asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the cause of peace has been advanced by their policies since 1 May.

Yes. The Government have sought to do everything possible to advance the achievement of a lasting settlement through dialogue among all the political parties in Northern Ireland who are committed to exclusively peaceful methods. We have reaffirmed our commitment to the fundamental principle of consent. With the Irish Government we have put forward proposals on decommissioning which provide a basis upon which the multi-party talks could move on to substantive negotiations in early September. We have taken steps to establish whether Sinn Fein are prepared to make the transition to democratic politics and join in the talks process. We welcome the declaration of a ceasefire; we shall over the next six weeks carefully assess its quality.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether conservation area consent is no longer required unless the complete or substantial demolition of a building in a conservation area is proposed?

Whether works are for demolition or alteration is a matter of fact and degree in each case. It is our understanding of the law that conservation area consent is only required for complete or substantial demolition.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How they define the word "family" when used by Ministers in relation to social, taxation or economic policies.

This will normally be made clear by the particular context in which the word "family" is used.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will have regard to the provisions of the Irish Freedom of Information Act 1997 in preparing their proposals for similar legislation in the United Kingdom.

Yes. In developing our proposals for freedom of information legislation we shall look at the experience of a number of countries, including the Republic of Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they accept the traditional view of Cabinet responsibility, and what steps they have taken to change procedures particularly in relation to the announcement of their policies.

As regards collective Cabinet responsibility, the answer is, yes. As regards announcement of policies, the Government seek to ensure that the reasons for, and basis of, their policies are clearly understood and available to the public.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In view of Baroness Jay of Paddington's statement of 19 June 1997 (H.L. Deb., Col. 1346) that prescription charges today are 28 times more expensive than they were in 1979, whether they will express prescription charges as a percentage of the total expenditure on the NHS, for each year since 1949, when the principle of a prescription charge was first introduced.

Full United Kingdom data on the proportion of National Health Service expenditure net from prescription charges are not readily available for the period prior to 1987–88. The following table shows the proportion for the period 1987–88 to 1995–96, the latest year for which full data are currently available. It also includes an estimate of the proportion in 1953–54, the first full year after the introduction of prescription charges in 1952, and in 1978–79.

Year	Income from Prescription Charges as a percentage of NHS Expenditure (UK)
1953–54	1.5 (estimated)
1978–79	0.4 (estimated)
1987–88	0.9
1988–89	0.9
1989–90	0.9
1990–91	0.9
1991–92	0.8
1992–93	0.8
1993–94	0.9
1994–95	0.9
1995–96	0.9

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action, if any, they intend to take to investigate the phenomenon of electronic smog from the perspective of public health.

The Government obtain advice from the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) on the risks to health of exposure to electromagnetic fields and radiation—referred to by some as "electronic smog".The NRPB' s advice is based on its own research and careful assessments of published scientific studies by its Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation under the Chairmanship of Professor Sir Richard Doll, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation and the World Health Organisation.Advice on limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields and radiation can be found in

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people attended their Anti-Smoking Summit (ASS) on 14 July; how many persons and organisations present arc in receipt of government subsidy or other public support; what was the total cost of the event; and which persons or organisations were present to represent the 15 million people in the United Kingdom who smoke legally.

A total of 313 delegates attended the Anti-Smoking Summit on 14 July. At least 50 of the organisations represented by those attending are likely to be in receipt of central or local authority support. Further detail could only be available at disproportionate cost. The cost of the event was £55,748.00 (excluding value added tax). The Office of National Statistics findings (ONS (97) 182) show that 69 per cent. of current smokers say that they would like to stop smoking. The summit was held to examine options for reducing smoking, controlling tobacco consumption and helping those who want to stop smoking to do so. A wide range of interests were represented at the summit—from the media, business, the arts, and sport, to the medical professions and health charities. Also present were representatives of interests likely to be affected by the Government's manifesto commitment to ban tobacco advertising. In addition, national and international experts in tobacco control were asked to examine in detail the options for reducing smoking by pooling their knowledge and experience on what strategies work in practice. The conclusions of the summit will inform the development of a White Paper, to be published later in the year. The White Paper will set out in full the Government's plans for legislative and other action to reduce smoking prevalence and tobacco consumption.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proposals they have for a computerised cattle traceability system.

We intend to introduce such a system as soon as we can. Work is now under way, including discussions on detailed points of implementation with the livestock industry.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the latest progress report on bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

A further report on BSE in Great Britain was placed in the Library of the House today.The report outlines the measures which have been taken to protect public health since November 1996, including the Government's proposals for a new Food Standards Agency and the consultation on new proposals for legislation on specified materials from sheep and goats, specified bovine materials in imported beef, and scrapie. It summarises the results of action to enforce existing public health measures, and outlines the action which has been taken on cattle traceability. An update on the number of cases of nvCJD is included.There is a section on the protection of animal health covering the controls on animal feed and the selective cull.The European perspective is reported in a section covering progress towards lifting the export ban, the European Parliament Temporary Committee of Inquiry, Commission proposals on Specified Risk Materials and recent Commission reports.The epidemiology section shows that the epidemic of BSE in the UK continues to decline. The number of clinically suspect cases of BSE reported in Great Britain has continued to fall and at 30 June 1997 was 56 per cent. less than at the same time in 1996 and 70 per cent. less than at the same time in 1995. A continued improvement is expected for the future.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 22–23 July.

