asked Her Majesty's Government:What are their plans for the future of the Treasury's silver items formerly associated with the Privy Council. [HL5275]

The Treasury has agreed to transfer the items concerned to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This will ensure that the cost of holding them is borne by the department whose objectives include broadening access for all to a rich and varied cultural life. That department will lend them to the Victoria and Albert Museum on condition that they are shared with appropriate regional institutions. The transfer will ensure that the items are available to public view for the first time in many years.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the purpose of the Maritime Auxiliary Service; and in which locations it operates. [HL4750]

The Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service (RMAS), part of the Warship Support Agency, provides a wide variety of marine services to the Ministry of Defence and other customers, with the major customer being the Royal Navy. It provides navigation and mooring buoy maintenance; support to military exercises and training worldwide; coastal and European armament freighting; oceanographic data acquisition system (ODA S) maintenance for the Met Office; and trial and exercise support at certain UK ranges.The RMAS is a civilian manned organisation with a central mooring depot and headquarters at Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, a base at Kyle of Lochalsh, Rosshire, and small support bases within Portsmouth and Devonport naval bases.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Territorial Army intelligence specialists called out into service last February are to he replaced, and if he will make a statement. [HL5250]

As a result of the significant increase in intelligence work following the events of 11 September, the need to augment the Defence Intelligence Staffs and other headquarters organisations by some 55 reservists continues. It is therefore necessary to call out compulsorily a second tranche of intelligence specialists to relieve the majority of those called out last February who now wish to resume their civilian employment, The individuals involved in the second tranche will primarily come from the Territorial Army, but a small number will also come from the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. They will commence their appointments in mid–August. We recognise the essential contribution made by these reservists to the operations against global terrorism and are grateful to them, their families and their employers for their support.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What key targets have been set for the Veterans Agency for financial year 2002–03. [HL5251]

The key targets that have been set for the chief executive of the new Veterans Agency for 2002–03 are as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will ensure that the Commission on Disablity Rights is not merged with bodies engaged in other subjects. [HL4581]

The Government's consultation paper Towards Equality and Diversity, published in December 2001, set out our proposals for implementing the EC Employment and Race Directives. We also stated that we saw arguments in favour of a single statutory commission in the longer term. Following this, we announced on 15 May a project to look at the feasibility of, and options for, creating a single equality commission for Great Britain.This work is under way and we are listening to the views of all stakeholders and considering them carefully. No decisions have been taken. We will set out our view on the feasibility of a single commission, as well as the outcome of the consultation on implementing the Article 13 directives in the autumn.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What representations they have received on reports that the Disability Rights Commission is to be merged with other statutory agencies created to combat discrimination; and what replies they have sent. [HL4962]

The Government's consultation paper Towards Equality and Diversity, published in December 2001, set out our proposals for implementing the EC Employment and Race Directives. We also stated that we saw arguments in favour of a single statutory commission in the longer term. Following this, we announced on 15 May a project to look at the feasibility of, and options for, creating a single equality commission for Great Britain.We have received a number of representations in response to

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action has been taken to ensure that British lamb exports to France are not illegally blocked by the French Government. [HL4935]

Both Ministers and officials are continuing to emphasise to the French authorities the very considerable importance of complying with EU rules on sheep SRM. We are also in touch with the European Commission about this issue.The Government will continue to argue strongly for the cancellation of the French proposals banning spinal cords of animals aged between six and 12 months which provide no significant consumer protection benefit and are widely regarded as a disproportionate measure. Any further restrictions on sheep SRM must be agreed at Community level, not imposed unilaterally by member states. That is the way to maintain consumer confidence across Europe. It also ensures a level playing field for all member states regarding trade.Nonetheless, there is encouragement in France's recent decision to postpone these measures for six months. This shows that our arguments are having an effect.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the lessons learned on the foot and mouth inquiry will publish its report. [HL5248]

We understand that the report of Dr Iain Anderson's Foot and Mouth Disease Lessons Learned Inquiry is now expected to be published on Monday 22 July.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have responded to the Howard League report on the education of school aged children in prison, and if so, what action has been taken. [HL5049]

We are investing £40 million between 2001–02 and 2003–04 in enhancing education and training delivery to juveniles in young offender institutions. This follows a root and branch audit of provision carried out during 2001. These resources will allow for the development of high quality, individualised programmes for all learners, with a level of support appropriate for young people with a diverse range of needs. Key developments include:purpose-built learning centres;a literacy and numeracy strategy developed specifically for young people serving detention and training orders;enhanced staffing, including a new senior post of head of learning and skills in each establishment and the appointment of special educational needs co-ordinators and learning support assistants on a ratio of one assistant for every 10 prisoners;an entitlement of 30 hours education and training and personal development activity for each young person per week;challenging re-engagement targets to ensure gains made in custody are consolidated post-release.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they support the Howard League recommendations that teachers working in the juvenile prisons should be qualified to work with students with special educational needs. [HL5050]

We are committed to ensuring that the needs of all learners in prisons are met. Under the new specification for learning and skills for juvenile offenders, teachers working in juvenile prisons will be expected to have or gain the qualifications they need to be able to deliver the curriculum to a high standard and to ensure all the learning needs of the young people in their care are met.As part of our investment programme we are funding special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCO) backed by learning and support assistants in each young offenders institution.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What incentives are in place to attract good experienced teachers from the independent schools sector into maintained schools. [HL5136]

No incentives are designed specifically to attract teachers away from the independent sector. All qualified teachers who enter or re-enter the maintained schools sector will benefit equally from the improvments to the pay and working conditions of teachers that Her Majesty's Government's reforms are bringing about.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make an announcement on the future of the Historical Manuscripts Commission in the light of the Chipperfield Report. [HL5249]

I am pleased to announce today the publication of the report into the review of the functions carried out by the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts (HMC) by Sir Geoffrey Chipperfield.The Government accept the key recommendations of the report and as a result of consultations with the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission. I am able to announce that the Government intend to establish a new body, the national archives. This will bring together functions relating to public and private records in order to serve the nation's archives in a more efficient and effective way. It will also enhance access by members of the public to this uniquely rich national resource. The new body will report to the Lord Chancellor.To help facilitate the establishment of this new body, my department has agreed to provide additional investment to enable the HMC to upgrade the National Register of Archives.I am arranging for copies of the report to be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked Her. Majesty's Government:What annual or other inspections, independent of the operator, have been carried out by which authorities or agencies to confirm that Brixham marina and its wave screen (operated and managed by Marina Developments Ltd) comply with its design and build specifications. [HL4836]

I understand from Torbay Council that prior to installation the operators were required to undertake a detailed technical analysis, including wave testing of the proposed installation, to ensure it had an appropriate design life, would be adequate for the conditions it was to function in and would achieve a suitable level of wave attention. Under the terms of its lease, MDL is the responsible body for its inspection and maintenance. No inspections of the installation have been carried out by Torbay Council. The council is however undertaking a review of its arrangements for inspection under health and safety legislation following the introduction of new requirements by the HSE earlier this year and this will lead to a new risk assessed regime.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the cost of external public relations and consultancy contracts entered into by Government departments for each of the years 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01; and what is their estimated cost for the current financial year. [HL3039]

This information is not held centrally. In November 1999 the Treasury published a Statement of Best Practice on the use of consultants in government. This represents a set of principles that should apply to many areas of consultancy but is not binding on departments and has no status in law.