To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which works of art from the Government Art Collection each Minister in his Department has selected for display in a private office. (259431)

The Secretary of State has not selected any works of art from the Government Art Collection for display in his private office. I have selected 10 prints of modern sketches by Christine Borland, an artist from Glasgow.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many press officers the Wright Inquiry employs; how many press releases the Inquiry has published, broken down by month; and what the budget for the press office is in 2009. (257102)

I am advised by the Billy Wright Inquiry that the Inquiry does not employ a press officer. Media inquiries and media relations are handled as part of the duties of other Inquiry staff.

The Inquiry has issued 18 press notices, as follows:

The Billy Wright Inquiry does not have a budget for a press office in 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people the Wright Inquiry has employed since its inception, broken down by (a) month and (b) role. (257110)

From October 2004, there has been one civil servant working as solicitor to the Inquiry.

The following staff changes have occurred:

In February 2005, a secretary to the Inquiry was recruited

In April 2005, a deputy solicitor to the Inquiry was recruited

In June 2005, an assistant solicitor was recruited

In July 2006, the assistant solicitor was released

In November 2006, a document evidence manager and a finance accommodation officer were recruited

In April 2007, two personal secretaries were recruited

In May 2007, a witness liaison manager was recruited

In November 2007, an assistant solicitor was recruited.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many press officers the Saville Inquiry employs; how many press releases the inquiry has published, broken down by month; and what the budget for the press office is in 2009. (257109)

I am advised by the Bloody Sunday Inquiry that the Inquiry does not currently employ a press officer and there is no dedicated budget for press office facilities. Since November 2004, all press enquiries have been handled by the Secretary and Deputy Secretary to the Inquiry. An average total on-call allowance of £400 per month is paid to cover out-of-hours press inquiries.

The Inquiry has released 196 press notices to date:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people the Saville Inquiry has employed since its inception, broken down by (a) month and (b) role. (257117)

The Bloody Sunday Inquiry does not directly employ staff. The inquiry has engaged a number of people on loan or secondment from Government Departments/agencies to undertake specific posts and roles. A number of other people have been issued with Northern Ireland Office fixed-term contracts to work with the inquiry. Given the duration of the inquiry, detailed monthly breakdowns could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Over its lifespan, the number of staff in the inquiry peaked at 38 during hearings in April 2003. Posts included the secretary and deputy secretary to the inquiry, five inquiry solicitors, one costs solicitor, one assistant solicitor, one press officer, one assistant press officer, three legal assistants, two researchers, six witness liaison, one finance assistant, one archivist, two personal assistants and 12 administrative support staff.

The inquiry has since reduced its complement to eight staff, including the secretary to the inquiry (part-time), costs solicitor (and acting inquiry solicitor), deputy secretary, finance assistant, personal assistant to the chairman, legal assistant to the tribunal, archivist and an administrative officer.

The inquiry also holds contracts with employment agencies for the provision of temporary staff for administration services. These have not been included in this response, as their employer is the temporary staff agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with EU officials on the current economic climate. (257143)

I have held no such discussions recently.

The Government have put in place a raft of targeted and co-ordinated measures to underpin the financial sector, stimulate growth, increase employment and provide real help now. Northern Ireland will benefit from many of these measures and I will continue to represent the interests of Northern Ireland at the National Economic Council and consult with Northern Ireland Ministers to establish how we can best work together for the benefit of the Northern Ireland economy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the economic situation in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. (260045)

Economic policies are partly reserved and partly devolved. It is the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland who monitors, and regularly comments on, the state of the Northern Ireland economy within the devolved field.

Her Department published its latest Quarterly Economy Review on 6 February 2009. It indicated that Northern Ireland, in common with other UK regions, is facing very significant economic pressures and will not be sheltered from the impacts of the downturn. The review revealed that 2009 will see continuing falls in output and employment in the region. The Minister also highlighted that the structure of the economy—with its large public sector and small financial services sector—should help ensure that Northern Ireland is, broadly speaking, no worse affected than other UK regions.

I concur with this assessment. The Government have put in place a raft of targeted and co-ordinated measures to underpin the financial sector, stimulate growth, increase employment and provide real help now. Northern Ireland will benefit from many of these measures and I will continue to represent the interests of Northern Ireland at the National Economic Council and consult with Northern Ireland Ministers to establish how we can best work together for the benefit of the Northern Ireland economy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many press officers the Hamill Inquiry employs; how many press releases the inquiry has published, broken down by month; and what the budget is for the press office in 2009. (257116)

I am advised by the Robert Hamill Inquiry that the inquiry does not employ a press officer. It retains the services of a public relations consultancy, which provides the full range of press office support, including duties such as handling day-to-day media enquiries, out-of-hours media enquiries, monitoring media coverage and providing professional advice to the inquiry staff and panel.

The Hamill Inquiry has issued 14 press releases to date:

The Hamill Inquiry does not have a budget for a press office. The predicted expenditure on public relations consultancy services in the calendar year 2009 is £49,222.50.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people the Hamill inquiry has employed since its inception, broken down by (a) month and (b) role. (257124)

From November 2004 there have been two civil servants working as secretary and solicitor to the inquiry.

The following staff changes have been made:

In January 2005, a deputy solicitor, assistant solicitor and deputy secretary were recruited.

In February 2005, a finance officer was recruited.

In March 2005, a higher executive officer and administrator were recruited.

In August 2005, the deputy secretary was released.

In November 2005, the deputy solicitor and assistant solicitor were released.

In January 2006, the administrator was released and a deputy solicitor was recruited.