My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers held in Brussels on July 22. He was accompanied at the meeting by the Lord Dubs, Under-Secretary of State in the Northern Ireland Office.The principal business of this Council was to consider the Commission's proposal introducing, as a measure to protect public health, an EU-wide prohibition on the use of specified risk materials from cattle, sheep or goats. The Council was called upon to consider this proposal since it had failed to secure a qualified majority at the Standing Veterinary Committee held on 16 July. Following prolonged negotiations in the Council, the Luxembourg Presidency was able to establish that a simple majority of member states supported the Commission's proposal: those member states were Sweden, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Ireland, France and the United Kingdom. The way is now open for the Commission to act on its own competence and give effect to this measure, which will come into force on 1 January 1998. We very much welcome the fact that a majority of member states was able to support a measure which will bring the EU broadly into line with UK practice in respect of the removal of specified risk materials from bovine carcasses, and extend that practice also to sheep and goats.The Commissioner gave a full report to the Council on the recent discovery of illegal exports of beef from the United Kingdom to other EU member states. My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food emphasised to the Council the importance which the United Kingdom attaches to the prevention of fraud and to maintaining strict controls within slaughterhouses and meat plants.The Agriculture Council also heard Commissioner Fischler give a full account of the recently published approach to further reform of the Common Agricultural Policy in the framework of the Commission's Agenda 2000 proposals. The Commissioner emphasised the importance of proceeding urgently with changes to the arable, dairy and beef sectors in particular, as well as certain Mediterranean products, in order to prepare the EU for the next round of WTO agricultural negotiations and to facilitate the enlargement of the EU. My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food welcomed the Commission's initiative and urged the Council to engage in detailed discussions as quickly as possible. The Council will revert to this important subject in the early autumn.The Council also had reports from the Commission on progress in the veterinary equivalence negotiations with the United States and with the Czech Republic; and from the Presidency on progress in attaching animal welfare conditions to the payment of beef export

Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee
	Commercial interests		Non-commercial interests
Member	Name of organisation	Nature of interests	Name of organisation	Nature of interests
Professor J. R. Patlison (Chairman)	None	None	Medical Research Council	Senior Medical Adviser to the Chief Executive
Dr. R. G. Will (Deputy Chairman)	None	None	Department of Health	Grant Holder
			Scottish Home and Health Department	Grant Holder

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the 1996–97 annual report and accounts for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate is due to be published.

The Government are pleased to announce that the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's annual report and accounts for 1996–97 was published yesterday. Copies are available in the Library of the House.The report charts the continuing success of the Directorate as a "Next Steps" Agency and we would like to congratulate the Chief Executive, Dr. Rutter, and his staff on their considerable achievements during the year.The Veterinary Medicines Directorate has also published a second report on Surveillance for Veterinary Residues. The report sets out the results of the testing for residues of veterinary medicines in meat and other animal products. Copies of this report are also available in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will provide updated details of the commercial and non-commercial interests of the members of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee.

Members of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) are not required to declare their commercial and non-commercial interests as this is a scientific advisory committee with no trading or financial objectives. However, in the interests of open Government the members of SEAC have been asked for this information and the interests declared are listed in the following table.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many expatriate officials are expected to remain in the Hong Kong Government Service and what were their ranks on 30 June 1997.

The total number of expatriate officials in the Hong Kong Government on 30 June 1997 was:

	Number
Directorate	294
Senior Management/Professionals	331
Others	585
Total	1,210

It is not possible to say how many of these officials will remain in the employ of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in the future.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many expatriate police officers are expected to remain on the strength of the Hong Kong Police Force and what were their ranks on 30 June 1997.

The total number of expatriate police officers in the Royal Hong Kong Police on 30 June 1997 was:

	Number
Assistant Commissioner and above	7
Superintendents	140
Inspectors	302
Total	449

It is not possible to say how many of these officers will remain in the employ of the Hong Kong Police in the future.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much money each country of the EU gives or receives annually under (a) the Structural Funds and (b) the Cohesion Funds, and how they expect these figures to change over the next two years.

Estimated Structural and Cohesion Funds allocations to member states for the years 1997 to 1999 are shown in the table. There are no figures available for member states' contributions to the Structural and Cohesion Funds since member states contribute to the Community budget as a whole, and these contributions are not attributable to individual elements of it.