To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the structure of rail season ticket prices in relation to their affordability for people working from home for one or more days a week. (122781)

[holding answer 27 February 2007]: Rail season ticket prices provide a discount on the cost of the daily peak return. This incentivises passengers to buy season tickets and benefit from the flexibility that they bring. For example, the standard class weekly season ticket from Oxford to London costs £92.80, which is less than three times the £39.30 cost of the daily peak return. Season ticket holders who work at home up to two days a week still save money over the cost of daily tickets. The Department is not currently reviewing this structure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the affordability of unregulated rail fares for First Great Western journeys between Oxford and Reading; and what steps he is able to take to ensure that these do not rise disproportionately. (122779)

[holding answer 27 February 2007]: Unregulated rail fares are set by operators on a commercial basis and are a matter for the operators concerned. It is in the interests of each operator to set a range of fares.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles were clamped in Tamworth constituency in each of the last three years. (122434)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency clamps vehicles on the public road that have no valid vehicle excise licence. This is administered through its national contractor, National Car Parks (NCP). A total of 18 vehicles have been clamped in the past three years in Tamworth constituency.

Neither the police nor Tamworth borough council clamp illegally parked vehicles.

Information about wheel clampings on private land is not collected by Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2007, Official Report, column 383W, on rail services, why passengers are not allowed to get on those services referred to which stop at Milton Keynes in order to set down passengers. (123692)

There are two trains a day which call at Milton Keynes Central to set down but do not pick up passengers. The morning peak hour service is designed to set down a number of regular commuters who travel from the west midlands. The late night service is scheduled only to set down as essential engineering work may prevent the service from being provided.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers travelled on the train service between Romford and Liverpool Street Station in each year since 2000. (122467)

The Department for Transport does not hold this information. The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) publishes regional passenger flows in the National Rail Trends Yearbook, editions of which are available in the House Library or from its website at www.rail-reg.gov.uk

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the construction of the Trans-European Network number 13 linking the UK to the Republic of Ireland. (122469)

The European Commission have invested trans-European network-transport (TEN-T) funds into several projects on Priority Corridor 13. The projects and awards from 2001 are set out in the following table.

Future EC funding will be subject to meeting strict TEN-T selection criteria.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects all single farm payments to have been made. (122447)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State informed the House on 22 February 2007, Official Report, column 59WS, that 87 claims under the 2005 single payment scheme had not received any payment and 92 claimants were awaiting the balance of their payment having already received a partial payment. This is roughly equivalent to the position that applied at a similar stage under the old Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) schemes.

The Rural Payments Agency is continuing to clear the outstanding cases as quickly as possible. However, the complex issues involved in some of these cases—such as probate issues—make it difficult to predict when the last payment will be made under the scheme.

The Secretary of State also reported on progress by the RPA in making payments under the 2006 single payments scheme. £919.13 million had been paid representing 59 per cent. of the estimated amount due. The RPA’s target is to pay 96.14 per cent. of the amount due by 30 June 2007.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was paid by the average family per week for farm subsidies and other rural support in each of the last three years. (122743)

We can estimate the UK consumer cost of the CAP by comparing the difference between UK and world prices for agricultural products and applying that difference to the volume of UK consumption. The estimated UK taxpayer contribution to the CAP includes payment through the EU budget plus the direct cost of co-financed expenditure under Pillar II of the CAP. Note that the UK contributes to the total EU budget and not to its individual components, therefore we have calculated a notional UK contribution to the CAP which takes account of the rebate.

The following table sets out the combined UK consumer and taxpayer costs of the CAP for the last three years for which estimates are available.

These estimates exclude the UK taxpayer cost of rural support that is provided outside the CAP either through the EU budget (including Objective 1 Structural Funds and LEADER+), or through expenditure on UK rural communities programmes. The cost of these programmes is comparatively small and is expected to have a minimal effect on the above estimates; it would not be possible to quantify this effect except at disproportionate cost. Most rural support in the EU is funded through Pillar II of the CAP, and is thus captured in the above estimates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what material is included within his Department’s definition of agricultural waste; (123192)

Agricultural waste is waste from premises used for agriculture within the meaning of the Agriculture Act 1947 which provides that:

“Agriculture includes:

horticulture, fruit growing, seed growing, dairy farming and livestock breeding and keeping, the use of land as grazing land, meadow land, osier land, market gardens and nursery grounds, and the use of land for woodlands where that use is ancillary to the farming of land for other agricultural purposes, and ‘agriculture’ shall be construed accordingly.”

There is no definitive list of what is or is not agricultural waste. However, agricultural waste can include materials such as discarded pesticide containers, plastics such as silage wrap, bags and sheets, packaging waste, tyres, batteries, clinical waste, old machinery and oil.

Modelling carried out by the Environment Agency, based on the DEFRA Agricultural Census, showed that agricultural waste arisings in the UK were estimated to be 544,000 tonnes in 2004. This estimate does not include manure and slurry as these are considered to be important nutrient resources that are applied to land as a fertiliser for the benefit of agriculture.

Agricultural waste was included as a “controlled waste” only when the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations (S.I. 2006 No. 937) came into force on 15 May 2006. These applied the same national waste management controls to agricultural waste that have long applied to other sectors of industry. Data on agricultural waste arising and its disposal routes, are, therefore, not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much compensation he expects to be paid to Bernard Matthews for the outbreak of avian influenza. (120663)

[holding answer 19 February 2007]: The Animal Health Act 1981 requires compensation to be paid for all healthy birds slaughtered for disease control purposes at the value of the bird immediately before slaughter. This applies to all birds suffering from any strain of avian influenza regardless of whether it is high or low pathogenicity. We also compensate for eggs or other property that is seized and destroyed. Valuation tables are available on the DEFRA website.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of staff changes at (a) Monks Wood and (b) Winfrith Centre for Hydrology and Ecology research stations on (i) the Government’s biodiversity programme and (ii) progress towards the 2010 target on biodiversity loss; and if he will make a statement. (122543)

Defra contracts with the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology generally include a risk assessment and, where relevant, these include an assessment of the risks of staff changes to the success of individual projects. New contracts which span the anticipated period of re-structuring will include such an assessment. The Government have not made a specific assessment of how staff changes at Monks Wood and Winfrith research stations will affect progress towards the 2010 target on biodiversity loss. The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology is one of very many organisations which contribute to achievement of the 2010 target, many of which undergo staff changes and re-structuring from time to time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what unit cost was given to carbon in estimates of the social costs of carbon calculated by (a) his Department and (b) Sir Nicholas Stern’s review; and if he will make a statement. (123434)

Defra and all other Government Departments use the Government Economic Service (GES) estimates of the social cost of carbon. The GES illustrative estimate for the global damage cost of carbon emissions is £70 per tonne of carbon, within a range of £35 to £140 per tonne, rising by £1 per tonne per year in real terms from the year 2000.

