asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether existing and new courthouses in Northern Ireland have guidance and instructions in Ulster-Scots required in the Belfast agreement of 1998; and if not, why not. [HL3713]

The Belfast agreement of 1998 did not place any direct requirement on the Northern Ireland Court Service to provide guidance and instructions in Ulster-Scots at any of its courthouses.The existing processes concerning local availability of information and advice at court venues are currently under review. These reviews will include consultation with court users with particular reference to the accessibility of information.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the statement by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton at the Labour Party Conference in September 2001 that the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill was "the result of a bargain between the interested parties", who were the interested parties representing the leaseholders. [HL3739]

The Government's proposals for commonhold and leasehold reform were the subject of extensive consultation with landlords, leaseholders and other interested parties. The consultation paper on leasehold reform issued in late 1998 received over 950 responses, 77 per cent of which came from leaseholders, leaseholders' resident associations or leaseholder representative organisations. The consultation paper on the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill issued in August 2000 received over 1,050 responses, 76 per cent of which came from leaseholders, leaseholders' resident associations or leaseholder representative organisations. These included responses from the Leasehold Enfranchisement Association (LEA) and the Campaign for the Abolition of Residential Leasehold (CARL).Ministers and officials from the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) have also met representatives from the LEA and CARL.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they are taking to persuade the Israelis and the Palestinians to resume negotiations to achieve a just and lasting peace. [HL3667]

The UK has played a full part in international efforts to bring the violence and military action in Israel and the Occupied Territories to an end and help the parties resume negotiations. My right honourable friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary and my honourable friend the Member for Exeter have all been intensely engaged on the crisis in the Middle East. We have been in close touch with the Israelis and the Palestinians, with the United States, with our European partners and the governments in the Arab world. The Foreign Secretary also discussed the Middle East with other European Foreign Ministers at the General Affairs Council on 15 April.The priority is implementation of UNSCRs 1402 and 1403. We fully support US Secretary of State Powell's mission and call on the parties to work constructively with him for those resolutions, including the establishment of a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian cities, and the implementation of the Tenet plan and Mitchell recommendations with the aim of resuming negotiations on a political settlement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will consider reverting to the former practice of waiving visa charges for the visits of Romanian teachers and students under a schools twinning programme arranged by the Anglo Romanian Educational Trust. [HL3697]

We cannot waive visa charges for visits by Romanian teachers and students under a schools twinning programme arranged by the Anglo Romanian Educational Trust.It has been the policy of successive governments that costs incurred in running a global visa operation should be met from visa fee income alone and should not burden the UK taxpayer. The FCO is also required, under a service delivery agreement with Treasury, to reduce the number of gratis visas issued.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have any information about the location, treatment and condition of Daw May Win Myint, an elected Burmese Member of Parliament who was arrested at a political meeting in Yangon in October 1997, and subsequently sentenced to seven years' imprisonment under Section 5j of the Emergency Provisions Act 1950; and whether they are prepared to make representations to the Government of Burma on her behalf. [HL3772]

Our latest information is that Daw May Myint remains in Insein prison. Prison conditions for political prisoners in Burma are deeply unsatisfactory, including lack of adequate nutrition and solitary confinement in small spaces.Over 230 political prisoners have been released from detention in Burma since January 2001. Regrettably, Daw May Myint is one of over 1,500 who remain in prison. We are active in the EU and the UN in pressing for the release of all political prisoners.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What topics were discussed during the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial meeting in Valencia on 22 to 23 April. [HL3954]

My right honourable friends the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Minister for Europe represented the UK at the fifth Ministerial Conference of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership process in Valencia. The meeting took place against a backdrop of high tension in the region. In these circumstances the presence of representatives of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and most neighbouring states was in itself a significant achievement. Ministers discussed the Middle East peace process, noting their deep concern at the current situation, the serious threat it posed to regional security and the risk of a grave humanitarian crisis. The Foreign Secretary held bilateral discussions with the Foreign Ministers of Israel and Egypt and with Nabil Sha'ath of the Palestinian Authority.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people have been detained under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. [HL3989]

Eleven people have so far been detained using powers in Part IV of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. Eight were detained in December 2001, one in February 2002, and two yesterday.Of the total detained, two have voluntarily left the United Kingdom; the other nine remain in detention.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progess has been made on the transfer of responsibility for the movement of nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom within the Defence Logistics Organisation from the Director General Equipment Support (Air) to the Warship Support Agency. [HL3860]

The transfer of responsibility for the movement of nuclear weapons from the Director General Equipment Support (Air) to the Warship Support Agency was completed on 26 March 2002. The Ministry of Defence's commitment to nuclear safety and security was maintained throughout the transfer process.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which 10 local education authorities have the highest absentee rates; and which 10 the lowest absentee rates; and [HL3742]In the 10 local education authorities with the highest absentee rates, which three schools in each of those 10 local education authorities have the highest

The information requested is given in the tables below.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What measures they are taking to promote physical activity among older people; and what funding has been made available for this purpose. [HL3749]

Standard eight of the National Service Framework for Older People requires the NHS to develop a co-ordinated programme of action to promote the health and well-being of older people, including action to promote exercise. Local programmes to promote physical activity are already being developed as part of the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they are taking to redress the expected shortage within two years of consultants in obstetrics and gynaecology foreseen in the annual report of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. [HL3774]

The number of doctors currently training as specialists in obstetrics and gynaecology is sufficient to provide around a further 400 trained specialists available to take up consultant posts by 2004. This is a significant level of growth, which the Government believes will meet the projected levels of demand for consultants. The number of consultants in obstetrics and gynaecology has increased by 187 since 1997, an 18 per cent. increase.The Department of Health has been in discussions with all bodies involved in delivering obstetric and gynaecology services though the Maternity and Neonatal Working Group. This group is considering innovative approaches to skill mix and new ways of working to enable services to meet the needs of mothers and babies in the future.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 25 March

The attached table shows the monthly value of UK trade in meat and meat preparations between January 2000 and December 2001. The monthly data for February cannot be split before and after the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. Monthly data are provided so that normal seasonal patterns of trade can be taken into account and to show the effects of the gradual lifting of the export ban.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress they have made in their plans to reassign the use of those parts of Osborne House which were previously used as a convalescent home under the terms of the Osborne Estate Acts 1902 and 1914; and. [HL3779]With regard to the provision by the Osborne Estates Acts 1902 and 1914 that a s a memorial to Her late Majesty the Government shall devote the rest of Osborne House and the grounds under their management to be used for the benefit of officers of His Majesty's naval and military forces or their wives, widows or family, what was the legal advice upon which Dr Howells, Minister of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, based his assetion that "I do not believe that that is the law on the matter" (HC Deb 25 March, column, 548) [HL3780]

The Osborne Estates Acts 1902 and 1914 provide for the parts of the House in the personal occupation of Queen Victoria to be kept open to the public and the rest of the House and grounds to be used for the benefit of the Armed Forces and Civil Service. They do not provide explicitly for a convalescent home.We are currently considering with English Heritage a range of options for that part of Osborne House which was formerly used as a convalescent home. These include using the lower floors to enhance visitors' appreciation of the house and the estate; using the upper floors for holiday lets and conferences and opening the gardens previously restricted to convalescent home use. English Heritage is undertaking external repairs to the property which it estimates will be complete by December 2003.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many holders of premium bonds hold the maximum holding of £20,000; when this maximum was fixed; what it would be today if the original figure were adjusted for inflation; and whether they will increase the figure. [HL3837]

At 9 April 2002, there are currently 304,100 premium bond holders who have the maximum amount invested. The holding limit for premium bonds is £20,000. It was increased from £10,000 to £20,000 on 13 April 1993. Using the "all Items RPI", the limit adjusted for inflation would be £24,822.19. We keep the holding limit under review, but there are currently no plans to increase it.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How long they estimate it will take the European Commission to reach and announce a decision on whether the exemption, announced in the Budget, of coal mine methane from the climate change levy, will be approved; and what steps they will take to ensure that a decision is reached as swiftly as possible. [HL3889]

The proposed exemption for CMM will offer economic and environmental benefits. The Government are therefore confident that the exemption will be approved as a state aid under the Commission's guidelines on aid for environmental protection. We hope that a decision will be made in the next few months. Ministers and officials will liase with the Commission to ensure that the matter is progressed as quickly as possible

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give figures for each year between 1996 and 2001, for working days lost in the public sector as a percentage of all working days lost, with separate figures for transport (road, rail, sea and air), post and telecommunications sectors. [HL3718]

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