asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, during their Presidency of the European Union, they will promote a suspension of Community aid to Zambia, until such time as the Zambian Government reverse the amendment to the constitution, adopted in 1996, which limits the number of aspiring presidential candidates.

We will be discussing with the Government of Zambia whether we are able to establish a partnership with them on the basis outlined in the White Paper on International Development as a foundation for future aid commitments. We will continue to consult with our EU partners on this basis.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What advice they have taken on the legality of reducing or withdrawing from a disabled person any disability benefit awarded to her or to him for life.

Awards of Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance are made "for life" where the disabled person is likely to continue to satisfy the qualifying criteria for that award. That does not mean that they will. A person's needs may increase if their condition deteriorates or their needs may decrease as they adapt to a disability or their condition improves.The Government considers that the law dealing with the review of awards is clear. The Social Security Administration Act 1992 sets out, at section 30(2), the grounds for reviewing awards of Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance. Section 32(4)(b) of the same Act, as amended by section 17(2) of the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997, makes it clear that section 30(2) can also be applied to awards that have been made for life.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give an undertaking that their election commitment to retain SERPS "as an option for those who wish to remain in it" does not mean that SERPS will gradually be phased out but that it will be retained as an option for those who wish to join it in the future.

As stated in our manifesto, the Government are committed to retaining SERPS as an option for those who wish to remain in it. This includes new entrants to the labour force.Representations on the future of SERPS beyond the present Parliament, including those submitted by the right honourable Baroness, are being considered as part of our pensions review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are satisfied that their policy on controlling the sale of meat products is consistent with their policy on controlling the sale of tobacco products, given the medical evidence available in each case of the likely impact on human health.

We are satisfied that the actions taken to protect the public from any health risk, however small, from possible exposure to bovine spongiform encephalopathy are justified. In the light of the advice from the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) and the Chief Medical Officer, we decided that we could not risk public health by allowing a tissue in which infectivity had been found to remain in the human food chain.Many factors need to be taken into account when assessing the appropriate measures to address risks to public health associated with different products or activities. We are satisfied that our response to the public health risks in smoking and eating beef is appropriate in both cases.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jay of Paddington on 12 November (

No health concerns have been identified in respect of current exposures of the general population of the United Kingdom to fluoride. Concentrations in drinking water supplies are subject to a statutory maximum of 1.5 milligrams per litre. Furthermore, when the naturally-occurring fluoride concentration is supplemented by fluoridation, it is a statutory requirement to maintain the concentration in supply at 1 milligram per litre so far as is reasonably practical. Dental fluorosis, which is mentioned in the section of the World Health Organisation report quoted, is accepted as a purely cosmetic problem for which there are satisfactory dental remedies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In view of Conclusion 13.1.2 in WHO Technical Report Series 846:

Schemes proposed in the last five years have been in areas with high levels of tooth decay in which naturally occurring levels of fluoride in the water supply are low and it may be assumed that the use by residents of topical applications of fluoride is also low. If artificial fluoridation were introduced to an area, the health authority would mount a publicity campaign advising people of the situations in which they no longer needed topical fluoride.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Answer by Baroness Jay of Paddington on 2 December (H.L. Deb., col. 1237) to the effect that they are looking at the best ways to "ensure that other voices and opinions, such as those of consumer groups and other lay interests, are taken into account" by the Committee on Toxicity, whether they intend to bring forward proposals for the reform of the procedures and structure of that committee; if so, when; and whether having introduced such changes they will then make it their policy to ask the committee to review its advice on Vitamin B6 safety.Baroness Jay of Paddington: The Government are currently considering the ways of increasing the openness and transparency of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT), as well as other expert advisory committees. As these arrangements have not been finalised it is not possible to say when they will be implemented.The Government have every confidence in the rigour with which the COT reviewed the Vitamin B6 data and in the robustness of the recommendations it made. We have no intention to ask the COT to review its advice.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What assessment they have made of the numbers of individuals who regularly take more than 49 milligrams daily of Vitamin B6 supplements; and what would be the resource implications for the National Health Service if a significant percentage of that group in future sought their supplements from general medical practitioners.

It is impossible to estimate the number of people who regularly take any dose of Vitamin B6 since it is sold over the counter. Therefore, it is not possible to assess the resource implication for the National Health Service if the number of people seeking higher doses of Vitamin B6 were to consult their general medical practitioner.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many deaths were recorded in England and Wales:

There is no information available on deaths recorded in England and Wales solely attributable to taking Vitamin B6 supplements. There is no universally acceptable figure available on the number of alcohol-related deaths because of the difficulty in defining the term alcohol-related.However, the Health Education Authority made estimates in 1988 and 1995 that in the United Kingdom at least 110,000 and 120,000 people died, respectively, as a result of their smoking. No estimates are available for 1987, 1989 to 1994, 1996 or 1997.Since there are no figures available for either deaths related to the excessive intake of Vitamin B6 or alcohol-related deaths, it is not possible to make any comparisons.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What amount of water would be available:

(a) on general retail sale;

(b) on pharmacy restricted sale; and

(c) on prescription only from a registered medical practitioner,

if a division of the upper safe level above which harmful effects have been noted was made by the same factor as that which was applied by the Committee on Toxicity in establishing the proposed limits for the availability of Vitamin B6 supplements.

The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has not had occasion to identify the lowest dose of water at which clinical symptoms of toxicity would occur in humans. Therefore it is not possible to make calculations equivalent to those used in its consideration of Vitamin B6.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have provided core funding or project funding to the Consumers' Association through the Department of Health at any time in the last 10 years; and, if so, for what purposes.

The department has not provided core or project funding to the Consumers' Association in the last 10 years, although the department does fund the costs of distribution to general practitioners of the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, published by the Consumers' Association.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer given by Baroness Jay of Paddington on 3 December (

The actual cost is not available. The methodology used by the Health Education Authority, in estimating the cost to the National Health Service of treating smoking-related disease of £1.4 and £1.7 billion per annum, has been constructed on evidence from several previous studies on the diseases that are attributable to smoking and the relevant risks of current smokers requiring NHS treatment for smoking-related disease.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jay of Paddington on 3 December (

Data collected by the National Health Service relate to episodes of care relating to individual illnesses or diseases, and the types of treatment administered to patients. Data are not collected on the cost to the National Health Service of illness, injury or disease (especially respiratory diseases).The cost to the NHS "from the effects of alcohol" are not identifiable. There are several data series (e.g. Hospital Episode Statistics, mortality statistics from Office for National Statistics, morbidity statistics from general practice) but these do not readily yield information about patient costs. It is very difficult to attribute the cause of any medical condition in any individual directly to alcohol.We have no plans to introduce a system of gathering the information under the categories requested.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many responses to the consultation paper

Ninety-two responses were received. A list of the respondents and a summary of the main points raised can be found in the Library in a document entitled Responses to the Home Office Consultation Document on Community Protection Orders.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they propose to make any changes to the authority responsible for making arrangements for the classification of video works under the Video Recordings Act 1984.

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has today laid before both Houses details of his proposal to designate Mr. Andreas Whittam Smith under Section 4(4) of the Video Recordings Act 1984. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) earlier today announced that Mr. Whittam Smith will be appointed as their President from 1 January 1998, and my right honourable friend proposes to designate him, in that capacity, to replace the Earl of Harewood and Lord Birkett of Ulverston. The designation itself will come into force in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 5 of the Act. This requires that the particulars of the proposal should lie before both Houses of Parliament for 40 days before the designation can be made, provided that neither House resolves during that period that the designation should not be made.Copies of the proposal of designation and the text of a letter my right honourable friend intends to send at the time of designation to Mr. Whittam Smith have been placed in the Library.Mr. Whittam Smith has impressed my right honourable friend with his understanding of the issues relating to the responsibility of a designated authority and he expects Mr. Whittam Smith to provide strong leadership for the BBFC into the next millennium.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Boundary Commission intends to conduct any interim reviews of parliamentary constituencies in England.

The commission has informed my right honourable friend the Home Secretary that it intends to consider making a report on parliamentary constituencies in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey, in Greater London and Surrey, and also in Greater London. The commission intends to commence forthwith an interim review of parliamentary constituencies in each of those areas.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to publish the Department of Trade and Industry Report,

The Government have set in train a research project to examine papers relevant to the Trading with the Enemy legislation under which property of enemy countries was confiscated during the Second World War. The project, which has been co-ordinated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in close partnership with the DTI, is now nearly complete. A joint DTI/FC0 report of the findings will be published in the New Year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the implications for the British and European Union sovereign decision-making of the Global Open-trade Pact in Banking, Insurance and other Financial Services, currently being negotiated in Geneva.

WTO negotiations on trade in financial services were successfully concluded last weekend. Participating countries have agreed to legally binding and permanent, non-discriminatory commitments in respect of access to their markets for banking, securities and insurance.Under EC and member states' existing GATS Most Favoured Nation (MFN) commitments, it is no longer possible to invoke EC or national provisions to limit access by financial service suppliers from third countries on the grounds that access into those third countries is more restricted or less favourable than that into member states.

asked the Chairman of Committees:When the refurbishment of the Lord Chancellor's Residence was approved; by whom; and whether it formed part of the 10-year rolling programme of works.

