asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to reduce public expenditure in the coming year on the Crown Prosecution Service; and if so what are the reasons. [HL2921]

I am pleased to say that an additional £15.8 million has been allocated to the CPS budget this year. This recognises the place of the CPS at the centre of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) and the contribution it can make to improving the performance of the CJS, including the police and other agencies. The £15.8 million will allow performance to be raised on prosecutions, on information technology (IT), on diversity and on the Human Rights Act (HRA). Performance improvements will be targeted towards better working with the police, thereby saving police forces' time and money and ensuring that their work in catching suspects is more effectively translated into prosecutions. Consequently, some £4.5 million of the money is to come from the Budget's £100 million police modernisation fund.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Since the flight trials for the cockpit voice and flight data recorders to be fitted to the Royal Air Force Chinook mark 2/2A fleet were completed in February, how many of the aircraft in the Chinook Mark 2/2A fleet are now equipped with these systems. [HL2787]

Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Recorders have now been fitted to four of the RAF Chinook Mark 2/2a Fleet as part of the Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) programme. This reflects the six-week period required to fit and test each aircraft.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any papers or documents relating to the crash of Chinook Helicopter ZD 576 have been or are being destroyed; and, if so, whether they will ensure that there is no further such destruction. [HL2738]

None of the original Board of Inquiry papers, written evidence or papers held by the branch with lead responsibility for matters concerning the crash has been destroyed. When they are eventually archived, they will be assigned a review date of 25 years, with a recommendation for permanent retention. At the 25-year point they will be examined for the suitability for transfer to the Public Record Office in accordance with the provision of the Public Records Act 1958 and 1967.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Who is the chairman of the Council of the National Army Museum; and when he last chaired a full meeting. [HL2845]

The chairman of the Council of the National Army Museum is ex officio, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence. The present Under-Secretary has not yet chaired a meeting of council. The last occasion on which the council was chaired by its ex officio chairman was on 20 March 1991. It is customary for council meetings to be chaired by the Deputy Chairman, currently General Sir John Waters. However, the ex officio chairman receives all papers connected with council and is briefed by his officials on museum business.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it has been drawn to the individual attention of the members of the Council of the National Army Museum that the Museum of Army Transport at Beverley may not be able to display its 119 vehicles after August 2000 due to financial difficulties. [HL2847]

The Museum of Army Transport at Beverley is a private museum. Its financial situation is, therefore, a matter for the owner and management of the company.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What alternatives there are to displaying the National Army Museum's collection of vehicles at the Museum of Army Transport at Beverley; and [HL2848]Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 14 March (

The Corporate Plan of the Council of the National Army Museum, which is currently being finalised, sets out longer term aspirations for the development of the museum's collection and its outstations. These aspirations, which include the possibility of a development of a major museum complex in the North of England, will be subject to feasibility studies in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there have been any new appointments to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Management Board. [HL3002]

The Board of Management is chaired by the Permanent Under-Secretary and oversees the administration of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and all its resources at home and overseas. It has in the past been composed of Senior FCO officials together with the Chief Executive of British Trade International. They will now be joined by two non-executive members, Mr Alan Gormly, Chairman of BPB Industries, and Ms Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Director of Corporate Affairs of Tesco plc. I am sure that the board will benefit greatly from their experience of private sector management practice.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have had discussions with the Environment Agency and the Sports Council with a view to obtaining finance for the promotion of angling, and especially the promotion of the sport in the education and training of young people. [HL2903]

The Government are in regular contact with the Environment Agency and Sport England to discuss a range of issues. My honourable friend the Minister for Sport met representatives of all the angling governing bodies on 13 January this year at which funding to promote angling was discussed. A representative from Sport England was also present at the meeting. My honourable friend has given her support to a number of angling initiatives for young people and will be opening the European Championship.Sport England has made a substantial contribution to the promotion of angling through both the Sports Lottery Fund and grants to the governing bodies of the sport. For the year 1999–2000, grant-in-aid of £27,500 was awarded to the National Federation of Anglers, £29,000 to the National Federation of Sea Anglers, and £27,000 to the Salmon and Trout Association. Thirty-one angling projects have received Lottery funding totalling over £1.5 million.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish the letter of direction for the payment of an extra £29 million to the Millennium Dome. [HL2749]

On 9 June the National Audit Office wrote to the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee enclosing a paper on the circumstances in which an Accounting Officer Direction was given to the Millennium Commission Accounting Officer. The substance of the direction is contained within the paper, which has been reported to the House, placed in the Commons Library and also deposited in the House of Lords Record Office.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which banks issue notes which are legal tender throughout the United Kingdom; what is the highest denomination note currently issued by each such bank; and what is the Government's policy on the issue, use and availability of high value bank notes. [HL2936]

