asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give details of the legislation (together with any legal opinion they have taken) which obliges Ministers to accept and to act upon any advice given to them by any of the statutory advisory committees; in particular, those relating to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Department of Health. [HL2628]

Detailed rules for the national authorisation of human and veterinary medicines and pesticides are set out in UK and EU legislation. The relevant Ministers take authorisation decisions based on the advice of statutory scientific advisory committees (the Veterinary Products Committee, the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Advisory Committee on Pesticides). The remit and procedures of these committees have been reviewed by the Official Group on OPs. The group's conclusions, which include the extent to which the precautionary principle may be applied, are set out in Chapter 6 of its report, which was published on 25 June, and subsequent study of the issue has confirmed the position. Copies of the report are available in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have any means of tracing those individuals who have reported suspected adverse reactions to exposure to organophosphate sheep dips to the Veterinary Products Committee since 1985; and, if they have, whether they would agree to a follow-up procedure to ascertain the current state of health of these individuals. [HL2558]

The names and addresses of individuals who have reported suspected adverse reactions (SARs) to organophosphorus sheep dips, at the time of the report, are recorded at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. Since the scheme began in 1985, reports of 640 human SARs related to OP sheep dips have been received by the VMD.The function of the Suspected Adverse Reactions Surveillance Scheme (SARSS) is to identify developing trends in SARs and to report to the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC). Where people feel unwell, they should first consult their doctor and the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Psychiatrists have formed a working group to advise on clinical management of patients with symptoms attributable to chronic OP exposure. It is not the practice of the SARSS or the VPC to pass on the names and addresses of those reporting a suspected adverse reaction to the working group, for reasons of confidentiality. Of those SARs reported to the VMD to date, only 78 were notified by medical practitioners.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How users of pirimiphos-methyl grain treatments are to reconcile instructions that "Grain treated by admixture as specified may be consumed by humans and livestock" without a withdrawal period, with the recently-added instruction to "Keep [the chemical] away from food and animal feedstuff", particularly in the light of the review of this chemical which revealed that it remains active for between one and five years in controlled conditions. [HL2588]

Current scientific advice is that pirimiphos-methyl does not pose an unacceptable risk to humans or livestock when it is used in accordance with the conditions of its approval. The instruction to keep it away from food and animal feedstuff is a standard precautionary measure designed to warn users of toxic compounds to avoid inadvertent contamination.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the known immune system and reproductive system effects of deficiency in (a) copper and (b) selenium in cattle. [HL2589]

Copper and selenium are essential constituents of the diet. Severe deficiency of either can result in death. Sublethal deficiencies can affect the normal function of a wide range of body systems.Copper deficiency in cattle has been implicated in both impaired function of the immune defence system and poor fertility though, despite extensive investigation, neither has been conclusively proven.There is some evidence that selenium deficiency in cattle affects animals' ability to mount antibody response to infection and animals' defence cells are less able to kill or remove pathogenic bacteria. The evidence regarding the effect of selenium deficiency on the reproductive system is conflicting. It has been associated with retained foetal membranes and inferior reproductive performance, but the scientific evidence is equivocal.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why there are no maximum residue levels (MRLs) set for pesticides in animal foodstuffs. [HL2623]

Maximum residue levels (MRLs) set by the Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Crops, Food and Feedingstuffs) Regulations 1994, as amended, apply whether the commodity is to be used for human or animal consumption. In addition, further maximum limits are set for a few pesticides in animal feeds under EC measures implemented in Great Britain in the Feedings Stuff Regulations 1995, as amended.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Donoughue on 30 June (

Guide dogs, like all dogs, are rabies susceptible mammals. Under the current policy, all dogs imported into the British Isles must spend six months in quarantine. The only exception is for commercially traded dogs moving between member states of the European Union for which separate rules exist. As I explained to the noble Lord in my reply of 30 June, the Advisory Group on Quarantine is assessing the current policy and alternatives, and will report this summer or early autumn. A full public consultation on the options available will then be held.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they intend to take following the statement of the Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Elliot Morley) on the Channel Four television programme "Countryside Under Cover—The Follow Up" that the law in relation to pig tail-docking is not adequate. [HL2527]

