asked Her Majesty's Government:

(a) how many life peers there are in each of the three parties and on the Cross Benches;

(b) if no further life peers are created, what statistically would the number in each party be likely to be in each of the next 10 years; and

(c) on the same basis as in (b) above, what approximately would the number be in each of the next 10 years if the retirement age were:

(i) 85 years;

(ii) 80 years;

(iii) 75 years;

(iv) 70 years. [HL4382]

On 9 May 2002, the number of life peers in each category was as follows:

Survival of life peers by party
	01.07.02	01.07.03	01.07.04	01.07.05	01.07.06	01.07.07	01.07.08	01.07.09	01.07.10	01.07.11	01.07.12
No retirement
Conservative	171.0	165.0	158.0	152.0	146.0	140.0	133.0	127.0	121.0	115.0	110.0
Labour	188.0	182.0	177.0	172.0	166.0	161.0	156.0	151.0	146.0	140.0	135.0
Lib Dem	60.0	59.0	58.0	56.0	54.0	53.0	52.0	50.0	49.0	48.0	46.0
Other	157.0	149.0	142.0	135.0	129.0	122.0	116.0	110.0	104.0	99.0	93.0
Total	576.0	555.0	535.0	515.0	495.0	476.0	457.0	438.0	420.0	402.0	384.0
Retirement at age 85
Conservative	159.0	151.0	143.0	135.0	129.0	122.0	115.0	110.0	104.0	96.0	88.0
Labour	175.0	171.0	166.0	161.0	156.0	152.0	145.0	139.0	132.0	127.0	122.0
Lib Dem	59.0	58.0	56.0	54.0	51.0	49.0	48.0	47.0	46.0	44.0	43.0
Other	139.0	133.0	126.0	116.0	108.0	102.0	97.0	91.0	86.0	81.0	75.0
Total	532.0	513.0	491.0	466.0	444.0	425.0	405.0	387.0	368.0	348.0	328.0
Retirement at age 80
Conservative	140.0	132.0	126.0	120.0	110.0	101.0	95.0	90.0	82.0	75.0	68.0
Labour	169.0	161.0	154.0	147.0	141.0	136.0	130.0	126.0	120.0	113.0	105.0
Lib Dem	53.0	52.0	51.0	50.0	48.0	47.0	45.0	43.0	42.0	40.0	38.0
Other	116.0	111.0	105.0	99.0	94.0	88.0	82.0	75.0	70.0	65.0	58.0
Total	478.0	456.0	436.0	416.0	393.0	372.0	352.0	334.0	314.0	293.0	269.0
Retirement at age 75
Conservative	110.0	104.0	99.0	91.0	83.0	75.0	67.0	61.0	57.0	52.0	46.0
Labour	147.0	141.0	136.0	130.0	123.0	115.0	107.0	100.0	95.0	88.0	81.0
Lib Dem	51.0	48.0	47.0	45.0	43.0	41.0	40.0	39.0	36.0	33.0	30.0
Other	97.0	91.0	84.0	78.0	72.0	65.0	57.0	52.0	46.0	40.0	36.0
Total	405.0	384.0	366.0	344.0	321.0	296.0	271.0	252.0	234.0	213.0	193.0
Retirement at age 70
Conservative	81.0	72.0	65.0	60.0	55.0	49.0	43.0	40.0	36.0	30.0	23.0
Labour	121.0	113.0	106.0	101.0	94.0	87.0	81.0	74.0	63.0	52.0	45.0
Lib Dem	44.0	42.0	41.0	39.0	35.0	31.0	29.0	28.0	27.0	24.0	21.0
Other	68.0	62.0	56.0	49.0	43.0	39.0	34.0	29.0	26.0	22.0	18.0
Total	314.0	289.0	268.0	249.0	227.0	206.0	187.0	171.0	152.0	128.0	107.0

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they favour the creation of a supreme court of the United Kingdom, independent from the House of Lords; and, if not, why not. [HL4499]

The Government are of the view that a sufficient case has not been made for the abolition of the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords and its replacement by a separate new supreme court.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why there was a decline of 55 full-time staff employed by HM Customs and Excise in Northern Ireland from 1 April 1993 to 1 April 2002. [HL4456]

