asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the standard percentage of emergency calls answered within eight minutes by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service; and what is the comparable figure for England. [HL288]

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service has a target to respond to 50 per cent of all emergency calls within eight minutes. In the year ended 31 March 2002, it achieved this response time for 59 per cent of all emergency calls in the Eastern Board area, 47 per cent Northern, 43 per cent Southern and 57 per cent Western.Different targets apply in England, where ambulance services are required to respond to 75 per cent of all Category A (Life Threatening) calls within eight minutes. In 2001–02, 14 of the 32 ambulance services in England achieved this target.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made in reducing disparity of funding between primary schools and post-primary schools in Northern Ireland; and whether they have any plans to provide equality of funding for the primary school children of Northern Ireland. [HL296]

The Government are committed to narrowing the funding differential between primary and post-primary schools and have introduced a number of measures to provide additional resources for the primary sector; for example, the "Making a Good Start" initiative, (P1 and P2 classes), assistance to schools to limit class sizes at Key Stage 1 and the budget addition for schools.Legislation is being prepared which will provide for the introduction of a single common LMS formula. This will allow progress to be made in narrowing the gap through formula allocations and though this must be gradual because of the need to keep the process manageable.The nature of post-primary curriculum, its mode of delivery and the extent of support arrangements (staffing, equipment and resource materials) are quite different from that of the primary sector and generally more expensive. Thus while the Government are satisfied that primary schools should receive a greater share of available resources, they do not feel that equal funding would be appropriate. Post-primary pupils will therefore continue to require additional funding and as such a differential will remain.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there is a draft international agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland regarding the six implementation bodies in the eventuality of suspension lasting for a certain period of time; why such an agreement was not signed; whether it has been discussed in London/Dublin talks since 14 October; and whether they will publish the draft international agreement. [HL394]

In an exchange of notes on 19 November the British and Irish Governments agreed a mechanism so that during the period of temporary suspension of the Assembly, decisions (of the North/South Ministerial Council) on policies and actions relating to the implementation bodies, Tourism Ireland (a publicly owned company established as an area of co-operation by NSMC) or their respective functions could be taken. The agreement was made to ensure the continuation during suspension of the necessary public functions performed by the implementation bodies. The agreement, which came into force on 3 December, also provided that no new functions would be conferred on the implementation bodies during suspension. The exchange of notes will be laid before both Houses of Parliament.

asked her Majesty's Government:Whether, following the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly on 14 October, the North/South Ministerial Council created by an agreement of 8 March 1999 following the Belfast Agreement was also effectively suspended, given paragraph 13 of Strand Two of the Belfast agreement. [HL398]

Section 1 of the Northern Ireland Act 2000 makes clear that the functions conferred by Section 52 or 53 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (North-South Ministerial Council and British Irish Council) are not to be exercised during the suspension of the Assembly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What decisions have been made on the proposal to appoint an Oversight Commissioner for the Criminal Justice Review in Northern Ireland. [HL776]

The Government have decided to appoint an Oversight Commissioner to monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the Criminal Justice Review in Northern Ireland. A written Parliamentary Statement on the matter is being made today in another place. The Commissioner will be a person of standing, with appropriate experience of the UK criminal justice system, and will be appointed by open competition. We expect the Oversight Commissioner to make a significant contribution to the full and effective implementation of the Criminal Justice Review.It is our expectation that the work of the Justice Oversight Commissioner will play a pivotal role in the creation of a criminal justice system which delivers justice effectively and efficiently, and enjoys the support and confidence of all parts of the community.A copy of the terms of reference for the Oversight Commissioner has been placed in the Library.

asked the Chairman of Committees:What will be the arrangements for the payment of congestion charges by Members of the House driving into central London in pursuit of their parliamentary duties. [HL807]

From 17 February 2003 anyone who drives into the congestion charging zone in central London between 7.00 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays will have to pay a congestion charge. The House Committee decided on 10 December that no additional reimbursement would be available to assist Members in meeting the costs of congestion charging. In the new year, the Administration and Works Commit tee will consider ways to facilitate payment of the charge within the Palace of Westminster by Members and staff.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which public enterprises will fall under the remit of the new Shareholder Executive; and to which Minister it will report. [HL327]

I am answering this Question as Minister reponsible for the Shareholder Executive.The Treasury and the Cabinet Office are currently working with departments to establish in detail how the Shareholder Executive will help government become a more effective shareholder. The Shareholder Executive will define certain common standards and procedures for departments in their role as shareholder and will develop for individual departments plans to define the relationship with the entities, assess resource requirements of the departments to fulfil the role, assist in improving departments' capabilities and advise on specific management, corporate governance, performance monitoring and financing issues.The precise scope of the Shareholder Executive is part of the detailed work being taken forward with departments. However, it is envisaged that the Shareholder Executive will extend to a range of government shareholdings in companies in the public and private sectors as well as some of the more commercially orientated trading funds.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the use of new and used vegetable oils as fuel for compression ignition engines will have any negative effects on the engines, the environment or the development of a viable, high quality processed biodiesel market. [HL525]

