asked Her Majesty's Government:What help has been given to Cuba following Hurricane Michelle. [HL1423]

The Department for International Development has agreed immediate funding of £250,000 for the populations worst affected by the flooding in Cuba which followed Hurricane Michelle. Funding has been allocated through the International Federation of the Red Cross (to deliver shelter materials and medicines) and the United Nations Development Programme (for its work on immediate needs for food production and food security, health and social infrastructure, communication and housing).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will ensure that in the event of Osama bin Laden being captured by British forces in Afghanistan he will not be handed over to American forces unless the United States gives an undertaking that he will not be subjected to the death penalty. [HL1434]

Any request from another state for the transfer of a person within our control will be dealt with in accordance with our international obligations and domestic law.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they, or the European Union collectively, last discussed with the Government of Iran matters relating to the treatment of Baha'is in Iran, in particular the confiscation of houses, exclusion from higher education and the desecration of cemeteries; and what response they receive.[HL1499]

The EU sponsored UN General Assembly resolution on human rights in Iran, passed by the Third Committee on 30 November, reaffirmed international concern about the situation of Baha'is and other religious minorities.The international Baha'i community has told us that any improvements in the treatment of Baha'is in Iran over the past year (for example, reductions in prison sentences) have been due to the fact that outside bodies, including the UK Government, have pressed the Iranian authorities over their treatment of religious minorities and Baha'is in particular.

asked Her Majesty's Government:To which places asylum seekers are entitled to travel outside the United Kingdom; and which United Kingdom-generated documents verifying their identity allow them to travel back and forth outside the United Kingdom borders. [HL1667]

In general asylum seekers are expected to stay in the country where they have sought protection until their applications have been finally determined and therefore no travel documents are issued.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What arrangements they have made for the review of the conspiracy provisions in the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998. [HL1863]

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary is pleased to say that the noble Lord, Lord Carlile of Berriew, has accepted his invitation to carry out the annual review of the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998.Written observations about the operation of the Act should be submitted to Lord Carlile c/o room 324, 3rd Floor, Home Office, 50 Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H 9AT by 31 April 2002.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their response to the European Commission's plan for a single European Union securities prospectus; and how they will ensure that start-up small firms and second-tier markets will benefit from any proposed harmonised stock market listing procedures that result from any such prospectus. [HL1629]

Her Majesty's Government are committed to ensuring that the Prospectus Directive achieves the goal of an effective single passport for issuers of securities (identified as a priority for the completion of the single European market in financial services at the Lisbon Council in spring 2000), and that it meets the aim of reducing the cost of raising capital in the EU for all companies, including small and medium sized companies (SM Es).However, the directive, as currently drafted, could lead to an increase in disclosure costs. It is important that the Prospectus Directive provides for different models of initial information disclosure for different sorts of securities and different sorts of issuers and that an appropriate balance is struck between protecting the interests of investors and the need to keep the cost of raising capital as low as possible.To this end, Her Majesty's Government are consulting with the private sector on an ongoing basis, and HM Treasury Ministers and officials are in close touch with the European Commission, the Belgian Presidency, the European Parliament and other member states so that the necessary changes to this directive can be secured.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress they have made in resolving the problems experienced by schoolchildren attending the Holy Cross School in Northern Ireland. [HL1489]

The Government condemn the appalling scenes witnessed during the course of the Holy Cross protest. There is no justification for preventing young children and infants from attending school. These children are the victims of the inability of adults from both communities in Northern Ireland to live together in peace. The Government, working alongside officials from the Devolved Administration, have facilitated dialogue between both sides. We welcome the recent decision by the residents to end their protest and the restarting of direct dialogue between the parents and residents. The Government hope that now the children will be able to continue with their education without fear or threat of intimidation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they believe the existing police emblem and police service flag deterred recruitment to the police service in Northern Ireland over the years; and whether they will publish the results of any independent studies of the relationship between symbols arid recruitment. [HL1526]

The Government accept that the reasons individuals do not join the police are many and complex. As the noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer, observed in this House in the debate on 23 October:"The Patten Report recognised that encouraging Catholic recruits to the RUC was not as simple as changing the name and removing the 'Royal' prefix. Patten said that symbols associated with one side of the constitutional debate inevitably went some way to inhibit the wholehearted participation in policing of the other side. . . . The Government accept that".The Northern Ireland Statistic and Research Agency's Community Attitudes Survey 2000 shows that 26 per cent of Roman Catholics and 22 per cent of Protestants believe that the symbols, including the badge, of the police service deter the recruitment of Catholics to the police. A copy is available in the House of Lords Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received objections to the abolition of the Royal Ulster Constabulary's symbols from people in Northern Ireland; and what they are doing to take account of their views. [HL1527]

The Government launched the statutory consultation process on the draft Police Emblems and Flags Regulations on 19 November. The Government have already received a range of comments. These will be taken into account as part of the consultation process.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether applicants to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, incorporating the Royal Ulster Constabulary, have been asked by the Consensia Partnership whether they have any relatives serving or who have served in the Royal Ulster Constabulary; what is the purpose of the question; whether the answer is used to discriminate against those who answer positively; and what is the legal basis for any discrimination. [HL1528]

It was the practice prior to the current competition for applicants wishing to serve in the police to be asked whether they had any police relatives. The information has been used for monitoring purposes only and included in monitoring data submitted to the Equality Commission. The rationale for asking the question was to enable the police to demonstrate that having a relative in the police did not affect the impartiality of the recruiting process.

asked Her Majesty's Government: On which dates the draft design for the badges and emblems of the new Police Service of Northern Ireland were first made known to:the Social and Democratic Labour Party:the Government of the Republic of Ireland; andthe chairman of the Board of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. [HL1557]

The designs were made available to the SDLP and the Government of the Republic of Ireland on 19 November, the day the consultation on the Police Emblems and Flags Regulations was launched by the Minister of State, Jane Kennedy.The chairman of the policing board met the Minister on 11 October. At this meeting, while he was no: shown the designs, he was told that work had been undertaken on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office by design consultants.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that the oath taken by members of the police service in the Republic of Ireland to "render good and true service and obedience to the constitution and government of the Republic" is appropriate for recruits to the Police Service of Northern Ireland which incorporates the Royal Ulster Constabulary. [HL1594]

The declaration made by Garda Síochána officers is set in context by the words "in the office of Garda in the Garda Síochána" contained within that declaration. If a Garda Síochána officer applied to join the Police Service of Northern Ireland and was successful, that person would no longer be serving in the office of Garda in the Garda Síochána and their oath would no longer be binding.Moreover, anyone attested as a constable in the Police Service of Northern Ireland is required to make the declaration set out in Section 38 of the Police Act (Northern Ireland) 2000:"I hereby do solemnly and sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of constable, with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, upholding fundamental human rights and according equal respect to all individuals and their traditions and beliefs; and that while I continue to hold the said office I will to the best of my skill and knowledge discharge all the duties thereof according to law".

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their response to the

The Government have noted the results of the Belfast Telegraph poll. As the Minister of State, Jane Kennedy, said in her letter to the statutory consultees:

"the Government has employed designers to produce possible designs for the emblem or badge and new badges of rank . . . The designs by no means cover all the possibilities. They are intended to assist the Board in their consideration of this important matter. The Board may well have ideas of their own. We would nevertheless be grateful for any comments on the designs that consultees may have".

Section 54(3) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 sets out the statutory consultees for the regulations on the police emblem and flag. The policing board is one of those consultees. The Secretary of State is also required to consult the chief constable, the Police Association and any other person or body appearing to him to have an interest in the matter. As set out in the updated implementation plan published on 17 August, the Secretary of State could not conceive of rejecting the board's proposals if genuine cross-community consensus emerges. Otherwise he would not impose an outcome either on the emblem or the flying of flags which would deter recruitment or be objectionable to a substantial part of the community.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the British sovereign bases in Cyprus are within the European Union; and, if Cyprus becomes a member of the European Union, whether they propose that these two British sovereign bases will also be within the European Union [HL1492]

The SBAs are outside the European Union, as agreed at the time of the UK's own accession. Following careful consideration of the political and technical aspects of this issue, the Government have concluded that the case for leaving the SBAs outside the European Union remains valid. We will be taking forward discussions with the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and the Commission on that basis. Our policy will require some technical adjustments to ensure the continued smooth functioning of the relationship between the SBAs and Cyprus. We will need in particular to work out the best way to make sure that Cypriots who live and work in the SBAs do not benefit less from Cyprus's membership of the European Union than their compatriots in the Republic of Cyprus. And we need to ensure that the arrangements are compatible with the 1960 Treaty of Establishment. We will continue to keep Parliament informed of developments.

asked Her Majesty's Government: What the composition will be of the United Kingdom delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. [HL1752]

The following will represent the United Kingdom at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly:The Right Hon. Member for Swansea East (Mr Donald Anderson)The Right Hon. Member for North East Hampshire (Mr James Arbuthnot)The Hon. Member for the City of York (Mr Hugh Bayley)The Right Hon. Member for North East Fife (Mr Menzies Campbell CBE QC)The Hon. Member for Barnsley West and Penistone (Mr Michael Clapham)The Right Hon. Lord Clark of WindermereThe Hon. Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Mr Harry Cohen)

asked Her Majesty's Government:What the forthcoming business is in the Council of the European Union for December; and what the major European Union events are for the period between 31 December and May 2002. [HL1785]

See attached. December 4—ECOFIN Meeting—Brussels1. Adoption of the Agenda2. Approval of the list of "A" items3. Preparation for the Laeken European Council.Report on Aims and working methods in the field of pensionsReport on structural indicatorsReport on progress concerning the fiscal package4. Fiscal PackageTaxation and savings= Directive, including main features of a standardised form for exchanging information= Interim reports by the Member States concerned on discussions with dependent or associated territoriesCode of Conduct= Progress report from Code of Conduct group5. (Poss.) VAT invoicing (may become "A" item)6. Financial Services—(Poss.) Financial Services Action Plan, 5 Progress report from the Commission—(Poss.) Proposal for a Directive on financial collateral arrangements= General ApproachProspectus= Presidency report on progress

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they have taken to survey public attitudes to the European Union. [HL1832]

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office commissioned ICM to conduct opinion research to find out what the British public know about our membership of the European Union, which issues they believe are important, what information they want and how they want it delivered.I will place the full results in the Libraries of both Houses on Wednesday 5 December.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What percentage of those in fuel poverty are (a) households containing a pensioner, (b) households containing a disabled person receiving the higher rate or medium rate care components of disability living allowance or the higher mobility rate; and (c) households containing a disabled person receiving either of the higher rates of disability living allowance. [HL1198]

The latest available figures indicate that in England in 1998, 29 per cent of households headed by an older couple or a single person over the age of 60 were in fuel poverty in 1998. This is based on fuel poverty being defined as when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent of its income (including housing benefit and income support for mortgage interest) on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime. When fuel poverty is defined using income excluding housing benefit or income support for mortgage interest, 35 per cent of households headed by an older couple or a single person over the age of 60 were in fuel poverty in England in 1998.Information on fuel poverty is not available split by the rate of disability living allowance. However, Figures are available on the percentage of households receiving the different components of the disability living allowance that are in fuel poverty. The latest available figures for England relate to 1996 and these are given in the table below. More up-to-date figures are not available at present.Fuel poverty is a devolved matter and therefore it is for the respective assemblies and Parliament to report on the situation in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Households in receipt1 of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in fuel poverty in England in 1996
	Fuel poverty defined using income including housing benefit and ISMI2		Fuel poverty defined using income excluding housing Benefit and ISMI3
	Percentages	Numbers (thousands)	Percentages	Numbers (thousands)
Households in receipt of DLA care component	18	66	24	88
Households in receipt of DLA mobility component	24	159	32	208
Households in receipt of either care or mobility components of DLA or both	22	183	30	249
Source: English House Condition Survey 1996.
1 The information in the table is based on the head of household or their partner receiving the disability living allowance.
2 Fuel poverty defined as when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent of its income (including housing benefit and

income support for mortage interest) on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime.

3 Fuel poverty defined as when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent of its income (excluding housing benefit and income support for mortage interest) on fuel in order to maintain a satisfactory heating regime.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many trained and qualified British sign language tutors there are at intermediate and advanced level. [HL1344]

There are no centrally held statistics on the number of British sign language tutors. However, inquiries indicate that there are around 700 tutors, but details of the level of qualifications held are not known.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have any plans to increase the number of trained and qualified British sign language tutors. [HL1345]

There are currently no plans for government to increase the number of trained and qualified British sign language tutors.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they intend to take to revoke the statutory instruments governing the use of human embryos for experimental cloning and live birth cloning in the light of the High Court ruling of 15 November; and whether they will make the House aware of their intentions. [HL1411]

The Bill to make reproductive cloning illegal in the United Kingdom completed its parliamentary passage on Thursday 29 November 2001. The Government are appealing against the court judgment and will consider the implications for cloning for research purposes following the outcome of the appeal and taking account of the report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Stem Cell Research due early in 2002. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Research Purposes) Regulations 2001 remain unaffected.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Department of Health is encouraging research by the Medical Research Council to examine the reports of parents whose children became autistic after a normal infancy in order to see if there is any consistency of pattern. [HL1615]

The Government take autism very seriously. In March this year the Department of Health commissioned the Medical Research Council to conduct a detailed review of the current state of knowledge about autism and to suggest possible areas for further research. We look forward to receiving its report.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 26 November (

Our guidance to local councils on charging for non-residential social services issued on 23 November states that councils should disregard all earnings in assessing ability to pay a charge. The guidance is available on the Department of Health's website at www.doh.gov/scg/homecare charges.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 26 November (

I regret that the information provided in my previous reply of 26 November at col. WA 13 is incorrect.The guidance on fairer charging for home care and other non-residential social services was published on 23 November 2001. The guidance is available on the department's website at

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to publish the report of the Chief Medical Officer

It is hoped to publish the Chief Medical Officer's report setting out a proposed strategy for infectious diseases in England shortly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why there are 66 million National Health Service numbers used for the National Health Service in England when the population of England and Wales is 53,137,000; whether all the numbers relate to living persons; and what arrangements exist for the notification to the National Health Service Central Register of the death of United Kingdom citizens. [HL1731]

There are just over 55 million current numbers on the NHS Central Register. In addition, there are 6 million records relating to deceased patients, nearly 2 million relating to patients who have moved from England and Wales (eg to Scotland, Northern Ireland or abroad) and 3 million numbers which have been cancelled.NHS numbers are never re-issued. If it is discovered that a duplicate number has been issued, that number is cancelled.The process for informing the NHS Central Register of patient deaths is as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:When National Health Service numbers were first introduced; whether at that time the numbers used were the national identity card numbers; whether those who used their national identity card numbers were subsequently issued with new National Health Service numbers; and, if so, when the change of numbers was made. [HL1732]

When the National Health Service (NHS) began in 1948, national registration numbers were used to ensure that each patient's medical record had a unique identifier. National registration stopped with the end of rationing in 1952, but the register continued as the National Health Service Central Register (NHSCR) for England and Wales.At the point of creation of the NHSCR (1952), national ID card numbers (national registration numbers) were issued as NHS numbers.New additions to the NHSCR were allocated an NHS number from 1952 onwards. Those with existing national ID cards retained that number.The computerised National Health Service Central Register, CHRIS (Central Health Record Information System), was created in 1991 by the amalgamation of all health authority (HA) live patient registers which held details of all patients who were registered with NHS GPs in England and Wales at that time. It has been continually updated since then with additions and exits from that baseline.The new (10-digit) NHS numbers were created in January 1996 by the NHSCR for all entries on CHRIS (including dead persons). They were initially rolled out to health authorities (HAs) for all patients registered with them. HAs then rolled the NHS number out to the respective GP.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How they will promote improved access to football grounds in Britain in advance of the European Year of the Disabled 2003. [HL1627]

The Government are keen to see improved facilities and access available to disabled supporters at football grounds. Significant improvements have been made in recent years.The Football Task Force report,