asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to reduce the Uganda Government's external debt to make possible higher spending in that country on health and education while limiting military expenditure; and whether and when Uganda will benefit from the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC). [HL2439]

Uganda's Completion Point under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) was reached in April this year, and Uganda became the first country to benefit from the initiative. It will reduce Uganda's debt by some $650 million, or about $35 million each year, starting now. The United Kingdom has supported early and favourable treatment for Uganda under the HIPC because of its consistent, long record of prudent and constructive economic policy. In addition to the UK's bilateral contributions through further Paris Club debt relief, we have donated $10 million to help the African Development Bank fund its share of debt relief for Uganda. Uganda's recent (June 1998) budget has announced significant increases in spending for primary education and health care. There has been a regrettable increase in defence spending but military expenditure is still limited to less than 1.9 per cent. of gross domestic product. The UK last year gave £20 million to enable Uganda to implement its economic programme in 1997–98, including the introduction of universal primary education. The Secretary of State will consider in due course proposals for further support of this kind over the next two years.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for July; and what are the major events for the next six months. [HL2523]

See below.This calendar is primarily concerned with European Union matters, but certain other relevant events are also included. Events and dates quoted are based on the information available on the date of issue.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the outcome of the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 29 June. [HL2524]

See below.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they would support in the United Nations a timetable to eliminate nuclear weapons if the plan secured the agreement of all other states including India and Pakistan. [HL2459]

The Government remain committed to the global elimination of nuclear weapons. The question raises a hypothetical situation. Short of such unanimity and given the complexities of the issues involved, we remain to be convinced of the wisdom of a pre-set timetable.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have any information about the reported expulsion or imprisonment of 11 priests and the closure of 40 churches in Chiapas province of Mexico; and whether they are discussing these matters and the apparent collapse of the Comision Nacional de Intermediacion (CONAI) as a mediating body with the Government of Mexico. [HL2440]

The Mexican Interior Ministry and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico have confirmed to our Embassy in Mexico City that there are no priests imprisoned in Mexico; and that only three, all foreign, have been expelled from the country. As of March 1998, there were 12 churches closed in Chiapas, mainly because of religious polarisation between Catholic and Protestant groups. None was closed by federal or state government order but by the authority of the churches themselves. Since March, the Apostolic Nuncio has called on the Chiapan church to reopen churches for the benefit of local Catholics.The National Mediation Commission (CONAI), established to mediate between the Mexican government and the Zapatista rebels (EZLN) in Chiapas, was dissolved on 7 June following the resignation of Bishop Ruiz as its President. We have not yet discussed this with the Mexican Government. CONAI had had no formal contact with the EZLN since August 1996. It is not yet clear what impact its dissolution will have on the Mexican Government's efforts to resume direct negotiations with the EZLN. The Congressional Commission on Chiapas (COCOPA) may have a bigger role to play in the future.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many persons in Kosovo they estimate to have been displaced (a) into Montenegro, (b) into Albania, (c) into Macedonia and (d) within Kosovo; and whether they have any information about Chechens and Mujahadeen being involved in actions against the Serb forces. [HL2441]

At a UNHCR Humanitarian Issues Working Group on 26 June, Mrs. Ogata estimated that 77,000 people had been displaced from their homes in Kosovo. Twelve thousand had gone to Albania, 10,000 had gone to Montenegro and 55,000 were internally displaced. We have not received any information concerning displacement into Macedonia.There have been rumours suggesting that some Chechens and Mujahadeen are present in Kosovo. We do not discount these.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have studied the revised preliminary draft report of the Council of Europe's Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography of 20 April on the humanitarian situation of the Kurdish refugees and displaced persons in south-east Turkey and north Iraq; and whether they agree with its conclusions. [HL2436]

We have studied the revised preliminary draft report of the Council of Europe's Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography of 20 April 1998. We have also studied the final report, adopted by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly on 25 June 1998. We are in broad agreement with the conclusions outlined in the final report, and with Assembly Recommendation 1377 and Assembly Order No. 545 on this issue.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many dogs have been put down since the Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act 1997 came into force (a) under Section 1 and (b) under Section 3; and how often Section 4 of that Act is being used. [HL2442]

The numbers of dogs which have been put down following convictions under Section 1 and Section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, as amended, since 8 June 1997 are 27 and 28 respectively.Thirty dogs have been added to the Index of Exempted Dogs under the terms of the Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act 1997.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have reached a decision on the application by the Essex Fire Authority under Section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947. [HL2599]

