To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions Capita Group plc tendered for contracts let by his Department in each of the last five years; how many such tenders were successful; how much his Department paid to Capita Group plc for the execution of contracts in each such year; how many contracts which terminate after 2010 Capita Group plc hold with his Department; and what the monetary value is of all outstanding contracts between his Department and Capita Group plc. (303153)

The Capita Group plc have tendered for contracts let by the Department in the last five years as follows:

Two of these tenders were successful, both in 2007-08. These were to carry out an executive search role to appoint the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of Sport England and to provide the Department with a flight travel booking service.

Capita were paid £29,250 for the executive search contract in 2007-08. For the flight travel booking service the following has been paid:

2007-08: £31,234

2008-09: £127,235

Neither of these contracts will terminate after 2010.

There is no outstanding amount with reference to the executive search contract, while the flight travel booking service does not have an outstanding monetary value associated as this will be dependent upon the number of flights booked within the remaining term of the contract.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much (a) his Department and (b) its agency has spent on Christmas (i) cards, (ii) parties and (iii) decorations in the last 12-months. (303843)

My Department (i) produced an e-card using internal services, (ii) used no official funds for departmental Christmas parties and (iii) spent £559.44 on undressed Christmas trees (decorations were reused from previous years) for Christmas 2008.

The Royal Parks (i) spent £200 on Christmas e-cards, (ii) had their staff Christmas party paid for by The Royal Parks directors and (iii) spent no money on decorations in the last 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his Department has entered into any contracts with Siemens or its subsidiaries since February 2009. (303763)

The Department for Culture Media and Sport does not hold any contracts with Siemens or its subsidiaries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many full-time equivalent press officers (a) are employed by and (b) work for his Department. (303595)

There are nine full-time equivalent press officers employed by the Department and one full-time equivalent currently on secondment from another Government Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) year end and (b) in year bonuses were paid to officials in his Department in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08; how many in year bonuses were paid in 2008-09; and how much was paid out in bonuses in each year. (301015)

The Department makes non-consolidated performance payments to its employees for two purposes: (a) year end non-consolidated performance payments to reward highly successful performance over a whole year; and (b) in year non-consolidated performance payments to reward outstanding contributions in particularly demanding tasks or situations. These figures cover all civil servants on standard terms. They are exclusive of two key senior staff in the Government Olympic Executive, who were appointed on non-standard terms with fixed term contracts ending in 2012 and whose remuneration reflects extensive relevant experience and the unique challenge of delivering the Olympics to a fixed deadline. Details of their remuneration were published in the departmental annual reports and accounts 2009. The data are set out in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many miles (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have travelled by taxi in the course of their official duties in each year since 1997; and at what cost to the public purse in each such year. (302701)

All official travel is undertaken in accordance with rules set out in the Department's staff guide under Travel and Subsistence and is consistent with the civil service management code. Travel by Ministers is in respect of their ministerial duties and complies with guidance set out in the Ministerial Code.

The Department's records relating to expenditure and mileage on taxis are not analysed by the categories requested and to provide this would incur disproportionate cost.

As part of monitoring the Department's carbon emissions, the Department's supplier has provided the overall mileage incurred for pre-booked taxis since 2006-07. These details are set out in the following table. Records for earlier years and for hailed taxis are not available.

The total expenditure incurred by the Department on taxis since 1998-99, the earliest year for which information is readily available, is also set out in the table.

These figures represent expenditure on taxis and black cabs but exclude expenditure in respect of ministerial car service provided by The Government Car and Despatch Agency. In addition, some expenditure on taxis and black cabs included under general travel and subsistence account cannot be separately identified except at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people have lost functionality of video recorders as a result of the digital switchover in (a) East Devon, (b) Devon and (c) England. (303448)

Digital television services can be recorded using any standard recording device including video recorders (VCR). Therefore, in terms of recording functions, no one should lose functionality of their VCR after switchover. However, in areas where digital switchover has taken place, any VCR with an analogue tuner will not be able to independently record one digital channel while the TV receiver is tuned to another digital channel.

For Devon, Digital UK has estimated that around 1 per cent. of homes experienced problems with independent recording following switchover in the region. It is too early in the switchover process to quote figures for England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of problem gamblers requiring specialist treatment; and what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of voluntary contributions from the gambling industry for the treatment of problem gambling. (303708)

The British Gambling Prevalence Survey (BGPS) 2007 estimated that 0.6 per cent. of the adult population are categorised as problem gamblers, however the Department does not hold data on the number of problem gamblers requiring specialist treatment.

The gambling industry has agreed to provide a minimum of £5 million each year over three years to fund the research, education and treatment of problem gambling. The Department continues to monitor progress against the agreed funding targets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his Department has entered into any contracts with Kellogg, Brown and Root or its subsidiaries since January 2009. (303343)

The Department has not entered into any contracts with Kellogg, Brown and Root or its subsidiaries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many representations his Department has received alleging breaches of the prohibition on chain-gifting under section 43 of the Gambling Act 2005 since the entry into force of that provision; and whether any prosecutions have been made for offences under that section. (302842)

My Department has not received any representations alleging breaches of the prohibition on chain gifting under section 43 of the Gambling Act 2005 since the provisions came into force. Information regarding any prosecutions for offences under that section would be held by the Ministry of Justice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many sports and leisure facilities there are in each (a) district and (b) unitary local authority area in the Eastern region. (303185)

The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what funding will be disbursed to the army cadet programme in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011; (300759)

[holding answer 23 November 2009]: The funding disbursed to the army cadet programme in 2009 was £42.46 million. In-year savings have reduced this amount by £4 million.

