To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the continued suspension from the Afghan parliament of Malalai Joya; and if he will make a statement. (208251)

In May 2007 Malalai Joya was suspended for three years (until the end of the legislative term) by her peers in the Afghan parliament for contravening Article 70 of the Afghan parliament's rules of procedure. Article 70 states that members of parliament who insult others are subject to disciplinary action. Action was taken against Ms Joya after a media interview in which she said that the Afghan parliament was worse than a 'stable or zoo'. Ms Joya has the right to challenge the decision and has indicated her intention to do so. Together with EU partners, we regularly raise the issue of freedom of expression in Afghanistan and look forward to Ms Joya and the Afghan parliament resolving this internal parliamentary issue.

A member of our embassy staff met with Malalai Joya on 1 May 2008. Ms Joya gave an account of her suspension by the Afghan parliament and discussed Afghan politics.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he or his Department has had with Wali Karzai; and what his role is in the Afghan Government. (208800)

[holding answer 5 June 2008]: Our officials last met with Ahmad Wali Karzai on 21 November 2007. The meeting was to discuss routine Afghan political issues. Ahmad Wali Karzai was elected head of the Kandahar Provincial Council in 2005 and is also President Karzai’s special adviser to the South.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions the British Ambassador to Thailand has had with representatives of Burma’s democracy movement. (208465)

Our ambassador in Bangkok has held discussions with Burmese political organisations and other civil society representatives six times in 2008. We continue to maintain a dialogue with groups campaigning for democracy in Burma, in the UK and in the region.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what meetings his Department’s officials held with Karen National Union General Secretary Padoh Mahn Sha in the 12 months before he was assassinated in February 2008; (208467)

To date, we have received no conclusive reports on which person or parties were involved in the assassination of Pado Mahn Sha on 14 February 2008. The case is still under investigation by the Thai police. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials had no meeting with Pado Mahn Sha in the 12 months prior to his assassination. I sent a message of condolence to his daughter, Zoya Phan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government issued warnings about Cyclone Nargis to British residents in Burma; and whether such warnings were also given to the regime ruling Burma. (208462)

Based on data from the Meteorological Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice for Burma was updated on 30 April to inform British nationals that tropical Cyclone Nargis was forecast to make landfall on the Burmese coast between 2-3 May. This advice was again updated on 1 May to inform that the cyclone would make landfall on 2 May on the central Burmese coast. On 1 May, our embassy in Rangoon sent a notice to all registered British nationals and other nationals to whom we provide consular assistance. The notice warned of the cyclone and included links to websites with information on extreme weather.

The Burmese Department of Meteorology and Hydrology has said that it tracked the storm from 29 April 2008 and, in doing so, claims to have been in contact with Indian, Thai, UK and US meteorological authorities and agencies. The Burmese Government said that on 1 May and 2 May, local television and radio warned of the storm and specifically that the wind could be strong and destructive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the National Security Strategy, Cm 7291, what definition he uses of enrichment bond; and if he will make a statement. (208207)

The UK supports efforts to develop a viable regime of nuclear fuel assurances under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that would support states' rights to safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technology under Article IV of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The Enrichment Bond is one such proposal. It would involve an agreement between supplier state government or governments, the recipient state and the IAEA, in which the supplier government or governments would guarantee that, subject to compliance with international law and to meeting non-proliferation commitments to be assessed by the IAEA, national enrichment providers will not be prevented from supplying the recipient state with uranium enrichment services in the event that the guarantee is invoked.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 18 July 2007, Official Report, column 409W, on nuclear disarmament, what progress has been made by the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston in taking forward proposals to develop a disarmament laboratory. (208320)

The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) is continuing to undertake research into the technical aspects of verifying multilateral nuclear disarmament. This forms part of a series of wider activities announced in June 2007 by my right hon. Friend, the then Foreign Secretary (Margaret Beckett) to make the UK a ‘Disarmament Laboratory’.

AWE’s research so far, partly in partnership with Norway and the non-governmental organisation, Verification Education, Research and Information Centre, was presented to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee in Geneva in May. Although this research is expected to take a number of years, we have made a good start. For example, we are looking forward to undertaking ‘managed access’ simulation to a nuclear facility in Norway within the year.

In addition to the work being undertaken by AWE, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Des Browne) announced in February our offer to host a technical conference of scientists from the P5 nuclear laboratories to discuss the issues surrounding the verification of nuclear disarmament. Also, the UK is supporting a study by the International Institute of Strategic Studies into the political and technical requirements for a world free from nuclear weapons which will be published in September.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff work at the British consulate in Riyadh; and how many of those deal with complaints from British citizens about Hajj pilgrimages. (208290)

The consular section of our embassy in Riyadh comprises six full time members of staff. Any complaints from British citizens about Hajj pilgrimages are passed to our consul for investigation and reply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received from the British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia on the Hajj pilgrimage. (208287)

Our embassy in Riyadh sent a report to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary following the conclusion of the 2007 Hajj pilgrimage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the British ambassador to Saudi Arabia to discuss the Hajj pilgrimage; and when he last discussed the case of Mr. Rafiq Gorji with the ambassador. (208288)

