To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will answer Question 95494, on Crossrail, tabled by the hon. Member for Wimbledon on 17 October 2006 for named day Answer on 20 October. (97376)

The parliamentary question was answered on 24 October 2006, Official Report, column 1744W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many older pensioners in Hendon have availed themselves of the cheaper driving licence arrangements. (96931)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has issued a total of 3,160,380 free licences in Great Britain for drivers aged 70 and over since the renewal fee for these drivers was abolished on 1 March 2004.

In the period from 1 March 2004 to 31 January 2006, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency issued 2,872 licences to drivers aged over 70 in the Hendon parliamentary constituency. This figure includes both licence renewals and licences issued to newly qualified drivers aged 70 and over.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of customer use of the Traffic England Highways Agency website. (96717)

Customer use of the Traffic England Highways Agency website is assessed in three ways. First, monthly usage figures are obtained for the number of visitors to the site and the number of pages viewed on each visit; second, a questionnaire is available on the website inviting customer feedback; and third, the Agency collates telephone calls and e-mail it receives about the site.

In September 2006, the site received 280,000 visitors, who downloaded 2.2 million pages of information. Over 71 per cent. of users giving feedback rated the site either useful or extremely useful, and over 95 per cent. stated the site had influenced a recent journey.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what methodology was used to calculate the carbon impact of road schemes for data on carbon emissions submitted to the Environmental Audit Committee following the Secretary of State’s evidence on 14 June. (96821)

The Department set out the methodology used in its supplementary evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee published alongside the Committee’s report in August. Further details are available from the Committee’s website at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmenvaud/981/6061408.htm

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many slam-door carriages are still in use on the railway network. (96947)

Of the traditional ‘slam door’ fleets only a handful of vehicles are now operated under exemption by franchised passenger operators. These include the two Class 421 three-car electrical multiple units operated on the Lymington branch line by South West Trains, and the two single-car Class 121 diesel multiple units operated by Chiltern Railways and Arriva Trains Wales on the Aylesbury—Princess Risborough and Cardiff Queen Street—Cardiff Bay routes respectively. All are fitted with central door locking.

In addition, though not ‘slam door’ stock, there are currently around 1200 locomotive hauled coaches used in passenger service by franchised passenger operators. The majority of these coaches have hinged doors which are opened and closed manually at stops and central door locking operated by the guard. The exception is Mark 4 coaches which comprise around 260 of this total and have power operated sliding doors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what total (a) Government and (b) private funding for transport infrastructure was in each of the last 30 years at today’s prices; and what projected spending is for the next three years. (93668)

[pursuant to the reply, 17 October 2006, Official Report, c. 1137-38W]: The figures for 2003-04 and 2004-05 are as follows:

To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what assessment the Commission has made of the extent to which heating and ventilation systems in each building on the parliamentary estate (a) are controllable by individual users, (b) are energy efficient and designed to prevent heat leakage and (c) maintain comfortable temperature and humidity levels in varying weather conditions; and what plans exist to improve such systems. (97142)

A cyclical programme of surveys is carried out on parliamentary estate buildings and their services. Consultants are currently undertaking detailed surveys of the building services in the Palace of Westminster. A feasibility study is under way to explore methods of renewing the existing heating and ventilation system which is now largely 50-years-old for the Palace of Westminster. There are also plans to carry out building services surveys and option studies for the major refurbishment of the heating and ventilation systems of Canon Row, Derby Gate and Norman Shaw North in the near future.

The House authorities are aware that the heating and ventilation systems on a number of the buildings on the parliamentary estate are reaching the end of their economic life:

(a) Local control of radiator temperatures is only available in some areas of the parliamentary estate.

(b) The majority of buildings on the parliamentary estate were constructed in the 19th century when energy efficiency was not a major design consideration and much of the building stock is inherently energy inefficient. Work is currently in place to explore ways to enhance the buildings’ energy efficiency.

(c) A programme of services upgrade works is ongoing across the estate to renew plant and services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what the Government's policy is on the export of young calves for slaughter abroad; (94264)

I am aware of the public concern over the trade in live calf exports; it is generating a high volume of letters to the Department. However, this is a lawful trade and European Union (EU) law must be observed. The United Kingdom (UK) cannot place a unilateral ban on the export of calves. All exports must meet the necessary animal health and welfare rules.

This Government are committed to the welfare of animals and have played a key role in improving EU rules on transport since 1996 when the export trade in live calves from the UK ceased. New EU-wide welfare in transport rules will come into force in January 2007 providing further improvements. We are seeking to encourage the industry to develop alternative uses for calves other than live export, and welcome the joint initiative from Compassion in World Farming and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to bring together welfare groups, the dairy and beef industry and the retail sector to discuss this issue. They hosted an event in July which I attended.

