asked Her Majesty's Government:How many separate electronic databases they hold on average on each male and female United Kingdom citizen. [HL3366]

The information requested is not held centrally. The public sector utilises a range of databases with varying degrees of national or local coverage, with different data sets and sources of updates.As the noble Lord may be aware, the Government published a report by the Performance and Innovation Unit,

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why the Written Answers on 22 May (

There is nothing further to add to my answers of 1 May (WA 133), 22 May (WA 110) and 20 June (WA 104).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any contribution is made to the costs of the Prime Minister's official residence in respect of any use for business purposes by the wife of the Prime Minister. [HL4959]

No.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 11 June (

Guidance on Ministers' accountability for events under a previous administration is set out in Volume 2 of the Directory of Civil Service Guidance, copies of which are in the Library of the House. The practice under successive administrations of not providing formal details of Cabinet meetings on a systematic basis is a matter of public record and is set out in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information and the Guidance on its Interpretation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to publish in full the report of the investigation by Sir John Stevens into alleged collusion between the security forces and loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland. [HL4929]

The investigation by Sir John Stevens into the murder of Patrick Finucane and associated allegations was commissioned by the then Chief Constable of the RUC in 1999. The report Sir John produces as a result of that investigation will be submitted to the Chief Constable of the PSNI and questions regarding publication will be a matter for Sir John and the Chief Constable.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people in Northern Ireland are currently considered to be directly under paramilitary death threat; and what steps they are taking to address the problem. [HL4713]

One hundred and forty people in Northern Ireland have received death threats from paramilitary organisations. When a threat becomes known, individuals are informed and appropriate steps are taken in each particular case.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people have been threatened out of their homes in Northern Ireland since 1 January. [HL5053]

Her Majesty's Government do not keep statistics on the number of people intimidated from their homes.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 26 June (

The Government have consistently stated that ceasefires, however they are defined, are not enough. Indeed, the Prime Minister clarified that position by stating there can be no halfway house on the road to peace. We must see a complete move away from all paramilitary activity and its preparations including targeting and training along with the decommissioning of all illegal weapons.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many prosecutions were brought as a result of electoral malpractice in each Northern Ireland constituency after the elections of June 2001. HL5325]

No prosecutions were brought as a result of electoral malpractice in Northern Ireland following the elections held on 7 June 2001. However, three arrests were made at the elections—one for personation and two for possession of false documents and these are being taken forward by the police. In addition, seven cases of electoral malpractice by candidates and two of maladministration by poll staff have been reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The Provisional IRA is proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000. The Colombian FARC is not proscribed, but the list of proscribed organisations is kept under review and decisions to proscribe or deproscribe are taken after careful consideration of all relevant aspects.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are their plans for the future of the Full-time Reserve of the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and [HL5138]Whether they have taken into account the overall numerical strength of the Police Service of Northern Ireland in formulating their policy on the future of the Full-time Reserve; and [HL5139]When they will publish plans for the future of the Full-time Reserve of the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and [HL5141]Whether uncertainty regarding the future of the Full-time Reserve of the Police Service of Northern Ireland is having any detrimental effect on the morale of the Service. [HL5142]

The Government remain committed to the objective of phasing out the Full-time Reserve in line with the Patten report and the Implementation Plan.The Policing Board has asked the PSNI, in the context of the service's overall human resources strategy, to prepare detailed proposals, including the Full-time Reserve, to be considered by the board. The Government will want to hear the board's views, in conjunction with the Chief Constable's assessment, before final decisions are made and announced.The Government recognise the effect of uncertainty on officers and their families. We hope that it will be possible to reach conclusions on this issue in the near future.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there are any proposals to close the police station in Saintfield, County Down or to reduce the number of policemen based in Saintfield PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) station; and what they see as the future of policing in Saintfield. [HL5094]

I have been advised by the Acting Chief Constable that there are no current plans to close Saintfield station or to decrease the number of officers serving Downpatrick DCU which covers the Saintfield area. The Government remain committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure that the police service operates effectively. However, the future of policing in Saintfield is an operational matter and as such is the responsibility of the Chief Constable in consultation with the Policing Board.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there are any proposals to close the police station in Carryduff, County Down or to reduce the number of policemen based in Carryduff PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) station; and what they see as the future of policing in Carryduff. [HL5095]