On the environmental performance of the fuel, vegetable oils have a superior carbon life-cycle balance compared to conventional fuels. The Department for Transport is currently considering the options for further research on the local air quality emissions performance of this fuel to supplement the limited publicly available data available in this area.As with all fuels, any producer of diesel fuels from vegetable oils for sale to the public has a responsibility to the consumer to ensure that the fuel is fit for purpose and, as such, does not damage engines when used. Producers should also ensure that all relevant excise duties are paid.Subject to these provisos, the use of new and used vegetable oils should be complementary to the development of a viable, high quality processed biodiesel market.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish an organisation chart of the senior management at the Strategic Rail Authority down to assistant director level. [HL564]

I am placing in the Library of the House a series of charts showing the authority's senior level structure including all posts reporting directly to its executive directors.

asked Her Majesty's Government:With respect to each rail passenger franchise, what changes there have been in financial support agreed by the Strategic Rail Authority in the past year, both in respect of this financial year and future ones. [HL565]

Subsidy profiles for each train operating company are published in the Strategic Rail Authority's annual report, copies of which are placed in the Library of the House. Changes in financial support can arise for a variety of reasons—for instance, when franchises are replaced or extended. All changes to franchise agreements—or new agreements themselves—are placed on the authority's public register.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much public sector money has been allocated in each of the past five years to (a) rail freight grants and (b) rail network enhancements. [HL566]

The table below shows, for each of the five years from 1997–98 to 2001–02, the amount of public expenditure on rail freight grants.

	£ mullion cash prices
1997–98	29.5
1998–99	28.7
1999–00	27.5
2000–01	34.8
2001–02	60.2

No public sector money was allocated for rail network enhancements in any of the four years from 1997–98 to 2000–01. In 2001–02 there was £351 million capital expenditure on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and £59.2 million of expenditure on project development, which includes feasibility and design and development work on infrastructure projects.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 21 November (

The responsibility lies with the owner of the bridge, which is normally the highway authority or Network Rail.The purpose of the work is to prevent incursions of road vehicles from overbridges on to railway lines. Until inspections of relevant bridges are completed, the total cost cannot be estimated accurately.

Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:Which public authority is responsible for ensuring that roadworks in London are carried out with reasonable speed, with respect for the needs of road users and residents, and in accordance with an overall plan for London road transport. [HL596]

The Mayor of London has a general duty under Section 141 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 to develop and implement policies for the promotion and encouragement of safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport facilities and services to, from and within Greater London. His transport strategy published under Section 142 of the Act contains proposals to achieve better control of utilities street works and works by highway authorities. The Government have made it clear that better management of our roads is essential and that the present legislation can be improved. It is vital that someone is responsible for minimising disruption across London as whole. We are holding urgent discussions with the key players about the way forward.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the safeguards to ensure that contractors are permitted to carry out roadworks in London with reasonable speed and with respect for the needs of road users and residents. [HL597]

Utilities' street works have to be carried out in accordance with codes of practice under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. There is a non-statutory Code of Practice for Maintenance Management which the Department for Transport has strongly recommended to highway authorities. Both utilities' street works and works by highway authorities are subject to the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which department is responsible for consulting stakeholders on draft proposals from the European Commission for a directive on safety in vehicle tunnels; and what steps have been taken to consult fire safety interests. [HL700]

A draft directive on road tunnel safety is expected to be presented by the European Commission in the near future. Once the text is available the Department for Transport will consult widely with interested organisations including the Fire Safety Advisory Board.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any progress has been made on the forthcoming reports on tri-service and armed training establishments and Army training and welfare policy. [HL811]

On 17 October (Official Report, col. 887W) we announced in another place that a special appraisal of the initial training of non-officer recruits of all three services would take place. This review was to be conducted independent of service and commands and to report directly to Ministers. The work is nearing completion and we now plan to make findings public in January next year.Surrey Police continues its investigation into deaths at Deepcut and it would be inappropriate to comment on this area until its inquiry is complete.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Royal Air Force has recently been awarded battle honours. [HL812]

Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the battle honour "Kosovo" to the Royal Air Force as listed below. Squadrons which were required to operate under constant threat of attack and had demonstrated gallantry and spirit during the allied air campaign over Kosovo during the period 24 March and 20 June 1999 have been awarded the battle honour "Kosovo" with the right to emblazon the honour on their Squadron Standards. Squadrons which provided direct support to the air campaign have been awarded the honour "Kosovo" without the right to emblazon the honour on their Standards.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether a contract for the first phase of the Single Living Accommodation Modernisation programme has been awarded [HL813]