The industry has developed domestic veal rearing systems that satisfy robust welfare requirements, but the opportunities to sell the product in the UK are very limited. Conversely, dairy farmers are now driven by the strong commercial demand for veal calves on the continent. The Department commissioned a study to look at the economic drivers and potential for developing alternative markets to the export of veal calves. The report confirmed that the domestic market for home produced veal is resistant to growth. It did, however, conclude that there are commercially attractive opportunities for rearing dairy calves for the growing domestic market for manufacturing beef. This is promising and Defra will continue to play its part in encouraging such alternative uses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will press for Iceland's expulsion from the International Whaling Commission following the announcement that it intends to resume commercial whaling; and if he will make a statement. (95658)

The UK will continue to protest at the highest diplomatic level against Iceland’s activities. I have called the Icelandic ambassador to my office to explain this decision and to voice our strong opposition to Iceland’s commercial whaling. We will continue our efforts, along with other countries, to urge Iceland to reconsider their position and reverse this unjustified and unnecessary decision.

However, there are no provisions within the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) that provide for the exclusion of parties who are considered to have broken the rules. It is debatable whether Iceland’s action could reasonably be considered a breach of its treaty obligations, since it was taken under a formal Reservation made by Iceland on rejoining the International Whaling Commission in 2002. However, the UK’s formal objection to Iceland’s reservation to article 10(e) of the ICRW (the part enforcing the moratorium) remains.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will discuss with his Cabinet colleagues means of enabling the provision of departmental data broken down according to his Department's definition of rurality; and if he will make a statement. (94460)

A research project co-sponsored by several Government departments and other bodies resulted in the publication of the “National Statistics Rural and Urban Definition 2004”. This new rural definition identifies the different types of settlements in which people live in rural areas. The definition can be used with other information, such as housing type, car ownership and household incomes to give a valid means of understanding how these measures vary within rural areas.

The new definition is accepted across Government, and is recognised as the Government standard by the Office for National Statistics. It was agreed after a public web-based validation exercise, and marks a big step forward in developing our evidence base and statistical toolkit for rural areas.

I have written recently to Ministers to promote the further use of the definition in their Departments’ work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total level of subsidies given by the Government to farmers in Wales was in each of the last ten years; and what each figure represents per farmer. (93948)

The Welsh Assembly Government have published provisional figures for subsidies paid out to Welsh farmers in 2005. I have made this document available in the Library. The final figures will be published in due course. Equivalent information for the preceding nine years could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The Welsh Assembly Government are committed to ensuring greater transparency in the publication of farm subsidy data. Accordingly, it recently announced its intention to publish such data by postcode. The data will also be subdivided to show the breakdown between all claims submitted under the 2005 single payment application form.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the (a) reviews and (b) consultations relating to the Child Support Agency undertaken since 1997; and the total cost of each to his Department. (90198)

The information is not available in the format requested as the current accounting system of the Department for Work and Pensions does not enable us to associate costs to individual or discrete activities. Such information as is available is as follows:

The following reviews have taken place since 1997:

Review by Stephen Geraghty, Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency between April and December 2005.

Sir David Henshaw redesign took place between February and July 2006. Estimated costs for this review were published on page 66 of the report “Recovering child support: routes to responsibility”. (Cm 6894)

The following consultation exercises have taken place since 1997:

The Child Support Green Paper, CHILDREN FIRST: a new approach to child support (Cm 3992) was published in July 1998.

The Child Support White Paper—A New Contract for Welfare: Children’s Rights and Parents’ Responsibilities (Cm 4349), published on 1 July 1999.

A fresh start: child support redesign—the Government response to Sir David Henshaw (Cm 6895), published on 24 July 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department’s policy is on the display of religious (a) artefacts, (b) symbols and (c) dress by its staff; how many staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings regarding this policy in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. (95640)

The Department for Work and Pensions respects the beliefs and religions of all its staff. It does not have a specific policy on the display of religious artefacts, symbols or dress by its staff.

The Department has a standards of behaviour policy that allows its businesses to set dress standards that it expects staff to follow, though there are none that relate specifically to the wearing of religious dress, artefacts or symbols. All staff are expected to present themselves in a professional and business-like way.

The Department is very much committed to promoting equality and valuing diversity within the workplace and where possible facilities for prayer or quiet contemplation are provided for staff to use.

All managers are made aware of the Departmental guidance on enabling staff to observe religious obligations and festivals. Faith awareness training is delivered for staff through a learning and development toolkit, which provides information on religious beliefs, observances and practices.

No staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings regarding this and it is not a category for which the Department gathers any statistics.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate the Government have made of the cost of extending the financial assistance scheme in line with the recommendations from the parliamentary ombudsman’s report on occupational pension schemes. (92016)

We estimate the cost of implementing the ombudsman’s recommendations to be between £13 and £17 billion, in cash terms, over 60 years (or between £2.9 billion and £3.7 billion, net present value).

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she has taken to resolve the dispute between the Bristol Judo Association and the Save Independent Judo campaign; what further action she proposes; and if she will make a statement. (97283)

The Save Independent Judo campaign has written a number of letters to the Department about the development of the UK Coaching Certificate (UKCC) in judo and the role of the British Judo Association (BJA). In June, I replied, explaining that I had asked my officials to look into the issues raised. In August, I provided a substantive reply, clarifying some of the background and the role of sports coach UK and the BJA in taking the issues forward.

