asked Her Majesty's Government:When he will publish the 1999–2000 annual report for the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency. [HL4607]

The 1999–2000 annual report and accounts for the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will assess the impact of the economic link measures introduced for the fisheries sector on 1 January 1999. [HL4604]

From 1 January 1999, all British registered fishing vessels over 10 metres catching more than 2 tonnes of quota stocks have had to demonstrate an economic link with fisheries-dependent communities in the United Kingdom. This link can be demonstrated in a number of ways—for example, by vessels landing at least 50 per cent by weight of their quota catch into the UK or by employing a crew of whom at least 50 per cent are normally resident in a UK coastal area.In the first year of operation, over 1,750 vessels caught more than 2 tonnes of quota stocks and in almost every case achieved a satisfactory economic link, primarily through landings into the UK. Where a small number have failed to make the full list in 1999, they will be expected to make this up in 2000 and future years. The new arrangements have resulted in a significant increase both in the volume of landings made by foreign owned UK flagged vessels and in local expenditure on goods and services in the UK. They have also led to over 300 tonnes of additional quota being made available to fishermen in the under 10 metre fleet and non sector.A full report by the Fisheries Departments in the United Kingdom on the operation of the economic link measures and their impact in 1999 has been placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their current policy towards the reform and reorganisation of the Commission of the European Union. [HL4422]

As part of the IGC, the Government would be prepared to see a reduction in the size of the Commission, provided this was accompanied by a substantial re-weighting of votes in the Council of Ministers. The Government also support restructuring the College of Commissioners to allow it to organise its work effectively. These changes would ensure that the Commission can remain effective after enlargement.The Government also strongly support the process of management reform that is currently under way in the Commission, which should help to ensure that the Commission is more accountable, efficient and transparent.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the response of 31 October to the House of Commons Procedure Committee's 2nd Report of Session 1999–2000 (HC 210), whether they would support a proposal to establish a House of Lords Select Committee on Treaties to scrutinise treaties laid before Parliament under the Ponsonby Rule and treaties subject to proceedings in Parliament; and, if not, why not. [HL4514]

I refer the noble Lord to my Answer to the noble Lord, Lord Thomson of Monifieth, on 2 October, which stated that the creation of Select Committees is a matter principally for the relevant House of Parliament.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been under the Knives Act 1997 since it was brought into force. [HL4538]

Sections 1 to 7, 9 and 10 of the Knives Act 1997 came into force on 1 September 1997.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the outcome of the consultation on the appointment of a joint Chief Inspector for Prisons and Probation. [HL4619]

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary announced on 9 June, Official Report, col. 392–393W, that Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons Sir David Ramsbotham's appointment was extended until the end of July 2001, when Sir Graham Smith, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Probation, is also due to retire.In response to a question in the House of Commons on 27 July,

asked Her Majesty's Government:What resources are available to the police in England and Wales to tackle hi-tech crime. [HL4620]

The Government are committed to action against hi-tech crime in line with our twin objectives of making the United Kingdom the best and safest place in the world to conduct and engage in e-commerce.My right honourable friend the Home Secretary is making £25 million available to the police in England and Wales over the next three years to initiate the implementation of a national hi-tech crime strategy to enhance the capability of law enforcement more effectively to investigate crime where new technology is used.The funding being made available will give impetus to the process of developing the skills within the police to undertake computer network investigations and forensic examination of computer systems. These are skills that are becoming necessary as criminals identify opportunities to use and misuse information and communications technology. It is important to ensure that the police have the proper skills and equipment to support them in this new activity.With those skills the police will, at the local level, be able to deliver improved service to the public to investigate reports of computer-related crime and to recover and analyse computer based evidence. The crimes concerned cover a wide spectrum from hacking and financial fraud to obscenity and the unlawful activities of paedophiles. The work of local units will be complemented by a multi-agency national hi-tech crime unit that will begin operation in April 2001. The national unit that will provide advice and support to local units, and to other law enforcement agencies across the United Kingdom, and deal with the most serious and organised hi-tech crime offences, including those which have a transnational impact.The Government's commitment to support the development of the capability of law enforcement was made by my right honourable friend the Prime Minister when he endorsed the Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit report e-commerce@its.best.uk last summer. That report recommended that the Government improve the technical capability of law enforcement to investigate Internet crime and establish an internet crime unit.On 11 September, the Prime Minister published the UKOnline Annual Report. The establishment of a national hi-tech crime unit was identified as a specific action, part of the Government's commitment to work with industry to ensure a safe and secure environment for e-commerce and to help people trust the Internet.I am pleased that, with the support of the Association of Chief Police Officers, the National Criminal Intelligence Service and the National Crime Squad, we are able to make progress towards ensuring that the police both locally and nationally are better trained and equipped to deal with hi-tech crime.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to increase the level of support provided by the National Asylum Support Service for those aged under 16 years. [HL4617]