No bank issues notes that are legal tender throughout the UK. All current Bank of England notes (£5, 10, 20, 50) are legal tender in England and Wales, but not in Scotland or Northern Ireland. Notes issued by the commercial banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland are not legal tender anywhere in the UK.The Bank of England takes into account public demand when it issues banknotes. Demand is low for the Bank's £50 note and the Scottish and Northern Irish £100 banknotes. As a result, the Bank has no plans to issue a note above the value of £50 in the foreseeable future.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the Treasury's estimate of the economic and fiscal consequences of joining the first wave of the euro in 1999, when the Chancellor made his statement in November 1997 that the United Kingdom would not be joining then; and what revisions to that estimate have subsequently been made [HL2906]

The Treasury published the paper, UK Membership of the Single Currency: An Assessment of the Five Economic Tests, in October 1997. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has said we will make another assessment of the five economic tests early in the next Parliament.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will announce the regional organisation of the proposed Gas and Electricity Consumers' Council. [HL3018]

Following extensive consultation and discussion, my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Competition and Consumer Affairs has today announced the future organisation of the Gas and Electricity Consumers' Council. It will have a head office based in London. It will have offices in Glasgow serving Scotland, in Cardiff serving Wales, and further offices in Manchester, Birmingham, London, Newcastle and Bournemouth serving England.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give an undertaking at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Ministers' meeting on 26 June to prepare legislation immediately to outlaw bribery of foreign public officials in international business transactions. [HL2844]

As my right honourable friend the Minister for Trade will report at the OECD ministerial meeting, the Government are already able to comply with their relevant treaty obligations. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary set out, on 20 June, the Government's proposals for the reform of the law of corruption; these proposals take account, among other issues, of the UK's international obligations. The Government will look to introduce legislation as soon as a suitable opportunity arises.

asked Her Majesty's Government:(a) which three car models achieved the highest sales volume in 1999; and what were the recommended retail prices for these cars (i) in May 1990 and (ii) in May 2000; and (b) what is the individual percentage increase or decrease in the recommended retail price for each of the three car models; and what is the average percentage increase or decrease in the recommended retail price for these cars. [HL2896]

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the three car models which achieved the highest sales volume in 1999 were: the Ford Focus 1.6; Ford Fiesta 1.25; and Vauxhall Astra 1.6.The recommended retail prices in May 1999 were obtained by the European Commission in its regular car price survey, and were as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to make any representations to the European Commission about the delays in approval of the United Kingdom's Single Programme Documents for Objective 2 areas, which are now only likely to be approved in December 2000 at the earliest; and whether they will consider the implications for achieving spending profiles in those areas which are designated "transitional". [HL2892]

The Government do not intend to make any formal representations to the Commission at this stage. The Government believe it will be possible to agree the SPDs by December 2000. Officials meet their Commission counterparts regularly with a view to reaching agreement on the Single Programming Documents as soon as possible.The Structural Funds Regulations contain provisions to ensure that commitments for both full Objective 2 and transitional areas are not lost because of any delay. All the programmes which were submitted by the end of April 2000 will be able to backdate funding of projects to the beginning of the year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What reports they have received concerning attacks on and persecution of Christians in the Sudan (a) in 1999 and (b) in 2000. [HL2867]

Sadly, all sections of society are suffering in the Sudan as a result of the ongoing civil war. There can be no doubt that Christians are among those who have been killed and suffered in other ways for much longer than the last two years. That is why this Government has given peace such a priority.We keep in regular contact with the Churches in the Sudan, listen to their specific concerns and regularly take them up. We also gave our full support to the recent visit by the Archbishop of Canterbury to Khartoum and Juba.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will consider the report

We are taking into account the variety of views expressed since the Royal Commission's report was published. Charging for care in later life is a useful contribution to this debate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 24 May (H.L. Deb., col. 773) that it was necessary to prepare a new business plan for the Dome as a result of over-estimates of visitor numbers, when the sole shareholder in the New Millennium Experience Company was informed of the need to ask for such a plan. [HL2674]

The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) revises and updates its business plan at regular intervals. As sole shareholder, I see all board papers and was therefore privy to the revised business plan prepared in May which included the new visitor figure estimate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the review of the workings of the Single Intelligence Vote has been completed; and, if so, when the outcome will be made known, to the extent consonant with the national security. [HL2788]

Planned expenditure on the Single Intelligence Vote is being considered as part of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review. Expenditure plans from 1999–2000 through to 2000–2001 were published at the end of that review alongside other public expenditure plans. Planned expenditure on the Single Intelligence Vote is being further considered as part of the 2000 Spending Review in the same way as the expenditure for all government departments. The outcome will be announced before the Summer Recess.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When was the last time that the amount of fixed penalties for non-endorsable traffic offences was raised; and when any revision is likely to come into effect. [HL2812]