Save Independent Judo has continued to correspond with the Department. We have ensured that Sports Coach UK, who are responsible for developing and implementing the UKCC, UK Sport and Sport England are aware of their various concerns. We will continue to work with these organisations to ensure that, where appropriate, these issues are addressed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what locations in the London Borough of Bexley (a) were considered to be used to stage an event and (b) are being considered for training sites for athletes for the 2012 London Olympics. [96599]

In order to host a compact Olympic games and Paralympic games as required by the International Olympic Committee, venues for the 2012 London games are, wherever practical, situated as close as possible to the Olympic Park in the Lower Lea Valley. As a result no facilities within the London borough of Bexley were able to be considered as competition venues.

The London Organising Committee for the Olympic games and Paralympic games (LOCOG) is preparing a pre-games training guide in which facilities that it has approved as providing a suitable training environment in the UK are listed by location and by sport. The development of this guide will be overseen by a steering group, made up of organisations such as the British Olympic Association, the British Paralympic Association, the English Institute of Sport, UK Sport and the home nation sport councils.

Venues from around the UK, including those situated within the London borough of Bexley, are invited to apply to host pre-games training camps through the LOCOG website:

<http://www.london2012.com/en/gettinginvolved/trainingcamps/Applicationprocess.htm>

Applications will initially be assessed on a national or regional basis, and the deadline for facilities to submit their interest is 31 January 2007. Final selection will take place by January 2008 and the guide will be distributed to national Olympic committees and national Paralympic committees in summer 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) whether a decision has been made regarding use of the Olympic stadium following the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; what the role is of the Minister for Sport in that decision; and if she will make a statement; (97188)

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is procuring the Olympic stadium. As the explanatory document published in July by the ODA made clear, in legacy mode we intend that it will be a 25,000-seater stadium with athletics at its core, consistent with the commitment set out in the London 2012 Candidate File. The ODA has appointed consultants who, in consultation with Olympic stakeholders, sporting bodies and the local community, are scoping the different possible community uses for the stadium with a view to drawing up a business plan for future use of the stadium. A wide range of options consistent with our Candidate File commitment is currently under consideration. Any decision on legacy use of the stadium will be made by the Olympic board on which I am the Government's representative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new business start-ups there were in (a) the East of England, (b) Suffolk and (c) Bury St. Edmunds constituency in each year since 1997. (95447)

Value added tax (VAT) registrations and de-registrations are the best official guide to the pattern of business start-ups and closures. DTI data on the number of VAT registrations, and the start of year stock of VAT registered businesses, in East of England Government office region, Suffolk county and Bury St. Edmunds constituency from 1997 to 2005 are shown in the following table. Data for 2006 will be available autumn 2007.

Although the number of registrations in Bury St. Edmunds constituency has remained fairly constant, the start of year stock has risen by 17 per cent. over the period.

VAT registration and de-registration data do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if their turnover falls below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register may not have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 4.3 million businesses (42 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether there are waiting lists for places at child care facilities which his Department provides for its employees. (89607)

The DTI does not hold long-term waiting list for places for the DTI play-schemes. If the DTI play-schemes are over-subscribed on any given day, a list of requests for that date is kept on a first come first served basis. If a place becomes available, the place is offered to the next child on the list.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the implications for electricity demand of digital switchover. (96130)

Digital switchover is expected to have implications for both transmitter power usage and consumer power usage. The Government’s assessment is that the replacement of the analogue terrestrial transmission network with a nationwide digital terrestrial television network will lead to a net reduction in energy usage by the transmission networks of 186 GWh per year. Completion of switchover is expected to result in an increase in consumer energy use of between 966GWh and 2816GWh per annum, primarily due to the expected increase in the take up of set-top boxes. This is equivalent to a 0.37 per cent. increase in domestic electricity consumption. The Government’s overall estimate for the total impact of switchover is a net increase of 1705GWh per year.

Further details are contained in the ‘Regulatory and Environmental Impact Assessment: the timing of digital switchover’, published on 16 September 2005. This was placed in the House Library at the time of publication, and is also available at:

www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the work of the Enterprise Campaign Coalition. (96417)

The Enterprise Campaign Coalition consists of 26 key national partner organisations with a common interest in promoting enterprise. During 2006, the work of Enterprise Campaign Coalition has been distributed between three groups:

(a ) Strategic framework sub-group:

This group has developed a prospectus called ‘Fuelling Enterprise Culture’ which was launched on 11 October 2006. It is a national call to action for different sectors to ‘mainstream’ the engagement of young people in enterprise.

(b ) Youth enterprise support sub-group:

This group has been looking at the needs of young people thinking about setting up their own business or social enterprise. It will produce a report about the direction that business support needs to take to better meet the needs of young people. This report is expected in early 2007.

(c) Enterprise education sub-group:

This group has been looking at the role of education. The group has identified six broad challenges and recently commissioned a brief mapping exercise of strategic projects/initiatives designed to improve the effectiveness of enterprise education across schools, colleges and universities. Subject to the findings of this mapping exercise, the group will be identifying areas where it can collectively add value in driving forward enterprise education.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 24 July 2006, Official Report, column 1028W, on Enterprise Insight, whether all the local and sectoral enterprise campaign hubs are now fully functional; whether Enterprise Insight’s recruitment process has now been completed; and what the cost has been of the recruitment process. (96414)

Enterprise Insight advises that of the five local hubs, Coventry and Liverpool are fully functional; Lowestoft, Wakefield and Teesside are not.

Of the three sectoral hubs, retail is fully functional; creative industries and manufacturing are not.