The contract for the first phase of the £1 billion Single Living Accommodation Modernisation (SLAM) programme was awarded today.The contract is being awarded to Debut services, a Birmingham-based consortium led by Bovis Lend Lease and Babcock Support Services, which will work in close co-operation with Defence Estates (an agency of MOD) and service client representatives to achieve the delivery of the project.The contract comprises new-build and refurbishment projects across the country and will deliver primarily single room en-suite accommodation. 'This will meet the aspirations of our single services men and women for improved living conditions that meet modern standards and is the result of extensive consultation of service personnel. This is particularly relevant, as one of the main reasons for personnel leaving the services is the current poor quality of living accommodation.The project is planned to upgrade progessively the worst accommodation to Grade 1 physical condition over a five-year period. This will involve in the region of 16,000 bedspaces and ancilliary accommodation across all ranks of single servicemen and women in the three services.The contract is being awarded on Smart Procurement principles and contains an innovative incentivised condition to encourage the prime contractor to work more efficiently.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made on the report by the Review Board of Government Contracts on its 2002 annual review of the profit formula for non-competitive government contracts. [HL814]

We are pleased to announce that the Government have accepted the findings of the review board report that the existing profit formula should be retained pending the outcome of the next general review which is expected in the second half of 2003. We are arranging for copies of the report to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Department for Work and Pensions is within its right to encourage claimants to open accounts with high street banks, rather than the Post Office card account; and [HL453]

The Post Office tells us that it is on schedule to introduce universal banking services (consisting of access to the banks' basic bank accounts at Post Office branches and the Post Office card account) in April 2003. There are no plans to cancel or delay its introduction.Customers are being supplied with all the information they need to choose the account option (current account, basic bank account or Post Office card account) which best meets their needs and circumstances. All of our information material mentions Post Office access and the availability of the Post Office card account. Which account option customers choose will be entirely up to them. It is not the job of the Government or the Post Office to choose an account for them.But it is also true to say that the Post Office card account will not be the best option for many people as it only has very limited features—for example, it will not be able to receive payments of wages, it has no direct debit facility, and can only be used when Post Office brances are open. The Government are keen to encourage financial inclusion, by giving people access to the wider financial benefits of having a bank account—the card account does little to help achieve this.

Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are concerned that benefit claimants may be refused basic high street accounts [HL456]

The Government believe that the availability of basic financial products is essential to ensure access to wider, mainstream services and is an important component in tackling financial exclusion both for benefit customers and others currently without access to bank accounts. Basic bank accounts have an important role to play in providing this access.The Government support initiatives by banks and other institutions to promote greater availability and knowledge of the benefits of basic accounts, and is working with the British Bankers' Association and others to ensure that banks are well prepared to deal with benefit customers who want to open basic accounts.Our information campaign will take customers through the changes. Customers are being supplied with all the information they need to choose the account option (current account, basic account or Post Office card account) which best meets their needs and circumstances. Customers do not need to take any action until they receive a letter from us about the change.

asked Her Majesty's Government:To what address the Department for Work and Pensions writes with information regarding pensions and benefit when a person has been in hospital for more than six weeks. [HL660]

During a period of hospitalisation the Department for Work and Pensions would continue to send correspondence regarding state pensions and benefits to the customer's home address. If the customer has an appointee or someone who holds power of attorney, any correspondence would be sent directly to their address, not the customer's.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What the outcome was of the Employment and Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council held in Brussels on 3 December; and what their stance was on the issues discussed including its voting record. [HL810]

This was a very busy Council with business split over two days. My right honourable friend, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Smith) attended the Employment and Social Policy part, held on 3 December, accompanied by my honourable friend the Minister for Employment Relations and the Regions (Alan Johnson).The agenda covered a wide range of employment and social policy issues. Council agreed an orientation toward political agreement on a regulation to replace Regulation 1408/71 which co-ordinates social security for people moving within the EU. The issues covered at this Council were sickness benefits, benefits for work injury and illness, and death grants. Work will continue on simplification of this regulation under the forthcoming Greek Presidency.Council reached political agreement on a regulation extending provisions of Regulation 1408/71 to nationals of third countries. This regulation will be adopted at a future Council.The Council also agreed to minor revisions to the objectives agreed at Nice in 2000 for the next round of national action plans on social inclusion.The Council agreed a number of resolutions: on e-accessibility for disabled people, ahead of the European year for disabled people in 2003; on social inclusion through social dialogue; and on corporate social responsibility.This Council also produced conclusions on gender mainstreaming within the Council and Council Conclusions on a series of indicators concerning violence against women.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are satisfied with the availability to members of the public of Hydrogen Oils Duties Act 1979 form EX 103; and where these forms are available. [HL526]

The Government are satisfied with the availability of form EX 103. These can be obtained from the HM Customs and Excise National Advice Service on telephone number 0845 010 9000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the sustainable waste fuel for compression ignition engines derived from waste cooking oil and called modified waste vegetable fat (MWVF) is eligible for the 20 pence per litre duty rebate for biofuels [HL603]

