To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the level of illegal culling of badgers by farmers as a method of controlling the spread of bovine TB; and if she will make a statement. [11579]

Information about the level of illegal culling of badgers by farmers is not generally available. However, the Independent Scientific Group on cattle TB is monitoring suspected unlawful activities within the survey areas of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial. Within those areas, seven suspected incidents of illegal badger culling have been identified since February 2002 and reported to the police authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the recent meeting between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare and the South West National Farmers Union on bovine tuberculosis. [7274]

I met representatives of the South West National Farmers Union on 16 June to discuss the problem of bovine tuberculosis in cattle. This was a positive and constructive discussion. The NFU outlined a number of ideas, subsequently published in a national NFU document on 4 July 2005. The NFU document will be considered as the Government develops its TB strategy as will cost benefit analysis work based on the Irish badger culling trials and other data.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the statement by the hon. Member for Scunthorpe on 29 June 2005, Official Report, column 1376, what assessment her Department has made of the Pew Centre report on climate change. [11624]

The report I referred to is International Climate Efforts Beyond 2012: A Survey of Approaches" by the Pew Centre on Global Climate Change which was published in December 2004. The report offers a broad survey of alternative approaches for international climate change efforts beyond 2012 and is therefore a useful background document.

The report describes more than 40 proposals for a future climate change regime either published or publicly presented in recent years. Some of these proposals are comprehensive in nature, setting forth a complete approach for a future regime. Others address a particular issue in the negotiations.

The report starts with a very useful overview of core issues in designing and negotiating future international climate efforts. The second section suggests criteria that could be used in assessing alternative approaches. The third section describes how the different proposals seek to address the core issues identified earlier. The fourth section then summarises each proposal. The report does not make judgments about individual proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish the Central Science Laboratory's cormorant population model; and whether the model will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. [12124]

The cormorant model produced by the Central Science Laboratory is already available on the Defra website http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/piscivorous.htm#cormorants together with comments from independent peer reviewers. The model is currently being updated in the light of more recent information on the trend in cormorant numbers following a short contract to The British Trust for Ornithology. A paper describing the model and its application will be submitted to a peer reviewed scientific journal this autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value of rod licence sales has been in each region in England and Wales since 2000. [8979]

The information requested is as follows:

Rod licence sales 2000–01 to 2004–05

Source:

Environment Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the future of the livestock industry, with specific reference to the cattle disease compensation tables. [10792]

At present, the amount of compensation paid for cattle slaughtered as a consequence of a disease outbreak varies according to the disease involved. The Government intend to introduce a consistent approach to determining compensation payments across four cattle diseases (bovine TB, brucellosis, BSE and Enzootic Bovine Leukosis) during 2005. Information is being collected on real market prices in order to allow the payment of compensation on the basis of table valuations.

Payments that reflect actual market prices being achieved for healthy animals of the same category will be fair to both the farmer and the taxpayer, as the proposed new arrangements will address the overvaluation of cattle slaughtered because of bovine TB, the evidence for which is extensive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion disposable nappies represented of total municipal solid waste in the last year for which figures are available; and what estimate she has made of the contribution the landfilling of disposable nappies made to the production of greenhouse gases by the UK in that year. [11681]

We do not collect information on the amount of disposable nappies used nor of the disposal route.

The Strategy Unit report Waste Not Want Not" estimated that in 2000–01 nappies comprised around 2 per cent. of household waste, equivalent to 350,000 tonnes. In 2003–04 72 per cent. of our household waste was sent to landfill and just under 9 per cent. went to incineration.

The Environment Agency have estimated that disposable nappies contribute 0.02 per cent. to the production of greenhouse gases by the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much public money has been spent on reusable nappy schemes in the last five years, broken down by (a) scheme and (b) amount. [11686]

Information on local authority reusable nappy schemes is not held centrally.

The cost of the reusable nappy programme managed by the Waste and Resources Action Programme is £2.8 million for the three years from 2003–06.

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

(1) for how long she expects funding to continue for reusable nappies as part of the WRAP Real Nappy Programme; [11718]

(2) how much funding has been made available for the WRAP Real Nappy Programme to date; and whether the Government plans to continue funding this programme after April 2006. [11719]

The current funding with WRAP finishes the end of March 2006. We are currently in discussion with WRAP about their programmes, including the Real Nappy Work after this date.

The cost of the re-usable nappy programme managed by WRAP is £2.8 million for the three years 2003–06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tonnes of disposable nappy waste have been diverted by WRAP's Real Nappy Programme to date; how this figure was calculated; what percentage of new re-usable users under the programme continued to use re-usables; and what methodology was used to count them. [11720]

The aim of the WRAP programme is to convert 155,000 households to re-usable nappies by April 2006, thereby diverting 35,000 tonnes per annum of disposable nappy waste from landfill.

The main features of the programme are pump priming grant aid for small and medium enterprises and new entrants to the nappy laundering business, combined with promotional initiatives targeted at new parents. It is too soon to evaluate the effectiveness of each activity, but funded schemes are reporting progress quarterly, and the benefits of national awareness-raising and advertising will be captured in opinion research to be conducted at the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if her Department will take steps to encourage the (a) reduction, (b) re-use and (c) recycling of plastic carrier bags. [10853]

The waste strategy for England and Wales—Waste Strategy 2000—emphasises the need to gain more value from waste through re-use, recycling, composting and the recovery of energy. Government are already encouraging retailers to work with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to address levels of plastic bag consumption, and have asked WRAP to investigate the feasibility of a national Bag for Life scheme as part of their Waste Minimisation Programme. Some of the large supermarket chains have already introduced Bag for Life, whereby a charge is made to the customer for a strong and durable plastic bag which is replaced by the retailer when it eventually wears out. The scheme encourages a change in behaviour through the reuse of bags, and the plastic from worn-out bags is recycled. WRAP is investigating the implementation of such a scheme on a national basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate the Government have made of the effect of a public smoking ban on cigarette litter in the streets. [4298]

