asked Her Majesty's Government:How much money from the Know How Fund will be allocated to (a) Estonia; (b) Latvia; and (c) Lithuania in 1998–99; and whether these sums represent an increase from 1997–98. [HL2472]

The Know How Fund has allocated £500,000 each in bilateral funding to projects in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 1998–99. In 1997–98, £580,000 was allocated to each country. These amounts are additional to the UK's share of the European Union's Phare programme, which in 1998 proposes to allocate 18.9 million, 18.6 million and 29.1 million ECU to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania respectively.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is their policy in central and eastern Europe to focus Know How funding on the poorest and most disadvantaged sectors of society rather than on those individuals who are capable of undergoing training in the United Kingdom. [HL2473]

Our policy is to support the process of transition to pluralist democracy and a market economy in a way which promotes and recognises the interests of all the people in transition countries. This objective is achieved by a variety of activities, including some directly aimed at reducing poverty and social exclusion. Projects include training in the United Kingdom where appropriate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to consult on proposals to institute the change to a tonnage based levy for statutory joint waste disposal authorities. [HL2494]

When announcing the change from a council tax to a tonnage based system for the apportionment of Joint Waste Disposal Authorities levies, we requested officials in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to work out methods for such a system and to discuss them with the local authority associations. Proposals have now been developed on how to apportion authorities' contributions on the basis of the amount of waste they deliver for disposal in a preceding period. The aim is to reflect the service each authority draws from the JWDA and to provide encouragement for waste minimisation and other sustainable methods of waste management. The more successful authorities are in minimising waste and diverting it to other forms of sustainable waste management such as recycling and composting, the less they will deliver for disposal and the less they will pay. As we said in March, this will form one more element in our policy to encourage waste management options higher up the waste hierarchy.A consultation document will therefore be issued today to local authority associations, the JWDAs and their constituent authorities. It remains our intention to have an efficient and effective default system in place in time for the 1999–2000 levy and we would very much welcome their responses to our proposals.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In view of the irritation caused to train passengers by users of mobile phones, whether they will recommend to the rail companies that at least one half of one carriage in every train be designated a mobile phone free compartment. [HL2579]

Under the current arrangements for the railways, this is a commercial matter for the privatised train operating companies. Two operators, Chiltern Railways and Great Western Trains, have introduced mobile phone free carriages on their services. It is for other operators to consider whether there is demand from their passengers for similar provisions to be made.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which front line aircraft squadrons will be disbanded as a result of the Strategic Defence Review. [HL2497]

We considered this matter very carefully and decided that the most effective way to meet the reductions in the Tornado F3 and Tornado GR forces was to disband two squadrons. In order to minimise disruption for Service personnel and optimise running cost savings, No. 29(F) Tornado F3 Squadron at RAF Coningsby and No. 17(F) Tornado GR Squadron at RAF Bruggen will be disbanded by 1 April 1999.There will be no redundancies as a result of this decision. We wish to place on record our recognition of the distinguished role these squadrons have performed over many years. Arrangements are in place to brief all personnel affected by this decision.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the indemnities relative to the Sierra Leone arms investigation will come into force. [HL2662]

To assist Sir Thomas Legg complete his report as soon as possible the indemnities will come into force on 10 July.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What contribution commercial firms make to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in return for the activities carried out by the FCO and the Ministry of Defence from which the firms benefit commercially; and whether this benefit is regularly costed and billed to them. [HL2477]

The FCO and DTI, working together as Overseas Trade Services (OTS), and the MoD (in relation to defence exports), provide a wide range of services designed to help companies exploit overseas opportunities. In some circumstances—for example, for a tailored market information report—the OTS will charge companies based on the time spent by staff. The revenue generated by such charging is paid to the DTI. The MoD also charge companies in some circumstances—for example, for an overseas demonstration by an MoD sales team. The charges are also based on the time spent by staff, and the revenue is paid to the MoD.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have looked at the United States' Central Intelligence Agency's "Home Page for Kids" on the Internet; and whether in their view, the "country profile" of the United Kingdom leaves anything to be desired in terms of accuracy. [HL2295]

Her Majesty's Government are not responsible for the accuracy of information carried on the Internet apart from, of course, their own website.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that "coalitions of the willing" among NATO members may operate out of the NATO area without the authority of the United Nations Security Council. [HL2478]

Any NATO action would need to be in accordance with international law, but it is clear that not all operations would require a Security Council Resolution.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the latest date by which they envisage the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joining NATO as full members. [HL2512]

Heads of State and Government reaffirmed at the NATO Summit in Madrid on 8–9 July 1997 that NATO remains open to new members in accordance with Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty. The process of NATO enlargement will be considered at the NATO Summit in Washington in April 1999. No commitments have been made in respect of particular applicant countries.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will arrange for additional parliamentary time to be made available so that the United Kingdom may be able to ratify the Ottawa Treaty, banning anti-personnel landmines, before the end of the current Session. [HL2437]

As my noble friend will be aware, we hope to complete all stages of the Landmines Bill in another place on 10 July. It will then be debated in this House shortly afterwards. We do not yet have a date.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the last occasion on which the Privy Council dined together; which members of the Privy Council were not invited to attend; and why they were not invited. [HL2601]

The Privy Council entertained Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh to Dinner on 8 December 1997, to celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary. Every member of the Privy Council was invited to attend.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will place a copy of the instructions to the Immigration Service and Home Office Staff on dealing with immigration cases on the Internet. [HL2495]

I am pleased to announce that a copy of the disclosable version of four of the six volumes of the Immigration Directorates' Instructions (IDIs) is being placed on the Internet. The material is subject to periodic review and revision.The Government are committed to ensuring that these instructions are as widely available as possible and arrangements are also in hand to place a paper-based copy of the IDIs at various selected sites around the United Kingdom. This will provide an alternative means of access for those without direct access to the Internet. I will arrange for a copy of the list containing details of the selected sites to be placed in the Library and on the Internet.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to make changes to the review procedures in cases of persons sentenced to life imprisonment. [HL2496]

Under the present arrangements announced by the then Home Secretary in another place on 7 December 1994, the first Parole Board review in the case of a life sentenced prisoner begins three years before the expiry of tariff. The purpose of this review is normally to enable the prisoner to be assessed for, and, where appropriate, transferred to, open conditions (Category D) where he or she may be tested in conditions of lower security, fully assessed by staff and prepared for release. A further Parole Board review is then held to determine whether the level of risk is low enough to enable the prisoner to be safely released on life licence. Where the level of risk is considered to be acceptable, the objective is to release the prisoner on, or very shortly after, tariff expiry.The need for two or more reviews and the average time of eight and a half months to complete each one make it very difficult for this objective to be achieved. Of the 109 life sentenced prisoners who were released on life licence between April 1997 and March 1998, only one was released on tariff expiry. A further 31 who could have been safely released at or close to tariff expiry were released within 12 months. We have therefore decided to make some adjustments to the review timetabling arrangements to reduce delays by enabling prisoners whom it is safe to release but who are currently being released within 12 months of tariff expiry to be released on tariff or shortly afterwards.In future, the first Parole Board review for mandatory and discretionary life sentenced prisoners will be brought forward by six months to start three and a half years before tariff expiry, but normally only where the prisoner has been in Category C prison conditions for 12 months or more at that point. Cases falling just outside the 12-month criterion, and cases where exceptional circumstances exist, will be considered for early review on their merits.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will set up an inquiry into allegations that women prisoners are being put under pressure to have abortions in exchange for being moved to open prisons. [HL2516]

