asked Her Majesty's Government:Why members of the diplomatic service are not allowed to receive honours and awards at the end of their service from the nations to which they are accredited: and whether they will review the current policy.

The prohibition applies to all Crown Servants to whom honours are offered by foreign governments and forms part of the general regulations (the Foreign and Commonwealth Orders Regulations—a copy of which is in the Libraries of the House) governing the acceptance and wearing of foreign honours. These regulations reflect the long-standing position that recognition of service under the Crown is primarily for the Sovereign, as well as the desirability of avoiding both the proliferation of exchanges of honours and the imputation of partiality on the part of Crown Servants receiving foreign awards.The specific reference in the regulations to awards for diplomats on leaving post recognises the special nature of diplomacy and reflects the danger that unrestricted bestowal of foreign honours on British diplomats would be likely to lead to demands for reciprocity which would be difficult to refuse, and which could result in an undesirable proliferation of token awards and loss of control over our own honours. The policy on awards for diplomats has been reviewed, and upheld, from time to time. There are no plans to change it at present.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they or any members of the Defence Staff, staff at the Defence and Evaluation Research Agency (DERA), Porton Down, or any civil servants are aware that members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces who served in Operation Granby have tested positive to the adjuvant MF59, squalene and to GP120 and GP160; andWhether any vaccine, tablet or other medication used as part of the medical countermeasures programme before and during Operation Granby contained either viral DNA or bacterial DNA; andWhether any medication or injection used as part of the medical countermeasures before and during Operation Granby contained the adjuvant MF59, squalene or any part of the HIV organism such as GP 120 or GP160.

None of the medical countermeasures used to protect British troops from the threat posed by Iraqi chemical and biological weapons during the Gulf War was in any way genetically engineered, nor did they contain any unlicensed experimental components. Specifically, they did not contain any added MF59, squalene or any part of the HIV organism. In common with many vaccines, those used as part of the countermeasures programme would have contained either viral or bacterial DNA.The Ministry of Defence is aware that tests by researchers on Gulf veterans in the US are reported as having detected the presence of various substances. However, the Government have not yet seen any formal results from these tests and therefore have no knowledge of whether British veterans were involved in any of them. We continue to monitor new research on all aspects of Gulf War veterans' illnesses as this is published.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they are taking in Scotland, when war memorials are to be destroyed as part of demolition or redevelopment of places of worship belonging to the Church of Scotland and other Churches, to ensure the preservation of the names of those who died; and whether they are consulting the organisation "Friends of War Memorials".

The Government do not take any action in these circumstances. Churches which are in ecclesiastical use are exempt from listed building control and most changes can proceed without reference to the Secretary of State. Churches which are no longer in ecclesiastical use are subject to listed building consent. The Secretary of State would be consulted by the planning authority should consent be sought for changes to listed premises. The Church of Scotland and the Roman Catholic Church issue guidance on preserving war memorials or retaining records, should memorials be destroyed. So far as I am aware, neither the Government nor Historic Scotland has any contact with "Friends of War Memorials".

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the titles, approximate areas and current uses of land holdings in the Stratford East London and King's Cross areas which London and Continental Railway have requested government permission to sell for the benefit of London and Continental Railway.

London and Continental Railways have not requested permission to sell any railway land in the King's Cross area. LCR have sought and received permission for the release of one site at Stratford. This is Leyton Yard, which is approximately 26 acres in area. It is vacant other than a small temporary occupation by the Highways Agency in relation to adjacent highways works.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to undertake a review of the Local Government Commission for England.

We have today set up a finance, management and policy review of the Local Government Commission for England (LAC), as part of a programme of reviews of non-departmental public bodies.This review will be conducted in two stages. The first will be a "prior options" study focusing on whether the functions carried out by the LAC are needed and, if so, whether those functions are best undertaken by the LAC or some other body. Subject to the outcome of this first stage, the second stage will consist of a more detailed review of the LAC's structure, funding, financial management and methods of operation.We have appointed Robert Hazell, Director of the Constitution Unit in the School of Public Policy at University College London, to undertake the prior options study. To oversee the review, we are establishing an Advisory Group, on which we are inviting representatives from the Local Government Association; departmental officials and the chairman and chief executive of the LGC will also serve on the group.In carrying out the study, it is intended that Mr. Hazell will consult a wide range of interested parties and would welcome written representations from anyone who has views on the commission and its work.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are satisfied with the search and rescue co-ordination provided by Her Majesty's Coastguard.

To improve still further the high level of service provided by Her Majesty's Coastguard we are able to announce today that we have endorsed a strategy for HM Coastguard which involves a substantial investment in new technology and which will take the service into the next century. That investment will introduce operational flexibility which will increase the safety of those who use our sea and shores, and will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of an already highly proficient service. The key to the strategy is the introduction of digital communications technology at Coastguard rescue centres and remote radio sites to replace ageing equipment. Once the new technology is in place HMCG will be able to concentrate its operational expertise within fewer rescue co-ordination sub-centres by closing the rescue sub-centres at Oban and Pentland (Orkney) by the end of 1999, and Tyne-Tees and Liverpool by the end of 2000. Portland and Solent rescue sub-centres, at present in unsuitable buildings, will be brought together under the same roof by March 2002.By carefully planning the process we expect to be able to achieve the reduction of staff by a combination of natural wastage, early retirement and early severance. Staff and trade unions will be closely involved in the implementation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, when considering whether or not to approve Bristol City Council's proposal under DoE Circular 6/93 to sell Hengrove Playing Fields for less than the best consideration it could reasonably obtain, they will have regard to the serious loss of amenity which will be suffered by the local community and insist that equivalent open space, no less accessible, should be provided by the council in its stead.