Planning is under way across the Army for next and future financial years but it is too early to say what the outcome of this will be.

We are extremely grateful to the adult cadet instructors for their commitment and dedication. As a result of their leadership, the vast majority of cadet detachments are riding out the temporary difficulties caused by the reduction in the Army Cadet Force budget this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military Land Rovers are deployed in Northern Ireland. (302822)

There are currently 266 military Land Rovers in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of maintaining his Department's website in the 2008-09 financial year; and what the forecast cost is of maintaining websites within his responsibility in the 2009-10 financial year. (302414)

The Ministry of Defence and armed forces collectively maintain four corporate websites. Identified direct expenditure on running these in the financial year 2008-09 was as detailed in the following table. This analysis complies with the guidance issued by COI on the methodology for identifying website costs in response to a Public Accounts Committee recommendation¹.

¹ Public Account Committee Sixteenth Report;

http://www.publications.parliament.Uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmpubacc/143/l4302.htm

A number of other websites are run by different parts of the Ministry of Defence, but these are not managed centrally. This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice his Department gives British troops in theatre on their requirements under the Geneva Convention. (303565)

Aspects of the Geneva Convention are applied throughout military training and will be bolstered before deployment to an operational theatre by further mandatory training, common across all the Services. Irrespective of the theatre to which a person is deploying, specific training based on the Geneva Convention as applied to UK law must be fulfilled. This training includes: compliance with operational law, such as the legal basis for operations, the law of armed conflict, the application of the rules of engagement, the use of force, prisoner handling, understanding the powers of stop and search and the powers of arrest; culture and language training, including cultural awareness; firepower training, including identifying and engaging targets and reacting to fire control orders; and protection training, including procedures for challenging and reaction to direct and indirect attack.

All deployed personnel are issued a rules of engagement card, which specifies exactly the aspects of the law that allows them to conduct operations and react to hostile action.

Role specific training that covers the pertinent application of the Geneva Convention is also undertaken. For example, dedicated prisoner handling teams and medics are briefed in depth of their responsibilities that may be in addition to those usually held.

Trained and qualified lawyers are deployed on all standing operations and are an integral part of the targeting process, are consulted on all forms of the conduct of operations and are available for specialist queries if doubt exists.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have applied for a place at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in each month of the last five years; and how many of those applications were rejected in each such month. (302826)

The following table provides the number of applicants who attended the three and half day Army Officer Selection Board (AOSB) and those that were successful.

Those that are found unsuccessful at any stage of the officer recruitment process will be given feedback on where they have not met the required standard. Those who attend AOSB and are unsuccessful are rarely rejected outright. Their application will usually remain open, should they at some point decide to re-apply.

These figures do not include: serving soldiers applying to become officers, potential Gurkha officers, Territorial Army applicants or professionally qualified officer applicants (doctors, lawyers, etc).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department has taken to contribute to measures to deter piracy in the Gulf of Aden in the last five years; what contribution his Department has received from the governments of (a) Kenya and (b) the Seychelles in such effects; and what steps are available to armed forces personnel upon detection of an act of piracy on the Gulf of Aden. (300484)

We are taking the situation off the coast of Somalia very seriously and have played an important role in developing the military response to pirate activity. We have key command roles within all of the international task forces and continue to develop our strategies in line with changing operational and political requirements. Piracy is a symptom of wider instability in Somalia and the MOD continues to work comprehensively with other Government Departments and the International community as part of a coherent strategy to address the root causes of piracy.

The UK is providing a sizeable contribution to the military effort in the region and has a leading role in countering pirate activity off the coast of Somalia:

MOD has been at the forefront of the European Union mission—Operation Atalanta—since it was introduced in December 2008, providing the Operation Commander, the Operation HQ at Northwood, and a frigate for the first period of the operation.

The Royal Navy has a long standing commitment of frigates and a tanker to the Combined Maritime Force conducting maritime security operations in the region.

The Royal Navy is a contributor to the Standing NATO Maritime Groups, which at present are rotationally undertaking NATO’s counter piracy mission—Operation Ocean Shield. The UK currently has command of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2.

The Royal Navy manned UK Maritime Trade Organisation has been supporting Merchant Vessels transiting through the region since 2001.

The UK has a bilateral arrangement with the Kenyan and Seychellois Governments which allows the transfer of suspected pirates for prosecution. Kenya is currently prosecuting eight suspected pirates detained by a Royal Navy vessel. We are very grateful for their ongoing support.

Royal Navy vessels and coalition forces in the region seek to deter and disrupt pirate activity. Specifically, Royal Navy vessels can actively search for suspected pirate vessels. The Royal Navy can also take robust action to come to the aid of a victim vessel under attack by pirates in international waters. This can again range from deterring and disrupting the attack to the use of reasonable force to defend the victims. However, the safety of any hostages involved remains paramount.

If suspected pirates are encountered, a decision will be made by the UK Maritime Component Commander, based on legal advice, on whether or not they could be transferred to a regional state for prosecution. If there is insufficient evidence to be confident of a successful prosecution, they will be released. Any piracy equipment found, such as ladders and weapons will be seized and disposed of accordingly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pirates have been apprehended by UK forces off the Somalia coast; whether prosecutions have been brought against any of them; and if he will make a statement. (301402)

To date, eight suspected Somali pirates have been detained by the Royal Navy and transferred to Kenya for prosecution. A further 53 suspected pirates have been encountered during boarding operations. However, following detailed analysis of all physical evidence and witness statements, all suspects were released as it was assessed that there was insufficient evidence to be reasonably confident that a successful prosecution could be undertaken in either Kenya or (more recently) Seychelles. The subsequent destruction of any pirate equipment and weapons serves as a disruption measure and prevents their future use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission on the effectiveness of controls over payments under the 2005 and 2006 Single Farm Payment schemes. (303425)

The Department has, in the normal way, been in regular discussion with the European Commission to follow up audits of the 2005 and 2006 Single Payment Schemes. However, no definitive conclusions have been reached to date and further discussions are expected in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many licences to move badger setts English Nature has issued in each of the last 10 years. (302760)

Policy on wildlife management issues is a devolved matter, therefore this answer relates to England only.