Government have not made any estimate of the effect a ban on smoking in public would have on cigarette litter in the streets. However, restrictions on smoking in the workplace do appear to have increased the amount of such litter. The Local Environmental Quality Survey of England, conducted by ENCAMS on behalf of Defra, monitors the prevalence of smoking-related litter, including cigarette ends, cigarette packages, matches and lighters, based on an assessment of over 10,000 sample sites. Over the first three years of the survey, there has been an overall increase in the proportion of sites that have some form of smoking-related litter present:

Defra is already taking action to reduce smoking-related litter. Section 27 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, which came into force on 7 June, provides clarification that smoking-related materials are litter for the purposes of part 4 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Therefore offenders can be prosecuted or issued with a fixed penalty notice. In February next year, ENCAMS will be launching a public awareness campaign aimed at reducing cigarette butt litter, encouraging smokers to take greater responsibility for the litter they create. In addition, the campaign will specifically look to employers who allow their staff to smoke outside their premises to provide practical means of disposing of cigarette ends responsibly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to educate the public on the role of energy from waste combustion as part of the Waste Strategy. [11682]

Waste Strategy 2000 sets out the Government's aim to minimise waste and recover value from waste in line with the waste hierarchy. Energy from waste has an important role to play, but public education and engagement to date has mainly focused on activities that the public can directly participate in, such as waste minimisation, reuse and recycling. DEFRA has published an independent study into the environmental and health effects of waste management, to improve understanding of waste treatment options including energy from waste. In both their waste management and land use planning functions local authorities should engage their communities when planning for energy from waste or other facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the 10 demonstration plants to encourage new technologies to treat biodegradable municipal waste will begin operating. [11683]

The first demonstration plants for more innovative waste management practices, run in partnership with industry and local authorities, will begin operating in 2006. However, lead times will vary in individual cases, depending on local circumstances and the different kinds of technologies involved.

The package of measures put in place by DEFRA to encourage technological innovation also includes current work to: disseminate expertise and advice to local authorities and the waste industry; establish a programme of longer-term research into alternative options for dealing with residual waste; and provide extensive guidance on alternative technology options already used successfully in other countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanism is used to monitor compliance by EU member states with the (a) 2006, (b) 2009 and (c) 2016 biodegradable municipal waste diversion targets of Article 5 of the Landfill Directive; and what recent information she has received on the extent of compliance in each case. [10678]

The monitoring authorities in the four constituent countries of the UK will use a 'mass balance calculation' to monitor the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill in any year by each waste disposal authority. The mass balance approach calculates the amount of biodegradable waste landfilled by subtracting the weight of biodegradable materials diverted from landfill from the local authority's total biodegradable waste arisings.

The Government are currently undertaking an information gathering project with the LGA and other local government stakeholders to assess the current and future diversion capacity in England. The information from this project will give a clear indication about how the targets are being met. The intention is to review this project annually, to allow the Government to closely monitor and evaluate progress towards the targets.

Each EU member state is able to choose the mechanism to demonstrate compliance with Article 5(2) of the Landfill Directive and the UK is not aware of the methods chosen by other member states. I am not aware of any mechanism to monitor compliance prior to each target year.

The details requested by the hon. Member on the extent of compliance by EU member states with Article 5(2) of the Landfill Directive has been published in the Report from the Commission ... on the national strategies for the reduction of biodegradable municipal waste going to landfills pursuant to Article 5(1) of the Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste; reference COM(2005) 105 final". The report is available at http://www.wales.gov.uk/keypubassemeuropeancomm2/content/euleg050411/index-e.htm. In summary, Austria, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and the Flemish Region already fulfil the targets set by the directive or have already taken the necessary measures to fulfil them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the performance of (a) the Government, (b) the Environment Agency and (c) the waste management industry in raising awareness amongst producers of hazardous waste of the application of hazardous waste acceptance criteria from 16 July. [10681]

As part of the programme to implement the requirements of the Landfill and Hazardous Waste Directives (the 'LHIP'), Government and the Environment Agency put in place a communications group to coordinate actions to raise awareness of the controls, especially amongst hazardous waste producers. The waste industry has been closely involved both with this group and the wider Hazardous Waste Forum.

The programme involves a considerable number of actions by all players, including the provision of advice and guidance by the agency, industry and Envirowise, the organisation of seminars, and the production of leaflets and a dedicated website.

While no specific assessment of the performance of these communications activities has been undertaken, the Environment Agency has recently conducted an awareness survey of more than 1,000 small and medium sized businesses in England and Wales in 10 key sectors. The results of the survey will enable further communication activities to concentrate on certain sectors and for priority to be given to channels of communication and products considered to be most effective.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Government support the use of mechanical biological treatment as part of the Waste Strategy. [11684]

Waste Strategy 2000 sets out the Government's aim to minimise waste and recover value from waste in line with the waste hierarchy. It includes targets to increase material recovery through recycling and composting, but does not support any particular technology to achieve them. Local authorities also have targets to divert biodegradable municipal waste from landfill under the landfill allowances trading scheme. Local authorities are responsible for and best placed to decide the most appropriate waste management facilities for their areas, based on local circumstances and their statutory obligations.

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

(1) what measures the Government are taking to prevent the accumulation of fats, oil and grease in the sewerage system; [11142]

(2) what measures the Government are taking to prevent the discharge of fats, oil and grease in to drains by supermarkets and catering establishments; [11143]

(3) if she will make it her policy to require supermarkets and catering establishments to install grease retention equipment; [11144]

(4) what assessment she has made of the cost to watercompanies of clearing accumulated fats, oil and grease; [11145]

(5) how many prosecutions have taken place under the Water Act 2003 Section III (1) for the discharge of fats, oil and grease into the sewerage system. [11146]

Sewerage undertakers have powers to control and reduce discharges of fat and oil into sewers. It is an offence under section 111 of the 1991 Act for a person to empty into a sewer, or any drain or sewer connecting with a public sewer, matter which is likely to injure, cause a nuisance to, or interfere with the free flow of the sewer or drain's contents, or to affect the treatment and disposal of its contents.

