asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to assist the people of Bangladesh affected by the recent severe flooding. [HL3297]

The flooding in Bangladesh has been described as the worst in living memory. The Prime Minister has expressed our concern and sympathy to the Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, and has pledged an additional £21 million aid for Bangladesh to help with flood relief and rehabilitation.The Department for International Development (DHD) has a team based in the British High Commission in Dhaka. Officials are working closely with the Government of Bangladesh, with the UN Donor Co-ordination Committee, and with Non Governmental Organisation co-ordination bodies to identify needs and priorities and to respond to these.Before the formal appeal from the Government of Bangladesh, DfID made grants of over £400,000, working through NGOs to provide food relief, shelter, drinking water and medicines. Our new pledge will enable us to work with government and NGOs and make a significant contribution to food needs, to continuing relief operations, and to the rehabilitation of agriculture and essential infrastructure when the waters eventually recede.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many persons have been charged and how many convicted in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years and any subsequent period for offences connected with so-called punishment beatings and shootings. [HL2979]

The RUC holds records of statistics on offences only under specific crimes—for example, "violence against the person", which are not necessarily related to attacks of a paramilitary nature. Therefore it would incur disproportionate cost to try to extract which of the acts were in fact intended to be so-called punishment attacks.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What response they and the Contact Group of Nations are making to the recent killing in Kosovo by Serb forces of three persons trying to deliver food supplies from the Mother Teresa Charity, together with obstruction of the staff of humanitarian agencies and of aid convoys at the Yugoslav frontiers. [HL3286]

We were greatly saddened by the death in August of the three aid workers near Malisevo. It underlines the risks faced by all humanitarian agencies operating in Kosovo. Despite the dangers, there is a very real need for effective humanitarian relief.We welcome UN Security Council Resolution 1199, which Britain took the lead in preparing. The resolution warns President Milosevic that he must put an end to the wave of repression which has made tens of thousands homeless and sends a clear signal that the international community's patience is exhausted. It calls on both sides to facilitate the humanitarian relief effort and do all in their power to avert the impending humanitarian catastrophe. It also calls for a ceasefire in Kosovo and rapid progress on political dialogue, which is the only route to a lasting solution to the humanitarian problem.With our Contact Group colleagues, we are taking action in Belgrade and Pristina to make clear that we expect SCR 1199 to be fully and rapidly implemented.NATO contingency planning for a full range of military options is now complete. As a first stage in force planning, the North Atlantic Council on 24 September decided to move to force generation for both a limited air option and a phased air campaign in Kosovo. This brings NATO's military planning to a high state of readiness, should the necessary decisions have to be taken.We fully support the humanitarian relief effort in Kosovo. The Department for International Development (DfID) has pledged £2 million to that effort following the recent UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal. This is in addition to the UK's contribution of £1 million for humanitarian assistance following the Flash Appeal earlier this year, £1.5 million allocated for longer term peace-building activities in the region and £200,000 made available to the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights for field operations in Kosovo.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, if significant introduction of telemedicine (that is remote diagnosis using information and readings supplied on-line or by telephone) is planned for the National Health Service, the fundamental principle of evidence-based medicine will be preserved; and whether:

The Government are committed to modernising the NHS, including introducing telemedicine applications where that is appropriate. These will only be widely introduced where there is clinical need and evidence from research and evaluation indicates that it is appropriate to do so.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What representations they have received from the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in relation to the disciplinary system used by the National Health Service in respect of doctors; and [HL3294](a) how many doctors have been suspended from their posts in the National Health Service each year since 1994; (b) for how long each suspension lasted; and (c) the outcome of each suspension; and [HL3295]On what basis the National Health Service is exempt from requirements to comply with European law in respect of the rights of qualified and approved doctors to practise medicine except after their suspension by either the General Medical Council or a court of law. [HL3296]

