asked the Leader of the House:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 12 February (

This information is only available from 23 January 2002.From 23 January 2002 to 22 January 2004, 9,013 Questions for Written Answer were tabled. Of these, 5,384 (58 per cent) were answered within the two-week deadline. The table below gives a breakdown by department (for completeness, I have included both the Scotland and Wales Offices).I continue to review all outstanding questions with my ministerial colleagues on a weekly basis and am pleased to say that since 22 January 2004 to date, 890 Questions for Written Answer have been tabled, of which 73 per cent have been answered within the two week deadline—a big improvement on the previous figures.

asked the Leader of the House:Whether she will propose to the Procedure Committee that it invites the Secretary of State for Health, together with the department's Permanent Secretary, to give evidence to the committee to explain why on 8 March four of the seven Questions awaiting answer for more than 21 days were addressed to the Department of Health, when the target time is 14 days. [HL1824]

I have no plans to do so.I review all the outstanding Questions with my ministerial colleagues on a weekly basis and I would like to assure the noble Lord that the Department of Health, as with all other government departments, endeavours to answer all Parliamentary Questions accurately and promptly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the current salary, plus bonuses and other expenses, paid to the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service; what is the amount paid on the same basis to an administrative officer; and how each will be affected by the proposed annual increases. [HL1432]

The remuneration levels of senior departmental officials including the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service are shown in the respective departmental accounts, except where an individual exercises their right, by virtue of the Data Protection Act, to withhold consent to publication. Copies of those accounts are available in the Library.The head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service is a member of the Senior Civil Service. The pay for the Senior Civil Service is determined by the Government following receipt of the Senior Salaries Review Body report. In 2003–04 the Senior Civil Service was awarded salary increases of between 2¼ per cent and 9 per cent with the vast majority of increases being up to 5 per cent. From 1 April 2003, the pay scale for an administrative officer in the 11 departments of the Northern Ireland Administration is £10,723 to £15,383. Under the terms of the 2003 pay award, which is worth 3.67 per cent overall, the majority of administrative officers in the 11 departments of the Northern Ireland Administration will see their pay increase between 2.3 per cent and 5.8 per cent. Those who are already on the maximum of the pay scale will receive a non-consolidated payment worth 2 per cent of their existing salary. In addition, staff whose performance is more than satisfactory will receive an additional bonus payment of £140 or £250.

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

The railway line between Coleraine and Londonderry is a picturesque link between Londonderry and the Causeway Coast, two of Northern Ireland's most important tourist attractions. Although it is recognised as a scenic route no studies have been carried out and no current evidence exists which would indicate major benefits from promoting it specifically as a tourist attraction.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the current definition of care and maintenance with regard to Cross-Border Implementation Bodies. [HL1668]

As indicated in the statement of clarification on 18 December 2002, the British and Irish Governments intend, under the agreement contained in the exchange of notes of 19 November 2002, to take only those decisions required to ensure proper care and maintenance of the implementation bodies and Tourism Ireland in the performance of their necessary public functions. As the statement set out, the two Governments intend only to pursue the policies and actions already agreed in the North/South Ministerial Council and not to introduce any new policies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the cost of the production of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan; and what is the projected date for its publication. [HL1671]

The to-date cost of the production of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan is £2,761,772.The publication date for the plan has not yet been finalised.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the purpose of the Ulster Scots future search organised by the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure if the department will not make further resources available to the Ulster Scots community. [HL1713]

Future Search is a process whereby interested parties come together to determine and address issues of concern. The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure hosted a Future Search for Ulster Scots in November 2002. The department and representatives of the Ulster Scots community are now looking at how the issues raised can be taken forward. The availability of resources will be considered as part of this implementation process.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What arrangements are being made with the Post Office to guarantee that freepost items for the European elections are delivered to electors in good time and, in regions with all-postal elections, at an appropriate interval before the date of despatch of the ballot papers. [HL1560]

The service level agreement drawn up between Royal Mail Group plc and the Department for Constitutional Affairs obliges the Post Office to deliver such items within seven days of receipt from candidates. It is for candidates, including those in any regions in which all-postal elections are to be piloted, to ensure that they provide their material to Royal Mail in a timely way.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Who are the members of the Victims' Advisory Panel; and, where appropriate, which organisations they represent. [HL1421]

The panel consists of 10 voluntary lay members—recruited through open competition in accordance with guidelines laid down by the Commissioner for Public Appointments—who have either experienced victimisation themselves, or are family members or very close friends of murder victims.In addition there are representatives from the following victims groups: Victim Support, Support After Murder and Manslaughter, Victims Voice and Birmingham Racial Attacks Monitoring Unit.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 5 February (

The Government have no plans to keep such a register.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many prisoners in English prisons received dental treatment in 2003. [HL1566]

This information is not currently available in the form requested but should become available from 1 April 2004 under new monitoring arrangements introduced under the Strategy for Modernising Dental Services for Prisoners in England (April 2003).

