asked Her Majesty's Government:Why, and on what criteria, they decided some time ago not to include in their aid programme Tamil Nadu, one of India's largest and poorest states, and whether this decision will be reviewed.

No decision has been taken to exclude Tamil Nadu, which in fact ranks well amongst Indian states on per capita income and infant mortality. However DfID has had a policy of concentrating activities in four states: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa and West Bengal. In a country as large and diverse as India, this helps increase the effectiveness and impact of aid, especially for the poorest. We are ready to consider good project proposals in other states if they are in line with our country strategy and if we believe we are well placed to assist.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will detail the outcome of the European Union Development Council Meeting on 5 June.

Ministers held further discussions on the future of EC trade and development relations with the African, Caribbean and Pacific States. The Council adopted two resolutions. The first establishes mechanisms to improve coherence between development and other EC policies. The second sets out plans to create a more coherent framework for research activities. The Council also adopted two sets of conclusions, relating to co-ordination between the programmes of the Community and member states and the needs of indigenous peoples. It also agreed a Common Position on a draft regulation covering co-financing with non-governmental organisations. Useful discussions were held on a number of other topics, including the 1996 DAC report on EC Development Assistance, preparations for the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) to review progress since the Rio Summit, and UN reform. The Commission made presentations on two further topics: proposed Community involvement in the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and Democratisation, Human Rights and the Rule of Law in the ACP states.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will place a copy of the report by the United Nations Secretary-General, which is to be made to the Security Council before 8 June under paragraph 11 of Security Council resolution 986, on whether Iraq has ensured the equitable distribution of medicine, health supplies, foodstuffs and materials and supplies for essential civilian needs, financed in accordance with paragraph 8(a) of the resolution; how they can be satisfied that distribution was equitable in the parts of northern Iraq which have been occupied by Turkish armed forces; whether additional supplies have been allocated to the area of northern Iraq to compensate for the additional costs imposed on the people of that area by the charges imposed for the transit of goods across the line of partition with the KDP; whether UN monitors have been able to move freely throughout the south; and how many monitors have been stationed in Najaf and Karbala respectively.

We will place a copy of the Secretary-General's report on the implementation of SCR 986 in the Libraries of the House. In his report, the Secretary-General says, "sufficient observations at the governorate level were carried out during April and May to substantiate that the distribution system is working equitably to bring available commodities to all governorates". We believe the report is a fair reflection of the situation on the ground.We are not aware of the UN distributing any additional supplies to northern Iraq.The Secretary-General says in his report that there have been five occasions when the observation process has been interfered with; these problems have been resolved to the UN's satisfaction. He adds that "international observers have conducted a total of 5,280 visits in the 15 central and southern governorates of Iraq" since the arrival of foodstuffs on 20 March. We understand that UN monitors are not stationed in every city in Iraq, but make regular monitoring trips to each governorate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:With reference to the statement in the Labour Party manifesto that "Our vision of Europe is of an alliance of independent nations choosing to co-operate to achieve the goals they cannot achieve alone", whether they believe that vision is shared by all other EU governments; and, if not, by which EU governments it is shared.

All member states in the European Union co-operate on the basis that in some areas they can achieve more together than they can alone.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received a copy of the National Advisory Council for the Boards of Visitors' Annual Report for 1996.

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary and my honourable friend the Minister of State for Prisons received an advance copy of the first annual report by the National Advisory Council on 29 May. It covers the period from 1 February 1996 to 31 January 1997. The report describes the varied and extensive programme of work carried out by the National Advisory Council on behalf of the Boards of Visitors. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the daily fee for counsel to be appointed by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission.

About £200–£300 per day.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the number of days each year that the proposed Immigration Appeals Commission will sit to determine appeals.

Perhaps around 10 days a year, but it is difficult to predict the number of appeals to the Commission.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the outcome of the Justice and Home Affairs Council held in Brussels in 26–27 May.

