asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there are any proposals to amend the Department of Health and Food Standards Agency departmental expenditure limit or running cost limit for 2000–01 [HL4586]

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates for Class II, Votes 1 and 4, the overall Departmental Expenditure Limit for Class II, which includes the Department of Health and the Foods Standard Agency, will be increased by £61,213,000 from £45,029,542,000 to £45,090,755,000.Of this increase, the Department of Health Departmental Expenditure limit for 2000–01 will be increased by £49,616,000 from £44,948,272,000 to £44,997,888,000. The increase is the net effect of changes to Class II, Vote 1 (Hospital, community health, family health and related services, England) of £48,357,000 made up £50,000,000 from HM Treasury's Capital Modernisation Fund for Modernising Coronary Heart Disease services. In addition the following transfers will take place; £1,357,000 from the Scottish Executive £47,000 for the High Security Infectious Diseases Unit and £1,310,000 for Out of Area Treatments. The overall increase is partially offset by a transfer of £3,000,000 to Class 1, Vote 1 (Department for Education and Employment) for the Queen Mary Westfield Tomlinson merger.An increase of £1,256,000 for Class II, Vote 2 (Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health and personal social services, England) is the net effect of transfers (detailed below) and £6,500,000 take-up of end year flexibility (as set out in Table 7 of the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will advise the Central Sussex Partnership Board to take public opinion in mid-Sussex into account when it considers whether to move trauma and emergency surgical services away from the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath. [HLA544]

The Central Sussex Partnership Project Board issued a discussion document Modern Hospital Services for Central Sussex—A Challenge for Us All on 21 August 2000. The purpose of this document was to seek the views of local residents and professionals on three possible frameworks for acute services. Each framework involved the Princess Royal Hospital and the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to maintain a unified defence planning system between NATO and the European Security and Defence Program. [HL4426]

We are discussing with allies and partners mechanisms to ensure transparency and coherence between the NATO defence planning system and the review of EU Headline Goal implementation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How long they expect repairs to take on the nuclear submarine HMS Tireless currently docked in Gibraltar; and what response has been given to the Spanish Government's concern that they have received insufficient information over the repairs to HMS Tireless. [HL4456]

Our intention is to complete the repair of HMS Tireless as quickly as possible. We cannot be certain how long this will take but it is unlikely that HMS Tireless will leave Gibraltar before the end of March 2001. We are keeping the Governments of Gibraltar and Spain fully informed of progress with the repair.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have plans for the posthumous recognition of members of the Armed Forces who are killed in service. [HL4585];

We have given careful consideration to a number of ways in which the recognition of members of the Armed Forces who give their lives in the service of their country might be enhanced. In the light of discussion, we have concluded that the most appropriate would be the erection in central London of a memorial bearing the names of all those killed on duty and by terrorist attack since the end of the Second World War. In accordance with the long established custom for the erection of memorials, we would expect funds to be raised by public subscription. Further consultation will now take place with ex-service organisations and other interested bodies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:On what date Ministers in the Ministry of Defence approved the putting into production of the vehicle-mounted range of Clansman radios. [HL4294]

Clansman Combat Net Radio has been in service for over 20 years and current records do not show the exact date on which Ministers approved the putting into production of the vehicle-mounted range of the radio. The information held does, however, record that contracts for the production of the initial batches of VHF and HF vehicle mounted radios were placed in May 1973 and March 1974 respectively.

asked Her Majesty's Government:On what date Ministers in the Ministry of Defence approved the putting into production of the portable range of Clansman radios. [HL4295]

The Clansman Combat Net Radio has been in service for over 20 years and current records do not show the exact date on which Ministers approved the putting into production of the portable range of the radio. The information held does, however, record that contracts for the production of the initial batches of VHF, HF and UHF portable radios were placed in December 1971, February 1972 and January 1974 respectively.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 16 October (

My department's cars are all either provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency or leased. Disposal is therefore a matter for the GCDA and the rental companies. I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given by my noble and learned friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office on 2 November 2000 (Official Report, WA 120).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why attempts to access the Department of Trade and Industry web pages

The message "Sorry, the page you requested does not exist" was a temporary consequence of the recent substantial reconstruction of DTI's Communication and Information Industries Directorate (CII) website. The new site went live at 1830 on 31 October. There was an unfortunate delay of 24 hours before a CII-specific redirect page was put in place and during that period the default DTI message "Sorry, the page you requested does not exist" was displayed if a visitor used a link to one of the old pages.Anyone attempting today to connect to the CII site via an old link or bookmark is redirected to the new CII home page. Specific information on telecommunications regulation and licensing can now be found at