Since it was formed in October 2006, Natural England has issued all licences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. Prior to this the licensing responsibility was split between English Nature and DEFRA depending upon the purpose for which the licence was to be issued.

Licences are not issued to move badger setts, but to trap and move badgers. The number of licences issued each year since 2001 is as follows:

Records are unavailable prior to 2001. The 2007 licence was issued by Natural England. The licences from 2001 to 2005 were issued by DEFRA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has for the implementation of the recommendation of the recent report commissioned by the Forestry Commission for an additional four per cent. of the United Kingdom's land to be planted with new woodland. (303437)

Forestry is a devolved matter so plans for woodland creation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for the respective governments. In England DEFRA and the Forestry Commission are working with key stakeholders to develop a framework to encourage an enhanced woodland creation programme. This work is being undertaken to respond to the potential for woodland creation to deliver emissions abatement as outlined in the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan and to the announcement that 'the Government would support a new drive to encourage private funding for woodland creation'. Progress on this work will be outlined in DEFRA's Climate Change Plan early next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the level of use of the practice of using antibiotics as a surrogate for growth promoters in livestock. (303620)

Following the ban of antimicrobial growth promoters by the EU in 2006, DEFRA is not aware of any evidence to suggest that farmers are using antibiotics as replacements for antimicrobial growth promoters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what discussions he has had with the European Commission on potential or actual applications by EU member states for additional time to phase out conventional laying cages for hens; (301717)

The Government are committed to supporting the egg industry during this transitional period and DEFRA officials are continuing to press the Commission and work alongside the industry and any like-minded member states to ensure that everything is done to maintain the ban on eggs and egg products produced by hens housed in conventional cages across the EU. We will continue to discuss this within wider meetings of the commission and other member states.

We have not heard of any applications by other member states for a delay to the ban. However, we have asked the commission to be ready should any such applications be made: to provide sufficient enforcement controls to ensure the ban can be enforced appropriately so that compliant producers and member states are protected from negative impacts of any non-compliance.

At the meeting of the Standing Committee of Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) held on the 30 November, the commission made it clear to all member states that the ban stands and that it must be implemented in full on 1 January 2012, otherwise member states would risk facing infraction proceedings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 11 June 2009, Official Report, column 961W, on rats, if he will assess the implications for his Department's policies of reports of rising trends in rat numbers; and if he will make a statement. (302782)

With reference to the answer of 11 June 2009, Official Report, column 961W, on rats: the English House Condition Survey did not show a rising trend in rat numbers. Under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1954, local authorities have a duty to take such steps as may be necessary to secure so far as practicable that their district is kept free from rats. We have no plans to change this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 11 June 2009, Official Report, column 961W, on rats, when officials of his Department last met the UK pest control industry's Rodenticide Resistant Action Group; and if he will make a statement. (302783)

DEFRA is not a member of the Rodenticide Resistant Action Group and does not attend its meetings. However, Natural England's Wildlife Management and Licensing Service does attend meetings as a member of the group and it provides DEFRA with expert advice with regard to operational aspects of wildlife management.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what projects have been funded by regional development agencies under the (a) Axis 1 and (b) Axis 3 of the Rural Development programme for England since the programme began; and how much funding was awarded for each project. (302640)

The information requested is not obtainable within the time available. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 16 June 2009, Official Report, column 156W, on rodents, whether his Department has reviewed the revised sewer protocols of Thames Water and Yorkshire Water and their respective local authorities; and if he will make a statement. (302784)

DEFRA has not reviewed the revised sewer protocols of Thames Water and Yorkshire Water and their respective local authorities. The protocols provide a mechanism for improved communication and co-ordination between the two privatised water companies and their respective local authorities with regard to the control of rats in sewers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if his Department will take steps to ensure water companies are responsible for water supply pipes to homes. (302112)

Water companies are responsible for water mains and the supply pipes that run to the boundary of individual properties. Householders are responsible for the pipes within their curtilage. The Government have no plans to change these arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many water meters were installed by water supply companies in households in West Derbyshire constituency in the last three years. (303190)

The following table shows the number of meters installed by Severn Trent Water, the water and sewerage service provider for West Derbyshire, over the last three years.

Ofwat, the economic regulator of the water and sewerage industry, does not collect information on the numbers of meters installed by constituency and so this information is given for the whole area covered by Severn Trent Water.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Chinese authorities on tainted milk in that country. (303571)

Although my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any discussions with the Chinese authorities on tainted milk, my noble Friend the Minister of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Lord Davies of Abersoch, and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) officials have raised with them the claims by UK companies for compensation against Chinese suppliers of products containing tainted milk.

