asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 26 February 2000 in

No. The two specific grounds on which the European Court found against the United Kingdom in this case have no implications for the exercise of judicial functions by the Lord Chancellor.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

(a) how they reconcile the statement in paragraph 94 of the White Paper on completing the reform of the House of Lords that, "The Royal Commission recommended that current life peers should retain their membership of the House for life", with Recommendation 103 in the Report of the Royal Commission, "that life peers created between the publication of this Report and the enactment of the legislation necessary to implement the second stage of Lords reform should be deemed to have been appointed to the reformed second chamber for a period totalling 15 years from the award of their life peerage;

(b) why they have not accepted Recommendation 103 of the report; and

(c) how many persons of each of the three major political parties have been appointed life Peers since the date of the publication of the report. [HL3476]

The White Paper made a shorthand reference to the basic proposition of the Royal Commission; namely, that existing life Peers should retain their right to life membership. That is what the Royal Commission proposed for the vast majority of existing life Peers. The Government rejected the proposal in Recommendation 103, that life Peers appointed after the publication of the Royal Commission's report should be deemed to have been appointed for 15 years, on the same grounds as led the Royal Commission to make its basic proposition contained in Recommendation 102. At the time of appointment, those life Peers would reasonably expect that their appointment would have been for life, given that the Government had made no announcement that it intended to seek to implement Recommendation 103. Since 20 January 2000, there have been 34 creations of Labour life Peers, 11 Conservatives and 14 Liberal Democrats, with creation being defined as the issue of a first Writ of Summons after that date. Labour still has 21 fewer Members of the House than the Conservatives.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many retired members of the RUC have been employed in any capacity by the Police Service of NI or its related support units. [HL3291]

The PSNI would be required to conduct a manual trawl through personnel files which would entail disproportionate cost to establish how many members of its staff are retired police officers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider the West Bank and Gaza to be covered by the European Union-Israel Association Agreement; if so, whether they are satisfied that Israel is keeping to Article 2 of the agreement; and, if not, what measures they have taken to ensure that products originating from settlements not in Israel are not imported into the United Kingdom under preferential tariffs. [HL3149]

The UK, along with the rest of our EU partners, does not consider the West Bank and Gaza to be covered by the trade provisions of the EU/Israel Association Agreement. The West Bank and Gaza are incorporated in a separate interim preferential trade agreement between the EC and the Palestinian Authority.The European Union has insisted in its discussions with the Israeli authorities that the territorial scope of the EU/Israel Agreement must be respected. The European Commission has undertaken technical discussions with Israel in search of a solution to this issue. The Commission has also published, in November 2001, a notice to importers in the Official Journal of the European Communities. This notice alerted EC importers of the ineligibility of products originating in the Occupied Territories for the preferences provided by the EU/Israel Association Agreement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that the British citizens detained by the public authorities of the United States at Camp X-Ray are within the jurisdiction of the United States for purposes of Article 2 of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, so as to be entitled to the enjoyment of the protection of the rights recognising the covenant. [HL3261]

Under Article 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights each state party to the covenant undertakes to respect and ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognised in the covenant. The applicability of a particular provision of either the ICCPR or, alternatively, of international humanitarian law, will depend on the status of the individual concerned and the circumstances of his detention.The question of the detainees' status, access to them and the legal procedure to which they might be subject are complex. In response to our approaches, the US Government have given us the assurance that they would treat all UK detainees humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva Convention.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have evidence from non-governmental organisations or others that equipment, weapons and ammunition supplied by the United Kingdom to Israel have been used for attacks on civilians, premises belonging to the Palestinian Authority and institutions funded by the European Union or the United Nations within the Occupied Territories. [HL3270]

We have received no evidence that equipment manufactured in the UK and licensed for export by this Government has been used by Israeli forces in the Occupied Territories during the recent and continuing violence. Most UK exports have been components for pieces of technology, which can be embedded in other systems and are therefore not visible. The UK has not licensed for export main equipment such as tanks, aircraft, warships or artillery to Israel since May 1997.However, on 11 March, my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs the Member for Exeter informed the House of Commons that new information had come to light that UK-supplied equipment licensed for export under a previous administration, and a different export control regime, is being used by the Israelis in the Occupied Territories. This relates to a number of Centurion tanks, exported to Israel between 1958 and 1970, which the Israelis have modified into armoured personnel carriers.This contradicts a written assurance that the Israel Government gave us on 29 November 2000 that "no UK originated equipment nor any UK originated systems/sub-systems/components are used as part of the Israel Defence Force's activities in the Territories". We have urgently sought an explanation from the Israeli Government. We shall inform both Houses of the outcome.We consider all export licence applications to Israel on a case by case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria, taking careful account on a case by case basis of the nature of the equipment and the proposed end-use and end-user.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have made representations to the Government of the Irish Republic concerning the implementation of the part of the Belfast agreement of 1998 which refers to comparable steps by the Irish Government; and, if not, why not. [HL3293]