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary represented the United Kingdom at the Council. The main matters dealt with were as follows:The Council agreed as 'A' points, among other things, the Europol Drugs Unit budget for 1998, a joint action on co-operation on law and order and security, and a resolution on unaccompanied third-country national minors. Two actions covering Europol were also agreed, one covering how data will be stored and analysed and the other on the conditions of employment for Europol staff.The Commission presented proposals for a future joint action on temporary protection for displaced persons. The proposals concern possible arrangements for European Union member states to respond in a co-ordinated way to situations where large numbers of refugees seek to enter the European Union from countries where events may have placed them in danger. In the light of preliminary discussion, the proposals will now be considered in detail in the appropriate working group.There was discussion of a draft joint action aimed at providing an appropriately speedy mechanism for identifying and controlling new synthetic drugs throughout the Union. Establishment of such a mechanism was agreed in principle, although some work is still needed on the finer points of the text.There was agreement in principle to a Protocol to the Europol Convention which would lay down the extent to which Europol staff will benefit from certain privileges and immunities when carrying out their official functions. Minor amendments to the text are needed before the Protocol can be signed. This should be achieved fairly quickly.Agreement was also reached on the second Protocol to the Convention on the Protection of the Communities' Financial Interests. This Protocol lays down steps to be taken by member states to criminalise certain acts of fraud and corruption against the Community budget, and laundering of the proceeds of such fraud and corruption. The Protocol should be ready for signature in the near future.The Presidency reported progress on the draft Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters. Although some progress has been made, a number of issues remain to be finalised by the working group.The Presidency reported the outcome of its meeting with representatives of the United States Government on 14 April, under the terms of the Transatlantic Dialogue. It was agreed the broad themes for ongoing co-operation should concentrate on the fight against terrorism; implementation of the Caribbean drugs initiative; and prevention of drug smuggling.The Commission gave a summary of work under way to combat trafficking in women and children. This included projects under a number of European Union Justice and Home Affairs programmes, as well as on the role of voluntary organisations working in the field.The Council also took note of reports on the work of the task force on organised crime in the Baltic region. The task force, which involves Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Finland, the Presidency and the Commission, has taken a number of concrete measures, including the establishment of 24-hour national contact points, joint communications systems and actions against stolen motor vehicles and drugs. It will report to Heads of Government in January—February 1998.Two new European Union Conventions were signed by Ministers. One covered arrangements for the Service in Member States of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters, including a Protocol covering the role in these matters of the European Court of Justice. The other was the Convention on the Fight Against Corruption involving Officials of the European Communities or Officials of the Member States of the European Union.Meetings were held with Ministers of the associated Central and Eastern European countries and, separately, with Cyprus. These concentrated on asylum, and covered in particular the application of the safe third country concept, public attitudes to asylum, and the possibility of a parallel convention to the Dublin Convention. The Dublin Convention lays down the procedure for determining the state responsible for examining applications for asylum lodged in one of the member states of the European Communities. A parallel convention would create a similar procedure for European Union member states and other contracting parties outside the Union.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will consider ways of improving protection for pregnant women against dismissal for reason of pregnancy.

Legislation already provides that it is automatically unfair to dismiss a female employee, regardless of her length of service, for any reason in connection with her pregnancy or for taking statutory maternity leave.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the progress of negotiations resulting from the Armenian Government's response to the double-taxation convention to facilitate trade between the United Kingdom and Armenia.

Her Majesty's Government have not received a response to the draft double taxation convention provided to the Armenian Government.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why they are planning to replace the Bread and Flour Regulations 1995.

European law requires draft national legislation to be notified to the European Commission (and through them to other member states) to ensure that it does not introduce new technical barriers to trade. The Bread and Flour Regulations 1995 were a simplification of earlier regulations. They did not introduce any new standards and at the time it was considered that they did not need to be notified.However, the ECJ has recently ruled that even a simplification of existing regulations should be subject to the notification procedure.The European Commission has indicated that it considers the Bread and Flour Regulations 1995 to be technically in breach of Community law and the Government have therefore agreed to revoke and remake them in accordance with EU notification procedures.Draft regulations are now being issued for public consultation. They revoke and re-enact the Bread and Flour Regulations 1995 and incorporate amendments made by the Bread and Flour (Amendment Regulations) 1996.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give the date on which the most recently born bovine animal with BSE was born.

