asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have agreed to the Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights relating to the right not to be discriminated against; and, if not, why not. [HL1853]

The text of a draft Protocol No. 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights broadening, in a general fashion, the field of application of Article 14 (non-discrimination) was transmitted to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe by the Steering Committee for Human Rights following its meeting on 9–10 March 2000. The Committee of Ministers has not yet considered whether to adopt the text and open it for signature.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, because of the scale of civilian suffering in Chechnya, the conflict can any longer be regarded as an internal matter for Russia. [HL1717]

We continue to recognise Chechnya as an integral part of the Russian Federation. At the same time, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has long recognised that human rights are a legitimate subject of interest to the international community. There has been international involvement in efforts to resolve the conflict in Chechnya from the outset. At the Istanbul OSCE Summit in November 1999, all OSCE states, including Russia, recognised that the OSCE had a role in assisting with a political settlement. The UK has been active in urging international involvement. Mr Putin has assured the Prime Minister that Russia will permit access to Chechnya by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR) and by the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe. The visit by the UNCHR, Mary Robinson, is expected to take place on 1–4 April. Russia has also agreed to the attachment of two Council of Europe officials to the office of the ombudsman for Chechnya. They should take up their positions shortly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many police officers have been sent to Kosovo (a) from the United Kingdom and (b) in total; and, if this total is less than in the undertaking given by the Foreign Secretary on 30 June 1999, why. [HL1754]

The United Kingdom has deployed 60 police officers to the United Nations International Police in Kosovo. Although the UN requested this be increased to 120, we are in fact increasing the contribution to 150 officers, including 20 specialists to help combat organised crime in Kosovo. In addition, the UK has contributed 40 officers to the OSCE-run school training the future Kosovo police service.According to figures provided by the UN on 6 April, 2,682 civilian police officers have been deployed to Kosovo by 44 countries.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the problems of corruption and diversion of oil revenues into arms purchases rather than development in Angola wil be discussed at the European Union-Africa summit in Cairo in April. [HL1761]

The summit discussed the generic issue of corruption but not specifically corruption and diversion of oil revenues in Angola.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that the trade and economic blockade imposed by Belgrade on Montenegro is valid in international law; and whether they and their international partners will offer guarantees to protect Montenegrin autonomy and interests. [HL1805]

The blockade imposed on Montenegro by Belgrade includes foods and medicines. The UK condemns these destablising, tactics on the part of the Milosevic regime and we and our international partners will continue to support the political and economic reforms of President Djukanovic's government.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proportion of the United Kingdom aid budget is now spent through the European Union; and how far the political structures of the European Union help or hinder the fulfilment of the policy priorities of the Department for International Development. [HL1699]

Under a formula agreed in 1992, our contributions to the European Community's external assistance programmes absorb approximately 30 per cent. of the Department for International Development's budget. In December 1998, we published a strategy for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of European Community development programmes in order to increase their impact on our poverty reduction objectives. Since then, and in line with UK aims, the number of Commissioners responsible for external spending has been reduced from five to two. The successor to the Lome Convention has been agreed with a much sharper poverty focus and the Commission has tabled a draft development policy statement. Both the Development Commissioner, Poul Nielson, and the External Relations Commissioner, Chris Patten, have stated their commitment to poverty elimination. They and Vice-President Neil Kinnock are reviewing procedures with a view to thorough reforms. We support and encourage them to carry this through urgently.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the vote by British Labour Members of the European Parliament's Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market against the proposal for a Council regulation (EC) on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters at the committee's meeting on 28th March represents government policy. [HL1758]

The Government will take careful note of the vote by the British Labour Members of the European Parliament referred to by the noble Lord, but the position taken by Labour MEPs does not represent government policy.The Government support the current provision in the draft Council regulation on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters relating to consumer transactions which was agreed by the Justice and Home Affairs Council of Ministers last May. However, if the terms of this provision are reconsidered by the Commission and other member states in the light of the forthcoming opinion of the European Parliament, the Government will do so as well, taking full accont of the responses to the consultation document on this issue which they intend to publish shortly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will announce their proposals for the reform of the Public Trust Office. [HL2001]