Our ambassador in Riyadh briefed my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on general issues around the Hajj during his visit to Saudi Arabia in April 2008.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and our ambassador in Riyadh have not discussed the case of Mr. Rafiq Gorji. Consular officials in Saudi Arabia provided Mr. Gorji with all appropriate consular assistance following the coach crash in which he lost his wife during the December 2006 Hajj.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he and other Ministers in his Department have had with US Administration representatives on the issuing of US visas to people with HIV/AIDS; and if he will make a statement. (208348)

While the UK generally regards a third country's immigration policy as solely a domestic matter for the country involved, officials have previously raised the subject of US entry clearance procedures for individuals with HIV/AIDS with both the US State Department and the US embassy in London and will continue to do so in the future. I will also look for an early opportunity to raise this matter with the US authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department provides funding to Asian Tribal Ministries operations in Burma; and whether officials from his Department have met staff or volunteers from Asian Tribal Ministries. (208473)

The Department for International Development (DFID) does not provide funding for Asian Tribal Ministries operations and has no plans to do so. DFID officials have met representatives from a very broad range of Thailand based Burmese organisations, including Asian Tribal Ministries.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has provided to Burmese people displaced by the military regime. (207662)

In 2007-08 the Department for International Development (DFID) contributed £770,000 to the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) which provides food and other support to Burmese refugees in Thailand and to displaced people inside Burma. We are discussing DFID's contribution for 2008-09 with TBBC and Christian Aid, through which this funding is channelled. DFID also provides support from within Burma to people living in and near conflict and ceasefire areas in the border regions, many of whom have been displaced. In all, about 20 per cent. of DFID's regular programme of assistance for Burma (which is doubling from £9 million in 2007-09 to £18 million in 2010-11) benefits people in areas affected by conflict. The £17 million which DFID has pledged so far in emergency assistance following Cyclone Nargis is additional to the regular programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government has taken to persuade the Burmese junta to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross into areas of conflict in Eastern Burma. (208466)

In November 2006 the UK Government made two ministerial statements strongly condemning the Burmese Government’s decision to order the closure of the field offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross. These statements were transmitted to the Burmese Ministers of Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Health, Labour, and National Economic Planning and Development. The Department for International Development (DFID) Office and British embassy in Rangoon continue to press the Burmese authorities to reverse their decision.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has made an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Three Diseases Fund for Burma. (208469)

The Department for International Development (DFID) closely monitors the performance of the Three Diseases Fund and participated in the fund’s first annual review meeting on 1-2 April 2008. This meeting reviewed the fund’s overall performance and identified its achievements, areas where strengthening is required, and policy and programme priorities for the next year. The meeting was attended by 156 representatives of donors, United Nations agencies, international and local non-governmental organisations, and the Burmese Ministry of Health.

Further details of the fund board’s conclusions and recommendations from the meeting are set out in an aide-mémoire which is available on the Three Diseases Fund website:

www.3dfund.org.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which organisations were the top 10 recipients of UK aid to Burma in 2007-08; and how much each received. (208470)

The top 10 recipients of UK aid to Burma in 2007-08 were:

A further £100,000 was allocated to the Thailand Burma Border Consortium during the financial year, and has been disbursed, but will be accounted for in 2008-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department’s aid budgets for Burma, excluding cyclone funding, are for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. (208471)

The Department for International Development’s planned expenditure on Burma, excluding cyclone funding, is:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much British aid has reached internally displaced people in Karen state, Burma; and how many people have received such aid. (208472)

In 2007-08, the Department for International Development (DFID) provided £400,000 for assistance to displaced people through community-based organisations inside Burma. This assistance reached around 106,000 displaced people, mostly in Karen communities, living near Burma’s border with Thailand.

In 2007, DFID agreed that its funding to the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) could be used to support cross-border relief programmes for displaced people inside Burma as well as Burmese refugees in Thailand. TBBC estimates that its cross-border support reached 80,420 people in 2007. DFID has agreed to provide £1 million to TBBC for 2008-09, an increase of 30 per cent. over our total allocation for 2007-08.

Other DFID programmes in education, health and livelihoods reach areas where displaced people live, including Karen communities. We do not, however, have specific figures on how much of this assistance is provided to displaced people.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the regime in Burma is allowing free and unrestricted access for aid workers in the Irrawaddy delta. (208474)

Since the United Nations-ASEAN Conference in Rangoon on 25 May there has been some improvement in access. The Myanmar Red Cross has been able to scale up its operation in the Delta. Five international medical teams from countries in the region are now providing support and a DFID team travelled to the Irrawaddy Delta on 29 May.

However, significant concerns remain. Restrictions have been placed on dates of travel, and requirements have been made that government liaison officers accompany relief staff. There are still too few relief workers based in the Delta.

