asked Her Majesty's Government:What percentage of local authorities use broadband data transmission services in Scotland, England and Wales. [HL1971]

The department does not collect details about the percentage of local authorities that use broadband data transmission services. The issue of the percentage of local authorities which use broadband data transmission services in Scotland and Wales is a matter for the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the statement by the Prime Minister on 24 July 2000 that Lord Birt would be working closely with a number of Ministers, on how many occasions since then Lord Birt has met (a) the Home Secretary, (b) the Lord Chancellor and (c) the Attorney-General to discuss crime. [HL1856]

As part of his work, Lord Birt has met the Attorney-General once, the Home Secretary twice and other Home Office Ministers of State.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether Lord Birt has received any pay or expenses for his service as the Prime Minister's adviser on crime. [HL1890]

Lord Birt is an unpaid adviser. He has received just over £300 in out-of-pocket expenses.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What has been the cost of any office accommodation or office support provided to the Prime Minister's adviser on crime, Lord Birt.[HL1891]

Lord Birt has made periodic use of meeting rooms in the Cabinet Office and 10 Downing Street to see criminal justice organisations. One member of Cabinet Office staff has been employed part-time providing administrative support to Lord Birt's work. It is not possible to calculate the marginal attributable costs of this support.

asked Her Majesty's Government:From which departments the Prime Minister's adviser on crime, Lord Birt, has had access to government papers; and whether they included papers submitted to the Prime Minister or calculated by, or within, the Prime Minister's office, on any subjects other than crime. [HL1892]

Lord Birt has had access to papers from the Home Office, the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Crown Prosecution Service and Customs and Excise. He has not seen papers on subjects outside his brief.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What percentage of police stations have access to broadband data transmission services and have computer literate officers to operate them in Scotland, England and Wales. [HL1970]

Our understanding of a broadband service is one which provides the capacity for multiple users to transmit and receive simultaneously. The broader the band, the greater the number of users and data capacity which individuals can use. Using that definition, it is possible to say that 40 per cent of police force or divisional headquarters in England and Wales currently have access to broadband data transmission services through the Criminal Justice Extranet (CJX). The plans are to extend the service to 100 per cent of forces in England and Wales by March 2002. None of the Scottish forces has CJX access yet but they plan to take the service when their funding is in place. The staff who access CJX services are or will be trained and computer literate.The CJX broadband service provides the potential to access the Internet. Forces will decide themselves whether to take this facility and whether to extend the facility to police stations or to individual police officers. The degree of access will also depend on the capability of their own force systems and networks.The Airwave project is currently piloting a digital radio network service which will be capable of handling data transmissions within the next three months. Airwave will make data accessible by individual police officers through their radio handsets or vehicle terminals, as well as through control rooms. Officers will be fully trained in the use of Airwave.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people who applied for asylum before 1 July 1996 and between 1 July 1996 and 31 December 1998 have not yet had a decision. [HL1973]

The information is not readily available and could be obtained only by examination of individual case records and is, therefore, available only at disproportionate cost.Information on the total number of applications awaiting an initial decision is published monthly on the webpage:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 28th March (

As my previous Answer of 28 March made clear. Lord Birt's advice and conclusions were one of the inputs reflected in the Government's strategy document Criminal Justice: The Way Ahead (Cm 5074). That document was published and placed before Parliament on 26 February 2001.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 1 May (

Immigration Service staff will take into account a combination of different indicators in identifying relevant ethnic or national groups for the purpose of operating the immigration control in accordance with the authorisation announced on 1 May. These will include language or dialect spoken, geographical origin, pattern of travel and, where relevant, the passenger's apparent lineage. In some cases, the passenger's ethnic or national origin will be known from intelligence received or from statements made by the passenger. In other cases it may become apparent from answers to routine questions posed at the control or on the landing card. The authorisation will be used by officials responsibly and with due care. The authorisation applies to passengers of Tamil ethnic or national origin, irrespective of their nationality, because of the wide range of national travel documents used in attempted illegal entry by some members of this group and because of the attempted abuse of asylum provisions by those persons purporting to be fleeing persecution in Sri Lanka who are in fact nationals of other countries.The particular adverse consequences for passengers in the groups covered by the authorisation are that they may be delayed at the immigration control longer than other persons in the same circumstances and may have conditions attached to their leave to enter or temporary admission. Where a passenger in one of the groups concerned meets the requirements of the Immigration Rules, this delay might only be a matter of minutes or there may be no delay at all if the immigration officer does not consider that a closer examination is necessary.The authorisation provides that an immigration officer may, in respect of the groups covered by the authorisation, by reason of a passenger's ethnic or national origin subject them to a more rigorous examination than other person in the same circumstances. The officer may exercise powers under Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971, namely: requiring someone to submit to further examination; requiring them to furnish information and documents; examining and detaining their documents; searching them; detaining them pending further examination;The officer may impose a condition or restriction on someone's leave to enter or their temporary admission. They may also decline to give someone notice of grant or refusal of leave to enter in a form permitted by Part III of the Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order 2000.In assessing the risk to the control posed by the groups listed in the authorisation, my honourable friend the Home Office Minister of State (Mrs Roche) has taken into account statistical evidence and other intelligence material. Statistical data are not held on Tamils as an ethnic group, but Sri Lankans of non-Tamil ethnic origin do not constitute a significant threat to the immigration control. In 2000, there were 3,592 inadequately documented arrivals by Sri Lankans in the United Kingdom: 91 of these cases involved false passports, 44 cases involved false or no visa and 39 cases involved impersonation. In 2000, there were 1,733 and 3,086 inadequately documented arrivals from Iraq and Turkey respectively. Asylum statistics confirm that Kurds comprise the vast majority of irregular migrants arriving in the United Kingdom from those countries. In 2000, the Immigration Service encountered 204 cases of Greek passport abuse, many involving nationals of the Former Soviet Union. In 2000, the Immigration Service detected 223 attempts to enter the United Kingdom using forged or counterfeit passports by nationals of the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. Asylum statistics confirm that Roma comprise the vast majority of irregular migrants arriving in the United Kingdom from those countries. In 2000, there were 1,099 inadequately documented arrivals from Somalia and 2,654 the previous year. In 1999, there were 1,993 inadequately documented Albanian arrivals, although the figure declined in 2000. In 2000, the Immigration Service detected 92 cases involving abuse of Japanese travel documents and 84 cases involving abuse of Malaysian travel documents in total. Chinese nationals seeking to circumvent the immigration control have been most commonly identified using these and, to a lesser degree, other documents.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, and if so why, they consider that the Race Relations (Immigration and Asylum) Authorisation 2001, in providing that information need not be made available to asylum applicants in a language which they understand, is compatible with the United Kingdom's obligations to provide a hearing for such applicants under the Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the European Convention on Human Rights.[HL2063]

The Government believe that the authorisation is entirely compatible with the United Kingdom's obligations under the Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the European Convention on Human Rights. The authorisation relates to the translation of the explanatory notes accompanying the asylum Statement of Evidence Form (SEF) into over 30 languages currently used by the majority of asylum applicants. We are confident that most applicants will have knowledge of one of the languages in which the document is being made available. If the linguistic profile of languages used by asylum applicants changes, the need for additional translations will be of course considered. It would be impractical and prohibitively expensive to provide translations in every dialect and language which might be encountered.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 1 May (

The Government do not believe that this authorisation is contrary to Article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Decisions on a passenger's entitlement to enter or remain in the United Kingdom will continue to be taken on the merits of each individual case in accordance with the Immigration Rules. Therefore, any discrimination will be in the procedure by which the decision is taken. Like Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 26 must be read as prohibiting discrimination in circumstances where this is not justified. Procedural discrimination in the operation of the immigration control is fully justifiable in the circumstances covered by the authorisation, and does not breach Article 26.Sole reliance on the nationality authorisation in respect of the examination of passengers would result in additional unnecessary delay for passengers in other groups not covered by the authorisation, reducing the speed and efficiency of the on-entry control.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish the report by the Prisons Ombudsman into the circumstances of the Triennial Review at Standford Hill Prison at the end of 1999; whether they are now going to confirm the reappointment of the two members of the Board of Visitors who have been waiting to hear about their status for 16 months; and how many members there are on the Board of Visitors at this prison. [HL2080].