Separately, the Department for International Development have recently signed a UK-China Food Safety Action Plan and are working with the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and relevant partners on improving agricultural collaboration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions he has had discussions with the representatives of devolved administrations in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in an official capacity since devolution took place. (303563)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not maintain a comprehensive record of all contact between the current and previous Foreign Secretaries and representatives of the Devolved Administrations since the devolution settlement. There would be disproportionate costs incurred to provide this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms are in place to ensure that staff who drive (a) a vehicle for which (i) his Department and (ii) one of its executive agencies is responsible have valid driving licences and (b) their own vehicles in the course of their official duties for (A) his Department and (B) one of its executive agencies have valid driving licences and insurance; what guidance is issued to those staff in respect of road safety while carrying out official duties; what steps are taken to monitor compliance with that guidance; what requirements there are on such staff to report to their line managers accidents in which they are involved while driving in the course of their official duties; and whether such reports are investigated. (302167)

The following mechanisms are in place covering those staff using UK fleet vehicles for which Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Services is responsible:

The Transport Management Team request and hold copies on file of driving licences of all FCO staff who require hire of official vehicles and visual checks are carried out every six months. This is in line with Freight Transport Association (FTA) regulations.

Staff are covered under a central insurance policy while using official cars for official duties.

The Transport Management Team within FCO Services monitors a range of measures to ensure road safety among their drivers including:

All FCO Services large goods vehicle (LGV) drivers attend at least 35 hours of compulsory training every five years in accordance with FTA/Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency regulations.

Transport Managers who manage drivers with legal commitments (driving hours, tachograph, 48 hour Working Time Directive) have all undertaken and hold the Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) in Road Transport. Drivers are also now undertaking the drivers’ CPC qualification.

A programme of courses is in place to up-skill drivers which looks at driving techniques in difficult driving situations.

All accidents involving FCO Fleet vehicles or affecting FCO Services drivers are documented and investigated in accordance with law.

It is not possible to provide an answer covering official vehicles at post overseas without incurring disproportionate cost as arrangements are post specific.

No checks are made on the licences of those staff who use their own vehicles in the course of their official duties. Staff should ensure that their own insurance policy covers use for business purposes. There is no requirement for checks to be made.

No guidance is issued to staff in respect of road safety while using their own vehicles for official duties in the UK. Guidance may be issued to those staff using their own vehicles overseas although this would be specific to the post.

There is no requirement for staff to report accidents in which they are involved while driving their own vehicles in the course of their official duties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what EU legislative provisions on police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters adopted on the basis of the Treaty on European Union, other than those that constitute part of the Schengen acquis, apply to the UK and (a) are in force and (b) are due to come into force; (302581)

I have been asked to reply.

All EU legislative provisions on police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters adopted on the basis of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) apply to the UK, with the exception of the Council Decision concerning access for consultation of the Visa Information System (VIS) by designated authorities of member states and by Europol for the purposes of the prevention, detection and investigation of terrorist offences and of other serious criminal offences. The UK was excluded from that measure on the basis that it builds on that part of the Schengen acquis in which the UK does not participate. The UK is challenging this decision before the European Court of Justice.

The only other measures adopted with a legal base in the TEU which build on the Schengen acquis are those relating to the development of the second generation Schengen Information System, where the UK will participate in the police and justice elements of that system. The Council is also negotiating a Council Decision with a TEU legal base to create a mechanism to evaluate applications to join the Schengen area.

We do not participate in any measures building on the Schengen acquis with a legal basis in Title IV of the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC). This is because the UK has not opted into that part of the Schengen acquis which deals with visa and immigration. This is one of the areas regulated by Title IV TEC (the other being civil law, which is not an area of Schengen co-operation).

Measures with a legal basis in Title IV TEC which do not build on the Schengen acquis are subject to the Title IV opt-in protocol on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland, which means the UK can chose what it participates in.

To date we have opted in to 43 measures on asylum and migration and 15 measures on civil law. There are 82 measures which we have either not opted in to or have not been eligible to participate in.

Details of all adopted EU JHA legislation can be found at:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/legis/20091101/chap19.htm

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received any recent representations on proposals for an oath of loyalty to the European Commission. (302757)

No, none whatsoever.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has paid in vehicle clamping charges incurred on (a) privately-owned and (b) publicly-owned land in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. (302754)

The requested information is not recorded centrally. However following consultation with the relevant directorates it is believed that no vehicle clamping charges have been paid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 2 November 2009, Official Report, column 662W, on Iran, on how many occasions the UK has interdicted Iranian weapon shipments in Afghanistan in the last three years. (301971)

The UK has worked with International Security Assistance Force to interdict shipments of weapons to the Taliban, including from Iran. It is the longstanding policy of the Government not to comment on specific operational matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of Nigeria on child welfare in that country, with particular reference to the situation of children identified by other people as witches or wizards. (302951)

We remain deeply concerned about the problem of children being accused of witchcraft in Nigeria. Our high commissioner in Abuja has been in frequent contact with the Governor of Akwa Ibom State to raise our concerns, including in July this year in response to information that charities dealing with the issue in the State had suffered intimidation.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also funds part of the work Stepping Stones Nigeria and the Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network are undertaking in Akwa Ibom State including a public enlightenment campaign, which we hope will help change attitudes towards so-called ‘child witchcraft’.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the treatment of (a) converts to and (b) adherents of Christianity in (i) the Middle East and (ii) elsewhere. (302684)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our embassies overseas regularly report and lobby on human rights issues, including freedom of religion or belief.

Our embassies have recently lobbied on the challenges facing non-Islamic faiths in Algeria, analysed the Egyptian authorities’ record on promoting and protecting the rights of Christians in Egypt, and encouraged the Government of Iraq to protect all communities regardless of political, ethnic or religious affiliation. Outside of the middle east, we remain concerned about the suppression of religious freedoms in countries such as China, North Korea and Uzbekistan. We raise these concerns in our regular human rights dialogues with China, and with other Governments at appropriate opportunities.