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has received any formal complaints against the New Millennium Experience Company; and, if so, whether he will list the names of those companies or organisations which have laid such complaints. [HL4476]

It is the long-standing practice of the Department of Trade and Industry to regard all complaints as confidential.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has to appoint inspectors to investigate the financial operations of the New Millennium Experience Company. [HL4477]

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has no such plans at present.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What courses are offered by the Prison Service on addressing offending behaviour; and what comparisons they make on the effectiveness of these courses; and [HL4482]How many prisoners went on reasoning and rehabilitation courses in the last 12 months for which figures are available and, of these, how many dropped out and how many were asked to leave the course. [HL4481]

The Prison Service offers a range of programmes that have been accredited by independent panels of experts against effectiveness criteria established in the light of extensive international research as being likely to reduce re-offending. These consist of:Reasoning and Rehabilitation and Enhanced Thinking Skills—cognitive behavioural programmes aimed at those at medium risk of re-offending with a high level of cognitive deficits;Controlling Anger and Learning to Manage it (CALM): a cognitive behavioural programme for offenders for whom anger and aggression feature as a component in current or previous offending;Cognitive Self-Change: a programme for adult offenders with a history of violence; andProblem Solving: an offence-based cognitive skills programme aimed at a similar population to Reasoning and Rehabilitation and Enhanced. Thinking Skills, designed by Dr James McGuire of Liverpool University.The Service also offers a range of sex offender treatment programmes designed by the Prison Service to address sex offending, to challenge thinking patterns used by offenders to excuse and justify their behaviour and to teach new attitudes and behaviours related to positive, offence-free living. The courses consist of a core programme; an adapted programme for prisoners with learning difficulties; an extended programme for high risk sex offenders; and a booster programme for sex offenders who have already completed the core programme and are preparing for release.There is also a partially accredited rolling programme for low and high risk offenders who have undergone other treatment.A Prison Service long-term reconviction analysis assesses reconviction rates of graduates of the programmes after release from prison against control groups. These studies will be subjected to external, independent assessment and the Prison Service will ensure that any other necessary independent verification of programme outcomes is put in place.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress they are making in reviewing the voucher system applying to asylum seekers; when they expect to reach conclusions; and whether they will give instructions that change in full in cash should always be given when vouchers are tendered for purchases. [HL4496]

The Goverment's review of the operation of the voucher support system is under way. It is hoped to complete the review early next year, when its conclusions will be reported in another place. All relevant stakeholders and interested parties are being invited to make representations. I will place a list of those organisations which contribute to the review in the Library.The review will include early consideration of how change and lower denomination vouchers can be issued in the context of the decisions made by Parliament and reflected in the 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 23 October (

The phrase "Your above-named client has now exhausted all avenues of appeal following the Secretary of State's decision to refuse his/her asylum application" has been replaced with the phrase "Your client's asylum appeal has been finally determined".The form does not mention the possibility of asking the Secretary of State to reconsider on human rights grounds. I refer the noble Lord to my Written Answer of 8 November (

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 23 October (

The Immigration and Nationality Directorate informs people of their right of appeal when a decision is served but does not routinely inform asylum seekers and would-be immigrants appealing against decisions taken before 2 October of their entitlement to ask the Secretary of State to reconsider their cases in the light of human rights issues.All such applicants are also informed how they can seek free professional advice and representation in connection with their appeal. I am confident that where there are human rights considerations which could make a material difference to the case, appellants will be advised accordingly. Unrepresented appellants who seek to argue that their case should be allowed on human rights grounds will be referred by the Home Office presenting officer or by the appellate authority to the precedent case of

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans, if any, they have to review the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in light of the fact that its legality under European Law is currently under investigation by the European Commission. [HL4475]

We have no plans to revise the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 for the reasons suggested by the noble Earl. In accordance with the requirements of the Transparency Directive, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill was notified to the European Commission on its introduction to Parliament in February of this year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How they respond to the on-line poll on the YouGov website in which 75 per cent of respondents believed that civil liberties are being compromised by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. [HL4523]

The Government believe that the Act is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Government note that the article about the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), dated 26 October, on which respondents to the YouGov poll were invited to comment, contains a number of factual inaccuracies and misconceptions. RIPA ensures that vital but intrusive law enforcement powers are properly and closely regulated. It also puts in place for the first time regulations governing the monitoring of employees' communications, together with a civil remedy for employees whose communications have been wrongly monitored who breach those regulations.

asked Her Majesty's GovernmentWhether the coming into force of the "safe harbour" agreement between the European Union and the United States on data protection will ensure that data transfers between the United Kingdom and the United States comply with the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998. [HL4520]