The refurbishment was approved by the Administration and Works Sub-Committee on 8 July and by the Finance and Staff Sub-Committee on 16 July. The House of Lords' Offices Committee was informed on 22 July, and they notified the House in the Committee's 2nd Report, which was agreed to on 30 July.The refurbishment was not part of the 10-year rolling programme of works prior to these decisions but consequent on them became part of that programme; certain connected works such as automatic fire detection, telephone cable renewals, asbestos removal and heating repairs had been approved previously under separate programmes.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the figure of 4¼ million new homes forecast to be required in the next five years is correct; and if so, what proportion of this increased demand is attributable to (a) family breakdown; and (b) the increasing popularity of second homes.

The projections, which cover the 25-year period 1991 to 2016, are for 4.4 million additional households not houses, and were published in 1995 in my department's document Projections of Households in England to 2016. They are only one of the factors that regional conferences of local authorities have to take into consideration when advising the Secretary of State on housing requirements in Regional Planning Guidance (RPG). I am satisfied that the projections were the best that could be made with the available data and that they accurately reflect recent trends. The methodology to produce them has been soundly endorsed by independent inquiries, including the Environment Select Committee of the House of Commons in their Second Report on Housing Need (12 February 1996 HOC11/i/1995/1996).Around 33 per cent. of the increase is due to behavioural changes, namely projected changes in the rate of household formation brought about by such factors as people marrying later, and more divorces and separations. It is not easy to categorise family breakdown simply. Furthermore, not all family breakdown will lead to the formation of additional households. However, the group of households consisting of people living by themselves who are divorced and separated is projected to grow by a further 1.2 million between 1991 and 2016, with divorced and separated men representing two-thirds of this growth.The demand for second homes does not form a part of the household projections but it is one of the factors to he considered by regional planning conferences in formulating housing provision in RPG.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in the light of the Written Answer by Baroness Hayman on traffic problems in London (

Arrangements for reopening Hammersmith Bridge are unchanged from those I reported on the 4 November (Hansard, Vol. 582, col. 290).The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham has started consulting on the future use of the bridge through the Internet Web. This process will gather public opinion on options for the bridge's future and assist decisions about its role in an efficient road network.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to allow local authorities to use their own housing stock for asylum seekers where the authority is under a statutory duty to provide accommodation.

The Government are currently undertaking a comprehensive spending review of asylum policy, including a review of the policy for providing support to asylum seekers. We recognise that some local authorities, particularly in London, are experiencing difficulties in accommodating asylum seekers to whom various statutory duties are owed.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have any plans to restrict the use of lead shot over wetlands.

The Government are considering the best legislative options to prohibit the use of lead shot over wetlands in the United Kingdom. Legislation will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time permits. This will enable the United Kingdom to meet its commitment under the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement to endeavour to phase out lead shot over wetlands by the year 2000. In the meantime the voluntary phase-out of the use of lead shot over wetlands will continue.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the outcome of the Environment Council on 16 December.

Both my right honourable friend Michael Meacher, Minister of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, and my honourable friend Angela Eagle, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, represented the United Kingdom at the Environment Council on 16 December 1997.The Council reached a common position on a regulation establishing common rules and procedures for the export of certain types of Community waste to certain non-OECD countries which will complete the regulatory regime controlling the export of non-hazardous waste to non-OECD countries.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made to include a photograph of the holder on driving licences.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency will introduce photocard style driving licences from next summer.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to bring into effect the provisions on construction contracts which are contained in Part II of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.

We gave an assurance when we came into Government that we would implement the previous adminstration's legislation on fair construction contracts which had been introduced with cross-Party agreement. We are delighted now to be fulfilling that promise.We have today laid an order which sets out the arrangements which need to be followed where construction contracts fail to contain adjudication and payment provisions which comply with the 1996 Act. We have also laid an order excluding certain types of contracts, and especially contracts under the Private Finance Initiative, from the terms of the Act.These proposals are the result of detailed and comprehensive consultation with all sections of the construction industry. The adjudication provisions will help resolve construction disputes quickly and simply. We are looking forward to the legislation coming into effect in the spring.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the response to the Government Panel on Sustainable Development's Third Annual Report will be published.

The Government's response to the Third Annual Report of the Government Panel on Sustainable Development has been published today. We are pleased that we have been able to respond positively to many of the panel's recommendations. The panel is a valuable source of advice for government in the achievement of sustainable development, an issue which this Government have pledged will be at the heart of all policy-making. We wish to express our gratitude to the Convenor of the Panel, Sir Crispin Tickell, and his colleagues for their continued commitment to helping to identify new sustainable ways of enhancing the quality of life and prosperity for everyone.Examples where the Government have been able to respond positively to the panel's recommendations are:on subsidies: action is being taken to see whether the objectives of subsidies are compatible with sustainable development;on aviation fuel: the Prime Minster pressed for action at the UN Special Session in June;