In September 2006, the deputy solicitor was released and an assistant solicitor was recruited.

In January 2007, a finance/administration officer was recruited.

In May 2007, a deputy solicitor was recruited.

In July 2007, the assistant solicitor was released.

In September 2007, the secretary was released and the solicitor took on the secretarial role.

In January 2008, a witness information officer (50 per cent. full-time employment), a personal assistant (75 per cent. full-time employment) were recruited, and the finance officer moved to 50 per cent. full-time employment.

In February 2008, the witness information manager and personal assistant became full-time, and the 50 per cent. FTE finance officer was released.

In April 2008, a senior finance officer was recruited.

In July 2008, a witness team member (50 per cent. FTE) was recruited.

In August 2008, the witness team member became full time.

In November 2008, an assistant to counsel was recruited.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many press officers the Nelson Inquiry employs; how many press releases the Inquiry has published, broken down by month; and what the budget for the press office is in 2009. (257101)

I am advised by the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry that the Inquiry uses one press officer on an ad-hoc basis. The press officer is available to provide the full range of press office support, including duties such as handling day-to-day media inquiries, out-of-hours media inquiries, and providing professional advice to the Inquiry staff and Panel.

The Inquiry has released 10 press notices to date:

The Rosemary Nelson Inquiry does not have a budget for a press office. The predicted expenditure for the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry's press officer in the calendar year 2009 is £12,405.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people the Nelson Inquiry has employed since its inception, broken down by (a) month and (b) role. (257103)

From November 2004, there have been two civil servants working at the Inquiry, acting as solicitor and secretary to the Inquiry. The following staff changes have occurred:

In January 2005, two legal support officers, an evidence manager, a finance officer and an admin support officer were recruited

In February 2005, a deputy secretary was recruited

In March 2005, a deputy solicitor was recruited

In May 2005, a finance manager was recruited

In June 2005, one legal support officer was released and a second finance officer recruited

In September 2005, an admin support officer was released

In October 2005, one finance officer was released

In November 2005, the evidence manager was released and one legal support officer was recruited

In December 2005 one assistant solicitor, one legal support officer and one admin support officer were recruited

In January 2006, one legal support officer was recruited

In April 2006, a second assistant solicitor was recruited

In August 2006, a team secretary was recruited

In January 2007, a bundle manager was recruited

In February 2007, an admin support officer was released

In March 2007, one legal support officer was released

In April 2007, three legal support officers were recruited

In August 2007, an admin support officer was recruited

In September 2007, a finance officer was released

In October 2007, an assistant solicitor and a legal support officer were released

In January 2008, an admin support officer was released and a writer/researcher was recruited

In March 2008, an admin support officer was recruited

In April 2008, one legal support officer was released

In June 2008, a finance officer, one legal support officer and a witness co-ordinator were recruited

In July 2008, one legal support officer and a witness co-ordinator were released

In August 2008, an admin support officer was recruited

In November 2008, a team secretary and a bundle manager were released.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the documentation on the environmental impact of the A14 improvement scheme between Ellington and Fern Ditton. (261101)

The A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton scheme was included in the roads programme announcement “Britain’s Transport Motorways and Major Trunk Roads” on 15 January 2009.

As part of the scheme development work the Highways Agency is producing an Environmental Statement that will set out the environmental impacts of this scheme. This Environmental Statement is due to be published alongside draft Highways Act Orders in the early summer 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the current balance of the Air Travel Trust Fund is; and what the limit of its overdraft is. (260903)

The balance of the Air Travel Trust Fund at the end of the 2007-08 financial year and its credit facilities are both detailed in the Air Travel Trust 2008 Report and Accounts at:

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/ATT2008web.pdf

Audited accounts for 2008-09 are not yet available. However, given the collapse of XL Leisure Group in September 2008 we expect that the fund will be more in deficit at the end of the 2008-09 financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to amend reform to the Chicago Convention to allow the market pricing of airport departure slots. (259390)

The main legal framework for the management of airport slots is set out in the EC slot allocation regulations (the EC regulations). In April 2008 a European Commission Communication clarified the Commission’s view that secondary slot trading, whereby the exchange of slots takes place with monetary and any other consideration, is compatible with the EC regulations.

Any further moves towards market pricing of slots would require the EC regulations to be amended. We understand that the Commission has no current plans to review the EC regulations. In the case of any proposed change, the Government would consult fully with stakeholders.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to extend the one pound levy per passenger per flight to all operators of leisure flights originating in the UK; and if he will make it his policy not to increase the amount of the levy. (260906)

The Government are not planning to extend financial protection for consumers to flight-only sales. However, we are exploring other options for the reform of the ATOL scheme, with a view to increasing the clarity and simplicity of ATOL for the consumer and reducing burdens to ATOL companies.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) intends to consult ATOL license holders this spring on a proposed increase to the ATOL Protection Contribution (APC), currently £1 per passenger. All consultation responses will be carefully considered and a final decision will be made by the Secretary of State in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated average time was for planning clearance of major infrastructure projects commissioned by his Department in each year since 1997. (261008)

The Crossrail project was given outline planning approval by means of legislation that took three years five months to pass through Parliament.