Farmers must understand that tail docking of piglets may only be used as a last resort when other means of controlling the vice of tail biting have failed. We have emphasised this to pig industry and veterinary representatives.Each time an officer of the State Veterinary Service visits a pig farm, the farmer is reminded that the law does not permit tail-docking to be carried out routinely, but only where injuries to other piglets have occurred or are likely to occur. Where tail-docking is found, farmers must justify the procedure.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to issue for public consultation their detailed proposals for changes to the pre-export procedures for live animals. [HL2760]

A public consultation document was issued on 13 July 1998, when copies were placed in the Library of the House.The proposed revised procedures deal with veterinary inspections for the purpose of export health certification for consignments of sheep and pigs destined for fattening, production or slaughter in other EC Member States. They seek to clarify the role of the exporter, the Department and the Local Veterinary Inspector (LVI) in the certification process. A summary of the revised procedures will be made available to the public. A key objective of the proposed revised inspection arrangements will be to ensure that unfit animals are rejected from export health certification.We intend to establish a new panel of LVIs appointed to undertake these particular export health certifications, from which the LVI to conduct each particular certification will be nominated by the department. We will provide additional training for veterinarians supervising the export of animals. Where an animal is found to be unfit to travel to the intended destination, LVIs on the new panel will have powers to serve notices under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order. The serving of such notices will ensure that the person in charge of the animal takes the action necessary to protect the welfare of the animal. We intend to encourage exporters to ensure that sufficient facilities and staff are available to aid the inspection of the animals to be certified. We intend to clarify the methods of inspection of the animals to be certified. We intend to clarify the methods for checking the identity of animals which form part of the proposed export consignment. Finally, we intend to provide clear indicators for the minimum times to be spent by the LVI on the inspection and identification of animals.The Government announced last year that they intended to pay LVIs directly for inspection and certification of consignments, recovering the money by way of a charge (payable on application for certification) by exporters. We remain committed to introducing those changes so that the whole of the certification process for these types of animals can be demonstrated to be entirely independent. The consultation document sets out the general principles which we intend to apply for recovering the costs of these inspections and seeks information to enable us to make proposals about the detail of the changes to the financial arrangements. In order to enable us to calculate the costs of such a change and to come forward with detailed proposals, information is needed not only about current charges (which are a matter between the LVI and the exporter) but also about the likely effects of the proposed revised procedures on such costs. Once we have the responses to this consultation document, we will draw up a further consultation document which outlines our detailed proposals to change the existing financial arrangements, including the legislation necessary to give effect to such a change.The closing date for comments is 8 September 1998.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the timetable and working arrangements for the new Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals; and what steps are being taken to ensure that the new group bases its report on sound science; and [HL2594]Whether they have any plans to review the membership and the proposed chairmanship of the new Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals. [HL2595]

The Government are considering whether any change is required to the arrangements for the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals in the light of the recommendations made by the Agriculture Select Committee in its report on Vitamin B6. As regards the chairmanship, I refer the noble Lord to the reply given by Baroness Jay on 9 July 1998 (WA153)

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the response to the consultation paper