While it would not in any case be appropriate to comment on resourcing decisions taken in part under the previous government, there is no uniform explanation for the change in the overall number of Customs staff employed in different roles in Northern Ireland between 1993 and 2002. In individual areas there has recently been, for example, a significant increase in the resources allocated to tackle oils fraud in Northern Ireland and a reduction in the number of staff engaged in handing inquiries following the welcome creation of the Customs National Advice Service.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 22 May (HL Deb, col. 764), which government departments they contacted in preparing the answer. [HL4518]

The responsibilities of the Office of Government Commerce include promoting and maintaining the procurement policy and legal framework. However, responsibility and accountability for individual procurements and the procurement routes used are delegated to departmental accounting officers.In preparing my answer on 22 May, the Office of Government Commerce, Department of Health and HM Treasury were consulted.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress they will seek to make in strengthening global economic growth at the forthcoming G8 summit in Kananaskis. [HL4526]

The Kananaskis summit and the meeting of G7 Finance Ministers in Halifax on 14–15 June take place at a time of cautious optimism about the prospects for global growth. Discussions are likely to focus on the measures required to raise the sustainable level of economic growth in the global economy.The UK Government will emphasise the role of structural reform of labour, product and capital markets in raising productivity growth over the medium term within a stable macroeconomic framework and with continued improvement in the system for preventing and resolving financial crises.The meetings will also consider ways to promote poverty reduction internationally, with a specific focus on development in Africa.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on Privy Council silver on 16 May

Designating an item as a "heritage asset" determines only the way in which it is treated in a department's accounts. Responsibility for interpreting it therefore lies with the department. The National Audit Office has been tasked by Parliament with reviewing all government departments' accounts. It is for the auditor to judge whether it needs external advice on any particular issue: that is not a matter for the body being audited, or hence for me as a Minister. However I have passed the noble Baroness's question to the NAO, which intends to reply.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on Treasury silver on 16 May

I will write to the noble Baroness with details of the silver items. So far as sale is concerned, as I explained on 25 October last (Official Report, col. 1102), "It has been decided not to sell items valued at over £1 million with the greatest historical and heritage significance". In respect of the remaining items I refer her to my Answer of 18 March this year (Official Report, col. WA 123).The Treasury's antique assets include some items of very modest value and no historical importance—ranging down to a vase valued at £10. The Treasury would not make any public announcement of the proposed sale of such items. I will, however, keep your Lordships informed of decisions in respect of the silver items formerly associated with the Privy Council.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Writ ten Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on Treasury silver on 16 May

They will.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the estimated cost to the taxpayer of the fault in the new (Elizabeth Fry) £5 note, enabling serial numbers to be rubbed off and making it necessary to suspend issuance. [HL4568]

Following recent reports that it is possible to remove the serial number from some of the newly released £5 notes, the Bank of England took the precautionary measure of asking the commercial banks and the Post Office to suspend issuance. The Bank is currently in the process of carrying out tests and investigative work on the notes to establish the cause of the fault and how widespread it is. At present it is too early to estimate the potential costs of the exercise.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will encourage the Bank of England to issue many more of the previous (George Stephenson) £5 notes while the issue of the new (Elizabeth Fry) £5 notes is suspended in order to alleviate the present shortages; and [HL4569]What steps they and the Bank of England are taking to ensure the shortage of £5 notes, following non-issuance of the faulty new notes, do not disrupt trade or interfere with the public's enjoyment of the Jubilee celebrations and the start of the World Cup over the double Bank Holiday weekend. [HL4570]

On 27 May 2002, when the Bank of England decided to suspend the issue of the new £5 note in order to carry out investigative tests, there were around 200 million old £5 notes in circulation. This is in addition to many millions of £5 notes held in commercial cash centres around the country and a small amount held in the Bank's own cash centres. All these notes are available to meet immediate demand from the public.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 27 May

I refer the noble Lord to my Answer on 27 May (Official Report, col. WA128), and would add that economic instability in the past brought high and unstable long-term interest rates and high unemployment, constrained the capacity of the economy to expand supply potential and deterred companies from long-term investment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many Bank of England banknotes of £5, £10, £20 and £50 respectively were in circulation on 28 February in each of the past 10 years. [HL4614]

The number of Bank of England notes in circulation on the last day of February for the last 10 years is set out below. This information is also available in each year's annual report of the Bank of England.