Of the 21 Enterprise Insight staff posts involved in these hubs, 15 are in post, 3 are appointed but have yet to start, and 3 have yet to be appointed. In addition, resources equivalent to four staff are being made available through agreements with partner organisations in Coventry and Lowestoft.

Enterprise Insight expects all hubs to fully functional by early 2007.

Enterprise Insight advises that the cost to date of the recruitment to the 21 posts is £117,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many civil servants in his Department have particular responsibility for promoting the furniture industry. (96601)

A range of staff across the Department work on issues related to the UK furniture industry; staff in Business Relations, UK Trade International and Consumer and Competition Policy Directorate work to help the sector on issues such as productivity, exporting, standards and fair competition.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the implications for the UK strategy for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of more widespread introduction of heat pumps in the domestic sector. (96127)

Future Energy Solutions produced a report for DTI and DEFRA (“Renewable Heat and Heat from Combined Power Plants—Study and Analysis”) which assessed the carbon saving potential of various sources of renewable heat, including ground source heat pumps. This study suggests that if ground source heat pumps were installed in all off-gas grid residential properties, carbon savings of around 3.9MtC/year could be achieved. No such assessment has been made of the potential of air source or water source heat pumps.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what participation his Department had in the Symposium on International Nuclear Safeguards held at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna 16 to 20 October; and whether the Government provided resources in support of the Symposium. (97208)

A representative from the Safeguards Office in my Department attended this Symposium. In addition, my Department funded the attendance of the UKAEA co-ordinator of the UK Support Programme (UKSP) to IAEA Safeguards, and the participation of four personnel from industry and academia who gave presentations on work they have conducted under the UKSP.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the North West regional development agency is providing any funding for a study to establish whether Lancaster Castle prison can become a tourist attraction. (96703)

[holding answer 24 October 2006]: No. The North West regional development agency has not received any such proposal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether members of Vision Boards can remain on them without attending meetings. (96635)

This is a matter for the Vision Boards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many vision board managers are employed on a consultancy basis. (96639)

There is one Vision Board manager appointed on a consultancy basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many vision boards there are in the North West Regional Development Agency. (96640)

The North West Development Agency has encouraged the establishment of three Vision Boards in Preston, Lancaster and Burnley.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent on the vision boards set up by the North West regional development agency. (96701)

The North West regional development agency has encouraged the establishment of vision boards in Preston, Burnley and Lancaster. The agency has provided the following funding to the vision boards:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice the Northwest Regional Development Agency has given to Lancaster Vision Board regarding funding for a study to establish whether Lancaster prison can be closed and the castle turned into a tourist attraction. (96630)

The Northwest Regional Development Agency has advised the Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board that any proposal seeking agency funding should be submitted as part of an action plan in support of the Lancaster and Morecambe Vision. All such proposals should also feature in the sub-regional action plans developed by the Lancashire Economic Partnership. This demonstrates sub-regional priority in delivering the Regional Economic Strategy.

The agency has not received a funding proposal in respect of Lancaster Castle.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role the area manager from the Northwest Regional Development Agency plays on the Lancaster Vision Board. (96631)

The Northwest Regional Development Agency’s area manager attended Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board meetings as an observer and advised the board on matters relating to delivery of the Regional Economic Strategy and agency policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the Lancaster and Morecambe Vision document cost to reproduce. (96633)

The Lancaster and Morecambe Vision documents cost a total of £20,819. This covered:

design;

consultation/promotion;

website posting;

5,000 full version copies; and

2,000 abridged version copies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board was set up. (96634)

The Northwest Regional Development Agency first proposed the idea of a Vision Board for Lancaster and Morecambe to the local authority and key private sector representatives on 22 March 2004. Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board first met on 26 May 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board is responsible for (a) ensuring that effective delivery vehicles are in place to implement the regeneration strategy for the area and (b) the delivery of the economic vision and strategy for the Lancaster and Morecambe area. (96636)

The Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board has no responsibility for either ensuring effective delivery vehicles are in place or for the delivery of the economic vision and strategy for Lancaster and Morecambe. Its role is to provide innovative and visionary support and advice with a strong private sector input.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who the representatives are on Lancaster Vision Board; and which sector each represents. (96638)

Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board members are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops of the 14th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) are serving in Afghanistan; and how many casualties have been sustained by the regiment in that country. (93558)

[holding answer 16 October 2006]: Details relating to the number of troops from the 14th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) serving in Afghanistan since its disclosure would reveal the capability of UK forces operating in theatre, and could have a bearing on operational security.

With specific reference to casualties, it is with regret that I confirm that the regiment has sustained three deaths since our operations commenced in southern Afghanistan this year: Corporal Peter Thorpe and Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi on 1 July, and Lance Corporal Jonathon Hetherington on 27 August. Our records do not show any members of the 14th Signal Regiment reported as very seriously ill/injured/wounded or seriously ill/injured/wounded. However, it should be noted that these figures do not include individuals who may have required minor treatment or suffered illness.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken by International Security Assistance Force troops to engage with local Jirgas and Shuras in Afghanistan. (94705)

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) recognises the importance of engaging with local communities, not only to help deliver security but also as a key element of the work of Provincial Reconstruction Teams, who are there to help deliver better governance and support reconstruction and development. Across Afghanistan, Commanders engage with local community leaders, including through Shuras. UK commanders have done, and continue to do, the same in Helmand province.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the total number of deaths of combatants and non-combatants in Afghanistan since October 2001; and if he will make a statement. (94879)

[holding answer 18 October 2006]: The most accurate figures available for the deaths of coalition and allied troops are on www.icasualties.org/oef. As of 17 October, the total number of deaths of coalition and allied troops was 496.