I have today placed in the Libraries of both Houses a summary of the responses to the consultation paper. The Government remain committed to achieving the aims set out in the consultation paper of extending access to justice and beginning the process of refocusing legal aid to where it can do most good. I am grateful to all those who responded, all of whose comments have been carefully considered.The Government have received wide support to extend conditional fees to all civil proceedings other than family cases and we are keen to proceed as quickly as possible. I have today laid a draft order for the approval of this House to extend conditional fees to all proceedings not excluded by statute. The draft order will be debated as soon as time can be found. For the longer term, the Government continue to believe the operation and fairness of conditional fees would be enhanced by making the success fee and insurance premium recoverable. We wish to consider this further before reaching any final decision but I am minded to seek the legislation to allow the success fees and insurance premiums to be recoverable as soon as possible.Legal aid is in urgent need of reform and we shall begin the process of reform in a number of ways. First,

we will ensure that assisted persons have access to suitably competent lawyers in medical negligence cases by using existing powers to direct clients towards specialist lawyers who hold franchise contracts with the Legal Aid Board. It will be a condition of holding a contract that the lawyers have shown themselves to be competent in this area of law. I have asked the Legal Aid Board to press ahead with putting in place the necessary contracts. I wish to see these contracts in place by January 1999. I have also directed them to establish a panel of lawyers of proven experience and expertise to whom preference would be given in awarding contracts for group actions and other related changes, as canvassed in the board's consultation paper

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are (a) the core subjects and (b) the foundation subjects of the National Curriculum; and whether there are any proposals to change these subjects. [HL2680]

In England, mathematics, English and science are designated in the Education Act 1996 as core subjects. The other foundation subjects designated in the Act are technology, physical education, history, geography, art, music and a modern foreign language.My right honourable friend the Secretary of State formally asked the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority on 11 May to begin the review of the National Curriculum in England for the year 2000. He set out clear parameters for that review: it must be very limited in scope and address what has to be changed to allow schools to concentrate on raising standards; it must ensure the primacy of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum; it must maintain a broad and balanced curriculum entitlement for all pupils, while allowing greater flexibility and reduced prescription, especially at key stages 1, 2 and 4; and it must make room for the Government's new agenda of education for citizenship and teaching democracy, personal, social and health education and the spiritual, moral, social and cultural dimension.QCA will be presenting draft new National Curriculum Orders to my right honourable friend in April 1999. There will then be public consultation with teachers, parents, employers and others. The new National Curriculum will then be made available to all schools in autumn 1999 so they can prepare for its formal introduction in September 2000.Curriculum matters in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right honourable friends the Secretaries of State for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in their view, the provisions of Clause 19 of the Teaching and Higher Education Bill are compatible with Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights read with Article 2 of the First Protocol. [HL2664]

We take the view that Clause 19 of the Teaching and Higher Education Bill [Bill 145 as first printed for the Commons] as amended, is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. Clause 19—which applies only to England and Wales because of the separate legal systems for Scotland and Northern Ireland—provides for the Secretary of State to make regulations giving him a power or a duty to make grants or loans for prescribed purposes to eligible students, but does not require the provision of such financial support to be subject to discrimination between students on grounds of national or social origin or on any of the other grounds mentioned in Article 14. The clause does not breach the general duty of non-discrimination in Article 14 in the context of the right to further or higher education.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the speech by the Lord Sewel on 7 July (H.L. Deb., col. 1112), whether they have received advice as to the compatibility of charging higher fees for students of non-Scottish origins at Scottish universities with the prohibition of a discriminatory difference of treatment in relation to the right to education contained in Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights read with Article 2 of the First Protocol. [HL2665]

It is for higher education institutions to charge fees. The Government's policy concerns the making of non-means-tested grants to students resident in Scotland in respect of fees for the final honours year of first-degree courses at Scottish institutions, whereas students resident in England, Wales or Northern Ireland will be eligible only for means-tested grants for such fees.In the light of advice, the Government consider that their policy is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. Any differences in treatment between students resident in Scotland and in other parts of the UK reflect the existence of more than one legal system and more than one education system in the UK.Following the recent amendment to the Teaching and Higher Education Bill and in line with our stated intention to monitor the effect of introducing the means-testing of grants for fees, the arrangements for making grants for fees for the final honours year of first-degree courses at Scottish institutions will be subject to an independent review before 1 April 2000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the outcome of the General Affairs Council in Brussels on 13–14 July. [HL2851]