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mr. George Howarth) has today advised the Essex Fire Authority that my right honourable friend the Home Secretary has agreed to its application to redeploy an aerial appliance and two foam carrying vehicles, with a consequent reduction of 16 firefighting posts and the regrading of a further post.The advice we have received from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services is unequivocal, that the proposals to redeploy the appliances are soundly based and that, if implemented by the authority, the Essex Fire Brigade will still be able to meet fully the national standards of fire cover.Statutory responsibility for the provision of an efficient fire service rests with the local fire authority. In considering applications by fire authorities for reductions in firefighting resources, my right honourable friend must be satisfied that there has been adequate consultation and that, following any reductions, national standards of fire cover can continue to be maintained. In fulfilling this function, my right honourable friend relies on advice from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Fire Services.Both my right honourable friend and my honourable friend are satisfied that the Essex Fire Authority has consulted properly over its proposals. There has also been opportunity for representations to be made direct to the Home Secretary and those seven which have been received have all been thoroughly considered.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made in implementing Recommendations 28 and 30 of the 1995 report,

The information requested is as follows.Recommendation 28 called for the National Health Service Executive to:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the administration of repeated courses of antibiotics results in a depletion of beneficial human gut flora, particularly in children and the elderly; and, if it does, whether this effect has any relationship to the ability of an individual to resist infection by food poisoning organisms. [HL2445]

The normal bacterial flora in the gut is known to be affected by broad spectrum antibiotics, although it is likely to be re-established rapidly on completion of the treatment. A number of factors affect the ability of an individual to resist infection by food poisoning organisms, of which a normal gut flora may be one.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In how many cases of

Details of suspected sources of infection for sporadic cases and family outbreaks of E.coli 0157 are not routinely reported. Information is available on four localised outbreaks with which some of the cases reported during the week ending 19 September 1997 were associated. None of these outbreaks was associated with the consumption of a commercially available food product; three outbreaks were associated with contact with livestock on farms, and the fourth with food served at a wedding reception. Information requested with regard to the use by food authorities of powers in Section 9 of the Food Safety Act 1990 is not available centrally. No order under Section 13 of the Food Safety Act was made for any case of E.coli 0157 reported in the week ending 19 September 1997.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether all hospital laboratories routinely test specimens from patients suffering from severe diarrhoea for

In its 1995 Report on Verocytotoxin Producing Escherichia coli, the Government's independent expert Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) recommended that all clinical laboratories routinely examine all diarrhoeal stool specimens for E.coli 0157. The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) issued instructions to its laboratories to comply with this recommendation. The Department of Health also wrote at the time of the publication of the report to all Regional Directors of Public Health, Regional Epidemiologists, District Directors of Public Health, Consultants in Communicable Disease Control and medical microbiologists, highlighting the ACMSF's recommendation. Decisions on the testing of clinical specimens rest with local laboratory managers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any mechanism is in place to trace the source of an outbreak of infection by

All isolates of E.coli 0157 identified by the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS), National Health Service or private laboratories in England and Wales should be referred to the PHLS Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens (LEP) for confirmation and subtyping. LEP analyse subtyping data in order to identify, at an early stage, any clusters of cases in time, space or age group that may indicate that an outbreak is in progress. Data on such clusters are always referred to the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, so that epidemiological investigations can be rapidly initiated.Investigations are usually conducted in collaboration with public health specialists at regional and district levels with a view to rapidly establishing if cases within clusters identified by LEP are linked by exposure to a common event, by the consumption of a common foodstuff or by a common water source. Whenever outbreaks of this type are identified, all relevant information is shared with the Department of Health to initiate public health interventions as quickly as possible.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any laboratory in the United Kingdom has pulsed-field gel electrophoresis facilities for DNA analysis of

Pulsed field gel electrophoresis of Verocytotoxin producing E.coli 0157 (VTEC) has been carried out in the Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens (LEP) of the Central Public Health Laboratory since 1995. The LEP is internationally recognised as a leading centre for the typing of E.coli 0157.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What importance they attach to the early acquisition of natural immunity to gastro-enteric infections by the population; and what advice they offer, particularly to parents of young children. [HL2449]

The Government attach great importance to ascertaining the incidence of infectious gastrointestinal disease in the population and understanding the factors which may contribute to its occurrence, and we continue to monitor available information.

asked Her Majesty's Government:With reference to the Emergency Control Order signed by the Minister of Public Health on 20 May, when, and by whom, instructions were first given to draft the order; and when the first draft of that order was first available for inspection by:

Members of the Department of Health's Food Incident Control Team asked the department's lawyers to draft the order on the evening of 19 May and the first draft was seen by team members including the chairman in the late afternoon of 20 May.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether current legislation adequately meets the different circumstances which pertain to small food-producing businesses compared with those of large producers in the event of a food poisoning incident or outbreak. [HL2488]