My honourable friend the Minister of State yesterday laid before Parliament regulations amending the Asylum Support Regulations 2000 to enable an increased rate of voucher support to be provided to under 16 year-old dependants of asylum seekers supported by the National Asylum Support Service with effect from 4 December. The rate will rise from £26.60 to £30.95 per week.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will place the draft working document of the Fees Regulations for the Freedom of Information Bill in the Library. [HL4618]

The draft working document for the Fees Regulations required by the Freedom of Information Bill was placed in the Library on 10 November.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to deal with the situation where African Carribean pupils enter compulsory schooling as the highest achieving group but leave it as the group least likely to gain five high-grade GCSEs, as revealed in the recent report

The Government have been concerned since they came to power to tackle the relatively low achievement of African Caribbean pupils in school. The Ofsted report, based on 1997 data, rightly draws attention to worrying evidence from a small number of local education authorities that the relative attainment of African Caribbean pupils worsens between the start and end of their compulsory schooling. However, it also shows that there have been absolute and relative overall improvements in their attainment at GCSE. We hope that further, more recent, evidence will show continued improvements.The Government's drive to improve school standards, especially in literacy and numeracy, is delivering higher attainment by pupils of all backgrounds. We plan to extend that drive to Key Stage 3 and to extend the Excellence in Cities programme, which targets areas where ethnic pupils tend to be disproportionately represented.We are providing targeted finance for African Caribbean and other ethnic minority pupils through the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant. In 2001–02, the grant will support £153.5 million of local expenditure—an increase of 4.5 per cent. We also plan to enhance ethnic monitoring of pupils' progress to allow individual pupil-level achievement to be linked to ethnic group data to ensure better targeted support for groups at risk of poor attainment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the outcome of the Education/Youth Council held in Luxembourg on 9 November. [HL4605]

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Learning and Technology and Jane Davidson AM, Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, represented the UK at the Council of EC Education/Youth Ministers in Brussels on 9 November. Education Ministers adopted a recommendation on mobility within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and instructors and an associated Mobility Action Plan. The plan sets out a number of measures, which member states can select from according to national circumstances, to promote the mobility of teachers, academics, students and volunteers across Europe.Ministers discussed a preliminary draft report on the future objectives of education systems. Council agreed that the report, which is to be presented by the education Ministers to the Stockholm European Council in Spring 2001, should aim to identify objectives and priorities common to education systems within member states and facilitate the sharing of information and exchange of good and best practice at a national level.The Council adopted two opinions for the Employment and Social Policy Council on the Social Policy Agenda and draft employment guidelines.Ministers received reports from the Commission and Presidency on the conclusions of the Leiden seminar, organised by the Netherlands and French Presidency; on open methods of co-ordination and benchmarking of European education systems; follow-up to the meeting of the EU and Latin American Ministers for Higher Education in Paris on 3 November; a memorandum on lifelong learning; progress reached in the implementation of the European Year of Languages 2001; the renewal of the United States-Canada-EU co-operation agreements in the field of education and training; and the outcome of the Blois seminar entitled "Learn the history of Europe".Youth Ministers held an open debate on the follow-up measures which should be taken following earlier consultations with young people in Europe. Council agreed the importance of involving young people at European level and the need to create regular opportunities for consulting with young people—including those not affiliated to recognised youth networks—at both national and European level. The debate was part of the Commission's consultation process linked to developing a White Paper on the future of youth policy.Ministers received information from the Commission on the implementation of the Youth Programme and adopted a resolution on the social inclusion of young people.The Presidency and the Commission raised the issue of the potential dangers facing young sportsmen and women through over-training, drug abuse and commercial exploitation. The Commission urged the Council to consider taking action to tackle this.The Council heard a report from the German delegation on the need to tackle the problem of racism and xenophobia amongst young people.A copy of the Council Minutes will be placed in the Library in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to publish the second annual Green Ministers' report. [HL4601]