National Health Service employers, like other employers, have to comply with European law. There are no exemptions for the NHS in European law in respect of the rights of doctors to practice medicine. Hospital doctors who are suspended from duty, in most cases, continue to receive full pay during the investigative process because suspension is a neutral act. There have been no representations received from the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in relation to the disciplinary system used by the NHS in respect of doctors.Information on the number of NHS doctors suspended is held centrally only for those cases lasting more than six months and was not collected prior to 31 March 1995. For the period 31 March 1995 to 30 April 1998, there have been a total of 33 reported cases of suspension, of which 11 cases are still unresolved. The average length of suspension for these cases is 13 months. Information on the outcome of each suspension, other than the date when suspension was lifted, is not available centrally.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether a review of Scottish legislation on mental health is to be undertaken on lines similar to the review of the Mental Health Act 1983 announced in July for England and Wales. [HL3289]

A review of mental health legislation in Scotland is proposed, and the arrangements for it will be announced in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in the public interest, they will provide assistance for entries in British Telecom's phone books to include postal codes. [HL3299]

BT was separated from the Post Office by the British Telecom Act in 1981. This created two separate industries, one for postal services, the other for telecoms. BT is required by its licence to provide a directory information service, but this does not specify that it should provide printed telephone directories.There is no requirement on BT under its licence to provide postal codes in its telephone directories. It is a commercial matter for BT to decide whether or not to include postal codes in its printed telephone directories. I understand that the Post Office has its own telephone helpline for customers who have queries about postal codes. The Government have no plans to provide assistance for entries in BT telephone directories to include postal codes.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will call in any proposal to develop the car park at Vauxhall Bridge with a view to ensuring that it does not conflict with their aim to solve the problem of traffic congestion. [HL3196]

The extant outline planning permission for mixed use development of the Effra site at Vauxhall was granted by the Secretary of State for the Environment in November 1995 following a public inquiry. The likely traffic generated by the development was considered at the inquiry. The inspector concluded that this was not a reason to reject the proposals but he recommended that details of the access to and from the site should be the subject of detailed approval. Applications for this and other reserved matters are currently under consideration by my right honourable friend the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, and the London borough of Lambeth.My right honourable friend will consider whether to call in any further planning applications made in respect of the site by looking at the issues raised by each case.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why the completion of the M.6 motorway between Carlisle and the Scottish Border was not included in the schemes about to be approved by the Government in the Review of Roads in England published in August. [HL3288]

The Carlisle to Guardsmill widening scheme was considered in the Roads Review against the five criteria of accessibility, safety, economy, environment and integration. It was judged that most of the benefits of the original scheme could be obtained with a smaller scale scheme and the Highways Agency has been tasked with producing lower cost options to upgrade the road to motorway standard.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What arrangements are being made, in the proposed pedestrianisation of Trafalgar and Parliament Squares, approved in principle by the Government and made public on 21 August, for disabled people whose disability make them dependent, for mobility, upon wheels. [HL3290]

The World Squares for All masterplan includes a wide range of proposals to make the two squares and surrounding area more accessible. Vehicle access and parking provision for disabled people will be one of the many issues which will be looked at in detail during the next stage of the project when detailed design and implementation options are developed.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will send Bristol City Council the report of the inspector rejecting the proposal for a travellers' site on Airport Way, Hengrove, and drawing attention to the importance attached by the inspector to the strength of public opinion. [HL3301]

It would not be appropriate for Her Majesty's Government to send a copy of this report to Bristol City Council.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the marketing company, Cardington, is required to find the £750,000 necessary to make up the reduction in taxpayer contributions to the Royal Parks; and, if so, what activities are permitted to it. [HL2953]

Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. David Welch. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they withdrew from the commitments entered into by the last Government concerning the Royal Parks when they accepted the Jenkins Report; whether there is now any limit on the commercialisation of the Royal Parks; and, if so, what. [HL2952]

The Government remain committed to carrying out the recommendations of the Royal Parks Review Group accepted by the last Government, as resources permit.The Royal Parks Agency has been asked to hold more events in the Royal Parks, both to attract a greater range of visitors to the parks, and to increase the agency's income. In doing so, the agency will always balance the aims of widening access and increasing the agency's income with its responsibility to preserve the fabric of the Royal Parks, and to protect their primary role as freely accessible spaces for the peaceful enjoyment of the public.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will review the statement made in a Written Answer by Mr. Tom Clarke, the Minister of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, on 27 July (HC Deb,

The Jenkins Reviews acknowledge that it is important for the Royal Parks to generate income where feasible and sensible—but not at the expense of their character, fabric and integrity. Her Majesty's Government share this view. As the then Minister of State said in the other place, any proposals to generate income should be sympathetic to the amenity value of the parks.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the remarks by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 21 July (HL Deb, col. 813), what steps they propose to take to enhance the role of advisers in the visual arts in schools. [HL3280]

The Government recognise the role of arts advisers in disseminating good practice and in developing awareness of the visual arts in secondary schools. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is engaged in regular discussions with a variety of organisations and agencies, such as the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE), the Qualifications Curriculum Authority (QCA), the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED), the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) and the Arts Council of England, which are aimed at promoting and developing the value and importance of the visual arts to young people, both in terms of their understanding of the art forms and the way in which the arts can contribute to their personal development and all-round education.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is their view that tourism into this country is likely to (a) continue at the present level; (b) increase substantially; or (c) diminish substantially; and, in whichever case, what is the evidence that supports this view. [HL3024]

Our aim is to achieve sustainable growth in incoming tourism to this country. We cannot, however, make precise predictions of future levels of incoming tourism, for they will depend on factors over which we have little control, such as the performance of overseas economies and exchange rate fluctuations, as well as those which we can and shall influence, such as the quality of tourism products and services and the effectiveness of tourism promotion. Our new strategy for tourism, which will be published later this year, will set out our plans for achieving sustainable growth over the next decade.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the foundation in research for the statement by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport that tourism is an industry "with immense potential for future growth". [HL3025]

In making judgments on the potential for the future growth of tourism, we look primarily at past performance—over the last 10 years incoming tourism expenditure has grown by over 20 per cent. in real terms^*, and employment in tourism has grown by over 15 per cent.^**—but we also consider projections made by respected organisations such as the World Tourism Organisation and the World Travel and Tourism Council, which currently predict significant long term growth in European and UK tourism expenditure and employment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will extend the consultation period for the proposed memorial garden to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, to compensate for the delay of almost three weeks in the postal delivery of questionnaires to Kensington households. [HL2871]

asked Her Majesty's Government:Given that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not yet (by 23 July) sent leaflets and questionnaires regarding the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Garden proposals to every household in London W2, W8, W11, W14, SW 1, SW3, SW5, SW7 and SW10 as promised, whether they will extend the consultation process until the end of August. [HL3069]

No. The principal method of distributing the questionnaires was their free availability as from 10 July at the Albert Memorial Centre, where the proposals were fully displayed. There was wide publicity about the exhibition so that everyone had an opportunity to see the proposals and express their views during the consultation period which ended on 7 August.Between 10 July and 20 July, leaflets, questionnaires and pre-paid envelopes were also distributed to households in the following postal districts: W 1, W2, W8, W11, W14, SW1, SW3, SW5, SW7 and SW10. The principal purpose of the distribution was to provide further publicity about the proposals especially for local residents and encourage them to comment having seen the full proposals rather than the summary leaflet, but it also clearly enabled those who were unable to visit the exhibition to express their views.Those reporting non-delivery and requesting the material were sent it. The exhibition at the visitor centre had to close on 31 July, but in recognition of the fact that those who did not originally receive the leaflets may still have wanted to see the exhibition and the full proposals, we made arrangements with Kensington and Chelsea Council for the exhibition to be seen at Kensington Town Hall from 1–7 August, and with Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Councils to have the proposals available in the Town Hall and City Hall respectively, and in Mayfair and Paddington Libraries, with copies of the summary leaflet and questionnaire, until 7 August.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How they define the term "DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) directly funded institutions" (Comprehensive Spending Review, Cm4011, page 83); and what are the institutions covered by this term. [HL2939]