We have no reliable means of ascertaining the numbers of Afghan combatants or non-combatants killed, but the UK makes every effort to minimise the impact of military action on the Afghan population. Similar principles apply in northern Helmand as for Afghanistan in general.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost has been to the UK of all military operations in Afghanistan since 2001; and if he will make a statement. (97334)

The costs of operations are calculated on a net additional basis and audited figures are published each year in the MOD’s annual report and accounts. The total annual audited figures for the costs of operations in Afghanistan for the years 2001-02 to 2005-06 were £844 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Government plans to publish its formal response to Nicholas Blake's Deepcut Review. (69829)

[holding answer 11 May 2006]: Due to an oversight, this question was not answered at the time, however, the Government’s response to the Deepcut Review was published on 13 June 2006. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department (a) directly employed and (b) employed on contracts were required to support the financial or commercial aspects of defence exports to foreign governments in the most recent year for which figures are available. (93944)

[holding answer 19 October 2006]: The Ministry of Defence provides support to defence exports through the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO). In April 2006 there were some 450 staff in post in DESO. Of those 12 were employed on fixed-term contracts, five of whom were part-time.

In general, the financial and commercial aspects of defence exports are matters for the company supplying the export. But a proportion of DESO staff work in project offices dealing with exports made under Government-to-Government contracts, and the duties of 29 of these staff are mainly concerned with financial and commercial aspects of the projects. None of these is on a fixed-term contract.

A breakdown showing the numbers of staff in DESO was included in the answers given to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey) on 26 October 2005, Official Report, column 376W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK personnel stationed on Diego Garcia have access to the United States detention facilities located there for the purposes of monitoring who is detained in that facility. (96770)

There is no US facility for foreign detainees on Diego Garcia. The only civilian detention centre is at the small UK-run police station.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings the former Defence Secretary, the right hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Hoon), held with (a) US politicians, (b) the CIA and (c) others in the United States in August 2003. (93241)

[holding answer 12 October 2006]: None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006, Official Report, column 706W, on Far East Civilian Internees, what progress he has made with charities towards aiding those who have not been awarded payments under the 20 year rule. (95621)

[holding answer 23 October 2006]: The position remains as outlined by my predecessor in his answer of 3 July; discussions with a relevant charity are still ongoing. I will write to the hon. Member when I have further information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made towards reviewing those applicants for the Far East Prisoners of War Ex-Gratia Payments Scheme that have not qualified for payment under the 20 year rule; and what factors he is taking into account to determine eligibility. (95623)

[holding answer 23 October 2006]: Eligibility for the 20-year rule is determined in accordance with the published rules; a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House on 26 June. Since the introduction of the new rule, officials have been monitoring and gathering information on its application which includes those claims which do not qualify. An early analysis of any emerging trends is nearing completion and I will be discussing these with the Association of British Civilian Internees Far East Region before final decisions on rejections are made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written statement of 17 October 2006 on Far East Prisoners of War Ex-Gratia Payments Scheme, whether civilian claims for the payment submitted before 7 July 2005 will be paid in full. (95768)

[holding answer 23 October 2006]: Civilian claims for a payment submitted before 7 July 2005 will be paid in full if:

(1) the applicant met those residence-based criteria now remaining following removal of the ‘birthlink’ criteria, or

(2) the applicant met the ‘birthlink’ criteria (such cases will be dealt with on a separate ex gratia basis in recognition of the fact that, at the time of their claim, such applicants had a reasonable expectation that the ‘birthlink’ criteria would apply in their case and that they would have been paid had their application been processed more quickly).

Veterans Agency records show that there are three claims in the second category. Action is in hand for these payments to be made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of his Department's monthly Financial Digest for the first six months of 2005-06. (93054)

The term “Financial Digest” refers to previous procedures in the Department which have been updated as our financial management processes have been improved. Officials regularly produce forecasts of expected year-end financial outturn for senior management. These are reflected in the forecasts of Defence expenditure in the Main and Supplementary Estimates formally submitted for parliamentary consideration in the course of the year. Detailed in-year internal forecasts make an important contribution to the development of Government policy. I am withholding their publication as it would be prejudicial to the effective conduct of public affairs by inhibiting the free and frank provision of advice to senior management and Ministers, and any exchanges of views for the purpose of deliberation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the helicopters based in Southern Afghanistan are (a) based in (i) Kandahar Province and (ii) Helmand Province and (b) under the direct command of Brigadier Ed Butler. (85799)

[holding answer 17 July 2006]: Brigadier Jerry Thomas took over command of UK troops in Afghanistan from Brigadier Ed Butler on 7 October 2006.

I am withholding details of where our helicopters are based as this information could compromise operational security and put the lives of our personnel at risk. They are based at the most appropriate place to support the UK deployment to Helmand.