We are delighted to announce that "Greening Government: the Second Annual Report of the Green Ministers Committee" will be published tomorrow. It provides a comprehensive account of the work of Green Ministers over the past year, and sets out our future work programme. The report reflects Green Ministers' increasing focus on integrating sustainable development into government policies, as well as our continuing efforts to improve the environmental performance of government operations. There is a considerable amount of information at department level to enable the reader to understand the progress each department has made in all areas of our work.Copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In the light of their recent announcement on compensation for families of victims of nvCJD, whether they have plans to compensate the families of victims of smoking-related diseases. [HL4421]

The Government have no plans to compensate the families of victims of smoking-related diseases.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have a uniform approach to entitlement to free hospital transport for those discharged from hospital in England; and, if so, what it is. [HL4541]

Patient transport for those discharged from hospital is available free where the clinician in charge of the patient determines that there is a need for the hospital to provide transport. Where there is no clinically defined need but the patient is in receipt of benefits such as income support, then he or she is able to receive help under the "Hospital Travel Cost Scheme" which was set up in 1988 as part of the NHS Low Income Scheme to provide financial assistance.A guide entitled "Help with Health Costs" (HC11), copies of which are available in the Library, describes what help is available with necessary travel costs to and from hospital for National Health Service treatment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In the light of their recent statement of commitment to the environment, which of their policies are aimed at reducing pollution by smoking. [HL4466]

Smoking Kills—A White Paper on tobacco, published on 10 December 1998, sets out the Government's strategy to reduce smoking. The NHS Plan and the NHS Cancer Plan contain further commitments to reduce the health and other impacts of smoking.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they have taken to ensure that those people who attend the New Year's celebrations at the Millennium Dome will be able to travel to and from the event by public transport. [HL4529]

My colleague the Deputy Prime Minister last week held talks with key transport providers and the Mayor of London to discuss arrangements for the capital's New Year's Eve celebrations. Plans are being finalised and will have to reflect safety assessments carried out by London Underground, Railtrack, the train operating companies, the Metropolitan Police and the Greater London Authority. All the assessments have recommended early closure of some central London tube stations. However, stations around the edge of the safety zone will be open and those going to Greenwich will be able to use them.The night buses will be free again this year.

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

I refer the noble Lord to the answer given by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Lord Falconer QC) on 2 November, WA 120.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 16 October, what is the policy of the Cabinet Office in relation to the disposal of government cars after use. [HL4297]

The majority of cars used by the Cabinet Office are leased from either approved leasing companies or the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA). For details of the disposal of GCDA cars, I refer the noble Lord to the answer from the GCDA Chief Executive, Mr Nick Matheson, of 2 November 2000 (WA 120).