Her Majesty's Government have regular discussions with the Government of Ireland on all aspects, UK and Irish, of implementation of the Belfast agreement. The Government of Ireland have amended the Irish Constitution to remove the former Articles 2 and 3 relating to its former claim to Northern Ireland; it has established a Human Rights Commission; it has ratified the Council of Europe Framework Convention on National Minorities; and is taking measures to incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into its domestic law.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In the light of the experience of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), what they advocate as the role of the United Nations in Afghanistan in each of the following specific areas:

It is important that the UN and international community learn from previous experience in post-conflict situations such as Cambodia. The Government believe that the UN has a central role to play in the political, reconstruction and rehabilitation process in Afghanistan. The recent report of the UN Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan sets out his proposed structure for the UN presence in Afghanistan. The UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan, under the leadership of Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative to Afghanistan, will aim to ensure that UN agencies on the ground are well co-ordinated and focused on supporting the Afghans to implement the terms of the Bonn Agreement.The UN is currently working with the Afghan Interim Administration in a number of areas:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish immediately the annual number of applications made to industrial tribunals and employment tribunals in each of the years from 1981 to 2001; and what was the percentage in each year of those applications which led to the complaints being upheld in the tribunals. [HL2896]

The following table lists the number of applications registered in Great Britain in each of the years from 1981–2001, the number of applications disposed of in each year and the number and percentage of those disposed of which were successful, where the information is available.

Year	Cases Registered	Cases Disposed of	Successful at a Hearing
2000–01	130,408	92,938	13,640	14.7%
1999–2000	103,935	83,409	10,349	12.4%
1998–99	91,913	74,006	9,282	12.5%
1997–98	80,435	74,614	9,278	12.4%
1996–97	88,910	1	1	1
1995–96	2108,827	173,472	10,219	13.9%
1994–95	288,061	67,325	10,422	15.5%
1993–94	71,661	69,612	12,060	17.3%
1992–93	71,821	67,325	9,351	13.9%
1991–92	67,448	41,768	7,022	16.8%
1990–91	43,243	35,826	5,503	15.4%
1989–90	34,697	31,913	4,598	14.4%
1988–89	28,832	29,317	3,829	13.1%
1987–88	31,414	34,233	4,185	12.2%
1986–87	38,727	39,404	5,342	13.6%
1985–86	35,964	37,910	5,405	14.3%
1985	336,468	4	4	4
1984	339,824	4	4	4
1983	339,939	4	4	4
1982	343,645	4	4	4
1981	344,831	4	4	4
1 Due to changes to the Database system of the ETS in 1996, statistics for 1996–97 are not available.
2 Includes a large number of applications registered following a decision in the ECJ (Vroege & Fisscher case) relating to part-time pension rights.
3 Information on applications registered prior to 1985 is only available on a calendar, not financial year basis.
4 This information is not available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What measures they are taking to ensure that the United Kingdom is exempted from the European Union requirement to levy

The Government are obliged, no later than 1 January 2006, to implement Directive 2001/84/EC on the resale right for the benefit of the author of an original work of art, and to introduce droit de suite into the United Kingdom.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the cost of special advisers employed by the Government on a departmental basis for each of the years 1989–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01; and what is their estimated cost for the current financial year. [HL3040]

The Government have already announced introduction of a new pay system for special advisers from June 2001 based on individual job evaluation. The salary costs for the current financial year will be provided once the process of job evaluation is completed.For the other years in question, the approximate total cost including pension contributions for each year was:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the number of public bodies to which each government department makes appointments; and for each of those bodies:

The latest edition of the annual Cabinet Office publication, Public Bodies 2001, was published on 14 February 2002. The publication gives summary details of the public bodies each government department sponsors. This includes the remuneration and gender of all appointees, whether the appointment is made by Ministers or on some other basis. Copies are in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the number of paid public appointments made by each government department; and what percentages of those appointees are male and female. [HL3432]

The latest edition of the annual Cabinet Office publication Public Bodies 2001 was published on 14 February 2002. The publication gives summary details of the public bodies each government department sponsors. This includes the remuneration and gender of all appointees, whether the appointment is made by Ministers or on some other basis. Copies are in the Library of the House.The information requested has been extracted from

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the number of unpaid public appointments made by each government department; and what percentages of those appointees are male and female. [HL3433]

The latest edition of the annual Cabinet Office publication Public Bodies 2001 was published on 14 February 2002. The publication gives summary details of the public bodies each government department sponsors. This includes the remuneration and gender of all appointees, whether the appointment is made by Ministers or on some other basis. Copies are in the Library of the House.Information extracted from this publication is set out in the following table form.