See below.A General Affairs Council was held in Brussels on 13 July. The Council agreed the 37 A Points listed in document 10255/98 and noted the European Parliament's Resolutions, Decisions and Opinions taken at its part sessions in Strasbourg on 15–19 June and 1–2 July, and listed in documents 9471/98 and 9533/98. Copies of both these documents will be placed in the House Library as soon as they become available.The Council endorsed the Austrian Presidency's handling plan and timetable for the

asked Her Majesty's Government:Who will benefit from the UK's contribution to the International Fund for Needy Victims of Nazi Persecution. [HL2850]

The Foreign Secretary has announced that the UK's £1 million contribution to the fund will be divided in the following way: two-thirds will go through the World Jewish Restitution Organisation to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee for projects providing medical care to needy survivors of Nazi Persecution in the Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Moldova. The remaining third will go to the Board of Deputies of British Jews for needy survivors in the UK. Non-Jewish survivors will also be able to apply to these organisations for assistance.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why they have a bilateral debt agreement for £1.576 billion with Poland when no outstanding export credit loan to any other country exceeds £0.5 billion; what transactions this debt covers, and what are its implications for Poland's entry into the European Union and NATO, and consequent need to meet extra expenditure. [HL2518]

Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) have world wide exposure and commitments to the order of £30 billion. The United Kingdom has signed debt rescheduling agreements with 55 countries involving some £7 billion. The amount outstanding under the Polish debt agreement currently stands at £900 million. It arose following non-payment under a wide range of capital goods contracts entered into by UK companies prior to 1984. Half of the outstanding Polish debt was written off by 1994. The remainder is due to be repaid by 2009. Poland's ECGD exposure places it outside their top ten, and its figure for unrecovered ECGD claims is by no means the highest. The Polish government is maintaining a tight stance on macro-economic policy. Foreign direct investment, which is non-debt creating, remains high (around £4 billion in 1997 and £5.5 billion expected in 1998). We therefore do not expect Poland to experience problems in servicing its debt in connection with its NATO and EU membership preparations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many of the reviews currently being undertaken by the Attorney General's Office will be published during the parliamentary summer recess. [HL2780]

The Attorney General's Office is not at present undertaking any reviews.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the decision of the Department of Trade and Industry, on the advice of the Serious Fraud Office, not to appeal the 1988 judgment of the Licensed Dealers Tribunal in the matter of TWH Management Ltd., which found, inter alia, that there had been "no false market" and "no breach of the Takeover Code" in certain share transactions, in case failure would have prejudiced the forthcoming Guinness prosecutions, had been discussed with the then Attorney General; and [HL2580]

The Attorney General has routine meetings with the Director of the Serious Fraud Office to discuss departmental business, including, in general terms, the conduct of cases of high profile or particular difficulty. These are supplemented by additional meetings to discuss specific cases and issues as appropriate. However, statutory responsibility for the conduct of all cases remains with the Director of the Serious Fraud Office, who, together with her staff and prosecuting counsel, are responsible for day-to-day operation decisions in relation to particular cases.The Questions tabled by the noble Lord are, in part, hypothetical and in part founded on assertions of fact which I do not necessarily accept. He should seek in the manner set out in my Answer of 30 June 1998, the assistance of the Director of the Serious Fraud Office, who can determine the extent to which it is appropriate to respond.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Jay of Paddington on 25 June (

Corporal punishment is not permitted by law, with the exception that a parent or someone acting in loco parentis is entitled to administer corporal punishment which is reasonable in all the circumstances. Legislation prohibits corporal punishment in children's homes, foster care and registered care homes. The Government would not expect any public sector employee to use corporal punishment.Current legislation does not specifically prevent the use of corporal punishment by private foster carers. Children Act guidance on assessing the suitability of private foster carers states that social workers should explore the (private) foster carers' views on discipline, including their preparedness to accept that corporal punishment is inappropriate for children who are privately fostered. The department is currently reviewing the safeguards around private foster care in the light of recommendations in the report