Sewerage undertakers are expected to take action where problems arise and to encourage appropriate preventative measures. In problem areas sewerage undertakers may work with local authority environmental health officers to identify suspect premises. In some areas there are voluntary schemes for installing grease control measures. At present there is no intention to require supermarkets and catering establishments to install grease retention equipment.

The Government do not assess the cost of clearing accumulated fats, oil and grease separately from the overall costs of operating and maintaining sewers and sewage treatment works. The Office of Water Services reports on these overall costs in its annual 'Financial performance and expenditure of the water companies in England and Wales' report.

My Department does not hold information on prosecutions under the Water Act Section III (1) for the discharge of fats, oil and grease into the sewerage system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her timetable is for producing a database of zoo licences in England. [12709]

My Department established a database of zoo licences in England last year. A summary of the information compiled was published on my Department's website in March this year and can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/gwd/pdf/zoos-list0503.pdf. The website will be updated later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many days the Department has lost due to sickness in the past five years for which figures are available. [11496]

Cabinet Office publishes an annual report Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service. The most recently published figures for the calendar year 2003 were announced by Ministerial Statement on 1 November 2004, and copies placed in the Libraries of the House.

DCMS is committed to managing sickness absence effectively building on best practice in the public sector. This includes a health and welfare programme, stress management guidance, a full range of flexible work patterns to support work-life balance, access to welfare services, an onsite gym and yoga classes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2005, Official Report, column 1658W, on swimming pools, how many of the swimming pools mentioned were provided by (a) public and (b) private operators. [12246]

The table identifies how many of the swimming pools in London are owned by local authorities, by commercial companies or by other organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many licensed British vehicles are adapted to run on biofuels. [11586]

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what costs (a) have been and (b) are expected to be incurred in strengthening bridges by (i)the Highways Agency, (ii) Railtrack and (iii) local authorities to cater for the introduction of (A) 38 tonne, (B) 40 tonne and (C) 44 tonne lorries. [11836]

Strengthening bridges to carry 38 tonne and 44 tonne lorries is subsumed in strengthening to carry 40 tonne lorries with 11.5 tonne axle loads as this is more demanding in engineering terms.

The Highways Agency has so far spent £590 million in strengthening motorway and trunk road bridges to carry 40 tonne lorries, and currently expects to spend a further £80 million before the programme is completed.

There is no obligation on Network Rail (the successor to Railtrack) to strengthen its bridges carrying roads to accommodate 40 tonne lorries. If this carrying capacity was required, it would be for the local highway authority to provide the funding.

The costs of local highway authorities in strengthening bridges to carry 40 tonne lorries are not collated centrally. However, since 2001 the Department for Transport has provided £147 million to local authorities in England outside London to strengthen bridges on their primary routes to take these vehicles. Local authorities bid for this funding on an annual basis through their annual progress reports on their local transport plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the likely cost of the Crossrail project; what assessment has been made of the cost-effectiveness of the project; and if he will make a statement. [10371]

holding answer 7 July 2005

The latest estimate of the cost of Crossrail is contained in the Estimate of Expense submitted with the Crossrail hybrid Bill. A review of the Crossrail project Review of the Crossrail Business Case", which included an assessment of the costs and benefits of the project, was published by the Department for Transport in July 2004.

Subsequent assessments have confirmed that the benefits of the project can be expected to outweigh the costs. The Department for Transport's latest assessment using its existing appraisal methodology is that the project would have a benefit to cost ratio of between 1.6:1 and 1.8:1.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the British lorry and commercial vehicle fleet is powered by diesel fuel. [11587]

As at 31 March 2005, 65 per cent. of licensed commercial vehicles other than lorries were powered by diesel fuel. For lorries the proportion was 99 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2005, Official Report, column 668W, how many (a) passes and (b) failures of motor car driving tests there were in each test centre in Worcestershire in each of the last five years. [12200]

The table shows the results of practical car driving tests conducted at test centres in Worcestershire in each of the last five years.

Motor car driving test pass/fail stats 2000–05 in Worcestershire

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of (a) private vehicles and (b) commercial vehicles are adapted to run on LPG fuel. [11578]

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what caused the disruption that led to an increase in flights leaving London Heathrow between 23.30 and 06.00 on the night of (a) 29 June and (b) 19 June; and if he will make a statement. [10088]

The information requested is as follows.

29 June and 29/30 June there was an increase in departures from Heathrow due to severe weather (including hail and thunderstorms) which significantly affected air traffic across British, European, Oceanic and some Trans Atlantic routes. This contributed to severe terminal congestion at Heathrow.(a) On the nights of 28/

19 June there were severe delays to aircraft using Heathrow due to computer software problems at the Air Traffic Control Centre at Swanwick which led to air traffic flow restrictions. This necessitated more aircraft than usual being allowed to take-off and to land after 11.30 pm. The problems were resolved by the following morning.(b) On the afternoon and evening of

The rules under which aircraft may be granted dispensations from the night restrictions have applied for many years. They were confirmed as part of the present night restrictions regime at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted announced on 10 June 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the review of train services across the Northern train franchise region will be completed. [9738]

The review has been under way for some months now. We anticipate development of detailed options over the summer which would be fully consulted upon towards the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) expected cost when first submitted for approval and (b) most recently-estimated or final cost is of each road scheme (i) in the Targeted Programme of Improvements and (ii) submitted for funding through the Local Transport Plan Process between 1999–2000 and 2004–05. [11269]

The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money has been collected in fines from motorists as a result of the speed camera at the southern end of the M11. [11964]

The Department's information on fines following offences detected by safety cameras relates to the totals for safety camera partnerships, and not to individual camera sites. Information on the total fine receipts and number of fines for each partnership for the latest audited year 2003–04 is available on the Department's website of responses to freedom of information requests.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many speed cameras are planned for each side of the A102 between the A11 and the A13. [12268]

The Department is not aware of any proposals to implement further speed camera sites on the A102 at the present time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the locations of the speed cameras on both sides of the (a) A13 and (b) A127 between the M25 and Southend; and if he will list the planned locations of new speed cameras for both sides of the (i) A13 and (ii) A127 between the M25 and Southend. [12271]

The information is not held by the Department. The Essex Safety Camera Partnership publishes details of the number and location of all safety camera sites, available through its website www.essexsafetycameras.co.uk.

