asked Her Majesty's Government:Which measure or measures of the width of the industrial base they wish to be used in assessing their performance in government.

The Government monitor a range of indicators of the performance of industry in pursuit of their goal of increasing living standards and prosperity for all. It is vital that all sectors of industry, including manufacturing and services, are operating effectively and efficiently. The Government aim to raise the trend rate of growth of the economy by strengthening our wealth-creating base, in particular by nurturing investment in industry, skills infrastructure and new technologies. A dialogue with industry and union leadership will help to establish the benchmarking process that practitioners consider valuable to make measurement a contributory factor to performance improvement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to publish the report of the inspectors appointed on 6 June 1992 to investigate and report on the affairs and membership of Mirror Group Newspapers plc.

The inspectors have not yet reported to the Secretary of State. A decision on publication will be taken when the report is received and fully considered.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Inspectors appointed on 6 June 1992 to investigate and report on the affairs and membership of Mirror Group Newspapers plc have properly adhered to the initial direction and thrust of their inquiry as set out in the Department of Trade and Industry press release of that date.

The press notice which was issued on 8 June 1992 stated that the inspectors were appointed to investigate the affairs and membership of Mirror Group Newspapers plc and in particular to look at the offers for sale of the company's shares in early 1991. It is for the inspectors to determine what matters they should inquire into for the purposes of their investigation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the reply of Lord Williams of Mostyn of 30 June 1997 (

The Government have made it clear that they will bring forward legislation to establish a Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly, subject to positive outcomes in the referendums. Parliament will have a full opportunity to scrutinise the legislation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What criteria will be used, and in what timescale, to measure the success, or otherwise, of the British pilot of Radio Data System-Traffic Message Channel technology.

The RDS-TMC service announced on 3 July is conditional on receivers being commercially available. The criteria for its success or otherwise would be its ability (i) to meet the needs of its users and (ii) to continue. The partners currently expect to take an initial view of these considerations about one year after the service commences.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What working relationships have been established between the Department of the Environment and the Anglers Conservation Association at both national and regional level, and particularly with regard to co-operating in the collation of evidence in pollution cases.

The department consults widely on environmental policy issues and, while there are no specific working arrangements with the Anglers Conservation Association, we shall ensure that it is included in such exercises as regards water pollution. Prosecution and other action in respect of pollution offences is a matter for the relevant regulatory bodies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the cost of the expansion of NATO, as advocated by the United States, has been discussed within the European Union, given its implications for the possible expansion of the European Union.

The cost of NATO enlargement has not been discussed in the EU. It will fall to current and future NATO members and is a matter for them alone.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the expansion of NATO's political and economic roles, as advocated by the United States, has been discussed within the European Union, given its implications for European Union foreign and security policy.

NATO has engaged in political and economic, as well as military, activity since its inception. Since the launch of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the enhanced Partnership for Peace, NATO has assumed increasing importance as a forum for political dialogue embracing countries which are not NATO members. This is a welcome reflection of the changed strategic environment in which NATO now operates. NATO's roles may occasionally be referred to in European Union bodies, but are not a matter for discussion and debate in that forum.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which department is responsible for the funding of university museums; andWhether they intend to continue to support university museums; andWhat criteria the Higher Education Funding Council uses in relation to the allocation of awards to university museums.

Universities themselves are responsible for funding university museums from the block grant they receive from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), and decisions about continuing to support these museums are for the parent university. The HEFCE also provides "non-formula funding" in support of a number of university museums and galleries of national importance, on condition that bona fide users from higher education have free access. The HEFCE is funded by a grant from the Department for Education and Employment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Equal Opportunities Commission has introduced targets for employment in its own organisation for male and ethnic minority staff and, if so, what are the target figures and whether the Government support such figures.

Since January of this year the Equal Opportunities Commission has a target to move from the current staff ratio of 80¹ women: 20¹ men to one of 70:30. It will reassess this target after two years. As ethnic minorities represent 5¹ of its staff the Commission has set no target in this regard. Whilst positive discrimination in filling individual vacancies is unlawful, targets are seen by the Government as a useful means of assessing progress towards a more balanced workforce.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they feel that clinical medical research is given a fair weighting in the research assessment exercise.

The conduct and outcome of the research assessment exercise are a matter for the higher education funding bodies. I welcome their current review of the 1996 exercise and their intention to consult on future options in the light of any relevant recommendations from the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education, which is expected to report shortly. It will be open to any who feel that clinical medical research has not been given a fair weighting in the recent exercise to raise such concerns then.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Secretary of State for Education and Employment's comment on 3 July on Welfare to Work that "for the able bodied we do not believe it is right after they have been offered choices for them to turn down those choices and to continue drawing benefit. We made that clear before the election" (HC Deb., col. 442), where and in what words this was made clear before the election.

The position was clearly set out in the manifesto and in the policy document New deal for a new Britain, which was published on 18 March 1997. The latter included the following:

"The young unemployed have a responsibility too—to seek work, accept reasonable opportunities and upgrade their skills. They have a clear responsibility, in return for the new opportunities which we will provide, to choose from the opportunities for work that are available and make the best efforts to develop the skills that are necessary. With our new opportunities, continuing forever on full benefit cannot and will not be an option."

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the constitutional conventions followed by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council; andWhat are the sources of the constitutional conventions followed by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

The jurisdiction of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is derived from the Judicial Committee Acts 1833 and 1844 and rules made thereunder. The constitutional conventions followed by the Committee are to be found in its judgments over more than 100 years.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they are considering on the recommendation, in paragraph 25 of the report by the commissioner under the Security Service Act 1989 dated June 1997, that the Act be amended if the tribunal is intended to deal with employment matters not relating to security.

The recommendation remains under consideration with the Security Service.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their policy towards the illnesses being suffered by Gulf War veterans.

The Government is today issuing a detailed policy statement Gulf Veterans' Illnesses: A New Beginning. Copies of the statement have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in their dealings with Lockheed Martin and with United Kingdom defence companies linked to it, they have taken account of the dual role of the Director of Strategic Planning of the corporation as Chairman of the US Committee for the Expansion of NATO.

The US Committee for the Expansion of NATO is believed to be a business based organisation whose aims are implied in its title. Her Majesty's Government are unaware of any reason why their dealings with Lockheed Martin, or any other company, should be affected by their involvement with this committee.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the annual report and accounts 1996–97 of the NHS Estates Executive Agency.

We have received the report and copies have today been laid in accordance with Section 5 of the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1921. Copies are also available in the Library.