Millions
	£5	£10	£20	£50
1993	232.6	534.8	305.1	54.6
1994	227.0	524.5	340.9	57.7
1995	214.4	534.8	386.2	57.0
1996	213.5	568.8	429.0	62.1
1997	209.4	591.5	477.9	65.5
1998	206.8	596.0	531.1	72.7
1999	222.2	596.6	570.7	79.2
2000	209.0	568.3	659.9	83.9
2001	208.2	610.7	719.1	93.1
2002	208.8	592.8	816.8	104.1

asked Her Majesty's Government:What information they have about the numbers of young people aged beween 16 and 21 who have taken their own lives in the course of each of the years 1994 to 2002 inclusive. [HL4632]

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

asked her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give details of any changes in the provision of insurance cover to detention centres and privately managed prisons since January 2000. [HL4385]

The terms of the insurance for the immigration detention estate are the subject of current negotiations.All prisons in England and Wales are currently fully insured. However, as a result of the events on 11 September 2001, there have been significant difficulties in the general insurance market. The fire at Yarl's Wood immigration detention centre has exacerbated the problems for all privately managed custodial facilities, including prisons. A cross-departmental team has been set up to discuss with contractors how best to resolve this issue. We are working with the insurance industry to see how to resolve these problems.

asked her Majesty's Government:On how many occasions since 1997 the Ministry of Defence has procured goods or services other than by competitive tender on the grounds of national security. [HL4517]

This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate effort. However, competition remains the cornerstone of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence's procurement policy and around 70 per cent of its business by value is placed competitively.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will ask telephone companies to increase the frequency of collection of coins from telephone coin boxes so as to reduce the incentive to theft. [HL4321]

The Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) regulates the provision of public call box services through telecoms companies' licences. Oftel has no formal powers to require BT to empty cash from public telephone boxes more frequently, nor does it feel that it is necessary to intervene to obtain such powers, as it has confidence that BT has the incentives to minimise attempted theft. Oftel is advised that BT has reduced its losses due to theft and vandalism dramatically over the last 10 years. This shows that BT takes this threat very seriously.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What has been the longest time taken to reply to a Question for Written Answer in the House of Lords about an issue within the responsibilities of the Department of Trade and Industry in the current parliamentary session. [HL4482]

Unfortunately during this session the longest time was 67 calendar days. This was due to the fact that it was originally accepted by another government department.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why the European Commission's Director General of Fisheries was transferred to alternative responsibilities; and whether there was any pressure from the Spanish Presidency. [HL4387]

The European Commission is responsible for senior staffing within the Commission services. The Commission announced changes affecting 13 senior staff on 24 April. The post of Director-General of Fisheries Policy is being advertised within the Commission. The present director-general remains in post pending the new appointment. I am aware of no evidence that the Presidency had any involvement in these events, and indeed Commission statements have rebutted the suggestion that there was any such involvement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What provision there is for an owner of a sheep or goat slaughtered under Regulation 81 or 82 of the TSE (England) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/843) to object to the Secretary of State's decision as to its value. [HL4418]

For reported cases of scrapie where laboratory examination is unable to confirm the disease, owners may be eligible for compensation over and above the basic rate of BO for positive cases, but not exceeding £400. This is exactly the same as in previous regulations. Owners are entitled to an additional payment if there is satisfactory evidence of the animal's value when alive, such as an insurance certificate, a letter from a recognised valuer or a bill of sale. Compensation is therefore calculated on the basis of documentary evidence provided by the owner.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to vary the number of staff in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who administer the access element of the Countryside Stewardship scheme and, if so, how. [HL4465]

The department is currently reviewing the provision of access within agri-environment schemes, including the Countryside Stewardship scheme. All aspects of its administration will be considered as part of the review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was their budget, region by region, in 2000, 2001 and this year for administration and monitoring of the Countyside Stewardship scheme; and whether they plan to increase or decrease that budget. [HL4466]

The table below shows how much the department spent on administering the Countryside Stewardship scheme in the regions in 2000, 2001 and this year. The Rural Development Service's business plan for 2002–03 has not yet been finalised.

Region	2000–01	2001–02
East	1,626	824
East Midlands	2,070	824
North East	1,626	251
North West	997	549
Yorkshire and Humberside	1,220	1,007
South East	2,070	961
West Midlands	1,109	1,053
South West	2,550	1,556
Total	13,268	7,0251
1This figure is calculated on a different basis from 2000–01. In 2000–01 technical advice was provided by the FRCA. The FRCA was an agency and its costs were calculated on a full economic basis, including accommodation and other overheads. In 2001–02 the Rural Development Service was formed and the costs reflect staff costs only.

The 2001–02 figure is also lower than expected because of staff temporarily transferring to FMD duties.Monitoring and evaluation of the Countryside Stewardship scheme is managed nationally. The table below shows how much the department spent on combined monitoring and evaluation of environmentally sensitive areas and the Countryside Stewardship scheme in 2000, 2001 and this year.

2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
483,000	318,0002	860,000
2 Reduction due to access restrictions as a result of FMD.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the amount of kitchen waste being composted has increased or decreased since 1999; and whether the amount of waste being disposed of by this method is satisfactory. [HL4467]

This information is not available centrally.The Government strongly support composting as a way of getting value from biodegradable waste by improving soil quality and replacing non-renewable products such as peat. We are actively encouraging the composting of green waste—at home, at municipal civic amenity sites when separately collected by local authorities.The Animal By-Products Order, as amended, makes it an offence to allow livestock and poultry to have access to any catering waste, including domestic kitchen waste, which contains meat or most other products of animal origin, or which originates from premises which handle such products. In effect this prohibits the land spreading of composted kitchen waste. We have commissioned a risk assessment on the risks to public, animal and plant health from the land spreading of composted catering waste and will review the order in the light of that assessment. The risk assessment will be made public.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What guidance the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has given to its scientific advisory committees on the updating of members' declarations of interests; and [HL4470]What recent guidance the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has given to its scientific advisory committees on implementing its non-statutory plans. [HL4471]

Defra's scientific advisory committees follow the Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees, issued in December 2001 by the Office of Science and Technology, DTI and the Code of Practice for Board Members of Public Bodies, issued in 1994 by HM Treasury. These include guidance to members on declarations of interest and other matters.The department requires that members of advisory NDPBs report any significant changes to the information regarding their declaration of interest provided on appointment and to update this information as soon as changes to their details occur.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on 9 May

Due to other priorities it has not yet proved possible to finalise the analysis of the questionnaires completed by those foreign veterinary surgeons who assisted in the eradication of foot and mouth disease.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the total number of recorded cases of BSE so far in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland. [HL4489]

Number of animals slaughtered on infected premises in England, Scotland and Wales
Based on Defra's Disease Control System database 22 May 2002
Country	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats	Deer	Others	Total
England	256,661	827,249	20,928	707	28	494	1,106,067
Scotland	34,647	94,855	331	15	0	0	129,848
Wales	8,379	61,098	597	80	0	0	70,154
Total	299,687	983,202	21,856	802	28	494	1,306,069

The following table shows the total number of recorded cases of BSE, at 30 April 2002, in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.

	Number
England
Passive	153,837
Active	434
Total	154,271
Wales
Passive	16,430
Active	83
Total	16,513
Scotland
Passive	8,293
Active	54
Total	8,347
Northern Ireland
Passive	1,851
Active	126
Total	1,977

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the total number of beasts deemed to have suffered foot and mouth disease in the recent outbreak in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland. [HL4490]

The following table sets out the number of animals slaughtered on infected premises in England, Scotland and Wales during the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease. Figures for Northern Ireland are a matter for the devolved administration.Infected premises are those where one or more animals have been confirmed as having foot and mouth disease on the basis either of clinical examination by a veterinarian or of laboratory test results, or both. Not all the animals on such premises will necessarily have developed the disease at the time slaughter takes place, although all will have been exposed to the infection in some way.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What agri-environment schemes are or have been in operation over the past three years; and what is the total amount of grants (a) offered and (b) paid for each of them in each year; and what are the estimates for the current year. [HL4544]

Four main agri-environment schemes operated over the past three years: environmentally sensitive areas, Organic Farming Scheme, Countryside Stewardship and arable stewardship schemes. A wide range of grants and annual payments are offered under these schemes. The number of current agreements and the total payments made, including a forecast for the current year, are as follows:

Financial Year	Total no. of agreements1	Amount Paid £m
1999–00	20,284	77.4
2000–01	22,120	84.8
2001–02	25,351	101.6
2002–03	27,846	133.82
1 Agreements run for 5–10 years.
2 Forecast

asked Her Majesty's Government:What arrangements are in place in China to handle inquiries from those wishing to travel as tourists to the United Kingdom. [HL4460]

The British Tourist Authority can provide information for potential visitors to the UK through its offices in Hong Kong. However inquirers based in mainland China are directed usually to the BTA's website www.visitbritain.com.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What grants or resources have been given to the British Tourist Authority to support its work in (a) Europe, (b) the United States and (c) Australia during the years 1999, 2000, 2001 and in 2002 to date. [HL4461]

The Government award the British Tourist Authority grant-in-aid to promote Britain abroad as an attractive tourist destination but do not allocate sums for particular markets. Nevertheless, Europe, the United States and Australia as key markets for BTA campaign actvities are likely to remain the focus of much of this funding.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What grants or resources have been given to the English Tourism Council to support its work in promoting tourism in England during the years 1999, 2000, 2001 and in 2002 to date. [HL4462]

The following table sets out the baseline grant-in-aid funding available to the English Tourism Council (ETC) in its role of supporting and promoting English tourism for the financial years 1999–2000 to 2002–03. Since its transformation from the old English Tourist Board in July 1999, the ETC's remit has been to drive forward research, improve quality standards, promote best practice and innovation, co-ordinate data collection and analysis and act as a voice for successful sustainable tourism in England.

1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
£11.8 million1	£11.0 million2	£9.6 million3	£11.6 million4
1 This includes £1.8 million grant-in-aid for transitional costs following the launch of the ETC in 1999.
2 This includes £1 million grant-in-aid for transitional costs following the launch of the ETC in 1999.
3 The ETC was also awarded £3.8 million to tackle foot and mouth disease and £0.6 million for the Capital Modernisation Fund: £0.4 million for London was granted by DCMS direct to the Greater London Authority (GLA) under the terms of the GLA Act.
4 The ETC has also received £1 million for the Million Visitor Campaign, £2.4 from the Invest to Save Budget, £0.3 million from both the Capital Modernisation Fund and £0.3 million from the Small Business Service: £0.4 million for London was again granted direct to the Greater London Authority.

The ETC has not had a remit for, nor resources allocated to, domestic marketing. However, it did receive additional funds of £3.8 million during 2001–02 to undertake some promotional activity during the foot and mouth outbreak. Of this sum, about £3 million was spent on visitor information and marketing by the ETC or the regional tourist boards.On 13 May the Government announced radical change to the English Tourism Council and the creation of a public-private coalition that will market England to the UK market and develop e-tourism.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What grants and resources have been given to the British Resorts Association during the years 1999, 2000, 2001 and in 2002 to date. [HL4463]

The British Resorts Association (BRA) has not received any grants or resources from the Government from the year 1999 to date. The BRA is an organisation whose members are primarily local authorities and as such is funded through membership subscriptions and some commercial activity.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Blackstone on 22 May

No Minister was invited to attend the World Conference on Women in Sport in Montreal between 16 and 19 May. Two representatives from the Womens Sports Foundation (WSF) and a representative from UK Sport did attend the conference in Montreal. The WSF representatives have previously met with the Minister for Sport and are meeting again with DCMS officials in the very near future.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give full details of the "non-operational art and antiques situated in Whitehall buildings" that are held by the Cabinet Office and valued at over £6 million in the National Asset Register. [HL3866]

There are over 400 non-operational arts and antiques situated in Whitehall buildings. These can be categorised as follows:

	No. of items	£
Furniture	257	5,203,475.00
Carpets	8	94,100.00
Clocks	33	188,500.00
Silver	60	193,210.00
European and Oriental	27	34,450.00
European Art	10	400,000.00
Ceramics	6	2,650.00
Total		6,116,385.00

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give full details of the "non-operational assets donated to serving Prime Ministers, past and present" that are held by the Cabinet Office and valued at over £1.4 million in the National Asset Register. [HL3867]

It has never been the practice to release this information in this way. The asset register clearly lays out that the majority of gifts are mainly jewellery items. There are valid security reasons for not placing such data freely in the public domain.