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they last issued guidance concerning prisoners and sentences; whether this included remands in custody and the appropriate use of non-custodial sentences; and whether they will urgently consider new guidance; and [HL1569]When they last issued guidance to the courts concerning prisoners and sentences; whether this included remands in custody and the appropriate use of non-custodial sentences; and whether they will consider issuing new guidance. [HL1672]

The Government do not issue guidelines to courts on sentencing. However, the Criminal Justice Act 2003 set up the Sentencing Guidelines Council to produce sentencing guidelines for all courts and one of its first tasks will be to produce guidelines on the new generic community sentence.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give, for each of the most recent 10 years, the number of persons who on conviction were sentenced to community service; and what is the total number of hours of community service which were awarded in each of those years.[HL1594]

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will indicate the average cost per week of keeping a person serving a custodial sentence in prison and the average cost of supervising and administering 40 hours of community service. [HL1595]

The average weekly cost per prisoner during the financial year 2002–03 was £697. The average cost of an offender completing 40 hours of community service in the calendar year for 2002 was £706.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the recruitment of health professionals from new European Union member states will be affected by the Government's proposals regarding the migration of workers from those member states after 1 May; and, if so, how. [HL1616]

Health professionals from the accession states who wish to find jobs in the UK are very welcome to work here. Nationals of the eight central and eastern European acceding states who find and take up work on or after 1 May will simply need to apply immediately to the Home Office to be registered as a worker. Guidance on the scheme will be made available to employers and accession country nationals.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list in order of volume, for the latest year for which data are available, the 10 originating airports from which the highest number of cases of undocumented arrivals in the United Kingdom occurred. [HL1649]

Locally collated management information shows that the 10 originating airports from which the highest number of cases of undocumented arrivals in the United Kingdom occurred in 2003 were as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What correlations they have found between individuals with access to child pornography and offences of sexual abuse of children, whether in the United Kingdom or overseas. [HL1675]

People who sexually abuse children are often found to be in possession of indecent images of children. There is evidence to suggest that child pornography can be used in an attempt to legitimise their sexual activities with children and to "groom" or encourage compliance from their victims. However, we are not currently aware of any evidence to support a direct causal link between access to child pornography and the commission of sexual offences against children.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In the light of recent comments by Abu Hanza, who called the Holocaust a "lie", what steps they are taking to expediate proceedings for his deportation. [HL1686]

The current proceedings relate to deprivation of citizenship not deportation. The appeal against deprivation is currently awaiting a hearing by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC). The timing of the appeal is in the hands of SIAC, not the Home Office. It is well aware of the need for the matter to be dealt with expeditiously. The appeal is listed to start on 26 April.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Citizenship, Immigration and Counter-Terrorism on 30 October 2003 (HC Deb, 321W), whether there are any other charges involved in supplying passports for citizens; and, if not, how the difference between the cost and the price is justified. [HL1762]

The passport fee is reviewed annually in consultation with HM Treasury and is set in accordance with fees and charges guidance. The UK Passport Service does not make a profit.

asked Her Majesty's Government:For each of the years 2001, 2002 and 2003, how much the United Kingdom collected in import or customs duties on goods, excluding agricultural and fishing produce, which were imported into the United Kingdom from countries which were not members of the European Union. [HL1589]

The total net receipts of customs duties collected by the UK on goods, excluding agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing and aquaculture produce during the financial years 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03 are shown in the table below. The more detailed information requested is not available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:For each of the years 2001, 2002 and 2003, how much the United Kingdom collected in agriculture and sugar levies on agricultural and fishing produce imported into the United Kingdom from countries which were not members of the European Union. [HL1590]

The total net receipts of agricultural duties collected by the UK on agriculture, hunting, fishing and aquaculture produce during the financial years 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03 are shown in the table below. The more detailed information requested is not available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:For each of the years 2001, 2002 and 2003, what was the value of agricultural and fishing produce imported into the United Kingdom from countries which were not members of the European Union. [HL1591]

The value of imports of agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing and aquaculture produce from non-EU countries in years 2001, 2002 and 2003 and shown in the table below. The more detailed information requested is not available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proportion by value of goods, excluding agricultural and fishing produce, imported into the United Kingdom from countries which were not members of the European Union in 2002 effectively bore no import or customs duties. [HL1592]

Precise figures are not available but during the calendar year 2002, the proportion by value of goods, excluding agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing and aquaculture produce, imported into the UK from non-EU countries, which effectively bore no import or customs duties, is estimated to be 68 per cent.This estimate includes both goods for which the full rate of customs duty was zero and goods for which there was a positive rate of customs duty but preferential arrangements allowed a zero rate to be claimed.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much they have spent per capita on sport in each year since 2000. [HL1603]