There are no plans to publish the report by the Prisons Ombudsman into events surrounding the Board of Visitors at Standford Hill prisons. The Minister for Prisons and Probation, Mr Boateng, will be writing very shortly to the two former members of that Board who were not reappointed at the end of 1999. There are currently nine members of the Board of Visitors at this prison.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What appointments to the Police Complaints Authority have been made since 1 March. [HL2137]

We have recently appointed Mr Ian Bynoe to the second position of Deputy Chairman of the authority. His appointment is for two years with effect from 1 May 2001.Ian Bynoe has served as a member of the authority since 1998, both reviewing investigations and disciplinary proceedings and supervising investigations. He comes from a legal background and, prior to joining the authority, he was a self-employed policy researcher and legal trainer.Also, we have appointed five new full-time members to the Police Complaints Authority. Their appointments will be for three years. The five new members are:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they will take to ensure that the developments of a new police complaints system takes account of the lessons to be learned from Operation Lancet. [HL2138]

We published the Government's proposed framework for a new police complaints system in December 2000. In developing the new arrangements, we want to ensure that they are able to deal effectively and robustly with all cases, including those where the investigation may be complex and wide-ranging. My right honourable Friend the Home Secretary has therefore asked Sir John Hoddinott, former Chief Constable of Hampshire, to carry out a review with the following terms of reference:On behalf of the Home Secretary to conduct a review:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the aims and objectives of the new task force on child protection on the Internet. [HL2139]

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary met representatives from the industry involved in providing Internet services in the United Kingdom, children's charities, law enforcement agencies and others on 28 March 2001, where it was agreed to form a Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet.

asked the Chairman of Committees:Who is responsible for the Parliamentary Broadcasting Unit (PARBUL); under what terms they provide video recordings of debates and speeches in the House of Lords; who determines the price of debates or individual speeches; and what was the range of prices charged during each of the past five years. [HL2055]

The Parliamentary Broadcasting Unit Ltd (PARBUL) is a limited company set up jointly by Parliament and the major broadcasters to organise and fund the televising of Parliament. The board of directors comprises representatives of the broadcaster shareholders matched in number by members and staff of both Houses, and chaired by the House of Commons Chairman of Ways and Means.Recordings of proceedings of the House of Lords are archived by Parliament's own Parliamentary Recording Unit, which is managed by the Supervisor of Parliamentary broadcasting, an Officer of both Houses. Videotape copies of these recordings are made available to broadcasters, commercial and educational organisations and for the personal use of Peers, MPs and private individuals at rates which reflect the length of recording required, the complexity of compilation tapes and the use to which the footage will be put. The "rate card" was recently revised for the first time in seven years. Increases were kept below the rate of inflation over that period.The rates charged in the five years to December 2000 ranged from a£10 minimum per videotape for Members to £120 an hour plus stock, management and licence fees for broadcasters. The current minimum cost for Members remains £10, with broadcaster rates set at a maximum of£100 plus VAT per 30 minutes. The broadcaster rate now includes stock and management fees but licence fees remain extra.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in the light of allegations in

It is a feature of our export licensing controls on cultural objects that Her Majesty's Government do not indicate in advance whether or not an export licence will be granted for a particular object. Nor can I comment about individual applications for export licences as the information given on applications is commerically sensitive and given in confidence. The Government cannot therefore reveal details about which objects are the subject of applications. To do so would be an unwarranted invasion of privacy contrary to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.Council Regulation (3911/92) on the export of cultural goods does not permit us to grant an export licence under the regulation for objects which have been despatched from another member state on or after 1 January 1993 unless the dispatch was lawful and definitive.

of Hendon asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any ministerial or departmental direction was given to the Royal Parks Agency to reopen the Royal deer parks in London which had been closed as a foot and mouth disease precaution [HL1920]

Ministerial direction was to adhere to MAFF advice. The decision to reopen these Royal Parks was taken jointly by officials of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Royal Parks Agency and Historic Royal Palaces in the light of information provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any meeting, e-mail or telephone contact took place between Mr. William Weston, the Chief Executive of the Royal Parks Agency, the Ministers or officials in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport or the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in the two weeks before the reopening on 11th April of the Royal deer parks in London that had been closed as a foot and mouth disease precaution; and what representations, if any, were made by Mr. Weston or the Royal Parks Agency for or against the reopening. [HL1921]

In the two weeks before the reopening of the Royal Parks, the Chief Executive of the Royal Parks Agency and his deputy had one regular meeting with officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at which, amongst other things, the subject was discussed. During this period there were a number of telephone calls between Royal Parks officials and officials at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and on one occasion a call involving officials of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. During these discussions, the agency and officials agreed that they were keen to see the parks re-open but only when it was judged safe to do so.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the statement by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 28 November 2000 to the House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs that landfill tax will increase by£25 per tonne by 2004:

In speaking to the House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee, on 28 November 2000, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury confirmed the rises in landfill tax announced in Budget 1998. That is, the standard rate of Landfill Tax increased from £7 per tonne to £10 per tonne from 1 April 1999. It then rose by a further £1 per tonne in April 2000 and April 2001, and these annual £1 increases will continue until at least 2004. These rises are designed to make waste producers take account of the environmental costs they impose on society, encouraging efforts to minimise the amount of waste generated and to develop more sustainable forms of waste management such as recycling, composting and recovery.The Government are committed to meeting the challenging targets for waste recycling set out in

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why they published on 26 April sub-regional and local area estimates of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) calculated solely on a workplace basis (as opposed to a residence basis), thereby giving the impression that GDP per head is two-and-a-half times the national average in Inner London; whether in future they will simultaneously issue residence-based figures; and what representations they have made to the European Commission to ensure that these figures are not misunderstood. [HL2050]

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

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the annual salary for an employee paying national insurance contributions required to produce a total for employer's and employee's national insurance contributions for that person shown on the End of Year Summary P14 consisting of seven digits before the decimal point; and [HL2053]What is their estimate of the number of employees paying national insurance contributions in relation to whom seven digits before the decimal point are necessary to show the total of employer's and employee's national insurance contributions on their End of Year Summary P14. [HL2054]

In the tax year 2000–01 where an employee earned over £8.2 million the combined employee and employer national insurance contributions would exceed £1 million. The actual amount is recorded on the P14 end of year summary. I can confirm that this situation does arise but I regret that it is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the number of employees involved.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to commence powers making the Financial Services Authority the single financial services regulator under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. [HL2136]

The Government will be commencing, with effect from 18 June 2001, provisions of the Act which make the Financial Services Authority the single financial services regulator, and give it rule-making powers. These provisions will enable the FSA to make the key provisions of its rule-book no later than the end of July 2001 so that the financial services industry can train and prepare for the commencement of the main provisions of the Act no later than the end of November 2001.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the report on the five-year review of the Royal Parks Agency. [HL2134]

The report was published today and I have placed copies in the Libraries of both Houses. The report is also available on the DCMS website (www.culture.gov.uk).The report's main conclusion and recommendation is that responsibility for the Royal Parks should remain with central government and that the Royal Parks Agency (RPA) should continue to manage them although the department should work towards establishing the Royal Parks as a non-departmental public body. The Government welcome the report and will respond in due course.I am pleased to note the report's recognition of the essential role of the Royal Parks Advisory Board in helping the effective management of the Royal Parks by its advice to Ministers and to the chief executive. I am grateful for their contribution, which my right honourable friend the Secretary of State and I very much value. We welcome the initiative the board has taken over the past year in extending its role by providing independent advice on a wider range of the agency's plans, performance and longer-term strategy.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether accessibility standards have been finalised for tourist accommodation businesses, as proposed by the timetable set out in the English Tourism Council's consultation document entitled the

I understand from the English Tourism Council (ETC) that the results of its consultation are currently being analysed and that it is on schedule to meet its published date of mid 2001. However, the National Accessible Scheme is a uniform standard across the United Kingdom and the ETC are also awaiting the results from the Scottish, Wales and Northern Ireland Tourist Boards consultations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Inland Revenue will redraft IR35 to make it more relevant to knowledge-based industries, especially in the small business sector, as recommended by the High Court in its recent judgment on the action brought by the professional contractors' group. [HL2088]

We have no plans to change the legislation on the provision of services through intermediaries (commonly called "IR35"). The legislation applies generally where people work through a service company or other intermediary. The judge in the recent judicial review made no recommendations affecting the existing law.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the average length of time they are taking to answer Questions for Written Answer, with particular reference to the Question for Written Answer (HL410) dated 18 January by Lord Barnett [HL987]

The length of time taken to reply to Questions for Written Answer varies from department to department and is not collated centrally. The length of time taken to answer HL 410 in the name of Lord Barnett was seven weeks.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the length of time they are taking to answer Questions for Written Answer, with especial reference to Question for Written Answer, HL381, dated 17 January, by Lord Shore of Stepney. [HL1437]

The length of time taken to reply to Questions for Written Answer varies from department to department, and is not collated centrally. The length of time taken to answer HL381 in the name of Lord Shore of Stepney was just under 10 weeks.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When, in answering a Question for Written Answer, they are unable to reply within two weeks, what actions are triggered automatically within the relevant department to accelerate the necessary response; what contact is made with the Member who asked the Question; and what additional procedures are triggered after one month and two months' delay respectively. [HL1536]

When Questions for Written Answer are not answered within two weeks, a response is usually solicited from the relevant department by the Government Whips' Office in the House of Lords. The Government Whips' Office continue to solicit a response until one is received. This procedure is not dependent on specific deadlines such as one or two months, but is continuous. The contact which is made with the Member concerned varies from case to case, depending on the specific circumstances, but there is no automatic procedure to ensure that Members are contacted.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the total current weekly expenditure for caretaking at the Millennium Dome in Greenwich. [HL2000]

Weekly expenditure on maintenance of the Dome (covering rates, utilities, site servicing, insurance and a proportion of the IT and staffing support relevant to the care and maintenance function) is currently about £150,000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many staff employed to caretake the Millennium Dome at Greenwich have been laid off since 1 January; and [HL2001]

The new Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has advised that it has always contracted out the provision of major caretaking services such as security, cleaning, site services, and maintenance. In so far as individuals have been directly employed by NMEC in connection with the care and maintenance functions, 11 have left the company since 1 January on expiry of their employment contracts and in line with the planned programme of wind-down. Sixteen individuals currently remain as direct employees of NMEC in the site services department.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether shipbuilders in South Korea are still beneficiaries from unfair subsidies, allowed by their government, to the detriment of the British and European Union shipbuilding industries; and, if so, what further steps they propose to take in conjunction with other European Union member states to remedy the situation. [HL2085]

We have long recognised the adverse impact that Korean unfair competition has had upon the world shipbuilding market. The European Union (EU) is pursuing, with our firm support, a bilateral/trade remedy to this issue. The EU has been trying to secure a bilateral solution over the last year but, to our great disappointment, this has stalled. In view of this, the industry launched last November a Trade Barriers Regulation (TBR) case against Korea. In the absence of a bilateral solution, the EU will need to take a decision, on the basis of the recommendations of the European Commission's TBR investigation report, on taking action in the World Trade Organisation. If the Commission's examination does confirm the case against Korea and does recommend action in the WTO, we would be minded to support such action, subject to completing our review of the Commission's report.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the opinion research poll reported in the

The poll was conducted for the Mail on Sunday and is not the property of the Government. Further information should be obtained from the newspaper.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there have been delays in The Wrekin and, in particular, Albrighton between the decision to cull healthy sheep and their being culled; and, if so, what is the cause of such delays. [HL1631]

Animals were slaughtered on an infected farm in Wellington on 24 March, and on adjacent premises by 30 March, as part of the Government's contiguous slaughter policy to remove susceptible animals exposed to the risk of infection. The delay was due to pressure on staff resources in that area at that time.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the risk of foot and mouth contamination from a dead carcass; and how long it lasts. [HL1688]

The Government's view that carcasses do not pose a major risk of spreading foot and mouth disease is based on advice from the World Reference Laboratory for Foot and Mouth Disease at Pirbright and the Environment Agency. The Government are also advised on disease control strategies by their Chief Veterinary Officer and their expert scientific group. Experimental studies have shown that the release of the foot and mouth disease virus from infected animals is greatly reduced after death. This is why it is so important to identify and slaughter infected animals as quickly as possible.The risk from carcasses is greatly reduced as a result of the procedures followed after slaughter. Carcasses are sprayed with an approved disinfectant which has been shown to be highly effective in destroying any virus on the outside of the animal. Approximately 24 hours after slaughter, rigor mortis sets in, whereby lactic acid accumulates and inactivates virus in the muscles. Virus in other internal organs will be inactivated by the processes of decomposition and is, in any case, situated internally. Before burning, the operations team is instructed to spray the pyre with additional disinfectant to reduce any risk of infection spreading at this stage. The virus is then inactivated at temperatures above 50 degrees centigrade. There may be a small thermo-resistant element of the virus which is also destroyed at 70 degrees, but expert opinion is that this is likely to be insignificant in the possible spread of infection from pyres.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Who authorises the decision to excavate burial pits for stock affected by foot and mouth disease; and who authorises their emptying. [HL2024]

On the rare occasions when it is necessary to exhume buried carcasses, the decision will normally be taken by the relevant regional operations director in the light of advice from the Environment Agency and the local environmental health and public health authorities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Given that vast areas of traditionally stock-carrying country of Scotland, England and Wales have been cleared of all stock, how they plan to target help to these areas in particular. [HL2094]

We are in discussion with the devolved administrations and the farming unions about a longer-term recovery plan for the farming sector, especially the livestock sector. We shall focus in particular on farmers directly affected by foot and mouth disease who face choices about their futures, and on those regions of the UK hardest hit by the disease.

asked Her Majesty's Government>:In which counties in the United Kingdom there have been confirmed cases of foot and mouth disease this year, indicating in respect of each county the date of the first and most recent case. [HL1717]

The information requested, as at 7 May 2001, is set out in the table given.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will set up a public inquiry into the current outbreak of foot and mouth disease; and if so, what form such an inquiry will take. [HL1719]

The Government are determined to learn whatever lessons they can from the current outbreak of foot and mouth disease. This process has already begun. Following a consultation exercise, my right honourable friend the Minister announced on 3 May a ban on the swill feeding of catering waste to livestock. A consultation exercise on a proposed 20-day standstill period for sheep, goats and cattle following movement will end on 11 June. We will also be examining all of the longer-term issues surrounding reform of the common agricultural policy.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their policy on transporting by road carcasses of animals slaughtered because they had been found to be suffering from foot and mouth disease; and what cases there have been of fluids or other parts from such animals leaking on to public highways during transit. [HL1993]

Public and environmental safety are the Government's priorities in the battle against foot and mouth disease. To this end, there are strict instructions in place designed to maintain biosecurity at all times, and rigorous disinfectant procedures are carried out on all vehicles used for carrying carcasses.Vehicles that enter non-infected areas are those of the highest structural integrity, but clear instructions on what to do in the unlikely event of accidents in transit are provided, including what to do about leaks and how to disinfect the area if one occurs.There have, however, been a small number of cases where trucks have not been properly sealed. This is not satisfactory and we are taking steps to remind those involved in the transport of carcasses of the existing instructions. We are also seeking to ensure that those transporting carcasses have access to resources and equipment to permit emergency repairs in the event that any problem occurs, and know where to seek further help if necessary.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have any information on the consignment of sheep that was exported to France in January and tested positive for foot and mouth. [HL2115]

A consignment of 402 sheep was certified for export to France on 31 January from premises in Wales. In early March the French authorities blood-tested 31 of the animals for fool: and mouth disease before slaughtering them and seven samples gave positive results. The French authorities have now confirmed that the samples that initially showed positive results have been subject to further testing with negative results. They have concluded that the earlier test results were false positives.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish an updated table showing the number of cases of BSE confirmed in Britain each week during the calendar year 2001 to date, together with the moving annual total of cases for each 52 week period. [HL1992]

The following table shows the number of cases of BSE confirmed in Great Britain during each week of 2001, together with the moving annual total of cases for each 52 week period.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will make available the latest progress report prepared by the Minister of Agriculture on bovine spongiform encephalopathy. [HL2114]

A further progress report on BSE in Great Britain was placed in the Library of the House today. The report outlines the measures which have been taken to protect public health since June 2000 and includes the latest EU requirements for testing and surveillance. There is also a section on the protection of animal health which covers controls on animal feed. The epidemiology section shows that the epidemic of BSE in Great Britain continues to decline in line with predictions. The report is also published on the MAFF website: www.maff.gov.uk.animalh/bse/index/html.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was meant by the term "extensively-reared" used in the Statement by the Baroness Hayman on 26 April; and whether, taking into account this factor in deciding the optimum basis for restocking, this represents a change of policy by the Government. [HL1943]

In this context "extensively reared" means deriving a significant proportion of nutritional requirements from grazing land on the holding. This is not a change in government policy. Both in negotiations in Brussels and in our domestic actions the Government have consistently supported extensive livestock production which meets consumer requirements and contributes to environmental sustainability.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the outcome of the recent consultation exercise into an appeal mechanism for Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) claimants in England. [HL2110]

The responses to the consultation exercise on an IACS appeals mechanism in England that began in December 2000 have now been evaluated and I am pleased to say that new appeal arrangements for IACS claimants in England will be introduced.These arrangements will reflect the three-stage appeal mechanism on which we consulted that attracted positive support from the farming industry for handling IACS appeals in England. The decision to proceed with the introduction of the new arrangements is in line with both the recommendations of the IACS and Inspections Red Tape Working Group and, more recently, of the House of Commons Agriculture Committee in its report,

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the report of the Inputs Task Force. [HL2116]

The report has been published today. The task force found that across the board, UK farmers do not pay more for their inputs than their competitors in Europe, but competitive trade can be frustrated by a lack of transparency in the market, commercial arrangements and differing regulatory requirements for some inputs across EU member states. It also found that there was a wide range of efficiency of input use and substantial scope for improvement.The report contains a number of recommendations for action by both government and industry to reduce input costs and optimise input use. The Government will consider these carefully and publish a full response as soon as possible.The report is available in the House Libraries and on the MAFF website.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the report of the Hills Task Force. [HL2135]

The report was published today. The task force has achieved a great deal in three months and we are grateful to its members, particularly the farmers, who have had enormous personal worries due to foot and mouth disease.We asked the task force to undertake a scoping study, and it has made a thorough one. It has made a number of recommendations, which we will need to examine carefully: to test the evidence and the value for money, to consider compliance with EU rules, and to hear the views of interested organisations including the other government departments which are affected. Some recommendations are for the longer term. Others might be more immediately useful in helping the industry, and particularly the hills sector, to recover from foot and mouth disease, and we shall need to look at these ones much more quickly.The report is available in the House Libraries and on the MAFF website.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 30 April (

As Her Majesty's Government have no intention of withdrawing from the European Union, I have nothing to add to my previous reply.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 30 April (

Her Majesty's Government has no intention of withdrawing from the European Union.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the European Rapid Reaction Force could be made available to assist the civil power in the event or serious disorder within a member state of the European Union. [HL2009]

There will be no standing European Rapid Reaction Force. The European security and defence policy will enable the European Union to conduct EU-led military operations in response to international crises in support of the common foreign and security policy.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their analysis of the implications for United Kingdom and European defence policy and for global security of the proposals for the future of missile defence announced and underlined by President Bush; and what action they will take as a result of their analysis. [HL2028]

We have studied the ideas put forward by President Bush in his speech with great interest. We welcome the US commitment to further cuts in nuclear weapons and their commitment to consult with allies and Russia. We look forward to consultations with the US over the coming months as their ideas are developed. In these consultations we will take full account of any implications for UK security and defence policy, and we will work closely with the US as close allies with common strategic interests.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Danube Commission has yet let contracts for clearing the river for navigation (a European Union-funded project); and, if not, when it intends to do so. [HL2064]

A project director was appointed in April and tenders for the clearance work have been published. Riverbed surveys have been made and the Danube Commission remains on course to meet its objective of creating a navigable channel at Novi Sad by late summer or early autumn this year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the European Union-funded new general hospital in Gaza is now fully staffed and functioning; and, if not, what actions they are taking to bring it into operation. [HL2065]

The new EU-funded general hospital in Gaza is not yet fully staffed. The hospital now has between 550–600 of the 800 staff needed. All of the hospital departments are now open, and approximately 160 of the 238 available beds are occupied.The hospital, in common with other medical establishments across the Occupied Territories, has an acute shortage of nurses and junior staff. A training college has been established at the hospital to try to remedy the situation. The continuing violence and sustained closures in the Occupied Territories have been serious obstacles to recruitment.The hospital's international management team are working hard to remedy the situation, including considering the possibility of part-time working and allocating the more routine tasks to assistants/ auxiliaries to free the qualified nursing staff for more critical duties.

asked Her Majesty's Government:On what dates the Government of the Republic of Turkey complied with the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in the following cases, by paying to the parties entitled thereto (i) any sums awarded by way of compensation; and (ii) any awards of costs and expenses: (a)