The Government's priority has been, and remains, to ensure that relief reaches those who need it most. Together with the UN, ASEAN and NGOs we are continuing to monitor the situation very closely.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department provided to Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot, on the Thai-Burma border, in each of the last three years. (209522)

The Department for International Development (DFID) has recently approved funding of £100,000 for the Mae Tao Clinic for 2008-09. This money will be used for medicines, supplies and equipment critical for the clinic's medical work. This is the first DFID grant direct to the clinic.

The Mae Tao Clinic has also received grants from the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC), to which DFID contributes.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether charities responding to the cyclone in Burma are required to have a Memorandum of Understanding with the regime in order to receive funding. (209521)

The Department for International Development (DFID) does not limit its funding for cyclone response to charities that have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the regime. In the emergency response phase, we have given priority to international NGOs with existing capacity on the ground, particularly in areas worst affected by the cyclone, because experience has shown that these have been able to respond faster. However, we have also funded NGOs without MOUs where they have clear value to add.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects will be funded by the Congo Basin Forest Fund which will reduce emissions from deforestation. (209698)

The Congo Basin Forest Fund will be launched on 17 June 2008. Governments, civil society and private sector organisations will be eligible to apply for funding once it has been launched. Proposals will be assessed against the following criteria: innovation, slowing deforestation, reducing poverty and conformance with the COMIFAC (Central Africa Commission for Forestry) Convergence Plan.

In addition to the initial finance of £50 million contribution to the CBFF, the UK has allocated up to £8 million to fund start-up activities. We are currently considering options for funding, following scoping visits to the region. These will be assessed against the CBFF funding criteria.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what proportion of employees in his Department who received a performance-related bonus at their last appraisal were (a) male, (b) female, (c) from an ethnic minority, (d) disabled and (e) not heterosexual; and if he will make a statement. (208376)

Senior civil servants in the Department for International Development (DFID) have not been allocated any performance bonuses in recognition of their performance during the 2007-08 appraisal year. Decisions on bonuses will be made following receipt of the 2008 report of the Review Body on Senior Salaries.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the environmental transformation fund will be allocated to steps aimed at reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries; and of this how much will be by (a) grants, (b) loans and (c) via the World Bank multi-donor fund. (209697)

The final allocations of the environmental transformation fund - international window (ETF-IW) have yet to be decided. Decisions about resource allocations (including for forestry) will be agreed by relevant ministers through an HMG Governance Board (which includes DEFRA, DFID and HMT).

To date, £50 million of the ETF-IW has been committed to the Congo Basin Fund. We also expect the UK's £15 million contribution to the Forest Carbon Partnership Fund to be funded by the ETF-IW. This would all be in the form of grants, made through the World Bank administered multi-donor Climate Investment Funds.

We are also supporting the establishment of a wider programme on forestry as part of these funds. This is still in the early stages of development, but progress on the design will be made towards the end of this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the World Bank on raising its level of support for renewable energy projects in the developing world. (205752)

The World Bank Group in 2004 announced it would increase financial support for renewable energy and energy efficiency by an average of at least 20 per cent. a year between 2005 and 2009. This target has been exceeded, with commitments on renewable energy, excluding large hydropower, increasing from $192 million in 2004 to $421 million in 2007.

In 2007, we asked the World Bank to increase its level of ambition. We have called for them to further develop and promote transitions to low carbon energy supplies, including by increased support for affordable, efficient and renewable energy. The World Bank's Clean Energy Investment Framework aims to expand access to modern energy and help countries take up low-carbon solutions to their energy needs. Increasing the use of renewable energy is part of these objectives and we will continue to encourage the World Bank to do more. We are supporting the World Bank in the implementation of the framework.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has provided to the International Labour Organisation to support its work on reducing labour exploitation of children and women in the last 12 months. (208335)

In 2007-08 the Department for International Development (DFID) provided £6.75 million to support the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) core programmes on social protection, forced labour, cooperatives and migration. The ILO has an action plan which aims to ensure that the interests of children and women are at the forefront of all their work. DFID is also providing £465,000 to help the ILO improve monitoring and evaluation of its work for children and women. This work began in January 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Government have agreed to increase funding for the Thailand Burma Border Consortium in 2008-09. (208475)

The Department for International Development (DFID) has approved a grant of £1 million for the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) for 2008-09. This funding is being channelled through Christian Aid. It represents a 30 per cent. increase over last year's total allocation of £770,000. This is in response to the rapid rise in the cost of rice this year, as well as last year's decision by DFID to allow TBBC to use our money for cross-border support to internally displaced persons (IDPs) inside Burma as well as for refugees in Thailand.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how much was pledged at the Yemen donor’s conference held in 2006 in London; and how much funding has been collected from those that pledged money at the conference; (208292)

$4.746 billion was pledged at the Yemen Consultative Group (CG) meeting in 2006 of which $2.786 billion was in grant aid and $1960 million was in soft lending. Since then additional pledges have come in from France, Spain, the USA, Denmark and the Arab Fund taking combined ‘CG pledges’ to $5.312 billion.