BSE has been confirmed in a Highland cow born in Wales on 17 January 1994. This animal was two years and 10 months old when clinical signs were first observed. This is the first case of BSE in an animal born in 1994 but is unlikely to be the last as the risk of exposure through feed was not significantly different in the early months of 1994 compared with the closing months of 1993 when cases have already been confirmed. The dam of this particular cow is still alive and shows no signs of BSE.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have yet been able to consider the recent report published by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee entitled

The Government welcome the report from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on the Indirect Effects of Pesticides on Birds. The independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) has been asked to consider the report. It is currently being examined by the ACP's Environmental Panel, which includes English Nature among its members.A range of measures are in place which aim to reduce the impact of pesticides on the environment and to support conservation. These include the promotion of integrated crop management by the Pesticides Forum and the provision of grants for conservation measures under agri-environment schemes such as Countryside Stewardship. The Government also fund free on-farm conservation advice, which is provided by ADAS and the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG). Advice to farmers on measures to protect wildlife is also contained in the Code of Practice on the Safe Use of Pesticides on Farms and Holdings. Additionally, research is being funded on the environmental impact of pesticides and on the effects of agricultural management practices on farmland bird populations. The Government are seeking to improve scientific understanding of the key factors influencing farmland bird populations and to develop policy responses which promote conservation while ensuring a productive and efficient agricultural industry.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are satisfied that those practising organic farming in the United Kingdom should continue to receive lower conversion grants and direct payments than farmers in other member states of the European Union and, if not, whether they will review this situation.

The rates of aid paid vary considerably between EC countries. While it is true that rates in the UK are lower than elsewhere, it is also true that they are adequate for a great many more farmers than have so far applied. The Agriculture Select Committee report into agri-environment schemes has made recommendations in respect of the Organic Aid Scheme and the Government are currently considering their response to that report.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Answer given by Baroness Blackstone on 3 June (

We are currently considering the options for the publication in performance tables of National Curriculum assessment results for 11 year-olds in each primary school, and will announce our decisions soon. National summary results for 7, 11 and 14 year-olds will be published in the autumn. We shall also be consulting in due course on the arrangements for requiring schools from September 1998 to set and publish their own performance targets. We expect governing bodies of schools to comply with their statutory duties.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the membership of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Welfare to Work; andWhat is the membership of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Women's Issues.

I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given on 9 June by my right honourable friend the Lord Privy Seal to my noble friend Baroness Turner of Camden (Official Report, Monday 9 June, cols. WA 56–66).

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Annual Report of the Commissioner appointed under Section 8(1) of the Interception of Communications Act 1985 will be laid before the House.

A copy of Lord Nolan's annual report for 1996 has been laid before the House today in accordance with Section 8(7) of Interception of Communications Act 1985. The confidential annex to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with Section 8(8) of the 1995 Act. I am grateful to the commissioner for his work in reviewing the issue of warrants and in providing assistance to the tribunal as provided for in the Act. I note in particular the commissioner's view that interception of both postal and telecommunications remains both an effective and an essential operation in the interests of national security and the economic well-being of the United Kingdom and the prevention and detection of serious crime.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the annual report of the commissioner appointed under the Intelligence Services Act 1994 will be laid before the House.

A copy of Lord Justice Stuart-Smith's annual report, for 1996, has been laid before the House today in accordance with Section 8(6) of the Intelligence Services Act 1994. The confidential annex to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with Section 8(7) of the 1994 Act. I am grateful to the commissioner for his work in reviewing the issue of warrants and authorisations, and in providing assistance to the tribunal as provided for in the Act. I note that he was satisfied that the former Secretary of State had properly exercised his powers under the two sections of the 1994 Act.