Otherwise, the only major infrastructure projects specifically commissioned by the Department for Transport are schemes undertaken by the Highways Agency on the Strategic Road Network. The information requested on the planning timetable for such schemes is not held centrally and could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what procedures his Department has in place to remind drivers of the expiry date of 10 year driving licences. (260869)

Photocard licence holders are sent a personalised renewal reminder two months in advance of the date of expiry of their photograph.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency also provide advice on how to check the expiry date on the photocard in a leaflet issued with every new licence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many drivers were stopped and fined in Scotland for driving without a valid licence in each of the last five years. (260870)

This is a devolved matter for the Scottish Executive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the merits of mandatory equipping of new vehicles with an eCall facility. (261099)

Reducing the numbers of people killed or seriously injured on our roads is one of the Department’s key objectives and we believe that technology has an important role to play. However, any potential measure needs to be assessed against its expected costs and benefits.

Our most recent research suggests that the costs of mandatory eCall implementation would be greater than the benefits it would bring. However, we are working closely with the European Commission to ensure we have the best available data and will review our position in the light of any new evidence. The Department is also actively supporting the recently established group that will advise on issues around the voluntary implementation of eCall across Europe.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress the Government is making in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the development of battery-powered vehicles. (260740)

On 15 January 2009, the Secretary of State for Transport announced that £250 million would be made available to create a system of consumer incentives to build the market for ultra-low emission vehicles, including battery-powered vehicles. Final decisions on how this money will be used are yet to be taken, but we expect that the bulk of the money will be available between 2011 and 2014 and will mainly be used reduce the purchase price of the vehicles, with the remainder used for targeted infrastructure provision.

This money is in addition to support, worth over £100 million, provided for research, development and demonstration of battery-powered, and other low emission, vehicles through the Technology Strategy Board’s Low Carbon Vehicle Innovation Platform.

Battery-powered vehicles are also generously supported through the taxation systems, for example, exemption from paying vehicle excise duty and fuel duty. Government have also provided funding, through the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Grant Programme, to support the installation of electric vehicle charging points.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the availability of freight facilities grants in the North West; and if he will make a statement. (261098)

On 22 January 2008 the Department announced that Freight Facilities Grants (FFG) will no longer be available for investment in intermodal terminals in the North West of England (i.e. the Manchester, Liverpool, and Widnes conurbations).

This decision reflected the increasing competitiveness of the sector with a number of terminals and freight hauliers active in the market. The Department’s decision was taken to ensure that FFGs do not distort the market and give competitive advantage to those receiving grants versus those who do not.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the responses to the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport consultation said (a) that they were partially or totally opposed to Heathrow expansion, (b) that they did not believe Heathrow expansion could take place whilst meeting the Government's air quality limits without further measures and (c) that they did not believe Heathrow expansion could take place whilst meeting the noise contour limit of 127 square kilometres at the indicated levels of air traffic, broken down by (i) campaign postcards and petitions and (ii) postal response, (iii) free-text responses and (iv) online response form; and if he will make a statement. (261096)

A detailed analysis of the responses to the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport consultation can be found in the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport Report on consultation responses, which was published on 15 January. Sections 2.2 to 2.13 of the above report provides an executive summary, detailing responses to the consultation.

25,331 respondents stated that they did not want any further expansion at Heathrow. Of these, 4,945 used the postal response form, 2,500 the online response form, 4,614 were free text responses, and there were 13,272 postcards/petition responses. The responses were not coded as being either 'partially' or 'totally' opposed to expansion.

61 respondents specifically stated that air quality limits could not be met without further measures. Of these, nine used the postal response form, 51 were free text responses, and there was one postcard/petition response. In addition, of 16,049 respondents who replied to the question about air quality using the online response form, 73 per cent. disagreed with the statement that expansion was possible while meeting the air quality limits.

37 respondents stated that they did not believe that expansion could take place while meeting the noise contour limit. Of these, three used the postal response forms, 33 were free text responses and there was one postcard/petition response. In addition, of 15,999 respondents who replied to the question about the noise contour limit using the online response form, 74 per cent. disagreed with the statement that expansion was possible whilst meeting the noise contour limit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport: Report on consultation responses publication in relation to (a) fees for analysis and preparation of the report paid to Detica, (b) fees for analysis and preparation of the report paid to Ipsos Mori and (c) production and distribution costs; and if he will make a statement. (261097)

The Department procured Detica to analyse consultation responses and produce the report Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport: Report on consultation responses. The total costs paid to Detica were £939,989.18 including VAT. Ipsos Mori was subcontracted by Detica for their input into this work.

The Department printed 1,500 copies of the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport: Report on consultation responses. The cost for this was £13,947 including VAT. Copies of the report were placed in the House Libraries, and can also be obtained from the Department's distribution centre. Distribution costs have been marginal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to question 259633, on what date the work carried out by the Project for Sustainable Development of Heathrow was first assessed as sufficiently robust to conclude the (a) air quality limits and (b) noise contour limit of 127 sq km had been met in relation to (i) third runway scenarios and (ii) mixed mode scenarios consulted on in the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport public consultation; and if he will make a statement. (261275)

Further to the reply I gave on 2 March 2009, Official Report, column 1270W, on air quality, the critical point on noise was to establish the number of movements that could initially be accommodated within the noise contour limit with a third runway around 2020; that was not clear until mid-September 2007. Similarly, the results reported in the consultation document for mixed mode were not complete until mid-September 2007.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to encourage the provision of a direct high-speed rail service from London to Amsterdam to coincide with the completion of the Brussels-Amsterdam high-speed line. (259392)

The Government are currently undertaking the restructuring of London And Continental Railways, as enabled by the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (Supplementary Provisions) Act 2008. Among the principal aims of this restructuring is to free Eurostar from past liabilities, enabling it to further develop its service offering; and to encourage the introduction of more services from a potential range of operators onto High Speed 1.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's most recent estimate is of the number of vehicles operating outside the law on (a) registration, (b) vehicle testing and (c) insurance on the basis used in its Roads Policing Operations V79 paper published in September 2006. (261545)

The most recent Operation V79 was carried out in March 2008. 6,689 vehicles were stopped at random by police and checked for compliance with driver and vehicle licensing regulations. The full report of the operation was published in November 2008 and is available on the Department for Transport’s website.

