While we believe the trial of Nawaz Sharif to have been transparent and fair, we continue to have serious concerns about the judicial climate in which it was held. We have raised with the Pakistani authorities our concerns about the condition in which some detained politicians are held and the fact that some have still yet to be charged.Ministers of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), including my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary, met the Pakistani Foreign Minister in New York on 15 September. They reiterated their call, first made in the aftermath of the coup, for the restoration of democracy and for a clear and credible timetable for achieving this. Regrettably, the Pakistani Foreign Minister was unable to provide satisfactory assurances on these issues. In the continued absence of such a timetable, CMAG will need to consider at its next meeting all options, including the possibility of further measures to be taken against Pakistan.

GCHQ notified the Civil Service Commissioners that, as a result of recruitment schemes run in 1999, 241 individuals have joined the department or are awaiting completion of the application process. This compares with 187 reported for 1998 recruitment schemes. In addition, nine former members of staff were reappointed in 1999, compared with eight in 1998.

Secure establishments for juveniles are provided by 1 he Prison Service, local authorities and the private sector under contract to the Youth Justice Board of England and Wales. The board pays for places according to costs agreed in a contract or service level agreement each year or over a longer period, which also sets out the standards of accommodation and the regime to be provided.Since 1 April 2000, the board has commissioned 270 places from 24 local authority secure units on a block purchase basis. The units and the number of beds available in each are listed in the table.

Unit	Number of Beds Purchased
Aldine House	6
Atkinson Unit	11
Aycliffe	30
Barton Moss	16
Brunel	5
Clare Lodge	8
Clayfields	15
Dales House	6
Dyson House	9
East Moor	32
Hillside	14
Kesteven	4
Kyloe House	3
Leverton Hall	2
Orchard House	4
Orchard Lodge	16
Redbank	28
Redsands	4
St John's Tiffield	12
Stoke House	8
Sutton Place	7
Swanwick Lodge	5
Thornbury House	7
Vinney Green	18
Total	270

A Youth Justice Board survey conducted in 1999 showed that 17 out of 30 local authority secure units run programmes for convicted sex offenders under 18. There are currently no formal programmes for sex offenders in young offender institutions.The board recognises the need to improve the provision of these programmes for young offenders and will be discussing the development of more specialist programmes with providers of secure accommodation as part of its negotiations for the next contracting year.

Following admission to a secure training centre, each child or young person is currently assessed and set an individual training plan which includes a minimum of 25 hours a week of education based on the national curriculum, one hour a day on tackling offending behaviour and avoiding further involvement in crime and regular practical tuition in social skills and domestic training.Basic and key skills training is already a priority for those in young offender institutions. The Prison Service has a target to reduce by 15 per cent the proportion of prisoners discharged at the end of their sentences with basic skills in literacy and numeracy at or below level 1. All Prison Service establishments, including young offender institutions, have been given individual key performance targets showing how many level 2 accreditations they must achieve. In addition to programmes of class teaching and private study, the Prison Service is developing innovative projects to support basic skills needs through catering, physical education and prison workshops.We are currently looking at ways of improving the quality of education and providing more focused literacy and numeracy programmes for young people in custody.

Following admission to a secure training centre, each child or young person is assessed and set an individual training plan, which includes a minimum of 25 hours a week of education based on the national curriculum. As part of the assessment process, each one is assessed for any special educational needs and, where appropriate, the contractor who is responsible for operating the centre will engage any specialist staff and resources required for that person.The educational needs of young people aged under 17 in young offender institutions are formally assessed and any learning difficulties or special educational needs taken into account. This assessment then forms the basis of an individual action plan. In addition, education contractors are required to have a named special needs adviser to advise on educational requirements.

We have no plans to introduce a national proof of age card and so no plans to pilot one. But we are looking at the possibility of incorporating a proof of age function in the proposed Connexions card; and we support the use of industry-based credible proof of age cards such as the Portman Card and Citizen Card, which are already widely available across the country.

Taxing the winter fuel payment of £200 would raise an estimated £150 million in tax revenue in 2000–01, increasing the tax burden of over 5 million people over the age of 60 and bringing a further 100,000 people into tax. This equates to around £20 for each non-taxpaying individual over 60 years of age.

The latest available information on capital gains tax receipts and costs of collection, to be released shortly in IR Statistics 2000 and the Annual Report of the Board of Inland Revenue, is given in the table.

Capital Gains Tax
	Net Receipts (1)	Cost of Collection (2)
Year	£ million	£ million
1999–00	2,122	31.5

1. Excludes tax on gains of companies, which are charged to corporation tax.2. Relates mainly to the costs arising from gains to individuals and trustees but some other costs (mainly of land valuations for companies) cannot be separately identified and are included in the collection costs of capital gains tax.It is estimated that 154 thousand taxpayers had a capital gains tax liability for 1998–99, the latest year for which information is available. Capital gains tax liabilities are normally due for payment in the year following the tax year for which the liability arises.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

I very much regret that one table in my earlier answer was incorrect. The table should have read as follows.

No. The Paymaster General wrote to the European Commission on 8 November to ask for consideration of early legislative proposals to include repairs, maintenance and improvements to listed places of worship in the list of permissible reduced rates.

The proposed increase in the upper earnings limit for employees' national insurance contributions from April 2001 was announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget on 9 March 1999 as part of the Government's response to the recommendations in Martin Taylor's report. Full details of all changes in national insurance contributions rates and limits for the tax year 2001–02 were announced in the House of Commons by the Paymaster General, following the Pre-Budget Report (Official Report, 8 November 2000; cols. 274W-276W) and were also set out in an Inland Revenue press release.

The number of casualties on the A3 Kingston by-pass between the junctions with the A308 and A309 in the 12 months to 31 May in the years 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 were the following:

A3 Kingston by-pass1: 1996–2000
Casualties
Severity	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000p
Fatal	4	3	0	0
Serious	12	21	7	12
Slight	97	126	79	56
Total	113	150	86	68
1 The data above cover the stretch of the A3 by-pass 100 metres west of the Ace of Spades roundabout (Hook) and the Robin Hood roundabout (Kingston Vale).
p provisional 2000 data.

The figures are as follows:

Exempt historic vehicles
Number	Cost of exemption (£)
1995 120,000	26,760,000
1996 278,000	61,994,000
1997 326,000	72,698,000
1998 352,000	78,496,000
1999 354,000	78,942,000

Vehicle licensing data are supplied to DETR on a quarterly basis by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. The most recent available data are for the end of June 2000. The number of vehicles first registered in each year and which are currently licensed and paying vehicle excise duty is as follows:

• 1973 22,780
• 1974 21,575
• 1975 22,016

The Government remain committed to move to directly-elected regional government in England, where there is a demand for it, as demonstrated in referendums.

At the time of the Roads Review in July 1998 we decided to take forward consideration of the A63 Melton Grade Separated Junction in Yorkshire. We can now confirm that following further work, including a full appraisal, and consultation with the regional planning body, the scheme has been added to the targeted programme of improvements. By removing three existing junctions the scheme will improve safety and reduce delays. It will also facilitate access to enable regeneration of a large area of brownfield land to the south of the A63 on the banks of the Humber. Draft orders for the scheme were published on 17 October.Further additions to the programme will in general depend on the outcome of studies commissioned as a result of the Roads Review and priorities identified in the course of development of regional transport strategies within the context of regional planning guidance.However, if the objectives of investment in trunk roads under the 10-year plan are to be delivered, it is important that we make some immediate progress. Therefore, we have initiated consultations with regional planning bodies to consider possible targeted improvements to tackle problems on those parts of the core trunk road network not being considered within a study. As part of this exercise we will also consider whether decisions can be taken on taking forward some targeted improvements within the areas covered by studies without prejudicing the strategic context of the study in question or the emerging regional transport strategy. Specific proposals for improvements will be evaluated using the new approach to appraisal to ensure they are consistent with our transport criteria of safety, economy, environmental impact, accessibility and integration. We will make an announcement about the outcome of this exercise in the spring.We can also confirm that work on the programme of 100 early action schemes to tackle localised safety and congestion problems on the trunk road network announced at the time of the 10-year plan has begun. Copies of a leaflet showing the locations of these schemes have been placed in the Library.

In view of issues around patient confidentiality together with the wishes of the parents, I will write to the noble Lord setting out the information he has requested.

The panel has considered the evidence put to it by both the Tate and the claimant and is in the course of finalising its recommendation to Ministers. It is anticipated that this should be completed early in December.

I am pleased to announce that the Seventh Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, entitled Standards of Conduct in the House of Lords, is published today by the committee. Copies are available in the Printed Paper Office, and the Libraries.The recommendations in the report are for the House to consider. The Government welcome the report and hope and expect that the House of Lords will give it the serious consideration that it deserves.