UK Forces in Helmand operate under the operational control of the Multi-national Brigade Commander, Brigadier Fraser, who is the Canadian Commander in charge of Regional Command South and under command of Commander International Security Assistance Force. UK forces have tactical command of the helicopter assets and inform Regional Command South's priorities for use of these assets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Apache, (b) Chinook, (c) Merlin and (d) Lynx helicopters were in regular service in Afghanistan (i) at the start of the war and (ii) at the latest available date. (95074)

[holding answer 19 October 2006]: As announced on 26 January 2006, Official Report, column 1529, 18 helicopters were to be deployed to Afghanistan: eight AH-64 Apache attack helicopters; four Lynx light utility helicopters; and six CH-47 Chinook support helicopters. The additional deployment of two CH-47 Chinook helicopters was announced on 24 July 2006, Official Report, column 76.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British servicemen have been killed in the (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan conflict; and how many representatives of British servicemen's families bereaved in each conflict (i) he has met and (ii) Ministers have met on his behalf or on behalf of the Government. (91821)

[holding answer 9 October 2006]: The number of British service personnel killed in Iraq is 119. The number of British service personnel killed in Afghanistan is 40. The Prime Minister and Defence Ministers have met bereaved relatives but they were private occasions and should remain so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops he expects to be based in Northern Ireland on operational duties in 2007. (94914)

Under the updated Security Annex to the Joint Declaration published by the Government in August 2005, the number of armed forces personnel (Navy, Army and RAF) based in Northern Ireland on operational duties under Operation BANNER is planned to reduce from some 8,050 as at 15 September this year to no more than 5,000 by 31 July 2007.

Under the terms of the updated Security Annex, and assuming a continuing enabling environment, there will be a permanent peacetime garrison of no more than 5,000 based in Northern Ireland after 31 July 2007. This will reflect the Government’s global defence commitments, although some Northern Ireland or Great Britain based personnel will continue to provide a residual level of Army support to the police (for example, providing specialised ordnance disposal and, if needed, support for public order as described in Patten recommendations 59 and 66). The number of troops needed for these operational tasks will naturally depend on Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) requirements, but I very much welcome the PSNI’s increasing ability to carry out their tasks without military support and look forward to this continuing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts on the future of the UK nuclear deterrent. (94992)

It remains our intention that decisions on the future of the UK’s nuclear deterrent will be taken later this year. Officials are now working to prepare for these decisions and, as part of this work, we are getting information from a variety of sources. I am withholding the detail of any specific discussions with other Governments as this would, or would be likely to prejudice international relations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the level of national security of UK allies who have chosen not (a) to retain and (b) to obtain a nuclear weapons capability. (95217)

[holding answer 19 October 2006]: We do not make assessments of the national security arrangements of our NATO allies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the new operational bonus will be liable to (a) employee and (b) employer national insurance contributions. (94580)

[holding answer 17 October 2006]: The new operational bonus, to be called “operational allowance”, will not be liable for either employee or employer national insurance contributions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the eligibility criteria for the new operational bonus. (94583)

[holding answer 17 October 2006]: Yes. The eligibility criteria will form part of the regulations for the operational allowance; the regulations will be placed in the Library once they have been finalised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the first payment of the new operational bonus to be paid to armed forces personnel. (94584)

[holding answer 17 October 2006]: The first payment of the new operational bonus, to be called “operational allowance”, will be made as soon as possible. Priority will be given to those returning (or who have already returned) from operational locations that qualify for the allowance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many psychological operations units are established in the field army; how many personnel are assigned to these units; and what his plans are to expand or establish additional units for this role. (95703)

[holding answer 20 October 2006]: There is one psychological operations unit established in the field army, which is 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group. It is currently in the process of expansion from a primarily reservist to a regular unit, and is established for 71 personnel, both regular and reserves, drawn from all three services. There are no further plans to expand or establish additional units for this role at the present time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees of the BBC have attended courses or seminars at Ministry of Defence establishments relating to psychological operations or psychological warfare activities since 1997. (95704)

[holding answer 20 October 2006]: The term “psychological operations” replaced “psychological warfare” in MOD doctrine prior to 1962, as explained in the preface to then War Office Pamphlet Guide 9729. Consequently no employees of the BBC have attended courses or seminars at MOD establishments relating to psychological warfare in the period concerned.

Psychological operations training relocated to Chicksands in April 1997. Central records indicate that no employees of the BBC have undergone training there. Guest speakers are invited periodically to present on psychological operations courses. No employees of the BBC have done so at Chicksands and we have no records of any BBC employee ever being invited in such a capacity. We are, however, aware of one BBC employee who attended a presentation by 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group at HQ Land Command in 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) handguns, rifles and other firearms, (b) ammunition and munitions, (c) radios, (d) vehicles and spare parts, (e) computer equipment, (f) protective equipment, (g) office equipment and (h) mess silver, artworks and furnishings have been reported (i) missing and (ii) stolen from military establishments since 2001. (96834)

[holding answer 25 October 2006]: The above information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the costs of decommissioning the (a) submarines and (b) missiles and warheads of the current Trident system. (96660)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 July 2006, Official Report, column 778W to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport West (Paul Flynn). The indicative decommissioning liabilities are subject to periodic review.

13. To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to discuss the taxation of pensions; and if he will make a statement. (97068)

18. To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to discuss the taxation of pensions; and if he will make a statement. (97073)

Treasury Ministers regularly meet DWP Ministers to discuss a range of issues, including the taxation of pensions.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of public sector pensions as a share of gross domestic product in (a) 1980, (b) 1990 and (c) 2000; what forecast he has made of the equivalent cost in (i) 2010, (ii) 2020, (iii) 2030, (iv) 2040 and (v) 2050; and if he will make a statement; (96007)

Current estimates and future projections (over the next 50 years) of public service pensions as a share of GDP and of total public spending are available in the two Long Term Public Finance Reports published in 2004 and 2005. Comparable historic figures could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

A note by the Government Actuary’s Department and Her Majestys’ Treasury on the assumptions used for the unfunded pension projections in the LTPFR was laid in the House of Commons Library in June 2006.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of unfunded public sector pension liabilities in each year since 1980; (96008)

Total unfunded public service pension liabilities are estimated to be £530 billion at 31 March 2005. The two previous comparable estimates of this total were £460 billion at 31 March 2004, and £425 billion at 31 March 2003. The estimates for years prior to 2003 were not made on a comparable basis. Comparable information is not held on the liabilities of the funded local government pension scheme or other funded public sector schemes.

An explanation of the basis for the estimate of the total liabilities at 31 March 2005 and of the reasons for the changes from the comparable figure at 31 March 2004, which covered the assumptions used, was given in the technical note ‘Total Liability of Unfunded Public Service Occupational Pension Schemes as at 31 March 2005’ which my predecessor placed in the Library of the House on 2 March 2006.

The most recent estimate was based on figures that were published in 2004-05 resource accounts. Resource accounts are published annually and accounts for 2005-06 for most of the unfunded public service schemes are now available, but, until all of them are available, it is not yet possible to calculate a comparable total at 31 March 2006.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which section of his Department is responsible for analysis of the costs of public sector pensions; and if he will make a statement. (96009)

Sections of the Treasury responsible for public service pensions policy, long-term fiscal policy, and public expenditure forecasting undertake central analyses of the cost of public service pensions, consulting internally and taking advice from the Government Actuary’s Department as appropriate.

Other Government Departments undertake analyses of the costs of individual public service pension schemes in line with the responsibilities of Ministers towards those individual schemes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of total government revenues from public sector employee pension contributions in the latest year for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. (96013)

Rounded to the nearest £0.1 billion, employee contributions to unfunded public service pension schemes were £4.5 billion and employee contributions to the funded Local Government Pension Schemes were £1.7 billion in the financial year 2004-05.

Government do not hold aggregate estimates of employee contributions in the wider public sector.

14. To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to improve levels of financial inclusion; and if he will make a statement. (97069)

The Government’s £120 million Financial Inclusion Fund is supporting new initiatives to increase access to banking, affordable credit and face-to-face money advice, with around 450 new money advisers. An independent Financial Inclusion Taskforce is monitoring progress and I will report to the House on next steps in the new year.

15. To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with energy suppliers on the recent reductions in the wholesale costs of gas and electricity. (97070)

The recent reductions in the wholesale costs of gas and electricity are very welcome, and show how the new gas import infrastructure is delivering.

Regulation of the gas market is a matter for Ofgem which has said it will monitor the market carefully to ensure that reduced costs incurred by suppliers are passed on to consumers in appropriate timescales.

16. To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he had at the recent International Monetary Fund meetings on progress on meeting the millennium development goals. (97071)

20. To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he had at the recent International Monetary Fund meetings on progress towards the millennium development goals. (97075)

The international community, and this Government, attaches the highest importance to assisting countries in meeting the Millennium Development Goals. In Singapore, at the time of the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank, this commitment was reinforced through: a pledge from donors to deliver on their Aid-for-Trade commitments; welcoming continued progress to a pilot Advanced Market Commitment for Pneumococcus by the end of the year; and further progress in developing plans for delivery of the education MDG in 17 countries, resulting in getting an additional 25 million primary school-aged children into school.

19. To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of Child Trust Fund take-up; and if he will make a statement. (97074)

The Child Trust Fund’s success has exceeded our expectations. The latest set of account opening figures were published by HM Revenue and Customs on 29 September. These showed that over 1.8 million Child Trust Fund accounts have now been opened, with over 75 per cent. of parents using their child’s voucher to open an account within the 12 month deadline. Early evidence from providers suggests that there have been significant additional contributions into children’s accounts.

21. To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much private finance initiative expenditure has been categorised as (a) on-balance and (b) off-balance sheet since 1997. (97076)

The asset/liability value of PFI/PPP’s that are “on” the Government balance sheet should be available from the resource accounts of the contracting authority and these are also scored in capital departmental expenditure limits (DEL). Data on all projects that have reached financial lose can be found on the HM Treasury “PFI Signed Deals List” on the HM Treasury website:

www.HM-Treasury.gov.uk

The balance sheet treatment of PFI projects is determined by an independent auditor following United Kingdom generally accepted accounting practice, including financial reporting standards issued by the independent Accounting Standards Board (ASB).

22. To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial support he plans to provide to facilitate a resumption of world trade talks. (97077)

To ensure that all countries, including developing countries, can share the benefits of world trade and globalisation, turn the rhetoric of Doha into positive progress, it is vital to provide increased support to developing countries for aid for trade. The UK alone committed to spend £100 million a year by 2010 on the institutions and people needed to support trade. Our total support for aid for trade, including support for infrastructure–like roads, ports, power and telecommunications–is expected to increase by 2010-11. This would equate to $750 million a year in 2010.

23. To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to make an assessment of the five tests for joining the Euro. (97078)

The Government's policy on membership of the single currency was set out by the Chancellor in his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, and again in the Chancellor's statement on the five tests assessment in June 2003. The Chancellor announced in Budget 2006 that:

“the Government does not propose a euro assessment to be initiated at the time of this budget.”

The Treasury will again review the situation at Budget time next year as required by the Chancellor's June 2003 statement.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements exist for correspondence in Braille with blind or partially-sighted claimants for tax credit. (97209)

HM Revenue and Customs will, on request, provide written information in a number of accessible formats such as Braille, audio and large print. A home visit could also be offered to some claimants where this is considered to be more suitable.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many (a) women, (b) men and (c) men who are the only wage earners in their households are exempt from paying tax on child care; (97274)

Employers and employees are not required to report the provision of tax-free employer supported child care provided to employees since the tax and national insurance contributions exemptions were introduced in April 2005.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) which of his Department’s Ministers are members of the HM Treasury gymnasium; and what the cost of such membership is per annum; (97022)

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 18 October 2006, Official Report, column 1256W. Membership for the gym is available at the cost of £17.50 a month.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total number of people of working age in the UK not in employment for each year from 1976 to 2006, broken down by (a) lone parents, (b) unemployed, (c) those not working because of illness on disability, (d) carers and (e) other classifications; and if he will make a statement. (96537)

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

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 October 2006:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about people not in employment for each year from 1976 to 2006. (96537)

Table 1 gives estimates of the numbers of people resident in the United Kingdom who are not in employment. This includes those unemployed, and people inactive by their reason for inactivity.

Table 2 gives estimates for lone parents not in employment.

Both tables cover the three months ending June each year since 1997. Comparable estimates are not available for earlier periods.

Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2006, Official Report, column 1891W, on incoming phone calls, (1) how many calls encountering an engaged tone were to (a) tax credit helplines and (b) other helplines; and if he will make a statement; (83329)

The following table shows the number of calls receiving an engaged tone for (a) the tax credit helpline and (b) other helplines operated as part of HMRC’s centrally managed Contact Centre Network.

Engaged tones occur mainly at the busiest periods when callers constantly hit the redial button on modern telephone handsets.

Engaged tone figures for 2006 will be available in the new year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the life expectancy is of (a) men and (b) women in (i) the East Midlands and (ii) the South East; and what it was in (1) 1996 and (2) 2000 in each case. (96949)

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

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 October 2006:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the life expectancy is of (a) men and (b) women in (i) the East Midlands and (ii) the South East; and what it was in (1) 1996 and (b) 2000 in each case. (96949)

Life expectancy figures are calculated as three year rolling averages. The table below provides the period life expectancy at birth for (a) men and (b) women in (i) the East Midlands and (ii) the South East government office regions, in (1) 1995-97, (2) 1999-2001, and (3) 2002-04 (the latest period available).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will answer questions (a) 76207, (b) 76476, (c) 76478, (d) 76482 and (e) 76485 tabled on 8 June, question 78392 tabled on 13 June, question 81148 tabled on 26 June and questions (i) 83329, (ii) 83330, (iii) 83382, (iv) 83793, (v) 83795, (vi) 83796 and (vii) 83812, tabled on 4 July, on tax credits, from the hon. Member for Yeovil. (94097)

They have all been answered.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the highest annual income is which an individual can earn and still qualify for tax credits. (95681)

The maximum income at which a tax credit recipient’s award is tapered to zero depends on the tax credit elements that a family is eligible for, for example number of children in the family, childcare costs, disabled worker or disabled child elements.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rates of sickness absence were among tax credits staff in each month since April 2005; and if he will make a statement. (95734)

It is not practical to identify sickness absence relating to HMRC staff deployed on all aspects of administering tax credits.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information on the performance of the tax credits systems he receives on an (a) monthly, (b) quarterly and (c) annual basis; and if he will make a statement. (95735)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 7 July 2005, Official Report, columns 621-22W.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many compensation payments have been made by the tax credits sections of his Department since April 2003; what the total value is of those payments; and if he will make a statement. (96123)

The circumstances in which HM Revenue and Customs will make compensation payments to its customers are explained in the Department’s Code of Practice 1 “Putting things right” which is available at www.hmrc.gov.uk. The Department will pay compensation for reasonable costs incurred as a direct result of its mistakes or delays and to recognise worry and distress caused by those mistakes and delays. It does not keep separate details of compensation payments made specifically due to errors or delays.

For the value of compensation payments made up to 30 September 2005 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) on 22 November 2005, Official Report, column 1913W.

The value of compensation payments made between 1 October 2005 and 30 September 2006 was around £782,700.

For the number of compensation payments made up to 31 May 2006, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 18 July 2006, Official Report, columns 360-61W.

The number of compensation payments made between 1 June 2006 and 30 September 2006 was around 3,000.