All food businesses, of whatever size, have a legal obligation not to supply unsafe food to the public. The Food Safety Act 1990 provides statutory powers for food authorities and for Ministers, if needed, to take action in the event that a producer fails to meet this obligation. We believe that these powers are sufficiently flexible to address the situation of all types and sizes of business which may be associated with a food safety problem.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the minimum wage starts; whether cut-off levels of benefits, including council tax and council house rent levels, will be increased correspondingly; and whether they have given consideration to the impact of the minimum wage on welfare to work. [HL2405]

The national minimum wage is a key element in a range of policies introduced by the Government to help make work pay. There are two other main measures in this area:First, a more generous Working Families Tax Credit will be introduced, subject to the passage of the necessary legislation, to replace Family Credit from October 1999. The Working Families Tax Credit will reduce the rate of benefit withdrawal from 70p in the pound in Family Credit, to 55p in the pound; and is accompanied by a child care tax credit which provides significant extra help with child care costs for low and middle-income working families with children.Secondly, the introduction of major changes in the national insurance system from April 1999 will reduce contributions for lower paid workers and simplify the system.There are no plans to make further changes to the social security system as a consequence of the introduction of the national minimum wage.Those on the New Deals will be treated in the same way as other workers of a similar age undergoing training. The structure which we are proposing for the minimum wage is consistent with our aim of getting people from welfare to work.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they have taken to encourage employers to give mothers time off work to breastfeed their babies; and whether, in order further to encourage breastfeeding, they will extend maternity allowance to a year after the birth of a baby, on production of a note from the doctor or health visitor that the mother is continuing to breastfeed a baby. [HL2394]

Maternity Allowance is payable to those pregnant women and new mothers who have not qualified for Statutory Maternity Pay from their employer. Both maternity benefits are paid for a maximum of 18 weeks and help women take time off work around the time their baby is due to prepare for and recover from the birth. Employers must ensure that pregnant employees, or new and breastfeeding mothers, are not at risk in the workplace by adjusting working conditions, finding suitable alternative work or, if that is not possible, suspending them from work on full pay.The

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why tax relief is given on contributions to occupational pension schemes and personal pensions but not on contributions to SERPS. [HL2407]

Tax relief is awarded in respect of contributions to occupational and personal pension schemes to encourage people to make pensions provision for their retirement. Adopting the same treatment for National Insurance contributions in respect of SERPS would result in a significant loss to the Exchequer which would have to be made good by an increase in the rate of taxation, or by corresponding reductions in other tax allowances.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their policy regarding renewable sources of energy for electricity generation. [HL2571]

The Government are committed to a new and strong drive to develop renewable energy sources. In November 1997, the Government announced outline policy proposals for the fifth Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation Renewables Order in England and Wales (NFFO-5). The purpose of these orders is to secure additional generating capacity from renewables in order to help them enter the commercial electricity generating market. To date, 227 NFFO projects, comprising over 540 Megawatts (declared net capacity) of renewables generating capacity have been commissioned in the UK. NFFO arrangements currently in train will add about a further 1,000 MW by 2003. The Government expect to make an announcement about NFFO 5 in the autumn.In June 1997 the Government initiated a review of new and renewable energy policy including what would be necessary and practicable to achieve 10 per cent. of UK's electricity needs from renewables by the year 2010 and what contribution new and renewable technologies could make to meeting greenhouse gas reduction commitments. The review is considering, inter alia, what further government support might be given to encourage the development of all forms of renewable energy. The Government expect to make an announcement about the review later in the summer.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Dubs on 19 May

I refer the noble Lord to the reply I gave him during the debate on the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Bill on 29 June (Official Report, vol 591, col. 456).

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will be able to publish the report of the official group on organophosphorus products. [HL2455]

With the agreement of my colleagues the Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretaries of State for Health, Defence, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Government published the report from the official group on organophosphorus (OP) products on 25 June 1998. The group was set up at the end of last year to review the processes for sharing information and achieving co-ordination between departments, to draw together scientific evidence and identify any gaps to be remedied; to examine those processes by which OPs are licensed, and to advise whether procedures should be changed.The group's report is the most thorough review of all the issues relevant to the safety and control of these products ever carried out by Government. It is evidence of how seriously we take the public concern about organophosphorus compounds and their use.The existence of the group has brought about more effective co-operation between the many government departments involved. This is in itself an important step forward, and the group will continue to serve this purpose. The group has formed two networks of departmental contacts to liaise on exchange of information and the planning of research projects. The aim is to ensure that departments work on complete and up-to-date information, and avoid conflicting decisions.The group has made recommendations for early action to improve licensing procedures, the flow of information within government and to the public, and the range of expertise of the advisory committees from which the Government draw scientific advice. We intend to act on all these recommendations. To this end, the Freedom of Information Bill team has been alerted to the need for clear legal basis for the sharing of information relating to the licensing of medicines and pesticides, and action has begun to alter the membership of the advisory committees.One important recommendation relates to a comprehensive literature review by the Institute for Environment and Health (IEH) of the scientific evidence on the effects of OPs on human health. The report on that study was published on 25 June 1998. This review presents a complicated picture; there remains uncertainty about the health effects of OPs. This uncertainty led the official group to recommend that the Government should seek views on this study from the Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT), the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP), the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) and the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM). The Government accept this recommendation and have set up a special sub-group of COT to start the process. We are asking the committees to give their opinions by the end of 1998. Taking into account the advice from these committees, the Government will consider whether any new precautionary measures might be appropriate, in addition to the safeguards in force now. It is our intention to subject every piece of available evidence on OPs to rigorous and transparent scrutiny. We are far from complacent about the continuing concerns about possible health effects of OPs.Copies of both reports have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What response has been received to the consultation paper