People in posts attracting no remuneration
Department	Male	Female	Total	% Male	% Female
Cabinet Office	30	30	60	50.0	50.0
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	112	82	194	57.7	42.3
COI Communications	7	4	11	63.6	36.4
DEFRA	967	79	1,046	92.4	7.6
Department for Education and Skills	79	28	107	73.8	26.2
Department for International Development	34	16	50	68.0	32.0
Department of Culture, Media and Sport	396	206	602	65.8	34.2
Department of Health	895	848	1,743	51.3	48.7
Department of Trade and Industry	400	110	510	78.4	21.6
DTLR	1,442	443	1,885	76.5	23.5
DWP	24	20	44	54.5	45.5
FCO	88	32	120	73.3	26.7
FSA	7	3	10	70.0	30.0
Home Office	1.316	1,013	2,329	56.5	43.5
Lord Chancellor's Department	3,548	1,253	4,801	73.9	26.1
MOD	242	71	313	77.3	22.7
Oftel	34	10	44	77.3	22.7
OFWAT	73	55	128	57.0	43.0
ORR	78	25	103	75.7	24.3
Royal Mint	9	3	12	75.0	25.0
Scotland Office	931	1,233	2,164	43.0	57.0
Grand Total	10,570	5,452	16,022	66.0	34.0

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many copies of

Eleven thousand copies of the pamphlet have been printed at a cost of £21,000. The initial distribution encompassed senior managers in education, health, transport and law and order. In addition, copies have also been distributed to Parliament, Ministers and officials and in response to requests from the public. Over the coming months copies will be distributed to senior public service managers at a wide variety of seminars, conferences and other events. The cost of distribution to date is £19,000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many personnel in each armed service have been waiting for medical consultations; and how many have been waiting for medical operations, showing the number of months they have been waiting. [HL3099]

Service patients are mainly treated in Defence Secondary Care Agency (DSCA) administered Ministry of Defence hospital units (MDHUs) situated in NHS trusts, in other NHS hospitals as NHS patients, or in DSCA directly managed units (DMUs) in the United Kingdom and overseas. Secondary care in Northern Ireland is administered by the Army. The British Forces Germany Health Service provides secondary care for service personnel in Germany, where there are generally no waiting lists.The MoD only maintains central records on the overall number of Armed Forces patients awaiting a first out-patient appointment or in-patient treatment (including daycase surgery) at MDHUs. MDHU waiting list information as at 30 September 2001, the last date for which information is available, is provided in the following tables. This excludes outpatient information in respect of MDHU Portsmouth due to validation of patient information at that time.

Outpatients
	Waiting time
	0–13 weeks	13+ weeks	Total Waiting
Number of Service patients waiting1	1,734	356	2,090
1Number of patients waiting at four MDHUs (Peterborough, Frimley Park, Derriford and Northallerton).

Inpatients
	Waiting time
	0–3 months	3–6 months	6+ months	Total Waiting
Number of Service patients waiting1	1,387	549	509	2,448
1 Number of patients waiting at all five MDHUs (Portsmouth, Peterborough, Frimley Park, Derriford and Northallerton).

asked Her Majesty's Government:How long the United Kingdom had responsibility for search and rescue services within the Nicosia Flight Information Region; whether responsibility was confirmed in the 1960 Cyprus Treaties; when it was decided to transfer this responsibility to the Greek Cypriot Government; what has been the reaction of the Turkish Cypriot administration; and whether this decision will facilitate the present talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders. [HL3230]

The United Kingdom has provided search and rescue services in the Nicosia FIR since 1960. Our only treaty obligation in this regard is set out in Annex B, Part V, Section 9 of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment, which says that:

"In so far as the services established for their own use make this possible, the United Kingdom authorities shall make available search and rescue facilities for all civil aircraft within the flight information region administered from Nicosia."