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

The Northern Ireland Office does not have a policy in relation to the disposal of government cars. The department has a general policy of leasing cars, from either the Government Car Despatch Agency, or approved leasing companies. The Cabinet Office will reply on behalf of the GCDA. Leasing companies are responsible for the disposal of their own cars.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why the recently published agreement on international road transport between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of the Ukraine signed on 13 December 1995, entered into force only on 10 June; and whether this agreement is affected by the Common Strategy Agreement between the European Union and the Ukraine, signed in December 1999. [HL4551]

International road transport agreements enter fully into force only when both signatories have completed their respective domestic legislative procedures. For our part, these legislative procedures were completed in 1996. In February this year we received formal notification from the Ukrainian authorities that they had done likewise, at which point we were able to complete the ratification process. The agreement has, however, been applied informally since the date of signature and under its provisions we have been exchanging road haulage permits with the Ukraine for the past four years to the benefit of UK hauliers. Our bilateral agreement with the Ukraine is unaffected by the Common Strategy Agreement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 31 October (

As at 9 October, there was no equipment outstanding for repair for between two and six months at the ABRO workshop at Sennybridge.

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

Having received advice from the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) that the information they provided to me in July was incorrect, Mrs Janet Anderson, the Minister for Tourism, set the record straight by way of Written Answer (HC Deb, col. 384W). The Answer should have been: "All sponsor contracts are individually tailored for each sponsorship, including phasing of sponsorship payments. As at 1 March, under the terms of their sponsorship agreement, Tesco were due to pay £1.75 million plus VAT. Of that, £1 million (plus VAT) had been received on 12 May 2000, leaving a balance of £750,000. The contract with Boots was nearing finalisation and the company had paid amounts in advance of signature. The Boots contract has now been signed and all due payments have been made". Mrs Anderson apologised for this unfortunate, but unintentional, error. David James, Executive Chairman of NMEC, is initiating a full investigation as to how this error occurred.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many County Court summonses had been issued against the New Millennium Experience Company as at:

The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has advised that, prior to June 2000, the company did not keep a central record of County Court summonses. On receipt, such summonses were dealt with by the individuals within NMEC's Finance Department whose responsibilities covered the supplier in question. Once the summonses were received and resolved, the papers were filed in the individual supplier file and not logged on to a central database. To identify those summonses manually could only be undertaken at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to publish the report of the review of the proposal for a new police fund to assist the widows and families of Royal Ulster Constabulary officers murdered as a result of terrorism action. [HL4527]

As I announced in the House on 27 July prior to Second Reading, the Government asked Mr John Steele to carry out a review into the proposed fund. The Government received the report from John Steele on 27 October. It was published on 7 November 2000, and copies have been placed in the Library of both Houses. Copies are also being sent to all those parties with whom Mr Steele had meetings.The Government are extremely grateful to Mr Steele for taking on this sensitive review of the recommendation (Recommendation 87) by the Independent Commission on Policing and for concluding his review so promptly. It welcomes his comprehensive and thorough report. The Government are undertaking a detailed assessment of each of the specific proposals and these will form the basis on which the Government take forward implementation of this very important Patten recommendation.In particular, the Government agree that a new fund should be established covering in scope deaths and injuries caused directly by terrorist violence against members of the police in Northern Ireland. The fund would help seriously injured police officers, and retired officers and their families, as well as police widows.The Government will establish a trust to administer the fund, on the basis proposed, as soon as possible.The Government also accept the key recommendation that widows of police officers who were killed as a result of terrorist activity prior to 25 November 1982 should receive lump sum payments. They will look to see how these payments, along the lines proposed in Mr Steele's report, can be made without undue delay.The Government have already implemented the related recommendation, Recommendation 88, that the Widows' Association should be given premises and a regular source of finance to run their organisation. The Widows' Association moved into new premises, and funding began, in September.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much the International Independent Commission on Disarmament has cost since its creation, including this year; and what contribution to this cost has been made by the Government of the Irish Republic. [HL4420]

The total expenditure shared by the British and Irish Governments from the creation of the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning to date is IR £4,131,215. The costs are split on a 50/50 basis shared by the British and Irish Governments.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why a proportion of the extra funding made available to the railway systems in the United Kingdom to improve safety does not apply to Northern Ireland Railways; and whether railway safety in Northern Ireland has a different priority for them compared with railway safety in other parts of the United Kingdom. [HL4464]