The European Commission has made a formal finding that the US safe harbour arrangements provide an adequate level of data protection for the purposes of Article 25 of the Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC). Transfers of personal data from the United Kingdom to organisations in the United States which have made a formal commitment to comply with the safe harbour principles will be taken as meeting the requirements of the 8th data protection principle in Schedule 1 to the Data Protection Act 1998.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the "safe harbour" agreement between the European Union and the United States on data protection will have any adverse effect on the financial services industry in the United Kingdom. [HL4522]

The Government can see no reason why it should. The agreement makes it easier to transfer personal data to organisations participating in the safe harbour. The agreement does not affect transfers to non-participating organisations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What procedures they have in place to monitor the operation of the "safe harbour" agreement between the European Union and the United States on data protection. [HL4521]

Through the committee of member states' representatives set up under Article 31 of Directive 95/46/EC, the Government will seek regular reports from the European Commission on the way in which the safe harbour agreement is operating. The Data Protection Commissioner has responsibility for ensuring the proper application of the agreement within the United Kingdom. The Government understand that she will monitor the requests for assessment that she receives about the safe harbour arrangements to see whether they reveal problems with the agreement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, when the Secretary of State for Education and Employment made his decision to close Merrywood School, Knowle West, Bristol, he was aware that Gay Elms Primary School, Withywood Road, Withywood, and Whitehouse Primary School, Fulford Road, Hartcliffe, were to be threatened with closure. [HL45I5]

When my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment took his decision in April of this year to approve the closure of Merrywood School it was taken for educational reasons and following a very careful consideration of the facts before him at the time: this decision subsequently being upheld in the High Court and the Court of Appeal.The Secretary of State was aware that the closure of Whitehouse Primary was considered by the council during an area review in 1997 but that the authority had decided against bringing forward closure proposals. The Secretary of State was not aware of any proposals to close Gay Elms Primary School at the time he approved the closure of Merrywood.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, when the decision was taken to close Merrywood School, Knowle West, Bristol, local authority consultation of local residents was undertaken by means of the Internet and telephone polling; and, if so, whether such consultation can take sufficient account of the views of those in deprived areas who do not necessarily have access to such forms of communication. [HL4568]

As the noble Lord will be aware, consultation prior to the publication of statutory proposals is undertaken by the body publishing proposals, not my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment. I therefore suggest that this Question is for Bristol City Council rather than my right honourable friend or myself. In reaching his decision my right honourable friend was, however, satisfied that widespread consultation was undertaken. As an illustration of this I can confirm that the consultation process included a community inquiry, public meetings and the circulation of 4,500 consultation questionnaires.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What has been the average amount of grant paid to religious schools for (a) capital and (b) revenue costs over each of the last 10 years. [HL4513]

The Secretary of State for Education and Employment pays grant to the governors of voluntary aided (VA) schools in England in respect of their liability for building work. The large majority of VA schools have a religious character. It is not possible to identify separately only that grant paid to VA schools with a religious character. The table below shows total grants paid to VA schools in England in respect of building works for each financial year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the estimated overall cost in 1999–2000 to local education authorities of educational provision for children with an autistic spectrum disorder in (a) special school provision (both autism specific and generic) and (b) mainstream provision; and what the projected cost is for 2000–01; and [HL4487]Which local education authorities have accessed moneys, and if so how much, from the Standards Fund 1999–2000 (a) for improvement of speech and language therapy for children with communication difficulties, including autistic spectrum disorders; (b) for special educational needs training and professional development of teachers and other staff; and (c) to support special schools outreach provision; and [HL4488]How many bids were received by the Department for Education and Employment from the Standards Fund 1999–2000 for autism specific projects by (a) local education authority and (b) amount of grant; and [HL4489]Whether they will provide a breakdown by allocation of Standards Fund money for special educational needs in 1999–2000 by nature of application of grant. [HL4490]

There is no information available on the costs to local educational authorities of education provision for children with an autistic spectrum disorder. Section 52 budget data from LEAs showing expenditure on schools does not distinguish by types of special educational need.Standards Funds have been available for a number of years to support expenditure on training for staff involved in the education of children with special educational needs. Prior to 2000–01 there was no specific element for speech and language therapy within the Standards Fund, but within the general provisions of the grant there was allowance for funding to be used for the training of staff involved in the education of children with communication difficulties. However, provision has been made for this year, 2000–01, specifically for speech and language therapy pilot projects: £1.9 million of supported expenditure shared among 26 LEAs, as shown in the table below. For 2001–02, all LEAs will be able to draw on grant support for work in this area, as part of the Special Educational Needs Standards Fund, which will be distributed solely by formula.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will provide an analysis of the bids, according to nature of application, for Standards Fund money in 1999–2000. [HL4491]