The UK strongly supports the right to freedom of religion or belief, including the right to manifest one’s religion or belief, the right to change one’s religion or belief and the right not to hold any religious belief. We work closely with EU partners to promote freedom of religion or belief as part of our wider support for human rights. In November, the European Council reaffirmed its strong commitment to freedom of religion or belief and the importance of EU action to promote and protect it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had recent discussions with the Russian government on (a) the rule of law, (b) property rights, (c) human rights and (d) political stability in the Russian Federation; and if he will make a statement. (303661)

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary had detailed and wide ranging discussions with Foreign Minister Lavrov when he visited Moscow from 1 to 3 November 2009. Topics included our concerns about human rights and the rule of law. The Foreign Secretary stressed both the importance of effective investigations into attacks on human rights defenders and journalists, including in the North Caucasus, and the importance of the rule of law in protecting property rights and safeguarding investments. The Foreign Secretary also met non-governmental organisations and civil society in Moscow, when he listened to their concerns and reasserted that the UK will continue raising human rights concerns as part of a comprehensive dialogue with the Russian authorities. I followed up these discussions during my recent meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Karasin.

Human rights and the progress of Russian democracy are high on the agenda and we do not shy away from making our concerns known. We support President Medvedev’s ambition to improve the rule of law in Russia, as an important way of protecting human rights and reducing corruption. We want to see democracy in Russia deliver political pluralism and all its associated freedoms. We believe that an open and democratic Russia will provide better opportunities for the Russian people and consolidate Russia as a stable and reliable international partner for the global community.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office spent £1.5 million supporting local human rights projects in Russia in 2008-09. These included promoting media freedom and journalists’ safety, particularly in the North Caucasus, preventing interethnic conflict and working with the families of conflict victims to improve access to justice through the European Court of Human Rights.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it a condition of Serbia’s accession to the European Union that that country shall not be able to exercise a veto over subsequent accession by Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. (302390)

The UK firmly supports the perspective of EU membership for both Serbia and Kosovo. In so doing, the UK emphasises the importance the EU attaches to good neighbourly relations, a factor which is formally taken into account as part of an applicant country’s accession process. Against this background, the UK continues to give firm encouragement to both Serbia and Kosovo to work together to develop a constructive relationship, in order to reinforce stability in the region and facilitate the prospects for its EU integration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the decision by the European Council not to renew the remaining restrictive measures against Uzbekistan as set out in the Common Position 2008/843/CFSP, with particular reference to the (a) sale, (b) supply, (c) transfer and (d) export of arms and related material to that country. (303379)

Many EU partners took the view that the sanctions against Uzbekistan had served their purpose. The sanctions would have expired by default on 13 November 2009 in the absence of consensus among member states to renew them. We supported the corresponding 2009 Council Conclusions—which maintain the need for progress in Uzbekistan and which contain a review mechanism— achieved that. We hope Uzbekistan will grasp this opportunity to work constructively with the EU and introduce further governance and human rights reforms. The UK stands ready to support that process. I underlined these points in a recent meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Ganiev.

Arms exports to Uzbekistan will still be controlled by consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria. The latter covers the export—including sale, supply and transfer—of military and dual-use rated goods. The EU criteria require an assessment of whether the goods might be used for internal repression.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultant episodes with a primary diagnosis for alcohol-related disease there were in each strategic health authority area (a) in absolute terms and (b) as a proportion of the population of the relevant area in each year since 2004-05. (302537)

Information on consultant episodes with a primary alcohol-related diagnosis is only produced for admission episodes, the first episode in a hospital spell. Admission episodes accounted for 87 per cent. of all episodes in 2008-09. The following table gives the number and rate of admission episodes in England of patients with a primary alcohol-related diagnosis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of blue light emergency cases in the London Borough of Bexley were taken to (a) Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup, (b) Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich and (c) Darenth Valley Hospital, Dartford, in the last three years for which figures are available. (302592)

We do not hold reliable information in the form requested. We have some experimental data but they are poor in quality and unreliable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the standard of treatment of acoustic neuromas; what steps his Department is taking to raise the level of public awareness of that condition; and if he will make a statement. (303043)

We have made no assessment of the standard of treatment of acoustic neuromas. The NHS Choices website at:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/acoustic-neuroma/Pages/Introduction.aspx

contains detailed information suitable for health professionals and the general public on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of this rare neurological condition.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the (a) number and (b) percentage of mammogram scans which are reviewed by (i) one and (ii) two clinicians; and if he will make a statement. (302653)

Information collected for 2007-08 by the Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit showed that over 95 per cent. of mammogram screens were read by two qualified readers. This is the latest period for which information is available. There were 1.7 million women were screened in this period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the level of availability of (a) dialysis and (b) cancer services for residents of the London Borough of Bexley. (302103)

Information on the local availability of dialysis and cancer services is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of young (a) males under 24 years old and (b) other people participating in Chlamydia screening. (302404)

In July 2009 the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) published “Involving young men in Chlamydia screening; a practical guide” aimed at improving access to high quality Chlamydia screening services for young men. The NCSP does monitor and publish on a quarterly basis the number of young male screened in the community.

On 30 November 2009, the Department and the Department for Children Schools and Families, together with the NCSP launched a new public information campaign to tackle the ongoing need to increase knowledge around sexual health, including Chlamydia screening, amongst young men and women.