Responsibility for this subject has been devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and is therefore no longer a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Chief Commissioner for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is a member of the Committee of the Administration of Justice; and, if so, what is the term of his membership. [HL4484]

The Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is a member of the Committee on the Administration of Justice and has been since 1981.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has fulfilled its statutory duty under Section 69(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 by reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the law and practice in relation to marches by the Loyal Institutions in Northern Ireland. [HL4486]

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's statutory duty under Section 69(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 is an ongoing duty. The commission submitted advice to Her Majesty's Government earlier this year on whether the Human Rights Act 1998 should be commenced in relation to some aspects of the law and practice of marches. Her Majesty's Government took account of the commission's views.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission considers that the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill fails to make every effort to recruit from the ethnic minorities in Northern Ireland, as suggested in paragraph 14.6 of the Patten Report; and, if so, what is the Government's response. [HL4519]

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has made no representation to Her Majesty's Government regarding the impact of the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill on the recruitment of ethnic minorities to the police force in Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend that the annual Policing Plan, described in Clause 26 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill, will include—

The Policing Plan will include the items mentioned by virtue of regulations to be made under the Bill.A draft of the proposed regulations was made available during Committee stage in the other place.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is their intention to keep to the absolute minimum the grounds upon which the Chief Constable and the Secretary of State may restrict the freedom of the police board to initiate inquiries under Clause 60 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill. [HL4526]

The grounds upon which the Chief Constable may refer a board inquiry to the Secretary of State for the latter to overrule are set out in the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 25 October that a judicial inquiry into the Omagh bombing could jeopardise legal proceedings, whether that means that there cannot be any prosecutions relating to Bloody Sunday now that a judicial inquiry has been set up to investigate those events. [HL4384]

The circumstances of the two cases are very different. Unlike the Omagh bombing, there are no prosecutions outstanding in relation to Bloody Sunday nor are the events of that day the subject of active criminal investigations likely to lead to imminent prosecutions. The existence of the Bloody Sunday inquiry does not, however, prevent the possibility of prosecutions being brought in due course; whether or not that happens will be a matter for the police and the Director of Public Prosecutions on the basis of the available evidence.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What will be the total value of notes and coins denominated in euros in circulation throughout the European Union at the beginning of 2002. [HL4565]

According to current estimates from the European Central Bank, some EUR648.5 billion-worth of notes and some EUR 15.5 billion-worth of coins are expected to be produced for the introduction of euro cash in 2002.

asked the Chairman of Committees:Whether the painting by Andrew Festing of the House debating the Queen's Speech in November 1995 is intended to be a historical record; and whether he will take steps to ensure that future generations of students and historians are made aware of the decision by some Lords not to appear in the painting because of objections of principle. [HL4589]

I understand that the painting was intended to be an historical record of the House in November 1995. Every Member of the House was invited to be included in the painting, on payment of a subscription of £150, and it was up to each Member to decide whether or not he or she wished to be included. Future generations of students and historians may well wish to take into account the point the noble Lord makes in his Question.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How they intend to take forward the Quinquennial Review of HM Land Registry. [HL4602]

I announced the launch of the second Quinquennial Review of Her Majesty's Land Registry on 6 September. The review will include an assessment of its performance as well as a thorough consideration of all options for carrying forward its work, including the Better Quality Services approach to delivery. The agreed terms of reference have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.Andrew Edwards CB has been appointed to carry out the review, which will include widespread consultation with those who have an interest in the work of the Land Registry. It is expected that the report of the review will be published in Spring 2001.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have published their proposals for Legal Aid Reform in Northern Ireland. [HL4603]

The White Paper The Way Ahead (CM 4849) was published on 19 September, when a copy was placed in the Libraries of both Houses.