In recent years the Republic of Cyprus has established its own Rescue Co-ordination Centre (RCC) at Larnaca and introduced capable search and rescue helicopters. They are now much less reliant on UK assistance and we understand that within the last year thay have notified relevant aviation and maritime organisations that RCC Larnaca is the lead search and rescue centre for the Nicosia FIR. The UK continues to meet its treaty commitment by making available the Wessex helicopters of 84 Squadron RAF and the RCC Episkopi to assist as required in search and rescue operations in the Nicosia FIR.SAR is a humanitarian matter. As such it should have no read-across to the ongoing settlement negotiations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the number of medium and heavy tanks by type in Russia, China, North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Europe and the United States. [HL3275]

Government assessments of foreign holdings of military equipment are classified. A widely accepted, non-official reference is The Military Balance 2000–2001, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. In addition, the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms contains details of tank holdings for those nations who have provided input: it is available at http://disarmament.un.org/ UN_REGISTER.nsf.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have any plans to cut any brigade and battle group level exercises in 2002–03; if there are plans to reduce the number of exercises, which of these exercises will be withdrawn from the training programme; and for what reason. [HL3278]

We have yet to finalise our plans for brigade and battle group exercises for 2002–03, but no direction has been given to cancel any exercises at this time.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What further consideration they are giving to the issue of compensation for ex-servicemen and women, in particular to those who fall foul of the rules of the criminal injuries compensation (overseas) scheme, as exemplified by the case of Sergeant Trevor Walker, Royal Engineers, who lost a leg while serving on peacekeeping duties in Bosnia and has been denied compensation for this injury under current rules. [HL3358]

There are no plans to amend the criminal injuries compensation (overseas) (CIC(O)) scheme rules. This scheme exists to provide compensation for sevice personnel injured as a result of a criminal act while serving overseas. The CIC(O)'s provisions mirror those of the criminal injuries compensation schemes of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and thus ensure that service personnel serving abroad are placed in the same position as those serving in the United Kingdom.Sergeant Trevor Walker's injuries were the result of military activity by warring factions in Bosnia. Since this was not a "criminal act" within the terms of the CIC(0) scheme, he was not eligible for compensation under the scheme. This judgment has been upheld by the Divisional Court, Court of Appeal and the House of Lords. In circumstances such as Sergeant Walker's, compensation would normally be through the payment of benefits for attributable injury under the war pension scheme (WPS) and the armed forces pension scheme (AFPS) on medical discharge. Sergeant Walker currently remains in service. He will be entitled to receive a war pension on retirement. He will also receive compensation under the AFPS if he is subsequently medically discharged as a result of his injury.The Ministry of Defence has been conducting a review of compensation arrangements for service personnel and the proposals for a new compensation scheme (to replace the WPS and attributable benefits under the AFPS) to include compensation for service personnel injured as a result of terrorism or warlike activities, even if they remain in service. It is proposed that service personnel injured on or after the date of the new scheme's introduction would be covered by the new arrangements. Injuries which pre-date the new scheme's introduction would be covered by current compensation arrangements.

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

Our reforms to bereavement benefits introduced in April 2001 mean that for the first time these benefits are available equally to both men and women. We have concentrated help where and when it is needed most—on immediate needs and on families with children.Litigation currently in the European Court of Human Rights does not affect the rights of men or women to claim bereavement benefit today.Immediate help with costs arising on bereavement is provided by a lump sum bereavement payment of £2000—double the old widow's payment of £1000. There is a weekly benefit for widowed parents who satisfy the qualifying conditions. A bereavement allowance is also available for 12 months, to give widows and widowers aged 45 or over without dependants time to adjust to their new circumstances.

asked Her Majesty's Government:If appointments have been made to the Nursing and Midwifery and Health Professions Councils in readiness for their formal establishment on 1 April. [HL3553]

The Nursing and Midwifery and Health Professions Orders 2001 provide for the Privy Council to make appointments to the new councils. I can confirm that members have accepted the invitations to serve for a three-year term from 1 April 2002. A list of their names is shown in the table.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What funding is available to seaside authorities when planning to establish marinas. [HL3304]

Local authorities may use their non-ringfenced basic credit approvals (BCAs), which are issued by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, to support borrowing for any capital project. Councils may also use the general grant for revenue expenditure which is provided under the local government finance settlement. It is for authorities themselves to determine how they spend their BCAs and their general grant in the light of local needs and priorities for expenditure. Other funding may he available, depending on local circumstances.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many fatal accidents have occurred on oil installations operating under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom. [HL3307]

Since the Offshore Division (OSD) of the Health and Safety Executive was established in 1991 there have been 39 fatal injuries at all offshore installations operating on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS). Of this total, in the period 1996–97 to 2001–02, 11 fatal injuries occurred on offshore production and drilling installations. Included in this provisional figure for April 2001 to 31 March 2002 are three fatal injuries.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How long after their receipt of reports of pesticide incidents alleging ill health has the Health and Safety Executive's Pesticides Incidents Appraisal Panel (PIAP) taken to notify individuals of the classification of their reports for all cases appraised by the PIAP since 1996. [HL3342]

There has been no meeting of the panel in 2002 so information is available only for the years 1996 to 2001 inclusive. During those years individuals involved in over 60 per cent of the incidents put to the panel were notified of its assessment of their case within 15 months of the papers being received by the panel secretariat. Sometimes considerable delay in submission of incidents to the panel itself may arise because the secretariat seeks wherever possible to obtain additional confidential medical information. Seven per cent of the cases for the years in question have yet to go to the panel pending the collation of further information.In a further 25 per cent of cases either the relevant information is not available or it was not considered appropriate to write to the individual. For the remaining cases, exceptional circumstances would usually have been the main cause for the longer time periods involved.It should be noted that it is not the panel's purpose to advise individuals on possible links between pesticide exposure and ill health but rather to see if any general lessons can be derived from cumulative information on incidents and to report annually. Nevertheless, the secretariat endeavours to inform individuals of the outcome of their assessment as soon as possible after panel meetings.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is the licensing authority, the employer or the end user of an organophosphate pesticide, veterinary medicine or human medicine who is ultimately liable for damage to human health following the finding by Cherry N.

There are responsibilites on each of the relevant parties at every stage of the approval, supply and use of such products. For pesicides and veterinary medicines, the registering authority must be satisfied that a product has no unacceptable human health effects (as well as animal health and environmental considerations) and that it is efficacious, before it can be recommended for approval by Ministers and allowed onto the market. As regards to medicines for human use, the licensing authority is responsible for the issue of marketing authorisations. Marketing authorisations are made on the basis of a product's safety in the normal conditions of use, therapeutic efficacy, and qualitative and quantitative composition in the light of the information available.Suppliers of those products must provide information on labels and packaging in accordance with the conditions of approval set by Ministers. This will include instructions for proper use, and hazard classification.Employers of those using such products, the self-employed and the users have responsibilities under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 (COSHH), which requires among other things that employers carry out a risk assessment and put in place appropriate control measures including preventing or reducing exposure to hazardous chemicals. Civil or criminal liability may arise where any such party does not fulfil its legal responsibility.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish details of the contractual relationships between the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions and the Finsbury public relations firm. [HL3373]

The contract between Finsbury Ltd and the department is commercial in confidence.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether Sir Richard Mottram, the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, has held any meetings with Finsbury Public Relations; and, if so, on what dates. [HL3374]

It is not the normal practice of the Government to release details of the meetings or discussions with private individuals or companies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any work undertaken by Finsbury Public Relations has been relevant to government responsibilities; and, if so, whether they will publish the relevant contract detailing these responsibilities, indicating specifically where such work could not have been effectively carried out by officials in the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. [HL3375]

Finsbury Ltd is employed by the department to work on specialized communications work connected with the Railtrack in administration project; expertise that is not available from within the department. The details of their contract remain commercial in confidence.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether Finsbury Public Relations has ever offered advice to Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions Ministers or officials beyond their specific brief on the administration of Railtrack. [HL3376]

Finsbury Ltd does not offer advice to the department, ministers or officials beyond its specific brief on the administration of Railtrack.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, at any time, Schroder Salomon Smith Barney has employed the Finsbury Public Relations firm at the request of the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions; and whether any such arrangements to employ Finsbury Public Relations comply with civil service guidelines. [HL3377]

SSSB is the department's financial advisers and employed Finsbury Ltd to handle its financial PR from October—December 2001. The selection of the company was entirely its choice.The department decided that it continued to need specific, expert advice on financial PR matters connected with the Railtrack in administration project as this expertise was not available elsewhere in the department. SSSB was asked to negotiate a price for continuing to use Finsbury Ltd's services on behalf of the department but it was decided that it would be preferable for the company to be employed direct by the department.Since January 2002 therefore, Finsbury Ltd has been on contract to the department. The arrangements for its employment follow civil service guidelines.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they accept the report in

Information showing council taxes for each English authority for 2002–03 was published on 21 March 2002.The increases in council tax will be: 6.4 per cent in London; 5.1 per cent in metropolitan areas; 9.9 per cent in areas with shire county councils; and 9.0 per cent in areas with shire unitary councils.Decisions on council taxes are for local authorities to take, after consulting their local electorate and taxpayers. However, with an average grant increase of 7.5 per cent, local authorities should be able to deliver improvements to public services while setting reasonable council tax increases.There is some evidence of a link between council tax rises and electoral cycles. This is especially true for county councils, where elections were held last year and the average rise this year is significantly higher than those for most of the other types of authority that have responsibility for the same services.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 13 March

Lancashire County Council receives a 4.3 per cent increase in general formula grant for 2002–03 after adjusting for changes in function and funding arrangements. Lancashire's formula grant allocation for 2003–04 is £2.596 million higher than it would have been without the floor.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the purpose of the roadworks currently taking place at Vauxhall Cross, London; and [HL3418]Whether they will publish the cost-benefit analysis carried out before roadworks at Vauxhall Cross, London, were undertaken; and [HL3419]What were the estimates of the delays caused to travellers as a result of the roadworks at Vauxhall Cross, London; and how these compare with the delays actually experienced; and [HL3420]What, if any, financial payments contractors and others will make in consequence of the delays that their roadworks at Vauxhall Cross, London, cause. [HL3421]

I refer the noble Lord to the Answer that I gave to the noble Lord, Lord Hayhoe on 20 March 2002 (Official Report, WA 150).

asked Her Majesty's Government:When Parliament will see the letter of comfort underwriting 95 per cent of the third party debt to be provided for London Underground, which the Lord McIntosh of Haringey told the House of Lords on 18 March (HL Deb, col. 820) had already been issued; and [HL3422]What rate of interest they expect to be necessary on the 95 per cent of third party debt to be underwritten by their letter of comfort, referred to by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey in the House of Lords on 18 March (HL Deb, col. 820); and [HL3423]How long Parliament will have to scrutinise the letter of comfort referred to by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey in the House of Lords on 18 March (HL Deb, col. 820) before binding contracts are entered into with the providers of third party debt for the London Underground Public Private Partnership. [HL3424]

My right honourable Friend the Secretary of State is considering issuing comfort letters in relation to the Tube modernisation contracts, but has not yet done so. Drafts of these letters, which are not intended to create binding obligations and do not underwrite 95 per cent of third party debt, have been discussed with bidders. They were laid before Parliament on 20 March 2002 using the Minute procedure.Precise finance terms for the third party debt raised under the PPP contracts are still to be finalised. To estimate at this stage what rate of interest the private sector infrastructure companies pay on the debt they raise would undermine London Underground's commerical position and jeopardise its ability to deliver best value.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many of Mr Justice Colman's recommendation at the end of the re-opened formal investigation into the sinking of "MV Derbyshire" have been implemented; and whether they intend to implement all these recommendations. [HL3499]

The Government continue to give strong support to the safety recommendations made by Mr Justice Colman and will adopt as many recommendations as we can. Mr Justice Colman made recommendations to enhance bulk carrier safety and maritime safety generally. These were addressed to the department, Lloyds Register of Shipping, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). To be effective the recommendations must be implemented internationally. The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of the IMO has established the International Bulk Carrier Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) Project for this purpose. The UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is taking the leading role in this project. The MCA has also recently sent its FSA submissions to the MSC secretariat.In consultation with the others to whom recommendations are addressed, the department is working towards preparing a response to each of the recommendations. This response will be presented to Parliament.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will take steps to ensure that an apology is made to the families of the 44 persons who lost their lives on the "MV Derbyshire", given that, while the assessor at the original formal investigation had concluded that the ship's crew had been negligent, Mr Justice Colman's reopened investigation attributed the sinking to the weakness of the foredeck hatch covers with consequent bow flooding. [HL3500]

The Government pay tribute to the efforts of the families of the "MV Derbyshire" and continue to give strong support to the safety recommendations made by Mr Justice Colman.We are happy to note here that the new evidence considered by Mr Justice Colman, which had not been available to the assessors at the earlier investigation, indicated that the principal cause of the loss of the "Derbyshire" was structural failure of the foredeck hatch covers.We have been keen to keep the families informed of the ongoing process of implementing recommendations. At the Royal Institute of Naval Architects' "Design and Operation of Bulk Carriers" international conference in October 2001 we covered the costs of a number of family representatives. One member of the Derbyshire Family Association is being invited to the UK's external briefing of the International Maritime Organisation's Maritime Safety Committee in May and will receive all the session papers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps are being taken to improve security at Heathrow airport for passengers travelling on international flights to and from the airport; and [HL3526]What additional security measures (including reinforced cockpit doors) have been introduced to aircraft using Heathrow and Manchester airports since 11th September 2001. [HL3527]

Following the attacks on 11 September, heightened aviation security measures were introduced at all UK airports, including Heathrow and Manchester, and for all airlines operating from the UK. Security remains at an enhanced level, with requirements including additional passenger searches as well as those relating to cockpit security. Since 18 September 2001, all UK registered airlines have been required to keep cockpit doors locked and the CAA has also introduced a fast-track procedure to allow UK airlines to make modifications to doors to protect the cockpit still further.In addition, the Cabinet Office commissioned, through the Committee on Domestic and International Terrorism, a wide-ranging review of aviation security following the 11 September attacks. As a result a number of potential measures have been identified for both pre-flight and in-flight security on which work is currently being taken forward.Following the robbery at Heathrow on 11 February, the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions and the Secretary of State for the Home Department ordered an immediate review of airside security. This review has also been considering the implications of the second robbery at Heathrow on 19 March. The review will report this week and the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions will make an announcement shortly about action to be taken to tighten security still further.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When is the successor scheme to the individual learning accounts to be introduced. [HL3352]

There will be a replacement ILA-type scheme building on the strengths of the ILA and taking into account the findings of the current stakeholder consultation exercise, which are due in early April. We will announce our plans in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will consider action to remedy the fact that a significant number of people formerly employed by the training and enterprise councils in England and Wales (now in liquidation) are being denied full year-for-year pension rights on their transfer to the Learning and Skills Council. [HL3393]

Training and enterprise councils (TECs) were private companies and it was for them to determine the remuneration levels and pension arrangements for their staff. A range of different pension schemes were in place across the TEC network, including final salary, group money purchase and group personal pension schemes.TEC staff transferred under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, 1981 (TUPE) to the Learning and Skills Council and joined the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) unless they chose to opt out. The Department for Education and Skills is ensuring that every member of the various TEC pension schemes, whether money purchase or final salary, has been granted their full statutory rights in relation to transfer values from their scheme. It has also worked to ensure that those transferred have been treated fairly and consistently, securing a range of flexibilities within PCSPS which will benefit the pension arrangements of many transferees.The transfer value of a pension is dependent upon the available assets within the scheme and funding decisions made by the employer and/or the individual. This has meant that many former TEC staff will be able to secure year-for-year transfer values in PCSPS, while some will secure more than year-for-year and others less.The only circumstance where it would be appropriate for the Government to consider taking action would be where it became evident that a TEC had not fully met its contractual and legal obligations in respect of its pension arrangements and we are not aware at present of any such cases.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How they intend to ensure that all students in publicly maintained schools are taught science in accordance with the national curriculum. [HL3436]

Science is a core subject within the national curriculum with clearly defined programmes of study, general teaching requirements and attainment targets. Ofsted is the body with responsibility for inspecting schools and the quality of teaching in schools.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their response to the survey of 50 of the largest primary schools in London, published in the Evening Standard on Thursday 21 March, which found that nearly half fail to deliver two hours of sport and physical education each week; that nearly half do not have a sports pitch of their own; and that a quarter do not have a gym. [HL3485]

The Government are committed to all children having two hours of high quality PE and school sport a week, within and outside the curriculum. The network of specialist sports colleges and the school sport co-ordinator programme are helping schools to make that a reality. Over 500 school sport co-ordinators have been appointed working with almost 2,500 primary link teachers in 100 "families" of schools. In London there are 13 specialist sports colleges, 50 school sport coordinators and over 200 primary link teachers. We intend to build on these foundations.The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's PE and School Sport Project is demonstrating how PE and school sport can raise standards and how with imaginative and flexible timetabling schools can, and do, provide two hours of high quality PE and school sport.Significant funding is also being provided to enhance PE and sports facilities in schools. In total £130 million is being provided via the Space for Sport and Arts programme and £541 million from the New Opportunities Fund. London's share of these resources Is £101 million (£20 million from the Space for Sport and Arts programme supporting projects in 43 primary schools and £81 million from the New Opportunities Fund).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they support the BBC's current and proposed activities on the web. [HL3152]

The Government made it clear in the licence fee settlement announcement in February 2000 that the BBC should help to drive the take-up of new digital and online services.It gave approval to the BBC to launch BBC Online on a permanent footing as a core public service in 1998. There will be an independent review of the service against the original approval as part of a rolling programme of BBC new services reviews. The first of these is underway and the BBC Online review will follow.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What help has been given, in the year 2001 and the present year to date, to tourism information centres staffed by local authority personnel. [HL3302]