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many men in the United Kingdom died of AIDS as a result of homosexual intercourse in each of the three most recent years for which figures are available. [HL2682]

The Public Health Laboratory Service routine HIV/AIDS surveillance reports indicate that the numbers of reported male deaths due to AIDS where infection was associated with sex between men were:

• 1995: 967
• 1996: 750
• 1997: 280

The reduction over these three years is thought to be due to the introduction of highly active antiretroviral treatment. However, the 1997 figure may be artificially low due to delay in ascertainment of deaths.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have studied the effect on the number of men in the United Kingdom likely to die from AIDS as a result of homosexual intercourse if the age of consent were lowered to 16 years; and, if so, what were the main conclusions of these studies. [HL2683]

We are not aware of any research carried out in this area.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What funding arrangements exist for indoor and outdoor powered wheelchair provision in the United Kingdom; and [HL2742]Whether the budget for the provision of indoor and outdoor powered wheelchairs remains ring-fenced. [HL2743]

Additional funding has been made available to health authorities since 1996–97 specifically to meet the cost of the introduction of powered indoor/outdoor wheelchair provision. The additional funding has been allocated in phased amounts each year as services have built up over time. The current intention is to add the money recurrently to health authority baselines from 1999–2000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What performance management procedures exist for the indoor and outdoor powered wheelchair funding scheme and the separate wheelchair voucher scheme. [HL2744]

Statistical information on the implementation of the two wheelchair initiatives is collected on a quarterly basis and is monitored by the National Health Service Executive. Progress on implementation is also performance-managed through NHS Executive regional offices. Regional Directors of Performance Management have recently been reminded of the importance of ensuring implementation of these changes for service users.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What information has been made publicly available on how health authorities are monitoring the quality of the wheelchair services, specifically in accordance with Section 27 of Health Service Guidelines, HSG(96)34. [HL2746]

Health Service Guidelines HSG(96)34 described the arrangements for the scheme for the funding and supply of powered indoor/outdoor wheelchairs, introduced in 1996. Section 27 of the guidelines stated that health authorities would be expected to monitor the quality of the service available to their residents. No information has been made publicly available on how health authorities are monitoring the quality of the supply of powered indoor/outdoor powered wheelchairs. A review of this scheme, and of the wheelchair voucher scheme, is being conducted over the next few months. These reviews are expected to be concluded, and the results made publicly available, during the current financial year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Jay of Paddington on 6 July (

Our request to lawyers was verbal. It is not our normal practice to publish notes of internal meetings.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Upon what basis the opinion was formed that the single case of E.coli 0157 infection which occurred on 19 April, traced to a batch of cheese made on 4, 5 or 6 April, constituted an "emergency", involving a serious risk to public health, under the Food Safety Act 1990, by 19 May, when no other cases had been reported as a result of consumption of cheese from the same batches and no evidence of contamination by

In view of the severity of illness caused by Escherichia coli 0157, the possibility of its presence in Duckett's cheese constituted an imminent risk of injury to health. It was found in 10 samples from a number of different production dates.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will define an "emergency" in terms of the Food Safety Act 1990. [HL2654]

An emergency is not defined in the Act. There is provision for an emergency control order to be issued if it appears to the Minister that the carrying out of commercial operations in respect of food involves, or may involve, imminent risk of injury to health.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have sought advice regarding the prescription of donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept); if so, from whom and whether the advice has been acted upon; and [HL2730]What representations they have received from the Alzheimer's Disease Society and others regarding the prescription of donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept). [HL2731]

Advice on the prescription of donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept) for Alzheimer's disease was obtained from the Royal College of Psychiatrists. This was the basis of the advice prepared by the Standing Medical Advisory Committee referred to in my reply to the noble Lord today.Ministers have met Mr. Harry Cayton, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer's Disease Society to discuss the availability of donepezil hydrochloride on the National Health Service. Representations have also been received from Members of Parliament and members of the public about this issue.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in pursuance of their policy as stated in the White Paper