The Government of Yemen (GoY) has not published overall donor disbursement figures for the period since the Yemen CG meeting. The most complete and recent data shows donor disbursements of $292.18 million to Yemen for calendar year 2007. This does not cover all those donors who made pledges at the CG meeting notably Arab donors who made significant pledges. All donor funds pledged were multi-annual and spread over several years so we would not expect full disbursement at this stage.

The UK continues to support GoY efforts to encourage donors to disburse their pledges against agreed timetables through our ongoing engagement in GoY-donor dialogue, for example, the twice yearly ‘Consultative Group Stocktake Meetings’. The UK has played a particular role in encouraging greater dialogue between Arab donors and OECD donors to promote all donors to deliver their CG pledge commitments. We are supporting the Aid Harmonisation and Alignment (AHA) Unit within the Ministry of Planning and International Co-operation which leads on Consultative Group pledge follow-up within its broader mandate to promote greater aid effectiveness in Yemen.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the £117 million pledged by the Government in 2006 over a period of four years has been provided to Yemen. (208293)

To date the UK Government have provided bilateral aid totalling £11.99 million of the £117 million pledged in the 2006 donor conference. The balance will be provided over the three financial years 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what types of aid were provided by the Government to Yemen in (a) the last year and (b) the last 10 years. (208294)

We are currently unable to provide figures for UK aid types provided to Yemen in 2007-08, as these figures have not yet been published.

Over the last 10 years the UK Government has provided the following aid types:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the increase in aid provided by the UK to Yemen has been since the 2006 Yemen donor's conference in London. (208297)

In 2006-07 the aid programme to Yemen was £8.31 million. Following the 2006 donor conference where we pledged £117 million over four years, the aid programme was increased to £11.99 million in 2007-08 and will continue to rise in the coming three years to meet our total commitment.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of Yemen's ability to fulfil its poverty targets for 2008. (208296)

The Government of Yemen's third Socio-Economic Development Plan for Poverty Reduction (SEDPPR) 2006 to 2010 aims to reduce poverty rates to 19.5 per cent. by 2010. However it contains no specific targets for 2008. A mid point review of the SEDPPR is due to be completed by September 2008, and will show whether Yemen is on track to meet its 2010 targets.

The UK helped to fund a poverty assessment based on a household budget survey which was undertaken in 2005-06 by the Government of Yemen, the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme— UNDP. This assessment demonstrated that poverty rates have declined from 40.1 per cent. in 1998 to 34.8 per cent. in 2005. However recent World Bank figures estimate that these gains may have been fully reversed due to inflation and high food prices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2008, Official Report, column 307W, on departmental official hospitality, what the (a) cost and (b) purpose was of each event held by his Department in 2007-08. (208119)

The nine events, objectives and expenditure are detailed in the following table.

These events continue to be popular with MPs of all parties with relevant Scottish constituencies taking the opportunity to engage with important stakeholders and groups in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much food waste his Department generated in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. (208148)

The Scotland Office has no in-house canteen or other catering facilities so therefore does not routinely generate food waste.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2008, Official Report, column 953W, on the Fairtrade initiative, what Fairtrade products are offered at his departmental meetings and engagements. (209021)

In line with my answer given on 5 February 2008, my Department has offered Fairtrade tea and coffee at departmental meetings and engagements.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics what sports facilities are due to be constructed on the Olympic Park; what sports each will host during the 2012 Olympic Games; who the contractor and what the budget is for each; and what progress has been made on construction of each. (209704)

There will be five permanent venues in the Olympic Park: the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre, Handball Arena, the VeloPark and Eton Manor.

The Olympic Stadium is being constructed by Team McAlpine, a consortium made up of Sir Robert McAlpine, HOK Sport and Buro Happold, and the budget—as announced in October 2007—remains at the contract price £496 million. This venue will host all Olympic and Paralympic track and field events as well as being the finish point for the Marathon and the start and finish points for the Racewalk. Construction of the Olympic Stadium commenced in May 2008.

The Aquatics Centre is being constructed by UK firm Balfour Beatty and the budget, as announced in April, is £242 million. The venue will host Olympic swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, modern pentathlon swimming events and Paralympic swimming events. Planning permission has been granted for the Aquatics Centre. Balfour Beatty took possession of the site in June 2008 and construction work is on track to commence in the next two months.

The Handball Arena will host handball events, as well as modern pentathlon fencing during the Olympic Games and goalball events during the Paralympic Games. The budget for the Handball Arena is in line with the overall venues budget already announced but further budget details cannot be released as sensitive commercial negotiations continue. The Olympic Delivery Authority expects to appoint a contractor for the Handball Arena in early 2009, ready for construction to start in the summer of 2009.

The Eton Manor site will host the Paralympic archery and wheelchair tennis events programme and provide athletes training facilities during the Games. As a contractor is yet to be appointed, budget details for this venue cannot yet be released but it remains within the budget for venues already announced. Stanton Williams were awarded the contract to design the venue in April 2008 and construction is due to begin in early 2010.

The VeloPark, of which the Velodrome is the main component, will host the Olympic and Paralympic indoor track cycling events and the adjacent BMX circuit will host the BMX events. The budget for the VeloPark is £80 million. A consortium made up of Hopkins Architects, Expedition Engineering, BDSP and Grant Associates has been chosen to design the VeloPark and construction is due to begin in 2009. The contract for the Velodrome was awarded to ISG InteriorExterior in May 2008.

A number of sports, including basketball, waterpolo, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby, will take place in temporary venues on the Olympic Park. The budgets for these facilities are included in the venues budget as announced at the end of 2007 and building contractors have yet to be appointed.

LOCOG ‘-London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games-’ have responsibility for the construction of a temporary hockey centre on the Olympic Park that will host hockey and paralympic football competitions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when (a) he, (b) his predecessors and (c) other Ministers from his Department last met a representative from each of his Department's non-departmental public bodies. (207382)

[holding answer 2 June 2008]: The information requested could be answered only at disproportionate cost. However, within a fortnight of my appointment as Secretary of State, I, together with my ministerial team hosted a breakfast seminar to which representatives from all of the Department's non-departmental public bodies were invited. In addition, since I have been Secretary of State, Ministers from this Department have met with representatives from the majority of our non-departmental public bodies and hope to meet with the remainder in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will hold discussions with the hospitality industry on minimum standards of spoken English among its employees. (208531)

My Department is working with People 1st, the Sector Skills Council, and the British Hospitality Association to improve the skills and qualifications levels of managers, chefs and those involved in customer service through the implementation of the National Skills Strategy for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism. This includes looking at English language requirements where necessary to improve communication and customer service skills. We are also examining the barriers to training, including qualifications reform. I chair the Monitoring and Implementation (M&I) Group for this strategy, and the hospitality industry is represented on that body. Our work will be informed by research undertaken by People lst into English language requirements which will be completed later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the productivity rate in the tourism industry was in each year since 2002. (208799)

[holding answer 5 June 2008]: Productivity data for the tourism and leisure industry is estimated from the Annual Business Inquiry, run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The table shows the annual percentage productivity changes in the tourism and leisure industry from 2002 onwards.

For full details on how the PSA ‘-public service agreement-’ is measured, see the technical note 2005 to 2008 PSA Technical note (Revised) on the DCMS website

http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/3587.aspx.

To ask the Leader of the House for what reasons it is not possible for hon. Members to e-table early-day motions. (209346)

This matter was considered by the Procedure Committee in its first report of session 2006-07 (HC 513) on public petitions and early day motions (paragraphs 93-96). Given the formal nature of an early-day motion and concerns about authentication of electronic tabling, the Committee considered that Members were not unduly constrained by present procedures for tabling and signing EDMs in this respect. They concluded that they could not recommend the introduction of e-tabling for EDMs. The House endorsed this approach in its debate on the Committee's Report on 25 October 2007.

To ask the Leader of the House if she will hold discussions with the Prime Minister to bring forward proposals to ensure that future appointments to the Intelligence and Security Committee are decided by the House. (208998)

I have nothing further to add to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's answer of 25 March 2008, Official Report, column 88W, in which he stated that the Governance of Britain White Paper (cm 7342) includes proposals to enable Parliament to play a fuller role in the appointment of members to the Intelligence and Security Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has allocated to the Energy Saving Trust to fund activities as part of the Act on CO₂ advice line. (208773)

Government will be providing over £100 million in the next three years to the Energy Saving Trust to develop a proactive green homes service, based on the Act on CO₂ advice line and a regional network of one stop shops. In this year alone, DEFRA is providing the Energy Saving Trust with £35.2 million, £24.5 million of which will be specifically for the Act on CO₂ advice line and the roll out of the regional advice centres.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what amount of verified emissions of carbon dioxide in tonnes there was from EU Emissions Trading Scheme installations in each sector in the UK in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. (209480)

[holding answer 6 June 2008]: The following table gives details of the sector level results against allocations for the UK in each of the last three years. We will provide analysis of the results in more depth and information on the results across the EU. Further information on EU ETS results can be found at the European Environment Agency website using their Community Independent Transaction Log (CITL) viewer.

DEFRA cautions against a simplistic analysis of this table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Vale of York of 26 July 2007, Official Report, columns 1519-20W, on floods: housing, what progress has been made on the Environment Agency’s flood defence schemes announced in the 2005 medium term plan with a construction start in 2006-07 and with a construction spend in 2006-07 of greater than £250,000; and what the status of each scheme is. (209481)

[holding answer 6 June 2008]: I have asked the chief executive of the Environment Agency to write with a reply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government’s policy is on charging households for waste disposal. (209490)

Under the powers included in the Climate Change Bill, up to five local authorities in England will be granted permission to pilot incentive schemes for people to reduce, reuse and recycle waste.

The councils will be able to come forward with schemes to fit local circumstances, but they must be approved by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and follow clear guidelines set out in legislation—including having checks and balances in place for residents. As part of these schemes, those throwing away the least would receive a rebate and those throwing away the most could pay more. Local authorities will have to pay back to residents overall any money they collect from them as part of the pilots.

The schemes will then be reviewed to ascertain their success and a report made to Parliament before a decision is made on whether they can be introduced more widely.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received since June 2007 from the leaders of political parties in Northern Ireland (a) supporting and (b) opposing the extension of the Abortion Act 1967 to Northern Ireland; what response was given to those representations; and if he will make a statement. (209102)

The views of the leaders of the political parties in Northern Ireland are a matter for them. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for North Antrim (Rev. Ian Paisley) at Prime Minister's Questions on 26 March 2008, Official Report, column 183.

To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to reply to the letter of 31 March 2008 from the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley on the Barnett Formula. (209408)

I have replied to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Prime Minister what the Ministerial duties and responsibilities of the Vice- Chamberlain of Her Majesty's Household are. (208668)

I refer my hon. Friend to the House of Commons Standard Note: SN/PC/2829. Copies are available on the Parliament website and in the Library of the House.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equality pursuant to the answer of 6 May 2008, Official Report, column 806W, on departmental responsibilities, when the Government plan to issue a formal response to the consultation on the equality Bill's proposals. (206032)

The Government have been developing policy in light of the responses to consultation on the equality Bill's proposals. A formal response to the consultation will be issued as soon as policy proposals have been finalised and agreed.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what plans she has to eradicate multiple discrimination. (201394)

Views on multiple discrimination were received in response to the Government's consultation on proposals for the equality Bill. These are currently being considered and will be included in the Government's response to the consultation which will be issued in due course.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equality with reference to the answer of 13 September 2004, Official Report, columns 1022-23W, on the Department of Trade and Industry, what progress has been made in meeting the Government's target for 45 per cent. of large organisations to undertake pay reviews by April 2008; and if she will make a statement. (201402)

In 2005 the Equal Opportunities Commission found that 34 per cent. of large employers had carried out equal pay reviews. Its successor body, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, has recently commissioned a similar survey the findings of which will enable the Government Equalities Office to assess progress towards he 45 per cent. target. Closing the pay gap is a high priority for this Government and is one of the indicators in the new Equality Public Service Agreement (PSA 15).

To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government Equalities Office has taken with the Office of the Mayor of London to address equality issues concerning London. (201421)

The Government Equalities Office (GEO) works with the Office of the Mayor of London, other local authorities and the Government Office Network on a range of equality matters. For example, the GEO held a number of meetings with the Greater London Authority as part of the Equality Bill consultation process and the Minister for Women and Equality spoke to them about 'Women in London's Economy' on 28 February 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how much his Department paid in housing benefit to (a) working age households and (b) working age households in receipt of out-of-work benefits in each year since 1997, broken down by (i) constituency, (ii) local authority and (iii) Government Office region; (203283)

The information is not currently available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average length of a repayment schedule agreed by the Child Support Agency was in the last period for which figures are available.[Official Report, 30 June 2008, Vol. 478, c. 5MC.] (203262)

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Susan Park, dated 9 June 2008:

In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As the Chief Executive is currently on annual leave, I am responding, with his authority, on his behalf.

You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average length of a repayment schedule agreed with the Child Support Agency is. [203262]

Robust information on the length of arrears repayment schedules is not held centrally and to obtain it would involve additional examination of all relevant cases. The information required to answer this question cannot therefore be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

The Agency has introduced tougher enforcement measures through its Operational Improvement Plan, launched in April 2006. If the Agency cannot secure immediate repayment in full from the non-resident parent, it aims to reach agreements that will see arrears paid back within two years wherever possible.

The Agency collected or arranged more than £1 billion in maintenance in the twelve months to March 2008, of which £126m was arrears. This is almost twice the £68 million of arrears collected in the year to March 2006 before the full introduction of the Operational Improvement Plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to increase the uptake of council tax benefit. (206589)

[holding answer 19 May 2008]: Our priority is to increase take-up of council tax benefit (CTB) by pensioners.

People applying for pension credit by telephone can access CTB (and housing benefit) at the same time, using a shortened three-page claim form which is completed for them during the phone call. Customers only have to provide information once. The income and savings information supplied for the pension credit application is used for the CTB claim.

From October 2008, we will dispense with even the short claim form for claims made in this way. The Pension, Disability and Carers Service will collect the CTB claim information and pass it direct to the local authority for assessment.

The Department for Work and Pensions has also run promotional campaigns in each of the last five years to increase awareness of CTB. In March 2008, regional press advertising was used to promote uptake of CTB, with greater focus in areas where our data suggests take up may be low. We also provided marketing materials promoting CTB to local authorities to be included in council tax bills.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are claiming income support with disability premium. (209687)

The number of income support claimants with a disability premium as at November 2007, the latest period for which figures are available, is 1,107,830.

Note:

Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and some additional disclosure control has also been applied.

Source:

DWP Information Directorate 100 per cent. WPLS

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which local authorities have been consulted on proposed Jobcentre Plus closures. (202607)

The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 9 June 2008:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking which Local Authorities have been consulted on proposed Jobcentre Plus office closures. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.

Jobcentre Plus has undergone significant transformation over the last 5 years. During this transformation our approach to closure of a customer-facing Jobcentre Plus office has been to take into account, for example, the impact closure may have on customer service, whether the work and staff can be relocated and what the savings might be in relation to the costs of closure. Consultation with local stakeholders is an integral part of the planning process and we are committed to full consultation with our customers, partner organisations, Local Authorities, Trade Unions and staff, and local Members of Parliament in advance of implementing site closures.

I attach a list of Jobcentre Plus offices that received ministerial approval for closure following consultation and a copy has been placed in the Library. The list includes the relevant Local Authorities consulted.

I am also gathering information on offices that are either currently undergoing consultation on proposed closure or have recently completed a closure consultation exercise and will send you a further response with these details by the end of May 2008. These details will also be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to reply to the letter of 30 April from the hon. Member for Walsall North regarding a constituent and the Child Support Agency. (209520)

I replied to my hon. Friend on 6 June 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much revenue was (a) generated by Remploy from the sale of goods and services and (b) generated by sales from each Remploy factory, in each of the company's last 10 financial years. (203549)

The revenue generated by Remploy sales does not take account of the grant in aid provided by sponsoring Government Departments that is required to support operations running at a loss.

This grant in aid information is not available broken down by factory, but is included in the summary table for annual performance.

The available information is in the following tables.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what range of earnings disregards apply to each category of customer for each income-related benefit. (206690)

There is a range of earnings disregards across the income-related benefits. The following weekly amounts of earnings are disregarded in the circumstances shown in income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit:

In carer's allowance, carers can undertake some work if they are able to do so. A carer may have earnings of up to £95 a week and retain entitlement to carer's allowance. This amount is calculated net of expenses such as income tax, national insurance contributions, half of any contribution towards an occupational or personal pension and help towards the cost of care for a child or the disabled person while the carer is at work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes were owned by each local authority in each year since 1997; what each authority's (a) rental income, (b) capital receipts, (c) management and maintenance allowance and (d) major repairs allowance was in each of those years; and if she will provide projections for each of those figures for the next 30 years using the assumptions adopted by her Department's self-financing of council housing services modelling exercise. (203539)

Tables showing the available data for each local authority currently holding housing stock for (a), (c) and (d) for the years 1997-98 onwards have been placed in the Library of the House. Consistent data for (b) are not available by individual local authority for the period requested and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

Communities and Local Government does not have figures for the categories requested projected over the next 30 years for each local authority. The evidence for the self-financing modelling exercise, including for capital receipts, was produced by the six local authorities involved. We would need to go out to all local authorities to ask them to provide similar projections, which would incur disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 2 June 2008, Official Report, column 534W, on council tax valuation, how many homes revalued for council tax in each region in the UK in each year since 1997 resulted in (a) revaluation to (i) a higher band and (ii) a lower band and (b) staying in the same band. (209693)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 25 April 2008, Official Report, column 2305W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008, Official Report, column 17W, on the Fairtrade initiative, (1) what Fairtrade products are available for purchase at her Department’s staff catering facilities and (b) offered at official departmental meetings and engagements; (209011)

Fairtrade teas, sugars and a selection of cookies, chocolate bars and flapjacks are available from CLG’s HQ staff catering facilities. In addition Fairtrade teas are available from vending machines.

In relation to refreshments for official meetings, Fairtrade teas, coffee and sugars are available.

Sales of Fairtrade products are not separately identified from non-Fairtrade products and therefore the value of Fairtrade sales is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 12 May 2008, Official Report, column 1393W, on the green belt, if she will list each of the specific special circumstances in which development is permitted on green belt designated land, according to planning guidance and regulations. (207519)

Planning Policy Guidance Note 2, “Green Belts”, requires decision-makers to satisfy themselves that any harm from inappropriate development proposed in green belt would be clearly outweighed by the benefits. Once that is shown, an additional test is applied, to which the hon. Member refers. Guidance requires the decision-maker in a case to judge whether the planning applicant has successfully argued that “very special circumstances” would justify an exceptional grant of planning permission in green belt.

The courts have directed that the words “very special circumstances” be given their ordinary and natural meaning, and it is for each applicant to demonstrate their existence to the local planning authority in relation to the individual circumstances of their case. As an example, the courts have held that the personal circumstances of the applicant or their family such as the educational needs of children may contribute to “very special circumstances”. However, given that each case must be judged on its merits, it follows that there could never be a definitive list of what might qualify.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was made available to Birmingham City Council for expenditure on housing stock in (a) 1979, (b) 1981, (c) 1989, (d) 1991, (e) 1997, (f) 1999, (g) 2001, (h) 2005 and (i) 2007, expressed in current prices and broken down by category; and what allocation has been made for 2008. (205447)

Data prior to 1991 are not available and specific data for the years 1991-96 inclusive could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

The following table shows management and maintenance allowances per council dwelling for each year (prior to 1999-2000 the allowances were calculated as a single amount), and the major repairs allowance (MRA) from its introduction in 2001-02, multiplied by the council's housing stock for the relevant period. These allowances are made as part of the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy programme.

The table also includes figures for housing-related allocations for capital investment. This gives the council approval to borrow up to the sum specified.

All prices are shown calculated to 2006-07 cash equivalents using the latest available GDP deflator provided by HM Treasury. The figures for 2007-2008 and later are based upon forecasts of the GDP deflator.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent guidance her Department has issued to local authorities in London on designating land for the building of new homes. (208851)

National planning policy for housing is set out in Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) Housing, published November 2006, which includes a section entitled “Delivering a flexible supply of land for housing” (paragraphs 52 to 61). Supporting guidance, Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment: Practice Guidance, published in July 2007, sets out how to put in place evidence on land availability for housing.

Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Spatial Planning (PPS12), published June 2008, sets out how local planning authorities should prepare local development documents. In relation to housing, this includes ensuring that the necessary land is available at the right time and in the right place to deliver new housing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the capital value of (a) housing association and (b) council housing stock in each year since 1997. (203537)

It is not possible for the Department to provide comparable figures on stock asset values for both local authorities and housing associations from published accounts. The following figures are displayed separately as a result.

The Department collects figures on the capital assets of local authority (LA) housing stock in England through the Capital Outturn Return (COR). These are published in the Local Government Financial Statistics volume:

All figures supplied in table 1 are at current value for the year of reporting.

The Global Accounts of Housing Associations, published by the Housing Corporation (the regulator of housing associations in England) provides figures for registered social landlords:

‘Housing properties at original cost' will include many homes where the cost recorded is considerably out of date. These figures will therefore be depressed and represent properties that are now significantly undervalued.

‘Housing properties at current value' denotes properties valued on a five-yearly basis with a review at year three. Valuations in the other years should be done where there is likely to be a material change in valuation. Re-valuation is an expensive exercise and only a minority of associations hold their assets at valuation. In most cases this is the value on a discounted cash flow basis using net rental income over a specified period. This can also undervalue properties compared to open market sales values.

RSLs have a choice between valuing their properties or stating them at historic cost. RSLs in preparing their accounts comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) issued by the three national housing federations (England, Wales and Scotland) and franked by the Accounting Standards Board. The SORP authorises that associations can use either method of stating the value of their houses and is neutral as to which they should use.

Information for 1999-2000 to 2003-04 can be obtained from the Global Accounts of Housing Associations which are available on the Housing Corporation's website:

www.housingcorp.gov.uk

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her definition of an affordable home in London is; and what the definition was in each of the last five years. (208827)

A new definition of affordable housing appears in Planning Policy Statement 3—Housing which was published in November 2006. The definition states that:

“Affordable housing includes social rented and intermediate housing, provided to specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Affordable housing should:

Meet the needs of eligible households including availability at a cost low enough for them to afford, determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices.

Include provision for the home to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households or, if these restrictions are lifted, for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative housing provision.”

Local planning authorities are required to use this definition when preparing plan policies and determining planning applications for housing .

This excludes ‘low cost market’ housing—for example, homes which do not remain affordable on resale.

The new definition was adopted because Government wished to ensure that developer contributions are used to help provide genuinely affordable housing for households in need over the long term.

The London Plan definition (consolidated with alterations since 2004) published in February 2008 is consistent with national policy in Planning Policy Statement 3.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she has advised housing market renewal pathfinders to accept the guidance on consultation on renewal or regeneration areas in the recent National Audit Office report on pathfinders. (209749)

The Government are awaiting the publication of the report on the Housing Market Renewal programme by the Public Accounts Committee, following its hearing on 19 November 2007. Once they have reviewed the PAC recommendations, the Government will consider what advice they will issue to pathfinders.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health on limitations on where people can smoke in open public spaces, with particular reference to the gardens of public houses. (208997)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no such discussions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect of the siting of wind turbines on the market price of houses within sight of the turbines; and if she will make a statement. (209589)

Communities and Local Government has not made an assessment of the effect the siting of wind turbines has had on the price of houses within sight of the turbines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent noise assessments have been made of Bournemouth International Airport; and how she expects noise levels to change when the airport expands. (208776)

The Secretary of State publishes annual aircraft noise contour maps for the three London airports (Heathrow Gatwick and Stansted) which are designated under section 80 for the purposes of section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 for noise control purposes.

The Secretary of State is not responsible for the production of noise contour maps at non-designated airports such as Bournemouth International Airport. The publication of aircraft noise contour maps is a matter for local decision.

Under the European environmental noise directive (END) 2002/49/EC, member states are required to produce strategic noise maps every five years for the main sources of environmental noise, including major airports with more than 50,000 movements (a movement being a take-off or landing) per year. The relevant UK airports including Bournemouth International Airport produced maps last year. The maps can be viewed on DEFRA's website (noisemappinq@defra.gov.uk).

The next stage of implementation of the directive requires airports to produce noise action plans during the course of this year. Under the terms of the directive, the airport is required to consult the local community in the preparation of the plan. It is expected that this will primarily be through engagement with the local airport consultative committee.