asked Her Majesty's Government:How much in each of the past five years has been spent from the budget of each of the following departments on landmine clearance: Overseas Development Administration (Department for International Development), Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence.

Bilateral funding for global mine clearance operations in the last five years is as follows:

£ million
Department	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97
ODA(DFID)	1.769	3.152	5.929	4.808	4.384
FCO					0.065

ODA(DFID) bilateral funding is augmented by over £7 million, being UK's share of the European Commission's mine clearance activities 1992–96/97.Ministry of Defence also contributes towards demining operations, for example through the involvement of UK Armed Forces personnel in the monitoring and co-ordination of mine clearance operations by Bosnian authorities. It is not possible separately to identify the costs associated with these tasks.

asked Her Majesty's Government:With reference to the six diplomats who, with their families, were withdrawn from posts in the United Kingdom at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in which countries' diplomatic missions they were employed and what serious offences they were alleged to have committed.

The six diplomats, and their families, who were withdrawn from posts in the United Kingdom after representations from this department in 1996 were from the following missions:

• Honduras: fraud
• Jamaica: drink/driving
• Nigeria: fraud/deception
• Uganda: breach of the peace
• Zimbabwe: (1) drink/driving
• (2) assault/breach of the peace.

asked Her Majesty's Government:With reference to the 34 alleged serious offences by persons entitled to diplomatic immunity drawn to the attention of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1996, in which countries' diplomatic missions the persons concerned were employed.

The 34 alleged serious offences committed by persons entitled to diplomatic immunity in 1996 were from the following missions:

3	offences	Nigeria, Zimbabwe
2	offences	Commonwealth Secretariat, Italy, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uganda
1	offence	Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, Gabon, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Netherlands, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, Uruguay, USA

asked Her Majesty's Government:How the figure of 34 alleged serious offences in 1996 by persons entitled to diplomatic immunity from a diplomatic community of 17,000 compares proportionately with other similar category offences committed by the population of the whole of the United Kingdom.

The figure of 34 alleged serious offences in 1996 by those entitled to diplomatic immunity (from a diplomatic community of 17,000) compares with similar offences committed by the population of the United Kingdom as follows:

Rate of Offenders per 17,000 population
Offence description	England and Wales	Northern Ireland	Diplomatic Corps.
Drink/driving	31	32	18
Shoplifting	44	14	10
Breach of the peace	6	3	2
Actual bodily harm	13	10	1
Assault	10	14	3

Information for Scotland has not been included in the Answer due to differences in both the legal system and procedure and the methods for recording statistical information.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer given by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 14 July (

Work to make good the Government's commitment to strengthen monitoring of end-use of defence exports is being taken forward alongside the Government's other commitments on export controls. We shall consider how best to announce the results once this work is complete.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will report on the outcome of the General Affairs Council on 22 July.

The 36 A Points in Document 9959/97, the text of which will be placed in the House Library as soon as it is available, were approved.The Council noted the resolutions adopted by the European Parliament, listed in Document 8776/97. A copy of that document will also be placed in the House Library as soon as it is available.The Council began with a debate on the Luxembourg presidency programme. The Luxembourg Foreign Minister outlined their priorities: the Special European Council on Employment in October; preparation for enlargement; relations with Africa; and the fight against drugs. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made clear that we want to take forward the Agenda 2000 package presented by the Commission, with a view to the early launching of the next stage in the enlargement process. We also need to ensure that the EU focuses on issues of concern to its citizens: above all on jobs.The Commission presented its Agenda 2000 Communication (covering enlargement, policy reform and future financing). Member states held an initial exchange of views. Three (Italy, Sweden and Denmark) opposed the Commission's recommendation that the EU should negotiate only with those central European applicants which it judged sufficiently prepared. There was a general recognition of the need for policy reform, but some of the principal CAP and structural and cohesion fund beneficiaries made clear their concerns. Detailed discussion will begin in the autumn, with a view to the Luxembourg European Council taking the necessary decisions so that accession negotiations can begin in early 1998, during the UK's Presidency of the EU.On Iran, the Council agreed the continuing need for EU solidarity, including on the return of EU Ambassadors to Tehran.The EU special envoy on the Middle East peace process briefed the Council on developments in the region. The Council discussed ways in which the European Union could contribute to ending the current deadlock and to a resumption of negotiations on the basis of the agreements signed between the two sides. The Council had meetings with the Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levy, and the presidency of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to Baroness Jay of Paddington's reply of 23 July (