I am pleased to report that the Government's consultation paper Opening up Quangos received a good response. Over 400 replies were received from a wide range of individuals and organisations and the great majority of respondents broadly supported the thrust of the proposals for keeping the number of quangos to a minimum and for making those which remain more open, accountable and effective. I believe this shows the wide support that exists for opening up this area of government hitherto perceived as undemocratic and unaccountable. Copies of all the responses received (apart from those where confidentiality has been requested) have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.The results of the consultation exercise—together with further proposals for improving the accountability and transparency of quangos—were published on 29 June in another place by my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much of the emergency loans organised by the International Monetary Fund have been used to repay Japanese, European and United States banks that made loans in the Far East which have not been repaid; and what is the reason for protecting these lenders from market forces. [HL2401]

Large scale financial assistance has been provided by the official international community in support of programmes of economic adjustment in the Asian countries concerned, and will be vital for the restoration of confidence and financial stability in the economies of Asia. It is not possible to say exactly how much of this financing has been used to meet private sector debts. But a purpose of this approach has been to help countries regain access to the international capital markets, which Thailand and Korea have recently done. Both these countries have succeeded in substantially rebuilding their foreign exchange reserves.It is important however that private sector creditors bear their share of the cost of adjustment in Asia, and participate in global efforts to resolve the current difficulties. This point was made strongly in the recent G7 Finance Ministers' report on

asked Her Majesty's Government:What information they have received from the Civil Aviation Authority about the number of incidents involving disruptive behaviour by passengers; and whether, in the interests of aviation safety, they will consult with other states which are members of the International Civil Aviation Organisation on ending the practice of supplying free alcohol to passengers. [HL2432]

One hundred and four incidents of disruptive behaviour by passengers were reported to the Civil Aviation Authority under the mandatory reporting scheme in 1997, not all of which resulted from drunkenness. In the same period UK airlines carried some 80 million passengers. While such incidents can be distressing for fellow passengers, the CAA has no real evidence to suggest that disruptive behaviour by passengers is a significant safety problem.It is an offence for a passenger to enter an aircraft while drunk or to be drunk on board an aircraft. It is also an offence for any person recklessly or negligently to act in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft or any person therein. Both offences are punishable by a fine of up to £5,000 and two years' imprisonment.Airlines have to take responsibility for ensuring that they do not serve passengers with alcohol to such an extent that they become intoxicated. The CAA is working with the industry to ensure that airline staff receive appropriate training to enable them to deal with this problem. The CAA is also actively engaged in raising awareness of passenger responsibilities, such as the effect of alcohol at altitude and need for moderation. They believe that this is preferable to restricting the supply of alcohol to the vast majority of responsible passengers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What track access grants and freight facilities grants have so far been awarded in 1998 in England, Wales and Scotland. [HL2471]

Four new track access grants worth around £1.6 million have been awarded in 1998. Three of these awards were to English, Welsh and Scottish Railways and the fourth was to Freightliner. These related to traffic primarily in England, although one of the flows was entirely in Scotland.In England, five freight facilities grants worth over £4.3 million have been awarded as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Channel Tunnel Rail Link will be designed to accommodate all types of freight train currently in use in the United Kingdom; and, if not, whether they will specify any technical restrictions such as minimum speed, axle weights, train lengths or weight which might prevent certain freight trains operating on that line. {HL2469}

While the Channel Tunnel Rail Link is primarily intended as a high-speed passenger line, the Development Agreement with London and Continental Railways (LCR) requires that the entirety of the new infrastructure should have a potential freight capability. This therefore includes the provision of continental loading gauge, appropriate track spacing, compatibility with standard UK axle loadings, two freight passing lines and two freight junctions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What Transport and Works Act applications received by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions have not been determined, giving the date of application, description of works and estimated cost, and status in the approval process. [HL2470]

The following applications made to the Secretary of State have yet to be determined: