asked Her Majesty's Government:Why the Secretary of State for Defence postponed his visit to Latvia scheduled for November 1997 and sent the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in his place; and when the Secretary of State will visit the Republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. [HL2511]

Her Majesty's Government attach great importance to stability and security in the Baltic states. The United Kingdom enjoys a warm defence relationship with Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Regrettably, it proved necessary for my right honourable friend the Secretary of State to postpone his proposed visit to the Baltic states last November owing to pressing Strategic Defence Review business. In his absence, the visit of my honourable friend the Under-Secretary of State reinforced our commitment to developing our bilateral defence relationships and continuing our contributions to the co-ordinated multilateral defence projects. My right honourable friend hopes to visit the Baltic states when his schedule allows.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 3 June (

Because of the integrated nature of the operations at RAF Gibraltar it is not possible to separate the costs of civil and military operations. However, for the financial year 1997–98 the cost of operating RAF Gibraltar beyond the hours which would normally be required for RAF operations amounted to £940,000. In addition, the need to support civil air operations during normal operating hours imposes demands on air traffic control, fire services cover and security, which are estimated to cost in the region of £660,000 per annum. Figures for previous years are not available, but would be of the same order, less an allowance for inflation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps are being taken to increase the entry of Asian and Afro-Caribbean British citizens to armed forces officer training courses. [HL2293]

This Government are committed to ensuring that the composition of the Armed Forces better represents the make up of the society that they seek to defend. The recruitment of more ethnic minority personnel is, therefore, one of our highest priorities. The ethnic minority recruitment goals for the financial year 1998–99 underline the Armed Forces' commitment to make progress in this area. The initiatives we have underway are designed to encourage young people from ethnic backgrounds to consider a career in the Armed Forces irrespective of whether they wish to be officers or other ranks. The services, however, are aiming to encourage more young people from ethnic communities to take up bursaries and cadetships at universities.Recent measures include two tri-service initiatives underway in the Boroughs of Newham and Sandwell. The Army has recently completed an ethnic minorities recruitment campaign in the Borough of Brent, the results of which are awaited. In addition, there are a number of other single service initiatives in place and all three services supplement their initiatives with targeted advertising, marketing activity, and attendance at local ethnic minority festivals and careers conventions. The overall aim is to encourage interest in the Armed Forces from the widest possible ethnic minority audience.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the proportion of gross domestic product devoted to defence in each NATO member state both in the year 1997–98 and in the year 1987–88. [HL2409]

The information requested for calendar years 1997 and 1987 is as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made with regard to the proposed tri-national destroyer programme; when the memorandum of understanding was signed by the United Kingdom, France and Italy; and whether subsequent study suggests that this project is likely to be either economically sensible or operationally worth while. [HL2420]

The programme memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the common new generation frigate (CNGF) Project HORIZON was signed by the United Kingdom, Italy and France in July 1994, with its supplement for project definition and initial design signed in March 1996. The programme MOU for the vessel's principal anti-air missile system (PAAMS) and the supplement covering its full-scale engineering development and initial production (FSED/IP) were also signed in March 1996.The tri-national contract for PAAMS FSED/IP is scheduled to be placed later this year. Project definition studies on HORIZON are scheduled to be completed next year, with the next stage being the placement of the design and build contract for the nations' three first-of-class ships.The Government remains committed to the CNGF programme as offering a value for money solution to the Royal Navy's operational requirement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Ministry of Defence has received reports from the Edinburgh consultancy firm Environmental Resources Management on the environmental condition of Holy Loch; if so, whether they have published these reports; and, if not, whether they will do so. [HL2399]

The Ministry of Defence received reports from Environmental Resources Management (ERM). They have not been published as such, but copies have been made available for public information at the offices of the local Argyll and Bute council and can be acquired directly from ERM. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have discussed the United States exercise, Eligible Receiver, with the United States authorities; and what are the implications of the findings from this exercise for the Strategic Defence Review. [HL2402]

Ministers and officials were briefed on the 1997 US exercise Eligible Receiver on 19 March 1998. The findings of the exercise were taken into consideration as part of the Strategic Defence Review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will hold an international arms fair in 1998; and, if so, where it will be held; what it will cost; and to whom invitations will be extended. [HL2536]

Her Majesty's Government will not hold any international defence exhibitions in 1998. The Government will, however, participate in September 1998 in the Farnborough International Air Show, which is a commercial event organised and run by the Society of British Aerospace Companies. The responsibility for major defence exhibitions previously organised by the Ministry of Defence has recently been transferred to the private sector. I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given in another place by the Under-Secretary of State for Defence on 8 June 1998 (Official Report, Col. 423).

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made on a future rocket for the multiple launch rocket system. [HL2657]

The United Kingdom intends to join the collaborative programme to develop a guided rocket for the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS). This guided rocket will replace the current MLRS rocket, which begins to reach the end of its service life early next century. The new rocket will have a greater range and accuracy than current rockets.Guided MLRS is expected to be developed collaboratively with the US, France, Germany, and Italy, our partners in the original, highly successful MLRS programme.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made on the Army's future tactical reconnaissance capability. [HL2658]

The Strategic Defence Review has emphasised the importance of investment in the area of fast, detailed and accurate intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance, known as ISTAR. This is not only vital for combat operations, but also for many peace support operations.We have, therefore, decided to undertake a programme of work aimed at enhancing the Army's tactical reconnaissance capability. This involves an integrated series of studies into future sensors, land reconnaissance vehicles and unmanned air vehicles. These studies will enable us to identify the most cost-effective mix of reconnaissance sensors and platforms to meet our future needs.As part of this programme, we will conduct with the United States a collaborative project definition study which will examine sensors, sensor integration and the vehicles needed to meet our armies' future manned land-based reconnaissance requirements. This joint project is known as the Armoured Scout and Reconnaissance Vehicle (ASRV) and seeks to provide a highly mobile, stealthy, battlefield reconnaissance capability. A memorandum of understanding with the United States has now been signed, and an invitation to tender will be released to industry in the near future. The United Kingdom element of ASRV is known as TRACER—Tactical Reconnaissance Armoured Combat Equipment Requirement. The United Kingdom will be an equal partner with the United States in this project, which will have major benefits for the United Kingdom Armed Forces and industry.In parallel, we are conducting national studies into the use of unmanned air and land vehicles for meeting the Army's future reconnaissance requirements. The sensor and sensor integration work carried out under the ASRV project will inform this work. We are also examining the scope for collaboration with the United States on the unmanned air vehicle element of the programme.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are aware of reports that some non-Gulf veterans have recently attended the Medical Assessment Programme and have been referred to other departments within the Ministry of Defence; and, if so, whether they will make a full account of the occurrences and the measures they have taken to prevent further such occurrences. [HL1806]

The Ministry of Defence is not aware of any reports suggesting that some non-Gulf veterans have recently attended the MoD's Medical Assessment Programme (MAP) and been referred elsewhere within the MoD.The Ministry of Defence is, however, aware that a short paper was published in the Royal College of Psychiatrists' psychiatric bulletin in late February which reported that, in an unspecified 12-month period, 5 of 39 ex-service personnel referred to the Defence Services Psychiatric Centre at Catterick for the treatment of combat-related post traumatic stress disorder were patients whose description of their combat experience was largely fictitious. MoD officials have contacted the paper's author and ascertained that the period covered by the paper was 1996 and that two of these subjects were referred by the MAP. We are now attempting to identify the individuals concerned in order to determine whether they are Gulf veterans or were otherwise entitled to attend the MAP.MoD has also carried out an extensive search of case notes at the MAP in order to ascertain whether there have been any more recent instances of incorrect referral. This exercise identified a small number of patients who have been seen by the MAP since 13 October last year, when the MAP moved to its current location—St. Thomas' Hospital in London—and who were not Gulf veterans. However, none of these patients has been referred by the MAP to other MoD facilities or military establishments. All but two of these patients are servicemen of ex-servicemen who claimed they had been vaccinated for Gulf service, but did not deploy to the Gulf to participate in Operation GRANBY. It is our policy to allow individuals in this category to be examined at the MAP. The remaining individuals were referred to the MAP by their respective GPs in good faith, but it was subsequently discovered that one had never been a member of the Armed Forces whereas the other actually deployed to the Gulf later, in 1992, to participate in Operation JURAL to enforce the no-fly-zone in southern Iraq.In order to prevent further such occurrences, the registration form for MAP patients has been updated to include service numbers and patients referred to the MAP will henceforth be checked against a database of those who served in the Gulf to confirm their eligibility to attend.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will arrange for the publication of lists of names of members of the Boards of Visitors of England and Wales. [HL2506]

The names of members of Boards of Visitors are not published for reasons relating to their own personal protection.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will investigate the allegation made to the Chief Inspector of Prisons that prisoners in Lincoln Prison A Wing switched from cannabis to heroin use following the introduction of mandatory drug testing. [HL2505]

These allegations have been investigated. The results of random mandatory drug testing at Lincoln do not indicate that prisoners there have moved from using cannabis to heroin following the introduction of testing. Results for prisoners on A wing are not separated from the rest of the prison.This allegation has been made in relation to a number of prisons and is not specific to Lincoln. However, statistics on mandatory drug tests results have never supported the contention that prisoners are switching from cannabis to heroin.Because of the concern surrounding this issue, the Prison Service specifically commissioned independent research into it. Separate studies by the National Addiction Centre (NAC) and the Oxford Centre for Criminological Research examined the evidence. The NAC draft report found that, overall, the results do not directly support substantial switching from cannabis to opiates. A 4 per cent. sample of drug misusers in the Oxford research had experimented with heroin for the first time because of mandatory drug testing, but none had persisted with it.The Government are not complacent about this and the Prison Service will continue to examine the results of drug testing carefully. My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mr. Howarth) recently announced the new Prison Drugs Strategy, which sets out a more discriminating approach to provide a greater emphasis on tackling the misuse of drugs which cause the greatest harm, and this is a measure of our concern about the use of opiates, such as heroin in particular.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will employ prisoners at Lincoln Prison to clean the walls and give the ground floor of A Wing a fresh coat of paint. [HL2503]

The ground floor of A wing at Lincoln Prison has already been redecorated by prisoners. The redecoration was completed prior to the publication of the report by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons on 16 October 1997.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in the light of the information on pages 16–17 of the Annual Report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales, they are now in a position to say what proportion of 16 and 17 year-olds receiving custodial sentences were, at the time of offending, without visible legal means of support. [HL2493]

There is insufficient information available to say what proportion of 16 and 17 year-old offenders had no legal means of support at the time of offending. The kind of information requested has never been collected on a systematic basis by the Prison Service.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What new road schemes will be carried out in Wales in the next five years; what are the estimated costs; and how this figure compares with the expenditure over the previous five years. [HL2550]

With the exception of the proposed dualling of the A55 across Anglesey, all schemes in the forward trunk road programme are subject to the review announced by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Wales in July last year. A report on the review will be published later this year. This will include details of the future strategy for and role of the trunk road network in Wales.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Williams of Mostyn on 8 June (

The timescale for completion of the Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance will depend on how quickly outstanding issues can be resolved, in particular concerning interception of telecommunications, data protection, the role of the European Court of Justice and the territorial scope of the application of the convention. The Austrian Presidency has indicated that it will give high priority to finalising the convention during its six-month term of office (ending December 1998).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, under the proposals set out in the School Standards and Framework Bill, in the event that an organisation committee is unable to agree on a matter for determination and the matter is referred to the adjudicator, the adjudicator could:

Where a school organisation plan is referred to the adjudicator, the adjudicator may select any option put forward by the school organisation committee, or propose a further option to the committee. However, the adjudicator may not impose an option on the committee with which none of the groups on the committee is in agreement. Where a school organisation proposal is referred to the adjudicator, the adjudicator may approve the proposal, reject it or, after consultation, approve it with modifications, such as a change in the implementation date.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Blackstone, on 24 June (

Under the provisions in the School Standards and Framework Bill, the governing body of a foundation school will be responsible for determining the school's admission arrangements after having consulted locally. If the LEA has an objection to a foundation school's admission arrangements, it may refer the matter to the adjudicator. Where the objection concerns admissions criteria relating to a person's religion or religious denomination, the adjudicator will refer the objection to the Secretary of State. The decision of the adjudicator, or the Secretary of State, will be binding.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list all schools in each education action zone together with Key Stage 2 test results: and, where appropriate since records began, GCSE results for the past three years. [HL2482]

A copy of the information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is for each education action zone:

The Government will provide a direct grant of up to £750,000 per zone per annum. Additionally, each zone will raise £250,000 a year from independent sources. Contributions towards this can be in cash or kind. The Government are currently finalising the details on how grants will be made to zones. The relevant allocation information will be published shortly and I will write to the noble Baroness when this is available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What process will have to be followed for any or all schools in an education action zone:

The legislation for disapplying the teachers' pay and conditions document is set out in Clause 13 of the School Standards and Framework Bill 1998.The legislation for disapplying parts of the National Curriculum for development work or experimentation is set out in Section 362 of the Education Act 1996.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the earliest date by which a ballot could be held following the verification of a petition to end selection at one or more grammar schools. [HL2547]

According to the draft Education (Grammar School Ballots) Regulations, parents would need to request a ballot by way of a petition signed by at least 20 per cent. of the relevant parents. Should this happen, then a ballot would be held during the 1999–2000 school year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they are taking to combat the growing problem of piracy and armed robbery at sea. [HL2621]

Her Majesty's Government have improved the published advice to UK shipowners and seafarers in order to ensure that they are fully aware of the risks and take all possible precautions against attacks. Where attacks on UK nationals have occurred, we have asked the governments concerned, most recently in Indonesia and Brazil, to investigate the incidents and take steps to avoid repetitions. We are also encouraging wider international action to combat what is a global threat to safety at sea and international trade. This year we have helped finance counter-piracy missions organised by the International Maritime Organisation. In the autumn we will draw the attention of the UN General Assembly to the problem. All these measures have been in consultation with the UK shipping industry and trade unions, including through recent discussions hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What conclusions they have drawn from the recent visit to East Timor by the European Troika heads of Mission from Jakarta. [HL2622]

The EU/Troika Ambassadors from Jakarta visited East Timor from 27 June to 30 June 1998. They were accompanied by the representative of the EU Commission based in Jakarta and a representative of the EU Council secretariat. This was the first visit to the territory undertaken by EU ambassadors. It was undertaken at the initiative of the British Presidency of the European Union.The purpose of the visit was to mark the EU's continuing concern about the situation in East Timor, to improve our knowledge of the situation there and to support the UN process of searching for a fair, comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution to the problem.We very much regret the death of Orlando Marcelino da Costa who was shot in Baucau during the Troika visit on 29 June and have asked the authorities to carry out a full investigation into the incident.Although marred by this tragic incident, the visit achieved its objectives. The ambassadors met a broad cross-section of interlocutors, including key local political figures, members of the security forces, community leaders, the churches and NGOs. They made clear the EU's engagement in the search for a solution, a message which was widely appreciated.The outcome of the visit will be considered with EU partners under the Austrian Presidency of the EU.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the total cost (at today's prices) of war widows' pensions in 1997–98 and in each of the four preceding years. [HL2460]

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to reform the tree preservation order system. [HL2659]

We have today issued a consultation paper, setting out the Government's proposals for reforming the tree preservation order legislation. Copies have been placed in the House library.A review of the legislation was completed in July 1994. This revealed widespread support for tree preservation orders as an effective means of protecting selected trees and woodlands in the interests of amenity. But it also identified a number of reforms which would help streamline the system and address its main weaknesses.The Government believe that the 1994 review struck a good balance between the need to ensure that local authorities are able to protect trees effectively and the need to provide an open, efficient and fair system in which the general public can have confidence. We therefore propose to reform the system in line with the 1994 review when a suitable opportunity to amend the primary legislation arises.In the meantime, we also intend to update the tree preservation order regulations. Draft regulations are included in the consultation paper. They would implement some of the reforms from the 1994 review and some new proposals which we believe would further improve the system. These include more streamlined procedures for keeping tree preservation orders up to date; new measures to speed up tree preservation order appeals to the Secretary of State; new provisions on the payment of compensation under the tree preservation order system; and clearer procedures for dealing with felling licence applications which involve protected trees.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the contract to recycle spent fluorescent tubes across the government estate has now been let. [HL2660]

The call-off contract has just been awarded to Biffa Waste Services Limited by the Disposal Sales Agency who will manage it on behalf of participating Government departments. My right honourable friend the Minister for the Environment has written to "green" Ministers to promote its use across Whitehall. This initiative is in keeping with the Government's consultation paper on the waste strategy for England and Wales.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many of the reviews currently being undertaken by government departments will be published during the Parliamentary summer recess. [HL2434]

The Prime Minister placed an up to date list of Government reviews in the libraries of both Houses on 30 June. Publication of the results of reviews is a matter for the relevant Ministers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the details of the present formula and criteria being used to determine the levels of government financial support in the countries and regions of the United Kingdom that produce a figure in Scotland per capita of £871 in excess of that which is spent per capita of population in England; and how long these systems have been in use; and [HL2380]What amounts of money have been apportioned each year for the last five years to England, Scotland and Wales under the Block Grant Settlement System. [HL2443]

Changes in expenditure levels in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are determined by the long-standing population-based Barnett formula, which was adopted at the end of the 1970s and first used in 1978. It has been in continuous use since then and the Government set out the arrangements in the future in Chapter 7 of Scotland's Parliament (Cm 3658) and Chapter 4 of A Voice for Wales (Cm 3718).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 1 June (

The increased preference of agents for holding assets in interest-bearing accounts largely reflects reduced costs of transfer between interest bearing and non-interest bearing money. Agents are now able to earn interest on their assets while forfeiting less liquidity than in the past.If agents were forced to increase the proportion of their assets held in non-interest bearing accounts, this would mean losing interest earned on balances formerly held in interest-bearing accounts.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are giving any consideration to lowering the retirement age of 65 for Ambulance Service staff as is the case with other stress-related occupations. [HL2510]

The National Health Service Pension Scheme pays full pension benefits from age 60. There are also provisions within the scheme which allow members to take voluntary early retirement from age 50. The Ambulance Services Association has recently produced a report on pensions and retirement issues for front line ambulance staff. We are considering the report.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many employees of the Ambulance Service have been attacked, both physically and verbally, in the course of their duties during the past ten years. [HL2508]

The information requested is not collected centrally. The Government are concerned about the incidence of violence against all staff in the National Health Service. On 23 June my honourable friend the Minister of State for Health announced a four-point plan to help local managers tackle the problem of violence to staff. Violence to NHS staff is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why they have advised health authorities that, in setting up primary care groups, general practitioners' surgeries should be required to join the group in that area where their surgery is based. [HL2530]

Primary care groups will be based on natural geographical communities of people, typically covering around 100,000 population, and we expect general practitioners to join the group in which they can best represent the needs of their patients. It is important that GPs are involved in primary care groups which cover the natural communities that they serve. Primary care groups will have an important role in securing the health of the populations they serve, and the public need to know who is serving their health needs.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the proposed closure of Putney Hospital will result in a loss of beds to the National Health Service. [HL2475]

The existing elderly and respite care beds at Putney Hospital will be reprovided as part of the new community hospital to be developed on the main Queen Mary's Roehampton site. The closure involves a transfer of beds to a more suitable site, not a reduction in total bed numbers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Jay of Paddington on 30 June (

No decisions have yet been made about what the new Charter will say. It is, however, considered good practice to ask patients how they wish to be addressed and respect that wish.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the most recent figures available on deaths associated with the practice of volatile substance abuse. [HL2661]

Statistics collected by St. George's Hospital Medical School and published today show that there were 75 deaths in the United Kingdom in 1996 associated with volatile substance abuse (VSA). This is the second consecutive year in which there has been an increase over the 58 deaths in 1994 which had been the lowest level of mortality since 1981. We take any death associated with VSA very seriously and will consider whether further action is required which could help prevent such tragedies.Copies of the report are available in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish a report of the results of the examination by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) of the review of the Medical Research Council Institute for Environment and Health:

The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) has set up a working group to discuss this topic. The Institute for Environment and Health report and the questions posed in the Official Group on OPs—Report to Ministers were presented to the working group at its first meeting on 22 May.When the working group has completed its review into whether prolonged low level exposure to organophosphates, or acute exposure to OPs of a lower dose than causing frank intoxication, can cause chronic ill health effects, the COT will publish a report.