Further to my reply to my noble friend on 23 July, column WA 165–166; three contextual matters for the review of the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work should have been included. A full text of the announcement including these three matters is as follows:

• The Department of Health, in collaboration with the Scottish Office, Welsh Office and Department of Health and Social Services Northern Ireland, will conduct a thorough review of the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work. The review, which is now due as part of the regular five yearly examination of non-departmental public bodies, will take the form of a prior options study. It will assess the extent to which the functions of the Council are necessary for the achievement of the Government's policies and consider, with particular regard to the importance of securing the best value for money, the scope for rationalisation, privatisation, contracting out, market testing or transferring all, or part, of its functions to another body. We will consult widely with all parties who have an interest in the work of the Council.

The review will have regard to and take account of:

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people are employed in the tobacco industry, including manufacturing, distribution and retailing.

The Office for National Statistics' Annual Employment Survey provides the following information for Great Britain in 1995:

Employees in Employment in the Tobacco Industry
	(GB,1995)
Manufacture of Tobacco Products:	7,300
Wholesale of Tobacco Products:	1,300
Retail Sale of Tobacco Products:	5,200

asked Her Majesty's Government:What indicators of the performance of industry they monitor; what the values were at the latest date for which figures are available; and which of these measures they have proposed, or intend to propose, should be used in the benchmarking process which they intend to implement.

Statistics of industrial performance, including the latest figures, can be found in the following publications, all of which are available in the Library of the House: Economic Trends, National Income Accounts, Annual Abstract of Statistics, Monthly Digest of Statistics. The Government's approach to competitiveness and benchmarking will be set out in an audit of UK competitiveness to be published in the autumn and in a White Paper to be published next year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What funds have been allocated for research into the organic aetiology of chronic fatigue syndrome and allied syndromes since 1987; how many research proposals have been submitted to the Medical Research Council in that period; of those, how many have been accepted; what reasons have been given for rejection of others and on whose decision.

Since 1987 the Medical Research Council has allocated around £152,220 for research into the organic aetiology of chronic fatigue syndrome and allied syndromes.Since 1993 there have been nine grant applications to the MRC in this area, of which only one was accepted. Between 1987 and 1993 the basis for indexing and retrieving data was different to the current system which makes direct comparisons difficult. However, in that period the MRC has been able to establish that at least seven applications were made for research into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and two awards were made.The Council's scientific advisory boards and committees decide on whether or not to award a grant following peer review of applications. The reason for declining the above applications was that they did not meet the competitive standard required for funding.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have any plans to use SID (Spatially Immersive Display) technology to assist in determining the outcome of major planning inquiries.

The Government have no immediate plans to use SID technology to assist in the conduct of planning inquiries. The planning inspectorate keeps a close watch on developments in technology that can improve its service.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will consider amending the

Retractable seat belts have been compulsory in new cars since April 1981. The Highway Code is being revised this year and all relevant suggestions will be considered during the revision process. Advice on how to wear seat belts correctly is given in the department's Choosing Safety publication.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have for the radon free measurement programme.

We are concerned by the threat posed to health by high concentrations of radon gas in homes and we therefore propose to complete the two-year programme, initiated by the previous Government, the second phase of which began in February this year. From early autumn, invitations for a free radon measurement will be sent to the remaining homes in England—nearly 178,000—which have a greater than 5 per cent. chance of being above the recommended radon action level and which have not already received an invitation. These invitations will ensure that every household in the most radon-affected parts of the country will have been offered a free radon measurement.When we have the data generated by this programme we will be able to consider, with local authorities, the best way to deal with this problem on a local basis.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to publish the Green Paper setting out their proposals for a greater London authority.

We will publish a consultation paper on our proposals for a greater London authority tomorrow. Copies of the Green Paper will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made with the roads review.