The Department is not aware of any proposals to implement further speed, camera sites on either the A13 or A127 at the present time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will (a) extend the deadline for replacement of V5 registration certificates and (b) publicise the need for replacement licences through additional channels. [12137]

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and its agents will continue to accept V5 registration documents supporting registration or licensing activities, provided the document is the last one issued.

The introduction of the new V5 registration certificate to meet EU requirements has already been the subject of an extensive publicity campaign. Advertisements have featured in a television campaign, the national and motoring press, as well as on major on-line sites. Information leaflets explaining the initiative have also been dispatched with DVLA mail. There are no plans to publicise the scheme further.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of vehicle owners who should have applied for the new V5C licence have not done so. [12154]

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency estimated that as of 1 June 2005, the number of old style V5 Vehicle Registration Documents remaining to be converted to the V5C Registration Certificate was approximately 800,000 (accounting for about 2.5 per cent. of vehicle keepers).

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will arrange for people whose vehicles which have been off the road since before Statutory Off Road Notification was introduced, and are exempted from Vehicle Excise Duty, to apply for a free replacement of the V5 registration by a EU model V5C registration certificate. [12136]

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has already made arrangements for all vehicle keepers who have not received the V5C registration certificate to be able to exchange their old V5 registration document free of charge. If a keeper is unable to produce the old V5 registration document, a fee of £19 is payable.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each parliamentary constituency the ratio of those aged 18 years and over at the last census to the number of registered electors, in order of the size of the ratio. [10815]

holding answer 12 July 2005

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Jil Matheson to Mr. Clive Betts, dated 14 July 2005

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question concerning the ratio of the population, aged 18 and over, recorded in the 2001 census to the number of residents who were registered to vote in each parliamentary constituency. I am replying in his absence. (10815)

I am placing in the House of Commons Library, a table supplying the requested information.

In order to give an estimate of the number of electors on census day (29 April 2001), a weighted average is taken of the 1 February 2001 and 1 December 2001 electoral data. Data are given for parliamentary electorates. Data for the local/European electorate, by parliamentary constituency are not readily available for 2001

It should be noted that the ratio of residents who are registered to vote in each constituency is not a reliable estimate of the registration rate of the eligible population: the resident population aged 18 and over is not the same as the number of people eligible to vote.

The UK parliamentary electorate excludes residents of countries other than the UK and the Commonwealth and includes UK citizens resident abroad. In addition not everyone who is usually resident is entitled to vote (foreign citizens from outside of the EU and Commonwealth, prisoners, etc. are not eligible) and people who have more than one address may register in more than one place. Also there is inevitably some double counting of the registered electorate as electoral registration officers vary in how quickly they remove people from the registers after they have moved away from an area or after they have died. This latter is the main reason why in some constituencies the population aged 18 and over is less than those registered to vote. These factors may have a different impact from place to place.

Furthermore, you should note that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revised the mid-2001 population estimates since the publication of the 2001 census results. In September 2003, revisions were made that added approximately 193,000 to the population of England and Wales. This revision primarily related to the addition of a number of young males that were not captured by the census. In September 2004, ONS made further revisions as a result of concluding studies designed to improve population estimates in the areas that proved hardest to count in the 2001 census in England and Wales. The results of this work showed that the one number census (ONC) worked well in most areas, but that there were a few cases where it was not able sufficiently to adjust for exceptional circumstances. The analysis showed that there was a need for revisions to the 2001 census based population figures of around 107,000 for England and Wales as a whole. The adjustments were included in the new mid-year population estimates for 2001, published in 2004. The census database itself was not revised following the publication of these adjustments. More details on these issues can be found at: www.statistics.gov.uk/lastudies .

Any comparison of these data with figures for other years should be made carefully as electoral legislation and other changes (such as EU expansion) can change the size of the electorate.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what use the Valuation Office Agency made of private sector firms during the council tax revaluation in Wales. [11535]

The Valuation Office Agency did not make use of private sector firms during the council tax revaluation in Wales

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the companies from which his Department has purchased goods and services of a total value above £1 million in each of the last three years; and how much was spent in respect of each company. [11740]

The information for the Treasury including the Debt Management Office is set out in the following table:

£000

⁽¹⁾Value of purchases in that year was less than £1 million.

Notes:

1.All figures are inclusive of VAT.

2.The Treasury and the Debt Management Office have a combined accounts payable function so the figures include purchases by either body.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average weekly earnings is of a (a) male and (b) female full-time worker in (i) Tees Valley and (ii)the UK in the last period for which figures are available. [11903]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Vera Baird, dated 14 July 2005

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what were the average weekly earnings of a(a) male and (b) female full-time worker in (i) Tees Valley and (ii) the UK. (11903)

Average earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was unaffected by absence during the pay period, by their place of work. This is the standard definition used for Annual Survey of Hours and Earning tables. The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings does not collect data on the self employed and people who do unpaid work.

I attach a table showing the average gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in Tees Valley, the constituent Unitary Authorities of Tees Valley and the United Kingdom in 2004. The Unitary Authority and UK statistics are also available on the National Statistics website on table 7: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/Product.asp?vlnk=13101

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It has a one per cent. sample of all employees.

Means and medians for full-time male and female employees in the United Kingdom, Tees Valley and unitary authoritiesin the Tees Valley area

⁽²⁾ Guide to quality:

The Coefficient of Variation (CV) is given to indicate the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality.

The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV e.g. for an average of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220.

Notes:

1.The Annual purvey of Hours and Earnings, (ASHE), carried out in April of each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a 1 per cent. sample of all employees.

2.The ASHE replaces the New Earnings Survey (NES) from October 2004. The main difference between the ASHE and NES being that estimates are weighted to population totals from the Labour Force Survey.

3.Average gross weekly earnings for adult full-time employees whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence.

Source:

Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, ONS

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action the UK Government have taken (a) to detect animal feed shipments contaminated with the unapproved BX10 variety of GM maize, (b) to prevent such illegal shipments from reaching the UK and (c) to train and equip UK port authorities to detect unapproved GM contaminants in food and feed imports. [11811]

I have been asked to reply.

The detection method and reference material which was provided by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre to allow testing by member states has been forwarded to public analyst laboratories in the United Kingdom which will carry out testing for local authorities. To date, two local authorities have reported negative results for analysis carried out on imports for Btl0.

The requirement for certification of United States of America imports is in place, following the introduction of national regulations setting out the necessary enforcement powers at the end of April. Before this date, enforcement bodies were able to use general food safety powers to detain imports of the relevant products. consignments were released when the importer provided evidence that Btl0 was not present.

UK enforcement officers authorised to inspect, detain or seize food or feed are required to have specific qualifications and training. General enforcement guidance on the control of imported food and feed and, specific advice on the control of unapproved Btl0 genetically modified contamination has also been issued by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to the relevant enforcement authorities. Analysis and detection of GM contamination would be carried out by the public analyst or agricultural analyst formally appointed by the local enforcement authority.

The FSA will carry out its own surveillance work and plans for this are currently being developed. The outcome of this work will be used to inform the Commission's review of this new requirement in October.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of households in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland, broken down by Government Office Region. [12012]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Colin Mowl to Mrs. Caroline Spelman, dated 14 July 2005

The National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for an estimate of the number of households in(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland, broken down by Government Office Region for the most recent year for which figures are available. I am replying in his absence. (12012)

The 2001 Census provides the most recent figures available for the number of households. Government Office Regions only occur in England, but Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are regarded as an equivalent for statistical purposes. The attached table shows the number of households in each Government Office Region in England and the total households for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The figures have been extracted from Table S027 in the Census 2001 National Report, which provides household figures.

Number of households in each Government Office Region in England and total households for Wales, Scotland andNorthern Ireland, from 2001 Census

Source:

Table S027 Census 2001 National Report.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he (a) has taken and (b) proposes to take to ensure that the provisions of the Data Protection (Processing of Sensitive Personal Data) (Elected Representatives) Order 2002 are fully applied by Inland Revenue offices in relation to communications to the Inland Revenue by hon. Members on behalf of their constituents. [12192]

Guidance is provided for staff of the Inland Revenue, now HM Revenue and Customs, in relation to hon. Members' communications with the department on behalf of their constituents. This guidance takes account both of the relevant data protection legislation, and the special legislation which governs information held by the department.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many days the Department has lost due to sickness in the past five years for which figures are available. [11475]

The information on average working days sickness absence covering the years 1999 to 2003 for the Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs is available from the Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service" published by the Cabinet Office. Table A of the report gives details of both the average working days absence per staff year and the number of staff years on which that calculation is based on. Reports for 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 are also available in the Library and on the Cabinet Office website at:

http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_information/conditions_of_service/caje/publications/index.asp#sickness

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will change the method by which deaths are recorded in order to identify deaths caused by sudden adult death syndrome; and if he will make a statement. [11561]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Colin Mowl to Jennifer Willott, dated 14 July 2005

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the method by which deaths are recorded in order to identify deaths caused by sudden adult death syndrome. I am replying in his absence. (11561)

In England and Wales, deaths that are sudden and of unknown cause must be referred to the coroner for investigation. If, after investigation, the coroner certifies the death as due to sudden adult death syndrome, or states that the death was sudden and no cause could be identified, it is coded to R96 in the tenth revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases. These deaths are counted as sudden adult deaths.

If a more specific pathology or disease process is identified at autopsy, the coroner should write it on the death certificate. ONS will then use this information to code the cause of death. In these cases, the fact that the death was sudden is not systematically recorded at present. In preparing a first session draft bill to reform the death certification and coroner service, the Government will review what additional information should be recorded at death.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of his staff have been (a) dismissed and (b) moved to other jobs as a result of their responsibility for the problems surrounding the implementation of tax credits; and if he will make a statement. [11036]

None.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit awards were made to people with incomes in excess of (a) £50,000, (b) £52,500, (c) £55,000 and (d) £57,500 in (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05; and if he will make a statement. [11450]

Estimates of the average number of tax credit awards broken down by income for 2003–04 awards is available in the HMRC publication Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised annual awards 2003–04." This publication can be found on the HMRC website at:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm.

Table 2.9 of this publication shows the average number of in-work benefiting families in each band of income used to taper awards In 2003–04, after taking into account their final family circumstances and income. This shows that there was an estimated average of 112,000 families with such incomes over £50,000, after taking into account the disregard.

A further breakdown of incomes over £50,000 show that for 72,000 of these families the income was over £52,500, for 36,000 it was over £55,000 and for 7,000 it was over £57,500. These figures exclude families whose tax credits awards were tapered to zero. The relevant incomes have been measured net of the disregard of the first £2,500 increase over 2001–02 incomes.

Statistics on finalised 2004–05 awards cannot be compiled until all families report their 2004–05 incomes; they are due to be published in May 2006.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the largest overpayment in a single year to one recipient under the tax credit system was. [11455]

The information requested is not available except at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many awards of (a) children's tax credit, (b) working families tax credit and (c) disabled person's tax credit were made in 2002–03; and what the cost per award of administration was in that year. [11844]

An estimated 3.9 million families benefited from children's tax credit in 2002–03. The cost per award of administration for children's tax credit is not available.

Estimates of the number of recipient families for working families' and disabled person's tax credits for 2002–03 appear in the published Quarterly Enquiries. These publications can be found on the Inland Revenue website, at

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm

The costs of managing and paying working families' and disabled person's tax credits for 2002–03 are shown in the Inland Revenue Trust Accounts, Note 4, for the year ending 31 March 2003.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2005, Official Report, column 699W, on travel concessions, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the contribution to the relief of traffic congestion that might be made by abolishing the taxation applied to employer-provided travel concessions. [12110]

There have been no specific discussions on the relationship between traffic congestion and tax relief for employer-provided travel concessions. However, the Treasury continues to discuss a range of transport issues with the DfT on an ongoing basis.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what role the Valuation Office Agency plays in the assessment of rateable values for water rates. [12015]

The rateable values, used for water rates, were contained In the 1973 rating list. This rating list was effective from 1 April 1973 to 31 March 1990 and the Valuation Office Agency was, at this time, responsible for assessing the rateable values and maintaining this list. With the introduction of community charge, on 1 April 1990 (replaced by council tax on 1 April 1993), all rating assessments on domestic property ceased to exist, but water companies use these historic rateable values in levying charges for water and sewerage rates. There is now no mechanism for the Valuation Office Agency to amend rateable values shown in the 1973 rating list.

To ask the Solicitor-General If he will make a statement on his role in combating corruption. [11941]

The Attorney General is responsible for superintending the work of the Director of Public Prosecutions as head of the CPS and the Director of the Serious Fraud Office. Both these departments have responsibility for prosecuting corruption cases. The Serious Fraud Office also has power to investigate allegations of corruption. By statute. Law Officer consent must be given before corruption offences can be prosecuted.

To ask the Solicitor-General how many prosecutions there have been for breaches of antisocial behaviour orders since their introduction. [11943]

Of the 1,892 ASBOs issued in England and Wales up to December 2003, 793 or 42 per cent. Were breached.¹ The CPS does not have discrete data for the number of prosecutions for breaches of antisocial behaviour orders since their introduction in 1999.

¹ Official Home Office statistics are based on data obtained from the courts proceedings database and compared to the database on number of ASBOs issued. Data is available up to December 2003. Breaches are counted on a person basis, i.e. multiple breaches (occurring at the same time), or where the order has been breached on more than one occasion, are all counted as one breach.

To ask the Solicitor-General how many prosecutions for breaches of antisocial behaviour orders the Crown Prosecution Service has brought in (a) Wirral South and (b) Merseyside. [11944]

Of the 71 ASBOs issued in Merseyside up to December 2003, 22 or 31 per cent. were breached. Statistics for Wirral South are not available.¹ The CPS does not have discrete data for the number of prosecutions for breaches of antisocial behaviour orders.

¹ Official Home Office statistics are based on data obtained from the courts proceedings database and compared to the database on number of ASBOs issued. Breaches are counted on a person basis, i.e. multiple breaches (occurring at the same time), or where the order has been breached on more than one occasion, are all counted as one breach.

To ask the Solicitor-General what the timetable is for the Serious Fraud Office completing its investigations into the allegations of corruption with respect to the sale of Alvis vehicles to Indonesia in the 1990s; and if he will make a statement. [11678]

The SFO cannot confirm or deny whether a specific matter has been referred to it or is under investigation until such a time as is considered appropriate.

The SFO has been designated the lead authority for vetting allegations of overseas corruption by UK companies or individuals. Currently the SFO is vetting thirteen cases where such corruption offences have been alleged.

To ask the Solicitor-General what steps he is taking to expedite decision-making within the Crown Prosecution Service. [11942]

Each case handled by the CPS is reviewed individually to make sure that both the evidence and the public interest support a prosecution, This process continues throughout the life of the case. Circumstances may change during the lifetime of a case, for example as new evidence emerges, and the prosecutor's decision must take account of these changing realities regardless of when they come to light.

The introduction of statutory charging has helped to expedite CPS decision making. By involving prosecutors earlier in the process, they are able to ensure that key decisions are taken as early in the life of a case as possible and, in particular, that cases which are not viable are identified at the very outset of the prosecution process. The establishment of CPS Direct means that the CPS is able to give advice and make immediate charging decisions 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.

To ask the Solicitor-General what percentage of cases referred to the Crown Prosecution Service were not proceeded with because of the unwillingness of witnesses to give evidence in each of the last five years. [11939]

During the year ending March 2005, 1.7 per cent. of all CPS prosecutions resulted in an unsuccessful outcome through the unwillingness or non-attendance of witnesses. Comparable figures are not held for previous years.

To ask the Solicitor-General if he will take steps to ensure that letters from the Crown Prosecution Service explaining the discontinuance of a criminal prosecution are written in clear non-technical language. [11900]

All crown prosecutors are required to attend a two day training course about writing letters to explain the reasons for their decisions. They are also provided with a comprehensive guidance manual which requires written communication to be clear, accurate, succinct, objective, human and to avoid jargon. Guidance also instructs crown prosecutors to use plain English.

Chief crown prosecutors have responsibility for ensuring that letters issued meet the appropriate standards of quality and timeliness. Area performance, including the direct communication with victims initiative, is reviewed at regular intervals with the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Business Development Directorate is currently conducting a review of the direct communication with victims initiative, and will assess whether any further measures are required to ensure the quality and timeliness of written communications.

To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to the answer of 27 June, Official Report, column 1180W, on Iraq, whether the Government gave permission for the Butler Review to disclose that the Attorney General made an oral presentation to the Cabinet of his advice on the legality of the war in Iraq. [11810]

The content of the report of the Butler Review of Intelligence of Weapons of Mass Destruction was the responsibility of the Butler Committee.

To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to his Answer of 7 June 2005, Official Report, column 456W, on theft, how many young people subject to the diversion scheme did not re-offend in each of the last three years. [7219]

I have been asked to reply.

The information is not readily available in the form requested. Information on reconviction rates for juvenile offenders are published annually by both disposal and by offence, but not for combinations of these. The table shows the actual one year reconviction rates for those young offenders sentenced or released from custody in the first quarter of 2001, 2002, and 2003.

Further data on reconviction rates for juvenile offenders are available in Home Office Online Report 08/05, published February 2005

Percentage of juveniles who were not reconvicted within one year

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what breaches of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention have occurred since 1980; and if he will make a statement. [9068]

Article VI of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) permits any State Party to the convention to lodge a complaint with the Security Council of the United Nations if they find that any other State Party is in breach of obligations deriving from the provisions of the convention. To date no complaints of breaches of the obligations of the convention have been submitted to the United Nations. As one of the Depositary Governments of the BTWC, the UK views the issue of compliance with the convention as being of central importance and routinely monitors the compliance of all States Parties to the convention.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government have made of Burundi's and Rwanda's violations of their obligations under international conventions on refugees; and if he will make a statement. [11818]

We have received several reports that the actions of the Rwandan and Burundian Governments in returning Rwandans from Burundi may have contravened international law. The facts remain unclear.

We have been in touch with both countries' Governments and have reminded them of their international legal obligations under the 1951 refugee convention, to which both countries are signatories. We pressed them to consider fully individuals' right to asylum and to co-operate fully with staff of the UN High Commission for Refugees and other UN agencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports that large-scale arms deliveries from Eastern Europe and the Balkans continue to be made to the Great Lakes Region despite the UN Security Council mandatory embargo. [11867]

Despite recent international efforts to strengthen and enforce the UN and EU arms embargoes, and the creation in 2004 of a UN group of experts to monitor implementation and examine reported breaches, there is some evidence that rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo continue to receive supplies of arms and ammunition.

The UK takes the enforcement of these embargoes very seriously and will examine carefully the latest reports of breaches of the arms embargo before assessing what further action might be appropriate. Any information we receive relating to the potential involvement of UK entities in alleged sanctions-breaches is reported promptly to the relevant UK authorities for their investigation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken by his Department to stem the flow of arms to the Great Lakes Region. [11868]

We were instrumental in securing the adoption of Security Council resolution 1596 on 18 April 2005 which, among other measures, extended the UN embargo to cover the whole of the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) territory and introduced a travel ban and assets freeze to be imposed on individuals violating the embargo.

We have repeatedly raised our concerns with the Governments of the DRC and its neighbours about illicit flows of arms, urging them to prevent arms transiting their territory and to tighten border security. We have been in touch with the Rwandan and Ugandan Governments most recently, on 30 June and 1 July respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports that British-based firms have been involved in delivering arms to the Great Lakes Region. [11869]

We take seriously any allegations that UK entities may have been involved in the illicit supply of arms to embargoed destinations. Any evidence we receive is passed promptly to the relevant UK authorities for their investigation. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs made inquiries into these allegations in 2003 but found no evidence of any offences.

All export licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Export or trade licences issued recently for military-listed equipment going from the UK to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been consistent with the exemptions to the UN and EU embargoes on the DRC, which allow the export of non-lethal equipment for humanitarian or protective use as well as equipment for the UN mission in the DRC and the integrated army and police of the DRC.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the operation of the arms embargo in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [11865]

The UK continues to observe and support strongly the UN and EU arms embargoes on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Despite international efforts to enforce the embargoes, and the creation of a UN group of experts to monitor implementation and examine reported breaches, there is some evidence that rebel groups operating in eastern DRC continue to receive supplies of arms and ammunition.

We continue to work to strengthen enforcement of the embargoes, and are working with Security Council partners to identify and impose assets freezes and travel bans on those who are found to have violated the UN embargo.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 12 May from the hon. Member forBanff and Buchan regarding the subject of sex tourism. [10985]

holding answer 11 July 2005

I replied to the hon. Member on 13 July. I apologise for the delay.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of comparative levels of corruption within African Governments; whether a grading system exists for assessing such corruption; and if he will make a statement. [11744]

In the course of their normal reporting, our overseas posts comment on the impact and perceived extent of corruption in their host countries. However, there is no official grading system to compare levels of corruption. The only international ranking of which I am aware is Transparency International's annual Corruption Perceptions Index, last published in October 2004. The index is available on the Transparency International's website: http://www.transparency.org/

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards the Ethiopian Government in the context of the latest elections. [11753]

Ethiopia's 15 May general elections were a step forward in the democratisation process. However, we were extremely concerned by the subsequent violence and detentions of large numbers of opposition supporters. We have made our concerns clear to the Government of Ethiopia and have urged all parties to respect the democratic process. The Ethiopian National Electoral Board is still investigating allegations of irregularities in a number of constituencies. We urge all parties to continue to participate in this process in a constructive manner. International observers, including the European Union Observer Mission, continue to monitor the election process closely.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with his EU counterparts regarding the future of the EU3 negotiations with Iran on its nuclear programme following the recent Iranian election. [11816]

Discussions continue between Iran and the UK, France and Germany (the 'E3'), supported by the EU high representative, under the framework agreed in Paris in November 2004. Iran's President-elect, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has said that the process should go on, and the E3 remain fully committed to it.

The E3 have agreed to present further ideas, including on long-term arrangements for Iran's nuclear programme. Officials are currently working on these. We will remain in close touch with our partners in the EU and elsewhere as our ideas develop. Long- term arrangements must provide objective guarantees that Iran's nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when and for what reason his Department last decided to close the embassy in Madagascar; and when and for what reason it was re-opened. [11766]

The British embassy in Madagascar was closed in February 1976 as part of a round of economies following a reduction in public expenditure announced in the 1975 Budget.