In order to obtain the 20 pence per litre duty reduction, fuels must meet the legal definition of biodiesel. Biodiesel is diesel-quality road fuel produced from biomass or vegetable oils (including recovered vegetable oils) which meets certain criteria relating to sulphur and ester content. If these criteria are met the fuel will qualify for the reduction.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have launched an investigation into recent disclosure that human eggs are being shared or traded in at least one London fertility clinic; and [HL503]Whether the sharing or trading of human eggs is legal. [HL504]

A woman may donate eggs to another woman to help her to carry a child. In some licensed centres a woman needing treatment involving in vitro fertilisation may be offered this at reduced cost in return for sharing the eggs she produces with another woman receiving in vitro fertilisation. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority considered egg sharing in 1998 and has kept it under review since then, issuing guidance in 2000 on the provision of consent and the preparation of formal agreements between the parties involved. The HFEA's Ethics Committee is currently considering the arrangements reported at one clinic where a woman gives all the eggs from one cycle in return for later treatment for herself. The conclusions of the committee, and of the authority as a whole, will be communicated to the House and placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the cost to the General Dental Service in 1999, 2000 and 2001 for:

The fee cost of fillings given in the General Dental Service (GDS) is shown in the table for all fillings and for deciduous fillings for the years 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02 for England. Also is shown in the table for all fillings is net fee cost that is cost after deducting patient charges. For fillings in deciduous teeth there is no patient charge, gross and net costs are the same.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proportion of the total number of fillings placed in 1999, 2000 and 2001 were:(a) one surface;

General Dental Services: Expenditure claims for fillings by Statement of Dental Remuneration fee item for the years 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02: England
Thousands
SDR Item Code	Treatment description	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02
1401,5811	Amalgam filling—1 surface	2,423	2,335	2,197
1402,5812	Amalgam filling—2 or more surfaces	498	477	456
1403,5813	1 MO or DO filling—2 or more surfaces	4,138	4,050	3,879
1404,5814	1 MOD filling—3 or more surfaces	1,586	1,513	1,411
1421,5821	Composite synthetic resin filling—1 filling	4,173	4,280	4,271
	Composite/synthetic resin filling—2 or more fillings	357	370	362
1426,5826	Glass ionomer filling—1 filling	1,877	1,827	1,779
	Glass ionomer filling—2 or more fillings	79	77	79
4401,6001	Filling in a deciduous tooth	1,479	1,482	1,476
4405	Treatment on referral: a deciduous filling	62	72	71

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the total number of referrals from the General Dental Service to community care or hospital care for patients who needed specialist treatment and care. [HL513]

Information on referrals from the General Dental Service to community care or hospital care is not available centrally.100,400 episodes of care carried out by the Community Dental Service had been referred from other dentists. Other dentists include GDS dentists.The total number of in-patient admissions to hospital for treatment which included oral surgery, restorative dentistry, paediatric dentistry, orthodontics and dental medicine are included in the table. These admissions include referrals originating from the GDS. Treatment of outpatients is not included.

Hospital admissions for treatment for oral surgery, restorative dentistry, paediatric dentistry, orthodontics and dental medicine, 2001–02: England
thousand
Dental Speciality	Number of Admissions
Oral Surgery	191.5
Restorative Dentistry	2.2

The information which is available for fillings in the General Dental Service is for expenditure claims for the fee items in the statement of dental remuneration (SDR). The number of fillings by SDR fee item is shown in the table for England for the years 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02.Most fee items do not specify precisely the number of tooth surfaces so a breakdown of the total number of claims for fillings by the number of tooth surfaces is not available.Root lesions are usually treated with glass ionomer fillings and account for most of the treatment under fee items 1426 or 5826 although these fee items can also cover other treatments.

Hospital admissions for treatment for oral surgery, restorative dentistry, paediatric dentistry, orthodontics and dental medicine, 2001–02: England
thousand
Dental Speciality	Number of Admissions
Paediatric Dentistry	9.3
Orthodontics	0.6
Dental Medicine	1.0
All Dental Specialities	204.6

Source:Hospital Episode Statistics

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, and in what circumstances, people suffering from acrophobia are treated as disabled. [HL514]

The question of the definition of disability is a complex one. The Department of Health does not maintain a definitive list of conditions that it recognises as disabilities. There are two main definitions in current legislation which the department uses. The National Assistance Act 1948 defines disability as "persons who are blind, deaf, or dumb, or who suffer from mental disorder of any description, and other persons aged 18 or over who are substantially and permanently handicapped by illness, injury or congenital deformity..". Councils usually rely on this definition when providing services under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. The other definition of disability is within the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which defines a disabled person as someone "with a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out day-to-day activities."Whether or not an individual suffering from acrophobia would be regarded as being disabled under either or both of these legal definitions would depend on the severity of the condition and the way in which it manifested itself.Access to other elements of support for disabled people, for example benefits or transport concessions, may rely on different criteria, being specific to those benefits or concessions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many public health laboratories are scheduled to be transferred (a) to the Health Protection Agency; and (b) to their local National Health Service trust; and what is the rationale underlying these decisions. [HL539]

Some 31 laboratories of the Public Health Laboratory Service are to be transferred to National Health Service trusts and 10 to the Health Protection Agency.The rationale underlying these decisions, as described in detail in the Chief Medical Officer's strategy for combating infectious diseases,

asked Her Majesty's Government:What has been achieved as a result of the strategic review of the Public Health Laboratory Service conducted in 1994. [HL544]

The report of the strategic review group was presented to the Public Health Laboratory Service board in Autumn 1994. After consultation, the board accepted all the conclusions and recommendations in the report. The board's decisions on its new strategy were endorsed by the Department of Health and the Welsh Office.The report recommended that the service should take steps to enhance all aspects of its scientific, technological and managerial capacity, so that it could respond even more effectively to the challenges posed by new and emerging infections, by technological and scientific development, and by the changes occurring in the National Health Service.The steps which were taken by the board at the time have resulted in a service which has proved its effectiveness in responding to many challenges from new and emerging infections since 1994 and which continues to do so. They included a service development programme to strengthen its public health functions: a restructuring of the network of area and regional public health laboratories into groups, to enhance their management and effectiveness and to provide a defined level and quality of services to local populations, hospital/NHS trusts, general practitioners. consultants in communicable disease control, local authority environmental health departments and other customers; and a service-wide drive to make better use of resources and to increase the value for money provided for all its customers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they propose to commission an independent annual review of embryonic stem cell research. [HL624]

The Government stated in July 2002 in response to the House of Lords Select Committee report on stem cell research that it agreed with the committee's recommendation that it should undertake a further review of stern cell research towards the end of this decade.Although we have no plans to commission an annual review, we continue to keep developments under review through the Research Councils' Stern Cell Initiative.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they have taken to encourage general practitioners regularly to review the prescriptions which they give to their patients. [HL684]

Primary care trusts employ professional advisers whose main role is to advise general practitioners on the development of services that are efficient, effective, safe and convenient for patients.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will announce plans to secure plasma supplies. [HL808]

On the evening of Monday 16 December, the Department of Health completed its purchase of the largest remaining independent US plasma collector, Life Resources Incorporated. This will secure long-term supplies of non-UK blood plasma for the benefit of NHS patients, and ensure that the current global plasma shortage will not reduce the availability to National Health Service patients of life-saving plasma products. An independent option appraisal conducted by KPMG concluded that this purchase was the most cost-effective way of achieving these objectives.Plasma is used to manufacture products for the treatment of a wide range of conditions. Every year the NHS uses:5,000 kilos of albumin for the tens of thousands of patients treated for burns, shock and major trauma.2,000 kilos of intravenous immunoglobulin for patients with immune disorders. This includes 1,800 patients with primary immune deficiency who require an injection every two to three weeks throughout their lives to protect them against infection. Thousands more patients are given intravenous immunoglobulin to treat neurological and other conditions.120,000 bottles of Anti-D immunoglobulin to protect unborn children suffering from haemolytic diseases of the newborn. This affects roughly 64,000 pregnancies a year and, in a small number of cases, can cause stillbirth, severe disability or death after birth from anaemia or jaundice.400,000 bottles of Factor VIII to treat around 3,000 haemophilia patients,Around 45 per cent of the plasma products needed by the NHS in England and Wales are manufactured by the NHS-owned Bio Products Laboratory. The remainder are purchased by the NHS on the open market from third party commercial suppliers.In 1998, the Government instructed BPL to stop using UK plasma to make these products because of concerns about the theoretical risk from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Since then, BPL has purchased plasma from the United States. The US has no reported cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and is the only country able to supply the quality of plasma that BPL needs in sufficient quantity. The US collects 60 per cent of the world's plasma and supplies between 35 and 45 per cent of the plasma products used in Europe alone.Up to now these supplies have been dependent on contracts with US plasma collection companies. Over the past two years most of these companies have been purchased by commercial manufacturers wishing to secure their own plasma supplies. This radically reduced the amount of US plasma that BPL could buy under contract and threatened our ability to supply sufficient non-UK plasma products to NHS patients.Without continuing, secure supplies of US plasma, BPL faced shutdown by 2004 with a consequent removal of massive volumes of plasma products from the NHS market. Independent market analysis by KPMG demonstrated that commercial suppliers would not be able to provide sufficient, secure supplies of plasma products to the NHS if BPL closed. Immediate action was therefore needed to secure long-term supplies of high quality, US plasma for BPL.The Department of Health has purchased the trade and assets of Life Resources for an up-front payment of £48.8 million with a further £21 million tied into the performance of the company up until the end of 2006. The department has paid a commercial price for the business assets based on same analysis as a private sector purchaser would have undertaken.Life Resources has supplied BPL with plasma since 1999. It has extremely high quality and safety standards overseen by the US Food and Drugs Administration and the UK Medicines Control Agency. All the company's collection centres are inspected by BPL on a rolling two-year programme. BPL's team also inspected every centre prior to the purchase.An effective corporate governance regime has been established for the ongoing management of Life Resources. The company will be run by its existing US management team and report to a US parent company, DCI Biologicals Incorporated. DCI Biologicals will report to a UK parent company. Plasma Resources Ltd. The board of Plasma Resources Ltd is chaired by Richard Douglas, the Department of Health's director of finance and investment.The Government have appointed Mr Philip Cushing as non-executive chair of DCI Biologicals. Mr Cushing is highly qualified for this role. His previous positions include chief executive of Inchcape (1996–99) and chief executive of Vitec Group PLC (2000–01). He is also currently chairman of Paragon Print and Packaging Limited, Spalding, Lincs, and a non-executive director of Ikon Office Solutions Inc, Philadelphia, USA. He was appointed to chair DCI because of his extensive international business experience, including a career involving American operations since 1977. He also has extensive international acquisitions experience built up over 20 years.This deal is a logical extension of the existing relationship between the NHS and an established US plasma supplier, Life Resources, and is a pragmatic solution to the problem of securing supply.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the progress made in the reconstruction of the basic infrastructure of Afghanistan during 2002 is satisfactory. [HL444]

The progress on reconstruction in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban has been impressive but there is more to be done. The immediate priority was to meet humanitarian needs (food, water and shelter), including those of returning refugees and internally displaced people. Almost 2 million Afghans have returned home from Pakistan, Iran and Central Asia. Over 3 million children have returned to schooling.Most infrastructure projects implemented since September 2001 have been designed for quick impact. The Afghan Government, UN and international community are also planning how to deliver longer-term reconstruction in a secure and co-ordinated way.The UK is working to ensure the World Bank-administered Afghanistan Reconstruction Fund (ARTF) is a major channel for pooling bilateral funding for Afghanistan. The UK has pledged £200 million over the next five years for both reconstruction and humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, supporting a mix of technical assistance, projects implemented by NGOs and UN agencies, and through the ARTF. Ultimately, it will be important to ensure that Afghanistan has the administrative capacity to take ownership of the overall reconstruction process.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What representations they have made to the Government of the Republic of China and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees about the forced repatriation of North Korean refugees from China to North Korea. [HL587]

We regularly raise the issue of North Korean refugees at the biannual UK/China Human Rights Dialogue. At the last round of the dialogue, on 21 November, we urged China to observe its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and allow the UNHCR access to the border areas.We have made no representations to the UNHCR on this issue.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many North Korean refugees there are in China; when they fled there; and what efforts have been made by the international community on their behalf. [HL589]

The Ministry of Reunification in South Korea estimates there are 10,000 long-term North Korean migrants in China. Some NGOs believe the numbers are higher. North Koreans have been crossing into China for many years. We believe that numbers rose significantly after the famine in North Korea in 1994–95. The UK and EU regularly raise this issue in bilateral human rights dialogues.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the second annual report by the Inedpendent Monitor for Entry Clearance Refusals will be laid before the House. [HL716]

My honourable friend the Parlimentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Mr Bill Rammell, has arranged for copies of the second annual report by Rabinder Singh QC, the Independent Monitor for Entry Clearance Refusals, to be laid before the House today. Her Majesty's Government welcomes Mr Singh's report and notes his comments and suggestions, which will receive careful consideration.Mr Singh has not sought to extend his appointment beyond 30 November 2002 and the Minister thanks Mr Singh for all his hard work and dedication during his two years as Independent Monitor for Entry Clearance.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was done to help secure the release of Ian Stillman from imprisonment in India. [HL721]