More than £90 million is spent annually by local authorities on tourism, much of which is allocated to supporting tourist information centres staffed by local authority personnel. The Government have made £900,000 available from the Capital Modernisation Fund this financial year to support the electronic networking of tourist information centres during 2001–02 and 2002–03. We also announced on 20 March that we would be making £3.6 million available from the Invest to Save budget over two years (2002–03 and 2003–04) for the development of e-tourism in England, which will build on this work.

asked Her Majesty's Government:On the basis of the life expectancy figures for professional male workers (class 1) and for low-paid male workers (class V) published by the Office for National Statistics on 18 February in its report Trends in life expectancy by social class 1972–1999, how many of the low-paid male workers would have derived benefit from free television licences at 75. [HL3413]

The report Trends in expectancy by social class 1972–1999 was derived from the Office for National Statistics' (ONS) Longitudinal Study. Estimates from this source show that in 1998 there were approximately 76,000 males of age 75 or over in social class V, accounting for 6 per cent of all males of age 75 or over. Given the mortality rates for 1997–99, 46 per cent of males in social class V can expect to live until they are 75 in the Future.

asked Her Majesty's Government:On how many occasions in 2001 and 2002 the Inter-Ministerial Group on Sport has met; and on how many occasions it has discussed the provision of tax reliefs for community amateur sports clubs. [HL3454]

The Inter-Ministerial Group on Sport has met on seven occasions. It has not discussed the provision of tax reliefs for community amateur sports clubs.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action is being taken to deal with the problem of private sewers. [HL3113]

We announced this morning that agreement has been reached with the House Builders Federation and the water industry that all new sewers will be built to one agreed standard. We now have in place a protocol which sets out the key elements of design and construction for new development to enable wider adoption of sewers. As a result, owners of new property will not have the kind of problems experienced by those with existing private sewers. Copies of the protocol and the report on the outcome of the consultation undertaken by the department into new sewers and drains have been placed in the Library. They are also on the department's website.I am equally keen that we should assist owners of existing private sewers. We have therefore appointed outside consultants to undertake research to establish the extent of the private sewer network, identify and examine the problems associated with private sewers and produce workable solutions. The research began in December and is due to last 18 months.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made to review and identify further sensitive areas under the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994. [HL3147]

Based on recommendations from the Environment Agency, it (by authority of the Secretary of State) was announced on 5 March 2002 that we have reviewed the identification of sensitive areas in England in accordance with the criteria in Part I of Schedule I of the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994 (which transposes the European Council Directive (91/271/ EEC) concerning urban waste water treatment).This review has resulted in the identification of four freshwater stretches of the Rivers Stour, Wissey, Chelmer and Leam, which are intended for the abstraction of drinking water, to be identified as sensitive areas (nitrate) on the basis of elevated levels of nitrate under the terms of the regulations.These new requirements on water companies to remove nitrate from sewage treatment discharges will complement the action required by farmers under the Nitrates Directive.Work to provide more stringent treatment (nitrogen removal) at six qualifying treatment works is expected to be completed by end of 2004.One hundred and eighty bathing waters (already identified under the Bathing Waters Regulations 1991) in England are also to be identified as sensitive areas as discharges from qualifying sewage treatment works receive, or are to receive by 2005, more stringent treatment (ultraviolet disinfection) to fulfil standards of those regulations.Funding for these improvements have already been provided for in the Office of Water Services (Ofwat) periodic review of water company price limits for the five-year period from 2000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether arrangements exist for dialogue between them and the Scottish Executive on the roadbuilding programme in Scotland and England, where such roads are important to the economy of the United Kingdom as a whole. [HL3306]

Trunk roads within Scotland are a devolved issue, and a matter for the Scottish Executive. Cross-border issues are addressed through dialogue and discussion between the Government, their agencies and the Scottish Executive.An example of this is the A1 route action plan under the auspices of the A1 Steering Group, whose membership includes the Scottish Executive, the Highways Agency, local authorities and police from both sides of the Border.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why there are two different rates of VAT applied to deliveries of heating oil to domestic premises, depending on the quantity delivered; whether householders who find they have been charged the higher rate can get a refund; and by what procedure. [HL3403]

All deliveries of heating oil to domestic premises are subject to VAT at 5 per cent irrespective of the quantity delivered.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that Moldova qualifies as a heavily indebted poor country. [HL3522]

Moldova is not currently classified as eligible for relief under the enhanced heavily indebted poor country (HIPC) initiative. However, the HIPC list is not fixed and any country that meets the criteria can become eligible.