asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Act of Settlement 1701, a pre-Union Act, has been extended to Scotland. [HL5075]

Yes. The provisions of the Act of Settlement 1701 relating to the succession to the monarchy of the United Kingdom were extended to Scotland by Article II of the Treaty of Union with Scotland, incorporated in the Union with Scotland Act 1706.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish the funding rules applied by the 2002 Spending Review to the devolved administrations. [HL5276]

Copies of the updated Statement of Funding Policy, which sets out the funding arrangements for the devolved administrations, have today been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress they will seek to make in the global fight against terrorism at the forthcoming G8 summit in Kananaskis. [HL4527]

The summit was an important opportunity to take stock of progress in the fight against terrorism since 11 September and to set priorities for future action in a number of key areas.In particular, the UK was concerned to counter the threat of terrorist acquisition of nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological materials in the former Soviet Union, especially Russia, where the world's largest stocks of such materials remain. Our priorities were the destruction of chemical weapons, the dismantling of decommissioned nuclear submarines and the employment of former weapons scientists. G8 leaders agreed at Kananaskis to launch the new Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction to help ensure that deadly materials cannot fall into the hands of terrorist groups. The G8 agreed collectively to raise up to 20 billion dollars over the next 10 years to fund projects under the global partnership. As part of the this programme, the UK plans to commit up to 750 million dollars spread over the next decade. The summit saw similar pledges made by other countries and the start of a dialogue with Russia over how best to implement this programme.G8 officials have worked since March on a plan to ensure the greater security of international transport, with strong UK support. G8 members continue to work through international fora such as the ICAO and the IMO to encourage others to put in place appropriate transport security measures to guard against terrorism. Leaders agreed at the summit on the Co-operative G8 Action on Transport Security, a plan of action to promote enhanced security of land, sea and air transport while facilitating the cost-effective and efficient flow of people, cargo and vehicles for legitimate economic and social purposes.The UK is leading co-ordination of international anti-narcotics assistance to Afghanistan. The G8 discussed the UK's anti-narcotics strategy paper and action plans for combating poppy growing in Afghanistan. As we had hoped, agreement was reached that the G8 would step up efforts to assist the Afghan Government combat opium production and trafficking and fulfil Tokyo conference commitments. Breaking Afghan dependence on the drugs trade will help reconstruction efforts, but the wider impact will be in securing regional stability and cutting one of the cash lifelines that allows terrorists to thrive.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many special educational needs statements have been issued for the last two years by each local education authority. [HL5106]

The information requested is shown in the table:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the decrease in the number of pupils who have special educational needs statements and who have been permanently excluded from schools is linked to a downward trend in the number of statements being issued. [HL5107]

The latest published (final) figures show that the number of pupils with statements in England rose from 252,857 in January 2000 to 258,200 in January 2001 (estimates). The number of children for whom statements were issued for the first time in the calendar year 2000 was 33,746 compared to 35,421 in the calendar year 1999.During a comparable period, the permanent exclusion rate for pupils with statements of SEN in the academic year 2000–01, an estimated 0.3 per cent, was three times as high as that for pupils without statements. The rate in 1999–2000 was six times as high.Changes to the underlying data collections will, however, affect year-on-year comparability of these rates, but they do present some evidence that the rate of exclusion for pupils with statements has reduced compared with the previous year. We are looking into this. There could be a number of factors involved. We have no evidence at present to suggest that the fall in the rate of exclusions of children with statements is linked to the reduced number of new statements issued.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the apparent decrease in the number of statements issued and in early identification and assessment of special educational needs are contributory factors in the sharp increase (19 per cent) in the number or primary school pupils being permanently excluded. [HL 5108]

The latest published (final) figures show that the number of pupils with statements in England rose from 252,857 in January 2000 to 258,200 in January 2001 (estimates). The number of children for whom statements were issued for the first time in the calendar year 2000 was 33,746 compared to 35,421 in the calendar year 1999, However, the number of new statements issued for children under five, for example, increased from 6,363 during the calendar year 1999 to 6,518 in the calendar year 2000.There could be a range: of factors accounting for the 19 per cent increase in the number of primary age pupils being excluded from school during the academic year 2000–01, the comparable period. We are looking at possible factors but have no evidence at present to suggest that the increase is linked to the number of new statements issued.A statutory framework is in place to ensure that local education authorities and schools identify and assess children with special educational needs as early as possible and guidance on this is provided in the

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on the 18 June

It is normal practice for people to look to insure valuable possessions against unforeseen circumstances.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on the 18 June

The current arrangements for paying compensation for all animal diseases have become fragmented over time and are somewhat complex. I am considering how compensation arrangements can be rationalised so as to simplify the whole approach. It will be some time, probably autumn, before we announce a decision on how we intend to take work on this policy area forward. We will, of course, in time consult widely on this issue.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the report of the review of national park authorities will be published. [HL5252]

The report will be published tomorrow. Copies will be available in the House Libraries and the Vote Office. The report will also he available on the department's website: www:defra.gsi.gov.uk/countryside-wildlife. The responses to the public consultation will be deposited in the department's library.

asked Her Majesty' Government:How much other European Union countries spend on cancer research, in particular on research into cancers of the prostate and the breast; and how this compares with the United Kingdom. [HL5048]

This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Inquiries of the Medical Research Council, the National Cancer Research Institute and Cancer Research UK have all failed to discover a source of the figures requested. Searches of websites for the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Heath Organisation), the International Union Against Cancer, the Europe Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Europe Against Cancer have failed to elicit any relevant data.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the cost of redundancy payments with the transfer of functions from health authorities to primary care trusts and strategic health authorities. [HL5091]

Several thousand staff from health authorities and regional offices of the Department of Health transferred employment into primary care trusts and the new health authorities on 1 April 2002. Staff are currently being appointed into substantive posts in the new organisations based on their previous experience and skills. The human resources framework covering these changes set out as one of its key principles that every effort would be made to avoid redundancies in order to ensure that valuable skills and experience were not lost to the service. As a result, all staff affected have been guaranteed employment for a 12 month period ending 31 March 2003. It is expected that the majority will be found suitable alternative employment during that period but it is not possible at this stage to predict how many staff will be unable to find a suitable post. The redundancies which have taken place so far are among the former health authority chief executives. The provisional position here is that health authorities estimate that, at today's prices, they are liable to pay out about £12.5 million in respect of chief executives' severance costs. Final figures for the totality of the changes will not be available until after 31 March 2003.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether conditions apply whereby National Health Service employees receiving a redundancy payment have to repay any moneys in the event of taking other National Health Service employemnt. [HL5092]

Redundancy payments to National Health Service employees are governed by an agreement of the General Whitley Council. Under that agreement employees are not entitled to a redundancy payment if (a) they obtain suitable alternative employment with the same or another NHS employer within four weeks of the date of the termination of the contract or (b) unreasonably refuse to accept or apply for suitable alternative employment with the same or another NHS employer. Before payment is made employees are required to undertake to refund the redundancy payment if these conditions are not satisfied.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Millennium Commission advanced moneys to English Patnerships on the basis that it would be repaid in full. [HL5058]

The Millennium Commission has not advanced any moneys to English Partnerships.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to wind up the Millennium Commission. [HL5059]

It is currently planned for the Millennium Commission to continue its programme of work until 2005. Handling of the commission's residual duties will be determined in the interim period.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Millennium Commission will receive all moneys due from English Partnerships from the dome during its lifetime. [HL5060]

The division of proceeds of the sale of the Millennium Dome between the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and English Partnerships has not been finally ageed, but a fair split will be established. Once NMEC's liquidation is complete, the company's share of the proceeds will revert to the Millennium Commission or any successor bodies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How they exercise control over the United Kingdom Copyright Library based in Trinity College, Dublin. [HL5127]

The UK Government exercise no control over the Library of Trinity College, Dublin.The present systems of UK and Republic of Ireland legal deposit require UK and Irish publishers to deposit publications with the British Library within one month of publication. They also require UK and Irish publishers to deposit publications, if requested within 12 months of publication, within one month of request with the Bodleian Library, Oxford, the University Library, Cambridge, the National Library of Scotland, the National Library of Wales and the Library of Trinity College, Dublin.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in keeping with their commitment to parliamentary democracy in Overseas Territories, they will support Montserrat's membership of CAR ICOM and the Organisation of East Caribbean States and ensure that it has the necessary entrustments to participate in the freedom of movement and CARICOM single market and economy (CSME) programmes of the region. [HL5099]

Her Majesty's Government encourage Montserrat to play a full role in regional affairs, including through its membership of CARICOM and the OECS. As with all British Overseas Territories, the Government of Montserrat require prior HMG approval, in the form of an entrustment, before undertaking international commitments. In response to requests from the Government of Montserrat HMG have already issued several entrustments relating to the territory's involvement in the CARICOM single market and economy.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What evidence, with particular regard to Zimbabwe, they have that African leaders have held each other accountable for sound economic management, promotion of peace, security, people-centred development, good governance and human rights, to which these leaders committed themselves by signing up to NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa's Development) at the recent G8 summit. [HL5103]

The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) has an implementation committee that has been working to define standards of political and economic governance and design a peer review mechanism to uphold them. They are not specific to Zimbabwe but are part of a long-term African agenda to achieve peace and security, uphold human rights and improve political and economic governance. These are not commitments that were entered into at the G8 summit but are specific to NEPAD. The G8 summit agreed to an action plan for Africa, which has been placed in the House Libraries.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to publish the independent review of Operation Lancet. [HL5297]

We have published today Operation Lancet—A Case Study Review Report. Copies are available in the Library.The review contains helpful recommendations about good practice in the investigation of police misconduct and lessons which can be applied in the development of the new police complaints system. We will ensure that the recommendations are taken forward as part of that work.We are very grateful to William Taylor and the review team for completing the review following the sad death of its initial leader, Sir John Hoddinott.