In January 2010 the Department will be introducing a Chlamydia specific strand to this campaign to raise awareness of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme and to encourage people to accept a test when offered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent press officers (a) are employed by and (b) work for his Department. (303600)

As of 1 April 2009 the media centre employed 33 full-time and two part-time press officers, making a total of 34.2 full-time equivalent press officers. This figure includes four full-time members of staff who joined the media centre from NHS Connecting for Health following the merger of the media relations functions of the two organisations in April 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date he last travelled by (a) bus and (b) taxi in the course of his official duties. (302721)

The information requested is not held by the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received from the Royal College of Surgeons on the European Working Time Directive. (303054)

We are in monthly contact with the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS), the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges meetings, the National European Working Time Directive Reference Group and the Medical Education England Programme Board of which RCS is a member. There are also other meetings. The RCS recently published their college policy document.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account he took of representations from the Royal College of Surgeons on the European Working Time Directive before the implementation of that Directive; and if he will make a statement. (303055)

Before 1 August 2009 we had been in regular contact with Royal College of Surgeons (RCS), the Academy of Royal Colleges and the National European Working Time Directive (EWTD) Reference Group of which RCS is a member. There have also been meetings between RCS and the Departments National Clinical Advisor for EWTD and other officials.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to receive the report of the National Specialised Commissioning Group on children’s cardiac surgery services in England; what considerations he is taking into account in respect of proposed reconfiguration of these services; and what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the level of specialisation required for children's heart surgery in the last three years. (302953)

The National Specialised Commissioning Group (NSCG) will publish recommendations on children’s cardiac surgery services in England in September 2010. The considerations that will be taken into account by the NSCG are for children's heart surgery services and critical inter-dependent services to be high quality, safe, sustainable and accessible, with as many of the non-interventional elements of care being provided locally as is safe and sustainable.

The Department has not commissioned or evaluated research on the level of specialisation required for children’s heart surgery but the NSCG will publish the evidence on which recommendations for reconfiguration are based in September 2010.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to introduce statutory regulation of herbal medicine and herbal medicine practitioners. (302646)

The Department has recently undertaken a consultation exercise on whether acupuncture, herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners should be regulated and if so how. Due to the overwhelming number of responses received it is likely to be the spring before the analysis is complete and a decision can be made on the way forward.

The regulation of herbal medicinal products is covered by provisions of European and United Kingdom legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent studies his Department has carried out on the effect of wi-fi on the health of (a) people who are electro-sensitive and (b) others. (303441)

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) advises the Government in relation to the protection of communities from radiation hazards, including those associated with exposure to non-ionising radiation such as the radio waves from wireless communication systems. The HPA has concluded that there is no consistent evidence to date that exposure to radio waves from wireless networks adversely affects the health of the general population and that there is no reason why schools and others should not use wi-fi equipment. The HPA also keeps the situation under review.

The HPA has reviewed technical standards and wireless equipment used in United Kingdom schools, and performed laboratory measurements with examples of typical equipment. The results are consistent with the position that exposures to the radio waves from Wi-Fi equipment are not expected to exceed internationally-accepted guidelines and that they are less than from mobile telephones. Further measurements in school classrooms are planned, as are computer modelling studies. Information about these studies is available on the HPA website at:

www.hpa.org.uk/HPA/Topics/Radiation/UnderstandingRadiation/1199451940308/

The Department of Health has not commissioned or undertaken any studies specifically on the effect of wi-fi on the health of people who are reportedly electrosensitive. The independently managed Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research (MTHR) programme, jointly funded by Government and industry, has investigated whether electrical hypersensitivity symptoms result from exposure to radiofrequency fields emitted by mobile telephones. In its 2007 report the MTHR Programme Management Committee concluded that the MTHR research results, taken together with earlier evidence, offered no support for this hypothesis. The MTHR report is available at:

www.mthr.org.uk/

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future of maternity services for residents in the London Borough of Bexley; and if he will make a statement. (302588)

This is a matter for the local national health service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the incidence of mental illness amongst children in each of the last 12 years; and what recent assessment he has made of (a) trends in that incidence and (b) contributing factors to mental illness in children. (300666)

This Department has not made its own estimates of the level of mental illness among children in each of the last 12 years. It commissioned the Office of National Statistics to carry out surveys in 1999 and 2004 on the mental health of children and young people in Great Britain. The 2004 survey found that nearly one in 10 children aged five to 16 had a clinically diagnosable mental disorder. The 1999 survey, which covered children aged five to 15, produced a similar result. Earlier surveys have shown that the proportion of young people with hyperactive or emotional problems increased significantly between 1974 and 1999 but this increase may not reflect and increase in incidence, but rather greater awareness of conditions. No recent assessments have been carried out on trends because of the difficulty in identifying the extent to which other factors, such as greater awareness of conditions, have contributed to changes in incidence.

A three-year study by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), commissioned by the Department and the Scottish Executive, “Three Years On: A survey of the emotional development and wellbeing of children and young people” published in October 2008 tracked the emotional wellbeing of a sample of children and young people between 2004 and 2007 and reviewed the factors likely to be associated with the onset or persistence of mental disorders. The report is downloadable from the ONS website.

An independent CAMHS Review, commissioned by Ministers, reported in November 2008 setting out 20 recommendations to improve children and young people’s mental health and psychological wellbeing. The full Government response to the CAMHS Review is to be published soon.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the oral answer of 13 October 2009, Official Report, column 135W, on Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, and pursuant to the oral answer of 24 November 2009, Official Report, columns 386-87, on parking charges (offsetting), what steps he plans to take to ensure that the programme to bring Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust back into surplus is not undertaken at the expense of staff, with particular reference to the level of car parking charges paid by staff of that trust. (302388)

This is a matter for Mid Essex Hospitals Services NHS Trust. We are advised that the trust is forecasting a surplus for the 2009-10 financial year and it is working to phase out car parking charges for in-patients.

The Department's existing guidance will be reissued to ensure that all organisations providing services to national health service patients are clear about the expectations. Early next year, we will issue revised concession guidance and examples of best practice.