The Stern Review’s modelling suggests the current social cost of carbon:

(i) with business as usual, is around £238 per tonne of carbon

(ii) but is £84 per tonne if the world is on a trajectory to stabilise emissions at 550 parts per million of carbon dioxide equivalent

(iii) and is £70 per tonne if the world is on a 450 parts per million of carbon dioxide equivalent stabilisation trajectory.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he intends to take to achieve active citizen engagement on taking forward policy on climate change as referred to in his paper presented on Her Majesty’s Government Policy Review to the Liaison Committee on 6th February. (123462)

We will be giving a big push to consumer engagement on action to tackle climate change with a new campaign to be launched in the next few months.

A range of events are planned, starting in March and continuing into the autumn. These will include a Citizens’ Summit on Climate Change, on-line, press and TV advertising, the launch of a web-based CO₂ calculator, a new short film and an educational brochure.

A consultation is currently under way on a Code of Best Practice on Carbon Offsetting (due to close on 13 April 2007). The code is part of the package of information and tools we are developing for the public so that they can make informed choices on avoiding and reducing emissions, and to consider offsetting. The aim of the proposed code is to allow consumers to offset with confidence by giving accreditation to offsetting products available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the pay grades are of staff in his Department; how many staff earn (a) under £20,000, (b) £20,000 to £29,999, (c) £30,000 to £39,999, (d) £40,000 to £49,999, (e) £50,000 to £59,999, (f) £60,000 to £69,999, (g) £70,000 to £79,999, (h) £80,000 to £89,999 and (i) above £90,000 per annum; how many and what percentage of staff in each band received performance related bonuses in 2005-06; and what the average award received by staff was in each band. (110407)

Two separate sets of pay grades operate in the core-Department (covering core-DEFRA, State Veterinary Service, Pesticides and Safety Directorate, Veterinary Medicines Directorate, Marine Fisheries Agency and Government Decontamination Service) for staff in the senior civil service (SCS) and for staff at grade 6 and below.

Separate pay and grading arrangements operate for staff at grade 6 and below in those Executive agencies who operate delegated pay arrangements i.e. Central Science Laboratory, Centre for Environment, Food and Aquaculture Science, Rural Payments Agency and Veterinary Laboratories Agency.

SCS

The SCS have three separate pay grades:

Pay band 1

Pay band 2

Pay band 3

Pay band 3 is the highest pay grade in the SCS.

Grade 6 and below

There are nine separate pay grades at grade 6 and below, with both national and London pay ranges for each.

Pay Range A— Administrative Assistant

Pay Range B—Administrative Officer

Pay Range C—Executive Officer

Pay Range D—Higher Executive Officer

Pay Range E—Fast Stream

Pay Range F—Senior Executive Officer

Pay Range G—Veterinary Officer

Pay Range H—Grade 7

Pay Range J—Grade 6

The following table shows the current distribution of staff salaries and average bonus information for 2005-06 within the range of salaries requested.

The number of staff at grade 6 and below who received a bonus was 3,373 and this represents 44 per cent. of staff in this group. The number of SCS staff who received a bonus was 148 and this represents 74 per cent. of SCS staff.

A further breakdown of these figures cannot be produced for staff confidentiality reasons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complaints were received by his Department and its executive agencies in (a) 1997-98, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2005-06; and how many have been received in 2006-07 to date. (121692)

Complaints handling in the Department is not centralised. Information on the number of complaints received by the Department is not collected or collated.

The number of complaints that were received by Defra Executive Agencies is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff worked in dedicated complaints units in his Department and its executive agencies in (a) 1997-98, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2005-06; and how many have done so in 2006-07 to date. (121694)

The number of staff who worked in dedicated complaints units in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and its executive agencies is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of monitoring the time spent processing requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the purposes of the proposed fees regulations. (121725)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 22 February 2007, Official Report, column 866W by the Under-Secretary of State for the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006, Official Report, columns 28-30W, on civil servants, if he will break down the data on staff recruited to and leaving his Department by civil service grade; and if he will make a statement. (122030)

Information on the grades of staff recruited to and leaving Defra since 2001 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to co-ordinate across Government the automatic turning off of electrical equipment in Government offices when that equipment is not being used. (122678)

Each Department has agreed to meet sustainable operations targets for the Government Estate on energy efficiency and carbon emissions. Departments are responsible for determining how they can best be achieved within their offices. Departments are also required to work with the Carbon Trust to identify energy savings and to purchase electrical equipment that meets standards defined in the “Quick-wins” list, which include requirements on power consumption in sleep-mode.

DFES currently have a system in place for its offices which automatically turns off computer base units at pre-set times. We are currently investigating the use of a tool to automatically shut down inactive computers at night and will share our information with other Government Departments.

Departmental performance against central Government estate targets, including carbon emissions and energy efficiency, is scrutinised in annual reports by the Sustainable Development Commission, the independent watchdog. The last report is available at: http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/watchdog

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Higher Level Stewardship scheme applications were (a) received and (b) approved by (i) English Nature in each month from 2004 until the transfer of the scheme to Natural England and (ii) by Natural England since its inception; and if he will make a statement. (122485)

The first Higher Level Stewardship agreements commenced on 1 February 2006 and were administered by the Rural Development Service (RDS) rather than English Nature. The environmental land management functions of the Rural Development Service then transferred, on 1 October 2006, to form part of Natural England.

The Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme accepts applications on a quarterly rather than monthly basis. The following table sets out applications received and approved by both the RDS and Natural England during the quarterly time frames the hon. Member refers to.

The data contained in the table are a snapshot. As such, they will be subject to future change as Natural England finalises HLS processing. This particularly applies to the February 2007 agreements. There are still a number of cases to be finalised between applicants and Natural England, and figures will change accordingly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the annual change in revenues was in the (a) farming and (b) dairy farming sectors in each of the last five years. (122338)

The average output for farm businesses by farm type for the past five years in England is set out in table 1 as follows. The average change in output between these five years is set out in table 2. Farm business output is defined as the total livestock enterprise output plus total crops enterprise output plus adjustment for previous years’ crops plus miscellaneous output plus output from diversified activities plus sundry revenue plus single payment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the annual average incomes of dairy farmers in (a) England and (b) Lancashire in each of the last five years. (122448)

The average net farm income for dairy farm businesses in Lancashire and England for the past five years is set out in table 1 as follows. Net farm income is defined as the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and on the tenant type capital of the business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what account he has taken of any increase in the number of homes assessed to be at significant risk of flooding when determining funding for flood defences in 2006-07. (123650)

The Environment Agency (EA) is the principal operating authority with responsibility for managing flood risk in England and undertakes an annual National Flood Risk Assessment. The 2004 assessment (NaFRA 2004) identified 1.9 million domestic and commercial properties at risk of flooding in England, with 285,000 being at significant risk (defined as a probability of flooding in any one year greater than 1.3 per cent. or one in 75). NaFRA 2005 identified 2.1 million properties at risk of flooding with 517,000 being at significant risk. The results from NaFRA 2006 will be published shortly—indicative results suggest a similar number of properties at risk of flooding, but a slightly lower number at significant risk compared to 2005.

This estimation is a complex process and, although techniques are developing rapidly from research to operational methodology, they are not yet able to track real annual changes in flood risk on the ground. Any changes between annual assessments are almost entirely due to changes in data and analysis techniques. An improvement in the 2005 assessment was that the number of houses in the ‘no data’ category was significantly reduced from the 2004 assessment to less than 1 per cent. of the total. This inevitably added properties to each of the identified risk bands.

Funding for flood risk management has increased significantly in recent years and the Department remains on target to achieve the spending review 2004 target of improving the standard of protection for at least 100,000 households over the period 2005-06 to 2007-08. The NaFRA estimates are one factor informing spend on flood risk management within the overall departmental funding allocation set in the 2004 spending review up to 2007-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect on flood risk of recent changes in the level of capital funding available for local government and internal drainage board flood defence projects in 2006-07. (123665)

Local authorities and internal drainage boards are currently forecasting to spend £12.7 million of DEFRA grant on capital flood risk improvement projects in 2006-07. This excludes local authority spend on coast protection projects which also often provide significant benefits in terms of reducing flooding from the sea.

The original allocation of £15.7 million has, therefore, been reduced by £3 million which has been transferred to the Environment Agency’s capital flood risk budget. There has been no overall reduction in capital spend on flood risk management as a result. No specific assessment of the impact of this transfer has been made, but overall flood risk management should not be adversely affected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the increases required in flood defence expenditure to meet the effects of climate change over the next (a) 10 and (b) 50 years; and if he will make a statement. (123288)

The Government’s 2004 Foresight Future Flooding report estimated that average annual flood damages could increase by between two and 20 times by the end of the century. This takes into account the likely effects of climate change and increased development and economic wealth. However, changes will be highly dependent on the actual impact of climate change and sea level rise, patterns of growth, development and future flood risk management activity.

Effective flood risk management remains a priority for the Government and we have increased funding significantly in recent years. Overall departmental funding in future years, of which spending on flood risk management is a large part, is being considered in the 2007 comprehensive spending review and we continue to work with the Environment Agency in preparation for this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much waste was disposed of at Newton Longville landfill site in the last 12 months from areas other than Milton Keynes; and from which local authority areas that waste originated. (123397)

The Environment Agency holds records of the amount of waste disposed of at Newton Longville landfill site. The data, based on landfill operator returns for 2006, are as follows:

The total from areas other than Milton Keynes is 423,066 tonnes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department’s policy is on the peak oil concept; and what planning his Department has undertaken on the basis of estimates of oil reserves in (a) 25, (b) 50 and (c) 100 years time. (120522)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary for Trade and Industry on 20 February 2007, Official Report, column 658W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from which organisations he has sought advice on technical and security aspects of radioactive waste disposal as a part of taking forward the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management’s recommendations. (122730)

With the devolved Administrations, we are working through the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely Implementation Planning Group to prepare a public consultation on the framework for implementing geological disposal.

The group is chaired by Defra, and other relevant parts of Government are represented—the Department of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Defence, the Department for Communities and Local Government, Her Majesty’s Treasury. The group also has representatives from the devolved Administrations, regulators (notably the Health and Safety Executive and the environment agencies), and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

As well as seeking advice from representatives of this group, their agencies and others (including the Office for Civil Nuclear Security), advice has been sought from other interested parties including the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management and the Local Government Association’s Nuclear Legacy Advisory Forum. We are also proposing the creation of a national expert group and an independent peer review panel to develop and assess geological criteria proposals.

We aim to publicly consult on the framework for implementing geological disposal later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what people are being sought for appointment to the new Committee on Radioactive Waste Management. (122742)

The relevant skills required by people sought for appointment to the new Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) are set out in the draft terms of reference published on 25 October 2006 in the Government’s response to the CoRWM’s report and recommendations.

The reconstituted CoRWM will have a strengthened scientific and technical membership who will provide independent advice on long-term management (including storage and disposal) of radioactive waste to the Government and devolved Administrations. We expect to advertise for applicants for the new CoRWM shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to implement the recommendations of the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) report on disposal of nuclear waste; and what steps his Department has taken to consult local authorities on a process for deciding on the location of a nuclear waste disposal site following the recommendations of CoRWM. (123557)

[holding answer 26 February 2007]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State responded to the report by the Committee on the Management of Radioactive Waste (CoRWM) on 25 October 2006. In his response, he accepted CoRWM’s recommendation that the UK’s higher activity waste should be managed, in the long term, through geological disposal. His response also accepted the continuing need for safe and secure interim storage until geological disposal is available.

The Secretary of State also invited any local authority, or group of authorities, with a particular interest in helping us to develop a public consultation document on the Government’s framework for implementation, to come forward. Furthermore, we are in discussion with local authorities through their Nuclear Legacy Advisory Forum (NULEAF) special interest group.

The framework for implementation, which we aim to publish for consultation later this year, will include an outline geological disposal delivery programme and proposals for a voluntarist/partnership approach to site selection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the EU rural development budget. (121593)

In December 2005, the European Council agreement on future financing for 2007-13 fixed the amounts for the EU rural development budget. This was set at €69.75 billion for the seven- year period, through Council Decision 493 of 2006. The EU rural development budget allocations for each member state (including price adjustments) were confirmed in Commission Decision 636 of 2006. The UK receives approximately €1.9 billion, of which €1 billion will be allocated to England.

However, the total size of the rural development budget cannot be confirmed at this stage. Any decisions about national exchequer co-financing will be made once the EU regulation governing the use of voluntary modulation has been adopted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on flora and fauna in the Severn estuary of the installation of the Severn barrage. (122349)

The Severn Estuary is a Special Protection Area (SPA), which is protected under the Habitats Regulations 1994. An Appropriate Assessment under the Habitats Regulations, and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) under the EIA Directive would be needed for any plan or project likely to have a significant effect on the site. These assessments would be carried out by the developer in the context of their specific proposal.

A UK project on tidal power, which includes a review of Severn Estuary proposals, is being led by the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC). The project aims to address the role of tidal power in a low- carbon electricity system. The SDC has commissioned evidence-based reports, including reviews of Severn barrage and non-barrage proposals, to look at the expected economic, social and environmental impacts of options to harness tidal power. The SDC intends to publish its final report and the individual evidence-based reports in the summer of 2007.

Natural England has also carried out research on potential impacts on flora and fauna in the Severn Estuary of the installation of a Severn barrage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps his Department is taking to assist lower income households in receipt of income-related benefits in paying water bills; (122903)

A cross-Government steering group was set up to review the way in which lower income households are helped with their water and sewerage charges. Ministers’ decisions following the review are set out in the Cross-Government Review of Water Affordability Report, which was published in December 2004. In line with the review’s recommendations:

(i) the Vulnerable Groups Regulations were extended in 2005 to increase eligibility;

(ii) DEFRA, Ofwat and the Consumer Council for Water have been working with water companies on measures to increase take-up of the Vulnerable Groups Scheme;

(iii) a pilot study currently under way in the South West is looking at the combined impacts of several measures on water affordability, including benefit entitlement checks, meter installation and water efficiency measures. We expect the results of the pilot study in summer 2007; and

(iv) the Government, Ofwat and water companies are co-operating to investigate the likely distributional consequences of alternative tariffs, especially for those on lower incomes.

6. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to support the encouragement of crop substitution among South American coca-growing communities. (123725)

DFID is supporting an initiative in Yungas in Bolivia to develop community tourism among coca-growing communities. This initiative is expected to produce useful lessons for crop diversification schemes elsewhere in the Andes, including illicit coca-growing areas.

7. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Darfur. (123726)

The humanitarian situation in Darfur is extremely fragile. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of UN and humanitarian agencies, the 4 million people dependent on aid in the region have been helped. Worsening security and attacks on humanitarian workers have, however, made this increasingly difficult to sustain.

I am sure the House will wish to condemn the continuing violence against both civilians and humanitarian workers in Darfur and call on all sides to stop, to accept the AU/UN peacekeeping force, and to restart negotiations.

10. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Darfur. (123729)

The humanitarian situation in Darfur is extremely fragile. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of UN and humanitarian agencies, the 4 million people dependent on aid in the region have been helped. Worsening security and attacks on humanitarian workers have, however, made this increasingly difficult to sustain.

I am sure the House will wish to condemn the continuing violence against both civilians and humanitarian workers in Darfur and call on all sides to stop, to accept the AU / UN peacekeeping force, and to restart negotiations.

8. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe. (123727)

Despite good rains last year, about 1 million Zimbabweans are reliant on international food aid as the next harvest approaches. Early indications suggest significant failure of this year’s crop in southern Zimbabwe. An independent assessment is expected to be undertaken from April, to examine the scale of forthcoming food shortage. Many Zimbabweans will face difficulty accessing food because of the dire economic situation, resulting from the policies of their Government. DFID will spend £33 million in 2006-07 to tackle food insecurity and HIV/AIDS, including a £3 million contribution to the World Food Programme’s activities in Zimbabwe.

14. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with leaders in southern Africa on the humanitarian situation of the people of Zimbabwe and their aid requirements. (123733)

The Government take every opportunity to raise the situation in Zimbabwe with others. We continue to urge South Africa, both as a neighbour of Zimbabwe, and also as a strong voice in the South African Development Community (SADC), to work with SADC partners to address the crisis in Zimbabwe. DFID officials have regular contact with counterparts in the region to alert them of the worsening crisis in Zimbabwe.

9. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to assist Bangladesh in tackling climate change. (123728)

DFID is providing £115 million over five years to support portable, sustainable livelihoods for people living in areas most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change—increasing sea levels, flooding, coastal salinity and drought.

DFID is working with the Bangladesh Government to reduce risks and develop a climate change action plan. In addition, DFID is improving the resilience of infrastructure—for example by installing taller electricity poles, raising tube wells and homesteads, reinforcing road embankments and enhancing plans for water transportation.

DFID will prioritise further research to better forecast large-scale migration caused by climate change.

11. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what mechanisms he uses to assess the effectiveness of British aid; and if he will make a statement. (123730)

DFID uses a comprehensive set of mechanisms to assess the effectiveness and impact of British aid. Bilateral projects and country programmes are reviewed annually for their contribution to international development goals, against country objectives, corporate targets and international commitments on aid effectiveness.

12. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's policy is on the promotion of education in developing countries. (123731)

DFID is committed to achieving the millennium development goals on education, of universal primary education and gender equality in primary and secondary education by 2015.

The Government will spend some £8.5 billion over the next 10 years in support of education in developing countries. This long-term commitment will help developing countries prepare and implement 10-year education sector plans to achieve the education goals. Our funds will support investment in schools, the recruitment and training of teachers, get more boys and girls into and completing school and improve the quality of education.

15. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to prevent children being trafficked into the UK. (123734)

Poverty creates the conditions in which children are vulnerable to trafficking. DFID’s purpose is to support long-term programmes to help eliminate the underlying causes of poverty, including lack of education for children as well as lack of livelihood opportunities and social security for their families. Getting children into school is key to protecting them from trafficking and improving their life chances. DFID is committed to ensuring all children receive primary education and has a commitment to spend over £8.5 billion to support education over the next 10 years. DFID is also a major supporter of UNICEF and non-governmental organisations working for children’s rights and protection.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made towards achieving the millennium development goals in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. (122751)

Because of the devastation Afghanistan suffered through decades of conflict up to 2001, it is currently off-track on all the millennium development goals (MDGs). The Afghan Government therefore decided to set themselves a revised target of 2020 to meet the MDGs, and the country has made significant progress since 2001. Economic growth is strong and legalGDP increased by almost 85 per cent. in real terms between 2002-03 and 2005-06. School enrolment has quadrupled in the last four years. Nearly 6 million Afghan children are now in school, a third of them girls. Over 13,000 primary and secondary schools have been reconstructed, and some 1.2 million illiterate people are participating in literacy courses. Since 2001 the number of functioning health clinics has increased by 60 per cent., and the immunisation of over 16 million children against childhood diseases has saved around 35,000 lives. Afghanistan has one of the highest incidences of tuberculosis in the world, but the proportion of cases detected and cured increased from almost zero in 2000 to nearly 25 per cent. in 2005.

DFID’s programme in Afghanistan is focused on state-building, economic management, and improving livelihoods. Over 70 per cent. of our aid goes directly to the Government of Afghanistan to support its own development priorities in pursuit of the MDGs. The vision for achieving the revised 2020 targets is set out in the interim Afghanistan National Development Strategy.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what progress has been made on the Gleneagles targets for treating HIV/AIDS in Africa; and if he will make a statement; (123589)

Significant progress has been made towards the goal of universal access to anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment worldwide by 2010, signed up to by leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) countries in July 2005.

In sub-Saharan Africa between 2003 and 2006, the numbers on treatment rose tenfold from 100,000 to over 1 million. This is equivalent to 23 per cent. of those needing treatment. The number of health locations offering treatment has grown from 3 to 110 in Zambia and from 3 to 60 in Malawi over the past two years. Treatment averted an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 premature deaths in developing countries in 2005.

In Abuja, Nigeria, in May 2006, African leaders made commitments to strengthen practical leadership and mobilise resources to realise the goal of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care. In June 2006, world leaders reaffirmed their commitment to universal access at the UN High-level Meeting on AIDS. They agreed to set in 2006, through inclusive, transparent processes, ambitious national targets, including interim targets for 2008 that reflect the urgent need to scale up significantly towards the goal of universal access.

In eastern and southern Africa, 14 countries— 70 per cent.—have established targets or will do so by end 2006. In west and central Africa, 17 countries have set targets, 13 have devised roadmaps and six have annual workplans which have been costed.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was paid in development aid from the UK to developing countries in each of the last five years. (122561)

Total bilateral and multilateral gross public expenditure on development, excluding administration, by the UK in the last five years was:

A breakdown of development aid from the UK to developing countries in each of the last five years is published in “Statistics on International Development 2001/02-2005/06”, a copy of which is available in the Library.

Bilateral aid by recipient country can be found in table 12 of the publication while aid channelled through international bodies for use in or on behalf of aid recipient countries is listed in table 16.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to tackle sexual violence in (a) the Democratic Republic of Congo, (b) Uganda and (c) Pakistan; and if he will make a statement. (123041)

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), we are supporting humanitarian agencies to provide medical assistance to victims of sexual violence, particularly in Eastern DRC, including funding the Norwegian NGO Christian Relief Network to support Panzi hospital (South Kivu) in constructing and running a 100-bed wing specialised for treating women suffering from fistula—which is one of the most serious and devastating consequences of sexual violence. Their programme includes outreach to encourage women to seek medical support and psychological support for patients, as well as medical treatment. We are also continuing our support to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has extended its programme of medical and psychological support to victims of sexual violence in North and South Kivu. The UK will be spending more than £35 million this financial year on humanitarian and health service delivery projects in the DRC through the UN and NGOs and many of these contain an element of assistance to victims of sexual violence.

It is also vital to tackle the underlying causes of sexual violence, particularly conflict and impunity. Conflict reduction is a major focus of the UK’s work in the DRC, and at a local level in eastern DRC we support NGOs who are promoting dialogue and peace building work between communities previously in conflict. DFID is also funding training of justice sector workers and the police on gender and sexual violence and children’s rights. We are also making a £2 million contribution to a major project in eastern DRC to restore the justice system so it is able to address the most serious crimes. We are working with the Government and other donors to develop a long-term programme of justice reform.

In Uganda we support NGOs working to change attitude and behaviour on domestic violence and undertaking local and national advocacy for new laws on domestic relations and sexual offences. We have committed £117,000 over three years to the Centre for Domestic Violence and Prevention to help communities and civil society organisations to end domestic violence. We are also providing £180,000 for three years to MUFUMI Human Right Defenders Network which is working on similar issues.

In the last two years in northern Uganda we have provided £1.6 million to UNICEF to work with women and young people on issues around protection and sexual violence in camps for internally displaced people. This year we have also provided £240,000 to Save the Children Fund for similar activities.

In Pakistan, DFID committed £6 million to the UNDP Gender Support Programme in December 2006. The programme supports the Government of Pakistan in reducing poverty in Pakistan by enabling women, especially the poor, to participate more equally in economic, public and domestic life. £2 million of DFID’s contribution will be used to establish a Gender, Justice and Protection Fund, with the specific aim of supporting joint Government and civil society efforts to tackle violence against women.

DFID has also committed £3.5 million, to the Gender and Education Policy Support Project (GEPSP), a joint initiative with the Government of Pakistan and UNICEF to generate better understanding of security concerns and to strengthen capacity to do something about them. Security is critical to female participation in education. Good practice includes locating schools within reasonable distances (primary but also middle and secondary schools once girls have reached puberty), promoting safe access to schools for girls and female teachers (e.g. via travel allowances and school buses), building boundary walls (and in some cases providing security guards), enforcing the ban on corporal punishment and developing a culture among teachers where this is not seen as necessary.

The DFID-funded Gender Support Project which came to an end in 2006 supported 57 projects aimed at women’s empowerment. 10 of these focused on the issue of violence against women. An example is a project aimed at ending violence against women in the southern part of North West Frontier Province through legal empowerment. The project focused on raising awareness among young people of the issue of violence against women, and providing legal aid and skills to women.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contingency plans have been agreed with the Governments of (a) the United States, (b) Syria and (c) Jordan in order to address the problems created by the influx of large numbers of Iraqi refugees into countries neighbouring Iraq; and if he will make a statement. (122949)

We are in close touch with our partners and agencies about the situation regarding displaced Iraqis inside Iraq and in the region.

While we acknowledge that the influx of refugees has put pressure on national provision of services in countries including Syria and Jordan, and there are certainly needs in small border camps, the degree to which neighbouring countries require significant emergency assistance is not yet evident.

Despite the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) recent appeal (which incorporates contingency planning), UNHCR is still in the process of making investigations both into the caseload and priority needs of refugees. Needs assessments are currently being undertaken by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other organisations. These will provide a clearer picture of how best to respond.

A meeting of international partners, including the US, UN agencies, representatives from regional governments and donor representatives will take place in Geneva this week to discuss the caseload of refugees in the region and agree the best ways to respond. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, in liaison with other humanitarian partners.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what further consideration his Department has given to contributing to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees $60 million appeal to help displaced Iraqis; and if he will make a statement. (122747)

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has limited access in Iraq owing to the poor security situation, and only provides support to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in six out of Iraq’s 18 governorates. We have therefore made a contribution to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) who are able to work nationwide through the Iraqi Red Crescent Society. This support includes emergency assistance including shelter, food and non-food items, as well as supporting hospitals by providing war wounded kits and other essential materials. They also run community projects to enhance the capability of local service provision, such as infrastructure repairs and water and sanitation projects.

We may yet contribute to UNHCR’s appeal to support Iraqis who have been displaced in the region. We are currently in discussions with UNHCR and international partners on the precise caseload and their needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what response the UK has made to the UNHCR’s January 2007 Iraq Situation Supplementary Appeal; and if he will make a statement. (122913)

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has limited access in Iraq owing to the poor security situation, and only provides support to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in six out of Iraq’s 18 governorates. We have therefore made a contribution to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) who are able to work nationwide through the Iraqi Red Crescent Society. This support includes emergency assistance including shelter, food and non-food items, as well as supporting hospitals by providing war wounded kits and other essential materials. They also run community projects to enhance the capability of local service provision, such as infrastructure repairs and water and sanitation projects.

We may yet contribute to UNHCR’s appeal to support Iraqis who have been displaced in the region. We are currently in discussions with UNHCR and international partners on the precise caseload and their needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much he has allocated to the provision of security by private contractors for those implementing reconstruction, humanitarian and community relations programmes in Iraq; and what proportion of total expenditure on such programmes provision for security represents. (123593)

For the period March 2003 to February 2007, DFID spent £390 million on reconstruction and humanitarian assistance to Iraq. Of this total, £38.2 million was spent on the provision of security by private contractors, representing almost 10 per cent. of overall spend.

We keep this security expenditure as low as we reasonably can. But without this, we would not be able to do the vitally important reconstruction and humanitarian work which we have been doing in Iraq. We have a duty to protect the very dedicated teams of staff who work in Iraq in extremely difficult circumstances.

13. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the priorities of his Department are in Palestine, Israel and neighbouring countries. (123732)

Since Hamas entered government in March 2006, DFID's priority in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) has been to support Palestinian basic needs through the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM). Through the TIM, DFID has provided £12million for Palestinian front line health services, allowances to the poorest government workers and for essential operation, maintenance and repair work for water, sanitation and electricity services.

DFID does not maintain bilateral aid programmes with any of the countries surrounding the oPt which are middle income, including Israel. This allows DFID to better target scarce resources towards the poorest and most fragile countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of his Department’s spending on educational programmes is undertaken through international institutions. (123252)

Around 39 per cent. of DFID’s budget is channelled through international and multilateral organisations, part of this goes towards education. The total amount of funding through multilateral organisations is published in the document ‘Statistics on International Development’, copies of which are available in the Library. The proportion of this funding which is spent on education varies from institution to institution and from year to year. The following table outlines funding through major international institutions relevant to education.

In addition we channel substantial funds through civil society organisations, part of which goes towards education.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what UK aid has been allocated to refugees from Darfur in Chad. (123610)

In 2006-07 DFID has allocated £4 million to relief programmes in Chad. These funds have been used to provide aid to Darfuri refugees and local internally displaced people in eastern Chad and to refugees from the Central African Republic in southern Chad.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money from the public purse (a) his Department and (b) its agencies gave to (i) the Smith Institute and (ii) its subsidiary SI Events Ltd in each year since 1997; and for what purpose each payment was made. (123103)

None.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether her Department’s proposals for two-year jail sentences for individuals who steal or illegally trade in personal information will apply to paper-based manual records. (123666)

The existing penalties do not apply to paper-based manual records. My Department has no plan to extend the proposals to increase the penalties under section 60 of the Data Protection Act to cover paper-based manual records.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will place in the Library a copy of the submission by the Council of Circuit Judges to her Department’s consultation on increasing penalties for deliberate and wilful misuse of personal data. (123675)

A copy of the submission will be placed in the Library of both Houses of Parliament.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many independent bodies existed to hear appeals on decisions made by her Department and its Executive agencies in (a) 1997-98, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2005-06; and how many there have been in 2006-07 to date. (121684)

A range of independent bodies and offices, including the courts, can hear appeals on decisions made by my Department and its Executive agencies. The following table lists those bodies and offices, the type of appeals they hear and the date of establishment.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of (a) staff pay in her Department compared to equivalent grades in other Departments and (b) the likely effect of the new pay system on this situation. (123119)

DCA monitor salary levels relative to other Government Departments through the mechanism of the Cabinet Office Pay Club through which we are able to compare detailed data across other Departments.