Guidance on the prescription of donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept) has been prepared by the Standing Medical Advisory Committee and was issued on 30 April 1998 to Health Authority Directors of Public Health and National Health Service Trust Medical Directors in England. The guidance has been circulated widely within the NHS.The consultation document

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people across the United Kingdom are currently being prescribed donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept) through the NHS; and what is the cost to the NHS. [HL2669]

Information on the number of people who are being prescribed donepezil hydrochloride is not available. However, the number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England for the last three quarters of 1997 was 7,200.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which health authorities in the United Kingdom are currently allowing the prescription of donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. [HL2670]

This information is not collected centrally. However, data for the period January to March 1998 show that Aricept was dispensed against general practitioner prescription in most health authorities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are satisfied that there is no discrimination between treatments for conditions which affect predominantly those under 65, and those which affect predominantly those over 65, within health authority guidelines in the prescription of medicines; and whether they would take action on this issue if examples of discrimination were brought to their attention. [HL2671]

We have no evidence that such discrimination exists.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the cost to the NHS of prescription of drug treatments for the following conditions: cancer, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease and depression. [HL2672]

The available information is shown in the table. The information does not include drugs prescribed and dispensed in hospitals, so does not represent the overall cost to the National Health Service of these drugs. It is not possible to identify the indication for which drugs are prescribed, so some drugs included in the cost may have been used to treat other conditions.

The net ingredient cost of prescription items dispensed in the community for the treatment of cancer, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease and depression, 1997
England	£ thousands
Cancer1	85,946.2
Schizophrenia2	39,987.0
Alzheimer's disease3	656.8
Depression4	239,120.5

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the annual report of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland for the year 1996–97. [HL2735]

I refer the noble Lord to my Written Answer on 1 April 1998 (WA 35), when I confirmed that arrangements had been made for a copy of the annual report of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they believe the decision taken in 1991 to assess child support separately from spousal maintenance has been a success. [HL2492]

The Government believe that all children have the right to the financial and emotional support of both their parents, wherever they live and whether or not they are married. The court approach of combining child and spousal maintenance was seen to be failing children. The amount of maintenance awarded by the courts varied widely for fathers in very similar circumstances. At the same levels of income a quarter of non-resident parents with one child to support paid less than £12 while a quarter paid more than £22. With three children and the same income, a quarter of fathers paid less than £15 per week while a quarter paid more than £40 per week.We therefore agreed with the decision to introduce separate arrangements for child maintenance in 1993. In practice, however, the current child support scheme has failed to provide children with the regular help they need.That is why we have reviewed all aspects of the current arrangements. Our proposals for reform are set out in the Green Paper

asked Her Majesty's Government:What, if any, help they will be giving the City of Manchester to close the funding gap in relation to the stadium venue for the Commonwealth Games of 2002; and whether, and if so when, they will be discussing the funding of the games with civic leaders. [HL2630]

The Government are working closely with the City of Manchester and significant public funding is already involved: the English Sports Council has committed £112 million in National Lottery funding towards the costs of staging the 2002 Commonwealth Games. What has yet to be agreed is the type and capacity of stadium. These issues, including a funding shortfall, are currently under consideration. The Government have to think very carefully about committing further public money.

asked Her Majesty's Government:On what date they received the findings of the inter-departmental study on all aspects of the asylum system, and why they have not yet announced their findings. [HL2706]

The findings of this study were received on 6 April. We have been considering these carefully in the context of our wide-ranging review of immigration and asylum policy. We hope soon to be able to make a full statement about our future strategy.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many of the reviews currently being undertaken by the Privy Council Office will be published during the parliamentary summer recess. [HL2785]

No reviews are currently being undertaken by the Privy Council Office.