The Department works through the strategic health authorities to ensure that all the organisations forecasting an operating deficit are developing recovery plans to return to financial balance while maintaining and improving services to patients. All trusts must ensure that any profit generated from car parking is used to improve health services in the NHS trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress has been made towards meeting his Department’s 2011 deadline for the screening of non-elective patients for MRSA; (302675)

This information is not collected centrally. It is the responsibility of primary care trust commissioners of national health service services to put in place processes for assuring themselves that trusts are meeting this commitment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues to NHS hospital trusts on budget deficits and safeguarding services. (302589)

The Department has made it clear in its guidance to the national health service that proposed changes to NHS services will always be to the benefit of patients and be locally led by clinicians and based on the best available clinical evidence.

In addition, the local NHS will involve patients, carers, the public and other key partners. Those affected by proposed changes will have the chance to have their say and offer their contribution. NHS organisations will work openly and collaboratively.

The Department works through the strategic health authorities to ensure that all the organisations forecasting an operating deficit are developing recovery plans to return to financial balance while maintaining and improving services to patients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts had a (a) budget surplus, (b) budget deficit and (c) balanced budget in each of the last three years. (303582)

Figures taken from the published NHS (England) Summarised Accounts for 2008-09, 2007-08 and 2006-07 show the following distribution of financial performance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses at each grade are employed in female prisons. (302329)

This category of nursing is not identified separately in the National Health Service Workforce Census. The National Offenders Management Service, part of the Ministry of Justice, would hold such information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent discussions he has had with the National Union of Students on nursing degrees; and if he will make a statement; (302896)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with the National Union of Students on nursing degrees.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council, following wide consultation, announced in September 2008 the principle that there would be a future requirement that the minimum academic level to register as a nurse, for those who train in the United Kingdom, would be a nursing degree.

We strongly support this principle. Following a period of stakeholder engagement, including with the Royal College of Nursing and Unison who both have student nurse membership, we announced on 12 November 2009 that all new nurse pre-registration education programmes in England will become degree-level by 2013.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Department's press release of 31 July 2009, on the rules on organ transplants to NHS patients and non-UK EU residents, what his most recent assessment is of progress in the banning of private clinical practices in the UK from using solid organs from live donors (a) within and (b) outside the NHS. (302526)

The Buggins report on the allocation of organs to non UK residents deals only with donations from deceased donors.

We continue to consider the implications for each of the recommendations in the report and have established an implementation group consisting of representatives from the transplant community, NHS blood and transplant, commissioners and others to consider each recommendation and to advise on implementation. The group has met on three occasions, most recently on 23 November. Good progress has been made in this complex area and officials hope to put implementation proposals to their respective Ministers shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance his Department provides to schools in respect of education on sickle cell anaemia. (302904)

The main health contact for schools is likely to be a school nurse. The school health service can provide guidance on medical conditions, including sickle cell anaemia; help schools draw up individual health care plans for pupils with medical needs; supplement and augment information provided by parents and the child's general practitioner; and advise on training for school staff in administering medicines and in taking responsibility for other aspects of support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on raising the level of public awareness of sickle cell disorders in each year since 1997. (302906)

The Department has funded the NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening programme to develop materials for public information (including information on screening, carrier status and a parents’ handbook on children with sickle cell disease) and to undertake a number of public outreach projects in areas where there is a high proportion of black and minority ethnic populations who may have difficulties accessing health care services. For the four years, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09, the programme spent a total of more than £2 million. No figures before this are available.

In addition, the Department awarded the Sickle Cell Society a Section 64 grant of £20,000 over two years (2003-04 and 2004-05) for health education. A Third Sector Investment programme project grant of some £258,000 has recently been awarded to the Sickle Cell Society for three years (2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12) for a named National Support Care Advisor for sickle cell disorders.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on services for those with sickle cell anaemia in each year since 1997. (302907)

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of sickle cell anaemia have been diagnosed in each year since 1997. (302910)

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which London boroughs have implemented rules prohibiting ear and body piercing for those under the age of 18 years without parental consent; (303052)

Local authorities have no specific powers to regulate ear or body piercing of those under the age of 18 years. Ear and body piercing for cosmetic purposes are lawful and there is no statutory minimum age of consent. Minors are able to give valid consent if they are capable of understanding the nature of the act to be done.

Local authorities have powers, under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, to require that businesses offering ear or body piercing are registered with their local authority and observe local byelaws relating to the hygiene of premises, operators and equipment. Local authorities are also responsible for enforcing health and safety at work legislation for such businesses.

The Department does not hold the information requested on the implementation of the London Local Authorities Act 1991 by London local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the performance of South London Healthcare NHS Trust. (302593)

Under the NHS Performance Framework there are four domains against which trusts are assessed; National Standards and Targets, Finance, Quality and Safety and User Experience. Overall, South London Healthcare NHS Trust has been assessed as 'Underperforming' for Quarter 1 of 2009-10. However, for the category National Standards and Targets, which covers key areas of service performance, it is assessed as 'Performing'.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children aged (a) between five and seven, (b) between seven and 11, (c) between 11 and 14 years old have been seen by a medical professional owing to stress-related conditions in each month of the last three years. (303035)

That information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future of stroke services for residents in the London Borough of Bexley; and if he will make a statement. (302591)

Information on local plans for stroke services is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future of elective surgery for residents in the London Borough of Bexley; and if he will make a statement. (302590)

This is a matter for the local national health service.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many breaches in (a) project and (b) personal licences occurred at Wickham Laboratories between 2003 and 2008; and if he will provide details in each case. (302812)

For security reasons it is not Home Office policy to disclose the compliance record of individual establishments licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many European arrest warrants have been issued for arresting and bringing to the UK a suspect from each other EU country in each of the last five years. (301813)

[holding answer 26 November 2009]: The figures for the number of EAWs issued by UK prosecuting authorities and transmitted by the Serious Organised Crime Agency is as follows:

It is not possible from current systems to provide data broken down into the number of EAWs issued by the UK to each member state. This would require a manual examination of all files and incur disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on allowing asylum seekers to work if they have been waiting longer than six months for a full resolution of an asylum claim. (302157)

[holding answer 30 November 2009]: It is not the Government’s policy to allow asylum seekers to work. The only exception is asylum seekers who have been waiting 12 months for a decision where this delay cannot be attributed to them. Allowing asylum seekers to work in these circumstances is in accordance with the EC Directive on the reception of asylum seekers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation was undertaken in Wales as part of his Department’s consultation on violence against women. (303260)

The cross-Government consultation Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Girls was co-ordinated by the Home Office. Officials at the Home Office liaised with key stakeholders from Wales including officials from the Welsh Assembly Government. Wales has its own domestic abuse strategy and will consider the way it responds to all forms of violence against women.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons the processing of Criminal Records Bureau checks was tendered to the private sector; when the contract with Capita for processing Criminal Records Bureau checks will next be reviewed; and what arrangements have been put in place to ensure that Capita processes such checks in a timely manner. (303637)

The Disclosure Service operates as a contract between the Criminal Records Bureau and Capita Business Services based upon a public-private partnership agreement. Under this agreement, Capita is required to perform contractually specified services and to develop, deliver and maintain the technical infrastructure of the Disclosure Service. A contract schedule sets out the service levels for Capita to meet. The current contract expires in 2012.

The decision to tender to the private sector was made following a detailed options analysis. Five options were initially assessed and these were then reduced to two—Contract Crown/private entity for design, build and operation of CRB against a traditional Crown agency. Assessments based on investment appraisal, financial risk, technical/operational risk, performance management, skills and capability and implementation time concluded that a public-private partnership (PPP) approach was the most beneficial option against these criteria.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many farms are licensed to grow opium; how many hectares each licence covers; and how many companies are licensed to harvest the crop. (303032)

A Home Office licence is not required to grow or harvest opium poppy (papaver somniferum). A licence is only required when the opium poppy is processed in any way.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the proportion of (a) acquisitive and (b) sex work-related crime committed which was motivated by the need to raise money to purchase illegal drugs in the latest period for which figures are available. (303033)

The Home Office does not routinely estimate the proportion of acquisitive crime or sex work committed which was motivated by the need to raise money for illegal drugs. Drug use, offending, and sex work are often covert activities and the relationship between them can be complex, thus such estimates are likely to be subject to large uncertainties.

The Department has previously commissioned research that shows proportions of drug treatment seekers and police arrestees who have reportedly committed acquisitive crime in order to buy drugs:

Nearly a quarter (22 per cent.) of a nationally representative sample of drug treatment seekers reported offending in order to buy drugs in the four weeks before interview.

Source:

Home Office Research Report 3

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/horr03c.pdf

12 per cent. of a sample of arrestees said that they had committed crime in order to buy or get hold of drugs. This was much more likely among those who took heroin or crack cocaine once a week, 50 per cent. of whom had committed crime to get drugs compared to 4 per cent. of those who did not take heroin/crack weekly

Source:

Home Office Statistical Bulletin 12/07

http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb1207.pdf

There are a number of research studies that have shown that prostitution, especially street based prostitution, is linked to illegal drug misuse. A Home Office evaluation of five projects that aimed to provide support to help women involved in street prostitution to exit, indicated that around nine out of 10 women involved in street based prostitution used drugs, although the findings do not indicate whether the sex work was motivated by the desire to buy drugs

Source:

Home Office Research Study 290

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hors290.pdf

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell of 5 November 2009, Official Report, column 1138W, on immigrations controls, how many sponsorship licences have been granted to (a) employers and (b) educational institutions since the inception of the points-based system. (302931)

[holding answer 30 November 2009]: The number of sponsor licences that have been granted to employers since the inception of the points-based system to 27 November 2009 is 13,475.

The number of sponsor licences that have been granted to educational institutions since the inception of the points-based system to 27 November 2009 is 3,065.

Figures for educational institutions are for those sponsors who have specified “Education” as the industry sector that best explains their organisation’s main economic activity, irrespective of PBS tier.

The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for the use of covert human intelligence sources by (a) police forces in England and Wales, (b) the Security Service, (c) the Secret Intelligence Service, (d) GCHQ, (e) the National Criminal Intelligence Service, (f) the National Crime Squad and (g) the Serious Fraud Office have been refused by his Department under section 29(7) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in each year since 2000. (302993)

Applications for the use of covert human intelligence sources are not submitted to the Home Office. The authorities responsible for authorising the use of covert human intelligence sources under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 ('RIPA')—including the Serious Organised Crime Agency which replaced the National Criminal Intelligence Service and National Crime Squad in 2005—are listed in Schedule 1 to that Act as amended by statutory instruments 2003 No.3171, 2005 No. 1084 and 2006 No. 1874. The Home Office will shortly bring forward a new statutory instrument to consolidate these earlier instruments.

RIPA vests statutory oversight of such authorisations with the independent Office of Surveillance Commissioners and the Intelligence Services Commissioner. The Chief Surveillance Commissioner publishes annual reports on his findings, copies of which are in the House Library, but the figures provided in the reports relate only to applications granted. The figures are reproduced as follows: