asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will establish the Patient Information Advisory Group under Section 61 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001. [HL1911]

The Patient Information Advisory Group has now been established. The membership of the advisory group is as follows:

Chairman:	Professor Joan Higgins
Members:	Dr Michael Catchpole
	Professor Sir Cyril Chantler
	Dr Tricia Cresswell
	Mrs Helen Darracott
	Professor Andrew Haines
	Mr Michael Hake
	Ms Barbara Meredith
	Ms Helen Miller
	Ms Julia Palca
	Professor Sir Denis Pereira
	Mrs Shahwar Sadeque
	Ms Karen Thomson
	Dr Michael Wilks

The first meeting of the advisory group will take place on 10 December, and it is intended that the meeting will focus on applications to support activities related to communicable disease control, the work of disease and other registries, and occupational health and safety, but will also consider a range of possible support for much wider research and public health activity. It is also intended that the first applications for Section 60 support will be subject to consultation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answers by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 16 October

Since November 1999 the following contracts for professional advice with a value over £250,000, have been let by these organisations.

Consultant	Project	Contract value (excluding VAT)	Time table
Lazard	Strategic Financial advice	Retainer basis and individual project negotiated fees. Total value approximately £1,000,000	Current contract
AEAT	Performance Renegotiation	£389,000	Ended March 2001
KPMG	Financial adviser to the SRA	£5,500,000	On going
Booz Allen & Hamilton	Transpenine Technical consultants	£344,000	On going
Arup transport consulting	Wales & Borders Technical consultants	£310,000	On going
Booz Allen & Hamilton	Connex South Central Renegotiation consultants	£475,000	On going
Babtie	CTRL Technical advisers	>£50,000	On going
Babtie	East London line project extension	£1,238,000	Ends April 2002
Booz Allen & Hamilton	1st Great Western Rolling stock study	>£50,000	On going
Booz Allen & Hamilton	West Coast Route Modernisation	£525,000	Ends approx 2005
Mantix	Organisational Development	£270,000	Ended March 01
Interfleet	Mark 1 Replacement	£109,000 YTD	On going

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the sole shareholder of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) first became aware of payments by that company to Cardew & Co; and what payments have been made by NMEC to Cardew & Co (a) before 31 December 2000 and (b) since 31 December 2000. [HL1530]

The appointment of Cardew & Co is a matter for the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC). I was made aware by NMEC on 19 October 2000 of the arrangements for the use of Cardew & Co. Payments made to Cardew & Co total £207,591 to the end of the year 2000 and £132,064 to 30 September 2001.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What consideration they are giving to the position of National Air Traffic Services in the light of the revenue crisis experienced by airlines since 11 September; and what action, if any, they will be taking. [HL1614]

National Air Traffic Services (NATS) and the Airline Group are finalising their assessment of the impact of the events of 11 September on NATS's business. The Government are about to receive NATS's business plan and we shall consider any financial proposals it may contain.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are confident that National Air Traffic Services is able to operate effectively without additional government funding or without renegotiating agreements made at the time of privatisation. [HL1723]

National Air Traffic Services (NATS) and the Airline Group are finalising their assessment of the impact of the events of 11 September on NATS's business. The Government are about to receive NATS's business plan and we shall consider any financial proposals it may contain.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action has been taken to ensure Railtrack is devoting sufficient management and staff resources to maintenance and renewal of the infrastructure while it is in administration. [HL1739]

The management of Railtrack plc during administration is a matter for the administrator. The Government are providing adequate funding to enable the administrator to discharge his responsibilities and have stressed to him the importance they place on these matters.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What responses they have had to their consultation document on pedestrian protection and from which organisations; what proportion of the responses favoured each of the solutions; and what were the criteria they used to make their choice. [HLI791]

There were a total of 42 formal responses to the consultation exercise. A list of those who responded, together with a summary of the responses, has been placed in the Library. The full responses can be viewed, by prior appointment, at the DTLR Library, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE (telephone 020 7944 6107).The consultation paper sought views on issues arising from the European Commission's proposal to make a negotiated agreement on pedestrian protection with car manufacturers. Other solutions were not examined. Of the consultees who commented on the principle of the negotiated agreement, some 52 per cent were generally in favour, while 34 per cent were not.We have decided to support the negotiated approach because we believe it offers the quickest route to introducing worthwhile pedestrian protection into car design.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many cases of foot and mouth disease were traced to illegal movement of animals; how many prosecutions for illegal movement of animals were instigated; and how many of these prosecutions were successful during the recent outbreak. [HL1580]

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs receives regular reports from local authorities on enforcement activity relating to the foot and mouth outbreak. Information for the period up to 10 October indicates that there have been 18 convictions obtained by local authorities across Great Britain for offences involving the illegal movements of animals. The courts have imposed penalties in the form of fines of varying amounts on those responsible. These figures do not include cases which have not yet reached a conclusion through the courts, or where prosecutions were brought and no conviction obtained, or which were dealt with by the local authority by means other than prosecution; for example, by formal or informal cautions for which DEFRA does not have statistics.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their response to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters (the Aarhus Convention). [HL1626]

The Government strongly support the Aarhus Convention and signed the treaty when it opened for signature in 1998. The three underlying principles of transparency, participation and access to justice are central to achieving sustainable development. The majority of the convention is already implemented in the UK although some legislative amendments will be necessary, in particular to the public access to environmental information regime. The Government intend to ratify the convention as soon as possible although the exact date is dependent on the legislative timetables of the devolved administrations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the level of grant available under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme is sufficient to stem the spread of bracken. [HL1736]

The Countryside Stewardship Scheme is a multi-objective scheme which makes payments to farmers and other land managers to improve the natural beauty and diversity of the countryside. It is not a scheme designed to control the spread of bracken.Payments for the control of bracken are available under the scheme, but only as part of a comprehensive programme of environmental improvements.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 29 November (HL 1566), when they will clear the 26 stewardship scheme payments which have been outstanding since February. [HL1776]

DEFRA regional staff are actively seeking to resolve all these outstanding claims and aim to pay them as appropriate once current investigations have been completed. Although we cannot give a specific date by which we can guarantee to have cleared all 26 claims, we will ensure that all claimants are kept informed.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 15 November

We are not aware of any communications between Ministers or officials in the department and my noble friend Lord Haskins on this subject.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which of their policies result from the advice of the Government's Rural Recovery Co-ordinator, Lord Haskins. [HL1738]

On 18 October, the day of publication of my noble friend Lord Haskins's report, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, announced the provision of an additional £24 million for the Business Recovery Fund, designed to help small businesses recover from the effects of foot and mouth disease and the measures to control it. On 6 November my right honourable friend, the Minister of State for Rural Affairs (Mr Alun Michael), announced the provision of an additional £2 million for matched funding of charitable donations towards relieving hardship arising from foot and mouth disease. Both measures were in response to Lord Haskins's recommendations. The Government are still considering his other recommendations and will respond shortly. A number of practical issues raised by my noble friend Lord Haskins in his report and by the Rural Task Force and by others have been taken up in the normal course of business.