We are currently undertaking a pay and grading review. The intention is to introduce the new arrangements from 1 August 2007 which will make us more competitive in the employment market. After detailed discussions last year, HM Treasury agreed a four-year pay remit from 2007-11 with average annual increases to the remit of 3.7 per cent.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will assess the effect of the introduction of performance-related pay for staff in her Department on the operation of the judicial system. (123153)

An element of performance-related pay has been in place for a number of years in DCA (and the Courts Service). However, staff who joined the DCA under TUPE on amalgamation with the magistrates courts service on 1 April 2005 have not been subject to performance-related pay in the past.

The introduction of performance-related pay across the DCA is intended to motivate and reward staff for their performance and thereby to reinforce a culture of high performance within the Department. In this context we anticipate this will contribute to the effectiveness of the DCA in our support of the judicial system.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs under what statutory provisions local authorities charge the public for access to public documents they hold. (123270)

There are numerous statutory provisions regarding charging the public for access to public documents. Many relate to specific types of public documents or specific forms of access. Responsibilities in this area are held by a number of Government Departments. A list of statutory provisions is not held centrally and to compile such a list would incur disproportionate cost.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many legal aid firms her Department has listed since 2003. (123962)

The number of legal aid firms holding contracts with the Legal Services Commission as at 31 March each year is as follows:

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what compensation was given to the immediate former chief executive officer of the Legal Services Commission on her retirement. (123965)

The details will be disclosed in the Legal Services Commission’s annual accounts 2006-07, which are expected to be laid before Parliament and published in July 2007.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of military helicopters to UK troops in Afghanistan. (122806)

We have the number of helicopters we require to do the task.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK military personnel were qualified to drive minibuses in 1997; how many are currently qualified; and if he will make a statement. (123082)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 14 December 2006, Official Report, column 1257W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK military personnel were deployed to (a) EU military missions and (b) administrative functions within EU institutions on 1 January 2007; and how many personnel were deployed at each location. (122782)

[holding answer 27 February 2007]: On 1 January 2007, there were 600 UK military personnel deployed to EUFOR Althea, the EU military mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This included 30 military personnel in Sarajevo and 570 military personnel in Banja Luka. EUFOR Althea was the only EU military mission active on this date.

16 UK military personnel were working within EU institutions in Brussels, Belgium. This includes military personnel within the EU Military Staff and the European Defence Agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many problems with service families accommodation at Blandford Camp were reported to Modern Housing Solutions in (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006; and how many of these were satisfactorily rectified within three months of notification. (122778)

[holding answer 27 February 2007]: The contract placed with Modern Housing Solutions (MHS) was signed on 14 November 2005 and went live in early 2006, therefore no complaints prior to that date were reported to MHS.

In 2006, a total of 2,636 jobs were raised and of these 2,435 (92.4 per cent.) were satisfactorily dealt with within three months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what (a) fatalities and (b) serious injuries have been sustained by occupants of Pinsgauer Vector vehicles in occupational use; and what the positions of the persons involved were within the vehicle; (122357)

Vector is currently being delivered to the Army; and will be deployed to Afghanistan imminently. Therefore it has not yet been subject to attack on operations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review Army discipline rules, regulations and procedures following the acquittal of Colonel Jorge Mendonça; and if he will make a statement. (122719)

I am unable to make a statement or comment substantially at this time on Colonel Mendonça’s acquittal as to do so could be prejudicial to the ongoing court-martial in the case of Payne and others. I would remind my hon. Friend however that in February 2005 the then Chief of the General Staff announced what was, and is, to be a wide-ranging review that would involve extensive consultation, both within and beyond the Army and the Ministry of Defence. The review is looking at three main strands: doctrine (particularly the preparation of personnel for all tasks and scenarios they may face); secondly, officer and non-commissioned officer training and performance; and the disciplinary system. The review will also examine issues surrounding recent and current investigations into individual training. We said in 2005 that we will publish our findings when we are no longer constrained by legal process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many items of furniture have been (a) lost and (b) stolen from his Department in each year since 1997; and what the value was of those items in each year. (120708)

There is no central record of items of furniture lost or stolen within the Ministry of Defence, and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the proportion of total public expenditure represented by the amount of the additional costs incurred by the conflicts in (a) Iraq in each year since 2002-03 and (b) Afghanistan in each year since 2001-02; and if he will make a statement. (122302)

MOD identifies the costs of operations in terms of the net additional costs it has incurred. The costs that the Department would have incurred regardless of the operation taking place, such as wages and salaries, are not included. Savings on activities that have not occurred because of the operation—training exercises for example—are taken into account in arriving at the net figures.

The annual audited figures for the costs of operations in Iraq for the years 2002-03 to 2005-06 and Afghanistan for the years 2001-02 to 2005-06 and the proposed provision for 2007-08, which will be voted on by Parliament in March, are in the following table.

Costs for total public expenditure for 2001-02 to 2006-07 have been taken from the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice he has received on the public consultation on the White Paper “The Future of the United Kingdom’s Nuclear Deterrent”. (122777)

[holding answer 26 February 2007]: I am fully engaged in the public and parliamentary debate following the publication of the White Paper last year. I have participated in a wide range of discussions, have made a comprehensive speech at King’s College, London and provided wide-ranging evidence to the Defence Committee. Up to 23 February, I had also received some 700 written representations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel there are working in the military-managed ward at Selly Oak hospital; and what their roles are. (119070)

There are now 18 qualified military nurses in the military managed ward (MMW), plus five military health care assistants allocated to it. A military surgical consultant has been appointed as the military trauma patient co-ordinator.

The 18 military nurses include four military managers who are involved at every level on the MMW. The military ward manager is responsible for all aspects of the military presence on the ward, whether staffer patient issues. The military ward manager is assisted by three military deputy ward managers who are responsible for the planning and delivery of patient care to both military and civilian patients. Military nursing staff will now be on duty on every shift on the ward, including the night shift. There are, and will remain, civilian nursing personnel on the ward.

The military surgical consultant liaises with colleagues to provide advice on service issues and ensures that military aspects of their treatment are taken into account. There are 12 military consultants based at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, and wherever it is clinically appropriate and practicable military patients are allocated to one of them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities are provided for injured service personnel treated in the military-managed ward at Selly Oak hospital. (119082)

The military managed ward (MMW), located in the main body of Selly Oak hospital (which is the primary reception hospital for service casualties from operations overseas), reached initial operating capability just before Christmas 2006. It provides clinical care, by a combined team of military and civilian personnel, for military patients whose clinical condition allows for them to be nursed in this ward. There are military managers involved at every level on the MMW, with a military ward manager responsible for all aspects of the military presence on the ward, whether staff or patient issues, and for liaising with appropriate authorities. The MMW ward manager is assisted by three military deputy ward managers who are responsible for the planning and delivery of patient care to both military and civilian patients, although they primarily focus on military activity. An enhanced military nursing structure is in place for this ward, comprising military nurses and military health care assistants, and military nursing staff are on duty on every shift on the ward.

Wherever possible, military patients are allocated to one of the 12 military consultants who work at RCDM, although by far the largest proportion of specialist care is provided by NHS consultant staff, which reflects the range and capabilities of the knowledge, skills and resources the NHS makes available to our patients. Each military patient in the Birmingham area now has a named military nurse whom he or she can contact at any time on clinical and other issues, and a military nurse team member visits every military patient being treated at a Birmingham hospital three times a day. This is in addition to the work of the Defence Medical Welfare Service (now reinforced by the Army Welfare Service), who visit patients regularly, and each deployed task force provides military liaison officers on the ward.

Community psychiatric support to our patients has also increased, and there are now two full-time community psychiatric nurses in post at Selly Oak.

Furthermore, additional funding has been provided to help meet the travel and accommodation costs of patients' families who need to travel to Selly Oak. Transport and drivers have been made available from HQ5 Div resources to enable the transfer of patients and dependants between railheads, accommodation and the various hospital locations. Six rooms have been allocated in the Alexander Wing at Selly Oak for relatives of service personnel who are listed “very seriously ill” (VSI) or “seriously ill” (SI), where relatives can stay whilst visiting a patient. These rooms are provided free, and (depending on availability) may also be used by families/relatives of non-VSI/SI listed patients. The Alexander Wing has wi-fi connectivity and six laptops have been provided from HQ5 Div resources to enable internet access for visitors and patients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from which budget heading the spending on a Trident replacement will come; and if he will make a statement. (116649)

The Government's plans for the maintenance of the independent nuclear deterrent were set out in the White Paper ‘The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent’ (Cm 6994, published in December 2006). I have nothing further to add.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much military-grade (a) plutonium and (b) enriched uranium the UK has produced in the last five years; what level of production is required for the existing Trident missile programme; what additional amounts of each type of military-grade material will be produced by the proposed UK nuclear power development programme; how much of each type of military-grade material is expected to be required following the proposed replacement of the Trident missile programme; and if he will make a statement. (122881)

On 18 April 1995 the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK had ceased the production of fissile material for explosive purposes. This voluntary moratorium stands and there are no plans to change this. Work continues in the Conference on Disarmament to promote the early negotiation and agreement of a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty to bind countries into ceasing production altogether of fissile material for weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the police have received evidence of members of the Tamil community in the UK being intimidated by representatives of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in order to raise funds for that organisation; and if he will make a statement. (120278)

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is responsible for the day-to-day operational management of the Metropolitan police service. I understand that his office has already written to you in response, and I shall place a copy of his letter in the House of Common Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he defines binge drinking; what assessment he has made of the impact of binge drinking on crime levels; and if he will make a statement. (123795)

[holding answer 27 February 2007]: The Government follows the Department of Health’s definition of binge drinking, which is drinking more than double the daily recommended limit of three-four units for men and two-three for women in a single session.

The most recent assessment the Home Office has made of the impact of binge drinking on crime is from the 2003 Offending, Crime and Justice survey on alcohol-related crime and disorder which defined binge drinking as “feeling very drunk at least once a month”. This survey identified 44 per cent. of young adults (18-24 year olds) as binge drinkers. Among this age group, 27 per cent. of binge drinkers admitted that they had committed an offence in the past 12 months. The Home Office no longer uses the definition of binge drinking that was used in this report and now follows the Department of Health’s guidelines. The Offending, Crime and Justice survey is currently under review and a decision is yet to be made on whether or not it will be continued.

According to the 2005-06 British crime survey published on 20 July 2006, victims believed the offender or offenders to be under the influence of alcohol in 44 per cent. of all violent incidents, approximately the same level as for 2004-05. The offender was judged to be under the influence of alcohol in 54 per cent. of incidents of stranger violence, a decrease from 60 per cent. in 2004-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether funding allocated to local authorities for respect zones will be ring-fenced specific grants; (120779)

Respect areas will have access to up to £125,000 from the Department for Education and Skills specifically to help improve parenting programmes linked to tackling antisocial behaviour. Areas are required to commit to action on:

a family intervention project that challenges and changes the behaviour of the most problematic households;

a significant increase in the availability of parenting programmes for families at risk of/or behaving antisocially;

greater openness and accountability for action to local communities through Face the People sessions;

a renewed commitment to using the full range of available tools and powers to tackle antisocial behaviour; and

promoting the Respect housing management standard to ensure a consistent, responsive service from landlords for all social housing tenants.

Funding is currently being agreed to the end of March 2008. Decisions on subsequent years have yet to be taken.