asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Amos on 26 November (WA 1), which indicated an increase in excess of 87 per cent in the number of applications for British passports from residents of the Irish Republic over the past five years, whether they will make British passports available to all residents of the Republic in an act of parity and equality with the availability of Irish passport; to residents in any part of the United Kingdom. [HL1745]

Eligibility for a British passport depends upon whether the applicant is British, and this in turn is determined by British nationality law, principally the British Nationality Act 1981. We do not believe that reciprocity for the residents of Ireland is necessary or acceptable as a basis on which to determine eligibility for British nationality and have no plans to amend the law in this respect.

asked the Leader of the House:Why the Statement made on 7 February (HL Deb, col. 742) on London Underground was made at 7 p.m. and not at the usual time, after 3.30 p.m. [HL2817]

By long established custom, when we repeat a Statement in this House, we always take it after it has been taken in the other place. Since the Statement to which the noble Viscount refers was made at 7 p.m. in the other place, we could riot take it sooner than 7 p.m. in this House without transgressing against this custom. The question why it was taken at 7 p.m. in the other place is a question for the business in that House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to ensure that ethnic communities including the Pushtun, Tajik, Uzbek, Hazara, Turkmen, Baluch and Nuristani are adequately represented in the future arrangements to be introduced in Afghanistan for central and provincial government; what is their evaluation of the necessity for such representation in order to build stability; and what is their policy towards representation of ethnic people in Afghanistan by their warlords. [HL2556]

We have long said that we want to see a broadly based representative government in Afghanistan. We continue to offer our full support to the UN-led political process, as set out in the Bonn Agreement. This process is the best hope that Afghanistan has to secure a government representative of all the Afghan peoples and stability in Afghanistan.The Interim Administration, established on 22 December, will govern for six months until a

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their evaluation of the need to achieve a convincing cross-section of ethnic representation in provincial and central government in Afghanistan in order to ensure the success of the international reconstruction policy for Afghanistan. [HL2557]

We believe that a broadly based government is essential for the future stability and reconstruction of Afghanistan. In this regard we welcome the renewed commitment made by Hamid Karzai, Chairman of the Interim Administration, at the Tokyo Reconstruction Conference that this remains a top priority.We also welcome the recent appointment of the Special Commission for the Co-ordination of the Emergency

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their evaluation of the interrelationship between the ethnic communities in Afghanistan and their "patron states" like Pakistan, Iran and Uzbekistan; what is the significance of this interrelationship in provoking instability; and how they intend to address this issue together with other members of the coalition against terrorism. [HL2558]

We have long said that we want to see a broadly based government in Afghanistan, representative of all the Afghan peoples. Afghanistan's neighbours have a crucial role to play in helping to bring about stability in Afghanistan. We have urged them to support the UN-led political process, as set out in the Bonn Agreement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the final figure of those people killed in the attack on the New York World Trade Centre on 11th September 2001; and how many of them were British citizens. [HL2586]

The current figure of those people killed in the 11th September attack is 2,870. To date the bodies of eight British citizens have been positively identified and a further 53 British citizens are on our list of possible victims. These figures include dual nationals.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will include ethnic monitoring of the new youth justice orders in their annual publication under Section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991. [HL2389]

Youth offending teams are required to collect individual data, including ethnicity on each young person they work with. This data identifies the type of order imposed.The Youth Justice Board will be providing the Home Office with such information for inclusion in the publication under Section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 relating to the year 2002-03. The Home Office will be working with the Youth Justice Board to ensure the quality of this information.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether civilian medical consultants are employed to cover the deficiency of military medical specialists; if so, how many are employed in each speciality; and how many established posts still remain unfilled. [HL2593]

The bulk of military consultants are employed by the Defence Secondary Care Agency (DSCA), which also employs civilian consultants on long and short-term contracts within its directly managed units (DMUs). The length and type of contract offered to civilian consultants depends on whether they are required to cover for service personnel who are absent on sick or annual leave, training, exercises or deployments, or to fill posts in which there are military shortages in a particular speciality.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which are the corps whose units are continuously required for overseas and operational deployment and do not conform to the 24-month tour interval; and what measures are being taken to relieve the pressure on these units. [HL2596]

I assume by referring to "corps" the noble Lord is inquiring specifically about the units of the Royal Engineers, Royal Signals and Logistics units. The corps whose units are continuously required for overseas and operational deployment and do not conform to the 24-month tour interval are listed in the table below:

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to publish the proposed Green Paper on private military companies outlining options for their control. [HL2811]

We have today published a consultation document entitled: Private Military Companies: Options for Regulation. This paper originates in a request made by the Foreign Affairs Committee in its second report on Sierra Leone. We regret very much that the Government did not meet the timetable originally promised for this document.Over the years the House has concerned itself from time to time with the activities of freelance mercenary soldiers. There were a number of disturbing and sometimes disgraceful incidents in Africa during the 1960s and 70s. These gave rise to justifiable indignation and a strong wish to curb this unsavoury business.The situation has changed since the 1970s. Africa's problems are different and so also is the nature of outside intervention. In some cases at least it is companies more than individuals who have been at issue there recently.The term "private military companies" covers many different sorts of organisation. Some are respectable and well established names; some are transient and not always reputable companies. Public attention has focused most sharply on companies which have provided soldiers ready to take part in combat. There are many different opinions—some of them strongly held about such activities, an issue which is explored in the paper.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish their response to the Milne Task Force Report. [HL1000]

The Milne Task Force was set up in 1999 by the then Secretary of State for Scotland, the right honourable Donald Dewar. The task force was charged with examining the feasibility of a dedicated Gaelic television channel. The Government realise the importance of this subject, and proposals in response to the recommendations contained in the Milne Task Force report are currently being considered in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Scotland Office and within the Scottish Executive. The Government's response will be issued shortly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether a decision has been made over the future of the Privy Council silver that was withdrawn from auction on 29 October 2001; and whether the silver will be presented to a public institution; and [HL2601]Why assets of cultural significance are included in their policy of reducing their asset holdings in order to focus public resources where they are most needed; and [HL2604]Whether they will consider donating assets of cultural significance to a public collection rather than allowing them to be sold into private hands, where it is deemed that a government department is not the most appropriate owner; and [HL2605]Which government departments are required to seek expert advice before disposing of their assets; and who is responsible for assessing the cultural significance of objects. [HL2606]

The Government will continue to require all departments to consider the costs of holding assets and the benefits to their objectives. One of the main advantages of resource accounting and budgeting is that it makes these costs and benefits more transparent. Government finance rules acknowledge the special significance of a wide range of heritage assets, many of which are not valued so that departments do not incur a charge for holding them.In other cases, the cultural significance of assets is among the benefits which need to be taken into account. The Government are introducing new guidance to ensure that this is done effectively through consultation with the Cultural Property Unit of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. That guidance will take account of lessons learned from the offer for sale of the Treasury's silver items formerly associated with the Privy Council.As I explained to the House on 29 October (

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list all the assets of cultural significance that each government department has submitted for auction since October 2001. [HL2603]

There is no central record of departments submitting assets of cultural significance for sale at auction. However, any significant disposal would be shown in the department's annual accounts. Major asset disposals since 1997 were listed in the National Assets Register, published in June 2001.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to Written Answer by the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 15 January (WA 148), how many of the nine plants affected have rectified their controls; how many of those nine have resumed imports into the United Kingdom; and what special extra inspections are in place in the United Kingdom to check their output. [HL2480]

Under European Union rules the responsibility for the removal of specified risk materials (SRM) from meat before it is marketed or traded rests with the slaughterhouse of origin (with the exception of vertebral column, which may be removed later in the processing chain). None of the nine United Kingdom plants in question was responsible for the importation into the UK of meat containing SRM, and the question of their rectifying their controls does not therefore arise. Each plant remains free to import meat from other EU member states or from third countries. However, each of the nine plants remains under official supervision (by the Meat Hygiene Service in Great Britain and by the Veterinary Service of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland); and all consignments of imported carcass beef arriving at licensed premises in the UK remain subject to checks by the relevant authorities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in relation to Dr Vrijheid's letter to the

The Government are aware of a number of research studies published in the scientific literature which investigate health outcomes in people living near landfill sites. These, including Dr Vrijheid's recently published study, have been considered by the Department of Health, which has sought advice from the independent expert advisory committee, the Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT). They felt that it was not possible to draw firm conclusions from these studies and that further research was warranted. The most recent statement by COT is available on the department's website (www.doh.gov.uk/landh.htm).The Government have commissioned the following reviews and research projects on the impacts of health on landfill sites:

How much money has been paid out by the National Health Service in litigation against the National Health Service; how many legal firms are involved on behalf of litigants; and how much the National Health Service has paid out with regard to no-fault claims. (HL2620)

The Department of Health does not hold figures for all aspects of litigation made against the National Health Service. However, according to the National Audit summarised accounts for health authoritites, NHS trusts and NHS Litigation Authority, expenditure for clinical negligence for 1999-2000 was £373 million. Additionally, in respect of non-clinical litigation, figures are available for "liability to third party (LIPS)" and "property expenditure (PES)" claims. For 1999–2000 these were £33,445 and £325,478 for LTPS and PES respectively.Any legal firm or sole practitioner is able to take instruction for legal action against the NHS, and the department does not hold data on the numbers of those that are involved in such actions on behalf of claimants.Compensation is not paid out by the NHS unless there is a legal liability to do so. Therefore nil has been paid out in respect of no-fault claims. NHS bodies can and do make

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to publish a Green Paper on genetics, as promised by the Secretary of State for Health in his speech to the National Health Service International Conference on Genetics on 16 January. [HL2674]

The Secretary of State for Health in his speech at the conference "Genetics and Health—A Decade of Opportunity" reaffirmed his commitment to the Green Paper on genetics being published later this year. No formal publication date has been announced but good progress is being made with five meetings of the advisory panel and a successful conference to inform the Green Paper having taken place.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will set out the timetable for their declared ambition to develop standards for National Health Service informations systems. [HL2677]

The information strategy for the National Health Service Information for Health (1998) and its subsequent update Building the Information Core: Implementing the NHS Plan (2001) included the timetable for a range of supporting standards. The latter document described the process for agreeing standards through the Information Standards Board and its three sub-boards.

of Roding asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the statement by the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 15 January (HL Deb, col. 1062) whether they will give details or the proposed national network of genetic testing; and how It is envisaged that it will provide useful information for the counselling and treatment of patients pending the establishment of standardised, comprehensive and coherent National Health Service genetic databases. [HL2678]

The aim of the national genetic testing network for rare disorders and complex tests is to facilitate high quality and equitable services for patients and their families in the United Kingdom who require genetic advice and diagnosis. There will be access to a range of expert advice and appropriate tests via local genetics centres which would provide the clinical interface and act as a gateway to the national network. This co-ordinated network of laboratories would be grounded in the current regional genetics services and will be fully functional by the end of this year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to make disposable testing strips for blood self-monitoring machines available on prescription for those with congenital heart disease who require anticoagulation treatment. [HL2688]

We are currently considering whether to list such strips in Part IX of the Drug Tariff, so enabling them to be prescribed by general practitioners on the National Health Service in England.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What aspects of European integration are taught as part of the national curriculum. [HL2726]

Pupils in England are taught about Europe and the European Union at secondary school. Since the start of the school year 2000 they are taught about the history of Britain in its European and wider context within national curriculum history. From 2002 through national curriculum citizenship, pupils will be taught about the world as a global community, the role of the European Union and the UK's relations in Europe, including the European Union, the Commonwealth and the United Nations. The citizenship framework allows teachers and pupils to explore and debate issues that affect the UK's relations with Europe.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What number and proportion of (a) single male pensioners and (b) single female pensioners receive (i) a full state pension and (ii) a partial state pension, broken down into the following bands of the full state pension: 0–25 per cent, 25–50 per cent, 50–75 per cent and 75–99.9 per cent. [HL2692]

I refer the noble Baroness to the reply I gave her on 28 January at WA 14.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they anticipate that they will be in a position to implement fully the European Union Signatures Directive, the deadline for which was July 2001. [HL2741]

I refer the noble Earl to the Answer given in another place on 25 January 2002, (Official Report, Commons; col. 1181 W). That Answer referred to the publication of a discussion document a copy of which has been placed in the Libraries of the House. We expect to lay draft regulations within the next two weeks.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress they are making in implementing European Regulation 2037/2000 on substances that depleted the ozone layer; and what work was carried out prior to December 2001 to prepare for the implementation of this regulation, especially with regard to fridges. [HL2609]

The EC Regulation 2037/2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer covers a wide range of measures including controls on production, supply, imports, exports and uses of these substances. The regulation is directly applicable in UK law and therefore obligations fall directly on the industry sectors concerned. My department, together with the Department of Trade and Industry, has widely publicised the control measures and obligations that have been introduced through publications and regular contacts with the industries involved. We will shortly be introducing secondary legislation covering offences and penalties.With regard to fridges in particular, there are a number options for dealing with waste fridges including reuse, export to other member states for treatment, disposal in the UK via high temperature incineration and storage pending treatment in the UK. Investors are in the process of providing a network of new recycling facilities in the United Kingdom. I understand that the first new facilities are likely to be operational in the spring.Prior to December 2001, my department held a number of stakeholder meetings to facilitate the provision of disposal routes for waste fridges and freezers. Work to produce guidance on standards for the extraction of ODS from fridges was undertaken to enable the necessary investment decisions to be made. Guidance on the storage of fridges was developed and issued and an information leaflet advising householders how to dispose safely of fridges was distributed.In order to enable the regulation to be correctly implemented, between February 1999 and mid 2001 UK officials repeatedly asked the Commission for formal clarification of the position of ODS in the insulating foam of refrigeration equipment. The occasions on which this was raised by the UK and other member states, either directly or implicitly during discussion of items for clarification, are as follows: