asked Her Majesty's Government:Who authorised the Criminal Records Bureau to draw up a specification for, and procure, a contract with Capita for processing criminal record checks. [HL212]

My noble and learned friend Lord Williams of Mostyn announced on 14 December 1998, in response to a Question from my noble friend Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (WA 356), that appropriate use would be made of public private partnerships in the implementation of the Criminal Records Bureau.Following a rigorous competitive tender process, Capita was selected as the private sector partner and the contract was awarded on 4 August 2000. The chief executive of the CRB, as the senior accountable officer, issued the specification and signed the contract with Capita. He was authorised by the then Minister of State to do so following the Minister's approval of the user requirement and the CRB business case based on the PPP procurement approach.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Who set the parameters with regard to both financial and service levels for the Criminal Records Bureau to agree a specification for, and produce, a contract. with Capita for processing criminal record checks; and what were these parameters. [HL214]

The user requirement, which was approved by the then Minister of State, set the public service standards for the Criminal Records Bureau which provide the turnaround times for each type of disclosure.The service standards are to deal with 90 per cent of enhanced disclosure applications within three weeks, 95 per cent of standard disclosures within one week and 95 per cent of basic disclosures within one week. The financial parameters for the service provision by Capita are contained within the Capita contract which was awarded following a competitive tender process and signed under authorisation by the then Minister of State.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which articles of the Schengen acquis will be implemented by the provisions of the Crime (International Co-operation) Bill. [HL282]

The articles of the Schengen Implementing Convention in which the United Kingdom will participate are set out in the Council decision of 29 May 2000 (2000/365/EC). The Crime (International Co-operation) Bill implements those articles which require legislation, with the exception of Article 27, which was implemented by the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, and Articles 40, 42 and 43 were in part implemented by the Police Reform Act 2002. Other provisions of Schengen relating to extradition are included in the Extradition Bill. All other articles and elements of the acquis, including the Schengen information system. in which the United Kingdom will participate, will be implemented through administrative measures. This Bill will implement the relevant parts of the Schengen convention for the United Kingdom; Gibraltar will take forward its own implementation.The articles of Schengen to be implemented in the Crime (International Co-operation) Bill are as follows. Article 40(2) allows for police officers from one member state to continue surveillance into another member state in emergency situations for up to five hours. Clause 83 of the Bill inserts a new Section 76A into the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) to allow automatic authorisation of overseas officers to carry out surveillance in the United Kingdom in strictly limited circumstances. Legislation to implement Article 40(1) arrangements for officers acting in pre-planned joint surveillance teams is only required in respect of civil liabilities; this was implemented by Section 103 of the Police Reform Act 2002.Article 42 requies member states to ensure that officers operating under the terms of Article 40 are treated in the same way as officers of the member state in which they are operating in respect of offences committed by or against them. Clause 84 of the Bill extends provisions on assaults on police officers (Section 89 of the Police Act 1996 in England and Wales, Section 41 of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967 in Scotland and Section 66 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 in Northern Ireland) to cover overseas officers involved in Article 40(2) surveillance operations, authorised under Section 76A of RIPA.Article 43 requires member states requesting cross-border surveillance to be liable for any damage caused by its officers while on surveillance. Clause 85 of the Bill amends the provisions on liability of wrongful acts on constables (Section 42 of the Police Act 1997) to make the director general of the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) liable for overseas officers carrying out surveillance in the United Kingdom under Section 76A of RIPA.Articles 49, 52 and 53 cover mutual legal assistance arrangements between member states. Those parts of these articles which will not be repealed by the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters 2000 (MLAC) are implemented by Part I of the Bill. Part I also implements MLAC.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What further measures they plan in order to reduce the level of hepatitis B transfusion-transmitted infection, stated in the SHOT annual report 2000–01 to be eight cases over six years. [HL25]

The rate of detection of hepatitis B virus in donated blood has improved significantly in recent years. There have been no cases of transfusion transmitted hepatitis B since the case reported in the 2000–01 Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) Report. There are currently no plans to introduce further measures, but this is kept under review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In light of the recent discovery of West Nile virus in the United Kingdom and recent transmission issues relating to the virus in the United States (a) what plans they are making to prevent spread of the virus through blood and plasma transfusions in the United Kingdom; and (b) what validation studies were conducted to ensure that methylene blue inactivation of United States plasma will remove the risk of transmission of pathogenic viruses, including WNV, from United States-sourced blood and plasma products available in the United Kingdom. [HL26]

There have been no human cases of West Nile fever virus infection in the United Kingdom and the risk of transmitting the virus by blood transfusion is minimal. There are currently no plans to defer donors from donating blood in the UK solely on the grounds that they have recently visited the United States. However this situation is being kept under review. Plasma is currently imported from the United States for the production of plasma products, including fresh frozen plasma for babies and young children born after 1 January 1996, as a precaution against the theoretical risk of vCJD transmission. Viral inactivation of these products is carried out as a safety measure to remove the risk to patients of transfusion transmittable viruses, including West Nile fever virus, should it be present.Methylene blue is a commercial product produced by Macopharma. Data received by the National Blood Service show that methylene blue is highly effective in destroying the West Nile fever virus.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What would be the estimated cost to the National Health Service of the additional employment rights being granted to temporary workers by the proposed new European directive. [HL271]

An initial regulatory impact assessment of the proposed directive on agency workers prepared by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has been placed in the Library. This will be revised to take account of findings from the public consultation on the proposed directive, which ended recently.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What increase in student numbers for courses devoted to European studies there have been in Britain's higher education institutions over the past (a) five years and (b) 10 years; and whether they will consider widening grants to higher education institutions to promote European studies, similar to the 7.2 million euro given to the European Research Institute at Birmingham University. [HL113]

Data are not held centrally for courses on European studies. The table shows the number of students on courses covering European languages, literature and culture. Higher education institutions in England receive recurrent public support in the form of a block grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Institutions set their

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many non-civil servant advisers have been employed in the Department for Education and Skills to assist Ministers since May 1997; and how many remain on the payroll. [HL241]

It might be helpful if I say that non-civil servants in the deparment fall into three categories: secondees; self-employed people with whom we contract; and consultants with whose firms we contract. Only exceptionally are they reimbursed through the payroll. Special advisers brought in to advise Ministers are civil servants for the term of their employment and are therefore excluded from the reply.Three non-civil servants, of whom two remain on the payroll, have been employed in the Department for Education and Skills and the former Department for Education and Employment since May 1997. All other people on the department's payroll are civil servants for the term of their employment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many overseas residents' visits were made to the United Kingdom in (a) the first and (b) the second quarters of 2000. [HL203]

The number of overseas residents' visits to the United Kingdom (a) was 4.6 million in the first quarter of 2002 and (b) 6.3 million in the second quarter of 2002.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will ensure that any arrangements made in the North/South Ministerial Council during direct rule will be accountable, open and transparent and handled on the British side by politicians and not civil servants. [HL61]

By an agreement due to come into force in early December, contained in an exchange of letters on 19 November, the British Government and the Irish Government have agreed that decisions of the North/South Ministerial Council during suspension will be made by the two governments. That agreement also provides that any reference in the Implementation Bodies Agreement to the assembly shall be read as a reference to the United Kingdom Parliament. Accordingly, any reports and statements which are required by that agreement to be laid before the assembly shall, during suspension, be laid before Parliament.A copy of the exchange of the letters has been placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 10 June (

The number of life peers in each of the parties on 7 October was:

• Conservative 168
• Labour 187
• Liberal Democrat 60
• Cross-Bench 144¹

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 24 July (

The Government have asked a Joint Committee of both Houses to look at the options for House of Lords reform. The Government are not seeking to influence the debate on the Joint Committee's deliberations, which will be the subject of a free vote in both Houses. It would not be appropriate in those circumstances for the Government to comment on an issue of detail based on a hypothetical situation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What recommendations have been made by the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission investigation into compulsory voting [HL201]

The noble Lord may wish to write to the Chairman of the Electoral Commission on this matter. My department has no responsibility for the Speaker's Committee or for the activities of the Electoral Commission. Under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, the Speaker's Committee is required to report to the House of Commons on the exercise by it of the functions conferred on it by that Act. The committee's first report was laid before the House of Commons on 28 November.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 28 October (

There is no legal provision for electoral registration officers to make available for public inspection any applications made by electors for an absent or a proxy vote.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will provide an estimate of what number and percentage of people aged over state pension age would pay (a) no tax, (b) tax at starting rate, (c) tax at basic rate and (d) tax at the higher rate if there were no age-related tax allowances for people aged 65 and over. [HL277]