The 2008 results show increased compliance levels in respect of vehicle registration, vehicle testing and insurance compared with the previous survey in 2006.

The level of incorrectly registered vehicles was recorded at 3.6 per cent. of vehicles stopped, compared with 6.1 per cent. in 2006.

The recorded level of uninsured drivers fell to 1.2 per cent. from 1.9 per cent. in the previous survey.

The level of vehicles found without a valid MOT was 1.5 per cent. as opposed to 4.2 per cent. in 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent by his Department per capita on public transport in (a) Hemel Hempstead and (b) Hertfordshire in each year since 1997. (260080)

The Department for Transport supports local authority capital expenditure on public transport mainly through the allocation of Integrated Transport block funding, which is used for capital investment in small-scale transport improvements. This funding is not ring-fenced and local authorities have discretion to spend their allocations in line with their priorities. Local authority revenue expenditure on transport, for example spend on supporting bus services or concessionary fares, is mainly supported through the Department for Communities and Local Government’s formula grant.

The Department also supports bus services through Bus Service Operators’ Grant, and provides funding for rail services, but these amounts are not available on the basis of local authority boundaries.

Integrated Transport block allocations provided to Hertfordshire county council by the Department, together with specific funding provided for urban and rural bus projects and, in 2008-09, for concessionary travel, are shown in the following table. Comparable data are available for 2000-01 onwards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many emergency calls were received by each HM Coastguard office in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. (260140)

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has one Maritime and Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Northern Ireland at Bangor, Belfast MRCC.

The MRCC can receive multiple calls about a single incident as well as hoax calls.

The MCA does not have data on the number of individual emergencies in a readily available format. However, the MCA’s records show that from October 2004 (when the current search and rescue recording system was introduced in Belfast) to date, that Belfast MRCC allocated resources to respond to 1,756 incidents of an emergency category, a number of which would have attracted multiple calls or resulted in the calls being of a false nature.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the merits of road markings on motorways to inform drivers of safe minimum distances between vehicles. (261100)

Since the Department for Transport published their guidance on road separation markings in 2005, further research work on this type of road marking and the associated signing options is being carried out by the Highways Agency on the A34 in Oxfordshire.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of road safety partnership grants in (a) Hemel Hempstead and (b) Hertfordshire. (260776)

No projects led by Hertfordshire county council or any other local authorities within Hertfordshire have been supported by road safety partnership grants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the results of his recent consultation on proposed regulations under section 130 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 to control ship-to-ship oil transfers within UK territorial waters; and when he expects to lay regulations before Parliament. (260915)

The Department’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has been considering the responses to the consultation exercise, and I anticipate that the summary of the responses will be published on the MCA website later this month.

The MCA are developing the draft regulations in the light of the consultation responses and have identified areas of the draft regulations which will need to be changed. We will also be discussing possible changes to the draft regulations with other Government Departments which have a policy involvement. In view of the developments to the draft regulations arising from the consultation responses, and the discussions with other Government Departments, it is possible that we will have to conduct a second consultation exercise. Accordingly, it is not possible to say at this stage when we will lay the regulations before Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people flew overseas for tourism or leisure purposes in 2008; and how many of them were (a) covered and (b) not covered for consumer protection through the ATOL scheme. (260905)

According to the Office for National Statistics’ “MQ6 Transport, Travel and Tourism” reports, around 37 million visits abroad were made by UK residents for holiday purposes in the period from the final quarter of 2007 to the third quarter of 2008 at:

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/Product.asp?vlnk=1905

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, the total number of visits abroad made under the ATOL scheme in the same period was around 19 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the statement of 15 January 2009, Official Report, columns 355-60W, on transport infrastructure, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of using the green slot principle on levels of carbon dioxide emissions. (261274)

As set out in the statement of 15 January, the Department for Transport will be consulting on the green slots principle for use in allocating slots created by additional capacity at Heathrow. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the intention is that the use of green slots will mean that airlines will need to allocate their cleanest and least noisy aircraft to secure priority for slots from the additional capacity at Heathrow.

Box 3.2 of our latest ‘UK Air Passenger Demand and CO₂ Forecasts' (published in January 2009) shows the extent to which the fuel efficiency of the newest aircraft—and thereby CO₂ emissions—has improved in recent years and is forecast by various independent sources to continue improving in years to come.

‘UK Air Passenger Demand and CO₂ Forecasts' is available at:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/atf/co2forecasts09/

Aircraft using ‘green slots' are likely to be younger than the average and, like for like, there would therefore also be consequential CO₂ benefits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2009, Official Report, column 1062W, on future strategic tanker aircraft, what initial payment is specified in the private finance initiative contract relating to the Future Strategic Aircraft Carrier; when he expects that payment to be made; what estimate he has made of his Department’s monthly expenditure on invoices to be presented under the contract; and if he will make a statement. (261288)

Information on the estimated unitary charges over the lifetime of the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) project is recorded centrally on the Treasury’s website at:

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ppp_pfi_stats.htm

The first invoice for the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme should be presented in December 2011 with the first payment being made in January 2012.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what re-homing schemes his Department uses for animals which have been utilised in defence-related activity. (260702)

When considering a military animal for re-homing, the key issues are the care and welfare of the animal and the duty of care to the public.