Ian Stillman was arrested in India on 28 August 2000 and charged with possessing approximately 20 kilogrammes of drugs. He was convicted on 2 June 2001 and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment. The Indian Government offered Mr Stillman clemency and he was released on compassionate and health grounds on 7 December 2002. A condition of his early release was that he leaves India. It is a matter for the Indian Government whether he is allowed to return.We have been extremely active on Mr Stillman's case and raised it with the Indian Government at every available opportunity. Over the last year my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary discussed his case with the Indian Ministers on at least six occasions. Recently he raised it with the Indian Deputy Prime Minister, L K Advani on 21 August 2002 and the Indian Foreign Minister on 31 October 2002. Mr Advani said that if Mr Stillman submitted a clemency plea he would consider it sympathetically. The Foreign Secretary met members of Mr Stillman's family to discuss next steps in the case on 19 November 2002.My right honourable friends the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and my honourable friend Mike O'Brien (FCO Minister responsible for India) have also raised Mr Stillman's case with the Indian Government. Recently the Prime Minister discussed Mr Stillman's case with Prime Minister Vajpayee on 12 October 2002 and subsequently wrote to him expressing the hope that Mr Stillman be released soon.Our consular staff in New Delhi and London have done all they can to help Mr Stillman and his family. We have been in close contact with the latter both in the UK and from time to time in India. As Foreign Office Minister responsible for consular matters I also took a close interest in the case and met members of Mr Stillman's family twice this year.We took all proper measures to ensure that the Indian authorities were meeting Mr Stillman's welfare requirements during his imprisonment. Consular staff monitored his welfare closely through consular visits (generally every 3 months) and by keeping in regular touch with his family. We were instrumental in ensuring improvements to many aspects of his detention. These included helping him to be transferred to a prison with better conditions and facilities, ensuring that he was provided with a wheelchair and had better lighting in his cell. Consular staff arranged for a board of medical consultants to examine him at a hospital in May 2002 and also helped secure permission from the prison authorities for medical and prosthetic specialists to visit him in prison. Recently they helped arrange for a diabetic specialist to visit Mr Stillman on 4 November.We are very glad that Mr Stillman's case has been resolved. We hope his early release will result in a significant improvement in his health. The Foreign Secretary met the Indian Foreign Minister, Yashwant Sinha, in London on 11 December, and expressed his thanks to Mr Sinha and his colleagues in the Government of India for the compassionate action they had taken in securing Mr Stillman's release.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art will be publishing its report. [HL815]

The reviewing committee's annual report for 2001–02 has been published today and copies have been laid before Parliament.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What measures they have taken, and intend to take, to strengthen the protection of homosexual people against crimes motivated by hatred and, in particular, incitement to violence against homosexual people in song lyrics and the public broadcasting of those songs. [HL336]

The Government are committed to tackling all hate crime regardless of what form it takes.The criminal law already contains a wide range of powers to deal with violent behaviour and harassment. This includes, under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, the ability for courts to issue higher sentences to perpetrators of crimes motivated by hate.The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), working with the Government, have developed guidance for police forces in dealing with these types of crime. This guidance is entitled

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the statement by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton (

The Government are committed to involving Parliament more formally in the process of creating sentencing guidelines than in the past, while leaving the final decision on the content of these guidelines to the proposed Sentencing Guidelines Council. The enabling legislation will be phrased in a way that allows the Lord Chancellor to designate an appropriate parliamentary body. It is recognised that the House of Lords may well wish to debate draft guidelines and it will be for the House to make its own arangements for doing so.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in order to avoid leaving prisons without a governor, they will ask the Prison Service to call experienced governors back from retirement on a locum basis. [HL545]

Deputy governors are appointed with the responsibilty to manage a prison in the governor's absence. Although occasionally in 2002 there have been gaps between the departure of a governor and the appointment of a successor, I believe there has been, at most, a negligible effect on the regime during these periods. The Prison Service has no plan to re-employ retired governors to manage establishments. However, the Prison Service has been using the skills of several retired governors to act as mentors, providing guidance and advice for operational senior managers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the total number of speeding lines imposed by Lancashire Police Force in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 to date; and [HL552]What is the total number of speeding lines imposed by Merseyside Police Force in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 to date. [HL553]

The table shows the total number of fines ordered to be paid following conviction for speeding offences within Lancashire and Merseyside police forces for 2000. As the majority of such offences are dealt with by the issue of a fixed penalty, the table also shows the total number of fixed penalty notices issued. Information for 2001 will be available early in 2003.

Fines and fixed penalties data for speeding offences, Lancashire and Merseyside police force areas, 2000
	Court Proceedings-Number of Fines	Fixed Penalties-Number of Tickets
Lancashire	5,170	29,680
Merseyside	1,320	7,390

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the integration of the management of prison dental services into health care, through joint working with the Dental Practice Board and healthcare managers in prison, has reduced the average waiting time for treatment of dental patient inmates. [HL620]

Prison Health has recently begun to collect data on waiting times for urgent and routine dental treatment in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales. However, it does not yet have sufficient information to show whether the improvements in prison dentistry now being introduced have yet led to any reduction in average waiting times across the prison estate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What arrangements they intend to make for the inspection of youth offending teams. [HL816]

To provide regular external scrutiny of youth offending teams (YOTs) a new joint inspection programme has been developed by Her Majesty's Inspectorates of Probation, Constabulary and Prisons, the Social Services Inspectorate (England and Wales) and the education inspectorates, (OFSTED for England and ESTYN for Wales) in consultation with the Home Office and the Youth Justice Board.The programme is expected to start in April 2003. Its purpose will be to:"report to the Secretary of State and through him, Parliament and the public, on the effectiveness of YOTs in fulfilling their statutory duties to prevent offending by children and young people and thereby protect the public, whilst safeguarding their rights and promoting their welfare".It will assess the impact YOTs and partner organisations have on offending, help to improve their performance and inform the further development of the YJB's effective practice and quality assurance strategy.Led by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation the inspection team will include representatives from the full range of inspectorates concerned with YOTs work. They will aim to inspect all YOTs in England and Wales over a five to six-year cycle.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to appoint the appointed person under Section 290 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. [HL817]