My right honourable friend the Minister for Transport has today launched a public consultation on the roads review. This seeks views on the role which the trunk road network should play in our integrated transport strategy. Our general approach is to look at the transport problems which lie behind proposals for roads schemes and then to seek solutions which are environmentally sustainable. We invite comments on how we should respond to increasing congestion. We intend to bring a fresh approach to the process of making decisions on the roads programme. We will take a more strategic view and judge proposals on the criteria of accessibility, safety, economy, the environment and integration—which we are adding to the four manifesto criteria as it is fundamental to our whole approach to transport policy.A further key aspect is the development of an investment strategy for the trunk road network. The consultation invites contributions to this process. Other issues raised include where responsibility should lie for the trunk roads; how trunk roads investment should be planned in the future as part of strengthened arrangements for co-ordinating the planning of land-use, economic development and transport at the regional level; and funding of the trunk road system. The Government remain committed to seeking ways for the private sector to contribute to the provision of transport infrastructure including, where appropriate, road construction and maintenance projects. The review will consider the possibilities.Copies of the consultative document,

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give effect to the recommendation made in the Report of the Hansard Society Commission on the Legislative Process (November 1992) that the Legislation Committee of the Cabinet should be given the role of ensuring that Bills conform with the best constitutional principles and, where appropriate, that they are prepared after full and genuine consultation; andWhether they will give effect to the recommendation made in the Report of the Hansard Society Commission on the Legislative Process that there should be a two-year legislative programme; andWhether they will give effect to the recommendation made in the Report of the Hansard Society Commission on the Legislative Process that proper consultation should play a central part in the preparation of Bills and that all government departments should act accordingly; andWhether they will give effect to the recommendation made in the Report of the Hansard Society Commission on the Legislative Process that early consultation on the policy content of secondary legislation should become a more regular practice, and draft rules and regulations should be circulated to all interested bodies (allowing adequate time for comment) in every case; andWhether they will give effect to the recommendation made in the Report of the Hansard Society Commission on the Legislative Process that, for every Act of Parliament, Notes on Sections, explaining the purpose and intended effect of each Section (and Schedule) should be prepared by government departments (with the assistance of Parliamentary Counsel) by up-dating the Notes on Clauses (and Notes on Amendments) prepared for Ministers, and publishing the Notes on Sections at the same time as Acts; andWhether they will give effect to the recommendation made in the Report of the Hansard Society Commission on the Legislative Process that full explanatory notes to draft statutory instruments should be made available and, where one instrument makes amendment to another, the amended provision should, wherever possible, be repealed and restated in the later instrument; andWhether they will give effect to the recommendation made in the Report of the Hansard Society Commission on the Legislative Process that, wherever possible, statutes' sections or subsections which have been heavily amended should be repealed and restated, thus reducing the need for a reference back to earlier provisions; andWhether they will give effect to the recommendation made in the Report of the Hansard Society Commission on the Legislative Process to make Notes on Clauses in Government Bills regularly available from the sponsoring government department, the Stationery Office and Parliament, or alternatively, printed on the page facing the Clause; andWhether they will give effect to the recommendation made in the Report of the Hansard Society Commission on the Legislative Process that Ministerial responsibility for the work of parliamentary counsel, and particularly for the oversight of drafting methods employed and the scrutiny of all government bills, should be assigned to the Attorney-General.

The Legislation Committee of the Cabinet has the role of examining all draft Bills before they are introduced and satisfies itself that Bills conform with good legislative practice and with the Government's international obligations.The Government recognise the advantages of repealing and re-enacting provisions that have been subject to heavy textual amendment and, where practicable, aim to bring forward amendments which have been framed in that way.Although they recognise that it will not be practicable to do so in every case, the Government are committed to improving consultation on legislation and have already announced that seven substantial Bills, more than ever before in a single session, are to be drafted and consulted upon during the course of this session, for introduction in the second or a subsequent session. The Government intend to build on this approach in the future. Other methods of consulting on policy intended to lead to legislation are also used, separately or in parallel, such as the publication of Green and White Papers. The Government also favour consultation on delegated legislation, for the good reasons advanced by the Commission, although it may not be practicable in every case.The purpose of Notes on Clauses is to provide information to Ministers about the content and drafting of individual clauses. As the Commission's report recognised, it has become common practice for them to be made available. This is usually achieved by giving copies to members of the Standing Committee and placing copies in the Vote Office and House Libraries. They are generally revised for use in the second House if the Bill has been amended in the first House. The reasons for substantive amendments to the Bills are generally explained during the course of parliamentary debate.The Hansard Committee's proposal for Notes on Sections is one example of how explanatory material on Acts of Parliament can be improved. The Government would like to achieve such an improvement, but before reaching a conclusion on how best to do so, they wish to take account of any views the Select Committee on the Modernisation of the House of Commons may express on this issue.The Government have no plans to change the arrangements for Ministerial responsibility for the work of parliamentary counsel.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will take steps to increase the number of women appointed to chair public bodies in light of the findings of the Commissioner for Public Appointments that, for the period 1 July 1996 to 31 March 1997, three men and no women were appointed in the salary band £50,000 or more; 17 men and two women were appointed in the salary band £20,000–£49,999; and 135 men and 38 women were appointed in the salary band £10,000–£19,999.