The Prison Service has no evidence that women prisoners are being put under pressure to have abortions in exchange for being moved to open prisons. There is no reason why being pregnant should restrict a woman prisoner's progress to open conditions. One of our four mother and baby units is located at Askham Grange, which is an open prison for women.The Prison Service has work in hand to produce, by March 1999, a standard for women's health. Among other things, the standard will clarify the management of pregnant prisoners. Such clarification will be to the benefit of female prisoners and staff.If there is evidence that any woman prisoner has been influenced to have her pregnancy terminated in the circumstances alleged, an investigation of each individual case will be instituted.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why a letter addressed to Mr. Enahoro Esemuze, an inmate at Her Majesty's Prison, Bullingdon, was returned marked "Deported" when he was actually in Her Majesty's Prison, Rochester. [HL2597]

I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave to Lord Avebury on Monday 6 July (WA 124) for the facts relating to Mr. Esemuze's custody.Regrettably, Bullingdon prison failed to track Mr. Esemuze's whereabouts via the Local Inmate Database System and also erred in interpreting the available information, resulting in the letter being incorrectly returned.This matter has been brought to the attention of Bullingdon prison and the Prison Service area manager will be issuing further guidance to the staff on the action to be taken with letters received at the prison for a prisoner who has left their custody.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will introduce legislation conferring jurisdiction upon English courts over persons resident in England and who have committed abroad acts of violence or public order offences connected with the presence there of an English football team or an English club team. [HL2528]

Extraterritorial jurisdiction over criminal offences committed abroad is generally limited to those offences considered to be the most serious. The Government are presently conducting a review of all football-related legislation, taking into account the events in France during the World Cup Finals. Consideration will be given to all options, including the suggestion made by the noble Lord.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

There was one disturbance at Medway Secure Training Centre on 25 June. The incident commenced at 8pm and was brought under control by 10pm. There were no serious injuries either to the trainees or staff. The contractor has commissioned its own investigation into the incident and a report is expected shortly. I understand that the investigation will look at issues such as physical security, the design of the centre and materials used, and the operating procedures. Any lessons learned from the incident will be incorporated in our requirements for future centres. On present information, there are no grounds for an independent inquiry or for delaying signature of further contracts.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their policy with regard to imported coal. [HL2569]

Our policy is to promote open, fair and transparent trade in coal in accordance with our commitments under our membership of the European Coal and Steel Community and the World Trade Organisation. We have taken action within the European Coal and Steel Community to prevent unfair competition from German graded anthracite in the UK market. We are examining carefully the extent to which Polish housecoal and power-station coal is being sold in the UK market at prices below production costs, and will pursue the matter vigorously. It is not our policy to allow subsidies in Germany, Spain, Poland or elsewhere adversely to affect the UK coal industry.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are their plans for the revocation of the Emergency Control Order which came into force on 21 May under Section 13 of the Food Safety Act 1990 in relation to Duckett's cheese; and, if they have none, under what circumstances will the order be lifted. [HL2557]

The Government will amend the Emergency Control Order to allow commercial operations in respect of Duckett's cheese produced on or after a specified date as soon as we are satisfied that problems leading to the making of the order have been addressed.Officials have been in direct contact with Ducketts and they are working closely with Sedgemoor District Council to ensure that Ducketts are able to resume production with the minimum of delay.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in the light of observations from the House of Commons Select Committee on Agriculture (5th Report, Session 1997–98) that recommendations of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) in relation to Vitamin B6 safety were "palpably wrong", the continue to have confidence in the suitability of Professor Woods to chair (a) the COT and (b) the new Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals. [HL2593]

We accept the scientific advice of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) on the safety of Vitamin B6 and continue to have every confidence in Professor Woods as Chairman of both the COT and the new Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the average scores, as well as the maxima, the minima, the medians, the upper and lower quartiles and the pupil-weighted mean and standard deviations (all rounded to three decimal places) of:

The information requested in respect of GCSE and GCSE/GNVQ point scores per 15 year-old pupil is shown in the following tables.