to seek ratification of the treaty by the appropriate domestic arrangements of each member state. In the event of a member state being unable to ratify the treaty, and in line with declaration 30 of the treaty, the matter would be referred to the European Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those items of legislation introduced since 1997 in response to a ruling against the Government at the European Court of Justice. [216451]

Substantive answer from Mr. Denis MacShane to John Hayes:

You recently tabled a Parliamentary Question asking the Foreign Secretary to list those items of legislation introduced since 1997 in response to a ruling against the Government in the European Court of Justice, I answered as Minister for Europe and informed you that I would write with further details when they were available. I am pleased to be able to do so now.

Legislation introduced as a result of rulings in the European Court of Justice is relevant to all Government Departments, not just the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The information below has been collated from information received from all Departments, with the exception of HM Treasury, the Department for Transport and the Wales Office, who were unable to provide the information from their records.

Table of secondary legislation since 1997

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the motion of the European Parliament in favour of outlawing Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation. [224130]

The UK has already proscribed the terrorist wing of Hezbollah (the External Security Organisation). We keep the status of Hezbollah under constant review, and liaise closely with our European and US colleagues. The list of proscribed organisations in the UK is also kept under constant review, in light of changing circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the risk posed by Hezbollah to the establishment of stable Palestinian government in the Palestinian Territories. [224131]

Terrorist attacks by Hezbollah and Palestinian Rejectionist Groups risk disrupting relations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel and cause many innocent casualties. These groups must cease terrorist attacks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the risk posed by Hezbollah to the establishment of stable Palestinian Government in the Palestinian Territories. [224223]

Terrorist attacks by Hezbollah and Palestinian rejectionist groups risk disrupting relations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel and cause many innocent casualties. These groups must cease terrorist attacks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional resources he plans to commit to support the delivery of the changes in the operation of British secret intelligence set out in Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction: Implementation of its Conclusions, Cm6492, published on 23 March. [224235]

As set out in Cm6492, the Government have instigated a range of improvements to the handling and processing of secret intelligence material. The assessments staff in the Cabinet Office will increase in size by approximately one third. Increased resources have been made available to the Security and Intelligence Services to improve scrutiny and validation of sources. We are developing a new IT system which will improve dissemination of intelligence material and we will be appointing a professional head of intelligence analysis in the Cabinet Office tasked with ensuring the quality and coverage of our analysis capability.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of people executed in Iran (a) since May 1999 and (b) between January 1995 and May 1999. [224186]

We are unable to assess reliably the number of executions taking place in Iran. Respected international human rights NGOs have published estimates in the region of 100 cases a year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made since November 2003 in improving human rights in Iran as a result of the EU-Iran human rights dialogue. [224295]

An evaluation of the EU-Iran human rights dialogue by the EU presidency in October 2004 found that there had been little overall progress in the human rights situation in Iran since the start of the dialogue and recommended ways that the dialogue process could be made more effective. The EU is encouraging Iran to renew its commitment to the process and has proposed substantive improvements. The EU has made clear that its relations with Iran can only move forward if Iran takes action to address the EU's concerns, including in the area of human rights.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest estimate is of the number of (a) people sentenced to death in Iran and (b) executions carried out in the last 12 months. [224298]

We are unable to assess reliably the numbers of people sentenced to death and executed in Iran during the past 12 months. Amnesty International has reported that 108 people were executed in Iran in 2003. The number sentenced to death is likely to be substantially higher.

We have serious concerns about the use of the death penalty in Iran, which we have made clear to the Iranian authorities on many occasions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the production of enriched uranium by the government of Iran; whether he has assessed Iran as being in breach of the non-proliferation treaty as a result of such production; and if he will make a statement on UK relations with Iran. [224589]

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported extensively on Iran's past nuclear activities, including on some enrichment of uranium to low levels. Iran agreed to suspend all its enrichment-related activities under the so-called "Paris Agreement" of 15 November 2004. This suspension has been verified by the IAEA.

Iran's past enrichment activities were not declared to the IAEA at the time, as Iran was obliged to do under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA, pursuant to its obligations under the nuclear con-proliferation treaty.

Our policy towards Iran is one of constructive, but critical, engagement. We maintain a robust dialogue on issues of concern, such as Iran's nuclear programme; human rights record; approach to the fight against terrorism; and attitude to the middle east peace process.