I have been advised by the Acting Chief Constable that although there were proposals for the closure of Carryduff earlier this year, these plans were repealed following the conclusion of a public consultation exercise. As such, there are now no current plans to close Carryduff station or to decrease the number of officers serving Castlereagh District Command Unit, which covers the Carryduff area. The Government remain committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure that the police service operates effectively. However, the future of policing in Carryduff is an operational matter and as such is the responsibility of the Chief Constable in consultation with the Policing Board.

asked the Chairman of Committees:Whether he will make representations to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner with a view to ensuring that at times of Divisions in the House of Lords police officers on duty in the Old Palace Yard area provide the same assistance to Members of the House crossing the road to vote, as is afforded to Members of the House of Commons by police officers in the New Palace Yard area when Divisions are held in that House. [HL5353]

The primary duty of the police officers on duty in Old Palace Yard and at Carriage Gates in New Palace Yard is to ensure that entrances to the Palace are kept secure. In addition, officers on duty at Carriage Gates are instructed to assist Members of the House of Commons to cross Bridge Street when Divisions are held in that House. This is because the lights at the junction of Bridge Street and Parliament Street are traffic controlled, and pedestrians may have to wait for well over a minute to cross the road safely. The risk of accidents is correspondingly heightened. In contrast, the Abingdon Street crossing in Old Palace Yard is pedestrian controlled, and waiting times are no more than 15 to 30 seconds. When the existing dog-leg is replaced in the autumn, the crossing will be significantly safer and less time-consuming. I will also undertake to discuss with the police what further assistance can be given to Members.

asked the Chairman of Committees:What the plans are for the forthcoming road improvement works for Old Palace Yard, and on the crossing arrangements in Abingdon Street. [HL5352]

The Old Palace Yard project (part of the World Squares for All project) is due to be completed by 14 October 2002. Phase 3, which will take place over the Summer Recess, involves the resurfacing of the carriageway. As part of the work, the pedestrian crossing opposite 7 Old Palace Yard will be simplified, a straight crossing replacing the present dog-leg. Work on the crossing will be carried out and paid for by Westminster City Council, following representations made by the Parliamentary Estates Directorate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in the light of delays in constructing the airport and seaport in Montserrat, they will provide the additional funds needed to maintain the level of budgetary aid until 2005. [HL5097]

Subject to our normal processes of resource allocation and review, we plan to make available over £47 million for Montserrat during the period 2002–03 to 2005–06. This includes provision for airport development and improving port facilities. Budgetary aid levels are agreed jointly with the Montserrat Government on an annual basis, taking account of essential needs and the level of total available resources.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Criminal Records Bureau intends to publish its annual report and accounts for 2001–02. [HL5426]

The Criminal Records Bureau annual report and accounts for 2001–02 has been published today, and I am pleased to say that copies of the report have been placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the UK Passport Service intends to publish its annual report and accounts for 2001–02. [HL5427]

The UK Passport Service annual report and accounts 2001–02 has been published today and I am pleased to say that copies of the report have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress the Prison Service has made in the past year towards improving its environmental performance. [HL5428]

The Prison Service continues to make progress in this area. During the past year there have been a number of achievements as regards biodiversity, energy efficiency, procurement, transport and waste management. These are described in the service's second annual environmental report which is published today, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.In introducing a formal greening operations policy in March 2002, the Director-General of the Prison Service made clear his own personal commitment to improving the environmental performance of the service. A challenging programme of work in line with that commitment, and detailed in the report, has been set for the current year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will report on the performance of Her Majesty's Prison Services in 2001–02. [HL5429]

I am pleased to report that the Prison Service's annual report and accounts for 2001–02 has today been published. Copies have today been placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In respect of the Home Office, the Department for Education and Skills, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Scotland Office and the Northern Ireland Office, which women's organisations have been consulted over proposed legislation by each department during the 2000–01 and 2001–02 Sessions; and whether their responses have been published. [HL4451]

This information is not held centrally within government departments and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Departments are however encouraged to follow the Cabinet Office's Code of Practice on Written Consultations, which is intended to make consultations more effective by opening up decision-making to as wide a range of people and organisations as possible.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In respect of the Home Office, the Department for Education and Skills, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Scotland Office and the Northern Ireland Office, what was the subject of each gender impact assessment drawn up by each department since June 1997; and, in each case, whether the outcome has been put out to consultation or published. [HL4452]

Details regarding gender impact assessments are not generally held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In respect of the Home Office, the Department for Education and Skills, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Scotland Office and the Northern Ireland Office, whether each Secretary of State has established a baseline for policy appraisal against which to measure progress on equal treatment; and what progress has been achieved. [HL4454]

In 1998, the Home Office, the Department for Education and Skills (DFES) and the Cabinet Office Women's Unit issued Policy Appraisal for Equal Treatment (PAFET) guidelines to all government departments. PAFET covers the responsibility officials have for assessing how their work is likely to affect different groups and to take action to ensure that this is taken into account from the beginning of the policy process and its evaluation.In addition, as a result of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, listed public bodies are now required to consult on the potential impact of new policies, and to monitor existing policies, to ensure that there is no differential and adverse impact on people from minority ethnic communities.Government departments have responsibility for a wide range of policies and a single baseline for policy appraisal would not be universally appropriate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many applications have been received by the Home Office from individuals requesting personal data held on them, under Section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998, in each of the calendar years since the Act came into effect; and what was the cost of providing the information in each of these years. [HL4964]

The Home Office possesses records of data protection requests submitted in each of the two transitional periods that have followed the Act's initial implementation rather than by calendar year. The first transitional period lasted from March 2000 until October 2001 and the second from October 2001 until the present date. The numbers of data protection requests received by the central Home Office and its agencies are set out in the table below.

	1st Transitional period	2nd Transitional period
Central Home
Office (includes IND)	24	253
Prison Service	35	627
UKPS*	3,024*	3,024*
FSS	7	20
CRB	Not applicable	8
* Figures are averages for the calendar years 2000 and 2001.

The central Home Office has not kept records of the cost of processing these requests, but some indication of the costs involved can be gained from figures provided by the Prison Service and UKPS. Of the 627 requests received by the Prison Service since October 2001, costs are estimated at £185,000, excluding stationery and postage costs, which were not recorded. The UK Passport Service estimates that it cost £86,000 in 2000 and £91,000 in 2001 to process the requests that it received.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What consultation they undertook with the Freight Transport Association regarding Schedule 8 (carriers' liability) to the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill between the Bill's Second Reading in the House of Commons and tabling of amendments inserting Schedule 8 into the Bill. [HL5158]

Time pressures prevented us consulting with industry representatives before tabling our proposed amendments. To coincide with the tabling of the amendments, on 7 June we wrote to the Freight Transport Association and over 40 other interested parties to inform them of our proposals and to give them the opportunity to comment on the draft code of practice for determining the level of penalty. We have also made information about the proposed changes available on the Home Office's website where the draft code of practice may also be found.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the practical consequences for British Asian passport holders and their families of the abolition of the special voucher system; and [HL5175]Whether they will ensure British Asian passport holders and their families who had previously been eligible under the special voucher scheme will not suffer any adverse consequences as a result of the scheme's abolition on 5 March during the transitional period prior to the enactment of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill. [HL5176]

Holders of British Overseas Citizen passports have not been able to apply for settlement under the special voucher scheme since its abolition on 5 March. If they currently wish to apply for settlement here, they have to qualify under the general provisions of the Immigration Rules. However, an announcement was made on 4 July that an amendment will be introduced to the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill giving British Overseas Citizens the right to register as British citizens if they hold no other nationality and have not renounced any other nationality. Until this comes into effect, sympathetic consideration will be given to applications made outside the rules in cases of hardship where the applicant is solely British and has never renounced another nationality.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are aware of any states party or states signatory to the European Convention on Nationality that takes advantage or intends to take advantage of the option in Article 7 of the convention to provide in its internal law for the deprivation of nationality by reason of conduct seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the state concerned; and, if so, whether they will publish details. [HL5212]

Seven states have ratified the convention. Of these, Moldova has adopted Article 7,1d—the provision relating to seriously prejudicial conduct.Sixteen states have signed but not yet ratified. We do not know what provision these states have made, except that Denmark, Germany, Italy and Russia have not taken advantage of Article 7,1d. France, on the other hand, already has these powers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the reasons for the continuing failure since 6 November 1997 to sign the European Convention on Nationality on behalf of the United Kingdom. [HL5213]

Close examination of the convention led the Government to conclude that, because of the discrepancies between current British nationality law and the convention, it would not be possible to sign and ratify the convention without amending the law. The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill provided the first legislative opportunity to bring forward the necessary amendments.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that Article 5 of the European Convention on Nationality which guarantees non-discrimination between the nationals of a state party, whether they are nationals by birth or have acquired its nationality subsequently, would permit a state party to equalise upwards as well as downwards. [HL5214]

Yes. We think it would so permit.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to sign and ratify the European Convention on Nationality; and, if so, (a) whether they will consult Parliament before doing so; and (b) whether they will publish an explanatory memorandum describing their reasons for wishing to ratify the convention and the consequences of ratification for United Kingdom law and practice. [HL5215]

If the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill is enacted in its present form, we shall, once its provisions are brought into force, he in a position to sign and ratify the convention and would hope to do so. We would expect to sign the convention and lay it before Parliament with an explanatory memorandum.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What reserve powers are available to Ministers to deal with severe instances of traffic congestion in Greater London. [HL5236]

The Government have direct responsibility for the sections of the national motorway network within the Greater London area. They also have responsibility for the roads in the Royal Parks, but these roads are not public highways as such. All other roads are the responsibility of Transport for London or the relevant London local authority and Ministers have no powers to intervene to deal with traffic congestion.

asked Her Majesty's Government:On how many occasions in 2000–01 and 2001–02 action was taken by the Health and Safety Executive in regard to dangerous or negligent practices on building sites and where inadequate arrangements threatened public safety. [HL5239]

Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) undertook over 40,000 contacts in the construction industry in 2000–01 and 2001–02. Public safety is one of the most important aspects that inspectors consider, especially where children might be at risk.Inspectors have a range of powers available to them when they identify significant risks. These include informal verbal advice, a written report, service of an improvement notice or prohibition notice (stopping a particular activity) and/or prosecution.The number of notices and prosecutions taken by HSE's Field Operations Directorate in connection with construction activities are set out in the table below.Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 imposes a duty on employers and self-employed persons to ensure the health and safety of persons who are not their employees. The number of notices and prosecutions under this section where reference was made specifically to "public" or "child" in 2000–01 and 2001–02 is also set out below.

	2000–01	2001–02
Improvement and Prohibition Notices issued	2,576	2,732
Improvement and Prohibition Notices under S3 HSW referring to "children" or "the public"	110	106
Legal proceedings instituted	637	556
Legal proceedings under S3 HSW referring to "children" or "the public"	36	15

Notes:1. Figures for 2001–02 are provisional2. Construction industry indentified by SIC 45.In addition HSE's Field Operations Directorate investigated over 8,000 construction complaints in each of the past two years. A significant number of these complaints concerned the safety of members of the public in relation to construction work, although it is not possible to break this number down further.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they anticipated that illegal operators of goods vehicles could avoid having their vehicles impounded under the provisions of the Transport Act 2000 by using Irish number plates. [HL5261]

The provisions of the Transport Act 2000 that introduced the impounding of illegally operated goods vehicles apply only to British registered vehicles. Foreign registered vehicles entering the UK must carry a certified copy of a Community authorisation as evidence that they comply with their own domestic operator licensing legislation of the state in which they are based. Vehicles without the required documentation can be prohibited and directed out of the country. The driver can also be prosecuted. Such offences are normally reported to the licensing authorities in the country of origin.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why they did not support the development of mandatory and indicative targets for biofuels in the last European Union directive on biofuels. [HL5271]

In common with the majority of other European Union member states, the UK Government do not support the European Commission's proposals for mandatory targets applied uniformly to every state, as originally proposed by the European Commission in the Biofuels directive. In order to maintain the UK's ability to set national policy on the basis of the UK's own domestic circumstances, the Government favour the adoption of flexible, indicative targets; an approach endorsed by the European Scrutiny Committee of both Houses of Parliament.The Government actively support the use of transport biofuels, in particular through the 20 pence per litre reduction in fuel duty on biodiesel—due to come into effect shortly—and through the further round of the Green Fuels Challenge, offering zero duty for pilots demonstrating innovative technologies for environmentally beneficial fuels.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What percentage of the 6,000 strong reaction force, as outlined in the Ministry of Defence discussion document

We envisage that the Territorial Army would provide the command, control and administrative framework for the proposed reaction forces. But members from all the volunteer reserve forces may elect to serve in them. The contribution from each of the reserve forces will not be known until the consultation process now under way is complete and individuals from each of the volunteer reserve forces have elected to be members of the reaction force. Those individuals would remain members of their parent units and train as normal for their current roles but would be earmarked as being available for the reaction force if required.

asked Her Majesty's Government:To what extent there was consultation between the Ministry of Defence and the Territorial Army in formulating proposals for a reaction force as outlined in the recent discussion document

Officers from the volunteer reserves, some of whom have permanent posts within the Ministry of Defence in London, were closely involved in the production of the reaction force proposal, as set out in the discussion document we published in June. The consultation process now under way with the reserves, their employers and other interested parties seeks to gain the views of the wider reserves community.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What consideration they are giving to the resolution approved on 24 May by the General Assembly of the World Federation of Haemophilia calling on all governments to provide financial recompense for the suffering caused to people with haemophilia by iatrogenic infection by the hepatitis C virus; and what information they have on the schemes for recompense already adopted or proposed by Ministers in other states in the European Union. [HL4917]

We deeply regret that so many people with haemophilia were infected with hepatitis C through blood products. As soon as a technology became available to make blood products free from hepatitis C the National Health Service introduced it.This Government and their predecessor have held that compensation is paid to patients only when the National Health Service has been at fault and that an exception to this rule is not justified in the case of haemophiliacs infected with hepatitis C.We have asked member states to provide information on any relevant scheme that they may have. I will write to my noble friend when this information is available and will place a copy of my letter in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why the Laming report has not yet been published; when it will be published; and when a response to the report will be issued. [HL5143]

Lord Laming continues to receive evidence and to consider it, and intends to complete his report later this year. It will be published, following its receipt by the Secretaries of State for Health and for the Home Department, and will be made widely available. They will respond to the report when they have considered its findings and recommendations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there has been any significant improvement in disability equipment since the National Audit Commission's report. [HL5144]

The NHS Plan set targets to integrate health and social care community equipment services and to increase by 50 per cent the number of people who can benefit from such services by 2004. A National Implementation Support Team has been established to help local National Health Service and social services organisations through the transition from separate to integrated services, encouraging and supporting them to make appropriate investment in equipment services to meet the NHS Plan targets. Team members report that good progress is being made in some areas; £30.75 million has been invested in modernisation of hearing aid services. Almost one-third of the country will be covered by digital sites by March 2003. Initial evaluation of the pilot study showed significant benefits for people provided with digital hearing aids as part of a modernised service.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What machinery has been established to monitor the quality of disability equipment. [HL5148]

The Medical Devices Agency MDA) has specific responsibility on behalf of the Secretary of State to safeguard public health where medical devices are involved. Disability equipment comes within this oveall remit.All incidents reported to the MDA concerning the quality or safety of equipment are considered, and if the investigtion highlights a need for an improvement in design, usage or servicing information for a piece of equipment, appropriate action is taken with the manufacturer/supplier concerned.The MDA has also issued comprehensive guidance to health services relating to the management of medical devices including the provision of appropriate reporting procedures. This guidance has now been incorporated into the new NHS controls assurance standards for medical devices to give all health services basic standards in this area.Framework agreements facilitated by the National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) are undetaken in line with public procurement regulations and incorporate clauses requiring adherence to the Medical Devices Regulations in relation to CE marking and the relevant European (where available) or British standards.NHS PASA has procedures in place in various commodity areas requesting NHS trusts etc to provide feedback information on the quality of suppliers performance and goods/services which can then be utilised to identify recurring issues. These are then discussed with the supplier or details are passed on to the MDA where appropriate, to overcome the issues wherever possible.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the 2001–02 annual report and accounts of the Medical Devices Agency. [HL5386]