Directly funded institutions are those executive NDPBs public corporations and other bodies which regularly receive their funding directly from the department.The directly funded institutions in 1998–99 are:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether their intended "at least 1 to 3 per cent." increase by the end of the Parliament in "the number of visitors to DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) directly funded institutions" (Comprehensive Spending Review, Cm 4011, page 83) is meant to be understood as an average of all such institutions, or if it represents their aim for each institution individually. [HL2940]

The intended increase of "at least 1 to 3 per cent." in the number of visitors to DCMS directly funded institutions which receive visitors is an average increase across those institutions and should not be taken as a target for each individual institution.

asked Her Majesty's Government:By which date next year it is intended that all national museums and galleries shall have free entry at all times for schoolchildren as the first stage of their commitment to universal free entry to national museums and galleries; or, if this date is not yet known, when this date will be announced. [HL3181]

The Secretary of State announced the conclusions of his Departmental Spending Review on 24 July. This included an extra £100 million for museums and galleries, part of which will be used "to enable Trustees of the major national collections—including those which currently charge—to introduce free access for children from April 1999". We are having detailed discussions with the six national museums affected and a further announcement will be made as part of our funding allocations in November.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has issued any guidelines for the spending of the £7 million Museums and Galleries Access Fund; if so, what they are; and whether the Secretary of State has placed any constraints on which types of museums and galleries can be allowed the use of such monies. [HL2938]

The guidelines for spending the £7 million Museums and Galleries Access Fund are a matter for the Heritage Lottery Fund, which administers the fund. These are set out in the Heritage Lottery Fund's document Museums and Galleries Access Fund, which was published earlier this month. The fund has been established to support museums and galleries which are developing innovative, exciting and imaginative approaches in making their collections accessible to the widest possible audience. Any museum or gallery which is registered with the Museums & Galleries Commission can apply for an award.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What have been the monthly attendance figures for admission to galleries at the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside in (a) the year prior to the introduction of admission charges on 8 July 1997; and (b) the year following the introduction of admission charges; and what percentage change in total visitor numbers this represents between the two years. [HL2738]

Before the extension of charging to all eight sites of the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside in July 1997, admission figures were collected by different methods. Thus the figures for the year prior to the extension of admission charges are not directly comparable with those for the following 12 months. Figures collected before July 1997 are thought to be overstated by about 15 per cent.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside spent on marketing in the years (a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98. [HL2936]

The marketing budget of the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside was £293,000 for 1996–97, and £393,000 for 1997–98.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 22 July (

The National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside (NMGM) conducted a study among NMGM visitors after the introduction of the Ei8ht Pass. The findings were 78 per cent. felt that the pass offered "very good" value for money; 87 per cent. of visitors who had purchased a pass found they had "a very enjoyable" visit; and 2 per cent. of the sample turned away on learning of the admission charge.The research did not extend to members of the public who did not visit NMGM. However NMGM carries out an ongoing programme of public surveys to establish such things as how it can increase the number of visitors.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside have spent so far on promoting the Ei8ht Pass; and what is the breakdown of these costs according to type of marketing. [HL2937]

The National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside's Ei8ht Pass was introduced in July 1997. In 1997–98 a marketing budget of £100,000 was devoted to the launch of the Ei8ht Pass and was allocated as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is the responsibility of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons to inspect and report on secure training centres. [HL3283]

As provided for in the Secure Training Centre Rules 1998, secure training centres will be inspected by persons authorised to conduct inspections under Section 80 of the Children Act 1989. The inspection team would be led by the Social Services Inspectorate, and include OFSTED inspectors to advise on education, an inspector from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons to advise on security and the programmes for addressing offending behaviour and other specialists as required.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many boys and girls there are at the Medway Secure Training Centre. [HL3284]

There are currently 40 male trainees at the Medway centre. Since the centre opened on 17 April a total of three female trainees have been accommodated. All trainees have their own separate rooms with integral sanitation. Female trainees are required to have a female member of staff as their keyworker, and at night their unit would be supervised by at least one female member of staff.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will ensure that British citizens or residents, convicted of sexual offences by courts overseas, are included in sex offenders' registers when they are deported to, or return to, this country. [HL3285]