I have today published `Making Changes—The Future of the Public Trust Office', setting out my plans for reform of the Public Trust Office.The Public Trust Office, an executive agency of my department, was established in 1994. It incorporates three separate functions.Its Mental Health Sector deals with matters under Part VII of the Mental Health Act 1983. The Sector's Protection Division oversees the activities of private receivers appointed by the Court of Protection to manage financial affairs for mentally incapacitated individuals. Its Receivership Division manages the financial affairs of mentally incapacitated people who have no one else to manage their finances. The sector also deals with matters under the Enduring Powers of Attorney Act 1985.The Court Funds Office is a banking and investment service for funds deposited in court. These are held under the jurisdiction of the Chief Executive of the Public Trust Office, acting as Accountant General of the Supreme Court.The Public Trustee acts as an executor or trustee in respect of estates and settlements.In November 1999, I published the quinquennial review of the Public Trust Office. I welcomed the review's clear diagnosis of the challenges faced by the Public Trust Office, agreed that radical change was required and undertook to explore the review's recommendations in a programme of change.The change programme for the Public Trust Office, announced today, will improve services received by clients and, in particular, the vulnerable. The Government's overriding objective will be to ensure that the interests of the Public Trust Office's clients are fully protected. The changes I propose will deliver a step-change in the quality of services. This will be achieved through centralised planning and monitoring, balanced by service delivery through those agencies which are best placed to meet the needs of clients. Where this means estabishing new partnerships with the private and voluntary sectors, we will do this. Throughout the reforms, we will target resources on those clients who are most in need.I will separate the disparate functions of the existing Public Trust Office, transferring the trust function and the Court Funds Office to the bodies best placed to provide them: the office of the Official Solicitor to the Supreme Court and the Court Service respectively. The office's remaining core functions of oversight of receivers and functions in relation to enduring powers of attorney will be reviewed to provide a cohesive and greatly improved service.I will ensure that I retain responsibility for the most vulnerable of Public Trust Office clients. There will be clear lines of ministerial accountability for those functions remaining within my department and I will establish and monitor clear standards of service provision both for those functions remaining within my department and for those services provided in future by other parts of the public sector and in the voluntary and private sectors.I will want to be satisfied that reform does not entail placing a greater financial burden on some of the poorest and most vulnerable members of society. The new regime will deliver much improved value for money. Services received will be tailored to the individual's requirements; there will be much greater advice and assistance available; and it will genuinely protect the vulnerable. A new clearer and simpler fee system will be introduced and will be backed by the introduction of fee remissions for those who cannot afford to pay for the services they receive.I envisage that plans for the more significant changes proposed will be taken forward during 2000–01 with the intention that the Public Trust Office would cease to exist as a separate and distinct office from April 2001 onwards.The change programme reforms to the Public Trust Office will also play an important part in paving the way for the Government. Making Decisions policy proposals to modernise and clarify the law governing decision-making by and on behalf of the mentally incapacitated. The Governmetn are committed to legislating on Making Decisions when parliamentary time allows, and the change programme will provide a firm basis for these reforms.I welcome the views of all those who wish to comment on the reforms that I propose to take forward.Copies of the booklet:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Answers by Baroness Jay of Paddington on 27 March (HL Deb, cols. 525–26), whether it is possible for the European Commission to propose tax harmonisation under single market provisions; and, if so, whether the United Kingdom could be outvoted on any such measure. [HL1784]

Article 93 of the EC treaty allows the Council, acting by unanimity, to adopt provisions for harmonisation of indirect taxes "to the extent that such harmonisation is necessary to ensure the establishment and functioning of the internal market". Given this unanimity requirement, the UK has a veto.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Law Officers' departments departmental report is to be published. [HL1969]

I can confirm that copies of my departmental report have been placed in the Libraries of the House today.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 23 March (

Special advisers, including those working to government Ministers in the House of Lords, are appointed under terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers. A copy of the contract has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What evidence apart from death certificates was used for the mortality section of the epidemiological study into morbidity and mortality of Gulf War veterans conducted by Professor Nicola Cherry of Manchester University. [HL1811]

The evidence used for the Manchester University mortality study is a matter for the researchers. The sources used will be detailed in a paper which has been accepted for publication in a peer reviewed scientific journal. The Ministry of Defence has assisted the research team by providing relevant personal and service data and information held about deaths.In addition, because the Ministry of Defence is routinely informed only about deaths that occur in service, special arrangements have been made with the Office of National Statistics to gather comprehensive information about the deaths of Gulf veterans and a randomly selected control group who were in service on 1 January 1991 but did not deploy to the Gulf. This information is shared with the research team at Manchester University.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 29 March (WA75) about the losses incurred for BMW by the Rover Group, what were the total sales of Rover cars and of other products of the Birmingham plant in each year from 1995 to 1999; and, of the totals, how many were sold abroad. [HL1878]

The total sales of cars (Rover 25, 45, Mini and MGF) originating from Rover's Longbridge Plant (Birmingham) were:

• 1995: 367,532
• 1996: 382,035
• 1997: 392,972
• 1998: 334,242
• 1999: 251,157.

BMW/Rover was unable to provide us with figures for Longbridge vehicles sold abroad. However, the sales/export figures for Rover Group cars (including Land Rovers) are:

Year	Total sales units	Exports	% (approx.)
1995	483,100	237,500	49
1996	507,250	277,000	54
1997	521,100	290,000	55
1998	487,700	277,200	56
1999	429,157	248,442	57

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 27 March (

The following, peer reviewed articles, relate to this subject and will be placed in the Library:T F G Esmonde et al, 1993,

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 27 March (

The genetic information requested is not available. However, extensive studies of polymorphisms in and around the prion protein and doppel genes have been under way for some time at the St Mary's Prion Unit, London. The results of these investigations will be published in the scientific literature, subject to peer review, in due course.Confirmation of a diagnosis of vCJD is currently obtained by postmortem neuropathology. There are therefore no "confirmed" patients still living. The dates of onset for patients still living and defined as "probable" to the nearest month are as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many cases of new-variant CJD in humans have been strain-typed; and what were the results of these experiments. [HL1867]

The following two published papers address these questions:

1. Transmissions to mice indicate that 'new variant' CJD is caused by the BSE agent (Bruce et al); and

2. The same prion strain causes vCJD and BSE (Hill et al)

(

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there are any indications that there might be more than one strain of new-variant CJD in humans. [HL1868]

New cases of all forms of Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease are subject to close scrutiny by the National CJD Surveillance Unit in Edinburgh. There is currently no evidence of the existence of more than one strain of variant CJD in humans.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any indication can be given to independent hospices of the extra funds which they will receive out of the extra £2 billion being allocated to the National Health Service as announced in the Budget Statement. [HL1888]

The additional moneys announced in the Budget will help the National Health Service to meet local pressures, to tackle waiting and to provide fair and convenient services. The first £600 million of new money for the NHS in England has already been allocated, improving the position of local services. Independent hospices as part of the local health community may benefit from this improved financial position, according to local needs and priorities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many of those parents with care in receipt of income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance are calculated as being due to child support payments of £5 or less, £10 or less, £15 or less and above £15; and what those figures are expected to be under the system to be established under the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill. [HL1683]

The information is in the table.

Number of parents with care who have maintenance assessments within the bands requested
Banded maintenance (£ per week)	Current scheme maintenance	New scheme maintenance
£0.01 to £5.00	25,000	20,000
£0.01 to £10.00	50,000	30,000
£0.01 to £15.00	60,000	45,000
£15.01 and above	130,000	145,000
Total	190,000	190,000

Under the current child support scheme, children living in families on income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance do not see the benefit of any maintenance paid. But under the new scheme, with the introduction of the child maintenance premium, children for whom maintenance is paid stand to gain up to £10 per week.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 31 January (

The Environment Agency has carried out investigations at and around Mersley Farm and has removed pesticides which it considers to pose a pollution threat. So far the agency has found no evidence that pollution has occurred or that there is a basis for prosecution. As a precautionary measure the agency plans to install boreholes to monitor a nearby groundwater supply. The agency expects this work to begin in April and the results to be availble after 12 months.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to publish a concordat with the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales. [HL1907]

We are pleased to say that we have now reached agreement with the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales on the terms of a concordat between us. This has been published, and copies have been placed in the House Library. The concordat will also be made available in due course on the department's website.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What has been the response of the European Commission to the National Pig Association's Meat and Livestock Commission's proposals for structural and retirement aid packages for the pig industry. [HL1828]

As announced in the Action Plan for Farming on 30 March, the Government have lodged a pig industry restructuring scheme notification with the European Commission. The scheme includes both an outgoers and a restructuring element. Under state aid rules, the Commission must clear the scheme before it can be introduced and it has two months to respond to the notification. We still await the response, but the scheme will be introduced as soon as possible following Commission clearance.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many cattle born in the United Kingdom in each month since 1 January 1996 have died of BSE in each year since 1996, including the current year to date. [HL1865]

In the UK to 10 April 2000 there has only been one case of BSE confirmed in an animal born on or after 1 January 1996. This animal was born in January 1996, slaughtered as a suspect in December 1999 and the disease confirmed in February 2000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many cases of BSE in cattle have been strain-typed; and what were the results of these experiments. [HL1866]