The levels of fixed penalties for motoring offences were last raised in 1992. We conducted a public consultation on proposed increases last summer. The results of the consultation have been considered and the Government expect to be able to announce a decision very shortly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to review the provisions of Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997, what form the review will take; and over what period it will take place. [HL3036]

My honourable friend the Minister of State at the Home Office, Mr Clarke, is happy to be able to announce that the Government are establishing a review of Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997. Officials will shortly be setting up a small, steering group which will direct the review and undertake a consultation process. Research to be published shortly on the effectiveness of the Act will provide an important, but not exclusive, background for the review. The review will examine a wide range of aspects of Part I of the Act and will include consultation with other government departments, non-governmental organisations and the general public. I anticipate that the steering group will report to Ministers at the end of the year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When, and for what reasons, the words "After-Care" were omitted from the formal title of the probation service. [HL2923]

The words "After-Care" were removed from the formal title of the Probation Service by Section 65 of the Criminal Justice Act 1982. The reason given at the time was that the words, which had been added by the Criminal Justice Act 1967, were no longer appropriate; they emphasised one aspect of the service's work at the expense of the other functions which it was undertaking. The change back to the original name had the support of all the main probation service organisations and the Magistrates' Association.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are planning to merge the offices of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons and HM Chief Inspector of Probation; and, if so, what justification there is for making such a change. [HL2922]

I refer the noble Lord to the reply I gave to the noble Lord, Lord Hurd of Westwell, on 12 June (Official Report, cols. 1368–70).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will introduce a marked register, open to inspection, of persons voting by post in elections. [HL2930]

A register is marked at the time of issue of postal ballot papers to indicate all those to whom a postal ballot paper has been issued. A copy of register is also marked in the polling station to show those to whom a ballot paper has been issued in person.These marked registers are available for public inspection. In addition, copies of the register showing those to whom postal ballot papers have been issued are sent to the candidates and agents contesting the election in question.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What services, other than accommodation, are provided to asylum seekers who are dispersed under the new arrangements in place since 3 April under the terms of the contracts with accommodation providers. [HL2931]

Accommodation providers are required to collect asylum seekers from a designated arrival point in the dispersal cluster area, transport them to their address and provide reception services sufficient to acquaint the asylum seeker with their accommodation. Providers must facilitate registration with a local general practitioner, a dentist and, for dependants aged five and under, a health visiting service. Where asylum seekers require immediate health care, providers are required to make immediate arrangements as appropriate. Additionally, providers are required to provide information to asylum seekers regarding health care, education, leisure, recreation, legal, police, emergency services, independent local advice services and the One Stop Service, a grant funded service provided by the voluntary sector giving advice and support to asylum seekers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the terms of the contracts with the providers of accommodation to asylum seekers who are dispersed under the new arrangements in place since 3 April will be varied so that local authorities, voluntary organisations and churches who wish to provide support to the asylum seekers in their areas may be provided with their names and addresses. [HL2932]

We are not willing to provide for the routine disclosure of personal details of asylum seekers supported by the National Asylum Support Service to third parties. This would not be compatible with data protection legislation or our duty of confidentiality to asylum seekers. It is for that reason that we normally disclose personal information to a third party only with the consent of the asylum seeker.We will provide information to other agencies and public organisations without seeking the consent of the asylum seeker where we judge this necessary so they can prevent, detect, investigate or prosecute criminal offences.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will provide for asylum seekers to collect their vouchers from sub-post offices where they are the main post office in a town and where:

Vouchers are distributed by Branch Post Offices operated by Post Office Counters Limited. While the £10 weekly cash voucher is redeemable only at the Post Office, Buy-Pass retail vouchers are redeemable in a network of over 18,000 retail outlets nationwide.Over 600 post offices are currently in use to distribute vouchers. Others are being brought on stream as required, taking account of a range of factors, including cost and availability of public transport, numbers of asylum seekers likely to use proposed post offices, and possible future availability of further accommodation for asylum seekers in the area.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What additions and changes have been made in the list of contracts that have been entered into between the National Asylum Support Agency and the providers of accommodation since 15 May. [HL2933]

Since 15 May, the National Asylum Support Service has signed a contract with the North East Local Authority Consortium and Leena Corporation Limited.

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

Details of the cars in the directly managed Home Office Car Fleet are set out in the table. The information does not include vehicles provided for the use of Ministers by the Government Car Service.

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

The breakdown of type and make of cars used by the Lord Chancellor's Department is shown in the following table.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to publish plans for the use of information technology in support of the civil justice system.[HL3035]

My department will publish a paper tomorrow, entitled Civil.Justice.2000: A vision of the Civil Justice System in the Information Age. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses and on the Internet at my department's website (http://www.open.gov.uk/lcd).