Estimates for the number and percentage of people aged over state pension age paying at each of the various income tax rates if there were no age-related tax allowances are in the table.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much was spent on age-related allowances for people aged 65 and over in 2001–02. [HL278]

I refer the noble Baroness to table 7 of the publication The Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

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

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the total annual value and number of dishonoured cheques received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for the last convenient period. [HL225]

The information requested for the financial year 2001–02 was as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether traffic planners in the South East are required to take special account of congestion caused by journeys to and from Heathrow; and, if so, what radius from Heathrow is covered by the requirement. [HL247]

There is no government guidance to the transport planning profession requiring that special account be taken of congestion caused by journeys to and from Heathrow.Heathrow Airport clearly has a major impact on traffic levels, though it is not the only contributor to congestion in the area. The South East and East of England Regional Air Service study and the Orbit (M25) and Thames Valley multi-modal studies have all carried out computer modelling of transport networks, including those in the vicinity of Heathrow.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Centre for Management and Policy Services has built rural proofing into policy-making courses for civil servants; if not, what progress has been made; and when it will be complete. [HL3141

The Centre for Management and Policy Studies (CMPS)has indeed built rural proofing into its policy-making courses for civil servants. The interests of people in rural areas feature in every session on identifying stakeholders and such sessions are integral to general policy-making courses. More specific examples include: after discussion with the Countryside Agency, a case study in rural transport issues has been built into the key policy-making course for fast-stream trainees, The Management of Policy Work, and will also feature in a new course for 2003–04, Developing Deliverable Policy; and a three-day partnership programme in May 2003 for senior civil servants and their equivalents in the public and not-for-profit sectors will be built around a case study of rural regeneration and land use in North Dorset.CMPS is also looking at further initiatives, such as the participation of officials from Defra or the Countryside Agency in policy-making courses and senior programmes.CMPS will continue to seek further opportunities to incorporate rural proofing into its courses and programmes.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What training is provided to senior Ministers to assist them in the running of their departments; and [HL341]What provision exists for the dissemination to senior Ministers of "best practice" advice in the running of government departments [HL342]

The Cabinet Office provides central training for Ministers. This supports them: operating as a member of the government team; managing the strategic policy and communication aspects of the job as a member of a departmental team; and working with and through Parliament.The Programmes for Ministers series provides: access to expert contributors from government and the wider public and private sector; discussion with colleagues and sharing best practice; and awareness of current developments in government.Specific needs of individual Ministers are met on a personal basis.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the assessment on the performance of the Armed Forces over the eight-day period of industrial action by the Fire Brigades Union. [HL402]

My right honourable friend the Deputy Prime Minister has today placed copies of a report produced by the COBR = Joint Assessment Cell, entitled Industrial Action by the Fire Brigades Union. Contingency arrangements during the 8-day strike, 22–30 November 2002, in the Printed Paper Office and the Libraries of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made on the sale of QinetiQ plc. [HL465]

On 1 July 2001 the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency was successfully divided into QinetiQ plc, a wholly government-owned company, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, which remains part of the Ministry of Defence.On 6 M arch 2002 (

asked Her Majesty's Government:What date Eurofighter Typhoon is expected to enter service with the Royal Air Force. [HL466]

Progress towards the entry to service of Typhoon has been reviewed closely since the start. in April 2002, of test flying with the instrumented production aircraft. The process of gathering flight safety and performance data, which is necessary to accept aircraft into service, is taking industry longer than the agreed schedule. The large volume of work to resolve outstanding and arising design issues, although individually minor, has also progressed more slowly than expected. As a result, we have concluded with our international partners and with industry that the evidence required to permit contractual acceptance of the aircraft by the four partner nations will not he complete before the end of March 2003. Allowing for the joint, four-nation acceptance process, aircraft should then be ready for hand-over to the Royal Air Force by the end of June 2003.In any event following the loss of a development aircraft in Spain on 21 November, it is essential that there is a time allowance for the realignment of test flying tasks. Further delay cannot he ruled out until the causes and implications of the crash are full} understood. This second delay, since the contract was placed with industry, to Typhoon's entry to service is extremely disappointing, but safety remains paramount, and we will only accept aircraft that meet the agreed specification. Every effort will be made to accelerate the entry to service and work-up process to prevent or minimise any delay to the operational employment of Typhoon, scheduled for he second half of the decade. It is this latter date, of course, when the RAF is able to use the aircraft on operations, that is so critical.