The following table sets out the total government funding directly attributable for sport per capita in England.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the annual budget for UK Sport's modernisation programme; what awards were made; and which governing body modernisation projects were funded under the programme in the years 2001–02; 2002–03; and 2003–04. [HL1647]

The annual budget for UK Sport's modernisation programme was:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the proposed percentage contribution from the existing sports lottery distributors towards the estimated £340 million which is to be top-sliced from them to meet the cost of elite sport and associated sports investment for the 2012 London Olympic Games. [HL1678]

The £340 million is to be used to maximise the UK-wide opportunities for sport that hosting the Olympics and Paralympics can bring, both in athletes' success and in sports investment. It will not be top-sliced from sports lottery distributors. They will decide how it is spent. We shall shortly be discussing with them what their contributions will be.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made in the Department of Health's inquiry into the disclosures made by the Lord Owen concerning decisions taken while he was a Health Minister in regard to imports of blood for the treatment of patients with haemophilia; and when they expect the inquiry to conclude. [HL1419]

A review is being undertaken by the Department of Health to clarify the facts surrounding the supply of blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. The review is based on papers available from the time and it is hoped to make the conclusions of the review known in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What assessment they have made of the role of patient profiling in improving the targeting of National Health Service resources and services to meet the needs of the overweight and obese. [HL1458]

It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How funding from the New Opportunities Fund is being used to address levels of overweight and obesity. [HL1427]

The New Opportunities Fund supports 350 Healthy Living Centres across the United Kingdom. Of those in England, 114 provide activities covering diet and nutrition and 207 HLCs offer physical and sporting activities, which contribute to tackling obesity.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to review their current dietary advice in the form of the "Five-a-day" message to ensure that they are providing practical and adequate advice to those who are overweight and obese. [HL1428]

The Government launched their major consultation on public health this month. The consultation will enable a wide range of stakeholders to contribute to the debate on overweight and obesity. The Government will draw up their White Paper in the light of the consultation.The overall aim of the Five-a-day programme is to contribute to a reduction in preventable early deaths from coronary heart disease and some cancers and to a reduction in health inequalities.The dietary advice given through the Five-a-day message is directed to the whole population. Dietary advice on weight maintenance, intake of salt, fat and sugar and portion sizes are given in the Five-a-day materials. The nutrition criteria for the use of the Five-a-day logo also aims to ensure increased consumption of a variety of fruit and vegetables. There are no plans to review the dietary advice given in the Five-a-day message but relevant issues will be taken into account as they arise.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What assessment they have made of the Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust House project; and what consideration they have given to assisting with the estimated costs of the project. [HL1740]

The Government are aware of the work of the Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust (TOAST) by supporting its work programme over two years through the Department of Health's Section 64 Grant Scheme. This grant ended in March 2003 and TOAST has submitted an application for further Section 64 funding from April 2004. This application is under consideration.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What assessment they have made of the role of sport and physical activity in reducing levels of overweight and obesity; and what plans they have to address levels of inactivity among children and adults. [HL1742]

The Health Development Agency (HDA) has carried out a review of the current evidence on diet, physical activity and behavioural approaches to the management of obesity and overweight. This was published as an evidence briefing in October 2003. A further review by HDA of the evidence on the effectiveness of public health interventions for increasing physical activity among adults is intended for publication in the next few weeks.In addition, the National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care has been commissioned by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to work jointly with the HDA to develop guidance on obesity.The cross-government Activity Co-ordination Team (ACT) has been established by government to increase participation in physical activity and sport for those of all ages. ACT will publish proposals for consultation in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether patient-carer organisations will be adequately represented on the membership of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's Obesity Guideline Development Group; and what plans they have to support the application for membership from a representative from the Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust. [HL1743]

Patient/carer organisations are fully involved in the development of the guidance on obesity being developed by the National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care (NCC-PC). The NCC-PC has been commissioned by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to work jointly with the Health Development Agency (HDA) to develop this guidance.A number of patient/carer organisations (including the Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust) are registered as stakeholders in this guidance. All stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on, and he involved in the development of, the guidance from its initial scoping phase through to the two periods of consultation on the draft guideline.In addition, the Guidance Development Group (GDG) will include at least two representatives nominated through patient/carer organisations. The Patient Involvement Unit at NICE has written to all patient/carer stakeholders involved in this guideline (including the Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust) detailing how organisations interested in nominating GDG members can do this. The NCC-PC and the HDA, in discussion with NICE if necessary, will review the nominations to select the best combination of people to maximise the range of skills and experience of the GDG. This process should be complete by the end of May 2004.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many letters the Department of Health has received since September 2002 from (a) members of the public. (b) Members of Parliament on behalf of constituents and (c) Peers, in regard to difficulties in accessing National Health Service dentistry. [HL1461]