The report and accounts of the Medical Devices Agency have today been laid before the House of Commons pursuant to Section 7 of the Governemnt Resources and Accounts Act 2000. Copies have also been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether at the time of the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 their officials had the powers of entry necessary to carry out a compulsory programme of vaccination against foot and mouth disease; and, if not, when this was first disclosed to Parliament. [HL4997]

Officials had the necessary powers of entry to carry out a compulsory vaccination programme during the 2001 outbreak under Section 16 of the Animal Health Act 1981. This section gives powers to vaccinate and enter a premises for the purpose of vaccination with respect of animals which (a) have been in contact with a diseased animal (b) appear to Ministers to be or to have been in any way exposed to the infection of disease or (c) are in an infected area. For this purpose the whole of Great Britain was considered an infected area as it had been declared a controlled area.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the hearing rights available to the general public under the Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 2001 apply in the case of the listing of Sheridan, a genetically modified forage maize; and [HL5203]Under which regulations, in relation to which bodies, persons wishing to object to the listing of Sheridan as a genetically modified forage maize are entitled to be heard at a public hearing. [HL5204]

Although statutory tests and trials on Sheridan have been completed, Ministers have yet to consider whether to propose its addition to the national list. In the event that a decision to propose listing is made, the Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 2001 provided that, upon paymentof the appropriate fee, any person wishing to object may make either written representations against the proposal and/or request the right to make oral representations at a hearing.In reply to a Parliamentary Question in another place on 28 November 2000, (HC Deb Volume 357, Col. 575W), the Government made it clear that the arrangements for requesting a hearing on proposed national list decisions would be reviewed following the CHARDON LL Hearing, in order to consider whether the current arrangements were satisfactory for all parties. The hearing closed on 13 June 2002. We intend to consult all interested parties during the summer on proposals for change.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have now fulfilled the criteria, set down by the House on 26 March 2002, for going into Committee on the Animal Health Bill.[HL5425]

The House decided not to go into Committee on the Animal Health Bill on 26 March 2002 when an amendment to the Motion to go into Committee was moved by Lord Moran and agreed to on a vote, 130 to 124.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider, in the interest of value for money, that they should publish whenever possible the main details of contracts between private companies and the public sector. [HL5118]Whether they consider that commercial confidentiality in contracts between the private sector and the public sector is being used to conceal excess profits. [HL5119]

Publication of the main details of contracts is a matter for individual departments to decide in the circumstances of each specific procurement. In considering this, departments will be governed by Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. It would contravene the code if a department were to conceal excess profits by the use of the exemption covering commercial confidentiality.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why some of the new "Elizabeth Fry" £5 notes had serial numbers which rubbed off, and when the Bank of England plans to start reissuing the new note again. [HL5423]

The Bank of England suspended issuance of the new "Elizabeth Fry" £5 note after it was discovered that, on some notes, it was possible to remove part or all of the serial numbers, when the note was rubbed vigorously. The problem was traced to unexpectedly slow drying of the numbering ink on some of the notes, when the numbers were printed over the new varnish coating. This varnish had been introduced to make the note more durable. In future the Bank will put the varnish over the numbering, as tests have shown that this solves the problem. The notes already printed will undergo extensive drying treatment to ensure that the numbering ink dries thoroughly.The Bank plans to resume issuing the new note in the week commencing 19 August 2002 and is announcing this today.The total cost of finding and solving this problem amount to less than £250,000 (or approximately half of one per cent of the annual costs of note issue and production). The Bank is looking to find cost savings elsewhere in note production to ensure that the taxpayer does not suffer any loss of revenue.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will make an announcement on euro preparations. [HL5424]

As the Chancellor made clear in his Mansion House speech in June 2002, the Government's decision on the euro is of immense, historic importance to the long-term future of our economy and our country as a whole. In 1997 the Government set out the case in principle for the single currency, and said that the determining factor underpinning any government decision on membership is the national economic interest, and whether the economic case is clear and unambiguous.As part of our commitment to prepare and decide, the Government are continuing work on EMU preparations—in partnership with business—to ensure that the UK has a genuine option to join the euro if that is what government, Parliament and the people, in a referendum, decide.The Government are today depositing in the Library of the House a copy of the