In deciding the council's application for consent to dispose of part of Filwood/Hengrove playing fields, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions will take into account all the relevant information which is brought to his attention. His principal consideration will be whether the proposed disposal will be in the interests of the local electorate and council tax payers.I cannot comment on the likely outcome of the application or on whether any particular conditions should be imposed on the council.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to implement the provisions of the Public Entertainments Licences (Drugs Misuse) Act 1997.

Consultations on Home Office guidelines to local authorities on implementing the powers contained in this Act will be completed shortly. The final version of the guidelines will be published and the new powers then brought into effect as soon as possible in the New Year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are satisfied that the prison ship HMP Weare is able to provide adequate facilities for work, exercise and recreation.

Although there are no workshops on the Weare as yet, various cleaning and maintenance jobs are available to prisoners and the facility is equipped with two gymnasiums and two exercise yards.Prisoners at the Weare spend 11 hours a day outside their cells. For half of this time, either work or education classes are available. Physical exercise or recreational activities are available to prisoners for the rest of the day.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many nationals of countries other than the United Kingdom are held, according to the most recent figures, in United Kingdom prisons; and how this figure compares with those of a year earlier.

The latest available information is for 30 September 1997. On that date there were 5,233 foreign nationals in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales. This compares with 4,768 on 30 September 1996. For both years foreign nationals formed 8.4 per cent. of the total prison population. These figures include those for whom no nationality was recorded (537 on 30 September 1997 and 405 on 30 September 1996).Information on the prison population by nationality is published in

asked Her Majesty's Government:On what date they adopted the view referred to in the Written Answer concerning Mr. Reginald Buckland given by Lord Williams of Mostyn on 5 November (WA

Our doubts whether conditions imposed by a chief constable can be varied on application and whether a right of appeal exists arose in 1994 when considering a particular recommendation of the Firearms Consultative Committee in its Fourth Report (1992/93). The recommendation (paragraph 4.11) concerned changing existing guidance relating to the imposition of territorial conditions on firearm certificates, but our particular concern was in relation to Section 29 of the Firearms Act 1968. The matter was also raised in 1995 in correspondence with the British Shooting Sports Council and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, further to the Answer given by Lord Williams of Mostyn on 30 October 1997

Further to my Answer on 30 October (WA 255), the Crown Court in the case of Reginald Buckland v Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire distinguished between "variation of a firearms certificate" and the "variation of a condition". It is for the court to interpret the law, rather than the Executive, and on this issue the court is clear. There would be little point in the Executive adopting a policy on this issue that was contrary to the law. The appellant in this case was the holder of a firearm certificate, not a registered firearms dealer, and the case has no bearing upon the existing rights of appeal for dealers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish a table of statistics for the latest available year showing the national rates of medical termination of pregnancy in each member state of the European Union, and in the United States of America.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they have taken to implement European quality assurance recommendations for breast cancer screening, which were defined at European level in 1992 by high level experts, according to the statement in paragraph 80 on page 36 of COM (94) 83 final proposing the 1995–99 Action Plan to combat cancer, published by the European Commission on 29 March 1994.

There is no requirement to implement the European quality assurance recommendations for breast cancer screening as these are for guidance only. The United Kingdom experience in mammography made a strong contribution to the development of the European guidelines, as we were the first country within the European Community to launch a nationwide breast screening programme based on computerised call and recall, and the programme had clear quality standards built into it from the start. These are at least as comprehensive as the European recommendations.However, we are not complacent. The recent report on breast cancer services in Exeter and quality assurance in breast screening identified serious shortcomings in the current lead purchasing arrangement for quality assurance. This Government are determined to put things right, and we have ordered reform of the organisation of cancer screening, including the transfer of responsibility and resources for quality assurance to National Health Service Regional Offices. They will have explicit responsibility for ensuring that any problems with screening services are picked up and dealt with rapidly, and, in the last resort, they will be able to close down units which fail to meet national standards.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the statement on 4 November 1997 by Lord Donoughue that any changes to the pet quarantine laws appear likely to be embodied in European Law (H.L. Deb., col. 1315), whether any such change would be adopted by unanimity of member states or by qualified majority.

The voting procedure would depend on the article of the Treaty of Rome under which the legislation was to be made, but would be likely to be by qualified majority.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether their current review of animal by-products legislation will allow the practice of gralloching deer on the hill to continue, together with other normal pest control and sporting activities which involve animal by-products; or whether it may forbid any of these activities, and if so which ones, and why.

Decisions on the scope of any new animal by-products legislation resulting from the review will not be taken until all the comments received in response to the consultation have been fully considered. Further consultation will then take place on draft legislation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the number of claimants who have incurred injuries and diseases in respect of their employment in the mining industry whose cases have not so far been settled.

British Coal currently have some 29,000 outstanding claims. The vast majority of these relate to diseases, principally Vibration White Finger (VWF) and Chronic Obstructive Airways Disease (COAD). Some 270 claims relate to injuries incurred from accidents.Of the total some 24,000 claims cannot be settled until the conclusion of ongoing litigation. Again, the vast majority of these claims relate to VWF and COAD, with only 167 relating to accidents.