In the case of dogs, service units will often identify an appropriate home with the dog’s last or former handler. Otherwise, the dog is returned to the Defence Animal Centre who seek to retire it as a pet with a member of the armed forces or the public.

With regard to horses, those that have served for long periods will, wherever possible, be sent to a home that has been found suitable following inspection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British armed forces personnel are deployed in East Africa; and in which countries such personnel are based. (259921)

While exact numbers fluctuate on a regular basis, there are currently some 1,200 armed forces personnel deployed in Kenya, the majority of whom are on exercise, and two in the defence section in Uganda. There are no armed forces personnel deployed in Tanzania.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy for his Department to sign the Information Commissioner’s Personal Information Promise. (258944)

The Government welcomed the promise as a commendable initiative to raise awareness of the importance of effective data protection safeguards, particularly for those organisations with no similar commitments already in place.

The Government take data protection very seriously. Following the Cabinet Office Review of data handling procedures in Government, Departments have implemented a raft of measures to improve data security.

The Ministry of Justice is considering actively with the ICO how the promise might add additional value to those measures we have already signed up to. These include the Information Charters, the recommendations of the Data Handling Review and the Thomas/Walport Review and, of course, our legal obligations under the Data Protection Act and other legislation and regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what private finance initiatives have been entered into by his Department since 1997, indicating in each case (a) the total value of each contract, (b) the name of the contractor and (c) whether each contract has been subject to refinancing arrangements; what the monetary value of the refinancing arrangement was in each such case; and what the extent of the claw back has been. (259549)

Information on the capital value and estimated revenue payments for the lifetime of each private finance contract as well as the primary contractors (equity stakeholders in the project companies) are recorded centrally on the Treasury’s website at:

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ppp_pfi_stats.htm

Since November 2000, it has been the MOD’s policy, in common with other government departments, that all Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts and those Public Private Partnership contracts involving the use of private finance must contain legally binding conditions whereby any gains from refinancing are shared with the MOD on a 50:50 basis. For contracts signed before November 2000, the right to share a refinancing gain is governed by a code of conduct agreed with industry.

PFI projects that have been the subject of a refinancing agreement together with details of the value and the extent of the claw back to the MOD in each case are shown in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what formula has been used to calculate the cost of the contract for the A400M aircraft. (259669)

Development and production costs are based on a negotiated agreement between Airbus Military and the customer Nations. Development costs are shared on a pro-rata basis with other Nations according to numbers of aircraft being purchased; UK therefore pays 25/180 of the total development cost. There is a variation of price formula to cover variation of economic conditions, in prescribed circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which (a) US and (b) UK contractors are currently working at RAF Menwith Hill. (260260)

The contractors presently working at RAF Menwith Hill are:

US Contractors

Lockheed Martin

Northrop Grumman

UK Contractors

Haden Young

Clark Construction

Britcon

SGW (Middlesbrough)

Shaylor Construction

IUS

Paragon

HC Engineering

Balfour Beatty

Wrekin

Carillion AMBS

T Clarke

Landscape Centre

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much was spent on the salaries of civil servants working in the Government Olympic Executive in each of the last three years. (260983)

In each of the last three years, the amount spent on the salaries of civil servants working in the Government Olympic Executive (GOE) was:

The amount spent on salaries reflects the increase in the number of civil servants (full-time equivalents (FTEs)) working in the GOE, from 34.8 FTEs in February 2007 to 69.4 FTEs in February 2009.

This planned increase in staffing (a) reflects the wider role the GOE has taken on during this period—GOE is now the only organisation overseeing the entire Olympic project, integrating the work of multiple delivery bodies, and ensuring the games is delivered within the £9.3 billion public sector funding provision; (b) is a planned response to the expected growth in work to deliver the Government’s commitments and guarantees, as 2012 approaches; and (c) is consistent with GOE’s staffing and resource plan for 2008-09 to 2010-11, which was agreed early in 2008.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many businesses from the London Borough of Bexley have won contracts from the Olympic Delivery Authority. (261426)

To the end of January 2009, five businesses registered in the London borough of Bexley had won contracts directly supplying the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Businesses interested in getting involved in the games should be encouraged to sign up to CompeteFor, the electronic brokerage service that is designed to give business across the country access to contracts in the London 2012 supply chains and any support they need to get ready to compete for them. To date, over 2,000 opportunities have been posted on CompeteFor.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much had been spent on the velopark at the latest date for which figures are available; and what its estimated final cost is. (256584)

At the end of December 2008 £5.6 million had been spent on the VeloPark project. As reported in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Annual Report 2009, the potential final cost of the project is £105 million. This figure takes into account all known cost pressures and opportunities, in particular the more complex foundations and ground conditions encountered on the VeloPark site, following its slight relocation to the west to enhance the legacy configuration of facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department spent on staff surveys in each of the last five years; and which companies were contracted to carry out the surveys. (260251)

The Department was created on 28 June 2007. Since it was established, the Department has conducted one full staff survey in October 2008. The survey was delivered in house and the results were analysed by ORC International Ltd.

The cost of the staff survey was £19,515 inc. VAT.

To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps he plans to take in response to the decline in the number of graduates being recruited by businesses. (260787)

We recognise that graduates will not be immune from the downturn. However, graduates should not panic: a recent AGR survey suggests that many companies will continue to recruit graduates in the knowledge that it is in their long term interests, and that many graduates will still get graduate level jobs. The Government are committed to helping new graduates to improve their prospects for work, so we are promoting volunteering, development of entrepreneurial skills and further study to graduates who do not yet have a job, and working alongside major employers to encourage more internships.

To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department is taking to make students aware of Government initiatives to help them into employment. (260796)

The Government are committed to helping new graduates to improve their prospects for work. Our message to students is that they should take advantage of the professional support available from university careers services and take every opportunity to gain the experience and broad range of work related skills that are valued by employers. To help them to do this we are working with employers in the public, private and charitable sectors to increase the availability of volunteering and internship opportunities, and are encouraging new graduates to consider self employment opportunities. The Department has recently created a new section on DirectGov:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/ChoicesAfterYouGraduate/DG 4017755

to get these messages across to graduates and to offer detailed advice and information on graduate options. We are also working in partnership with the National Union of Students to produce further guidance in time for the spring graduate fairs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which companies have agreed to take part in the National Internship Scheme in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11 and (d) 2011-12; and (i) how much the Government plans to spend on the scheme for internships in the (A) private and (B) public sectors and (ii) how many graduates are expected to take part in the scheme in each of those years. (260606)

The Government are committed to helping new graduates to improve their prospects for work in these challenging economic times. We are encouraging graduates to consider the range of opportunities available to them including internships which will help them to build the work ready skills they will need for permanent employment. We are currently talking to key stakeholders in the public, private and charitable sectors about the best way to increase internships this autumn and it is too early to confirm any details.

4. To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what representations the House of Commons Commission has received on the merits of a standard employment contract for the staff of hon. Members; and if he will make a statement. (260753)

The issue of a standard employment contract for hon. Members’ staff was considered in the Members Estimate Committee’s Review of Allowances last year (HC 578). Discussions were held with a number of Members on employment arrangements for staff. The MEC concluded that the current arrangements, whereby a standard contract is provided by the Department of Resources, continued to be the most appropriate employment model for Members’ staff. No additional representations have been received.

5. To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what steps the House authorities have taken to improve the energy efficiency of the Palace of Westminster in the last 12 months. (260754)

The House authorities have, in the last 12 months, reconfigured building management systems; installed new remote energy meters, kitchen ventilation and lighting controls, energy efficient lighting and movement sensors; developed design standards for energy consuming services and conducted building energy surveys.

A feasibility study of energy supply options is under way as part of the mechanical and electrical services upgrade project and insulation will be targeted during the imminent roof overhaul project. In addition, a new post of head of fire safety and environment has been created and filled.

6. To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if the House of Commons Commission will make an estimate of the potential effect on House of Commons expenditure on electricity of the installation and use of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting. (260755)

The House authorities are not yet in a position to be able to estimate the potential effect on House of Commons expenditure on electricity of the installation and use of light emitting diode (LED) lighting.

Several trials of LED technology are under way including the lower waiting hall, nurses’ offices and maintenance offices. The trials will inform Parliament’s lighting programme for the future.

To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission when the most recent analysis of hon. Members’ expenses will be published. (260756)

Annual totals for 2007-08, using the 10 main headings of previous annual publications, will shortly be sent to Members for checking, and will be published before the Easter recess.

8. To ask the Leader of the House what plans she has to improve the House’s ability to scrutinise those Government Bills where many different groups of new clauses and amendments are selected for consideration at Report stage. (260757)

The number of groups of amendments and new clauses selected for debate is not usually known until the day of the debate itself.

The Government will always try to ensure that adequate time is available for debate at Report stage, especially where new matters of substance are to be introduced into the Bill.

9. To ask the Leader of the House if she will bring forward proposals to merge the Procedure Committee and the Modernisation of the House of Commons Committee. (260758)

I have always been committed to a strong Select Committee system. Important work is done every week by all of the committees of the House and the Modernisation Committee has made a number of recommendations in the past on which the House has acted.

The Modernisation Committee has yet to complete its inquiry into recall and dissolution. Once that work is complete, my right hon. Friend and I will give further consideration to the best way to take forward the Modernisation agenda.

To ask the Leader of the House what plans she has to make debates on the floor of the House more understandable to the general public. (260750)

If the House is to retain its place at the heart of our national political life, it is vital that we continue our work to engage more effectively with the public. Promoting public knowledge and understanding of Parliament through the provision of information and access is a high priority for my right hon. Friend and one of the House of Commons Commission’s three primary objectives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which works of art from the Government Art Collection each Minister in his Department has selected for display in a private office. (259436)

The following works are displayed in DCMS Ministers’ private offices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on management consultants in 2007-08. (260884)

According to the Department’s financial records the expenditure attributed to management consultants in 2007-08 was £31,339.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his Department uses WPA2 encryption protocol on all its wireless networks. (259788)

My Department has no wireless networks connected to the main corporate network. Those wireless networks used by visitors and for testing are set up to use WPA2.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what auditing his Department undertakes to ensure that IT security policies are being followed; and on how many occasions (a) IT security policies have been breached by employees and (b) a member of staff has been sanctioned for a breach of such policies in the last 12 months. (259789)

My Department undertakes both internal and independent external auditing of compliance. No members of staff have been sanctioned for breaches of our IT security policies in the last 12 months nor have any such breaches been reported.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s IT security hierarchy. (259790)

My Department does not provide this information on security grounds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what scanning for vulnerabilities his Department conducts of each of its IT devices; what method is used for IT device scans; and how many vulnerabilities have been detected as a result of such scans in the last 12 months. (259791)

My Department carries out a range of vulnerability scans and uses independent outside auditors to carry out additional reviews. We do not provide information on scanning methods or vulnerabilities on security grounds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what IT security policy his Department has; what procedures are in place to ensure the policy is being followed; what his Department’s policy is on encryption of data when it leaves departmental premises; and what sanctions are in place for failure to comply with this policy. (259857)

My Department has a range of security policies in place which support our compliance with SPF and IS27001. The policies are subject to regular and independent audit. All departmental laptops and memory sticks are encrypted and are the only approved means for taking sensitive data out of the office. Any failures to comply with the policy would be dealt with as per the standard rule on security breaches.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on (a) alcohol and (b) food in each of the last five years. (261165)

All expenditure is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Treasury guidance on Managing Public Money and Regularity and Propriety.

Expenditure on food and alcohol is not recorded separately on the Department’s management accounts. This information can be obtained only by manually analysing invoices and expense claims over the period which would incur disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the growth in digital media upon levels of (a) community stability and cohesion and (b) participation in democratic political activities. (259593)

My Department has not carried out any such assessment. However, the Digital Britain interim report recognised that the growth of digital media was impacting on local radio and news provision. In light of this, we have invited the Office of Fair Trading, together with Ofcom and other interested parties, to undertake an exploratory review across the local and regional media sector and make appropriate recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent steps the Government has taken to support (a) cultural, (b) media and (c) sporting industries. (260166)

My Department works closely with a range of partners including industry to support, and maximise the contribution to the UK economy of, the Culture, Media, Sport and Leisure Sectors. Examples of recent activity in these important sectors include the Creative Economy Programme, Digital Britain, a Decade of Sport, and the Free Swimming initiative.

In February 2008 the Government published Creative Britain: New Talents for the New Economy which set out 26 commitments to support the creative industries. Working with our partners in other Government Departments and public and private sector organisations, DCMS’ Creative Economy Programme has made good progress on realising the ambitions of Creative Britain in the year since publication. Of the 26 commitments, 18 are now either well under way or completed.

In January 2009 the Government published the Digital Britain Interim Report, a plan to secure Britain’s place at the forefront of the global digital economy. The report contains more than 20 recommendations on how to maximise the opportunities for communications sector, its crucial contribution to the economy and its role in building Britain’s industrial future. These are being taken forward with a range of partners including industry.

In January 2009 Government also announced plans for a Decade of Sport, from this year’s World Twenty20 Cricket, through London’s Olympics, to the Ryder Cup and the cricket World Cup, and the opportunity to bid for or host an incredible range of world class sports events. We also announced unprecedented investment in elite and grassroots sport and the start in April of free swimming for under 16s and over 60s in England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public houses were in operation in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. (261071)

The DCMS Statistical Bulletin on Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment does not identify the number of pubs in England and Wales; but rather the number of premises authorising the sale or supply of alcohol by means of a premises licence or a club premises certificate. These figures apply not only to public houses, but also to other licensed premises such as hotels, off licences and convenience stores.

However, industry estimates for the number of public houses in England and Wales are available from the market research company Market and Business Development using data from the British Beer and Pub Association:

http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2008/10/06/53051/number-of-pubs-in-the-uk-industry-data.html

We are unable to assess the quality of these statistics as these are not official Government statistics.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding his Department has allocated to the Learn to Swim package as part of its free swimming schemes; which organisations will receive such funding; and if he will make a statement. (259634)

[holding answer 3 March 2009]: As part of the Government’s £140 million Free Swimming Programme, we are working with the Amateur Swimming Association and Sport England on the detailed design and funding arrangements for an integrated suite of measures to get more new swimmers into the pool, including the Learn to Swim package to achieve 100,000 more swimmers.

Swimming lessons as part of the initiative will be organised by a national network of County Swimming Co-ordinators who will be working closely with local authorities participating in the Free Swimming Programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure levels of swimming are increased as part of the Olympic legacy; and if he will make a statement. (259635)

[holding answer 3 March 2009]: The Free Swimming Programme will contribute to the Government’s ambition of getting 2 million more people more active by 2012. The programme has been designed to attract new participants as well as encouraging existing swimmers to swim more often, and to focus on sustaining increases in participation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the source is for the funding for his Department’s free swimming initiatives for those aged over 60 and under 16 years in Chorley. (259672)

Chorley is due to receive a total of £30,743 for the over 60s, and £60,603 for the under 16s, for each of the financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Free swimming is a cross-Government initiative with funding contributions from the Department of Health, the Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Communities and Local Government, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Government is providing for post-Nargis recovery work in Burma in the next three years. (260207)

The UK Government are considering what contribution to make to the continuing international response to Cyclone Nargis, and will reach a decision shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff surveys his Department has commissioned or carried out since 2007. (261200)

The Department for International Development (DFID) has carried out three staff surveys between January 2007 and March 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of the Guidelines for incentives on aid effectiveness in donor agencies, produced for his Department by PricewaterhouseCoopers in February 2008, reference number 200808318. (259466)

The report “Good Practice for Donor Agencies on Incentives for Aid Effectiveness”, and an accompanying self-assessment tool will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of the job description and terms of reference for the information officer employed by the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs for Gaza with support from his Department. (261199)

The terms of reference and job description for this post will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of humanitarian aid to Gaza; and if he will make a statement. (256890)

The international community and international agencies responded generously and quickly to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and so far, donors have provided $336 million in humanitarian assistance. The UK Government swiftly allocated £26.8 million to address immediate humanitarian needs.

At the recent conference on reconstruction in Gaza, held in Sharm el-Sheikh, the Egyptians concluded that $4.5 billion had been pledged, but it remains unclear exactly how much of this is new money. The UK announced £30 million for early recovery in Gaza to help rebuild damaged hospitals, schools and homes. Our pledge includes a new £20 million provision, and £10 million from the support announced in January.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza will remain dire for some time to come. Limited access for humanitarian supplies and staff remains a key challenge, and access will also be critical for the longer-term recovery effort. The UK Government take the issue of humanitarian access extremely seriously and we have been working closely with all our international partners to get progress on this issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the (a) name, (b) relevant country, (c) aim, (d) amount of expenditure, (e) activities undertaken, (f) duration and (g) number of individuals assisted is of each project under the Returns and Reintegration Fund that is (i) ongoing, (ii) completed and (iii) planned; and what the procedure is for identifying and selecting projects to receive such funding. (241112)

I have been asked to reply.

The Returns and Reintegration Fund aims to increase the numbers of failed asylum seekers and foreign national prisoners who are returned to their country of origin and helps to tackle illegal immigration to the UK. It delivers projects in overseas countries which face challenges in accepting back and reintegrating their nationals; provides rehabilitation and reintegration assistance to individuals who return voluntarily; and helps improve the process of removal from the UK.

The Fund began on 1 April 2008 and is a pooled fund comprising the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), Department for International Development, Ministry of Justice and UK Border Agency financial resources and expertise, managed by the FCO. Projects are identified with overseas governments and/or by the UK Government Departments which are party to the Fund. To date we are financing or have in development 83 projects, some of which are still subject to approval. As this amounts to a large volume of material, I have placed a list of the projects in the Libraries of the House. We do not keep records of the numbers of individuals who are assisted through each project.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to paragraph 9 (ix) of the High Court judgment in the case of R (Binyam Mohamed) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of 21 August 2008, whether the legal adviser to his Department was requested to give an opinion on UK responsibilities in Afghanistan consequent upon the observations made about the treatment of persons detained by or on behalf of the United States in Afghanistan by an officer of the Secret Intelligence Service. (259030)

It is the long-standing policy of the Government not to disclose whether legal advisers have given advice, nor whether their advice has been or is going to be sought on any particular issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the government of China on the Population and Birth-planning Law 2002 since 2008; and if he will make a statement. (259020)

Foreign and Commonwealth officials last discussed the One Child Policy during the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in Beijing in January 2008. We do not dispute China’s right or need to implement family planning policies but we do believe they should be based on the principles of consent and not coercion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Congolese government on the requirement to arrest Bosco Ntaganda in line with the International Criminal Court indictment against him. (260300)

The United Kingdom is strongly supportive of the International Criminal Court. We have reminded the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo of their obligations in respect of the warrant for the arrest of Bosco Ntaganda.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average time was for his Department to reply to hon. Member’s correspondence in the last 12 months. (255496)

Only correspondence received by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) ministerial support unit (MSU) is logged centrally. To ask every department or overseas post, within the FCO, how long on average it takes to issue a response to correspondence from hon. Members would incur a disproportionate cost.

MSU records do not allow us to identify the average length of time taken to respond to correspondence from hon. Members. However, I can confirm that, in line with Cabinet Office guidance, of the 10,334 letters received from hon. Members in 2008, 87 per cent. were answered within 20 working days.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2009, Official Report, columns 598-600W, how many policy positions in his Department were (a) created and (b) deleted in each financial year since 1997. (253963)

The answer of 28 January 2009, Official Report, columns 598-600W, referred to a centrally co-ordinated exercise to re-deploy staff resource in order to deliver the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) new strategic framework. In addition, all FCO directors routinely keep staffing levels and deployments in their areas under review on an ongoing basis, in the light of changing circumstances and priorities.

Records of the details of these changes since 1997 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many new employees his Department recruited in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2007-08 and (d) 2008-09; how many he estimates will be recruited in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11; and how many such recruits are (A) permanent, (B) temporary and (C) agency staff in each such year. (254395)

The following tables show the number of permanent and temporary employees the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and FCO Services, a trading fund of the FCO, have recruited in the UK in financial years from 2005-06 to 2008-09. They do not include (a) staff recruited locally to work at Posts overseas and (b) agency staff. We could not obtain figures for these without incurring disproportionate cost.

In 2009-10 the FCO plans to recruit approximately 175 permanent staff in the UK and FCO Services plans to recruit approximately 160.

In 2010-11 the FCO plans to recruit approximately 175 permanent staff in the UK and FCO Services plans to recruit approximately 100.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2009, Official Report, column 2002W, on detainees: Guantánamo Bay, what the names of the two detainees are; and in which country each was held (a) before and (b) after rendition through Diego Garcia. (260123)

[holding answer 2 March 2009]: We are unable to provide further information on this matter other than that given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary in his oral statement of 21 February 2008, Official Report, column 547. We re-iterate, as said in that statement, that the US government has informed us that neither of these individuals was a British national or a British resident.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Prime Minister’s announcement on English—the World’s language on 17 January 2008, how many new master trainers have been recruited by the British Council in India to date; how many will be recruited over the next two years; how much will be spent by the British Council on new master trainers in India in 2008-09; what the budget for the programme is for the next two years; and if he will make a statement. (259140)

One of the strategic aims of the British Council’s regional English Language project is to train master teacher-trainers of English in all 28 Indian States. To date professional training has taken place in: West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi State Capital, Punjab, Kerala and Tamil Nadu where master-trainers will cascade their learning to teachers across these states. As of March 2009 the programme has trained 1,300 master trainers and learning has been cascaded to 402,000 state school language teachers. Over the next two years a further 1,700 master trainers will be recruited.