The following table shows the number of local education authorities that submitted bids and the number that received grant for each of the Standards Fund grants allocated by a bidding process in 1999–2000. For 2001–02 we have developed a simplified Standards Fund with much less bidding.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will offer technical help to the Government of Bangladesh to get the Chittagong Hill Tracts Land Commission operational and effective. [HL4403]

Her Majesty's Government would be willing to consider support to the Chittagong Hill Tracts Land Commission if the Government of Bangladesh requested such support. No such request has been received.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to investigate whether British equipment has been used in Israeli helicopter attacks on Palestinians; and whether the future of arms sales to Israel is also under consideration, as reported in the

We are closely monitoring the current violence in the Middle East, including the equipment used by the Israeli Defence Forces in the Occupied Territories. We continue to look at all applications for licences to export defence equipment to Israel on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why they did not oppose the appointment of Ambassador Tan, Burma's permanent representative at the United Nations in Geneva, as chairman of the United Nations General Assembly's first Committee on Disarmament and International Security. [HL4454]

The chairmanship of each UN General Assembly committee rotates annually between the five UN electoral groups. By convention, the candidate endorsed by the electoral group is elected to the chair without a vote being taken.This year, the chairmanship of the first committee fell to the Asian group, who chose the Burmese representative as their candidate. His role is a functional one, bound by the General Assembly rules of procedure and under the authority of the committee. He chairs meetings in a personal capacity, does not represent Burmese policy and does not vote.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in view of their ethical dimension to foreign policy and Baroness Scotland of Asthal's statement that Burma is a "country bled white by misdirections of resources into arms" (H.L. Deb., 2 October, col. 1222), the appointment of Ambassador Tan, Burma's permanent representative at the United Nations in Geneva, as chairman of the United Nations General Assembly's first Committee on Disarmament and International Security carries their support. [HL4455]

The chairmanship of each UN General Assembly committee rotates annually between the five UN electoral groups. By convention, the candidate endorsed by the electoral group is elected to the chair without a vote being taken.This year, the chairmanship of the first committee fell to the Asian group, who chose the Burmese representative as their candidate. His role is a functional one, bound by the General Assembly rules of procedure and under the authority of the committee. He chairs meetings in a personal capacity, does not represent Burmese policy and does not vote.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will ask the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to publish model questionnaires for communications and complaints, similar to those already provided for some of the commission's mandates, for the rest of its thematic and country mechanisms, and to make these documents available on its website. [HL4508]

The website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) includes general guidance on how to submit communications and complaints, both under the relevant human rights treaties and under extra-conventional mechanisms.We will encourage the OHCHR to make complaints forms available on-line. However, it is for the OHCHR to decide whether a single form is appropriate for all the mechanisms.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received a report from the 'Commonwealth Observer Group on the Zanzibar Electoral Commission's handling of the poll on 29 October; and what steps they intend taking, with other Commonwealth member states, to persuade the Zanzibar authorities to re-run the elections, as recommended by the chairman of the Observer Group, Dr Gaositewe Chiepe. [HL4509]

Commonwealth and other international and local observers were unanimous in their condemnation of the organisation of the elections on 29 October, the contempt for democracy that this represented and the need to re-run the vote in all constituencies under a reformed Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC). We, with EU colleagues, criticised the decision to re-run the elections in only 16 constituencies and under the supervision of the current electoral commission in a statement issued on 3 November.My honourable friend Peter Hain, the Foreign Office Minister repsonsible for Africa, has since spoken to the Tanzanian Foreign Minister to express our grave concerns about the situation. We will continue to press the Tanzanian authorities to find a solution to the political crisis that respects the democractic and human rights of all Zanzibaris.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What information they have about investigations by the United Nations into allegations by the former UNAMSIL commander, General Jetley, of illicit diamond mining operations by UNAMSIL personnel; and whether the report will be published. [HL4511]

We have asked the UN Secretariat to provide information on any investigations undertaken following General Jetley's allegations. A reply has not yet been received.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Government of Sierra Leone have informed them of plans to to hold a general election in April 2001; and, if this appears to be unfeasible because rebels are still in control of most of the territory, what arrangements that government intend to make for the lawful administration of the country following the expiry of their term of office. [HL4512]

A number of elections, including presidential and parliamentary, are due to take place in Sierra Leone in early 2001 in accordance with the constitution.A decision on whether to proceed on this timing is a matter for the Government of Sierra Leone. There is provision for the extension of the government's mandate under emergency powers.