The embassy was subsequently reopened in 1979. The reasons behind this decision included: Madagascar's then strategic position in the Indian ocean during the cold war; the fact that following UK entry into the EEC there were deemed to be commercial opportunities in Madagascar that British companies were missing and a high profile consular case that required work from UK-based staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures the Government are taking to ensure the full implementation of the (a) Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and (b) Biological and Chemical Weapons Conventions. [10104]

The Government continues to attach the utmost importance to the full implementation of all the Non-Proliferation Treaties. We continue to work with other countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency to strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The UK, as a Co Depository Government of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), actively supports all appropriate measures that would strengthen the Convention and the UK is chairing the 2005 intersessional meetings of the BTWC. As a State Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the UK contributes actively to the work of Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The UK led negotiations on an OPCW Action Plan on the implementation of the CWC.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the decision of the EU to appoint a special representative to the Sudan. [11430]

The decision as to whether to appoint an EU special representative to Sudan (EUSR) is still awaiting final approval of the Council of Ministers. An EUSR will bolster the EU's efforts to support the peace process there, both by supporting the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Darfur and working, notably with the African Union (AU), to help resolve the crisis in Darfur. The UK is in favour of this proposal. The EU is already heavily engaged in Sudan. They are providing significant support to the AU mission in Darfur, including planning experts, technical, financial, material and logistic support to AU mission in Sudan and supporting the civilian policing aspects of the mission, and the European Commission has committed $765 million of development and humanitarian assistance. The deadline for applications closed on 7 July. The candidates will be interviewed, with the appointment taking effect in September.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the weekly level of fatalities in southern Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [11743]

Signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) on 9 January 2005 brought to an end more than 20 years of civil war in the south, which claimed an estimated 2 million lives. Since signature of this Agreement, a permanent ceasefire has been in place, which will be monitored by a UN Peace Support Operation. Signature of the CPA also opened up access to urgently needed development assistance to southern Sudan, which will help improve the quality of life of the people there.

But there is much to do. The health system is fragmented and there is no consolidated mortality/morbidity reporting. Estimates in the 2003 World Bank Status Report on South Sudan describe access to health care in the south as the worst in the world; and states that there are no infant or crude mortality rates given the deteriorated state of health care across the south. Pockets of civilian-directed violence also remain, particularly in areas of Equatoria occupied by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

The UK has allocated £112.5 million of assistance this year to the whole of Sudan, much of which will go to the south. We have funded vaccination campaigns to reduce the number of deaths due to disease. We are also pressing the new presidency of the Government of National Unity, inaugurated on 9 July, fully to implement the CPA, including its commitment to disarm, repatriate or expel foreign insurgency groups, including the LRA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to increase consumer awareness of i-dialling scams. [10842]

By i-dialling I take it that the hon. Member means rogue Premium Rate diallers on the internet running up large bills for consumers. The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) regulates Premium Rate Services through its Code of Practice. Recommendation 10 of the Ofcom Review of Premium Rate Regulation encourages ICSTIS to develop its role in providing consumer information and to draw up a set of guidelines to govern its activities in this area. ICSTIS is currently finalising these guidelines following consultation and they are expected to be in place shortly. In addition the telecoms operators have been working hard to raise customer awareness of internet dialler scams and to ensure that customers are informed about how best to protect themselves. Advice is posted on BT's website at http://www.bt.com/premiumrates/ and on the websites of other companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his latest assessment is of (a) the economic strength of the Northamptonshire footwear manufacturing industry and (b) the competitive pressures it faces from China and elsewhere; and what steps his Department is taking to promote Northamptonshire's boot and shoe trade. [11198]

The European Commission has opened two anti-dumping investigations into(a) footwear with a protective toecap from China and India; and (b) footwear with uppers of leather, originating in China and Vietnam. The purpose of the investigations will be to determine whether or not dumping has occurred. Dumping is considered unfair trade and the European Commission may impose anti-dumping duties to counteract it.

UK Trade and Investment is the Government organisation that supports companies in the UK doing business internationally. UK Trade and Investment services are available to companies through locally-based teams, including the International Trade team based at Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce and Business Link.

No specific assessment has been made of the Northamptonshire footwear manufacturing industry or of the competitive pressures facing the industry from imports, but details of the Government's manufacturing strategy are available on the DTI website.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that mail is delivered to the correct address by the Royal Mail; and if he will make a statement. [12288]

Ensuring mail is delivered to the correct address is an operational matter for Royal Mail. I have received assurances from Allan Leighton and Adam Crozier that the Board will continue to give quality of service top priority.

Royal Mail Board members are incentivised to improve the company's quality of service and meet its regulatory targets. Postcomm has powers to impose penalties on Royal Mail if it fails to meet these targets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many telephone boxes he expects to be available in each of the next five years. [10795]

Approximately 68,000 BT public call boxes exist at present. However, it is impossible to predict how many public call boxes will be available in each of the next five years. Under an Office of Communications (Ofcom) Direction implementing the Universal Service Obligation, local authorities can veto the removal of the last callbox on a site, which comprises any area within a walking distance of 100 metres from the call box..

To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what the total amount spent by the Electoral Commission (a) prior to the 2005 Election and (b) during the 2005 election was on (i) television advertising, (ii) telephone hotlines, (iii) websites, (iv) screen adverts at train stations, (v) posters, (vi) postcards, (vii) postage, (viii) advertisements on buses and bus stops and (ix) radio advertising as part of the About my Vote and Don't Do Politics campaign. [11665]

The Electoral Commission informs me that expenditure in the specified categories as part of the About my Vote and Don't Do Politics campaign is as set out in the following table:

⁽³⁾ 2003–04 (a) costs include initial campaign production and spring 2004 registration campaign.

20 June 2004 election campaign and spring 2005 registration campaign.⁽⁴⁾ 2004–05 (a) costs include

1 April 2005.⁽⁵⁾ Election campaign costs (b) include general election campaign costs incurred from

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will amend the targets for ambulance trusts to reflect clinical outcomes rather than vehicle response times. [11434]