Samples from the brains of nine cows with the natural BSE have been strained-typed in panels of mice. These all gave incubation periods and lesion profiles consistent with the presence of one strain of BSE. In addition, the lesion profiles within the brains of cattle with natural BSE have been monitored in birth year cohorts, starting with the 1992 cohort. The lesion profile in cattle has remained constant, indicating that only one strain is present.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the findings of the joint Women's Unit and Home Office's dialogue with young people. [HL1971]

My right honourable friends Tessa Jowell and Paul Boateng launched Listen Up!, our report on the dialogue, yesterday. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The report describes a major consultation exercise with young people run by the National Youth Agency.This consultation was the first time in which government consulted young women and young men separately. The report sets out their views and concerns. It looks, in particular, at issues such as the importance of family and parenting; preparation for adult life, including school; careers choices; pressures to conform and self-esteem; vulnerability to risks; health and crime. The report considers the significance of gender differences and looks at ways of involving young people more as policies are developed. It sets out the government's response to the key concerns raised by young people, giving an outline of those areas where gender specific policies could make a difference.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will provide funds for a crime prevention scheme and a programme for limiting domestic violence, both previously financed or planned by the Probation Board for Northern Ireland. [HL1804]

Government are currently involved in the development of a community safety strategy for Northern Ireland. One of the aspects that the strategy will consider is the impact of domestic violence in Northern Ireland. Funding for programmes to tackle crime prevention and domestic violence will be considered as part of the strategy.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What applications have been made for the European Union funding over the last 10 years for any aspect of activities of Northern Ireland Railways; what has been the amount sought; and what was the response. [HL1837]

The information sought is set out in the table below:

Transportation Programme 1989–93
Projects	Amount Sought	Response
Cross Harbour Rail Link1	£16,552.500	Approved
Great Victoria Street Station1	£630,625.50	Approved
Belfast/Dublin rail upgrade1	£4,512,000	Approved
Civil engineering plant	£349,331.25	Approved
Total	£22,044,483.75

Transportation Sub-Programme 1994–99
Project	Amount Sought	Response (approved/project withdrawn)
Great Victoria Street Station1	£4,918,787	Approved
Cross Harbour Rail Link1	£7,043,348	Approved
Belfast/Dublin rail upgrade1	£38,388,000	Approved
Rail vehicle transfer equipment	£708,750	Approved
Antrim/Bleach Green rail reinstatement	£12,703,500	Approved Not yet
Bangor line upgrade	£7,169,250	approved

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will outline the amount of support received from the European Union for Northern Ireland Railways per head of the population in Northern Ireland compared with the same calculation for the railway system in the rest of the United Kingdom. [HL1838]

During the period 1989–99, the total amount of support received from the European Union for Northern Ireland Railways per head of the population in Northern Ireland was about £56. I understand that a comparable calculation for the railway system in the rest of the United Kingdom is not available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the decision not to proceed with an expressway-style rapid transit system from the northern part of County Down to Belfast was announced; by what method; and which local bodies were informed. [HL1841]

The Government have not made such a decision. However, given the current financial resources available for public transport in Northern Ireland, there are currently no plans to proceed with such a scheme.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In view of their decision not to proceed with an expressway-style rapid transit system from the northern part of County Down to Belfast, which alternatives are being considered to offer public transport to this growth area which 'would be in line with the policy to reduce car dependence. [HL 1842]

The E-way proposal for a modern transit route on the Newtownards-Belfast Corridor has never been on a public transport implementation programme. Its current status is that of potential solution to present and future transportation difficulties on this corridor.However, the Draft Regional Strategic Framework and the comments of the panel that conducted its examination in public both stress the importance of a modern integrated sustainable transport system to the future development of Northern Ireland and the quality of life for all its citizens.The Department for Regional Development is responding to this challenge by preparing a transportation strategy that will identify how to make such a transport system a reality. In preparing this strategy consideration will be given to what such a transportation system would comprise, the establishment of corridor investment priorities and the manner in which projects and initiatives can be funded and implemented.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What were the detailed costs of the expressway-style rapid transit system from the northern part of County Down to the centre of Belfast upon which the decision was taken not to proceed; how the calculation were made and by whom. [HL1876]

We understand from the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company that the overall capital cost for construction of the E-way scheme would be £15.6 million. Vehicle costs for the intitial fleet were estimated at £8.4 million. Cost data were derived from a variety of sources by W S Atkins Consultants Ltd. The Government have made no decision on this scheme. However, given the current financial resources available for public transport in Northern Ireland, there are currently no plans to proceed.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the response to the public consultation exercise concerning the express-style rapid transit system from the northern part of County Down to the centre of Belfast. [HL1877]

We understand from the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company that the general response was positive.