Public appointments are governed by the overriding principle of selection based on merit and are the responsibility of individual Ministers and their departments. However, all departments encourage women to apply for appointments and are committed to fair selection procedures. The Public Appointments Unit in the Cabinet Office (OPS) co-ordinates programmes designed to promote equal opportunities in public appointments.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will ensure that vacancies for appointment or re-appointment to offices within public bodies are publicly advertised wherever possible so as to promote the principles of openness, transparency and equal opportunity.

It is now normal practice for paid appointments to executive NDPBs and NHS bodies to be publicly advertised. This is in line with the Commissioner for Public Appointments' Guidance on Appointments to Executive Non Departmental Public Bodies and NHS Bodies which became mandatory for Departments on 1 July 1996. Both single and generic advertisements (i.e. those inviting applicants for appointments on a number or all of a sponsor Department's public bodies) are being used.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many official cars and drivers are provided for Ministers, what is the average daily mileage of such cars and what is the total forecast cost of this provision in the current financial year.

Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Government Car and Despatch Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. Nick Matheson. The agency is therefore responding to the question.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Rollright Stones, which are for sale, are fully protected against harmful development or exploitation.

The Rollright Stones are statutorily protected by virtue of their status as a scheduled ancient monument, which requires the owners to apply for scheduled monument consent from my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport before carrying out any works affecting it.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What information they have about the jamming of international radio or television transmissions by Turkey, and whether any British registered company has suffered disruption.

I understand that Med-TV, a broadcaster licensed in the UK by the Independent Television Commission, has suffered disruption in its satellite transmissions since 1 July and an impaired signal on Med-TV's broadcasts has recently been observed by the BBC's monitoring service. The source of the problem has not yet been identified.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why the Procurator Fiscal has not ensured that Central Police have returned all records up to 1980 taken from the Callander Rifle and Pistol Club in respect of the investigation into the Dunblane shootings; and when the club's (a) membership records books; (b) range safety certificates; and (c) insurance registration (listing members insured) will be returned.

The Procurator Fiscal at Stirling has confirmed with Central Scotland Police that the items to which my noble friend refers were in fact returned to Callander Rifle and Pistol Club on 4 and 8 February 1997.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In the light of the Lord Advocate's decision on the prosecution of those who refuse to pay the tolls on the Skye bridge, whether a similar policy exists for those who refuse to pay when crossing the Erskine, Forth and Tay bridges.

The recent decision regarding the prosecution of those who refuse to pay tolls on the Skye bridge was taken in light of the exceptional circumstances prevailing there. It is not in the interests of justice to treat these cases differently from others by prosecuting each and every offence. In future, the question of prosecution will be left to the discretion of the procurator fiscal. Decisions whether to prosecute those who refuse to pay tolls when crossing the Erskine, Forth and Tay bridges will continue to be considered by procurators fiscal based on the facts and circumstances of each case.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will introduce legislation to repeal Section 13 of the Defamation Act 1966.

The Government have no such plans. The Government will await the recommendations of a Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament on Parliamentary Privilege and related matters which is in the course of being established under the chairmanship of Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will extend the "no win—no fee" scheme for lawyers so as to include judicial review proceedings.

I personally favour the extension of the availability of conditional fees into more areas of litigation and I am currently considering the scope for extending conditional fees. I hope to be in a position to make an announcement in the autumn. I will give careful consideration to the noble Lord's suggestion.

asked Her Majesty's Government:To confirm that Section 5(1) of the Public Records Act 1958 as amended is still observed, and if so, whether the Lord Chancellor has received a request to publish certain documents relating to British policy overseas for the period 1968–1975, and on what date he prescribed the appropriate period.

Section 5(1) of the Public Records Act 1958, as amended in 1967, is the section that provides for the 30-year rule. It is still observed. It applies to public records in the Public Record Office, other than those to which the public had access before their transfer to the Public Record Office. Access to records not yet transferred is a matter for the department concerned. The documents relating to British policy overseas that it is proposed to publish are not yet in the Public Record Office, and there is no requirement under the Public Records Act for me to prescribe any period for them to be published.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will introduce a change in existing law so as to permit blind people to bring their guide dogs into the United Kingdom if they have appropriate documents establishing that they have been vaccinated against rabies, without the need for the dogs to be placed in quarantine.

We are considering whether alternatives to quarantine may give equal or better protection against the importation of rabies and would expect to consult on the matter. Decisions on when and how to do so have yet to be taken. Organisations representing the interests of blind people will be included in the consultation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the current process of tendering by the Intervention Board, in respect of the over 30 months scheme for the slaughter of cattle in Northern Ireland, will ensure a sufficient geographical spread and practical availability of abattoirs for the use of farmers throughout Northern Ireland.

With effect from 28 July 1997, two abattoirs in Northern Ireland will have contracts to slaughter cattle qualifying for the over 30 months scheme. Having regard to the location and capacity of the two abattoirs, I am satisfied that these new arrangements will strike the right balance between the cost to the taxpayer and reasonable access to the scheme for producers in Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will comment on the Prison Service audit report.

Our manifesto said that the Prison Service faced serious financial problems and that we would audit the resources available. Shortly after taking office therefore, we asked the Director General of the Prison Service to carry out an audit of the resources available to the Prison Service, and current and projected demands on it.The audit has now been completed and a report of its findings was placed in the Library on 25 July.The main findings are:

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many probation officers were working in prisons in England and Wales in June 1997.

The number of probation officers working in prisons at 31 December 1996 (the latest date for which figures are available) was 543.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in the light of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 27 March 1996, in

The Government will not, in the light of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 27 March 1996 in Goodwin v. United Kingdom, be recommending the exercise of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy to grant a free pardon in respect of the fine of £5,000 imposed on Mr. William Goodwin for contempt of court.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the inmate population of each local prison in England and Wales on 15 July 1997; and what was the percentage by which the number held in custody exceeded the certified normal population.

Information detailing the recorded prison population and certified normal accommodation for each local prison in England and Wales on 15 July 1997 is given in the attached table. A comparison of the two figures expressed as a percentage is also listed.

Prison population and certified normal accommodation for local prisons as at 15 July 1997.
Name	In use CNA1	Op Cap2	Population	Population/In use CNA (per cent.)
Canterbury	158	270	292	185
Shrewsbury	176	323	320	182
Exeter	267	473	472	177
Leicester	209	348	353	169
Preston	414	688	687	166
Dorchester	147	238	239	163
Lincoln	434	650	649	150
Birmingham	719	1,043	1,057	147
Durham	651	917	908	139
Cardiff	531	716	723	136
Winchester	463	612	622	134
Swansea	260	350	348	134
Doncaster	771	1,011	1,031	134
Brixton	483	645	636	132
Norwich	570	744	745	131
Gloucester	219	290	285	130
Pentonville	726	929	930	128
Manchester	852	1,051	1,064	125
Bristol	487	589	583	120
Liverpool	1,216	1,452	1,425	117
Blakenhurst	647	750	752	116
Bedford	347	400	398	115
Leeds	800	906	906	113
Camp Hill	470	531	532	113
Woodhill	616	685	685	111
Wormwood Scrubs	1,171	1,362	1,301	111
Highdown	649	714	718	111
Wolds	360	400	398	111
Elmley	760	835	838	110
Bullingdon	644	704	700	109
Wandsworth	811	880	877	108
Belmarsh	822	896	881	107
Chelmsford	448	497	472	105
Lewes	485	496	503	104
Hull	519	530	522	101
Holme House	871	871	872	100
Rochester	433	444	399	92
Haslar	158	158	124	78
1 CNA = Certified normal accommodation.
2 Op Cap = Operational capacity.