Between 1 September 2002 and 31 January 2004, the Department of Health has received 524 letters about access to National Health Service dentistry from the public and 399 letters from Members of Parliament. In the same period their Lordships have written 15 letters to the department on dentistry, mostly on water fluoridation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to increase the number of training places for surgical practitioners; and [HL1608]Whether, in the light of the European Union Working Time Directive, there will be a need for an expansion in the number of surgical practitioners. [HL1609]

The Changing Workforce Programme is working closely with the National Association of Assistants in Surgical Practice, the Royal College of Surgeons and the NHSU to develop a curriculum and national standards for practice, for surgical practitioners, so that the number of training programmes can increase to accommodate growing numbers.It is not possible to estimate a figure for the number of surgical practitioners needed to ensure compliance with the Working Time Directive because compliance requires a range of different approaches in different trusts and services, only some of which will involve surgical practitioners.The 20 Working Time Directive pilot projects currently in progress include one which is testing the role of perioperative specialist practitioner, in four trusts. While this is a different role from that of surgical practitioner, it illustrates how different staff can contribute to a team-based approach to providing patient care. The project has shown that practitioners can be extremely effective both at saving junior doctor time, which can help a trust to achieve compliant rotas, and al improving the quality of patient care by, for example, reducing waiting times in clinics and enabling earlier discharge from hospital. It is working closely with the new ways of working in surgery project to share expertise and learning, and in all of these projects new practitioner roles are being combined with changes to working patterns of medical staff and to service delivery, which together improve Working Time Directive compliance.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in view of concern about the potential health impacts of the artificial sweetener aspartame, they will carry out research with a view to assessing whether (a) the product should be banned; or (b) serious health warnings should be issued. [HL1657]

We are advised by the Food Standards Agency that there are no plans to ban aspartame or to put out health warnings concerning the use of this sweetener. Legislation on sweeteners and other food additives is harmonised throughout the European Union and all additives permitted for use such as aspartame have been regularly assessed for safety by the independent scientific committees that advise the European Commission and the United Kingdom Government.At the request of the Food Standards Agency, the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Food undertook a comprehensive review of the safety of aspartame in 2001. The committee concluded that there was no evidence to suggest a need to revise its previous risk assessment of the sweetener, which concluded that aspartame is safe for use in food.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Andrews on 12 May 2003 (

The Interphone study, set up by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, to investigate the relationship between cancer risk and mobile phone use is expected to produce its first results at the end of 2004. Information about the study can be found on the website www.iarc.fr/pageroot/UNITS/RCA4.html Copies have also been placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Given that they subscribe to the World Health Organisation (WHO) redesignation of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) as a neurological illness under the title ICD10 G93.3 and that the WHO lists no such illness as ME, whether the Government will cease to use the title ME or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. [HL1684]

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is an internationally recognised term for this condition and is used and understood by both clinicians and patients. The US Department of Health and Human Sciences Centres for Disease Control and Prevention adopted the name Chronic: Fatigue Syndrome in 1988.There is much medical literature tied to the current name, and a change of name should wait at least until an accepted biological marker is found. Until a new name for this illness is agreed internationally we will have to continue to use Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis to describe it.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's guidance on osteoporosis will be published and implemented; and what support they are giving to the National Health Service in developing osteoporosis aspects of the National Service Framework for Older People. [HL1729]

The National Institute for C finical Excellence (NICE) is carrying out two appraisals on the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. The anticipated publication date of these two appraisals has yet to be determined by NICE. A clinical guideline is also in preparation on the assessment of fracture risk and the prevention of osteoporotic fractures in individuals at high risk. The anticipated publication date for this guidance is June 2005.The National Health Service is expected to take clue account of NICE guidance from its date of publication. For most technology appraisals where NICE recommends the use of a particular intervention, the NHS is required to make funding available within three months of the date of publication.Meeting the needs of people with osteoporosis is an important objective of the integrated falls services that the National Service Framework for Older People requires to be in place locally by April 2005. Support for local development includes development and shared learning from the National Primary Care Team's Falls and Healthy Communities Collaborative sites, published advice and workshops to support local commissioning of falls services, and joint funding with Help the Aged to publish examples of falls prevention services.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In 2002 what were the values of payments from the European Union budget to the British fishing industry (both seagoing and offshore support services and fishing produce processing) through the following programmes:

Payments from the EU budget to the British fishing industry in 2002 were as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Rural Payments Agency plans to produce a draft application form for the new style common agricultural policy claims; and whether it proposes to consult potential claimants on its suitability. [HL1725]

Work has started on the design of the application form for the single farm payment scheme. This cannot be completed until the detailed implementation regulations are agreed and decisions taken on areas of national discretion. The Rural Payments Agency is planning to consult stakeholders on the design of the form and scheme literature in due course.