The most effective way of preventing a person who has committed a sexual offence in one country from committing one in another once he has been released is through exchange of information between police forces. This already takes place via Interpol. Where the behaviour of those convicted abroad of comparable offences to those in Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 continues to give concern once they have returned to Great Britain, they will, from 1 December 1998, be liable for sex offender orders. These orders carry with them the requirement to register for the duration of the order, which is a minimum of five years.As regards registration specifically, we are currently undertaking a review of the effectiveness of the registration provisions of the Sex Offenders Act. The position of those convicted abroad will be one of the areas to be considered as part of the review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which sections of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 have not yet been brought into force; and what are their future intentions regarding the unimplemented parts of the Act. [HL3293]

The implementation of Section 4 of the Act, which provides for minimum sentences of three years' imprisonment for those convicted for the third time of domestic burglary, depends on the Prison Service's capacity and available resources. The Government keep this matter under review.Section 8 and Sections 10 to 27 of the Act will be repealed with effect from 30 September 1998 by Section 107 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (which also makes some consequential amendments to Section 9 of the 1997 Act).Section 9 provides for the court to direct how many of the days which a convicted defendant spends in custody on remand or in police detention are to count as time served for the purpose of the sentence being imposed. It requires the establishment of a new system of recording and transmitting information about periods of custody up to the point of sentencing, and two pilots to test such a system have recently been completed. The Government intend to implement Section 9 (as amended) as soon as we are sure that a reliable system can be put in place.Sections 35, 37, 39, 40 and 43 are currently being piloted in Norfolk and Greater Manchester. The projects began on 1 January 1998 and will run for 18 months. They will then be evaluated before deciding when or how they should be extended.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they are taking to ensure that disabled people and their carers are made aware of the availability of postal and proxy votes and of the need to be registered for these well before polling day. [HL3287]

Government and local authority publicity campaigns to advertise the arrangements for absent voting take place before each parliamentary general election. In addition, electoral registration officers publicise the availability of absent voting as part of the annual registration canvass.The Working Party on Electoral Procedures, chaired by my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office, Mr. Howarth, is working to consolidate and improve advice to electoral administrators on disability issues; and in addition is reviewing the arrangements for access to absent voting. Home Office officials from the working party meet regularly in a forum with representatives from all the major groups representing the disabled to inform this work.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many focus groups were used by the independent commission on the electoral system; how often they met, and where; and how they were recruited and reimbursed. [HL3302]

NOP carried out focus group work for the Independent Commission on the Voting System between 7 and 9 June 1998. Six groups (three in the Midlands and three in the South East) each comprising between seven and eight respondents were recruited using a questionnaire. Those whose occupations or political interests were likely to involve prior knowledge of proportional representation were excluded. The respondents were each paid £20 for their time by NOP.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to publish the third report on the impact of the National Lottery on the horserace betting levy. [HL3210]

An update on the impact of the National Lottery on the horserace betting levy was published on 30 July and a copy has been placed in the Library. This fulfils an undertaking made during the passage of the National Lottery Bill.The paper, which has been prepared by the Economics Unit of the Home Office, examines continuing trends in off-course betting expenditure, on which the levy closely depends.The statistical analysis indicates that, in 1997, off-course betting expenditure was about 12.8 per cent. below the level it would have reached in the absence of the National Lottery. Horserace betting accounts for about 69 per cent. of off-course betting expenditure, and therefore the levy yield is likely to have been similarly affected. This can only be an approximate figure, and the effect of the Lottery may vary over time.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will replace the current application forms for foreign nationals wishing to apply for leave to remain in the United Kingdom. [HL3325]

The current application forms expire on 14 October 1998. Revised versions of the seven existing forms have been prescribed. These will be valid until 14 October 1999. From today until 14 October 1998, applications may be made either on the newly prescribed forms or on the existing versions. Only the newly prescribed versions may be used for applications made on or after 15 October 1998. The new forms are available from the Application Forms Unit on 0181 760 2233, and copies have been placed in the Library.