asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to abandon the Libra computer program for the transfer of information within the criminal justice system; if so, what are their reasons; and what will be the consequences both for public expenditure and for the criminal justice system. [HL4311]

The Government have no intention of allowing the Libra program to fail. Delivery of a central part of the contract—the office infrastructure and network is—over 70 per cent complete and office services are being delivered to over 8.500 magistrates' court staff. This infrastructure will enable magistrates' courts to link up with other parts of the criminal justice system, as was always planned.We remain determined to provide magistrates' courts with modern computer equipment and standardised IT software. There have been delays in delivering the software application but discussions are currently under way with Fujitsu Services (formerly ICL) on this aspect of the project. These will be concluded shortly, and an announcement will be made on the way forward.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many convictions for drug dealing there have been in Northern Ireland in each of the past 10 years. [HL4234]

The information provided in the following table reflects all offences linked to the supply of drugs. Figures for 2000 and 2001 are not yet available.

Persons convicted of drug dealing offences in Northern Ireland: 1993 to 1999
Year	Drug dealing (including importing and exporting controlled drugs)
1993	93
1994	103
1995	180
1996	265
1997	204
1998	157
1999	128

asked the Chairman of Committees:What is the total number of hours the House of Lords has sat in each of the past three Sessions:

The figures are contained in the table below. The totals for hours sat after 10 p.m. include those for hours sat after 11 p.m.

Session	Hours sat after 10 p.m. (number of sittings)	Hours sat after 11 p.m. (number of sittings)
1999–2000	160 hrs 20 minutes (91)	80 hrs 4 minutes (61)
2000–01	38 hrs 19 minutes (24)	17 hrs 26 minutes (14)
2001–02 (up to and including 23 May 2002)	59 hrs 42 minutes (57)	18 hrs 33 minutes (24)

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans and prospects they have for achieving:

(a) There are over 2,300 Palestinians held in detention facilities, of whom 465 are in administrative detention. We do not have exact figures for the number of minors detained. We are gravely concerned about the detention of large numbers of Palestinian civilians. We have raised our concerns at the highest level about the recent Israeli action in Palestinian-controlled areas. We take particular interest where minors are detained and have raised, and will continue to raise, specific cases with the Israeli Government.(b) We are deeply concerned about the humanitarian and economic impact of closures, including the effect on educational institutions such as Beir Zeit University. These institutions are working hard to resume classes. We have expressed our serious concerns to the Israeli Government on political, legal and humanitarian grounds, and will continue to do so.(c) We have repeatedly raised our concerns with the Israeli Prime Minister's office on the denial of access for humanitarian and medical agencies to those in need. We are providing practical support through our contributions to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency). This year we are providing £25 million to UNRWA.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What assistance they are giving to the Kingdom of Nepal in its fight against terrorism. [HL4219]

We are very concerned about the situation in Nepal. The brutal Maoist insurgency is undermining Nepal's young democracy and fragile economy, and adding to regional instability. The Nepalese Government will continue to have our full support in dealing with the political, military and developmental aspects of the crisis.We have already provided considerable assistance to the Nepalese Government in the form of logistical equipment, training and support for the RNA and substantial development aid. We are actively considering early additional assistance including the supply of radios to improve communication within the Royal Nepalese Army—a key shortcoming—and training programmes developed to increase their awareness of human rights issues.My right honourable Friends the Prime Minister, Clare Short the Secretary of State for International Development, and my honourable Friend Ben Bradshaw held meetings with the Nepalese Prime Minister during his 13–14 May visit, at which these matters were discussed. We are working with international partners and others to identify means of supporting the Nepalese Government in their conflict with the Maoist insurgency and identify ways to promote a sustainable peace.Britain is the second largest bilateral donor to Nepal. The bilateral aid programme for this year is around £22 million.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the recent inter-communal violence and loss of life in India is under discussion by Commonwealth governments; and whether efforts will be made to plan future preventative measures, including enhanced inter-faith dialogue. [HL4319]

We have been in close and regular contact on this issue with the Government of India. The Government of India have strongly condemned the violence in Gujarat, and have given assurances, which we welcome, that they will take action to bring to justice the perpetrators of the attacks. In the current circumstances, we do not believe that the Commonwealth is the right forum to deal with this issue.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their response to the views of Mr Peter Klaiber, the European Union envoy in Afghanistan, concerning the conditions of prisoners held by the Northern Alliance; and whether they will seek to have these prisoners released. [HL4352]

We are concerned about the reported conditions in which prisoners are being held in certain parts of Afghanistan.Security considerations have so far prevented our embassy staff in Kabul visiting these prisons. But they are in frequent contact with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which closely monitors the situation and welfare of all prisoners in Afghanistan.Throughout the conflict last autumn, we urged the Northern Alliance to respect the tenets of the Geneva conventions and to treat humanely all those who surrendered and were taken prisoner. Since then, we have made clear to the Afghan Interim Administration that we expect them to respect their international obligations, including to treat their prisoners humanely.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Following the talks between Britain and Spain on the future of Gibraltar, whether the Government of Gibraltar will be involved along with the British Government in drawing up questions for the referendum. [HL4286]

As I said in the House on 16 April in response to a question from the noble Lord, "it would be for the people of Gibraltar to decide in a referendum whether any proposals that emerged from the current Brussels Process talks should be implemented" (Official Report, col. WA 149). Because it could trigger primary legislation in the UK, HMG would expect to oversee the organisation and timing of any such referendum in consultation with the Government of Gibraltar.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there is a correlation between children out of school and incidents of anti-social behaviour and criminal activity. [HL4231]

A number of studies have found that pupils who truant or are excluded from school are significantly more likely to commit offences than other pupils. During a six-month study the Metropolitan Police found that 5 per cent of all offences were committed by children during school hours. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills recently announced a £66 million package of measures to tackle behaviour and truancy issues, targeted on a number of schools in local education authorities with high crime and high truancy figures. The package will ensure that all excluded pupils are engaged in full-time educational activity.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many English piers are listed structures and how many have received grant aid in their reconstruction and development during the years 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and in 2002 to date. [HL4357]

There are currently 80 listed piers in England. Of these, five have been given grant aid by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund since 1998. English Heritage provided one grant in 2000. The Heritage Lottery Fund gave a grant to one pier in the financial year 1998–99, three in 1999–2000, and one in 2000–01.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the funding for the transfer of people with preserved rights to income support from the Department for Work and Pensions to local authorities includes an amount to meet the shortfall between what was paid in income support and the full cost of the nursing or residential home without local authorities requiring a third-party payment. [HL4359]

The transfer of resources in respect of people with preserved rights was calculated by deducting ongoing benefit liabilities from the expenditure the Department for Work and Pensions would have incurred if the changes had not been implemented.The transfer was supplemented by an additional sum of £100 million per year for Great Britain to cover the additional costs faced by local authorities; that is, the shortfall between care home fees and preserved rights limits.Under the residential care means test, local authorities will receive further contributions to the cost of the care home fees from the normal income support personal allowances and appropriate premiums to which many residents continue to be entitled.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which pharmaceutical companies they approached about the purchase of smallpox vaccine; and whether those companies included Bavarian Nordic. [HL3923]

Detailed confidential discussion were held with five major pharmaceutical companies which were known to have vaccine manufacturing capability either in the United Kingdom or in Europe. The companies, whose agreement to being identified has been obtained, were Acambis, Aventis Pasteur, GlaxoSmithKline, PowderJect and RIVM.Bavarian Nordic was known to be working with PowderJect and was approached, and made it clear to the Department of Health that all discussions regarding the supply of its product were to be conducted through PowderJect.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much in percentage terms the gross domestic product of Wales has grown since the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales. [HL4315]

Annual Welsh gross value added (GVA), in current prices, is currently only available up to 1999. Figures for 2000 and 2001, and revisions for previous years, will not be released until later this year. These data are provided by the ONS, and are published on the ONS website. Constant price GVA estimates and quarterly current price GVA estimates for Wales are not available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much in percentage terms the gross domestic product of Scotland has grown since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament. [HL4316]

Scottish gross value added, in real terms, rose by almost 3 per cent between 1999 Q2 and 2001 Q4. The Scottish Executive produces a constant price index of GVA for Scotland. These data are available on the Scottish Executive website.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In relation to procurement decisions, whether public sector authorities have a duty to consider the benefit of tender for the public at large or exclusively for the contracting authority. [HL4410]

In making procurement decisions that are subject to the EC rules, contracting authorities are required to award contracts on the basis of "the most economically advantageous tender to the contracting authority".

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they owe money to the United States Government as a result of World War Two debt: if so, how much is owed; when it will be repaid; and what representation they have made to the United States Government concerning the debt being cancelled. [HL4422]

Under a 1945 agreement, the United States Government lent the United Kingdom a total of $4,336 million (around £1,075 million at 1945 exchange rates) in war loans. These loans were taken out under two facilities:

(i) a line of credit of $3,750 million (around £930 million at 1945 exchange rates); and

(ii) a lend-lease loan facility of $586 million (around £145 million at 1945 exchange rates), which represented the settlement with the United States for lend-lease and reciprocal aid and for the final settlement of the Financial claims of each government against the other arising out of the conduct of the Second World War.

Under the agreement the loans would be repaid in 50 annual instalments commencing in 1950. However, the agreement allowed deferral of annual payments of both principal and interest if necessary because of prevailing international exchange rate conditions and the level of the United Kingdom's foreign currency and gold reserves. The United Kingdom has deferred payments on six occasions. Repayment of the war loans to the United States Government should therefore he completed on 31 December 2006, subject to the United Kingdom not choosing to exercise its option to defer repayment.As at 31 March 2001, principal of $346,287,953 (£243,573,154 at the exchange rate on that day) was outstanding on the loans provided by the United States Government in 1945. The Government intend to meet their obligations under the 1945 agreement by repaying the United States Government in full the amounts lent in 1945 and so no representation has been made.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many small breweries will benefit from the reduction in duty now to be available for such enterprises. [HL4450]

HM Customs and Excise estimate that around 400 of the 450 or so registered breweries active in 2001 will be eligible, representing 90 per cent of active brewers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether exchange rate stability between sterling and currencies of the United Kingdom's main trading partners favours United Kingdom trade and investment with those partners; and what evidence they have for this. [HL4479]

The Government strongly believe that stability of both exchange rates and the broader macroeconomic environment would create the best conditions in which business can thrive. The effects of exchange rate stability on trade and investment cannot be determined without knowing the consequences for other economic indicators, such as inflation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to introduce legislation making it unlawful to discriminate on grounds of age not only in employment but also in the provision of facilities and services to the public; and, if not, why not; and [HL4309]Whether they will reconsider their timetable for the introduction of age discrimination legislation so as to ensure that such legislation has been enacted and brought into force before the next general election. [HL4310].

Implementing the age strand of the Employment Framework Directive (2000/78) is a significant undertaking. The directive includes proposals for outlawing unfair discrimination at work and in vocational training, on the new grounds of not only age, but also sexual orientation and religion or belief. This is a major step in itself, and the Government do not believe it would be sensible to be distracted from the difficult task of resolving the complexities associated with outlawing age discrimination at work and in training. Therefore, the Government have no plans at present to extend legislation to goods and services.There are significant practical issues to be worked through in consultation with employers, particularly small businesses, and others who may be affected. Unlike sexual orientation and religion, differences of treatment on the grounds of age are capable of objective justification under the directive in certain circumstances. The directive itself acknowledges that age is more complex than the other strands by allowing a longer time for implementation—December 2006 instead of December 2003. The Government will make full use of the extra time to make sure that eventual legislation is practical and helpful to employers and employees.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether in the context of the current European Union e-commerce directive, they intend to legislate for a strong "country of origin" principle, as set out in the original directive. [HL4261]

The Government share the objectives of the E-Commerce directive and worked hard to ensure its agreement. The regulations that the Government will lay before Parliament in the near future, in the light of responses to the recent public consultation, will uphold the "country of origin" principle to the extent compatible with giving service providers as much legal certainty as possible.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the sum contained in the single budget provided by the Government for the regional development agencies; how much of that sum is allocated to the North East development agency; and what is the target set out for the North East development agency. [HL4349]

Of the £1,556,000,000 provided to the regional development agencies for the financial year 2002–03, £192,360,000 has been allocated to One North East, the North East of England Regional Development Agency. This is in support of outcome targets set as part of the corporate planning process, in accordance with guidance issued to the regional agencies in October 2001. Ministers agreed a range of targets for One North East, across the spread of its activities, when approving its corporate plan for 2002–05.The allocations are gross figures, inclusive of receipts from the sale of properties and profit from estates. The agency's single programme also includes provision of a further £13,035,000 in support of its regional economic strategy for regional selective assistance cases under £2,000,000, the UK Broadband Fund and regional centres of manufacturing excellence.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What evidence they have received of damage caused to the Ridgeway and to archaeological sites in the vicinity of the Ridgeway trail by 4x4 vehicles; whether they will commission a study of the use of these vehicles on the Ridgeway; when they expect to receive the audit of the condition of the trail by the Ridgeway Management Group; whether they will invite users of the trail to comment on the audit; and whether they will consult the Countryside Agency about the action which is needed to protect the trail from damage caused by vehicles pending the discussion which is to be held at the Ridgeway Forum on 24 September; and [HL4133]Whether they have commissioned any research on the causes of damage to the Ridgeway national trail. [HL4386]

We have received correspondence on the state of the Ridgeway but we expect the outcome of the Ridgeway Management Group's audit report to provide a comprehensive assessment of the condition of the surface. This will not include an assessment of the archaeological site near the Ridgeway. A study of the 400 metre corridor of the way was undertaken in 1998 and the Ridgeway heritage project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, is currently restoring several monuments which needed work. We have no plans to commission a study on the use of vehicles on the Ridgeway in advance of any recommendations that may be made as a result of the audit report. The audit is due to be completed in June. We anticipate receiving a copy sometime that month. The intention is for the audit to be discussed by the partners locally and by a wider forum, which will involve users, to develop a local strategy for discussion at the Ridgeway Forum. The Countryside Agency are members of the Ridgeway Management Group and are very much involved in assessing the audit and providing recommendations resulting from it. As Alun Michael said recently in the House of Commons, we will support conclusions that are based upon evidence and a strong consensus at local level.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish their responses to the Environmental Audit Committee's first report of Session 2001–02,

We are pleased to announce that on Friday 24 May we laid copies of the Government's response to the Environmental Audit Committee's first report of the 2001–02 Session, Departmental Responsibilities for Sustainable Development. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the annual report for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 2002 will be published. [HL4497]

The annual report for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 2002 was published on Friday 24 May 2002.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish reports received concerning the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' high level targets for flood and coastal defence. [HL4498]

On Friday 24 May we published four reports and copies are available in the House Libraries. These reports relate to:

• Target 1—Policy statements;
• Target 2—Provision of flood warnings;
• Target 3—Emergency exercises and emergency plans; and
• Target 9—Biodiversity.

We are grateful to the Environment Agency for providing these reports and to the other operating authorities which have contributed to the work which is being reported upon. The severe floods of Autumn 2000 created inevitable delays in producing these reports. Some other reports will be produced later this year, covering a two-year period.The high level targets initiative is designed to secure a more certain delivery of the Government's policy aim and objectives for flood and coastal defence. In the difficult circumstances of the past year or so the results being reported today are encouraging though they do point to the need for further work to be done, including by some operating authorities, to offer a more consistent approach to service delivery.On target 1, we are pleased that the great majority of operating authorities have produced a suitable statement of their policy towards flood and coastal defence. While there is a significant minority of local authorities which have not produced statements, many of them are understood to have little or no flood and coastal defence responsibilities. Nevertheless there are some local authorities who have more significant responsibilities and we will be working with the Environment Agency and Local Government Association in encouraging them to produce statements.On target 2, I note that overall some two-thirds of the Environment Agency's severe flood warnings were issued in accordance with their service standards. This is encouraging especially in the face of the severe demands of the 2000 floods. The agency nevertheless recognise that there is room for improvement and are working on a new investment strategy. It is also worth recording that since autumn 2000 a further 322,000 properties are covered by the agency's flood warning arrangements.On target 3, programmes of emergency exercises were disrupted by the 2000 floods, foot and mouth disease and, to some extent, the events of September 11. Nevertheless, 22 emergency exercises were carried out in 2001 and lessons learned from them are identified in the report; 27 local or regional exercises are planned for this year and a national exercise is planned for 2003. We are also pleased to note that good progress has been made in ensuring that local emergency plans cover flooding and that there are arrangements in hand for these to be reviewed, particularly to cover the local sources of flooding and provision of sandbags.On target 9, the report shows that flood and coastal defence works have resulted in net gains in a number of habitats covered by biodiversity action plans. This work is often alleged to be damaging to the environment but the report provides evidence to the contrary. While this is very encouraging, work is in hand to ensure more rigorous collection of this information for future reports.We expect to publish further reports later this year. We will also be working with the operating authorities in reviewing the operation of high level targets with a view to refining and extending the initiative.