Information relating to the execution of the judgments of the ECHR in all their stages remains confidential until the Committee of Ministers decides otherwise by issuing interim or final resolutions. No interim resolution has been issued on matters relating to the payments in respect of any of these cases. Nonetheless, I am able to provide the following information:Turkey has paid all sums due in cases (c)—

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 30 April (

I refer the noble Lord to the answer my noble friend Baroness Scotland of Asthal gave him on 30 April (Official Report col. WA 243) that Europe has been divided for generations by wars and the Iron Curtain. Enlargement is an historic opportunity to end that division and entrench peace, stability, free markets and democracy across our continent.

asked Her Majesty's Goverment:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 30 April (

The Department for Education and Employment and the Employment Service (ES) have met Rehab UK on a number of occasions to explore options for maximising funding from ES and other sources. Following their most recent meeting officials will be developing a national specification for delivering brain injury services through the Employment Service's work preparation programme to inform the next tendering round structure in September 2001.In addition to the concerns expressed by the noble Lord himself, we have received four letters from Members of Parliament as well as from Mr George Wilson, Chairman of Rehab UK, about the future of the Greater Manchester Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre. Margaret Hodge, Minister for Disabled People, met a group of Manchester MPs on 6 March and also held meetings with representatives of Rehab UK.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to ensure that the International Labour Organisation implements appropriate action against forced and bonded labour and monitors the effectiveness of that action [HL2025]

We actively encourage member states of the International Labour Organisation to fulfil their obligations and work towards ratifying and implementing the provisions of the conventions covered by the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its follow-up, including those on forced and bonded labour. Forced labour is the subject of the annual global report that will be discussed at the International Labour Conference in June as part of the follow-up.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Blackstone on 1st May (

Sanction decisions are made following careful consideration of the evidence in each individual case. No two cases will be exactly the same, so the grounds for sanction will differ from case to case. It would not be possible, therefore, to detail those grounds for every one of over 700,000 sanctions. However, it is possible to break down the total number into the types of sanction which can occur. These are listed in the following table. The table shows the number of labour market sanctions imposed for each sanction type.I am informed by colleagues in the Benefits Agency that statistics are not kept on the amount of benefit lost following the imposition of a sanction.Statistics are not available on the exact length of each labour market sanction. Sanctions can be of a fixed or variable length, depending on the type of sanction. Fixed sanctions can last two weeks, or four weeks, or 26 weeks. Variable sanctions can last for any number of weeks between one week and 26 weeks. The table shows the length of sanction appropriate to each sanction type.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many National Health Service numbers are currently issued; whether these are recorded on a central computer; and, if so, which government departments have access to the records. [HL1932]

There are currently 66 million National Health Service numbers used for the National Health Service in England and Wales. These are recorded on the National Health Service central register, managed and operated by the Office for National Statistics on behalf of the Department of Health. The National Health Service Strategic Tracing Service, managed by Seam Group on behalf of the National Health Service, also holds details of all National Health Service patients and their numbers. No other government department has access to the registers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action the strategic commissioning group set up by the National Health Service Supplies

Authority has taken in relation to the Audit Commission's report

The Audit Commission's report Fully Equipped did not make any specific recommendations for the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency about the expected actions of either the Prosthetic Strategic Supply Group or the Orthotics Strategic Supply Group. The Audit Commission's report made a number of recommendations which were essentially for local action and implementation.Nevertheless, the agency set up the Prosthetic Strategic Supply Group and Orthotic Strategic Supply Group, which concentrate on purchasing and supply issues, to improve the performance of the NHS prosthetic and orthotic supply network and to ensure a cost-effective and quality service for patients and taxpayers. The groups include patient representatives and key stakeholders involved in the delivery of the service.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish the high level targets for the Medicines Control Agency for 2001–02. [HL2113]

The high level targets for the Medicines Control Agency are included in its annual business plan, copies of which have been placed in the Library today.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have approved the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's fifth code of practice. [HL2111]

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's revised code of practice has been approved and was laid before the House today. Copies of the code have been placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have approved the publication of the report of the second quinquennial review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. [HL2112]

The report of the second quinquennial review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has been approved and copies have been placed in the Library today. This was a thorough review of the authority and its work which included wide consultation with the public, service users and providers. The report acknowledges the value of the authority's role in this highly sensitive area.The report makes important recommendations. Work on introducing improved quality assurance systems is in hand and we are working with the authority to agree an implementation plan for the other recommendations.