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has appointed Mr Andrew Clarke as the Appointed Person under Section 290 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. He will act as an independent person to oversee searches conducted under new cash seizure powers where no prior judicial authority is obtained. He will also prepare and submit an annual report on the operation of the search power to the Secretary of State, a copy of which will be laid before Parliament. Mr Clarke's appointment will commence on 30 December 2002 to coincide with the introduction of the cash seizure powers under the Act.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In view of paragraph 4.26 of the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit report

The Strategy Unit report, Private Action, Public Benefit, was published on 25 September 2002 as a consultation document. Its 61 recommendations set out a package of measures which aim to modernise the law and enable a wide range of organisations to be more effective and innovative.Paragraph 4.26 describes what happens now when those charities that charge fees which serve to exclude large sections of the population have to make provision for wider access for those who would be excluded because of the fees.At present there is no systematic programme in place to check the public character of charities. The report recommends that an on-going review programme run by the Charity Commission should check the public character of such organisations. It proposes that the commission would identify charities likely to charge high fees and undertake a rolling programme to check that provision was made for wider access. This programme, it suggests, would be designed to minimise red tape and would not focus on any particular sector. Short returns would be issued which ask charities what they do in terms of widening access, such as making provision for sharing facilities. It is envisaged that for the majority of cases no further inquiry would be necessary beyond the initial return.The report proposes that the Charity Commission, in consultation with charities likely to be affected and their umbrella bodies, would issue guidelines as to the level of access appropriate in particular circumstances.Of course at the moment these are only proposals. The report is out for consultation until 31 December 2002, and we shall consider the responses to this, and all the other matters addressed in the report, very carefully.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many racist incidents were reported to third party reporting centres before being reported to the police within the past 12 months. [HL604]

No information is collected centrally on racial incidents being reported to third party reporting centres.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the timetable for the publication of the Commission for Racial Equality's formal investigation of the Prison Service. [HL638]

The draft report on the formal investigation into HM Prison Service was served on the respondent under the provisons of Section 58 of the Race Relations Act 1976 on Monday 9 December. The Commission for Racial Equality will publish the final report early in the New Year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much public money has been spent in 2002 to date by way of grants to establish biodiesel processing plants; and how many grants were made. [HL524]

No such grants were issued in 2002 by government departments in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland's Department of Environment, Environmental Heritage Service set aside £1 million and, in conjunction with Invest NI, launched a Waste Industry Fund. This has been set up to help establish waste infrastructure in Northern Ireland. Two projects in the biodiesel sector have been awarded funding in principle: £120,000 in principle to Capital Oils Ltd for the manufacture of biodiesel using waste from cooking oils and fats; £11,000 in principle to Grease Trap Services for the manufacture of biodiesel from waste food/fat, oil and grease collected from catering drainage systems.Funding may be available from regional or local funding bodies, such as the regional development agencies in England, depending on the priorities they identify for the use of their resources. Central records are not kept of the grants issued.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proposals they have to make it possible for people adversely affected by centralised waste recycling facilities to be offered compensating benefits, such as cheaper electricity from a power-generating incinerator. [HL592]

Waste Strategy 2000 states that developers of proposed waste incinerators should consider the potential for incorporating combined heat and power technology, which would provide heating to the local community.Any electricity produced by such plants feeds into the National Grid and since the opening up of the electricity supply market householders in a specific community could potentially be receiving their electricity from any number of suppliers. It is not government policy to determine what those suppliers should be charging their customers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will report progress on the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy. [HL717]

I am pleased to report to the House that the Government launched a Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food on Thursday 12th December. My right honourable friends the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs met farmers and leaders of the food industry, rural, environmental and consumer bodies to discuss the new strategy and hear examples of good practice from across the food chain after the launch.The strategy is further evidence of this Government's commitment to help to deliver innovative and practical solutions to the challenges faced by those involved in the food chain. We do not underestimate the scale of these challenges: farm incomes remain under pressure and the foot and mouth disease outbreak also added to the momentum for change.This strategy builds on the invaluable work conducted by the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food to chart a way through these challenges. It sets out how industry, government and consumers can work together to secure a profitable and internationally competitive future for our industries, whilst contributing to a better environment, improving nutrition and public health and prosperous communities.The strategy is backed by £500 million from government over the next three years. Subject to clearance under the usual EU procedures, this will provide:a new entry-level agri-environment scheme: developing a simple scheme, suitable for all farmers which will pay them to farm in a more sustainable way, a core Curry Commission recommendation. Subject to successful piloting, this would be rolled out nationally in 2005;continued expansion of premium rural and environmental schemes like Countryside Stewardship: further work to improve the targeting of these schemes and make them simpler to applicants;